CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD : FRI AUG 7, 2009

Catholic News World: Aug. 7:headlines *Pope asks Argentinians to contribute to the poor *Pope to visit CZECH REPUBLIC SEPT. 26-28 *Europe: Cardinal points to St. John Vianney as example for Priests *Africa: Madagascar: Scarce access to food *Asia: Vietnam: Government blocks Catholic News Sites *America: Researcher reports on tila of GUADELUPE *Australia: New Play on MARY MACKILLOP *Feature: Year of the Priest: FR. KIERAN'S STORY POPE ASKS ARGENTINIANS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE POOR Aug. 7: The Pope called on Argentinians to contribute to the

40th edition of the Sept 13 collection to raise funds for society's poorest. The Pope hopes reduce the scandal of poverty and inequality thus fulfilling the Gospel requirements to build a more just & fraternal society possible for all. The Pope expresses his profound gratitude for all those who contribute to the success of this campaign.

Last Sunday the Pope recalled the word's of today's Saint Cajetan: "It is not with sentimental love but rather with loving actions that souls are purified. "

http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=308122

POPE TO VISIT CZECH REPUBLIC SEPT. 26-28

(Schedule: from vatican.va)

Prague Welcoming Ceremony at Stará Ruzyně International Airport of Prague Address of the Holy Father Visit to the "Infant Jesus of Prague" at the Church of Our Lady Victorious Greeting of the Holy Father Courtesy visit to the President of the Republic in the Presidential Palace of Prague Meeting with the Civil and Political Authorities and the Diplomatic Corps in the Presidential Palace of Prague. Address of the Holy Father Celebration of Vespers with Priests, Men and Women Religious, Seminarians and Lay Movements gathered in the Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert Address of the Holy Father Sunday, 27 September 2009 Departure by plane from Stará Ruzyně International Airport of Prague for Brno Brno Arrival at Tuřany Airport in Brno Holy Mass at Tuřany Airport in Brno Homily of the Holy Father Angelus Domini at Tuřany Airport in Brno Address of the Holy Father Departure by plane from Tuřany Airport of Brno for Prague Prague Arrival at Stará Ruzynědo International Airport of Prague. Ecumenical Meeting at the Throne Hall of the Archbishop's House of Prague Address of the Holy Father Meeting with members of the academic community at Vladislav Hall in the Prague Castle Address of the Holy Father Monday, 28 September 2009 Stará Boleslav Visit at the Church of Saint Wenceslaus in Stará Boleslav Holy Mass on the liturgical memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, Patron of the Czech Republic at the Esplanade on the Way to Melnik in Stará Boleslav. Homily of the Holy Father Message to the young people at the Esplanade on the Way to Melnik in Stará Boleslav Address of the Holy Father Prague Luncheon with the Bishops of the Czech Republic and the Papal Entourage at the Archbishop's House of Prague Farewell from the Apostolic Nunciature of Prague Farewell Ceremony at Stará Ruzyně International Airport of Prague Address of the Holy Father Departure by plane from Stará Ruzyně International Airport of Prague for Rome (SOURCE: http://www.vatican.va/)

EUROPE

CARDINAL POINTS TO ST. VIANNEY AS EXAMPLE FOR PRIESTS

CNA reports that the prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes celebrated Mass in Ars, France today to mark the feast of St. Jean Marie Vianney. In his homily, he said that by celebrating the Year for Priests on the 150th anniversary of the saint’s death, Pope Benedict XVI hopes the spirit that pervades this jubilee year will be one of sanctification. At the Shrine dedicated to the Cure d’Ars, with Bishop Guy Marie Bagnard and numerous priests concelebrating, Cardinal Hummes underscored that the Church “desires to say to priests that she thanks God for them, she admires them and loves them, she wants to sustain them with her prayers, she accompanies them in their journey of fidelity, she recognizes them, she wants to concretely help them and collaborate with them in their pastoral work.” After noting that the priests of the world have a date with the Holy Father June 9-10, 2010 at the International Congress in Rome, Cardinal Hummes underscored the example of the Cure d’Ars, whose life was “rich with teachings.” “He was a model priest because of his life of faith and constant prayer, because of his profound and solid spirituality, his penitence, his humility and poverty, his manner of placing the celebration of the Mass at the center of parish life, his untiring and marvelous ministry of the sacrament of Confession, his ministry of the Word of God for preaching and catechesis, his love for the poor, his pastoral charity which led him to an encounter with each parishioner to lead him or her towards conversion and salvation.” St. Jean Marie Vianney, the cardinal added, “did not want to lose anybody and did not want to rest without first seeing everyone in church, assiduously and frequently receiving the sacraments.” “Thus we priests,” he continued, “for the mere sake of our ordination, are all consecrated to participating in the universal mission of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. It is our priestly and missionary essence. With the task of adapting ourselves to the specific needs of our age, we are ‘sent’ to proclaim the Good News to all men, in particular, as did the Cure d’Ars, to the baptized that have strayed from the light of the faith, beginning with those who are poorest.” After pointing out that priests cannot limit themselves to their parish but must go out in search of the faithful, Cardinal Hummes underscored the importance of assisting them in the sacrament of Confession because “still today, certainly, our contemporaries seek forgiveness, interior peace, reconciliation with God and neighbor, but frequently they do not find the person to show them the way or who understands them in their confusion. This is truly an essential ministry of every priest,” he said. At the conclusion of his homily, Cardinal Hummes invited those present “to make of their families true domestic churches, ardent lights of faith and love, where they pray together. Do not be afraid if the Lord chooses one of your sons to be a priest. Strive instead to pray to the Lord for the grace of a priestly vocation in your family.” (Edited from: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=16754

AFRICA:

MADAGASCAR: SCARCE ACCESS TO FOOD AllAfrica reports that access to food for the people of Madagascar remains unreliable because of the impact of natural disasters, which routinely strike the island State, and continuing political tensions, a United Nations report warned today. The joint Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) mission tasked with assessing crop and food security in Madagascar underscored the effect a run of cyclones on the east coast in 2008-2009 and several years of drought in the south has had on the country's crops. In addition, the political crisis - involving the resignation of President Marc Ravalomanana in early March, amid a dispute with the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina, who now leads the country - combined with the global economic recession has had repercussions for public finances, exports, tourism, unemployment and the national currency, and a knock-on effect on the agricultural sector, according to the FAO-WFP report. The drought devastated the south, home to some of the country's poorest communities, has caused national maize, sweet potato and cassava production to slump. Commercial interests are likely to "wait-and-see" how market prices react to Government imports, which could lead to delays or breakdowns in stocks, causing a price explosion during the lean season - beginning in September-October - reminiscent of the timing of events that led to the 2004-2005 food crisis. (Edited from: http://allafrica.com/stories/200908070010.html

ASIA

VIETNAM GOVERNMENT BLOCKS CATHOLIC NEWS SITES

CNA reports that following international news coverage of its violent reactions to Catholic protests, the Vietnamese government is again censoring Catholic web sites.The VietCatholic News site has long been blocked by the government. Now the censorship has extended to sites like Catholic News Agency, Catholic Online, Asia News, Catholic World News and Independent Catholic News, Sr. Emily Nguyen, who lives in Vietnam, tells CNA. Previously, the government had blocked CNA for several months beginning in September 2008. The government has also monitored CNA’s reports on the protests in which Catholics are seeking the return of confiscated church properties. Vietnam strictly regulates internet access, using both legal and technological means. The government claims its efforts protect the country from obscene or sexually explicitly content. However, according to Sr. Emily, “in reality most of the filtered sites contain politically or religiously sensitive materials that have been observed as undermining the Communist Party's hold on power while porn sites can be accessed unrestrictedly.” Reporters without Borders considers Vietnam to be one of 15 “internet enemies,” while Amnesty International has reported many instances of internet activists being arrested for their online activities. The collaborative academic project OpenNet Initiative, which investigates internet filtering practices, has classified Vietnam’s online political censorship as “pervasive.” Its research has found that Vietnam’s blocking efforts focus on overseas and independent media, sites with content about overseas political opposition, human rights topics and religious topics. Proxies and other tools to circumvent the filtering, which are illegal to use in Vietnam, are also frequently blocked.The majority of blocked web sites were initially specific to Vietnam and were written in Vietnamese or dealt with issues related to the country. Sites not specifically related to Vietnam or sites only written in English were rarely blocked. Recently, however, popular Catholic English-language sites have been blacklisted, joining groups such as Human Rights Watch, Writers Without Borders, Amnesty International and other human rights groups. On July 21, Asia News broke the story about persecutions of Catholics throughout the country, centering on the parishioners of Tam Toa church in the province of Quang Binh. Catholics tried to erect a makeshift tent for worship services on the property of a church mostly destroyed in a Vietnam War U.S. air raid. The property had since been confiscated by the government for use as a war memorial. Police attacked the parishioners, leaving hundreds injured and dozens arrested. About 500,000 Catholics across the country began their own protests in response. Many lay faithful and clergy were harassed and beaten in retaliation. One priest visiting his injured fellow clergyman was thrown from a second story hospital window by a government-backed gang. His severe injuries left him comatose. The Vietnamese government is the exclusive owner of a network of more than 600 media outlets, which work under the strict supervision of the ruling communist party. “Since Vietnam has not been used to adverse news coming from a foreign, popular source they are apparently not happy with reports on an ongoing situation of abuse and persecution of Catholics,” Sr. Emily Nguyen remarked. “Action they took to make sure the Vietnamese public is shielded from the news is extreme, though not unexpected, for those who have to live under dictatorial, communist regimes such as China or Vietnam.”

(Edited from: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=16781

AMERICA

RESEARCHER REPORTS ON TILMA OF GUADELUPE

CNA reports that researcher and physicist Dr. Aldofo Orozco told participants at the International Marian Congress on Our Lady of Guadalupe that there is no scientific explanation for the 478 years of high quality-preservation of the Tilma or for the miracles that have occurred to ensure its preservation. Dr. Orozco began his talk by confirming that the conservation of the Tilma, the cloak of St. Juan Diego on which Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared 478 years ago, “is completely beyond any scientific explanation.” “All the cloths similar to the Tilma that have been placed in the salty and humid environment around the Basilica have lasted no more than ten years,” he explained. One painting of the miraculous image, created in 1789, was on display in a church near the basilica where the Tilma was placed. “This painting was made with the best techniques of its time, the copy was beautiful and made with a fabric very similar to that of the Tilma. Also, the image was protected with a glass since it was first placed there.” However, eight years later, the copy of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was thrown away because the colors were fading and threads were breaking. In contrast, Orozco said, “the original Tilma was exposed for approximately 116 years without any kind of protection, receiving all the infrared and ultraviolet radiation from the tens of thousands of candles near it and exposed to the humid and salty air around the temple.” Dr. Orozco then discussed the Tilma’s fabric. He noted that “one of the most bizarre characteristics of the cloth is that the back side is rough and coarse, but the front side is ‘as soft as the most pure silk, as noted by painters and scientists in 1666, and confirmed one century later in 1751 by the Mexican painter, Miguel Cabrera.” Following an analysis of some of the fibers in 1946, it was concluded that the fibers came from the Agave plant, however, noted Dr. Orozco, the researchers couldn’t figure out which of the 175 Agave species the Tilma was made from. Years later, in 1975, “the famous Mexican researcher Ernesto Sodi Pallares said that the species of the agave was Agave popotule Zacc,” Orozco explained, “but we don’t know how he reached this conclusion.” Before concluding his presentation, Dr. Orozco made mention of two miracles associated with the Tilma. The first occurred in 1785 when a worker accidentally spilled a 50 percent nitric acid solvent on the right side of the cloth. “Besides any natural explanation, the acid has not destroyed the fabric of the cloth, indeed it has not even destroyed the colored parts of the image,” Orozco said. The second miracle was the explosion of a bomb near the Tilma in 1921. Dr. Orozco recalled that the explosion broke the marble floor and widows 150 meters from the explosion, but “unexpectedly, neither the Tilma nor the normal glass that protected the Tilma was damaged or broken.” The only damage near it was a brass crucifix that was twisted by the blast. He continued, “There are no explanations why the shockwave that broke windows 150 meters afar did not destroy the normal glass that protected the image. Some people said that the Son by means of the brass crucifix protected the image of His Mother. The real fact is that we don’t have a natural explanation for this event.” Dr. Orozco thanked the audience for listening to his presentation and closed by reassuring them that “Our Lady visited Mexico 478 years ago, but she remains there to give Her Love, Her Mercy and Her Care to anyone who needs it, and to bring Her Son, Jesus Christ to everyone who receives Him.” (Edited from: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=16789

AUSTRALIA

NEW PLAY ON MARY MACKILLOP

CathNews Australia on the centenary of her death, Mary MacKillop, in line to be Australia's first Catholic Saint, is the subject of a new play touring Australia. At the Centre of Light is written and directed by Rosemary Johns who explains the fascination with Mary beyond the Catholic community. This edition of The Spirit of Things also focuses on the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Baha'is in Australia. The group are focusing their attention on the daughter of their prophet Bahaullah. Bahiyyih Khanum, known as "the Supreme Leaf" became the functioning head of the movement in her mid-40s and Janet Khan, of the Bahai World Centre in Haifa, Israel, has written her biography. (Edited from: http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=15639

FEATURE: YEAR OF THE PRIEST: FR. KIERAN'S STORY

Father Kieran Kilcommons was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He was born in May, 1960 to Mike & Noreen Kilcommons. His father was from Ireland and his mother from Nova Scotia, Canada. He has 5 brothers and 2 sisters. He has worked at carpentry, ranching, and surveying. He studied Philosophy for 4 years, obtaining a BA in Philosophy. He also obtained a Masters of Divinity. He was ordained 4 years ago. Before entering the priesthood he lived & worked at Madonna House (lay apostolate) in Combermere, Ontario, Canada.

Father's favorite saying: "Here have I chosen to live". He counsels men considering the priesthood with these words: "Being a priest means being a man with strength, creativity. It is an exciting adventure."

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TODAY'S SAINT St. Cajetan FOUNDER Feast Day: August 7 Born: October 1, 1480, Vicenza, Veneto, Republic of Venice (now Italy) Died: August 7, 1547, Naples, Campania, Kingdom of Naples Canonized: April 12, 1671, Rome by Pope Clement X Patron of: workers; gamblers; job seekers; unemployed people Founder of the Theatines, born October, 1480 at Vicenza in Venetian territory; died at Naples in 1547. He became a doctor utriusque juris at Padua in his twenty-fourth year. He became a priest in 1516. He founded the Theatines. http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/C/stcajetan.asp

SAINTLY QUOTE

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will, all I have and all I possess. You gave it all to me; to you, Lord, I return it. It is all yours: do with me entirely as you will. Give me your love and your grace: this is enough for me. ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA

TODAY'S GOSPEL

Matthew 16: 24 - 28 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."