Communio – Page 321 – …bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should
go ahead of your Son both in birth and in death, grant that as he died a Martyr
for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you
teach.

There is no
doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our
Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor
had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep
silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say:
“I am the truth”? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth,
he surely died for Christ.

Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore
witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own
suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer. Such was the quality and
strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his
blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace,
yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men. He was locked away in the darkness of
prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be
called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ.

Father Pius Parsch

The Church’s Year of Grace

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Christ humbled himself, you have something, Christian,
to latch onto. Christ became obedient. Why do you behave proudly?

Saint
Augustine

When you read what the Pope has to say about Saint Augustine, you can tell that he really loves and knows Saint Augustine…as we all ought. He’s given us a lot to think about using Augustine’s thinking. Here’s the 2008 discourse of the Pope on the saintly Bishop of Hippo.

Given what is said above, pay close attention to the second half of the Pope’s talk.

Archbishop Dmitri reposes

Very early this morning, Archbishop Dmitri, 87, emeritus archbishop of Dallas and the Diocese of the South, died after failing health.

The obit for His Eminence (Robert R. Royster) was published by the Orthodox Church in America. He did live a terrific life for Christ and the Church.

May his memory be eternal.

Hurricane Irene, Sunday, 28 August 2011

New York undergrad Seminarians 2011

Back to school. This year three New York dioceses are combining their undergraduate and pre-theology programs. The Archdiocese of NY has moved with the Brooklyn and Rockville Centre Dioceses in Douglaston (Queens), New York.

It is expected that the graduate theology program will merge at St Joseph’s Seminary next year.

photo by Fr Luke Sweeney

Saint Monica

And when the Lord saw [the mother of the deceased
young man], he had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ And he
came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young
man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he
gave him to his mother” (Luke 12:13-15).

The Holy Spirit saw to it that Monica’s son Augustine was baptized in 387 by Saint Ambrose, after he resisted her for 17 years.

A blessed feast day of Saint Monica, especially two friends who bear the name of Monica, the parish of Saint Monica, Northford, CT.

I also remember Mother Monica, OP, a former Prioress of Our Lady of Grace Monastery, North Guilford, CT. She made me a 15 decade rosary in 1983.

Saint Monica is often known as the patron saint for those who have difficult and abusive marriages, of troubled youth, the conversion of relatives. She might as well be the patron saint of the virtues of patience and perseverance.

Man’s best friend mourns his death

How can one not be moved by grief, even if the grief is of the deceased’s dog. One of the 38 soldiers killed on August 6, Navy SEAL Jon Tomlinson, was mourned by his dog Hawkeye.

The whole story may be read here.

May the memory of the Navy SEALS be eternal.

Saint Louis of France

O God, who
brought Saint Louis from the cares of earthly rule to the glory of a heavenly
realm, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that by fulfilling our duties
on earth, we may seek out your eternal Kingdom.

Sofia Cavalletti, 94, dies

My friend Michel wrote to tell me that Sofia Cavalleti last evening. You may remember that a few days ago I asked you to include Sofia in your prayers. This past Sunday, Sofia celebrated her 94th birthday. I once again recommend to you the soul of Sofia Cavalletti to the Lord, the Good Shepherd of our souls.

The following is the message sent out by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA board:

With tears and with peace, we want to share with you that our beloved Sofia Cavalletti, at 94, a founding mother of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, has entered the celestial pasture of the Good Shepherd. There is great rejoicing in heaven for her with Gianna, Tilde, Fr. Mongillo, Maria Christleib and Tina, along with members of her family who have gone before her.

Francesca Cocchini sent the following announcement from Rome, Italy: “Dearest, this is only to say that during this night – at ten after midnight (Tuesday, August 23) Sofia encountered the Good Shepherd face to face.” The funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, August 24.

Continue reading Sofia Cavalletti, 94, dies

Ján Chryszostom Cardinal Korec, SJ

An interesting and unique anniversary is being observed by a member of the College of Cardainls: Ján Chryzostom Korec, SJ, the emeritus bishop of Nitra (Slovak Republic), 87, Bishop Pavel Hnilica ordained the cardinal secretly in a hospital room.

The cardinal is an exceedingly interesting man. When I met him in 1997 when he was making a US tour of Slovak communities, his interaction among his hosts was wonderful. He received an honorary Doctorate from Sacred Heart University on that visit to Connecticut.

Cardinal Korec’s statistics are fascinating: nearly 61 years a priest, 60 years a bishop and 20 years a cardinal.

Here’s the Pope’s congratulatory message:

Venerabili Fratri Nostro
IOANNI CHRYSOSTOMO S.R.E. Card. KOREC, S.I.
Episcopo emerito Nitriensi

Laeti laetum nuntium accepimus quod tu, Venerabilis Frater Noster, sexagesimam propediem anniversariam celebrabis memoriam illius diei semper tibi recolendi, quo Episcopus consecratus es et inter Apostolorum Successores relatus, huius nominationis occulte nactus honorem.

Quemadmodum tam felicis nec non praeclari eventus ratio poscit, Nos, commemorantes ministerium sacrum quod diligentissime tot annos peregisti, te actuosum, fidelem ac prudentem Pastorem enixe laudamus praesentiamque spiritualem Nostram hac in festivitate tibi pollicemur.

Dum ergo flagrantia vota, quaecumque sunt salutaria, optabilia, fausta adprecantia, imo e pectore promimus, a sanctissimo ac sempiterno Deo tibi supernorum munerum copiam imploramus, quorum auspicium simul atque propensae voluntatis Nostrae pignus esto Apostolica Benedictio, quam tibi amantissime impertimus.

Ex Arce Gandulfi, die XV mensis Augusti, in Sollemnitate Assumptionis Beatae Mariae Virginis, Anno MMXI, Pontificatus Nostri septimo.

BENEDICTUS PP XVI