Physicist: 'Star of Bethlehem' may have been planetary alignment - Part 2

 Parish Bulletin | Year of Saint Joseph | Dec 26-27 2020: Holy Family | 75th Anniversary Year

Physicist: 'Star of Bethlehem' may have been planetary alignment (Part Two)

The celestial event that led the Magi to Jesus was an extremely rare and symbol-packed happening.

It also intrigues Mathews that it was Zoroastrian priests who would have been the protagonists in the story.

“Today we would call them astrologers, but they had a somewhat different belief system than that of modern astrology,” he said in the interview. “This was a very ancient religion that had their own belief in a ‘trinity’ and a coming messiah. Zoroaster literally means ‘Shining light.’ They had a belief that the stars, planets, Sun and Moon were tokens of the divine. Frankincense to them was a symbol of ‘eternal light’ used in their ceremonies.”

No wonder, then, that that was one of the three gifts they brought Jesus.

“The most surprising thing to me about this story is that God would have timed His arrival to coincide with the belief system of a group of non-Hebrew astrologers,” Mathews said. “Indeed, astrology was forbidden in the Jewish belief system. This explains why no one in Herod’s court was aware of ‘His star in the East’ of which the Magi spoke. What was God intending to say?”

Mathews believes that the answer might be two-fold. “One is that this is symbolic of the gift of redemption to all peoples brought by the Christ child,” he said.

“The second is something of a personal message to humankind. As one who studies the heavens myself, 

I can somewhat empathize with the Magi in that even in modern science, as was the case of those ancient astronomers, we explore the heavens in search of evidence of creation and the creator. And then, as today, God is a rewarder of those that seek him with all of their heart. I believe that the Magi sought with all of their resources and being for evidence of the creator of all things in the heavens. And that God chose to reward that.”

John Burger,Aleteia, - published on 12/15/20

4 Ways to imitate St. Joseph on a daily basis

The most important part of devotion to St. Joseph is imitating his example.

While prayers and devotions are important to honor St. Joseph, what is more important is to imitate the life and example of the foster-father of Jesus.

In the 19th-century book Devotion to Saint Joseph, the author explains this concept plainly.

The most excellent devotion towards our holy patrons consists in imitating their virtues. Endeavor each day to practice some of those virtues which shone in St Joseph; for example, conformity to the holy will of God.

The book also details a helpful practice that can remind you to imitate St. Joseph.

Father Louis Lalemant, having chosen St Joseph for model of the interior life, practiced each day in his honor the following exercises: two in the morning and two in the evening.

1 Listen to the Holy Spirit

The first was to raise his mind toward the heart of St. Joseph and consider how docile he had been to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Then examining his own heart, he humbled himself for his times of resistance, and animated himself to follow more faithfully the inspirations of grace.

2 Unity of Prayer and Work

The second was to consider with what perfection St. Joseph united the interior life to the occupations of his state in life. Then reflecting on his own life, he examined if there were some defects to correct. Father Lalemant attained by this holy practice to a great union with God and he knew how to preserve it in the midst of occupations which seemed the most distracting.

3 Devotion to the Virgin Mary

The third was to unite himself spiritually to St. Joseph as spouse of the Mother of God; and considering the admirable lights which the saint had on the virginity and maternity of Mary, he encouraged himself to love this holy patriarch for the love of his holy spouse.

4 Adore the Christ Child

The fourth was to represent to himself the profound adoration and the paternal services which St. Joseph had rendered to the Child Jesus: he asked to be permitted to join with him in adoring, loving, and serving this Divine Infant with the tenderest affection and the profoundest veneration.

Philip Kosloski, Aleteia, - published on 12/14/20

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Physicist: 'Star of Bethlehem' may have been planetary alignment - Part 1

 Year of Saint Joseph | The Nativity of the Lord 2020| December 24-25 | 75th Anniversary Year

Physicist: 'Star of Bethlehem' may have been planetary alignment (Part One)

The celestial event that led the Magi to Jesus was an extremely rare and symbol-packed happening

The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on December 21 is being billed as a “Christmas Star.” Because the two massive planets will appear to be just .1 degree apart, they will look to Earthlings like one big bright star, suggestive of the Star of Bethlehem that heralded Jesus’ birth.

But if Grant Mathews’ theory is correct, it pales in comparison to what happened in the sky 2,020-odd years ago, lead-ing “wise men from the East” to seek out the newborn king.

Mathews, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology and Director of the Center for Astrophysics at the University of Notre Dame, normally pursues research in the fields of the origin and evolution of matter in the universe.

But as an avocation, he has been pondering just what it was that was so significant in the skies around 6 B.C. that would be immortalized in the Gospel.

Mathews says that the Magi were Zoroastrian priests from Babylon, and that they understood that the constellation Aries referred to the land of Judea.

“There is evidence from the writings of the famous astronomer Claudius Ptolemy and also from the minting of Roman coins at the time that Aries was the constellation thought to be associated with the region of Judea,” he says. “This was particularly significant as Aries was also the constellation containing the Vernal Equinox at that time and an event that occurred in Aries would there-fore imply the redemption and new life associated with the coming of spring.”

So a major planetary alignment in that particular part of the sky — where Aries was — would catch their attention.

“Interestingly, they had their own belief in a coming messiah, but their beliefs reflected a sense of determinism, which in their view was connected with the motions of the Sun, Moon, and planets in the sky,” Mathews said in a lecture he gave a few years ago at Notre Dame. “In their belief system, each constellation of the Zodiac was assigned to a different geographic region of influence. The location of the Sun, Moon, or planets in a constellation spoke of the character of a person born on that day. Especially if they were born in the geographic location associated with that constellation.”

Jupiter in retrograde

But what was the planetary alignment?

In a 2016 interview, Mathews noted that Michael Molnar put forward the hypothesis in the book The Star of Bethlehem that the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn appeared in Aries, “with Venus in the next-door constellation Pisces along with Mercury and Mars on the other side in the next constellation Taurus.”

What’s also significant is that Jupiter was in retrograde, meaning that from Earth’s perspective, the planet was following a course contrary to the other planets, but that it then reversed course, after appearing to stop.

The Gospel of Matthew notes, “The star came to rest in the place where the child was.” Mathews explains that it was “coming to rest” in Aries — the constellation associated with Judea, where the Christ Child was.

“In this case the star coming to rest would have been the planet Jupiter (the symbol of a ruler) that literally stopped its retrograde motion and ‘came to rest’ in the sky during its motion among the stars. The other planets and the Sun and Moon being there would have strengthened this and held great significance to the Magi. That is why they would have arrived in Herod’s court to ask, “where is the newborn ruler of Judea?”

In the belief system of the Magi, this was a very unusual and special event. At that time Aries was the location of the “Vernal Equinox.” The Sun located there was a symbol of spring and redemption. The occurrence of the Moon and Jupiter there at the same time were the symbol of a special destiny of the new ruler. Saturn was the symbol of life. The other “attending” planets were hold-ing this up as something special.

Mathews calculated that such an alignment would not occur again for more than 16,000 years, and even then would not be in the constellation of the Vernal equinox.

“I ran a calculation forward for 500,000 years and did not identify an alignment like this in the Vernal Equinox,” he said. “It was a truly unique event.”

John Burger,Aleteia, - published on 12/15/20

Merry Christmas

 Parish Bulletin | Year of Saint Joseph | Dec 19-20 2020: 4th Sunday of Advent | 75th Anniversary Year

5 Ways to better love each other as a family 

A guide for how you can grow a little bit closer every day.

The family is the most beautiful school of love, but sometimes, in the whirlwind of daily life, it can be difficult to love one another. Here are a few tips to cultivate that love no matter what.

1 Love is patient

St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 13:4 is a great line to meditate on during weekday afternoons, just when the baby starts to cry, the older brother refuses to do his homework, and

the little ones have transformed the bathtub into a swimming pool. In a situation like this, what mother hasn’t felt like she wants to escape to a desert island for a while?

of daily patience that permeates the little things. So before we enter the bathroom or approach the uncooperative student, send a little SOS up to Heaven:

Lord, grant me your patience!

This prayer lasts one second and changes everything.

2 Love is helpful

The family is the primary school of service. If we encourage our children to serve — starting by setting an example — it is not only because it makes family life more enjoyable and easy, but because through the many favors we receive from one another we discover that “serving” is not about doing as many good deeds as possible, but about being helpful.

If love demanded only that we serve, we could feel affection for each other after a certain number of favors. However, it is through all those services, however humble, that we are asked to give of ourselves. And we will never get to the end of that giving.

3 Love doesn't get angry

In family life, there are so many opportunities to get angry at each other! Don’t be surprised, that’s normal. Let’s not pretend that we never feel angry: feeling angry is neither inherently good nor bad. “Like all feelings, we don’t have the option to feel it or not. It’s just there,” says psychiatrist Dominique Megglé, who writes in her book Being Happy in the Family: “I’ve seen extraordinary, silent, murderous hatreds in families where it was forbidden to feel angry.”

It’s all about what we do with our anger: if we let it explode in any way, if we allow it to dictate our behavior, then it becomes toxic. Growing up in love means learning to manage our anger, not to let ourselves be carried away by the energy it mobilizes within us.

4 Love holds no grudges

It is sometimes difficult to discern what we have to forgive, especially when it is a matter of tiny, seemingly insignificant offenses. We tend not to address them, if only out of pride: it is very humiliating to recognize that we have been offended by something so trivial! But accumulated petty matters are more likely to stifle love than serious faults. When it comes to love, nothing is insignificant, and if we do not take care every day to forgive each other as a family, even the smallest things, we will cut ourselves off from each other, imperceptibly but surely.

5 Love finds its joy in truth

It is commonly said that “love is blind.” Amorous passion, perhaps, but not love. On the contrary, love sees the other in their truth, which is not necessarily revealed through appear-ance. To love the other is to remain attentive to what he or she is deep down and to find our joy in it. We know that routine is the worst enemy of wonder. When we see our spouse and children every day, we risk only looking at the surface of their being: those little quirks that annoy us, those personality traits that we well, those words and attitudes that no longer hold any surprise for us.

But this is not how God looks at them: He sees the depth of their being, the beauty that He has put in them. It is He who teaches us to look at our brothers and sisters in truth, with wonder and gratitude. Let us take the time to look at our spouse, our children, in the light of God. Let us take time to give thanks for all the wonders He has placed in them.

Christine PonsardEdifa - published on 12/15/20

Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary.

 Parish Bulletin | Year of Saint Joseph | Dec 12-13 2020: 3rd Sunday of Advent | 75th Anniversary Year

“Every day, for over forty years, following Lauds I have recited a prayer to Saint Joseph taken from a nineteenth-century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary.

It expresses devotion and trust, and even poses a certain challenge to Saint Joseph:

“Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen.”

- Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, 8/12/’20.

 Parish Bulletin | Nov 28-29 2020: 1st Sunday of Advent | 75th Anniversary Year

Spiritual tips on how to overcome hatred of someone

When you begin to feel strong feelings of anger against your neighbour, try this.

There are times in our lives when our anger can reach an unhealthy level, breeding severe hatred against a person who has wronged us in some way. This is not the Gospel way of life, and Jesus used strong words against such harmful thoughts, “But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment” (Matthew 5:22)

The good news is that with God’s grace, we can over-come our anger and practice charity, even when we are tempted to strike out in rage.

Venerable Louis of Granada, a Dominican priest of the 16th century, gave his advice in a book rightly called The Sinner’s Guide. In it, he gives a step-by-step plan for sinners who want to start practicing virtue and be released from their slavery to sin.

The first tip explains how we should think about Jesus and how he has borne so many offenses that come from us.

If it be hard to subdue your anger, excited by an injury from one of your fellow creatures, consider how much more God has borne from you and how much he has endured for you. Were you not his enemy when He shed the last drop of his Blood for you? And behold with what sweetness and patience he bears with your daily offenses against him, and with what mercy and tenderness he receives you when you return to him.

Jesus is patient with us; should we not be patient with others?

Furthermore, one of the reasons we get angry is because of an inordinate love of self.

The most efficacious, the sovereign remedy against this vice is to pluck from your heart inordinate love of self and of everything that pertains to you. Otherwise the slightest word or action directed against you or your interests will move you to anger. The more you are inclined to this vice the more persevering you should be in the practice of patience. Accustom yourself, as far as you can, calmly to face the contradictions and disappointments you are likely to encounter, and their effect upon you will thus be greatly diminished.

Last of all, remember to never act in anger, for when our feelings subside, we will have a much clearer mind.

Never act until your anger has subsided, or until you have once or twice repeated the Our Father or some other prayer. Plutarch tells of a wise man who, on taking leave of a monarch, advised him never to speak or act in anger, but to wait until he had repeated to himself the letters of the alphabet. Learn a lesson from this, and avoid the evil consequences of acting from the impulse of anger. Philip Kosloski, Aleteia,24/11/20

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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

AUTHOR: St Mark was not an Apostle and may not have been an eyewitness to the ministry of Christ, but he was associated closely with St Peter, whom he may have served as a scribe. He accompanied St Paul on some of his missionary travels, although they parted ways for a time due to some unknown disagreement (cf Acxts 13:5-13; 15:36-41; 2 Tim 4:11). He was also a cousin of St Barnabas, another of St Paul’s co-workers.

DATE: Mark makes no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem and. Therefore, was likely written before this catastrophe AD 70. The historian Eusebius and some modern scholars suggest that the Gospel may have been written before Matthew, but early Church tradition states that St Mark wrote his Gospel after AD 60. (from The Didache Bible)

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 Parish Bulletin | November 7-8 2020: 32nd Sunday | 75th Anniversary Year

Why Sts. Louis and Zelie are role models for today’s parents (Part 2)

Leonie was the cause of much worry and anxiety.

The Martins were not a perfect family, free of problems.

Louis and Zelie were not perfect parents. They each had their favorite daughter, and Zelie’s spicy letter, in which she confides to Pauline, still a teenager, how to “manipulate” her father, will make more than a few mothers see they are not alone in making mistakes! Like all parents they, too, had their share of inappropriate attitudes and hurtful words. But being a saint does not mean you are perfect, and for years they were faced with their shortcomings as parents with their daughter Leonie.

Ever since she was born, Leonie suffered from poor health, and was more intellectually limited than the other girls; she isolated herself and became a very difficult child. The housekeeper, Louise Marais, began mistreating her while Louis and Zelie were completely unaware, which explains why Leonie would flinch away when anyone came near. Zelie says it is one of the greatest sufferings of her life. Louis and Zelie responded with a two-sided trust. First of all trust in their child, whom they refused to label the “ugly duckling.” Every time Zelie mentions something that Leonie has done wrong (and her letters are full of examples!), she always adds: “but I know she is good, I believe she has a good heart.” And above all, trust in God, whom Louis and Zelie continually beseech with prayer for their child. And look at the result: the cause for Leonie’s beatification—quite moving itself because of all the difficulties in the process—began in 2015.

To what extent can this way of educating be an example for other parents to follow?

In practice, there is no “magic recipe” for educating your children. It is striking to see how Louis and Zelie give a different education to each of their daughters, according to their personality. For Pauline, who has a very assertive character, Zelie says that she never let her get away with anything, even if it hurt her heart to do so. For Therese, on the other hand, a very sensitive child who cried for the littlest things and then cried for having cried (!), Louis is nothing but gentleness and encouragement. One could multiply the examples: it is touching to see in the letters how Zelie carefully studied the character of each of her daughters to see what would suit each one best. There is no ready-made or perfect education, but what we can take from the Martins is their desire: to walk together, with our loved ones, with God—whom Louis and Zelie considered a member of their family—on the road to holiness. Holiness that they lived in their existence here on Earth as parents.

Interview by Antoine Pasquier Edifa - published on 19/10/20

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To see Father Peter Kerin and his perform-ing sheep dogs: www.youtube.com/watch v=UiJ9PSU3sXM

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“The Church is the one thing that saves a man from the degrading servitude of being a child of his own time.” - Chesterton

"He who wants to live as a good Catholic must be on his guard against those who speak against religion and its ministers, especially the Pope who is the father of all Catholics. Let it be said quite clearly: only a bad son speaks poorly of the Pope."

Don Bosco MB 3 607

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 March 21-22 2020 | March: Month of St Joseph | 4th Sunday in Lent

STAY FIRM IN FAITH, SEEK ST. JOSEPH'S INTER-CESSION, POPE SAYS

In a video message, Pope Francis encourages people to pray together March 19, 2020, "entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, guardian of our families," as the world faces the coronavirus pan-demic.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the daily lives and routines of millions of people have been turned upside down, Pope Francis said, but they must help each other stay firm in faith.

In a video message released March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, the pope said Jesus' stepfather also knew "uncertainty and disappointment" and worry about what the future would bring, but he still placed himself without reservation into God's hands.

The Vatican released the text of the pope's message a few hours before the video was to be broadcast as part of a campaign, led by the Italian bishops' conference, to have Catholics pray the rosary together for an end to the pandemic, for the healing of the sick and for the well-being of families in their second week of lockdown.

"The rosary is the prayer of the humble and of the saints who use its mysteries to contemplate with Mary the life of Jesus, the merciful face of the Father," the pope said in his message. "How we all need to be truly consoled, to feel surrounded by his loving presence!"

"With the Virgin Mother, we beg the Lord to free the world from every form of pandemic," he prayed.

Pope Francis said he understood how the lockdown could be difficult for families whose worlds now are "restricted to the walls of our homes," but he urged people to be kind and gentle and "be the first to demonstrate charity, understanding, patience, forgiveness."

"This evening," he said, "we pray together, entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, guardian of our families. Even the carpenter from Nazareth knew uncertainty and disappointment, concern about the future, but he also knew how to walk in the dark of certain moments letting himself be guided, without reservation, by God's will."

Pope Francis prayed that God would enlighten scientists seeking a cure for the pandemic and political leaders, so that, like St. Joseph, they would safeguard the good of all those entrusted to their care.

"Sustain those who give of themselves for the needy," he prayed to St. Joseph, mentioning especially "the volunteers, nurses (and) doctors, who are on the frontlines in caring for the sick, even at the cost of their own safety."

He prayed that God would make the church "a sign and instrument of your light and goodness."

"St. Joseph," he prayed, "accompany families. With your prayerful silence, build harmony between parents and children, especially the smallest ones."

And, he continued, "protect the elderly from solitude. Make sure that no one is left in the desperation of abandonment and discouragement. Console those who are most fragile, encourage those who waver, intercede for the poor."

Cindy Wooden | Catholic News Service

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Why is the feast of St. Joseph on March 19?

 March 14-15 2020 | March: Month of St Joseph | 3rd Sunday in Lent | Parish Marian Year

Why is the feast of St. Joseph on March 19? Devotion to St. Joseph, husband of Mary, can be traced back to the beginning of the Church

Devotion to St. Joseph, husband of Mary, can be traced back to the beginning of the Church, with a local feast dedicated to St. Joseph confirmed in Egypt as early as the 4th century. One of the earliest dates for honoring St. Joseph was July 20.

However, a commemoration of St. Joseph was soon added to the Byzantine calendar on December 26. Many Eastern Churches continue this celebration, mentioning Joseph as “Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed.” According to the Orthodox Church, “Saint Joseph is commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity. If there is no Sunday between December 25 and January 1, his Feast is moved to Decem-ber 26.” This celebration of Joseph puts him near the feast of Christ’s birth, December 25, an event he was present for, according to the Gospel accounts.

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

In the Western Church, the feast of St. Joseph wasn’t fixed until the 15th century. According to some traditions, March 19 was the day of Joseph’s death, though there is little evidence to support it, as it is unclear when Joseph died. It is certain that he was present when Jesus was 12 and “lost in the Temple” but there is no mention of him at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, say at the wedding in Cana, when Our Lord turned the water to wine.

The Bible is entirely silent about his death and as a result, the Church relies on oral traditions passed down over the centuries.

By 1621 Pope Gregory XV extended a feast of St. Joseph to the entire Church and it was elevated even more when Pope Pius IX declared Joseph the “Patron of the Universal Church” in 1870. For many decades March 19 was a holy day of obligation on par with other major feasts in the Catholic Church.

This placement of St. Joseph in March puts him in proximity to another biblical episode where he is directly mentioned. On March 25 the Church commemorates the Annunciation of the Lord, when the angel Gabriel visited the Blessed Virgin Mary. As the Gospel of Matthew narrates, “before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly” (Matthew 1:18-19).

The primary focus of the feast on March 19 is revealed in the liturgical title, “Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” This solemnity — with the highest liturgical ranking accorded to saints — honours his commitment to Mary and dedication as a faithful and devoted husband.

St. Joseph’s Day is a beautiful feast, one that is beloved and cherished by Catholics around the world

Philip Kosloski | Mar 18, 2019

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2020:

January 1880: 140th anniversary of OLR Primary School

May 3 1820: 200th anniversary of arrival of Fr John Therry, Fr Philip Conolly.

May 18 1920: Centenary of birth of Pope Saint John Paul II.

200th anniversary of Catholic education in Australia.

May 8(Europe)/Sept 2(Pacific) 1945: 75th anniversary of end of World War II.

August 10-15: World Apostolic Congress of Mercy, Samoa.

December 8 1870: 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.

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“No one will ever be able worthily to praise Joseph, whom thou, O true only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, has deigned to have for thy foster father!” St Ephrem the Syrian.

“In Joseph, heads of the household are blessed with the unsurpassed model of fatherly watchfulness and care.”

Leo XIII

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 February 22-23 2020 | 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time | Parish Marian Year

What Francis thinks of John Paul II: New book-interview on “John Paul the Great” (Part 1)

Pope Francis also speaks out about gender ideology as one of the evils of the day.

Out now in Italian bookstores (and translations already underway) is the most recent book by Pope Francis, dedicated to his Polish predecessor, titled “Saint John Paul the Great” (“San Giovanni Paolo Magno”). To be precise, it’s a book-interview collaboration with a young Italian priest (also a professor and author), Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco.

We spoke with the author:

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Aleteia: When and how did the idea of the book come about?

Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco: The idea was born during a conversation with the pope in June of last year: I told him about my project of a short spiritual biography for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope Wojtyła. At that point, the pope told me some personal anecdotes related to his predecessor, and from there came the idea of collecting his testimony and including it in this book. From then until Christmas we met periodically to organize and put together this shared project.

Aleteia: Between John Paul II and Francis … is there room for Benedict XVI?

Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco: One could not think of the first two without the third: Benedict remains the true bridge between the end of an important pontificate like that of John Paul II and another important pontificate, which would never have existed without the choices and intuitions of Pope Benedict.

Several times, moreover, in the course of conversations, Pope Francis reiterated that, in his opinion, in 2005 the only person who could take up the legacy of John Paul II was Cardinal Ratzinger.

Aleteia: Which section of this book is dearest to you?

Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco: In the chapter “The Priest” I asked the Holy Father for a word about spiritual direction, given that in Christus Vivit he also invited young people to be accompanied in their growth and that John Paul II himself had several exceptional companions, among them the lay saint Jan Tyranowski. The pope has repeatedly stressed that the ministry of spiritual direction should not be thought of primarily as something that the Church can or should codify, in the manner of established ministries:

“… basically spiritual direction is a charisma. It is not so much a function, but a paternity, a brotherhood that finds its ultimate root not in our organization but in the life of the Spirit. Certainly it’s inherent in the priest’s duty to offer direction, but I reiterate the basic idea that spiritual direction is a charism, which in some cases is strongly manifested and in others is more difficult to recognize, and that it is not only something given to priests but also to lay people and consecrated women, because it is a charism of the baptized.”

Pope Francis (with Luigi Maria Epicoco), St. John Paul the Great, 76-77 (to be continued).

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Some 2020 anniversaries:

January 1880: 140th anniversary of OLR Primary School

May 3 1820: 200th anniversary of arrival of Fr John Therry, Fr Philip Conolly.

May 18 1920: Centenary of birth of Pope Saint John Paul II.

200th Anniversary of Catholic education in Australia.

May 8/Sept 2 1945: 75th anniversary of end of World War II.

December 8 1870: 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.

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Meditate on God’s presence after communion

February 15-16 2020
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Parish Marian Year

Do you stop to realize that the God of the universe is inside you at communion?

 

Often the familiarity with attending Mass and receiving holy communion can make us indifferent to what is truly happen-ing.
As Catholics, we believe that Jesus Himself is present in the Eucharist in a unique way. His entire body, blood, soul and divinity is there in the consecrated host and when we receive communion, we are receiving the God of the universe into our hearts.

 

Do we ever stop to meditate on that profound truth?
Mother Mary Loyola in her book, Welcome! Holy Communion, provides a brief meditation on this reality that can help awaken in us an awe at what is happening at Mass. Sometimes we need a little "poke" to see the divine mysteries that occur and to un-derstand who is coming inside us at communion.

How near I am now, nay, how closely united I am now, to the Source of all good. I cross my hands upon my breast and know that, folded there, is all good.

And He is here to share with me, like a true lover, all that He has and is. Within my breast is:

All His Omnipotence to protect me—"Thou shalt know that the Lord thy God is a strong and faithful God" (Deut. vii.).


All His Wisdom to guide me—"Abide thou with Me, tear not" (i Kings xxii.).

All His loving-kindness to help me—" I will not leave thee nor forsake thee" (Jos. i.).

All His charity to warm me—" Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. xii.).

All His zeal to enkindle mine, for "The charity of Christ presseth us" (2 Cor. v.).

All His treasures to enrich me, for "He that spared not even His own Son…how hath He not also with Him given us all things!" (Rom. viii.).


All His merits to plead for me—"Ever living to make inter-cession for us" (Heb. vii.).

How near to me is all this in the supremely precious mo-ments after Communion! Not at my door, not within my reach, but absolutely within my breast. Open, then, Thy hand to me, O Lord, and fill Thy needy creature with benediction by filling it with Thyself.

Philip Kosloski , Aleteia, Jan 23, 2020

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Jesus to a Benedictine monk, In Sinu Jesu, p 106: "It is in these few precious moments after Holy Communion that My Heart seeks to hold conversation with My friends, but so many turn away from Me to busy themselves about many things. Of you, My friend, I ask something more. Re-main with Me for these few moments. Listen for the sound of My voice in your heart. Know that My desire is to speak to you and to listen to all that you have to tell Me. It is in these moments that I am most disposed to grant the re-quests made of Me in faith." (Friday March 13, 2009)  
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A prayer to the Holy Family of Nazareth to bring love to your own family

Heavenly Father, we ask You to bless our family.

Open our hearts to receive Your love. May our home be another Nazareth,

so that our family may be a place where Your peace and love abides.

Open our eyes to recognize the gift and beauty of life,

so that we may find joy in Your presence among us.

Grant us pure hearts seeking holiness, generous hearts full of Your love,

merciful hearts ready to forgive and tender hearts full of kindness.

May our family be a sanctuary of life and love,

a beacon of hope

drawing others to your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us.

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Some 2020 anniversaries:
 January 1880: 140th anniversary of OLR Primary School

May 3 1820: 200th anniversary of arrival of Fr John Therry, Fr Philip Conolly.

200th anniversary of Catholic education in Australia.

May 8/Sept 2 1945: 75th anniversary of end of World War II.

December 8 1870: 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.



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5 Keys to a good education according to St. John Bosco

February 1-2 2020 - Presentation of the Lord



Parish Marian Year
On January 31, we celebrate St. John Bosco. An extraordinary educator, this Italian priest founded the Salesian Order and cre-ated an educational system that has lost nothing of its pertinence today.
John Bosco was born in the vicinity of Turin in 1815. He lost his father at the age of two and was lovingly raised by his mother. In order to continue his educa-tion, he had practiced numerous small trades. Having become a priest, he developed a network for young apprentices arriving from the countryside and proposed training for the unemployed in the streets of Turin. Later, he opened a series of boarding schools (where he received the future St. Dominic Savio). The Salesian Society was inaugurated in 1854 to continue his work. At his death in 1888, Don Bosco’s work spread beyond the borders of Italy. Still today, his teaching method remains relevant and can be helpful to parents and educators.

Here are five key elements to retain from this teaching method.
1. Transform children into "honest citizens and good Christians"
Don Bosco’s teaching method includes all aspects that make up a person – intellect, technology, sports, expression, affection, and religion. Don Bosco wished "to create honest citizens and good Christians."


2. Boost self-confidence and trust in others

An education on how to be successful includes: teach-ing children how to be confident, highlighting success and in case of failure, encouraging the ability to over-come it. The goal is to provide self-confidence and trust in others: "There is no confidence without affection, without confidence, there is no education," affirmed John Bosco.

3. Let children know they are loved


It is an education of love that accepts young people as they are, and desires that they thrive and manifests true affection.  

4. Never forget fun and games  Among many other things, games develop the sense of reality, respect for rules, and socialization. "Let us pro-vide ample liberty to jump, run and cry with joy. Gym, music, drama, excursions improve both physical and mental health," said Don Bosco.
 
5. And above all teach about grace


One must encourage children to live in grace as a path to saintliness. A good education is first of all a fruit of God’s love.

Edifa , Aleteia, Jan 29, 2020


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Kobe Bryant’s last great acts
With the sudden death of Basketball Legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, on Sunday, a lot has been shared in the press and on social media about Bryant’s outstanding talent and drive, and the motivational force he was on the basketball court which inspired millions. Though some of his past choices off the court were not without controversy, some of the greatest praise he has received was for the kind of man and dad he had become. In his last 24 hours, the Philadelphia native demonstrated this, away from the heights of the basketball hoop.

On the day of his death, a Sunday, many reports have said that Bryant started his day at the Catholic church in Orange County, California, where he regularly at-tends. As Fr. David Barnes shared on Twitter, Bryant’s commitment to his faith will be a great source of com-fort to those who mourn him, and inspiration for oth-ers to go to Mass:

"As sad as Kobe’s death is, a friend texted me today to tell me that a friend of her’s attends the same Catholic Church as Kobe and saw him this morning at Mass. There can be nothing more consoling to those who mourn than to know that a loved one worshipped God right before his death because worshipping God is what heaven is. Go to Mass. Go to Mass. Go to Mass."

Singer Cristina Ballestero spoke of meeting Bryant one day during Communion at Holy Family Cathedral and posted on Instagram the impact the encounter had on her: "His most inspiring trait was his decision to turn to his faith in God and receive God’s mercy and to be a better man after a regretful decision."

Cerith Gardiner, Aleteia, Jan 28, 2020

May his soul Rest in Peace

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Baptism facts: Do you know yours?

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Parish Marian Year

Your baptismal anniversary is an important event to celebrate year after year. Here’s how to prepare.

As the Church celebrates the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, it gives believers an opportunity to pause and remember their own baptisms.

The majority of Catholics have no memories of their baptism, and that’s because they were baptized as infants. For some though, the memory is strong, as they were baptized as an adult after going through the RCIA process. Regardless of age, what do you know about your baptism?

Let’s pause and remember the facts of our own baptism: the where, when, and who of our baptism.


Where were you baptized?

The church of your baptism is important. In the Cath-olic Church, when you get ordained or married, you need to contact the parish of baptism and have them issue a new baptismal certificate with notations. The parish keeps a baptismal register and updates it with notifications when an individual receives significant sacraments and, where applicable, an annulment.

The church of your baptism probably had some significance in your family’s life. It could be the church where one of your parents grew up in or the local parish in the community you were raised.
When’s the last time you visited the church where you were baptized? Does it still exist? Maybe it’s time to make a visit and remember the sacramental grace be-stowed on you that day.


When were you baptized?

The date of one’s baptism is also significant. Some reli-gious communities of monks and nuns don’t even cele-brate a person’s birthday, and instead celebrate their anniversary of baptism. It’s such an important date because it was on that day we became adopted children of God, claimed for Christ Jesus, and washed clean of original sin.

Do you know the date of your baptism? Have you ever celebrated it? If not, find out, and plan to do some-thing special on that day, like a religious pilgrimage, going to Mass, or celebrating the sacrament of Recon-ciliation.


Who baptized you?
Were you baptized by a deacon, priest, bishop, or, by some rare chance, the pope? You may have been baptized by a lay person, too, in an emergency situa-tion, if it was in the hospital.
Find out who baptized you. Pray for them. Write them a note thanking them, or if you are brave enough, go and visit them.

 
Who are your godparents?
Hopefully you can readily answer that question because they have played an active role in your life. If not, that can encourage you, if you are a godparent, to be a better godparent to your godchild than they were to you. Godparents should be a part of the child’s life, especially in their spiritual life.

Pray for your godparents, and if it has been a while since you contacted them, send them a message letting them know you are thinking of them.


 How will you remember your baptism?

• Each time you go into a church and bless yourself with holy water, you have an opportunity to remember your baptism.
• The very fact we call ourselves Christians is a re-minder to us of who we are as baptized children of God.
• Besides remembering the facts of your baptism, con-sider renewing your baptismal promises to reject Sa-tan and his empty promises on a weekly basis. This spiritual practice could be something you undertake as a family prayer at the beginning of each week. 
• Bless yourself with holy water before retiring for the night.

These are simple ways for us to always remember our baptism. And perhaps the best thing we can do, is strive to live up to the words that the Father says of Jesus: This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. Live a life pleasing to God each day as His be-loved son or daughter.

Fr. Edward Looney | Jan 08, 2020

Saint Joseph Vaz

January 11-12 2020
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Parish Marian Year

This Thursday we celebrate the feast day of recently canonised ‘Apostle of Sri Lanka’, Saint Joseph Vaz. Joseph Vaz was born on 21st April 1651 in Goa, which at that time was the capital of the Portuguese colonies in the Far East.


His devout parents brought him up in the faith and he studied humanities with the Jesuits and theology with the Domini-cans. Ordained priest in 1676, he worked for several years in the Kanara region of Southern India.

After nearly ten years in Kanara he returned to Goa, and in 1686 he founded an Oratory of Saint Philip Neri there with a group of other priests, receiving advice and help from the Oratorian houses then in Portugal. Only one year later, in 1687, he felt called to leave Goa and go as a missionary to the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where he knew that Catholics were being persecuted and where there had been no priests for several decades.

He remained on that island for twenty four years, exercising his heroic priestly ministry in very restrictive circumstances. He was rigorously pursued and persecuted by the oppressive Dutch Calvinist authorities who wanted to put an end to his single-handed yet successful efforts at rebuilding the Church and keeping Catholicism alive in Ceylon. He had to travel everywhere in disguise and was obliged to celebrate the sacraments secretly at night.
Fr. Vaz decided to make his base in the kingdom of Kandy in the island’s interior. On his arrival there he was arrested as a spy and put in prison. He was released after he had prayed for and obtained what was regarded by all as a miraculous fall of rain, ending a prolonged drought. After that the Buddhist king of Kandy gave him his personal protection.

In 1696 several Fathers of the Oratory in Goa joined him in Ceylon and a properly constituted Catholic mission was established there. Fr. Vaz refused the position of Vicar Apostolic, preferring to remain a simple missionary priest. Among his other pastoral work he translated a catechism and prayers into the local languages, Singalese and Tamil. The people called him ‘Sammanasu Swam’ – the angelic priest.

By the start of 1711 he knew he was dying. On 16th January he received the Last Rites with members of his flock gathered around his bed. He told them, "Always live according to God’s inspiration." At midnight, with a candle in his hand, he died pronouncing the holy Name of Jesus with great clarity and fervour. He was sixty years old.

Fr. Joseph’s devotion to the pastoral apostolate made him a timely and efficacious instrument of divine Providence at a critical moment in the Catholic missionary history of South East Asia. During his lifetime his pastoral successes brought him to the attention of the Church authorities in Portugal and Rome. After his death the exemplary zeal he had shown as a missionary made him a continuing inspiration for the missionary priests of his adopted island and beyond. His apostolate there left a tremendous legacy: 70,000 Catholics, 15 churches and 400 chapels. He became known as the Apostle of Ceylon.

Unfortunately the exact whereabouts of his remains is uncertain.

He was beatified in Sri Lanka by Pope John Paul II on 21st June 1995, and was canonized there by Pope Francis on Wednesday 14th January 2015.

His liturgical feast day is 16th January.

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As pope turns 83, these are some of his secrets for staying young:

January 4-5 2020
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Parish Marian Year


 Pope Francis lives in peace with himself and he’s explained over the years how he does it.
Take rest in God
Pope Francis takes time each day to "rest in God," and to discern his will. "He reveals his loving plan when we are in repose," explains the pope, adding that this rest is necessary for the "health of our spirit and of our bodies."

Even though it’s difficult to create this space of quiet restful-ness in God, "it is essential for hearing the voice of God, and understanding what he asks of us."
 Early to bed, early to rise
 Francis maintains a regular daily schedule and it’s said he turns in before 9 p.m., so as to be awake by 4 a.m. He also has a short siesta after lunch.

And, well, he’s at peace with himself if sleep sneaks up on him in prayer. "I sometimes fall asleep when I pray," he admitted with a smile during an interview in 2017. "St. Therese of the Child Jesus said that she did as well, but that she was still pleasing to God."
The pope explained: A believer should be with God "like a child in the arms of his father" since "this is one of the many ways to bless the name of God, to feel like a child in his arms."


De-stress with prayer


Pope Francis affirms that the best way to keep stress at bay is, simply, to pray. And he prays a lot. "I pray according to my style. I love the breviary and I always have it with me. Mass, every day. The Rosary … When I pray, I always turn to the Bible. And then peace grows within me."


Keep a sense of humor

"Without a sense of humour, it’s hard to be happy," Francis says in God Is Young. The Holy Father says that a Christian should always have a sense of humor because it’s necessary for "enjoying life, for getting enthusiastic about things." Quoting Chesterton, he adds, "Life is much too important to be taken seriously."

In 2014, he told the Roman Curia that he prays Thomas More’s Prayer for Good Humour every day:


Prayer for Good Humor by St. Thomas More
 
Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something

to digest. Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good

humor to maintain it. Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil, but rather finds the means to put things back in their place. Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments,

nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called "I." Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humor. Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy, and to be able to share it with others.

 

Finally, say no to sin and yes to God


Lastly, Pope Francis’ fountain of youth is found in his clear conscience. "What ages a person isn’t years, it’s sin," he explains. Thus, Our Lady gives the most resplendent example of enduring youthfulness: "Her youthfulness is not in her age, nor is her beauty in her exterior appearance. …" Francis noted. "In many paintings, Mary is represented sitting before an angel with a book in her hands. This book is Scripture. Mary always listened to God and spent her time with him. The Word of God was her secret: near her heart, it took flesh in her womb."

Following Our Lady, the Holy Father invites us all to open our hearts to the grace of youthfulness by saying no to sin and living a luminous life in our "yes" to God.

Marzena Devoud and Kathleen N. Hattrup, Aleteia, Dec 17, 2019

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"For Catholics it is a fundamental dogma of the Faith that all human beings, without any exception whatever, are specially made, were specially shaped and pointed like shining arrows, for the end of hitting the mark of Beatitude."


Chesterton, The Thing



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