St Andrew

'The Crucifixion of St Andrew' in San Andrea della Valle, Rome

Sibling rivalry is not often mentioned in the Gospels, but we know that John and his brother James were always trying to impress Jesus, while their mother spoke in their regard so that they get preferential treatment in heaven. Then there was Peter who had his brother Andrew close to him, both fishermen, but Jesus had the soft spot for Peter, while Andrew stayed in his shadow. Andrew became a disciple of the great St John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. He was actually the first apostle Jesus called at the Sea of Galilee.
At first, the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets for good. It is believed that after Jesus ascended into Heaven, St Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel, as well as along the Black Sea. He is said to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Various countries have chosen St Andrew as their patron saint, among them Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Scotland. In fact, Scotland has incorporated his X-shaped cross in their flag, repeated again in the Union Jack, the British flag.
Relics of the Apostle Andrew are kept at the Basilica of St Andrew in Patras, Greece; the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, Amalfi, Italy; St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland; and the Church of St Andrew and St Albert, Warsaw, Poland. There are also numerous smaller reliquaries throughout the world. 

The two paintings reproduced here were paintings in the famous church San Andrea della Valle in the heart of Rome. Thankfully they allowed photography in the church, and I was able to take a few photos last May. The church is featured in the first act of the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini.

Catholic church statistics

Catholics in the world today amount to 1,299,059,000, which is 17.67% of the world’s population. The number of Catholics is decreasing only in Europe, and it’s increasing mostly in Africa. There are presently 414,969 priests, which bring the average of 3,130 Catholic per priest. Priests have increased in Asia and Africa, while there was a slight decrease in America, with Europe suffering the most reduction in the number of priests. There are presently 116,160 seminarians studying for the priesthood. There are 224 cardinals, 124 of whom are cardinal electors, eligible to enter a conclave and elect the next Pope. There are 5,353 bishops worldwide. Permanent deacons amount to 46,312, while sisters world-wide amount to 659,445, with a decrease in European counties, and an increase in Africa and Asia. 

Comparison between 1910 and 2010

Benefits of daily walking

You’ll be shocked to learn what happens to your body just from walking daily. The real question is, do you have an extra 15 to 30 minutes free every day? Within a 24 hour period, anyone has a half an hour to spare. What should you do with that time? Walk of course. There are too many benefits and good things that come with that 30-minute walk. It is the cheapest and one of the most effective ways to do your whole body good. Here are some of the benefits:
Brain changes for the better - endorphins increase and stress levels become significantly lowered..... walking also aid in the overall brain health and even reduce the percentage of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Enhanced vision - improves some eye pressure thus reducing glaucoma in some cases.
Keeping the heart strong – by avoiding heart-related issues like strokes or other heart-related issues. It improves circulation, reduction in cholesterol and can stabilize blood pressure.
Larger lungs - walking improves the lungs by coaching them to have more oxygen flowing throughout the body.
Improving the pancreas - people can practically walk their way to preventing diabetes and walking is the better option over running.
Aiding in digestion - Balancing the gut for better gut health is vital to prevent colon cancers and other problems like flatulence and constipation. Walking can help normalize the colon by keeping the colon literally moving.
Leaner muscles - When a person loses fat in their body the muscles become more prominent and they become leaner. Walking is much easier on the body than working out at the gym.
Firm joints and bones - Feeling stiff and in pain can be eliminated by walking 30 minutes every day.
Relieve back pain - lower impact exercises like walking can relieve back pain and aches by circulating the blood within the spinal area. This along with strengthening flexibility and posture can practically erase any back discomfort.
Balanced mind - Walking by yourself while listening to music is very beneficial, but walking with others can improve mood, lower stress or anxiety. It has even been known to reduce depression in people. 

Churches in need

Bombings, beheadings, crucifixions, mass executions, kidnappings, rapes, and forced conversions are part of the everyday lives of Christians in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Nigeria, and other countries in the Middle East and Africa. ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and other Islamic groups are waging jihad against Christians and other faith minorities, demanding Christians renounce their faith and convert to Islam, or be savagely murdered. These are not isolated attacks by fringe groups, but a large-scale extermination of Christians and anyone considered an “infidel” in the eyes of Islamic jihadists.
Muslims are destroying entire villages and cities where Christians have lived for thousands of years. The Middle East, after all, is the birthplace of Christianity. Ordinary families are seeing their schools, businesses, and homes destroyed. As a result, they’re fleeing their homelands in droves. Even when, or if, the persecution ceases, many Christians may never be able to return to the land on which their families resided for generations. As members of the Body of Christ, our prayers can make all the difference in the lives of the persecuted worldwide and in our own homelands. Let us stand together for religious freedom and for those suffering simply for worshiping Our Lord, Jesus Christ! Let us at least remember them in our prayers.

Oldest nun dies, a true hero.

Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak (1908-1918)

A Polish nun who was believed to be the oldest nun in the world was recognized as a rescuer of Jews during the Holocaust when millions died. She passed away a few days ago in Poland at the age of 110. The faithful have been reflecting on the turbulent and compassionate life of Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak, and described her as merciful and modest. During her 110 years on this earth, the nun went through turbulent times. Born March 25, 1908, she joined the convent at age 21. During the German occupation of Poland in World War II, when she was in her 30s, she was one of several nuns who set up a new convent near Vilnius, today in Lithuania. It was there where she began sheltering more than a dozen Jewish people who had escaped the ghetto there. After the war, the nun and others from her convent were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance institute. Yad Vashem praised them for saving the lives of several Jews, actions that put them at risk of being executed by German occupiers.
It was a time when Jews from across Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe were rounded up, and either transported to extermination camps where they were gassed, shot locally, or starved and abused in ghettos and labor camps until they died. However, at least some survived thanks to Sister Cecylia. A woman, Wanda Jerzyniec sent a massive bouquet at her funeral. Sister Cecylia sheltered the woman along with her brother after Germans shot both of their parents in Vilnius in 1944. The funeral Mass was at the Dominican nuns’ church in Krakow. Roszak was laid to rest in the city’s historic Rakowicki cemetery. Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak leaves behind generations who could live because of her faithful acts.

Christ the King

'Christ the King' by Manuel Farrugia, Paola church, Malta

The Solemnity of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. It’s a day to honor our Savior as King, who leads us with love, kindness, and compassion, unlike many other ruthless Kings and Emperors who lead with tyranny, oppression, and cruelty, many of whom were deposed by their own people. The image of Christ the King has always been presented to us as if sitting on a glittering throne, with a scepter in hand and a golden crown on his head. In actual fact, his throne was the cross on which he was crucified, the scepter were the nails driven through his hands and feet, and the crown was made of sharp thorns that were pushed on his head. Christ never spread a message of hatred and then taught us how to love. He never waged war and then preached peace and justice. He wasn’t rich and told us to be poor. He never escaped from anything or from anyone - except for once, when they wanted to give Him a promotion and make Him King.

The feast of Christ the King as we know it now was introduced in 1925, to counteract the start of Communism in the world. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had taken the presence of Christ from the hearts of people, and the Church wanted to bring Him back into the center of their lives. The feast was celebrated on the last Sunday in October until 1969, when Pope Paul VI shifted this feast to the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, usually towards the end of November.

Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat 

(Christ will win, Christ will reign, Christ will rule)

Dr. Peter Cassar

Left to right: Julian, Maria, Peter, Marcel.

I congratulate my nephew Peter who graduated as a Medical Doctor this past Thursday. Along with his older brother Julian, they are now both doctors, working around the clock at the local Mater Dei Hospital. I was happy to attend the Graduation ceremony at the Jesuits Church in the capital city of Valletta. Graduations continue until December 7, with thousands of graduates receiving their degrees and diplomas in many subjects. Even though for many years I was away from their upbringing and education, I saw Peter and Julian every year, and were the luckiest boys in Malta, wearing Osh-Kosh b-Gosh outfits, playing with the latest version of Game-Boy, yet focusing always on their studies, which were tough and demanding, as every medical student can testify. Congratulations Dr. Peter and Dr. Julian, as well as their parents, Marcel and Maria.

Blessed Miguel Pro

Blessed Miguel Pro (1891-1927)

Born on January 13, 1891, in Guadalupe, Mexico, Miguel Agostin Pro was the first child of Miguel Pro and Josefa Suarez. Known as Miguelito, he was a very devout boy, but he also was famous for his pranks he did on his family. When his sister became a nun, he started thinking about the priesthood, even though many Mexican señoritas had their eyes on him. However, he left the girls and entered the Jesuit seminary in Michoacan. He kept studying until 1914 when a wave of anti-Catholicism invaded Mexico, and so Miguel and his friends had to escape through Texas and New Mexico until they arrived at the Jesuit Seminary in Los Gatos, California. In 1915, he was sent to Spain and then Belgium, where he was ordained a priest in 1925.

Miguel developed some health problems and had three operations on his stomach, and was sent back to Mexico, in spite of the persecutions still going on there. Churches were attacked and closed down, but Miguel continued to work undercover among the poor. He would dress up as a poor man to baptize, marry and celebrate Mass. He would go to prison dressed as a soldier to give communion to those on death row.

He remained faithful to his faith and his duties and to Christ the King, to whom he was very much devoted. In 1927, he was accused as an accomplice to kill the ex-President and was condemned to death, without a trial. He was killed on November 23, 1927, after he forgave his killers. Miguel refused to be blindfolded during his execution, while he kept reciting ‘Viva Cristo Rey’ - Long Live Christ the King.

St Cecilia

St. Cecilia is one of the few martyrs whose name we know, along with St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Sebastian, St. George, and St. Lucy, among others. She was martyred by Emperor Marcus Aurelius between the years 176 and 180 AD. Cecilia was arrested and condemned to be suffocated in the baths. She was shut in for one night and one day, as fires were heaped up and stoked to a terrifying heat - but Cecilia did not even sweat. When the Emperor heard this, he sent an executioner to cut off her head in the baths. The executioner struck her three times but was unable to decapitate her so he left her bleeding and she lived for three days. Crowds came to her and collected her blood while she preached to them or prayed. On the third day, she died and was buried by Pope Urban and his deacons. St. Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music because she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married and is represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her hand. Officials exhumed her body in 1599 and found her to be incorrupt, the first of all incorrupt saints. She was draped in a silk veil and wore a gold embroidered dress. Officials only looked through the veil in an act of holy reverence and made no further examinations. They also reported a "mysterious and delightful flower-like odor which proceeded from the coffin." That year, Cardinal Paolo Sfondrati built a church to honor her and ordered a marble statue in the catacombs to be crafted. A few musical compositions were written in her honor. Among them are the ‘Ode to St. Cecilia’ by Henry Purcell, a cantata by Georg Frederic Handel and ‘Hymn to St. Cecilia’ by Benjamin Britten. Paul Simon also wrote a song in her honor, entitled ‘Cecilia.’

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

'Presentation of Mary at the Temple' by Titian

The Gospel of James told the story of Mary's presentation at the Temple at the age of three. In gratitude for being granted a child after years of infertility, Mary's parents, Saints Joachim and St Anne had vowed to dedicate Mary to the service of God at the Temple. When they presented her at the Temple at the age of three, she stayed willingly, showing her dedication to God even at that young age, attending the temple regularly, similar to what children do attending their Religious Education classes. The Gospel of James, although not one of the inspired books of the Bible, is the source of many details of Mary's life that became universally accepted by the Church, including the names of her parents, the story of her birth, her age at her betrothal to Saint Joseph, and Saint Joseph's advanced age and his status as a widower with children by his first wife. When Mary left the Temple at the age of 12 after her betrothal to Joseph, she remained pure and chaste, and at the Annunciation, God came to dwell in her. The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary first made its way to the West through monasteries in Southern Italy in the ninth century; by the 11th century, it had spread to other locales but was by no means universally celebrated. It was removed and re-inserted various times by several Popes. It was restored 17 years later by Pope Sixtus V, and remains in the Roman calendar today as a memorial.

45 lessons life taught me - part 2

You are responsible for your own happiness (see Number 25)

Continuing from yesterday a list of lessons that were written by a 95-year-old woman, who kept writing these lessons she learned in life over her long life. The first 23 were posted yesterday.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters, in the end, is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

45 lessons life taught me - part 1

Don't wait for old age to wear purple. (see Number 23)

I thought you would enjoy this list of lessons that were written by a 95 year-old woman, who kept writing these lessons she learned in life over her long life. I am sure there are quite a few that you can apply to your life. (to be continued tomorrow)

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

Three Hymns

Before we start the Advent season in preparation for Christmas, I share with you one cute story that will surely bring a smile on everyone's face....
One Sunday a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money, and asked the people to prayerfully consider giving a little more in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in offering. He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation and said that he would personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate. A very quiet, elderly, saintly lady all the way in the back shyly raised her hand.
The pastor asked her to come to the front. Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in thanksgiving asked her to pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation, pointed to the three most handsome men in the building and said. I'll take him and him and him.

St Elizabeth of Hungary

Christmas of 2004 at St Elizabeth of Hungary in John Day

The feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary takes me back 15 years ago where I served for 2 and a half years in a small parish in the heart of Eastern Oregon. The town of John Day had one small country church with about 200 parishioners, as well as two mission chapels, which I had to reach every weekend, a drive of 140 miles to say two Masses for 5 to 10 people at the most. On Christmas Day I would probably get as many as 15. But my main base was at St Elizabeth of Hungary parish which was established 80 years ago, in 1938. I enjoyed my stay there as I ministered to the parishioners who kept returning back to the fold, besides making a few conversions over the 30 months I spent there. Just before I left, I had 18 converts, that’s an increase of 10% parishioners! Of course, I have great memories of that little town, my first of three parishes I served in Oregon, as I keep in touch with some of the parishioners, who inform me on a regular basis about the status of the parish. I wish them the best today, the feast of their Patron Saint, and the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the parish. 

The 18 converts joining the church at the Easter Vigil in 2005.

St Elizabeth was born in Bratislava in 1207, and after marrying Ludwig of Thuringia, the son of the king of Hungary, they had three children. Elizabeth was very kind to the poor and her charity knew no bounds. After Ludwig was killed while fighting in the Crusades, she became a Franciscan tertiary and moved to Germany, where she continued her dedication to the poor. She even built a Franciscan hospital at Marburg, Germany and devoted herself to the care of the sick until her death at the young age of 24 in 1231.  St. Elizabeth is frequently pictured distributing bread to the needy in her community, and thus is the patron saint of bakers, countesses, the homeless, nursing services, widows, and young brides. She was canonized in 1235, just 4 years after her death.

St Gertrude

St Gertrude (1256-1302)

Gertrude was born in Thuringia, Germany on January 6, 1256. Since her parents died when she was still very young,  she was raised by the Benedictine and Cistercian nuns. Among them was Mechtilde, herself a saint who took her under her wings since the age of 10. Gertrude was very much interested in Scripture and the writings of the Fathers of the Church. She learned to write in beautiful Latin and was very eloquent in her rhetoric. When she was 25, she started having visions and dedicated her life to contemplation and meditation. Along with St Mechtilde, they developed a form of spirituality called ‘nuptial mysticism,’ whereby they saw themselves as brides of Jesus, as if married to him. Among the writings she left us, was a compendium of 300 pages of prayers, called Preces Gertrudianae (Prayers of St Gertrude.) She also wrote a book about Divine Love and Spiritual Exercises. St Teresa of Avila looked at Gertrude as her protectress, and both St Philip Neri and St Francis de Sales used her writings as references in their work. St Gertrude also was very devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, way before the devotion became a feast. Many of her writings were translated into Latin and Italian, besides her native German. She died in the city of Helfta in Saxony in 1302.

One of the prayers attributed to her is this popular one, frequently printed on her holy cards: Eternal Father, I offer You the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, for those in my own home and in my family. Amen.

Gems in a sentence - part 2

An average person eats 60,000 lbs of food during his lifetime – that’s the combined weight of 6 elephants!

An average person walks a total equivalent of 4 times around the globe in his lifetime.

Today, well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

The best wealth is health!

No one can deny this truth: a closed mouth is often evidence of an open mind.

For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in God, no explanation is possible (From the movie “The Song of Bernadette”)

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.

When you want something down, well done, give it to a busy person.

Much harm may be done by indiscreet praise. But the chief harm is always done by blame.

Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you. You’ll only double trouble, and trouble others too.

There are only 2 rules for good manners. One is always to think of others, and the other is never think of yourself.

The biggest source of man’s unhappiness is his ignorance of Nature.

One great thing about vacations is that they make you feel good enough to go back to work, and poor enough so that you have to.

Gems in a sentence - part 1

From 'I won't do it!' to 'Yes, I did it!' there is a process of motivation, perseverance and sheer determination.

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.

Most of the world’s useful work is done by people who are pressed for time, or are tired or do not feel well.

The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was in the first place.

The problem in America is that there are many sinners who think they are saints, and very few saints who think they are saints.

Teaching kindergarten is like trying to keep 30 pieces of cork underwater – with one hand, all at the same time!

Our greatest glory consists not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.

Children have never been known to listen and obey their parents, but they never fail to imitate them.

In the successes and disappointments in life, remember that all passes away. So when you are successful in something, don’t feel superior – and when you fail, don’t despair. 

It takes a big man to admit when he’s wrong, and an even bigger man to keep his mouth shut when he’s right.

Errors should be reasons for growth, not excuses for discouragement.

If you want your children to improve, let them hear the nice things you say to others about them.

Next to LAZY, the worst label you can have is POTENTIAL, because people would expect too much of you.

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.

Do not follow where the path leads, but rather go where there is no path and leave a trail.

St Frances Xavier Cabrini

St Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini can very well be considered the patron saint of immigrants. She was born in Lombardia, Italy in 1850, the youngest of thirteen children. Two months premature, she remained in delicate health throughout her 67 years. As a young girl, Francesca was taken care of by her older sister Rosa, because her mother was 52 when Maria Francesca was born.

At 13, she was sent to Arluno to study under the Daughters of the Sacred Heart at the Normal School, and in 1868, at 18 she was certified as a teacher. Four years later she contracted smallpox. When she tried to enter into the Daughters of the Sacred Heart, Mother Superior refused admission, even though she saw potential in her, because of her frail health. She helped her parents until their death and then worked on a farm with her siblings.
One day a priest asked her to teach in a girls' school and she stayed for six years. At the request of her Bishop, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children in schools and hospitals. Although her lifelong dream was to be a missionary in China, Pope Leo XIII sent her to New York City on March 31, 1889, with six other nuns. There, she obtained the permission of Archbishop Michael Corrigan to found an orphanage, which is located in West Park, Ulster County, NY today known as Saint Cabrini Home, the first of 67 institutions she founded in New York, Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and in countries throughout South America and Europe, especially Italy, England, France, Spain. Filled with a deep trust in God and endowed with a wonderful administrative ability, this remarkable woman soon founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages in this strange land and saw them flourish in the aid of Italian immigrants and children.
She died in Chicago, Illinois on December 22, 1917. In 1946, she became the first American citizen to be canonized by Pope Pius XII. Her beatification miracle involved the restoration of sight to a child who had been blinded by excess silver nitrate in the eyes. Her canonization miracle involved the healing of a terminally ill nun. She is buried in Washington Heights, NY where a shrine is also dedicated to her.

St Josaphat

St. Josaphat (1584-1623)

Saint Josaphat was born in Vladimir, between Poland and Lithuania in the year 1584 of Christian parents of the Slavic rite. He was very devout even as a young boy, praying the Breviary which the priests recite daily. He joined the Basilians in the town of Vilna, being ordained priest after he finished his studies.
He attracted many people, especially those who had drifted away from the church. He built convents and monasteries and made other reforms in his order. He became bishop of Polotsk in 1617 when he was only 38, and continued with his reforms, helping the poor and selling some of his property from his Cathedral to help the poor people and those in need.
Some people were jealous of his work and in particular, a certain Smotritski made himself an Archbishop, even encouraging people to follow him instead, and oppose the reforms brought about by St Josaphat, a move that caused many conflicts. When the saintly bishop went to calm things down and restore order, they attacked him, killed him and threw his body in the river in Vitebsk. It was November 12, 1623, and he was only 44, and when they brought his body from the river 5 days later, there was a fragrance of lilies and roses around his body.
They placed his body in a sarcophagus and many people repented of their opposition to him, including Smotritski who had previously proclaimed himself Archbishop. But he too turned his life around, leading a life of penitence for the rest of his life. Many miracles were attributed to St. Josaphat, and when he was exhumed 5 years after his death, his body was perfectly preserved – only his clothes had decayed. His body was left for veneration, and many people traveled many miles to honor him. He was canonized in 1867 by Pope Pius IX, and his body was transferred to the Vatican Basilica in November 1963, where he rests in one of the side altars.
Incidentally, I remember as an altar boy serving Masses at the Vatican, serving a few Masses with a Slavic priest at his altar, where the Mass lasted an hour and a half, with the priest using a whole loaf of bread and a large pitcher of wine during the Mass, their custom in celebrating the liturgy.

World War 1

We commemorate today the centennial of the end of World War 1, known as Armistice Day, and celebrated annually in the USA as Veteran’s Day. World War I also known as the Great War, which was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. It led to the mobilization of more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, making it one of the largest wars in history. An estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilians died as a direct result of the war, while it is also considered a contributory factor in a number of genocides and the 1918 influenza epidemic, which caused between 50 and 100 million deaths worldwide. Military losses were exacerbated by new technological and industrial developments and the tactical stalemate caused by grueling trench warfare. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history and precipitated major political changes, including the Revolutions of 1917-1923, in which many of the nations were involved. Unresolved rivalries at the end of the conflict contributed to the start of the Second World War about twenty years later.

Among the Allied Powers, (Britain, France, USA, Italy, Russia, Serbia, Belgium, Japan, Romania, China, etc) the Military dead were: 5,525,000. The Military wounded were:12,831,500, and the Civilian dead were: 4,000,000.

Among the Central powers, (German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria) the Military dead were: 4,386,000. The Military wounded were:8,388,000, and the Civilian dead were: 3,700,000.

Hibiscus

I came across a few shrubs of hibiscus recently and I share these photos of these colorful flowers. It belongs to the Malvaceae family. The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, colors vary from white to pink, red, orange, peach, yellow or purple. The plant is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm, temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. In temperate zones, probably the most commonly grown ornamental species is Hibiscus Syriacus, the common garden hibiscus, also known in some areas as the "rose of Althea" or "rose of Sharon."

There is a tea made of hibiscus flowers which is known by many names in many countries around the world and is served both hot and cold. The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian and Hawaiian girls. If the flower is worn behind the left ear, the woman is married or has a boyfriend. If the flower is worn on the right, she is single or openly available for a relationship. The yellow hibiscus is Hawaii's state flower.

St John Lateran

The top part of the facade of the St John Lateran Basilica

We commemorate today the dedication of one of the 4 major basilicas of Rome, that of St John the Lateran. This majestic basilica was the first church to be built in Christendom. At the top of the center of the façade stands the Risen Christ, demonstrating that to enter the Church, we must enter into Christ’s body. That is why we as a Church are called the “Body of Christ.” Underneath this statue is the Papal balcony, from which the Pope addresses his faithful – this is to mean that the Pope is literally under Christ as his Vicar on earth. Directly above the pillars and columns on the façade are 12 bishops of the early Church (known as Doctors) to symbolize that the visible face of the Church is found in the Bishops throughout the east and west.
Then each of the foundational pillars of the basilica’s interior contains an enormous marble statue of the 12 Apostles, to symbolize literally that the Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles. They are all similar in style and size but done by different sculptors. In the back of the Church in the apse is a huge mosaic of Christ the Savior hovering over his Cross. In fact, the original name of the Church was “Christ the Savior,” named so by Pope Sylvester, just after it was built by King Constantine, who legalized Christianity.

The statue of St John the evangelist inside the Basilica

In 313 AD, King Constantine stopped the persecutions and the killing of many innocent martyrs, and he built a Church on a plot of land owned by the Laterani family. It was pillaged and attacked and desecrated over the years, but it survived. However in the 9th century, it was destroyed by an earthquake, and Pope Sergius III rebuilt it and dedicated it to St John the Baptist. Later it was also dedicated to St John the Evangelist, and that’s why it is known as the Basilica of St John Lateran. Now until the 13th century, this Church was the seat of the Pope, his headquarters and his Church government, but then moved to the Vatican, where he still resides, and from where all Church business is conducted. The present facade was completed in 1735 and was done after a competition among Rome’s best architects, the prize and winning design going to Alessandro Galilei.

12 things to remember

The value of time 

The success of perseverance

The pleasure of working 

The dignity of simplicity

The worth of character 

The power of example

The influence of life 

The obligation of duty 

The improvement of talent 

The wisdom of economy

The virtue of patience 

The joy of originating

A Tragedy or a Blessing ?

The Titanic leaving Southampton in April 1912

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Robert Clark and his wife worked and saved, making plans for their 9 children and themselves to travel to the United States. It had taken years, but they finally saved enough money and had gotten passports and reservations for the whole family to get on a new liner to the United States. 

The entire family was filled with anticipation and excitement about their new life. However, 7 days before their departure, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy but also hung a yellow sheet on the Clark’s front door. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were quarantined for 14 days.
The family’s dreams were dashed. They would not be able to make the trip to America as they had planned. The father, filled with disappointment and anger, stomped to the dock to watch the ship leave – without his family on board. The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son, the dog who bit him, and God for their misfortune.
Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland and the world – the mighty Titanic had sunk. The unsinkable ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it.
The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son had been bitten by a dog, they were left behind in Scotland. When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son and thanked him for saving the family. He thanked God for saving their lives and turning what he felt was a tragedy into a blessing. He also looked at the dog as a hero, a true life-saver!
Although we may not always understand, all things happen for a reason.

Evolution of a church

St Julian's Parish church in 1968

My parish church at St Julian's just turned 50 this year. These photos show how it evolved over these years. The foundation stone was blessed by Archbishop Michael Gonzi in July 1961, and the church was officially opened in 1968. However, a major change was done after only a few months, as the main altar was brought down closer to the congregation, eliminating an original crypt which was found to be not functional.

The St Julian's parish church in 1978

The church was painted in various unusual colors for the occasion of the visit of St John Paul in 1990. The color scheme was designed by Architect Richard England, and was only changed this summer. The church hosts a modern Way of the Cross designed by Emvin Cremona and his son Marco, who also created the main Resurrected image of Jesus which dominates the sanctuary, above the main altar. I served in this church as an assistant parish priest from 1977 and 1981, and occasionally I still celebrate Mass when asked, as I did many other times whenever I visited my family from the USA.

The St Julian's parish church in 2006

The St Julian's parish church today.

Entrance into heaven

After a long illness, a woman died and arrived at the Gates of Heaven. While she was waiting for St. Peter to greet her, she peeked through the Pearly Gates. She saw inside beautiful scenery of mountains, rivers, lakes, floral gardens of immense beauty, and peace everywhere.

When St. Peter came by, the woman said to him, “This is such a wonderful place! How do I get in?” “You will have to spell a word,” St. Peter told her. “Which word?” the woman asked. “LOVE,” St. Peter said. The woman correctly spelled the word  'LOVE' and told him she knew it also in Italian, Maltese, Spanish and French. St. Peter instantly welcomed her into heaven.

About six months later St. Peter came to the woman and asked her to watch the Gates of Heaven for him that day, as he had some errands to attend to. Now, while the woman was guarding the Gates of Heaven, her husband arrived there. ”I'm surprised to see you here,” the woman said, “How have you been?” 

“Oh! I have been doing pretty well since you died,” her husband told her. “I married the beautiful and pretty nurse who took care of you while you were ill. And then I won the lottery. I sold the little house you and I lived in and bought a big mansion in the mountains. And my wife and I traveled all around the world, enjoying ourselves and having lots of fun, partying, dancing, and socializing with friends. Yesterday we were on vacation and went water skiing. I fell, hit my head on a boulder, and died instantly, and here I am.” Then he asked her, “How do I get in?” 

“You will have to spell a word,” the woman told him. 

“Which word?” her husband asked. "I'm pretty good at spelling." She hesitated and then replied, ”CZECHOSLOVAKIA.” 

Guess what? He's still waiting at the Pearly Gates! Now you have to know that Czechoslovakia does not exist anymore, but is now the combination of Slovakia and the Czech Republic. But LOVE certainly still exists, and it will be on how often, if, and when we showed LOVE that will determine whether we are admitted into heaven or not.