Sunday, January 24
Third illustration from left, St. Francis de Sales with St. Frances de Chantal; extreme right, the statue of St. Francis in St. Peter's Basilica.
ST. FRANCOIS [Francis] DE SALES (France 1567-1622), Bishop, Writer, Doctor of the Church
Born to a noble family in Savoy, Francis had the best education possible in his time, with degrees from the universities of Paris and Padua. He chose to become a priest over the civil career his family expected him to pursue. Because of their connections, he was appointed Provost of Geneva by its bishop. Geneva was the center of the Calvinist movement, and Francis dedicated himself to converting Calvinists, writing catechetical pamphlets for that purpose. He was a spellbinding preacher, a gentle pastor and ascetic in his own life. At age 35, he became Bishop of Geneva but continued to preach, hear confessions and catechize children. He wrote two books, the Introduction to the Devout Life and A Treatise on the Love of God, along with many pamphlets and a vast correspondence. His writings, characterized by his gentleness, are addressed to lay people, to make them understand that they too are called to be saints. With St. Frances de Chantal, he founded the Sisters of the Visitation whose members can choose to do community work or a contemplative life. He was canonized in 1661, not long after his death, and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1877, In 1963, he was named the patron saint of writers and journalists. He inspired St. John Bosco who named the religious order he founded Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB).
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/nab/readings/012410.shtml
OR today.
Benedict XVI sends messages to the President of Haiti and Haitian bishops
The Pope prays that Haiti may have an open future
As the Church buries the Archbishop of Port au Prince and his vicar, Haiti officially stops rescue operations to concentrate on
bringing aid to the living. Other papal stories: the Holy Father's message for World Communications Day in May, and his letter
greeting the newly elected Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In international news: Afghan President Karzai plans
reconciliation talks with moderate Taliban. In the inside pages, OR wraps up its reportage on this week devoted to Christian
unity to essays about how the Orthodox churches are seeking to deal with modernity, 2009 as a turning point for the reformed
churches, and progress in the Catholic dialog with the World Ecumenical Council. Part of Cardinal Ratzinger's June 2004
address in Normandy on the 60th anniversary of D-Day on the 'just war' fought by the Allies is reprinted, in connection with
a review of a French book seeking to demythicize D-Day, also accompanied by an essay on how Hollywood has depicted D-Day.
Finally, a story on Cardinal Bertone in Mostar to ordain Bishop Vinko Puljic as Archbishop, who has been named the Apostolic
Nuncio to the Arabian Peninsula (including Yemen and the Gulf emirates).
THE POPE'S DAY
Sunday Angelus - The Holy Father commented on the reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Corinthians
in which he likens the Church to the human body; recalled the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian
Unity with Vespers in St. Paul's Basilica tomorrow; and paid tribute to St. Francis de Sales, patron of
communications, on his feast day today.
NB: I apologize I got my days mixed up, and posted earlier a reference to the Vespers which will take place tomorrow not this afternoon!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 24/01/2010 14:43]