Friday, January 29
From left: A children's book on Juniper; Murillo's 1618 painting; and the Brother Juniper cartoon.
Servant of God BROTHER JUNIPER [Fra Ginepro] (Italy, d 1258)
One of the original Franciscans with St. Francis
Little is known about Ginepro's life before he joined Francis and his band of brothers in 1210, except
that he was a close friend of Francis from his younger days. Although he has come down in Franciscan
annals as the 'Franciscan clown' or 'jester of the Lord', he was entrusted by Francis to set up
Franciscan 'places' in Gualdo and Viterbo, and he was with St. Clare, conforting her on her deathbed.
He was renowned for his simplicity and kindness. A 1618 Murillo painting depicts him about to give up
his garments to a beggar. Five centuries later, the 18th-century missionary Junipero Serra would take
his religious name from Francis's friend. In 1958-1989, Brother Juniper inspired a popular syndicated
cartoon depicting him in modern situations.
Readings from today's Mass: www.usccb.org/nab/readings/012910.shtml
OR today.
15th-cent illustration of Dante's Paradise Canto XIII that refers to St. Thomas Aquinas.
Benedict XVI reproposes the Thomist method to the Pontifical Academies as a way towards authentic Christian humanism:
'For adequate and creative responses to society's emerging problems'
Other Page 1 stories: A report on President Obama's first 'state of the union' message focuses on the President's offensive against big banking; the International Labor Organization says there are 212 million unemployed in 2010 equivalent to 6.6% of the labor force; and the logistical logjam continues in efforts to assist Haiti's two million earthquake victims. In the inside pages, an essay on art and spirituality in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore by its Arch-Priest, Cardinal Bernard Law.
THE POPE'S DAY
The Holy Father met today with
- Bishops of England and Wales (Group 3) on ad limina visit
- Mons. Antoni Stankiewicz, Dean of the Tribunal of the Rota Romana
- College of Prelate Auditors of the Tribunal of the Rota Romana. Address in Italian.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 29/01/2010 19:18]