One of the final gifts that Pope John Paul gave to the Church was his reflection upon the mystery of the Rosary and in particular his invitation to the Church to broaden the scope of our meditation. For Dominicans, who have a history of special devotion to the Rosary, the pope’s words have been embraced with enthusiasm, including the five new luminous mysteries.
Homélie prêchée pour la solennité du Saint-Sacrement du Corps et du Sang du Christ, le 7 juin 2015, en l’église Saint-François de Paule à Nice.
Homélie pour la fête du Corps et du Sang du Seigneur, le 4 juin 2015 au Carmel du Pâquier à Fribourg (Suisse).
One of the most remarkable Catholics of the 20th Century is a woman who began her life as an atheist, committed to communism, anarchy, and social revolution. But after the birth of her infant daughter by a man who was not her husband, she experienced a profound conversion in her life. She began to feel a deep yearning for Christ and his promise of grace, which led her to embrace the truths of the Catholic faith.
In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola gives advice to his Jesuit Brothers on how they should counsel men and women with spiritual problems. If the director should see that a person is longing for God, he should assist them and encourage them in their quest. If he should discover, however, that what the persons longs for is personal power, or wealth, or fame, he should not be worried. For these desires, these longings can be worked with and re-directed.
Rome in the sixteenth century was an exciting but questionable place. Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel, Raphael was decorating the papal apartments with his frescos, and the walls of the new Saint Peter’s Basilica continued to rise relentlessly.
