2013
Vatican Radio REPORT: Ask God for the grace of a heart that knows how to love; and do not let yourself be led away by useless treasures. That was Pope Francis’ message in his homily Friday morning at his daily Mass.
The search for the only treasure that you can take with you into the next life is the raison d'être of a Christian. It is the raison d'être that Jesus explains to His disciples, in the passage quoted in the Gospel of Matthew: “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” But, he says, we must be careful not to be confused about true richness. There are “risky treasures” that threaten to seduce us, but “must be left behind,” – treasures gathered in life that are destroyed by death. The Pope said, with a hint of irony: “I have never seen a moving van following a funeral procession.” But there is a treasure “we can take with us,” a treasure that no one can take away, – not “those things you’ve kept for yourself,” but “those you have given to others”:
“The treasures we have given to others, that we take with us. And that will be our merit – in quotation marks, but it is our ‘merit’ of Jesus Christ in us! And that we must bring with us. And that is what the Lord lets us bring. Love, charity, service, patience, goodness, tenderness are very beautiful treasures: these we bring with us. The other things, no.”
So, as the Gospel assures us, the treasure that has value in God’s sight is that which in this life is accumulated in heaven. But Jesus, Pope Francis says, goes a step further: He joins the treasure to the “heart,” He creates a relationship between the two terms. This, he adds, is because we have “a restless heart,” which the Lord made this way to seek Him out:
“The Lord has made us restless to seek Him, to find Him, to grow. But if the treasure is a treasure that is not close to the Lord, that is not from the Lord, our heart becomes restless for things that simply don’t work, for these treasures . . . So many people, even we ourselves, are restless . . . To have this, to arrive at this in the end, our heart is tired, it is never filled: it gets tired, it becomes sluggish, it becomes a heart without love. The weariness of the heart. Let’s think about that. What do I have: a tired heart, that only wants to settle itself, three, four things, a good bank account, this or that thing? This restlessness of the heart always has to be cured.”
At this point, Pope Francis continues, Jesus speaks about the “eye,” a symbol “of the intentions of the heart” that are reflected in the body: a “heart that loves” makes the body luminous; a “wicked heart” makes it dark. “Our ability to judge things,” the Pope says, depends on this contrast between light and darkness, as is shown also by the fact that from a “heart of stone . . . attached to worldly treasures, to “selfish treasure,” can also become a treasure “of hatred,” come wars . . . Instead – this was the final prayer of the Pope – through the intercession of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, whom the Church remembers today – let us ask for the grace of “a new heart . . . a heart of flesh”:
“All these pieces of the heart that are of stone, may the Lord make them human, with that restlessness, with that good anxiety to go forward, seeking Him and allowing ourselves to be sought by Him. That the Lord might change our hearts! And so He will save us. He will save us from the treasures that cannot help us in the encounter with Him, in service to others, and also will give us the light to understand and judge according to the true treasure: His truth. May the Lord change our heart in order to seek the true treasure and so become people of light, and not of darkness.”
Pope Francis concelebrated Mass with Cardinal Francis Coccopalmerio, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, along with Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta and auxiliary Bishop José Aparecido Gonzalves de Almeida, secretary and undersecretary respectively of the Council. Members of the Council were in attendance at the Mass. Also present were personnel from the Fabric of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, led by Msgr. James Ceretto, as well as employees of the “Domus Sanctae Marthae.”
RADIO VATICANA REPORT
The search for the only treasure that you can take with you into the next life is the raison d'être of a Christian. It is the raison d'être that Jesus explains to His disciples, in the passage quoted in the Gospel of Matthew: “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” But, he says, we must be careful not to be confused about true richness. There are “risky treasures” that threaten to seduce us, but “must be left behind,” – treasures gathered in life that are destroyed by death. The Pope said, with a hint of irony: “I have never seen a moving van following a funeral procession.” But there is a treasure “we can take with us,” a treasure that no one can take away, – not “those things you’ve kept for yourself,” but “those you have given to others”:
“The treasures we have given to others, that we take with us. And that will be our merit – in quotation marks, but it is our ‘merit’ of Jesus Christ in us! And that we must bring with us. And that is what the Lord lets us bring. Love, charity, service, patience, goodness, tenderness are very beautiful treasures: these we bring with us. The other things, no.”
So, as the Gospel assures us, the treasure that has value in God’s sight is that which in this life is accumulated in heaven. But Jesus, Pope Francis says, goes a step further: He joins the treasure to the “heart,” He creates a relationship between the two terms. This, he adds, is because we have “a restless heart,” which the Lord made this way to seek Him out:
“The Lord has made us restless to seek Him, to find Him, to grow. But if the treasure is a treasure that is not close to the Lord, that is not from the Lord, our heart becomes restless for things that simply don’t work, for these treasures . . . So many people, even we ourselves, are restless . . . To have this, to arrive at this in the end, our heart is tired, it is never filled: it gets tired, it becomes sluggish, it becomes a heart without love. The weariness of the heart. Let’s think about that. What do I have: a tired heart, that only wants to settle itself, three, four things, a good bank account, this or that thing? This restlessness of the heart always has to be cured.”
At this point, Pope Francis continues, Jesus speaks about the “eye,” a symbol “of the intentions of the heart” that are reflected in the body: a “heart that loves” makes the body luminous; a “wicked heart” makes it dark. “Our ability to judge things,” the Pope says, depends on this contrast between light and darkness, as is shown also by the fact that from a “heart of stone . . . attached to worldly treasures, to “selfish treasure,” can also become a treasure “of hatred,” come wars . . . Instead – this was the final prayer of the Pope – through the intercession of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, whom the Church remembers today – let us ask for the grace of “a new heart . . . a heart of flesh”:
“All these pieces of the heart that are of stone, may the Lord make them human, with that restlessness, with that good anxiety to go forward, seeking Him and allowing ourselves to be sought by Him. That the Lord might change our hearts! And so He will save us. He will save us from the treasures that cannot help us in the encounter with Him, in service to others, and also will give us the light to understand and judge according to the true treasure: His truth. May the Lord change our heart in order to seek the true treasure and so become people of light, and not of darkness.”
Pope Francis concelebrated Mass with Cardinal Francis Coccopalmerio, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, along with Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta and auxiliary Bishop José Aparecido Gonzalves de Almeida, secretary and undersecretary respectively of the Council. Members of the Council were in attendance at the Mass. Also present were personnel from the Fabric of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, led by Msgr. James Ceretto, as well as employees of the “Domus Sanctae Marthae.”
RADIO VATICANA REPORT
LATEST FROM VATICAN PONTIFICAL REPRESENTATIVES - "DO EVERYTHING WITH DEEP LOVE"
 (Vatican Radio IMAGE/SHARE)FRANCIS: LOOK FOR PASTORS NOT PRINCES FOR EPISCOPACY
Vatican City, 21 June 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, as part of the Year of Faith, the Holy Father received the pontifical representatives. After an introduction by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B., the Holy Father addressed the nuncios with “simple thoughts” and informal words “close to his heart” regarding what he called some “existential” aspects of the labour they carry out.
Below a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s address:Dear Brothers, these days, in the Year of Faith, are offered to us by the Lord as an occasion to pray together, to reflect together and to share a fraternal moment. I thank Cardinal Bertone for the words he addressed to me on your behalf, but I would like to thank each of you for your service which aids me in solicitude for all of the Churches, in the ministry of unity that is central to the Successor of Peter. You represent me in Churches spread throughout the world and with the Governments, but seeing so many of you today also gives me the sense of the catholicity of the Church, of its universality. I thank you wholeheartedly! Now I would like to offer you some simple thoughts on certain, I would say existential, aspects of your being Papal Representatives. These are things I reflected on in my heart, above all by trying to place myself alongside to each one of you. In this meeting, I do not want to address purely formal or perfunctory words to you. What I now say comes from deep within my heart. 1. First of all, let me point out that yours is a nomadic life. Every three years, four for collaborators, a little more for Nuncios, you change place, passing from one continent to another, from one country to another, from one, often very different, Church reality to another, you always have a suitcase at hand. I ask myself the question: what does this life tell us? What spiritual sense does it have? I would say that it give us the sense of a journey, which is central to the life of faith, beginning with Abraham, a man of faith on a journey: God asks him to leave his country, his security, to go, trusting in a promise, which he does not see, but which he simply keeps in his heart like the hope which God offers him (cf. Gen 12:1-9). And this involves two elements. First, mortification, the sacrifice of stripping oneself of things, friends, bonds and of always beginning anew. And this is not easy; it means living in the interim, going outside of yourselves, without ever having a place to put down roots, a stable community, yet loving the Church and the Country that you are called to serve. A second aspect that involves this being nomads, always on the road, is what is described in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Listing examples of the faith of the fathers, the author says that they saw the promised goods and greeted them from afar, declaring that they were pilgrims on this earth (cf. 11:13). Such a life is of great worth, a life like yours, when lived with an intensity of love, with an active memory of the first call. 2. I would like to pause for a moment the aspect of "seeing from afar." What did the fathers of the Old Testament see from afar? The goods promised by God. Each of us may wonder: what is my promise? What do I see? What I am looking for in life? What our founding memory pushes us to seek is the Lord, He is the promised goods. We must never take this for granted . On April 25, 1951, in a famous speech, the then Substitute Secretary of State, Monsignor Montini, recalled that the figure of the Papal Representative "is one who is really conscious of the fact that he carries Christ with him" as the precious good to be communicated, announced, represented. Goods, the prospects of this world end up disappointing, they push people to never be satisfied; the Lord is the good that does not disappoint. And this demands a self-detachment that can only be achieved through a constant relationship with the Lord and the unification of one’s life around Christ. Familiarity with Jesus Christ must be the daily food of the Papal Representative, because it is the food that comes from the memory of our first encounter with Him, and also because it is the daily expression of loyalty to His call. Familiarity with Jesus Christ in prayer, celebration of the Eucharist, in the service of charity. 3. There is always the danger, even for the men of the Church, to surrender to what I call, taking an expression from De Lubac, "spiritual worldliness": to surrender to the spirit of the world, which leads to action for self-fulfillment and not for the glory of God (cf. Meditation on the Church, Milan 1979, p. 269), in that sort of "bourgeoisie spirit and life" which leads people to settle and seek a peaceful and comfortable life. Speaking to Alumni of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy I remembered how for Blessed John XXIII, his service as a Papal Representative was one of the areas, and not secondary, in which his holiness took shape, and I quoted some passages from the Journal of a Soul relating to this long stretch of his ministry. He claimed to have increasingly understood that, for effectiveness of action, he had to continually prune the vineyard of his life from that which was merely useless foliage and go straight to the essentials, which is Christ and his Gospel, otherwise there was the risk of ridiculing a holy mission (Journal of a Soul, Cinisello Balsamo 2000, pp.. 513-514). These are strong but true words: giving in to worldly spirit exposes us Pastors to ridicule, perhaps we may be applauded by some, but those same people who seem to approve of us, then criticize us behind our backs. We are pastors! And that we must not ever forget that! Dear Papal Representatives, be the presence of Christ, be a priestly presence, as Pastors. Of course, you will not teach a particular portion of the People of God entrusted to you, you will not guide a local church, but you are Pastors who serve the Church, with the role to encourage, to be ministers of communion, and also with the not always easy task of reprimanding. Always do everything with deep love! Even in relations with the Civil Authorities and your Colleagues you are Pastors: always seek the good, the good of all, the good of the Church and of every person. I would like to conclude by saying just one word about one of the important points of your service as Papal Representatives, at least for the vast majority: collaboration in providing bishops. You know the famous expression that indicates a fundamental criterion in choosing who should govern: si sanctus est oret pro nobis, si doctus est doceat nos, si prudens est regat nos - if holy let him pray for us, if learned teach us, if prudent govern us. In the delicate task of carrying out inquiries for episcopal appointments be careful that the candidates are pastors close to the people, fathers and brothers, that they are gentle, patient and merciful; animated by inner poverty, the freedom of the Lord and also by outward simplicity and austerity of life, that they do not have the psychology of "Princes". Be careful that they are not ambitious, that they do not seek the episcopate - volentes nolumus - and that they are married to a Church without being in constant search of another. That they are able to "watch over" the flock that will be entrusted to them, take care to keep it united, “vigilant” of the dangers that threaten it, but above all that they are able to "watch over" the flock, to keep watch, imbue hope, that they have sun and light in their hearts, to lovingly and patiently support the plans which God brings about in His people. Let us think of the figure of St. Joseph, who watches over Mary and Jesus, of his care for the family that God entrusted to him, and the watchful gaze with which he guides it in avoiding dangers. For this reason Pastors must know how to be ahead of the herd to point the way, in the midst of the flock to keep it united, behind the flock to prevent someone being left behind, so that the same flock, so to speak, has the sense of smell to find its way. Dear papal representatives, these are just a few thoughts that come from my heart, with which I do not pretend to say new things, but on which I invite you to reflect on the important and valuable service that you make for the whole Church. Your life is often difficult, sometimes in places of conflict - I know it well - a continuous pilgrimage without the ability to put down roots in one place, in one culture, in a specific ecclesial reality. But it is a life that walks towards promises and greets them from afar. A life on the road, but always with Jesus Christ who holds you by the hand. Thank you again for this! We know that our stability does not lie in things, in our own projects or ambitions, but in being true Pastors who keep our gaze fixed on Christ. Once again, thank you! Please, I ask you to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and Mary keep you.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
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| RICHARD BURRIDGE AND CHRISTIAN SCHALLER, RECIPIENTS OF RATZINGER PRIZE 2013 Vatican City, 21 June 2013 (VIS) – At 11:30 this morning in the John Paul II Hall of the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held to present the activities of the "Vatican Foundation: Joseph Ratzinger - Benedict XVI", in particular, its symposium “The Gospels: History and Christology. The Research of Joseph Ratzinger”, which will be held at the Pontifical Lateran University from 24 to 26 October of this year. The names of the candidates selected by its academic committee for the Foundation's annual prize, which will be conferred on 26 October, were also announced. Benedict XVI instituted the Foundation on 1 March, 2010, in response to the desire expressed by many scholars over the years. One of the areas of competency of the academic committee is precisely to establish the criteria of excellence for the creation and assignment of prizes to scholars who have distinguished themselves in the areas of publication and/or academic research. The Foundation's aim is to place the question of God at the heart of academic reflection. With the Ratzinger Prize, one of the Foundation's three main activities, it hopes to call attention to this subject. Its two principal activities are awarding scholarships to those pursuing doctorates in Theology and organizing conferences of high academic standard. Speakers at the conference included: Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Foundation's academic committee; Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues, O.P., president of the symposium's organizing committee; Msgr. Luis Romera, vice president of the symposium's organizing committee; and Msgr. Giuseppe Scotti, the Foundation's president. The recipients of this year's Ratzinger Prize are the English Biblical scholar Richard A. Burridge, dean of King's College London and minister in the Anglican Communion—the first non-Catholic to receive the award—and the German lay theologian Christian Schaller, professor of Dogmatic Theology and deputy director of the Pope Benedict XVI Institute of Regensburg, Germany, which is publishing the complete works of Joseph Ratzinger. “Richard Burridge today,” said Cardinal Ruini, “is definitely an eminent figure in the field of Biblical studies and not only of the English language. In particular, he has made a great contribution in that decisive area of the historical and theological recognition of the Gospels' inseparable connection to Jesus of Nazareth.” Christian Schaller will also be awarded the Ratzinger Prize, “not only for his contribution to theological studies but also in recognition of the role he is carrying out in the publication of Joseph Ratzinger's complete works. This publication is of primary importance for the future of studies inspired by the thought of Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI, which is the main purpose of our Foundation.” Msgr. Giuseppe Scotti, the Foundation's president, outlined some details regarding the upcoming symposium to be held at Rome's Pontifical Lateran University. It will be the Foundation's third conference. The first—“Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace”—was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2011. The second—“What Makes Man Man”—was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last year. This year's symposium, “The Gospels: History and Christology”, starting from Joseph Ratzinger's research, will focus on the major themes of his trilogy on Jesus of Nazareth and will last three days. The first day will address the issue of the Jesus of the Gospels, considering them as texts. After a summary of the historical research on the Jesus of the New Testament over the last centuries, the contribution of papyrology to the study of those texts will be analysed along with the definition of the literary genre of the Gospels in comparison to Greco-Roman biographies and their historical significance. Professors participating in the first day include: Dr. Bernardo Estrada (Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome); Dr. Juan Chapa (University of Navarra, Spain); Dr. Richard Burridge (King's College, London); and Dr. Yves Simoens (Pontifical Biblical Institute and Gregorian University, Rome). The second day will be dedicated to the figure of Jesus presented in the Gospels and the theology they contain, also in relation to other New Testament writings. First the reliability of the Gospel text will be analysed, with the purpose of discovering who Jesus really was. Then the historical figure that emerges from the Gospels and Pauline witness will be outlined. Finally, the impact of the Gospels in Early Christianity and the theology of the Fathers will be examined. Speakers on the second day will include: Dr. Klaus Berger (University of Heidelberg, Germany); Dr. John P. Meier (University of Notre Dame, USA); Dr. Antonio Pitta (Pontifical Lateran University, Rome); and Cardinal Prosper Grech (Pontifical Lateran University and Augustinianum, Rome). Joseph Ratzinger's proposal of “Jesus of Nazareth” will be the key theme of the third day. Professor Thomas Soding (University of Bochum, Germany) and Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, will discuss the importance of Ratzinger's research on exegesis, theology, and methodology. The symposium will also address two specific areas: the figure of Jesus in the Gospel passages relating his infancy and the Last Supper. Professors Dr. Armand Puig I Tarrech (dean of the Theological Faculty of Catalonia, Barcelona) and Dr. Ermenegildo Manicardi (Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome) will coordinate the presentations of the various experts in these areas. |
| AUDIENCE Vatican City, 21 June 2013 (VIS) – This afternoon, the Holy Father is scheduled to receive Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. |
100000 DISPLACED FROM SEVERE FLOODING IN CALGARY, ALBERTA IN CANADA
Calgary’s Stampede grounds. Picture @dinnerwithjulie/TwitterFLOODING in Calgary, Alberta in Canada has become destructive. The Bow and Elbow rivers overflowed causing close to a billion dollars of damages. The streets are rivers and homes are submerged. However, the Mayor Naheed Nenshi warned of worse flooding to come. A state of emergency was officially declared. Many are being sent out to shelters. Over 100, 000 residents were displaced from their homes.
Schools are closed and there are power outages. The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with those families who have been affected by the serious flooding in Calgary and Southern Alberta. " They have also aided in the relief effort from a federal level. A slow-moving storm brought 6 inches of rain on Wednesday and Thursday which caused the swell. 3 bodies were found in the waters.
EVANGELIZING THE STREETS - ST. PAUL STREET MISSION
ST. Paul Street Report: About St. Paul Street Evangelization
What We Do
How does SPSE work? What does it look like on the ground?
1. A team of at least two Catholic evangelists choose a place in their city or town with a moderate to high level of pedestrian traffic. Examples of suitable locations include an open-air market, such as an art fair or farmers’ market; a bus-stop or subway station platform; a public park.
2. The evangelists “set up shop” with a sandwich-board sign and a collection of materials: assorted pamphlets on aspects of Catholicism, holy cards, Rosaries, Miraculous Medals, etc. A small table or blanket is often useful for displaying the materials and drawing the attention of passersby, but it is not essential.
3. The evangelists then say a prayer, invoking the Holy Spirit to guide their efforts for that day, asking to be courageous, humble, and docile to His promptings. They ask through Our Lady’s intercession for the Lord to send them the people He desires them to encounter, and they pray that all may be done for the greater glory of God.
4. At this point, the evangelists simply wait for passersby to draw near and offer them free Rosaries. When someone stops to take a Rosary, the evangelizers also provide a pamphlet on how to pray the Rosary and attempt to further engage the person. A question that is often effective is “Are you Catholic?” as the answer can provide a springboard for further conversation in many different directions. By asking follow-up questions, the evangelizer can discover whether a person is a practicing Catholic, fallen-away Catholic, Protestant, New Ager, atheist, etc. – information that is key in guiding a conversation to meet that person where he or she “is at.” It is recommended to pray the rosary while waiting for people to approach or in between conversations.
5. The above is the primary approach of St. Paul Street Evangelization. Our secondary approach, which involves door-to-door evangelization, may be used in locations that do not have an acceptable location to carry out our primary approach, or during the colder months of the year when people are less likely to be out and about. Like our primary approach, the evangelists conduct themselves in a non-confrontational way by politely introducing themselves and then asking if the homeowner would be interested in talking briefly about the Catholic Faith. Before doing door-to-door outreach, St. Paul Street Evangelization requires our teams to get permission from the local pastor before evangelizing those within his parish boundaries.
6. Keep in mind that the evangelists are there to be a public witness to the Catholic Church and to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. They should be charitable, good listeners, willing to pray with people, humble. They are not to be argumentative or combative, but should certainly defend and explain the truths of the Catholic faith and challenge their listeners in a spirit of sincerity and compassion. They should remember that Christ said that those who are persecuted for His sake are blessed and should not let a conversation they perceive as a failure get them down. God works in all situations.
7. While using this non-confrontational method of evangelization can be very effective at strengthening the faith of practicing Catholics, bringing back into the Faith fallen away Catholics, and converting to the Faith non-Catholics, we recognize that it is our job to plant seeds, and in the end, it is up to God to make those seeds grow.
BENEDICT XVI'S HEALTH DETERIORATING
UCAN NEWS REPORT
Visitor says he 'is in a very bad way'
(Picture: AP/Huffington Post)
- Eric Lyman for Religion News Service/Huffington Post
- Just months after becoming the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign, reports are surfacing that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is in poor health with diminished stature and energy.
After a brief hiatus at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Benedict returned to live in a converted monastery on the edge of the Vatican gardens last month. Already, some of his visitors have commented on the former pope’s physical deterioration.
“Benedict is in a very bad way,” said Paloma Gomez Borrero, a veteran Vatican correspondent for Spain’s Telecinco television network who visited the former pope in late May. “We won’t have him with us much longer.”
Cardinal Joachim Meisner, the archbishop of Cologne, Germany, and a personal friend of Benedict’s, visited the former pope in April.
“I was shocked at how thin he had become,” Meisner said at the time. “Mentally, he is quite fit, his old self. But he had halved in size.”
Vatican officials have admitted Benedict has weakened since stepping down, but they deny his physical condition has become critical.
SHARED FROM UCAN NEWS
PRIEST CYCLES 100 MILES TO HELP YOUTH ATTEND WORLD YOUTH DAY
IND. CATH. NEWS REPORT
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A priest and his brother will be undertaking a 100-mile bicycle ride to raise funds to send youngsters from a poverty stricken part of Brazil to World Youth Day.
Fr James Shekelton and his brother John will set off from the family home on the outskirts of Sheffield and cycle to Manchester city centre on Friday 28 June, before riding back.
Keeping it in the family, all money raised will help their other brother, Fr Peter Shekelton, take 30 young people from Barcelos, Brazil to Rio for the Catholic festival at the end of July.
In Barcelos, where Fr Peter Shekelton is a missionary, growing numbers of young people coming from outlying regions in search of a better education have ended up living in poverty.
Fr James Shekelton of Hallam Diocese described the various problems confronting the young people to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, which is supporting initiatives to send groups from deprived areas to World Youth Day.
He said: "A lot of the time their lives are stricken with violence, drugs, prostitution, many even attempt suicide – I understand the region has the highest suicide rate among young people.
"It is terrible that so many young people would think of committing suicide and I think that drives home, all the more strongly, how bad the situation is – that a young person with their whole life in front of them would even think of taking it away.
"Taking them to experience what World Youth Day's all about – which is the whole encounter in the Faith and seeing other young people enthuse about the Faith – will hopefully open their eyes and show them there's much more to life."
Fr James Shekelton, who was only ordained six months ago, added: "The work that my brother Peter's doing is admirable and the effect his work is having in Barcelos and the surrounding regions is quite amazing."
Fr Peter Shekelton's bishop, Edson Taschetto Damian of the Diocese of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, told Aid to the Church in Need that the plan was important for Barcelos's youth ministry which includes reaching out to those who have "fallen victim to drugs, alcohol, violence, crime, and sex tourism".
He said: "I truly believe that the presence of some of them at World Youth Day will be of great benefit to them and be helpful for the future for the whole city."
Speaking about his preparation for the cycle ride to and from Manchester, Fr James Shekelton said: "I probably haven't been preparing as much as I should have done but the motivation behind it is the most important element for me.
"Even if the money raised were only enough for one of these young people to discover a brighter future, it would be well worth it."
Source: ACN
RIP FR. LEN EGAN PE OF MELBOURNE IN AUSTRALIA
ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE RELEASEVale Len Egan
Friday 21 June 2013
FR LEN Egan PE died peacefully at St Catherine's Aged Care on 16 June 2013.
Fr Egan was ordained a priest at St Patrick's Cathedral, East Melbourne, on 23 July 1944.
Father Egan served the Church for over 68 years serving as Assistant Priest in the parishes of Deepdene (1945), Alphington and Kew (1954). In 1957 he was appointed Administrator of West Melbourne. He was appointed Parish Priest of Sunshine North (1958), Yarraville (1964), Bulleen (1973) and Ivanhoe (1985). In 1993 he retired happily before moving to Justin Villa and St Catherine's.
Few priests can boast of having a road named after them during their lifetime, however Fr Len had the honour bestowed upon him when Egan Drive, Bulleen was established.
He was one of the real characters of the Melbourne presbyterate; he had a quirky sense of humour, was a cryptic writer with many a surprise contained within parish newsletters, a delightful raconteur and a loyal friend to many priests and lay people.
He said on the occasion of his Sixtieth Anniversary that he wished to thank, "... those thousands of lay people - all those people whom we have got to know over the years. All those who befriended us. No one could have more friends than a diocesan priest..." How true it was of Fr Len.
Fr Len Egan PE was a dedicated priest, committed to the Gospel and to the people entrusted to his care. We give thanks for his priestly witness and the joy he brought to all who had the pleasure of knowing him.SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
Friday 21 June 2013FR LEN Egan PE died peacefully at St Catherine's Aged Care on 16 June 2013.
Fr Egan was ordained a priest at St Patrick's Cathedral, East Melbourne, on 23 July 1944.
Father Egan served the Church for over 68 years serving as Assistant Priest in the parishes of Deepdene (1945), Alphington and Kew (1954). In 1957 he was appointed Administrator of West Melbourne. He was appointed Parish Priest of Sunshine North (1958), Yarraville (1964), Bulleen (1973) and Ivanhoe (1985). In 1993 he retired happily before moving to Justin Villa and St Catherine's.
Few priests can boast of having a road named after them during their lifetime, however Fr Len had the honour bestowed upon him when Egan Drive, Bulleen was established.
He was one of the real characters of the Melbourne presbyterate; he had a quirky sense of humour, was a cryptic writer with many a surprise contained within parish newsletters, a delightful raconteur and a loyal friend to many priests and lay people.
He said on the occasion of his Sixtieth Anniversary that he wished to thank, "... those thousands of lay people - all those people whom we have got to know over the years. All those who befriended us. No one could have more friends than a diocesan priest..." How true it was of Fr Len.
Fr Len Egan PE was a dedicated priest, committed to the Gospel and to the people entrusted to his care. We give thanks for his priestly witness and the joy he brought to all who had the pleasure of knowing him.SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
2013
TODAY'S SAINT : JUNE 21 : ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
APOSTLE
Feast: June 21
Information:
Feast Day: June 21 Born: 9 March 1568 at castle of Castiglione delle Stivieri in Montau, Lombardy, Italy Died: 21 June 1591 at Rome Canonized: 31 December 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII Major Shrine: Church of Sant'Ignazio, Rome (his tomb) Patron of: Young students, Christian youth, Jesuit novices, People with AIDS and their caregivers
Born in the castle of Castiglione, 9 March, 1568; died 21 June, 1591. At eight he was placed in the court of Francesco de'Medici in Florence, where he remained for two years, going then to Mantua. At Brescia, when he was twelve, he came under the spiritual guidance of St. Charles Borromeo, and from him received First Communion. In 1581 he went with his father to Spain, and he and his brother were made pages of James, the son of Philip II. While there he formed the resolution of becoming a Jesuit, though he first thought of joining the Discalced Carmelites. He returned to Italy in 1584 after the death of the Infanta, and after much difficulty in securing his father's consent, renounced his heritage in favour of his brother, 2 November, 1585, a proceeding which required the approval of the emperor, as Castiglione was a fief of the empire. He presented himself to Father Claudius Acquaviva, who was then General of the Society, 25 November, 1585. Before the end of his novitiate, he passed a brilliant public act in philosophy, having made his philosophical and also his mathematical studies before his entrance. He had in fact distinguished himself, when in Spain, by a public examination not only in philosophy, but also in theology, at the University of Alcal&aacuate;. He made his vows 25 November, 1587. Immediately after, he began his theological studies. Among his professors were Fathers Vasquez and Azor. In 1591 when in his fourth year of theology a famine and pestilence broke out in Italy. Though in delicate health, he devoted himself to the care of the sick, but on March 3 he fell ill and died 21 June, 1591. He was beatified by Gregory XV in 1621 and canonized by Benedict XIII in 1726. His remains are in the church of St. Ignazio in Rome in a magnificent urn of lapis lazuli wreathed with festoons of silver. The altar has for its centerpiece a large marble relief of the Saint by Le Gros.
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/staloysiusgonzaga.asp#ixzz1yQiu1a3H
St. Aloysius Gonzaga
APOSTLE
Feast: June 21
Information:
| Born in the castle of Castiglione, 9 March, 1568; died 21 June, 1591. At eight he was placed in the court of Francesco de'Medici in Florence, where he remained for two years, going then to Mantua. At Brescia, when he was twelve, he came under the spiritual guidance of St. Charles Borromeo, and from him received First Communion. In 1581 he went with his father to Spain, and he and his brother were made pages of James, the son of Philip II. While there he formed the resolution of becoming a Jesuit, though he first thought of joining the Discalced Carmelites. He returned to Italy in 1584 after the death of the Infanta, and after much difficulty in securing his father's consent, renounced his heritage in favour of his brother, 2 November, 1585, a proceeding which required the approval of the emperor, as Castiglione was a fief of the empire. He presented himself to Father Claudius Acquaviva, who was then General of the Society, 25 November, 1585. Before the end of his novitiate, he passed a brilliant public act in philosophy, having made his philosophical and also his mathematical studies before his entrance. He had in fact distinguished himself, when in Spain, by a public examination not only in philosophy, but also in theology, at the University of Alcal&aacuate;. He made his vows 25 November, 1587. Immediately after, he began his theological studies. Among his professors were Fathers Vasquez and Azor. In 1591 when in his fourth year of theology a famine and pestilence broke out in Italy. Though in delicate health, he devoted himself to the care of the sick, but on March 3 he fell ill and died 21 June, 1591. He was beatified by Gregory XV in 1621 and canonized by Benedict XIII in 1726. His remains are in the church of St. Ignazio in Rome in a magnificent urn of lapis lazuli wreathed with festoons of silver. The altar has for its centerpiece a large marble relief of the Saint by Le Gros. |
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/A/staloysiusgonzaga.asp#ixzz1yQiu1a3H
3
FREE CATHOLIC MOVIES - ST. ANTHONY WARRIOR OF GOD - PART 9
IN HONOR OF THE YEAR OF FAITH- JCE WORLD NEWS IS SHARING Anthony - Warrior of God. (Image share - Google)
PART 9 - TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR PART 10 OF 10
YOUTUBE ABOUT SHARE: St. Anthony began life as a young nobleman who enjoyed all the sumptuous pleasures and privileges of that medieval Europe could offer. Yet he was compelled by a mysterious inner voice to gaze upon the unspeakable misery, disease and cruelty around him. Overcome with boundless compassion, he entered a monastery, dedicating his fine mind and fragile body to defending the poor and oppressed against injustice. This revolutionary saint dared to challenge the highest spheres of society, the government and even the Church, if they were guilty of exploiting the common people. His story continues to this day with the many accounts of those who have been transformed by "the most famous saint in the world," St. Anthony of Padua.
PART 1 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior.html
PART 2 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_14.html
PART 3 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_15.html
PART 4 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_6060.html
PART 5 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_17.html
PART 6 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_18.html
PART 7 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_19.html
PART 8 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_20.html
FOR MORE FREE MOVIES LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
IN HONOR OF THE YEAR OF FAITH- JCE WORLD NEWS IS SHARING Anthony - Warrior of God. (Image share - Google)
PART 9 - TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR PART 10 OF 10
PART 9 - TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR PART 10 OF 10
YOUTUBE ABOUT SHARE: St. Anthony began life as a young nobleman who enjoyed all the sumptuous pleasures and privileges of that medieval Europe could offer. Yet he was compelled by a mysterious inner voice to gaze upon the unspeakable misery, disease and cruelty around him. Overcome with boundless compassion, he entered a monastery, dedicating his fine mind and fragile body to defending the poor and oppressed against injustice. This revolutionary saint dared to challenge the highest spheres of society, the government and even the Church, if they were guilty of exploiting the common people. His story continues to this day with the many accounts of those who have been transformed by "the most famous saint in the world," St. Anthony of Padua.
PART 1 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior.htmlPART 2 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_14.html
PART 3 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_15.html
PART 4 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_6060.html
PART 5 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_17.html
PART 6 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_18.html
PART 7 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_19.html
PART 8 - http://jceworld.blogspot.ca/2013/06/free-catholic-movies-st-anthony-warrior_20.html
FOR MORE FREE MOVIES LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
Friday, June 21, 2013
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : FRI. JUNE 21, 2013
Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Lectionary: 369
Reading 1 2 COR 11:18, 21-30
Brothers and sisters:
Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.
To my shame I say that we were too weak!
But what anyone dares to boast of
(I am speaking in foolishness)
I also dare.
Are they Hebrews? So am I.
Are they children of Israel? So am I.
Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
Are they ministers of Christ?
(I am talking like an insane person).
I am still more, with far greater labors,
far more imprisonments, far worse beatings,
and numerous brushes with death.
Five times at the hands of the Jews
I received forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
I passed a night and a day on the deep;
on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race,
dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city,
dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea,
dangers among false brothers;
in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights,
through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings,
through cold and exposure.
And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me
of my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak?
Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.
To my shame I say that we were too weak!
But what anyone dares to boast of
(I am speaking in foolishness)
I also dare.
Are they Hebrews? So am I.
Are they children of Israel? So am I.
Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
Are they ministers of Christ?
(I am talking like an insane person).
I am still more, with far greater labors,
far more imprisonments, far worse beatings,
and numerous brushes with death.
Five times at the hands of the Jews
I received forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
I passed a night and a day on the deep;
on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race,
dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city,
dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea,
dangers among false brothers;
in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights,
through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings,
through cold and exposure.
And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me
of my anxiety for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak?
Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
Responsorial Psalm PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (see 18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Gospel MT 6:19-23
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”
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