St John Bosco

St John Bosco, founder of the Salesian Order (1815-1888)

St John Bosco was an Italian priest born on August 16, 1815, in Piedmont, Italy. He dedicated his life to the religious education of street children, and other disadvantaged children. Eventually, he founded the Salesian Order, with their main focus on the education of children and producing audio-visual material as well as printed material. He died on January 31, 1888, and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934. Here are some of his famous quotes:

"Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things. Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is. Through confession, endeavor to purify your heart of anything which may still taint it. Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety."

"Remember, God does not pay us for results, but for effort."

"All past persecutors of the Church are now no more, but the Church still lives on. The same fate awaits modern persecutors; they, too, will pass on, but the Church of Jesus Christ will always remain, for God has pledged His Word to protect Her and be with Her forever, until the end of time."

"Believe me... nobody can be truly happy in this world unless he is at peace with God."

"Put up willingly with the faults of others if you wish others to put up with yours."

"Guard your eyes since they are the windows through which sin enters the soul."

A creation prayer

This prayer in union with creation as devised for the Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis.

Father, we praise you with all your creatures. They come forth from your all-powerful hand; they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love. Praise be to you! Son of God, Jesus, through you all things were made. You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother, you became part of this earth, and you gazed upon this world with human eyes. Today you are alive in every creature in your risen glory. Praise be to you! Holy Spirit, by your light you guide this world towards the Father’s love and accompany creation as it groans in travail. You also dwell in our hearts and you inspire us to do what is good. Praise be to you!

Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love, teach us to contemplate you in the beauty of the universe, for all things speak of you. Awaken our praise and thankfulness for every being that you have made. Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined in everything that is. God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love, and beauty. Praise be to you! Amen.

Palindromes

A palindrome is a phrase or sentence that reads the same left to right and right to left. Check these palindromes, some popular and some others which I am sure you are seeing here for the first time. Of course, many of them don't make any sense, but it's fun to see how people create phrases that are perfect palindromes.
Able was I ere I saw Elba
Go Hang a Salami, I'm a Lasagna Hog!
A Toyota! Race fast, safe car. A Toyota
A man, a plan, a canal: Panama!
Dogma: I am God
If I had a hi-fi
So Many dynamos
Madam, I'm Adam
Marge lets Norah see Sharon's telegram
Murder for a jar of red rum
Never odd or even
No, it is open on one position.
No lemons, no melon
Rise to vote, sir
Some men interpret nine memos
Stella won no wallets
Star comedy by Democrats
We panic in a pew
Gateman sees name, garageman sees name tag
Sums are not set as a test on Erasmus
Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas!
Ah, Satan sees Natasha.
Anne, I vote more cars race Rome to Vienna.
Doc Note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod.
God saw I was a dog.
Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo.
Rats live on no evil star.
Boston, O do not sob
Dennis and Edna sinned
Draw pupil's lip upward.
Golf? No sir, prefer prison-flog
I, man, am regal; a German am I
Let O'Hara gain an inn in a Niagara hotel
No, it never propagates if I set a GAP or PREVENTION.
Ten animals I slam in a net
Was it a bar or a bat I saw?
Yawn a more Roman way

Dr. Ben Carson

Ben Carson had a rough start in a Detroit ghetto where he says he was the ‘class dummy’ in fifth grade. His mother insisted that he work harder and read more. His parents had marital problems and his mother even attempted suicide as she suffered from depression. Yet Ben persevered.  In time he won a Yale University scholarship. Then he became a world-renowned paediatric neurosurgeon at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Hospital. He started giving monthly inspirational talks to young people. ‘You become a valuable person because of the knowledge that you have’ he used to tell young people. ‘And that doesn’t mean you won’t fail sometimes. The important thing is to keep trying.’ In 2008, Ben Carson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 2016 he ran for President of the USA, and in March 2017, he was made the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Winners and Losers

The difference between those who try and those who give up....

When a winner makes a mistake he says: ”I was wrong.” When a loser makes a mistake, he says “It wasn’t my fault.”

A winner isn’t nearly as afraid of losing as a loser is secretly afraid of winning.

A winner goes through a problem; a loser goes around it, and never gets past it.

A winner says: “I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be.” A loser says: “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.”

A winner listens; a loser just waits until it’s his turn to talk.

A winner feels responsible for more than his job; a loser says “I only work here.”

Winner never quit. Quitters never win.

Maryknoll Sister Madeline Dorsey

Sister Madeline Dorsey a few years ago in El Salvador

Maryknoll Sister Madeline Dorsey is a true guiding light. At age 96, she is retired from active ministry but still going strong. “My bedroom is my chapel, in my favorite chair, in prayer,” says Sister Madeline, who has served in six countries over the course of her 78 years as a Maryknoll Sister. She now focuses her energy on prayer, especially for the people of her beloved El Salvador. She’s not alone in her determination to remain a critical part of her community’s mission even if she can’t be an active part of the ministries that span the globe. “We want to be involved as much as possible,” Sister Madeline says of her fellow elderly sisters now focused on prayer. “Our concern for the poor is uppermost; so we pray, we are aware…yes, aware even at 95 plus.” When Sister Madeline was honored with a Doctor of Humane Letters from Le Moyne College in Syracuse a few years ago, the administration said, “Sister Maddie not only symbolizes a generation of extraordinary religious women; she herself serves as an example of creative generosity for us all—as a nurse, as a teacher…and now as she serves the Spanish-speaking community in New Haven. Her many accomplishments combined with her winning smile and sense of humor, make Sister Maddie a worthy role model for Le Moyne students who will face their own extraordinary challenges in this new century.” For those lucky college students, Sister Madeline will have taught them that aging doesn’t have to mean declining, so long as they continue to seek out people and opportunities that will benefit from their experience and satisfy their longings to be needed, involved and valued.

Conversion of St. Paul

The Conversion of St. Paul by Paul Camilleri Cauchi in Fontana church.

This day in history is a true milestone. Personally, I probably would not be a priest if I was not born in Catholic Malta. And Malta would not be Catholic if it wasn’t for St Paul being shipwrecked here in 60 AD, and St Paul would not have made any of his missionary journeys if he was not converted on his way to Damascus. This dramatic painting is one of many that are depicted in Maltese churches, although the shipwreck obviously is more of a popular scene. We honor our great Apostle of the Gentiles today on the day his life changed forever.

“Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.” (Acts 9: 1-9) Eventually, he was healed by Ananias, who also baptized Saul, whose name became Paul.

St Francis De Sales

Stained glass of St Francis in the Baker City Cathedral

Born in 1567, the eldest in a large family, Francis was ear-marked by his father to become a lawyer. He was more interested though in Canon Law and with the support of his mother, he studied in Paris, France and Padua, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1593. As a priest he set out to offer clear and solid teaching, even slipping articles on Catholic doctrine under the doors of people’s homes, for which he was later named Patron of Journalists. In 1602, he was made Bishop of Geneva, and here he strove to educate the clergy as well as support and enrich religious life. He gave spiritual direction to many, as well as through his letters. St.Francis gave special attention to women, to the poor and to the disadvantaged. His famous book The Introduction to the Spiritual Life was a result of his letters written as spiritual direction. The Treatise on the Love of God came about in response to the Visitation Sisters, whom he helped found with the help of St Jane Frances de Chantal, with whom he became a spiritual pen-friend, their letters also published in a book. He died in 1622 and was canonized 33 years later in 1655.
This is a much-beloved feast for me, as I spent 8 glorious years at the Cathedral parish dedicated to St.Francis de Sales in Baker City, Oregon between 2005 and 2013. Reflect on these two photos, and I suggest you enlarge them by clicking on them, then read on......

The Sanctuary of the Cathedral before the renovation done in 2007

The same Sanctuary after the renovation in 2008

To coincide with the centennial of the building of the Cathedral, I led a renovation in 2008 and the result is quite impressive as one can see from these two contrasting photos, before and after the renovation. Thanks to many parishioners who donated their time, their talents and their treasures, we were able to change the overall look of the sanctuary, with a baldachino erected in the center with the tabernacle underneath. The carpeting, the color scheme, and the seating arrangements were changed, and the result is a very reverent sanctuary area, very conducive to prayer, appreciated by parishioners and visitors alike.

Never, ever give up!

A teenager in England who had repeatedly failed in school won a scholarship to Oxford University because one teacher refused to give up on him. His parents had been urged to put the boy in an institution for the retarded. But the perceptive teacher found the cause of his trouble: “He is left-eyed and right-handed. This accounted for his inability to read. The boy was no fool – but a potential genius.” After 2 years of hard work on remedial reading and other subjects, the youngster – at 16 – blossomed into such a scholar that he won the Oxford scholarship.

St Publius

St Publius, by Emvin Cremona in the Floriana parish.

Today the church in Malta celebrates the feast of St Publius. He was the chief of the island of Malta when St Paul was shipwrecked here in 60 AD. He welcomed St Paul, St Luke and the 276 sailors who ended up drifting to shore on planks of wood from the broken vessel on which they had traveled. Publius was very generous and hospitable to all these people, and when St Paul found out that his father was sick with fever and a bout of dysentery, he went to his house and healed him, whereupon many other natives came to be healed of various ailments. Eventually, St Paul ordained St Publius as the first Bishop of Malta. Later on in his life, he was captured and martyred by the cruel Emperor Hadrian. Most probably he was sent to the amphitheater and devoured by a lion, as his statue always shows him with a lion next to him. The parish church of Floriana is dedicated to him, and the impressive ceiling of the church was painted by Emvin Cremona with various scenes from the life of St Publius. 

The account in the Acts of the Apostles says" Once we had reached safety, we learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us extraordinary hospitality; they lit a fire and welcomed all of us because it had begun to rain and was cold.......It so happened that the father of Publius, the governor of the island, was sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and after praying, laid his hands on him and healed him. After this, the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and were cured. They paid us great honor and when we eventually set sail, they brought us the provisions we needed.” (Acts 28: 1-10) The italicized words show the positive characteristics of the Maltese people.

1000 posts

This the 1000th post in my blog. If you count the 1512 posts I placed on the first blog I used in Oregon,  www.fatherjulian.blogspot.com while in the USA, that’s an astounding 2500 posts over 7 years. That's a lot of food for thought folks. So if you’re bored or need a break from the negative news that surrounds us, check some of the older posts, by clicking the Older Posts link in the bottom part of this blog, on the right-hand side, or click on the year, or month on the sidebar. Since I do not have Facebook, I rely simply on friends and visitors of this blog to share my address and am always grateful for letting your friends know about it. As the administrator, I can check to see who is looking at my blog. Presently I am getting close to 120 visits per day, with an average of 50 from the USA, around 30 from Malta and the rest from all over the world, including quite a few from Russia. Most probably people check Google for some photos, and my photos come up, and then they like it and visit it and share it with some of their friends.

As a cover photo today I use a photo I took last Saturday on a photography outing to the remaining limited countryside in rural Malta. I found this man sitting alone, with just nature around him, no wires, no tower cranes, no cell towers, but just himself, his God and a peaceful atmosphere around nature’s blessing.

From chaos to hope

The massive power failure that plunged New York City into darkness during the evening rush hour on November 9, 1965, had one hopeful aspect. What stood out during the 12-hour blackout was the extraordinary spirit of cooperation that millions of complete strangers showed each other under extremely trying circumstances. More than 800,000 homeward-bound workers, suddenly caught in crowded subway trains, kept their heads and maintained a sense of humor. Countless thousands of others, trapped in mid-air in skyscraper elevators, not only avoided panic but took their prolonged confinement with friendly resignation. Off-duty police, firemen and other city personnel hurried back to their posts even before being summoned. Many persons brought candles, flashlights to hospitals, helped operate manual generators and calmed fears of frightened patients. Teenagers showed remarkable initiative by stepping into the breach when traffic lights went out. They proved invaluable in keeping cars moving, thus preventing dangerous jams. Motorists gave rides to stranded pedestrians. And on top of everything, looting and other crimes were below average, despite the darkness that engulfed the city that night.

The Muppets – what if?

The Muppets gang

The Muppets and Sesame Street would never have evolved if it wasn’t for the sheer perseverance of Jim Henson and his group of puppeteers and artists around him. There are around 400 muppet characters, from an optimist like Kermit to a pessimist like Oscar the Grouch, and from an introvert like Big Bird to an extrovert like Miss Piggy who pokes her snout into everything. Henson’s infatuation with puppets started in 1949. Later on, he became involved in a high school puppet club just before he started college, but when he auditioned for a local television show in Washington, DC, it started slow and lasted only 3 weeks. The whole nation noticed the Muppet personalities in 1969 but was looked at as a children’s show. When Jim Henson tried strenuously to interest three major U.S. television stations for a weekly Muppet variety series, the TV executives said NO. Then England’s Lord Grade invited him to produce ‘The Mupper Show’ in England, and it was an instant success. In 1976, Henson was awarded the ‘Entertainer of the Year’ by the American Guild of Variety Artists. Jim Henson died in 1990. We are grateful for his determination and perseverance in never giving up.

Children matter

Among guests at a party once given by Ambassador Dwight W. Morrow was Calvin Coolidge (future US President.) When Coolidge left, Morrow told the remaining guests that Coolidge would make a good President. They disagreed: Coolidge was too quiet and lacked color and personality. No one would vote for him, most of the guests claimed. Then Morrow’s daughter, then age six and who would one day become a renowned author, said ‘I like him.’ She held up her finger with a small bandage around it, saying, “He was the only one who asked about my sore finger.”
Calvin Coolidge eventually was elected President in 1923 after the death of his predecessor Warren Harding. He was re-elected for a full term in 1924. He restored public confidence in the White House after the scandals of his predecessor's administration and left office with considerable popularity. As a Coolidge biographer wrote: "He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions." And through it all, Miss Morrow was right. So never underestimate a child’s opinion!

St Antony, abbot

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

The Greek doors

Even though Malta is predominantly Catholic, there are a few churches that belong to other religions. One of them is the Greek Orthodox church in Valletta. The inside is obviously covered with Icons and an impressive Iconostasis seen right in the middle. But just as impressive is the main door, a bronze masterpiece with a series of panels that depict scenes from the Bible, all done in an iconic style. Among them, one can see the Nativity, the Epiphany, the Presentation, the Transfiguration, the Crucifixion, and others. (click to enlarge images)

Honesty

Honesty is as basic as the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat.

When honesty takes a holiday.....

Lethal gases, poisonous wastes, toxic additives....gradually make our air unbreathable. Our water undrinkable, and our food inedible.

Honesty affects where we are, what we do and the things we use every day.

When honesty takes a holiday......

Building codes, fire-safety regulations, quality controls....can’t be trusted to keep our houses sound, our public structures safe and our products reliable.

Honesty holds together our nation, our community, and our very families.

When honesty takes a holiday......

A President’s oath of office, a doctor’s Hippocratic oath, a couple's marriage vows.....mean little or nothing.

Yet, honesty takes a holiday every time one person “bends” the truth a little, looks the other way, “borrows” something from the office, factory or classroom, overcharges a stranger or undercharges a friend, puts convenience, face-saving or money ahead of principle. Enough of these “holidays” could make our world unliveable. That’s what happens....when honesty takes a holiday.

A prayer for those growing old

Father, help me to accept the lessening of my powers with realism and good humor. Keep me from self-pity, and remind me that age has not taken away my mission in life, but only altered it. Grant me a taste for the hidden beauties of creation, a continuing interest in Your world, and mine. Make me more patient with myself, more tolerant of the foibles of others, more outgoing with the timid and shy. Bestow on me a greater readiness for prayer, and a humble acceptance of suffering. Deepen my faith in Your unfailing truth, strengthen my hope that I will share in the joy of your Son’s resurrection, expand my love in Your Holy Spirit for all men and women – with whom I am destined to share the fellowship of the blessed for all eternity. Amen.

Our Baptism

Baptism of Jesus in St John's Cathedral, Valletta, Malta

Ending the Christmas season today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of Christ, which actually took place when he was 30 years old, at the Jordan River by St John the Baptist. It is an ideal opportunity for us to ask ourselves a few salient questions about our own baptism.

- how proud are we with the decision our parents took for us when they baptized us?
- how faithful have we been to that decision, and did we ever regret it?
- do you know which church you were baptized in?
- do you know the name of the priest who baptized you?
- do you know the date when you were baptized?
- do you know the name of your godparents? 
- how close are you to our godparents, if they are still alive?
- do you participate in baptisms in your parish, especially by renewing your baptismal vows?
- do you try to live an unblemished, pure life symbolized by the white baptismal robe you wore on that special day?
- do you follow the light of Christ symbolized by the Paschal candle which was present on that special day?
- do you commemorate your baptism day in any way?

Shahbaz Bhatti – a modern martyr

Shahbaz Bhatti, a modern martyr from Pakistan

Pope Francis recently highlighted the life of Servant of God Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic politician from Pakistan who was killed in 2011, who was a witness of how to act with love in the face of hatred. His cause for sainthood was opened by the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi in March 2016. Bhatti is loved and esteemed by many in Pakistan and his sacrifice is bearing rich fruits of hope. The Pope recalls Jesus’ words: ‘Unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’ Bhatti served as Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs from 2008 until his assassination while traveling by car to work on March 2, 2011, in Islamabad. He was 42 and was at the time the only Christian member of Pakistan’s cabinet. The Taliban claimed responsibility for Bhatti’s death, declaring him a “blasphemer of Muhammad,” because of his Christian faith.
When he took office as Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Bhatti said he had dedicated his life to the “struggle for human equality, social justice, religious freedom, and to uplift and empower the religious minorities’ communities,” and that he accepted the post for the sake of the “oppressed, down-trodden and marginalized.” “Jesus is the nucleus of my life and I want to be His true follower through my actions by sharing the love of God with the poor, oppressed, victimized, needy and suffering people of Pakistan,” he said. As a member of Pakistan’s ministerial cabinet, he supported religious minorities in several ways, including launching a national campaign promoting interfaith relations. In 2010 he led the organization of a National Interfaith Consultation in Pakistan which resulted in a joint declaration against terrorism. Prior to his career in parliament, in 1985 he founded Pakistan’s Christian Liberation Front and in 2002 the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance movement, which fought against blasphemy laws used to persecute religious minorities, particularly Christians. In a video he recorded before his death, Bhatti had said, “I believe in Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us, and I am ready to die for a cause. I’m living for my community … and I will die to defend their rights.”

Never give up!

A railroad bell that was made in 1859 is still clanging merrily. For its first 25 years, it served aboard a locomotive train on the New York-Florida line. For its next 50 years, it summoned pupils to class in a one-room schoolhouse in a rural community in the south of the USA. When the school was closed, the bell sounded no more. It fell silent. But 30 years later, it was found abandoned. But it was quickly dusted off and shined, and installed in an adult education building in Deltona, Florida. Like this locomotive bell, none of us is ever too old to serve – to make a generous contribution to life, in any capacity to which God is calling us to serve. Age, like youth, has its problems, but it has many more promises. Let’s not overlook the promise and potential we can find inside of us.

Smallest country with biggest heart

Some of the 249 migrants being welcomed into Malta

To set the record straight, I would like to share with readers of my blog, the situation of immigration in the Mediterranean. This in view of the highly publicized criticism about Malta refusing immigrants coming from Northern Africa. One should note that Malta is only 112 square miles, by far the smallest country in the European Union, and has taken thousands of immigrants over the years. We are overcrowded with Maltese natives, close to 450,000 in population, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

So while the media is reporting that Malta is a country refusing to allow migrant ships to enter our harbor, none of the other countries, millions of times bigger than Malta (and with plenty more resources,) are volunteering to take them in. Finally yesterday, Malta decided to welcome the 49 new arrivals, along with another 200 that arrived a few weeks ago. These will eventually be transferred to 8 different European countries who accepted to welcome them into their territory. It is unfair that the media report negative response from Malta, while in actual fact, our country is the only one that accepted the migrants and showed heart – certainly the smallest country with the biggest heart!

I feel the immigration problem can be solved only if the countries from where migrants are escaping from, can stop being violent and uncaring towards their people. If bigger and wealthier nations can help these countries, also by strengthening a democratic, civil society, the people there will start feeling safe and will have no need to escape, but can live in their homeland without any fear. 

Origami Christmas

I know that for many people, the Christmas season is over after the feast of the Epiphany, which was celebrated last Sunday. However, the official end is this Sunday, with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus. And so I would like to share with you another feature of Christmas past, and this shows a large origami Christmas tree set up in the Japan Airlines office and showroom in New York City. These photos were taken in the 1980s, but I’m sure you can still enjoy them today, as I did when I snapped these photos, back then, before the digital-age cameras. That is why the quality of the photos are not the best. 

The tree was covered with origami ornaments, done by children, folded meticulously and intricately and entered in a competition. The best ornaments were chosen out of thousands sent in, and they were displayed on the tree. I personally learned origami in the 1980s, and once you follow the directions, it’s pretty easy to create from simple to complicated creations.

The Christ Child

From the birth of Christ to his Baptism at the Jordan River years passed, during which we know very little about what Jesus did. The only incident recorded in the Gospel is when He was lost and found in the temple when He was 12 years old. We can only imagine what He did as a young boy and as a teenager and young adult. Several paintings have evolved of Jesus during his younger years. One of my favorites is the one reproduced here, which I found in the Cistercian Abbey at Spencer, Massachusetts. Several historically significant images of Jesus Christ as a child have received canonical blessings from the Pope, namely the Infant of Prague, the Santo Niño de Cebu in the Philippines, and the Santo Bambino of Aracoeli in Rome. Saint Joseph, St. Anthony of Padua and St Christopher are often depicted holding the Christ Child in various paintings and statues. The Christ Child was a popular subject in European wood sculpture beginning in the 1300s. Scripture tells us that Jesus ‘went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.’ (Luke 2: 51-52)

Deep Freeze in Malta

Presently Malta is experiencing one of the coldest spells in recorded history. We never saw the temperatures dip below freezing point, but these past few days, it was getting pretty close to that landmark. Some villages and towns have experienced hail and sleet, but it never snowed in our archipelago. Since homes are not heated here, inside a house can feel pretty cold, and so one has to bundle up with layers of clothing and more blankets at night. had snowed occasionally in Sicily, and even in Tunisia and Morocco, but Malta has never seen snow, even though some people claimed they have seen some flurries. My memories of snow and ice are plentiful, and I certainly don’t miss shoveling it and driving on icy roads. But this photo reproduced here reminds of the days I used to enjoy icicles, here seen with some huge icicles close to Hunter Mountain, New York, back in 1982.

Epiphany

Today the three Kings or Magi arrive in Bethlehem and present Jesus with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There are two traditions held on this day, both of which come to us from the Eastern European tradition. The first is when families write the names of the Three Kings on doorways of their homes as the head of the house goes around the house saying prayers and chanting various hymns. Chalk blessed by the priest on the feast of the Epiphany is given to the faithful to mark their entrance door with the current year and with the inscription C+M+B, the initials of Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, the traditional names of the Magi. The entire phrase would read 20 + C + M + B + 19. In addition to remembering the Magi, the inscription means the Latin phrase Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means “Christ, bless this home.” The second tradition is repeated in Greece and Greek communities around the world every January 6 or the feast of the Epiphany when dozens of teenage boys or young men jump into the murky, chilly and sometimes frozen water and dive for a wooden cross tossed in by a priest. The one lucky enough to surface with it earns instant celebrity status, a ride through the streets on the shoulders of his peers and – the Greek-American boys believe – the favor of God in the coming year.

7 years of blogging

Today is the 7th anniversary since I started my blog, first in the USA and over the last two and a half years, here in Malta. It has been a pleasure sharing these daily posts and I know how many look forward to checking every day my new post. I had 1512 posts on my first Blog from the USA, and so far I have 984 posts in the present Blog, which you are reading right here. For all those who seem to be bored at times, I would encourage you to browse through some of my past entries, and you will be surprised how much inspiration, food for thought, reflections and other trivia you will find. Occasionally I place some personal flash-backs from the past, but overall, you will daily find something to think about, something to learn and remember, and something you may have been searching for. And I’m glad you found it here. The link you find on the very top on the right-hand corner ‘Search this Blog’ will give you the opportunity to search anything you may be looking for, and it will take you to that subject. You can search for my first blog here: www.fatherjulian.blogspot.com

St Elizabeth Ann Seton

Elizabeth Bayley Seton was the first native-born American to be canonized. Born two years before the American Revolution, on August 28, 1774, Elizabeth grew up in the "cream" of New York society. She was a prolific reader and read everything from the Bible to contemporary novels. In spite of her high society background, Elizabeth's early life was quiet, simple, and often lonely. As she grew a little older, the Bible was to become her continual instruction, support, and comfort. 

In 1794, Elizabeth married the wealthy young William Seton, with whom she was deeply in love. The first years of their marriage were happy and prosperous. This time of Elizabeth's life was to be a brief moment of earthly happiness before the many deaths and partings she was to suffer. Within four years, Will's father died, leaving the young couple in charge of Will's seven half brothers and sisters, besides their own 5 children, as well as the family's importing business. Now events began to move fast - and with devastating effect. Both Will's business and his health failed. He was finally forced to file a petition of bankruptcy. In a final attempt to save Will's health, the Setons sailed for Italy, but he died of tuberculosis soon after they arrived.
Elizabeth's deep concern for the spiritual welfare of her family and friends eventually led her into the Catholic Church, thanks also to the influence of the Fellicchi family with whom they stayed while in Italy. Elizabeth was baptized in St Peter’s church, New York City in 1805. 

At the suggestion of the president of St. Mary's College in Baltimore, Maryland, Elizabeth started a school in that city. She and two other young women, who helped her in her work, began plans for a new order, which was to be named Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. They established the first free Catholic school in America. When the young community adopted their rule, they made provisions for Elizabeth to continue raising her children. On March 25, 1809, the new Mother Seton pronounced her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. 

Although Mother Seton was now afflicted with tuberculosis, she continued to guide her children. By 1818, in addition to their first school, the sisters had established two orphanages and another school. Today six groups of sisters trace their origins to Mother Seton's initial foundation. Mother Seton died on January 4, 1821, at the age of 46, only sixteen years after becoming a Catholic. She was canonized on September 14, 1975. On that day both Episcopalians and Catholics rejoiced. She is the patron of the Catholic schools in the USA.

Prayers for the year

I pray through January for some cool weather and much-needed rain.

I pray through February as I recommit myself to the faith brought to Malta by St Paul.

I pray through March as I start my Lenten penance and offer little sacrifices.

I pray through April as I rejoice with the Risen Christ, the patron of my chapel.

I pray through May as I honor Mary and see her as my spiritual mother.

I pray through June as I celebrate 42 years as a priest.

I pray through July that it goes by fast, as I can’t stand hot weather.

I pray through August as I turn 37, after 30 years of experience.

I pray through September and look forward to days getting shorter and cooler.

I pray through October as I pray the rosary in 7 versions I use on my Ipad.

I pray through November as I remember my parents and loved ones.

I pray through December as I rejoice with the coming of Christ in my life as I bring Him into people’s lives.

A solitary holy moment

Back in 1990, when Pope St John Paul II visited Malta for the first time, he, of course, had a full schedule of events, meetings, Masses, visits to historic places and so much more crammed into a week. But there was one special moment when he was visiting the town of Rabat. And this was recorded in a photo which I’ve been searching for a long time – I finally found it in the same church, hanging in a frame in the sacristy.

What happened was that the Pope was supposed to talk to a large crowd outside the church, and as thousands of people waited for him in the warm May sunshine, he had to visit the cave where St Paul supposedly had stayed in during his shipwrecked journey. 

You can see him here touching the statue of St Paul in the second photo. But the one moment that touched many people was when he decided to stop in the main aisle of the church, and stepped inside one of the pews. He stayed there for a pretty long time, oblivious of the thousands of people waiting for him. But this gesture taught all of us a big lesson. He stayed there focused on the Lord, looking at the beautiful altar and tabernacle, where Jesus resides daily. Nobody dared to tell him to move on to speak to the people, but when he felt it was time, he did. Maybe he was tired and wanted a little rest, but most importantly, he wanted to show us where our priorities should be. 

Keeping the Happy Spirit

As we start a new year, in good health and in harmony with each other, let us make it a point to keep the Christmas spirit going all year-round. Granted that the decorations will be taken down after the feast of the Epiphany, and the Christmas CDs will be stored for another year, but the gift of sharing and the joy of giving could be extended to the other 11 months of the year. Back in 1982, I went for the first time to the town of Lake Placid, in upstate New York, where the Winter Olympic Games were held in 1932 and again in 1980. Strolling through the streets I came across a store called ‘All-year-round Christmas Store.’ (It has since been re-named Lake Placid Christmas Company.) Since I was there in July, the store seemed so out-of-place until I went inside and found it crowded with people shopping mostly for Christmas ornaments, to hang on their tree next Christmas. Christmas carols were being played, nativities were also featured and so many festive and seasonal artifacts were on display, and instantly, you feel like it’s December 24!  And everyone was in a happy festive mood. Which is what it should be like, all year round, not just in Lake Placid.

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year, with the spirit of joy and cooperation all year round.