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Saturday, February 20, 2016

Catholic News World : Sat. February 20, 06 - SHARE

 2016


#Astronomy an Act of Divine Worship - #Science is Cool at Vatican Observatory

Star Wars, Star Trek and other Science fiction productions are increasingly popular. But is there any link to Faith and the Galaxy? Jesuit Brother and Doctor Guy Consolmagno spends his time researching the mystery of both science and faith. Br. Guy would definitely say YES! He encourages people to "Be not Afraid" when contemplating the Stars and likens astronomy to Divine Worship. The director of the Vatican Observatory was born in Detroit; Michigan. He said, “The idea of entering into the mystery and dwelling within it is what Christianity is, but it presents a hard thing to sell to people who are looking for the hard and simple answer.   "The writers of Genesis were going by the best observations of the time.  Scientific changes in cosmology have changed greatly over the millennia, but these changes have not challenged the Christian belief in a supernatural God, who exists outside the universe and who gives it meaning, he said.  "We believe in a God outside of the universe who also so loved the universe that He became incarnate within the universe," he said.  "As a result, in a whole new way we recognize how the heavens proclaim the glory of God." Vatican astronomer: No surprise when we find life elsewhere “For 125 years, we have been doing the true science (at the Vatican Observatory), but I don’t think we have been doing that well in showing the world,” Consolmagno told CNS. “We need to be doing something that’s more systematic, especially in the Catholic world, which doesn’t know we’re not supposed to be evangelical creationists."


Wow #Prisoners form Rock Music group and dedicate song to #PopeFrancis in #Mexico


A music group formed by prisoners inside of Cereso in Ciudad Juarez caused some great rhythms. They played several songs like "Color Esperanza” by Diego Torres, or "Quiero ser libre y vivir.” In total, there were 700 inmates who participated in the meeting, 250 of them were women. The last rap performance literally rocked the house of inmates. (Text/Video: RomeReports)

#PopeFrancis "...“to express God’s mercy in every aspect of their daily lives.” #Jubilee Audience FULL Video - Text

Pope Francis waves as he arrives to lead a Jubilee audience in Saint Peter's Square  - REUTERS
Pope Francis waves as he arrives to lead a Jubilee audience in Saint Peter's Square - REUTERS
20/02/2016 11:


(Vatican Radio) This was Pope Francis’ second “Jubilee Audience” in St. Peter’s Square and he used his catechesis to focus on the Year of Mercy, especially in this season of Lent.
Speaking to the thousands of pilgrims and visitors gathered on Saturday, the Holy Father said in these weeks before Easter the Church was inviting the faithful to deepen their commitment “to express God’s mercy in every aspect of their daily lives.” 
Listen to Lydia O'Kane's report
 
He said that “such faithful Christian witness is our way of responding to God’s prior commitment to us, as expressed not only in his gift of creation, but above all in the sending of his Son. 
He went on to say that in Jesus, God committed himself to offering hope and redemption to the poor, the sick, sinners and all those in need.  God, the Holy Father continued, is committed to us, his first task was to create the world, and despite our attempts to ruin it, he is committed to keeping it alive.”
Jesus, the Pope underlined “is the living expression of God’s mercy and as Christians he added, we are called to bear witness to the Gospel message of hope and solidarity. 
Following his catechesis the Holy Father greeted the Italian Federation of Blood Donors (FIDAS) who are holding their Jubilee Pilgrimage.
FIDAS is using the occasion to celebrate the success of their efforts since their participation in the 2000 Jubilee with St. John Paul II.
The Federation is hoping that people will consider giving blood voluntarily during the Jubilee Year.
Concluding his Audience, Pope Francis greeted all the English-speaking pilgrims present and expressed the hope that the Jubilee of Mercy would be a moment of grace and spiritual renewal for them and for their families.

Saint February 20 : Blessed Jacinta and Francesco of #Fatima - with #Prayers to SHARE

Francisco Marto (June 11, 1908 – April 4, 1919) and his sister Jacinta Marto (March 11, 1910 – February 20, 1920),  together with their cousin, Lúcia dos Santos (1907–2005) were from Aljustrel near Fátima, Portugal. They saw three apparitions of an angel in 1916 and the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1917. They reported visions of Our Lady of Fatima.  The youngest children of Manuel and Olimpia Marto were Francisco and Jacinta. They were illiterate and they worked with cousin Lucia, tending sheep. Francisco preferred to pray alone, as he said "to console Jesus for the sins of the world". They saw terrifying vision of Hell at the third apparition. All three children practiced prayer and penance for sin as the lady asked. Jacinta told her parents ‘Oh, Mother! I saw Our Lady today!’. On 13th August, The Administrator, Santos, ‘kidnapped’ the children to prevent them going to the next Apparition, and threatened them with a cauldron of boiling oil. On Sunday, 19th August, the children witnessed their fourth Apparition. 
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At the Apparitions in 1917 Francisco heard nothing and had to rely on Lucia and Jacinta to tell him what was said by the Lady. Jacinta and Francesco became very ill during the Spanish Influenza epidemic in October, 1918.  The priest heard Francisco’s confession on the evening of 2nd April and brought Communion to him the next morning.Opening his eyes, he asked: ‘When will you bring me the Hidden Jesus again?’ This was what he said when talking of the Host in the Tabernacle. 
Jacinta developed pneumonia and then tuberculosis. She died in hospital just before her 11th birthday. Visitors who saw Jacinta in her open coffin exclaimed that she seemed to be alive, with the loveliest colour. When Jacinta’s coffin was opened on 12th September, 1935 and her face was seen to be perfectly incorrupt. 

 Jacinta's relics and those of Francisco lie in the Basilica at Fatima, with the simple inscription: “Here lie the mortal remains of Francisco and Jacinta to whom Our Lady appeared.” Jacinta and her brother Francisco were beatified- declared ‘Blessed’, by Pope John Paul II on 13th May, 2000 at Fatima. 

SPECIAL PRAYERS GIVEN TO THE CHILDREN AT FATIMA:
Our Lady of Fatima:
My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love Thee! I beg pardon for all those that do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love Thee. O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.

ANGEL OF FATIMA:
O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg the conversion of poor sinners. The Angel's Prayer is an Act of Reparation to The Holy Trinity.
Edited from “The Message of Fatima” by Fr. Martindale, S.J. and other sources. (All Images Google )

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Today's Mass Readings and Video : Sat. February 20, 2016


Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Lectionary: 229


Reading 1DT 26:16-19

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”

Responsorial PsalmPS 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8

R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
I will give you thanks with an upright heart,
when I have learned your just ordinances.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Verse Before The Gospel2 COR 6:2B

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

GospelMT 5:43-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Saint February 20 : St. Eucherius : #Bishop of #Orleans #France


BENEDICTINE BISHOP OF ORLEANS
Feast: February 20


     Information:
Feast Day:February 20
Born:
687 AD, Orléans, France
Died:20 February 743
Benedictine Bishop of Orleans, France, exiled for opposing Charles Martel (r. 714-741), the famous and powerful mayor of the palace in the Frankish kingdom. Born in Orleans, Eucherius became a Benedictine at Jumieges about 714 and bishop in 721. He immediately set about protesting Charles Martel's seizure of Church properties. Charles exiled Eucherius to Cologne, Germany, where he became very popular as a result. Eucherius was then held captive in Liege, Belgium, but was allowed to retire to Saint-Trond Abbey near Maastricht, Netherlands, where he died in the monastery. Apparently, he was never reconciled with Charles.
(Taken from Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints