Every month, the Pope prays for a specific intention. You are invited to join the Pope and Catholics from all over the world in praying for this intention.
For the month of May 2009, the prayer is “that the laity and the Christian communities may be responsible promoters of priestly and religious vocations.”
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Every month, the Pope prays for a specific intention. You are invited to join the Pope and Catholics from all over the world in praying for this intention.
For the month of April 2009, the prayer is “that the Lord may bless farmers’ work with an abundant harvest and sensitize the richer populations to the drama of hunger in the world.”
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Every month, the Pope prays for a specific intention. You are invited to join the Pope and Catholics from all over the world in praying for this intention.
For the month of March 2009, the prayer is “that the role of women may be more appreciated and used to good advantage in every country in the world.”
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Every month, the Pope prays for a specific intention. You are invited to join the Pope and Catholics from all over the world in praying for this intention.
For the month of February 2009, the prayer is “that the Pastors of the Church may always be docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in their teaching and in their service to God’s people.”
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Every month, the Pope prays for a specific intention. You are invited to join the Pope and Catholics from all over the world in praying for this intention.
For the month of January 2009, the prayer is “that the family may become more and more a place of training in charity, personal growth and transmission of the faith.”
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Not all Catholics are aware that the current Chaplain for the US House of Representatives is Catholic. Fr. Daniel P. Coughlin began his term in March 2000. He is the first Roman Catholic ever appointed to this position, which has existed since 1789.
The Chaplain’s roles include offering the opening prayer each day as the House of Representatives begins its session and offering personal counsel and general pastoral services to Congressional representatives and their families and staff.
Fr. Coughlin has offered a Prayer for Election Day. As we prepare for election day tomorrow, Tuesday, why not pray this short prayer on our way to vote?
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I recently came across an interesting, Christian website called “Perfect Peace and Joy.” Every day, the site posts a Bible quote along with a beautiful, peace-filled photo.
It’s a great way to start the day. Especially during these turbulent economic times, spending a few moments stepping back from this busy world and becoming more aware of God’s presence is a very good thing.
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I recently stumbled across a homily resource site, “Light A Candle – Munachi’s Homepage of African Christian Inspiration.” The website offers a story-filled homily for each Sunday of the year.
When you first reach this website, you are greeted by delightful and appropriate cartoon. You can sign up to receive the weekly homilies by email. An archive includes a listing of past homilies.
What makes this site unique for US visitors is that the perspective is African. The site is run by a Catholic priest, Ernest Munachi Ezeogu, CSSp, a member of the Holy Ghost Missionary Congregation living in Nigeria. His sense of humor is apparent in his writings.
If you’d like to look at Sunday’s readings through another cultural lens, visit this site for a refreshing glance.
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Next week, from Sunday, June 15 through Sunday, June 22, 2008, thousands of Catholics from around the world will gather in Quebec City for the 2008 Eucharistic Congress. This international gathering will draw pilgrims from around the world. This is only the second Eucharistic Congress held in Canada. The first one occurred in Montreal in 1910.
The first Eucharistic Congress was held in 1881 in France with about 300 pilgrims attending. Attendance at modern-day congresses usually range up to 15,000 people. The theme of this congress is: The Eucharist, Gift of God for the Life of the World.
Going on a pilgrimage is not as common to Catholics in the US as it is to Catholics in other countries, especially European countries. But that is exactly what the Congress invites everyone to do. According to the official website, an International Eucharistic Congress “is a gathering of the Universal Church to celebrate Jesus alive and present in the Eucharist… With the approval of the Pope, a diocesan Church invites other Churches to a unique time of prayer, reflection and commitment.” Not a bad way to spend vacation time.
For those who have participated in one of the World Youth Days held in the last few decades, some of the events and schedules will be familiar. Each day there will be a catechesis session and also a Mass on the day’s theme. Participants will gather in parish churches, grouped by language, to socialize, share and pray.
The schedule also includes public celebrations, prayer vigils, processions, cultural and artistic events, and charitable work. In addition, pilgrims will be invited to tour the rich religious heritage of the city of Quebec. The closing Mass will be held on the Plains of Abraham, a beautiful park-like setting overlooking the river.
To learn more about the Congress, to register, or to view events during the week, go to the official 2008 Eucharistic Congress site.
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An Australian organization has developed a helpful prayer site called, “Daily Prayer Online.” Of special interest are four short features.
The first one is “Quiet Space” and is found in a circle at the center of the site. It is very similar to the Jesuit prayer site “Sacred Space” and includes a meditative reflection on the day’s reading.
A second feature “Prayers in the Classroom” is especially helpful for teachers. This section includes a guided, daily prayer for primary and secondary schools. These are ideal for classroom use.
A third feature is a short, daily quote titled “Thought for Today.” Busy people will enjoy clicking on this and reading a new, inspiring quote each day.
A fourth feature is the “Reflection on the Daily Gospel.”
It’s important to take into account the time change between the US and Australia if you pray with the daily readings. You may actually find yourself praying with tomorrow’s readings as a result of the time difference.
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St. Augustine is often credited with saying, “He who sings, prays twice.” Singing at Mass and other liturgies can be a source of consolation, a prayer, a celebration, or a source of contention. We all have different tastes and these also apply to music at Mass. What is the role of music in liturgy?
A recent document written by the US bishops, Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship, provides the answer, as well as lots of great information about music in liturgy.
The document begins by explaining the many reasons why we sing and why it is important for the congregation to participate. The document admits that “Sometimes, our voices do not correspond to the convictions of our hearts.” It continues, however, to explain that despite this, “Christ always invites us to enter into song.”
The document gives clear guidelines and explanations for the roles of those participating in the liturgy, as well as for types of music, instruments, languages, and parts to be sung. As with many church documents, this one embraces the old and the new side-by-side. Although older music, such as Gregorian chant, has a special place in liturgy, the breath of the Spirit continues to inspire musicians and artists to create new music to help the congregation sing and pray at a continually deeper level.
Three criteria for judging the appropriateness of music for liturgy are proposed by the bishops. These are,
1) Liturgical Judgment – “Is this composition capable of meeting the structural and textual requireents set forth by the liturgical books for this particular rite?”
2) Pastoral Judgment - Does the music promote sanctification of those gathered “drawing them closer to the holy mysteries being celebrated?”
3) Musical Judgment – Does the music have “the necessary aesthetic qualities that can bear the weight of the mysteries celebrated in the Liturgy?”
The document also discusses the role of music in other liturgies, including the rite of marriage and the rite of anointing.
Reminder: If you have not yet done so, please take a few minutes now to complete the ActiveParishioner.com Survey. Thank you.
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On Friday, April 18, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the United Nations. The full text is available here in English and Spanish. He affirmed the UN’s “desire for peace, the quest for justice, respect for the dignity of the person, [and] humanitarian cooperation and assistance.” He also spoke of how new situations arise as times progress and how there is a need to discern and “distinguish good from evil” in these new situations.
On Sunday, April 20, the Pope paid his respects at Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center in NY in a very moving service. His prayer is available here in English and Spanish.
The Pope also celebrated Mass in two large settings in New York. The first was on Friday, April 18, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In attendance where priests and religious women and men from around the country. The homily is available in English and Spanish. The second was at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. The homily is also available in English and Spanish.
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