Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Latin America

Pope Benedict XVI spent time in Mexico and Cuba this past week, following in the footsteps of Blessed John Paul II. In his Welcoming Ceremony address at Cuba’s Antonio Maceo International Airport, Pope Benedict said:

Standing here among you, I cannot but recall the historic visit to Cuba of my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, who left an indelible mark on the soul of all Cubans. For many, whether believers or not, his example and his teachings are a luminous guide for their personal lives and their public activity in the service of the common good of the nation. His visit to this island was like a gentle breath of fresh air which gave new strength to the Church in Cuba, awakening in many a renewed awareness of the importance of faith and inspiring them to open their hearts to Christ, while at the same time kindling their hope and encouraging their desire to work fearlessly for a better future.

Pope Benedict spoke of his own visit as well, and he subtly referenced the economic troubles in Cuba as well as their human rights issues:

I come to Cuba as a pilgrim of charity, to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith and strengthen them in the hope which is born of the presence of God’s love in our lives. I carry in my heart the just aspirations and legitimate desires of all Cubans, wherever they may be, their sufferings and their joys, their concerns and their noblest desires, those of the young and the elderly, of adolescents and children, of the sick and workers, of prisoners and their families, and of the poor and those in need.

Many parts of the world today are experiencing a time of particular economic difficulty, that not a few people regard as part of a profound spiritual and moral crisis which has left humanity devoid of values and defenceless before the ambition and selfishness of certain powers which take little account of the true good of individuals and families. We can no longer continue in the same cultural and moral direction which has caused the painful situation that many suffer. On the other hand, real progress calls for an ethics which focuses on the human person and takes account of the most profound human needs, especially man’s spiritual and religious dimension. In the hearts and minds of many, the way is thus opening to an ever greater certainty that the rebirth of society demands upright men and women of firm moral convictions, with noble and strong values who will not be manipulated by dubious interests and who are respectful of the unchanging and transcendent nature of the human person.

Hopefully Pope Benedict’s visit will be another “gentle breath of fresh air” for the people of Cuba and her Church.

Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Pray for Us.

Archbishop-designate Lori will focus on New Evangelization

Archbishop-designate William Lori, who served for 11 years as bishop of Bridgeport and currently serves as chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Religious Liberty, said he will focus particularly on the New Evangelization with his new flock in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

“Evangelization is at the heart of the mission of the Church,” he said in a press conference last week. “Evangelization is not something the Church does, alongside other things. Really, everything the Church does — whether it’s proclaiming and teaching the word, celebrating the sacraments or engaging in works of charity and education — everything is a proclamation of Christ.”

Let us pray for Archbishop-designate Lori as he prepares for his new position in the Church.

Happy Feast of the Annunciation!

Mary, Star of the New Evangelization, intercede that we may have courage like you, to follow the will of God.

"...Mary must walk through darkness, in which she must simply trust the One who called her. Yet even her question, “How can this come about?”, suggests that Mary is ready to say yes, despite her fears and uncertainties. Mary asks not whether the promise is possible, but only how it will be fulfilled. It comes as no surprise, therefore, when finally she utters her fiat: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let what you have said be done to me” (Lk 1:38). With these words, Mary shows herself the true daughter of Abraham, and she becomes the Mother of Christ and Mother of all believers.

-Blessed John Paul II, Homily at Mass in the Basilica of the Annunciation, March 25, 2000

New Evangelization in Latin America

The New Evangelization is moving in Latin America! The Pontifical Commission for Latin America recently published a 130 page book, “Reflections on New Evangelisation in Latin America: Challenges and Priorities.” Check out the Vatican Information Service for more…

Remember the Suffering Servant

In his Apostolic Letter, Salvifici Doloris, Blessed John Paul II reminds us of the messianic texts in the Old Testament which foreshadowed the Passion of Jesus Christ. He includes the Fourth Song of the Suffering Servant, from the Book of Isaiah:

"He had no form or comeliness that we should look
at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,
and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray
we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all"(41).

As we approach Holy Week, let us reflect on Christ’s suffering and death. Let it help us to endure the rest of this penitential season and prepare our hearts for the joyous Resurrection. 

The contribution of women

The general papal intention for March is: “That the whole world may recognise the contribution of women to the development of society.”

This intention is a powerful one, because through the centuries people have questioned the role of women in the Catholic Church. Are women worth less because they can’t be priests, people have asked, and are they born only to serve lesser roles in society?

Blessed John Paul II’s “Letter to Women” addresses these issues and makes it quite clear that the Catholic Church values women and what they give to the world.

Women have had their dignity questioned for centuries, Blessed John Paul II wrote, and this is a shame. If one simply looks back to the “attitude of Jesus Christ himself,” they will see that He transcended “the established norms of his own culture,” and “Jesus treated women with openness, respect, acceptance and tenderness.” This message should be heard and acted upon in Third Millennium, Blessed John Paul II said. Women deserve affirmation because they are children of God, he wrote, and society greatly benefits when they participate:

St. Katharine Drexel

The patient and humble endurance of the cross – whatever nature it may be – is the highest work we have to do. 

-St. Katharine Drexel

St. Katharine Drexel, whose feast we celebrated at the beginning of March, gave her whole life to this “highest work.”  She is an American saint, and she was one of the 482 canonized by Blessed John Paul II.

Born in 1858 to a wealthy family, St. Katharine learned at an early age that wealth is meant to be shared with others.  Her parents were known to be generous philanthropists, and they were both devout witnesses to the Catholic faith.

St. Katharine found her lifelong mission on a trip to the Western part of the United States. She was so unsettled by the destitution of Native Americans, that after the trip she dedicated much of her time and inheritance to supporting Native American missions. She thought access to education would help the impoverished Indian communities, so in 1887 she established St. Catherine Indian School in New Mexico.

On a later visit to Rome, St. Katharine met with Pope Leo XIII and asked him to send more missionaries to the Indian missions she had been supporting. She didn’t expect the response he gave her: Pope Leo suggested she become a missionary herself.