A Thomistic perspective in honoring the Fatherland


Independence Day Declaration of Independence.jpg

St Thomas Aquinas didn’t have a theological opinion on America’s Independence for obvious reasons, but he did have at least two thoughts on the virtue of the fatherland and a Catholic’s perspective in honoring one’s homeland. He sets in clear terms the proper order of our praise for our origins. Aquinas wrote:

“The virtue of
piety helps us pay worship not only to one’s father but also to one’s
fatherland” (II-II, Q. 102, a3).

And in another place he said, “Our existence and guidance in life come
primarily from God, secondarily from our parents and our native country. 
Religion gives expression to the faith, hope and charity which fundamentally
unite us to God; in the same way loyalty expresses the love we have for our
parents and native country” (II-II, Q101, a2). 

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati: pointing us to an authentic spiritual renewal of the world

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Prayer to Follow Pier Giorgio
O Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in the service of the poor and the sick; through his intercession may we, too, walk the path of the beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
When he beatified Pier Giorgio twenty years ago John Paul remarked in his homily that, 
“Today’s celebration invites all of us to receive the message which Pier Giorgio Frassati is sending to the men and women of our day, but especially to you young people, who want to make a concrete contribution to the spiritual renewal of our world, which sometimes seems to be falling apart and wasting away because of a lack of ideals. By his example he proclaims that a life lived in Christ’s Spirit, the Spirit of the Beatitudes, is “blessed,” and that only the person who becomes a “man or woman of the Beatitudes” can succeed in communicating love and peace to others. He repeats that it is really worth giving up everything to serve the Lord. He testifies that holiness is possible for everyone, and that only the revolution of charity can enkindle the hope of a better future in the hearts of people.”

Read Pope John Paul II’s homily at the beatification of Pier Giorgio.

More information on Blessed Pier Giorgio at Frassati USA

A prayer to Mary

JP & OL Guadalupe Dec 12, 2009.jpgMary, humble servant of God Most High, the Son to whom you gave birth has made you the servant of humanity. Your life was a humble and generous service. You were servant of the Word when the angel announced to you the divine plan of salvation. You were servant of the Son, giving him life and remaining opening to his mystery. You were servant of redemption, standing courageously at the foot of the cross, close to the Suffering Servant and Lamb, who was sacrificing himself for love of us. You were servant of the Church on the day of Pentecost and with your intercession you continue to generate her in every believer, even in these our difficult and troubled times. Let the young people of the third millennium look to you, young daughter of Israel, who have known the agitation of a young heart when faced with the plan of the Eternal God. Make them able to accept the invitation of your Son to give their lives wholly for the glory of God. Make them understand that to serve God satisfies the heart, and that only in the service of God and of his Kingdom do we realize ourselves in accordance with the divine plan, and life becomes a hymn a glory to the Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Pope John Paul II
11 May 2003

Saint Thomas, the apostle

Sts Andrew & Thomas GLBerini.jpgTaking the extraordinary example of faith Thomas has, let live as though the real Presence meant something: My Lord and my God.

With the Church we pray:

Almighty Father, as we honor Thomas the apostle, let us always experience the help of his prayers. May we have eternal life by believing in Jesus, whom Thomas acknowledge as Lord, for He lives and reigns with Your and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

A “new liturgical movement” according to Pope Benedict

Some may have heard the idea “the new liturgical movement” used nowadays to describe a recovery of the sacred Liturgy that understands a continuity in the Liturgy that has existed through the ages and not just made up by scholars and hacks. John Allen explores the origin of this idea according to the thinking of Pope Benedict in a brief NCR article, “What Benedict means by a ‘new liturgical movement.’

I would also recommend the book referenced by John Allen, Milestones. It is necessary reading for all sorts of things, not just trying to understand Joseph Ratzinger.

Blessed Junípero Serra

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God most High, Your servant Junipero Serra brought the gospel of Christ to the peoples of Mexico and California and firmly established the Church among them. By his intercession, and through the example of his apostolic zeal, inspire us to be faithful witness of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Blessed Junipero was born at Petra, Island of Majorca, November 24, 1713; he died at Monterey, California, August 28, 1784. Serra was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 25, 1988.

Invitation to send intentions to the Apostleship of Prayer

Father James
Kubicki, director of the Apostleship of Prayer, posted
a note on his website inviting pray-ers/readers to send him possible prayer
intentions.

As he said, “People often ask us where the Pope’s prayer intentions
come from. That’s a great question with a great answer: they come
from the Pope. And they can even come from you. If you have a prayer
intention and would like more than 50 million people to pray for it, I invite
you to send it to us, keeping in mind that it should be something that concerns
the needs of the Church and the world. We forward intentions to our
international office in Rome, where a number of them are selected to present to
the Holy Father.”

This is important to do. As you know, on the first day of each month I post for our prayer the intentions given by Pope Benedict to this Apostleship of Prayer. Well, they come from somewhere, written and proposed by someone, coming from real experience and real need that are placed before God.

You may send Father Kubicki your proposed prayer intention by
reply e-mail or mail:

Apostleship of Prayer

3211 South Lake
Drive, Suite 216

Milwaukee, WI
53235-3717

(414) 486-1152

info@apostleshipofprayer.org


PS: Don’t forget to make your daily morning offering, today!

American woman closer to sainthood: Casimira Maria Kaupas

Casimira Kaupas.jpgAmong the decrees promulgated by Archbishop Angelo Amato, SDB, Prefect of the Congregation for Saints, is the recognition of heroic virtue of the Servant of God Maria Kaupas (in history Casimira Kaupas). She founded the Congregation of Sisters of Saint Casimir, in Scranton, PA, on August 29, 1907.


Casimira Kaupas was born in Ramygala, Lithuania on January 6, 1880 and died in Chicago on April 17, 1940. She faced bone cancer for eight years.

Now, this foundress will be known as the Venerable Servant of God Maria Kaupas. The next step is to identify and verify a miracle so that she can be beatified.

Pope Benedict XVI’s monthly prayer intentions for July 2010

We all are united with the Church under the guidance of the Pope, Benedict XVI, in praying for the following intentions in the month of July. The Pope entrusts us with these prayers hoping that all of us, united in faith, hope and charity, would be aware of the needs of Mother Church and the world when we offer our daily sacrifice of prayer to God.

The general intention
That elections in every nation may be carried out with justice, transparency, and honesty, respecting the free decisions of citizens.
The missionary intention
That Christians may strive to promote everywhere, but especially in our cities, education, justice, solidarity, and peace.