Feast of St. Paul

Happy Feast of St. Paul!

Yes, today, the Pauline Family celebrates the feast of our patron, St. Paul. Many of our sisters celebrate their anniversary of profession this day, and here in Rome, at least more than 50 celebrate their 50th year of consacrated life--just in Italy, Daughters of St. Paul. If you happened to be reading my other blog on Blessed James Alberione, we also celebrate his 100th year of priestly ordination.

25 of our sisters are also making their perpetual profession today all over the world and novices are making their first commitment through their first temporary profession. One of them is Karen Eng, who is from Singapore and will be making her profession today in Boston with her 2 companions. Please join us to thank the Lord for having chosen and called us to this special mission.

Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist

Happy Feast Day!

Yes, I am back from my 8 days of grace-filled and enriching spiritual exercises. Thanks for all your prayers. I will share later about this spiritual exercises based on our spirituality: Till Christ be formed in you.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the birth of John the Baptist, an important figure, who pathed the way of Christ. I would like to also invite you to join me to thank God for the gift of my Pauline Vocation, in which 7 years ago, on this day, He graced me with the gift of first profession. Those who are interested can check this link: First Profession 24 June 2000

Please continue to pray for my perseverance.

Break....

There will not be any updates for the next two weeks because I am on a short-break, followed by an 8-days retreat. Please do keep me in your prayers.

Processions

I am probably a bit late, but would like to share a bit about processions here. On 31 May, I got the opportunity of joining the annual rosary procession in Vatican garden, which was opened to all. It was just impressive to see the number of people attending and praying in different languages. I tried to get some pictures, but it is difficult to balance between holding the booklet, rosary, lighted candle and then with a camera. So, obviously the photos didn't turn out well. The Pope came at the end when we reached the grotto of our Lady of Lourdes. There were readings and he gave the homily and blessings at the end.Then on Thursday, 7 June, we had the Corpus Christi procession. It started with the Mass outside St. John Lateran, with the Pope as the main celebrant. The square was not really filled up in the beginning but by the time Mass finished and as the procession began, it was just amazing where these people came from.

Again, this time, I didn't get good pictures because of the distance (my camera can reach only up to 4x zoom and my hands were not steady, probably because age is catching up). So from there we walked all the way to St. Mary Major, which is about 1.5 km. There were prayers and singing during the procession and it ended with the Pope's benediction.

Beauty and the Liturgy

Happy Feast of the Blessed Trinity!

I was reading the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Sacramentum Caritatis of the Holy Father, and would like to share this phrase:

As St. Bonaventure would say, in Jesus we contemplate beauty and splendour at their source. This is the concrete way in which the truth of God's love in Christ encounters us, attracts us and delights us, enabling us to emerge from ourselves and drawing us towards our true vocation, which is love.

Pentecost

Happy Feast of Pentecost to all! May the outpouring of the Holy Spirit renew each one of us and recreate the gifts in us, that we may give glory and praise to Him!

The Breath of God Within Us

When we speak about the Holy Spirit, we speak about the breath of God, breathing in us. The Greek word for "spirit" is pneuma, which means "breath." We are seldom aware of our breathing. It is so essential for life that we only think about it when something is wrong with it.

The Spirit of God is like our breath. God's spirit is more intimate to us than we are to ourselves. We might not often be aware of it, but without it we cannot live a "spiritual life." It is the Holy Spirit of God who prays in us, who offers us the gifts of love, forgiveness, kindness, goodness, gentleness, peace, and joy. It is the Holy Spirit who offers us the life that death cannot destroy. Let us always pray: "Come, Holy Spirit, come."

(Henri Nouwen)

Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education

The theme of the 41st World Communications Day, invites us to reflect on two related topics of immense importance: the formation of children and the formation of the media.

The complex challenges facing education today are often linked to the pervasive influence of the media in our world. The relationship of children, media, and education can be considered from two perspectives: the formation of children by the media; and the formation of children to respond appropriately to the media. A kind of reciprocity emerges which points to the responsibilities of the media as an industry and to the need for active and critical participation of readers, viewers and listeners.

Parents have a right and duty to ensure the prudent use of the media by training the conscience of their children to express sound and objective judgments which will then guide them in choosing or rejecting programmes available.

Media education should be positive. Children exposed to what is aesthetically and morally excellent are helped to develop appreciation, prudence and the skills of discernment. It requires formation in the exercise of freedom. In the light of truth, authentic freedom is experienced as a definitive response to God’s ‘yes’ to humanity, calling us to choose, not indiscriminately but deliberately, all that is good, true and beautiful.

How could one explain this ‘entertainment’ to the countless innocent young people who actually suffer violence, exploitation and abuse? In this regard, all would do well to reflect on the contrast between Christ who “put his arms around [the children] laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing” (Mk 10:16) and the one who “leads astray … these little ones” for whom "it would be better … if a millstone were hung round his neck" (Lk 17:2).

The Church herself, in the light of the message of salvation entrusted to her, is also a teacher of humanity and welcomes the opportunity to offer assistance to parents, educators, communicators, and young people. Above all, the Church desires to share a vision of human dignity that is central to all worthy human communication. "Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave" (Deus Caritas Est, 18).

La presenza di Gesù

Ogni tristezza viene dalla lontananza del Signore. Per questo, i discepoli saranno tristi per un po', perché per qualche tempo non vedranno il volto del Signore, non lo sentiranno più vicino come loro compagno di viaggio. è il momento del buio, della notte che apre al Venerdì Santo, ma è la "notte necesaria". Senza la passione di Gesù, non avremmo compreso l'amore del Padre.

La soffrenza sembra il passaggio necessario per giungere alla gioia, così come un bimbo non può venire al mondo senza il travaglio del parto. Ogni crescita umana ha la sua fase di crisi, sembra che senza la crisi non si cresca. Così anche ogni nostra maturazione nella fede ha bisogno di passare per una sofferenza, per la croce di Gesù, ha bisogno di purificarsi nel suo sangue e nella sua-nostra morte perché si apra il mattino della gioia. Solo così lo Spirito Santo può distruggere l'uomo vecchio, prigioniero della tristezza, e dare alla luce l'uomo nuovo, libero e gioioso, in attesa del giorno senza tramonto in cui la nostra gioia sarà piena.

(Messa Meditazione)

Be God's Friends

To be prophets in today's world, women religious must cultivate an intimate friendship with God.

The Pope said that on May 7, in an audience with a group of 794 superiors-general of women's religious congregations, gathered in a plenary assembly for the week.

"The 'prophet' first listens and contemplates, then speaks, letting himself be totally infused with that love for God that fears nothing and is stronger than death."

"An authentic prophet, therefore, is not overly worried about doing works, which is undoubtedly important, but not essential. The prophet tries, above all, to be a witness of God's love, trying to live it in today's world, even if his presence is considered 'uncomfortable' to some, because it offers and incarnates alternative values. Only union with God can cause and strengthen the 'prophetic' role of your mission, which consists in the 'proclamation of the heavenly kingdom,' an indispensable proclamation in every age and society.

Benedict XVI encouraged the superiors to make their primary concern that of helping "your fellow sisters to search for Christ and place themselves in generous service to the Gospel."

"Do not give in to the temptation of distancing yourselves from intimacy with your heavenly Spouse by letting yourselves be captured by the concerns and problems of everyday life. Do not tire of making every possible effort for the human, cultural and spiritual formation of those entrusted to you, so that they will be able to respond to the modern cultural and social challenges."

(from Zenit)
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