Dolan appointed consultor new Vatican Office


benedict XVI amrs bw.jpgPope Benedict XVI is building his new team of consultors for the papal agency, the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, charged to proclaim the Gospel always and everywhere in a secularized world. This new team really becomes the minds that will build the architecture for the work of the Council. This new Vatican office is slated to be one the most important Vatican offices dealing with building the Kingdom of Heaven. The head of the new council is Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

Today, list has, among others, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York. He joins the likes of:

The Eminent Lord Cardinals: Christoph Schönborn, OP, Archbishop of Vienna (Austria); Angelo Scola, Patriarch of Venice (Italia); George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney (Australia); Josip Bozanić, Archbishop of Zagreb (Croatia); Marc Ouellet, PSS, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Francisco Robles Ortega, Archbishop of Monterrey (Mexico); Odilo Pedro Scherer, Archbishop of São Paulo (Brasil); William Joseph Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Stanisław Ryłko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity; and their Excellencies: Claudio Maria Celli, titular Archbishop of Civitanova, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication; Nikola Eterović, titular Archbishop of Cibale, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops; Pierre-Marie Carré, Coadjutor Archbishop of Montpellier (France); Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York (USA); Robert Zollitsch, Archbishop of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany); Bruno Forte, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto (Italy); Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham (Great Britain); André-Joseph Léonard, Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel, Malines-Bruxelles (Belgium); Adolfo González Montes, Bishop of Almería (Spain); Vincenzo Paglia, Bishop of Terni-Narni-Amelia (Italy).

All of the members of the consultors have some experience of and leadership in the ongoing work of evangelization in their respective milieu. Noteworthy, several of the cardinals and bishops have connections with Communion and Liberation and Sant’Egidio, Schonstatt movements, the Emmanuel Community and the Christian Life Community.

This Council is not only orienting its work to Europe but to the entire world, giving God a voice.

Saint John Nepomunk Neumann

St John Nepomunk Neumann.jpg

Praise our loving, gracious God
Who has called us each by name
And has chosen shepherds true,
Unimpressed by gain or fame;

These have nurtured all God’s fold
And the gospel true have told.
Praise for John, God’s bishop sure,
Teaching, preaching in our land;

Founding churches, building schools,
Trusting in God’s gracious hand;
Learning tongues that all might hear
God’s redeeming love so dear.

Glory to the Father give,
And to Christ the Lord, God’s Son,
And to Spirit, Paraclete:
Ever blessèd Three-in-One!

With John Neumann, crowned with light,
Let our praise reach heaven’s height.

J. Michael Thompson
Copyright © 2009
World Library Publications
77 77 77

Miracle attributed to Pope John Paul II expected to be approved

Sister Marie Simon-Pierre.jpgThe reports of an approved miracle are surfacing as moving more and more toward a confirmation by the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints before the dossier is  given to Pope Benedict for his approval. Theologians, physicians and other professionals have been studying a case of French Sister Marie Simon-Pierre who lived with the effects of Parkinson’s Disease until June 2005.

Sister Marie Simon-Pierre said she was healed of the disease following her prayers to the Venerable Servant of God Pope John Paul II asking him to intercede for her for the gift of God’s healing from Parkinson’s. She described her healing as a second birth with the renewed use of her arms and legs. Word about the miracle’s approval ought to be coming very soon with a possible beatification of John Paul later in 2011.

João Bráz de Aviz of Brasilia named by Pope as Prefect of Religious

João Bráz de Aviz of Brasilia.jpgPope Benedict XVI named today João Bráz de Aviz, 63, Archbishop of Brasilia, as the new Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life  (AKA Congregation of Relgious), replacing Franc Cardinal Rode, CM.

Archbishop Bráz de Aviz’s family is Portugese and German. He is not a religious (and to hold the job it is not a prerequisite to be a vowed religious) but he was educated at a PIME seminary and he’s friendly with Focolare, even overseeing the beatification process for Focolare member Ginetta Calliari. At the service of the Pope at the Holy See, Bráz de Aviz is the second Latin American among the current leaders of one of the central offices.
Archbishop João Bráz de Aviz has been a bishop for nearly 17 years and has served as such in 4 dioceses, three of them as the Diocesan Ordinary.
Many consider Archbishop João Bráz de Aviz to be personable, reliable, discrete, relatively traditional and is not known to have a penchant for religious life (considered so because he’s not one). In short, he’s an outsider to much of the Vatican politics. What he’s connected to are the lay ecclesial movements which is also something Pope Benedict –and John Paul before him– is also very interested in.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton


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But we lack
courage to keep a continual watch over nature, and therefore, year after year,
with our thousand graces, multiplied resolutions, and fair promises, we run
around in a circle of misery and imperfections. After a long time in the
service of God, we come nearly to the point from whence we set out, and perhaps
with even less ardor for penance and mortification than when we began our
consecration to him.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Divine Office, Office of
Readings

There are very few American women who have had an impact on civil and religious society because today’s saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, with the work of education and hospitals and other institutions of culture that her order, the Sisters of Charity, did for all of us.

Ask Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton to intercede for us right now to help us to make Jesus known through acts of charity and mercy.

Holy Name of Jesus

In the Name of Jesus let every knee bow, of those that
are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: and let every tongue confess that
the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. (Ps.8. 2). O Lord
our Lord: how admirable is Thy Name in the whole earth!

O God, Who didst constitute Thine only-begotten Son
the Savior of Mankind, and didst bid Him to be called Jesus: mercifully grant,
that we who venerate His holy Name on earth, may fully enjoy also the vision of
Him in heaven.
Holy Name of Jesus.jpg

“If you ask the Father anything in my name he will
give it you.” (John 16:23)
 
By no other Name are we saved!

NYC’s Largest Catholic Festival January 14-17

New York Encounter
 
Crossroads invites you to New York Encounter, an annual

four-day public cultural festival that intends to offer to a large
audience opportunities for education, dialogue and friendship
through conferences, artistic performances, and exhibits.

 

Friday, January 14, 2011

7:00 pm | Education and Freedom in Contemporary America Opening key note speech by John Garvey, President of The Catholic University of Americafollowed by a live Jazz performance by the Xaverian Jazz Band

Saturday, January 16, 2011

3:15 pm | Jérôme Lejeune: a True Scientist The life and work of the great geneticist and doctor through the eyes of his daughter, Clara Gaymard

4:30 pm | How to Build a Human Economy for the Long Term in a (Post-?) Crisis Environment A discussion on the fundamental questions about work, economy, and finance with Clara Gaymard, VP of Government Strategy and Sales at GE International, and President and CEO of GE France, Carla Hendra, founding Chairman, Global Strategy & Innovation atOgilvy & Mather Worldwide, and William McGurn, Columnist with the Wall Street Journal
8:00 pm | The Tidings Brought to Mary The Blackfriars Repertory Theater and The Storm Theater present a special benefit performance of the play by Paul Claudel

Sunday, January 17, 2011

2:30 pm | Reality, Reason, Freedom: At the Root of the Religious Quest A discussion on The Religious Sense by Luigi Giussani with speakers Fr. Julián Carrón, President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation Movement; H.Em. Sean Cardinal O’Malley,Archbishop of Boston; and moderator Michael Waldstein, Professor of Theology, Ave Maria University

5:30 pm | Can an Accomplished Scientist be a Genuine Believer Today? Exploring the boundaries of faith and science with panelists Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, Theologian, and Author; Kenneth Miller, Professor of Biology, at Brown University; and Charles Townes, Nobel Prize winner in Physics

8:30 pm | A New York Night Images and voices from the heart of the city, presented by “Blue Lou” Marini

Monday, January 17, 2011

10:30 am | Giacomo Leopardi: Infinite Desire A homage to the Italian poet on the occasion of the publication of his poems in the U.S. with speakers Jonathan Galassi, President and Publisher of Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Davide Rondoni, Author and Poet; and Joseph Weiler, University Professor at NYU School of Law

Continue reading NYC’s Largest Catholic Festival January 14-17

Egypt’s civil & religious leaders condemn attack

The various news agencies are reporting that Egypt’s civil and religious leaders are condemning the New Year’s Eve suicide bombing of a Coptic Church which killed 21 people and wounded a reported 100 others. The attack happened with 30 minutes of 2011.

Pope Shenouda III joined with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa and the Egyptian government’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq at a press conference condemning the attack.

Continue reading Egypt’s civil & religious leaders condemn attack

Epiphany 2011

O wondrous exchange!
The Creator of humanity,
taking upon Himself a living body,
vouchsafed to be born of a virgin,
and, proceeding forth as man, without seed,
has made us partakers of His divinity.

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“The Magi worshipped a simple Child in the arms of his Mother Mary, because in him they recognized the source of the twofold light that had guided them: the light of the star and the light of the Scriptures. In him they recognized the King of the Jews, the glory of Israel, but also the King of all the peoples” (Benedict XVI).

A blessed Epiphany to you!