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Thursday, January 3, 2013

CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD : THURS. JAN. 3, 2012 - SHARE






STATISTICS OVER 2 MILLION VISITED VATICAN - AND LATEST PAPAL APPOINTMENTS

Vatican Radio REPORT-SHARE- 2,351,200 pilgrims attended audiences or celebrations with the Pope at the Vatican during 2012. The figures were released this week by the Prefecture of the Papal Household. A breakdown of the figures showed that 447,000 pilgrims attended the Pope’s general audiences, whilst around 1,256,000 attended the Angelus prayers in St Peter’s Square or in his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. A further 501,000 attended liturgical celebrations presided over by the Pope and over 146,000 attended private papal audiences. The figures showed that since Pope Benedict's election to the papacy in 2005, more than 20.5 million pilgrims have attended papal events in the Vatican or at his summer residence. (SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA)
CARDINAL POUPARD, POPE'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO LYONS
Vatican City, 3 January 2013 (VIS) - In a letter made public yesterday the Holy Father nominated Cardinal Paul Poupard, emeritus president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, as his special envoy at the concluding celebrations of the Jubilee Year dedicated to the Venerable Servant of God Pauline Jaricot, the 150th anniversary of her death and the 50th anniversary of the decree of her heroic virtues, to be held in Lyons on 9 January 2013.
The cardinal special envoy will be accompanied by a mission composed of the following members: Msgr. Francois Duthel, postulator of the cause of beatification of the Servant of God Pauline Jaricot, and Fr. Daniel Carnot, ex superior general of the Society of African Missions.
 
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 3 January 2013 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:
- Msgr. David P. Talley of the clergy of Atlanta, U.S.A, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese (area 55,521, population 6,998,399, Catholics 857,000, priests 228, permanent deacons 242, religious 125), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Columbus, U.S.A. in 1950 and ordained a priest in 1989. He has a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Gregorian Pontifical University in Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles. He was named prelate of honour by his Holiness in 2000.
- Appointed Msgr. Stephen Jensen, vicar general of Vancouver, Canada, as bishop of Prince George (area 345,600, population 249,000, Catholics 54,600, priests 18, religious 23), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in North Vancouver, Canada in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1980. He was named prelate of honour in 1996 and since 2009 has been vicar general, dean of the Presbyteral Council and diocesan consultor for the archdiocese. He succeeds Bishop Gerald Wiesner, O.M.I., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
TELEGRAM TO CARDINAL GIOVANNI BATTISTA RE
Vatican City, 29 December 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday Benedict XVI sent a telegram of condolence to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Bishops, on the death of his father Matteo Re at the age of 104 years.
In the text, the Pope expressed his closeness to the cardinal's family and imparted upon all the light of faith and hope in Christ.
"Having learned of the death of your beloved father Matteo, I wish to express my most heartfelt condolences for the deep mourning that has befallen you and your family and assure you of my spiritual closeness in this hour of your sorrow, together with giving thanks to God for all the benefits bestowed upon your late father over his more than one hundred year earthly journey. While I offer fervent prayers to the Lord beseeching that he be welcomed into the eternal joy, I invoke the light of faith and hope in Christ for your family, and impart to you all a special apostolic blessing of comfort".
 
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican City, 2 January 2013 (VIS) - On Saturday, 29 December, the Holy Father:
- appointed Fr. William Goh, rector of the Major Seminary of Singapore, as coadjutor archbishop of Singapore (area 699, population 5,000,000, Catholics 190,000, priests 131, religious 152). The archbishop-elect was born in Singapore in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1985. He studied theology at the Gregorian University in Rome and has fulfilled pastoral roles in Singapore. He served as professor at the major seminary of Singapore from 1992 to 2005, and as rector from 2005.
- erected the new diocese of Gboko (area 10,692, population 1,690,000, Catholics 896,860, priests 80, religious 29), Nigeria, with territory taken from the diocese of Makurdi, making it a suffragan of the archdiocese of Abuja. He appointed Bishop William Avenya, auxiliary of Makurdi, Nigeria, as first bishop of the new diocese.
- erected the new diocese of Katsina-Ala (area 6,465, population 676,000, Catholics 338,497, priests 32, religious 8), Nigeria, with territory taken from the diocese of Makurdi, making it a suffragan of the archdiocese of Abuja. He appointed Fr. Peter Iornzuul Adoboh of the clergy of Makurdi as first bishop of the new diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Tse-Kucha, Nigeria in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1984. He has undertaken studies in spirituality at the Institute of St. Anselm, England and the Toronto School of Theology, Canada, and has fulfilled pastoral roles in Vandeikya, Zaki-Biam, Aliade, Abuja and Adikpo.
On Monday, 31 December, the Holy Father:
- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica, presented by Bishop Oswaldo Brenes Alvarez, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- appointed Msgr. Egidio Turnaturi and the Honorable Dr. Riccardo Turrini Vita as judges of the Vatican City State Court of Appeals.

VICTIMS KILLED IN SYRIA - OVER 60000 SINCE 2011 - ASIA

ASIA NEWS IT REPORT
According to a study commissioned by the Commission for Human Rights. 76% of those killed were men, 7.5 women. The UN High Commissioner: The dead are caused by both sides in the conflict. The allegation of Sister Agnes Mariam de la Croix: A Christian was beheaded and thrown to the dogs. The West supports the Islamists.


Geneva (AsiaNews / Agencies) - More than 60 thousand people have been killed in Syria since March 2011 - which initially began as part of the Arab spring - until the civil war of today.  The figures have been provided by the UN Human Rights Commission, which released a study carried out by the Benetech research center that shows that up until November 2012, there were 59,648 deaths in Syria.
Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner says that by now that figure has been exceeded by far. In recent days, the Syrian opposition had declared that the dead were 45 thousand.

The Benetech center has checked the lists of victims available from seven different sources, the opposition and the government, and kept count only of those with full names, date and place of the death. Precisely for this reason the authors warn that the figure of 59,648 is minimal, since there are many dead and many killings not reported by sources or missing some data.

The study fails to indicate whether the victims are soldiers or civilians, but it shows that 76.1% of those killed were male, and the 7.5 are women. The graphs on different sites, show that the most affected areas are the suburbs of Damascus and the province of Homs.

Pillay stressed several times that the deaths were caused by both sides in the conflict, government soldiers and armed opposition groups.

This statement is very important because the information that arrives in the West is often anti-Assad and especially stresses the violent actions of the regular army. But there are also the violence of the Free Syrian Army and the Islamic fundamentalist groups fighting against the regime.

In recent days, Sister Agnes-Mariam de la Croix, Superior of a Syrian Carmelite monastery, who had to seek refuge in Lebanon, broke the news of a Christian of 38 years, Andrei Arbashe, whose decapitated body was found along a street, prey to stray dogs. The nun says that man was executed only because his brother has expressed negative opinions about the rebels, accusing them of being bandits.

Sister Agnes Mariam accuses the West of supporting the rebels despite growing evidence of their gratuitous violence. "The democratic and free world is supporting the Islamists," she says.

SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT 

HOLY LAND VISIT TO SUFFERING BY BISHOPS OF EUROPE

CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF ENGLAND AND WALES RELEASE

Holy Land Coordination 2012
Bishops from across Europe and North America this week will be visiting refugees in Jordan from the Syrian conflict along with other suffering and vulnerable people and communities in the Holy Land as the focus of this year’s Holy Land Co-ordination.

The 13th meeting of the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land and the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land takes place from 5-10 January. The delegation will meet in Bethlehem, visit Jordan and then concluding the annual pastoral visit in Jerusalem.

Delegates will be updated about the current situation in the Holy Land from His Beatitude Patriarch Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and from the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr Giuseppe Lazzarotto. There will be contributions from representatives of different Christian organisations and those who work with refugees, prisoners, Philippine workers and other vulnerable people.

In addition to prayer and the daily celebration of Mass there will also be meetings with the local communities and Catholic prelates from different rites, students from Bethlehem University, representatives of civil society and with the local authorities.

The visit will end on 10 January in Jerusalem with a celebration of Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre followed by a news conference for all media.

The delegation is organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, with a mandate from the Holy See to offer support to the Christian Churches and communities of the Holy Land. It is made up of Catholic Bishops from across Europe and North America and Catholic organisations and agencies who join together with the Association of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land for an annual meeting every January.

The Holy Land Co-ordination’s purpose has often been expressed as prayer, pilgrimage and persuasion. The Bishops also hope their presence reminds the “living stones” of the Christian communities in the Holy Land that they are not forgotten to their brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. The Bishops do not seek privileges for Christians, but dignity and justice for them and others in similar situations.

INFORMATION

This year’s Holy Land Co-ordination include the following bishops:
Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives – Spain
Archbishop Richard Smith – Canada
Bishop Declan Lang – England and Wales
Bishop Gerald Kicanas – USA
Bishop Stephan Ackermann – Germany
Bishop Michel Dubost – France
Bishop William Kenney – England and Wales
Bishop Peter Bürcher – Iceland
SHARED FROM CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND WALES - CCN

SANDY HOOK VICTIMS REMEMBERED - CALL FOR PEACE - BISHOPS - AMERICA

USCCB REPORT
United in prayer for families, communities mourning the loss of loved ones
Need to return to values that foster a culture of life
Need to improve resources to help the mentally-ill, their families, caregivers

WASHINGTON (IMAGE SOURCE/SHARE BLOGGER) —In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, the chairmen of three committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a joint statement to decry violence in society. The bishops repeated the call from Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of USCCB, who expressed on the day of the horrible tragedy, deepest sorrow for all the victims and a call to work for peace in our homes, streets and world. They called on all Americans, especially legislators, to address national policies that will strengthen regulations of firearms and improve access to health care for those with mental health needs.
"As Catholic Bishops, we join together with the President of our Conference, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who on the day of the horrible tragedy expressed his profound solidarity with and prayers for the families, friends, neighbors, and communities whose hearts have been rent by the loss of a child or loved one," said Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
The bishops are chairmen of the USCCB's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Committee on Communications; and the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, respectively. "Sacred Scripture reminds us time and again to 'be not afraid.' Indeed, we must find within ourselves the faith-filled courage to address the challenges our nation faces, both in our homes and in our national policies," they said.
They also addressed the need for healthcare policies that provide support to people with mental health needs, and called on the entertainment industry to address the proliferation of violence and evaluate its impact in society.
Full text of the statement follows:
Call for Action in Response to Newtown Tragedy
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend
December 21, 2012
The Lord Jesus Christ, in his Sermon on the Mount, teaches us, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted," and "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Mt 5:4, 9).
In the face of the horrific evil that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, as people of faith we first and foremost turn to God and pray. We pray for those whose lives were robbed from them. As Catholic Bishops, we join together with the President of our Conference, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who on the day of the horrible tragedy expressed his profound solidarity with and prayers for the families, friends, neighbors, and communities whose hearts have been rent by the loss of a child or loved one. No words can capture your suffering. We look to Christ, his words and deeds, and ultimately to his Cross and Resurrection. It is in Jesus that we place our hope.
The Sandy Hook tragedy has caused great anguish for parents and others who attempt to safeguard our children. In addition to the outpouring of prayers and support from around the nation, understandably this tragedy has given rise to discussions about national policies and steps that can be taken to foster a culture that protects the innocent and those most vulnerable among us. It is time for our nation to renew a culture of life in our society.
Sacred Scripture reminds us time and again to "be not afraid." Indeed, we must find within ourselves the faith-filled courage to address the challenges our nation faces, both in our homes and in our national policies. These challenges encompass many areas with various complexities. Here, we offer particular words regarding the issue of the regulation of fire arms, the standards for the entertainment industry, and our service to those with mental health needs.As religious leaders, we are compelled to call on all Americans, especially elected leaders, to address these issues.
With regard to the regulation of fire arms, first, the intent to protect one's loved ones is an honorable one, but simply put, guns are too easily accessible. The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, in their document, "The International Arms Trade (2006)," emphasized the importance of enacting concrete controls on handguns, for example, noting that "limiting the purchase of such arms would certainly not infringe on the rights of anyone."
Secondly, our entertainers, especially film producers and video game creators, need to realize how their profit motives have allowed the proliferation of movies, television programs, video games and other entertainment that glorify violence and prey on the insecurities and immaturity of our young people. Such portrayals of violence have desensitized all of us. The massacre of twenty little children and seven adults causes each of us to reflect on our own understanding of the value of human life. We must improve our resources for parents, guardians and young people, so that they can evaluate entertainment products intelligently. We need to admit that the viewing and use of these products has negative emotional, psychological and spiritual effects on people.
We must also reflect on our own fears as we grapple with our prejudices toward those with mental health needs. Our society must provide health services and support to those who have mental illnesses and to their families and caregivers. As a community we need to support one another so no one feels unable to get help for a mentally ill family member or neighbor in need. Burdensome healthcare policies must be adjusted so people can get help for themselves or others in need. Just as we properly reach out to those with physical challenges we need to approach mental health concerns with equal sensitivity. There is no shame in seeking help for oneself or others; the only shame is in refusing to provide care and support.
The events in Newtown call us to turn to our Lord in prayer and to witness more profoundly Christ's perfect love, mercy and compassion. We must confront violence with love.
There are glimmers of hope in this tragedy. Many people, including some of the victims, made extraordinary efforts to protect life. In particular, the teachers, the principal, the children, the first responders and other leaders showed tremendous courage during the tragedy. Some sacrificed their own lives protecting others.
In their memory and for the sake of our nation, we reiterate our call made in 2000, in our statement,Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice, for all Americans, especially legislators, to:
1.Support measures that control the sale and use of firearms
2.Support measures that make guns safer (especially efforts that prevent their unsupervised use by children and anyone other than the owner)
3.Call for sensible regulations of handguns
4.Support legislative efforts that seek to protect society from the violence associated with easy access to deadly weapons including assault weapons
5.Make a serious commitment to confront the pervasive role of addiction and mental illness in crime.
As we long for the arrival of the Prince of Peace in this Advent and Christmas season, we call on all people of goodwill to help bring about a culture of life and peace.
--
SHARED FROM CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE USA

AWARD WINNING JESUIT PRIEST - FR. REUTER - DIES IN PHILIPPINES - ASIA

UCAN NEWS REPORT:
Multi-talented and awarded priest dies in Philippines  
Catholic Church News Image of
Fr James Reuter's mass media work brought a string of awards
After some 70 years of service in the Philippines, American Jesuit priest James Reuter died at the age of 96 on Monday, following a stroke.
Filipino Catholic bishops described Reuter, who was known for his use of modern media, even musicals, plays and movies, to preach the gospel, as a "great communicator of the Good News of Jesus."
"We will surely miss Fr James Reuter. He will continue to direct plays and musicals in heaven," said Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon. He recalled Reuter as a "very pious and exemplary" priest who always wore his priestly habit.
The presidential palace said Reuter's love of the Philippines and Filipinos was legendary.
"We join the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, the generations of alumni of the Ateneo de Manila University, and men and women of media, arts, and letters, who mourn the loss of this man of faith, good cheer, and eloquence," President Benito Aquino said in a statement.
The statement described the late priest as a "friend, mentor, confessor, and adviser to generations of Filipinos, both in public and private life, and in the media, arts and journalism."
Reuter, who served as the director of the National Office on Mass Media, helped organize UNDA/ASIA, the region's international Catholic association for radio and television.
He was also one of the founders of the Philippine Federation of Catholic Broadcasters, a union of 41 Catholic radio stations nationwide.
In 1981, the late Pope John Paul II honored Reuter for his “outstanding service to the Catholic Church in the field of mass media.”
He later received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice award, the highest papal award given to any individual, in recognition of his outstanding and "exemplary service to the Catholic Church and the Holy See."
In 1989, Reuter received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts, an award considered to be Asia's counterpart of the Nobel Prize.
In an interview with Church-run Radio Veritas, Reuter once described Filipinos as "the most loveable people on the whole face of the earth.
"I cannot think of a place that is more attractive to live in than the Philippines," he said. "I never considered staying in the [United States]. I have never considered giving up my vocation here in the Philippines because I think it is beautiful. It is what God wants and it brings me personal joy and gratification."
Reuter came to the Philippines in 1938 as a 22-year-old Jesuit scholastic. He taught at the old Ateneo de Manila until World War II when he was arrested and interned at the Ateneo and later in the prison camp in Los Baños town..
He later went to the US to finish his theological studies at Georgetown University and was ordained at Woodstock, Maryland in 1946. He spent another year at Fordham University in New York studying radio and television. He returned to the Philippines in 1948.
In 1984, he was made an honorary Filipino citizen by the Philippine Congress in recognition of his lifetime service to the Filipino people.
Sister Sarah Manapol, a member of the Sisters of St Paul of Chartres and a close friend of Reuter, said the day before he died he joined the nuns in prayer and singing.
"We thought he was unconscious…. We became teary-eyed because we never expected he would respond that way," Manapol said.
"I was telling him when he was going: Thank you for loving the Philippines," she said.

Reuter died at the Our Lady of Peace Hospital, an institution he built to serve the poor, in Parañaque City.
SHARED FROM UCAN NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2013

HOLY NAME OF JESUS - PRAYERS - NOVENA - LITANY - FEAST JAN. 3

Today is the Feast of the Holy Name of JESUS. This is celebrated on different dates depending on the rite. However, the 8 days after Christmas signify the date of the Circumcision of Jesus. On that day Jesus was given His name as foretold by the angel. The monogram signifying the Holy Name of Jesus consists of the three letters: IHS. In the Middle Ages the Name of Jesus was written: IHESUS; the monogram contains the first and last letter of the Holy Name. (IMAGE SOURCE/SHARE GOOGLE)
NOVENA TO THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS
O Merciful Jesus, Who didst in Thy early infancy commence Thy office of Savior by shedding Thy Precious Blood, and assuming for us that name which is above all names; we thank Thee for such early proofs of Thine infinite love. We venerate Thy sacred name, in union with the profound respect of the Angel who first announced it to the earth, and unite our affections to the sentiments of tender devotion which the adorable name of Jesus has in all ages enkindled in the hearts of Thy Saints.

Animated with a firm faith in Thy unerring word, and penetrated with confidence in Thy mercy, we now most humbly remind Thee of the promise Thou hast made, that where two or three should assemble in Thy name, Thou Thyself wouldst be in the midst of them. Come, then, into the midst of us, most amiable Jesus, for it is in Thy sacred name we are here assembled; come into our hearts, that we may be governed by Thy holy spirit; mercifully grant us, through that adorable name, which is the joy of Heaven, the terror of Hell, the consolation of the afflicted, and the solid ground of our unlimited confidence,
all the petitions we make in this novena.

Oh! blessed Mother of our Redeemer! Who didst participate so sensibly in the sufferings of thy dear Son when He shed His Sacred Blood and assumed for us the name of Jesus, obtain for us,through that adorable name, the favors we petition in this novena.

Beg also, that the most ardent love may imprint on our hearts that sacred name, that it may be always in our minds and frequently on our lips; that it may be our defense and our refuge in the temptations and trials of life, and our consolation and support in the hour of death. Amen.
 
LITANY OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS

Lord, have mercyLord, have mercy
Christ, have mercyChrist, have mercy
Lord, have mercyLord, have mercy


God our Father in heavenhave mercy on us
God the Son,have mercy on us
Redeemer of the worldhave mercy on us
God the Holy Spirithave mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one Godhave mercy on us
Jesus, Son of the living Godhave mercy on us
Jesus, splendor of the Fatherhave mercy on us
Jesus, brightness of everlasting lighthave mercy on us
Jesus, king of gloryhave mercy on us
Jesus, dawn of justicehave mercy on us
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Maryhave mercy on us
Jesus, worthy of our lovehave mercy on us
Jesus, worthy of our wonderhave mercy on us
Jesus, mighty Godhave mercy on us
Jesus, father of the world to comehave mercy on us
Jesus, prince of peacehave mercy on us
Jesus, all-powerfulhave mercy on us
Jesus, pattern of patiencehave mercy on us
Jesus, model of obediencehave mercy on us
Jesus, gentle and humble of hearthave mercy on us
Jesus, lover of chastityhave mercy on us
Jesus, lover of us allhave mercy on us
Jesus, God of peacehave mercy on us
Jesus, author of lifehave mercy on us
Jesus, model of goodnesshave mercy on us
Jesus, seeker of soulshave mercy on us
Jesus, our Godhave mercy on us
Jesus, our refugehave mercy on us
Jesus, father of the poorhave mercy on us
Jesus, treasure of the faithfulhave mercy on us
Jesus, Good Shepherdhave mercy on us
Jesus, the true lighthave mercy on us
Jesus, eternal wisdomhave mercy on us
Jesus, infinite goodnesshave mercy on us
Jesus, our way and our lifehave mercy on us
Jesus, joy of angelshave mercy on us
Jesus, king of patriarchshave mercy on us
Jesus, teacher of apostleshave mercy on us
Jesus, master of evangelistshave mercy on us
Jesus, courage of martyrshave mercy on us
Jesus, light of confessorshave mercy on us
Jesus, purity of virginshave mercy on us
Jesus, crown of all saintshave mercy on us


Lord, be mercifulJesus, save your people
From all evilJesus, save your people
From every sinJesus, save your people
From the snares of the devilJesus, save your people
From your angerJesus, save your people
From the spirit of infidelityJesus, save your people
From everlasting deathJesus, save your people
From neglect of your Holy SpiritJesus, save your people
By the mystery of your incarnationJesus, save your people
By your birthJesus, save your people
By your childhoodJesus, save your people
By your hidden lifeJesus, save your people
By your public ministryJesus, save your people
By your agony and crucifixionJesus, save your people
By your abandonmentJesus, save your people
By your grief and sorrowJesus, save your people
By your death and burialJesus, save your people
By your rising to new lifeJesus, save your people
By your return in glory to the FatherJesus, save your people
By your gift of the holy EucharistJesus, save your people
By your joy and gloryJesus, save your-people


Christ, hear usChrist, hear us
Lord Jesus, hear our prayerLord Jesus, hear our prayer
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the worldhave mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the worldhave mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the worldhave mercy on us

Let us pray.
Lord, may we who honor the holy name of Jesus enjoy his friendship in this life and be filled with eternal joy in the kingdom where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.


2013

TODAY'S SAINT : JAN. 3 : ST. GENEVIEVE

St. Genevieve
VIRGIN, CHIEF PATRONESS OF THE CITY OF PARIS
Feast: January 3


Information:
Feast Day:January 3
Born:
422 at Nanterre near Paris, France
Died:500 at Paris, France
Patron of:Paris
Her father's name was Severus, and her mother's Gerontia: she was born about the year 422, at Nanterre, a small village four miles from Paris, near the famous modern stations, or Calvary, adorned with excellent sculptures, representing our Lord's Passion, on Mount Valerien. When St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, went with St. Lupus into Britain to oppose the Pelagian heresy, he lay at Nanterre in his way. The inhabitants flocked about them to receive their blessing, and St. Germanus made them an exhortation, during which he took particular notice of Genevieve, though only seven years of age. After his discourse he inquired for her parents, and addressing himself to them, foretold their daughter's future sanctity, and said that she would perfectly accomplish the resolution she had taken of serving God, and that others would imitate her example. He then asked Genevieve whether it was not her desire to serve God in a state of perpetual virginity, and to bear no other title than that of a spouse of Jesus Christ. The virgin answered that this was what she had long desired, and begged that by his blessing she might be from that moment consecrated to God. The holy prelate went to the church of the place, followed by the people, and, during long singing of psalms and prayers, says Constantius,[1] that is, during the recital of None and Vespers, as the author of the life of St. Genevieve expresses it,[2] he held his hand upon the virgin's head. After he had supped, he dismissed her, giving her a strict charge to her parents to bring her again to him very early the next morning. The father complied with the commission, and St. Germanus asked Genevieve whether she remembered the promise she had made to God. She said she did, and declared she would, by the divine assistance, faithfully perform it. The bishop gave her a brass medal, on which a cross was engraved, to wear always about her neck, to put her in mind of the consecration she had made of herself to God; and at the same time, he charged her never to wear bracelets, or necklaces of pearls, gold or silver, or any other ornaments of vanity. All this she most religiously observed, and considering herself as the spouse of Christ, gave herself up to the most fervent practices of devotion and penance. From the words of St. Germanus, in his exhortation to St. Genevieve never to wear jewels, Baillet and some others infer that she must have been a person of quality and fortune: but the ancient Breviary and constant tradition of the place assure us that her father was a poor shepherd.

About fifteen years of age, she was presented to the Bishop of Paris to receive the religious veil at his hand, together with two other persons of the same sex. Though she was the youngest of the three, the bishop placed her first, saying that heaven had already sanctified her; by which he seems to have alluded to the promise she had already made, in the presence of SS. Germanus and Lupus, of consecrating herself to God. From that time she frequently ate only twice in the week, on Sundays and Thursdays. Her food was barley bread with a few beans. At the age of fifty, by the command of certain bishops, she mitigated this austerity so far as to allow herself a moderate use of fish and milk. Her prayer was almost continual, and generally attended with a large flow of tears. After the death of her parents she left Nanterre, and settled with her grandmother at Paris, but sometimes undertook journeys upon motives of charity, and illustrated the cities of Meaux, Laon, Tours, Orleans, and all other places wherever she went, with miracles and remarkable predictions. God permitted her to meet with some severe trials; for at a certain time all persons indiscriminately seemed TO be in a combination against her, and persecuted her under the opprobrious names of visionary, hypocrite, and the like imputations, all tending to asperse her innocency. The arrival of St. Germanus at Paris, probably on his second journey to Britain, for some time silenced her calumniators; but it was not long ere the storm broke out anew. Her enemies were fully determined to drown her, when the Archdeacon of Auxerre arrived with , or blessed bread, sent her by St. Germanus, as a testimony of his particular esteem for her virtues, and a token of communion. This seems to have happened whilst St. Germanus was absent in Italy in 449, a little before his death. This circumstance, so providentially opportune, converted the prejudices of her calumniators into a singular veneration for her during the remainder of her life. The Franks or French had then possessed themselves of the better part of Gaul, and Childeric, their king, took Paris. During the long blockade of that city, the citizens being extremely distressed by famine, St. Genevieve, as the author of her life relates, went out at the head of a company who were sent to procure provisions, and brought back from Arcis-sur-Aube and Troyes several boats laden with corn. Nevertheless, Childeric, when he had made himself master of Paris, though always a pagan, respected St. Genevieve, and, upon her intercession, spared the lives of many prisoners, and did several other acts of clemency and bounty. Our saint, out of her singular devotion to St. Dionysius and his companions, the apostles of the country, frequently visited their tombs at the borough of Catulliacum, which many think the borough since called St. Denys. She also excited the zeal of many pious persons to build there a church in honour of St. Dionysius, which King Dagobert I afterwards rebuilt with a stately monastery in 629. St. Genevieve likewise performed several pilgrimages, in company with other holy virgins, to the shrine of St. Martin at Tours. These journeys of devotion she sanctified by the exercises of holy recollection and austere penance.

King Clovis, who embraced the faith in 496, listened often with deference to the advice of St. Genevieve, and granted liberty to several captives at her request. Upon the report of the march of Attila with his army of Huns, the Parisians were preparing to abandon their city, but St. Genevieve persuaded them, in imitation of Judith and Hester, to endeavour to avert the scourge, by fasting, watching, and prayer. Many devout persons of her sex passed many days with her in prayer in the baptistry; from whence the particular devotion to St. Genevieve, which is practiced at St. John-le-rond, the ancient public baptistry of the church of Paris, seems to have taken rise. She assured the people of the protection of heaven, and their deliverance; and though she was long treated by many as an impostor, the event verified the prediction, that barbarian suddenly changing the course of his march, probably by directing it towards Orleans.

Our authority attributes to St. Genevieve the first design of the magnificent church which Clovis began to build in honour of SS. Peter and Paul, by the pious counsel of his wife Saint Clotilda, by whom it was finished several years after; for he only laid the foundation a little before his death, which happened in 511 . St. Genevieve died about the same year, probably five weeks after that prince, on the 3rd of January, 512, being eighty-nine years old. Some think she died before King Clovis. The tombs of St. Genevieve and King Clovis were near together. Immediately after the saint was buried, the people raised an oratory of wood over her tomb, as her historian assures us, and this was soon changed into the stately church built under the invocation of SS. Peter and Paul. From this circumstance, we gather that her tomb was situated in a part of this church, which was only built after her death. Her tomb, though empty, is still shown in the subterraneous church, or vault, betwixt those of Prudentius, and St. Ceraunus, Bishop of Paris. But her relics were enclosed by St. Eligius in a costly shrine, adorned with gold and silver, which he made with his own hands about the year 630, as St. Owen relates in his life. The author of the original life of St. Genevieve concludes it by a description of the basilic which Clovis and St. Clotilda erected, adorned with a triple portico, in which were painted the histories of the patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, and confessors. This church was several times plundered, and at length burnt, by the Normans. When it was rebuilt, soon after the year 856, the relics of St. Genevieve were brought back. The miracles which were performed there from the time of her burial rendered this church famous all over France, so that at length it began to be known only by her name. The city of Paris has frequently received sensible proofs of the divine protection through her intercession. The most famous instance is that called the miracle of Des Ardens, or of the burning fever. In 1129, in the reign of Louis VI, a pestilential fever, with a violent inward heat, and pains in the bowels, swept off, in a short time, fourteen thousand persons, nor could the art of physicians afford any relief. Stephen, Bishop of Paris, with the clergy and people, implored the divine mercy, by fasting and supplications. Yet the distemper began not to abate till the shrine of St. Genevieve was carried in a solemn procession to the cathedral. During that ceremony many sick persons were cured by touching the shrine, and of all that then lay ill of that distemper in the whole town, only three died, the rest recovered, and no others fell ill. Pope Innocent II coming to Paris the year following, after having passed a careful scrutiny on the miracle, ordered an annual festival in commemoration of it on the 26th of November, which is still kept at Paris. A chapel near the cathedral, called anciently St. Genevieve's the Little, erected near the house in which she died, afterwards from this miracle, though it was wrought not at this chapel, but chiefly at the cathedral, as Le Beuf demonstrates, was called St. Genevieve Des Ardens, which was demolished in 1747 to make place for the Foundling Hospital.[3] Both before and since that time, it is the custom in extraordinary public calamities to carry the shrine of St. Genevieve, accompanied by those of St. Marcel, St. Aurea, St. Lucan martyr, St. Landry, St. Merry, St. Paxentius, St. Magloire, and others, in a solemn procession to the cathedral; on which occasion the regular canons of St. Genevieve walk barefoot, and at the right hand of the chapter of the cathedral, and the abbot walks on the right hand of the archbishop. The present rich shrine of St. Genevieve was made by the abbot, and the relics enclosed in it in 1242. See the " Ancient Life of St. Genevieve," written by an anonymous author, eighteen years after her death, of which the best edition is given by F. Charpentier, a Genevevan regular canon, in octavo, in 1697. It is interpolated in several editions.

SOURCE: EWTN.COM

CATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH ST. RITA - PART 18

IN HONOR OF THE YEAR OF FAITH - JCE NEWS WILL BE SHOWING SOME OF THE TOP CATHOLIC MOVIES OF ALL TIME. TUNE IN FOR THE NEXT PART OF ST. RITA- TOMORROW

TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : THURS. JAN. 3, 2012 - HOLY NAME OF JESUS

Matthew 1: 18 - 23 

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;
19and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
20But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;
21she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
22All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).