Pope St Pius V

Pope Pius V blessing Francesco Lapparelli

Born Antony Ghislieri on January 17, 1504, he was raised by poor parents and entered the Dominican Order with whom he was ordained in 1528 and taught philosophy and theology in Dominican colleges . He quickly became bishop and Cardinal and followed his predecessor, the easy-going Pope Pius IV in 1566. He started his Papacy by implementing the reform of the Council of Trent. He cleaned up the curia, excommunicated heretical bishops, cleaned up the immorality in the church and swept the church clean – paving the way for the great surge in the church we call the Counter Reformation. He also excommunicated the tyrant Elizabeth I of England and formed the Holy League – a confederation of Catholic armies which eventually defeated the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto. Pius V also instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victories. He was also very helpful to Malta when after the Great Siege of 1565, he sent his own architect and military engineer Francesco Lapparelli to help the Knights of Malta rebuild the capital city of Valletta. We owe him great respect and appreciation for this kind gesture.

Pope Pius V also published the catechism of Trent and improved the breviary and the Roman Missal, which was still being used until 1962. He tried to clean Rome from any immorality, forbidding bull fights and even tried to stop bull fighting from Spain, one of the few things he was unsuccessful in. He died on May 1, 1572 and was canonized by Pope Clement XI in 1712. Since he was a Dominican, he frequently kept using the white cassock or habit that Dominicans used, and the custom remained that successive Popes kept using white, possibly to beat the summer Roman heat. And that is why the Popes still uses white as the color of his cassock. And the first thing Pope Francis did when he was elected Pope was the visit Santa Maria Maggiore and pay tribute to the tomb of Pope St Pius V.

On doing nothing

Many agree that our young people have become very complacent and care-free about their commitment to improve the world they will be living in, when we are all gone. Experts believe that complacency cannot be a root cause; it is being exhibited by the majority of our educated young citizens as a result of the conditions prevalent when they grew up. Someone blindly following what everyone else is doing, without realising the dangers and consequences that can arise, is actually being complacent by following the herd instinct. Does our education system push people to be complacent when it should push them in the opposite direction, to be more active in society by speaking up when they see injustices happening, when foreigners are being abused and ridiculed when they should be welcomed and encouraged to use their native talents and gifts? Unfortunately, it does. As Andy Grove – a former CEO of Intel Corporation – put it: ‘Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive. The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in our doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.’ Yevgeny Yevtuschenko, a Russian author once said : 'I noticed that the wicked people of this world usually hang out together, even when they hate each other – and this is their strength. Good people on the other hand, are scattered – and this is their weakness.' This tendency is happening too often. Evil, hatred and violence are glorified, while goodness, kindness and philanthropy stay hidden. The biggest failure in our present society is simply that the good people, when they see the need to contribute, instead, do nothing !

St Gianna Beretta Molla

Born on October 4, 1922, Gianna Beretta was the 10th of 13 children, even though only 8 of the siblings survived infancy. She grew up in Bergamo, Italy where she was very active in the Catholic Action movement. In 1942, in the midst of the chaos of World War II she started her studies in Milan and graduated as a doctor in 1949, specializing in paediatrics. She actually wanted to go to Brazil to work as a paediatrician with her brother, a missionary priest, but her health prevented her from doing this. So she worked happily as a doctor, eventually meeting her future husband Pietro Molla, whom she married in 1955. They had 3 children within 5 years, and in 1961, she was pregnant with her 4th child. During the pregnancy, she developed a fibroma in her uterus, and the doctors suggested her to have an abortion to save her life. But she continued with her pregnancy and the baby was born on April 21, 1962, Easter Saturday. Gianna made the ultimate sacrifice for her daughter, and she got weaker and weaker and died a week later, on April 28, 1962. Her daughter Gianna Emmanuela became a paediatrician herself, and was present with her father and two other siblings at her mother’s beatification in 1994. Another sister had died in 1964, 2 years after her mother. The miracle that certified her canonization was done on a Brazilian woman Elizabetta Comparini, who in her 16th week of pregnancy experienced a tear in her placenta, losing all the amniotic fluid. Praying to Gianna Beretta Molla, she continued with her pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby, defying all the negative prognosis the doctors had given her. Gianna was proclaimed a Saint by Pope St John Paul II on May 16, 2004, with her husband and three children present. She has since became the patron for pro-life and for pregnant women, and a great statement against abortion. The church honors her on her feast day today April 28, the day of he death.

Living like Jesus

A man was talking to Mark Twain and told him ‘I wish I can go to the Holy Land and see where Jesus lived.’ Twain, knowing this man was not the ideal Christian, responded quickly: ‘Maybe it’s better for you to stay here and live as Jesus wanted you live, kindly, charitably and compassionately.’

Malta’s paradox

Msgr. Anton Teuma preaching on the feast day of St George.

The Bishop of our sister island Gozo, Anton Teuma made a few heartfelt remarks in a homily two days ago, and gave the Maltese and Gozitan people something to reflect on. He referred to various situations that are harming the Maltese islands, thus listing various paradoxes in the present society and these are his actual words: "How I wish we had fewer rich churches, crumbling churches, which are however, full of people. How I wish to see fewer beautiful houses, but stronger families and stronger bonds between parents and their children. How I wish to see fewer people owning property, but also less fighting among heirs, among siblings. How I wish to see less construction but easier access to housing. How I wish village feasts were not so grand, but that people were happier and at peace, rather than seeing young people distracted by beer and drugs. How I wish that people were less rich, but cared more for each other and helped the poor.”  

The hurtful tongue

A kind man was very patient and tolerant towards his wife who was always critical, demeaning and derogatory, and having a bad tongue, she made many more enemies than friends. She annoyed her husband and embarrassed him on many occasions, as he said nothing, out of respect for her being his wife of many years. When he was dying, he called a notary to draft his will, and demanded that it will remain concealed until a month after his death.  When the will was opened they found this note written: ‘I leave all my wealth to my wife, as long as on every anniversary of my death, she has to go in the village square, holding a large poster for everyone to see. The poster should have these words written, large enough for everyone to see: ‘My life would have been much longer, if my wife’s tongue was a little shorter than it was, and her mouth remained closed more often !’ Our tongue is a lethal weapon – it can hurt, destroy, ridicule and condemn relentlessly. But if used properly and discreetly, it enhances, it encourages, it uplifts and makes the downtrodden feel worthy. Let’s use it properly to be kind and respectful towards everyone.

Ecobricks

Seminarians using ecobricks to build a garden fence

At the seminary for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Manila, Philippines, thousands of plastic bottles can be found everywhere. They're beneath trees, around gardens. They're in the church, and in some cases, they're even inside the walls. Just where the seminarians placed them. Rather than littering the campus, the bottles and other plastics have been repurposed into "ecobricks" that serve as building materials for projects around the grounds. Each brick starts with an empty 1.5-liter plastic bottle, then other plastics are cut into smaller pieces and pressed into the bottle with a bamboo stick. All plastics are cleaned first and sometimes painted for a more artistic look. The process can be time-consuming, with a single brick sometimes taking as long as one day to make. The Missionaries often use finished ecobricks and cement to build planter boxes around trees, barrier fences for gardens, and the bases of outdoor concrete tables and chairs. They even built a chapel with ecobricks used for walls, as you can see in the photo below. Inside their church, they have formed stands for flowers in front of the altar as well as a manger for a nativity scene. Being responsible for the use of the plastic could be a good way to save our environment.

A chapel whose walls were built using ecobricks

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart's ecobricks are one example of the ways people and communities across the world are attempting to grapple with the gargantuan problem that plastic waste and plastic pollution poses to the planet and the health of humans, species and ecosystems. The world produces 430 million metric tons of plastics every year, with two-thirds discarded shortly after use. About 11million metric tons of plastics enter the oceans each year, or the equivalent of a garbage truck a minute. In addition to polluting lands and waters, plastics pose serious health threats to humans and other species. More than 13,000 chemicals have been identified in plastic production, with at least 2,300 labeled "chemicals of concern," including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. Plastics don't biodegrade, and instead break into smaller and smaller "microplastics" that have been found in the stomachs of birds, fish, other marine species, livestock and more, as well as humans, including inside foetuses and babies. Some chemicals used in plastic production have been linked to cancer, heart disease, infertility, and can disrupt brain development, especially in children and infants.

The Gondola

One of the most popular scenes in Venice is the gondola taking tourists around the canals. One gondolier had two oars and on one of them he wrote the Italian words Lavoro (work in English) and on the other one he wrote Preghiere (prayer in English.) When people board the gondola, they always ask him why he wrote those words on the oars. He would answer by saying ‘because when I use one oar, the gondola goes around and around, but when I use both of them I go straight ahead and tourists can enjoy the scenery and buildings. With the work of my hands and the help of God, I can go anywhere I want.’ Remember the motto of the monks ‘Ora et Labora’ (Pray and Work) as they combine both of them in their daily life. When they work, they do it prayerfully, and when they pray, it is hard work for them. Both are important for us too.

Identical Twins

Joe on the left, and Fr John on the right

Continuing briefly on yesterday’s post of Fr John Heinlein, I have always been fascinated by identical twins and their incredible facial similarity. Twins always say how close they are to each other, in thought, in feeling and in response to each other’s state of mind. Whenever Fr John had his brother visit him at New Hyde Park, they always played tricks on people, occasionally Joe would dress up as a priest and Fr John will dress up as a cowboy, and nobody would tell them apart, as even their mannerisms were so identical. 

Anna on the left, and Maria on the right

Over the years my brother was dating an identical twin Maria, and since I didn’t seen them often as I was in the USA, every time I visited my family, it was impossible for me telling her apart from her sister Anna. Over the years I got used to their subtle differences, as you can see from this photo, but there was so much alike in their personalities. A third photo I share is that of twin girls who attend Mass at Naxxar parish, and again their facial similarity is so great that their grandfather who usually accompanies them, cannot tell them apart, unless they dress them differently.

Remembering Father John

It’s been a sad few days for me as I suffered the loss of my best priest friend who has been an inspiration for me ever since I met him in 1979. Fr John Heinlein passed away on Sunday April 14, on Long Island, aged 90. He was the priest who inspired me to go to the USA and spend 35 glorious years there serving for 10 years with him from 1981 to 1991 at Holy Spirit Church in New Hyde Park, NY. Our friendship continued over the years and he even replaced me for a few weeks on 2 occasions when I was in Baker City, Oregon. He was retired and spent his last few months at a Retirement Home for priests. Besides being a role model for me, he was also a teacher, a pastoral tool that is affecting me to this day in the way I celebrate Mass and perform pastoral work with the people I serve. He taught me how to drive, how to preach effectively, how to run a lively, happy parish. His hobbies and mine were similar, as we both loved sports, although his were more adventurous and dangerous, water skiing and snow-skiing. Moreover he was a qualified flight instructor and a professional pilot. We shared many jokes, stories and trips in his turquoise Volkswagen. 

Fr John with his father, twin Joe and wife and their son in 1983.

I recall various anecdotes, including some funny ones with his identical twin brother Joe. A hilarious story happened  when some of his priest friends were vacationing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and thought they saw him walking in a romantic embrace with a beautiful blonde. Returning home they called him, concerned about his vocation, only to be told that who they saw with that blonde was his twin brother with his wife Jolene. When I arrived in New Hyde Park in 1981, I was the sixth priest in the parish, but before you know, we were 5, then 4, then 3, and by 1991, just the two of us in a big parish. He was loved by everybody, and supported all the projects I did, especially with the Catholic school, which I visited daily, teaching in all the classes, besides working with the youth in our Teen Club. I cherish the long trips we did together to Lake Placid in the summer and Hunter Mountain during the winter skiing season. 

With my parents in one of their visits to New York

He bailed me out of various uncomfortable, yet humorous situations, like when during a funeral I referred to a person as the executioner, when I should have said ‘executor’ of the will of the deceased. He was a true shepherd, and was able to make me one too, well, maybe a lamb. He was also very gracious and accommodating to my parents and siblings when they visited me, two of them staying in the rectory during their honeymoon. His life story was a spectacular rainbow of happy endeavours, dedicated service and sheer love of all that he did. His funeral was held at Saint Jude R.C. Church, Mastic Beach, (where he had served over the last few years,) on Friday, April 19, and interment followed at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood, Westbury, NY. May God grant him eternal rest.

From a webcam during his funeral at St Jude's, Mastic Beach NY

Prayer to St. Joseph

St. Joseph, diligent protector of Christ, we lift up to you the plight of parents who, through circumstances beyond their control, find themselves separated from their children. We implore your intercession to bring comfort and solace to these parents. May your unwavering  faith and steadfast love inspire them to endure with patience and hope, trusting in your divine providence. We lift up to you the children whose hearts have grown hardened, who have turned away from their parents. Soften their hearts, to break down walls of indifference and pride, and to restore the bonds of love and respect between parent and child. Grant them the grace of reconciliation and forgiveness, that they may experience the healing power of God’s mercy. We bring before you the couples who long to welcome children into their lives, but are unable to do so. We ask for your guidance and support as they navigate the challenges of infertility and adoption.  Grant them strength and perseverance in their journey. Lastly we pray for holy marriages asking for the grace to embrace the cross with faith. St Joseph, model of humility and obedience, teach us to trust in God’s plan for our lives, even when it leads us down difficult paths. Help us to see the crosses we bear as opportunities for growth and sanctification, knowing that through our struggles, we are drawn closer to God. St. Joseph, faithful guardian and patron of families, hear our prayers and intercede for us in our time of need. Amen.

The Visitor

A certain visitor wanted to visit a local church. He found a parking spot and parked there. Another man came over to him reprimanding him, ‘Hey, that was my spot...you took my place!’ Finding another space, he then went into the church which was half empty. He found a bench which was empty and sat down to pray. A woman came from behind and told ‘Hey Mister, that is my place.’ The visitor politely stood up and moved to another bench. Three minutes later another man approached him, and again, ‘Hey buddy, that is my place you’re sitting in.’ The visitor moved again and sat down to follow the Mass. During the homily, the priest was speaking about their need to see Jesus present among them. At that moment the vistor stood up and moved into the middle aisle, and as he opend his hands, people could see the wounds on his hands, as his countenance turned very bright. One man stood up, and asked him. ‘What happened to you?’ And the visitor replied, ‘I took your place.’

The Broken Glass

Marguerite was a young orphan girl who worked in the King’s kitchen. Unfortunately she was a little clumsy and often dropped plates, glasses, china and other precious objects made of glass. She was always afraid that the King would punish her, but she always was honest with him, and picked up the pieces and took them to him. He not only forgave her every time this happened, but he eventually adopted her as his daughter. The King also kept all these pieces of glass she had broken, and eventually was able to create a beautiful stained glass window for his palace chapel. Jesus does the same with us – He forgives us our failures and mistakes, and makes of us a new person, redeemed, whole and holy.

Random Acts of Kindness

It’s amazing how simple acts of kindness can have such a tremendous positive effect on people’s moods, attitudes, and overall behavior. The well-known Gospel parable tells that ‘I was hungry and you fed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me....’ Also, remember.......when I came to your house to fix your computer. When I cooked a little extra to share with my lonely neighbor. When I prepared the coffee pot for the rest of the family. When I let me busy siblings used the bathroom before me. When I thanked the volunteers who were helping at a church function. When I gave an extra ticket for a concert to a friend who loves music. When I apologized to someone whom I was avoiding.  When I complemented the girl at the food store counter. When I visited some elderly folks at the nursing home. When I gave a little token to the mail-man. When I wrote that  letter of thanks to a friend who helped me in the past. When I said ‘thank you’ to the priest who daily celebrates a beautiful Mass. When I started to answer my emails right away, instead of procrastinating. How many more acts of kindness can you mention?

Do you remember?

When we were still at school, how often our teachers forced us to remember lists and memorize dates, events and other facts. In mathematics it was Times Table, poems in English, maps in geography, innumerable dates in our history class, Periodic Tables in our science class, etc. Throughout our lifetime we had to remember basic information, which we probably still do. Recipes, football line-ups, names of movies, names of classmates, your local bus number, important telephone numbers, times of Masses in your parish church, etc. In our catechism classes we also had to memorize the basic prayers, the Sign of the Cross, Hail Mary, Our Father, the 7 sacraments, the 10 commandments, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and whatever our catechist demanded that we should know. How about learning some basic Scripture phrases? Here are some very short ones that are easy to memorize and will certainly come in handy when you’re struggling with any issue: ‘ Come to me all you who are burdened, and I will refresh you.’ ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ ‘Reach out for the light and stay away from the power of darkness.’ ‘Whoever eats my Body will live for ever.’ ‘Do to others, what you want them to do to you.’ ‘Knock and it shall be opened, seek and you shall find, ask and it will be given to you.’ ‘Forgive one another, not 7 times, but 70 times 7 times.’ So let's get on our knees and pray......

The Pope’s appeal

Pope Francis at his midday message yesterday from the balcony of the Vatican apartment, sent this heart-felt message to the Middle-East region and the entire world.

‘I am following in prayer and with concern, even pain, the news that has reached us in the last few hours regarding the worsening of the situation in Israel, due to the intervention by Iran. I make a heartfelt appeal to halt any action that might fuel a spiral of violence, with the risk of dragging the Middle East into an even greater military conflict. No-one should threaten the existence of others. May all the nations instead take the side of peace, and help Israelis and Palestinians live in two States, side by side, in safety. It is their deep and legitimate desire, and it is their right! Two neighbouring States. Let there be a ceasefire in Gaza soon, and let us pursue the paths of negotiation, with determination. Let us help that population, plunged into a humanitarian catastrophe; let the hostages kidnapped months ago be released! So much suffering! Let us pray for peace. No more war, no more attacks, no more violence! Yes to dialogue and yes to peace!’

Formula 1 and Tour de France ?

My two nephews are both doctors, very successful ones too. But when they were younger they had different aspirations for successful careers. As you can see in this photo, with grandparents and family members looking on at Christmas of 1994, Julian the older one, was aspiring to become a cyclist, maybe even ending up in the Tour de France or Giro d‘Italia. You can see him here with his helmet on his bike, even with training wheels if you notice closely. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for many of his patients, he didn’t make it on the pro tour. On the other hand, the younger nephew, Peter had his mind set on the Formula 1 circuit. He did learn how to drive, very cautiously I would say, but never took part in any professional races, but now he serves patients at the local hospital, with commendable success too. I’m sure Mark Cavendish, the sprint cyclist, and Lewis Hamilton, the car racer extraordinaire, are glad they didn’t have to face them in any races.

Monitor tulip farm

Flash-back from my journals of 2013 - When I was in Oregon, during this second week of Easter, all the priests gather for their annual retreat at Mount Angel Seminary. And one of my highlights every year was a visit to the tulip farm in Monitor. On Tuesday, in the afternoon I left immediately after lunch to get a head-start on my trip to the Wooden Shoe tulip farm, both to avoid waiting in line to get in, and also to avoid the unusual heat-wave we are experiencing. As excited as I was the previous year to visit the tulip farm with just two rows of yellow and red tulips, this year it was a heavenly experience as one row of colorful tulips after another covered almost half a mile by a 300 yard stretch that was mesmerizingly spectacular to see from afar, to walk through, and to photograph. I took close to 170 pictures in the 2 hours I spent there, and plenty of other photographers were showing off their equipment, besides many young couples with their children taking their pictures for their annual Christmas card and for their keepsake. The windmill at the end of the field, plus Mount Hood in the background provided an excellent opportunity to create some fascinating photos, and yet, as is often the case, many people cannot compose a simple photo, with today being a great exception, because you really have to be a dummy not to get great photos, with such a colorful and rich surroundings.

My trip to the tulip farm left quite an imprint on my head. When I arrived for the 4 PM conference at the Retreat House, all the priests were looking at me and asking me “What happened to you?” seeing that my head was as red as some of the tulips I had just photographed. Not realizing right away, I had forgotten to wear a hat, and in those two glorious hours, the sun did quite a job on me as it burned my head and my arms. It’s amazing how in just two hours, the sun can have such an effect on our bodies. The temperature was around 70 degrees between 1 PM and 3 PM, the time I spent in the farm, but I was so ecstatic taking one photo after another, that the last thing on my mind was the sun roasting my bald head! No major damage done, but over the next few days, I felt like a snake shedding its skin! Monitor wasn’t exactly Holland, but very close to it, as you can see from these few photos I share today.

My two sisters

Today I honor my two sisters, Rosemarie who celebrates her birthday today, and Josephine who passed away exactly 2 years ago. Here are three photos from the past, the first one from 1951 when my parents were planning to emigrate to Australia, and this black-and-white vintage photo shows my mother with Rosemarie on the left and Josephine on the right. Of course they never left Malta. 

The second photo was from 2006 with Josephine in the middle and Rosemarie on the right, with my mother on the left. The third photo shows me with both of them in 1955, Josephine on the left and Rosemarie on the right.

The Gold Medal

Bill Havens was on the canoe Olympic team heading for the Paris Olympic Games in 1924. However his wife was expecting a baby and he didn’t want to miss this opportunity to see his son being born. Yet his wife convinced him that he should go. But Bill was determined not to miss this blessed event, even though the canoe team had a chance to win a medal. Actually he was terribly disappointed because his team-mates won the gold medal. Years passed, and his grown son Frank was chosen also for the canoe team to represent the USA in Helsinki 1952. Sure enough he won the Gold medal with his team-mates! Immediately he wrote to his father and told him ‘Dad, what you didn’t accomplish because of me, I did it for you. When I get home, I will give you the medal, because I think you deserve it more than I do.’ Frank died in 2018, aged 94.

Being united

An elderly man was concerned as his 6 children were not getting along. As he was nearing the end of his life, he wanted so such to see them united and collaborate together before he dies. So one day he called them into his room with his wife next to him, and asked them to sit down in a circle. Then he showed them some reeds and asked his first son to break one of the reeds. The son just broke it without any effort. He asked the second daughter to do the same, and all the others, all breaking a reed given to them by their father. Then the father tied six reeds together and gave them to his first son and asked him to break them. He tried with all his might but was not able to break them. His siblings tried, one by one,  but no one was able to crack them. When he saw this, the father told them,’ you see, my dear children, the reed by itself was so weak that it broke pretty easily, but when joined with the other 5, it gained a special kind of strength. It’s the same with you all. If you are divided among yourselves, people will tear you apart and destroy you. But if you are united, no one can do anything to hurt you or damage your lives and your family.’ The 6 brothers and sisters looked at each other, and clearly understood the message their father wanted to give them.

Solar Eclipse in Malta

With all the hype that has taken over the United States with a total solar eclipse that stretched from Texas all the way to Maine, and into Northeast Canada, it is good to know that a total solar eclipse will happen in Malta on June 1, 2030, at 6:54 AM. It is also called an Annular Solar Eclipse. It will start over Algeria, and proceed to Malta, Greece, Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, into Russia. The next total solar eclipse in Malta will be on Wednesday April 21, 2088 at 11:06.  Since I will certainly not be here in 2088, I hope to see the one in 2030, 6 years from now, God willing. The eclipse of 2030 will start at 5:52 AM and end 8:04 AM over Malta. Another almost total eclipse will happen over Malta on August 2, 2027. That one will start from Gibraltar, and go over Tunisia, Malta, Egypt, the Red Sea, Dubai, into the Indian Ocean. This reflection which Pope Francis shared during the Via Crucis at the Colosseo a few weeks ago sums up the beauty behind this phenomena: “In my own dark night, when I keep asking why, I find you, Jesus, the light that shines in the darkness. And in the plea of all those who are alone, rejected, oppressed or abandoned, I find you, my God. May I always recognize your presence and turn to you in love.” In the daily rhythm of sunset and sunrise, we experience something of the cosmic drama of death and resurrection. An eclipse, with its disruption of those familiar rhythms, invites us to look anew at the light and darkness around us. As we look, the Holy Father invites us anew to hear the cry of Jesus from the cross, the cry in the darkness.

Bearded Monk-Priest

Back in 1998, I did a sabbatical with the Trappist monks of St Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. I lived with the 70 monks and brothers in a beautiful monastery built by the monks themselves in 1952-53, after a fire had devastated their former home on Rhode Island. Living in the community you have to do all the work they do, from sweeping the cloisters, cleaning the Jakes (bathrooms,) help in cooking, help in the huge Trappist Fruit Preserves factory they had, and even making a special blend of incense. Wearing sandals and a white robe like all the monks was of course right up my alley, and seeing so many of them with beards, I decided to grow a beard. However it only lasted 2 weeks, as the hair was getting in the way while eating, besides the itching, and indirectly giving the impression of laziness, something which certainly was never in my character. So after two weeks, it was gone, but at least I have a photo which I share with you today. Some of my friends in various parishes told me that I look like Steven Spielberg! The monks themselves told me that I look like a Trappist monk. Living with them, chanting the Office, meeting 7 times in the chapel (as early as 3:30 AM,) and celebrating the Eucharist was one of the best times of my life.

Divine Mercy

The Sunday after Easter will always be known as Divine Mercy Sunday, as people pray the novena handed down to us by St Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and visionary, who was pushed away by many church authorities in her time and after her death. But Pope St John Paul, a Polish himself, re‑opened her case and authenticated her visions, and even canonized her in the year 2000, precisely on Divine Mercy Sunday. The faithful pray the novena by reciting 50 times "For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." The image of Jesus with white and red rays coming out of his heart has become a popular image among devout Catholics, after it being condemned for many years. The original painting was painted by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski in 1934 with Sister Faustina's instructions and before her death in 1938. Another popular version of the painting was done by Adolf Hyła painted in 1943.

7 Hamburgers

Another flash-back from my journals - Back in 2007, when I was at the Cathedral in Baker City, Oregon, I took 2 days off to drive down in the south-east part of Oregon, a forest with plenty of wild-life animals. As I drove through the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, lots of water fowls were visible having a jolly good time in the early morning sun, and my marathon of photo-snapping started. I was constantly on the lookout for all kinds of birds standing in water ponds and standing on fence-poles, which has become my favorite way to spot birds, especially if they let me sneak up on them as I roll down the car window and zoom quickly on them with my camera.

The area between Frenchglen and Fields in SE Oregon

Driving through the small town of Frenchglen, I encountered an abundance of sage-brush and juniper trees, and continued down towards the hamlet of Fields, which consisted of maybe a dozen houses, mostly trailers, a 4 room motel and a small western restaurant which I stopped to visit, both to use the rest-room and to get something to eat. This was a combination restaurant and country store with an incredible collection of photos of hunters posing with their treasured catch, from cougars to elk, from eagles to bears, from mountain lions to all kinds of deer with 4, 5, 6 or more antlers. Asking the waitress to fix me a sandwich, I noticed on the wall a curious wooden poster with this notice, “As of January 1, 2007, we served 875 hamburgers.” The numbers were removable, so that they can change the numbers every time another hamburger is sold. When I asked her if they make good business there, in the middle of nowhere, she beamed a huge smile and pointed to the poster, as she said “Of course, didn’t you see that sign up there, we sold 875 hamburgers so far this year!” Since this was early May, I smiled and congratulated her on her booming business. My quick mathematical calculation figured out that in the first 4 months they sold an average of 7 hamburgers a day! I remember being in New York or even in Malta where a busy restaurant like McDonalds would sell 7 hamburgers in a minute, and would go over 875 burgers in a day! But in Fields, Oregon selling 7 hamburgers a day is a major business accomplishment.

A Fishy Convention

A large number of fish gathered one day and started discussing why so many of them were falling victims to the fishermen’s hooks. Various reasons for this were given. The tuna said ‘That’s because the hook is hidden by some attractive food....’ The swordfish claimed ‘that’s because curiosity is impossible to control....’ The sea bass said ‘ that’s because no one believes me when I tell them that the danger is hidden.’ Then an old, wise fish spoke up and proclaimed ‘Fellow fish, the reasons you gave were all good, but I think the poor fish are getting caught because they simply open their mouth. If they were strong enough to keep their mouth shut, they would never have been caught!’

Wedding Agency

A young man was heading home from work when he noticed a sign outside a building saying ‘Wedding Agency.’ He stepped in to see what it was all about. As he entered he saw two doors, one said ‘Elderly and Wrinkled’ while the other one said ‘Young and Pretty.’ He chose the second one and he found two more doors, one of them said ‘Excellent cook,’ and the other one said ‘Terrible cooking techniques.’ So he headed to the first door and faced two more doors, one of which said ‘Hard-working and Industrious,’ and the second one said ‘Absolutely lazy and careless.’ He entered through the first door and found himself in front of a large mirror. Above it was a sign that said: ’Don’t expect too much from other people. You need to look at yourself first!’

Perseverance

Glenn Cunningham was 7 years old when a fire almost killed him, but at least survived, though badly burned. The doctors had decided to amputate his legs, condemning him to a life in a wheelchair.  Glenn objected fiercely and told the doctors ‘I want to enjoy life by walking and running, not by spending my entire life in  a wheelchair.’ After two years of therapy and perseverance, Glenn started to walk, struggling to keep on his feet at first, but he was determined not to give up completely. He kept walking,  then jogging and finally running slowly. He ran so well that he joined an athletic club and eventually was chosen to represent the USA and entered the Olympics held in Berlin in 1936. And what the doctors had deemed impossible, Glenn surprised everyone as he won the silver medal in the 1500 meters.  In 1974 he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Pysanky and Figolli

Just as Christmas has its special food, like puddings, mince pies, cookies and fruitcake, so does Easter, and in particular, I refer to two places where these special treats are so popular that they deserve a special mention today, Easter week. I’m referring to Ukraine and its Pysnaky eggs and Malta with its figolli. The word pysanka (plural pysanky) refers specifically to an egg decorated with traditional Ukrainian folk designs. Artists go into incredible detail as they decorate these eggs with beautiful colored designs, each color is symbolic of a virtue or a positive trait. With the advent of Christianity, the symbolism of the egg was changed to represent, not nature's rebirth, but the rebirth of man. Christians embraced the egg symbol and likened it to the tomb from which Christ rose. With the acceptance of Christianity in 988, the decorated pysanka, in time, was adapted to play an important role in Ukrainian rituals of the new religion. Many symbols of the old sun worship survived and were adapted to represent Easter and Christ's Resurrection.

The Maltese figolli are popular treats made from 2 sheets of dough, filled with almond paste, but the dough is usually cut in shapes of hearts, baskets, rabbits, bears, butterflies, shapes of children or anything imaginative. A chocolate egg is placed on top, after the shape is covered with icing and decorated like any other cake.

Another popular treat in Malta is the large Holy Thursday bread, made like a donut shape with almonds and sesame seeds. They are traditionally given to the 12 men, women or children whose feet are washed at the evening Mass, but many people buy these loaves, have them blessed and enjoy them on Holy Thursday. They are of course very crusty on the outside and fresh on the inside.

Easter Blessings

The Risen Christ by Emvin Cremona

He is truly Risen!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

He brings a Prayerful Life to someone searching for meaning and direction.
He brings Peace to those who are always worried and uptight.
He brings Victory out of defeat.
He brings Joy to those who cannot seem to smile anymore.
He brings a Beautiful Baby to her who was premeditating an abortion.
He brings Light to those who are living in darkness.
He brings Enlightenment and Understanding to those couples whose marriage has been more of a struggle than a Joy.

A sketch (bozzetto) by Emvin Cremona

He brings Hope out of despair.
He brings New Life to those worried about dying.
He brings Peace to this world ravaged by war and fighting and oppression.
He brings Love and Reconciliation to those harboring thoughts of revenge and hate.
He brings Optimism in a world tormented by pessimism.