Draped in Black

Some of the Maltese Baroque churches have a haunting and mystical way of decorating the inside with black tapestry during Lent. They stay until Good Friday, but the amount of work it takes to hang these small pieces of black cloth is enormous, as I’ve seen for myself in the church where I regularly celebrate Mass, the parish of Naxxar, dedicated to Our Lady of Victory. The main sacristan Godwin gets a little help from his friends, but there is still a lot of coordination taking place, climbing ladders, using an electric fork-lifter, and stretching to hang all the passion-related items. 

These two photos give you just a little idea of what the church looks like at this time of the year. Between the arches, the 9 statues that are part of the Good Friday procession are displayed for the congregation's admiration and reverence. There are probably another 3 churches who still have this custom of draping the walls in black.

More Passion Stamps

I share with you a few more stamps related to the passion of Christ, specifically those coming from small countries, but presenting beautiful and meaningful stamps nonetheless. We go today to Oman, Burundi and Niger. Throughout history, the small countries have always issued beautiful stamps, as was the case also in Malta, with a long heritage of historic stamps, particularly those issued in the 60s, 70s and 80s, designed by Emvin Cremona. 

Click on each stamp to enlarge

These specific stamps represent the Deposition of Jesus (Niger), the Agony in the Garden (Oman) and the Resurrection (Burundi.)

Greeting

A bus driver in an English town one day called the people to attention because he had an important announcement to make. All the passengers abandoned their mobile phones, or newspapers or books they were reading, and were attentive for the bus driver’s message. When he heard complete silence, he stopped the bus and told them ‘Kindly say Hello to the person sitting next to you, introduce yourselves to each other, and you will all see that you will have a wonderful day.’ There were smiles, and handshakes, and even a few hugs, as nobody expected such an announcement. Everyone was so happy, and within a few minutes there as a huge applause to the bus driver, who within a few minutes had changed everybody’s mood. Now let’s try to greet strangers with a simple Hello, even if we don’t know them. Even when you go to church, try to say Hello discretely to the person sitting in the same pew next to you. Then the sign of peace will be very meaningful for both of you and all those around you.

Miniature Passion statues

From now until Easter scores of exhibitions will be held all over Malta displaying miniature statues created on the original life-size statues that will be carried in processions on Good Friday. These were done by various crafty enthusiasts who are increasing every year, and passionately present the passion of Christ through these small figurines, some of them complete with real clothing, the bases on which these statues stand and other decorations that beautify the entire exhibition, attended by hundreds of people. Most of these statuettes are hand made and are the pride and joy of these craftsmen. More to come over the next 2 weeks.

The earliest Crucifixion image

This is one of the earliest known depictions of the Crucifixion in Christian art. It was made in Rome about AD 420-30, at a time when the Roman empire in Western Europe was fragmenting. The panel is one of four, originally mounted on the sides of a small ivory casket, each carved with a scene from Christ’s Passion. This panel is exhibited at the British Museum in London. In this image the Crucifixion is combined with another scene of death: the suicide of the disciple Judas after he has betrayed Jesus. The stiff, clothed body of Judas pulls down the branch of a tree, and a spilled sack of coins lies at his feet. In contrast the exposed limbs of Christ still appear vigorous, and he gazes at the viewer, triumphant in death. A plaque over Christ’s head is inscribed REX IUD (King of the Jews). The Virgin Mary and John the Baptist stand to the left of the cross, while on the right Longinus steps from beneath the arm of the cross, just before he pierces Jesus’ side with a lance.

Prayer of Forgiveness

O God, forgive us for the faults which make us difficult to live with.
If we behave as if we were the only people for whom life is difficult;
If we behave as if we were far harder worked than anyone else;
If we behave as if we were the only people who were ever disappointed, or the only people who ever got a raw deal; If we are far too self-centered and far too full of self-pity: 
Forgive us, 0 God.
If we are too impatient to finish the work we have begun; If we are too impatient to listen to someone who wants to talk to us, or to give someone a helping hand; If we think that other people are fools, and make no attempt to conceal our contempt for them: Forgive us, 0 God.
If we too often rub people the wrong way;
If we spoil a good case by trying to ram it down someone's throat;
If we do things that get on people's nerves, and go on doing them, even when we are asked not to: Forgive us, 0 God.
Help us to take the selfishness and the ugliness out of life and to do better in the days to come.

The Forgiving Father

The Prodigal Son by Esteban Murillo

As we read the story of the Prodigal Son today, which I prefer to call it as the ‘Parable of the Forgiving Father,’ I share with you this story that is similar to the classic parable Jesus shared today. It is about a young man named David whom we find sitting on a bench in a public garden writing a letter to his mother. In it he is expressing his hope that his father would welcome him again in their home after having a heated argument a few weeks earlier. He wrote ‘Dear mother, in a few days I will be passing by our house on the train. I want you to tell papa that if he is willing to welcome me back home, ask him to tie a white handkerchief on one of the branches of the huge carob tree we have by our house.’ A few days later, David is on the train approaching his home. In front of his eyes there are two scenes flashing back and forth. One of them is the empty tree, and the other one the tree with a white handkerchief on it. With his heart beating heavily, he couldn’t get to look up to look at the tree, so he asked a fellow passenger sitting next to him on the train ‘’Mister, around this corner you’ll see a house with a large tree next to it. Please tell me if you see a white piece of cloth tied to a branch....’ The passenger looked, and surprised he exclaimed ‘oh my goodness, there is a handkerchief tied to every single branch!’ It is with the same amount of love and compassion that God welcomes us back with Him whenever we turn away from Him.

Miniature procession

As we approach Holy Week, a few parish churches are preparing for the solemn Good Friday procession with statues from the passion of Jesus, besides many characters from the Bible. One talented man created a miniature procession with little statuettes of the entire Good Friday procession, which you can see in these few photos. The background is typically Maltese with balconies and stores and private homes. 

This is a very realistic presentation of what happens on a Good Friday afternoon, and you will see in a few weeks, when I will show you photos of an actual procession from a local village. This display was set up in one of the local Band clubs, at Peace in Naxxar, Malta. Click on each photo to enlarge.

Table Tennis

Table-tennis or ping-pong, as some people call it, is one of the most spectacular sports ever. Watching two players exchanging a long, enthralling relay is one of the most astounding scenes you will ever watch. It defies human spirit and is unbelievable unless you see such players in action. This clip gives you an idea how an athlete from Chile and another one from  the Czech Republic can go on and on exchanging one smash after another. Even though I haven’t played table-tennis in years, I was fairly good at it in my Seminary years between 1970 and 1977. The Chinese are the best at ping-pong, but  these two players could very well be world champions, at least for perseverance and sheer determination. Enjoy these few minutes of sheer ingenuity and athleticism at it majestic best !

Life begins at 60

Michelangelo still painting aged over 80.

In many countries retirement age is 60 or thereabouts. Many people start taking it easy, enjoy a pension benefit and above all enjoy free time, time with their grandchildren, hang out with friends, and just cherish any hobbies they may have. But when you browse through history books, you will find that many successful people started a second life as they reached 60. Winston Churchill became Prime Minster of England when he was 65, while Gold Meir became Prime Minister of Israel at the age of 71. Francis Chichester sailed around the world when he was 64. Claude Monet, the French artist kept painting when he was 86. Wolfgang Goethe finished his masterpiece Faust when he was 81, while Voltaire kept writing his plays until he was 84years old, when he eventually died. Giuseppe Verdi wrote Otello at the age of 74 and his last opera Falstaff at 80. Pablo Picasso kept painting beyond his 90th birthday, and Michelangelo was painting his frescoes in the Sistine chapel while in his 70s and 80s. And as bishops should tender their resignation when they turn 75, Cardinal Angelo Roncalli and Jorge Bergoglio became Popes when they were beyond 76, while Joseph Ratzinger was 79 – they became respectively John XXIII, Francis and Benedict XVI. 

My father, born 100 years ago

My father John was born on March 26,1925 - today he would have turned 100! So wishing him a Happy Birthday in heaven, I share a few reflections I shared at my funeral homily I did in 2002, when he died on January 4..... The tremendous amount of good that my father accomplished was done with sincere and genuine humility. Whether he was painting a room, or plastering a roof before the rainy season, whether he was decorating a cake or weeding a garden, whether he was ironing a mountain of clothes or preparing a rabbit or a chicken for us to eat, he did everything with a sincere interest, sheer joy and a total commitment. In one of the letters he used to write to me every week, precisely on the occasion of my parents' 50^th Anniversary  in 1998, I remember my dad writing to me that the best thing that ever happened to him was when he met my mother. . . . . they knew each other since they were very young, and got married young too, but the way they raised our family is nothing short of a masterpiece. I do not say this just to show off, but those who knew him well, know exactly what I mean.

He used to recall the hardships he experienced during World War II during which time he was still a teenager. Once he found a pair of shoes belonging to a dead British sailor and wore them for two weeks straight, as he was afraid another boy would steal them from him. On another occasion he was sent by his mother to buy a case of tomatoes from Madliena (5 miles away from home), and when he reached his home at St Julian's, the case was empty as he was starving, and ate all the tomatoes.

My father as a policeman     -     their wedding day July 24, 1948

Following the end of the war, my dad entered the Police Department, a career which he served with pride, honor and impeccable devotion. He was loved, respected and fulfilled his duties with utmost dedication, and gave his life, heart and soul to help retain order in our nation, which was going through some troublesome period. It was the highlight of my week when he used to take me or my brother to his Office, where we ended up playing with everything we found on his desk. In a letter sent to him in 1971 by the ex-Police Commissioner Vivian deGray, he wrote about my father: " Mr John Cassar worked under me in the Police Force for over 25 years. He was always employed on clerical duties to the full satisfaction of his superiors. Mr Cassar is a courteous, respectful, capable, conscientious and reliable clerk of unimpeachable probity and integrity."

June 19, 1977 - my ordination

In 1948, my mother and father were married and had 5 children between 1949 and 1964, Josephine and Rose-Marie, myself and Paul, and since we were very close in age and since they always dressed us alike, many people thought that my parents had two sets of twins. Then came Marcel, and since we were much older than him, he found himself being raised by 6 parents instead of two. Undoubtedly they treasured us and loved us to no end, and the timely discipline we experienced from them, molded us into fine young people, respected wherever we went and wherever we worked. My mother and father were simply and utterly inseparable. Many people remember them for the generous heart they have, and all of us who were so much closer to them, can witness that theirs was truly a heart of gold. And we only heard the word NO as a warning, as a timely correction and an appropriate and deserved scolding. My father was a man who was happy and content with just about everything, and was happy with the simple things in life. He was not a demanding person and never restricted us or placed any impossible rules or unfair regulations around the house. He will do anything to make everyone happy, and he was "jack-of-all-trades," heart and soul. There wasn't anything he couldn't fix, or try to fix. He was proud of all our accomplishments, and they would be twice as happy today seeing their two grandchildren excelling as doctors. As I pray for him especially today, I also pray to him, as his presence in my life has kept me going in my priesthood for another 23 years so far. May we always follow his example of sacrifice, commitment to our duties and showing responsibility in everything we do. Happy 100th Birthday dad !

July 24 1998 - 50th wedding anniversary

The Annunciation

The Annunciation by Emvin Cremona at Balzan church, Malta

We celebrate today the feast of the Annunciation, that historic moment when Mary said her YES that changed history, and thus came the dawn of a new life. Many consider Mary as the new Eve, just as Jesus is referred to as the new Adam, and so today we see Jesus conceived in the womb of Mary. We always wonder: what if Mary said NO to the Angel Gabriel ? Would another girl have been picked instead? Would we have to wait another hundred or a thousand years for the Messiah to be born? Would history have been much different than it was over the past 2000 years? We realize today also the responsibility we have to receive Jesus in our hearts, in our lives, in our families, in our homes. And most importantly, just as Mary shared Jesus with the rest of humanity, it is our sacred duty to share Him with everyone we know. And just as Mary’s YES changed history, our YES can change many people’s lives, especially those who have not heard of Him yet, and those who have distanced themselves from Him. We pray today especially for the innocent people being killed in so many war-stricken countries, and may their leaders utter an emphatic YES to peace, to harmony, to an endless cease-fire, and may we feel Mary’s protection on our lives, our families and our children.

Handel’s perseverance

Georg Frederic Handel is well known for his concertos, operas and oratorios, besides many sacred music selections. He lived between 1685 and 1759 and he experienced many misfortunes throughout his life. He owed many people a lot of money, he often despaired, and he even had a brain haemorrhage which left him paralyzed on his right side. For 4 years he could not walk or write. All the doctors gave up on him. By the age of 60, he felt his life was over. However a friend of his challenged him to write something different. After spending some time reading the Bible, he started scribbling a new oratorio.  After 24 days focusing on his project, he had finished the most famous oratorio ever produced, Messiah.

Figs

Today in the Gospel Jesus speaks about figs, one of my favorite fruits, along with strawberries. My childhood memories take me to my grandmother’s house where she had a large fig tree, and my job in the summer months was to climbs its branches and clip as many figs as possible. I would fill buckets of large, juicy figs, while a large portion of them would end up in my stomach. Unfortunately that tree is no more, and sadly enough some unknown bug had destroyed most fig trees in Malta, and botanists just cannot revive them or bring them back to the way they were before. There's something magical about eating a fresh fig. Figs also connect you to the history of humanity. After all, how many other foods can say they've been written about in the Bible, eaten by Greek Olympians and talked about in ancient mythology? Yes, there's something magical about figs, but don't let that intimidate you. There's a reason why people have been eating figs since the Neolithic period—they're easy, delicious and nourishing. Figs are believed to have originated in Western Asia. They arrived in the Mediterranean region, and consequently the rest of the world, through human migration. Archaeological evidence traces figs back to at least 5000 B.C. Some scholars believe that figs were one of the first plants to be domesticated by humans. Figs are available during the summer to early fall depending on the variety. There are 5 different types of figs: Black Mission Figs, Kadota Figs, Brown Turkey Figs, Calimyrna Figs and Adriatic Figs. Figs grow in climates that are warm and dry like in the Mediterranean region – so Malta is ideal to cultivate them and hopefully revive their premature destruction by pesty bugs. In the U.S., the majority of figs are grown in California.

Remembering Archbishop Cremona

Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona is being honored today with a state funeral. Born in Valletta on January 25, 1946, Mgr. Cremona served as Archbishop of Malta between January 26, 2007, and October 18, 2014, before resigning at 68. He completed his primary education at the Montessori school in Valletta and then pursued the secondary level at the Lyceum in Ħamrun. In September 1962, he joined the Dominican Order and professed on September 29, 1963. He studied philosophy and theology at the College of St Thomas Aquinas at the Dominican Priory at Rabat and was ordained priest on March 22, 1969, precisely 56 years ago. After his priestly ordination, Mgr. Cremona was sent to follow higher studies in Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome (Angelicum) where, in 1973, he graduated Doctor in Theology presenting the thesis The Concept of Peace in Pope John XXIII. Between 1974 and 1980 he was prior at the priory of Our Lady of the Grotto at Rabat. He was re-elected to the same office in 1997 and again served two terms up to 2003. In 1981 he was chosen Provincial of the Maltese Dominican Province, an office he held for two four-year terms. On termination of office, he was entrusted with the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima in Gwardamanġia as its parish priest. In 2005 Mgr. Cremona was chosen as Parish Priest of the Parish of Jesus of Nazareth in Sliema. His nomination as Archbishop of Malta was made public on December 2, 2006, and he was ordained Bishop on January 26. Archbishop Cremona initially spent his retirement at the Dominican Friary in Rabat, Malta, before relocating to Id-Dar tal-Kleru in Birkirkara in more recent years. He will always be remembered for his pastoral approach, his humility and his ever-present smile. May God grant him eternal rest.

A kind king

A very kind and fair king

A very kind Emperor one day visited the prison and to each prisoner he put the following question “Why are you here and what have you done?”  All the prisoners, with the exception of one, replied that they are innocent and that they have done nothing wrong. One solitary prisoner replied that he was guilty and deserved the punishment given by the court. The Emperor ordered that all prisoners be brought to the main hall. On seeing them all lined up, he said to them “I visited this prison with the view of seeing how you were being treated, and to ask you personally why each of you are here. All of you except for one said that they are innocent.....” Then turning to the one prisoner why admitted he was guilty, the Emperor said to him “young man, leave here at once and go back to your home for if you remain here, I am afraid you will corrupt all those who are innocent, just as a bad apple will spoil a basketful of good ones.”  Moral of this story: Bear always in mind to speak the truth, for truth will always prevail at the end.

Lenten soup

From my journals of 2003 and 2013: My first few weeks in my new parish in John Day, Oregon in March 2003, also coincided with the last two weeks of Lent, and besides holding the Stations of the Cross on Friday, the Knights of Columbus organized a Fish Fry in the sizeable parish hall, and I was surprised to see over 100 people in attendance, not just parishioners but anyone in town who enjoyed fellowship and fish and chips. The Knights enjoyed cooking the crispy fish, which as far as I remember was called Alaskan pollock. This was held every Friday in Lent. Then when I was in St Francis of Assisi in Bend, from 2013 to 2016, I started another custom by providing our children with soups on Wednesday when they had their weekly Religion class. This was a personal project which I enjoyed doing as I love cooking soups. Most of the time I prepared lentil or split-pea soups, complete with crackers or bread. Children came in droves with their parents, which they also enjoyed a bowl of hearty soup with many complements. Since we had close to 200 children to feed, I had to prepare 3 large pots of soup, and it took a big portion of an afternoon to cut up the celery, carrots, potatoes, onion and diced ham. Everything was diced small and the combination of all the ingredients, plus some cayenne pepper, thyme and salt and pepper created a delicious meal. I always had left-overs which I kept in plastic containers, which I froze and enjoyed on another day. I doubt if they kept this tradition after I left, but that memory remains in my mind as I’m sure it still is a treasured recollection on those who enjoyed my soups over a decade ago. Especially those who had asked for my recipe which I gave out willingly and happily.

A letter to St Joseph

Statue of St Joseph venerated in the Franciscan church in Rabat, Malta

I wrote this fictitious letter to St Joseph, whose feast we celebrate today. We especially pray today for all those named Joseph and Josephine, those nearing death and those searching for work.

Dear Saint Joseph,

Today being your feast day, I thought of writing you a few lines mainly to show my gratitude for all you did for Jesus and Mary, and for us all. Very few people are greater than you are! Because being so close to Jesus and Mary, you are also the most blessed and full of grace. Well, if you weren’t so special and blessed, God would not have trusted you with his two most priceless possessions, marrying Mary, in spite of all the gossiping that was going on before your engagement, and then taking the role of a foster father of Jesus, protecting him, educating him and raising him from infancy to adulthood. You are fairly unknown around the world, but at least at Christmas time your image explodes all around the world with the millions of religious Christmas cards exchanged between families and friends.

We read in the Gospels that God always conveyed his messages to you in dreams and during sleep. This doesn’t mean that He wanted you to be passive, as if you didn’t know what was going on. We never see you in dialogue with Mary, or giving your opinion in stressful situations. But you let Mary handle all situations, as she dialogued with the Angel Gabriel, at the wedding at Cana, or when Jesus was lost in the temple - she spoke, and you were silent. You receive the message, and made sure it was worked out and implemented. That was your divine mission and vocation - to be a silent instrument in the hands of God. I bet you enjoyed teaching Jesus the carpenter’s trade and other duties and chores around the house at Nazareth. 

But like any other boy, I’m sure he had his moments which made you laugh. Did He obey you and Mary? Was He helpful with some household chores? Did He always say His prayers? What did He like to eat? Which vegetable did He dislike? Which toys did He fancy playing with? Did He keep His room clean and in order? What hobbies did he have as a child? Did He always show respect to you and other relatives? Did He ever date any girl as a young man? And like every child you must have been overjoyed hen He grew His first tooth, made His first step by himself,  when He said His first word, even when He learned how to pee by himself, when He started school, when he got his first bump on his forehead and His first scratch on his knee, like all boys do, and many other spontaneous situations.

Please Saint Joseph, just as you protected Mary and Jesus, I ask you to protect our church, of which you are its special patron saint. Give us more vocations because we need priests and nuns to continue the work in parishes, schools, orphanages and hospitals. Give us good parents, responsible and loving, ready to sacrifice their lives for their children and families, just as you and Mary did. Please pray for all workers, that they may honestly give their share of labor and be dedicated in their mission, always admiring you as their patron saint, another feast of yours we celebrate on May 1st. Be patient with us, dear St Joseph, because we tend to be hard-headed and spoiled at times. Remind us always to be grateful for all the blessings that you and your Son and wife give us, day by day.

Signed - a friend and an admirer.

Passion Stamps

The Crucifixion as an Icon from Greece

Many countries fond of philately have issued artistic stamps over the years relating to the Passion of Jesus and Holy Week traditions. Most of them depict some of the famous paintings by artists over the years who have left us beautiful, dramatic images of the suffering and death of Jesus 2000 years ago. Enjoy these few selection of stamps, which can be in themselves a great subject for meditation.

Passion stamps from Fujeira

Set of 14 stamps depicting the Stations of the Cross

St Patrick

The Irish tradition has finally hit even our little island of Malta, mainly demonstrated by the thousands of young people congregating at St. Julian’s for a huge Beer-fest. This spontaneous event is getting bigger and bigger, even though so far has been peaceful with people socializing and just drinking, peeing, drinking, peeing, and then go home and sleep, some of them at 3 AM the next day, maybe even later. And as the world turns green today, the Chicago river turns green with a special dye used today, and as the big New York Irish parade walks down 5th Avenue, here are some Irish blessings which should cheer you up.

May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,
May the sun's rays from the Irish sky warm your face,
May the children's bright smiles warm your heart,
May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.

May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
May God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
And may you be in heaven
Half an hour before the devil knows you’re gone!

Almighty God Church

Pastor Steve Jones of Almighty God church was delayed going home one night on a Saturday and decided to call his wife that he would be delayed by an hour or so. So he called her but there was no answer. He knew she was home, but strangely, she did not answer. Half an hour later he called again, and she answered right way and quickly alerted her of his delay. He then asked her why she didn't answer before. She said she never heard the phone, or he may have called a wrong number. So they both let it go. The following Monday Steve was again at his parish office and late in the evening he got a call from a student who seemed very despondent. He asked the pastor why he had called him  Saturday evening. Steve did not recognize the number and had no idea who the student was. He told the student that he did not call him, and apologized anyway, especially after it dawned on him that it could have been the first call he made to his wife. The student  told him he didn’t need to apologize for anything, but then continued....’well let me tell you my story. Saturday evening I was very depressed and heart-broken. I broke up from my girlfriend and my grades were very low as I was going through a rough time at school. In fact I had decided to commit suicide Saturday evening. But out of nowhere came this phone call, and when I looked at the phone to see who had called, I saw written on the screen ‘Almighty God...’ the word church didn’t fit on the small screen. That is when I realized that God wanted me here for a reason. Then I started praying, went to sleep and on Sunday I went to church, thanking God why that phone came in at the appropriate time to save my life. When Pastor Steve went home told his wife this story, they embraced each other and cried tears of happiness, as they recalled how a wrong number had saved a young man’s life.

Mary Stuart’s Prayer

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), was Queen of Scotland from December 14, 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. Mar suffered a lot under Queen Elizabeth I and was imprisoned for many years. She was a devout Catholic and was beheaded on February 8, 1587, aged 44. She wrote this beautiful prayer when she was still alive.

Keep us, o God from all pettiness.

Let us be large in thought, in word and in deed.

Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off all self-seeking.

May we put away all pretence and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgment, and always be generous.

Let us always take time for all things, and make us to grow calm, serene and gentle.

Teach us to put into action our better impulses, to be straightforward and unafraid.

Grant that we may realize that it is the little things of life that create differences, that in the big things of life, we are as one.

And, o Lord God, let us not forget to be kind. Amen.

Popes – the lighter side

We always see our Popes during official meetings, church services and other solemn occasions. Very rarely we see them relax and enjoying the lighter side of their personal lives. Well, here are three moments caught by the Vatican photographers which make you smile, or even laugh. The first one took place during one of the general audiences of Pope Francis, when a young boy came up on stage. He started chatting with the Pope, then moved to the Swiss Guard, standing in attention as the boy tried to shake hands with him. Both the Pope and Mons Ganswein could not resist a smile, as the security guards were nervous this boy would do something unusual.

The second photo shows Pope Benedict XVI in the back seat of his car, while one of his cats sits next to him in the reserved passenger seat. Benedict loved cats, as well a beer and a playing on his piano. His cats roamed around his office and would often jump on his lap as he was sitting, reading, praying or just trying to write at this desk.

The third photo shows Pope Francis in his earlier years as Pope saluting to a Swiss Guard as he passes by the entrance to the Casa Santa Marta.

Happy Anniversary Pope Francis

Front page of one of the March 14, 2013 newspapers.

It was 12 years ago that Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was chosen by his fellow Cardinals to be the next Pope, choosing the name Francis. The above photo was one of many that appeared the next day in front pages of all the national newspapers. As he continues to recover from the recent hospitalization of pneumonia and bronchitis, we pray for his continual presence in the church at least for a few more years. He was a son of Italian immigrants, one of 5 children. When still a Cardinal he was known to be very humble, rides the bus, cooks his own meals, and even asked to people to bless him just after he was elected. 

Born December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Entered the Society of Jesus: March 11, 1958

Ordained priest: December 13, 1969

Consecrated Bishop: June 27, 1992

Elevated to Cardinal: February 21, 2001

Elected Pope: March 13, 2013

Ad Multos Annos Papa Francesco.

Parent’s prayer for patience

                 
When my son asks me something to test me, give me enough wisdom to give him the best answer.

When I start to show nervousness,  give me a mountain of patience.     

When anger gets the best of me, give me the strength to control it.

When I insist that I deserve to win the argument, teach me to be more flexible.

When I start taking life a little bit too seriously, remind me to add a little sense of humor.

When I feel overwhelmed with my life’s problems, give me the power to tackle them properly.

When I am afraid, and at times terrified,  give me a good dose of courage.

When I am hard-headed, teach me how to calm down and relax before acting irrationally.

When I act double-faced, remind me of the values I grew up with and which my parents taught me.

When I feel the weight of the entire world pressing on me, let me remember the many blessings I have received.

When I lose my way, dear Lord,  bring me back towards the road of joy, love and peace.

Martyrs Shrine a National Shrine

On January 27, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) designated Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, New York, as a National Shrine. This is the place where eight 17th-century Jesuit missionaries, including Saints René Goupil, Isaac Jogues and Jean de Lalande, were killed by the Mohawk tribe. Once a Mohawk village of Osserenon, the location is also the birthplace of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), a Mohawk who became the first canonized North American Indigenous woman. I visited this place with a group of parishioners in 2001, and this photo is symbolic of this holy place, with three crosses representing 3 of the martyrs, all French Jesuits. Traditionally known as the National Shrine of North American Martyrs after the Jesuit missionaries’ canonization in 1930, the site sees thousands of pilgrims journeying to Auriesville to soak in the rich history and devote themselves to prayer, seeking the saints’ intercession. Though the shrine receives pilgrims from Catholic schools, New York City and, indeed, all over the world, it has become a hub for the Catholic Church in New York state. In 2023, 8,000 people journeyed to the shrine and participated in festivities aligned with the National Eucharistic Revival.

‘You’ll never walk alone.’

The main gate at Liverpool Football stadium

The musical Carousel was written in 1945 by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and in it is one of the most popular tunes ever written, ‘You’ll never walk alone.’ Since the early 1960s, it has become synonymous with the Liverpool Football Club, when their fans sing it before the start of every match. The touching words are very meaningful especially to those who have suffered a loss, a tragedy or a mishap of any sort. Ponder the words...

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high. And don’t be afraid of the dark.

At the end of a storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind. Walk on through the rain. Though your dreams be tossed and blow, walk on, walk on, with a hope in your heart.

And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never, ever walk alone. Walk on, walk on with a hope in your heart.

And you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone.

The gift of music

There is a Jewish legend that says that when God was creating the world, He called all the angels and asked them if there is something missing in what He did. One of them told Him ‘we need somehow to make a sound to thank you, oh Creator.’ And God created the sounds of nature, the wind, birds chirping, parrots mimicking, waterfalls splashing water, the barking and growling of dogs, tigers, penguins and so much more. Then God gave man and woman their voice, and they started to sing, and eventually they created instruments, like drums, harps, flutes from reeds and others. Thus music was created, and through it we can communicate, express our joys and festivities that developed over the centuries. Imagine how boring life would be without sounds, without music. Kahlil Gibran from Lebanon called music the language of our soul. Plato claimed that it’s the medicine of our souls. Pablo Casals, a Spanish musician said that music is a divine way of expressing beautiful things of the heart. And the great Johann Sebastian Bach used to write SDG on each of his hundreds of manuscripts, which means Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone we give glory.) Bach believed that the main purpose of music is to praise God. And when we listen to his Mass in B Minor, and so many of his cantatas and oratorios, we are truly honoring Him by the beauty they evoke.

Pope Francis on Lent

                   
As he continues to recover from pneumonia and other ailments, let us ponder some words shared by Pope Francis on how we can approach this Lenten season.....

Let us abstain from harsh words and show more mercy in our speech.

Let us abstain from anger and be filled with patience.

Let us abstain from complaining and start to trust God more.

Let us abstain from boredom on any occasion and be more grateful towards God and others.

Let us abstain from objecting for no reason and look more positive towards life around us.

Let us abstain from vengeance and start to forgive more freely.

Let us abstain from the bitterness in our actions and cherish the sweetness of life.

Let us abstain from too much chatting and start to appreciate the gift of silence.

Let us abstain from too much stress and find time for mental relaxation and some prayer time.

Let us abstain from pessimism, and be filled with enthusiasm in confronting every day ahead of us.

Let us abstain from egoism and  indifference and show more love towards our fellow men and women.