Portiuncula Indulgence is today!

http://acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2006/08/portiuncula-indulgence-is-today.html

Wednesday, August 2, 2006    

Portiuncula Indulgence is today!

Posted by Matthew

What is Portiuncula? The following is an excerpt from Major Life of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure.

" The Portiuncula was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God which was abandoned . Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly in order to repair it. He heard that the Angels often visited it, so that it was called Saint Mary of the Angels, and he decided to stay there permanently out of reverence for the angels and love for the Mother of Christ.

He loved this spot more than any other in the world. It was here he began his religious life in a very small way; it is here he came to a happy end. When he was dying, he commended this spot above all others to the friars, because it was most dear to the Blessed Virgin.

This was the place where Saint Francis founded his Order by divine inspiration and it was divine providence which led him to repair three churches before he founded the Order and began to preach the Gospel.

This meant that he progressed from material things to more spiritual achievements, from lesser to greater, in due order, and it gave a prophetic indication of what he would accomplish later.

As he was living there by the church of Our Lady, Francis prayed to her who had conceived the Word, full of grace and truth, begging her insistently and with tears to become his advocate. Then he was granted the true spirit of the Gospel by the intercession of the Mother of mercy and he brought it to fruition.

He embraced the Mother of Our Lord Jesus with indescribable love because, as he said, it was she who made the Lord of majesty our brother, and through her we found mercy. After Christ, he put all his trust in her and took her as his patroness for himself and his friars."

Today the chapel of Portiuncula is situated inside the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels roughly 5 km from Assisi, Italy.

The Indulgence:

"The Portiuncula indulgence is the first plenary indulgence that was ever granted in the Church. There were indeed indulgences at all times, but they were only partial, and only a partial remission of the temporal punishments could be obtained by them. But, as already remarked, he who gains the Portiuncula indulgence is freed from all temporal punishments and becomes as pure as after holy baptism. This was also the reason why Pope Honorius was astonished when St. Francis petitioned for the confirmation of this indulgence, for such an indulgence, up to that time, bad been entirely unknown. It was only after he had come to the conviction that Jesus Christ himself wished it, that he granted the petition of the saint and confirmed the indulgence" (Source)

August 2nd is the feast of Portiuncula. A plenary indulgence is available to anyone who will

1. Receive sacramental confession (8 days before of after)

2. Receive the Holy Eucharist at Holy Mass on August 2nd

3. Enter a parish church and, with a contrite heart, pray the Our Father, Apostles Creed, and a pray of his/her own choosing for the intentions of the Pope.

Please tell every Catholic person you know that remission of the punishment for all sins committed from the day of baptism to the reception of the indulgence is available.

More Information:


Fr. Seraphim Beshoner is a third order Franciscan priest who does the podcast, Catholic Under the Hood, and he recently discussed this feast on one of his shows. Please check it out and pass the word along to everyone.

May the Merciful Jesus fill your heart with His gentle peace!

Note: An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. More information can be found at Indulgences. 

Matthew14:13-21 The Graces of the Multiplication of the Loaves

The Blessed Trinity and the Eucharist

[Benedict XVI Sacramentun Caritatis]
 APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION "SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS"

- - -
The bread come down from heaven
7. The first element of eucharistic faith is the mystery of God himself, trinitarian love. In Jesus' dialogue with Nicodemus, we find an illuminating expression in this regard: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him" (Jn 3:16-17). These words show the deepest source of God's gift. In the Eucharist Jesus does not give us a "thing," but himself; he offers his own body and pours out his own blood. He thus gives us the totality of his life and reveals the ultimate origin of this love. He is the eternal Son, given to us by the Father. In the Gospel we hear how Jesus, after feeding the crowds by multiplying the loaves and fishes, says to those who had followed him to the synagogue of Capernaum: "My Father gives you the true bread from heaven; for the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world" (Jn 6:32-33), and even identifies himself, his own flesh and blood, with that bread: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh" (Jn 6:51). Jesus thus shows that he is the bread of life which the eternal Father gives to mankind.
A free gift of the Blessed Trinity
8. The Eucharist reveals the loving plan that guides all of salvation history (cf. Eph 1:10; 3:8- 11). There the Deus Trinitas, who is essentially love (cf. 1 Jn 4:7-8), becomes fully a part of our human condition. In the bread and wine under whose appearances Christ gives himself to us in the paschal meal (cf. Lk 22:14-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26), God's whole life encounters us and is sacramentally shared with us. God is a perfect communion of love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At creation itself, man was called to have some share in God's breath of life (cf. Gen 2:7). But it is in Christ, dead and risen, and in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, given without measure (cf. Jn 3:34), that we have become sharers of God's inmost life. (16) Jesus Christ, who "through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God" (Heb 9:14), makes us, in the gift of the Eucharist, sharers in God's own life. This is an absolutely free gift, the superabundant fulfilment of God's promises. The Church receives, celebrates and adores this gift in faithful obedience. The "mystery of faith" is thus a mystery of trinitarian love, a mystery in which we are called by grace to participate. We too should therefore exclaim with Saint Augustine: "If you see love, you see the Trinity." (17)  

Martha, Mary & Lazarus Cistercian Calendar

Friday 29th July. Luke (10: 38-42)


----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Donald ...
To: William J ...
Sent: Fri, 29 July, 2011 21:06:53
Subject: Fw: Bethany hospitality

Dear William,

St Martha ONLY is on the Universal Church Calendar.

Our Cistercian Calendar has the Bethany hospitality committee, Martha, Mary and Lazarus.

Fr. T. did them honours in the Mass Introduction. 

. . .

Yours, Donald

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: William J ...
To:  Donald ...
Sent: Sat, 30 July, 2011 14:37:18
Subject: The Blog Master's telepathy

Dear Father Donald,

 

I am still smiling at your 'Bethany hospitality committee'! Truly, Our Lord must have loved being amongst them, all the narratives have a wonderful intimacy about them. 

I will enjoy keeping the feast day in their names. 

 

...in Our Lord,

William

BENEDICT XVI

Courtyard of the Papal Residence, Castel Gandolfo
Sunday, 18 July 2010

The Homily from the previous year occasion, the Pope too speaks of the hospitality of Bethany.

Sts. Martha and Mary [Pope Benedict XVI's Homily]

- - -

We are also reminded of this by this Sunday's Gospel passage with the well known episode of Jesus' visit to the house of Martha and Mary, recounted by St Luke (10: 38-42).

• Martha and Mary are two sisters; they also have a brother, Lazarus, but he does not appear on this occasion. Jesus is passing through their village and, the text says, Martha received him at her home (cf. 10: 38). This detail enables us to understand that Martha is the elder of the two, the one in charge of the house. Indeed, when Jesus has been made comfortable, Mary sits at his feet and listens to him while Martha is totally absorbed by her many tasks, certainly due to the special Guest.
• We seem to see the scene: one sister bustling about busily and the other, as it were, enraptured by the presence of the Teacher and by his words. A little later Martha, who is evidently resentful, can no longer resist and complains, even feeling that she has a right to criticize Jesus: "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me". Martha would even like to teach the Teacher! Jesus on the other hand answers her very calmly: "Martha, Martha", and the repetition of her name expresses his affection, "you are anxious and troubled about many things; only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her" (10: 41-42). Christ's words are quite clear: there is no contempt for active life, nor even less for generous hospitality; rather, a distinct reminder of the fact that the only really necessary thing is something else: listening to the word of the Lord; and the Lord is there at that moment, present in the Person of Jesus! All the rest will pass away and will be taken from us but the word of God is eternal and gives meaning to our daily actions. 
• - - -

Nunraw Necrology August Menology

"The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God"

Nunraw August Memorial

Paul Henry Pringle d.1984

Brother Paul Pringle (1922-1984)  

Brother Paul Henry Pringle Nunraw

Brother Paul Henry Pringle

Born 1st February 1922

Entered 8th May 1954

Professed 13th November 1959

Died 16th August 1984

Memorials

	Tribute
	Community Chronicle
	Abbot's Tribute

AUGUST

AUGUST 1

Ponce de Leros + 1140

Noble, wealthy and an accomplished soldier, he was also a thief and a swindler. Finally touched by the grace of God, he made a sudden and complete conversion, setting about his new life in a very practical way by selling all he possessed and making restitution to all whom he had wronged. His example led to the conversion of six of his relatives. Together they made a pilgrimage to St James of Compostella, Mont-St-Michel and other shrines. Finally they settled in a valley known as Silvones in southern France, and lived in poverty and labor. During a famine Ponce himself collected food for the poor, and their grain supply was at times miraculously multiplied. Later he affiliated the community to the Cistercians with Mozen as their father-immediate, and Ponce became a lay-brother of our Order.

MBS, p. 218

Petronilla Le Clerc and Louise Ivore + 1650

Two lay-sisters of Parc aux Dames, who entered the convent together, made profession together and died on the same day.

AUGUST 2

William + 1143

An Englishman, quite possibly a pupil of Henry Murdoc of York, he was attracted to Clairvaux by the fame of St Bernard. He became the latter's secretary and it was he who took down Bernard's famous letter to his kinsman, Robert, "amid a downpour and without its becoming wet". He also served as associate reviser of the Chant in the Cistercian choir books.

In 1133 when Walter Espec wished to found a Cistercian monastery in York, William was chosen by Bernard to head the foundation. Within twelve years Rievaulx numbered 300 monks, including St Aelred. William founded three new abbeys in England and Scotland, among them Melrose, and his influence and example led to the foundation of Fountains. He also acted as mediator in ecclesiastical disputes, including the disputed election of the archbishop of York in 1140.

MBS, p. 221

AUGUST 3

Bl Waltheof + 1160

After his father's death, his mother married King David of Scotland and Waltheof was brought up at court where St Aelred became his close friend. Unlike Aelred, however, Waltheof was not attracted by court life and cultured society. He became a canon of St Augustine and was made prior of their house at Kirkham.

In 1143 he was elected archbishop of York and in order to escape from the position, he fled to the Cistercian monastery of Wardon, not far from London. During his novitiate he experienced great dryness of soul; doubts and fears were increased by the austerities which he found very difficult to bear. However, with the encouragement of Aelred, he remained firm in his resolve to persevere as a Cistercian. At some point he went to Rievaulx where Aelred was abbot and in 1147 he himself was made abbot of Melrose. He was an abbot after the mind of St Benedict: firm but gentle, full of tolerance and understanding of human

weakness. He was especially anxious that his monks refrain from criticizing one another and once a fault had been acknowledged and expiated in Chapter, he strictly forbade anyone to make any reference to it by word or sign. He had a special love for the lay-brothers, gave them frequent conferences and received them for spiritual direction.

Waltheof's piety was especially nourished by the liturgy and his greatest graces had their source in some text of the offices of the great feasts. He was also devoted to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

In 1159 he was offered the bishopric of St Andrew's, but feeling his end was near he declined to accept. On his death bed he thanked God for all the trials and sufferings of his life as for the most precious graces.

MBS, p. 224

Konrad von Herlesheim + 1270

He was knighted in his twentieth year and in the same year entered the monastery of Heyn, Germany. He served his community as treasurer and later procurator. Once when he longed for union with Christ, Our Lord said to him, "I will grant that my joy and yours may be one; my will and yours one; my glory and yours one."    

BVM Saturday Hagia Maria Sion Abbey New Abbot, Gregory Collins osb

Saturday 30 July of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time.

MASS of the Saturday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The exciting news of  a monk of Glenstal Abbey elected to the monastery of the Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem.

Fr. Gregory Collins wrote The Glenstal Book of Icons, Praying with the Glenstal Icons. An extract from his Byzantine prayers commemorating Mary is apt for this Saturday Votive Mass.

http://dormitio.net/aktuelles/nachrichten/aktuelles.news.40/index.html    

Father Abbot Gregory Collins OSB

New abbot of the Dormition

With profound gratitude to God and to all who in these days have accompanied our monastic community in their prayers, 
we are happy to announce that on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 the monastic chapter of our Abbey, presided over by Abbot Primate Dr. Notker Wolf OSB, has elected 
Father Gregory Collins of Glenstal Abbey, 
as the sixth abbot of Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

The Monks of Dormition Abbey

Gregory Collins OSB, The Glenstal Book of Icons (Dublin: Columba Press, 2002)

Prayers before the Icons of Mary as Hodegetria, p, 59.

Calling to mind our all-holy, sinless, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God, and ever-virgin Mary, let us commit ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God!

(Byzantine prayer commemorating Mary)

Let us magnify the Mother of God, the Mother of the light!

It is truly right to praise you, all blessed and immaculate Theotokos, the Mother of our God! You are higher than the Cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, for without sin you have given birth to God the Word. True bearer of God, we magnify you!

(Byzantine hymns to the Theotokos, adapted)

Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of your most pure Mother, purify the eyes of our hearts to see the mysteries of the Father's kingdom!

Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of your most pure Mother, open our inner ears to receive your word!

Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayers of your most pure Mother, send the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth!

What shall we call you, O most favoured one? Heaven, because the sun of righteousness has shown forth through you? Paradise, because your have made the bloom of incorruptibility to spring up? Virgin, because you have remained the undefiled one? Pure Mother, because you have given birth to your Son, the God of all things? 0 pray to him for us that he may save our souls!

(Byzantine prayer to the Mother of God) 

Father Abbot Gregory

Father Abbot Gregory Collins OSB (enlarge picture)Gregory Collins was born in 1960 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up there also. - About himself he says that he was happy to be both an Irishman and Englishman. To overcome barriers between people to a certain extent it is already in the cradle. He feels so deeply the ecumenical idea of reconciliation between the churches and committed.

Prior to 1989 only one in the Irish Benedictine Glenstal (County Limerick) occurred, Gregory Collins is at the Queen's University in Belfast Byzantine studies and scholastic philosophy, and also taught. In 1988/89 he was on a scholarship at the British School of Archaeology in Athens to deepen his studies, he finally graduated in 1991 with a doctorate.

St. James the Apostle by Benedict XVI 2006

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20060621_en.html   

BENEDICT XVI GENERAL AUDIENCE Wednesday, 21 June 2006 James, the Greater  Dear Brothers and Sisters, We are continuing the series of portraits of the Apostles chosen directly by Jesus during his earthly life. We have spoken of St Peter and of his brother, Andrew. Today we meet the figure of James. The biblical lists of the Twelve mention two people with this name: James, son of Zebedee, and James, son of Alphaeus (cf. Mk 3: 17,18; Mt 10: 2-3), who are commonly distinguished with the nicknames "James the Greater" and "James the Lesser".   These titles are certainly not intended to measure their holiness, but simply to state the different importance they receive in the writings of the New Testament and, in particular, in the setting of Jesus' earthly life. Today we will focus our attention on the first of these two figures with the same name. The name "James" is the translation of Iakobos, the Graecised form of the name of the famous Patriarch, Jacob. The Apostle of this name was the brother of John and in the above-mentioned lists, comes second, immediately after Peter, as occurs in Mark (3: 17); or in the third place, after Peter and Andrew as in the Gospels of Matthew (10: 2) and Luke (6: 14), while in the Acts he comes after Peter and John (1: 13). This James belongs, together with Peter and John, to the group of the three privileged disciples whom Jesus admitted to important moments in his life.