CATHOLIC NEWS WORLD: TUES. APRIL 5, 2011: HEADLINES-
ASIA: VIETNAM: 29 CATHOLICS ARRESTED TRYING TO OBSERVE TRIAL
AMERICA: USA: SUPREME COURT APPROVES RELIGIOUS SCHOOL TAX CREDIT
EUROPE: GREAT BRITAIN: DEATH OF CISTERCIAN BR. AIDAN
TODAY'S SAINT: APRIL 5: ST. VINCENT FERRER
TODAY'S GOSPEL: APRIL 5: JOHN 5: 1- 16
2011
PROGRAM FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II
VATICAN CITY, 5 APR 2011 (VIS REPORT) - This morning, a conference was held at the Holy See Press Office to present the preparations and the program for the beatification of John Paul II. The speakers were Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar general for the diocese of Rome; Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., director of Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Centre (CTV) and the Holy See Press Office; Fr. Cesare Atuire, director general of Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi; Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Vicariate of Rome; and Fr. Walter Insero, director of the Office of Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome. (IMAGE SOURCE: RADIO VATICANA)
Cardinal Vallini presented the full program for the celebrations for the beatification, which he described as "strongly characterised by particular elements intended to emphasise the richness of John Paul II's personality, and the impact of his pontificate on the life of the diocese of Rome and on the whole world".
1. The Vigil, 30 April (Circus Maximus, 20.00 to 22.30).
The celebration will be divided into two parts. The first part will be dedicated to remembering the words and actions of John Paul II. There shall then be a solemn procession during which the image of Maria Salus Populi Romani will be enthroned; this shall be accompanied by representatives of all the parishes and chaplaincies of the diocese. Privileged accounts will be given by Joaquin Navarro-Valls and Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, both of whom worked closely with the Pope, and by Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre, whose miraculous recovery opened the way for the beatification process. This first part of the celebrations will be concluded with the hymn "Totus tuus", composed for the 50th anniversary of John Paul's priestly ordination.
The second part will focus on the celebration of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, which were introduced by John Paul II. After the hymn "Open the doors to Christ", Cardinal Vallini will give an introduction summarising the spiritual and pastoral character of John Paul II. The Rosary will then be recited, with a live connection to five Marian sanctuaries around the world. Each of the five Mysteries of the Rosary shall be linked to a prayer intention of importance to John Paul II. In the Sanctuary of Lagniewniki, Krakow, the prayer intention will take the theme of youth; in the Sanctuary of Kawekamo, Bugando, Tanzania, the family; in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa, evangelisation; in the Basilica of Sancta Maria de Guadalupe, Mexico City, hope and peace among peoples; and in the Sanctuary of Fatima, the Church.
To conclude the vigil, Benedict XVI shall recite the final oration and impart the apostolic blessing to all participants, in live transmission from the Apostolic Palace.
That night the following churches shall remain open for the oration: Sant' Agnese in Agone, Piazza Navona; San Marco al Campidoglio; Santa Anastasia; Santissimo Nome di Gesù all'Argentina; Santa Maria in Vallicella; San Giovanni dei Fiorentini; San Andrea della Valle; and San Bartolomeo all'Isola.
2. Mass of Beatification, 1 May, Sunday after Easter or of Divine Mercy (St. Peter's Square, 09.00: hour of preparation; 10.00: officiated by the Holy Father).
The solemn liturgy of beatification shall be preceded by an hour of preparation during which the faithful shall pray together the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a devotion introduced by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska and dear to the Blessed John Paul II. The preparation will conclude with an Invocation to Mercy in the world, with the hymn "Jezu ufam tobie". This will be followed by Mass, with the texts for the Sunday after Easter. At the end of the rite of beatification, the unveiling of the tapestry depicting the newly Blessed shall be accompanied by the Hymn to the Blessed in Latin.
3. Mass of thanksgiving, Monday 2 May (officiated by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, St. Peter's Square, 10.30).
Mass on Monday 2 May shall be the first celebrated in honour of the newly Blessed John Paul II. The texts shall be those of the Mass of the Blessed John Paul II. Music during the celebrations shall be provided by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome, with the participation of the Choir of Warsaw and the Wadowice Symphony Orchestra, Poland.
Fr. Lombardi explained that in the evening of Friday 29 April the tomb of the Blessed Pope Innocent XI - currently in the Chapel of St. Sebastian in St. Peter's Basilica - shall be transferred to the Altar of Transfiguration, to make way for the body of John Paul II. That morning, the coffin of John Paul II - which shall not be opened - will be transferred before the tomb of St. Peter, in the Vatican grotto. On the morning of 1 May, it will be brought before the Altar of Confession in the Basilica.
Following the beatification ceremony, the Pope and the concelebrating cardinals will make their way to the Altar of Confession in the Basilica and will pray for a moment before the body of the newly Blessed. From that evening, those who wish to do so may venerate the remains of John Paul II.
Fr. Walter Insero shall present the new project, "Digital Sentinels", recalling the polish Pope's address to the young as "sentinels of the morning" on World Youth Day 2000 in Rome.
Through the already well-known portal "Pope2You", provided by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, it will be possible to send digital postcards with phrases, in several languages, extracted from John Paul II's various addresses to young people. These postcards may be used as invitations to young people to come to Rome to celebrate the beatification of John Paul II. Furthermore, through this portal it will be possible to follow the scheduled celebrations (Vigil, beatification Mass, Mass of thanksgiving).
This initiative, carried out in collaboration with Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center and the Office for Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome, is managed by a group of young volunteers, several seminarians from colleges in Rome who provide translations in various languages, and friends from other continents.
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VATICAN CITY, 5 APR 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Alfred Agyenta, of the clergy of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, as Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga (area 16,602, population 1,731,343, Catholics 104,165, priests 56, religious 68), Ghana. The bishop-elect was born in Navrongo-Bolgatanga in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1988.
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VATICAN CITY, 5 APR 2011 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:
- Bishop Luis Maria Estrada Paetau, O.P., ex apostolic vicar of Izabal, Guatemala, on 25 March at the age of 75.
- Bishop Julian Gbur, S.V.D., of Stryj of the Ukrainians, Ukraine, on 24 March at the age of 68.
- Bishop Agostinho Stefan Januszewicz O.F.M. Conv., emeritus of Luziania, Brazil on 20 March at the age of 80.
- Bishop Anselmo Muller, M.S.F., emeritus of Januaria, Brazil, on 24 March at the age of 79.
- Bishop Thomas Nkuissi, emeritus of Nkongsamba, on 16 March at the age of 82.
- Archbishop Raymond-Marie Tchidimbo, C.S.Sp., emeritus of Conakry, Guinea, on 26 March at the age of 90.
ASIA: VIETNAM: 29 CATHOLICS ARRESTED TRYING TO OBSERVE TRIAL
Hanoi (AsiaNews) - " At least 29 Catholics were arrested at 8 AM on Monday morning when they were on their way to the court-house to observe the proceedings,”against lawyer and activist Cu Huy Ha Vu, the Catholic Youth Association of Vinh reported. Among them was Le Quoc Quan, a celebrated Catholic lawyer who has just filled out his application to run for Congress as a Catholic. Others arrested were Paulus Le Son, a blogger and a regular writer on the Redemptorists’ website; John Nguyen Van Tam, Catholic Student Group leader, and other young, patriotic students who came to show their respect for the non-Catholic defendant.
It had been reported by numerous eyewitnesses, shortly before being arrested those Catholic individuals were closely stalked, their cell phone use monitored and they were subsequently roughly manhandled, even bystanders who came to their rescue were subjected to beatings until they had to let go of the victims in order to avoid being severely injured.
With Le Quoc Quan in custody at the Hoan Kiem station, police raided his house, turned everything upside down, taking away his computers and documents along with a safe box. Another Catholic prominent reporter JB Nguyen Huu Vinh, who had been beaten half dead at Dong Chiem last year, was summoned right on the day for interrogation after his article on police brutality against innocent people had been published on a Catholic website.
The arbitrary arrests of police against people attending the court, and the lack of due process in the conduct of the trial to which all defendant lawyers walked out of the court to protest serious violations of the law during the proceedings prompted a statement from US. State Department. Spokesman Mark Toner stated that "We're also troubled by the lack -- apparent lack of -- due process in the conduct of the trial and the continued detention of several individuals who are peacefully seeking to observe the proceedings”.
During his trial, the rights advocate who had twice attempted to sue Vietnam Prime Minister told the court he was innocent of the charges, saying: "This criminal case was invented against me. This case is completely illegal." But the chief judge of Hanoi People's Court said his actions had been "harmful to society", cutting off Vu's self defence argument. "His writings and interviews - claimed the judge - blackened directly or indirectly the Communist Party of Vietnam”.
Vu's lawyers walked out of court after the judge refused to make public 10 interviews he was accused of conducting with foreign media - key parts of the case against him.
After the trial, his lawyers said there had been "serious violations of the law" during the proceedings. His wife, Duong Ha, also a lawyer was the only defendant's family member allowed in the courtroom. She broke down in tears learning that so many Catholic parishioners and supporters around the country had suffered attacks by police in an effort to show their support to her husband. She wished to express her gratefulness to those who were there for her husband, and her concern for those who are still in police's custody.
Many have believed that the heavy sentence on Monday against lawyer Vu sent a clear signal that the government would not tolerate criticism of the current system, at a time when Vietnam’s economic model is facing severe challenges. It also serves as an indication of the Vietnamese government’s growing submissiveness to China.
In 2009, Vu submitted a legal action against a Vietnamese prime minister in a clear attempt to cancel acontroversial bauxite mining plan by Chinese companies, which had sparked unusual opposition from a cross-section of society.
AMERICA: USA: SUPREME COURT APPROVES RELIGIOUS SCHOOL TAX CREDIT
- In what's being lauded as a major victory for parental choice in education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Arizona residents have a right to claim tax credit for donations to non-profit groups that provide scholarships to religious schools.
“Parents should be able to choose what’s best for their own children,” attorney David Cortman of the Alliance Defense Fund said. “This ruling empowers parents to do just that.”
On April 4, the high court ruled 5 – 4 to dismiss a lawsuit backed by the American Civil Liberties Union against an Arizona program that sought to promote school choice.
The case had pitted the Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization against a group of citizens charging that a 1997 government tax credit program amounted to a state establishment of religion. The program allowed taxpayers to donate money toward a variety of private scholarship foundations, rather than paying the same amount to the government through taxes.
The Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization is one of more than 50 non-profit groups that gives donations in the form of scholarships to more than 27,000 students attending hundreds of private schools throughout the state.
The Christian legal group Alliance Defense Fund, which helped defend the tuition organization, argued that the Arizona program involves individual, private choices and funding, not government action or money. The group also argued that the program saves the state money and relieves some of the burden on overcrowded public schools.
The Supreme Court sided with the non-profit and dismissed the suit on Monday, ruling that the American Civil Liberties Union's clients did not have any legal standing to sue over someone else’s private donations.
The Alliance Defense Fund said that the decision creates a national precedent that will prevent similar legal action in the future.
“Parents should decide what schools their children attend and where their money goes,” said Cortman, who serves as Senior Counsel for the defense fund.
He said that the American Civil Liberties Union “failed in its attempt to eliminate school choice for hundreds of thousands of students nationwide and also failed to demonstrate that it had any constitutional basis for its clients to file suit in the first place.”
In a strong gesture of support for the Christian tuition organization last November, acting U.S. Solicitor General Neal Kaytal said that opponents of the tax credit had no case. “Not a cent” of taxpayers' money was even indirectly funding religious schools, the solicitor general observed. “Not a fraction of a cent … As you track the taxpayers' dollars, it doesn't actually fund any religious program.”
Thus, the Obama-appointed solicitor general said, challengers of the Arizona law could not bring a complaint as taxpayers, nor could they claim an establishment of religion.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-ariz.-religious-schools/
EUROPE: GREAT BRITAIN: DEATH OF CISTERCIAN BR. AIDAN
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AFRICA: LIBYA: DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY ON CEASE-FIRE
“If we want to find a solution to the crisis in this Country, we need to consider the reasons by one and all. The wrongs are not only on one side. The regime also still has a degree of consensus. The Libyan radio continues to spread news of protests supporting Gheddafi from all over the world,” says Bishop Martinelli.
The Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli adds that “as regards the Africans found dead on the beaches of Libya, we have personally only seen a dozen bodies, beyond recognition because they are bloated and swollen. Probably they had been in the water for some time. The figure I had previously reported (68 bodies), was information I had been given. But I personally can only confirm the presence of ten bodies. I was told that more bodies were recovered on a beach in Garbuli.”
AUSTRALIA: NEW BISHOP FR. WRIGHT SEES CHALLENGES
Cath News report: The incoming Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle diocese said the sexual abuse crisis in the Church is a cause of "great sadness" and that he is prepared to do his best to meet the challenge to do things right, reports the Newcastle Herald. Fr Wright comes to Maitland-Newcastle from All Saints parish in Liverpool, Sydney, where he replaced Fr Robert Fuller, who was arrested in 2009 for attempting to procure a child over the internet for sex.''We've all been touched by it,'' Fr Bill Wright said, adding that he was "very aware of the difficulties'' in the Hunter when advised more than a week ago that he would replace Bishop Michael Malone.
Fr Wright accepts his new position knowing there are outstanding court cases involving priests, a taskforce investigating an alleged cover-up of a priest's abuse, and outstanding civil cases against the diocese by sexual abuse victims.
''I have no choice. I've got to be prepared for that,'' Father Wright said.
''It's a real challenge to get this stuff right and there might be times when I don't but I'm prepared to do my best.''
Although his selection had been rumoured for some time, Father Wright said he was surprised when Australia's Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Lazzarotto phoned to speak to him about it.
''It did surprise me, not least because I wasn't aware Bishop Malone was retiring,'' he said.
''I knew he'd made some moves in that direction but nothing seemed to have come of that.''
TODAY'S SAINT: APRIL 5: ST. VINCENT FERRER
St. Vincent Ferrer
SPANISH DOMINICAN PREACHER
Feast: April 5
| Famous Dominican missionary, born at Valencia, 23 January, 1350; died at Vannes, Brittany, 5 April, 1419. He was descended from the younger of two brothers who were knighted for their valour in the conquest of Valencia, 1238. In 1340 Vincent's father, William Ferrer, married Constantia Miguel, whose family had likewise been ennobled during the conquest of Valencia. Vincent was their fourth child. A brother, not unknown to history, was Boniface Ferrer, General of the Carthusians, who was employed by the antipope Benedict XIII in important diplomatic missions. Vincent was educated at Valencia, and completed his philosophy at the age of fourteen. In 1367 he entered the Dominican Order, and was sent to the house of studies at Barcelona the following year. In 1370 he taught philosophy at Lérida; one of his pupils there was Pierre Fouloup, later Grand Inquisitor of Aragon. In 1373 Vincent returned to the Dominican "Studium arabicum et hebraicum" at Barcelona. During his stay there famine was prevalent; filled with compassion for the sufferers; Vincent foretold, while preaching one day, the near approach of ships bearing wheat. His prediction was fulfilled. In 1377 he was sent to continue his studies at Toulouse, where, in his own words, "study followed prayer, and prayer succeeded study". In 1379 Vincent was retained by Cardinal Pedro de Luna, legate of the Court of Aragon, who was endeavouring to win King Peter IV to the obedience of Avignon. The saint, thoroughly convinced of the legitimacy of the claims of the Avignon pontiffs, was one of their strongest champions. From 1385 to 1390 he taught theology in the cathedral at Valencia. After this Vincent carried on his apostolic work while in Pedro de Luna's suite. At Valladolid he converted a rabbi, later well known as Bishop Paul of Burgos. At Salamanca Queen Yolanda of Aragon chose him for her confessor, 1391-5. About this time he was cited before the Inquisiton for preaching publicly "the Judas had done penance", but Pedro de Luna, recently raised to the papal chair as Benedict XIII, cited the case before his tribunal and burned the papers. Benedict then called him to Avignon and appointed him confessor and Apostolic penitentiary. Notwithstanding the indifference of so many prelates in the papal Court, he laboured zealously among the people. He steadfastly refused the honours, including the cardinalate, which were offered to him. France withdrew from the obedience of Avignon in September, 1398, and the troops of Charles VI laid siege to the city. An attack of fever at this time brought Vincent to death's door, but during an apparition of Christ accompanied by St. Dominic and St. Francis he was miraculously cured and sent to preach penance and prepare men for the coming judgment. Not until November, 1399, did Benedict allow Vincent Ferrer to begin his apostolate, furnished with full powers of a legate a latere Christi. For twenty years he traversed western Europe, preaching penance for sin and preparation for judgment. Provence was the first field of his apostolate; he was obliged to preach in squares and open places, such were the numbers that flocked to hear him. In 1401 he evangelized Dauphiny, Savoy, and the Alpine region, converting many Catharins and Waldensians. Thence he penetrated into Lombardy. While preaching at Alexandria he singled out from among the hearers a youth who was destined to evangelize Italy, Bernadine of Siena. Another chosen soul with whom Vincent came in contact while in Italy was Margaret of Savoy. During the years 1403-4 Switzerland, Savoy, and Lyons received the missionary. He was followed by an army of penitents drawn from every rank of society, who desired to remain under his guidance. Vincent was ever watchful of his disciples, and never did the breath of scandal touch this strange assemblage, which numbered at times 10,000. Genoa, Flanders, Northern France, all heard Vincent in turn. It would be difficult to understand how he could make himself understood by the many nationalities he evangelized, as he could speak only Limousin, the language of Valencia. Many of his biographers hold that he was endowed with the gift of tongues, an opinion supported by Nicholas Clemangis, a doctor of the University of Paris, who had heard him preach. In 1408 Vincent was at Genoa consoling the plague-stricken. A meeting had been arranged there between Gregory XII and Benedict XIII in the hope of putting an end to the schism. Vincent again urged Benedict to have pity on the afflicted Church, but in vain. Disappointed, he returned to Spain. It would be difficult to overestimate the influence which he exercised in the Iberian peninsula. Castile, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Granada, Andalusia, and Asturias were visited in turn, and everywhere miracles marked his progress; Christians, Jews, and Moslems were all lost in admiration of the thaumaturgus. From 1408 until 1416 he worked almost continuously south of the Pyrenees. At different times in Spanish history strenuous attempts had been made to convert the Jewish people, baptism or spoliation being the alternatives offered to them. This state of affairs existed when Vincent began to work among them; multitudes were won over by his preaching. Ranzano, his first biographer, estimates the number of Jews converted at 25,000. In the Kingdom of Granada he converted thousands of Moors. Vincent was often called upon to aid his country in temporal affairs, as the counsellor of kings and at one time the arbiter of the destiny of Spain. In 1409 he was commissioned by Benedict XIII to announce to Martin of Aragon the death of his only son and heir. After Martin's death, the representatives of the Kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia, and Catalonia appointed Vincent one of the judges to determine the succession to the Crown. At the judgment, known as the Compromise of Caspe, he took the leading part and helped to elect Ferdinand of Castile. Vincent was one of the most resolute and faithful adherents of Benedict XIII, and by his word, sanctity, and miracles he did much to strengthen Benedict's position. It was not until 1416, when pressed by Ferdinand, King of Aragon, that he abandoned him. On 6 January, preaching at Perpignan, he declared anew to the vast throng gathered around his pulpit that Benedict XIII was the legitimate pope, but that, since he would not resign to bring peace to the Church, Ferdinand had withdrawn his states from the obedience of Avignon. This act must have caused Vincent much sorrow, for he was deeply attached to Benedict. Nevertheless, it was thought that Vincent was the only person sufficiently esteemed to announce such a step to the Spanish races. John Dominici was more fortunate in his attempts to pave the way for reunion, when he announced to the Council of Constance the resignation of Gregory XII. Vincent did not go to the Council of Constance; he continued his apostolic journeys through France, and spent the last two years of his life in Brittany, where consciences without number were reformed and instructed in a Christian way of life. Vincent felt that he was the messenger of penance sent to prepare men for the judgment. For twenty years he traversed Western Europe preaching penance and awakening the dormant consciences of sinners by his wondrous eloquence. His austere life was but the living expression of his doctrine. The floor was his usual bed; perpetually fasting, he arose at two in the morning to chant the Office, celebrating Mass daily, afterwards preaching, sometimes three hours, and frequently working miracles. After his midday meal he would tend the sick children; at eight o'clock he prepared his sermon for the following day. He usually travelled on foot, poorly clad. Among St. Vincent's writings are: De suppositionibus dialecticis"; "De natura universalis"; "De monderno ecclesiae schismate", a defence of the Avignon pontiffs; and "De vita spirituali". His "Sermons" were published at Antwerp (1570), Augsburg (1729), and Lyons (1816); and his complete works at Valence (1591). He was canonized by Calixtus III at the Dominican Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Rome, 3 June, 1455 |
source: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/V/stvincentferrer.asp#ixzz1IhX7Caqh
TODAY'S GOSPEL: APRIL 5: JOHN 5: 1- 16
| John 5: 1 - 16 | |
| 1 | After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. |
| 2 | Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-za'tha, which has five porticoes. |
| 3 | In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. |
| 5 | One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. |
| 6 | When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" |
| 7 | The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." |
| 8 | Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." |
| 9 | And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the sabbath. |
| 10 | So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." |
| 11 | But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, `Take up your pallet, and walk.'" |
| 12 | They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, `Take up your pallet, and walk'?" |
| 13 | Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. |
| 14 | Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." |
| 15 | The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. |
| 16 | And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath. |
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