Communion of Non-Catholics or Intercommunion

It is frequently asked whether non-Catholics can receive Communion at a Catholic Mass. Quite often this comes up in the context of family events - weddings, baptisms, funerals - situations which put a great deal of pressure on families and Eucharistic ministers, Ordinary and Extraordinary, to allow it. As a result it happens quite frequently that Communion ministers believe themselves authorized to extend Eucharistic hospitality, either for the sake of kindness or a genuine sense of unity among the members of the Congregation. While such motives are admirable, the result nonetheless falsifies the sacramental meaning of the Eucharist as both a sign of communion with Christ and communion with the Catholic Church. 

In order to safeguard the sacrament, and to ensure that Christ is received with the proper dispositions (something very important for the authentic good of the person receiving Him), the Church has enacted certain norms for determining those occasions when intercommunion is legitimate. In the 1983 Code of Canon Law the following is prescribed:

Canon 844 (c.671 in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches)
1. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments to Catholic members of the Christian faithful only and, likewise, the latter may licitly receive the sacraments only from Catholic ministers with due regard for parts 2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and can. 861, part 2.
2. Whenever necessity requires or genuine spiritual advantage suggests, and provided that the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, it is lawful for the faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose churches these sacraments are valid.
3. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, if they ask on their own for the sacraments and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches, which in the judgment of the Apostolic See are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned.
4. If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed.
5. For the cases in parts 2, 3, and 4, neither the diocesan bishop nor the conference of bishops is to enact general norms except after consultation with at least the local competent authority of the interested non- Catholic Church or community.

In keeping with the sacramental meaning of the Eucharist this canon reserves the sacraments to Catholics, that is, those who are in communion with the Church. It then addresses the question of Catholics receiving the sacraments from non-Catholics. It sets the following strict conditions:

a. necessity or genuine spiritual advantage
b. when the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided
c. it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister
d. a church which has valid sacraments

This last condition is the key one, since it eliminates ALL the Reformation churches (Anglican, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist etc.), none of whom have valid sacred orders, and therefore, a valid Eucharist. The possibility of a Catholic receiving from the minister of another church, when the first three conditions are fulfilled, is limited to the Orthodox Churches, other Oriental Churches, Old Catholics, Polish National and others whose sacraments are recognized by the Holy See. As paragraph 3 notes, the members of those churches may likewise receive from a Catholic minister, when they ask and are disposed.

Under what conditions, therefore, may non-Catholics from the Reformation churches receive? Paragraph 4 addresses this matter and sets stricter conditions than for non-Catholics who belong to Churches which have a valid Eucharist, true Eucharistic faith and valid Penance. These conditions are:

a. danger of death, or, other grave necessity,
b.  the norms of the diocesan bishop, or, the conference of bishops are
         complied with
c. cannot approach a minister of his or her own community
d. asks on his or her own for it,
e. manifests Catholic faith in the sacraments
f.  properly disposed.

These last two conditions are very important. When Catholics and Orthodox present themselves for Communion, either to their own minister or that of another Church with valid sacraments, Eucharistic faith and proper disposition is assumed, given the introduction to both Penance and the Eucharist at an early age in Churches which have a Catholic Eucharistic faith. However, when a non-Catholic presents himself the norms presume an investigation to determine the person's faith, and to determine the necessary moral conditions for a proper reception of the Eucharist. That all these conditions are met, especially the last two, cannot be determined by a minister of Communion, ordinary or extraordinary, in the Communion line.  This is why the USCCB guidelines, which are published in the back of every missalette, exclude weddings, funerals and other such occasions as appropriate for intercommunion. The occasions would be individual, normally determined by a pastor after consultation with the bishop, or, in accordance with norms drawn up on the basis of this canon (paragraph 5).

St. Andrew the Apostle: 11 things to know abou him....

St. Andrew was one of Jesus’ closest disciples, but many people know little about him.

The feast of St. Andrew is November 30th.

 

Here are 11 things to know and share . . .

1) Who was St. Andrew?

He was the brother of St. Peter, who was also known as Simon bar-Jonah.

He and Andrew shared the same father, so the latter would have been known as Andrew bar-Jonah.

Andrew is regularly mentioned after Simon Peter, which suggests that he was Peter’s younger brother.

Like his brother Peter, and their partners James and John, Andrew was initially a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.

 

2) What is significant about his name?

The name Andrew (Greek, Andreas) is related to the Greek word for “man” (Aner, or, in the genitive, Andros). It originally meant something like “Manly,” expressing the parents’ hopes for their baby boy.

It is interesting that Andrew’s name is of Greek origin, not Aramaic. Pope Benedict XVI commented:

The first striking characteristic of Andrew is his name: It is not Hebrew, as might have been expected, but Greek, indicative of a certain cultural openness in his family that cannot be ignored. We are in Galilee, where the Greek language and culture are quite present [General Audience, June 14, 2006].

The fact that their father—Jonah (or Jonas)—gave his elder son (Simon) an Aramaic name and his younger son (Andrew) a Greek name reflects the mixed Jewish-Gentile environment of Galilee.

 

3) How close was Andrew to Jesus?

In the synoptic Gospels and Acts, the twelve apostles are always listed in three group of four individuals. The first of these groups indicates those who were the closest to Jesus. It includes the two pairs of brothers: (1) Peter and Andrew, the sons of Jonah, and (2) James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

Andrew was thus one of the four disciples closest to Jesus, but he seems to have been the least close of the four.

This is reflected in the fact that, several times, Peter, James, and John seem to have privileged access to Jesus, while Andrew is not present.

For example, Peter, James, and John were those present for the Transfiguration, but Andrew was not present. They were the closest three, while Andrew was a distant fourth.

This is ironic.

 

4) Why is it ironic that Andrew would be more distant?

Because he was one of the first followers of Jesus. In fact, he discovered Jesus before his brother Peter did.

Indeed, the was one of the two initial disciples of John the Baptist who encountered Jesus at the beginning of John’s Gospel.

Because the followed Jesus before St. Peter and the others, he is called the Protoklete or “First Called” apostle.

Pope Benedict comments:

He was truly a man of faith and hope; and one day he heard John the Baptist proclaiming Jesus as: "the Lamb of God" (Jn 1: 36); so he was stirred, and with another unnamed disciple followed Jesus, the one whom John had called "the Lamb of God". The Evangelist says that "they saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day..." (Jn 1: 37-39).

Thus, Andrew enjoyed precious moments of intimacy with Jesus. The account continues with one important annotation: "One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus" (Jn 1: 40-43), straightaway showing an unusual apostolic spirit.

Andrew, then, was the first of the Apostles to be called to follow Jesus. Exactly for this reason the liturgy of the Byzantine Church honours him with the nickname: "Protokletos" [protoclete], which means, precisely, "the first called".

 

5) What do the Gospels reveal to us about St. Andrew?

There are three notable incidents. The first occurs when Jesus performs the multiplication of loaves. Pope Benedict notes:

The Gospel traditions mention Andrew's name in particular on another three occasions that tell us something more about this man. The first is that of the multiplication of the loaves in Galilee. On that occasion, it was Andrew who pointed out to Jesus the presence of a young boy who had with him five barley loaves and two fish: not much, he remarked, for the multitudes who had gathered in that place (cf. Jn 6: 8-9).

In this case, it is worth highlighting Andrew's realism. He noticed the boy, that is, he had already asked the question: "but what good is that for so many?" (ibid.), and recognized the insufficiency of his minimal resources. Jesus, however, knew how to make them sufficient for the multitude of people who had come to hear him.

 

6) When else does Andrew come to the forefront?

A second instance is when he and the other core disciples question Jesus about his statement that the beautiful stones of the temple will be torn down.

Pope Benedict notes:

The second occasion was at Jerusalem. As he left the city, a disciple drew Jesus' attention to the sight of the massive walls that supported the Temple. The Teacher's response was surprising: he said that of those walls not one stone would be left upon another. Then Andrew, together with Peter, James and John, questioned him: "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign when these things are all to be accomplished?" (Mk 13: 1-4).

In answer to this question Jesus gave an important discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and on the end of the world, in which he asked his disciples to be wise in interpreting the signs of the times and to be constantly on their guard.

From this event we can deduce that we should not be afraid to ask Jesus questions but at the same time that we must be ready to accept even the surprising and difficult teachings that he offers us.

 

7) Is there a third instance in which the Gospels reveal St. Andrew’s importance?

In a third instance, St. Andrew—with his Greek name—serves as a bridge between Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus. Pope Benedict explains:

Lastly, a third initiative of Andrew is recorded in the Gospels: the scene is still Jerusalem, shortly before the Passion. For the Feast of the Passover, John recounts, some Greeks had come to the city, probably proselytes or God-fearing men who had come up to worship the God of Israel at the Passover Feast. Andrew and Philip, the two Apostles with Greek names, served as interpreters and mediators of this small group of Greeks with Jesus.

The Lord's answer to their question - as so often in John's Gospel - appears enigmatic, but precisely in this way proves full of meaning. Jesus said to the two disciples and, through them, to the Greek world: "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. I solemnly assure you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit" (12: 23-24). 

Jesus wants to say: Yes, my meeting with the Greeks will take place, but not as a simple, brief conversation between myself and a few others, motivated above all by curiosity. The hour of my glorification will come with my death, which can be compared with the falling into the earth of a grain of wheat. My death on the Cross will bring forth great fruitfulness: in the Resurrection the "dead grain of wheat" - a symbol of myself crucified - will become the bread of life for the world; it will be a light for the peoples and cultures.

Yes, the encounter with the Greek soul, with the Greek world, will be achieved in that profundity to which the grain of wheat refers, which attracts to itself the forces of heaven and earth and becomes bread.

In other words, Jesus was prophesying about the Church of the Greeks, the Church of the pagans, the Church of the world, as a fruit of his Pasch.

 

9) What happened to Andrew in later years?

Pope Benedict noted:

Some very ancient traditions not only see Andrew, who communicated these words to the Greeks, as the interpreter of some Greeks at the meeting with Jesus recalled here, but consider him the Apostle to the Greeks in the years subsequent to Pentecost. They enable us to know that for the rest of his life he was the preacher and interpreter of Jesus for the Greek world.

Peter, his brother, travelled from Jerusalem through Antioch and reached Rome to exercise his universal mission; Andrew, instead, was the Apostle of the Greek world. So it is that in life and in death they appear as true brothers -- a brotherhood that is symbolically expressed in the special reciprocal relations of the See of Rome and of Constantinople, which are truly Sister Churches. 

 

10) How has the sisterhood of Rome and Constantinople manifested?

Pope Benedict noted:

To emphasize this relationship, my Predecessor Pope Paul VI, in 1964, returned the important relic of St Andrew, which until then had been kept in the Vatican Basilica, to the Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop of the city of Patras in Greece, where tradition has it that the Apostle was crucified. 

A more recent example occurred when the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, visited Pope Francis on the occasion of his election to the pontificate.

As the successor of St. Peter, Francis noted the role of Patriarch Bartholomew as the successor of St. Andrew and referred to him as “my brother, Andrew,” casting the two of them in the roles of the original brother apostles.

He stated:

Before all else, I express my heartfelt thanks for what my brother Andrew [Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios I] has said to us. Many thanks! Many thanks!

 

11) How did St. Andrew die?

Pope Benedict noted:

A later tradition, as has been mentioned, tells of Andrew's death at Patras [in Greece], where he too suffered the torture of crucifixion.

At that supreme moment, however, like his brother Peter, he asked to be nailed to a cross different from the Cross of Jesus.

In his case it was a diagonal or X-shaped cross, which has thus come to be known as "St Andrew's cross".

This is what the Apostle is claimed to have said on that occasion, according to an ancient story (which dates back to the beginning of the sixth century), entitled The Passion of Andrew:

"Hail, O Cross, inaugurated by the Body of Christ and adorned with his limbs as though they were precious pearls. Before the Lord mounted you, you inspired an earthly fear. Now, instead, endowed with heavenly love, you are accepted as a gift.

"Believers know of the great joy that you possess, and of the multitude of gifts you have prepared. I come to you, therefore, confident and joyful, so that you too may receive me exultant as a disciple of the One who was hung upon you.... O blessed Cross, clothed in the majesty and beauty of the Lord's limbs!... Take me, carry me far from men, and restore me to my Teacher, so that, through you, the one who redeemed me by you, may receive me. Hail, O Cross; yes, hail indeed!".

Here, as can be seen, is a very profound Christian spirituality. It does not view the Cross as an instrument of torture but rather as the incomparable means for perfect configuration to the Redeemer, to the grain of wheat that fell into the earth.

Here we have a very important lesson to learn: Our own crosses acquire value if we consider them and accept them as a part of the Cross of Christ, if a reflection of his light illuminates them.

Consecrated for life

With gratitude, the Consolata Missionaries announced the Perpetual Profession of religious vows of Yair Alberto Ligardo Morales, in Toronto.

Profession of the religious vows signifies that Yair has completed the Consolata missionary Institute's requirement and is making a permanent commitment before God to enter the Consolata Missionaries to serve the missionary Church. These are the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Yair professed his vows in the Chapel of the Consolata Missionary Centre, Toronto, on November 15, 2013 in the presence of Consolata Missionaries and friends who had joined in a solemn celebration of the Eucharist.

On that day, November 15, the Consolata missionaries remember the souls of their Confreres whom the Lord had called from this world from November 2012 up to the present moment.

The celebration of the Holy Mass started at 11: 00 am. The main celebrant was Fr. Sosimi Nyakenyanya Atandi alongside with Frs. José Fernandes, Peter Turrone and Michael Mutinda.

In his homily, Fr. Sosimi stressed the importance of priesthood and giving gratitude to the missionaries who shared their lives in the celebrations of the sacraments, especially at the Holy Eucharist. He also pointed out that the most important gift to give back our deceased brothers and sisters is the celebration of the Eucharist.

Regarding perpetual religious profession of Yair, Fr. Sosimi encouraged him to continue offering himself to his call as in the "fiat" of our blessed Mother Mary to the service of God and the entire Church.

At the end of Mass, friends and benefactors gathered at the dining room for the enjoyable lunch and exchange of ideas about how to build and strengthen our Christian bonds.

Yair Alberto Ligardo Morales was born in Columbia on April 9^th 1979. He is the first born in a family of six, four sisters and two brothers. Ezequiel Ligardo Cabarcas and Idalis Morales, parents of Yair live in the Cartagena of Colombian Coastline.

Yair entered the Consolata Missionary Institute in 2005. He studied Philosophy for two years in Columbia and a year of Noviciate in Argentina in 2007. In December 29^th, 2007, he professed temporary religious vows in Buenos Aires and later went back to his native country – Colombia where he complete his Studies of theology in Javeriana University.

Paul Mageto

Remembrance Day (11/11)

Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries. Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month," in accordance with the Armistice, signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 am) World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.

The day was specifically dedicated by King George V on 7 November 1919 as a day of remembrance for members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. This was possibly done upon the suggestion of Edward George Honey to Wellesley Tudor Pole, who established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields". These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red color an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war.

 

Canada

In Canada, Remembrance Day is a public holiday and federal statutory holiday, as well as a statutory holiday in all three territories and in six of the ten provinces (Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec being the exceptions). From 1921 to 1930, the Armistice Day Act provided that Thanksgiving would be observed on Armistice Day, which was fixed by statute on the Monday of the week in which 11 November fell. In 1931, the federal parliament adopted an act to amend the Armistice Day Act, providing that the day should be observed on 11 November and that the day should be known as "Remembrance Day".

Kenya

In Kenya, the Kenya Armed Forces Old Comrades Association (KAFOCA) was established in Kenya immediately in 1945 to cater for the welfare of the Ex-servicemen of the First and the Second World Wars. The KAFOCA and Kenyan government recognize Remembrance Day.

 

"go into the whole world, proclaim the Gospel”

    

"The true greatness of any church in not how many
it seats but how it does the mission of Christ" 
MwanaaSuu

The Consolata Missionaries in Toronto, Canada, celebrated the World Mission Sunday, which took place on the 20^th of October, together with members of the community of St. Andrew parish, in which they serve, with benefactors and friends of Consolata, at the Consolata Centre, 2671 Islington, Toronto.  The very day was preceded by a missionary vigil of prayer at the parish, with the aim of praying for the missions, the Consolata missionaries all over the world, and in a way, sharing mission experience with the faithful.

During the Holy Mass ate the Consolata Centre, which was presided over by Fr. Peter Turrone, and concelebrated by Frs. Michael Mutinda, José Fernandes and missionary student Yair Alberto, the president reminded all those present that the World Mission Sunday aims at reminding Catholics to recommit themselves to the missionary activities of the Church through prayer and sharing. And so, as we gather here today, we are called to commit ourselves together with the Consolata missionaries and the Church at large, through different levels of contribution – spiritually and materially, especially to those missions in hardship situations, he added.

 

 

 

Recalling the message of Pope Francis for the day, we were reminded that it is necessary to proclaim courageously and in every situation, the Gospel of Christ, a message of hope, reconciliation, communion, a proclamation of God's closeness, his mercy, his salvation, and a proclamation that the power of God's love is able to overcome the darkness of evil and guide us on the path of goodness.

After the celebration of the Eucharist, all were invited to gather at the Consolata hall for a sharing of lunch, organised by the Consolata missionaries with great help from the perpetual volunteers of the same.

On the same time, some slides of the Consolata missionaries in the world were shown and thereafter, a few words from the Consolata missionaries where conveyed to the present. Addressing the gathering of friends and benefactors, the coordinator of the Canada Consolata group, Fr. José Fernandes, reminded those present that our mission has an essential element of "go" and this "go" should be accepted from the two sides of the community, the missionary and the faithful, for the better realization of Christ's mission, which is our mission.

Founded in 1901 (priests and brothers) and in 1910 (sisters) by Blessed Allamano in Turin, Italy, the Consolata missionaries now count with about two thousand members (priests, brothers and sisters) working in 21 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and América.

.

 

Fr. Michael Mutinda, IMC. Consolata Centre, Toronto

Lumen Fidei - Summary of the Light of Faith

Lumen Fidei.
after the pope published the document lumen fidei, many have read it in diverse enviroments, but still there are some who have not yet come across the document. I took some time to read it and put some outlined summary of it, as I was giving a talk about it over the weekend to a group of couples of Christ for family life. here is the summary:

 OUTLINE OF THE DOCUMENT: LUMEN FIDEI – LIGHT OF FAITH.

 Introduction.

The encyclical starts with what the ancients put their faith in and proceeds to move directly to what our culture believes about faith – that it is something for the blind, those driven by emotion. But, at the same time, our culture is discovering that reason is not enough. Confusion has set in on what is good and evil, right and wrong. Faith in Jesus and love in Him gives us a new vision to see the world.

Promulgated on 29^th june 2013, and published on 5^th july, 2013.

1^st of two popes: Benedict XVI and Francis.

Readings:

1.      He. 11,1 – definition of faith.

2.      Ef. 2, 8-9 – saved by faith not works

3.      LK. 18, 8 – your faith saves you.

4.      Jm 2,14 – faith without works.

5.      1 cor. 13,13 – the three theological virtues – faith, hope, love.

6.      Rm 14,7 – kingdom of God.

 

CONCEPT OF THE LOGO

The logo is composed of a square, bordered field on which a boat, symbolizing the Church, is represented as sailing on a graphically minimal representation of waves. The main mast of the boat is a cross from which sails are displayed in the form of dynamic signs which compose the trigram of Christ (IHS). The background to the sails is a sun which, associated with the trigram, refers also to the Eucharist.

Important Remarks.

Faith is a “theological” and “supernatural” virtue given by God (no. 7).

This context connects the idea of faith with the idea of experience and personal encounter, which establishes a relation between man and God, without making it clear whether this is the intellectual relation of knowledge or the affective relation of love.

The central idea is that faith is first of all existential, the product of an encounter with the living God that reveals love and leads to communion (no. 4, no. 8).  It is essentially dynamic, openness to the promise of God and memory of [that promise about] the future (no. 9), openness to love (no. 21, no. 34), attachment to the source of life and of all fatherhood (no. 11), an experience of love (no. 47)…. It consists of “the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call” (no. 13).

 In other words: I believe in God because he is love and not because he is truthful.

 The necessity of faith in order to be saved is presented in a non-directive manner: the beginning of salvation is “openness to something prior to ourselves, to a primordial gift that affirms life and sustains it in being” (no. 19).

In short, faith, as it is presented in Lumen fidei, is first of all an experience of life and of love, fully realized in the “encounter with Christ” (no. 30): “Faith knows because it is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment” (no. 26). Jesus is said to be the one savior because “all God’s light is concentrated in him, in his ‘luminous life’ which discloses the origin and the end of history” (no. 35)

If faith increases our knowledge, it is not initially and principally inasmuch as it teaches us certain objective truths by authorized testimony, but rather inasmuch as it unites us to the life of a subject, inasmuch as it initiates us, through loving thought, to another thought and another love.

It is not learning objective truths, but becoming united to the life of a subject and being initiated by loving thought to another thought and another love.

“Believing means entrusting oneself to a merciful love which always accepts and pardons, which sustains and directs our lives, and which shows its power by its ability to make straight the crooked lines of our history” (no. 13). “Faith transforms the whole person precisely to the extent that he or she becomes open to love. Through this blending of faith and love we come to see the

Kind of knowledge which faith entails, its power to convince and its ability to illumine our steps.

Faith knows because it is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment. Faith’s understanding is born when we receive the immense love of God which transforms us inwardly and enables us to see reality with new eyes” (no. 26).

Chapter 1 – We Have Believed in Love (cf. 1 John 4:16)

1.      Abraham, Israel, Christian, salvation, ecclesial form of faith.

2.      Salvation History—the story of God’s people—to see faith throughout history. It begins with Abraham and finds its summation in Jesus.

3.      God is not something beyond us; He is someone who acts in the here and now. He is in our journey.

4.      Looking into our own history, can we perceive God´s intervention in it? Mention?

 

Chapter 2 – Unless You Believe, You Will Not Understand (cf. Isaiah 7:9)

1.      Seeks to understand the relationship between faith and several other aspects - Faith and truth, knowledge of truth and love, faith as hearing and sight, faith and reason, faith and search of God, faith and theology.

2.      Faith is rooted in reality when it is rooted in truth; that truth which does not become cold and impersonal. The truth which in faith possesses us; we do not possess truth. As we become more possessed by truth, we grow in humility and in the knowledge of the faith.

3.      Which are the truths which we seek to understand in our life?

Chapter 3 – I Delivered to You What I Also Received (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3)

1.      Church – mother of faith, sacraments, prayer, Decalogue, unity and integrity.

2.      The nature of our lives forces us to have faith in the truth others are giving us; our Christian faith is passed on from one generation to the next. We accept this faith in a community and in the communion of the Church. The sacraments allow us to experience this faith in a special way. (Baptism and Eucharist.)

3.      Is there any element of faith which I don’t understand or I don’t agree with in the history of the church?

 

Chapter 4 – God Prepares a City for Them (cf. Hebrews 11:16)

1.      Faith and common good, family, light for life in society, consolation and strength amid suffering.

2.      faith should be the foundation of our society, marriage and family which in turn helps form our other relationships as well.

3.      Proclaiming God publicly, God in our society: are we ashamed of him?

4.      Faith also provides strength in suffering. Faith does not answer every question, but provides a lamp to help us navigate through the darkness and the presence of God who is with us personally in our suffering.

5.      In the end, faith should provide us with joy. The sign of our faith lives should be a joy in Jesus.

6.      F.A.I.T.H. – face the reality, accept it, imagine a positive change, trust in God, and hope in Him.

 

Conclusion.

Blessed is she who believed – Lk 1,45.

When our own spiritual lives bear fruit we become filled with joy, which is the clearest sign of faith’s grandeur. Mary accepted Jesus with joy, we too should follow her example.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada

Thanksgiving Day in Canada

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.

What do people do?

Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away, or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal to eat at some point during the long weekend. Traditionally, this included roast turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the meal may consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European descent.

The Thanksgiving weekend is also a popular time to take a short autumn vacation. This may be the last chance in a while for some people to use cottages or holiday homes before winter sets in. Other popular activities include: outdoor breaks to admire the spectacular colors of the Canadian autumn; hiking; and fishing. Fans of the teams in the Canadian Football League may spend part of the weekend watching the Thanksgiving Day Classic matches.

Public life

Thanksgiving Day is national public holiday in Canada. Many people have the day off work and all schools and post offices are closed. Many stores and other businesses and organizations are also closed. Public transport services may run to a reduced timetable or may not run at all.

Background

The native peoples of the Americas held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to find a northern passage from Europe to Asia.

Many thanksgivings were held following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the "Blessings of an abundant harvest" for many years. However, Queen Victoria's golden and diamond jubilees and King Edward VII's coronation formed the theme in later years.

From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.

Symbols

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. The cornucopia, which means "Horn of Plenty" in Latin, was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

Catholicity of the Universal Church

 Catholicity of the Universal Church

“Let us pray that the Holy Spirit makes us more and more ‘Catholic’”.

The etymology of the word “Catholic”, which is derived from the Greek word “kath’olon” meaning “according to the whole”, the Holy Father said that this totality of the Church can be explained in three fundamental aspects.

“The Church is Catholic because it is the space, the home in which the entire faith is announced, in which the salvation that is brought to us by Christ is offered to all,” the Pope said explaining the first aspect.

 

The Church allows us to encounter the mercy of God that transforms us because Jesus Christ is present in it, it gives the true confession of faith, the fullness of the sacramental life, the authenticity of the ordained ministry. In the Church, each one of us finds what is necessary to believe, to live as Christians, to become saints, to walk in every place and in every age.”

 

Making a comparison to life in a family, the Holy Father went on to say that the Church gives all what is needed to grow and to mature in life. It is impossible to fully grow and mature alone, without the help of a community, a family. Pope Francis called on the faithful to reflect on whether they participate in the life of the community or close themselves in their own problems.

 

Commenting on the second fundamental aspect, the Pope told the pilgrims that the Church is catholic because it is “universal” and “announces the Gospel to every man and every woman.”

“The Church is not a group of elite, it does not regard only a few. The Church has no closure, it is sent to all people and of mankind. It is the only Church that is present in the smallest parts [of the world],” the Holy Father said.

 

To feel in communion with the whole Church, he continued, is to feel part of the greater mission of going out to announce the Gospel. To announce and give witness of the faith “is not a matter of a few, but concerns me, you, each and everyone of us.”

 

The Harmony of Church

The Church as a “House of harmony” among all was the final fundamental aspect of the Holy Father’s catechesis. The unity and diversity of the Church, he said, combine together to become a wealth.

 

Pope Francis compared this harmony to that a symphony that, while comprised of different instruments, join together to make a beautiful harmony. Each of their respective sounds is not lost, but rather accentuated in the music.

 

“It is a beautiful image that tells us that the Church is like a great orchestra in which there is variety, diversity among the components, but does not enter into conflict, it does not oppose, it is a variety that is allowed to meld in harmony by the Holy Spirit; it is He who is the true “Maestro”, it is He who is the harmony,” the Pope said.

 

“Let us pray that the Holy Spirit makes us more and more ‘Catholic’”.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY, October 09, 2013 (Zenit.org)