Pope’s Message for Catholic-Orthodox Symposium

Posted on by Fr. Peter
“We All Look With Hope” Toward Full Communion

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 17, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Sept. 12 message Benedict XVI sent to Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, on the occasion of the 10th Inter-Christian Symposium, dedicated to dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox.
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With great joy I learned that the Tenth Inter-Christian Symposium, promoted by the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical Antonianum University and by the Department of Theology of the Theological Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessalonica, will take place on the Island of Tinos, where Catholics and Orthodox live together in brotherly love.
The ecumenical cooperation in the academic field contributes to maintaining an impetus toward the longed for communion among all Christians. To this regard, the Second Vatican Council had glimpsed in this field a possible opportunity to involve all of God’s people in the search for full unity. “This importance is the greater because the instruction and spiritual formation of the faithful and of religious depends so largely on the formation which their priests have received” (“Unitatis Redintegratio,” 10).
The theme of the symposium: “St. John Chrysostom: Bridge Between East and West,” coinciding with the 1,600th anniversary of his death on Sept. 14, 497, will offer the occasion to commemorate an illustrious Father of the Church venerated in the East as in the West — a valiant, illuminated and faithful preacher of the Word of God, upon which he founded his pastoral action; such an extraordinary hermeneutist and speaker that, from the fifth century, he was given the title of Chrysostom, which means golden-mouthed. A man whose contribution to the formation of the Byzantine liturgy is known to everyone.
For the courage and faithfulness of his evangelical witness he was able to suffer persecution and exile. After complex historical events, from May 1, 1626, his body reposed in St. Peter’s Basilica, and on Nov. 27, 2004, my venerated predecessor John Paul II gave part of the relics to His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and, thus, this great Father of the Church is now venerated in the Vatican basilica as well as in the Church of St. George in Fanar.
The reflection of your symposium, which will deal with a theme related to John Chrysostom and communion with the Church of the West while analyzing some problems that exist today, will contribute to upholding and corroborating the real — though imperfect — communion that exists between Catholics and Orthodox, so that we may reach that fullness which will one day enable us to concelebrate the one Eucharist. And it is to that blessed day that we all look with hope, organizing practical initiatives such as this one.
With these sentiments, I invoke God’s abundant blessing upon your meeting and all of the participants: May the Holy Spirit illuminate the minds, warm the hearts and fill each one with the joy and peace of the Lord.
I would like to take this opportunity to send a brotherly greeting to the Orthodox and Catholic faithful in Greece, and in a truly special way, to the archbishop of Athens and all Greece, His Beatitude Chrystodoulos, wishing him a full recovery in health, so that he may return to his pastoral service as soon as possible, and I assure my prayers for this intention. May the “Theotokos,” loved and venerated with special devotion on the island of Tinos, offer her motherly intercession so that our shared intentions will be crowned by the much wished for spiritual successes.
From Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 12, 2007
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Casino Gambling

Posted on by Fr. Peter

Yesterday Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick unvield a plan to allow three “resort-style” casinos in Massachusetts. I am not sure how I feel about this plan. Our state is in trouble money wise but do we need to fall back on this to make up the difference? I think gambling is an easy fix but leads to many more problems. The Governor made a statement that I find very interesting:

In unveiling his proposal, Patrick said the financial windfall would
outweigh the serious social ills associated with gambling. The hundreds of millions of dollars in additional state revenues, he said, would be directed toward rebuilding the state’s crumbling roads and bridges and providing property tax relief for beleaguered homeowners.

“Casino gambling is neither a cure-all nor the end of civilization,” Patrick said at a State House press conference. “Under certain conditions, I believe casinos can work well in and for the Commonwealth.”

His plan must be approved by the State Legislature and already is meeting with oppositon in some quarters to include the Massachusetts Council of Churches and the Archdiocese of Boston. I wonder if our Orthodox Hierarchs will say anything? Does anyone have strong feelings in either direction?

You can read the entire to story in today’s Boston Globe.

September 11th

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Today is the sixth anniversary of that terrible day for our country and the world. I remember exactly where I was when I got the news. First year of seminary and just leaving a class at Boston College. I drove back to the seminary in disbelief that this was happening. Ran upstairs in time to see one of the towers come down.
Putting politics aside, let us remember those who are trying to keep the peace. Pray for the military and the leaders. Pray for the President as he makes decisions. Right or wrong he is our leader and he needs our support and prayers. Pray for all emergency workers, police, fire, emt’s and such. They keep us safe on a daily basis and risk their lives for us.
Today I will be attending three remembrance services. One will be held at the local high school this morning followed by another one at town hall. Tonight I am going to Boston for the ceremony at the State House and the unavailing of the Fire fighter’s Memorial now with two new names on it. Pray that the rain holds off as this event will be held outside.
My prayers are with the families and friends of all who lost someone six years ago and with our country and with the world.
“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me!”

Weekend Recap

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Well the wedding went off without a hitch on Sunday. It was a cooler day than the previous Sunday and I was glad for the bride and groom. Nice couple and I wish them well in their new life together. After the wedding I was invited to a parishioners house for a little end of the summer cook out. It nice to be able to go and socialize with the parishioners. You see them on such a different level and they sometimes are more relaxed.

Yesterday was labor day here in the US and I chose not to do any labor. That is not really true as laundry needed to be done as well as cleaning out the spare room in the rectory. It is funny how fast a room can get trashed if you keep the door closed. I think there are gremlins that go in there and mess the place up. I guess I have started my fall cleaning a little early.

Next Sunday I hope to get back on track with the recorded homilies and then podcasting. I guess that means I need to do some better preparation. Fr. Greg and I are supposed to start again as well. Perhaps we can get on a better schedule then we have been on. Many events coming up here in the parish and I will write about them as time gets closer.

1 September ~ St. Giles

Posted on by Fr. Peter
An Abbot, said to have been born of illustrious Athenian parentage about the middle of the seventh century. Early in life he devoted himself exclusively to spiritual things, but, finding his noble birth and high repute for sanctity in his native land an obstacle to his perfection, he passed over to Gaul, where he established himself first in a wilderness near the mouth of the Rhone and later by the River Gard. But here again the fame of his sanctity drew multitudes to him, so he withdrew to a dense forest near Nîmes, where in the greatest solitude he spent many years, his sole companion being a hind. This last retreat was finally discovered by the king’s hunters, who had pursued the hind to its place of refuge. The king [who according to the legend was Wamba (or Flavius?), King of the Visigoths, but who must have been a Frank, since the Franks had expelled the Visigoths from the neighbourhood of Nîmes almost a century and a half earlier] conceived a high esteem for solitary, and would have heaped every honour upon him; but the humility of the saint was proof against all temptations. He consented, however, to receive thenceforth some disciples, and built a monastery in his valley, which he placed under the rule of St. Benedict. Here he died in the early part of the eighth century, with the highest repute for sanctity and miracles.

His cult spread rapidly far and wide throughout Europe in the Middle Ages, as is witnessed by the numberless churches and monasteries dedicated to him in France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and the British Isles; by the numerous manuscripts in prose and verse commemorating his virtues and miracles; and especially by the vast concourse of pilgrims who from all Europe flocked to his shrine. In 1562 the relics of the saint were secretly transferred to Toulouse to save them from the hideous excesses of the Huguenots who were then ravaging France, and the pilgrimage in consequence declined. With the restoration of a great part of the relics to the church of St. Giles in 1862, and the discovery of his former tomb there in 1865, the pilgrimages have recommenced. Besides the city of St-Gilles, which sprang up around the abbey, nineteen other cities bear his name, St-Gilles, Toulouse, and a multitude of French cities, Antwerp, Bridges, and Tournai in Belgium, Cologne and Bamberg, in Germany, Prague and Gran in Austria-Hungary, Rome and Bologna in Italy, possess celebrated relics of St. Giles. In medieval art he is a frequent subject, being always depicted with his symbol, the hind. His feast is kept on 1 September. On this day there are also commemorated another St. Giles, an Italian hermit of the tenth century (Acta SS., XLI, 305), and a Blessed Giles, d. about 1203, a Cistercian abbot of Castaneda in the Diocese of Astorga, Spain (op. cit. XLI, 308).

2 Die in Boston Fire

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Last night the City of Boston lost two of it’s bravest. Two Boston firefighters lost their lives in a four alarm fire in the West Roxbury section of the city. Paul J. Cahill, 55, of Scituate and Warren J. Payne, 53, of Canton lost their lives.
Once again we are reminded of people who place themselves in harms way to keep the rest of us safe. Next time you drive by a fire house and see they men and women sitting outside toot your horn and wave or maybe stop in and say thank you for what they do. We hope we never need them but when we do we are glad they are there.

Greek Fires

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Word has reached the Village that my friend and fellow IOCC Comrade Fr. Angelo will be leaving the US on Thursday to head to Greece to aid the workers fighting the fire there. These have been devastating fires that have taken the lives of more than 60 people. Fr. Angelo told me last night that some of the fires look like they were set. Let us pray for Fr. Angelo and all of those fighting fires today, and everyday. If I hear more news I will post it.

Sunday Happenings

Posted on by Fr. Peter
As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a baptism today after Liturgy. Baptisms are always fun and filled with all sorts of things they don’t teach you about in seminary. For example, if baptizing a boy face him away from you when you take him out of the water or… So it is things like that to look forward too.
Yesterday it hit 90 degrees here. That was not so bad except for the humidity. I have not been to the church yet this morning but I can only imagine what the temperature is in there. I am planning on a short meditation in place of my homily today as the heat will be getting to everyone. They are not comforted by my usual, “it is much better to be hot here then hereafter.” I don’t understand why they don’t like that.
I traveled to North Kingston, RI yesterday to attend the Rhode Island Military Vehicle Collectors Club Show held at the Quonset Air Museum. If you are in Southern New England and looking for something to do drop in on them for a little air history. I did not stay long as all of the exhibits were outside and I do not do well in the heat. So I came back to the Village and wrote some letters and got ready for today.
Happy Sunday all.
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