SPEAKING PERSONALLY… – CANDLELIT PROCESSION IN VATICAN GARDENS MARKS FEAST OF THE VISITATION – MATTEO RICCI: “HE BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY TO CHINA”

SPEAKING PERSONALLY…

FEAST OF THE VISITATION: One of my favorite places in Vatican City has always been the small, historic, beautiful church of Santo Stefano degli Abissini. I have attended several funeral visitation vigils for cardinals, and have been to Mass there as well, always a bit overcome by the history and simple beauty. And one of my favorite events in the Vatican is the annual procession that is about to start in the Vatican gardens at the church of Santo Stefano to mark the feast of the Visitation. If you are ever in Rome on May 31, try to attend this remarkable annual event.

MATTEO RICCI , JOAN AND CHINA: Today’s general audience catechesis focussed, as it has for weeks, on apostolic zeal with Pope Francis choosing a special “witness to zeal” each week. Today he spoke at length on Jesuit Fr. Matteo Ricci, a singular and amazing missionary who dedicated his life to evangelization in China, a goal his fellow Jesuit, Fr. Francis Xavier, wished to reach but never did, as we learned at the May 17 general audience.

In 1995 I was in Beijing where Fr. Ricci, who died May 11, 1610, is buried. I was a member of the Vatican delegation to the United Nations conference on Women in September 1995. We had extraordinarily little time in the weeks that we were in Beijing to see some of the sights but several delegation members did visit Fr. Ricci’s tomb in Zhalan Cemetery, the oldest Christian cemetery in China.

I was enormously impressed with Italian-born Fr. Ricci’s story and tried to learn all I could about this man – who always dressed as a Chinese scholar – whom the Chinese called “Sage of the West.”

YouWenhui 游文輝, alias Manuel Pereira c. 1610, oil on canvas, 120 × 95 cm. © Society of Jesus, Il Gesù, Rome.

One biographical site noted, “Ricci arrived at the Portuguese settlement of Macau in 1582 where he began his missionary work in China. He became the first European to enter the Forbidden City of Beijing in 1601 when invited by Emperor who sought his services in matters such as court astronomy and calendar science.”

It was Emperor Wanli of the Ming dynasty who donated the land specifically for the burial of Matteo Ricci. It was an unheard of honor for the Chinese to do this but Emperor Wanli did have great respect for the Jesuits in general and Fr. Ricci in particular whose name in China was Li Matou.

I felt very privileged not just to be a member of the Holy See delegation to the Beijing conference but privileged to be in China, whose millennia-old history is one of the most fascinating imaginable. I could write a small volume on what I learned and experienced during those weeks in this vast Asian nation. A few years later I had an equally amazing learning experience when I visited Taiwan for 12 days – another small volume for sure!

One chapter of such a book would be the offer I received to return some day to Taiwan to teach English at the Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages in Kaohsiung, Taiwan! I will have to find my video of that trip!

CANDLELIT PROCESSION IN VATICAN GARDENS MARKS FEAST OF THE VISITATION

At 7 this evening, feast of the Visitation, the annual candlelit procession in the Vatican Gardens will take place as the faithful pray the rosary and process from the church of Santo Stefano degli Abissini to the Grotto of Lourdes in Vatican City. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, will deliver remarks at the grotto.

Tradition says this church was built by Pope Lei I (400–461), who named it St. Stephen Major in remembrance of St. Stephen protomartyr. There was already a monastery here at the time of Pope Gregory III (8^th century). It was restored by Pope Sixtus IV who assigned it in 1479 to Coptic monks in the city and the name was changed to St. Stephen of the Abyssinians (Ethiopians). Considered the national church of Ethiopia, St. Stephen’s is one of the only standing structures in the Vatican to survive the destruction of the first St. Peter’s basilica in 1506.

MATTEO RICCI: “HE BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY TO CHINA”

Today at the general audience, Pope Francis praised the apostolic zeal of Venerable Matteo Ricci, one of the early Jesuit missionaries to the Far East whose love for the Chinese people remains a model of consistency for Christian witness.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Matteo Ricci’s love for the Chinese people remains an enduring source of inspiration.

With this sentiment, Pope Francis described Venerable Matteo Ricci, one of the early Jesuit missionaries to the Far East, at his weekly General Audience on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square, as he continued his catechesis series on saints who personified apostolic zeal.

“His love for the Chinese people is a model; but what is a very timely one, is his consistency of life, his Christian witness. He brought Christianity to China…”

The Pope praised Ricci’s excellence in various areas, but stressed that his greatness, above all, lies in his being “consistent with his vocation, consistent with that desire to follow Jesus Christ.”

Last week, Pope Francis praised St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first native priest of Korea and a martyr for the faith, who dreamed of reaching China, but was not able to fulfill that dream. This week, instead, he spoke of Ricci who did.

Reflecting on the saint to the thousands of faithful in the Square, the Pope remembered how originally from Macerata, in Italy’s Marche region, Ricci studied in Jesuit schools and having himself entered the Society of Jesus. Enthused by the reports of missionaries, like many of his young companions, he asked to be sent to the missions in the Far East.

Father Ricci would go to China, and patiently go on to master the difficult Chinese language and immerse himself in the country’s culture.  It would take 18 years, and unshakeable faith, to arrive in Peking, the Pope said, overcoming frequent mistrust and opposition.

Thanks to his writings in Chinese and his knowledge of mathematics and astronomy, the Jesuit Pope observed, Matteo Ricci became known and respected “as a sage and scholar.”

His vast learning and ability to engage in sincere and respectful dialogue, the Holy Father explained, were employed in the service of the Gospel. “This opened many doors to Him,” the Pope said. Ricci, he noted, made the Gospel known not only in his writings, but by his example of religious life, prayer and virtue.

In this way, the Pope suggested, Ricci attracted many of his Chinese disciples and friends to embrace the Catholic faith.

Matteo Ricci died in Peking (modern Beijing) in 1610, at the age of 57, “dedicating his whole life to mission.”  Ricci was the first foreigner permitted by the Emperor to be buried on Chinese soil.

Great Missionaries

The Pope praised the strong prayer life of Ricci which propelled all his work, and that animates the life of missionaries.

Consistency and closeness to Christ, through prayer, the Pope suggested, is one of the greatest characteristics of the great missionaries, before inviting the faithful to ask themselves whether they are consistent in their Christian faith.

 

MARKING MEMORIAL DAY IN ITALY AT SICILY-AMERICAN CEMETERY

Today is officially an EWTN holiday and I honestly intended not to think about work but then I realized I had to share an important story with you – how Memorial Day is celebrated not only in the U.S. but also in Italy in a big way at several military cemeteries. I’ve been several times to Nettuno, about which I write today and I want to share with you that story, including some photos I took on one occasion.   As I always do, I’ll repost this on my Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Tune in to “At Home with Jim and Joy” today (2 pm ET) when I speak of Memorial Day celebrations in Italy!

Maybe I’ll take tomorrow off!

MARKING MEMORIAL DAY IN ITALY AT SICILY-AMERICAN CEMETERY

I have been to this cemetery in Nettuno, 38 miles south of Rome on Italy’s Atlantic coast, and it is beautiful and peaceful and a special place to be in silence, to pray for the dead, to pray that there will never be another war, as Pope Francis did on All Souls Day 2017 when he celebrated Mass here.

It is beautiful to be here any day of the year but especially on Memorial Day

The 2023 Memorial Day celebration at Nettuno took place on Saturday, May 27^th. U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Joseph Donnelly was present for the always impressive ceremony.

Some photos I took on a previous Memorial Day visit:

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As its website explains, the World War II Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial site in Nettuno covers 77 acres, including a broad pool with an island and a cenotaph flanked by groups of Italian cypress trees. A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere – essentially, a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Beyond the pool is the immense field of headstones of 7,858 of American military war dead on broad, beautifully kept green lawns beneath rows of Roman pines. Most of the dead died in the liberation of Sicily (July 10 to August 17, 1943); in the landings in the Salerno Area (September 9, 1943) and the heavy fighting northward; in the landings at Anzio Beach and expansion of the beachhead (January 22, 1944 to May 1944); and in air and naval support in the regions.

There is a chapel here, on whose white marble walls are engraved the names of 3,095 of the missing. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. The map room contains a bronze relief map and four fresco maps depicting the military operations in Sicily and Italy. At each end of the memorial are ornamental Italian gardens.

A new, 2,500-square-foot center opened in May 2014.

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE…SOMETIMES IT’S NOT SO FAST!

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE…SOMETIMES IT’S NOT SO FAST!

When I learned that the celebrated annual cycle race beloved by Italians, the Giro d’Italia, was to end its 21-day itinerary in Rome, I immediately went online to check road closures caused by such an event and realized that a huge part of the historical center of Rome would be closed to anything with wheels! Bridges and the long, vital avenues that parallel the Tiber River, the lungotevere, were included in the very long list of street closings. Over 64 bus lines would experience detours, as well.

From past experience with road closures during marathons, almost a minor inconvenience compared to the Giro d’Italia, I had a feeling I’d never get from my side of the Tiber to the other side, to St. Patrick’s church for Mass where I was scheduled to be a reader. Closures were to last through the award ceremony at the Colosseum (we are very close to that event as I write), and the dismantling of all race- related barriers and structures, and that meant I would also miss a very important late afternoon meeting at the Paulist Fathers residence between the parish council members and Paulist president who had flown in from New York for the meeting!

(Corriere della Sera photo)

I contacted Uber drivers I know and they confirmed that I would not be able to move from the Vatican neighborhood to Rome’s city center. I knew I could go to Mass near my home but I emailed Fathers Steve and Rene yesterday to let them know how disappointed I was to miss tonight’s meeting.

So here’s what happened today!

I walked several blocks to a neighborhood church for the 11:30 Mass. When I entered the church, I thought I was in the wrong place as huge numbers of people were congregating in the wide, main aisle chatting away as if they were in a social hall. Little kids running around, etc. It took seconds for me to realize there had been a First Communion Mass!

At 11:45, one of the Franciscan priests finally asked everyone to leave and rang the bell for the start of Mass.

After Mass, I crossed the street to get the bus to go to Homebaked – about 3 blocks past my house – for traditional Sunday brunch. After maybe 10 minutes, a bus came, a whole bunch of us got on the already crowded bus and, without saying a single thing, the driver rerouted all of us to the San Pietro train station, nowhere near the normal itinerary of the 190 bus. He parked the bus and we all had to get off!

There were about 50 or 60 people on that bus. I knew where I was, and had to walk the 7 or so blocks home, but the majority of people were tourists and had no idea where they were or how to get to where they wanted to go and this, unfortunately, was sad because most of them wanted to get to the main train station on the other side or Rome. There were no trains from San Pietro station to Stazione Termini and that was sad because the 64 bus that normally connects the two train stations would not be back in service until later in the day, perhaps early evening!

I am sure many people missed their trains. What worried me this morning was wondering how many people might miss the papal Mass for Pentecost because they could not get to the Vatican!

As I eventually walked the additional distance to Homebaked, I seriously considered having a second mimosa this Sunday (I didn’t!).

There are probably thousands of visitors who, before today, had never heard of the Giro d’Italia. And now they will never forget it!

Life in the “fast” lane, folks!

 

VATICAN INSIDER: FR. DAVID HULSHOF, APOSTOLIC FORMATION IN THE LIFE OF A SEMINARIAN – POPE FRANCIS, WITH SLIGHT FEVER, SPENDS QUIET FRIDAY

VATICAN INSIDER: FR. DAVID HULSHOF, APOSTOLIC FORMATION IN THE LIFE OF A SEMINARIAN

My special guest this Pentecost and Memorial Day weekend on Vatican Insider’s interview segment is Fr. David Hulshof, director of Apostolic Formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

There are a number of apostolates that are mandatory for all seminarians during their formation years such as working with the poor and homeless, with refugees, visiting patients in hospitals, being a guide in St. Peter’s Basilica and working in an Italian parish. Fr. David explains the apostolates offered at NAC, and you will revel in his passion and joy for the priesthood, the apostolates and especially for the current class of seminarians.

You’ll come away with a great feeling of hope – even joy – for the future of the Church in America and astonishment at the training that seminarians have – it is not just theology and philosophy! His wonderful stories will put a big smile on your face!

In this photo, Fr. David is with one of NAC’s newly-ordained priests talking with young men in a confirmation program.

Here, Fr. David is standing with men from NAC after having just celebrated Mass at Saint Mary Major Basilica. The tallest young man is now a priest in Kansas City, Missouri.

IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net  CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: go to https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive and write the name of the guest for whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

POPE FRANCIS, WITH SLIGHT FEVER, SPENDS QUIET FRIDAY

Pope Francis Friday did not receive any visitors or hold any audiences on Friday due to a fever, according to a brief statement by the Holy See Press Office.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, however, speaking on the sidelines of a book presentation today, said, “The Pope was tired. Yesterday he had a very intense day. I was told last night that he met many people and, in the context of the meeting with Scholas Occurrentes he wanted to greet everyone and probably at some point, his resistance failed.”

In fact, Thursday morning the pope had individual audiences with Archbishop Giampiero Gloder, apostolic nuncio in Cuba; Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, apostolic nuncio in Albania; Ignasius Jonan, Minister for Energy of Indonesia, with his family; and Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

He also met with several groups, including officials of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; newly-ordained priests and deacons of the diocese of Rome; participants in the General Chapter of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity and participants in the national meeting of diocesan representatives of the Italian Synod path.

In the afternoon, starting at 4 pm, he spent some time with participants attending the conclusion of the Scholas Occurrentes first World Congress of “Eco-Educational Cities” at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute.

 

POPE FRANCIS: “MAY GOSPEL BE PROCLAIMED IN ITS FULLNESSS, BEAUTY AND FREEDOM IN CHINA” – APOSTOLIC ZEAL IN A FAR AWAY LAND: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF KOREAN SAINT ANDREW KIM TAE-GON, FIRST NATIVE PRIEST

I so enjoyed today’s catechesis, not just for the content and wonderful story of a Korean saint and priest, but the way Pope Francis told the story. On Wednesdays, at the general audience, the Pope is a storyteller but some days are more remarkable than others. Today was such a day – a real life story – the kind of story you’d love to tell – and should tell – to children. Tell it – read it – around the dinner table.

True life stories, biographies, are usually fascinating and often just plain riveting. And they always contain some great lesson for life such as determination, self-discipline, honesty, self-denial, humility, and a passion for something be it languages, art, music, teaching or living out a religious vocation.

If you are a parent, grandparent or aunt or uncle, you might want to share this story with the kids (and make sure the adults are listening). I made the same suggestion last week when Pope Francis spoke of the great missionary, St. Francis Xavier. You could use my column below where I offer a great deal of today’s catechesis or go here for the full English text (and great photos): General Audience – Activities of the Holy Father Pope Francis | Vatican.va

You might want to show your listeners where Korea is on a map, and perhaps explain a word from time to time, such as what is a ‘martyr’, what does ‘laity’ mean, etc.

Happy story-telling time!

POPE FRANCIS: “MAY GOSPEL BE PROCLAIMED IN ITS FULLNESSS, BEAUTY AND FREEDOM IN CHINA”

On May 27, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to Christians in China, a beautiful, powerful letter, in which he proclaimed May 24, feast of Our Lady Help of Christians as a world day of prayer for the Church in China.

Pope Francis acknowledged this at the general audience, saying, “Today is the World Day of Prayer for the Catholic Church in China. It coincides with the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, venerated and invoked at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai.

“On this occasion, I wish to offer an assurance of my remembrance and express my closeness to our brothers and sisters in China, sharing in their joys and hopes. I turn my thoughts especially to all those who suffer, pastors and faithful, that in the communion and solidarity of the universal Church they may experience consolation and encouragement.

The Holy Father concluded: “I invite everyone to raise their prayers to God that the Good News of Christ crucified and Risen may be proclaimed in its fullness, beauty, and freedom, bearing fruit for the good of the Catholic Church and all of Chinese society.”

Several chaplains who serve the Chinese Catholic community in various parts of Italy were at today’s audience. (Vatican photo).

APOSTOLIC ZEAL IN A FARAWAY LAND: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF KOREAN SAINT ANDREW KIM TAEGON, FIRST NATIVE PRIEST

Under sunny skies, Pope Francis presided at today’s weekly general audience in a jam-packed St. Peter’s Square where he continued his series of catecheses on apostolic zeal. He began by saying, “today we are going to find a great example of a saint of the passion for evangelization in a land far away, namely the Korean Church. Let us look at the Korean martyr and first priest St Andrew Kim Taegon.”

Then, in a kind of off-the-cuff statement, the Pope said, “But, the first Korean priest! You know something? The evangelization of Korea was done by the laity! It was the baptized laity who transmitted the faith, there were no priests, because they had none. Then, later … but the first evangelisation was done by the laity. Would we be capable of something like that?”

The Holy Father explained that, “about 200 years ago, the Korean land was the scene of a very severe persecution: Christians were persecuted and annihilated. At that time, believing in Jesus Christ in Korea meant being ready to bear witness even unto death. Specifically from the example of St Andrew Kim, we can draw out two concrete aspects of his life.

Francis then noted how very careful Andrew Kim had to be when talking to people about the faith, about Christ. Fr. Andrew, as well as the people he was talking to, could very well have been put in prison or even killed just for believing in Christ.

“The first aspect (of his life) was the way he used to meet with the faithful. Given the highly intimidating context, the saint was forced to approach Christians in a discreet manner, and always in the presence of other people, as if they had been talking to each other for a while. Then, to confirm the Christian identity of his interlocutor, St Andrew would implement these devices: first, there was a previously agreed upon sign of recognition: “You will meet with this Christian and he will have this sign on his outfit or in his hand.” “And after that, he would surreptitiously ask the question—but all this under his breath, eh?—“Are you a disciple of Jesus?” Since other people were watching the conversation, the saint had to speak in a low voice, saying only a few words, the most essential ones. So, for Andrew Kim, the expression that summed up the whole identity of the Christian was “disciple of Christ.” “Are you a disciple of Christ?”—but in a soft voice because it was dangerous. It was forbidden to be a Christian there.”

The Pope went on to look at another concrete example: “When he was still a seminarian, St Andrew had to find a way to secretly welcome missionary priests from abroad. This was not an easy task, as the regime of the time strictly forbade all foreigners from entering the territory. That’s why it had been, before this, so difficult to find a priest that could come to do missionary work: the laity undertook the mission.”

“One time,” Francis added, “—think about what St Andrew did—one time, he was walking in the snow, without eating, for so long that he fell to the ground exhausted, risking unconsciousness and freezing. At that point, he suddenly heard a voice, “Get up, walk!” Hearing that voice, Andrew came to his senses, catching a glimpse of something like a shadow of someone guiding him.

The Pope then made an important point: “This experience of the great Korean witness makes us understand a very important aspect of apostolic zeal; namely, the courage to get back up when one falls.

“But do saints fall? Yes! Indeed, from the earliest times. Think of St Peter: he committed a great sin, eh? But he found strength in God’s mercy and got up again. And in St Andrew we see this strength: he had fallen physically but he had the strength to go, go, go to carry the message forward.”

St. Andrew Kim is the patron saint of Korean clergy.

St. Andrew Kim Taegon shrine in Lolomboy Bocaue Bulacan –

The general audience in Vatican photos –

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A MIRACLE IN MISSOURI? BODY OF BENEDICTINE SISTERS’ FOUNDRESS THOUGHT TO BE INCORRUPT – POPE TO PRESIDE “NOT ALONE” MEETING ON HUMAN FRATERNITY

A MIRACLE IN MISSOURI? BODY OF BENEDICTINE SISTERS’ FOUNDRESS THOUGHT TO BE INCORRUPT

Hundreds of pilgrims have descended on a Benedictine monastery for religious sisters in rural Missouri in recent days after news began to spread on social media last week that the recently exhumed remains of the contemplative order’s African American foundress appear to be incorrupt, four years after her death and burial in a simple wooden coffin.

Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, OSB, founded the Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles – best known for their chart-topping Gregorian chant and classic Catholic hymn albums – in 1995 at the age of 70, leaving the Oblate Sisters of Providence, her community of over 50 years, to do so.

Known for her devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass and her faithfulness to Benedictine contemplation and the Liturgy of the Hours, she died at age 95 on May 29, 2019, on the vigil of the solemnity of the Ascension.

Roughly four years later, on the solemnity of the Ascension in the Latin rite, the abbess and sisters decided to move her body to a final resting place inside their monastery chapel, a long-standing custom for founders and foundresses.

FOR FULL STORY: A miracle in Missouri? Body of Benedictine Sisters’ foundress thought to be incorrupt | Catholic News Agency

POPE TO PRESIDE “NOT ALONE” MEETING ON HUMAN FRATERNITY

The Vatican’s Fratelli tutti Foundation announced today that the International Meeting on Human Fraternity entitled “Not alone” (#notalone), will be held in St. Peter’s Square on June 10 at 4pm as well as simultaneously in eight other squares around the world, in the presence of Pope Francis.

According to the press release, 30 Nobel Prize winners and thousands of youths from across the world will be at this event, organized by the Vatican Foundation Fratelli tutti, in collaboration with St. Peter’s Basilica, the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development and the Dicastery for Communication. Attendees will also include “representatives of ecclesial and lay commitment, families, associations, as well as all those who today are forced to live on the margins of society: from the poorest and homeless to migrants and victims of violence and human trafficking.”

The statement notes that “this initiative, inspired by the Encyclical Fratelli tutti, will involve people from all over the world to promote all together the culture of fraternity and peace and encourage personal commitment in choices and practices of reparation, dialogue, and forgiveness overcoming loneliness and marginalization that deny human dignity.”

The meeting will have two moments, a morning event and an afternoon one, starting at 4 pm that will be open to all, without registration. Admission to the square will begin at 2:00 p.m. Further information on the programme will be available online at: http://www.fondazionefratellitutti.org/notalone .

MAY 22, FEAST OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA – POPE FRANCIS TO SPEND 5 DAYS IN PORTUGAL FOR WYD

MAY 22, FEAST OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA

If by chance you did not know St. Rita before today, be sure to dedicate a few minutes to learning about her amazing life through this link: St. Rita of Cascia, Peacemaker | Franciscan Media

I’ve visited her shrine in Cascia and it is definitely worth a side trip if this Umbrian town is not on your Italian itinerary. Here is a Vatican media photo of the tomb with her incorrupt body where pilgrims venerate and pray to her.

A prayer to St. Rita, patronness of helpless causes: “O powerful St. Rita, rightly called Saint of the Impossible, I come to you with confidence in my great need. You know well my trials, for you yourself were many times burdened in this life. Come to my help, speak for me, pray with me, intercede on my behalf before the Father.”

Her body was brought to Rome in May of the 2000 Holy Year, the centenary of her canonization. Here is a link to the speech of Pope John Paul on May 20, 2000 to the pilgrims in town for the Jubilee and commemoration of St. Rita (and 2 days after his 80^th birthday!): To the pilgrims gathered to venerate Saint Rita of Cascia and to the Cavalieri del Lavoro (May 20, 2000) | John Paul II (vatican.va)

POPE FRANCIS TO SPEND 5 DAYS IN PORTUGAL FOR WYD

The Vatican announced today that Pope Francis will be in Lisbon, Portugal for the 2023 World Youth Day from August 2 to 6, including a side trip to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima on August 5.

Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni said, “”On the occasion of the next World Youth Day, and accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesial authorities of Portugal, His Holiness Pope Francis will travel to Lisbon from 2-6 August of this year, making a visit to the Shrine of Fatima on 5 August.”

Pope Francis previously visited Fatima May 12 and 13, 2017 on the centenary of the apparitions to the three young Portuguese children.

 

VATICAN INSIDER: FR. PETER CAMERON: COMPELLING INSIGHTS ABOUT HOMILIES (AND SERMONS) – PART II

As I post this column at 6 pm Rome time, there has been no update on the man who breached Vatican security last night, driving a car at high speed until he was arrested by Vatican gendarmes.

VATICAN INSIDER: FR. PETER CAMERON: COMPELLING INSIGHTS ABOUT HOMILIES (AND SERMONS) – PART II

After the news segment of this week’s Vatican Insider is Part II of my special guest in the interview segment, Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. Many of you know him from his years as editor-in-chief of Magnificat but there’s so much more to his story.

Born in Rhode Island, raised in Connecticut, he was ordained a Dominican priest in 1986. For 24 years, Father Cameron taught homiletics at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, New York, and three other seminaries. He is now in Rome and currently holds the Carl J. Peter Chair of Homiletics at the Pontifical North American College in Rome where we spoke last week.

Homilies are our main focus, of course but the entire conversation is riveting, especially when you learn of Father Peter’s theatre background and how that helped him prepare and deliver homilies! Lots of insightful, compelling stories, including on the length of a homily – fascinating! – and the difference between a homily and a sermon. So don’t miss that conversation!

A preview: Fr. Cameron is an editorial director at Aleteia where I found the following video: (Video) This image will help you understand the Ascension (aleteia.org)

IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: go to https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive and write the name of the guest for whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

MAN, DRIVING CAR AT HIGH SPEED, BREACHES SECURITY AT VATICAN ENTRANCE, SHOT FIRED AT CAR TIRES

UPDATE EXPECTED ON THIS STORY – 

MAN, DRIVING CAR AT HIGH SPEED, BREACHES SECURITY AT VATICAN ENTRANCE, SHOT FIRED AT CAR TIRES

Just after 8 pm last night, a car arrived at the Sant’Anna entrance to the Vatican whose driver, denied entry for not having the proper documents or authorization, exited the Vatican, turned the car around and then re-entered at high speed, driving past the first check point of the Swiss Gaurds, then speeding past the Vatican gendarme check point.

A Holy See Press Office statement further explained that, in an attempt to stop the car, the gendarme inspector guarding the gate, fired a pistol shot in the direction of the front tires of the vehicle. Despite having hit the vehicle on the left front fender, the car continued on at high speed.

An alarm code was immediately broadcast by guards and gendarmes to close the Gate of the Mint, thus blocking access to the rear of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican gardens and Piazza Santa Marta.

In the meantime, the car reached the San Damaso courtyard, the driver exited the car and was blocked and arrested by the gendarmes.

The man, about 40 years old, was immediately examined by doctors of Vatican City’s medical center and found to be a serious state of psychophysical alteration.

Currently the person is in a detention cell in the new premises of the gendarme barracks, awaiting a meeting with judicial authorities.

POPE EXPRESSES ‘HEARTFELT SYMPATHY’ AFTER DEADLY ITALIAN FLOODS

May 18, 1920 – Karol Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, Poland. Today would be the 103^rd birthday of the man who became Pope John Paul II. I have a veritable album of photos with John Paul taken during the years I worked at the Vatican. I miss him every day and pray often to him. And frequently I ask Mary, whom he so loved, for the same favor! This is the first time we met – at Mass in his private chapel in December 1995:

WYD in Denver, Colorado 1993:

The last time we met: December 2004 when he welcomed the entire staff of the Holy See Press Office to his library to mark the 20^th anniversary of Joaquin Navarro-Valls as director of that office. I had memorized how to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Polish:

POPE EXPRESSES ‘HEARTFELT SYMPATHY’ AFTER DEADLY ITALIAN FLOODS

Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt sympathy for the people killed, and thousands forced to evacuate their homes, as exceptional, torrential rains battered northern Italy, causing massive damage, as the climate crisis continues to provoke always more violent storms and severe consequences across the globe.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (Vaticannews)
Nine people are dead and thousands were evacuated from their homes following exceptional, torrential rains which battered northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, and eastern provinces, triggering floods and landslides. (photos of various media)

Death toll mounts in Italy’s worst flooding for 100 years | Italy | The Guardian  (Video)

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According to Civil Protection Minister, Nello Musumeci, some areas had received half their average annual rainfall in just 36 hours. Rivers burst their banks and water washed through towns, and submerged thousands of acres of farmland, reported Reuters.

This catastrophe marks the latest episode of extreme weather and always-more-violent storms to strike the globe as the climate crisis intensifies.

Pope’s heartfelt sympathy, prayers

Pope Francis expressed his “heartfelt sympathy” to the suffering and affected by the extreme weather in Emilia Romagna, especially the eastern provinces, in a telegram of condolences. It was sent Thursday on his behalf by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Vatican’s Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, to the Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi.

The Holy Father asked the Cardinal to convey his sentiments of heartfelt sympathy to the relatives and friends of the victims for the disaster which struck the territory.

Comfort following ‘grave calamity’

While assuring fervent prayers of suffrage for the deceased and expressing condolences to their families, the Pope invoked comfort from God for the wounded, and consolation for those who are suffering the consequences “of the grave calamity.”

Pope Francis expressed his gratitude to all those, amid great difficulty, are working to bring relief and alleviate all suffering, and to diocesan communities “for their manifestation of communion and fraternal closeness to the most-tried populations.”

The Holy Father concluded by offering his Apostolic Blessing to all, as a sign of special spiritual closeness. He also relayed the prayers of Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

 

Climate Crisis provoking global tragedy

As the deadly Italian rains wreaked havoc, across the globe, various climate catastrophes are killing many people and causing dramatic damage.

 

Earlier this week, powerful Cyclone Mocha slammed between Myanmar’s port city of Sittwe and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, home to nearly one million mostly Rohingya refugees, killing at least six people, causing hundreds of injuries and provoking a vast communications blackout that has left relief workers struggling to assess the extent of the damage.

 

Meanwhile, the death toll in Malawi from tropical Cyclone Freddy has surpassed 1000, confirmed Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwer in April.