Torreciudad: Opus Dei explains the current situation
Opus Dei has published detailed information on the current situation of the shrine of Torreciudad. It explains its proposal to the diocese of Barbastro-Monzon to reach an agreement to transform the place into a diocesan sanctuary.
The Marian sanctuary of Torreciudad is the third largest tourist destination in Aragon, and since 1975, when the construction of the new sanctuary was completed, the numerous visits, celebrations and activities have had a crucial impact on the economic and social development of the local environment.
The appointment of a new rector for the shrine in July 2023 by the bishop of Barbastro-Monzón, Bishop Angel Pérez Pueyo, led to a complicated situation for relations between Opus Dei, promoter of the new shrine, of the renovation of the wayside shrine and the image of the Virgin Mary and of a devotion with ancient roots, and the diocese itself.
The differences of criteria about the ability to decide on the pastoral management of the shrine and on the conditions of the custody of the shrine and the image have since given rise to initiatives on both sides, including judicial ones, and to multiple speculations. Now, Opus Dei has just published on its web page a complete summary of the current situation, as perceived by the Prelature.
Who owns Torreciudad?
From its beginnings, the new sanctuary of Torreciudad has the status of "semi-public oratory", recalls this information. This is how it was erected with the approval of the bishop of the diocese, since, according to the criteria of both parties, it was an adequate figure according to the canonical norms in force at that time. The new temple is property of the Canonical Foundation "Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles de Torreciudad", and was built in the 70's of the 20th century with donations from many people, who were encouraged by Opus Dei.
The image of the Virgin of Our Lady of the Angels of Torreciudad is venerated inside. This image (and the old hermitage) is the property of the diocese: although on September 24, 1962 the bishop agreed to its perpetual cession by means of an emphyteutic contract to a civil entity promoted by Opus Dei (at that time it was Inmobiliaria General Castellana, S.A., later succeeded by Desarrollo Social y Cultural, S.A.), this figure does not imply a change of ownership. Opus Dei also participated in the signing of the agreement, which was to be entrusted with the promotion of the objectives of the agreement: to maintain and develop the cult of Santa María.
Sixty years later, the visitor to Torreciudad can easily observe the spreading and deep-rooted devotion to Our Lady of the Angels. Since then and as agreed, all the work and costs have been assumed by Opus Dei.
Differences between the Diocese of Barbastro and Opus Dei
According to Opus Dei, in 2020 the Prelature itself asked the Diocese of Barbastro-Monzon to update some details of the legal framework of Torreciudad to accommodate the new approaches of the Code of Canon Law approved in 1983.
In the context of these conversations, disagreements arose, since the Diocese of Barbastro-Monzón expressed the opinion that the original 1962 agreement lacked legal validity, and in July 2023 it proceeded to appoint a rector different from the one who had been carrying out this function on behalf of Opus Dei.
In the course of the "tug of war" that followed, Opus Dei submitted to the diocese its proposal for the erection of Torreciudad as a diocesan shrine and possible new statutes. The diocese is studying it. Also at that time, the entity responsible for the custody of the image and the hermitage was summoned to an act of conciliation with the diocese on October 3; and Opus Dei received a similar summons for December 20. However, Opus Dei decided not to attend, based on the existence of conversations with the diocese on the subject under discussion.
The decision to initiate civil proceedings now would be up to the diocese. Opus Dei says it would not perceive such a step negatively, but would see it "as an opportunity for a civil ruling on the matter."
Who is the valid rector?
At present, Torreciudad's situation is still the same as before from a legal point of view. However, there is no agreement as to who validly performs the responsibility of rector.
When Bishop Perez-Pueyo declared the position vacant and appointed a diocesan priest, Opus Dei urged him to revoke the appointment, and in response to his refusal filed an appeal with the Holy See, which has not yet been resolved. In practice, the Prelature continues to consider valid the rector who was valid before the unilateral decision of the diocese, while the priest appointed by the bishop, José Mairal, usually celebrates Mass every week at the shrine and, as Omnes has verified, is treated with deference by the priests of Opus Dei, who continue to attend to the usual activities of the shrine.
The solution proposed by Opus Dei to update the agreement consists in the transformation of Torreciudad into a diocesan sanctuary, with the bishop appointing the rector upon presentation of a list of three candidates by the Prelature of Opus Dei.
The economic issue
The information also includes explanations concerning the sanctuary's finances. It details the expenses involved in managing the sanctuary and how they are met. It points out that the ordinary activity generates income that is only enough to cover approximately 30 % of the expenses, while Asociación Patronato de Torreciudad strives to find the rest.
In 1962 the entity in charge of the promotion of the sanctuary was obliged to pay an amount to the diocese in almost symbolic recognition of the property. According to what has been reported in the media, one of the issues raised would be the request by the bishop to update that amount with a figure much: there is talk of about 600,000 euros. In any case, the amount demanded, according to the note, "is considered disproportionate. The annual activity to cover 70 % of the costs that are not covered in an ordinary way is already very difficult in itself; if to that were to be added a fee like the one requested by the diocese, the support of the sanctuary would be unfeasible".
Chronology
1962: Agreement between Opus Dei and the diocese of Barbastro-Monzón to restore the old hermitage of Torreciudad with the aim of promoting devotion to Our Lady, with the former taking charge of pastoral care and keeping it open for worship. Signing of the emphyteutic contract.
1966: Agreement for the construction of a new temple in which the image of Toreciudad would be venerated. It is agreed with the diocese that the whole complex -which would include, among other buildings, the hermitage and the new temple- would form a single enclosure conveniently fenced. Its status is that of a semi-public oratory.
In the notarial testimony signed by the bishop of the diocese, he agrees that the image of the Virgin may be placed in the new temple for the veneration of the faithful.
1975: St. Josemaría consecrates the main altar, and the newly built church is inaugurated.
1983: Publication of the Code of Canon Law. It includes the configuration of sanctuaries in canons 1230-1234 (book IV, part III, title I, chapter III).
2020: Opus Dei asks the bishopric of Barbastro Monzón to review and update the legal status of Torreciudad.
2023
July 17: The bishop of Barbastro-Monzón appoints the parish priest of Bolturina-Ubiergo, José Mairal Villellas, as rector of the Sanctuary of Torreciudad, so that "he will be responsible for the pastoral and ministerial care until the existing canonical situation between both institutions is regularized".
July 18: Opus Dei expresses its surprise, since the canonical status of Torreciudad continues to be that of a semi-public oratory and "understands that it is not up to the bishop to carry out this appointment," but to the Regional Vicar of the Prelature.
July 22: The diocese requests an act of conciliation with the Prelature of Opus Dei in the courts of Barbastro.
August 31: Opus Dei has sent the diocese of Barbastro Monzón a proposal for an agreement, which includes both legal and pastoral issues, and proposes that the new church be considered a diocesan canonical shrine.
October 3: The entity Desarrollo Social S.A., owner of the useful domain of the hermitage and of the image of Nuestra Señora de Torreciudad, appears in the conciliation act in the court of Barbastro.
December 2: Opus Dei in Spain receives a notification from the Barbastro courts for the act of conciliation with the Prelature. Opus Dei does not appear at the act, which is scheduled for December 20, 2023, because it considers that the 1962 contract was executed in accordance with current law. It also alleges that "there are conversations between both parties to resolve the matter by mutual agreement".
Francisco de Vitoria University launches an Institute of Forgiveness
The objective of the academic entity is to promote research on forgiveness in the school, family, therapeutic and social environments through an Institute of Forgiveness. Professors at the University have highlighted the importance of understanding forgiveness beyond the demands of justice, which will enable people to overcome emotional blockages and pain.
Francisco Otamendi-March 2, 2024-Reading time: 4minutes
Observers and analysts have often referred to the need for forgiveness as a means of resolving conflict, or in its aftermath, in the wake of terrorist violence, in isolated acts or over the years, and of course in the aftermath of wars and conflicts around the world.
On a personal level, and also in the family and social, even only from a strictly psychological point of view, no longer ethical or moral, the importance of forgiveness to achieve inner and outer peace has been underlined. Forgiveness, it has been said, improves physical and mental health, resentment and hatred corrode.
This week, the Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV) has presented the Forgiveness InstituteThis was "a pioneering initiative in the university environment, with a conference that analyzed the concept of forgiveness and explained how it works in specific projects," reports the academic center.
"The aim is to offer a space for research, training and knowledge transfer in the field of forgiveness," explained Dr. Clara Molinero, director of the Institute and of the Degree in Psychology at the UFV, who participated in the event together with Dr. María Prieto Ursúa, from the University of Comillas, Saray Bonete, researcher and professor of the Degree, and Robert Enright, pioneer of research in forgiveness in the USA, according to the University.
Multidisciplinary perspective
Clara Molinero explained that the initiative arises from "the need to explore forgiveness from a multidisciplinary perspective, with an open mind, including other disciplines such as psychology, education, philosophy, theology and sociology, among others".
"You can learn to forgive and ask for forgiveness, and who doesn't need to overcome a blockage or resentment for a wrong received? We are all potential recipients of the Institute, because it is not only aimed at helping patients with severe disorders, but everyone, because we all need forgiveness," said Jorge Lopez, dean of the Faculty of Education and Psychology.
"The main lines are the creation of measuring instruments that allow us to examine the changes after a work of learning to forgive; intervention work and on which we develop content and make the evaluation of the changes that occur," said the researcher Saray Bonete, who explained that they are working with prisoners, and also in schools and universities "to train university students in their professional work to use forgiveness as a strategy to resolve conflicts".
Emotional and psychological depth of forgiveness
The inauguration also served as a platform to discuss how forgiveness can be a powerful tool for emotional well-being and mental health. María Prieto Ursúa, author of the book "Forgiveness and Health", highlighted the complexity of the forgiveness process "especially when it comes to forgiving oneself after having committed acts that have caused significant harm to others".
Dr. Prieto identified three main components in the process of forgiving oneself: the assumption of responsibility, interpersonal reparation (although in some cases, this may be symbolic or not directly with the victim), and intrapersonal reparation, which involves deep work on how one sees oneself after the act committed.
In the context of wanting to ask the victim for forgiveness, Prieto stressed the importance of respecting the victim's wishes and needs, even if this means not having direct contact to ask for forgiveness. True care for the victim sometimes involves respecting established barriers, recognizing that the offender's need for forgiveness should not outweigh the victim's need for safety and comfort.
At other universities
The study of forgiveness has begun in the field of psychology in someuniversities, bien como un área de investigación de modo interdisciplinar en el marco de un órgano de más amplio contenido, en colaboración con expertos de otras entidades universitarias, o bien con un Instituto propio sobre el perdón, también interdisciplinar, como en el caso que comentamos de la Universidad Francisco de Vitoria.
In the University of NavarraThe study of forgiveness, for example, has emerged as an area of research that reveals its multifaceted influence on interpersonal relationships, mental health and emotional well-being, the academic center explains.
"There are studies that show that people who show a positive attitude towards forgiveness have less mental pathology, use less psychotropic drugs and have a higher tolerance threshold for pain and suffering. This means that they use fewer painkillers and even fewer health services," he wrote. Javier Schlatterspecialist of the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Madrid, in his book "Wounds in the heart. The Healing Power of Forgiveness".
In the field of CEU San Pablo UniversityMarcelino Oreja, one of the fathers of the Transition in Spain, who on October 5 last year, upon receiving the award, said that he received "with great emotion this recognition and I am very grateful for the date chosen; on this same day, but in 1934, my father was assassinated". "October 5 was marked every year in the family calendar to remember my father. My mother always instilled in me the feeling of forgiveness despite the pain caused."
It is not superfluous to recall that the French philosopher Remi Brague proposed "forgiveness" in the face of the spread of the woke culture of cancellation at the 2021 Congress of Catholics and Public Life.
– Supernatural Comillas University has different specialists in issues related to forgiveness, who teach at the university itself, and also do research with other academic centers, such as the aforementioned professor María Prieto Ursúa or the teacher Pilar Martinezamong others.
In the face of technological development, which includes the fake news and the deepfakes, how can we remain fully human and remain free?
How can true wisdom be attained? How can human dignity be guaranteed? These are questions that are being asked with renewed formats in our days.
This month we have selected three of the Pope's teachings: his message for the World Communications Day-2024His address to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; and his message for Lent. Seemingly disparate topics, but the red thread is the life and mission of Christians, and their fascinating task, also in our changing world.
Artificial intelligence, wisdom and communication
The theme of the Message for the 58th World Communications Day (24-I-2024) is: "Artificial intelligence and wisdom of the heart for fully human communication.". It raises, as the Pope points out, "how we can remain fully human and steer the ongoing cultural change for the good". We must not, he advises, allow ourselves to be carried away by catastrophic predictions about the future, but, as Guardini prophetically said in 1927, we must remain "sensitive to the pain produced by the destruction and inhumane behavior contained in this new world."and promote "that a new humanity of deep spirituality, of a new freedom and a new inner life may arise." (Letters from Lake Como, Pamplona 2013, 101-104).
In continuity with the messages of the previous World Communications Day (2021-2023), Francis proposes that, in this age that risks being rich in technology and poor in communication, we must start our reflection from the wisdom of the human heart. Here the term heart is used in the biblical sense, as the seat of freedom and of the important decisions of life. "The wisdom of the heart is, then, that virtue that allows us to interweave the whole and the parts, the decisions and their consequences, the capacities and the frailties, the past and the future, the I and the we.". It may seem, and it is, difficult to achieve, but, the Pope adds, "it is precisely wisdom - whose Latin root sapere is related to taste - that gives taste to life.".
At the same time, he warns that we cannot expect wisdom from machines, and specifically from Artificial Intelligence (AI). As its original scientific name expresses, machine learningmachines can "learn" in the sense of storing and correlating data, but it is only man that can give them their meaning.
Hence, like everything else in the hands of man, AI is both an opportunity and a danger in the hands of man, if he does not overcome "the original temptation to become like God without God." (cf. Gen 3). This is not only a risk, but also the danger into which man has fallen by wanting to "...".to conquer by one's own strength what should instead be taken as a gift from God and lived in relationship with others.". For this reason, says the successor of Peter, it is necessary to "to awaken man from the hypnosis into which he has fallen due to his delirium of omnipotence, believing himself to be a totally autonomous and self-referential subject, separated from all social ties and alien to his creatureliness.".
These statements are not generalities. In fact, from the first phase of AI, that of social media, to algorithms, we are experiencing that"every technical extension of man can be an instrument of loving service or of hostile domination". The fake news y deepfakeswith the manipulation and simulation they entail are clear examples.
For an ethical regulation of AI
What does the Pope propose? He proposes, in the first place, to act preventively, encouraging "ethical regulation to curb the harmful and discriminatory, socially unjust implications of artificial intelligence systems and to counteract their use in the reduction of pluralism, the polarization of public opinion or the construction of a single way of thinking.".
Thus, it renews its appeal by urging "the community of nations to work together to adopt a binding international treaty to regulate the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms"(Message for the 57th World Day of Peace, January 1, 2024, 8).
Secondly, he proposes to grow in humanity, without being reduced to a world where the personal becomes mere data for the benefit of a few: of the market or of power. And to this end, he praises the figure of good journalism, which is capable of communicating reality, so that "... we are able to communicate the truth.returns to every human being the role of subject, with critical capacity, with respect to the same communication.".
Therefore, he believes it is necessary to "protect the professionalism and dignity of communication and information workers, along with that of users around the world". In addition, it asks to guarantee ethical criteria in information, respect and transparency of authorship and sources, so that pluralism is preserved and the complexity of reality is represented, making the information "...".sustainable"and at the same time "available at"for all.
On this question, the Pope affirms, "on the one hand, the specter of a new slavery looms, on the other, a conquest of freedom.". It is up to us to nourish the heart with freedom, without which there is no wisdom.
Sacraments, dignity and faith
In his address to the Plenary Assembly of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on January 26, he reminded them of their role under the terms of the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium (2022): "To assist the Roman Pontiff and the bishops in proclaiming the Gospel throughout the world, promoting and safeguarding the integrity of Catholic doctrine on faith and morals, on the basis of the deposit of faith and also seeking an ever deeper understanding of it in the face of new questions." (art. 69).
Pope Francis has confirmed the commitment of the Dicastery "in the field of the intelligence of faith in the face of the epochal change that characterizes our time". And in this direction he offered them orientations for their task around three words: sacraments, dignity and faith.
In the first place, the sacraments, a topic on which the Dicastery has recently been working (cf. Gestis verbisque on the Validity of the Sacraments, 31-I-2024; cf. Francis, Address to the Plenary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 31-I-2024; cf., 8-II-2024).
The Bishop of Rome now points out: "Through the sacraments, believers become capable of prophecy and witness. And our times need with particular urgency prophets of new life and witnesses of charity: let us therefore love and make others love the beauty and saving power of the sacraments!"
Second, dignity. This dicastery is also working on a document on human dignity. For this reason, he encouraged them to be "close to all those who, without proclamations, in the concrete life of each day, fight and pay in person to defend the rights of those who do not count." (Angelus, 10-X-2023). In this way, "in the face of various and current forms of eliminating or ignoring others, let us be capable of reacting with a new dream of fraternity and social friendship that does not remain in words". (enc. Fratelli tutti, 6).
Finally, faith. In the context of the tenth anniversary of the Evangelii gaudium and the approaching Jubilee of 2025, Francis recalled the words of Benedict XVI when he noted that, often among Christians today, faith no longer appears as a presupposition of common life, and is even frequently denied (cfr. Porta fidei, 2).
For this reason, Pope Francis pointed out, it is time to reflect on some issues: "the proclamation and communication of the faith in today's world, especially in relation to the younger generations; the missionary conversion of ecclesial structures and pastoral agents; the new urban cultures with their load of challenges, but also of unprecedented questions of meaning; finally, and above all, the centrality of the 'kerygma'.’ in the life and mission of the Church".
Lent: a time of freedom
Finally, it is worth mentioning this year's Lenten message for the year 2024 (published in December of last year): "Through the wilderness God leads us to freedom". The desert represents here the path of grace in which we can discover or rediscover God's love for us, and thus open ourselves to a truer and fuller freedom.
The condition for this, the Pope points out in his message, is ".want to see reality". Just as God sees all things and hears all things (cf. Ex 3:7-8), so we must listen to the cries of so many of our brothers and sisters in need.
The obstacle that Francis points out, with reference to what happened during the pilgrimage of the chosen people through the desert, is striking: the longing for slavery, linked to a lack of hope.
Indeed, it is an astonishing and strange longing, which can only be explained by the egocentric tendency of sin -which leads to idolatry-, the search for security at all costs, the tendency to self-preservation and the recourse to idols.
"Otherwise -Francisco observes- it would be inexplicable that a humanity that has reached the threshold of universal brotherhood and levels of scientific, technical, cultural and legal development, capable of guaranteeing the dignity of all, walks in the darkness of inequalities and conflicts.".
And continuing with the analogy between our journey and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, Peter's successor points out: "More fearsome than Pharaoh are the idols; we could consider them as his voice in us. Feeling omnipotent, recognized by all, taking advantage over others: every human being feels within himself the seduction of this lie. It is a well-worn path.
Therefore, we can become attached to money, to certain projects, ideas, objectives, to our position, to a tradition and even to some people. Those things, instead of driving us, will paralyze us. Instead of uniting us, they will pit us against each other.".
What to do, then? Francis proposes: "It is time to act, and in Lent, to act is also to stop.". To pause in prayer, almsgiving and fasting, which are like awakenings for an atrophied and isolated heart. And not with a sad face (cf. Mt 6:16) but with a cheerful countenance, open to creativity and hope.
The message concludes with some special words for young people, taken from the challenge Francis issued to them last year in Lisbon: "Seek and risk, seek and risk. At this historic moment the challenges are enormous, the groans painful - we are living a third world war in bits and pieces - but we embrace the risk of thinking that we are not in agony, but in labor; not at the end, but at the beginning of a great spectacle. And it takes courage to think this." (Speech to university students, August 3, 2023).
The "sacramental house", a Central European Eucharistic specialty
In Romanesque, but especially Gothic and Renaissance churches, especially in Germany, the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in richly ornamented tower-like architectural elements, attached to walls or free-standing.
The Code of Canon Law currently in force establishes that the Eucharist must be "reserved in a single tabernacle of the church or oratory", which must be "placed in a truly noble, prominent, suitably adorned, and appropriate part of the church or oratory for prayer".
Already among the early Christians, the Eucharist was not completely consumed at Mass, for the priest used to reserve part of it for the communion of the sick. The consecrated hosts were reverently kept in ivory or precious metal vessels, usually in an adjoining room of the church. This is the origin of the tabernacle, the tabernacle, where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved.
Over the centuries, various solutions have been found for the location of the tabernacle, for example, by integrating it into Gothic and Renaissance altarpieces or, as made obligatory by the Council of Trent (1545-1563), on the "mensa" of the high altar. Later, when the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) allowed the introduction of the free-standing altar, facing the people, it made it possible for the tabernacle to be placed "on a side altar, but one that is really prominent" (Instruction "Inter Oecumenici", 1964).
The "sacramental house
However, in the Middle Ages, in Romanesque, but mainly Gothic and Renaissance churches in Germany and other European countries such as HungaryIn the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of France and Italy, the so-called "Sakramentshaus" spread, literally translated as "sacramental house" or "sacramental sanctuary".
Especially after the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) used the word "transubstantiation" to refer to the way in which the body and blood of Christ is really made present in the Eucharist and fixed in its canon 20 that the Eucharist (and the "chrisam") be kept in a hermetically sealed place to avoid profanation, In addition to the desire to observe and venerate the consecrated Host, a way was sought in which the Catholic churches - and the Orthodox churches - could "reserve" the consecrated hosts not consumed during Mass. In Germany, as mentioned above, the answer to the veneration of the Blessed Sacrament outside the Eucharistic celebration, and therefore separated from it, is the "Sakramentshaus", a constructive element attached to the wall or a column, or even free-standing.
The development of the "Sakramentshaus".
The places for the reservation of the Holy Eucharist evolved from a simple wall cupboard, to a stone niche decorated with ornaments or figures, to a turret that well resembles the spires of Gothic churches, gigantic stone monstrances; they are often masterpieces of stonemasonry and sculpture of the late Middle Ages. It is certainly paradoxical that these small architectural structures reached the peak of their artistic development in northern Germany on the eve of Luther's Reformation at the beginning of the 16th century, which made them in many places "obsolete".
Großschenk Church (1)
A good example of the simpler "sacramental shrines" typical of Romanesque churches, with the tabernacle in a closed niche in the chancel wall and surrounded by an elaborate architectural frame, can be seen in the churches of Hänichen or Großschenk (photo 1). In village churches, one can also find a wooden sacramental sanctuary attached to the wall, as is the case in the church of Groß Zicker on the island of Rügen (photo 2).
In Gothic churches, the sacramental sanctuary begins to take on the form of a tower and a more profuse decoration, with ornate stonework, as can be seen in the Catholic parish church of Remagen, to the left of the choir: the sacramental house takes the form of a tower and extends into the vault, on the left side of the choir. Its late Gothic ornamentation suggests that it was built in the first half of the 16th century.
Gothic cathedrals
Groß Zicker Church (2)
Naturally, the "Sakramentshaus" is particularly prominent in large Gothic cathedrals; they are usually located on the Gospel side. The one in Ulm Cathedral (photo 3), attached to the transept at the intersection of the nave and transept, is considered - at 26 meters - to be the tallest in Germany. It was built between 1467 and 1471. It is sculpted entirely of limestone and sandstone, unlike the similarly structured wooden pulpit roof. It is shaped like a tower, with sculptures of saints on several floors, and is an example of Gothic filigree.
The free-standing sacramental sanctuaries are also located on the Gospel side. A good example is St. Lawrence of Nuremberg (photo 4), Adam Kraft's masterpiece, built between 1493 and 1496. The sandstone tower, more than 20 meters high, resembles the interwoven tendrils of a tree and is supported by three human figures, in one of which the artist immortalized himself. It consists of seven levels: the lowest is the "ambulatory", passing through the Eucharist (the tabernacle itself), the Last Supper, the Passion, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the top of the tower.
"Unsere Liebe Frau" in Bamberg
Ulm Cathedral (3)
In the parish church "Unsere Liebe Frau" ("Our Lady") in Bamberg, there is a "sacramental house" which, by its dimensions, is almost a premonition of the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament that was to become established centuries later. Although it could be thought of as a later development, it was built before the sacramental houses of Remagen, Ulm and Nuremberg, dating from 1430.
The lower part of the ensemble shows a completely sculpted Burial of Christ. The niche of the tabernacle itself, closed with a door, is in the center, on an upper floor; above it appears the face of Christ. At the height of the third floor there is a Gothic inscription referring to the laying of the first stone of the choir in 1392. To the right and left of the tabernacle, on two floors, there are figures of prophets and apostles, alluding to the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The work is crowned by a representation of the Last Judgment, in which Christ appears as the judge of the world; to his right are the blessed and on the other side are the damned, who are being devoured by a large whale. The sacramental house is still used today as the place where the "monument" is installed from Holy Thursday to Good Friday.
After the Council of Trent
St. Lawrence of Nuremberg (4)
As has been said, with the Council of Trent the sacramental houses or sanctuaries fell into disuse. However, since the decisions of the Council were not always applied everywhere, they continued to be built in some places, for example, for the church of St. Gereon in Cologne in 1608. In later centuries, many of these sacramental houses fell victim to the reformist furor and changing tastes; especially noteworthy was the destruction of the sacramental house in Cologne Cathedral in 1766, which had been praised on numerous occasions. Some were rebuilt in the 19th or 20th century. The bombings of World War II further reduced the number of sacramental houses. Nevertheless, enough examples remain.
From the celebration of Palm Sunday to the Easter Vigil. The Holy See has confirmed Pope Francis' intention to preside at all celebrations proper to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord.
It is therefore expected that on Good Friday he will go to the Coliseum to preside over the Stations of the Cross, which he did not attend in 2023 because of the cold.
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Scaffolding surrounds Gian Lorenzo Bernini's baldachin above the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. St. Peter's expects the baldachin to be ready for the great Jubilee 2025.
From Sacred Scripture... to proposals in technologies. Gateways to Jesus Christ
In his Letter to the responsible Dicastery, Pope Francis asks God that we may come to make of the prayer that Jesus Christ taught us.
March 1, 2024-Reading time: 2minutes
"Pilgrims of hope". is the motto that frames the Jubilee of the year 2025, for which the Church has already begun to prepare. In his Letter to the responsible Dicastery, Pope Francis asks God that we may come to make of the prayer taught to us by Jesus Christ "the program of life of each of his disciples"..
For its part, the prayer for the Jubilee Year asks God the Father that hope may spring from the faith received in Jesus Christ and from the charity infused by the Holy Spirit. And the Synthesis Report that gathers the conclusions of the first Roman stage of the Synod on synodality points to the "encounter with Jesus Christ, who offers us the gift of a new life." as a substance of the kerygma and center of the ad.
In our times, various proposals centered on the figure of Jesus have sprung up. Many of them are evangelizing and formative, supported by the means and technologies available today, and not simply commercial products.
A few years ago, a landmark film was made about The Passionfor example, and these days, the series The Chosen about the life of the first disciples with Jesus, also of great quality.
Obviously, the invitation to approach Jesus Christ is as old as the very presence of the Lord on earth; and it is as permanent as the Church. One door of access is Sacred Scripture (the Bible), in a place distinct from any other attempt. This is explained by divine inspiration (together with the editorial work of the author of each book) and the fact that it is guarded, lived and proposed in and by the Church for every time.
In it, everything "is evident" in the New Testament (as St. Augustine expresses it), but everything is prepared and germinally contained in the Old Testament, whose center is also the Lord towards whom it is oriented. It is understandable that Pope Francis so insistently encourages the reading of the Gospels, sometimes gives a copy to those present, or underlines the dignity of the Word of God, for example by instituting an annual day dedicated to it.
On another level, catechesis has always made use of various iconographic elements to explain the faith and facilitate knowledge of Christ, and Christian art has also depicted the truest truths in an accessible way.
It also facilitates access to Jesus by allowing us to see the places where his life on earth took place and to learn about the archaeological testimonies. These are some of the elements mentioned in this issue, but only as examples. And, although this occasion does not allow us to dwell on this aspect, at least a brief reference to recent spiritual or theological publications centered on Jesus may be missing. Among them, a necessary reference is constituted by the three volumes on Jesus of Nazareth written by Benedict XVI, useful for both theologians and less expert readers.
Francisco Eusébio Vinumo: "The Church in Africa carries a strong message of hope".
Ordained a deacon in September 2023 in Angola, Francisco Eusébio Vinumo is studying in Rome, thanks to the CARF Foundation. Vinumo is aware that Africa is today the source of new missionaries who evangelize the ancient Christian nations.
Natural of Huambo-AngolaFrancisco Eusébio Vinumo, in the municipality of Caála, in Africa, is the sixth and last son of a deeply Christian family that counts, among its six children, another priest besides Francisco Eusébio.
How was your vocation born?
-It all began with Christian customs that our mother instilled in us from an early age: catechesis, praying the Rosary, which we sometimes did at home, and, of course, attending Holy Mass. That awakened in me the desire to be where the priest was, because his way of celebrating captivated me. In the immensity and diversity with which God calls people to his vineyard, I also felt called to serve him.
Another figure no less important in the discovery of my vocation was my brother, who was already a seminarian at the time. His testimony had a great influence on my choice. By the grace of God, he is now a priest.
What is life like in Angolan Christian communities?
Angola has a deep-rooted faith. Despite the various political and socio-economic problems facing the country, the people remain steadfast in their faith, with God as their only support and comfort.
The Christian community in Angola nourishes and strengthens its faith above all through the practice of popular devotions, such as the constant recitation of the Rosary, participation in processions, pilgrimages and prayer vigils. It is a very Marian country, and without the Virgin Mary, I believe the faith would have been greatly weakened.
On the other hand, there is a large participation in the weekly and Sunday masses.
How does the Church help the population in a country with accentuated poverty?
-Unfortunately, poverty is one of the country's biggest problems. Paradoxically, we are one of the richest countries in the world. Africa in natural resources, we are covered with riches without benefiting the population in any way, because the common good is not managed with truth and transparency, it is always reserved for a few who take personal advantage, impoverishing more and more peaceful people.
The Church constantly reminds those in power that their role is to guarantee the well-being of the population, to defend it, to protect and promote the dignity of the human person, guaranteeing the universal distribution of the common good. She also promotes various social actions and guarantees the intellectual and spiritual formation of the population, the so-called integral human formation.
What does the Church in Africa bring to the world?
-First of all, we must thank God for the growth of many vocations in Africa. They are young countries in the faith, that is, they do not have many centuries of evangelization like Europe, so this brings joy and consolation to the African Church and beyond. The African Church brings a very strong message of hope and revival of faith to the world and, as a sign of gratitude, sends missionaries to Europe, not as a sign of pride that we have many and do not need anyone else, but simply to see the Church as one.
The missionaries who leave Africa go to help their "ancestors in the faith" in Europe, who did so much for us. Now it is up to us to reciprocate, as a grateful son always supports his parents.
What does the possibility of studying in Rome mean to you?
-Rome is unique, singular, unrepeatable and enriching. Having contact with a different reality is enriching.
To be here is to touch the roots of our ancestors, our patriarchs in Christianity, to live and socialize with saints, martyrs, popes and all those who have left their mark in the history of Christianity.
To be in Rome is to experience the universality of the Church. It makes you see and truly live nature".one, holy, catholic and apostolic church"of the Church, and thus to be united in diversity. Rome is the eternal citynot because it never dies, but because it makes you eternal. This time has contributed a lot to my future life as a priest, especially with the formation I am receiving, which will allow me to transmit the Christian faith so that many of my brothers in Angola can sanctify themselves.
Current proposals for knowing Christ, a key issue of the March 2024 issue of Omnes magazine
Current proposals for approaching Christ through the cinema or the new media, as well as the importance of Scripture and Tradition, are the focus of the March 2024 issue of Omnes.
In recent years, thanks, among other things, to the irruption of new communication formats, audiovisual projects that approach Jesus Christ through podcasts, series, films or ebooks have multiplied. They are new doors to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that update the reading of the Bible, the understanding of the scriptures or prayer.
This theme, Christ, is the theme of the March 2024 issue of Omnes magazine, a month in which Catholics celebrate the mysteries of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.
The doors to Christ
The dossier has two valuable articles, written by theologians and professors Francisco Varo and Vicente Balaguer, in which the reader approaches Christ through the stories of the Old and New Testament and, on the other hand, the treasure of the Tradition of the Catholic Church in the path of understanding the faith and the history of Salvation.
The dossier is completed with other informative articles: a review of some of the archaeological finds in the Holy Land related to places that appear in the Gospel and that confirm the biblical texts, as well as the biblical iconography present in different works of art that visually unite the Old and New Testaments to show their central theme: Jesus Christ.
This dossier also focuses on some of the latest proposals: ebooks, podcasts, series or films, which have been appearing in recent years around the figure of Christ. A reality that highlights the perennial relevance of the figure and the message of Christian salvation and the new ways of approaching it, adapting it to the sensibility and the current media.
Youth and fraternity
Our editor in Rome, Giovanni Tridente, brings readers the results of a worldwide survey that examined the values, hopes and religious inclinations of young people between the ages of 18 and 29 in eight countries. The study, carried out by the Pontifical Pontifical
University of the Holy Cross, in collaboration with seven other universities and the Spanish agency GAD3, which is part of a project to continuously listen to the expectations of young people.
The Pope's audiences and messages during the month of February are the focus of this month's Teachings in which Ramiro Pellitero puts the spotlight on several of the issues that the pontiff has brought to the forefront of his interest: the importance of restoring the dignity of the person in the fields of communication and the challenges posed by the use of artificial intelligence.
The fifth anniversary of the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity, celebrated at the beginning of February, is the theme of the World section of this magazine, which highlights how, five years after this historic document, interreligious collaboration and dialogue continue to be one of the main challenges facing the Church at all levels.
Kant and Gregory the Great
The Reasons section opens with an interesting commentary on the three great episodes narrated in the Gospel of John during Lent: the dialogue with the Samaritan woman, the healing of the man born blind and the Resurrection of Lazarus.
For his part, Juan Luis Lorda focuses his collaboration on the figure of Emmanuel Kant who, in Lorda's opinion, is "the modern philosopher who has thought about and discussed the most issues, and who has had an immense echo of reactive stimulus, sometimes positive, in Catholic thought".
Woke ideology and the latest Nobel Prize in Literature
The woke ideology, its roots, its influence on today's culture and the position of the Church in the face of this cultural movement are the focus of an interesting interview with Noelle Mering, author of "Woke Dogma: A Christian Response to Fashionable Ideology," which can be read in this issue.
In addition, the Culture section brings the latest Nobel Prize for Literature, the Norwegian Jon Fosse. Fosse, a complex and almost unknown author, is a particularly attractive figure for those who believe that literature can bring us closer to God.
The content of the magazine for the month of March 2024 is available in its digital version (pdf) for subscribers of the digital and print versions.
In the next few days, it will also be delivered to the usual address of those who have the subscription printed.
Subscribe to Omnes magazine and enjoy exclusive content for subscribers. You will have access to all Omnes
Young people become protagonists of digital evangelization
The Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life is organizing from February 25 to April 25, 2024 a social campaign to encourage young people to keep alive the spirit of the apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit.
Giovanni Tridente-March 1, 2024-Reading time: 2minutes
From February 25 and for twelve weeks, until April 25, a social campaign will be carried out to rediscover the timeliness of the apostolic exhortation that Pope Francis addressed to young people five years ago, Christus Vivitsigned on March 25, 2019 at the Marian shrine of Loreto.
That document marked the conclusion of the 2018 Synod of Bishops, dedicated to the theme of youth and which had involved them personally through representation in the Assembly Hall.
The current social campaign, which also aims to keep alive the experience of the World Youth Day -The last one took place in Lisbon in August last year and was launched by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and involves a group of young communicators participating in the project "Faith Communication in the Digital World".
It is no coincidence that the channels used for this initiative are the official accounts of Facebook e Instagram World Youth Day Facebook accounts, initially opened in 2011 with World Youth Day in Madrid, and managed from time to time by local organizing committees with the support of young volunteers who contribute ideas and content between WYD events. To date, the English Facebook account has more than 2 million followers, with hundreds of thousands of users spread across 20 other languages.
"Alive"
The campaign launched by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life focuses on the key word "alive" and, through motivational videos, calls to action and commitment, aims to preserve the essence of WYD also online, involving those who have already participated in previous World Youth Days, their animators, pastoral leaders, following the invitation of Pope Francis to be fruitful "in God's today", which can also be the digital space.
The initiative is translated into several languages and is also open to other church entities that wish to reach out to young people through social media with a spiritual message, as is the case with the project "The Church in the World".Faith Communication in the Digital WorldThe "Dicastery for Communication" was born within the Dicastery for Communication.
"Christus Vivit"
The Pope's letter to young people, "Christus Vivit"It is a strong proclamation of hope, and urges his interlocutors to keep a young heart by following the example of several witnesses who, by approaching Jesus, were able to discover the secret of eternal life.
Youth - the Pope encourages - must be lived as a gift from God to be fully appreciated and lived, for example through social commitment, contact with the poor and friendship with Christ as fundamental elements for growth and maturity.
In "Christus Vivit" there is also great confidence on the part of the Pope himself and of the Church towards young people, who are invited not to give up their dreams and to renew their spiritual and apostolic ardor, in order to confirm themselves as bearers of hope and change in society.
The Pope Francis will preside over several liturgical celebrations this Holy Week of 2024. This has been communicated by the Vatican through the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Diego Ravelli.
The celebrations will begin on March 24, Palm Sunday, when the Pontiff will celebrate Holy Mass at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter's Square. This day commemorates the entry of Christ into Jerusalem and the adoration of the people.
Easter Triduum
The Easter Triduum will begin on Holy Thursday, March 28. The Pope will preside at the Chrism Mass at 9:30 am in St. Peter's Basilica. The communiqué does not indicate whether Francis will perform the customary washing of feet, in imitation of the Gospel passage.
The following day, those who come to St. Peter's Basilica will be able to attend the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord at 5:00 p.m. Afterwards, at 9:15 p.m., the Pope is scheduled to preside the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome.
On Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil will take place on Holy Night at 7:30 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica. A few hours later, on March 31 at 10:00 a.m., Pope Francis will celebrate Mass on Easter Sunday in the main square of the Vatican. To conclude Holy Week 2024, the Pontiff will impart the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing at noon.
Holy Week with the Pope
To accompany the Pontiff during the celebrations, many pilgrims will travel to Rome during those days. Those who cannot make the trip can follow Holy Week in Rome on YouTube. A summary of the Holy Father's speeches during the celebrations will be published on Omnes.
Aquilino PolainoThe treatment of the patient changes if you see Jesus Christ in him".
Aquilino Polaino is a psychiatrist and has been Professor of Psychopathology at the Complutense University of Madrid for thirty years. He is retiring after almost fifty years dedicated to the psychiatry practice and tells us in this interview some of his reflections on society, family and mental health.
Aquilino Polaino has practiced psychiatry for almost fifty years. In addition, he has been a professor at the Complutense University for three decades, and is a member of the Royal Academies of Medicine of Valencia, Cadiz and Granada. In his long career he has met important personalities of the twentieth century, such as the psychiatrist Viktor Frankl.
In this interview, Aquilino Polaino tells us some of his reflections on current issues such as family breakdown, freedom in patients with mental illness or suicide.
In the book, you talk about the importance of not ideologizing psychiatry. Can you elaborate a bit on this point?
I consider that psychiatry, like all sciences, can be phagocytized by ideologies. One must be careful, because, as psychiatry has so many dimensions, any dimension that is overemphasized in relation to the others would be incorrectly nuanced. For example: it is a fact that people's socioeconomic level influences mental health. It is a true fact, and in some way psychiatry takes it as a banner so that inequality decreases a little. However, if this were to be radicalized, we could convey the idea that all mental disorders are a consequence of inequality, which is absolutely incorrect. That is why, in my opinion, each dimension must be given the weight it has. And this is not always easy. Ideological contamination begins because people themselves make erroneous attributions. For example, they say: "Why are we so bad psychologically? Because we have a lot of stress. Stress is a physiological mechanism, without which we would not be healthy enough. Stress is not the cause of the psychological discomfort that you have, but the cause is in the environment, which has to be modified, or in you, which has to be modified.
Can the psychiatrist's personal beliefs, for example, influence therapy?
It could happen, but in my opinion this, fortunately for us, has diminished a lot in recent years. Perhaps since an amendment that came out in the United States around 1992, from which every candidate to become a psychiatrist has to pass some very hard tests to handle diverse patients with diverse religious beliefs, and to be respectful with all of them. So this, in a way, has permeated the world of psychiatry. It seems to me that this conflict, which could occur, is today very controlled and practically neutralized.
Can you tell us how you met Viktor Frankl?
I had a scholarship at the University of Vienna in 71-72 of the last century, and in Vienna I had a colleague, also a psychiatrist, as well as a priest, Professor Torelló. I was very friendly with him and we saw each other practically every other day and talked about many things. Then he told me that he was a close friend of Frankl's and that he was going to go to see him at his house, and asked me if I wanted to accompany him. I told him I would be delighted, and we went, and that's how I met him. And then in other trips that I have made to Vienna, throughout my life, I used to coincide with Professor Torelló -who has already died-, and in some occasions we also met with Frankl, therefore the contact continued.
What was your impression?
Very good. It seems to me that he was very rebellious from a very young age. I think he is perhaps the first psychoanalyst under twenty years of age to publish a paper denying Freud's theses in Freud's journal. And this is not usual, and even less so in those times. Then, on the other hand, it is worth noting his spirit of independence, because, although trained in a psychoanalytic environment, he was always very critical and thought on his own. Moreover, he made good use of the opportunities in life. The disaster with his first wife, who died in a concentration camp, his stay in a concentration camp... However, it is curious how that, which can be an experience that breaks all resilience and all strength, to the point of destroying the person, was for him a spur to the opposite. And it led him to the search for something that transcends him as a person, which is the meaning of his life and that is beyond his own life. I consider those to be very valuable contributions. Perhaps it must be said that I would like the foundation of all that he developed to have a clearer implication in Western philosophy, a clearer support. But he has done enough with all that he did and all that he bequeathed to us, and the proof is that it is still working and that in many countries, such as Latin American countries, it has more strength than in Europe.
In mental illness, do patients have freedom?
I believe that all mental illnesses cannot be taken as a homogeneous and singular reality. Because, of course, in a schizophrenic outbreak the subject is probably not free and does things that he will later regret all his life, when he is told that he has done them, because he has not been aware of it. There may be a total lack of freedom. Or in an acute psychotic break. In a dementia case it could happen, but already in dementia the physical strength diminishes a lot, and the initiative also. Now, in most of the most common conditions (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, acute anguish, phobias, obsessions), freedom may be somewhat restricted, or limited, but not abolished. In fact, in a certain way, when we do psychotherapy, what we try to do is that the patient takes back the living part he still has of responsibility to lead his life and that from there he conquers the freedom he was lacking, because he is the one who has to move forward. In the end, his life cannot be carried out according to what the therapist tells him, but according to what he does, choosing options one after the other, and that is why it is important to always push that freedom towards where it has to go.
You comment that many depressions may have their origin in part in the destructuring of the family that today's society is experiencing. In what sense?
We are born in a very destitute and at the same time very needy state. A baby, for example, does not know how to love, nor does it know what love is, and yet it needs a lot of affection. But it needs it because it receives it, not because it gives it. Then, with time, he grows and learns, and there comes a time when, when his mother approaches him, he also opens his arms to embrace her, but it has been a learning process, because initially he knew nothing about it. Because of this indigence with which we are born, the relationship with the mother and the father is absolutely necessary, because if a child is born in an environment that he perceives as insecure, there are already psychic aspects that do not work for him, and they will not work for many years. Therefore, the first thing the child needs is security, through what the mother says, what the father does, what he is taught. On the other hand, there is the issue of food. A child would not know how to make a bottle for himself. Or even hygiene care: if a child pees and his diaper is not changed, he will get an infection, and so on. That is why the child, when he is very young, has the perception that the father is omnipotent, because he is the one who gives him all the security.
In childhood, the family is radical. And, without a family, it is very difficult for a person to grow up normal. Therefore, if the family is unstructured or very abnormal, or does not exist, or has been broken fifty times, people have psychic wounds, and this sometimes heals and sometimes does not heal. And therefore they are going to have a deficit all their lives. That is what I think it would be good for parents to think about before choosing an option such as divorce, or even the continuous controversy itself, the argument between man and woman within marriage, which is very frequent, and which embitters children so much. Because, where does the child learn to love? Well, in the people who are closest to him and who should love each other, that is, in the love of the father for the mother and of the mother for the father. If there, instead of a loving relationship, what there is is a permanent conflict, the child does not learn what it means to love and be loved.
Is there anything that is irreversible?
Irreversible as a whole, I think it is difficult. Although there are cases of people who have had a conflict with their father and have never been able to overcome it. I am afraid to talk about this subject, because I think that if parents hear this, they can become very anxious thinking that, when they mess up in their child's education, they can organize an irreversible problem, and then they will not do it well. You have to tell them: "Don't worry about anything, you are doing well, but you have to do better".
So, in my opinion, there is a bestial ignorance about the family. And perhaps that is one of the reasons why there is more family destruction. Because if you do not take care, and you do not know how to take care because you are ignorant, you take any decision very suddenly and without evaluating the consequences.
In addition, it is important for the happiness of both men and women that the family functions well. Even today, most young people do not give up the idea of starting a family, and it is one of the goals they want to achieve. Probably because they come from families in which, with all their faults, the balance has been very positive. And they say: "This is what I want to replicate, but improving it". But for that you have to be trained, and people are not trained. I don't think it's enough to take a weekend course before getting married. On the other hand, you can't demand a whole course either, because natural law forbids it: marriage is a natural institution, you can't bring the academy into it. But I believe that much more needs to be done.
What do you think is the reason for the current high suicide rate?
Many factors. Perhaps also the covid has conditioned a lot what we are seeing now. In addition to social networks, internet, looking all day whether we have followers or not... That organizes a kind of constellation, on the one hand virtual, because there is no real contact, and therefore isolationist, and on the other hand pseudo-transcendent, in the sense of pushing the self to be the king of creation. Is being a millennial already the maximum you can be? Well, I think it is the minimum, or even the null that one should be. The important thing is what you have done with your life, to what extent you are giving it meaning, to what extent you are happy with how you live every minute of your life. It seems to me that this is what justifies human existence and what gives happiness. If on the other hand more people follow you or do not follow you, or if one praises you and the other criticizes you, that is their problem. But what does your conscience say about you?
In addition, young people in general are very insecure, because they have no life experience, and they underestimate their worth. As we perceive ourselves, that's how we act. And then, if in the context in which they are, they see everything negatively, because they don't seem to have a very prestigious working future and the salaries are miserable, and they have the experience of other older colleagues who tell them horrible things, then they start to sink. In addition, if they have had no training in overcoming everyday frustration, any small frustration for them is a giant. And that can cause that, in the face of a very big frustration, they do not have the strength to tolerate it and redirect it, but they collapse. And that is when all the nihilistic and pessimistic attitudes and the search for an absurd way out begin. But there are many factors. In addition to the fact that suffering an anxiety crisis is very hard, and it is unbearable, suffering a depressive condition is more of the same, but with more continuity, and therefore the way out of the tunnel is never seen. If to this is added that very bitter things happen, added factors that are swarming in the environment, such as the girlfriend leaving you, or that the father has gone to buy tobacco and has not returned, everything starts to be very complicated.
Do you see God in the lives of your patients?
I try to see him, and I have done very well, because it seems to me that you change the way you deal with any patient if you see Jesus Christ himself there. That is a different horizon. It happened to me once with a lady with a depressive condition, who worked as a prostitute, had a little daughter, and she was very depressed, she had a very bad time. But, of course, as she did not change her environment, there was not much chance of improvement and the medication was not very effective. One day, already a little tired, having the person in front of me, I asked myself: "What am I doing here with a person for whom I do not charge, who on the other hand I am not fixing, and it is going to be very difficult to get her out of it? I was about to throw in the towel. And then somebody must have said to me, or at least I saw it in my head, "Imagine this woman is Jesus Christ. How would you treat her?" And that changed my mind. I began to treat her differently, I cared less that she didn't pay me, and I began to relativize what before seemed to me to be more important categories. From that point on, it got a little better, although in the end I don't think I was able to get her to quit her job.
Easter 2025 will be on April 20, the year that also marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which fixed the date of Easter. The stars, never better said, seem to be aligned for Christians to take that step of unity that would be to celebrate Easter on the same day.
February 29, 2024-Reading time: 4minutes
Today, February 29, is an exceptional day because it does not exist every year, but neither every 4 years, as many people believe. The most curious thing is that its existence is intimately linked to the Pope whose portrait illustrates this article and to the celebration of Holy Week, whose calculation, moreover, may change starting next year.
The pope in question is Gregory XIII to whom we owe the implementation, in the year 1582, of the calendar that is used today practically all over the world and which, in his honor, is called the "Gregorian calendar". His purpose was to fix the disruption that the passage of time had caused in the less accurate Julian calendar, which had been in use since Julius Caesar promulgated it in 46 BC.
To fix an exact calendar is an arduous task because it is necessary to count in days (rotations of the Earth) the time it takes our planet to go around the Sun and, obviously, these two movements of nature do not have to be coordinated to coincide in whole numbers. Thus, each year does not last 365 days, but 365.2425 days.
The Egyptians (whose calculations were based on Roman mathematicians) knew that the year lasted 365 days and almost a quarter of a day, so the Julian calendar also provided, like ours, every four years, the leap years, but they were not arranged equally. Every four years, it added a day to the 28 days of February, although there was no February 29. What was done was to repeat the sixth day before the calendas (first day of the month) of March, hence the name bi-sixth. In short, the 23rd of February was followed by a 23rd of February bis. This quadrennial correction makes it possible to reduce the error between the calendar year and the calendar year to only 11 minutes. At first it seems a short time, but as it accumulates over the centuries, the minutes become hours, days... Until there was no choice but to correct drastically.
But where did the Pope's interest in fixing an organization that would seem to belong more to the civil sphere come from? Well, from something as important as fixing the celebration of the greatest Christian feast, Easter, which was out of place.
It turns out that at the Council of Nicaea (325) all the Churches agreed that Easter would be celebrated on the Sunday following the full moon (14th of the month of Nisan) after the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere. That year, the equinox took place on March 21, but, over time, this date had been brought forward by the cumulative effect of which we have already spoken. No more and no less than 10 days different from the date on which Gregory XIII undertook his reform, instead of the 21st, the equinox occurred on March 11.
The reform of Pope Gregory wanted to correct this gap, establishing a new computation that was developed precisely by Spanish scientists, specifically from the University of Salamanca. This algorithm has a minimum error of only one day every 3,323 years and establishes the following: It will be leap year every year multiple of 4 -but not always as almost all of us believe-; multiples of 100 are excepted (that is why the years 1700, 1800 or 1900 were not leap years) although multiples of 400 do keep it (that is why the years 1600 and 2000 were leap years). Thanks to this rule, we still have almost three millennia left without worries.
But now there is another problem: it turns out that, although the Catholic Church certainly solved the discrepancy by adopting the Gregorian calendar, the Eastern Churches did not do so and continued with the old Julian calendar. Therefore, Christians celebrate Easter on two different dates and this is a scandal of disunity that St. Paul VI insisted had to be resolved.
Providentially, next year's calculations will coincide on the same day. Easter 2025, no matter which calendar is used to calculate it, will be on April 20. But it is also the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea that fixed the date of Easter. The stars, never better said, seem to align for Christians to take that step of unity that would be to celebrate Easter on the same day. But which day? The ball is now in the court of the Eastern Churches that have to agree, since Pope Francis has expressed his intention to accept octopus as a companion animal.
So, will this 2024 be the last year in which we follow the current calculation of the date of Easter? I believe that we must pray that this will be the case and that we Christians will be able to give a testimony of communion so necessary in a world as divided as ours.
By the way, returning to the subject of the curiosities of the Gregorian calendar, its implementation was the cause of St. Teresa of Jesus died on October 4 and was buried the next day, October 15, 1582. Yes, you read correctly and there is no typo. Nor was it a mistake in the matrix. But I will explain that on her feast day, what the Gregorian calendar has to offer!
Journalist. Graduate in Communication Sciences and Bachelor in Religious Sciences. He works in the Diocesan Delegation of Media in Malaga. His numerous "threads" on Twitter about faith and daily life have a great popularity.
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The successive waves of Hispanic/Latino migration to the United States have brought about, among many other things, a very significant change in the number, composition and profile of the Catholic Church in the United States.
The phenomenon of the growing and enormous Hispanic/Latino presence in the United States, noticed and welcomed by the Catholic Church, especially in the last seven decades, went from the timid and almost clandestine Eucharistic celebrations in Latin or "half Spanish" and in the basements of the temples to the celebration of national gatherings of the Hispanic Catholic ministry or pastoral in this nation.
The road to the Pastoral Plan
Historical milestones of these changes are, among others, the following years: in 1945 the first national office for Hispanic ministry was officially established and in 1972, 1977, 1985, 2000 and 2018, after arduous work, consultation and discernment processes, the five successive national meetings of Hispanic ministry were convened and held.
As a result of the long historical trajectory of the Hispanic/Latino presence, of the welcome and experience of the Church and of what has been shared and learned in the national meetings already mentioned, this National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry is intended to be a roadmap, a path, a route along which the actions of the Catholic Church in the United States and of the Hispanics/Latinos who are pilgrims in it with their faith, will advance in the building of the Kingdom of God, through the commandment of love, for "a new heaven on a new earth"., that is, for a better American society and a new, more just, more fraternal and more united world, according to the criteria of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The fifth national meeting, based on the document and Plan of which I am speaking, always in the light of the Gospel, sought to gather Pope Francis' vision and doctrine on the Church, especially in the context of the Synod on Synodality, as well as to be in tune with the Catholic Church in Central and South America, based on the teachings proclaimed by the Latin American episcopate in Aparecida, Brazil.
Lines of action
The Plan, which I present to you here, consists of five parts, in which the vision of what Hispanic pastoral ministry in the United States should be is presented and suggested lines of action that consider Catholics as missionary disciples, nourished by the Eucharist, sent to proclaim the Gospel and bear fruit. Disciples animated by the Word who - through their encounter with Christ - form a prophetic, multicultural and synodal Church that promotes integration, inclusion, justice and mercy.
In addition, this National Pastoral Plan indicates some pastoral priorities to be taken into account in parish and diocesan pastoral projects: faith formation, accompaniment of families, youth ministry, immigration, and pastoral care for those on the periphery, among others.
Health as a priority
As CEO of SOMOS Community Care, I notice the absence of the issue of health as a priority in a Pastoral Plan of the Catholic Church. And although I can understand and excuse this omission, due to the fact that our Hispanic/Latino community is mostly young, the issue of health is an issue that cannot be forgotten because without it there is no life or "abundant life" (Jn 10:10).
Etymologically and theologically speaking, "salvation" is synonymous with "health", because Jesus of Nazareth dedicated a large part of his public ministry to it and because an evangelizing and pastoral task that is not complete, totalizing, holistic, for the whole man and for all men, betrays the universal and integral salvation that God gives us in Jesus Christ.
The Church, Mother and Teacher
This Plan is, evidently, an effort - for which we are grateful - of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to summarize experiences, to illuminate the life of the Hispanic/Latino community present in the United States with the light of the Gospel which is Christ himself, but, above all, it is an effort to have a method (path), a common agenda of lines of pastoral action that show us the path that all together (synodality) we must travel.
This Plan is also a sign of the sensitivity, interest, welcome and concern that the Catholic Church in the United States, as "Mother and Teacher" has had and continues to have for Hispanic immigrants and is, at the same time, a tribute to all the ordained ministers and lay people who over the course of so many decades have enhanced, in so many ways, the presence of the Hispanic/Latino community in this society and in the Catholic Church in the United States. May we all feel represented in this National Pastoral Plan and to all goes our grateful memory.
A common effort
I would like us to purchase this document from parishes or directly from the contacts of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBWe want us to know about this Pastoral Plan.) That we get to know this Pastoral Plan. May we all actively participate in it. May we be agents of change and good news.
May this Plan be a working tool and a way for all of us - in society and in ecclesial community - "to be one" (Jn 17:20-23) in respect for the differences that, instead of dividing us, enrich us, so that we may live integration and unity in diversity. Tool and method for us to realize the fraternal communion and participation that result from the Gospel. Plan, method and instrument "to walk together as joyful missionary disciples going forth in solidarity and mercy" (Plan cited, part 1, p. 7) and so that, ultimately, we may live "catholicity", that is, the universal fraternity willed by Jesus Christ, our "Way, Truth and Life".
The National Pastoral Plan document presented here begins by saying that "the Hispanic/Latino presence is a blessing from God for the Church and for our country. I wish and propose that in this 2024, that in the next ten years that the Plan contemplates and always, every Hispanic/Latino and Hispanic/Latina, present in the United States, feel welcomed and able to welcome with all.
That Hispanics/Latinos feel responsible and capable of transmitting, with deeds and words, the best of our values, traditions and culture. That with our daily actions we may be builders of a better Church and a better society.
Joseph Evans comments on the readings for the Third Sunday of Lent and Luis Herrera offers a brief video homily.
Joseph Evans-February 29, 2024-Reading time: 2minutes
Jesus' dramatic act of expelling the merchants from the Temple - the theme of this Sunday's Gospel - earned him the hatred of the authorities, who profited economically from this trade, but the admiration of the people. Thus we read: "While he was in Jerusalem for the Passover feasts, many believed in his name, seeing the signs that he did". But what is surprising is what the evangelist tells us next: "But Jesus did not entrust himself to them, because he knew them all and did not need anyone's testimony about a man, because he knew what is inside each man.". Jesus knew them all... he knew what was in man. Jesus, as God, knows us inside. He made us.
He knows our secret thoughts. He knows, for example, when we are becoming a den of thieves instead of a house of prayer. We are told: "And he made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, sheep and oxen; and to the money changers he scattered the coins and overturned their tables; and to those who sold doves he said, 'Take these things hence: do not make my Father's house a marketplace.'". He knows the cattle and sheep that must be driven out of us: those animal desires, because we often behave like dumb beasts. He may have to overturn our coins from the money changers, just as God sometimes allows financial ruin because it is good for us. We think we will be safe by accumulating wealth and that only leads us away from God.
God knows what is in our heart. The first reading deals with the Ten Commandments, which are like the map to get to God. Do we have them in our heart? Do we know the Ten Commandments? Would God find them in our heart? A sincere desire to live them and not a heart that is really a "market" because we are always thinking about what we would like to buy and possess, or what we want to sell to enrich ourselves. Our hearts should strive to be temples of God, houses, hearts of prayer, where the commandments occupy a privileged place.
To what extent is it our priority to be a good person? To love God above all, to honor his name, to sanctify Sunday, to honor our parents, to respect life and resist violence, to live chastely sexuality as God wants us to live it, to be honest in what we say, to detach ourselves from material goods... The Commandments lead us to holiness and happiness, perfected by the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. Then you will see that our hearts are true temples that give glory to God, where he is pleased to dwell.
Homily on the readings for the third Sunday of Lent
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaA short one-minute reflection for these Sunday readings.
In this morning's catechesis, Pope Francis dedicated his meditation to envy and vanity, capital vices of people who seek to be the center of the world and the center of all praise, he said. For them, "others are unjust, they do not understand, they do not measure up". The Pontiff recalled the call to be peacemakers.
Francisco Otamendi-February 28, 2024-Reading time: 3minutes
During today's audience in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope continued the cycle of catechesis The theme of the meeting was "Vices and Virtues", and he focused his reflection on the theme "Envy and vainglory", with a reading from a letter of St. Paul (Gal 5:24-26).
"Envy appears from the very first pages of the Bible. When we read the story of Cain and Abel we see that, moved by envy, Cain even went so far as to kill his younger brother," because "envy, if not controlled, leads to hatred of the other," the Pope pointed out, continuing with some flu-like symptomsFilippo Ciampanelli, an ecclesiastic from the Secretariat of State, read your wordsexcept for the final address in Italian and the blessing.
"The envious person seeks the evil of the other, not only out of hatred, but in reality he would like to be like him. At the base of this vice is the false idea that God must act according to worldly logic, yet the divine logic is love and gratuitousness," he continued, as can be seen in the parable of those who go to work in the vineyard.
Vanity, instrumental relationships
The vaingloryThe Pope went on to say, "He who boasts - the vain, the conceited - is self-centered and constantly demands attention. "The one who boasts - the vain, the conceited - is self-centered and constantly clamors for attention. In his relations with others he has no empathy and does not consider them as equals. He tends to instrumentalize everything and everyone in order to achieve his ambitions".
The relationships of the vain person "are always instrumental, marked by the arrogance of the other. His person, his achievements, his successes must be exhibited to everyone: he is a perpetual beggar for attention. And if sometimes his qualities are not recognized, he gets fiercely angry. Others are unfair, they don't understand, they don't measure up," the Pope said.
Looking to St. Paul
"To cure the vain, the spiritual teachers do not suggest many remedies. For, after all, the evil of vanity has its remedy in itself: the praise that the vain person hoped to reap from the world will soon turn against him. How many people, deceived by a false self-image, have later fallen into sins of which they would soon be ashamed!" explained Francis.
The most beautiful instruction for overcoming vainglory is found in the testimony of St. Paul. has concluded. "The Apostle was always faced with a defect that he could never overcome. Three times he asked the Lord to deliver him from that torment, but in the end Jesus answered him: 'My grace is sufficient for you; strength is made perfect in weakness.' From that day on, Paul was set free. And his conclusion should also be ours: "I glory in my weaknesses, so that the strength of Christ may dwell in me.
"May the Lenten journey be an opportunity to return to oneself and renew one's spirit," he said at the end of his reflection.
In his greeting to the Spanish-speaking pilgrims, Francis advised that "it would do us good during this Lent to meditate frequently on the "Litany of Humility" of Cardinal Merry del Val, in order to combat the vices that keep us away from life in Christ".
Landmines, wars, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso
In his concluding remarks, the Holy Father recalled the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention, on March 1, on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines, which continue to affect innocent civilians, especially children, many years after the end of hostilities.
"I express my condolences to the many victims of these artillery devices, which remind us of the dramatic cruelty of wars and the price that the civilian population is forced to suffer. In this regard, I thank all those who offer their contribution to assisting the victims and cleaning up the contaminated areas. Their work is a concrete response to the universal call to be peacemakers, caring for our brothers and sisters."
"Let us not forget the peoples who suffer because of war: Ukraine, Palestine, Israel and many others," he concluded. "And let us pray for the victims of the recent attacks on places of worship in Burkina Faso; as well as for the people of Haiti, where crimes and kidnappings by armed gangs continue. To all, my blessing!".
After the blessing, the Pope greeted some ecclesiastics, including Monsignor Luis Argüello, Archbishop of Valladolid, who had planned to ask the Holy Father this morning, together with the Commission of the Holy Father, for the blessing of the Holy Father. Elizabeth the Catholicthe impetus for the beatification of the Spanish sovereign.
"Holiness, your influence is great - what are you doing against injustice?"
This is one of the questions, among more than a hundred, that the homeless and homeless poor from all over the world have asked the Pope, and which have been collected with the answers of the Holy Father, in an interview book by Fundación Lázaro, presented at the Francisco de Vitoria University and published by Voz de Papel. Francis' words are a challenge to everyone.
Francisco Otamendi-February 28, 2024-Reading time: 4minutes
In order not to leave you in doubt, the answer to the question in the title is given first, to cite just one of many.
- Poor: "Holiness, your influence is great in the world. May I ask you what you are doing against the injustice that reigns in it?"
- PapaI speak, I try to bear witness, as I have told you, and as far as possible, to be a just person. I underline this because the injustice of this is always there. I try to bear witness to poverty" (..) How to slap injustice in the world? With words, sometimes I say very hard things, and I repeat them. I speak, I preach, I say things that some people don't like. And that's why they get angry with me (...). Some people tell me that I am a communist. But if we take the poor out of the Gospel, the Gospel collapses. (...) All this is found in my encyclicals and exhortations. The last of these, "Fratelli tutti", speaks very clearly about this".
From the poor to the Pope
TitleFrom the Poor to the Pope, from the Pope to the World
AuthorInterview with Pope Francis
Editorial: Voz de Papel
Madrid: 2023
On "the wealth of the Church".
- Poor: "How can you allow what is happening in the world? I am scandalized by the wealth of the Church and by the papal ring."
- Pope: "First of all, let it be very clear, "the wealth of the Church" is the wealth of the Vatican State and of St. Peter's Basilica. We cannot sell it in little pieces to make money... Artistic riches are also part of the wealth of the Church. It is found, for example, in the chapels, or in those objects of value that a parish has in its custody. These riches belong to everyone, they are not private property.
Then there are the other riches, the bad ones, which Maite points out here, such as the papal ring.
This ring is the ring of my first love, the ring of June 27, 1994. It is the day I was consecrated bishop. When you get married you get a ring that represents your love. And you don't change it, because you don't change your love. I don't change it either ((and he continues)).
The great virtue that I wish for the whole Church, beginning with the Pope, the cardinals, the priests, the religious men and women, is poverty. A Basque saint, St. Ignatius of Loyola, said that the poverty of ecclesiastics is the mother and the wall of life. Why is poverty a mother? Because it engenders generosity, the gift of oneself to others (...) If someone sees a rich ecclesiastic, let him pray for him, and if he has the possibility, let him talk to him".
Francisco "in a pure state".
"These pages constitute a simple, direct and enlightening dialogue between the poor and the Pope, and through them with all of us, Christians, believers or not, members of the entire human family, who, whether we recognize it or not, are also poor, particularly those who believe they are not". This is how Father Álvaro Cárdenas, founding president of Lázaro España and responsible for the Spanish edition, defined it.
This is a face-to-face and heart-to-heart conversation with the Pope. A wide-ranging interview with questions and answers in the open. According to the editors, Francis did not shy away from any of them.
In this book we find Francis "in his pure state," said the Bishop of Getafe, Monsignor Ginés García Beltrán, at the presentation. An interview that offers confidences about "the most human side of the Pope and the depth of his heart," the most difficult moments of darkness through which he has passed, and "which also shows his special sensitivity for the poor and the denunciation of an unjust world that excludes the poor. "He speaks of dignity, shame, exclusion, the sin of the poor distribution of wealth, private property and the universal use of goods, the man in the street and the importance of the family". And of course "of the meaning of life", "of faith, suffering and hope", said Bishop García Beltán.
At the end of his reading "you can say that you know him a little more, that he is more a part of you, of your family," added Don Ginés, after thanking the Lazaro homes for this dialogue with the Pope and for the gift they have given us with their publication, expressing his wish that the Lazaro homes could soon become a reality in the south of Madrid.
Pope's triple conviction
Álvaro Cárdenas affirmed that this unusual meeting of the poor of the earth with Francis in the form of an interview responds to the triple conviction that the Pope has expressed in his apostolic exhortation "...".Evangelii gaudium".
In the first place, "they have much to teach us", in particular about the suffering Christ, whom they know from their own sufferings. Secondly, that "the new evangelization is an invitation to recognize the salvific power of their lives and to place them at the center of the Church's journey. And then, that "we are called to discover Christ in them, (...), to be their friends, to listen to them, to interpret them, and to gather the mysterious wisdom that God wants to communicate to us through them".
Regarding the Lazaro homes, Cardenas noted: "Lazarus is more than a social project or beautiful shared apartments, it is more than a response to the needs of people at risk of exclusion.". The Lazaro association, known for its collaborative housing projects between young people and homeless people, has already established homes in Madrid and Barcelona, and plans to open others in Puerto de Santa Maria and south of Madrid. This book represents another step in its mission to connect the most disadvantaged with influential voices worldwide.
What is the role of pontifical diplomacy in the Holy Land?
The diplomatic position of the Holy See on the situation in the Holy Land is based on the search for a just peace and a situation that preserves the human being and his dignity.
Andrea Gagliarducci-February 28, 2024-Reading time: 4minutes
To understand the position of the Holy See on the situation in the Holy Land, and in particular its diplomatic position, one must start from a fundamental fact: the diplomacy of States is at the service of States, of their borders, of their interests; the diplomacy of the Holy See is at the service of man. This is a crucial key to understanding the sometimes mysterious actions of papal diplomacy, aimed not only at the pursuit of peace at all costs (because peace must above all be just), but also at the search for a situation that preserves human beings and their dignity.
Without this interpretative key, the Holy See's handling of the situation in the Holy Land cannot be placed in its proper context. A brief summary: on October 7, 2023, a terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas in the heart of Israel caused more than 273 military casualties and more than 859 civilians, according to data from last December. A very harsh attack, accompanied by the taking of numerous hostages, provoked Israel's reaction, which was also very harsh. Israel focused on the Gaza Strip, from where the attacks started, considered a nerve center of the terrorists' actions. Tunnels run from Gaza to hide the terrorists and bring them into Israeli territory. In Gaza, Hamas terrorists have their circuit and hide behind the civilian population, establishing their headquarters near or inside sensitive targets such as hospitals and religious houses.
Hence the Israeli reaction, which continues to this day, and which is aimed at completely eradicating the Hamas terrorist group. In the course of the Israeli counter-attacks, religious buildings have also been hit, and civilians who had nothing to do with the war have been killed, while the situation in Gaza remains extremely complicated, and the local Catholic Church, like the other religious denominations, is on the front line to bring aid to an exhausted population. According to some figures, also disseminated by Hamas, the Israeli reaction has caused 30,000 deaths.
An existential danger for Israel
Israel's reaction is deeply motivated: it is a State in existential danger, because it is surrounded by States that would like to destroy and annihilate it. And the Holy See knows this, so much so that shortly after the outbreak of the war it intensified contacts with Iran, considered by many to be a kind of "stone guest" in the conflict. There was a telephone call between Pope Francis and Iranian President Al-Raisi on November 5, 2023, at the request, among others, of Tehran.
This telephone call had a precedent on October 30, 2023, when Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Minister for Relations with States, had a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian. This conversation had also been requested by Tehran. The Holy See Press Office took over the communiqué on this occasion, stressing that "in the conversation, Monsignor Gallagher expressed the Holy See's grave concern about what is happening in Israel and Palestine, reiterating the absolute necessity of avoiding the widening of the conflict and of reaching a two-state solution for a stable and lasting peace in the Middle East."
Every word of the communiqué was pondered. In particular, the reference to the two-state solution implied that the Holy See would never accept, even as a possibility, the non-existence of the State of Israel.
The Holy See's equidistance
There was, therefore, no doubt about the Holy See's equidistance. Especially since Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, had visited first the Israeli embassy to the Holy See and then the Palestinian embassy to the Holy See, in a gesture of closeness to the suffering of the peoples, but also of tacit support for the two-state solution.
However, there was a moment of crisis when, on February 13, Cardinal Pietro Parolin spoke on the sidelines of the commemoration of the revision of the concordat between the Holy See and Italy. The Vatican Secretary of State had condemned the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, but had also stigmatized the disproportionality of the Israeli response, which had caused 30,000 deaths in Gaza.
Statements that provoked a quick reaction from the Israeli embassy to the Holy See. In a note, the embassy had responded that the cardinal was using the Hamas death toll and that the response was not disproportionate, because it was based on international law.
In describing the cardinal's statements, the ambassador had used the English term "regrettable," which in the Italian translation had been translated as deplorable, although "regrettable" has a milder connotation than "deplorable."
The Israeli embassy later clarified that it was a translation error, that the more correct translation would be "unfortunate", in what appeared to be an act due to the equidistance that the Holy See has always displayed.
A different model of diplomacy
It is in situations such as this that one can see the difference between the diplomatic philosophy of the Holy See and the diplomatic philosophy of States. The Holy See, in fact, looks to the people and, therefore, cannot remain indifferent to the death toll and the plight of the population, even when acts of war are a reaction and even when the war scene is deeply contaminated by terrorists - and even by unsuspected support for terrorism, with cells of support identified even in United Nations agencies.
States must defend their existence from every possible threat, and their diplomacy has this as its primary objective.
Then there are the Churches on the ground, which from the outset have demanded a proportionate reaction from Israel, highlighted the difficulties experienced by the Hamas population and adopted an anti-terrorist stance, but certainly favorable to the local population, whatever nationality they belong to.
The churches' statements have also often been criticized by the Israeli embassy to the Holy See, which complains, in general, of a narrative that is too unbalanced in favor of Hamas' theories. However, if the Church knows the local population and its difficulties, is it not logical that the first concern should be the population?
At the beginning of the conflict, Cardinal Pierbattista PizzaballaLatin Patriarch of Jerusalem, commented that the Church could not adopt political language.
Therein lies the great struggle for balance in the Holy See's diplomacy. No one will ever be able to say that the Holy See supported the October 7 attacks, or that it shared even a fraction of the ideas of those who deny Israel's right to exist. But no one will be able to say that the Holy See did not listen to the cry of pain of the people of Gaza, even though it knew that this cry of pain could be exploited.
What is love? An initiative of the USCCB seeks the answer.
The "Love means more" project is an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Through a website, the U.S. bishops want to deepen the Christian meaning of love.
What is love? Is it a feeling? Does it mean the good of the other? Is its goal unity? These perennial questions are sought to be answered through a new initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The project consists of a web portal entitled "Love means more"(Love Means Something More), which seeks to deepen the Christian meaning of love. This website offers resources for "those who seek" answers to these issues and is aimed at Catholics as well as people of different Christian denominations and even those who do not commune with the Catholic faith.
In the month of February, with Valentine's Day celebrations, the social, cultural and economic environment offers confusing, polarizing and contradictory visions of love. These cultural narratives, "tell us that love is about feeling good. However, true love is deeper. "It invites us to follow the example of Christ's sacrificial love, so that we can live in union with Him eternally," said Bishop Robert Barron, Bishop of Winona-Rochester and chair of the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. The goal is to offer the Christian vision of love and thereby bring clarity and compassion to these issues. This new initiative, the prelate notes, will be a valuable resource for engaging in conversations on that topic from the Christian perspective.
"Love means more" takes up the questions and concerns received from many Catholics and even from people who do not agree with the Church's teachings on issues related to love, marriage and family life. This new initiative renews the effort begun by another similar project called "Marriage, unique for a reason"whose objective is to promote and defend marriage and the family.
The contributions found in "Love means more" are the fruit of consultations with bishops, pastors, Catholic leaders and lay people involved in family life apostolates. So far, the website has only a few contributions; however, more will be added gradually over the course of the year.
The new martyrs are the protagonists of Pope Francis' video of the month. With his message, the Holy Father wants all Catholics to join him in praying for those who "risk their lives for the Gospel."
In his video for the month of March 2024, Pope Francis joins "Aid to the Church in Need" and points out as protagonists "the new martyrs, witnesses of Christ". In his messageThe Pontiff tells the story of a Muslim man whose wife, a devout Christian, was killed by terrorists after refusing to throw her crucifix to the ground. Francis considers the woman's gesture to be a testimony of "a love for Christ that led her to accept and be loyal to the point of death".
In the video, the Pope affirms that "there are more martyrs today than at the beginning of Christianity". Something that is not surprising, considering that the religious persecution has been on the rise for some years now. However, the Holy Father assures us that these testimonies of fidelity are "the sign that we are on the right path".
For this reason, the Pope asks Catholics to pray with him so that the martyrs, who risk their lives for the Gospel, may infect the Church with their courage, their missionary impulse". And he assures that the courage and witness of these people are "a blessing for everyone".
New Martyrs Commission
Francis frequently draws the attention of Catholics to the lives of the new martyrs. So much so, that on July 3, 2023, he communicated in a letter the constitution of a "Commission of the New Martyrs-Witnesses to the Faith". This committee, linked to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, aims to "draw up a Catalogue of all those who have shed their blood to confess Christ and bear witness to his Gospel". The Commission will focus its work on those who died for the sake of the Gospel in the first quarter century of our time, but the Pope wants its work to continue in the future.
The Catalogue on which this committee is working also includes the testimonies of other Christian confessions. The Pontiff trusts that this effort of the Commission "will help believers to read our times in the light of Easter, drawing from the treasure chest of such generous fidelity to Christ the reasons for life and good".
Noelle Mering: "We must show young people the beauty of the home"
Noelle Mering is convinced that the Catholic home is a place of apostolate, welcome and dialogue. In this interview she explains the importance of balance in the roles of father and mother, the reality of the "domestic Church" and the beauty of the family.
"The home has a powerful ability to show spiritual realities through the material world," says Noelle Mering. A mother, philosopher and member of the Center for Public Policy and Ethics, she is author and editor at "Theology of Home".
Noelle Mering, editor of "Theology of Home".
This project includes a website and several books through which they want to show the beauty of family life. With practical advice, recipes and a daily newsletter, Mering and her colleagues accompany those who take care of the home to "find the eternal in the everyday".
Noelle is convinced that Catholic homes are places of apostolate, welcome and dialogue. In this interview, she explains the importance of the balance in the roles of father and mother, the reality of the "domestic Church" and the beauty of the family.
“Theology” is a term that seems distant and abstract. However, you join it to the word “home”, which is so close to us, and propose the “Theology of Home”. What exactly is this?
– I think it’s better encapsulated in the subtitle to our first book, which was “finding the eternal in the everyday”. The idea being that, as Catholics, we are deeply incarnational. We believe that spiritual realities are unveiled through the material world. And I think that home has a particular powerful ability to do that.
I think of it as the body of family, so that people that live within the home are not just aggregated by the walls around them, but rather that there is something that becomes the life of the family that’s lived in the physical experiences and environment of the home.
So, part of what we are exploring with Theology of Home books is that what we are doing here is really a foretaste of what we hope to have in Heaven. We are trying to create an environment where we can grow closer not only to one another, but closer to God through one another and also through our family and personal prayer lives, our ability to bring the outside world in through hospitality as sort of an apostolic, evangelical effort.
How can we make God present in our homes?
– A lot of it is in non explicit ways. I think that in caring deeply about home life, even to the point of taking seriously having order in our homes. That’s a sign that we are seeing that this is a place that we should treat with respect because of the relationships that are being nurtured in it.
Certainly I think that a clear way that happens that we sort of unmask or unveil God in the home is that it’s a really intimate environment, family life is, we tend to see each other at our worst, if we have faults we encounter them through the eyes of the people whom we lived with because we see ourselves through their eyes and that can be harrowing but it can also be wonderful because it means that we get to contend with our faults. And that struggle, that sense of “I’m going to truthfully recognize my weaknesses”, that is a very Catholic path of understanding the nature of God.
It’s such a human temptation to deflect from our faults and responsibilities, but the Church is always inviting us through daily examination of conscience and the sacrament of confession to not deflect from them, but rather to look at them directly, and know that we need mercy. And in that process we grow more merciful to one another. But also, we grow more aware of our existential poverty and need for a savior.
I suppose you share the idea that the family is a "domestic Church", as has been said since the beginning of Christianity and emphasized by Pope John Paul II. How can we make this a reality on a daily basis?
– The familial nature of our Church is the guide, so we are called to divine filiation, to be daughters and sons of a good and loving God. And I think that familial nature is not accidental, it should really inform how we think about our own family.
One of the things I think it’s most important right now is for our family life to be positive, affectionate, warm and cheerful. I think that too often we can think that our family life is transmitting the values, the doctrines and the prayers, maybe even keeping the bad things out of the home. But it needs to be that and also laced with positive, warm affection.
The kids we are raising now are gonna go out in the world and confront a lot of things that are contrary to the faith that we are trying to transmit to them and ignite in them. And if they look back on their family memories and they were given intellectual formation, but not a positive depth of love and affection, then it’s a lot easier to walk away from. Kids need to feel deeply how much they are loved in order to believe that the ideas that we are teaching them actually are for their good.
Another thing we do as a domestic Church is that we do have to keep the bad things out. A crucial part of that right now is just getting on top of technology. We want our homes to be places where we are human. And technology kind of pulls us away from our humanity and makes us avatars of some sort of identity that we can manufacture. Our homes should be places of real deep humanity.
A third thing is to introduce beauty to kids. So we are not just keeping things out, we are integrating things to our family culture that are a positive vision of a really Catholic life, because beauty really matters to us. So taking them to cathedrals, having beautiful literature and music in the home, nature… That is a really important aspect of cultivating the domestic Church.
And lastly, we need to be leading with prayer, personal leadership by example. Our perseverance in our personal prayer life is going to speak to them far more than any class or book on prayer or catechism. Kids are really struck by seeing their parents daily in and out persevering in their own private prayer lives. And that can really inspire them in their lives.
There is this social media phenomenon called the “trad wife trend”. Many women are deciding to stay at home instead of having a job outside of their house, in an attempt to bring back the traditional wife figure. Do you think this is a good thing? Or is it rather a deviation of the true values that we are talking about?
– I only know about this movement from the very periphery, so I’ve not studied it deeply. But I don’t see anything wrong, in fact I see a lot of it good. Young women are finding purpose in domesticity and that can be a great thing. There is some element that feels that there can be a pull towards being performative, and that can be good or bad.
When we think about the term “home”, it’s easy to immediately think about the mother, a woman. Do you think that “Theology of Home” is also for men and children?
– I think so, yes. In the first book I had a chapter that was really about the role of the husband, and it’s called “Balance”. I think one of the ways we get really off track is when men start prioritizing their career over their home life. And it can be easy to do, because if you are supporting your family there’s an urgency there for the next meeting, and the next call, that is hard to deny.
But I think that men need to find some way to communicate both through their actions, words and attitude that their work really comes second to the life of the home, that they care deeply, just as much as their wives about their preeminent project, which is their family. In some ways, when men prioritize their career, when it’s clear that that is the most important part of their day, then the wife starts to feel diminished in her role.
It seems difficult to focus on your home when you are surrounded by people saying that you need to focus on your career, because otherwise you are going to fall behind. How can we balance family life and our jobs?
– It’s different in different circumstances. If a woman hasn’t had children yet, it makes sense that her career is going to be preeminent. If there is deep financial strain, it can be very difficult to not see your career as not being very important.
I think there’s a need to have the conversation and give permission to women to realize that family is something that they can prioritize. They can think about getting married young and having children at a young age as a good and beautiful thing.
I think that the more we normalize and show the beauty, not being defensive about it, but just acknowledging that you can be glad if you started your family young. But prudence is required. God’s path of life is going to be individual for each person, and the real key is to respond well to what God is calling you to at the moment.
Ernesto de la Cruz is a professional born in the neighborhood of La Boca, Buenos Aires. Throughout his life, he has explored his relationship with truth and faith, leading him to significant experiences that have marked his spiritual path.
Graduate in Marketing at the University of Belgrano Ernesto de la Cruz's professional career has taken him to know his country, Argentina, and the main cities of Latin America in depth. The professional trips he had to make were key scenarios for his personal and spiritual development.
Ernesto grew up in a Catholic but non-practicing environment. His first conscious encounter with God occurred at the age of 9 in school. St. John the Evangelist from La Boca. Although he only attended a religious school for one year, this initial contact left a deep impression on his heart, marking the beginning of his connection with the divine. Ernesto shares that he has always had conversations with God, albeit initially in a very personal way. "amateur or rudimentary", given their limited religious knowledge.
His spiritual quest took a more formal step when he reached the age of 50. He then decided to participate in an Emmaus retreat. This experience was the beginning of a trajectory that led him to serve in this initiative for two years, providing him with valuable lessons.
The intellectual quest
In his search for deeper spiritual knowledge, Ernesto began to focus on the Holy Scriptures. When inquiring about websites to continue his search, a friend recommended that he inquire about Opus Dei.
When he arrived at the Opus Dei formation center he felt very much at home. He realized that he could resolve his doubts and continue his search. This coincided with a new beginning in his ordinary and working life. Everything made more sense.
Shortly thereafter, he was invited to join means of ongoing formation. He recalls that, after each formation meeting, he noticed that he was encountering Christ and integrating faith into his work and daily activities.
With adequate accompaniment, Ernesto was deepening his faith through books that marked his spiritual itinerary. The authors came one after the other, beginning with St. Josemaría Escrivá, Andres Vázquez de Prada, or some classics such as Luis de Palma and Garrigou-Lagrange. He also read the Jewish War of Flavius Josephus. Ernesto did not stop there, he continued with a number of modern authors, which he found in articles and ebooks of the web www.opusdei.org which he printed out and underlined to read better. He arrived early to his office so that he could dedicate himself to study without interruptions. With this spiritual literature he found answers to his concerns. He realized the richness of the never-ending teachings of Jesus' parables, which became the key clues to find a friendly way to reach God.
Through pain
Among the powerful experiences she shared, the transformation of her sister Silvia stands out. Despite facing breast cancer and, later, advanced liver cancer, Silvia's faith led her to a radical change in her attitude towards life. Her joy, compassion and positive spirit despite adversity have left a deep impression on Ernesto. Facing life with a positive outlook and understanding that each individual is greater than the problems they face is the life lesson Ernesto has taken from his sister. This experience serves as an inspirational beacon on his spiritual path, guiding him towards a life marked by faith, hope and compassion. He is aware that his quest is not over, that he will always have to start again.
"Let us not take our eyes off Jesus" Francis asks at Angelus
The Pope led the Angelus prayer. Although yesterday the Pope canceled his commitments due to a flu, Francis did not want to miss his Sunday appointment, the first after his spiritual exercises.
A cold but clear Sunday in Rome accompanied the Pope's words to the hundreds of faithful who gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to accompany the Holy Father at the Angelus prayer.
The Pope referred to the episode of the Transfiguration, which appears in the Gospel of the second Sunday of Lent corresponding to chapter 9 of Mark.
The Pope focused his attention on how "Jesus took Peter, James and John with him, climbed a high mountain and there he manifested himself physically in all his light. The preaching of the Kingdom, the forgiveness of sins, the healings and the signs performed were in reality sparks of a greater light: the light of Jesus, the light that is Jesus. And from this light the disciples must never turn their eyes away, especially in times of trial".
The glory of the Lord, of which he makes these three Apostles sharers, is the goal of every Christian, as the Pope wanted to remind us, who is also called "to keep always before his eyes the radiant face of Christ".
How is it possible to keep our eyes fixed on this light, to know where to place our gaze? The Pontiff wanted to highlight various ways: "prayer, listening to the Word, the Sacraments, especially Confession and the Eucharist. But it also helps us to look people in the eye, learning to see the light of God in everyone and cultivating the ability to be amazed by this beauty that shines in everyone, without excluding anyone", and he encouraged Christians, during this Lent, to "cultivate open eyes, to become 'seekers of light', seekers of the light of Jesus in prayer and in people".
Two years of war in Ukraine
After the Angelus prayer, the Pope's remembrance turned to the "martyred Ukrainian people," noting the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A war that "is not only devastating that region of Europe, but is unleashing a worldwide wave of fear and hatred."
The Pope wanted to pray "especially for the many innocent victims, I pray for the rediscovery of that bit of humanity that creates the conditions for a diplomatic solution in search of a just and lasting peace".
Prayer for Israel and Palestine
More recent, but equally hard and present in the Pope's heart, is the conflict in Israel alone. This Sunday, Francis wanted to add to his prayer for "Palestine, for Israel and for the many peoples devastated by war, and to concretely help those who suffer!" Nor did he want to forget Congo, Nigeria - where Christians have been suffering a violent persecution for months - and Mongolia, hit by a wave of low temperatures in which the Pope sees "a sign of climate change and its effects".
The Passion of Christtwenty years later: film or miracle?
Twenty years ago, in the midst of an arduous controversy, it arrived in theaters all over the world. The Passion of Christco-written and directed by Mel Gibson, and starring Jim Caviezel. To this day, this unique film continues to arouse both admiration and rejection. This article summarizes the history of its eventful production and offers some keys to understand a success that goes beyond any human expectation. The two decades that have passed allow us to revisit it again, with the serenity and evidence that the passage of time imprints.
The Passion of Christdirected by Mel Gibson, was released on Wednesday, February 25, 2004, Ash Wednesday of that year. The film was preceded by a stubborn controversy, with accusations of anti-Semitism and extreme violence. The day after the premiere, The New York Timesprophesied that this film would mean the end of Gibson's professional career and called for an outburst to boycott it.
However, the reality was very different. On its first day, the film grossed $26 million (almost the total of what it had cost) and, by the end of its first week in theaters, it had surpassed $125 million.
Almost a month later, with a gross that already exceeded $200 million. The New York Times ended up admitting that The Passion had awakened Hollywood's hunger for religious films. No wonder: at the end of its theatrical run, this unique feature film grossed $370 million in North America and $251 million in the international market, making it the highest-grossing "R" rated film in the history of cinema (a record it still holds, by the way).
A personal motivation
In an interview published on the occasion of the premiere of Hamlet (1990), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, Mel Gibson - who played the Danish prince - already spoke of his desire to bring the life of Jesus to the screen and even to embody him himself.
At 34 years old at the time, the New York actor and director was going through a crisis of faith and felt the need to delve into the figure of Jesus and his sufferings, to understand how great his love for mankind was. "I have always believed in God, in his existence. But in the middle of my life I put my faith to one side and other things took its place. I understood then that I needed something else, if I wanted to survive. I was driven to a more intimate reading of the Gospels and that's where the idea began to take hold inside my head. I began to imagine the Gospel very realistically, recreating it in my own mind, so that it would make sense and be relevant to me. Christ paid the price for our sins. Understanding what he suffered, even on a human level, makes me feel not only compassionate but also indebted: I want to repay him for the immensity of his sacrifice.
This wish could not come true in the short term. It would be twelve years before his dream came true. In fact, Gibson shot The Passion in Italy between October 2002 and February 2003.
He had co-written the screenplay with Benedict Fitzgerald based on the Gospels and inspired by the plays The mystical city of Godby the venerable María de Jesús de Ágreda (XVII century) and in The sorrowful passion of Our Lord Jesus Christa book by Clemens Brentano detailing the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerick (18th-19th century).
Neither Gibson nor his team imagined the extent to which they would be rowing against all odds. And not only tide: a real storm was going to break out over them from the very moment the project was announced to the press.
First accusation: anti-Semitism
The first campaign against it focused on the accusation of anti-Semitism, a particularly serious accusation in a country like the United States and in an industry like Hollywood.
The script was leaked in a self-serving manner and found its way into the hands of official representatives of Judaism. Gibson was accused of promoting hatred of Jews, portrayed as responsible for the death of Jesus. This fear was picked up by a multitude of influential rabbis and spread throughout the country, labeling the film (before seeing it) as a threat to the Jewish people.
It is true that a well-known rabbi, Daniel Lupin, denounced the hypocrisy of his fellow countrymen of race and religion: "I believe that those who publicly protest against Mel Gibson's film lack moral legitimacy. Perhaps they don't remember Martin Scorsese's film, The last temptation of Christreleased in 1988. Almost all Christian denominations protested to Universal Pictures about the release of a film so defamatory that, had it been made about Moses or, say, Martin Luther King Jr., it would have provoked nationwide outcries of anger.
As it was, Christians had to defend their faith all alone, with the exception of the occasional brave Jew (...). Most Americans know that Universal was run at the time by Lew Wasserman and they were well aware of his [Jewish] ethnicity. We may wonder why Mel Gibson is not entitled to the same artistic freedom granted to Wasserman."
Although Gibson and his team tried to appease tempers by arranging private passes for Jewish opinion leaders, the sentence had been passed and was not going to be retracted.
An eventful shoot
With this rarefied atmosphere, it was time for filming. Gibson had no choice but to produce the film independently, as no major Hollywood studio wanted to get involved in the project.
Filming took place in Italy, at the well-known Cinecittà studios in Rome and at various locations (Matera and Craco, both in the Basilicata region). The production cost was around US$30 million, plus an additional US$15 million in advertising and marketing expenses, all of which was borne by Gibson and his production company, Icon Productions.
Anyone who works in film production knows what a shoot is like and, in particular, how unforeseen events are the order of the day. However, any keen observer would have noticed, in the case of this feature film, the extent to which incidents were becoming suspiciously frequent, especially in relation to Jim Caviezel.
Not only was the lead actor struck by lightning during the filming of the Calvary scene (as was another crew member), but he suffered several injuries while filming the scourging sequence and even a dislocated shoulder in one of the falls while carrying the cross.
During filming, he lost almost twenty kilos and subsequently had to undergo two open-heart surgeries. More than one wondered if there was someone out there determined that this film should not go ahead?
Second charge: extreme violence
If the accusation of anti-Semitism had not succeeded in boycotting the project a priori, the accusation of extreme violence was going to try to do so a posteriori. More than a few film critics even branded it as pornographic violence.
Spain was not an exception: "A despicable film (...) Gibson turns the one who judges his God into a wimp of a horror film of the high and refined business", wrote Ángel Fernández Santos in the pages of El País. "The Passion of Christwhich could well be titled The torture or lynching of Christto honor its true content (...). There is more of morbidity and sadism than of reconstruction of reality", wrote Alberto Bermejo in El Mundo.
There is no doubt that The Passion is a film that shows raw, stark violence, but not gratuitously, but properly contextualized. In an article commemorating the twentieth anniversary of its premiere, published in the National Catholic Registerscreenwriter and film critic Barbara Nicolosi comments: "The violence inflicted upon Christ in The Passion is certainly a terrible thing to behold. When I once remarked to Gibson that perhaps the violence in the film was too much, he shook his head and replied, 'It's not as much as a single mortal sin'. He was right, of course. Sin is what violated the body of Christ, and still violates the Mystical Body of Christ today. The aim of any meditation on the Passion is to provoke horror at the violence of sin. Gibson did it in his own way in this film". In the words of Juan Manuel de Prada, "in this rotten world, the use of violence is admissible if it is used to illustrate an anti-fascist or anti-war plea; on the other hand, it is scandalous in a Christian plea".
For his part, Gibson says: "If we had filmed exactly what happened, no one would have been able to see it. I think we've gotten used to seeing pretty crosses on the wall and we forget what really happened. We know that Jesus suffered and died, but we don't really realize what that means. I didn't realize until now how much Jesus suffered for our redemption either." However, the director decided to remake the film by cutting five minutes of film, which included the most unpleasant and explicit shots, and it was released in March 2005.
Seeking support
As the film continued to stir controversy, 20th Century Fox - the studio with whom Gibson was under contract and with whom he had produced and distributed his previous features (including the Oscar-winning Braveheartin 1995)-decided to disengage.
Faced with such a refusal, and in order not to embarrass the other major Hollywood companies, the director opted to distribute it on his own in the United States, with the help of a smaller company, Newmarket Films.
Aware that it was a film nicheThe project, for a very specific audience, sought the support of like-minded groups, both Catholic and Protestant. Many responded enthusiastically. The film's producer, Steve McEveety, even went to the Vatican to arrange a private screening for the Pope (John Paul II) and other authorities in the Curia. However, this initiative was partially truncated, as they did not receive approval to use any literal commentary from the Roman Pontiff.
There were steps forward and backward, and everything got tangled up when it shouldn't have. With great disappointment, Gibson and McEveety watched as those who should have been most supportive were elusive for fear of being caught in the eye of the hurricane.
A classic is born
After all this obstacle course, the film finally arrived in theaters. The enormous influx of public closed the mouths of some and rewarded the audacity and effort of others. More than one thought that what comes from God always manages to emerge and demonstrates in due time its power and efficacy.
While some critics responded in derision or anger, there were also those who recognized the greatness of the film from a formal and content point of view.
In Spain, Oti Rodriguez Marchante, critic of the ABCHe admitted: "A great filmmaker who has never once fallen into the expected scene, the easy composition, the visual cliché or the ready-made postcard (...) Whatever may be said, The Passion of Christas Mel Gibson sees and teaches it, is not only painfully physical and deeply spiritual, it is also unique.
On the other hand, in the pages of Row SevenJavier Aguirremalloa prophesied: "Any great film is a perfect conjunction of form and substance. Certainly, Gibson's film is impeccably made. I think that in a few years The Passion of Christ will be considered a masterpiece, one of those essential films in the history of cinema".
Indeed, the film is of exceptional quality both in what it narrates and in the way it does it. The images and sound convey in a naked, realistic way - far from any pietism - the sequence of the arrest, trial and execution of Jesus of Nazareth, in a successful and difficult balance between rawness and contemplation. Not in vain, Gibson himself preferred to refer to it "less as a film as such and more as a journey through the Stations of the Cross".
Caleb Deschanel's photography paints the screen with chiaroscuro (in the manner of Caravaggio) in a palette of ochre and muted tones, thus achieving a beautiful drama, while John Denby's music envelops the scenes with a solvent soundtrack that accentuates it in a non-intrusive way.
At the same time, it is the restrained performances, tailored to each character, that are the most effective windows through which the viewer relives the drama of Calvary: a Jim Caviezel who offers an empathetic, close and majestic Jesus, whose face and body progressively become a tableau of sorrows; Maia Morgenstern who embodies a pietá of flesh and blood, in whose heart love and pain merge in a touching acceptance; a Monica Belluci who combines beauty and misery, a living image of fallen and redeemed nature... The real antagonist, Satan, who is brought to life by Rosalinda Celentano (demon-adult) and Davide Marotta (demon-child) in a strangely seductive and grotesque portrayal, a reflection of temptation and the deformity of sin, deserves a special mention.
The alternate montage - the work of John Wright - which combines the hardest moments of the Passion with those of the Passion of Christ. flasbacks of Jesus' life (with his Mother in Nazareth, at the Last Supper) that relieve the painful dramatic tension and act as breathers for the suffering spectator. And also, of course, the brief final coda of the film, which masterfully narrates the Resurrection, because Redemption, in Tolkien's words, is the primordial eucatastrophe, as Joseph Pierce rightly points out in his assessment of this film.
It is this same British writer who summarizes: "It is inadequate to describe Mel Gibson's masterpiece, The Passion of ChristIt's much more than that. It would be more accurate to describe it as an icon in motion. It calls us to prayer and leads us to the contemplation that brings us into the presence of Christ himself. (...) As T. S. Eliot says about The Divine Comedy of Dante: there is nothing to do in the presence of such ineffable beauty except to contemplate and be silent".
Time has shown that The Passion of Christ not only can it be called a masterpiece, but it is more than just another film about the life of Jesus.
Since its premiere two decades ago, the torrent of individual and collective catharsis has not ceased to flow, in a similar way to how - in the sequence of Calvary - water and blood flow forcefully over the Roman soldier who opens the side of the dead Christ, and falls to his knees under that stream of grace. If anything, this film leaves no one indifferent.
Numerous testimonies of conversions - large and small - have been appearing here and there... A plethora of stories with a common denominator: the experience of having experienced as never before the sufferings that the Son of God endured to save us.
Conversions during the filming (the cases of Pietro Sarubbi, who plays Barabbas, and Luca Lionello, who plays Judas Iscariot), and many others among the public who came to see it. In the United States, the documentary film Changed Lives: Miracles of the Passiondirected by Jody Eldred with several testimonies on the subject (also published as a book).
To what extent does this cinematic work act as an instrument of grace? Mel Gibson points to an explanation from his own experience: "This film is the hardest thing I've ever done. Watching it is even harder, because the Passion of the Christ was. But in making it, I found that it actually purged me. In a way, it healed me (...) My goal is that whoever sees it will experience a profound change. The audience has to experience this harsh reality to understand it. I want to reach people with a message of faith, hope, love and forgiveness. Christ forgave us even when he was tortured and killed. That is the ultimate example of love.
This is precisely what Gabriela and Antonio experienced. She is a fashion designer in Valencia, and this is her testimony: "At the age of 13 I stopped practicing my faith. I left God in Heaven; I didn't dare to look at Him much, because then I could do whatever I wanted. But since God is very good, the TV changed my life". It happened a few days before Easter. She was alone at home, bored, and sat down in front of the TV. When she turned on the TV, she found that the movie of The Passion. While seeing her, he recalls, "the Lord changed my heart and my mind; he made me understand what he loves me, what he has done for me, and to realize how I was turning my face away from him since I was 13 years old". He decided to go to confession after several decades and return to going to Mass on Sundays. "I experienced my first Palm Sunday after a long time, with the feeling of coming home and with tremendous joy," he recalls.
Antonio's case is very similar. A university professor in Seville, agnostic and anticlerical, he went to the cinema with his wife to see a film in original version (she is an English teacher). On that day there were no films on offer, but they were screening The Passion. "We walked in with no idea what the movie was about, or that Mel Gibson was directing it," he recalls. There were no more than fifteen people and as the movie started, with the scene of Jesus' agonizing prayer on the Mount of Olives, he was completely absorbed. "I began to feel a lot of pain for my sins and then the gift of tears..... It was not hysterical weeping, but hot tears, which soaked all over my shirt and ran down my pants. When the film was over I felt transformed and thought: 'all this was true, you suffered for me!'"
The list of testimonials would be endless. It is understandable that Barbara Nicolosi, establishing a relationship between the difficulties that the film experienced in its production and the impact among people all over the world, concludes: "The Passion is a miracle.
Final balance
The two decades that have passed confirm the peculiar nature of this film, which can be defined as a cinematographic icon (a work of art that leads to contemplation) and even as an example of "sacramental cinema" (a channel or vehicle of grace). Hence Barbara Nicolosi's unequivocal statement: "After twenty years, once the dust raised by the culture war has settled, it can be clearly and indisputably stated that The Passion of Christ is the greatest work of sacred cinema ever made".
Was it worth it? Mel Gibson and Jim Caviezel, as well as producer Steve McEveety, have no regrets. Quite the opposite, in fact. Of course, they were aware of the risk they were taking. Indeed, the careers of both actor and director were cut short by this production. Gibson, who had achieved glory with BraveheartCaviezel, whose promising trajectory seemed to be affirming itself after The thin red line (1998) y The revenge of the Count of Monte Cristo (2002) would see his name relegated to second tier titles (until the recent Sound of Freedom, 2023).
Their names may not appear again in major motion pictures, but they have reason to believe that they are written in Heaven....
The authorAlejandro Pardo
Priest. Degree in Information Sciences and PhD in Audiovisual Communication.
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P. Lorenzo Snider: "When we share our existence we discover the beauty of the Gospel lived".
Lorenzo Snider is Italian and a member of the African Mission Society. For almost five years he has been carrying out his pastoral work in Foya, a small town in Liberia, where he combines evangelization, healing and ecumenical dialogue "on the street".
In Liberia there is a parish priest who tells you about a Church you would not expect. Father Lorenzo Snider arrived in this West African country, wedged between giants like Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone, a little more than four years ago.
This missionary, of Italian origin and belonging to the Society of African Missions, lives in the small town of Foya together with his community, formed by another Italian priest, a Portuguese laywoman and a family of French volunteers.
The population they serve belongs to the Kissi ethnic group, a million people present not only in Liberia but also in some of its neighboring countries. In the entire Foya district, only 3% of the population is Catholic, while the vast majority are Protestant Christians, especially Pentecostals. A situation, similar in proportions, to that found throughout the country.
Missionary parishes centered on the Eucharist
For Father Snider, being a Catholic minority in a country where there are also Muslims with a 15% and animists with a 19% is a real challenge. My parish - the priest explains to Omnes - is a community of missionary disciples. By virtue of baptism, each one of us must encourage and accompany our brothers and sisters, allowing our souls to be touched by the poor and trying, together, to overcome fears and selfishness".
The primary means of achieving this is the centrality that Father Snider's community gives to the Sunday Eucharist. "But not only that. We also give importance to the initiatives that arise from below and we are also very attentive to relationships," explains the religious.
Relationships, the engine of evangelization
In the small community of Foya, as in the rest of Liberia, human and personal relationships are the driving force of the whole society. And, the missionary adds, for the Catholic Church they represent the heart of evangelization: "The incarnation of the Word," he says, "takes place in the field of sharing life. When we share our existence with others, we discover the beauty of the Gospel lived. But also our own fragility and that of others".
Father Snider cites some examples of members of his own community who have always been committed to weaving relationships. "I was moved," he recounts, "when the Catholic women's organization in Foya took the initiative and went to visit women in Guinea and Sierra Leone, generating a fabric of friendship and international faith exchange.
Added to this is the story of the boys of the Catholic Children's Organization, who in just a few years have become animators of their peers. "These boys often travel miles of dirt roads to visit and encourage other youth groups in smaller villages," says the parish priest with joy and gratitude.
Members of the Foya community in front of City Hall
Healing wounds
Father Snider's parish also deals with the unhealed wounds caused by the two civil wars that broke out, one in 1989 and the other in 1999, which caused almost half of the population to flee and destroyed basic infrastructure. And it tries to soothe the still very strong pain from the consequences of the Ebola epidemic that claimed thousands of victims between 2014 and 2016.
In addition to solidarity and charitable initiatives aimed at the local population, the missionary organizes the formation of liturgical animators and the accompaniment of catechumens. "A very high attention is dedicated - he specifies - to the world of education. Here in Foya and in the neighboring communities of Kolahun and Vahun, our team of catechists follows about a thousand students attending Catholic schools. Among them are also children who are helped with scholarships".
"Street Ecumenism".
What is not lacking in Foya is also interreligious dialogue. Father Snider is at pains to point out that, despite being a minority, Catholics find ways to organize informal moments of encounter and fellowship with leaders of other Christian churches and other religions.
"To give an example," recalls the pastor, "a few days ago we celebrated a wedding between two Catholics: a dozen Protestant pastors linked to one or the other family were also present at the Mass. The wedding procession that later drove through the city consisted of four cars. Who were the drivers? I and three other Protestant pastors. I called it street ecumenism".
The authorFederico Piana
Journalist. He works for Vatican Radio and collaborates with L'Osservatore Romano.
We must speak to our young people about the cross and the scandal of following an outcast, a failure and the scorn of mankind. Only in this way will they be able to see Christ in the faces of the crucified of the earth, to embrace them and heal their wounds.
February 24, 2024-Reading time: 3minutes
Talking to a young Christian, he confessed to me that he did not understand why we Catholics put so much emphasis on the cross.
We have to talk about life, we have to be normal people," he insisted. Being a Christian has to be fun.
Yes, the Risen Jesus is life, and life in fullness," I answered from the vantage point of my more than fifty years of age. But the cross is essential to Christianity. We have no other Christ than Christ crucified.
I don't understand the meaning of the cross, of pain in life," concluded my young interlocutor. Perhaps we should talk more about this.
That conversation reminded me of the lines of Antonio Machado in his famous poem The saetain which he sings of the crucified Christ of the gypsies, which concludes with a meaningful quartet:
Oh, aren't you my song! I can't sing, nor do I want to, that Jesus from the tree, but to the one who walked on the sea!
Antonio Machado, The Saeta
I am afraid that the Church is always moving in this spiritual dilemma: to preach the cross in all its glory, does it not provoke rejection, as it did in this young man, as it did in so many who heard St. Paul? Scandal for the Jews, madness for the Greeks.
The preaching of the cross also remains today a scandal and folly. Because we can come to think that the preaching of the cross is a past spirituality, with roots in the Middle Ages. That today, in order to reach the men and women of the third millennium of Christianity, it is necessary to speak from other keys.
We may be tempted to silence the message of the cross, because it is uncomfortable, because it is a mystery that we cannot explain. Because, in the end, it hurts and provokes rejection. Today, as yesterday, people turn their faces to the one who hangs on the cross.
The dilemma of to what extent the cross has to be in the preaching and evangelization of the man of the XXI century seems to me to be nuclear. And I believe that it has very concrete and practical implications.
It is more attractive to preach a Christianity without the cross, without persecution, in which we are and live like everyone else, focused on enjoying life. But the question immediately arises: Can there be Christianity without the cross? Can we base our religion and our preaching on a proposal full of color and light, without the bitter shadows that Jesus' death on the cross inevitably entails?
It goes without saying that the whole paschal mystery must be preached, and that life and resurrection have the last word. That Jesus Christ is Life with a capital letter. And that in Jesus of Nazareth one discovers the joy and happiness that the world cannot give.
But our salvation has remained indelibly linked to the tree of the cross. And it is necessary that, as St. Francis Xavier did in his missionary journeys in the East, we show to this modern world, the world of the image, the torn and broken body of our Savior nailed to a cross.
And that we teach to live from the consequences that this entails. Because we follow a crucified man. Because, as St. Teresa of Calcutta told us, we must love until it hurts, as Jesus loved. Because only by looking at Jesus on the cross can we enter into the most unfathomable mysteries of our existence. Those that are not filled by 'the mysteries of our existence', but by the mysteries of our life.beer.
Moreover, from an educational point of view, it is essential to show our young people the other side of the coin of life: the cross. Only if we educate to learn to suffer will we be truly educating. Because suffering is a dimension linked to life and its limits. And therefore there is no true education if it does not teach young people to manage suffering properly.
This is indeed a madness and an educational scandal!
Because if there is one thing that marks the proposal of current education, it is that we must flee from suffering and from what it costs.
In a society of hyperprotective fathers, mothers and teachers, in which what counts is to cover the child's desires so that he/she is happy, we are taking away from them the ability to face difficulties, to learn to be frustrated, to learn to suffer.
Deep down, we think that they will have a hard time when they grow up and, in reality, we are depriving them of the tools to face with courage and strength the other side of life, that of pain, when it inexorably arrives.
As that young man said to me, we adults must speak to our young people about the cross and the scandal of following an outcast, a failure and despised by men.
Only if we educate our young people in this way will they be able to see Christ in the faces of the crucified of the earth, to embrace them and heal their wounds.
Teaching Delegate in the Diocese of Getafe since the 2010-2011 academic year, he has previously exercised this service in the Archbishopric of Pamplona and Tudela, for seven years (2003-2009). He currently combines this work with his dedication to youth ministry directing the Public Association of the Faithful 'Milicia de Santa Maria' and the educational association 'VEN Y VERÁS. EDUCATION', of which he is President.
Responsibility, training and prevention to fight against abuse
Initiated by his predecessors, the fight against abuse within the Church remains one of the main tasks of Pope Francis and all the people of God.
Andrea Acali-February 23, 2024-Reading time: 4minutes
It has been a little less than ten years since the creation of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minorsdesired by Pope Francis in March 2014, and five since the meeting on sexual abuse that the Holy Father himself convened and presided over from February 21-24, 2019 with representatives of bishops' conferences from around the world.
Although research by various organizations shows that the phenomenon of abuse is much more limited than in other social spheres (family, school, sport), it is an issue that, unfortunately, continues to wound the ecclesial body because it undermines its credibility, its mission of proclaiming the Gospel to every creature.
This is a highly topical issue, as is also demonstrated by the delicate situation of the German Church, which, starting from the wounds of the abuse scandals, has embarked on a decidedly tortuous "synodal path", given the continuous reminders from the Pope and his collaborators not to proceed along a path that risks leading to schism. The last of these reminders is the letter signed by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, and two other cardinals of the Roman Curia, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Fernandez, and the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Prevost.
Prudence and responsibility
A subject, moreover, that must always be approached with great delicacy. It is true that in the history of the Church, even in recent times, there have been cases of proclaimed abuses, suffice it to recall the tragic events of Cardinal McCarrick, who was reduced to the lay state, the maximum possible penalty for a cleric, or the notorious Father Marcial Maciel.
These days, although it does not involve child abuse, the story of Father Rupnik, who is being investigated again by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith following reports sent last September by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
No one wants to hide behind a finger, and the zero tolerance line, first desired by Pope Benedict XVI when the phenomenon began to emerge, and reaffirmed several times by the current pontiff, is now indispensable.
As Francis said at the conclusion of the 2019 meeting, "the inhumanity of the phenomenon at the global level becomes even more serious and more scandalous in the Church, because it is at odds with her moral authority and ethical credibility."
However, prudence is always indispensable: the case of the Australian Cardinal Pell, who died in January last year, exonerated of all charges after the 400 days spent in prison as innocent, is a case in point.
The change
But the question many are asking is: what is the Church doing after the scandals that have emerged almost everywhere in the world, from Chile to Germany, from the United States to Spain? Has it changed anything or has it not moved at all?
In reality, things have changed profoundly. Starting with the mentality and the way of dealing with these painful stories. This was recently confirmed in an interview by the secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the American missionary Andrew Small: the perception of the problem of abuse within the Church, and also in society, has changed.
Small himself acknowledges that what the Church is not forgiven for is its mishandling of abuse cases: for too long it has put the safeguarding of the institution's image before forgetting the victims, often unheard or silenced. Today, fortunately, this is no longer the case.
The Popes themselves have met several times with the survivors, listening to their dramatic stories, showing closeness, affection and welcome. A change of mentality that has led them to broaden their gaze beyond minors, to take care also of vulnerable adults, to accompany the abused.
Prevention, repair and training
Parallel to this awareness, the Church has launched a strong preventive action and emphasis has been placed on reparation and formation. This is a fundamental aspect which, however, should not only concern priests and seminarians, but also families.
It is worth recalling some concrete steps as a result of the summit with the Bishops' Conferences five years ago, starting with the laws promulgated at the end of March 2019 for the Vatican and the subsequent motu proprio of May "Vos estis lux mundi"by which Pope Francis ordered that in all dioceses offices be organized to receive complaints and initiate procedures to respond to abuse.
It also stipulated that priests and religious were obliged to denounce abuses of which they had knowledge, as well as established the norms for superiors, including bishops, responsible for "covering up" cases of pederasty. Subsequently, the "pontifical secret" was abolished, and in 2021 it was reformed the code of canon law in the part on criminal law (Book VI). Another tool, at the service of dioceses and bishops, is the vademecum requested at the meeting and prepared by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with a series of norms and suggestions to be followed in cases of abuse.
Is it enough? Perhaps not. But the path has been taken. With much more determination than in other social realities. Pederasty must be eradicated, all the more so in the Church.
A single abuse remains intolerable. But we must also have the intellectual honesty to recognize that much has been done to combat what Francis describes as "a blatant, aggressive and destructive manifestation of evil."
Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, between East and West
At the end of February 532, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian ordered the construction of the Basilica of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, which was the great church of the Eastern Roman Empire until the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
The city of Constantinople, founded by Emperor Constantine I the Great (280-337 AD) over the former Byzantium, became the capital of the Roman Empire after the fall of Rome in 476 AD.
Constantinople was known as the "New Rome" and remained standing until it was conquered by the Turks in 1453, which dealt a severe blow to Christianity.
The construction of Hagia Sophia
It was Emperor Justinian who, in the year 532, ordered the construction of the basilica of Hagia Sophia, which was for many years the jewel of the Eastern Roman Empire, so much so that in its interior the coronations of the Byzantine emperors were held on a circular slab known as "Omphalion" (navel of the Earth). Previously, there had been in the same location two other churches, destroyed in 404 and 532 respectively, the second as a result of a fire in the internal revolt of Nika (named after the battle cry of the rebels) between Monophysites and Christians.
A few days after the destruction of this church, Emperor Justinian decided to build a great basilica to surpass the previous one. The name given to the new temple does not refer to any saint, but in Greek Ἁγία Σοφία (Hagia Sophia) means "Sacred Wisdom".
The architects Antemius of Trales and Isidore of Miletus were in charge of designing the Hagia Sophia, and its construction was quite fast, in just five years, between 532 and 537. It is said that Justinian, upon entering its interior, said: "Solomon, I have defeated you".
No expense was spared in the construction of this great temple. In fact, the Emperor's Gate was said to be made of wood from Noah's Ark.
However, the church has had to be rebuilt several times, due to invasions and numerous earthquakes. A few years after its construction, in 558, the dome collapsed and had to be rebuilt by Isidore the Younger, nephew of one of the original architects.
The dome
The famous dome of Hagia Sophia measures more than 30 meters in diameter and rises 55 meters above the ground. It is supported by pendentives and was the largest in the world until the dome of the Florence cathedral was built in the 15th century.
The Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea (500-560), considered the main source of the reign of Emperor Justinian, said of the dome that "seems not to be founded on solid masonry, but to be suspended from heaven by a golden chain." The Patriarch of Constantinople Photius (820-893), for his part, affirmed: "It is like entering heaven itself with no one in the way; one is illuminated and affected by the various beauties that shine before one like stars all around".
Transformation to mosque
After the Turkish invasion in 1453 and a siege of the city that lasted 53 days, Sultan Mehmet II converted the church into a mosque, so the Pantocrator that decorated the interior of the dome was lost, as well as other mosaics and Christian references, which were covered by Islamic decoration. In addition, a mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) was built and capitals and four minarets were added. The city, since then, has been known by the name "Istanbul", which is not a Turkish word, but its origin lies in the Greek phrase "στην Πόλιv" ("sten pólin"), "to the city".
Centuries later, after the decomposition of the Ottoman Empire in 1922, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first president of the Republic of Turkey, turned the mosque into a museum in 1935. However, many Islamic groups wanted Hagia Sophia to become a mosque again, despite the opposition of, among others, the Greek government or UNESCO, which declared Hagia Sophia a World Heritage Site in 1985.
Despite international opposition, in 2020 Hagia Sophia reopened for worship as a mosque. However, it can still be visited, as long as the visit does not coincide with the five daily Muslim prayers.
The way of the Cross is the image of our Christian life, since he has left us a model for us to follow in his footsteps.
February 23, 2024-Reading time: 3minutes
Once again the Lenten journey is before us! Once again, the Lord prepares for us this time of grace and consolation, of conversion, penance and authentic freedom. "Let's go through all times - reminds us of St. Clement the Pope's letter to the Corinthians - and we will learn how the Lord, from generation to generation, always granted a time of penance to those who wished to be converted to Him.".
In recent days, I have read in greater detail the first letter of St. Peter. The apostle knows well and takes on board the difficulties, setbacks and sufferings in which the ordinary life of those first brothers and sisters of ours in the faith unfolded. They live "afflicted in various trials" (1,6). The pagans mock them. The Apostle, however, exhorts them, with force, not to turn back, not to conform to the desires of before their conversion and baptism. They live in a pagan society that mocks their new way of life.
The temptation is great to look back on your life, to conform".to the old"and not to complicate our lives. And this temptation is perennial throughout our lives. The apostle, in the face of this strong temptation, invites them and invites us to look to Jesus Christ, to never take our eyes off him, "...".Whom you love without having seen Him; in Whom you believe, though you do not see Him for the time being." (1,8). He sets Christ crucified before them so that they may follow in his footsteps: "..." (1:8).For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow in his footsteps (....) who, when he was insulted, did not respond with insults; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but placed himself in the hands of him who judges justly."(2:21 ff.). The way of the Cross is the image of our Christian life, since he has left us a model for us to follow in his footsteps.
In personal life, in family life, in the life of society, in their relationship with the authorities, Christians, no matter what happens, must follow the same conduct of Christ crucified. Not to respond to insult with insult, not to threaten, but to be compassionate, to love as brothers, to be merciful and humble (cf. 3:8). Do not return evil for evil, nor insult for insult.
Lent is a journey of conversion and true freedom, as the Lord invites us to do. Holy Father in his Message for Lent 2024: "God never tires of us. Let us embrace Lent as the strong time when his Word addresses us again. "I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of a place of slavery." (Ex 20:2).
It is a time of conversion, a time of freedom. We will always be tempted to return to the "old ways", to go back to Egypt, to live like pagans, to adapt ourselves, to not complicate our lives.
Jesus himself was tempted. During these forty days of Lent and throughout our lives He will be with us to accompany us, sustain us and encourage us in our struggle because we are His children."very dear" (cf. Mk 1:11).
To the extent that our conversion is ever more sincere, to that same extent we ourselves will feel, together with the whole Christian community, freer, happier and happier, and humanity itself will feel the sparkle of a new hope.
It is the courage of conversion, of coming out of slavery; it is the courage of faith and charity that lead hand in hand to the hope of a more human, more fraternal, more Christian world.
"Mass Explained," is the book by Miami author and graphic designer Dan Gonzalez in which he visually explains the celebration, rites and liturgical objects of the Mass with photos from the archives of Arkansas Catholic, newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock.
Born through surrogacy, Olivia Maurel is today one of the most important voices against this form of exploitation.
A few months ago, Olivia Maurel sent a letter to the Pope asking him to speak out publicly against surrogacy. Francis condemned this practice in his address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.
AhNow you can enjoy a 20% discount on your subscription to Rome Reports Premiumthe international news agency specializing in the activities of the Pope and the Vatican.
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Friendship in the writings of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis
Forging good friendships and knowing how to care for them is a task in the life of any child and young person. The authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis show us, through their works, some useful ideas in the educational task about friendship.
Julio Iñiguez Estremiana-February 22, 2024-Reading time: 9minutes
"A loyal friend is of value beyond measure," wrote J.R.R. Tolkien. In the poignant episode of "The Lord of the Rings" below, he left us with the idea staged.
Frodo has resolved to travel to Mordor alone to destroy the Ring of Power at the Mountain of Doom, the place where Sauron forged it. That is the mission that has been entrusted to him and he is firmly determined to carry it out, certain that destroying the Ring of Power is the only way to preserve the freedom of the Peoples of Middle-earth: Elves, Men, Dwarves and Hobbits. And Sam, who has sensed the plan of his Master and friend, wants to accompany him whatever the price to be paid.
- He'll have to get back to the boats! -He said to himself, pausing for a moment to think, "To the boats! Run for the boats, Sam, like lightning!
He turned and hopped down the path until he reached the edge of the Parth Galen meadow, next to the shore where the boats had been pulled out of the water. Suddenly, he froze and gaped as he watched a boat glide downhill on its own, all the way into the water.
-I'm coming, Mr. Frodo, I'm coming! -cried Sam, and he threw himself from the shore with outstretched hands into the departing boat, falling headlong a yard from the gunwale into the deep, swift water.
-What are you doing, Sam? -Frodo shouted from the empty boat, "You can't swim!
Sam came to the surface struggling.
-Save me, Mr. Frodo! I'm drowning,' Sam gasped.
Frodo arrived just in time to grab him by the hair.
-Take my hand! -said Frodo.
-I don't see it," Sam replied.
-Here it is. Stand up straight and don't jerk, or you'll capsize the boat. Hold on to the gunwale, and let me use the paddle!
Frodo pulled the boat to shore, and Sam was able to crawl out, wet as a water rat.
Frodo set foot on solid ground again and, taking off the Ring, reproached Sam for having interfered with his plans. Sam, trembling from head to foot, defended himself on the grounds that the thought of seeing him go off alone was unbearable to him.
-If I had not guessed the truth," said Sam, "where would you be now?
-Safe and well on his way," said Frodo.
-Safe! -said Sam, "Alone and without my help, it would be the death of me.
-But I am going to Mordor," cried Frodo.
-I know that, Mr. Frodo. And I'll go with you.
Frodo tried to dissuade him on the grounds that the others might return at any moment, which would force him to explain himself, and he would never be in the mood or able to leave.
-I have to leave at once, Sam. There is no other way!
-Yes, I know," said Sam. But not alone. I'm going too, or neither of us. I'll deflate all the boats first.
Frodo laughed heartily. There was a sudden warmth and joy in his heart.
-Leave one! -he said. We'll need it. But you can't come like this, without equipment or food or anything.
-Just a moment and I'll get my things! -Sam exclaimed cheerfully. Everything is ready. I thought we were leaving today.
-Here is my whole plan spoiled! -said Frodo, when they were both in the boat and sailing to Mordor. But I am glad, Sam, very glad!
-I made a promise, Mr. Frodo," said Sam, "A promise!
-And I'm not going to do it! I'm not going to do it, Mr. Frodo!
Frodo hugs Sam, tearful and emotional.
-Oh, Sam, I'm glad you're with me! -added Frodo, changing his expression from one of concern to a smile.
-Let's go! And let the others find a safe way! Trancos will take care of them.
The Lord of the Rings. J. R. R. Tolkien
Tolkien enlightens us on some important notes of authentic friendship: intimacy with the friend allows you to guess in what way you can help him; the love you have for your friend makes you determined to be with him in danger and to share his sorrows as well as his joys; and, the company of the friend is very pleasant for us: all situations seem to us more bearable together with the friend - the friends.
In the previous article We already mentioned the importance of friends in order to be happy and achieve our goals. In this one we are going to reflect on friendship, in order to help our children and students to forge good friendships and to know how to take care of them; that is to say, to learn to be good friends with their friends.
Friendship, a win-win human relationship
Clive Staples Lewisknown as C. S. Lewis, in his book "The four loves"He discusses the four basic types of human love: affection, friendship, eros and charity. Regarding friendship, he states that it can only occur between human beings and that it is one of the most valuable relationships we can have.
In the Jerusalem Bible, we learn: "A faithful friend is a sure refuge, he who finds him has found treasure"; and "A faithful friend is a remedy of life, those who fear the Lord will find him" [Ecclesiastes 6, 14 and 16].
By interacting with friends, we are exposed to different ideas, perspectives and experiences; our horizons are broadened; we learn new skills and acquire knowledge. The sense of belonging and social connection that comes from dealing with friends increases our self-esteem; it reduces the risk of depression, anxiety and stress.
Friendship drives us to be better people, it elevates us to the best version of ourselves. We all need friendships to grow, to learn and share our joys and to deal more safely and confidently with life's difficulties. "True friends are those who come to share our happiness when they are begged, and our misfortune without being called upon," wrote Juan Luis Vivesgreat Spanish humanist and philosopher.
We also love the company of our friends for fun. Hanging out with friends allows us to relax, laugh openly about the most inconsequential things and enjoy common hobbies together: sports, excursions, cultural visits, etc.
Friends help us to get out of the daily routine and give us the opportunity to rest and experience moments of happiness and gratitude. C. S. Lewis puts it poetically:
"In a perfect friendship, this love of appreciation is often so great and so firmly based that each member of the circle, in his heart of hearts, feels little before all the others. Sometimes he wonders what he is doing among the best. He is lucky, without merit, to find himself in such company; especially when the whole group is assembled, and he takes the best, the cleverest, or the funniest in everyone else. Those are the golden sessions: when four or five of us, after a day's hard walking, arrive at our inn, when we have put on our slippers, and have our feet stretched out towards the fire and the glass within reach, when the whole world, and something beyond the world, is open to our minds as we talk, and no one has any quarrel or responsibility to the other, but we are all free and equal, while an affection that has ripened with the years envelops us. Life, natural life, has no better gift to offer; who can say he has deserved it?"
In short, friendship plays a fundamental role in our lives: it gives us emotional support, improves our mental and emotional health, promotes our personal growth and provides us with moments of relaxation, fun and joy - equally for women and men; for children, young and old; and for the elderly, it prevents loneliness from being their life's companion.
Friendship, the least jealous of loves
To the ancients," says C. S. Lewis, "friendship seemed to them the happiest and most fully human of all loves: the crowning of life and the school of virtues. The modern world, on the other hand, ignores it: few value it, because few experience it.
"Very few modern people think of friendship as a love of a value comparable to eros or, simply, that it is a love. I can recall no poem or novel that has celebrated it. Tristan and Isolde, Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet have innumerable imitations in literature; but David and Jonathan, Pylades and Orestes, Roland and Oliveros, Amis and Amiles have not."
The prophet Samuel tells us how David mourns the death of his great friend Jonathan, who fell in battle along with his father, King Saul [2 Samuel 1:25-27]:
-Jonathan, in your death I have been left comfortless; I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.
-You were very expensive.
-Your love was more precious to me than the love of women.
-How the heroes have fallen, how the warriors have perished!
Friendships are preferably boys with boys and girls with girls. And as for the number required, two is not the best: two friends will be happy if they are joined by a third, and the same when three are joined by a fourth - provided that the newcomers are qualified to be true friends. It happens with friends the same thing that Dante tells of the blessed souls in the "Divine Comedy": "Here comes one who will increase our love"; because in this love "to share is not to take away".
In our time, however, it is necessary to clarify that the relationship with "followers / acquaintances" in social networks, whom they do not really know, cannot be called friendship.
Making friends and nurturing friendships
To have friends is a blessing, a gift, a wealth for which no man is so poor as not to be able to aspire to it. And at the same time, in friendship there are no demands, no shadow of necessity: nothing obliges me to be friends with anyone, and no other human being has the duty to be my friend. When the occasion arises to help a friend who is in trouble, one helps him, of course; but no record is made of that action; the one who has rendered the service will never be billed for it.
And how does friendship begin? Often friendship arises between two or more companions when they become aware that they have things in common: place of origin, ideas, interests, hobbies or simply tastes that the others do not share and that until that moment each one thought he was the only one to possess that treasure, or that cross. A typical expression that can be the beginning of a friendship is: "Oh, he understands me, I thought I was the only one! Let it be clear, however, that disagreements between friends can and do occur, even on important issues, such as beliefs, for example. And that is also enriching.
Friendship presupposes many virtues: sincerity, loyalty, unselfishness, joy, service..., which we must try to develop in our children and students. How to work on these virtues will be discussed in other articles.
But, what to do when we observe that a girl does not have friends, or a boy does not make friends? This is a very important issue that parents, teachers and professors should seriously study. We can find interesting clues to overcome this lack in the girl or boy by looking at how he or she lives the virtues mentioned above; in particular, his or her spirit of service. Let us not lose sight of the fact that friendship is fundamental in the process of evolutionary development and socialization of children and adolescents/young people.
And, in order to avoid disappointment, we must make it clear that there are harmful beings who do not seek friendship, but only want to get friends. When the sincere answer to the question: "Do you see the same thing as me?" is "I don't see anything, nor do I care, because what I want is a friend", it is impossible that any friendship can be born; because friendship has to be built on something that is shared, even if it is only the love for video games. Those who have nothing cannot share anything; those who are not going anywhere cannot have companions on the road.
Before moving on to the last section, I would like to briefly express my gratitude to so many good friends for the great wealth of favors, help and benefits I have received from them; because I have been very happy, and still am, enjoying their company; and for how much we have laughed and had fun together. Thank you very much, dear friends.
Jesus is the great friend who always accompanies
The Gospel shows us that Jesus was always surrounded by friends: "To you, my friends, I say..." [Lk 12:4]; "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them? [Lk 12:4]; "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn while the bridegroom is with them?" [Mt 9:15]. His disciples are his friends.
At the Last Supper, he confided to his apostles the meaning of his death on the Cross: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"; and "I have called you friends, for I have made known to you all things that I have heard from my Father. [Jn 15:13 and 15].
Philip had just met Jesus thanks to his friend Andrew, and immediately, full of enthusiasm, he went to his friend Nathanael and told him: "We have found Jesus of Nazareth". It is difficult to understand why a Christian would not want to bring his friends closer to Jesus Christ, who is the one who saves us.
Conclusions
In dealing with friends, we contrast different ideas, perspectives and experiences; we learn new skills and knowledge; we broaden horizons. Friendship drives us to be better people; it elevates us to the best version of ourselves. It is important to help children and students to forge good friendships and to know how to take care of them; that is, to learn to be good friends of friends.
Friendship provides us with a sense of belonging and social connection that increases our self-esteem; improves our mental health; gives us emotional support; and provides us with moments of rest, fun and joy - for women and men alike; for children, young and old alike; and for the elderly, it keeps loneliness from being their life's companion.
When it is observed that a girl does not have friends, or a boy does not make friends, parents, teachers and professors should seriously study the causes of this lack. To overcome it, we can find interesting clues by looking at how she lives virtues such as sincerity, loyalty, joy and spirit of service.
Recommended reading:
Total child development
Author: Juan Valls Juliá
Pages: 256
Editorial : Word
Collection: Making Family
Year: 2009
The authorJulio Iñiguez Estremiana
Physicist. High School Mathematics, Physics and Religion teacher.
Joseph Evans comments on the readings for the Second Sunday of Lent and Luis Herrera offers a brief video homily.
Joseph Evans-February 22, 2024-Reading time: 2minutes
Mountains appear frequently in the Bible as places of encounter with God. Moses and Elijah, who enter today's Gospel speaking with Jesus, had encounters with God on a mountain.
The mountains represent breathing fresh air, getting away from the hustle and bustle of life, having a broader vision and contemplating the beauty of creation.
Prayer is a mountain: we escape the rush of the day to breathe in God, we rise above daily events to meet the Lord, to glimpse his glory and beauty. But they can also be places of trial.
The first reading shows Abraham taking his son Isaac up the mountain, ready to kill him as an offering to the Lord, in obedience to what God had commanded him, although in the end God does not demand the sacrifice. It was simply a test of Abraham's faith.
On this same mountain, centuries later, the heavenly Father will offer his Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for our salvation, demanding of himself what he did not ask of Abraham.
"Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and went up with them to a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them.". As Pope Benedict explained, it is not a light projected on Jesus, but a light coming from him.
"God of God, light of light"It is a glimmer of the light that Jesus has, that he is. But this light was so captivating that Peter wanted to prolong the experience. This gives us an idea of the joy and beauty of heaven, where we will live forever in the light of the Lamb (Rev 21:23).
However, on the way down from Mount "commanded them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man was raised from the dead.". This glimpse of glory is a foretaste of the Resurrection, but to reach it Christ must pass through his Passion, through the mountain of Golgotha.
In the end, if we remain faithful, we will see Jesus, the Lamb of God, glorified on the mountain of the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev 21:9-10, 22).
To reach this glorious mountain we must climb the mountain of prayer and also be willing to face the mountain of trial, obedient to God even when we do not understand what he asks of us.
Homily on the readings of the Second Sunday of Lent
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaA short one-minute reflection for these Sunday readings.
Msgr. Paglia proposes prioritizing home care over residential care
The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, and María Luisa Carcedo, former Minister of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare, defended yesterday in a colloquium at the Pablo VI Foundation giving priority to continued home care over the option of residential care, while advocating freedom of choice for the elderly.
Francisco Otamendi-February 21, 2024-Reading time: 3minutes
In a debate moderated by Jesús Avezuela, general director of the Paul VI Foundation, Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia and Maria Luisa Carcedo, permanent councilor of State, reflected on the Charter of the Rights of the Elderly and the Duties of the Community, which was born in Italy as a result of the thousands of elderly people who died in nursing homes in Italy during the Covid pandemic, the high ecclesiastic assured.
The event was attended, among others, by the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo, the Bishop of Getafe and president of the Board of Trustees of the Paul VI FoundationGinés García Beltrán, or the president of the Mensajeros por la Paz Foundation, Ángel García.
"Paglia, who chaired a civil commission that, at the request of the Italian government, then presided over by Mario Draghi, "brought to light the contradiction of a society that, on the one hand, knows how to prolong people's lives, but on the other, fills them with loneliness and abandonment".
– Supernatural LetterThe aim of the law, which also took the form of a law supported by the entire parliamentary arc and endorsed by the government of Giorgia Meloni, is to draw attention to the shortcomings of an unbalanced welfare system that is in itself the cause of so many victims," Paglia pointed out.
The text proposes "a paradigm shift cultural, organizational and assistance to raise awareness of the rights of the elderly and the duties of society to welcome and improve this stage of life", and establishes three contexts of rights: 1) respect for the dignity of the elderly person; 2) principles and rights for responsible care; and 3) protection for a socially active life.
Loneliness at home
Both experts agreed on the need to prioritize home care over residential care. It is here where affection and memories are kept," and it is "the place that allows one to preserve one's history and prevents physical and emotional health from worsening," said Monsignor Paglia, referring to homes.
This is evidenced by testimonies collected in the Charter and by the figures so far handled in Italy on the positive economic results of a prioritization, which saves a lot of money for the State, he pointed out. "Residence means a very strong loss of freedom, it makes the life history come to an end" and, on many occasions, it is done against the person's will."
The biggest problem
The former Minister of Health was also in favor of the model of home care, but for this, she said, "it is necessary to rethink how to coordinate social and health services, seeking the commitment of society as a whole", rethink public services and care for the elderly; also rethink their active life, delaying the retirement age where possible; and rethink urban planning or "universal and cognitive accessibility", among many other things. In fact, the unification of social assistance and health care was the subject of most of the meeting.
After the first interventions, the Director General of the Paul VI Foundation, Jesús Avezuela, asked if they saw home care as a priority when the drama of loneliness, which leads many people to die alone in their own homes, is becoming more and more entrenched in society. It is true that loneliness "is the greatest problem of our times," Paglia continued, but it is so at all stages: children, young people and the elderly.
A new responsibility
For this reason, in his opinion, "it is necessary to rediscover a new responsibility in all ages". And this also means that "the elderly should be aware that they are political subjects, they should contribute actively and rediscover a new vocation". The problem is "that the elderly have accepted to be discarded".
María Luisa Carcedo, for her part, referred to the "accompanied" loneliness in which not only the elderly find themselves, but also and especially children and adolescents who live glued to screens or in families where there is no conversation.
"We have to come to the conviction," he insisted, "that living together, social relationships, also help to keep the mind active and avoid that accompanied loneliness," which is, according to Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, a symptom of an egomaniacal society, where the cult of the self is favored. For this reason, he called for "a cultural change" that unites different generations, grandparents and grandchildren, and that leads to the building of bridges between all the administrations.
Right to quality palliative care
The last point of the colloquium focused on the right to have the right to have palliative care The aim is to avoid euthanasia, which represents, as Monsignor Paglia pointed out, "a failure and an irresponsibility for a number of people who do not want to suffer. "People do not want to die, they want to stop suffering". That is why he called for a palliative care that bet on life.
On the contrary, former minister Carcedo was in favor of the euthanasia law, which reflects "an exercise of individual freedom, and this is written in the law". The debate was left for a future occasion.
In the West, Christianity and law have gone hand in hand since the beginning of the Christian era. The Christian faith has made key contributions to law. The author has just published the book The Oxford Handbook of Christianity and Law.
February 21, 2024-Reading time: 3minutes
The relationship between Christianity and law is not a mere incident in the history of mankind, but has a deep meaning and permanent value. The German polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) justified the translation of his model of the division of theology into jurisprudence by claiming that "the similarity between these two disciplines was striking." More recently, the famous German constitutionalist Ernst Wolfgang Böckenförde (1930-2019) asserted that "the secularized liberal state is based on assumptions that it cannot guarantee".. These assumptions, whether we like it or not, have a lot to do with Christianity.
A good number of ideas, concepts and values have, at the same time, a deep juridical and theological meaning. It is enough to think of words such as law, justice, marriage, covenant, satisfaction, oath, freedom, dignity, obedience, solidarity, authority, tradition, redemption, punishment, person, but also intercession, grace, confession and sacrament, the latter concepts being juridical rather than theological. Because of this common denominator, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether the origin of a concept is jurisprudential or theological.
Christianity and law, in the West, have gone hand in hand after their first embrace at the beginning of the Christian era. Although somewhat more distant, Christianity and law continued together during the long process of secularization of modernity that began with the Protestant Reformation, since this process, in part (only in part), has its roots in the famous parable of Jesus: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.".
Some contributions of Christianity to law are original while others shed new light on existing concepts or ideas (e.g. the idea of justice or property). Some contributions are theological (e.g., care for the created universe), others more spiritual (e.g., sense of forgiveness, compassion and mercy), others more moral (e.g., religious freedom and human rights), others historical (e.g., the division of Europe into sovereign states), others anthropological (e.g., the centrality of the human person), others structural (e.g., the separation of Europe into sovereign states), others anthropological (e.g., the separation of the human person). The development of law and secular legal systems was and continues to be decisive for the development of law and secular legal systems.
Special mention should be made of the contribution of the Second Scholasticism, particularly the School of Salamanca, which shed light on issues that also affect our times, such as the globalization of interdependence, colonialism, the exercise of power, human rights, cosmopolitanism, just war, Eurocentrism or the rules of the market.
The School of Salamanca exhorts us to a closer analysis of the scientific method as an instrument in the search for truth, and shows us the role of universities in the development of peoples, as well as the role of intellectuals in the decision-making process of any political community.
The impact of Protestantism on Western legal culture was also colossal. The foundations of modern democratic theories, the founding ideals of religious freedom and political equality, the principle of federation, the emergence of the modern welfare state, the defense of procedural guarantees and rights, the conversion of the moral duties of the Decalogue into individual rights, the doctrine of constitutional resistance against tyranny, or the idea of a written constitution as a kind of political covenant owe much to the Protestant Reformation.
As John Witte Jr. rightly explains, certain basic theological postulates of Protestantism have had important legal consequences, such as, for example, the fact that the political community is constituted by a covenant between the rulers and the people before God, whose content is shown by the divine and natural laws and specifically the Decalogue; or the fact that Church and State must be institutionally separate but united in their purpose and function, and, therefore, also in the defense of the rights and liberties of the people, including organized constitutional resistance.
In our secular and global age, Christianity must continue to illuminate the law, protecting and strengthening its meta-legal foundations, but without exploiting or despoiling the autonomous structure of legal systems. There is no single model of Christian legal order that Christianity must promote in order to fulfill its mission.
The Christian influence concerns rather the spiritual dimension of law, the spirit of law, even if some contributions may have concrete practical implications, for example, dignity. For its part, secular law must continue to illuminate Christianity by providing a refined juridical technique in the resolution of conflicts and by promoting the defense of human rights.
The authorRafael Domingo Oslé
Professor at the University of Navarra (Madrid campus)
In addition to the fact that the vast majority of the population is Islamic (99%, of which 90% is Shi'a and 9% Sunni), Iran has several religious minorities, although not very numerous.
Zoroastrianism and the Magi
There are about 60,000 Zoroastrians in Iran and, like the Armenian and East Syrian Christians and the Jews, they are considered "people of the book" (ahl al-kitab in Arabic), i.e. they will not be persecuted by the Muslims if they accept to live within an Islamic state while respecting certain rules (prohibition of proselytism, private profession of their faith, special and onerous taxes to be paid, etc.). In exchange (officially since 1906), each of these communities receives a seat in Parliament and respect for their rights (however, they are not considered first class citizens).
Zoroastrianism, or Mazdeism, is one of the oldest monotheistic religions in the world, founded by Zoroaster (or Zarathustra), who lived between the 11th and 7th centuries BC. Its doctrine is contained in sacred texts called Avesta. Although ancient Persia (hence Iran) is considered the home of Zoroastrianism, its influence has spread to several cultures in Central and Western Asia.
Some key principles of Zoroastrianism:
-Faith in Ahura Mazda, supreme god and creator of the cosmos. Ahura Mazda is considered a benevolent and just being. -Cosmic dualism: Ahura Mazda is in constant conflict with Angra Mainyu (or Ahriman), the force of evil. -Faith in justice: Zoroastrians are expected to practice goodness, truth and justice, and the Earth is considered a battlefield between the forces of good and evil. -Sacred fire: fire is considered sacred and is often used in religious rituals. However, it is not worshipped as a god, being only a symbol of purification and divine presence. -Purification and rituals: there are practices of physical and spiritual purification through fire or water. -Faravahar: one of the best known symbols of Zoroastrianism, it represents a winged being with a circle in the center and symbolizes duality and the choice between good and evil.
Typical of the Zoroastrian religion, especially in Antiquity, is the figure of the "magi", from the Old Persian magūsh, transliterated into Greek as màgos (μάγος, plural μάγοι).
They were a class of ancient priests and scholars, known for their great astronomical knowledge. They were considered guardians of the sacred scriptures, the Avesta, and played an important role in religious rituals and ceremonies.
In Christianity (see this article), "magi" refers to the wise men from the East (i.e., not kings) who, according to the Gospels, visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem after his birth, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Over time, the term "magician" has also come to mean a person involved in magical or occult practices, which is quite different from its original meaning.
Despite its considerable influence on other religions, Zoroastrianism is today a minority faith, with communities scattered throughout the world, especially in Iran and India (Queen's famous Freddy Mercury was the son of Zoroastrians of Indian origin).
Manichaeism, Baha'ism, Mandeism, Yarsanism
Persia has been the cradle of various religious doctrines and movements.
In addition to Zoroastrianism, mention should be made of Manichaeism, an extinct religion founded by the Persian Mani (3rd century AD) in the Sassanid Empire. It was characterized by a dualistic cosmology, with a fierce struggle between good and evil, the former represented by light and the spiritual world and the latter by darkness and the material world. It was a cult that fused Christian and Gnostic elements and spread rapidly through the Aramaic-speaking regions, becoming, between the third and seventh centuries AD, one of the most widespread religions in the world, competing with Christianity and permeating its structures to the point of being considered a heresy.
A more recent syncretic religion, still practiced in Iran (it is the most widespread non-Islamic cult in the country), is Baha'ism, another monotheistic faith founded in the 19th century by the Persian Baha'u'llah (considered by the Baha'i faithful to be the most recent in a series of divine messengers that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad). The Baha'is believe that all the great religions of the world have divine origins and promote the unity of humanity through the elimination of prejudice, discrimination and division, pacifism and world disarmament. The Baha'i World Center is located in Haifa (Israel). In Iran there are about 350,000 believers in Bahaism and this religion has been the most persecuted in the country since its foundation.
Mandaeism is also a syncretic monotheistic religion, of Gnostic origin, which fuses Manichaean and Judeo-Christian elements. His first followers settled in the Safavid Persia from the Middle East and are concentrated in Iran (estimates range from 10,000 to 60,000 Iranian Mandaeans) and Iraq. The Mandaeans consider John the Baptist the greatest of the prophets, forerunner of a divine messenger called Manda d'Hayye (Gnosis of Life), which would correspond to the "spiritual Christ", different from the "earthly Christ". They possess several sacred texts, among them the Ginza Rba ('The Great Treasure') and the Drasha d-Yahia ('Meeting of St. John the Baptist') and their doctrine is based on Gnostic dualism, which contrasts the supreme God of the world of good and light (Malka d-nura), surrounded by angels (Uthrê), of which Manda d'Hayye is the most important, and the world of evil and darkness, inhabited by demons, whose chief is Ruha, the evil spirit. The Mandaeans speak the Mandaean language, a form of Aramaic.
Finally, Yarsanism (its followers are also known as Ahl el-haqq, "people of truth" in Arabic) is another local syncretic cult, which mixes various mystical and Gnostic traditions, Islamic, Zoroastrian and ancient Kurdish elements. It is akin to Yazidism and its followers, an ethno-religious group, are concentrated in the mountains of Iranian Kurdistan. The Ahl al-haqq believe in seven main deities, the principal of which is Sultan Sahak, creator and god of truth, and in the ideals of perfection and truth, haqq, to be achieved through rituals and ceremonies based on dance, music and song.
Not being recognized as a religious minority in Iran (like the other cults mentioned in this paragraph), Yarsanism has often suffered discrimination and persecution.
Judaism
Iran has a Jewish community with a millennia-long history, dating back to the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century B.C., which has gradually assimilated into the country's indigenous population.
While before the 1979 Islamic Revolution Iran had one of the largest Jewish populations in the Middle East (especially in cities such as Shiraz, Isfahan and Tehran), today there are about 20,000 Jews left in the country (still the second largest Jewish community in the Middle East after Israel), while more than 200,000 are of Iranian origin.
After the 1979 Revolution, many Jews emigrated, mainly to the United States and especially to Israel. Moshe Katsav, the eighth president of the State of Israel, was born in Iran in 1945.
Christianity
Christianity has also been present in Iran for millennia (thus longer than the current state religion, Islam), although as a minority religion, unlike neighboring Armenia.
Traditionally, St. Thomas the Apostle is considered the evangelizer of Mesopotamia and Persia, followed in the mission by Addai (Thaddeus), one of the seventy disciples of Jesus and first bishop of Edessa, and his disciple Mari (famous is the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, considered one of the oldest Eucharistic formulas), already in the first century. The Church of the East, also known as the Church of Persia, the Assyrian Church or the Nestorian Church, with its own specific identity, was born between the third and fourth centuries, when it separated from Western Christianity at the Council of Ephesus (431), when the Assyrian and Persian bishops did not accept the condemnation of Nestorianism.
Nestorius, defender of this doctrine, was bishop of Constantinople a few years before the Council of Ephesus and held a thesis that, according to some, including Cyril of Alexandria, denied the consubstantiality of human and divine nature in the person of Christ, affirmed instead at Nicaea (325). Nestorius affirmed that, since there is identity of nature, substance (ousìa) and person (hypostasis) and God is immutable, human and divine substance cannot merge into one nature. For him, every substance must correspond to a person, so that in Christ there are two distinct natures, one divine and the other human, united and not hypostatically united. Therefore, for him it was not possible to affirm that Mary was the Theotokos, mother of God, a principle proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus, where, through the intervention of Cyril of Alexandria himself, the Nestorian doctrine was condemned.
The Eastern Church rejected this condemnation and did not even accept the decisions taken at the Council of Chalcedon (451), which condemned monophysitism instead.
The shahs of Persia sided with the Nestorians and granted them protection. Thus, the Assyrian-Persian Church spread to the East, reaching India and China through the Silk Road and also influencing the Islamic ritual of salàt (prayer).
The wars between Persians and Byzantines between 610 and 628 weakened the Church of Persia, which was also subjected to numerous persecutions by the last Persian Zoroastrian rulers. Nevertheless, it flourished even after the Islamic conquest (ca. 640) until at least the 12th century.
At present, the Church of the East represents the second largest Christian community in Iran (between 20,000 and 70,000, divided between the Chaldean Catholic Church and two other non-Catholic Churches (the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East).
Among the approximately 300,000-370,000 Christians in the country (who have at least 600 places of worship), the largest group by far, however, is the faithful of the Armenian Apostolic Church (between 110,000 and 300,000).
Religious freedom
Iran is an Islamic republic, whose constitution establishes Islam as the official religion, while recognizing the right of Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians to profess their faith, with certain limits. Atheism is not recognized, nor are syncretic religions, which are considered pagan.
The country's laws provide for different penalties for non-Muslims than for Muslims for the same offense. In the case of adultery, for example, a Muslim man who has committed adultery with a Muslim woman receives 100 lashes, while the penalty for a non-Muslim man who has committed adultery with a Muslim woman is death.
Conversion from Islam to another religion (apostasy) is also prohibited and may be punishable by death.
In 2022, the annual report of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) listed 199 cases of religious persecution, including 140 arrests, 94 cases of police raids, 2 cases of demolition of places of worship, 39 cases of imprisonment, 51 travel bans or restrictions on freedom of movement, and 11 cases of individuals tried for their religious beliefs. Nearly two-thirds (64,63%) of the cases involved violation of the rights of Baha'i citizens, 20,84% involved Christians, 8,84% involved Yarsanists, and 4,63% involved Sunnis.
In 2023, the country scored zero out of four for religious freedom according to Freedom House and was ranked the eighth most hostile place in the world for Christians by Open Doors.
The authorGerardo Ferrara
Writer, historian and expert on Middle Eastern history, politics and culture.
Aid to the Church in Need launches campaign to help Ukraine
Aid to the Church in Need is organizing the campaign "Two years of war. Ukraine, I don't want to forget you", as February 24, 2024 marks two years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
At a press conference held this morning at its headquarters in Madrid, ACN Spain has launched a new Ukraine relief campaign "to come to the aid of a Church overwhelmed by the traumas and wounds of the conflict. José María Gallardo, director of ACN Spain, and Monsignor Sviatoslav Schevchuk, major archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and Monsignor Visvaldas, apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, spoke on the recording, as did Father Mateusz Adamski, live from Kiev.
Trauma management support
A team of Aid to the Church in Need was recently in Kiev to learn first-hand about the needs of the Ukrainian population. There, they had the opportunity to meet Monsignor Schevchuk, who asked them to continue talking about them: "If you stop talking about us, we will cease to exist".
An estimated 80 % of the Ukrainian population has physical or psychological wounds as a result of this two-year war.
"The future of Ukraine and the Church depends on how we are able to respond to this need to overcome the trauma of the war that has already affected the heart of Ukrainian society: the family," says Msgr. Schevchuk.
José María Gallardo, director of ACN Spain, explained at the press conference that the war in Ukraine is the "greatest humanitarian catastrophe since the Second World War". Since the beginning of the conflict, 6.3 million refugees and more than 5 million internally displaced persons have been counted. Currently, 40 % of the Ukrainian population is dependent on humanitarian aid for subsistence.
Aid to the Church in Need is therefore organizing a program for the training of priests, religious and lay people. To date, it has 11 centers in which 1021 people have been assisted, and it also wants to support the care of young people and children in a center in the Volyn region.
"Solidarity is working".
Monsignor Sviatoslav Schevchuk spoke at the press conference through video recordings in which he explained that "what is happening in Ukraine is genocide. [...] People are being killed in Ukraine because they are Ukrainians". The Archbishop gave as an example the massacre in Bucha.
However, he explained that there is good news: in the first place, that "the Church as Mother takes care of her children" and that "solidarity is working", since, in these two years, "no one has died of hunger or thirst. This is good news".
Monsignor Schevchuk thanked ACN for their help and recalled some figures to raise awareness of the magnitude of the conflict: 14 million people have been forced to leave their homes and 50,000 have lost their legs or hands.
The war has also had a major impact on families, as 120000 marriages have been divorced in these two years, the highest number of divorces in Ukraine's history since its independence.
Bishop Schevchuk also explained that the Russian authorities have banned Greek Catholic worship in many of the invaded territories.
In addition to the numerous casualties suffered, the archbishop spoke of the 35,000 missing persons, and the torture for the families of not knowing whether their loved ones are alive or dead.
Vocations are growing
ACN's campaign focuses on three key areas: trauma management, livelihood assistance and the training and support of seminarians, whose numbers have increased since the war. "The war has not slowed down vocations and all seminarians in the country have been receiving training or livelihood assistance since the invasion began. Many of these young men are now orphans and have no means to continue their formation," ACN reports.
The director of ACN Spain explained that since the outbreak of the conflict, Aid to the Church in Need "has supported the Church in Ukraine with more than 600 projects and more than 15 million euros. This country has been the most supported in 2022 and 2023 by this institution".
Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine since 2021, who thanked ACN for its help and support from abroad, explaining that "as a Church we operate as a united body", and that "at the center of everything are the people".
"Time of grace"
To conclude the press conference, Father Mateusz Adamski, a Polish priest who is currently pastor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kiev, as well as vice-rector of the Redemptoris Mater seminary in the same city, spoke live from Kiev. This priest, at the beginning of the invasion, "sheltered dozens of people in the cellars of the parish to keep them safe from the bombardments".
Father Mateusz explained in Spanish that, despite the harshness of the war, this time has also been "a time of grace", in which "we have been able to really touch the living God" and "feel Paradise with our hands".
In addition, the Assumption parish priest stressed the importance of Jesus Christ's command to love one's enemies, and explained that in the parish they also pray for their oppressors. "This prayer is very powerful for them," he said. Father Mateusz explained that even now people are coming closer to the church, and that in fact a parishioner, who has now disappeared, received Baptism, Confirmation and Communion with great joy.
For this reason, Father Mateusz explained that, despite the war, "our mission is to proclaim the risen Jesus Christ". "Our homeland is in Heaven, it is not here," he said.
When asked if the end of the war is near, the priest answered that "he sees no possibility of defeating a Goliath like Russia", but that "the Lord is the Lord of History. If he allows it, it is to purify us and to convert us".
In conclusion, the parish priest thanked all the Spaniards for their help during these two years, and also for hosting Ukrainian children on vacation, both in Spain and in other countries, because in this way they have been able to rest and return to their homeland with renewed strength.
Congress of education of the Church in Spain. Point of "departure and arrival".
The congress "The Church in Education: Presence and Commitment" brings together, on February 24, more than a thousand teachers and education workers at IFEMA and the Paul VI Foundation.
The headquarters of the Spanish Episcopal Conference hosted a briefing for the presentation of this meeting with the participation of the director of the secretariat of the Episcopal Commission for Education and Culture, Raquel Pérez Sanjuánand two members of the "Motor Teams," Antonio Roura Javier and Carlos Esteban Garcés.
Education, "nuclear" in the life of the Church
Raquel Pérez Sanjuan, pointed out that education is "a central theme in the life of the Church, not only because of the broad presence of ecclesial institutions in the world of education, but also because of the commitment to form a way of being a person in the world, in the image of Christ, which is conveyed in education.
Pérez Sanjuan also stressed that the aim of this meeting "is not to draw up guidelines or regulations, but to open up spaces for dialogue in order to respond to new challenges". These challenges will be defined by the participants of the meeting through the dynamics of the development of the day.
Carlos Estebam raquel Pérez and Antonio Roura, at the presentation of the Congress "The Church in Education: presence and commitment".
Development of the Congress
During the morning, the participants will be grouped according to each of the nine thematic areas in which the Church is present and which have been worked on for months. The areas are: Christian schools; Religion teachers; special education centers; non-formal education; vocational training centers; universities; Christian teachers; colleges and university residences; and good practices of coordination between parish-family-school.
For each of them, there will be a brief presentation by various international speakers, followed by a dialogue and community session to define proposals and challenges on the part of the participants themselves.
In the afternoon, all the congress participants will gather in the IFEMA Auditorium where they will follow the presentations of Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Fernando Reimers and Consuelo Flecha García and will culminate with a prayer.
The organizers have stressed that, although the reception has been good, it could always be better. Not in vain, around 1,400 people are expected. Among those registered, the majority belong to Catholic schools and religious teachers. To a lesser extent, although with a notable representation, university professors, Christian teachers from other educational realities, members of vocational training centers, as well as teachers from special education centers and directors of senior high schools are also expected.
Carlos Esteban pointed out three objectives of this meeting: to bring together all those who are protagonists of educational projects born in the Church; to exchange experiences and to renew the Church's commitment to education in all its spheres. In fact, the promoters wanted to point out this "starting point" because the work of the congress "comes after February 24 with its work and development at local or regional level".
More than one million students in Catholic schools
The presence of the Church in Spanish education is more than notable. According to data from the Church's Activities Report for 2022, more than one and a half million students receive education in the 2536 Catholic schools in Spain. As for the teaching staff, there are more than 108,000 teachers in these centers.
These figures highlight the strength and appreciation of Catholic education in Spain, but they do not seem to translate into an increase or strengthening of the faith in most of society. Faced with this reality, Carlos Esteban said at the press conference that "often what is not emphasized is the "generosity with which the Church provides its educational service. It does not do so in exchange for a sacramental response" and wanted to emphasize that there are "other positive impacts of Catholic education in solidarity, appreciation of others...".
Some somewhat diffuse impacts that the promoters of this meeting themselves hope will be the beginning of a change and that they hope that the "fruits in another key, such as religious practice, will also come".
The entities that make up the Platform Yes to Life want to make the Spanish capital the epicenter of defense of the lives of the most vulnerable on March 10.
The great Yes to Life March 2024 will gather in Madrid on March 10, 2024, thousands of people to demand the right to life of every human being -from its beginning to its natural end-, as well as the dignity of every life, regardless of its capabilities, state of health, stage or circumstances in which it finds itself.
The March also wants to show the proposal of a new culture of care in which every life is respected instead of a society that promotes the discarding or elimination of the most vulnerable.
The march will begin at 12:00 noon in Serrano Street (corner of C/ Goya) to Cibeles and Paseo de Recoletos. At this point will be located the stage from which testimonies will be shared, the reading of the manifesto of the Platform will take place. Yes to Life. Afterwards, a minute of silence will be observed in memory of the unborn and all the victims of the culture of death, along with the release of balloons, which is a tradition in these marches. The event will end with a small concert to celebrate the Day of Life.
A new generation for life
Various representatives of the associations that make up the Platform Yes to Life have participated in the press conference to present the March.
Press conference for the presentation of the March for Life 2024
Álvaro Ortega, president of Foundation + Vidaone of the pro-life associations with the greatest presence among young people, pointed out that "young people are taking to the streets to celebrate this fundamental human right and to show that our generation is made up of people committed to the value of life".
For its part Alicia Latorrespokesperson of the Platform Yes to Life and president of the Spanish Federation of Pro-Life Associations has pointed out that this appointment on March 10 is "a light in the midst of so many difficulties, certain that there is less time left for each person to be valued and irreplaceable. Our commitment is firm and our hope immovable".
Large attendance and volunteers
The March, for which buses and transport are being organized from different parts of Spain, aims to gather thousands of people in the center of Madrid on March 10.
In addition, as every year, those who wish to collaborate as volunteers in the preparations and in the smooth running of the event may register through the Sí a la Vida website.
Financial support
For the proper coordination of this march, the Platform has set up a crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs of organizing this great March for Life. You can also collaborate through Bizum ONG: 00589 or by bank transfer: ES28. 0081 7306 6900 0140 Account holder: Spanish Federation of Pro-Life Associations. Concept: Yes to Life and indicate the person or association making the deposit.
What are the spiritual exercises that the Pope is doing?
Pope Francis is doing spiritual exercises with the members of the Curia. They began on Sunday, February 18 and will end on Friday, February 23. But what are these exercises and why is the Pope doing them now?
Pope Francis and the members of the Curia are going to spend almost a week on retreat at the Vatican, doing spiritual exercises. But what exactly is this?
If when we hear the words "spiritual exercises" we think of sport, we are not missing the mark. The objective of this type of retreats is to bring the retreatant closer to Christ through a spiritual effort with a clear method.
However, the best way to explain them is to go to the person who devised them: St. Ignatius of Loyola. In his work "Spiritual Exercises", the saint defines them as "every way of examining the conscience, of meditating, of reasoning, of contemplating, every way of preparing and disposing the soul, to remove all disordered affections (attachments, selfishness...) in order to seek and find the divine will".
On the website of the Jesuits of Spain explain that "the Spiritual Exercises are similar to internal gymnastic exercises that help us to expose ourselves to God's action and to assume his call to live the fullness of life that he offers us".
The original spiritual exercises
This "table of exercises" can be adapted to the circumstances of each person. Thus, from the original approach of a 30-day retreat, one can move on to exercises that last between four and eight days, and can even be done from home in a very modern "online" modality. But the essential thing is to dedicate time to personal prayer with Christ, seeking to have a face-to-face encounter with Him.
St. Ignatius of Loyola considered of great importance the spiritual accompaniment (by a priest, who preaches the meditations) and silence during the retreat. So much so, that it is customary not to have conversations during the days of retreat, in order to favor interior recollection.
For the month-long retreats, the founder of the Society of Jesus divided the weeks into four stages. In the first of these, the participants are invited to reflect on Creation and their condition as creatures called into existence by God. In the second week, the meditation will delve into the birth of Christ, to pass in the penultimate stage to the mystery of his Passion. Finally, the last week is dedicated to the Risen Jesus.
For times of prayer, St. Ignatius recommended an outline that begins with an introductory prayer to place oneself in the presence of God. Then, the usual thing to do is to meditate on a scene from the Gospel, trying to imagine it and become an active character. Then, the founder of the Society of Jesus invited to a conversation with God in order to apply to one's life what the Holy Spirit inspires.
Converting to Christ
In spite of the great amount of time devoted to reflection, the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises do not intend to remain theoretical. On the contrary, the idea is that the participants draw clear and practical resolutions that will help them to draw closer to God and to live the Gospel.
St. Ignatius wanted that, through meditations and times of prayer, the soul be exercised and live a moment of real conversion. Along these lines, the Pope Francis said in 2014 that "those who live the Exercises in an authentic way experience the attraction, the fascination of God". Thanks to this, the Holy Father continued, one returns "transfigured to ordinary life" and carries "with him the perfume of Christ."
Through examination of conscience, meditation and reading, the soul gradually trains itself to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit, discarding inspirations that do not come from Him and favoring intimacy with the Lord.
With this in mind, it makes perfect sense for the Pope and the other members of the Curia to take advantage of the first days of Lent to carry out these spiritual exercises. For this reason, the Pontiff will not carry out any audience or public act throughout this week and will resume his schedule on Friday afternoon, February 23.
Rome sets the agenda for the German Bishops' Conference
A letter from the top three cThe Holy See's Holy See's Ardenales, approved by the Holy Father, requests that the Statutes of the so-called German "Synodal Committee" not be dealt with at the assembly that began on Monday, so that the dialogue between the German bishops and the Holy See can continue.
On November 11, 2009, the German government established the Committee The aim of the synodal committee is to prepare, for three years, a "Synodal Council" to perpetuate the so-called German Synodal Way. The Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) has approved the statutes of this committee; however, the approval of the German Bishops' Conference (DBK) is also required for their entry into force. The discussion of the statutes within the DBK was scheduled for the Spring Assembly, which takes place February 19-22 in Augsburg.
However, this weekend the President of the DBK, Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, received a letter signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, as well as by the Prefects of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Victor M. Fernandez, and for the Bishops, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, dated February 16. The letter states that in the interest of "continuing the dialogue that we have already begun, that we will continue in the near future and that Pope Francis has asked us to strengthen", they wish "to express some concerns in this regard and to give some indications that have been brought to the attention of the Holy Father and approved by him".
The cardinals - with the Pope's approval - recall that a Synodal Council "is not foreseen by current canon law and, therefore, a resolution in this sense by the DBK would be invalid, with the corresponding juridical consequences." And they question the authority that "the Episcopal Conference would have to approve the statutes," since neither the Code of Canon Law nor the Statute of the DBK "provide a basis for it." And they add: "Nor has the Holy See issued a mandate; on the contrary, it has expressed the dissenting opinion."
Previously, four German bishops had spoken out against participating in the committee and financing the project through the Association of German Dioceses. According to Bishops Gregor Maria Hanke (Eichstätt), Stefan Oster (Passau), Rudolf Voderholzer (Regensburg) and Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki (Cologne), the establishment of a synodal committee to prepare a Synodal Council already goes directly against the directives of Pope Francis.
There is no competence to institute a Synodal Council.
The current brief recalls that this was already discussed between the German bishops and the Holy See during the last ad limina visit "and subsequently in the letter of January 16, 2023 from the Cardinal Secretary of State and the Prefects of the Dicasteries for the Doctrine of the Faith and for Bishops, in which it was expressly requested, with a special mandate from the Holy Father, that the creation of such a council should not go ahead." In that letter it was stated: "Neither the Synodal Way, nor an organism designated by it, nor an episcopal conference has the competence to institute a Synodal Council at the national, diocesan or parish level".
Although the current letter does not recall it, both the Holy See and the Holy Father personally referred again later to the "Synodal Council": in a letter Francis sent to four former participants of the Synodal Way, dated November 10, he spoke of "numerous steps by which a large part of this local Church threatens to move further and further away from the common path of the universal Church". Francis included among these steps "the constitution of the Synodal Committee, which aims to prepare for the introduction of a consultative and decision-making body that cannot be reconciled with the sacramental structure of the Catholic Church".
At the end of November, a letter dated October 23, addressed by the Cardinal Secretary of State to the DBK Secretary General, Beate Gilles, was made public. There, Cardinal Parolin affirmed that both the doctrine of reserving the priesthood to men and the Church's teaching on homosexuality - two of the main changes that the Synodal Way wants to introduce - are "non-negotiable."
Approving the statutes would contradict the instruction of the Holy See.
So now the cardinals are once again taking matters into their own hands, given the expectation that the DBK would deal with the Statutes of the Synodal Committee. It is worth noting the continuity between the letter of January 16, 2023 and this one of February 16, 2024: although the persons heading the Dicasteries have changed - Cardinal Victor M. Fernandez for Cardinal Luis Ladaria at the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Robert F. Prevost in place of Cardinal Marc Ouellet in that of the Bishops - the line followed by the Holy See vis-à-vis the German bishops, the argumentation and even the diction remain the same.
The Holy See speaks very clearly when it is necessary. Thus, in this letter of February 16, one can read, "To approve the statutes of the Synodal Committee would therefore be to contradict the instruction of the Holy See issued by special mandate of the Holy Father and would once again present him with faits accomplis."
Nevertheless, he remains committed to dialogue: he ends by recalling that "last October it was jointly agreed that the ecclesiological questions addressed by the Synodal Path, including the issue of an interdiocesan consultative and decision-making body, would be further discussed at the next meeting between representatives of the Roman Curia and the DBK." If the statutes of the "synodal committee" - he continues - were to be approved before that meeting, "the question arises as to the purpose of this meeting and, more generally, of the ongoing process of dialogue."
The cardinals' letter has had an immediate effect: according to the KNA news agency, which quotes DBK spokesman Matthias Kopp, the president of the Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, has already informed the other bishops that, for the time being, this item will be removed from the agenda, and that everything else will be decided during the plenary assembly in Augsburg.
February 19: two Álvaros beatified, but not yet canonized
Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, who underpinned the life of St. Josemaría and the history of Opus Dei, celebrated his feast day on February 19, the feast of Blessed Álvaro de Córdoba (a 15th-century Dominican reformer). Already in this century, when Don Alvaro was beatified (2014), the Church decreed his feast on May 12. Thus the Blesseds do not "fight", but there is still no Saint Alvaro.
Francisco Otamendi-February 19, 2024-Reading time: 4minutes
Precisely on February 19, 1974, a year and a bit before his departure for heaven, St. Josemaría jokingly said in a get-together with people from Opus Dei: "Something very good is happening to Don Alvaro: he doesn't have a saint, but a Blessed. So, if he does not become a saintI do not know how we are going to fix it...
In fact, on February 19, several saints are celebrated, including Blessed Álvaro de Córdoba, born in Zamora, and belonging to the Order of Preachers OPwhich has given great saints to the Church. Centuries have passed, and the liturgical calendar is still without a Saint Alvaro.
What does the name Alvaro mean? "He who protects everyone, who watches over everyone, who defends everyone," commented Flavio Capucci on February 19, 1984, based on a well-known etymological dictionary of proper names.
Blessed Alvaro replied that, personally, he was inclined to another interpretation, based not on the Germanic root, but on another Semitic one, "the son." "But it can be joined to the one you say," he added. "Pray that it may be true, my son, that I may be a good son and, at the same time, a good Father, who watches over others."
Salvador Bernal tells this story in a personal biography published by Eunsawritten after Don Alvaro's death (1994), and before he was beatified by the Church in 2014. It is very likely that the event was also picked up by Javier Medina in his biography The author has read it in Bernal's biographical sketch, a motley torrent of testimonies.
Similarities and differences between the Álvaros
Two brushstrokes on the two Blessed Alvaros. One was a Dominican and theologian, the Cordovan, six centuries earlier, and the other an engineer, priest and bishop, faithful son of the founder, and his first successor in 1975.
An example of fidelity that will always remain alive in Opus Dei, and which St. Josemaría himself set by indicating that the inscription from the Book of Proverbs be written on the lintel of the workroom of the Vicar General (then Don Álvaro) in Rome, "vir fidelis multum laudabitur"..
There are two main similarities between both Álvaros, in a colloquial tone, besides their priesthood, and underlining the fact that the one from Córdoba was a Dominican religious, and the one from Madrid, Del Portillo, a secular priest. One, that they are blessed. And two, that they dealt with fundamental issues in their respective institutions and in the Church.
Alvaro de Cordoba
Álvaro de Córdoba was "a Dominican friar of the 14th (and 15th) century who promoted the religious reform by founding the Convent of Scala Coeli in Córdoba. In this place he established the first localized "Via Crucis" known", writes the Order founded by St. Dominic of Guzman in 2016 and 2017, in the section corresponding to the readings of the February 19.
In summary, it can be said that after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Italy to learn about the reform carried out by Blessed Raymond of Capua, Alvaro de Cordoba began the same work of reform in Spain, specifically in Cordoba. Subsequently, he received from Pope Martin V the appointment of Major Superior of the reformed convents in our country.
Álvaro Huerga Teruelo OP adds in the Royal Academy of History who was a royal confessor, and that his model of reform was Italian, inspired by St. Catherine of Siena and by the aforementioned Blessed Raymond of Capua. But Álvaro de Córdoba gave it life by transposing the Holy Places of Jerusalem, so that chapels were built in the surroundings of the convent, which constituted "the first Way of the Cross" in Europe.
Álvaro del Portillo
As a person of the twentieth century, and beatified in 2014, a very extensive documentation is available on Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, bishop. As noted, his liturgical feast is May 12, the date on which he received his First Communion in the church of Our Lady of the Conception, now a basilica, in Madrid.
After the corresponding process, he was beatified before faithful from eighty countries on September 27, 2014 in Madrid. On that occasion, Pope Francis wrote a letter Javier Echevarría, and biographers such as Salvador Bernal highlight, among his virtues, his love for the Church and the Pope, "whoever he was".
Blessed Alvaro, who worked for years at the Holy See, used to repeat expressions like this, on the occasion of the conclaves he experienced: "We will be very united to the Pope, whoever he may be. It doesn't matter whether he is Polish or from Cochinchina, whether he is tall or short, young or old: he is the common Father of Christians".
The first Pope he met was Pius XII in 1943, when he presented to him, still a lay engineer, "new paths opened by God to achieve holiness in the midst of the world", as Cesare Cavalleri recounted. Then would come His audiences (first with St. Josemaría and then alone and with his vicars), with John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II, who went to visit him on the day of his death, March 23, 1994, in front of his mortal remains at the central headquarters of the Work.
St. Joseph Calasanz and St. Louis King of France
Bernal, who has launched another biography on Blessed Alvaro, tells us, "And here I am."I was told that his vocation to Opus Dei and the teachings of St. Josemaría had reaffirmed in Don Álvaro his love for the family, for all families. And he was particularly interested, naturally, in those of us who were closest to him.
On August 25, the universal liturgical calendar foresaw two free memorials: St. Joseph of Calasanz and St. Louis King of France. On that date, in 1977, it was chosen in Solavieya (Asturias), where they were spending a few days of rest, the memory of the former, linked to the Founder of Opus Dei for various reasons. "However, when leaving the oratory after the thanksgiving, Don Alvaro commented that, in the memento, he had remembered my mother, Luisa, who was celebrating her saint's day in Segovia".
Final informative note
To conclude, something obvious. Less has been said about Alvaro de Córdoba. This does not mean that he was less of a saint. He simply lived 600 years ago. After the Blessed Virgin Mary, comes St. Joseph in the Church. And the Gospel does not contain a single word about him, as far as I know.
The archbishop of the Archdiocese of Leon (Mexico), Monsignor Alfonso Cortes Contreras, closed last summer the process on the study of an alleged miraculous healing attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Álvaro del PortilloThe prelature informed that the acts of the process would be delivered in Rome to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints for their study.
Since his death, men and women from all over the world have flocked to his intercession through the stamp available in more than thirty languages. Thousands of testimonials have now been collected from people who have been helped in more than 60 countries.
In the Gospels, Christ transforms the hemorrhoid into a woman healed, lifted up, transformed, repositioned and blessed. A miracle that can be repeated in our lives today.
God loves women in a special way, and wants them to be healthy in order to be nourishment of love, instruments of peace and bearers of wisdom in all their surroundings. In the Bible We can appreciate how God's dealings with women have been transcendent, positioning them in key tasks throughout the history of salvation.
In some biblical episodes, God shows himself as the faithful provider, the caretaker of widows, of weak and needy women, as he did with the widow of Zarephath, with the hemorrhagic woman, the Samaritan woman and the daughter of Jairus.
In other cases God is the educator, maker and formator of virtuous and courageous women as He was with Ruth, Esther, Deborah, Hannah and Rachel. And what can we say about the outpouring of virtues that He imparted in His mother Mary! He will also dress His Church as a bride in glorious splendor at the marriage of the Lamb. God needs healthy women to help weave, assemble and conclude the history of salvation towards a victorious end.
As it says Ruth 3:11Now, therefore, do not be afraid, my daughter; I will do with you as you say, for all the people of my people know that you are a virtuous woman".
It is here that we have to ask ourselves this question: if women are so gifted, needed and used by God, why does it seem that, of the two genders, they are the most suffering, the most tired, the most lacking or needy? Physical and mental health problems affect both men and women, but some are more common in women.
Psychological vulnerability
In the field of psychology, studies affirm that women are almost twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic, certain phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This vulnerability is attributed to a complicated combination of several risk factors related to their biology, psychology, and sociocultural role tensions.
It is easy to notice that in our society, especially in some cultures, many women grow up without validation. Girls are not given the same level of importance and are taught to remain quiet and subservient, to the point of taking on the responsibility of constantly looking out for the health and well-being of the entire family before their own well-being. This is why it is important for women to prioritize their mental health, as they are 4 times more likely to experience conditions such as depression than men.
From 7 % to 20 % women will suffer from postpartum depression, especially when a number of factors come together, such as marital problems, financial problems, physical health problems, weight gain, and social isolation. Women who used the birth control pill during adolescence will be 130 % more likely to be depressed as adults. Of all those affected with these psychological conditions, nearly two-thirds will not get the help they need.
Is it decay, disappointment or depression?
"I walk about burdened, and hunched over, I walk afflicted all day long. I am paralyzed and broken to pieces. My heart is pounding, my strength is gone, and I lack even the light in my eyes. My companions are far from me, and my relatives are at a distance; Lord, do not forsake me, come quickly to my rescue" (Psalm 38:7-11, 21-22).
Undoubtedly, this psalm describes the emotional overwhelm of a human being overwhelmed by serious wounds, cruel sensations of impotence somatized and turned into physical ailments and total desolation. What would bring him to the edge of that psychological precipice? What sustains our delicate inner balance so as not to dawn one day on the brink of madness?
Life's challenges are sometimes bearable burdens that provide important lessons, or even effectively transform us into better human beings. But at other times, when the physical, emotional and psychological wear and tear are combined, and the soul no longer has the strength to believe or pray, the meaning of life is lost, reconfigured in this senseless suffering. That is when some people would prefer to give up or even die because they simply feel they can't give any more.
And we ask ourselves, what happened to that cheerful little girl who dared to laugh and dream, to hug and dance with her dolls, to dress them in pink, and to dream of beautiful fantasies that would become, according to her innocence, a quotable reality? That little girl was growing in stature at the same time that she was losing emotional strength. One day her life changed at dawn when she encountered abuse, abandonment, betrayal, uncertainty, a sick child, cancer, feeling eradicated from her fantasy to walk without strength and without illusion in her new and appetizing reality.
The question is, if even in such a grueling condition, she will be willing to use every last drop of her strength and hope to give life another chance.
The therapeutic work of faith
Of all the therapies available to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and similar conditions, I personally believe that there is no substitute for faith and a personal relationship with God. In fact, a recent study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago suggested that faith in God reduces the symptoms of clinical depression.
Faith gives meaning, purpose and new illusions to life, experiences very scarce in depressed people. It is faith that assures us that our future is in the hands of God, who is our defense and protection, and His love accompanies us with merciful streams soaking our life to free us from guilt and despair. The prayer of faith will facilitate the defocusing of the negative, and the focus on the possible and expected.
The Bible is full of quotes that exhort us to unlock sadness and turn toward joy. It is not God's delight or desire for us to be crestfallen, disinterested, and sad. He wants His joy in us to be possible, livable and complete.
Hemorrhoea
In Mark chapter 5, an anonymous woman suffered from a flow of blood. As others told her story, she was called the hemorrhoid, in other words, the untouchable, the dragged, the estranged. How many must have felt this way for so many different reasons? However, these pronouns would not last long. They would have to be updated because after an encounter with Jesus, everything would change.
Until a few days ago he had squandered all his fortune on doctors and remedies that did not help him. Someone told him the news that the famous healer from the Galilee was approaching his surroundings. He must have thought: I lose nothing in a last attempt at healing. He positioned himself at a crossroads, and stretched out his arm to reach out to the healer of stir. Without realizing it, he made a prophetic gesture, for by daring to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, he would approach the very throne of God. Those who know the Word will have read in Isaiah 6:1: "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. The hem of his garment covered the temple".
There was not much time. Any movement would have to be quick and punctual. Jesus was being rushed to the home of the well-known Jairus with a dying 12-year-old daughter. So in the minds of the disciples priorities surely had to be arranged: which of the two should Jesus attend to: a sick twelve year old woman who was desperate for healing, or a twelve year old girl who could not be left to die? Which pain is more real? Which need is more urgent? Which of the two will obtain the Lord's urgent favor? Let us choose one; there is no time for both.
But the author of time stops time. There was no need to lay hands. The wounded woman had already touched the Lord's heart with her groans and tears until she came into direct contact with His power and mercy.
Even without hearing the words "you are cured of your disease," she felt relieved of her ailment, of her sense of helplessness, of her failed attempts at twelve years of unrewarding effort, of her wear and tear of having to crawl through the streets and alleys suffering from a humiliating ailment with no apparent remedy.
Her body was freed from its evil, the emotional and psychological burden that humiliated her was lifted from her heart, and her soul took flight. This is how everyone should feel who ever hears such words in their lives: your sins are forgiven, or the tumor is gone, or someone has paid your debt. Go in peace!
Jesus asks, "Who touched me? Strength came out of me.He makes her identify herself because the miracle came in two parts. The woman gets up, converses with Jesus who tells her, "daughter, your faith has saved you, go in peace". In an instant or microsecond of eternity, two great miracles took place in a dejected and hopeless woman: her physical recovery, and her reintroduction to life as a woman healed and transformed from her old to her new identity.
That is why Jesus wanted to identify her in order to reveal the invisible miracle and to clothe her with a new visible dignity. Now let us change the pronouns, for she who was the hemorrhagic woman is now the healed, lifted up, transformed, repositioned and blessed woman.
Jairo's daughter
We can now go to Jairus' house without having to leave the previous miracle half done. However, Jesus and his retinue are approached by the same pessimists as always: "what are they bringing the teacher for, if Jairus' child is already dead". They forgot that the one they invited to come was not a healer, but the way, the truth and the life.(John 14:6). Jesus says, "the child is not dead, but asleep". And taking the child by the hand, he says to her, "Talitha kum, child, to you I say, arise."The girl stood upWhen will we understand that in the house of believers there are no dead children, but simply sleeping ones! He comes to wake them up!
In several lines of the same Gospel, there were two impressive miracles: the healing of an adult woman and the healing of a little girl. There was time for both. Both were lifted up. God has no favorites, only favored ones regardless of condition or distinction: woman or girl, rich or poor, free or slave, sinner or saint: the promise is for all.
Today's miracles
The miracles of this Gospel are found today in so many different and similar women, once twinned by physical pain and emotional decay, but who after an encounter with the healer of Galilee, their stories and names change. In other real life cases it is possible that it is the same woman, healed from the wounds and scourges of her childhood to become the adult woman lifted from her past sin or depression, to no longer drag her down.
There are women who suffer from illnesses or ailments that make them live fallen, impoverished and deprived of happiness. If that is you, it is time for your prayers, your gestures and your faith to reach the Master. Come to him in whatever condition you find yourself in that you will not be rejected or ignored. He has a healing to offer you if you take a step of approach and humility.
At the beginning of his spiritual exercises, the Pope asks for inner silence
Hours before beginning his spiritual exercises this afternoon, together with his collaborators of the Curia, and until Friday, Pope Francis invited in the Angelus of the First Sunday of Lent to recollect oneself in the presence of God in silence and prayer. And he prayed intensely for the return of peace in so many places in Africa and the world.
Francisco Otamendi-February 18, 2024-Reading time: 3minutes
Today, the first Sunday of Lent, the Gospel presents Jesus tempted in the desert, according to St. Mark. The text says: "He remained in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan", and about this reading Francis meditated this morning at the Angelus.
"During Lent, we too are invited to "enter the desert", that is, to enter the silencein the inner worldThe Pope began, "listening to the heart, in contact with the truth. In the desert," he added in today's Gospel, Christ "lived among the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him".
Beasts and angels were his company, the Pontiff pointed out, and they are also our company, in a symbolic sense, when we enter the inner desert. Wild beasts, in what sense, he asked. And his answer was: "In the spiritual life we can think of them as disordered passions that divide the heart, trying to possess it.
Craving for wealth, pleasure, fame...
"We can give names to these "wild beasts" of the soulThe vices, the craving for wealth, which imprisons in calculation and dissatisfaction, the vanity of pleasure, which condemns to restlessness, uneasiness and loneliness, and again the greed for fame, which generates insecurity and a constant need for confirmation and prominence".
"Let us not forget these things that we can find within us: greed, vanity and avarice. They are like 'wild' beasts and as such they must be tamed and fought: otherwise they will devour our freedom. And Lent helps us to enter the inner desert to correct these things," the Pope continued.
Angels: service
And then, "in the desert there were the angels. They are God's messengers, who help us, who do us good; in fact, their characteristic according to the Gospel is service, the exact opposite of possession, typical of the passions".
Finally, Francis suggested that we can ask ourselves what are the disordered passions, the "wild beasts" that are stirring in my heart, and secondly, in order to allow the voice of God to speak to my heart and keep it in the good, "do I think of withdrawing a little to the "desert", try to dedicate some space in the day for this? May the Blessed Virgin, who guarded the Word and did not allow herself to be touched by the temptations of the evil one, help us on the path of the Lent.
For peace in Sudan, Mozambique, in so many places?
After the Angelus prayer, the Pontiff recalled that ten months have passed since the start of the armed conflict in Sudan, which has created a very serious humanitarian situation.
And he made "a new appeal to the warring parties to put an end to this war that is doing so much harm to the population and to the future of the country. We pray that ways of peace will soon be found to build the future of the beloved Sudan".
On the other hand, "violence against defenseless populations, the destruction of infrastructure and insecurity plague the province of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, where in recent days the Catholic mission of Our Lady of Africa in Mazeze was set on fire. Let us pray for the return of peace in this tormented region. And let us not forget so many other conflicts that stain the African continent and many parts of the world: also Europe, Palestine, Ukraine...".
"Prayer is effective."
"Let's not forget," he reiterated. "War is always a defeat. Wherever it is fought, the populations are exhausted, they are tired of war which, as always, is useless and will only bring death and destruction, and will never bring a solution to the problems. Instead, let us pray without tiring, because prayer is effective, and let us ask the Lord for the gift of minds and hearts that are concretely dedicated to peace.
The Pontiff finally greeted the faithful from Rome and from various parts of Italy and the world, especially the pilgrims from the United States of America, and the Neocatechumenal communities from various parishes in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain, and the farmers and ranchers present in St. Peter's Square.
"In old age do not forsake me"(Ps 71:9). This will be the heart of the IV Journey World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, chosen by Pope Francis for the celebration, which this year will fall on July 28. A communiqué from the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life highlights how loneliness is a bitter companion in the lives of many elderly people, often victims of a culture that considers them superfluous. In preparation for the Jubilee, with the entire year 2024 dedicated to prayer, the theme of the Day is inspired by Psalm 71, the hymn of an elderly man reflecting on his long friendship with God.
As always, for the past four years, the Day aims to highlight the gift to the Church and society of grandparents and the elderly, underlining their contribution to community life. The aim is to promote the commitment of every ecclesial reality in building generational bridges and counteracting loneliness, aware that, as Scripture says, "it is not good for man to be alone" (Gen 2:18).
In a note, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, underscored the widespread reality of loneliness among the elderly, often marginalized by society.
For this reason, he invited families and ecclesial communities to promote a culture of encounter, creating spaces for sharing and listening in order to offer support and affection and to build together a broader "we" in ecclesial communion, embracing all generations.
This familiarity, rooted in God's love, is the key to overcoming the culture of discarding and loneliness. Therefore, communities are called to manifest the love of God, who abandons no one.
Previous workshops
As you will recall, the first World Day of Grandparents and Older Persons took place in 2021, when the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic were still fresh. That year the theme was: "I am with you always" (Mt 28:20) and the Pope addressed the elderly, stressing the importance of the Lord's presence in their lives and the Church's affection for them. He encouraged them to find comfort in faith and in reading the Scriptures, despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic.
The following year, the theme was "In old age you will still bear fruit" (Ps 92:15), emphasizing how old age is not a useless time, but a season in which to continue to be a protagonist, starting from the "revolution of tenderness" that must be poured out in a world that has lost the taste for it.
Last year, finally, we reflected on the passage from Luke 1:50 "From generation to generation his mercy", privileging the aspect of the intergenerational bond, with a clear reference to the encounter between the young Mary and her elderly relative Elizabeth. In the message there was a clear invitation to young people to honor their elders and to take care of the memory through mutual relationship, an aspect that Pope Francis has always stressed in his Magisterium.
The Eucharist, eternal source of poetic inspiration
The cult of the Eucharist has been reflected throughout the centuries in numerous literary and poetic works. Moreover, some cultural references, such as Chesterton or J. R. R. R. Tolkien, have been characterized by a great Eucharistic devotion.
Maria Caballero-February 17, 2024-Reading time: 8minutes
"Adorote devote, latens deitas.../ Te adoro con devoción Dios escondido"... The liturgical hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas along with others like the reiterated "Pange lingua" continues to resound in our churches after many centuries. Not only him, St. Bonaventure, St. John of Avila, St. Maria Micaela founder of the Adorers and so many others inflamed with divine love transform their high level theological studies into poetry or essays and continue to sustain the faith of the Catholic Church in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Until reaching St. John Paul II and his Encyclical "Ecclesia de Eucharistia" (2003), followed by Benedict XVI who in his apostolic exhortation "Sacramentum caritatis" (2007) picks up the torch to gloss a central truth in his papacy, the gift that Christ makes of himself revealing to us his infinite love for every man. A love that allows mere mortals to become what they receive, to become one with God. This idea has been glossed by St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Leo the Great and St. Francis de Sales, among others. Because to receive communion is "to quench one's hunger for Christ," said St. Teresa of Calcutta; and not to do so would be like "dying of thirst by a fountain," said the Holy Curé of Ars, another great devotee of the Eucharist. Consequently, prayers, hymns and Eucharistic poems run through Western history around the feast of Corpus Christi and its processions, which continue to be celebrated with unusual splendor in Seville, Toledo and many other cities. As the hymns of the International Eucharistic Congresses of the 20th century also testify: "On your knees, Lord, before the tabernacle, / that keeps all that remains of love and unity, / (...) Christ in all souls and in the world peace /" (Pemán y Aramburu, Barcelona 1952). In fact, Pemán worked these themes in "El divino impaciente" (theater, 1933) and the "Canto a la Eucaristía" (1967). Centuries ago, love for the Eucharist filled the life of another laywoman whom Pope Francis declared venerable: "the madwoman of the Sacrament", Doña Teresa Enriquez, lady of Isabella the Catholic who founded the first headquarters of the Eucharistic confraternities in Spain.
Traces of the Eucharist in literature: the autos sacramentales
But let us leave aside the saints, in spite of their metaphorical capacity, to focus on another aspect of the question: the Eucharist, gift of God and central mystery of the Christian, has generated a great literature from the Middle Ages to the present day. Due to the brevity of space, we will only make a few brief comments on this process.
It is not strange that in a theocentric society, the autos sacramentales arose in Spain in the Golden Age (XVI-XVII). They were allegorical plays in verse in one or several acts with a Eucharistic theme. They were performed on the day of Corpus Christi with great scenographic apparatus and glossed biblical, philosophical, moral and especially Eucharistic themes. The characters were abstractions, symbols that embodied ideas such as good and evil, faith, hope, charity and the Eucharist. Given their theological complexity and doctrinal subtleties, the success of the autos sacramentales in a people with a very high rate of illiteracy is paradoxical. Almost all the great authors of the time wrote them: Timoneda, Lope de Vega, Valdivielso, Tirso de Molina... But the summit of the genre was reached by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681), writer, playwright and priest who wrote more than eighty autos sacramentales, with a close theological connection between the feast and the play represented, whose Eucharistic theme is always essential. He defines them as follows: "Sermons / put in verse, in idea / representable questions / of Sacred Theology, / that my reasons / cannot explain nor understand, / and to the rejoicing he arranges / in applause of this day".
Some titles: "El gran teatro del mundo", "La cena del rey Baltasar", "El gran mercado del mundo", "El verdadero Dios pan", "La lepra de Constantino", "La protestación de la fe", "Viático cordero"... In the first one, life is a theater where each character plays his role and is received at the end by the Author in the great Eucharistic dinner that rewards those who defended Christian values. And so, in all of them, an argument that always refers to the Eucharistic theme is glossed using allegory, a resource that satisfied his desire to play with abstractions and concepts. In "Lo que va del hombre a Dios", he tries to reflect his technique and intentions in this dramatic genre when he says: "It was in the style set / that Man should begin by sinning, / that God should end by redeeming / and, when the bread and wine arrived / to rise with him to Heaven / to the sound of the shawms". A sample of his poetic work is "Manjar de los fuertes": "El género humano tiene / contra las fieras del mundo, / por las que horribles le cerquen, / su libertad afianzada, / como a sustentarse llegue / de aquel Pan y de aquel Vino / de aquel cual hoy es sombra éste.../ Nadie desconfíe, / nadie desespere. / Que con este Pan y este vino.../ las llamas se apagan, / las fieras se vencen, / las penas se abrevian / y las culpas se absuelven".
The Eucharist in 19th and 20th century English essay literature.
For the brevity of the article, I cannot deal with it, but I can at least allude to the literature of the English converts that starts from Cardinal Newman and has its center in G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), so well studied by Pearce in his book "Converted Writers" (1999). A phenomenon of chain conversions (Belloc, Benson, Knox, Grahan Greene, Waugh, C. S. Lewis, Tolkien...). Most of them come from Protestantism and for them the Eucharistic theme is a priority. They will work it in essays, poems and novels. For Chesterton, since his conversion in love with the feast of Corpus Christi, believing in the real presence of the Blessed Sacrament was the very touchstone of truth, to the point of exclaiming after his first communion: "Today was the happiest day of my life". He confessed to being frightened before the tremendous reality of Christ in the Eucharist. And he added: "For those of my faith there is only one answer: Christ is on earth today, alive on a thousand altars; and he solves people's problems exactly as he did when he was in the world in a more ordinary sense".
Poets sing the Eucharist
Going back, in theocentric times the great writers did not forget the Eucharist, for example Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) in his poem "Alégrate alma mía": "Si en pan tan soberano, se recibe al que mide cielo y tierra; / si el Verbo, la Verdad, la Luz, la Vida / en este pan se encierra; / si Aquel por cuya mano/ se rige el cielo, es el que convida / con tan dulce comida/ en tan alegre día. / O wondrous thing, / Invite and He who invites is one thing, / Rejoice, my soul, / For you have on the ground / As white and as lovely bread as in heaven." Or Luis de Góngora (1561-1627): "Lost sheep, come / on my shoulders, that today / not only am I your shepherd, / but your pasture as well (...) Pasture, at last, today yours made / what will give greater astonishment, / or me carrying you on my shoulder, / or you carrying me on your breast? / Garments are of narrow love / that even the blindest see them (...)".
Already in the twentieth century it is surprising to find in Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936), always in agonizing search of God, a beautiful and dense poem entitled "Eucharist" which opens as follows: "Love of you burns us, white body; / love that is hunger, love of the entrails; / hunger of the creative word / that became flesh; fierce love of life / that is not satisfied with hugs, kisses, / or with any conjugal bond. / Only eating you quenches our craving, / bread of immortality, divine flesh. / (...) To close with a request: "And your arms opening as in token / of loving surrender you repeat to us: / "Come, eat, take: this is my body!" / Flesh of God, incarnate Word, incarnate / our divine carnal hunger for You!". Much more surprising is the "Ode to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar" (1928), by Federico García Lorca (1898-1936), which, despite the personal, free and almost bizarre nature of his writing, reveals a germ of faith in the poet from Granada. Because the generation of '27, although in its own way, also sought the divine that the modernists had already glimpsed with a certain exotericism, as is palpable in the publications of "Adonais" and also collected Ernestina de Champourcin in her anthology "Dios en la poesía actual" (God in contemporary poetry) (BAC 1976). As an example: a poetic fragment of Ernestina herself: "Because it is late, my God / because it is getting dark / and the road is cloudy / (...) Because I burn with thirst for You / and hunger for your wheat, / come, sit at my table; / bless the bread and the wine" (...).
"Dios en la poesía española de posguerra", a book by M. J. Rodríguez (1977) attests to the religious upturn after the Spanish war of 1936, together with the anguish of the search and the longing for salvation, although not essentially Eucharistic. L. Panero, Dámaso Alonso, Blas de Otero, M. Alcántara, L. Rosales, C. Bousoño, B. Llorens, J. M. Valverde, M. Mantero, L. Felipe, V. Gaos, J. J. Domenchina, A. Serrano Plaja... Something explicable in a climate of existentialism and after the massacres of the successive wars.
And they are still singing it today
What is perhaps not so foreseeable is the upturn that at the end of the 20th century, in an atmosphere of desacralizing secularism, appears in a few young poets and continues right now. Beyond Murciano and Martín Descalzo, in the south of Spain and around (although not only) the Sevillian magazine and publishing house "Númenor", C. Guillén Acosta, J. J. Cabanillas (by the way, both coordinated an anthology, "Dios en la poesía actual", Rialp, 2018), the brothers Daniel and Jesús Cotta, R. Arana... have touched with unabashed and uninhibited naturalness religious poetry. I would like to close this article with a small selection of verses.
A fragment of "Eucharistia", by Guillén Acosta (1955) in his book "Redenciones" (2017) opens the set: (...). "And it is the daily need to know myself / turned to some tabernacle, / and from there wait for the moment to arrive / and reach to discover its mystery, that of bread, / which makes me give myself like the grain in the threshing floor / and in which I am transformed every time I ingest it".....
Another fragment of "Por tres" in "Mal que bien" (2019), by E. García Máiquez (1969): "My most solicitous ejaculatory / has always been: Sangre / de Cristo, embriágame. / (...) And I intone another ejaculatory: You / who made me in your image, / Trinitarian God, multiply me..."...
Appealing to context (Sta Maria del Transtévere) and suggestion, R. Arana (1977) touches the theme in "Let's make three tents", poem of "The last minute" (2020): "Little flock of Byzantine sheep / that minute by minute I watched / bleating in that golden vault / in a silence that also shines: / by your side I would stay / if there were a good shepherd, as there is, / in the heat of the mute and giant power / of that tiny lamp / and never return to the gray cement".
Impressive "Está sucediendo ahora", tenths by Daniel Cotta (1974) in "Alumbramiento" (2021) that express the Catholic faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist at the moment of the consecration: (...) "Now, yes, in the place / where those hands in flight / have just summoned / the Lord of earth and sky / on the linen of the altar! / That whiteness that comes forth / affectionate and beneficent / like a rising moon / is God in cloud-flesh, / is God descending in the dawn (...) / God is coming into the world... / and it is happening now".
Also "Con los ojos cerrados", by Jesús Cotta (1967) who surprisingly dares with a whole book of religious themes, "Acogido a sagrado" (2023), and says: (...) "Y llueva tu agua, / agua hecha vino, / vino hecho sangre, / sangre hecha gracia" (And let your water rain, / water made wine, / wine made blood, / blood made grace).
Another very recent poem, "Venite adoremus" (Esos tus ojos, 2023), by J. J. Cabanillas (1958) certifies it: (...) "It has taken nights, suns / the green flame of a standing ear of corn / and make you Your white bread and I adore you / as that king of snow adored / you, Child, my child, always a child"... He had already touched on the subject in Cuatro estaciones (2008): "The bells... Do you hear? It's already daylight (...). When have I arrived on this Thursday of Corpus Christi / Already the throne under the sun is in the street / (...). The Monstrance is approaching like a torch of fire / and the round flesh is ringed with Love"...
To close this block, it could be said that almost all of them write ambitious, audacious and uncommon collections of poems in the current Spanish poetry scene and express their jubilant faith in divinity from everyday perspectives. Something surprising, as surprising has been the trajectory of the young Carlo Acutius, declared venerable in 2020. A very modern boy, and very much in love with the Eucharist, who created a website on the genesis of the Eucharistic miracles of the world.
The authorMaria Caballero
Professor of Spanish-American Literature at the University of Seville.
Pope Francis asks us to add to our prayers the monthly intentions he proposes for the whole Church. Recently he asked for the terminally ill. He used this colloquial phrase that has a very deep meaning: incurable does not mean incurable.
Recently I was approached by a tender grandmother. I received from her a master class in higher theology. Susan was her name. Sitting in her wheelchair, she joyfully told me some good news: her granddaughter was safe and sound after a serious car accident, but what made her most happy were the words that her granddaughter gave her when she expressed her gratitude because, for her, the grandmother's prayers had saved her. Susan was truly happy and grateful.
Suddenly she paused for a moment and added: "And to think that I wanted to die, I asked my family to let me go. But instead of listening to me, they started to come to see me more, to visit me and give me care and love; I felt valuable, before that I thought I was here getting in the way and generating useless expenses. Today I know that God has perfect plans and that He is the Lord of life. I have already offered Him to live to love and pray and I have told Him that I am willing to receive the kind of death He wants and when He disposes. I only beg Him to hear my prayers on behalf of those I love."
Dignified life
While the world proposes "death with dignity" for the elderly and terminally ill, the Church speaks of giving "life with dignity" to those who suffer. It is essential to promote palliative care in every sense of the word.
There are those who state in a very "practical" way: this person is very sick, his illness has no solution, keeping him alive implies a lot of expense and besides, he doesn't even want to live! There are already 12 countries in the world whose legal frameworks allow the euthanasia.
In this regard, St. John Paul II emphasized that this is taking possession of death, seeking it in advance and thus putting a 'sweet' end to one's own life or that of others. In reality, what might seem logical and humane, when considered in depth, appears absurd and inhuman. This is one of the most alarming symptoms of the "culture of death," he warned.
The sacredness of life
The catechism of the Catholic Church makes a supreme appeal to us: "Human life is to be held sacred, because from its very beginning it is the fruit of God's creative action and always remains in a special relationship with the Creator, its only end. God alone is Lord of life from its beginning to its end; no one, under any circumstances, can claim the right to kill an innocent human being directly".
And also: "Those whose life is diminished or debilitated are entitled to special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be cared for so that they may lead as normal a life as possible."
Christians are called to make a difference, against the current but with Christ!
There is a poem by Gabriela Mistral that moves me deeply and today I share it with you to encourage you to fulfill in everything, especially in suffering, the perfect and sometimes mysterious will of God:
The procession to Santa Sabina, the beginning of the Roman Lenten season
Altar servers lead the procession that traditionally takes place on Ash Wednesday from the church of San Anselmo to the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome.
Manuel SerranoPalliative care is a manifestation of humanity".
Manuel Serrano Martínez, who has been Medical Director of the Laguna Hospital for palliative care, talks in this interview about the importance of accompaniment, the humanitarian work of the physician and the universal vocation to care.
Manuel Serrano has been Medical Director of Laguna Care Hospitala palliative care-oriented health center located in Madrid (Spain). Dr. Serrano writes articles, books and gives lectures, but above all, what characterizes his work is "caring for people".
Convinced that palliative care "is a fundamental activity for a physician", and given the importance given to it by the Pope FrancisDr. Serrano talks about them with Omnes in this interview.
When a patient is in palliative care, the physician knows that his mission is no longer to cure, but to care. How does his work change?
- As health professionals, we know that what must characterize us most is caring for people. Curing is not always possible, but caring, comforting and accompanying is always possible. When people become ill, even with a trivial illness, they prefer to have a doctor at their side who is attentive to their needs, to their way of experiencing what is happening to them, who adapts empathetically and compassionately to their pain and suffering. They need first to be reassured at least by a look, then to feel understood, and finally to be offered the treatment that will cure or relieve them and to be concerned about the outcome of their treatment.
In short, the doctor becomes a sincere friend who takes care of a fundamental aspect of life: health, which can often be restored, and sometimes not, but can always be alleviated, accompanied and comforted. And to be aware of this and to live it this way, believe me, is a privilege.
Some people think that palliative care is akin to "playing God" because it unnecessarily prolongs the patient's life. Can you clarify what palliative care is so that we don't fall into this misinterpretation?
- This has nothing to do with reality. Palliative care is a fundamental activity for a physician. In fact, it is always possible, in all circumstances of illness. They bring the physician closer to his fellow human beings, and an activity develops in them that is the fruit of love between people, of the desire to help the other because he is equal to me, because of the human dignity that unites us. Nothing is further from playing God. They are so much a human relationship that I cannot imagine any other more deserving of the name.
On the other hand, palliative care does not prolong life, but rather makes it easier at a time when the threat of the end is approaching, and makes it possible to await that end, which is death, with a calmer and more hopeful attitude. Because we not only deal with pain, restlessness, immobility and weakness, but we also solve as far as possible the patient's problems with social or family formalities, we act in the psychological sphere that facilitates the more or less accepted awareness of what is happening to them, and we also deal with what is an inseparable part of the terminal illness, the accompaniment in the spiritual restlessness.
As a physician, when do you make the decision to move from trying to cure a patient to admitting them to palliative care? How do you avoid therapeutic overkill?
- The sensible treatment of diseases, especially those of a malignant nature, which carry an implicit risk to life, should be put into practice while the disease is under control, without evidence of extension of the disease and without a progressive evolution. Sometimes it is found that everything that is being done or could be done carries an implicit risk greater than the good it is intended to cause, due to side effects or risk of diseases that appear due to the weakness that the treatment often provokes.
The obstinacy in the application of treatments, hoping that one of them may give proof of a certain action, leads to actions outside all scientific evidence and therefore amounts to applying non-innocuous treatments that cause suffering and deceptively offer a hope far from all reason.
When a malignant disease or terminal illness has reached a certain extent, it is important to know that what we need to do is to provide the greatest comfort and well-being to the patient and, within the limits of the human relationship, to help him/her understand that everything humanly feasible has already been done. This is the moment to apply palliative or comfort care.
How can we look at patients as people, without reducing them to their disease?
- The first thing we teach in medical school is that there are no diseases, only sick people. Diseases in themselves do not have treatment; those who have treatment are the people who suffer from them, and although they tend to be applied in a protocolized manner, there must be variations derived from the personal and biological characteristics of the patient who is going to receive it. This is very important.
The most recent attitude is to do person-centered medicine, not to contemplate the disease in an impersonal way. Similar situations in different people require different therapeutic approaches.
On the other hand, the life circumstances, the way in which the disease has had an impact on his or her life, require us to know the individual particularities that in the end transform a single disease into an indefinite number of different diseases.
From a personal, psychological and spiritual point of view, they ask us to treat them differently. People's lives are always different, and the way we treat them is also different. This attitude leads to the personalization of the therapeutic relationship between the physician and the patient, who thus becomes unique.
Pope Francis speaks of the importance of accompanying not only the patient but also the family. How do you achieve this through palliative care?
- The Pope has said some very motivating things about palliative care for healthcare professionals, such as the decisive role of palliative care, which guarantees not only medical treatment but also human and close accompaniment, because it provides a companionship full of compassion and tenderness. Just holding the patient's hand makes him or her feel the sympathy of the person accompanying him or her, and the gaze can bring a comfort that is otherwise more difficult to achieve.
The Pope also insisted that families cannot be left alone in situations where a loved one is in his or her last days. Too much family suffering is generated in these circumstances. In palliative care, our priority is to attend to the needs of the family, assisting them and accompanying them in their grief.
Some argue that, given the difficult economic situation in some countries, euthanasia is a way to save resources. What is your opinion on this?
- I think there are many false arguments with which public opinion is manipulated. None of the countries that have implemented laws allowing euthanasia are poor countries or countries with scarce health resources. Belgium, Holland, Canada, some states in the USA, etc., are not examples of countries that need to save resources. Palliative treatment of malignant diseases or others that are doomed to death is not burdensome in any case; all that is needed is the decision to organize healthcare for care and relief instead of excessive, sometimes unnecessary, technification, which does make healthcare considerably more expensive.
Some countries are determined to push through laws in favor of euthanasia while doing nothing effective to promote the organization of palliative care. On the other hand, in some countries that have legislated in favor of assisted suicide, and that have facilitated the proliferation of business with it, such as Switzerland, they do not allow euthanasia.
Intentional manipulation is the way in which the law regulating euthanasia has gained a foothold in many countries, including our own. There are words that have been installed as slogans in society, such as dignified death for example, without realizing that to take life is to take away dignity, and that to accompany in illness is to accompany a person similar to us, as worthy as ourselves, towards his or her last destiny.
Does one have to be Catholic to support palliative care?
- Not at all. I would say that caring and accompanying is a universal vocation. Palliative care is a manifestation of humanity in its extreme. I mean that true humanity recognizes the dignity of fellow human beings as possessing an immaterial quality that makes them identical to us until natural death. And so we feel the need to care for and relieve our suffering fellow human beings as we would want them to care for us.
For this it is necessary to recognize that the human being has a transcendence that exceeds the purely material and carnal, and that he is destined for his life to have a meaning. This, which is a manifestation of humanity as a whole, is what Christianity defends, giving man the exaltation that makes him a child of God and an entity that springs from the image and likeness of God.
Therefore, Christians, and more so Catholics, who have the carnality of Christlikeness and earthly life as a path to eternal life associated with us, have all the more reason to develop palliative care as a path of charity and fraternal compassion.
Can we talk about palliative care in a luminous way, without getting carried away by the fear of death and illness? What do you think should be the perspective?
- Of course. In life we always have occasions to reach and feel hope. There are people who perhaps in their lives have not paid attention or have not thought about the end that reaches us all.
In today's world, people don't want to talk about suffering or death, they are removed from conversations and are not paid attention to, they have become a taboo. When the pain is severe, palliative care provides the serenity needed to rethink everything that we have perhaps unknowingly always hoped for.
Early death is only desired by those who suffer in despair of achieving relief, those who are alone or who are not well cared for, those for whom existence has become a burden. But many times I have found that treatment that provides relief from these situations, accompaniment, affection and tenderness makes them change and they regain the hope of living with peace.
Man cannot under any circumstances make himself the master of life. I am sorry for those who defend euthanasia, but there is no noble reason to decide when a life is worth living or when a life no longer has the dignity that keeps it in existence. The recognition of dignity depends precisely on those who care for it.
The end of life can be contemplated with hope. Any circumstance experienced can help us to appreciate that life has meaning, that it is going somewhere. To avoid experiences that can give rise to anxiety, distress, and lead to further spiritual suffering, palliative care is called upon to play an indispensable role in the treatment and care of all people with illnesses that lead to a slow end.
The University of the Holy Cross and Tutela Minorum sign an agreement
On February 14, the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross reported on its new collaboration agreement with the Commission for the Protection of Minors to prevent abuse in the Church.
The agreement was signed by Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, President of the Commission, and Luis Navarro, Rector of the University. It is composed of 7 articles that specify the nature of this collaboration between the two entities.
The agreement between the PUSC and Tutela Minorum
First, the two parties undertake to carry out a "regular update of initiatives and academic activities for the prevention, protection and safeguarding of minors and vulnerable persons".
Also in this regard, the University will lend free of charge to the Committee the spaces in the "Palazzo di Sant'Apollinare" for academic and institutional activities related to the objective of the Committee. For its part, the Vatican Committee will communicate the use of the spaces to the University and will bear all the expenses for the organization of such activities.
The agreement leaves open the possibility of carrying out other "research activities, seminars, training courses (...) and other forms of collaboration". However, this will require other "specific agreements".
Communication between the two entities remains in the hands of the university rector and the secretary of the Pontifical Commission, "in order to ensure an open dialogue in light of the importance of the shared mission".
To ensure transparency, the University and the Commission "undertake to prepare an annual report on achievements, which will be disseminated jointly and in the manner deemed most appropriate".
The collaboration between the institutions will last three years, although "it is renewable by explicit agreement of the contracting parties". In the event that neither the University nor the Commission indicates that they wish to withdraw from the agreement three months before its expiration, the agreement "will be considered renewed".
Common effort in the Church
"This agreement is part of the network of collaboration agreements that the Commission signs with other ecclesial entities to carry out its mission," said Cardinal O'Malley when speaking about the signing. For his part, Rector Luis Navarro expressed the joy of the university team for "being at the service of a crucial and common effort within the Church."
In addition to this collaboration, the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross has other projects under way for the prevention of abuse. Among them, a training course in February and March, and a round table organized by the Canon Law faculty.
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Eucharistic Adoration in Germany since WYD 2005
