Sts. Peter and Paul

June 29, Feast of Sts Peter & Paul

After Sunday's Angelus prayer, the Holy Father called attention to the observance of the Day of Charity for the Pope and this week’s celebration of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. During his English-language greeting, the Holy Father said he hopes that through the pilgrims prayers, Tuesday’s celebration of “Rome’s feast-day” will be an occasion for “all who come on pilgrimage to Rome (to) be renewed and strengthened in faith, hope and love.” To read more, click on the CatholicNewsAgency news item.

Related story: Early evidence of devotion to apostles found in Rome catacombs

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Breaking News: Pope announces Pontifical Council for Renewed Evangelization.

*In this excerpt of the 1981 movie “Peter and Paul” (starring Anthony Hopkins et al.), we hear the famous words of the Apostle Paul “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith…” (please click the link):

"Peter and Paul" 1981 Movie

Happy Feastday!

Promo video, JMJ Madrid 2011

Promo video, JMJ 2011 "The Soul of Madrid"

For weeks now, the organizers of the Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (JMJ) or World Youth Day 2011 Madrid have been working on the JMJ promotional video “The Soul of Madrid”. It was launched a few days ago through, among other channels, the WYD/JMJ Facebook group. We share here the longer version of the premiered Trailer “El Alma de Madrid“. Enjoy the video (click the link)!

"Soul of Madrid" promo Video

Nos veremos en Madrid! :-)

June 26, Feast of St Josemaría

June 26, Feast of St Josemaría

Here’s the account of St Josemaría’s death: On June 26, 1975, Msgr. Josemaría died suddenly in Rome. The previous month he had made his last visit to Spain, where he received the gold medal of his native town, Barbastro, and visited the nearby shrine of Torreciudad, which had been built at his request, and was about to be inaugurated. His death marked the end of the foundational stage of Opus Dei and, in the words of his successor, the beginning of the “stage of continuity and fidelity”. Msgr. Alvaro del Portillo, then Secretary General of Opus Dei, acted as its head until the elective congress was held. (Excerpts from Immersed in God: Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, as seen by his successor Bishop Alvaro del Portillo)

• All the works of St Josemaría Escrivá available at escrivaworks.org;
• You may send images/photos/representations of Josemaría Escrivá that you may have to josemariaescriva.info (press “Write Us” on the upper right of the page).

VIDEO: A selection of images from the Holy Masses celebrated on the liturgical feast of St Josemaria.

First 3 Priests

First three Priests

http://opusdeitoday.org/2010/06/first-3-priests/

June 25, 1944 marked the ordination of the first 3 Priests of Opus Dei:

• Alvaro del Portillo
• Jose Maria Hernandez Garnica
• Joseph Muzquiz

Here’s the Forum entry on the story of the ordination of the first 3 Priests.

–o–o–o–o–

Here are 2 videos of filmed get-togethers with the Founder (please click):

St Josemaria with Priests: Great love of Priesthood

A Priest asks St Josemaria: "How can we be truly human...?"

Happy Feastday!!!

Pope and soccer

The Pope and the World Cup

Story found here: http://opusdeitoday.org/2010/06/pope-and-world-cup/

L’Osservatore Romano published an article last week titled, “When Ratzinger wrote about soccer,” focusing on the reflection the former cardinal and present-day Pontiff included in a 1985 book titled, “Suchen was droben ist” (Seek That Which Is Above).

In his reflection, then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote that “the World Cup, occurring every four years, is an event that captivates hundreds of millions of people.”

“The fascination with soccer,” he wrote, “lies essentially in that it forces man to discipline himself, such that, through training, he acquires dominion over himself. Through dominion, he achieves superiority. And through superiority, freedom.”

To read more, click here: CatholicNewsAgency report.

–o–o–o–o–

RomeReports.com has this video entitled “Church on the ball: The Catholic Church and the World Cup in South Africa” (please click):

Church on the ball: The Catholic Church and the World Cup in South Africa

Which team are your rooting for? :-)

Compilation of Internet tips

Sources:

–Tips on Internet writing

–10 Internet tips for Catholics

–5 Easy Steps to staying COOL

–10 How-to’s for an effective work on the Net

1) Convince yourself that you need to intervene in the Net. How? Let me give you at least one reason (see slide).

2) Once you’ve decided you need to do something about it, here are some tips:

2.a. Do a DRAFT, both of the title and the content;

2.b. Know the objectives of your writing and your target readers.

3) Are you gonna join a Social Networking Site (SNS), e.g., Facebook?

*SNS are a high-potential ‘marketing’ space, but are likewise filled with pitfalls.

*Some caveats are provided in the article by Antonio Mencia:

“Religion in the Age of the Internet: History, Opportunities and Challenges”

“…need for education in the discernment not only of who to include as friend, but also everything else that is placed at the disposal of others through one’s profile as well as the amount of time invested in it. A modern opportunity cannot be turned into slavery.”

4) For those who wish to be ‘internet evangelists’, we have great stuff from Eric Sammons:

*“Rules of Engagement for Catholics on the Internet”

5) At the moment of writing, consider the following:

5.a. Make sure your piece is appealing. Add some visuals: photos, VIDEOS!, short paragraphs.

5.b. Try to numerate your ideas: that way, you could organize them better.

5.c. Give concrete examples, tell stories or anecdotes; otherwise, you’d bore your audience to death

5.d. Ask your readers for feedback or comments: many blogs nowadays allow free-flowing comments and discussions.

5.e. Acknowledge your sources/references.

5.f. Solutions: Provide solutions and answers that people ask from you. Don’t leave them in the dark… or at least tell them you don’t have the answer…

5.g. Write POSITIVE: content is King!

6) Before publishing your piece, have you…

6.a. …re-looked your Title?

6.b. …placed important links (to sites which are important and directly related to what you’re writing)?

6.c. …written a good final line? Ask for comments; add a “call to action”…

6.d. …reviewed the overall structure?

Now, get on with it!

Aren’t you gonna get started with at least # 1 above?

:-)

Catholic Information Center

Catholic Information Center, Washington DC

http://opusdeitoday.org/2010/06/catholic-information-center/

One of the status messages on its Facebook page says “We have the closest Tabernacle to the White House” Indeed this must be the case, looking at its location on the map above.

Located in the heart of downtown Washington D.C., the Chapel and the bookstore of the Catholic Information Center bring the sacraments and spiritual resources to those working in the Nation’s Capital. The Center offers weekday Mass and hosts an ongoing series of discussion groups, lectures, booksignings, and podcasts to educate and enrich those it serves.

The Catholic Information Center’s prominent location allows it to supplement and support the work of local parishes. It strives to promote the “new evangelization” called for by Pope John Paul II through its principal mission: to make the Catholic Church present and alive in the hearts of the men and women who work in the international, financial, and business center of the Nation’s Capital.

–o–o–o–o–

Fr. Panula, a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei and ordained in 1973, was appointed Director of the Catholic Information Center by His Excellency, Donald Wuerl, in September of 2007. He succeeds Fr. William H. Stetson, who had been director since 2004. The operation of the Center has been entrusted to priests of the Prelature of Opus Dei since 1993.

Recent events held at the CIC were:

• The Virtuous Leadership Seminar
• Ceremony where Prof. Hadley Arkes was received into the Catholic Church

2 WYDs, 2 Priests

http://opusdeitoday.org/2010/06/2-wyds-2-priests/

At the close of the Year for Priests, the official JMJ (Jornada Mundial de la Juventud / World Youth Day) 2011 Madrid website tells us of the stories of 2 Priests who were helped by their attendance at the World Youth Day (WYD) to discern their vocation to the Priesthood.

• Oscar, from Costa Rica, had seen his calling when he was 8, but saw it confirmed on attending WYD preparatory activities in 1991 and the WYD in Denver in 1993. ” ‘The theme that year “I have come to give life and to give it abundantly’ sealed this desire…”
• Edgard, from Nicaragua, had been moved by the work of an exemplary Priest when he was young, and was reminded of him in a meeting with young people. This desire to follow the example of that Priest was strengthened on attending the WYD in Paris in 1997.

RomeReports.com video: interviews with Priests, on this link.

Broadcast of end of Year for Priests, Solemnity of Sacred Heart of Jesus

You may follow, via EWTN, the broadcasts of the Programs related to the conclusion of the Year for Priests, June 11, 2010, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Eucharist-related prayers on St Josemaría iPhone App

In his letter for June 2010, the Prelate asks us to seek “Jesus in the Tabernacle—where he is truly present—and in our soul in grace. Let us try to find him also in the members of the Church, his Mystical Body, especially in the most disadvantaged: the sick, the poor…”. Above are some of the many Eucharist-related prayers you’d find on the St Josemaría iPhone App...

Michael Novak poem for Hadley Arkes

Michael Novak’s poetry for the conversion of Hadley Arkes

Last April, we carried the news of the conversion to Catholicism of Prof. Hadley Arkes. His Baptism sponsor, Michael Novak, composed a beautiful poetry entitled “They Recognized Him in the Breaking of the Bread” on the occasion of his conversion; we share it with you here:

http://www.michaelnovak.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=articles.view&id=275

The poetry is so timely, as we live the Octave of Corpus Christi these days…

Conclusion of the Year for Priests

Conclusion of the Year for Priests

http://opusdeitoday.org/2010/06/conclusion-of-the-year-for-priests/

As the Year for Priests ends this Friday, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we are called upon to reflect on the effort we have exerted to understand the real meaning of the Priesthood and to give support to the Holy Father and all his brothers in the Priestly ministry, realizing that the ministry of Priests is one “of governing, in the name of Christ, the flock entrusted to his care…”

There are many videos that explain the Year for Priests. We share here two of those:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZVry_sPvYY&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddY0UgfUWxk&feature=player_embedded

By now, thousands of Priests must be gathered together in Rome for the International Meeting of Priests, 9-11 June 2010. The ceremonies will include TV connections from the Vatican with Ars, the cenacle in Jerusalem, Buenos Aires, and Hollywood. Let us offer a lot of prayers and sacrifices for this important event.

Related article:

• Year for Priests