Anonymous Polyptych

Polyptych crafted 1450 AD in Wallraf Richartz Museum, Koln

A polyptych is a multi-panelled painting, usually used as an altar-piece. This particular anonymous polyptych shows the life of Christ, and except for the first three panels, (Annunciation, Birth of Christ and Three Kings,) the other 9 show various scenes from the passion of Christ, from the Last Supper to the Resurrection. These panels were produced also to be used as visuals to teach children and adults about the life of Christ, similar to the role that stained-glass windows had over the years.

A new Bishop for our Diocese

Bishop-elect of Baker Diocese, Fr Liam Cary

The Pope has nominated today March 8 as the new Bishop of the Baker Diocese, Fr Liam Stephen Cary, a priest of the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, presently pastor of St. Mary's Parish in Eugene. 

He was born on August 21, 1947 at Portland Oregon, and moved with his family to Prineville in Central Oregon at a young age. He attended the Ochocho Elementary schools  and the Prineville Junior High School. He then entered the Baker Diocese Seminary attending at Mount Angel High School Seminary. He pursued his philosophy studies at Mount Angel and  theology studies at Menlo Park, (California.) Having left the Seminary in 1970, he worked for a number of years among the poor and migrants in Chicago, Salinas, (California) and Eugene (Oregon.)

He returned to the Seminary for the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon in 1987, and followed his studies at the American Pontifical College and the Gregoriana University, both in Rome, attaining his licentiate in Moral Theology in 1992. He was ordained a priest on September 5, 1992 for the Archdiocese of Portland and has since served in these capacities: associate pastor at St. Joseph's in Salem (1992-1994,) member of the Educating for Chastity Task Force (1993-1997,) Director of Vocations (1994-1998,) Chaplain of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (1994-1997,) assistant pastor at St. Anne parish in Gresham (1997-1998) and again assistant pastor at St Luke Parish in Woodburn (1998.) 

 Fr Liam Cary at Sacred Heart, Medford.

He was made pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Medford (1998-2011.) He was also an administrator of Shepherd of the Valley parish in Central Point (2005.) Presently he is also Archdiocesan Consultor and a member of the Presbyteral Council. Besides English and Spanish, he also knows Italian and Latin.

                          Ad Multos Annos, Bishop Liam!

A Peaceful Reflection

"A Peaceful Reflection" watercolor 2009 by Fr Julian

Many visitors of this blog told me they like my watercolors. I am self-taught and consider myself an absolute beginner. Any artist can see many mistakes in my drawings, but others have mentioned that I have developed a particular style which is charming and unique. So far I have painted over 120 different paintings, all of which are visible in my parish website's homepage, scroll down and you'll recognize them right away at:  www.saintfranciscathedral.com

But here is one of my earliest paintings, which is still one of my favorites, entitled "A Peaceful Reflection." I thought of sharing it with you during this Lenten season as it evokes a sense of peace and tranquility, which is so needed nowadays, but has become so rare. The central figure of the crucifix dominates the painting with some buildings in the background and two large trees flanking the cross. However the bright light behind the image of Christ foretells of what is to come, a new life brought about by the Resurrection.

The Crucifix Tree

"We adore o Christ and we praise You"

On a busy road in Malta, between the towns of Attard and Rabat, there grew a pine tree that took an unusual and fascinating shape. The trunk mysteriously developed into what looks very distinctly like a crucifix, complete with the head, outstretched arms, and the twisted body of Jesus. I took this picture over 20 years ago, and since then more people discovered its presence, and started placing flowers in front of it. I believe that recently it started to deteriorate, and is not as photogenic as it was 20 years ago. But at least for a number of years it served as a true place of worship, making many people pause for a prayer, or slow down as they drive by, to bless themselves.

Holy Week in Malta

Miniature statues of Our Lady of Sorrows, Zebbug, Malta

Two years ago I was able to experience Holy Week in my home country of Malta after an absence of 30 years. Needless to say, I came back with over 3000 photos which I like to share with you between now and Easter. Many exhibitions are held in private homes, churches and parish halls. Enthusiasts and amateur sculptors prepare a variety of statues representing scenes from the passion of Christ. 

Miniature statue of Veronica

Many of them are replicas of larger life-size statues that are carried in procession on Good Friday. Displays of Last Supper tables were also very popular, which unfortunately were only on display during Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Photos of these will be posted later. But today we focus on the miniature statues, some of which were also draped with real clothes. This is the result of hours and hours and days of patience, and a sheer passion and love of ecclesiastical art and culture.

The Betrayal of Judas and the Flogging at the pillar

Offering more....

Unto You, my Lord, I pledge my feeble body.
Not to be healed but to be forgiven.
Not to be recreated in my own image, but to be created in your own image.
Not to grieve but to have hope.
Not to have questions but to have answers.
Not to have anger but to have understanding.
Not to have fear but to have commitment.
Not to have ideals but to have concrete ideas.
Not to be ruled but to rule myself.

Not to have love, but to be love and give love to others.

Not to take but to share.
Not to critique but to know.

Not to complain but to be thankful for each day You give me.
For this and all things I say thanks.

A Lenten Prayer
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy.
Guard me, O Holy Spirit, that I myself may always be holy.

St Augustine

Elvis and Dolores Hart

Elvis Presley and Dolores Hart in "King Creole"

This may feel out of place for some of the visitors of this blog, but I told you that occasionally there will be some surprises. Well, it’s a true and heart-warming story about Elvis Presley and one of his female co-stars, Dolores Hart. She appeared in 16 films in all, two of them with Elvis, precisely “King Creole” and “Loving You,” in the late 1950s. She also appeared in the successful “Where the boys are,” as well as another good movie “Francis of Assisi” in the role of St Clare. Most probably this role changed her life forever, because in 1963, Dolores was about to sign a seven-figure contract and was engaged to a Los Angeles businessman when she decided to join the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut, where she is now prioress. 

Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B.

Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., now 73 years old, last week attended her first Academy Awards show since 1959 to show support for “God is the Bigger Elvis,” an Oscar-nominated documentary about her and her abbey. The 37-minute documentary talks about Mother Dolores’ story and about life at the abbey. It was an Oscar nominee for best documentary short category and set to premiere April 5 on HBO. “I adored Hollywood. I didn’t leave because it was a place of sin. I left Hollywood at the urging of a mysterious thing called vocation.” The nun said she allowed cameras to access the abbey to help those who are soul-searching. “We wanted to invite the world into another order of life that might give some hope,” she said. The documentary interviews Mother Dolores and other nuns like Sister John Mary, 44, an Oxford-educated former advertising executive who came to the abbey after a period of addiction. It also covers the last meeting of Mother Dolores and her ex-fiancé Don Robinson, who never married. He continued to visit and help the abbey until his death in December 2011.

Mother Dolores was a presenter at the 1959 Academy Awards. She remains a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In January, she made a rare speaking appearance at the Central California Marian Eucharistic Conference. Dolores is also the niece of the famous tenor Mario Lanza.

Forgiveness

The Forgiving Father, painting by Sister Rigoberta OSF

Jesus encourages us today to forgive one another. And He goes even further in His challenge to us: "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” 

I offer you today this prayer of forgiveness:
O God, forgive us for the faults which make us difficult to live with.
If we behave as if we were the only people for whom life is difficult;
If we behave as if we were far harder worked than anyone else;
If we behave as if we were the only people who were ever disappointed, or the only people who ever got a raw deal; If we are far too self-centered and far too full of self-pity:
Forgive us, 0 God.
If we are too impatient to finish the work we have begun; If we are too impatient to listen to someone who wants to talk to us, or to give someone a helping hand; If we think that other people are fools, and make no attempt to conceal our contempt for them:
Forgive us, 0 God.
If we too often rub people the wrong way;
If we spoil a good case by trying to ram it down someone's throat;
If we do things that get on people's nerves, and go on doing them, even when we are asked not to:
Forgive us, 0 God.
Help us to take the selfishness and the ugliness out of life and to do better in the days to come.

Fasting and Feasting

Many people focus so much on the fasting aspect of Lent, that they overlook the feasting aspect. Yes, it's OK to avoid the negatives, but it's just as important to accentuate the positives.

Fast on criticism, feast on praise
Fast on resentment, feast on contentment
Fast on self-pity, feast on happiness
Fast from hatred, feast on peace
Fast from jealousy, feast on love
Fast from pride, feast on humility
Fast from selfishness, feast on service
Fast on apathy, feast on faith
Fast from complaining, feast on appreciation
Fast from carelessness, feast on commitment
Fast from egoism, feast on altruism
Fast from gossiping, feast on concern
Fast from laziness, feast on prayer
Fast from anger, feast on joy
Fast from dishonesty, feast on sincerity
Fast from frowning, feast on smiling
Fast from pessimism, feast on optimism
Fast from revenge, feast on forgiveness
Fast from anxiety, feast on hope
Fast from sensual temptation, feast on purity
Fast from taking, feast on giving
Fast from fear, feast on courage
Fast from impatience, feast on tolerance
Fast from cheating, feast on honesty
Fast from fighting, feast on reconciling
Fast from the TV, feast on some spiritual reading
Fast from the newspaper, feast on the bible
Fast from competition, feast on teamwork
Fast from passive indifference, feast on positive action
Fast from yourself, feast on Jesus & others.

The Leap Year

Although most years of the modern calendar have 365 days, a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours. Every four years, during which an extra 24 hours have accumulated, one extra day is added to keep the count coordinated with the sun's apparent position. That is why we have February 29 every 4 years. The leap year was introduced as part of the Julian calendar reform. February 29 came to be regarded as the leap day when the Roman system of numbering days was replaced by sequential numbering in the late Middle Ages.
Some important events that took place on February 29 in leap years:
1504 – Christopher Columbus uses his knowledge of a lunar eclipse that night to convince Native Americans to provide him with supplies.
1892 – St. Petersburg, Florida is incorporated.
1940 – For her role as Mammy in 'Gone with the Wind,' Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award.
1956 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces to the nation that he is running for a second term.
1960 – An earthquake in Morocco kills over 3,000 people and nearly destroys Agadir in the southern part of the country.
1960 – Family Circus cartoon series makes its debut.
1972 – Hank Aaron becomes the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to sign a $200,000 contract. Today a major league player makes that much at every 6 to 8 at-bats!
1980 – Gordie Howe of the then Hartford Whalers makes NHL history as he scores his 800th goal.
1996 – Faucett Flight 251 crashes in the Andes, killing 123 people.
2004 – Jean-Bertrand Aristide is removed as President of Haiti following a coup.

Gioacchino Rossini, Italian opera composer, born Feb 29, 1792

Some famous people born on February 29:
1468 – Pope Paul III (d. 1549)
1792 – Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer (d. 1868)
1812 – Sir James Wilson, Premier of Tasmania (d. 1880, also on February 29!)
1892 – Ed Appleton, American baseball player (d. 1932)
1904 – Jimmy Dorsey, American bandleader (d. 1957)
1908 – Balthus, French-Polish painter (d. 2001)
1916 – Dinah Shore, American singer and actress (d. 1994)
1924 – Al Rosen, American baseball player
1924 – Carlos Humberto Romero, President of El Salvador
1952 – Bart Stupak, American congressman

Teach us how to pray.....

Jesus preaching by Beato Angelico

Jesus encourages the people today to pray in a simple way. Many are concerned about what prayer books to use, how to pray, when to pray and what methods are most effective. He teaches the people a simple prayer, the ‘Our Father,’ repeated at least once at each Mass, 6 times during the Rosary and on many other occasions before meetings, etc. It’s amazing how much this prayer covers so many areas for which we are to pray. During the Our Father we honor Jesus’ name (Hallowed be thy name,) and pray as Mary prayed in front of the Angel Gabriel (Thy will be done.) We ask for our physical and spiritual nourishment (Give us this day our daily bread,) and of course we ask for forgiveness for our sins and pray that we be reminded to forgive all those who wrong us (Forgive us our trespasses....) And last but not least we pray that we’ll always be protected from the snares of the devil (Lead us not into temptation,) and pray finally that evil never approaches us (Deliver us from evil,) which is partly up to us to resist.

According to the website ChristusRex.com, the Our Father has been translated into 1697 languages, including Maltese. There is a place in Jerusalem where various Our Fathers are written on tiles in a cloister, including this one, in Maltese, although it is in old Maltese pronunciation, besides a few orthographic mistakes.

The Father supports me

Crucifixion by Domenico Beccafumi

Most paintings of the crucifixion show Jesus on the cross with Mary, his mother and Mary Magdalen, along with John the Baptist and Mary of Clopas beneath the cross. However there are a few interpretations where God the Father is included, as if supporting the cross. The above painting by Domenico Beccafumi is one such depiction. One can also see the Holy Spirit under God’s beard and above the INRI sign. Remember that while on the cross, Jesus uttered 7 phrases, and four of them were precisely directed towards his Father....”Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they’re doing,” ”My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” “ It is finished,” and “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” The Father was there to support Jesus as He left this world, and the image of God can also be interpreted as if He is welcoming Jesus into Heaven.

The entire altar piece by Beccafumi

The painting is actually the middle section of an altar-piece, and on the sides one can see John the Baptist with St Cosmas and John the apostle with St Damian.  Sts. Cosmas and Damian were two brothers, born in Arabia, both skilled in the science of medicine, and they are seen holding a jar of medication or ointment. They were tortured during the Persecution Era in 283 AD. They are the patron saints of pharmacists.

Repent and Believe

On this first Sunday of Lent, we see Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert, and then we see him in prayer, while encouraging the people to “repent and believe in the gospel.” This was the same message of John the Baptist in Advent as it was last Wednesday on Ash Wednesday. May I suggest this guideline to help you throughout your Lenten journey:
Repent - admit of your weaknesses and ask for forgiveness.
Return - come back to church where you can find comfort and consolation.
Reorient yourself - make the adjustments you need.
Resolve to change - ask God to help you make the changes you need for a better life.
Rejoice - be happy with the person that is your NEW YOU.
Remember - the blessings you received, so that you don’t start taking God for granted.
(From my Sunday homily 2-26-2012)

The Passion in philately

I’ve always been fond of collecting stamps, although it’s not considered one of my favorite hobbies. However there is so much history and art related to philately. Many countries have used paintings from various artists to commemorate Lent, Holy Week and Easter. Above you can see 5 beautiful stamps from the African nation of Burundi issued in 1974. They are paintings by Roger van der Weyden, Titian, Veronese and El Greco, beautifully presented. Stay tuned, I will share a few more stamps over the Lenten season. You can always click on the image and enlarge it for better viewing.

The Stations of the Cross

A  more modern presentation of the 14  Stations, connected together

In every Catholic Church, you will notice usually hanging on the side walls 14 images, pictures or sculptures related to the Passion of Christ. These are the 14 steps Jesus went through before his death on Calvary. Also known as the Way of the Cross, or Via Crucis, this devotion is very popular during the season of Lent, as people meditate on the Passion and Death of Christ. This practice started during the 14th century by the Franciscan Monks, and St. Leonard of Port Maurice preached frequently about this devotion in the 18th century. Finally Pope Clement XII in 1735 gave the final guidelines, fixing the number of Stations at 14, commemorating the events related in the Gospel and from early tradition. Usually the Stations are erected on the walls of the Church, 7 on each side, but they may be placed outdoors too, as one can see in Church gardens and Retreat Houses. Most of the time, the Stations are prayed in the Church, with the people staying in their places, and genuflecting between each Station, as the leader and the altar servers move from one Station to another.

The customary 14 Stations are as follows:
1. Jesus is condemned to death           
2. Jesus accepts His Cross               
3. Jesus falls the first time.               
4. Jesus meets his mother Mary.           
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross   
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.           
7. Jesus falls the second time.               
8. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls the third time.
10. Jesus is stripped of his garments.
11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross.
12. Jesus dies on the Cross.
13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross.
14. Jesus is laid to rest in a tomb.

In 1975, Pope Paul VI approved a new series of Stations that are based on the Gospel. They start with the Last Supper and end with the Resurrection. The Pope leads the Stations every Good Friday in the Colosseo in Rome, while many pilgrims to the Holy Land pray the Stations right along the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows), the same street on which Jesus was led to be crucified.

Carrying our cross

Adolphe Bouguerreau  - Compassion

We are invited today to follow Jesus and carry our cross. Of course we cannot do this by ourselves. We need His help to do what He did as He headed towards Calvary for crucifixion. Our crosses may take many forms: a handicapped child, an abusive or alcoholic spouse, a troubled teenager, an annoying neighbor, an obnoxious or lazy co-worker, disruptive students in class, a parent fighting cancer or heart disease, a tyrannical boss - all of which can be truly heavy crosses to carry. 
Jesus not only accepted His cross, but also embraced it. Accepting our cross is tough enough, but to embrace it is asking for the impossible. Yet, it’s only when we let Jesus help us carry it that its weight starts to feel lighter. Maybe our burdens and crosses appear heavy because Jesus is not on them, they are crosses not crucifixes. When we see our cross as a crucifix, with Jesus is nailed to it, then the weight becomes less to bear, because He takes on His sturdy shoulders the extra weight that we deem unbearable.
We adore you o Christ, and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.

Ash Wednesday

Repent and Believe in the Gospel

At the start of this Lenten season, we reflect on three important phrases which the priest will say while marking our foreheads with ashes:
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”
“Turn away from sin, and believe in the Gospel”
“Repent and believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

Pope Benedict XVI receives the ashes from a Cardinal

Imposition of the ashes on the head, as is customary in Europe

It is interesting to note that in European countries, including Italy and Malta, the ashes are placed or dropped on top of the head, instead of marked on the forehead as is done in the USA. I also have a custom of asking the people to bring back the old palms from last year’s Palm Sunday and I will burn them a few days before, and use the ashes from the burned palms for the celebration of Ash Wednesday. This also shows the continuity between one year and another, from ashes to palms, and from palms to ashes. It is also a reminder of the stark fact that from dust we came, and to dust we will return, as the first phrase proclaims. Some parishes in New York replace the holy water fonts with ashes instead of holy water during Lent.
I invite you to journey with me as I share with you during the next 40 days, reflections and meditations that will help you get closer to the crucified Jesus. 
We adore you o Christ, and we praise You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.

From our past Presidents

We’re in between the birthdays of two great American presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Here are 10 social and political guidelines drafted by Abraham Lincoln, which should come handy and helpful in many situations:

You cannot bring prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

And here are 3 good quotes by George Washington:
“Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.”
“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”
“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.”

2 new American Saints - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, informally known as Lily of the Mohawks was born in 1656 of a Mohawk chief father, and a Roman Catholic Algonquin mother. Tekakwitha was born in the Mohawk community of Ossernenon near present-day Auriesville, New York. When Tekakwitha was four, she contracted smallpox and she was left with poor eyesight, and unsightly scars on her face. This disease outbreak took the lives of her brother and both her parents. She was then adopted by her uncle, and as the adopted daughter of the chief, many young men sought her hand in marriage, in spite of her disfigured face. She realized that this was only for political purposes and was disgusted by the idea of a loveless marriage. During this time she took an interest in the Roman Catholic faith. Her clan then settled on the north side of the Mohawk River, near what is now Fonda, New York. 

While living here, at the age of 20, Tekakwitha was baptized on Easter Sunday, April 18, 1676. In 1679 Kateri took her vows as a nun and lived a life dedicated to prayer, penance, and care for the sick and aged. A year later, on April 17, 1680, Tekakwitha died at the age of 24. Her last words are said to have been ‘Jesus, I love You!’  Tekakwitha was beatified by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1980. Both Blessed Marianne and Blessed Kateri will be canonized on October 21, 2012 at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.

2 new American Saints - Blessed Marianne Cope

Blessed Marianne Cope, the 3rd American Saint

Just after the ceremony of the 22 Cardinals was finished, the Pope informed the congregation that he would canonize seven new saints, among them two Americans: Blessed Marianne Cope was born on January 23, 1838 and came to America from Germany as a one-year old baby with her family, who became American citizens while settling in Utica, New York. Marianne became a member of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Syracuse, N.Y. After 50 different religious organizations declined the offer, in 1883 Mother Marianne Cope accepted the invitation to go to Hawaii with 6 others nuns to care for the lepers on the island of Moloka’i. Mother Marianne met Fr. Damien de Veuster for the first time in 1884.  In 1887 a new government took charge of the islands and closed the Oahu hospital and receiving station, thereby reinforcing the policy of isolating patients at Molokai.  After an offer from the Bishop to provide funds for establishment for the now-homeless women and girls at the Molokai settlement, the government asked for Mother Marianne's help.  Her eager acceptance took her to Molokai just several months before the death of Father Damien. 

Blessed Marianne next to the deceased body of  Fr Damien

Her move there in November 1888 was intended both to care for the dying Father Damien, and to assume his burdens. After his death Blessed Marianne took charge of the Boys Home at Kalawao for 5 years until the arrival of the Sacred Heart Brothers.  She spent the rest of her life caring for the lepers and died of natural causes on August 9, 1918 at the age of 80. Unlike Fr Damien, she never contracted leprosy. Blessed Marianne Cope was beatified by Pope Benedict in 2005. Fr Damien himself was canonized on October 11, 2009.

She will be canonized on October 21, along with Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha and 5 others. In tomorrow’s post I will give a brief biography of Blessed Kateri.

A Maltese Cardinal

Cardinal Prospero Grech OSA

Among the 22 new Cardinals being elected today is the second Maltese Cardinal ever to wear the red hat. Mgr Prospero Grech OSA who hails from Vittoriosa, was born on December 24, 1925. He joined the Augustinian Order in 1943 and three years later was sent to Rome to further his theological studies. He was ordained priest on March 25, 1950. The new Cardinal has been working with Pope Benedict XVI for 20 years. Their working relationship started when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It continued to develop when Mgr Grech was nominated member of the Pontifical Theological Academy. The first Maltese Cardinal was Fabrizio Sceberras Testaferrata (1757-1843), Apostolic Nuncio and, subsequently, a prominent figure in the Roman Curia. Mgr Grech’s election to the College of Cardinals is, first and foremost, a personal honor. It signifies the great esteem in which he is held by both the Pontiff and also the Holy See. The nomination is also of particular privilege for the Order of St Augustine. He will be the first Augustinian cardinal in 111 years. His nomination is recognition of the bountiful contribution that the Church in Malta has made and continues to make to the universal Church.

One of the Cardinals receiving the symbolic red biretta

The other Cardinals from the North American continent are: Card. Timothy Dolan of New York, Card. Edwin O’Brien who works in the Vatican and Card. Christopher Collins of Toronto, Canada. With the creation of 22 new Cardinals, the College of Cardinals now has 213 members of whom 125, being under the age of eighty, are eligible to vote in an eventual conclave for the election of a new Pope. The non electors, that is Cardinals over the age of eighty and ineligible to vote in a conclave, now number 88. Pope Benedict XVI has created eighty-four cardinals in the four consistories of his pontificate. The current members of the College of Cardinals come from seventy-one States, distributed as follows: Europe 119, North America (U.S.A. and Canada) 21, Latin America 32, Africa 17, Asia 20 and Oceania 4.

7 Servants of Mary

The 7 Servants of Mary

Can you imagine seven prominent men of Boston or New York or London banding together, leaving their homes and professions, and going into solitude for a life directly given to God? That is what happened in the cultured and prosperous city of Florence in the middle of the 13th century. The city was torn with political strife, morals were low and religion seemed meaningless. In 1240 seven noblemen of Florence mutually decided to withdraw from the city to a solitary place for prayer and direct service of God. Their initial difficulty was providing for their dependents, since two were still married and two were widowers. Their aim was to lead a life of penance and prayer, but they soon found themselves disturbed by constant visitors from Florence.

The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, Rabat Malta

In 1244, under the direction of St. Peter of Verona, O.P., this small group adopted a religious habit similar to the Dominican habit, choosing to live under the Rule of St. Augustine and adopting the name of the Servants of Mary. The new Order took a form more like that of the mendicant friars than that of the older monastic orders. Community members combined monastic life and active ministry. In the monastery, they led a life of prayer, work and silence while in the active apostolate they engaged in parochial work, teaching, preaching and other ministerial activities. They were especially devoted to the Mother of God, with special reference to her sorrows. They are also known as the Seven Holy Founders and the Servants of Mary. The church celebrates their liturgical feastday today, February 17. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is on September 15, but in Malta, a special devotion in her honor is held on the Friday before Palm Sunday, with processions in all the parishes. 

Paternal Grandparents

Joseph and Maria Cassar in 1920, with 2 of their children, Julian standing and Concetta sitting

I like you to meet today my father’s parents, whom I actually never met myself, because they both died before I was born. My grandfather Joseph Cassar was born in Carthage, Tunisia in 1885, while my grandmother Maria Magri was born in St Julian’s in 1884. They were married on June 28, 1913 and had 7 children, Julian, Concetta, Costanza, Carmelo, my father John, Joseph and Magdalen. Incidentally my godmother was Concetta and she is still alive in a nursing home, aged 96. All the other siblings have died, my father being the last to leave us on January 4, 2002. My father was only 10 years old when his father died on October 19, 1935, and it must have been very hard for Maria to raise 7 children by herself, even though the majority of them were teenagers, with the youngest, my aunt Magdalen aged 7. My grandmother died on December 3, 1950. For the records, it’s important to say that my grandfather was the founder of the Circolo San Giuliano in 1927, along with a great uncle Fr Paul Galea. Within this social club they also started the music section, with the help of bandmaster Angelo Pullicino, thus becoming the St Julian’s Band Club .

6 of the 7 Cassars in 1936, my father John is seen standing on the right.

Maternal Grandparents

                     Grandparents Paul and Rosina Scicluna, with their first 3 children

From time to time, I like to go back in time through some historical photos and introduce you to some members of my family. Today I chose to talk about my grandparents on my mother’s side, whom I remember very well. My grandfather Paul Scicluna was born in Valletta on February 16, 1908 and died on October 19, 1985. He was a well-known baker and worked with the famed Valletta bakers Bonaci and Café Cordina, until he opened his own baker shop next to our house in 1960. I remember him baking cheese-cakes, pastries and all kinds of delicacies, besides many a wedding cake, including my own parents’ cake in 1948. Even though in this picture he still had a full head of hair, I always remember him as bald as I am, and he was my godfather on my Confirmation day in 1959. My grandmother Rosina Galea was born in Nadur, Gozo on October 2, 1905 and died on June 19, 1995. She bore 6 children, and of course was always a housewife, especially during the war years which must have been tremendously uncomfortable, strenuous and unpredictable. In the above picture taken around 1933, they are seen with my mother Mary, probably aged 4, and two other uncles, Anthony and Joseph, who died in 1969. Three more children were to follow, Charles, Maggie and Marcel.

My confirmation in 1959 with my grandfather Paul as godfather

God is Love

The Bleeding Heart, my favorite flower, known as Dicentra spectabilis

God is Love. Love is the Lord of Life. Love gives Himself to you as the Living Bread of Heaven to sustain you through all life’s difficulties. Love is Jesus Christ who is the Truth, the Way and the Life.
Love demands openness, brings sincerity to all our actions, never makes excuses.
Love is Truth, as it enables us to be honest at all cost, never compromises the consciences of others, penetrates to our inner being, allows us to see ourselves as we really are.
Love is the Way, as it give at all cost, cares for all, shares oneself with others in humility, forgives to the umpteenth time, always says “I am sorry” for any wrong, evaluates but does not judge, guarantees tolerance, seeks a blending busyness and contemplation, binds the spiritual and sensual, discerns the important from the trivial, shares the joys and sadness of others, recognizes others as our fellow sisters and brothers.
Love is Life, as it offers vitality and hope to everyday, enjoys the eternal now for all its richness, cascades through all our emotions and endeavors, reaches out, ascending new horizons, brings fulfillment, eternal joy and serenity, is never exhausted.
Love is saying “I love you” at the end of each day, even when the day has been awful. Love seeks out the new day for a new beginning. 

The Gift of Trees

One of my original watercolors paintings, "Dead Trees Lake"

There are zillions of them around the world, from the huge sequoias and the California redwoods, to the tiny shrub or seedling that will eventually grow into a huge tree. Jesus mentioned in one of his parables that a tiny mustard seed can grow into a large bush that can serve as a nesting place for many birds. So many of them are destroyed by fire every year, but environmentalists tell us that that is not so bad, because trees have to regenerate themselves from time to time, and sure enough, no sooner the stumps have disappeared that a new seedling starts to grow, and within a decade the same forest is filled again with new trees....the life cycle goes on. This next picture shows what I mean, a photo I took in 2007 on Dooley Mountain, 20 miles from Baker City OREGON.

Tamarack trees growing anew on Dooley Mountain, Oregon

This is a poem written by Sgt Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) a member of the 165th infantry division
                                                                 Trees
                                                             I think that I shall never see
                                                                 A poem lovely as a tree

                                                     A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
                                                    against the earth’s sweet flowing breast

                                                           A tree that looks at God all day
                                                          and lifts her leafy arms to pray

                                                        A tree that may in summer wear
                                                             a nest of robins in her hair,

                                                         Upon whose bosom snow has lain
                                                            who intimately lives with rain

                                                         Poems are made by fools like me
                                                           But only God can make a tree.