St Ignatius of Loyola

The Jesuits had quite an important role in my education and spiritual formation. My spiritual director in the Seminary was a Jesuit, Fr Joseph Bernard, as were many of my priest friends. My two nephews were educated in a school run by the Jesuits, and which has actually produced quite a few well-known people in Malta. Jesuits have provided many good priests, many of whom have dedicated their lives to work in the missions. We thank St Ignatius of Loyola, their founder, whose feast we celebrate today.
St. Ignatius was born in the family castle in Guipúzcoa, Spain, the youngest of 13 children, and was called Iñigo. When he was old enough, he became a page, and then a soldier of Spain to fight against the French. A cannonball shattered his leg and subsequently, a series of bad operations ended his military career in 1521. While St. Ignatius recovered, he started reading profane books, but since there were few of them, he picked up whatever he could find. Among these books were the Bible and the lives of the saints and decided to dedicate himself to becoming a soldier of the Catholic Faith. Soon after he experienced visions, but a year later suffered a trial of fears and scruples, driving him almost to despair. Out of this experience, he wrote his famous "Spiritual Exercises". After traveling and studying in different schools, he finished in Paris, where he received his degree at the age of 43. Many first hated St. Ignatius because of his humble lifestyle. Despite this, he attracted several followers at the university, including St. Francis Xavier, and soon started his order called The Society of Jesus, or Jesuits.
He was a gifted spiritual director, and has been described by Pope Benedict XVI as “being above all a man of God and a man of profound prayer who gave the first place of his life to God.” He was very active in fighting the Protestant Reformation and promoting the subsequent Counter-Reformation. St Ignatius died at the age of 65. He was canonized on March 12, 1622. His motto is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greatest Glory of God.) There are 38 members of the Society of Jesus who have been declared Saints. So many other Jesuits have become Cardinals, Bishops, and great writers, and six years ago, the first Jesuit, Jorge Bergoglio became the first Jesuit Pope, Francis.

Egan Bernal

Egan Bernal in yellow with team-mate Geraint Thomas in Paris.

A young 22-year-old cyclist from Columbia stunned the sporting world when he won the Tour de France this year after the gruelling 3-week extravaganza that saw over 160 cyclists travel from Brussels towards the Pyrenees, up to the alps and down to the Champs Elysees, where it all ended last Sunday in the heart of Paris. The French cyclist Julian Alaphilippe led the race for more than two weeks, but the younger Columbian waited till the alps to overtake the tired Frenchman. On one of the last stages, a sudden hail storm and an eventual mudslide led to the stage to be neutralized, and the race ended earlier than what was to be the finishing line. At that stage, Egan Bernal had overtaken Julian, and his team-mate Geraint Thomas, last year's winner, crept up to the second spot.

The INEOS cycling team, formerly SKY

Both were on the same INEOS team, which this year lacked former multiple winner Chris Froome, who was seriously injured. The whole nation of Columbia, especially his home town of Zipaquirá, had festive celebrations all through the night and most probably all through this week. So now both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France were won by South Americans, Richard Carapaz of Ecuador, and Egan Bernal, the new star from Columbia.

Saint Martha

"St. Martha" by Vincenzo Campi....now we know why she complained!

I always had a soft spot for St Martha. She was criticized by Jesus for not sitting down at his feet and listen to Him as her sister Mary did. Poor Martha was respecting the rules of hospitality, and having such an honored guest, she was probably preparing some snacks to serve when Jesus arrived, possibly unexpected. This painting by Vincenzo Campi gives Martha a lot of reason to complain, as she had quite a meal to prepare. Of course, it may be exaggerated, but is funny in a way. But whenever I look at it, and see Jesus talking to Mary in the background, I always feel sorry for poor Martha. She would have said “Hey Lord, first things first - let’s just prepare a few snacks for us all, and then we can sit and chit-chat, while nibbling on the snacks, or the big meal that Martha probably prepared.” St Martha is the patron saint of housekeepers, housewives and waitresses. The church has acknowledged Martha's role, and given her a special feast-day we celebrate today, while Mary has no liturgical feast assigned to her, neither does Lazarus their brother. May God bless all the work done in kitchens, restaurants, and all the chefs and cooks and housewives in this culinary world of ours.

Gratitude

Xenophon in 360 BC was right when he said: “The sweetest of all sounds is praise.” We all want to hear another person sincerely commend our worth. Praise reminds us that we are important. It is nourishment for a healthy self. Genuine praise is cherished, needed, welcome and remembered. But more important than praise is gratitude. A sense of appreciation for all that we've been given. My friend Fr Benedict Groeschel CFR used to say, “I don’t look for praise or accolades, but I don’t mind being thanked. I never look for affirmation, but I appreciate once in a while a word of gratitude.”

Last black and white

Msida parish church with reflection

These are the last few photos in black and white that I share with you, and which I took back in the 1970s. To end this series, I give you 5 photos. The first one shows the Msida parish church with a reflection in the sea in front of it, much of which has been filled in with rubble since then. 

The next one shows a close up of prickly pears which are very common in Malta, and once peeled, they taste delicious, even though they have plenty of seeds. The third one shows a decorative door-knob in a house in the quiet city of Mdina. The fourth one shows a series of carts resting in an alley in Gozo. 

Decorative door-knob in Mdina

The last one shows two German shepherds, also known as alsatians, concerned with a cat outside their window, ignoring the photographer while giving him the opportunity to create a nice picture.

St Joachim and St Anne

Saint Joachim and Saint Anne are the parents of Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ and were privileged to be the grandparents of Jesus Christ. What we know about Mary's parents come from the Gospel of James. It is not part of the Bible, but the document, which was written around 170 AD gives insight into the life of Mary and her parents. Joachim was a prominent and respected man, and is described as a rich and pious man of the house of David who regularly gave to the poor. However, as his wife was barren, the high priest rejected Joachim and his sacrifice, as his wife's childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim consequently withdrew to the desert where he fasted and did penance for forty days.
Angels then appeared to both Joachim and Anne to promise them a child. Joachim later returned to Jerusalem and embraced Anne at the city gate, a traditional meeting that is frequently painted and reproduced in art. In an answer to his prayers, he and Anne, his wife, were given the daughter Mary, who was conceived without sin, a virtue we remember also on December 8, her Immaculate Conception. Their prayers were answered greater than they could have ever imagined!
There is a great Shrine to St. Anne in Canada which is a site of constant miracles. Cripples have entered the Shrine on crutches and left by walking through the door as they were completely healed. Another Shrine is in Britanny, France. There is also a church of St. Anne in Jerusalem, and it’s believed to have been built on the location where Saints Joachim and Anne lived.
The feast of St Joachim and Anne was introduced to the liturgical celebration in 1584, for celebration on March 20, the day after the feast day of Saint Joseph. Early in the 20th century, Pope Pius X transferred it to August 16, the day after the Assumption, so that Joachim may be remembered in the celebration of Mary's triumph. St Anne is the patron saint of barren women, grandparents; homemakers; housewives; pregnant women; women in labor; Brittany, France and Quebec, Canada; archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan; diocese of Norwich, Connecticut; New Mexico. St Joachim is also the patron of grandfathers and fathers.

Saint James

James and his brother John left their boat and even their father behind and followed Jesus. The first thing James saw after he followed Jesus was his teaching with authority in the synagogue and the cure of Simon's mother-in-law. We all know that Jesus was the focus of James' life from then on, but it is also evident that James held a special place in Jesus' life. He was chosen by Jesus to be one of the 12, given the mission to proclaim the good news, and authority to heal and cast out demons. But even among the apostles, he held a special place. When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter when all thought her dead, he only allowed James, John, and Peter to come with him. Even more important when he went up to the mountain to pray, he wanted James, John, and Peter to go with him. And it was there on the mountain they were privileged to witness what no one else had seen -- Jesus transfigured in his glory, speaking to Moses and Elijah. And with Simon Peter, James and John were the only ones of the apostles that Jesus gave a special name: Sons of Thunder. 

It's no wonder then that James, along with John, felt that he had the right to go to Jesus and ask him to give them whatever they asked. When their mother asked Jesus to give them preferential treatment, they didn't see the cross in his future, but an earthly throne. But despite all these misunderstandings, it was still James, Peter, and John that Jesus chose to join him in prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane for his final prayer before his arrest. It must have hurt Jesus that the three of them fell asleep on this agonizing evening. 

James did drink of the cup Jesus drank of, all too shortly after the Resurrection. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that James was one of the first martyrs of the Church. King Herod Agrippa killed him with a sword in an early persecution of the Church. There is a story that the man who arrested James became a convert after hearing James speak at his trial and was executed with him. James is called James the Greater because another younger apostle was named James. St James evangelized in Spain before he died and the cult of St James in Santiago de Compostela is well known as people make a long pilgrimage to visit his Cathedral in northwest Spain.

2 more black and white

I share with you two more photos I took in black and white back in the 1970s. The first one shows a young child admiring a sunset at St. Paul’s Bay, highlighting the silhouette of the child holding to a railing as the sea shimmers with the reflection of the sun. 

The second one shows a typical alley in the town of Fontana in our smaller island of Gozo. It shows two carts resting from a day’s work, although the ones who did the work were probably donkeys or horses resting in their stables.

St Bridget of Sweden

St Bridget of Sweden (1302-1373)

Born of a wealthy family in 1302, Saint Bridget, also known as Birgitta, she was related to many members of the royalty. In 1316, at the age of 14, she married Ulf Gudmarsson to whom she bore eight children, four daughters, and four sons. Six survived infancy, which was rare at that time. One daughter is now honored as St. Catherine of Sweden. Bridget became known for her works of charity, particularly toward Östergötland's unwed mothers and their children. When she was in her early thirties, she was summoned to be a lady-in-waiting to the new Queen of Sweden. In 1341 she and her husband went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain.
In 1344, shortly after their return, Ulf died at the Cistercian Alvastra Abbey in Östergötland. After this loss, Birgitta became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and devoted herself wholly to a life of prayer and caring for the poor and the sick.
It was about this time that she developed the idea of establishing the religious community which was to become the Order of the Brigittines, whose principal house at Vadstena was later richly endowed by King Magnus IV of Sweden and his queen. One distinctive feature of the pre-Reformation houses of the Order was that they were double monasteries, with both men and women forming a joint community, though with separate cloisters. In 1350, a year of jubilee, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome accompanied by her daughter, Catherine, and a small party of priests and disciples. This was done partly to obtain from the Pope the authorization of the new Order. But since the Pope was living in Avignon, France at that time, she had to wait until he returned to Rome.
It was not until 1370 that Pope Urban V, during his brief attempt to re-establish the papacy in Rome, confirmed the Rule of the Order, but meanwhile Birgitta had made herself universally beloved in Rome by her kindness and good works. Save for occasional pilgrimages, including one to Jerusalem in 1373, she remained in Rome until her death on 23 July 1373. She was canonized in the year 1391 by Pope Boniface IX.

St Mary Magdalen

Mary Magdalene, whose liturgical feast we celebrate today, is mentioned as one of the women who ministered to Jesus. The same passage also refers briefly to an act of exorcism performed on her, on an occasion when seven demons were cast out. These women, who earlier "had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities", later accompanied Jesus on his last journey to, and were witnesses to the Crucifixion. She was also the privileged first person to see Jesus risen from the tomb, an honor that was not given to any of the 12 apostles, but only to Mary Magdalene, probably in a way of thanking her for staying with Jesus till the end at the foot of the cross. This is the last mention in the Gospels of Mary of Magdala, who now returned to Jerusalem. She is probably included in the group of women who joined the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem after Jesus' Ascension and may have also been with the Blessed Mother at Pentecost.
Tradition as early as the third century identifies Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and with the woman sinner who anointed Jesus' feet, even though she remains unnamed. The identification of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and "the woman who was a sinner" is reflected in an influential sermon Pope Gregory I gave in 591, which said: "She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary of Bethany, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark. St Gregory also mentions the fact that she remained faithful, waiting for Jesus with tears in her eyes, while the apostles ran away. According to Eastern traditions, she retired to Ephesus and there she died. Her relics were transferred to Constantinople in 886 and are there preserved. Most importantly we honor today a woman who remained faithful to Jesus until the very end of her life. It was a tribute to her that Pope Francis elevated her memorial to a feast-day, on the same level as that of the apostles.

Martha and Mary

The Gospel reading for today is the story of Martha and Mary, as Jesus visits his friends to say Hello, to munch on some grapes and figs, taste some freshly-baked bread and sip some home-made wine. I always had a soft spot for St Martha. She was criticized by Jesus for not sitting down at his feet and listen to Him as her sister Mary did. Poor Martha was respecting the rules of hospitality, and having such an honored guest, she was probably preparing some snacks to serve when Jesus arrived, possibly unexpected. This painting by Vincenzo Campi gives Martha a lot of reason to complain, as she had a quite a meal to prepare, with fish, poultry, artichokes, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, carrots and all kinds of vegetables. Of course, it may be exaggerated, but is funny in a way. Yet whenever I look at this cute painting and see Jesus talking to Mary in the background, I always feel sorry for poor Martha. I would say “Hey Lord, first things first - let’s just prepare a few snacks for us all, and then we can sit and chit-chat, while nibbling on the snacks, or feast on the big meal that Martha probably prepared.” St Martha is the patron saint of housekeepers, housewives, and waitresses. Her feast-day is coming up on July 29.

50 years ago

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin

We commemorate today, July 20 the 50th anniversary of the first time a human being ever stepped foot on the moon. Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that first landed humans on the moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface six hours later on July 21. Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later. They spent about two and a quarter hours together outside the spacecraft, and collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of lunar material to bring back to Earth. Command module pilot Michael Collins flew the command module Columbia alone in lunar orbit while they were on the moon's surface. Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21.5 hours on the lunar surface at a site they named Tranquility Base before rejoining Columbia in lunar orbit.

Apollo 11 was launched from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16. They returned to Earth and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24 after more than eight days in space. Armstrong's first step onto the lunar surface was broadcast on live TV to a worldwide audience. He described the event as "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Apollo 11 effectively ended the Space Race and fulfilled a national goal proposed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy: "before this decade is out, we dream of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth." Neil Armstrong died on August 25, 2012, while Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins are still alive, both in their upper 80s. I personally remember the event very well, as a 17-year-old teenager I did a scrapbook on this historic event, with pictures from newspapers and information I gathered from various news sources.

The Rights of the Disabled

Excerpts from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons:
- Disabled persons have the inherent right to respect for their human dignity.
- Disabled persons have the same civil and political rights as other human beings.
- Disabled persons are entitled to the measures designed to enable them to become as self-reliant as possible.
- Disabled persons have the right to medical (and other) treatment....and to services which will enable them to develop their capabilities....and will hasten their social integration or re-integration.
- Disabled persons have the right....to secure and retain employment.
- Disabled persons have the right to live with their families....if their stay in a specialized establishment is indispensable, the living conditions shall be as close as possible to normal.
- Disabled persons shall be protected against...treatment of discriminatory, abusive or degrading nature.

More black and white

Two more black and white photos from my collection. These two were taken at the Seminary in Floriana, back in 1972 and 1974 respectively. The first one shows three seminarians posing for me during a spectacular sunset, with the cross on the chapel cupola in the foreground on the side. This photo evokes feelings of peace and harmony, as if God is talking to us and sharing a tiny bit of his immense beauty, which we often seem to take for granted.

The other one shows two of my classmates, still seminarians reading the Breviary along the collonades in the Atrium, which is surrounded by a series of columns. We used the atrium itself as a Volleyball and Basketball court in our days. I like the composition of this photo as it shows the serenity and spirituality of the moment. It evokes feelings of quiet, prayerfulness and intimate contact with the Almighty. More of my vintage photos later in the week.

World Emoticon Day

Today, July 17 is World Emoticon Day. Even though I never use them, I know many of my friends do and send them to me to express their feelings, always happy and smiling ones, and never, never in anger, but only a few times in disappointment – the reason is because I did not put my daily post in my blog on time. Of course, a smiley followed immediately.

An emoticon is short for "emotion icon", and is a pictorial representation of a facial expression using characters, usually punctuation marks, numbers, and letters, to express a person’s feelings or moods, or as a time-saving method. The first ASCII emoticons, :-) and :-(, were written by Scott Fahlman in 1982, but emoticons actually originated on the Plato IV computer system in 1972. As SMS and the internet became widespread in the late 1990s, emoticons became increasingly popular and were commonly used on text messages, internet, and e-mails. Emoticons have played a significant role in communication through technology, and some devices and applications have provided stylized pictures that do not use text punctuation. They offer another range of "tone" and feeling through texting that portrays specific emotions through facial gestures while in the midst of text-based cyber communication.

In 1963, the "smiley face", a yellow button with two black dots representing eyes and an upturned thick curve representing a mouth was created by freelance artist Harvey Ball. It was realized on order of a large insurance company as part of a campaign to bolster the morale of its employees and soon became a big hit. This smiley presumably inspired many later emoticons; the most basic graphic emoticon that depicts this is, in fact, a small yellow smiley face. More recent emoticons are being called Emojis.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

According to a pious tradition, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St Simon Stock at Cambridge, England on Sunday, June 16, 1251. In answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order, she appeared to him with a scapular in her hand and said to him:”Take, beloved son, this scapular of your order as a special sign of grace for all Carmelites; whoever dies with this scapular, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is a sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, a pledge of peace.” Images of Our Lady of Mount Carmel usually show the Blessed Mother with the Child Jesus in her arms, each holdings scapulars. Some poor souls in purgatory or hell are seen underneath asking for prayers and intervention.

The Carmelites are a religious order founded on Mount Carmel in the 13th century, named thus in reference to the mountain range found in the Holy Land. The founder was a certain Berthold, who was either a pilgrim or a crusader. The order was founded at the site that it claimed had once been the location of Elijah’s cave, 1700 feet above sea level. 
By 2001, there were 2,100 religious monks in 25 provinces in the Carmelite order, besides 700 cloistered nuns in 70 monasteries. In addition, the Third Order of lay Carmelites counts 28,000 members throughout the world. Besides St Simon Stock, there are other Carmelite saints such as St Therese of the Child Jesus, St John of the Cross, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, St Teresa of Avila and even Sister Lucia of Fatima.

Black and White

The early days of photography were black and white, and personally, I started also with black and white, developing my own films, although I never had the facility of printing them. But I have a small collection of vintage photos I took in the 1970s when I was still in the Seminary, and most of these photos were taken with an Instamatic camera until I got my first camera which my father bought for me in 1972, a Petri, and which I used until the year 2000 or so. These are just two of my favorite photos. The first one is of a fisherman enjoying an early morning relaxing time. This photo was chosen to be exhibited in the Maltese Annual Photography Exhibition in 1976. 

The second one shows a Gardiola, one of the many watchtowers built by the Knights of Malta in the 17th century, framed with branches and trees, something which I always tried to do in my photographic journey. More black and white photos later on this week.

3 times I got hurt

I get annoyed and upset when people take advantage of you. Three stories stick to my mind when I was still in a New York parish. The first one was when an old woman came to the rectory sobbing and told me a long story of how she got evicted from her house and had nowhere to stay. She was so convincing and her frail appearance made me feel sorry for her. We usually never give out any cash, but I weakened that day and gave her $50. Big mistake. As she left, I looked through the window and saw her running, literally running across the street, and climbed with great agility a big truck, it was a Penske truck, and waiting for her was the driver, a young man. I noticed her laughing and gave him a high-five and drove away. I learned that day, never again!

Another day, a homeless man came in the rectory asking for some money to buy food. I told him we don’t give out any money but was happy to prepare a few sandwiches for him. He reluctantly accepted although he insisted he preferred money so that he could buy whatever he liked. So I gave him a brown bag with two healthy sandwiches, an apple, some cookies in a plastic bag and can of lemonade. Off he went, and as I looked through the window, I saw him approach the first garbage can and threw the entire bag in there, without even opening it. I was fuming and really angry, and but I learned that day, never again!

This one was from my years in Oregon. A man came begging for some gasoline money (petrol) and I weakened and gave him a voucher for $20 to buy some gasoline. A few minutes later, the Gas Station attendant called me and told me “Father, sorry to tell you this, but this guy to whom you gave the gas voucher, had enough money to buy a carton of cigarettes, worth over $50.” Another highway robbery! I tried to be a Good Samaritan, but sometimes you have to be more cautious because there are people who take advantage of your kindness.

How did Jesus spend his summers?

Summer is the only season that Jesus mentions in the Gospels: “Look at the fig tree. When you see them blossoming, you say that summer is near.” But we wonder how did Jesus spend the hot summer months? Granted that it most probably wasn’t as hot as it is nowadays, with all this global warming. I’m sure he would spend time on a boat with the apostles, possibly fishing. Maybe even swimming in the lake of Galilee, or a walk or a jog in the early morning hours? Would he have organized an occasional bar-b-q as he had suggested when they caught a large haul of fish? He would probably spend time playing with the children, and visiting the elderly and the sick. Visits to his friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus were probably more frequent than we think. We wonder if he would spend time looking up to the stars until he dozed off in the evening hours. Would he climb a nearby hill to watch a spectacular sunset, or see the sheep gathering in their fold? Jesus would have noticed the flow and the cycle of nature to use more stories and analogies in his many parables. He too needed some time to re-charge his batteries and rest a little bit.

Saints Louis and Zelie Martin

Very few married couples have been elevated to sainthood. Of course we remember St Joseph and the Blessed Mother, as well St. Joachim and St. Anne, Elizabeth and Zechariah, and most recently another couple joined them. They are the parents of yet another saint, and so we can say that there are three saints from the same family, a rare feat. Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin are the parents of St Therese of Lisieux. Louis was born in 1823 and wanted to become a monk, but he was poor in his studies of Latin, and became a watchmaker instead. Zelie was born in 1831 and she also wanted to become a nun, but with some breathing problems, she was refused entry into the convent. Instead she became a professional lace-maker, to such an extent that her husband left his job and helped her in the production of Alencon lace, which became very popular all over France.
Their love for each other continued to blossom, and they got married on July 12, 1858, at the Basilica of Notre Dame in Alencon. It was the same time when the Blessed Mother was appearing to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes. They wanted to live a celibate life without any sexual relations between them. But when their spiritual director heard of this strange marital arrangement, he reprimanded them, and insisted that this is not the way married couple should live their lives together. Apparently they must have listened to him, because in 13 years they had 9 children. Only 5 of them lived into adulthood and they were all girls, and all of them became nuns.

Icon of the family Martin, including the 4 deceased children.

Marie Louise lived 80 years, Marie Pauline lived 90 years, Mare Leonie lived 78 years, Marie Celine lived 90 years, and Marie Francoise-Therese lived only 24 years, and became the popular saint Therese of Lisieux. Their parents, however, were not lucky enough to enjoy the company of their daughters. Their mother Zelie died of breast cancer in 1877, aged 45, and their father Louis died in 1894, aged 70.  They raised their daughters with deep spirituality and love. Louis had built a little chapel where he used to spend time in prayer. He loved nature and traveled to many holy places, like Rome, Lourdes, Costantinople. He even gave affectionate nicknames to his girls. One he called diamond, another one pearl, another one the brave, yet another Guardian Angel, and young Therese he called little queenie, reginetta.
Louis and Zelie used to write beautiful letters to each other and were published in a book. Although the letters from Louis were only 16, the ones from Zelie were 216, and they show the deeply spiritual life they used to live together. They were canonized by Pope Francis in October 2015.

Saint Benedict and his medal

We honor today the father of Monasticism, Saint Benedict, and we pray for all the Benedictines around the world who follow the Rule of St Benedict, comprised of 73 short chapters. The Rule encourages a Christo-centric life and also gives recommendations about how to deal with our brothers (and sisters), as well as some administrative rules on how to run a monastery. St Benedict was a twin and along with his twin sister St Scholastica, they are both revered as saints. The most famous Benedictine Abbey is in Monte Cassino near Rome, which was heavily bombed during World War II, but many other beautiful monasteries are around the world, especially in Germany, France, Italy, England, and the USA. 

The well-known medal of St Benedict is very descriptive and has acronyms in Latin on how to attack the devil and protect oneself from danger. The medal is used by Catholics to ward off spiritual and physical dangers, especially those related to evil, poison, and temptation. On the front of the medal is Saint Benedict holding a cross in his right hand, the object of his devotion, and in the left his rule for monasteries. In the back is a poisoned cup, in reference to the legend of Benedict, which explains that hostile monks attempted to poison him: the cup containing poisoned wine shattered when the saint made the sign of the cross over it (and a raven carried away a poisoned loaf of bread). Above the cup are the words"Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti" (The Cross of our Holy Father Benedict). Surrounding the figure of Saint Benedict are the words “Eius In Obitu Nostro Praesentia Muniamur!” (May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death), since he was always regarded by the Benedictines as the patron of a happy death.
On the back is a cross, containing the letters C S S M L - N D S M D, initials of the words "Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux! Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux!" (May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my overlord!). The large C S P B stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti (The Cross of [our] Holy Father Benedict). Surrounding the back of the medal are the letters V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B, in reference to “Vade Retro Satana! Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana! Sunt Mala Quae Libas. Ipse Venena Bibas!" (Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!) and finally, located at the top is the word PAX which means "peace."

Our home - 30 years ago

This is the house where we grew up, even though only my younger brother was born here. We moved here in 1956 and my sister still lives there, besides myself, usually on Sunday afternoon till Monday morning. Our surroundings have changed dramatically since we moved here. We were surrounded by terraced fields, where we spent hours playing, building camps and playing hide and seek. The fields have been taken over by apartments and houses and other maisonettes, owned by young families, whose children are now grown up and married with children of their own. In fact, I hardly recognize anyone anymore from my years as assistant pastor here between 1977 and 1981. 

My mother and father took great care of our house, and you can see some shots of our living room, which was usually opened when we had visitors. That's the custom in Malta, although nowadays it's open all the time. My room is still the same as is in the picture of 30 years ago. And my sister still spends most of her time in the kitchen, washing, and cleaning while I do most of the cooking. And all the items are just about the same way you see them in the photos. As if life stood still, with the exception that we are all 30 years older.

Bishop Fulton Sheen to be beatified

Bishop Sheen during one of his many TV shows.

Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to Archbishop Fulton Sheen, making possible the American television catechist's beatification. The miracle involves the unexplained recovery of James Fulton Engstrom, a boy born apparently stillborn in September 2010 to Bonnie and Travis Engstrom of the Peoria-area town of Goodfield. He showed no signs of life as medical professionals tried to revive him. The child’s mother and father prayed to Archbishop Sheen to heal their son. A seven-member panel of medical experts advising the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave unanimous approval of the miracle attributed to the famous television personality and evangelist in March 2014. Bonnie Engstrom recalls how after 61 minutes, just as emergency room personnel were about to pronounce him dead, James Fulton Engstrom began to breathe and his heart rate shot up to a normal level for a newborn. Despite dire prognoses for his future, the child has thrived and is now a healthy 8-year-old who likes chicken nuggets, “Star Wars” and riding his bicycle.
Archbishop Sheen was a beloved television catechist during the 1950s and 60s in the United States. His Emmy-award winning television show “Life is Worth Living” reached an audience of millions. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois at the age of 24 on September 20, 1919, and was appointed auxiliary bishop of New York in 1951, where he remained until his appointment as Bishop of Rochester, New York in 1966. He retired in 1969 and moved back to New York City until his death in 1979. On June 27, Sheen’s remains were transferred from the Archdiocese of New York to Peoria, Illinois following a long legal battle over the late archbishop's burial place that had put Sheen's sainthood cause on hold. The Peoria diocese opened the cause for Sheen’s canonization in 2002, after Archdiocese of New York said it would not explore the case. In 2012, Benedict XVI recognized the heroic virtues of the archbishop. We are happy that his heroic and saintly virtues will be recognized, as we pray for another miracle for his canonization.

Seek and give forgiveness

I always like to say to couples that I am marrying that the perfect union is the union of two forgivers, two people who are ready to forgive and forget. One woman, on her 50th anniversary, revealed that on her wedding day she decided to make a list of 10 of her husband’s faults which, for the sake of their marriage, she would overlook.
Asked to divulge the 10 faults, she said, “I never did get around to writing them down. But whenever my husband did something that made me angry and mad, I would say to myself, ‘Lucky for him, that’s one of the 10!’ 

This could be the secret for many happy and long-lasting marriages, and then you can look at the wedding album of 50 years ago, and still feel in love with each other.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger....be put away from you.....and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God forgave you (Ephesians 4:31)

A very special baptism

Carmen and Philip, godparents, myself with Danny, Nicky and Petra-Julienne

Last Sunday I was able to do my first baptism here in Malta since I returned from the USA. It was quite nostalgic for me as this was the very first baptism I did in the same church where I was baptized, St Julian’s old parish church. In fact, I can easily say that the last and only time I was ever involved in any baptism, in that church, was my own baptism, held on August 30, 1952, when I was a 3 day-old screaming baby, but according to my mother, a well-behaved baby.

Well, last Sunday’s baptism was just as historic, because, except for my two nephews, Julian and Peter, now both doctors, and whom I baptized in 1990 and 1994 respectively, the last baby I baptized in Malta was back in 1982, and it was the mother of the baby I baptized last Sunday, Petra-Julienne Coppini. Back in my home parish between 1977 and 1981, I became friends with her parents, Josie and Carmen, whom I married in January 1981. 

Back in 1982, Carmen and Josie Coppini with baby Petra-Julienne

Then Petra-Julienne was born in the summer of 1982, and since I was visiting my family during that summer, I was honored to baptize her in the new parish church of St. Julian’s. And now that Petra-Julienne and her husband Nicky had their first baby, I was just as honored baptizing baby Danny in the presence of Carmen, her mother and godmother, and Justine, her younger sister and their families. Josie had passed away 21 years ago, a much-beloved father, grandfather and a popular comedian on Malta TV and in the local theatre. And one of our Hilltop Gardens residents happens to be Danny’s great-grandmother and was beaming with joy, seeing her 14th great-grandchild being baptized, after 5 children and 15 grandchildren. And baby Danny was well-behaved throughout the entire ceremony, even smiling and posing for the camera.

How to ruin your children

Remember that this is about what you SHOULD NOT DO to your children. It is sad to see that unfortunately, this is exactly what many parents are doing to their children.
1. From infancy, give them everything they want. This way they will grow up to believe that the world owes them a living.
2. Never give them any spiritual training. Wait until they are 21 and then let them decide for themselves.
3. Avoid corrections and never punish them; they may develop a guilt complex.
4. Pick up everything they leave lying around. They will learn to lay their responsibilities on the shoulders of others.
5. Let them watch and read whatever they want so that they can become their own teachers in matters pertaining to sexuality.
6. Quarrel frequently in their presence, so they can become accustomed to arguments as a way of life.
7. Give them all the spending money they want. Why should they have things as tough as you had them?
8. Try to satisfy their every whim when it comes to food, drink, comfort. Self-denial might lead to harmful frustrations.
9. Take their part against neighbors, teachers, policemen. This will help them understand that everyone is prejudiced against them.
10. When they get into trouble always blame others or “the system.” They should never feel remorse over anything.

St Anthony Maria Zaccaria

At the same time that Martin Luther was attacking abuses in the Church, a reformation within the Church was already being attempted. Among the early movers of the Counter-Reformation was Anthony Mary Zaccaria. He was born in 1502 in Cremona, Italy. His mother became a widow at 18, and devoted herself to the spiritual education of her son. He was educated at the University of Padua and received a medical doctorate at 22. While working among the poor of his native Cremona in Italy, was attracted to the religious apostolate. He renounced his rights to any future inheritance, worked as a catechist, and was ordained a priest at the age of 26. Called to Milan in a few years, he laid the foundations of three religious congregations, one for men, one for women, and an association of married couples. Their aim was the reform of the decadent society of their day, beginning with the clergy, religious, and lay people. Greatly inspired by Saint Paul—his congregation is named the Barnabites, after St Barnabas, the faithful companion of that St. Paul—Anthony preached with great vigor in church and street, conducted popular missions, and was not ashamed of doing public penance.

He encouraged such innovations as the collaboration of the laity in the apostolate, frequent Communion, the Forty Hours devotion, and the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays. His holiness moved many to reform their lives, but as with all saints, it also moved many to oppose him. Twice his community had to undergo official religious investigation, and twice it was exonerated. While on a mission of peace, he became seriously ill and was brought home for a visit to his mother. He died at Cremona at the age of 36 on July 5, 1539. He was beatified in 1890 and canonized in 1897, both done by Pope Leo XIII. St Anthony Mary Zaccaria is the patron of surgeons and doctors.

First American city

The first American city was founded in 1565 and named St Augustine in Florida. That was the same year when the Maltese were fighting the Turkish Armada, helped by the Knights of St John. In this quaint city, many Spanish influences can be still found in the architecture and other place names of the American South and Southwest. The Spanish then were followed by settlers from France and the Netherlands as well as England. After the colonial wars, however, England became dominant, and the population was predominantly English, until the great waves of immigration began around 1830, when natives from Italy, Ireland, Germany, Poland and just about everywhere landed at Ellis Island New York. So, before New York and Chicago, before Los Angeles and all the other mega-cities, it was St. Augustine who claims the honor of being the first US city. On July 4, 1776, the USA became independent, and so today I say Happy Independence Day to all my American friends.

Saint Thomas

Caravaggio - The Doubting Thomas

One of the 12 apostles, Thomas will unfortunately always be remembered for his doubting fit, right after the Resurrection of Jesus. He would not believe unless he saw with his eyes and touched with his hands the wounds of Jesus. This story is the origin of the term 'Doubting Thomas.' After seeing Jesus alive, Thomas professed his faith in Jesus, exclaiming "My Lord and my God!"; and on this account, to his credit, he is also called Thomas the Believer. Thomas is more specifically identified as "Thomas, also called the Twin" (Didymus.) Just as Saints Peter and Paul are said to have brought Christianity to Greece and Rome, Saint Mark brought it to Egypt, Saint John to Syria and Asia Minor, Thomas is often said to have taken it eastwards as far as India. He is popularly known as the patron saint of India. Ancient writers used the designation "India" for all countries south and east of the Roman Empire's frontiers, which could mean China, the Far East, and beyond, just about half of the world! 

The expression of faith which St Thomas uttered, “My Lord and my God,” has become a very popular expression that people use during the elevation of the Body and Blood of Christ. Some people say it softly, others audibly enough. It is not part of the liturgical rubrics, but it is a powerful expression of faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The Roman Catholic and Anglican calendars honor him on July 3, the day on which his relics are believed to have been translated to Mylapore, a place along the coast of Chennai in India to the city of Edessa and Mesopotamia. This took place in 232 AD and the transfer of his relics were organized by an Indian king.

Malta flowers

At this time of year, flowers show off their beauty all over Malta. Here are some of them, not all of them common anywhere else in Europe or in the USA. We have had a good share of moisture in the form of rain this past winter, and so the green areas were more conspicuous this spring, although the warm days we are experiencing right now has dried up everything. Yet some color is still visible in the variety of flowers that you can see here. The last photo shows one of many butterflies pollinating some flowers.