Let Us Accept the Grace of Christ's Resurrection!

Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining,

Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!

Amen.  Alleluia.

Victimae paschali laudes

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“What a joy it is to announce this message: Christ is risen! I would like it to go out to every house and every family, especially where the suffering is greatest, in hospitals, in prisons… Most of all, I would like it to enter every heart, for it is there that God wants to sow this Good News: Jesus is risen, there is hope for you, you are no longer in the power of sin or of evil! Love has triumphed! Mercy has been victorious! God's mercy always triumphs!

We too, like the women who were Jesus’ disciples, who went to the tomb and found it empty, may wonder what this event means (cf. Lk 24:4). What does it mean that Jesus is risen? It means that the love of God is stronger than evil and death itself; it means that the love of God can transform our lives and let those desert places in our hearts bloom. God's love can do this….”

“Dear brothers and sisters, Christ died and rose once for all time and for everyone, but the power of the Resurrection, this passing from the slavery to evil to the freedom of goodness, must be accomplished in every age, in our concrete existence, in our everyday lives. How many deserts, even today, do human beings need to cross! Above all, the desert within, when are lacking love for God and neighbour, when we fail to realize that we are guardians of all that the Creator has given us and continues to give us. God’s mercy can make even the driest land become a garden, can restore life to dry bones (cf. Ez 37:1-14).

So this is the invitation that I address to everyone: Let us accept the grace of Christ’s Resurrection! Let us be renewed by God’s mercy! Let us be loved by Jesus! Let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish….”

His Holiness Pope Francis

Easter Message 2013 excerpt

 

For the complete text, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-gods-mercy-can-make-even-the-driest-l

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-urbi-et-orbi-message-easter-2013-full-text

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Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

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What does Jesus’ resurrection mean to me?

How is Jesus “loving me” to transform my life and become an agent of His mercy?

May God’s mercy make my life into a beautiful garden which proclaims His glory.

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God's Loving Plan for All Men and Women

From His Holiness Pope Francis’ first General Audience held in Saint Peter’s Square on 27 March 2013:

“On Palm Sunday we began Holy Week, the heart of the liturgical year, when we commemorate the great events that express most powerfully God’s loving plan for all men and women. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to give himself completely. He gives us his body and his blood, and promises to remain with us always. He freely hands himself over to death in obedience to the Father’s will, and in this way shows how much he loves us. We are called to follow in his footsteps. Holy Week challenges us to step outside ourselves so as to attend to the needs of others: those who long for a sympathetic ear, those in need of comfort or help. We should not simply remain in our own secure world, that of the ninety-nine sheep who never strayed from the fold, but we should go out, with Christ, in search of the one lost sheep, however far it may have wandered. Holy Week is not so much a time of sorrow, but rather a time to enter into Christ’s way of thinking and acting. It is a time of grace given us by the Lord so that we can move beyond a dull or mechanical way of living our faith, and instead open the doors of our hearts, our lives, our parishes, our movements or associations, going out in search of others so as to bring them the light and the joy of our faith in Christ….

I invite all of you to enter fully into the spirit of Holy Week, following in the footsteps of Jesus and bringing the light of his love to everyone you meet….”

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-holy-week-challenges-us-to-step-outside-ourse

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What is the Lord calling me to do

to enter more fully into the spirit of Holy Week? 

 

How can I bring the light of His love to everyone I meet?

 

Let us be united in prayer with Pope Francis and each other

so that we may be open to God's grace and do His holy will.

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Reflections on a Lenten Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Just days ago I had the privilege to lead thirteen pilgrims from the Diocese of Harrisburg on their first pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Our priest chaplain was Fr. Joseph Gotwalt, Spiritual Advisor of the Harrisburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

It is difficult to put into words the depth of thoughts and emotions aroused by such a journey of faith.  To personally walk in the footsteps of Jesus is humbling as well as uplifting.  To join in the celebration of Mass and hear the Gospel proclaimed at sites where Jesus also prayed with His disciples opens one’s innermost being to receive previously unimagined spiritual blessings.  To come to know our brothers and sisters, the Christians who strive to witness the faith in the midst of challenging political and economic circumstances, awakens one to the freedoms we may take for granted in our corner of the world.

May these brief reflections help us all to enter more fully into this holiest of weeks united with our Lord and Saviour.
 
I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about.
Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the LORD,
As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Here are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David.
 

For the peace of Jerusalem pray: "May those who love you prosper!

May peace be within your ramparts, prosperity within your towers."
For family and friends I say, "May peace be yours."
For the house of the LORD, our God, I pray, "May blessings be yours."

 Psalm 122

 

Let’s begin our walk in the footsteps of our Lord on the Mount of Olives where Jesus spent time during his mission in Jerusalem.  Here Jesus taught his disciples, overlooking the Temple in what is now the Old City of Jerusalem.

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Walking down the Palm Sunday Road we imagine ourselves joining the crowd that accompanied and welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem.

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The Church of Dominus Flevit, midway on the slope of the Mount of Olives, is built in the shape of a tear in memory of where Jesus wept over Jerusalem.  Vases erected near the dome are reminiscent of those used to collect tears of those who weep and mourn.

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On the lowest slope of the Mount stands a grove of ancient olive trees which gave the site its name, Gethsemane, which means “olive press” in Aramaic.  It was here that Jesus came with his disciples to pray; here where He was betrayed by Judas, arrested by the soldiers and taken away for indictment.  Today the Basilica of the Agony (also known as the Church of All Nations) is surrounded by gardens cared for by Franciscan brothers.  In front of the main altar is the traditional Rock of Agony upon which Jesus prayed and sweated blood.

 

 

How many times do I not “stay awake” with Jesus or even pay attention to Him?  How often do I cause His holy agony by my sinfulness?

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Crossing the Kidron Valley we begin the ascent to the Old City of Jerusalem. 

Lord Jesus Christ, fill our hearts with the light of your Spirit, so that by following you on your final journey we may come to know the price of our Redemption and become worthy to share in the fruits of your Passion, Death and Resurrection.

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The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu stands on the site of the House of Caiaphas the High Priest.  It is here that Peter denied Jesus three times.

 

An ancient flight of steps is believed to be those used by Jesus on his way to be tried.

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The Via Dolorosa, the Way of Sorrow or Way of the Cross is the route followed by Jesus from the judgment court, the praetorium, to Golgotha, the place of the Crucifixion, carrying the Cross.  Of the 14 Stations of the Cross, 9 are small shrines along the busy narrow streets and 5 are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 

How easy it is to be distracted by the noise and demands of the world!  Striving to focus on prayer while we are “in the marketplace” is a reminder of our need to be attentive to our Lord at every moment of every day.

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We had the privilege to celebrate Mass at the Chapel of the Crucifixion in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, joined by some Missionaries of Charity, Sisters of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  Here on Calvary where you can see and touch the rock on which the Cross stood.  A small altar decided to Our Lady of Sorrows recalls the grief of our Blessed Mother Mary at the suffering and death of Jesus.  This holy place never fails to touch the depths of my being and inability to adequately express gratitude for what Jesus did for me—for each of us.

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Here at the Holy Sepulchre, the “Center of the World,” devoted pilgrims kneel, kiss, touch their rosaries to the Stone of Anointing where Jesus’ body was laid out. An altar marks the spot where Mary received the body of her beloved Son after He was taken down from the Cross. 

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The Tomb of Jesus lies in the center of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre covered in marble in a small chapel.  One must bow in humility to enter under the low doorway to the empty tomb.  You can touch the bedrock of the tomb through an opening in the wall behind an icon of the Blessed Mother—a reminder of how Mary helps us to stay close to her Son and to “do whatever He tells” us… even when it involves suffering and death… so that we may one day share in the glory of His Resurrection and Eternal Life.

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This Lenten Pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the Year of Faith was a blessed time for us to “go to the house of the Lord.”  Most importantly it was an opportunity to reflect upon our own faith, our relationship with the Lord, and to prayerfully discern God's will for our lives.

From Jerusalem we joined the world in watching on television as His Holiness Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony: we prayed with him and for him before he gave us his first blessing as the Vicar of Christ.  How special it was to be in Capernaum a few days later to pray at the House of Saint Peter for Pope Francis!

 

It is always a joy to meet with His Beatitude Fouad Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, whom I met on my first visit to the Holy Land in 2008 to prepare for the 2010 World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) Centenary Assembly.  While my visits since 2010 have involved substantially fewer than the 500 women from 50 countries, whom His Beatitude welcomed at that time, he always extends a most gracious welcome to my fellow pilgrims as he shares his hopes and concerns for our brothers and sisters in Christ entrusted to his paternal care.  Please keep our Patriarch, the bishops, and all the Christians in the Holy Land in your prayers.

You were remembered in prayer at all of the holy sites.  Be assured of my prayers for you and your intentions especially during Holy Week and the Triduum.

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Christ's Cross Embraced with Love Leads to Joy

His Holiness Pope Francis' homily during the Palm Sunday Mass that began the Holy Week celebrations is excerpted below.

JOY

“Jesus enters Jerusalem. The crowd of disciples accompanies him in festive mood, their garments are stretched out before him, there is talk of the miracles he has accomplished, and loud praises are heard: 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' (Lk 19:38).“

“Crowds, celebrating, praise, blessing, peace: joy fills the air. Jesus has awakened great hopes, especially in the hearts of the simple, the humble, the poor, the forgotten, those who do not matter in the eyes of the world. He understands human sufferings, he has shown the face of God’s mercy, he has bent down to heal body and soul.”

“This is Jesus. This is his heart that looks upon all of us, who sees our sicknesses, our sins. Jesus' love is great. And so He enters into Jerusalem with this love and looks upon all of us. It is a beautiful scene, full of light—the light of the Jesus' love, of his heart—joy, and celebration.”

“At the beginning of Mass, we repeated all this. We waved our palms. We also welcomed Jesus; we too expressed our joy at accompanying him, at knowing him to be close, present in us and among us as a friend, a brother, and also as a King: that is, a shining beacon for our lives. Jesus is God but He lowered himself to walk with us. He is our friend, our brother. He enlightens us along the journey. And thus today we have welcomed him.”

CROSS

“Why does Jesus enter Jerusalem? Or better: how does Jesus enter Jerusalem? The crowds acclaim him as King. And he does not deny it, he does not tell them to be silent (cf. Lk 19:39-40). But what kind of a King is Jesus? Let us take a look at him: He is riding on a donkey; He is not accompanied by a court; He is not surrounded by an army as a symbol of power. He is received by humble people, simple folk who had the sense to see something more in Jesus; those with a sense of faith that tells them: 'This is the Saviour. Jesus does not enter the Holy City to receive the honours reserved to earthly kings, to the powerful, to rulers. He enters to be scourged, insulted and abused, as Isaiah foretold in the First Reading (cf. Is 50:6). He enters to receive a crown of thorns, a staff, a purple robe: his kingship becomes an object of derision. He enters to climb Calvary, carrying his burden of wood….”

 “Jesus on the Cross feels the whole weight of the evil, and with the force of God’s love he conquers it, he defeats it with his resurrection. This is the good that Jesus' does for all of us upon his throne of the Cross. Christ’s Cross embraced with love does not lead to sadness, but to joy! It leads to the joy of being saved and of doing a little of what He did that day of his death.”

YOUTH

“Today in this Square, there are many young people: for 28 years Palm Sunday has been World Youth Day! Dear young people, I saw you in the procession when you entered. I think of you celebrating around Jesus, waving your olive branches. I think of you crying out his name and expressing your joy at being with him! You have an important part in the celebration of faith! You bring us the joy of faith and you tell us that we must live the faith with a young heart,” and here he emphasized, “a young heart, always, even at the age of seventy or eighty, a young heart. With Christ, the heart never grows old!”

“Yet all of us, all of you know very well that the King whom we follow and who accompanies us is very special: he is a King who loves even to the Cross and who teaches us to serve and to love. And you are not ashamed of his Cross! On the contrary, you embrace it, because you have understood that it is in giving ourselves, in giving ourselves and in going outside of ourselves, that we have true joy and through God's love He has conquered evil. You carry the pilgrim Cross through all the Continents, along the highways of the world! You carry it in response to Jesus’ call: “Go, make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), which is the theme of World Youth Day this year. You carry it so as to tell everyone that on the Cross Jesus knocked down the wall of enmity that divides people and nations, and he brought reconciliation and peace….”

“Young persons, you must tell the world that it's good to follow Jesus, that it's good to go with Jesus. Jesus' message is good. It's good to go outside ourselves to the ends of the earth and of existence to bring Jesus! Three words: Joy, Cross, and Youth.”

“Let us ask the intercession of the Virgin Mary. She teaches us the joy of meeting Christ, the love with which we must look to the foot of the Cross, the enthusiasm of the young heart with which we must follow him during this Holy Week and throughout our lives. May it be so.”

For the complete text and more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/palm-sunday-homily-we-must-live-the-faith-with-a-y
http://www.news.va/en/news/francis-asks-for-a-heart-that-follows-christ-enthu
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-with-christ-we-can-transform-ourselve

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Pontiff: Builder of Bridges

Photograph produced by Agência Brasil.
"Todo o conteúdo deste site está publicado sob a
Licença Creative Commons Atribuição 3.0 Brasil "

“Through you I encounter your peoples, and thus in a sense I can reach out to every one of your fellow citizens, with their joys, their troubles, their expectations, their desires,” said His Holiness Pope Francis on 22 March 2013 to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See whom he received in audience in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace.

Currently, 180 States maintain full diplomatic relations with the Holy See, to which number are also added the European Union, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and a mission of a special nature: the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

In his address the Holy Father explained the reasons why he chose his papal name, thinking of St. Francis of Assisi, “a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor.  How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just.”

“But there is another form of poverty”, he observed. “It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, Benedict XVI, called the 'tyranny of relativism', which makes everyone his own criterion and endangers the coexistence of peoples. And that brings me to a second reason for my name. Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.”

“One of the titles of the Bishop of Rome is 'Pontiff', that is, a builder of bridges, with God and between people. My wish is that the dialogue between us should help to build bridges connecting all people, in such a way that everyone can see in the other not an enemy, not a rival, but a brother or sister to be welcomed and embraced! My own origins impel me to work for the building of bridges….”

Repeating that the role of religion is fundamental to this task, Francis affirmed that: “It is not possible to build bridges between people while forgetting God. But the converse is also true: it is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people…. ”

“Fighting poverty, both material and spiritual, building peace and constructing bridges: these, as it were, are the reference points for a journey that I want to invite each of the countries here represented to take up. But it is a difficult journey, if we do not learn to grow in love for this world of ours. Here too, it helps me to think of the name of Francis, who teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another’s detriment.”

“Thank you again,” the pontiff concluded, “for all the work that you do, alongside the Secretariat of State, to build peace and construct bridges of friendship and fraternity. Through you, I would like to renew to your Governments my thanks for their participation in the celebrations on the occasion of my election, and my heartfelt desire for a fruitful common endeavour. May Almighty God pour out his gifts on each one of you, on your families and on the peoples that you represent. Thank you!”

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-to-diplomatic-corps-as-pontiff-i-hope-that-di
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-to-diplomatic-corps-church-fighting-p
http://www.news.va/en/news/the-popes-embrace-of-the-world

 

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Pope Francis' Coat of Arms and Motto

His Holiness Pope Francis' papal coat of arms and motto are the same that he used as bishop. The shield has a bright blue background, at the centre top of which is a yellow radiant sun with the IHS christogram on it representing Jesus (it is also the Jesuit logo). The IHS monogram, as well as a cross that pierces the H, are in red with three black nails directly under them. Under that, to the left, is a star representing Mary, Mother of Christ and the Church. To the right of the star is a nard flower representing Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. With these symbols the Pope demonstrates his love for the Holy Family.

 

What distinguishes his coat of arms as pontiff is that, instead of the wide-brimmed, red cardinal's hat atop the shield, it is now bears the same symbols of papal dignity as that of Pope Benedict XVI: the papal mitre and crossed silver and gold keys joined by a red cord.

 

His motto—“miserando atque eligendo” (because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him)—is taken from Venerable Bede's homily on the Gospel account of the call of Matthew. It holds special meaning for the Pope because—when he was only 17 years old, after going to confession on the Feast of St. Matthew in 1953—he perceived God's mercy in his life and felt the call to the priesthood, following the example of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

 

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/francis-coat-of-arms-2

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-miserando-atque-eligendo

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Habemus Papam

"I announce to you with great joy;

We have a Pope;

The most eminent and most reverend Lord

Jorge Mario

Cardinal of Holy Roman Church Bergoglio

Who has taken the name Francis."

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On 13 March 2013 at 8:24pm, the Holy Father Francis, preceded by the Cross, appeared at the Loggia of the brightly lit Vatican Basilica. Before imparting the “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the city and the world) apostolic blessing he greeted the enormous crowd that had been gathering all afternoon in cold and rainy St. Peter's Square saying:

“Dear brothers and sisters,

Good evening. You know that the duty of the Conclave was to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals picked him from almost the ends of the earth. But here we are! I thank you for the warm welcome. The diocesan community of Rome has its bishop. Thank you! First and foremost I would like to say a prayer for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI. Let us pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and the Virgin keep him.”

After leading the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Gloria, Pope Francis again addressed the crowd saying:

“And now let us begin this journey, bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which is the one that leads all the churches in charity. A journey of fraternity, of trust between us. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the world so that this might be a great brotherhood. I hope that this journey of the Church that we begin today, and in which my Cardinal Vicar here present will assist me, will be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.”

“Now I would like to impart the blessing, but first, first I ask a favor of you. Before the bishop blesses the people, I ask that you pray to the Lord that He bless me: the prayer of the people asking a blessing for their bishop. Let us pray in silence, this your prayer for me.”

“Now I will impart the blessing to you and all the world, to all men and women of good will.”

After imparting the apostolic blessing Pope Francis added: “Brothers and sisters, I take my leave. Thank you for your warm welcome. Tomorrow I'm going to pray to the Virgin, that she will safeguard all of Rome. Good night and rest well.”

For more information, please visit:

 http://www.news.va/en/news/habemus-papam-cardinal-bergolio-elected-pope

 http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-his-first-words

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May the Lord bless our Holy Father Pope Francis

as he leads the Church on our journey of faith.

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May God Grant Us a New Pope as a Gift of His Goodness and Providence

“During the vacancy of the Apostolic See, and above all during the time of the election of the Successor of Peter, the Church is united in a very special way with her Pastors and particularly with the Cardinal electors of the Supreme Pontiff, and she asks God to grant her a new Pope as a gift of his goodness and providence. Indeed, following the example of the first Christian community spoken of in the Acts of the Apostles (cf. 1:14), the universal Church, spiritually united with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, should persevere with one heart in prayer; thus the election of the new Pope will not be something unconnected with the People of God and concerning the College of electors alone, but will be in a certain sense an act of the whole Church. I therefore lay down that in all cities and other places, at least the more important ones, as soon as news is received of the vacancy of the Apostolic See and, in particular, of the death of the Pope, and following the celebration of his solemn funeral rites, humble and persevering prayers are to be offered to the Lord (cf. Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24), that he may enlighten the electors and make them so likeminded in their task that a speedy, harmonious and fruitful election may take place, as the salvation of souls and the good of the whole People of God demand.”

Universi Dominici Gregis
On the Vacancy of the Apostolic See and the Election of the Roman Pontiff

 (No. 84)

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_22021996_universi-dominici-gregis_en.html

Statue of Saint Peter in the Basilica

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The Conclave will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013. A “pro eligendo Romano Pontifice” Mass will be celebrated in Saint Peter’s Basilica at 10:00 that morning. In the afternoon, the cardinals will enter into the Conclave.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/conclave-to-begin-tuesday-march-12th

 

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For everything you want to know about a Conclave, please listen to a Vatican Radio interview with Monsignor John Kennedy from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:

http://www.news.va/en/news/questions-of-faith-congregations-conclaves-and-smo

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"All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus...."

Acts 1:14

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