Pope Saint John Paul II

An image of then Bishop Karol Wojtyla, later known as Pope John Paul II. Today, we commemorate the 10th year of his death.

Innovations and Traditions: Christ the King Eucharistic Procession redux!

So if you do not have any degree in Theology and Liturgy, you don't have any right to speak up.

Like if you do not have any law degree, you cannot talk about your rights under the law.

Right.

Makes you wonder why some individuals would rather defend their procession of an image of Christ the King instead of a procession with the Blessed Sacrament.

(You have this inkling that they are the ones behind this, eh?  Or your typical anti-TPC readers.  Maybe Nuknuk got touche here.  HA HA)

Let's turn the tables.

Show me an example that processing with an image of Christ the King is done as part of Church Tradition?

Put it this way.

You don't do the Sinulog with the Blessed Sacrament.

I would be against it.

It was always done with the Sto. Niño image so do it like how our forefathers did it.

So?

Why have a Christ the King procession without the Blessed Sacrament?

An image cannot replace Christ Himself.

And since they ask for Church LAW:

104. Eucharistic processions should be arranged in accordance with local customs in regard to the decoration of the streets and the order followed by the participants. In the course of the procession there may be stations where the eucharistic blessing is given, if there is such a custom and some pastoral advantage recommends it. Songs and prayers should be planned with the purpose of expressing the faith of the participants and the centering of their attention on the Lord alone.
(Eucharistiae Sacramentum)

Next challenge!

Show me a photograph to prove that Christ the King processions with an image instead of the Blessed Sacrament is THE tradition and NOT an innovation.

This photo is from this source.

GULP Alert: Something wrong in the Christ the King procession in Baguio

While we laud the holding of the Christ the King procession, I kept scratching my head after seeing this.

Church law and tradition is very specific on what to do during Christ the King.

And it is having a Eucharistic procession.

Not a procession of the image of Christ the King.

Maybe we can correct this next time huh, Diocese of Baguio?

Pope Saint John Paul the Great does AD ORIENTEM

Pope Saint John Paul II had no problem with Mass facing the Lord.  

This was at the confession of St. Stanislaus in the Royal Archcathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslaus on Wawel Hill during his pilgrimage to Poland in 1999.

If may problema ang pari sa ad orientem worship, is he greater than the Pope?

GULP Alert: Guess what this is.

Clue.

Used during Holy Thursday.

Yes.

No kidding.

As stated in this blog where the photo came from.

The best New Year's Resolution

Be faithful to your baptismal vows!

Happy New Year from the bloggers of TPC!

Carol of the Bells

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Manila is scheduled to re-open on or before December 9, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

I am privy to some reports that the interior of the historic Cathedral underwent inculturation or if I may say so, DESTRUCTION, but I will not take away from Jennifer that privilege of informing the Catholic faithful about it.

So, in the meantime, here are some images of the restored Cathedral bells of the Minor Basilica.

November 1 is All Saints Day, not All Evil Creatures' Day

Then why the heck do we even dress up our kids as evil creatures on All Hallows' Eve???

***

MANILA, Philippines - Roman Catholic dioceses can start a new tradition, a “march of saints” for Halloween, with children going around the neighborhood dressed up as their favorite saint, a group said yesterday.

“There is a growing concern among Christians, in general, that the modern celebration of Halloween threatens to take over the proper observance of All Saints’ (Day). Halloween’s powerful commercial appeal has largely succeeded in trivializing and even glamorizing evil, the occult, and superstitious and pagan practice and beliefs that are incompatible with the Christian faith,” the Prayer Warriors of the Holy Souls (PWHS) said in a statement.

The group is a national association of Catholic lay faithful and a member of the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Council of the Laity of the Philippines).

The group said many Catholics have become apprehensive over the thought that Halloween would replace the observance of All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2.

The march of saints “is a tradition that has the potential to draw people’s attention away from glamorized symbols and personifications of evil and direct their focus on the heroic lives of the saints and their victory over evil by the grace of God,” the PWHS said.

The group said the march of saints would distract people from participating in “trick or treat” neighborhood visits and Halloween parties. Those participating in the march would also be in costume and could bring their own props as they go around the neighborhood, the PWHS said.

The group said there is an urgent need to reclaim the sacredness of All Saints’ Day and this could be accomplished by “creating a counterculture that will serve as a Christ-centered alternative to Halloween for the benefit of present and future generations.”

***

Hey!

I know some "guys" who dress up and pose like saints all year round.

Catholic Cosplay anyone?

As a parent, would you even find it fun to see your child a creature of evil???

No, I won't.

I'll be on the watch for my grandkids.

Who's medallion is next?

Photo courtesy of Catholic News Service.

This photo was taken in 2011 after Benedict XVI changed the form of his papal pallium.  I made a post about the papal pallium and the change adopted by His Holiness.  You can read about it here.

Some may be wondering what the "IO" in John Paul's name means.  That is the first two letters of the Latin of John "Ioannes", thus IO. What is written under the medallion of John Paul and does not appear under Benedict XVI's is the number of years of his pontificate.  John Paul's had 26 years , 4 months and 15 days .

You will also notice that the light shines only on the medallion of the currently reigning pope.

You can see the medallion next to Benedict XVI is waiting for the next pope.

This is only found in St. Paul's Basilica Outside the Walls.

A cheap imitation was done in St. Peter's Parish Church uhm..."Shrine of Leaders" (darn I find that title weird!) in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.  I tell you.  It is a really cheap attempt.

When meeting a Pope or bishop...

This is long overdue and thanks to Josemaria for reminding me of this one.

How do we show respect to the Pope.

Thanks to Fisheaters for the table below.


***


Latin Catholic

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Pope
Face-to-face Greeting	Holy Father Your Holiness Most Holy Father
Envelope Address	His Holiness, Pope John Paul II (abbreviated: H.H. John Paul II)
Letter Salutation	Your Holiness Most Holy Father
Formal Closing	Kissing the Sacred Foot [although this has been discontinued since the time of Paul VI.  Kissing of the Ring is now the protocol]
Abbreviations	His Holiness: H.H.
Other	Kneel on your left knee and kiss ring as sign of respect for his office. If kneeling would be awkward or impossible, bow at the waist and proceed. Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Women should have their heads covered and be dressed in black (only Queens wear white in the Pope's presence); men must remove their hats in his presence. Repeat reverential gestures when leaving his presence. Note: If you'd like a very nice papal souvenir, bring a brand new white zucchetto with you when meeting the Pope. His Holiness will trade his for yours.

Cardinal
Face-to-face Greeting	Your Eminence Your Grace (British)
Envelope Address	His Eminence, John Cardinal Doe, Archbishop of Erewhon ("Cardinal" goes between first and last names)
Letter Salutation	Most Revererend Eminence Most Eminent Cardinal
Formal Closing	Kissing the Sacred Purple
Abbreviations	His Eminence: H.E.; Eminence: Emus. (Eminentissimus)
Other	Kneel on your left knee and kiss ring as sign of respect for his office. If kneeling would be awkward or impossible, bow at the waist and proceed (do not do either if the Pope is present). Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Men must remove their hats in his presence. Repeat reverential gestures when leaving his presence.

Patriarch
Face-to-face Greeting	Your Beatitude
Envelope Address	His Beatitude
Letter Salutation	Your Beatitude
Other	Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Men must remove their hats in his presence. When it is your own Patriarch, kneel on your left knee and kiss ring as sign of respect for his office. If kneeling would be awkward or impossible, or if he is not your own Patriarch, bow at the waist and kiss his ring (do not do either if the Pope is present). Repeat reverential gestures when leaving his presence.

Archbishop/Primate
Face-to-face Greeting	Your Excellency Your Grace (British)
Envelope Address	The Most Reverend John Doe, Archbishop of Erewhon
Letter Salutation	Your Excellency
Formal Closing	Kissing the Sacred Ring
Abbreviations	Archieps. (Archiepiscopus), or Arch.
Other	Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Men must remove their hats in his presence. When it is your own Archbishop, kneel on your left knee and kiss ring as sign of respect for his office. If kneeling would be awkward or impossible, or if he is not your own Archbishop, bow at the waist and kiss his ring (do not do either if the Pope is present). Repeat reverential gestures when leaving his presence.

Bishop
Face-to-face Greeting	Your Excellency My Lord Bishop (British) Your Lordship (British)
Envelope Address	The Most Reverend John Doe, Bishop of Erewhon The Right Reverend John Doe, Bishop of Erewhon (British)
Letter Salutation	Your Excellency Your Lordship
Formal Closing	Kissing the Sacred Ring
Abbreviations	Ep., Epus. (Episcopus)
Other	Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Men must remove their hats in his presence. When it is your own Bishop, kneel on your left knee and kiss ring as sign of respect for his office. If kneeling would be awkward or impossible, or if he is not your own Bishop, bow at the waist and kiss his ring (do not do either if the Pope is present). Repeat reverential gestures when leaving his presence.

Monsignor
Face-to-face Greeting	Monsignor
Envelope Address	The Very Right Reverend Monsignor Doe The Reverend Monsignor John Doe
Letter Salutation	Dear Monsignor
Abbreviations	Right Reverend Father: RR. (for Reverendissimus)
Other	Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Men must remove their hats in his presence. Repeat reverential gestures when leaving his presence.

Priest
Face-to-face Greeting	"Father," "Reverend Father," or "Your Reverence." Though it is common, it's not proper to address a priest using his first name, as in "Hi, Father John!"
Envelope Address	The Reverend Father John Doe
Letter Salutation	Dear Father  Reverend and Dear Father Doe
Abbreviations	Father: F. or Fr. Fathers, Plural: FF. Reverend Father: Rev. Fr. (or "R.P." for Reverendus Pater)
Other	Stand when he enters the room and remain standing until he invites you to sit. Men must remove their hats in his presence. If a priest visits your home, it is customary to ask for his blessing; the simple words, "Father, bless" are fine. When blessed by a priest, kneel on both knees until he is finished. It is also customary for many people, especially those in Latin cultures, to kiss the priest's hand to honor the Eucharist, as they alone are able to consecrate (unless the Pope is present).

Deacon
Face-to-face Greeting	Deacon
Envelope Address	Reverend Mr Deacon
Letter Salutation	Dear Mr. Deacon

Abbot
Face-to-face Greeting	Father Abbot
Envelope Address	Right Reverend John Doe, (Initials of Order) Ex. Right Reverend Doe, O.S.D.
Abbreviations	Abbot: Ab.
Letter Salutation	Dear Right Reverend Father Dear Abbot

Brother
Face-to-face Greeting	Brother
Envelope Address	Brother John Doe, (Initials of Order) Ex. Brother Doe, O.S.D.
Abbreviations	Br. or Bro.
Letter Salutation	Dear Brother

Mother Superior
Face-to-face Greeting	Reverend Mother
Envelope Address	The Reverend Mother Jane Doe, (Initials of Order) Ex. The Reverend Mother Jane Doe, O.S.D.
Abbreviations	Rev. Mother
Letter Salutation	Dear Reverend Mother

Sister
Face-to-face Greeting	Sister
Envelope Address	Sister Jane Doe, (Initials of Order) Ex. Sister Jane Doe, O.S.D.
Abbreviations	Sr. (for Soror)
Letter Salutation	Dear Sister Dear Sister Jane Doe

STOP THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF CHRISTMAS

The Knights of Columbus started this movement. it's time you take part in it even if your are not a Knight. Why? Because it is a Christian thing to do so!

We give gifts on Christmas because that is the most simple thing to imitate what God has given us on that silent night, holy night, Christ Himself, is given as the greatest gift of all!

The excessive promotion and marketing has turned this sacred day into a feast of pride, gluttony and excesses!

Stop it!

Let us start bringing back the sense of the sacred in Christmas within our own families. Come to Mass and pray before you have your Noche Buena.

Prefer the Nativity scene in your house before the Christmas tree and share the story of how Christ was born. Watch a movie about this!

Sounds good right?

The Consistory of November 2012

For those who missed it.

Traditionalist or not traditionalist?

Was THAT bishop a sede vacantist and less of a traditionalist too for being too attached to the Traditional Mass?

Duh!

He is sitting on the SEDE.



***


I just had to comment.

My email was flooded because of this.

TPC readers wanted me to react on this one.

Nothing personal.

***

Those faithful who are inclined with the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, also known as Tridentine Rite, are few of the members of the Roman Church [there was an actual head count?  Or is it few just because only the few knows about the Extraordinary Form?] that our Holy Mother, the Mystical Body of Christ, embraces. However not all of them respect and obey the Holy Father.  [Huh?]

It is widely rampant that some of these faithful, especially those who are active, secretly deny the validity and sanctity of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II). [He must know some of them.  But I personally heard one who thinks he is more Catholic than the Pope.  Yup, more like a Williamson type.]  I heard, and I was well informed by those who knew them, that they still go against the teachings of the Sacred Council and calls the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite invalid. [most likely sede vacantists!] Who are they to call the Mass invalid? It is very clear that the Holy Father, in his motu propio “Summorum Pontificum,” highlighted that the two forms of the Eucharistic Celebration are valid and are equal of dignity – that these two forms of the Roman Rite are rooted in the Tradition (with a capital letter “T”) of the Church. We have only one rite in two forms, and I myself highly appreciate the richness of both forms of one Roman Rite.  [I would be more discreet in using the adjective richness for the Novus Ordo.]

The Pope, on the accompanying letter for the said motu propio, already clarified the confusions made by so-called traditionalists (with small letter “t”) that Vatican II never abrogated the Extraordinary Form (notice that I use the official term given by the Holy Father). [The traditionalists are claiming that Vatican II never abrogated the Extraordinary Form?  Or was it Cardinal Ratzinger and the other cardinals with him who advised John Paul II that it was so.]

Efforts to reconcile the Society of Saint Pius X are being made. [Whoa!  Quick jump here!] As a vibrant sign of their desire to unite with the Holy See, they recently expelled Bishop Richard Williamson from the fraternity because of his disobedience and disrespect toward his superiors. Some breakaway groups from the said society are building means to unite themselves to Rome and, as like the Father in the parable of the prodigal son, they are received with love and affection, with respect and care. We need to pray more for reconciliation within the Roman Catholic Church.  [This I agree.  This is the true essence of ecumenism, not like how some liturgist, like the famous one, would make the Mass, the Ordinary Form, look more like a Protestant Mass with too much INCULTURATION.]

For those who call themselves ‘traditionalist’ Catholics, when will they reconcile their thoughts, words, actions and feelings to the Roman Church? [Are all traditionalists like this?  I don't think so.]  How come they go against the Church’s teachings and the Holy Father’s move towards unity and reconciliation? [Huh?] We are celebrating the Year of Faith to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II. Yet they disregard to grab the blessed moment to open their hearts and minds to know the teachings – the REAL TEACHINGS - and to enrich their faith. [Wasn't it because of the confusion made my those who made their own interpretation of the so-called Spirit of Vatican II that the Year of Faith was called in the first place?  Wasn't it because of the confusion in how the liturgical reform should have been done that the Holy Father has called on the Synod and to discuss other confusions for that matter?] Isn’t it that by doing such acts and holding on to such biased principles, in a sense, being ‘Protestant’ or “Schismatic” - denying the Pope and the Church teachings?

I wish to re-echo the words of Pope Benedict XVI, which he sent to bishops about the motu propio, which I now address to the ‘traditionalist’ Catholics:

“It is true that there have been exaggerations and at times social aspects unduly linked to the attitude of the faithful attached to the ancient Latin liturgical tradition. Your charity and pastoral prudence will be an incentive and guide for improving these.” (Emphasis added)  [I think this reminder of the Holy Father is more applicable to those who think traditionalists are automatically denying the validity of the Mass of Paul VI and think they are schismatics too.]

Dear friends, “traditionalism” is not measured on how you worship and what you personally believe. Rather, true traditionalism is measured on how you show fidelity and love to God, through Christ in His Church through His Vicar here on earth, and with your unity in faith with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

***

Uhm... if that were the definition of traditionalism....then those looney Wiccan dancers of St. Vincent School of Theology, Maryhill School of Theology and Euntes of Zamboanga are......uhm....traditionalists?!?  Isn't traditionalism a way to describe those who are particularly attached to the TRADITIONAL practices of the Church which disastrously were almost lost to oblivion thanks to the interpretation of Vatican II of those who "show fidelity and love to [sic] God, through Christ in His Church through His Vicar here on earth, and with your unity in faith with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church."

Even those who do the most tragic things during the Mass, dancing, clowns, powerpoints, wise crack jokes...they all show fidelity and love of God.  But does it make them traditional?

Will you call Cardinal Mahony and his dissent fest Religious Education Humbug a traditionalist just because they love God?

I consider myself a traditionalist.  But I do not consider the Novus Ordo or the Ordinary Form invalid.   In fact, I love the Novus Ordo especially if it were celebrated in Latin and Ad orientem.  Yes, a priest regularly celebrates it and I ATTEND IT.

Traditionalism is measured in how you love the Church, all about Her...past, present and future.

Take that Mad Man from Davao!

I love the Novus Ordo just as I love the TLM.  I have said this many times before.  Does that make me less of a traditionalist or not a traditionalist anymore?

To the wackos who parade around wearing their made up cassocks or habits or clerical tabs, or what I call "Knights of Williamson", just associating yourself with the Novus Ordo makes you a heretic.

To the self-proclaimed and self-ordained, just-had-a-seminar-with-Fr. Anscar Chupungco, they think they are more qualified about the liturgy and about Vatican II than even the Pope himself...they think others don't have the right to comment about the liturgy.

Quite frankly, academic degrees mean nothing in the Church except about Canon Law and Licentiate in Theology.

Holy Orders do.

So to the dean of San Beda School of Liturgy, you can brag about your doctorate woman!  But you still are not ordained.

So shut up!

Deo gratias!

Vatican City, 24 October 2012 (VIS) - At the end of his general audience today, the Pope announced that he has called a consistory to take place on 24 November, during which he will appoint six new cardinals.

"It is with great joy", he said, "that I announce my intention to hold a consistory on 24 November, in which I will appoint six new members of the College of Cardinals. Cardinals have the task of helping Peter's Successor carry out his mission to confirm people in the faith and to be the source and foundation of the Church's unity and communion".

The Holy Father then read out the names of the new cardinals. They are:

- Archbishop James Michael Harvey, prefect of the Pontifical Household who, Benedict XVI said, "I intend to appoint as archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls".

- His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon.

- His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India.

- Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.

- Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, Colombia.

- Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Manila, Philippines.

"As you have heard", the Pope concluded, "the new cardinals carry out their ministry at the service of the Holy See or as fathers and pastors of particular Churches in various parts of the world. I invite everyone to pray for them, asking for the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin May that they may always love Christ and His Church with courage and commitment".


***

The TLM in Sto. Domingo Church....AGAIN!

While Filipino Catholics are still rejoicing with the canonization of St. Pedro Calungsod, the TLM Community of the Philippines, celebrated a TLM in front of the miraculous image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila in her own shrine in Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City.

The last TLM was offered here by the late Fr. Manuel Piñon, OP.

Thanks to our good friend Dinky for the wonderful photos.  Here are some of them.

Those who attended the Mass said that close to 300 faithful Catholics were present for the Mass.  There was also a representative from the TLM Community of Davao.  What?!  No GI?!

The word is spreading indeed.  More people are knowing the TLM!

Grace filled indeed!

The very same Mass that St. Pedro Calungsod was so devoted was celebrated the day after his name was officially listed in the Canon of the Saints!  Yup.  I am not making this up.  The teenage saint was trained to be with the missionaries.  So, it is highly probable that our dear Pedro is also well-versed in serving the TLM and in Latin.  He did not do a Swswswshhhh, not understanding what it meant.  15 years old!  Good in Latin!  Imagine that!  Now what would the Rev. Showman of SM Megamall have to say about that?!

You can see teenage kids like San Pedro Calungsod assisting at a TLM either as an altar boy or as a Mass goer.

Thank you to the organizers and movers of this historic moment!

And I bet that the old Benedictine monk is  upset at the trend of more Catholic laity attending the TLM.

Imagine, if more priests offer this Mass.

I hope and pray that more brave priests come forward and ask to be trained to celebrate the TLM.  The Societas Ecclesia Dei Sancti Ioseph - Una Voce Philippines - the official lay movement affiliated with Una Voce International, which promotes the TLM, offers assistance and training to interested priests and seminarians.

And if you take a look at the photo, what do you see?  More young people!

So, the accusation of the Liturgist and his minions that the TLM attracts only the old and nostalgic is.......FALSE!

San Pedro Calungsod, i-ampo mo kami!

Here is the text of the Pope's homily in English:

The Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (cf. Mk 10:45)

Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear brothers and sisters!

“Today the Church listens again to these words of Jesus, spoken by the Lord during his journey to Jerusalem, where he was to accomplish the mystery of his passion, death and resurrection. They are words which enshrine the meaning of Christ’s mission on earth, marked by his sacrifice, by his total self-giving.

On this third Sunday of October, on which we celebrate World Mission Sunday, the Church listens to them with special attention and renews her conviction that she should always be fully dedicated to serve mankind and the Gospel, after the example of the One who gave himself up even to the sacrifice of his life. I extend warm greetings to all of you who fill Saint Peter’s Square, especially the official delegations and the pilgrims who have come to celebrate the seven new saints. I greet with
affection the Cardinals and Bishops who, during these days, are taking part in the Synodal Assembly on the New Evangelization.

The coincidence between this ecclesiastical meeting and World Mission Sunday is a happy one; and the word of God that we have listened to sheds light on both subjects. It shows how to be evangelizers, called to bear witness and to proclaim the Christian message, configuring ourselves to Christ and following his very path. This is true both for the mission ad Gentes and for the new evangelization in places with ancient Christian roots.

The Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (cf. Mk 10:45) These words were the blueprint for living of the seven Blessed men and women that the Church solemnly enrols this morning in the glorious ranks of the saints. With heroic courage they spent their lives in total consecration to the Lord and in the generous service of their brethren. They are sons and daughters of the Church who chose the path of service following the Lord. Holiness always rises up in the Church from the well-spring of the mystery of redemption, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah in the first reading: the Servant of the Lord is the righteous one who “shall make many to be accounted as righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities” (Is 53:11); he is Jesus Christ, crucified, risen and living in glory.

Today’s canonization is an eloquent confirmation of this mysterious saving reality. The tenacious profession of faith of these seven generous disciples of Christ, their configuration to the Son of Man shines out brightly today in the whole Church.

Jacques Berthieu, born in 1838 in France, was passionate about Jesus Christ at an early age. During his parish ministry, he had the burning desire to save souls. Becoming a Jesuit, he wished to journey through the world for the glory of God. A tireless pastor on the island of Sainte Marie, then in Madagascar, he struggled against injustice while bringing succour to the poor and sick. The Malagasies thought of him as a priest come down from heaven, saying, You are our “father and mother!” He made himself all things to all men, drawing from prayer and his love of the sacred heart of Jesus the human and priestly force to face martyrdom in 1896. He died, saying “I prefer to die rather than renounce my faith”. Dear friends, may the life of this evangelizer be an encouragement and a model for priests that, like him, they will be men of God! May his example aid the many Christians of today persecuted for their faith! In this Year of Faith, may his intercession bring forth many fruits for Madagascar and the African Continent! May God bless the Malagasy people!

Pedro Calungsod was born around the year sixteen fifty-four, in the Visayas region of the Philippines. His love for Christ inspired him to train as a catechist with the Jesuit missionaries there. In sixteen sixty-eight, along with other young catechists, he accompanied Father Diego Luís de San Vitores to the Marianas Islands in order to evangelize the Chamorro people. Life there was hard and the missionaries also faced persecution arising from envy and slander. Pedro, however, displayed deep faith and charity and continued to catechize his many converts, giving witness to Christ by a life of purity and dedication to the Gospel. Uppermost was his desire to win souls for Christ, and this made him resolute in accepting martyrdom. He died on the second of April, sixteen seventy-two. Witnesses record that Pedro could have fled for safety but chose to stay at Father Diego’s side. The priest was able to give Pedro absolution before he himself was killed. May the example and courageous witness of Pedro Calungsod inspire the dear people of the Philippines to announce the Kingdom bravely and to win souls for God!

Giovanni Battista Piamarta, priest of the Diocese of Brescia, was a great apostle of charity and of young people. He raised awareness of the need for a cultural and social presence of Catholicism in the modern world, and so he dedicated himself to the Christian, moral and professional growth of the younger generations with an enlightened input of humanity and goodness. Animated by unshakable faith in divine providence and by a profound spirit of sacrifice, he faced difficulties and fatigue to breathe life into various apostolic works, including the Artigianelli Institute, Queriniana Publishers, the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth for men, and for women the Congregation of the Humble Sister Servants of the Lord. The secret of his intense and busy life is found in the long hours he gave to prayer. When he was overburdened with work, he increased the length of his encounter, heart to heart, with the Lord. He preferred to pause before the Blessed Sacrament, meditating upon the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, to gain spiritual fortitude and return to gaining people’s hearts, especially the young, to bring them back to the sources of life with fresh pastoral initiatives.

“May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you” (Ps 32:22). With these words, the liturgy invites us to make our own this hymn to God, creator and provider, accepting his plan into our lives. María Carmelo Sallés y Barangueras, a religious born in Vic in Spain in 1848, did just so. Filled with hope in spite of many trials, she, on seeing the progress of the Congregation of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching, which she founded in 1892, was able to sing with the Mother of God, “His mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation” (Lk 1:50). Her educational work, entrusted to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, continues to bear abundant fruit among young people through the generous dedication of her daughters who, like her, entrust themselves to God for whom all is possible.

I now turn to Marianne Cope, born in eighteen thirty-eight in Heppenheim, Germany. Only one year old when taken to the United States, in eighteen sixty-two she entered the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis at Syracuse, New York. Later, as Superior General of her congregation, Mother Marianne willingly embraced a call to care for the lepers of Hawaii after many others had refused. She personally went, with six of her fellow sisters, to manage a hospital on Oahu, later founding Malulani Hospital on Maui and opening a home for girls whose parents were lepers. Five years after that she accepted the invitation to open a home for women and girls on the island of Molokai itself, bravely going there herself and effectively ending her contact with the outside world.

There she looked after Father Damien, already famous for his heroic work among the lepers, nursed him as he died and took over his work among male lepers. At a time when little could be done for those suffering from this terrible disease, Marianne Cope showed the highest love, courage and enthusiasm. She is a shining and energetic example of the best of the tradition of Catholic nursing sisters and of the spirit of her beloved Saint Francis.

Kateri Tekakwitha was born in today’s New York state in sixteen fifty-six to a Mohawk father and a Christian Algonquin mother who gave to her a sense of the living God. She was baptized at twenty years of age and, to escape persecution, she took refuge in Saint Francis Xavier Mission near Montreal. There she worked, faithful to the traditions of her people, although renouncing their religious convictions until her death at the age of twenty-four. Leading a simple life, Kateri remained faithful to her love for Jesus, to prayer and to daily Mass. Her greatest wish was to know and to do what pleased God. She lived a life radiant with faith and purity. Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life in spite of the absence of external help and by the courage of her vocation, so unusual in her culture. In her, faith and culture enrich each other! May her example help us to live where we are, loving Jesus without denying who we are. Saint Kateri, Protectress of Canada and the first native American saint, we Entrust to you the renewal of the faith in the first nations and in all of North America! May God bless the first nations!

Anna Schaeffer, from Mindelstetten, as a young woman wished to enter a missionary order. She came from a poor background so, in order to earn the dowry needed for acceptance into the cloister, she worked as a maid. One day she suffered a terrible accident and received incurable burns on her legs which forced her to be bed-ridden for the rest of her life. So her sick-bed became her cloister cell and her suffering a missionary service. She struggled for a time to accept her fate, but then understood her situation as a loving call from the crucified One to follow him. Strengthened by daily communion, she became an untiring intercessor in prayer and a mirror of God’s love for the many who sought her counsel. May her apostolate of prayer and suffering, of sacrifice and expiation, be a shining example for believers in her homeland, and may her intercession strengthen the Christian hospice movement in its beneficial activity.

Dear brothers and sisters, these new saints, different in origin, language, nationality and social condition, are united among themselves and with the whole People of God in the mystery of salvation of Christ the Redeemer. With them, we too, together with the Synod Fathers from all parts of the world, proclaim to the Lord in the words of the psalm that he “is our help and our shield” and we invoke him saying, “may your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you” (Ps 32:20.22). May the witness of these new saints, and their lives generously spent for love of Christ, speak today to the whole Church, and may their intercession strengthen and sustain her in her mission to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world.

New Doctors of the Church to be declared in a few days

A Consistory in November? Tagle to receive red hat?

From La Stampa

***

The Pope wants to call a Consistory to create new cardinals within quite a short space of time; so short in fact that a week or so ago Curia leaders were secretly considering organising a council for November, straight after the end of the Synod on Faith. [Manila Archbishop Tagle is in Rome at that time...oooooooo!] But a majority rejected the idea, unless there was a serious breach of the law, which states that the Curia should be made up of 120 cardinal electors under the age of 80. At the end of 2012 there will be 114 cardinal electors and the Pope has been left with very little time to fill the remaining vacant posts. In June 2013 cardinal electors will number 108 and by the end of 2013 this figure will drop to 104.  [What this article means is that there is no immediate need to name new cardinals in November since there will only be 6 vacant slots for cardinal electors.]

But the Pope’s dilemma is not limited to choosing a date for the next Consistory. If he decides to hold the assembly in February and estimates twelve positions, taking into account those cardinals who will turn 80 by June, the number of individuals who could legitimately expect to be selected would greatly surpass the number of “birettas” available. In this case, important choices would have to be made in terms of Church geopolitics in order to ensure no area of Catholicism is left unrepresented in a potential - and hopefully distant – Conclave.  [True!  the Italians and Americans are enjoying a majority in the College.]

The Curia considers the election of the new Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the German, Gerhard Ludwig Müller as cardinal, inevitable. It is very likely that the biretta will also go to the Vatican’s new librarian, the Frenchman Jean Louis Bruguès, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Vincenzo Paglia and Mgr. Rino Fisichella who is in charge of the New Evangelisation. That’s four.

In Italy there are two large dioceses waiting: Venice, with its new patriarch, Francesco Moraglia and Turin with Cesare Nosiglia. There is an unwritten but generally respected rule which states that the archbishop of a diocese that already has a cardinal who is under the age of 80, must wait patiently to receive the biretta. [Yup.  That happened in the case of Cardinal Rosales who was passed over the red hat until Cardinal Jaime Sin died.  I think this is the same thing that is happening to Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster who replaced Cardinal Cormac Murphy -O'Connor.  He still yet has to receive the red biretta.] Cardinal Poletto will turn 80 on 18 March, freeing up his post for Nosiglia.

This rule also prevents a flurry of new and emerging American bishops (Gomez of Los Angeles, Chaput of Philadelphia and Lori of Baltimore) from entering the College of Cardinals. Santiago de Chile’s Salesian archbishop, Riccardo Ezzati, could also have some trouble entering as his predecessor turns 80 in September.

In Asia, the clerics expecting to receive the biretta are: Lebanese Marronite patriarch Bechara Rai and Ignace Youssif III Younan, Patriarch of Antioch for Syrians and in the Philippines, the Archbishop of Manila, Tagle and Archbishop Kovithavanji of Bangok. New Zealand has no cardinal so the Archbishop of Wellington, John Atcherley Dew has good chances of receiving the biretta. Australia and New Zealand’s only cardinal who is under 80, is George Pell. [Cardinal Rosales and Cardinal Vidal are not eligible to the next conclave but they are still alive so Tagle and Palma would have to wait...BUT...as stated above, the College would not be universally well represented!]

Without taking Ezzati into account, that’s 11. But in London there’s Vincent Nichols (O’Connor left his post last month) and in Toledo, Spain’s Primate, Braulia Rodriguez Plaza, is not a cardinal. Detroit has a cardinal’s seat that is empty given that its archbishop, Vigneron, is not a cardinal. The same goes for Marsiglia and Siviglia. The two Old Catholic Churches of Slovakia and Lithuania have no cardinal electors either.

The situation also appears problematic in Latin America. Guatemala, Nicaragua and Colombia do have no resident cardinals and neither does Canada, since Marc Ouellet moved to Rome. In Africa too there are important seats which remain vacant, for example, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, Mozambique, Cameroon and Angola have no cardinal voters. Benedict XVI has a difficult puzzle to solve.

***

See how these things the Pope has to also take into consideration!  Imagine the politics behind these!

Pray for the Holy Father!

From PALO, LEYTE: How seminarians are invested...

PROPERLY.

And you don't just buy from a store, wear one, and pretend to be one!

Damn wackos!

These young men are REALLY SEMINARIANS.

They passed a battery of tests before they are accepted.

And one of those is a PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST!

Ha!

Bet some guys won't pass that.

So they just buy one of these lovely vestments and do COSPLAY!

Ugh!

Enjoy the pictures!

From this....

The cassocks and surplices are blessed and incensed....properly!

And the worthy seminarians are vested with it.

WORTHY!

This is how you inspire VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD!

If you see nut cases wearing something like this that they are not even worthy...

If you see girls trying to look like them...

GOD HELP US!

And you still wonder why they do not do this in LITURGICALLY IMPERIAL MANILA.

...to think we have a world-class liturgist there.

This one is in Palo, Leyte under Archbishop John Du!

Lovely!

PS:  How to receive Holy Communion.......PROPERLY

And you still wonder why they do not do this in LITURGICALLY IMPERIAL MANILA.

...to think we have a world-class liturgist there.

Christ fulfilled his promise by bringing His Mother, body and soul, into Heaven

"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also." (John 14:3)

"Thus, while the illusory teachings of materialism and the corruption of morals that follows from these teachings threaten to extinguish the light of virtue and to ruin the lives of men by exciting discord among them, in this magnificent way all may see clearly to what a lofty goal our bodies and souls are destined. Finally it is our hope that belief in Mary's bodily Assumption into heaven will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective...

...By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory"

Pope Pius XII, Munificentissimus Deus