Nov. 12, Friday, 32nd Week in Ordinary Time
St. Josaphat (b Lithuania 1584, d Russia, 1623
Bishop and Martyr, Patron Saint of the Ukraine
Born around the time that the Church of Ruthenia split, with some
Orthodox returning to communion with Rome (Uniates), he grew up
a Uniate, with a reputation for holiness even as a boy. He became
a Basilian priest, well-schooled and ardent in preaching the Catholic
faith. After heading many monasteries, he became Bishop of Vitebsk
at age 38. His preaching converted many orthodox to Catholicism,
including Ignatius, Patriarch of Moscow, and a descendant of the
Paleologue emperors. He was murdered by a mob in Vitebsk who
supported a dissident hierarchy that had developed against him.
Lying in state, his body had the odor of sanctity and was incorrupt
when it was exhumed five years later. His remains were later taken
to Rome where he is buried in St. Peter's Basilica. Hos body was
exposed intact in 1797. In 1867, he became the first Eastern saint
to be canonized in the Latin rite.
OR today.
The lead story is obviously Benedict XVI's new Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, whose Italian version the OR provides with this issue as a free supplement. An editorial links the Exhortation to the Pope's message on the reopening of the Vatican Library to the public; also highlighted is the third papal document from yesterday on the 2012 International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin. The only international news item on Page is that Pres. Obama fails to get South Korea to sign on to a proposed free trade agreement with the USA. In the inside pages, a report on Cardinal Bagnasco's news conference following the autumn general assembly of the Italian bishops' conference.
THE POPE'S DAY
The Holy Father met today with
- All the heads of the dicasteries and organisms of the Roman Curia.
- Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (weekly meeting).
The Vatican has issued a communique explaining the process for the Apostolic Visitations to be carried out in Ireland
in connection with how some dioceses, religious orders and seminaries dealt with sex abuses committed by priests.
The visitations were ordered by Benedict XVI in his pastoral letter to the Catholics of Ireland last March.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 12/11/2010 15:08]