Back to school. This year three New York dioceses are combining their undergraduate and pre-theology programs. The Archdiocese of NY has moved with the Brooklyn and Rockville Centre Dioceses in Douglaston (Queens), New York.
And when the Lord saw [the mother of the deceased
young man], he had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ And he
came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young
man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he
gave him to his mother” (Luke 12:13-15).
O God, who
brought Saint Louis from the cares of earthly rule to the glory of a heavenly
realm, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that by fulfilling our duties
on earth, we may seek out your eternal Kingdom.
My friend Michel wrote to tell me that Sofia Cavalleti last evening. You may remember that a few days ago I asked you to include Sofia in your prayers. This past Sunday, Sofia celebrated her 94th birthday. I once again recommend to you the soul of Sofia Cavalletti to the Lord, the Good Shepherd of our souls.
The following is the message sent out by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA board:
With tears and with peace, we want to share with you that our beloved Sofia Cavalletti, at 94, a founding mother of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, has entered the celestial pasture of the Good Shepherd. There is great rejoicing in heaven for her with Gianna, Tilde, Fr. Mongillo, Maria Christleib and Tina, along with members of her family who have gone before her.
Francesca Cocchini sent the following announcement from Rome, Italy: “Dearest, this is only to say that during this night – at ten after midnight (Tuesday, August 23) Sofia encountered the Good Shepherd face to face.” The funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, August 24.
An interesting and unique anniversary is being observed by a member of the College of Cardainls: Ján Chryzostom Korec, SJ, the emeritus bishop of Nitra (Slovak Republic), 87, Bishop Pavel Hnilica ordained the cardinal secretly in a hospital room.
The cardinal is an exceedingly interesting man. When I met him in 1997 when he was making a US tour of Slovak communities, his interaction among his hosts was wonderful. He received an honorary Doctorate from Sacred Heart University on that visit to Connecticut.
Cardinal Korec’s statistics are fascinating: nearly 61 years a priest, 60 years a bishop and 20 years a cardinal.
Here’s the Pope’s congratulatory message:
Venerabili Fratri Nostro
IOANNI CHRYSOSTOMO S.R.E. Card. KOREC, S.I.
Episcopo emerito Nitriensi
Laeti laetum nuntium accepimus quod tu, Venerabilis Frater Noster, sexagesimam propediem anniversariam celebrabis memoriam illius diei semper tibi recolendi, quo Episcopus consecratus es et inter Apostolorum Successores relatus, huius nominationis occulte nactus honorem.
Quemadmodum tam felicis nec non praeclari eventus ratio poscit, Nos, commemorantes ministerium sacrum quod diligentissime tot annos peregisti, te actuosum, fidelem ac prudentem Pastorem enixe laudamus praesentiamque spiritualem Nostram hac in festivitate tibi pollicemur.
Dum ergo flagrantia vota, quaecumque sunt salutaria, optabilia, fausta adprecantia, imo e pectore promimus, a sanctissimo ac sempiterno Deo tibi supernorum munerum copiam imploramus, quorum auspicium simul atque propensae voluntatis Nostrae pignus esto Apostolica Benedictio, quam tibi amantissime impertimus.
Ex Arce Gandulfi, die XV mensis Augusti, in Sollemnitate Assumptionis Beatae Mariae Virginis, Anno MMXI, Pontificatus Nostri septimo.
BENEDICTUS PP XVI
Jesus invited us to meet. Saint Benedict’s talked about it; a plethora of saints have talked about it; Fr Giussani constantly talked about it; Pope Benedict XVI talks about it: nothing can substitute for personally knowing Jesus. Want to be a Christian? Go and meet Christ in Scripture, in the Holy Eucharist, in personal and communal prayer, in doing good works. In short, meet Jesus Christ by the ears of your heart and in your minute by minute human experience.
What, dear brothers, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life. Clothed then with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see him who called us to his kingdom (RB, Prologue, 20-1).
Continue reading No substitute for a personal encounter with the Lord
From my friend, Father Frowin, I learned of this tragic news:
Queen of Heaven
means Queen of Earth, Queen of the Truth of earth, of earth in its permanent
truth, because veritas Domini manet: the truth of Being endures.
The wait for
Christ’s return-and each of us is called to experience this-is the passion and
the joy, the joyous hope for that day when all the world will be truly itself,
all mankind will acknowledge Him, and Christ will truly be “everything in
everyone.” That moment is the meaning of everything that is, the meaning of the
whole of time, of all that we do, and the apex, the heart of hope, because
man’s glory depends on this; in this adherence man begins to cry out God’s
glory. Our life seeks glory because it is made for this. Glory is not something
promised for the future, but is a promise already begun and already fulfilled.
To the extent that we offer ourselves and acknowledge that the substance of
everything is Christ, this promise is accomplished for us. Paradise is not
somewhere else; it will be here. Paradise is the total truth between you and
me, in the relationship between you and me; it is the total truth in the
relationship between me and the image that comes to me through thought, between
me and things. Paradise is a feast which “fulfills every feast the heart has
desired.”
May the hand of Our Lady introduce us into the Mystery, because this
is the meaning of our days, the meaning of time that passes. May her gaze guide
us on our journey, may her example teach us, may her figure be the plan of our
purpose. Generous Mother, who generates for us the great presence of Christ, we
want to be consoled, comforted, nourished, enriched, and gladdened by that
Presence which was born again from your flesh, and for this reason we ask you
to make us participate in your freedom, your readiness to help, your life.
Luigi Giussani
The Holy Rosary
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. (Matthew 16 13-20)
A challenging gospel passage for people who are skeptical about Christ being THE Way, and giving the keys to Peter and thus to the Church. We have to ask ourselves: Who do you say Jesus is? Do you take His words seriously? Is Peter’s confession of Jesus believable? Do you know the Church in a loving and faith-filled way?