Evangelium Vitae Day

This coming weekend, Pope Francis will gather with faithful pilgrims to celebrate Evangelium Vitae, in support of the sanctity of every human life. According to the Year of Faith site:

It will offer the opportunity for the faithful from around the world to gather with the Holy Father in a communal witness to the sacred value of all life: The lives of the aged, the lives of the sick, the lives of the dying, the lives of the unborn, the lives of the physically and mentally challenged, and the lives of all those who suffer. In addition, this event will offer the occasion to celebrate, affirm, and encourage all those who so tenderly and with self-abandonment follow in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd by tending to the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs of those who are aged, disabled, ill, unborn, homebound, dying or who suffer in any way. It is our hope that the number of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square will be so great that all the world will be able to hear from Rome our Church’s choral expression of the very heart of Jesus’ redemptive mission: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10, Cf. Evangelium Vitae, 1).

For those in Washington D.C., the Blessed John Paul II Shrine will be celebrating a Holy Hour of Healing & Reparation corresponding to the event, from 3pm-4pm this Saturday June 14. This will be a traditional holy hour with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Divine Mercy Chaplet will be prayed, and silent prayer will follow before Benediction.

Come join us in interceding for the dignity of every human person!

The Heart Invites

For such knowledge acquired with the heart, with every human heart, the Divine Heart of the One who was condemned and crucified on Calvary was opened at the end of his earthly life.

Different is the measure of this knowledge on the part of human hearts. Before the power of Paul's words, let each of us question himself on the measure of his own heart. "...(We shall) reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows every thing" (1 Jn 3:19-20). The Heart of the God-Man does not judge human hearts. The Heart calls. The Heart "invites." That was the purpose for which it was opened with the soldier's spear.

The mystery of the heart opens up through the wounds of the body; the great mystery of piety opens up, the deep feelings of mercy of our God open up…

                 

                -Blessed John Paul II, General Audience, June 20, 1979

Like Blessed John Paul II, let us meditate on the Mystery of the Divine Heart on this Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Papal Intentions for June

This month, Pope Francis asks that we pray for two important intentions. 

First, for mutual respect, that “a culture of dialogue, listening, and mutual respect may prevail among peoples.” 

Second, for the new evangelization, that “where secularization is strongest, Christian communities may effectively promote a new evangelization.”

Let us pray with Pope Francis, then, that Christian communities may be communities of dialogue, always reaching out respectfully to the spiritually impoverished.

The Desire for Peace

The world needs peace,

The world ardently desires peace.

Let us pray that all men and women,

enjoying religious freedom,

may be able to live in peace.

-Blessed John Paul II

December 8, 1987

Newness, Harmony, And Mission

In his homily for the Feast of Pentecost, Pope Francis reflected on three words linked to the workings of the Holy Spirit. These are newness, harmony and mission.

This reflection is helpful for those looking to go deeper into the significance of Pentecost Sunday. Here at the Shrine, we also find it helpful for connecting the pontificates of our beloved Blessed John Paul II and our new Holy Father, Pope Francis.

First of all, the Holy Spirit plays a role in the newness of change in our lives. In a culture of planners, new direction is not always welcomed with open arms. “Yet throughout the history of salvation,” Pope Francis said, “whenever God reveals himself, he brings newness and change, and demands our complete trust.” He continues:

Noah, mocked by all, builds an ark and is saved; Abram leaves his land with only a promise in hand; Moses stands up to the might of Pharaoh and leads his people to freedom; the apostles, huddled fearfully in the Upper Room, go forth with courage to proclaim the Gospel. This is not a question of novelty for novelty’s sake, the search for something new to relieve our boredom, as is so often the case in our own day. The newness which God brings into our life is something that actually brings fulfillment, that gives true joy, true serenity, because God loves us and desires only our good.

Now Blessed John Paul II and Pope Francis do have much in common. They are both similar in their openness to others and in the genuineness of their prayers. They both have a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, and the chaplain of the Blessed John Paul II Shrine, Rev. Gregory Gresko, also notes that Pope Francis “is continuing the call of Blessed John Paul II in telling us ‘Be not afraid’ to give yourself over completely to the loving mercy of God.”

Yet the two are certainly not the same, and Pope Francis has already made some unique choices during his pontificate that challenge the faithful to look humbly inside of ourselves so that we may better perceive what is going on around us and how we can serve those in need. 

Flesh And Blood Of That Jesus Who Was Made Flesh

And this food is called among us Εὐχαριστία [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.

 -St. Justin Martyr, The First Apology

Fall In Love With Jesus Christ

Today the Church celebrates St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia, an Italian saint of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, who is most often remembered for his zeal for vocations. He also lived a life dedicated to pastoral work amongst the poor.

St. Hannibal was canonized by Blessed John Paul II in May 2004. In his homily for the canonization Mass, the Holy Father said:

"Whoever loves me will keep my word" (Jn 14: 23). In these words of the Gospel we see illustrated the spiritual profile of Hannibal Mary Di Francia, whose love for the Lord moved him to dedicate his entire life to the spiritual well-being of others. In this perspective, he felt above all the urgency to carry out the Gospel command: "Rogate ergo... Pray then to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest!" (Mt 9: 38).

He left to the Rogationist Fathers and the Daughters of Divine Zeal the task to do their utmost with all their strength so that prayer for vocations would be "unceasing and universal." This same call of Fr Hannibal Mary Di Francia is directed to the young people of our times, summed up in his usual exhortation: "Fall in love with Jesus Christ."

From this providential intuition, a great movement of prayer for vocations rose up within the Church. I hope with all my heart that the example of Fr Hannibal Mary Di Francia will guide and sustain such pastoral work even in our times.

On this day of your feast, please pray for us St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia, that we may embrace our own vocations while praying especially for those who are discerning the priesthood and religious life.