DONATE TO JCE NEWS

Sunday, July 1, 2012

CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD : SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VATICAN : POPE : FORMATION OF THE HEART IS NECESSARY
AMERICA : CANADA 4 BISHOPS RECEIVE PALLIUM FROM POPE
AUSTRALIA : FAREWELL MASS FOR BISHOP MCGUCKIN
ASIA : CHINA : ILLICIT ORDINATIONS BY BISHOP
EUROPE : RALLY AGAINST EUTHANASIA
AFRICA : EGYPT : NEW PRESIDENT TAKES OATH
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012 - 13TH ORD. TIME YEAR B
TODAY'S SAINT: JULY 1: BL. JUNIPERO SERRA
 
VATICAN : POPE : FORMATION OF THE HEART IS NECESSARY
RADIO VATICANA REPORT: Pope Benedict XVI in his weekly Angelus address spoke about the two miracles performed by Jesus in today’s Gospel. After the prayer, the Holy Father greeted visitors from around the world.

Speaking to English-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father said, "I welcome the English-speaking visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer. In today’s Gospel, Jesus restores life to a little girl in response to the faith-filled prayer of her father. In this miracle may we see an invitation to grow in our own faith, to trust in the Lord’s promise of abundant life, and to pray for all those in need of his healing touch. Upon you and your families I invoke God’s blessings of wisdom, joy and peace!"

Below you can find the complete text of Pope Benedict XVI's Sunday Angelus address:
This Sunday, the evangelist Mark presents us with a tale of two miraculous healings that Jesus performs in favour of two women: the daughter of Jairus, one of the leaders of the synagogue; and a woman who suffered from haemorrhage (cf. Mk 5 0.21 to 43). Here are two episodes in which there are two levels of interpretation – the purely physical: Jesus bends down to meet human suffering and heals the body; and the spiritual: Jesus came to heal the human heart and to give salvation, and He asks for faith in Him.

In the first episode, in fact, at the news that the daughter of Jairus was dead, Jesus says to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid, but have faith!” (v. 36). Jesus takes him with Him to the place where the girl was, and exclaims: “Little girl, I say to you: Get up!” (v. 41). And she got up and walked. St. Jerome comments on these words, emphasizing the saving power of Jesus: “Little girl, get up through Me: not on account of your own merits, but through My grace. Rise, therefore, through Me: being cured does not depend on your virtue” (Homilies on the Gospel of Mark, 3).

The second episode, about the woman suffering from a haemorrhage, re-emphasizes how Jesus came to liberate the human being in its totality. Indeed, the miracle takes place in two phases: the first is the physical healing, but this is closely tied to deeper healing, that which bestows the grace of God to those who are open to Him in faith. Jesus tells her: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease” (Mk 5.34).

These two stories of healing are an invitation for us to overcome a purely horizontal and materialistic view of life. So often we ask God to cure our problems, to relieve our concrete needs – and this is right. But what we should ask for even more is an ever stronger faith, because the Lord renews our lives; and a firm trust in His love, in His providence that does not abandon us.

Jesus who is attentive to human suffering makes us think also of all those who help the sick to carry their crosses, and in particular physicians, health care professionals and those who provide pastoral care in nursing homes. They are the “reserves of love,” which bring peace and hope to the suffering. In the Encyclical Deus Caritas est, I noted that, in this invaluable service, one must first be professionally competent - it is a primary, fundamental requirement - but this alone is not enough. This service, in fact, is first and foremost about human beings who need humanity and heartfelt attention. “Therefore, in addition to professional training, a certain ‘formation of the heart’ is necessary above all for such workers: This should lead them to that encounter with God in Christ that sustains that love in them, and opens their soul to others” (n. 31).

We call upon the Virgin Mary to accompany our journey of faith and our commitment to practical love, especially to those in need, as we invoke her maternal intercession for our brothers who live with suffering in body or spirit.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA

AMERICA : CANADA 4 BISHOPS RECEIVE PALLIUM FROM POPE

CCCB REPORT:
larger text tool icon
pallium_juin2012His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI gave the pallium to newly appointed Metropolitan Archbishops, at the beginning of the Mass celebrating the Solemnity of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul on June 29, 2012. The ceremony, was in Saint Peter’s Square, in front of the Vatican Basilica. Among those appointed during this past year are four Canadian Archbishops: the Most Reverend Luc Cyr of Sherbrooke, the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, the Most Reverend Christian Lépine of Montreal, and the Most Reverend Valéry Vienneau of Moncton. Except for Archbishop-elect Vienneau, the three other Canadians are in Rome to receive the pallium from the Holy Father. The Archbishop-elect of Moncton, who was appointed on June 15, 2012, will be installed as Archbishop of Moncton on August 29, 2012, and will receive his pallium in his Archdiocese.

The pallium is a narrow woolen band that hangs around the neck and shoulders, and is decorated with six black crosses. Originally it was reserved for the liturgical use of the Pope, but over the centuries was given to certain Bishops as a sign of their relationship with the Apostolic See. Since the 9th century it is given only to Metropolitan Archbishops as a sign of the authority they share with the Holy Father. The wool for the pallium comes from two lambs offered every year to the Pope on January 21, the Feast of Saint Agnes.SHARED FROM CCCB (EDITED)

AUSTRALIA : FAREWELL MASS FOR BISHOP MCGUCKIN

DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA REPORT:

A visible source and foundation of unity

Go to Bishop Anthony's Homily - Bishop Bob McGuckin Farewell Mass
Photo: Alphonsus Fok & Grace Lu
A Farewell Mass for Bishop Bob McGuckin was celebrated at St Patrick’s Cathedral Parramatta on Saturday 23 June 2012.
It is hard for us to say goodbye to you Bob. But we are very proud of you. You are the first bishop from the clergy of this young Diocese and we will always feel we own you, whatever your new adopted family say,” the Bishop of Parramatta, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, said during his Homily.
Read Bishop Anthony’s Homily in full
Download an audio file of Bishop Anthony's Homily Download an audio file of Bishop Anthony's Homily
Listen to this Homily at Bishop Anthony's iTunes Podcasts
Download an audio file of Bishop McGuckin's Address Download an audio file of Bishop McGuckin's Address
Go to Bishop Bob McGuckin Farewell Mass Photo Gallery
Related:
Most Rev Robert McGuckin: Ordination as Bishop of Toowoomba to be live streamed

SHARED FROM DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA

ASIA : CHINA : ILLICIT ORDINATIONS BY BISHOP

UCAN REPORT:
Two episcopal ordinations in Harbin, Shanghai postponed
ucanews.com reporter, Leshan
China
June 29, 2012
Catholic Church News Image of Illicit bishop ordains priests in Leshan
The illicit ordination of Bishop Paul Lei Shiyin of Leshan on June 29, 2011
Two episcopal ordinations, one without papal approval, scheduled for this week have been postponed, say Church sources. But the ordination of four new priests by an illicit bishop has gone ahead in southwestern Leshan diocese.
Bishop Paul Lei Shiyin of Leshan ordained the four new priests today, the first anniversary of his own ordination which was conducted without a papal mandate and resulted in his automatic excommunication.
The ceremony also fell on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, one of the most important feast days of the Catholic Church which venerates the martyrdom in Rome of the two great apostles.
According to local Church sources, five deacons were supposed to be ordained in Leshan but one refused to receive ordination from the excommunicated bishop.
The other four deacons agreed to be ordained after the diocese allegedly promised them a car and money worth an estimated 150,000 yuan (US$23,600), the sources said.
Elsewhere, episcopal ordinations in Harbin and Shanghai, which were scheduled to take place this week, have been postponed.
Both bishop candidates, Fathers Joseph Yue Fusheng and Thaddeus Ma Daqin, belong to the government-sanctioned “open” Church community and hold posts in the local and national Catholic Patriotic Associations.
The reasons for the postponements are not clear to most Catholics in the two dioceses, but sources said the ordinations will go ahead no later than mid-July.
Researchers who asked not to be named suggested that authorities have delayed the ordinations to avoid more protests in Hong Kong, where pressure has been mounting, during President Hu Jintao’s three-day visit that began today.
Fr Yue had been warned by the Holy See not to receive ordination in Harbin, as he does not have a papal mandate. But the sources say they believe Chinese authorities will press ahead with the ordination.
In Shanghai the ordination of Fr Ma, who is approved by the pope will include the participation of an illegitimate bishop at the behest of the government, according to the sources.
Illegitimate bishops were also present at two other ordinations of Vatican-approved bishops in Changsha and Nanchong this year.
SHARED FROM UCAN NEWS

EUROPE : RALLY AGAINST EUTHANASIA

IND. CATH. NEWS REPORT:
Rally & campaign day against euthanasia | Care Not Killing Rally, Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Jim Dobbin MP, Fiona Bruce MP, Dr Peter Saunders, Brian Iddon, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Prof Lord McColl of Dulwich
On Tuesday, 3 July, Care Not Killing – in association with CARE and Right to Life – has organised a Rally in Westminster to promote better palliative care and oppose the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia. There will be contributions from speakers, including the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Jim Dobbin MP, Fiona Bruce MP, Dr Peter Saunders, Brian Iddon, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Prof Lord McColl of Dulwich and others. Please do come and be encouraged and equipped to defend the law and protect the vulnerable!
In a statement, the campaign said: "Although we are still in the first half of this year we have already witnessed the publication of the Falconer Commission promoting assisting suicide, three Westminster parliamentary debates in which parliamentarians have spoken out in favour of changing the law, the announcement that a new Bill is to be published in the Scottish Parliament legalising assisted suicide and a number of high profile cases in the courts which are being used by those promoting a change in the law to try and change public opinion.
"This has been accompanied by some extraordinarily biased media reporting, such as the recent Channel 4 Dispatches programme on Tony Nicklinson, a man with ‘Locked-in’ Syndrome who is challenging the law on murder by seeking permission for a doctor to be allowed to end his life.
"In addition, on 4 July 2012, the Voluntary Euthanasia Society (now called Dignity in Dying), is organising a Lobby of Parliament and has put on a day of events with high profile speakers in Westminster to champion their cause. Supporters are being invited to attend a day of events promoting a change in the law and, at some point during the day, go and see their Member of Parliament and press him or her to fight for the legalisation of assisted suicide.
"The above might appear to reveal a rather bleak picture, but this is not to say that everything is going against us. There are those both inside and outside of Parliament who are fighting hard to preserve our laws and ensure the vulnerable are protected. The debates in Parliament mentioned above have also borne witness to strong opposition to any change in the law, which has been tremendously encouraging, and the Falconer Commission did not have the impact or gain the press attention the authors hoped for. However, we cannot be complacent. This is why CNK is standing together with other concerned individuals and organisations to ensure we do not rest on our laurels

1. ‘How to talk to your MP about assisted suicide: a workshop’ | 10am – 11am
"You can register from 9.30am and will hear from a number of speakers including Fiona Bruce MP, Dr Peter Saunders of CNK and Dan Boucher of CARE. This first hour will provide you with material you can use and suggestions about how best to approach your Member of Parliament. The venue will be the Emmanuel Centre at Marsham Street, just a five minute walk from Parliament.
2. Meet with your MP |11am – 2pm
"This time has been set aside for you to meet your MP in Parliament (there are further details about how to do this below). The Emmanuel Centre will remain open as a base throughout, serving coffee and tea, where people can wait before seeing their MP and return to afterwards.
"You have the right to turn up in parliament at any time and ask to meet your MP. However, we would encourage you to contact your MP before 3 July and ask for a meeting, ideally between 11am and 2pm. If they offer you a time that clashes with another part of the day we would encourage you to take it nonetheless. If it clashes with the workshop, please contact the CNK office and we will be happy to provide you with some guidance about how to get the most out of your meeting. If your MP cannot meet you on 3 July, we would still encourage you to join us and to ask for a meeting on an alternative date in your constituency at which you can make use of everything you learn on 3 July.
3. Parliamentary Rally to promote better palliative care and oppose the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia 2pm – 3pm
"We will then return to the Emmanuel Centre for the parliamentary rally when we will hear from the parliamentarians listed above.
"The Emmanuel Centre will remain open until 4pm for those who wish to stay and chat.
"Don’t worry if you are unable to participate in the full programme – please just join us for what you can. If you plan to attend, it would help if you sent a short email to: info@carenotkilling.org.uk to let us know.
"We do hope that you will be able to join us on 3 July – why not come with a group of friends? This will be a great opportunity to encourage one another and be encouraged, to learn more about the current situation regarding assisted suicide and euthanasia, and to let MPs know our views."
SHARED FROM IND. CATH. NEWS

AFRICA : EGYPT : NEW PRESIDENT TAKES OATH

ASIA NEWS REPORT:
The spokesman of the Egyptian Church notes “positive and negative." First, Morsi addresses "his" people and not all of Egypt. Negative because of the request for the release of a terrorist. Among the elements of hope, the will to unite "Muslims and Christians." And he warns that behind the superficial and "sentimental" worlds lurk "problems" between the president and military.


Cairo (AsiaNews) - The oath of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in front of "his" people, gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo, contains lights and shadows, "positive and negative" elements. Now, we must "wait and see" future developments, especially in the power struggle "behind the scenes" with the army, to understand who will really hold power. Speaking to AsiaNews Fr. Greiche Rafiq, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church, which outlines several "interesting" elements in yesterday's speech by the new head of state. Morsi was acclaimed by a cheering crowd of tens of thousands of supporters who rushed into the square that was the symbol of revolt against the Mubarak regime and the military's power. He managed to inflame the minds of his supporters with blatant gestures, such as when he unbuttoned his shirt, showing he was not wearing a bullet-proof vests. "Because - said the Muslim leader - I fear only God."


Mohammed Morsi is scheduled to take his oath later this morning before the Constitutional Supreme Court and the state institutions. From this moment he is formally conferred with the powers vested in the office, after the victory at the polls last week the Muslim Brotherhood candidate. Afterwards, the Egyptian president is expected at Cairo University, where he will deliver a speech - yet another in a few days - last stop, an army base for the transfer of power from the military. However, the events of today seem only a corollary to the central event - both political and personal - that took place yesterday: Morsi was sworn in as new head of state before the crowd of supporters, who packed into Tahrir Square. He told them he would not give up "the powers conferred by them" - despite the army moves in recent days to curtail the functions of the President - and foster the ideal of a "civil and nationalist" nation.

Commenting on Mohammed Morsi's words, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church focuses on "lights and shadows", starting from the oath "in Tahrir Square in front of his people, even before the formal act" today in the presence of the institutions of the country . For Fr. Greiche this is a "negative" factor, because he took the oath yesterday in the square in front of his supporters" who are not "the whole population of Egypt." Added to this tension "with the Military Council", exacerbated in the last hours: "To swear in the street, before your people - said the priest - before the institutions", is in some way a promise of "fidelity to the supporters, to your group before the entire nation of Egypt. " Another "downside" is the request for the release or the promise to negotiate the release of Omar Abdul Rahman, considered the instigator of the first attack on the Twin Towers in New York in 1993.

However, the spokesman of the Egyptian Church also points to some "positive" aspects contained in the speech, from the fact that he did not refer to people speaking of "my people", using an Arabic word often abused in the past. Instead, he reiterated what was mentioned in recent days: the purpose of being president "of all" Egyptians, "Muslims and Christians", emphasizing the value of the minority, as well as the promise for the appointment of a Christian and a woman the vice-presidency. Fr. Greiche also cites the passage in which he Morsi recalled the value "of artists and arts", the importance of writers, film and culture. To strengthen the country's economy, he adds, the reference to "tourism" as a key driver of the nation and its growth.

However, a last and perhaps most important element remains, to better understand future developments in Egypt and power relations within it. The spokesman of the Catholic Church points out that "going beyond the sentimental speeches of the president," we must assess the nature of the relationship with the military and what differences may emerge in the near future. "If they continue like this - warns Fr. Greiche - we will soon have problems."

Meanwhile on social networks Egyptians are following comments on the oath scheduled for today and the fact that there will be no live coverage. There are hundreds of Twitter posts, some of them ironic regarding the mood of Army head General Tantawi. What is certain is that lack of coverage of his oath before the institutions today, compared to the wide echo of the speech and oath in the square yesterday, are not good omens for Egypt's new post- military presidency and Morsi. (JL)


SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS

TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : SUNDAY JULY 1, 2012 - 13TH ORD. TIME YEAR B

13th Sun Ordinary Time
1st reading: Wisdom 1.13-15; 2.23-24

God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living. For he created all things so that they might exist; the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them, and the dominion of Hades is not on earth. For righteousness is immortal. for God created men for incorruption, and made him in the image of his own eternity, but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it.
2nd reading: 2 Cor. 8.7, 9, 13-15
Brothers and sisters: Now as you excel in everything —in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you —so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance.

As it is written, 'The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.'


Psalms 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
2 Yahweh, my God, I cried to you for help and you healed me.
4 Make music for Yahweh, all you who are faithful to him, praise his unforgettable holiness.
5 His anger lasts but a moment, his favour through life; In the evening come tears, but with dawn cries of joy.
6 Carefree, I used to think, 'Nothing can ever shake me!'
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing, you have stripped off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
12 So my heart will sing to you unceasingly, Yahweh, my God, I shall praise you for ever.

Gospel: Mark 5.21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the synagogue leaders named Jairus came and, when he saw Jesus, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, 'My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.' So Jesus went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, 'If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.' Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, 'Who touched my clothes?' And his disciples said to him, 'You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, "Who touched me?" ' He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.

Jesus said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.' While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, 'Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?' But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, 'Do not fear, only believe.' Jesus allowed no one to follow. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

When he had entered, he said to them, 'Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at him. Then Jesus put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, 'Talitha cum', which means, 'Little girl, get up!' And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about for she was twelve years of age. At this they were overcome with amazement. Jesus strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

TODAY'S SAINT: JULY 1: BL. JUNIPERO SERRA


Bl. Junípero Serra
MISSIONARY
Feast: July 1


Information:
Feast Day: July 1
Born: 24 November 1713 at Petra, Spanish Majorca
Died: 28 August 1784
Beatified: 25 September 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Born at Petra, Island of Majorca, 24 November, 1713; died at Monterey, California, 28 August, 1784.
On 14 September, 1730, he entered the Franciscan Order. For his proficiency in studies he was appointed lector of philosophy before his ordination to the priesthood. Later he received the degree of Doctor of Theology from the Lullian University at Palma, where he also occupied the Duns Scotus chair of philosophy until he joined the missionary college of San Fernando, Mexico (1749). While traveling on foot from Vera Cruz to the capital, he injured his leg in such a way that he suffered from it throughout his life, though he continued to make his journeys on foot whenever possible. At his own request he was assigned to theSierra Gorda Indian Missions some thirty leagues north of Querétaro. He served there for nine years, part of the time as superior, learned the language of the Pame Indians, and translated the catechism into their language. Recalled to Mexico, he became famous as a most fervent and effective preacher of missions. His zeal frequently led him to employ extraordinary means in order to move the people to penance. He would pound his breast with a stone while in the pulpit, scourge himself, or apply a lighted torch to his bare chest. In 1767 he was appointed superior of a band of fifteen Franciscans for the Indian Missions of Lower California. Early in 1769 he accompanied Portolá's land expedition to Upper California. On the way (14 May) he established the Mission San Fernando de Velicatá, Lower California. He arrived at San Diego on 1 July, and on 16 July founded the first of the twenty-one California missions which accomplished the conversions of all the natives on the coast as far as Sonoma in the north. Those established by Father Serra or during his administration were San Carlos (3 June, 1770); San Antonio (14 July, 1771); San Gabriel (8 September, 1771); San Luis Obispo (1 September, 1772); San Francisco de Asis (8 October, 1776); San Juan Capistrano (1 Nov. 1776); Santa Clara (12 January, 1777); San Buenaventura (31 March, 1782). He was also present at the founding of the presidio of Santa Barbara (21 April, 1782), and was prevented from locating the mission there at the time only through the animosity of Governor Philipe de Neve. Difficulties with Pedro Fages, the military commander, compelled Father Serra in 1773 to lay the case before Viceroy Bucareli. At the capital of Mexico, by order of the viceroy, he drew up his "Representación" in thirty-two articles. Everything save two minor points was decided in his favour; he then returned to California, late in 1774. In 1778 he received the faculty to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. After he had exercised his privilege for a year, Governor Neve directed him to suspend administering the sacrament until he could present the papal Brief. For nearly two years Father Serra refrained, and then Viceroy Majorga gave instructions to the effect that Father Serra was within his rights. During the remaining three years of his life he once more visited the missions from San Diego to San Francisco, six hundred miles, in order to confirm all who had been baptized. He suffered intensely from his crippled leg and from his chest, yet he would use no remedies. He confirmed 5309 persons, who, with but few exceptions, were Indians converted during the fourteen years from 1770. Besides extraordinary fortitude, his most conspicuous virtues were insatiable zeal, love of mortification, self-denial, and absolute confidence in God. His executive abilities has been especially noted by non-Catholic writers. The esteem in which his memory is held by all classes in California may be gathered from the fact that Mrs. Stanford, not a Catholic, had a granite monument erected to him at Monterey. A bronze statute of heroic size represents him as the apostolic preacher in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. In 1884 the Legislature of California passed a concurrent resolution making 29 August of that year, the centennial of Father Serra's burial, a legal holiday. Of his writings many letters and other documentation are extant. The principal ones are his "Diario" of the journey from Loreto to San Diego, which was published in "Out West" (March to June, 1902), and the "Representación" before mentioned.

SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/J/bljuniperoserra.asp#ixzz1QuB07aKZ

CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD : SATURDAY JUNE 30, 2012


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

VATICAN : POPE : RECOGNIZES HEROIC VIRTUES OF FULTON SHEEN - ARCHBISHOP

RADIO VATICANA REPORT:
(Vatican Radio) Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday signed a decree recognizing the heroic virtue of the Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton John Sheen, allowing him to be styled as Venerable. This is the second major step in the process of his cause for canonization. Archbishop Sheen was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, in 1919. He served the Church in Peoria for more than three decades, before being appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York in 1951, and became the Bishop of Rochester, NY in 1966. During his years of service, he became the leading religious radio and television personality in the United States, while continuing to publish books and articles prolifically.

Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria told Vatican Radio the declaration gives US Catholics renewed confidence in a timely intercessor. “I believe [Ven. Fulton Sheen] is the perfect person to emulate in our current grave difficulties,” said Bishop Jenky, citing Sheen’s successful engagement with the culture at a time when National Socialism, the Great Depression, the Communist threat and growing moral challenges from many different quarters. “[Sheen] was not afraid to confront what was wrong,” Bishop Jenky said. “He would dialogue with the world,” he explained, “but – I also know – he had steel in him.”

SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA

EUROPE : ORDINARIATE FORCED TO RETURN MILLION DOLLAR GRANT

CATHOLIC HERALD REPORT:
By Mark Greaves on Thursday, 28 June 2012
The donation was intended to keep the ordinariate afloat in its early days (Photo: Mazur)
The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham has returned a £1 million grant to an Anglo-Catholic charity after the Charity Commission ruled that it was invalid.
The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, founded in 1862, gave the money a year ago to ensure that the ordinariate’s priests would not be left penniless. It represented almost half of the charity’s assets.
The Charity Commission, however, said the grant was invalid because most of the trustees who agreed to it had a “personal financial interest” in it. Five out of six of its trustees had already been ordained as priests in the ordinariate.
The commission also ruled that there was “substantial doubt” over whether use of the money would be consistent with the charity’s objects – ”the advancement of the Catholic faith in the Anglican tradition”.
The ruling contradicts the advice lawyers gave to the charity before it approved the grant.
The Charity Commission concluded: “We have been informed that the grant has been returned in full (with interest) by the ordinariate of its own volition.”
The Confraternity has about 120 Anglican clergy members in England and 1,500 worldwide. It was founded by the Rev T T Carter, a prominent Anglo-Catholic.
SHARED FROM CATHOLIC HERALD

AUSTRALIA : VOCATIONS EXPO 2012 - SCENE

ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY REPORT:
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
29 Jun 2012



Music a compoennt of SCENE
Live music featuring popular singer-songwriter Vanessa Trujillo, Pittwater's SOUL Band and great rock groups from Youth For Christ and the Immaculata Community along with a host of other super-talented performers are just a few of the attractions lined up for next month's week-long SCENE - the Sydney Congress Embracing the New Evangelism.
Starting on Wednesday, 11 July SCENE builds on the energy and enthusiasm of last year's World Youth Day (WYD) in Madrid, and will once again include a three-day Vocations Expo in Martin Place.
Held for the first time as part of Sydney's WYD in 2008, the Vocations Expo is a key feature of SCENE and this year will include 40 different stalls to showcase a wide range of Catholic communities, resources, organisations and educational institutions. In addition, there will be live music daily, a lunchtime sausage sizzle and for coffee lovers, real cappuccinos brewed by a team of Capuchin Friars.
"Over the past few years there has been an increase in priestly vocations as well as a renewed interest among women in consecrated life," says Fr Michael de Stoop, the Archdiocese of Sydney's Director of Vocations.

Fr Michael de Stoop with students at
University of Notre Dame
In the past three years 20 young women from Sydney have entered religious communities. Vocations for the priesthood are also on the rise. Since 2006, 36 men have begun their priestly studies at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, Homebush or the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary, Chester Hill.
"At each Vocations Expo one of the most common remarks from people is that they had no idea that there were so many religious communities," says Fr Michael.
At this year's Expo representatives from a wide range of communities will be on hand to answer questions and provide detailed follow-up information. Among those who will host their own stalls will be members of the Divine Word Missionaries, the Franciscans Friar Minor, the Little Company of Mary, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary, the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the Ignatian family, the Dominican Sisters of St Cecelia, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, St Columban's Mission, the Society of Jesus and the Capuchin Friars Minor.
In addition there will be stalls hosted by the Australian Catholic University, the University of Notre Dame, Campion College, the Catholic Adult Education Centre, the Catholic Education Office and the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family.

Martin Place this year will once again host a
Vocations Expo and lunchtime performances
celebrating the joy of Christ and the Christian faith
Also on hand at Vocations Expo 2012 will be members of the Archdiocese of Sydney's Catechumenate Office and the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
Another stall at the Expo will be run by staff and volunteers of the St Vincent de Paul Society who will give details on the wide range of services offered by Vinnies, ranging from the Society's homeless services to its work with youth and employment, refugee services and counselling support for victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and family breakdown.
With the arts given a special focus at this year's SCENE and featuring many of the special pub nights and workshops being held throughout the festival, the three-day Expo in Martin Place will also have stalls hosted by Artes Christi, the Catholic Weekly and Love One Another Magazine and the Mustard Seed Bookshop.
For the business-minded, Catholic Super are also operating a stall and for the whole family, the Archdiocese of Sydney's Life, Marriage and Family will be on hand along with stalls hosted by the Australian Family Association, and Couples for Christ.
"SCENE attracts thousands each year with the Vocations Expo an important element of the week- long festival," says Fr Michael admitting that for him, the three-day Expo is exciting, challenging and stimulating.
"The Expo is a wonderful opportunity for us to interact with Sydneysiders of all ages at a grass roots level," he says.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY

ASIA : PAKISTAN : CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM GROUP HELPS POOR WITH THEATRE

ASIA NEWS REPORT:
by Joseph Laldin
Chanan Development Association, since 2004, helping dozens of young people across the country to restore meaning to life through theater. Born out of collaboration between Christians and Muslims, the association also provides educational programs to help the most disadvantaged.


Lahore (AsiaNews) - "I lost my mother when I was three. A year after my father abandoned me and left me alone"; this is the moving story of Shama, a Christian girl of 22, saved by the work of Chanan Development Association (CDA), an association founded in 2004 by collaboration between Muslims and Christians to help dozens of orphans to restore meaning to their lives through theater , but mainly through the sharing of life experiences. After the tragic loss of her parents, Shama was raised by her older brothers and sisters. Her life changed several years ago when she met with CDA operators who invited her to play with other young people in the company. The girl had been forced to interrupt her studies because of the economic circumstances of her family. However, she is optimistic. "Now I am an actress and this helps me - she says - but in future I would like to become a professional beautician."

The Chanan Development Association is a 'secular non-profit association founded in 2004 by Muhammad Shahzad, a young Muslim who chose to dedicate his life to more underprivileged children. Like many millions of young Pakistanis Muhammad clashed head on at just 12 years of age with the harsh reality of Pakistan's Islamic traditions. In his early teens he held a hunger strike against the forced marriage of the sister of 15 years with a man of 50. That gesture struck his family and later the whole community of his village, including the absurdity of the gesture, pushing his father to renounce marriage losing, for the sake of his children, even the potential economic gains. After this experience, at the age of 20, Muhammad decided to create an association able to tell through eyewitness accounts the harsh reality of many families and young Pakistanis.

Together with some friends founded the Board of Directors, helping thousands of orphans through theater and young people in difficulty, giving them the opportunity to tell their own story, but also to exploit and utilize their knowledge, skills and expertise to improve their status in society. To achieve its objectives CDA has initiated four programs named "Happy", a program for active youth participation in socially disadvantaged contexts, "Welcome", which aims to empower young women by giving them education and instruction; "Help" an initiative to offer support to single mothers and street children.


SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS

AFRICA : ZAMBIA : ARCHBISHOP EMPHASIZES LAY INVOLVEMENT

CISA REPORT:
KASAMA, June 29, 2012 (CISA) – A Zambian archbishop has emphasized the importance of the laity involvement in spreading the Catholic faith in his country.
Archbishop Ignatius Chama of the northern Zambian city of Kasama said that lay people “witness to the faith” in their workplaces and homes.
During a visit to Aid to the Church In Need’s headquarters in Koenigstein, Germany, the bishop said that lay catechists are “leading the Church forward” in the absence of priests.
“For example, in the Diocese of Mpika there are about 75 catechists at prayer centers, which are organized like parishes but do not have priests. The catechists ensure that the catechism is taught at the centers and that people have access to the sacraments when a priest comes,” he said.
Lay associations and movements are also creating initiatives to ensure the progress of the Church. The Legion of Mary, the Catholic Family Movement, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and various Third Orders of religious congregations are all at work in Zambia.
The archbishop noted that the first and second African bishops’ synods have stressed the “cardinal” role of the laity to evangelization.
Some areas of Zambia have been evangelized for a century, while other areas still have not heard the gospel.
“The Catholic Church in the country needs human and material resources to advance evangelization,” added Archbishop Chama. He particularly cited the need for means of transport and formation of seminarians, religious sisters and catechists.
According to EWTN News, the archbishop praised Aid to the Church in Need and its donors for its contributions to meet these needs.
The international Catholic pastoral charity is working in about 130 countries around the world.
SHARED FROM CISA NEWS

AMERICA : CANADA FOUNDER MARIE FITZBACH - HEROIC VIRTUES

CCCB REPORT:
larger text tool icon
Marie-Josephte_FitzbachMarie-Josephte Fitzbach (1806 – 1885), a Canadian widow and founder of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, more commonly known as in Quebec as the Sœurs du Bon-Pasteur (the Good Shepherd Sisters), has been recognized by the Church for her heroic virtues. The decree was recently authorized by the Holy Father during a private audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Her cause for Beatification has been under study by the Holy See since 1997.
Marie-Josephte Fitzbach was born October 16, 1806, in the village of St-Vallier de Bellechasse, Quebec. At the age of 13, she left home because of her family’s financial need and became a domestic servant in Quebec City. She married François-Xavier Roy on April 17, 1828, in Cap-Santé, Quebec, and they had three daughters. In 1833 Mr. Roy died, leaving her a widow at the age of 26. On December 31, 1849, she opened a shelter for women who had been released from prison, and formed a group to help with the project.
On February 2, 1856, the group, known as the “Bon-Pasteur de Québec “, was established as a religious community of women. Marie-Josephte Fitzbach took the name of Mother Marie-du-Sacré-Cœur, and shortly after became its first superior. She died on September 1, 1885.
SHARED FROM BISHOPS OF CANADA

TODAY'S MASS ONLINE SATURDAY JUNE 30, 2012



Matthew 8: 5 - 17
5 As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him
6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress."
7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."
8 But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."
10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.
11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."
13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.
14 And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever;
15 he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him.
16 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.
17 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."

TODAY'S SAINT : JUNE 30 : PROTOMARTYRS OF ROME

Protomartyrs of Rome
Feast: June 30


Information:
Feast Day: June 30
Many martyrs who suffered death under Emperor Nero (r. 54-68). Owing to their executions durin the reign of Nero, they are called the Neronian Martyrs, and they are also termed "the Protomartys of Rome," being honored by the site in the Vatican City called the Piazza of the Protomartyrs. These early Christians were disciples of the Apostles, and they endured hideous tortures and ghastly deaths following the burning of Rome in the infamous fire of 62. Their dignity in suffering, and their fervor to the end, did not provide Nero or the Romans with the public diversion desired. Instead, the faith was firmly planted in the Eternal City.

(Taken from Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints)
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/P/protomartyrsofrome.asp#ixzz1zH56vP9h