This post has been delayed because of the need to post beforehand, a video of the Holy Father praying at Menoppello. When the video has been posted, (hopefully this evening UK time), the delayed Part 2 will follow.
When you've seen the video I hope you'll agree I was wise to wait.
Friday, 15 January 2010
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Pope Benedict and the Holy Face of Manoppello: Part 1
This first link will lead you to a report (with comments) published on the day of Pope Benedict's visit to Manoppello on September 1st 2006;
this second one will lead you to the blog of Raymond Frost;
and this third, to a column in 'Joan's Rome' site on EWTN.
Fr Mark Kirby, who incidentally inaugurated his 'Vultus Christi' blog on the same day as the Pope's visit, later made a pilgrimage to Manoppello and posted about it on February 2, 2007.
If you are unfamiliar with the above items, I do recommend that you read them before continuing here.
Immediately below, I mention three matters, before going on to consider the spiritual impact (at the time and since) of the Holy Face, and of the Holy Father's veneration of it.
1. Among the comments on the report, you will find one which dismisses any claim as to the 'Face' being similar to the one on the Shroud of Turin, because of the absence of a moustache on the former. Actually, the picture reproduced in the recent 'Inside the Vatican' article, certainly does show a moustache. Yes, it is faint, like the beard, but it is definitely there.
2."Pope Benedict became curious about this image when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he was given a photo of the face that had been taken by a fellow German, Cardinal Joachim Meisner .........just before the start of the 2005 conclave." (See above link to 'Joan's Rome', EWTN.)
3. Doctor Robert Moynihan, editor of ITV has visited the 'Holy Face', but the current article is by Wlodzimierz Redzioch who returned to Manoppello three years after the Pope's visit to find out what has changed since then and whether further research has been done into the Veil. The article takes the shape of interviews, in question and answer format, with Fr Cucinelli, the rector of the sanctuary and Sr Blandina, a German Trappist nun who lives there as a hermit.
The interviews provide satisfying answers to his quest, and ours.
First I would like to consider the immediate impact of the Pope's visit, for himself and for those who gathered around him on that occasion. I hope to attempt this in another post tomorrow.
this second one will lead you to the blog of Raymond Frost;
and this third, to a column in 'Joan's Rome' site on EWTN.
Fr Mark Kirby, who incidentally inaugurated his 'Vultus Christi' blog on the same day as the Pope's visit, later made a pilgrimage to Manoppello and posted about it on February 2, 2007.
If you are unfamiliar with the above items, I do recommend that you read them before continuing here.
Immediately below, I mention three matters, before going on to consider the spiritual impact (at the time and since) of the Holy Face, and of the Holy Father's veneration of it.
1. Among the comments on the report, you will find one which dismisses any claim as to the 'Face' being similar to the one on the Shroud of Turin, because of the absence of a moustache on the former. Actually, the picture reproduced in the recent 'Inside the Vatican' article, certainly does show a moustache. Yes, it is faint, like the beard, but it is definitely there.
2."Pope Benedict became curious about this image when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he was given a photo of the face that had been taken by a fellow German, Cardinal Joachim Meisner .........just before the start of the 2005 conclave." (See above link to 'Joan's Rome', EWTN.)
3. Doctor Robert Moynihan, editor of ITV has visited the 'Holy Face', but the current article is by Wlodzimierz Redzioch who returned to Manoppello three years after the Pope's visit to find out what has changed since then and whether further research has been done into the Veil. The article takes the shape of interviews, in question and answer format, with Fr Cucinelli, the rector of the sanctuary and Sr Blandina, a German Trappist nun who lives there as a hermit.
The interviews provide satisfying answers to his quest, and ours.
First I would like to consider the immediate impact of the Pope's visit, for himself and for those who gathered around him on that occasion. I hope to attempt this in another post tomorrow.
Haiti January 2010
We pray for all the living and dead of Haiti. On this site we think particularly of the Archbishop who perished and of the many priests who also died, although we do not yet know how many. One report says that 100 retreatant priests lost their lives. The Vicar General , Mgr Benoit, is still missing. Lord have mercy on him, and on them all.
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Fr. Gordon Macrae: "First Things" article; Mass and Holy Hour reminder
Most of you will have spotted these items already. If not, you can link to Fr. Gordon's article in the bloglist here. It is a beautiful and moving tribute to both Cardinal Avery Dulles and Fr. John Neuhaus (R.I.P.) and is highly recommended reading, as is the whole of Father's blog. By posting this I get another mention of him on the Google pages, so it's worth doing anyway.
You should reach the Holy Hour/Mass reminder http://www.thesestonewalls.com/sunday-night-holy-hour/ Fr. celebrates Mass in his cell every Sunday night at around 11pm. For the Europeans among us this is very early in the morning of Monday. (Better for those in Australasia for whom it is during the daytime Sunday!) Like many others, I pray for Fr Gordon everyday and this is a wonderful way of uniting with him, and supporting him as he offers Mass. I often wake during the night and pray specifically for priests, and if it happens on Sunday over Monday, I dedicate the time to Father Gordon.
You should reach the Holy Hour/Mass reminder http://www.thesestonewalls.com/sunday-night-holy-hour/ Fr. celebrates Mass in his cell every Sunday night at around 11pm. For the Europeans among us this is very early in the morning of Monday. (Better for those in Australasia for whom it is during the daytime Sunday!) Like many others, I pray for Fr Gordon everyday and this is a wonderful way of uniting with him, and supporting him as he offers Mass. I often wake during the night and pray specifically for priests, and if it happens on Sunday over Monday, I dedicate the time to Father Gordon.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
A Mother's hopes for her baby son, baptized in Sistine Chapel by Pope Benedict
I'm sure Spiritual Mothers and friends will enjoy this report here.
Monday, 11 January 2010
The Holy Face: Next post on Thursday
In the last post I mentioned items of important personal correspondence. I've been absorbing these since they arrived, and as a result have spent more time today in meditation. I hope to post again about the Holy Face on Thursday. I'll be checking the news but in the meantime will only publish items of interest to Spiritual Mothers that are not featured on other blogs.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
The 'Holy Face' of Manoppello
Over the days of Epiphanytide just past, I've spent a great deal of time in reflection and thanksgiving for the gifts I have told you about in previous posts. The effect of this, combined with that of an article in the current issue of 'Inside the Vatican', and two items of important personal correspondence, has been my spending this afternoon searching the web for information about the 'Holy Face' of Manoppello, rather than posting here. I'm sure that I am far behind many of my readers in what I discovered and that they will not take long to connect adoration of the Holy Face with the Priesthood. After all, we have Father Mark Kirby who is called to this specific priestly function, and although I agree with Father Z that our Holy Father is 'The Pope of Christian Unity', in my heart I think of him as 'Benedict the Adorer of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament'.
During the coming week I hope to report on my research into the Manoppello Sanctuary and Pope Benedicts' private pilgrimage there in 2006. I have to say that the current 'Inside the Vatican' article would seem to present new insights and discoveries about the 'Face' on the so-called (until recently) 'Veronica Veil'.
In the meantime I've put a link to the official Manoppello site towards the top of the sidebar here and will add more links later..
During the coming week I hope to report on my research into the Manoppello Sanctuary and Pope Benedicts' private pilgrimage there in 2006. I have to say that the current 'Inside the Vatican' article would seem to present new insights and discoveries about the 'Face' on the so-called (until recently) 'Veronica Veil'.
In the meantime I've put a link to the official Manoppello site towards the top of the sidebar here and will add more links later..
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Spiritual Mothers of Priests and Friends.
I intended to do a thanksgiving post today but it hasn't been possible. Hope to do so tomorrow after a good night's sleep and the Holy Father's Mass and Angelus in the morning.
Friday, 8 January 2010
A Wondrous Epiphany........ "The second four joys"
I'm always grateful that Epiphanytide lasts a whole week, an octave if you count its Vigil. It gives time for reflection on what we have seen and heard, and a fresh absorption of what we have learned. And this year as I have availed myself of those opportunities, it has given me time to spread these Epiphany posts over several days.
Aside from the central importance of the Mass itself, two things have been paramount, namely the Holy Father's preaching and the daily Office of Readings. I've been much occupied with the concepts of giving, receiving and travelling spiritually in search of our Infant King. All my joys this Epiphany spring from these things.
My fifth joy: Unexpected gifts from my spiritual sisters in Birmingham UK
The minute the Holy Father's Mass was over, the postman arrived bearing an armful of treasures, although he did not know it.
From the 'sister' who was instrumental in beginning the Spiritual Mothers group at St. John Fisher parish came the following:
a letter in which she tells me that she has committed her three spiritual sisters to the love of the Infant Jesus and that through Advent she had found herself continually referring to the second Office reading for the first Friday of Advent. This is from Chapter 1 of St Anselm's Proslogion -'A Rousing of the Mind to the Contemplation of God'. (I too recommend the reading as being well worth tracking down if you do not own a modern Breviary.);
a card of white and gold embossed with the figures of the shepherds and the Magi with the star above them;
a set of prayer booklets published by THE PRAYER TRUST. These were entitled: 'An Advent Calendar of Prayers'; 'A Prayer for You this Christmas'; 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'; 'Prayer for All Seasons'; 'Thinking of You'; 'A Gift for You'; and 'Thank You' . These titles are examples of many other prayer resources produced by the Trust. They are beautifully produced in colour with each page of prayers adorned by appropriate photographs. All resources can be obtained via the Trust's website here The Trust was founded by Fr Pat Swayles, a beloved priest friend of my Birmingham sisters and functions from the Church of Our Lady and St. Benedict, Wootton Wawen, Henley-in-Arden B95 6BQ PLEASE PRAY FOR FATHER PAT. Some time ago he suffered a terrible CAR CRASH and his recovery although steady is taking a long time. Please pray for his work too;
As if all this were not enough, my sister also sent me a single decade Rosary from Assisi, an ideal overnight Rosary to have wrapped round my fingers with its cross enfolded in my palm. If I wake at night a prayer is the first thing in my heart and on my lips. Some time ago, the Rosary I used to use for this purpost broke during a nightmare. Now I have the perfect replacement.
And from my other 'sister'? She is the one without the computer but is gifted with the talent of making indescribably exquisite greetings cards. Even if she buys a card, she will embellish if in some way, especially for its recipient. She never sends the same card twice and is in any case incapable of making the same card again, the reason being that she allows herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit in these acts of creation, and afterwards can never remember how they came to be. And so just before Epiphany noon I opened her card. She had beautified it still further by adding misnight blue and gold edged ribbon to the side of the card. On the front on a background of midnight blue were the illuminatd gold words:
JESUS
From throne
to manger...
From God
to man...
From heaven
to our hearts.
Inside she had written out a special poem for me and had dedicated the card to my house chapel in memory of our Lord's visit there at the beginning of Advent. There was an accompanying letter in which she described how she had come to send me golden rose petals for Christmas. (More about these later.)
In a second packet lovingly protected with cotton wool were two sprigs of natural 'gold' in the shape of two pressed blooms of winter jasmine. For us this represents St. John the Evangelist because I chose it for him in my first book. Her choice meant a great deal to me, particularly since we missed him this year as his feast fell on a Sunday. It also reminded me that I had promised to post about why I chose the jasmine for him. I must do that soon.
Pope Benedict's Epiphany Angelus: My sixth joy.
Please see here for full text.
The Rosary from Lourdes on kto tv: My seventh joy.
The area round the Grotto was packed even though the weather was horrid. I've added this daily afternoon Rosary to my usual evening one in response to a prayer request from a dear priest friend of mine. Its intention is therefore for all priests who are sick or in distress or pain of any kind.
At the fifth Glorious mystery Mary was invoked under ten of her titles in the Litany. This determined me to post again asking for your support in a letter I propose to write to the Holy Father. Please see my post of January 4. I am praying for a good response before I post the letter and will appeal to you again in another post over the weekend.
International Retreat for Priests in Ars, Repeat video on kto: My eighth joy
After the Rosary, I noticed a ten minute video on the kto schedules for the Epiphany.. You can reach it by going to kto 'Programmes' via Google. Scroll to the programme entitled 'Reportage: Retraite Sacerdotale Internationale' and then click the left hand arrow buttonn in the right hand margin of the programmes list. Even if you do not understand French, this video will warm your heart and fill it with hope.
St Jean Vianney, pray for priests.
Our Lady, Mother and Queen of Clergy, pray for them and cast your protecting mantle over them.
Thanks be to God for His wonderful gift of Epiphany this year, and every year.
Aside from the central importance of the Mass itself, two things have been paramount, namely the Holy Father's preaching and the daily Office of Readings. I've been much occupied with the concepts of giving, receiving and travelling spiritually in search of our Infant King. All my joys this Epiphany spring from these things.
My fifth joy: Unexpected gifts from my spiritual sisters in Birmingham UK
The minute the Holy Father's Mass was over, the postman arrived bearing an armful of treasures, although he did not know it.
From the 'sister' who was instrumental in beginning the Spiritual Mothers group at St. John Fisher parish came the following:
a letter in which she tells me that she has committed her three spiritual sisters to the love of the Infant Jesus and that through Advent she had found herself continually referring to the second Office reading for the first Friday of Advent. This is from Chapter 1 of St Anselm's Proslogion -'A Rousing of the Mind to the Contemplation of God'. (I too recommend the reading as being well worth tracking down if you do not own a modern Breviary.);
a card of white and gold embossed with the figures of the shepherds and the Magi with the star above them;
a set of prayer booklets published by THE PRAYER TRUST. These were entitled: 'An Advent Calendar of Prayers'; 'A Prayer for You this Christmas'; 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'; 'Prayer for All Seasons'; 'Thinking of You'; 'A Gift for You'; and 'Thank You' . These titles are examples of many other prayer resources produced by the Trust. They are beautifully produced in colour with each page of prayers adorned by appropriate photographs. All resources can be obtained via the Trust's website here The Trust was founded by Fr Pat Swayles, a beloved priest friend of my Birmingham sisters and functions from the Church of Our Lady and St. Benedict, Wootton Wawen, Henley-in-Arden B95 6BQ PLEASE PRAY FOR FATHER PAT. Some time ago he suffered a terrible CAR CRASH and his recovery although steady is taking a long time. Please pray for his work too;
As if all this were not enough, my sister also sent me a single decade Rosary from Assisi, an ideal overnight Rosary to have wrapped round my fingers with its cross enfolded in my palm. If I wake at night a prayer is the first thing in my heart and on my lips. Some time ago, the Rosary I used to use for this purpost broke during a nightmare. Now I have the perfect replacement.
And from my other 'sister'? She is the one without the computer but is gifted with the talent of making indescribably exquisite greetings cards. Even if she buys a card, she will embellish if in some way, especially for its recipient. She never sends the same card twice and is in any case incapable of making the same card again, the reason being that she allows herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit in these acts of creation, and afterwards can never remember how they came to be. And so just before Epiphany noon I opened her card. She had beautified it still further by adding misnight blue and gold edged ribbon to the side of the card. On the front on a background of midnight blue were the illuminatd gold words:
JESUS
From throne
to manger...
From God
to man...
From heaven
to our hearts.
Inside she had written out a special poem for me and had dedicated the card to my house chapel in memory of our Lord's visit there at the beginning of Advent. There was an accompanying letter in which she described how she had come to send me golden rose petals for Christmas. (More about these later.)
In a second packet lovingly protected with cotton wool were two sprigs of natural 'gold' in the shape of two pressed blooms of winter jasmine. For us this represents St. John the Evangelist because I chose it for him in my first book. Her choice meant a great deal to me, particularly since we missed him this year as his feast fell on a Sunday. It also reminded me that I had promised to post about why I chose the jasmine for him. I must do that soon.
Pope Benedict's Epiphany Angelus: My sixth joy.
Please see here for full text.
The Rosary from Lourdes on kto tv: My seventh joy.
The area round the Grotto was packed even though the weather was horrid. I've added this daily afternoon Rosary to my usual evening one in response to a prayer request from a dear priest friend of mine. Its intention is therefore for all priests who are sick or in distress or pain of any kind.
At the fifth Glorious mystery Mary was invoked under ten of her titles in the Litany. This determined me to post again asking for your support in a letter I propose to write to the Holy Father. Please see my post of January 4. I am praying for a good response before I post the letter and will appeal to you again in another post over the weekend.
International Retreat for Priests in Ars, Repeat video on kto: My eighth joy
After the Rosary, I noticed a ten minute video on the kto schedules for the Epiphany.. You can reach it by going to kto 'Programmes' via Google. Scroll to the programme entitled 'Reportage: Retraite Sacerdotale Internationale' and then click the left hand arrow buttonn in the right hand margin of the programmes list. Even if you do not understand French, this video will warm your heart and fill it with hope.
St Jean Vianney, pray for priests.
Our Lady, Mother and Queen of Clergy, pray for them and cast your protecting mantle over them.
Thanks be to God for His wonderful gift of Epiphany this year, and every year.
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