May 5, Wednesday, Fifth Week of Easter
Feast of ST. HILAIRE D'ARLES [France, 403-449), Bishop and Confessor
Not to be confused with the more famous Hilaire of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church,
this Hilaire followed the example of a relative who became a monk and then bishop
of Arles. He himself became bishop at age 29 and was an exemplary one in most
respects - he did manual labor to help the poor, sold Church vessels to ransom
Christian captives, became a 'magnificent' orator. But having episcopal primacy
over southern Gaul, he made arbitrary decisions about the bishops under him that
he forced Pope Leo the Great to intervene, stripping him of the power to consecrate
bishops and to call synods.
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050510.shtml
OR today.
Illustration: St. Paul shipwrecked on Malta, Vatican mosaic presented to the Church of Malta by Benedict XVI.
Papal stories in this issue: The Pope's condolence at the death yesterday of Cardinal Luigi Poggi, 92 (photo) - he was the Archivist
and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church from 1992-1998; the Pope's birthday greetings to the former Chief Rabbi of Rome, Elio
Toaff, 95; and an interview with Mons. Alfred Xuereb, the Pope's other private secretary, who is from Malta, on the Pope's recent visit
to Malta. Page 1 international news: UN secretary-general calls for nuclear disarmament at current UN meeting; prospects for stabilizing
Europe after and if Greece is rescues from its debt crisis; the White House seeks guarantees from British Petroleum for appropriate
actions to minimize the environmental disaster resulting from the explosion of a BP oil rig off the coast of Louisiana two weeks ago.
THE POPE'S DAY
General Audience - The Holy Father's special catecheses on the priesthood focused today on the role
of the priest in sanctifying the people entrusted to his care. The Pope also encouraged the nations
meeting in New York this week towards 'a concerted and safe nuclear disarmament' which must begin by
universal respect for international commitments.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 05/05/2010 15:26]