Saint Lucia
 |
 |
|---|
 |
April 2004 47th Year No. 4 Internet Edition Page 1 Click below for Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Home |
|
|---|
|
Archbishop's Easter Message In The Risen Christ All Creation Rises To New Life During this recently concluded Lenten Season, many people remarked how untypical was our dry season! Indeed, we expected the usual very sunny days, scorched lawns, brown grass, trees withered and shedding their leaves, and, of course, the accompanying bush fires. But lo and behold, heavy showers visited us as though we were back again in the rainy season. Hardly anyone was displeased, and we know for certain that the farmers were happy and the supply of water in our reservoirs replenished. Earlier than normal, trees began to put out new leaves and shoots. New life has sprung and that is what countries experience in the Spring. And that is what Easter brings … New Life in the Risen Christ. As believers we are invited to proclaim the amazing newness of the Gospel – a message of joy and hope to our society and the world steeped in sorrow and tears. How can we speak of peace when on every side we see people experiencing hardships, families under strain and lacking the basic necessities of life. The heavens are rent by the din of war when the whistles of shells are heard around people's homes, and the ravaging fire bombs consume towns and villages in so many parts of the world. That is why the comforting announcement of the Easter Message of the Resurrection of Christ is our hope, and we look with new eyes and strengthened hearts to every coming event in our future life. He is Risen. This is the heart of our Christian faith and it gives meaning to our life, because in Christ, death gives way to the life that dies no more. May this message of Easter Joy teach us to see and hear God speaking to us through the seasons of nature and the events of our daily lives so that we may come to appreciate God's gift of Peace, with which we can conquer every tide and tension, because nothing can resist the renewal brought about by the Risen Christ, our Peace. With prayerful best wishes to the Clergy Religious, lay faithful and all God's people. A Holy and Happy Easter. In Christ + Kelvin E. Felix Archbishop of Castries
MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER 2 nd MAY 2004 – 4 th SUNDAY OF EASTER
With these words addressed to the Apostles, Jesus expressed the great love which the Good Shepherd always shows towards his sheep. He does everything so that “ they may have life, and have it abundantly ” (Jn 10: 10). After the Resurrection, the Lord entrusts to his disciples the responsibility to continue his own mission, so that the Gospel will be announced to all men of all times. There are many people who, with generosity, have answered and continue to answer his constant invitation: “ Follow me !” (Jn 21: 22). They are men and women who accept the invitation to place their existence at the total service of his Kingdom. On the occasion of the forty-first World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which usually is celebrated on the IV Sunday of Easter, all the faithful will unite in fervent prayer for vocations to the priesthood, to the consecrated life and to missionary service. It is, in fact, our first duty is to pray to the “ Lord of the harvest ” for those who are already following Christ more closely, in the priesthood and consecrated life, and for those whom He, in his mercy, does not stop calling for these important duties in the Church. 2. Let us pray for vocations ! It is in this perspective, that we see how it is more necessary than ever to have “the spiritual adhesion to the Lord and to one's own vocation and mission” ( Vita Consecrata , n. 63). The holiness of those called will condition the strength of their witness, enabling them to involve other persons and encourage them to entrust their own lives to Christ. This is the way to fight against the drop in the number of vocations to the consecrated life, which threatens the existence of many apostolic works, especially in mission countries. From the Vatican 23 November 2003 JOHN PAUL II Archbishop's Engagements April 2004 Sunday 4 th PALM SUNDAY May, 2004 Saturday 8 th Caritas National Team Meeting at the Chancery Theo's Corner Rastafarianism and the Roman Catholic Church “The Pope and the Vatican ¼ symbolize the whole panoply of white deceitfulness everywhere. But through lighting, earthquake and thunder we shall dismantle his chalice, because Vatican is fallen! And one blessed morning we all shall hear that it is sunk into the bottomless pit. The day is fast approaching when the Pope himself will have to admit that Rastaman was right after all ¼ ” This is my question to Issa and the one Matalon So many things politicians have stolen One must not conclude from this song that Rastafarianism teaches only violence, the same way one ought not to read passages of the Old Testament and conclude that the early Israelites were a violent people because of the way they treated their enemies nor should one conclude that God formed his people into a nation of violent protest action in the face of their own Exodus experience, for generally Rastafarians are peace loving and always point to Haile Selassie as peaceful and loving even in the face of the Roman invasion of his country by the Army of Mussolini. Can one deduce from history that the Roman Catholic Church is a violent church because it was involved in the crusades and mercilessly killed and tortured the followers of Islam in the name of God? Can one deduce that the Africans in the Diaspora were violent when in their quest for freedom they called for armed rebellion against the forces of oppression and were willing to kill or be killed rather than suffer the depersonalization of slavery? The sporadic incidences by the Rastafarian against the Catholic Church in no way allows one to conclude that they are a violent people. Even their music and their chants especially their chant “Kill Pope Paul and a Babylon Fall,” does not make them preachers of violence since Pope Paul represents for them the western imperialistic powers of White Europe and White North America which has physically enslaved and continues to psychologically enslave the African in the Diaspora. Further the word “kill” does not refer to a physical murder but a Spiritual separation from all that “Pope Paul” stands for in their own philosophy of Life. i. My Association One still has to ask the question why did those young men think or believe that what they did, was done in the name of God? Perhaps it stems from their embedded theological perspective which led to a vision of church as uncaring about persons as persons especially those socially marginalized. Perhaps it stems from a lack of a Catechesis about how to live out the Christian life. Perhaps it seems from the focus of Church authorities on Sacramentalization rather than Evangelization. Perhaps it stems from the thought that after First Holy Communion and Confirmation, the church has nothing else to offer them, perhaps it stems from a lack of outreach by Catholics to the ghettos of St. Lucia. Perhaps they had a past association with ‘church' people which angered them to the extent that they felt the only way to avenge themselves was through destroying the ‘church' people. Yet my experience with Rastafarians was a very positive one. I need to add, that I have worked with Rastafarians in a Parish on the Western side of the Island. I knew that the vast majority were socialized and sacramentalized as Catholic. I knew that their homes were traditionally Catholic homes, and I perceived their social environment as the breeding ground of their seeming anti social behavior, especially their smoking of Marijuana which they refer to as their ‘sacrament' . I knew that the unspoken societal and Catholic Church position was fear, and alienation brought about by a lack of understanding, but I was willing to dialogue with them on their terms, for doing otherwise would lead to their rejection of society especially the political directorate which promised so much yet gave very little. I understood their material poverty and their negative reaction to the Catholic Church which they perceive as very rich yet doing precious little to alleviate their material poverty but marginalized them as social and religious outcasts. I had a true sense of compassion for those young men and women. Saint of the Month
Joseph Moscati was born July 25, 1880 in Benevito, Italy, the seventh of nine children of Francis and Rosa Moscati. He was baptized six days later, receiving the names Joseph Mario Charles Alphonse. Francis Moscati was a lawyer and later, a judge. In spite of the anticlericalism of the time, and contempt for the Catholic faith, Francis faithfully upheld Catholic teaching and belief, and imbued in his family a deep love for their religion. The family attended Mass daily and had great filial devotion to Our Lady and deep love for God in the Holy Eucharist. In 1890, Joseph made his First Communion. His parents taught him at home until in 1889 he entered the Secondary and Grammar School of Victor Emmanuel. He obtained his grammar school diploma in 1894 at the age of fourteen. He continued his studies in the Lyceo and obtained a first-class Classical Diploma in 1897. Joseph's home was close to the Hospital for Incurables. Daily, the sight of the sick and suffering, and his practical love for the poor, drew Joseph toward a career in medicine. After much prayer, he finally enrolled at Naples University. In 1903 he obtained his degree in medicine and surgery with first-class honours. His final thesis on "hepatic urogenesis " was considered good enough to be printed. At the age of twenty-two, young Dr. Moscati began practising medicine. He saw God within each of his patients. In July 1911, Joseph was chosen for the university c~ in chemical physiology. He began lecturing on a number of subjects dealing with clinical medicine. At thirty-six, he was on his way to becoming head of the medical world of southern Italy. Joseph kept up with all developments in medicine, attending a number of international medical conferences where he was recognized as an outstanding scientist. When Italy entered World War I in 1915, Joseph volunteered for service and assisted many soldiers with good medical care but also with care for their souls. He rejoiced when he saw soldiers become good and devout and assist at Mass and receive the Sacraments. After peace was declared, Joseph became head of the department for incurables. Both at the hospital and with his private patients, he showed an apostolic concern for their souls as well as their bodies. With shrewdness and delicacy he convinced his patients to return to the sacraments. Joseph did not become a priest or religious, though he had a sincere esteem and veneration for priests and religious. To him, no invalid more truly resembled the image of Christ than a suffering priest. He encouraged others to share his esteem for the priesthood and advised them to pray for them. On April 12, 1927, Joseph Moscati rose, spent time in meditation and went to church where he served Mass and received Communion. He worked at the hospital and returned home to begin examining the many patients who were awaiting him. At three o 'clock he felt ill and stopped work, retiring to his bedroom. He sat down in his favourite wingback chair and crossed his arms. Without agony and without speaking again, he quietly gave his soul back to God. As soon as the news of his death became known, his corpse laid out on his bed, became the object of continual pilgrimage. His funeral, two days later, was an impressive and moving ceremony attended by a large group of mourners. Almost immediately, people began speaking of him as a saint. During life, Moscati's presence at the bedside of his patients brought them comfort and peace. After his death, those who suffer have frequently obtained graces and cures. Often, a petitioner seems to see the holy doctor standing near at the time of his cure. Joseph Moscati was beatified in 1975 by Pope Paul VI and canonized by Pope John Paul ,II in 1987. Canonization Cause approved at Public Consistory GIANNA BERETTA was born in Magenta (Milan) October 4, 1922. Already as a youth she willingly accepted the gift of faith and the clearly Christian education that she received from her excellent parents. As a result, she experienced life as a marvelous gift from God, had a strong faith in Providence and was convinced of the ne- cessity and effectiveness of prayer . She diligently dedicated herself to studies during the years of her secondary and university education, while, at the same time, applying her faith through generous apostolic service among the youth of Catholic Action and charitable work among the elderly and needy as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society .After earning degrees in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pa- via in 1949, she opened a medical clinic in Mesero (near Magenta) in 1950. She specialized in Pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and thereafter gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and poor . While working in the field of medicine--which she considered a "mission" and practiced as such-she increased her generous service to Catholic Action, especially among the "very young" and, at the same time, expressed her joie de vivre and love of creation through skiing and mountaineering. Through her prayers and those of others, she reflected upon her vocation, which she also considered a gift from God. Having chosen the vocation of marri- age, she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly dedi- cated herself "to forming a truly Christian family". She became engaged to Pietro Molla and was radiant with joy and happiness during the time of their engagement, for which she thanked and praised the Lord. They were married on Septem- ber 24, 1955, in the Basilica of St. Martin in Magenta, and she became a happy wife. In November 1956, to her great joy, she became the mother of Pierluigi, in December 1957 of Mariolina; in July 1959 of Laura. With simplicity and equilibrium she harmon- ized the demands of mother, wife, doctor and her passion for life. In September 1961, towards the end of the second month of pregnancy, she was touched by suffering and the mystery of pain; she had developed a fibroma in her uterus. Before the required sur- gical operation, and conscious of the risk that her continued preg- nancy brought, she pleaded with the surgeon to save the life of the child she was caITying, and entrusted herself to prayer and Provi- dence. The life was saved, for which she thanked the Lord. She spent the seven months remaining until the birth of the child in in- comparable strength of spirit and unrelenting dedication to her tasks as mother and doctor. She worried that the baby in her womb might be born in pain, and she asked God to prevent that. A few days before the child was due, although trusting as always in Providence, she was ready to give her life in order to save that of her child: "If you must decided between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child-1 insist on it. Save him". On the morning of April 21, 1962, Gianna Emanuela was born. Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of April 28, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of "Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you", the mother died. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. The Servant of God lies in the cemetery of Mesero (4 km from Magenta).
Archbishop | Caritas Antilles | Calendar | Catholic Chronicle | Chancery Departments Copyright ©2004 Archdiocese of Castries |
|---|
.jpg)