The June prayer intention by which we join with Pope Francis, is for the The Mode of Life of Priests.
That priests, through the modesty and humility of their lives, commit themselves actively to a solidarity with those who are most poor.
June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let us pray for our priests, especially the newly ordained.
Joan of Arc was not stuck at the cross-roads, either by rejecting all the paths like Tolstoy, or by accepting them all like Nietzsche. She chose a path, and went down it like a thunderbolt. — GK Chesterton, Orthodoxy
The Fall of Constantinople
–May 29, 1453.
One of the worst tragedies in the history of humanity was the fall of the Byzantine Empire, which put an end to centuries of culture, philosophy, education, and morality.
The Fall of Constantinople and the Rise of the Ottomans began a new era of oppression, barbarianism, authoritarianism, and slavery.
To the defenders of the Great City, the past Emperors, Patriarchs, and Military Leaders of the Byzantine Empire: MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE ETERNAL!
For even as it is better to enlighten than merely to shine, so is it better to give to others the fruits of one’s contemplation than merely to contemplate.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Recently, the Confraternity of St. Lazarus was founded to respond to the those who are in need of a proper, dignified Christian burial. It is an initiative between the Eastern and Western Churches. Other Christian communities are welcome to participate in this spiritual and corporal work of mercy.
At the moment, we have the commitment of St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Church in New Haven and we are looking to work with other New Haven Churches. Groups like the Knights of Columbus, Communion and Liberation, the Secular Franciscan Order, the Fraternity of St. Dominic are involved.
In many ways the Confraternity of St. Lazarus continues the work of the Archconfraternity of St. Mary of the Oration and Death which was founded in 1538 in Rome, and spent nearly 500 years offering a Christian funeral and burial to those who would otherwise never have one. The Roman group had changed their work in the 1950s when the Italian government began to provide basic human and social services. Today, we are taking up two of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy –praying for and burying the dead.
Honoring Life with Dignity
The Confraternity is honored to be able to be present for burials for our poorest sisters and brothers: stillborn and abandoned babies, late term aborted babies, the homeless U.S. Veterans, the homeless and those who die alone or with no known as the next-of-kin (indigent). We collaborate with local funeral homes who have carried the costs and arranged the details for a dignified, personal burial. The Confraternity arranges with local Catholic clergy, and members of other Churches and ecclesial communities to offer funeral prayer services.
Being Present
We pledge to be physical and spiritually present to those who have died alone and abandoned. We need to stand beside the casket in friendship, solidarity and in prayer. However, presence can also mean for some the construction of coffins and gowns for the stillborn babies. There are a variety of ways to participate.
Prayer sustains
The practice of the works of mercy is sustained by the liturgical life of the Church, the practice of prayer, and the celebration of the greatness of God’s creation. Moreover, it is a good and wholesome thing to pray for the dead (2 Maccabees).
From the beginning
Charitable activity on behalf of the poor and marginalized is based on the principles of Christian life given in the Acts of the Apostles, lived in a vivid expression of people like St. Lawrence, and countless saints. Certainly this is the good example of the recent Church leaders and laity.
An Invitation
All members of the Confraternity of St. Lazarus, whether laity or clergy, devote themselves to the values of Christian charity; striving for spiritual perfection by working for the good of others in giving a proper Christian burial for the vulnerable persons of our society: abandoned stillborn babies, homeless US Veterans and the abandoned. Membership in the Confraternity is open to Christian men and women, who want to engage in this ministry.
As Pope Benedict XVI teaches, “In Jesus’ Resurrection a new possibility of human existence is attained that affects everyone and that opens up a future, a new kind of future, for mankind” (Jesus of Nazareth, vol. 2).
We view, therefore, this work of the Confraternity through the intercession of St. Lazarus as a keen and necessary remembrance of the Lord’s Resurrection and His offering new life to those in the graves, and works of hospitality and friendship.
How We Work
The Confraternity of St. Lazarus works to provide a dignified Christian burial to those who have been forgotten in our society, to understand and speak about the reality and dignity of the human person. We work with others around Connecticut to build a culture of prayer and charity (service) that supports and nurtures the dignity of each human person who has died (the stillborn and abandoned babies, homeless/indigent US Veterans and the homeless/indigent of our cities). We are dedicated to the defense of human dignity through respect of the human body and its final disposition, and works of charity, prayer, education and advocacy.
The Confraternity of St. Lazarus is the fruit of all the work done in the last 25-plus years by religious leaders, philosophers and activists on what it means to have human dignity. Questions like what is a person, who are we as persons in community, and what is our responsibility for the other person, especially a person in need or on the margins of society.
By focusing on the whole person (the physical, spiritual, moral, emotional and intellectual) we resist the reduction of the person understood as an object but think of the person as a subject, a protagonist in history.
No matter the length of time the person has lived or circumstances of that person’s life (socio-economic, medical, and political spheres), all deserve respect and a proper burial. The Confraternity is rooted in the Christian tradition and is informed by the Scripture, Tradition and Mission.
Mission
To promote the dignity of the person by being present, either physically or spiritually, at the burial the stillborn and abandoned babies, homeless/indigent US Veterans and the homeless/indigent of our cities and then to articulate, defend and serve the dignity of the person in their final disposition.
Vision
A world in which the dignity of the person is the foundation for policy and program implementation, in which we understand that progress entails a commitment to the dignity of each human person and the adoption of person-centered solutions.
Want to get involved? Here’s how:
Our contact information:
Paul Zalonski and Frank Quadrino: stlazarusct@gmail.com
May 26th is the liturgical memorial of St Philip Neri. A pivotal figure in the Church. As one person wrote so eloquently, “Those qualities which distinguish the Oratorian charism—domesticity, localism, intellectual rigor, humility, collegiality, aesthetics, urbanity, prudence, and love of the world—can only be integrated and understood in the light of the sanctuary lamp.”
While the number of Oratories are relatively few in the USA, there is a good reason to think this vocation is most desirable and consistent with the Gospel imperative.
I am advocating the foundation of an Oratory of St. Philip Neri in the Archdiocese of Hartford. Here’s a post on the Oratorian vocation.
A fine article on the Neri Oratorian Option is here.
Believe in my experience, you will find something more in the forest than in the books. The woods and the rocks will take you to what you cannot learn from any master. Do not you think that you can suck the honey from a stone and oil from the hardest rock? Do no the mountains distill the sweetness? Do not milk and honey flow from hills, and do not valleys contain wheat in abundance?
Letter from Bernard of Clairvaux to Abbe Vauclair (12th century).
The liturgical memorial of St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) is today. Several years ago when I was visiting a friend in Italy we visited the Benedictine monks at Norcia and by surprise, we were taken to Cascia to venerate the relics of St. Rita and imbibe the monastic house. At that time I didn’t really have a devotion to St. Rita even though her personal narrative is quite interesting; only recently two friends, independent of one another, told me of St Rita’s love and affection for honey bees. As a beekeeper I am always looking for divine intercession as I care for the bees.
Due various things in her life, Rita eventually became an Augustinian nun giving witness to the meaning of forgiveness, prayer, humility, patience, and perseverance. She dedicated her life to heroic charity and penance as she closely united herself and her life of deep suffering to Christ. Notice in the image that Rita has something in her forehead. While praying before a crucifix, St. Rita mystically received a thorn in her forehead (stigmata) from Jesus’ Crown of Thorns.
St. Rita is the patron saint of impossible causes, difficult marriages, abuse victims, and honey bees. Can we model St. Rita’s perseverance today?
It seems that many of the clergy and laity neglect beseeching God for blessings upon agriculture. I suppose they neither see the necessity nor value in doing such. Imagine no longer giving thanks for a gift and asking for guidance! An acquaintance in New York told me the priest in her village basically refused to come to the farm to bless her cows and lands. I am happy to say that the Dominican Friars are very willing to impart the requested blessings upon cows, swine, laying hens, honey bees, the pastures, forest and gardens. We did this pious act this morning with Father Joachim, OP.
The prayers are striking for their supplication and reverence for God the Father as creator and sustainer of creation. The prayers are beautiful for the Old Testament typology and New Testament salvation in Jesus Christ. The Paschal Mystery, hence, is clearly central as is the well-being of humanity.
Why bless agriculture? In part, the blessings give perspective: God is the one who fashions all things and it is God who gives. He is the author of all nature. Moreover, it is a recognition that we live and find our true happiness in the given-ness of the world’s sacramentality. We don’t give ourselves anything. The prayers and act of praying reminds us that we are dependent on Another, that is, we are dependent on the Blessed Trinity who gives life. Theologically, without a recognition of God holding all creation in the palm of His hands we focus on ourselves and not on Him and others we are impoverished at rather deep level.
For me, the blessing of agriculture is critical these days because we our thinking and working in area of having good food for health and happiness, food security, and respect, love and beauty for the land. Blessing agriculture is educative; blessing of agriculture helps me to reflective on the place true Catholic faith and ecology intersect and interpenetrate (here I am thinking of what the Western and Eastern churches teach).
Let us pray through the intercession of Our Lady, the saints and angels, for God’s continued blessings upon us, “from whom every good has its beginning and from whom it receives its increase.”
Urgent! Please come to Hartford Tuesday at Noon!
Your action is needed to help protect life in Connecticut!
TOMORRROW, Tuesday, May 21, there will be a rally at the State Capitol in Hartford supporting life and opposing legislation that will harm pro-life pregnancy care centers.
As you may know, this past week the Connecticut House of Representatives voted to pass H.B. 7070 which subjects the advertising of pro-life pregnancy care centers to the oversight and authority of the Attorney General of Connecticut. The Attorney General would have sole discretion in determining whether the advertising is deceptive or not.
The 24 pregnancy care centers across Connecticut are serving women with life-affirming, pro-woman counseling and health care services. The Knights of Columbus, for example, have supported these centers for many years and they are in great need of our help once again.
Please make every effort to participate in this important rally on May 21 at noon at the State Capitol, and be sure to invite your family, friends, parishioners, and Brother Knights to join you.
Thank you for all of your work to support life in Connecticut!