16 April 2008
Happy birthday
02 September 2007
It happens to all of us
06 July 2007
At long last
The English translation of the Holy Father's words during his pastoral visit to Assisi are finally up on the web site of the Holy See. The photogallery is up and running as well.
21 June 2007
Translation watch
18 June 2007
Francis and Benedict news items
UPDATED: 21 June 2007, 10:43 a.m.
Be sure to keep checking back for the latest on the Holy Father's upcoming pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi. I will find a way to keep this post at the top of the blog.
Texts: Angelus Address
The official Vatican site for the Pastoral Visit to Assisi is up.
News articles are finally beginning to appear:
AFP: Pope calls for middle East effort (6/17)
Agencia Fides: Benedict XVI in Assisi: Announce with St. Francis the simplicity of the Gospel in a complex world (6/15)
AP: Pope Benedict Makes Pilgrimage to Assisi (6/17)
AP: Pope decries 'horrors' Mideast violence (6/17)
Asia News: Francis' conversion, a gesture of love for God, source of dialogue (6/17)
Asia News: Pope to youth: be, like Francis, in love with Christ and history's protagonists (6/18)
Chiesa: Why Saint Francis "Is A True Master" for Today's Christians (6/20)
CNA: Man finds himself in the measure in which he lives for God (6/17) [the date for Francis' conversion is off by 200 years!!! (corrected 6/18)]
CNA: Holy Father uses his pilgrimage to Assisi to denounce violence (6/17)
CNA: Pope tells the youth to imitate Francis' radical conversion (6/18)
CWNews: Pope to Visit Assisi Sunday (6/15)
CWNews: Pope Benedict endorses "spirit of Assisi" in quest for peace (6/18)
CWNews: Imitate St. Francis, Pope Tells Young People (6/18)
ofm-conv.org: Pope Benedict XVI to Visit Rivotorto to Begin His Pastoral Visit of Assisi (6/15)
PA News: Pope Pleas for Peace in Assisi (6/17)
Papa Ratzinger Forum: Photos and texts of the messages (6/17)
Prensa Latina: Negotiated Solution to World Conflicts (6/17)
Umbria Online: Pope's Visist to Assisi (6/15)
VIS: Program of Benedict XVI's Pastoral Visit to Assisi (English and Italian) (6/15)
VIS: Bring Together Acceptance, Dialogue and Respect (6/17)
VIS: Appeal for an End to All Armed Conflict (6/17)
VIS: Message to the General Chapter of Friars Minor Conventual (6/17)
VIS: Meeting with Priests, Deacons and Religious (6/17)
VIS: Francis, Enamoured of Christ and an Architect of Peace (6/17)
Zenit: Pope to Visit Assisi Sunday (6/15)
Zenit: Benedict XVI visits Assisi and calls for peace (6/17)
Zenit: Francis' Secret Was Love for Christ, Pope Says (6/17)
Zenit: Spirit of Assisi is Not Syncretism, Pope Affirms (6/18)
Zenit: Benedict XVI to Youth: Open Wide the Doors to Christ (6/18)
Zenit: Pope Urges Franciscans to Proclaim Christ (6/18)
News Photos:
Reuters
, Associated Press, Yahoo! News,
Links to various places in Assisi the Pontiff will visit:
Resources on Saint Francis of AssisiThe Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (official Italian site)
Bella Umbria - Beautiful pictures and other information
Around the blogosphereThe Franciscan Archive has a nice selection of documents available in English
The Franciscan Community has a brief biography with beautiful illuminations (they also have a few movies)
Roving Medievalist: Artistic representations of Saint Francis of Assisi
VariaAmerican Papist: PPOTD (Finally!)
Blog by the Sea: Pope Benedict XVI in Assisi
Open Book: To Assisi
Open Book: In Assisi
Servant and Steward: My own observations
Shouts in the Piazza: A photo caption (I knew it would happen)
You might remember the motu proprio by which Pope Benedict XVI placed the care of the Baslicas of St. Francis of Assisi and of St. Mary of the Angels under the control of the Diocesan Bishop.
Ignatius Press sells the excellenct Italian Movie Saint Francis. It is well worth watching.
17 June 2007
After the Mass photo roundup
Praying at the tomb of Francis. My two favorite people in the same room.[photo credit]
Praying before the San Damiano crucifix that spoke to Saint Francis.[photo credit]
That nun [Sister Immaculata, Mother Superior] might well have the greatest honor in the world!
My observations
Through the workings of Divine Providence, the Lectionary readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, which coincides this year with the celebrations marking the eight-hundredth anniversary of the conversion of Saint Francis of Assisi, speak of conversion and forgiveness.As I have already remarked, His Holiness beamed processing into the piazza for the celebration of the Holy Mass. At the same time, the faithful welcomed him with great joy and true festivity. The Holy Father truly and deeply loves his flock even as his flock truly and deeply loves their shepherd. How I wish I were there!
Seeing his beautiful smile, tears welled up in my eyes. May the Lord grant him many more years of a glorious reign!
On another note, too many of the concelebrating clerics are wearing ball caps. That's what sunglasses are for.
Archbishop Sorrentino welcomed the Holy Father with a joy apparent in his voice and when the Pontiff spoke the opening words of the Mass a manifest joy was in his voice, as well.
The music - including the chant tones - seems to be one not used at Papal Liturgies prior to this pastoral visit. Saint Francis' prayer before a crucifix was sung after Holy Communion and his Canticle of the Sun was sung as the recessional.
As in the past, the Holy Father was vested in a green chasuble, choosing to vest according to the liturgical calendar. In this way Pope Benedict XVI keeps the focus off of himself and on Christ. He will not allow a Papal Liturgy to top, as it were, the Sunday celebration. "What do we want to speak of today but the Lord?" he asked as he began his homily.
The choir sang the Alleluia after the proclamation of the Gospel while the Holy Father blessed the faithful with the Book of the Gospels. Is this normal?
He has brought with him the beautiful mitre that he wears so frequently. He seems to have a handful of mitres that he prefers.
A Franciscan nun was on hand to translate the Mass into sign language.
In his homily for today's celebrations, Pope Benedict XVI spoke as the teacher par excellence that he is. One line that I caught and that stuck with me as I was searching for news items was, "When we turn towards love we turn from bitterness to sweetness..." More on the homily will come when it is available.
The overall pace of this Papal Liturgy seems to be moving a bit faster than it typically does at the Vatican. Perhaps this is because of a smaller space, although the piazza in Assisi isn't exactly small.
The peace of Assisi pervades today's celebrations as people camp out on rooftops for a better view. The congregation is large but it doesn't seem as boisterous or distracted as it often does in St. Peter's Square. Everyone who has been blessed enough with the opportunity to visit this holy city knows of this peace. Saint Francis and Saint Clare are surely smiling down upon the Holy Father today.
As I offer my observations I must say that I am disappointed at how little attention this pastoral visit has received in the Catholic blogosphere and in the Catholic news media. Not only is this the 8th centenary of the conversion of Catholicism's arguably most popular saint - even if severely misunderstood - it also a pastoral visit of the Holy Father that can be a tremendous aid to evangelization. The next time the Holy Father travels lets get on top of it and give the pastoral visit the attention it rightly deserves.
Be sure to ask the Lord to bless abundantly those many men and women throughout the world who follow the Rule of Saint Francis and of Saint Clare, together with the many laity who follow the example of this holy man and woman as secular Franciscans.
Now, as the first rays of dawn are detectable, I am off to bed for a few more hours' sleep before concelebrating Mass.
[photo credit]
All smiles
16 June 2007
The great reversal.
In Giotto's fresco pictured above, Saint Francis of Assisi preaches to Pope Honorius III.