 VATICAN : POPE : 6 NEW CARDINALS - FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCHTODAY'S MASS ONLINE : SAT. NOV. 24, 2012TODAY'S SAINT: NOV. 24: ST. ANDREW DUNG-LAC(IMAGE SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA) CONSISTORY FOR THE CREATION OF CARDINALS: THE POPE EMPHASISES THE CATHOLICITY OF THE CHURCHVatican City, 24 November 2012 (VIS) - In St. Peter's Basilica at 11 a.m. today, Benedict XVI celebrated an ordinary public consistory for the creation of six new cardinals: James Michael Harvey, Bechara Boutros Rai O.M.M., Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Ruben Salazar Gomez and Luis Antonio G. Tagle. Following the new appointments the College of Cardinals will be composed of 211 members of whom 120, being under the age of eighty, are eligible to vote in a conclave for the election of a new Pope. After the opening prayer and the proclamation of the Gospel, the Holy Father pronounced his homily, following which he solemnly pronounced the the formula of creation of the new cardinals, their names and the diaconate or presbyteral order to which they have been assigned. The new cardinals then recited the Creed and swore their faithfulness and obedience to the Pope and his successors. Each new cardinal then knelt before the Pope to received his biretta. The Pope said "you must be ready to conduct yourselves with fortitude, even to the shedding of your blood, for the increase of the Christian faith, for the peace and well-being of the people of God". He then also consigned to them a ring, saying, "Know that with the love of the Prince of the Apostles your love for the Church is reinforced", and he assigned to each one a titular or diaconate church in Rome as a sign of their participation in the Holy Father's pastoral care of Rome. The Pope then handed over the Bull of Creation as cardinal, assigned the title or diaconate and exchanged an embrace of peace with the new members of the College of Cardinals. The cardinals also exchanged such a sign among themselves. The rite concluded with the Prayer of the Faithful, the recitation of the Our Father and the final blessing. Extracts from Benedict XVI's homily are given below: "'I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church'. … These words, which the new Cardinals are soon to proclaim in the course of their solemn profession of faith, come from the Niceno-Constantinopolitan creed, the synthesis of the Church’s faith that each of us receives at baptism. Only by professing and preserving this rule of truth intact can we be authentic disciples of the Lord. In this consistory, I would like to reflect in particular on the meaning of the word 'catholic', a word which indicates an essential feature of the Church and her mission. … What makes the Church catholic is the fact that Christ in His saving mission embraces all humanity. While during His earthly life Jesus’ mission was limited to the Jewish people, 'to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' from the beginning it was meant to bring the light of the Gospel to all peoples and lead all nations into the kingdom of God". "This universalist perspective can be seen, among other things, from the way Jesus applied to Himself not only the title 'Son of David', but also 'Son of Man'. … Jesus takes up this rich and complex expression and refers it to Himself in order to manifest the true character of His Messianism: a mission directed to the whole man and to every man, transcending all ethnic, national and religious particularities. And it is actually by following Jesus, by allowing oneself to be drawn into His humanity and hence into communion with God, that one enters this new kingdom proclaimed and anticipated by the Church, a kingdom that conquers fragmentation and dispersal. "Jesus sends His Church not to a single group, then, but to the whole human race, and thus He unites it, in faith, in one people, in order to save it. … This universal character emerges clearly on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fills the first Christian community with His presence, so that the Gospel may spread to all nations, causing the one People of God to grow in all peoples. … From that day, in the 'power of the Holy Spirit', according to Jesus’ promise, the Church proclaims the dead and risen Lord 'in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth'. The Church’s universal mission does not arise from below, but descends from above, from the Holy Spirit: from the beginning it seeks to express itself in every culture so as to form the one People of God. Rather than beginning as a local community that slowly grows and spreads outwards, it is directed towards a universal horizon, towards the whole: universality is inscribed within it. "'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation'; 'make disciples of all nations'. With these words, Jesus sends the Apostles to all creation, so that God’s saving action may reach everywhere ... and giving them both a promise and a task: He promises that they will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and He confers upon them the task of bearing witness to Him all over the world, transcending the cultural and religious confines within which they were accustomed to think and live, so as to open themselves to the universal Kingdom of God. At the beginning of the Church’s journey, the Apostles and disciples set off without any human security, purely in the strength of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel and the faith. This is the yeast that spreads round the world, enters into different events and into a wide range of cultural and social contexts, while remaining a single Church. Around the Apostles, Christian communities spring up, but these are 'the' Church which is always the same, one and universal, whether in Jerusalem, Antioch, or Rome". "Situated within the context and the perspective of the Church’s unity and universality is the College of Cardinals: it presents a variety of faces, because it expresses the face of the universal Church. In this Consistory, I want to highlight in particular the fact that the Church is the Church of all peoples, and so she speaks in the various cultures of the different continents. She is the Church of Pentecost: amid the polyphony of the various voices, she raises a single harmonious song to the living God". |
| TITULAR AND DIACONATE CHURCHES OF THE NEW CARDINALS Vatican City, 24 November 2012 (VIS) - Given below are the names of the six new cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI in this morning's consistory, and the titular or diaconate churches assigned to each: - Cardinal James Michael Harvey, diaconate of San Pio V a Villa Carpegna. - Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai O.M.M. - Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, title of San Gregorio VII. - Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, title of San Saturnino. - Cardinal Ruben Salazar Gomez, title of San Gerardo Maiella. - Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, title of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle. |
| AUDIENCES Vatican City, 24 November 2012 (VIS) - This evening the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. |
| OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS Vatican City, 24 November 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed: - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as members of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts. - Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, archbishop of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez of Los Angeles, U.S.A., as members of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. - Fr. William Crean of the clergy of the diocese of Kerry, Ireland, pastor of Cahersiveen and vicar forane, as bishop of Cloyne (area 3,440, population 164,500, Catholics 161,600, priests 118, religious 203), Ireland. The bishop-elect was born in Tralee, Ireland in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1976. He studied in Ireland and at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and has held a number of pastoral roles. - Msgr. Krzysztof Jakub Wetkowski of the clergy of the archdiocese of Gniezno, Poland, vicar general, as auxiliary of Gniezno (area 8,122, population 669,431, Catholics 651,692, priests 539, religious 328). The bishop-elect was born in Gniezno in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1988. Among other posts he has worked as professor of canon law, master of ceremonies of the cathedral and judge of the metropolitan tribunal. - Fr. Michael John Zielinski O.S.B. Oliv, as bureau chief at the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. - Fr. Edmondo Caruana O. Carm., official of the Vatican Publishing House, as bureau chief of the editorial office of the same organisation |
CATHOLIC MOVIES - WATCH POPE JOHN PAUL II - WHOLE FILM
IN HONOR OF THE YEAR OF FAITH - JCE NEWS WILL BE SHOWING SOME OF THE TOP CATHOLIC MOVIES OF ALL TIME. THIS IS POPE JOHN PAUL II - WHOLE FILM
EUROPE : NUNCIO SAYS - WASTE TIME WITH GOD
CATHOLIC HERALD REPORT
Archbishop Mennini celebrated Mass for inmates at Feltham Young Offenders Institution yesterday
By ANNA PULLICINO on Thursday, 22 November 2012
Archbishop Mennini celebrates Mass at Feltham (Photo: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk)
AFRICA : BUKINA FASO : TESTIMONY OF BISHOP TENKODOGO
Agenzia Fides REPORT РHis Exc. Mgr. Prosper Kontiebo, Burkinab̩ Camillian, since February 11, 2012 is the Pastor of the new Diocese of Tenkodogo, in the south of Ouagadougou. This is the fourth Bishop in the 400 years of history of the Order founded by St. Camillus, who arrived here on October 12, 1966 with three of his young religious. The following is a testimony of the Bishop, sent to Fides Agency by Camillian Father Felice Ruffini.
"We were in the week of the 32nd Sunday of this year 2012, and in my head I could still hear the Gospel which I commented: Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents, (cf. Mk 12: 41-44). Well ... what do you want me to say? - Writes Mgr. Kontiebo - Jesus was right again .... as usual. "
After this reflection, the Bishop adds his testimony of life. "Since his appointment as Bishop I went to visit my elderly grandmother, who lives in a village in Africa. I gave her a detailed account of the long and solemn celebrations during which I was consecrated Pastor of a Christian community in the south of the Country, with its festivities which for days involved thousands of people. During the long conversation, having heard that soon I would go to Rome to meet the Pope in St. Peter’s, she stood up and from a box pulled out 250 CFA francs, equal to 0.38 euro, which does not provide a rich meal but sufficent, and while putting the money in my hands, said: 'It is not for you .... but when you are in S. Peter’s put them in the box that is at his feet .... it is for the Pope." " This is a story of a Church in our days, these days, tormented yes, but always illuminated by a great light of hope," concludes Fr. Ruffini. (FR/AP) (Agenzia Fides 24/11/2012 )
"We were in the week of the 32nd Sunday of this year 2012, and in my head I could still hear the Gospel which I commented: Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents, (cf. Mk 12: 41-44). Well ... what do you want me to say? - Writes Mgr. Kontiebo - Jesus was right again .... as usual. "
After this reflection, the Bishop adds his testimony of life. "Since his appointment as Bishop I went to visit my elderly grandmother, who lives in a village in Africa. I gave her a detailed account of the long and solemn celebrations during which I was consecrated Pastor of a Christian community in the south of the Country, with its festivities which for days involved thousands of people. During the long conversation, having heard that soon I would go to Rome to meet the Pope in St. Peter’s, she stood up and from a box pulled out 250 CFA francs, equal to 0.38 euro, which does not provide a rich meal but sufficent, and while putting the money in my hands, said: 'It is not for you .... but when you are in S. Peter’s put them in the box that is at his feet .... it is for the Pope." " This is a story of a Church in our days, these days, tormented yes, but always illuminated by a great light of hope," concludes Fr. Ruffini. (FR/AP) (Agenzia Fides 24/11/2012 )
ASIA : TAIWAN : NEW FILM OF BISHOP SOEGIJAPRANATA
ASIA NEWS REPORT
by Xin Yage
The international version has come out, dubbed in English, of the feature film dedicated to Msgr. Albertus Soegijapranata, the first indigenous bishop. The director: he is not only a religious leader, but an author, philosopher and guide in a period of upheaval. For the producer of "Soegija", the bishop fought for unity in the diversity of cultures and faiths.
Taipei (AsiaNews) - A few days ago there also came out the international version - dubbed in English - of the Indonesian film "Soegija", shown for the first time on June 7 in Jakarta and focusing on one of the founding fathers of the nation. It concerns Msgr. Albertus Soegijapranata, the first native to be ordained bishop of the local Catholic Church (see AsiaNews06/07/2012Central Java: world premiere of Soegija, documentary film on the bishop and "national hero"). The film's official premier (click here to see the trailer) was also attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, together with senior state officials; now the film, which focuses on the values of national identity, independence and coexistence between different religions, has made its entrance into Taiwan, raising the universal values of "humanity and brotherhood."
Interviewed by AsiaNews during the Taiwan stage, the film's director Garin Nugroho explained that "the figure of Soegijapranata attracted me at first because he was the leader of a religious world; he was the first Indonesian bishop, appointed during the period of the Second World War, which swept through Europe and then Asia." In addition, he was "a writer, a thinker, the editor of a Catholic magazine of that time. He was also", the director continued, "a speaker with rare diplomatic skills that revealed the political dimension inside him. And finally, the film shows Soegijapranata's role in preserving values and embodying them in his leadership in the midst of all these upheavals."
As the executive producer of the film Y.I. Iswarahadi affirms, "the film 'Soegija' is intended as a reference and as a reflection on the nation, on humanity and the faith of the Indonesian people: with regard to the concept of nation, we want to learn the spirit of Soegijapranata who fought for safety and welfare, peace and unity." The bishop raised "the social welfare and dignity of those who suffered," and on the subject of faith taught to "integrate our faith into our lives," as "a true nation" and not just in "the interest of our group."
"This film chooses two transitional moments in the life of Soegijapranata", the director continues in his account to AsiaNews. "The first occurs in Semarang, during the Japanese occupation. The second is in Yogyakarta, when he accompanies the leaders of Indonesian independence. At that time, the capital had been moved to Yogyakarta. He went through these two great transitions related to economic, social, political, and cultural problems on local and international levels." Nirwan Dewanto, the actor who plays Soegijapranata, emphasized the bishop's support for the emerging "new republic," an element "present in his writings and in his speeches. He was an active supporter of this republic. His phrase 'one hundred percent Catholic and one hundred percent Indonesian' I think was taken up by other religious leaders" according to "the principles of a nation's struggle for the freedom of its people."
The film is multicultural, representing the different ethnic groups of the country concentrated at the time in Yogyakarta, the Chinese community, and the two forces of external aggression: the Japanese and the Dutch. The ethnic Chinese actress Olga Lydia, "mother" of the small Ling Ling in the film, says that "the Indonesians and the Chinese are both victims of war, regardless of ethnicity or their religion: the true enemy is the war, the violence itself." Having cost more than a million and a half dollars, the film is considered an "epic movie" by Indonesian standards; many simple people, desirous of bringing to the fore the figure of the first bishop of Indonesian nationality, contributed to its making. The international cooperation, as well as actors from different countries, also emerge in the production: the photography was entrusted to a Malaysian expert in the industry, Teoh Gay Hian, who filmed digitally with Arriflex cameras, as well as in post-production which took place in Thai studios in Bangkok.
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT
by Xin Yage
The international version has come out, dubbed in English, of the feature film dedicated to Msgr. Albertus Soegijapranata, the first indigenous bishop. The director: he is not only a religious leader, but an author, philosopher and guide in a period of upheaval. For the producer of "Soegija", the bishop fought for unity in the diversity of cultures and faiths.
Taipei (AsiaNews) - A few days ago there also came out the international version - dubbed in English - of the Indonesian film "Soegija", shown for the first time on June 7 in Jakarta and focusing on one of the founding fathers of the nation. It concerns Msgr. Albertus Soegijapranata, the first native to be ordained bishop of the local Catholic Church (see AsiaNews06/07/2012Central Java: world premiere of Soegija, documentary film on the bishop and "national hero"). The film's official premier (click here to see the trailer) was also attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, together with senior state officials; now the film, which focuses on the values of national identity, independence and coexistence between different religions, has made its entrance into Taiwan, raising the universal values of "humanity and brotherhood."
Interviewed by AsiaNews during the Taiwan stage, the film's director Garin Nugroho explained that "the figure of Soegijapranata attracted me at first because he was the leader of a religious world; he was the first Indonesian bishop, appointed during the period of the Second World War, which swept through Europe and then Asia." In addition, he was "a writer, a thinker, the editor of a Catholic magazine of that time. He was also", the director continued, "a speaker with rare diplomatic skills that revealed the political dimension inside him. And finally, the film shows Soegijapranata's role in preserving values and embodying them in his leadership in the midst of all these upheavals."
As the executive producer of the film Y.I. Iswarahadi affirms, "the film 'Soegija' is intended as a reference and as a reflection on the nation, on humanity and the faith of the Indonesian people: with regard to the concept of nation, we want to learn the spirit of Soegijapranata who fought for safety and welfare, peace and unity." The bishop raised "the social welfare and dignity of those who suffered," and on the subject of faith taught to "integrate our faith into our lives," as "a true nation" and not just in "the interest of our group."
"This film chooses two transitional moments in the life of Soegijapranata", the director continues in his account to AsiaNews. "The first occurs in Semarang, during the Japanese occupation. The second is in Yogyakarta, when he accompanies the leaders of Indonesian independence. At that time, the capital had been moved to Yogyakarta. He went through these two great transitions related to economic, social, political, and cultural problems on local and international levels." Nirwan Dewanto, the actor who plays Soegijapranata, emphasized the bishop's support for the emerging "new republic," an element "present in his writings and in his speeches. He was an active supporter of this republic. His phrase 'one hundred percent Catholic and one hundred percent Indonesian' I think was taken up by other religious leaders" according to "the principles of a nation's struggle for the freedom of its people."
The film is multicultural, representing the different ethnic groups of the country concentrated at the time in Yogyakarta, the Chinese community, and the two forces of external aggression: the Japanese and the Dutch. The ethnic Chinese actress Olga Lydia, "mother" of the small Ling Ling in the film, says that "the Indonesians and the Chinese are both victims of war, regardless of ethnicity or their religion: the true enemy is the war, the violence itself." Having cost more than a million and a half dollars, the film is considered an "epic movie" by Indonesian standards; many simple people, desirous of bringing to the fore the figure of the first bishop of Indonesian nationality, contributed to its making. The international cooperation, as well as actors from different countries, also emerge in the production: the photography was entrusted to a Malaysian expert in the industry, Teoh Gay Hian, who filmed digitally with Arriflex cameras, as well as in post-production which took place in Thai studios in Bangkok.
SHARED FROM ASIA NEWS IT
AUSTRALIA : ARCHBISHOP LETTER FOR YEAR OF FAITH
ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE REPORT
Year of Faith
The Year of Faith
Friday 23 November 2012
Dear Friends,
It was my great privilege to concelebrate Mass with the Holy Father in Rome on 11 October 2012, the beginning of the Year of Faith, the 50th Anniversary of the commencement of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th Anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
While reminding us that the door of faith is always open, the Holy Father invited us to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed an even clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. In our times, a renewed effort to know and witness to Jesus Christ in the context of renewed knowledge of our faith is a timely and practical way of deepening our faith, and supporting our journey.
The Year of Faith will continue throughout 2013 until the Solemnity of Christ the King on Sunday
24 November 2013.
What we can do during the Year of Faith
1. Copies of the Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI announcing the Holy Year (on 11 October 2011), of the suggestions of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for parishes and dioceses, and of the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary announcing the indulgences attached to activities of prayer and penance, are contained on the Vatican website www.vatican.va and will also be made available by the Society of St Paul. We are grateful to the Catholic Development Fund for underwriting the cost of copies for parishes. Arrival is expected in late November or early December.
2. Parishes, communities and schools could make the Compendium of the Catechism readily available for purchase or give-aways.
3.YOUCAT is an alternative for schools, especially commended for distribution and use in secondary schools.
4. Regular quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church or the Compendium could be placed in the parish newsletter. Passages dealing with the nature of faith and with key objects of belief—the Incarnation, the Real Presence, the role of Mary, what is a sacrament, the importance of sacramental Confession, as well as key teachings on the Commandments—honesty, duties of family and parenting, the virtue of chastity, the seventh Commandment (overcoming greed and materialism).
5. Have public showings in the parish of Father Robert Barron’s Catholicism series.
DVDs on the Catechism from Broken Bay Diocese with Archbishop Coleridge, Bishop Putney and others.
The Evangelium resource prepared by young priests for CTS London in Britain.
6. Access to good Bible commentaries that do not just deal with technical matters, but bring spiritual profit. The commentaries produced by the University of Navarre or the books of Fr Brendan Byrne SJ on Matthew, Mark and, for next year, The hospitality of God on St Luke’s Gospel are strongly recommended.
Activities for the year
The Holy Father, as universal Pastor, invites us all to join the successor of Peter during this time of spiritual grace that the Lord offers us, in recalling the precious gift of faith. It is an opportunity to profess our faith in the Risen Lord in cathedrals and churches, homes and families so that everyone will feel as strongly to know better the faith of all times.
Religious communities, parish communities, and ecclesial bodies old and new are to find a way during this year to make a public profession of the Creed. Because faith is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ we are invited to witness in our daily life and to cultivate a high degree of holiness. The granting of indulgences by the Church is very useful as a means by which the Church brings to our lives the redemption which Jesus offered.
Indulgences for the Year of Faith
Indulgences are the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. This means that an indulgence removes the debt of penance that we owe for the effects of our sins. Indulgences are granted through the ministry of the Church which, as the dispenser of the graces of redemption, distributes the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to us.
Year of Faith Indulgences
Throughout the Year of Faith, all the faithful who are truly repentant, have received the Sacrament of Penance and Holy Communion, and who pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, may receive a Plenary Indulgence for themselves or for the deceased:
a) every time they take part in at least three homilies preached or attend at least three lectures on the proceedings of the Second Vatican Council and on the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church;
b) every time they go as pilgrims to a Papal basilica, a Christian catacomb, a cathedral church, a sacred place designated by the local ordinary for the Year of Faith, and take part there in some sacred function or at least pause in recollection for a suitable length of time, concluding with the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any form, invocations to Our Lady or the Holy Apostles or Patron Saints.
In the Archdiocese of Melbourne, the sacred places for the Indulgence are:
The Papal basilicas:
St Patrick’s Cathedral
Our Lady of Victories, Camberwell
St Mary of the Angels, Geelong
Parish churches and shrines:
St Mary’s Star of the Sea, West Melbourne
St Monica’s, Moonee Ponds
St Patrick’s, Mentone
St Anthony’s Shrine, Hawthorn
Our Lady of Ta’Pinu Shrine, Bacchus Marsh
Polish Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Keysborough
St Francis Xavier, Frankston
St Mary’s, Seymour
Sacred Heart, Croydon
St Mary’s, Dandenong
St Mary of the Assumption, Keilor Downs
Sacred Heart, Preston
c) on Solemnities of the Lord and of Our Lady, the Feast of the Holy Apostles, the Patron Saint of a Church, the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, and the Chair of St Peter, in any Church or sacred place where they take part in a solemn celebration of the Eucharist or the Liturgy of the Hours, adding the Profession of Faith;
d) on a day freely chosen during the Year of Faith on which they make a devout visit to the baptistry where they were baptised, if they renew their baptismal promises in any legitimate form. For those who are enclosed religious, monks, acolytes, hermits, prisoners, the elderly and the sick and those caring for them who recite the Our Father, the Profession of Faith and other prayers offering up their suffering to the Lord in the place or chapel where they are.
As we reflect on the plentiful redemption which comes from Jesus Christ and the faith which sustains us, I want to assure you of my own Masses and prayers that, together with the Holy Father, we will grow to a depth of faith and love in Jesus the Redeemer and Light of the World.
Further activities and information will be forwarded from the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation so that this may be a fruitful time for faith and growth.
With prayerful good wishes and thanks for your sharing in this Year.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Archbishop Denis Hart
2 November 2012
Photo by Fiona Basile of Kairos Catholic Journal. Copyright 2012 Kairos Catholic Journal.
Dear Friends,
It was my great privilege to concelebrate Mass with the Holy Father in Rome on 11 October 2012, the beginning of the Year of Faith, the 50th Anniversary of the commencement of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th Anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.While reminding us that the door of faith is always open, the Holy Father invited us to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed an even clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. In our times, a renewed effort to know and witness to Jesus Christ in the context of renewed knowledge of our faith is a timely and practical way of deepening our faith, and supporting our journey.
The Year of Faith will continue throughout 2013 until the Solemnity of Christ the King on Sunday
24 November 2013.
What we can do during the Year of Faith
1. Copies of the Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI announcing the Holy Year (on 11 October 2011), of the suggestions of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for parishes and dioceses, and of the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary announcing the indulgences attached to activities of prayer and penance, are contained on the Vatican website www.vatican.va and will also be made available by the Society of St Paul. We are grateful to the Catholic Development Fund for underwriting the cost of copies for parishes. Arrival is expected in late November or early December.
2. Parishes, communities and schools could make the Compendium of the Catechism readily available for purchase or give-aways.
3.YOUCAT is an alternative for schools, especially commended for distribution and use in secondary schools.
4. Regular quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church or the Compendium could be placed in the parish newsletter. Passages dealing with the nature of faith and with key objects of belief—the Incarnation, the Real Presence, the role of Mary, what is a sacrament, the importance of sacramental Confession, as well as key teachings on the Commandments—honesty, duties of family and parenting, the virtue of chastity, the seventh Commandment (overcoming greed and materialism).
5. Have public showings in the parish of Father Robert Barron’s Catholicism series.
DVDs on the Catechism from Broken Bay Diocese with Archbishop Coleridge, Bishop Putney and others.
The Evangelium resource prepared by young priests for CTS London in Britain.
6. Access to good Bible commentaries that do not just deal with technical matters, but bring spiritual profit. The commentaries produced by the University of Navarre or the books of Fr Brendan Byrne SJ on Matthew, Mark and, for next year, The hospitality of God on St Luke’s Gospel are strongly recommended.
Activities for the year
The Holy Father, as universal Pastor, invites us all to join the successor of Peter during this time of spiritual grace that the Lord offers us, in recalling the precious gift of faith. It is an opportunity to profess our faith in the Risen Lord in cathedrals and churches, homes and families so that everyone will feel as strongly to know better the faith of all times.
Religious communities, parish communities, and ecclesial bodies old and new are to find a way during this year to make a public profession of the Creed. Because faith is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ we are invited to witness in our daily life and to cultivate a high degree of holiness. The granting of indulgences by the Church is very useful as a means by which the Church brings to our lives the redemption which Jesus offered.
Indulgences for the Year of Faith
Indulgences are the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. This means that an indulgence removes the debt of penance that we owe for the effects of our sins. Indulgences are granted through the ministry of the Church which, as the dispenser of the graces of redemption, distributes the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to us.
Year of Faith Indulgences
Throughout the Year of Faith, all the faithful who are truly repentant, have received the Sacrament of Penance and Holy Communion, and who pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, may receive a Plenary Indulgence for themselves or for the deceased:
a) every time they take part in at least three homilies preached or attend at least three lectures on the proceedings of the Second Vatican Council and on the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church;
b) every time they go as pilgrims to a Papal basilica, a Christian catacomb, a cathedral church, a sacred place designated by the local ordinary for the Year of Faith, and take part there in some sacred function or at least pause in recollection for a suitable length of time, concluding with the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any form, invocations to Our Lady or the Holy Apostles or Patron Saints.
In the Archdiocese of Melbourne, the sacred places for the Indulgence are:
The Papal basilicas:
St Patrick’s Cathedral
Our Lady of Victories, Camberwell
St Mary of the Angels, Geelong
Parish churches and shrines:
St Mary’s Star of the Sea, West Melbourne
St Monica’s, Moonee Ponds
St Patrick’s, Mentone
St Anthony’s Shrine, Hawthorn
Our Lady of Ta’Pinu Shrine, Bacchus Marsh
Polish Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Keysborough
St Francis Xavier, Frankston
St Mary’s, Seymour
Sacred Heart, Croydon
St Mary’s, Dandenong
St Mary of the Assumption, Keilor Downs
Sacred Heart, Preston
c) on Solemnities of the Lord and of Our Lady, the Feast of the Holy Apostles, the Patron Saint of a Church, the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, and the Chair of St Peter, in any Church or sacred place where they take part in a solemn celebration of the Eucharist or the Liturgy of the Hours, adding the Profession of Faith;
d) on a day freely chosen during the Year of Faith on which they make a devout visit to the baptistry where they were baptised, if they renew their baptismal promises in any legitimate form. For those who are enclosed religious, monks, acolytes, hermits, prisoners, the elderly and the sick and those caring for them who recite the Our Father, the Profession of Faith and other prayers offering up their suffering to the Lord in the place or chapel where they are.
As we reflect on the plentiful redemption which comes from Jesus Christ and the faith which sustains us, I want to assure you of my own Masses and prayers that, together with the Holy Father, we will grow to a depth of faith and love in Jesus the Redeemer and Light of the World.
Further activities and information will be forwarded from the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation so that this may be a fruitful time for faith and growth.
With prayerful good wishes and thanks for your sharing in this Year.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Archbishop Denis Hart
2 November 2012
Photo by Fiona Basile of Kairos Catholic Journal. Copyright 2012 Kairos Catholic Journal.
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : SAT. NOV. 24, 2012
Luke 20: 27 - 40
27There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection,28and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother.29Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children;30and the second31and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died.32Afterward the woman also died.33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife."34And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage;35but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,36for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.37But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.38Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him."39And some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well."40For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
TODAY'S SAINT: NOV. 24: ST. ANDREW DUNG-LAC
St. Andrew Dung-LacMARTYR
Feast: November 24
Information:
Feast Day:November 24
Born:
1785 in Vietnam
Died:
21 December 1839 in Hanoi, Vietnam
Canonized:
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Vietnamese priest and martyr and companion of St. Peter Thi. Andrew was arrested and beheaded on Dcember 21, 1839, with Peter Thi during the harsh anti-Christian persecutions. He was canonized in 1988. SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/standewdunglac.asp
Born:
1785 in Vietnam
Died:
21 December 1839 in Hanoi, Vietnam
Canonized:
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Vietnamese priest and martyr and companion of St. Peter Thi. Andrew was arrested and beheaded on Dcember 21, 1839, with Peter Thi during the harsh anti-Christian persecutions. He was canonized in 1988. SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/standewdunglac.asp
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