Wednesday, September 26, 2012

“Let us lift up our hearts”

The liturgy as a school of prayer, as a "special place in which God addresses each one of us ... and awaits our response", was the theme of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's catechesis during the general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square.

The Pope explained how, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "we read that the word 'liturgy' originally meant a 'service in the name of/on behalf of the people'. If Christian theology took this word from the Greek, clearly it did so thinking of the new People of God, born of Christ Who opened His arms on the Cross to unite mankind in the one peace of God; 'service in the name of the people', a people which exists not of itself but which has come into being thanks to the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ".

The Pope referred to a particular moment in which the: the celebrant's invitation before the Eucharistic prayer: "sursum corda", meaning "let us lift up our hearts"; lift them up, that is, "out of the mire of our concerns and desires, our worries and our distraction. Our hearts, the most intimate part of us, must open meekly to the Word of God and join the prayer of the Church, in order to be oriented towards God by the very words we hear and pronounce".

"We celebrate and experience the liturgy well", the Pope concluded, "only if we maintain an attitude of prayer, uniting ourselves to the mystery of Christ and to His dialogue of a Son with His Father. God Himself teaches us to pray. ... He has given us the right words with which to address Him, words we find in the Psalter, in the great prayers of sacred liturgy and in the Eucharistic celebration itself. Let us pray to the Lord that we may become increasingly aware of the fact that the liturgy is the action of God and of man; a prayer that arises from the Holy Spirit and from us; entirely addressed to the Father in union with the Son of God made man".

 

For more information, please visit:                 



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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Promote the Glory of His Church


The truth about Jesus Christ also reached Korean soil. It came by means of books brought from China. And in a most marvelous way, divine grace soon moved your scholarly ancestors first to an intellectual quest for the truth of God’s word and then to a living faith in the Risen Savior.
 
Yearning for an ever greater share in the Christian faith, your ancestors sent one of their own in 1784 to Peking, where he was baptized. From this good seed was born the first Christian community in Korea, a community unique in the history of the Church by reason of the fact that it was founded entirely by lay people. This fledgling Church, so young and yet so strong in faith, withstood wave after wave of fierce persecution. Thus, in less than a century, it could already boast of some ten thousand martyrs. The years 1791, 1801, 1827, 1839, 1846 and 1866 are forever signed with the holy blood of your Martyrs and engraved in your hearts.
 
Even though the Christians in the first half century had only two priests from China to assist them, and these only for a time, they deepened their unity in Christ through prayer and fraternal love; they disregarded social classes and encouraged religious vocations. And they sought ever closer union with their Bishop in Peking and the Pope in faraway Rome.
 
After years of pleading for more priests to be sent, your Christian ancestors welcomed the first French missionaries in 1836. Some of these, too, are numbered among the Martyrs who gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel, and who are being canonized today in this historic celebration.
 
The splendid flowering of the Church in Korea today is indeed the fruit of the heroic witness of the Martyrs. Even today, their undying spirit sustains the Christians in the Church of silence in the North of this tragically divided land.
 
His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Homily, Mass for the Canonization of Korean Martyrs, 6 May 1984
Seoul, Korea
 
 
For the complete text, please visit:

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Karen M. Hurley, WUCWO President General; Dr. Helen Kwon, Korea Council of Catholic Women, President
Shrine of the Korean Martyrs
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St Andrew Kim Taegon… often paused to meditate on the divine Teacher's words. At the crucial hour, encouraged by the Lord's prayer, he did not hesitate to "lose" everything (cf. Phil 3: 8) for him. He was faithful unto death. It is said that, while he was waiting to be executed, he encouraged his brethren in the faith with expressions that impressively echoed Jesus' prayer to the Father for his disciples. "Do not let misfortunes frighten you", he begged them; "do not lose heart and do not shrink from serving God, but, following in the footsteps of the saints, promote the glory of his Church and show yourselves true soldiers and subjects of God. Even if you are many, be of one heart; always remember charity; support and help one another, and wait for the moment when God will have mercy on you".
 
 "Be of one heart!". St Andrew Kim Taegon exhorted believers to draw from divine love the strength to remain united and to resist evil. Like the early community, in which all were "of one heart and soul" (Acts 4: 32), the Korean Church had to find the secret of her own cohesion and growth in following the teaching of the Successors of the Apostles, in prayer and in the breaking of bread (cf. Acts 2: 42).
 
His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Homily, 23 March 2001
 


For the complete text, please visit:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20010323_collegio-coreano_en.html

 
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Lydia praying after lighting a candle at the Shrine
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Our hearts brim with joy. How shall we ever give enough thanks and praise to the Lord of Heaven, Father of us all, who has done such "great things" in this his beloved land of Korea? And for having given us in these holy Martyrs such splendid models of faith, courage, and love?
 
…Your holy ancestors are glorified with the glory of the Risen Lord. Because they bore witness to him unto death, united to his Cross, they now share in his risen life forever. They have thus entered into the joy of Mary, who at the foot of the Cross shared in the passion and death of her Son, our Saviour. The Queen of Martyrs rejoices with you!
 
But, as with most great feasts, we cannot fail to remember those dear to us who could not come to share in the joy: those brethren in the North of this land, and those also in China through which Korea came to know Christ. We pray that they may continue to be strong in bearing witness to the faith. May Mary the Mother of us all comfort and strengthen them as we now invoke her as the Queen of Heaven.
 
 
His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Regina Caeli, 6 May 1984
Seoul, Korea

 
 
For the complete text, please visit:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/angelus/1984/documents/hf_jp-ii_reg_19840506_en.html

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Gracious ladies after the Opening Liturgy at the Cathedral in Seoul, Korea
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What a joy it was for me to visit Korea during my service as President General of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO)!  How humbling it was to be greeted upon arrival in my mother tongue by women who devoted many previous months to learning to speak English, under the gracious leadership of Theresa Duck-Choo Oh Kim, WUCWO Vice President for Asia-Pacific!  And speak it very well they did! 
 
It was life-transforming to go on pilgrimage with the ladies to the Shrine of the Korean Martyrs.  The witness of the martyrs’ faith is powerful and inspiring beyond what words can express.  Since my visit I have new devotion for Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Paul Chong Ha-sang, and Companions, whose Memorial we celebrate on 20 September. 
 
Let us give thanks to God for the witness of the Korean Martyrs and for all the Catholics of Korea who live the Faith with joy and fidelity.
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Grace-filled dance interpretation pointing us toward heaven was displayed by elegant Korean ladies. 
We were hosted for an interreligious tea ceremony and dinner at a Buddhist temple.
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Our Korean hosts and hostesses enjoyed celebratory cake-cutting ceremonies! 
Yes, we are using sabers--very carefully!
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We visited a new church being constructed near the DMZ, the border between North and South Korea.
The church in the South was designed to be identical to a church in the North.
Pray for the reunification of these special people.
 
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Jeoldusan Martyrs' Shrine

 
Jeoldusan Martyrs' Shrine is the site of the Byeonin Persecution of 1866, where many Roman Catholics were brutally murdered. This site was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Byeonin Persecution and to remember the spirit of martyrdom at Jeoldusan. The Martyrs’ Museum and Martyrs’ Memorial were built in 1967, and in 1972 Martyrs’ Park was opened to the public. Pope John Paul visited in the site in 1984.

 
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Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Path of Sincere Conversion


On September 16th, the final day of his three day Apostolic visit to Lebanon, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI presided over Holy Mass at Beirut's waterfront.  The Mass was attended by many thousands of faithful, the Lebanese authorities and 300 bishops from all over the Middle East. The liturgy was celebrated in Arabic, French and Latin.

 
In his homily the Pope commented on today's reading from the Gospel of St. Mark in which the true identity of Jesus is revealed. In Mark's narrative, Jesus is walking with His disciples along the road leading to the villages in the region of Caesarea Philippi when He asks them: "Who do people say that I am?"

 
"The moment He chose to ask this question is not insignificant", the Holy Father explained. "Jesus was facing a decisive turning-point in His life. He was going up to Jerusalem, to the place where the central events of our salvation would take place: His crucifixion and resurrection. In Jerusalem too, following these events, the Church would be born".

 
The Pope went on, "following Jesus means taking up one’s cross and walking in His footsteps, along a difficult path which leads not to earthly power or glory but, if necessary, to self-abandonment, to losing one’s life for Christ and the Gospel in order to save it. We are assured that this is the way to the resurrection, to true and definitive life with God". In this context, Pope Benedict pointed out that the Year of Faith, due to begin on 11 October, is an invitation to "each member of the faithful to renew his or her commitment to undertaking this path of sincere conversion. Throughout this Year, then, I strongly encourage you to reflect more deeply on the faith, to appropriate it ever more consciously and to grow in fidelity to Christ Jesus and His Gospel.

 
"Brothers and sisters, the path on which Jesus wishes to guide us is a path of hope for all. Jesus’ glory was revealed at the very time when, in His humanity, He seemed weakest, particularly through the incarnation and on the cross. This is how God shows His love; He becomes our servant and gives Himself to us"....

 
For the full text of the homily, please visit:
http://www.news.va/en/news/lebanon-full-text-of-the-popes-homily-during-holy

 
 
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Is the Lord calling you on a path that includes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the Year of Faith? 
 
Join Fr. Joseph Gotwalt as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus from March 9 – 19, 2013.  The scriptures will come alive on this journey to the roots of our faith. Tour includes:  Daily Mass at holy sites, licensed Christian guide, accommodation in First Class hotels (five nights in Jerusalem, three nights in Tiberias, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee), breakfast and dinner daily, land transportation by deluxe motorcoach, roundtrip motorcoach transportation from Harrisburg, PA to New York JFK, roundtrip airfare from JFK on nonstop flights with Delta Airlines, and more, for $3,150 per person/double occupancy.  Airfares from other departure cities throughout the USA are available upon request.
 
For complete details on this pilgrimage, please contact:  George’s International Tours, (800) 566-7499, sales@georgesintl.com, or Karen Hurley, k.m.hurley1@gmail.com.
 
At Caesarea Philippi
 
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Prayer Educates Us to See the Signs of God


During his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI focused his catechesis on prayer in the second part of the Book of Revelation in which, he noted, attention moves from the interior life of the Church "to the entire world, because the Church advances through history and is a part thereof".
 

In this second part of Revelation, the Christian assembly is called "to undertake a profound interpretation of the history in which it lives, learning to discern events with faith so that, through its actions, it may collaborate in the advancement of the kingdom of God. Such interpretation, discernment and action are closely associated with prayer".
 

Our Holy Father said: "The Church lives in history, she is not closed in herself but courageously faces her journey amidst difficulties and sufferings, forcefully affirming that evil does not defeat good, that darkness does not shade God's splendour. This is an important point for us too: as Christians we can never be pessimists. ... Prayer, above all, educates us to see the signs of God, His presence and His action; or rather, it educates us to become lights of goodness, spreading hope and indicating that the victory is God's".

 
The Pope said. "No prayer is lost. ... God is not oblivious to our prayers. ... When faced with evil we often have the sensation that we can do nothing, but our prayers are in fact the first and most effective response we can give, they strengthen our daily commitment to goodness. The power of God makes our weakness strong".
 

The Book of Revelation concludes with Jesus’ promise that he will soon come, and the Church’s ardent prayer ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’. In our own prayer, and especially in our celebration of the Eucharist, may we grow in the hope of Christ’s coming in glory, experience the transforming power of his grace, and learn to discern all things in the light of faith.”
 

For more information, please visit:
http://www.news.va/en/news/no-prayer-is-ever-lost

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Let us honor the Most Holy Name of Mary in prayer:
 
Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
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Sunday, September 9, 2012

"Be Opened"

At the heart of today's Gospel (Mk 7, 31-37) there is a small but, very important word. A word that - in its deepest meaning- sums up the whole message and the whole work of Christ. The Evangelist Mark writes it in the same language that Jesus pronounced it in, so that it is even more alive to us. This word is "Ephphatha," which means, "be opened."

 
Jesus was travelling through the region known as the "Decapolis", between the coast of Tyre and Sidon, and Galilee, therefore a non-Jewish area. They brought to him a deaf man, so that he could heal him - evidently his fame had spread that far. Jesus took him aside, touched his ears and tongue, and then, looking up to the heavens, with a deep sigh said, "Ephphatha," which means, "Be opened." And immediately the man began to hear and speak fluently (cf. Mk 7.35)….


There is an inner closing, which covers the deepest core of the person, what the Bible calls the "heart". That is what Jesus came to "open" to liberate, to enable us to fully live our relationship with God and with others. That is why I said that this little word, "Ephphatha – Be opened," sums up Christ’s entire mission. He became man so that man, made inwardly deaf and dumb by sin, would become able to hear the voice of God, the voice of love speaking to his heart, and learn to speak in the language of love, to communicate with God and with others….

 
Because of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s unique relationship with the Incarnate Word, she is fully "open" to the love of the Lord, her heart is constantly listening to his Word. May her maternal intercession help us to experience every day, in faith, the miracle of '"Ephphatha," to live in communion with God and with others.

 
…I will make an apostolic visit to Lebanon to sign the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, fruit of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, held in October 2010. I will have the happy opportunity to meet with the Lebanese people and authorities, and the Christians of that beloved country and those from neighboring countries. I am aware of the often dramatic situation experienced by the people of this region, too long torn apart by incessant conflicts. I understand the anguish of many Middle Eastern people immersed in daily sufferings of all kinds, which sadly, and at times mortally, plague their personal and family life…. A commitment to dialogue and reconciliation must be a priority for all parties involved, and must be supported by the international community, increasingly aware of the importance of a stable and lasting peace in the region for the whole world. My apostolic visit to Lebanon, and by extension in the Middle East as a whole, is placed under the sign of peace, referring to the words of Christ: "My peace I give to you" (John 14:27). May God bless Lebanon and the Middle East! May God bless you all!

 
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
Angelus, 9 September 2012

 
For more information, please visit:
http://www.news.va/en/news/angelus-a-small-word-of-infinite-meaning


 
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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for September


Our Holy Father's general prayer intention for September is:

"That politicians may always act with honesty, integrity, and love for the truth".
 

His mission intention is:

"That Christian communities may have a growing willingness to send missionaries, priests, and lay people, along with concrete resources, to the poorest Churches".

 
For more information, please visit:
http://www.news.va/en/news/benedict-xvis-prayer-intentions-for-september-2