CSVF Blog

At yesterday’s Wednesday Audience, Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the life and work of St. Germanus, an eighth-century Patriarch of Constantinople who was a key figure in the infamous Iconoclast Controversy.

GENERAL AUDIENCE ADDRESS
April 29, 2009

Dear brothers and sisters,

The patriarch Germanus of Constantinople, of whom I would like to speak today, does not belong to the most characteristic figures of the Eastern Christian world, and yet, his name appears with a certain solemnity in the list of the great defenders of sacred images, compiled in the Second Council of Nicaea, the 7th ecumenical council (787).

The Greek Church celebrates his feast in the liturgy of May 12. He had a significant role in the complex history of the fight for images, during the so-called iconoclast crisis: He knew how to effectively resist pressure from an iconoclast emperor, that is, an adversary of icons, such as was Leo III.

During Germanus’ time as patriarch (715-730), Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, suffered a very dangerous besiegement from the Saracens. On that occasion (717-718), a solemn procession was organized in the city with the showing of the image of the Mother of God, the Theotokos, and a relic of the holy cross, to invoke from on high the defense of the city. In fact, Constantinople was liberated from the besiegement. The adversaries decided to permanently let go of the idea of establishing their capital in the city that was the symbol of the Christian empire, and the appreciation for divine help was extremely great among the people.

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Priest of the Most High God,
you were a good shepherd and pleasing to the Lord, alleluia.

Today ends the “Dominican Triduum” that every year closes the month of April. On Tuesday, we remembered St. Louis de Montfort, the missionary priest and Dominican tertiary who renewed devotion to Mary throughout France.  Rumors still circulate that he will be proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.  Yesterday, we celebrated St. Catherine of Siena, the Italian Dominican tertiary whose sweet love for Jesus, Mary, and Peter guided her every prayer and work.  A peacemaker among peoples, Catherine brought peace also to the Church by guiding Pope Gregory XI back to Rome from Avignon.  And today we honor St. Pius V, a mid 16th-century Dominican friar charged, after his election to the papacy, with implementing the reforms and directives of the Council of Trent.  In the Chair of Peter for less than seven years, Pius fulfilled his mission with decisive action and ardent devotion.

Heading into the month of Mary, we are fortified by the witness of three great Dominican devotés of Our Lady.

From the Dominican Ordo:

Antonio Chisliere was born in 1504 at Bosco, in Peidmont, Italy.  At the age of fourteen he entered the Dominican Order and took the name Michaele.  He taught theology and held several positions of responsibility, first as prior of several communities, then as Commissary General of the Roman Inquisition. In 1556 he was named bishop of Nipi and Sutri and was created cardinal in 1557. In 1566 he was elected pope and took the name Pius.  He implemented the decrees of the Council of Trent; published the revised Breviary (1568) and Missal (1570); reformed the Roman Curia; issued the Roman Catechism (1566); and defended Catholic doctrine against the Reformers.  His love and devotion to the Virgin Mary was manifest when he entreated her through the rosary to spare the Christian forces in the Battle of Lepanto. Moved by this victory he instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory.  He died May 1, 1572.

Click here and here for more on the life of St. Pius V.

Faithful God,
you called our brother Pius
to defend the faith
and to renew the worship of your Church.
With the help of his prayers
guide us toward that worship in truth
which is faithful to your Word.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Fr. Matarazzo's Homily - April 26, 2009 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fr. Guilbeau's Homily - April 26, 2009 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fr. Jones's Homily - April 26, 2009 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Fr. Keitz's Homily - April 26, 2009 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Eternal God, receive the sacrifice of my life for your Church.
Accept my heart and impress upon it the face of your Son, Jesus, alleluia.

Words fail the love many hearts feel for the saint we celebrate today, our Dominican sister Catherine of Siena.

From the Dominican Ordo:

Catherine Benincasa was born at Siena, Italy, in 1347, the youngest of twenty-five children.  Inspired by divine grace she vowed her virginity to God while still a small girl and after overcoming the objections of her family pursued a life of prayer and penance as a Sister of Penance of St. Dominic.  She continued in this way of life until 1370 when in a vision God asked her to undertake an active apostolate and become involved in the affirs of her age.  Several times she was able to bring about peace among the Italian city-states and, while representing the Florentines at Avignon, was instrumental in persuading Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome.

On April 1, 1375, by divine favor she received the stigmata.  The Dialogue (1378), which she left for her large family of disciples, is a masterpiece of spiritual and theological doctrine and has become a source of riches for the entire Dominican family.  She died in Rome on April 29, 1380, and was buried in the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.  In 1970 Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church.

For more on the life of Holy Catherine, click here and here.

God of wisdom,
you made Saint Catherine burn with divine love
in contemplating the Lord’s passion
and in serving your Church.
With the help of her prayers
may your people, united in the mystery of Christ,
rejoice forever in the revelation of his glory,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Give her the reward of her deeds;
they will proclaim her as she enters the gates, alleluia.

A saint of and for our time.

The following is the biography published by the Vatican on the occasion of St. Gianna’s canonization, which took place on May 16, 2004:

Gianna Beretta was born in Magenta (Milan) October 4, 1922. Already as a youth she willingly accepted the gift of faith and the clearly Christian education that she received from her excellent parents. As a result, she experienced life as a marvellous gift from God, had a strong faith in Providence and was convinced of the necessity and effectiveness of prayer.

She diligently dedicated herself to studies during the years of her secondary and university education, while, at the same time, applying her faith through generous apostolic service among the youth of Catholic Action and charitable work among the elderly and needy as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. After earning degrees in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pavia in 1949, she opened a medical clinic in Mesero (near Magenta) in 1950. She specialized in Pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and there after gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and poor.

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To Jesus through Mary!

Today the Church remembers St. Louis de Montfort, a French missionary priest and Dominican tertiary charged with preaching the Rosary and renewing Marian devotion in early eighteenth-century France.

From Catholic Online:

St. Louis de Montfort

Confessor, Marian devotee, and founder of the Sisters of Divine Wisdom He was born Louis Marie Grignon in Montfort, France, in 1673. Educated at Rennes, he was ordained there in 1700, becoming a chaplain in a hospital in Poitiers. His congregation, also called the Daughters of Divine Wisdom, started there. As his missions and sermons raised complaints, Louis went to Rome, where Pope Clement XI appointed him as a missionary apostolic. Louis is famous for fostering devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary. In 1715, he also founded the Missionaries of the Company of Mary. His True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin remains popular. Louis died at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre. He was canonized in 1947.

As is mentioned above, St. Louis’s True Devotion to Mary and The Secret of the Rosary remain must-read spiritual classics.

Click here and here for more on the life of St. Louis de Montfort.

Lord God,
you gave Saint Louis de Montfort
the spirit of truth and love
to shepherd your people.
May we who honor them on this feast
learn from their example
and be helped by their prayers.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Keep watch with love, wise virgins, with your lamps alight.
See, the Bridegroom comes; go out to welcome him, alleluia.

From the Dominican Ordo:

Catherine Kosic was born of Orthodox parents in the country of Montenegro in 1493.  As a young girl she was a shepherdess, but wishing to follow Christ more closely she embraced the solitary life, assumed the habit of a Dominican tertiary, and took the name Osanna.  She spent her life in contemplation and prayer for the salvation of the world and became a counselor for many people.  She died on April 27, 1565.  Blessed Osanna is invoked especially for Church unity.

For more on the life of Blessed Osanna, click here and here.

God of compassion,
enkindle anew in our hearts
the love of your cross.
By the life and prayers of Blessed Osanna,
who suffered for the unity of the Church,
may we become sharers in both your passion and your glory.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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The word of the Lord shall endure forever:
this is the message which has been proclaimed, alleluia.

For thorough descriptions of the life and legend of St. Mark the Evangelist, click here and here.

Father,
you gave Saint Mark
the privilege of proclaiming your gospel.
May we profit by his wisdom
and follow Christ more faithfully.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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It was a great joy and honor to have Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Costa, OP, the Master of the Order, in the studio for today’s broadcast.  Fr. Carlos is in the United States making a fraternal visit to our province.  He was in Washington last weekend for the dedication of the new wing at the House of Studies, and now he is visiting various priories and communities along the East Coast.  Click below to hear Fr. Carlos share his thoughts on the Dominican Order and also on the readings we’ll hear at Mass this Sunday.

Joining Fr. Carlos to discuss the readings was Fr. Brian Mulcahy, OP, the Socius of the Province of St. Joseph.

“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM Eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.

Word to Life - April 24, 2009 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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O Christ, Good Shepherd, I thank you for leading me to glory;
I pray that the flock you have entrusted to my care
will share with me in your glory forever, alleluia.

From Catholic Online:

Franciscan Capuchin martyr. He was born Mark Rey in Sigmaringen, Germany, in 1577. A practicing lawyer, he traveled across Europe as a tutor to aristocrats but then started defending the poor. In 1612, he became a Franciscan Capuchin monk, taking the name of Fidelis. A missionary to Grisons, Switzerland, Fidelis was so successful that local Protestants claimed that he was a spy for the Austrian Emperor. Fidelis was stabbed to death in a church in Seewis. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIV. Fidelis served also as the head of the Congregation for the Spreading of the Faith. 

For more on the life of St. Fidelis, click here.

Father,
you filled Saint Fidelis with the fire of your love
and gave him the privilege of dying
that the faith might life.
Let his prayers keep us firmly grounded in your love,
and help us to come to know the power of Christ’s resurrection.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Rejoice and be glad, all you saints,
for your reward is great in heaven, alleluia.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:

Martyr, patron of England, suffered at or near Lydda, also known as Diospolis, in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. According to the very careful investigation of the whole question recently instituted by Father Delehaye, the Bollandist, in the light of modern sources of information, the above statement sums up all that can safely be affirmed about St. George, despite his early cultus and pre-eminent renown both in East and West.

The best known form of the legend of St. George and the Dragon is that made popular by the “Legenda Aurea”, and translated into English by Caxton. According to this, a terrible dragon had ravaged all the country round a city of Libya, called Selena, making its lair in a marshy swamp. Its breath caused pestilence whenever it approached the town, so the people gave the monster two sheep every day to satisfy its hunger, but, when the sheep failed, a human victim was necessary and lots were drawn to determine the victim. On one occasion the lot fell to the king’s little daughter. The king offered all his wealth to purchase a substitute, but the people had pledged themselves that no substitutes should be allowed, and so the maiden, dressed as a bride, was led to the marsh. There St. George chanced to ride by, and asked the maiden what she did, but she bade him leave her lest he also might perish. The good knight stayed, however, and, when the dragon appeared, St. George, making the sign of the cross, bravely attacked it and transfixed it with his lance. Then asking the maiden for her girdle (an incident in the story which may possibly have something to do with St. George’s selection as patron of the Order of the Garter), he bound it round the neck of the monster, and thereupon the princess was able to lead it like a lamb. They then returned to the city, where St. George bade the people have no fear but only be baptized, after which he cut off the dragon’s head and the townsfolk were all converted. The king would have given George half his kingdom, but the saint replied that he must ride on, bidding the king meanwhile take good care of God’s churches, honour the clergy, and have pity on the poor. The earliest reference to any such episode in art is probably to be found in an old Roman tombstone at Conisborough in Yorkshire, considered to belong to the first half of the twelfth century. Here the princess is depicted as already in the dragon’s clutches, while an abbot stands by and blesses the rescuer.

Lord,
Hear the prayers of those who praise your mighty power.
As Saint George was ready to follow Christ in suffering and death,
so may he be ready to help us in our weakness.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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At yesterday’s General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI steered his catechetical series into the early Middle Ages by reflecting on the life and work of Ambrose Autpert, an eighth-century Benedictine moral theologian and Mariologist.

If you’ve never heard of Ambrose Autpert, you’re not alone.  Neither have I.  But as the Pope makes clear, Ambrose’s medieval wisdom can definitely find contemporary application.

GENERAL AUDIENCE ADDRESS
April 22, 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Church lives in people and whoever wants to get to know the Church, to understand its mystery, must consider the people who have lived and who continue to live its message, its mystery. It is for this reason that I have spoken in the Wednesday catecheses of people from whom we can learn what the Church is. We started with the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church and have slowly arrived to the eighth century, the period of Charlemagne. Today I would like to talk about Ambrose Autpert, a relatively unknown author: His works were in fact largely attributed to other better-known personalities, from St. Ambrose of Milan to St. Ildephonsus, not to mention those that the monks of Montecassino have held as coming from the pen of a certain one of their abates who lived almost a century later. Apart from some brief autobiographical references inserted in his great commentary on the book of Revelation, we have little definite information about [Autpert's] life. Careful reading of the works that critics gradually recognized as his authorship allows for the discovery in his teaching of a theological and spiritual treasure precious also for our times.

Born in Provenza, from a distinguished family, Ambrose Autpert — according to his biographer, John — was an official at the court of King Pepin the Short. He also played, in some way, the role of tutor to the future emperor Charlemagne. Probably as one following Pope Stephen II, who in 753-54 had gone to the court of the Franks, Autpert travelled to Italy and was able to visit the famous Benedictine abbey of St. Vincent, located at the source of the Volturno, in the Duchy of Benevento. Founded at the beginning of that century by the three Beneventan brothers Paldone, Riceman and Tasone, the abbey was known as a haven of classical and Christian culture. Shortly after his visit, Ambrose Autpert decided to embrace the religious life and entered the monastery, where he could train in an appropriate manner, especially in matters of theology and spirituality, according to the tradition of the Fathers. Around the year 761 he was ordained a priest and on October 4, 777, he was elected abbot with the support of the French monks and despite the opposition of some monks in favor of Lombard Potone.

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From Sr. Lucy, SV, the Respect Life Coordinator for the archdiocese:

Join the Sisters of Life on Saturday, May 2nd, and Witness for Life!

8am Mass at Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC (263 Mulberry Street)

Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P., will be the main celebrant.

Come to all or part of the morning.

Last month, within minutes of our arrival at the clinic, we had a young woman turn around – thanks to the prayers of all present and the great mercy of God!

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass begins our day in Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral (the Sisters of Life will provide a singing Schola), Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament follows, and people can either remain in the Church to adore our Lord or attend the rosary procession to the local abortion clinic.

Upon return from the clinic (approx 10:15am) we will repose the Blessed Sacrament and have a social (complete with coffee and bagels) with a short (15 mins) presentation by the Sisters of Life. You will hear of concrete ways to be of service, as Co-Workers, helping vulnerable pregnant women that are currently being served by the Sisters.

Promote this to your friends and keep the spiritual success of this effort for Life in your daily prayers.

God Bless You.

Sr. Lucy Marie

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Last Friday, EWTN aired a half-hour interview with the newly installed Archbishop of New York.  You can watch the video below. It appears that the interview was taped shortly before last Wednesday’s installation.

In the interview, Archbishop Dolan shares his thoughts on the Church of New York, and he speaks clearly on wider issues facing American Catholics, especially in the public square.

Click here for the homepage of EWTN’s “The World Over.”

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The man who not only teaches but does what is right
will be counted great in the kingdom of God, alleluia.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Anselm, the late eleventh-century Archbishop of Canterbury and Doctor of the Church.  As one of the first of the medieval Schoolmen, Anselm brought the patristic age to perfection–and also to its close–by approaching the Christian theological project from a different angle, that of speculative inquiry.  In so doing, he began a mode of theological investigation that founded the Middle Ages and continues to this day.

From the Christian Classics Ethereal Library:

Although born at Aosta in Alpine Italy and educated in Normandy, Anselm became a Benedictine monk, teacher, and abbot at Bec and continued his ecclesiastical career in England. Having been appointed the second Norman archbishop of Canterbury in 1093, Anselm secured the Westminster Agreement of 1107, guaranteeing the (partial) independence of the church from the civil state.

In a series of short works such as De Libertate Arbitrii (On Free Will), De Casu Diaboli (The Fall of the Devil), and the lengthier dialogue Cur Deus Homo (Why God became Man), Anselm propounded a satisfaction theory of the atonement, upon which the incarnation promises relief from the strict demands of divine justice. He defended a notion of the relation between philosophy and theology that, like Augustine’s, emphasized the methodological priority of faith over reason, since truth is to be achieved only through “fides quaerens intellectum” (“faith seeking understanding”).  Anselm’s combination of Christianity, neoplatonic metaphysics, and Aristotelean logic in the form of dialectical question-and-answer was an important influence in the development scholasticism during the next several centuries.

As a philosopher, Anselm is most often remembered for his attempts to prove the existence of god: In De Veritate (Of Truth) he argued that all creatures owe their being and value to god as the source of all truth, to whom a life lived well is the highest praise. In the Monologion he described deity as the one most truly good thing, from which all real moral values derive and whose existence is required by the reality of those values.

Most famously, in the Proslogion (Addition), Anselm proposed the famous Ontological Argument, according to which god is understood as “aliquid quod maius non cogitari potest” (“that than which nothing greater can be conceived”). The being so conceived must necessarily exist in reality as well as in thought, he argued, since otherwise it would in fact be possible to conceive something greater—namely, something exactly simliar except that it really does exist. Thus, at least for Anselmian believers guided by a prior faith, God must truly exist as the simple, unified source of all perfections, a reality that excludes corruption, imperfection, and deception of every sort.

For more on the life and thought of St. Anselm, click here, here, and here.

Father,
you called Saint Anselm
to study and teach the sublime truths oyou have revealed.
Let your gift of faith come to the aid of our understanding
and open our hearts to your truth.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Join young adults for a series of lectures at Metro 53 Bar and Restaurant, 307 East 53rd Street, between 2nd and 1st Avenues. The event is from 7pm-8:30pm.

The final lecture of 2009 is on May 4, 2009, by Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap, Archbishop of Denver. The topic for this night is “This Dual life Will Self-Destruct.” On this night, he will talk about how we lead two lives: a Catholic life and a secular life.

For more details, visit www.totnyc.org.

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From Dr. Mark Bani, the parish’s organist and music director:

Dear Friends,

I invite you to our next music event here at The Church of St. Vincent Ferrer (Lexington Ave. at 66th St.) in Manhattan:

Tuesday, April 21 at 7:00 P.M.

James Wetzel, a talented young artist who has been hailed by audiences throughout the US, will perform a program of organ music by English composer Herbert Howells on our 86-rank Schantz pipe organ. Mr. Wetzel is currently a senior at the Juilliard School, studying with Paul Jacobs. Mr. Wetzel is the organ scholar at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

You are cordially invited to this recital. Admission is free (a free will offering will be gratefully accepted.)

Hope to see you here!

Mark Bani
Director of Music and Organist

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Lamentatio: A Historical Exploration and Musical Performance
of Six Franco-Flemish Déplorations

Lamentatio will explore the déploration, the musical honoring of a composer upon his death. After the composition of the first known déploration by F. Andrieu honoring Guillaume de Machaut, Armes, amours/O flour des flours, five other stunning compositions were written by and for sequential generations of Franco-Flemish composers: Mort tu as navré de ton dart, by Ockeghem in honor of Binchois; Nymphes des bois by Josquin des Prez in memory of Ockeghem; and three laments for Josquin des Prez, Musae Iovis by Gombert, a piece of the same name by Benedictus Appenzeller, and O mors inevitablis by Hieronimus Vinders.

Lamentatio is presented by Alyssa DeSocio, a Barnard College senior and Centennial Scholar, who will speak on the evolution of the déploration, the history of these compositions, and the lives of these composers. The evening will also feature a live performance of these six déplorations by an ensemble of musicians from Pomerium.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 8 PM
Church of Notre Dame, 405 West 114th Street
Admission: FREE

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Agnes bore the sufferings of Christ in her body,
that his life might be manifest in her, alleluia.

From the Dominican Ordo:

Saint Agnes was born at Gracciano, Italy, in 1268 and entered a monastery at Montepulciano at the age of nine.  At the age of fifteen by indult of the Holy See she was appointed superior of a monastery of nuns at Viterbo.  In response to the entreaties of the people of Montepulciano she returned there in 1306 to take charge of a newly founded monastery which followed the Rule of St. Augustine.  A few years later she placed this monastery under the direction of the Order of Preachers and sought evangelical perfection according to the way of Saint Dominic.  Agnes was devoted to the infant Jesus and the Virgin Mary, manifested the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and was a model of prayer and charity.  She worked for civil peace and unity.  Saint Catherine of Siena regarded her as her “glorious mother.”  She died on April 20, 1317.

For more on the life of Saint Agnes, click here.

Merciful God,
you adorned Agnes, your bride,
with a marvelous fervor in prayer.
By imitating her example,
may we always hold fast to you in spirit
and so come to enjoy the abundant fruits of holiness.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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One year ago today, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in the old Yankee Stadium.  Tens of thousands packed the stands, and millions more watched from home, as the Holy Father brought to a joyful close his first Apostolic Journey to the United States.

Many of us have wonderful memories of that day.  We all would do well to recall, too, the homily Pope Benedict delivered.  Here’s a highlight:

Each day, throughout this land, you and so many of your neighbors pray to the Father in the Lord’s own words: “Thy Kingdom come”. This prayer needs to shape the mind and heart of every Christian in this nation. It needs to bear fruit in the way you lead your lives and in the way you build up your families and your communities. It needs to create new “settings of hope” (cf. Spe Salvi, 32ff.) where God’s Kingdom becomes present in all its saving power.

Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society. It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ’s victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal. It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, “there is no human activity – even in secular affairs – which can be withdrawn from God’s dominion” (Lumen Gentium, 36). It means working to enrich American society and culture with the beauty and truth of the Gospel, and never losing sight of that great hope which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which inspire our lives.

And this, dear friends, is the particular challenge which the Successor of Saint Peter sets before you today. As “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation”, follow faithfully in the footsteps of those who have gone before you! Hasten the coming of God’s Kingdom in this land! Past generations have left you an impressive legacy. In our day too, the Catholic community in this nation has been outstanding in its prophetic witness in the defense of life, in the education of the young, in care for the poor, the sick and the stranger in your midst. On these solid foundations, the future of the Church in America must even now begin to rise!

You might remember this, too.  It’s a recap of the coverage WNBC gave to the Papal Mass, which I was honored to assist.

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ELECTION OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
April 19, 2005

Four years ago today, the world learned that the College of Cardinals gathered in Rome had elected Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as the 265th Successor of St. Peter. These were Pope Benedict’s first words as Holy Father, given during his inaugural Urbi et Orbi blessing.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord.

The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with inadequate instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.

Let us move forward in the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help. The Lord will help us and Mary, his Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you.

God, our Father,
we ask You to look with mercy and love on Your servant, Benedict,
whom You have chosen to govern Your Church and shepherd Your people.
May he, through word and through example,
direct, sustain and encourage the people in his care
so that with them he may share everlasting life in Your kingdom. Amen.

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With you hand, touch the mark of the nails;
doubt no longer, but believe, alleluia.

From the Gospel according to John (20:19-31):

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked, 
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

God of mercy,
you wash away our sins in water,
you give us new birth in the Spirit,
and redeem us in the blood of Christ.
As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection
increase our awareness of these blessings,
and renew your gift of life within us.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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When Jesus had risen from the dead on the morning after the Sabbath,
he appeared first to Mary Madgalene,
from whom he had cast out seven devils, alleluia.

From the Gospel according to Mark (16:9-15):

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart
because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them, “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Father of love,
by the outpouring of your grace
you increase the number of those who believe in you.
Watch over your chosen family.
Give undying life to all
who have been born again in baptism.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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An interview with Fr. Stephen Boguslawski, O.P.

Father Steven Boguslawski, O.P. is President of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies. As such, he is one of the principal architects of the formidable intellectual project that formally gets underway April 18-19, 2009.

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What is the mission of the ‘new’ Dominican House of Studies (DHS)?

More aptly said, there is a renewed mission of the faculty which focuses upon an “open-Thomism,” a dialogue with contemporary as well as historical theology. We are building upon the sure foundations entrusted to us—what we develop now is inextricably linked to our past. The brilliance of St. Thomas Aquinas was to appropriate the truth by critical engagement with philosophy, Sacred Scripture, as well as theological and patristic sources. The renewed challenge is to similarly appropriate his methodology in a contemporary frame of reference. That is the “niche” or the branding we want to accomplish in the academic marketplace. However, it must also be said that Dominicans were founded for service to the Church—especially her mission to evangelize through preaching and teaching. That remains our primary focus: service to the Word in the midst of the world. And, of course, vocations are the life blood of this mission.

What is the significance of the new Academic Center and Theological Library?

The expansion to new facilities has been paralleled by a dramatic expansion of credentialed Dominican and non-Dominican professors. These professors received their training at an array of prestigious universities: Oxford, École Pratique des Hautes Études (Paris), Drew University, Fribourg, the Australian Catholic University, the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome), just to name a few. More Dominicans are scheduled to arrive in the years ahead, being specially trained for service in Washington, D.C.

The building expansion and the increase in full-time faculty are aimed at serving the academic and ecclesial communities of metro-Washington, as well as the Dominican Order and Province at-large. Our renewed emphasis upon Thomism, evangelization and the dialogue between faith and contemporary culture sets us apart.

What does the project offer the broader Church community? Can it help change the tone, the substance of the dialogue between the Church and contemporary secular culture?

The Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the DHS is convinced that training in a solid Thomistic core produces competent clerics and laity in service of the Church by instilling an intellectual rigor that critically appraises competing truth claims in society. The ability to engage cultural trends and legitimate questions arising from ministerial experience requires a suppleness of mind which appropriates the truth wherever it is to be found—always given norms, however, by Sacred Scripture, tradition, and magisterial teachings.

That is not always an easy task—indeed, it is rarely an easy task! Evangelization and re-evangelization depend upon individuals being conversant with those who have been predominantly formed by the culture-at-large—unafraid to bring the fullness of the Gospel to them, because good evangelizers or preachers are able to articulate the internal intelligibility of the faith here and now, and with a good measure of joy. More simply put, our students can explain the reasons for their hope. Dominicans do not subscribe to the modern artificial divide between doctrine and pastoral practice.

The new academic center and theological library mark an “inflection point” in the history of ‘487’ (Michigan Avenue) and I see the Providence of God at work presenting us with new opportunities and new responsibilities. If we do what the Lord asks us to do, we will thrive.

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This was the third time Jesus had shown himself to his disciples
after he had risen from the dead, alleluia.

From the Gospel according to John (21:1-14):

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

Eternal Father,
you gave us the Easter mystery
as our covenant of reconciliation.
May the new birth we celebrate
show its effects in the way we live.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Your people praised your great victory, O Lord.
Wisdom opened the mouth that was dumb,
and made the tongues of babies speak, alleluia.

From the Gospel according to Luke (24:35-48):

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,
and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
But they were startled and terrified
and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have.”
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
They gave him a piece of baked fish;
he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,
“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.”

Father,
you gather the nations to praise your name.
May all who are reborn in baptism
be one in faith and love.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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