Today's Stational Church: The Third Saturday of Lent

Today's stational church is at the Church of St. Susanna:

Today's liturgy places before us three women—one in the white garment of virginity, the other in the blue mantle of chastity and the third in the purple robe of penitence. The first shows the triumph of Christ's redemption, the second, the power of faith in the coming Messiah, the third, the compassion of the Good Shepherd, who came to seek what was lost.

The first is today's stational guide—St. Susanna, to whom the vow of virginity and consecration to Christ, the royal Bridegroom, meant more than the princely hand of the unprincely Galerius Maximianus. She refused his hand in marriage and was put to death.

The other Susanna is the chaste wife of Joachim living in Babylon in the days of Daniel, the prophet. Two adulterous men, ever to be remembered as a disgrace to manhood, two judges, who perverted justice and drowned their manly honor in the pool of perjury, were this pure women's adversaries. But Susanna prefers to be a victim of the hellish vengeance of her accusers than sin against her God.

And now the third one—the woman caught in adultery. She lost her virginity, her chastity, and has broken fidelity to her marriage vows. "she must be stoned," was the cry. She was an outcast in the eyes of her merciless accusers, who themselves were whitened sepulchers inwardly full of worms. Jesus, the new Daniel, came to her rescue. He condemned her sin, but raised her from an erring sheep to a penitential follower. "Has no one condemned you, woman? No one, Sir. Neither will I condemn you. Now sin no more."

Let us pray: Extend to Thy faithful the right hand of heavenly help, that they may seek Thee with their whole hearts and deserve to obtain what they ask for worthily. Through Christ, Our Lord.Amen.

(Source: St. John Cantius Parish)

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The Annunciation of the Lord

Annunciation by Paolo Veronese
Solemnity (1969 Calendar): March 25

1st Class (1962 Calendar): March 25
Double of the I Class (1954 Calendar): March 25

Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, where we recall that through Mary's obedience Jesus came was conceived in her womb. Today is March 25nd, 9 months before Christmas day.  The Annunciation, set nine months before Christmas on March 25, was formerly such a great feast day in Christendom that it was the beginning of the civil/legal year in England until their transition to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, and remained a holy day of obligation for American Catholics until 1884. March 25th is the most important day in human history 3 times over!

This important feastday in the Church is of great importance, even if it is not currently a Holy Day of Obligation.  On years in which the 25th of March falls on a Sunday during Lent, the Annunciation is transferred to the following Monday, March 26th. However, if March 25th falls during Holy Week, the Feast is transferred to the Monday after Low Sunday, since that is the first day after March 25th that is not a 1st Class Feast. Some years the Feast of the Annunciation falls during Passion Week, the week before Holy Week, and in which case, the images of our Lady continue to remain veiled. Annunciation Day though is still a day of fasting and abstinence during Lent.

At the Annunciation our salvation began - Our God came down and became one of us, destined to die for us. Through Mary's fiat (her "yes"), God became man and for nine months rested in her womb. Sadly, many mothers today do not understand the gift of life in their wombs so they resort to abortion. But was Jesus alive and fully human in Mary's womb! Abortion kills a living human person. Let us meditate on Jesus' love and an end to abortion today as well as Mary's role as Co-Redemptrix.

Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

"The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her."

Collect:

O God, Who, by the message of an angel, willed Your Word to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Your suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

Prayer to Our Lady of the Annunciation:

Queen of heaven and earth, daughter of the Father, Mother of the divine Son, spouse of the Holy Spirit, I praise God for the unique grace given to you. Mary, you became the great Mother of our divine Savior, our Master, true Light of the world, uncreated Wisdom, source of all truth and first Apostle of truth. You gave the world the book to read, the eternal Word. For this I bless the holy Trinity and I ask you to obtain for me the grace of heavenly wisdom, to be a fervent disciple of Jesus and to be lovingly devoted to the Church, the pillar of truth. Make the light of the Gospel shine to the farthest bounds of the earth. Queen of the Apostles, pray for us!

Prayer Source: Fr. James Alberion

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Pope Benedict XVI Installs New Cardinals

Today Pope Benedict XVI formally installed the 15 New Cardinals to the College of Cardinals bringing their number to 193. However, only 120 would be able to vote for the next pope as of now; only cardinals under 80 years old are eligible to vote.

During the beautiful Mass at St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, each new Cardinal received the three-cornered biretta hat as well as a nomination scroll.

The new Cardinals are as follows:

1. William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
2. Franc Rode, prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes for Consecrated Life.
3. Agostino Vallini, prefect of the Tribunal for the Apostolic Signatura.
4. Carlo Caffarra, archbishop of Bologna, Italy
5. Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, Poland
6. Nicolas Cheong-Jin-Suk, archbishop of Seoul, Korea
7. Joseph Zen, bishop of Hong Kong
8. Gaudencio B. Rosales, archbishop of Manila
9. Antonio Canizares Llovera, archbishop of Toledo, Spain
10. Sean Patrick O'Malley, archbishop of Boston
11. Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France
12. Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino, archbishop of Caracas
13. Andrea Cordero Lanza Di Montezemolo
14. Peter Poreku Dery
15. Rev. Albert Vanhoye

Photo Source: CBS (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

More Images:


Image Sources: Boston Globe Staff Photo/ David Ryan

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Pray for the Repose of the Soul of Mr. Tee

I received this Prayer Request in my inbox today:

Dear friends, Please pray for the soul of a wonderful man Mr. Simon Tee. He has gone to be with our Saviour yesterday after been admitted in the hospital for a couple of days due to very high fever and breathing difficulties. Please do also pray for his family to have the strength to go through this difficult time.

In paradisum deducant te Angeli:

in tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres,

et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.

Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat,

et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.

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The Joy of Eucharistic Miracles

Do not doubt. In the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem: "Since Christ Himself has said, 'This is My Body' who shall dare to doubt that It is His Body?"

Today we have the greatest source of mercy and joy among us, but how many of us go to adore Him in the Eucharist? How many of us actually believe and live out that belief every day of our lives not just Sunday? The truth is that few people adore Jesus in respect to the number of Catholics in the world. Jesus Christ lives on just as He lived in Bethlehem. But again, only the humble Shepard-like people go out to meet Him.

The Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord. There is nothing less wonderful about it; Jesus Christ is really present in the Sacred Host. I will continue to repeat this because it is so miraculous. Jesus Christ at the Last Supper instituted the Eucharist when He said to His Apostles: "This is My Body...This is My Blood..." In Consecration the bread and wine cease to be bread and wine and truly become Our Savior. The only thing remaining of bread and wine is the appearance (called the accidents).

Only in the Catholic Church is Jesus truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist. This is the great proof that the Catholic Church is the one true Church of Jesus Christ.

Throughout history, there have been rare instances when even the appearance of bread and wine left. These Eucharistic Miracles not only confirm the Real Presence but also that Jesus Christ remains with us. The Miracle of Lanciano, Italy (8th Century); Cascia, Italy (1300s); and Sienna, Italy (1730) are just two miraculous events.

Learn more at the Real Presence Association

PRAYER: O sweetest Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may love Thee more and more. Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

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Stational Church for the Friday in the Third Week of Lent

Today's Stational Church is at the Church of St. Lawrence in Lucina

For the second time this week, the chaste Deacon Lawrence is our processional leader to the Savior of the world. Last Sunday, we knelt at his tomb and heard his encouraging words: "walk as children of the light …"

Today, we are making our pilgrimage to the church containing a large portion of the gridiron on which this holy Deacon made his last and most perfect oblation to God.It was during the forty years passed in the desert that Moses and Aaron asked God to bring from the rock-a figure of Christ-"a spring of living water," so that all the people could quench their thirst. During these forty days of Lent, the Church asks Christ to give us the living water about which he spoke to the woman of Samaria near Jacob's well-the water, which quenches our thirst forever. This water is our faith in Jesus. It is grace.

It is the blood, which flows from the wounds of the Savior, and which through baptism, penance and the other sacraments, purifies our souls, and gushes forth into eternal life, of which it assures us a share.

Let us pray: Show me, O Lord, a toke for good; that they, who hate me may see and be confounded because Thou, O Lord, hast helped me and hast comforted me. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

(Source: St. John Cantius Parish)

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Words from Mother Teresa for Lent

Remember these words this Lent:

Blessed Mother Teresa -

"Who Is Jesus to Me? Jesus is the Hungry to be fed. Jesus is the Thirsty to be satiated. Jesus is the Naked to be clothed. Jesus is the Homeless to be taken in. Jesus is the Sick to be healed. Jesus is the Lonely to be loved. Who Is Jesus to Me? Jesus is the Love to be loved. Jesus is the Joy to be shared. Jesus is the Sacrifice to be offered. Jesus is the Peace to be given. Who Is Jesus to Me? Jesus is the Word to be spoken. Jesus is the Truth to be told. Jesus is the Way to be walked. Jesus is the Light to be lit. Jesus is the Life to be lived."

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Stational Church of March 23, 2006

Today we continue the Stational Churches of Lent. Today's Station is the Basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian.

"This church, made from two pagan temples, holds the bodies of the holy martyrs, Cosmas and Damian, who were put to death during the Diocletian persecution. The sick came in crowds to visit the tomb of these two brothers, doctors by profession, imploring them to restore their health. 

"The "unsalaried" physicians, Cosmas and Damian, devoted time and talents to the service of the poor and the sick, so that, by curing the infirmities of the body without remuneration, they might more easily win immortal souls for Christ. Today, the Divine Physician will again come and refresh you. He carries with him the divine antidote, the Eucharistic medicine for the healing of our infirmities. 

"Let us pray: May the blessed solemnity of Thy saints, Cosmas and Damian, magnify Thee, O Lord, by which Thou hast both granted eternal glory to them and assistance to us by Thy ineffable providence. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. " 

(Source: St. John Cantius Parish)

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Why Is the Pope Called "Holy Father"?

Holy Father is not an official title of the Pope. As of this year, the Pope's official titles are "Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God." Traditionally, the Pope also has the title "Patriarch of the West."

The early Church even used the expression "Holy Father" to refer to other holy members of the Church at the time. St. Augustine wrote, "I beseech you to convey my respectful salutation to the holy father Alypius, worthy of all esteem" (cf. Letter LXXXI). And St. Athanasius wrote in the Life of St. Anthony: "the life and conversation of our holy Father, Antony: written and sent to the monks in foreign parts by our Father among the Saints, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria." Both of these saints lived before 400 AD, so the origin of this expression is quite ancient.

Consequently, the custom was adopted to refer to the Pope as "Holy Father" as well. As the Catholic Education center writes: "On the part of the faithful, a filial, loving relationship, which recognizes in the one so addressed or spoken to, a mission of spiritual fatherhood, expressing that of God toward us, in the threefold charge confided to the Church of preaching the Good News of salvation, of sanctifying the believers, and of gathering together the dispersed children of God. This is a special and supreme responsibility of the Pope in the Church’s threefold mission of teaching, governing and sanctifying, as Prophet, Priest, and Shepherd."

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The Stational Church for Wednesday in the 3rd Week of Lent

Today's Station is at the Chuch of St. Sixtus in Rome:

The St. Sixtus Stational Church is located on the Appian Way and is a parish church dating to the fifth century. It was in this church that the catechumens were presented to the Church by their sponsors. Their names were written on tablets of ivory covered in leather, which were read at the Commemoration of the Living. After the Collect of the Mass, the catechumens received the initial parts of the Baptismal ceremony, viz. the rites of exsufflation, of the sign of the cross, of the imposition of hands and that of the salt.

In an age, which makes light of God's commandments, it is of special importance that the faithful be uncompromising in the observance of the "ways of life." Let us be "the salt of the earth and the light of the world," as our holy leader Sixtus was in the third century. We invite this holy pontiff to precede us to the altar and to ask for us "that we, who seek the grace of God's protection, may serve Him with a quiet mind.

Let us pray: Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that disciplined by wholesome fasting, and abstaining from all vices, we may more easily gain forgiveness. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

(Source: St. John Cantius Parish)

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