Friday, January 18,Firt Week in Ordinary Time
Right photo: A biography of the saint; the title translates as 'Pierced by the Eucharist' referring to the stigma the saint received on his heart.
ST. CARLO DA SEZZE (Charles of Sezze) (Italy, 1613-1670), Lay Franciscan, Mystic, Writer
Born near Rome, the young Giancarlo dreamed of becoming a missionary to India, inspired by the mission of Fr. Junipero Serra in the Americas. but God had other plans for him and he ended up a lay Franciscan brother. A simple soul, he was assigned to various priories around Rome, serving as doorman, gardener, porter. Through it all, he served the sick and the needy by collecting alms and feeding them. His confessors urged him to write about his spiritual life, and though unlettered, he left many writings including his autobiography, The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God. It is said that at Mass one day, at the Elevation, a ray of light struck him in the chest and left a wound on the same spot where Christ had been pierced by a lance. After he died, the wound took on the shape of a cross, which was the basis for his beatification. In life, he was known for his spiritual counsel and for miracles of healing and multiplication of food. As he lay dying, Pope Clement IX is said to have called him to his side for counsel. He was canonized in 1959. [San Carlo da Sezze is just one of many Franciscan priests and lay brothers who lived sainted lives in menial jobs (doorman, gardener, alms-collector, etc) and were credited with performing miracles in their lifetime. Surely, there is much food for thought here.]
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011813.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
The Holy Father met with
- Six bishops from the Basilicata region of Italy on ad limina visit.
- Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro, Major Penitentiary, and
his regent, Mons. Krzysztof Józef Nykiel.
The Holy Father has named a Coadjutor Archbishop for Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate
of all Ireland. As Coadjutor, Mons. Eamon Martin, who has been till now Apostolic Administrator of
the Diocese of Kerry, will succeed Cardinal Brady when he retires.
Brady had been under a lot of pressure from the media and interest groups to resign, since he disclosed three years ago that, as a young priest, then a high school teacher, at the behest of his bishop, he had interrogated a boy who accused a priest of sex abuse. The priest was Brendan Smythe who went on to be a serial abuser in his subsequent assignments, Following the practice in the 1970s, the boy was made to sign a confidentiality agreement, and neither his bishop nor Brady reported the accusation to the police, but the bishop reported Smythe's case to his Norbertine superiors and sent him away from the diocese and back to them. The Norbertines subsequently assigned Smythe to various posts where he was able to continue his crimes. The cardinal apologized for his part in that single incident, said he would let the Holy Father decide what was best for the diocese, requested him for a coadjutor in 2010, and said he would retire when he reaches 75 in August 2014.
- Vatican Insider reports that the Holy Father has chosen Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, to preach the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia this Lent. The weeklong retreat, attended by the Pope, begins on the first Sunday of Lent (March 1 this year).
The report erroneously says Ravasi is the first current official of the Curia to preach the Lenten exercises. Cardinal Ratzinger was Prefect of the CDF when John Paul II asked him to conduct the retreat in 1983. But Ravasi is the first Curial member to be asked by Benedict XVI to lead the exercise in 8 years.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins today, to end on January 25, Feast of the Conversion
of St. Paul, when the Holy Father will preside at Vespers in the Basilica of San Paolo fuori le Mure.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 19/01/2013 11:09]