CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS: THURS. AUG. 12, 2010: HEADLINES-
VATICAN: POPE WRITES LETTER FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENARY-
AMERICA: USA: CARDINAL DINARDO GIVES 'PEOPLE OF LIFE' AWARD TO 3 PEOPLE-
AFRICA: KENYA: CHRISTIAN CHURCHES CALL FOR AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION-
ASIA: INDIA: PRESIDENT INAUGURATES YEAR TO COMMEMORATE ST. ALPHONSA-
AUSTRALIA: BISHOP URGES VOTERS TO CONSIDER PRO-LIFE STANCE OF CANIDATES-
EUROPE: IRELAND POPE REJECTS RESIGNATIONS OF 2 BISHOPS-
VATICAN
POPE WRITES LETTER FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENARY IN ARGENTINA
June 19th, u.s., was published the appointment of Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile, with the Special Envoy of the Holy Father to the celebration of the centenary of the Diocese of Catamarca (Argentina), which will take place on 21 August 2010. Cardinal Special Envoy will be accompanied by an ecclesiastical Mission composed of the following: Rev. Brother Eduardo Néstor Lascano, OFM; Rev. Sac. Elio Antenor Fernández, the Diocesan clergy. We publish below the letter of the Holy Father to eminence Card. Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile.
SOURCE http://www.vatican.va/
AMERICA
USA: CARDINAL DINARDO GIVES 'PEOPLE OF LIFE' AWARD TO 3 PEOPLE
Cardinal DiNardo Presents ‘People of Life’ Awards to Three Honorees
The People of Life Award recognizes those who have answered the call outlined by Pope John Paul II in The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae, 1995) by dedicating themselves to pro-life activities and promoting respect for the dignity of the human person. It is bestowed on occasion to a practicing Catholic in honor of his or her significant contribution in service to the culture of life.
William E. May holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Marquette University and has taught at several Catholic universities. He is currently a senior fellow at the Culture of Life Foundation, and emeritus Michael J. McGivney Professor of Moral Theology at the Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family at the Catholic University of America. He has written over 226 journal articles, has authored, co-authored, or edited 24 books, and is currently working on three more, including the third edition of Catholic Bioethics and the Gift of Human Life. He holds several major awards, including the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal from Pope John Paul II in 1991. He was appointed by the Holy See to serve on several commissions and advisory groups, including the background work on the 2008 document, Dignitas Personae (The Dignity of the Person). Professor May has been married for 52 years, is the father of seven and grandfather of fifteen grandchildren.
Msgr. Philip J. Reilly has devoted most of his 50-year-long priestly ministry to the pro-life cause. He fought the legalization of abortion in New York before the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, helped to organize the first national March for Life in Washington in 1974, and served as a witness to uphold the Hyde Amendment banning federal funding of abortion in most circumstances. In 1989, Monsignor Reilly founded the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, Inc., to focus on prayer efforts and sidewalk counseling outside of abortion clinics. For over twenty years, five days a week, he has counseled and prayed on the streets outside abortion clinics. He continues to serve as executive director of the Helpers and travels internationally to train others how to hold peaceful, loving prayer vigils and to offer constructive assistance to those in crisis both before and after abortion.
Patricia Bainbridge has served the pro-life movement since 1978. She recently retired from her ten-year post as director of the Respect Life Office and Natural Family Planning Coordinator for the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, where she was also the “Lifelines” columnist for the diocesan paper. For seven years during her service, Bainbridge chaired the Department of Life for the Catholic Conference of Illinois. Prior to her diocesan work, Bainbridge founded the Christian Action Council of Western New York in the eighties, co-founded Life Decisions International, and served on the board of Christian Tapes for the Blind and Disabled, among other civic groups. She is a board member of several pro-life organizations serving the diverse needs of pregnant and post-abortive women, and raising awareness about the dignity of human life; and is chairman of the board of Human Life International. Married for 40 years, she and her husband were received into full communion with the Catholic Church in 2001.
Since the award’s inception three years ago, the Pro-Life Secretariat has honored 11 people with the People of Life Award. In 2007, the recipients were: John Bruchalski, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., founder/director of Divine Mercy Care and Tepeyac Family Center; Molly Kertz, retired director of the Respect Life Office, Archdiocese of St. Louis; and Thomas J. Marzen (awarded posthumously), former director of the National Legal Center for the Medically Dependent and Disabled. The 2008 award recipients were: Carolyn Brown-Davis (awarded posthumously), advocate and organizer for the African American, African and Caribbean communities; Ann Dierks, retired director of the Respect Life Office and director of Project Rachel, Diocese of Little Rock; and Ralph Miech, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Pharmacology, founding member of the Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics, speaker, author, and expert witness on life issues. In 2009, the following honorees received the People of Life Award: Hanna Klaus, M.D., director of the Natural Family Planning Center of Washington, DC, and founder of TeenSTAR Program; Virginia McCaskey, pro-life advocate and witness; and Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel and executive director, National Office ofPost-Abortion Reconciliation & Healing (NOPARH). Earlier this year, two college students were recognized with the first People of Life Student Leader Awards: Thomas Nellson, director of pro-life hospitality, The Catholic University of America; and Lauren Roselli, former president, Students for Life, Catholic University of America.
For more information on the bishops’ People of Life campaign, visit www.usccb.org/prolife/peopleoflife/ .
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-148.shtml
image http://www.texasinsider.org/images/news/danieldinardo.jpg
AFRICA
KENYA: CHRISTIAN CHURCHES CALL FOR AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION
Agenzia Fides report- “Now is the time for making amendments to the new Constitution.” That is the message being sent out by the Catholic Church, along with other Christian denominations following the approval by popular referendum of the new Constitution Draft in Kenya (see Fides 6/8/2010).
“Most Kenyans indeed recognized that the proposed constitution we voted for or against on August 4 had errors that needed to be corrected, our main difference was whether we believed the reform should take place before or after the vote,” says a statement of the Bishops of Kenya, signed by Cardinal Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi and Chairman of the Kenyan Bishops' Conference, issued the day after the referendum that approved the new Constitution in the country (see Fides 07/08/2010 ). The main amendment regards Article 26 which effectively paves the way for the legalization of abortion.
Those who were lobbying for “No” on the referendum, led by Minister of Higher Education, William Ruto, expressed a desire to address the issue as soon as possible. "As democrats we accept the verdict of Kenyans. Since the country has decided that changes to the Constitution will take place soon, we as those lobbying "No" ask that consultations on both sides take place immediately," said Ruto on August 5, in the discourse with which he granted victory to those who had lobbied for the "Yes" vote.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (an organization of Protestant Churches in Kenya) has threatened to resort to the rules laid down by the new Constitution to amend it, if President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga betray the pre-referendum promises made regarding the immediate opening of the debate on the amendments.
Prime Minister Odinga has issued a statement which expresses the will of the state to unite those for and against the new constitution, to put into practice
The Prime Minister has urged Kenyans to support the new Constitution, regardless of how they voted, and urged the international community to help the country to implement the Constitution.
"The work of reconstruction of the country must begin now and will require a bipartisan approach," Odinga said in his statement, in which, however, there is no mention of opening the debate to amend the Constitution.
The Christian Churches have noted that there were 2,700,000 Kenyans who voted against the approval of the new Constitution ("too many to be ignored") and other voters who voted in favor of it, trusting in the promises of the President and Prime Minister to amend it in the case of a “yes” victory.
http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27239&lan=eng
ASIA
INDIA: PRESIDENT INAUGURATES YEAR TO COMMEMORATE ST. ALPHONSA
Asia News report: The inauguration of the celebrations by President Patil. Card. Varkey Vithayathil stresses the value of the saint for our time: to return to God and give value to suffering. A world without God leads to chaos and violence. Suffering is considered a curse.
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - Today President Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated the special year to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Sister Alphonsa of Bharananganam, the first Indian woman saint of the Catholic Church. AsiaNews asked the card. Varkey Vithayathil, archbishop of the Syro-Malabar church, about the value of St. Alphonsa’s witness for our time. "It is of great significance that the President of India has participated in the inauguration of the celebrations for the centenary of the first Indian saint. This reflects the religiosity of the Indian people, religious culture and appreciation for the sanctity of life. Holy people have always been venerated in our tradition and culture”.
Marking the birth of St. Alphonsa, serves to "suggest to the world that it return to God and love of Him." "Man - continues the cardinal - is trying to develop this world without God and the result is chaos and violence-“Turn to God” would be Saint Alphonsa’s message, because St Alphonsa loved God with all her heart "
Another point stressed by Card. Vithayathil is "the value of suffering." "The world - he explains - thinks that suffering is a curse. Suffering, whether we like it or not, crosses our path and is a valuable means of drawing closer to God. A special power is hidden in suffering, a special grace that brings us closer to Christ. With the gift of his body, Christ gave suffering saving worth. Sister Alphonsa experienced severe suffering and many people are attracted to her just because of the value she gave suffering. Suffering brings benefits to humanity. " Sr Alphonsa was canonized Oct. 12, 2008 by Benedict XVI.
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Special-year-for-St.-Alphonsa,-the-first-Indian-woman-saint-19179.html
AUSTRALIA
BISHOP JARRETT URGES VOTERS TO CONSIDER PRO-LIFE STANCE OF CANIDATES
In a letter read out during Sunday Mass at churches across the Lismore Diocese, Bishop Jarrett said Catholics should ask whether a candidate is someone they are happy to vote for "in conscience before God", according to a report in the Lismore Northern Star.
He said Catholics should consider more than the policy statements made by the parties during the campaign.
"Aside from their policy statements, even more importantly we should be asking ourselves what sort of human and social values characterise our local candidates," Bishop Jarrett writes.
"What sort of beliefs do they espouse? What sort of values do they hold, especially in regard to marriage and the family, in regard to the dignity and sanctity of human life? Is this candidate pro-life? Does he or she reflect the thinking and conduct of a person to whom I am happy, in conscience before God, to confide my vote?"
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=22799
EUROPE
IRELAND POPE REJECTS RESIGNATIONS OF 2 BISHOPS
CNA REPORT- Pope Benedict XVI has reportedly rejected the resignations of two bishops in Ireland who submitted their letters of resignation last December following criticism in a government report of mishandling child abuse allegations.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin provided an explanation in letter to priests and other local Church officials, saying, "Following the presentation of their resignations to Pope Benedict, it has been decided that Bishop Eamonn Walsh and Bishop Raymond Field will remain as auxiliary bishops."
Bishop Walsh and Bishop Field submitted their resignations in Dec. of 2009 after the report of the Commission of Investigation into allegations of child abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin criticized them for how they addressed the issue. Over a dozen current and former bishops in Ireland have reportedly been complicit in failing to inform police about more than 170 suspected pedophiles in the priesthood from the mid-1970s to mid-1990s.The Associated Press (AP) reported on Aug. 11 that the archbishop's letter said the two Dublin auxiliaries will be "assigned revised responsibilities within the diocese." However, the statement offered no specific information on these new duties.
Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi did not comment on why the two auxiliary bishops would stay in their positions nor did he confirm the rejection of the resignations. Rather, he told the AP that the Vatican only makes public announcements when resignations are accepted, not when they are rejected.
Multiple speculations on the significance of the rejections have circulated in the news, with one Irish editor commenting that the Vatican was not pleased with Archbishop Martin's public clash with predecessors and other Church authorities. The archbishop, who was appointed in 2004 amid Ireland's child abuse scandals, has been outspoken against implicated Church officials who suppressed reports of abuse and transferred abusive priests to other parishes in the U.K. and the U.S.
Gary O'Sullivan, editor of the weekly Irish Catholic newspaper in Dublin told the AP that the “Vatican were not impressed with the way Diarmuid Martin went on PrimeTime (an Irish television news program) and called on other bishops to be accountable.”
"It's not the way business is done in Rome.”
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-reportedly-rejects-resignations-of-two-irish-bishops/
TODAY'S SAINTS
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
FOUNDRESS
Feast Day: August 12
Born: January 28, 1572, Dijon, Burgundy, France
Canonized: July 16, 1767, Rome by Pope Clement XIII
Major Shrine: Annecy, Savoy
Patron of: forgotten people; in-law problems; loss of parents; parents separated from children; widows
Born at Dijon, France, 28 January, 1572; died at the Visitation Convent Moulins, 13 December, 1641.
Her father was president of the Parliament of Burgundy, and leader of the royalist party during the League that brought about the triumph of the cause of Henry IV. In 1592 she married Baron de Chantal, and lived in the feudal castle of Bourbilly. She restored order in the household, which was on the brink of ruin, and brought back prosperity. During her husband's absence at the court, or with the army, when reproached for her extremely sober manner of dressing, her reply was: "The eyes which I must please are a hundred miles from here". She found more than once that God blessed with miracles the care she gave the suffering members of Christ. St. Francis de Sales' eulogy of her characterizes her life at Bourbilly and everywhere else: "In Madame de Chantal I have found the perfect woman, whom Solomon had difficulty in finding in Jerusalem". Baron de Chantal was accidently killed by a harquebus while out shooting in 1601. Left a widow at twenty-eight, with four children, the broken-hearted baroness took a vow of chastity. In all her prayers she besought God to send her a guide and God, in a vision, showed her the spiritual director He held in reserve for her. In order to safeguard her children's property, she was obliged to go and live at Monthelon in the home of her father-in-law, who was ruled over by an arrogant and wicked servant. This was real servitude, which she bore patiently and gently for seven years. At last her virtue triumphed over the ill will of the old man and house keeper.
During Lent, 1604, she visited her father at Dijon, where St. Francis de Sales was preaching at the Sainte Chapelle. She recognized in him the mysterious director who had been shown her, and placed herself under his guidance. Then began an admirable correspondence between the two saints. Unfortunately, the greater number of letters are no longer in existence, as she destroyed them after the death of the holy bishop. When she had assured the future security of children, and when she had provided the education of Celse-Benigne, her fourteen year old son, whom she left to her father and her brother, the Archbishop of Bourges, she started for Annecy, where God was calling her to found the Congregation of the Visitation. She took her two remaining daughters with her, the elder having recently married the Baron of Thorens, a brother of St. Francis de Sales. Celse-Benigne, impetous like those of her race, barred his mother's way by lying across the threshold. Mme de Chantal stopped, overcome: " Can the tears of a child shake her resolution? " said a holy and learned priest, the tutor of Celse-Benigne. "Oh! no", replied the saint, "but after all I am a mother!" And she stepped over child's body.
The Congregation of the Visitation was canonically established at Annecy on Trinity Sunday, 6 June, 1610. Its aim was to receive, with a view to their spiritual advancement, young girls and even widows who had not the desire or strength to subject themselves to the austere ascetical practices in force in all the religious orders at that time. St. Francis de Sales was especially desirous of seeing the realization of his cherished method of attaining perfection, which consisted in always keeping one's will united to the Divine will, in taking so to speak one's soul, heart, and longings into one's hands and giving them into God's keeping, and in seeking always to do what is pleasing to Him. "I do always the things that please him" (John, viii, 29). The two holy founders saw their undertaking prosper. At the time of the death of St. Francis de Sales in 1622, the order already counted thirteen houses; there were eighty-six when St. Jane Frances died; and 164 when she was canonized.
The remainder of the saint's life was spent under the protection of the cloister in the practice of the most admirable virtues. If a gentle kindness, vivified and strengthened by a complete spirit of renunciation, predominates in St. Francis de Sales, it is firmness and great vigour which prevails in St. Jane Frances; she did not like to see her daughters giving way to human weakness. Her trials were continuous and borne bravely, and yet she was exceedingly sensitive. Celse-Benigne was an incorrigible duellist. She prayed so fervently that he was given the grace to die a Christian death on the battle-field, during the campaign against the Isle of Re (1627). He left a daughter who became the famous Marquise de Sevigne. To family troubles God added interior crosses which, particularly during the last nine years of her life, kept her in agony of soul from which she was not freed until three months before her death.
Her reputation for sanctity was widespread. Queens, princes, and princesses flocked to the reception-room of the Visitation. Wherever she went to establish foundations, the people gave her ovations. "These people", she would say confused, "do not know me; they are mistaken". Her body is venerated with that of St. Francis de Sales in the church of the Visitation at Annecy. She was beatified in 1751, canonized in 1767, and 21 August was appointed as her feast day.
The life of the saint was written in the seventeenth century, with inimitable charm, by her secretary, Mother de Chaugy. Monsignor Bougaud, who died Bishop of Laval, published in 1863 a "Histoire de Sainte Chantal" which had a great and well-deserved success.
The words of the saint comprise instructions on the religious life, various minor works, among which is the admirable "Deposition for the Process of Beatification of St. Francis de Sales", and a great many letters. The Saint's qualities are seen in her precise and vigorous style, void of imagery but betraying a repressed emotion, and bursting forth spontaneously from the heart, anticipating in its method the beautiful French of the seventeenth century. The book which may be called her masterpiece, "Reponses sur les Regles, Constitutions et Coutumes", a truly practical and complete code of the religious life, is not in circulation.
source http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/J/stjanefrancesdechantal.asp
St. Euplius
MARTYR
Information: Feast Day: August 12
Patron of: Catania; Trevico; Francavilla di Sicilia
A Christian martyr of Catanic, Sicily, Italy. He was a deacon charged with possessing Holy Scriptures during the last days of the persecution under Emperor Diocleatian (r. 284-305). Calvisian, the local governor, had Euplius tortured on the rack and then beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to the gods.
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/E/steuplius.asp
TODAY'S GOSPEL
Matthew 18: 21 - 35
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21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;
25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'
27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.'
29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'
30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.
32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;
33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'
34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.
35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Matthew 19: 1
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1 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;
