Paul Zalonski: December 2010 Archives

Saint Sylvester, pope

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St Sylvester.jpgThe feast day of Saint Sylvester, located so close to the Christmas liturgical cycle was an early decision of the Fathers of the Church, but it has no relation to the Mystery of the Incarnation. Today's feast Saint Sylveser, according to Pius Parsch is among the oldest in the Church's liturgical life because his memory was among the first to receive public recognition by the laity due to his exemplary holiness and concern for the welfare of the faithful, especially the poor. He's considered to be a confessor of the faith but also acknowledged as a martyr. Sylvester's feast day was for a long time a holy day of obligation.

Sylvester was elected bishop of Rome in AD 314. He succeeded Saint Miltiades who was pope for 2 years (July 2, 311 - 10 January 314) and was succeed by Saint Mark who only served for 263 days. One of the first things he did as pope was to teach the virtue of peace and to live by example.

Notable about Pope Sylvester was that he lived in Rome as its bishop when the Council of Nicea I was held; recall that the Council of Nicea called to order not by the pope by the emperor, who by the way was a friend of Sylvester's. During his papacy the great churches of St John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St Paul's, St Lawrence's and the first St Peter's were built, among others.

Several things are attributed to Sylvester:

  • taught the orthodox Catholic faith in the face of heresy and schism
  • taught that the sign of the Cross was given to him by the Lord
  • cared for the poor and expected the clergy to do the same
  • cared for those in the Order of Virgins and Widows
  • determined that bishops had the exclusive right to consecrate chrism
  • instructed priests, when baptizing, also were to anoint with chrism
  • determined that deacons were to wear the dalmatic with a linen maniple
  • determined that bread was to be consecrated as Eucharist only a linen corporal
  • determined those ordained should be stable in that order before taking a higher order
  • instructed the laity should not sue the clergy
  • instructed the clergy should not sue another in civil court
  • called the 1st and 7th days of the week the "Lord's Day" and the "Sabbath"
  • among the first use the word "feria" (a free day) for weekdays of the liturgical calendar without a commemoration.
Some of these things perdure today.

When Pope Sylvester died in AD 335 he served the Church as bishop of Rome for 21 years, 11 months, 1 day. He was first lair to rest in the catacomb of Saint Priscilla and later moved to the church of Saint Symmachus.
Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, the literature editor the Italian bi-weekly journal La Civiltà Cattolica published an article "Towards a 'Cybertheology'?" which will appear in the January 1st issue. Father Spadaro's summary: 

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The intelligence of faith in the era of the Net - The Internet has become part of everyday life for many people, and for this reason it increasingly contributes to the construction of a religious identity of the people of our time, affecting their ability to understand reality, and therefore also to understand faith and their way of living it. The Net and the culture of cyberspace pose new challenges to our ability to formulate and listen to a symbolic language that speaks of possibility and of signs of transcendence in our lives.  Perhaps the time has arrived to consider the possibility of a cybertheology also understood as the intelligence of faith in the era of the Net. It would be the fruit of faith that releases from itself a cognitive boost at a time in which the logic of the Net influences the way we think, learn, communicate and live.
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The face who inspired a famous image of American pop and feminist culture, Geraldine Doyle, 86, "Rosie the Riverter" died Sunday. The epigraph "We Can Do It!" is easily recognizable around the world.

The news can be read here.
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Pope Benedict XVI issued sweeping financial reforms for the Vatican City State and the Holy See in the aftermath of great confusion over perceived financial irregularities between the Italian State and the Institute of Religious Works (IOR). For the last six months the Pope has been dogged by accusations of another Vatican coverup of bad money deals causing unnecessary distractions. Recent mega-problems with financial and real estate matters at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, especially under the leadership of Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, now the cardinal-archbishop of Naples, heightened papal awareness.

Clearly and consistently Benedict is interested in reform and renewal of the Church in all sectors and he sees this restructuring as part of the change needed. The Pope is cleaning a very dusty house. The new Laws conform to the Laws and principles in force in the European Union. A monetary agreement between the European Union and Vatican City State was signed on December 17, 2009. What's at issue are the questions on how the various Vatican agencies use money. Particularly, "self-money-laundering, the controls on cash entering or leaving Vatican City State, the obligations regarding the transfer of funds, and the heavy administrative sanctions that are applicable not only to legal persons and entities but also to the physical persons who act on their behalf, by means of the binding recourse action." Several other issues at hand are dealt with here: fraud and counterfeiting, protection of copyrights of money and circulation. None of the offices of the Vatican or the Holy See are going to exempt from financial oversight. Civil penalties will be imposed for violators. The Pope's new laws take effect April 1, 2011.

Benedict created a new governing agency for money matters: the Financial Information Authority (FIA) --which will look to prevent and combat money laundering. Essentially, the Authority is a Vatican watch dog for money and other tangible assets.

The mindset of the Pope and his assistants is: "The Holy See welcomes this new commitment and will make these material resources that are necessary to the mission and duties of Vatican City State." This is a moral and pastoral overhaul for the whole Vatican system.

For His Holiness, as the Communiqué says, "These new Laws are part of the Apostolic See's efforts to build a just and honest social order. At no time may the great principles of social ethics like transparency, honesty and responsibility be neglected or weakened (cf. Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 36)

The Apostolic Letter in the Form of a Motu Proprio for the Prevention and Countering of Illegal Activities in the Financial and Monetary Sectors



You can read the Communiqué of the Secretariat of State regarding the new legislation for the prevention and countering of illegal activities in the financial and monetary sectors

The Director of the Vatican Press Office, Father Lombardi comments

A video clip from Rome Reports on the revision of the laws.
Legion of Christ ordination 2010.jpgOn Christmas eve morning, Cardinal Valasio De Paolis, CS, the pontifical delegate for the Legion of Christ, ordained 61 new priests on Christmas eve at Saint Paul outside the Walls. The Most Reverends Brian Farrell, LC and Paolo Schiavon, respectively from the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rome, concelebrated. 

Among the 61 ordained 7 from the USA, 3 from Canada and 28 from Mexico.

Priestly ordinations in the Legion of Christ typically happen on Christmas eve so that on Christmas day the newly ordained priest celebrates his first Mass of Thanksgiving on the great feast of the Incarnation.

The Legion of Christ's news on the ordinations is here.

Here's the story on Rome Reports
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The NY Encounter: 4 Days of conferences, presentations, artistic presentations and exhibits

2 Locations:

Manhattan Center (Friday - Sunday, January 14-16, 2011)
311 West 34th Street at 8th Avenue, NY, NY 10001

New Yorker Hotel (Monday, January 17, 2010)
581 Eighth Avenue at 34th Street, NY, NY 10001)


The New York Encounter intends to offer to a large audience opportunities for education, dialogue, and friendship through conferences, artistic performances, and exhibits. Its goal is to foster, in a friendly and welcoming setting, interest in the full spectra of reality and appreciation for what is beautiful, true, good, and worthwhile in various expressions of human life. This openness and desire are the one fruit of the education received in the Catholic Church.

The New York Encounter 2011 program: NY Encounter Program 2011.pdf

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The Tidings Brought to Mary

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Tidings Brought to Mary.jpgPaul Claudel's extraordinary play, "The Tidings Brought to Mary" will be presented by Blackfriars Repertory Theater and the Storm Theater.

Details:

Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street (at 8th Avenue), New York, NY 10001.


Paul Claudel's 1912 play is situated in 15th century France telling the story of two sisters of the Vercors family, one giving her life to God and the other focused on herself.

Monsignor Luigi Giussani said of the play, "The theme of 'The Tidings Brought to Mary' can be defined like this: love is the generator of the human person according to its total dimension; that is, to say, love is the generator of each person's story in that it generates a people."

Many have said that Tidings is challenging, thought-provoking and well-received. Until Blackfriars Theater produced the play in 2009, it had not been seen in NYC since 1923.

The text of "The Tidings Brought to Mary."

Read the Introduction to Tidings by Monsignor Luigi GiussaniTidings Brought to Mary Luigi Giussani Introduction.pdf

A review of the play

To purchase tickets visit this link. All tickets are picked up at the door.

Traces magazine

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During this giving season, we hope you will consider subscriptions for Traces magazine for your family, friends, and associates. Traces (Litterae Communionis) is the official magazine of the international Movement of Communion and Liberation and it is published in several languages. This unique gift broadens our horizons of awareness and personal conversion (conversion spoken of by Christ and strongly encouraged by Pope Benedict XVI).

The articles in Traces encourages us to make an evaluation on history, literature, politics, education, medicine, law, science and culture and describes our life in the Church in new and incisive ways, ways which help us to be more fully engaged in our own lives and in the society. Traces helps us life more fully our Catholic Faith. 

As Father Julián Carrón, head of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation (CL) suggested at a meeting with CL leaders this summer in La Thuile (Italy): "You must take the initiative that your life be pervaded by God because the substance of our happiness is this infinite enormous Love  which inclined itself over our nothingness."

Subscribe today ... bringing the words and experiences of "that which we hold most dear" into the hearts and homes of others!

For more information, contact Suzanne at stanzi@clhac.com.

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Follow Traces on Facebook.

CNS is reporting that the Pope will publish a set of documents against greed and financial improprieties. The Pope is responding to all types of financial/economic/legal questions and problems that the Church and her faithful face today. The Holy See has faced some strange politics regarding the use of money viz. the Italian state. It is a safe bet that what is likely to be said by His Holiness ought to be reflected upon by all peoples in the financial markets, especially in the parishes. Bishops and pastors have had done some naughty things with the Church's money in the past and that needs to be rectified now.

Rome Reports tells us that the Pope created the Vatican Central Bank. See the report here.


Saint Thomas Becket

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O God our redeemer, the Church was [is] strengthened by the blood of Thy martyr Saint Thomas Becket: so bind us, in life and in death, to the sacrifice of Christ, that our lives being broken and offered with his, we may carry his death and proclaim his resurrection in the world.

King Saint David, prophet

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Today is the feast of King David, the revered Old Testament king and prophet. The Orthodox Church remembers King David on December 26th. The Latin Church, however, does not typically commemorate David as a saint on the universal calendar but he is listed in the Roman Martyrology (2005)It is the Eastern Church that recalls and commemorates more seriously King David in the Liturgy than the Latin Liturgy does. In any event, the Roman Martyrology says:

Commemoratio sancti David, regis et prophetae, qu, filius Iesse Bethlehemitae, gratiam invenit ante Deum et oleo sancto a Samuele propheta unctus est, ut populum Israel regeret; in civitatem Ierusalem Arcam foederis Domini transtulit ac Dominus ipse mox ei iuravit semen eius in aeternum mansurum esse, eo quod ex ipso Iesus Christus secundum carnem nasciturus esset.

The translation: 

The commemoration of Holy David, king and prophet, who, the son of Jesus of Bethlehem, found favor before God was anointed with holy oil by the prophet Samuel, so that he might rule the people of Israel; he brought the ark of the Lord's covenant into the city of Jerusalem and the Lord vowed to him that his seed would endure forever; thus from it Jesus should be born according to the flesh.

We should recall what the Catechism says, "the shepherd who prays for his people and prays in their name" (2579), pointing to the figure of David at an OT figure of Jesus.

More on King Saint David can be found here.

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The Reverend Father John F. Harvey, OSFS, 92, died yesterday. He was the founder of Courage

Father Harvey's obit can be read here.

A year ago, Father Harvey gave a retreat to us at St Joseph's Seminary.

May his memory be eternal.

Holy Innocents

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There were innocent children slain instead of Christ, by a wicked ruler. Even the nursing babes were put to death. Spotless, they follow the Lamb Himself, and say forever: 

Glory be to You, O Lord!

New Heaven, New War

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Robert Southwell SJ.jpgOne of my favorite 16th century recusant poets is Saint Robert Southwell, an English Jesuit who preached the gospel in very trying circumstances. Southwell chose the obedience to be a Catholic priest in a country that outright persecuted Catholics and their priests. Ordained a Jesuit priest in 1584, his personal, theological and ministerial imagination, his human and divine calling, was to respond positively to a letter of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus of February 20, 1585 looking for missionaries to England. Southwell knew that his positive response to his religious superior would very likely end in martyrdom. Saint Robert Southwell's poetry is challenging for the 21st century ear but worth the work of coming to understand his art and message. One such poem is "New Heaven, New War" expressing the Mystery of the Incarnation of God in history, the birth of Jesus.

Come to your heaven, you heavenly quires!
Earth hath the heaven of your desires;
Remove your dwelling to your God,
A stall is now His best abode;
Sith men their homage do deny.
Come, angels, all their faults supply.

His chilling cold doth heat require,
Come, seraphim, in lieu of fire;
This little ark no cover hath,
Let cherubs' wings his body swathe;
Come, Raphael, this babe must eat,
Provide our little Toby meat.

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Thanks to JP Sonnen for this picture of His Eminence, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, JCD, following his singing the Pontifical Mass at the Church of St. Mary of Nazareth on Via di Boccea, Rome. The parish, staffed by the Franciscans of the Immaculate, is located west of Vatican City State in the Diocese of Porto-Sant Rufina, the historic suburbicarian diocese
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The worship of the Triune God is our single most important work. No other work of the faithful, laity and clergy alike, is equal to praise of God through the sacred Liturgy and personal prayer. Jason Horowitz of The Washington Post published an article on December 25, 2010, "Pope's master of liturgy helps Benedict restore traditions." Very interesting indeed. I, for one, am very grateful to Monsignor Guido Marini for the hard work he's done in helping the Church pray more authentically, particularly at the Liturgy celebrated by the Supreme Pontiff. A native of Genoa, born in 1965, Monsignor Marini is the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, a position he's had since October 1, 2007. In a previous incarnation Marini served Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi (now archbishop of Milan) and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, SDB, (now Secretary of State), both former archbishops of Genoa. He earned a doctorate in the psychology of communication and also holds the duel doctorate in canon and civil law.

In Rome on a rainy Christmas Eve, Pope Benedict XVI followed a procession of Swiss guards, bishops and priests down the central nave of St. Peter's Basilica to celebrate midnight Mass before dignitaries and a global television audience.

And Monsignor Guido Marini, as always, followed the pope.

A tall, reed-thin cleric with a receding hairline and wire-framed glasses, Marini, 45, perched behind the pope's left shoulder, bowed with him at the altar and adjusted the pontiff's lush robes. As Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, he shadows the pope's every move and makes sure that every candle, Gregorian chant and gilded vestment is exactly as he, the pope and God intended it to be.

Canizares.jpg Andrea Tornielli published an interview with Antonio Cardinal Cañizares Llovera, 65, from Spain, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship in Il Giornale, "Basta con la messa creativa, in chiesa silenzio e preghiera" ["Enough with the Creative Mass, in Church Silence and Prayer"].

You will want to read this very fascinating interview in Italian here. Shawn Tribe at the New Liturgical Movement blog has posted a translation of just a few paragraphs with the hope of posting a translation of the full interview in due time.

Father Z has provided what is likely the central point of the interview: 

Andrea Tornielli: How do you judge the state of Catholic liturgy in the world?

Cardinal Cañizares: "In view of a risk of the routine, in view of some confusion, impoverishment, and banality in singing and in sacred music, one can say that there is a certain crisis.  For this reason a new liturgical movement is urgent.  Benedict XVI, pointing to the example of St. Francis of Assisi, very devoted to the Most Holy Sacrament, explained that the true reformed is someone who obey the Faith: he doesn't act in an arbitrary way and doesn't claim for himself discretion over the rite.  He is not the master but the custodian of the treasure instituted by the Lord and entrusted to us.  The Pope asks, therefore, from our Congregation to promote a renewal in conformity with Vatican II in harmony with the liturgical tradition of the Church, without forgetting the Conciliare norm that orders not to introduce innovations when the true and verified need of the Church requires them, with the caution that new forms, in every case, must flow organically from those already in existence."
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This is John who reclined on the Lord's breast at the Supper. O blessed Apostle, to whom were revealed heavenly secrets! (Magnificat antiphon)

The Roman Martyrology speaks of John in this way: "Sixty-eight years after the passion and death of His Lord, he died at a ripe old age. He was buried near Ephesus." He was the lone of the 12 Apostles to die of natural causes, though he did suffer for Christ.

Perhaps no other of the Twelve than John has anyone been so close, so well-attuned to the Lord's life, love and mission. To John was given the responsibility to mind Mary, the Mother of Jesus and thus to guide the Church in her in abiding in the Lord. It is not lost on us that the symbol of Saint John the Evangelist is the eagle who scales the heights and keenly aware of all things. In John's case, he so sharply looks into reality and sees with profound depth the meaning of things.

About Saint John's self-giving sacrifice we read:
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Earlier today the Paul VI Audience Hall was the setting for lunch with 250 of Rome's economically and socially challenged people with Pope Benedict XVI. For him, it was an opportunity to meet Christ in brothers and sisters. The world, of course, is more interested in knowing what the papal guests ate. The newswires report that lasagna, veal and cake were on the menu. The Pope's friends for lunch are people who interface on a daily basis with the Missionaries of Charity, the group of sisters founded by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Blessed Teresa's 100th birthday is this year and the Pope wanted to acknowledge the greatness of the woman who focused our attention to those most loved by God and despised by the world.

Dear friends,

I'm very happy to be here today with you, and I extend warm greetings to the Reverend Mother General of the Missionaries of Charity, to the priests, sisters, contemplative brothers and all of you here to enjoy this brotherly moment together.

The Holy Family

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This mosaic of the Holy Family is located in the Chapel at the Saint Peter Canisius, the Jesuit House of Writers located on the Borgo Spirito Santo, Rome. The mosaic is by Father Mark Rupnik, S.J. and the artisans of the Centro Alleti (Rome) December 23, 2007. Father Rupnik inspiration were the Contemplations on the Incarnation and the Nativity from Saint Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises.

In the Exercises we read about the Nativity. "The first point is [for me] to see the persons, that is, to see our Lady, and Joseph, and the servant girl (the ancilla, the handmaid), and the infant Jesus after he is born, making myself a poor little fellow and unworthy little slave boy, looking at them, contemplating them, and serving them in their needs as if I were there present, with all possible respect and reverence." 

A version of Father Rupnik's Holy Family mosaic is found in the Holy Family Chapel at the Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council, New Haven, Connecticut. 

Tom Jones' Praise & Blame

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Tom Jones.jpgSir Tom Jones, 70, the legendary Welsh born musician known for "She's a Lady" and "Sex Bomb" released a new album that can't be missed. Jones was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006. His July 2010 album "Praise and Blame", his 36th album, is strongly influenced by the genres of gospel, rock, country, and the blues and it has received a critical review.

The music reviewer of the LA Times put Jones' album in the top 5. For me, Jones has a great voice that needs to be savored.

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Some say that Sir Jones did his best work in recent decades with "Praise and Blame" and it as the singer's "rebirth." You can't miss the remake of one of Bob Dylan's songs, "Oh Mercy."

"Praise and Blame" has gotten the attention of the media in Rome: watch a video clip on Tom Jones's newest work.
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An old Roman custom is reverencing the baby Jesus. One approaches the figure of the Christ child to bestow a kiss, often kissing the foot of the figure. It is a captivating gesture of recognition of the birth of the Savior.

Thanks to JP Sonnen for the picture.
St Stephen Sermon Fra Angelico.jpgIn the blood of the holy Levite Stephen "the Church dedicates the first-fruits of martyrdom" to the King of martyrs.

The day following Christmas, December 26, is observed liturgically by the Church as Saint Stephen's Day. Saint Stephen's feast is located so close to Christmas because of his very close connection with the Lord. Stephen is the first martyr --the protomartyr-- of the New Testament (See Acts 6-7).

Today in 2010, the liturgical observance of Sunday is maintained as the Lord's Day and is not trumped by a saint's feast. The overlaying of the Holy Family feast today --observed on the Sunday following Christmas-- doesn't replace the Sunday observance nor the Scripture readings but today is the feast of the Holy Family and it is a rich feast nonetheless. But we don't forget Saint Stephen!

The Polish children would imitate the stoning of Stephen by throwing walnuts at each other. In agricultural countries horses and horse food (hay and oats, and salt) are blessed. In the UK, Saint Stephen's day is also known as "boxing day" because priests in medieval times they gave alms collected in Church to the poor. All shared in the Lord's blessings. This charitable gesture of the priests was adopted by the laity who also gave alms to the poor. What you see here is the beauty of the gospel preached by Jesus and the Apostles realized in concrete ways. Money is counted and given freely, hence the breaking of the alms boxes became known as "boxing day" because it was an invitation to be mindful of the less fortunate. German children had piggy banks made of clay taking on the same sensibility as the British children knew. The Germans sometimes call today the "pig's feast" because the clay pig bank was broken to gain access to the monetary savings to be given to others in need.

Verbum caro factum est - The Word became flesh (Jn 1:14).

Pope waves Dec 25 2010.jpgDear brothers and sisters listening to me here in Rome and throughout the world, I joyfully proclaim the message of Christmas: God became man; he came to dwell among us. God is not distant: he is "Emmanuel", God-with-us. He is no stranger: he has a face, the face of Jesus.

This message is ever new, ever surprising, for it surpasses even our most daring hope. First of all, because it is not merely a proclamation: it is an event, a happening, which credible witnesses saw, heard and touched in the person of Jesus of Nazareth! Being in his presence, observing his works and hearing his words, they recognized in Jesus the Messiah; and seeing him risen, after his crucifixion, they were certain that he was true man and true God, the only-begotten Son come from the Father, full of grace and truth (cf. Jn 1:14).

The commemoration of the Nativity of the Lord in all places of the world moves my heart as it does for all people of good will. More than ever the Christmas observance in Baghdad at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, the place of the brutal killings of Christians --laity and clergy alike-- on October 31, 2010.
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May the newborn Savior, Jesus --Emmanuel-- lead us more deeply into our humanity
and to perfect union with God the Father.
Christ draws us to Himself through beauty. Beauty in the sacred Liturgy, in music, words, human gesture, the human body, indeed, through His own birth. Here the Pope tells us again that the birth of the Savior, the Incarnation of the Word, i.e., God, really happened in history; it is a fact, not a legend or a pious myth. The birth of Jesus is not "a just nice" story and it is normative for all of humanity, all of history. The following is Pope Benedict XVI's homily given tonight at Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City State, Rome.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

"You are my son, this day I have begotten you" with this passage from Psalm 2 the Church begins the liturgy of this holy night. She knows that this passage originally formed part of the coronation rite of the kings of Israel.

The king, who in himself is a man like others, becomes the "Son of God" through being called and installed in his office. It is a kind of adoption by God, a decisive act by which he grants a new existence to this man, drawing him into his own being.

The reading from the prophet Isaiah that we have just heard presents the same process even more clearly in a situation of hardship and danger for Israel: "To us a child is born, to us a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulder" (Is 9:6).

Installation in the office of king is like a second birth. As one newly born through God's personal choice, as a child born of God, the king embodies hope. On his shoulders the future rests. He is the bearer of the promise of peace.

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On that night in Bethlehem this prophetic saying came true in a way that would still have been unimaginable at the time of Isaiah. Yes indeed, now it really is a child on whose shoulders government is laid. In him the new kingship appears that God establishes in the world. This child is truly born of God.
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Father Julián Carrón, the head of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, gave this message for Christmas. He writes from Milan, Italy.

In the mystery of the Incarnation, man and history

"That Christianity gives joy and breadth is also a thread that runs through my whole life. Ultimately someone who is always only in opposition could probably not endure life at all" (Light of the World, part 1). These words of Benedict XVI challenge us to ask ourselves what it means to be Christians today. Continuing to believe simply out of devotion, habit, or tradition, withdrawing into one's shell, does not meet the challenge. Similarly, reacting strongly and going on the offensive in order to recover lost territory is insufficient; the Pope even says that it would be unendurable.  Neither path -withdrawing from the world or opposing it- are capable of arousing interest in Christianity, because neither respects what will always be the canon of the Christian announcement: the Gospel. Jesus entered the world with a capacity to attract that fascinated the people of His time. As Péguy said, "He did not waste His years groaning and demanding explanations of the wickedness of the times. He cut through ... making Christianity." Christ introduced into history a human presence so fascinating that anyone who ran into it had to take it into consideration, had to reject it or accept it. No one was left indifferent.

Much discussion has surfaced about the excommunicated nun, Sr. Margaret McBride, for assisting in the 2009 abortion at St Joseph's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ.

Canonist Edward N. Peter's wrote a piece on his blog, In the Light of the Law, "Toward clarifying the canonical status of Sr. Margaret McBride."

I think Dr. Peter's is clear. Don't you?
A thorny matter of faith and morals between a bishop and a historic "Catholic" hospital has been settled: the hospital is no longer a Catholic hospital. Mass is not permitted to be celebrated there and the Blessed Sacrament can't be reserved there. Phoenix's St Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center whose owner is Catholic Healthcare West (CWH) defied Catholic teaching and the authority of the Catholic bishop in whose diocese the hospital is located. St Joseph's is one of several hospitals in Phoenix, Arizona. For Catholics, the bishop of the diocese is the final authority on matters of faith and morals; the bishop is not a branch manager, he is the successor of the Apostles.

Contrary to an editorial in the NY Times today, hospitals who claim to be Catholic are not agents of the state and therefore are not bound to comply with legalities to provide emergency reproductive care.

St Joseph's Hospital was founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1895.

In Catholic teaching we hold that no one, no institution is the authentic interpreter of faith and morals but the bishop. In this case, The Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmstead, Bishop of Phoenix, is the proper teacher and interpreter of Catholic teaching with regard to the faithful and Catholic institutions in the Diocese of Phoenix. But let's be clear: it is not Bishop Olmstead's isolated interpretation of Catholic teaching nor is Catholic teaching determined by him as a private body of teaching and interpreted arbitrarily. What we see in Bishop Olmstead is a man faithful to his word, a priest acting according to his calling and ordination. Catholic teaching is not a policy statement; Catholic teaching coheres to objective and divine truth not to positive law. Catholic teaching is based on sacred Scripture, sacred Tradition and the clear and consistent teaching of the sacred Magisterium through the years. It is the Church's theological and pastoral patrimony that the bishop is responsible for because he's responsible for the salvation of souls in his diocese. He's responsible to see that the faithful and all others meet God face-to-face.

Fr Savio Hon Tai-fai.jpgThe Pope named Father Savio Hon Tai-fai, a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco, 60, the Archbishop Secretary to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (the Vatican office responsible for missionary efforts). Archbishop-elect is a native of Hong Kong was ordained a priest 28 years ago. He's well-regarded as a person, a good priest and an accomplished teacher and author; Hon has served on the International Theological Commission.

The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples was founded by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 with the decree (papal bull) Inscrutabili Divinae Providentiae and was known until 1982 as the Propaganda Fide

The new archbishop will assist His Eminence, Ivan Cardinal Dias, who serves as the Cardinal Prefect.

O Antiphon: O Emmanuel

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Mystical Nativity SBotticelli.jpgO Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God (Is 7:14; 33:22).

All is fulfilled now in Jesus. In the previous days you would have noticed the Messiah as he was expected in the Scriptures. Today, we address Jesus with the title given by God, Emmanuel --"God with us."

The promise of God the Father pitching His among us is known so clearly in the Incarnation of the Word. This antiphon is the climax of all expectations for a Savior who ushers in a new time in history where everything, everything is reversed (see the Prophet Isaiah). "The very term Emmanuel, God with us, reveals the kindly, human heart of Jesus --He wants to be one of us, a Child of man, with all our human weakness and suffering; He wants to experience how hard it is to be man. He wants to remain with us to the end, He wants to dwell within us, He wants to make us share His nature" (Pius Parsch). Come, Lord, Jesus.

Note of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

On the trivilization of sexuality regarding

certain interpretations of Light of the World

Following the publication of the interview-book Light of the World by Benedict XVI, a number of erroneous interpretations have emerged which have caused confusion concerning the position of the Catholic Church regarding certain questions of sexual morality. The thought of the Pope has been repeatedly manipulated for ends and interests which are entirely foreign to the meaning of his words - a meaning which is evident to anyone who reads the entire chapters in which human sexuality is treated. The intention of the Holy Father is clear: to rediscover the beauty of the divine gift of human sexuality and, in this way, to avoid the cheapening of sexuality which is common today.

Some interpretations have presented the words of the Pope as a contradiction of the traditional moral teaching of the Church. This hypothesis has been welcomed by some as a positive change and lamented by others as a cause of concern - as if his statements represented a break with the doctrine concerning contraception and with the Church's stance in the fight against AIDS. In reality, the words of the Pope - which specifically concern a gravely disordered type of human behaviour, namely prostitution (cf. Light of the World, pp. 117-119) - do not signify a change in Catholic moral teaching or in the pastoral practice of the Church.


O Antiphon: O King

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King David Fra Angelico.jpgO Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the Gentiles and their desired One, the Cornerstone that makes both one: Come, and deliver man, whom You formed out of the dust of the earth (Is 9:7; 2;4; Ps 2:7-8, Eph 2:14-20).

Considering Pius Parsch's reflections, "The antiphon should provoke enthusiasm for the conversion of pagans. Try to realize how ardently Christ desires that we carry the gospel to non-Catholics [and today even to Catholics poorly catechized]; to all of us, directly or indirectly, His apostolic commission is addressed. Each one of us can at least pray for the conversion of those still ignorant of Christ."

In Jesus, the unity of believers, Jew and Gentile, is known. He's spoken of as the cornerstone: the peacemaker where as Saint Paul said "There is neither Jew nor Greek; neither slave nor free person, there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:29).

St John the Baptist & St Dominic.jpgLast week the novices of the Order of Friars Preachers --the Dominicans of the Province of Saint Joseph-- heard the following talk by Dominican Father André-Joseph LaCasse. Father LaCasse is the pastor of the Church of Saint Gertrude, Cincinnati, OH. I am not a Dominican but I have great affection for the Dominican vocation and many friends are of that persuasion, however many readers of this blog are not Dominicans. So, I thought after reading LaCasse's talk there is something we can all be helped by what was said about the fraternal life the Dominican Order. In my estimation Father LaCasse's thoughts are applicable to all states of the Christian life: the single person, the married couple, the Capuchin, the secular priest, bishop, etc. In the School of Community (of CL) we've been working on Father Luigi Giussani's notion of charity and sacrifice and are about to start the section on virginity. And I ask myself: How is it that as a Christian I live in a state of perpetual discernment of faith, hope and charity through a life of sacrifice? In what concrete ways do I live honestly? Well, I'm off to confession to find that out. You?

You are privileged here because you live with friars who have lived this life for quite some time. In our community we have two jubiliarians, one who is close to being a jubiliarian, and the rest of us who have lived this life for over twenty years. Our lives as religious is a steady progress towards perfection, but a perfection that experiences many imperfections along the way. Our lives are not extraordinary. None of us has won prestige. None of us is in the limelight. We live ordinary lives of consecration, hoping that we can do our best to advance the cause of Jesus Christ and his Church.

The Dominican life is a life of prayer, study, and the apostolate. Most days are ordinary days where you are called to be simple servants of the Church. Do you desire to be a servant? Are you willing to die to your own desires in order to do the desire of God manifested through the will of our superiors? In a real sense you will not be able to answer this question until something is asked of you that takes real sacrifice and humility. But still the question needs to be asked now: Am I willing to die to myself and become a servant of the Church? The question needs to be answered now because from the very beginning of your discernment you must be brutally honest with yourself.

St Joseph & Jesus.jpgIn the Season of Advent there are so many people to emulate: Jesus, Mary, the martyrs, various other saints, and Joseph in particular. Saint Joseph factors into Catholicism so much that one can reasonably ask, Can any good Catholic not pay attention to Saint Joseph? Obviously not. I took as my oblation name with the Benedictine oblates "Meinrad-Joseph" primarily because of the virtues of Saint Meinrad and for the devotion shown by Joseph for Jesus; in taking the name Meinrad-Joseph I honor my father, Edward Joseph.

The Pope spoke on Sunday at the Angelus on the great foster father of Jesus and the patron saint
against doubt, cabinetmakers, Canada, carpenters, China, confectioners, craftsmen, dying people, engineers, families, fathers, happy death, holy death, house hunters, Korea, laborers, Mexico, New France, people in doubt, Peru, pioneers, protector of the Church, social justice, travelers, Universal Church, Vatican II, Viet Nam, workers, working people. AND now the Pope adds pastors to this list under Saint Joseph's care.

At Sunday's Angelus Pope Benedict XVI had this to say about Saint Joseph:

Christ in the Carpenter GLaTour.jpgO Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

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. Psalm 19:6-7.  (Ps 19:6-7; Is 9:2).

Lost on us today by-and-large is the cosmological connections with Jesus as not only Son of God but also the Sun of Justice. Often I say that salvation comes from the East, the where we see the Rising Sun. This is not unique to me: the our parents in the Faith in Jesus knew this intimately because of their connection with the land, and the heavens. No doubt that today the Church gives us this antiphon on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Astronomically we, as Catholics, are aware that God works in and through creation. Architecturely, Christians in Rome built churches that accounted for the sun with not only its usefulness in growing vegetables but energy and light, taking up the ancient liturgical (theological) metaphor noted in today's antiphon: Christ is the Dayspring, the Dawn of the East. Christ is Light from Light, as stated in the Creed. Those who pray the Divine Office will recall that in the Canticle of Zachary --the Benedictus-- pray the words of St Luke: "the Dawn from on high"; He will give light to those who live in darkness, those who dwell in the shadow of death.

It is only Jesus who dispels the darkness of the world (temporally) and mystically (spiritually). And that's why we face East in the sacred Liturgy, and that is why the priest ought to face East when praying the Mass. 

Pope & Ambassadors.jpgIf you are following the daily work of the Pope you'll notice that his schedule is often filled with meeting important people. Ambassadors are but one such group of important people that build relationships between the Pope (and the Holy See) with a respective nation. From my perspective I am interested in the workings of the US Ambassador to the Holy See, Dr. Miguel Humberto Dias, but I have an interest in what others are doing, too, because of the universality of the Church and needs of humanity.

Happy Winter

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Winter's here! Just in case you didn't puck up on the clues....

O Antiphon: O Key of David

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Nativity detail GDavid.jpgO Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Key of David and Sceptre of the House of Israel, who opens and no one can shut, who shuts and no one can open (Is 22:22; Rev 3:7): Come and bring the prisoners forth from the prison cell, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death (Is 42:7; Ps 106:13-14; Lk 1:9)

For Jews reading (hearing) this will notice that Jesus makes the claim that he is God, precisely for us, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity. The image of the "Key of David" is a clear indication of God and His holy name. As Pius Parsch reminds us, "It should, then, be perfectly obvious that Christ is the "Key of David," i.e., the One who opens all the secrets and mysteries of the Old Testament. The sceptre implies a true fullness of power over God's kingdom."
The annual papal address to the laity, sisters, brothers, priests, bishops and cardinals (the Roman Curia) who serve the Church in the various offices at the Holy See and Vatican that make the Pope's ministry possible. It is long, but it is breath-taking. Read, prayer, and change accordingly.

Address by the Holy Father on the occasion of Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia

20 December 2010

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It gives me great pleasure to be here with you, dear Members of the College of Cardinals and Representatives of the Roman Curia and the Governatorato, for this traditional gathering. I extend a cordial greeting to each one of you, beginning with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, whom I thank for his sentiments of devotion and communion and for the warm good wishes that he expressed to me on behalf of all of you. Prope est jam Dominus, venite, adoremus! As one family let us contemplate the mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, as the Cardinal Dean has said. I gladly reciprocate his good wishes and I would like to thank all of you most sincerely, including the Papal Representatives all over the world, for the able and generous contribution that each of you makes to the Vicar of Christ and to the Church.

Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni. Repeatedly during the season of Advent the Church's liturgy prays in these or similar words. They are invocations that were probably formulated as the Roman Empire was in decline. The disintegration of the key principles of law and of the fundamental moral attitudes underpinning them burst open the dams which until that time had protected peaceful coexistence among peoples. The sun was setting over an entire world. Frequent natural disasters further increased this sense of insecurity. There was no power in sight that could put a stop to this decline. All the more insistent, then, was the invocation of the power of God: the plea that he might come and protect his people from all these threats.

A Social Network Christmas

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My Mom sent me these two digital Christmas videos. See one and another here. Enjoy watching...

Over 2 million views thus far. Happy Advent!
Wuerl2.jpgA recent interview with Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, concerning various issues relating to Anglicans seeking to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church was published the other day. Wuerl fills in some gaps in the process and hope that has been generated by Pope Benedict's motu proprio Anglicanorum Coetibus. Recall that the Pope named Wuerl and 2 other bishops to head a task force that would evaluate and offer guidance to interested Anglicans. Those Anglicans seeking communion with the Roman Church, and live in the USA, ought to write to Cardinal Wuerl. The cardinal is aided by Father Hurd, himself a former Anglican minister now an ordained Catholic priest.

The interview was published by the Catholic Standard on December 17, 2010.

On another front, an Australian newspaper believes that about 1000 members of the Church of Australia will swim the Tiber. The article really offers no new information, but it is interesting to note how focussed the liberal media is on issue of women's ordination as being the central issue for Anglicans entering the Catholic Church.

O Antiphon: O Root of Jesse

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Master of ames IV of Scotland MS Ludwig IX.jpgO Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse (Ac 13:22-23), standing as a sign to the peoples (Is 11:10), before whom kings shall shut their mouths (Is 52:15), and whom the nations shall seek (1 Kings 10:24; 2 Chr 9:23): Come and deliver us and do not delay (Hab 2:3; Rev 22:20)!

The prophet saw the rebuilding of a destroyed Israel and foretold a Messiah, a twig of hope from the line of David. As Pius Parsch said, "The bulk of the anitphon is devoted to a description of the kingdom. The small twig becomes the unifying principle about which the nations will gather like soldiers and citizens about their flag. With yearning the peoples will assemble around Him, will turn and acknowledge Him as Ruler. The Messiah's glory will be so great that even kings will stand dumstruck in wonder and awe."
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Earlier today at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI re-opened the Apostolic Library following a three year, 11.5 million dollar renovation. The Library's more modern work began with Pope Nicholas V providing space for Latin, Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, updated its climate controls, security and fixed structural problems. The Pope spent an hour exploring the library. In the Pope's mind, the Library is a crucial tool in his ministry as the successor of Saint Peter and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God on earth because it takes seriously humanity and the human search for God. The Vatican's Library is said to have 150 thousand manuscripts, a million printed books, 300,00 coins and medals and more than a 100 thousand prints and engravings. Some papal thoughts of November 9, 2010 follow:

Eminent place of the historical memory of the universal Church, in which are kept venerable testimonies of the handwritten tradition of the Bible, the Vatican Library is but another reason to be the object of the care and concern of the Popes. From its origins it conserves the unmistakable, truly "catholic," universal openness to everything that humanity has produced in the course of the centuries that is beautiful, good, noble, worthy (cf. Philippians 4:8); the breadth of mind with which in time it gathered the loftiest fruits of human thought and culture, from antiquity to the Medieval age, from the modern era to the 20th century. Nothing of all that is truly human is foreign to the Church, which because of this has always sought, gathered, conserved, with a continuity that few equal, the best results of men of rising above the purely material toward the search, aware or unaware, of the Truth.

O Antiphon: O Wisdom

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O Sapinetia quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter sauviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, you came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and reached from end to end, and disposed of all things sweetly and mightly: come and teach us the way of prudence

You can hear the Great O Antiphons here...

I absolutely love this part of Advent as our liturgical sensibility starts to be centrally focussed on the birth of the Savior, Emmanuel. At Vespers the antiphon for the Magnificat hymn in the Divine Office shows us  the solemnity of the next days. The first antiphon is noted above in Latin and in English. Each of the antiphons appeals to the Old Testament types given to tell of the coming of the Messiah. The OT typology indicates the new dispensation of grace. Today, we ask for a new sense of prudence rooted in Christ.

And NOW we are able to sing the famous Advent hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. It is only tonight that singing the hymn makes any real sense as opposed to singing it when Advent begins, a common mistake.

I was reading a bit on Advent in Father Pius Parsch's The Church's Year of Grace:

"Come, teach us the way of prudence! What an all-embracing petition! Make us perfect Christians, Christians who are wholly penetrated --mind, will, and emotions-- with the leaven of Christianity. Make us true Christian personalities who combine strength  with gentleness. Make us strong in battle against hell, the world and self; make us glow with the love of God and neighbor! Enable us to show virile courage, and heroism unto martyrdom. Enable us to show the virgin gentleness and sweetness of a bride. In this sense we pray, "Thy kingdom come!" All this is part of our yearning plea, Come! teach us the way of prudence.

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The Byzantine Church honors many Old Testament prophets and holy people that the Church in the West recognizes but does not commemorate in the sacred Liturgy, though the Roman Martyrology noted the holy youths yesterday. I actually think we ought to honor the OT figures as saints in our Liturgy, but greater minds will have to make that decision. Being faithful to the Divine Office you'll recall that we pray the Canticle of the Three Youths (Daniel 3:57-88; 56) at Lauds at Sunday I. The pertinent section of the canticle follows:


O Israel, bless the Lord. Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord. Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;  Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord. Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael (Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego), bless the Lord; Praise and exalt him above all forever. Let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost; Let us praise and exalt God above all forever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven; Praiseworthy and glorious forever.

ad orientem.jpgA friend started a few years ago, after doing the required study and catechesis, to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass facing East, or if you will, facing God. Father Kirby argues well his case for a priest to offer Mass suing the ad orientem gesture. And for goodness sake, don't call it "Mass with the priest's back to the congregation." It only shows ignorance of a proper liturgical tradition to say such. This aspect praying the Mass is met with fear and anger from bishops and seminary professors, not to mention pastors and laity that has more to do with a lack of understanding of liturgical prayer and too often agenda-ladened.

Father Mark Daniel Kirby lists 10 good reasons why a priest ought to celebrate Mass in the more venerable and correct way of celebrating the Mass:

1. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is experienced as having a theocentric direction and focus.
2. The faithful are spared the tiresome clerocentrism that has so overtaken the celebration of Holy Mass in the past forty years.
3. It has once again become evident that the Canon of the Mass (Prex Eucharistica) is addressed to the Father, by the priest, in the name of all.


Thumbnail image for BXVI arms.jpgThe Pope released his message for the World Day of Peace today which celebrates the XLIV World Day of Peace. It's a New Year message all peoples. The themes of the message are:

  • the nature of religious freedom
  • the right to religious freedom
  • religious freedom is a duty of public authority
  • religious freedom and the search for truth
  • religious freedom and identity
  • communal dimension of religious freedom
  • religious freedom and dialogue
  • religious freedom and the state
  • religious freedom is motivated by solidarity and not reciprocity
  • religious freedom and the missionary charge

Evangelization and the carrying out the missionary charge, then, do not contradict and oppose the sense of religious freedom. Rather evangelization stirs up the religious freedom of every person and drives it towards the truth that saves, in the hope that persons in their religious freedom would desire it and embrace it. In the embrace of the truth that saves, all religious freedom enjoys the peace that, on earth, is bestowed "on all on whom his favour rests"!


Rome Reports covers the story

Cardinal Peter Turkson and Bishop Mario Taso's presentation of the message

Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. 200-300 million Christians face persecution yearly. 7 of out 10 can't live in freedom with the faith. And about 150 thousand are killed for being Christian. The countries which are known to not respect Christians are: Myanmar (Burma), China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Uzbekistan, Eritrea.
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This is a must see video on the life of the Canons of Klosterneuburg, some of whom are moving to the Rockville Centre in the Spring 2011. The producer of the video, Jason Fudge, did a terrific job in making "Life Around the Collar."

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The Canons Regular of St. Augustine of the Klosterneuburg is one of the oldest Latin Rite orders. The canons live together in community and take three vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. Because of this, many times they are confused with monks who live a cloistered, contemplative life. However, the canonical life is clerical and engages in public ministry of liturgy and sacraments for those who visit their churches.

As one of Austria's oldest and most historically important orders, the order has been traditionally Austrian. However in the last 20 years, people outside of Austria have decided to take the solemn vow to become a canon at the monastery.

For almost 900 years a monastery in Austria has been devoted to preserving a religious life, culture and science. The origin dates back to Margrave Leopold III when he founded the monastery in 1114. In 1133, the Canons Regular of St. Augustine were summoned to develop the monastery. Alongside the canons' devotion to religion, they also viewed it their duty to preserve culture and art. Since its foundation, the monastery has grown to be one of the wealthiest monasteries and owns the largest private scholarly library in the country.

Saint John of the Cross

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"My sole occupation is love," Saint John of the Cross said.

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Para venir a gustarlo todo,
    no quieras tener gusto en nada;
para venir a poseerlo todo,
    no quieras poseer algo en nada;
para venir a serlo todo,
    no quieras ser algo en nada;

para venir a saberlo todo,
    no quieras saber algo en nada;
para venir a lo que no gustas,
    has de ir por donde no gustas;
para venir a lo que no sabes,
   has de ir por donde no sabes;
para venir a lo que no posees,
   has de ir por donde no posees;
para venir a lo que no eres,
   has de ir por donde no eres.

(San Juan de la Cruz - Subida 1,13,11)
Whitney Jones for ENI, wrote that "America's Eastern Orthodox Parishes have grown 16% in the past decade, in part because of a settled immigrant community according to new research." Her article follows:

Alexei Krindatch, research consultant for the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, said the 16 percent growth in the number of  Orthodox parishes is "a fairly high ratio for religious groups in the United States," Religion News Service reports. 

The number of Orthodox parishes has reached 2,370, and the Orthodox community in America consists of more than 1 million adherents across 20 different church bodies, according to the 2010 U.S. Orthodox Census.

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The top five largest Orthodox churches in the United States are Greek Orthodox (476,900), Orthodox Church in America (84,900), Antiochian Orthodox (74,600), Serbian Orthodox (68,800) and Russian Orthodox (27,700).

Two of these church bodies - the Bulgarian Orthodox Eastern Diocese and the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese - experienced a growth rate of more than 100 percent. Both churches began with a small number of parishes in 2000 and are supported by a community of established eastern European immigrants.

Eternal Father, we place before you the project of forming the Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. We thank you for this initiative of Pope Benedict XVI, and we ask that, through the Holy Spirit, the Ordinariates may become:

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families of charity, peace and the service of the poor, centres for Christian unity and reconciliation, communities that welcome and evangelize, teaching the Faith in all its fullness, celebrating the liturgy and sacraments with prayerful reverence and maintaining a distinctive patrimony of Christian faith and culture.

Drawing on that heritage we pray:

Go before us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun, continued and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

V.  Our Lady of Walsingham.
R.  Pray for us as we claim your motherly care.

V.  Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus.
R.  Pray for us as we place this work under your patronage.

V.  Blessed John Henry Newman
R.  Pray that Christ's Heart may speak unto our hearts.

V.  Saints and Martyrs of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and North America.

R.  Pray for us and accompany us on our pilgrim way.

Where is heaven?

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Heaven does not belong to the geography of space, but to the geography of the heart. And the heart of God, during the Holy Night, stooped down to the stable: the humility of God is Heaven. And if we approach this humility, then we touch Heaven. Then the Earth too is made new. With the humility of the shepherds, let us set out, during this Holy Night, towards the Child in the stable! Let us touch God's humility, God's heart! Then his joy will touch us and will make the world more radiant. Amen.

Pope Benedict XVI
Christmas Homily, 2007

The Catholic Church in Ireland is facing what we in the USA continue to face and the Church in parts of the world also face or will face: sin. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, is working overtime to renew himself and the Church he leads to a deeper contrition and to a renewed sense of mission as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Like Saint John the Baptist, Archbishop Martin tells us clearly that self-centeredness and arrogance are not legitimate virtues for Catholics to allow to dwell in the heart and in the way one acts. What the Archbishop says about his Church can be said of us personally, and the Church in the USA. Time to change!!!! As the Baptist says, "I must decrease and He --Jesus-- must increase.

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The Gospel of this morning's Mass recalls that great figure: John the Baptist. John's task was to announce the coming of Jesus. He was called to reawaken a sense of expectation among a people that had grown tired and distant from God. He was called to bring renewal to institutional expressions of religion which, at the time, had so often become fossilised into mere formulae or external ritual. John's work was extraordinary. He attracted thousands to come out into the desert to see him.  He wrought conversion on a vast scale.

John was a man who stood out. His strange dress - the wild camel hair and the leather girdle - was not chosen as a publicity gimmick or a trademark.  His message was one that spoke of rising above conventional ways of thinking, conventional expectations and attitudes.  He shunned the external amenities of a comfortable life because he wanted to show his absolute dependence on God. His detachment from life's comforts gave him the freedom to truly recognise the message of Jesus.

The figure of John serves as a warning to us today, to all believers, to the Church and to Church organizations of every age of our need to draw our strength from Christ alone, rather than from identifying with the cultural patterns and fashions of the day, which in any case come and go.

Philip Hannan needs prayers

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Archbishop Philip Matthew Hannan, 97, the highly revered archbishop emeritus of New Orleans, is failing in health but taking treatment at home.

The Archbishop was born in Washington, DC in 1913, ordained priest for Baltimore-Washington in 1939. In 1956, Hannan was ordained a bishop and appointed an auxiliary bishop of Washington before being elected the Archbishop of New Orleans in 1965 serving until 1988. He attended 4 sessions of the Second Vatican Council.

He needs to be sustained with our prayers.

Read the story...

Legion of Christ orders changes

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The Legion of Christ in recent days has been making some changes to its way of proceeding. The other day, for example, the pontifical delegate Cardinal Velasio de Paolis, CS, named the committee that will examine and re-write the congregation's constitutions (Fathers Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ, Agostino Montan, CSI, and 4 LC priests --Roberto Aspe Hinojosa, Anthony Bannon, José García Sentandreu and Gabriel Sotres).

On December 6 but made public on the 11th, a decree was sent to the order's superiors regarding the following:

  • a new way of referring to Father Marcial Maciae: either as "the founder of the Legion of Christ & Regnum Christi" or just "Father Maciel";
  • photos of Father Maciel in public places are to be removed but given personal freedom, individuals are free to keep his image privately;
  • no dates concerning Father Maciel will be celebrated; the date of his death with be a day of prayer;
  • Father Maciel's writings and talks will not be for sale in any of the congregation's houses or works but a preacher may use Maciel's works appropriately;
  • the place of internment of Father Maciel will be treated as a place of burial, nothing else;
  • retreat centers in Cotija will be places of prayer, reparation  and expiation of sin.
The Associated Press is running this story today, which does add more to the news release of the congregation but it does show the news is getting around.

As always, we beg the Holy Spirit to guide the seminarians in the discernment to follow the Lord in the vocation given.

Pope Benedict visits a parish in his diocese a few times a year as any good bishop would do. Yesterday, Gaudete Sunday, he visited the parish community of Saint Maximilian Kolbe. Here are few paragraphs of the Pope's homily.

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Together with all of you I admire this new church and the parish buildings and with my presence I desire to encourage you to realize in an ever better way the Church of living stones that you yourselves are. I know the many and significant efforts at evangelization that you are engaged in. I exhort all of the faithful to make your own contribution to the building up of the community, in particular in the field of catechesis, the liturgy and charity -- pillars of the Christian life -- in communion with the whole Diocese of Rome. No community can live as a cell that is isolated from the diocesan context; it must rather be a living expression of the beauty of the Church that, under the bishop's leadership -- and in the parish, under the pastor's leadership -- walks in communion toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

Saint Lucy, martyr

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In your patience, O Lucy, you possessed your soul; you have hated the things of this world, O bride of Christ, and so received glory among the angels; you vanquished the adversary, O martyr, with your own blood.

(Magnificat Antiphon, First Vespers of St. Lucy)


Today is a good day to remember in prayer before Saint Lucy the people of Sicily, those who live with blindness, diseases of the eye, salesmen and for my friend and seminarian Ken Dagliere on his birthday.

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Since the beginning of Benedictine monasticism monks and nuns have written original works of art that were used in the monastery library or assisting the praying community. Some of the monks and nuns copied existing manuscripts in order to have copies of a text in their own monastery or to send to other people. The Benedictine way of life creates new things and it preserves others. Kindles and iPads are somewhat foreign concepts in a culture that's manual, personal and original. But modern means ought not be totally dismissed as incongruent to the old ways of doing things.

The monks of Saint John's Abbey and University have commissioned the Saint John's Bible, the first handwritten, Illuminated Bible, the first work of this type in 500 years, that is, since the advent of the printing press. Certainly, the monks are leaving their mark on Catholic culture in the US for centuries to come. The artists commenced in 1998 with the idea of igniting the theological, liturgical and spiritual imagination of all people. The Saint John's Bible illuminates the Word of God for the 21st century.

The dimensions of Saint John's Bible is a manuscript that stands 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide when open. The head calligrapher is Donald Jackson, the calligrapher to Queen Elizabeth II. Jackson proposed the idea to Benedictine Father Eric Hollas who then waited three months before proposing the idea to Abbot John and the monks of Saint John's. It's written on vellum, using quills, natural hand-made inks, hand-ground pigments and gold leaf while incorporating various 21st century themes, images and technology. Artwork includes images of the World Trade Center towers, ashen skulls recalling the Cambodian killing fields, flora and fauna of Minnesota

On April 24, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI received the Books of Wisdom literature of the Saint John Bible and said it was  "a work of art, a great work of art" and w "work for eternity."

More info on the Bible project can be seen here.

Portions of the Saint John's Bible is on display at The Church of Saint Paul the Apostle (9th Avenue & West 59th Street, NYC) until December 17.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

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Most Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Dominique Rey.jpgThe Most Reverend Dominique Rey, Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon, announced today that he is sponsoring an international conference on Eucharistic Adoration to be held in Rome, Italy, 20-23 June 2011: Adoratio 2011: From Adoration to Evangelization.

The Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist, a community founded in 2007 Bishop Rey is doing the organizing of the conference.

In the words of Bishop Rey: "The first condition for the new evangelization is adoration." No truer words have been spoken. And as we know so well, Eucharistic Adoration is key in the spiritual life and human flourishing and it figures prominently in the pastoral plan of Pope Benedict XVI.

Bishop Dominique Rey is renown for his pastoral directness and knowing Christ through sacred Scripture and the sacred Liturgy. His background includes earning a doctorate in economics and he worked for the Ministry of Finance of France. He is a priest of the Emmanuel Community and received episcopal ordination in 2000. Since becoming bishop, he's known to be supportive of the good work of new communities, the lay movements and religious orders. His agenda is the Church's:  the lex orandi, lex credendi tradition. He's been an exponent of the new evangelization brought on the world stage by Pope John Paul II and continued by Pope Benedict XVI.

For more information: contact@adoratio2011.com
Media contact: Father Florian Racine: fr@adoperp.com 

The press release with a list of the speakers is found here: Eucharistic congress 2011, Rome.pdf

Friends wed today at Saint Mary's Church (New Haven, CT). What a perfect day to go to a nuptial Mass to pray for friends as they wed each other with other friends. Maureen L. Hough and Andrew T. Walther are now husband and wife.

The Sacrifice of the Mass with the Rite of Marriage was celebrated by Dominican Father Paul J. Keller with the Schola Cantorum of Saint Mary's. The Mass celebrated by Father Keller was beautiful and prayerful, doctrinal and sacred. Everything was fitting in order that God might be glorified. Maureen and Andrew chose today to wed because it was the closest day they could find to the great feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12). Both are close to Our Lady under this title. Maureen was beautifully dressed and Andrew wore a smart tux.
Much is being made of Peter Seewald's brilliant interview of Pope Benedict XVI, Light of the World: The Pope, the Church, and the Signs of the Times (2010).

The recent splash of news about this book is rather interesting and pathetic at the same time. Interesting because there are some great things the Pope says theologically about a whole host of things; pathetic because so many people are focussed on what the Pope said about latex. In recent years I've not see THAT much interested in the Pope's ideas on sex, sexuality and salvation through condom use. AND the confusion runs rampant to the point that a Vatican clarification had to be issued on what the Pope said. Catholic News Service ran the Vatican statement and making sure everyone was on the same condom --rather, page.

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On November 22, Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke spoke briefly of the Pope's recent work when he answered John Burger's questions. Burke, prefect (head) of the Church's highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, is one of 24 new cardinals created by Benedict XVI on November 21. The cardinal is a native of Wisconsin, trained in Canon Law, and the bishop of La Crosse, WI, and the former archbishop of St Louis, MO.




Popular blogger Jimmy Akin wrote two noteworthy pieces, "The Pope Said WHAT about Condoms???" which can be read here and "New Developments on the Pope and Condoms" can be read here.
At yesterday's terrific conference on Lectio Divina, the keynote presenter, Trappist Brother Simeon Levia, monk of Saint Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, MA, gave an incredible talk on doing the work of Lectio Divina at a conference on Lectio sponsored by Mario Paredes and his staff at the American Bible Society. Brother Simeon is an established Catholic thinker.

One central aspect of Brother Simeon's talk was his development of 9 qualities of Lectio Divina. Please note, lectio divina is not the exclusive domain of professional religious, that is, the exclusive use of monks and nuns, even though a lot of artwork often limits itself to portraying monks doing lectio. My notes are an expansion of what he said about doing lectio divina:

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1. It's done leisurely, it is not a rushed process: give at least 30 minutes. There's an open-endedness of doing lectio; it's to be done in a slow manner, not achievement or goal oriented. You might want to read Josef Pieper's seminal book, Leisure: The Basis of Culture. By doing lectio in a leisurely manner one activates the deepest levels of the human heart opening the heart up to its potentiality. Brother Simeon said something crucial for me: doing lectio in a leisurely manner you return to Paradise where there's an original delight in all things --God, His Presence, ourselves, the Other. Brother noted that in this category we are able to build "islands of leisure for all" in that we cultivate healthy relationships. Remembering that we are made for the other --be it for life in the Trinity and the other person-- and not to cultivate healthy relationships we are prone to die. Pertinent, therefore, is to ask the question: How do I spend my free time and take delight in that time? With a style of life that prizes the use of time, how we use our time is a sacrifice. Time is a precious gift from God. If you are inclined to do things out of obligation: forget it. Moralisms don't work here.

American Bible Society logo.pngI am exceedingly happy to see the American Bible Society (ABS) responding so quickly to Pope Benedict's encouragement to delve more deeply into sacred Scripture through the practice of Lectio Divina. The Pope spoke eloquently of Lectio Divina and its need for us to practice in his recent work on Scripture, Verbum Domini.

Mario Paredes who oversees the Roman Catholic section of the ABS has organized for today "a contemporary approach to the ancient method of Lectio Divina as a service both to and through the Catholic Church with a new Lectio Divina Bible and Manuel. ABS will inaugurate the new Lectio Divina program at an official kick-off" today at 11 a.m at the ABS headquarters. 

Brother Simeon Leiva, OCSO, a monk of Saint Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, MA, will deliver a talk titled, "A Contemporary Approach to Lectio Divina."

Pope Benedict made the annual visit to Spain's Square, the Spanish Steps as it's known, to lay a wreathe at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to offer a prayer of filial devotion and to encourage the faithful in our faith. His address follows:

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Also this year we have made an appointment here, in Piazza di Spagna, to render homage to the Immaculate Virgin, on the occasion of her solemn feast. To all of you, who have come in great numbers, as well as all those taking part through radio and television, I address my cordial greeting. We are gathered around this historic monument, which today is all surrounded by flowers, sign of the love and devotion of the Roman people for the Mother of Jesus. And the most beautiful gift, and most pleasing to her, that we offer is our prayer, the one we bear in our hearts and which we entrust to her intercession. They are invocations of gratitude and supplication: of gratitude for the gift of faith and for all the good that we receive daily from God; and supplication for our different needs, for the family, health, work, for every difficulty that life has us encounter.

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Here's a meditation on today's feast of the Immaculate Conception by the Rev'd Br. Lawrence Lew, OP, a friar of the English Dominican Province.

Brother Lawrence is one of the animators of the Dominican students' blog, Godzdogz.

In the coming year Brother Lawrence will be ordained a priest.
Catherine of Siena A Passionate Life.jpgOn Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 7:00 PM in Saint Catherine of Siena Church, 411 East 68th Street, NYC, author Don Brophy will present his award winning new book, Catherine of Siena: A Passionate Life.

Brophy's book has won the Paulist Press Book of the Month Award, the same is forthcoming from the Catholic Press Association. Other Catherine of Siena Scholars hail Don Brophy's work as a masterpiece that reveals in a new way the wonder and passion of Catherine of Siena in medieval Europe and today.

There will be time for questions and answers as well as meeting the author.

The event is free and open to the public.

Saint Catherine of Siena Church is a ministry of the Dominican Friars of the Province of Saint Joseph. The friars have been present on New York's East Side since 1896. In addition to the Church, the friars also sponsor the Dominican Friars Healthcare Ministry of New York, providing pastoral care to the four area hospitals.

This prayer of consecration was written by a friend of mine, Father Mark. As he notes, "and may be helpful when one experiences a need to entrust particular souls in difficulty to the Immaculate Conception. As he notes, when a priest prays it, he may want to don the stole and pray it before a blessed image of the Most Holy Virgin. This intercessory consecration is appropriate for the unbinding and healing of situations marked by habitual sin and moral suffering. The Immaculate Virgin Mary is ever-ready to intervene in the lives of her children. She is the Mother of Mercy and the Mediatrix of All Graces."

In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Most holy Virgin Mary, -- thou whom the FATHER didst preserve from the first instant of thy conception from all evil and from the least shadow of sin,
-- thou whom the Precious Blood of JESUS didst render immaculate and all-beautiful, even before that same Blood was formed in thy virginal womb and poured out upon the altar of the Cross,
-- thou whom the HOLY GHOST didst fill full with every grace in view of the glorious motherhood of the Son of God for which thou wast created, -- thou art she who crusheth the head of the ancient serpent, thou art she who alone overcometh the evil that is in us and around us.

To thee, O Mary, thy Son hath entrusted the liberation of souls enchained by sin, the healing of wounded souls, and the sanctification of souls who have suffered evil's worst ravages.

Thou hast only to open thy immaculate hands over them, and they are shot through with the rays of thy purity. Through thee, entereth the light to shine in the darkest places. Through thee, souls are washed in a downpour of graces. Through thee, the Holy Spirit succoureth the weakest souls and giveth to the sterile a wonderful fecundity.

MPiacenza.jpegMauro Cardinal Piacenza, Prefect of the Congregation of Clergy, is focusing on the life of the priest and how the Catholic priest lives the vocation given to him by the Holy Spirit. Piacenza is doing all he can to strengthen priesthood in all its vigor and beauty. In the style and content of Benedict XVI, Piacenza is calling for a Catholic reform of the priesthood, a reform that returns to the source. He said, 

I think it's a big task that I do no hesitate to define reform. But reform in the Catholic sense of the word, which is to get as close as possible to the source, close to the Heart of Jesus, which is the mystery of the priesthood. Therefore, they must take care of the relationship with God.
Edward Pentin, a National Catholic Register journalist and based in Rome, wrote a good article on Christmastide --Vatican style. We are in the middle of Advent and it's time to think of Gaudete Sunday this coming weekend. Read Pentin's article.
Vatican Chrsitmas tree.jpegMy mother and the neighbors have had the Christmas tree up for a week. We've got three small trees. In fact, my neighborhood is alighted with Christmas lights. New York's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was lit last week with several stars entertaining us with "Christmas songs." The Vatican put its Christmas tree, a gift from the good people of Bolzano, Italy (a German speaking of Italy where Pope Benedict has vacationed in the past) A little too early for my tastes. SO, it MUST be Christmas time!!! What does it all mean? But what does the Christmas tree stand for? How ought the Christmas tree be interpreted by the Catholic?

The Christmas tree began as a reminder of the tree of life and the life-giving cross of Jesus Christ. When you see the evergreen Christmas tree you will also see the life-giving tree of life on which Jesus hung as our crucified savior.

For those interested, a short history is helpful.
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The blogger at "The Hermeneutic of Continuity," Father Tim Finigan, posted a YouTube video clip of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina showing some rare footage. It is a very delightful video of the saint with his Capuchin brothers.  

Father Tim notes that "At the end, they are obviously teasing him about the camera and he hits the cameraman with his cincture. We see him in the refectory and in the Church, and there are scenes of his brothers dealing with the massive postbag which he generated." Finigan also notes the footage of Saint Pio celebrating the Mass. One thing I notice is that the Capuchin priests all cover their hoods when vested for Mass -as they are supposed to do, too often covering the hood is not done not only by Franciscans but the Dominicans, too; the acolyte serves the Mass with a surplice and hood uncovered.


Watch the rare footage of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Saint Ambrose

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The patristic reading in the Office of Readings (in the Divine Office) there is a beautiful letter from Saint Ambrose about governance and the use of words. Wouldn't be good to heed Ambrose's exhortation about relying on the guidance of the Church as the surest sign of God's faithfulness, in keeping our words clean, reflective and full of meaning? Ambrose's letter bears thinking about today. Let us keep in prayer today the Church in which Ambrose lived and worked, the Archdiocese of Milan.

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You have entered upon the office of bishop. Sitting at the helm of the Church, you pilot the ship against the waves. Take firm hold of the rudder of faith so that the severe storms of this world cannot disturb you. The sea is mighty and vast, but do not be afraid, for as Scripture says: he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.

The Church of the Lord is built upon the rock of the apostles among so many dangers in the world; it therefore remains unmoved. The Church's foundation is unshakeable and firm against the assaults of the raging sea. Waves lash at the Church but do not shatter it. Although the elements of this world constantly beat upon the Church with crashing sounds, the Church possesses the safest harbor of salvation for all in distress. Although the Church is tossed about on the sea, it rides easily on rivers, especially those rivers that Scripture speaks of: The rivers have lifted up their voice. These are the rivers flowing from the heart of the man who is given drink by Christ and who receives from the Spirit of God. When these rivers overflow with the grace of the Spirit, they lift up their voice.

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2010 is the 10th anniversary of the Liturgical Institute at Mundelein Seminary. Congrats to Father Douglas Martis, Denis McNamara and Kevin Thornton for the hard work of making the LI a place of prayer, study and research/publication.

The Institute's publishing venture, Hillenbrand Books, has 33 titles to date, many outstanding in research and writing.

The enrollment has never been higher, the work of the Liturgical Institute has not been more vigorous than it is now and our engagement in the Church's sacred Liturgy as never been as needed as it is now in the 21st century.

Old St Patrick's Cathedral NYC2.jpgIn solemn rites during second Vespers for the Second Sunday of Advent, Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan formally inaugurated the Archdiocese of New York's first minor basilica, Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral, a community of Catholic faith since 1809. A prior blog post notes the announcement.

Other area churches distinguished with the title of "basilica" are: Saint James Cathedral and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Brooklyn Diocese, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in the Newark Archdiocese, the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Waterbury, CT) in the Hartford Archdiocese and Saint John the Evangelist (Stamford, CT) in the Bridgeport Diocese.

Congrats to Archbishop Dolan and to Monsignor Donald Sakano, rector of the new basilica.

Here's the NY Times' article on the event.

CBS News did a spot...

Saint Nicholas

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St Nicholas Liberation of 3 Innocents Fra Angelico.jpgO Holy Father Nicholas, the fruit of your good deeds has enlightened and delighted the hearts of the faithful. Who cannot admire your measureless patience and humility? And who cannot wonder at your graciousness to the poor? At your compassion for the afflicted? O Bishop Nicholas, you have divinely taught all things well. And now wearing your unfading crown, you intercede for our souls with Christ, our God.

(Vesperal antiphon, Byzantine)
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Advent is time of hope and expectation, it is also a time of repentance and conversion. Today's readings in the Liturgy orient our attention to changing our life's to reflect more and more the Lord's. And the Baptist is the amazing and stirring Advent proponents to follow Jesus more closely. What is more identifiable than the Baptist's exhortation: Prepare the way of the Lord?

St. Augustine on the gift of conversion: "What, then? It is perhaps dependant on you, O man, if converted to God once you have earned his mercy, while on the contrary those who have not converted have not obtained mercy but have encountered the wrath of God? But you what resources available to convert, if you had not been called? Was it not He who called you when you were the enemy, to grant you the grace of repentance? So do not ascribe to yourself the merit of your conversion: why, if God had not intervened to call you when you fled from him, you would not have been able to look back." St. Augustine Expositionson the Psalmi, 84, 8-9.
The Pope met yesterday with the members of the International Theological Commission in plenary session, a bi-annual meeting, though I think the Pope only meets in a plenary session with the ITC once a year. I am familiar with several members of the group and I can attest to their diligent and honest work in theology for the good of the entire Church. The work of the ITC deals with some of the most interesting theological and philosophical questions these days. The ITC is working on questions of theological methodology, the question of one God for the 3 monotheistic religions and question of the Church's social doctrine in the context of Christian doctrine. The ITC documentation is published in various languages and useful for one's own theological reflection. There are several important points the makes about the vocation of a theologian and the nature of theology. He reminds us, namely, that a theologian does not work in a solitary way, that faith and reason are intrinsically linked and that theology is outward thinking and acting. Benedict XVI's address to the ITC follows:

I receive you with joy at the end of your annual plenary session. I would like first of all to express my heartfelt gratitude for the words of homage that, on behalf of all, Your Eminence, in his capacity of president of the International Theological Commission, addressed to me. The work of this eighth "quinquennium" of the commission, as you recalled, addresses the following very weighty topics: theology and its methodology; the question of the one God in relation to the three monotheistic religions; the integration of the social doctrine of the Church in the wider context of Christian doctrine.

"For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). How can we not make our own this beautiful reaction of the Apostle Paul to his encounter with the risen Christ? In fact this experience is at the root of the three important topics on which you reflected in your plenary session that has just ended.
I've been conscious of how busy everyone is, or pretends to be. Excuses run rampant as to why one can't do thus-and-such, or ... or .... One person asked the perennial question: How do I maintain my relationship with God? Father Giussani asked a similar of question of members of Communion & Liberation. He answered by telling his questioner that to keep the Lord's name on our lips and to recognize the way the Lord has looked at us He looked at Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree. Giussani also reminded us to be attentive to reality as God has given it to us and not as we want it to be. Maintaining one's relationship with God alive is easy if you move in small but deliberate steps by following a long held custom of praying short prayers that re-focus our attention: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us; Come Holy Spirit, come through Mary; Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner; O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee; Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for us; and so on. Short prayers such as these examples are remarkable keeping my mind and heart on target and away from sin. I have the practice of praying my own version of the Litany of Saints as I walk up and down the aisle when attending Mass or when I am making the Morning Offering.

Saint Josemaría Escrivá offers some guidance in this regard: "You should maintain throughout the day a constant conversation with Our Lord, a conversation fed even by the things that happen in your professional work. Go in spirit to the Tabernacle... and offer to God the work that is in your hands."

Make a spiritual communion.

Saint Barbara

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St Barbara.jpegLoving God, whose service calls forth
Courage in Your servant's soul,

We here gathered sing the praise of
One who bravely reached heav'n's goal.
Claiming Christ as only Savior,
Scorning those with evil planned,
Now with white-robed brilliance vested,
Near Your throne she finds her stand.

Teach us, as You taught St. Barb'ra,
How to love and serve Your Name
That our hearts may not be conquered
By our fears or love of fame.
As she loved You to her last breath,
Give us strength to faithful be,
That our witness may be fearless
And our lives unfeigned and free.

Glory be to God, the Father,
Glory be to God, the Son,
Glory be to God, the Spirit:
Glory to the Three-in-One!
From the virgin choirs of heaven
And from tempted saints below,
Endless hymns and praise unceasing

Shall from all our hearts e'er flow.

J. Michael Thompson, © copyright.

Liana Marabini is the Director of "The Unseen World," a film exploring the life of Blessed John Henry Newman and the vocation to the priesthood. Newman is being played by Murray Abraham who is the Oscar winning actor in "Amadeus" (1984). "The Unseen World" is due out in 2011.

Saint Francis Xavier

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St Francis Xavier with cross.jpgWith eyes fixed squarely on the Lord, Francis Xavier left the companionship of the early founders of the Society of Jesus in Europe to go on mission, preaching the Gospel and bringing new life through the sacraments. Because of his zeal for the salvation of souls many came to know Jesus and thus were saved. Let us pray for missionaries and the work of evangelization through Saint Francis Xavier's intercession.
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4 El Salvador martyrs.jpgI was quite young when the 4 women were killed in El Salvador in 1980. They were killed months after the Servant of God Archbishop Oscar Romero was killed. Missionaries brutally killed for their faith Christ and service to the poor are part of the landscape of the proclamation of the Gospel. Since my high school days, I have kept these women in prayer, especially since Jean Donovan had a Connecticut connection. They were:

Sister Maura Clarke, MM
Sister Ita Ford, MM
Sister Dorothy Kazal, OSU
Miss Jean Donovan.

The Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers' remembrance
The Maryknoll Sisters' remembrance
The Vatican Radio story is here.

At 7:30 this morning in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI offered the Sacrifice of the Mass in the Paoline Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, for peaceful repose of the soul of Manuela Camagni, the Memor Domini who was a part of the Papal Family who died November 24 as a consequence of being hit by a car.
 It is not a frequent occurrence that we hear much of the inner life of the Apostolic Household and equally little is revealed about the consecrated lay people who make up the Memores Domini community of Communion & Liberation. Plus, Manuela's death, for some reason, has had interesting affect on me, not only because I am a member of the Fraternity of Communion & Liberation but because of the recorded witness of Manuela herself, and how Manuela affected the Holy Father and those with whom he lives. What follows is Pope Benedict's homily:

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

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In the last days of her life, our dear Manuela used to talk about the fact that on November 29 she would have belonged to the community of Memores Domini for thirty years. And she said that with a great joy, getting ready - such was the impression - for an interior feast celebrating her path of thirty years towards the Lord, in communion with the Lord's friends. But the feast was different from what was expected: precisely on November 29 we took her to the cemetery, we sang asking for the Angels to accompany her to Heaven, we guided her to the ultimate feast, to God's great feast, to the Lamb's Wedding. Thirty years walking towards the Lord, entering the Lord's feast. Manuela was a "wise, prudent virgin," she had oil in her lamp, the oil of faith, a lived faith, a faith nourished by prayer, by a dialogue with the Lord, by her meditation on the Word of God, by communion in her friendship with Christ. And this faith was hope, wisdom, it was certainty that faith opens up to the real future. And faith was charity, it was giving herself for the others, it was living in the service of the Lord for the others. I, personally, must thank for her availability to put her energies at work in my house, with this spirit of charity and of hope that comes from faith.

She entered the Lord's feast as a prudent and wise virgin because she lived not in the superficiality of those who forget the greatness of our vocation, but in the great expectation of the eternal life; so she was ready when the Lord came.

La Civiltà Cattolica, the academic periodical edited by the Society of Jesus but vetted by the Secretary of State of His Holiness, will publish Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta's essay, "The Influence of Cardinal Ratzinger in the Revision of the Canonical Criminal Justice System."

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Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, 59, is Spanish, ordained for the Prelature of the Holy Cross. Arrieta earned a doctorate in civil and canon law and served as Dead of the Faculty of Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. (Rome) Moreover, he was Dean of the Institute of Canon Law of Saint Pius X (Venice). At the service of the Church, Arrieta was a canon prelate of the Apostolic Penitentiary and legal secretary of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Since 2007, he's been the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and ordained bishop in 2008.


In the coming weeks, the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts will distribute to its Members and Consultors the draft of a document containing suggestions for the revision of Book VI of the Code of Canon Law, the basis of the Church's penal law system. For almost two years a commission of experts in penal law has been re-examining the text promulgated in 1983, taking into account the needs that have emerged in subsequent years. The aim is to maintain the general plan and the existing numbering of the canons, while revising some of the decisions taken at the time, which with hindsight can be seen to be insufficient.


VNichols on Anglicans.jpgIncreased attention is growing in the days that lead up to the anticipated creation of an Anglican Ordinariate in England. It's hoped that the Ordinariate will be announced in early 2011. As you are aware, following the beatification of John Henry Newman 5 Anglican bishops declared that they're resigning their positions in the Church of England in favor of entering into full communion with the Church of Rome. Andrew Burnham one of the bishops seeking communion with Rome set aside his mitre and crosier at the Mary altar, saying: "It is because it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, abiding in his Church, that I believe I must accept it and invite others to come with me on the journey."
interview pic.jpgThe victims of the Church bombing in Baghdad on October 31st speak out. Rome Reports interviews those who healing from the attack.

Many are resolved not to be thrown to the curb because of their faith in Christ. The home is Baghdad; their culture is situated in Baghdad. Why can't they live in peace?

The Catholic News Service reported tonight that...

Pope Benedict XVI met privately Dec. 1 with two dozen Iraqis who were injured when their cathedral in Baghdad was attacked Oct. 31. In early November, the Italian foreign ministry arranged for 26 injured Iraqis -- including three children -- and 21 accompanying family members to fly to Rome. The injured were treated at the Gemelli Hospital and their family members were housed in apartments belonging to the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, which operates the hospital. Nicola Cerbino, hospital spokesman, said Dec. 1 that only two of the injured were still hospitalized, but they were well enough to travel with their family members to the Vatican for the brief audience with the pope. The entire Iraqi group -- close to 50 people -- will remain guests of the university until mid-December, Cerbino said. After that, the Italian foreign minister will help them return home or settle elsewhere, he said. Fifty-eight people died in the attack on the Syrian Catholic church in Baghdad Oct. 31 after military officials tried to end a terrorist siege of the church.

Happy Hanukkah 2010

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A blessed and happy Hanukkah!
WAD 2010.jpgWe pray that Mary, Mother of God, will ask her Son, Jesus, to assist us in responding to the worldwide AIDS crisis and to heal and/or cure those who are ill with the disease. And in gratitude for the many, many women and men who have dedicated themselves to fighting AIDS.

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga and Saint Damien de Vuester, pray for us.

It is reported that since 1981 25 million people have died from HIV-AIDS and there's 33 million people who live with the disease.

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I am happy to be in Astana, capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, this noble and vast country located in the heart of the Eurasian territory. I wish to express my profound joy at being able to visit your Cathedral of the Assumption, recently opened for worship. I greet everyone with affection, beginning with His Eminence Metropolitan Alexander and, while I thank him for his fraternal reception, I bring to him and to all of you the cordial greeting of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, praying that it be transmitted to His Holiness Kirill, patriarch of Moscow and All Russias. I then greet the other religious (and civil) authorities, the priests, deacons and faithful of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan. May this fraternal meeting of ours inspire a renewed impetus to join forces, so that in a not distant future we, the disciples of Christ, can proclaim with one voice and one heart the Gospel, message of hope for the whole of humanity.


Manuela Camagni2.jpgWhat follows is Pope Benedict XVI's message sent on the occasion of the Mass of Christian Burial for Manuela Camagni, 56, a member of the association of Memores Domini (the consecrated lay group of Communion & Liberation) who with 3 other Memores worked for the Pope in his personal apartments at the Vatican. As mentioned in a blog post last week, Manuela was killed Tuesday/Wednesday after being struck by a car. The Reverend Monsignor Georg Ganswein, the Pope's personal secretary, read the message at the funeral, Monday in Bagno di Romagna, Emilia-Romagna (northern Italian city). The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at La Chiesa di San Piero in Bagno di Romagna.

I would willingly have presided over the funeral of dear Manuela Camagni, but --as you can imagine-- it was not possible for me. However, communion in Christ allows us Christians a real spiritual closeness, in which we share the prayer and affection of the heart. In this profound bond I greet all of you, in particular Manuela's family, the diocesan bishop, the priests, the Memores Domini, and her friends.

I would like to give here very briefly my testimony of our sister, who has gone to heaven. Many of you knew Manuela for a long time. I was able to benefit from her presence and her service in the papal apartment, in the last five years, in a family dimension. Because of this I wish to thank the Lord for the gift of Manuela's life, for her faith, for her generous response to her vocation. Divine Providence led her to a discreet but precious service in the Pope's house. She was happy about this and took part joyfully in family moments: at Holy Mass in the morning, at vespers, at meals in common and in the various and significant happenings of the house.

Her departure, so sudden, and also the way in which she was taken, have given us great grief, which only faith can console. I find much support in thinking of the words that form the name of her community: Memores Domini. Meditating on these words, on the meaning, I find a sense of peace, because they call to a profound relationship that is stronger than death. Memores Domini means: "those who remember the Lord," namely, persons who live in the memory of God and Jesus, and in this daily remembrance, full of faith and love, they find the meaning of everything, from small actions to great choices, of work, study and fraternity. The memory of the Lord fills the heart with profound joy, as an ancient hymn of the Church says: "Jesu dulcis memoria, dans vera cordis gaudia" [Jesus sweet memory, that gives true joy to the heart].

Hence, because of this it gives me peace to think that Manuela is a "memor Domini," a person who lived in the memory of the Lord. This relationship with him is more profound than the abyss of death. It is a bond that nothing and no one can break, as St. Paul says: "[Nothing] can separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). Yes, if we remember the Lord, it is because he first remembers us. We are "memores Domini" because he is "memor nostri," he remembers us with love of a parent, a brother, a friend, also at the moment of death. If at times it seems that at that moment he is absent, that he forgets us, in reality we are always present to him, we are in his heart. Wherever we fall, we fall into his hands. Precisely there, where no one can accompany us, God awaits us: He is our Life.

Dear brothers and sisters, in this faith full of hope, which is Mary's faith near the cross of Jesus, I celebrated the Mass for Manuela's soul the very morning of her death. And while I accompany with prayer the Christian rite of her burial, I impart with affection to her family, her fellow sisters and all of you my blessing.
Pope on June 2 2010.jpgPope Benedict's invitation to prayer for the month of December, these last days of the calendar year for our unity with him before the Throne of Grace. Ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus to hear and answer our prayers:

The general intention

That our experience of suffering may help us better understand the pain of the many people who are alone, sick, or aged, and stir us to generous help.

The mission intention

That the peoples of the earth may open their doors to Christ and to his gospel of peace, brotherhood, and justice.

Saint Edmund Campion

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Keep us attuned to the truth of the Catholic Faith!
Saint Edmund Campion, pray for us!

About the author

Paul A. Zalonski is from New Haven, CT. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Catholic ecclesial movement and an Oblate of Saint Benedict. Contact Paul at paulzalonski[at]yahoo.com.

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This page is a archive of recent entries written by Paul Zalonski in December 2010.

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