Oregon and beyond - part 4

After a snowstorm in 2007 near my Cathedral in Baker City. OR.

Sharing more scenes from my travels in the far west. The biggest blessing in driving through the highways and byways of the Northwest is the lack of traffic, which is in fact contrasted by the presence of wildlife along the way. It's a common sight seeing deer or elk crossing the roads, as well as wild donkeys as I once encountered in northern Nevada. Not to mention also the beautiful rivers you drive by, meandering along the road. Besides, scenes with snow and ice were the order of the day for me, driving through slush, ice and snowflakes falling constantly.

A Montana store framed with antlers as an extra entrance gate.

The Trinity river in northern California.

A steel sculpture of a warrior Indian near the Teton Mountains in Idaho.

Oregon and beyond – part 3

Wind vane on a house in Bend - notice the bird.....

Continuing my travelogue journey with photos from the western part of the USA, I share today various photos from some of my travels, even beyond Oregon, visiting other states like Idaho, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada and even British Columbia in Canada. Each photo has a brief description, and they are in no particular order. Just enjoy some scenes that got my attention as I was driving around. Much more to come.

Million year old basalt rock formation in John Day, Oregon.

Mount Hood in Oregon, framed with sunflowers

Helena's gothic Cathedral in Montana.

Bend nostalgia - part 2

A gift from God - a Bend sunrise from January 2014.

Sharing more of my photos from my years in Oregon state between 2003 and 2016. I bought my first digital camera in 2006, and my collection exploded after that, capturing thousands and thousands of great photos both in Oregon and during my visits to Malta over the past 16 years. Scenic views, wildlife, flowers and sunsets dominate my collection, but there are many other curiosities and situations I come across by chance. Much more to come.

A typical Oregon ranch - the main entrance.

A solitary duck swims by in Drake Park, Bend.

A Bend sunrise from February 2016.

Bend nostalgia - part 1

A striking sunrise as I approach my church of St Francis,  Bend, OR.

Over the next few weeks, I am going through my vast collection of photos from Oregon, and share some nostalgic ones with you. There is no particular theme, but consider them a snapshot of Central Oregon, as I was wondering about with my camera, always on the lookout for the surprising and the unexpected. I had a special intuition for sunrises and sunsets, and so they feature prominently in my repertoire. Enjoy them - a brief description is under each photo. More tomorrow. (Click on each photo to enlarge and enjoy a better resolution)

A distracted Blue Heron unaware of the photographer

This is what I see when I drive 5 miles out of town.

These are hops, grown in bushes, the base of all beer.

Flowers that remind me of the Maltese cross.

God’s gift to us

Loving Father and Creator of all, we come to you today deeply grateful for your creation.

As we look around us we are amazed at the greatness and majesty of all that you have made.

Nature around us speaks of your greatness—the vast expanse of the sky, the mountains, trees, lakes, and streams speak of your great design.

You have given us such beauty in the colors of the rainbow, the beauty of flowers and fields.

And even the things we take for granted, dew-drops, icicles, waterfalls, baby animals, and of course the human body with its intricate details, meticulous coordination, and incredible beauty.

Words cannot adequately express the magnificence of all you have created.

O God, we thank you for this earth, our home; for the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water, for the everlasting hills,

And the never-resting winds, for trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields, and taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow, and smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to appreciate all this beauty;

We join in praise with the writer of the Psalms when he says, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the Earth.”

May we show our love and reverence to you, our Lord, by caring for all that you have created.

May we respect all the gifts you gave us, and leave this world a much better place for our children, and those who will be born in the coming decades and centuries.

We humbly give you praise and thanks.

The above photo was taken by Seamus Bryans on an early morning at Summer Leys which is a large nature reserve in Northamptonshire near Wellingborough, UK.

St. Timothy and St. Titus

St. Timothy, born in Galatia in Asia Minor, was baptized and later ordained to the priesthood by St. Paul. The young Galatian became Paul's missionary companion and his most beloved spiritual son. St. Paul showed his trust in this disciple by consecrating him bishop of the great city of Ephesus. St. Timothy was stoned to death thirty years after St. Paul's martyrdom for having denounced the worship of the goddess Diana. In the 1962 Missal, St. Timothy's feast is celebrated on January 24 and the feast of St. Titus is on February 6.  St. Titus, a convert from paganism, was a fellow laborer of St. Paul on many apostolic missions. St. Paul later made him bishop of Crete, a difficult charge because of the character of the inhabitants and the spread of erroneous doctrines on that island. St. Paul's writings tell us that St. Titus rejoiced to discover what was good in others and drew the hearts of men by his wide and affectionate sympathy. In the 1962 Missal, St. Timothy's feast is celebrated on January 24 and the feast of St. Titus is on February 6. However their combined feast-day was brought forward to January 26, a day after the Conversion of St. Paul.

The Conversion of St Paul

                    

The conversion of Saint Paul was an important milestone in the history of Christianity. Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles, but is considered as the Apostle of the Gentiles, because after his conversion on the way to Damascus, Paul embarked on 4 missionary voyages, preaching, at times challenging the people to change their lives, admonitions that are recorded in many of his letters. This painting is by Attilio Palombi, and is located in the apse of the church dedicated to the Shipwreck of St Paul, in Valletta, Malta. It has recently been restored and shows the dramatic moment when Jesus appears to the apostle, with Saint Paul on the ground after he was overpowered with the light that eventually blinded him for a few weeks, until he was healed by Ananias.  “On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.” (Acts 9: 1-9) We honor our great Apostle of the Gentiles today on the day his life, and our own life changed forever.

From St Francis de Sales

Stained glass from Baker City Cathedral, made in 1923.

We celebrate today the feast of St. Francis de Sales, the patron saint of journalists, my patron saint during my stay at the Cathedral dedicated to him in Baker City, Oregon. He was born in 1567, ordained a priest in 1593. In1602 he was made Bishop of Geneva, died in 1622 and was canonized 33 years later in 1655. In his book ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’ St Francis de Sales encourages us to do what children do when tempted or facing a bear or a wolf while in the country – they run for protection next to their parents, or at least call for help. So should we all do when tempted – run to Our Father. As Jesus said in the prayer He taught us ‘lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ If temptation persists there is yet another remedy – hang on to the cross, as if you are hugging Jesus himself on the cross. Pray for help. Do not accept those temptations and never let your eyes settle on them. Look only at the Lord, and your courage will increase. Another way of overcoming temptation is to turn your attention to something completely different, work on one of your hobbies, go for a walk, read a book, watch a good movie or listen to some great music.

The Secret

One day, one friend asked another, ““How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down.”
“With her eyes smiling, she said, ““I know the Secret!””
““What secret is that?””
To which she replied, “I’’ll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others.”
The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don’t need half of what I think I do. Since I learned that 'Secret’, I am happy. He has never let me down”
The questioner’s first thought was, “That’s too simple!” But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn’t! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn’t. She thought a luxurious car, a hefty bank account, a cruise on an ocean liner...., but nothing did make her better.
When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, praying with them, walking on the beach in bare feet with them, or reading a story, a simple gift from God. Now you know it too! We can’t depend on people or objects to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you! So once you get it, what will you do?
YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too! That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU!

St Publius

St Publius, from paintings by Emvin Cremona in Floriana church

Today the church in Malta celebrates the feast of St Publius. He was the chief of the island of Malta when St Paul was shipwrecked here in 60 AD. He welcomed St Paul, St Luke and the 276 sailors who ended up drifting to shore on planks of wood from the broken vessel on which they had travelled. Publius was very generous and hospitable to all these people, and when St Paul found out that his father was sick with fever and a bout of dysentery, he went to his house and healed him, whereupon many other natives came to be healed of various ailments. Eventually St Paul ordained St Publius as the first Bishop of Malta. Later on in his life he was captured and martyred by the cruel Emperor Hadrian. Most probably he was sent to the amphitheatre and devoured by a lion, as his statue always shows him with a lion next to him. He was canonized in 1634. The parish church of Floriana is dedicated to him, and the impressive ceiling of the church was painted by Emvin Cremona with various scenes from the life of St Publius. 

St Agnes

One of the early and young martyrs of the church is the beloved Saint Agnes. According to tradition, Saint Agnes was a member of the Roman nobility born c. 291 and raised in a Christian family. She suffered martyrdom at the age of twelve or thirteen during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, on 21 January 304. The Prefect Sempronius wished Agnes to marry his son, and on Agnes' refusal he condemned her to death. As Roman law did not permit the execution of virgins, Sempronius had a naked Agnes dragged through the streets to a brothel. Various versions of the legend give different methods of escape from this predicament. In one, as she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body. It was also said that all of the men who attempted to rape her were immediately struck blind.  When eventually she was led out to die she was tied to a stake, but the bundle of wood would not burn, or the flames parted away from her, whereupon the officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and beheaded her. It is also said that the blood of Agnes poured to the stadium floor where other Christians soaked up the blood with cloths. A few days after Agnes' death, her foster-sister, Saint Emerentiana was found praying by her tomb; she claimed to be the daughter of Agnes' wet nurse, and was stoned to death after refusing to leave the place and reprimanding the pagans for killing her foster sister. Emerentiana was also later canonized. Agnes' name may have derived from the Latin 'agnus', meaning lamb, and she is always represented with a lamb near her. Then there is another beautiful tradition......

Pope Francis blesses the lambs before shearing of the wool

On this day, the feast of St Agnes, the Pope traditionally blesses two lambs raised by Trappist monks near Rome. The lambs are sheared and the wool is given to the cloistered Benedictine nuns at Rome’s Basilica of St. Cecilia. The nuns use the wool to make palliums, which are bands that the heads of archdioceses wear around their shoulders during liturgical functions. Every year on the June 29 feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Pope places the bands around the necks of archbishops who have taken office in the past year. Today, after blessing the animals, the Pope also asked God to “bless the pastors who will receive the palliums made from the wool of these lambs.” 

St. Sebastian

Nothing is known about St. Sebastian's youth other than the fact he may have come from southern France and he was educated in Milan. He joined the Roman Army in 283 AD, ostensibly to be of service to other Christians who were being persecuted by the Romans. St. Sebastian distinguished himself and for his excellent service, he was promoted to serve in the Praetorian Guard to protect Emperor Diocletian. While serving as a Praetorian Guard, deacons Marcus and Marcellian, twin brothers, were imprisoned for refusing to make public sacrifices to the Roman gods. During their imprisonment, their parents visited them to implore them to renounce Christianity. However, St. Sebastian convinced both parents to convert to Christianity. St. Sebastian also converted several other prominent individuals, including the local prefect. This led to his discovery and he was reported as a Christian to Emperor Diocletian in 286. The Emperor, who was already infamous for ordering the deaths of hundreds of Christians scolded Sebastian and ordered him to be killed by having him tied to a stake on a training field and used as target practice.

Archers riddled his body with arrows, his body was described as, "full of arrows as an urchin." Believed to be dead, the archers left his body for retrieval and burial. He was recovered by Irene of Rome, whose Christian husband was a servant to Diocletian and also martyred. Irene discovered that Sebastian was still living and she hid him and nursed him back to health. Once well, Sebastian went in search of Diocletian to surprise him. He managed to catch Diocletian by a stairwell and proceeded to criticize him loudly and publicly for his persecution of the Christians. Diocletian surprised that Sebastian was still alive, was immediately taken aback, but recovered his composure. This time, he would not permit Sebastian to escape with his life. He ordered his former guard to be beaten to death with clubs, then thrown into the sewers. His body was recovered by a Christian woman, named Lucina, and she secretly buried him in the catacombs beneath Rome. Nearly 80 years after his death, around 367, his remains were moved to a basilica in Rome, built by Pope Damasus I. His body, or at least some relics from his body were reportedly removed and shared with a community of monks in France. His cranium was sent to a German monastery where it was placed in a special silver case in 934. The relic remains in its case today in a special reliquary in Ebersberg. St. Sebastian was commonly invoked as a protector against the plague. According to historical records, he defended the city of Rome against the plague in 680. In artwork, St. Sebastian is depicted with arrows shot into his body, often tied to a post or a tree. His second execution is virtually never depicted. St. Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes, and those who desire a saintly death. He is also the patron saint of archers.

The Handwriting on the wall

A weary mother returned from the store,

Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.

Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,

Anxious to relate what his younger brother had done.

"While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,

T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!

It's on the new paper you just hung in the den.

I told him you'd be mad at having to do it again."

She let out a moan and furrowed her brow,

"Where is your little brother right now?"

She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride,

She marched to his closet where he had gone to hide.

She called his full name as she entered his room.

He trembled with fear; he knew that meant doom!

For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved

About the expensive wallpaper and how she had saved.

Lamenting all the work it would take to repair,

She condemned his actions and total lack of care.

The more she scolded, the madder she got,

Then stomped from his room, totally distraught!

She headed for the den to confirm her fears.

When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with tears.

The message she read pierced her soul with a dart.

It said, "I love Mommy," surrounded by a heart.

Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it,

With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.

A reminder to her, and indeed to all,

Take time to read the handwriting on the wall.

Jesus in my heart

A four year old was at the paediatrician for a check up. As the doctor looked down her ears with an otoscope, she asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?" The little girl stayed silent. Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked down her throat. She asked, "Do you think I'll find the Cookie Monster down there?" Again, the little girl was silent. Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her chest. As she listened to her heart beat, she asked, "Do you think I'll hear Barney in there?" "Oh, no!" the little girl replied. "Jesus is in my heart. Barney's on my underpants."

30 ways to feel happy

Eat healthy food – Be kind to others - Exercise daily – Meditate – Be honest – Dream big – Be patient – Judge others less – Smile often - Love and respect yourself –Forgive right away – Be grateful – Be positive – Drink plenty of water –Believe in yourself and your potential – Have an open mind to learn – Be aware of your needs – Don’t bring any excuses – Talk nicely about others –Listen and understand your friends – When fearful, make your faith be your guide – Do your best in any circumstance – Be self-disciplined – Look at the glass half-full – Never compare yourself to others – Look at mistakes and failures as opportunities – Know who your true friends are – Learn to give your opinion – Forget whatever you cannot change – Sleep well and enough.

The Pope and football

Maradona presenting his Argentinian shirt to Pope Francis

Pope Francis remembers his days as a youth when he and his friends pulled off ‘miracles’ playing football in the streets of Buenos Aires, using a ball made from rags and a surging adrenaline. Now 84, the Argentine Pope remembers the joy and happiness on everyone’s faces after the 1946 victory of his Buenos Aires favorite  team, San Lorenzo. He said that ‘leather cost too much and we were poor,  rubber wasn’t used much yet, but a ball of rags was enough to amuse ourselves and create miracles, playing in the little square near home.’ Acknowledging he was not among the best football players, Bergoglio played as a goalkeeper, which he characterized as a good school for learning how to respond to dangers that could arrive from anywhere. He also insisted on a good sense of collaboration by saying ‘you either play together or you risk crashing. That’s how small groups, capable of staying united, succeed in taking down bigger teams incapable of working together.’ He recalled meeting recently-deceased Argentine footballer Maradona in 2014, whom he called ‘a poet in the field, a great champion who brought joy to millions, in Argentina and Naples, where he played for a few years. He was also a fragile man.’ Pope Francis also showed amazement and emotion at the accomplishments of the athletes who compete in the Paralympic Games. ‘Sport,’ he said, ‘was marked by the efforts of so many of those who with sweat on their brow beat those born with talent in their pockets. The poor thirst for redemption: give them a book, a pair of shoes, a ball and they show themselves capable of unimaginable achievements.’

Annie, Maggie and Helen

Anne Sullivan with Helen Keller

In 1876 Annie Sullivan was just 10 years old and ended up in an institute called the Tewkesbury Alms House in Massachusetts. He mother died when she was 8 and her father abandoned her and her siblings. She developed a violent temper and no one could control her, besides suffering from trachoma, an eye ailment. At the institute she met another girl named Maggie, who was a Christian and tried to befriend Annie and be nice to her. Maggie had also been abandoned but she reached out to Annie as no one else has. She suggested to her to enrol in the Perkins School of the Blind, where after a few operations, her sight improved a little. She even graduated when she was 20, and dedicated her life to help other blind children. She heard of a 7-year-old girl Helen Keller, who was deaf and mute, and decided to go to Tuscumbia in Alabama, to be her mentor. Thanks to Annie, Helen was able to graduate from the University, and became a well-known author, political activist and lecturer. ‘The Miracle Worker’, a highly emotional 1962 movie tells their story, which also became a Broadway show.

The benefit of Carob

                   

Carob trees are quite popular in Malta, although they are also protected, as some people were cutting them down.  It is a huge tree that is woven into the Maltese mental and physical landscape, so steeped in our culture and history.  It is common in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries and is officially called Ceratonia Siliqua. The pods that the trees produces are packed with calcium, sucrose, protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Some of these pods are picked up from the ground and fed to animals as fodder. In Cyprus, up until the 1940s, carob was a major agricultural export. It was even called the ‘black gold of Cyprus.’ In Malta our association with carob lie predominantly with the Karamelli, delightful Lenten treats that are sold as candy pieces. The dried pods can also be ground into flour and used in all manner of baked goods like brownies and crackers. Carob also contains Gallic acid that works in a wonder of ways. It potentially acts as an analgesic, anti-allergic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral and antiseptic! It has been said to improve digestion, lower cholesterol levels in blood, and is often used for treating bowel disorders in children and adults. Finally it’s worth noting that during World War II, food was so scarce in Malta that eating carob pods saved he population from near starvation. In times of scarcity, they were dried and ground into flour to make bread.

Polar Bears

Polar Bears are found in Canada, Alaska, Russia and Norway. They are good swimmers and are known to swim for days with a speed of 10 kilometers an hour. Under water they can keep their breath for up to 2 minutes. They can grow up to 9 feet tall and weigh about 1,763 lbs (800 kilos.) On land they can reach a speed of 40 kilometers an hour. They are not very good hunters. When the mother polar bear is pregnant, she digs a hole in the snow, big enough for her and her babies. She keeps them in there until the spring. There are about 26,000 polar bears in existence, but their number is dwindling fast, mostly because of the climactic change in the North Pole and surroundings.

The God Janus

January is named for a Roman God named Janus who had two faces, one of which looks ahead, while the other one looks backwards. At the start of this new year, we look back in regret for any mistakes we may have committed, but we also look ahead for the many opportunities we have to do good, to make new friends, to help others and to live a healthy life in a peaceful atmosphere. We have ahead of us a full year to use well, plenty of time to leave an imprint on life around us. We 12 months to use wisely, 52 weeks to be creative, 365 days to nurture love and kindness around us, 8760 hours to make ourselves useful, 525,600 minutes to utilize profitably, and 31,536,000 seconds to be productive and never waste a single one of them. 

The Pope’s message

In an interview on Italian TV yesterday, Pope Francis made reference to a photo that struck him in its sharp contrast, which he called the culture of indifference. The photo shows a wealthy woman dressed in a fur coat followed by her husband coming out of a door, while a beggar is seen holding her hand, begging for anything. The wealthy woman appears to be oblivious of the beggar, and is ready to ignore her.  Pope Francis said that this attitude can only be counteracted by the gift of closeness. He encouraged everyone to be close to those we seem to ignore and treat as inferior to us.  His interview was highlighted by scenes of migrants in boats reaching out for help and assistance.

Sadly it was announced also that the Pope’s personal doctor Fabrizio Soccorsi, aged 78, passed away from Coronavirus.  He was chosen as the pontiff's personal medic in 2015, and was hospitalised on Boxing Day for a previous oncological disease. It is not known when he was last in close contact with the Pope before his death on Saturday. This news comes as Pope Francis revealed he plans to have the Covid-19 vaccination next week when the Vatican begins its roll-out of the jabs.

The Baptism of Jesus

As we celebrate Jesus’ Baptism today, may we look back at our own baptism and see how faithful we have been to the commitment our parents made for us. I ask 3 simple questions today for your consideration:
1. How proud are you of the decision your parents took when they introduced you to the Catholic faith by baptizing you?

2. Do you know the names of your godparents, the name of the priest who baptized you, the church in which you were baptized, the date when you were baptized?

3. If you were chosen as a godparent for a child, do you keep in contact with that child, who may now be a teenager, an adult, a parent, and do you make sure they attend church regularly? Remember that this was one of the promises you made when you stood as a godparent on the baptism day.

In your heart try to renew the baptismal vows your parents made for you when you were baptized, rejecting everything that comes from the devil and his enticements, and affirming your faith in God, Jesus, the church and your faith.

Message from a new baby

This is a letter ‘written’ by the first baby born in 2021:

Happy New Year to everyone! Two minutes after midnight on January 1, 2021, I was born, surrounded by nurses dressed up from head to toe with special outfits, and of course my nervous daddy and my happy mother. They told me I was the first baby of 2021. I heard them say that the year 2020 was a very difficult one for the entire world. So I want to express my words of encouragement, the joy and happiness for the beautiful life God has given me to live. I want to thank my parents for protecting me from any virus to attack me as I was being formed. A special word of gratitude to all the nurses, midwifes and doctors who made sure I was delivered safely. They are such caring people these professionals, who make sure that they are there to protect the innocent and the vulnerable from any threat that a tiny virus can create. I am happy to be the first person to share this message of goodwill and hope to all those who have suffered so much over the past 10 months. I pray for all those who were taken from us unexpectedly because of this virus, and I know they are in a better place. I entered a world that is kind and generous, and is patient with those who may be weak or disadvantaged. As young babies and children we need that special love from the adults, so that we can have a future filled with unseen expectations. So do all the animals and all kinds of nature organisms, especially as the earth gets warmer, and vegetation, the seas and the air are constantly threatened. And as we hope that this virus will soon be eliminated from our midst, let us not forget the other ailments that still dominate our lives, like cancer and heart-disease, diabetes, Aids, disability and even mental deficiencies. Let us also eliminate from our midst any form of anger, bad words, jealousy, competition, domestic conflicts, wars and corruption. I know that God who created me will be so happy when these issues are eliminated from our society. Let us hope this year will be a better one than the one just finished, so that me and other babies being born at this time will have a better, safer and healthier future.

Baby Number One

The Panettone

                      
There are a few things that symbolize “Christmas” all around the world. In many countries, people trim trees, celebrate with Christmas carols, and create intricate Nativity scenes to herald the coming of the baby Jesus. But to Italians, Christmas would not be the same without the Panettone, the iconic dome-shaped Christmas cake. Dating back to Roman times, this soft, sweet loaf cake stuffed with raisins, nuts and candied fruits owes much of its development to Catholic figures. From the time of  the Renaissance we have proof of a Panettone recipe popular in Vatican circles. Sixteenth-century cookbooks by Bartolomeo Scappi, a chef who served Pope Pius V, show that a loaf cake filled with raisins was part of the refined menu he put together for the Head of the Church. Panettone, made up of the words “panetto” (loaf) and “one” (big), was also featured in a 16th-century painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. As with many iconic foods, legend and myths have developed about the origin of Panettone as a Christmas cake. Legend has it that Panettone was invented on a Christmas Eve of the 15th century at the court of Ludovico il Moro in Milan. The chef had prepared a Christmas pudding that got burned. But the dinner was saved by the ingenuity of a servant, Toni, who stuffed a loaf of bread with raisins, sugar and nuts, and it became called the “Pan de Toni” (bread of Toni). But it was in the 1920s that the famous cake got its current dome-shaped look. We owe that to Milanese baker Angelo Motta, a member of the the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, who mimicked the kulic, a traditional Russian cake usually baked for Easter. Today, as many as 54 million Panettones are bought during the holidays in Italy alone, and Pope Francis has become a fan of the tradition. Since his papacy began in 2013 he has been receiving a special Panettone, created for the Pope by Sicilian chef Nicola Fiasconaro. 

Vintage Christmas Cards

People all around the world are sending less and less Christmas Cards, since social media has inundated the world with messages and virtual cards sent by e-mail, through Facebook, Twitter and other gizmos that have taken over our lives. Nonetheless, it’s worth visiting again some vintage Christmas cards that used to be sent over 100 years ago. These have become collectibles and are frequently exhibited in Museums and public exhibitions. As we come to the conclusion of this Christmas Season with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, let us keep the happy Christmas spirit alive throughout the new year.

St, Andre Bessette

St. Andre Bessette (1845-1937)

His name was Alfred when he was born in Canada in 1845, one of 10 children. His father was a carpenter while his mother took care of the household needs and raising the children. To get a better job, his father moved the family to Quebec, but died tragically soon after he arrived to work as a lumberman, when a tree fell on him and crushed him to death. Alfred was only 9 years old, and to make matters worse, his mother died of tuberculosis 3 years later. Later on in his life, Alfred would write ‘rarely I prayed for my mother, but often I prayed to her, because she was a saint.’ Finding himself an orphan, Alfred started a series of jobs as shoemaker, baker and metal-worker, but did not know how to read or write, yet he had a great devotion to the church. He spent a lot of time praying in front of a crucifix he had in his room. When he was 20, he joined many other immigrants and moved to the USA to work in the clothing business, but returned home within a year. His parish priest noticed his holiness and sent him to the Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, with a message ‘I am sending you a saint.’ He was refused because of his poor health, but in 1872, he was accepted as a brother and started his Novitiate taking the name Brother Andre. He was 28, and his duties were to be a porter and sacristan. He remained as a receptionist for 40 years at the College of Notre Dame in Quebec, washing floors, carrying firewood, cleaning lamps, and taking messages. Hundreds of people used to come to ask his advice when he was a doorkeeper. More people came to him than to other priests at the College.

Oratory of St. Joseph in Montreal

He developed a special devotion towards St. Joseph, and encouraged the people to pray to him. He had a small oil lamp near his statue at the College, and often he would anoint sick people with the oil. Many people were healed, and he even led a campaign to build a church in honor of St. Joseph and he was often called the ‘miracle-worker of Mount Royal.’ Most of the people believed in him, though others made fun of him and ridiculed him. However, the church always was there to defend him. In 1924, the Oratory of St. Joseph started its construction on the hill of Mount Royal, but Andre was not to see its completion as he died aged 91 in 1937. More than a million people passed by his casket before his funeral. He was beatified in 1982 and canonized on October 17, 2010. Every year, millions of people visit the Oratory of St Joseph, and thanks to St Andre, the devotion towards St. Joseph increased handsomely over the past few years.

St. John Neumann

Today we celebrate the feast of a beloved Saint who was canonized on the same day that I was ordained a priest, June 19, 1977. St John Neumann was born in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia in 1811, and he was nearing his ordination when his bishop stopped all ordinations because he had too many priests. John wrote to other European bishops with the same response – too many priests. How times have changed because today we have the opposite situation with lack of vocations. Since John had learned some English from fellow American workers where he used to work, he decided to write to the US Bishops, and the New York bishop accepted him, and ordained him, and assigned him to a parish that spanned 90 miles by 150 miles long in territory. He was one of 36 priests who were taking care of over 200,000 Catholics in New York state. He travelled from town to town, baptizing, marrying and burying people in various mission stations. Frequently he celebrated Mass on the kitchen table in homes he visited. Because he felt isolated at times, he joined the Redemptorists, an order dedicated to help the poor and the abandoned. In 1852, he became the Bishop of Philadelphia, one of the dioceses who had parish schools, started by St Elizabeth Ann Seton, whose feast we celebrated yesterday. Because he loved people so much, he learned a few extra languages so that he could hear their confessions, including Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and even Gaelic, so much that an Irish woman rejoiced by saying ‘Thank God he sent us an Irish priest!’ In one of his visits to Germany, he once reached a house drenched with the rain. And when the owner of the house asked him to change his shoes, he responded by saying “The only way I can change my shoes is to put my left shoe on my right foot, and my right shoe on my left foot. This is the only pair of shoes I have.” So he walked in bare feet until his shoes dried up. St John Neumann died on January 5, 1860, at the age of 48. Today, American Catholics as well as Czechs and Slovak Catholics rejoice with their beloved Saint.

Incidentally, yesterday's saint Elizabeth Ann Seton died exactly 200 years ago, on January 4, 1821. She started the Catholic school system in the USA and was the first American born saint to be canonized. To read her biography go to: 

https://dungiljan.blogspot.com/search?q=St+Elizabeth+Ann+Seton

Sunset over Mdina

                    
Yesterday I was determined to take a great photo of the sunset. I had no idea what the sky would look like but since from a distance I can see the Cathedral church of Mdina, the old capital city of Malta, I always wanted to capture the sun setting behind the iconic Baroque church, which is exactly 3 miles away from where I was at Naxxar, ready with my camera. Since at this time of the year, the sun sets more to the west, I found a spot where I thought the sun would set right behind the church, and sure enough I was right on the spot 20 minutes before the sun disappeared. 

I took a few shots zooming on the setting sun, and here you can see a sequence of 15 minutes of glorious beauty. Today happens to be the 19th anniversary of my father’s death, and on that day I also took a great sunset photo, which I share after these four from yesterday. I seems that early January always gives us spectacular sunsets.

The sunset over the town of Victoria in Gozo on January 4, 2002