Winners vs Losers

The Winner is always part of the answer.  

The Loser is always part of the problem.

The Winner always has a program prepared.  

The Loser always has an excuse up his sleeve.

The Winner says ‘Let me do it for you.’  

The Loser says ‘That’s not my job.’

The Winner sees an opportunity in every difficulty.  

The Loser sees a difficulty in every opportunity.

The Winner sees a green near every sand trap.  

The Loser sees three sand traps near every green.

The Winner says ‘It may be difficult, but it’s possible.’   

The Loser says ‘It may be possible, but it’s difficult.’

The Winner is always in church on Sundays.

The Loser finds every excuse why he cannot come to church.

The Winner is kind, gracious and appreciative.

The Loser is always complaining, grumpy and critical of everything.

Prayer of St Francis - addenda

Willie Apap - St Francis of Assisi

Continuing on the familiar prayer of St Francis ‘Make me an Instrument of your Peace,’ I added a few more phrases which I share with you today.....

Where there is disagreement, let me create a consensus.

Where there is impatience, let me create tolerance.

Where there is egoism, let me show altruism.

Where there is indifference, let me show genuine interest.

Where there is division, let me bring in unity and peace.

Where there is competition, let me create a sense of teamwork.

Where there is cheating, let me create a spirit of honesty.

Where there is discouragement, let me spread encouragement.

Where there is confusion, let me bring in order.

Where there is struggle, let me add perseverance.

Where there is loneliness, let me bring in companionship.

Where there is seriousness, let me bring in a sense of humor.

Where there is spiritual apathy, let me show commitment, prayer-fullness and devotion.

10 Church slogans

Here are 10 slogans used to persuade people to go to church. You may see some of them on huge bill-boards on a highway or a notice board next to a church.

1. Come to CH**CH. What’s missing? UR – get it?

2. Seven prayer-less days make one spiritually weak.

3. Come in for a faith-lift.

4. Bank on God for a higher rate of interest.

5. It’s impossible to lose your footing on your knees.

6. Come to church in September, and avoid the Christmas rush.

7. Danger! Live church!

8. Sing a Hymn for Him.

9. Fight truth decay – brush up your Bible every day.

10. Run to church and keep spiritually fit.

A Prayer for Strength

A very practical morning prayer which could be framed and placed next to your bed, so that you can recite it frequently......

Dear Lord, so far today, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, haven’t lost my temper, haven’t been greedy or grumpy, nasty or selfish, or over-indulgent. I haven’t caused any fights or quarrels with my spouse, my children, my parents, my neighbors, my dog or my cat, and have been fairly tolerant of everything and everybody. I haven’t yelled at anyone yet, and have been pretty mild-mannered towards everyone around me. I have not cursed at all or thrown any temper tantrums. And for all this I am very thankful, Lord.
But in a few minutes, Lord I’m getting out of bed. And from then on, I’m probably going to need all the help I can get. So please Lord, stay with me throughout the rest of the day.

Grace before meals

Here are 4 different prayers you can say as Grace before meals.

We thank You Lord, for happy hearts,

For rain and sunny weather.

We thank You Lord, for this our food,

And that today, we are together.

Heavenly Father, be our Guest;

Our morning joy, our evening rest.

And with our daily bread impart,

Your love and Peace to every heart.

Give us o Lord, a bit o’ sun,

A bit ‘o work and a bit ‘o fun;

Give us all in the struggle and the sputter

Our daily bread and a bit o’ butter.

O God, you have given us so much,

We lift our hearts to You in gratitude,

And pray that You will make us quick to share,

The best we have with those in need.

Let go! and let God!

If you want to be healthy morally, mentally and physically, just let go ! Let go of the little annoyances of everyday life, the irritations and the petty vexations that cross your path daily.
Don’t take them up, nurse them, pet them, and brood over them. They are not worth while. Let them go ! That little hurt you got from your friend. Perhaps it wasn’t intended, perhaps it was, never mind, let it go. Refuse to think about it.
Let go that feeling of hatred you have for another, the jealousy, the envy, the malice, let go all such thoughts.  Sweep them out of your mind, and you will be surprised what a cleansing and rejuvenated effect it will have upon you, both physically and mentally. Let them all go; give them to the Lord. He’ll take care of them.
But the big troubles, the bitter disappointments, the deep wrongs, and the heartbreaking sorrows, tragedies of life, what about them ?
Why, just let them go too. Drop them, softly maybe, but surely. Put away all regret and bitterness and let sorrow be only a softening influence. Yes, let them go, too, and make the most of the future.
Then, that little pet ailment you have been hanging on to and talking about, let it go too ! It will be good riddance. You have treated it royally, but abandon it: let it go ! Talk about health instead, and health will come.
It is not hard once you get used to the habit of it – letting go of these things. You will find it such an easy way to get rid of the things that embitter your life that you will enjoy letting them go. You will find the world such a beautiful place. You will find it beautiful because you will be free to enjoy it – free in mind and body.
Learn to let go. As you value health of body and peace of mind, – just simply let go ! The greatest factor in helping us to “Let go” is to see with the eye of faith that God permits. If we look at them in the light of eternity, we shall profit by them in this life and in the life to come.
LET GO ! LET GO ! Wise men adjust themselves to this universe over which God rules with infinite wisdom and love. It is the first condition of sanity to believe it. You can bank on God. Let go ! And let God take control.

What I've learned....

I don't know who wrote these phrases, but they are worth remembering and putting to good use....They may have been used by Andy Rooney in '60 Minutes.'

I've learned....That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned....That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I've learned....That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned....That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned....That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in any other way.

I've learned....That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned....That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned....That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned....That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned....That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned....That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned....That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned....That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned....That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned....That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

Life’s Little Instructions

Here are, with no particular order, some of life’s precious instructions, which we often take for granted. Reflect on them and I hope you can put to work some of them, and hopefully, in the long run, all of them:

Watch a sunrise, at least once a year – Strive for excellence, not perfection - Sing in the shower – Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated – Learn three clean jokes – Never waste an opportunity to tell someone that you love them – Complement three people every day – Keep it simple – Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures – Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you ever know – Leave everything a little better than you found it – say ‘Thank you’ a lot – Avoid negative people – Remember other people’s birthdays – Always carry jumper cables in your car or truck – Look people in the eye - Be the first to say ‘Hello’ – Return all the things you borrow – Make new friends but keep the old ones – Keep secrets – Always accept an outstretched hand – Stop blaming others, but take full responsibility of your actions – Be there when people need you – Always visit a friend who is in the hospital – Don’t expect life to be always fair – Never underestimate the power of love – Make sure you listen to Christmas carols during December – Say ‘Please’ often – Be always ready to forgive and forget – Hug your best friend for no apparent reason – Always keep your promises – Count your blessings – Smile often – Rekindle old friendships – Read the Bible every day – Be always kind to people – Say ‘Sorry’ if you hurt someone – Respect the elderly – Don’t be afraid to say ‘I made a mistake.’

Skinny me

With Ramona Formosa in 1978

A flashback today to over 40 years ago, as I share 3 photos from 1977, 1978 and 1979, when I was weighing much less than today, and of course was 43 years younger. The first photo shows me in 1978 with a young girl on her First Communion day, Ramona Formosa who would eventually become a professional pianist, and married to Silvio Zammit, a professional flutist. They came to visit in 2001 in New York and performed together on a few occasions, with myself playing a Telemann flute trio with them. 

Engagement rings blessing in 1977 of Roger and Carmen Muscat.

The second photo shows me in 1977 blessing the rings during an engagement ceremony which are very popular in Malta, at least they were when I was first ordained. The last photo was during my first trip to the USA with the Bamberg family from Massapequa Park, NY. I will show you in a few weeks a few more photos from my first few years in the USA from the 1980s. However that entry won’t be entitled ‘Chubby Me’ as I gained weight gradually over the years, until I stopped at 170 lbs.

In 1979 with the Bamberg family in Massapequa Park, NY.

Pope St John Paul II

Pope St. John Paul II (1920-2005)

The liturgical feast of Pope John Paul is today, and even though it is a Sunday, I want to honor him with this brief biography. Certainly the Man of the 20th century, Pope Saint John Paul II was born Karol Wojtyla on May 18th, 1920 in Poland and became the first non-Italian Pope in almost 400 years. Also known as John Paul the Great, he reigned from October 16th, 1978 until his death on April 2nd, 2005. He was the second longest‑serving Pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX who served for nearly 32 years from 1846 to 1878.

As a young boy, he lost his mother at the age of 8 and his father when he was 21. He even had to work at a limestone quarry, but then started his studies at the underground seminary run by Cardinal Sapieha in Krakow. He was ordained a priest on November 1, 1946, and after further studies, he ended up teaching at the Jagiellonian University. He was made a bishop on July 4, 1958 and later became Archbishop of Krakow on June 26, 1967. He remained very staunch to his faith in Poland, even when he became a Cardinal 3 years later. His election as Pope was a big surprise as Pope John Paul I died suddenly after 33 days, and the trend was to elect Italian Popes, but the white smoke showed that a new Pope was chosen on October 16, 1978, aged 58, relatively young for a Pope. At the balcony he waved to the thousands gathered in the Piazza and said “the cardinals have called for a new bishop of Rome. They called him from a faraway land — far and yet always close because of our communion in faith and Christian traditions. I was afraid to accept that responsibility, yet I do so in a spirit of obedience to the Lord and total faithfulness to Mary, our most Holy Mother.”

The day Karol Wojtyla became John Paul II in October 1978

John Paul II is recognized as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe. John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. He upheld the Church's teachings against artificial contraception and the ordination of women, supported the Church's Second Vatican Council and its reform, and in general held firm to orthodox Catholic stances.

He was one of the most traveled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonized 483 saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. He was very much devoted to the Blessed Mother, well respected in his native Poland, especially with the famous Black Madonna, and he even chose his motto as Totus Tuus, “Totally Yours,” even with the letter M on his coat-of-arms.

John Paul II's cause for canonization commenced in 2005 one month after his death with the traditional five‑year waiting period waived. His successor Pope Benedict XVI beatified him on May 1st 2011 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to him, the healing of a French nun from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle, attributed to the late pope, was approved and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later. John Paul II was canonized on 27 April 2014, alongside Pope John XXIII.

Reflections

A young 43 year old mother died of cancer a week ago, and she left this letter to be read during her funeral. I share it because Doreen Cassar left a few priceless phrases which we should all take to heart:

I have to say my town has never seen so many people celebrating life. I wanted to live more, but I was attacked by an illness which everybody fears. But I am proud of the fact that even though I died at a young age, I accomplished a lot, and I had everything in my life. I had a crazy upbringing, became a midwife, marriage, three children, in whom I will be ever-present in their lives and above all, I had the Lord with me throughout my journey. In Him I found true peace. Nobody would believe that after spending 5 years taking care of a friend of mine, cancer would eventually knock on my door. But no one can understand the Lord’s plans.  So, do not waste your life thinking about what other people are doing. Live happy lives, live it to the full. Excessive stress never helped anyone. As parents do not focus only on your children’s academic education, but encourage your children to participate in sports and be interested in culture. Enjoy life together, because we only have one life to live, and make sure to appreciate each other. Do not look sad or depressed. As you leave today, smile one for me. Life goes on, so try to live every second with a smile on your face. I had some tough moments and frequently asked: Why me? You feel as if your heart stopped beating, and you can’t even feel your legs when you realize there is no cure for you. You feel like you are dreaming, an indescribable nightmare. I had two choices: to stay at home and wait for my final breath, or continue to fight and hope. Life is a constant battle. And God forbid you have a health issue and not fight back! Take care of your health, care for each other. Stay close to the Lord, and enjoy life for my sake. No sadness and tears – just remember Doreen. Thank you to my family, the priests, friends and neighbors, mothers whom I helped deliver their babies, colleagues at work, Basketball buddies, classmates from school, Facebook friends, and everyone who encouraged me till the end.

Goodbye - Doreen

Praying for Malta

I pray today for my home country of Malta. With its natural beauty, its historic buildings, its magnificent churches and the friendly people, the image that is being portrayed right now, even in the international media, is very negative after a heinous murder of a local well-known journalist this past Monday. 53 year-old investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car explosion, leaving a husband and three sons devastated, and a whole country in shock. 

I pray today that peace and harmony will reign again in Malta, that freedom of expression can be respected, and that the authorities will collaborate to find the criminals and whoever is behind this crime. I pray today that people will learn to respect each other prudently and gently, by what is said and what is written. Give strength and courage to all journalists and bloggers so that they will never feel inhibited by what they investigate and write about. May the love and friendship that is so evident in many Maltese families continue to be enhanced and admired, even in the midst of tragedy. May common sense prevail, so that we can continue to reap the fruits of our identity, the basis of which comes from our faith. May God give eternal rest to Daphne, and the courage, perseverance and fortitude to her family and friends. 

The North American Martyrs

The eight North American martyrs, also known as the Canadian Martyrs, the Jesuit Martyrs of North America or the Martyrs of France, included six priests and two lay brothers. They were heroic members of the Society of Jesus who were martyred in North America in order to bring the Faith that is necessary for salvation to the Huron, the Iroquois and the Mohawk Indians. Five of the eight North American martyrs were put to death in what is now Canada, and three of them in New York State. There is a shrine to the United States' martyrs at Auriesville in New York, and there is a shrine to the Canadian martyrs at Fort Saint Mary near Midland, Ontario. The names of the eight North American martyrs are: Saint Rene Goupil, a lay brother martyred in 1642 in New York State, Saint Isaac Jogues, a priest, Saint John de Lalande, a lay brother, martyred in 1646 in New York State, Saint Anthony Daniel, a priest, martyred in Canada in 1648, Saint John de Brebeuf, Saint Charles Garnier, Saint Noel Chabanel and Saint Gabriel Lalemant, all priests, and all martyred in Canada in 1649.  
Saint Isaac Jogues, after thirteen months' imprisonment by the Mohawks, had several fingers cut off of his hand. He went back to Europe, but returned again to North America and was killed by tomahawk blows at Ossernenon, now called Auriesville, in New York State. Saint John de Brebeuf declared before he died, "I have a strong desire to suffer for Jesus Christ." He was tortured terribly, and a burning torch was put into his mouth, which strangled him.  Saint Rene Goupil, thirty-five, was the youngest of the martyrs, and cried "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" as he died. Saint Noel Chabanel was thirty-six, and Saint Isaac Jogues and Saint Gabriel Lalemant were thirty-nine. The oldest of the eight North American martyrs, Saint John de Brebeuf, was fifty-six when the Indians killed him. They were canonized June 29 of 1930 by Pope Pius XI. Their memorial is October 19, and September 26 in Canada.

Saint Luke

Known to have been a doctor and an artist, St. Luke is best known as the author of the third gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles. A Greek himself, he addressed his writings to Gentile readers. He also accompanied St. Paul on some of his journeys and shared in his sufferings. Luke wrote excellent popular prose with an artist's skill at painting picture stories. Demonstrating an unusual commitment to accuracy, he appears to have fastidiously checked his facts. In fact, archaeologists have confirmed many details that he reported in the Acts.

Some of Luke’s main themes - prayer, the Holy Spirit, and mercy - suggest that he was a compassionate, spiritual man. He aimed his books to persuade Gentiles that the Christian story was true. So he made it more accessible to them by filling his gospel with accounts of Christ’s openness and mercy. He also made a strong emphasis on the role women played in Christ’s ministry. A few stories and parables are found only in Luke, like the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Magnificat, the Presentation, Jesus lost in the Temple, the parable of the prodigal son, the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears, and others.

Luke’s Christian ministry can be followed in the Acts of the Apostles. Up until the 16^th chapter of Acts is written in the third person, much like a historian recording facts. The voice of the narrator then changes to first person and scholars believe this is done at a time Luke first joined Paul at Troas in the year 51 AD. Later on the book of Acts switches back to third person and scholars believe that this reflects a period in time when Luke was not present during the events that are recorded. His detailed writing can be found in a special way in chapter 27, which details the account of the shipwreck of St Paul in Malta. Many oceanographers and navigators still study this chapter to study navigation and nautical details of 2000 years ago.

Tradition says Luke lived a long life without marrying and that he died at age eighty-four. Luke is considered a patron of painters of pictures and is often portrayed as painting the image of Mary. He is often shown with an ox or a calf because these are the symbols of sacrifice - the sacrifice Jesus made for all the world. Luke is the patron of physicians and surgeons, and many hospitals are named after him.

Prayer

The prayer is attributed to Mary Stuart:

Keep us o God, from all pettiness; let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.

Let us be done with fault-finding, and leave off all self-seeking.

May we put away all pretense, and meet each other face to face without self pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgment and always generous.

Let us take time for all things, and make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.

Teach us to put into action our better impulses, straight forward and unafraid.

Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that really create differences; that in the big things in life, we are as one.

And let us not forget to be kind, Lord.

St Margaret Mary Alacoque

St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

The Saint who started and spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Margaret Mary Alacoque was born on July 22, 1647 at L'Hautecour, Burgundy, France. She was sent to the Poor Clares school at Charolles on the death of her father, a notary, when she was eight years old. She was bedridden for five years with rheumatic fever until she was fifteen and very early developed a devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She refused marriage, and in 1671 she entered the Visitation convent at Paray‑le‑Monial and was professed the next year. From the time she was twenty, she experienced visions of Christ, and on December 27, 1673, she began a series of revelations that were to continue over the next year and a half. In them Christ informed her that she was His chosen instrument to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart, and instructed her in a devotion that was to become known as the Nine Fridays and the Holy Hour, and asked that the feast of the Sacred Heart be established. Rebuffed by her superior, Mother de Saumaise, in her efforts to follow the instruction she had received in the visions, Margaret Mary eventually won her over but was unable to convince a group of theologians of the validity of her apparitions, nor was she any more successful with many of the members of her community.

She received the support of Blessed Claude La Colombiere, the community's confessor for a time, who declared that the visions were genuine. In 1683, opposition in the community ended when Mother Melin was elected Superior and named Margaret Mary her assistant. She later became Novice Mistress, and saw the convent observe the feast of the Sacred Heart privately beginning in 1686, and two years later, a chapel was built at the Paray‑le‑Monial to honor the Sacred Heart. Soon observation of the feast of the Sacred Heart spread to other Visitation convents. Margaret Mary died at the Paray‑le‑Monial on October 17, 1690 and was canonized in 1920. She, St. John Eudes, and Blessed Claude La Colombiere are called the "Saints of the Sacred Heart"; the devotion was officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765, seventy‑five years after her death, and the feast of the Sacred Heart is celebrated every year on the Friday following Corpus Christi. 

A Beautiful Death

It was the most beautiful death I ever experienced, and I wish everybody could leave this earth the way Margaret did. Since she could not receive Communion as she was so weak, with her eyes wide open, I had just blessed her with the Blessed Sacrament and traced the cross with the Sacred Host from her forehead to her lips, and from ear to ear, said a prayer and gave Communion to her daughter Jane sitting next to her. Then she took a deep breath, and ever so peacefully slipped into eternal life. Of course I had visited her every day to pray with her, and even though she could not receive Communion over the last few weeks, she always insisted on a similar blessing with the Sacred Host. A few days earlier, when she was very weak, and we thought it was the end, after my prayer she opened her eyes, and smiled and said ‘I’m still here – Father Julian, I’m not leaving so quickly, you know.’ I believe I witnessed a miracle on that Monday evening, as the last thing Margaret saw on this earth was Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and then a few seconds later, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes in heaven, was Jesus in person.

Margaret has been a blessing to so many people during her last year and a half at Hilltop Gardens, our Retirement Home in Naxxar. Ever since I arrived here and started the English Mass, she will be here punctually to distribute the English leaflets. She was a major catalyst in bringing in more people to attend the Mass, and now we have a packed church every weekend. Let us remember her children, in-laws, relatives and friends. They’ve covered thousands of miles over the last few months, to Australia and back, and with the frequent flier mileage they accumulated, they should have a free trip to the moon and back. Lord, grant Margaret eternal rest.

The Miracle of the Sun

The people who braved the terrible rainstorm which struck Fatima on October 13, 1917 had gone there because of the promise of a miracle - they knew that something exceptional was going to happen. The previous July, Our Lady had told the three Fatima children that she would perform a miracle in October.

At noon, Our Lady appeared to the children, and after repeating her requests for the daily rosary, and promising that World War I would soon end, she said to them plaintively and sadly: “Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, because He is already so much offended.” Then, while the three seers saw visions of the Holy Family, the crowd of at least 70,000 people were mesmerized as the Miracle of the Sun unfolded. What happened was so incredible that even non-believers couldn’t deny it, as this report, which appeared in the secular Lisbon paper O Dia, indicates: “The silver sun … was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds. A cry went up from every mouth and the people fell on their knees on the muddy ground. … The light turned a beautiful blue as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands. The blue faded slowly and then the light seemed to pass through yellow glass. … People wept and prayed with uncovered heads in the presence of the miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed like hours, so vivid were they.”
José Almeida Garrett, a young lawyer, reported that “The sun’s disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl. Then, suddenly, one heard a clamor, a cry of anguish breaking from all the people. The sun, whirling wildly, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge and fiery weight.”
Eyewitnesses to the miracle said that the sun danced in the sky, the color of the whole landscape changed successively, and the sun seemed to come down towards them, so that many of the crowd thought it was the end of the world. Something else that suggests that the miracle was genuine is that the people at the Cova felt the heat of the sun as it approached them. Their clothes and the ground – which had been soaked by the torrential rain – were dry at the end of the miracle.
Fatima, and the Miracle of the Sun in particular, are great “signs of the times” that have been given to the Church and the world by God through the Blessed Virgin. Within the Church, especially in this centenary year, we really ought to be taking both the great miracle and message of Fatima much more seriously.

Fatima Centennial

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 they 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, but Lucia became a nun and lived into the third millennium in a monastery in Portugal, being visited by 2 Popes. 

Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta.

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. And today being the 100th anniversary of the last apparition, I am sure thousands of people are visiting Fatima as they re-live the miracle of the dancing sun, which took place exactly 100 years ago today, in the presence of thousands of Portuguese folks, as well as the three children. Jacinta and Francisco were beatified and may soon be canonized. Lucia may be beatified eventually, but since she lived a long life, much more investigating has to be done by the Vatican, especially reviewing her letters and other writings.

USA out of the World Cup

Ever since 1986, the USA soccer/football team has always been represented in the World Cup Finals. But not next year, when the World Cup finals will be held in Russia between June and July. The USA team was eliminated yesterday after a surprising loss to Trinidad and Tobago, a country with a population of 1,353,895. The teams that have so far qualified for the finals are: Russia, Brazil, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Belgium, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Germany, England, Spain, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Poland, Egypt, Iceland, Serbia, Portugal, France, Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, Columbia. The final will host 32 teams, so there is room for 9 more teams, most of them from Europe and Africa.
The fact that the USA did not qualify this year is even more stunning when you think that soccer/football has shown a tremendous resurgence of interest in the USA, including a professional Major League Soccer league, as they have for American Football, Baseball, Basketball and Ice Hockey. But the biggest surprise is the fact the small country of Iceland has qualified for the finals for first time ever. In case you were wondering, the population of Iceland is 332,529, even smaller than Malta, which is 445,426. And the population of the USA is 323,127,513. Yes, that means that a country with three hundred thousand people made it to the finals, while a country with three hundred million people didn’t!

Pope St John XXIII

Pope St John XXIII (1881-1963)

Some call him a revolutionary Pope. Others see him as having destroyed the traditional church. Yet others love him for the innovation and aggiornamento he brought to the Catholic Church. When the Cardinals elected him in 1958, after 20 years of Pope Pius XII, they thought they will have a brief papacy and then move on from there. But how mistaken were they.

Born in 1881 in Sotto il Monte, Bergamo, Italy, he was one of 13 children, although many of his siblings died at a young age, but three of them lived to see him elected Pope. He was ordained a priest in 1904, and was soon chosen to be secretary to the Bergamo Cardinal. He had to serve in the armed forces during World War I, both as a chaplain and as a stretcher-bearer. Then he became spiritual director in the Seminary, and Director of the Missionary Office. By 1925 he was already a bishop as a delegate to Bulgaria, and later on as Nuncio to France during World War II, when he helped many avoid the concentration camps. In 1953 he was elevated to Cardinal and made Patriarch of Venice. When Pope Pius XII died he went to the conclave with a return ticket to Venice.

Vatican Council II in session.

But the other cardinals surprisingly elected him and he chose the name John XXIII. Quickly he set his sights on renovating the church, and called the Second Vatican Council, which meant a lot of work and coordination to bring to Rome all the bishops of the world. Many people said he was opening a window for some fresh air to the church, but it ended up to be more like a hurricane, with all the changes that resulted from the promulgation of the decrees of Vatican II. He died on June 3, 1963 and Pope Blessed Paul VI was elected to continue the work of Vatican II. John XXIII was canonized along with Pope St John Paul II on April 27, 2014. He kept many diaries in his youth and during retreats, all of which were published in the classic ‘Journal of a Soul.’ He was a very much beloved Pope and joked frequently, even about his size. When he was asked how many people work in the Vatican, he answered “About half!” On another occasion, he said that Italians usually ruin themselves in three ways, women, gambling and farming. Then he said “and my family chose the most boring way.” We thank him for the changes he brought to the Catholic church, especially that we can celebrate Mass in our own language, and have lay people actively involved in our liturgies and pastoral work. His feast day is not the date of his death, but the day that Vatican Council II started on October 11, 1962.

Simple Prayers - part 2

Father, help me not to put too much importance in possessions. Let me never forget that possessions are meant to enhance life, not to be the focal part of living. Amen.

Heavenly Father, stay close to those who are grieving and release them from their sorrows. Heartache is draining and makes life lonelier. I pray You will help them. Amen.

Loving Father, do not forsake me as I start my day with overwhelming problems. Guide me with Your loving hands and protect me from harm. Amen.

Dear Lord, there are times when I hunger for faith, feel lost and lonely with doubt. Guide me though this darkness. Amen.

Father, I pray that my words and actions will not hurt anyone today. If I cannot speak and act kindly, let me be silent. Amen.

O Father, I am a link in a chain that connects all of your children. Lead me on the path to strengthen that connection. Amen.

Simple Prayers - part 1

Lord, when my hopes have been dashed to pieces and my dreams shattered, keep me close to You, and let me feel the flow of your strength into my heart. Amen.

Heavenly Father, I want to be your follower. Take my hand and tune me into the needs of the suffering and hungry. When I serve them, I serve you also. Amen.

Our Father, I need to feel the joy of Your presence – Your gentle voice of assurance and the comfort of Your arms enfolding me. Be with me today and always. Amen.

Father, some friends are deeply troubled and although I’ve listened to their problems many times, soften my heart and grant me patience to listen again if they need me. Amen.

Deliver me from gossiping, Lord, and give me the moral strength to defend the person being gossiped about. Amen.

Dear Lord, help me to remember to be more understanding of my loved ones’ limitations. Keep me from asking more of them than they are equipped to give. Amen.

Father, when I have been unjustly accused or scolded, I feel so humiliated and unworthy. Help me to restore my self-esteem. Amen.

Zuzana Ruzickova

Zuzana Ruzickova (1927-2017)

Zuzana Ruzickova, who survived Nazi concentration camps and a Communist dictatorship in the former Czechoslovakia to become one of the world’s most renowned harpsichordists and a leading interpreter of Bach, died on Sept. 27 in Prague. She was 90. Ms. Ruzickova is widely credited as the first harpsichord soloist to record Bach’s complete works for keyboard instruments — passionate and spirited music that was the one constant in a turbulent life in which she survived the gas chambers, devastating disease, slave labor and crippling hand injuries. “Bach provides a sense of order in a world of disorder,” Ms. Ruzickova said. Her husband, the composer Viktor Kalabis urged her to be “the Jew who brought Bach back to Germany” and to “play Bach to make them realize that there is another Germany, that Hitler didn’t destroy all the great culture.”

Ms. Ruzickova was born on Jan. 14, 1927, in Pilsen, Bohemia, the daughter of a prosperous Jewish family. She performed slave labor for the Germans in Hamburg, returned home with her hands too enfeebled to strike a keyboard, and survived renewed anti-Semitism in Communist Czechoslovakia. Moreover, the Czech regime condemned the harpsichord itself as a feudal and religious instrument.
When Ms. Ruzickova was 15, the family received what the Germans called “an invitation” to Terezin, which the Nazis considered a model concentration camp for the cultural elite. Her grandparents and father died of disease there. Within six months, she and her mother were shipped to Auschwitz in German-occupied Poland, where she survived the gas chamber twice — first after lying about her age, and then when the camp’s routine was upset by the Allied invasion on D-Day. She and her mother were then transferred to bomb-ravaged Hamburg, where she repaired oil pipelines, worked in a cement factory and dug tank traps. 

Cover of one of the 100 records she recorded of Bach's works.

Early in 1945 they were shipped again, this time to Bergen-Belsen, a German concentration camp, where tens of thousands died from malnutrition and disease. She weighed 70 pounds and had malaria when the camp was liberated that April. With her hands badly damaged during the war, Ms. Ruzickova practiced 12 hours a day to catch up after it was over. She attended the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague from 1947 to 1951, when she gave her first harpsichord recital.

After Czechoslovakia became part of the Soviet bloc, she refused to join the Communist Party. But the country’s Soviet-backed regime indulged her, content with confiscating much of the foreign currency she had earned. She never defected because she and her husband feared for their relatives in Czechoslovakia. Ms. Ruzickova made more than 100 recordings. Her monumental project of recording Bach’s complete keyboard works took a decade, starting in 1965. The underlying message of this post is: Never, ever give up!

How I pray the Rosary

Today being the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, I thought of sharing with you my various methods in which I say the Rosary. Our family said the Rosary as a family every evening. My father used to lead it daily, ending with the Litany of Our Lady of Loreto in Latin. Obviously the tradition stayed with me as I daily recite the Rosary in various ways. Most of the time, I say the Rosary by myself using one of my many Rosary beads. But over the past 20 years or so, with the accessibility to tape recorders and CDs, I have recorded many versions of the Rosary, either myself or from other sources. Back in 1992, which is exactly 25 years ago, I recorded my best Rosary with a friend of mine in my parish of St Anthony’s in Rocky Point. I used background music for each decade and so many people liked it so much that I must have recorded or burned dozens of copies, which are now being used in New York and Oregon.

I also recorded other Rosaries in Maltese which I then transferred them onto CDS, which I used frequently, playing them on my IPad. I have also recorded various Rosaries I said before funerals in the Cathedral at Baker City, Oregon, and a treasured Rosary is the one led by my dear friend Fr Benedict Groeschel, CFR. Lately I have been using the Diocesan Rosary, an idea which I devised and which I shared with the Malta Bishops, one of whom just this week suggested it to his priests. Before each Hail Mary I mention the name of one or usually two parishes in Malta and Gozo. A few of the Hail Maries are dedicated to various Diocesan organizations, like the Chancery, Cathedral, Seminaries, Hospitals, Nursing homes, Sisters, University, other religious organizations, etc. All 50 Hail Maries have a special dedication, and this connects the people gathered with a previous town or village they lived in. I am trying to promote this Diocesan Rosary as much as possible, especially since it takes just 2 to 3 extra minutes to recite, but it brings together the entire Diocese and all the parishes become closely connected. I use it on the First Friday of each month at my Hilltop Gardens chapel, and since I have also recorded it on my IPad, I use it often on my own. I am presenting an illustrated talk on the History of the Rosary at Hilltop Gardens on Monday October 23 at 7 PM, and repeated on Tuesday October 24 at 10:30 AM. Pray the Rosary.

The best and worst of everything

The most destructive habit – Worry

The greatest joy – Giving

The greatest loss – Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work – Helping others

The ugliest personality trait – Selfishness

The most endangered species – Dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resource – Our youth

The greatest ‘shot in the arm’ – Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome – Fear

The most effective sleeping pill – Peace of Mind

The most crippling failure disease – Excuses

The most powerful force in life – Love

The most dangerous pariah – A Gossiper

The world’s most incredible computer – The Brain

The worst thing to be without – Hope

The most deadliest weapon – The tongue

The two most power-filled words – ‘I Can’

The greatest asset – Faith

The most worthless emotion – Self-pity

The most beautiful attire – A Smile

The most prized possession – Integrity

The most powerful channel of communication – Prayer

The most contagious spirit – Enthusiasm

The greatest feeling ever – Being thanked.