EUROPE: SPAIN: WYD- "DAYS IN THE DIOCESE"- 130,000 YOUTH
AMERICA: CANADA: BISHOPS RELEASE WEBSITE ON NEW MISSAL
ASIA: CHINA: 2 PRIESTS STILL MISSING- PRAYERS FOR RELEASE
AUSTRALIA: RIP SR. MARIA MCCOSKER- AGE 85- MISSIONARY
AFRICA: DEM. REP. OF CONGO: CARITAS PAYS TEACHER SALARIES
TODAY'S SAINT: AUG. 12: ST. JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL
TODAY'S SAINT: AUG. 12: ST. EUPLIUS
VATICAN.VA REPORT: APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY
MADRID
DECREE
It grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful who, on the occasion of "World Youth Day XXVI" shall be allocated in Madrid in a spirit of pilgrimage, can also gain the partial indulgence everyone, wherever they are, will pray for the spiritual purpose of this meeting and for its happy outcome. (IMAGE RADIO VATICANA)
It recently received the petition to the Apostolic Penitentiary of His Eminence Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid and President of the Bishops' Conference of Spain, for young people to get the desired fruits of sanctification by the "XXVI World Youth Day," which will be held 16-21 of the current month of August, in the Spanish capital, and that theme will be: "Rooted and grounded in Christ, in the faith "(cf. Col 2, 7).
The Apostolic Penitentiary, the Holy Father having exposed these considerations, was equipped with special power to bestow, through the present Decree, the gift of indulgence, according to the mind of the Pope himself, as follows:
It gives the ' Plenary Indulgence to the faithful who devoutly participate in a sacred function or pious exercise to be held in Madrid during the "XXVI World Youth Day" and in its solemn conclusion, provided that, confessed and truly repented, receive Holy Communion and devoutly pray for the intentions of His Holiness.
It gives the ' partial indulgence to the faithful, wherever they are during the above-mentioned meeting, if, at least with a contrite spirit, they will raise their prayers to God the Holy Spirit, so that young people to love and give them the strength to preach with their lives the Gospel.
In order that the faithful can be more easily share in these heavenly gifts, priests, lawfully approved for hearing sacramental confessions, with ready and you pay to receive them and propose to the faithful public prayers for the success of the same "Day World Youth Day ".
This Decree is valid for this event. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary.
Given in Rome, the Apostolic Penitentiary, August 2, 2011 year of the Incarnation of the Lord, the pious memory of the "Porziuncola".
Lucky Card Baldelli
Major Penitentiary
The Holy Father Benedict XVI accepted the resignation from the ministry of the Archdiocese of Rabaul (Papua New Guinea), presented by Archbishop Karl Hesse, MSC, in accordance with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law.
He is succeeded by Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, SDB, Coadjutor of the same archdiocese.
EUROPE: SPAIN: WYD- "DAYS IN THE DIOCESE"- 130,000 YOUTH
Romereports.com REPORT: World Youth Day hasn't started yet, but about 130,000 youths from 137 countries are already in Spain. It's a way for them to prepare for the big event. It's called “Days in the Dioceses.” Basically, 65 Spanish dioceses welcome these youths to prepare them before World Youth Day kicks off.
The plan includes cultural and historic tours, as well as time for fun and of course for prayer.
During the "Days in the Dioceses" pilgrims are offered free accommodation in schools, parishes sport centers and private homes.
The program is completely free for young people who come from countries with economic challenges.
The program began in 1997 when World Youth Day was celebrated in Paris. The experience was so positive, it was adopted in the following World Youth Days: Italy, Canada, Germany and Australia.
AMERICA: CANADA: BISHOPS RELEASE WEBSITE ON NEW MISSAL
CCCB REPORT: The National Liturgy Office and the Publications Service of the CCCB are pleased to announce that a new Website is now online for the Roman Missal. This Website,www.romanmissal.ca, is designed to help parishes, missions and institutions across Canada in understanding the contents of this new book, which will be available this fall. The Website includes resources for preparing parish bulletins and workshops. It also contains links to Roman Missal related materials from the National Liturgy Office and the Publications Service of the CCCB, which are producing the book. There are also links to Websites of Catholic Dioceses in Canada concerning the Roman Missal, as well as links to Roman Missal Websites from English-speaking conferences of Bishops around the world and the Vatican.
The prefaces and other prayers for the Sundays of Advent from the CCCB edition will soon be posted, to facilitate the efforts of Priests in preparing to proclaim these new translations. For musicians, there are links to recordings of the three settings for the Ordinary of the Mass that were composed specifically for Canada.
Every diocese and parish with a Website is more then welcome to put a link towww.romanmissal.caon their own sites. The cover image of the Missal makes a great image for such a link. Our webmaster would also be pleased to post any additional diocesan links for the Roman Missal that we may have overlooked.
Because this is the only version of the new translation of the Roman Missal approved for use in parishes and institutions across Canada by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the CCCB offers www.romanmissal.ca as the new resource to aid in the implementation of the Roman Missal on the first Sunday of the Advent, November 27, 2011.
ASIA: CHINA: 2 PRIESTS STILL MISSING- PRAYERS FOR RELEASE
Two of four “underground” priests detained in Shandong province last week are still in custody, Church sources said today.
Father Wang Chengli, diocesan administrator of Heze diocese, is currently at a detention center in Dongming county, they said.
Local Catholics say they have not heard of any further information about the priest and can only keep on praying for his release.
Father Wang was taken away along with three other priests, Fathers Zhao Wuji, Sun Guicun and Li Xianyang, on August 3 from a layperson’s home.
Police officers from Dongming county entered the house on the pretext of arresting a burglar and took them away.
They were later interrogated by the police, religious officials and security officers from Heze city, according to the Church sources.
They believe the arrests were either an attempt to force the priests to join the Catholic Patriotic Association or in connection with the open community’s plans to ordain a bishop, probably later this year.
Fathers Zhao and Li were freed on August 7 and Father Sun was released a day later.
“Officials warned them not to do pastoral work and administer any sacraments in Heze, otherwise they would be arrested and jailed,” said the sources.
However, Father Sun was picked up again by county religious officials on August 9 and his whereabouts are still unknown.
The Church sources were also worried that Father Wang would unlikely be returning to the diocese in the near future as he is the leader of the underground community.
Officials probably forced or bribed the laypeople to betray the priests, who usually operate in secret, they added.
They also said the arrests would not dampen their spirits, saying “we will never surrender and will keep on upholding Church principles and bearing witness for the truth.”
There are only a handful of underground priests and four open priests in Heze diocese, which has been without a bishop since Bishop Joseph Wang Dianduo died in 2004.
http://www.ucanews.com/2011/08/12/underground-priests-in-custody/
AUSTRALIA: RIP SR. MARIA MCCOSKER- AGE 85- MISSIONARY
ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH REPORT: Sister of Mercy Maria Goretti McCosker died peacefully at Mt St Joseph’s Nursing Home, Young, this morning. She was aged 85.
Sr Maria came from a health care background and was involved in a number of related ministries over the years.
She worked in pastoral care at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Calvary Hospital Canberra and in Young; she was involved in nursing at Young, Cootamundra and Albury; she did missionary work in Koge, Papua New Guinea; and she was involved in parish work at St Patrick's Parish Boorowa.
Sr Maria’s funeral will be held on Thursday, 18 August, commencing with the Mass of Christian Burial at 11am in St Mary’s Church, Young.
AFRICA: DEM. REP. OF CONGO: CARITAS PAYS TEACHER SALARIES
According to the DIA Catholic news agency in Kinshasa, the agreement was signed on Aug. 10 by His Exc. Mgr. Nicolas Djomo Lola, Bishop of Tshumbe and President of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (NECCO), and by Mr Maker Mwangu, Congolese Minister of Education.
The agreement provides that the payment of teachers’ salaries during the school year 2011-2012 will be made through Caritas Congo network. The Congolese State will pay in the money through a special bank account opened by Caritas, which will pay the Catholic School teachers across the country.
A 6-month trial period to verify the effectiveness of this experience is expected.
The Minister underlined that the agreement between the State and the Catholic Church was decreed after consultation with other educational partners concerning other churches (Protestant, Kimbangu, the Salvation Army, etc. ..) and the Islamic community.
The late payment of teachers’ salaries has caused deep distress, which has resulted in protests and strikes. (L.M.)
TODAY'S SAINT: AUG. 12: ST. JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
FOUNDRESS
Feast: August 12
| 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.
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Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/J/stjanefrancesdechantal.asp#ixzz1UpL5xTuO
TODAY'S SAINT: AUG. 12: ST. EUPLIUS
St. Euplius
MARTYR
Feast: August 12
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| 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. |
Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/E/steuplius.asp#ixzz1UpKraI5Q
