Pentecost

Pentecost stained glass, Baker City Cathedral, Oregon

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: 

Christ Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to Your apostles and disciples.

- Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in our lives the work of Your grace and love.
- Grant us the Spirit of Fear of The Lord that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward You.
- the Spirit of Piety that we may find peace and fulfillment in the service of God while serving others;
- the Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our cross with You and, with courage, overcome the obstacles that interfere with our salvation;
- the Spirit of Knowledge that we may know You and know ourselves and grow in holiness;
- the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of Your truth;
- the Spirit of Counsel that we may choose the surest way of doing Your will, seeking first the Kingdom;
- Grant us the Spirit of Wisdom that we may aspire to the things that last forever;
Teach us to be Your faithful disciples and animate us in every way with Your Spirit.  Amen.

Cardinal Mercier's Prayer To The Holy Spirit:   I am going to reveal to you a secret of sanctity and happiness. For five minutes every day quiet your imagination, close your eyes to everything visible and your ears to all external sounds and withdraw into the sanctuary of your baptized soul which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. There, speak to the Holy Spirit and say:

"O Holy Spirit soul of my soul I adore you. Enlighten guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to submit to everything that you ask of me and to accept all that you allow to happen to me. Just show me what is your will."

If you do this, your life will be happy and serene. Even in the midst of troubles you will experience great consolation, for grace will be given to strengthen and help you to cope with every difficulty.

Three centenarians

Marjorie Gibbs on her 100th birthday

Within a few weeks, here at Hilltop Gardens, we are celebrating three birthdays of 100 years each. One of them is in August, another one on June 9, and the first one was on the 28th of May. Marjorie Gibbs is from England but has been at the Simblija Carehome for the past 2 years, in fairly good health. She was eating her birthday chocolate cake when I took this photo, and was very proud of the card she received from Queen Elizabeth. Congratulations Marjorie and God bless you always.

Pope St Paul VI

Pope St Paul VI (1897-1978)

Giovanni Battista Montini was the 4th Pope to be canonized from the 20th century and was canonized on October 14, 2018. I treasure a photo I have with him kissing his ring as an altar-boy at the Vatican in 1966. His liturgical feast is celebrated on the day he was ordained a priest, precisely 100 years ago today, May 29, 1920.
Born in Concesio, near Brescia on September 26, 1897, from a well-respected family, his father was in the Italian parliament and two other brothers were a doctor and a lawyer. He studied at the Brescia Seminary and was ordained on May 29, 1920. Montini started working at the Vatican Secretary of State office and has never worked in a parish atmosphere. He was very much admired by Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (the future Pope Pius XII,) and was his secretary for many years.
He used to take care of much of the correspondence of the office and helped many refugees of the war by finding a place for them. Around 15,000 of them were given shelter in Castelgandolfo, besides many others that were hidden at the Vatican and around Rome. This led Mussolini to criticize Pius XII as well as Montini saying that he pokes his nose where he shouldn’t.
In 1954 Montini was made Archbishop of Milan with 1000 parishes and 2,500 priests and 3 and a half million Catholics, possibly the largest Archdiocese in the world. He was very beloved and probably would have been elected Pope in 1958, but was not made a Cardinal yet. But Pope John XXIII elevated him to a Cardinal right away after his election and was close to him when St John XXIII started the Vatican Council in 1962. When he died, Montini was elected Pope with the name of Paul VI, and one of his main duties was to finish the work of Vatican Council II. He also did many other reforms at the Roman Curia, like eliminating many Vatican soldiers and keeping only the Swiss Guards. He traveled outside Rome and was very influential in many ecumenical projects. Among the most famous encyclicals were Populorum Progressio, Mysterium Fidei, and Humanae Vitae on birth control and procreation. Paul VI died of a heart attack on August 6, 1978. The process of canonization was started in 1993, and he was beatified in 2014, and was elevated to sainthood in 2018, along with Archbishop Oscar Romero.

Thomas Edison and his mother

Thomas Edison and his mother

One day, the young Thomas Edison, the future inventor of the light bulb and the phonograph machine, arrived home from school with a letter addressed to his mother from his teacher. “Here, mother, this is for you, and the teacher told me not to read it, but give it directly to you.” His mother quickly took the letter and started to read it. Thomas waited with curiosity and asked her “What did she write? What’s written in the note?” With tears in her eyes, his mother started to read “Your son is a genius. His place is definitely not in our school. We do not have the resources to teach him properly. We don’t have teachers qualified enough to teach your son. We suggest that you keep him at home, and teach him yourself.” And Thomas’s mother Nancy kept him at home, and even though she had 6 other children, all of them older than Thomas, she taught him at home, until she got sick and died. Years later, while he was cleaning up some papers and belongings of his mother, he came across that letter the teacher had sent. He opened it and started to read it “Mrs. Edison, your son is stupid and cannot keep up with his classmates. We just cannot keep him in our school anymore. He is today being expelled from our school. Maybe you can teach him something yourself at home.” Thomas instantly understood what his mother had done. Then he wrote in his diary: “Thomas was a stupid boy who did not deserve to be in the same class as his fellow classmates, but his mother was able to teach him everything single-handedly, and transform him into one of the biggest inventors of the century.”

Never worry !

Thomas Edison (1847-1931) with his invention of the century.

Worry never baked a cake, built a bridge, or solved a problem. Fretting does little more than making a bad situation worse. If you do your best and try to find fulfillment in making this a better world, there is little danger that you will be overcome by the fear of failure. Thomas Edison tried 2000 experiments in search of a filament for the right light bulb. When none worked to his satisfaction, his assistant complained, “All our work is in vain. We’ve gotten nowhere!” Edison replied, “On the contrary, we’ve come a long way and we’ve learned a lot. We now know that there are two thousand materials which will not make a good light bulb.” The assistant was a worrier, prone to discouragement, while Thomas Edison was a doer who was undaunted by setbacks. He kept his cool and plowed ahead with confidence in all he did. In matters great and small, it’s always better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Stay tuned for another great story tomorrow about Thomas Edison.

St Philip Neri

If one had to choose one saint who showed the humorous side of holiness that would be St. Philip Neri. Born in 1515 in Florence, he showed the impulsiveness and spontaneity of his character from the time he was a boy. His father was not successful financially and at eighteen Philip was sent to work with an older cousin who was a successful businessman. During this time, Philip found a favorite place to pray up in a cave on a mountain that had been turned into a chapel. He then went to Rome in 1533 where he studied philosophy and theology until he thought his studies were interfering with his prayer life. He then stopped his studies, threw away his books, and lived as a kind of hermit.

Night was his special time of prayer. After dark he would go out in the streets, sometimes to churches, but most often into the catacombs of St. Sebastiano to pray. He felt so filled with energy to serve God that he went out to work at the hospital of the incurables and starting speaking to others about God, everyone from beggars to bankers.
In 1548 Philip formed a confraternity with other laymen to minister to pilgrims who came to Rome without food or shelter. The spiritual director of the confraternity convinced Philip that he could do even more work as a priest. After receiving instruction from this priest, Philip was ordained in 1551.
At his new home, the church of San Girolamo, he learned to love to hear confessions. Young men especially found in him the wisdom and direction they needed to grow spiritually. But Philip began to realize that these young men needed something more than absolution; they needed guidance during their daily lives. So Philip began to ask the young men to come by in the early afternoon when they would discuss spiritual readings and then stay for prayer in the evening. The numbers of the men who attended these meetings grew rapidly. In order to handle the growth, Philip and a fellow priest built a room called the Oratory to hold them in.
Philip understood that it wasn't enough to tell young people not to do something -- you had to give them something to do in its place. So at Carnival time, when the worst excesses were encouraged, Philip organized a pilgrimage to the Seven Churches with a picnic accompanied by instrumental music for the mid-day break. After walking twelve miles in one day everyone was too tired to be tempted!

St Philip Neri with his oratorians

In 1555, the Pope's Vicar accused Philip of "introducing novelties" and ordered him to stop the meetings of the Oratory. Philip was broken-hearted but obeyed immediately. The Pope only let him start up the Oratory again after the sudden death of his accuser. Eventually Philip decided it would be best for the group to have their own church. They became officially known as the Congregation of the Oratory, made up of secular priests and clerics. Philip was known to be spontaneous and unpredictable, charming, and humorous. One of his men was Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina who wrote beautiful harmonic choral music and Masses.
Humility was the most important virtue he tried to teach others and to learn himself. Philip died in 1595 after a long illness at the age of eighty years. This prayer is a fitting conclusion to this brief biography of this happy joy-filled saint: Saint Philip Neri, we take ourselves far too seriously most of the time. Help us to add humor to our perspective - remembering always that humor is a gift from God.

The best hope

Back in the 1970s, in Sacramento, California, a newspaper was published with the title ‘The Good Times.’ Unfortunately, it folded after just 16 months – because this bi-weekly newspaper carried only good news. One of the favorite stories reported was this: “In the USA last year, 196,459,483 citizens did not commit a criminal offense; 4,896,720 college students did not participate in a riot or student demonstrations, and 201,489,710 citizens did not use illegal drugs.” It may be gratifying to realize that millions do no visible harm. But it’s not enough. The really good news, and the best hope for the world, consists in the countless men and women who give of themselves daily in behalf of the poor, the defenseless and neglected; who devote themselves each day to lighting candles instead of cursing the darkness; who build up and don’t tear down. It’s a select group and it always has room for more members. Why not be one of them? It has also been said that the worst thing that can happen in life is for the good people, the talented, the gifted, the generous philanthropists......to do nothing. When they can actually do so much!

Ascension

Today is the feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Many dioceses celebrate this feast on the previous Thursday, which is actually 40 days from Jesus’ Resurrection. Many other dioceses transfer it to this Sunday. There is an interesting legend about Jesus’ arrival at heaven. The saints and prophets greeted Him as He arrived, and were amazed when they saw the wounds in his hands and feet and his side. They told Him, “Do the people on earth realize how much you suffered for them? And whom are you leaving behind you to continue the precious work you already did?” Jesus answered quickly, “well, I left a group of friends, whom I called apostles to continue the work I started. It’s completely up to them now.” The reaction was quite forceful and emphatic “you mean to tell us you just left the apostles....that is Peter who denied you, Thomas who would not believe your resurrection, and Philip and Bartholomew who ran away when you needed them the most to pray with you! You must be insane....how about a back-up plan? What if they falter, who is going to continue the journey of Christianity?”
Jesus answered emphatically “no, I have no back –up plan. Either they do the work I entrusted to them, or it doesn’t get done at all. But I believe they won’t let me down.” After 2 millennia, the apostles and their successors have kept the journey of Christianity going, and from 12 apostles, we now have 1.2 billion Catholics....that’s an increase of 10 billion %. Now it’s all up to us – we have to continue the work started by the apostles. If we falter now, the journey will end. So, let’s not disappoint Him.

Begin now!

If each note of music were to say: one note does not make a symphony, there would be no symphony. 

If each word were to say: one word does not make a book, there would be no book.
If each drop of water were to say: one drop does not make an ocean, there would be no ocean.
If each seed were to say: one grain does not make a field of corn, there would be no harvest.
If each blade of grass were to say: one blade of grass does not make a garden, there would be no gardens.
If each of us were to say: one act of love cannot save mankind, there would never be justice and peace on earth. Begin now! Why are you waiting?

Saint Rita

Are you faced with a difficult problem? Does it seem insurmountable? The prayer to St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) shown below might help. After all, St. Rita is known as the “Saint of the Impossible,” and we honor her today, her liturgical feast day.
Early in life, she had a strong desire to be a nun, but got married instead, following her parents’ wishes. By all accounts, her husband was Mr. Wrong, an abusive man with whom she bore two sons of similar temperament. Apparently she had the patience of a saint because she prayed for them all and tried to be a dutiful wife and mother! After 18 years of marriage, her husband was murdered and her sons died of natural causes the following year, after pledging to take revenge over their father's murder. After that, St. Rita finally got her wish and was admitted to the convent of Augustinian nuns at Cascia. Tradition has it that the nuns there initially refused to let St. Rita join because she was a widow. One night Saint John the Baptist, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentino opened gates that had been bolted shut and left her in the chapel of the convent. When the nuns found St. Rita there the next morning they understood God’s designs for her and accepted her unanimously. Talk about prayer opening doors! Many other miracles were attributed to St. Rita, both during her life and after her death. As an example, her devotion to Jesus in His Passion was such that a thorn from the crucifix in her room pierced her forehead one day while she was praying!

The prayer to St. Rita also touches on that miracle:
Oh glorious St. Rita, who did miraculously participate in the sorrowful Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, obtain for us the grace to suffer with resignation the troubles of this life, and protect us in all our needs. St. Rita, model wife and widow, you yourself suffered in a long illness showing patience out of love for God. Teach us to pray as you did. Many invoke you for help, full of confidence in your intercession. Come now to our aid for the relief and cure of (mention your request). To God all things are possible; may this healing give glory to the Lord. Through the prayers of St. Rita, may we learn to bear our crosses in life in the same spirit in which she bore hers. Amen.

Praying to Mary

Blessed Mother, turn your eyes of mercy towards us during this coronavirus pandemic, and console those who feel shattered by the loss of loved ones. They cry especially because they could not even say goodbye to them when they were buried so quickly. Comfort those who are deeply worried about sick relatives and patients, whom they have to avoid contact with, so that they won’t be infected themselves. Fill with hope those who are anxious about an uncertain future, and the repercussions on the economy, their business and their livelihood. 

Mother of God and our Mother, pray to us in front of God, the Father of mercy, so that this tough test we are facing ends soon, so that we can see the horizon of hope and peace. As you did in Cana of Galilee, intervene for your Son, and beg Him to bestow consolation to the families of those suffering from this virus, as well as the thousands of victims.
Impart your blessing on the doctors, the nurses and healthcare workers, the countless volunteers during the emergency scenario, most of whom are placing their lives at risk to save the life of so many others. Bless their heroic endeavors, and give them strength and enough kindness to share. Stay close to those who night and day assist the sick and infirm, even the priests who with pastoral concern and evangelic enthusiasm are trying to console and help everyone else.
Holy Mother, illumine the minds of science people, so that they can find a workable solution to end this illness once and for all. Help leaders of nations, so that they can work with wisdom, compassion and generosity, and assist those who need the simple basic needs, as they also plan social and economic solutions in a spirit of solidarity, with a long-term vision.
Blessed Mother, touch the conscience of the wealthy and decision-makers, so that the millions spent in armaments may be spent instead to promote further study and analysis to avoid the prevention of similar catastrophes in the future. Beloved Mother, help us to appreciate each other’s presence and may we support those who still live in fear, in misery and poverty. Encourage us all to stay strong in our faith, persevere in our concern for others and never stop praying.
O Mother, consoler of the afflicted , embrace with love all your children, and pray that God will soon lift His mighty arms to deliver us from this terrible affliction, so that our lives may return to normality. In you we trust, and may your guiding light enlighten every step we make on our road to salvation, o merciful, o holy, o sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Apathy versus Enthusiasm

What actually happens when apathy replaces enthusiasm? That is when you lose the joy of living, and start blaming others for your faults, and avoid the responsibility that is actually yours to bear. So, listen to this cute story about 4 characters, named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be accomplished. Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it. Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody blamed Anybody.

Be Positive

Life is not fair, but it is beautiful. 
When in doubt, take a few little steps at a time.
Life is too short that you cannot enjoy it.
Your work will not take care of you if you get sick. Your family and friends will do that.
Don’t buy things that you cannot use.
Save for things that are more needed.
Do not compare your life with the life of others.
Everything can change in a twinkling of an eye.
Get rid of the stuff and junk you have accumulated over the years.
That which does not kill you will make you stronger.
It’s never too late to be happy, but this is ultimately your choice and nobody else’s.
Do not worry about what others think about you.
Time heals everything.
Every situation, whether good or ugly, will eventually pass away.
Do not take life too seriously.
If we were to ignore our problems and look at the problems other people have to face, we will immediately take back our own problems.
The best is yet to come.
Life does not come to us wrapped up in a beautiful package with bows, but it is nonetheless a gift from God.

St. John Paul II – a centenarian

Pope St. John Paul II (1920-2005)

It was exactly 100 years ago that the beloved saintly Pope was born. Even though his liturgical feast is celebrated on October 22 every year, I share with you this tribute to what many have called ‘ the man of the century.’ He was born Karol Wojtyla on May 18th, 1920 in Poland and became the first non-Italian Pope in almost 400 years. Also known as John Paul the Great, he reigned from October 16th, 1978 until his death on April 2nd, 2005. He was the second longest-serving Pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX who served for nearly 32 years from 1846 to 1878.

With his parents, possibly to be beatified soon.

As a young boy, he lost his mother at the age of 8 and his father when he was 21. He even had to work at a limestone quarry, but then started his studies at the underground seminary run by Cardinal Sapieha in Krakow. He was ordained a priest on November 1, 1946, and after further studies, he ended up teaching at the Jagiellonian University. He was made a bishop on July 4, 1958, and later became Archbishop of Krakow on June 26, 1967. He remained very staunch to his faith in Poland, even when he became a Cardinal 3 years later. His election as Pope was a big surprise as Pope John Paul I died suddenly after 33 days, and the trend was to elect Italian Popes, but the white smoke showed that a new Pope was chosen on October 16, 1978, aged 58, relatively young for a Pope. 

The day he was elected Pope, October 16, 1978.

At the balcony, he waved to the thousands gathered in the Piazza and said “the cardinals have called for a new bishop of Rome. They called him from a faraway land — far and yet always close because of our communion in faith and Christian traditions. I was afraid to accept that responsibility, yet I do so in a spirit of obedience to the Lord and total faithfulness to Mary, our Most Holy Mother.”
John Paul II is recognized as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe. John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. He upheld the Church's teachings against artificial contraception and the ordination of women, supported the Church's Second Vatican Council and its reform, and generally held firm to orthodox Catholic teaching.
He was one of the most traveled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonized 483 saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. He was very much devoted to the Blessed Mother, well respected in his native Poland, especially with the famous Black Madonna, and he even chose his motto as Totus Tuus, “Totally Yours,” even with the letter M on his coat-of-arms.
John Paul II's cause for canonization commenced in 2005 one month after his death with the traditional five-year waiting period waived. His successor Pope Benedict XVI beatified him on May 1st, 2011 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to him, the healing of a French nun from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle, attributed to the late Pope, was approved and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later. John Paul II was canonized on 27 April 2014, alongside Pope St. John XXIII.
Incidentally, a bishop from Malta, Emanuel Gerada, was also born on the same day as St John Paul II. He was made bishop in 1967, and served for many years in the diplomatic corps, as Apostolic Nuncio in El Salvador, Guatemala, Pakistan, and Ireland. He died in January 2011.

What if?

Most countries have cancelled the rest of the school year. Students will miss more than three months of education. Many people are concerned about students falling behind because of this. Yes, they may fall behind when it comes to classroom education. But what if.....?
What if instead of falling “behind”, this group of chidren are advanced because of this?
What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing?
What if they start to enjoy the simple things in life, start to like their own backyard, and like sitting near a window in the quiet?
What if if they start to notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower?
What if this generation are the ones to learn to cook, organize their space, do their laundry, and keep a well-run home? 
What if they learn to stretch a euro or a dollar and to live with less?
What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday?
What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and educational professionals, librarians, public officers and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers, grocers, cashiers, construction workers, custodians, and health care workers and their supporting staff – just to name a few of the millions who take care of us right now while we are sheltered?
What if among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and simpler life to truly learn what really matters in this life?
What if, after three months of not going to school, these children are actually ahead?

Tomorrow May 18 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope St John Paul II - stay tuned for a tribute to him.

Padre Pio’s wit

Saint Pio of Pietralcina was known for his holiness, but also for his wit. When a penitent told him that he committed very light sins, Padre Pio told him “did you go and weigh your sins on a measuring scale?” Another person asked him to pray for him as he was going to see a doctor about a series of unexplained headaches. He went to a doctor and came back happily and told Padre Pio “thankfully they didn’t find anything in my head!” A Padre Pio quickly responded, “We knew that all along!” A third person asked for some prayers as one of his relatives has been sick for two full years. “What can I tell him to console him?” he asked. And Padre Pio answered, “tell him that Padre Pio has been sick for 70 years!”

The teacher

A king once wanted to acknowledge the greatest people in his kingdom. 4 persons were presented to him. The first one was a philanthropist who distributed most of his wealth to the poor. The second one was a doctor who dedicated all his life to the sick, and often without any payment. The third one was a judge who was known for his wisdom and mercy towards the accused. The fourth one was an elderly woman. The king was curious why the woman was there among three benevolent and caring people. When he inquired about her, the response was simple: “Your majesty, you have in front of you a philanthropist, a doctor and a judge. The woman used to teach all three of them!”

St Matthias

One hundred and twenty people were gathered for prayer and reflection in the upper room, when Peter stood up to propose the way to make the choice for a replacement for Judas, who had betrayed Jesus and hung himself. Peter had one criterion, that, like Andrew, James, John, and himself, the new apostle be someone who had been a disciple from the very beginning, from his baptism by John until the Ascension.
Two men fit this description -- Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas. They knew that both these men had been with them and with Jesus through his whole ministry. But which one had the heart to become a witness to his resurrection? The apostles knew that only the Lord could know what was in the heart of each. They cast lots in order to discover God's will and Matthias was chosen. He was the twelfth apostle and the group was whole again as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Unlike the other 12 who were hand-picked by Jesus, warts and all, Matthias was chosen from among 120 others. So there must have been something special about him - his credentials must have been quite impressive, even though we know so little about him.
That's the first we hear of Matthias in Scripture, and the last. Legends like the Acts of Andrew and Matthias testify to Matthias' enthusiastic embrace of all that being an apostle meant including evangelization, persecution, and death in the service of the Lord. Clement of Alexandria says that Matthias, like all the other apostles, was not chosen by Jesus for what he already was, but for what Jesus foresaw he would become. He was elected not because he was worthy but because he would become worthy. Jesus chooses all of us in the same way.
God chooses people He deems fit to serve him. The same goes for vocations. We are all called for specific roles, sometimes unknown to us, until we realize our gifts and talents. So let us welcome any newcomers to your parish, work, or family community as someone chosen by God, as the apostles welcomed St Matthias.

Our Lady of Fatima

A statue of Mary with the Basilica in the background

Along with Rome, Lourdes, and Guadalupe, Fatima is the most visited country as far as religious pilgrimages are concerned. And as if to further accentuate its importance in history, May 13, 1917, was replicated in 1981 for a moment of importance, although in a negative way. On that day Pope John Paul II was shot inside the Vatican Square and almost died. But he recovered enough to make a pilgrimage a year later on May 13, 1982, to thank the Blessed Mother for her intervention in saving his life.
But very much like Lourdes and Guadalupe, the quietness of these small little villages was turned upside down when the Blessed Mother appeared to 3 young children, Francisco and his sister Jacinta Marto, and Lucia dos Santos. Nobody would believe them at first and were almost imprisoned for fabricating lies. But eventually, religious leaders, priests, and bishops in Fatima, Portugal investigated the whole story and found it to be true, with the Vatican officially proclaiming that the apparitions were believable. Francisco and Jacinta died shortly afterwards, but Lucia became a nun and lived into the third millennium in a monastery in Portugal, being visited by 3 Popes.
A huge basilica was built on the spot where the Blessed Mother appeared to the children, encouraging them to pray the Rosary, and pray for the conversion of souls. She even gave the children some well-kept secrets, which were only shown to the reigning Popes, but we know now that they spoke about the conversion of Russia and other tragic events that took place over the years, and other historic events which were predicted, like the end of World War I. Thousands of pilgrims visit Fatima every year and the devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Rosary spread far and wide. Both Francisco and Jacinta Marto were canonized recently, and apart from the early martyrs, they are the youngest persons to be elevated to sainthood. This year however, the number of pilgrims is very low because of the coronavirus, which is keeping people away from large group gatherings. Our Lady of Fatima pray for us and our world.

Why Worry?

Is concern over the past or the future a major source of stress in your life? Consider the conclusion reached by a woman who came to the sudden realization that fears were ruining her peace of mind. She took a pencil and made a tabulation of her worries, estimating as well as she could their nature and origin. These were her conclusions:
40% - will never happen; anxiety is the result of a tired mind.
30% - about old decisions that I cannot alter.
12% - others’ criticism of me, most of it untrue.
10% - about my health, which gets worse as I worry.
8% - ‘legitimate’ since life has some real problems to meet.
Adding it up, 92% of that woman’s worries were unproductive. What would your worry balance sheet look like?

Around 65 years ago

Balancing on a tricycle

 I was a toddler back around 1953 and 1954. Of course, I don’t remember anything from that period of my life, but my parents told me two stories of my infancy and early childhood. First of all, when people see this first photo of me on a tricycle, they almost remark with a smile “why are you wearing a dress?” My response is simply because my mother had two sisters before me, and ‘hand-me-downs’ were probably popular back in the early 1950s in Malta, irrespective of gender. Besides, I am told that this is not a dress but a rumper, which could be worn by both baby boys and girls.

A frequent comment "You were so cute....what happened?

One of the stories is about an accident I had when a dog we had bit me on my cheek. I still have a slight scar to record that canine attack. Most probably I pulled his tail, or did something to that dog, which I was told was named Gangu. The other story is probably more entertaining and mischievous. Apparently, I was left alone in an enclosed balcony we had in our home, and most probably I was naked, and people were ringing the doorbell of our home, to tell my mother that “your baby is peeing on us!” The worst of it was that I was laughing all through this ‘sprinkling’, which made the people more annoyed. But I’m sure most of them laughed too, because boys will be boys, and it was an innocent prank done by a toddler who was left without a diaper.

With my two older sisters, Josephine and Rosemarie

God’s Good Earth

Loving Father, you looked at everything that You had made and saw that it was good. But we have squandered the riches of creation. We have laid the ax to the mighty forests. We have despoiled the green hillsides and wasted the earth’s mineral wealth. We have fouled the air, littered the countryside, filled our lakes with plastic, polluted our streams and oceans. Voices have been raised to stop us from squandering our inheritance. May we heed them. May we work together to heal the earth. With much less traffic at the moment, people are breathing fresh air once again. Animals are roaming in our streets with no hindrance. Pollution is at its lowest in many decades. Let us hope that one day, may we look on our planet and say with pride, once again “Behold, it is good.”

St George Preca

Saint George Preca (1880-1962)

Today happens to be the liturgical feast of Saint George Preca, the first and only Saint from Malta who has been canonized back in 2007 on June 3rd. We are all proud of his presence in our lives and even more special is the fact that many people who are still in their 50s and over remember him alive.
St George was born on February 12, 1880, and he founded in the early years of the 20th century the Society of Christian Doctrine, a society of lay catechists. In Malta, he is affectionately known as "Dun Ġorġ" and is popularly referred to as the "Second Apostle of Malta", after St Paul, who brought the Christian faith to the shores of Malta when he was shipwrecked in 60 AD.
Preca first came to the attention of the Congregation of the Causes of Saints which examined the scientifically unexplainable healing of Charles Zammit Endrich in 1964. Zammit Endrich had suffered from a detached retina of the left eye. The healing was declared as miraculous and was attributed to the intercession of Dun Gorg Preca after Zammit Endrich prayed to him and placed one of the priest's belongings under his pillow. The healing took place outside of a hospital, overseen by the personal doctor of Zammit Endrich, the ophthalmologist Censu Tabone, who was later to be appointed President of Malta.
On 24 June 1975, Archbishop Michael Gonzi issued a decree initiating the process of Preca's canonization. He was declared "venerable" on 28 June 1999, and on January 27, 2000, Pope John Paul II signed the decree which officially confirmed the Zammit Endrich healing. In a ceremony in Floriana, Malta on 9 May 2001, Dun Gorg was beatified by the same Pope along with two other Maltese blesseds, Nazju Falzon, a cleric, and Adeodata Pisani, a nun.

The day of canonization on June 3,2007 at the Vatican

In its early years, the Society of Christian Doctrine was silenced for a while, but its identity was recognized as Dun Gorg continued to teach students and form young unmarried men (and eventually women) so that they will eventually teach others. Today, almost every parish in Malta has a group of dedicated young men teaching catechism to the children, in preparation for their First Holy Communion, Confirmation and beyond. The Society of Christian Doctrine is commonly referred to by the acronym "MUSEUM", which stands for the Latin "Magister Utinam Sequatur Evangelium Universus Mundus!", translating to "Master, that the whole world would follow the Gospel! St. George died on July 26, 1962, and thousands attended his funeral. His body was recently exhumed and re-buried in the headquarters of the MUSEUM society. The work he started continues on, even in foreign countries like London, Kenya, Peru, Poland, Albania, Cuba, and Australia.

Our Lady of Pompeii

Unlike so many of Our Lady’s titles, which go back centuries for their origin, this one is quite recent. By the last half of the nineteenth century the Valley of Pompeii, near Naples, was practically deserted. Pompeii had been buried in volcanic ash when the volcano Vesuvius erupted in the first century. Of the comparatively few people who still lived there, most had lost their ancient Catholic faith; ignorance and superstition prevailed. Only a handful of people bothered to attend the services in the little parish chapel.
In October 1872, a man named Bartolo Longo came to the valley. He was the husband of the Countess of Fusco, who had some property there; and Bartolo came to see what condition it was in. He had been reared a Catholic and was probably still one in name, although it seems he was not very devout. On October 9th, a few days after his arrival, he was walking along a rather desolate road when suddenly a voice seemed to speak to him. It told him that if he wished to be saved, he should spread devotion to the Rosary. His early efforts to interest people in the Rosary devotion did not seem to have been successful at first, but he persisted and within 2 years, he had gathered quite a group of people to pray in the little chapel.

Bartolo Longo surrounded by children

The Bishop visited the valley in 1875 and complimented Bartolo on the good work he had done. He suggested that a church be built there in honor of Our Lady of Pompeii. As the number of devotees grew, it was decided to obtain a picture of the Blessed Virgin to help the people meditate as they prayed. On October 13, 1875, Bartolo Longo went to Naples, and after searching for a good picture, he found nothing for less than 400 francs, and he had nothing close to that amount to spend.
But not wanting to go back empty-handed, he reluctantly accepted a second-hand painting from a junk store for 5 lire. The painting shows the Blessed Mother with baby Jesus and St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena near her, as they are handed Rosary beads by Mary and Jesus. The painting arrived safely on a truck and the people accepted it willingly, and enshrined it in their chapel. Almost immediately, several miracles took place through Mary’s intercession as Our Lady of Pompeii. A bigger church was built on the initiative of Bartolo Longo between 1876 and 1891, and a bigger basilica was ordered by Pope Pius XII and opened in 1939. But we acknowledge today Bartolo Longo for pursuing his dream to build a beautiful church and spread the Marian devotion. Special prayers and supplications are said today, while people present flowers to the image of Mary, which is kept in most parish churches.

Pope Francis' grandmother

Pope Francis' father in the middle with his parents

Pope Francis frequently mentions a prayer that his grandmother Margerita Rosa Vasallo had given to all her grand-children many years ago. He actually keeps this prayer in his breviary and read sit every day. The prayer is most consoling and maybe we should keep it in our prayer books too. Here is the prayer: “May you have a long and pleasant life. But if someday sorrow or sickness is troubling you, or even if the death of a loved one fills your hearts with remorse and grief, remember that a cry and sigh in front of the Tabernacle can pour a tiny drop of balsam on the deepest wounds you may feel. Because that’s where the greatest and holiest martyr resides, and also look at Mary as she stands beneath the cross of her dying Son. That is where you will find the most comforting consolation you will ever need.”

St Dominic Savio

Today we honor one of the youngest saints in the Catholic Church. Before St Jacinta and St Francisco Marto (the Fatima children) were canonized recently, he was the youngest saint (not martyred) to be venerated in the church. Born on April 2, 1842 in Piedmont Italy, he was a very devout young boy who wanted to become a priest. He received his First Holy Communion at the age of 7, at a time when the custom was that children would receive communion at the age of 12. But his parish priest noticed how devoted he was to the Eucharist, and made an exception for Dominic. He was noticed by St John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Order, and took him under his wings. Unfortunately, he became very sick, asked for confession, communion and the final anointing, and died peacefully on March 9, 1857, aged 14. Soon after the death of Dominic, John Bosco wrote his biography, 'The Life of Dominic Savio,' which contributed to his canonization. The original Italian edition was considered so well written during the time of Don Bosco that, along with his History of Italy and Ecclesiastical History, it was used in many public schools as part of the course materials on the Italian language. St Dominic Savio was canonized by Pope Pius XII on June 12, 1954. Quite a number of schools were named in his honor, among them in Austin, Texas, and Niagara Falls, New York, also 5 schools in Canada, a few in India, the Philippines and Australia, as well as the ever-growing Savio College, in Dingli, Malta.

Watercolors and Calligraphy

Please do click on each photo to enlarge

I continue today sharing some of my recent projects I did in watercolors with a touch of calligraphy. Both of these talents are self-taught, and yet the final product is something that many people admire and appreciate. I started playing with calligraphy back in the 1980s, and over the years I did thousands of certificates in various parishes I served, and did many quotes, prayers, and other inscriptions, which many people framed. I picked up watercoloring as a hobby in 2009, and over the past 11 years, I practiced and doodled while trying different styles. Then this year I decided to try combining the two together, and here are some of my early works.

The idea is to connect the theme of the quote with the background and corresponding artwork. The full process is to write the quote first on a separate piece of paper to see how it looks, and how it can be centered in the final artwork. Then I create the scene, leaving enough space for the quote to fit. Of course, if I make a mistake, I just toss the paper and start again, but so far, being always cautious, careful, and patient, everything came out pretty good so far. So enjoy these photos of my artwork, and share them with friends.

My Watercolors

Click all paintings to enlarge

Today and tomorrow I will share with you some of my recent watercolor projects. Being confined to my room for a good part of the day, I am never idle, but always on the go. Besides my writing projects, interviews I have to transcribe, and practicing my flute and writing my own music for the flute, I am always creating new paintings. Tomorrow I will show you how I am combining two talents into one, watercoloring and calligraphy. But for today I share with you three paintings I created in my own style.

'Spencer Trappist Abbey' - The basic painting without the highlighting

As you can see from the second and third photo, you can see how I develop a scene, and then end it by outlining the main items which bring them out more distinctly. Obviously, I am self-taught in all my talents, but I believe in the notion that ‘Practice makes perfect.’ Enjoy.

'Spencer Trappist Abbey,' - the finished painting

A Malta country scene

The Shepherd

The Good Shepherd from St Stanislaus Kostka parish, Pleasant Valley, NY

At a gathering of poets, writers, clergy, actors and artists as well as some prominent religious figures, the Master of Ceremonies invited a famous actor to read Psalm 23 from the podium. He was of course very dramatic in his interpretation...”The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. He makes me walk in fertile pastures.....” Everyone was impressed by what they just heard and the actor returned to his place getting praises from those around him. Then the MC noticed an elderly priest in the crowd and invited him to read the same passage. The elderly priest walked to the podium with his cane and with a soft but emotional voice started: “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want. He makes me walk in fertile pastures, He refreshes my soul...”
When he had finished, there wasn’t one dry eye in the hall. He went back to his place while the Master of Ceremonies came up, himself with tears in his eyes. Then with a broken voice he told the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, we witnessed something very special today. We heard the actor and the priest read the same passage of Psalm 23. As you could see the actor knew drama, he knew acting, he knew performance...but the priest knew the Shepherd himself!”

Let us pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life, as the harvest is still massive while the laborers are getting fewer ad fewer.

Our Number One

An incredible phenomenon takes place in my chapel annually at this time of the year. I am sure no one had an intention of this ever happening, but the way the chapel was constructed, the sun shines constantly from the right side, creating various beams of sunshine that change throughout the year. Sometimes the sun shines right on my face when I’m at the altar, or when I am reading or preaching from the pulpit. But towards the end of April until late May, the sun forms the striking figure of Number One, right behind the Tabernacle. As if to emphasize who is really Number One in our lives, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. This phenomenon repeats itself towards the middle of August when the sun is shifting itself again. For those of you following the Mass on Saturday, watch out for the Number One right behind the Tabernacle.

The Mass will be available on Facebook ‘Simblija Carehome’ page from 6 PM onwards. That is Malta time. For those following in New York, it will be at noon on Saturday. For those following from Oregon, it will be at 9 AM on Saturday morning. The image and sound should be much better this time. Check it out here:

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=simblija%20care%20home&epa=SEARCH_BOX

St Joseph the Worker

Statue of St Joseph the Worker by Emvin Cremona

We honor today St Joseph, foster father of Jesus. His liturgical feast is actually celebrated on March 19th, but today we honor him as the patron of workers. Renowned to be a carpenter, Joseph taught the tricks of the trade to his son Jesus, and people invoke his prayers when searching for a job or looking for work. May Day celebrations are held around the world, especially in communist countries, but the Church emphasizes the image of Joseph as the patron of all those who work. Through his intercession, may those who are unemployed find adequate jobs to make a living to support their families. We pay especially at this critical time in history when millions of people have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic - may they soon be re-employed.