Category Archives: News

News, Papal Address

The Reason for Hope

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Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has a way of succinctly expressing profound truths that really resonate with me. On October 15, a film entitled Bells of Europe (Campane d’Europa) was shown in a special screening for the Synod of Bishops. In it, Pope Benedict expresses the 3 reasons why he is hopeful about the Christian future of Europe:

  • The first reason for my hope consists in the fact that the desire for God, the search for God, is profoundly inscribed into each human soul and cannot disappear.
  • The second reason for my hope lies in the fact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, faith in Jesus Christ, is quite simply true; and the truth never ages.
  • A third reason is evident in the fact that this sense of restlessness today exists among the young who are beginning their journey making new discoveries of the beauty of Christianity; not a cut-price or watered-down version, but Christianity in all its radicalism and profundity.

He goes on to say that Christianity in Europe has deep foundations. That is Christianity; it is true and the truth always has a future.

News

Embracing the Past and Looking to the Future

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In this Year of Faith, the Holy Father has asked each one of us to rediscover the Faith that we profess, celebrate, live and pray. For religious congregations, it is an opportunity to reflect on their founding charism and embrace with fresh vigor this guiding Spirit made known in a particular time and place in the world.

For the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in East Peoria, Illinois, part of this means a return to a more traditional habit. They will soon be wearing a full length habit with a longer veil, scapular, cord and the Franciscan Crown rosary.

As an aside, the Franciscan Crown rosary commemorates the  seven joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Annunciation, Visitation, Birth of our Lord, Adoration of the Magi, Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, the Resurrection, and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven and her Coronation). At the end of the seventh decade two Hail Marys are added to complete the number of years (72) that the Blessed Virgin is said to have lived on earth.

The congregation is an IRL Affiliate Community whose primary apostolate is to care for the sick and the poor. However, their co-founder, Bishop John Lancaster Spalding, was a great promoter of education. Their Major Superior, Sr. Judith Ann, OSF, recently announced that they would like to expand their work to serve in the schools of the Diocese of Peoria, a return to their roots.

For more information about the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, please visit their website or blog.

News

The Burial of Jesus

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I came across a story on the web about the burial of Jesus and was most struck by one of the images accompanying the article that was new to me. It was of Jesus and His faithful companions from the Cross, who were watching the silent scene of the wrapping of the Body in a shroud.

Mr. Thomas McDonald in his article points to the sadness surrounding the entombment of Jesus. Instead of being entombed with His ancestors, He was in a new tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea. “He was alone in a strange place disconnected from His people: it’s a very forlorn image of despair even in death.” It makes you want to weep with Mary even today.

But, “the man Joseph laid in that new tomb would be the first born among all the dead. Death itself was, finally, conquered.”

The image on the left I found out is by the Danish artist Carl Bloch, one of my favorite artists. He painted some amazing scenes from the New Testament, my favorite being the Annunciation. His pictures depicting the life of Christ can be seen in the chapel at Frederiksborg Palace in Denmark. This monumental effort took him 14 years. According to his official website, “more than a hundred years after Carl Bloch’s death, young artists from all over the world, attempting to illustrate the life and death of Christ, make pilgrimage to Frederiksborg Castle to study the great Master.”

Mr. Bloch grieved over the death of his wife who left him with eight children. After his own death in 1890, an art critic said, “If there is an Elysium, where the giant, rich, warm and noble artist souls meet, there Carl Bloch will sit among the noblest of them all!”

Liturgical Year, News

The Year of Faith

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Our Year of Faith got kicked off with a breathtaking sight as a sizeable group of people gathered together in downtown Libertyville, IL, to say the rosary and entrust the Year of Faith to our Blessed Mother. We had a bishop, local priests, sisters from the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate and the Daughters of the Immaculata, brothers from Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, schoolchildren, grandparents, young and older adults, babies in strollers and what looked like a few curious bystanders.

The hour of prayer concluded with the lift off a giant rosary made of yellow and blue balloons that had processed the mile from Marytown, down Highway 176, to the center of town. In a howling 30 mile per hour wind, it was a miracle the balloons arrived intact!

As the balloons lifted up, the cross snagged on a tree limb and the rosary stayed there, hanging over us but as we concluded the final hymn, it broke free and sailed so high it was soon lost to sight. You couldn’t help but be giddy and tearful and happy!

The Holy See also announced that a plenary indulgence may be obtained as follows:

“During the Year of Faith, which will last from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013, Plenary Indulgence for the temporal punishment of sins, imparted by the mercy of God and applicable also to the souls of deceased faithful, may be obtained by all faithful who, truly penitent, take Sacramental Confession and the Eucharist and pray in accordance with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.

“(A) Each time they attend at least three sermons during the Holy Missions, or at least three lessons on the Acts of the Council or the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in church or any other suitable location.

“(B) Each time they visit, in the course of a pilgrimage, a papal basilica, a Christian catacomb, a cathedral church or a holy site designated by the local ordinary for the Year of Faith (for example, minor basilicas and shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Apostles or patron saints), and there participate in a sacred celebration, or at least remain for a congruous period of time in prayer and pious meditation, concluding with the recitation of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, and invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary and, depending on the circumstances, to the Holy Apostles and patron saints.

“(C) Each time that, on the days designated by the local ordinary for the Year of Faith, … in any sacred place, they participate in a solemn celebration of the Eucharist or the Liturgy of the Hours, adding thereto the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form.

“(D) On any day they chose, during the Year of Faith, if they make a pious visit to the baptistery, or other place in which they received the Sacrament of Baptism, and there renew their baptismal promises in any legitimate form.

May we partake of all the graces available and may we grow in faith!

News

Debt Free and Free to Respond

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Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations (MEFV) just came out with their latest newsletter highlighting the milestones of some of the men and women who are able to pursue their religious vocation because of the support of the donors who are helping to reduce their educational debt. It is their mission to eliminate the obstacle aspirant’s student loans present to answering their vocation.

July 2012 – Angela entered the Carmelite Sisters of the most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles

July 2012 – Marcion, a volunteer from our beloved Marytown where we reside, entered the Conventual Franciscans of St. Bonventure Province

July 2012 – Sr. Mariana professed final vows with the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN. Srs. Ann Dominic and Rose Miriam made their first profession. Sr. Cora Marie entered the Novitiate.

July 2012 – Sr. Marie St. Francis of the Crucified One received the habit of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Hanceville, AL.

August 2012 – Sr. Mary Gemma entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Sisters, TOR, of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother.

August 2012 – Bro. Kevin was one of four men making perpetual professions with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. He is MEFV’s first seminarian to make perpetual vows!

August 2012 – Sr. Marie Therese made her first profession with the Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate, Ontario, Canada

August 2012 – Fra Anthony Serviam Maria made his final profession of vows with the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. He was turned away from several orders because of his student debt but fortunately the FFI vocation director was familiar with MEFV.

August 2012 – Angela was received into the Poor Clares of Corpus Christi Monastery, Rockford, IL

Sr Mariana, OP, said, “If I had to wait until my debt was paid off it would have been years and years before I could enter. The gift that I received from (MEFV) enabled me to follow the call I was receiving from the Lord.” She was ecstatic to realize that there were people out there who wanted to help her, though they had never met her. “It is one of the greatest gifts that I have received – that I am still receiving.”

Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations operates the St. Joseph Student Debt Relief Grant Program for religious life and the St. John Vianney Student Debt Relief Grant Program for the parish priesthood. For more information, please visit their website.

 

News

Nuns News Post

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An anchoress by the name of Elizabeth Scalia compiles an annual “Nuns News Post.” In it she summarizes all the good news coming from many, many, many men’s and women’s communities across our nation. Reading the litany of vocations, professions, aspirants,etc., one can truly see the Holy Spirit at work across our country and Church.

News, Resources

Novena to the Mother of God for the Nation – September 29 – October 7, 2012

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We fly to your patronage, O Holy Mother of God, despise not our prayers in our necessities, but ever deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Fr. Frederick Miller of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, has composed a novena to make us more aware of the truths of our Faith and to call us to deeper conversion of heart and a life of greater charity. EWTN Global Catholic Network has organized the novena to  pray for the country ahead of the November elections.

Catholics have always turned to Mary when in need so we entrust our cares to her as we pray for religious freedom in our country. Since 1792 our country has been entrusted to Mary and in 1846 we recognized her as our patroness under the title of The Immaculate Conception.

The novena begins on September 29 and ends on October 7, the Feast of the Holy Rosary. Each day delves into a different aspect of Mary’s life:

Day 1: The Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God
Day 2: Mary’s Desire for Virginity
Day 3: The Annunciation
Day 4: The Visitation
Day 5: The Divine Motherhood of Mary
Day 6: The Wedding Feast of Cana
Day 7: Mary at Calvary
Day 8: Mary and the Mystery of Easter
Day 9: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

Father says that the proximity of the Novena to the 2012 Presidential Election will offer an opportunity to pray for all of our government officials and seek Divine Assistance in the elections. Join EWTN for Mass every morning at 8 am ET starting September 29 and continuing through October 7. Bishops from across the country will lead the Novena to the Mother of God for the Nation. The novena can also be found in the September 23rd edition of the National Catholic Register. O Mary, our Mother, pray for our country!

Cloistered life, News, Women's Communities

Carmel of the Holy Family and Saint Therese

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The IRL welcomes the Carmel of the Holy Family and Saint Therese of Georgetown, California, as a new Affiliate Community. There are 12 sisters in the Carmel with one in temporary vows and 2 novices. They joined the Diocese of Sacramento in 1935.

They live the traditional Carmelite life of prayer and penance seeking union with Christ in order to participate in His salvific mission

A second Carmel is also part of the IRL family as a our last Board Meeting: the Carmel of the Assumption in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. They were established in  1961 and have 13 solemnly professed nuns. The land for the monastery was purchased because of its proximity to the Benedictine Archabbey of St. Vincent. The monks have served as chaplains, confessors and spiritual directors to the community from the very beginning.

The Carmel of the Assumption is self-supporting.  The community supplies altar breads to the parishes of the diocese, and supplement their income by rosary making, icon plaques and bee keeping.

Cloistered life, News, Women's Communities

Help Wanted: Long Hours, Hard Work, No Pay

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The Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, NM, put out a funny vocations brochure in 2009 which just came to my attention. Here are some tidbits from their brochure:

Hard Labor: If you have ever secretly supposed that the contemplative life to be a leisurely round of devotional exercises, punctuated by strolls in the garden and a spot of embroidery now and again, FEAR NO  MORE!….Here you will be given ample scope and freedom to pursue an ambitious career as a fully-certified, full-time lowly servant of God.

Long Hours: Imagine the joy! Each night you will leap from your sleep at the enchanting hour of 12:30 a.m.!!

No Pay: Yes, say goodbye to that jingle in your pocket for there are no salaried positions to be had in the monastery, no payroll, no wallets, not even a piggy bank.

For as there can be never be labors too hard, nor hours too long in the service and praise of God and in the life and death struggle for souls, it follow that…

THERE CAN NEVER BE TOO MANY POOR CLARES!

The Roswell Poor Clares were established in 1948  as a foundation from Chicago. Since then they have established 6 daughter-monasteries over the years including one in the Netherlands and one back in Chicago. There are currently 23 in the community.

 

Liturgical Year, News

The Miracle of the Liquidation of the Blood of St. Januarius

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Today is the Feast of St. Januarius and the people of Naples, Italy, eagerly awaited the miracle when the dried blood of the the saint liquifies.

The miracle has occurred annually since 1389! If the blood does not liquify, then the people believe that a tragedy will befall the city. The last time this happened was in 1980 when an earthquake caused over 2500 deaths.

To see Father James Kubicki’s comments on the miracle, click here.