Paul Zalonski – Page 365

Saint Joan of Arc

Saint Joan of Arc is a confusing figure for some these days. I think she’s abused by the feminists who dash-off with her story for their own agenda which runs contrary to the authentic Christian woman, Joan. If you miss the fact of Joan’s rootedness in Christ and the Church, then you miss the point of her life and work. The synthesis of the Pope’s teaching is given here. The full texts follows below.

Our catechesis
today deals with Saint Joan of Arc, one of the outstanding women of the later
Middle Ages. Raised in a religious family, Joan enjoyed mystical experiences
from an early age. At a time of crisis in the Church and of war in her native
France, she felt God’s call to a life of prayer and virginity, and to personal
engagement in the liberation of her compatriots. At the age of seventeen, Joan
began her mission among the French military forces; she sought to negotiate a
just Christian peace between the English and French, took an active part in the
siege of Orleans and witnessed the coronation of Charles VII at Rheims.
Captured by her enemies the next year, she was tried by an ecclesiastical court
and burnt at the stake as a heretic; she died invoking the name of Jesus. Her
unjust condemnation was overturned twenty-five years later. At the heart of
Saint Joan’s spirituality was an unfailing love for Christ and, in Christ, for
the Church and for her neighbour. May the prayers and example of Saint Joan of
Arc inspire many lay men and women to devote themselves to public life in the
service of God’s Kingdom, and encourage all of us to live to the fullest our
lofty calling in Christ.

Christianity is not a community closed-in on itself, Pope tells us about Unity among Christians

The Pope’s homily for Vespers at the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls for the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul and the closing of Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. A video clip of the event.

Following the
example of Jesus, who on the eve of his Passion prayed to the Father for his
disciples “that they may all be one” (John 17:21), Christians
continue to invoke incessantly from God the gift of this unity. This request is
made more intense during the Week of Prayer, which ends today, when the
Churches and ecclesial Communities meditate and pray together for the unity of
all Christians.

This year the theme offered for our meditation was proposed by
the Christian communities of Jerusalem, to which I would like to express by heartfelt
gratitude, accompanied by the assurance of affection and prayer either on my
part or on that of the whole of the Church. The Christians of the Holy City
invite us to renew and

Continue reading Christianity is not a community closed-in on itself, Pope tells us about Unity among Christians

Opportunities for continuing dialogue with the Orthodox Church, Farrell says

In the middle of
the annual exercise of prayer and
study for Christian Unity, the Vatican’s daily news paper, L’Osservatore Romano,
interviewed Bishop Brian Farrell, LC, secretary of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity. The interviewer asked Bishop Farrell about problems
in the ecumenical quest with the Orthodox Church, and his answer is below.

We
are examining the crucial point of our differences on the Church’s structure
and way of being and operating: the question of the role of the Bishop of Rome
in the Church communion of the first millennium, when the Church in the West
and East was still united. After profound studies and discussions, the members
of the Theological Commission have come to realize the enormous difference
between the lived, assimilated, and narrated historical experience in Western
culture and the historical experience perceived in the Eastern vision of
things. Every historical event is open to different interpretations. The
discussion has not led to a real convergence.

Continue reading Opportunities for continuing dialogue with the Orthodox Church, Farrell says

Conversion of Saint Paul

In Paul what is pointed out theologically was also brought about physically: healed of his inner blindness, he sees clearly. Thus St Paul was not transformed by a thought but by an event, by the irresistible presence of the Risen One whom subsequently he would never be able to doubt, so powerful had been the evidence of the event, of this encounter. It radically changed Paul’s life in a fundamental way; in this sense one can and must speak of a conversion. This encounter is the centre St Luke’s account for which it is very probable that he used an account that may well have originated in the community of Damascus.

Pope Benedict XVI

General Audience

3 September 2008

Tips for growing in holiness and going to Mass

In a previous blog post on the Father David Toups,
pastor of a Florida parish the author drew our attention to a young but
accomplished priest who was doing his best to live the vocation he was given.
As a secular priest he’s pastoring souls to Jesus by encouraging them to lead
lives of holiness. And remember, holiness is not reserved to a few; it is
however, open and “achievable” by all. So the question becomes: How do I work
on becoming holy?

Father Toups offers the following:

Continue reading Tips for growing in holiness and going to Mass

March 4 Life

“An estimated 2
billion human beings have died through abortion in the last forty years alone.
This is something most people don’t realise and it needs to be emphasized,” says Joseph Meaney, Director of International Coordination at Human Life
International. In addition, Meaney pointed out: “its becoming increasingly
clear that the vast majority of Americans are against abortion on demand, and
over the years more pro-life justices have been appointed to the Court, but yet
the law itself and the court’s decision has not changed. The result is a
growing frustration among Americans that the will of the people is not being
respected.”

Today tens of thousands of people will march on Washington DC, to
mark this weekend’s anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision
that legalized abortion in the United States. Yesterday, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, celebrated Mass for thousands in DC. Since 1973, more than 50 million
babies have been aborted, and 300K women developed breast cancer as a result of
having an abortion.

David Toups, priest, focused on the real nature of priesthood

The Florida priest, Father David Toups, is doing what he’s been called to do: to be a faithful priest proclaiming the Presence of Christ through preaching the Gospel, praying the Mass, administering the sacraments and being an authentic father of souls. A recent article makes the case.

In his backyard one can’t avoid the scandalous behavior of the now former Catholic priest and media personality, Albert Cutié, when talking about the meaning and ministry of a Catholic priest.

Pope Benedict on social communications: be truthful and authentic in relationships with God, self & others

Here’s Pope Benedict’s letter for the World Day of Social Communications. There many great things in the document to ponder for our own personal development in the face of Truth, gospel and our brothers and sisters.

On the occasion
of the 45th World Day of Social Communications, I would like to share some
reflections that are motivated by a phenomenon characteristic of our age: the
emergence of the internet as a network for communication. It is an ever more
commonly held opinion that, just as the Industrial Revolution in its day
brought about a profound transformation in society by the modifications it
introduced into the cycles of production and the lives of workers, so today the
radical changes taking place in communications are guiding significant cultural
and social developments. The new technologies are not only changing the way we
communicate, but communication itself, so much so that it could be said that we
are living through a period of vast cultural transformation. This means of
spreading information and knowledge is giving birth to a new way of learning
and thinking, with unprecedented opportunities for establishing relationships
and building fellowship.

Continue reading Pope Benedict on social communications: be truthful and authentic in relationships with God, self & others

Saint Francis de Sales

The Church’s liturgical memorial for Saint Francis de Sales is a testimony to what can be done with a man of intelligence, humility, zeal for souls and love by God for the salvation of souls. De Sales is known as the modern Thomas à Kempis because of his book, Introduction to the Devout Life. He’s also credited in assisting Saint Jane Frances de Chantal in founding the Order of the Visitation in 1610. Francis showed fatherly concern for the poor and refused ecclesiastical honors, e.g., the cardinal’s hat, in favor of living as simple a life as possible as a bishop. The Church declared Saint Francis de Sales a Doctor of the Church.

The Church prays at the Liturgy:

O God, who for the salvation of souls willed that the bishop Saint Francis de Sales become all thing to all, grant that, following his example, we may always display the gentleness of Your charity in the service of our neighbor.

From Pius Parsch’s The Church’s Year of Grace

How Francis developed a gentle and amiable disposition is a story in itself; he was not born a saint. By nature his temperament was choleric, fiery; little was needed to throw him into a state of violent anger. It took years before he mastered his impatience, his unruly temper.

Even after he became bishop, there were slips, as for instance, when someone rang a bell before he had finished preaching. The important point, of course, is that by constant perseverance he did in time attain perfect self-mastery. Wherein lies a lesson.

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Today, please remember my Mother, Lynda, at the Altar. She’s having her left knee replaced. May Saint Francis de Sales, pray for her and the medical professionals.

Pro-Life Commission established in the Archdiocese of New York

In his letter to the priests of the Archdiocese of New York on the founding of the new Pro-Life Commission, Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan said,
“These professional men and women, from a variety of backgrounds, fields, and
areas of expertise have generously offered their time and talent to engage in
research, writing, coordination of events, and so much more on behalf of
life. For this I am most grateful, and look forward to working with
them over the years that lie ahead.”

I know several of the members and I am confident that the Commission will do good work for Archdiocese of New York and the greater Church.

Archbishop Dolan’s Letter: Pro-Life Commission Letter Archdiocese of New York.pdf

The Members of the Pro-Life Commission: Pro Life Commission Members, Archdiocese of New York.pdf