CATHOLIC world NEWS: SUN. OCT. 10, 2010

CATHOLIC world NEWS: SUN. OCT. 10, 2010: HEADLINES-

VATICAN: POPE: OPENS SYNOD FOR MIDDLE EAST -

AUSTRALIA: 8000 TO ATTEND CANONISATION IN ROME -

ASIA: BANGLADESH: WORKSHOP FOR EVANGELISATION IN OTHER CULTURES -

AMERICA: USA: VOTE ON ECUMENICAL AGREEMENT -

EUROPE: ITALY: PALLOTINE ORDER: NEW SUCCESSOR -

AFRICA: SUDAN: BISHOP URGES BUILDING FOUNDATIONS -

TODAY'S SAINT: ST. FRANCIS BORGIA -

TODAY'S MASS READINGS: 28TH SUN. IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C, OCT. 10 -

VATICAN: POPE: OPENS SYNOD FOR MIDDLE EAST
Radio Vaticana report: Pope Benedict XVI says the reason for the special assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, which opened Sunday, is pastoral and not political. Speaking during mass Sunday morning to the 270 participants at the assembly, which runs October 10th to 24th, the Pope underlined that “while not being able to ignore the delicate and at times dramatic social and political situation of some countries, the Pastors of the Middle Eastern Churches” during the two week meeting at the Vatican, “wish to concentrate on the aspects of their own mission”, in short “re-enliven communion of the Catholic Church in the Middle East”.Sunday morning, to interchanging Arabic and Greek chants, those pastors processed down the nave of St Peter’s basilica, resplendent in their traditional liturgical vestments a visible sign of what Pope Benedict XVI described as the “variety of liturgical, spiritual, cultural and disciplinary traditions” of the Eastern Churches in communion with Rome. Traditions he said that enrich the universal Church.Joined by chief concelebrants Lebanese Card. Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites and Iraqi Card. Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, the Pope told the assembly that this “singular event demonstrates the interest of the whole Church for that precious and beloved part of God’s people who live in the Holy Land and the whole of the Middle East”.Reflecting on the theme of the Synod, “Communion and Witness”, Pope Benedict said “without communion there can be no witness”, reminding those present that communion is “a gift, not something which we ourselves must build through our own efforts”, a gift that requires conversion.In a reference to one of the principle concerns of many church leaders in the Middle East, the exodus of Christians from the cradle of the faith, Pope Benedict reminded all those present that “in Jerusalem the first Christians were few. Nobody could have imagined what was going to take place. And the Church continues to live on that same strength which enabled it to begin and to grow”, the strength of Pentecost.“Therefore, the reason for this synodal assembly is mainly a pastoral one”, that, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the communion of the Catholic Church in the Middle East can be re-enlivened.This he continued “requires the reinforcing of their Christian identity through the Word of God and the Sacraments” so that “the faithful feel the joy in living in the Holy Land”.However, he added “living in a dignified manner in one’s own country is above all a fundamental human right: therefore, the conditions of peace and justice, which are necessary for the harmonious development of all those living in the region, should be promoted. Therefore all are called to give their personal contribution: the international community, by supporting a stable path, loyal and constructive, towards peace; those most prevalent religions in the region, in promoting the spiritual and cultural values that unite men and exclude any expression of violence”.Concluding his homily the Holy Father extended his blessing on all the populations of the Middle East: ““Peace to you, peace to your family, peace to all that is yours!”.
http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=428965
IMAGE SOURCE: ASIA NEWS
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AUSTRALIA: 8000 TO ATTEND CANONISATION IN ROME
Cath News report: Up to 8000 Australians are expected to arrive in Rome in coming days so they can say they were there when Mary MacKillop, a 19th-century nun who taught, and cared for, the poor, was declared the nation's first saint.Australia's Catholic community is determined to make its presence felt at the historic occasion, says a report on the Sunday Herald-Sun.Two vigil performances on MacKillop's life, at one of Rome's main auditoriums, have sold out. On the day after the canonisation, Sydney's Cardinal George Pell will lead a special Australian thanksgiving mass at St Paul's Outside The Walls.The Vatican Museum will also open its doors to stage a special Australian Night on Friday. It will feature a display of rare indigenous artefacts taken to Rome by missionary priests during early colonial days.The main tour provider, Harvest Pilgrimages, has faced a major logistical exercise ensuring Australian pilgrims get value for money. The company will operate non-stop walking tours of Rome from Thursday to Saturday, following in the footsteps of Mary MacKillop when she went to the Holy See in the 1870s to petition the Pope to grant her order independence."We will have nuns playing the part of Mary and leading the groups on the walk. We have more than 50 of them lined up to do the job," Harvest Pilgrimages managing director Philip Ryall said.
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=23630
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ASIA: BANGLADESH: WORKSHOP FOR EVANGELISATION IN OTHER CULTURES
Asia News report: In South Asia violence against Christians by majority religions is commonplace. In Bangladesh 70 priests and nuns take part in a workshop to learn a new approach towards other cultures. Dhaka (AsiaNews) - About 70 Xaverian nuns and priests from Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, PIME, have attended a seminar on "Multi and Inter-cultural approach , Epistemological and semantic aspects " from 5 to 8 October.Father Francis Rapacioli, PIME regional superior, told AsiaNews that the seminar addressed the problem of how the missionary understands and is understood by the people among whom he or she carries out his or her mission. This problem was addressed in a simple and clear manner by Agostino Portera (pictured), Professor of Intercultural Education at the University of Verona (Italy).Portera spoke of violence between religious faiths, as manifested against Christians in countries like Muslim majority Pakistan or Hindu dominated India.To communicate between different cultures, says Portera, "we need to address the growing conflict and violence in India and Pakistan, or any where else. Most people in conflict claim their religion or values are the best, but this is not the way forward, we must begin a dialogue with those who are in conflict, dialogue alone is the way. ""We must understand the people, the contrast between Christian or Hindu or other faiths is not a problem, but the lack of dialogue is", "Dialogue can stop the conflict."In Pakistan the blasphemy law is rooted, as denounced by Mgr. John Joseph, bishop of Faisalabad, between 1984 to 1998, who committed suicide in protest against the cruelty of Muslims toward Christians in Pakistan. In India there is a growing Hindu violence against Christians.Portera observes that "intercultural education is the best and most appropriate to address such inevitable questions. This revolutionary approach bypasses our disorientation. ... And the current social changes." "Our different situations and intercultural education, as developed in Europe, allows us to reconsider the pedagogy, combining the best of tradition with the needs and demands of the challenges to come."He also explained this in the use of general concepts, "there are still many barriers to overcome. The term 'tolerance' used to date in connection with multicultural and intercultural education sometimes conveys a hierarchical idea: a person who is superior and must accept the lesser. "Instead "the relationship must occur at the same level. In many countries, and in official documents, terms like 'race' or 'primitive culture' are still uncritically used, although the word 'race' has no scientific basis and has been banished from the language of the European Parliament. "Such words show the persistence of a "physical or psychological violence" and should be eliminated.According to Porter, it is necessary to educate people on how to address such situations of conflict and this seminar can be a start, but we must continue a process of education, which must start from the school to educate the whole society.Father Rapacioli concluded noting that missionaries are working for peace and that their work in Bangladesh takes place in much better conditions than in Pakistan and India, because there is a permanent dialogue with Islamic leaders. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Missionary-commitment-and-multicultural-challenge-in-South-Asia-19677.html
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AMERICA: USA: VOTE ON ECUMENICAL AGREEMENT
USCCB REPORT: Bishops to Hear Report on Haiti Response, Greet New Catholic University President, Vote on Ecumenical Agreement at November MeetingWASHINGTON(October 8, 2010)—The annual Fall General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will be November 15-18, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel. The meeting will begin with Mass at 8 a.m. on Monday.At the assembly, the bishops will hear addresses by the president of the USCCB, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, and the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Pietro Sambi. On Tuesday, they will elect the next president, vice president, treasurer-elect and general secretary of the USCCB, as well as the chairmen-elect of six committees.Other items on the agenda include discussion and votes on:A common agreement between the bishops' conference and four Reformed churches to recognize each other’s baptismThe request of the Pro-Life Activities Committee to begin drafting a brief policy statement against physician assisted suicideThe 2012 assessment, with a recommendation that it be increased by 3 percentDiscussion and vote of the 2011 Conference budget.The bishops will also receive a formal introduction of Professor John H. Garvey, the new president of The Catholic University of America, and hear reports and presentations on:The Church’s response to the earthquake in HaitiThe Review and Renewal of the Catholic Campaign for Human DevelopmentThe work of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of MarriageInformational update on World Youth Day 2011The needs of the Archdiocese for the Military ServicesIntegrating new media into diocesan communication structures.For more information on the election of the USCCB general secretary, visit www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-167.shtml. For more information on the elections of chairmen-elect, visit www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-160.shtml. Coverage of the assembly is open to credentialed media. Sessions open to the media will be Monday, November 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, November 16, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. There will be media conferences after all open sessions. Reporters seeking to cover the meeting can download a credential application form at www.usccb.org/comm/credentialform.pdf and submit it by November 5, by fax to (202) 541-3173, or mail to:November Meeting CredentialsOffice of Media Relations3211 4th St. NEWashington, DC 20017-1194 http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2010/10-178.shtml
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EUROPE: ITALY: PALLOTINE ORDER: NEW SUCCESSOR
Agenzia Fides report: – Delegates of the XX General Assembly of the Society of Catholic Apostolate (SAC) for the first time elected an Indian priest as successor of the founder, St. Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850): Fr. Jacob Nampudakam is the new Rector General, elected on October 4. The XX General Assembly of the SAC was opened September 20 at the House of the Divine Master in Ariccia (Rome) and will end on October 15. The motto of the Assembly is "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (Jn 20:21) and the main theme is “Reviving faith and rekindling love: Apostles of Jesus in a changing world.”Rev. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam was born on 10 August, 1955 in Ayyampara, Kerala, India. He was ordained priest in 1981, after his theological studies in St. Charles Seminary, Nagpur. After his priestly ordination, Fr. Jacob has worked as spiritual director, novice master, director of the Pallottine Animation Center, General Secretary of the Society and General Consultor. During the last 12 years, he was also the General Secretary for Formation of the Society. Rev. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam holds Master's Degree in Philosophy and Spirituality as well as a Licentiate in Psychology from the Institute of Psychology, Gregorian University, Rome.The history of the Pallottines in India began in 1951, with the missionaries of the German Province of the 'Heart of Jesus' of Friedberg. Only in 1989 was the SAC Province of India erected, later turned into three entities in 2001, with centers in Nagpur, Bangalore, and Raipur.The Society of Catholic Apostolate was founded as a community of priests and brothers in 1835 in Rome, by St. Vincent Pallotti. There are now more than 2,300 members, in over 300 communities, spread over 40 countries on all continents, involved in the management of formation centers, parishes, formation for young people, in the press, in the missions, etc http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27563&lan=eng
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AFRICA: SUDAN: BISHOP URGES BUILDING FOUNDATIONS
All Africa report: The Catholic Bishop of Rumbek, Caesar Mazzolari, has urged the Southern Sudanese to engage in building the foundations of the post-referendum reality now, for a better future.In an exclusive interview with Good News Radio on Tuesday, Bishop Mazzolari said that the effectiveness of the referendum and the life after the exercise depend on the plans made now, adding that this involves a commitment to make personal sacrifices.The bishop also called upon the people to maintain a peaceful atmosphere, explaining that building foundations and planning require an atmosphere of peace.Bishop Mazzolari cautioned against the thinking that voting at the referendum is an end in itself, urging the Southern Sudanese to get involved in working for the common good.The bishop further urged the Southern Sudanese to take ownership of the referendum with a sense of patriotism, cautioning them against expecting too much from the international community or remaining dependent on the decisions of the Northern government.The bishop was outlining the plans for the November 8 to 15 Sudan Catholic Bishops' plenary that will bring together 45 Church personalities in Rumbek, among them three cardinals, to reflect together on the situation of the country headed for a referendum on self-determination of Southern Sudan http://allafrica.com/stories/201010080818.html
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TODAY'S SAINT: ST. FRANCIS BORGIA
St. Francis BorgiaJESUIT LEADER OF THE COUNTER-REFORMATIONFeast: October 10Information:Feast Day:October 10Born:October 28, 1510, Valencia, SpainDied:September 30, 1572, Rome, ItalyCanonized:1671 by Clement XMajor Shrine:relics translated to the Jesuit church in Madrid, Spain in 1901Patron of:against earthquakes; Portugal; Rota, MarianasFrancis Borgia, born 28 October, 1510

, was the son of Juan Borgia, third Duke of Gandia, and of Juana of Aragon; died 30 September, 1572. The future saint was unhappy in his ancestry. His grandfather, Juan Borgia, the second son of Alexander VI, was assassinated in Rome on 14 June, 1497, by an unknown hand, which his family always believed to be that of Cæsar Borgia. Rodrigo Borgia, elected pope in 1402 under the name of Alexander VI, had eight children. The eldest, Pedro Luis, had acquired in 1485 the hereditary Duchy of Gandia in the Kingdom of Valencia, which, at his death, passed to his brother Juan, who had married Maria Enriquez de Luna. Having been left a widow by the murder of her husband, Maria Enriquez withdrew to her duchy and devoted herself piousl

y to the education of her two children, Juan and Isabel. After the marriage of her son in 1509, she followed the example of her daughter, who had entered the convent of Poor Clares in Gandia, and it was through these two women that sanctity entered the Borgia family, and in the House of Gandia was begun the work of reparation which Francis Borgia was to crown. Great-grandson of Alexander VI, on the paternal side, he was, on his mother's side, the great-grandson of the Catholic King Ferdinand of Aragon. This monarch had procured the appointment of his natural son, Alfonso, to the Archbishopric of Saragossa at the age of nine years. By Anna de Gurrea, Alfonso had two sons, who succeeded him in his archiepiscopal see, and two daughters, one of whom, Juana, married Duke Juan of Gandia and became the mother of our s

aint. By this marriage Juan had three sons and four daughters. By a second, contracted in 1523, he had five sons and five daughters. The eldest of all and heir to the dukedom wasFrancis. Piously reared in a court which felt the influence of the two Poor Clares, the mother and sister of the reigning duke, Francis lost his own mother when he was but ten. In 1521, a sedition amongst the populace imperilled the child's life, and the position of the nobility. When the disturbance was suppressed, Francis was sent to Saragossa to continue his education at the court of his uncle, the archbishop, an ostentatious prelate who had never been consecrated nor even ordained p

riest. Although in this court the Spanish faith retained its fervour, it lapsed nevertheless into the inconsistencies permitted by the times, and Francis could not disguise from himself the relation in which his grandmother stood to the dead archbishop, although he was much indebted to her for his early religious training. While at Saragossa Francis cultivated his mind and attracted the attention of his relatives by his fervour. They being desirous of assuring the fortune of the heir of Gandia, sent him at the age of twelve toTordesillas as page to the Infanta Catarina, the youngest child and companion in solitude of the unfortunate queen, Juana the Mad.In 1525 the Infanta married King Juan III of Portugal, and Francis returned to Saragossa to complete his education. At last, in 1528, the court of Charles V was opened to him, and the most brillia

nt future awaited him. On the way to Valladolid, while passing, brilliantly escorted, through Alcalá de Henares, Francis encountered a poor man whom the servants of the Inquisition were leading to prison. It was Ignatius of Loyola. The young nobleman exchanged a glance of emotion with the prisoner, little dreaming that one day they should be united by the closest ties. The emperor and empress welcomed Borgia less as a subject than as a kinsman. He was seventeen, endowed with every charm, accompanied by a magnificent train of followers, and, after the emperor, his presence was the most gallant and knightly at court. In 1529, at the desire of the empress, Charles V gave him in marriage the hand of Eleanor de Castro, at the same time making him M

arquess of Lombay, master of the hounds, and equerry to the empress, and appointing Eleanor Camarera Mayor. The newly-created Marquess of Lombay enjoyed a privileged station. Whenever the emperor was travelling or conducting a campaign, he confided to the young equerry the care of the empress, and on his return to Spain treated him as a confidant and friend. In 1535, Charles V led the expedition against Tunis unaccompanied by Borgia, but in the following year the favourite followed his sovereign on the unfortunate campaign in Provence. Besides thevirtues which made him the model of the court and the personal attractions which made him its ornament, the Marquess of Lombay possessed a cultivated musical taste. He delighted above all in ecclesiastical compositions, and these display a remarkable contrapuntal s

tyle and bear witness to the skill of the composer, justifying indeed the assertion that, in the sixteenth century and prior to Palestrina, Borgia was one of the chief restorers of sacred music.In 1538, at Toledo, an eighth child was born to the Marquess of Lombay, and on 1 May of the next year the Empress Isabella died. The equerry was commissioned to convey her remains to Granada, where they were interred on 17 May. The death of the empress caused the first break in the brilliant career of the Marquess and Marchioness of Lombay. It detached them from the court and taught the nobleman the vanity of life and of its grandeurs. Blessed John of Avila preached the funeral sermon, and Francis, having made known to him his desire of reforming his life, returned to Toledo resolved to become a perfect Christian. On 26 June, 1539, Charles V named Borgia Viceroy of Catalonia, and the importance of the c

harge tested the sterling qualities of the courtier. Precise instructions determined his course of action. He was to reform the administration of justice, put the finances in order, fortify the city of Barcelona, and repress outlawry. On his arrival at the viceregal city, on 23 August, he at once proceeded, with an energy which no opposition could daunt, to build the ramparts, rid the country of thebrigands who terrorized it, reform the monasteries, and develop learning. During his vice-regency he showed himself an inflexible justiciary, and above all an exemplary Christian. But a series of grievous trials were destined to develop in him the work of sanctification begun at Granada. In 1543 he became, by the death of his father, Duke of Gandia, and was named by the emperor master of the household of Prince Philip of Spain, who was betrothed to the Princess of Portugal. This appointment seemed to indicate Francis as the chief minister of the future reign, but by God's permission the sovereigns of Portugal opposed the appointment. Francis then retired to his Duchy of Gandia, and for three years awaited the termination of the disple

asure which barred him from court. He profited by this leisure to reorganize his duchy, to found a university in which he himself took the degree of Doctor of Theology, and to attain to a still higher degree of virtue. In 1546 his wife died. The duke had invited the Jesuits to Gandia and become their protector and disciple, and even at that time their model. But he desired still more, and on 1 February, 1548, became one of them by the pronunciation of thesolemn vows of religion, although authorized by the pope to remain in the world, until he should have fulfilled his obligations towards his children and his estates—his obligations as father and as ruler.On 31 August, 1550, the Duke of Gandia left his estates to see them no more. On 23 October he arrived at Rome, threw himself at the feet of St. Ignatius, and edified by his rare humil

ity those especially who recalled the ancient power of the Borgias. Quick to conceive great projects, he even then urged St. Ignatius to found the Roman College. On 4 February, 1551, he left Rome, without making known his intention of departure. On 4 April, he reached Azpeitia in Guipuzcoa, and chose as his abode the hermitage of Santa Magdalena near Oñate. Charles V having permitted him to relinquish his possessions, he abdicated in favour of his eldest son, was ordained priest 25 May, and at once began to deliver a series of sermons in Guipuzcoa which revived the faith of the country. Nothing was talked of throughout Spain but this change of life, and Oñate became the object of incessant pilgrimage. The neophyte was obliged to tear himself from prayer in order to preach in the cities which called him, and which his burning words, his e

xample, and even his mere appearance, stirred profoundly. In 1553 he was invited to visit Portugal. The court received him as a messenger from God and vowed to him, thenceforth, a veneration which it has always preserved. On his return from this journey, Francis learned that,

at the request of the emperor, Pope Julius III was willing to bestow on him the cardinalate. St. Ignatius prevailed upon the pope to reconsider this decision, but two years later the project was renewed and Borgia anxiously inquired whether he might in conscience oppose the desire of the pope. St. Ignatius again relieved his embarrassment by requesting him to pronounce the solemn vows of profession, by which he engaged not to accept any dignities save at the formal command of the pope. Thenceforth the saint was reassured. Pius IV and Pius V loved him too well to impose upon him a dignity which would have caused him distress. Gregory XIII, it is true, app

eared resolved, in 1572, to overcome his reluctance, but on this occasion death saved him from the elevation he had so long feared.On 10 June, 1554, St. Ignatius named Francis Borgia commissary-general of the Society in Spain. Two years later he confided to him the care of the missions of the East and West Indies, that is to say of all the missions of the Society. To do this was to entrust to a recruit the future of his order in the peninsula, but in this choice the founder displayed his rare knowledge of men, for within seven years Francis was to transform the provinces confided to him. He found them poor in subjects, containing but few houses, and those scarcely known. He left them strengthened by his influence and rich in disciples drawn from the highest grades of society. These latter, whom his example had done so much to att

ract, were assembled chiefly in his novitiate at Simancas, and were sufficient for numerous foundations. Everything aided Borgia — his name, his sanctity, his eager power of initiative, and his influence with the Princess Juana, who governed Castile in the absence of her brother Philip. On 22 April, 1555, Queen Juana the Mad died at Tordesillas, attended by Borgia. To the saint's presence has been ascribed the serenity enjoyed by the queen in her last moments. The veneration which he inspired was thereby increased, and furthermore his extreme austerity, the care which he lavished on the poor in the hospitals, the marvellous graces with which God surrounded his apostolate contributed to augment a renown by which he profited to further God's work. In 1565 and 1566 he founded the missions of Florida, New Spain, and Peru, thus extending even to the New World the effects of his insatiable zeal.In December, 1556, and three other time

s, Charles V shut himself up at Yuste. He at once summoned thither his old favourite, whose example had done so much to inspire him with the desire to abdicate. In the following month of August, he sent him to Lisbon to deal with various questions concerning the succession of Juan III. When the emperor died, 21 September, 1558, Borgia was unable to be present at his bedside, but he was one of the testamentary executors appointed by the monarch, and it was he who, at the solemn services at Valladolid, pronounced the eulogy of the deceased sovereign. A trial was to close this period of success. In 1559 Philip II returned to reign in Spain. Prejudiced for various reasons (and his prejudice was fomented by many who were envious of Borgia, some of whose interpolated works had been recently condemned by the Inquisition), Philip seemed to have forg

otten his old friendship for the Marquess of Lombay, and he manifested towards him a displeasure which increased when he learned that the saint had gone to Lisbon. Indifferent to this storm, Francis continued for two years in Portugal his preaching and his foundations, and then, at the request of Pope Pius IV, went to Rome in 1561. But storms have their providential mission. It may be questioned whether but for the disgrace of 1543 the Duke of Gandia would have become a religious, and whether, but for the trial which took him away from Spain, he would have accomplished the work which awaited him in Italy. At Rome it was not long before he won the veneration of the public. Cardinals Otho Truchsess, Archbishop of Augsburg, Stanislaus Hosius, and Alexander Farnese evinced towards him a sincere friendship. Two men abo

ve all rejoiced at his coming. They were Michael Chisleri, the future Pope Pius V, and Charles Borromeo, whom Borgia'a example aided to become a saint.On 16 February, 1564, Francis Borgia was named assistant general in Spain and Portugal, and on 20 January, 1565, was elected vicar-general of the Society of Jesus. He was elected general 2 July, 1565, by thirty-one votes out of thirty-nine, to succeed Father James Laynez. Although much weakened by his austerities, worn by attacks of gout and an affection of the stomach, the new general still possessed much strength, which, added to his abundant store of initiative, his daring in the conception andexecution of vast designs, and the influence which he exercised over the Christian princes and at R

ome, made him for the Society at once the exemplary model and the providential head. In Spain he had had other cares in addition to those of government. Henceforth he was to be only the general. The preacher was silent. The director of souls ceased to exercise his activity, except through his correspondence, which, it is true, was immense and which carried throu

ghout the entire world light and strength to kings, bishops and apostles, to nearly all who in his day served the Catholic cause. His chief anxiety being to strengthen and develop his order, he sent visitors to all the provinces of Europe, to Brazil, India, and Japan. The instructions, with which he furnished them were models of prudence, kindness, and breadth of mind. For the missionaries as well as for the fathers delegated by the pope to the Diet of Augsburg, for the confessors of princes and the professors of colleges he mapped out wide and secure paths. While too much a man of duty to permit relaxation or abuse, he attracted chiefly by his kindness, and won souls to good by his example. The edition of the rules, at which he laboured incessantly, wa

s completed in 1567. He published them at Rome, dispatched them (throughout the Society), and strongly urged their observance. The text of those now in force was edited after his death, in 1580, but it differs little from that issued by Borgia, to whom the Society owes the chief edition of its rules as well as that of the Spiritual, of which he had borne the expense in 1548. In order to ensure the spiritual and intellectual formation of the young religious and the apostolic character of the whole order, it became necessary to take other measures. The task of Borgia was to establish, first at Rome, then in all the provinces, wisely regulated novitiates and flourishing houses of study, and to develop the cultivation of the interior life by establishing in all of these the custom of a daily hour of prayer.He completed at Rome the house and church of S. Andrea in Quirinale, in 1567. Illustrious novices flocked thither, among them Stanislaus Kostka (d

. 1568), and the future martyr Rudolph Acquaviva. Since his first journey to Rome, Borgia had been preoccupied with the idea of founding a Roman college, and while in Spain had generously supported the project. In 1567, he built the church of the college, assured it even then an income of six thousand ducats, and at the same time drew up the rule of studies, which, in 1583, inspired the compilers of the Ratio Studiorum of the Society. Being a man of prayer as well as of action, the saintly general, despite overwhelming occupations, did not permit his soul to be distracted from continual contemplation. Strengthened by so vigilant and holy an administration the Society could not but develop. Spain and Portugal numbered many foundations; in Italy Borgia created the Roman province, and founded several colleges in Piedmont. France and the N

orthern province, however, were the chief field of his triumphs. His relations with the Cardinal de Lorraine and his influence with the French Court made it possible for him to put an end to numerous misunderstandings, to secure the revocation of several hostile edicts, and to found eight colleges in France. In Flanders and Bohemia, in the Tyrol and in Germany, he maintained and multiplied important foundations. The province of Poland was entirely his work. At Rome everything was transformed under his hands. He had built S. Andrea and the church of the Roman college. He assisted agenerously in the building of the Gesù, and although the official founder of that church was Cardinal Farnese, and the Roman College has taken the name of one of its greatest benefactors, Gregory XIII, Borgia contributed more than anyone towards these foundations. During the seven years of his government, Borgia had introduced so manyref

orms into his order as to deserve to be called its second founder. Three saints of this epoch laboured incessantly to further the renaissance of Catholicism. They were St. Francis Borgia, St. Pius V, and St. Charles Borromeo.The pontificate of Pius V and the generalship of Borgia began within an interval of a few months and ended at almost the same time. The saintly pope had entire confidence in the saintly general, who conformed with intelligent devotion to every desire of the pontiff. It was he who inspired the pope with the idea of demanding from the Universities of Perugia and Bologna, and eventually from all the Catholic universities, a profession of the Catholic faith. It was also he who, in 1568, desired the pope to appoint a commission of cardinals charged with promoting the conversion of infidels and heretics, which was the germ of the

Congregation for the Propogation of the Faith, established later by Gregory XV in 1622. A pestilential fever invaded Rome in 1566, and Borgia organized methods of relief, established ambulances, and distributed forty of his religious to such purpose that the same fever having broken out two years later it was to Borgia that the pope at once confided the task of safeguarding the city.Francis Borgia had always greatly loved the foreign missions. He reformed those of India and the Far East and created those of America. Within a few years, he had the glory of numbering among his sons sixty-six martyrs, the most illustrious of whom were the fifty-three missionaries of Brazil who with their superior, Ignacio Azevedo, were massacred by Huguenot corsairs. It re

mained for Francis to terminate his beautiful life with a splendid act of obedience to the pope and devotion to the Church.On 7 June, 1571, Pius V requested him to accompany his nephew, Cardinal Bonelli, on an embassy to Spain and Portugal. Francis was then recovering from a severe illness; it was feared that he had not the strength to bear fatigue, and he himself felt that such a journey would cost him his life, but he gave it generously. Spain welcomed him with transports. The old distrust of Philip II was forgotten. Barcelona and Valencia hastened to meet their former viceroy and saintly duke. The crowds in the streets cried: "Where is the saint?" They found him emaciated by penance. Wherever he went, he reconciled differences and soothed discord. At Madrid, Philip II received him with open arms, the Inquisition approved and recommended his genuine works. The reparation was complete, and it seemed as thoug

h God wished by this journey to give Spain to understand for the last time this living sermon, the sight of a saint. Gandia ardently desired to behold its holy duke, but he would never consent to return thither. The embassy to Lisbon was no less consoling to Borgia. Among other happy results he prevailed upon the king, Don Sebastian, to ask in marriage the hand of Marguerite of Valois, the sister of Charles IX. This was the desire of St. Pius V, but this project, being formulated too late, was frustrated by the Queen of Navarre, who had meanwhile secured the hand of Marguerite for her son. An order from the pope expressed his wish that the embassy should also reach the French court. The winter promised to be severe and was destined to prove fatal to Borgia. Still more grievous to him was to be the spectacle of the devastation which heresy had caused in that country, and which struck sorrow to the heart of the saint. At Blois, Charles IX and Catherine de' Medici accorded Borgia the reception due to a Spanish grandee, but to the cardin

al legate as well as to him they gave only fair words in which there was little sincerity. On 25 February they left Blois. By the time they reached Lyons, Borgia's lungs were already affected. Under these conditions the passage of Mt. Cenis over snow-covered roads was extremely painful

. By exerting all his strength the invalid reached Turin. On the way the people came out of the villages crying: "We wish to see the saint". Advised of his cousin's condition, Alfonso of Este, Duke of Ferrara, sent to Alexandria and had him brought to his ducal city, where he remained from 19 April until 3 September. His recovery was despaired of and it was said that he would not survive the autumn. Wishing to die either atLoretto or at Rome, he departed in a litter on 3 September, spent eight days at Loretto, and then, despite the sufferings caused by the slightest jolt, ordered the bearers to push forward with the utmost speed for Rome. It was expected t

hat any instant might see the end of his agony. They reached the "Porta del Popolo" on 28 September. The dying man halted his litter and thanked God that he had been able to accomplish this act of obedience. He was borne to his cell which was soon invaded by cardinals and prelates. For two days Francis Borgia, fully conscious, awaited death, receiving those who visited him and blessing through his younger brother, Thomas Borgia, all his children and grandchildren. Shortly after midnight on 30 September, his beautiful life came to a peaceful and painless close. In the Catholic Church he had been one of the most striking examples of the conversion of souls after the Renaissance, and for the Society of Jesus he had been the protector chosen by Providence to whom, after St. Ignatius, it owes most.In 1607 the Duke of Lerma, minister of Philip III and grandson of the holy religious, having seen his granddaughter miraculously cured through

the intercession of Francis, caused the process for his canonization to be begun. The ordinary process, begun at once in several cities, was followed, in 1637, by the Apostolic process. In 1617 Madrid received the remains of the saint. In 1624 the Congregation of Rites announced that his beatification and canonization might be proceeded with. The beatification was celebrated at Madrid with incomparable splendour. Urban VIII having decreed, in 1631, that a Blessed might not be canonized without a new procedure, a new process was begun. It was reserved for Clement X to sign the Bull of canonization of St. Francis Borgia, on 20 June, 1

670. Spared from the decree of Joseph Bonaparte who, in 1809, ordered the confiscation of all shrines and precious objects, the silver shrine containing the remains of the saint, after various vicissitudes, was removed, in 1901, to the church of the Society at Madrid, where it is honoured at the present time.It is with good reason that Spain and the Church venerate in St. Francis Borgia a great man and a great saint. The highest nobles of Spain are proud of their descent from, or their connexion with him. By his penitent and apostolic life he repaired the sins of his family and

rendered glorious a name, which but for him, would have remained a source of humiliation for the Church. His feast is celebrated 10 October. SOURCE
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/F/stfrancisborgia.asp
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TODAY'S MASS READINGS: 28TH SUN. IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C, OCT. 10
2 Kings 5: 14 - 1714So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.15Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him; and he said, "Behold

, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant."16But he said, "As the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it, but he refused.17Then Na'aman said, "If not, I pray you, let there be given to your servant two mules' burden of earth; for henceforth your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.

Psalms 98: 1 - 41O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.2The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.3He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the Earth have seen the victory of our God.4Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

2 Timothy 2: 8 - 138Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel,9the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered.10Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory.11The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;12if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;13if we are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself.

Luke 17: 11 - 1911On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Sama'ria and Galilee.12And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance13and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."14When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;16and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.17Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"19And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."
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CATHOLIC world NEWS: SAT. OCT. 9, 2010

CATHOLIC world NEWS: SAT. OCT. 9, 2010: HEADLINES-
VATICAN: POPE: MESSAGE FOR EASTERN CHURCHES-

EUROPE: IRELAND: NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR CHILDREN -

ASIA: CHINA: CAMPAIGN FOR RELEASE OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE -

AFRICA/SUDAN - CALL TO PRAY FOR PEACE IN SUDAN BY BISHOP -

AMERICA: USA: MONKS RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR NEW MONASTERY-

AUSTRALIA: BURN VICTIM SOPHIE DELEZIO TRAVELS TO ROME -

TODAY'S SAINT: ST. DENIS: DIED 258 -
TODAY'S GOSPEL: OCT. 9: Luke 11: 27 - 28-

VATICAN: POPE: MESSAGE FOR EASTERN CHURCHES
(Vatican Channel)The Code of Eastern Canon Law is a valuable tool for promoting and preserving the ancient rites and ways of living the faith. This was Benedict XVI message today to participants at the conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, on the occasion of the 20 years since the promulgation of the Code, which took place in 1990. The full union of the Eastern Catholic Churches with the Church of Rome - the Pope said - must not lead to a decrease in their awareness of their authenticity and originality. Therefore, the duty of all Eastern Catholic Churches is to preserve their common disciplinary heritage and nourish their traditions, a source of wealth for the whole Church. http://www.youtube.com/vatican#p/a/u/1/XO7O857gsnEimage source Radio Vaticana
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Saturday, October 9, 2010

EUROPE: IRELAND: NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR CHILDREN
IND. Cath News report: The Irish National Day of Prayer for Children 2010 takes place this Friday, 8 October. The celebration encourages Irish children to strengthen their spiritual bond with children just like them but who live in mission countries.First launched in 2007, school involvement with the day has grown year on year. The celebration, which is warmly supported by the Bishops of Ireland, teaches children the value of prayer during Mission Month with child friendly resources.Resources available to assist schools in the celebration include a special Mass and Prayer Service.There is also Children's Mission Rosary Beads, Mission Rosary Candles, a little prayer book for children called 'Prayers In My Pocket', an Information Poster for schools/parish notice board and a Teacher's Mission Rosary Kit with Activity Sheet for children.To download resources and for more information, see: www.wmi.ie/go/resources/national_day_of_prayer http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=16869
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ASIA: CHINA: CAMPAIGN FOR RELEASE OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE
UCAN REPORT: Human rights groups have begun a campaign for the release of Chinese democracy activist and Nobel Peace prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.The Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) was joined by other groups in a petition demanding Liu’s freedom.They protested outside the Hong Kong office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China at 5:00 p.m., the same time the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s name was announced in Norway.Chinese dissident Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China.“Awarding Liu the peace prize inspires those who fight for democracy in mainland China,” said Patrick Poon, executive secretary of the Hong Kong-based Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group.Poon, a Catholic, believed Liu’s articles on democracy and the Charter 08 will be widely read again and would let many people know how the Chinese government suppressed peaceful democracy fighters.Protesters also expressed their disapproval over deputy foreign minister Fu Ying’s earlier attempts to exert pressure on the Norwegian Nobel committee.“Liu’s work fits well to the spirit of the Nobel Peace Prize and Fu’s act was an insult to it,” Poon added.“How unreasonable and absurd for the Chinese government to curb freedom of speech,” said JPC project officer Or Yan-yan.“It also shows that China has not caught up with the world but only uses its economic power to suppress others,” she said.http://www.ucanews.com/2010/10/08/catholics-urge-nobel-prize-winners-release//08/catholics-urge-nobel-prize-winners-release/
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AFRICA/SUDAN - CALL TO PRAY FOR PEACE IN SUDAN BY BISHOP
Agenzia Fides REPORT – Church's concern for fate of Sudanese from south living in north, in case of southern secessionA call to pray for peace in Sudan was launched by Bishop Cesare Mazzolari, Bishop of Rumbek, in southern Sudan, on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.Bishop Mazzolari led the prayer at the Cathedral of the Holy Family. The prayer is part of the "101 Days of Prayer" (see Fides 22/9/2010) to promote the peaceful conduct of the referendum of January 9, 2011 on the independence of southern Sudan.As Sudan approaches the date of the referendum vote, more and more politicians and figures in society are expressing their opinion on the issue, saying whether they are for or against the secession of the south from the rest of the country. However, there is also an increase in situations of tension. On October 7, the central government in Khartoum accused the Southern Sudanese Army (based on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, southern Sudan has an autonomous regional government and its own armed forces, although respecting the integrity of the one state) of having occupied a region disputed between north and south Sudan. According to a military spokesman in Khartoum, "the referendum could be rendered impossible if these violations continue."The President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir, told a UN Security Council delegation visiting the country, that he may independently organize the referendum in the region administered by him, if the central government should continue to hinder voting.The tension between north and south Sudan has aroused the concern of Catholic Bishops. According to reports from the agency in Nairobi, CISA, Fr. Santino Maurino Morokomomo, Secretary General of the Bishops' Conference of Sudan, in an interview with Good News Radio in Rumbek, has expressed fears for the fate of southern Sudanese who live in the north. "The lives of southern Sudanese in the north is under threat," said Morokomomo, because most of them are inclined towards the separation of the south from the rest of the country. Fr. Morokomomo added that the southern Sudanese who want to return to their areas of origin cannot do so, as they have no financial resources.The Secretary of the Bishops' Conference has appealed to the Government of Southern Sudan to help these people to return to the south. Fr. Morokomomo finally expressed his fear that in the case of separation between north and south, the Church in the north of Sudan could be subject to persecution in the form of confiscation of property and personal threats. http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=27567&lan=eng
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 7:23 PM 0 comments

AMERICA: USA: MONKS RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR NEW MONASTERY
Catholic Online report:At an open public hearing before the Park County Board of Commissioners, the monks were given unanimous approval to proceed with building the new monastery. The Monks of Mt Carmel know that their calling to live a radical monastic life, in fidelity to the original vision of the Carmelites, is special. They embrace it courageously in and for the Lord and His Church. Now they will be able to build a new Mt. Carmel for America. When the history of the Third Millennium is written, this monastery will be one of many where historians recount the rebirth of Christendom.The Monks of 'Carmel of the Immaculate heart of Mary' come to us at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium as a gift and a prophetic sign.CODY, WY (Catholic Online) - "Praised be Jesus Christ" said the joyful voice of a monk on the other end of the line. Within minutes I heard another joyful voice, Fr. Daniel Mary of Jesus Crucified, the Prior of this burgeoning monastic community in Wyoming formally called "Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary". I had another absolutely delightful conversation with this wonderful priest and spiritual father. My last conversation with him was in August. I wrote an article based upon it entitled "Mount Carmel for America: Carmelite Monks, Messengers of New Springtime" This Monk's love for the Lord and His Church is contagious.The last time we spoke, Father shared the monk's hopes to build a new monastery to house their growing young community. The artist's rendering of the 144,000 square foot French Gothic style monastery alone can send one to their knees to worship, it is so beautiful. The property will also house one of the enterprises which help the monks to be self sustaining, Mystic Monk Coffee which has grown so rapidly in popularity it has outgrown its current cramped quarters where the monks roast it, grind it and package it.Since our last conversation I had read of concerns raised by a few neighbors about the purchase of 2500 deeded acres of undeveloped ranch land for this apostolic undertaking. Some stories online speculated it may have had something to do with the monastic way of life and devout Catholic faith of the monks. However, the reasons were really quite simple. These were ranchers, good folks, who seem to have been mainly concerned about whether the building of the monastery would change the nature of the ranchland, change the lifestyle and bring a lot of traffic. Father and the monks were able to assuage their concerns that this was a monastery and only those coming for Holy Mass, Confession or spiritual counsel would make the trek up what will be a seven mile road onto Mt Carmel.So, now the good news; on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 1:00 p.m., at an open public hearing before the Park County Board of Commissioners, the monks were given unanimous approval to proceed with the building of Mt. Carmel for America. The commissioners wanted to know whether the land will continue to be used for ranching. The monks were happy to report that it will. They intend to keep the property as a ranch as well as work the land for farming. Father Daniel Mary explained to me that with the growing resurgence of vocations to the lay brotherhood (not all monks are clerics) the Lord had already brought ranchers to the community who would help with 1,000 head of cattle that will graze on Mt. Carmel.None of this is new to this monk; Father Daniel Mary grew up on a ranch roughly six or seven miles from the property. His father is a rancher whose reputation is well known in those parts of Wyoming. His son speaks so highly of his natural father that, as a father of five grown children myself, it warmed my heart to hear it. He dreamed of establishing a monastery in Wyoming as a younger man. He knew that the beauty of the land, the rugged simplicity and faith of the people, and the challenge of the times required such a place. That dream is becoming a reality for this man of living faith.Fr Daniel Mary emphasized that all of the monks, even the "choir monks" will "work the land". He explained, "This helps us go back to our agrarian roots as monks and forms our young men in manly character. Young men need this kind of manly way of life which involves hard, physical work like clearing timber, growing gardens, tending to crops and ranching. It helps us to stay rooted in a deep, agrarian identity as monks and as men".The Carmelite monks in Wyoming are hardy men with even hardier hearts, dedicated to the Lord and His Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. They have revived the ancient tradition of Carmel, returning to the original charism and the ancient traditions. He takes great joy in sharing the enthusiasm of the growing number of young men who are joining or discerning the community, seeking a full monastic life, and in some instances, seeking the eremitical life. There will be hermitages on Mt. Carmel for those monks called to respond to the invitation of the Lord to that special way of life in Him and for His Church.In his plain spoken, naturally supernatural manner he explained that he considers Mount Carmel part of a "monastic flowering" in our day. We spoke enthusiastically about Church history and how monks and similar monastic flowerings have preceded the great renewals in the Church in centuries past. With great delight he told me the young men seeking to live this life say to him "Reverend father, can we just follow the way of the Saints". And this holy priest fully believes that, in his own words, the "surest way to go in bringing back the great monastic tradition of Carmel as a gift to and for the Church is to follow the way of the Saints".In concluding our discussion he told me a very heartwarming story of the only resident who spoke at the recent public hearing. When the commissioners opened the floor for discussion, before unanimously voting to approve the requests presented by the Monks, Father Daniel Mary admits that he was a little concerned. After all, there had been some concerns from neighbors before. However, only one woman spoke, an older woman named Susan. Turns out Susan had been in the Courthouse to get license plates for she and her husband's new truck when she saw the sign indicating there was going to be a public hearing on the Monks request to build on that property.When the commissioners asked for public comment she stepped forward and spoke, "I want everybody to know, I love these monks. They are the best neighbors we could ever have. They pray for us all. I want all of you to know that these monks should be given full approval for everything they ask for." Susan then came up to the monks and thanked them, leaned down and kissed the head of Fr. Daniel Mary and then left the hearing room. The second part of the session concerned the requests for "Mystic Monk" Coffee to build a new facility. It was also approved.When the second session was complete, the monks received news that Susan had driven home and accidentally left her truck in gear when she went to get out. In a freak accident, she was run over and sustained very serious injuries. Susan died that very day. Of course the monks were shocked! They immediately drove to the house. They found her grieving husband and went inside to console him. They hugged him. He asked "Why"? Father Daniel Mary then explained to me what they told Susan's husband. They explained her act of kindness at the hearing. In the midst of his tears of grief he said it helped to make sense of it all for him; it was his wife's "last act of love."The Monks of "Carmel of the Immaculate heart of Mary" come to us at the beginning of the Third Christian Millennium as a gift and a prophetic sign. These are real monks and real men, passionately and courageously in love with the Lord Jesus Christ and dedicated to renewing in our day the great treasury of monasticism. Vocations are not a problem for these monks; they receive hundreds of inquiries a year. They will build a place from which prayer will rise to the heavens, renewing the Church so that she can continue her redemptive mission in our age. The beauty of the monastery they will build will be added to the beauty of 2500 deeded acres of ranch land. This land is enhanced by over 6,000 acres of forested land surrounding Mt. Carmel which is part of a National Forest lease and cannot be developed.The Monks of Mt Carmel know that their calling to live a radical monastic life, in fidelity to the original vision of the Carmelites, is special. They embrace it courageously in and for the Lord and His Church. Now they will be able to build a new Mt. Carmel for America. I have said it before and I say it again - with even more conviction - when the history of the Third Millennium is written, this monastery will be one of many where historians recount the rebirth of Christendom. The building of this monastery is Good News for the Monks of Mt Carmel and Good News for the Church in the United States. They need our prayer and they need our financial support to build Mt. Carmel for America.
http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=38661
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 7:19 PM 0 comments

AUSTRALIA: BURN VICTIM SOPHIE DELEZIO TRAVELS TO ROME

Cath News report: Sophie Delezio, the little girl whose burn injuries moved the nation, has joined thousands of pilgrims heading to Rome for Mary MacKillop's canonisation.The Mosman Daily said Sophie's family, which lives at Balgowlah, credits Mother Mary with speeding the brave youngster’s recovery from the life-threatening injuries she sustained in two separate car accidents. They recently left for Rome to attend the historic ceremony.Sophie, now aged nine, suffered burns to 85 per cent of her body in a serious car accident at a Fairlight day-care centre in 2003, from which she was initially not expected to recover.The family’s life was again shattered in 2006 when she was hit by a car while being pushed across a Seaforth pedestrian crossing in a stroller.The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the order founded by Mary MacKillop, prayed for Sophie throughout her rehabilitation and before each of her numerous operations. Her parents, Ron Delezio and Carolyn Martin, believe Mary MacKillop intervened in their daughter’s survival.
http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=23618
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 7:10 PM 0 comments

TODAY'S SAINT: ST. DENIS: DIED 258
St. DenisBISHOPFeast: October 9Information:Feast Day:October 9Born:Third century, ItalyDied:258 at MontmarteMajor Shrine:Abbey of Saint-Denis, Saint Denis BasilicaPatron of:France; Paris; against frenzy; against strife; headaches; hydrophobia; possessed people; rabiesBishop of Paris, and martyr. Born in Italy, nothing is definitely known of the time or place, or of his early life. His feast is kept on 9 October. He is usually represented with his head in his hands because, according to the legend, after his execution the corpse rose again and carried the head for some distance. That, however, while still very young he was distinguished for hisvirtuous life, knowledge of sacred things, and firm faith, is proved by the fact that Pope Fabian (236-250) sent him with some other missionary bishops to Gaul on a difficult mission. The Church of Gaul had suffered terribly under the persecution of the Emperor Decius and the new messengers of Faith were to endeavour to restore it to its former flourishing condition. Denis with his inseparable companions, the priest Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius, arrived in the neighbourhood of the present city of Paris and settled on the island in the Seine. The earliest document giving an account of his labours and of his martyrdom (Passio SS. Dionsyii, Rustici et Eleutherii), dating from the end of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century and wrongly attributed to the poet Venantius Fortunatus, is interwoven with much legend, from which, however, the following facts can be gleaned.On the island in the Seine Denis built a church and provided for a regular solemnization of the Divine service. His fearless and indefatigable preaching of the Gospel led to countless conversions. This aroused the envy, anger and hatred of the heathen priests. They incited the populace against the strangers and importuned the governor Fescenninus Sisinnius to put a stop by force to the new teaching. Denis with his two companions were seized and as they persevered in their faith were beheaded (about 275) after many tortures. Later accounts give a detailed description of the confessors' sufferings. They were scourged, imprisoned, racked, thrown to wild beasts, burnt at the stake, and finally beheaded. Gregory of Tours simply states: "Beatus Dionysius Parisiorum episcopus diversis pro Christi nomine adfectus poenis praesentem vitam gladio immente finivit" (Hist. Franc. I, 30). The bodies of the three holy martyrs received an honourable burial through the efforts of a pious matron named Catulla and a small shrine was erected over their graves. This was later on replaced by a beautiful basilica (egregium templum) which Venantius celebrated in verse (Carm. I, ii).From the reign of King Dagobert (622-638) the church and the Benedictine monastery attached to it were more and more beautifully adorned; the veneration of St. Denis became by degrees a national devotion, rulers and princes vying with one another to promote it. This development is due in no small degree to an error prevailing throughout the Middle Ages, which identified St. Denis of Paris with St. Dionysius the Areopagite, and with the Pseudo-Dionysius, the composer of the Areopagitic writings. The combining of these three persons in one was doubtless effected as early as the eighth or perhaps the seventh century, but it was only through the "Areopagitica" written in 836 byHilduin, Abbot of Saint-Denis, at the request of Louis the Pious, that this serious error took deep root. The investigations of Launoy first threw doubt on the story and the Bollandist de Bye entirely rejected it. Hilduin was probably deceived by the same apocryphal Latin and Greek fictions. The possession of the Areopagitic writings (since 827 in Saint-Denis) strengthened his conviction of this truth. Historiographers of the present day do not dispute this point. All attempts of Darras, Vidieu, C. Schneider, and others to throw some light on the subject have proved fruitless.
http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/D/stdenis.asp
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 7:09 PM 0 comments

TODAY'S GOSPEL: OCT. 9: Luke 11: 27 - 28
Luke 11: 27 - 2827As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!"28But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
Posted by JesusCaritasEst at 7:07 PM 0 comments