Wins; Philly; The Border

Mr. John L. Allen Jr. commented on the visit of President Obama to Pope Francis, the visit of Pennsylvania leaders encouraging the Pope to visit Philadelphia next year and the several U.S. bishops visiting tomorrow “the US-Mexico border…our Lampedusa.”

________________________________

Wiki-mage by Jeffrey M. Vinocur of Philadelphia skyline CC BY-SA 3.0

Not the “Usual Logic”

Pope Francis named cardinals to embody his vision of a “poor church.” Mr. John L. Allen Jr. described his action as a “classic example of some nonverbal preaching Saturday, using a traditional Roman pageant to lift up new cardinals from some of the world’s poorest nations.” Mr. Allen noted that is not the “usual logic” in naming cardinals.

________________________________

Wiki-mage by Gugganij of scarlet zucchetto CC BY-SA 3.0

Trades

Before Mr. John L. Allen Jr. commented in his All Things Catholic post about his move from the NCR to the Boston Globe, he discussed dangerous ‘novice recruitment.’ “Pope Francis recently issued a blunt warning about what he called a “novice trade” within religious orders these days, quoting a line from the Filipino bishops and deliberately using an Italian term that evokes memories of the slave trade.”

__________________________________________

Wiki-mage by Tony Fischer of Boston Globe entrance CC BY-SA 2.0

Mercifully Shaking Up Christmas

Mr. John L. Allen Jr. admits in his All Things Catholic post, “I was briefly at a loss when asked how I expected Francis to ‘shake up’ Christmas.” He recovered to comment on servant leadership, social gospel and mercy. Mr. Allen also posted about an act of mercy at the “mother church of the pope’s Jesuit order.”

_____________________________________________________________

Wiki-image by Matthew Black of Church of the Gesú CC BY-SA 2.0

On Money, an “Earthquake” and a Birthday

The world marches on and Pope Francis keeps pace. In the words of veteran Vatican watcher Mr. John L. Allen Jr., “there’s no ‘off’ switch, which makes me very glad I’ve been in Rome this week.” So Mr. Allen began his review of the week in his All Things Catholic post. In the financial sphere the Church is seeking help to work better.

___________________________________________

Wiki-image of Ernst and Young logo ®  PD-ineligible

A Look at the Latest Papal Encyclical

From Mr. John L. Allen Jr.: “Making the poor feel welcome…represents ‘the greatest and most effective presentation of the good news of the kingdom.’” Mr. Allen’s comment is part of his All Things Catholic post today.

_______________________________________________

Wiki-image by Peter Maes of relief of feeding the hungry CC BY 3.0.

Persecution Fallout

Persecution of Christians is a fact backed by sad statistics as well as ground-level stories. Sad though it is, persecution of Christians is “potentially a boon to ecumenical relations. All denominations today have their martyrs, and all are more or less equally at risk.” So noted Mr. John L. Allen Jr. in his All Things Catholic post yesterday. Mr. Allen also touched on strengthening the role of women in the church; the pope’s visit to the seat of the Italian government; and a scandal too bizarre to “make up.”

_______________________________________________

Wiki-image by Geobia of Palazzo Quirinale CC BY-SA 3.0.

Let Not Corrections Blind

The recent Q & A with the pope was not a transcript of a recorded conversation. That clarification and other questions the fact raises ought not upstage other important things that happened in the Vatican in the week ending today.

Six and Seven

Mr. John L. Allen Jr. offered his review of Pope Francis and his six months serving as Bishop of Rome and as “a force of nature.”

At ThinkingFaith Jesuit Tim Byron reviews one book about the pope:

Of the new literature rushed out to capitalise on the great interest and the extraordinarily long honeymoon period that Francis is experiencing, Paul Vallely’s Pope Francis: Untying the Knots is perhaps the best in the English language.

Seven is the number of weeks that the Letters to Timothy and Titus will be read at Sunday’s masses. Jesuit Peter Edmonds looks at these letters to individuals and their placement in the lectionary.

___________________________________________________

Wiki-image of detail of lectionary page public domain in the U.S.

“More Forceful This Time”?

Talk of response to recent events in Syria may cause many to recall a decade ago. Mr. John L. Allen remarked that “both the sequence of events and even the language being used by the Vatican today provoke a dizzying sense of déjà vu.” He also cited the Chaldean Catholic Bishop of Aleppo. He said in a recent interview: “we see now...how [in 2003 Iraq] came to be destroyed. The first to lose were the Christians of Iraq. We must say that, what the U.S. did in Iraq, we don’t want repeated in Syria.” Read Mr. Allen’s All Things Catholic for today.

_______________________________________

Wiki-image of debating Catholic and Oriental Christians public domain in the U.S.

Team and Agony

Mr. John L. Allen Jr. reports on one Vatican worker in a story about the emerging papal “team.” He also adds that this this has been a “truly agonizing week [for anyone] “concerned about the fate of Italian Jesuit Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio.” Both appear in today’s All Things Catholic.

___________________________________________________

Wiki-image by Sulbud of retablo of Filipino saints CC BY-SA 3.0.

Of Kidnapping and Litigation

Mr. John L. Allen Jr.’s reports on the kidnapping of Jesuit Paolo Dall’Oglio, the apostle of “Muslim-Christian friendship” in Syria. In whose hands he is detained recently came to light.

A few lawsuits against priest-abusers have charged that each acted “as an ‘agent’ or an ‘employee’ of the Holy See while he served as a priest, and the Vatican is responsible for damages from his behavior.” Mr. Allen comments on both stories in his All Things Catholic.

_______________________________________________________

Wiki-image by Fritzbokern of Paolo Dall’Oglio, S.J., CC BY-SA 3.0.

Not Indifferent to Indifference

In last Friday’s All Things Catholic Mr. John L. Allen Jr. noted a recent book. In the main it suggests “that selective memory underlies America’s ambivalence on immigration.” Mr. Allen also recalled and summarized the witness of Pope Francis on behalf of the “roughly 20,000 people who have died trying to make the crossing [from Africa and the Middle East into Europe] and to show compassion for those who survived.” Mr. Allen noted reaction to the pope’s “penitential act” included the author of the recent book at the top of his column.

______________________

Wiki-image by Jeffrey Sciberras of n.e. cliffs of Lampedusa CC BY-SA 3.0.

From Rome, Tehran, Rio and Back to Rome

Mr. John L. Allen Jr. considered past “parallel paths” of Rome and Tehran before looking at Iran’s recent election result. He moved on to Rio de Janeiro and other locations of Brazilian demonstrations before returning to Rome. The second miracle has been confirmed in the canonization process of Blessed John Paul II. Mr. Allen clarifies that canonization does not mean perfection.

______________________

Wiki-image of Christ the Redeemer public domain worldwide.

Two Questions, Three Cautions

Mr. John L. Allen Jr. has been following the geographical growing edges of the Catholic Church for some time. Its annual statistical report, released earlier in the week, confirmed trends he and others have noticed. Africa and Asia are where the church is growing. Mr. Allen noted that people in the Western Hemisphere ask him “two intriguing questions” about the growth-shift. He answers them then closes with “three caveats.” 

______________________

Wiki-image of Big Blue Marble {PD-USGov}

1 in 100,000

What the media likely will not splash in ink, soy or digital, Mr. John L. Allen Jr. posts today.

By all accounts a funny, spitfire pastor, [Father Giuseppe] Puglisi dedicated his life to convincing youth in his crime-infested neighborhood that there are ways forward other than the mob and to shaping a civil society in Sicily that challenged the Mafia's political influence.

For that he was ultimately assassinated and will be canonized.

The story includes Syrian and Sri Lankan connections. One moral is: In all times, places and circumstances faith is about doing something.

_____________________________________________________________

Wiki-image dalbera of mandarin orange trees in Brancaccio park CC BY 2.0.

Under-reported

Abuse, violence, intrigue, further regions and money shape Mr. John L. Allen Jr.’s “annual run-down of the most under-covered Vatican stories. ... those stories that fell through the cracks in the last year or that didn’t quite generate the buzz they really deserved.”

He summarizes the buzz in this week’s All Things Catholic post.

_________________________________________________

Wiki-image by Subhrajit of headlines used by CC BY-SA 3.0.

Christmas Not Canceled and More

Pope Benedict’s third book on Jesus focused on the infancy narratives. While some media characterized the pope as the Grinch, not every journalist did. Mr. John L. Allen Jr., in his All Things Catholic to close 2012, explains that and comments about religious freedom far away and a successful Catholic television station.

______________________________________________________

Wiki-image by The U.S. Army of a friendly Grinch used by CC BY-SA 2.0.

Sundayword, 02 Dec 2012

Living Covenant
Advent1 C (02 Dec 2012)

Jer 33. 14-16; Ps 25; 1Th 3. 12-4. 2; Lk 21. 25-28, 34-36

Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.

The prophets used the phrase, the days are coming, to speak about God acting in history among God’s people. God promised never to abandon the people of the covenant. People abandoned the covenant and its ways of living God’s justice among themselves. Jeremiah reminded a broken people that God is faithful and would fulfill the promise made to them.

To enter a covenant in the ancient Mediterranean world accepted what the covenant-offerer asked. God asked people to show compassion—God’s justice—as God had shown them in liberating them from the land of slavery and death. They accepted. Over time they behaved differently, focusing on themselves more than on God.

God’s faithfulness to promises, even when people are unfaithful, shapes the history of God with people. The scriptures announce it without end. They recall God’s faithfulness in the ever-changing experiences of people and history. They never tire calling people to live again the ways of the covenant. St. Paul summarized covenant-conduct as love. We heard him tell the Thessalonians, Abound with love for one another and for all. To others he said, remember the poor¹; and, love fulfills the covenant²; and, Do nothing from rivalry or conceit but in humility...look…also to the interests of others.³ The more we cultivate covenant-living the more readily we practice it in our circumstances. Our circumstances includes times and events that challenge us a little and those that challenge us a lot. Far from an idea to think about; covenant-living is actions to practice.

One practice is to rely on our Creator and Redeemer. Perhaps the best way to cultivate our reliance is to practice gratitude often: gratitude for the breath I am breathing and for the next breath I will take; gratitude for the singular gifts each day brings; gratitude for what protects me and strengthens me each day. Gratitude guards us against thinking we are the center of the universe. It also frees us to be openhanded and openhearted: openhanded to attend to others’ needs; and openhearted to receive the goodness others extend to us.

Gratitude also helps us take the long view. Humanly speaking, God’s compassion takes the long view. People abandoned God’s covenant in every age, but God takes the long view: God’s fidelity refused to allow the selfishness of some to invalidate the covenant or prevent the coming the new heavens and new earth. In today’s gospel Prophet Jesus spoke of that day, the coming of the kingdom in its fulness. Luke’s gospel presents Jesus as prophet; it is his gospel we will hear on Sundays through this liturgical year. The long view reminds us the dire details Jesus rehearsed are not his point; his point is the kingdom he had announced will arrive, born in its way. Its fullness will replace history and everything humans know.

Advent begins by bridging the end of time with the birth of our Creator in time. The image of midwife helps us be alert to our new covenant in our Messiah, to his encouragement not to allow any challenges to numb our attention and to invigorate our Christian living. Why a midwife? First, a midwife expects a birth, she does not rush it. Second, a midwife is prepared for unexpected turns, but she does not obsess over them. No: she remains calm so the parents may imitate her and be calm, attentive and single-minded. When the baby begins to enter the world, the midwife does what she practiced often: actions which make way for an infant—supporting, yielding, freeing and giving a new life its place in the world. Covenant-living allows us to midwife the kingdom Jesus embodied and modeled for the world.

In your daily 15 minutes with Jesus this week

• Be aware the Trinity gives you new birth.
• Ask Jeremiah and St. Paul to present you to Jesus.
• Chat with Jesus: praise him for announcing and modeling God’s reign already dawning among us; thank him for choosing you to midwife God’s reign by your way of living.
• Ask Jesus for the grace to continue becoming more practiced in your Christian living.
• Then close saying slowly the Lord’s Prayer. His words, your kingdom come, remind us we await the kingdom, we don’t create it. His prayer outlines how we anticipate it: by imitating the actions Jesus modeled for us for the sake of everyone.

Link to this homily’s Spiritual Exercise

____________

1. Galatians 2.10.
2. See Galatians 5.14.
3. Philippians 2.3-4.

________________________________________________________________

Wiki-image NASA of the Ecliptic is in the public domain. Wiki-image of church on Broadway at Advent was dedicated to the public domain.

Joining Forces To Aid Suffering Christians

W

ith the election in the U.S. over, can Christians, “so-called ‘progressives’ and ‘conserva-tives’ in the American church...set aside their differences” and unite to defend “innocent Christians in places such as Congo, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, India and so many points beyond, where Christians literally take their lives in the hands every time they go to church, open their business or just walk down the street?”

So asks Mr. John L. Allen Jr. in his All Things Catholic post today.

____________________________________________________

Wiki-image of Jesuit Rutilio Grande was released into the public domain.