Did you know that Pope Benedict is in the Termana soccer club?
Pope’s team shirt
Tag: Pope Benedict XVI
Court of the Gentiles –Le Parvis des Gentils à Paris: a call to fraternity to believers and nonbelievers to live coherent in Christ, and for a new humanity
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi’s interview on the importance of the Court of the Gentiles for us. This is probably the single most significant initiative of the Pontifical Council for Culture taking seriously the place of belief and unbelief. The Pope some time ago asked the pastors of the Church to take atheism as a serious matter to engage in. And by atheism he’s not suggesting the Christopher Hitchens’ version of atheism but what might be called “honest atheism,” those who ask sincere questions of belief and who are seeking to live a coherent life. The Pope is brilliant in his call to respect, dialogue and living.Pope Benedict’s message to the gathering:
I know that at the invitation of Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, the Archbishop of Paris, and of Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi (seen right), the President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, you are gathered in great numbers in front of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. I greet all of you, together with our brothers and friends from the Taizé Community. I am grateful to the Pontifical Council for having taken up and extended my invitation to open a number of “Courts of the Gentiles” within the Church. This image refers to the vast open space near the Temple of Jerusalem where all those who did not share the faith of Israel could approach the Temple and ask questions about religion. There they could meet the scribes, speak of faith and even pray to the unknown God. The Court was then an area of separation, since Gentiles did not have the right to enter the consecrated area, yet Jesus Christ came to “break down the dividing wall” between Jews and Gentiles, and to “reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility in himself”. In the words of Saint Paul, “He came and proclaimed peace…” (cf. Eph 2:14-17).
Pope Benedict a NY Times international bestseller
Pope Benedict’s book, Jesus of Nazareth, volume 2, internationally released on March 10 with 1.2 million copies in 8 languages.
Father Joseph Fessio says that “It’s clear that what interests the Holy Father is helping people to know and love someone whom he knows and loves. But he does this as a scholar. This book is a bright star in the constellation of books about Jesus.” Astute readers consider Jesus of Nazareth to be a complex, clear with a breadth of learning of learning having a depth of theological insight. Volume 1 was the same.
I finally picked up my copy at a local monastery bookstore and giving it some time today. It is a satisfying read already. In the meantime, I just read a former professor of mine’s review of Benedict’s new book in an essay “Benedict’s Passion.”
Planted in the Lord
Today’s first reading and Gospel ask the question (Mar 6, 2011): how, in fact, are we grounded in the Lord? Have I allowed Christ to enter into my life sufficiently and without reservation? Am I aware that Christ takes the initiative in calling me to a deeper conversion and that I have to respond? In your lectio divina today, set out to ground yourself in the Lord.
Pope Benedict’s message for the 2011 World Youth Day participants draws this line of thinking out:
“We … want to be able to see Jesus, to speak with him and to feel his presence even more powerfully. For many people today, it has become difficult to approach Jesus. There are so many images of Jesus in circulation which, while claiming to be scientific, detract from his greatness and the uniqueness of his person. That is why, after many years of study and reflection, I thought of sharing something of my own personal encounter with Jesus by writing a book. It was a way to help others see, hear and touch the Lord in whom God came to us in order to make himself known. Jesus himself, when he appeared again to his disciples a week later, said to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe” (Jn 20:27). We too can have tangible contact with Jesus and put our hand, so to speak, upon the signs of his Passion, the signs of his love. It is in the sacraments that he draws particularly near to us and gives himself to us. Dear young people, learn to “see” and to “meet” Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present and close to us, and even becomes food for our journey. In the sacrament of Penance the Lord reveals his mercy and always grants us his forgiveness. Recognize and serve Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our brothers and sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help.”
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on March 9. What is on your list of Bona Opera, your good works? Chapter 49 of the Rule of Saint Benedict speaks of the monk (here, all people) keeping Lent in front of our eyes all the time. He urges us, therefore, to do good, to keep purity in our hearts and minds by refraining from evil. Saint Benedict exhorts us to restrain ourselves from sinful habits and to devote time to prayer of the heart, fasting, lectio divina, compunction, ascetism, and charitable work.
How are you going to build your spiritual life on solid ground? In what ways are you going to be a spiritual father and mother to another? Will you pray, fast and give alms to the good works of the Church uniting your intentions with the Sacred Heart of Jesus for sake of poor, needy, the Church, the Pope, sinful people and priests, etc? Will you study the Word of God and spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament?
Did God Correct Himself?
Today’s Gospel from Saint Matthew poses a crucial question for our following Christ: How do we do it? The line that is frequently often misunderstand:
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it
was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no
resistance to one who is evil.
was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no
resistance to one who is evil.
Several credible witnesses give a fruitful look at what it means to be a Christian today. Saint Basil the Great (330-January 1, 379) wrote in Letter 2 that:
We must
try to keep the mind in quietness. For if the eye is constantly shifting its
gaze, one moment this way or that, then veering between upwards and down, it
cannot see clearly what lies directly in front of it. It has to bring its
gaze to bear on this object so as to see it clearly in focus. In the same way a
mind distracted by thousands of worldly concerns cannot possibly bring a steady
gaze to bear on the truth.
try to keep the mind in quietness. For if the eye is constantly shifting its
gaze, one moment this way or that, then veering between upwards and down, it
cannot see clearly what lies directly in front of it. It has to bring its
gaze to bear on this object so as to see it clearly in focus. In the same way a
mind distracted by thousands of worldly concerns cannot possibly bring a steady
gaze to bear on the truth.
Severed from dependence & completion in God we forget about our eternal destiny in communion with God, Pope reminds Filipino bishops
The Philippines is the most populous Catholic nation in Asia. We ought to be aware that the Catholic faith has been in the Philippines for 5 centuries now!!!!
These days, among the many things Benedict XVI is doing, he’s meeting with the Filipino bishops who are praying at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul, all in an effort to strengthen the bond of unity between the universal Church and the Church in the Philippines. This is the second group of bishops from the Philippines led by Archbishop Palma of Cebu, is in Rome for the ad Limina. A third group will begin their visit on the 21st. Benedict addresses the body the bishops and also meets individually with each bishop. Every 5 years a bishop who heads a diocese is to make a pilgrimage to Rome to pray, to visit with the pope to report on the state of evangelization of the local church and to visit with the various departments at the Holy See. A quinquennial report is sent ahead of a bishop’s visit to the Eternal City so that the pope can study the good and areas of need of a particular diocese. It is the expectation that the ad Limina Apostolorum, to the threshold of the Apostles, helps in the transparency in bishop’s concern for the salvation of souls. What Benedict told the Filipino bishops today is appropriate for us here in the USA. A portion of the text is given below with my notations for emphasis.
Filipino culture is also confronted with the more
subtle questions inherent to the secularism, materialism, and consumerism of
our times. When self-sufficiency and freedom are severed from their dependence
upon and completion in God, the human person creates for himself a false
destiny and loses sight of the eternal joy for which he has been made. The path
to rediscovering humanity’s true destiny can only be found in the
re-establishment of the priority of God in the heart and mind of every person.
subtle questions inherent to the secularism, materialism, and consumerism of
our times. When self-sufficiency and freedom are severed from their dependence
upon and completion in God, the human person creates for himself a false
destiny and loses sight of the eternal joy for which he has been made. The path
to rediscovering humanity’s true destiny can only be found in the
re-establishment of the priority of God in the heart and mind of every person.
Pope speaks to the Fraternity of St. Charles Borromeo
Fraternity of
St. Charles Borromeo is celebrating their 25th anniversary as a
congregation of priests. The Fraternity is a new community of priests in the Church, founded by Monsignor Massimo Camisasca in 1985. It was signed into Church law in 1999 by Pope John Paul II as a Society of Apostolic Life. On Saturday, February 13, His Holiness Pope Benedict
XVI met with the Fraternity’s
founder, leadership and seminarians. Here’s the text of the Pope’s address
to members of the Fraternity.
It is with real joy that I meet with you, priests
and seminarians of the Fraternity of St. Charles, who have gathered here on the
occasion of the 25th anniversary of its birth. I greet and thank the founder
and superior general, Monsignor Massimo Camisasca, his council and all of you,
relatives and friends who are part of the community’s circle. I greet in
particular the Archbishop of the Mother of God of Moscow, Monsignor Paolo
Pezzi, and Don Julián Carrón, president of the Fraternity of Communion and
Liberation, which symbolically expresses the fruits and the roots of the work
of the Fraternity of St. Charles. This moment brings back to my mind my long
friendship with Monsignor Luigi Giussani and bears witness to his charisma.
Continue reading Pope speaks to the Fraternity of St. Charles Borromeo
Pope ordains 5 new bishops
The Holy Father ordained 5 priests to the episcopacy today on the liturgical memorial of Saint
Agatha at the Vatican Basilica. The priests are:
Father Savio Hon Tai-Fai, 61,
a Salesian of Saint John Bosco, elected titular archbishop of Sila and
nominated Secretary of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples.
Father
Marcello Bartolucci, 67, a priest of the Diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbria-Gualdo
Tadino, elected titular archbishop of Bevagna and nominated Secretary of the
Congregation of the Causes of Saints.
Father Celso Morga Iruzubieta, 63, a priest of the Diocese of Calahorra y
La Calzada-Logroño, elected titular archbishop of Alba Marittima and nominated
Secretary of the Congregation of the Clergy.
Father Antonio Guido Filipazzi,
48, a priest of the Diocese of Ventimiglia-San Remo, elected titular archbishop
of Sutri and nominated Apostolic Nuncio.
Father Edgar Peña Parra, 51, a priest
of the Archdiocese of Maracaibo, elected titular archbishop of Telepte and
nominated Apostolic Nuncio in Pakistan.
May the saints intercede for these men.
Pope no longer organ donor
Word’s been received that Pope Benedict’s organ donor card is void. It’s been so since his election to the papacy in 2005. Since the 1970’s it is said that he’s been an organ donor.
He fully supports organ donation but now that he’s the Pope, his thinking has not changed –he still believes in the virtue of donating one’s organs to another– but now as it was said, his body belongs to the whole Church. In fact, the Pope has criticized the selling of human organs versus the free gift of self in making a donation of an organ. The Pope said on November 7, 2008 at the international congress, “A Gift for Life: Considerations on Organ Donation”:
The act of love, which is expressed with the gift of one’s own vital organs, is a genuine testament of charity that knows how to look beyond death so that life always wins. The recipient should be aware of the value of this gesture that one receives, of a gift that goes beyond the therapeutic benefit. What they receive is a testament of love, and it should give rise to a response equally generous, and in this way grows the culture of gift and gratitude.
Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, head of the healthcare office at the Holy See, said the Pope’s body will remain intact at the time of his death.
Read what Pope Benedict XVI thinks about beauty of organ donation: Pope Benedict on organ donation.pdf
If you understand German, you can listen to Pope Benedict’s personal secretary Monsignor Georg Gänswein brief on the matter.
The AP article
Pope and his small unexpected visitor
One never knows when you might get a small, unexpected visitor….
