All Saints

The church celebrates today the Solemnity of  All Saints.  This painting shows Jesus presiding over a gathering of all those saints, known and unknown.  We recognize Jesus from other representations we have seen of him.  He is Christ of the fair skin, bearded, long haired, cloaked in the red that is a symbol of his resurrection.  He sits in a cloud-filled heaven, surrounded by a halo of soft light shot through with gold, a halo that confirms that he is divine.  His arms reach out toward all those around him.  His feet rest on a blue globe, a symbol of unity and completeness. His mother Mary sits by his feet, a little below him in the hierarchy.  She is dressed in white and blue, colors symbolic of purity and spirituality.  A dove flies in the halo above him, a symbol of the Holy Ghost.  The third halo above them all completes the Christian trinity.
The saints are gathered around him, resting on clouds.  Some of the figures are familiar to those who know their stories – like Moses with his tablets, Noah with his ark, King David with his harp. Above them the angels hover.  They hold other symbols – a cross, symbol of Christ’s crucifixion; a column, symbol of Christ’s flagellation; a ladder, symbol of his transcending the human condition.
When Johann König painted this luminous work sometime in the early 17th century he was following many of the conventions of his time. We are drawn to the painting by the way it is composed. Our eyes take in the lively figures in the ranks of the saints and angels and follow their looks and gestures toward the figure of Christ and the halo of light around him. His outward gesture leads our gaze back again to look at those around him.  It helps that the figures look natural and full of life, and that the colors have a richness and beauty of their own.

Praying for Norcia

The Basilica and Monastery of St Benedict in Norcia, before the earthquake

The Benedictine monks and nuns of Norcia, Italy suffered a devastating loss, as their basilica was destroyed yesterday with a massive 6.6 earthquake. This is the comment the monks shared online: “We, as many others in Norcia and surrounding areas, suffered a lot of damage to our buildings and especially to our basilica. It will take some time to assess the extent of the damage, but it is very sad to see the many beautiful restorations we've made to St. Benedict's birthplace reduced, in a moment, to disrepair. Please, pray for us, for those who have lost their lives, who have lost someone they love, who have lost their homes and livelihoods.”

The Basilica of St. Benedict was located on the traditional birthplace of St. Benedict and his twin sister St. Scholastica. The façade, the side portal and the lower bell tower dated from the late 14th century. The basilica had a Latin cross plan, with a single nave. The apse and the internal dome dated from the 18th century reconstruction, restored in the 1950s.

What remains of the Basilica after the earthquake Sunday morning

Today the monks of Norcia care for the spiritual, pastoral, and temporal needs of approximately 50,000 pilgrims from around the world who annually visit the birthplace of Sts. Benedict and Scholastica. The monks and nuns have been temporarily relocated at St Anselmo monastery, closer to Rome.

Inside the Basilica, now destroyed

The monks of Norcia crafted beer to support their work, and they made headlines by supplying Birra Nursia to all the cardinals of the papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. Cardinal Ratzinger visited the monastery for the Feast of St. Benedict in 2003, shortly before becoming pope and choosing the name Benedict XVI. This name was chosen in part because of his experience at Norcia and other Benedictine monastic communities.

The earthquake was even stronger than the August one that hit the same region, leaving 300 dead. Thankfully there were no victims this time, but many thousands were left homeless, besides the devastation that the tremors caused in Central Italy.

The same Basilica, before and after the earthquake

More on Maltese buildings

A section of a typical rubble wall

More architecture from Malta, especially in the way that builders try to incorporate the old with the new. Rubble walls are very popular in Maltese countryside. There is presently a great demand of stones from the countryside which are being used to add that special touch to facades of homes. Older buildings are still very prominent and add a touch of class to any street or neighborhood.

A modern house with rubble stones incorporated in the facade.

Unfortunately our friends in Central Italy have been hit by some severe earthquakes, and some historic churches were destroyed. We will talk about them tomorrow, and in the meantime we pray that the rumble and shaking will hopefully stop.

Elaborate architecture in the facade of Balluta Building in St. Julian's

A typical facade of a Maltese house in Sliema.

Maltese Architecture

80 year old apartment buildings in Sliema, Malta

Malta has an abundance of limestone in various quarries, and so most of the buildings are made of limestone, mostly stone slabs that are put together with mortar, similar to brickwork. Most of our big buildings like churches and palaces are also made from limestone, and they have lasted 4, 5, 6 centuries and more. 

A typical modern house in St. Julian's, Malta

The accompanying photos show some of the residential buildings, some of which are decades old and others more modern. Roofs are made of concrete, but everything else is constructed of limestone. Rubble walls are also popular, especially in the countryside, but are also being incorporated with new structures. (more tomorrow)

The facade of a typical 1950s style house in Sliema, with a wooden balcony.

More balconies from the 1940s in Sliema, all from limestone.

What you really need to remember

Remember that your presence is a present to the world.

Remember that you are a unique and unrepeatable creation.

Remember that your life can be what you want it to be.

Remember to take the days just one at a time.

Remember to count your blessings, not your troubles.

Remember that you’ll make it through whatever comes along.

Remember that most of the answers you need are within you.

Remember those dreams waiting to be realized.

Remember to always reach for the best that is within you.

Remember that nothing wastes more energy than worry.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Remember that the longer you carry a grudge, the heavier it gets.

Remember not to take things too seriously.  Remember to laugh.

Remember that a little love goes a long way, and that a lot of love goes forever.

Remember that happiness is more often found in giving rather than getting.

Remember that life’s treasures are people, not things.

Remember that miracles can still happen.

Human Mysteries - part 4

Concluding the last part of interesting facts of the human body.....

38. Human lips have a reddish color because of the great concentration of tiny capillaries just below the skin.

39. Three hundred million cells die in the human body every minute.

40. Like fingerprints, every individual has an unique tongue print that can be used for identification.

41. A human head remains conscious for about 15 to 20 seconds after it has been decapitated.

42. It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown.

43. Humans can make do longer without food than sleep. Provided there is water, the average human could survive a month to two months without food depending on their body fat and other factors. Sleep deprived people, however, start experiencing radical personality and psychological changes after only a few sleepless days. The longest recorded time anyone has ever gone without sleep is 11 days, at the end of which the experimenter was awake, but stumbled over words, hallucinated and frequently forgot what he was doing.

44. The most common blood type in the world is Type O. The rarest blood type, A-H or Bombay blood, due to the location of its discovery, has been found in less than hundred people since it was discovered

45. Every human spent about half an hour after being conceived, as a single cell. Shortly afterward, the cells begin rapidly dividing and begin forming the components of a tiny embryo.

46. Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

47. Your ears secrete more earwax when you are afraid than when you aren't.

48. Koalas and primates are the only animals with unique fingerprints.

49. Humans are the only animals to produce emotional tears.

50. The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet in the air. 

Communion on the moon

Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronauts

Forty-seven years ago, on July 20, 1969, two human beings changed history by walking on the surface of the moon. But what happened before Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong exited the Lunar Module is perhaps even more amazing, if only because so few people know about it. I'm talking about the fact that Buzz Aldrin took communion on the surface of the moon. Some months after his return, he wrote about it in Guideposts magazine. The background to the story is that Aldrin was an elder at his Presbyterian Church in Texas during this period in his life, and knowing that he would soon be doing something unprecedented inhuman history, he felt he should mark the occasion somehow, and he asked his minister to help him. And so the minister consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine. 

And Buzz Aldrin took them with him out of the Earth's orbit and on to the surface of the moon. He and Armstrong had only been on the lunar surface for a few minutes when Aldrin made the following public statement: "This is the Lunar Module pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way." He then ended radio communication and there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles from home, he read a verse from the Gospel of John, and he took communion. 

Replica of the chalice Aldrin used on the moon

Here is his own account of what happened:"In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit......Apart from me you can do nothing.’ “I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements.”And of course, it's interesting to think that some of the first words spoken on the moon were the words of Jesus Christ. 

Human Mysteries - part 3

Continuing on some interesting facts about the human body........

26. By 60 years of age, 60% of men and 40% of women will snore.

27. We are about 1 cm taller in the morning than in the evening, because during normal activities during the day, the cartilage in our knees and other areas slowly compress.

28. The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb, even while you are sleeping. In fact, the brain is much more active at night than during the day.

29. Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour. Neurons continue to grow throughout human life. Information travels at different speeds within different types of neurons.

30. It is a fact that people who dream more often and more vividly, on an average have a higher Intelligence Quotient.

31. The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger.

32. Facial hair grows faster than any other hair on the body. This is true for men as well as women.

33. There are as many hairs per square inch on your body as a chimpanzee.

34. A human fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months.

35. By the age of 60, most people will have lost about half their taste buds.

36. About 32 million bacteria call every inch of your skin home. But don't worry, a majority of these are harmless or even helpful bacteria.

37. The colder the room you sleep in, the higher the chances are that you'll have a bad dream.   (last part coming soon)

Chocolate creations

A train, presented at Bruges, Belgium

I am sharing today something completely different. A local baker and lecturer at the Institute of Tourism Studies in Malta has been creating ingenious creations from chocolate. His latest creation is a replica of the Titanic. 

The artist Andrew Farrugia next to his Titanic

Others include a train, displayed at Bruges in Belgium and a bus, also displayed this past weekend at a Chocolate Fair in Hamrun, The artist-baker is Andrew Farrugia. Please enlarge the photos to see see more details. I have no idea who will eat all this chocolate.

Human Mysteries - part 2

Continuing on the mysteries of the human body......

11. Your body has enough iron in it to make a nail 3 inches long.

12. Earwax production is necessary for good ear health. It protects the delicate inner ear from bacteria, fungus, dirt and even insects. It also cleans and lubricates the ear canal.

13. Everyone has a unique smell, except for identical twins, who smell the same. 

14. Your teeth start growing 6 months before you are born. This is why one out of every 2,000 newborn infants has a tooth when they are born.

15. A baby's head is one-quarter of its total length, but by the age of 25 will only be one-eighth of its total length. This is because people's heads grow at a much slower rate than the rest of their bodies.

16. Babies are born with 300 bones, but by adulthood the number is reduced to 206. Some of the bones, like skull bones, get fused into each other, bringing down the total number.

17. It's not possible to tickle yourself. This is because when you attempt to tickle yourself you are totally aware of the exact time and manner in which the tickling will occur, unlike when someone else tickles you.

18. Less than one third of the human race has 20-20 vision. This means that two out of three people cannot see perfectly.

19. Your nose can remember 50,000 different scents. But if you are a woman, you are a better smeller than men, and will remain a better smeller throughout your life.

20. The human body is estimated to have 60,000 miles of blood vessels. 

21. The three things pregnant women dream most of during their first trimester are frogs, worms and potted plants. Scientists have no idea why this is so, but attribute it to the growing imbalance of hormones in the body during pregnancy. 

22. The life span of a human hair is 3 to 7 years on average. Every day the average person loses 60-100 strands of hair. But don't worry, you must lose over 50% of your scalp hairs before it is apparent to anyone.

23. The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as an encyclopedia. Your brain uses 20% of the oxygen that enters your bloodstream, and is itself made up of 80% water. Though it interprets pain signals from the rest of the body, the brain itself cannot feel pain.

24. The tooth is the only part of the human body that can't repair itself.

25. Your eyes are always the same size from birth but your nose and ears never stop growing. 

Pope St John Paul II

Pope St John Paul II (1920-2005)

Today is the Liturgical Feast Day of the beloved Pope St John Paul II. Born May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, he lost his mother at age 9 and his father at 21. In spite of the war, he studied at the Jagellonian University and later at the Krakow Seminary where he was ordained as a priest on November 1, 1946. Karol Wojtyla was made auxiliary bishop of Krakow in 1958 and was installed as Archbishop of Krakow in 1964 , becoming Cardinal on June 28, 1967.

On October 16, 1978 at age 58, Karol Wojtyla was elected the 264^th Pope and Bishop of Rome. Within a few days, he visited Assisi, the first of 146 trips within Italy. A later visit to a Rome parish marks the start of visits to 317 of Rome’s 333 parishes. His election was a surprise election because his predecessor, Pope John Paul I, died after 33 days into his Papacy, and he was the first non-Italian Pope in almost 400 years. His reign became the third longest in history.

The day Cardinal Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II, October 16, 1978.

During the 27 years of his Pontificate, Pope John Paul II would beatify 1340 holy people, and canonize 483 Saints. He visited 129 countries and travelled 750,000 miles, to reach the millions of people who flocked to see him celebrate Mass, speak to them, or just to get a glimpse of the successor of Peter. He died on April 2, 2005 after 27 years of his Papacy. He will certainly always be remembered as the Great John Paul for helping to exterminate Communism in the Soviet Union and bringing peace to his native Poland, and also for supporting Solidarnosc, the Solidarity Movement that brought peace and harmony among his fellow Polish people. He was very devoted to the Blessed Mother, and in fact his motto was Totus Tuus (Totally Yours,) also becoming a beacon for Life—emphasizing the Gospel of Life while attacking the culture of death.  He was beatified on May 1, 2011 and canonized on April 27, 2014. These are some of the major Encyclicals he wrote: Redemptor Hominis 1979, Dives in Misericordia 1980, Laborem Exercens 1981, Redemptoris Mater 1987, Centesimus Annus 1991, Evangelium Vitae 1995, Ecclesia de Eucharistia 2003.

Human Mysteries - part 1

The Human Body is a treasure trove of mysteries, one that still confound doctors and scientists about the details of its working. It's not an overstatement to say that every part of your body is a miracle. Here are fifty facts about your body, some of which will leave you stunned. I will share all 50 facts over the next few days.

1. It's possible for your body to survive without a surprisingly large fraction of its internal organs. Even if you lose your stomach, your spleen, 75% of your liver, 80% of your intestines, one kidney, one lung, and virtually every organ from your pelvic and groin area, you wouldn't be very healthy, but you would live.

2. During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools. Actually, Saliva is more important than you realize. If your saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

3. The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm. The egg is actually the only cell in the body that is visible by the naked eye.

4. The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue and the hardest bone is the jawbone.

5. Human feet have 52 bones, accounting for one quarter of all the human body's bones.

6. Feet have 500,000 sweat glands and can produce more than a pint of sweat a day.

7. The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades. The reason it doesn't eat away at your stomach is that the cells of your stomach wall renew themselves so frequently that you get a new stomach lining every three to four days. 

8. The human lungs contain approximately 1,500 miles of airways and 300 to 500 million hollow cavities, having a total surface area of about 70 square meters, roughly the same area as one side of a tennis court. Also, your left lung is smaller than your right lung to make room for your heart.

9. Sneezes regularly exceed 100 mph, while coughs clock in at about 60 mph.

10. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil. 

I can always do more.....

I wrote this prayer yesterday, in Maltese to share with my congregation at Mass. I thought everyone would enjoy it and so I simply translated it into English.....

If I feel troubled, Jesus comes into my life to solve my troubles.

If I am happy, Jesus will rejoice with me.

If I feel sad, Jesus will share in my sadness.

If I am worried, Jesus will try to find a solution for my concerns.

If I feel that I don’t have any plans for my life, Jesus will help me make pratical plans.

If I feel lonely, Jesus will always be by my side to keep me company.

If I am praying, Jesus is praying with me.

If I am always critical of others, Jesus will help me appreciate the goodness in others.

If I am in pain, Jesus will tell me to look at the Cross and find consolation there.

If peace is missing from my heart, Jesus will bring peace and harmony to my life.

If I am anxious about my future, Jesus will help me calm down and walk hand in hand with Him.

If I am confused, Jesus will help me discern what He wants from me.

If I feel that I am wasting my time, Jesus will make sure to occupy my time with positive projects.

If I find myself belligerent towards others, Jesus will help me seek forgiveness and be friends again.

If I have enough money, Jesus will encourage me to share with those in need.

If I feel like I lack nothing in life, Jesus will remind me that I can always help others.

Books vs Internet

This sounds more like a boxing or wrestling match than a simple argument or maybe a heated controversy. Until 1990, whenever you wanted to research something, you looked to books, searched encyclopaedias and headed for the library. This was something so natural, so normal and anyone from a 5-year old child to a Doctorate Graduate would have no other choice but browse through books and more books, until they presented the paper to their teacher. And this was usually typed on a typewriter, and if you wanted a copy for yourself, you had to use those black carbon papers.

Now all this may sound prehistoric to anyone who is in High School or younger. There is no doubt that Computers have changed our lives radically, and will continue to change how we will live and communicate in the future. Books will never die, and libraries will never have to close down, but the Internet has brought thousands and millions of books and documents into our homes. By means of the Internet, I can write letters to my friends in the USA, New Zealand, Brazil, Iceland and every country in the world, and the recipients can read them within a few seconds. I can access any bit of information or statistic within a couple of seconds, just by clicking a mouse.

All of you who read my blog daily, do so at your leisure, whenever you want. It will be great if you can share my blog with others who may not be aware of its presence. I am surprised sometimes when I meet people, even here in Malta, and remind me of some posts I posted months ago, and they tell they me they got hooked on checking my blog daily. To tell you the truth, I am surrounded by books here in my room, but there are days and weeks when I do not open one of them, even the Breviary since I pray it on my IPad through Laikos (a Maltese version) or the ProTerra Sancta EBreviary in English. But newspapers are still being printed and books are still being published and you need once in a while to get the feel of paper or a hardbound book in your hands, besides clicking away or tapping on your keyboard or IPad.

Ever wonder why?

EVER WONDER ....
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?
Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavoring, and dish-washing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

Prayer of St Benedict

Statue of St Benedict in St Paul's outside the walls in Rome

Father, in Your goodness. grant me
- the intellect to comprehend You,
- the perception to discern You, and
- the reason to appreciate You.

In Your kindness, endow me with
- the diligence to look for You,
- the wisdom to discover You, and
- the spirit to apprehend You.

In Your graciousness, bestow on me
- a heart to contemplate You,
- ears to hear You,
- eyes to see You, and
- a tongue to speak of You.

In Your mercy confer on me
- a conversation pleasing to You,
- the patience to wait for You, and
- the perseverance to long for You.
Grant me a perfect end, Your holy presence. Amen.

My prayer to you, Lord

I offer this prayer to you today, Lord.....
To wait for You, patiently.
To speak to You, eloquently.
To think of You, thoughtfully.
To smile at You, happily.
To work for You, arduously.
To imitate Your example, devotedly.
To follow You, faithfully.
To dream of You, meditatingly.
To write about You, constructively.
To be nourished with Your Body and Blood, spiritually.
To yearn for You, eagerly.
To preach about You, energetically.
To forgive like You, mercifully.
To love like You, unconditionally.
To rejoice with You, enthusiastically.
To listen to You, attentively.
To read about You, diligently. To trust in You, hopefully.
To feel for others like You, compassionately.
To pray like You, devotionally.
To defend You, courageously.
To give like You, generously.
To show concern towards others like You, passionately, 

To console like You, comfortingly.
To repent like You, sincerely.
To act like You, courageously.
To persevere like You, whole‑heartedly.
To be like You, peacefully and prayerfully.

St Teresa of Avila

Today being the feast of St Teresa of Avila, I share with you a beautiful prayer she wrote. Teresa was born in 1515 and died in 1582, being canonized in 1622. She was a Carmelite nun, a mystic and founder of the Discalced Carmelite Order.

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Christ has no body now but yours

No hands, no feet on earth but yours

Yours are the eyes through which He looks Compassion on this world

Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good

Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands; Yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes; You are His body,

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you,

All things are passing away: God never changes.

Patience obtains all things,

Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.

Why.......?

Something to think about.......

Why does your nose run and your feet smell?

Why do supermarkets make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front?

Why do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke?
Why do they send goods by a car and call it a shipment, while the goods sent by a ship is called a cargo?
Why do people park on a driveway, and then drive on a parkway?

Why do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters?

Why do we leave cars worth thousands of pounds in our driveways and put our useless junk in the garage?

She is a successful woman.......

She is a successful woman......
- who has an appreciation of the world around her,
- who has energy to devote both to work and play,
- who has the capacity to give of herself, and to accept graciously the gift of others,
- who has people she trusts and is trusted by, people she cares about who care about her,
- who has a zest for life, and feeling of kinship with all living things,
- who has the enthusiasm to welcome each new day with warmth and joy and love.

- who is often seen praying for her family, her friends and the needs of the present world.

He is a successful man......

He is a successful man.......
- who lives well, laughs often and loves much,
- who has the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children,
- who is careful and devoted to his duties, and accomplishes his tasks properly,
- who leaves the world better than he has found it, whether by an improved poppy,
    a perfect poem or a rescued soul,
- who never lacks appreciation of earth’s beauty or fails to express it,
- who always looks for the best in others, and gives the best he has,
- whose life is an inspiration, and whose memory is a blessing to those he leaves behind.

Pope St John XXIII

Although few people had as great an impact on the 20th century as Pope St. John XXIII, he avoided the limelight as much as possible. The firstborn son of a farming family in Sotto il Monte, near Bergamo in northern Italy, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was always proud of his down‑to‑earth roots. After his ordination in 1904, Angelo returned to Rome for canon law studies. He soon worked as his bishop’s secretary, Church history teacher in the seminary, and as publisher of the diocesan paper.

His service as a stretcher‑bearer for the Italian army during World War I gave him a firsthand knowledge of war. In 1921 he was made national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. He also found time to teach patristics at a seminary in the Eternal City.

In 1925 he became a papal diplomat, serving first in Bulgaria, then in Turkey, and finally in France (1944‑53). During World War II, with the help of Germany’s ambassador to Turkey, Archbishop Roncalli helped save an estimated 24,000 Jewish people.

Named a cardinal and appointed patriarch of Venice in 1953, he was finally a residential bishop. A month short of entering his 78th year, he was elected pope, taking the name John after his father and the two patrons of Rome’s cathedral, St. John Lateran. His wit soon became proverbial, and he began meeting with political and religious leaders from around the world. In 1962 he was deeply involved in efforts to resolve the Cuban missile crisis.
His most famous encyclicals were Mother and Teacher (Mater et Magistra 1961) and Peace on Earth (Pacem in Terris 1963). Pope John XXIII enlarged the membership in the College of Cardinals and made it more international. In 1962 he convened the Second Vatican Council where all the bishops gathered in Rome to discuss many issues facing the church, and this led to great reform, especially in the way we celebrate the liturgy. "Good Pope John" died on June 3, 1963. St. John Paul II beatified him in 2000, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014.

17 new Cardinals

Cardinal-elect Father Ernest Simoni of Albania

Pope Francis will conclude the Year of Mercy by creating 17 new cardinals. Announcing the names of the new cardinals Oct. 9, Pope Francis said, "Their coming from 11 nations expresses the universality of the church that proclaims and witnesses the good news of God's mercy in every corner of the earth."

The new cardinals -- 13 of whom are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope and four over 80 being honored for their "clear Christian witness" -- will be inducted into the College of Cardinals Nov. 19, the eve of the close of the Year of Mercy.

The next day, Nov. 20, they will join Pope Francis and other cardinals in celebrating the feast of Christ the King and closing the Year of Mercy, the pope said.

The first of the new cardinals announced by the pope was Archbishop Mario Zenari, who, the pope explained, "will remain apostolic nuncio to the beloved and martyred Syria."

The last of the cardinals he named was Albanian Father Ernest Simoni, a priest of the Archdiocese of Shkodre-Pult, who will turn 88 Oct. 18. He had moved Pope Francis to tears in 2014 when he spoke about his 30 years in prison or forced labor under Albania's militant atheistic regime.

Ordained in 1956, he was arrested on Christmas Eve 1963 while celebrating Mass and was sentenced to death by firing squad. He was beaten, placed for three months in solitary confinement, and then tortured because he refused to denounce the church.

He was eventually freed, but later arrested again and sent to a prison camp, where he was forced to work in a mine for 18 years and then 10 more years in sewage canals.

Cardinals at the Conclave in the Sistine chapel

In creating 13 cardinal-electors -- those under the age of 80 -- Pope Francis will exceed by one the 120 cardinal-elector limit set by Blessed Paul VI.

The 17 new cardinals announced by Pope Francis yesterday are:

-- Dieudonne Nzapalainga of Bangui, Central African Republic.

-- Archbishop Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria.

-- Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra of Madrid.

-- Archbishop Sergio da Rocha of Brasilia, Brazil.

-- Archbishop Blase J. Cupich of Chicago.

-- Bishop Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the new Vatican office for laity, family and life.

-- Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin of Indianapolis.

-- Archbishop Patrick D'Rozario of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

-- Archbishop Baltazar Porras Cardozo of Merida, Venezuela.

-- Archbishop Jozef De Kesel of Malines-Brussels, Belgium.

-- Archbishop Maurice Piat of Port-Louis, Mauritius.

-- Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla, Mexico.

-- Archbishop John Ribat of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

-- Retired Archbishop Anthony Soter Fernandez of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

-- Retired Archbishop Renato Corti of Novara, Italy.

-- Retired Bishop Sebastian Koto Khoarai of Mohale's Hoek, Lesotho.

-- Father Ernest Simoni, a priest of the Archdiocese of Shkodre-Pult, Albania.

PS: If anyone wants to e-mail me directly: dungiljan@gmail.com