BENEDICT XVI: NEWS, PAPAL TEXTS, PHOTOS AND COMMENTARY

Wednesday, December 23

ST. JAN KANTY [JOHN CANTIUS)(Poland, 1390-1473
Priest and Professor
Born near present-day Auschwitz, Jan went on to brilliant studies in Krakow
where he was to be a professor Sacred Scriptures until his death, except for
a brief early stint as a parish priest. He lived only on what was absolutely
necessary and gave away all his earnings to the poor. He made four pilgrimages
to Rome on foot and travelled once to Jerusalem hoping to be martyred by the
Turks. Even in life, many miracles were attributed to him, and his tomb in
Krakow quickly became a pilgrimage site. Canonized in 1767, he is one of the
patron saints of Krakow. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who was himself a professor
priest for some time, called Jan Kanty the patron saint of academic priests.
The present-day Canons Regular of St. John Cantius are dedicated to the
celebration of liturgy.



OR today.

No papal stories in this issue. Even Page 1 stories are not strictly news:
A post-mortem on the failed Copenhagen climate summit; a US academic
report claiming Wall Street had its worst decade in history; continuing
civil war in East Congo; China claims it expects an 8% increase in GDP
in 2010; and an interview with Cardinal Roberto Tucci, 88, an Anglican
who became Catholic as an adult, joined the Jesuits, went on to found
and become editor of La Civilta Cattolica in 1959, then director of
Vatican Radio from 1969-1985, when John Paul II named him coordinator
of his papal trips. He worked closely with John XXIII, Paul VI and John
Paul II, who named him cardinal at age 80, exempting him from the
requirement of becoming a bishop.




THE POPE'S DAY

General Audence - The Pope spoke on the significance of Christmas, starting from how St. Francis
originated the tradition of re-creating the Nativity scene at Christmas.