VATICAN : POPE : WORLD DAY OF SICK - CARPE DIEM AND OTHER NEWS
OVER 500, 000 AT MARCH FOR LIFE - WASHINGTON DC - USA
EGYPT : STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED DUE TO VIOLENCECATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH LILIES OF THE FIELD - PART 3
EUROPE : IRELAND : NEW BISHOP OF CLOYNE -
ASIA : KOREA : CANNIBALISM AND SEVERE FAMINE - OVER 10 THOUSAND DEAD
AUSTRALIA : RIP FR. GROOT PE OF CARITAS CHRISTI
TODAY'S SAINT : JAN. 28 : ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : MON. JAN. 28, 2013
| (Vatican RADIO IMAGE - SHARE) POPE PRAYS FOR VICTIMS OF FIRE IN BRAZILIAN DISCOTHEQUE Vatican City, 28 January 2013 (VIS) – Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., in the Holy Father's name, sent a telegram to Archbishop Helio Adelar Rubert of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for the death of 231 youths on Saturday in a fire at a discotheque of that locality. "The Pope," reads the text, "shocked by the tragic death of hundreds of young people … asks that you express his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, sharing in the sorrow of all those who mourn them. He entrusts the dead to God, the Father of mercy, and prays for the comfort and restoration of the wounded and for the courage and consolation of all those affected by the tragedy. He sends his apostolic blessing to all those who are suffering and those who are assisting them." |
| INDULGENCES FOR THE WORLD DAY OF THE SICK Vatican City, 28 January 2013 (VIS) – Benedict XVI will grant Plenary Indulgence to the faithful participating in the 21st World Day of the Sick to be celebrated 7–11 February, in Altotting, Germany according to a decree published today and signed by Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro and Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, respectively penitentiary major and regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary. Persons following the example of the Good Samaritan, who "with a spirit of faith and a merciful soul, put themselves at the service of their brothers and sisters who are suffering or who, if sick, endure the pains and hardships of life … bearing witness to the faith through the path of the Gospel of suffering" will obtain the Plenary Indulgence, once a day and under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Holy Father), applicable also to the souls of deceased faithful: A) each time from 7–11 February, in the Marian Shrine of Altotting or at any other place decided by the ecclesiastical authorities, that they participate in a ceremony held to beseech God to grant the goals of the World Day of the Sick, praying the Our Father, the Creed, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Faithful in public hospitals or any private house who, like the Good Samaritan, charitably assist the ill and who, because of such service, cannot attend the aforementioned celebrations, will obtain the same gift of Plenary Indulgence if, for at least a few hours on that day, they generously provide their charitable assistance to the sick as if they were tending to Christ the Lord Himself and pray the Our Father, the Creed, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with their soul removed from attachment to any form of sin and with the intention of carrying out as soon as possible that which is necessary to obtain the plenary indulgence. The faithful who because of illness, advance age, or other similar reasons cannot take part in the aforementioned celebrations will obtain the Plenary Indulgence if, with their soul removed from attachment to any form of sin and with the intention of carrying out as soon as possible the usual conditions, spiritually participating in the sacred events of the determined days, particularly through liturgical celebrations and the Supreme Pontiff's message broadcast by television or radio, they pray for all the sick and offer their physical and spiritual suffering to God through the Virgin Mary, 'Salus Infirmorum' (Health of the Sick). B) Partial Indulgence will be conceded to all the faithful who, between the indicated days, with a contrite heart raise devout prayers to the merciful Lord beseeching assistance for the sick in spirit during this Year of Faith. |
| CHRISTIAN MEANING OF 'CARPE DIEM' Vatican City, 27 January 2013 (VIS) – "Each moment can be the auspicious 'today' of our conversion. Each day can be the salvific 'today' because salvation is a continuous story for the Church and for each of Christ's disciples. This is the Christian meaning of 'carpe diem'; seize the day that God calls on you to offer you salvation." These were the words that the Pope addressed to the faithful gathered at noon today in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus. As is customary, Benedict XVI commented on the Sunday liturgy's readings, particularly the Gospel where St. Luke speaks of Jesus' presence in the synagogue of Nazareth on a Saturday. "As an observer believer, the Lord does not avoid the weekly liturgy rhythm and joins in with the assembly of his fellow countryman to pray and listen to the Scriptures. The rite called for a reading from the Torah or from the Prophets, followed by a commentary. That day, Jesus rose to read and found the passage from the prophet Isaiah that begins: 'The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring Good News to the afflicted.'" On finishing the reading, "in an attentive silence, Jesus says: 'Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.' St. Cyril of Alexandria affirms that 'today', situated between Jesus' first and His final coming, corresponds to the believer's ability to listen and repent. However, an even more radical meaning is that Jesus himself is the 'today' of salvation history because He completes the fullness of redemption." "This Gospel passage also challenges us 'today'. Firstly, it makes us think of our way of living Sunday; it is a day of family and of rest but even more, it is the day that we dedicate to the Lord, participating in the Eucharist in which we are nourished with the Body and Blood of Christ and with His life-giving Word. Secondly, in our times of dispersion and distraction, this Gospel passage invites us to ask ourselves about our ability to listen. Before we can speak of God and with God, we have to listen to Him, and the Church's liturgy is the 'school' of this listening to the Lord who speaks to us." After praying the Angelus, the Pop released into the Roman sky two doves that a boy and a girl from Catholic Action had brought to him to conclude the Caravan of Peace in St. Peter's Square, the theme to which the month of January is traditionally dedicated. |
| HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: THAT HORRORS OF THE PAST NOT BE REPEATED Vatican City, 27 January 2013 (VIS) – On this International Remembrance Day dedicated to the remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust, Benedict XVI, after praying the Angelus, said: "The memory of this enormous tragedy that so severely struck mainly the Jewish people should represent for all a constant warning so that the horrors of the past are not repeated, so that every form of hatred and racism is overcome, and so that the respect and dignity of the human person is promoted". Today also marks the 60th World Day for the Fight Against Leprosy and the Pope expressed his "nearness to those suffering from that disease" and encouraged the work of researchers, health care workers, and volunteers in that area, particularly those who are part of Catholic organizations and the association Friends of Raoul Follereau. "I ask for the spiritual intercession of St. Damien De Veuster and St. Marianna Cope?who gave their lives for those afflicted by leprosy?for you all." "This Sunday," he continued, "also marks a special day of intercession for peace in the Holy Land. I thank all those who are promoting it in the different parts of the world and a special greeting to those present here." The Pope concluded by addressing the Polish faithful. "Today I join with the Church in Poland in giving thanks for the life and ministry of the late Cardinal Jozef Glemp. May the Lord reward his pastoral dedication and keep him in His glory!" |
| RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND MARRIAGE, THEME OF POPE'S ADDRESS TO TRIBUNAL OF THE ROMAN ROTA Vatican City, 26 January 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father received members of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota on the occasion of the opening of the judicial year. His address, from which ample extracts follow, focused on the relationship between faith and marriage in light of the "current crisis of faith that affects various areas of the world, bearing with it a crisis of conjugal society." “The Code of Canon Law defines the natural reality of marriage as the irrevocable covenant between a man and a woman. Mutual trust, in fact, is the indispensable basis of any agreement or covenant. On a theological level, the relationship between faith and marriage has an even deeper meaning. Even though a natural reality, the spousal bond between two baptised persons has been elevated by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament.” “Contemporary culture, marked by a strong subjectivism and an ethical and religious relativism, poses serious challenges to the person and the family. First, the very capacity of human beings to bond themselves to another and whether a union that lasts an entire life is truly possible. … Thinking that persons might become themselves while remaining ‘autonomous’ and only entering into relationships with others that can be interrupted at any time is part of a widespread mentality. Everyone is aware of how a human being's choice to bind themself with a bond lasting an entire life influences each person’s basic perspective according to which they are either anchored to a merely human plane or open themselves to the light of faith in the Lord.” "‘Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing,’ Jesus taught His disciples, reminding them of the human being’s essential incapacity to carry out alone that which is necessary for the true good. Rejecting the divine proposal leads, in fact, to a profound imbalance in all human relationships, including marriage, and facilitates an erroneous understanding of freedom and self-realization. These, together with the flight from patiently borne suffering, condemns humanity to becoming locked within its own selfishness and self-centredness. On the contrary, accepting faith makes human persons capable of giving themselves … and thus of discovering the extent of being a human person." “Faith in God, sustained by God’s grace, is therefore a very important element in living mutual devotion and conjugal faithfulness. This does not mean to assert that faithfulness, among other properties, are not possible in the legitimate marriage between unbaptised couples. In fact, it is not devoid of goods that ‘come from God the Creator and are included, in a certain inchoative way, in the marital love that unites Christ with His Church’. But, of course, closing oneself off from God or rejecting the sacred dimension of the conjugal bond and its value in the order of grace make the concrete embodiment of the highest model of marriage conceived of by the Church, according to God’s plan, arduous. It may even undermine the very validity of the covenant if … it results in a rejection of the very principle of the conjugal obligation of faithfulness or of other essential elements or properties of the marriage.” “Tertullian, in his famous “Letter to His Wife”, which speaks about married life marked by faith, writes that Christian couples are truly ‘two in one flesh. Where the flesh is one, one is the spirit too. Together they pray, together prostrate themselves, together perform their fasts; mutually teaching, mutually exhorting, mutually sustaining one another.’" “The saints who lived their matrimonial and familial union within a Christian perspective were able to overcome even the most adverse situations, sometimes achieving the sanctification of their spouse and children through a love reinforced by a strong faith in God, sincere religious piety, and an intense sacramental life. Such experiences, marked by faith, allow us to understand, even today, how precious is the sacrifice offered by the spouse who has been abandoned or who has suffered a divorce—'being well aware that the valid marriage bond is indissoluble, and refraining from becoming involved in a new union. … In such cases their example of fidelity and Christian consistency takes on particular value as a witness before the world and the Church'.” Lastly, I would like to reflect briefly on the ‘bonum coniugum’. Faith is important in carrying out the authentic conjugal good, which consists simply in wanting, always and in every case, the welfare of the other, on the basis of a true and indissoluble ‘consortium vitae’. Indeed, the context of Christian spouses living a true ‘communio coniugalis’ has its own dynamism of faith by which the ‘confessio’—the personal, sincere response to the announcement of salvation—involves the believer in the action of God’s love. ‘Confessio' and ‘caritas’ are 'the two ways in which God involves us, make us act with Him, in Him and for humanity, for His creation. … “Confessio” is not an abstract thing, it is “caritas”, it is love. Only in this way is it really the reflection of divine truth, which as truth is also, inseparably, love'.” “Only through the call of love, does the presence of the Gospel become not just a word but a living reality. In other words, while it is true that ‘Faith without charity bears no fruit, while charity without faith would be a sentiment constantly at the mercy of doubt’, we must conclude that ‘Faith and charity each require the other, in such a way that each allows the other to set out along its respective path.’ If this holds true in the broader context of communal life, it should be even more valuable to the conjugal union. It is in that union, in fact, that faith makes the spouses’ love grow and bear fruit, giving space to the presence of the Triune God and making the conjugal life itself, lived thusly, to be ‘joyful news’ to the world.” “I recognize the difficulties, from a legal and a practical perspective, in elucidating the essential element of the ‘bonum coniugum’, understood so far mainly in relation to the circumstance of invalidity. The ‘bonum coniugum’ also takes on importance in the area of simulating consent. Certainly, in cases submitted to your judgement, there will be an ‘in facto’ inquiry that can verify the possible validity of the grounds for annulment, predominant to or coexistent with the three Augustinian ‘goods’: procreativity, exclusivity, and perpetuity. Therefore, don’t let it escape your consideration that there might be cases where, precisely because of the absence of faith, the good of the spouses is damaged and thus excluded from the consent itself. For example, this can happen when one member of the couple has an erroneous understanding of the martial bond or of the principle of parity or when there is a refusal of the dual union that characterizes the marital bond by either excluding fidelity or by excluding the use of intercourse ‘humano modo’. “With these considerations I certainly do not wish to suggest any facile relationship between a lack of faith and the invalidity of a marital union, but rather to highlight how such a deficiency may, but not necessarily, damage the goods of marriage, since the reference to the natural order desired by God is inherent to the conjugal covenant.” |
| ECUMENISM: WALKING BEYOND BARRIERS Vatican City, 25 January 2013 (VIS) – This afternoon at 5:30pm, for the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Benedict XVI presided over second Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls. The celebration marked the closure of the 46th Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which this year had the theme: "What does God require of us?" Many representatives from other Churches and ecclesial communities participated in the celebrations, including Metropolitan-Archbishop Gennadios (Limouris), representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and Rev. Richardson, representing the Archbishop of Canterbury. "Communion in the same faith is the basis for ecumenism," the Holy Father said, emphasizing that "God gives us unity as something inseparable from the faith" and that "the profession of baptismal faith in God, the Father and Creator, who has revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ, pouring out the Spirit who gives life and holiness already unites Christians. Without faith?which is first a gift from God, but also the response of human persons?the entire ecumenical movement would be reduced to a type of 'contract', to adhere to out of common interest. … The doctrinal questions that still divide us should not be overlooked or minimized. Rather, they should be faced with courage, in a spirit of fraternity and mutual respect. Dialogue, when it reflects the priority of faith, can be open to God's action with the firm confidence that alone we cannot build unity, but that the Holy Spirit is the one who guides us toward full communion and who allows us to see the spiritual wealth present in the different Churches and ecclesial communities." "In today's society," the Pope noted, "it seems that the Christian message seems to have less and less of an impact on personal and communal lives. This represents a challenge to all the Churches and ecclesial communities. … While we walk toward full unity, therefore, we have to pursue a concrete collaboration between the disciples of Christ in order to further the spread of the faith in the modern world. Nowadays there is a great need for reconciliation, dialogue, and mutual understanding, for a more incisive presence in today's reality." "True faith in God is inseparable from personal holiness as well as from the search for justice," the pontiff highlighted. After recalling that the theme for this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was proposed by the Student Christian Movement in India in collaboration with the All India Catholic University Federation and the National Council of Churches in India, he assured his prayers for all the Christians of that country who "at times are called to bear witness to their faith under difficult conditions. 'Walking humbly with God' means, first of all, walking in the radicality of faith, like Abraham, trusting in God, even placing our every hope and aspiration in Him, but it also means walking beyond barriers, beyond the hatred, racism, and social and religious discrimination that divide and damage all of society." "Our search for unity in truth and love, should never lose sight of the perception that Christian unity is the work and the gift of the Holy Spirit and that it goes well beyond our efforts. Spiritual ecumenism, therefore, especially prayer, is at the heart of ecumenical commitment. Ecumenism, however, will never bear lasting fruit unless it is accompanied by the concrete gestures of conversion that move our conscience and favour the healing of memories and relationships. … Genuine conversion … is a fundamental element of our ecumenical commitment. The renewal of the inner life of our hearts and minds, which is reflected in everyday life, is crucial in any dialogue or path of reconciliation, making ecumenism a reciprocal commitment of understanding, respect, and love, 'so that the world may believe'." |
| AUDIENCES Vatican City, 28 January 2013, (VIS) – This morning, the Holy Father received in separate audiences: - Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and eight prelates from the Campania region of the Italian Episcopal Conference on their "ad limina" visit: - Archbishop Andrea Mugione of Benevento, - Archbishop Pasquale Cascio of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia, - Bishop Michele De Rosa of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant’Agata de’ Goti - Bishop Giovanni D’Alise of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, - Bishop Francesco Marino of Avellino, - Bishop Ciro Miniero of Vallo della Lucania, - Bishop Antonio De Luca, C.SS.R., of Teggiano-Policastro, and - Dom Beda Umberto Paluzzi, O.S.B., Abbot of Montevergine. On Saturday, 26 January, the Holy Father received Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, in audience. |
| OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS Vatican City, 26 January 2013 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father: - appointed Fr. Guy Charbonneau, P.M.E., as bishop of the diocese of Choluteca (area 5,775, population 700,000, Catholics 586,000, priests 28, religious 67),Honduras. The bishop-elect was born in 1946 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and ordained a priest in 1970. Between 1970 and 2003 he served in various pastoral and administrative roles on parochial, diocesan, and national levels in Honduras. From 2008 to the present he was Superior General of the Society of Foreign Missions of Quebec, Canada. - appointed Msgr. Laurent Djalwana Lompo as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Niamey (area 200,000, population 7,400,000, Catholics 20,100, priests 42, religious 90), Niger. The bishop-elect was born in 1967 in Koulbou, Niger and ordained a priest in 1997. He has served as pastor in and vocations director for the archdiocese. From 2003 to the present he served as the archdiocese's vicar general. The Holy Father has also assigned him the titular see of Buffada. - appointed Fr. Rafael Garcia de la Serrana Villalobos as vice director of the Department of Technical Services for the Governorate of Vatican City State. Fr. de la Serrana Villalobos is a member of the clergy of the personal prelature Opus Dei. |
OVER 500, 000 AT MARCH FOR LIFE - WASHINGTON DC - USA
Since 1973 an estimated 55 million babies have been killed by abortion in the USA. There was an overnight prayer vigil in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception with thousands in attendance. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops was present and Cardinal Wuerl. This annual March has become a large event spanning many days and involving talks, demonstrations, prayer, videos and other activities. Many politicians, clergy, religious, youth and leaders partake every year. Martin Luther King's niece Dr. Alveda King also attended and is part of a large movement in support of life. Last year over 400,000 attended. This year noted a particularly strong youth presence. One Catholic College, Christendom cancelled classes so that the entire school could attend.
| Mark
3: 22 - 30
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| 22 | And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Be-el'zebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons." |
| 23 | And he called them to him, and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? |
| 24 | If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. |
| 25 | And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. |
| 26 | And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. |
| 27 | But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house. |
| 28 | "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; |
| 29 | but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" -- |
| 30 | for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." |
EGYPT : STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED DUE TO VIOLENCE
ASIA NEWS REPORT
The curfew will begin this evening at 21.00 in Suez, Port Said and Ismalia and will last 30 days. Arab Spring protests mixed with football hooliganism. The death toll is 50 dead and nearly 500 injured.
_0128_-_Manifestazioni_coprifuoco.jpg)
Cairo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has proclaimed a curfew in the districts of Port Said, Suez and Ismalia, after four days of violence that has killed 50 people. The measure will begin this evening at 21.00 (local time) and will last approximately 30 days. "Prior to my election - said the president - I said I was opposed to resort to extraordinary measures, but the security of the nation is in danger and it is time to act." "The violence of recent days - he continued - has nothing to do with the revolution. Instead, it is the 'ugly face' of a counter-revolution."
Since last January 25, the second anniversary of the Jasmine Revolution, Egypt has been in the grip of severe tensions. For three days, hundreds of thousands of people protested in major Egyptian cities - Cairo, Alexandria, Assuit, Port Said, Suez, Sharqiya, Kafr al-Sheikh - calling for the end of the Islamist establishment and a true democracy. The most serious clashes took place in Suez, where eight people were killed. The protests of the young democratic movements overlapped with the violence of football hooligans linked to the death sentence handed down to 21 people over the Port Said massacre took place on 2 February 2012. On 26 January, the family of the condemned and supporters of Al-Masri - the local team whose fans are responsible for the deaths of 73 supporters of the opponent al-Ahly (Cairo team) - tried to storm the police stations. 32 people died in clashes. Yesterday, at the funeral of the victims, hooligans and police again clashed on the streets of Port Said, adding seven more dead and 450 wounded to the toll.
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS
The curfew will begin this evening at 21.00 in Suez, Port Said and Ismalia and will last 30 days. Arab Spring protests mixed with football hooliganism. The death toll is 50 dead and nearly 500 injured.
_0128_-_Manifestazioni_coprifuoco.jpg)
Cairo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has proclaimed a curfew in the districts of Port Said, Suez and Ismalia, after four days of violence that has killed 50 people. The measure will begin this evening at 21.00 (local time) and will last approximately 30 days. "Prior to my election - said the president - I said I was opposed to resort to extraordinary measures, but the security of the nation is in danger and it is time to act." "The violence of recent days - he continued - has nothing to do with the revolution. Instead, it is the 'ugly face' of a counter-revolution."
Since last January 25, the second anniversary of the Jasmine Revolution, Egypt has been in the grip of severe tensions. For three days, hundreds of thousands of people protested in major Egyptian cities - Cairo, Alexandria, Assuit, Port Said, Suez, Sharqiya, Kafr al-Sheikh - calling for the end of the Islamist establishment and a true democracy. The most serious clashes took place in Suez, where eight people were killed. The protests of the young democratic movements overlapped with the violence of football hooligans linked to the death sentence handed down to 21 people over the Port Said massacre took place on 2 February 2012. On 26 January, the family of the condemned and supporters of Al-Masri - the local team whose fans are responsible for the deaths of 73 supporters of the opponent al-Ahly (Cairo team) - tried to storm the police stations. 32 people died in clashes. Yesterday, at the funeral of the victims, hooligans and police again clashed on the streets of Port Said, adding seven more dead and 450 wounded to the toll.
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS
CATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH LILIES OF THE FIELD - PART 3
IN HONOUR OF THE YEAR OF FAITH JCE NEWS WILL
BE SHOWING SOME OF THE BEST CATHOLIC FILMS OF ALL TIME - LILIES OF THE
FIELD
EUROPE : IRELAND : NEW BISHOP OF CLOYNE -
IND. CATH. NEWS REPORT
SHARED FROM IND. CATH. NEWS
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SHARED FROM IND. CATH. NEWS
ASIA : KOREA : CANNIBALISM AND SEVERE FAMINE - OVER 10 THOUSAND DEAD
(IMAGE/SHARE AsiaNews)
Agenzia Fides REPORT - It is estimated that a severe famine in the rural
Korean provinces of North and South Hwanghae has caused the deaths of 10 000
people due to cannibalism and it is feared that such accidents may continue to
increase. A report by Asia Press points out particularly shocking testimonies.
Undercover journalists revealed that the population of the two poorest provinces
confiscated foodstuffs for distribution in the capital Pyongyang. What is making
the situation worse is the drought that has further reduced resources. This
emergency has grown to the point that so many people have become crazy because
of hunger and have committed acts of cannibalism to feed themselves. This is not
the first time we read similar news about the Asian country concerning this
dreadful phenomenon. This past May, the Institute for National Unification South
Korea, received the news about a man executed for having eaten parts of one of
his colleagues and tried to sell the rest of the body as mutton. Another was
executed for killing 11 people and sold the bodies as pork. There are also
incidents of cannibalism in the detention camps. It is believed that in the 90s
a terrible famine, known as the Arduous March, killed between 240,000 and 3
million and a half people. The UN officials visited the area but according to
local reporters they were not brought to the areas affected by famine. (AP)
(Agenzia Fides 28/01/2013)
AUSTRALIA : RIP FR. GROOT PE OF CARITAS CHRISTI
ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE RELEASE
24 January
2013
After a few days of illness, Fr Cornelius (Con) Petrus Groot PE died peacefully in the company of friends at Caritas Christi, Kew, yesterday,23 January 2013.
Fr Groot was ordained with the Salesian Fathers in Hong Kong in 1951 and arrived in 1963 to serve as a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Fr Con was a dedicated, prayerful and humble pastor whose priestly witness inspired people, both near and far. He was a man who was missionary at heart, whose priestly journey took him from his homeland Holland, to Asia, Africa and finally to Australia. Throughout his priesthood, Fr Con found himself in vibrant cities, mission stations and for many years as pastor to the beautiful country parishes of the Archdiocese.
The Archdiocese is most grateful for his untiring service to the Church of Melbourne.
He was Assistant Priest at the Parishes of Reservoir, Belmont, Kilmore, West Melbourne, Bacchus Marsh and Kyneton. He then administered in South Africa between 1972 and 1983. Fr Groot was then appointed Parish Priest at Trentham Parish. He was appointed Pastor Emeritus in 1994 and retired to Hepburn Springs where he quietly lived until December 2012 when he moved to Justin Villa.
Funeral details:
St Peter’s13 Duke Street, DAYLESFORD
Wednesday 30 January 2013
1pm Pontifical Requiem Mass
Followed by hospitality
3.30pm Burial at Eganstown Cemetery (10 minutes from Daylesford)
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
Vale Fr Cornelius (Con) Petrus
Groot PE
24 January
2013After a few days of illness, Fr Cornelius (Con) Petrus Groot PE died peacefully in the company of friends at Caritas Christi, Kew, yesterday,23 January 2013.
Fr Groot was ordained with the Salesian Fathers in Hong Kong in 1951 and arrived in 1963 to serve as a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Fr Con was a dedicated, prayerful and humble pastor whose priestly witness inspired people, both near and far. He was a man who was missionary at heart, whose priestly journey took him from his homeland Holland, to Asia, Africa and finally to Australia. Throughout his priesthood, Fr Con found himself in vibrant cities, mission stations and for many years as pastor to the beautiful country parishes of the Archdiocese.
The Archdiocese is most grateful for his untiring service to the Church of Melbourne.
He was Assistant Priest at the Parishes of Reservoir, Belmont, Kilmore, West Melbourne, Bacchus Marsh and Kyneton. He then administered in South Africa between 1972 and 1983. Fr Groot was then appointed Parish Priest at Trentham Parish. He was appointed Pastor Emeritus in 1994 and retired to Hepburn Springs where he quietly lived until December 2012 when he moved to Justin Villa.
Funeral details:
St Peter’s13 Duke Street, DAYLESFORD
Wednesday 30 January 2013
1pm Pontifical Requiem Mass
Followed by hospitality
3.30pm Burial at Eganstown Cemetery (10 minutes from Daylesford)
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
TODAY'S SAINT : JAN. 28 : ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
St. Thomas Aquinas
CONFESSOR, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
Feast: January 28
 Information:
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The great outlines and all the important events of his life
are known, but biographers differ as to some details and dates. Death prevented
Henry Denifle from executing his project of writing a critical life of the
saint. Denifle's friend and pupil, Dominic Prummer, O.P., professor of theology
in the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, has taken up the work and is
publishing the "Fontes Vitae S. Thomae Aquinatis, notis historicis et criticis
illustrati"; and the first fascicle (Toulouse, 1911) has appeared, giving the
life of St. Thomas by Peter Calo (1300) now published for the first time. From
Tolomeo of Lucca . . . we learn that at the time of the saint's death there was
a doubt about his exact age (Prummer, op. cit., 45). The end of 1225 is usually
assigned as the time of his birth. Father Prummer, on the authority of Calo,
thinks 1227 is the more probable date (op. cit., 28). All agree that he died in
1274.
Landulph, his father, was Count of Aquino, Theodora, his
mother, Countess of Teano. His family was related to the Emperors Henry VI and
Frederick II, and to the Kings of Aragon, Castile, and France. Calo relates that
a holy hermit foretold his career, saying to Theodora before his birth: "He will
enter the Order of Friars Preachers, and so great will be his learning and
sanctity that in his day no one will be found to equal him" (Prummer, op. cit.,
18). At the age of five, according to the custom of the times, he was sent to
receive his first training from the Benedictine monks of Monte Cassino. Diligent
in study, he was thus early noted as being meditative and devoted to prayer, and
his preceptor was surprised at hearing the child ask frequently: "What is God?"
About the year 1236 he was sent to the University of Naples. Calo says that the
change was made at the instance of the Abbot of Monte Cassino, who wrote to
Thomas's father that a boy of such talents should not be left in obscurity
(Prummer, op. cit., 20). At Naples his preceptors were Pietro Martini and Petrus
Hibernus. The chronicler says that he soon surpassed Martini a grammar, and he
was then given over to Peter of Ireland, who trained him in logic and the
natural sciences. The customs of the times divided the liberal arts into two
courses: the Trivium, embracing grammar, logic, and rhetoric; the Quadrivium,
comprising music, mathematics, geometry, and astronomy . . . . Thomas could
repeat the lessons with more depth and lucidity than his masters displayed. The
youth's heart had remained pure amidst the corruption with which he was
surrounded, and he resolved to embrace the religious life.
Some time between 1240 and August, 1243, he received the
habit of the Order of St. Dominic, being attracted and directed by John of St.
Julian, a noted preacher of the convent of Naples. The city wondered that such a
noble young man should don the garb of poor friar. His mother, with mingled
feelings of joy and sorrow, hastened to Naples to see her son. The Dominicans,
fearing she would take him away, sent him to Rome, his ultimate destination
being Paris or Cologne. At the instance of Theodora, Thomas's brothers, who were
soldiers under the Emperor Frederick, captured the novice near the town of
Aquapendente and confined him in the fortress of San Giovanni at Rocca Secca.
Here he was detained nearly two years, his parents, brothers, and Sisters
endeavouring by various means to destroy his vocation. The brothers even laid
snares for his virtue, but the pure-minded novice drove the temptress from his
room with a brand which he snatched from the fire. Towards the end of his life,
St. Thomas confided to his faithful friend and companion, Reginald of Piperno,
the secret of a remarkable favour received at this time. When the temptress had
been driven from his chamber, he knelt and most earnestly implored God to grant
him integrity of mind and body. He fell into a gentle sleep, and, as he slept,
two angels appeared to assure him that his prayer had been heard. They then
girded him about with a white girdle, saying: "We gird thee with the girdle of
perpetual virginity." And from that day forward he never experienced the
slightest motions of concupiscence.
The time spent in captivity was not lost. His mother
relented somewhat, after the first burst of anger and grief; the Dominicans were
allowed to provide him with new habits, and through the kind offices of his
sister he procured some books—the Holy Scriptures, Aristotle's Metaphysics, and
the "Sentences" of Peter Lombard. After eighteen months or two years spent in
prison, either because his mother saw that the hermit's prophecy would
eventually be fulfilled or because his brothers feared the threats of Innocent
IV and Frederick II, he was set at liberty, being lowered in a basket into the
arms of the Dominicans, who were delighted to find that during his captivity "he
had made as much progress as if he had been in a
In 1245 Albert was sent to Paris, and Thomas accompanied him
as a student. In 1248 both returned to Cologne. Albert had been appointed regent
of the new
In due time he was ordered to prepare himself to obtain the
degree of Doctor in Theology from the University of Paris, but the conferring of
the degree was postponed, owing to a dispute between the university and the
friars. The conflict, originally a dispute between the university and the civic
authorities, arose from the slaying of one of the students and the wounding of
three others by the city guard. The university, jealous of its autonomy,
demanded satisfaction, which was refused. The doctors closed their schools,
solemnly swore that they would not reopen them until their demands were granted,
and decreed that in future no one should be admitted to the degree of Doctor
unless he would take an oath to follow the same line of conduct under similar
circumstances. The Dominicans and Franciscans, who had continued to teach in
their schools, refused to take the prescribed oath, and from this there arose a
bitter conflict which was at its height when St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure were
ready to be presented for their degrees. William of St. Amour extended the
dispute beyond the original question, violently attacked the Friars, of whom he
was evidently jealous, and denied their right to occupy chairs in the
university. Against his book, "De periculis novissimorum temporum" (The Perils
of the Last Times), St. Thomas wrote a treatise "Contra impugnantes religionem",
an apology for the religious orders (Touron, op. cit., II, cc. vii sqq.). The
book of William of St. Amour was condemned by Alexander IV at Anagni, 5 October,
1256, and the pope gave orders that the mendicant friars should be admitted to
the doctorate.
About this time St. Thomas also combated a dangerous book,
"The Eternal Gospel" (Touron, op. cit., II, cxii). The university authorities
did not obey immediately; the influence of St. Louis IX and eleven papal Briefs
were required before peace was firmly established, and St. Thomas was admitted
to the degree of Doctor in Theology. The date of his promotion, as given by many
biographers, was 23 October, 1257. His theme was "The Majesty of Christ". His
text, "Thou waterest the hills from thy upper rooms: the earth shall be filled
with the fruit of thy works" (Ps. ciii, 13), said to have been suggested by a
heavenly visitor, seems to have been prophetic of his career. A tradition says
that St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas received the doctorate on the same day, and
that there was a contest of humility between the two friends as to which should
be promoted first. From this time St. Thomas's life may be summed up in a few
words: praying, preaching, teaching, writing, journeying. Men were more anxious
to hear him than they had been to bear Albert, whom St. Thomas surpassed in
accuracy, lucidity, brevity, and power of exposition, if not in universality of
knowledge. Paris claimed him as her own; the popes wished to have him near them;
the
Yielding to the requests of his brethren, he on several
occasions took part in the deliberations of the general chapters of the order.
One of these chapters was held in London in 1263. In another held at
Valenciennes (1259) he collaborated with Albertus Magnus and Peter of Tarentasia
(afterwards Pope Innocent V) in formulating a system of studies which is
substantially preserved to this day in the
The "Summa theologica" had been completed only as far as the
ninetieth question of the third part (De partibus poenitentiae). Thomas began
his immediate preparation for death. Gregory X, having convoked a general
council, to open at Lyons on 1 May, 1274, invited St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure
to take part in the deliberations, commanding the former to bring to the council
his treatise "Contra errores Graecorum" (Against the Errors of the Greeks). He
tried to obey, setting out on foot in January, 1274, but strength failed him; he
fell to the ground near Terracina, whence he was conducted to the Castle of
Maienza the home of his niece the Countess Francesca Ceccano. The Cistercian
monks of Fossa Nuova pressed him to accept their hospitality, and he was
conveyed to their monastery, on entering which he whispered to his companion:
"This is my rest for ever and ever: here will I dwell, for I have chosen it"
(Ps. cxxxi, 14). When Father Reginald urged him to remain at the castle, the
saint replied: "If the Lord wishes to take me away, it is better that I be found
in a religious house than in the dwelling of a lay person." The Cistercians were
so kind and attentive that Thomas's humility was alarmed. "Whence comes this
honour", he exclaimed, "that servants of God should carry wood for my fire!" At
the urgent request of the monks he dictated a brief commentary on the Canticle
of Canticles.
The end was near; extreme unction was administered. When the
Sacred Viaticum was brought into the room he pronounced the following act of
faith: "If in this world there be any knowledge of this sacrament stronger than
that of faith, I wish now to use it in affirming that I firmly believe and know
as certain that Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, Son of God and Son of the
Virgin Mary, is in this Sacrament." Then he added: "I receive Thee, the price of
my redemption, for Whose love I have watched, studied, and laboured. Thee have I
preached; Thee have I taught. Never have I said anything against Thee: if
anything was not well said, that is to be attributed to my ignorance. Neither do
I wish to be obstinate in my opinions, but if I have written anything erroneous
concerning this sacrament or other matters, I submit all to the judgment and
correction of the Holy Roman Church, in whose obedience I now pass from this
life" (Prummer, op. cit., p. 45). He died on 7 March, 1274. Numerous miracles
attested his sanctity, and he was canonized by John XXII, 18 July, 1323. The
monks of Fossa Nuova were anxious to keep his sacred remains, but by order of
Urban V the body was given to his Dominican brethren, and was solemnly
translated to the Dominican church at Toulouse, 28 January, 1369. A magnificent
shrine erected in 1628 was destroyed during the French Revolution, and the body
was removed to the Church of St. Sernin, where it now reposes in a sarcophagus
of gold and silver, which was solemnly blessed by Cardinal Desprez on 24 July,
1878. The chief bone of his left arm is preserved in the cathedral of Naples.
The right arm, bestowed on the University of Paris, and originally kept in the
St. Thomas's Chapel of the Dominican church, is now preserved in the Dominican
Church of S. Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome, whither it was transferred during the
French Revolution.
A description of the saint as he appeared in life is given by Calo (Prummer, op. cit., p. 401), who says that his features corresponded with the greatness of his soul. He was of lofty stature and of heavy build, but straight and well proportioned. His complexion was "like the colour of new wheat": his head was large and well shaped, and he was slightly bald. All portraits represent him as noble, meditative, gentle yet strong. St. Pius V proclaimed St. Thomas a Doctor of the Universal Church in the year 1567. In the Encyclical "Aeterni Patris", of 4 August, 1879, on the restoration of Christian philosophy, Leo XIII declared him "the prince and master of all Scholastic doctors". The same illustrious pontiff, by a Brief dated 4 August, 1880, designated him patron of all Catholic universities, academies, colleges, and schools throughout the world. |
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/T/stthomasaquinas.asp#ixzz1kj81cQFC
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