December 11, Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
ST. DAMASUS (POPE DAMASUS I, 366-384) (b Lusitania [Portugal] ca 305, d Rome 384)
The son of a Roman priest, Damasus was described by his secretary St. Jerome as
“an incomparable person, learned in the Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the virgin
Church, who loved chastity and heard its praises with pleasure.” He served Pope
Liberius and was elected to succeed him in 366. But opponents elected an anti-Pope
Ursinus, and violent battles between the two camps followed, that ended only after
Valentinian became emperor and exiled Ursinus. Damasus commissioned Jerome to
translate the entire Bible into what became the first standard version of all 72 books,
the Vulgate. Damasus is also remembered for uncovering the Roman catacombs to pay
proper homage to the early Christian martyrs. He defended Christian orthodoxy
against Arianism and other heresies and was upheld by the Council of Constantinople
in 382. He strengthened the faith after it became the official religion of empire
with his liturgical and esthetic enhancement of the churches of Rome, and defended
the rights of the Papacy in the imperial setting.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/nab/readings/121110.shtml
THE POPE'S DaY
Pastoral visit to Casal Boccone
Sunday Angelus
Say a prayer for
Cardinal Foley, 76
December 11, 2011
Cardinal John Patrick Foley, Grand Master Emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem died today. He was 76. The Cardinal was diagnosed earlier this year with leukemia had returned to his home diocese of Philadelphia for treatment.
In his comments to Vatican Radio's Italian service, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, said “everyone who had ever met Cardinal Foley admired and loved him for his kindness and for his spirituality.”
Father Lombardi also recalled the Cardinal’s work in the field of communication as President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications saying, he was always well prepared and very competent.
He added, that he had just received in the last few days a letter from Cardinal Foley thanking him for a copy of the newly published book on the
History of Vatican Radio.
Cardinal Foley is most familiar to the English-speaking world for having provided for more than 20 years the English-language commentary for the radio-TV broadcasts of the Christmas Mass and other significant liturgies from St. Peter's Basilica.[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 11/12/2011 18:23]