December 12. Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
FEAST OF NUESTRA SENORA DE GUADALUPE, 'Queen of Mexico', Patroness of the Americas
Images from left: Apparition to Juan Diego; the miraculous image on the tilma; etching of Juan and the cloak; 18th-cent painting "God painting the image of Guadalupe'; battle standard of General Miguel de Hidalgo in the Mexican War for Independence; and Juan Diego's tilma with the image, venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe.
December 12 commemorates the day when the image now venerated as Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared miraculously on the cloak of the man who is now St. Juan Diego, remembered by the Church on December 9, the date of the Lady's first apparition to him on Tepeyac hill (part of what is now Mexico City), bidding him to tell the bishop to build a church in her honor. The skeptical bishop asked for a sign, and Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac to intercede for a sick uncle and convey the bishop's reaction. The Virgin told him his uncle would recover and asked him to gather roses on the hilltop to bring to the bishop. Juan wrapped the miraculous roses in his cloak and when he opened it for the bishop, the cloak itself was found to carry the image of the Lady who had appeared to him. The initial surge of popular devotion and conversions to Catholicism inspired by the miracles, coinciding with the early years of the Protestant Reformation in Europe, grew to be the most popular devotion in all Latin America and perhaps the world. Millions of faithful visit the Shrine of Guadalupe on the two days of spiritual celebrations Dec. 11-12 dedicated to Our Lady.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/readings/121210.shtml
OR today.
No papal photos in this issue. The two papal stories are calendar items - his visit today to the parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe in one of the easternmost districts of Rome, and celebration of Vespers on Tuesday, Dec. 16, with the university students of Rome. There is a beautiful Page 1 essay on the Siro-Occidental tradition which celebrates six Sundays of the Annunciation before Christmas - the first two commemorating the announcements of the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus; the next two commemorating the Annunciation itself and Mary's visit to Elizabeth; and the last two, to Joseph's dream which resolved his doubts about marrying Mary, and the genealogy of Jesus according to Matthew. In this scheme, today is the Sunday of Joseph's dream, when all his doubts gave way to pure faith in the Lord's design. Page 1 international news: Germany and France oppose Eurobond launching and ask member nations of the EU to exercise greater fiscal responsiblity; and scattered terrorist attacks cause more deaths in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the inside pages, a report on the new Museum at the headquarters of Propaganda Fide points out that a chapel was dedicated to honor Blessed John Henry Newman, whowhen he decided to convert to Catholicism, was sent to Propaganda Fide to prepare for his ordination as a Catholic priest.
THE POPE'S DAY
Pastoral visit to the parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe in the Roman suburb of Prato Fiorito. Homily.
Sunday Angelus - Before the Angelus, the Holy Father praised the virtues of constancy and patience
advocated in today's Gospel reading from the Letter from St. James. He greeted thousands of children
who came for the blessing of their 'Bambinelli' - the Baby Jesus images placed in their Nativity scenes
at home. and reminded them of Vespers next Thursday with Rome's university students.
NB: Thanks to Curt Jester for the animated Advent 'gif'!
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 13/12/2010 13:19]