Author: Paul Zalonski

Blessed Jeanne Jugan

Today is the liturgical memorial of Blessed Jeanne Jugan (Sister Mary of the Cross), a relatively unknown sister here in the USA unless you you’ve met them begging for money to sustain their life and work. She is soon to be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11th.

Blessed Jeanne Jugan.jpg

The congregation of sisters founded by Blessed Jeanne, The Little Sisters of the Poor, are an exceptional group of women who dedicated themselves to doing small things for the poor for the sake of the Gospel: be humble, i.e., be little in order to be close to the humble and making the poor happy is everything. It was the spirituality of Saint John the Baptist: I must decrease and He must increase. Jugan was very much influenced by Saint John Eudes because in him she saw a path that corresponded to her heart: we must be other Christs on earth and to go to Jesus through Mary. Jugan called together women to serve poor elderly women, a work of charity that Jeanne had done for her own conversion since she was a young woman. Not only did Jeanne address the physical needs of the women she served, but she also attended to the spiritual ones too. The Little Sisters take a 4th vow of being hospitable: showing mercy to our poor brothers and sisters.
Here in Connecticut the Little Sisters of the Poor are located in Enfield but there was a time that they had a house in New Haven. Sadly, the New Haven community closed when the health care politics got to be too much for the sisters to handle.
When I am visiting the local Catholic cemetery I make it a point to visit the graves of the Little Sisters who died in New Haven. For me it is a way being grateful for the work and witness of the sisters in New Haven.
Watch the video clip of a recent first vows profession ceremony…
Among the recent books about Blessed Jeanne are:

Saints Margaret Clitherow, Anne Line and Margaret Ward

We beseech Thee, O Lord our God, grant us to revere with unceasing devotion the glorious victories of Thy holy Martyrs Saints Margaret Clitherow, Anne Line and Margaret Ward; may we at least honor with our lowly homage those whose praises we cannot sing worthily.

St Margaret Clitherow.jpgSaint Margaret Middleton was born in York in 1556, lived there all her life, and died there on 25 March 1586. At 15, she married a butcher, John Clitherow, and three years later became a Catholic. Imprisoned for her
non-attendance at church, she taught herself to read and later ran a small school for her own and her neighbours’ children. Her husband remained Protestant, but allowed her to hide priests in their house. In 1586, the secret hiding places were discovered, and Margaret was put on trial. She refused to plead, for which the punishment was being crushed to death.

St Ann Line.jpeg

Saint Anne Height was born at Dunmow (Essex) around 1565, and was hanged at Tyburn on 27 February 1601. In her teens, she became a Catholic and was disinherited, and in 1585 married Roger Line, also a disinherited convert, who was subsequently imprisoned then exiled for his faith, leaving her destitute. She taught and embroidered, and also kept house for priests. After a large number of people had been seen gathering at her house for Mass, she was arrested, tried and condemned to death. 

St Margaret Ward.jpgSaint Margaret Ward was born at Congleton (Cheshire), but entered into the service of a family in London. She was arrested after assisting a priest escape from prison, but refused under severe torture to reveal his hiding place or to renounce her faith. She was tried at the Old Bailey, and executed on this day in 1588. All three are remembered for their resourcefulness, for their loyalty, for their outstanding courage, and for the service they rendered the Church during dangerous times in aiding the ministry of priests. (Liturgy Office, Bishops of England and Wales) 

For more on these 3 English Martyrs see this entry.

In the Diocese of Bridgeport, those who prepare for the major seminary at Saint John Fisher Seminary, Stamford, call to mind the martyrdom of these women saints daily as their statues surround the altar.

May Saints Margaret, Anne and Margaret, pray for us!!!

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

Martyrdom St John Baptist ASpinello.jpgBlessed is the man who endures temptation: for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, may the holy festival of Saint John the Baptist, Thy Precursor and Martyr, obtain for us help unto salvation.

Avery Dulles’ NEW book due: Evangelization for the Third Millennium

Evangelization for the 3rd Millennium.jpgCardinal Avery Dulles is still producing intellectual stimulation. Due to be released next week is Evangelization for the Third Millennium (Paulist Press), the final work that he had already in progress during what became the Cardinal’s final months.

In her Preface to this anthology, Cardinal Dulles’ longtime colleague, administrative & research assistant and former student, Sister Ann-Marie Kirmse, says that Dulles’ work explores the theme of evangelization based on the seminal work of Pope Paul VI and later on the work Pope John Paul II on the same topic.
Avery Cardinal Dulles, SJ, died on December 12, 2008. 

Covenant with the Jewish people to be clarified in Adult Catechism

A recognitio from the Holy See following a vote from the US Bishops, was received allowing for a clarification that all the covenants God made with the Jewish people are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Don’t think this is change is revisionist theology or fancy foot work on the part of the Holy See or the US Bishops. Rather, it is standard theology and it is what the Church has consistently taught for a very, very long time. The editors of the Adult Catechism slipped up by being a bit imprecise in their work, shall we say. Of course, the statement announcing the clarification notes that the Adult Catechism is a catechetical work and not a theological text. True enough, we know…but this rationalization is a bit much. Does that mean we have to check each and every fact in the second printing of the AC, too? The Bishops’ Conference statement is here.

Saint Augustine of Hippo

St Augustine PPRubens.jpgO blest teacher, light of holy Church, blessed Augustine thou lover of God’s law, plead with the Son of God for us.

O almighty God, hearken to our supplications, and by the intercession of blessed Augustine, Thy Confessor and Bishop, graciously grant the effect of Thy wonted mercy to those who hope in Thy loving-kindness.

St Augustine, whom we are commemorating today, has some
marvellous thoughts about the invitation found in Psalm 105[104]: “Quaerite
faciem eius semper – constantly seek his face” (v. 3). 

He points out that
this invitation is not only valid for this life but also for eternity. The
discovery of “God’s Face” is never ending. The further we penetrate
into the splendour of divine love, the more beautiful it is to pursue our
search, so that “amore crescente inquisitio crescat inventi – the greater
love grows, the further we will seek the One who has been found” (Enarr.
in Ps 105[104]: 3; CCL 40, 1537).

This is the experience to which, deep down,
we too aspire. May the intercession of the great Bishop of Hippo obtain it for
us! May the motherly help of Mary, the Star of Evangelization whom we now
invoke with the prayer of the Angelus, obtain it for us. (Pope Benedict XVI, 28 August 2005, Angelus)

Saint Monica

St Monica BGozzoli.jpgGive unto her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her works praise her in the gates, alleluia.

O God, the comforter of the sorrowful and the salvation of them that hope in Thee, Who had merciful regard to the pious tears of blessed Monica in bringing about the conversion of her son Augustine: grant us by their united intercession to grieve over our sins and obtain Thy merciful pardon.

Our Lady of Czestochowa, a morning prayer

OL Czestochowska.jpgA Morning Prayer to

Our Lady of Czestochowa


Holy Mother of
Czestochowa, thou art full of grace, goodness and mercy. I consecrate to thee
all my thoughts, words and actions -my soul and body. I beseech thy blessings
and especially prayers for my salvation. Today, I consecrate myself to thee,
Good Mother, totally -with body and soul amid joy and sufferings to obtain for
myself and others Thy blessings on this earth and eternal life in Heaven. Amen.

New vocation video: Ordination 2009

NY Ordination 2009.jpg… the character of the Good Shepherd is branded on your hearts.. at ordination. 

A powerful video of the 2009 priesthood ordination rites in the Archdiocese of New York is link here.

The video is bone-chillingly beautiful.
The video was produced by Grassroots Films.
Contact Father Luke Sweeney, the NY vocation director, fr. luke.sweeney @archny.org.