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Saturday, July 18, 2009

CATHOLIC World News: Sat. July 18, 2009.



CATHOLIC World News: Sat. July 18, 2009

(These images of the Pontiff on vacation from are from Vatican Radio )
VATICAN
According to Vatican Radio Pope Benedict is recovering from his wrist injury. Prayers and well wishes have come from around the globe in support of the Pontiff. The Vatican Press Office Director, says that the Pope is "learning" to live with his wrist "plaster". He is unable to write due to the injury. Pope Benedict will travel to Romano Canavese on Sunday.

(With files from: http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=303440)

USA

Translation Of The New Roman Missal Continues
According to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, work on the translation of the new Roman Missal for use in the United States continues. Some changes have been approved.
In the fall, the bishops will look at the Proper of Saints Gray Book, The Commons Gray Book, U.S. Propers for the Roman Missal, U.S. Adaptations for the Roman Missal and Roman Missal Supplement Gray Book. A “Gray Book” is a revised translation proposed for final vote by the International Commission for English in the Liturgy (ICEL).
“The bishops will then have completed this section of the review process, and we would then await a recognitio from the Congregation of Divine Worship at the Vatican,” Msgr. Sherman said. “The time for this is not yet determined.” The changes to the missal can be found at: http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/missalformation/index.shtml.---


(With files from:http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-159.shtml)

CANADA

Msgr Patrick Powers will become the new CCCB General Secretary in 2010
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops acknowledged that Msgr. Powers will leave Notre Dame Cathedral, Ottawa to take his new position as secretary of the CCCB in 2010. He suceeds Secretary, Msgr Mario Paquette, P.H.
Msgr Powers was born in Montreal. He studied business at Sir George William University. He was ordained priest in 1986. Msgr Powers has a bachelor’s degree in theology from Saint Paul University, Ottawa, and a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

Msgr Powers served the Insurance Management Board of the Ontario Assembly of Catholic Bishops and he was the president of the Canadian Canon Law Society, 2002 to 2004. (With files from: http://www.cccb.ca/site/content/view/2697/1214/lang,eng/)

ASIA
(this report was written by UCAN & edited by JCE News)
CHINA 'Papal letter has become part of history'
Father Peter Peng Jiandao of Handan in Hebei province received his formation in the underground Church before he surfaced to work openly.
He recently wrote a commentary for UCA News in Chinese on the occasion of the second anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI's letter to Chinese Catholics that the Vatican released on June 30, 2007. The letter highlights theological points about the Church, including episcopal appointments, and provides practical guidelines for Church life and evangelization in China.

Father Peter Peng Jiandao 44, was baptized in 1982 and was ordained a priest in 1990. He enjoys writing and has a blog where he shares his pastoral ministry and observations on the development of the Church in China.
His commentary, translated into English, follows:
Chinese Catholics were excited to receive the Pope's pastoral letter dated Pentecost Sunday May 27, 2007, after having suffered different kinds of persecution.
The Chinese government blocked the letter five hours after it was made public on the Internet. Copies of the letter however, spread nationwide within days by private individuals.
Both the "open" and "underground" Church communities first welcomed this letter but then went their separate ways after some excitement.
More than 200 Church representatives took part in the commemoration of the golden jubilees of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) in July 2007 and of the "self-election and self-ordination of bishops" in December 2008. Among such participants, quite a number of them were Vatican-approved bishops.
(Retired) Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong encouraged mainland bishops to emulate the martyrdom spirit of Saint Stephen. One mainland bishop remarked, "We are under Communist rule in mainland China. Things are not so easy."
The underground Church leaders were grateful for the letter as the Pope praised them for not "compromising," but were sad to see the revocation of special faculties given to their community, and the Pope's instruction of reconciling with the open Church, which many in the underground community have opposed.
Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding in Hebei province accepted open Church priests from Shijiazhuang diocese for the sake of unity. Bishop Stephen Li Side of Tianjin also accepted some open Church priests, removing years of enmity between the two communities. Bishop Joseph Wei Jingyi of Qiqihar in Heilongjiang province also did the same.
Many leaders in the open Church will possibly insist on their old ways. The Eighth National Congress of Catholic Representatives would still be an assembly of Church leaders. Their speeches would still uphold the principle of an "independent, autonomous and self-managed" Church. Most of the bishops would still have their own philosophy of life, which the Europeans would never understand. This is an important reason why China and the Vatican cannot reach an agreement on building ties.
For the Church in China, the papal letter has become part of history. No one in the open Church studies or propagates it anymore. The letter seems not to be a concern for them. Some underground Catholics continue to study it but with an "uncompromising" spirit.
http://www.ucanews.com/2009/07/17/papal-letter-has-become-part-of-history/

AFRICA
(This article was written by Fr. M. Snyder & edited by JCE News)

CATHOLIC MEDICAL STUDENTS GIVE THEIR FAITH PRIORITY
Fr. Snyder of Maryknoll, works in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam . He has worked in this area of East Africa for over 20 years. He is a chaplain at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, the national medical university of Tanzania.
It has 1,600 students. Nearly 50 percent of the students are Catholic.
For some 60 students the day begins with Mass at 6:30 a.m. at our chapel. He notes that the Catholic Church has done well to promote education. Some of the students note:
"I’m participating in the activities of my church because first I believe it is my responsibility to make my church active, and as I receive blessings from God everyday I also need to do something in return. In addition to that, it gives me a sense of really belonging to the community. I am happy to work with other members, as in doing so, I learn a lot about understanding myself and others and obtain skills on how to work well as a group anywhere in serving God. "
– Cecelia Ngatunga (third-year medical student)
Praise the Lord! The Muhimbili Catholic Community has enabled me to understand the meaning of love and humility in action, especially on Saturday evenings when we visit patients of different religions in the wards seeking to comfort them. At our chapel people of different ages and medical professions are united together as the Muhimbili Catholic Community!
– George Alcard Rweyemamu (third-year medical student)
The advantage I see for being a member of the Muhimbili Catholic Community are the spiritual services offered, such as daily Mass. I also value the church activities, especially the seminars and volunteer opportunities such as visiting the sick. Finally, I enjoy socializing with different people that build me spiritually.
– Valeria Rugaiganisa (third-year nursing student)
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(With files from http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/)

TODAY'S SAINT

Frederick lived in Utrecht, in the Netherlands. Around 825, he became bishop of Utrecht. He was martyred, July 18, 838 after celebrating Mass.

TODAYS SAINT QUOTE

Hear Mass daily; it will prosper the whole day. All your duties will be performed the better for it, and your soul will be stronger to bear its daily cross. The Mass is the most holy act of religion; you can do nothing that can give greater glory to God or be more profitable for your soul than to hear Mass both frequently and devoutly. It is the favorite devotion of the saints.

St. Peter Julian Eymard

TODAY'S GOSPEL

Matthew 12: 14 - 21

But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how to destroy him.
Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all,
and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets;
he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, till he brings justice to victory;
and in his name will the Gentiles hope."