Wednesday, January 19
ST. FABIAN (d. 250), POPE AND MARTYR
Fabian was a Roman layman who came into the city from his farm one day in 236, as clergy and people were preparing
to elect a new Pope. Eusebius, historian of the early Church, says a dove flew in and settled on the head of Fabian.
This sign united the votes of clergy and laity and he was chosen unanimously. He led the Church for 14 years and was
one of the first martyrs killed during the persecution of Decius in 250 AD. He is credited with having Christianized
Gaul (now France), sending out seven trusted bishops to do this. St. Cyprian wrote That Fabian was an 'incomparable'
man whose glory in death matched the holiness and purity of his life. He was buried in the catacombs of St. Callistus;
his gravestone, broken into four by time, bears the Greek words, “Fabian, bishop, martyr.”
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/nab/readings/011911.shtml
No papal stories or photos in today's OR. Even the front-page news is generic - China and the USA 'so close and yet so far apart', regarding the current visit to Washington of President Hu Jintao; protests go on in Tunisia despite ouster and flight of the dictator who was president for 23 years; Israel's Labor Pqarty leaves the coalition government of Prime Minister Netanyahu; and a UN report on growing investments in poorer countries by the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. In the inside pages, two excellent itnerviews: one with the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity as the Week for Prayer gets underway; and with Cardinal Josef Tomko, emeritus prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, on his 35-year friendship with John Paul II.
PAPAL EVENTS TODAY
General Audience - The Holy Father devoted his catechesis today to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
which culminates on January 24, Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.
The Holy Father has nominated the president and members of the new Financial Information Authority.
The President is Cardinal Attilio Nicora, who is also president of APSA (the Administration of the Patrimony of teh Holy See). And the members of the Executive Council are Prof. Claudio Bianchi; Prof. Avv. Marcello Condemi; Prof. Giuseppe Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto; and Dott. Cesare Testa.
FIVE YEARS & NINE MONTHS TODAY, AND COUNTING....
AD MULTOS ANNOS, SANCTE PATER!
We can never love you enough.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 19/01/2012 17:13]