Canonisations in Rome

St Peter's Basilica adorned with portraits of the new Saints. St Kateri is on the
far left, St Marianne is second from the right. Both came from New York State.

Today Pope Benedict declared the following as Saints:

JAMES BERTHIEU, PEDRO CALUNGSOD, JOHN BAPTIST PIAMARTA, MARIA OF MT CARMEL SALLÉS Y BARANGUERAS, MARIANNE COPE, KATERI TEKAKWITHA, ANNA SCHÄFFER

The lady in Indian costume bore the relic of St Kateri to the altar.

The relics of the new Saints.

For the occasion Pope Benedict introduced a long-disused vestment, the Fanon, which has excited those concerned about promoting the continuity of the liturgy. Further details at New Liturgical Press.

The canonisation ceremony took place as a separate liturgical act before the Mass. After the declaration of canonisations, announcements were made in various languages requesting the people to maintain a reverent attitude and, in order to promote a deeper participation in the Mass, to refrain from applause and waving banners. Pope Benedict is showing the world how the Liturgy is to be celebrated - with reverence and a contemplative attitude. Papal Liturgies are to be the models of all liturgy. We should learn - and ensure our liturgies are celebrated in accord with the Roman Liturgy.

Indians from the Upper Peninsula were present, as well as a young girl from the Marquette Cathedral Parish whose name is Kateri! What a treat!

The Pope's homily can be found here.

On the new American saints, the Holy Father remarked:

I now turn to Marianne Cope, born in 1838 in Heppenheim, Germany. Only one year old when taken to the United States, in 1862 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 1656 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!

St Marianne and St Kateri: pray for the New Evangelisation in the United States of America and in the Americas, and especially among the Native American peoples.

St Vincent de Paul and the Poor

St Vincent (1581 - 1660) founded the Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians) to give spiritual formation to the clergy and relief to the poor. In a letter to the priests of his Congregation he wrote:

Let us show our service to the poor ... with renewed ardour in our hearts, seeking out above all any abandoned people, since they are given to us as lords and patrons.

In the poor we encounter Christ Himself, our Lord and God.

The St Vincent de Paul Society of Marquette is being featured in a three-part series in the Mining Journal.

Sep. 24th: St. Vincent de Paul has long history of helping people

Sep. 25th: Marquette thrift store is hub for St. Vincent de Paul Society activities

Sep. 26th: St. Vincent de Paul food pantry works to fill gaps

Ron Provost, President of the Marquette
St Vincent de Paul Society

And today:Sep. 27th: Kiwanians assist St. Vincent de Paul

St Maria Goretti - a patron for chastity for young girls

St Maria Goretti, a young virgin martyr who resisted the attempts of a young man to violate her and died the following day from her injuries after forgiving the assailant, is a saint to be held up as an example and model for young catholic girls.

Her feast is celebrated tomorrow.

The following is from CatholicCuture.org

St. Maria Goretti was born of a poor family in Corinaldi, Italy, in 1890. Near Nettuno she spent a difficult childhood assisting her mother in domestic duties. She was of a pious nature and often at prayer. In 1902 she was stabbed to death, preferring to die rather than be raped. (Office of Readings)

"It is well known how this young girl had to face a bitter struggle with no way to defend herself. Without warning a vicious stranger (actually Alessandro Serenelli who lived with his father in the same house as the Goretti's.) burst upon her, bent on raping her and destroying her childlike purity. In that moment of crisis she could have spoken to her Redeemer in the words of that classic, The Imitation of Christ: "Though tested and plagued by a host of misfortunes, I have no fear so long as your grace is with me. It is my strength, stronger than any adversary; it helps me and gives me guidance." With splendid courage she surrendered herself to God and his grace and so gave her life to protect her virginity.

"The life of this simple girl—I shall concern myself only with highlights—we can see as worthy of heaven. Even today people can look upon it with admiration and respect. Parents can learn from her story how to raise their God-given children in virtue, courage and holiness; they can learn to train them in the Catholic faith so that, when put to the test, God's grace will support them and they will come through undefeated, unscathed and untarnished.

"From Maria's story carefree children and young people with their zest for life can learn not to be led astray by attractive pleasures which are not only ephemeral and empty but also sinful. Instead they can fix their sights on achieving Christian moral perfection, however difficult and hazardous that course may prove. With determination and God's help all of us can attain that goal by persistent effort and prayer."Not all of us are expected to die a martyr's death, but we are all called to the pursuit of Christian virtue. This demands strength of character though it may not match that of this innocent girl. Still, a constant, persistent and relentless effort is asked of us right up to the moment of our death. This may be conceived as a slow steady martyrdom which Christ urged upon us when he said: The kingdom of heaven is set upon and laid waste by violent forces.

"So let us all, with God's grace, strive to reach the goal that the example of the virgin martyr, Saint Maria Goretti, sets before us. Through her prayers to the Redeemer may all of us, each in his own way, joyfully try to follow the inspiring example of Maria Goretti who now enjoys eternal happiness in heaven."

Excerpted from a homily at the canonization of Saint Maria Goretti by Pope Pius XII

Imprisoned for murder she appeared to him in his cell and forgave him and he was subsequently converted. Most importantly, he sat next to her mother at the beatification, who also forgave him.

St Anthony of Padua

The statue of St Anthony in our Church.

Today is our parish patronal feast. The Solemnity is being transferred to this coming Sunday when Bishop Sample will come to celebrate the 11am Mass in honour of our centennial celebrations.

A commemorative prayer card has been produced:

St Anthony won many heretics and others in error back to the Catholic faith. There are many in our own parish who have lapsed from the practice of the faith or who have joined other denominations. My prayer request for St Anthony's intercession is their return to the one true fold of Christ.

Here's the prayer in larger print (it is being recited daily after Mass as a Novena in preparation for Sunday):

St. Anthony, you are glorious for your miracles and for the condescension of Jesus Who came as a little child to lie in your arms. Obtain for me from His bounty the grace which I ardently desire. You were so compassionate toward sinners, do not regard my unworthiness. Let the glory of God be magnified by you in connection with the particular request that I earnestly present to you.

[State your request here.]

As a pledge of my gratitude, I promise to live more faithfully in accordance with the teachings of the Church, and to be devoted to the service of the poor whom you loved and still love so greatly. Bless this resolution of mine that I may be faithful to it until death.

St. Anthony, consoler of all the afflicted, pray for me.

St. Anthony, helper of all who invoke you, pray for me.

St. Anthony, whom the Infant Jesus loved and honored so much, pray for me. Amen.

Two American Women to be Canonized

At this morning's Consistory of Cardinals, the Holy Father announced that

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha who was born in 1656 at Ossernenon (today Auriesville, USA) and who died at Sault (Canada) April 17, 1680,

and Sister Maria Anna Cope (in the world: Barbara), a professed religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis in Syracuse (New York, USA), and known as Mother Marianne of Molokai, who was born in Heppenheim (Germania) January 23, 1838, and who died at Molokai (USA) August 9, 1918

be canonised on Sunday October 21, 2012.

Cause of beatification of British Nun who hid Jews from Nazis moves forward

This from the Daily Telegraph today:

A file on Mother Riccarda Beauchamp Hambrough has been sent to the Vatican to be studied by historians and theologians.

Her cause for sainthood was opened in July 2010 by the Diocese of Rome along with that of Sister Katherine Flanagan, marking the first phase of the investigations.

In a significant development, the causes of both women have together been sent to the Holy See’s Congregation of Causes for Sainthood, marking a significant, but early, step forward in the long road to becoming saints.

If it is concluded that the pair lived lives of “heroic virtue”, the Pope will declare the London-born nuns to be “Venerable” and the search will begin for two miracles to first declare them Blessed and then saints.

Both nuns belonged to a revived order of Bridgettine sisters nicknamed “the hot cross bun nuns” because of the distinctive crosses covering the tops of their wimples.

Mother Riccarda helped to save the lives of about 60 Jews by hiding them from the Nazis in her Rome convent, the Casa di Santa Brigida.

She born in 1887 and was baptised in St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Brighton, at the age of four years after her parents converted to the Catholic faith.

Yesterday Father Ray Blake, the parish priest of St Mary’s welcomed the progress of her cause. “I think it is fantastic,” he said.

“Here is Brighton we are following her cause with great enthusiasm and see her very much as our local saint.

“When I tell people at Mass that that her cause is going forward I’m sure that they will be overjoyed.”

While Mother Riccarda spent most of her life in Rome, eventually becoming the head of the order, Sister Katherine was at the forefront of efforts to open Bridgettine convents around the world some 400 years after the Reformation nearly wiped out the order.

Judith Whitehead, a niece of Sister Katherine, said she was astonished that the first phase had concluded so quickly.

“I am surprised that it has moved to the next stage in my lifetime,” said Mrs Whitehead, 73, of Shaftesbury, Dorset, who had given evidence to the initial inquiry.

“I thought that the progression of looking into her life would take about 10 years,” she said.

“It is amazing to have someone in your family who was so revered by everybody … the Bridgettines obviously think that she is going to become a saint.”

Father Simon Henry, the parish priest of St Gregory’s Church, Earlsfield, south London, where Sister Katherine was baptised, said: “To have a possible saint from the parish is wonderful.”

Born Florence Catherine in Clerkenwell in 1892, Sister Katherine trained as a dressmaker before she left the family home for Rome at 19 years with the aim of becoming a nun.

She went on to become the first prioress of new convents in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire; Lugano, Switzerland; and Vadstena, Sweden - where she died in 1941.

A year after Sister Katherine joined, the future Mother Riccarda - born Madaleina Catherine - also journeyed to Rome.

Because of her talent and intelligence she soon became deputy of the Order, called the Most Holy Saviour of St Bridget, and remained at the mother house in the Italian capital.

When the Nazis took control in Rome in 1943, and began to round up the Jews of Rome for deportation to Auschwitz, Mother Riccarda risked her own life by smuggling fugitives into her convent.

Some Jews who gave evidence to the initial inquiry spoke of Mother Riccarda's kindness, saying they nicknamed her “Mama”.

She died in Rome in 1966 at the age of 79 years.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha to be canonised - the first Native American Saint!

I was delighted to hear this news on local Public Radio this morning. I have blogged before about Blessed Kateri.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty/NPR. Jake Finkbonner, shown with his
father, Donny, and mother, Elsa, nearly died after contracting
a flesh-eating bacterium. His family and friends prayed for a
miracle, and now the Vatican has declared that his recovery
was considered a miracle by the church.

The canonisation can take place thanks to a miracle attributed to Blessed Kateri's intercession by which a young American boy of Native American descent Jake Finkbonner recovered from a flesh-eating bacteria that nearly killed him. Further details can be read at The Bellingham Herald (h/t to The Deacon's Bench).

Here is the Vatican's Press Release:

VATICAN CITY, 20 DEC 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father yesterday signed decrees acknowledging miracles attributed to the intervention of seven blesseds (four women and three men) who will shortly be canonised. One of the new blesseds is Kateri Tekakwitha, the first native North American to be raised to the glory of the altars.

Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in Ossernenon (present-day Auriesville, U.S.A.). Her father was a Mohawk chief and her mother a Roman Catholic Algonquian who had been educated by French missionaries. At the age of four she lost her family in a smallpox epidemic which also left her disfigured and with poor eyesight. Adopted by a relative, the chief of neighbouring clan, she continued to nurture an interest in Christianity and was baptised at the age of 20.

The members of her tribe did not understand her new religious affiliation and she was marginalised, practising physical mortification as a path of sanctity and praying for the conversion of her relatives. Having suffered persecutions which put her life at risk, she was forced to flee to a native American Christian community in Kahnawake, Quebec where she made a vow of chastity and lived a life dedicated to prayer, penance, and care for the sick and elderly. She died in 1680 at the age of 24. Her last words were: "Jesus, I love you". According to tradition, Kateri's scars disappeared after her death to reveal a woman of great beauty, and numerous sick people who participated in her funeral were miraculously healed.

The process of canonisation began in 1884. She was declared venerable by Pius XII in 1943 and beatified by John Paul II in 1980. As the first native North American to be beatified she occupies a special place in the devotion of her people. Her feast day falls on 14 July.

St Pio of Pietrelcina - Padre Pio

Hello World

The last time I posted was a few days after arriving at my new parish of St Anthony in Gwinn, MI. I have been very busy getting acquainted with parish and parishioners. I have to inform my readers that I am extremely happy with the appointment. Parishioners have been most welcoming. My predecessor, Father Ron Timock, has left the parish in a very good state spiritually. Under his stewardship this somewhat modern church was reordered according to a much more traditional line. There are many statues, a fine tabernacle (which used to be at St Peter's Cathedral Marquette) centrally positioned, "Benedictine" arrangement of crucifix and candles on the altar, and the people are accustomed to a liturgy celebrated with dignity and reverence.

I am still wondering when I shall have my first battle. So far it all seems plain sailing in that people are just so willing to promote evangelisation, faith formation for the young and adult, etc. There is all day Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Mondays from after the 10:00am Mass until 10:00 pm. I was very pleasantly surprised by the number of people who came for Benediction at 9:45pm last Monday.

As with so many parishes here in the US there is a memorial to the victims of abortion in the lovely grounds:

You can see the very nice rectory in the background.

I am also responsible for St Joseph's Mission in Northland some 25 miles away. I go there every Sunday for Mass at 9am. Again, there is a wonderful group of parishioners, all committed to the welfare of the parish and accustomed to a reverent and respectful liturgy.

During the past week at St Anthony's there was a Vacation Bible Study for young children. As well as the Bible they had the opportunity to learn something about the saints who were celebrated during the week. Here's a slide show of photos taken on the feast of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks:


You can read our parish bulletins here. My first two issues are 10th July and 17th July. I am working on renewing the presentation but you'll get a flavour of how things are.

I hope to start posting on more serious topics now that I have my feet under the desk. There are so many troubling things going on: the excommunication of the newly ordained bishop in China, the continuing fallout from the abuse scandal in Ireland, to name but a few. Wheat and cockle (this Sunday's Gospel) come to mind. I hope to give some comment. But first I must inform myself. I have hardly looked at a blog for the last fortnight (two weeks for my American readers).

Ss Charles Lwanga and Companions, Ugandan Martyrs

From the Universalis About Today page for June 3rd:

Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions (- 1885/7)

Many Christians, Catholic and Protestant, were killed by the Ugandan king Mwanga. Some of them were servants in the king’s palace or even his personal attendants. Charles Lwanga and his twenty-one companions (the youngest, Kitizo, was only 13) were executed for being Christians, for rebuking the king for his debauchery and for murdering an Anglican missionary, for “praying from a book,” and for refusing to allow themselves to be ritually sodomised by the king. They died between 1885 and 1887. Most of them were burned alive in a group after being tortured.

Within a year of their deaths, the number of catechumens in the country quadrupled. St Charles Lwanga is the patron of Catholic Action and of black African youth, and the Ugandan martyrs’ feast day is a public holiday in Uganda.

St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay, WI

After visiting the shrines of The Packers, St Joseph and Our Lady of Good Help, Father Doerfler finally took me to visit the Cathedral. He is resident there and I had stayed the previous night in the Rectory.

I can only say I was completely stunned by the beauty of this magnificent Cathedral church dedicated to St Francis Xavier.

Father genuflected to the tabernacle which is in the centre of the sanctuary. I had not done so as I presumed that the Blessed Sacrament would be reposed in a side chapel and I hadn't averted immediately to a sanctuary light (there are many, many votive lamps burning in this lovely church.)

I completely disagree with tabernacles in ordinary parish churches being anywhere but in the centre but I do have some sympathy (or perhaps it's just that I have come to expect it) with the view that in a cathedral it should be elsewhere than in the sanctuary, particularly as the rubrics of the Novus Ordo (I don't know about the Usus Antiquior) indicate that, when a bishop is to celebrate the Mass, the tabernacle may/should be empty. But, yes, the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the central tabernacle. Apparently, the previous bishop ordered that the tabernacle and the Blessed Sacrament be returned to the centre of the sanctuary. Well done that man!

The Cathedral is adorned with many statues of saints, most of which have a reliquiary by them containing a relic of the respective saint. I am sure you would have no problem guessing who the saints are but I have captioned the photos just in case:

St Agnes

St Therese of Lisieux

St Anthony of Padua (patron of
the parish I am to assume pastoral care of as from July 1st).

St Francis Xavier himself occupies a lovely side
chapel to the right of the sanctuary.

There are also statues of Our Lady and St Joseph but there are, unsurprisingly, no relics of these saints. However there is this beautiful Lady Chapel with a wonderful mosaic of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Beneath the altar mensa is a sculpture of the buried Christ with a white shroud over it.

The sculpture is on display throughout the Easter season after which the medallions which normally fill the circular holes will be replaced and the sculpture concealed from view.

View of the entrance to the Cathedral.

The bishop's crest on his seat: Charity, Knowledge, Fortitude.

I think the bishop's crest contains a very apt motto. I cannot immediately recall if this trinity of qualities comes from a scriptural quotation but it certainly reminds me of  2 Tim. 1:7 - "for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control." A bishop surely needs these infused gifts of the Holy Spirit of Charity, Knowledge and Fortitude.

I know nothing about heraldry but I notice the crest contains Jesus' Sacred Heart with the crown of thorns, a star above battlements on a blue background (no doubt referring to Our Lady), the St Andrew's cross with a boat (Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter, both of whom were fishermen; it was Peter's - and perhaps Andrew's too - boat that Jesus borrowed when he preached to the people on the shore of the Sea of Galilee), an arrow the significance of which I cannot guess. The lower left quadrant appears to show water flowing into land, perhaps a symbol of the waters of baptism irrigating the dry earth? I couldn't find any information on the shield at the diocesan website.

I was very happy to concelebrate at Mass the following morning. The Mass was preceded by the recitation of the rosary by a number of parishioners who offered prayers for vocations, for priests and for other wonderful intentions. There is clearly a very prayerful atmosphere in this parish.

And so it was off to Chicago...

National Shrine of St Joseph, De Pere, Wisconsin

On a recent post-Easter vacation which took in Green Bay and Chicago, I visited the National Shrine of St Joseph which is at St Norbert's Abbey in De Pere, Wisconsin, not far from Green Bay. The abbey is set in beautiful grounds. The National Shrine is beneath the abbey church and is quite small. The shrine was recognised as the National Shrine by Pope Leo XIII in 1892.

I was struck by the beauty of the crowned statue. If Jesus is truly God, then Joseph bore - and bears - God in his holy arms. If Christ is the Head of the Church, Joseph is truly the Protector of the Church for he bears our Head in the safety of his arms. If the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, and the Head and members are one, then Joseph also bears the Church - the Body of Christ - in his arms.

And as the Holy Joseph of Israel was in charge of the grain and Pharoah directed the hungry people to "go to Joseph", so too must we "go to Joseph" to obtain the Bread of Life whom he bears for us.

In this image, St Joseph is also shown as king.

My friend Father John Doerfler and I were the only ones in the crypt shrine. The quiet atmosphere and the beauty of this sculpture led easily to contemplation and simple theological thoughts.

Memorare of St Joseph

Remember, O most illustrious Patriarch Saint Joseph,
never has it been heard that anyone who asked for your protection
or sought your intercession was left unaided.
In this confidence, I come before you,
my loving protector, chaste Spouse of Mary;
foster father of the Saviour and dispenser of the treasures of His Sacred Heart.
Despise not my earnest prayer but graciously hear and obtain my petition...

O God Who by Your providence
chose Blessed Joseph for the spouse of Your Most Holy Mother,
grant, I ask, that he whom we venerate as our protector on earth
may be our intercessor in Heaven. Amen.

I should say that this was not the first "shrine" we visited. This was:

Vince Lombardi was the legendary 1960's coach
of the Packers. Under his watch they won
the first two Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967. He was
also a practising Catholic and attended Mass at
the Cathedral Church of St Francis Xavier.

Earl Louis (Curly) Lambeau (1898 - 1965) was
founder, player, and first coach of the Packers.

St Christopher Magallanes and the Cristeros movement in Mexico - inspirational heroism

I was going to celebrate the normal Mass for Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter yesterday but took the time the previous night to do a quick search on the optional memorial of St Christopher Magallanes and his Companions, newly inserted in the third editio typica of the Roman Missal. I was glad I did. The best summary of his life was found at Why I Am Catholic. As a diocesan priest I found the example of St Christopher and his 21 diocesan priest companions a source of inspiration. Three laymen are also among the total of 25 companion martyr saints commemorated yesterday.

It's not normally good practice to quote a blog entry in its entirety. Here is the factual part of the post. Do go and read the author's post for further comments.

St. Christopher Magallanes, pictured above, built a seminary in his parish of Totiache at a time when the Mexican government banned foreign clergy and the celebration of Mass in some regions. When the anti-Church government closed his seminary, he opened another and still another. Eventually, the seminarians were forced to learn in private homes.

He wrote and preached against armed rebellion. But he was falsely accused of promoting the Cristeros guerillas. While heading to a farm to celebrate Mass, St. Christopher Magellenes was arrested on May 21, 1927. Three days later, without a trial, he was shot to death. Before he died, he gave his executioners his remaining possessions and offered them absolution. He was 48.

The last words heard from him were shouts from his cell.  "I am innocent and I die innocent. I forgive with all my heart those responsible for my death, and I ask God that the shedding of my blood serve the peace of our divided Mexico."

How did this remarkable life begin? St. Christopher Magallanes was born  in 1869 in the Archdiocese of Guadalajara. His parents, Rafael Magallanes and Clara Jara, were poor farmers and devout Catholics. He worked as a shepherd and entered the Conciliar Seminary of San Jose, pictured here,

at the age of  19. He was ordained at age 30 and took a special interest in evangelizing to the local  indigenous Huichos people.

...

The novel reflects historic realities. The seminary where St. Christopher Magallanes studied, for example, was closed by the Mexican government in 1914 and turned into a regional art museum.

The Cristeros Movement, of which these martyrs were affiliated, was a reaction to the severely anti-clerical Constitution of 1917. According to the website www.traditioninaction.org, Cristeros of Jalisco recited this prayer at the end of the Rosary.

My Jesus Mercy! My sins are more numerous than the drops of blood that Thou did shed for me. I do not deserve to belong to the army that defends the rights of Thy Church and that fights for her. I desire never to sin again so that my life might be an offering pleasing to Thy eyes. Wash away my iniquities and cleanse me of my sins. By Thy Holy Cross, by my Holy Mother of Guadalupe, pardon me.

Since I do not know how to make penance for my sins, I desire to receive death as a chastisement merited by them. I do not wish to fight, live or die except for Thee and for Thy Church. Blessed Mother of Guadalupe, be at my side in the agony of this poor sinner. Grant that my last shout on earth and my first canticle in Heaven should be Viva Cristo Rey! Amen.

...

Blessed Pope John Paul II, pray for us!

Pope Benedict's homily can be found at Catholic Herald.

John Paul II - truly the Great

This superb video is on the USCCB website.

What a powerful defender of human life.

All human life is sacred. Whenever it is endangered we will stand up to defend it.

Will we?

On the TV6 website (see my previous post) there is a comment to the effect that there are too many Catholics in Marquette. Just think if all those Catholics stood up to defend endangered human life, what a transformed society we would be.

Cause of founder of Mary’s House in Ephesus opens

The cause is opening in Kansas City, Missouri.
From Catholic Herald.

The Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenary Healers Cyrus and John

Today the Byzantine Churches keep the feast of these two saints. According to In Persona Christi:

These Saints lived during the years of Diocletian. Saint Cyrus was from Alexandria, and Saint John was from Edessa of Mesopotamia. Because of the persecution of that time, Cyrus fled to the Gulf of Arabia, where there was a small community of monks. John, who was a soldier, heard of Cyrus' fame and came to join him. Henceforth, they passed their life working every virtue, and healing every illness and disease freely by the grace of Christ; hence their title of "Unmercenaries." They heard that a certain woman, named Athanasia, had been apprehended together with her three daughters, Theodora, Theoctiste, and Eudoxia, and taken to the tribunal for their confession of the Faith. Fearing lest the tender young maidens be terrified by the torments and renounce Christ, they went to strengthen them in their contest in martryrdom; therefore they too were seized. After Cyrus and John and those sacred women had been greatly tormented, all were beheaded in the year 292. Their tomb became a renowned shrine in Egypt, and a place of universal pilgrimage. It was found in the area of the modern day resort near Alexandria named Abu Kyr. 

 More information is available from the Orthdox Church in America.

The following antiphons are used in the Byzantine Rite office today:

Troparion: The grace of the Trinity settled in your pure hearts, most blessed Cyrus and John. You have become marvelous exorcists of impure spirits. You were doctors over hidden and visible illnesses. Now that you stand before God, heal our spiritual diseases by your unceasing prayers.

Kontakion: Receiving the gift of miracles from divine grace, you work all sorts of wonders, O holy ones. By your invisible labors you uproot all our passions, for you are heavenly doctors, O God-wise Cyrus! O glorious John!