Blessed Constantius of Fabriano


God of justice and truth, you made Blessed Constantius renowned for his unceasing prayer and his zeal for peace.
By the help of his prayers may we walk in the path of justice
and reach everlasting peace and glory.


Here the liturgical memorial of a Dominican friar, priest and prior, Constantius (Bernocchi) of Fabriano (1410-1481), is observed. He was a 15th century Italian Dominican whose reputation, even as a child, led sinners to reconciliation with Christ and the Church. His spiritual fathers included Blesseds John Dominici, Laurence of Ripafratta and Florence’s Saint Antoninus. Constantius was a man of many austerities, prayer and service to the least. Constantius’ work as the elected head of several priories was to restore the regular life of the Dominican friars. His first miracle was the cure of his sister but always a peacemaker.

Father Constantius was beatified in 1811 by Pope Pius VII.

Saint Polycarp

St Polycarp3.jpg

If you really want to know what tradition is look at the life of today’s
saint. Saint Polycarp had indirect knowledge of Jesus: he had known those who
had direct knowledge of the Savior. Polycarp was a disciple of the Beloved
Disciple, Saint John the Evangelist, who had converted him around the year AD 80.
And from Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, we learn that Polycarp taught him as a young
man what he learned about Jesus and the Kingdom from the Apostles, which the
Church hands down, which are true.  Irenaeus testifies to the seriousness, holiness, and the devotion
Polycarp had for Christ.

The Martyrology tells us that Polycarp became bishop
of Smyrna and administered the diocese for some 70 years. He defended the
Church’s orthodox faith against those who taught a different doctrine,
especially Marcionism and Valentinianism (the most influential of the Gnostic
sects).

From a hagiography

“At Smyrna, the death of St. Polycarp. He was a disciple of the holy apostle John, who consecrated him bishop of that city; and there he acted as the primate of all Asia Minor. Later, under Marcus Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, he was brought before the tribunal of the proconsul; and when all the people in the amphitheater cried out against him, he was handed over to be burned to death. But since the fire caused him no harm, he was put to death by the sword. Thus he gained the crown of martyrdom. With him, twelve other Christians, who came from Philadelphia, met death by martyrdom in the same city”


Pius Parsch
The Church’s Year of Grace

Prayer: personal & lived in communio

Thinking about uniting ourselves closely to Christ I
was wondering what prayer is and it is connected with my relationship with Him. The Pope said earlier this month that “prayer, on the one
hand, must be very personal, a uniting of myself with God in my innermost
depths. It must be my struggle with Him, my search for Him, my gratitude for
Him and my joy in Him. Yet it is never something private of my individual ‘ego’
that does not concern others. Praying is essentially and also always praying in
the ‘we’ of God’s children. “In this ‘we’ alone are we children of Our Father,
which the Lord taught us to pray. This ‘we’ alone gives us access to the
Father. On the one hand our prayer must become more and more personal, must
touch and penetrate ever more deeply the nucleus of our ‘ego’. On the other, it
must always be nourished by the communion of those praying, by the unity of the
Body of Christ, in order truly to shape myself on the basis of God’s love” (Benedict
XVI, Homily for Episcopal Ordinations, 5 Feb 2011).

By the numebrs: Catholic grow and diminishment around the world


annuario.jpg

On February 19th,
the Cardinal Secretary of State, His Eminence, Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone SDB
and Archbishop Fernando Filoni, the assistant for General Affairs, presented
the Holy Father the 2011 Annuario Pontificio. The Annuario is the pontifical
yearbook with everything you want to know and more. Highlights in this edition:

In 2010, the
Pope erected 10 new episcopal sees, 1 apostolic exarchate and 1 apostolic
vicariate. One diocese was elevated to the rank of metropolitan see, two
prelatures to the rank of diocese, and two apostolic prefectures and one
apostolic administration to the rank of apostolic vicariates.

The world’s Catholics
increased from nearly 1,166 million in 2008 to 1,181 million in 2009, an
increase of fifteen million faithful which corresponds to a growth of 1.3%.

The distribution
of Catholics among the continents. Between 2008 and 2009:

Continue reading By the numebrs: Catholic grow and diminishment around the world

SSPX detente?

The religion editor for Reuters published an article “Catholic splinter group sees no Vatican accord” on the eve of Vatican-Society of St Pius X talks ending but with no resolution. Why this group of priests persists in living outside the Catholic Church and under the unity of Pope Benedict is beyond me. Hubris is a good word but the issues are complex. Certainly there are some legitimate doctrinal issues that have surfaced following the Second Vatican Council on which the SSPX adherents are correct in objecting to. But their manifest schism from the Church of Rome is not the way to renew doctrine and to have care for the salvation of souls. I think Bishop Bernard Fellay is too obstinate to accept any offer of Divine Grace from the Trinity.

Change in the College of Cardinals

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran of France proto deacon of the College of Cardinals Feb 21 2011.jpgWith the Cardinal Agostino Cacciavillan, 84, who requested to be made a cardinal-priest and because of his age, the College of Cardinals gets a new proto-deacon (that is, the first among the deacons of the College). 

Jean-Louis Pierre 
Cardinal Tauran, 67, from France, is currently the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. His central duty as the proto deacon is to announce to the world that a new pope has been elected at a conclave. He will say:

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum, habemus Papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum N. (first name) Sanctaee Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem N. (the surname) qui sis nomen imposuit N. (the papal name).
The French born proto deacon was ordained a priest of Bordeaux in 1969 and was ordained a bishop in 1991. He has served as Secretary for Relations with States in the Secretariat of State till 2003 when he was created a cardinal and appointed the Church’s archivist and librarian. In 2007, Pope Benedict named Tauran the President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. 

3 new saints for the Church universal

Consistory of Cardinals meet to canonize saints Feb 21 2011.jpgThe Pope called an ordinary consistory of cardinals to today to discuss and then announce that 3 new saints are to recognized. The new saints: Don Luigi Guanella, Don Guido Maria Conforti and Sister Bonifacia Rodriquez de Castro.

  • Blessed Luigi Guanella founded Congregation of the Servants of Charity and the Institute of the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence
  • Blessed Guido Maria Conforti founded the Xavierian Missionaries
  • Blessed Bonifacia Rodriquez de Castro founded the Congregation of the Servants of Saint Joseph
The Sacrifice of the Mass and the Rite of Canonization will take place on October 23.

ExCons need Christian charity for conversion, new life

chained prisoner Goya.jpgPrograms for prisoner reentry into society is crucial in keeping people clean, working, and being a good citizens. “Do-good-ing” is not a Catholic principle. We have plenty of good people doing good all the time. In fact, my heart is really moved by those who don’t have a faith tradition to call their own and are motivated to act charitably toward those in need. Living a life of virtue and prayer are Catholic ways of proceeding. Showing mercy is what we are called to live in concrete ways. Helping the excon get on his or her feet again and walking with them is Jesus-inspired act.

Faith-based community projects, church-based communities of faith, Catholic groups like the Order of Malta and Catholic dioceses are among those who are doing good work to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith-based communities have compassion as part of their mission and many are facing compassion fatigue. Money and red-tape are real obstacles to living the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.
“… I was in prison and visited me” (Matthew 25:36)

Continue reading ExCons need Christian charity for conversion, new life