Like Mary, the Church does not fear because that Baby
is her strength. However she does not keep Him for herself. She offers Him to
all those who seek Him with a sincere heart, to the humble ones of the earth
and to the distressed, to the victims of violence and to all those who long for
good and peace. (Benedict XVI, Urbi et Orbi 2009)
Paul Zalonski: December 2009 Archives
Now is the old year passed away.Let us begin the new this day.
Praising our God, who here on earth
Kept us in quietness and mirth!
Oh, like the glad new year may we
Wholly renewed this day be,
Praising our God eternally!
Child of our love, O Jesus dear,
Thou who art still our Savior here,
Thee do we pray with all our heart:
Never more leave us, nor depart.
Save us from war, from hate, from fear;
Keep us in peace together here;
Grant us a tranquil, joyous year!
Gladly together then will we,
O highest God of heaven, to thee
Bring through the year our songs of praise,
And evermore through endless days
Here will on earth our time shall be,
And then, throughout eternity,
Singing with joyful hearts to Thee!
The liturgical prayer for Saint Sylvester may be found here.
The son of Rufinus and Justa, Sylvester was ordained
a priest by Pope Marcellinus and elected bishop of Rome in AD 314, after the
death of Pope Saint Miltiades.
During his twenty-one year pontificate, in
addition to the various churches honoring the martyrs, he oversaw with
Constantine and Helena as patrons, the construction of three of the greatest
Roman churches: Saint John Lateran, Holy Cross of Jerusalem, and the first
Saint Peter's. Sylvester's pontificate also saw the development of the Roman
Liturgy, the foundation of a school of singers for the Liturgy and the
publication of the first Martyrology. Further, Sylvester was instrumental in
stemming the spread of Arianism throughout the Western church, as well as the
promulgation of orthodox christology (homousion of the Son) in the wake of
Nicea I (325).
On the solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, a few
hours after the Midnight Mass (in which he participated from his room), Father
Charles Dumont was born into eternal life. Born in Ixelles (Brussels) on 26
September 1918, he entered Scourmont Abbey on 11 June 1941, he professed solemn
vows on 16 July 1946, and was ordained priest on 15 May 1950. He served
several times as chaplain at the abbey of Notre Dame de la Paix (Chimay), as
well as at Soleilmont. For several years he assisted at Caldey and he filled the
office of Novice Master at Scourmont from 1993 to 1996.
He introduced many
people, especially within the Order, to the knowledge and the love of the
Cistercian Fathers, in particular St Bernard. He was the editor of Collectanea
Cistercienia, later Cisterciensia (1963-71) and assisted in the editing of Cistercian Studies Quarterly. Two of his
recent works are Pathways to Peace: Cistercian Wisdom According to St. Bernard
and Praying the Word of God. Cistercian Sister Elizabeth Connor wrote a book on
Father Charles entitled, Charles Dumont Monk-Poet: A Spiritual Biography. His
funeral took place at Scourmont on 28 December. May God grant Father Charles eternal light, peace and happiness.
I spent a few hours today at Saint Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, MA, and then later in the day had lunch with a friend, Msgr. Robert Johnson in Worcester. It was beautifully sunny but incredibly cold.Spencer's abbey has always held a special place in my heart because of the beauty of the location --on top of a hill with rolling fields and lakes-- and because of friendship I share with some of the monks and the sacred Liturgy.
Saint Joseph's Abbey is a monastic house of monks of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (OCSO), the Trappists.
I even stopped by the Holy Rood Guild and purchased an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and a linen amice.
See the monks' blog that's periodically update, here.
Last week the Lord called to Himself Orthodox
Church of America's Archbishop Job. After a serious of religious services in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania, where he was buried. Since hearing of the archbishop's sudden death of pulmonary embolism, I've kept +Job in prayer, and I urge you to do the same.Archbishop Job was a talented, spiritual
and a man of great humanity. His spiritual sons all testify to the beauty of
his person. Born of a bi-Church family (Catholic & Orthodox), young Richard John was baptized Catholic and later, for serious reasons, was received into the Orthodox Church. The Archbishop's father rejected his son for many years but reconciled. Through the years he developed the skills of writing liturgical music and icons and was an acclaimed pastor of souls. Before returning to his home city of Chicago as bishop in 1992, Job served the Orthodox faithful of New England beginning in 1983 when he was ordained a bishop at 37 years old.
I was struck by the person and ministry of +Job a number of years ago and was saddened by
his death. The Archbishop's bio can be read here and his obit here.
Let us pray.
O God of spirits and of all
flesh, Who has trampled down death; You have overthrown the devil and have
given Life to Your world: now give rest, Lord, to the soul of Your departed
servant Archbishop Job, in a place of light, a place of refreshment and a place
of repose, where there is no sickness, sighing nor sorrow. As You are a
Good God, Who loves mankind, pardon every sin, which he has committed, whether
by word or by deed or by thought, for there is no man who lives and has not sinned.
You alone are sinless, Your Righteousness is Eternal and Your Word is
Truth. For You are the Resurrection, the Life and the Repose of your
newly presented servant, Archbishop Job, Christ our God and we give glory,
together with Your Father, Who is Eternal and Your All-Holy, Good and
Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!
May his memory be eternal!
One the subtle joys in life that I relish is the fact that some people respond to the Lord's call to follow and serve Lord and His Church. Among the various ways to respond to the Lord is the monastic way of life under the Rule of Saint Benedict, living side-by-side others doing the same. Some may follow the monastic way as a Benedictine monk (nun) or perhaps as Cistercian monk (nun); AND just for the record, Cistercians are an 11th century reform of Benedictine monasticism. In this country there are few monasteries of Cistercian monks (only 4) but there are 12 houses of the reform of the reform called Cistercians of the Strict Observance (AKA Trappists).Just the other day Brother Stephen from the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank (Sparta, WI) professed his temporary vows for a period of three years. He came into full communion with the Catholic Church, left a good job and put himself under obedience (friendship as Luigi Giussani would say) unto his salvation. Many God give him the grace of perseverance.
See what I am talking about by going to Brother Stephen's blog, Sub Tuum.
The monks of Our Lady of Spring support themselves by their industry, Laser Monks. Perhaps you can patronize their good work! I have bought things from them and so has my mom.
Our prayer today is one asking the Lord for the grace being a courageous witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The liturgical prayer (used at Mass) is found here.
I'm multi-media here at Communio blog, so I found a montage of scenes from the movie "Becket" (1964) with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole creatively put together. The acting is superb, dress is stunning and the drama insightful.
You like to read the piece on transferral of Becket's relics here.
Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.
Father, the Holy Innocents offered you praise by the death they suffered for Christ. May our lives bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips.
from the Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy: The Feast of the Holy Innocents
Since the sixth century, on December 28, the Church has celebrated the memory of those children killed because of Herod's rage against Christ (cf. Mt 2:16-17). Liturgical tradition refers to them as the "Holy Innocents" and regards them as martyrs. Throughout the centuries Christian art, poetry and popular piety have enfolded the memory of the "tender flock of lambs" with sentiments of tenderness and sympathy. These sentiments are also accompanied by a note of indignation against the violence with which they were taken from their mothers' arms and killed.
In our own times, children suffer innumerable forms of violence which threaten their lives, dignity and right to education. On this day, it is appropriate to recall the vast host of children not yet born who have been killed under the cover of laws permitting abortion, which is an abominable crime. Mindful of these specific problems, popular piety in many places has inspired acts of worship as well as displays of charity which provide assistance to pregnant mothers, encourage adoption and the promotion of the education of children.
As recorded in the gospel of Matthew, after the visit of the Magi, Herod, in rage and jealousy, slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem and surrounding countryside in an attempt to destroy his perceived rival, the infant Messiah. These "innocents" are honored by the Church as martyrs.
In countries where our own innocents are daily being slaughtered by abortion, this feast day is a special time to remember the unborn, to pray for their cause, and perhaps to picket or pray at facilities where unborn babies are killed through abortion. (113)
In Mary we praise that which places her above all others,
that is, fruitfulness of offspring together with virginity. For never has it
been known in this world that anyone was at the same time mother and virgin.
And see of Whom she is mother. Where does your astonishment at this so wondrous
dignity lead you? Is it not to this, that you may gaze in wonder yet never
sufficiently revere? Is she not in your veneration, no, in the esteem of Truth
itself, raised above choirs of angels? Does not Mary address the Lord and God
of all the angels as Son, saying: Son, why have you done so to us?
Who among the angels may thus presume? It is enough for them, and for them their greatest honor, that while they are spirits by nature they have become and are called angels, as David testifies: Who makes your angels spirits. [Ps.103: 4] Mary, knowing herself a mother, with confidence calls that Majesty Son Whom the angels in reverence serve. Nor does God disdain to be called that which He disdained not to be. For the Evangelist adds a little later: He was subject to them.
Who was subject to whom? A God to men. God, I repeat, to Whom are the angels subject: Whom principalities and powers obey: subject to Mary; and not alone to Mary, but to Joseph also, because of Mary. Admire and revere both the one and the other, and choose which you admire the more: the most sweet condescension of the Son, or the sublime dignity of the Mother. For either am I at a loss for words: for both are wondrous. For that God should obey a woman is humility without compare; and that a woman should have rule over God dignity without equal. In praise of virgins is it joyfully proclaimed: that they follow the lamb withersoever he goes. [Rev. 14: 4] Of what praise shall you esteem her worthy who also goes before Him?
Learn, O Man, to obey. Learn, O Earth, to be subject. Learn, O
Dust, to submit. The Evangelist in speaking of his Maker says: He was subject
to them; that is, without doubt, to Mary and to Joseph. Be you ashamed, vain
ashes that you are. God humbles Himself, and do you exalt yourself? God becomes
subject to men, and will you, eager to lord it over men, place yourself above
your Maker? O would that God might deign to make me, thinking such thoughts at
times in my own mind, such answer as He made, reproving him, to His apostle: Get behind me, Satan: because you savor not the things that are of God. [Mark 8:
33]
For as often as I desire to be foremost among men, so often do I seek to take precedence of God; and so do I not truly savor the things that are of God. For of Him was it said: And he was subject to them. If you disdain, O Man, to follow the example of a Man, at least it will not lower thee to imitate thy Maker. If perhaps you cannot follow Him wheresoever He goes, at least follow in that wherein He has come down to you.
If you are unable to follow Him on the sublime way of virginity, then follow God by that most sure way of humility; from whose straightness should some even from among the virgins go aside, then must I say what is true, that neither do they follow the Lamb to wherever he goes. He that is humble, even though he be stained, he follows the Lamb; so too does the proud virgin; but neither of the two whithersoever He goes: because the one cannot ascend to the purity of the Lamb that is without stain, nor will the other deign to come down to the meekness of the Lamb, Who stood silent, not merely before the shearer, but before the one that put Him to death. Yet the sinner [you and me] who follows Him in humility, has chosen a more wholesome part than the one that is proud in his virtue; since the humble repentance of the one washes away uncleanness, but the pride of the other contaminates his own virtue.
Truly blessed was Mary who possessed both humility and virginity. And truly wondrous the virginity of those whose fruitfulness is not stained, but adorned her; and truly singular the humility, which this fruitful virginity has not troubled, but rather exalted; and wholly incomparable the fruitfulness which goes hand in hand with her humility and her virginity. Which of these things is not wondrous? Which is not beyond all comparison? Which that is not wholly singular? It would be strange if you did not hesitate to decide which you regard as most worthy of praise: whether the wonder of fruitfulness of offspring in virginity, or of virginal integrity in a mother: sublimity of Offspring, or humility joined to such dignity: unless it be that we place both together above each one singly: and it is truly beyond any doubt more excellent and more joyful to have beheld these perfections united in her, than to see but one part of them.
And can we wonder that God, of
Whom it is written that He is wonderful in his saints, [Ps. 67: 36] shows
Himself in His own Mother yet more wondrous still. Venerate then, Ye spouses,
this integrity of flesh in our corruptible flesh. Revere likewise, you virgins,
fruitfulness in virginity. Let all men imitate the humility of God's Mother.
Honor, you angels, the Mother of your King, you who adore the Offspring of our
Virgin; Who is your King and our King, the Healer of our race, the Restorer of
our fatherland: Who among you is so sublime, yet among us was so lowly: to
Whose Majesty as well from you as from us let there be adoration and reverence:
to whose Perfection be there honor and glory and empire for ever and ever.
Amen.
What news, what news this bitter night,
When all is shuttered in the gloom?
No news except a baby born,
Who finds within an ox's stall his narrow room.
What men are these who hurry past?
What wonder do they run to see?
Shepherds who heart the herald song,
Who haste in stable to adore the mystery.
What child is this who, sleeping, makes
The manger throne his resting place?
None but the King of heaven high,
Born into dying to redeem our fallen race!
What shall I bring to honor Him?
What homage pay, what poor gift give?
Naught but your heard which, dead in sin,
Finds in this Child redeeming love---and strength to live!
The poem is by the late Dr. Henry Letterman, longtime professor of English at Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, IL. Dr. Richard Hillert, of the same institution, put this poem to music for Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, IL. It was recorded by the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter's in the Loop in 1992.
Father, help us to live as a holy family, united in
respect and love. Bring us to the joy and peace of your eternal home.from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
The
hidden life at Nazareth allows everyone to enter into fellowship with Jesus by
the most ordinary events of daily life:
The home of Nazareth is the school
where we begin to understand the life of Jesus - the school of the Gospel.
First, then, a lesson of silence. May esteem for silence, that admirable and
indispensable condition of mind, revive in us. . . A lesson on family life. May
Nazareth teach us what family life is, its communion of love, its austere and
simple beauty, and its sacred and inviolable character... A lesson of work.
Nazareth, home of the "Carpenter's Son", in you I would choose to
understand and proclaim the severe and redeeming law of human work. . . To
conclude, I want to greet all the workers of the world, holding up to them their
great pattern their brother who is God.
The finding of Jesus in the temple
is the only event that breaks the silence of the Gospels about the hidden years
of Jesus. Here Jesus lets us catch a glimpse of the mystery of his total
consecration to a mission that flows from his divine sonship: "Did you not
know that I must be about my Father's work?" Mary and Joseph did not
understand these words, but they accepted them in faith. Mary "kept all
these things in her heart" during the years Jesus remained hidden in the
silence of an ordinary life. (533-534)
from the Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy on the Feast of the Holy Family
The feast of the holy family of Jesus, Mary and
Joseph (Sunday in the Christmas octave) is a festive occasion particularly
suitable for the celebration of rites or moments of prayer proper to the
Christian family. The recollection of Joseph, Mary and Jesus' going up to
Jerusalem, together with other observant Jewish families, for the celebration
of the Passover (cf. Lk 2:41-42), should normally encourage a positive
acceptance of the pastoral suggestion that all members of the family attend
Mass on this day. This feast day also affords an opportunity for the renewal of
our entrustment to the patronage of the Holy Family of Nazareth; the
blessing of children as provided in the ritual; and where opportune, for
the renewal of marriage vows taken by the spouses on their wedding day, and
also for the exchange of promises between those engaged to be married in which
they formalize their desire to found a new Christian family.
Outside of
the feast, the faithful have frequent recourse to the Holy Family of Nazareth
in many of life's circumstances: joining the Association of the Holy Family so
as to model their own families on the Holy Family of Nazareth; frequent
prayers to entrust themselves to the patronage of the Holy Family and to obtain
assistance at the hour of death. (112)
Priest: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.
Let us pray. If it please you, Lord God, bless + and consecrate + this vessel of wine (or any other beverage) by the power of your right hand; and grant that, through the merits of Saint John, apostle and evangelist, all your faithful who drink of it may find it a help and a protection. As the blessed John drank the poisoned potion without any ill effects, so may all who today drink the blessed wine in his honor be delivered from poisoning and similar harmful things. And as they offer themselves body and soul to you, may they obtain pardon of all their sins. We ask this through Christ our Lord
All: Amen.
Lord, bless + this creature drink, so that it may be a health-giving medicine to all who use it; and grant by your grace that all who taste of it may enjoy bodily and spiritual health in calling on your holy name. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, come on this wine (or any other beverage) and remain always.
All: Amen.
At the end of the principal Mass on the feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, (after the last Gospel if during the Mass of Blessed John XXIII), the priest, retaining all vestments except the maniple, blesses wine brought by the people. This is done in memory and in honor of Saint John, who drank without any ill effects the poisoned wine offered to him by his enemies. The wine is sprinkled with holy water. If the blessing is given privately outside of Mass, the priest is vested in surplice and stole and performs the ceremony as given above.
Just prior to Christmas Pope Benedict XVI reflected on
Saint Francis of Assisi's gift to the Church in 1223 of the Nativity scene.
Then, as now we see Humility, Jesus, encountering the nihilism of the world, a
people who entranced with violence and anger now faced with the Prince of
Peace, the true king of the universe.
In homes and Churches across the world it is typical to see a Nativity scene prepared. Over the years my family has had a small nativity scene present in our home. It is not a great piece of art and it is not something we've done historically, but it is something that is now a regular part of our Christmas decorations. In fact, it is left out throughout the year as I move it around the house as a small reminder of the God becoming one of us.
But let's not forget that a Nativity scene and Christmas tree is not that old of a tradition for St. Peter's Square. John Paul II made the Nativity scene in St Peter's Square a priority in 1982 because he felt the world needed to encounter the image of God made man, Jesus, the Eternal Word of God come into our humanity history. Thinking that the crèche still had relevance for the modern person in 2004, John Paul said of the Nativity scene,
Christmas is upon us and in many places people are setting up a crèche, like here in St Peter's. Whether big or small, fancy or simple, the crèche is a familiar and expressive representation of Christmas. It is part of our culture and art but a sign of faith in God who, in Bethlehem, 'made his dwelling among us (Jn 1:14). As I do every year, I shall bless the "Bambinelli," the statues of Baby Jesus. which will be placed in the crèche on Holy Night, joining Joseph and Mary, who are silent witnesses of a sublime Mystery. With loving eyes, they tell us to wait and pray in order to welcome the Divine Savior who is coming to bring the world the joy of Christmas.
Pope Benedict speaks about Saint Francis' gift of the Crib
With St. Francis and his
nativity, the defenseless love of God was shown, his humility and goodness,
which in the incarnation of the Word is manifested to man so as to teach a new
way to live and to love. He saw a little child lying still in a manger; the
child woke up because Francis approached... 'This vision was not different than
real life, since through the work of his grace acting by way of his holy
servant Francis, the Child Jesus was resurrected in the hearts of many. Thanks
to St. Francis, the Christian people have been able to perceive that at
Christmas, God truly has become Emmanuel, God-with-us, from whom no barrier or
distance can separate us. In this Child, God has come so near to each one of
us, so close, that we can address him with confidence and maintain with him a
trusting relationship of deep affection, as we do with a newborn. In this
Child, in fact, God-Love is manifested: God comes without weapons, without
strength, because he does not aim to conquer, we could say, from without, but
rather wants to be welcomed by man in liberty. God becomes a defenseless Child to
conquer man's pride, violence and desire to possess. In Jesus, God took up this
poor and defenseless condition to conquer with love and lead us to our true
identity ... so that he concedes to our hearts this simplicity that recognizes
the Lord in this Child, precisely as Francis did in Greccio. Then, we too can
experience what [...] happened to those present [...] 'Each one returned to his
house filled with an ineffable joy.
Stephen saw the heavens opened; he saw and entered; blessed is the man for whom the heavens were opened.
We beseech Thee, O Lord, grant us to imitate what we revere, so that we may learn to love also our enemies; for we celebrate the birth to immortality of him who interceded even for his persecutors with Thy So our Lord Jesus Christ.
A news item from the Pope on Saint Stephen and those those suffer for their faith.
Lux fulgebit hodie super nos, quia natus est nobis Dominus.
(A light will shine on us this day, the Lord is born for us.)
(Roman Missal, Christmas, Entrance Antiphon for the Mass at Dawn)
The liturgy of the Mass at Dawn reminded us that the night is now past, the day has begun; the light radiating from the cave of Bethlehem shines upon us.
The Bible and the Liturgy do not, however, speak to us about a natural light, but a different, special light, which is somehow directed to and focused upon "us", the same "us" for whom the Child of Bethlehem "is born". This "us" is the Church, the great universal family of those who believe in Christ, who have awaited in hope the new birth of the Savior, and who today celebrate in mystery the perennial significance of this event.
At first, beside the manger in Bethlehem, that "us" was almost imperceptible to human eyes. As the Gospel of Saint Luke recounts, it included, in addition to Mary and Joseph, a few lowly shepherds who came to the cave after hearing the message of the Angels. The light of that first Christmas was like a fire kindled in the night. All about there was darkness, while in the cave there shone the true light "that enlightens every man" (Jn 1:9). And yet all this took place in simplicity and hiddenness, in the way that God works in all of salvation history. God loves to light little lights, so as then to illuminate vast spaces. Truth, and Love, which are its content, are kindled wherever the light is welcomed; they then radiate in concentric circles, as if by contact, in the hearts and minds of all those who, by opening themselves freely to its splendour, themselves become sources of light. Such is the history of the Church: she began her journey in the lowly cave of Bethlehem, and down the centuries she has become a People and a source of light for humanity. Today too, in those who encounter that Child, God still kindles fires in the night of the world, calling men and women everywhere to acknowledge in Jesus the "sign" of his saving and liberating presence and to extend the "us" of those who believe in Christ to the whole of mankind.
Wherever there is an "us" which welcomes God's love, there the light of Christ shines forth, even in the most difficult situations. The Church, like the Virgin Mary, offers the world Jesus, the Son, whom she herself has received as a gift, the One who came to set mankind free from the slavery of sin. Like Mary, the Church does not fear, for that Child is her strength. But she does not keep him for herself: she offers him to all those who seek him with a sincere heart, to the earth's lowly and afflicted, to the victims of violence, and to all who yearn for peace. Today too, on behalf of a human family profoundly affected by a grave financial crisis, yet even more by a moral crisis, and by the painful wounds of wars and conflicts, the Church, in faithful solidarity with mankind, repeats with the shepherds: "Let us go to Bethlehem" (Lk 2:15), for there we shall find our hope.
The "us" of the Church is alive in the place where Jesus was born, in the Holy Land, inviting its people to abandon every logic of violence and vengeance, and to engage with renewed vigour and generosity in the process which leads to peaceful coexistence. The "us" of the Church is present in the other countries of the Middle East. How can we forget the troubled situation in Iraq and the "little flock" of Christians which lives in the region? At times it is subject to violence and injustice, but it remains determined to make its own contribution to the building of a society opposed to the logic of conflict and the rejection of one's neighbour. The "us" of the Church is active in Sri Lanka, in the Korean peninsula and in the Philippines, as well as in the other countries of Asia, as a leaven of reconciliation and peace. On the continent of Africa she does not cease to lift her voice to God, imploring an end to every injustice in the Democratic Republic of Congo; she invites the citizens of Guinea and Niger to respect for the rights of every person and to dialogue; she begs those of Madagascar to overcome their internal divisions and to be mutually accepting; and she reminds all men and women that they are called to hope, despite the tragedies, trials and difficulties which still afflict them. In Europe and North America, the "us" of the Church urges people to leave behind the selfish and technicist mentality, to advance the common good and to show respect for the persons who are most defenceless, starting with the unborn. In Honduras she is assisting in process of rebuilding institutions; throughout Latin America, the "us" of the Church is a source of identity, a fullness of truth and of charity which no ideology can replace, a summons to respect for the inalienable rights of each person and his or her integral development, a proclamation of justice and fraternity, a source of unity.
In fidelity to the mandate of her Founder, the Church shows solidarity with the victims of natural disasters and poverty, even within opulent societies. In the face of the exodus of all those who migrate from their homelands and are driven away by hunger, intolerance or environmental degradation, the Church is a presence calling others to an attitude of acceptance and welcome. In a word, the Church everywhere proclaims the Gospel of Christ, despite persecutions, discriminations, attacks and at times hostile indifference. These, in fact, enable her to share the lot of her Master and Lord.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, how great a gift it is to be part of a communion which is open to everyone! It is the communion of the Most Holy Trinity, from whose heart Emmanuel, Jesus, "God with us", came into the world. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, let us contemplate, filled with wonder and gratitude, this mystery of love and light! Happy Christmas to all!
Benedictus PP XVI, Christmas 2009
Christmas hath a darkness;
Brighter than the blazing noon;
Christmas hath a chillness
Warmer than the heat of June,
Christmas hath a beauty
Lovelier than the world can show:
For Christmas bringeth Jesus,
Brought for us so low.
Christina Rosetti
Friar Edward Schillebeeckx, OP, died on December 23, 2009. He was 96. May he rest in peace.
In my sacraments class this past semester I had to re-read Schillebeeckx's Christ, The Sacrament of the Encounter with God, which I very much enjoyed the second time. His thinking was clear and provocative and orthodox. The same level of orthodoxy can't be said of all his later work, I dare say, but it was always provocative. Apparently followers of Friar Edward's work can expect another work on sacramental theology.
And so, we pray for God's mercy, and His blessed light, happiness and peace for Friar Edward.
Here's the Wiki article on Friar Edward and the catalog of his is found here.
There is a phrase of Dostoevsky that accompanies me these days, when I have to speak of Christianity to all kinds of people in Italy and abroad: "Can an educated man, a European of our time, believe--truly believe--in the divinity of the Son of God, Jesus Christ?" This question rings like a challenge for all of us. It is precisely on the answer to this question that the success of the faith depends today. In an address given in 1996, the then cardinal Ratzinger answered that faith can have this hope "because it finds a correspondence in human nature. In man there is a nostalgic hope for the infinite that cannot be extinguished." In this phrase he indicated the condition necessary: that Christianity needs to find the humanity that pulsates in each of us in order to show all the greatness of its claim.
Yet how many times are we tempted to look at the concrete humanity in which we find ourselves--for example the unease, the dissatisfaction, the sadness, the boredom--as an obstacle, a complication, an impediment to the realization of what we desire. Thus we get angry with ourselves and with reality, succumbing to the weight of circumstances, in the illusion of going ahead by cutting away a piece of ourselves. But unease, dissatisfaction, sadness, and boredom are not symptoms of a illness to treat with medicines; this happens more and more often in a society that mistakes disquiet of the heart for panic and anxiety. They are rather signs of what the nature of the "I" is. Our desire is greater than the whole universe. The perception of emptiness in us and around us of which Leopardi speaks ("want and emptiness"), and the boredom of which Heidegger speaks, are the proof of the inexorable nature of our heart, of the boundless character of our desire--nothing is able to give us satisfaction and peace. We can forget it, betray it, or even deceive it, but we cannot shuffle it off.
So the real obstacle on our journey is not our concrete humanity, but disregard for it. Everything in us cries out the need for something to fill the void. Even Nietzsche perceived this; he could not but address the "unknown god" that makes all things. "Left alone, I raise my hands/ ... to the unknown god / I want to know you, you the Unknown,/ Who penetrate deep into my soul, / Shake up my life like a storm,/ Beyond my grasp and yet so close to me!" (1864).
Christmas is the announcement that this unknown Mystery has become a familiar presence, without which none of us could remain a man for long, but would end up overwhelmed by confusion, seeing his own face decompose, because "only the divine can 'save' man, that is to say, the true and essential dimensions of the human figure and his destiny" (Fr. Giussani).
The most convincing sign that Christ is God, the greatest miracle that astonished everyone--even more than the healing of cripples and the curing of the blind--was an incomparable gaze. The sign that Christ is not a theory or a set of rules is that look, which is found throughout the Gospel: His way of dealing with humanity, of forming relationships with those He met on His way. Think of Zacchaeus and of Magdalene: He didn't ask them to change, but embraced them, just as He found them, in their wounded, bleeding humanity, needful of everything. And their life, embraced, re-awoke in that moment in all its original profundity. 
Who would not want to be reached by such a look now? For "one cannot keep on living unless Christ is a presence like a mother is a presence for her child, unless Christ is a presence now - now! -I cannot love myself now and I cannot love you now" (Fr. Giussani). This is the only way, as men of our time, reasonably and critically, to answer Dostoevsky's question.
But how do we know that Christ is alive now? Because his gaze is not a fact of the past, but is still present in the world just as it was before. Since the day of His resurrection, the Church exists only in order to make God's affection an experience, through people who are His mysterious Body, witnesses in history today of that gaze capable of embracing all that is human.
Father Julián Carrón, President of the Fraternity of Communion & Liberation
Corriere della Sera, 24 December 2009
O God, Who in Your very nature contain all the riches
of heaven and earth, You loved the poverty of humanity by choosing to become
one of us. You are the descendant of Kings and the Heir of David the Venerable.
You were satisfied to be born in a stable and a humble manger. We beseech You,
through Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Mother and Saint
Joseph, Your Chosen One, to grant us an appreciation of voluntary poverty.
May
we be satisfied with only that which is necessary for the maintenance of our lives.
Teach us to flee from excessive luxury and the love of abundance all the days
of our lives. Amen.
Members of The World Jewish Congress, among others, have made their opinions about Pope Benedict's acknowledgement of his predecessor's heroic virtues, step two of four with the goal of being recognized a saint. Pope Pius XII was head of the Catholic Church (1939-58) during the Second World War and falling asleep in the Lord in 1958. The WJC thinks Benedict was wrong in moving Pius closer to sainthood. BTW, a pope does not have the power to make saints because he doesn't have absolute power; that would make him more powerful than God. For the record, God makes saints, the church's process recognizes what God has done.
This step of saying Pius XII (and others) lived a life of heroic virtue allows for a scientific and theological investigation into the miracles purported to have been wrought through their intercession. A misconception is that a saint causes miracles to happen. Only God has the power to do miraculous things. Catholics believe that miracles are done only by God's power. The purpose of Jesus' miracles was "to bear witness to the fact that the Kingdom is present in him, the Messiah. (Compendium of CCC, 108). Hence the saint, while not God, does intercede on behalf of humanity before the Throne of Grace to do something for humanity to build faith and to advance the kingdom of God. Miracles are not magic.
The WJC and other interested parties want access to the Vatican archives of the Pius pontificate and then they want consensus as to what is there. Their request is fair request because the historical record ought to be known. But with 16 million documents from the Pius pontificate it takes lots of time and money to catalog such an archive. Would Jewish groups consider contributing to the archival work with manpower and money? Nevertheless, it is not for Jews or anyone else to determine matters of faith, as WJC pointed out but other Jewish groups don't think the same, like the Chief Rabbi of France who continues to put forward the thesis that Pius was too silent in the face of evil and should not be considered as a possible saint. And Shira Schoenberg uses materials written by those who oppose the sainthood process of Pius (not surprising) and neglects evidence that contradicts her thesis. Her conclusions to me are mainly due to flawed scholarship and cliche.
I am curious as why the secular Jews follow so closely matters of Catholic faith. They've virtually abandoned their own and they want Catholics to listen to their opinions as to what should and should not happen viz. Catholicism. It is one thing to speak about historical matters but it is another to address matters of faith. I don't know many reasonable-minded Christians telling Jews what to believe and how to live their faith. Perhaps more work needs to be done on the liturgical texts of the birkat haminim, the daily prayers of the synagogue. The birkat haminim is the 12th benediction of 18 which calls for the downfall of various groups of people who harm or detract (apostates) from the Jewish communion. Historically this malediction is oriented toward Christians, according to Jewish liturgical scholars. Perhaps Catholics should have an open protest of these prayers?
Calvin Freiburger's post on his blog is fair-minded but I think he could be brave enough to openly call a spade a spade: I think Mr. James Carroll is a disingenuous and his work is purely revisionist with the sole purpose to discredit the Catholic Church. Carroll's own credibility is lacking when it comes to analyzing known evidence on what Pius did and didn't do. In my opinion Carroll is doing nothing less than to stir up controversy where there is none and to scandalize people where there is no scandal.
One final thought here: no doubt that lives lost during WWII is reprehensible. The Jewish and Christian holocaust of WWII was a failure for humanity. Christians and non-Christians across the world didn't do all they could to save lives threatened and exterminated; allied governments didn't do enough to pressure the Nazi regime to change their behavior. Even that some Christians exhibited anti-semitic sentiments is discouraging. Pope Pius XII has not gotten a fair historical review of his work as Supreme Pontiff viz. WWII. A failure to put aside the smear campaign of the Communists is regrettable for the scholars because it is dishonest.
The Pope received the bishop and a delegation from Wallonia, from
where this year's Vatican Square Christmas tree came from, to say thank you for gift on behalf of the Church. He said, "The role
of this tree is similar to that of the shepherds who, watching through the
shades of night, saw how the darkness was illuminated with the message of the
angels. ... Standing next to the nativity scene the tree indicates, in its own
particular way, the great mystery present in the poor and simple grotto. It
proclaims the arrival of the Son of God to the inhabitants of Rome, to pilgrims
and to everyone who sees St. Peter's Square on television. Though this tree
your land, and the faith of the Christian communities in your region, greet the
Christ Child." (Benedict XVI)
The New York Times reports today that famed and decorated Harlem Boys Choir died. Founded by Dr. Walter Turnball in 1968, the choir had a pretty good run by singing for presidents, foreign and domestic and for Pope John Paul II. Dr. Turnbull died in 2007 and with so did the choir but apparently few people knew this fact outside a select group. Read the obit.
Can't we find a group of benefactors to keep the choir running???
O King of Great Counsel, You joined Your admirable power with the prudence of human judgment when You, the Mighty and All-Powerful God, fled into Egypt from the face of Herod. We beseech You, through Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Mother and Saint Joseph, Your Chosen One, to grant us good judgment in all our actions, that we may think and act wisely all the days of our lives as we subject ourselves to Your divine service. Amen.
Those interested the roots of Christianity ought to watch the 60 Minutes story on Patriarch Bartholomew. Don't neglect watching the 3 extra video pieces located to the right on the 60 Minutes' page.
Saint Andrew, pray for us.
The same old problems can't be resolved in Turkey between the Turkish government and the Orthodox Church. Since 1971 the Halki Orthodox School of Theology (which operated within the guidelines of the Turkish department of education in the running of a high school and college/seminary) has been closed under specious claims.
Asia News reports today that problems persist and reciprocity is not an adequate avenue for a peaceful end to the Muslim-Orthodox Christian problem.
The head of the Turkish government and his ministers can't be trusted. Their words are not matched by their actions, and certainly they don't perceive facts in the same way as reasonable do. In short, they are duplicitous. Why is religious freedom for Christians in a Muslim country such as Turkey or Saudi Arabia is impossible and Muslim religious freedom in Christian countries (USA, Greece, Italy) is possible, even with the extraordinary fanaticism that exists in many Islamic quarters?
The Holy Father's annual address to the Roman Curia -the
Cardinals and bishops resident in Rome and other officials of the Roman Curia who assist him in
his governance of the Universal Church-- took place yesterday. In it the Pope points to some notable concerns that he thinks that ought to be the concern of all
of us who believe faith is central our lives. Namely, belief and unbelief,
doubt and certainty and freedom with regard to God and humanity's search for God. In my humble opinion, this papal address should be an essential point in any diocesan, parish or ecclesial movement's pastoral plan in 2010 and beyond. In part the Holy Father said,
Even the
people who describe themselves as agnostics or atheists must be very important
to us as believers. When we talk about a new evangelization, these people may
become afraid. They do not want to see themselves as an object of mission, nor
do they want to renounce their freedom of thought or of will. But the question
about God nonetheless remains present for them as well, even if they cannot
believe in the concrete nature of his attention to us.
In Paris, I talked
about the search for God as the fundamental motive from which Western
monasticism was born, and with it, Western culture. As the first step in
evangelization, we must try to keep this search alive; we must take pains that
man not set aside the question of God as an essential question of his
existence. Take pains that he accept this question and the longing concealed
within it.
Here I am reminded of the words that Jesus quoted from the prophet
Isaiah, that the temple should be a house of prayer for all peoples (cf. Isaiah
56:7; Mark 11:17). He was thinking about what was called the court of the
gentiles, which he cleansed of extraneous business so that it could be the
space available for the gentiles who wanted to pray to the one God there, even
if they could not take part in the mystery, for service of which the interior
of the temple was reserved.
A place of prayer for all peoples: by this was
meant the people who know God, so to speak, only from afar; who are
dissatisfied with their gods, rites, myths; who desire the Pure and the Great,
even if God remains for them the "unknown God" (cf. Acts 17:23). They
needed to be able to pray to the unknown God, and so be in relation with the
true God, although in the midst of obscurities of various kinds.
I think that
the Church should also open today a sort of "court of the gentiles"
where men can in some manner cling to God, without knowing him and before they
have found the entryway to his mystery, which the interior life of the Church
serves. To the dialogue with the religions it must above all add today a
dialogue with those for whom religion is something foreign, to whom God is
unknown, and who nonetheless would not like simply to remain without God, but
at least to approach him as the Unknown.
Franciscan Friar Jack Karam (left) stands near Israel
Antiquities Authority workers at the excavation site of the remains of the
first dwelling in Nazareth, Israel, that can be dated back to the time of
Jesus. Archaeologist Yardena Alexandre (unseen) says remains of a wall, a
hideout and a cistern were found after builders dug up an old convent courtyard
in the northern Israeli city. (AP Photos/Dan Balilty)
O You Who are One person but also have the Nature of
man; You Who have told us what You have heard from the Father; We beseech You,
through Your Pure Nativity and the intercession of Your Mother and Saint
Joseph, Your Chosen One, to grant us an ardent belief in Your teachings and
good acts to harmonize with them. Do not permit us to lose the reward of our
faith because of our own wrong doings. Rather, make our lives fruitful in
beliefs and good works. Amen.
O God, who for the salvation of souls didst place the Order of Preachers under the special protection of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and wast please to pour out upon it her constant benefits: grant unto thy suppliants that we may be led unto the joy of heaven through the aid of that same protectress whose memory we revere today. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pray for the Friars Preachers on the anniversary of papal approval in 1216.
Bethlehem, make ready,
for Eden has been opened for all.
Ephrathah, be alert,
for the Tree of Life has blossomed forth
from the Virgin in the cave.
Her womb has become a spiritual paradise
wherein the Divine Fruit was planted,
and if we eat of it,
we shall live and not die like Adam.
Christ is coming forth to bring back to life
the likeness that had been lost in the beginning.
Bethlehem, make ready, for Eden has been opened for all!
(a Byzantine poetic text for the time before the Nativity of the Lord)
O Word of God, Who comes from the Mouth of God to be
the Life of all men; You Who became Living Bread and was born in Bethlehem,
"The House of Bread," to satisfy our hunger; We beseech You, through Your Pure
Nativity and the intercession of Your Mother and Saint Joseph, Your Chosen One,
to grant us a piercing hunger for that Bread which is Your Pure Body and
Blood. May we ever approach Your
altar and receive Your Sacred Mysteries with fitting preparation so that our
Communion may be for us salvation and life everlasting. Amen.
The way of peace leads to the altar and into the
mystery of the Eucharist, the actualization of the Kingdom here and now. From
the altar, the light of the Resurrection penetrates into all that, in our
lives, remains shadowy and locked. With the Virgin of the Annunciation, we have
only to believe in Love and, believing, say faith's simple "Yes." Our "little
strength" is of no consequence. Let us go in to the Eucharist to be
overshadowed by the power of Love. Love will do the rest for "God is love" (1
Jn 4:16 ) and " no word shall be impossible with God" (Lk 1:37). (MDMK)
We have all had the occasion by a moment to sense more
intensely the presence of Christ in the Eucharist during the celebration of the
Mass, during Eucharistic adoration, or even in the Tabernacle, when we walk
into a church. There is Christ. He is there whether we sense or experience His
presence. But precisely because this is the case, we are sometimes given
to experience that He is present. Such experience is not the source of faith,
but in some way it is its consequence.But what about the experience of the
Blessed Virgin Mary during Advent? It is reasonable, like the Fathers of the
Church, to see Mary as the original tabernacle. The Word became flesh and
dwells among us. This being hidden but present among us is first of all
realized during the time of Advent in the home of Nazareth, in the womb of
Mary, under the protection of Saint Joseph. Mary meditated upon all these
things and kept them in her heart. We can reasonably speculate that she read
scripture during this time, in silence, most likely the words of Isaiah, his
prophesies, and found in them a sense of the meaning of what was happening to
her.
St. Augustine says that she conceived the Word in her heart before she
conceived the Word in her flesh. So that her maternity was accompanied by an
intensification and growth in faith, in contemplation, in the intelligent
perception of mystery. The Second Vatican Council says that during the time of
her pregnancy the heart of the Incarnate Word beat gently below the heart of
Mary, her immaculate heart. Two immaculate hearts, beating silently and
prayerfully in the night of this world.
(Fr. Thomas J. White, OP, Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC)
O Most High, by nature supreme and outranking all men and all things, Who has left the magnificence of Your Divinity and loved the lowliness of our humanity to become for us a model in humility and lowliness; We beseech You, through Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Mother and Saint Joseph, Your Chosen One, to grant us humility of heart and an accurate estimation of ourselves. Help us to conquer every show of false pride, which would have us choose our own whims rather than Your Will.
May we realize that, compared to You, we are little indeed. Glory be to You, for You alone are holy and great is Your Name. To You be Glory, Magnificence and Power! Amen
I stumbled upon these vocation videos of the Polish Dominicans and Franciscans. If you don't understand Polish, don't fret, neither do I. And since there's no talking, just music, just sit back and enjoy the brief videos. THE fun thing is just watching the Dominican Franciscan friars. You get a great sense of the spirit of the friars of both groups just by watching the life.
O Wine of Virgins and Lily of Purity, Who by a touch of Your hand heals the body and cleanses the soul; Who by dwelling in the womb of Your Mother has made her the purest of the pure and most admirable among virgins; We beseech You, through Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Mother and Saint Joseph, Your Chosen One, to grant us to be pure in soul and body and clean in act clean and thought, that we may serve You with a clean heart and pure body all the days of our lives. Amen.
Pope Benedict recognized John Paul II as living a life of heroic virtue upon the recommendation of the Congregation for Saints. There are various steps the Church takes when she investigates someone for possible canonization. This is the second of four of the steps, next being "beatification." The Church will now refer to John Paul as the "Venerable Servant of God ..." but there is no public ceremonial for bestowing this title as there is when a person is beatified or canonized.Also, in an extraordinary move, the Pope recognized the the heroic virtue of Pope Pius XII!
The Holy Father also acknowledged that God has made a new saint for the Church: Blessed Mary Mackillop. Blessed Mary was an Australian sister, foundress and educator born in 1842 and died in 1909. In the face of great hardship encountered as the result of a nasty bishop, she was excommunicated for about year but Mother Mary of the Cross was virtuous throughout the ordeal. The bishop, an alcoholic received Mother Mary back into full communion on his deathbed. John Paul beatified Mother Mary in 1995 and she has wide acclaim. She is Australia's first saint.
A canonized saint in the Catholic Church is a declaration of moral certitude and therefore an infallible statement of the Church, that that person does enjoy, as far as it's humanly possible to say, beatitude with the Blessed Trinity. Hence, a saint is "made."
A Wiki article on Mary Mackillop is found here.
Also, made a saint is Blessed Andre Bessett!!!
The Most Reverend Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury will be lecturing in Yonkers, NY, on Saturday, 30 January 2010, 12:30 p.m.Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary is hosting the event at which the archbishop will speak and receive an honorary doctorate.
The Archbishop will speak on the topic "Theology and the Contemplative
Calling: The Image of Humanity in the Philokalia."
Dr. Williams is the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, elected, confirmed and enthroned in 2002.
For more information visit the seminary website
O Admirable Leader Who gains the obedience of Your people not by the severity of Your judgment but by the sweetness of Your love and Your welcome sojourn among us. We beseech You, through Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Mother and Saint Joseph, Your Chosen One, to teach us complete obedience to Your holy commandments and to submit to our superiors, not for fear of punishment but by a willing surrender of mind and heart, with gladness of heart and spirit. Amen.
O Hope of the Patriarchs and longing of the Gentiles, in Your Nativity You have granted us hope. The joy of this hope has called together the Shepherds, the Magi and all believers in Your Holy Name, and led them to adore You with all the acclaim of their hearts. We beseech You, through Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Virgin Mother and Saint Joseph, Your Chosen One, to keep us, by Your grace, from attachment to earthly goods. Teach us not to depend only on ourselves and the weak ones of this world, but to rely only on Your Fatherly direction and Your Divine Providence. Attract our hearts and minds to reflect on Your heavenly riches and to aspire and long for them above. Amen.
Advent slightly shifts its focus beginning tomorrow (December 17) when the antiphons for Vespers known as the Greater Antiphons, but more commonly known as the O Antiphons, are sung.
These biblical texts are sung as the verse introducing the Magnificat song at Vespers. Most people know these Great Antiphons as the hymn called "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (Veni, Veni, Emmánuël). Each verse of the hymn is a reworded version of the O Antiphons, with the last being the first verse. Rather unfortunately too many priests and church musicians/choir leaders have little understanding of why one would hold off from signing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" at Mass until this time of Advent, and even then, why one would spread the verses out over the days ahead. (I wonder if we can get our act together to respect the Liturgy and its history to allow the flourishing of the theology to dig more deeply into our hearts and minds.)
Each O Antiphon addresses Jesus with a title which comes from the prophecies of Isaiah that anticipate the coming of the Messiah. The first letters of the titles in the original Latin in reverse order spell "Ero Cras," meaning "Tomorrow, I will come."
December 17 - O Sapiéntia: O Wisdom Who camest out of the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come and teach us the way of prudence.
December 18 - O Adonái: O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and didst give unto him the law on Sinai: come and with an outstretched arm redeem us.
December 19 - O Radix Jesse: O Root of Jesse, Who standest for an ensign of the people, before Whom kings shall keep silence, and unto Whom the Gentiles shall make their supplication: come to deliver us, and tarry not.
December 20 - O Clavis David: O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, Who openest and no man shutteth, Who shuttest and no man openeth: come and bring forth from his prison-house, the captive that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death.
December 21 - O Óriens: O Dawn of the East, Brightness of the light eternal, and Sun of justice: come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
December 22 - O Rex Gentium: O King of the Gentiles and the Desired of them, Thou Corner-stone that makest both one: come and deliver man, whom Thou didst form out of the dust of the earth.
December 23 - O Emmánuël: O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver,
the Expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.
In my opinion, the best antiphon beside the O Antiphons (which begin tomorrow at Vespers), and I am merely echoing the informed
opinions of liturgical scholars, is the Rorate caeli (Rain down you heavens) antiphon
in the Advent season. It is the expectation of Israel seen through the eyes of the prophet Isaiah (45:8). The whole purpose of the Incarnation is spoken of here:
Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds
rain the Just One.
Continue reading THE most significant Advent antiphon.
O
Beautiful One in splendor, fairer than the children of this world, in Your
inexplicable love for us, You became a man to show us the invisible beauty of
Your Divinity in the splendor of Your visible body, which You have taken from
the Virgin Mary. By this, You have attracted us to Your Divine Love, You,
Beloved of the Father and Only Delight of His Heart.
We beseech You, through
Your Pure Nativity and through the intercession of Your Virgin Mother and Saint
Joseph, Your Chosen One, to enkindle Your love in our hearts and enlighten our
minds with the rays of Your heavenly grace, that we may love You with our whole
heart and mind. May we love everyone in You and for You, You, Who alone
are worthy of the love of all hearts. Amen.
Strengthened by holy intercession, O Sebastian, Confessor of the Lord, those here present , that we who are burdened the weight of our offenses. Maybe relieved by the glory of thy blessedness, and may thy guidance attain eternal rewards.
God of faithfulness, you made Blessed Sebastian and
outstanding example of evangelical perfection and truth. By following his
example may we enter the path to perfect charity and deepen the life of the
spirit through penance and so obtain your glory and eternal life.
More on Blessed Sebastian Maggi may be found here.
Vatican City, 15 December 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was Benedict XVI's Motu Proprio, "Omnium in mentem". The document is dated 26 October 2009 and contains two variations to the Code of Canon Law (CIC), variations which have long been the object of study by dicasteries of the Roman Curia and by national episcopal conferences.
The document published today contains five articles modifying canons 1008, 1009, 1086, 1117 and 1124. According to an explanatory note by Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, these variations "concern two separate questions: adapting the text of the canons that define the ministerial function of deacons to the relative text in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1581), and suppressing a subordinate clause in three canons concerning marriage, which experience has shown to be inappropriate".
The variation to the text of canon 1008 will now limit itself to affirming that "those who receive the Sacrament of Orders are destined to serve the People of God with a new and specific title", while canon 1009 "will be given an additional third paragraph in which it is specified that the minister constituted into the Order of the episcopate or the priesthood receives the mission and power to act in the person of Christ the Head, while deacons receive the faculty to serve the People of God in the diaconates of the liturgy, of the Word and of charity".
Archbishop Coccopalmerio's note then goes on to explain that the other changes contained in the Motu Proprio all concern the elimination of the clause "actus formalis defectionis ab Ecclesia Catholica" contained in canons 1086 para. 1, 1117 and 1124. This clause, "following much study, was held to be unnecessary and inappropriate", he writes.
"From the time the Code of Canon Law came into effect in the year 1983 until the moment of the coming into effect of this Motu Proprio, Catholics who had abandoned the Catholic Church by means of a formal act were not obliged to follow the canonical form of celebration for the validity of marriage (canon 1117), nor were they bound by the impediment concerning marriage to the non-baptised (canon 1086 para. 1), nor did they suffer the prohibition on marrying non-Catholic Christians (canon 1124). The abovementioned clause contained in these three canons represented an exception ... to another more general norm of ecclesiastical legislation according to which all those baptised in the Catholic Church or received into her are bound to observe ecclesiastical laws (canon 11).
"With the coming into effect of
the new Motu Proprio", Archbishop Coccopalmerio adds, "canon 11 of
the Code of Canon Law reacquires its full force as concerns the contents of the
canons thus modified, even in cases were there has been a formal abandonment.
Hence, in order to regularise any unions that may have been made in the
non-observance of these rules it will be necessary to have recourse, if
possible, to the ordinary means Canon Law offers for such cases: dispensation
from the impediment, sanation, etc".
The Latin and Italian texts are here.
Lord God, in your special love for the sick, the poor and the
lonely, you raised up Rose Hawthorne (Mother Alphonsa) to be the servant of
those afflicted with incurable cancer and with no one to care for them. In
serving the outcast and the abandoned she always strove to see in them the face
of your Son. In her eyes, those in need were always Christ's poor.Grant that
her example of selfless charity and her courage in the face of great obstacles
will inspire us to be generous in our service of neighbor. We humbly ask that
you glorify your servant Rose Hawthorne on earth according to the designs of
your holy will. Through her intercession, grant the favor that I now present
(here make your request).Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of
Jesus, have mercy on us. (3x)
Our Father -- Hail Mary-- Glory Be
Father, You endowed John of the Cross with a spirit of
self-denial and a love of the cross. By following his example, may we come to
the eternal vision of Your glory.
A brief bio on Saint John of the Cross
The Catholic Encyclopedia article on Saint John of the Cross
The fundamental principle of St. John's theology is that God is All and the creature is nothing. Therefore, in order to arrive at perfect union with God, in which sanctity consists, it is necessary to undergo an intense and profound purification of all the faculties and powers of soul and body. The Ascent--Dark Night traces the entire process of purgation, from the active purification of the external senses to the passive purification of the highest faculties; The Living Flame and The Spiritual Canticle describe the perfection of the spiritual life in the transforming union. The entire path to union is "night" because the soul travels by faith. St. John of the Cross presents his teaching in a systematic manner, with the result that it is spiritual theology in the best sense of the word; not because it is systematic, but because it uses as its sources Sacred Scripture, theology and personal experience.
(from Fr. Jordan Auman, OP, Christian Spirituality in the
Catholic Tradition, 1985)
Yesterday, about 50 friends of Avery Cardinal Dulles met at Fordham University Church to remember him before God on the occasion of his first anniversary of death.
Sister Anne-Marie Kirmse, O.P., the Cardinal's friend and administrative assistant, gathered us for Mass celebrated by Jesuit Father Joseph McShane with the homily delivered by Jesuit Father Joseph Leinhard. There were 17 concelebrants; three of whom were secular priests (friends of Dulles') and the balance were old Jesuits. Five of the Cardinal's Fairfield County Communio group (myself included) were present as the faithful remnant. As was recognized, we all miss the Cardinal's wisdom, affection and much understated humor.
In his homily Father Leinhard focused our attention on the moment by recalling Saint Augustine's 9th book of the Confessions where Augustine tells us of his mother's passing unto eternal life. In between her various states of consciousness and unconsciousness Monica came to a see life anew. She called her sons together telling them when she died to bury her body anywhere but to remember her before the Lord, wherever they may be. As for Monica, so for Avery.
Why remember? Our thinking of Cardinal Dulles is, as Fr. Leinhard said, wholly different than what went before. Remembering Avery before God is not quite the same as reminding God who Avery was, just in case God may have forgotten. What is important about Avery is not his prestigious family, his education, his conversion to Catholicism, his entrance into the Society of Jesus nor his ordination to the priesthood, not even his ministry as a theologian nor his acceptance of the dignity of the Cardinalate. What is important about Avery is encapsulated in the motto he assumed with the coat of arms when given the cardinal's hat by Pope John Paul II, Scio Cui Credidi, I know whom I have believed.
The reading from 2 Timothy 1 can be taken as Saint Paul's last will and testament as it is his answer to a question of belief: Christ has resurrected from the dead and I have preached his gospel. For both Saint Paul and Cardinal Dulles their lives deeply changed in making an act of faith in Christ for Christ became the key to all understanding. In Dulles' Craft of Theology, the last sentence of chapter 1 speaks to his belief in Christ where he recounts a vision of Christ in which we look past the "now" and look to Christ as the center of all things.
At the altar of the Lord we pray for the dead following the ancient Christian practice. In the Roman Canon of the Mass we pray that the Lord will remember "those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith" granting them the blessedness (happiness) of light and peace. Our liturgical prayer places hope in our hearts that those who sleep in the Lord will have the victory over sin and death. Our confidence relies on the sign of faith received in baptism, that which marks each person not with a pious sign but with indelible mark.
Our remembrance of Avery and of every one of our beloved dead therefore, is brought home in the consideration that not to remember is to consign our family and friends to oblivion is awful. The Christian proposal is lux perpetua: light for the blind, peace for the will.
Eternal rest grant unto Avery Cardinal Dulles, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of the faithful departed rest in rest. Amen.
A sentimental
remembrance of Cardinal Dulles was the hanging of a cardinal's red hat and
tassels. No longer given by the Pope to cardinals, the red hat is occasionally
made for a cardinal and hung in his church by his family and friends. In New York's Saint Patrick's
Cathedral there are 4 cardinal hats hanging (but none since Cardinal Spellmen
are hanging there). The Archdiocese of Chicago did the same for Cardinal Joseph
Bernardin back in 1997.
Faith, whether by word or by sign, opens the eyes and
ears of the heart. Those who believe are said to see and to hear because faith
is a light and a word.
It is a light, in accordance with what the apostle says:
God, who told the light to shine out of the darkness, has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ (2 Cor 4:6).
The time that God told the light to shine out of darkness
was when he called us from darkness to his own wonderful light (I Peter 2:9),
when he dispersed the darkness of ignorance and said: let there by light, and
there was light (Gen 1:3).
Faith is a word, in accordance with what the apostle
James says: Receive the inborn word with meekness. (James 1:21). The word inborn
because when God speaks within, it is implanted in our heart. The apostle
speaks of this when he says: But what does the scripture say? The word is near
you, in your mouth and in your heart (Rom 10-8; Deut 30:14).
The Commendation of
Faith
Baldwin of Forde, a 12th century Cistercian Abbot
Prayers were requested by my friend, Suzanne, for a
friend, Tina Lillig, one of the pioneers of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS)
here in the U.S., and indeed Director of the National Association of the CGS. Tina
suffered a stroke Friday afternoon while at work. She underwent surgery at
Loyola Medical Center (Chicago). Tina died early this morning. Here is the note
sent by her friends at CGS:We share with great sadness that our beloved Tina
Lillig has been received into the heavenly fold of the Good Shepherd. She
passed away peacefully at 12:05 am Sunday morning surrounded by her loving
family and all the prayers from so many around the world that were lifted
up on her behalf. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be shared with you,
our members, soon.
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant,
Tina. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of
your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of
your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious
company of the saints in light. Amen.
Tina, our dear sister in Christ, may your
rest be this day in peace, and your dwelling place in the Paradise of God. May
you see your Redeemer face to face, and enjoy the vision of God for ever. Amen.
Tina impacted countless lives with her loving care. She served as our National
Director with such devotion and grace. She fully gave of her gifts and skills
to further the work of Catechesis of
the Good Shepherd. She was a vital branch on the True Vine who knew
the joy of first remaining and then of bearing fruit. How full of
gratitude we are for who she is and what she has done in service to God. How
grateful we are for her friendship. She will be deeply missed. May her life be
an inspiration to all of us who seek to love and serve the Lord with such
joyful purpose.
CGS Board of Directors and Staff
While Saint Lucy prayed, there appeared unto her blessed Agatha, who comforted the handmaid of Christ.
Hear us, O God our Savior, that as we rejoice in the feast of blessed Lucy, Thy virgin and Martyr, so may we also be strengthened in the love of true piety.
About Saint Lucy
Since Saint Lucy is the patron saint of those diseases of the eyes, let us remember these people before God through the intercession of Saint Lucy. Also, let us pray for those women who live their lives in the Order of Consecrated Virgins that Saint Lucy will guide them.
O God, Who was pleased to raise They servant Avery Robert Dulles to the dignity of the cardinalate, we beseech Thee, vouchsafe to admit him to the fellowship of Thine Apostles forevermore. Amen.A noon Mass is being celebrated at Fordham University for the soul of His Eminence, Avery Cardinal Dulles. Pray for him.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mystical Rose, make intercession
for the holy Church, protect the Sovereign Pontiff, help all those who invoke thee in their necessities, and
since thou art the ever Virgin Mary and Mother of the true God, obtain for us from thy most holy Son the
grace of keeping our faith, sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life, burning
charity and the precious gift of
final perseverance. Amen.Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, pray for us.
This prayer was approved and enriched with an
indulgence by Pope Pius X at all audience held on August, 1908, and was
included in the official edition of approved indulgenced prayers (1950).
"I am your merciful Mother, the Mother of all who live united in this land, and of all mankind, of all those who love me, of those who cry to me, of those who have confidence in me. Here I will hear the weeping and their sorrows, and will remedy and alleviate their sufferings, hardships and misfortunes...Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?"
Words spoken by Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12, 1531
Almost two weeks ago Pope Benedict sent a message to the president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Angelo Cardinal Bagnasco, who is chairing a meeting where the agenda is talking about God, of all things. Well, it beats talking about bishops, nuns and the environment all the time. This topic interests me not in the sense of mere curiosity but because it is taking seriously my seeking the face of God (this topic ought to concern all people who consider themselves Catholic, spiritual and/or religious). To say God interests me sounds like an academic exercise; it is and it is not entirely that. God is interesting to me because seeking God is like no other search I know of, for it concerns my entire self and it intersects all that I do in the world. Is God totally unknowable, the Mystery and desirous of a personal relationship with me (and you)? The Pope makes some great points in these few paragraphs. The curious points are emphasized below.
On the occasion of the Congress "God Today: With or Without Him Everything Changes," which is taking place in Rome from December 10-12, I wish to express to you, venerated Brother, to the Italian Episcopal Conference and, in particular, to the Committee for the Cultural Project, my profound appreciation for this important initiative, which addresses one of the great topics that has always fascinated and questioned the human spirit.
The question of God is also central in our time, in which man is often reduced to one dimension, the "horizontal," considering openness to the Transcendent as irrelevant for his life. The relationship with God, instead, is essential for humanity's journey and, as I have had the occasion to affirm many times, the Church and every Christian, in fact, have the task to make God present in this world, to attempt to open to men access to God.
Planned from this perspective is the international event of these days. The breadth of the approach to the important topic that characterizes the meeting, will make possible the sketching of a rich and articulated picture of the question of God, but above all it will be a stimulation for a profound reflection on God's place in the culture and life of our time.
On one hand, in fact, an attempt is being made to show the different ways that lead to affirming the truth about the existence of God, that God which humanity has always known in some way, even in the chiaroscuro of his history, and who revealed himself with the splendor of his face in the covenant with the people of Israel and, beyond that, in every measure and hope, in a full and definitive way, in Jesus Christ.
He is the Son of God, the Living who enters into the life and history of man to illumine him with his grace, with his presence. On the other hand, the desire is precisely to bring to light the essential importance that God has for us, for our personal and social life, for understanding ourselves and the world, for the hope that illumines our way, for the salvation that awaits us beyond death.
Directed to these objectives are the numerous interventions, according to the many points of view which will be the object of study and exchange: from philosophical and theological reflection on the witness of the great religions; from the impulse to God, which finds its expression in music, literature, the figurative arts, the cinema and television; to the development of the sciences, which attempt to read in depth the mechanisms of nature, fruit of the intelligent work of God the Creator; from the analysis of the personal experience of God to the consideration of the social and political dynamics of an already globalized world.
In a cultural and spiritual situation such as the one we are living in, where the tendency grows to relegate God to the private sphere, to consider him irrelevant and superfluous, or to reject him explicitly, it is my heartfelt hope that this event might at least contribute to disperse that semi-darkness that makes openness to God precarious and fearful for the men of our time, though he never ceases to knock on our door.
The experiences of the past, although not remote to us, teach us that when God disappears from man's horizon, humanity loses its direction and runs the risk of taking steps to its own destruction. Faith in God opens man to the horizon of certain hope, which does not disappoint; it indicates a solid foundation on which to base life without fear; it calls for abandoning oneself with confidence in the hands of the Love which sustains the world.
To you, cardinal, to all those who have contributed to prepare this congress, to the speakers and to all the participants I express my cordial greeting with the desire for the full success of the initiative. I support the works with prayer and with my apostolic blessing, propitiator of that light from on High, which makes us capable of finding God, our treasure and our hope.
A Civilization of Love - What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World (2008) by Carl Anderson, the head of the Knights of Columbus has a new edition, Una Civilta dell'Amore.
Watch the book launch (video clip) in Rome and read a CNA news brief and a review of the book.
I also recommend the book.
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York celebrated an evening Solemn Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral on December 4th to commemorate of the 5th anniversary of entrance into eternal life of Dr. Fernando Rielo, the founder of the Idente Missionaries. His Eminence, Edward Cardinal Egan, archbishop emeritus of NY, Bishop Gerald T. Walsh, Rector/President of St. Joseph's Seminary, the Rev. Msgr. Robert Ritchie, Rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Rev. Msgr. James P. Cassidy, Assistant Principal Chaplain of the American Association of the Order of Malta and parish vicar of St. Patrick's Cathedral were also present. Members of the Idente Missionary Women's and Men's branches and members of the Idente Family from New Jersey, Long Island and the five New York City boroughs also participated in the Eucharistic Celebration.
During his homily, Archbishop Dolan affectionately referred to Fernando Rielo as "our Founder," stated that Rielo knew what holiness was and proposed him as an "example for our Advent preparation." The Archbishop praised Jesus for the "for the gift of Fernando Rielo and for the gift of the Idente Missionary Family."
The Idente Missionaries, recently approved as an institute of consecrated life of pontifical right, were founded by Fernando Rielo on June 29, 1959 and are currently present in four continents and in over twenty countries. Dr. Rielo who was a mystical poet and a metaphysician and also founded several cultural and humanitarian institutions including the World Prize for Mystical Poetry that bears his name, Idente Youth and the Fernando Rielo Foundation.
Idente Missionaries strive to live holiness in common, take a vow to defend the Chair of Saint Peter and to make Christ known in the universities. They particularly work in the academic field and with youth who have lost their faith or are seeking to renew their faith and live a life of holiness. Dr. Rielo's metaphysics is a new model that, consisting in the genetic conception of the principle of relation, rejects the principle of identity and establishes a perfect symmetry between metaphysics and theology for both study the same axiom -the Absolute Subject in metaphysics and the Most Holy Trinity in theology.
His work with youth led him to found the Idente Youth's World Youth Parliament (WYP) where young people can not only manifest their concerns and expose new values but also commit themselves to become the change they want to see in others, in their communities and in the world. The WYP is to hold a Plenary Session in New York in August 2010 entitled: Towards a Magna Carta of Values for a New Civilization.
The Idente Missionaries are
currently ministering in two parishes in the Bronx, are professors in two
universities and are chaplains in universities in both the Archdiocese of New
York and in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Here is Zenit article on the Idente Missionaries.
Continue reading Fernando Rielo, founder of the Idente Missionaries remembered at Mass.
It is truly meet and just, right and available to
salvation, that we should give thanks to thee, O Lord God, almighty: and that we
should, whilst invoking Thy power, celebrate the feasts of the blessed Virgin
Mary; from whose womb grew the Fruit, which has filled with the Bread of
angels. That Fruit which Eve took from us when she sinned, Mary has restored to
us, and it has saved us. Not as the work of the serpent is the work of Mary. From
the one, came the poison of our destruction; from the other, the mysteries of
salvation. In the one, we see the malice of the tempter; in the other, the help
of the divine Majesty. Be the one, came death to the creature; by the other the
resurrection of the Creator, by whom human nature, now not captive but free, is
restored; and what it lost by its parent Adam, it regained by its Maker Christ.(A prayer from the Ambrosian Breviary, a Sixth Sunday of Advent, Preface)
Lord God, through Saint Juan Diego You made known the love of Our Lady of Guadalupe toward Your people. Grant by his intercession that we who follow the counsel of Mary, our Mother, may strive continually to do Your will.
The Vatican biography on Saint Juan Diego and Pope John Paul's 2002 canonization homily. Also, there is a part of the beatification homily here.
The Pope said in part at the canonization:
Happy Juan Diego, true and faithful man! We entrust to you our lay brothers and sisters so that, feeling the call to holiness, they may imbue every area of social life with the spirit of the Gospel. Bless families, strengthen spouses in their marriage, sustain the efforts of parents to give their children a Christian upbringing. Look with favor upon the pain of those who are suffering in body or in spirit, on those afflicted by poverty, loneliness, marginalization or ignorance. May all people, civic leaders and ordinary citizens, always act in accordance with the demands of justice and with respect for the dignity of each person, so that in this way peace may be reinforced.
Beloved Juan Diego, "the talking eagle"! Show us the way
that leads to the "Dark Virgin" of Tepeyac, that she may receive us
in the depths of her heart, for she is the loving, compassionate Mother who
guides us to the true God. Amen.
The privilege of Mary Immaculate does not consist
solely in the absence of original sin, but much more in being "full of
grace." The Mother of Jesus gave to the world that very life which renews
all things ... and was enriched by God with gifts befitting such a role ... She
was adorned from the first instant of her conception with the splendors of an
entirely unique holiness (Lumen Gentium 56).
Gabriel's greeting, "Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with you!" is the strongest testimony of the Immaculate
Conception of Mary, who would not be "full of grace" in the complete
sense of the word if she had been stained by sin for a single moment.
Thus the
Blessed Virgin began life with a richness of grace which far surpasses that
which the greatest saints acquire at the end of their lives. When we also
consider her absolute fidelity and her total availability to God, we can
faintly imagine to what heights of love and communion with God she attained far
beyond all other creatures in heaven and on earth (Lumen Gentium 53).
Divine
Intimacy
Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.
You wouldn't believe it, but young people discerning a vocation to the consecrated life and/or priesthood in the USA, today, face the problem of debt.
Personal debt is one thing and we all have to watch our spending. And we are the ones who to repay the credit card companies, not someone else. It is a very true experience to say that consumerism often replaces Christ as the focus of our lives.
BUT the significant problem at hand is the amount of education debts young people have to pay off before following the vocation given to them. Many young people went to the university, received a good education and now felt called to serve the Lord and the Church as a priest or sister and can't because they have repay their college loans. It is the responsible thing to do. It is also the thing that will prevent someone from actually fulfilling their calling. Large college debts make a person ineligible from entering a religious order or a diocesan formation program. Some religious orders will make some arrangement if the debt is "reasonable" especially if the candidate is "worthy." Many will not because their own income is not capable to lend that kind of assistance. Again, personal debts are the responsibility of the person. The video on the Mater Ecclesiae website (see below) speaks of grants and the tough call made in discerning who gets help, who doesn't. These grants assist in paying off those college debts.
Perhaps as an act of charity we could make a charitable offering to one of the agencies helping these young men and women deal with their educational debts. Christmas is a time for giving with love.
This article, "Debt, the Vocation Killer" gives some perspective on the matter. Plus, there are worthy organizations that help in dealing with the educational debt like the Laboure Society and Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations.
Hail Mary, full of grace!
"Today we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. As we venerate her life of holiness, full of grace from the beginning of her existence, we praise God and acclaim the power of his gifts. May all Christians, filled with joyful hope and following the example of Mary, be faithful to God's grace and seek a life of holiness."
(Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus address, December 8, 2009)
"She is the branch of Jesse, the Virgin Mother, the garden wherein grew the divine plant, the holy fountain sealed with the mysterious gift: she it is that made the world happy by the fruit of her virginal womb."
Paul the Deacon, monk of Montecassino
When the average Catholic thinks of theological
disputation they quickly surmise that they can be tedious, if not irrelevant.
Connections are not made for the average Catholic between relevance of a theological truth or an idea to the spiritual life and the teaching of Truth and one's salvation. Believe it or not, theology means something. Admittedly, I don't blame people's reluctance to enter into the fray of the
issues because they are complicated, convoluted and cause considerable
consternation between the interlocutors. But what else would you expect from
intelligent people? Theological matters are incredibly important for the life
of the Church particularly in the realm of protecting the deposit of faith from
charlatans. I, for one, love the controversy that's stirred up because it gets
people talking and thinking about the issues posited by Catholic theologians.
I for one think Weinandy
has the stronger argument.
Father Weinandy's article is presented here Weinandy on
Tilley's theological argument.pdf and Dr. Tilley's address is found here Tilley CTSA
address 2009.pdf.
Abbot Dr. Marian Eleganti, 54, until now the Abbot of the Abbey of Saint Otmasberg (Abtei St. Otmarsberg), has been nominated by the Holy Father to be an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Chur, Switzerland. He was elected abbot of his monastery on 15 July 1999 and in 2003 defended a doctoral dissertation on Romano Guardini at the University of Salzburg. Abbot Marian speaks seven languages and is a published author.
The Abbey of Saint Otmasberg belongs to the Congregation of Saint Ottilien, a grouping of missionary Benedictine monks who take vows to a particular monastery as other monks do, but since mission work is their common apostolate, monks are assigned from various monasteries for this mission work in monasteries in other parts of the world. This congregation of monks have a slightly different understanding of the monastic of stability but no less vital for monasticism and for the Church. There are two monasteries of the Congregation of Saint Ottilien in the USA: Saint Paul's Abbey (Newton, NJ) and Christ the King Priory (Schuyler, NE).
Bishop-elect Marian is one of 32 Benedictine monks ordained to the episcopacy worldwide.
May God grant many years to Bishop-elect Marian and may Saint Ambrose sustain the bishop with his prayers. So, we pray for Abbot Marian and for his Benedictine community who will now prepare to elect a new abbot.
O Ambrose, wonderworker and champion of the Church, Godbearing hierarch: thou did work miracles by thy faith and love for God; therefore we the earthborn glorify thee and cry out: Glory to Him Who has glorified tee; glory to Him Who has crowed thee; glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all. (Troparion, tone 1)
Saint Ambrose on the Holy Spirit:
But lest perchance any one should speak against as it were the littleness of the Spirit and from this should endeavour to establish a difference in greatness, arguing that water seems to be but a small part of a Fount, although examples taken from creatures seem by no means suitable for application to the Godhead; yet lest they should judge anything injuriously from this comparison taken from creatures, let them learn that not only is the Holy Spirit called Water, but also a River, as we read: "From his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this He said of the Spirit, Whom they were beginning to receive, who were about to believe in Him" (Jn 7:38-39).
So, then, the Holy Spirit is the River, and the abundant River, which according to the Hebrews flowed from Jesus in the lands, as we have received it prophesied by the mouth of Isaiah (Is 66:12). This is the great River which flows always and never fails. And not only a river, but also one of copious stream and overflowing greatness, as also David said: "The stream of the river makes glad the city of God.
For neither is that city, the heavenly Jerusalem, watered by
the channel of any earthly river, but that Holy Spirit proceeding from the
Fount of Life, by a short draught of Whom we are satiated, seems to flow more
abundantly among those celestial Thrones, Dominions and Powers, Angels and
Archangels, rushing in the full course of the seven virtues of the Spirit. For
if a river rising above its banks overflows, how much more does the Spirit, rising
above every creature, when He touches the as it were low-lying fields of our
minds, make glad that heavenly nature of the creatures with the larger
fertility of His sanctification. (St. Ambrose, On the Holy Spirit, Book One, 176-178)
Today the NY Daily News published a letter written by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York. I am happy that the News published this letter because it is not only a message for Christians, but people of faith, and those looking for the gift of faith. The substance of the Archbishop's letter can be summarized in this way: this is a time for peace among peoples; for love and reconciliation. And even though not all go about observing this season in the same way, we ought to respect one another! Christians, particularly, are preparing themselves to welcome the Prince of Peace, the Wonder-Counselor, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, into their whole being. Others will be observing Chanuka and still others will just try to live the best they now how.
While faith-neural language like "holiday parties," "Seasons Greetings," or "holiday sale," can get annoying, even ridiculous, our attention ought not to be exclusively on how "others" are removing Jesus Christ from view at this point of the calendar. Sure, some of our brothers and sisters are frustrated by this move away from our Christian roots. I am, too. However, I am not giving more power to those who agitate to rid the world of Advent & Christmas.
So we need ask ourselves, is the frustration worth it? Is letting the secularization of our Christian culture "get to us" giving more power to the forces of the faith-neutral ideologues in our lives than need be? If so, they've won. Reasonable people of faith and good will won't think of Christ being removed from our hearts or families or the work place by anyone but ourselves. We can't blame others for everything. So, the Archbishop's call for a truce on all that distracts from the real meaning of Advent and the forthcoming Christmastide is well-taken.
I, for one, am going to get back to listening to "Christmas at Ephesus," the recent album of Christmas hymns recorded by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. Perhaps I'll pray the Joyful mysteries of the rosary.
You have proved yourself to be a holy priest, O Nicholas; You served God in Myra and lived the Gospel of Christ. You offered your life for your people; You rescued the innocent from death, therefore God has glorified you as a trustworthy guide of things divine. (St Nicholas Kontakion, Tone 3)
You were revealed to your flock as a measure of faith. You were an image of humility and a teacher of self-control. Because of your humble life, heaven was opened to you, because of your poverty, spiritual riches were granted to you. O holy bishop Nicholas, we cry out to you: Pray to Christ our Go that our souls may be saved.
The Liturgy's prayer for Saint Nicholas may be found here.
A brief bio on Saint Nicholas is here.
God, our Father, You bestowed a marvelous gift of
charity on blessed Mary Frances the virgin to help the poor and the sick. Grant
us through her example to live the spirit of poverty with prudence and to serve
the brethren with all care.
The Liturgy is at once both the end to which the
action of the Church tends and at the same time the source from which flows all
her strength. We, who have left everything to seek God alone and to possess him
more fully, should carry out the liturgical functions with particular
reverence. For when we accomplish the Liturgy, especially the Eucharistic
celebration, we have access to the Father through his Son, the Word Incarnate
who suffered and was glorified, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Thus we achieve
communion with the Most Holy Trinity.(Statutes of the Carthusian Order 41.1)
We are neither Carthusian monks nor nuns (at least I am not), but this paragraph from the Statutes should in some way focus our attention to the serious matter of prayer, redemption and the action of God, namely the Liturgy. Their sentiments must also be ours given our state in life. In what ways are we changed by the Liturgy (Mass and Divine Office)? If you are not changed, then what needs to be done in your life to be open to the divine changed hoped-for during and after the celebration of the Liturgy?
Saint John of Damascus spent most of his life in the monastery of
Saint Sabas, near Jerusalem, under Muslim rule, indeed, protected by it. Born in Damascus c. 676, John received a classical and theological education, and followed
his father in a government position under the Muslims. He resigned after a few years so that he could go to the monastery of Saint Sabas. Saint John is considered the last of
the Greek Church Fathers (his writings)Three points to remember about the Damascene:
1. he is known for his opposition
to the iconoclasts, who opposed the veneration of images. Paradoxically, it was
the Eastern Christian emperor Leo who forbade the practice, and it was because
John lived in Muslim territory that his enemies could not silence him.
2. he is famous for his treatise, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, a summary of
the Greek Fathers. It is said that this book is for Eastern equivalent of
Aquinas' Summa.
3. he is known as a poet, one of the two greatest in the
Eastern Church (the other being Romanus the Melodist). His devotion to the Theotokos
(the Blessed Virgin Mary) and his sermons on her feasts are well known.
Every so often something interesting happens in the brutish lives we live. Tuesday night was one of those times, at a seminary no less, that we had an interesting conversation about something many of us knew nothing about: stars, aliens and the connection with faith. We had a visit from Jesuit Father David Brown whose work is at the Vatican's Observatory. Funny that David and I are classmates but our journeys took us in different directions. Of course, he went up...that is, he studies the stars and I just went...
As a coinky-dinky, Stephen Colbert chatted with the Vatican astronomer, Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, about extraterrestrial life. Who would have thought that the seminary and Mr. Colbert were doing the same stuff: thinking about life beyond the present moment.
Watch the interview here...
Join the Dominican Friars of Saint Catherine of Siena Church
& Priory for a Candlelight Lessons and Carols, featuring the Master Singers
of Archmere Academy and the Choir of the Church of the Holy Child Jesus. David
J. Ikfovits will conduct the choirs. The organist will be Father Jordan
Kelly, O.P.The Lessons and Carols will be held on December 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm
at the Church of Saint Catherine of Siena (411 East 68th Street, New York
City). The favor of your reply is requested on or before December 7.
Please call 212-988-8300, or email
your reply.
The prayer for the feast is found here.
Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.
We entered some villages of Christians, who had been baptized about eight years ago. It is an area uninhabited by the Portugese, because of its extreme barrenness and poverty; the native Christians, having no one to instruct them in our faith, know nothing about it save only the face that they are Christians. There is no one to say Mass, no one to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, or the Ten Commandments.
Whenever I came to one of these villages I baptized all the children who had not yet been baptized. So I baptized a great number of babies "who did know their right hand from their left" (Jonah 4:11). The children in these villages would not allow me any time to say my office, or to eat or sleep, until I had taught them some prayers. Then I came to realize that "of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). As it would been wrong for me to refuse so holy a request, I began with the sign of the cross, then the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary.
I noted that they had considerable abilities and I am quite certain that they would be good Christians if only had someone to instruct them in the holy faith.
Multitudes out here fail to become Christians only because there is nobody prepared to undertake the holy task of instructing them. I have often felt strongly moved to go to the universities of Europe, especially Paris, crying out like a madman, and say to those in the Sorbonne who have more learning than good will to employ it advantageously: "How many souls are missing heaven and going to hell through your negligence?"
If only, while they studied their humanities, they would also study the account that God will demand for the talent he has given them, many might feel the need to engage in spiritual exercises, so as to discover God's will in their hearts and embrace it rather than their own inclinations, saying: "Lord, here I am. What would you have me to do? Send me where you will, if necessary even to India."
An extract of two letters from Saint Francis Xavier to Saint Ignatius of Loyola dated 28 October 1542 and 15 January 1544
In response to questions about the Plenary Indulgence for the Year for Priests, the decree says that, "all truly penitent priests"--having confessed their sins and received Holy Communion--may obtain a Plenary Indulgence each day by devoutly praying Lauds or Vespers before the Blessed Sacrament, and by making themselves available "with a ready and generous heart" for the Sacrament of Penance and the other sacraments.
This Plenary Indulgence may be applied to the souls of priests in purgatory. Priests may also obtain a partial indulgence so often as they offer prayers to ask for the grace of sacerdotal holiness. As I mentioned the other day about praying for souls of our priests, this an opportunity for priests to come to the assistance of their brother priests in purgatory!
The decree also makes generous provision for the lay faithful. They may obtain a Plenary Indulgence on the opening and closing days of the Year of the Priest and on the 150th anniversary of the death of Saint John Mary Vianney (August 4, 2009), on the First Thursday of the Month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful. The particular conditions are given below.
An example, a prayer suitable for obtaining the Plenary Indulgence would be:
O Jesus, Eternal Priest, keep Thy priests within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Thy Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Thy Precious Blood. Keep pure and unworldly their hearts sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Thy holy love surround them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and their everlasting crown hereafter. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us; obtain for us numerous and holy priests. Amen.
To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent.
The Connecticut Bike Project
is a program that collects and distributes donated bicycles in good working
condition to financially challenged children and adults who need them. Besides
offering them to children for recreation the aim of the endeavor is to provide
needed transportation to work and for running errands to the economically
disadvantaged; individuals with physical or mental disabilities that prevent
them from driving, ex-offenders re-entering the workforce and other folks who
can't afford a vehicle or are without licenses to drive.Consider hosting a
Bike-Drive at your parish! Please spread the word that bicycles are in need for
this project. Contact Mr. Brooks Sumberg to
schedule a drive in your parish or through your club or organization. He will
be there for the event and take the bikes the same day as the drive. All you
need to do is publicize the drive in your bulletins or newsletters. Maybe you
can make it a project for your Parish youth group or Confirmation class.
All
individual bikes can be dropped off at your convenience (at 96 Hillspoint Road, Westport, CT) but please call the project
founder, Mr. Brooks Sumberg, at 203-293-4130 or by e-mail: bsumberg@earthlink.net.
If you know of a child or adult in need of a bike you may contact The Urban
Center at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Bridgeport which has graciously
houses the project and serves as the distribution center.
The Archdiocese of New York recalls the service of one of their prominent churchmen, Francis Joseph Cardinal Spellman on the 42nd anniversary of falling asleep in the Lord.O God, Who did raise Thy servant Francis Joseph Spellman, to the dignity of priest in the apostolic priesthood, grant, we beseech Thee, that he may be joined in the fellowship with Thine Apostles forevermore.
A sketch of his life:
Life: May 4, 1889 to Dec. 2, 1967
Ordained priest: 1916
Consecrated bishop: 1932 (served as auxiliary bishop of Boston 1932-1939)
Appointed archbishop of NY: 1939
Created Cardinal: 1946
For more, see...
Come you who have my Father's blessing. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
O God, grateful towards those who invoke You, You gave the virgin, blessed Mary Angela, the grace to penetrate the secrets of Your richness through her daily office of praise. Grant that we, through her intercession, may direct all our actions toward You, that they be in praise of Your glory.
The
Pontifical Council for Social Communications has opened a Web portal to collect
and provide information on Catholic media around the globe. The portal, www.intermirifica.net, was launched in
collaboration with the Latin American Episcopal Conference and SIGNIS, the
World Catholic Association for Communication. It is currently in Spanish, English and French; Portuguese is forthcoming.The
directory has a "wiki" structure, meaning that is is designed to be
completed and updated by users. It also functions as a search engine for radio
or television stations and for production companies. According to the site, the
portal's main goal is to "facilitate communication within the Catholic
mass media world so that they can interchange common ideas and projects."
The name intermirifica refers to the only document from the Second Vatican
Council dedicated to social communications. The site explains that the portal
"hopes to become 'the yellow pages' of the Church's mass media."
Today is the Feast of Saints Edmund Campion and
Robert Southwell. It is also the launch date of a webzine venture called the New Jesuit
Review -- guys trying to do the right thing. So far, so good.God bless them for their effort. Perhaps editors can attract other good Jesuits to write for them. Time will tell if they can maintain the momentum of publishing worthwhile literature, unlike some other notable Jesuit sponsored publications.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, O Good and gracious God, you are the God of health and wholeness.
In the plan of your creation, you call us to struggle in our sickness and to cling always to the cross of your Son. Father, we are your servants. Many of us are now suffering with HIV or AIDS.
We come before you, and ask you, if it is your holy will, to take away this suffering from us, to restore us to health and to lead us to know you and your powerful healing, love of body and spirit.
We ask you also to be with those of us who nurse your sick ones. We are the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, and friends of your suffering people. It is so hard for us to see those whom we love suffer. You know what it is to suffer. Help us to minister in loving care, support, and patience to your people who suffer with HIV and AIDS.
Lead us to do whatever it will take to eradicate this illness from the lives of those who are touched by it, both directly and indirectly. Trusting in you and the strength of your Spirit, we pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.
An astute observer of religion has to pay attention to the current situation of Christianity and Islam, in all its forms. One person to listen to is Jesuit Father Samir Khalil Samir, a Cairo born Islamic scholar and Catholic theologian teaching at Saint Joseph's University, Beruit; Father Samir is well-published and well-sought after for counsel on Christian-Muslim matters.
Today at Asia News, Father Samir has a keenly written article on Islam and Christianity as we know it right now. Really, you need to read this article.
You may also be interested in a primer on the basics of Christian and Islamic thought, What Catholics Need to Know About Islam by Sandra T. Keating be helpful to you.
Almighty,
eternal God, You raised up among the people of England and Wales the holy
martyrs Edmund, Robert and their companions, and willed that they should
imitate Christ, who died to redeem the world. Grant that, by their
intercession, Your people may be strengthened by the same faith and love and
always rejoice in Your gift of unity.
On Saint
Robert Southwell, plus there's more here.
Behold the
father is his daughter's son,
The bird that
built the nest is hatched therein,
The old of years
an hour hath not outrun,
Eternal life to
live doth now begin,
The Word is
dumb, the mirth of heaven doth weep,
Might feeble is,
and force doth faintly creep.
O dying souls,
behold your living spring;
O dazzled eyes,
behold your sun of grace;
Dull ears,
attend what word this Word doth bring;
Up, heavy
hearts, with joy your joy embrace.
From death, from
dark, from deafness, from despairs
This life, this
light, this Word, this joy repairs.
Gift better than
himself God doth not know;
Gift better than
his God no man can see.
This gift doth
here the giver given bestow;
Gift to this
gift let each receiver be.
God is my gift,
himself he freely gave me;
God's gift am I,
and none but God shall have me.
Man altered was
by sin from man to beast;
Beast's food is
hay, hay is all mortal flesh.
Now God is flesh
and lies in manger pressed
As hay, the
brutest sinner to refresh.
O happy field
wherein that fodder grew,
Whose taste doth
us from beasts to men renew.
Pope Benedict has asked us to pray for these two intentions for the month of December. So, our prayer is united with his before the Divine Majesty asking that His Will be done and for these two points of intercession.
The general intention
The missionary intention
That during Christmas the peoples of the earth may recognize the
Incarnate Word as the light that illuminates every person, and that every
nation may open its doors to Christ, the Savior of the world.
Have you connected with the Apostleship of Prayer? It is a good organization to link yourself to: faithful to the Gospel and Church.
God of power and mercy, you made Blessed John an outstanding promoter of the Order of Preachers. By his remarkable zeal, his wonderful prudence and his courage, and with the help of his prayers may your family always and everywhere be governed by beneficial rule.
A brief bio about Blessed John.
And how are making the Holy Name of Jesus better known today?
About the author
