The Head of Christ

The Head of Christ (1940), painted by Warner Sallman was reproduced 500 million times, appearing in Church Bulletins, posters, T-Shirts, in wallet-sized copies distributed to servicemen during World War II. Sallman also painted “Christ our pilot” and “Christ at heart’s door” The Head of Christ originated as a charcoal sketch entitled The Son of Man done in 1924 and sold to be the cover of the Covenant Companion, the denominational magazine for the Evangelical Covenant Church. Sallman did several variations of the painting over the years, and the first oil version was done in 1935. In 1940 he was asked to reproduce that painting by the students of North Park Theological Seminary. This reproduction was seen by representatives of the Gospel Trumpet Company, who created a new company called Kriebel and Bates to market Sallman's work. For the next thirty years Kriebel and Bates marketed over 100 Warner Sallman works. When Kriebel and Bates dissolved, the copyrights to these works were acquired by Warner Press. The Baptist Bookstore initially popularized the painting, distributing various sized lithographic images for sale throughout the southern United States. The Salvation Army and the YMCA, as members of the USO, handed out pocket-sized versions of the painting to American servicemen heading overseas during World War II. After the war, groups in Oklahoma and Indiana conducted campaigns to distribute the image into private and public spaces.

Solving a dilemma

You are driving home during a stormy evening. As you pass by a Bus Stop, you see a few people waiting, and among them you notice three particular characters: an old woman who seemed very weak, an old friend who once saved your life, and a young lady whom you would love the get to know better. Your car however is a two-seater, and there was only room for one person. Which one of these characters would you would give a lift to? This is a moral and ethical problem which was often presented to candidates applying for a nice job. So think calmly before answering. You can give a ride to the elderly woman and take her to the hospital and possibly save her life. You can give a ride to your old friend and this way pay back for the kind deed he did for you years ago. Or you can give a ride to the pretty girl and  maybe get acquainted with her and build a long-lasting relationship. So, which person would you give a ride to? Out of 200 candidates, only one answered correctly, thereby solving this dilemma, and getting the prestigious job. This was his answer: ‘I would give my car keys to my friend who had saved my life and ask him to take the old lady to a nearby hospital. Then I would wait on the stage with the young pretty girl, and in the process invite her for a drink to get to know her better, and who knows eventually we can get married and live happily together.’ When pondering a decision, it’s wise to think properly before making the choice. It could very well be a life-changing event for you, and your life will never ever be the same.

Guide me o Lord

Heavenly Father, walk with me today, and grant that I may hear your footsteps and see your footprints, and gladly follow where they may lead me. Let me also leave my own footprints for others to follow, as long as I lead them in the right path of gentleness and peace. Talk with me today, and grant that I may hear Your tender voice, and listen to Your advice. 
Help me to feel Your presence in all the projects that I accomplish, in all the words that I say and in all the thoughts that cross my mind. Be my strength when I seem to weaken, and my courage when I start to be afraid. 
Help me to know that it is Your hand holding mine throughout all the minutes of all the hours of this day. And when night falls, grant that I may know that I am gathered to Your Sacred Heart to sleep in love and peace. AMEN.

Ash Wednesday

At the start of this Lenten season, we reflect on three important phrases which the priest will say while marking our foreheads with ashes:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”
“Turn away from sin, and believe in the Gospel”
“Repent and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

It is interesting to note that in European countries, including Italy and Malta, the ashes are placed or dropped on top of the head, instead of marked on the forehead as is done in the USA. I also had a custom of asking the people to bring back the old palms or olive branches from last year’s Palm Sunday and I will burn them a few days before, and use the ashes from the burned palms for the celebration of Ash Wednesday. This also shows the continuity between one year and another, from ashes to palms, and from palms to ashes. It is also a reminder of the stark fact that from dust we came, and to dust we will return, as the first phrase proclaims. Some parishes in New York replace the holy water fonts with ashes instead of holy water during Lent.

I invite you to journey with me as I share with you during the next 40 days, reflections and meditations that will help you get closer to the crucified Jesus. 

We adore you o Christ, and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross, 

You have redeemed the world.

The Superbowl advert about service

Last Sunday’s Super Bowl victory of the Kansas City Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers ran into overtime and was quite a thrilling match. Many people look forward to watch the commercials which usually premier during the game, each costing millions of dollars for a 30 second spot. This year there were two commercials related to religion, including one that speaks of service, especially in how we can serve each other, even if we live in different camps, and are always confrontational with each other.  This brief documentary shows some scenes that appear with the message ‘Jesus didn't teach hate. He washed feet.’ The foot-washing ceremony is held on Holy Thursday, reminiscent of what Jesus did at the Last Supper, with the command ‘what I have done to you, you must do to one another.’

Hail ! Hail !

My handful of hail, the size of grapes

We never had snow here in Malta, but occasionally we get hail, and yesterday, right in the middle of our Carnival celebration, we got quite a hailstorm. As you can see from the photos I quickly took, the hail were the size of olive and grapes. There were mounds of hail in corners even 4 hours later, and since it was cold, it did not melt rightaway. Hail is a form of solid precipitation, different from what the Americans call sleet.  

The ground covered with hail.

Hail consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Hail occurs during thunderstorms when a draught of warm air carries water droplets upwards which then freeze at high altitudes. The crystals of ice continue to grow until they become too heavy and fall to earth. Hail can cause serious damage, notably to automobiles, aircraft, skylights, glass-roofed structures, livestock and most commonly, crops.

Marian Prayer for the sick

On this first apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes, I offer this prayer for all the sick who look to Mary for recovery, good health and well-being.

Mary, health of the sick,

be at the bedside of all the world’s sick;
of those who are unconscious and dying;
of those who have begun their agony;
of those who have abandoned all hope of a cure;
of those who weep and cry out in pain;
of those cannot receive care because they have no money;
of those who ought to be resting but are forced by poverty to work;
of those who pass long nights sleeplessly;
of those who seek vainly in their beds to find a better position;
of those who are tormented by the cares of a family in distress;
of those who suffer through painful cancer, dementia or Alzheimer's disease;
of those who must renounce their most cherished plans for the future;
of those, above all, who do not believe in a better life;
of those who rebel and curse God;
of those who do not know that Christ suffered like them and for them. Amen.

Shipwreck of Saint Paul

An original painting of St. Paul's shipwreck by Fortunino Matania

February 10 is the National Holy Day of Malta. It is different than a holiday, because even though Independence Day is on September 21, and Republic Day is December 13, while Victory Day is September 8, in the heart of the majority of the people, this is the feast when Christianity arrived to the shores of Malta. It’s the day we celebrate the feast of the shipwreck of Saint Paul on the island of Malta in the year 60 AD. It’s strange that people celebrate a tragic event which could have been even more catastrophic, but none of the sailors were killed on that eventful day, thanks to the protection of St Paul, who was accompanied by St Luke on their way to Rome. The people of Malta are described in the Bible as welcoming, courteous and generous, a tribute that had come down over two millennia and something that characterizes the heart of the Maltese people.

This is how the Acts of the Apostles relates this historic day: “Once we had reached safety we learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us extraordinary hospitality; they lit a fire and welcomed all of us because it had begun to rain and was cold. Paul had gathered a bundle of brushwood and was putting it on the fire when a viper, escaping from the heat, fastened on his hand. When the natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man must certainly be a murderer; though he escaped the sea, Justice has not let him remain alive.” But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly to fall down dead but, after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. In the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to a man named Publius, the chief of the island. He welcomed us and received us cordially as his guests for three days. It so happened that the father of Publius was sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, after praying, laid his hands on him and healed him. After this had taken place, the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and were cured. They paid us great honor and when we eventually set sail they brought us the provisions we needed.” (Acts 28: 1-10)

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. Josephine Bakhita

Most people may not have heard of this saint, but please, read on - her story is truly remarkable. Early details about Bakhita are not fully known. She was born about 1869 in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. Her prosperous father was brother of the village chief and she was surrounded by a loving family of three brothers and three sisters. But aged 9, she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders, and was cruelly forced to walk about 600 miles in her bare feet. Over the course of twelve years (1877–1889) she was resold again three more times and then given away. The trauma of her abduction caused her to forget her own name; she took one given to her by the slavers, bakhita, Arabic for lucky. She was also forcibly converted to Islam.

In 1883 Bakhita was bought by the Italian Vice Consul Callisto Legnani, who was a very kind man. For the first time since her captivity she was able to enjoy some peace and tranquility. Two years later, when Legnani himself had to return to Italy, Bakhita begged to go with him. In April 1885 they arrived at the Italian port of Genoa, and she was greeted by Augusto Michieli, who took her to the family villa near Venice. She lived there for three years and became nanny to the Michieli's daughter Alice.  On 9 January 1890 Bakhita was baptized with the names of Giuseppina Margherita. On the same day she was also confirmed and received communion from the Cardinal patriarch of Venice himself. On December 7, 1893 she entered the novitiate of the Canossian Sisters and on December 8, 1896 she took her vows, welcomed by the future Pope Pius X. In 1902 she was assigned to the Canossian convent at Schio, in the northern Italian province of Vicenza, where she spent the rest of her life.  During her 42 years in Schio, Bakhita was employed as the cook, sacristan and door keeper and was in frequent contact with the local community. Her gentleness, calming voice, and ever-present smile became well known. People still refer to her as Sor Moretta ("little brown sister") or Madre Moretta ("black mother.") Her last years were marked by pain and sickness. She used a wheelchair, but she retained her cheerfulness. Bakhita died on February 8, 1947. For three days her body lay on display while thousands of people arrived to pay their respects. On May 17, 1992, she was declared Blessed and given February 8 as her feast day. On October 1, 2000, she was canonized and became Saint Josephine Bakhita, a modern African saint, and as a statement against the brutal history of slavery, becoming the patron saint of Sudan.

Blessed Pope Pius IX

Blessed Pope Pius IX (1792-1878)

Today the church celebrates the feast of Blessed Pope Pius IX, the longest reigning Pope in history. Born in Senigallia, Italy, on May 13, 1792, as Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, he was head of the Catholic Church from June 16, 1846, to his death on February 7, 1878. During his pontificate, Pius IX convened the First Vatican Council (1869–70), which decreed papal infallibility. One interesting fact that many people don’t know is that he was ordained a priest by a Maltese Cardinal. It was Fabrizio Sceberras Testaferrata (1 April 1757 - 3 August 1843) who ordained Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti a priest on April 10, 1819. The Maltese prelate served as Bishop of Senigallia from 1818 until his death in 1843. In his younger years, Pope Pius IX was Archbishop of Spoleto between 1827 and 1832. He was a Marian Pope, who in his encyclical Ubi Primum described Mary as a Mediatrix of salvation. In 1854, he promulgated the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaiming that Mary was conceived without original sin. Pius IX will always be remembered for the many concordats agreed and signed, and helping many developing nations. On another note, Pope Pius IX was instrumental in erecting the Diocese of Gozo as a separate Diocese from mainland Malta in 1868. Pius IX celebrated his silver jubilee as a Pope in 1871, going on to have the longest reign in the history of the Papacy, 31 years, 7 months and 23 days. Together with Pope St. John XXIII, he was beatified on September 3, 2000, after the recognition of a miracle. Pius IX was assigned the liturgical feast of February 7, the date of his death.

The Worker’s Pledge

Would that all workers be honest in their contribution at what they do. Maybe this brief pledge can encourage more workers to give 100% of their genuine efforts at work. Washington Gladden (1836-1918), an American pastor, and founder of the Social Gospel Movement wrote the Worker’s Pledge for all workers: ‘I don’t want to be a sponge or a parasite, but I want to give my share equivalent to what I get paid for. I don’t want money unless I worked very hard for them. If I end up working for a company or institution, I want to give complete service and generous contribution to what I’m asked to do. If I work for my country or even my own town or village, I have to give my full effort, in the most efficient and conscientious way. If  I can give a little more than what I received, then I’ll be the happiest person on earth.’

Saint Agatha

Illumination of St Agatha's martyrdom by Sano di Pietro

St. Agatha was born in Catania, Sicily, and died there a martyr in approximately 251 AD. In the legend of her life, we are told that she belonged to a rich, important family. When she was young, she dedicated her life to God and resisted any men who wanted to marry her or have sex with her. One of these men, Quintian, was of a high enough rank that he felt he could force her to acquiesce. Knowing she was a Christian in a time of persecution, he had her arrested. He expected her to give in when faced with torture and possible death, but she simply affirmed her belief in God. Quintian imprisoned her in a brothel in order to get her to change her mind. He brought her back before him after she had suffered a month of assault and humiliation in the brothel, but Agatha had never wavered. Quintian sent her to prison, instead of back to the brothel - a move intended to make her more afraid, but which probably was a great relief to her. When she continued to profess her faith in Jesus, Quintian had her tortured by cutting off her breasts. He refused her any medical care but God gave her all the care she needed in the form of a vision of St. Peter. Saint Agatha is often depicted in paintings carrying her excised breasts on a platter. 

The shape of her amputated breasts, especially as depicted in artistic renderings, gave rise to her attribution as the patron saint of bell-founders and of bakers, whose loaves were blessed at her feast day. More recently, she has been venerated as patron saint of breast cancer patients. Because she was asked for help during the eruption of Mount Etna she is considered a protector against the outbreak of fire. She is the patron saint of Catania, Molise, Malta, San Marino and Segovia in Spain. She is also the patron saint of breast cancer patients, martyrs, wet nurses, fire and earthquakes. The second painting is a modern impression of St Agatha, in relation to her role as patron of breast cancer patients.

The Pope on bullying

Recently, Pope Francis was talking on a video-link with students from Asia, and he mentioned to them the plight of an Indian girl, who was harassed and bullied because she was overweight. He told them ‘whatever you are, tall or short, fat or thin, it’s important that you accept yourself as you are. Each person has a certain beauty, and we need to recognize it – this could be outside or inside the person concerned.’ Pope Francis then relayed a story from his childhood: ‘I had a friend whom we made fun of because he was a little chubby. I can say that we even bullied him, and one day we pushed him and he fell on the ground. When I went home, my father had already heard what had happened. So he took me to the house of that boy to apologize to him and his parents.’ He concluded by saying that a few months ago, he made contact with him, and found out that he is now an Evangelical pastor in Argentina.

Driving around

Continuing with extracts from my Oregon Journals,.......I had been in my new parish in John Day for three weeks, but since this year, 2003 was the centennial of the foundation of the Baker Diocese, each deanery organized a Convention in which the bishop will confirm all the candidates from those towns. In this deanery there were 70 confirmands gathered together in the Cathedral of Baker City. I was excited to make my first big trip out of John Day, but became extremely nervous when the forecast was going to be snowy, especially since I had to go through 2 mountain passes. In comes one of my parishioners Michael Cosgrove who volunteered to drive me there and back and I found him like an angel and I was more than relieved to be seated in the passenger seat, rather than driving on unfamiliar roads. And besides, I could enjoy the beautiful scenery and snow-capped mountains and spectacular vistas that make Route 26 and Route 7 one of the most scenic routes in the state of Oregon. On our way back we stopped at Sumpter and I was treated to a delicious dinner, myself devouring a large plate of hot and spicy Spaghetti alla Puttanesca. But my first encounter with the Cathedral was quite striking, not knowing as yet that I would spend 8 great years as the pastor there between 2005 and 2013. The banners and posters were all displayed in the parish hall, and seeing all the others, I was happy ours appeared so nice next to banners and posters of other parishes from our deanery.

But something interesting struck me while Michael was driving. Every time he saw a car coming towards us on the other side, which were actually quite few, he would wave at them. I said to myself ‘how can he possibly know every person that’s driving through Eastern Oregon between Baker City and John Day?’ So after the 6th car went by and another wave, I asked him how come he knows everyone. And his answer was just as surprising ‘well, actually I don’t know any of them, but it is a courtesy here in the country that we wave to each other, no matter who they are.’ I liked the idea and I started doing this myself, and sure enough, everyone waved back to me. This way I made friends with every driver in the state.

Now a funny story related to this. After I was in Oregon for about a year, I had some visitors, the Peters girls come to visit me from Pleasant Valley, New York, Mary the cantor at Pleasant Valley and her elderly mother Millie. So as I was driving them around, I did the same wave gesture to everyone that passed by. And sure enough Mary asked me the same question I had asked Michael Cosgrove. And I came up with an even more interesting and funny response. The first car that I waved at, she asked me ‘Oh, you know them?’ I told her ‘Oh yes, that was Bubba! Bubba was a big fat girl from the parish who everybody knows.’ Of course she believed me. So as the others car went by, I had a different response for every driver that passed by...’Oh that was Bubba’s landlord...’ ‘that was Bubba’s hairdresser....’ ‘ that was Bubba’s sister.....,’ ‘that was Bubba’s veterinarian....’ ‘that was Bubba’s gardener.....’ ‘ that was Bubba’s pedicurist.....’ After that she knew I was kidding. And we laughed, as every other driver had some kind of connection with Bubba!

Presentation of Jesus

40 days have passed since Christmas, and this celebration of the presentation of Jesus is very meaningful, especially when we consider some Jewish traditions which the Holy Family were obliged to observe. Whenever a mother gave birth to a first-born son, she would be considered impure for a whole week, and would not be permitted to enter the temple for a duration of 40 days. She would then spend the rest of the 33 days confined to her home. On the 40th day, which would be February 2nd, she would go to the temple for the ceremony of purification, besides having her son circumcised. The parents were also expected to present a gift to the High Priest, a pair of sheep if they were wealthy or a pair of turtle-doves if they were poor. Simeon received the infant Jesus at the temple and so on this occasion a triple ceremony was done, circumcision, purification and presentation, all of which have been combined together by the Catholic church as the Feast of the Presentation.  

Jannik Sinner

                    

Another superstar is born. 22 year-old Jannik Sinner  just won his first Grand Slam in Tennis, winning the Australian Open last Sunday by beating Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. In the semi-finals he also beat world number one Novak Djokovic in 4 sets. In fact, within the last few months, Sinner has defeated Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic on multiple occasions, and Carlos Alcaraz twice. The Italian star is currently ranked World No. 4 in singles, which he earned by defeating Medvedev in the final of the 2023 China Open. Jannik Sinner has won eleven ATP singles titles to date, including this his first ever major at the 2024 Australian Open. He became the first Italian man in the Open Era to register the most number of wins in a season. Sinner has also reached the semifinal of Wimbledon, and the quarterfinals at the other two Slams, the French and US Open. He is only the third Italian to win a Grand Slam title, after Nicola Pietrangeli in 1958, and Adriano Panatta in 1976. 

Jannik with his family, parents and brother Marc

In his acceptance speech late Sunday night, Jannik also gave credit to his parents who had stayed in Italy to manage a ski resort. He said very emotionally ‘I wish that everyone could have my parents.’ As a child he loved football and also skiing, even winning a national championship in Giant Slalom at age eight. Born August 16, 2001, in Innechen, Sinner grew up in northern Italy in the predominantly German-speaking region of South Tyrol.  At age 13, Sinner decided to give up skiing and football in favour of tennis. He preferred it over skiing because he wanted to compete directly against an opponent. Sinner speaks three languages, German, Italian, and English. He and his brother Marc grew up speaking German, and he became fluent in Italian later. Sinner follows a healthy diet and conservative lifestyle.

St John Bosco

We celebrate today the feast of the founder of the Salesian Order, St John Bosco (1815-1888.) St John Bosco was an Italian priest who dedicated his life to the religious education of street children, and other disadvantaged children. Eventually he founded the Salesian Order, with their main focus on education of children and producing audio-visual material as well as printed material, including the Bolletino Salesiano Mensuale, a magazine that had continuous publication in over 30 languages. These are some of his most popular quotes:

"Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things. Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is. Through confession, endeavor to purify your heart of anything which may still taint it. Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety."

"Remember, God does not pay us for results, but for effort."

"All past persecutors of the Church are now no more, but the Church still lives on. The same fate awaits modern persecutors; they, too, will pass on, but the Church of Jesus Christ will always remain, for God has pledged His Word to protect Her and be with Her forever, until the end of time."

"Believe me... nobody can be truly happy in this world unless he is at peace with God."

"Put up willingly with the faults of others if you wish others to put up with yours."

"Guard your eyes since they are the windows through which sin enters the soul."

Sunset – Sunrise

Last sunset of the millennium Dec 31, 1999.

There is nothing spectacular about these two photos. I have many more beautiful photos of sunsets and sunrises I took all around the world, especially in Malta, New York and Oregon. But these are two historic photos, as they show the last sunset of the millennium on December 31, 1999, taken near a lake in Pleasant Valley, New York where I was stationed for 4 glorious years. The second one shows the first sunrise of the new millennium taken on the morning of January 1st, 2000, also near the same lake. 

First sunrise of the new millennium January 1, 2000.

I wish they were prettier, but that’s what God gave me on those two days. I wonder how many people can claim to have taken the same photos on the same days. I actually doubt how many people were awake at 6 AM to venture to see the sun rise. And most people were probably getting ready and dressed to go and celebrate the end of the millennium. So I’m glad I did take these two shots. I wonder if you can recall where you were on those two historic days!

The devil really exists

Yes the devil exists and he was at one of my Masses last Saturday. I spoke in my homily about the presence of evil spirits, which Jesus expelled from a man in the Gospel reading this weekend. My experience of the devil so far has been when a woman boarded a bus last November on my way to a funeral, and starting blaspheming and cursing and utter all kings of obscenities for everyone to hear. Luckily I was the only Maltese on board, so no one could understand her. There was the devil in front of me blaspheming for an hour until I arrived. I faced the devil eye to eye that day. He was sitting in front of me, no doubt about it.

On Saturday before the 5 PM Mass, a phone started to ring, then stopped, and started again, then stopped again, then rang again. Its owner is a hard-of-hearing resident and could not even hear it ring. At that time I picked her phone and took it to the reception until the end of the Mass. Usually in these cases, they keep ringing through the entire Mass. The Mass proceeded without any problems. The devil wanted to stop the Mass from starting, but I won the battle. By now you realize that the devil is the cell-phone, which people call the mobile here in Malta. At the 7 PM Mass, exactly during my homily when I was mentioning the first encounter with the cursing woman, another phone rang. I stopped, and instantly told the people that a mobile phone can be a modern-day version of the devil, when it disrupts the Mass. But that was only the beginning. When I came to the Eucharistic Prayer, at the Preface, another phone rang. Again I stopped as people were getting upset. I re-started the Preface, and sure enough, another phone rang. It had become an intolerable situation, but I showed patience as I waited another minute. When I felt it was safe to start again, I re-started the Preface for the third time, and guess what? The phone rang again. People were now becoming angry, while I stepped back showing everyone that I was very upset by this unfortunate intrusion at the most important part of the Mass. This was the devil prohibiting me from celebrating the Eucharist. Nobody could question this as it happened during a public Mass with over 40 people present. For a third time I re-started the Preface and I continued till the end. I won the battle and the war, and the devil was defeated. But please, do be aware – he is very present, I saw him him last November face to face, and I saw him again last Saturday while celebrating Mass. Don’t ever underestimate him, and never give into him!

Holocaust Survivors

Almost 80 years after the Holocaust, about 245,000 Jewish survivors are still living across more than 90 countries. Nearly half of them, or 49%, are living in Israel; 18% are in Western Europe, 16% in the United States, and 12% in countries of the former Soviet Union. Before the publication of the demographic report, there were only vague estimates about how many Holocaust survivors are still alive. Their numbers are quickly dwindling, as most are very old and often of frail health, with a median age of 86. Twenty percent of survivors are older than 90, and more women (61%) than men (39%) are still alive. The vast majority, or 96% of survivors, are “child survivors” who were born after 1928. These are Jews who were born into a world that wanted to see them murdered. They endured the atrocities of the Holocaust in their youth and were forced to rebuild an entire life out of the ashes of the camps and ghettos that ended their families and communities. Six million European Jews and people from other minorities were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust. It is not clear exactly how many Jews survived the death camps, the ghettos or somewhere in hiding across Nazi-occupied Europe, but their numbers were a far cry from the pre-war Jewish population in Europe. In Poland, of the 3.3 million Jews living there in 1939, only about 300,000 survived. Around 560,000 Jews lived in Germany in 1933, the year Adolf Hitler came to power. At the end of World War II in 1945, their numbers had diminished to about 15,000 — through emigration and extermination. Germany's Jewish community grew again after 1990, when more than 215,000 Jewish migrants and their families came from countries of the former Soviet Union, some of them also survivors. Nowadays, only 14,200 survivors still live in Germany.

Saint Julian

The statue of St Julian by Carlo Darmanin

Today happens to be the liturgical feast of Saint Julian, my patron saint. In my hometown of St. Julian’s, special celebrations are held in the parish church, although the most extensive celebrations are held on the last Sunday of August. People are very fond of the statue made from paper-mache by Carlo Darmanin in 1891. St Julian lived in the 9th century and was from Belgium, the only child of his parents Carlo and Lusinda. He loved hunting and one day, just as he was shooting a deer, the targeted deer spoke to him, “before you kill me, just remember that one day you will kill your own parents.” Distraught at this message he ran away from his parents, eventually settling in a different town and marrying a young beautiful girl Margherita. His parents however never gave up, and searched for him for months, until they arrived at the town where he was living. Incidentally they met his wife, and she greeted them happily since Julian was on a hunting trip, and she invited them to rest in her own bedroom. 

Detail of the statue of Saint Julian

A jealous enemy of Julian met him when he arrived home and told him that his wife was cheating on him. Infuriated, Julian went into his house while his wife was at church, and finding two people sleeping in his bed, he decapitated them instantly, thinking they were his wife and her lover. Shortly afterwards, his wife arrived beaming with joy, ready to tell him that his parents had finally arrived. Feeling very confused on seeing his wife alive, and realizing what he had done, Julian was inconsolable, as he remembered the prophetic words of the deer. Thereupon, Julian left that town and went into Italy with his wife where he started helping the poor to redeem himself. He eventually built a small hospital, earning him the name of St Julian the hospitalier, and spent the rest of his life tending to the sick in Macerata, where his body is preserved in the local Cathedral.  St Julian was remorseful of his actions, and was forgiven, eventually becoming a saint. "Redemit te Caritas" is the motto of the saint, which means "Charity has redeemed you."

Progressive Meals

This is another segment from my daily Journals, this particular one comes from 2004 when I was stationed at St Elizabeth of Hungary parish in John Day, Oregon.

One Saturday evening, just as I was pacing and praying the Rosary around the church, a group of cars were following each, beeping horns in a happy mood. I thought it was some kind of a celebration of a victory of sorts. Among them was Dr. Robert Holland, the local doctor who slowed down his car and invited me to join them for dessert. Of course I had no idea what was going on, but he explained to me they were having a Progressive Meal, organized by the Methodist Church. Since I had eaten already and was getting late, I declined for the day. From what I was told, various members of the Methodist community church organize an event that is quite interesting and I share it here for anyone who would like to plan something similar among friends. A Progressive Meal is a 4 course meal which they eat at different houses, starting with antipasto at one house, salad at another house, the main course or dinner at another house, and finally dessert at the last house. In between of course there is driving and some socializing. There must have been 12 cars in the entourage, and they even had a national motif, Hawaiian shirts and leighs around their necks. Probably the food was Hawaiian too.

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 and also baptized by Ananias. The devotion for St Paul is very high in Malta, and on February 10, we commemorate his shipwreck on Maltese shores that happened in 60AD, our national feast, even though this year it is being postponed by a few weeks as it falls during Carnival weekend.

St Francis de Sales

Having served for 8 glorious years at the Cathedral dedicated to him in Baker City, Oregon, I became a fervent devotee of  St. Francis de Sales, who was born in the Savoy district of France in 1567 and ordained a priest in 1593. Francis was sent to preach in a Protestant region near his birthplace, attempting to persuade his hearers, mostly Calvinists to become Roman Catholics. Since he was seen to be persuasive, he was appointed in 1602 to be bishop of Geneva, a Calvinist stronghold.  In 1604 he met a widow, Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641), and under his influence she founded a religious order of nuns called the Order of the Visitation. Their correspondence is an outstanding example of mutual Christian encouragement and support. Francis died at Lyons on December 29th, 1622.

Some quotes from his book “Introduction to the devout life.”
 - Nothing makes us so prosperous in this world as to give alms.
 - Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence.
 - Salvation is shown to faith, it is prepared for hope, but it is given only to charity.
 - We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear.
 - The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us.

The above stained-glass window is from the St Francis De Sales Cathedral in Baker City, my former parish. It was crafted by the Povey Brothers of Portland in 1923, exactly 101 years ago, and is situated in the apse, behind the newly-erected baldacchino, which is above the tabernacle.