Dignity Of The Human Person

We know that man is made for love, because we know that man is made in the image of God (Gen 1:27). In his 1995 encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, Saint John Paul II reflected upon what this means:

Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase.

St. John Paul II spent his entire pontificate defending this truth about man. All human persons—including the poor, the sick, the handicapped, the elderly, and the unborn—are called to the fullness of life.

Shrine Hosts Interfaith Service For Peace

Earlier this month, the Archdiocese of Washington sponsored an Interfaith Service for Peace at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. 

This isn’t the first time an inter-religious service for peace has been held in our building. The John Paul II Cultural Center hosted Pope Benedict XVI and nearly 200 representatives of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism in 2008 for a meeting to promote interfaith dialogue.

St. John Paul II was especially committed to fostering peace throughout the world, so the Shrine was a perfect spot for the service. For photos and more, see our website. 

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Pray for Us! 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins today. At the end of his General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Benedict XVI said:

I invite everyone to pray, ceaselessly asking God for the great gift of unity among the disciples of the Lord. May the inexhaustible power of the Holy Spirit encourage us in a sincere commitment to the search for unity, so that together we may all profess that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

This year’s theme is, “What the Lord requires of us,” which is inspired by the prophet Micah (cf Mi 6: 6-8). Let us each do what the Lord requires of us, reaching out to the His scattered children in our communities and through our prayers.

For more information on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, see this interview with Cardinal Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. 

The Wellsprings of Trust on Earth

Last Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI spoke with about 40 thousand young people from Europe’s Taizé Community, who traveled on pilgrimage to Rome in order to receive the Holy Father’s blessing on their resolution for the New Year: “to uncover the wellsprings of trust in God in today’s world.”

The Taizé Community is an ecumenical monastic order, which was founded in France in 1940.  It has since become of a place of pilgrimage for young people, who gather there from throughout the world seeking a renewed trust in God. The community is best known for its Taizé form of music and worship, which includes songs and chants from various traditions and is presented in a number of languages.

In his message to the young pilgrims, Pope Benedict XVI said:

Singing to Christ, you open yourselves to the mystery of His hope. Do not be afraid to precede the dawn in praise of God, you will not be disappointed. Dear young friends, Christ does not remove you from the world. He sends you there where His light is missing, so that you may bring it to others. Yes, you are all called to be small lights to those around you. With your attention to a more equitable distribution of the goods of the earth, with your commitment to justice and a new human solidarity, you will help those around you to better understand how the Gospel leads us to God and at the same time to others. So, with your faith, you will contribute to uncovering the wellsprings of trust on earth.

Sadness and Joy in America

This past Sunday, six people were killed and others critically wounded when a gunman opened fire during a worship service at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Bishop Denis Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, asked the American Church to pray in solidarity with the Sikh community. He said:

The U.S. bishops stand with the Sikh community and reject all violence, particularly violence inflicted out of religious intolerance. We are especially saddened that this horrendous act was carried out in a house of worship against people joined together as a family to worship God. Our prayers are with everyone touched by this, especially those who’ve lost family members and loved ones.

Many of the faithful came together this weekend in Los Angeles for the Guadalupe Celebration, which was co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Read here for more on the joyous event. And as we reflect on the beauty and consolation the Blessed Mother brings into our lives, let us also remember to ask her to comfort our brothers and sisters in the Sikh community.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for Us!