Twins top two in class

Adriana and Alyssa Lyons

Twins Adriana and Alyssa Lyons graduated together from the Academy of the Holy Names, a prestigious Catholic school in Tampa Bay, Florida, the Class of 2026. They also have made history by graduating as the valedictorian and salutatorian of their class. For those not familiar with American customs, they are the Number One and Number Two in their class of students, and they were privileged to make the speech at the Graduating Ceremony. Adriana said  “One of the greatest gifts of the academy was learning that success is never something you achieve alone. Having my twin sister beside me throughout this journey has been incredibly special.  We have always pushed each other to work harder, dream bigger and become better versions of ourselves.” Alyssa added of her sibling, “She has always pushed me to work harder, think bigger and believe in myself even during the moments I doubted myself.”

Graduation day for the Lyons twins

The identical twins have attended the school together since kindergarten and also finished as the top two students back in eighth grade. Along the way, they completed more than 1,000 hours of community service and earned nearly $287,000 in scholarships and merit awards. The sisters will go on to study chemistry together at the University of Florida, starting in August.

St Philip Neri

If one had to choose one saint who showed the humorous side of holiness that would be St. Philip Neri. Born in 1515 in Florence, he showed the impulsiveness and spontaneity of his character from the time he was a boy. His father was not successful financially and at eighteen Philip was sent to work with an older cousin who was a successful businessman. During this time, Philip found a favorite place to pray up in cave on a mountain that had been turned into a chapel. He then went to Rome in 1533 where he studied philosophy and theology until he thought his studies were interfering with his prayer life. He then stopped his studies, threw away his books, and lived as a kind of hermit. Night was his special time of prayer. After dark he would go out in the streets, sometimes to churches, but most often into the catacombs of St. Sebastiano to pray. He felt so filled with energy to serve God that he went out to work at the hospital of the incurables and starting speaking to others about God, everyone from beggars to bankers. In 1548 Philip formed a confraternity with other laymen to minister to pilgrims who came to Rome without food or shelter. The spiritual director of the confraternity convinced Philip that he could do even more work as a priest. After receiving instruction from this priest, Philip was ordained in 1551. At his new home, the church of San Girolamo, young men especially found in him the wisdom and direction they needed to grow spiritually. But Philip began to realize that these young needed guidance during their daily lives. So Philip began to ask the young men to come by in the early afternoon when they would discuss spiritual readings and then stay for prayer in the evening. The numbers of the men who attended these meetings grew rapidly. In order to handle the growth, Philip and a fellow priests built a room called the Oratory to hold them in.

Philip understood that it wasn't enough to tell young people not to do something -- you had to give them something to do in its place. So at Carnival time, when the worst excesses were encouraged, Philip organized a pilgrimage to the Seven Churches with a picnic accompanied by instrumental music for the mid-day break. After walking twelve miles in one day everyone was too tired to be tempted! In 1555, the Pope's Vicar accused Philip of "introducing novelties" and ordered him to stop the meetings of the Oratory. Philip was broken-hearted but obeyed immediately. The Pope only let him start up the Oratory again after the sudden death of his accuser. Eventually Philip decided it would be best for the group to have their own church. They became officially known as the Congregation of the Oratory, made up of secular priests and clerics. Philip was known to be spontaneous and unpredictable, charming and humorous. One of his men was Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina who wrote beautiful harmonic choral music and Masses. 

Mary, Mother of the church

I’ve said it many times that the Blessed Mother has more feasts than Jesus himself, and yet another celebration was introduced in 2018 by Pope Francis, honoring her as the Mother of the Church. The feast is now being celebrated annually the day after Pentecost. Yesterday we commemorated the birthday of the church, and as Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, she somehow gave birth to the church, whom He represents. This feast was actually introduced by Pope St. Paul VI in 1964, who had declared Mary as Mother of the Church, that is Mother of all Christians and of all priests. Then in 1975, the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the church had also introduced a special Mass in honor of Mary as Mater Ecclesia, mother of the church. Above all, we must look at Mary as the one who gives us life, that spiritual oxygen which energizes us and nourishes us with her presence in our lives. May the Blessed Mother bless all of our families and may they be strengthened in their weakness through her continued motherly protection.  As Pentecost is considered as the birthday of the church, today we honor Mary as she was also present with the apostles when the Holy Spirit descended on them, thereby creating the first church and their lives were changed forever. 

Pentecost

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: 

Christ Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to Your apostles and disciples.

- Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in our lives the work of Your grace and love.
- Grant us the Spirit of Fear of The Lord that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward You.
- the Spirit of Piety that we may find peace and fulfillment in the service of God while serving others;
- the Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our cross with You and, with courage, overcome the obstacles that interfere with our salvation;
- the Spirit of Knowledge that we may know You and know ourselves and grow in holiness;
- the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of Your truth;
- the Spirit of Counsel that we may choose the surest way of doing Your will, seeking first the Kingdom;
- Grant us the Spirit of Wisdom that we may aspire to the things that last forever;
Teach us to be Your faithful disciples and animate us in every way with Your Spirit.  Amen.

Cardinal Mercier's Prayer To The Holy Spirit:   I am going to reveal to you a secret of sanctity and happiness. For five minutes every day quiet your imagination, close your eyes to everything visible and your ears to all external sounds and withdraw into the sanctuary of your baptized soul which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. There, speak to the Holy Spirit and say:

"O Holy Spirit soul of my soul I adore you. Enlighten guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to submit to everything that you ask of me and to accept all that you allow to happen to me. Just show me what is your will."

If you do this, your life will be happy and serene. Even in the midst of troubles you will experience great consolation, for grace will be given to strengthen and help you to cope with every difficulty.

Architect Andrea Vassallo

Ta' Pinu church in Gozo, Malta, Romanesque architecture

I like to introduce to you an architect who gave Malta some spectacular buildings, even though he never received any architectural degree from any university. However his ingeniousness was recognized by everyone, as can be seen by some of his structures. Among them is the monumental Ta' Pinu church in Gozo, the Neo-Gothic house in Mdina, the Casa Bologna owned by Sir Gerald Strickland, Prime Minister of Malta in the 1920s, the Argotti Gardens greenhouse structure, the Villa Rosa complex and the Casa Said, unfortunately destroyed when a few modern building were built in its place. Andrea Vassallo was born in Luqa and lived between 1856 and 1928. He also built the St Vincent de Paul Hospital as well as the domes of Ħamrun and Siġġiewi parish churches. These few photos are a tribute to his workmanship. Please do click on each photo to see a clearer image.

Casa Said in Sliema, and the Mdina neo-Gothic house

Villa Rosa Complex and the Villa Bologna, both by Andrea Vassallo

The Argotti Gardens greenhouse and the Hamrun parish dome

St Rita

Today being the feast of St Rita, many abused women are looking up to her as their patron saint. Her life story, though it happened 700 years ago, could very well be happening today.

St. Rita was born in 1381 near Spoleto, Italy. Her parents arranged her marriage to Paolo Mancini when she was only 12, despite the fact that she repeatedly begged them to allow her to enter a convent. Mancini was a rich, quick-tempered, immoral man, who made many enemies in the region. St. Rita endured his insults, abuse, and infidelities for 18 years, and bore him two sons whom she raised with Catholic values. Toward the end of her husband's life, St. Rita helped convert him and although Mancini became more congenial, his allies betrayed him, and he was violently stabbed to death. Before his death, he repented to St. Rita and the Church, and she forgave him for his transgressions. Now her sons wished to exact revenge on their father's murderers. Knowing murder was wrong, she tried to persuade them from retaliating, but to no avail. She, instead, prayed to God for Him to take away the lives of her sons instead of seeing them commit such a terrible sin. God heard St. Rita's words and her sons died of natural causes a year later. Soon afterwards, St. Rita desired to enter the monastery at Cascia but was spurned for being a widow, as virginity was required for entry into the convent. However, she persisted in her cause and was allowed to enter the monastery after reconciling her family with her husband's murderers. She was 36 and she remained at the monastery for the rest of her life, living by the Augustinian rule, until her death, May 22, 1457. St. Rita was beatified by Pope Urban VIII in 1627, and canonized on May 24, 1900 by Pope Leo XIII.  

St Cristobal Magallanes and companions

Like Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, SJ, Cristóbal Magallanes and his 24 companion martyrs lived under a very anti-Catholic government in Mexico, one determined to weaken the Catholic faith of its people. Churches, schools, and seminaries were closed; foreign clergy were expelled. Cristóbal established a clandestine seminary at Totatiche, Jalisco. He and the other priests were forced to minister secretly to Catholics during the presidency of Plutarco Calles (1924-28) a ruthless and cruel dictator. All of these martyrs except three, were diocesan priests. David, Manuel and Salvador were laymen who died with their parish priest, Luis Batis. They all belonged to the Cristero movement, pledging their allegiance to Christ and to the Church that he established, to spread the Good News in society—even if Mexico’s leaders had made it a crime to receive baptism or celebrate the Mass, or even attend church for any reason. These martyrs did not die as a single group but over 22 years time in eight Mexican states, with Jalisco and Zacatecas having the largest number. They were beatified in 1992 and canonized on May 21, 2000 by St John Paul II. 

St Bernardine of Siena

We honor today a saint who spent all his life trying to turn people towards God. Born on September 8, 1380, he was a well known preacher who traveled all over Italy, calming hot-headed people, and attacking paganism which was prevalent in many towns. He was often seen preaching to as many as 30,000 people. The Pope compared him to St Paul, the itinerant preacher with an extraordinary energy to project the message of the Gospel in people’s hearts. His only weakness was a low soft voice, often hoarse with all the preaching, of course at a time when microphones and loudspeakers were only a dream.

When he was only 20, a plague devastated Siena and neighboring towns, and yet Bernardine with some friends did their best to help the patients, even though they were facing a contagious and deadly disease. When he escaped the plague, he suffered from high fever and other illnesses which today would have been easily dealt with by penicillin or antibiotices, but this was the 15th century. Yet he recovered and at the age of 22  he joined the Franciscans and was ordained a priest two years later. Even when he tried to live in solitude, his superiors realized the gift he had for effective preaching and begged him to travel on a preaching mission. No wonder he always was losing his voice! He had a special devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus and even created the acronym for the name of Jesus, IHS (Iesus Huios Soter) the first 3 letters of the name of Jesus in Greek. This symbol was reappearing on churches, missals, tabernacles, altars, pulpits and even hosts. When he started his missionary work, he had 300 Franciscan students, and when he died he had 4,000. He kept preaching until he died on May 20, 1444, precisely during one of his preaching expeditions. 

Perfumed Saints

It is a well-known fact that some of the saints emit a certain perfume that is instantly recognizable.  This is frequently as a result of their intimate friendship with God the Father. Among them is St Therese of Lisieux and many people reported that from her grave, a smell of roses was a constant occurrence. Many others reported a particular smell around the body of St Pio of Pietralcina, a mixture of roses, violets and incense. This was common also when he still had the stigmata. The incorrupt body of St Rita of Cascia also emits a constant perfume, even though her coffin is encased in glass. Similar reports are recorded with St Catherine of Siena, St John Bosco and St Teresa of Avila. It’s worth noting that these phenomena reflect only the spiritual sign of a holy life lived by that particular saint, and they have no effect on the process of canonization. The church considers the perfume as a sign not as a proof of holiness.

God has the final word

When I say ‘It’s impossible,’ God says ‘What is impossible for human beings is possible for God. (Luke 18:27)

When I say ‘I am awfully tired,’ God says  ‘Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11 :28-30)

When I say ‘I don’t know where I am at the moment,’ God says ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of Him, and he will make straight your paths’  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When I say ‘I cannot forgive myself,’ God says  ‘If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.’ ( 1 John 1, 9)

When I say ‘I am so lonely,’ God says  ‘Be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

When I say ‘I cannot do it.’ God says  ‘I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me.’ (Philippians 4:13)

When I say ‘I am afraid,’ God says ‘For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.’ (2 Tim 1:7)

Ascension – a different perspective

We always think of the Ascension of Jesus from His perspective - leaving the apostles and heading to heaven for good. But what thoughts went through the apostles’ heads as well as the Blessed Mother when He really left them for good? This stained glass window is very meaningful to me, because it focuses on those left behind - their emotions, their feelings, their doubts, their bewilderment, their confusion, their pondering the future. The past 40 days were like bonus days for them. But now they realized that He was gone for good. Unaware that He will send an extension of Himself in the presence of the Holy Spirit within a week, they were not prepared yet for another major transformation that will happen to them, when the Spirit will change them completely into new men. 

I like this stained-glass because it shows also Jesus’ feet, still with the wounds visible, the same feet that Mary had washed with her tears and dried with her hair, and then anointed with balm and perfume. They were the same feet that walked the hills of Galilee, the same feet that I’m sure he rested on a couch when visiting his friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus. We frequently focus on his sacred hands, but his feet were sacred too. Feet used to be anointed in the old rite of  Extreme Unction, now called the Anointing of the sick. And remember that just before he was taken up to heaven, he charged the apostles to continue His work, in using their feet to spread His message of love and compassion, the Good News contained in the Gospel.

Lovers’ Messages

These are various phrases that love-birds share with each other during their courtship. I’m sure there are many others which are sent by Texting, emails, and other social media apps. But interestingly enough, every one of them can very well be exchanged between us and  God:

I need you closer.

Even when we’re miles and miles apart, you’re still always on my mind, every second that passes.

Loving you outweighs everything else.

Every time I look at the keyboard on my laptop, I see that U and and I are always together.

You’re the missing piece I’ve been trying to find all my life.

I love you, you love me, in my heart you’ll always be. Here or there, near or far, for your love will be wherever I am.

You’re the best part of my day.

A day without you is always incomplete.

The beggar

A wealthy man went out through the streets of his hometown, dressed as a beggar. He rang the bell of a few residents. Some welcomed him, others refused him,  yet others ignored him and even yelled at him, humiliating him. A few months later, the wealthy man organized a meal and invited the people he had earlier visited. The waiters led them to the place they were to sit, with their name written by each plate. When the food was served, some had a luscious meal, while others had barely anything, a few peas, a slice of bread, one had 4 beans and others had a wedge of an orange. When the complaints started, the man came over and told them ‘a few months ago, I came begging at your homes, and you did not recognize me. So today I decided to give you the equivalent of what you gave me on that day. And those who complained had nowhere to hide because of their shame!

St Matthias

One hundred and twenty people were gathered for prayer and reflection in the upper room, when Peter stood up to propose the way to make the choice for a replacement for Judas, who had betrayed Jesus and hung himself. Peter had one criterion, that, like Andrew, James, John, and himself, the new apostle should be someone who had been a disciple from the very beginning, from his baptism by John until the Ascension.

Two men fit this description -- Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas. They knew that both these men had been with them and with Jesus through his whole ministry. But which one had the heart to become a witness to his resurrection? The apostles knew that only the Lord could know what was in the heart of each. They cast lots in order to discover God's will and Matthias was chosen. He was the twelfth apostle and the group was whole again as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Unlike the other 12 who were hand-picked by Jesus, warts and all, Matthias was chosen from among 120 others. So there must have been something special about him - his credentials must have been quite impressive, even though we know so little about him. That's the first we hear of Matthias in Scripture, and the last. Legends like the Acts of Andrew and Matthias testify to Matthias' enthusiastic embrace of all that being an apostle meant including evangelization, persecution, and death in the service of the Lord. Clement of Alexandria says that Matthias, like all the other apostles, was not chosen by Jesus for what he already was, but for what Jesus foresaw he would become.

Our Lady of Fatima

Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta

Along with Lourdes and Guadalupe, Fatima is the most visited country as far as religious pilgrimages are concerned. And as if to further accentuate its importance in history, May 13, 1917 was replicated in 1981 for a moment of importance, although in a negative way. On that day Pope John Paul II was shot inside the Vatican Square and almost died. But he recovered enough to make a pilgrimage a year later on May 13, 1982, to thank the Blessed Mother for her intervention in saving his life. But very much like Lourdes and Guadalupe, the quietness of these small little villages was turned upside down when the Blessed Mother appeared to 3 young children, Francisco and his sister Jacinta Marto, and Lucia dos Santos. Nobody would believe them at first, and were almost imprisoned for fabricating lies. But eventually, religious leaders, priests and bishops in Fatima, Portugal investigated the whole story and found it to be true, with the Vatican officially proclaiming that the apparitions were believable. Francisco and Jacinta died shortly afterwards and they were recently canonized, but Lucia became a nun and lived into the third millennium in a monastery in Portugal, being visited by 2 Popes. A huge basilica was built on the spot where the Blessed Mother appeared to the children, encouraging them to pray the Rosary, and pray for the conversion of souls. She even gave the children some well-kept secrets, which were only shown to the reigning Popes, but we know now that they spoke about the conversion of Russia and other tragic events that took place over the years, and other historic events which were predicted, like the end of World War I. Thousands of pilgrims visit Fatima every year, and the devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Rosary spread far and wide. Francisco and Jacinta Marto have been canonized a few years ago.

David Attenborough – 100 yrs old

On May 8 we celebrated the 100th birthday of David Attenborough, a well-known English broadcaster, natural historian, conservationist, writer, producer and narrator. His presenting career began as host of  Zoo Quest in 1954, and has spanned eight decades; it includes the nine documentary series forming The Life Collection, Natural World, Wildlife on One, the Planet Earth franchise, The Blue Planet and Frozen Planet. He received various BAFTA awards and has collected dozens of honorary degrees and awards. He was a senior manager at the BBC, controller of BBC 2, focusing primarily on the natural world, while his later work has been a more vocal in support for environmental causes. On his broadcasting and passion for nature, NPR stated that Attenborough "roamed the globe and shared his discoveries and enthusiasms with his patented semi-whisper way of narrating". His brother Richard was a famous actor, appearing in ‘The Great Escape,’ and also directing various classic films including ‘Gandhi,’ winning several Oscars. By January 2013, David Attenborough had collected 32 honorary degrees from British universities, more than any other person, and many more since then. Congratulations and Multos Annos.

More gems to reflect on

Never blame anyone in life. The good people give you happiness. The worst people give you a lesson. And the best people give you memories.

My wish for you today and always – a heart free of sadness, a mind free of worry, a life full of gladness, a body free of illness, a spirit full of blessings and a day filled with love.

The 5 W’s of life: Who are you is what makes you special - Do not change for anyone. What lies ahead will always be a mystery – do not be afraid to explore. When life pushes you over – you push back harder. Where there are choices to be made – make the one you don’t regret. Why things happen will never be certain – take it in stride and move forward.

Your thoughts effect your emotions. Your emotions effect your decisions. Your decisions effect your life.

The Bible may hurt you with the truth, but it will never comfort you with a lie.

Beautiful relationships don’t depend on promises or conditions – they bloom through two hearts: one that truly trusts and one that deeply understands. When trust is pure, distance can’t break it and when understanding is real, silence never hurts.

A little adjustment is better than a lengthy argument, and a meaningful silence is always better than meaningless words.

We can always lose something for SOMEONE, but we should not lose someone for SOMETHING. Because life can return something but not SOMEONE !

Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change for you.

Love is nothing without action. Trust is nothing without proof. Sorry is nothing without change.

Three things you cannot recover in life – the moment after it’s missed, the word after it’s said, and the time after it’s wasted.

Some people are going to reject you because you shine too bright for them – that’s OK, keep shining brightly nonetheless.

Multiple Zeros get no value if a 1 is placed at the end (0000001) Placing a 1 before those Zeros (10000000) certainly provides a tremendous value. Man is 0 and God is 1. If  we put God last in our life, we are obviously worthless, while putting God first in our lives makes us so valuable.

A Mother’s Day story

Fernando Mendoza, now Las Vegas Raiders quarterback

This is a touching Mother’s Day story which is worth sharing with you today as we remember all mothers, those living and those who passed away. Fernando Mendoza was the star in College football this past year, and after helping his team Indiana Hoosiers win the College Championship, he was also awarded the Heisman Trophy for the best football player. Earlier this year he was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders becoming their star quarterback. Being a devout Catholic, Fernando always speaks about his faith, but also about his family. In particular he gives tribute to his mother Elsa, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Fernando wants everyone to partner with the Mendoza Family Fund, showing an enormous commitment to finding a cure for this disease that affects more than 1 million people in the U.S. 

Left to right: Alberto, Elsa, Fernando, Max and Fernando Mendoza Sr.

Elsa shared her own witness of her son Fernando’s touching care and concern for her in the open letter she wrote for the Player's Tribune in December: “Honestly: It will never be easy. ... But you’ve made it so much easier. When you have to carry me up the stairs ... you’ve never once looked away. You’ve never once treated me like I’m embarrassing, or deficient, or anything other than someone you love. You’ve made it so much easier. And you’ve done that in the sweetest, strongest, most Fernando way possible — by making me feel the exact opposite of embarrassed.” While fans in the stadium would stand and cheer during big plays, Fernando’s father often remained seated during the 2025 football season. He later explained that he chose to stay seated next to his wife so he could remain at eye level with Elsa, ensuring she never felt alone or “left behind” in the celebration. Her son responds “People see my touchdown passes, but I see my mother’s strength. My mother is my light, my everything. ... She’s the most caring and positive person I know, and I’ll keep doing everything I can to support her. She’s been a great role model.” Happy Mother’s Day !

St George Preca

St George Preca (February 12, 1880 - July 26, 1962)

Today is the liturgical feast of Malta’s first and only saint, Father George Preca. Born in Valletta on 12 February 1880, George was the seventh child in a middle-class family of nine. His father, Vincent Preca, was first a merchant and then a sanitary inspector. His mother, Nathalie Ceravolo, was a teacher. George's boyhood was nothing spectacular, but he did not lack that adventurous spirit and courage which form the backbone of any leader. Feeling that he was called to be a priest, he moved from the Lyceum to the Seminary where as a young student he distinguished himself in his studies, especially in Latin. Moreover, at a time when the laity had not yet been officially recognised as important in the mission of spreading the Gospel, St. George Preca entrusted his followers with the responsibility of teaching catechism. His little group of men and women grew up to be the Society of Christian Doctrine (known locally as M.U.S.E.U.M.) The acronym for M.U.S.E.U.M. is Magister Utinam Sequatur Evangelium Universus Mundus! which in translation means: "Teacher, O that the whole world would follow the Gospel!" Today the society consists of about 110 Centers and 1100 members. They teach about 20,000 boys and girls in the Maltese islands, in Australia, Peru, the Sudan, United Kingdom, Kenya and Albania. St George died on July 26, 1962, with thousands attending his funeral. He was canonized on June 3, 2007 in the St Peter’s square at the Vatican. An interesting anecdote about St George is the fact that back in 1955, he had suggested to his members to start praying another Mystery of the Rosary, the Mysteries of Light, and he devised the exact 5 Gospel scenes that were introduced by Pope St John Paul in 2002.

Our Lady of Pompeii

A special devotion to the Blessed Mother of Pompeii is celebrated today in various churches. One of the persons who spread the devotion towards Our Lady of Pompeii is an Italian man who was canonized  on October 19, 2025, at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City by Pope Leo XIV. His name was Bartolo Longo who built a huge Basilica in 1883 in Pompeii in Mary’s honor. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum was destroyed by a volcanic eruption of Mt Vesuvius in the first century AD. By the last half of the nineteenth century the Valley of Pompeii, near Naples, was practically deserted. In October 1872, Bartolo Longo came to the valley. He had been reared a Catholic, although it seems he was not very devout. On October 9th, a few days after his arrival, he was walking along a rather desolate road when suddenly a voice seemed to speak to him. It told him that if he wished to be saved, he should spread devotion to the Rosary. Bartolo fell on his knees and replied that if the Virgin had truly so promised then he would be saved; he would not leave the valley until he had popularized the Rosary. His early efforts to interest the people in the Rosary devotion do not seem to have been very successful, but he persisted, and in two or three years he had gathered quite a group around him for the daily recitation of the prayers in the little chapel. The Bishop visited the valley in 1875 and he suggested that a church be built there in honor of Our Lady of Pompeii. As the number of people taking part in the daily recitation of the Rosary grew, it was decided to obtain a picture of the Blessed Virgin, and Bartolo searched hard for a really good picture but could not find any, and could only afford a second-hand painting from a junk store for five lire (today a few cents worth). A trucker not knowing what the package contained pitched it on top of a load of garbage and so the picture arrived at the chapel. The people enshrined the painting and almost immediately several miracles took place through Mary’s intercession as Our Lady of Pompeii. The Miraculous painting of Our Lady of Pompeii was restored three times, and crowned with two golden crowns, one for Mary and one for baby Jesus. The painting shows Mary with baby Jesus and two saints who spread the devotion of the Rosary, St Dominic and St Catherine of Siena. With the approval of Pope Leo XIII, the church was built between 1876 and 1891. A new basilica was built between 1934 and 1939, ordered by Pope Pius XI. Many people visit this beautiful Church near Naples every May 8, when her feast day is celebrated. The devotion is also popular in Malta, where a church is dedicated to her in the parish of Marsaxlokk.

Today we wish a Happy Anniversary to Pope Leo XIV, who was elected Pope a year ago. Ad Multos Annos, Complimenti and Buon Anniversario Papa Leone.

Like the Donkey

Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983) was a Dutch Christian writer. During World War II, she hid in her home many Jewish people to escape from the Nazis. When she was eventually caught, she was sent to the concentration camp in Ravensbrück. She survived the war and spent many years speaking and lecturing about her ordeal. She also was given an honorary degree, and was asked if it was difficult for her to remain humble with so many people praising her. She responded by saying ‘when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the people spread clothes and palms on the floor, could you imagine the donkey carrying Jesus and thinking that all the fuss was for him? If I could be that donkey, I will praise him and God forever.’

St Dominic Savio

Today we honor one of the youngest saints in the Catholic Church. Before St Jacinta and St Francisco Marto (the Fatima children) were canonized recently, he was the youngest saint (not martyred) to be venerated in the church. Born on April 2, 1842 in Piedmont Italy, he was a very devout young boy who wanted to become a priest. He received his First Holy Communion at the age of 7, at a time when the custom was that children would receive communion at the age of 12. But his parish priest noticed how devoted he was to the Eucharist, and made an exception for Dominic. He was noticed by St John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Order, and took him under his wings. Unfortunately, he became very sick, asked for confession, communion and the final anointing, and died peacefully on March 9, 1857, aged 14. Soon after the death of Dominic, John Bosco wrote his biography, The Life of Dominic Savio, which contributed to his canonization. The original Italian edition was considered so well written during the time of Don Bosco that, along with his History of Italy and Ecclesiastical History, it was used in many public schools as part of the course materials on the Italian language. St Dominic Savio was canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 12, 1954. Quite a number of schools were named in his honor, among them in Austin, Texas, and Niagara Falls, New York, also 5 schools in Canada, a few in India, the Philippines and Australia, as well as the ever-growing Savio College, in Dingli, Malta.

Wu Yize, world snooker Champion

Wu Yize with his parents and the championship trophy.

The 22-year-old Chinese phenom Wu Yize won an all-time great Crucible final by beating Shaun Murphy 18-17, in a nail-biting affair that was decided by a winning final frame. Showing a thrilling, attacking style of play and drama-filled games, Wu paid a moving tribute to his parents after great sacrifices paid off by him winning the World Snooker Championship.  He may only be young but Wu and his family have gone on a testing journey to reach this stage, having moved over to South Yorkshire from their home nation with only his dad when Wu was a teenager. Money was so tight that the father and son shared a tiny windowless room, sleeping in the same bed. Now winning the £500,000 top prize at the Crucible and catapulting himself to snooker superstardom, Wu proclaimed ‘My parents are the true champions. Since I made the decision to drop out of school, my dad has been by my side. My mum has also gone through a lot over the years. They are the source of my strength, I love them so much. My mother has been ill and in and out of hospital for a long time but is now in a better position. She is forever a source of strength to me. She sacrificed everything for me. At that time she told me don’t come back home, I can manage everything. It was the second year I was playing in the UK. At that time my ranking was very low so it was a crucial time for me to achieve some good results and keep my professional status. She means everything to me.’ 

The days of sharing a small room with his father due to financial strains are now over, but even in the tough times, he says he never considered giving up on his dream. His immense Sheffield victory means Wu climbs to number four in the world rankings and has won over £860,000 this season alone. An incredible journey and one with so much further to go, with what looks like a stellar career ahead. A great victory indeed, and a fitting tribute to parenthood !

Monitor Tulip Farm

Another flaskback from 2006, precisely 20 years ago, when I was on retreat at Mount Angel Abbey with all the other priests of the Baker Diocese. On Tuesday in mid-April, in the afternoon I left immediately after lunch to get a head-start in my trip to the Wooden Shoe tulip farm in Monitor, Oregon. As excited as I was the previous year to visit the tulip farm with just two rows of yellow and red tulips, this year it was a heavenly experience as one row of colorful tulips after another covered almost half a mile by a 300 yard stretch that was mesmerizingly spectacular to see from afar, to walk through, and to photograph. I took close to 170 pictures in the 2 hours I spent there, and plenty of other photographers were showing off their equipment, besides many young couples with their children taking their pictures for their annual Christmas card and for their keepsake. The windmill at the end of the field, plus Mount Hood in the background provided an excellent opportunity to create some fascinating photos, and yet, as is often the case, many people cannot compose a simple photo, with today being a great exception, because you really have to be a dummy not to get great photos, with such a colorful and rich surroundings.

My trip to the tulip farm left quite an imprint on my head. When I arrived for the 4 PM conference, all the priests were looking at me and asking me “What happened to you?” seeing that my head was as red as some of the tulips I had just photographed. Not realizing right away, I had forgotten to wear a hat, and in those two glorious hours, the sun did quite a job on me as it burned my head and my arms. It’s amazing how in just two hours, the sun can have such an effect on our bodies. The temperature was around 70 degrees between 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM, the time I spent in the farm, but I was so ecstatic taking one photo after another, that the last thing on my mind was the sun roasting my bald head! No major damage done, but over the next few days, I felt like a snake shedding its skin! Enjoy these few photos ! (Click on each photo to enlarge)