A trip in Christmas season

Last week, I visited my friend Deacon Joseph in St. Louis after 7 years that we met in China, that also as my first trip in U.S. As well, I had a different expirences about the Christmas in US.

After almost 6 hours of flying, the plane safely arrived at St. Loius airport. The weather there likes in Vancouver, at 4pm is already getting dark, and a little bit chill, but my feeling overcame all, above all, the joy of seeing each other. After a brief greeting each other, my friend drove me to see the Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis. The bishop's residence is very close to the Cathedarl Basilica, a large beautiful bulding also is more than 100 years old, and now he is the tenth archbishop of St. Louis. During the conversation with the archbishop Robert, I knew that the Catholic Church in U.S is more active and amazing. The archdiocese has almost 800,000 catholics, 800 priests, 150 parishes and 60 seminarians, St. Louis also is a third oldest city in the West of Mississippi of the United States, more 150 years of history. Soon after, we had a good dinner with the archbishop, his secetray and chancellor. Close to 8pm, we said good night to the archbishop and my friend drove me to the cathedral rectory.

The cathedral of St. Louis is really beautiful, lies on an area out of downtown of St.Louis. It looks like 1/5 of San Peter Basilica, inset of the church, you can see the amazing mosaics everywhere, each of them narrates the Bible's unique fragment. The people call it "The New Cathedral", but it's real new, in fact, it's more than 100 years old. The people just distinguish it beings from "The old cathedral" which built in 1834, near Mississippi river, also is a very nice simple church.

Besides the The New Cathedral, another known historic place is The Gateway Arch. It is one of the newest monuments in the National Park system, and at 630 feet, it is certainly the tallest! The Arch is 75 feet taller than the Washington Monument and over twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. The 60-foot heads carved on the face of Mount Rushmore are designed to the scale of men who would stand 465 feet tall, a height that would easily allow such giants to walk through the legs of the Arch! While the Gateway Arch is America's tallest monument, several buildings, such as New York's Empire State Building (1250 feet) and Chicago's Sears Tower (1454 feet) would loom over the Arch.

IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE, PROTECT CREATION

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS

POPE BENEDICT XVI

FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE

WORLD DAY OF PEACE

1 JANUARY 2010

IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE, PROTECT CREATION

1. At the beginning of this New Year, I wish to offer heartfelt greetings of peace to all Christian communities, international leaders, and people of good will throughout the world. For this XLIII World Day of Peace I have chosen the theme: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation. Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works”,[1] and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind. Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace and to authentic and integral human development – wars, international and regional conflicts, acts of terrorism, and violations of human rights. Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen “that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying”.[2]

2. In my Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, I noted that integral human development is closely linked to the obligations which flow from man’s relationship with the natural environment. The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations. I also observed that whenever nature, and human beings in particular, are seen merely as products of chance or an evolutionary determinism, our overall sense of responsibility wanes.[3] On the other hand, seeing creation as God’s gift to humanity helps us understand our vocation and worth as human beings. With the Psalmist, we can exclaim with wonder: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you have established; what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Ps 8:4-5). Contemplating the beauty of creation inspires us to recognize the love of the Creator, that Love which “moves the sun and the other stars”.[4]

3. Twenty years ago, Pope John Paul II devoted his Message for the World Day of Peace to the theme: Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All of Creation. He emphasized our relationship, as God’s creatures, with the universe all around us. “In our day”, he wrote, “there is a growing awareness that world peace is threatened … also by a lack of due respect for nature”. He added that “ecological awareness, rather than being downplayed, needs to be helped to develop and mature, and find fitting expression in concrete programmes and initiatives”.[5] Previous Popes had spoken of the relationship between human beings and the environment. In 1971, for example, on the eightieth anniversary of Leo XIII’s Encyclical Rerum Novarum, Paul VI pointed out that “by an ill-considered exploitation of nature (man) risks destroying it and becoming in his turn the victim of this degradation”. He added that “not only is the material environment becoming a permanent menace – pollution and refuse, new illnesses and absolute destructive capacity – but the human framework is no longer under man’s control, thus creating an environment for tomorrow which may well be intolerable. This is a wide-ranging social problem which concerns the entire human family”.[6]

4. Without entering into the merit of specific technical solutions, the Church is nonetheless concerned, as an “expert in humanity”, to call attention to the relationship between the Creator, human beings and the created order. In 1990 John Paul II had spoken of an “ecological crisis” and, in highlighting its primarily ethical character, pointed to the “urgent moral need for a new solidarity”.[7] His appeal is all the more pressing today, in the face of signs of a growing crisis which it would be irresponsible not to take seriously. Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions? Can we disregard the growing phenomenon of “environmental refugees”, people who are forced by the degradation of their natural habitat to forsake it – and often their possessions as well – in order to face the dangers and uncertainties of forced displacement? Can we remain impassive in the face of actual and potential conflicts involving access to natural resources? All these are issues with a profound impact on the exercise of human rights, such as the right to life, food, health and development.

5. It should be evident that the ecological crisis cannot be viewed in isolation from other related questions, since it is closely linked to the notion of development itself and our understanding of man in his relationship to others and to the rest of creation. Prudence would thus dictate a profound, long-term review of our model of development, one which would take into consideration the meaning of the economy and its goals with an eye to correcting its malfunctions and misapplications. The ecological health of the planet calls for this, but it is also demanded by the cultural and moral crisis of humanity whose symptoms have for some time been evident in every part of the world.[8] Humanity needs a profound cultural renewal; it needs to rediscover those values which can serve as the solid basis for building a brighter future for all. Our present crises – be they economic, food-related, environmental or social – are ultimately also moral crises, and all of them are interrelated. They require us to rethink the path which we are travelling together. Specifically, they call for a lifestyle marked by sobriety and solidarity, with new rules and forms of engagement, one which focuses confidently and courageously on strategies that actually work, while decisively rejecting those that have failed. Only in this way can the current crisis become an opportunity for discernment and new strategic planning.

6. Is it not true that what we call “nature” in a cosmic sense has its origin in “a plan of love and truth”? The world “is not the product of any necessity whatsoever, nor of blind fate or chance… The world proceeds from the free will of God; he wanted to make his creatures share in his being, in his intelligence, and in his goodness”.[9] The Book of Genesis, in its very first pages, points to the wise design of the cosmos: it comes forth from God’s mind and finds its culmination in man and woman, made in the image and likeness of the Creator to “fill the earth” and to “have dominion over” it as “stewards” of God himself (cf. Gen 1:28). The harmony between the Creator, mankind and the created world, as described by Sacred Scripture, was disrupted by the sin of Adam and Eve, by man and woman, who wanted to take the place of God and refused to acknowledge that they were his creatures. As a result, the work of “exercising dominion” over the earth, “tilling it and keeping it”, was also disrupted, and conflict arose within and between mankind and the rest of creation (cf. Gen 3:17-19). Human beings let themselves be mastered by selfishness; they misunderstood the meaning of God’s command and exploited creation out of a desire to exercise absolute domination over it. But the true meaning of God’s original command, as the Book of Genesis clearly shows, was not a simple conferral of authority, but rather a summons to responsibility. The wisdom of the ancients had recognized that nature is not at our disposal as “a heap of scattered refuse”.[10] Biblical Revelation made us see that nature is a gift of the Creator, who gave it an inbuilt order and enabled man to draw from it the principles needed to “till it and keep it” (cf. Gen. 2:15).[11] Everything that exists belongs to God, who has entrusted it to man, albeit not for his arbitrary use. Once man, instead of acting as God’s co-worker, sets himself up in place of God, he ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature, “which is more tyrannized than governed by him”.[12] Man thus has a duty to exercise responsible stewardship over creation, to care for it and to cultivate it.[13]

7. Sad to say, it is all too evident that large numbers of people in different countries and areas of our planet are experiencing increased hardship because of the negligence or refusal of many others to exercise responsible stewardship over the environment. The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council reminded us that “God has destined the earth and everything it contains for all peoples and nations”.[14] The goods of creation belong to humanity as a whole. Yet the current pace of environmental exploitation is seriously endangering the supply of certain natural resources not only for the present generation, but above all for generations yet to come.[15] It is not hard to see that environmental degradation is often due to the lack of far-sighted official policies or to the pursuit of myopic economic interests, which then, tragically, become a serious threat to creation. To combat this phenomenon, economic activity needs to consider the fact that “every economic decision has a moral consequence” [16] and thus show increased respect for the environment. When making use of natural resources, we should be concerned for their protection and consider the cost entailed – environmentally and socially – as an essential part of the overall expenses incurred. The international community and national governments are responsible for sending the right signals in order to combat effectively the misuse of the environment. To protect the environment, and to safeguard natural resources and the climate, there is a need to act in accordance with clearly-defined rules, also from the juridical and economic standpoint, while at the same time taking into due account the solidarity we owe to those living in the poorer areas of our world and to future generations.

8. A greater sense of intergenerational solidarity is urgently needed. Future generations cannot be saddled with the cost of our use of common environmental resources. “We have inherited from past generations, and we have benefited from the work of our contemporaries; for this reason we have obligations towards all, and we cannot refuse to interest ourselves in those who will come after us, to enlarge the human family. Universal solidarity represents a benefit as well as a duty. This is a responsibility that present generations have towards those of the future, a responsibility that also concerns individual States and the international community”.[17] Natural resources should be used in such a way that immediate benefits do not have a negative impact on living creatures, human and not, present and future; that the protection of private property does not conflict with the universal destination of goods;[18] that human activity does not compromise the fruitfulness of the earth, for the benefit of people now and in the future. In addition to a fairer sense of intergenerational solidarity there is also an urgent moral need for a renewed sense of intragenerational solidarity, especially in relationships between developing countries and highly industrialized countries: “the international community has an urgent duty to find institutional means of regulating the exploitation of non-renewable resources, involving poor countries in the process, in order to plan together for the future”.[19] The ecological crisis shows the urgency of a solidarity which embraces time and space. It is important to acknowledge that among the causes of the present ecological crisis is the historical responsibility of the industrialized countries. Yet the less developed countries, and emerging countries in particular, are not exempt from their own responsibilities with regard to creation, for the duty of gradually adopting effective environmental measures and policies is incumbent upon all. This would be accomplished more easily if self-interest played a lesser role in the granting of aid and the sharing of knowledge and cleaner technologies.

9. To be sure, among the basic problems which the international community has to address is that of energy resources and the development of joint and sustainable strategies to satisfy the energy needs of the present and future generations. This means that technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency. At the same time there is a need to encourage research into, and utilization of, forms of energy with lower impact on the environment and “a world-wide redistribution of energy resources, so that countries lacking those resources can have access to them”.[20] The ecological crisis offers an historic opportunity to develop a common plan of action aimed at orienting the model of global development towards greater respect for creation and for an integral human development inspired by the values proper to charity in truth. I would advocate the adoption of a model of development based on the centrality of the human person, on the promotion and sharing of the common good, on responsibility, on a realization of our need for a changed life-style, and on prudence, the virtue which tells us what needs to be done today in view of what might happen tomorrow.[21]

10. A sustainable comprehensive management of the environment and the resources of the planet demands that human intelligence be directed to technological and scientific research and its practical applications. The “new solidarity” for which John Paul II called in his Message for the 1990 World Day of Peace [22] and the “global solidarity” for which I myself appealed in my Message for the 2009 World Day of Peace [23] are essential attitudes in shaping our efforts to protect creation through a better internationally-coordinated management of the earth’s resources, particularly today, when there is an increasingly clear link between combatting environmental degradation and promoting an integral human development. These two realities are inseparable, since “the integral development of individuals necessarily entails a joint effort for the development of humanity as a whole”.[24] At present there are a number of scientific developments and innovative approaches which promise to provide satisfactory and balanced solutions to the problem of our relationship to the environment. Encouragement needs to be given, for example, to research into effective ways of exploiting the immense potential of solar energy. Similar attention also needs to be paid to the world-wide problem of water and to the global water cycle system, which is of prime importance for life on earth and whose stability could be seriously jeopardized by climate change. Suitable strategies for rural development centred on small farmers and their families should be explored, as well as the implementation of appropriate policies for the management of forests, for waste disposal and for strengthening the linkage between combatting climate change and overcoming poverty. Ambitious national policies are required, together with a necessary international commitment which will offer important benefits especially in the medium and long term. There is a need, in effect, to move beyond a purely consumerist mentality in order to promote forms of agricultural and industrial production capable of respecting creation and satisfying the primary needs of all. The ecological problem must be dealt with not only because of the chilling prospects of environmental degradation on the horizon; the real motivation must be the quest for authentic world-wide solidarity inspired by the values of charity, justice and the common good. For that matter, as I have stated elsewhere, “technology is never merely technology. It reveals man and his aspirations towards development; it expresses the inner tension that impels him gradually to overcome material limitations. Technology in this sense is a response to God’s command to till and keep the land (cf. Gen 2:15) that he has entrusted to humanity, and it must serve to reinforce the covenant between human beings and the environment, a covenant that should mirror God’s creative love”.[25]

11. It is becoming more and more evident that the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our life-style and the prevailing models of consumption and production, which are often unsustainable from a social, environmental and even economic point of view. We can no longer do without a real change of outlook which will result in new life-styles, “in which the quest for truth, beauty, goodness and communion with others for the sake of common growth are the factors which determine consumer choices, savings and investments”.[26] Education for peace must increasingly begin with far-reaching decisions on the part of individuals, families, communities and states. We are all responsible for the protection and care of the environment. This responsibility knows no boundaries. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity it is important for everyone to be committed at his or her proper level, working to overcome the prevalence of particular interests. A special role in raising awareness and in formation belongs to the different groups present in civil society and to the non-governmental organizations which work with determination and generosity for the spread of ecological responsibility, responsibility which should be ever more deeply anchored in respect for “human ecology”. The media also have a responsibility in this regard to offer positive and inspiring models. In a word, concern for the environment calls for a broad global vision of the world; a responsible common effort to move beyond approaches based on selfish nationalistic interests towards a vision constantly open to the needs of all peoples. We cannot remain indifferent to what is happening around us, for the deterioration of any one part of the planet affects us all. Relationships between individuals, social groups and states, like those between human beings and the environment, must be marked by respect and “charity in truth”. In this broader context one can only encourage the efforts of the international community to ensure progressive disarmament and a world free of nuclear weapons, whose presence alone threatens the life of the planet and the ongoing integral development of the present generation and of generations yet to come.

12. The Church has a responsibility towards creation, and she considers it her duty to exercise that responsibility in public life, in order to protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone, and above all to save mankind from the danger of self-destruction. The degradation of nature is closely linked to the cultural models shaping human coexistence: consequently, “when ‘human ecology’ is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits”.[27] Young people cannot be asked to respect the environment if they are not helped, within families and society as a whole, to respect themselves. The book of nature is one and indivisible; it includes not only the environment but also individual, family and social ethics.[28] Our duties towards the environment flow from our duties towards the person, considered both individually and in relation to others.

Hence I readily encourage efforts to promote a greater sense of ecological responsibility which, as I indicated in my Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, would safeguard an authentic “human ecology” and thus forcefully reaffirm the inviolability of human life at every stage and in every condition, the dignity of the person and the unique mission of the family, where one is trained in love of neighbour and respect for nature.[29] There is a need to safeguard the human patrimony of society. This patrimony of values originates in and is part of the natural moral law, which is the foundation of respect for the human person and creation.

13. Nor must we forget the very significant fact that many people experience peace and tranquillity, renewal and reinvigoration, when they come into close contact with the beauty and harmony of nature. There exists a certain reciprocity: as we care for creation, we realize that God, through creation, cares for us. On the other hand, a correct understanding of the relationship between man and the environment will not end by absolutizing nature or by considering it more important than the human person. If the Church’s magisterium expresses grave misgivings about notions of the environment inspired by ecocentrism and biocentrism, it is because such notions eliminate the difference of identity and worth between the human person and other living things. In the name of a supposedly egalitarian vision of the “dignity” of all living creatures, such notions end up abolishing the distinctiveness and superior role of human beings. They also open the way to a new pantheism tinged with neo-paganism, which would see the source of man’s salvation in nature alone, understood in purely naturalistic terms. The Church, for her part, is concerned that the question be approached in a balanced way, with respect for the “grammar” which the Creator has inscribed in his handiwork by giving man the role of a steward and administrator with responsibility over creation, a role which man must certainly not abuse, but also one which he may not abdicate. In the same way, the opposite position, which would absolutize technology and human power, results in a grave assault not only on nature, but also on human dignity itself.[30]

14. If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation. The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation. In the light of divine Revelation and in fidelity to the Church’s Tradition, Christians have their own contribution to make. They contemplate the cosmos and its marvels in light of the creative work of the Father and the redemptive work of Christ, who by his death and resurrection has reconciled with God “all things, whether on earth or in heaven” (Col 1:20). Christ, crucified and risen, has bestowed his Spirit of holiness upon mankind, to guide the course of history in anticipation of that day when, with the glorious return of the Saviour, there will be “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet 3:13), in which justice and peace will dwell for ever. Protecting the natural environment in order to build a world of peace is thus a duty incumbent upon each and all. It is an urgent challenge, one to be faced with renewed and concerted commitment; it is also a providential opportunity to hand down to coming generations the prospect of a better future for all. May this be clear to world leaders and to those at every level who are concerned for the future of humanity: the protection of creation and peacemaking are profoundly linked! For this reason, I invite all believers to raise a fervent prayer to God, the all-powerful Creator and the Father of mercies, so that all men and women may take to heart the urgent appeal: If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.

From the Vatican, 8 December 2009

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

-----------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 198.
[2] Benedict XVI, Message for the 2008 World Day of Peace, 7.
[3] Cf. No.48.
[4] Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, Paradiso, XXXIII, 145.
[5] Message for the 1990 World Day of Peace, 1.
[6] Apostolic Letter Octogesima Adveniens, 21.
[7] Message for the 1990 World Day of Peace, 10.
[8] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 32.
[9] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 295.
[10] Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 – c. 475 B.C.), Fragment 22B124, in H. Diels-W. Kranz, Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, Weidmann, Berlin,1952, 6th ed.
[11] Cf. Benedict XVI,Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 48.
[12] John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 37.
[13] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 50.
[14] Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 69.
[15] Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 34.
[16] Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 37.
[17] Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 467; cf. Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 17.
[18] Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 30-31, 43
[19] Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 49.
[20] Ibid.
[21] Cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas, S. Th., II-II, q. 49, 5.
[22] Cf. No. 9.
[23] Cf. No. 8.
[24] Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 43.
[25] Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 69.
[26] John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 36.
[27] Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 51.
[28] Cf. ibid., 15, 51.
[29] Cf. ibid., 28, 51, 61; John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 38, 39.
[30] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 70.

Everlasting light- the journey!

Sunday night, I went the Canadian Martyers Parish with Fr Domenic Qin for a "Music Show"-Enverlasting Light- the journey! In Christmas season, a group of people has got a good trip by the Angel, and they reached each of the places by the Angle, who presented them with a candle. Absolutely, I was enjoying by it.

The PROLOGUE: A Christmas tour at a certain airport to transfer, and they were anxiously patiently waiting in the airport for the flight 939, and they were hoping to check-in early, but an anouncement came out and said their flight is canceled. So, all the group was immeresed in the sound of frustration and dissatisfaction. At this moment, An angel appeared to tell them that Christmas will not be canceled! Fianlly, they took a detour offered by the angel to find their way back home and they just found four candles on the trip. The whole Show is divided into 4 parts which in different places or countries, and in each place there were some affecting things, also the Angel always stringed along with them.

The first stop in CHINA: During the discussion about the places where they'll go, the people have been seeing the fantastic sights and sounds of the orient, there, a simple orphanage filled with chidren, but the children are happy, nobody gets sour and sulky (chinese show). While pondering this view, the travelers got another visit from  the angel, who presented them with a candle.

The second stop in PHILIPPINES: with the Philipino festival dancing began the second stop, but the people noticed the suffering and poverty in the country after the Taifeng as well. So, How did these people find hope and joy?  In front of this view, but still many kind people just have done with what they had, food, money, some stuffs with generosity. Then, the travelers saw what they should do, they received the second candle.

The third stop on STREETS: at this stop, the travelers found themselves in a dark city alley, where an unlikely character told them her history of abuse and condition. With a little help from the angel, they realized it's not just food or material things that fill the person... but the "extra"or "spiritual" stuff. Here, they found their third candle, too.

Final Stop in NORTH AMERICA: in this part, a desperate amn hoping to rob a bank. But something goes wrong! (happened an accident). Would the travelers be able to go home if one of them needs to be left behind? They just were praying to God and hoping some miracle.... Finally, they made the fourth candle, and they all made it back home, and Christmas is a go!

The candles made more meaningful durning the long journey to back home, also reminded the people to prepare the way (with hope, joy, acts of compassion and prayer) for the coming of Jesus Christ!

God help the outcasts http://chrispod55.podomatic.com/enclosure/2006-12-01T17_52_38-08_00.mp3

Here my prayer http://www.yahwehsword.org/music/Hear_my_Prayer.mp3

When you believe http://yingyu.fsjy.net/EduResource/yingyu/Upload/when%20you%20believe.mp3

Everlasting light

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

8 Dicember, Feast of the Immaculate Conception
A feast called the Conception of Mary arose in the Eastern Church in the seventh century. It came to the West in the eighth century. In the eleventh century it received its present name, the Immaculate Conception. In the eighteenth century it became a feast of the universal Church.

In 1854, Pius IX solemnly proclaimed: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

It took a long time for this doctrine to develop. While many Fathers and Doctors of the Church considered Mary the greatest and holiest of the saints, they often had difficulty in seeing Mary as sinless—either at her conception or throughout her life. This is one of the Church teachings that arose more from the piety of the faithful than from the insights of brilliant theologians. Even such champions of Mary as Bernard and Thomas Aquinas could not see theological justification for this teaching.

Two Franciscans, William of Ware and Blessed John Duns Scotus, helped develop the theology. They point out that Mary’s Immaculate Conception enhances Jesus’ redemptive work. Other members of the human race are cleansed from original sin after birth. In Mary, Jesus’ work was so powerful as to prevent original sin at the outset.

Comment:

In Luke 1:28 the angel Gabriel, speaking on God’s behalf, addresses Mary as “full of grace” (or “highly favored”). In that context this phrase means that Mary is receiving all the special divine help necessary for the task ahead. However, the Church grows in understanding with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led the Church, especially non-theologians, to the insight that Mary had to be the most perfect work of God next to the Incarnation. Or rather, Mary’s intimate association with the Incarnation called for the special involvement of God in Mary’s whole life. The logic of piety helped God’s people to believe that Mary was full of grace and free of sin from the first moment of her existence. Moreover, this great privilege of Mary is the highlight of all that God has done in Jesus. Rightly understood, the incomparable holiness of Mary shows forth the incomparable goodness of God.

Quote:

"[Mary] gave to the world the Life that renews all things, and she was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.

"It is no wonder, then, that the usage prevailed among the holy Fathers whereby they called the mother of God entirely holy and free from all stain of sin, fashioned by the Holy Spirit into a kind of new substance and new creature. Adorned from the first instant of her conception with the splendors of an entirely unique holiness, the Virgin of Nazareth is, on God’s command, greeted by an angel messenger as ‘full of grace’ (cf. Luke 1:28). To the heavenly messenger she replies: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word’ (Luke 1:38)” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 56).

2nd Sunday of Advent

Baruch 5:1-9. The prophet consoles the Jewish exiles and tells them that God will restore glory to Israel.

Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11. We are urged to a greater love of each other so that we may be ready for Christ’s coming.

Luke 3:1-6. John the Baptist demands strict preparation for the Lord’s coming.

Points for Reflection -From Fr Carlo Tei

1. On the second Sunday of Advent, the Church invites us:

a) to wait for the coming of Christ in joy (1st Reading),

b) to prepare ourselves for his encounter by leading a blameless life (2nd Reading),

c) to heed the command of John the Baptist to convert and show repentance (Gospel).

2. Jerusalem, the holy city, is urged to abandon sorrow and distress and put on the “beauty of the glory of the Lord” and to arise and observe the flow of the Jewish people coming from the four corners of the globe. (First Reading).

Jerusalem is the image of the Church. She, too, suffers on account of the estrangement and dispersal of so many of her children and she, too, is invited to rekindle her hopes, confiding in the Saviour, who mystically comes again each Christmas to lead her to salvation with all her people.

3. In the Second Reading, St Paul expresses his joy and happiness at the news that the Gospel has been preached and is flourishing among the Philippians, and he is grateful for their help and collaboration. However, St Paul challenges the Philippians to be “pure and blameless” and to reach perfection “for the day of Christ”.

The same challenge is addressed to us today. “To lead a pure and blameless life” is synonymous with holiness, which is not a prerogative of the elite but the responsibility of every Christian. As Vatican Council II says: Everyone in the Church, whether “belonging to the hierarchy or being cared for by it, is called to holiness . . . The Lord Jesus preached holiness of life to each and every one of his disciples, regardless of their situation” (LG 39-40).

4. In the Gospel, Luke attaches a very great importance on the preaching of John the Baptist in the desert. As a good historian, he gives us the historical background by fixing the time when John appeared. “When Pontius Pilate . . . etc.” According to Luke, the preaching of John is a turning point in the plan of salvation.

The liturgy joins Luke and wants us to meet John before meeting Christ. It wants us to listen to John in order to make all the necessary preparations for the coming of the Redeemer. All of the preaching of John is focused on repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The Church repeats to each one of us today: “Repent and change”. Could we have a better programme for the Advent Season?

《草原风韵》二胡独奏

《草原风韵》二胡独奏

St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) -Patron of Mission

Jesus asked, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Matthew 16:26a). The words were repeated to a young teacher of philosophy who had a highly promising career in academics, with success and a life of prestige and honor before him.

Francis Xavier, 24 at the time, and living and teaching in Paris, did not heed these words at once. They came from a good friend, Ignatius of Loyola, whose tireless persuasion finally won the young man to Christ. Francis then made the spiritual exercises under the direction of Ignatius, and in 1534 joined his little community (the infant Society of Jesus). Together at Montmartre they vowed poverty, chastity and apostolic service according to the directions of the pope.

From Venice, where he was ordained priest in 1537, Francis Xavier went on to Lisbon and from there sailed to the East Indies, landing at Goa, on the west coast of India. For the next 10 years he labored to bring the faith to such widely scattered peoples as the Hindus, the Malayans and the Japanese. He spent much of that time in India, and served as provincial of the newly established Jesuit province of India.

Wherever he went, he lived with the poorest people, sharing their food and rough accommodations. He spent countless hours ministering to the sick and the poor, particularly to lepers. Very often he had no time to sleep or even to say his breviary but, as we know from his letters, he was filled always with joy.

Francis went through the islands of Malaysia, then up to Japan. He learned enough Japanese to preach to simple folk, to instruct and to baptize, and to establish missions for those who were to follow him. From Japan he had dreams of going to China, but this plan was never realized. Before reaching the mainland he died. His remains are enshrined in the Church of Good Jesus in Goa.

Comment:

All of us are called to “go and preach to all nations” (see Matthew 28:19). Our preaching is not necessarily on distant shores but to our families, our children, our husband or wife, our coworkers. And we are called to preach not with words, but by our everyday lives. Only by sacrifice, the giving up of all selfish gain, could Francis Xavier be free to bear the Good News to the world. Sacrifice is leaving yourself behind at times for a greater good, the good of prayer, the good of helping someone in need, the good of just listening to another. The greatest gift we have is our time. Francis gave his to others.

Feast of St. Andrew

Andrew was St. Peter’s brother, and was called with him. "As [Jesus] was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is now called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him" (Matthew 4:18-20).

John the Evangelist presents Andrew as a disciple of John the Baptist. When Jesus walked by one day, John said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Andrew and another disciple followed Jesus. "Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come, and you will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day" (John 1:38-39a).

Little else is said about Andrew in the Gospels. Before the multiplication of the loaves, it was Andrew who spoke up about the boy who had the barley loaves and fishes (see John 6:8-9). When the Gentiles went to see Jesus, they came to Philip, but Philip then had recourse to Andrew (see John 12:20-22).

Legend has it that Andrew preached the Good News in what is now modern Greece and Turkey and was crucified at Patras.

Comment:

As in the case of all the apostles except Peter and John, the Gospels give us little about the holiness of Andrew. He was an apostle. That is enough. He was called personally by Jesus to proclaim the Good News, to heal with Jesus' power and to share his life and death. Holiness today is no different. It is a gift that includes a call to be concerned about the Kingdom, an outgoing attitude that wants nothing more than to share the riches of Christ with all people.

Quote:

"...[T] he Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, 'It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word' " (Acts 6:2-4). (from AmericanCatholic)

The first Sunday of Advent C

First Reading: Jeremiah 33: 14-16. God has promised that he will rise up a descendant of David to save his people. Jeremiah reminds them that the time is near.

Second reading: Thessalonians 3: 12-4: 2. Paul reminds us that only holiness based on brotherly love can make us ready for Christ when he comes.

Gospel: Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36. Christ will come again with power, to bring our liberation. We should not be afraid, but stay awake, watching and praying.

Points for Reflection--From Fr Carlo Tei

1. The first part of the Advent Season is meant to remind us, disciples of Christ, that, while we are journeying on earth living the Gospel of salvation and announcing it to all men, we must always be watchful, looking to the glorious final coming of Jesus Christ our Lord. That event will mark the completion of the work of salvation centered upon him.

2. What is the proper attitude of those who believe in Christ towards this event? We are invited by the Word of God to play an active role in the world during our earthly pilgrimage, because even in the work of the new creation we are treated by God as human beings, that is: as the only creatures who, in everything, are invited to co-operate freely and willingly with him and his plan.

• First of all, we are invited to be filled with hope. Our faith tells us that Jesus has already begun the new creation. God the Father was and is standing by Jesus and, therefore, we are sure that Jesus is going to accomplish what he has already started: he is going to establish the Kingdom of love, to gather mankind into one family, he is going to destroy all barriers still standing among peoples and individuals. Jesus is going to create a new world based on justice, peace and love.

• Secondly, St Paul urges us to abound in love for one another and for all, and to grow in holiness while waiting for the glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus, because this is for us the only way we, led and strengthened by the Spirit of Jesus, can contribute to the creation of the new world. Every victory over selfishness and pride, every act of care for others, every contribution towards peace, justice and unity by Christians and also by all men of good will is a contribution to the salvation of the world. This is also the meaning of growing in holiness daily. It means putting all our energy and resources to a good use, for the betterment of the world and of human relationships.

China's official media praised as 『a fusion of European civilization and Chinese civilization model - Fr. Matteo Ricci』

ASIA/CHINA - Xin Hua, official Chinese state-run agency, devotes long piece to Fr. Matteo Ricci, calling him the "model of incorporation of European and Chinese civilizations."

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) – May 11, 2010 marks four hundred years since the death of Fr. Matteo Ricci, the great Italian Jesuit missionary (1552-1610) who with his extraordinary zeal for the mission combined with his talent in science, humanities, and cultural life, evangelized the Chinese empire. In view of this important anniversary, not only the Chinese Catholic world, but even the mass media of the Government of China has remembered this great sage West with affection. The Chinese state-run agency “Xin Hua” ("New China"), on November 23 published a long article entitled "Model of incorporation of European and Chinese civilizations," which was reported to be among the most visited sites of the state, along with sites like the Counselor's Office of the State Council, The China Internet Information Center, ... and many others.

The article outlines the figure of Fr. Matteo Ricci using expressions which are now well-known: "bridge between East and West", "great sage of the West", "promoter/model of exchange between East and West." Visitors can also read his detailed biography, his life, his mission, his contribution to cultural, scientific, social and religious, citing in particular the letter of the Holy Father Benedict XVI to Archbishop Claudio Giuliodori, Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino-Recanati-Treia, for the opening of the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the death of the missionary.

Into four sections - Introduction, Study of Chinese culture, Two trips to Beijing, The path to the incorporation of different cultures and sciences - the author of the article examines the various factors that are the source of his reputation and make him even today a very important figure, beloved by all Chinese - Catholics and non alike. Finally, Fr. Matteo Ricci is called a “pioneer seeking a common basis for dialogue and scientific and cultural exchange. With his extraordinary, timeless cultural and theological talent, he indicated an alternative route of incorporation of culture and science for all.” (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 26/11/2009)

Refer to the Chinese report: http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-11/23/content_12524753.htm

34th Sunday in the Ordinary Time

First Reading: Daniel 7: 13-14. The Book of Daniel was written during the bitter persecution of the Second Century B.C. This book has stories, teachings and visions connected with a certain Daniel of four centuries earlier – all described to encourage the persecuted peoples. Today we read a consoling vision of the future glorified and personified People of God being given glory and kingship forever. It is easy to apply this to Christ who used the title “Son of Man”.

Second Reading: Revelation 1: 5-8. Today’s Second Reading is from the highly symbolic and highly consoling last book of the Bible, the Revelation. We read today the formal greeting at the start of the book. This is to praise Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us and who is pictured as returning at his Second Coming. Notice the description of Jesus as “ruler of the kings on earth.”

Gospel: John 18: 33-37. From John’s Gospel we read the description of Jesus as King. The Lord is royal, triumphant and in command even when on trial before Pilate. Jesus is King, but his Kingdom does not belong to this world.

Points for Reflection -Form Fr Carlo Tei

The Solemnity of Christ the King takes the place on the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Towards the end of November the liturgical year comes to an end. This final Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King, and the Gospel develops the idea of Christ as our King. It is a fitting note as another year of salvation closes: our entire lives are given over to him. He is our Lord, our Master, and our King.

The first two Readings today speak about the glory of Christ in his Second Coming. The word “glory” is often used in the Old Testament for the light-filled splendour of the presence of God. So when Christ appears in his glory, we shall recognize him as the One who could say: “Philip, to have seen me, is to have seen the Father”.

This glory was not so obviously manifest during his earthly life: Christ himself explains why to Pilate in today’s Gospel: “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews”. Jesus is telling Pilate he will not use force and armies in the way of this world’s kings.

Normally, kings are raised on a throne, and from there they rule. Jesus described the kind of throne he would use, and the power he would use from it with these words: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” His throne would be his cross, and the power he chose to use was the power of his love manifested in his pierced Heart. He is the King of Love, and this most tender and mighty of all powers is the one by which he chose to govern and redeem us all.

Our recognition of Christ as the King of Love brings some important consequences for our lives: in order to belong to his kingdom, we, too, have to use the power of love. Jesus taught that the greatest of his kingly commandments is to love God with utmost passion; the next greatest is to love one another as he loved us. We owe Jesus the loyalty of love beyond measure.

What are the duties to which love calls? Jesus told us that on returning as King to collect his faithful sheep, he will find our fidelity etched in a whole stream of works of love: “I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; a stranger, and you welcomed me; ill, and you cared for me; in prison, and you visited me.” Here we see Jesus fusing the two commandments of love into one. What we do to others we do to him. To belong to his Kingdom, therefore, means to serve him humbly in our brothers and sisters. May his Spirit be our light and our strength.

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)

--From American Catholic

Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.

As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.

Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.

Comment:

It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary enriches her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work.

Quote:

"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor" (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).

Quando Busserò (当主敲门时...)

Quando busserò alla tua porta

avrò fatto tanta strada,

avrò piedi stanchi e nudi,

avrò mani bianche e pure,(bis)

O mio Signore!

Quando busserò alla tua porta

avrò frutti da portare,

avrò ceste di dolore,

avrò grappoli d'amore,

O mio Signore!

Quando busserò alla tua porta

avrò amato tanta gente,

avrò amici da ritrovare,

e nemici per cui pregare,

O mio Signore!

About the today's Gospel Lk 19:11-28

"I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, to go and bear fruit that will last."(Cf. John 15)

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us a parable about two kinds of person that before the entrustment of the host. One is diligence and loyalty, instead, another is lazy and sophistry. Finally, the host belouded the good one, and according to justice, the host treated the latter.

In the life, for us Christians, each of us has been given a talent from God. We are meant to acknowledge the talent and trade with it. If we hide it away, we will be punished. How many of us declare that we have no talents? But we do: our very existence is a gift of God, our health, our intelligence, our emotions, our friends, our work—all are talents, gifts from God. Even, in many of the times, God gave us the blessing of the rich enough. Important thing is whether we understand it? Whether it be properly use it to bear the fruit?

O God, how much we value your mercy! All mankind can gather under your protection (Cf. Ps 36), teach and direct us in your way.

Try to say "Sorry"

In the life, to say "sorry" to someone that could be a polite action, but for many times, we should say it. We all make mistakes and sometimes we say and do things that hurt of upset other people. More often that not, we end up feeling bad about these events and the emotion of regret takes over from our feeling of anger. We suddenly feel the need to say sorry for our actions and beheviour. Actually, for us Christians not only try to say "sorry" to the others, but also we should say "sorry" to God, because we are sinners. Especially,  in the season of the ending of liturgical year, we should reflect on our Christian life.

Saying sorry to another person can be a way difficult to do. It can take us a long time to offer an apology, sometimes months or even years. In very times, we offer resist saying sorry because in our own mind, we feel that there is nothing to apologise for, also there is the feeling for losing face or backing down, which can put us off apologising to someone indefinitely, thus preventing us from ever saying sorry to that person. This could be very dangerous, because your conscience is getting numb, also that you will be isolated by yourself.

When we say sorry... we offer our apology, we show our remorse, we apologise profusely, we ask for forgiveness, we want to make amends. Saying "sorry" can be the hardest thing in the world to do, but once you have done it and it has been accepted. Then a huge weight will be lifted from your shoulders and your frindeship will be saved, very often you will get a big surprise.

In the New Testament, many times we read the topic of saying "sorry", in a special way to God, such as "The Parable of the Lost Son" and "The Tax Collector's prayer". In the first parable, the Lost Son said to his father "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son"(Lk15:21), and the second one, "the Tax Collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed: O God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke18:13). Both of them, for their saying "sorry" to God sincerely, they really got peace of mind and God's mercy.

It is a goodness to try to say "sorry" to the others. Saying "sorry" to God, it is really helpful for our souls and our salvation. Don't mind how to say it, just do it by your heart, as this "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

A letter to all the Priests in China

To all the Priests of the Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China

N. 6190/09/RS From the Vatican City, 10 November 2009

In Chinese language please see: http://www.radiovaticana.org/ci1/Articolo.asp?c=334896

Dear Brothers in the Priesthood,

The Year of the Priesthood, a gift of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, which we are celebrating on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the “Dies Natalis” of John Mary Vianney, prompts me to address you, the priests of the Church in China, in a particular way.

1. An invitation to hope. In the Letter that the Holy Father addressed to the Bishops, Priests, Consecrated Persons and Lay Faithful in the People’s Republic of China on 27 May 2007, a number of guidelines are indicated for the future journey of the Church. Among those I wish to emphasise reconciliation within the Catholic community and a respectful and constructive dialogue with the Civil Authorities, without renouncing the principles of the Catholic faith. In this regard, despite the persisting difficulties, the information that has come from different parts of China points also to signs of hope.

To face the present ecclesial and socio-political situation in which you are living, and to make progress on the path of reconciliation and dialogue, it is urgent for each of you to draw light and strength from the sources of priestly spirituality, which are the love of God and the unconditional following of Christ.

At a distance of only two years since the publication of the Papal Letter, it does not seem that the time has come to make definitive evaluations. Using the words of the great missionary of China, Father Matteo Ricci, I believe we can say that it is still more a time of sowing than of reaping.

Perhaps some of you were surprised by the Letter of the Pope to the Church in China. I assure you that the Holy See is aware of the complex and difficult situation in which you find yourselves. When he opened the Year of the Priesthood the Holy Father invited all the priests of the world to “welcome the new springtime which the Spirit is now bringing about in the Church”. This is true also for you: the new challenges, which the Chinese people must face at the beginning of the Third Millennium, ask of you to open yourselves with confidence to the future and to continue trying to live the Christian faith integrally.

2. Proclaiming Christ. Dear Brother Priests, you are pastors of the People of God in a geographically and demographically vast country. As the little flock in the midst of a great multitude of persons, you live side by side with the followers of other religions and with persons who are indifferent or indeed hostile towards God and towards religion.

Do not think that you are alone in having to face such a problem. In fact, you share the same situation of many of your brothers in other parts of the world, who “even amid difficulties and incomprehension, remain faithful to their vocation as «friends of Christ», whom he has called by name, chosen and sent” (Letter for the Proclamation of the Year of the Priesthood). The observation of Pope Benedict XVI also holds for you: “There are also, sad to say, situations which can never be sufficiently deplored where the Church herself suffers as a consequence of infidelity on the part of some of her ministers. Then it is the world which finds grounds for scandal and rejection. What is most helpful to the Church in such cases is not only a frank and complete acknowledgment of the weaknesses of her ministers, but also a joyful and renewed realization of the greatness of God’s gift, embodied in the splendid example of generous pastors, religious afire with love for God and for souls, and insightful, patient spiritual guides” (Letter for the Proclamation of the Year of the Priesthood). And for you in China “How can I fail to recall, in this regard, as an encouragement for all, the shining examples of Bishops and priests who, in the difficult years of the recent past, have testified to an unfailing love for the Church, even by the gift of their own lives for her and for Christ?” (Letter to the Church in China, n. 13).

Often, when we look at the world around us, we are dismayed. How many people there are to feed! Where can we find the bread for all this people? How can I, with all my limitations, help Jesus in his mission? Once again the Holy Father, in commenting on the text of the Gospel of John (6:1-15) reminds us of the response of the Lord: “By taking in his ‘holy and venerable’ hands the little that they are, priests, we priests, become instruments of salvation for many, for everyone!” (Angelus, 26 July 2009). There are various practical ways in which you can make your valuable contribution: for example, by visiting Catholic and non-Catholic families frequently, as well as villages, showing your concern for people’s needs; by increasing efforts to prepare and train good catechists; by fostering greater use of charitable services directed especially to children and to sick and old people, in order to show the Church’s unselfish charity; by organising special gatherings where Catholics could invite their non-Catholic relatives and friends in order to become better acquainted with the Catholic Church and Christian faith; by distributing Catholic literature to non-Catholics.

3. The priestly virtues. In the school of Saint John Mary Vianney we must learn to identify ourselves with the ministry we have received. In Christ, this identification was total: “In Jesus, person and mission tend to coincide: all Christ’s saving activity was, and is, an expression of his ‘filial consciousness’ which from all eternity stands before the Father in an attitude of loving submission to his will” (Letter for the Proclamation of the Year of the Priesthood). It is from the identification with his own ministry that all the virtues necessary for every priest originate.

The saintly Curé of Ars knew how to dialogue with everyone, because he was a man of prayer: the art of dialogue, at whatever level, is learned in the dialogue with God, in continual and sincere prayer. He lived poverty with extreme rigour, because he held that everything he received was for his church, his poor, his most disadvantaged families. Also he saw his chastity as required of a priest for his ministry: it was the chastity appropriate for one who habitually had to touch the Eucharist. We also know how tormented he was from the thought of his own inadequacy for the parochial ministry and by the desire to escape: only obedience and the passion for souls succeeded in convincing him to remain at his post. The golden rule for an obedient life seemed to him to be this: “Do only what can be offered to the good Lord”.

4. The Eucharist. In this Year of the Priesthood, I wish to remind you of the source where you can find the strength to be faithful to your important mission. And I wish to do so with the words of Pope Benedict XVI: in the Church “every great reform has in some way been linked to the rediscovery of belief in the Lord’s eucharistic presence among his people” (Letter to the Church in China, n. 5, note 20).

The celebration of the Paschal Mystery reveals the agape, that is, the love of God, that love that defeats evil and, therefore, changes evil to good, hatred to love. Through the sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist - the Holy Father has reminded us – that divine energy “comes to us corporally to continue his working in us and through us” (Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est, n. 14). United to Christ in the Eucharist, we become agents of the true transformation of hearts (cf. Deus Caritas Est, nn. 13-14). As the saintly Curé of Ars said: “all the good works together are not equal to the Sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men, while the Holy Mass is the work of God”.

The Eucharist, sacrament of communion, source and summit of ecclesial life and evangelisation, is at the centre of your journey of reconciliation. The Eucharist, even if celebrated in a particular community, is never the celebration of that community alone. A truly Eucharistic community cannot retreat into itself, as though it were self-sufficient, but it must stay in communion with every other catholic community. In fact, every celebration of the Eucharist presupposes the union not only with the local Bishop but also with the Pope, the order of Bishops, all the clergy and the entire People of God.

Saint Paul, writing to the Christians of Corinth, showed how their divisions, which were made manifest in the Eucharistic assemblies, were in contrast with what they were celebrating, the Supper of the Lord. Consequently, the Apostle invited them to reflect on the true reality of the Eucharist, in order to bring them back to the spirit of fraternal communion (cf. 1 Cor 11:17-34).

Pope John Paul II reminded us that the Eucharist creates communion and teaches communion. And Benedict XVI, echoing this teaching, has given some directives concerning the reception of the Sacraments in the present situation of the Church in China (cf. Letter to the Church in China, n. 10). These directives are rooted “in the promotion of communion” and in “charity, that is always above all”: they are also recalled in the “Compendium” of the same Papal letter which was published by the Holy See on 24 May 2009.

5. The Word of God. May I also remind you once again, dear Priests, of the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI: “In today’s world, as in the troubled times of the Curé of Ars, the lives and activity of priests need to be distinguished by a determined witness to the Gospel. As Pope Paul VI rightly noted, ‘modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses’. Lest we experience existential emptiness and the effectiveness of our ministry be compromised, we need to ask ourselves ever anew: ‘Are we truly pervaded by the word of God? Is that word truly the nourishment we live by, even more than bread and the things of this world? Do we really know that word? Do we love it? Are we deeply engaged with this word to the point that it really leaves a mark on our lives and shapes our thinking?’. Just as Jesus called the Twelve to be with him (cf. Mk 3:14), and only later sent them forth to preach, so too in our days priests are called to assimilate that ‘new style of life’ which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and taken up by the Apostles” (Letter for the Proclamation of the Year of the Priesthood).

6. The task of Bishops. Dear Priests, at this point allow me to address a few words also to your Bishops, who have received the fullness of the priesthood. To you, dear Brothers in the Episcopate, I would like to recall that your priests’ journey towards holiness has been entrusted to your attentive pastoral care. If one thinks of the social and cultural conditions of today’s world, it is easy to understand how the danger of dispersion in a great number of different tasks weighs on priests.

Daily experience shows that the seeds of disintegration among people are deeply rooted in humanity as a result of sin, but the Church can offer in response the power of the Body of Christ to bring about unity. The Second Vatican Council has identified pastoral charity as the bond that gives unity to the life and activity of priests.

7. Pastoral activity in favour of priestly vocations. As the Holy Father reminded you, “during the last fifty years, the Church in China has never lacked an abundant flowering of vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life. For this we must thank the Lord, because it is a sign of vitality and a reason for hope. […] this flowering is accompanied, today, by not a few difficulties. The need therefore emerges both for more careful vocational discernment on the part of Church leaders, and for more in-depth education and instruction of aspirants to the priesthood and religious life. Notwithstanding the precariousness of the means available, for the future of the Church in China it will be necessary to take steps to ensure, on the one hand, particular attention in the care of vocations and, on the other hand, a more solid formation with regard to the human, spiritual, philosophical-theological and pastoral aspects, to be carried out in seminaries and religious institutes” (Letter to the Church in China, n. 14).

May the celebration of the Year of the Priesthood be therefore an occasion to launch initiatives to support the life of your seminarians. Thereby, dear Bishops, you will be able to devote particular attention to their formation by visiting them in the seminaries and showing deep concern about the training that they receive there, both on a spiritual and academic level. Besides, your paternal solicitude will suggest to you, according to the possibilities and conditions of each diocese, suitable initiatives for promoting vocations to the priesthood, such as prayer days and meetings or the opening of places where priests and faithful, especially the young, can come to pray together under the guidance of expert and good priests acting as spiritual directors.

8. Ongoing formation. The Holy Father Benedict XVI realises that “in China too, as in the rest of the Church, the need for an adequate ongoing formation of the clergy is emerging. Hence the invitation, addressed to you Bishops as leaders of ecclesial communities, to think especially of the young clergy who are increasingly subject to new pastoral challenges, linked to the demands of the task of evangelizing a society as complex as present-day Chinese society. Pope John Paul II reminded us of this: ongoing formation of priests «is an intrinsic requirement of the gift and sacramental ministry received; and it proves necessary in every age. It is particularly urgent today, not only because of rapid changes in the social and cultural conditions of individuals and peoples among whom priestly ministry is exercised, but also because of that ‘new evangelization’ which constitutes the essential and pressing task of the Church at the end of the second millennium»” (Letter to the Church in China, n. 13).

Every Bishop, in communion with his brother Bishops of neighbouring dioceses, should concern himself with organising and personally following serious programmes of ongoing formation. Particular attention should be paid to young priests, who frequently have to work alone soon after ordination. They often feel isolated, with heavy responsibilities. Bishops should attend not only to their ongoing formation but also should ensure that they are welcomed and helped by the older clergy. Moreover, it would also be useful if Bishops and priests could find frequent occasions for personal contacts among themselves, and increase both official and informal meetings in order to plan diocesan activities together, share their experience and help one another in solving personal and pastoral difficulties.

9. Eucharistic worship. The saintly Curé of Ars teaches us that the worship given to the Eucharist outside of Mass is of inestimable value in the life of every priest. This worship is closely joined to the celebration of the Eucharist. It is your task as Pastors to encourage Eucharistic worship, either by personal testimony or by organising a weekly hour of adoration, processions, etc, on both the diocesan and parish levels. In this way, the faithful could gather around the Eucharist and experience ecclesial communion.

To this proposal I would like to remind you of what Pope John Paul II left us almost by way of a testament: “It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like the Beloved Disciple (cf. Jn 13:25) and to feel the infinite love present in his heart. If in our time Christians must be distinguished above all by the «art of prayer», how can we not feel a renewed need to spend time in spiritual converse, in silent adoration, in heartfelt love before Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament? How often, dear brothers and sisters, have I experienced this, and drawn from it strength, consolation and support!” (Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, n. 25).

10. The spiritual reconciliation of hearts. What can you do in the face of the enduring divisions and miseries also present within the Catholic community? If we are united in the Eucharistic Christ, all of the miseries of the world echo in our hearts to implore the mercy of God. In the same way, we raise up a hymn of praise and thanksgiving for all the beautiful things of creation, for the good works of men and for the countless gifts of grace which the Lord pours out on humanity: the heart opens wide to a greater love, which takes on the breadth of that of Christ who died and rose from the dead.

We should not forget that even “from the start the community of the disciples has known not only the joy of the Holy Spirit, the grace of truth and love, but also trials that are constituted above all by disagreements about the truths of faith, with the consequent wounds to communion. Just as the fellowship of love has existed since the outset and will continue to the end (cf. 1 Jn 1:1ff.), so also, from the start, division unfortunately arose. We should not be surprised that it still exists today” (Letter to the Church in China, n. 6).

In the first letter to the Corinthians, regarding the divisions existing in his communities, Saint Paul wrote: “For there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognised.” (1 Cor 11:19). Everything forms part of God’s plan, so that all may serve his omnipotence, which is wisdom and infinite love. At this time may no one hesitate to seek reconciliation with concrete gestures, to extend the hand to the brother who “has something against you” (cf. Matt 5:23-24). In order to obtain it, there is an urgent need to pay attention also to the human formation of all the faithful, priests and sisters included, because the lack of human maturity, self-control and inner harmony is the most frequent source of misunderstandings, lack of cooperation and conflicts within Catholic communities.

11. The agencies of communion. In the perspective of the “ecclesiology of communion”, the central and fundamental thought of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, it seems opportune to draw your attention to what canonical legislation provides for the fostering of the pastoral task of Bishops and the growth of the diocesan community: “Every diocesan Bishop is invited to make use of indispensable instruments of communion and cooperation within the diocesan Catholic community: the diocesan curia, the presbyteral council, the college of consultors, the diocesan pastoral council and the diocesan finance council. These agencies express communion, they favour the sharing of common responsibilities and are of great assistance to the Pastors, who can thus avail themselves of the fraternal cooperation of priests, consecrated persons and lay faithful” (Letter to the Church in China, n. 10).

When the entire diocesan curia cannot be set up due to the shortage of priests, Bishops should at least start to diversify the roles by gradually appointing a vicar general, chancellor, procurator, etc, in order to have someone at hand for consultation and cooperation in making juridical and pastoral decisions.

I wish to conclude my letter by expressing and entrusting to the Most Blessed Virgin the wish that your priestly life may be guided more and more by those ideals of the total giving of oneself to Christ and to the Church which inspired the thought and action of the saintly Curé of Ars.

United with you in prayer and in the hope that your pastoral work will bear a rich harvest, I remain,

Yours in the Lord

Card.  Tarcisio Bertone

Secretary of State, Vatican City

Asian Youth Day 2009

Dates: November 20-30, 2009

Place/Country: Tagaytay City, the Philippines

Theme of the Conference: Yasia Fiesta! Come together, Share the World, Live the Eucharist!

Website: http://www.asianyouthday2009.com/index.php?page=theme-song

New Season of Grace AYD5 Theme Song

Words and Music: Fr. Mimo L. Perez

 

For many and different roads

Now converged as one

We stand as witnesses

For both the old and young.

There is a world we know,

A world that breaths and hopes

But a world we wish to build still together with you...

There is a reason why we are here today

There is a voice that’s calling us to lead the way.

Gathering around the table of the Lord

Living in communion as we share the Word

For the love that save us

Is the love that drives us

Young Asians, take this dance

To proclaim, to sing and dance…

YASIA FIESTA!

Come together and celebrate!

Through us, God’s Living Word

Will renew and recreate!

YASIA FIESTA!

Come and sing songs of praise!

Through us, the Bread of life

Brings a new season of Grace!

We can’t afford to be indifferent anymore

We can’t pretend there’s nothing

We can do at all.

For we can make a difference

If in His presence we believe

Generated by the Word we share and live.