Communion and Liberation’s prayer on St Benedict’s feast

passing of Benedict.jpgThis day blessed Benedict in the presence of his brethren ascended directly from his cell toward the East into heaven; this day, his hands raised, he breathed forth his soul in prayer; this day he was received by the Angels into glory. (Vespers Mag. Ant.)

Our prayer today is for all who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict and the gifts given to the Church and world by the Benedictines. Most especially our prayer today is with the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation who counts Saint Benedict as one of the co-patrons of the movement. May we who live the path given by the Servant of God Father Luigi Giussani to “incline our heart” unto the Lord’s.
Father Giussani once said to the Benedictine monks of Cascinazza (Milan), “Christ is present! The Christ announcement is that God became one of us and is present here, and gathers us together into one body, and through unity, His presence is made perceivable. This is heart of the Benedictine message of the earliest times. Well, this also defines the entire message of our Movement, and this is why feel Benedictine history to be the history to which we are the closest.”

Continue reading Communion and Liberation’s prayer on St Benedict’s feast

Pope moves Holy Thursday rites to a juvenile prison

Bergoglio washes feet of the young.JPG

The Holy See Press Office said today that Pope Francis will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the juvenile prison ‘Casal del Marmo’ in Rome. Known as Maundy Thursday is the first of the Three Sacred Days in Holy Week leading to Easter Sunday; this Liturgy is rooted John 13. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper, commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood. The Mass on Holy Thursday recalls that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as an example of love, of service ; the washing of the feet known as the ‘mandatum.’ 

As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, as you can note in the picture, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio celebrated Mass in a prison, hospital or hospice for poor and marginalized people. This move from Saint John Lateran to the prison is consistent with Francis’ previous pastoral priorities.

On 18 March 2007, Pope Benedict offered Mass in this same prison.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Francis’ official portrait

official portrait of Francis.jpg

The official photo of Pope Francis, with his signature.

The Pope’s pectoral cross has the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd (cf John 10:11), carrying the sheep on his shoulders, with the flock following him. The cross has been a part of the pope’s person since he was a bishop in Buenas Aires, Argentina.

Prayer to Saint Benedict

Detail - Glory of the New Born Christ in prese...

Detail – Glory of the New Born Christ in presence of God Father and the Holy Spirit (Annakirche, Vienna). Adam and Eve are represented below Jesus Christ Ceiling painting made by Daniel Gran (1694-1757).

Father, you revealed in Benedict your desire to live and die in grace that transcends all earthly cares; listen to our supplications as we strive toward salvation.

 

Benedict, blessed in name and grace, lived a holy life; may we follow worthily in his footsteps by praying and working to glorify you.

 

Holy father Benedict, pray for us.

 

Benedict, desiring to please you alone, left home and patrimony to found his religious family; may we live in peace in his family to add luster to your monastic way of life.

 

Holy father Benedict, pray for us.

 

Benedict withdrew from the world, knowingly unacquainted with its ways, and wisely unlearned in its wisdom; may we learn your wisdom, and guide our actions by it.

 

Holy father Benedict, pray for us.

 

Benedict, filled with the spirit of all the just, left us a rule of life in Christ; may we remain faithful to his teaching and come to prefer nothing whatsoever to Christ.

 

Holy father Benedict, pray for us.

 

Benedict, the patron of a happy death, showed us how to live in order to die in you; may he obtain this reward from you for each of us.

 

Holy father Benedict, pray for us.

 

Through Christ our Lord.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Pope Francis meets with ecumenical partners and representatives of world religions

The Pope met today with Orthodox leaders, Byzantine and Oriental Orthodox, the Anglicans, other ecclesial communities and leaders of various other religions. Of particular interest is the personal meeting of Francis and Bartholomew; the Pope also met with Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church.


Rome Reports has a review of this important ecumenical meeting.


Francis and Bartholomew March 20 2013.jpg

First of all, heartfelt thanks for what my Brother Andrew told us. Thank you so much! Thank you so much!

It is a source of particular joy to meet you today, delegates of the Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches and Ecclesial Communities of the West. Thank you for wanting to take part in the celebration that marked the beginning of my ministry as Bishop of Rome and Successor of Peter.

Yesterday morning, during the Mass, through you , I recognized the communities you represent. In this manifestation of faith, I had the feeling of taking part in an even more urgent fashion the prayer for the unity of all believers in Christ, and together to see somehow prefigured the full realization of full unity which depends on God’s plan and on our own loyal collaboration.

Continue reading Pope Francis meets with ecumenical partners and representatives of world religions

What will Benedict XVIs legacy be in the years ahead?

Português: Cerimônia de canonização do frade b...

The answer to this question will not be in its final form for a long time. The papacy only ended a few weeks ago. Historians will have to look at several things before they will be able to reflect back with greater precision that a video or a blog commentary can provide in 2013. There are several things that Pope Benedict’s 8 year reign that give good indicators as to what we engage with in the years ahead. Many more intelligent than I have thought this question through, but Father Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Chicago has made a good first attempt when he posits that Benedict will be remembered for:

1. being able to give a more authentic interpretative key to the Second Vatican Council; that is, naming the true mission of the Church;
2. being able to present the objective truth of the faith as taught by the Church these 2 thousand years with the clear awareness that the truth is about the Divine Love lived in joy; this is often called affirmative orthodoxy: the big ‘yes’ vs. the fat ‘no’;
Enhanced by Zemanta

Continue reading What will Benedict XVIs legacy be in the years ahead?

Novena of Prayer to Saint Benedict, Day 9

The order of prayer

San Benedetto2.jpg
Let us rejoice in the Lord, celebrating the memory of the holy abbot, Benedict. (antiphon)
Pray Psalm 9
The prayer of petition to Saint Benedict may be found here, and then pray the following prayer.
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You freed the man of God, Benedict, from the prison of the flesh and bore him up to heaven to enjoy the vision of Your glory. Grant us, through his merits, the spirit of penance, forgiveness of our sins, so that we may one day share the joys of eternal life with him and all the saints. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

St Dominic’s Monastery: A Life of Faithfulness

Linden-courtyard.jpgSome time ago I mentioned here on Communio the monastery in Linden, Virginia which getting a jim-start on living the monastic life according to the Dominican charism. St Dominic’s Monastery is an exceptional place. 

Why is St Dominic’s a place to support? There are many reasons, not the least is the fact the nuns are very serious about the monastic life demonstrated by their observance of communal liturgical and personal prayer, their sacrifice of time and generous giving of self, the witness of the full habit, and commitment to the ideals of Saint Dominic and his successors. The nuns follow the path charted by Christ and the saints.

Continue reading St Dominic’s Monastery: A Life of Faithfulness

A focus on mission, Pope Francis points to direction

Pope Francis met with media

Pope Francis met with media

I don’t think Pope Francis will be too different from the last several Roman Pontiffs. As bishop of Rome he will preach and teach, govern and sanctify.The Pope’s un-programatic homily is in fact programatic if you can read the details. In some ways Francis’s homily is an Aesopian creature.

First, style is substance. Second, the liturgical preaching thus far indicates a trajectory. Third, focus on the Pope’s connection with people of belief and unbelief because this connection ought to be assessed for the facts and and not cliché. What the Pope said and what he’s done matters. Who’s present, and who’s not. (And this data is not to be reduced to politics.) All this is to say that you can’t miss “a trick” if you really want to know what and who Pope Francis is, and why he is doing what he’s doing and with whom. 
We are living nothing different from what Blessed John Paul and Pope Benedict did in their pontificates. Three things to pray for daily: conversion, vocation and mission.
A “news” man and priest whom I respect very much is the editor-in-chief for AsiaNews.it, Bernardo Cervellera. Tonight, his article, “Like Benedict, mission is Pope Francis’s focus,” captures what I am indicating and what I am urging you to attend.
Want to be informed about Christianity, and the global Church of Christ, read AsiaNews.it.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Novena of Prayer to Saint Benedict, Day 8

The order of prayer

St Benedict and bread.jpg
Those who offered him food for his body received from his lips the Word of God, the food of life. (antiphon)
Pray Psalm 19: 1-7
The prayer of petition to Saint Benedict may be found here, and then pray the following prayer.
Let us pray.
Lord God, it is Your will that the whole world look to You for salvation and deliverance from the slavery of sin. Grant us a sense of mission, such as Saint Benedict had, and fill us with an apostolic spirit that we may, by the example of our life, help to draw others to You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.