Category: Saints

St John and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre

The Latin Church today recalls the liturgical memory of the great and holy apostle and evangelist, John. He’s also referred in sacred Scripture as the Beloved Disciple. In art we see the young John laying his head on the chest of Our Savior –more than a mere metaphor, it is what every follower of Jesus ought to do, or aspire to do. John’s Gospel speaks eloquently of God’s love for humanity and portrays salvation in and through Jesus in a different light than the synoptics.

I recommended today as a day to pray for the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem through the intercession of St John not because he is directly connected with the Order but precisely because what is mentioned above, but also because “in Your poverty we might become rich…” [Ambon Prayer]. We hear this theological datum, God became poor for our sake, but do we believe it? There is wisdom here.

The point I am trying to make here is that our lives –seen as a whole– is to have a space for Christ Jesus in our hearts and minds. After all, we are to practice the presence of God! When you and I make room for Jesus, He doesn’t just show up; He transforms the space He’s given. When you and I make room for Christ, He brings peace to our chaos. Therefore, let’s make room for the miracle, and you’ll be amazed at what God will do!

Connecting St John with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre is an opportunity to discover what our vocation and mission is in the Order for the sake of the Kingdom and the salvation of all people in Christ crucified and risen.

Image: Nectarius Kuluksin (—1679), John the Evangelist in Silence, (tripping on wooden panel, 1679), 109 x 85 cm. Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

St Stephen’s Day

On the Byzantine liturgical calendar today is dedicated to the first-martyr, the holy deacon Stephen. The Latin Church recalls the remembers the apostles and evangelist St John.

A blessed name day to all those named Stephen or Stephanie – also special festal greetings to all deacons on this day! Thank you for your ministry!
“First-martyr and apostle of Christ, you fought the good fight. You convicted the tyrants of their wickedness. When you were killed by stoning at the hands of sinners, you received a crown from God’s right hand while you cried out: Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” [Troparion of the feast]

The Church gives us the feast of St. Stephen immediately after Christmas to make something clear. On Christmas we learned “the son of God became man,” and today we see the purpose—“so that we might become God” (CCC 460). The account of Stephen’s preaching and martyrdom shows us what it looks like to become like God.

St Andrew –crossed no more

Andrew, the fisherman first-called by Jesus to be among the 12 Apostles. He eventually dies a cruel death and on an X shaped cross. View the image with this post closely. Andrew’s adherence to Jesus is noteworthy. He really should have the title of “the Apostle of the Kerygma” because of preaching the Good News. Do we adhere, or do we even aspire to adhere as St Andrew, to the Lord?

On another note, today in the pouring rain I had the privilege of joining friends to celebrate the 125 years of New Haven’s Saint Andrew Society at Woodwinds in North Branford. Nearly 350 people at dinner. Originally a mutual benefit society for the Italian immigrants to New Haven, today the Saint Andrew Society is more a social group which sponsors a festival, some social projects and keeping friendship important.

The first founders and their families of the Saint Andrew Society came from Amalfi which has a significant import for those who belong to the Order of Malta: Blessed Gerard Sasso was born in the Amalfi area and a Benedictine monk there before moving to Jerusalem. The cross on our habit bears what is called the Maltese Cross on the breast, and the cross is used in abundance in Amalfi on churches, sidewalks, tee-shirts, etc.

The eight-pointed cross reminds us of the Eight Beatitudes as taught by the Lord and recorded in Matthew 5:7. The Paschal Mystery and the Beatitudes are intimates in that they deepen our way of living the Christian life: Lex orandi, lex orandi, lex agendi.

Blessed Bartolo Longo slated to be canonized

Great news!

​Yesterday, 24 February, during ​an audience g​iven to ​the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, the Holy Fathe​r, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree​ that Blessed Bartolo Longo, Knight of the Holy Sepulchre​, will be canonized.

Blessed Bartolo is the first layman and member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem to be canonized.

He was a lawyer, ex-Satanist, Dominican tertiary, and founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei.

Blessed Bartolo, pray for us.

St Stephen –archdeacon

The Martyrdom of St. Stephen the Archdeacon

This day marks the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the Archdeacon and the first martyr (protomartyr). St. Luke testified about him in the Acts of the Apostles saying, “Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). The Jews envied him and seized him and brought him to the Council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us” (Acts 6:12-13). And all who sat in the Council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel (Acts 6:13).

Then the high priest said, “Are these things so?” St. Stephen answered with convincing words and told them the history from Abraham to Moses. The coming out of Abraham from Haran, the birth and the circumcision of Isaac, Jacob and his sons and their selling of Joseph, and how Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. St. Stephen continued to narrate to them all the events until the building of the temple. He concluded by saying, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of Whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers; who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it” (Acts 7:51-53).

When they heard these things they were cut to their hearts, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran toward him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him.

They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus receive my Spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:51-60). Devout men carried St. Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

May his prayers be with us. Amen.

(Coptic Synaxarion)

St Nicholas

St. Nicholas defended the Catholic faith and worked for peace and justice in his diocese, particularly worked for the good of the victims of human trafficking.

The artwork indicates, so we should imitate.

St. Nicholas, pray for us.

The Massabki Brothers

Today, the Pope canonized the Massabki Brothers, martyrs. They are called martyrs of faith and unity.

The Massabki Brothers are Maronites: Blessed Emanuele Ruiz and 7 Companions, of the Order of Friars Minor, and Francesco, Abdel Mooti, and Raffaele Massabki, Lay Faithful, killed in hatred of the Faith in Damascus, Syria between July 9 and 10, 1860. The brothers and companions refused to renounce their Christian faith and convert to Islam. The 11 were brutally killed, some beheaded with sabers and axes, others stabbed or clubbed to death.

July 10 is the liturgical memorial for the Massabki Brothers on the Maronite calendar and that of the Custody of the Holy Land.

Saint Massabki Brothers and Companions, pray for us.