Fr. John Hardon has a wonderful article on his website entitled Conservative or Liberal Catholic.
I think his final paragraph states it quite nicely.
A question similar to those which began this essay was posed to a Catholic priest just recently. In response to the query, “Father, are you a conservative or liberal Catholic,” he replied, “I’m a Roman Catholic. I follow the guidelines of the Vatican.” The holder of the Petrine Office is the direct descendent of Peter to whom were handed the keys of the kingdom. His mandate is clear; our duty as Roman Catholics is to adhere to both the letter and the Spirit as the Holy Father delineates them for us, not pick and choose those aspects of Catholicism more to our liking. As 2 John 9 reminds us, anyone who “does not remain rooted in the teaching of Christ does not possess God, while anyone who remains rooted in the teaching possesses both Father and the Son.”
Friday, June 30, 2006
Tim Russert to be Speaker at Diocesan Scholarship Dinner
Tim Russert, host of NBC’s Meet the Press and the network’s chief political analyst, will be the speaker at this year’s St. Mary’s Education Fund Fall Dinner planned for Thursday, September 28, 2006 at White’s of Westport.
Proceeds from the annual Fall Dinner event support the St. Mary’s Education Fund, which provides need-based scholarships to students at Catholic elementary and middle schools in the Fall River diocese.
Russert attended Catholic schools in his native Buffalo, N.Y., and has often paid tribute to his teachers, saying that he was taught to read and write, but also to know right from wrong.
It may well be that a Sister of Mercy who is now serving in the Fall River diocese played a role in getting him started on his career in journalism.
According to Russert, it was Sr. Lucille Socciarelli, his seventh-grade teacher at Buffalo’s St. Bonaventure Grade School -and now a chaplain at Fall River’s Charlton Memorial Hospital- who took him aside at one point during the year and said, “Timmy, we have to find a way to channel your energy. I’m starting a new school newspaper, and you’re going to be the editor.”
He remembers doing the job and beginning a love of writing.
In an address at the 2005 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Russert said that “schools that are worth attending” should be at the top of a list of priorities aimed at improving the lives of young Americans.
Fall Dinner chairman Nicholas M. Christ of Citizens-Union Bank in Fall River is grateful that Russert accepted the invitation to speak at the dinner.
“We are so fortunate that Mr. Russert will be able to be with us for our Fall Dinner,” Christ said. “Throughout his very public career, he has always placed great importance on the education he received in Catholic schools. He is the ideal man to have on the program of an event designed to raise money to help families afford a Catholic education.”
Russert became moderator of Meet the Press in 1991 and since then has interviewed every major figure in American politics. His oft-quoted show has become the most watched Sunday morning interview program. He is also seen on NBC Nightly News and the Today show offering political commentary and on CNBC where he hosts his own weekly Tim Russert Show.
He is senior vice president and Washington bureau chief of NBC News, which he joined in 1984.
His work has been recognized with numerous major journalism awards and he holds some 41 honorary doctorate degrees from American colleges and universities.
In 2004 he found time to write a national bestseller, Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life, a memoir about his father’s role in his life in which he remembered that the reason his father worked two jobs was to send his four kids to Catholic schools.
After St. Bonaventure, Russert graduated from Jesuit run Canisius High in Buffalo and Jesuit run John Carroll University in Cleveland. He then earned a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
He and his family are members of a Catholic parish in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and he frequently writes and speaks of the role of faith in his life.
September’s Fall Dinner, to begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception, is one of two annual fund-raising events for the St. Mary’s Education Fund.
In the past academic year alone, the Fund provided over $660,000 in partial tuition aid to more than 650 students.
Dinner chairman Christ said that “a successful Fall Dinner is absolutely necessary if the St. Mary’s Fund is going to be able to assist the increasing numbers of students looking for help with tuition costs.”
Volunteer lay committees in four regions of the Fall River diocese are reaching out to businesses, community and academic leaders, and individuals to extend an invitation to sponsor a table or purchase a ticket for the Fall Dinner.
Anyone interested in attending or in need of more information, should contact the Diocesan Development Office at 508-675-1311.
Proceeds from the annual Fall Dinner event support the St. Mary’s Education Fund, which provides need-based scholarships to students at Catholic elementary and middle schools in the Fall River diocese.
Russert attended Catholic schools in his native Buffalo, N.Y., and has often paid tribute to his teachers, saying that he was taught to read and write, but also to know right from wrong.
It may well be that a Sister of Mercy who is now serving in the Fall River diocese played a role in getting him started on his career in journalism.
According to Russert, it was Sr. Lucille Socciarelli, his seventh-grade teacher at Buffalo’s St. Bonaventure Grade School -and now a chaplain at Fall River’s Charlton Memorial Hospital- who took him aside at one point during the year and said, “Timmy, we have to find a way to channel your energy. I’m starting a new school newspaper, and you’re going to be the editor.”
He remembers doing the job and beginning a love of writing.
In an address at the 2005 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Russert said that “schools that are worth attending” should be at the top of a list of priorities aimed at improving the lives of young Americans.
Fall Dinner chairman Nicholas M. Christ of Citizens-Union Bank in Fall River is grateful that Russert accepted the invitation to speak at the dinner.
“We are so fortunate that Mr. Russert will be able to be with us for our Fall Dinner,” Christ said. “Throughout his very public career, he has always placed great importance on the education he received in Catholic schools. He is the ideal man to have on the program of an event designed to raise money to help families afford a Catholic education.”
Russert became moderator of Meet the Press in 1991 and since then has interviewed every major figure in American politics. His oft-quoted show has become the most watched Sunday morning interview program. He is also seen on NBC Nightly News and the Today show offering political commentary and on CNBC where he hosts his own weekly Tim Russert Show.
He is senior vice president and Washington bureau chief of NBC News, which he joined in 1984.
His work has been recognized with numerous major journalism awards and he holds some 41 honorary doctorate degrees from American colleges and universities.
In 2004 he found time to write a national bestseller, Big Russ and Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life, a memoir about his father’s role in his life in which he remembered that the reason his father worked two jobs was to send his four kids to Catholic schools.
After St. Bonaventure, Russert graduated from Jesuit run Canisius High in Buffalo and Jesuit run John Carroll University in Cleveland. He then earned a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
He and his family are members of a Catholic parish in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and he frequently writes and speaks of the role of faith in his life.
September’s Fall Dinner, to begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception, is one of two annual fund-raising events for the St. Mary’s Education Fund.
In the past academic year alone, the Fund provided over $660,000 in partial tuition aid to more than 650 students.
Dinner chairman Christ said that “a successful Fall Dinner is absolutely necessary if the St. Mary’s Fund is going to be able to assist the increasing numbers of students looking for help with tuition costs.”
Volunteer lay committees in four regions of the Fall River diocese are reaching out to businesses, community and academic leaders, and individuals to extend an invitation to sponsor a table or purchase a ticket for the Fall Dinner.
Anyone interested in attending or in need of more information, should contact the Diocesan Development Office at 508-675-1311.
Pastoral Planning in Fall River Diocese
The Diocese of Fall River has entered phase two of it's five year pastoral planning process.
Bishop George Coleman has issued a statement which is available on PDF file here.
In his letter, Bishop Coleman writes:
"Generally speaking, phase two will focus on developing a greater understand of the mission of the church, and the responsibility that all the baptized have in caring for it's future."
Bishop George Coleman has issued a statement which is available on PDF file here.
In his letter, Bishop Coleman writes:
"Generally speaking, phase two will focus on developing a greater understand of the mission of the church, and the responsibility that all the baptized have in caring for it's future."
Pope Benedict to travel to Turkey?
Following yesterday's Angelus, the Pope received in audience a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, led by Ioannis (Zizioulas), metropolitan of Pergamo. The delegation has come to Rome for the occasion of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The Pope expressed his satisfaction for the fact that the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Orthodox and Catholics will hold its plenary in Belgrade in September, presided by metropolitan Ioannis.
"Dialogue thus resumes its path and enters a new phase," said the Holy Father in English. "Spontaneously we find ourselves wanting to pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten and inflame our hearts, strengthening our common will to respond, insofar as it depends on us, to the Lord's ardent prayer: 'Ut unum sint;' in this way, may the disciples of Christ, united in faith, together proclaim His Gospel to the whole world, so that, believing in Him, all will be saved."
The Holy Father also recalled that he had received an invitation from the Turkish authorities, the Patriarchate and the local Catholic community in Turkey to make an apostolic pilgrimage to that country in November for the Feat of St. Andrew, and expressed the hope that he would be able to undertake the visit.
The Pope expressed his satisfaction for the fact that the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Orthodox and Catholics will hold its plenary in Belgrade in September, presided by metropolitan Ioannis.
"Dialogue thus resumes its path and enters a new phase," said the Holy Father in English. "Spontaneously we find ourselves wanting to pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten and inflame our hearts, strengthening our common will to respond, insofar as it depends on us, to the Lord's ardent prayer: 'Ut unum sint;' in this way, may the disciples of Christ, united in faith, together proclaim His Gospel to the whole world, so that, believing in Him, all will be saved."
The Holy Father also recalled that he had received an invitation from the Turkish authorities, the Patriarchate and the local Catholic community in Turkey to make an apostolic pilgrimage to that country in November for the Feat of St. Andrew, and expressed the hope that he would be able to undertake the visit.
Pallium Mass
In the Vatican Basilica yesterday, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, the Pope presided at a Eucharistic concelebration with 27 metropolitan archbishops from 17 countries, upon whom in the course of the ceremony he imposed the pallium. Yesterday also marked the 55th anniversary of Benedict XVI's own priestly ordination.
In keeping with tradition, the Mass was attended by a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, led this year by Ioannis (Zizioulas), metropolitan of Pergamo and president of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, and including Kallistos (Timothy Ware), bishop of Diokleia and assistant to the archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, and the archimandrite Dionysius Papavasileiou.
In his homily, the Pope recalled how Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God and how, on this basis, his special task was conferred upon him "through three images: the rock that becomes the foundation stone or cornerstone, the keys, and the image of binding and loosening."
Benedict XVI then highlighted the fact that Jesus, having made His promise to Peter, starts out towards Jerusalem and the Cross. "The Church - and in her Christ - also suffers today," he said. "In her, Christ is once again scorned and beaten; once again an attempt is made to push Him out of the world. Once again, the little ship of the Church is shaken by the winds of ideologies ... and she seems condemned to sink under the waters. And yet, it is precisely in the suffering Church that Christ is triumphant. Despite everything, faith in Him always reacquires new strength."
The Lord "remains in His ship, in the little vessel of the Church," the Pope added. "In the same way, Peter's ministry reveals, on the one had, the weakness of man's faculties, but at the same time the strength of God. It is precisely in the weakness of men that the Lord shows His strength."
Peter's task, the Holy Father continued, was also "never to let this faith become mute, but ever to reinvigorate it, even before the cross and all the contradictions of the world."
After mentioning Peter's three denials, Benedict XVI said: "through this fall, Peter - and with him the Church in all times - must learn that one's own strength is not enough to build and guide the Church of the Lord. No one can manage it alone. However capable and able Peter many seem, at the first moment of trial he failed."
"For all those who have responsibility in the Church; for all those who suffer the confusion of these times; for the great and the small: Lord, protect us always and anew and thus raise us up when we fall and take us into Your good hands."
The Lord also entrusted Peter, Pope Benedict said, with the task of "presiding over universal communion, and of maintaining it present in the world in the form of unity, a unity that is also visible."
After greeting the metropolitan archbishops appointed in the course of the last year, who received the pallium during today's ceremony, the Pope also addressed some words to the delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate: "I thank Patriarch Bartholomew I and the Holy Synod for this sign of fraternity, which expresses the desire and commitment to progress more rapidly along the road to the full unity invoked by Christ for all His disciples. We share the burning desire once expressed by Patriarch Atenagora and by Pope Paul VI: to drink together from the same chalice and to eat together the same bread, which is the Lord Himself. On this occasion, we again implore that this gift be granted us soon."
Palliums were conferred on the following metropolitian archbishops:
1. Cardinal Jorge Liberato UROSA SAVINO, archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela.
2. Cardinal Crescenzio SEPE, archbishop of Naples, Italy.
3. Archbishop Louis CHAMNIERN SANTISUKNIRAN of Thare and Nonseng, Thailand.
4. Archbishop Jose Belisario DA SILVA, O.F.M., of Sao Luis do Maranhao, Brazil.
5. Archbishop Jabulani NXUMALO, O.M.I., of Bloemfontein, South Africa.
6. Archbishop Jorge Enrique JIMENEZ CARVAJAL, C.I.M., of Cartagena, Colombia.
7. Archbishop Tommaso VALENTINETTI of Pescara-Penne, Italy.
8. Archbishop Fabriciano SIGAMPA of Resistencia, Argentina.
9. Archbishop Odon Marie Arsene RAZANAKOLONA of Antananarivo, Madagascar.
10. Archbishop George Hugh NIEDERAUER of San Francisco, United States.
11. Archbishop Jose Luis MOLLAGHAN of Rosario, Argentina.
12. Archbishop Cornelius Fontem ESUA of Bamenda, Cameroon.
13. Archbishop Daniel N. DiNARDO of Galveston-Houston, United States.
14. Archbishop Antonio Javellana LEDESMA, S.J., of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.
15. Archbishop Jose Serofia PALMA of Palo, Philippines.
16. Archbishop Sylvain LAVOIE, O.M.I., of Keewatin-Le Pas, Canada.
17. Archbishop Joviano DE LIMA JUNIOR, S.S.S., of Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
18. Archbishop Luigi CONTI of Fermo, Italy.
19. Archbishop Franc KRAMBERGER of Maribor Slovenia.
20. Archbishop Ignazio SANNA of Oristano, Italy.
21. Archbishop Francois-Xavier MAROY RUSENGO of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo).
22. Archbishop Jean-Pierre KUTWA of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
23. Archbishop Andrea MUGIONE of Benevento, Italy.
24. Archbishop Orlando BRANDES of Londrina, Brazil.
25. Archbishop Georges PONTIER of Marseille, France.
26. Archbishop Donald William WUERL of Washington, United States.
27. Archbishop Wojciech ZIEMBA of Warmia, Poland.
In keeping with tradition, the Mass was attended by a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, led this year by Ioannis (Zizioulas), metropolitan of Pergamo and president of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, and including Kallistos (Timothy Ware), bishop of Diokleia and assistant to the archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, and the archimandrite Dionysius Papavasileiou.
In his homily, the Pope recalled how Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God and how, on this basis, his special task was conferred upon him "through three images: the rock that becomes the foundation stone or cornerstone, the keys, and the image of binding and loosening."
Benedict XVI then highlighted the fact that Jesus, having made His promise to Peter, starts out towards Jerusalem and the Cross. "The Church - and in her Christ - also suffers today," he said. "In her, Christ is once again scorned and beaten; once again an attempt is made to push Him out of the world. Once again, the little ship of the Church is shaken by the winds of ideologies ... and she seems condemned to sink under the waters. And yet, it is precisely in the suffering Church that Christ is triumphant. Despite everything, faith in Him always reacquires new strength."
The Lord "remains in His ship, in the little vessel of the Church," the Pope added. "In the same way, Peter's ministry reveals, on the one had, the weakness of man's faculties, but at the same time the strength of God. It is precisely in the weakness of men that the Lord shows His strength."
Peter's task, the Holy Father continued, was also "never to let this faith become mute, but ever to reinvigorate it, even before the cross and all the contradictions of the world."
After mentioning Peter's three denials, Benedict XVI said: "through this fall, Peter - and with him the Church in all times - must learn that one's own strength is not enough to build and guide the Church of the Lord. No one can manage it alone. However capable and able Peter many seem, at the first moment of trial he failed."
"For all those who have responsibility in the Church; for all those who suffer the confusion of these times; for the great and the small: Lord, protect us always and anew and thus raise us up when we fall and take us into Your good hands."
The Lord also entrusted Peter, Pope Benedict said, with the task of "presiding over universal communion, and of maintaining it present in the world in the form of unity, a unity that is also visible."
After greeting the metropolitan archbishops appointed in the course of the last year, who received the pallium during today's ceremony, the Pope also addressed some words to the delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate: "I thank Patriarch Bartholomew I and the Holy Synod for this sign of fraternity, which expresses the desire and commitment to progress more rapidly along the road to the full unity invoked by Christ for all His disciples. We share the burning desire once expressed by Patriarch Atenagora and by Pope Paul VI: to drink together from the same chalice and to eat together the same bread, which is the Lord Himself. On this occasion, we again implore that this gift be granted us soon."
Palliums were conferred on the following metropolitian archbishops:
1. Cardinal Jorge Liberato UROSA SAVINO, archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela.
2. Cardinal Crescenzio SEPE, archbishop of Naples, Italy.
3. Archbishop Louis CHAMNIERN SANTISUKNIRAN of Thare and Nonseng, Thailand.
4. Archbishop Jose Belisario DA SILVA, O.F.M., of Sao Luis do Maranhao, Brazil.
5. Archbishop Jabulani NXUMALO, O.M.I., of Bloemfontein, South Africa.
6. Archbishop Jorge Enrique JIMENEZ CARVAJAL, C.I.M., of Cartagena, Colombia.
7. Archbishop Tommaso VALENTINETTI of Pescara-Penne, Italy.
8. Archbishop Fabriciano SIGAMPA of Resistencia, Argentina.
9. Archbishop Odon Marie Arsene RAZANAKOLONA of Antananarivo, Madagascar.
10. Archbishop George Hugh NIEDERAUER of San Francisco, United States.
11. Archbishop Jose Luis MOLLAGHAN of Rosario, Argentina.
12. Archbishop Cornelius Fontem ESUA of Bamenda, Cameroon.
13. Archbishop Daniel N. DiNARDO of Galveston-Houston, United States.
14. Archbishop Antonio Javellana LEDESMA, S.J., of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.
15. Archbishop Jose Serofia PALMA of Palo, Philippines.
16. Archbishop Sylvain LAVOIE, O.M.I., of Keewatin-Le Pas, Canada.
17. Archbishop Joviano DE LIMA JUNIOR, S.S.S., of Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
18. Archbishop Luigi CONTI of Fermo, Italy.
19. Archbishop Franc KRAMBERGER of Maribor Slovenia.
20. Archbishop Ignazio SANNA of Oristano, Italy.
21. Archbishop Francois-Xavier MAROY RUSENGO of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo).
22. Archbishop Jean-Pierre KUTWA of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
23. Archbishop Andrea MUGIONE of Benevento, Italy.
24. Archbishop Orlando BRANDES of Londrina, Brazil.
25. Archbishop Georges PONTIER of Marseille, France.
26. Archbishop Donald William WUERL of Washington, United States.
27. Archbishop Wojciech ZIEMBA of Warmia, Poland.
Stop the Procession!!!
This has been around for a while and I have meant to post it here for a long time. Gerald at the Closed Cafeteria wrote a wonderful post that I won't even try to compete with.
The priest dancing with the book of the Gospels and the weird people waving banners...it's just all too weird. What is the deal with the applause when the priest reached the ambo? Were the applauding because they were glad it was over, or were they glad that he survived whatever seizure they thought he was having?
Check out the video here.
The priest dancing with the book of the Gospels and the weird people waving banners...it's just all too weird. What is the deal with the applause when the priest reached the ambo? Were the applauding because they were glad it was over, or were they glad that he survived whatever seizure they thought he was having?
Check out the video here.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
The Joy of Mail
I got two packages in the mail today. They both contained items that I was thrilled to recieve.
The first contained an antique silver pendant of the Papal coat of arms.
The second contained a baseball cap from the swearing in on the Swiss Guard.
I will try to take pics of them tomorrow.
The first contained an antique silver pendant of the Papal coat of arms.
The second contained a baseball cap from the swearing in on the Swiss Guard.
I will try to take pics of them tomorrow.
Order of Sacramental Reception
This comes via Fr. Dennis.
The bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, Alvaro Corrada, is advocating the return to the practice of administering the Sacrament of Confirmation before the Eucharist.
You can read his reflection here.
The bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, Alvaro Corrada, is advocating the return to the practice of administering the Sacrament of Confirmation before the Eucharist.
You can read his reflection here.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Plenary Indulgence for World Meeting of Families
For the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families, due to be held in Valencia, Spain from July 1 to 9, Benedict XVI will concede Plenary Indulgence to those faithful who participate in any of the associated celebrations and in the closing ceremony, according to a decree from the Apostolic Penitentiary made public yesterday afternoon.
The Holy Father will attend the closing ceremony of the meeting and hopes, the decree states, "that the many people from all over the world who come together in Valencia may participate enthusiastically and dutifully in the various initiatives and liturgical celebrations taking place there in favor of the family, and that, having returned to their own homes fortified by the grace of God, they may dedicate themselves generously to moulding their own families and those of their neighbors to the holy rules of the Gospel."
Moreover, the decree continues, the Pope asks the Most Holy Trinity "that great benefit may be forthcoming to the Church; especially through profound reflection on the theme of the family, seat of life and of love, domestic church in which parents transmit to children the priceless gift of faith."
"The Supreme Pontiff," the decree adds, "grants Plenary Indulgence to the faithful under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin), if they participate in any of the solemn functions held in Valencia during the Fifth World Meeting of Families, and in the solemn closing ceremony.
"All other faithful who are unable to participate in that event, may obtain the same gift of Plenary Indulgence, under the same conditions, over the days the meeting is held and on its closing day if, united in spirit and thought with the faithful present in Valencia, they recite in the family the 'Our Father,' the 'Creed,' and other devout prayers calling on Divine Mercy to concede the above-mentioned aims."
The Holy Father will attend the closing ceremony of the meeting and hopes, the decree states, "that the many people from all over the world who come together in Valencia may participate enthusiastically and dutifully in the various initiatives and liturgical celebrations taking place there in favor of the family, and that, having returned to their own homes fortified by the grace of God, they may dedicate themselves generously to moulding their own families and those of their neighbors to the holy rules of the Gospel."
Moreover, the decree continues, the Pope asks the Most Holy Trinity "that great benefit may be forthcoming to the Church; especially through profound reflection on the theme of the family, seat of life and of love, domestic church in which parents transmit to children the priceless gift of faith."
"The Supreme Pontiff," the decree adds, "grants Plenary Indulgence to the faithful under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin), if they participate in any of the solemn functions held in Valencia during the Fifth World Meeting of Families, and in the solemn closing ceremony.
"All other faithful who are unable to participate in that event, may obtain the same gift of Plenary Indulgence, under the same conditions, over the days the meeting is held and on its closing day if, united in spirit and thought with the faithful present in Valencia, they recite in the family the 'Our Father,' the 'Creed,' and other devout prayers calling on Divine Mercy to concede the above-mentioned aims."
James the Less
The Apostle James the Less was the subject of Benedict XVI's catechesis at today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 40,000 people.
The Pope recalled how James the Less "played a preeminent role within the Church in Jerusalem. ... In the apostolic council held there ... he affirmed, together with others, that pagans could be welcomed into the Church without first undergoing circumcision."
"St. Paul," the Pope went on, "names him even before Peter as a 'pillar' of the Church," and "the Jewish-Christians considered him to be their principal point of reference." Together with Peter, he helped "to integrate the original Jewish dimension of Christianity with the need not to impose all the precepts of Mosaic Law upon pagan converts."
"In this way, two significant and complementary results were achieved, both of them still valid: on the one hand, the indissoluble relationship linking Christianity and Judaism was recognized, ... on the other, Christians of pagan origin were allowed to maintain their own sociological identity. ... Thus began a process of reciprocal esteem and respect which, despite unfortunate later misunderstandings, sought by its nature to safeguard the characteristic elements distinguishing each of the two sides."
The New Testament Letter attributed to this Apostle "places much emphasis on the need not to reduce one's own faith to a mere abstract or verbal declaration, but to express it solidly in works of charity. ... He calls us to constancy in trials, ... and to faithful prayer to God for the gift of wisdom, thanks to which we come to understand that the true values of life are not to be found in transitory riches, but rather in knowing how to share our own wealth with the poor and needy."
Following his catechesis, Benedict XVI greeted pilgrims in various languages. Among the groups present were participants in a meeting promoted by the "Family of St. Luigi Orione," for the "Feast of the Pope" the theme of which is: "Many Hearts around the Pope, Evangelizer of Life." The Pope thanked them for this initiative and invited them "to continue bearing witness to the Gospel of life through all your institutions and activities, seeking especially to serve the weak and the needy."
The Pope recalled how James the Less "played a preeminent role within the Church in Jerusalem. ... In the apostolic council held there ... he affirmed, together with others, that pagans could be welcomed into the Church without first undergoing circumcision."
"St. Paul," the Pope went on, "names him even before Peter as a 'pillar' of the Church," and "the Jewish-Christians considered him to be their principal point of reference." Together with Peter, he helped "to integrate the original Jewish dimension of Christianity with the need not to impose all the precepts of Mosaic Law upon pagan converts."
"In this way, two significant and complementary results were achieved, both of them still valid: on the one hand, the indissoluble relationship linking Christianity and Judaism was recognized, ... on the other, Christians of pagan origin were allowed to maintain their own sociological identity. ... Thus began a process of reciprocal esteem and respect which, despite unfortunate later misunderstandings, sought by its nature to safeguard the characteristic elements distinguishing each of the two sides."
The New Testament Letter attributed to this Apostle "places much emphasis on the need not to reduce one's own faith to a mere abstract or verbal declaration, but to express it solidly in works of charity. ... He calls us to constancy in trials, ... and to faithful prayer to God for the gift of wisdom, thanks to which we come to understand that the true values of life are not to be found in transitory riches, but rather in knowing how to share our own wealth with the poor and needy."
Following his catechesis, Benedict XVI greeted pilgrims in various languages. Among the groups present were participants in a meeting promoted by the "Family of St. Luigi Orione," for the "Feast of the Pope" the theme of which is: "Many Hearts around the Pope, Evangelizer of Life." The Pope thanked them for this initiative and invited them "to continue bearing witness to the Gospel of life through all your institutions and activities, seeking especially to serve the weak and the needy."
Great Video
I have come across a great video of the future Pope Benedict playing the piano. It was part of a French tv show about Pope Benedict and his brother.
Watch it here.
Watch it here.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Sainthood Causes
Yesterday, during an audience with Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorized the congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
MIRACLES
- Venerable Servant of God Paolo Giuseppe Nardini, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family (1821-1862).
- Venerable Servant of God Maria del Monte Carmelo of the Baby Jesus Gonzalez Ramos Garcia Prieto, nee Maria Carmela, Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Third Order Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1834-1899).
- Venerable Servant of God Servant of God Maria Maddalena Della Passione, nee Costanza Starace, Italian, foundress of the Congregation of the Compassionist Sisters, Servants of Mary (1845-1921).
- Venerable Servant of God Eufrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Eluvathingal, nee Rosa, Indian, religious of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (1877-1952).
- Venerable Servant of God Maria Rosa, nee Bruna Pellesi, Italian, professed sister of the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Christ (1917-1972).
MARTYRS
- Servants of God Bonaventura Garcia Paredes, Spanish, professed priest of the Order of Friars Preachers (1866-1936), Miguel Leibar Garay, Spanish, professed priest of the Society of Mary (1885-1936), and 40 companions killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Simon Reynes Solivellas (1901-1936), Spanish, and five companions of the Congregation of Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Mercy, and Prudenza Canyelles i Ginesta, Spanish, laywoman, all killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Celestino Jose Alonso Villar (1862-1936), Spanish, and nine companions of the Order of Friars Preachers, killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Angelo Maria Prat Hostench (1896-1936) and 16 companions of the Order of Friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Enrique Saiz Aparicio (1889-1936), Spanish, and 62 companions of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, killed in 1936 and 1937.
- Servants of God Mariano de San Jose Altolaguirre y Altolaguirre, ne Santiago (1857-1936), Spanish, and nine companions of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, killed in 1936 and 1937.
- Servant of Francesco Spoto, Italian, professed priest of the Congregation of Missionary Servants of the Poor (1924-1964).
HEROIC VIRTUES
- Servant of God Marco Morelli, Italian, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Agony (1834-1912).
- Servant of God Francesco Pianzola, Italian, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Queen of Peace (1881-1943).
- Servant of God Antonio Rosmini, Italian, priest and founder of the Institute of Charity and of the Sisters of Providence (1797-1855).
- Servant of God Louise Marguerite Claret de la Touche, nee Maria Luisa, French, foundress of the Institute of Sisters of Bethanie and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1868-1915).
- Servant of God Isabel Lete Landa, nee Regina, Spanish, professed religious of the Congregation of Mercedarian Sisters of Charity (1913-1941).
- Servant of God Wanda Justine Nepomucena Malczewska, Polish, laywoman (1822-1896).
- Servant of God Jerome Jaegen, German, layman (1841-1919).
MIRACLES
- Venerable Servant of God Paolo Giuseppe Nardini, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family (1821-1862).
- Venerable Servant of God Maria del Monte Carmelo of the Baby Jesus Gonzalez Ramos Garcia Prieto, nee Maria Carmela, Spanish, foundress of the Congregation of the Third Order Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1834-1899).
- Venerable Servant of God Servant of God Maria Maddalena Della Passione, nee Costanza Starace, Italian, foundress of the Congregation of the Compassionist Sisters, Servants of Mary (1845-1921).
- Venerable Servant of God Eufrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Eluvathingal, nee Rosa, Indian, religious of the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (1877-1952).
- Venerable Servant of God Maria Rosa, nee Bruna Pellesi, Italian, professed sister of the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Christ (1917-1972).
MARTYRS
- Servants of God Bonaventura Garcia Paredes, Spanish, professed priest of the Order of Friars Preachers (1866-1936), Miguel Leibar Garay, Spanish, professed priest of the Society of Mary (1885-1936), and 40 companions killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Simon Reynes Solivellas (1901-1936), Spanish, and five companions of the Congregation of Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Mercy, and Prudenza Canyelles i Ginesta, Spanish, laywoman, all killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Celestino Jose Alonso Villar (1862-1936), Spanish, and nine companions of the Order of Friars Preachers, killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Angelo Maria Prat Hostench (1896-1936) and 16 companions of the Order of Friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, killed in 1936.
- Servants of God Enrique Saiz Aparicio (1889-1936), Spanish, and 62 companions of the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco, killed in 1936 and 1937.
- Servants of God Mariano de San Jose Altolaguirre y Altolaguirre, ne Santiago (1857-1936), Spanish, and nine companions of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, killed in 1936 and 1937.
- Servant of Francesco Spoto, Italian, professed priest of the Congregation of Missionary Servants of the Poor (1924-1964).
HEROIC VIRTUES
- Servant of God Marco Morelli, Italian, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Agony (1834-1912).
- Servant of God Francesco Pianzola, Italian, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Queen of Peace (1881-1943).
- Servant of God Antonio Rosmini, Italian, priest and founder of the Institute of Charity and of the Sisters of Providence (1797-1855).
- Servant of God Louise Marguerite Claret de la Touche, nee Maria Luisa, French, foundress of the Institute of Sisters of Bethanie and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1868-1915).
- Servant of God Isabel Lete Landa, nee Regina, Spanish, professed religious of the Congregation of Mercedarian Sisters of Charity (1913-1941).
- Servant of God Wanda Justine Nepomucena Malczewska, Polish, laywoman (1822-1896).
- Servant of God Jerome Jaegen, German, layman (1841-1919).
Celebrating the Ordinary
Last Sunday, we re-entered Ordinary Time. After the solemn preparation of Lent and the festivities of Easter, Ordinary Time can seem...well...ordinary.
This is also the summer. Religious Ed classes are on vacation, the weather is nice and people are taking vacations. Many people use the summer as an excuse to take a vacation from church. I have often wondered why, otherwise faithful Catholics disappear between the months of June and September, some don't return until October or November.
Have we created lives that are so busy, we don't have time for God? Have we decided that Ordinary Time is too ordinary?
We should celebrate the ordinary. The roses on the bush, the sunset, the robin searching in the grass, and the smile of a baby are all things that should be celebrated. Why wait for the extraordinary events when we have plenty to celebrate right now.
However, there is nothing ordinary about the celebration of Mass. The Mass is the center of our faith. It is the principal celebration in the lives of Catholics. The Mass is an extraordinary event! The sacrifice of the Mass is just as special this weekend as it was on Easter Sunday. The Eucharist hasn't changed now that it is no longer Easter Sunday. At every Mass, we celebrate the same mystery. The Mass doesn't change with the liturgical season. The only thing that changes is the aspect of that mystery we accentuate.
Remember, we don't need a special reason to celebrate God!
This is also the summer. Religious Ed classes are on vacation, the weather is nice and people are taking vacations. Many people use the summer as an excuse to take a vacation from church. I have often wondered why, otherwise faithful Catholics disappear between the months of June and September, some don't return until October or November.
Have we created lives that are so busy, we don't have time for God? Have we decided that Ordinary Time is too ordinary?
We should celebrate the ordinary. The roses on the bush, the sunset, the robin searching in the grass, and the smile of a baby are all things that should be celebrated. Why wait for the extraordinary events when we have plenty to celebrate right now.
However, there is nothing ordinary about the celebration of Mass. The Mass is the center of our faith. It is the principal celebration in the lives of Catholics. The Mass is an extraordinary event! The sacrifice of the Mass is just as special this weekend as it was on Easter Sunday. The Eucharist hasn't changed now that it is no longer Easter Sunday. At every Mass, we celebrate the same mystery. The Mass doesn't change with the liturgical season. The only thing that changes is the aspect of that mystery we accentuate.
Remember, we don't need a special reason to celebrate God!
Life is Relative to Christ
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Feast of St. John the Baptist provided the theme for Benedict XVI's reflections prior to praying the Angelus on Sunday morning with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
The Pope recalled how the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which fell on Friday, unites "popular devotion and profound theology." It "has its roots in the mystery of the Incarnation: it was through the Heart of Jesus that God's Love for humanity was sublimely expressed."
For this reason, devotion to the Sacred Heart "maintains all its validity, and particularly attracts those souls who thirst for God's mercy, who find there the everlasting source from which to draw the water of life capable of irrigating the deserts of the soul and bringing hope to flower."
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart also coincides with the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. "I take this opportunity to invite everyone," the Pope said, "to pray for priests, that they may be valuable witnesses of Christ's love."
The Holy Father then went on to refer to the June 24 Feast of St. John the Baptist, pointing out that he "is the only saint whose birth is commemorated, because it marked the beginning of the fulfillment of the divine promises. ... His feast reminds us that our own life is ... always 'relative' to Christ, and that it is fulfilled by accepting Him, Word, Light and Bridegroom, of Whom we are voices, lamps and friends."
"Allowing the 'I' of Christ to take the place of our own 'I' was the exemplary aspiration of the Apostles Peter and Paul, whom the Church venerates" on June 29.
Following the Angelus prayer, the Pope mentioned a recent accident on a motorway building site between the Italian cities of Catania and Siracusa, which claimed the life of one workman and injured many others. "I raise a special prayer to the Lord," he said, "and, in expressing my spiritual closeness to the injured and their relatives, I trust that ever greater attention to safety conditions in the workplace may prevent the repetition of such dramatic events."
Finally, Benedict XVI recalled that in Italy the Sunday prior to the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul marks the Day of the Pope's Charity . "I express my heartfelt thanks to the Italian ecclesial community for the prayers and support it gives to my ministry as Peter's Successor, called to serve all the People of God."
The Pope recalled how the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which fell on Friday, unites "popular devotion and profound theology." It "has its roots in the mystery of the Incarnation: it was through the Heart of Jesus that God's Love for humanity was sublimely expressed."
For this reason, devotion to the Sacred Heart "maintains all its validity, and particularly attracts those souls who thirst for God's mercy, who find there the everlasting source from which to draw the water of life capable of irrigating the deserts of the soul and bringing hope to flower."
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart also coincides with the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. "I take this opportunity to invite everyone," the Pope said, "to pray for priests, that they may be valuable witnesses of Christ's love."
The Holy Father then went on to refer to the June 24 Feast of St. John the Baptist, pointing out that he "is the only saint whose birth is commemorated, because it marked the beginning of the fulfillment of the divine promises. ... His feast reminds us that our own life is ... always 'relative' to Christ, and that it is fulfilled by accepting Him, Word, Light and Bridegroom, of Whom we are voices, lamps and friends."
"Allowing the 'I' of Christ to take the place of our own 'I' was the exemplary aspiration of the Apostles Peter and Paul, whom the Church venerates" on June 29.
Following the Angelus prayer, the Pope mentioned a recent accident on a motorway building site between the Italian cities of Catania and Siracusa, which claimed the life of one workman and injured many others. "I raise a special prayer to the Lord," he said, "and, in expressing my spiritual closeness to the injured and their relatives, I trust that ever greater attention to safety conditions in the workplace may prevent the repetition of such dramatic events."
Finally, Benedict XVI recalled that in Italy the Sunday prior to the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul marks the Day of the Pope's Charity . "I express my heartfelt thanks to the Italian ecclesial community for the prayers and support it gives to my ministry as Peter's Successor, called to serve all the People of God."
Holy Father Praises Gergorian Chant and Sacred Polyphony
This evening, the Pope attended a concert of sacred music in the Sistine Chapel, presented in his honor by the Domenico Bartolucci Foundation, directed by Msgr. Domenico Bartolucci.
At the end of the concert, Benedict XVI thanked Msgr. Bartolucci - who directed the Sistine Chapel Choir from 1956 to 1997 - for the concert, which included the composition "Oremus Pro Pontefice" written, the Pope recalled, by Msgr. Bartolucci "immediately after my election to the See of Peter."
"All the pieces we have heard," the Holy Father continued, "and especially their arrangement - with the sixteenth and twentieth centuries running in parallel - go to confirm the conviction that sacred polyphony, and especially that of the so-called 'Roman School,' is a legacy to be carefully preserved, kept alive and propagated, for the benefit not only of scholars and enthusiasts, but of all the ecclesial community for which it constitutes a priceless spiritual, artistic and cultural heritage."
Pope Benedict then highlighted how the aim of the Bartolucci Foundation is "to preserve and defend the classical and contemporary tradition of this famous polyphonic school, which has always been characterized by its focus on the pure voice, without instrumental accompaniment."
He continued: "A true 'aggiornamento' of sacred music cannot be achieved except by following the great traditions of the past, of Gregorian chants and sacred polyphony. For this reason, in the musical field as in that of other forms of art, the ecclesial community has always promoted and sustained those who seek new forms of expression without rejecting the past, the history of the human spirit, which is also the history of its dialogue with God."
Msgr. Bartolucci, the Pope said, "has always sought to appreciate sacred music, also as a vehicle of evangelization. Through innumerable concerts in Italy and abroad, with the universal language of art, the Sistine Chapel Choir," led by him, "cooperated in the mission of the Popes, which is that of spreading the Christian message throughout the world. the Sistine Chapel Choir still continues that mission under the careful direction of its current maestro, Giuseppe Liberto."
At the end of the concert, Benedict XVI thanked Msgr. Bartolucci - who directed the Sistine Chapel Choir from 1956 to 1997 - for the concert, which included the composition "Oremus Pro Pontefice" written, the Pope recalled, by Msgr. Bartolucci "immediately after my election to the See of Peter."
"All the pieces we have heard," the Holy Father continued, "and especially their arrangement - with the sixteenth and twentieth centuries running in parallel - go to confirm the conviction that sacred polyphony, and especially that of the so-called 'Roman School,' is a legacy to be carefully preserved, kept alive and propagated, for the benefit not only of scholars and enthusiasts, but of all the ecclesial community for which it constitutes a priceless spiritual, artistic and cultural heritage."
Pope Benedict then highlighted how the aim of the Bartolucci Foundation is "to preserve and defend the classical and contemporary tradition of this famous polyphonic school, which has always been characterized by its focus on the pure voice, without instrumental accompaniment."
He continued: "A true 'aggiornamento' of sacred music cannot be achieved except by following the great traditions of the past, of Gregorian chants and sacred polyphony. For this reason, in the musical field as in that of other forms of art, the ecclesial community has always promoted and sustained those who seek new forms of expression without rejecting the past, the history of the human spirit, which is also the history of its dialogue with God."
Msgr. Bartolucci, the Pope said, "has always sought to appreciate sacred music, also as a vehicle of evangelization. Through innumerable concerts in Italy and abroad, with the universal language of art, the Sistine Chapel Choir," led by him, "cooperated in the mission of the Popes, which is that of spreading the Christian message throughout the world. the Sistine Chapel Choir still continues that mission under the careful direction of its current maestro, Giuseppe Liberto."
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Bertone New Secretary of State
The Holy Father, in accordance with Canon 354 of the Code of Canon Law, has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, requesting him, nonetheless, to remain in office until September 15, 2006, with all the faculties inherent to that role.
On the same date - September 15 - the Holy Father will appoint Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., archbishop of Genova, Italy, as the new secretary of State.
On that occasion, His Holiness will receive in audience the superiors and officials of the Secretariat of State in order to render public thanks to Cardinal Angelo Sodano for his long and generous service to the Holy See, and to present them to the new secretary of State.
The Pope, in accordance with Canon 354 of the Code of Canon Law, has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State, requesting him, nonetheless, to remain in office until September 15, 2006, with all the faculties inherent to that role.
On the same date - September 15 - the Holy Father will appoint Archbishop Giovanni Ljolo, secretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, as the new president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
Read more here
On the same date - September 15 - the Holy Father will appoint Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., archbishop of Genova, Italy, as the new secretary of State.
On that occasion, His Holiness will receive in audience the superiors and officials of the Secretariat of State in order to render public thanks to Cardinal Angelo Sodano for his long and generous service to the Holy See, and to present them to the new secretary of State.
The Pope, in accordance with Canon 354 of the Code of Canon Law, has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State, requesting him, nonetheless, to remain in office until September 15, 2006, with all the faculties inherent to that role.
On the same date - September 15 - the Holy Father will appoint Archbishop Giovanni Ljolo, secretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, as the new president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
Read more here
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Eucharistic Treasure
At midday Sunday, before praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI recalled that today, "in Italy and in other countries, marks the Solemnity of Corpus Christi."
Corpus Christi, the Pope explained, "is the solemn public feast of the Eucharist, Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, ... which on this day is shown to everyone, amid the fervor of faith and devotion of the ecclesial community.
"The Eucharist," he added, "constitutes the 'treasure' of the Church, the precious heritage that her Lord left her. ... But this treasure, which is intended for the baptized, does not limit its field of action to the environment of the Church. The Eucharist is the Lord Jesus Who gives Himself 'for the life of the world.' In all times and places, He wishes to encounter men and women and bring them the life of God."
"The Eucharist also has a cosmic significance," the Pope went on. "Indeed, the transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ constitutes the beginning of the divinization of creation itself. For this reason, the Feast of Corpus Christi is particularly characterized by the tradition of carrying the Most Holy Sacrament in procession: a gesture rich in significance.
"In carrying the Eucharist through the streets and squares," the Holy Father concluded, "we want to immerse the bread of heaven in our daily lives. ... On this feast day, Christians as a community proclaim that the Eucharist represents everything for them, it is their very life, the source of love that conquers death."
Corpus Christi, the Pope explained, "is the solemn public feast of the Eucharist, Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, ... which on this day is shown to everyone, amid the fervor of faith and devotion of the ecclesial community.
"The Eucharist," he added, "constitutes the 'treasure' of the Church, the precious heritage that her Lord left her. ... But this treasure, which is intended for the baptized, does not limit its field of action to the environment of the Church. The Eucharist is the Lord Jesus Who gives Himself 'for the life of the world.' In all times and places, He wishes to encounter men and women and bring them the life of God."
"The Eucharist also has a cosmic significance," the Pope went on. "Indeed, the transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ constitutes the beginning of the divinization of creation itself. For this reason, the Feast of Corpus Christi is particularly characterized by the tradition of carrying the Most Holy Sacrament in procession: a gesture rich in significance.
"In carrying the Eucharist through the streets and squares," the Holy Father concluded, "we want to immerse the bread of heaven in our daily lives. ... On this feast day, Christians as a community proclaim that the Eucharist represents everything for them, it is their very life, the source of love that conquers death."
Bread and the Word
On June 17th, in the Hall of Blessings, the Pope received members of the Association of Sts. Peter and Paul, to whom he expressed his gratitude for their many years of service to Peter's Successor.
After stressing its "dedicated voluntary service to the Holy See," Benedict XVI recalled how the association is divided into three sections, liturgical charitable and cultural, "reflecting the three complementary aspects of the life and activity of ecclesial communities."
The Holy Father called on members of the association to ensure that "an intense life of prayer and assiduous participation in the liturgy continue to be your primary commitment, both as individuals and as an association. ... Only if we allow ourselves to be constantly formed by listening to the Word of God, and assiduously nourish ourselves on the Body and Blood of Christ, can we transmit to others the love of God, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit."
"You seek," he went on, "to be witnesses of this love for the poor in the 'Dono di Maria' shelter," which is near the Vatican and run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "and in the pediatric dispensary of 'Santa Marta'," within the Vatican, "as well as through social initiatives promoted in your own parishes. May charity animate all your activities."
The Pope concluded his address to the group by referring to the need "for adequate cultural formation in order to be able to mature in the faith. Evangelization today requires a responsible knowledge of modern cultural needs and a constant immersion in sound Catholic doctrine."
After stressing its "dedicated voluntary service to the Holy See," Benedict XVI recalled how the association is divided into three sections, liturgical charitable and cultural, "reflecting the three complementary aspects of the life and activity of ecclesial communities."
The Holy Father called on members of the association to ensure that "an intense life of prayer and assiduous participation in the liturgy continue to be your primary commitment, both as individuals and as an association. ... Only if we allow ourselves to be constantly formed by listening to the Word of God, and assiduously nourish ourselves on the Body and Blood of Christ, can we transmit to others the love of God, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit."
"You seek," he went on, "to be witnesses of this love for the poor in the 'Dono di Maria' shelter," which is near the Vatican and run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "and in the pediatric dispensary of 'Santa Marta'," within the Vatican, "as well as through social initiatives promoted in your own parishes. May charity animate all your activities."
The Pope concluded his address to the group by referring to the need "for adequate cultural formation in order to be able to mature in the faith. Evangelization today requires a responsible knowledge of modern cultural needs and a constant immersion in sound Catholic doctrine."
Monday, June 19, 2006
Happy Father's Day
I am a day late, but I hope all the fathers out there had a happy father's day.
Fatherhood is a tremendous gift.
I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful husband for all that he does for our family. The inumerable sacrifices he has endured are priceless and no amount of gratitude would be enough. Through his selflessness, I can better understand the love of God and selfeless giving of Christ. I also want to thank my father for everything he had done both now and in the past. Another thank you to our son's godfather who is also father to our parish for all that he has done for ur family and our parish. His spiritual guidance and friendship has enriched all out lives.
Thank you to all our priests and bishops for their fatherly guidance. They are truly our fathers in the faith. A special thank you to our Holy Father for his guidance and wisdom.
Most of all, thank you to our heavenly Father!
Fatherhood is a tremendous gift.
I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful husband for all that he does for our family. The inumerable sacrifices he has endured are priceless and no amount of gratitude would be enough. Through his selflessness, I can better understand the love of God and selfeless giving of Christ. I also want to thank my father for everything he had done both now and in the past. Another thank you to our son's godfather who is also father to our parish for all that he has done for ur family and our parish. His spiritual guidance and friendship has enriched all out lives.
Thank you to all our priests and bishops for their fatherly guidance. They are truly our fathers in the faith. A special thank you to our Holy Father for his guidance and wisdom.
Most of all, thank you to our heavenly Father!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Mass Translation Poll
American Papist is running a poll on the new translation of the Mass.
Head over there and be counted.
Current stats at the time of this posting are:
Are you in favor of the new English translation of the Mass?
Yes - 89.8%
Undecided - 5.9%
No - 4.3%
Total votes: 423
Head over there and be counted.
Current stats at the time of this posting are:
Are you in favor of the new English translation of the Mass?
Yes - 89.8%
Undecided - 5.9%
No - 4.3%
Total votes: 423
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Papal Accomodations
The archbishopric of Valencia yesterday invited a select group of journalists to visit what are to be Pope Benedict XVI's private apartments in the Archbishop's Palace for the World Family Meeting next month.
These include a sitting room (main photo) that features recently restored works of art from the Diocesan Collection, as well as several private photographs.
The Papal bedchamber (2nd photo) measures twelve square metres, and a special antechamber (3rd photo) has been set up outside it, with the pope's secretaries having a bedroom each nearby, and an executive annex of 20 square metres.
The Papal suite, which is on the first floor of the Archbishop's Palace, has a total surface area of 186 square metres and other areas have been set aside for his doctors, members of the Swiss Guard, who accompany the pope on his foreign visits, and his other collaborators.
Designed by Valencian architect Jaime Aloy, the papal suite is the most recent addition to the Palace and has recently been restored from the more ancient part of the building.
It was also revealed that the pope's personal attendants will be four members of the Sisters of The Cross that habitually serve Valencia archbishop Agustin Garcia-Gasco.
These include a sitting room (main photo) that features recently restored works of art from the Diocesan Collection, as well as several private photographs.
The Papal bedchamber (2nd photo) measures twelve square metres, and a special antechamber (3rd photo) has been set up outside it, with the pope's secretaries having a bedroom each nearby, and an executive annex of 20 square metres.
The Papal suite, which is on the first floor of the Archbishop's Palace, has a total surface area of 186 square metres and other areas have been set aside for his doctors, members of the Swiss Guard, who accompany the pope on his foreign visits, and his other collaborators.
Designed by Valencian architect Jaime Aloy, the papal suite is the most recent addition to the Palace and has recently been restored from the more ancient part of the building.
It was also revealed that the pope's personal attendants will be four members of the Sisters of The Cross that habitually serve Valencia archbishop Agustin Garcia-Gasco.
Message from Cardinal Regarding Fire
In the midst of the tragic losses in last night's fire we remember that the Portuguese community in Fall River has always drawn great strength from faith and family.
Though we are greatly saddened and mourn the loss of our loved ones, we trust in Jesus' promise to be with us always, even in our most difficult hour.
We pray for the repose of the souls of those who died in the fire and for their families and friends. We give thanks for the firefighters who responded with great courage and professionalism and for the many men and women who aided their fellow citizens at the scene. We pray for healing and recovery for those who were injured and trust that the community will support them and their families at this time.
The people of Fall River remain close to my heart, be assured of my prayers and remembrance at Mass.
Cardinal Seán
Though we are greatly saddened and mourn the loss of our loved ones, we trust in Jesus' promise to be with us always, even in our most difficult hour.
We pray for the repose of the souls of those who died in the fire and for their families and friends. We give thanks for the firefighters who responded with great courage and professionalism and for the many men and women who aided their fellow citizens at the scene. We pray for healing and recovery for those who were injured and trust that the community will support them and their families at this time.
The people of Fall River remain close to my heart, be assured of my prayers and remembrance at Mass.
Cardinal Seán
Bishop's Statement Regarding Fire
Bishop George W. Coleman has issued the following statement on the fire in Fall River from Los Angeles, where he is attending the spring meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Today is a very sad day for all of us in the City of Fall River.
I offer my prayers along with those of the entire Fall River Diocese for the victims of the devastating fire last night at the St. John’s Holy Ghost Association building. We remember in prayer as well their families and friends and grieve with them for their loss.
The St. John’s Holy Ghost Association is an independent group not affiliated with the diocese or any of its parishes. Yet its roots are tied to the Catholic faith and its events to many of the popular religious devotions and customs of the people of the Azores Islands of Portugal.
Last night’s fire also left several people injured. I ask all to join me in prayer for their quick and complete recovery.
Incidents like this remind us how difficult and important is the work of our firefighters and other public safety officials. Let us always be grateful for their service and dedication, and pray that God always keep them safe.
Today is a very sad day for all of us in the City of Fall River.
I offer my prayers along with those of the entire Fall River Diocese for the victims of the devastating fire last night at the St. John’s Holy Ghost Association building. We remember in prayer as well their families and friends and grieve with them for their loss.
The St. John’s Holy Ghost Association is an independent group not affiliated with the diocese or any of its parishes. Yet its roots are tied to the Catholic faith and its events to many of the popular religious devotions and customs of the people of the Azores Islands of Portugal.
Last night’s fire also left several people injured. I ask all to join me in prayer for their quick and complete recovery.
Incidents like this remind us how difficult and important is the work of our firefighters and other public safety officials. Let us always be grateful for their service and dedication, and pray that God always keep them safe.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Liturgical Dance
If this even remotely resembles anything that takes place at your church, you have my sympathies.
Official Report on Pope Benedict's Corpus Christi Liturgy
At 7 p.m. yesterday, Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Benedict XVI celebrated Mass on the square in front of Rome's Basilica of St. John Lateran, then presided at the Eucharistic procession to the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
In his homily, the Pope affirmed that the consecrated Host is the "food of the poor," and the "fruit of the earth and of the labor of mankind." And yet, he added, "bread is not simply our own product, something made by us; it is a fruit of the earth and, hence, a gift. ... It requires the synergy of the forces of the earth and of the gifts of the heavens: sun and rain."
"At a time in which we hear of desertification, and there is ever more talk of the danger of men and beasts dying of thirst in those regions without water, at such a time, we gain a renewed awareness of the greatness of the gift of water, and of how incapable we are of producing it alone. Then, looking closer, this little piece of white Host, this bread of the poor, appears as a synthesis of creation."
"When, in adoration, we contemplate the consecrated Host, the mark of creation is speaking to us. Then we discover the greatness of this gift, but we also discover the Passion, the Cross of Jesus and His resurrection."
The Holy Father went on: "In the feast of Corpus Christi we contemplate above all the sign of the bread. This also reminds us of the pilgrimage of Israel during the 40 years in the wilderness. The Host is our manna with which the Lord nourishes us; it truly is the bread of heaven, by which He gives Himself. In the procession, we follow this sign, and thus we follow Him."
Benedict XVI then raised an appeal to the Lord: "Guide us along the roads of our history! Always show the Church and her pastors the right path! Look at suffering humanity, anxiously wandering among so many uncertainties; look at the physical and mental hunger afflicting them! Give men bread for the body and the soul! Give them work! Give them light! Give them Yourself! Purify and sanctify us all!
"Bring us to understand" the Pope concluded, "that only by participating in Your Passion, by saying 'yes' to the cross, to sacrifice, to the purification you impose upon us, can our lives mature and reach their true fulfillment. Gather us from all the corners of the earth. Unite Your Church, unite lacerated humanity. Give us Your salvation!"
Following Mass, the Pope presided at a Eucharistic procession that passed along Rome's Via Merulana to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Along the way, thousands of faithful prayed and sang, accompanying the Blessed Sacrament. An open vehicle transported the Sacrament in a mostrance, before which the Holy Father knelt in prayer.
In his homily, the Pope affirmed that the consecrated Host is the "food of the poor," and the "fruit of the earth and of the labor of mankind." And yet, he added, "bread is not simply our own product, something made by us; it is a fruit of the earth and, hence, a gift. ... It requires the synergy of the forces of the earth and of the gifts of the heavens: sun and rain."
"At a time in which we hear of desertification, and there is ever more talk of the danger of men and beasts dying of thirst in those regions without water, at such a time, we gain a renewed awareness of the greatness of the gift of water, and of how incapable we are of producing it alone. Then, looking closer, this little piece of white Host, this bread of the poor, appears as a synthesis of creation."
"When, in adoration, we contemplate the consecrated Host, the mark of creation is speaking to us. Then we discover the greatness of this gift, but we also discover the Passion, the Cross of Jesus and His resurrection."
The Holy Father went on: "In the feast of Corpus Christi we contemplate above all the sign of the bread. This also reminds us of the pilgrimage of Israel during the 40 years in the wilderness. The Host is our manna with which the Lord nourishes us; it truly is the bread of heaven, by which He gives Himself. In the procession, we follow this sign, and thus we follow Him."
Benedict XVI then raised an appeal to the Lord: "Guide us along the roads of our history! Always show the Church and her pastors the right path! Look at suffering humanity, anxiously wandering among so many uncertainties; look at the physical and mental hunger afflicting them! Give men bread for the body and the soul! Give them work! Give them light! Give them Yourself! Purify and sanctify us all!
"Bring us to understand" the Pope concluded, "that only by participating in Your Passion, by saying 'yes' to the cross, to sacrifice, to the purification you impose upon us, can our lives mature and reach their true fulfillment. Gather us from all the corners of the earth. Unite Your Church, unite lacerated humanity. Give us Your salvation!"
Following Mass, the Pope presided at a Eucharistic procession that passed along Rome's Via Merulana to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Along the way, thousands of faithful prayed and sang, accompanying the Blessed Sacrament. An open vehicle transported the Sacrament in a mostrance, before which the Holy Father knelt in prayer.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
No Big Shock
Rocco is reporting that the Roman Missal translation has passed
"On the vote for the translation of the Missale Romanum, the ayes were 173, the nays 29.
On the adaptations to the Missale Romanum for the United States, the ayes were 184, the nays 8.
Needing 168 votes to pass, the translation has passed."
No big shock! I think we all expected it to pass and those who didn't weren't thinking realistically. Even those bishop who didn't agree with the changes were tired of arguing against them, especially after Cardinal Arinze's letter which basically stated that they would be rejected by the Holy See.
Now we await the Holy See's acceptance.
"On the vote for the translation of the Missale Romanum, the ayes were 173, the nays 29.
On the adaptations to the Missale Romanum for the United States, the ayes were 184, the nays 8.
Needing 168 votes to pass, the translation has passed."
No big shock! I think we all expected it to pass and those who didn't weren't thinking realistically. Even those bishop who didn't agree with the changes were tired of arguing against them, especially after Cardinal Arinze's letter which basically stated that they would be rejected by the Holy See.
Now we await the Holy See's acceptance.
Tragedy at Prayer Service
A deadly fire that broke out at a Portuguese social club before a prayer service started when crepe paper decorations ignited as candles were lit in the heavily adorned hall, fire officials said Thursday.
Four people were killed and at least 12 were injured Wednesday night in this working class coastal city about 20 miles southeast of Providence, where almost half of the 92,000 residents claim Portuguese heritage.
"What makes this an incredible tragedy is these hardworking Fall River families were gathering to celebrate their lives, their culture, their spirit, their faith," Mayor Ed Lambert said at a news conference Thursday.
"It was horrible. I saw everything from my porch. It was horrendous," resident Anna Fernandes told NBC 10. "I've never seen anything like that before -- people screaming, trying to get their loved ones out. It was horrible."
Thirty people were on the ground floor of the three-story building when the fire broke out. The building has apartments on the two floors above the community hall.
Members of Our Lady of Light Society were gathering for a prayer service that customarily precedes an annual religious festival. Candles were being lit around a shrine to the Holy Ghost when the fire started. The society has a nearly 100-year history in Fall River.
Some society members tried to put out the flames with water, a fire extinguisher and by stomping on them, but the blaze grew too rapidly, state Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said.
"They didn't have a chance," Bristol County District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr. said.
Michelle Pacheco, 24, was holding her 1 1/2-year-old niece on her lap when the fire started. She said a wave of heat hit her in the face, blistering her skin.
"It was a lot of fire," she said. "A lot of heat. The whole room was black. We had trouble breathing."
Pacheco grabbed her niece and ran for a door, but it was stuck. Eventually, someone kicked it down, and people rushed out, she said.
"I thought we were all going to die," said Pacheco, who was hospitalized overnight with burns. Her niece, Autumn Silvio, was in good condition Thursday at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence.
Fire Chief David Thiboutot said firefighters arrived to find injured people outside and reports of people trapped. There were no sprinklers.
Firefighters found four women dead on the first floor. A dozen people were injured, including two firefighters who were treated and released. It's not immediately known how many others remain hospitalized.
Nelson Raposo, 31, lives in a second-floor apartment and felt an explosion rattle his floor at about 6:45 p.m.
"We just heard the big bang and felt the pressure," said Raposo, who was at home with his girlfriend and three young children. "I opened the front door but all I saw was smoke."
As the smoke rose in the hallway, Raposo led his family out a window and onto the roof. The family had to climb down through a tent that had been set up in the back parking lot for the festival.
A small boy who lived on the third floor ran through Raposo's apartment and followed the family outside.
The damage was not as heavy on the second and third floors, where firefighters used flashlights to search room by room.
The first floor, however, was completely gutted by fire, with windows blown out and the walls charred black.
In the wake of the fire, a special Mass has been scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Espirito Santo Church in Fall River. A vigil for the victims is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20.
I know all four of those who died in the fire. Please remember them, their families and all those injured in your prayers.
Four people were killed and at least 12 were injured Wednesday night in this working class coastal city about 20 miles southeast of Providence, where almost half of the 92,000 residents claim Portuguese heritage.
"What makes this an incredible tragedy is these hardworking Fall River families were gathering to celebrate their lives, their culture, their spirit, their faith," Mayor Ed Lambert said at a news conference Thursday.
"It was horrible. I saw everything from my porch. It was horrendous," resident Anna Fernandes told NBC 10. "I've never seen anything like that before -- people screaming, trying to get their loved ones out. It was horrible."
Thirty people were on the ground floor of the three-story building when the fire broke out. The building has apartments on the two floors above the community hall.
Members of Our Lady of Light Society were gathering for a prayer service that customarily precedes an annual religious festival. Candles were being lit around a shrine to the Holy Ghost when the fire started. The society has a nearly 100-year history in Fall River.
Some society members tried to put out the flames with water, a fire extinguisher and by stomping on them, but the blaze grew too rapidly, state Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said.
"They didn't have a chance," Bristol County District Attorney Paul F. Walsh Jr. said.
Michelle Pacheco, 24, was holding her 1 1/2-year-old niece on her lap when the fire started. She said a wave of heat hit her in the face, blistering her skin.
"It was a lot of fire," she said. "A lot of heat. The whole room was black. We had trouble breathing."
Pacheco grabbed her niece and ran for a door, but it was stuck. Eventually, someone kicked it down, and people rushed out, she said.
"I thought we were all going to die," said Pacheco, who was hospitalized overnight with burns. Her niece, Autumn Silvio, was in good condition Thursday at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence.
Fire Chief David Thiboutot said firefighters arrived to find injured people outside and reports of people trapped. There were no sprinklers.
Firefighters found four women dead on the first floor. A dozen people were injured, including two firefighters who were treated and released. It's not immediately known how many others remain hospitalized.
Nelson Raposo, 31, lives in a second-floor apartment and felt an explosion rattle his floor at about 6:45 p.m.
"We just heard the big bang and felt the pressure," said Raposo, who was at home with his girlfriend and three young children. "I opened the front door but all I saw was smoke."
As the smoke rose in the hallway, Raposo led his family out a window and onto the roof. The family had to climb down through a tent that had been set up in the back parking lot for the festival.
A small boy who lived on the third floor ran through Raposo's apartment and followed the family outside.
The damage was not as heavy on the second and third floors, where firefighters used flashlights to search room by room.
The first floor, however, was completely gutted by fire, with windows blown out and the walls charred black.
In the wake of the fire, a special Mass has been scheduled for Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Espirito Santo Church in Fall River. A vigil for the victims is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20.
I know all four of those who died in the fire. Please remember them, their families and all those injured in your prayers.
Corpus Christi
Despite our celebrating this solemnity on Sumday, today is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. The day we honor the Body of Blood of Christ in a special way.
I watched the Papal Mass and I am watching the procession now. Yes, Pope Benedict is riding with the Eucharist in the back of a modified pickup truck.
It is glorious to see all those people lined up to give honor and worship to Our Lord present in the Eucharist.
I watched the Papal Mass and I am watching the procession now. Yes, Pope Benedict is riding with the Eucharist in the back of a modified pickup truck.
It is glorious to see all those people lined up to give honor and worship to Our Lord present in the Eucharist.
Homecoming!
Pope Benedict is making a trip home. From September 9-14, he will visit his home diocese of Munich and Freising. He will also make stops in Altotting and his adopted hometown of Regensburg, where his brother lives.
The Holy Father will celebrate Mass in Regensburg on September 12, 2006 at Islinger Feld, Regensburg (Bavaria.
Pope Benedict XVI will arrive at Islinger Feld at around 9:30 a.m. Holy Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. and last for about two hours.
Tickets for the mass are required. Tickets are free of charge and still available. Requests must be made by sending in the official registration form. Tickets will be sent to you by mail from early July.
Islinger Feld is located within the city boundaries of Regensburg just south of the Autobahn A3 between Burgweinting and Oberisling. There will be specific areas reserved for altar boys/girls, priests, deacons, members of religious communities, disabled persons, and VIPs. All other areas are open to the public and cannot be reserved.
Due to the closing of the Autobahn A3 on September 12, long backups are likely at the Nittendorf exit west of Regensburg and the Rosenhof exit east of Regensburg.
If you are interested in attending contact:
Bischöfliches Ordinariat
Niedermünstergasse 1
93047 Regensburg Tel.
(0941) 597-1234 Fax (0941) 597-1111
or e-mail
The Holy Father will celebrate Mass in Regensburg on September 12, 2006 at Islinger Feld, Regensburg (Bavaria.
Pope Benedict XVI will arrive at Islinger Feld at around 9:30 a.m. Holy Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. and last for about two hours.
Tickets for the mass are required. Tickets are free of charge and still available. Requests must be made by sending in the official registration form. Tickets will be sent to you by mail from early July.
Islinger Feld is located within the city boundaries of Regensburg just south of the Autobahn A3 between Burgweinting and Oberisling. There will be specific areas reserved for altar boys/girls, priests, deacons, members of religious communities, disabled persons, and VIPs. All other areas are open to the public and cannot be reserved.
Due to the closing of the Autobahn A3 on September 12, long backups are likely at the Nittendorf exit west of Regensburg and the Rosenhof exit east of Regensburg.
If you are interested in attending contact:
Bischöfliches Ordinariat
Niedermünstergasse 1
93047 Regensburg Tel.
(0941) 597-1234 Fax (0941) 597-1111
or e-mail
I Can Feel the Change in the Air
The USCCB conference begins in less than an hour.
The bishops will be voting on the proposed changes to the Mass.
Buckle your seatbelts!
The bishops will be voting on the proposed changes to the Mass.
Buckle your seatbelts!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Old News, but Still Good News
I know it's old, but it's an enjoyable article, so indulge me.
"Over the past few weeks, the German pontiff has been seen sneaking back to his old room outside the Vatican walls three times, La Stampa reported yesterday.
At about 9pm a plain, dark car carrying 78-year-old Pope Benedict and his private secretary, Don Georg Gaenswein, swirls out of a side door of Vatican city. It then doubles round in the back streets before arriving at 1 Piazza Citta Leonina, a hall of residence for senior Church figures and the Pope's home as a cardinal for almost 24 years.
A Vatican security guard is always waiting in front of the apartments in a pedestrian zone tucked behind St Peter's Square. The Pope gets out of the car disguised in the plain black priest's robes he wore when he was the Catholic Church's senior theologian.
Wearing a black hat and with his head down, he opens the wooden door himself, as he did for all those years, and tiptoes inside followed by Don Georg.
"Its is not a question of just dashing in for a few minutes to grab a bag or a book," La Stampa said. "He spends at least a couple of hours there."
Nine months after moving into the spacious papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St Peter's Square, Pope Benedict appears to be hankering after his old, reflective life as a cardinal and a theologian in a bedsit."
Read the entire article here
"Over the past few weeks, the German pontiff has been seen sneaking back to his old room outside the Vatican walls three times, La Stampa reported yesterday.
At about 9pm a plain, dark car carrying 78-year-old Pope Benedict and his private secretary, Don Georg Gaenswein, swirls out of a side door of Vatican city. It then doubles round in the back streets before arriving at 1 Piazza Citta Leonina, a hall of residence for senior Church figures and the Pope's home as a cardinal for almost 24 years.
A Vatican security guard is always waiting in front of the apartments in a pedestrian zone tucked behind St Peter's Square. The Pope gets out of the car disguised in the plain black priest's robes he wore when he was the Catholic Church's senior theologian.
Wearing a black hat and with his head down, he opens the wooden door himself, as he did for all those years, and tiptoes inside followed by Don Georg.
"Its is not a question of just dashing in for a few minutes to grab a bag or a book," La Stampa said. "He spends at least a couple of hours there."
Nine months after moving into the spacious papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St Peter's Square, Pope Benedict appears to be hankering after his old, reflective life as a cardinal and a theologian in a bedsit."
Read the entire article here
St. Andrew the Apostle
St. Andrew the Apostle, brother of St. Peter, was the subject of Benedict XVI's catechesis during today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 35,000 people.
The name of Andrew, not Hebrew but Greek, is "an appreciable sign of a certain cultural openness of his family," said the Pope. "He was the first of the Apostles to be called to follow Jesus," and thanks to Andrew (according to tradition, the evangelizer of the Greek world), "the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople feel themselves to be sisters."
The Holy Father pointed out how the Gospels mention Andrew in three key moments: The multiplication of the loaves and fishes when "his realism is worthy of note, he saw the boy [with the bread and fish] but noticed the scarcity of his resources." When asking explanations from Christ on His words concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, he showed that "we must not be afraid to put questions to Jesus, but at the same time we must be ready to accept the teaching He offers us." And again, shortly before the Passion, with Philip, "he interpreted and mediated for a small group of Greeks before Jesus."
Referring to this last episode, the Holy Father recalled Jesus' words on the necessary death of a grain of wheat in order to bear fruit, a symbol of the crucifixion that "in the resurrection will become bread of life for the world, ... a light for people and cultures." Christ thus prophesies the meeting with the Greek world and Greek culture and the extension of the Church "to pagans as a fruit of His Passion."
Tradition recounts St. Andrew's death in Patras on a diagonal cross as, "like his brother Peter, he asked to be crucified on a cross different from that of Jesus." Benedict XVI then quoted the words attributed to St. Andrew during his agony when he said of the cross: "before the Lord was placed upon you, you incited earthly terrors. Now, blessed with a heavenly love, you are received as a gift."
This phrase, the Pope continued, contains "a profound Christian spirituality, which sees in the cross not so much an instrument of torture as the unrivaled means of full assimilation to the Redeemer. ... Our crosses acquire value if considered and accepted as part of the cross of Christ. ... Only from that cross do our sufferings become ennobled and acquire their true significance."
The name of Andrew, not Hebrew but Greek, is "an appreciable sign of a certain cultural openness of his family," said the Pope. "He was the first of the Apostles to be called to follow Jesus," and thanks to Andrew (according to tradition, the evangelizer of the Greek world), "the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople feel themselves to be sisters."
The Holy Father pointed out how the Gospels mention Andrew in three key moments: The multiplication of the loaves and fishes when "his realism is worthy of note, he saw the boy [with the bread and fish] but noticed the scarcity of his resources." When asking explanations from Christ on His words concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, he showed that "we must not be afraid to put questions to Jesus, but at the same time we must be ready to accept the teaching He offers us." And again, shortly before the Passion, with Philip, "he interpreted and mediated for a small group of Greeks before Jesus."
Referring to this last episode, the Holy Father recalled Jesus' words on the necessary death of a grain of wheat in order to bear fruit, a symbol of the crucifixion that "in the resurrection will become bread of life for the world, ... a light for people and cultures." Christ thus prophesies the meeting with the Greek world and Greek culture and the extension of the Church "to pagans as a fruit of His Passion."
Tradition recounts St. Andrew's death in Patras on a diagonal cross as, "like his brother Peter, he asked to be crucified on a cross different from that of Jesus." Benedict XVI then quoted the words attributed to St. Andrew during his agony when he said of the cross: "before the Lord was placed upon you, you incited earthly terrors. Now, blessed with a heavenly love, you are received as a gift."
This phrase, the Pope continued, contains "a profound Christian spirituality, which sees in the cross not so much an instrument of torture as the unrivaled means of full assimilation to the Redeemer. ... Our crosses acquire value if considered and accepted as part of the cross of Christ. ... Only from that cross do our sufferings become ennobled and acquire their true significance."
Beatification of Fr. Eustaquio Van Leishout
At 4 p.m. tomorrow, in the Mineirao Stadium of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, will preside at a Eucharistic concelebration during which, by order of Benedict XVI, he will read out the Apostolic Letter in which the Holy Father proclaims as Blessed, Servant of God Fr. Eustaquio Van Lieshout.
Fr. Eustaquio Van Lieshout was born in Aarle-Rixtel, Netherlands, on November 3, 1890, the eighth of eleven children, and baptized the same day with the name of Humberto. He came from a very Catholic rural family. After reading the biography of the Belgian Blessed, Fr. Damian de Veuster of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, he decided to join the same order. During his noviciate, he took the name of Eustaquio. He was ordained a priest in 1919, and exercised the pastoral ministry in his own country until 1924.
He arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1925, and for the next 18 years worked as a missionary in Brazil. In April 1942, he took over the parish of Santo Domingo in Belo Horizonte, where a few months later, on August 30, 1943, he died.
In 1949, his mortal remains were transferred to his last parish, which is dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
On December 19, 2005 Benedict XVI authorized the promulgation of a decree concerning a miracle attributed to the intercession of Fr. Eustaquio.
Learn more about him here.
Fr. Eustaquio Van Lieshout was born in Aarle-Rixtel, Netherlands, on November 3, 1890, the eighth of eleven children, and baptized the same day with the name of Humberto. He came from a very Catholic rural family. After reading the biography of the Belgian Blessed, Fr. Damian de Veuster of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, he decided to join the same order. During his noviciate, he took the name of Eustaquio. He was ordained a priest in 1919, and exercised the pastoral ministry in his own country until 1924.
He arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1925, and for the next 18 years worked as a missionary in Brazil. In April 1942, he took over the parish of Santo Domingo in Belo Horizonte, where a few months later, on August 30, 1943, he died.
In 1949, his mortal remains were transferred to his last parish, which is dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
On December 19, 2005 Benedict XVI authorized the promulgation of a decree concerning a miracle attributed to the intercession of Fr. Eustaquio.
Learn more about him here.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Vatican: The Board Game
There is a new board game called, Vatican: Unlock the Secrets of how Men become Pope.
According to the web site this game:
On another note the writer of this game is a blogger.
According to the web site this game:
- Highly educational and entertaining
- Reveals the inner workings of the church, something not taught in any schools either Catholic or secular
- Demonstrates how some cardinals become prominent enough to be considered viable candidates for pope, which was largely ignored by the media in it’s coverage of the last papal election
- Reveals that the process whereby clerics advance their careers demands high achievement both as pastors in the service of the laity and their fellow bishops and as administrators in the service of the Church
- Demonstrates that the process is generally open and above board and allows only the most competent to rise to the top
- Dispels anti-Catholic myths propagated by such books as The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons
- Takes the player through a simulation of the papal electoral process, something not done by any other board game
- Presents the issues facing the church in the 21st century in historical perspective
- Provides a unique tool for Catholic education from high school through adult education
- Includes special rules that make it adaptable for classroom use
- Provides an excellent way of promoting Catholic identity in families
- Makes an excellent gift
On another note the writer of this game is a blogger.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Itinerary for Papal Trip to Spain
Here is the the itinerary of Benedict XVI's forthcoming apostolic trip to Valencia for the Fifth World Meeting of Families, due to be held in that Spanish city on July 8 and 9.
The Holy Father will depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, whence a two-hour flight will take him to Manises airport in Valencia. Following the welcome ceremony, he will visit the cathedral of Valencia and the basilica of the "Virgen de los Desamparados," After praying the Angelus in the "Plaza de la Virgen," he will address some words of greeting to those present. He will then go on foot to the archbishop's palace where he will have lunch.
At 5.15 p.m., the Pope will pay a courtesy visit to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain in the palace of the "Generalitat de Valencia." Thereafter, he will return to the archbishop's palace to meet with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, prime minister of Spain.
At 8.30 p.m., the Pope will travel by popemobile to Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences where, at 9.00 p.m., a festive meeting is due to take place marking the closure of the Fifth World Meeting of Families. On this occasion, the Pope is due to deliver an address. After the meeting, he will return to the archbishop's palace where he will spend the night.
At 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, July 9, Pope Benedict will preside at a Eucharistic concelebration in the City of Arts and Sciences, and then pray the Angelus. At 12.30 p.m., he will travel by car to the airport of Manises where, following the departure ceremony, he will board his plane for Rome. He is due to arrive at Rome's Ciampino airport at 3.30 p.m.
The Holy Father will depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, whence a two-hour flight will take him to Manises airport in Valencia. Following the welcome ceremony, he will visit the cathedral of Valencia and the basilica of the "Virgen de los Desamparados," After praying the Angelus in the "Plaza de la Virgen," he will address some words of greeting to those present. He will then go on foot to the archbishop's palace where he will have lunch.
At 5.15 p.m., the Pope will pay a courtesy visit to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain in the palace of the "Generalitat de Valencia." Thereafter, he will return to the archbishop's palace to meet with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, prime minister of Spain.
At 8.30 p.m., the Pope will travel by popemobile to Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences where, at 9.00 p.m., a festive meeting is due to take place marking the closure of the Fifth World Meeting of Families. On this occasion, the Pope is due to deliver an address. After the meeting, he will return to the archbishop's palace where he will spend the night.
At 9.30 a.m. on Sunday, July 9, Pope Benedict will preside at a Eucharistic concelebration in the City of Arts and Sciences, and then pray the Angelus. At 12.30 p.m., he will travel by car to the airport of Manises where, following the departure ceremony, he will board his plane for Rome. He is due to arrive at Rome's Ciampino airport at 3.30 p.m.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
The Didache
One of the topics I am currently studying is the Didache. I thought these passages were worth meditating on. I have highlighted the passages that particularly attracted me.
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what reward is there for loving those who love you? Do not the Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If someone strikes your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one who asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he who gives according to the commandment, for he is guiltless. Woe to him who receives; for if one receives who has need, he is guiltless; but he who receives not having need shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what. And coming into confinement, he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape from there until he pays back the last penny. And also concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.
Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden. And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacigous, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.
Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden. My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder. Be neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper, for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one. for lust leads to fornication. Be neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye, for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads to idolatry. Be neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things, for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Be neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy. Be neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.
Rather, be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, nor give over-confidence to your soul. Your soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. Accept whatever happens to you as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass.
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. And of these sayings the teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those who persecute you. For what reward is there for loving those who love you? Do not the Gentiles do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy. Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If someone strikes your right cheek, turn to him the other also, and you shall be perfect. If someone impresses you for one mile, go with him two. If someone takes your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one who asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he who gives according to the commandment, for he is guiltless. Woe to him who receives; for if one receives who has need, he is guiltless; but he who receives not having need shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what. And coming into confinement, he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape from there until he pays back the last penny. And also concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.
Chapter 2. The Second Commandment: Grave Sin Forbidden. And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacigous, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man; but some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.
Chapter 3. Other Sins Forbidden. My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder. Be neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper, for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one. for lust leads to fornication. Be neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye, for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads to idolatry. Be neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things, for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Be neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy. Be neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.
Rather, be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good and always trembling at the words which you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, nor give over-confidence to your soul. Your soul shall not be joined with lofty ones, but with just and lowly ones shall it have its intercourse. Accept whatever happens to you as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass.
The Latin Lover
I have been a fan of Vatican Radio's "Latin Lover" program for some time. The Latin Lover is Fr. Reginald Foster, O. Carm, a Vatican latinist who is responsible for the translation of countless papal documents into Latin. He works out of the office of the Vatican Secretary of State and also teaches Latin at the Gregorian University.
The Carmelite priest from Wisconsin with a gruff voice and a vast command of Latin is an unlikely priest to be working in the Vatican. He is free of the stiffness and propriety of many Vatican officials and doesn't seem to fit in, yet he does.
It seems I am not the only person to find Fr. Foster interesting. He has been written about in numerous newspapers. Here is one of the articles:
USA Today
Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
One of Fr. Foster's students has an excellent website about him.
Listen to the archives of his radio program here
Online Theology Classes
The USCCB web site has a great list of colleges and universities that offer theology classes and even complete degrees through distance learning. Most are online classes.
All Catholics are called to learn more about the faith. Theological study is a great way to fulfill that call.
Check out the list here.
All Catholics are called to learn more about the faith. Theological study is a great way to fulfill that call.
Check out the list here.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Trinity Sunday
This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. On this feast we celebrate the mystery of the unity of God in three persons in a special way.
"The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the 'hierarchy of the truths of faith.' The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men 'and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin.'"
CCC 234
"O my God, Trinity whom I adore,
help me forget myself entirely so to establish myself in you,
unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity.
May nothing be able to trouble my peace or make me leave you, O my unchanging God,
but may each minute bring me more deeply into your mystery!
Grant my soul peace.
Make it your heaven,
your beloved dwelling and the place of your rest.
May I never abandon you there,
but may I be there,
whole and entire,
completely vigilant in my faith, entirely adoring, and wholly given over to your creative action."
Prayer of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity
"The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the 'hierarchy of the truths of faith.' The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men 'and reconciles and unites with himself those who turn away from sin.'"
CCC 234
"O my God, Trinity whom I adore,
help me forget myself entirely so to establish myself in you,
unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity.
May nothing be able to trouble my peace or make me leave you, O my unchanging God,
but may each minute bring me more deeply into your mystery!
Grant my soul peace.
Make it your heaven,
your beloved dwelling and the place of your rest.
May I never abandon you there,
but may I be there,
whole and entire,
completely vigilant in my faith, entirely adoring, and wholly given over to your creative action."
Prayer of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity
Friday, June 09, 2006
Photos From Papal Trip to Poland
The Archdiocese of Krakow has posted pictures from Pope Benedict's trip to Poland on their website.
See them here.
See them here.
Montalvo Update
Rocco is reporting on his blog that Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, the former apostolic nuncio to the U.S., is resting comfortably in a Roman hospice.
If anyone would like to send the Archbishop a card or greeting his address is:
The Most Reverend Gabriel Montalvo
Titular Archbishop of Celene
Domus Sancta Maria Guadalupe
Piazza Benedetto Carioli,
11700186 Rome
ITALY
I am sure the Archbishop would love to recieve a card or note of prayers as he fights his battle against lung cancer.
Please remember him in your prayers.
If anyone would like to send the Archbishop a card or greeting his address is:
The Most Reverend Gabriel Montalvo
Titular Archbishop of Celene
Domus Sancta Maria Guadalupe
Piazza Benedetto Carioli,
11700186 Rome
ITALY
I am sure the Archbishop would love to recieve a card or note of prayers as he fights his battle against lung cancer.
Please remember him in your prayers.
Promoting the Family
Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent a message, in the Holy Father's name, to participants in the 36th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which closed on June 6 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The principle theme of the assembly, the message says, "is the dignity of human beings and the absolute value of human life from conception to natural end." On this subject, the cardinal recalls how the American continent "has a long tradition of respecting life, now threatened by the pressure of opinions contrary to its nature."
"In the field of protecting human dignity," he writes, "another priority is to favor the conditions that reduce violence in its various forms: terrorism, attacks against innocent civilians, kidnappings, threats and drug trafficking."
Cardinal Sodano identifies another essential theme associated with that of human dignity: "The promotion of the family based on marriage. Promoting the family is an essential task for the development of society throughout the continent. The family is a place of education, knowledge, and of the basic formation of the future protagonists of social life. For this reason, the principal entity that States must protect and promote is the family."
"The role played by parents is fundamental," the message continues, "and it cannot be replaced by the State or by any other institution, which are a necessary and very beneficial complement but do not substitute the primordial role of parents, who must also choose the kind of education they want for their children."
After highlighting that the family "cannot adequately carry out its mission if it does not have the minimum material requirements to do so, the cardinal secretary of State deplored "the persistence, at times aggravated persistence, of poverty, and the growing gap between the richest and the poorest."
"It is not only a matter of fairer distribution of what is available, but also of improving production conditions and of seeking new ways to develop in peace and harmony for all. In this context. the Church's social doctrine offers a framework for laying the foundations of a society that has at its center man, not money or ideology."
Cardinal Sodano concludes his message by making a call "to continue down the path of constant dialogue between States," it being one of the OAS's functions "to guarantee such dialogue. The vast majority of inhabitants of the OAS countries are Christians, and Christian roots can make a decisive contribution to the social and political life of American States."
The principle theme of the assembly, the message says, "is the dignity of human beings and the absolute value of human life from conception to natural end." On this subject, the cardinal recalls how the American continent "has a long tradition of respecting life, now threatened by the pressure of opinions contrary to its nature."
"In the field of protecting human dignity," he writes, "another priority is to favor the conditions that reduce violence in its various forms: terrorism, attacks against innocent civilians, kidnappings, threats and drug trafficking."
Cardinal Sodano identifies another essential theme associated with that of human dignity: "The promotion of the family based on marriage. Promoting the family is an essential task for the development of society throughout the continent. The family is a place of education, knowledge, and of the basic formation of the future protagonists of social life. For this reason, the principal entity that States must protect and promote is the family."
"The role played by parents is fundamental," the message continues, "and it cannot be replaced by the State or by any other institution, which are a necessary and very beneficial complement but do not substitute the primordial role of parents, who must also choose the kind of education they want for their children."
After highlighting that the family "cannot adequately carry out its mission if it does not have the minimum material requirements to do so, the cardinal secretary of State deplored "the persistence, at times aggravated persistence, of poverty, and the growing gap between the richest and the poorest."
"It is not only a matter of fairer distribution of what is available, but also of improving production conditions and of seeking new ways to develop in peace and harmony for all. In this context. the Church's social doctrine offers a framework for laying the foundations of a society that has at its center man, not money or ideology."
Cardinal Sodano concludes his message by making a call "to continue down the path of constant dialogue between States," it being one of the OAS's functions "to guarantee such dialogue. The vast majority of inhabitants of the OAS countries are Christians, and Christian roots can make a decisive contribution to the social and political life of American States."
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Fighting over Jesus
The Washington Post is reporting on the sacrilege that took place on Sunday in the Diocese of St. Paul.
More than 50 gay rights activists wearing rainbow-colored sashes were denied Holy Communion at a Pentecost service Sunday at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in St. Paul, Minn., parishioners and church officials said.
In an act that some witnesses called a "sacrilege" and others called a sign of "solidarity," a man who was not wearing a sash received a Communion wafer from a priest, broke it into pieces and handed it to some of the sash wearers, who consumed it on the spot.
Ushers threatened to call the police, and a church employee burst into tears when the unidentified man re-distributed the consecrated wafer, which Catholics consider the body of Christ. But the Mass was not interrupted, and the incident ended peacefully, said Dennis McGrath, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
"It was confrontational, but we decided not to try to arrest the guy," he said.
What happened here? These people were refused the Eucharist so they stole Him by misrepresenting their intentions. Yes, that is a sacrilege. I can only see this situation escalating. I believe the level of sacrilege will increase.
These stories pain me greatly. The level of disrespect shown to the Eucharist both here and on less dramatic occasions is disgraceful. Many priests and extraordinary ministers of Communion don't show the Eucharist the proper respect due to food, never mind proper respect due to God. If they were waiters in restaurants, they would be fired.
Here is an interesting article written by Bishop Kinney from the Diocese of St. Cloud.
More than 50 gay rights activists wearing rainbow-colored sashes were denied Holy Communion at a Pentecost service Sunday at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in St. Paul, Minn., parishioners and church officials said.
In an act that some witnesses called a "sacrilege" and others called a sign of "solidarity," a man who was not wearing a sash received a Communion wafer from a priest, broke it into pieces and handed it to some of the sash wearers, who consumed it on the spot.
Ushers threatened to call the police, and a church employee burst into tears when the unidentified man re-distributed the consecrated wafer, which Catholics consider the body of Christ. But the Mass was not interrupted, and the incident ended peacefully, said Dennis McGrath, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
"It was confrontational, but we decided not to try to arrest the guy," he said.
What happened here? These people were refused the Eucharist so they stole Him by misrepresenting their intentions. Yes, that is a sacrilege. I can only see this situation escalating. I believe the level of sacrilege will increase.
These stories pain me greatly. The level of disrespect shown to the Eucharist both here and on less dramatic occasions is disgraceful. Many priests and extraordinary ministers of Communion don't show the Eucharist the proper respect due to food, never mind proper respect due to God. If they were waiters in restaurants, they would be fired.
Here is an interesting article written by Bishop Kinney from the Diocese of St. Cloud.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Today's Audience
The foundation of the Church upon the rock represented by St. Peter the Apostle, custodian of communion with Christ, provided the theme for Benedict XVI's catechesis during his general audience today, which was held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of more than 50,000 people.
The Pope began by recalling how the Gospel of St. John, "in recounting the first meeting of Jesus with Simon, brother of Andrew, records a curious event: Jesus 'looked at him and said: so you are Simon, the son of John? You shall be called Cephas (which means Peter)'."
"This fact takes on particular significance if we consider how, in the Old Testament, a change of name often accompanied a new mission," said the Pope before going on to mention a number of evangelical episodes that highlight "the will of Christ to attribute to Peter a special importance within the Apostolic college," such as when He stayed in Peter's house in Capernaum, or chose his boat on the Lake of Gennesaret.
"Peter himself," the Holy Father continued, "was aware of his special position: it was often he who would speak, also in the name of the others, asking for explanation of a difficult parable or the exact meaning of a precept. ... Equally decided was the profession of faith which, again in name of the Twelve, he made near Caesarea Philippi. To Jesus Who asks: 'But who do you say that I am?' it is Peter who replies: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
"In response," the Pope added, "Jesus then pronounced the solemn declaration that defined, once and for all, Peter's role in the Church: 'And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Benedict XVI went on: "The three metaphors Jesus uses are themselves very clear: Peter will be the rock foundation upon which the building of the Church rests; he will hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven to open and close to whom he will; and finally, he can bind and loosen in the sense that he can impose or prohibit whatever he considers necessary for the life of the Church. ... This describes ... what would later be qualified with the term 'primacy of jurisdiction'."
After the resurrection, Peter was the first of the Apostles to witness the appearance of Jesus, and this again marks "the continuity between his primacy among the Apostles and the preeminence he would continue to have in the community that came into being following the events of Easter."
"The fact that a number of the key texts referring to Peter are associated with the Last Supper, during which Christ conferred upon him the ministry of confirming his brethren, shows how the Church, which was born from the Paschal remembrance celebrated in the Eucharist, has, in the ministry entrusted to Peter, one of her constitutive elements."
"This is primacy for all time. Peter must be the custodian of communion with Christ. He must guide [people] to communion with Christ, and guide in such a way that the net does not break but supports that great universal communion by which together we can be with Christ, Who is Lord of us all. This is his responsibility, guaranteeing communion with Christ, with Christ's charity, and the implementation of that charity in daily life."
"Let us pray that the primacy of Peter, entrusted to weak human beings, may always be exercised in this original sense that the Lord intended; and that it be ever more recognized in its true significance by the brethren not yet in full communion with us."
During a brief ceremony held following the general audience, the Pope was granted honorary citizenship of the German town of Altotting.
The Pope began by recalling how the Gospel of St. John, "in recounting the first meeting of Jesus with Simon, brother of Andrew, records a curious event: Jesus 'looked at him and said: so you are Simon, the son of John? You shall be called Cephas (which means Peter)'."
"This fact takes on particular significance if we consider how, in the Old Testament, a change of name often accompanied a new mission," said the Pope before going on to mention a number of evangelical episodes that highlight "the will of Christ to attribute to Peter a special importance within the Apostolic college," such as when He stayed in Peter's house in Capernaum, or chose his boat on the Lake of Gennesaret.
"Peter himself," the Holy Father continued, "was aware of his special position: it was often he who would speak, also in the name of the others, asking for explanation of a difficult parable or the exact meaning of a precept. ... Equally decided was the profession of faith which, again in name of the Twelve, he made near Caesarea Philippi. To Jesus Who asks: 'But who do you say that I am?' it is Peter who replies: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
"In response," the Pope added, "Jesus then pronounced the solemn declaration that defined, once and for all, Peter's role in the Church: 'And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Benedict XVI went on: "The three metaphors Jesus uses are themselves very clear: Peter will be the rock foundation upon which the building of the Church rests; he will hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven to open and close to whom he will; and finally, he can bind and loosen in the sense that he can impose or prohibit whatever he considers necessary for the life of the Church. ... This describes ... what would later be qualified with the term 'primacy of jurisdiction'."
After the resurrection, Peter was the first of the Apostles to witness the appearance of Jesus, and this again marks "the continuity between his primacy among the Apostles and the preeminence he would continue to have in the community that came into being following the events of Easter."
"The fact that a number of the key texts referring to Peter are associated with the Last Supper, during which Christ conferred upon him the ministry of confirming his brethren, shows how the Church, which was born from the Paschal remembrance celebrated in the Eucharist, has, in the ministry entrusted to Peter, one of her constitutive elements."
"This is primacy for all time. Peter must be the custodian of communion with Christ. He must guide [people] to communion with Christ, and guide in such a way that the net does not break but supports that great universal communion by which together we can be with Christ, Who is Lord of us all. This is his responsibility, guaranteeing communion with Christ, with Christ's charity, and the implementation of that charity in daily life."
"Let us pray that the primacy of Peter, entrusted to weak human beings, may always be exercised in this original sense that the Lord intended; and that it be ever more recognized in its true significance by the brethren not yet in full communion with us."
During a brief ceremony held following the general audience, the Pope was granted honorary citizenship of the German town of Altotting.
Members of the Heirarchy I Have Met
Someone asked me a few days ago how many bishops and cardinals I have met. That is what prompted me to write this post.
Cardinals:
John Cardinal O'Connor
Sean Patrick Cardinal O'Malley
Bernard Cardinal Law
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick
Francis Cardinal Arinze
William Cardinal Levada
Antonio Cardinal Canizares Llovera
Carlo Cardinal Caffara
Jose Cardinal DaCruz Policarpo
Edward Michael Cardinal Egan
Stanislaw Cardinal Dziwisz
Roger Cardinal Mahony
Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kuin
Andrea Cardinal Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo
Peter Proeku Cardinal Dery
Albert Cardinal Vanhoye
Antonio Cardinal Ribeiro
Bishops:
Archbishop Daniel Anthony Cronin
Archbishop Timothy Dolan
Archbishop Piero Marini
Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo
Archbishop John Favalora
Bishop George William Coleman
Bishop Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva
Bishop Aurelio Granada Escudeiro
Bishop Antonio de Sousa Braga
Bishop John McCormack
Bishop Robert Joseph McManus
Bishop Robert Mulvee
Bishop Louis Gelineau
Bishop Richard Lennon
Bishop Emilio Allue
Bishop John Boles
Bishop Walter Edyvean
Bishop William Lori
Bishop Kenneth Angell
Bishop Richard Malone
Current count is at 37, but I know I am missing a lot of people.
Updating will continue.
Cardinals:
John Cardinal O'Connor
Sean Patrick Cardinal O'Malley
Bernard Cardinal Law
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick
Francis Cardinal Arinze
William Cardinal Levada
Antonio Cardinal Canizares Llovera
Carlo Cardinal Caffara
Jose Cardinal DaCruz Policarpo
Edward Michael Cardinal Egan
Stanislaw Cardinal Dziwisz
Roger Cardinal Mahony
Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kuin
Andrea Cardinal Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo
Peter Proeku Cardinal Dery
Albert Cardinal Vanhoye
Antonio Cardinal Ribeiro
Bishops:
Archbishop Daniel Anthony Cronin
Archbishop Timothy Dolan
Archbishop Piero Marini
Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo
Archbishop John Favalora
Bishop George William Coleman
Bishop Serafim de Sousa Ferreira e Silva
Bishop Aurelio Granada Escudeiro
Bishop Antonio de Sousa Braga
Bishop John McCormack
Bishop Robert Joseph McManus
Bishop Robert Mulvee
Bishop Louis Gelineau
Bishop Richard Lennon
Bishop Emilio Allue
Bishop John Boles
Bishop Walter Edyvean
Bishop William Lori
Bishop Kenneth Angell
Bishop Richard Malone
Current count is at 37, but I know I am missing a lot of people.
Updating will continue.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
June 6, 2006...Yawn
Today is June 6, 2006 and everywhere I turn people are talking about it. So what? Guess what, the world didn't end today. I know that because it is already June 7, 2006 in many parts of the world.
Even the media is covering the date. Why? There must be real news to report.
I have heard reports of people scheduling trips around today. People have even gone so far as to schedule c-sections to avoid giving birth today.
It seems to me that many people are more concerned with a date and a number than real evil. We live in a world where people are starving both at home and in places most people have never heard of, abortion is legal, immorality abounds and people are worried about a DATE? Puh-leeese!
We are not supposed to trust in false gods, but people do it all the time. The date June 6, 2006 is no different from any other. People will die, people will be born, heroes will be made, and life will go on. It is a date just like any other.
If today should be remembered for anything it should be remembered as the day the allies stormed the beach in Normandy. It was the beginning of one victory against evil.
Let's stop worrying about things we cannot control and give up superstitions like numbers. We have to place our trust in God. There are real evils in the world which should concern us more 6's are in the date.
We do not know when the world will end, but we do know that the world ended today for some people just as it does every day. Death comes like a thief in the night. We must be ready. Each of us has a much greater chance to dying in a car accident, of a heart attack, even being crushed by a ladder today than the world ending today. Are you ready?
Even the media is covering the date. Why? There must be real news to report.
I have heard reports of people scheduling trips around today. People have even gone so far as to schedule c-sections to avoid giving birth today.
It seems to me that many people are more concerned with a date and a number than real evil. We live in a world where people are starving both at home and in places most people have never heard of, abortion is legal, immorality abounds and people are worried about a DATE? Puh-leeese!
We are not supposed to trust in false gods, but people do it all the time. The date June 6, 2006 is no different from any other. People will die, people will be born, heroes will be made, and life will go on. It is a date just like any other.
If today should be remembered for anything it should be remembered as the day the allies stormed the beach in Normandy. It was the beginning of one victory against evil.
Let's stop worrying about things we cannot control and give up superstitions like numbers. We have to place our trust in God. There are real evils in the world which should concern us more 6's are in the date.
We do not know when the world will end, but we do know that the world ended today for some people just as it does every day. Death comes like a thief in the night. We must be ready. Each of us has a much greater chance to dying in a car accident, of a heart attack, even being crushed by a ladder today than the world ending today. Are you ready?
New Document of the Family and Human Procreation
The Pontifical Council for the Family, founded 25 years ago by John Paul II with the Motu Proprio "Familia a Deo Instituta," and presided by Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, today published a document entitled: "Family and Human Procreation."
The text, according to an explanatory note written by Fr. Abelardo Lobato O.P., consultor of the pontifical council, "is destined to be an object of study, both for its doctrine and in its pastoral application." The document opens with "an introduction to the theme of the relationship between ... the family and procreation."
This theme is then developed over four chapters covering "procreation; why the family is the only appropriate place for it; what is meant by integral procreation within the family; and what social, juridical, political, economic and cultural aspects does service to the family entail" The fifth chapter presents the theme "from two complementary perspectives: the theological, in that the family is an image of the Trinity; and the pastoral, because the family lies at the foundation of the Church and is a place of evangelization."
"The document," the explanatory note continues, "makes reference above all to Vatican Council II, to Pope John Paul II who dedicated great attention to these matters, and to the recent 'Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.' All this means that the document aims not only to find a doctrinal approach to the problem, but also to open doors to future research on the questions that are the object of discussion today."
The introduction evokes the words of John Paul II in Puebla, Mexico, in 1979, where "he affirmed that the Church possesses the truth about man and at the same time seeks the truth entire. Man is not just a 'rational animal,' he is also familial. The family is connatural to man and was instituted by God. But today man has become a great enigma to himself and lives through the most acute crisis of his history in its family dimension: the family is subject to attack as never before; the new models of the family destroy it; procreation techniques jettison human love; the politics of birth control lead to the current 'demographic winter.' ... Along these paths ... we deviate towards a 'post-human' world. It is necessary to save man."
An understanding of human procreation, the text goes on, may be attained from various perspectives: "the historical," reaffirming the value historically attached to having descendants, "the anthropological, ... and the religious, which places man before God the Creator, Who infuses a soul into each individual and relies on man's cooperation to achieve the fullness of human existence."
The explanatory note continues: "Procreation is the means of transmitting life by the loving union of man and woman," and it "must be truly human." This means that it must be the "fruit of the actions of man," and the "fruit of a human act, free, rational, and responsible for the transmission of life. ... The unitive act of man and woman cannot be separated from its connatural dimension, which is that of procreation and which makes responsible paternity and maternity possible. Only on this personal basis can conjugal morality be understood.
"The Church's doctrinal documents, such as the Encyclical 'Humanae vitae,' and the Apostolic Exhortation 'Familiaris consortio,' refer to the fundamental principle of the dignity of human beings and their ethical dimension." The condemnation of abortion, the inseparable nature of the two dimensions - the unitive and the procreative - and the view of sexuality as a procreative function, "have their foundation in individual beings and their dignity."
"This is the key to the solution: an integral understanding of what is human. Without a 'meta-anthropology' which touches the being, the substance, the spirit, there can be no integral understanding of what is human, because the concepts of person and being are emptied of content. Morals and religion, which are fundamental and decisive values, are reduced to a 'private matter.' The return of metaphysics is vital in order to regain a sense of what is human in man.
"The human being is a familial being," Fr. Lobato's note adds, "and for this reason has the characteristics of a social, political, economic, cultural, juridical and religious being. The family is involved with each of these aspects, which are essential to it. The family requires services, help, protection and constant promotion; and the document indicates how each of these elements should develop. It emphasizes the juridical dimension and recalls that in 1983 the Holy See published the first 'Charter of the Rights of the Family,' which is a solid defense of that institution."
"The doctrine concerning integral human procreation," the note concludes, "is corroborated by the theology of creation and by the mystery of salvation revealed in Jesus Christ and put into effect in the new evangelization. The Creator wished human beings to be two-in-one; the Redeemer assumed the familial condition in Nazareth reminding everyone of the nature of the family since the beginning of the divine plan: two in a single flesh."
The text, according to an explanatory note written by Fr. Abelardo Lobato O.P., consultor of the pontifical council, "is destined to be an object of study, both for its doctrine and in its pastoral application." The document opens with "an introduction to the theme of the relationship between ... the family and procreation."
This theme is then developed over four chapters covering "procreation; why the family is the only appropriate place for it; what is meant by integral procreation within the family; and what social, juridical, political, economic and cultural aspects does service to the family entail" The fifth chapter presents the theme "from two complementary perspectives: the theological, in that the family is an image of the Trinity; and the pastoral, because the family lies at the foundation of the Church and is a place of evangelization."
"The document," the explanatory note continues, "makes reference above all to Vatican Council II, to Pope John Paul II who dedicated great attention to these matters, and to the recent 'Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.' All this means that the document aims not only to find a doctrinal approach to the problem, but also to open doors to future research on the questions that are the object of discussion today."
The introduction evokes the words of John Paul II in Puebla, Mexico, in 1979, where "he affirmed that the Church possesses the truth about man and at the same time seeks the truth entire. Man is not just a 'rational animal,' he is also familial. The family is connatural to man and was instituted by God. But today man has become a great enigma to himself and lives through the most acute crisis of his history in its family dimension: the family is subject to attack as never before; the new models of the family destroy it; procreation techniques jettison human love; the politics of birth control lead to the current 'demographic winter.' ... Along these paths ... we deviate towards a 'post-human' world. It is necessary to save man."
An understanding of human procreation, the text goes on, may be attained from various perspectives: "the historical," reaffirming the value historically attached to having descendants, "the anthropological, ... and the religious, which places man before God the Creator, Who infuses a soul into each individual and relies on man's cooperation to achieve the fullness of human existence."
The explanatory note continues: "Procreation is the means of transmitting life by the loving union of man and woman," and it "must be truly human." This means that it must be the "fruit of the actions of man," and the "fruit of a human act, free, rational, and responsible for the transmission of life. ... The unitive act of man and woman cannot be separated from its connatural dimension, which is that of procreation and which makes responsible paternity and maternity possible. Only on this personal basis can conjugal morality be understood.
"The Church's doctrinal documents, such as the Encyclical 'Humanae vitae,' and the Apostolic Exhortation 'Familiaris consortio,' refer to the fundamental principle of the dignity of human beings and their ethical dimension." The condemnation of abortion, the inseparable nature of the two dimensions - the unitive and the procreative - and the view of sexuality as a procreative function, "have their foundation in individual beings and their dignity."
"This is the key to the solution: an integral understanding of what is human. Without a 'meta-anthropology' which touches the being, the substance, the spirit, there can be no integral understanding of what is human, because the concepts of person and being are emptied of content. Morals and religion, which are fundamental and decisive values, are reduced to a 'private matter.' The return of metaphysics is vital in order to regain a sense of what is human in man.
"The human being is a familial being," Fr. Lobato's note adds, "and for this reason has the characteristics of a social, political, economic, cultural, juridical and religious being. The family is involved with each of these aspects, which are essential to it. The family requires services, help, protection and constant promotion; and the document indicates how each of these elements should develop. It emphasizes the juridical dimension and recalls that in 1983 the Holy See published the first 'Charter of the Rights of the Family,' which is a solid defense of that institution."
"The doctrine concerning integral human procreation," the note concludes, "is corroborated by the theology of creation and by the mystery of salvation revealed in Jesus Christ and put into effect in the new evangelization. The Creator wished human beings to be two-in-one; the Redeemer assumed the familial condition in Nazareth reminding everyone of the nature of the family since the beginning of the divine plan: two in a single flesh."
Monday, June 05, 2006
Archbishop Marini
Strangely enough Archbishop Piero Marini has been one of the terms that is most searched on this blog.
He is one of those interesting behind the scenes characters that everyone knows but no one knows much about.
I was lucky enough to speak with him briefly during the courtesy visits at the Apostolic Palace following the consistory. He was quite busy dealing with members of the media, but he was gracious and took a few minutes out of his busy day to speak with a lowly American parish liturgist I was honored to meet him. His English is not great, but it is much better than my Italian.
I have posted a few pictures here of Archbishop Marini putting the finishing touches on the liturgical environment.
Photos by Domini Sumus
UPDATE:
Here are links to my other posts about the archbishop:
Marini on Liturgy
Marini's Health
Other remarks
The Holy Father's Pentecost Address
Yesterday morning, Solemnity of Pentecost, Benedict XVI presided at Mass in St. Peter's Square. The Mass was concelebrated by a number of cardinals, and attended by tens of thousands of people many of whom had participated in yesterday's meeting between the Pope and ecclesial movements and new communities.
"On the day of Pentecost," said the Pope in his homily, "the Holy Spirit descended powerfully upon the Apostles; and thus the Church's mission in the world began. Jesus Himself had prepared the Eleven for this mission, appearing to them a number of times after His resurrection. ... Remaining together was the condition placed by Jesus for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit."
"This provides a remarkable lesson for all Christian communities. Sometimes, it is thought that missionary success depends principally on careful planning, followed by clever implementation through concrete commitment. Of course, the Lord asks our collaboration, but prior to any response on our part His initiative is necessary. His Spirit is the true protagonist of the Church."
Benedict XVI then commented on the images (of wind and fire) with which St. Luke describes "the irruption of the Holy Spirit." Images that recall the covenant of God with the People of Israel in the Sinai Desert and through which the Evangelist presents "Pentecost as the new Sinai, as the feast of the new pact, in which the Covenant with Israel is extended to all the people of the earth."
For this reason, "the Church was Catholic and missionary from her inception. The universality of salvation is significantly highlighted in the list of ethnic groups who listened to the first announcement of the Apostles. The People of God ... was enlarged ... until it no longer knew frontiers of race, culture, space or time. Unlike what happened in the Tower of Babel - when men, intent on building a way to heaven with their own hands, ended up by destroying their capacity to understand one another - in the Pentecost the Spirit, with the gift of tongues, shows how His presence unites and transforms confusion into communion. ... The Holy Spirit ... rebuilds the bridge of true communication between earth and heaven. The Holy Spirit is Love."
However, in order to know "the mystery of the Holy Spirit," we must go back to Jesus' words at the Last Supper, when the Apostles were disconcerted and saddened by His announcement of His death and departure.
"In order to comfort them [Jesus] explains the meaning of His leaving: He will go, but will return, in the meantime He will not abandon them, He will not leave them orphans. He will send the Counsellor, the Spirit of the Father, and it will be the Spirit Who makes it known that Jesus' work is a work of love: the love of He Who offered Himself, the love of the Father Who gave Him."
"This is the mystery of Pentecost," said the Holy Father, "the Holy Spirit illuminates the human spirit and, revealing Christ crucified and risen, indicates the way to become like Him, to be, that is, 'image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ'."
After the Mass, Benedict XVI prayed the "Regina Coeli" with those present, before reflecting further upon Pentecost which, he reiterated, "invites us to return to the origins of the Church." He also quoted the words of the Apostolic Constitution "Lumen gentium" where it is written: "The Church, which the Spirit guides in way of all truth and which He unified in communion and in works of ministry, He both equips and directs with hierarchical and charismatic gifts and adorns with His fruits."
The Holy Father concluded: "Among the things prompted by the Spirit in the Church are the ecclesial movements and communities, which yesterday I had the joy of meeting in this square, in a great international meeting. All the Church, as Pope John Paul II used to like to say, is one great movement animated by the Holy Spirit, a river crossing history to irrigate it with the grace of God and render it fruitful of life, goodness, beauty, justice and peace."
"On the day of Pentecost," said the Pope in his homily, "the Holy Spirit descended powerfully upon the Apostles; and thus the Church's mission in the world began. Jesus Himself had prepared the Eleven for this mission, appearing to them a number of times after His resurrection. ... Remaining together was the condition placed by Jesus for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit."
"This provides a remarkable lesson for all Christian communities. Sometimes, it is thought that missionary success depends principally on careful planning, followed by clever implementation through concrete commitment. Of course, the Lord asks our collaboration, but prior to any response on our part His initiative is necessary. His Spirit is the true protagonist of the Church."
Benedict XVI then commented on the images (of wind and fire) with which St. Luke describes "the irruption of the Holy Spirit." Images that recall the covenant of God with the People of Israel in the Sinai Desert and through which the Evangelist presents "Pentecost as the new Sinai, as the feast of the new pact, in which the Covenant with Israel is extended to all the people of the earth."
For this reason, "the Church was Catholic and missionary from her inception. The universality of salvation is significantly highlighted in the list of ethnic groups who listened to the first announcement of the Apostles. The People of God ... was enlarged ... until it no longer knew frontiers of race, culture, space or time. Unlike what happened in the Tower of Babel - when men, intent on building a way to heaven with their own hands, ended up by destroying their capacity to understand one another - in the Pentecost the Spirit, with the gift of tongues, shows how His presence unites and transforms confusion into communion. ... The Holy Spirit ... rebuilds the bridge of true communication between earth and heaven. The Holy Spirit is Love."
However, in order to know "the mystery of the Holy Spirit," we must go back to Jesus' words at the Last Supper, when the Apostles were disconcerted and saddened by His announcement of His death and departure.
"In order to comfort them [Jesus] explains the meaning of His leaving: He will go, but will return, in the meantime He will not abandon them, He will not leave them orphans. He will send the Counsellor, the Spirit of the Father, and it will be the Spirit Who makes it known that Jesus' work is a work of love: the love of He Who offered Himself, the love of the Father Who gave Him."
"This is the mystery of Pentecost," said the Holy Father, "the Holy Spirit illuminates the human spirit and, revealing Christ crucified and risen, indicates the way to become like Him, to be, that is, 'image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ'."
After the Mass, Benedict XVI prayed the "Regina Coeli" with those present, before reflecting further upon Pentecost which, he reiterated, "invites us to return to the origins of the Church." He also quoted the words of the Apostolic Constitution "Lumen gentium" where it is written: "The Church, which the Spirit guides in way of all truth and which He unified in communion and in works of ministry, He both equips and directs with hierarchical and charismatic gifts and adorns with His fruits."
The Holy Father concluded: "Among the things prompted by the Spirit in the Church are the ecclesial movements and communities, which yesterday I had the joy of meeting in this square, in a great international meeting. All the Church, as Pope John Paul II used to like to say, is one great movement animated by the Holy Spirit, a river crossing history to irrigate it with the grace of God and render it fruitful of life, goodness, beauty, justice and peace."
Meeting of Ecclesial Movements
Saturday evening, Benedict XVI met with more than 400,000 representatives of ecclesial movements and new communities.
Before the meeting began, the Pope travelled in an open-top popemobile down Via della Conciliazione and across St. Peter's Square, greeting and blessing the crowds as he went.
Brief greetings from Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, prefect of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and the reading of a message from Chiara Lubich, founder of the Work of Mary (the Focolari Movement), were followed by the First Vespers of the eve of Pentecost.
The reading of the psalms was interspersed with reflections by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant'Egidio Community, Kiko Arguello, founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, and Msgr. Julian Carron, president of the Communion and Liberation association.
The Holy Father then pronounced his homily which he began by recalling John Paul II, who in 1998 promoted the first such meeting with movements and communities. "That great evangelizer of our time," Pope Benedict told the crowds, "defined your associations and communities as 'providential'."
Pentecost, said the Holy Father, "is not only the origin of the Church and, therefore, in a special way, her feast; Pentecost is also the feast of the creation. The world does not exist of itself, it comes from the creative Spirit of God. ... Those who, as Christians, believe in the Creating Spirit, are aware of the fact that we cannot use and abuse the material world as a simple instrument to enact our desires."
"God approaches us through the creation," said the Pope. "Nonetheless, the good creation of God, over the course of the history of mankind, has been covered with a deep layer of dirt that makes it, if not impossible, at least difficult to recognize therein the reflection of the Creator."
After highlighting how "life and freedom" are "the things we all long for," Benedict XVI stressed that "life is only to be found by giving it, it is not to be found by seeking to possess it. This is what we must learn from Christ, and this is what we are taught by the Holy Spirit, Which is a pure gift, Which is God's giving of Himself."
"The ecclesial movements," he went on, "want to be, and must be, schools of freedom, of this true freedom. ... In this world, so full of false freedoms that destroy the environment and mankind, we, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, wish to learn authentic freedom together," and show people "how beautiful it is to be free in the true freedom of the children of God."
The Pope continued: "The Holy Spirit, granting life and freedom, also grants unity. These three gifts are inseparable from one another. ... Looking at this gathering here in St. Peter's Square, we realize how He always generates new gifts; we see how different the groups He creates are, and how, ever anew, He works corporeally."
In Him, "multiplicity and unity go together. He blows where He will. He does so unexpectedly, in unexpected places and in previously unimagined forms. ... Multiformity and unity are inseparable. He wants your multiformity, and He wants you for the one body, in union with the lasting orders - the joints [of the body] - of the Church, with the successors of the Apostles and the successor of St. Peter."
The Holy Father called upon those present "to participate in the building of the one body. Pastors will ensure that the Spirit is not extinguished, and you will not cease to carry your gifts to the entire community."
The Pope also sought to encourage to "missionary drive" of the movements and communities. "Those who have found something true, beautiful and good in their own lives - the only real treasure, the precious pearl - hurry to share it with everyone: in the family, at work, in all areas of their lives."
"Dear friends," he concluded, "I ask you to collaborate even more - much more - in the Pope's universal apostolic ministry, opening the doors to Christ. This is the best service of the Church to mankind and, in a special way, to the poor, so that the life of individuals, a more just ordering of society and peaceful coexistence among nations may find in Christ the 'corner stone' upon which to build a true civilization, the civilization of love."
Following the Pope's homily, the memory of the Sacrament of Confirmation took place with the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the profession of faith.
After singing the Magnificat, two representatives from ecclesial movements - Luis Fernando Figari of the Movement of Christian Life and Patti Gallagher Mansfield of Catholic Charismatic Renewal - expressed thanks to the Pope.
The texts of the Holy Father's address has not been released in English yet.
Before the meeting began, the Pope travelled in an open-top popemobile down Via della Conciliazione and across St. Peter's Square, greeting and blessing the crowds as he went.
Brief greetings from Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, prefect of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and the reading of a message from Chiara Lubich, founder of the Work of Mary (the Focolari Movement), were followed by the First Vespers of the eve of Pentecost.
The reading of the psalms was interspersed with reflections by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant'Egidio Community, Kiko Arguello, founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, and Msgr. Julian Carron, president of the Communion and Liberation association.
The Holy Father then pronounced his homily which he began by recalling John Paul II, who in 1998 promoted the first such meeting with movements and communities. "That great evangelizer of our time," Pope Benedict told the crowds, "defined your associations and communities as 'providential'."
Pentecost, said the Holy Father, "is not only the origin of the Church and, therefore, in a special way, her feast; Pentecost is also the feast of the creation. The world does not exist of itself, it comes from the creative Spirit of God. ... Those who, as Christians, believe in the Creating Spirit, are aware of the fact that we cannot use and abuse the material world as a simple instrument to enact our desires."
"God approaches us through the creation," said the Pope. "Nonetheless, the good creation of God, over the course of the history of mankind, has been covered with a deep layer of dirt that makes it, if not impossible, at least difficult to recognize therein the reflection of the Creator."
After highlighting how "life and freedom" are "the things we all long for," Benedict XVI stressed that "life is only to be found by giving it, it is not to be found by seeking to possess it. This is what we must learn from Christ, and this is what we are taught by the Holy Spirit, Which is a pure gift, Which is God's giving of Himself."
"The ecclesial movements," he went on, "want to be, and must be, schools of freedom, of this true freedom. ... In this world, so full of false freedoms that destroy the environment and mankind, we, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, wish to learn authentic freedom together," and show people "how beautiful it is to be free in the true freedom of the children of God."
The Pope continued: "The Holy Spirit, granting life and freedom, also grants unity. These three gifts are inseparable from one another. ... Looking at this gathering here in St. Peter's Square, we realize how He always generates new gifts; we see how different the groups He creates are, and how, ever anew, He works corporeally."
In Him, "multiplicity and unity go together. He blows where He will. He does so unexpectedly, in unexpected places and in previously unimagined forms. ... Multiformity and unity are inseparable. He wants your multiformity, and He wants you for the one body, in union with the lasting orders - the joints [of the body] - of the Church, with the successors of the Apostles and the successor of St. Peter."
The Holy Father called upon those present "to participate in the building of the one body. Pastors will ensure that the Spirit is not extinguished, and you will not cease to carry your gifts to the entire community."
The Pope also sought to encourage to "missionary drive" of the movements and communities. "Those who have found something true, beautiful and good in their own lives - the only real treasure, the precious pearl - hurry to share it with everyone: in the family, at work, in all areas of their lives."
"Dear friends," he concluded, "I ask you to collaborate even more - much more - in the Pope's universal apostolic ministry, opening the doors to Christ. This is the best service of the Church to mankind and, in a special way, to the poor, so that the life of individuals, a more just ordering of society and peaceful coexistence among nations may find in Christ the 'corner stone' upon which to build a true civilization, the civilization of love."
Following the Pope's homily, the memory of the Sacrament of Confirmation took place with the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the profession of faith.
After singing the Magnificat, two representatives from ecclesial movements - Luis Fernando Figari of the Movement of Christian Life and Patti Gallagher Mansfield of Catholic Charismatic Renewal - expressed thanks to the Pope.
The texts of the Holy Father's address has not been released in English yet.
The Holy See and Iran
Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls released the following declaration at midday Saturday:
"A number of journalists have expressed a desire to know the Holy See's view on recent developments in international negotiations concerning the Iranian nuclear program.
"Having duly informed itself, this Press Office is in a position to communicate that the Holy See supports, as it always does, any initiative aimed at open and constructive dialogue. The Holy See is firmly convinced that the current difficulties also can and must be overcome through diplomatic channels, using all means at the disposal of diplomacy.
"It seems especially necessary that, though private contacts, those elements that objectively hinder mutual trust be removed, while never rejecting any sign of good will from the one side or from the other, and having care for the honor and sensitivity of each country. In this way, it will be possible to make steps of mutual rapprochement."
"A number of journalists have expressed a desire to know the Holy See's view on recent developments in international negotiations concerning the Iranian nuclear program.
"Having duly informed itself, this Press Office is in a position to communicate that the Holy See supports, as it always does, any initiative aimed at open and constructive dialogue. The Holy See is firmly convinced that the current difficulties also can and must be overcome through diplomatic channels, using all means at the disposal of diplomacy.
"It seems especially necessary that, though private contacts, those elements that objectively hinder mutual trust be removed, while never rejecting any sign of good will from the one side or from the other, and having care for the honor and sensitivity of each country. In this way, it will be possible to make steps of mutual rapprochement."
In Memoriam
The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Gerardo de Andrade Ponte, emeritus of Patos, Brazil on May 24, at the age of 81.
- Bishop Basil Filevich, emeritus of Saskatoon of the Ukrainians, Canada on April 20, at the age of 88.
- Archbishop Raffaello Funghini, president of the Court of Appeal of Vatican City State, on May 17, at the age of 77.
- Bishop Michael M. O'Shea O.S.M., apostolic vicar of Ingwavuma, South Africa on May 30, at the age of 75.
- Bishop Oscar Serfilippi O.F.M. Conv. emeritus of Jesi, Italy on May 20 at the age of 76.
- Bishop Gerardo de Andrade Ponte, emeritus of Patos, Brazil on May 24, at the age of 81.
- Bishop Basil Filevich, emeritus of Saskatoon of the Ukrainians, Canada on April 20, at the age of 88.
- Archbishop Raffaello Funghini, president of the Court of Appeal of Vatican City State, on May 17, at the age of 77.
- Bishop Michael M. O'Shea O.S.M., apostolic vicar of Ingwavuma, South Africa on May 30, at the age of 75.
- Bishop Oscar Serfilippi O.F.M. Conv. emeritus of Jesi, Italy on May 20 at the age of 76.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Happy Birthday to the Church
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
Acts 2:1-11
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
Acts 2:1-11
Thursday, June 01, 2006
The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for June
The Holy Father's general prayer intention for June is: "That Christian families may lovingly welcome every child who comes into existence and surround the sick and the aged, who need care and assistance, with affection."
His mission intention is: "That pastors and the Christian faithful may consider inter-religious dialogue and the work of acculturation of the Gospel as a daily service to promote the cause of the evangelization of peoples."
His mission intention is: "That pastors and the Christian faithful may consider inter-religious dialogue and the work of acculturation of the Gospel as a daily service to promote the cause of the evangelization of peoples."
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