This Year in the Eyes of the Pope...

Catholic News Service Rome correspondent says Pope Benedict XVI's teachings, speeches, and decisions of  2012 can be summed up in three values:  

1. Religious Liberty
2. Catholic Identity 
3. Evangelization  

The Video: 
http://bcove.me/otma4rpq


Highlights:  

February 2012- Creation of New Cardinals:

Holy Mass with New Cardinals

Here are the names of the new Cardinals:

1. Archbishop Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples;
2. Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, Major Penitentiary;
3. Archbishop Santos Abril y Castelló, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major;
4. Archbishop Antonio Maria Vegliò, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People;
5. Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of the same State;
6. Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts;
7. Archbishop João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life;
8. Archbishop Edwin Frederick O’Brien, Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;
9. Archbishop Domenico Calcagno, President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See;
10. Archbishop Giuseppe Versaldi, President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See;
11. H.B. George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam — Angamaly for Syro-Malabars, India;
12. Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins of Toronto, Canada;
13. Archbishop Dominik Duka, O.P., of Prague, Czech Republic;
14. Archbishop Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht, The Netherlands;
15. Archbishop Giuseppe Betori of Florence, Italy;
16. Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan of New York, United States of America;
17. Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki of Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany;
18. Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China;

In addition, I have decided to raise to the dignity of cardinal a venerable prelate who is carrying out his ministry as the pastor and father of a Church, and three praiseworthy clerics who have distinguished themselves for their commitment at the service of the Church:
1. H.B. Lucian Mureşan, Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia for Romanians, Romania;
2. Mons. Julien Ries, Priest of the Diocese of Namur, Belgium, Professor emeritus of history and religion at the Catholic University of Leuven/Louvain;
3. Fr Prosper Grech, OSA, Lecturer emeritus at various universities in Rome and Consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
4. Fr Karl Becker, SJ, Lecturer emeritus at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

March 2012:

Ad Limina Visits from American Bishops

Apostolic Journey to Mexico and Cuba.  

April 2012: 

Holy Week 

Ad Limina Visits from American Bishops 

September 2012:

Apostolic Journey to Lebanon

-Gallery 1

-Gallery 2 

October 2012: 

October 7: Holy Mass for the opening of the Synod of Bishops and proclamation of St John of Avila and St Hildegard of Bingen as "Doctors of the Church"

October 11: Holy Mass for the opening of the   Year of Faith  (Also 50th Anniversary of the opening Vatican II Council) 

October 21: Canonization of the Blesseds: 

Holy Mass

- James Berthieu
- Pedro Calungsod
- John Baptist Piamarta
- Carmen Sallés y Barangueras
- Marianne Cope
- Kateri Tekakwitha
- Anna Schäffer

October 28: Holy Mass for the closing of the Synod of Bishops

November 2012: 

Creation of New Cardinals: 

Here are the names of the New Cardinals: 

- Archbishop James Michael Harvey, prefect of the Pontifical Household who, Benedict XVI said, "I intend to appoint as archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls".
- His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon.
- His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India.
- Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.
- Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, Colombia.
- Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Manila, Philippines.

December 2012:  

Christmas Celebrations

Also throughout the Year, the Holy Father made many statements to bishops (especially American Bishops) on the Importance of Religious Liberty.  As he called it, 

"THE MOST CHERISHED OF AMERICAN LIBERTIES" 

He also called for the New Evangelization, to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an increasingly secular Society.  

The Year of Faith is also a means to help that.  

Let us Pray that Next Year will be even better than this!  

Mary, Mother of God, Pray for you children here on earth.  We entrust to Jesus through  you this next year 2013 AD.      

May the Blessings of the Most Holy Trinity always be upon you!!!  

Patron Saint of Lord of the Rings....

http://saints.sqpn.com/saintf92.htm 
St. Frodobert! Seriously! Look Below.  

Sign Up For the Spiritual Exercises!!!

Sign Up for the Spiritual Exercises at St. Peter Chanel Church!  
It's Changing many lives!  


Main Contact Site :  http://spcomv.com/spiritual-works/spiritual-exercises/ 


REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 25

TO REGISTER ON LINE, YOU MAY GO TO THIS LINK AND COMPLETE THE FORM:
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AMDG
Here is the Flyer for the Spiritual Exercises.  God reward You!

The Spiritual Exercises course at St. Peter Chanel in Hawaiian Gardens, California was instituted in August of 2006 with an initial group of two people meeting with Father Ed Broom.  From that quiet beginning more than 4,000 people have experienced this program.

Among the fruits that participants have experienced are 1) A deeper, more intense prayer life 2) An ability to  examine ones conscience more closely 3) Discernment of spirits – the ability to distinguish the voice of the Holy Spirit from the whisperings of the evil spirit 4) A deeper understanding and love of the Sacrament of Confession 5) a greater love of Jesus present in the Holy Eucharist 6) A love of Holy Scripture and last but not least 7) a deeper filial relationship with Mary, our mother.

The course is an adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Those Exercises have been the source of great spiritual growth for 450 years. The Exercises forge saints and this program is rooted in the Universal Call to Holiness. Christ commands us: “Be holy, as your Heavenly Father is holy” Mt. 5:48.  We are striving to become saints, even great saints.

The program extends over 70 days with assigned meditations based in the Exercises and drawn from Holy Scripture.    Every week the attendees hear a presentation that teaches the Ignatian method of prayer and outlines the structured themes of Ignatius and provides encouragement and direction.

This is not a Bible study course.  The attendees don’t become Bible scholars, they become Bible lovers!  All adults are invited!  New Catholics, lifelong Catholics, non Catholics, revert Catholics, all are invited.

There is no charge for the course.  The parish supplies all the materials.  Attendees must have a Catholic Bible.  Donations are accepted to help defray the cost.

May Our Lady, who gave the Spiritual Exercises to St. Ignatius of Loyola, inspire you to accept the challenge!

For more information please contact Father Ed Broom or Jim & Mary Martorana
562 924 5193 or at  www.fatherbroom.com

2013 LENT EASTER SESSION

Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

TEN WEEK EXERCISES REGISTRATION

PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED and SPACE IS LIMITED
PLEASE REGISTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

LAST DAY FOR REGISTRATION IS JANUARY25, 2013

 Weekly meeting times: 

Sat. 11:00AM        Sun 1:30 PM              Sun. 4:00 PM
 Beg. 2/2/13                Beg. 2/3/13                     Beg. 2/3/13

Wednesday 7:30 PM         Thursday 9:15 AM 
 Beg. 2/6/13                           Beg. 2/7/13

Contact:      love...@gmail.com.


There is no charge for the program and all materials are provided. Donations are accepted. Each meeting lasts 2 to 2.5 hours.

For more information please contact Fr. Ed Broom, OMV at St. Peter Chanel or Jim and Mary Martorana at 562 924 5193.

Spiritual Exercises
Attn: Jim Martorana
St. Peter Chanel
12001 E. 214th St.
Hawaiian Gardens, Ca. 90716      562 924 5193

ONLY THOSE PREREGISTERED WILL BE ADMITTED 

The Tender Face of Our Mother

The Tender Face of Our Mother 

By: Most Reverend Jose Gomez 

For the first time, tonight we celebrate this glorious feast in the presence of the precious relic of the holy tilma that bears Our Lady’s miraculous image! This is the only relic of this kind in our country or anywhere else outside of Mexico City. With this relic in our new Chapel to the Virgin, we feel a deep spiritual connection tonight with our brothers and sisters in Mexico — and with Guadalupanos of every continent! 

We belong to one family of God! Our brothers and sisters are scattered through every nation. Mary is the Mother of all of us! We turn to her tonight as Mother and Star of the Evangelization of America. We thank her for bringing Jesus to our countries and the gift of faith. 

We turn to the Virgin tonight also in a very personal way — as our mother.

The miraculous tilma of St. Juan Diego gives us the only true “portrait” of our Mother Mary that has ever been “made.” It was a portrait “painted” from roses by the hand of God! That is why this beautiful relic we have is so precious! What a beautiful gift our Father has given us — to allow us to see the face of our tender Mother, who is the Mother of God!

We need to turn to this image of our Mother all the time. We need to gaze on her sweet face and look into her peaceful eyes. We need to talk to her as little children and tell her everything that is in our heart. We need to feel her maternal tenderness toward us.

Tonight we remember her apparition at Tepeyac. We remember the words of hope she spoke to St. Juan Diego: “Am I not here, I who have the honor to be your Mother? Are you not in my shadow and under my protection? … Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more?”

This great feast reminds us: We are surrounded everywhere by the love of God! We have Jesus Christ, our brother, who walks with us every day and gives himself to us — Body and Blood — in the holy Eucharist. We have the angels and the saints watching over us! And we have our tender Mother, the Virgin Mary!

In her deepest heart, Mary is a mother who loves us. She asks nothing for herself. All for Jesus! All to be our mother!

Through Mary who brings us Jesus — a new world opens up for us. We can live like a new creation. We can hope for great things for ourselves and for our families and children. We are children of God now! We can turn to God and call him, “Abba! Father.”

We have all this through Jesus — and through the gift of the Virgin Mary who lives to bring us Jesus.

We all know the story of the Visitation (Luke 1:39-48). Mary has just learned that Jesus is in her womb. And in haste she runs to bring Jesus to her cousin, St. Elizabeth.

In this story we see the “missionary” and motherly heart of the Blessed Virgin. We see that Mary is filled with so much joy, such a desire to share Jesus!

And when Mary tells her about Jesus, St. Elizabeth is also filled with joy! She is rejoicing because she realizes that she is a child of God. She realizes that Mary is the Mother of the Lord! And she cries out: Blessed are you among women! And blessed is the fruit of your womb!

We say these exact same words every day when we pray the “Hail Mary.” And we should always pray the “Hail Mary” in the same spirit as St. Elizabeth — rejoicing that we are children of God!

So tonight, we fly to Mary our Mother. We ask her to teach us how to be good mothers and good fathers to our children. We ask her to teach us how to be good sons and daughters.

We want to be people who love God! A people who love our children and our families! We want to be people who live like Jesus and Mary and St. Joseph!

So we ask the Virgin to help us to always be like her. To live with Jesus in our hearts! To live to share Jesus with every one we meet and in everything we do.

Let us turn to our Mother’s sweet face! Let us stay close to our Mother! Let us allow her to be our life, our sweetness and our hope!

-Archbishop Jose H. Gomez 


Editor’s note: On Dec. 12, Archbishop Gomez began a new tradition at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels — celebrating midnight Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, following the traditional celebration of las mañanitas, an evening of song and dance in honor of the Virgin. The following is adapted from the Archbishop’s homily, which was delivered in Spanish.

Christmas

                                                      MERRY CHRISTMAS
                      " FOR UNTO US A SAVIOR IS BORN WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD..."     

                           "What would happen if Mary and Joseph were to knock at my door?" 

MERRY CHRISTMAS friends in Christ! After the long 4 week liturgical season of Advent, in which we wait for the coming of our Lord, Christmas is finally here!  What a gift to have Christ, God: the Creator of the Universe come into form of a created being, a human, to save us from Original Sin, committed by Adam and Eve. We must be thankful and joyful to God for this infinite gift of himself to us. Why did God come to save us? Because He loves us. Why does He love us? For He is love itself, and He sees us as a special child in His eyes, just as a father would his son. His love to us is something that will never be understood by men. How do we know this? He fulfilled the prophet's prophecies by coming to save us from sin, He showed us the way to eternal life by his teachings while being here on earth, and death "Even up to death on a Cross"(- St. Paul). He rose and founded His Church, a means of which we can reach Him in Heaven for all Eternity. Look around, the oceans, the mountains, deserts, the lush forests: they all are reflections of His love for us. He created them to show us that He, the Creator of all these mighty objects and wonders, still loves us and knows us at the most personal level. "Not a Hair from your head will fall without the Father's knowing" -Jesus. So invite Him into your heart, he yearns to enter in your life and help you in your work. To fill that hole that has always been in your heart, to better unite your stressed and rushed family, and eventually help to bring you and your loved ones to Eternal Life with Him in Heaven: a place where no one can comprehend its majesty. In Bethlehem, there was not room at the Inns for the King of Kings... is their room in your inn (life)? God Bless.

Carmelite Sisters New Website

Their Great Blogs:  http://www.carmelitesistersocd.com/blog/

Thier New Site:   http://www.carmelitesistersocd.com

God Bless, on this Fourth Sunday of Advent!

"Writings" PAGE

My "Writings" page is now updated!  It contains Archbishop Gomez' Pastoral Letter.
Check it out!

VATICAN II PAGE

THE VATICAN II PAGE IS  NOW UPDATED!!!   BENEFICIAL COMMENTS PLEASE  
LOVE OF OUR LADY! GOD BLESS,

JOSEPH 

Ordinations Summer 2012

This Summer, the Church in Southern California was blessed with many ordinations, either to the deaconite or priesthood.  I had the great honor and privilege of attending two of those ordinations.  The first was a priesthood and deaconite Norbertine Ordination on June 23, 2012 at The Mission Basilica of San Juan Capistrano, in Orange County.  The second was on August 4th, 2012, was  an Oblates of the Virgin Mary priesthood Ordination at St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church, in Hawaiian Gardens.  I had the immense privilege Altar Serving the one at St. Peter Chanel.  May God Bless our new priests and deacons this year!  

First, the Oblate Ordination: 

Fr. John Luong, OMV was born in the US state of Michigan, and now serves as an Associate Pastor at St. Mary Catholic Church, in Alton, Il.  He was ordained to the Priesthood if Jesus Christ by His Excellency, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles on August 4th, 2012 and celebrated his first Mass the following day, August 5th, the anniversary of the death of the founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Venerable Pio Bruno Lanteri.

Fr. John Blesses the Archbishop

Archbishop Gomez, Fr. John, and his parents

All clergy, and one brother 

The Oblates present for the ordination

The Imposition of Hands 

Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez's Homily at Fr. John Luong OMV's Ordination:  

As I said before, this is a beautiful moment in the life of this parish, in the life of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, and in the life of a great archdiocese. And it is a chance for all of us to give thanks to God for the holy priesthood of Jesus Christ.

We have just read a beautiful passage from the Gospel of John which describes the morning after the first Easter, after the Resurrection. The dialogue between St. Peter and our Lord was touching for us all. But in a special way, our Lord is speaking to you today, Deacon John. We hear Jesus ask, “Do you love me more than these?” He speaks these words to Peter; he speaks them to you too. You are about to enter, in a deep and perfect way, into the apostolic ministry of St. Peter and the Apostles. My brother, in this sacrament you are about to receive, you will give the same answer that Peter gave that morning by the sea. You will say to him, “Lord you know everything; You know that I love you.”

You, and all of us can also, say that we are trying to love Jesus, that great giver of gifts. With your heart open in love and with a great generosity of the Spirit you, Deacon John, have really decided to be one of the family to follow Jesus: to live only for His sake and for the sake of His Gospel. This is, my brothers and sisters, the essence of the priestly vocation. Each of us is called here to follow Jesus Christ and to serve the mission of His Church and His Kingdom. But only a few are called to be His holy priests, to be fathers of God’s people, to be shepherds to His flock, and sharers in the high priesthood of Jesus Christ.

As we hear in our first reading today from the prophet Jeremiah: Before the Lord formed you in your mother’s womb, our Lord dedicated you for this assignment. This is something I will never stop wondering: how in God’s plan of salvation there is a path for each one of us. What a grace and privilege it is to be a child of God. To know that the creator of Heaven and Earth has a plan for each one of us. Isn’t that beautiful? That God has a plan for all of us? -but today in a special way for Deacon John. A plan that was in the mind of God even before you were born. No one takes this honor upon himself but is given it by God, St. Paul says in today’s reading.

You have not been called to ordination because you are perfect, because you are already holy, or even because you have some kind of ability to preach of Him. It is because the Lord knows you are His. And the Lord knows that you love Him and want to serve Him. This Holy Lord will send you forth, just as He has sent them for 2000 years. And He will give you the solemn command that He gave to Peter and to all priests: If you love me, feed my sheep, tend to my sheep. Our Lord is calling you to be a priest to lead God’s people to the Word of Life and the Bread of Life: to the Gospel and the Holy Eucharist. This is the mystery of the priesthood, this is the mystery of your priesthood in persona Christi [Latin: in the person of Christ.] Here is you, here is Him, Jesus Christ. You alone, as priest, can become Jesus Christ in ministry: grant His forgiveness and to give His lambs His Body and Blood. How can there be any greater mission than to share God’s bounty with His family or to grow His Kingdom on Earth?

My dear brother, stay close to Jesus Christ: Walk with Him in prayer, seek to be more like Him every day through your contact with Him in the Scriptures and in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Stay true to His commandments and the duties he entrusts to you that your ministry will be a source of your sanctification. If you practice your duties with deep devotion and faithfulness your love for Jesus Christ will grow. Your friendship with Him will become your mission. It will grow in you a deeper identification with Jesus Christ, and His identity of mission in which you share.

One final thing, Deacon John. As you know, the good shepherd laid down His life for His flock, but he did not give away His flock; this is a very important point, it is not your flock, it is His. The love you are called to is a selfless love, a sacrificial love. The Love that seeks not its own but rather the glory of God’s name and His Kingdom. This is especially for all of His priests. We are to strive that our priesthood reflect the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Today let us also especially pray for all priests that they become a witness to the presence of Christ so that we priests can be servants of God and the people of God in the universal Church. So, Deacon John, we are all praying for you as you are about to be entrusted with this great mission of the salvation of souls. We pray that you will be a holy priest who sanctifies others by your words and by your actions. Today we ask the intercession of the venerable Father Bruno Lanteri [founder of the order of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary] as we appoint you as a new priest of his Oblates of the Virgin Mary. And may our Lady of the Angels, the mother of priests, help us all grow in holiness that there may be more vocations so that many more may join Deacon John in this great adventure of the priesthood, of being holy priests of Jesus Christ.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

(FYI: Archbishop Gomez already knew Fr. John from his layman days)

Second, the Norbertine Ordination: 

Fr Maximilian R of Bishop Flores

Fr. Maximilian Okapal, O.Praem, is now a canon of St, Micheal's Abbey in Orange County, California, and was ordained to the Priesthood of  Jesus Christ June 23, 2012, the Eve of the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.  He was ordained by the Most Reverend Bishop Cirilo Flores, Coadjutor Bishop of San Diego.    A Deacon was also ordained with him, but I can not remember his name.  

Add caption

   

Pray for our Priests!!!! May Mary's Blessing descend upon our beloved Shepards!  


-Joseph,
Thurifer 


     

Bishop Kevin Vann's Mass of Installation

This past Monday, Bishop Kevin William Vann, previously bishop of the diocese of Fort Worth, TX, was installed by Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Orange in California.  Bishop Tod D. Brown, Bishop Emeritus now of Orange, has retired at having met the mandatory retirement age given by the church at the age of 75.   (Sometimes, it can delay until a bishop if 76 or 77 though).  
Bishop Vann, had his Mass at the University of California Irvine's Bren Events Center, which accommodation more than 4000 people, I estimate.  The reason for the Mass not being at a church, or Holy Family Cathedral was because the largest church in the diocese only holds ~2200 people, St. Columban, in Garden Grove.  Obviously the liturgical planners knew that much more people would come than that.   Among those present were the Norbertine Fathers of St. Micheal's Abbey, 200-300 concelebrent priests, and maybe 30 bishops (and 1 abbot).  The servers were mostly seminarians from St. John's Seminary in Camirillo.  Some bishops (abbot)/priests I recognized were:

Archbishop Jose Gomez, Metropolitan Archbishop of Los Angeles (Main Celebrant) 
Archbishop Carlo Vigano, Papal Nuncio to the United States
Archbishop Salvatore  Cordileone, new Archbishop of San Francisco
Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop Emeritus of LA
Bishop Kevin Vann, New bishop of Orange (Main Celebrant?) 
Bishop Tod D. Brown, now-Bishop Emeritus of Orange
Bishop Cirilo Flores, Coadjutor Bishop of San Diego (I am sure Bishop Brom was also there) 
Bishop Gerald Barnes, Bishop of San Bernardino
Bishop Oscar Solis, Auxiliary Bishop of LA
Bishop Edward Clark, Auxiliary Bishop of LA
Bishop Thomas Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of LA
Bishop Alexander Salazar, Auxiliary Bishop of LA 
Bishop Gerald Wilkerson, Auxiliary Bishop of LA
Bishop Dominic Loung, Auxiliary Bishop of Orange  
Bishop Rutilio del Riego, Auxiliary Bishop of San Bernardino 
Abbot Eugene Hayes, Father Abbot to the Norbertines of St. Micheal's Abbey 
Fr. Brain Caseneda, M.C. to Archbishop Gomez 
A lot of Norbertine priests I know.  

Here are some pics:  

The gathering of priests

Archbishop Vigano reads Pope Benedicts XVI's Apostolic Letter of Anointment

Some priests, bishops, and Cardinal Mahony 

Closing Prayer

Incenification of the Altar by Archbishop Gomez

Opening prayer by Archbishop Gomez

Bishop Vann giving his homily 

God Bless you Bishop Vann!  

 http://www.rcbo.org/     <-for more


~Joseph, 
Thurifer