2015
St. Maria Goretti -- Pilgrimage, relics and the family - #Relics
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| photo credit: http://mariagoretti.com/who-is-st-maria/ |
By Kathy Vestermark, Prof. at CDU
The Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti made a stop on pilgrimage through the US at our little parish in Chantilly, VA yesterday. St. Veronica was the only parish in VA to host the relics on their journey of mercy. It was estimated that nearly 10K people came to venerate the relics throughout the day. And in what was the most miraculous of events, it all went off without a hitch. Thank you, wondrous, little saint of great mercy!
Yesterday was also the feast of St. John Paul II. A friend posted a picture of the saint touching the reliquary of St. Maria Goretti, so as we all touched the 1st class relics of the little saint of purity, we were also touching a third class relic of St. John Paul II.
Amazing that the dates should align for us that way!
And then there were the families -- lots and lots and lots of families. They came in cars, on bikes, on buses -- they just kept coming. Some were broken and searching for wisdom and forgiveness, some were filled to overflowing with children; no one who came was or ever has been without a family. That is what is most striking and often forgotten -- we are all part of a family, somewhere, somehow -- we have a mother and a father, whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, whether we try to manipulate the science or the definition, the truth of how we are conceived and become living human beings doesn't change. These pilgrim families were such a sign of hope, especially as the Synod on the Family meets for its final week in the Vatican.
Pope Francis offered this during his General Audience this past Wednesday, 10/21:
St. Maria Goretti had to make the ultimate choice -- to die to preserve her freedom and dignity, her purity. She chose to remain faithful to Christ in his gift of virginity, caring as she was attacked for the eternal soul of her attacker. How many of us could say with certainty that we would do the same thing in those terrible circumstances, with death as our only option? To serve God with such joy, even in tremendous suffering.
And St. John Paul the Great -- his choice -- to show the world the value of fidelity through long suffering. It is God's plan to give and to take life, our choice comes in whether we submit to the plan or try to create one of our own. St. John Paul gave us a long and vibrant pontificate, one filled with wisdom, conviction, love and devotion. In the end, it was filled with the joy of redemptive suffering. In these two saints the work of the family comes into focus.
Pope Francis offered: "Fidelity grows through our daily efforts to keep our word; indeed, fidelity to our promises is a supreme expression of our dignity as human beings." It is in the family that we work through our struggles, learn to face difficulties and keep moving forward in faith, where we learn to honor and keep our promises. This is our dignity -- and it must be nurtured in the heart of the domestic church, preserved from all impurity, and given the proper perspective of purposeful sacrifice for the benefit of others.
It was a glorious day yesterday at St. Veronica Parish -- one that took many helping hands so that others might partake of the experience. It was a day of two saints, a day of pilgrimage, a day of honoring the family, and a day of welcoming the wonders of God into our own hearts so as to carry it out into the world.
For more information on other pilgrimage sites and schedules, click here.
Yesterday was also the feast of St. John Paul II. A friend posted a picture of the saint touching the reliquary of St. Maria Goretti, so as we all touched the 1st class relics of the little saint of purity, we were also touching a third class relic of St. John Paul II.
Amazing that the dates should align for us that way!
And then there were the families -- lots and lots and lots of families. They came in cars, on bikes, on buses -- they just kept coming. Some were broken and searching for wisdom and forgiveness, some were filled to overflowing with children; no one who came was or ever has been without a family. That is what is most striking and often forgotten -- we are all part of a family, somewhere, somehow -- we have a mother and a father, whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, whether we try to manipulate the science or the definition, the truth of how we are conceived and become living human beings doesn't change. These pilgrim families were such a sign of hope, especially as the Synod on the Family meets for its final week in the Vatican.
Pope Francis offered this during his General Audience this past Wednesday, 10/21:
What a statement! "...[O]ur freedom is shaped and sustained by our fidelity to the choices and commitments we make throughout life." We have the freedom to make choices and we are shaped by the consequences of those choices.
Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our catechesis on the family, we spoke last week about the promises we make to our children by bringing them into the world. Today we consider the promise of love and fidelity made between husbands and wives, which is the basis of all family life. This promise is called into question nowadays, and seen as somehow opposed to personal freedom. Yet the truth is that our freedom is shaped and sustained by our fidelity to the choices and commitments we make throughout life. Fidelity grows through our daily efforts to keep our word; indeed, fidelity to our promises is a supreme expression of our dignity as human beings. There is no greater “school” to teach us such fidelity than marriage and the family, which are, in God’s plan, a blessing for our world. Saint Paul tells us that the love which grounds the family points to the bond of love between Christ and the Church. In these days of the Synod on the Family, let us pray that the Church will uphold and strengthen the promise of the family, with creativity and with unfailing trust in that faithful love by which the Lord fulfills his every promise (emphasis added).
St. Maria Goretti had to make the ultimate choice -- to die to preserve her freedom and dignity, her purity. She chose to remain faithful to Christ in his gift of virginity, caring as she was attacked for the eternal soul of her attacker. How many of us could say with certainty that we would do the same thing in those terrible circumstances, with death as our only option? To serve God with such joy, even in tremendous suffering.
And St. John Paul the Great -- his choice -- to show the world the value of fidelity through long suffering. It is God's plan to give and to take life, our choice comes in whether we submit to the plan or try to create one of our own. St. John Paul gave us a long and vibrant pontificate, one filled with wisdom, conviction, love and devotion. In the end, it was filled with the joy of redemptive suffering. In these two saints the work of the family comes into focus.
Pope Francis offered: "Fidelity grows through our daily efforts to keep our word; indeed, fidelity to our promises is a supreme expression of our dignity as human beings." It is in the family that we work through our struggles, learn to face difficulties and keep moving forward in faith, where we learn to honor and keep our promises. This is our dignity -- and it must be nurtured in the heart of the domestic church, preserved from all impurity, and given the proper perspective of purposeful sacrifice for the benefit of others.
It was a glorious day yesterday at St. Veronica Parish -- one that took many helping hands so that others might partake of the experience. It was a day of two saints, a day of pilgrimage, a day of honoring the family, and a day of welcoming the wonders of God into our own hearts so as to carry it out into the world.
For more information on other pilgrimage sites and schedules, click here.
By Kathy Vestermark, Prof. at CDU
At a press conference following the morning session, Fr Federico Lombardi was joined by Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana, Canadian Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix of Quebec and Belgian Archbishop Lucas Van Looy of Ghent to talk about their hopes for the outcome of the three-week meeting.
Listen to Philippa Hitchen's report:
Long days and sleepless nights – that’s how Cardinal Turkson characterised the work of the drafting committee, currently trying to integrate over 1,350 proposals for changes to the original working document put forward by the Synod’s small groups. On top of that, there were over 50 further comments made in the Synod Hall on Friday on subjects ranging from biblical quotations, to pastoral formation to the crucial question of the relationship between the Church’s moral law and the individual’s right to follow his or her own conscience.
Is it possible to integrate so many differing perspectives without watering down the contents of the final document, journalists wanted to know? Will the substance of the debate on key issues really be reflected, or must it be sacrificed to the need for consensus that can be accepted by all? Cardinal Lacroix noted the final Synod document is not a legislative text so it doesn’t have to reflect unanimity among the Church leaders – on the contrary, he said, differences of opinion reflect a healthy engagement with the difficult issues under discussion.
Among them are the ever-present questions of how to help divorced and remarried couples be reintegrated into the life of the Church and how to approach the issue of homosexuality, which some Synod fathers suggest has not been adequately dealt with at this meeting. Not so, said Cardinal Turkson, revealing that in his small group some bishops and cardinals themselves had shared experiences of gay members of their families. The cardinal also reiterated the view of another Ghanaian participant who told journalists that attitudes in Africa on this issue are changing, faster than they are in other parts of the world.
All three participants pointed to the important experience of synodality, as outlined in the Pope’s own words, allowing bishops in the different parts of the globe greater freedom to exercise leadership, while allowing the Pope to draw on the wealth of local expertise and experience.
Archbishop Van Looy said another key word of this Synod is tenderness, heralding a new attitude of the Church to stop judging and start journeying with people in whatever situation they may find themselves. While it’s vital to support families who do live up to Church teaching, Cardinal Lacroix said there is no such thing as the perfect family and the Church must remain close to all those looking for God’s grace in times of struggle and need.
2015
Free Catholic Movie : "Karol : A Man who became Pope" on the Life of St. John Paul II - #JP2
"Karol: A Man Who Became Pope" (2005) "Karol, un uomo diventato Papa" (original title) TV Movie - 186 min - Biography | Drama - 15 August 2005 (USA) The life of the Pope John-Paul II, from his youth as a writer, actor, and athlete in war-torn occupied Poland to his election as Pope at the age of 58. Director: Giacomo Battiato Writers: Giacomo Battiato (screenplay), Gianfranco Svidercoschi (book) Stars: Piotr Adamczyk, Malgorzata Bela, Ken Duken
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Free Movies - Breaking News LIKE Us On Facebook http://fb.com/catholicnewsworld
Latest #News of #Vatican Information Service and #PopeFrancis at #Synod15
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23-10-2015 - Year XXII - Num. 186
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Summary |
| - The Pope announces the institution of a new dicastery |
| - Bishop Jan Vokal reminds the Synod of St. John Paul II's invitation to mercy - Pope's message to international congress on Fr. Matteo Ricci |
| The Pope announces the institution of a new dicastery Vatican City, 23 October 2015 (VIS) – Yesterday afternoon, at the beginning of the afternoon Synod Congregation, the Holy Father made the following announcement. “I have decided to establish a new dicastery with competency for the Laity, Family and Life, that will replace the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family. The Pontifical Academy for Life will be joined to the new dicastery. To this end, I have constituted a special commission that will prepare a text delineating canonically the competences of the new dicastery. The text will be presented for discussion by the Council of Cardinals at their next meeting in December”. | |||||
| Bishop Jan Vokal reminds the Synod of St. John Paul II's invitation to mercy Vatican City, 23 October 2015 (VIS) – An appeal for mercy concluded the Czech bishop Jan Vokal's brief reflection with which he opened the General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops on the family this morning. Bishop Vokal quoted the prophet Amos: “He who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is His thought, Who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth – the Lord, the God of hosts, is His name”. “From time to time we need to pause, to raise our eyes to heaven, and to remember that we are not the masters of the world and of life. We need to contemplate the sky, the mountains, the sea; to feel the strength of the wind, the voice of the great waters … as St. John Paul II, whose liturgical memory we celebrated just yesterday, loved to do. We need to feel small – as indeed we are – in the great universe that God has created and continues to create and give life to at every instant”. “Living increasingly among artificial things, made by ourselves, gradually changes our perception of reality and of ourselves. Without realising, we forget where we are and who we are; we lose the sense of our true dimension. At times we feel omnipotent, but we are not; at times we feel impotent, but we are not”. “As the prophet Amos reminds us, we are like a blade of grass, it is true, but our heart is capable of the infinite. We are 'almost nothing', it is true, but we can ask 'why?', and feel within ourselves a mysterious bond, at times painful, with He Who created the world, the sun, the moon, the stars”. “Among all the creatures – who, in their way, are more humble and obedient to the Creator than we are – we humans are the only ones who recognise, and at times feel, that this omnipotence of God's, His incomprehensible greatness, is love, and that it is a merciful, tender, compassionate love, like that of a mother for her small and fragile children. We are the only ones to intuit that all of creation moans and suffers as if in the pangs of childbirth”. St. John Paul II left us the legacy of his prophecy that this is the time of mercy. He gave the Second Sunday of Easter the name of Divine Mercy, and passed away precisely on the eve of this Sunday. May he continue to intercede for us, so that we become ever more merciful, just as our heavenly Father is merciful”.
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#PopeFrancis "...thanks to the gift of freedom given to us by Jesus Christ." Homily
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said on Friday (23rd October) that the times are changing and we Christians must change continually, freely but within the truth of the faith. He urged Christians to look at the signs of the times and warned them against succumbing to the comfort of conformity. The Pope’s remarks came during his homily at the morning Mass celebrated at the Santa Marta residence.
Reading the signs of the times
Taking his cue from the reading of St Paul’s letter to the Romans, Pope Francis’s homily reflected on the discernment that the Church needs to employ whilst looking at the signs of the times and doing what Christ wants. He noted how St Paul’s preaching stressed the freedom which has saved us from sin whilst Christ himself spoke of reading the signs of the times. God set us free, the Pope explained, and in order to have this freedom, we must open ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit and clearly understand what is happening within and around us through discernment.
“We have this freedom to judge whatever is happening around us. But in order to judge, we must have a good knowledge of that is happening around us. And how can we do this? How can we do this, which the Church calls ‘recognizing the signs of the times?’ Times are changing. And it’s precisely Christian wisdom that recognizes these changes, recognizes the changing times and recognizes the signs of the times. What one thing and another thing means. And do this freely, without fear.”
Pope Francis conceded that this is not an easy thing to do on account of the external conditioning that pressures Christians as well, encouraging many of them to seek comfort in doing nothing.
“This is something that we usually don’t do: we stick with conformity, we reassure ourselves with (words like) ‘they told us, I heard, people said they read….’ In this way we are reassured. But what is the truth? What is the message that the Lord wants to give me with this sign of the times? First of all, in order to understand the signs of the times we need silence: to be silent and observe. And afterwards we need to reflect within ourselves. One example: why are there so many wars nowadays? Why did something happen? And pray… silence, reflection and prayer. It’s only in this way that we can understand the signs of the times, what Jesus wants to tell us.”
Freedom within the truth of the Gospel
Understanding the signs of the times, noted the Pope, should not be confined to an elite cultural group. He recalled how Jesus didn’t tell us to look at how the professors, the doctors and the intellectuals do things but instead urged us to look at the farm labourer who knows how to “separate the wheat from the chaff.”
“Times are changing and we Christians must change continually. We must change whilst remaining fixed to our faith in Jesus Christ, fixed to the truth of the Gospel but we must adapt our attitude continuously according to the signs of the times. We are free. We are free thanks to the gift of freedom given to us by Jesus Christ. But our job is to look at what is happening within us, discern our feelings, our thoughts and what is happening around us and discern the signs of the times – through silence, reflection and prayer.”
Today's Mass Readings and Video : Fri. October 23, 2015
Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 477
Reading 1ROM 7:18-25A
Brothers and sisters:
I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not.
For I do not do the good I want,
but I do the evil I do not want.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
So, then, I discover the principle
that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
but I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not.
For I do not do the good I want,
but I do the evil I do not want.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
So, then, I discover the principle
that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
but I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Responsorial PsalmPS 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94
R. (68b) Lord, teach me your statutes.
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Never will I forget your precepts,
for through them you give me life.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Never will I forget your precepts,
for through them you give me life.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
AlleluiaSEE MT 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 12:54-59
Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
#BreakingNews 2 young Children burnt alive over cell phone fight...Please Pray
India, two Dalits children burnt alive over cell fight on a cell phoneby Nirmala Carvalho
Vaibhav, two and half years old, and his sister Divya, nine-months, died because of an argument over a cell phone for 27 euro. Members of a high caste set fire to their home. The mother is hospitalized in critical condition, the father has burns on both hands. Five policemen suspended for negligence. Activist for the rights of Dalits and tribals: "No government is able to contain or stop the merciless violence against the lower castes. Police and government fail to assume their responsibilities and try to lay the blame on others".
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - Two infants from a Dalit family were burned to death in the fire that destroyed their home in the village of Sunpedh Faridabad, in the state of Haryana, about 40 km from the capital of the Union.
They are two and a half year old Vaibhav and his little sister, Divya, only nine months old.
According to investigations, the perpetrators are members of the Rajput clan, one of the India’s higher castes, who were involved in a dispute with the Dalit family for more than a year over a phone costing 2 thousand rupees (about 27 euro).
Arun Ferreira, activist for the rights of Dalits and tribals, told AsiaNews: "The increase in cases of sectarian violence and brutality by the high caste against Dalits and tribal minorities represent a serious problem. Violence based on caste going membership has continued for dozens of years in India. "
The attack took place yesterday morning at about 2 (local time). Jitender, the father, suffered burns to both hands while his wife Rekha is hospitalized in critical condition.
The man said: "The murderers were Rajput and in October 2014 they had a falling out with the Dalit minority over the killing of three men following the alleged theft of a mobile phone. They broke into our house while we were sleeping, poured gasoline through the windows, locked the doors and set it on fire. I smelled gasoline, and I woke my wife up, but the flames had already enveloped the whole house".
Neighbors brought the family to Delhi Safdarjung hospital, where children died and the mother is hospitalized with 70% of her body burned. The state government has suspended five policemen for negligence and deployed security forces to the scene of the attack.
Ferreira said: "No government is able to contain or stop this series of violent incidents that are mercilessly unleashed against the lowest castes, especially in poor rural areas. Although there are laws to protect minorities, investigations are so manipulated that it is rare for cases to come to trial before a judge. The problems of caste discrimination are so entrenched in the high castes and prejudices so difficult to break down, that violence against Dalits remains unpunished".
Furthermore, he concludes, "the threat of the Naxal guerrillas [a group of far-left radical, associated with the Maoists - Ed] is used by the authorities to bury activist groups that defend the Dalits. The activists are often identified by the name of Naxalites to implement an implicit repression against them. The police and the government are criticized by the Dalit community for their failure, and even for their support of high castes in these episodes. They are not only unable to take responsibility, but they also try to blame others".
Shared from AsiaNewsIT
Saint October 23 : St. John of Capistrano : Patron of Judges
St. John of Capistrano
FRANCISCAN PAPAL LEGATE AND HERO OF HUNGARY
Feast: October 23
Information:
Feast Day:
October 23
Born:
June 24, 1386, Capestrano, Abruzzi, Kingdom of Naples
Died:
October 23, 1456, Ilok, modern Croatia
Canonized:
1690 or 1724, Rome by either Pope Alexander VIII or Pope Benedict XIII
Patron of:
Jurists
Born at Capistrano, in the Diocese of Sulmona, Italy, 1385; died 23 October, 1456. His father had come to Naples in the train of Louis of Anjou, hence is supposed to have been of French blood, though some say he was of German origin. His father dying early, John owed his education to his mother. She had him at first instructed at home and then sent him to study law at Perugia, where he achieved great success under the eminent legist, Pietro de Ubaldis. In 1412 he was appointed governor of Perugia by Ladislaus, King of Naples, who then held that city of the Holy See. As governor he set himself against civic corruption and bribery. War broke out in 1416 between Perugia and the Malatesta. John was sent as ambassador to propose peace to the Malatesta, who however cast him into prison. It was during this imprisonment that he began to think more seriously about his soul. He decided eventually to give up the world and become a Franciscan Friar, owing to a dream he had in which he saw St. Francis and was warned by the saint to enter the Franciscan Order. John had married a wealthy lady of Perugia immediately before the war broke out, but as the marriage was not consummated he obtained a dispensation to enter religion, which he did 4 October, 1416.
After he had taken his vows he came under the influence of St. Bernardine of Siena, who taught him theology: he had as his fellow-student St. James of the Marches. He accompanied St. Bernardine on his preaching tours in order to study his methods, and in 1420, whilst still in deacon's orders, was himself permitted to preach. But his apostolic life began in 1425, after he had received the priesthood. From this time until his death he laboured ceaselessly for the salvation of souls. He traversed the whole of Italy; and so great were the crowds who came to listen to him that he often had to preach in the public squares. At the time of his preaching all business stopped. At Brescia on one occasion he preached to a crowd of one hundred and twenty-six thousand people, who had come from all the neighbouring provinces. On another occasion during a mission, over two thousand sick people were brought to him that he might sign them with the sign of the Cross, so great was his fame as a healer of the sick. Like St. Bernardine of Siena he greatly propagated devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, and, together with that saint, was accused of heresy because of this devotion. While he was thus carrying on his apostolic work, he was actively engaged in assisting St. Bernardine in the reform of the Franciscan Order. In 1429 John, together with other Observant friars, was cited to Rome on the charge of heresy, and he was chosen by his companions to defend their cause; the friars were acquitted by the commission of cardinals.
After this, Pope Martin V conceived the idea of uniting the Conventual Friars Minor and the Observants, and a general chapter of both bodies of Franciscans was convoked at Assisi in 1430. A union was effected, but it did not last long. The following year the Observants held a chapter at Bologna, at which John was the moving spirit. According to Gonzaga, John was about this time appointed commissary general of the Observants, but his name does not appear among the commissaries and vicars in Holzapfel's list (Manuale Hist. Ord. FF. Min., 624-5) before 1443. But it was owing to him that St. Bernardine was appointed vicar-general in 1438. Shortly after this, whilst visiting France he met St. Colette, the reformer of the Second Franciscan Order or Poor Clares, with whose efforts he entirely sympathized. He was frequently employed on embassies by the Holy See. In 1439 he was sent as legate to Milan and Burgundy, to oppose the claims of the antipope Felix V; in 1446 he was on a mission to the King of France; in 1451 he went at the request of the emperor as Apostolic nuncio to Austria. During the period of his nunciature John visited all parts of the empire, preaching and combatting the heresy of the Hussites; he also visited Poland at the request of Casimir IV. In 1454 he was summoned to the Diet at Frankfort, to assist that assembly in its deliberation concerning a crusade against the Turks for the relief of Hungary: and here, too, he was the leading spirit. When the crusade was actually in operation John accompanied the famous Hunyady throughout the campaign: he was present at the battle of Belgrade, and led the left wing of the Christian army against the Turks. He was beatified in 1694, and canonized in 1724. He wrote many books, chiefly against the heresies of his day.
FRANCISCAN PAPAL LEGATE AND HERO OF HUNGARY
Feast: October 23
Information:
Feast Day:
October 23
Born:
June 24, 1386, Capestrano, Abruzzi, Kingdom of Naples
Died:
October 23, 1456, Ilok, modern Croatia
Canonized:
1690 or 1724, Rome by either Pope Alexander VIII or Pope Benedict XIII
Patron of:
Jurists
Born at Capistrano, in the Diocese of Sulmona, Italy, 1385; died 23 October, 1456. His father had come to Naples in the train of Louis of Anjou, hence is supposed to have been of French blood, though some say he was of German origin. His father dying early, John owed his education to his mother. She had him at first instructed at home and then sent him to study law at Perugia, where he achieved great success under the eminent legist, Pietro de Ubaldis. In 1412 he was appointed governor of Perugia by Ladislaus, King of Naples, who then held that city of the Holy See. As governor he set himself against civic corruption and bribery. War broke out in 1416 between Perugia and the Malatesta. John was sent as ambassador to propose peace to the Malatesta, who however cast him into prison. It was during this imprisonment that he began to think more seriously about his soul. He decided eventually to give up the world and become a Franciscan Friar, owing to a dream he had in which he saw St. Francis and was warned by the saint to enter the Franciscan Order. John had married a wealthy lady of Perugia immediately before the war broke out, but as the marriage was not consummated he obtained a dispensation to enter religion, which he did 4 October, 1416.
After he had taken his vows he came under the influence of St. Bernardine of Siena, who taught him theology: he had as his fellow-student St. James of the Marches. He accompanied St. Bernardine on his preaching tours in order to study his methods, and in 1420, whilst still in deacon's orders, was himself permitted to preach. But his apostolic life began in 1425, after he had received the priesthood. From this time until his death he laboured ceaselessly for the salvation of souls. He traversed the whole of Italy; and so great were the crowds who came to listen to him that he often had to preach in the public squares. At the time of his preaching all business stopped. At Brescia on one occasion he preached to a crowd of one hundred and twenty-six thousand people, who had come from all the neighbouring provinces. On another occasion during a mission, over two thousand sick people were brought to him that he might sign them with the sign of the Cross, so great was his fame as a healer of the sick. Like St. Bernardine of Siena he greatly propagated devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, and, together with that saint, was accused of heresy because of this devotion. While he was thus carrying on his apostolic work, he was actively engaged in assisting St. Bernardine in the reform of the Franciscan Order. In 1429 John, together with other Observant friars, was cited to Rome on the charge of heresy, and he was chosen by his companions to defend their cause; the friars were acquitted by the commission of cardinals.
After this, Pope Martin V conceived the idea of uniting the Conventual Friars Minor and the Observants, and a general chapter of both bodies of Franciscans was convoked at Assisi in 1430. A union was effected, but it did not last long. The following year the Observants held a chapter at Bologna, at which John was the moving spirit. According to Gonzaga, John was about this time appointed commissary general of the Observants, but his name does not appear among the commissaries and vicars in Holzapfel's list (Manuale Hist. Ord. FF. Min., 624-5) before 1443. But it was owing to him that St. Bernardine was appointed vicar-general in 1438. Shortly after this, whilst visiting France he met St. Colette, the reformer of the Second Franciscan Order or Poor Clares, with whose efforts he entirely sympathized. He was frequently employed on embassies by the Holy See. In 1439 he was sent as legate to Milan and Burgundy, to oppose the claims of the antipope Felix V; in 1446 he was on a mission to the King of France; in 1451 he went at the request of the emperor as Apostolic nuncio to Austria. During the period of his nunciature John visited all parts of the empire, preaching and combatting the heresy of the Hussites; he also visited Poland at the request of Casimir IV. In 1454 he was summoned to the Diet at Frankfort, to assist that assembly in its deliberation concerning a crusade against the Turks for the relief of Hungary: and here, too, he was the leading spirit. When the crusade was actually in operation John accompanied the famous Hunyady throughout the campaign: he was present at the battle of Belgrade, and led the left wing of the Christian army against the Turks. He was beatified in 1694, and canonized in 1724. He wrote many books, chiefly against the heresies of his day.
SOURCE EWTN
Top 10 Saint John Paul II Quotes to SHARE - #Quotes #JPII We Love You!
2. "Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure."
3. "Faith and Reason are like two wings of the human spirit by which is soars to the truth.”
4. “I plead with you! Never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.”
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5. “Do not be afraid to take a chance on peace, to teach peace, to live peace...Peace will be the last word of history.”6. “It is the duty of every man to uphold the dignity of every woman.”
7. “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.” (WYD, Closing Homily, 5)
8. “The future is in your hearts and in your hands. God is entrusting to you the task, at once difficult and uplifting, of working with him in the building of the civilization of love.” (Downsview Address, 4)
9. “Dear young people, let yourselves be taken over by the light of Christ, and spread that light wherever you are.” (Downsview Address, 5) 7.
10. " And if, in the depths of your hearts, you feel the same call to the priesthood or consecrated life, do not be afraid to follow Christ on the royal road of the Cross!” (Closing Homily, 5)
Novena to Saint Pope John Paul II - Litany and Prayers - #SHARE - #JP2 We Love You!
NOVENA TO SAINT JOHN PAUL II.
SHARED from Fr. Jim Chern at Montclair State University in New Jersey
Born in Poland - May 18, 1920
Ordained a Priest - November 1, 1946
Ordained a Bishop - Sept 28, 1958
Elected Pope - October 16, 1978
Entered Eternal Life - April 2, 2005
Beatified - May 1, 2011
Novena - October 13 - October 21
Feast Day: October 22
NOVENA TO SAINT JOHN PAUL II
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen
Priest: O Lord, open my lips.
People: And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.Priest: O God come to my assistance.
People: O Lord, make haste to help me.
Priest: Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
People: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; world without end, AMEN
DAILY READING: Optional
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Pray: 1 Our Father; 1 Hail Mary; 1 Glory Be
Litany to Saint John Paul II
(Leader in plain font; Responses in BOLD)
Kyrie eleison; Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison; Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison; Kyrie eleison
Christ hear us, Christ graciously hear us
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us
Servant of God, John Paul II, pray for us
Perfect disciple of Christ, pray for us
Generously gifted with the gifts of the Holy Spirit; pray for us
Great apostle of Divine Mercy; pray for us
Faithful Son of Mary; pray for us
Totally dedicated to the Mother of God; pray for us
Persevering preacher of the Gospel; pray for us
Pilgrim Pope; pray for us
Pope of the Millennium; pray for us
Model of industry; pray for us
Model of priests; pray for us
Drawing strength from the Eucharist; pray for us
Untiring man of prayer; pray for us
Lover of the rosary; pray for us
Strength of those doubting their faith; pray for us
Desiring to unite all those who believe in Christ; pray for us
Converter of sinners; pray for us
Defender of the dignity of every person; pray for us
Defender of life from conception to natural death; pray for us
Praying for the gift of parenthood for the infertile; pray for us
Friend of children; pray for us
Leader of youth; pray for us
Intercessor of families, pray for us
Comforter of the suffering; pray for us
Manly bearing his pain; pray for us
Sower of divine joy; pray for us
Great intercessor for peace; pray for us
Pride of the Polish nation; pray for us
Brilliance of the Holy Church; pray for us
That we may be faithful imitators of Christ; pray for us
That we may be strong with the power of the Holy Spirit; pray for us
That we may have trust in the Mother of God; pray for us
That we may grow in our faith, hope, and charity; pray for us
That we may live in peace in our families; pray for us
That we may know how to forgive; pray for us
That we may know how to bear suffering; pray for us
That we may not succumb to the culture of death; pray for us
That we may not be afraid and courageously fight off various temptations; pray for us
That he would intercede for us the grace of a happy death; pray for us
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Pray for us, Venerable Servant of God John Paul II, That we may become worthy of the promises of Christ
PRAYER
O Blessed Trinity, we thank you for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care, the glory of the cross of Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit to shine through him. Trusting fully in your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and the way of achieving eternal communion with you. Grant us, by his intercession, and according to your will the graces we implore, especially for [PAUSE TO ADD YOUR INTENTION] . . . we ask this, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
Conclusion
Make the Sign of the Cross as you say
MAY THE LORD BLESS US, PROTECT US FROM ALL EVIL AND BRING US TO EVERLASTING LIFE - AMEN
Saint John Paul II - PRAY FOR US!
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