Tomorrow

I leave tomorrow morning for Australia for the first meeting of the Passionist International Committee for the World Youth Day 2008. With the announcement of a June date for the Canonisation of Blessed Charles, I really have lots of other things I should be doing, but this is important too (and it really doesn’t do [...]

Read Full Post »

Last Friday’s Consistory

I arrived at Rome Ciampino airport last Thursday night to attend the Consistory for Blessed Charles (Houben) of Mount Argus et alii and was met by Father Mirek, the rector of Saints John and Paul. My room this time was in the Reparto Campanile, just beside the bell tower.

The next morning, we set out for [...]

Read Full Post »

Pope Benedict in Latin

Here is a half-minute video clip I made of Pope Benedict announcing that the canonisation of Blessed Charles of Mount Argus, Blessed George Preca, Blessed Szymon of Lipnica and Blessed Marie Eugenie de Jesus will be on Sunday, 3 June (in Rome) and that of Blessed Antonio de Santa Ana will be on Friday, 11 [...]

Read Full Post »

Canonisation Date

This morning I was at the Consistory where Pope Benedict announced the date for the Canonisation of Blessed Charles of Mount Argus. It will be on Sunday, 3 June 2007. Pictures and more about the Consistory to follow.

Read Full Post »

Whose Human Rights?

Yesterday, Bishop Elio Sgreccia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, was asked at a press conference for his view on the assault on the conscience of Catholics currently being made by the British Government in its refusal to guarantee conscience-based exemption for Catholic Adoption Agencies. Bishop Sgreccia said in reply:
I think that conscientious [...]

Read Full Post »

Not Aware

You may remember an e-mail I sent three weeks ago to Alan Johnson, the Education Minister who led Cabinet opposition to freedom of conscience for Catholic Adoption Agencies. I wrote:
Dear Mr Johnson
You are quoted in today’s “Independent” as saying: “We reject discrimination in all its forms.” Do you or your party intend to bring [...]

Read Full Post »

The Day After Tomorrow

From yesterday’s Vatican Information Service bulletin:
VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2007 (VIS) – At 11 a.m. on Friday, February 23, in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, an Ordinary Public Consistory will be held for the canonization of the following Blesseds:
- George Preca, Maltese, priest, founder of the “Societas Doctrinae Christianae” (M.U.S.E.U.M.).
- Szymon of [...]

Read Full Post »

Message for Lent

The theme of Pope Benedict’s Message for Lent is They shall look on Him
whom they have pierced (Jn 19:37). Here again the Holy Father meditates on the meaning of love, seeing in the pierced Heart of Jesus the deepest expression of this mystery of love. He reminds us that our response this Lent has to [...]

Read Full Post »

The other Charles

Blessed Charles of Mount Argus is our man of the week, with Pope Benedict about to publish the date for his canonisation but, for your entertainment, here is a very short interview with the other Charles C.P. (Fr Charles Cross) which I recorded somewhat badly yesterday at the end of the Passionist Religious Life Weekend. [...]

Read Full Post »

Consistory

The Consistory for the Miracle attributed to Blessed Charles of Mount Argus will take place next Friday, 23 February. It also happens that the Lenten Station that day, the Friday after Ash Wednesday, is at Saints John and Paul.

Read Full Post »