Saint Francis de Sales

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

Having served for 8 glorious years at the Cathedral dedicated to him in Baker City, Oregon, I became a fervent devotee of  St. Francis de Sales, who was born in the Savoy district of France in 1567 and ordained a priest in 1593. Francis was sent to preach in a Protestant region near his birthplace, attempting to persuade his hearers, mostly Calvinists to become Roman Catholics. Since he was seen to be persuasive, he was appointed in 1602 to be bishop of Geneva, a Calvinist stronghold.  In 1604 he met a widow, Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641), and under his influence she founded a religious order of nuns called the Order of the Visitation. Their correspondence is an outstanding example of mutual Christian encouragement and support. Francis died at Lyons on December 29th, 1622.

Some quotes from his book “Introduction to the devout life.”
 - Nothing makes us so prosperous in this world as to give alms.
 - It is to those who have the most need of us that we ought to show our love more especially.
 - Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect   confidence.
 - Salvation is shown to faith, it is prepared for hope, but it is given only to charity.
 - We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear.
 - We are not drawn to God by iron chains, but by sweet attractions and holy inspirations.
 - Man is the perfection of the Universe. The spirit is the perfection of man. Love is the perfection of the spirit, and charity that of love. Therefore, the love of God is the end, the perfection of the Universe.
 - The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us.

The above stained-glass window is from the St Francis De Sales Cathedral in Baker City, my former parish. It was crafted by the Povey Brothers of Portland in 1923, exactly 100 years ago, and is situated in the apse, behind the newly-erected baldacchino, which is above the tabernacle.

Four Inspirational stories

Today I asked my mentor – a very successful businessman in his 70s – what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, ‘Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.’

I felt discouraged undertaking a major project. But my father told me, ‘Just go for it and give it a try! You don’t have to be professional to build a successful product. Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the Titanic.

Today I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, ‘Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.’

Today, as my father, my brother and three sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, ‘I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often.’

25 years ago

When I did a sabbatical at the Trappist monastery of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts in 1997, one of my favorite spots was the Infirmary chapel where I used to pray as early as 4:30 AM, just after Vigils in the main chapel. This chapel had triple arched windows overlooking a peaceful scene which changed dramatically according to the seasons. Here you see 2 photos I took a few weeks apart. The first one shows the colorful autumn trees in beautiful fall colors, in mid-October. 

The second one shows it in early December when the snow and ice covered everything in brilliant white, the trees naked of the billion of leaves which we had to rake and bag. It was definitely the best time of the year, even though we even had to shovel most of the snow in pathways and other accessible entrances. The Trappist  monks built the monastery themselves in the early 1950s, after their previous monastery burned to the ground in Rhode Island.

Saint Agnes

One of the early and young martyrs of the church is the beloved Saint Agnes. According to tradition, Saint Agnes was a member of the Roman nobility born c. 291 and raised in a Christian family. She suffered martyrdom at the age of twelve or thirteen during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, on 21 January 304. The Prefect Sempronius wished Agnes to marry his son, and on Agnes' refusal he condemned her to death. As Roman law did not permit the execution of virgins, Sempronius had a naked Agnes dragged through the streets to a brothel. Various versions of the legend give different methods of escape from this predicament. In one, as she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body. It was also said that all of the men who attempted to rape her were immediately struck blind.  When eventually she was led out to die she was tied to a stake, but the bundle of wood would not burn, or the flames parted away from her, whereupon the officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and beheaded her. It is also said that the blood of Agnes poured to the stadium floor where other Christians soaked up the blood with cloths. A few days after Agnes' death, her foster-sister, Saint Emerentiana was found praying by her tomb; she claimed to be the daughter of Agnes' wet nurse, and was stoned to death after refusing to leave the place and reprimanding the pagans for killing her foster sister. Emerentiana was also later canonized. 

Agnes' name may have derived from the Latin 'agnus', meaning lamb, and she is always represented with a lamb near her. Then there is another beautiful tradition...... On this day, the feast of St Agnes, the Pope traditionally blesses two lambs raised by Trappist monks near Rome. The lambs are sheared and the wool is given to the cloistered Benedictine nuns at Rome’s Basilica of St. Cecilia. The nuns use the wool to make palliums, which are bands that the heads of archdioceses wear around their shoulders during liturgical functions. Every year on the June 29 feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Pope places the bands around the necks of archbishops who have taken office in the past year. Today, after blessing the animals, the pope also asked God to “bless the pastors who will receive the palliums made from the wool of these lambs.”

Saint Sebastian

St Sebastian by Girolamo Genga

Nothing is known about St. Sebastian's youth other than the fact he may have come from southern France and he was educated in Milan. He joined the Roman Army in 283 AD, ostensibly to be of service to other Christians who were being persecuted by the Romans. St. Sebastian distinguished himself and for his excellent service, he was promoted to serve in the Praetorian Guard to protect Emperor Diocletian. While serving as a Praetorian Guard, deacons Marcus and Marcellus, twin brothers, were imprisoned for refusing to make public sacrifices to the Roman gods. During their imprisonment, their parents visited them to implore them to renounce Christianity. However, St. Sebastian convinced both parents to convert to Christianity. St. Sebastian also converted several other prominent individuals, including the local prefect. This led to his discovery and he was reported as a Christian to Emperor Diocletian in 286. The Emperor, who was already infamous for ordering the deaths of hundreds of Christians, scolded Sebastian and ordered him to be killed by having him tied to a tree on a training field and used as target practice. Archers riddled his body with arrows, his body was described as, "full of arrows as an urchin." Believed to be dead, the archers left his body for retrieval and burial. He was recovered by Irene of Rome, whose Christian husband was a servant to Diocletian and also martyred. Irene discovered that Sebastian was still living and she hid him and nursed him back to health. Once well, Sebastian went in search of Diocletian to surprise him. He managed to catch Diocletian by a stairwell and proceeded to criticize him loudly and publicly for his persecution of the Christians. Diocletian surprised that Sebastian was still alive, would not permit Sebastian to escape with his life. He ordered his former guard to be beaten to death with clubs, then thrown into the sewers. His body was recovered by a Christian woman, named Lucina, and she secretly buried him in the catacombs beneath Rome. Nearly 80 years after his death, around 367, his remains were moved to a basilica in Rome, built by Pope Damasus I. His body, or at least some relics from his body were reportedly removed and shared with a community of monks in France and even in Germany. St. Sebastian was commonly invoked as a protector against the plague. According to historical records, he defended the city of Rome against the plague in 680. In artwork, St. Sebastian is depicted with arrows shot into his body, often tied to a post or a tree. His second execution is virtually never depicted. St. Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes, and those who desire a saintly death. Recently he has often been invoked for protection against the Covid virus, along with St Roque.

The red boat

A man was asked once to paint a boat in red. The owner gave him the paint and the brushes, and the man spent 5 hours to paint the entire boat twice, giving it two good coatings. While he was painting he noticed there was a hole in the bottom, and he had the tools to fix it within 20 minutes. When finished, the owner gave him the money agreed and left very satisfied with the paint job. Next morning the owner of the red boat searched for the young painter and gave him a larger sum of what he had given him the day before. The painter told the owner that he had already paid him in full, but the man insisted and the painter left confused, but obviously happy with the extra cash he received. The owner told him before they parted: ‘This money is not for the paint job you did, but for the foresight you had to fix that hole.’ The painter was still confused as fixing the hole took only a few extra minutes of his time. The owner then had to explain the reason for the extra payment. ‘You see, when I asked you to paint my boat, I forgot to tell you to also fix that hole. After the boat had dried up, my children took the boat and went out fishing into the deep, on their own. They didn’t know about the hole and I didn’t know they would go out to fish on their own. When I realized that they were out there in the deep water, I went frantically calling them to come back quickly. So they slowly rowed the boat in, and when I checked it out, I saw to my exuberant delight that you had already fixed the hole. So you see, you saved the life of my 4 children, and I cannot thank you enough.’ Who knows how often in our lives how many little holes we fixed in our friends’ lives, without even knowing about them. With a tiny insignificant gesture, we can save so many lives from embarrassment, ridicule and outright shame. So, make a difference in someone’s life – keep an eye on their needs and shortcomings and help them whenever you can, without even letting them know.

Pope’s 10 prayers

On various occasions, Pope Francis prayed for 10 different reasons, and here they are as I brought them all together to use it as your own personal prayer:

In the name of God, I pray that the insanity of war stops now!

In the name of God, I pray that honest communications replaces fake news and all forms of hatred in our speech.

In the name of God, I pray that we can protect our common home, our world.

In the name of God, I pray that the culture of abuse be eliminated  from the church.

In the name of God, I pray that politics will work for the common good.

In the name of God, I pray that more doors be open to migrants and refugees.

In the name of God, I pray that the role of women in society be encouraged more.

In the name of God, I pray that the poor countries will be allowed to grow and develop in a healthy way.

In the name of God, I pray that everyone will have access to basic medical care.

In the name of God, I pray that His name will not be used and abused for more wars to start.

St Anthony Abbott

Saint Antony is also known as St. Anthony of the Desert or St. Anthony of Egypt. Along with St Francis of Assisi, he is invoked as the patron saint of the animal kingdom, and special Masses take place on the Sunday closest to his feast day of January 17th, with the blessing of animals and pets held afterwards. St Anthony was a hermit who lived in Northern Egypt. He was a staunch defender of the faith against Arianism. During his travels he met many animals, some helpful and some not, but they all befriended him and were kind to him, just as he was kind to them. Anthony died when he was 105 years old. A life of solitude, fasting, and manual labor in the service of God had left him a healthy, vigorous man until very late in life. And he never stopped challenging himself to go one step beyond in his faith. Saint Athanasius, who knew Anthony and wrote his biography, said, "Anthony was not known for his writings nor for his worldly wisdom, nor for any art, but simply for his reverence toward God." We may wonder nowadays at what we can learn from someone who lived in the desert, wore skins, ate bread, and slept on the ground. We may wonder how we can become him. We can become Anthony by living his life of radical faith and complete commitment to God.  And while St. Anthony of Padua is very popular today for helping us to find our car keys, St. Anthony the Abbot is equally popular for helping us to find God.

Knowing Jesus better

Yesterday in my homily, continuing on the expression John the Baptist used ‘Behold the Lamb of God,’ I shared various descriptive expressions about Jesus, to get to know him better.

Behold Jesus, who comes into your life when everybody has left you.

Behold Jesus, the Bread of Life who feeds the hungry and nourishes the thirsty.

Behold Jesus, who forgives everything, and gives us one chance after another to turn to Him.

Behold Jesus, who came into the world like a humble baby, but was destined to create a revolution in the world, one of peace, harmony and love.

Behold Jesus, who is knocking on your heart’s door, hoping you will open for Him, and let Him into your Heart and Home.

Behold Jesus, who cares for us, as He does with the birds, the fish, the flowers, nature, and every organism that lives on this planet.

Behold Jesus, who consoles those who lost loved ones so unexpectedly, who keeps company to those who are lonely, and gives you another chance to turn to Him.

Behold Jesus, Son of Mary, who brings us closer to her, and wants us to imitate her, and may we commit ourselves to saying as she did ‘Thy will be done!’

Behold Jesus, whom I see on the face of each child with an uncertain future ahead of them, but filled with potential by which they change the world, which will soon be theirs to protect.

Behold Jesus, whom I see in the face of all teenagers and young people, anxious and cautious about choosing right from wrong, between family and friends, between God and the modern world.

Behold Jesus, whom I see in many families and couples trying their best to keep their families together, and their children in a safe environment and with a spirit of respect, obedience and sincere love.

Behold Jesus, whom I see also in the emarginated, the refugees, the divorced and separated, that person abandoned by his family and friends, and the one who is searching for a new beginning.

Behold Jesus, who is always waiting for you to return to Him, and remain friends for ever.

The Beauty of Black and White

We are so used to color in our lives that we tend to underestimate the beauty of black and white. Watch any old movie in black and white, and you realize the artistry it takes to create simple scenes incorporating shadows, texture, lines, contrasts, etc. Of course the same can be said of photography. So I share with you today 4 photos I took, originally in color. When I changed them into black and white, the quality is really sublime, especially where architecture is concerned. 

Malta presents many architectural structures, especially where churches are concerned, particularly the Baroque churches which dominate many of our skylines, even though recently they've been overpowered by tower cranes and wires hanging all over the place, not to mention the mini-skyscrapers that are constantly coming up. Enjoy these 4 photos I took over the past few years.

Alexion

All the Trappist monks have some form of income, as they produce anything from bread, jams and preserves, eggs, book-binding, beer, cakes, candy, muesli, honey, chocolate, pasta, religious vesture, wine, jewellery and even caskets. A product that has become quite popular recently is a liqueur made from over 50 different plants. It is produced by the Trappist monks of Aiguebelle Abbey in France, founded in 1137. 19 monks produce ALEXION - a secret recipe that is alcohol-free and preservative-free. The plants which constitute it have very many properties including those of fortifying and reconstituting. It is recommended in times of fatigue, recovery or simply to enjoy its taste so inimitable.

Trappist monks during the production process

The ingredients listed are: Water, decoction of walnut stain, fructose syrup, plant extract: green walnut, gentian, myrtle, cinchona, matricaria, vanilla, sage, orange, rosemary, roasted cocoa, melilot, ginger, marjoram, quassia, clove, bugrane, caraway, blackcurrant, milk thistle, fumitory, hibiscus, lemon balm, cola, plantain, rubus bramble, blessed thistle, Cretan dictamum, little knapweed, cinnamon, coriander, hawthorn, calamus, elecampane, imperial, elderberry, verbena, nutmeg, oregano, lime, thyme, hyssop, vulnerary, mugwort, millefeuilles, savory, speedwell, lavender, cumin, concentrated juices: blackcurrant, lemon, rose hip, vanilla extract, ginseng extract, natural blackberry flavor, caramel color, essential oils: sweet orange, lemon, peppermint. Vitamins: C (80mg), B1 (1.1mg), B2 (1.4mg), B5 (6mg), B6 ​​(1.4mg), B9, B12. It is sold for 13 Euros. This is certainly not an advert but simply to show you the incredible possibilities when using nature and natural ingredients.

Divine Mercy Shrine

I share with you today a photo I took in the early 2000 when I visited the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy. This was in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The grounds of the National Shrine consist of 375 acres of land nestled in the beautiful Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts. The name of the property is called “Eden Hill” because of its natural beauty.  The Shrine is usually open 365 days a year, including all holidays and holy days. On the grounds of Eden Hill, people explore the National Shrine chapel itself which offers daily Mass, Confessions, Adoration, Rosary, Benediction, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the blessing of religious articles, and a blessing with a first-class relic of St. Faustina. Other shrines on the grounds of Eden Hill include also the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine, the Shrine of the Holy Innocents, the outdoor life-size Stations of the Cross, the Holy Family Shrine, and the Lourdes Grotto/Immaculate Conception Candle Shrine. Most of the outdoor shrines are also candle shrines, which give pilgrims an opportunity to light a real candle for a loved one. The photo shown here is the main altar in the chapel, with the image of Jesus in the middle, surrounded by sculpted images of the apostles. Much of the interior of the chapel is made of wood, probably oak. Hundreds of visitors flock to the shrine especially around the Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday following Easter.

A young Jesus

I found this painting of a young Jesus at St. Joseph’s Abbey, in Spencer, Massachusetts, a Trappist Cistercian Abbey where I spent a sabbatical in 2002, working and praying with the monks. This painting was hanging in an ornate living room which is usually closed for daily use, but opened only when special guests are visiting the Abbey. I probably visited it twice, once when I saw the painting of the young Jesus, and the second time when I got permission to take this photo. Jesus is around 12 years old here, possibly the time when He got lost in the temple, and told His parents that He had to do His father’s work. I always wonder what were his teenage years like. Did He ever date a girl? Did He obey his parents at home?  How much schooling did He receive? What were His hobbies? How did He spend His free time? How much time did He dedicate to prayer? The Gospel of St Luke in his second chapter, recalls some of the few phrases about a young Jesus.....’The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.’ And later when he got lost in the temple.... ‘After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.’

God’s Work

1. Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.
2. Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
3. Don't put a question mark where God put a period.
4. Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
5. Forbidden fruits create many jams.
6. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
7. God grades on the cross, not the curve.
8. God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"
9. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
10. He, who angers you, controls you!
11. If God is your Co-pilot - swap seats!
12. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.
13. Prayer: Don't give God instructions  - just report for duty!
14. The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
15. The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
16. We don't change the message, the message changes us.
17. You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.
18. You do your best. God will do the rest.

St Anthony’s help

St Anthony was a well-known preacher. In fact his first sermon took place when he volunteered to preach at an ordination when the assigned preacher got sick. He also had a favorite book of Psalms, in which he had written some notes. Books were not printed back then, but written by hand. So he was devastated when this book went missing. It was found out that one of the novices decided to leave the convent, and when he left, he took this book with him. St Anthony prayed hard that it will be somehow returned to him. Lo and behold, that novice decided to return, and with him came that missing book of Psalms. So St Anthony became known as the go–to person when something is lost. We’ve done it many times when we misplaced some object and went praying on our knees to St Anthony. And very often, he comes through.

The Angel of Grief

One of the most touching cemetery monuments ever done was by William Wetmore Story who lived between 1819 and 1895. When his wife Emelyn died in 1894, William was literally heart-broken and inconsolable. In memory of her he sculpted this magnificent, yet sad angel crying over her tomb. Known as the 'Angel of Grief,' this sculpture is in a Protestant cemetery in Rome, where poets Shelley and Keats are also buried. Besides his wife, William is also buried there as is their son, who died in Rome at the age of 6. They had 3 other children, one a sculptor, and other one a painter and a third a writer.

Epiphany

Epiphany - Girolamo da Santacroce

As we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany today, I looked at some of the many paintings that artists have produced over the centuries, and made these observations:

- All Kings are presented with elaborate outfits and costumes, accompanied by a large retinue of attendants, servants and others caring for their animals.
- All are kneeling down, a posture of humility and respect, and some even prostrated, as the Gospels relate.
- Most are accompanied by camels, but some have horses, as well as other animals like sheep and domestic dogs accompanying them.
- Since they are referred to as Kings, most of them have crowns, but the majority of the paintings show them in turbans, a popular headwear in the Middle East and Far East countries.
- Even though the gifts were for Jesus, the baby is always shown being held by Mary, as if she wants to remain connected with him, as any mother would after giving birth - thus showing respect to mother and child.
- Most artists would place the face of friends to the Magi, people who were wealthy or good to the community, as a recognition to their benevolence and generosity.
- Beggars are also frequently included in the painting, as if to take advantage of the wealthy Kings, begging for something, for anything.
- Other gifts are also in the paintings, of lesser importance, like fruit, animals, jewellery, clothing.
- The Star which the Kings followed led them to the cave of Bethlehem, and even though it was not an astronomical phenomena, it was a divine intervention, like the appearance of angels, which were sent by God.

A Maltese presepio with the Three Kings presenting their gifts

- The Three are referred to as Wise Men, Astrologers, Kings or Magi (derivation of magicians) and their names are interesting to discuss too……Melchior, a Persian scholar, Caspar (also Gaspar, Jaspar,) an Indian scholar, and Balthazar (also Balthassar, an Arabian scholar.)
- The gifts are also very symbolic. All three gifts are ordinary offerings and gifts given to a king. Myrrh being commonly used for burial as an anointing oil, frankincense as a perfume, and gold as a valuable element. 

- The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense, as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death. Sometimes this is described more generally as gold symbolizing virtue, frankincense symbolizing holiness, and myrrh symbolizing suffering.

Anne DeGaulle

Charles DeGaulle (1890-1970) was the French president between 1959 and 1969. With his wife Yvonne, he had three children, Philippe, Elisabeth and Anne, who was a Down Syndrome child. De Gaulle's relatives all testified that the General, who was normally undemonstrative and stoic in his affections for his family, was more open and extroverted with Anne. De Gaulle would entertain her with songs, dances, and pantomimes. Every evening, when they put her to bed, Yvonne would often ask her husband, ‘Charles, why wasn’t she like all the others?’ Anne died of pneumonia on February 6, 1948, aged 20. She could only say one word clearly: "Papa". At her funeral, after the priest recited the last prayers, everyone left slowly, but Yvonne remained by the grave. Charles approached her and said:’ Come on Yvonne, we can go now. Anne is now like all the others.’ On August 22, 1962, Charles de Gaulle was the victim of an attempted assassination at Petit-Clamart. He later said that the potentially fatal bullet had been stopped by the frame of the photograph of Anne that he always carried with him; placed this particular day on the rear shelf of his car. When he died in 1970, he was buried in the cemetery of Colombey beside his beloved daughter.

St Andre Bessette

 St Andre Bessette (9 August 1845 – 6 January 1937)     

When Alfred Bessette came to the Holy Cross Brothers in 1870, he carried with him a note from his pastor saying, "I am sending you a saint." The Brothers found that difficult to believe. Chronic stomach pains had made it impossible for Alfred to hold a job very long and since he was a boy he had wandered from shop to shop, farm to farm, in his native Canada and in the United States, staying only until his employers found out how little work he could do. The Holy Cross Brothers were teachers and, at 25, Alfred still did not know how to read and write. The Holy Cross Brothers took him into the novitiate, but he struggled to adjust in a community. After his vows, Alfred, now Brother Andre was sent to Notre Dame College in Montreal (a school for boys age seven to twelve) as a porter. There his responsibilities were to answer the door, to welcome guests, find the people they were visiting, wake up those in the school, and deliver mail.

In 1904, he surprised the Archbishop of Montreal if he could, by requesting permission to build a chapel to Saint Joseph on the mountain near the college. Andre took his few hundred dollars and built what he could ... a small wood shelter only fifteen feet by eighteen feet. He then added a roof so that all the people who were coming to hear Mass at the shrine wouldn't have to stand out in the rain and the wind. Then came walls, heating, a paved road up the mountain, a shelter for pilgrims, and finally a place where Brother Andre and others could live and take care of the shrine -- and the pilgrims who came - full-time. Through kindness, caring, and devotion, Brother Andre helped many souls experience healing and renewal on the mountaintop. There were even cases of physical healing. But for everything, Brother Andre thanked St. Joseph. He kept an oil lamp, from which he took the oil to bless people on their foreheads.

Saint Joseph's Oratory basilica at Montreal's Mount Royal.

Despite financial troubles, Brother Andre never lost faith or devotion. He had started to build a basilica on the mountain but the Depression had interfered. At ninety-years old he told his co-workers to place a statue of St. Joseph in the unfinished, unroofed basilica. He was so ill he had to be carried up the mountain to see the statue in its new home. Brother Andre died soon after on January 6, and didn't live to see the work on the basilica completed at Montrel's Mount Royal. On December 19, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI promulgated a decree recognizing a second miracle at Blessed André's intercession and on October 17, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI formally declared him as St Andre Bessette.

A New Year ahead

With the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI taking center stage over the past week, I reflect today on the New Year which is already 5 days old. Though even thinking on the subject of time may prove discomforting, it is not a bad idea to reflect on the value of TIME - especially at the beginning of a new year. As we look into “year” we look at a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all of it is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchase it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life. The gift of time is not ours alone. It is given equally to each person. Rich and poor, educated and ignorant, strong and weak—every man, woman and child has the same twenty-four hours every day.

Another important thing about time is that you cannot stop it. There is no way to slow it down, turn it off, or adjust it. Time marches on. And you cannot bring back time. Once it is gone, it is gone. Yesterday is lost forever. If yesterday is lost, tomorrow is uncertain. We may look ahead at a full year’s block of time, but we really have no guarantee that we will experience any of it. Obviously, time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can worry over it. We can spend it on ourselves. Or, as good stewards, we can invest it in the kingdom of God. The New Year is full of time. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count? Make this simple resolution this year - make every minute count!
I wish all visitors to this blog a healthy, peace-filled, joyous and harmonious New Year!

Remembering my father

With my parents on their 40th wedding anniversary in 1988

My father John passed away 21 years ago, on January 4, 2002, and I share with you today a brief section of the homily I gave during his funeral: 

The tremendous amount of good that my father accomplished was done with sincere and genuine humility. Whether he was painting a room, or plastering a roof before the rainy season, whether he was decorating a cake or weeding a garden, whether he was ironing a mountain of clothes or preparing a rabbit or a chicken for us to eat, he did everything with a sincere interest, sheer joy and a total commitment. In one of the letters he used to write to me every week, precisely on the occasion of my parents' 50^th Anniversary, I remember my dad writing to me that the best thing that ever happened to him was when he met my mother. . . . . they knew each other since they were very young, and got married young too, but the way they raised our family is nothing short of a masterpiece. I do not say this just to show off, but those who knew him well, know exactly what I mean. The Christian and spiritual education we received from them is a priceless memory. Their example was always sincere, authentic and built on a strong foundation. Someone once said: "Children have never been known to obey their parents, but they never fail to imitate them." On their example, I doubt if ever one of us children missed a Sunday Mass. I doubt if ever in their 54 years of Marriage they went to sleep without saying the Rosary together, and all of us together when we were still all at home. He was so proud of knowing the Litany in Latin by heart, especially since I did not know it by heart, neither in Maltese nor in Latin. In fact the last thing they did together before my father was called to Eternal life, was to listen to an interview I gave on RTK Radio (which was like a short biography of my Priesthood) and then said the Rosary along with the Poor Clares Sisters. God grant him the eternal rest he so richly deserves, and may the perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Pope Benedict XVI – part 2

The best photo I took of Pope Benedict when in Malta in 2010

Pope Benedict visited Malta in April 2010, and since my mother was dying at that time, I spent close to two months here in Malta, and I was able to concelebrate with Pope Benedict at the Mass in Floriana on April 18, and that’s where I took these wonderful photos of him. My mother died a week later and the last thing she saw were these photos on the small screen of my digital camera. He would resign officially on February 28, 2013. He claimed that he was resigning because of mental and physical shortcomings, and spent the last 10 years living in solitude at the monastery at the Vatican Gardens.

His private secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein  said this about the human aspect of Pope Benedict: “I spent all the years of his pontificate as secretary by his side, and then, of course, also during his time as pope emeritus. He had been longer a pope emeritus than a reigning pope. What always impressed, and even surprised, me was his gentleness; how serene and good-tempered he was, even in situations that were very exhausting, very demanding — and, at times, even very sad, from a human point of view. He never lost his composure; he never lost his temper. On the contrary: The more he was challenged, the quieter and poorer in words he became. But this had very good and benevolent effects on those around him. He was, however, not at all used to large crowds. Of course, as a professor, he was used to speaking in front of a large, even a very large, audience of students. But that was him as a professor speaking to students. Later, as pope, all these encounters with people from different countries, their joy and enthusiasm, were, of course, a very different experience.”

The Pope walks towards the altar to start Mass on April 18, 2010

The last words of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as he lay on his deathbed were “Lord, I love you!” (spoken in Italian) according to Gänswein. He will be buried in the crypt of the Vatican, close to the tomb of St. Peter, and in the same place where Pope St. John Paul II was buried, before he was exhumed for his canonization. Pope Benedict was a lover of cats, and some even called him a true Cat-Holic. He had various cats over his life, among them, those named Chico, Pushkin, Contessina and Zorro. He would always stop to stroke any cat he would see, and had a special place in the Vatican Gardens where cats roamed around freely. He was also a lover of music, and played the piano, with Mozart’s music being especially close to his heart.

Pope Benedict XVI – part 1

Joseph Ratzinger was born on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, in Bavaria, Germany, son of Joseph and Maria Peintner. He had an older sister who died in 1991 and a brother Monsignor Georg who died in 2020. At the age of 5, he was chosen to present with a group of children flowers to Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber, Archbishop of Munich, who would later ordain Joseph and Georg to the priesthood on June 29, 1951. Ratzinger was to eventually succeed Faulhaber as Archbishop of Munich in May 1977, and a month later, he was also elevated to Cardinal. So within 2 months he went from priest to Cardinal. At the age of 14, he had to be inscripted with the Hitler Youth, and even though he tried to avoid this move, he was able to escape from military service, but was recaptured and sent to a war prison near Ulm, and was released towards the end of the war in June 1945. Being such a renowned theologian, Cardinal Frings of Cologne wanted him to be  peritus – consultant theologian at the Vatican Council II. In1972, Ratzinger started an academic journal called Communio, now published in 17 languages, with himself being the greatest and most prolific contributors until his pontificate started. He wrote various books, among them the most popular is his best-seller ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’

Pope Benedict signing one of his encyclicals.

His joy with having the Archdiocese of Munich assigned to him was short-lived as Pope John Paul II wanted him closer to him as the Prefect of the Congregation of the Faith, with the eventual Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna as his secretary. Together is was reported that they let go over 400 priests from their ministry due to the scandal that overpowered the church in the last 30 years. He was elected Pope on 2005 and surprised everyone when he took the name Benedict XVI, in honor of the great monastic founder, and in tribute to Benedict XV. As a motto he chose Cooperatoris Veritatis (Cooperators of Truth.) During his pontificate, he issued three encyclicals Deus caritas est (25 December 2005), Spe Salvi (30 November 2007) and Caritas in veritate (29 June 2009.) But his pontificate was characterized by his intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, emphasized also by his trilogy of books on the Life of Christ. (to be continued tomorrow)

Welcome 2023

Queen Elizabeth and Pope Benedict XVI

As we start the New Year, let's get down on our knees to thank God we're on our feet.

May the hurts you experienced in 2022 be turned into happy memories during 2023.

May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live!

May all that has been reduced to noise become beautiful and harmonious music again.

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better person. (Benjamin Franklin)

Here's to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old; here's to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.

There are better things ahead than any we leave behind. (C.S. Lewis)

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. (Albert Einstein)

This year we lost the Queen, Elizabeth II, aged 97, the King of Soccer Pelé, aged 82, and a retired Pope, Benedict XVI, aged 95. All of them were beloved for different reasons. The first one for keeping the royalty strong, in spite of the struggles her own children and grandchildren caused, but staying at center stage until the end. The second one for mesmerizing the entire football world with his goals and fascinating techniques which overwhelmed and inspired many young players to excel and not just kick a soccer ball. The third one for gently and humbly leading the Catholic church through a turbulent period in history, but remains always as a beloved shepherd who left volumes of theological reflections and wise insights into various topics. This was a year when Pope Francis visited Malta in April, and the year ended with a scintillating World Cup in Qatar. A Happy New Year to everyone! 

Pope Benedict XVI (1927-2022)

A photo I took of Pope Benedict XVI when he was in Malta, April 2010.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has died today, December 31, 2022 at 9:34 AM. He had resigned in February 2013, and has been living in a private monastery at the Vatican Gardens ever since. He was born as Joseph Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Marktl, Bavaria, Germany. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1951, and made Bishop on May 28, 1977. He was created as Cardinal on June 27, 1977. He was elected Pope on April 19, 2005 and resigned on February 28, 2013. More information will be given over the next few days in this blog.