GOOD FRIDAY: BECOMING SIMON OF CYRENE

GOOD FRIDAY: BECOMING SIMON OF CYRENE

Perhaps like most people, I follow the Stations of the Cross, the Via Crucis, principally in Lent. I’ve always loved them, especially having lived each one of them on hallowed ground on my pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Walking in the footsteps of Christ. Standing where he was crucified. Praying at his tomb.

In the Stations, we live the last day of Jesus’ earthly life, following His every step, His every fall, His blood-stained face wiped by a woman named Veronica, standing with His Mother as she experiences her own excruciating pain. We see Mary of Magdala, the apostles, His followers who see his indescribable suffering – and yet can do nothing!  They did not fully know – but we do! – that Jesus’ suffering and death is to redeem mankind and that he will rise, defeating death. The Easter miracle!

The station that always struck me was the 5^th station.

That’s when the soldiers pick a man out of the crowd, Simon of Cyrene, to help Jesus carry his Cross. It seems they were afraid that Jesus, weak from blood loss from being scourged, crowned with thorns and falling down under the cross would not make it to Golgotha where he was to be crucified.  That could be embarrassing for the Roman soldiers.

A book I use when saying the rosary has this reflection for the 4^th Sorrowful Mystery, Jesus carries His Cross: “Sometimes it seems our cross is unbearable and we panic, thinking we will never be able to complete the course . This mystery teaches us that God will never allow us to be tested beyond our ability to endure. He will always make a way. As Jesus fell under the agonizing weight of the cross, His father sent Simon of Cyrene to help him carry it.”

Simon could see Jesus needed help and, even though he hadn’t volunteered, he stayed with Jesus. This makes me think: Do I see, do I sense, when others need help but do not ask for it? Do I go to them – no soldiers forcing me to help a fellow human being – no matter what, no excuses made?

I have had many Simons of Cyrene in my life. How many times have I been a Simon of Cyrene to people, helped them carry their cross?

 

 

DATE CHANGE FOR VATICAN INSIDER, SHROUD OF TURIN (PART II)

DATE CHANGE FOR VATICAN INSIDER, SHROUD OF TURIN (PART II)

Part II of my Special on Vatican Insider, “Who is the Man of the Shroud?” will air the weekend of Divine Mercy,  April 6 and 7, instead of this Easter weekend, as I previously announced.

EWTN has prepared special programming for both radio and television for this Easter weekend. As a result, several scheduled shows have been moved to new dates.

Have a blessed Easter and come back and join me for Vatican Insider next weekend!

VATICAN INSIDER: WHO IS THE MAN OF THE SHROUD? (PART II)

Greetings! Joan’s Rome will be quiet for a few days as, with time off to participate in Triduum liturgies and those of the Easter vigil and Easter Sunday, I will be focusing on those liturgies and other Holy Week-related events. It is possible that I might post some news stories that I consider worthy of your attention and I am always here for breaking news.

In any event, I wish family and friends, EWTN colleagues and all who follow “Joan’s Rome,” listen to “Vatican Insider” and follow my TV appearances, a very beautiful and blessed Easter of the Resurrection.

VATICAN INSIDER: WHO IS THE MAN OF THE SHROUD? (PART II)

Welcome to Vatican Insider as we mark the three holy days of the Triduum and then the glorious news of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior on Easter Sunday.

As we approach Easter weekend, I want to give you a heads-up about the Special I have prepared for the interview segment where I try to answer the question, “Who is the Man of the Shroud?”

For decades, as worshipers gather around the world to commemorate Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. scientists have been studying the results of tests made on an object alleged to be directly connected with that passion.

The object of intense religious devotion as well as scientific curiosity is a simple strip of linen, known as the Shroud of Turin. It has been venerated by Christians for centuries as the burial cloth that wrapped the body of Jesus Christ in his tomb after his crucifixion and death.  (Photos from Wikipedia and Vatican news)

I explore the provenance and history of that relic, as well as the scientific tests that have been done over the years in order to find an answer to the question: Who is the Man of the Shroud?   It is quite an amazing story!

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 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.

 

 

 

 

 

PAPAL LITURGIES, TRAVELS AND HEALTH ISSUES

I hope you can check out my Facebook page where I just posted two stories and a lot of photos of a beautiful event I attended yesterday with the women of D.VA (facebook.com/joan.lewis.10420)

PAPAL LITURGIES, TRAVELS AND HEALTH ISSUES

In my report from Rome yesterday for “At Home with Jim and Joy,” I noted that, as of Sunday, Palm Sunday, we are now officially in Holy Week, a period both joyful and somber that is filled with liturgies that bring us from the Last Supper and institution of the priesthood and Eucharist to Christ’s passion and death on the cross to His glorious Resurrection.

Palm Sunday celebrations are always evocative, wherever celebrated, but perhaps no more so than at the Vatican, in a sun-splashed, majestic St. Peter’s square, more than 30 cardinals wearing red vestments, 25 bishops and 350 priests processed around the square and up to the altar level, bearing parmureli, tall, intricately woven palm branches. They were joined by hundreds of faithful carrying palms and olive branches.

Earlier today, I published the interesting story of the palm branches used on Palm Sunday at the Vatican.

Sunday, given his ongoing mobility issues, Pope Francis did not process to the altar but rather was already seated in front of the altar at the start of Mass. He read an opening prayer in a weak voice and breathing issues were notable through the microphone.

Most remarkably, for the first time in memory of those covering a public festive papal Mass, the Pope did not deliver a homily. No aide delivered it in his stead and no reason has been given by the press office. I was told that an aide was seen giving the Holy Father his glasses and that makes it seem like he did intend to read. No official confirmation of that, however. Several minutes of silence prevailed instead.

Francos did stand briefly for the final blessing and, seated once again, prayed the Angelus with the faithful, sounding a bit stronger. He said, “I assure my prayers for the victims of the vile terrorist attack carried out the other evening in Moscow in a concert hall… May He convert the hearts of those who plan, organize, and carry out these inhuman actions, which offend God, who commanded: ‘Thou shalt not kill’,”

He also highlighted “martyred Ukraine,” saying, “so many people are without electricity due to intense attacks against infrastructure, which, besides causing death and suffering, raise the risk of an even-greater humanitarian catastrophe. …Let us also think of Gaza which is suffering greatly, along with other places of war.”

After Mass, Pope Francis, aboard the white papal jeep, circled St. Peter’s Square for close to 20 minutes, greeting the faithful that the Vatican gendarmerie estimated to be 60,000.

Holy Week is indeed upon, a week of intense liturgies and celebrations leading to the glory of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

This is also a time in which we must increase our prayers for Pope Francis as he too, more than anyone, faces a week of grueling liturgies.

The Vatican seems very positive about the Pope Francis’ ability to preside at events and to travel because Monday the press office published the schedule for his day-long visit on April 28 to Venice to see the Holy See pavilion at the Venice Biennale.  I felt tired just reading the many events, the transfers from one site to another and the times Francis is scheduled to speak.

Oremus!

 

 

 

PALM SUNDAY: THE STORY OF A SAILOR, AN OBELISK AND A PAPAL PROMISE

PALM SUNDAY: THE STORY OF A SAILOR, AN OBELISK AND A PAPAL PROMISE

It is time once again to tell you the marvelous story of how a sailor from Liguria saved an obelisk from falling and extracted a papal promise for an honor for his native city.

This is a story for the whole family so gather the kids and grandkids around – and maybe have a palm branch on hand! There’s also a link to a video I made at the very end!

I am two days late with this story but was very busy Palm Sunday with Mass in my Rome parish of St. Patrick’s, brunch with friends and an afternoon of researching and writing a TV segment for “At Home with Jim and Joy.” We videoed that yesterday, Monday, in Piazza Pio XII, the square at the end of Via della Conciliazione and just in front of St. Peter’s Square.

I had a very busy and beautiful Monday and will soon feature that story in a separate “Joan’s Rome.”

PALM SUNDAY: THE STORY OF A SAILOR, AN OBELISK AND A PAPAL PROMISE

In 1586, Pope Sixtus V, wanting to complete the design of St. Peter’s Square, ordered architect Domenico Fontana to place in the center of the square a giant Egyptian obelisk that had been brought to Rome in 39 A.D. by Emperor Caligula. For centuries it has been in the emperor’s circus in what today is Vatican City, and moving the obelisk from that point to the center of St. Peter’s Square would be a Herculean task.

The obelisk had been in the Vatican gardens, near the first Constantinian basilica (dedicated in 326), and had lain there, forgotten, for many years under layers of mud and stagnant water. Giacomo della Porta was asked by Sixtus V to recover the obelisk and, struck by its majestic beauty, the Pope asked that engineers study a project to raise the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square.

On September 10, the day the 85-foot high, 350-ton obelisk was transported by 900 workers, 140 horses and 44 winches, Benedetto Bresca, a ship’s captain from the Italian Riviera area of San Remo-Bordighera, was in the square.

The head engineer had told Pope Sixtus that total silence was needed to raise the obelisk, once it was in the square. Thus, the Pope announced to the huge crowd that had assembled to watch the manoeuvre that anyone who spoke during the delicate and risky operation would face very severe penalties.

As work was underway, the ropes used to raise the obelisk gave signs of fraying and weakening and the obelisk itself began to sway. However, Benedetto, as a sailor, knew what the problem was – and how to solve it – and so, notwithstanding the pontiff’s ultimatum, he shouted “water on the cords, water on the cords.” The head engineer realized the sailor was right, the cords were watered, they became taut and strong and the obelisk was raised, without further danger to anyone.

Instead of punishing the audacious sailor, Pope Sixtus rewarded him by giving Benedetto and his descendants the privilege of providing the Vatican with the famous Ligurian palms used for Holy Week ceremonies in the Vatican. And so it has been for over four centuries, with only a few brief interruptions.

Known as parmureli, the leaves from date palm trees in San Remo and Bordighera are woven and braided into intricate sculptures, some only inches high, while others are perhaps two meters high. Some years, more than 200 of the six-foot high parmureli are sent to the Vatican from Liguria for Palm Sunday – for the Pope, cardinals, archbishops, etc.

Many years ago, when the parmureli arrived by sea, the ship that carried them placed one of the palm leaf sculptures on the mast that usually displayed a flag. The palm “flag” thus gave that vessel from San Remo-Bordighera precedence into the port over all other vessels.  

Click here to watch my “Joan’s Rome” video about the obelisk:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WVysLk0Kk8&index=16&list=PL69B6AD83630DB515

ALSO: http://www.sanremofiorita.it/

 

POPE PRESIDES PALM SUNDAY MASS BUT SKIPS HOMILY

POPE PRESIDES PALM SUNDAY MASS BUT SKIPS HOMILY

The Vatican website http://www.vatican.va today published the entire video of today’s Palm Sunday Mass as well as the Angelus prayer and reflections given by Pope Francis. However, what was very unusual, indeed quite remarkable, for a public papal Mass, was that Francis did not deliver a homily. No aide read a homily in his stead and the press office has not offered an explanation.  (Vatican media)

The Holy Father read several brief prayers at the start and end of Mass, gave a blessing and recited the Angelus. He later circled St. Peter‘s Square in the white papal jeep for close to 20 minutes, waving to the estimated 60,000 faithful present

Palm Sunday: Passion of the Lord – Commemoration of the Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem and Holy Mass – Activities of the Holy Father Pope Francis | Vatican.va

VATICAN INSIDER: THE SHROUD OF TURIN

VATICAN INSIDER: THE SHROUD OF TURIN

I sincerely hope you can join me on “Vatican Insider” this Palm Sunday weekend and start of Holy Week as I share a very special story about a two-millennia old piece of cloth linked to the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Known as the the Shroud of Turin, I try to answer the question, “Who is the Man of the Shroud?”

For decades, as worshipers gather around the world to commemorate Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, scientists have been studying the results of tests made on an object alleged to be directly connected with that passion.

The object of intense religious devotion as well as scientific curiosity is a simple strip of linen known as the Shroud of Turin. It has been venerated by Christians for centuries as the burial cloth that wrapped the body of Jesus Christ in his tomb after his crucifixion and death.  (Photos from Wikipedia and Vatican news)

I explore the provenance and history of that relic, as well as the scientific tests that have been done over the years in order to find an answer to the question: Who is the Man of the Shroud?   It is quite an amazing story!

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 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.

 

 

 

 

 

PARISH PRIEST IN GAZA: ‘WE HAVE ENDURED RELENTLESS CALVARY FOR MONTHS’

Other Vatican Gaza stories:

March 18: Israeli troops target Gaza’s main hospital – Vatican News

March 16: Save the Children decries ‘relentless mental harm’ suffered by Gaza children – Vatican News

October 17, 2023: Pope Francis calls Catholic faithful of parish in Gaza – Vatican News

PARISH PRIEST IN GAZA: ‘WE HAVE ENDURED RELENTLESS CALVARY FOR MONTHS’

Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family Catholic parish in Gaza, speaks of the “extremely grave” situation in the Gaza Strip, likening the situation of Christians in the Strip to Christ on Calvary.

By Sr. Francine-Marie Cooper

“The situation continues to be extremely grave and worsens by the hour. Our Christians have faith and hope in the Essential, in Jesus Christ,” according to Fr. Gabriel Romanelli.

“They have been enduring relentless Calvary for months,” he adds.

PHOTO:  Displaced Palestinian fleeing from the vicinity of Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital arrive at a refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip  (AFP or licensors)

The parish priest of the only Catholic parish in Gaza explains how the rest of the population feels greatly disheartened, as there are no visible signs of peace or an end to violence and death.

In an interview with SIR, an Italian Catholic news agency, Fr. Romanelli laments the terrible toll of the war, saying, “This conflict has already resulted in more than 32,000 deaths, 12,000 of which are children.”

He himself has been stuck in Jerusalem since the war broke out on October 7, yet he constantly stays in touch with his parishioners in every possible way.

The members of the parish have been taking refuge for months in the parish compound along with other displaced Christians, totalling about 600, who have lost everything in the bombings.

A scene of desperation

Fr. Romanelli spoke of reports from inside Gaza which he has received from his parochial vicar, Fr. Youssef Asaad, who remains in the parish.

“You cannot imagine the pain we are experiencing and the desperation of the people,” Fr. Asaad said.

He described the scene in the area surrounding the parish in Gaza City, with mountains of rubble, garbage, and burst sewers. The rain that continues to fall is a blessing on the one hand, but worsens the hygienic conditions as it causes high humidity, intensifying the smell of decomposed bodies that are still under the rubble.

“Despite everything,” adds Fr. Romanelli, “they pray for peace every day and offer their suffering and hardships for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages.”

Referring to his parish in Gaza, the parish priest reported that the kitchen had reopened, yet it is still very dangerous for people to venture out.

“Humanitarian aid,” he explains, “airdropped by the USA and other international countries, as well as those arriving by sea, haven’t reached everyone. They haven’t reached the parish. However, some parishioners managed to obtain flour, and the oven has resumed producing bread. This is a great blessing for our displaced people. The Latin Patriarchate also provides assistance. Our hope is that we can return to cooking twice a week.”

Threat of famine

Once again, UNICEF, the UN children’s agency, has intervened on the dire humanitarian situation.

The regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Adele Khodr, says the lack of action by the world is shocking, while children succumb to a slow death.

Oxfam, a British aid agency, has also sounded the alarm, speaking of “catastrophic levels of hunger in Gaza.”

According to Paolo Pezzati, spokesperson for Oxfam Italy’s humanitarian crises: “Never before have we witnessed such a grave situation unfolding in such a short time. In a few days, the population in the north of Gaza will be facing a real famine, a situation that will also arise in the south very soon without a ceasefire and an adequate humanitarian response.”

POPE COMPLETES RECONFIGURATION OF ST. MARY MAJOR BASILICA

POPE COMPLETES RECONFIGURATION OF ST. MARY MAJOR BASILICA

A comment by Robert Royal about Pope Francis’ just-released autobiography, “Life. My Story within History,” notes that, “About the end of his own papacy, Francis leaves us in no doubt. If his health were to make his continuing untenable: “I would not have myself named pope emeritus but simply bishop of Rome emeritus, and I would move to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to serve as confessor and give communion to the sick. But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning. . . .Thanks be to God, I enjoy good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to bring to fruition, God willing.”

A number of papal documents about Francis’ beloved St. Mary Major basilica, home to the Marian icon Salus populi romani, were released today and it looks like the Holy Father, should he retire there some day, will have the basilica he desires.

According to an early report today in Italian, Vatican news said, “with a chirograph, Francis approves the new Statute and the new Regulations for the Chapter of the Liberian Basilica and gives the Lithuanian Archbishop Makrickas all the faculties for the application of the new legislation. The Pontiff “frees” the canons from every economic and administrative task and always entrusts Makrickas with legal representation, acts of ordinary and extraordinary administration, and various other tasks until the establishment of a new Board of Directors.

With a new coadjutor archpriest, the Lithuanian archbishop Rolandas Makrickas; the canons are freed “from all economic and administrative duties” to dedicate themselves only to the spiritual and pastoral accompaniment of the faithful; a new Statute and a new Regulation of the Chapter which provide, among other things, the establishment of a Board of Directors and the creation of new figures such as the Delegate for Administration and the Delegate for Pastoral Care, as the first collaborator of the Archpriest for the activity of the Canons and the Basilica.

Thus, notes the Vatican story, Pope Francis completes the reconfiguration of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica he visited more than a hundred times and to which he is linked by a strong affection, so much so that he has expressed the desire to be buried there one day.

The current archpriest, named by Francis to the basilica in 2016, is Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko.

St. Mary Major website: Chapter (basilicasantamariamaggiore.va)

Here’s another link: Pope changes statutes of St. Mary Major, focuses canons on spiritual duties – Vatican News

MARCH 19, SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Click here to learn about the relic of St. Joseph in Rome: Virtually pray before the cloak of St. Joseph at the Basilica of St. Anastasia (aleteia.org)

MARCH 19, SOLEMNITY OF ST. JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

The focus yesterday on “At Home with Jim and Joy, was “What Is St. Joseph’s Role in the Holy Family, the Church, Your life?”

My weekly Monday appearance on At Home does not give me enough time to really answer each aspect of that focus. But I did talk about what I’ve learned about St. Joseph in recent years and what I love about him. I’ve added a few thoughts to those I shared last night with Jim and Joy (AT HOME WITH JIM AND JOY – 2024-03-18 – JIM AND JOY CALL-IN SHOW (youtube.com)

I began yesterday’s appearance by noting that March 18 is a day that has two wonderful bookends – the March 17 feast of St. Patrick and the March 19 solemnity of St. Joseph! When I moved to Italy, I learned that Italians celebrate Father’s Day on March 19. I thought that was SO beautiful and such a perfect way to honor the husband of the Virgin Mary and the legal father of Jesus.

You may remember that Pope Francis declared 2021 A Year dedicated to St. Joseph, calling him “a beloved, tender, obedient, and accepting father who played an incomparable role in the history of salvation.” I decided to learn what I could about Joseph during the year dedicated to him. I mean, I realized how very little I knew about him from the Bible!  We have no words even spoken by Joseph!

This is my favorite representation, the Sleeping St. Joseph, just inches from my keyboard!

To learn more, I slowly read Fr. Don Calloway’s “Consecration to St. Joseph,” a huge source of inspiration. I also pondered each of Pope Francis’ words about Joseph, “a beloved, tender, obedient, and accepting father.” It didn’t take long for St. Joseph to become a big part of my daily prayer life and real life, calling on him often to help me be an obedient, accepting daughter of God!

I find myself, more than I ever thought possible, asking him to be at my side – as he was for years with Mary and Jesus – to help me in a difficult situation. I mean, how much more difficult could life have been for Joseph than to have to flee his native land to an unknown land with Mary and Jesus, find work, provide for his family!

Joseph, strong and faithful, was always there when people needed him. He was the absolute model for fatherhood, then and now!

Doesn’t this image make you smile! And also feel sad at the symbolism of the nails!

To be honest, any time I have visited the Holy House of Loreto I spend a long time inside. The house itself, said to have been the Holy family’s home that was miraculously transported to Italy, is small, walls made of stone and cool.

I always lean against a wall, my hands behind me, resting on that wall. I imagine the entire family being there. Did they lean against that wall?

I see Jesus playing as a toddler or perhaps a bit older, helping Mary fetch water from the well. I see Mary preparing a meal, putting order in the house, smiling as she hugs Jesus. I hear St. Joseph nearby at work, perhaps building a new table or chair for Mary.

I see the Holy Family as faithful Jews, meeting all prayer obligations. Joseph is always there, the provider, the loving, caring, faithful spouse and father.

I try to imagine a “normal” Jewish family of the time in history, what they eat, how they pray and play and work, how three people shared times with friends.

What were their conversations like? What trials and joys did they share? Did they get a cold? Did Joseph ever have to worry how to pay the bills when customers were scarce for his carpentry work?

Most of all, for years actually, I have tried to imagine conversations with and about Jesus, his divine and human nature, his mission in life. Did Joseph and Mary know Jesus would die to redeem mankind?

Remember, when he was 12 and missing for three days and found by Mary and Joseph in the temple?  When they found him, telling Jesus how worried they had been, he says: “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house? But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Did Joseph, his legal guardian and putative father, understand?

Another fascinating source of information for me – and this might surprise you, unless you’ve read it! was “The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary – From the Visions of Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich.” In particular, Chapter IV, The Early Life of St. Joseph, and Chapter VI Marriage of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Joseph, while other chapters speak of him as well, including the flight into Egypt and the return of the Holy Family from Egypt.

SO much to ponder and learn and love about St. Joseph!

By the way, March 19 is a Vatican holiday! In 1870, Pope Pius declared Joseph Patron of the Universal Church.