Papal Visit London

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 16-19, 2010) EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ City of Westminster Saturday, 18 September 2010 HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Dear Friends in Christ, I greet all of you with joy in the Lord and I thank you for your warm reception. I am grateful to Archbishop Nichols for his words of welcome on your behalf. Truly, in this meeting of the Successor of Peter and the faithful of Britain, “heart speaks unto heart” as we rejoice in the love of Christ and in our common profession of the Catholic faith which comes to us from the Apostles. I am especially happy that our meeting takes place in this Cathedral dedicated to the Most Precious Blood, which is the sign of God’s redemptive mercy poured out upon the world through the passion, death and resurrection of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In a particular way I greet the Archbishop of Canterbury, who honours us by his presence. The visitor to this Cathedral cannot fail to be struck by the great crucifix dominating the nave, which portrays Christ’s body, crushed by suffering, overwhelmed by sorrow, the innocent victim whose death has reconciled us with the Father and given us a share in the very life of God. The Lord’s outstretched arms seem to embrace this entire church, lifting up to the Father all the ranks of the faithful who gather around the altar of the Eucharistic sacrifice and share in its fruits. The crucified Lord stands above and before us as the source of our life and salvation, “the high priest of the good things to come”, as the author of the Letter to the Hebrews calls him in today’s first reading (Heb9:11). It is in the shadow, so to speak, of this striking image, that I would like to consider the word of God which has been proclaimed in our midst and reflect on the mystery of the Precious Blood. For that mystery leads us to see the unity between Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, the Eucharistic sacrifice which he has given to his Church, and his eternal priesthood, whereby, seated at the right hand of the Father, he makes unceasing intercession for us, the members of his mystical body. Let us begin with the sacrifice of the Cross. The outpouring of Christ’s blood is the source of the Church’s life. Saint John, as we know, sees in the water and blood which flowed from our Lord’s body the wellspring of that divine life which is bestowed by the Holy Spirit and communicated to us in the sacraments (Jn 19:34; cf. 1 Jn 1:7; 5:6-7). The Letter to the Hebrews draws out, we might say, the liturgical implications of this mystery. Jesus, by his suffering and death, his self-oblation in the eternal Spirit, has become our high priest and “the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb 9:15). These words echo our Lord’s own words at the Last Supper, when he instituted the Eucharist as the sacrament of his body, given up for us, and his blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant shed for the forgiveness of sins (cf. Mk 14:24; Mt 26:28; Lk 22:20). Faithful to Christ’s command to “do this in memory of me” (Lk 22:19), the Church in every time and place celebrates the Eucharist until the Lord returns in glory, rejoicing in his sacramental presence and drawing upon the power of his saving sacrifice for the redemption of the world. The reality of the Eucharistic sacrifice has always been at the heart of Catholic faith; called into question in the sixteenth century, it was solemnly reaffirmed at the Council of Trent against the backdrop of our justification in Christ. Here in England, as we know, there were many who staunchly defended the Mass, often at great cost, giving rise to that devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist which has been a hallmark of Catholicism in these lands. The Eucharistic sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ embraces in turn the mystery of our Lord’s continuing passion in the members of his Mystical Body, the Church in every age. Here the great crucifix which towers above us serves as a reminder that Christ, our eternal high priest, daily unites our own sacrifices, our own sufferings, our own needs, hopes and aspirations, to the infinite merits of his sacrifice. Through him, with him, and in him, we lift up our own bodies as a sacrifice holy and acceptable to God (cf. Rom 12:1). In this sense we are caught up in his eternal oblation, completing, as Saint Paul says, in our flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, the Church (cf. Col 1:24). In the life of the Church, in her trials and tribulations, Christ continues, in the stark phrase of Pascal, to be in agony until the end of the world (Pensées, 553, éd. Brunschvicg). We see this aspect of the mystery of Christ’s precious blood represented, most eloquently, by the martyrs of every age, who drank from the cup which Christ himself drank, and whose own blood, shed in union with his sacrifice, gives new life to the Church. It is also reflected in our brothers and sisters throughout the world who even now are suffering discrimination and persecution for their Christian faith. Yet it is also present, often hidden in the suffering of all those individual Christians who daily unite their sacrifices to those of the Lord for the sanctification of the Church and the redemption of the world. My thoughts go in a special way to all those who are spiritually united with this Eucharistic celebration, and in particular the sick, the elderly, the handicapped and those who suffer mentally and spiritually. Here too I think of the immense suffering caused by the abuse of children, especially within the Church and by her ministers. Above all, I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes, along with my hope that the power of Christ’s grace, his sacrifice of reconciliation, will bring deep healing and peace to their lives. I also acknowledge, with you, the shame and humiliation which all of us have suffered because of these sins; and I invite you to offer it to the Lord with trust that this chastisement will contribute to the healing of the victims, the purification of the Church and the renewal of her age-old commitment to the education and care of young people. I express my gratitude for the efforts being made to address this problem responsibly, and I ask all of you to show your concern for the victims and solidarity with your priests. Dear friends, let us return to the contemplation of the great crucifix which rises above us. Our Lord’s hands, extended on the Cross, also invite us to contemplate our participation in his eternal priesthood and thus our responsibility, as members of his body, to bring the reconciling power of his sacrifice to the world in which we live. The Second Vatican Council spoke eloquently of the indispensable role of the laity in carrying forward the Church’s mission through their efforts to serve as a leaven of the Gospel in society and to work for the advancement of God’s Kingdom in the world (cf. Lumen Gentium, 31; Apostolicam Actuositatem, 7). The Council’s appeal to the lay faithful to take up their baptismal sharing in Christ’s mission echoed the insights and teachings of John Henry Newman. May the profound ideas of this great Englishman continue to inspire all Christ’s followers in this land to conform their every thought, word and action to Christ, and to work strenuously to defend those unchanging moral truths which, taken up, illuminated and confirmed by the Gospel, stand at the foundation of a truly humane, just and free society. How much contemporary society needs this witness! How much we need, in the Church and in society, witnesses of the beauty of holiness, witnesses of the splendour of truth, witnesses of the joy and freedom born of a living relationship with Christ! One of the greatest challenges facing us today is how to speak convincingly of the wisdom and liberating power of God’s word to a world which all too often sees the Gospel as a constriction of human freedom, instead of the truth which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wisely and well, both as individuals and as members of society.  Let us pray, then, that the Catholics of this land will become ever more conscious of their dignity as a priestly people, called to consecrate the world to God through lives of faith and holiness. And may this increase of apostolic zeal be accompanied by an outpouring of prayer for vocations to the ordained priesthood. For the more the lay apostolate grows, the more urgently the need for priests is felt; and the more the laity’s own sense of vocation is deepened, the more what is proper to the priest stands out. May many young men in this land find the strength to answer the Master’s call to the ministerial priesthood, devoting their lives, their energy and their talents to God, thus building up his people in unity and fidelity to the Gospel, especially through the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice.    Dear friends, in this Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, I invite you once more to look to Christ, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection (cf. Heb 12:2). I ask you to unite yourselves ever more fully to the Lord, sharing in his sacrifice on the Cross and offering him that “spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1) which embraces every aspect of our lives and finds expression in our efforts to contribute to the coming of his Kingdom. I pray that, in doing so, you may join the ranks of faithful believers throughout the long Christian history of this land in building a society truly worthy of man, worthy of your nation’s highest traditions.

Papal Visit Homily

A unique historic moment in Scotland.  

The picture illustration if the the Queen welcoming Pope Benedict xvi at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh.

From there the Pope went to Glasgow for the celebration of Holy Mass at Belahouston Park, with representives from every Parish in Scotland.  

Homily of the Pope at Belahouston, Glasgow ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "scmo.org" - - - To: nunraw  - - - Sent: Thu, 16 September, 2010 15:06:44 Subject: Pope Benedict's Homily - Bellahouston Park HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE GLASGOW - 16.09.2010 - 17.15  Bellahouston Park  Holy Mass  Original text  Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,  “The Kingdom of God is very near to you!” (Lk 10:9).  With these words of the Gospel we have just heard, I greet all of you with great affection in the Lord.  Truly the Lord’s Kingdom is already in our midst!  At this Eucharistic celebration in which the Church in Scotland gathers around the altar in union with the Successor of Peter, let us reaffirm our faith in Christ’s word and our hope – a hope which never disappoints – in his promises!  I warmly greet Cardinal O’Brien and the Scottish Bishops; I thank in particular Archbishop Conti for his kind words of welcome on your behalf; and I express my deep gratitude for the work that the British and Scottish Governments and the Glasgow city fathers have done to make this occasion possible. Today’s Gospel reminds us that Christ continues to send his disciples into the world in order to proclaim the coming of his Kingdom and to bring his peace into the world, beginning house by house, family by family, town by town. I have come as a herald of that peace to you, the spiritual children of Saint Andrew and to confirm you in the faith of Peter (cf. Lk 22:32). It is with some emotion that I address you, not far from the spot where my beloved predecessor Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass nearly thirty years ago with you and was welcomed by the largest crowd ever gathered in Scottish history.  Much has happened in Scotland and in the Church in this country since that historic visit. I note with great satisfaction how Pope John Paul’s call to you to walk hand in hand with your fellow Christians has led to greater trust and  friendship with the members of the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and others.  Let me encourage you to continue to pray and work with them in building a brighter future for Scotland based upon our common Christian heritage. In today’s first reading we heard Saint Paul appeal to the Romans to acknowledge that, as members of Christ’s body, we belong to each other (cf. Rom 12:5) and to live in respect and mutual love. In that spirit I greet the ecumenical representatives who honour us by their presence. This year marks the 450th anniversary of the Reformation Parliament, but also the 100th anniversary of the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, which is widely acknowledged to mark the birth of the modern ecumenical movement. Let us give thanks to God for the promise which ecumenical understanding and cooperation represents for a united witness to the saving truth of God’s word in today’s rapidly changing society. Among the differing gifts which Saint Paul lists for the building up of the Church is that of teaching (cf. Rom 12:7). The preaching of the Gospel has always been accompanied by concern for the word: the inspired word of God and the culture in which that word takes root and flourishes. Here in Scotland, I think of the three medieval universities founded here by the popes, including that of Saint Andrews which is beginning to mark the 600th anniversary of its foundation. In the last 30 years and with the assistance of civil authorities, Scottish Catholic schools have taken up the challenge of providing an integral education to greater numbers of students, and this has helped young people not only along the path  of spiritual and human growth, but also in entering the professions and public life. This is a sign of great hope for the Church, and I encourage the Catholic professionals, politicians and teachers of Scotland never to lose sight of their calling to use their talents and experience in the service of the faith, engaging contemporary Scottish culture at every level. The evangelization of culture is all the more important in our times, when a “dictatorship of relativism” threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man’s nature, his destiny and his ultimate good. There are some who now seek to exclude religious belief from public discourse, to privatize it or even to paint it as a threat to equality and liberty. Yet religion is in fact a guarantee of authentic liberty and respect, leading us to look upon every person as a brother or sister. For this reason I appeal in particular to you, the lay faithful, in accordance with your baptismal calling and mission, not only to be examples of faith in public, but also to put the case for the promotion of faith’s wisdom and vision in the public forum. Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility. Do not be afraid to take up this service to your brothers and sisters, and to the future of your beloved nation. Saint Ninian, whose feast we celebrate today, was himself unafraid to be a lone voice. In the footsteps of the disciples whom our Lord sent forth before him, Ninian was one of the very first Catholic missionaries to bring his fellow Britons the good news of Jesus Christ. His mission church in Galloway became a centre for the first evangelization of this country. That work was later taken up by Saint Mungo, Glasgow’s own patron, and by other saints, the greatest of whom must include Saint Columba and Saint Margaret. Inspired by them, many men and women have laboured over many centuries to hand down the faith to you. Strive to be worthy of this great tradition! Let the exhortation of Saint Paul in the first reading be your constant inspiration: “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering and persevere in prayer” (cf. Rom 12:11-12). I would now like to address a special word to the bishops of Scotland. Dear brothers, let me encourage you in your pastoral leadership of the Catholics of Scotland. As you know, one of your first pastoral duties is to your priests (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 7) and to their sanctification. As they are alter Christus to the Catholic community, so you are to them. Live to the full the charity that flows from Christ, in your brotherly ministry towards your priests, collaborating with them all, and in particular with those who have little contact with their fellow priests. Pray with them for vocations, that the Lord of the harvest will send labourers to his harvest (cf. Lk 10:2). Just as the Eucharist makes the Church, so the priesthood is central to the life of the Church. Engage yourselves personally in forming your priests as a body of men who inspire others to dedicate themselves completely to the service of Almighty God. Have a care also for your deacons, whose ministry of service is associated in a particular way with that of the order of bishops. Be a father and a guide in holiness for them, encouraging them to grow in knowledge and wisdom in carrying out the mission of herald to which they have been called. Dear priests of Scotland, you are called to holiness and to serve God’s people by modelling your lives on the mystery of the Lord’s cross. Preach the Gospel with a pure heart and a clear conscience. Dedicate yourselves to God alone and you will become shining examples to young men of a holy, simple and joyful life: they, in their turn, will surely wish to join you in your single-minded service of God’s people. May the example of Saint John Ogilvie, dedicated, selfless and brave, inspire all of you. Similarly, let me encourage you, the monks, nuns and religious of Scotland to be a light on a hilltop, living an authentic Christian life of prayer and action that witnesses in a luminous way to the power of the Gospel. Finally, I would like to say a word to you, my dear young Catholics of Scotland. I urge you to lead lives worthy of our Lord (cf. Eph 4:1) and of yourselves. There are many temptations placed before you every day - drugs, money, sex, pornography, alcohol - which the world tells you will bring you happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive. There is only one thing which lasts: the love of Jesus Christ personally for each one of you. Search for him, know him and love him, and he will set you free from slavery to the glittering but superficial existence frequently proposed by today’s society. Put aside what is worthless and learn of your own dignity as children of God. In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to pray for vocations: I pray that many of you will know and love Jesus Christ and, through that encounter, will dedicate yourselves completely to God, especially those of you who are called to the priesthood and religious life. This is the challenge the Lord gives to you today: the Church now belongs to you! Dear friends, I express once more my joy at celebrating this Mass with you. I am happy to assure you of my prayers in the ancient language of your country: Sìth agus beannachd Dhe dhuibh uile; Dia bhi timcheall oirbh; agus gum beannaicheadh Dia Alba. God’s peace and blessing to you all; God surround you; and may God bless the people of Scotland

Papal Visit Scotland

Thank you, Fr. Patrick.

for your Email.

It is interesting that News crosses the oceans for instant communication.

From Canada you will be will is for the Papal Visit at Bellahoustan, Glasgow. 
(Donald)

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: father patrick - - -
Sent: Wed, 15 September, 2010 15:04:03
Subject: Writer blasts secular Britain's anti-catholicism

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Writer blasts secular Britain’s anti-Catholicism in run-up to papal visit

Leo McKinstry and Pope Benedict XVI

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• London, England, Sep 15, 2010 / 08:19 am (CNA).- Belfast-born author and journalist Leo McKinstry has said an anti-Catholic mood before the papal visit to the U.K. is comparable to the sectarianism of Northern Ireland. He blamed the antagonism upon the “politically correct spirit of our age” which emphasizes moral relativism and self-gratification. 
• McKinstry, a conservative who has written several books, announced his own impending conversion to Catholicism in The Daily Mail on Tuesday. He told how he had a sudden insight into religion in a Venetian chapel when he realized that the “poetry and symbolism” of Catholic ritual are metaphorical devices to evoke a spiritual reaction.
• His conversion might seem “extraordinary” because he was raised as a Protestant in Ulster. However, his conversion also runs counter to the “aggressively secular, anti-Christian” nature of modern Britain where the Catholic Church is believed to be “outmoded, reactionary, irrelevant and superstitious.”
• “This anti-Catholic mood has been at its most palpable in the run-up to Pope Benedict's state visit this week, much of it led by militant atheists who, in the name of tolerance, have become utterly intolerant of manifestations of traditional Christian faith,” McKinstry wrote.
• He added that he sees a similarity between Northern Ireland sectarianism and anti-papal feeling in Britain today. The Protestant minister Rev. Ian Paisley’s announcement of a demonstration against Pope Benedict’s visit to Glasgow is an action “no different from the noisy army of frenzied secularists,” McKinstry remarked.
• Atheist polemicist Richard Dawkins has described the Pope as “a leering old villain in a frock,” while the author Claire Rayner has declared she has never felt “such animus against any individual as I do against this creature.”
• “His views are so disgusting, so repellent and so hugely damaging to the rest of us that the only thing to do is to get rid of him,” Rayner has commented.
• In McKinstry’s view, these opinions are “alarming but hardly surprising” in a society where Catholicism is “marginalized and despised.”
• While some of this hatred was inspired by the Church’s “shameful role” in failing to respond to sexually abusive priests, he said it was “absurd” to use the child abuse scandal as an argument for destroying the Church.
• He also countered claims that the Pope conspired to cover up child sex abuse in Germany, saying these are “unsupported by documentary evidence.” Some of the cases from the U.S. appear not to have involved him at all, he noted, but were “entirely the responsibility of suspect clerics in America.”
• “Indeed, I believe the Pope is a man of decency, integrity and great intellectual strength,” McKinstry wrote in The Daily Mail.
• Antagonism against Catholicism goes “far deeper” than a reaction to child abuse.
• “The fact is that Catholicism is completely out of tune with the progressive, politically correct spirit of our age, with its fashionable emphasis on moral relativism, multi-culturalism and self-gratification,” he continued, charging that civic leaders cannot bear the existence of an alternative to their “state-dominated, anti-family, diversity-fixated vision of the world.”
• Rather, they become frenzied over the Church’s opposition to condom distributions in Africa and blame the Pope for the deaths of millions of Africans from HIV/AIDS. McKinstry contended that this ignores the heroic work of Catholic volunteers and the fact that the Catholic “ideal of restraint” has “often done more good than all the trendy sex awareness campaigns.”
• The writer also criticized “tremendous hypocrisy” in anti-Catholic feeling, noting how many leaders are happy to appease “militant Islam” because they believe Muslims to be an oppressed minority.
• “So they end up in the bizarre position of banning crucifixes and prayers from public institutions, while colluding with the spread of Sharia law,” he charged.
• McKinstry said he was drawn to Catholicism because it is a “bulwark” in the defense of Christian civilization against secularism. “It is Christianity that gave us the moral code which built our great societies. Succumbing to the progressive agenda would just mean surrendering to further decline,” he added.
• His Daily Mail piece concluded by saying that anti-Catholic commentators refuse to recognize that faith is about transcendence, not temporal politics.
• McKinstry said he would take comfort and guidance from Jesus’ words: “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's.” 

  Copyright © CNA

Seven Sorrows of Mary

Wednesday, September 15  

 John 19:25-27

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows was originally granted to the Order of the Servants of Mary in 1667. It was introduced into the Roman Calendar in 1814 and assigned to the third Sunday in September. In 1913 the date of the feast was assigned to September 15.

Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary
Pray one Hail Mary while meditating on each of the Seven Sorrows of Mary:

1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meeting Jesus carrying His Cross.
5. The Crucifixion.
6. Mary receiving the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7. The Body of Jesus being placed in the tomb.

Then pray three Hail Mary's in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of Her Divine Son. Concluding prayers: Pray for us, O Most Sorrowful Virgin, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose Holy Soul was pierced during Your Passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. 

http://www.daily-word-of-life.com

+ + +

Father von Balthasar (+ 1988)

The Sorrowful Mother

In the Crucified One the soul that dies is divided from the spirit of mission which is breathed out with bowed head and given up to the Father and to the Church: in the Mother who shares his suffering, whose "soul magnifies the Lord" and whose "spirit rejoices in God my Saviour" (Lk 1: 46-47), the sword pierces between praise and rejoicing: the rejoicing is borne away with the spirit to God, while the soul remains behind and, when the body is taken down from the cross, can only utter the assent of praise with a sigh in the most profound darkness, in the utmost weakness.

It is here and nowhere else that sinners - whether oppressors or the weeping oppressed - can find refuge. As Claudel has written:

"For the poor man there is no firm friend unless he finds someone poorer than himself.

So come, my oppressed sister, and behold Mary ... Behold her who is there, without complaint as without hope, like a poor man who has found someone poorer, and both contemplate each other in silence."    

Holy Cross, Holyrood

Exaltation of the Cross 14 September  

It is the Feast of Holy Cross, Holyrood. If a personal note, I was baptized at Holycross, the dedication of my primary school was Holycross, and my secondary school was Holyrood.
To begin Mass, we think of the summer time and winter time and the changing of the clock. The monastic season is more marked by the date of feast of the Holy Cross, change in monastic exercises.

The Cross too is down to earth, rooted.

Exaltation of the Cross is also Lowliness of the Cross, of heaven and of earth, as we are reminded each day, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

More formally stated:-

What are these Christians about, exalting an instrument of torture?

First, we rejoice that something so terrible should have been transformed into a means of redemption for the whole human race.

Second, we remind ourselves of the fact that Christianity is not an abstract and spiritual religion. It springs from God’s direct intervention in the affairs of the world, a real historical event involving real people and, in the end, a real execution on a real cross.

At the Night Office we had a Reading appropriate for the season, and of the days looking to the canosation of John Henry Newman.

From a sermon by John Henry Newman (Parochial and Plain Sermons, volume 6, pages 89-91)   

The great and awful doctrine of the cross of Christ, which we now commemorate, may fitly be called, in the language of figure, the heart of religion. The heart may be considered as the seat of life; it is the principle of motion, heat, and activity; from it the blood goes to and fro to the extreme parts of the body. It sustains the man in his powers and faculties; it enables the brain to think; and when it is touched, man dies. And in like manner the sacred doctrine of Christ's atoning sacrifice is the vital principle on which the Christian lives, and without which Christianity is not. Without it no other doctrine is held profitably; to believe in Christ's divinity, or in his manhood, or in the holy Trinity, or in a judgment to come, or in the resurrection of the dead, is an untrue belief, not Christian faith, unless we receive also the doctrine of Christ's sacrifice. On the other hand, to receive it presupposes the reception of other high truths of the gospel besides; and it prepares the way to belief in the sacred Eucharistic feast, in which he who was once crucified is ever given to our souls and bodies, verily and indeed, in his body and in his blood.

But again, the heart is hidden from view; it is carefully and securely guarded; not like the eye set in the forehead, commanding all, and seen of all: and so in like manner the sacred doctrine of the atoning sacrifice is not one to be talked of, but to be lived upon; not to be put forth irreverently, but to be adored secretly; not to be used as a necessary instrument in the conversion of the ungodly, or for the satisfaction of reasoners of this world, but to be unfolded to the docile and obedient; to young children, whom the world has not corrupted; to the sorrowful, who need comfort; to the sincere and earnest, who need a rule of life; to the innocent, who need warning; and to the established, who have earned the knowledge of it.

The Psalmist says, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; and our Lord says, They that mourn shall be comforted. Let no one go away with the impression that the gospel makes us take a gloomy view of the world and of life. It hinders us indeed from taking a superficial view, and finding a vain transitory joy in what we see; but it forbids our immediate enjoyment, only to grant enjoyment in truth and fullness afterwards. It only forbids us to begin with enjoyment. It only says, If you begin with pleasure, you will end with pain. It bids us begin with the cross of Christ, and in that cross we shall at first find sorrow, but in a while peace and comfort will rise out of that sorrow. That cross will lead us to mourning, repentance, humiliation, prayer, fasting; we shall sorrow for our sins, we shall sorrow with Christ's sufferings; but all this sorrow will only issue, nay, will be undergone in a happiness far greater than the enjoyment which the world gives. Our Saviour said to his disciples, You now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you.

A Word in Season, Monastic Lectionary, Augustine Press 1991

Cistercian Branches

OC - General Chapter 2010

Cistercian Order

Monday, 06 September 2010 15:20

On September 2^nd, 2010, the abbots, abbesses and delegates of the Cistercian Order, gathered in their General Chapter at Rocca di Papa (Rome), elected Dom Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori as their Abbot General.

Dom Mauro-Giuseppe was born in 1959 and entered Hauterive in 1984. He made his solemn profession in 1989 and was ordained a priest in 1990. Dom Mauro-Giuseppe was elected abbot of Hauterive in 1994.

Dom Meinrad Tomann was re-elected Procurator General of the Cistercian Order for a new term of five years on September 3^rd, 2010.

On September 4^th, Abbot General, Dom Eamon Fitzgerald, OCSO (Trapist), an invited guest at the General Chapter of the Cistercian Order.

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ZENIT, The world seen from Rome
News Agency
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Cistercians Elect New Abbot General

Challenges Include Unification of Order

ROME, SEPT. 13, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The abbot of Hauterive, Switzerland, Father Mauro Giuseppe Lepori, was elected abbot general of the Cistercian Order.


The election was held Sept. 2 during the order's general chapter of abbots, abbesses and delegates, who gathered in Rocca di Papa, near Rome.

Father Lepori succeeds Abbot Maur Esteva Alsina, who has been serving in that post from 1995 to the present and is resigning for reasons of age.

Born in Canobbio, Switzerland, in 1959, the new superior general of the Cistercians entered the Abbey of Hauterive in 1984. He made his first monastic vows in 1986 and his solemn profession in 1989.

Ordained a priest on June 10, 1990, Father Lepori served as master of novices until his election as abbot of Hauterive on May 16, 1994.

With a licentiate in philosophy and theology from the University of Fribourg, the priest became known for the publication of several articles and books translated into several languages, such as "Simon Called Peter."

Father Lepori also gives conferences, preaches retreats, and paints with watercolors.

Communion

As superior general, Father Lepori has the task of "guaranteeing the unity of the order and of making its visible communion more concrete, but also of breathing into it a 'spiritual breath,'" reported Cistercian Father Henri Marie Couette to the newspaper "Liberation."

In addition to the administrative work of the order, the new abbot general will have to work in the reunification of the two Cistercian branches, that of the "common observance," to which the abbey of Hauterive belongs, and that of "strict observance" (Trappists).

According to data of 2009, the Cistercian Order of "common observance" includes 122 houses and more than 1,900 monks and nuns in the world, whereas the Cistercian Order of "strict observance" has 175 houses and some 3,600 religious, including men and women.

In 1998, on the occasion of the 900th anniversary of the installation of Abbot Robert of Molesmes in Citeaux, in Burgundy, France, Pope John Paul II appealed for the reunification of the two Cistercian branches.

The new superior general will have another important challenge: the aging of the communities and the lack of vocations in Europe.

As is traditional, Father Lepori took office immediately and will now reside in Rome.

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Cardinal Newman's Coat of Arms

http://www.newmanfriendsinternational.org/newman/?p=123#_ftn8

“Cor ad cor loquitur” John Henry Cardinal Newman’s Coat of Arms

Different topics - 2 July 2008

When John Henry Newman was created Cardinal in 1879, he did not have his own crest designed, but adapted one from the 17th century, which he had inherited from his father. He did not formulate his motto, but altered a phrase from the 17th century - cor cordi loquitur - that seemed so familiar to him that he assumed he had it from the Bible or the Imitation of Christ.[1] He actually remembered it from a letter by Francis de Sales from which he had quoted it in 1855 in a public letter on university preaching.[2] It seems that Newman never explained his motto, cor ad cor loquitur, but it is obvious that in his coat of arms, motto and crest complement one another to form one illustration of a fundamental principle of the Christian faith that profoundly shaped Newman’s way of life, his theological thinking and his pastoral endeavours.

God Speaks to Man

There are three red hearts on a golden background on Cardinal Newman’s heart shaped crest, the upper two separated from the lower one by a broad, red horizontal zigzag line, pointing up three times to the two hearts above and twice down to the one below.[3] In the light of our belief in the Triune God, Newman’s coat of arms speaks to us: The three hearts may be understood as a reference to the three Persons of the Triune God, the golden background of the shield as referring to the glory and the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God, who “lives in unapproachable light” (1Tim 6:16), was revealed to his creatures, Newman preaches, through God the Son “from without” and through “God the Holy Ghost, by inward communications”.[4]

The Son of God is called the Word, Newman reminds his congregation, as He is “mediating between the Father and all creatures, bringing them into being, fashioning them”,[5] and again: as He is “declaring His (the Father’s) glory throughout created nature”.[6] The Word gives us the glory of the Father to read Ain His works of goodness, holiness and wisdom”.[7] When man turned against God and fell from His grace, the Word of God, His Son, “distinct from Him, while mysteriously one with Him…humbled Himself to take upon Him that fallen nature which He had originally created after His own image”.[8] The same love, Newman stresses, “which showed itself in our original creation, rested not content with a frustrated work, but brought Him down again from His Father’s bosom to do His will, and repair the evil which sin had caused”.[9] With this in mind, the heart underneath the three times folded horizontal line may be understood as representing God made man. When the Son of God became the Son of Man, mortal, but not a sinner, He B in His person B was the beginning of the new creation of God. “Christ came to make a new world”,[10] Newman says, referring to St John’s Gospel, and again: “He came into the world to regenerate it in Himself, to make a new beginning, to be the beginning of the creation of God, to gather together in one, and recapitulate all things in Himself.”[11]     
    

Cor ad Cor Loquitur

THE THEME FOR THE VISIT IS ....

Cor ad Cor Loquitur - Heart Speaks unto Heart

09/04/2010 10:27 am

The theme for Pope Benedict XVI's 2010 visit to the UK is Cor ad cor loquitur - Heart speaks unto heart. Cardinal John Henry Newman chose the words as the motto to go on his coat of arms. Heart speaks unto heart is a fitting choice for this papal visit as, on the final day of his Apostolic Journey, the Holy Father will beatify Cardinal Newman - the much-loved Victorian theologian.

Origins of the motto

When Newman became a Cardinal in 1879, he had to choose a motto to go on his coat of arms. He chose the Latin words Cor ad Cor loquitur – heart speaks unto heart. Where did these words come from? At the time, Newman thought they came from the Imitation of Christ (written in the 1400s), but in fact he was mistaken – they're from St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) a French Bishop and great spiritual writer whom Newman revered. In fact, Newman chose to put a painting of St Francis above the altar in his own Chapel at the Birmingham Oratory.

'Heart speaks to Heart' – who is speaking to who?

The phrase has different levels, which together tell us a lot about Newman, his understanding of what it is to be human, and his vision of a humanity redeemed by Christ. Newman thought that true communication between us speaks from our heart to the heart of others around us – much more than just clever talking. He wrote in an Anglican sermon: 'Eloquence and wit, shrewdness and dexterity, these plead a cause well and propagate it quickly, but it dies with them. It has no root in the hearts of men, and lives not out a generation.' Truth speaks from the centre of the person, from their heart: 'By a heart awake from the dead, and by affections set on heaven, we can... truly and without figure witness that Christ liveth.' In the age of the Internet, Newman tells us that however we communicate, what we say should come from the heart, the fruits of a moral life lived in communion with Christ.

In fact, Christ speaks to us from his own Heart. 'Thou art the living Flame, and ever burnest with love of man' – he is 'the Word, the Light, the Life, the Truth, Wisdom, the Divine Glory.' So, in the end, it's the Heart of God himself which speaks to us – in prayer, in the Mass, through the Scriptures. But also through other faithful Christians, and in the teachings of the Church. As Newman says, 'when the Church speaks Thou dost speak.' The Church has no other heart than the Heart of Christ himself.