The Church in her wisdom has given us a way of sharing in this wonderful season through prayer, fasting, repentance, renewal, alms-giving as well as special days of remembrance. She gives us Holy week which starts on Palm Sunday in remembrance of our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem followed by Holy Thursday to reflect on our Lord’s Last Supper and institution of the Holy Eucharist as well as his agony in the garden and betrayal of Judas (Matthew 26). Then we participate in Good Friday in remembrance of our Lord’s crucifixion and death on the cross for our sins (Matthew 27). Followed by Holy Saturday, a day to remember and reflect upon our Lord’s death. Later on tat Saturday evening at the Easter vigil Mass after sundown we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death by his resurrection and welcome the newly instructed into full communion with Jesus’ Church and the body of Christ. The new faithful are baptized and confirmed by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) during this special and most Holy Mass on Saturday night. We continue to celebrate our Lord’s victory over death on Easter Sunday (Matthew 28). What a beautiful way to remember our Lord Jesus and enter into the mystery of his Passion, Death and Resurrection.
In preparation of these events the Church—by her authority of the keys given to Peter (the first Pope and Vicar of Christ) to permit or forbid and lead Jesus’ one Church (Matthew 16:18-19) -- obligates us to practice Abstinence and Fasting. Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholic Christians age 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and on all the Fridays of Lent. Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholic Christians who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Fasting according to the law of the Church is having one full meal a day, it does not necessarily have to be in the morning.
Friday, March 19, 2010
CONFESSION TO A PRIEST WHY?
Jesus Christ communicated the authority to forgive sins on His Apostles on Easter night, when he told them “whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven, whose sins you shall retain they are retained” (Jn 20:19-23). In this way He gave the Apostles the power to give “peace” (v.21), which is nothing less than the reconciliation of man with God. The text even makes clear how Confession is to be conducted. Christ’s representative, the priest, must decide whether to forgive or retain. Therefore, the penitent must confess each and every serious sin, that is anything which separates him from Christ. If the priest judges he is truly sorry, He must absolve since Christ’s Passion merited forgiveness for every repentant sinner. Only if the person shows no willingness to give up sin does the priest retain, that is withhold absolution, as we “do not give what is holy to dogs” (Mt 7:6). In one form or another the Sacrament of Penance has been in continuous practice in the Church. Its existence in all the Churches of the First Millennium, even those separated from Rome, shows its apostolicity. The present Catholic discipline of secret confession dates to the early middle ages, though there are suggestions of an even earlier practice. Prior to that, confession of sins involved lengthy public penance for great sins such as adultery, murder and apostasy from the faith. Thankfully, it is much easier today. The point was, however, that serious sin is a horrendous offense against God that ought to be rare among the baptized but frequently is not. In the second and third century theological battles were fought over whether Penance could be received more than once after Baptism. The rigorists, like Tertullian, left the Church and their movements passed into history. Even the practice of the sacrament today is no encouragement to sin, as they thought. On the contrary it requires humility to confess your sins. It also gives great peace to hear the priest say in Jesus’ name “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” It is Christ’s will that we hear those words. Although God CAN forgive sin directly it requires a perfect motive: love of him and sorrow over having offended such a good Lord. An imperfect motive would mean we have not fully turned from our sin back to God. Not every one can rise to the occasion, so rather than excluding the marginal person struggling with sins, perhaps even more a lifetime, Christ has given us the Sacrament in which He raises us up, even when the dependence of the sacrament on grace and mercy. As Jesus himself said, He came not to save the self-righteous but the sinner.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
VATICAN REVIEWS SECURITYAFTER POPE KNOCKED DOWN AT MIDNIGHT MASS.
The Vatican is reassessing its security arrangements after a woman dragged Pope Benedict XVI to the ground as he processed into St Peter’s Basilica to celebrate Midnight Mass.
But Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, the Vatican spokesman, said it was impossible to guarantee the pontiff’s safety completely and that security guards had reacted as quickly as possible to the incident.
“It seems that they intervened at the earliest possible moment in a situation in which zero risk cannot be achieved,” he told the Association Press news agency.
“People want to see him up close and he’s pleased to see them closely too. A zero risk doesn’t seem realistic in a situation in which there’s a direct rapport with the people.”
It was initially reported that the woman, Suzanna Maiolo, had tried to assault the Pope. But the 25-year-old, who holds dual Swiss and Italian nationality, told doctors she had not wanted to hurt the pontiff, La Repubblica reported.
The paper also quoted Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, president of the Italian bishops’ conference, as saying: “Nothing serious happened. It was a woman who tried to greet the Holy Father.” The Pope was not injured, but the elderly French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray suffered a broken hip.
Miss Maiolo, who also lunged at the Pope at Midnight Mass last year, is receiving psychiatric treatment following her arrest and questioning.
The Pope celebrated Midnight Mass undeterred and delivered his homily in a strong, clear voice. He said: “God’s sign is that he makes himself small; he becomes a child; he lets us touch him and he asks for our love. How we could prefer a different sign, an imposing, irresistible sign of God’s power and greatness! But his sign summons us to faith and love, and thus it gives us hope: this is what God is like. He has power, he is Goodness itself.”
But Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, the Vatican spokesman, said it was impossible to guarantee the pontiff’s safety completely and that security guards had reacted as quickly as possible to the incident.
“It seems that they intervened at the earliest possible moment in a situation in which zero risk cannot be achieved,” he told the Association Press news agency.
“People want to see him up close and he’s pleased to see them closely too. A zero risk doesn’t seem realistic in a situation in which there’s a direct rapport with the people.”
It was initially reported that the woman, Suzanna Maiolo, had tried to assault the Pope. But the 25-year-old, who holds dual Swiss and Italian nationality, told doctors she had not wanted to hurt the pontiff, La Repubblica reported.
The paper also quoted Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, president of the Italian bishops’ conference, as saying: “Nothing serious happened. It was a woman who tried to greet the Holy Father.” The Pope was not injured, but the elderly French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray suffered a broken hip.
Miss Maiolo, who also lunged at the Pope at Midnight Mass last year, is receiving psychiatric treatment following her arrest and questioning.
The Pope celebrated Midnight Mass undeterred and delivered his homily in a strong, clear voice. He said: “God’s sign is that he makes himself small; he becomes a child; he lets us touch him and he asks for our love. How we could prefer a different sign, an imposing, irresistible sign of God’s power and greatness! But his sign summons us to faith and love, and thus it gives us hope: this is what God is like. He has power, he is Goodness itself.”
WHY DO WE FAST.
In the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are made to understand that we are blinded by many things in this life. We are blinded by inordinate desires (greed, envy, lust, gluttony,…) sins (sin makes us blind), bad habits (drinking, pornography, swearing,…), riches (money, talents,…), and pleasures. Therefore, we need to fast in order to see. Today we will see how fasting can protect us from our enemies: “The message was brought to Jehoshaphat: “A great multitude is coming against you from across the sea, from Edom; they are already in Hazazon-tanar” (which is En-gedi). Jehoshaphat was frightened, and he hastened to consult the Lord. He proclaimed a fast for all Judah. Then Judah gathered to seek help from the Lord; from every one of the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord. Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court, and he said: LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God in heaven, and do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand is power and might, and no one can withstand you… We are powerless before this vast multitude that comes against us. We are at a loss what to do, hence our eyes are turned towards you.” All Judah was standing before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their young sons. And the spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaniah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the clan of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly, and he said: “Listen, all of Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! The LORD says to you: “Do not fear or lose heart at the sight of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:2-12, 15). Again we fast to avoid the anger of God after we commit a grave sin: “Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do them; he did not carry it out.” (Jonah 3:1-10). We fast before we go for the mission: Jesus fasted for forty days before he began his mission. You can fast before you set peace between your cousins or neighbors. You can fast before you bring peace and love among people.
WHAT IS LENTEN SEASON?
Lent is a season of preparation for the coming and remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus on Easter Sunday. We begin this season of Lent, forty days prior to Holy Week and Easter, in remembrance of our Lord’s fasting for the forty days in the desert, the forty days of the flood, and the forty years of the Hebrews wandering in the desert to the Promised Land. This is a special time of deep inner repentance of our sins and inner renewal as well as our acknowledgment of our utter dependence on God our Creator and his love for us (John 4:9-10). This is a time to realize that apart from Jesus we can do nothing because he is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). We realize how much Jesus loves each and every one of us, a love that went to the cross for our sin that destroyed our death by rising on Easter morning. He has giving us redemption and made possible our eternal salvation to those who follow Him. We share in his suffering and those of the whole world who are oppressed, poor, hungry, sick and in need, by self-denial and by charity (Matthew 16:24; 25:31-46). We begin the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday and receive blessed ashes on our forehead in the sign of the cross (Jeremiah 6:26). As the priest places the ashes on your forehead he says, “Dust you came and to dust you will return” or “reject sin and receive the Gospel”. This is to remind us that life is short and temporary in this world and that our time spent here should be used in the following God’s will for us so that we may receive everlasting life with him in heaven (Matthew 11:21; John 3:16). They also remind us that we will soon be renewing our baptismal promises at Easter. The ashes come from burnt palm leaves from the previous years Palm Sunday Mass which takes place the Sunday before Easter as a remembrance of our Lord Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11). The ashes are also an outward sign of our inner conversion of our hearts to our Lord.
SACKED MILINGO DEMANDS PENSION.
Ex-communicated Roman Catholic archbishop Emmanuel Milingo has rejected the decision by Benedict XVI to unfrock, describing it as “invalid” and said he wanted the Roman Catholic Church to pay him pension for the 23 years he worked in Italy.
Speaking in Lusaka, Milingo said he did not accept the decision by the Vatican to strip him of his titles, which he had held for about 50 years, insisting he would always be a priest.
He also said the letter addressed to him is “not valid” because it did not have the emblem of and seal from the pope.
“I don’t accept that,” said 79-year-old Milingo, a Zambian national.Milingo demanded his pension from the Vatican. “The frontline of the Catholic church are the priests… let people not think I am going to give up, my dear lord,” Milingo said.
“I was assigned by the late Pope John Paul to work in Italy. I worked for 23 years and now the church wants to take advantage of marriage to deny me my pension,” Milingo said. Former Archbishop said his Vicar General in the USA would respond on issues pertaining to his dismissal.
The Vatican announced recently that Pope Benedict dismissed Milingo from the clerical state, the most extraordinary penalty that can be imposed on a bishop.
In 2001, Milingo shocked the Catholic establishment by marrying a Korean acupuncturist in a mass “Moony” wedding ceremony in the New York presided over by the founder of the Unification Church himself, Reverend Sun Myung Moon.
Defrocking entails dismissing a priest from the clerical state and prohibits such individuals from donning clerical attire and strips them of priestly rights and duties.Milingo also claimed that he was aware that the church had in the past executed clerics that came up with intentions of marriage whilst serving as priests.
“I know a lot about the church than those condemning me. The church twice executed those who came up with such intentions and I know where they are buried in Rome,” Milingo said.
Speaking in Lusaka, Milingo said he did not accept the decision by the Vatican to strip him of his titles, which he had held for about 50 years, insisting he would always be a priest.
He also said the letter addressed to him is “not valid” because it did not have the emblem of and seal from the pope.
“I don’t accept that,” said 79-year-old Milingo, a Zambian national.Milingo demanded his pension from the Vatican. “The frontline of the Catholic church are the priests… let people not think I am going to give up, my dear lord,” Milingo said.
“I was assigned by the late Pope John Paul to work in Italy. I worked for 23 years and now the church wants to take advantage of marriage to deny me my pension,” Milingo said. Former Archbishop said his Vicar General in the USA would respond on issues pertaining to his dismissal.
The Vatican announced recently that Pope Benedict dismissed Milingo from the clerical state, the most extraordinary penalty that can be imposed on a bishop.
In 2001, Milingo shocked the Catholic establishment by marrying a Korean acupuncturist in a mass “Moony” wedding ceremony in the New York presided over by the founder of the Unification Church himself, Reverend Sun Myung Moon.
Defrocking entails dismissing a priest from the clerical state and prohibits such individuals from donning clerical attire and strips them of priestly rights and duties.Milingo also claimed that he was aware that the church had in the past executed clerics that came up with intentions of marriage whilst serving as priests.
“I know a lot about the church than those condemning me. The church twice executed those who came up with such intentions and I know where they are buried in Rome,” Milingo said.
FOUR CATHOLIC PRIESTS BAG TRADITIONAL TITLES IN CALABAR,NIGERIA.
Four Irish Catholic Priests have been conferred with the highest Efik traditional title of Ada-Idahe Ke Efik Eburutu (Pillar) by the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V.
Speaking while conferring the traditional titles on the priests during the first anniversary ceremony .Monarch Obong said the recipients were honoured in appreciation of their invaluable contributions to the development of Efik land, their teaching and spreading of Christianity for the winning of souls for Jesus, as well as self-less services in the field of education for many decades.
The Obong said unlike other traditional institutions, the Efik kingdom tradition was in tandem with Christianity, nothing that the Ekpe masquerade was used in the ancient times to check bad conducts and force people to go to church and worship God.
For such reasons, the Monarch said the acceptance of the title of Ada-Idaha Ke Efik Eburutu by the Reverend Fathers implied their full understanding of the Efik tradition and the kingship on issues of morality. The Catholic Priests include Rev. Father Dan Nolan, Rev. Father James Kellecha, Rev. Father Long Worth and Rev. Father Patrick Patrick Coren.
Aside from the Catholic Priests, the traditional ruler also conferred similar traditional titles on the representatives of Cross Rivers State at the National Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Bolaji Anani, a business mogul, Elder Bong Duke and Lady Elizabeth.
Chairman of the chieftaincy committee on the conferment of chieftaincy Titles on Deserving Men and women, Etubom Otu Efa explained that the Efik chieftaincy title was unique as it made the recipient honorary members of the palace of the Obong of Calabar who could be called upon to represent the monarch in any capacity commensurate with their ability and competence. He said the chieftaincy title was also of the highest quality in the country because the Efik kingship institution was one of the oldest in the country.
“Mbong of Calabar like the present Obong signed the treaties that established the Niger Coast Protectorate, the Oil River Protectorate, and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria with capital in Calabar as well as the treaty of Amalgamation of Southern and Northern Protectorates into one country, Nigeria with capital briefly in Calabar before it was moved to Lagos.
“Accordingly, the revered stool of the Obong of Calabar existed long before Nigeria and in fact, made Nigeria. Therefore, the difference between the chieftaincy title conferred by the Obong of Calabar as Treaty King/Natural Ruler and those by the numerous government created stools is clear”, the Etubom stated.
Speaking while conferring the traditional titles on the priests during the first anniversary ceremony .Monarch Obong said the recipients were honoured in appreciation of their invaluable contributions to the development of Efik land, their teaching and spreading of Christianity for the winning of souls for Jesus, as well as self-less services in the field of education for many decades.
The Obong said unlike other traditional institutions, the Efik kingdom tradition was in tandem with Christianity, nothing that the Ekpe masquerade was used in the ancient times to check bad conducts and force people to go to church and worship God.
For such reasons, the Monarch said the acceptance of the title of Ada-Idaha Ke Efik Eburutu by the Reverend Fathers implied their full understanding of the Efik tradition and the kingship on issues of morality. The Catholic Priests include Rev. Father Dan Nolan, Rev. Father James Kellecha, Rev. Father Long Worth and Rev. Father Patrick Patrick Coren.
Aside from the Catholic Priests, the traditional ruler also conferred similar traditional titles on the representatives of Cross Rivers State at the National Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Bolaji Anani, a business mogul, Elder Bong Duke and Lady Elizabeth.
Chairman of the chieftaincy committee on the conferment of chieftaincy Titles on Deserving Men and women, Etubom Otu Efa explained that the Efik chieftaincy title was unique as it made the recipient honorary members of the palace of the Obong of Calabar who could be called upon to represent the monarch in any capacity commensurate with their ability and competence. He said the chieftaincy title was also of the highest quality in the country because the Efik kingship institution was one of the oldest in the country.
“Mbong of Calabar like the present Obong signed the treaties that established the Niger Coast Protectorate, the Oil River Protectorate, and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria with capital in Calabar as well as the treaty of Amalgamation of Southern and Northern Protectorates into one country, Nigeria with capital briefly in Calabar before it was moved to Lagos.
“Accordingly, the revered stool of the Obong of Calabar existed long before Nigeria and in fact, made Nigeria. Therefore, the difference between the chieftaincy title conferred by the Obong of Calabar as Treaty King/Natural Ruler and those by the numerous government created stools is clear”, the Etubom stated.
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