Blessed Bartolo Longo

Memory of Bartolo Longo is liturgically honored today. Blessed Bartolo Longo (1841-1926) has been so far the only lay person of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem to be lifted to the altar. He quite dear to the Knights and Dames of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and to me both as a devotee to the Rosary and to the Order.

Longo is an example for our members of constant prayer, active charity, and love for the most needy. From Pompeii, a city that he helped regenerate thanks to the grace of recitation of the Rosary, the Blessed continues to inspire initiatives of prayer and charity worldwide.

Since my baptismal parish is named for Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, Blessed Bartolo’s relic hangs in a stairwell (not an ideal place) but at least we remember him.

Prayer to Blessed Bartolo Longo

Blessed Bartolo Longo, you who dedicated your life to Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us and intercede for our needs. You who have known despair and suffering, help us to find hope and peace in difficult times.

You who have spread the devotion to the Rosary around the world, teach us to love this prayer and meditate on the mysteries of the life of Jesus and Mary. You who founded the city of Pompeii as a center of Marian devotion, protect and bless it always.

Blessed Bartolo Longo, you who lived your life in the service of others, help us imitate your example of charity and dedication. You who have been raised to the honours of the altars, pray for us and obtain the grace we need. Amen.

A new cardinal among us

Earlier today the Pope created 21 new cardinals. Among the new cardinals is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M.,the first time a residential Patriarch has been given the title of Cardinal of the Roman Church. This is significant for several reasons and in my mind chief among them is that Jerusalem is the Mother, the heart of the Christian faith. Catholics around the world ought to be proud that Mother Church is so represented.

His Beatitude, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, serves the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem as its Grand Prior, serving with the Grand Master, Fernando Cardinal Filoni.

The Order was represented by the Cardinal Grand Master and the Governor General and a large international delegation.

Among the new cardinals and in addition to Cardinal Pizzaballa are members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre: Cardinal Stephen Brislin, Archbishop of Cape Town and Grand Priore for South Africa, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, Archbishop of Bogota and Grand Priore to Colombia, Cardinal America Manuel Alves Aguiar Bishop of Setúbal (Portugal) and Cardinal Augustine Marchetto, Apostolic Nuncio and Archbishop of Astigi.

Holy Child Program: healing the brokenness of children in the Holy Land

Healing the wounds of the venerable and broken –body, mind and spirit– of children. A beautiful and much need program for the flourishing of children in the Holy Land is The Holy Child Program founded by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist (Meriden, CT). This charitable work is supported by many generous benefactors not least the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

Sister Naomi writes about the mission of the HCP:

The mission of the Holy Child Program has always been to instill hope through healing. It is a safe place for those who manifest emotional behavioral problems resulting in difficulties at home, at school and in the community. While the attitude in this region is slowly changing toward those who have a disability, these children are still seen as outcasts in their society. Like St. Francis kissing the leper, these children and their families are given the time, attention and love necessary to heal. And not only to heal, but to become integrated and giving members of society. Graduating students are followed and supported for a minimum of two years after graduation.

Here’s the website for The Holy Child Program where you can make a sacrificial gift to support the mission.

An introductory word on the The Holy Child Program by Sister Naomi Zimmermann, FSE is helpful: “A time for healing“

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem becomes Cardinal

His Beatitude, Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa, OFM, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem with the Govenor General of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and others of the Order.

The new Cardinal received the title of the Church of Sant’Onofrio. The church is administered by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement.

Congrats, blessings and many years to Cardinal Pizzaballa!

St Vincent de Paul

Today we are given the liturgical memorial of the often overlooked saint who has led by an experience of Christ, a man of deep desires to serve the Church, and a man who is a model of service to faith and the poor. St Vincent de Paul, the 17th century French priest is recalled not only for personal holiness and for what has become known the Vincentian charism. The importance of the Vincent’s influence is likely more important to our era than I dare say the Ignatian heritage. While Loyola’s real gift to the Church is not necessarily the least Society of Jesus and the educational system, but really the Spiritual Exercises and the method of discernment. Vincent’s gift to the Church is the integration of evangelization and charity.

What is also key to understanding and appreciating what Vincent did for us –and continues to do for us– is the spiritual bond he had with St Louise de Marillac. Vincent and Louise worked in complement to each other. Three Vincentian values that are often spoken of are spirituality, friendship and service. For me, the key value is friendship. Friendship is the sun to which one’s spiritual life and service orbit. What is the quality of our relation to God, others, the Church, the poor, to seminarians, and to ourselves? Without a flourishing and mature relationship with others, and principally with the Lord, then all else falls apart or doesn’t even get off the ground. As a young man and student under the Vincentians, I was taught that by example, Vincent indicated that our service to the poor is first nourished by our spiritual life, by personal and corporate prayer. Time spent praying before the Most Blessed Sacrament has an abundance of grace. Short of spending hours in prayer our friendship with those we work and serve is banal. In the end, we recall a gem in the crown of saints and blesseds in the crown of the Church.

St Vincent de Paul, pray for us.

Saints Cleopas and Simeon at Emmaus

We know the Gospel narrative of encounter of the Risen Lord at Emmaus. Read Luke 24:13-35. We know there were two men with Jesus. Many of us don’t know the names of these two men.

The Roman Martyrology tells us: “At Emmaus, the birthday of the blessed Cleopas, Disciple of Christ. It is related that he was killed by the Jews, for the confession of our Lord, in the same house in which he had entertained Him and where he was honourably buried.”

Piecing together information from other sources we have consider the entry of the renown historian, Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, who quotes the earlier chronicler, Hegesippus, writing in c. 180, that he had years before interviewed the grandsons of Jude the Apostle and learned that Clopas was the Brother of St Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary: “After the martyrdom of James, it was unanimously decided that Simeon, Son of Clopas, was worthy to occupy the See of Jerusalem. He was, it is said, a Cousin of the Saviour.” Hegesippus noted, that Clopas was a Brother of Joseph. Epiphanius adds that Joseph and Cleopas were Brothers, sons of “Jacob, surnamed Panther.”

And then there’s the surviving fragments of the work Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord of the Apostolic Father Papias of Hierapolis, who lived c. 70–163, Cleophas and Alphaeus are the same person: “Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus, who was the Mother of James the Bishop and Apostle and of Simon and Thaddeus and of one Joseph.”

Here in sacred Scripture and in Tradition we meet the Risen Lord, and we meet hope. Saints Clops and Simeon at Emmaus communicate to us that the heart’s desires are fulfilled in the Lord, in the Breaking of the Bread, where all else falls away and centers us on the one we desire: God Himself.

Meeting friends

Earlier today approximately 75 members of Communion and Liberation gathered at the Cabrini Shrine in Washington Heights, NYC for the CL Beginning Day. Conversation, a witness, a lesson and the Vigil Mass for Sunday was offered. The Day was awash with an abundance of rain but spirits weren’t dampened. The U.S. Responsible for Communion and Liberation, Father Michael Carvill, FSCB, led the day.

The “nice thing” is that some members of weekly a zoom School of Community took a photo. Unique here is that many zoom meetings rarely afford the personal meeting of people. For me, this group is a mix of old and new friends; some friends live at a distance from New York so the photo becomes a sign of friendship.

Lourdes in a Day

Today, we had the Lourdes in a Day encounter with the Lord of Life organized by Mark and Cherith Sullivan of the Order of Malta (Eastern CT Area) with the assistance of other members of the Order of Malta.

Lourdes in a Day is meant imitate what happens in miniature of happens when the sick are taken to the Lourdes Shrine in the Spring. to provide the sick and those others needing the healing graces of the sacraments of Confession, Anointing of the Sick, and the Holy Eucharist. Join us in prayer. The Rosary was prayed, personal intentions made, and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

About 200 people joined us in prayer and joined for lunch.