2013
(Shared from Radio Vaticana)
Message of Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, at the close of the Opening Mass of the 28th World Youth Day on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, July 23, 2013
Dearest young people!The long-awaited day has arrived: the inauguration of the 28th World Youth Day. Welcome to Rio de Janeiro, welcome to this Brazilian city of extraordinary beauty, dominated by the statue of the Christ the Redeemer Shrine of Corcovado. In the coming days this city will be the capital of Catholic youth gathered here from the remotest corners of the planet … After a long and challenging journey of preparation in your parishes and in your communities, you have come here — a young Church, full of the joy of faith and missionary zeal! The words the Psalmist encourage us: “This is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118.24).Dear young people, on behalf of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Vatican department to which the Holy Father has entrusted the organization of the World Youth Day, I give you a friendly welcome and I extend an affectionate greeting. I also wish to express gratitude to your bishops, priests, men and women religious, and lay people who have accompanied and guided you on the itinerary of spiritual preparation in view of this great adventure of faith that we will live together here in Rio in these days. The Lord has in store for each of us so many surprises! For all of you, these will be unforgettable days of important discoveries, days of decisive moments for your life!WYD Rio is a special one: after 26 years the World Youth Day back in Latin America, a young continent, a continent of hope. It is worth remembering the words of Blessed John Paul II addressed to young people during World Youth Day in Buenos Aires in 1987: “I want to repeat once again — as I told you in the first day of my pontificate — ‘you are the hope of the Pope,’ ‘you are the hope of the Church’ … Yes — the Pope said — and wishes to repeat to you: “Latin America: be yourself! In your faithfulness to Christ, resist those who wish to stifle your vocation of hope.’” This World Youth Day in Rio is special because, commissioned and prepared by Pope Benedict XVI, it will be presided over by Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pope … Truly God’s ways are inscrutable!This World Youth Day takes place at the foot of the statue of Christ the Redeemer of Corcovado. He is the true protagonist of this event! His heart beats infinite love for each of you and His open arms are ready to welcome all of you! During this World Youth Day, let yourself be embraced by Christ! Entrusted to Him all your desires, your plans for the future, your profound joys; entrust to Him even the most difficult choices you are called to make, your fears and the concern that inhabit your young hearts! Youth is in itself an enormous wealth: you possess it and must make it bear fruit! Faithful to Christ! Those who choose Christ, we lose nothing, absolutely nothing, but — on the contrary — earn everything and find true happiness and fullness of life!The guiding theme of this World Youth Day — as you know — is the missionary mandate which Christ entrusted to his Church: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (cf. Mt 28:19). This mission is the raison d’être of the Church and of every Christian! We are sent to be the salt of the earth and light of the world! During this World Youth Day, Christ calls us to move beyond ourselves — as is often said by Papa Francesco — he asks us to abandon our comfortable life, to break down the walls of our selfishness, to boldly go to the geographical and existential “peripheries” of the world, bringing Christ and his Gospel. In these days we make our own the words of Saint Paul: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel” (1 Cor 9:16), and we cry out to all the world — as the Holy Father asks us — “it is good to follow Jesus … good is the message of Jesus, it is good to go out of ourselves, to the peripheries of the world and of the existence bring Jesus!”Christ needs you, young people! He needs your youthful faith, full of joy and missionary enthusiasm! Christ is counting on each of you!Dear young pope from all the world! WYD Rio has begun! Again I say to all of you: welcome to Rio de Janeiro!
J
PICTURES OF THE ROYAL BABY BOY AND PRAYERS FROM BISHOPS OF ENGLAND
DUKE AND DUCHESS OFFICIAL RELEASE:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London, with their newborn son
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge proudly showed the world their baby son, a future king, before taking him home tonight.
Their Royal Highnesses began their new lives as parents, cradling their baby prince and posing for pictures on the steps of the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London.
The Duchess held her son first and the couple looked relaxed and smiled broadly as the world's media captured the moment.
The Duke later held his son and walked forward with his wife to answer a few questions. He began by joking: "He's got a good pair of lungs on him, that's for sure. He's a big boy, he's quite heavy. We are still working on a name so we will have that as soon as we can."
He added: "It's the first time we have seen him really so we are having a proper chance to catch up."
The Duchess said: "It's very emotional, it's such a special time. I think any parent will know what this feeling feels like."
Her husband agreed: "It's very special."
The Duchess of Cambridge with her son who was born yesterday, leave the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in West London
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He added: "I'll remind him of his tardiness when he's a bit older. I know how long you've all been standing here so hopefully the hospital and you guys can all go back to normal now and we can go and look after him."
A crowd of well-wishers who were gathered at the entrance to Kensington Palace cheered as The Duke and Duchess arrived home with their baby.
The Duke smiled from behind the wheel and Kate, who was sitting on the back seat, waved with her son next to her in a baby seat.
Speaking outside hospital, The Duke said: "He's got her looks, thankfully," while The Duchess replied: "No, no, I'm not sure about that."
The couple's good humour continued during their brief questioning from the press with The Duchess revealing that her husband was a hands on dad.
Asked about changing nappies The Duke said: "We've done that already," and The Duchess agreed saying: "he's done his first nappy already".
The Duke looked at ease holding his son and after speaking to the press for a few minutes returned inside the Lindo Wing with his wife.
The couple soon emerged with their son in a baby seat and The Duke carefully fitted it onto the backseat of a Range Rover beside his wife before driving his family home.
SHARED FROM OFFICIAL SITE OF PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE
PRAYERS FOR BABY FROM CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF ENGLAND
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales issued the following statement this morning:
“On behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, I would like to congratulate Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their son, His Royal Highness, the Prince of Cambridge.
The birth of the new Prince will be a source of joy not only for the Royal Family but for the peoples of the United Kingdom and beyond. I assure Their Royal Highnesses of the prayers and best wishes of the Catholic Church in England and Wales for their new family. May Our Lord Jesus Christ bless and protect them, and may the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph intercede for them.”
The birth of the new Prince will be a source of joy not only for the Royal Family but for the peoples of the United Kingdom and beyond. I assure Their Royal Highnesses of the prayers and best wishes of the Catholic Church in England and Wales for their new family. May Our Lord Jesus Christ bless and protect them, and may the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph intercede for them.”
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENT WINS GOLD FROM AUSTRALIA IN WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
19 Jul 2013
19 Jul 2013
Madison shows off her gold after her big win at the University Games in Russia
At 19 years old Madison Wilson has not only won the Australian Catholic University its first ever gold medal for swimming at the World University Games at the Universiade in Kazan, Russia but is tipped to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year and at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
A student at ACU where she is studying for a Bachelor of Education, Madison not only took out the 200 m women's backstroke event against all comers to win her first international gold crown, but she won the race with a personal best time of 2:09.22.
For a swimmer who hopes to eventually become a teacher of early childhood and primary school children, the race time she achieved at the games sliced a number of all-important secnds from her previous best time of 2:13.20 achieved in 2012.
At 16 Madison Wilson was a member of Australia's women's relay team at the Youth Olympics in Singapore
But Madison didn't stop there. She also took home bronze medals in both the 100m and 50 m women's backstroke events at the games held over the past week in Kazan, Russia.
No stranger to international competition, Madison was just 11 years old when she competed internationally for the first time at the Pacific School Games which were held in Melbourne in 2005.
Training at Queensland's famous St Peters Western Swimming Club, which has trained many star swimmers including golden girl, Stephanie Rice, by 2010 Madison was representing Australia. She was a member of the winning women's relay team at the Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore.
But it wasn't only medals and winning events at international sporting competitions but her courage that has made Madison such a standout.
On the podium at the world games Ukraine's Darina Zebina (silver), Australia's Madison Wilson, (gold) and Australia's Hayle White (bronze)
As an adolescent she broke an arm in several places after falling into an empty swimming pool. The recovery was difficult and painful but with typical determination as soon as the doctors gave their okay, she was back in training.
Her hero and role model is Susie O'Neill and next year it won't only be the university barracking for her, but the entire nation when she is expected to be one of the hot favourites for gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Of the two other students who represented ACU at the Universiade in Kazan, Russia, Bachelor of Nursing undergraduate Amanda Holt finished 18th in the trap shooting while Keiran Qaium, who is studying for a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at ACU's North Sydney campus, made it to the semi finals of the men's 200 m butterfly.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
TODAY'S MASS ONLINE : TUES. JULY 23, 2013
Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 396
Reading 1 EX 14:21—15:1
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the children of Israel marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
The Egyptians followed in pursuit;
all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.
Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers.”
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water flowed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army
that had followed the children of Israel into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the children of Israel had marched on dry land
through the midst of the sea,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the children of Israel marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
The Egyptians followed in pursuit;
all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the fiery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was fighting for them against the Egyptians.
Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers.”
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water flowed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army
that had followed the children of Israel into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the children of Israel had marched on dry land
through the midst of the sea,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
Responsorial Psalm EX 15:8-9, 10 AND 12, 17
R. (1b) Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled up,
the flowing waters stood like a mound,
the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea.
The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them;
I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them;
I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!”
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
When your wind blew, the sea covered them;
like lead they sank in the mighty waters.
When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands established.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
At the breath of your anger the waters piled up,
the flowing waters stood like a mound,
the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea.
The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them;
I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them;
I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!”
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
When your wind blew, the sea covered them;
like lead they sank in the mighty waters.
When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands established.
R. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
Gospel MT 12:46-50
While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
PRIEST KILLED IN HIS HOME - RIP FR. IGNACIO ALVAREZ IN MEXICO
Fides report: Father Ignacio Cortez Alvarez, pastor of the church "María Auxiliadora", was killed in his home in the city of Ensenada, in the region of Baja California. The lifeless body of the priest was found yesterday, July 22, in his home next to the parish in the district of El Sauzal de Rodriguez.
As reported by the local police, the body has numerous injuries to the chest. The reasons for the murder remain unknown and the police have started the investigation.
In a note sent to Fides, the Diocese of Ensenada confirms the death of the priest: "The Diocese of Ensenada – is what is said in a statement that informs the community – sadly announces the death of Father Ignacio Cortez Alvarez, known as the 'Father Nachito'. May he rest in peace".
Father Cortez Alvarez was born in Janamuato, Michoacán, on October 16, 1956. He was ordained a priest on March 19, 1988 in the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Tijuana. The funeral will be held tomorrow, 24 July, in the Cathedral of the diocese.
According to the annual document by Fides, in 2012, for the fourth consecutive time, America has recorded the highest number of pastoral workers killed compared to other continents. In 2012, two priests were murdered in Mexico (in Atizapan and Mochicahui). On the evening of February 5, 2013, a Mexican priest Fr. José Flores Preciado, who died after being beaten (see Fides 07/02/2013). (CE) SHARED FROM : Agenzia Fides 23/07/2013)
As reported by the local police, the body has numerous injuries to the chest. The reasons for the murder remain unknown and the police have started the investigation.
In a note sent to Fides, the Diocese of Ensenada confirms the death of the priest: "The Diocese of Ensenada – is what is said in a statement that informs the community – sadly announces the death of Father Ignacio Cortez Alvarez, known as the 'Father Nachito'. May he rest in peace".
Father Cortez Alvarez was born in Janamuato, Michoacán, on October 16, 1956. He was ordained a priest on March 19, 1988 in the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Tijuana. The funeral will be held tomorrow, 24 July, in the Cathedral of the diocese.
According to the annual document by Fides, in 2012, for the fourth consecutive time, America has recorded the highest number of pastoral workers killed compared to other continents. In 2012, two priests were murdered in Mexico (in Atizapan and Mochicahui). On the evening of February 5, 2013, a Mexican priest Fr. José Flores Preciado, who died after being beaten (see Fides 07/02/2013). (CE) SHARED FROM : Agenzia Fides 23/07/2013)
TODAY'S SAINT: JULY 23: ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN
St. Bridget of Sweden
WIFE AND FOUNDRESS
Feast: July 23
 Information:
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The most celebrated saint of the Northern kingdoms, born about 1303; died 23 July, 1373.
She was the daughter of Birger Persson, governor and provincial judge (Lagman) of Uppland, and of Ingeborg Bengtsdotter. Her father was one of the wealthiest landholders of the country, and, like her mother, distinguished by deep piety. St. Ingrid, whose death had occurred about twenty years before Bridget's birth, was a near relative of the family. Birger's daughter received a careful religious training, and from her seventh year showed signs of extraordinary religious impressions and illuminations. To her education, and particularly to the influence of an aunt who took the place of Bridget's mother after the latter's death (c. 1315), she owed that unswerving strength of will which later distinguished her.
In 1316, at the age of thirteen, she was united in marriage to Ulf Gudmarsson, who was then eighteen. She acquired great influence over her noble and pious husband, and the happy marriage was blessed with eight children, among them St. Catherine of Sweden. The saintly life and the great charity of Bridget soon made her name known far and wide. She was acquainted with several learned and pious theologians, among them Nicolaus Hermanni, later Bishop of Linköping, Matthias, canon of Linköping, her confessor, Peter, Prior of Alvastrâ, and Peter Magister, her confessor after Matthias. She was later at the court of King Magnus Eriksson, over whom she gradually acquired great influence. Early in the forties (1341-43) in company with her husband she made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella. On the return journey her husband was stricken with an attack of illness, but recovered sufficiently to finish the journey. Shortly afterwards, however, he died (1344) in the Cistercian monastery of Alvastrâ in East Gothland.
Bridget now devoted herself entirely to practices of religion and asceticism, and to religious undertakings. The visions which she believed herself to have had from her early childhood now became more frequent and definite. She believed that Christ Himself appeared to her, and she wrote down the revelations she then received, which were in great repute during the Middle Ages. They were translated into Latin by Matthias Magister and Prior Peter.
St. Bridget now founded a new religious congregation, the Brigittines, or Order of St. Saviour, whose chief monastery, at Vadstena, was richly endowed by King Magnus and his queen (1346). To obtain confirmation for her institute, and at the same time to seek a larger sphere of activity for her mission, which was the moral uplifting of the period, she journeyed to Rome in 1349, and remained there until her death, except while absent on pilgrimages, among them one to the Holy Land in 1373. In August, 1370, Pope Urban V confirmed the Rule of her congregation. Bridget made earnest representations to Pope Urban, urging the removal of the Holy See from Avignon back to Rome. She accomplished the greatest good in Rome, however, by her pious and charitable life, and her earnest admonitions to others to adopt a better life, following out the excellent precedents she had set in her native land. The year following her death her remains were conveyed to the monastery at Vadstena. She was canonized, 7 October, 1391, by Boniface IX.
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SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/B/stbridgetofsweden.asp#ixzz1Sw774HYj
Monday, July 22, 2013
ROYAL BABY BORN TO PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON - BOY 8LBS. 6OZ. BORN JULY 22 at 4:24pm
Prince Charles' Message: The Prince of Wales said this evening:
“Both my wife and I are overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild. It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy.
Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone’s life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron says birth of new royal prince is "an important moment in the life of the nation."
British Prime Minister David Cameron says birth of new royal prince is "an important moment in the life of the nation."
(Image share Google)
LIVE POPE FRANCIS WORLD YOUTH DAY WELCOME CEREMONY
This visit marks the first foreign journey of this Latin American Pontiff. Originally planned for his predecessor the See of Peter, Benedict XVI, Pope Francis has added his own touches to the trip, including a visit to the Marian Shrine of Aparecida.
Upon his arrival in Rio, Pope Francis will go by open air popemobile to the Guanabara Palace for the official Welcoming Ceremony. There he'll be received by the President of Brazil, Dilma Vand Rousseff Linhares, the Governor of Rio State, Sergio Cabral Filho, and the Mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes.
Pope Francis will then spend the night at the hillside residence of Sumaré, home to the Archbishop of Rio de Janerio, Monsignor Orani Tempesta.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
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