Ángel Herrera Oria: a journalist turned cardinal

Ángel Herrera Oria, Cardenal.jpgThere’s a journalist, intellectual,  politician and a cardinal whose sanctity is being studied: Ángel Herrera Oria.


Wiki has this story on the Servant of God, Ángel Cardinal Herrera Oria but there is a biography and it’s in Spanish.

Rome Reports has a video story on the journalist-cardinal here.

The Servant of God was born on December 19, 1886, ordained a priest on July 28, 1940 (at 53) and ordained a bishop of Malaga, Spain, on June 30, 1947 (at 60 years). It was the Servant of God Pope Paul VI who created Herrera Oria a cardinal on February 22, 1965.

His Eminence died on July 28, 1968, the 28th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Cardinal Ángel Herrera Oria, pray for us.

a small garden with a punch

the small garden 2011.jpgFather Giussani spoke of sacrifice in our context as including what we do with our spare time. When we have time to spare, do we read, do we pray, do we spend quality time with family, friends, or our beloved, do we watch hours of TV, or, do we help the poor and needy? How we spend our free time reveals who we are as persons. How we use time speaks of our values and how we flourish.

Some of my free time –which time is a premium these days– is spent with two gardens. Spending time in the garden is relaxing and keeps me grounded (pun intended) and it allows me to unwind, and to pray. Plus, it keeps me connected with my heritage. My grandparents would be so proud.

My large garden is a flower garden (under the patronage of St Francis of Assisi) and the small garden (see above is under the patronage of St Fiacre) is a vegetable garden.
Thus far, I’ve harvested lots of cucumbers of which I made pickles but some went to salads, others went to family and other cukes went to a local monastery. Tomatoes are coming now; I had my first two yesterday. AND, I picked my first cayenne pepper for my pickles today and I am waiting for my habaneros. Oh, yea, my horseradish is finally showing signs of growth.
homemade pickles 2011.jpgToday, the leaks replaced the cucumbers and the squash plants are growing daily.

The pickles I made two weeks ago are delicious, if I say so myself; they have a slight kick due to the hot peppers added and garlic. The pickle recipe comes from my friend and colleague Tom.
Today’s pickle batch were prepared for a CL picnic at the end of the month.

Silence is the environmental condition to listen to God

Sand dune on the Sinai Peninsula.

Image via Wikipedia

Mentioned earlier this week, the Pope spoke of silence and monasteries as places of beauty and the environment that opens the soul to deeper things. I have a particular interest in what the Pope speaks: I love the monastic culture and the heritage it has given us in order to seek the Face of God. Here’s more of the papal text of August 10, 2011:

In every age, men and women who have consecrated their lives to God in prayer – like monks and nuns – have established their communities in particularly beautiful places: in the countryside, on hilltops, in valleys, on the shores of lakes or the sea, or even on little islands. These places unite two elements which are very important for contemplative life: the beauty of creation, which recalls that of the Creator, and silence, which is guaranteed by living far from cities and the great means of communication. Silence is the environmental condition that most favors contemplation, listening to God and meditation. The very fact of experiencing silence and allowing ourselves to be “filled,” so to speak, with silence, disposes us to prayer. The great prophet, Elijah, on Mount Horeb – that is, Sinai – experienced strong winds, then an earthquake, and finally flashes of fire, but he did not recognize the voice of God in them; instead, he recognized it in a light breeze (cfr. 1 Rev 19:11-13). God speaks in silence, but we need to know how to listen. This is why monasteries are oases in which God speaks to humanity; and there we find the courtyard, a symbolic place because it is a closed space, but open toward heaven.
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Saint Maximus the Confessor

Maximus the Confessor.jpg



Saint Maximus the Confessor (c. 580-662) taught, 



To harbor no envy, no anger, no resentment against an offender is still not to have charity for him. It is possible, without any charity, to avoid rendering evil for evil. But to render, spontaneously, good for evil – such belongs to a perfect spiritual love.

The Assumption (Dormition) of the Blessed Virgin Mary – a period of fast


Dormition of the BVM, french unknown master.jpgAugust 1 through 14 is a period of fasting in the
Byzantine churches in preparation for the feast of the Dormition of the
Theotokos (Assumption) on August 15.  


Unfortunately, we in the Roman Church have lost the Assumption fast, but we continue to bless herbs and flowers on this solemnity.


It is truly right to bless you, O
Theotokos, as the ever-blessed and immaculate Mother of our God. More honorable
than the cherubim, and by far more glorious than the seraphim, ever a virgin, you
gave birth to God the Word; O true Theotokos, we magnify you!

“Dostojno je.”

Fr Z under attack?


I was reading Fr Tim Finigan’s blog today, The hermeneutic of continuity, and was startled to read his post “Fr Z under attack.” Apparently Dr. Phyllis Zagano, professor of Religion at Hofstra University, doesn’t care for Fr Z’s ecclesiology and liturgical theology. Actually, it’s not Fr Z she has the problem with, it is the Church. But since she’s can’t get at that in manageable ways, she’s going after a prominent priest-writer. Why does she really care about Fr Z???

The controversy is based on ruffled feathers: Dr Zagano and much of the NC Reporter crowd doesn’t like to be scrutinized by those “who think with the Church.” It seems to me that this is another example of the mentality where “authority (and obedience) is for other people”; remember, this way of judging things isn’t really Catholic. The same doesn’t accept fraternal correction or live in a spirit of obedience to the Holy Mother the Church (who might just know more than a mere individual expositor of religion). Clearly, this is a case of scratch a liberal find a fascist. In world where adults are expected to be mature, trying to dig up dirt so as incite scandal among the faithful has no place in the Church. Perhaps, it seems to me, that Dr Zagano has not really learned much from all the work she’s done with the central spiritualities of the Church.

Continue reading Fr Z under attack?