Transfiguration

Transfiguration by Lodovico Carracci

We celebrate today the feast of the Transfiguration, the occasion when Jesus appeared with Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. With them were the apostles Peter, James and John. After Jesus was surrounded by a cloud of bright light, Peter uttered a phrase that has remained quite significant and controversial in some ways. He was instantly overcome with a state of euphoria, and wanted to somehow crystallize himself in that moment, when he said to Jesus “Lord, it’s so good for us to be here, let me build three booths here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  We act like Peter sometimes when we’re enjoying life and going through a stress-free period of our life. We are on vacation, enjoying a beautiful trip, a spectacular scene, spending time with friends, and we don’t want it to end. We feel on Cloud Nine and want it to last forever. But reality is different, just as it was different with Peter and the other disciples - there was much work waiting for them, especially after Jesus went up to heaven. It is the same with all of us. Vacation time will soon be over, and many people will be back to work, back to their normal routine. Honeymoons last a week or two, and even winning the lottery may make you happy for a few months, but then, back to your regular routine. Hopefully the joyful euphoria Peter, James and John experienced will help them spread a spirit of happiness and joy around them, as was the case with the apostles after the took over the baton from their Master and led Christianity through its first few years.

Carrots

Another flash-back  from my years in New York - When I was stationed at St. Anthony’s in Rocky Point, NY between 1991 and 1996, there were many young families in the parish. I was involved in the life of the children and the youth of the parish, besides working with the Pre-Cana team and organizing children’s liturgies, Youth Group activities, etc. Kevin and Colleen Sweeney were very active parishioners, and always so kind and gentle, smiling and welcoming, with two young boys, so quiet and obedient. Once they invited me to their house, and Colleen made sure to inquire of me what I like to eat. I made it a point always to tell people that I just don’t like melted cheese on anything, cooked carrots, and macaroni and cheese. Anything else is good for me.

Well, they somehow misunderstood my dislikes and thought that I said I really like cooked carrots. So when I arrived and sat down to eat, the first plate was carrot soup. Since I didn’t want to disappoint them, I slowly slurped the whole thing, which was not bad after all, especially with some croutons which made the taste of carrots less invasive. But what happened next will always be etched in my memory as well as theirs, and this became the most well-advertised hilarious scene of the decade. So, waiting for the main meal, hoping it would be some kind of meat, veggies and potatoes and a salad on the side, I was presented instead with a plate-full of carrots. 5 varieties of carrots! The large carrots, nicely peeled and steamed, medium sized carrots, on the yellowish side, and those little gourmet carrots which were possibly ordered from some specialty store. As I looked at them in fear and trepidation, Kevin smiled at me, waiting for a ‘hooray’ way of approval, while Colleen sat smiling on my side. At that she slowly pushed the whole plate towards me and uttered her famous words ‘aren’t you going to try the carrots?’ Needless to say, I started to smile and show a sour face, in trying to explain my predicament that they might have misunderstood my humble request in not having any carrots, as I don’t like them especially when they are cooked. At that both of them started to laugh and laugh and laugh, along with me and the two boys along with us.

Of course the rest of the meal was fine and we enjoyed each other’s company, but the story of the carrots spread like wild fire around town. And every time we meet, Kevin was ready with the gracious invitation....’stop by today, we’re having carrot cake......we’re munching on carrot pie today.....come and sample our carrot goulash......come over tonight we’re having carrot salad!’ I felt bad for them going out of their way to get all those kinds of carrots and having to see them remain untouched, undisturbed and uneaten by whom they thought was a carrot aficionado. The joke spread around that whoever was inviting me for dinner would have some carrots to tease me. But all in all, people were very gracious and great hosts who love a good laugh over a nice dinner,..... and plenty of carrots!

St John Baptist Vianney

The patron saint of priests, St John Marie Baptist Vianney, whose feast we celebrate today, was meant to be a holy priest, even though he had a very tough time in his studies, especially Latin. When he was ordained, he was sent to a little town in France called Ars, which was very liberal and had no faith at all. However he gently changed the whole town as people went to confession, attended Masses and with his patience and holiness, transformed a simple town into a pilgrimage site. He was made the patron of all parish priests during the Year of the Priest, proclaimed in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. These are some of his popular quotes:

'Never forget that it is at the beginning of each day that God has the necessary grace for the day ready for us. He knows exactly what opportunities we shall have to sin, and will give us everything we need if we ask him then.'
'Prayer is nothing else than union with God. When the heart is pure and united with God it is consoled and filled with sweetness; it is dazzled by a marvelous light.'
'Man has a noble task: That of prayer and love. To pray and love, that is the happiness of man on earth.'
'When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.'
"I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures."
"Prayer is to our soul what rain is to the soil. Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rains."
"Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself."
"When our hands have touched spices, they give fragrance to all they handle. Let us make our prayers pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. She will make them fragrant."
"When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our heart; our good God will open His. We shall go to Him; He will come to us; the one to ask, the other to receive. It will be like a breath from one to the other."

From student to teacher

A young man met an old teacher and asked if he remembers him. The old teacher was hesitant since he taught so many students over a long career. The teacher told the young man that he remembers him well, and asked him what he was doing now. ‘I’m a teacher like you, and you are the one who inspired me to follow in your footsteps.’ The teacher was impressed and asked him what exactly triggered the desire to be a teacher. And the boy told him his story. ‘One day, a classmate came in the class with a new watch. And I was determined that it was going to be mine. And I stole it from him. Of course he complained to you and you asked all of us who was the robber. No one answered. And I was afraid to tell him that I did it. Then you asked us to stand up and make a circle as you were going to search each one of us. But you blindfolded us and went around searching in our pockets and until you found it in mine. You continued searching even after you found it, and told us that the watch was found and given to the boy who owned it. You never scolded me and never even mentioned it again. That day you saved my dignity. In a way I wished you told them it was me to get my deserved punishment. But you respected me and believed in me. That experience convinced me that I could be a good teacher too. Do you remember that day?’ The old teacher said ‘Of course I remember. I remember the panic that overcame that class. But I didn’t know it was you who stole it, because I too had blindfolded my eyes and did not know from whose pocket  I retrieved the missing watch. I didn’t want to know who was the culprit, because otherwise I would have remembered him in a negative way.’ So remember from this story that to teach someone a good lesson, you don’t need to correct him and humiliate him, but just believe in him so that he can discover the inner goodness that is in his heart.

Blessings

A young boy asked his grandfather, ‘grandpa, how did you ever live in the past without computers, Internet, air-conditioners, televisions, cell-phones, parties, cars and all the stuff we have today?’ The old man turned to his grandson and told him ‘I don’t understand how children today can live without prayer, without respect, without knowing who is cheating you and whom to trust, and noise, traffic, building constructions everywhere you look, everyone in a rush, and breathlessly looking for luxuries, drugs, entertainment, and families who are so dysfunctional? So let me tell you how we used to live in the past. Riding a bike, we never used crash helmets. We played with our friends in the street, not always glued to a screen at home. When we got thirsty we drank from a faucet or a well, and not lemonade full of sugar. We never got fat eating all that candy We were never afraid to step over an obstacle when walking in bare feet on the grass. We made our own toys, sometimes with the help of our parents. We always play hide and seek, marbles and beads, jump rope, and we had fun for hours. We were poor but enjoyed our parents in a home filled with love. We never had a phone at home and of course never a cordless phone. We spoke to our friends at school, in our neighborhood, in church, in the sport ground or playing field, but never by an email. We admired birds and flowers, fish and animals in real life not in a picture sent by a mobile phone. When we visited our friends, we ate what their parents gave us, and they welcomed us as if we were family. Even our neighbors were like a family to us. Our parents listened to us, as we listened to them. I think young people today should get rid of their gadgets and stuff, and spend more time talking, laughing, crying, rejoicing, praying, and listening to each other. We will soon leave this earth, but it will do you a lot of good if you only experience some of our harshness and suffering and beautiful that we lived through. As long as you have the courage to love what is beautiful, not only what feels comfortable. As long as you have the strength to sacrifice a little, and not  choose only what is easy, entertaining and pleasurable. I hope you can start living your life, not just survive or exist.’

Heligenkreuz Cistercian Abbey

It’s hard to find any Abbey nowadays with a healthy number of monks. But the Abbey of the Blessed Cross in Austria is certainly an exception. It is 1000 years old, and presently it is the home of 100 monks. It is located 8 miles away from Vienna and the average age of the monks is 49.  Close to the Abbey there is a School of Theology which was named for Pope Benedict XVI, and where many famed theologians taught periodically including the Pope himself when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. He actually visited it in 2007 and called the Abbey, ‘A Song in History.’ The photo shows the monks during a procession in their cloister.

St Ignatius of Loyola

The Jesuits had quite an important role in my education and spiritual formation. My spiritual director in the Seminary was a Jesuit as were many of my priest friends. My two nephews were educated in a school run by the Jesuits, and which has actually produced quite a few well-known people in Malta. Jesuits have provided many good priests, many of whom have dedicated their lives to work in the missions. We thank St Ignatius of Loyola, their founder, whose feast we celebrate today. St. Ignatius was born in the family castle in Guipúzcoa, Spain, the youngest of 13 children, and was called Iñigo. When he was old enough, he became a page, and then a soldier of Spain to fight against the French. A cannon ball shattered his leg and subsequently, a series of bad operations ended his military career in 1521. While St. Ignatius recovered, he started reading the Bible and the lives of the saints, and decided to dedicate himself to becoming a soldier of the Catholic Faith. Soon after he experienced visions, but a year later suffered a trial of fears and scruples, driving him almost to despair. Out of this experience he wrote his famous "Spiritual Exercises". After traveling and studying in different schools, he finished in Paris, where he received his degree at the age of 43. Many first hated St. Ignatius because of his humble lifestyle. Despite this, he attracted several followers at the university, including St. Francis Xavier, and soon started his order called The Society of Jesus, or Jesuits. He was a gifted spiritual director, and has been described by Pope Benedict XVI  as “being above all a man of God and a man of profound prayer who gave the first place of his life to God.” He was very active in fighting the Protestant Reformation and promoting the subsequent Counter-Reformation. St Ignatius died at the age of 65. He was canonized on March 12, 1622.  There are 38 members of the Society of Jesus who have been declared Saints. So many other Jesuits have become Cardinals, Bishops and great writers, and two years ago, the first Jesuit Jorge Bergoglio became the first Jesuit Pope, Francis.

The Marquee

Between 1991 and 1996, I was stationed at St. Anthony of Padua, in Rocky Point, New York. Next to the church, right on the main road, they had a Marquee which was hardly used before I got there. But during the time I spent at St. Anthony’s, it became quite an attraction as I took care of it religiously, changing the message every week. It had only 4 lines, so my messages and quotes had to be brief and covering only 4 lines with a maximum of 15 letters on each line. Besides any major announcements we had to make for upcoming events, celebrations, etc, I made sure to have a captivating quote which people, drivers and walkers could think about and reflect on as they go by the famous Marquee. Among the signs which were quite a hit were these: ‘Love your enemies, and you’ll drive them nuts!’ ‘Do your best, and God will do the rest,’ ‘A great man does small things in life – with a big heart,’ ‘3 marks of a good Christian – giving, loving and forgiving,’ and on Christmas Day, ‘It’s a Boy! And His name is Jesus.’

I made sure to keep them short and sweet, so that we won’t have any traffic accidents, as usually many drivers slow down to read the message. Since it was on the main road, and also lit up at night, thousands of people would read the message as they pass by, and frequently I used to get calls from parishioners, thanking me for a particular message, especially those who tell me ‘that quote hit home today....I was very depressed and it cheered me up....’ ‘great quote today – it was meant for me – it’s quite an eye-opener,’ ‘good message Father today....if all of us listen to them and act on them!’ It was a labor of love for me as I enjoyed coming up with interesting quotes, and since it has two sides, I always did two different sayings, one on each side. Who knows how many blessings a simple idea like that gave to parishioners, as well as drivers who may not be Catholic, but read them with a smile nonetheless.

Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

The three Bethany siblings are now together again as their feast is celebrated today. Until 2 years ago, it was only Martha that had her feast on July 29, but now we have Mary and Lazarus along with her. We all remember that domestic scene in the Gospels when Jesus visits his friends Martha and Mary, who along with their brother Lazarus, all of them close friends. We read how Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to him talk, while Martha was busy with the household chores and duties of hospitality, which were very important in Middle Eastern culture. Eventually Jesus reprimanded Martha and praised Mary for choosing the better part. I always felt bad for Martha, because she was doing her duty as a host. As if she was trying to tell Jesus: “Let’s all fix some snacks together and then we can sit down and talk....” Maybe Jesus was a little too quick to criticize her, but we know that all got along well, and both girls humbly yet eagerly appealed to Jesus when their brother Lazarus died. I have no doubt that Jesus enjoyed visiting them, sitting down, taking his sandals off, putting his feet up, and relax in the shade of a trellis in their yard covered with vines, with bunches of grapes hanging from them. Then the girls would prepare some food, some nice crusty bread, a dish filled with figs, olives, grapes, nectarines, pomegranate and other finger food that was popular those days. And as they listen to their friend talk, they would nibble of the food, while sipping some home-made wine, which surely Lazarus would have prepared for his friend. This feast reminds us also of the value of hospitality as we visit friends or relatives, as they visit us, being courteous and grateful, hospitable and welcoming and forever gracious. We celebrate today also the gift of friendship.

Bonne Maman Jams

This is not an advert on Jams, but a true story. A man was in a store when he noticed an elderly women reaching out from a shelf, trying to get some jars. He tried to help her and picked up a Strawberry jam he presumed she was looking for. But she insisted that she wanted a specific brand, the Bonne Maman Jam. When the man asked her why she wanted that particular brand, she said to him, ‘eh that’s the best jam and the most special too.’ When he asked why was it so special, she stunned him by her response. ‘Besides the sweet taste, the owners of this company saved my life. You see, during the war I was just a little girl living in Paris. The Germans were looking for all Jewish people to be taken to the concentration camps, where they were eventually killed. There were posters everywhere warning that anyone caught hiding the Jews will be arrested and shot on the spot. The owners of this jam were the family that hid my own family, who were Jews. To save my life and my parents and siblings, they risked their own lives. If caught they would be killed, as well as our own family. So, to answer your question, how can I buy a jar of jam of another brand? These jams remind me of the terror we experienced, but also of the bright light that this family brought to me and my family. Today every time I come to do some shopping, my grandchildren remind me, Grandma, don’t forget the Bonne-Maman jam’’ Let us appreciate those who helped us in the past, and also buy products from those who support good causes.

Olympics 2024

The Olympics are officially underway after a spectacular display yesterday evening over and around the Seine river. Thousands of athletes will now compete to win a medal that will be recorded for ever in history. While many medals have been won in so many professional and amateur sports, nothing beats winning an Olympic medal, even if it's made of bronze. Seeing that flag of your home country being raised in the arena or stadium is always much-treasured memory. The spirit of the Olympics is actually seen in the famous quote by Pierre Rene de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics: 'The important thing is not to win, but to participate bravely in any sport.' Let us hope to be able to see some more splendid performances in these Paris Games as we did in the past with the likes of Paavo Nurmi in the 1920s, Jesse Owens in the 1930s, Fanny Blankers-Koen in the 1940s, Emil Zatopek in the 1950s, Larissa Latinina in the 1960s, Mark Spitz in the 1970s, Carl Lewis in the 1980s, Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci in Gymnastics, Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky in swimming and so many Ethiopians and Kenyan long-distance runners in track and field. And so many, many more !

Prayer for Grandparents

Today being the feast of the Blessed Mother's parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Ann, I share with you a prayer for grandparents, written by Pope Benedict XVI.

Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary,
the daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne.
Look with love on grandparents the world over.
Protect them! They are a source of enrichment
for families, for the Church and for all of society.
Support them! As they grow older,
may they continue to be for their families strong pillars of Gospel faith,
guardian of noble domestic ideals, living treasuries of sound religious traditions.
Make them teachers of wisdom and courage,
that they may pass on to future generations the fruits
of their mature human and spiritual experience.
Lord Jesus, help families and society
to value the presence and roles of grandparents.
May they never be ignored or excluded, but always encounter respect and love.
Help them to live serenely and to feel welcomed
in all the years of life which you give them.
Mary, Mother of all the living, keep grandparents constantly in your care,
accompany them on their earthly pilgrimage, and by your prayers,
grant that all families may one day be reunited in our heavenly homeland,
where you await all humanity for the great embrace of life without end. Amen!

The Cross in Marriages

Weddings at Siroki-Brijeg parish

A small town in Bosnia-Herzegovina, 29 km (18 miles) from Medjugorje is called Siroki-Brijeg, with a population of 6,000. All of them are Catholic and they have a world record for surviving marriages. While so many marriages are falling apart, in this town, there is no divorce and marriages are as strong as ever. The reason is a simple custom they have, called the ‘Cross in our Marriage.’ During the wedding ceremony, the couple approach the altar and receive a cross from the celebrant, as he reminds them to love the cross, and carry it bravely. The cross should never be abandoned or ignored, but they should love it, cherish it and care for it. The cross is blessed and the bride places her hand on the groom who carries the cross. And before they kiss each other, they kiss the cross, the symbol of their love. And as they may face some other crosses in their lives, they know that Jesus will be there to help them carry other crosses they may encounter along the way.

Neo-Byzantine Eucharist chapel

A very unique and elaborate chapel was inaugurated recently at St George’s parish church in Rabat, Gozo, Malta. It is covered with pristine mosaic built and crafted over the last 24 years. It was a pain-staking job done with love, but the end result is truly spectacular as you can see from these 2 photos. The style is neo-Byzantine, and it is something you may see inside a Greek or Russian Orthodox church. But this church, one of two in the town of Rabat, Gozo, the other one being the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, is covered with art and paintings from different eras, mostly by Maltese artists, done over the last 200 years. The tabernacle is made of silver and is a replica of a pyx.

Paris and Harris

Over the next three weeks, all the talk around the world will be about Paris and Harris. Paris is where the 2024 Summer Olympic Games will be held, and Harris referring to Kamala Harris who is probably the chosen contender for the Presidency of the United States for the Democratic Party to face the Republican Donald Trump in the November elections. All eyes will be watching the various sport events around Paris with hundreds of gold, silver and bronze medals to be awarded for excellence in sports. Then the Democratic party will be meeting to confirm the name of Kamala Harris who just replaced President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race. If elected, she would be the first female US President and also 2nd black person to lead the USA. The logos you see in the photo above represent the last 12 cities where the Olympics were held. Before them, there was also Montreal, Munich, Mexico City, Tokyo, Rome, Melbourne, Helsinki, London at least up to World War II.

St. Mary Magdalen

St. Mary Magdalene is mentioned as one of the women who ministered to Jesus. The same passage also refers briefly to an act of exorcism performed on her, on an occasion when seven demons were cast out. These women, who earlier "had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities", later accompanied Jesus on his last journey to, and were witnesses to the Crucifixion. She was also the privileged first person to see Jesus risen from the tomb, an honor that was not given to any of the 12 apostles, but only to Mary Magdalene, probably in a way of thanking her for staying with Jesus till the end at the foot of the cross. This is the last mention in the Gospels of Mary of Magdala, who now returned to Jerusalem. She is probably included in the group of women who joined the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem after Jesus' Ascension and may have also been with the Blessed Mother at Pentecost. Tradition as early as the third century identifies Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and with the woman sinner who anointed Jesus' feet, even though she remains unnamed. The identification of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and "the woman who was a sinner" is reflected in an influential sermon Pope Gregory I gave in 591, when he said: "She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary of Bethany, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark.” Today we celebrate her feast-day as big celebration on the same level as those of the apostles.

3000 posts

This is my 3000th post in this Blog. I thank all those who check my blog daily with more than half a million hits so far, precisely 573,673 as of today. These are the three most popular posts with the respective number of hits on each of them. The first one was a review of a friend of mine, Edward Azzopardi who uses incredible craftsmanship by using paper and creating fascinating designs by a simple surgical knife. He works mainly with paper or cardboard, but he also has done etching on glass as well as delicate and intricate work on wood or plywood. 

http://dungiljan.blogspot.com/search?q=edward+azzopardi        1500 hits

The second post is about the birth of the football superstar Ronaldo and how his mother was determined to abort him and we thank the doctor who convinced her otherwise. 

http://dungiljan.blogspot.com/search?q=ronaldo          1390 hits

The third one was about my first Thanksgiving celebration back in 1981 when I was in New Hyde Park, New York. 

http://dungiljan.blogspot.com/search?q=my+first+thanksgiving       698 hits

Don’t forget you can always check past posts by clicking on ‘Older Posts’ link at the right hand side in the bottom of the last post in this page. You can also type anything you may be looking for in the ‘Search this Blog’ window at the very top on the right hand side. My first Blog is still available to browse through at www.fatherjulian.blogspot.com with over 2,400 posts from my time in Oregon.

Caring and Loving

He helped him while eating, washing and grooming, and when he was healthy enough took him out for a walk in the hospital’s garden. Then he would take him back to his room, help him change and put him in his bed. He would not leave until he saw the old man resting in his bed. One day a nurse went into his room, and told the old man ‘what a wonderful son you have – he is so kind and respectful. He doesn’t miss a day to come to see you. You are so lucky to have a son like him.’ The man closed his eyes and whispered to the nurse ‘how I wish he was my son! He is not my son, but an orphan I met years ago when he lived next to me and my wife. The first time I met him, he was around 8, and had just lost his father, and I hugged him and gave him some sweets. Then he disappeared and I didn’t know what happened to him. Several years later when he was grown up, a handsome young man, he came to live close to us again, and used to come to see me and my wife, both elderly by now. When I got sick, I had to come to the hospital and he took my wife to live with him, until I get better. As you see he comes to see me every day. Even though I feel embarrassed by his kindness, I am thankful for him. One day I asked him ‘why do you do this to me and my wife? Why do you love us so much?’ He answered me by saying ‘the taste of those sweets you gave me are still in my mouth!’

How often we complain about young people – but how often do we appreciate the wonderful things they do, sometimes without being asked. Like this young man, who was only reciprocating a simple kind deed done to him, many years ago! Such people can make everyone and everything around them so grateful and appreciative.

Tomorrow will be my 3000 post in this blog. I will review some of the most popular posts. Don't forget my first Blog from my time in Oregon started in 2012 which has 2,400 posts and which you can review here www.fatherjulian.blogspot.com

Alexander’s 3 wishes

Alexander the Great was a powerful warrior, and conquered many countries. But when he was dying, he shared 3 wishes he wanted from those close to him. He gathered his close friends and family members around his death bed, and as they listened attentively he spoke...’I want only my doctors to carry my coffin after I die. I also want the road on which my coffin will pass be covered with all the gold and silver I earned during my life. And thirdly I would like my hands to be left hanging on each side of my coffin.’ Everyone listened with disbelief at these unusual requests and one of the elders asked him what is the significance of these 3 wishes. So Alexander spoke up for the last time....’I want the doctors to carry me so that people will know that they don’t have any power over death and any kind of sickness. I want the gold and silver on the ground so that people would realize that they cannot take with them a single flake of all the gold they earned in their life. And lastly I want the people to know that we came into this world empty handed, and we will definitely leave empty handed.’ Certainly, words worth remembering. 

Eucharistic Congress

Pilgrims cross the Big Four Bridge in Louisville, approaching Indianapolis

Through big cities and small towns, in comfortable spring conditions, sweltering 90-degree summer heat, and rain. They saw the skyscrapers of New York City, the Rocky Mountains, the Gulf Coast and the grassy plains of Kentucky. The Eucharistic pilgrims who set out from four different starting points in the United States on May 19 slept with host families, as well as in monasteries, retreat centers and convents. Accompanying the Eucharist exposed in monstrances, they walked up to 19 miles on some days on a journey that will end with the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. The two biggest challenges are the heat and exhaustion. Along the way, the pilgrims participated in Eucharistic processions, holy hours, special liturgies and other religious events with local communities. They visited shrines, cathedrals and Catholic universities. They processed through rural towns and big cities, and accompanied the Eucharist on boats that traversed local rivers. "We were literally on the boat with Jesus,” some of the pilgrims said. More than 50,000 people will descend on the Circle City, Indianapolis for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, a five-day gathering (July 17-21) that will feature liturgies, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, processions, musical and dramatic performances, panel discussions and individual presentations on various topics related to the Eucharist and its connection to the Catholic Church's evangelizing mission. Organizers are counting on the National Eucharistic Congress to be an event that will fan the flames of spiritual revival in the U.S. church. Others are doubtful that the bishops' plan to promote a devotional form of Catholicism will win back Catholics alienated from the church for a variety of reasons. By the time the Philippines Cardinal Luis Tagle, the papal delegate to the event, celebrates the closing Mass on July 21, organizers say they will have raised and spent more than $22 million for a gathering that they hope will serve as a catalyst to energize Catholics across the United States. The Congress is a response to God's desire to renew the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been beset by polarization and scandal, not to mention the fact that scores of Catholics fell away from the church because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blessed Adrian prayer

Blessed Adrian Fortescue, a Third Order Dominican, courtier to King Henry VIII, was also first cousin of Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. Loyal to Rome, he was supportive of Pope Clement VII’s refusal to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne. In 1539, Sir Adrian was arrested, convicted of high treason without trial, one of 50 persons similarly convicted, and beheaded the same year. As with St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, he had refused to take the 1534 Oath of Succession. The personal piety of Blessed Adrian was attested by his Book of Hours, which had been left to decay over many centuries but was repaired and rebound in 1903. The book was recently loaned it to the Order of Malta, and which has since returned it to Bosworth Hall, where it is exhibited with other artifacts. In it I came across a beautiful prayer written by Blessed Adrian. It’s written in old English, but I am paraphrasing it here:

Above all things, love God with your heart. Desire His honor more than the health of your own soul. Be sure to cleanse your mind with frequent confession and stay away from lustful and earthly desires. Avoid any grudges and control your tongue. Pray often. Create a peaceful atmosphere around your home. Speak to God from time to time – He listens. Be a good example of the virtues you treasure.  Be kind to the poor and help them any way you can, as this way you are pleasing God. Pray for perseverance and that the Holy Spirit will inspire you constantly. Renew daily the resolve to always do good. If you commit sin, don’t despair, because ultimately the Holy Spirit will strengthen you. Doing this, you will be in Heaven with Jesus, to give Him glory, praise and everlasting honor.

The Carmelite Scapular

Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. According to a pious tradition, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St Simon Stock at Cambridge, England on Sunday June 16, 1251. In answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order, she appeared to him with a scapular in her hand and said to him: ”Take, beloved son, this scapular of your order as a special sign of grace for all Carmelites; whoever dies with this scapular, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is a sign of salvation, a safeguard in danger, a pledge of peace.” The Carmelites are a religious order founded on Mount Carmel in the 13th century, named thus in reference to the mountain range found in the Holy Land. The founder was a certain Berthold, who was either a pilgrim or a crusader. The order was founded at the site that it claimed had once been the location of Elijah’s cave, 1700 feet above sea level. By 2001, there were 2,100 religious monks in 25 provinces in the Carmelite order, besides 700 enclosed nuns in 70 monasteries. In addition, the Third Order of Lay Carmelites count 28,000 members throughout the world. Besides St Simon Stock, there are other Carmelite saints such as St Therese of the Child Jesus, St John of the Cross, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, St Theresa of Avila and even Sister Lucia of Fatima.

My generous parishioner

After yesterday’s touching story, I can relate to that message as I also experienced a generous act to my parish from one of my parishioners. George Colwell was a seasoned rancher, and he owned some property in the parish of Baker City, Oregon. He also knew we had some needy families, as well as transients who used to pass by in their travels, looking for help and any kind of assistance. So every year he used to give me $10,000 to use for these needy cases. I spread the money over a whole year using around $900 a month for a variety of needs: a voucher for gasoline, an overnight stay in a motel, urgent medicine, some electrical bills, baby needs, funeral travels, etc. Of course I never gave any cash, but a voucher which would then be redeemed later on. George always wanted to remain anonymous, but after 15 years, I feel it’s about time to acknowledge his generous and extremely kind gesture.

Clement’s generosity

A farmer named Clement was very generous with his produce and would often distribute vegetables to his neighbors and poor people he meets. He also had a habit of writing anonymous cards for people’s birthdays. He was a shy person and very quiet. Even his own family didn’t know how generous he was. Every month he would give $100 to the local pharmacist so that he could use them for people who could not afford to pay for their medicine. But he insisted with the pharmacist that no one should know who paid for their prescription, which were often quite expensive. For 10 years he kept giving the money to be used as a charitable donation. When Clement got sick, he called his daughter Tania and explained what he had been doing, and asked her to give the $100 to the pharmacist every month. She was not surprised by his kindness, and did what he requested. Clement died on January 1, 2023, and during the funeral Tania could not resist keeping this story to herself and told the congregation of her father’s generosity. After the funeral, a local teacher approached Tania and explained to her that his son needed an expensive medicine every month, and they could not afford it without the help from the pharmacist, which he now knew that it came from Clement. The word spread around and within a few days all kinds of donations kept coming to the Pharmacy, to continue this charitable marathon. With values going down the drain in our society, it’s so uplifting to hear these stories of altruism, generosity and kindness. (Tomorrow I will share with you a similar experience in one of the parishes I served in.)

Life as a Gift

Our life is truly a gift. Say ‘Thank you’ and share it with others.

Before you open your mouth to criticize and condemn and hurt someone by a harsh word, remember that mute person who cannot utter one single word.

Before you complain because the food was not to your liking, remember the millions who have nothing to eat.

Before you criticize your husband or wife or someone close to you, remember how many desperate people are out there who are always alone.

Before you complain how tough your life has been, remember that person who died at a very young age.

Before you get angry because your children do not always obey, think of those couples who could never have children of their own.

Before you complain because you have so much to work and cleaning to do at home, remember all those who have not even a roof above their head.

Before you complain because there are so many cars, and so much traffic, think of so and many people who have to walk wherever they need to go.

Before you get upset because of the work you have to do,  think of so many people who are unemployed and those who are always looking for a job.

Before you accuse someone else without knowing the situation, remember that nobody is without sin, and we all have to give an account to God.

When you start seeing everything dark and ugly around you, remember to smile and thank God that you are healthy and can accomplish so many projects.

St Louis and Zelie Martin

The Martin parents with their children, including the 4 deceased

We honor today the parents of yet another saint, and so we can say that there are three saints from the same family, a rare feat, the only other exception is the Holy Family. Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin are the parents of St Therese of Lisieux. Louis was born in 1823 and wanted to become a monk, but he was poor in his studies of Latin, and became a watchmaker instead. Zelie was born in 1831 and she also wanted to become a nun, but with some breathing problems, she was refused entry into the convent. Instead she became a professional lace-maker, to such an extent that her husband left his job and helped her in the production of Alencon lace. Their love for each other continued to blossom, and they got married on July 12, 1858, at the Basilica of Notre Dame in Alencon. They wanted to live a celibate life without any sexual relations between them. But when their spiritual director heard of this strange marital arrangement, he reprimanded them, and insisted that this is not the way married couple should live their lives together. Apparently they must have listened to him, because in 13 years they had 9 children. Only 5 of them lived into adulthood and they were all girls, and all of them became nuns. Marie Louise lived 80 years, Marie Pauline lived 90 years, Mare Leonie lived 78 years, Marie Celine lived 90 years, and Marie Francoise-Therese lived only 24 years, and became the popular saint Therese of Lisieux.

The banner that was used for their canonization in 2015

Their parents, however, were not lucky enough to enjoy the company of their daughters. Their mother Zelie died of breast cancer in 1877, aged 45, and their father Louis died in 1894, aged 70.  They raised their daughters with deep spirituality and love. Louis had built a little chapel where he used to spend time in prayer. He loved nature and travelled to many holy places, like Rome, Lourdes, Constantinople. He even gave affectionate nicknames to his girls. One he called diamond, another one pearl, another one the brave, yet another Guardian Angel, and young Therese he called little queenie, reginetta. Louis and Zelie used to write beautiful letters to each other and were published in a book. Although the letters from Louis were only 16, the ones from Zelie were 216, and they show the deeply spiritual life they used to live together. They were canonized by Pope Francis in October 2015.

The Rule of St Benedict

St Benedict handing the Rule to his monks

The feast of Saint Benedict, the founder of Monasticism is a very special day in the life of the church, as all Benedictines celebrate the life of their founder today. St Benedict devised his famous Rule, 73 brief chapters, which is read by all his members, at times almost memorized. I am always fascinated by Chapter 4 of the Rule, which lists 61 tools for good works, all based on Scripture. Here they are, listed in order, which makes for a good meditation:

 In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength. Then, one's neighbor as oneself. Then not to murder. Not to commit adultery. Not to steal. Not to covet. Not to bear false witness. To honor all. And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself. To deny oneself in order to follow Christ. To chastise the body. Not to become attached to pleasures. To love fasting. To relieve the poor. To clothe the naked. To visit the sick. To bury the dead. To help in trouble. To console the sorrowing. To become a stranger to the world's ways. To prefer nothing to the love of Christ. Not to give way to anger. Not to nurse a grudge. Not to entertain deceit in one's heart. Not to give a false peace. Not to forsake charity. Not to swear, for fear of perjuring oneself. To utter truth from heart and mouth. Not to return evil for evil. To do no wrong to anyone, and to bear patiently wrongs done to oneself. To love one's enemies. Not to curse those who curse us, but rather to bless them. To bear persecution for justice's sake. Not to be proud. Not addicted to wine. Not a great eater. Not drowsy. Not lazy. Not a grumbler. Not a detractor. To put one's hope in God. To attribute to God, and not to self, whatever good one sees in oneself.  But to recognize always that the evil is one's own doing, and to impute it to oneself. 

An 8th century copy of the Rule of St Benedict

To fear the Day of Judgment. To be in dread of hell. To desire eternal life with all the passion of the spirit. To keep death daily before one's eyes. To keep constant guard over the actions of one's life. To know for certain that God sees one everywhere. When evil thoughts come into one's heart, to dash them against Christ immediately. And to manifest them to one's spiritual guardian. To guard one's tongue against evil and depraved speech. Not to love much talking. Not to speak useless words or words that move to laughter. Not to love much or boisterous laughter. To listen willingly to holy reading. To devote oneself frequently to prayer. Daily in one's prayers, with tears and sighs, to confess one's past sins to God, and to amend them for the future. Not to fulfil the desires of the flesh; to hate one's own will. To obey in all things the commands of the Abbot or Abbess even though they (which God forbid) should act otherwise, mindful of the Lord's precept, "Do what they say, but not what they do." Not to wish to be called holy before one is holy; but first to be holy, that one may be truly so called.

Going to church

A beloved priest would often walk in his neighorhood and talk to some of the neighbors. One day he met a young man whom he recognized as a former altar-boy. It’s been almost 10 years since he last saw him, and asked him what he was doing, which university he was attending, how his family was doing and other basic questions. He asked him finally why he doesn’t come to church anymore. The young man was quick with his response, ‘well Father, I stopped coming to church because people are double-faced, they talk in church, they talk about others, they sing off-key, they use their cell-phone in church and also doze off when some priests are preaching. So why should I come to church, to get more upset?’

So the priest suggested that he would do an experiment. ‘Go to church one day, and take with you a glass filled with water to the brim. Now go around the church carrying the water in the glass without spilling one single drop.’ The man thought this was an odd proposition, but did as the priest told him. He cautiously went around the church concentrating on the glass in his hands, and didn’t even spill one drop of water, so focused was he on his job. When he finished he went to the priest and told him he had finished. And the priest asked him, ’now tell me young man....when you were walking around the church, did you hear the people chit-chat?....did you hear the off-key singing?....did you notice anyone using their cell-phone?...did you see anyone dozing off?....’ And for all these questions, the young man’s answer was ‘No, No, No, and No!’ And the priest concluded by saying, ‘that’s great, now when you go to church, stay focused on Jesus, look at the tabernacle, follow the Mass and the priest celebrating. And ignore what the other people may be doing. And remember that Jesus is also focused on you, because you are precious in His eyes.’