"Christ our hope"

Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition. Yes, Christ is the face of God present among us. Through him, our lives reach fullness, and together, both as individuals and peoples, we can become a family united by fraternal love, according to the eternal plan of God the Father.

-Papa Benedetto

Benedict XVI "to open the path of healing and reconciliation"

In the wake of the crisis caused by priests who failed to live the chastity proper to their vocation and who also violated the trust of the Church by harming young persons, the Holy Father during his visit next week will seek to address the need for forgiveness that all those injured in body and soul may find true and lasting healing.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State for the Holy See, said in a recent interview that Pope Benedict acknowledges "so much suffering for the victims, for the families of the victims and above all to the church because it was a contradiction with the great educational mission of the church."

He emphasized that the Holy Father will have a message of "trust and hope" especially for the clergy who will meet with him in New York.

A note from our Papa in preparation for his visit

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the United States of America,


The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you!

In just a few days from now, I shall begin my apostolic visit to your beloved country. Before setting off, I would like to offer you a heartfelt greeting and an invitation to prayer. As you know, I shall only be able to visit two cities: Washington and New York. The intention behind my visit, though, is to reach out spiritually to all Catholics in the United States. At the same time, I earnestly hope that my presence among you will be seen as a fraternal gesture towards every ecclesial community, and a sign of friendship for members of other religious traditions and all men and women of good will. The risen Lord entrusted the Apostles and the Church with his Gospel of love and peace, and his intention in doing so was that the message should be passed on to all peoples.

At this point I should like to add some words of thanks, because I am conscious that many people have been working hard for a long time, both in Church circles and in the public services, to prepare for my journey. I am especially grateful to all who have been praying for the success of the visit, since prayer is the most important element of all. Dear friends, I say this because I am convinced that without the power of prayer, without that intimate union with the Lord, our human endeavours would achieve very little. Indeed this is what our faith teaches us. It is God who saves us, he saves the world, and all of history. He is the Shepherd of his people. I am coming, sent by Jesus Christ, to bring you his word of life.

Together with your Bishops, I have chosen as the theme of my journey three simple but essential words: "Christ our hope". Following in the footsteps of my venerable predecessors, Paul VI and John Paul II, I shall come to United States of America as Pope for the first time, to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition. Yes, Christ is the face of God present among us. Through him, our lives reach fullness, and together, both as individuals and peoples, we can become a family united by fraternal love, according to the eternal plan of God the Father. I know how deeply rooted this Gospel message is in your country. I am coming to share it with you, in a series of celebrations and gatherings. I shall also bring the message of Christian hope to the great Assembly of the United Nations, to the representatives of all the peoples of the world. Indeed, the world has greater need of hope than ever: hope for peace, for justice, and for freedom, but this hope can never be fulfilled without obedience to the law of God, which Christ brought to fulfilment in the commandment to love one another. Do to others as you would have them do to you, and avoid doing what you would not want them to do. This "golden rule" is given in the Bible, but it is valid for all people, including non-believers. It is the law written on the human heart; on this we can all agree, so that when we come to address other matters we can do so in a positive and constructive manner for the entire human community.

Dirijo un cordial saludo a los católicos de lengua española y les manifiesto mi cercanía espiritual, en particular a los jóvenes, a los enfermos, a los ancianos y a los que pasan por dificultades o se sienten más necesitados. Les expreso mi vivo deseo de poder estar pronto con Ustedes en esa querida Nación. Mientras tanto, les aliento a orar intensamente por los frutos pastorales de mi inminente Viaje Apostólico y a mantener en alto la llama de la esperanza en Cristo Resucitado.

Dear brothers and sisters, dear friends in the United States, I am very much looking forward to being with you. I want you to know that, even if my itinerary is short, with just a few engagements, my heart is close to all of you, especially to the sick, the weak, and the lonely. I thank you once again for your prayerful support of my mission. I reach out to every one of you with affection, and I invoke upon you the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Que la Virgen María les acompañe y proteja. Que Dios les bendiga. May God bless you all.

Requiescat in pace Father Adel Yousef

"We are praying and asking God for security in Iraq. What can we do?

"How many people have been killed? Christians, Muslims, Sabaens, people who have dedicated themselves to serving this country but they are killed."

- Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly
Archbishop of Baghdad

The beatification of Pope John Paul II "will be slow"

The beatification process will now proceed at an "ordinary" pace reports the journal Excelsior of Mexico, in part based on comments by Monsignor Marco Fibbi of the vicariate of Rome.

The faithful of the world are encouraged to wait with "patience and optimism" in the face of the monumental task of poring over the numerous documents of the case. For this reason there is a refusal to set a date for the conclusion of the first phase required before the late pope is declared "venerable".

http://www.exonline.com.mx/diario/noticia/global/europa/la_beatificacion_de_juan_pablo_ii_sera_lenta/176961

Overcoming distractions during the Holy Mass

"Those who let their thoughts wander here and there without restraint, according as curiosity or inclination suggest, while present at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, cannot have the least idea of what Sacrifice means."

-Bossuet

"O Jerusalem"

[37] "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!"

-Our Divine Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on His relationship with His brothers and sisters of the holy Jewish covenant, The Gospel according to St. Matthew, Chapter 23