Of your charity please pray for Prospero Cardinal Grech OSA, founder and first president of the Augustinianum in Rome, who died today.
Born Stanley Grech in Malta on 24 December 1925
Joined the Augustinian Order in 1943 and ordained in 1950
Served the Roman Pontiffs John XXIII and Paul VI in various capacities
Created Cardinal of the Roman Church by Benedict XVI in 2012
Requiescat in pace.
Life in the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation forms us to know and appreciate the role of the heart in all things. Looking at the spiritual life, “The heart is the key to all true prayer. When prayer arises out of our deepest center it is pure and totally free. It seeks nothing but to reveal to God how we truly are at that moment, with all our desires and concerns, our hopes and expressions of wonder and praise at God’s goodness. Beneath whatever external “form” we use to come before God is the silent pulse that carries our “Yes” to God in a rhythm of faith.” (NS)
Sweet Jesus, you chose to be born in humility of a humble handmaiden, who humbly wrapped you in the swaddling clothes of humility and laid you in a manger. Most merciful Lord, grant that the holiness of new life may be reborn in me through the ineffable mystery of your nativity. Thus may I be wrapped in the swaddling clothes of the religious habit and strive to live within the constraints of Christian discipline – placed as it were in the manger – to lead me to the summit of true humility. And as you deigned to share in our humanity and mortality, grant that I may share in your divinity and eternity. Amen.
A prayer of Ludolph of Saxony
Lord, you gave Saint Peter Canisius wisdom and courage to defend the Catholic faith. By the help of his prayers may all who seek the truth rejoice in finding you, and may all who believe in you be loyal in professing their faith.
“Have you read you Canisius today,” was the question school kids would ask each other referring to reading the catechetical texts composed by Fr Peter Canisius. His catechetical writings focussed on the Liturgy and the sacraments. The hallmark of Canisius and then his writings was his profound personal friendship with Jesus.
While we don’t use the saint’s catechism today, at least not in the USA, the question remains the pertinent to us –have we studied our catechism today?
Read Pope Benedict XVI’s 2011 brief biography on Canisius can be read here.
Today is the anniversary of death of Archbishop Vsevolod (Maidansky) of Scopelos. The Archbishop was a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA. He reposed in the Lord in 2007, six days after his 80th birthday.
Archbishop Vsevolod was man of great humanity and intelligence. I met him at several of the ecumenical meetings he was at and enjoyed is company. His commitment to an on-going dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches was remarkable and helpful.
May God draw Archbishop Vsevolod to Himself.
Eternal memory, dear friend.
On this day in 1983 Father Alexander Schmemann died. He is a favorite liturgical theologian of the Orthodox Church. A prolific speaker and author, a man of great vision. May Father Alexander’s memory be eternal.
“Man is a hungry being. But he is hungry for God. Behind all the hunger of our life is God. All desire is finally a desire for Him.”
Today is the liturgical memorial of the great St. Ambrose of Milan (c. A.D. 340–397).
You know the narrative: born in what is now France, a successful lawyer and politician in Milan, Italy; following the death of the bishop of Milan, the people demanded that the catechumen Ambrose and not yet a Christian, become the successor. (Ambrose hid in an attempt to escape the nomination; even the emperor forbade giving him shelter, forcing him to give himself up and submit.)
Ambrose was a holy leader: author of hymns, theology, correct teaching, serving the poor and donating his patrimonial land to the Church, and being available to all. Bishop Ambrose defended orthodox doctrine against the pervasive Arian heresy which denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. As a beekeeper and as one who appreciates and loves liturgical theology, I have an appreciation for Ambrose’s nickname: “honey-tongued doctor.” In fact, one of hives is named for St Ambrose.
Bishop Ambrose introduced lectio divina to his local church: the practice of prayerfully meditating on the Sacred Scriptures. This method of prayer spread all over the Church. You will recall that it was Ambrose as the bishop who converted and baptized St. Augustine of Hippo. He is one of the four original Doctors of the Church, and his statue is one of four that upholds the Chair of St. Peter inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Today, prayers for the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation meeting in NYC’s Mother Cabrini Shrine for the Advent Day of Recollection. 40+ are gathering. A fitting day for us since Communion and Liberation was founded in the Diocese of Milan.
The December intention of Pope Francis:
That every country take the measures necessary to prioritize the future of the very young, especially those who are suffering.
Let us be united in prayer, fasting and almsgiving through the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the angels.
O Glorious St. Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Son of God. With your friend, St. John, you remained with Jesus, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity.
Just as you led your brother, St Peter, to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to Him.
Teach us how to lead them, solely out of love for Jesus and dedication to His service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and carry our daily crosses without complaint, so that they may carry us to God the Almighty Father. Amen.
On Saturday, the Pope made news for the USA: Italian Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia is the new representative of the Holy See to the United Nations. He succeeds Philippine Archbishop Bernardito Auza, who was named by the Pope as Apostolic Nuncio to Spain and Andorra. Since September 12, 2017, Archbishop Caccia has been serving the Church as the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. We pray that he will be accessible to both the UN, the Church in the USA and in New York.
According to the Vatican News Service, says the following of Archbishop Caccia:
Born in Milan, northern Italy, on 24 February 1958, he has ordained to the priesthood on 11 June 1983. After serving in a parish for three years, he was sent to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome where obtained a Doctorate in Theology and a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.
Upon graduation in 1991, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See. His first assignment was at the Apostolic Nunciature in Tanzania, where he served for two years, until in 1993 he returned to Rome to work in the First Section (for General Affairs) of the Secretariat of State of the Vatican.
On December 17, 2002, he was appointed Assessor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. On July 16, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon and also an archbishop.
He was consecrated bishop on September 12, 2009, by Pope Benedict. On September 12, 2017, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.
Archbishop Caccia will arrive in New York to assume his new responsibilities on January 16, 2020. He speaks English, French and German.
Archbishop Caccia becomes the seventh Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York since the Holy See became a Permanent Observer State on April 6, 1964.
Speaking about his new responsibility, Archbishop Caccia said, “I have really loved my time in the Philippines and will miss this beautiful country and its faithful people, to whom I express my deepest gratitude.”
He hopes to be able to fulfil well the new task that Pope Francis has entrusted to him, “seeking to bring the light of Catholic social teaching to the discussions and debates of the international community.”
The UN is celebrating its 75th anniversary next year, and Archbishop Cassia says he is looking forward to helping the Holy See assist the world body in “renewing its commitment to the pillars of its Charter, preventing the scourge of war, defending human dignity and rights, promoting integral development, and fostering respect and implementation of international law and treaties.”