News Archive

The Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has issued a statement following news of the death of Charlie Gard, the young child afflicted with a  rare genetic disorder, who was at the centre of a highly publicized dispute in the British court system.

Cardinal Nichols says he is, “deeply saddened” by Charlie’s passing, and offers his “sincere and profound condolences” to Charlie’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, “who have treasured him with such strong and undiminished love.”

On Friday evening, Pope Francis offered prayers for Charlie and his parents via Twitter. “I entrust little Charlie to the Father and pray for his parents and all those who loved him,” the Holy Father tweeted.

Cardinal Nichols’ statement also offers support and sympathies to the staff of Great Ormond Street Hospital, in whose care Charlie had been for several months.

“Having visited the hospital recently, I know the unstinting and outstanding professionalism and resources offered to every young patient and family in this remarkable Hospital,” reads Cardinal Nichols’ statement. “They too,” his message continues, “will bear keenly the sorrow of the death of Charlie Gard.”

Cardinal Nichols’ statement concludes, “May he rest in peace.”

Below, please find the full text of the Statement on the Death of Charlie Gard, issued by the Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols

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On 28 July 2017, Cardinal Vincent issued this statement following the death of Charlie Gard:

“I am deeply saddened by the news that little Charlie Gard has now died. I offer my sincere and profound condolences to his parents who have treasured him with such a strong and undiminished love.

“I assure them of my prayers and those of the Catholic community. We pray that our heavenly Father, who most certainly welcomes the soul of their beloved son into heaven, will comfort and strengthen them and all their family and friends.

“I also offer my support and sympathies to the staff of Great Ormond Street Hospital who have cared for Charlie during all these long months of his short life.

“Having visited the hospital recently, I know the unstinting and outstanding professionalism and resources offered to every young patient and family in this remarkable Hospital. They too will bear keenly the sorrow of the death of Charlie Gard.

“May he rest in peace.”

Video Commentary on the Sunday Gospel by Fr. Greg Friedman, OFM

First Swedish bishop since the Reformation made a cardinal

Cardinal-designate Anders Arborelius of Stockholm is Sweden’s only Catholic bishop and the first native Swede to hold the post since the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

He was also the first Swede to be named a bishop in more than 400 years when he was named by St John Paul II to lead the country’s lone diocese in 1998.

Now, Pope Francis will make him the first cardinal in Sweden’s history when he is formally inducted into the College of Cardinals June 28 along with new cardinals from Mali, Spain, Laos and El Salvador.

“It’s really a historical event and I think it’s typical of Pope Francis that he looks to those parts of the world that are far away – other cardinals were named for the first time for Laos and for Mali – so he wants to encourage those minorities scattered all over the world and show that they are important in God’s eyes and in the eyes of the Church even if they are very small realities,” the cardinal-designate told Vatican Radio.

The Catholic Church in Sweden has had an important role in helping “integrate many refugees, and we know that this is a very important issue for the pope, and we also have a very broad ecumenical dialogue with all the Christian churches,” he told the radio.

However, it still was “a real surprise that the Holy Father has chosen me,” said the 67-year-old prelate, and Catholics in Sweden are “very happy about it.”

The Pope sees having a cardinal in Sweden as a way to encourage its “very important mission” as a small minority in one of the most secular countries in Europe, he said. In surveys, less than a third of Swedes describe themselves as religious and even fewer participate regularly in church services.

However, “even in the secular society, there are certain Christian values that are very much alive – this wish to help poor people, to protect those who are in danger and to establish equal rights for everyone,” the cardinal-designate told Catholic News Service ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to Sweden in 2016. Cardinal-designate Arborelius hosted the Pope’s visit as part of an ecumenical commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

More than 60 per cent of Swedes are baptised members of the Lutheran Church of Sweden and just over one per cent are registered members of the Catholic Church, although Cardinal-designate Arborelius said that with the ever-increasing number of immigrants in the country, the number of Catholics is probably double the official 115,000.

Born in Switzerland on September 24, 1949, to Swedish parents, he was raised in Sweden and converted to Catholicism at the age of 19.

He told CNS in 2016 that he had not been “very active” as a Lutheran, but that he always felt drawn to “the contemplative life or spirituality.”

“I always had this longing for a life of prayer and silent adoration.”

He said his family’s contact with the Bridgettine Sisters had a deep influence on him and eventually he began taking courses in the Catholic faith.

He entered the Discalced Carmelites just two years after becoming Catholic, took vows in 1977 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1979.

He was ordained bishop of Stockholm in 1998. He was the first Swede to lead the Church there since 1522 because a long-standing shortage of native-born priests had meant that the Pope appointed bishops from other countries like Germany and the United States.

Catholic Herald

The fourth Sunday of Easter, May 7th, is a special day of prayer for vocations to the ordained ministries, to religious life in all its forms, to societies of apostolic life, to secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life. 

Prayer Card from U.S.C.C.B.

Fr. Adam Gregory Gonzales, OCD was elected Provincial for the California-Arizona Province of the Discalced Carmelites for the trieniuum 2017-2021.

Before the Regina Coeli:

Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning!

Every Sunday we remember the Lord Jesus’ Resurrection, but in this season after Easter, this Sunday has an even more illuminating meaning. In the Church’s tradition, this Sunday, the first after Easter, was called “in albis.” What does this mean? The expression intended to recall the rite carried out by all those who received Baptism in the Easter Vigil. Each one of them was given a white garment – “alba” – ”white” — to indicate their new dignity as children of God. This is also done today: newborns are given a small symbolic dress, whereas adults put on a true and proper one, as we saw in the Easter Vigil.  And, in the past, that white garment was worn for a week. until this Sunday, and from this stems the name  in albis deponendis, which means the Sunday in which the white garment is taken off. And thus, the white garment removed, the neophytes began their new life in Christ and in the Church.

There is something else. In the Jubilee of the Year 2000, Saint John Paul II established that this Sunday be dedicated to the Divine Mercy. It is true, it was a beautiful intuition: it was the Holy Spirit that inspired him in this. A few months ago we concluded the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and this Sunday invites us to take up forcefully the grace that comes from God’s mercy. Today’s Gospel is the account of the Risen Jesus’ apparition to the disciples gathered in the Cenacle (cf. John 20:19-31). Saint John writes that, after greeting His disciples, Jesus said to them: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” Having said this, He made the gesture of breathing on them and added: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven” (vv. 21-23). See the meaning of mercy that is presented in fact on the day of Jesus’ Resurrection as forgiveness of sins. The Risen Jesus transmitted to His Church, as her first task, His same mission to take to all the concrete proclamation of forgiveness. This is the first task: to proclaim forgiveness. This visible sign of His mercy brings with it peace of heart and the joy of a renewed encounter with the Lord.

In the light of Easter, mercy is perceived as a true form of knowledge. And this is important: mercy is a true form of knowledge. We know that one knows through many ways. One knows through the senses, one knows through intuition, through reason and also other ways. Well, one can also know through the experience of mercy, because mercy opens the door of the mind to understand better the mystery of God and of our personal existence. Mercy makes us understand that violence, rancor, vengeance make no sense, and the first victim is the one who lives these sentiments, because he deprives himself of his dignity. Mercy also opens the door of the heart and enables us to express closeness especially to all those who are alone and marginalized, because it makes them feel brothers and children of one Father. It fosters the recognition of all those in need of consolation and makes us find the appropriate words to give them comfort.

Brothers and sisters, mercy warms the heart and makes it sensitive to the needs of brothers with sharing and participation. In sum, mercy commits all to be instruments of justice, reconciliation and peace. Let us never forget that mercy is the turnkey in the life of faith, and the concrete way with which we give visibility to Jesus’ resurrection.

May Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to believe and live all this with joy.

[Original text: Italian]  [Translation by Virginia M. Forrester]

After the Regina Coeli

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday the priest Luis Antonio Rosa Ormieres was proclaimed Blessed at Oviedo in Spain.

He lived in the 19th century and spent his many human and spiritual qualities at the service of education, and for this he founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Guardian Angel. May his example and his intercession help, in particular, all those who work in schools and in the educational field.

My heartfelt greeting to you all, Roman faithful and pilgrims from Italy and from many countries, in particular the Confraternity of Saint Sebastian of Kerkrade, the Netherlands; the Nigerian Catholic Secretariat and the Liebfrauen parish of Bocholt, Germany.

I greet the Polish pilgrims and express my earnest appreciation for the initiative of Caritas-Poland in support of many families in Syria. A special greeting goes to the devotees of Divine Mercy, gathered today in the church of the Holy Spirit in Sassia, as well as to the participants in the “Race for Peace”: a relay that starts today from this Square to reach Wittenberg in Germany.

I greet the numerous groups of youngsters, especially the Confirmed and the candidates for Confirmation – you are so many! –: of the Dioceses of Piacenza-Bobbio, Trento, Cuneo, Milan, Lodi, Cremona, Bergamo, Brescia and Vicenza, and also the “Masaccio” School of Treviso and the “San Carpoforo” Institute of Como.

Finally, I thank all those that in this period have sent Easter greeting messages. I return them from my heart invoking for each one and for every family the grace of the Risen Lord. Have a good Sunday and do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and see you soon!

[Original Text: Italian]  [Translation by Virginia M. Forrester]

Zenith.org

Live Streaming for the Passion of the Lord  8:00 AM  PST Friday 14, 2017

Live Streaming for the The Way of the Cross Noon 12:00 PM PST Friday 14, 2017  

Live Streaming for the Easter Vigil 11:30 AM PST Saturday 15, 2017  

Live Streaming for the Morning Easter Mass 1:00 AM Sunday 16, 2017

Here is a Vatican translation of the homily Pope Francis delivered at the Easter Vigil.

“After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb” (Mt 28:1). We can picture them as they went on their way… They walked like people going to a cemetery, with uncertain and weary steps, like those who find it hard to believe that this is how it all ended. We can picture their faces, pale and tearful. And their question: can Love have truly died?

Unlike the disciples, the women are present – just as they had been present as the Master breathed his last on the cross, and then, with Joseph of Arimathea, as he was laid in the tomb. Two women who did not run away, who remained steadfast, who faced life as it is and who knew the bitter taste of injustice. We see them there, before the tomb, filled with grief but equally incapable of accepting that things must always end this way.

If we try to imagine this scene, we can see in the faces of those women any number of other faces: the faces of mothers and grandmothers, of children and young people who bear the grievous burden of injustice and brutality. In their faces we can see reflected all those who, walking the streets of our cities, feel the pain of dire poverty, the sorrow born of exploitation and human trafficking. We can also see the faces of those who are greeted with contempt because they are immigrants, deprived of country, house and family. We see faces whose eyes bespeak loneliness and abandonment, because their hands are creased with wrinkles. Their faces mirror the faces of women, mothers, who weep as they see the lives of their children crushed by massive corruption that strips them of their rights and shatters their dreams. By daily acts of selfishness that crucify and then bury people’s hopes. By paralyzing and barren bureaucracies that stand in the way of change. In their grief, those two women reflect the faces of all those who, walking the streets of our cities, behold human dignity crucified.

The faces of those women mirror many other faces too, including perhaps yours and mine. Like them, we can feel driven to keep walking and not resign ourselves to the fact that things have to end this way. True, we carry within us a promise and the certainty of God’s faithfulness. But our faces also bear the mark of wounds, of so many acts of infidelity, our own and those of others, of efforts made and battles lost. In our hearts, we know that things can be different but, almost without noticing it, we can grow accustomed to living with the tomb, living with frustration. Worse, we can even convince ourselves that this is the law of life, and blunt our consciences with forms of escape that only serve to dampen the hope that God has entrusted to us. So often we walk as those women did, poised between the desire of God and bleak resignation. Not only does the Master die, but our hope dies with him.

“And suddenly there was a great earthquake” (Mt 28:2). Unexpectedly, those women felt a powerful tremor, as something or someone made the earth shake beneath their feet. Once again, someone came to tell them: “Do not be afraid”, but now adding: “He has been raised as he said!” This is the message that, generation after generation, this Holy Night passes on to us: “Do not be afraid, brothers and sisters; he is risen as he said!” Life, which death destroyed on the cross, now reawakens and pulsates anew (cf. ROMANO GUARDINI, The Lord, Chicago, 1954, p. 473). The heartbeat of the Risen Lord is granted us as a gift, a present, a new horizon. The beating heart of the Risen Lord is given to us, and we are asked to give it in turn as a transforming force, as the leaven of a new humanity. In the resurrection, Christ rolled back the stone of the tomb, but he wants also to break down all the walls that keep us locked in our sterile pessimism, in our carefully constructed ivory towers that isolate us from life, in our compulsive need for security and in boundless ambition that can make us compromise the dignity of others.

When the High Priest and the religious leaders, in collusion with the Romans, believed that they could calculate everything, that the final word had been spoken and that it was up to them to apply it, God suddenly breaks in, upsets all the rules and offers new possibilities. God once more comes to meet us, to create and consolidate a new age, the age of mercy. This is the promise present from the beginning. This is God’s surprise for his faithful people. Rejoice! Hidden within your life is a seed of resurrection, an offer of life ready to be awakened.

That is what this night calls us to proclaim: the heartbeat of the Risen Lord. Christ is alive! That is what quickened the pace of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. That is what made them return in haste to tell the news (Mt 28:8). That is what made them lay aside their mournful gait and sad looks. They returned to the city to meet up with the others.

Now that, like the two women, we have visited the tomb, I ask you to go back with them to the city. Let us all retrace our steps and change the look on our faces. Let us go back with them to tell the news In all those places where the grave seems to have the final word, where death seems the only way out. Let us go back to proclaim, to share, to reveal that it is true: the Lord is alive! He is living and he wants to rise again in all those faces that have buried hope, buried dreams, buried dignity. If we cannot let the Spirit lead us on this road, then we are not Christians.

Let us go, then. Let us allow ourselves to be surprised by this new dawn and by the newness that Christ alone can give. May we allow his tenderness and his love to guide our steps. May we allow the beating of his heart to quicken our faintness of heart.

[Original text: Italian][Vatican-provided prepared text]

See report by Vatican Radio

See Report by Vatican Radio

Today’s celebration can be said to be bittersweet.  It is joyful and sorrowful at the same time.  We celebrate the Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem to the cries of his disciples who acclaim him as king.  Yet we also solemnly proclaim the Gospel account of his Passion.  In this poignant contrast, our hearts experience in some small measure what Jesus himself must have felt in his own heart that day, as he rejoiced with his friends and wept over Jerusalem.

For thirty-two years now, the joyful aspect of this Sunday has been enriched by the enthusiasm of young people, thanks to the celebration of World Youth Day.  This year, it is being celebrated at the diocesan level, but here in Saint Peter’s Square it will be marked by the deeply moving and evocative moment when the WYD cross is passed from the young people of Kraków to those of Panama.

The Gospel we heard before the procession (cf. Mt 21:1-11) describes Jesus as he comes down from the Mount of Olives on the back of a colt that had never been ridden.  It recounts the enthusiasm of the disciples who acclaim the Master with cries of joy, and we can picture in our minds the excitement of the children and young people of the city who joined in the excitement.  Jesus himself sees in this joyful welcome an inexorable force willed by God.  To the scandalized Pharisees he responds: “I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would shout out” (Lk 19:40).

Yet Jesus who, in fulfilment of the Scriptures, enters the holy city in this way is no misguided purveyor of illusions, no new age prophet, no imposter.  Rather, he is clearly a Messiah who comes in the guise of a servant, the servant of God and of man, and goes to his passion.  He is the great “patient”, who suffers all the pain of humanity.

So as we joyfully acclaim our King, let us also think of the sufferings that he will have to endure in this week.  Let us think of the slanders and insults, the snares and betrayals, the abandonment to an unjust judgment, the blows, the lashes and the crown of thorns…  And lastly, the way of the cross leading to the crucifixion.

He had spoken clearly of this to his disciples: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24).  Jesus never promised honour and success.  The Gospels make this clear.  He had always warned his friends that this was to be his path, and that the final victory would be achieved through the passion and the cross.  All this holds true for us too.  Let us ask for the grace to follow Jesus faithfully, not in words but in deeds.  Let us also ask for the patience to carry our own cross, not to refuse it or set it aside, but rather, in looking to him, to take it up and to carry it daily.

This Jesus, who accepts the hosannas of the crowd, knows full well that they will soon be followed by the cry: “Crucify him!”  He does not ask us to contemplate him only in pictures and photographs, or in the videos that circulate on the internet.  No.  He is present in our many brothers and sisters who today endure sufferings like his own: they suffer from slave labour, from family tragedies, from diseases…  They suffer from wars and terrorism, from interests that are armed and ready to strike.  Women and men who are cheated, violated in their dignity, discarded…  Jesus is in them, in each of them, and, with marred features and broken voice, he asks to be looked in the eye, to be acknowledged, to be loved.

It is not some other Jesus, but the same Jesus who entered Jerusalem amid the waving of palm branches.  It is the same Jesus who was nailed to the cross and died between two criminals.  We have no other Lord but him: Jesus, the humble King of justice, mercy and peace.

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1. When does the Triduum begin and end?
   The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.
2. May another Mass besides the Mass of the Lord’s Supper be celebrated on Holy Thursday?
   Ordinarily, no other Mass may be celebrated on Holy Thursday. However, by way of exception, the local Ordinary may permit another Mass in churches and oratories to be celebrated in the evening, and, in the case of genuine necessity, even in the morning. Such Masses are provided for those who in no way are able to participate in the evening Mass.
3. How are the Holy Oils, consecrated and blessed at the Chrism Mass, to be received in the parish?
   A reception of the oils may take place before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. The oils, in suitable vessels, can be carried in procession by members of the assembly. A text for this can be found here.
4. Is the Mandatum, the washing of feet at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, required?
   No. The Roman Missal only indicates, “After the Homily, where a pastoral reason suggests it [ubi ratio pastoralis id suadeat], the Washing of Feet follows.”
5. When should the Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion take place?
   Normally it should take place in the afternoon, at about 3:00 PM, to enable people to assemble more easily. However, pastoral discretion may indicate a time shortly after midday, or in the late evening, though never later than 9:00 PM. Depending on the size or nature of a parish or other community, the local Ordinary may permit the service to be repeated.
6. May a deacon officiate at the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion?
   Although the Celebration of the Lord's Passion appears to be a service of the Word with the distribution of Holy Communion, the Roman Missal does not permit a deacon to officiate at the celebration. Historically, even though the Eucharist is not celebrated on this day, the liturgy of Good Friday bears resemblance to a Mass. At one time it was called the “Mass of the Presanctified” (referring to the pre-consecrated hosts used at Communion, even when only the priest received Communion). This is also reflected in the prescribed vesture for the priest: stole and chasuble. The liturgy of Good Friday, as an integral part of the Triduum, is linked to the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. While there may be cases where a parish with multiple churches or chapels (e.g., mission churches or a cluster of parishes under one pastor) might rotate the liturgies among the various locations, it would not be appropriate for a community to celebrate only part of the Triduum.
7. May any of the readings at the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion be omitted?
   The Lectionary for Mass does not indicate that any readings may be omitted at the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. All three readings (Isaiah, Hebrews, and the Passion according to John) are required. It should be noted, however, for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, the Lectionary indicates that while all three readings provided should be used, there may be circumstances in which one or more of the readings at Mass could be omitted: “Given, however, the importance of the account of the Lord’s Passion, the priest, having in mind the character of each individual congregation, is authorized to choose only one of the two readings prescribed before the Gospel, or if necessary, he may read only the account of the Passion, even in the shorter form. This permission applies, however, only to Masses celebrated with a congregation.” Thus, the account of the Passion is never omitted.
8. Does the Church encourage any other liturgical celebrations on Good Friday?
   On this day the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer could appropriately be celebrated with the participation of the people in the churches. Note that Evening Prayer is only prayed by those who do not participate in the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.
9. Do devotions have a particular importance on Good Friday?
   The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (2002) provides the proper perspective in paragraphs 142-145. Clearly the central celebration of this day is the Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. In no way should manifestations of popular piety, either by the time or manner in which they are convoked, substitute for this solemn liturgical action. Nor should aspects of the various acts of piety be mixed with the Good Friday celebration, creating a hybrid. In recent times, Passion processions, celebrations of the Stations of the Cross, and Passion Plays have become more common. In such representations, actors and spectators can be involved in a moment of faith and genuine piety. Care should be taken, however, to point out to the faithful that  a Passion Play is a representation which is commemorative and they are very different from “liturgical actions” which are anamnesis, or the mysterious presence of the redemptive event of the Passion.
10. How does the Adoration of the Holy Cross on Good Friday begin?
    The Adoration of the Holy Cross begins with one of two forms of the Showing of the Holy Cross. The First Form begins as the deacon or another suitable minister goes to the sacristy and obtains the veiled Cross. Accompanied by two ministers with lighted candles, the veiled Cross is brought to the center of the sanctuary in procession. The priest accepts the Cross and then, standing in front of the altar and facing the people, uncovers the upper part of the Cross, the right arm, and then the entire Cross. Each time he unveils a part of the Cross, he sings the acclamation, Behold the wood of the Cross. In the Second Form of the Showing of the Holy Cross, the priest or deacon goes to the church door, where he takes up the uncovered Cross. Accompanied by two ministers with lighted candles, he processes to the sanctuary, stopping at the door of the church, in the middle of the church, and before entering the sanctuary, to sing the acclamation, Behold the wood of the Cross.
11. How is the cross venerated by members of the congregation on Good Friday?
    After the showing of the Cross, the priest or deacon may carry the Cross to the entrance of the sanctuary or another suitable place. The first person to adore the Cross is the priest celebrant. If circumstances suggest, he takes off his chasuble and his shoes. The clergy, lay ministers and the faithful then approach the Cross. The personal adoration of the Cross is an important feature in this celebration and every effort should be made to achieve it. The rubrics remind us that “only one Cross” should be used for adoration. If the numbers are so great that all cannot come forward, the priest, after some of the clergy and faithful have adored the Cross, can take it and stand in the center before the altar. In a few words he invites the people to adore the Cross. He then elevates the Cross higher for a brief period of time while the faithful adore it in silence. It should also be kept in mind that when a sufficiently large Cross is used even a large community can reverence it in due time. The foot of the Cross as well as the right and left arm can be approached and venerated. Coordination with ushers and planning the flow of people beforehand can allow for this part of the liturgy to be celebrated with decorum and devotion.
12. When should the Easter Vigil take place?
    The Vigil, by its very nature, must take place at night. It is not begun before nightfall and should end before daybreak on Easter Sunday. The celebration of the Easter Vigil takes the place of the Office of Readings of Easter Sunday. The Easter Vigil begins and ends in darkness. It is a nocturnal vigil, retaining its ancient character of vigilance and expectation, as the Christian people await the Resurrection of the Lord during the night. Fire is blessed and the paschal candle is lighted to illumine the night so that all may hear the Easter proclamation and listen to the word of God proclaimed in the Scriptures. For this reason the Solemn Beginning of the Vigil (Lucernarium) takes place before the Liturgy of the Word. Since sunset varies at different locations throughout the country, local weather stations can be consulted as to the time of sunset in the area, keeping in mind that twilight concludes (i.e., nightfall occurs) somewhat later.
13. What considerations should be given for the paschal candle used at the Easter Vigil?
    This candle should be made of wax, never be artificial, be replaced each year, be only one in number, and be of sufficiently large size that it may convey the truth that Christ is the light of the world. The paschal candle is the symbol of the light of Christ, rising in glory, scattering the darkness of our hearts and minds. Above all, the paschal candle should be a genuine candle, the pre-eminent symbol of the light of Christ. Choice of size, design, and color should be made in relationship to the sanctuary in which it will be placed.
14. In the case of mission churches and cluster parishes, can multiple paschal candles be used for the Service of Light?
    The Roman Missal, not envisioning the pastoral situation of mission churches or cluster parishes, specifies that only one paschal candle is used. To accommodate the particular circumstances, the Secretariat of Divine Worship might suggest that the candles from the mission churches or other parish churches could be present at the Easter Vigil, having been prepared in advance, and blessed alongside the main candle (perhaps having deacons or other representatives holding them). In keeping with the rubrics, for the lighting and procession only one candle should be lit (the principal one, or the one which will remain in that particular church). As the other candles in the congregation are lit, the other paschal candles could be lit and held(but not high, in order to maintain the prominence of the one principal candle) by someone at their place in the assembly. Once all the candles are extinguished after the singing of the Exsultet, the other paschal candles are put aside. On Easter Sunday morning, those candles could be taken to each of the missions and carried, lit, in the entrance procession at the first Mass at each church and put in place in the sanctuary.
15. How many readings should be proclaimed at the Easter Vigil?
    One of the unique aspects of the Easter Vigil is the recounting of the outstanding deeds of the history of salvation. These deeds are related in seven readings from the Old Testament chosen from the law and the prophets and two readings from the New Testament, namely from the Apostle Paul and from the Gospel. Thus, the Lord meets us once again on our journey and, “beginning with Moses and all the prophets” (Lk 24:27) opens up our minds and hearts, preparing us to share in the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup. The faithful are encouraged to meditate on these readings by the singing of a responsorial psalm, followed by a silent pause, and then by the celebrant’s prayer. Meditation on these readings is so significant for this night that we are strongly urged to use all the readings whenever it can be done. Only in the case of grave pastoral circumstances can the number of readings be reduced. In such cases, at least three readings from the Old Testament should be read, always including Exodus 14.
16. How is the First Communion of the neophytes to be emphasized during the Easter Vigil?
    The celebrant, before he says, Behold the Lamb of God, may make a brief remark to the neophytes about their first Communion and about the importance of so great a mystery, which is the climax of initiation and the center of the Christian life. This is a night when all should be able to receive Holy Communion under both forms.
17. What directions are given for the celebration of Masses on Easter Sunday?
    Mass is to be celebrated on Easter Day with great solemnity. A full complement of ministers and the use of liturgical music should be evident in all celebrations. On Easter Sunday in the dioceses of the United States, the rite of the renewal of baptismal promises may take place after the homily, followed by the sprinkling with water blessed at the Vigil, during which the antiphon Vidi aquam, or some other song of baptismal character should be sung. (If the renewal of baptismal promises does not occur, then the Creed is said.  The Roman Missal notes that the Apostles' Creed, "the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church," might be appropriately used during Easter Time.) The holy water fonts at the entrance to the church should also be filled with the same water. On the subsequent Sundays of Easter, it is appropriate that the Rite for the Blessing and Sprinkling of Water take the place of the Penitential Act.
18. Where is the paschal candle placed during Easter Time?
    The paschal candle has its proper place either by the ambo or by the altar and should be lit at least in all the more solemn liturgical celebrations of the season until Pentecost Sunday, whether at Mass, or at Morning and Evening Prayer. After Easter Time the candle should be kept with honor in the baptistery, so that in the celebration of Baptism the candles of the baptized may be lit from it. In the celebration of funerals the paschal candle should be placed near the coffin to indicate Christ’s undying presence, his victory over sin and death, and the promise of sharing in Christ’s victory by virtue of being part of the Body of Christ (see Order of Christian Funerals, no. 35). The paschal candle should not otherwise be lit nor placed in the sanctuary outside Easter Time.    

Significance and Praying Through Holy Week

On March 18, 2017  the Carmelite community of Mount St. Joseph in San Jose, CA clothed four postulants with the Carmelite habit.  These novices now have begun their year-long novitiate as new Carmelite brothers in the Province.  

In the picture above from left to right: Bro. Colin Livingston, Bro. Matthew Knight, Bro. Frank Sharma and Bro. Dustin Vu.

We ask you to keep all these men in your prayers, as well as our other friars in formation.

Pope Francis on Sunday during the Angelus in a sunny St Peter’s Square took inspiration from the Gospel reading in which Jesus restores the sight of the blind man.

With this miracle the Holy Father explained, “Jesus reveals himself as light of the world”. Each of us, the Pope said, is blind from birth, in that, “we were created to know God, but because of sin we are like the blind, we need a new light, that of faith, that Jesus has given us.”

In fact, Pope Francis went on to say, “the blind man of the Gospel regaining his vision is opened up to the mystery of Christ.”

This man represents us when we do not realize that Jesus is "the light of the world" and when we look elsewhere when we prefer to rely on small lights when fumbling in the dark,” the Pope said.

We too, he continued, have been "enlightened" to Christ in baptism, and then we are called to behave as children of light.”

Posing the question, “What does it mean to have true light and to walk in the light?, the Holy Father answered by saying, “it means first of all to abandon false lights.” Another false light, Pope Francis noted, is self-interest: “if we evaluate people and things based on the criterion of our profit, our pleasure, our prestige, we are not being truthful in relationships and situations.”

Following the recitation of the Marian prayer the Pope remembered José Álvarez-Benavides y de la Torre, and one hundred and fourteen companion martyrs who were beatified on Saturday in Spain. He said, “these priests, religious and lay people have been heroic witnesses of Christ and his Gospel of peace and fraternal reconciliation. Their example and their intercession sustain the Church's involvement in building a civilization of love.”

Pope Francis also recalled his one day pastoral visit to Milan on Saturday expressing his thanks to the organisers and those who took part, both believers and non-believers, adding, it felt home.

Source: Radio Vaticana

Ash Wednesday

At the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed during Mass, after the homily. The blessed ashes are then "imposed" on the faithful as a sign of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality. The ashes are blessed at least during the first Mass of the day, but they may also be imposed during all the Masses of the day, after the homily, and even outside the time of Mass to meet the needs of the faithful. Priests or deacons normally impart this sacramental, but instituted acolytes, other extraordinary ministers or designated lay people may be delegated to impart ashes, if the bishop judges that this is necessary. The ashes are made from the palms used at the previous Passion Sunday ceremonies.

The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent. — Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

From the very early times the commemoration of the approach of Christ's passion and death was observed by a period of self-denial. St. Athanasius in the year 339 enjoined upon the people of Alexandria the 40 days' fast he saw practiced in Rome and elsewhere, "to the end that while all the world is fasting, we who are in Egypt should not become a laughing stock as the only people who do not fast but take our pleasure in those days." On Ash Wednesday in the early days, the Pope went barefoot to St. Sabina's in Rome "to begin with holy fasts the exercises of Christian warfare, that as we do battle with the spirits of evil, we may be protected by the help of self-denial."

Things to Do:

Go with your family to receive ashes at Mass today. Leave them on your forehead as a witness to your faith. If you have children, you may want to share this with them in terms that they can understand.

Today parents should encourage their children to reflect upon what regular penances they will perform throughout this season of Lent. Ideally, each member of the family should choose his own personal penance as well as some good act that he will perform (daily spiritual reading, daily Mass, extra prayers, almsgiving, volunteer work, housecleaning, etc.), and the whole family may wish to give up one thing together (TV, movies, desserts) or do something extra (family rosary, Holy Hour, Lenten Alms Jar).

The use of Sacrifice Beans may help children to keep track of their Lenten penances. Some families begin this activity (with undyed beans!) on Ash Wednesday and then use the collected beans to cook a penitential bean dish for Good Friday at the end of Lent.

About the Season of Lent

The time has now come in the Church year for the solemn observance of the great central act of history, the redemption of the human race by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Roman Rite, the beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which is used in today's liturgy. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. The Alleluia and the Gloria are suppressed until Easter.

Abstinence from eating meat is to be observed on all Fridays during Lent. This applies to all persons 14 and older. The law of fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday applies to all Catholics from age 18 through age 59.

Members from 15 different religious orders “rapped” about how much they loved Jesus in front of nearly 500 sixth-grade Catholic school students from the San Gabriel Region during a rally at the inaugural Focus 11 Vocation Day. The event was held Feb. 7 at St. Therese Church in conjunction with the Carmelite Sisters’ St. Joseph Center in Alhambra.

Sponsored by the archdiocesan Office of Vocations and the Department of Catholic Schools, the rally kicking off the first Focus 11 was intended to help open students’ hearts and minds to vocations with a mix of fun and enthusiasm. Father Samuel Ward, associate director of Vocations, rapped, “My name is Father Sam and my rapping is atrocious, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

The St. Joseph Center erupted with laughter.

The jovial sixth-graders were the focus of the vocation day activities. Research indicates that most children are especially open to a priestly or religious calling at 11 years of age or in 11th grade.

“It is never too early to sow the seeds of a priestly or religious vocation in our students and to foster a new culture of vocations in the Church,” said Father Ward.

Members of NET (National Evangelization Teams) Ministries, young adults who teach youth ministry to high school students, taught the priests and religious how to rap for the opening rally and a skit that they presented before adoration. WAL — also known as We Are Loved, a music group led by brothers Matthew Leon and Michael Paul Leon — performed uplifting worship music.

“It was great for the students to see that there are exciting and rewarding ministries available for young adults to serve in the Church,” said Father Ward.

Father Jon Meyer, associate pastor at St. John the Baptist Church in Baldwin Park, and Sister Joanna Strouse, vocations director for the Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, were the emcees for the day and presented most of the opening remarks.

Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell, episcopal vicar for the San Gabriel Pastoral Region, celebrated Mass with the youths, and recounted his own calling to the priesthood during his homily. Growing up on a small farm in Ireland, Bishop O’Connell had to walk to school in a village three miles away. He frequently got jumped. For help, he prayed the rosary as he walked to and from school.

“It was Mary that put into my heart to be a priest even though I was getting into trouble all of the time,” said Bishop O’Connell.

Bishop O’Connell shared with the children that he has “loved being a priest.” He encouraged the sixth-graders to get into a “relationship with Jesus and a friendship with Mary.”

“You need to discern what Jesus wants for you to have a blessed life,” said Bishop O’Connell. 

Following Mass, members of priestly and religious orders set up booths providing information about their orders for the students. Sister Strouse created a passport book for the students to take with them as they went from booth to booth. Each child received a sticker for every question they asked at the booths. Questions ranged from, “When did you enter your religious order?” to “Do you play a musical instrument?”

“It’s cool we get to come here. I learned more about vocations and I didn’t really know about them before,” said David Mendoza, who is in sixth grade at San Gabriel Mission. 

Students had another chance to interact with and get to know priests and religious during the vocations panel. During the question-and-answer session, novices, seminarians, priests and sisters answered questions asked by the grade-schoolers. 

“I learned about the different vocations and how they learned how they wanted to be a priest or a sister. I was inspired,” said Janna Yap, who is a sixth-grader at St. Andrews School.  

Focus 11 ended with a Holy Hour at St. Therese Church. Students took home with them the knowledge that there are many callings in life, from being single to married to religious life.

“This is like a new Pentecost. They all look so inspired and energetic. They truly look open to the Holy Spirit,” said Sister Madonna-Joseph, who is a Carmelite Sister.

By Julie Schnieders, Angelus, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, CA

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS 
FOR LENT 2017

"The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift"

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God “with all their hearts” (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us. Even when we sin, he patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, he shows us his readiness to forgive (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).

Lent is a favourable season for deepening our spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. At the basis of everything is the word of God, which during this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply. I would now like to consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (cf. Lk 16:19-31). Let us find inspiration in this meaningful story, for it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life. It exhorts us to sincere conversion.

1. The other person is a gift

The parable begins by presenting its two main characters. The poor man is described in greater detail: he is wretched and lacks the strength even to stand. Lying before the door of the rich man, he fed on the crumbs falling from his table. His body is full of sores and dogs come to lick his wounds (cf. vv. 20-21). The picture is one of great misery; it portrays a man disgraced and pitiful.

The scene is even more dramatic if we consider that the poor man is called Lazarus: a name full of promise, which literally means God helps. This character is not anonymous. His features are clearly delineated and he appears as an individual with his own story. While practically invisible to the rich man, we see and know him as someone familiar. He becomes a face, and as such, a gift, a priceless treasure, a human being whom God loves and cares for, despite his concrete condition as an outcast (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).

Lazarus teaches us that other persons are a gift. A right relationship with people consists in gratefully recognizing their value. Even the poor person at the door of the rich is not a nuisance, but a summons to conversion and to change. The parable first invites us to open the doors of our heart to others because each person is a gift, whether it be our neighbour or an anonymous pauper. Lent is a favourable season for opening the doors to all those in need and recognizing in them the face of Christ. Each of us meets people like this every day. Each life that we encounter is a gift deserving acceptance, respect and love. The word of God helps us to open our eyes to welcome and love life, especially when it is weak and vulnerable. But in order to do this, we have to take seriously what the Gospel tells us about the rich man.

2. Sin blinds us

The parable is unsparing in its description of the contradictions associated with the rich man (cf. v. 19). Unlike poor Lazarus, he does not have a name; he is simply called “a rich man”. His opulence was seen in his extravagant and expensive robes. Purple cloth was even more precious than silver and gold, and was thus reserved to divinities (cf. Jer 10:9) and kings (cf. Jg 8:26), while fine linen gave one an almost sacred character. The man was clearly ostentatious about his wealth, and in the habit of displaying it daily: “He feasted sumptuously every day” (v. 19). In him we can catch a dramatic glimpse of the corruption of sin, which progresses in three successive stages: love of money, vanity and pride (cf. Homily, 20 September 2013).

The Apostle Paul tells us that “the love of money is the root of all evils” (1 Tim 6:10). It is the main cause of corruption and a source of envy, strife and suspicion. Money can come to dominate us, even to the point of becoming a tyrannical idol (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 55). Instead of being an instrument at our service for doing good and showing solidarity towards others, money can chain us and the entire world to a selfish logic that leaves no room for love and hinders peace.

The parable then shows that the rich man’s greed makes him vain. His personality finds expression in appearances, in showing others what he can do. But his appearance masks an interior emptiness. His life is a prisoner to outward appearances, to the most superficial and fleeting aspects of existence (cf. ibid., 62).

The lowest rung of this moral degradation is pride. The rich man dresses like a king and acts like a god, forgetting that he is merely mortal. For those corrupted by love of riches, nothing exists beyond their own ego. Those around them do not come into their line of sight. The result of attachment to money is a sort of blindness. The rich man does not see the poor man who is starving, hurting, lying at his door.

Looking at this character, we can understand why the Gospel so bluntly condemns the love of money: “No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money” (Mt 6:24).

3. The Word is a gift

The Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus helps us to make a good preparation for the approach of Easter. The liturgy of Ash Wednesday invites us to an experience quite similar to that of the rich man. When the priest imposes the ashes on our heads, he repeats the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. As it turned out, the rich man and the poor man both died, and the greater part of the parable takes place in the afterlife. The two characters suddenly discover that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim 6:7).

We too see what happens in the afterlife. There the rich man speaks at length with Abraham, whom he calls “father” (Lk 16:24.27), as a sign that he belongs to God’s people. This detail makes his life appear all the more contradictory, for until this moment there had been no mention of his relation to God. In fact, there was no place for God in his life. His only god was himself.

The rich man recognizes Lazarus only amid the torments of the afterlife. He wants the poor man to alleviate his suffering with a drop of water. What he asks of Lazarus is similar to what he could have done but never did. Abraham tells him: “During your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus had his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony” (v. 25). In the afterlife, a kind of fairness is restored and life’s evils are balanced by good.

The parable goes on to offer a message for all Christians. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, who are still alive. But Abraham answers: “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them” (v. 29). Countering the rich man’s objections, he adds: “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead” (v. 31).

The rich man’s real problem thus comes to the fore. At the root of all his ills was the failure to heed God’s word. As a result, he no longer loved God and grew to despise his neighbour. The word of God is alive and powerful, capable of converting hearts and leading them back to God. When we close our heart to the gift of God’s word, we end up closing our heart to the gift of our brothers and sisters.

Dear friends, Lent is the favourable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbour. The Lord, who overcame the deceptions of the Tempter during the forty days in the desert, shows us the path we must take. May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover the gift of God’s word, be purified of the sin that blinds us, and serve Christ present in our brothers and sisters in need. I encourage all the faithful to express this spiritual renewal also by sharing in the Lenten Campaigns promoted by many Church organizations in different parts of the world, and thus to favour the culture of encounter in our one human family. Let us pray for one another so that, by sharing in the victory of Christ, we may open our doors to the weak and poor. Then we will be able to experience and share to the full the joy of Easter.

From the Vatican, 18 October 2016

FRANCIS

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE TWENTY-FIFTH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 2017

Amazement at what God has accomplished:
“The Almighty has done great things for me…” (Lk 1:49)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On 11 February next, the Twenty-fifth World Day of the Sick will be celebrated throughout the Church and in a special way at Lourdes. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Amazement at what God has accomplished: ‘The Almighty has done great things for me….’” (Lk 1:49). Instituted by my predecessor Saint John Paul II in 1992, and first celebrated at Lourdes on 11 February 1993, this Day is an opportunity to reflect in particular on the needs of the sick and, more generally, of all those who suffer. It is also an occasion for those who generously assist the sick, beginning with family members, health workers and volunteers, to give thanks for their God-given vocation of accompanying our infirm brothers and sisters. This celebration likewise gives the Church renewed spiritual energy for carrying out ever more fully that fundamental part of her mission which includes serving the poor, the infirm, the suffering, the outcast and the marginalized (cf. John Paul II, Motu Proprio Dolentium Hominum, 11 February 1985, 1). Surely, the moments of prayer, the Eucharistic liturgies and the celebrations of the Anointing of the Sick, the sharing with the sick and the bioethical and theological-pastoral workshops to be held in Lourdes in those days will make new and significant contributions to that service.

Even now, I am spiritually present at the grotto of Massabielle, before the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, in whom the Almighty has done great things for the redemption of mankind. I express my closeness to all of you, our suffering brothers and sisters, and to your families, as well as my appreciation for all those in different roles of service and in healthcare institutions throughout the world who work with professionalism, responsibility and dedication for your care, treatment and daily well-being. I encourage all of you, the sick, the suffering, physicians, nurses, family members and volunteers, to see in Mary, Health of the Infirm, the sure sign of God’s love for every human being and a model of surrender to his will. May you always find in faith, nourished by the Word and by the Sacraments, the strength needed to love God, even in the experience of illness.

Like Saint Bernadette, we stand beneath the watchful gaze of Mary. The humble maiden of Lourdes tells us that the Virgin, whom she called “the Lovely Lady”, looked at her as one person looks at another. Those simple words describe the fullness of a relationship. Bernadette, poor, illiterate and ill, felt that Mary was looking at her as a person. The Lovely Lady spoke to her with great respect and without condescension. This reminds us that every person is, and always remains, a human being, and is to be treated as such. The sick and the those who are disabled, even severely, have their own inalienable dignity and mission in life. They never become simply objects. If at times they appear merely passive, in reality that is never the case.

After her visit to the Grotto, thanks to her prayer, Bernadette turned her frailty into support for others. Thanks to her love, she was able to enrich her neighbours and, above all, to offer her life for the salvation of humanity. The fact that the Lovely Lady asked her to pray for sinners reminds us that the infirm and the suffering desire not only to be healed, but also to live a truly Christian life, even to the point of offering it as authentic missionary disciples of Christ. Mary gave Bernadette the vocation of serving the sick and called her to become a Sister of Charity, a mission that she carried out in so exemplary a way as to become a model for every healthcare worker. Let us ask Mary Immaculate for the grace always to relate to the sick as persons who certainly need assistance, at times even for the simplest of things, but who have a gift of their own to share with others.

The gaze of Mary, Comfort of the Afflicted, brightens the face of the Church in her daily commitment to the suffering and those in need. The precious fruits of this solicitude for the world of suffering and sickness are a reason for gratitude to the Lord Jesus, who out of obedience to the will of the Father became one of us, even enduring death on the cross for the redemption of humanity. The solidarity shown by Christ, the Son of God born of Mary, is the expression of God’s merciful omnipotence, which is made manifest in our life – above all when that life is frail, pain-filled, humbled, marginalized and suffering – and fills it with the power of hope that can sustain us and enable us to get up again.

This great wealth of humanity and faith must not be dissipated. Instead, it should inspire us to speak openly of our human weaknesses and to address the challenges of present-day healthcare and technology. On this World Day of the Sick, may we find new incentive to work for the growth of a culture of respect for life, health and the environment. May this Day also inspire renewed efforts to defend the integrity and dignity of persons, not least through a correct approach to bioethical issues, the protection of the vulnerable and the protection of the environment.

On this Twenty-fifth World Day of the Sick, I once more offer my prayerful support and encouragement to physicians, nurses, volunteers and all those consecrated men and women committed to serving the sick and those in need. I also embrace the ecclesial and civil institutions working to this end, and the families who take loving care of their sick. I pray that all may be ever joyous signs of the presence of God’s love and imitate the luminous testimony of so many friends of God, including Saint John of God and Saint Camillus de’ Lellis, the patrons of hospitals and healthcare workers, and Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, missionary of God’s love.

Dear brothers and sisters – the sick, healthcare workers and volunteers – I ask you to join me in praying to Mary. May her maternal intercession sustain and accompany our faith, and obtain for us from Christ her Son hope along our journey of healing and of health, a sense of fraternity and responsibility, a commitment to integral human development and the joy of feeling gratitude whenever God amazes us by his fidelity and his mercy.

Mary, our Mother,
in Christ you welcome each of us as a son or daughter.
Sustain the trusting expectation of our hearts,
succour us in our infirmities and sufferings,
and guide us to Christ, your Son and our brother.
Help us to entrust ourselves to the Father who accomplishes great things.

With the assurance of a constant remembrance in my prayers, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.

8 December 2016, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Francis

Fr Marie-Eugene was born Henri Grialou on December 2, 1894, into a simple and deeply Catholic family in a mining village of the Southwest of France. From early childhood he desired to be a priest.

When his formation was interrupted by World War I, he served as an officer on the front lines, and for himself and his men he felt the powerful protection of St Therese of Lisieux. This Carmelite nun, now proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, was famous for saying "My vocation is to be love in the heart of the church" - a sentiment which inspired and moved Henri, and his love for her and her teachings continued his entire life. Fr Marie Eugene did not hesitate to write of her (in the time before her canonization while she was still Bl Therese) "It seems to me that the mission of the little Blessed is to spread divine love in souls in the form which God wills for our times."

In 1920 he discovered the writings of St John of the Cross, a saint who belonged to the Carmelite monastic order and who lived in 16th Century Spain. His writings and poetry are famous for their mystical character, for their insight into prayer and intimate contact with God through contemplation, and for the deep mark of love created in the soul by close contact with it's creator.

Deeply inspired by his discovery of St John of the Cross, Henri Grialou felt a deeper call beyond his vocation to the priesthood, to that of monastic life, specifically as a Carmelite monk

Upon completing his seminary studies after World War I, and his ordination as a priest in 1922, he entered Carmel and in religious life he took the name of Father Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, indicating his dedication to Our Lady, and the depth to which he was inspired by St Therese, who took the name of Sr Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

A man seized by the absolute of God and by the Marian grace of Carmel, he worked at making known the teachings of the Carmelite saints, believing the ways of contemplation and sanctity are open to all Christians living an ordinary life in the midst of the world.

His major work, I Want to See God and I am a Daughter of the Church provides a rich synthesis of Carmelite spirituality shaped by personal mystical experience; it is a study of the three great luminaries of the Carmelite Order, St Teresa of Avila, St John of the Cross and St Therese of Lisieux. Its two titles, I Want to See God and I Am a Daughter of the Church, words attributed to St Teresa of Avila, are like a twin call to everyone.

Called by God to share his charism with many, he founded the Institute of Notre Dame de Vie with Marie Pila in 1932 in Venasque, France, while serving at the highest levels in his Order and travelling extensively.

Fr Marie-Eugene's whole life was marked by the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit and Our Lady. He died on Easter Monday, March 27, 1967, the very day on which he loved to celebrate the Easter joy of Mary, Mother of Life.

Cause for Canonization

On Easter Sunday 1985, the Archbishop of Avignon, France, formally opened the cause for the canonization of Fr Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus. Testimonies have been received worldwide, recounting numerous material and spiritual favors granted through his intercession.

On 19 December 2011 Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Fr Marie-Eugene, thus declaring him "Venerable" in the eyes of the church.

Fr Marie Eugene was declared Blessed at a Mass in Avignon on November 19, 2016. Blessed Father Marie-Eugene's feast day will be celebrated on February 4th, the day he was ordained a priest. 

See a Video

Come and See!  Is God calling you to the religious life as a Carmelite?

Share a weekend stayover at the Carmelite Monastery in San Jose, California and join our way of life in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus. 

contact: Fr. Robert Barcellos, OCD

The mission of the March for Life is to provide all Americans with a place to testify to the beauty of life and the dignity of each human person. Both in January, on the anniversary of legalized abortion in the US, and throughout the year we bring together pro-life leaders and groups to organize, unite and strategize around a common message, and to communicate this message to the government, the media and the nation in a way that is powerful and life affirming.  This year's theme is taken from J.R.R. Tolkien, "even the smallest person can change the course of history."

January 22, 1973 is ingrained in the minds of pro-lifers because on that infamous historic day the Supreme Court invalidated 50 state laws and made abortion legal and available on demand throughout the United States in the now-infamous decisions in Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton.

 The March for Life in Washington, D.C., began as a small demonstration and rapidly grew to be the largest pro-life event in the world.  The peaceful demonstration that has followed on this somber anniversary every year since 1973 is a witness to the truth concerning the greatest human rights violation of our time, legalized abortion on demand.

At the 40^th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, we mourned the death in 2012 of Nellie Gray, the founder of the March for Life and the “Joan of Arc” of the pro-life movement. In October 1973, months after the Roe and Doe decisions, a group of thirty pro-life leaders gathered in Nellie’s home in Washington, D.C. to discuss how to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Roe.

There was a fear that January 22 would pass as any other day rather than allow for a moment to reflect upon how legalized abortion had hurt women and taken babies’ lives over the course of the year. That was the day that plans for the first March for Life began.

How your Diocese is getting involved 

Contact your local Carmelites  

Walk for Life San Francisco

In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church (Feb 4,5).

World Day of Consecrated Life Prayers of the Faithful pdf

World Day of Consecrated Life Prayer Card pdf

On January 20, 2017  the community of Mount St. Joseph in San Jose, CA welcomed two new postulants, which now brings the number to five young men who have entered in the past three months. 

In the picture above from left to right: Colin Livingston, Wes Nagel, Frank Sharma (who is entering for the Canadian Region), the Postulant Master/ Vocation Director, Fr. Robert Barcelos, OCD, and our two new postulants, Dustin Vu and Matthew Knight. 

We ask you to keep all these men in your prayers, as well as our other friars in formation.

The theme of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is "Reconciliation-The Love of Christ Compels Us." (cf. 2 Cor 5:14-20). According to Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (GEII). . . , "it was in the context of the Reformation Anniversary that the Council of Churches in Germany took up the work of creating the resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017. It quickly became clear that the materials for this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity would need to have two accents: on the one hand, there should be a celebration of God's love and grace, the 'justification of humanity through grace alone', reflecting the main concern of the churches marked by Martin Luther's Reformation. On the other hand, the materials should also recognize the pain of the subsequent deep divisions which afflicted the Church, openly name the guilt, and offer an opportunity to take steps toward reconciliation."

See U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week which is organized and directed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  This is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking.

The theme for National Migration Week 2017 draws attention to Pope Francis' call to create a culture of encounter, and in doing so to look beyond our own needs and wants to those of others around us. In the homily given at his first Pentecost as pope, he emphasized the importance of encounter in the Christian faith: "For me this word is very important. Encounter with others. Why? Because faith is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do what Jesus does: encounter others."

 With respect to migrants, too often in our contemporary culture we fail to encounter them as persons, and instead look at them as others. We do not take the time to engage migrants in a meaningful way, but remain aloof to their presence and suspicious of their intentions. During this National Migration Week, let us all take the opportunity to engage migrants as people of God who are worthy of our attention and support.

Prayer Resources:

National Migration Week 2017 Prayer Card

Petitions at your National Migration Week Mass or any celebration

Variety of Prayers for the use in your National Migration Week

Read more… 

This is the theme Pope Francis has chosen for the next World Day of Peace, to be celebrated on January 1, 2017.  Pope Francis has talked about the worrisome surge of violence that has taken over the world.

 He wishes that this 50th World Day of Peace, the fourth of his pontificate, be a beacon of diplomacy and good will. The Pope wants to underline the prevalence of law in international affairs as a way to ensure a peaceful future.

 The World Day of Peace is a project started by Paul VI in 1968. It is celebrated the first day of every year, and it is usually an occasion where the pope makes important statements about the Social Doctrine of the Church.

Message of His Holiness Pope Francis

Fr. Michael Buckley, OCD passed to eternal life, Thursday, December 22, 2016. He died peacefully at our House of Prayer in Oakville, CA. 

Funeral rites and ceremonies where on December 28 and 29. He was interred at our monastery cemetery in Mt. St. Joseph in San Jose, California (See Official Obsequial Letter to the Province).

Before the presence of his Carmelite community, his family, and friends, the following homily was given by Fr. James Geoghegan, OCD in San Jose:

Fr Michael  Buckley, O C D    Burial Service  Mt. St. Joseph   12  29-2016

In this holy season we recall the circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ  and we are painfully aware  of the tragedy of  civil war in the Middle East  and the sufferings of refugees.  It is appropriate to think of these as we bid farewell to Father Michael..In November on the occasion of his 96^th birthday he wrote to me  “I think at this time always of the rough ride my mom made , on the run, to save her little boy from the Tans in Tournafulla.  And my birth within an hour or two as she just reached the sanctuary of her brother's home in Castleisland”   It was during the Irish War of Independence in 1920.  Fr. Michael's father was hiding from the British Army  and his mother got a horse and cart and set out for her brothers home to avoid harassment.  A couple of hours after her arrival she gave birth to Michael.

Three years  later in the tragic civil war in Ireland  there was disruption again.  Fr. Michael's father , Patrick Buckley  was taken prisoner by the government forces and murdered,  leaving behind a very young family of which Michael was the baby.  In a new book the Irish historian  Tim Pat Coogan  tells of this tragedy  and how the government  “in a mean spirited and ungenerous approach” then refused to give any compensation or help to the widow and children of Patrick Buckley.  Coogan's father,  a high ranking officer in the government police force said of the family  “they have no visible means of obtaining a livelihood”.

That was the beginning of Fr. Michael's life.  When he was 3  his mother sent him to school with the other children of the family.  I remember Fr.  Michael's mother  when she visited the seminary  when Fr. Michael was our teacher.  She was described by one of the priest's as like Our Lady of Sorrows.  Kitty Scholl of  Napa who grew up in  Castleisland said the her mother described Mrs Buckley  'as so kind and gentle that you could  go to confession to her”.   I think we have enough evidence to know how difficult was Fr. Michael's childhood.  Recently he told me that he had no bitterness in his heart and that time had healed the divisions of the country  He was a brilliant student and received an excellent education.  He studied in the National university of Ireland and in the Carmelite seminary in Dublin

After ordination he was sent to Rome where at the Angelicum and the Biblicum  he received degrees in Theology and Sacred Scripture.   He spoke fluently English, Irish, Latin, Italian, Spanish  and could read Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and French.  Always interested in sports  he played soccer for the university team.  One of the other players  was a young Polish seminarian  called Carol  Wojtyla  later known as Pope John Paul II.

After Studies  in Rome he returned to Dublin as professor of Scripture.  Some of us here had the privilege of studying under him  He was so clear and a marvelous teacher.  Over 60 years later  I   attended one of the classes in Oakville.  At 95 he was as  clear as ever. He loved the Scriptures,  they were the living presence of Christ. He loved to teach, he loved to share.

He went as a missionary to India where he taught in the major seminary at Alwaye.  While there he was involved in ecumenical work.  Eventually he came to California  where he was elected Major superior.  During his time we Carmelites  founded a house in Washington State. Because of  his success  here he was then elected  Provincial Superior of the Anglo Irish Province, which at that time embraced Ireland, England, United States, Australia, and the Philippines.  At the end of that service he returned to California.  When  Fr. David Costello went to Africa  Fr. Michael took his place as superior of our House of Prayer in Oakville. 

Stationed here in San Jose he was in charge of the Carmelite Secular Order for eleven years.  Wherever he was stationed he made a big impact  because of his intelligence and his quite holiness.  He cooperated with the Central Office in Rome on various projects  and of course was always a brilliant contributor to issues affecting us her in the Western Province.  He was a free man, unafraid of anyone or any idea.  In fact he was the burr under the saddle of our Provincials always reminding them to fulfill the tasks assigned by the Provincial Chapters.

In his later years he led a quieter life,  always interested in Ireland and its football teams,  and always a perfect example of Christian kindness.  A man of prayer  and study  he was a wonderful confessor, preacher, writer  and lecturer,  and ever a contributing member of his religious community.  Toward the end he suffered  partial paralysis of his face  and blind in one eye. He wrote to me “Well praise God for his testing:  because a good share of that now and its hard to smile with a paralyzed  face.  But a share of smiling goes on inside I believe”  He kept going, still teaching class  and sharing in the work of the monastery.

A man of his word and of The Word he loved the Bible  and literature in general  .He loved poetry , especially  Newman's

lead kindly light   amid the encircling gloom

lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home

Keep thou my feet;  I do not ask to see

the distant scene – one step  enough for me.

Tennyson's

Twilight and evening bell,

and after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

When I embark

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crost the bar.

And  Robert Louis Stephens  epitaph.

This be the verse you grave for me

Here he lies where he longed to be :

Home is the sailor , home from the sea,

and the hunter home from the hill

.

I think that his favorite passage from literature was a section from Uncle Tom's Cabin  that describes the death of Eva the young girl and friend of Tom.  40 years ago he wrote it out for me.” In that book (Bible)  which Eva and her old friend (Tom)had read so much together, she had seen and taken to her young heart the image of one who loved the little child:  and as she gazed and mused,  He had ceased to be an image and a picture of the distant past,  and come to be a living  all- surrounding reality.  His love enfolded her childish heart  with more than mortal tenderness;  and it was to Him, she said,she was now going, and to His home” 

 That too could be a description of  Fr. Michael's death.  He died peacefully like a little child  and went home to the one whom he had studied and loved for so long..

Michael is now at home joining his beloved mother  and meeting the father he did not remember and could say in the recent words of  an  Irish poet  Paul  Durcan 

“and now I put the key for the first time 

Into the door of my father's house.”

See our December 2016 Newsletter   Click Here

Regarding the approved OCDS Provincial Statutes 

On December 14, 1591, at the age of 49, Saint John of the Cross passed to Heaven and joined with the choirs of angels to sing the mercies of the Lord.

In the months before his death, Saint John headed  for the monastery of La Peñuela, which belonged to the Province of Andalucia. It was a simple community. He arrived in August and during this time, the community worked in the fields tilling chick peas (garbanzo beans). John spent many hours in his cell, likely using his time to revise The Living Flame of Love, or making copies of The Spiritual Canticle.

After about a month in La Peñuela, he began to experience small episodes of fever. As the fever intensified, the superior thought it best to take him to the monastery in Ubeda, where he could be placed under the care of a doctor. St. John himself thought that his stay in Ubeda would be short and that he would be back in La Peñuela, to his assigned monastery.

He arrived in Ubeda on the evening of September 28, 1591. The community was small, simple, and deprived of many commodities. The attending doctor, Amobrosio de Villarreal, diagnosed St. John of the Cross as having a cellulitis infection diffused in his right leg. The illness caused him extreme pain. The pain intensified as the infection spread from his leg to the foot, but the Saint patiently dealt with this excruciating pain with serenity.

The doctor treated the infection by performing surgery and cauterization to prevent further infections, procedures that only added to the anguish and pain, to say the least. Yet the doctor attested to the peacefulness in which John bore his medical treatment. Saint John did not have rest from his pain, except for a small cord that hung from the ceiling to his bed; he would clutch it with his hands to distract himself from the pain in order to speak to visitors.

The treatment, needless to say, did not work. The early weeks of December were for John, days to prepare for death. In the last hours of his life, eyewitnesses recount how  St. John of the Cross directed his gaze of faith on the Love of the Lord. The friars gathered in his cell and recited the prayers of dying, in which John devotedly responded. At about midnight on the clock church, Brother Francisco Garcia, the bell toller, came out of John’s cell to toll the bell for Matins. As he finished ringing the bell, St. John gave his last breath on earth.

It is said that in his final hours, Our Holy Father St. John of the Cross asked for three graces which the Lord granted: 1) the grace to die where nobody knew of him so that neither in life, nor in death should anyone honor him. This was the grace to be small and unnoticed. 2) He asked that he would die without ecclesiastical honors (such as a prelate or superior) in order to exercise humility. 3) Finally, he asked that the Lord grant him a purgatory while on earth.

A friend of St. John of the Cross, Ana del Mercado Y Penyalosa, obtained from the Provincial, Nicolas Doria, permission to bring the body from Ubeda to Segovia. Nine months after the Saint’s death, Ana and her brother enacted the transfer. Almost two years later, the coffin was opened, only to find St. John incorrupt.

The body finally arrived in Segovia on May 1593 for its final resting place in a niche on the wall near the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The remains of the Saint continued to call pilgrims from all parts of Spain, as they were experiencing healings and various miracles. Around the body, witnesses recalled smelling sweet fragrance.  After the death of the Provincial Nicolas Doria, the new provincial moved the remains out of the wall and placed it in a large urn in the shape of sarcophagus in the center nave for the proper veneration of all.

Pope John Paul II, who wrote his doctoral thesis on St. John of the Cross, visited his body in Segovia on November 4, 1982. In 1993, he named Saint John of the Cross patron of all Poets.

Letter of Fr. General in the occasion of the canonization of Elizabeth of the Trinity

Click Here

See our Newsletter  Click Here

The May 2015 Carmelite Missions Newsletter is available here.

The December 2014 Carmelite Missions Newsletter is available here.

I would like to draw out two points from today’s Gospel about the Angel Gabriel sent by God to the Virgin (Luke 1:26-38) that might be of help in living our religious vocation. Let me begin by noting the emphasis given to joy in the First Reading from the Prophet Zechariah (2:14-17) in the gentle imperative, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!” We hear much about joy throughout the scriptures, but especially during this season of Advent. It is a message that is heard even in the midst of chaos, war and suffering. It is, indeed, an imperative that the scriptures proclaim. And it is with this very imperative that the Angel greets Mary: “Rejoice (Chaire), full of grace (kecharitōmenÄ“).”

We also are being asked to rejoice. “Why rejoice?” we might wonder. Because the Lord is with us. The Lord is in our midst in a way far more intimate than in the time of the Old Covenant. Mary is surprised by this greeting. In her nothingness she lets herself be surprised. She is like us in all things. In the eyes of the world she is just a young girl. She is not living in a palace. She is at her home, a home like her neighbors, and it is there that God has surprised her with a surprise that will change her life. Not only her life, the whole cosmos will be forever changed.

God always surprises us in the most ordinary ways of our lives as he did with Mary. He comes to us also in our nothingness, in our weakness, and He breaks our models, our expectations. He burst our categories. It is so easy for us as religious to be set in our ways of thinking. We already have an image of what it means to be a religious, a Carmelite. Yet God always wants to surprise us with something better, an even more beautiful image of our Carmelite religious life. We just have to give Him an opportunity, just as Mary did. This is the first point.

 The second point is that Mary does not hesitate to say yes to God, yes to His surprises. Thus her response: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Mary does not seem bothered. It is not an inconvenience for her. We know that she goes and serves Elizabeth after this encounter with God. How much are we bothered by one another? Are we bothered by the fact that we are called to service and ministry?  Would we be bothered if God called us to a distant land such as our mission in Uganda or any other place, to be messengers of his love and joy? If we let ourselves be surprised by God then we will experience joy. To be joyful and to be Christian are synonymous. In today’s feast we see this model. Mary lets herself be surprised. She rejoices and brings Christ to Elizabeth and to Juan Diego, and Juan Diego in turn did the same. So today let us be surprised by God. And let us respond in haste so that we can experience the joy of being Christians.                    

Celebrate the 500 year anniversary of St. Teresa of Avila's birth with the Discalced Carmelite family of Friars, Nuns, Sisters, and Secular Order members in the western United States. When: August 21-23, 2014

Where: San José, California For updated information as it is available, please visit us:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/StTeresaFifthCentenaryCelebration

Website - www.stj500westernus.com

Feast of St. Teresa of Jesus

October 15, 2013

By:  Fr. Stephen Watson, O.C.D.

Rector and Student Master

Carmelite House of Studies

Mt. Angel, OR

            I want to pick up on that part of the homily Fr. Laurence (Poncini, O.C.D.) gave yesterday where he spoke of the call to the new evangelization. On a day when we solemnize the memory of our holy mother St. Teresa of Jesus it is a good thing to ask ourselves what she might have to say to us about this new evangelization. First of all there is no doubt that she would be all for it not only because of the evident need for it but because it is the ecclesial movement of our time, not just any ecclesial movement whatever, but an endogenous movement, that is to say, something produced or growing from within the heart of the Church.

            On Saturday I mentioned the document of the second Vatican Council on the adaption and renewal of religious life, i.e. Perfectae Caritatis. In a couple of years we’ll be celebrating its 50^th anniversary. Oh, what a big deal that document was. One of the key principles of renewal enunciated in that document was that the founder’s spirit and special aims be faithfully held in honor. What I want to reflect on briefly is how our holy mother’s spirit and special aims harmonize with the new evangelization called for by the Church.

            First we must ask about this “new evangelization”. What is it? It was Blessed Pope John Paul II who first called for a new evangelization when he addressed the Episcopal Conference of Latin America, March 9, 1983, in Haiti. “Look to the future,” he said, “with commitment to a New Evangelization, one that is new in its ardor, new in its methods, and new in its expression.” This now famous phrase is as far as I can go this morning in, if not defining, at least describing in some way the new evangelization. Interestingly, I came across a similar expression used by the then newly elected Pope Paul VI when he opened the second session of the Second Vatican Council, September 30, 1963. He said the Church must move “towards new ways of feeling, wishing and behaving”, an attitude which surely anticipates the new ardor, new methods and new expression of the new evangelization.  

            How can a religious order like ours look back to its founder, in our case holy mother St. Teresa of Jesus, and be faithful to her spirit and special aims and at the same time be fully engaged in the new evangelization characterized by this new ardor, new methods and new expressions? It will soon be time for you to go to your classes at the seminary so the best I can do now is get you to reflect on this question. The answers you come up with may prove very important for the future direction of our Province and Order.  I’d like to suggest a few places to start reflecting with Teresa in reference to her writings.  In the first chapter of the Way of Perfection Teresa clearly states her aim. “All my longing was and still is,” she says, “that since He (Our Lord) has so many enemies and so few friends that these few friends be good ones.” Do we identify with Teresa’s longing? It’s not just whatever longing but “all my longing”. Continuing, she says, “My heart breaks to see so many souls lost…I would not want to see more of them lost each day…O my sisters in Christ, help me beg these things of the Lord. This is why He has gathered you together here.” We should ask ourselves why we have I come here. Later on in chapter 16 of the Way she expresses a wish: “God deliver us, Sisters, when we do something imperfect, from saying: ‘We’re not angels, we’re not saints.’ Consider that even though we’re not, it is a great good to think that if we try we can become saints with God’s help. And have no fear that He will fail if we don’t fail. Since we have not come here for any other thing, let us put our hands to the task, as they say, c.16,12.”  Have we come here for some other thing than to be holy? Then she says this, “The presumption I would like to see present in this house, for it always makes humility grow, is to have a holy daring.” It is important for us to realize that holy daring, launching out into the deep as Our Lord told Peter, is compatible with humility. But, she exclaims: “O Lord, how true that all harm comes to us from not keeping our eyes fixed on You,” c. 16,11. This centrality of Christ for St. Teresa is beautifully illustrated in the second reading of her Office,. “Many, many times I have perceived this through experience. The Lord has told it to me. I have definitely seen that we must enter by this gate if we wish his Sovereign Majesty to reveal to us great and hidden mysteries. A person should desire no other path, even if he is at the summit of contemplation; on this road he walks safely. All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example,” Life 22, 6-7,14. This, by the way, is the first principle of the renewal of religious life in Perfectae Caritatis, the document I mentioned at the beginning of this homily.

            There is one last excerpt from the writings of our holy mother that I want to share with you as a possible help to your reflection on the new evangelization a la Teresa.  It is from the Interior Castle towards the end where she is describing spiritual marriage. In this state of profound intimacy in which the Lord dwells in the soul in so particular a way, a person cannot think of his or her own rest, or care about honor or esteem. A person’s only concern is how to please Him more and how or where he or she will show Him the love he or she bears Him. “This,” says Teresa, “is the reason for prayer, the purpose of this spiritual marriage: the birth always of good works, good works,” Interior Castle, VII, 4, 6.

            The few points of reference I have made here to the writings of our holy mother St. Teresa of Jesus indicate, for me anyway, her spirit and aims. Her spirit was truly evangelical. She wanted to live the evangelical counsels as perfectly as she could, occupied in prayer for the Church and a world “all in flames”. She had a “holy daring”, “trusting in the great goodness of God who never fails to help anyone who is determined to give up everything for Him.” In her holy daring St. Teresa certainly brought a new ardor, a new expression and a new method to the spread of the Gospel in her day and age. It is her spirit and aims that will guide us in our time to a new ardor and new expression and new method of living and sharing the Gospel with a world that doesn’t seem to realize how desperately it needs Jesus Christ. We must be open to new ways of feeling, wishing and behaving precisely to be true to the spirit of our holy mother whose very life was the sweet odor of Christ, fresh, new and uplifting.  Holy Mother St. Teresa, protect this vine which you have planted.  It grows in a soil and climate quite different from your 16^th century Spain but it is still invigorated with your spirit and cared for under the guidance of the sound traditions and patrimony bequeathed to us by your sons and daughters. Impart to us your intense apostolic love for the Church as She spreads the Gospel with new ardor, and new methods and new expressions. Amen.

Proverbs and riddles contain great wisdom in many cultures.  On my recent retreat at the Trappist Monastery in Vina, I came across these 3 riddles written by Brother Louis Cortez in the Monastery Newsletter...

Click Here to read the September 2013 issue if the Carmelite Missions Newsletter

Sunday, September 15, 2013 – The crowd at St. Cecilia Catholic Church was among the largest gathered for the 9 AM Mass.  The parking lot was full and church was packed.  There was a large banner at the entrance of the church with a greeter alongside.

As one entered the vestibule, there was a table of literature & St. Therese bookmarks that, later on, people touched to the relics.  Of course, other items like Rosaries were likewise blessed.

During the quiet moments of the Mass, Fr. Paul Koenig, O.C.D. told the visiting Priest, Fr. Andrew Small, OMI about his 8 years in the Uganda mission fields.

The missions were a major theme in Fr. Small's subsequent talk as Therese is Co-Patroness of the Missions, along with St. Francis Xavier, SJ who was a real missionary. Confined to her cloister, Little Therese, of course, was their spiritual support.

Fr. Paul told the audience about the true life healing of a man assigned to the Relics of St. Therese that came to St. Cecilia 3+ years ago. Her actual bone - a first class relic – was included in that tour.

The man assigned to transport them from place to place was having immense back pain and could hardly maneuver about.  His family back home was praying he could continue for the entire circuit of churches.  He was able to pocket a few St. Therese relic rose petal cards and continued his journey.

On arrival home, he was nearly paralyzed with an extensive medical history of medical treatments and physical therapy.  His wife decided to do an immediate back massage - prior to going for a PT appointment the next day.  He pulled a rose petal card out of his pocket and his wife applied the card to his back. His pains vanished instantly!

The next day both the doctor and physical therapist were speechless.  The physical therapist sobbed for she knew well his extensive injury.  X-Rays proved his cure was without precedent or scientific explanation.  The man returned to his many venues - St. Cecilia Parish among them - and gave his testimony to in gratitude for his healing.

Fr. Small then came to the podium to speak.  He introduced the small portable wooden writing desk - which St. Therese used to pen her most intimate dealings with Mysticism and love.  This was a lap desk that was her daily companion for the last 3 years of her life, complete with dipping bottle of ink and fountain pen.  Her writings were copied onto original paper for an authentic view of her handwriting and style of prose.

St. Therese, a Doctor of the Church for her "Little Way" to union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is a major missionary model.  She never left the Lisieux cloistered convent, but by her intercession helped and recruited a generation of religious for the missions.

After Mass all were to write their intentions on a small square of paper and place it on your heart, thank God, and touch the relic case with it.  The intentions were given to Fr. Small who would return the relics to Lisieux and place all the petitions on the grave of the Little Flower.

After Mass, the congregants lined up and respectfully viewed the tiny relics.  Shortly, the next Mass was ready to begin and Fr. Small and Fr. James Zakowicz, O.C.D. were ready for another round.

Many came from Seattle - 50 Miles south - and Bellingham 40 miles north. Some dressed in ethnic costumes and others quite informally, bringing grandchildren and visitors who were all called by the Little Flower to attend her sweet, loving event.

It was a testimony of faith and gratitude - as many remarked getting roses, or scent of roses, in the days and weeks prior to this holy commingling - answering their pleas for help then, and in years past.

All left feeling elated and blessed!

To view more pictures of the event, visit our Facebook page!

On July 5, 2013, Bro. Leonel of Jesus and Carmel, O.C.D. made his Solemn Profession of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience with the words, "forever". The ancient ritual took place within the Eucharistic Sacrifice at St. Therese Church, Alhambra.

In a total act of surrender to God, Bro. Leonel prostrated on the floor in the sign of a cross while the community interceded for him by the chanting of the Litany of Saints. Please pray for his faithful perseverance. May he be a saint!

It is with sadness that the Discalced Carmelite Province of California-Arizona announces the passing to eternal life of Fr. Jerome (James) Lantry of the Immaculate Conception, O.C.D., who died peacefully at Santa Teresita Hospital on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.

Fr. Jerome, born February 7, 1920, grew up on a small farm in Lusmagh, County Offaly, Ireland, and entered the Anglo-Irish Province of the Discalced Carmelites as a teen-ager. He made his First Profession of the religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience on September 2, 1940, (Fr. Michael Buckley, OCD, who resides at our House of Prayer in Oakville, made profession alongside Fr. Jerome on that day in 1940 also). Ordination to the priesthood took place on July 14, 1946.

Fr. Jerome was devoted to the whole of the Discalced Carmelite family, having an extensive ministry to the Carmelite Nuns and the Discalced Carmelite Secular Order. Known for his spiritual insights that were accessible to all, and a deep love for the Virgin Mary, he was much sought after as a spiritual director.

To the end of his life, he was hard at work in the vineyard of the Lord, teaching bible classes, celebrating Mass, hearing confessions and helping as he could in our parish of St. Therese Church in Alhambra, CA. He suffered though his final health issues with determination and optimism, giving all who knew him a great example of the virtue of fortitude in the face of advancing age.

We pray that Our Lady Of Mount Carmel will intercede on behalf of Her great servant, Fr. Jerome, and that he may be rewarded for all that he did to help build up the Body of Christ and the Carmelite Order.

Eternal rest grant unto Fr. Jerome, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace.

Fr. Matthew Williams, O.C.D.
Provincial Superior

Fr. Adam's blog is "a visual archive of the events of the California-Arizona Province of Discalced Carmelite Friars."  While it is no longer an active blog, it is a valuable archive of events that took place from 2007 to 2011.