Benedict XVI started out from the gospel episode in which Philip exhorted the hesitant Nathaniel to get to know Jesus, telling him: “’Come and see!’ (Jn 1:46). In this reply, dry but clear, Philip shows the marks of a true witness: he is not content with making his announcement, rather he appeals directly to the interlocutor, suggesting that he himself undergoes the personal experience announced.” The pope continued: “We could imagine it is to us that Philip is addressing these two verbs, which presuppose a personal involvement. The apostle urges us to get to know Jesus close at hand. In effect, friendship requires closeness; in fact, it partly lives from this. Besides, we must not forget that, according to what Mark wrote, Jesus chose the Twelve with the primary scope that they should ‘be with him’; (Mk 3:14), that is, they should share his life and learn directly from him, not only his way of behaving but above all, who he was. Later, the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians would say that the important thing is to ‘learn Christ’ (4:20), that is, not only and not so much to listen to his teachings as much as to recognize him in person, his humanity and divinity, his mystery and his beauty. He is in fact not only a Teacher, but a Friend, no, a Brother. How could we get to know him deeply while keeping a distance? Intimacy, familiarity, habit lead us to discover the true identity of Jesus Christ. There: this is exactly what the apostle Philip is reminding us of.”
Benedict XVI then recalled the reply that Jesus gave to Philip when, during the Last Supper, he had asked him to show them the Father. ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? ... Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me’ (Jn 14:9-11). Jesus refers to himself thus, implying that it is possible to understand him not only through what he says, but even more simply through who he is. To express ourselves through the paradox of the Incarnation, we could well say that God gave himself a human face, that of Jesus, and consequently, from that moment on, if we really want to know the face of God, we need to do nothing else other than contemplate the face of Jesus!”
Today, although the world will hardly notice it, the Missionaries of Charity and their friends will be celebrating the new feast day of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. September 5th is the anniversary of her death, and at present is acknowledged as her feast day. What a beautiful commemoration. Father Andrew and I had the great privilege of offering Mass for Mother Teresa the day before she went back to India. We knew when we said goodbye to her that we would not see her again in this world.
It was one of the most remarkable and memorable events of my life. Mother Teresa was filled with joy and happiness and even laughter. She was telling us how many convents and how many sisters and Missionaries of Charity fathers and brothers there were. It was a simple direct rejoicing. Always before that I had noticed that Mother Teresa was quite somber. I always thought she was thinking of the troubles of the world. I found out later that her soul was in spiritual darkness for many years, which others did not know.
Please join the Missionaries of Charity and the Franciscans of the Renewal in commemorating the passing of this holy woman, who is not only a saint in my eyes, but a prophetess. She has so much to teach us now.
At 5 a.m. EDT, the sixth depression of the season had top sustained winds near 35 mph and was moving toward the northwest near 12 mph, forecasters said.
The depression would be named Florence if it reaches tropical storm strength with winds of at least 39 mph. Forecasters said it could become a tropical storm by Monday or Tuesday
Based on Anne Catherine Emerich's visions this house was found in the 1900's by Germans. It since has become a shrine to the Blessed Virgin that includes a small Moslem prayer area. I visited the shrine in 1979 (I lived in Turkey from 1978-1979) and at that time Italian religious were in charge and covered up two of the women in our group who were wearing shorts.Whether this spot in Turkey was ever Mary’s house is indeed a matter of some controversy. It wasn’t until the early 19th century that anyone in the Church had any notion that Mary had once lived near Ephesus, and even then the first reports of the house came from a dubious source: the feverish visions of a bedridden German nun named Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich.
During her illness, Clemens von Brentano, a Romantic poet, began a vigil at her bedside and transcribed her visions and sayings, including a vision of Mary’s house near Ephesus. His notebooks remained unpublished for more than half a century. When they were finally made public in the 1880’s, a French abbot, Father Julien Gouyet, read them and found Sister Emmerich’s vision so compelling that he traveled to Turkey soon after to see if he could find it. With the help of local villagers, he found a small stone house that fit the poet’s description, geographically and architecturally.
It wasn’t until 1950, however, that the Church proclaimed the dogma of the Assumption of Mary into heaven and that the house on Nightingale Hill became an official shrine for pilgrims, although there are still scholars who doubt that Mary ever lived there. Over the years, stories have circulated that water from the well on the site has healing powers. At the entrance to the house there is a place for pilgrims to leave their crutches behind.
From the Sunday Angelus at Asia News Italy:Benedict XVI emphasized the resistance of Gregory to becoming pope, perhaps also thinking back to his own election and, prior to that, his work in Rome as prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Gregory “sought in every way to avert his appointment, but at the end, he had to surrender and, reluctantly leaving the cloisters, he dedicated himself to the community, aware that he was carrying out his duty and of being a simple ‘servant of the servants of God’. ‘Neither is he truly humble, who understands how the good pleasure of the Supernal Will ought to bear sway, and yet contemns its sway. But, submitting himself to the divine disposals, and averse from the vice of obstinacy, it being already prevented with gifts whereby he may profit others also, he ought, when enjoined to undertake supreme rule, in his heart to flee from it, but against his will to obey’ (Pastoral Rule 1,6).”
Benedict XVI then outlined the commitments of St Gregory the Great in the field of liturgy, reform of the clergy, and efforts to integrate the Barbarian and Roman peoples: “With prophetic foresight, Gregory intuited that a new civilization was emerging from the encounter between the Roman heritage and the so-called ‘Barbarian’ peoples, thanks to the cohesive force and moral elevation of Christianity. Monasticism proved to be a source of richness not only for the Church but for the entire society. In poor health but of strong moral temperament, Gregory the Great undertook intense pastoral and civil activities. He left behind a vast body of correspondence, awesome homilies, a renowned commentary on the Book of Job and writings on the life of St Benedict, apart from numerous liturgical texts, famous for the reform of chant that was named ‘Gregorian’ after him. But his most celebrated work is doubtless Pastoral Rule, which for the clergy had the same importance as the Rule of St Benedict had for monks in the Middle Ages.”
Gregory the Great also inspired Vatican Council II: “The life of a shepherd of souls must be a balanced synthesis of contemplation and action, animated by the love that ‘rises wonderfully to high things when it is compassionately drawn to the low things of neighbours; and the more kindly it descends to the weak things of this world, the more vigorously it recurs to the things on high’ (II,5). The Fathers of Vatican Council II were inspired by this ever relevant teaching to describe the image of the Shepherd of our times.” The final prayer was to the Virgin Mary, “that the example and teaching of St Gregory the Great may be followed by Shepherds of the Church and also by managers of civil institutions.”
The history books tell us that UF fielded its first team in 1906 with a coach named J.A. "Pee Wee" Forsythe, who doubled as the team's fullback and was paid a $500 salary that first season. A century later, Meyer makes $2 million a year -- and he doesn't even have to suit up. The least he can do is win a championship.
"Since I've left, the Gators haven't won an SEC title," Spurrier said recently when asked why UF fans still adore him. "When they win one or two, that coach will replace me."
But the thing is, if Meyer is to win a championship, he must go through Spurrier to do it. Spurrier was rightfully cheered Saturday on his return to The Swamp; he'll be booed when he brings his Gamecocks here Nov. 11. "South Carolina, that's my team," Spurrier said Saturday. "All my emotions are with South Carolina now."
On this day, Florida fans loved him as one of their own.
In two months, they'll hate him just like everybody else.
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But not until after we'd both ordered a copy of "The How-To Book of the Mass," by Michael Dubriel -- also without previous consultation. Interesting...
The title of Dubriel's book sounds simplistic, but it turned out to be a Godsend. Dubriel explains in detail where every aspect of the Mass originates and why Catholics say the prayers they say, sing the Kyrie and the Gloria, why they sit-stand-kneel, bless themselves and respond at appointed times. He explains the proper forms of the "beating of the breast", the genuflection, the bow, the crossing of oneself, and the proper focus one should maintain for the duration of Mass -- with Biblical parallels and the words of the Early Church for support.
In the end, I'm glad we ordered two copies, because mine ended up with underlines and notes in the margins all over. Which meant that not only had the Mass been illuminated, but at the second service we attended, I wasn't lost. I knew what was happening and why. Highly recommended.
Looking forward to the pope's visit to Germany and his native Bavaria Sept. 9-14, Ratzinger said he understood the expense of papal travel meant limits on his brother's lingering in his old haunts, including the house the pope still has in Regensburg's Pentling suburb.
One day of the trip is reserved for private time for the two brothers in Regensburg, and for the pope to visit the graves of his mother and father, Maria and Josef, and his sister, Maria, in a local cemetery. Otherwise, the pope will celebrate outdoor Masses in Munich, Regensburg, Altoetting and Freising.
"It's actually just half a day," Ratzinger, 82, said. "Whether it's enough or not, that's all there is. I wish there was more, but a visit is an enormously expensive matter with so many people taking part and the resulting costs. Every second is valuable."
In any case, Georg Ratzinger said he was able to spend almost a month at the papal summer retreat in Castelgandolfo, Italy this year.
The pope, born Joseph Ratzinger, and his brother were ordained priests on the same day in 1951. While Joseph became a theology professor, cardinal of Munich, top Vatican official and then pope, Georg made his career in music, conducting the renowned boys' choir of Regensburg Cathedral.
Peter Dimas was sitting in the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Norwich several weeks ago when he looked up to the pale blue, stuccoed ceiling and saw a familiar face staring back at him.
Even though churches, especially Greek Orthodox, are known for their decor of religious images, the face of Jesus Dimas saw was not one of the statues or pictures that adorn other parts of the church. The eyes, hair, nose and mouth of Jesus are shaded -- though church officials say unintentionally -- into the domed ceiling repainted about eight years ago.
"Let's seek the face of the Lord, together let's try to see the lord's face and, in him, find the path for our lives": with these words Benedict XVI explained to worshippers the spirit of his visit today to the Manoppello Sanctuary. "Dear brothers and sister - he said, greeting worshippers in the Sanctuary piazza - thank you for this warm welcome; I see many families from the Church gathered together here: where there is the Pope, this family united with great joy and I see all the beauty of the South of Italy in your faces. I especially greet those who are unwell: you are in our prayers - pray for each other also".
The teaching of the Orthodox religion has now become mandatory in the high
schools of four provinces of what once was the atheist Soviet state. In July
Moscow’s Spiritual Academy approved “Basics of Orthodox Culture”, a course soon
to be taught in the provinces of Belgorod, Kaluga, Brjansk and Smolensk. By
2010, the Moscow Patriarchate should have trained some 10,000 religious
teachers. In 11 other provinces, religion will be taught but won’t be
mandatory.
These developments reflect the Russian Orthodox Church’s plan to have
religion taught across the country. By contrast, government officials are
planning a more general course on the “History of World Religions” so as to not
offend the country’s religious minorities.
Aleksij II, patriarch of Moscow
and All Russia, is convinced that “pupils should know the history of their
culture, and this is the goal of ‘Basics of Orthodox Culture’.” He also believes
that this is true for other religions as well.
But Father Stephan Horn, a German theologian organizing the pope's meeting with 39 former students, said that reflected a misunderstanding of how the so-called "student circle" works and what the Catholic Church teaches about evolution.
"We've never drawn any conclusions in our student circle," he told Reuters by telephone from Rome. "This is an open exchange of ideas that does not aim for a conclusion.
"It has nothing to do with creationism," he added, referring to a fundamentalist Protestant view that God created the world in six days as described in the Book of Genesis. "Catholic theology does not endorse creationist views."
Gasoline prices are falling fast and could keep dropping for months.
"The only place they have to go is down," says Fred Rozell, gasoline analyst at the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS). "We'll be closer to $2 than $3 come Thanksgiving."
Travel organization AAA foresees prices 10 cents a gallon lower by the end of next week. It reported a nationwide average of $2.84 Tuesday, the lowest since April 20.
The new version, reflecting the bishops' recent response to the scandal of clergy sexual abuse of minors, says explicitly for the first time that no
seminary applicant is to be accepted if he has been involved in sexual abuse of
minors.
It also incorporates stricter norms, adopted by the bishops in 1999, on
evaluating an application for seminary admission from someone who previously
left or was dismissed from a seminary or a formation program for religious life.
From the Office of Readings (St. Bede):As forerunner of our Lord’s birth, preaching and death, the blessed John showed in his struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: Though in the sight of men he suffered torments, his hope is full of immortality. We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful celebration, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering and which he adorned with the crimson splendour of his own blood. We do rightly revere his memory with joyful hearts, for he stamped with the seal of martyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord.
There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.
Secret Vatican documents recently released say that wartime pontiff Pope Pius XII attempted a “long distance” exorcism of Hitler which failed to have any effect. “It’s very rare that praying and attempting to carry out an exorcism from distance works. Of course you can pray for someone from a distance but in this case it would not have any effect,” Father Amorth said.
The Vatican’s chief exorcist claims that one of the key requirements for an exorcism is to be present in front of the possessed person and that person also has to be consenting and willing. “Therefore trying to carry out an exorcism on someone who is not present, or consenting and willing would prove very difficult,” he said.
The Rev. Francis Kline, the abbot of Mepkin Abbey and an influencial
spiritual force in the life of South Carolina, died Sunday after a three-year
battle with cancer. He was 57.
A Juilliard-trained organist, Father Francis was the longtime leader of the Trappist monastic community founded on the Cooper River at Moncks Corner in 1949. But the cerebral, soft-spoken monk was much more to those who claimed him as wise counselor and reverent friend.
“He was someone that just had a remarkable level of personal grace in the way he handled himself,” Gov. Mark Sanford said. “He was able to have this incredibly deep well of spirituality and the ability to look deeply at ideas of faith, and then this
ability to care what was happening in the world around him.”
