Following and Proclaiming Christ

St. Paul's experience of contemplation and the power of prayer, as recounted in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, provided the central theme of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's catechesis, during his general audience held this morning in the Paul VI Hall.

Paul did not respond to the voices questioning the legitimacy of his apostolate by enumerating the communities he had founded, nor did he limit himself to recounting the difficulties he had had to face in announcing the Gospel. Rather, the Pope explained, "he pointed to his relationship with the Lord, ... which was so intense as to be marked by moments of ecstasy and profound contemplation". Indeed, the Apostle says: "I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me".

Thus the Apostle of the Gentiles helps us to understand "that all the difficulties we meet in following Christ and bearing witness to His Gospel can be overcome by opening ourselves trustingly to the action of the Lord. ... St. Paul clearly understood how to face and experience each event in his life, especially those involving suffering, difficulty and persecution: at the moment we feel our own weakness the power of God becomes manifest, a power which does not abandon or leave us alone but becomes our support and our strength".

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/contemplation-of-christ-does-not-distance-us-from

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-weekly-general-audience-prayers-for-euchar

+

International Eucharistic Congress - Dublin, Ireland

…There is a profound relationship between celebrating the Eucharist and proclaiming Christ. To enter into communion with Him means, at the same time, to be transformed into missionaries of the event that the celebration makes real. It involves making it contemporary in every age, until the Lord comes.

 

For that reason the saints, each one in a unique way in his or her own particular context, reveals or manifests Christ. Saint Anthony of Padua lived an intimate and passionate personal relationship with the Eucharist; which marked his life, filling it with confident hope…..

 
-       Oscar Andrés Cardinal Rodríguez-Maradiaga SDB

For the complete text of His Eminence’s Homily of today, “Saint Anthony of Padua and His Eucharistic Devotion,” please visit:

http://www.iec2012.ie/media/CardinalRodriquezMaradiaga13June1.pdf

+

Religious Freedom and the New Evangelization on the USA Bishops’ Agenda

Today the Assembly of Bishops of the United States of America begins, after a long campaign in the local Churches so that the Bishops can officially express their worries about violations concerning religious freedom on behalf of governments and courts. On this issue the U.S. Bishops will dedicate a significant part of their spring meeting in Atlanta which ends on June 15….The debate on religious freedom includes the analysis of national and international events, and ways in which the Bishops must continue to raise public awareness on violations of religious rights, in the United States and abroad….

On the agenda there is also a space to organize the pastoral plans related to the theme "New Evangelization: Faith, Worship, Testimony." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2012)

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/americaunited-states-religious-freedom-and-the-new

http://www.usccb.org/

 +