Julián Carrón – Page 3

Truly an ecumenical approach born from the good news of Christianity

The head of the Communion and Liberation Movement, Father Julián Carrón wrote an editorial for tomorrow’s (July 14, 2011) edition of the L’Osservatore Romano about the forthcoming Day of Prayer in Assisi on October 27, recognizing the theme of peace and justice.

The Day for
Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World, convoked in
Assisi next October 27 by Benedict XVI is an audacious gesture, just as Blessed
John Paul II’s initiative was, 25 years ago.

“In the name of what can (Pope
Wojtyla) call exponents of all religions together to pray in Assisi?” asked Don
Luigi Giussani twenty-five years ago. He answered, “If one understands the
nature of man, the heart of man, it is his religious sense, it is in the
religious sense that all men find equality and identity. The most profound
meaning in the human heart is religious sentiment, destiny on the one hand and
the usefulness of the present on the other. If we want to use the right terms,
a sense of religion is the only sense which is truly catholic, which means
suitable for everyone and belonging to everyone.”

Continue reading Truly an ecumenical approach born from the good news of Christianity

New Fraternity of St Charles priests and deacons

Tremendous joy exists when a man is ordained for the service of Christ and the Church.

Let’s live ”the glory and joy of the priesthood in the service of Christ and His Mystical Body’ in the communal life ‘experiencing the help of Christ in our existence, calling all the brothers to a continual configuration that is always more profound to you your person.”

Saturday, June 25, was a day of joy for 8 religious men of the Fraternity of Saint Charles Borromeo were ordained priests and deacons by His Excellency, Archbishop Rino Fiscihella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. Monsignor Massimo Camisasca, founder and Superior General of the Fraternity presented his spiritual sons and brothers for the Lord’s service.

The Fraternity now has 2 new priests (Patricio Hacin and Christoph Matyssek) and 6 deacons (Emmanuele Angiola, Diego García Terán, Simone Gulmini, Tommaso Pedroli, Ruben Roncolato & Luca Speziale).

The pictures from the ordination…

Here’s the vocation narrative of the new priests, Don Patricio and Don Christoph.

Father Julián Carrón’s letter to the newly ordained: Fr Carron’s Letter to the newly ordained 2011.pdf

Christ is a new creation: Communion & Liberation Spiritual Exercises 2011

The 2011 Spiritual Exercises of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation were given in various parts of the world under the theme of Christ being a new creation. Father Julián Carrón, the President of Communion and Liberation gave the retreat using Saint Paul’s teaching: “So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

One of Father Carrón’s thoughts ran this way: “‘Thus, whoever is in Christ is a new creation,’ because Christ is something that is happening to me. Let us try to identify with the disciples after Easter. What prevailed in their hearts, in their eyes, in their self-awareness, if not His living presence? It was so evident for them that they could not rip it away. It was a Presence that overcame any doubt, any shadow: it imposed itself. Christ was was something that was happening to them. He was not doctrine, a list of things to do, a sentiment. Yes, He was an external presence, different but one that permeated their life.”

The notes of Father Carrón can read here: Fraternity Exercises 2011.pdf

Also, a friend, Webster Bull, wrote about his experience of the Exercises on his blog, Witness: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV.

Confronting bourgeois religiosity

Several things have surfaced for me recently that has me wondering about what we are doing as a Christian people living our faith in a parochial setting today. Two things to read are the notes from a recent Communion and Liberation retreat and the Pope’s recent remarks in Croatia. Both go hand-in-hand: God is not a sentimental object and He remains an authority. But in order for me to say this with conviction I’ve got to accept that if I am in Christ I am a new creation (really!) and therefore a living presence. How many times during the Easter season did I understand that Christ was (is) the newness of life? The honest answer is: it is hard to tell.

Father Julián Carrón had the following to say in his introductory remarks for Communion & Liberation’s Fraternity Spiritual Exercises given this spring that bear significant attention for whatever ministry we find ourselves in (or not):

“It seems I am hearing today the same identical question Fr. Giussani was asked by a student. He himself recounts it: “Now people no longer perceive the correspondence between the Christian proposal in its originality, the Christian event, and everyday life. When you try hard to make it understood, they say, ‘But you’re so complicated, you’re so complicated!’ In high school, when I dictated what you study in School of Community, I had in class the son of Manzù, who had a priest he always went to. This priest stirred him up against what he read in the notes from my lessons, and told him, ‘See, this complicates, while, instead, religion is simple.’ In other words, ‘the reasons complicate’-and how many would say the same!–‘the search for the reasons complicates.’ Instead, it illuminates! This mindset is the reason Christ is no longer an authority, but a sentimental object, and God is a boogeyman and not a friend.”

Continue reading Confronting bourgeois religiosity

New Evangelization means to be missionary, prepare to be new apostles for Christ

The Pope, for the first time since forming the council for promoting the New Evangelization in 2010, addressed the full body of cardinals, bishops, theologians and consultors on May 30. There are two noteworthy Americans who are key advisors for this work, Archbishop Timothy Dolan (Archbishop of NY) and Sister Sara Butler (a theologian at Mundelein Seminary). Plus, I would say that the presence of Father Julián Carrón and Cardinal Scola should be noted, also. The Pope’s talk is given below.

When last June 28, at First Vespers of the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, I announced that I wished to institute a dicastery for promoting the New Evangelization, I gave an operative beginning to a reflection that I had had for a long time on the need to offer a concrete answer to the moment of crisis in Christian life, which is being verified in so many countries, above all those of ancient Christian tradition. Today, with this meeting, I can see with pleasure that this new pontifical council has become a reality. I thank Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella for the words he addressed to me, introducing me to the work of your first plenary assembly. My warm greetings to all of you with my encouragement for the contribution you will make to the work of the new dicastery, above all in view of the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that, in October of 2012, will in fact address the topic “New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.”

Continue reading New Evangelization means to be missionary, prepare to be new apostles for Christ

Consultors for the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization named by Pope today

Today, Pope Benedict XVI appointed as consultors of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization the following:

Fr. Francois-Xavier Dumortier, S.J., rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University;
Fr. Pierangelo Sequeri, vice rector and professor of Fundamental Theology at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy and lecturer in Aesthetics of the Holy at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brera, Milan;
Sr. Sara Butler, M.S.B.T., professor of dogmatic theology at Mundelein Seminary;
Sr. Mary Lou Wirtz, F.C.J.M., general superior of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and president of the Union of Superior Generals (UISG);
Dr. Chiara Amirante, founder and president of the New Horizons Association of the diocese of Anagni-Alatri, Italy;
Mr. Kiko Arguello, a co-initiator of the Neo-Catechumenal Way;
Prof. Lucetta Scaraffia, professor of contemporary history in the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy at “La Sapienza” University.
The list of cardinals and bishops who will be advisors to Archbishops Rino Fisichella and José Octavio Ruiz Arenas can be seen here (they were announced some time ago).

Assemblying this new pontifical council has been very slow. The address of the offices and websites have yet to be made known! Communications and members of the consultors should been, in common estimation, ought to have been done more quickly. The presence of two American sisters, one of whom was a professor of mine, is noteworthy. You can’t get much better than Sister Sara Butler. Plus, I am elated that Fathers Julián Carrón, Pascual Chavez Villanueva and Fernando Ocariz are on this list. Perhaps a few more North and South American laity could have been appointed. But that will come in time.

Father Carrón tells us that John Paul was a pope seized by Christ

Father Julián Carrón, president of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation was interviewed by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano on the beatification of Pope John Paul II. Father Carrón said that “beatification of John Paul II … is a ‘strong invitation’ to conversion.”

Keeping in mind what Blessed John Paul did for Communion and Liberation in recognizing the charism proposed by Father Luigi Giussani, Father Carrón recalled the words of John Paul who considered that a Movement “becomes a special instrument for a personal and ever-new adherence to the mystery of Christ.” For those who follow the path to Christ offered by Communion and Liberation will know that the vocation of being a part of Communion and Liberation –given by the Holy Spirit– means bringing “the truth, beauty and peace that are encountered in Christ the Redeemer” to the world.

Father Carrón’s remarks can be read here: Interview with Fr Carrón on the JP II Beatification.pdf

Charitable work and the common fund: 2 wings of the Christian witness

I always look for evidence –that is, I am looking for light on a situation that may not be very clear for me– i.e., for the reality, the truth and beauty of a vigorous Catholic life by seeing if people are willing to live the Gospel. We do our best given the graces we’ve received and our own open hearts. I find myself in need to know that others belief that that the promises (and extraordinary claims) of Christ are true and are lived. Novel, right? Not really. We Catholics have been concerned for the welfare of others since the time Jesus and because our Christianity has its roots in Judaism, even before Jesus. Just read the Old Testament and dig into the narrative there. But it is Jesus gives a new lens by which to see life and to live differently today by the fact of the Paschal Mystery (His life, death, resurrection and ascension).

When one follows the lay ecclesial movement of Communion and Liberation (CL) you quickly find out that you belong to a group of friends larger than oneself and that we aim to care for the needs (the faith, education, culture, social assistance) of others. The idea is rooted in what we read int he Acts of the Apostles and various letters of Saint Paul. Our doing good is not just another forum of activism. It is based on the Savior’s life and example.

Here are two points made by Father Julián Carrón, President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation and the successor of Father Luigi Giussani, to flesh out these two wings of our companionship –either as Catholics who live their life only in the parish, and for those who belong to a group like CL.

Continue reading Charitable work and the common fund: 2 wings of the Christian witness

Communion & Liberation welcomes the beatification of John Paul

Father Julián Carrón, President of the ecclesial
movement Communion and Liberation indicated the Movement’s plans to participate
in the beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1. Father Carrón’s remarks showed gratitude for the Pontiff’s
legacy.

According to Father Carrón the Movement plans to “make the pilgrimage to Rome to join the Pope and
the Church in thanking God who has given us such an authentic witness of
Christ.” Father Carrón says that “We want to gather closely around
Benedict XVI, who in his farsightedness has decided to indicate Blessed John
Paul II to the whole world as an example of what Christ can make of a man who
allows himself to be grasped by him.”

Speaking for the heart and soul of
Communion and Liberation Father Carrón said, “If someone has an enormous debt
of gratitude towards John Paul II, we are the ones.”

I invite you to read the full text of Father Julián Carrón’s letter to the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation: Fr Carron on the beatification of Pope John Paul II.pdf