St. Isidore of Seville
Doctor of the Church
Feastday: April 4
636
Isidore was literally born into a family of saints in sixth century Spain. Two of his brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and one of his sisters, Florentina, are revered as saints in Spain. It was also a family of leaders and strong minds with Leander and Fulgentius serving as bishops and Florentina as abbess.
This didn't make life easier for Isidore. To the contrary, Leander may have been holy in many ways, but his treatment of his little brother shocked many even at the time. Leander, who was much older than Isidore, took over Isidore's education and his pedagogical theory involved force and punishment. We know from Isidore's later accomplishments that he was intelligent and hard-working so it is hard to understand why Leander thought abuse would work instead of patience.
One day, the young boy couldn't take any more. Frustrated by his inability to learn as fast as his brother wanted and hurt by his brother's treatment, Isidore ran away. But though he could escape his brother's hand and words, he couldn't escape his own feeling of failure and rejection. When he finally let the outside world catch his attention, he noticed water dripping on the rock near where he sat. The drops of water that fell repeatedly carried no force and seemed to have no effect on the solid stone. And yet he saw that over time, the water drops had worn holes in the rock.
Isidore realized that if he kept working at his studies, his seemingly small efforts would eventually pay off in great learning. He also may have hoped that his efforts would also wear down the rock of his brother's heart.
When he returned home, however, his brother in exasperation confined him to a cell (probably in a monastery) to complete his studies, not believing that he wouldn't run away again.
Either there must have been a loving side to this relationship or Isidore was remarkably forgiving even for a saint, because later he would work side by side with his brother and after Leander's death, Isidore would complete many of the projects he began including a missal and breviary.
In a time where it's fashionable to blame the past for our present and future problems, Isidore was able to separate the abusive way he was taught from the joy of learning. He didn't run from learning after he left his brother but embraced education and made it his life's work. Isidore rose above his past to become known as the greatest teacher in Spain.
His love of learning made him promote the establishment of a seminary in every diocese of Spain. He didn't limit his own studies and didn't want others to as well. In a unique move, he made sure that all branches of knowledge including the arts and medicine were taught in the seminaries.
His encyclopedia of knowledge, the Etymologies, was a popular textbook for nine centuries. He also wrote books on grammar, astronomy, geography, history, and biography as well as theology. When the Arabs brought study of Aristotle back to Europe, this was nothing new to Spain because Isidore's open mind had already reintroduced the philosopher to students there.
As bishop of Seville for 37 years, succeeding Leander, he set a model for representative government in Europe. Under his direction, and perhaps remembering the tyrannies of his brother, he rejected autocratic decision- making and organized synods to discuss government of the Spanish Church.
Still trying to wear away rock with water, he helped convert the barbarian Visigoths from Arianism to Christianity.
He lived until almost 80. As he was dying his house was filled with crowds of poor he was giving aid and alms to. One of his last acts was to give all his possessions to the poor.
When he died in 636, this Doctor of the Church had done more than his brother had ever hoped; the light of his learning caught fire in Spanish minds and held back the Dark Ages of barbarism from Spain. But even greater than his outstanding mind must have been the genius of his heart that allowed him to see beyond rejection and discouragement to joy and possibility.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Saint of the Day
St. Richard of Wyche
Feastday: April 3
1253
Richard of Wyche, also known as Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite young. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his brother Robert. Richard refused marriage and went to Oxford, where he studied under Grosseteste and met and began a lifelong friendship with Edmund Rich. Richard pursued his studies at Paris, received his M.A. from Oxford, and then continued his studies at Bologna, where he received his doctorate in Canon Law. After seven years at Bologna, he returned to Oxford, was appointed chancellor of the university in 1235, and then became chancellor to Edmund Rich, now archbishop of Canterbury, whom he accompanied to the Cistercian monastery at Pontigny when the archbishop retired there. After Rich died at Pontigny, Richard taught at the Dominican House of Studies at Orleans and was ordained there in 1243. After a time as a parish priest at Deal, he became chancellor of Boniface of Savoy, the new archbishop of Canterbury, and when King Henry III named Ralph Neville bishop of Chichester in 1244, Boniface declared his selection invalid and named Richard to the See. Eventually, the matter was brought to Rome and in 1245, Pope Innocent IV declared in Richard's favor and consecrated him. When he returned to England, he was still opposed by Henry and was refused admittance to the bishop's palace; eventually Henry gave in when threatened with excommunication by the Pope. The remaining eight years of Richard's life were spend in ministering to his flock. He denounced nepotism, insisted on strict clerical discipline, and was ever generous to the poor and the needy. He died at a house for poor priests in Dover, England, while preaching a crusade, and was canonized in 1262. His feast day is April 3.
Feastday: April 3
1253
Richard of Wyche, also known as Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite young. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his brother Robert. Richard refused marriage and went to Oxford, where he studied under Grosseteste and met and began a lifelong friendship with Edmund Rich. Richard pursued his studies at Paris, received his M.A. from Oxford, and then continued his studies at Bologna, where he received his doctorate in Canon Law. After seven years at Bologna, he returned to Oxford, was appointed chancellor of the university in 1235, and then became chancellor to Edmund Rich, now archbishop of Canterbury, whom he accompanied to the Cistercian monastery at Pontigny when the archbishop retired there. After Rich died at Pontigny, Richard taught at the Dominican House of Studies at Orleans and was ordained there in 1243. After a time as a parish priest at Deal, he became chancellor of Boniface of Savoy, the new archbishop of Canterbury, and when King Henry III named Ralph Neville bishop of Chichester in 1244, Boniface declared his selection invalid and named Richard to the See. Eventually, the matter was brought to Rome and in 1245, Pope Innocent IV declared in Richard's favor and consecrated him. When he returned to England, he was still opposed by Henry and was refused admittance to the bishop's palace; eventually Henry gave in when threatened with excommunication by the Pope. The remaining eight years of Richard's life were spend in ministering to his flock. He denounced nepotism, insisted on strict clerical discipline, and was ever generous to the poor and the needy. He died at a house for poor priests in Dover, England, while preaching a crusade, and was canonized in 1262. His feast day is April 3.
Because she deserved it
The video link provided below tells the whole story:
http://www.godvine.com/Injury-Turns-into-Inspiration-for-One-High-School-Girl-323.html
The members of the opposing team wanted to help because they said she deserved it. Despite the cost; as they indeed lost the game; the girls from Central Washington knew what to do. They did the right thing.
We should place ourselves in this situation and ask ourselves: what would we do?
This is a very inspirational and emotional lesson of doing what is right and seeing the dignity and character in all we meet.
http://www.godvine.com/Injury-Turns-into-Inspiration-for-One-High-School-Girl-323.html
The members of the opposing team wanted to help because they said she deserved it. Despite the cost; as they indeed lost the game; the girls from Central Washington knew what to do. They did the right thing.
We should place ourselves in this situation and ask ourselves: what would we do?
This is a very inspirational and emotional lesson of doing what is right and seeing the dignity and character in all we meet.
Have you ever been to a clown mass? A chicken little update
Ever since I've jumped into facebook and blogger, primarily to share my faith and rejoice in my new life as a Permanent Deacon, I've been amazed at all the Catholic clucking about how Catholic this one is or that one is. In fact, there seems to be a great deal of snarking going on as if we Catholics must take sides in some type of liturgical warfare. A couple of weeks ago I spoke out, in this venue, on chicken little Catholicism. I truly hope to play some small role, probably a very small role, in balancing things and putting the focus back where it belongs: on Christ and the only Church He founded: the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
It's easy enough to figure out the attacks and falsehoods from outside the Church. The many thousands of churches that have sprung up since the 1st schism in around the year 1054A.D., now total over 30,000 churches. To exist, to have a place at the table, their theology, liturgy(more commonly worship) must include a big dose of anti-Catholicism. With 2,000 years of Church teaching, Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium, Church Fathers, Saints, Apologetics, etc. we are well girded for the fight. In fact, while the attacks have made their marks and even score a direct hit every now and again, they cannot weaken or defeat the Church built firmly on rock. And honestly, much work done in the name of ecumenism has gone a long way to many healthy relationships between the Catholic Church and others.
But now, in 2011, comes the ongoing relentless attacks from within, the my camp is holier than your camp, my Catholicism more Catholic than your Catholicism, my Bishop more orthodox than your Bishop, Latin only vs no latin, my priest faces east, yours west. You've seen this if you have been on facebook, blogs or anything Catholic on the internet.
One of the leading voices of opposition has been this Vortex thing. And there are others. While I have agreed with much of the content of the video messages of one Mr. Michael Voris, he and others, including a very popular Catholic priest, clearly have an agenda. They want every Mass celebrated in TLM style and look forward to an end to the Novus Ordo, the way most of us celebrate Mass today. Recognizing that there are abuses in Mass, I have been blessed or lucky or whatever, to witness few abuses in the Mass that I have been privileged to attend or assist at as a Permanent Deacon. To make their case and prove their point they produce evidence upon evidence of clown masses, dancing masses, puppet masses, etc. Most of the time these are good old fashioned recyled videos. Today, a popular blog, has video of many Priests dancing on the altar at an outdoor Mass in France. Old news. And by the way, I think it's pretty goofy and so not necessary. But the headline suggests this is why we all must go to the EF Mass allowed by the Pope's moto proprio of a few years back. For those of us that enjoy a reverent and properly celebrated Novus Ordo, we whole-heartedly support Summorum Pontificum. But we also take Pope Benedict's message in totality: The Latin Mass is extra-ordinary, meaning not the ordinary form of the Mass. That, he says, is the Novus Ordo.
The problem with the EF crowd, Catholics blogging away, is that they express their love for the EF by slamming and outright commiting scandal in their hate for Novus Ordo. To hear them, every Novus Ordo is celebrated with clowns, puppets and whatever else they can describe to feel better about their own personal preference for worship. Abuses in the Novus Ordo? You bet. Those must be addressed and the new translation we begin in Advent should help. But for those who dont think there were abuses in the pre-Vatican II Mass, or in Masses celebrated today as Tridentine or TLM or EF are wrong. My biggest memory of going to Church as a boy before Vatican II was all the ladies praying rosaries during Mass, children reading books and men gazing at their watches. They listened to the homily, knew to be reverent when the bells rung and knew to get in line for communion. Of course this is an over exaggeration as well, although my reality.
May I suggest that these disaffected Catholics led by Michael Voris and many others really are working for a Church that will roll back Vatican II and return everything to the way it was. While many of thier concerns are spot on, they refuse to present the balance; the balance of a Church that still grows, is more robust in many parts of the world, that still stands despite new churches and denominations popping up everywhere. We always need to remember that Christ established the Church with that sure and firm promise; the gates of hell will not prevail against Her. And neither will those clown masses and puppet masses, etc. Don't know how I've missed these in my 50+ years of attending Mass.
It's easy enough to figure out the attacks and falsehoods from outside the Church. The many thousands of churches that have sprung up since the 1st schism in around the year 1054A.D., now total over 30,000 churches. To exist, to have a place at the table, their theology, liturgy(more commonly worship) must include a big dose of anti-Catholicism. With 2,000 years of Church teaching, Scripture, Tradition, Magisterium, Church Fathers, Saints, Apologetics, etc. we are well girded for the fight. In fact, while the attacks have made their marks and even score a direct hit every now and again, they cannot weaken or defeat the Church built firmly on rock. And honestly, much work done in the name of ecumenism has gone a long way to many healthy relationships between the Catholic Church and others.
But now, in 2011, comes the ongoing relentless attacks from within, the my camp is holier than your camp, my Catholicism more Catholic than your Catholicism, my Bishop more orthodox than your Bishop, Latin only vs no latin, my priest faces east, yours west. You've seen this if you have been on facebook, blogs or anything Catholic on the internet.
One of the leading voices of opposition has been this Vortex thing. And there are others. While I have agreed with much of the content of the video messages of one Mr. Michael Voris, he and others, including a very popular Catholic priest, clearly have an agenda. They want every Mass celebrated in TLM style and look forward to an end to the Novus Ordo, the way most of us celebrate Mass today. Recognizing that there are abuses in Mass, I have been blessed or lucky or whatever, to witness few abuses in the Mass that I have been privileged to attend or assist at as a Permanent Deacon. To make their case and prove their point they produce evidence upon evidence of clown masses, dancing masses, puppet masses, etc. Most of the time these are good old fashioned recyled videos. Today, a popular blog, has video of many Priests dancing on the altar at an outdoor Mass in France. Old news. And by the way, I think it's pretty goofy and so not necessary. But the headline suggests this is why we all must go to the EF Mass allowed by the Pope's moto proprio of a few years back. For those of us that enjoy a reverent and properly celebrated Novus Ordo, we whole-heartedly support Summorum Pontificum. But we also take Pope Benedict's message in totality: The Latin Mass is extra-ordinary, meaning not the ordinary form of the Mass. That, he says, is the Novus Ordo.
The problem with the EF crowd, Catholics blogging away, is that they express their love for the EF by slamming and outright commiting scandal in their hate for Novus Ordo. To hear them, every Novus Ordo is celebrated with clowns, puppets and whatever else they can describe to feel better about their own personal preference for worship. Abuses in the Novus Ordo? You bet. Those must be addressed and the new translation we begin in Advent should help. But for those who dont think there were abuses in the pre-Vatican II Mass, or in Masses celebrated today as Tridentine or TLM or EF are wrong. My biggest memory of going to Church as a boy before Vatican II was all the ladies praying rosaries during Mass, children reading books and men gazing at their watches. They listened to the homily, knew to be reverent when the bells rung and knew to get in line for communion. Of course this is an over exaggeration as well, although my reality.
May I suggest that these disaffected Catholics led by Michael Voris and many others really are working for a Church that will roll back Vatican II and return everything to the way it was. While many of thier concerns are spot on, they refuse to present the balance; the balance of a Church that still grows, is more robust in many parts of the world, that still stands despite new churches and denominations popping up everywhere. We always need to remember that Christ established the Church with that sure and firm promise; the gates of hell will not prevail against Her. And neither will those clown masses and puppet masses, etc. Don't know how I've missed these in my 50+ years of attending Mass.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Homily for 4th Sunday of Lent
“A weary mother returned from the store, lugging groceries through the kitchen door. Awaiting her arrival her 8 year old son, anxious to relate what his younger brother had done. While I was out playing and dad on a call, T.J. took crayons and wrote on the wall! It’s on the new wall paper you just hung in the den. I told him you’d be mad at having to do it again. She let out a moan and furrowed her brow, where is your little brother right now? She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride, she marched to the closet where he had gone to hide. She called his full name as she entered the room. He trembled with fear; he knew this meant doom! For 10 minutes she ranted and raved about the expensive wallpaper and how she had saved. Lamenting all the work it would take to repair, she condemned his actions and total lack of care. The more she scolded, the madder she got, then stomped from his room, totally distraught! She headed for the den to confirm her fears. When she saw the wall, her eyes filled with tears. The message she read pierced her soul with a dart. It said I love mommy, surrounded by a heart. The wallpaper remained just as she found it, with an empty picture frame around it. A reminder to her; a reminder to us all: TAKE TIME TO READ THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL…
The handwriting on the wall; just one of many sayings we use to remind each other how blind sometimes we may be. Even if nothing is wrong with our vision, we may be blind. We remind ourselves that things are not often as they seem, don’t judge a book by its cover, we can’t see the forest for the trees, you have to read between the lines. In light of today’s Gospel, and as people of faith, we all are being challenged to address spiritual blindness. We all are being challenged to see with the eyes of Christ.
On this 4th Sunday of Lent, as we wear the rose colored vestments, we listen to John’s Gospel once again and the story of the man born blind. John’s Gospel comes much later than the other 3; written almost 60 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. His audience is already dealing with the early years of the Church. First, John gives us the physical healing of the blind beggar. In a sacramental way, using matter and form in the mud, spit and words, Jesus cured the blind man; physically. But the larger lesson in this Gospel is the gradual spiritual blindness that Jesus heals too. As the Gospel passage continues, the blind man recounts what happened and declares Jesus a prophet and later tells Jesus I do believe and he worshipped Him. Our spiritual blindness sometimes prevents us from seeing Jesus. We may have our physical sight, but often we remain blind to all Jesus calls us to see. Most importantly, He tells us to see Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament. As we approach to receive Him in Holy Communion today, do we see Jesus in the tiny host? With physical eyes we may see ordinary bread. With eyes of faith, we see Jesus, fully present. And Jesus challenges us to see Him in our brothers and sisters; most especially our persecuted and marginalized brothers and sisters. With our spiritual eyesight can we see Jesus in the homeless, the street corner beggar, and the elderly left alone in the nursing home, those we still fear because of race or color, the dying, the poor, the prisoner?
I’ve shared with you my prison ministry at Rayburn. I visit some pretty hard core guys. Many are doing some serious time. I always thought that my job was to be Jesus to them, and I try to do that. What I have found, week after week, is Jesus present in them, sharing Him with me. On our retreat two weeks ago I sat with an inmate who told me he just as soon kill me as pray with me. By the end of the weekend he was hugging me and praying for me and asking God for mercy and forgiveness. With spiritual eyesight, I saw Christ in that inmate.
Our spiritual eyesight is also what Jesus asks us to use to see our own sinfulness so we may ask for God’s forgiveness and mercy. In this 4th week of Lent we should challenge ourselves to return to confession and see with eyes of faith Christ’s forgiveness in the priest who says I absolve you of your sins.
In this Gospel we also are challenged to consider the beggar. Many of us have passed beggars in our life and have thought; what a waste. We may also have those same thoughts with the people in our lives that seem to have no remaining value. Remember when Jesus said to the disciples that he was blind so that the works of God might be made visible? Again, this is a challenge for us. At the end of my mom’s life, she was weak, frail and afraid. To a stranger, it may have appeared pathetic, hopeless. In those last days, God revealed to me, through my mom, that those who are frail, weak, lost or marginalized help us to reveal His glory. By our response to their needs and our spiritual vision to see Jesus in them, we give glory to God.
This week, can we work on our spiritual blindness? Can we pray: open our eyes Lord; I want to see your face? May we not be like the Pharisees, saying surely I’m not blind? Acknowledge our spiritual blindness this week in confession or a Lenten devotion or in our response to all that we encounter during the week. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost but now I’m found was blind but now I see. And take time to read the handwriting on the wall!
The handwriting on the wall; just one of many sayings we use to remind each other how blind sometimes we may be. Even if nothing is wrong with our vision, we may be blind. We remind ourselves that things are not often as they seem, don’t judge a book by its cover, we can’t see the forest for the trees, you have to read between the lines. In light of today’s Gospel, and as people of faith, we all are being challenged to address spiritual blindness. We all are being challenged to see with the eyes of Christ.
On this 4th Sunday of Lent, as we wear the rose colored vestments, we listen to John’s Gospel once again and the story of the man born blind. John’s Gospel comes much later than the other 3; written almost 60 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. His audience is already dealing with the early years of the Church. First, John gives us the physical healing of the blind beggar. In a sacramental way, using matter and form in the mud, spit and words, Jesus cured the blind man; physically. But the larger lesson in this Gospel is the gradual spiritual blindness that Jesus heals too. As the Gospel passage continues, the blind man recounts what happened and declares Jesus a prophet and later tells Jesus I do believe and he worshipped Him. Our spiritual blindness sometimes prevents us from seeing Jesus. We may have our physical sight, but often we remain blind to all Jesus calls us to see. Most importantly, He tells us to see Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament. As we approach to receive Him in Holy Communion today, do we see Jesus in the tiny host? With physical eyes we may see ordinary bread. With eyes of faith, we see Jesus, fully present. And Jesus challenges us to see Him in our brothers and sisters; most especially our persecuted and marginalized brothers and sisters. With our spiritual eyesight can we see Jesus in the homeless, the street corner beggar, and the elderly left alone in the nursing home, those we still fear because of race or color, the dying, the poor, the prisoner?
I’ve shared with you my prison ministry at Rayburn. I visit some pretty hard core guys. Many are doing some serious time. I always thought that my job was to be Jesus to them, and I try to do that. What I have found, week after week, is Jesus present in them, sharing Him with me. On our retreat two weeks ago I sat with an inmate who told me he just as soon kill me as pray with me. By the end of the weekend he was hugging me and praying for me and asking God for mercy and forgiveness. With spiritual eyesight, I saw Christ in that inmate.
Our spiritual eyesight is also what Jesus asks us to use to see our own sinfulness so we may ask for God’s forgiveness and mercy. In this 4th week of Lent we should challenge ourselves to return to confession and see with eyes of faith Christ’s forgiveness in the priest who says I absolve you of your sins.
In this Gospel we also are challenged to consider the beggar. Many of us have passed beggars in our life and have thought; what a waste. We may also have those same thoughts with the people in our lives that seem to have no remaining value. Remember when Jesus said to the disciples that he was blind so that the works of God might be made visible? Again, this is a challenge for us. At the end of my mom’s life, she was weak, frail and afraid. To a stranger, it may have appeared pathetic, hopeless. In those last days, God revealed to me, through my mom, that those who are frail, weak, lost or marginalized help us to reveal His glory. By our response to their needs and our spiritual vision to see Jesus in them, we give glory to God.
This week, can we work on our spiritual blindness? Can we pray: open our eyes Lord; I want to see your face? May we not be like the Pharisees, saying surely I’m not blind? Acknowledge our spiritual blindness this week in confession or a Lenten devotion or in our response to all that we encounter during the week. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost but now I’m found was blind but now I see. And take time to read the handwriting on the wall!
The Life & Times of John Paul II
Chronology of the life of Pope John Paul A chronology of events in the life of Pope John Paul: May 18, 1920: Born Karol Joseph Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland. June 20, 1920: Baptized by P. Franciszek Zak, a military chaplain. Sept. 15, 1926: Starts elementary school for boys. April 13, 1929: His mother dies. June 1930: Admitted to Marcin Wadowita, state secondary school for boys. Dec. 5, 1932: His brother Edmund dies. 1934-1938: Performs in student theatre in Wadowice. May 1938: Receives the sacrament of confirmation. June 22, 1938: Enrols in the philosophy faculty at Jagiellonian University, Krakow. July 1939: Attends university military training for Polish and Ukrainian students. Nov. 1, 1940: Earns a living as a stone cutter in a quarry near Krakow, forestalling deportation and imprisonment. October 1942: Begins clandestine studies for the priesthood in Krakow's underground seminary; registers in the theology faculty at Jagiellonian University. August 1943: Archbishop Adam Stefan Sapieha transfers him and other clandestine seminarians to the archbishop's residence. He remains there until the end of the war. Nov. 1, 1946: Ordained a priest. Nov. 2, 1946: Celebrates his first mass in the crypt of St. Leonard at Wavel, Poland. Nov. 15, 1946: Leaves Poland to begin studies in Rome. July 8, 1948: Sent as assistant pastor to Niegowic near Gdow, Poland. August 1949: Recalled to Krakow to be assistant pastor at St. Florian's. July 4, 1958: Appointed auxiliary bishop of Krakow. Sept. 28, 1958: Ordained bishop in Wavel Cathedral. October-December 1962: Participates in the first session of the Second Vatican Council. October-December 1963: Participates in the second session of the Second Vatican Council. March 8, 1964: Installed as metropolitan bishop of Krakow. September-November 1964: Participates in the third session of the Second Vatican Council. September-December 1965: Participates in fourth session and closing of the Second Vatican Council. June 28, 1967: Consecrated cardinal in the Sistine Chapel by Pope Paul VI. July-August 1969: Tours Canada. July 23-Sept. 5, 1976: Visits the United States and Canada. Aug. 11-12, 1978: Attends funeral of Pope Paul VI. Oct. 3-4, 1978: Attends funeral of Pope John Paul I. Oct. 16, 1978: Elected Pope by cardinals. He is the first Polish pope ever and the first non-Italian one in 455 years. Jan. 25, 1979: First trip abroad as Pope, to Dominican Republic, Mexico, Bahamas. June 2, 1979: First trip back to Poland as Pope. Sept. 29, 1979: Travels to Ireland and United States. May 13, 1981: Shot in abdomen by Turkish extremist in St. Peter's Square. Sept. 9-20, 1984: First papal visit to Canada. April 13, 1986: Makes historic visit to Rome's main synagogue. Sept. 20, 1987: Makes a five-hour visit to Fort Simpson, N.W.T., during a U.S. trip to honour a promise he made when his 1984 visit to the hamlet was cancelled by fog. Dec. 1, 1989: Meets with Mikhail Gorbachev at Vatican, first ever meeting between a pope and a Kremlin chief. Establishes diplomatic ties between Vatican and Russia. May 1, 1991: Issues first encyclical on social issues since the fall of communism in Europe, giving qualified approval to capitalism but warning the rich against exploiting the poor. July 15, 1992: Operation for benign tumour on colon. Oct. 31, 1992: Formally declares the church erred in condemning Galileo. Oct. 5, 1993: Issues encyclical Splendour of Truth, major statement defending absolute morals against liberal theologians. Nov. 11, 1993: Dislocates right shoulder in fall down steps at Vatican event, requiring surgery. Dec. 30, 1993: Agreement signed establishing formal ties between Vatican and Israel. April 29, 1994: Breaks leg in fall and undergoes hip replacement surgery. Oct. 19, 1994: His book, Beyond the Threshold of Hope, is published. Oct. 8, 1996: Surgery to remove appendix. March 1, 1999: Vatican confirms that the Pope has waived the five-year waiting period and begun beatification process for Mother Teresa. March 20-26, 2000: Makes first trip as Pope to Holy Land, expresses sorrow for suffering of Jews at Christian hands in note left at Jerusalem's Western Wall. Sept. 11, 2001: Condemns ``unspeakable horror'' of Sept. 11 attacks. April 23, 2002: Meets with U.S. cardinals to discuss sex abuse scandal; says there is no place in priesthood for clerics who abuse young. July 23-29, 2002: Visits Toronto to preside over World Youth Day, a gathering of hundreds of thousands of Catholics from around the world. Feb. 14, 2003: Receives Iraqi deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz on eve of war. June 5-9, 2003: Makes 100th foreign trip, visiting Croatia. July 31, 2003: Vatican launches global campaign against gay marriages. Feb. 1, 2005: Pope urgently hospitalized with breathing problems. Feb. 10, 2005: Discharged from hospital. Feb. 23, 2005: His fifth book, Memory and Identity, is released in Italy. Feb. 24, 2005: Rushed back to hospital with flu-like symptoms, undergoes operation to insert a tube in his throat to relieve breathing problems. March 13, 2005: Discharged from hospital, hours after his first public appearance since Feb. 24. March 27, 2005: Appears in public on Easter. Tries to speak but fails. March 30, 2005: Vatican says a feeding tube has been inserted in John Paul's nose to help him recover his strength. April 2, 2005: Pope John Paul II dies at 9:37 p.m. Rome time. Statistics on Pope John Paul's pontificate – April 2, 2005 Some achievements of Pope John Paul: -Visited 129 countries in 104 foreign visits, making him most travelled pope. Covered 1.16 million kilometres, which is about 30 times around the globe or three times to the moon. Issued 14 encyclicals, 15 apostolic exhortations, 11 apostolic constitutions and 44 apostolic letters and delivered 2,416 planned speeches during his foreign trips. Beatified 1,338 people in 147 ceremonies and canonized 482 people in 51 ceremonies, more than all his predecessors over the past 500 years combined. Convened nine consistories and installed 232 cardinals; ordained 321 bishops; baptized 687 children and 814 adults. Held 1,161 general audiences, attended by over 17.6 million people. Visited 317 of Rome's 333 parishes in his capacity as bishop of Rome. Held 38 official visits with heads of state and more than 982 audiences and meetings with political figures, of which 737 were audiences or other meetings with heads of state and 245 were meetings or audiences with prime ministers. Was the third longest-serving pontiff, at 26 years, five months, 17 days. Popes who served longer were St. Peter, the first pope, who served from AD 30 to 64 or 67, for a total of 34 or 37 years; and Pope Pius IX, who served 31 years, seven months, 22 days, until Feb. 7, 1878. Published four books as pope: Beyond the Threshold of Hope, (1994); the autobiography Gift and Mystery (1996); and a book of poetry Roman Triptych, (2003), Get Up, Let Us Go, (2004). A fifth book, Memory and Identity, was published in early 2005.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Saint of the Day
St. Francis of Paola Feastday: April 2 Francis was born at Paola, Italy and was educated at the Franciscan friary of San Marco there, and when fifteen became a hermit near Paola. In 1436, he and two companions began a community that is considered the foundation of the Minim Friars. He built a monastery where he had led his eremitical life some fifteen years later and set a Rule for his followers emphasizing penance, charity, and humility, and added to the three monastic vows, one of fasting and abstinence from meat; he also wrote a rule for tertiaries and nuns. He was credited with many miracles and had the gifts of prophesy and insight into men's hearts. The Order was approved by Pope Sixtus IV in 1474 with the name Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi (changed to Minim Friars in 1492). Francis established foundations in southern Italy and Sicily, and his fame was such that at the request of dying King Louis XI of France, Pope Sixtus II ordered him to France, as the King felt he could be cured by Francis. He was not, but was so comforted that Louis' son Charles VIII, became Francis' friend and endowed several monasteries for the Minims. Francis spent the rest of his life at the monastery of Plessis, France, which Charles built for him. Francis died there on April 2nd and was canonized in 1519. His feast day is April 2.
The latest on the corporal punishment issue in Archdiocese of New Orleans
For several weeks now my Archbishop has been in a little controversy surrounding St. Augustine High School and their use of the paddle for corporal punishment. The Archbishop has said no more; the school has said it's our call. Since I will never publically disagree with my Archbishop I thought tonight I could share this spot; in his own words: Archhbishop Gregory Aymond said Friday he has given administrators and friends of St. Augustine High School a consultant’s confidential report that apparently notes injuries and parental complaints flowing from the school’s use of corporal punishment, injecting a new note into the weeks-long controversy over the practice. Archbishop Gregory Aymond said St. Augustine 'has been, and continues to be, a bright light in the city of New Orleans and as a Catholic school.' St. Augustine administrators, alumni and friends have characterized Aymond’s concerns over paddling as unfounded, saying the practice has produced no parental complaints and no evidence of abuse. To the contrary, they say, corporal punishment is critical part of how the school turns out so many successful young men. Aymond turned over consultant Monica Applewhite’s 2010 report during a three-hour closed door session Thursday with representatives of the St. Augustine community. “This document gives evidence that my initial public statements about injuries from paddling and parental complaints were based on the above-mentioned written report,” Aymond said in a statement Friday. The St. Augustine board released a separate statement Friday saying it was carefully going over Applewhite’s report. Troy Henry, a businessman who heads St. Augustine’s board, said the report contained information new to them, even though Applewhite sat as Aymond’s representative on an internal St. Augustine committee that evaluated corporal punishment last year. Applewhite is a national “safe environment” consultant based in Austin who frequently works for Catholic institutions. Parts of her report to the archbishop “are not consistent” with the findings of the disciplinary review committee on which she sat, Henry said. It was not immediately clear why that may be. In his statement, Aymond said that months ago he had shared Applewhite’s findings with the Josephites, the religious order that owns St. Augustine, as well as an internal committee that reviewed disciplinary procedures at the school last year. In addition, Applewhite participated in that review as Aymond’s representative. Reached later Friday, Aymond declined to elaborate, but said Applewhite’s report to him was “substantially” the same as the information she gave to St. Augustine during her work with them, presumably including reports of injury or parental complaints. Aymond’s office said it would not make the Applewhite report public because school representatives asked him to keep it confidential. Applewhite was unavailable for comment. At the conclusion of the Thursday meeting, both groups pledged to keep talking, keeping the best interests of St. Augustine foremost. As a measure of importance of St. Augustine in the community, those talks were facilitated by U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond and Liberty Bank President Alden McDonald. Neither are alumni, but they said they wanted to get involved to secure the best outcome for the legendary high school’s future. In his statement, Aymond apologized for remarks in a video blog in late February, in which he seemed to link the practice of paddling at St. Augustine with a separate discussion of how creating a climate of violence spills over into street crime. “I should not have put those two topics in the same blog. I apologize for doing so, and I deeply regret the misunderstanding and hurt it has caused,” he said. He said that part of the offending blog has been taken off the archdiocesan website. While not backing off his concerns about paddling, Aymond said he wanted to remain in conversation with school supporters about corporal punishment. St. Augustine “has been, and continues to be, a bright light in the city of New Orleans and as a Catholic school,” the archbishop said. “We must find a way to heal the wounds this division has caused.” He said he hoped to go to the high school soon to celebrate Mass with the students, faculty and administrators. After becoming archbishop in 2009, Aymond said he found out that St. Augustine used corporal punishment, in violation of archdiocesan policy. Late that year Aymond asked Applewhite to investigate and report back to him. Aymond has said he wants paddling stopped as a matter of good educational practice and in conformance with the Catholic identity of the school. As his concerns reached the school, St. Augustine convened a discipline review committee, chaired by attorney Daniel Davillier, to consult parents, administrators, alumni and students in a broad review of the application of paddling at the school. That committee last year recommended the continuation of occasional paddling for minor offenses -- part of what was then a 59-year St. Aug tradition -- with some new limitations. The 2010-11 school year was about to begin, with paddling in place, when the Josephites ordered a halt to the practice, setting off widespread calls by parents, alumni and others to bring it back. St. Augustine the Rev. John Raphael, its president, has said that with more limited disciplinary options including suspensions -- and perhaps even expulsions -- are higher this year than they would have been. He and others also have argued that the practice has produced no evidence of abuse or parental dissatisfaction. Moreover, they have bristled at Aymond’s concerns as disrespectful of the African-American community’s right to discipline its children according to its own norms.
6 years later: the death of Pope John Paul II
This Saturday, tomorrow, we celebrate the 6th anniversary of the death of John Paul II. On April 2, 2005 Pope John Paul II returned to the Father after a long and very public battle with Parkinson's disease. His death and the subsequent mourning was profoundly felt and marked across every time zone and every nation on the face of the earth. His funeral brought an overflow crowd to Rome and the eyes of the world were glued to TV coverage. Pope John Paul II was, and still is, one of the most beloved Catholic leaders of all time. Why? Because he showed us the face of Jesus in all he did; all he said and he always, always preached the Gospel, in words and actions! In this 6th anniversary we realize that we are just a month away from the beatification ceremony where we will all begin to refer to him as Blessed Pope John Paul II. Of course we also know that, if it be God's will, he soon will be a saint. I know for me personally, while I was away from the church and drifting, I remained connected to the Catholic faith as I followed every move of John Paul II. Once I full reconciled with the Church he remained a spiritual father for me, as he was for billions; yes, billions. On this quiet Friday night I ask John Paul II to pray for me and with me to the Father. It's been six years; and we still miss him.
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