TODAY'S SAINT: SEPT. 24: ST. PACIFIC OF SAN SEVERINO: D. 1721 NOVENA : FEAST OF THE ANGELS - ST. MICHAEL - GABRIEL - RAPHAEL - DAY 4NOVENA : FEAST OF THE ANGELS - ST. MICHAEL - GABRIEL - RAPHAEL - DAY 4 September 29th is the Feast of the Archangels. Here are three novenas to the archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. Novena to St. Michael the Archangel Novena Dates September 21 - 29, Feast Day September 29 St. Michael the Archangel, loyal champion of God and His people, I turn to you with confidence and seek your powerful intercession. For the love of God, Who made you so glorious in grace and power, and for the love of the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of the Angels, be pleased to hear my prayer. You know the value on my soul in the eyes of God. May no stain of evil ever disfigure its beauty. Help me to conquer the evil spirit who tempts me. I desire to imitate your loyalty to God and Holy Mother Church and your great love for God and people. And since you are God's messenger for the care of his people, I entrust to you this special request: (Mention your request). St. Michael, since you are, by the Will of the Creator, the powerful intercessor of Christians, I have great confidence in your prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God's holy Will, my petition will be granted. Pray for me, St. Michael, and also for those I love. Protect us in all dangers of body and soul. Help us in our daily needs. Through your powerful intercession, may we live a holy life, die a happy death, and reach heaven where we may praise and love God with you forever. Amen. Novena to St. Gabriel the Archangel Novena Dates September 21 - 29, Feast Day September 29 St. Gabriel the Archangel, I venerate you as the "Angel of the Incarnation," because God has specially appointed you to bear the messages concerning the God-Man to Daniel, Zechariah, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Give me a tender and devoted Mother, more like your own. I venerate you also as the "strength from God," because you are the giver of God's strength, consoler and comforter chosen to strengthen God's faithful and to teach them important truths. I ask for the grace of a special power of the will to strive for holiness of life. Steady my resolutions, renew my courage, comfort and console me in the problems, trials, and sufferings of daily living, as you consoled our Savior in His agony and Mary in her sorrows and Joseph in his trials. I put my confidence in you. St. Gabriel, I ask you especially for this favor: (Mention your request). Through your earnest love for the Son of God-Made-Man and for His blessed Mother, I beg of you, intercede for me that my request may be granted, if it be God's holy Will. Pray for us, St. Gabriel the Archangel. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us Pray. Almighty and ever-living God, since You chose the Archangel Gabriel from among all the Angels to announce the mystery of Your Son's Incarnation, mercifully grant that we who honor him on earth may feel the benefit of his patronage in heaven. You live and reign for ever. Amen. Novena to St. Raphael the Archangel Novena Dates September 21 - 29, Feast Day September 29 Holy Archangel Raphael, standing so close to the throne of God and offering Him our prayers, I venerate you as God's special Friend and Messenger. I choose you as my Patron and wish to love and obey you as young Tobiah did. I consecrate to you my body and soul,all my work, and my whole life. I want you to be my Guide and Counselor in all the dangerous and difficult problems and decisions of my life. Remember, dearest, St. Raphael, that the grace of God preserved you with the good Angels in heaven when the proud ones were cast into hell. I entreat you, therefore, to help me in my struggle against the world, the spirit of impurity, and the devil. Defend me from all dangers and every occasion of sin. Direct me always in the way of peace, safety, and salvation. Offer my prayers to God as you offered those of Tobiah, so that through your intercession I may obtain the graces necessary for the salvation of my soul. I ask you to pray that God grant me this favor if it be His holy Will: (Mention your request). St. Raphael, help me to love and serve my God faithfully, to die in His grace, and finally to merit to join you in seeing and praising God forever in heaven. Amen.
Vatican City, 23 September 2012 (VIS) - At midday today the Holy Father appeared on the balcony overlooking the internal courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo to pray the Angelus with faithful gathered there. The Pope commented on today's Gospel reading from St. Mark in which "Jesus began to speak openly about what would happen to Him at the end. ... It is clear that a great interior distance separates Jesus and His disciples. They are, so to speak, on two different wavelengths, and so the words of the Master are either not understood, or understood only superficially". For example, the Holy Father went on, "the Apostle Peter, after having shown his faith in Jesus, reproved Him because He predicted that He would be rejected and killed". In their turn the disciples, following the second announcement of the Passion, "began discussing which of them was greatest". Finally, following the third announcement "James and John asked Jesus to be allowed to sit at His right and left hand when He was in glory. "But there are several other signs of this distance", Benedict XVI added, "for example, the disciples were unable to heal an epileptic boy, whom Jesus later healed with the power of prayer. Moreover, certain children were presented to Jesus, the disciples reproved them but Jesus was indignant and insisted they stay, affirming that only those like unto children can enter the Kingdom of God". All this, the Holy Father explained, "reminds us that God's logic is always “other” with respect to our own. ... For this reason, following the Lord always requires a profound conversion on the part of man, a change in his or her way of thinking and living. It requires an openness of heart, in order to listen and allow oneself to be enlightened and transformed from within. A key point in which God and man are different is pride: God has no pride, because He is absolute fullness, and is completely given to love and the giving of life. In us, on the other hand, pride is deeply rooted and requires constant vigilance and purification. We, who are small, desire to appear great, to be the first, while God does not fear to humble Himself and make Himself the last". | |
| PRAYERS FOR
MIDDLE EASTERN CHRISTIANS, AND FOR CHILDREN Vatican City, 23 September 2012 (VIS) - In his greetings following the Angelus prayer today, the Holy Father addressed some remarks to French-speaking pilgrims, whom he thanked for their prayers for his recent apostolic trip to Lebanon and, by extension, to the entire Middle East. "Continue to pray for Christians of the Middle East, for peace and for serene dialogue between religions", he said. "Yesterday", the Pope went on, "I was spiritually united to the joy of faithful in the French diocese of Troyes, who were gathered together for the beatification of Fr. Louis Brisson, founder of the Oblates of St. Francis of Sales. May the example of this new blessed bring light to your lives. He was wont to say: 'I need God, it is a hunger which devours me'. Learn to have that same hunger for God, and to appeal to Him constantly and trustingly". Turning then to address Polish pilgrims, Benedict XVI quoted Jesus words: "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me". Let us, he said, "ask God that these words may inspire all those responsible for the gift of life, for a dignified education, and for the safe and serene development of children. May all children enjoy the love and warmth of the family". | |
| REALISM AND HOPE
IN THE FACE OF THE CRISIS Vatican City, 22 September 2012 (VIS) - This morning at Castelgandolfo Benedict XVI received participants in a meeting being promoted by the Christian Democrat International, the president of which is the Italian politician Pier Ferdinando Casini. "The involvement of Christians in society", the Holy Father said, "must not lessen or decrease; rather, it must be proffered with renewed vitality, in view of the persistence and, in some cases, the worsening of the problems we are facing". Among these problems the Pope mentioned the economic crisis, the "complexity and gravity" of which "rightly arouse concern. Yet, in the face of this situation, Christians are called to act and express themselves with a prophetic spirit - that is, a spirit capable of seeing in these transformations the incessant and mysterious presence of God in history - and thus to shoulder their newly emerging responsibilities with realism, faith and hope". "Your political and institutional commitment must not", he told his listeners, "be limited to responding to the requirements of market logic. Rather, its central and indispensable goal must remain the search for the common good, correctly understood, and the promotion and protection of the inalienable dignity of the human person. The teaching of Vatican Council II that 'the order of things must be subordinate to the order of persons, and not the other way around' is today more valid than ever. This order of persons 'is founded on truth, built up in justice, and animated by love', and it cannot be discerned without constant attention to the Word of God and the Magisterium of the Church". "The areas in which this decisive discernment is to be exercised are those touching the most vital and delicate interests of the person, the place where the fundamental choices regarding the meaning of life and the search for happiness are made. These areas are not separate from one another but profoundly interconnected; they possess a manifest continuum which is constituted by respect for the transcendent dignity of human beings, rooted in the fact that they were made in the image of the Creator and are the ultimate goal of any authentically human social justice. "The commitment to respecting life in all its phases from conception to natural end - and the consequent rejection of abortion, euthanasia and any form of eugenics - is, in fact, interwoven with respecting marriage as an indissoluble union between a man and a woman and, in its turn, as the foundation for the community of family life. ... Thus the family, the basic cell of society, is the root which nourishes not only the individual human being, but the very foundations of social coexistence". The Holy Father went on: "The authentic progress of human society cannot forgo policies aimed at protecting and promoting marriage, and the community that derives therefrom. Adopting such policies is the duty not only of States but of the International Community as a whole, in order to invert the tendency towards the growing isolation of the person, which is a source of suffering and corrosion for both individuals and for society. "If it is true that the defence and promotion of human dignity 'have been entrusted to us by the Creator, and to whom the men and women at every moment of history are strictly and responsibly in debt', it is equally true that this responsibility particularly concerns people called to positions of responsibility. They, especially if animated by Christian faith, must be 'strong enough to provide coming generations with reasons for living and hoping'". | |
| CARDINAL ABRIL Y
CASTELLO, SPECIAL PAPAL ENVOY TO SAPE, ALBANIA Vatican City, 22 September 2012 (VIS) - Made public today was the letter, written in Latin and dated 21 August, in which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Santos Abril y Castello, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the 950th anniversary of the diocese of Sape, Albania, due to take place on 29 September. The mission accompanying the cardinal will be made up of Fr. Mark Shtjefni, professor at the major interdiocesan seminary of Shkodre (Scutari), and Fr. Gjovalin Sukaj, pastor of the cathedral of St. Stephen in Shkodre (Scutari). | |
| EXPERTS AND
AUDITORS FOR THE FORTHCOMING SYNOD Vatican City, 22 September 2012 (VIS) - The Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops has, with the approval of the Supreme Pontiff and in accordance with the provisions of "Ordo Synodi Episcoprum", appointed the following individuals as "Adiutores Secretarii Specialis" (or Experts) for the forthcoming Thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, due to be held in the Vatican from 7 to 28 October on the theme: "The new evangelisation for the transmission of the Christian faith". - Sr. Beatriz Acosta Mesa O.D.N. (Colombia), superior general of the Company of Our Lady Mary. - Mauro Agosto, professor of Latin at Rome's Pontifical Lateran University. - Fr. Anthony Alaba Akinwale O.P., rector of the Dominican Institute of Ibadan (Nigeria). - Fr. Luiz Alves de Lima S.D.B., member of the administrative office of the Society of Latin American Catechists (Brazil). - Fr. Antonio Aranda Lomena, professor of dogmatic theology at the University of Navarre (Spain). - Fr. George Augustin S.A.C., professor of fundamental and dogmatic at the "Philosophisch-Theologischen Hochschule Vallendar" (Germany). - Fr. Paul Bere S.J., professor of the Old Testament and biblical languages at the Catholic University of West Africa (Burkina Faso). - Br. Enzo Bianchi, prior of the monastic community of Bose (Italy). - Br. Enzo Biemmi F.S.F., president of the European Team of Catechists (Italy). - Fr. Luca Bressan, episcopal vicar for culture, charity, the mission and social work of the archdiocese of Milan (Italy). - Sr. Sara Butler M.S.B.T. (U.S.A.), professor at the Ecclesiastical Faculty of St. Mary of the Lake University in Mundelein, and member of the International Theological Commission. - Jessica Joy Candelario, coordinator for the pastoral care of young people at "Bukal Ng Tipan Pastoral Centre" (Philippines). - Anna Kai-Yung Chan, professor at the Holy Spirit Seminary College of Theology and Philosophy, Hong Kong (China). - Sr. Luisa Ciupa S.A.M.I., vice president of the Commission for Catechesis of the Greek-Catholic Ukrainain Church (Ukraine). - Fr. Eamonn Conway, head of the Theology and Religious Studies Department at Mary Immaculate College of the University of Limerick (Ireland). - Fr. Jeremy Driscoll O.S.B. (U.S.A.), professor at the Theological Faculty of Rome's St. Anselm Pontifical Athenaeum, and professor of liturgy at the Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict, Oregon. - Caroline Farey, professor at the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham (England). - Fr. Juan Javier Flores Arcas O.S.B. (Spain), rector of Rome's St. Anselm Pontifical Athenaeum. - Sr. Gill Goulding C.J., associate professor of systematic theology and spirituality at Regis College University of Toronto (Canada). - Msgr. Rafiq Hanna Khoury, professor of liturgy at the major seminary of Beit Jala (Palestinian Territories). - Sr. Anna Emmanuela Klich O.S.U., director of the Inter-Congregational Institute for Catechesis in Krakow (Poland). - Fr. Jaime Alberto Mancera Casas, episcopal vicar for pastoral care in the archdiocese of Bogota (Colombia). - Msgr. Ermenegildo Manicardi, rector of Rome's "Almo Collegio Capranica", and professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Italy). - Fr. Thomas Manjaly, professor of Sacred Scripture at Oriens Theological College and at the Inter-Diocesan Theologate for North East India in Shillong (India). - Ralph Martin, director of graduate theological programs in the new evangelisation at the Sacred Heart Seminary of Detroit (U.S.A.). - Fr. Paolo Martinelli O.F.M. Cap. (Italy), president of the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality at the "Antonianum" Pontifical Athenaeum in Rome, and professor of fundamental theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. - Fr. Krzysztof Mielnicki, director of the office for catechesis of the diocese of Drohiczyn (Poland). - Sr. Paula Jean Miller F.S.E., professor at the Department of Theology of the University of St. Thomas in Huston (U.S.A.). - Fr. Joseph-Marie Ndi-Okalla, vice rector of the "Universite Catholique D'Afrique Centrale" in Yaounde (Cameroon). - Fr. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah (Nigeria), vice rector of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. - Rodolfo Papa, professor of art history and aesthetics at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. - Fr. Cleto Pavanetto S.D.B., professor emeritus of the Faculty of Christian and Classical Literature at the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome. - Edward Peters, professor of canon law and holder of the Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary of Detroit (U.S.A.). - Fr. Salvador Pie-Ninot (Spain), professor of fundamental theology and ecclesiology at the "Facoltat de Teologia de Catalunya", and professor of fundamental theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. - Msgr. Antonio Pitta, professor at the Faculty of Theology of Rome's Pontifical Lateran University. - Sr. Enrica Rosanna F.M.A, former under secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (Italy). - Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik S.J. (Slovenia), director of the "Ezio Aletti" Study Centre in Rome. - Fr. Samir Khalil Samir S.J. (Lebanon), professor of Arab-Christian theology at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and professor of the history of Arabic culture and Islamology at the University of "St. Joseph de Beyrouth". - Fr. Kinkupu Leonard Santedi, professor at the Catholic University of Congo, president of the "Evangelii Nuntiandi" Foundation in Africa, and member of the International Theological Commission (Democratic Republic of Congo). - Msgr. Pierangelo Sequeri (Italy), president of the Faculty of Theology of Northern Italy, and member of the International Theological Commission. - Thomas Soding, professor of biblical theology at the "Bergische" University of Wuppertal (Germany). - Fr. Virginio Spicacci S.J., active in pastoral care and evangelisation in the archdiocese of Naples (Italy). - Fr. Mihaly Szentmártoni S.J. (Serbia), president of the Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. - Fr. Giuseppe Tanzella-Nitti, professor of fundamental theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. - Petroc Willey, dean of graduate research at the Maryvale Institute of Birmingham (England). The Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops has, likewise with the approval of the Supreme Pontiff, appointed the following individuals as "Auditores" (or Auditros) for the forthcoming Synodal Assembly. - Emile Amin Henein, Director of the "Truth" Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, (Egypt). - Chiara Amirante, founder and president of the New Horizons Community (Italy). - Carl Albert Anderson (U.S.A.), supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus. - Fr. Camilo Bernal Hadad C.I.M. (Colombia), superior general of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary. - Sr. Maria Antonieta Bruscato F.S.P. (Brazil), superior general of the Daughters of St. Paul. - Guzman Carriquiry (Uruguay), secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. - Jose Maria Simon Castellví (Spain), president of the International Federation of the Association of Catholic Media F.I.A.M.C. - Sr. Rekha (Mary Joseph) Chennattu R.A., professor of the New Testament at the Pontifical Institute of Philosophy and Religion in Pune (India). - Fr. Renato de Guzman S.D.B., chief assistant for pastoral care of the Grade School and High School Departments, Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City (Philippines). - Florence De Leyritz, member of the Alpha France Association (France). - Marc De Leyritz, president of the Alpha France Association (France). - Fr. Ari Luis do Valle Ribeiro, professor at the seminar of the diocese of Santo Amaro, and diocesan coordinator for catechesis (Brazil). - Mikhail Fateev, director of production at the "United Television" channel of St. Petersburg (Russian Federation). - Sr. Inmaculada Fukasawa A.C.I. (Japan), superior general of the Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - Msgr. Enrique Glennie Graue, vicar general of the archdiocese of Mexico (Mexico). - Francisco Jose Gomez Arguello Wirtz (Spain), co-founder of the Neo-Catechumenal Way. - Fr. Jesus Higueras Esteban, pastor of S. Maria de Cana, Madrid (Spain). - Marco Impagliazzo (Italy), president of the Sant'Egidio Community. - Lydia Jimenez Gonzalez (Spain), director general of the "Cruzadas de Santa Maria" Secular Institute. - Ernestine Sikujua Kinyabuuma, professor at the University Institute of Maria Malkia in Lubumbashi, and member of the "Focolari" Movement (Democratic Republic of Congo). - Joakim Kipyego Koech, head of the Communion and Liberation Movement in Kenya. - Zoltan Kunszabo, permanent deacon of the archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest (Hungary). - Ewa Kusz (Poland), former president of the World Conference of Secular Institutes, C.M.I.S. - Chantal Le Ricque, lay woman of the archdiocese of Paris (France). - Fr. Vinko Mamic O.C.D., president of the Union of Superiors Major in Croatia (Croatia). - Curtis A. Martin, founder and president of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students - Focus (U.S.A.). - Salvatore Martinez, president for Italy of the Renewal in the Holy Spirit Movement (Italy). - Sr. Nzenzili Lucie Mboma F.M.M. (Democratic Republic of Congo), executive director of the Service of Documentation and Study on Global Mission, S.E.D.O.S. - Marylee J. Meehan (U.S.A.), president of the International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medico-Social Assistants, C.I.C.I.A.M.S. - Franco Miano, president of Italian Catholic Action. - Gisele Muchati, regional director of the New Families Movement (Syria). - Peter Murphy, executive director of the Secretariat for Evangelisation and Catechesis of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (U.S.A.). - Patricia Ngozi Nwachukwu K.S.M., member of the Knights of St. Mulumba (Nigeria). - Yong Suk Francis Xavier Oh, secretary general of the Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea (Korea). - Fr. Piergiorgio Perini, president of the International Service Organisation for the "Cellule Parrocchiali di Evangelizzazione" (Italy). - Rita María Petrirena Hernandez, head of the department for pastoral coordination of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba (Cuba). - Sr. Suzanne Louise Phillips F.M.M. (Australia), superior general of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary. - Sr. Mary Prema Pierick M.C. (India), superior general of the Missionaries of Charity. - Jose Prado Flores, founder and international director of the St. Andrew Schools of Evangelisation (Mexico). - Sr. Yvonne Reungoat F.M.A. (France), superior general of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesian Sisters of St John Bosco. - Br. Alvaro Antonio Rodriguez Echeverria F.S.C. (Costa Rica), superior general of the Brothers of Christian Schools. - Michel Roy (France), secretary general of "Caritas Internationalis". - Raid Sargi, president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Damascus (Syria). - Tommaso Spinelli, catechist of the youth group of the parish of Santa Melania Juniore in Rome. - Manoj Sunny, director and journalist, founding member of the Jesus Youth Movement (India). - Br. Emili Turu Rofes F.M.S. (Spain), superior general of the Marist Brothers (Little Brothers of Mary). - Fr. Emmanuel Typamm C.M. (Cameroon), secretary general of the "Confederation des Conferences des Superieurs Majeurs D'Afrique et de Madagascar", Co.S.M.A.M. - Maria Voce (Italy), president of the Focolari Movement. - Sr. Mary Lou Wirtz F.C.J.M. (U.S.A.), president of the International Union of Superiors General, U.I.S.G. | |
| AUDIENCES
Vatican City, 24 September 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience: - Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, archbishop of Genoa, Italy and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. - Five prelates of the Conference of Bishops of France on their "ad limina" visit: - Bishop Bernard-Nicolas Aubertin O. Cist. of Tours. - Bishop Maurice Le Begue de Germiny of Blois. - Archbishop Armand Maillard of Borges. - Bishop Michel Pansard of Chartres. - Bishop Jacques Blaquart of Orleans. On Saturday 22 September, the Holy Father received in audience five prelates of the Conference of Bishops of France on their "ad limina" visit: - Archbishop Pascal Wintzer of Poitiers. - Bishop Claude Dagens of Anouleme. - Bishop Bernard Housset of La Rochelle. - Bishop Francois Kalist of Limoges. - Bishop Bernard Charrier of Tulle. | |
| OTHER PONTIFICAL
ACTS Vatican City, 22 September 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed: - Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vellejo O.F.M., archbishop emeritus of Seville, Spain, as his special envoy to concluding celebrations for the fifth centenary of the arrival of the first bishop of Puerto Rico, Don Alonso Manso. The event is due to take place in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 19 November. - Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia, as a member of the Congregation for Bishops. - Msgr. Pio Vito Pinto, prelate auditor of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as dean of the same tribunal. |
AUSTRALIA : TWIN BROTHER PRIESTS INSPIRED BY BOAT PEOPLE
Catholic Communications, Sydney
Archdiocese,
24 Sep 2012
Australian-born Father Kevin
O'Neill who was elected Superior General of the Missionary Society of St
Columban in Los Angeles last week is not the only member of his family to pursue
a priestly or religious vocation.
Fr Kevin's identical twin brother, Fr Peter O'Neill is also a Columban priest while the brothers' sibling, Sister Kate O'Neill is Province Leader for Our Lady of the Missions in the Philippines where she works with street children and those addicted to drugs, helping rehabilitate them and reunite them with their families.
Growing up in rural Victoria, Fr Kevin says he and his siblings were inspired to work in overseas missions by the Vietnamese "boat people" who arrived in Australia during the 1970s.
"Our family belonged to an organisation in Geelong that welcomed Vietnamese refugees and once a month a young Vietnamese would stay with our family for the weekend," he says. "It was the first time any of the six O'Neill kids had missed with people from another country and culture and we'd listen to them describe family life in Vietnam. We'd share each others cooking, pick up a little of the Vietnamese language and try to teach them our Aussie slang."
The visits by the Vietnamese to the O'Neill household continued over a period of four to five years and transformed the lives of Fr Kevin, Fr Peter and Sister Kate.
Fr Peter however was the first
in the family to answer God's call. After attending two retreats with his
brother while still at school, the elder of the twins began thinking about
training as a priest. After speaking with vocational directors at different
missionary congregations, he chose the Columban Fathers.
"They seemed to speak directly to me and were so down-to-earth and from the start I was attracted to the challenge of their mission and their charism of crossing boundaries of culture, language and religion," he explains.
At the time, Fr Kevin was studying for a degree in chemical engineering at Melbourne's RMIT and although he admits he was curious about his brother's new life as a seminarian, he was unsure about his own future or what God was calling him to do.
"I was feeling deep stirrings and emotions I had never felt before but I wasn't sure if this was God calling me or simply my wanting to be with my brother," he explains.
For 12 months Fr Kevin remained conflicted then suddenly it all became clear and for the first time, he knew with certainty, he was being called to the Columban priesthood.
"It was my first adult experience of God and it had a lasting impact on me," he recalls, and two years after Fr Peter, Fr Kevin began his studies for the priesthood at Sydney's St Colombans Seminary at Turramurra.
Fr Kevin was ordained in 1992 by Bishop Peter Connors at his home parish of Manifold Heights, West of Geelong.
The two brothers were reunited two
years after their formation when they found themselves working in Taiwan. There
Fr Kevin ministered to the prison system, providing pastoral and practical care
to the prisoners, the intellectually disabled and HIV positive inmates while Fr
Peter worked with Taiwan's migrant workers helping protect them and their rights
as well as offering them pastoral counselling and care. From this, he founded
the refuge centre for victims of labour trafficking in the Taiwanese city of
Hsinchu where young men from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam
are given shelter, support and legal advice.
After seven years in Taiwan, Fr Kevin was sent to Ireland where as a member of the Columbans' general council, he administered the order's lay missionary programs and co-ordinated the work of 70 lay missionaries across 12 countries around the globe.
From Ireland, Fr Kevin was appointed the Columbans' Vocations Director in China, where each year he would travel across the vast nation speaking with students and young people.
Now as the newly elected Columban Superior General, Fr Kevin will be based in Hongkong where the Columban headquarters is situated.
But like is twin brother and sister, Fr Kevin retains close ties to Australia and to his family in Manifold Heights. Every two years whenever possible he returns to catch up, exchange stories, support his favourite footie team, the Geelong "Cats" and touch base with the Vietnamese "boat people" who spent weekends at the family home when he was a teenager, and who have kept in touch.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
24 Sep 2012
Identical twin brothers, Fr Peter and Fr Kevin
are both Columban missionary priests
Fr Kevin's identical twin brother, Fr Peter O'Neill is also a Columban priest while the brothers' sibling, Sister Kate O'Neill is Province Leader for Our Lady of the Missions in the Philippines where she works with street children and those addicted to drugs, helping rehabilitate them and reunite them with their families.
Growing up in rural Victoria, Fr Kevin says he and his siblings were inspired to work in overseas missions by the Vietnamese "boat people" who arrived in Australia during the 1970s.
"Our family belonged to an organisation in Geelong that welcomed Vietnamese refugees and once a month a young Vietnamese would stay with our family for the weekend," he says. "It was the first time any of the six O'Neill kids had missed with people from another country and culture and we'd listen to them describe family life in Vietnam. We'd share each others cooking, pick up a little of the Vietnamese language and try to teach them our Aussie slang."
The visits by the Vietnamese to the O'Neill household continued over a period of four to five years and transformed the lives of Fr Kevin, Fr Peter and Sister Kate.
Fr Kevin O'Neill elected Superior General of
the Missionary Society of St Columban
"They seemed to speak directly to me and were so down-to-earth and from the start I was attracted to the challenge of their mission and their charism of crossing boundaries of culture, language and religion," he explains.
At the time, Fr Kevin was studying for a degree in chemical engineering at Melbourne's RMIT and although he admits he was curious about his brother's new life as a seminarian, he was unsure about his own future or what God was calling him to do.
"I was feeling deep stirrings and emotions I had never felt before but I wasn't sure if this was God calling me or simply my wanting to be with my brother," he explains.
For 12 months Fr Kevin remained conflicted then suddenly it all became clear and for the first time, he knew with certainty, he was being called to the Columban priesthood.
"It was my first adult experience of God and it had a lasting impact on me," he recalls, and two years after Fr Peter, Fr Kevin began his studies for the priesthood at Sydney's St Colombans Seminary at Turramurra.
Fr Kevin was ordained in 1992 by Bishop Peter Connors at his home parish of Manifold Heights, West of Geelong.
Fr Peter O'Neill, identical twin brother of Fr
Kevin O'Neill, is based in Taiwan
After seven years in Taiwan, Fr Kevin was sent to Ireland where as a member of the Columbans' general council, he administered the order's lay missionary programs and co-ordinated the work of 70 lay missionaries across 12 countries around the globe.
From Ireland, Fr Kevin was appointed the Columbans' Vocations Director in China, where each year he would travel across the vast nation speaking with students and young people.
Now as the newly elected Columban Superior General, Fr Kevin will be based in Hongkong where the Columban headquarters is situated.
But like is twin brother and sister, Fr Kevin retains close ties to Australia and to his family in Manifold Heights. Every two years whenever possible he returns to catch up, exchange stories, support his favourite footie team, the Geelong "Cats" and touch base with the Vietnamese "boat people" who spent weekends at the family home when he was a teenager, and who have kept in touch.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
AMERICA : BISHOP - 10 WAYS TO LIVE YEAR OF FAITH
USCCB REPORT:
1. Participate in Mass. The Year of Faith is meant to promote the personal encounter with Jesus. This occurs most immediately in the Eucharist. Regular Mass attendance strengthens one’s faith through the Scriptures, the Creed, other prayers, sacred music, the homily, receiving Communion and being part of a faith community.
2. Go to Confession. Like going to Mass, Catholics find strength and grow deeper in their faith through participation in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Confession urges people to turn back to God, express sorrow for falling short and open their lives to the power of God’s healing grace. It forgives the injuries of the past and provides strength for the future.
3. Learn about the lives of the saints. The saints are timeless examples of how to live a Christian life, and they provide endless hope. Not only were they sinners who kept trying to grow closer to God, but they also exemplify ways a person can serve God: through teaching, missionary work, charity, prayer and simply striving to please God in the ordinary actions and decisions of daily life.
4. Read the Bible daily. Scripture offers first-hand access to the Word of God and tells the story of human salvation. Catholics can pray the Scriptures (through lectio divina or other methods) to become more attuned to the Word of God. Either way, the Bible is a must for growth in the Year of Faith.
5. Read the documents of Vatican II. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) ushered in a great renewal of the Church. It impacted how Mass is celebrated, the role of the laity, how the Church understands itself and its relationship with other Christians and non-Christians. To continue this renewal, Catholics must understand what the Council taught and how it enriches the lives of believers.
6. Study the Catechism. Published exactly 30 years after the start of the Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church covers the beliefs, moral teachings, prayer and sacraments of the Catholic Church in one volume. It’s a resource for growing in understanding of the faith. Another helpful resource is the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA).
7. Volunteer in the parish. The Year of Faith can’t only be about study and reflection. The solid grounding of the Scriptures, the Council and the Catechism must translate into action. The parish is a great place to start, and each person’s gifts help build up the community. People are welcome as ministers of hospitality, liturgical musicians, lectors, catechists and in other roles in parish life.
8. Help those in need. The Vatican urges Catholics to donate to charity and volunteer to help the poor during the Year of Faith. This means to personally encounter Christ in the poor, marginalized and vulnerable. Helping others brings Catholics face-to-face with Christ and creates an example for the rest of the world.
9. Invite a friend to Mass. The Year of Faith may be global in its scope, focusing on a renewal of faith and evangelization for the whole Church, but real change occurs at the local level. A personal invitation can make all the difference to someone who has drifted from the faith or feels alienated from the Church. Everyone knows people like this, so everyone can extend a loving welcome.
10. Incorporate the Beatitudes into daily life. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) provide a rich blueprint for Christian living. Their wisdom can help all to be more humble, patient, just, transparent, loving, forgiving and free. It’s precisely the example of lived faith needed to draw people to the Church in the year ahead.
WASHINGTON—To honor the fiftieth
anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has announced a
Year of Faith, starting October 11 and ending November 24, 2013. The goal is to
strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their
example.
Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay,
Wisconsin, chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, offers “10 Ways Catholics Can Live the Year
of Faith.” Rooted in guidelines from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, some of these suggestions are already requirements for Catholics;
others can be embraced by Catholics at all times and especially during the Year
of Faith:
1. Participate in Mass. The Year of Faith is meant to promote the personal encounter with Jesus. This occurs most immediately in the Eucharist. Regular Mass attendance strengthens one’s faith through the Scriptures, the Creed, other prayers, sacred music, the homily, receiving Communion and being part of a faith community.
2. Go to Confession. Like going to Mass, Catholics find strength and grow deeper in their faith through participation in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Confession urges people to turn back to God, express sorrow for falling short and open their lives to the power of God’s healing grace. It forgives the injuries of the past and provides strength for the future.
3. Learn about the lives of the saints. The saints are timeless examples of how to live a Christian life, and they provide endless hope. Not only were they sinners who kept trying to grow closer to God, but they also exemplify ways a person can serve God: through teaching, missionary work, charity, prayer and simply striving to please God in the ordinary actions and decisions of daily life.
4. Read the Bible daily. Scripture offers first-hand access to the Word of God and tells the story of human salvation. Catholics can pray the Scriptures (through lectio divina or other methods) to become more attuned to the Word of God. Either way, the Bible is a must for growth in the Year of Faith.
5. Read the documents of Vatican II. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) ushered in a great renewal of the Church. It impacted how Mass is celebrated, the role of the laity, how the Church understands itself and its relationship with other Christians and non-Christians. To continue this renewal, Catholics must understand what the Council taught and how it enriches the lives of believers.
6. Study the Catechism. Published exactly 30 years after the start of the Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church covers the beliefs, moral teachings, prayer and sacraments of the Catholic Church in one volume. It’s a resource for growing in understanding of the faith. Another helpful resource is the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA).
7. Volunteer in the parish. The Year of Faith can’t only be about study and reflection. The solid grounding of the Scriptures, the Council and the Catechism must translate into action. The parish is a great place to start, and each person’s gifts help build up the community. People are welcome as ministers of hospitality, liturgical musicians, lectors, catechists and in other roles in parish life.
8. Help those in need. The Vatican urges Catholics to donate to charity and volunteer to help the poor during the Year of Faith. This means to personally encounter Christ in the poor, marginalized and vulnerable. Helping others brings Catholics face-to-face with Christ and creates an example for the rest of the world.
9. Invite a friend to Mass. The Year of Faith may be global in its scope, focusing on a renewal of faith and evangelization for the whole Church, but real change occurs at the local level. A personal invitation can make all the difference to someone who has drifted from the faith or feels alienated from the Church. Everyone knows people like this, so everyone can extend a loving welcome.
10. Incorporate the Beatitudes into daily life. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) provide a rich blueprint for Christian living. Their wisdom can help all to be more humble, patient, just, transparent, loving, forgiving and free. It’s precisely the example of lived faith needed to draw people to the Church in the year ahead.
More information on
the Year of Faith is available online: www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/index.cfm
SHARED FROM CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF
USA
AFRICA : KENYA : CHURCHES ASK GOVERNMENT FOR SECURITY
CISA NEWS REPORT:
NAIROBI, September 21,
2012 (CISA) -The Church in Kenya has urged the government to ensure
security in the country. This comes in the wake of recent killings in Tana River
delta where clashes led to the death of over a hundred people.
At a press conference held on September, 20 at Waumini house, church leaders voiced their concern over the skirmishes and questioned the manner in which the Government handled them.
“Put in place mechanisms to ensure that no other Kenyan, is killed, hurt, displaced, abused or in any other way is mistreated or discriminated upon as was recently the case in Tana Delta and Mombasa clashes,” urged the leaders.
His Eminence, John Cardinal Njue, Chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, asked Kenyans to reflect on the series of events taking place that could plunge the country into lawlessness, and urged them to pray and fast.
Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, The Most Rev Dr Eliud Wabukala, said the clashes raise questions over the ability of the government to protect its people.
“While the deployment of GSU officers is commendable, the Government needs to address the root causes of the skirmishes that destroy the precious gift of life,” the Archbishop said.
The Leaders further explained some of the consequences of the ongoing teachers’, lecturers’ and doctors’ strikes: “We are deeply concerned that children and students have had to stay at home when they are supposed to be in school. This is devoid of the fact that national examinations are only less than a month away… With the doctors on strike, the patients suffer the consequences; the God-given gift of life is compromised and becomes the negotiation chip.”
The joint statement was also signed by, Rev Dr Stephen Kanyaru (Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya), Rt Rev David Riitho Gathanju (Moderator of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church of East Africa) and Rev Dr Charles Kibicho (Representative of the National Council of Churches of Kenya).
SHARED FROM CISA NEWS
At a press conference held on September, 20 at Waumini house, church leaders voiced their concern over the skirmishes and questioned the manner in which the Government handled them.
“Put in place mechanisms to ensure that no other Kenyan, is killed, hurt, displaced, abused or in any other way is mistreated or discriminated upon as was recently the case in Tana Delta and Mombasa clashes,” urged the leaders.
His Eminence, John Cardinal Njue, Chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, asked Kenyans to reflect on the series of events taking place that could plunge the country into lawlessness, and urged them to pray and fast.
Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, The Most Rev Dr Eliud Wabukala, said the clashes raise questions over the ability of the government to protect its people.
“While the deployment of GSU officers is commendable, the Government needs to address the root causes of the skirmishes that destroy the precious gift of life,” the Archbishop said.
The Leaders further explained some of the consequences of the ongoing teachers’, lecturers’ and doctors’ strikes: “We are deeply concerned that children and students have had to stay at home when they are supposed to be in school. This is devoid of the fact that national examinations are only less than a month away… With the doctors on strike, the patients suffer the consequences; the God-given gift of life is compromised and becomes the negotiation chip.”
The joint statement was also signed by, Rev Dr Stephen Kanyaru (Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya), Rt Rev David Riitho Gathanju (Moderator of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church of East Africa) and Rev Dr Charles Kibicho (Representative of the National Council of Churches of Kenya).
SHARED FROM CISA NEWS
EUROPE : SCHOOLS - LITTLE WAY WEEK IN HONOR OF ST. THERESE
IND. CATH. NEWS REPORT:
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ASIA : INDIA : CHRISTIANS FORCED TO CONVERT TO HINDUISM
ASIA NEWS REPORT:
by Nirmala Carvalho
Two more incidents are recorded in Karnataka. Hindu extremists submit Pentecostal Christians to a 'purification' ceremony at a Hindu temple in order to force them to abjure their Christian faith. For the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), "these attacks are work of the Hindu party to win votes."
_0924_-_Karnataka.jpg)
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Two new anti-Christian incidents were recorded, at a one day interval, in the state of Karnataka. In both cases, Pentecostal Christians were the victims, attacked in the privacy of their homes, when ultranationalist Hindus tried to force them to forswear their Christian faith.
For Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), it is increasingly clear that the incidents "are orchestrated" because "in Karnataka and in other states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), religion and politics go hand in hand and are used to gain as many votes as possible." The ultranationalist Hindu party has been in power in the state since 2007.
The latest case was recorded yesterday in Gudadahalli Hearaghatta (north of Bangalore). Two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS ) activists infiltrated a prayer meeting held at the Pentecostal Church led by Rev Muniraju. After the start of the service, an additional eight RSS members burst into the place.
In the church, they burnt or tore up all the Bibles and religious documents found. They also slapped and beat up the clergyman.
To intimidate the community, they dragged him and his five to a Hindu temple, about a kilometre away, where they forced the couple to take part in a pooja, a Hindu rite. Before they let them go, the attacked warned them against holding more prayer services.
Two days earlier, on Friday, the Bethel Prathanalaya Pentecostal Church, near Bhadravathi, Shimoga District, was attacked in the same fashion.
The community of 25 is led by Rev Kumar Hanumanthappa. On that day, the members had travelled to the neighbouring village Voddarahalli Thanda, guests of five local families.
About 20 RSS and Bajrang Dal activists stormed the prayer services, telling those present they would suffer "terrible consequences" if they continued to practice Christianity.
After beating some of those present and burning some of the Bibles, the Hindus forced the entire community to walk to the nearest Hindu temple to take part in their religion's 'purification' ceremony.
Once they were able to go home, some of the Christians stopped at the Holehonnur police station to file a formal complaint. However, no one has yet to be arrested in connection with the case.
"Article 14 of the Indian constitution provides for equality before law for all people," Sajan George said. "And yet in the case of attacks on Christians and Christian places of worship, the perpetrators go scot free, while the innocent victims are arrested".
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT
by Nirmala Carvalho
Two more incidents are recorded in Karnataka. Hindu extremists submit Pentecostal Christians to a 'purification' ceremony at a Hindu temple in order to force them to abjure their Christian faith. For the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), "these attacks are work of the Hindu party to win votes."
_0924_-_Karnataka.jpg)
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Two new anti-Christian incidents were recorded, at a one day interval, in the state of Karnataka. In both cases, Pentecostal Christians were the victims, attacked in the privacy of their homes, when ultranationalist Hindus tried to force them to forswear their Christian faith.
For Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), it is increasingly clear that the incidents "are orchestrated" because "in Karnataka and in other states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), religion and politics go hand in hand and are used to gain as many votes as possible." The ultranationalist Hindu party has been in power in the state since 2007.
The latest case was recorded yesterday in Gudadahalli Hearaghatta (north of Bangalore). Two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS ) activists infiltrated a prayer meeting held at the Pentecostal Church led by Rev Muniraju. After the start of the service, an additional eight RSS members burst into the place.
In the church, they burnt or tore up all the Bibles and religious documents found. They also slapped and beat up the clergyman.
To intimidate the community, they dragged him and his five to a Hindu temple, about a kilometre away, where they forced the couple to take part in a pooja, a Hindu rite. Before they let them go, the attacked warned them against holding more prayer services.
Two days earlier, on Friday, the Bethel Prathanalaya Pentecostal Church, near Bhadravathi, Shimoga District, was attacked in the same fashion.
The community of 25 is led by Rev Kumar Hanumanthappa. On that day, the members had travelled to the neighbouring village Voddarahalli Thanda, guests of five local families.
About 20 RSS and Bajrang Dal activists stormed the prayer services, telling those present they would suffer "terrible consequences" if they continued to practice Christianity.
After beating some of those present and burning some of the Bibles, the Hindus forced the entire community to walk to the nearest Hindu temple to take part in their religion's 'purification' ceremony.
Once they were able to go home, some of the Christians stopped at the Holehonnur police station to file a formal complaint. However, no one has yet to be arrested in connection with the case.
"Article 14 of the Indian constitution provides for equality before law for all people," Sajan George said. "And yet in the case of attacks on Christians and Christian places of worship, the perpetrators go scot free, while the innocent victims are arrested".
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : MONDAY SEPT. 24, 2012
| Luke
8: 16 - 18
| |
| 16 | "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. |
| 17 | For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. |
| 18 | Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away." |
TODAY'S SAINT: SEPT. 24: ST. PACIFIC OF SAN SEVERINO: D. 1721
St. Pacific of San Severino
MIRACLE WORKER
Feast: September 24
Information:
Feast Day:
September 24
Born:
1 March 1653 at San Severino
Died:
24 September 1721 at San Severino
Canonized:
26 May 1839 by Pope Gregory IX
Born at San Severino, in the March of Ancona, 1 March, 1653; died there 24 September, 1721; the son of Antonio M. Divini and Mariangela Bruni. His parents died soon after his confirmation when three years old; he suffered many hardships until in December, 1670, he took the Franciscan habit in the Order of the Reformati, at Forano, in the March of Ancona, and was ordained on 4 June, 1678, subsequently becoming Lector or Professor of Philosophy (1680-83) for the younger members of the order, after which, for five or six years, he laboured as a missionary among the people of the surrounding country. He then suffered lameness, deafness, and blindness for nearly twenty-nine years. Unable to givemissions, he cultivated more the contemplative life. He bore his ills with angelic patience, worked several miracles, and was favoured by God with ecstasies. Though a constant sufferer, he held the post of guardian in the monastery of Maria delle Grazie in San Severino (1692-3), where he died. His cause for beatification was begun in 1740; he was beatified by Pius VI, 4 August, 1786, and solemnly canonized by Gregory XVI, 26 May, 1839. His feast is celebrated on 24 September. SOURCEhttp://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/P/stpacificofsanseverino.asp
MIRACLE WORKER
Feast: September 24
Information:
Feast Day:
September 24
Born:
1 March 1653 at San Severino
Died:
24 September 1721 at San Severino
Canonized:
26 May 1839 by Pope Gregory IX
Born at San Severino, in the March of Ancona, 1 March, 1653; died there 24 September, 1721; the son of Antonio M. Divini and Mariangela Bruni. His parents died soon after his confirmation when three years old; he suffered many hardships until in December, 1670, he took the Franciscan habit in the Order of the Reformati, at Forano, in the March of Ancona, and was ordained on 4 June, 1678, subsequently becoming Lector or Professor of Philosophy (1680-83) for the younger members of the order, after which, for five or six years, he laboured as a missionary among the people of the surrounding country. He then suffered lameness, deafness, and blindness for nearly twenty-nine years. Unable to givemissions, he cultivated more the contemplative life. He bore his ills with angelic patience, worked several miracles, and was favoured by God with ecstasies. Though a constant sufferer, he held the post of guardian in the monastery of Maria delle Grazie in San Severino (1692-3), where he died. His cause for beatification was begun in 1740; he was beatified by Pius VI, 4 August, 1786, and solemnly canonized by Gregory XVI, 26 May, 1839. His feast is celebrated on 24 September. SOURCEhttp://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/P/stpacificofsanseverino.asp
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