Saturday, April 2, Third Week in Lent
ST. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA(b Italy 1419, d France 1507), Franciscan, Hermit, Founder of the Minims
After accompanying his parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, the young Francesco began to live as a contemplative hermit in a remote cave near Paola, on Italy's southern seacoast. Before he was 20, he received the first followers who had come to imitate his way of life. Seventeen years later, when his disciples had grown in number, Francis established a Rule for his austere community, founding the Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi, with Vatican approval in 1474. He would change the name of the order to Minims in 1492, to signify that they considered themselves 'the least in the household of God'. In addition to the triple religious vow, Francesco also added the obligation of a perpetual Lenten fast. Although he preferred the contemplative life, the future saint began to use his gifts for prophecy and miracles to minister to the faithful, especially the poor and oppressed. At the request of Pope Sixtus IV, Francesco went to Paris to help prepare King Louis XI for death. While at the French court, he mediated a local dispute between Paris and Brittany and persuaded the king to return disputed lands to Spain. He died at the French court. He was canonized in 1519, and in 1963, John XXIII designated him patron of Calabria, the Italian region where Paola is located.
Readings for today's Mass:http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/040211.shtml
Today is the sixth anniversary of the death of John Paul II.
THE VENERABLE JOHN PAUL II (Karol Jozef Wojtyla) (1920-2005)
OR today.
The issue devotes a number of articles to John Paul II on the sixth anniversary of his death, including a brief memoir by assistant papal cerimoniere Mons. Konrad Krajewski who was at the Pope's deathbed and later helped dress him up for lying in state; a previously unpublished transcript of a 1972 interview in which the then Archbishop of Cracow answered questions in writing about celibacy, Vatican II and the state of the Church in Poland; his Marian devotion; and two children's books out these days to introduce his life and his message to children. Page 1 international news: NATO says it won't arm anti-Qaddafi rebels, as Germany calls for a political solution in Libya [where the rebel resistance appears to be ending with their demand for a ceasefire and freedom to protest but no longer asking for Qaddafi to step down); fighting goes on in Abidjan, the Ivory Coast's most important city, between forces of former President Ngagbo who refuses to step down and the elected but so far unseated President Ouattara. There is a front-page review of JON-2 by the deputy editor of OR, as well as Benedict XVI's condolences for the death of Indian Cardinal Vithayathil, who
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
The Holy Father met today with
- Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
- Mons. Ivan Jurkovič, the new Apostolic Nuncio the Russian Federation
- Frère Alois, Prior of the Taize Community
- Prof. Rudolf Voderholzer, Director of the Institut Papst Benedikt XVI in Regensburg.
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops
On Assisi 2011
The Vatican today issued a communique giving details for the first time of the inter-religious meeting in Assisi called by Benedict XVI to mark the 25th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace held there in 1986. The event on Oct. 27 will be called "Day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world", with the motto "Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace".
More future saints
The Vatican also announced that the Holy Father has authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decrees recognizing miracles attributed to 5 men and women preparatory to their beatification; the martyrdom of 2 priests; and the heroic virtues of 6 men and women, whose causes can now proceed towards beatification.
- The Italian website messainlatino. org reports that the Vatican has already sent out the Instructions intended to clarify implementation of Summorum Pontificum to the bishops of the world. This means imminent publication of the text itself.
The site anticipates some of its expected major provisions, previously anticipated by Andrea Tornielli in his article about two weeks ago belying the alarmist claims by many traditionalist and 'conservative' Catholics who alleged that the instructions would 'water down' the provisions of SP, well intended but also indicating an arrogant, thoughtless and almost insulting lack of faith in the common sense of Benedict XVI! Why on earth would he have wished to 'water down' what he decreed in 2007 after years of deliberation and consultation?
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 03/04/2011 00:56]