A few more precious quotes

The family that prays together, stays together.

We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.

Knowing doesn’t mean understanding. Just as Looking doesn’t mean seeing.

Never judge your parents. Wait until you become one yourself.

Every great achievement starts with the decision to try, and the confidence to act.

This is my wish for you: Comfort in difficult days. Rainbows to follow the clouds. Smiles when sadness intrudes. Faith so that you can believe. Sunsets to warm your heart. Laughter to kiss your soul. Courage to know yourself. Hugs when spirits sag. Patience to accept the truth. Beauty for your eyes to see. Confidence for when you doubt. Friendships to brighten your heart. And Love to complete your heart.

Friendship is the rainbow between two hearts sharing seven colors: feelings, love, sadness, happiness, faith,  truth, respect and secrets.

We love ourselves even when we commit a thousand mistakes. Then how can we hate and condemn others for one mistake?

The world always says ‘Find good people and leave the bad ones.’ But I always say ‘Find the good in people and ignore the bad in them’ Because no one is perfect.

Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become. But to see how much difference we can make in the life of others.

Peace of mind is a beautiful gift that only we can give to ourselves just by expecting nothing from anyone even after doing everything for them.

Many people will make you realize how wonderful the world is.....but only a few will make you realize how wonderful you are to the rest of the world !

Alone I can ‘say,’ but together we can ‘Talk.’ Alone I can ‘enjoy,’ but together we can ‘Celebrate.’ Alone I can ‘smile,’  but together we can ‘Laugh.’ That’s the beauty of human relations. We are nothing without each other.

The Guardian Angels

The belief in Guardian Angels appears in the Old Testament, although it is not specifically articulated. The belief that angels can be guides and intercessors for men appears in the books of Job and Daniel where angels seem to be assigned to certain countries. In the Gospel Jesus says of children: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." This is often understood to mean that children are protected by guardian angels. In Acts chapter 12 there is another allusion to the belief that a specific angel is assigned to protect each individual. After Peter had been escorted out of prison by an angel, he went to the home of 'Mary the mother of John, also called Mark'. The servant girl, Rhoda, recognized his voice and ran back to tell the group that Peter was there. However the group replied, "It must be his angel."' The fathers of the Church had differing views on the Guardian Angels. Saint Ambrose, for example, believed that saints lose their guardian angels so that they might have a greater struggle and persevere. Saints Jerome and Basil of Caesarea argued that sin drove the angels away. The first Christian theologian to outline a specific scheme for guardian angels was Honorius. He said that every soul was assigned a guardian angel the moment it was put into a body. St Thomas Aquinas agreed with Honorius and specified that it was the lowest order of angels who served as guardians. Guardian angels appear in literary works throughout the medieval and renaissance periods. Popes have always invoked the protection of their Guardian Angels. Pope Pius XI recalled in one of his audiences that he relied on his Guardian Angel’s help when confronting the likes of Hitler and Mussolini. Pope John XXIII in a private conversation with a Canadian bishop attributed the idea of calling an ecumenical council to his Guardian Angel - it was via his Angel that God gave him the inspiration to convene Vatican Council II, which started October 11, 1962.

One can also name your own Guardian Angels, as I have personally done when I called mine Stephen. Yes, Stephen has been very good to me, protecting me from danger and saving me from near accidents and who knows what else.
PRAYER: Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

St Therese of Lisieux

This year we celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Little Flower’s canonization. Therese was born in France on January 2, 1873, the pampered daughter of a mother who had wanted to be a saint and a father who had wanted to be a monk. The two had gotten married but determined they would be celibate until a priest told them that was not how God wanted a marriage to work! They must have followed his advice very well because they had nine children. The five children who lived were all daughters, and they all became nuns. The other 4 died very young or at birth. Tragedy and loss came quickly to Therese when her mother died of breast cancer when she was four and a half years old. Her sixteen-year-old sister Pauline became her second mother -- which made the second loss even worse when Pauline entered the Carmelite convent five years later. When her other sisters, Marie and Leonie, left to join religious orders (the Carmelites and Poor Clares, respectively), Therese was left alone with her last sister Celine and her father. She wanted to enter the Carmelite convent to join Pauline and Marie but how could she convince others that she could handle the rigors of Carmelite life? When the superior of the Carmelite convent refused to take Therese because she was so young, the formerly shy little girl went to the bishop. When the bishop also said no, she decided to go over his head. Her father and sister took her on a pilgrimage to Rome to try to get her mind off this crazy idea. Therese loved it. It was the one time when being little worked to her advantage! Because she was young and small she could run everywhere, touch relics and tombs without being yelled at. Finally, they went for an audience with the Pope, Leo XIII. As soon as she got near him, she begged that he let her enter the Carmelite convent. She had to be carried out by two of the guards! But the Vicar General who had seen her courage was impressed and soon Therese was admitted to the Carmelite convent that her sisters Pauline and Marie had already joined. 

Actual photo of St Therese

She knew as a Carmelite nun she would never be able to perform great deeds. Therese took every chance to sacrifice, no matter how small it would seem. She smiled at the sisters she didn't like. She ate everything she was given without complaining -- often given the worst leftovers. Upon their father’s death, now Celine also entered the convent. Four of the sisters were now together again. In this small convent, they now made up one-fifth of the population. Despite this and the fact that Therese was a permanent novice, they put her in charge of the other novices. Then in 1896, she coughed up blood. She kept working without telling anyone until she became so sick a year later everyone knew it. She died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24 years old. After she died, Pauline put together Therese's memoirs and sent 2000 copies of ‘The Story of a Soul’ to other convents. In 1925 she was canonized. Her parents Louis and Zelie Martin were canonized in 2015.

Pumpkins galore

My memories of October in New York and Oregon were highlighted by zillions of leaves falling from maple trees and then having to rake them and bag them. I also remember the many children preparing their Halloween costume, which I always tried to balance by introducing a parade of saints, with children dressed up as saints and being introduced in church. Then there was the custom of picking a pumpkin, with children and teenagers going to a farms to pick their own pumpkin which they would carve at home. 

There were hay-rides for the younger children as well as mazes, scarecrows, gourd-picking, and all kids of attractions to welcome the Fall season. These two photos show two of the fields decorated to attract visitors as pumpkins gracefully clutter, or should I say, decorate every corner.

The Archangels

Today is the feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael - the angel of judgment - is known as the champion in the fight against Satan and the other devils as well as the guardian of the faithful especially at the time of death. Frequently he is portrayed crushing the devil’s head with a lance. Gabriel - the angel of mercy - is the messenger from God in St Luke’s gospel who foretold the birth of John the Baptist, “Be not afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.” Six months later it was Gabriel who appeared to Mary at the Annunciation saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” Raphael  -  whose name means “God has healed” was sent by God to heal Tobias of his blindness and to deliver Sara from the devil in the book of Tobit. We tend to underestimate the presence of Angels in our lives. However they are gaining popularity as we see many angel pins on people’s jackets, posters and paintings of various angels are showing up at card stores. And of course at Christmas, there are the angels on ornaments and hanging on nativity scenes. We sing about the angels in several of the Christmas hymns. Angels were also present at Jesus’ tomb when the women went to anoint his body and found the tomb empty. But we are reluctant to accept their actual existence. This is certainly a departure from our childhood when we prayed to our guardian angel at least daily. As children we believed that there was truly one angel whose job was to look after us, who would always hover around us ready to protect us from all evil and to communicate our desires and needs to God. The feast of the Guardian Angels in fact is in 3 days, October 2.

12 thousand children

Cardinal Zuppi during the 7-hour service

On August 14, earlier this year, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna led a prayer service that took 7 hours. He is the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference and one of the favorites to replace Pope Francis in May. The service consisted mainly in the Cardinal reading out the names of the children killed in the war in Gaza and Palestine. They included 16 children from Israel and 12,211 from Palestine, probably even more as you’re reading this post. Cardinal Zuppi prayed on the eve of the Assumption of  Mary that as Jesus took His mother Mary into heaven, may He take all these innocent children into heaven to protect them and others still alive from the violence that has dominated their lives over the past few years. The place where the service was held was in Monte Sole park, where in 1944, between September 29 and October 5 saw the brutal elimination of hundreds of defenceless civilians by Nazi and fascist troops, 800 victims, 216 of them children. They also destroyed the church at Casaglia where they were gathered. Let us remember and pray for these innocent children.

Hidden but never forgotten

Have you ever imagined that while we’re sleeping and resting, there are a million persons still working so that we can continue with our daily work, in comfort and safety. Imagine those working in Electrical Sub-Stations, making sure that the electricity never shuts down, stopping our Air Conditioners, and messing our alarm clocks, disrupting our football games we’re watching, and so many other problems caused if the electricity is cut off even for a few minutes. Imagine so many bakers working in the early hours of the night so that during our lunch we can find that crunchy loaf of bread waiting for us. And how about that regiment of cleaners, brushing, washing and cleaning our corridors so that all visitors will walk in a safe, clean environment, in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, offices. Then behind the actors and actresses who make millions of dollars every week, there are a plethora of workers setting up for every scene to be filmed, while carrying wires, heavy equipment and a zillion props to be used for 5 seconds total. And even in most churches there is always a group of humble hard-working ladies cleaning every corner, dusting statues and chandeliers, caring for vestments, altar cloths and so much more. They all accomplish hidden work, but we assure them that they are never forgotten. They are all in our prayers.

The Bible on the flag

The only country in the world that has the Bible on it is the flag of the Dominican Republic, a country in the Caribbean. The quote on it says ‘Know truth, and truth will set you free.’ (John 8,32.) Even though it’s very small print, but it is visible on every flag created. When the natives of Dominican Republic were searching for their Independence, they felt the need to emphasize the fact that liberty comes from faith and good principles. The flag became official in 1913 and was designed by the politician Casimiro Nemesio de Moya.

Sadness

Everyone experiences a certain amount of sadness once in a while. For some it comes and goes. For others it lingers on, if the cause of sadness is deep and painful. It can happen suddenly or it can creep on you gradually. At times it can make your life miserable. The Desert Fathers used to call sadness the ‘midday devil.’ St Francis on the other hand  used to say ‘let sadness be the devil’s concern – he has every right to be sad.’ Frequently sadness brings more sadness. If happiness is the light of the saint, sadness is the shadow of the devil. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) used to say we have wings but never use them – in our sad moments we should open those wings and fly away. Pope Francis said once ‘the Christian should never be sad – do not be sad people. Our happiness comes not from owning a lot of stuff, but because we have met a person who can give meaning to our lives. With Jesus we should never be alone, and never sad.’ Osho Rajneesh once wrote ‘Sadness gives depth. Happiness gives height. Sadness gives roots. Happiness gives branches. Happiness is like a tree going into the sky, and sadness is like the roots going down into the womb of the earth. Both are needed, and the higher a tree goes, the deeper it goes, simultaneously. The bigger the tree, the bigger will be its roots. In fact, it is always in proportion. That's its balance.’

The Angelus

Painted by Jean Francoise Millet, “The Angelus” is a famous painting from 1859, much revered by the French peasantry. Millet lived between 1814 and 1875, wretchedly poor, but with a great ambition to paint. And as he painted he also became a great teacher by the subjects he chose to paint. These two peasants pictured have spent a whole day at hard labor, but still went along without complaint, going about their tasks gladly and cheerfully. Then as evening comes, they pause in their work for silent prayer. We can almost hear the sounds of the bell in the distant church steeple and feel the solemnity of the occasion. At 6 PM, they pause to pray the Angelus, and thank God for none of the worldly goods, but for love, health and life. How happy people must be when they focus on these three gifts.

St Pio of Pietralcina

Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietralcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets.  Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her life-threatening disease. Born Francesco Forgione in 1887, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. Twice (1898-1903 and 1910-17) his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide the family income. At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917 he was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo. On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet and side. Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924 and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924.

Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned. Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. A fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano in the 1940s, known as "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" and has 350 beds. A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. He died on September 23, 1968, was beatified in 1999 and made a saint in 2002.

Cartwheels

Before the invention of the automobile, motorcycles and other faster means of travel, most people travelled by horses, donkeys, mules and often attached to a cart or carriage. In Malta, people still use cartwheels driven by horses, as a sulky. They use them also for horse racing which are quite popular among enthusiasts who raise and train horses. These photos show photos that I took over the years which contain cartwheels, resting after a hard day’s work, attached or showing their shadow.

Independence Day in Malta

Sept 21, 1964 - PM Borg Olivier receiving the Independence documents

Malta was ruled over the past 2 millennia by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, the Romans, the Arabs, the Normans, the Spanish, the Knights of St John, the French and the British. Following a Maltese constitutional referendum in 1964, approved by 54.5% of voters, on September 21st 1964, Malta became an independent state as a Constitutional Monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State. So September 21st every year is celebrated as Independence Day or Jum l-Indipendenza in Maltese, this year being the 61st anniversary. One can say that both Labor Leader Dom Mintoff, as well as Nationalist Leader and Prime Minister George Borg Olivier contributed towards the attainment of Independence. On December 1st 1964, Malta was admitted to the United Nations. In 1965 Malta joined the Council of Europe, and in 1970, Malta signed an Association Treaty with the European Community. Malta was declared a republic on December 13th, 1974 and in 2004, Malta finally became the 25th nation to join the European Union.

Fawlty Towers is 50

British comedy is quite special. I can mention some of my favorites like ‘Mind your Language,’  ‘Mr Bean,’ ‘Father Ted,’ ‘Allo Allo,’ ‘Open All Hours,’ and many more. But my all-time favorite, which is probably everyone’s favorite is ‘Fawlty Towers’, which this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It’s a shame that only 12 episodes were done, because every segment is a classic. The main actors hover around Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese who runs the hotel, as they welcome all kinds of characters. Supported, should I say aggravated by his wife Sybil, Polly and unforgettable Manuel, from Barcelona, the script was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth. The show was originally broadcast between 1975 and 1979  - two series of six episodes each were made. The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a dysfunctional fictional hotel in the English seaside town of Torquay in Devon.  The plots centre on the tense, rude and hyperactive owner Basil Fawlty (Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil (Prunella Scales) the sensible chambermaid Polly (Booth) and the Spanish waiter Manuel (Andrew Sachs.) The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000.  In a 2001 poll conducted by Channel 4, Basil Fawlty was ranked second (to Homer Simpson) on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters. Enjoy some of the most eccentric scenes of this hilarious and sensational British comedy on this YouTube clip.

St Januarius

The Naples Cardinal shows the liquefied blood of St Januarius

St. Januarius was born in Italy and was bishop of Benevento during the Emperor Diocletian’s persecutions, who was one of the most ruthless Emperors. Bishop Januarius went to visit two deacons and two laymen in prison. He was then also imprisoned along with them. They were thrown to the wild beasts, but when the animals did not attack them, they were beheaded. What is believed to be Januarius' blood is kept in the Cathedral of Naples, as a relic. It liquifies and bubbles miraculously when exposed in the Cathedral. St Januarius died in 305 A.D. A dark mass that half fills a hermetically sealed four-inch glass container, is preserved in a double reliquary and liquifies 3 times during a year. Tradition connects it with a certain Eusebia, who had allegedly collected the blood after the martyrdom. The ceremony accompanying the liquefaction is performed by holding the reliquary close to the altar on which is located what is believed to be the martyr's head. While the people pray, often tumultuously, the Bishop turns the reliquary up and down in the full sight of the onlookers until the liquefaction takes place. This has been going on for the past 600 years. Various experiments have been applied, but the phenomenon eludes natural explanation. Similar miraculous claims were made for the blood of John the Baptist, Stephen, Nicholas of Tolentino and Aloysius Gonzaga — nearly all in the neighborhood of Naples. Many residents of Naples believe that if the saint’s blood does not turn to liquid form, it is a sign that some tragedy will befall the city. The miracle did not occur in 1980, and an earthquake south of Naples caused over 2,500 deaths. In the most distant past, the absence of the regular miracle was associated with military losses, volcanic eruptions, and outbreaks of the plague. The important thing to realize and believe is that there is something even more special that turns into blood – the consecrated wine during Mass that becomes the Blood of Christ, just as the bread turns into the real Body of Christ.

What if ?

What if...? God couldn't take the time to bless us today because we could not take the time to thank Him yesterday...
What if...? God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we didn't follow him today...
What if...? God didn't walk with us today because we failed to recognize it as His day...
What if....? We never saw another flower bloom because we grumbled when God sent the rain...
What if...? God stopped loving and caring for us because we failed to love and care for others....
What if...? God took away the Bible tomorrow, because we would not read it today...
What If...? God took away His message because we failed to listen to His messenger...
What if...? The door to the church was closed because we did not open the door of our hearts...
What if...? God would not hear us today because we would not listen to Him yesterday....
What if...? God answered our prayers the way we answer his call to service...
What if...? God met our needs the way we give Him our lives...

Bigard Memorial Seminary

Seminarians in the chapel of Bigard Seminary, Nigeria.

One of the most successful seminaries in the world is in Enugu, Nigeria. The Bigard Memorial Seminary is named after St. Jeanne Bigard, a French laywoman who founded the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle for vocations in mission countries. Presently there are close to 700 seminarians studying in this century-old seminary. This seminary saw the ordination of 4 future Cardinals, 3 future bishops, and thousands of priests, ordained not only for Nigeria, but also for Sierra Leone and Cameroon. Pope John Paul II visited this seminary in 1982. Last year Pope Francis sent a message on the centennial of its creation, encouraging those who run it to persevere in their mission, based on prayer, study, commitment and fraternity, thereby bringing more people closer to God, and training more priests. As quite a few seminaries are finding it hard to continue because of lack of vocations, Bigard Seminary sets the example for the rest of the world.

Son of Concorde

NASA’s X-59 - dubbed "Son of Concorde" is having final safety checks before making a historic maiden flight.  The futuristic jet is projected to cruise at Mach 1.5, or around 990mph, potentially cutting the transatlantic journey down to just three hours and 44 minutes. Standard commercial flights typically take seven to eight hours. On August 18, 2025, NASA X-59 maintenance teams conducted a crucial hydrazine safety check at U.S. Air Force Plant in Palmdale, California. Hydrazine, a highly corrosive chemical, poses significant health risks including skin burns and respiratory damage. Unlike Concorde, which rattled windows with ear-splitting booms, the X-59 is designed to produce only a muted “sonic thump” - a softer sound likened to a car door slamming across the street. The necessary research could finally end the 50-year ban on supersonic passenger flights over land. We had a commercial supersonic aircraft, the Concorde. But it was limited during its flights that it could not fly somewhere in the middle of the U.S. You were not allowed to fly supersonic over land. So most of the flights flew back and forth just over the ocean.  NASA hopes that the 99.7ft-long jet with a 29.7ft wingspan ‘Son of Concorde’ could usher in a new golden age of super-fast passenger travel, halving journey times across the Atlantic.

Our Lady of Sorrows

The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated a day after the feast of the Cross, and even though we are far from the Lenten season, the church asks us to reflect on the 7 sorrows that Mary experienced, as beautifully depicted in this image by Adriaen Isenbrant from the 16th century, a panel visible in Bruges, Belgium.

The 7 sorrows that Mary had to face were these, as described in each of the panels surrounding the image of the Sorrowful Mother:
1. Jesus’ presentation in the temple and His circumcision.
2. The escape into Egypt.
3. Jesus lost and found in the temple.
4. Seeing Jesus carrying the cross and meeting him on the way to Calvary.
5. The crucifixion of Jesus.
6. The Pieta, as the dead body of Jesus is laid on her lap.
7. The burial of Jesus.
 
The beautiful hymn Stabat Mater Dolorosa is sung frequently during Lent, especially during the Stations of the Cross. The first three words mean Stood the mournful Mother weeping, and the poem was written by Jacopone de Todi in the 13th century, and was set to music by various composers including  Palestrina, Pergolesi, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Haydn, Rossini, and Dvorák. Here are the first 2 verses:
 
At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to her Son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.

The Finding of the Cross

St Helena excavating the Cross of Jesus at Golgotha

Today the church commemorates the day when St Helena found the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Being the mother of Emperor Constantine, who ended the persecutions in 313AD, Helena was determined to find the abandoned cross on which Jesus was crucified. The excavations actually found three crosses buried in Jerusalem close to Mount Calvary. To verify which was the actual cross of Christ, they asked a sick person to touch each cross.  When she touched the third one, the person was completely healed, and thereby they concluded which was Jesus's cross. The Cross of Christ dominates our lives in many ways. So many of us start meetings, classes, trips and gatherings with the sign of the cross. Passing by a cemetery, you see hundreds of crosses lining up the entire area. If you’re in Arlington Cemetery in Washington DC, the crosses number in the thousands. This feast is also called the Finding of the Cross, or the Triumph of the Cross or even the Exaltation of the Cross. We all have crosses to carry, but when we are given a cross, we are also given the strength to carry them valiantly and courageously through our lives.

And today we wish a very Happy Birthday to Pope Leo XIV 

as he turns 70 years old, becoming a septuagenarian.

Louis Pasteur

A Sierra Leone stamp honoring Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was terrified of dogs. Even a barking dog from a distance would scare him, and even a childhood memory of a dangerous wolf in town gave him nightmares just thinking about him. Yet in 1882, at the age of 60, Pasteur abandoned his books and focused on finding a cure for rabies. This was an illness which a person can get if bitten by a dog. In spite of his constant fear of dogs, he spent three years living with dangerous dogs to experiment on them. Finally he was able to invent a vaccine to help cure victims of a dog bite which would cause rabies. It was in July 1885 that he tried his first vaccine on a young boy who was nearing death. But thankfully, the boy survived and so did Pasteur’s invention, which is still being used today.

Holy Name of Mary

Monogram of the name of Mary

It’s hard to imagine that the Blessed Mother has many more feasts than Jesus himself in the Liturgical calendar. In one week between September 8 and 15, there are three celebrations honoring Mary. September 8 is the Nativity of Mary, September 15 is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, and today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, a feast only recently introduced, even though this was made officially a universal feast by Blessed Pope Innocent XI to commemorate victory over the Turks at the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

The feast was only a local one at its inception in 1513, when it was instituted in Cuenca, Spain. It was initially celebrated on September 15th and later on the 17th. Pope Gregory XV extended the celebration to the Archdiocese of Toledo in 1622. In 1666 the Discalced Carmelites received the faculty to recite the Office of the Name of Mary four times a year. In 1671 the feast was extended to the whole of Spain. After the victory of the Christians, led by King John III Sobieski of Poland, over the Turks in the Battle of Vienna in 1683, the feast was extended to the whole Church by Pope Innocent XI, and assigned to the Sunday after the Nativity of Mary. Before the battle, King John had placed his troops under the protection of the BVM.
Even in the past 60 years, there has been some controversy over the date of this festivity. In 1954, it was re-instated at September 12, but was removed temporarily as many thought it was a duplication of the Nativity of Mary, but in 2001, the feast of the Holy Name of Mary was once again set to be celebrated today.
Mary is Mariam in the Holy Land. The Hebrew variant of the name is Miriam. The name may have originated in the Egyptian Meri-Amun, "beloved of the God". It was incorporated in the Exodus narrative as Miriam, the name of Moses' sister. It became common in ancient Israel, hence its appearance in the gospel narrative as the name of Jesus' mother and several other women. The name is very common among Arabs, Iranians, and other Muslim cultures. However, Mary is called by an innumerable number of names that denote a connection with something special, Our Lady of Lourdes, Fatima, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of the Angels, Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Snows and many others listed in the Litany of Loreto.

Twin Towers memories

This date will always remain as the biggest blemish in American history. As I remember watching those Twin Towers implode and being reduced to dust, I recall the few times I visited them. On one occasion I was with my parents who happened to be visiting me in 1982, and we were on top of the world, overlooking the rest of Manhattan, with most of the New York skyscrapers beneath us. These two photos were taken on happier days, 19 years before they were attacked by terrorists. On September 11, 2001, believe it or not, I actually heard about this tragedy from my mother. Since it was before 9 AM that the first plane hit the first tower, I was saying the 9 AM Mass, and then stopped by our Nursery school to check on our children. 

Then heading to my room, I noticed a flashing red light on my phone, which meant I had some missed calls. As I was picking up the phone, it rang again, and I heard the frantic, hysterical voice of my mother asking me where was I, as she’s been calling for the past 30 minutes. Oblivious of what had just happened, I calmly told her that I was saying Mass, whereupon she told me what they were watching on TV in Malta, now past 3:30 PM, Malta time, 6 hours ahead of New York. Then turning the TV on, I watched in horror the rest of the story. After seeing both Towers collapsing, I had to continue my work, having a few parishioners waiting for me to give them communion at home. Then I spent the rest of the day consoling people, and visiting the Klein family who had lost a son, Peter, one of the 3000 victims. Let us continue to remember the New York martyrs and those who died on the planes and at the Pentagon.

A sad anniversary

Click on photo to enlarge.

We’re approaching again another sad anniversary of September 11, 2001, an event which I lived through with some friends and various parishioners, including a young parishioner, Peter Klein, a 35 year old consultant with  Marsh Mclennon who was married just one year earlier. And later on I learned of another victim, an ex-Youth Group member Matthew Grzymalski aged 34 from my former parish of Holy Spirit in New Hyde Park, NY, who worked as a bond broker with Cantor Fitzgerald. During one of my visits to Ground Zero after the unspeakable tragedy that left 3000 victims, I saw some tarpaulins on a fence with several messages in different languages. I found a little space and I wrote a message in Maltese, as you can see on the right side of this tarp. People left teddy bears and other soft toys, simple photos of a missing person, flowers and information with phone-numbers and addresses if a person is found alive. The message I left is ‘Il-Bambin jiftakar fikom, u l-Maltin jitolbu għalikom.’ Which means ‘God will take care of you, and the Maltese will pray for you.’.......to be continued tomorrow.......

Twistees

This came as a big surprise to me. One of the most popular snacks in Malta is called Twistees, which is now widely exported to many countries, and until recently I had no idea it was a Maltese creation, or invention. In fact only a few weeks ago I was tempted to buy a packet and brought back many taste buds which have been dormant for close to 50 years ! Twistees are produced by Tastees Manufacturing Limited at a factory in Marsa which was originally established by Ray Calleja in 1969. They are also exported to the Middle East, Dubai, Japan and Germany.  Twistees are a rice-based snack manufactured by a baking process. The most popular form of the snack are the original Cheesy Twistees, though other flavours have been added to the range over the years, including Twistees Smokey Barbeque, Twistees Lite, Twistees Chicken, Twistees Sour Cream and Onion and Twistees Blue Cheese and Twistees Paprika. The Twistees Sharing packet comes in a 150g size bag, compared to the standard 50g size packet. Tastees are variant, bacon-flavoured Twistees. Twistees celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2019.

Nativity of Mary

Maria Bambina at Naxxar parish, Malta

Today we celebrate the feast of the birthday of the Blessed Mother. She was conceived in St Anne’s womb on December 8th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and to follow the duration of a human pregnancy, the church celebrates her birth date today. Many countries, including Italy and Spain as well as Malta, celebrate this holy day with images and statues of the baby Mary, although the statues venerated in Malta are that of a young girl, all of which known as Maria Bambina (the little child Mary.) The feast of the Nativity started in the 5th century when a basilica was built in Jerusalem where St Anne lived and where Mary was born, traditionally around 12 BC. Saints Joachim and Anne have their own feast on July 26, but today we honor Mary’s birthday. Imagine the joy to see this little girl being born, in the obscurity of her town, with no angels, no shepherds, no Kings, but that’s because she didn’t want to take the attention from her Son, who would be born 16 years later. I can only imagine her as a little girl growing up at her parents’ home, a young toddler getting into mischief in her terrible twos. I can imagine her at the age of 7 or 8 helping her mother in household chores and playing with her friends. And how about as a new teenager at the age of 13, noticing her bodily changes and eyeing boys her age and ready to start dating. Until the Angel Gabriel appeared to her and changed her life forever. The rest, as we say, is history. In Malta, we also commemorate the occasion of two major victories at war. The first one was the victory of the Maltese and the Knights of Malta against the Turks, the Ottoman Empire in 1565, and the second one was the end of Fascism and Nazism at the height of World War II, a time of terrible suffering for the Maltese people. And we all thank God and the Blessed Mother for always protecting us and coming into our lives when we needed her the most.

Acutis and Frassati

Heaven is happier today with the addition of two beloved saints, St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. They were both Italian youth, dedicated to the Catholic church, and died at a very young age. Pope Leo XIV will be leading his first canonization since his election as Pope in May. Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in April 1901 and grew up in Turin, mingling with other youth as a member of the Catholic Action movement while helping the poor and needy as well as new migrants descending on Turin at the turn of the century, when poverty was a common trait. He was an avid mountaineer and loved the outdoors, but he was always ready to evangelize and speak unafraid about his faith. He died of polio on July 4 1925. His remains were transferred to the Turin Cathedral, where thousands of tourists visit his tomb on a daily basis, probably now more than ever before. His feast-day will be celebrated on July 4. Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991 in London but grew up in Italy. He was devoted to the Eucharist from a very young age, even though his parents were not very religious. He was able to create a website about Eucharistic miracles, and even produced large posters, to be taken around the world as exhibits in parish churches, halls and schools. In October 2006, he developed leukaemia and was quickly hospitalized, and died on October 12, 2006. He was a normal teenager, loving Pokemon, video-games, but also was very caring towards the poor and homeless he encountered while walking to school or around his neighborhood. Carlo is buried close to St Francis in Assisi, in a glass sarcophagus, wearing jeans and a polo shirt with sneakers. His feast-day will be celebrated on October 12. San Carlo and San Pier Giorgio, pray for us.

Love padlocks

There was a tradition in Paris whereby sweethearts inscribe their names or initials on a padlock, attach it to a public structure, usually one of the bridges, and throw away the key, permanently sealing their love. This was especially popular on the Pont des Arts, the footbridge that crosses the Seine from the Left Bank to the Louvre, as well as the Pont de l'Archevêché, in the shadow of Notre Dame Cathedral. Several years ago, following political discussions about whether the locks were an eyesore or detrimental to the integrity of the city's architecture, the Pont des Arts was mysteriously cleared one night and locks are now routinely removed from various locations around the city. Many locals consider the lovelocks to be a serious problem that threaten bridges and other important landmarks due to the accumulated weight of the locks. However, in June of 2014, part of the Pont des Arts bridge had to be closed when one of its metal grills collapsed, lugged down by the locks. In May of 2015, the city council decided to remove all of them (45 tonnes in total) and install panels to prevent people from fixing new ones. Of course, tourists bemoan the removal of the love locks, complaining that this is a loved Parisian tradition. However, it is perhaps worth remembering that The Pont des Arts was built under the reign of Napoleon I, and love locks only started appearing in 2008. Let’s hope that the love between couples and partners survive much longer than the padlocks.