Prayers please

I have my Bible exams tomorrow morning. I've studying since 2003 for this, so prayers are most appreciated so that the same Spirit of God who inspired the Sacred Authors may also inspire me when I answer.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, James and Jude, all the holy Patriarchs and Prophets, Mary, my Mother and St. Jerome, pray for me.

Festa San Pedro held with great revelry at Portuguese Settlement

TRUE to its billing, the recent Festa San Pedro (Feast of St Peter) at the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca was an event filled with tradition, religiosity, gaiety and colour.

The annual, week-long festival, which began with the Festa San Juan on June 23 and culminated with the Festa San Pedro on June 29, offered outsiders a glimpse into the life of this unique community which continues to thrive.

Celebrative: Reverend Father Moses Lui performing the blessing at the recent Festa San Pedro at the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca.

Over 10,000 people, including sons and daughters of Portuguese-Eurasian descent residing in Penang, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Australia, made their way to the village in Ujong Pasir to observe and enjoy the centuries-old feast.

It was a time of music, song, dance, food and merriment with the festivities taking on a carnival-like atmosphere.

Besides the food and souvenir stalls, the event's highlights were the decorated fishing boat contest, the feast-day religious celebrations and the procession of St Peter's statue.

Heritage: Gaily decorated boats lined up to be judged.

The procession and blessing of the boats is a religious event practiced by the community since the early 1930s.

According to the settlement’s regedor (headman) Peter Thomas Gomes, the event was recognized by the state and Ministry of Tourism as a major tourist attraction.

Said Gomes: “The festa upholds St Peter, who is described as the patron saint of fishermen. Its significance dates back to the time when fishing was the main livelihood of residents here, and in Kampung Praya and Kampung Tengah off Jalan Banda Hilir, from the 1930s to the 1960s.

He said in the 1930s and 1940s, three quarters of the settlement’s adult population was involved in fishing and related activities.

He said that things had changed as many younger residents were now working elsewhere.

However, Gomes said there were 20 to 30 die-hards who continued to live off the sea.

“The festa became part and parcel of our lives after our ancestors wholeheartedly took to fishing in the old days. We have a duty to see that the event is kept alive,” he said.

Cultural: Boats lined up for the Best Decorated Boat Contest.

The blessing of the boats is of great significance to the community. Boat owners take pride in cleaning, oiling and decorating their vessels with flags and buntings.

Biblical quotations on scrolls, life-size plywood and cardboard figurines, electric lights, candles and fishing paraphernalia are tastefully used.

The boats are blessed and judged on the final day and cash prizes and hampers are given out.

For the fishermen, the candles signify the light of Christ, which guides them through the storms of life, whether at sea or on land.

The blessing and procession demonstrate a request for God’s grace for a good catch those who depend on the sea for their livelihood.

Long-time resident Alfred De Costa said: “The festival directly or indirectly brings relief to fishermen.

“It is a time to forget their daily grind. During the revelry, the humble fishing folk put aside their grim lives and relive the glory days of their ancestors.”

Besides fishing, trades originating in the settlement include the making of cinchalo (fermented shrimp), karing-karing (dried fish) and belacan (shrimp paste). These appetisers are in great demand around the country and in Singapore.

As Gomes eloquently put it: “During the 130 years of Portuguese rule, the local community inherited a priceless jewel, a heritage beyond monetary value, this being the Portuguese culture and traditions of which Festa San Pedro is part and parcel of.”

Source.

Guess

What these good Catholic priests, nuns and people are doing?


These are the faithful in Korea.





A candlelight procession in honour of Our Lord or the Blessed Virgin?


Go on, guess what this is.



Actually, .... :

Roman Catholic priests participate in a special service as part of protest against South Korean government's policy toward U.S. beef imports in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 30, 2008. South Korean police on Monday raided the offices of civic groups that have led weeks of protests against a government plan to resume U.S. beef imports. The letters read ' Resignation of President Lee Myung-bak'.

(AP Photo/Yonhap, Park Ji-ho)

A Priest in Perak - A cautionary tale of noodle soup and 20 cents

There was once a priest who was newly transferred to a parish in Perak. Some days after his arrival, finding the food brought to him by his mainly Indian parishioners a little too spicy for his palate, he went to the local coffee shop to have a nice meal of Chinese rice noodle soup. Of course, he wore street clothes, as do all the Catholic priests in Malaysia.

He sat down at one of the run down tables and began to read the morning paper. Soon enough, the hawker brought a steaming hot bowl of noodles to him. Not paying much attention, he paid for the noodles and the hawker put the change down on the table.

As he ate the first spoonful, he found the soup too watery and the noodles overcooked and soggy. He was disappointed with the dish, as after hearing the locals rave about it for the past few days, he had expected better. Well, to be honest, being from Penang where the food is glorious, he was bound to be disappointed no matter what he ate. Anyway....

After finishing his meal, as he picked up his change, he realized that the man had returned him 20 cents extra. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the 20 cents back. It's not right to keep it." Then he thought, "Forget it, it's only 20 cents and anyway, the food was horrible and not at all what it was made out to be. Who's going to bother about 20 cents? And look, the man is so busy cooking. It might disturb him if I were to interrupt. Let me just take it as a gift from God and keep quiet."

So he made his way out of the shop. But as he passed the stall, he paused momentarily and then handed the 20 cents to the man and said, "Hey boss, you gave me 20 cents extra change".

The hawker smiled and replied, "You're the new parish priest right? I haven't been going to Church for a number of years now because of a bad experience I had. I just gave you the extra change to see what you would do and whether you are also a hypocrite like the rest of them. I think I will be coming to see you soon."

The priest rushed back to the Church and fell to his knees before the Blessed Sacrament. "Sweet Jesus!", he said, in tears, "Judas betrayed you for 30 pieces of silver but I almost sold you for 20 cents! My example might have caused a soul to be lost!"

Most non-Christians will probably never read the bible. But they will read us and all the other Christians they come across. Our lives and our actions will be only Scripture they will ever read and we are closest encounters they will have of the Lord Jesus.

What we say and more importantly, what we do will determine what others think of the Church, the Faith and Our Lord. Are we just hypocrites? Have we, through our words and actions, through our commissions and omissions, led others to have a bad impression of the Lord and his Church? Have we driven someone away from Jesus?

I think we all, at some point, and some more than others, have been guilty of this. And for this sin, we need to beg the Lord's forgiveness and resolve to better represent the Lord who has made us, through our baptism, ambassadors of Christ. May we be Christ to others and let the Light of Christ shine through us.

PS
The priest, shaken by this experience, has taken to wearing his cassock and collar in public, both as a sign of his calling to others and, primarily, as a sign of his own calling and consecration to himself. His vesture reminds him daily, at all times, of his identity and his own vocation as a priest and as a Christian and reminds him that his actions as a minister of Christ and the Church are a sign to others as well. It reminds him that people, and God, are watching.

A Happy Coincidence?

2 days ago, at about 10PM, I was in my room when I suddenly felt a strong urge to pray and to burn some incense. Strange. But I followed my impulse and obediently went and lit the coals and burned the 'good' Jerusalem incense.

I censed the main altar and all the little altars and all of the icons and crucifixes in the house. And trust me when I say that there are a lot of them. My grandmother was wondering what got in to me, censing the altars at night. Honestly, I was wondering too. =)

The next morning, I went online and discovered the good news that the Transalpine Redemptorists were reconciled to the Pope and the Catholic Church. Perhaps the urge to pray and to offer incense was in response to the posting of this, although as yet unbeknownst to me, great news?

I know that the next time I feel that the 'hour of incense' has come and I feel the sudden urge to pray, I'll follow it. We may never know what other good news may be in store (FSSPX? *wink *wink) =)

Te Deum Laudamus!

The Transalpine Redemptorists, a traditional order of monks on the island of Papa Stronsay which was affiliated with the Society of St. Pius X has announced its full canonical regulation by Rome which means that they are now in full communion with the Successor of Peter and the Catholic Church governed by him.

This is indeed great and joyful news. I have been praying for this intention, ever since the news that they were seeking some agreement with Rome. They must have got hell from the other traditionalists with schismatic attitudes for daring to take this step.

They have found the Pearl of Great Price

They were also one of the first to publicly announce that they will 'obey with submission' the will of the Holy Father in promulgating the new Good Friday Prayers.

Let us continue to pray for them as they respond to the generosity of the Holy Father and live out an authentic Catholic life, the 'great experiment of tradition' in full communion with Peter and let others, who are so fearful and so suspicious (and not always without cause, I hasten to add) see for themselves that the Lord is good indeed.

Canonical Good Standing

1 July, 2008
Feast of the Precious Blood

My dear friends,

I am happy to inform you that last June 18th, before Cardinal Castrillon and the members of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in Rome, I humbly petitioned the Holy See on my own behalf and on behalf of the monastery council for our priestly suspensions to be lifted.

On June 26th I received word that the Holy See had granted our petition. All canonical censures have been lifted.

Our community now truly rejoices in undisputed and peaceful posession of Communion with the Holy See because our priests are now in canonical good standing.

We are very grateful to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for issuing, last July, the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum which called us to come into undisputed and peaceful Communion with him.

Now we have that undisputed communion! It is a pearl of great price; a treasure hidden in the field; a sweetness that cannot be imagined by those who have not tasted it or who have not known it, now for many years. Its value cannot be fully expressed in earthly language and therefore we hope that all traditional priests who have not yet done so, will answer Pope Benedict's call to enjoy the grace of peaceful and undisputed communion with him. Believe us, the price to pay is nothing; even all the angry voices that have shouted against us and calumniated us are as nothing when weighed in the scales against undisputed communion with the Vicar of Christ; others have died for it; what are raucous voices?

We publicly thank all those souls who have prayed for us over the last months; some of you have truly stormed heaven for us. You have kept us afloat. We are deeply grateful. Especially we thank that priest who was unknown to us, until June 16th when he wrote in fraternal support. Where did he come from? Why us? But he told us of the number of Masses, Offices, prayers and sacrifices he had personally said for us; he had also enlisted the prayers of contemplatives and Third Order societies and had a great number of people fervently praying for us with an abundance of prayers. We were amazed! Thank you Father! Thank you also to that brave person who, so kindly wrote to us to say that if he said any more prayers for us he would be floating! What wonderful people! Thank you!

Looking to the future, the next stage will be to have our community canonically erected. So please, dear friends, keep praying for us, there will be many crosses to bear; but they will be yokes sweetened by the grace of these last days.

We assure you all of our very best wishes.
Your devoted servant,

Fr. Michael Mary, C.SS.R.
Vicar General

Mass for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

St. Peter looking down on his Successor.

VATICAN CITY, 29 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. today, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist in the Vatican Basilica. Concelebrating with the Holy Father were 40 new metropolitan archbishops, upon whom he imposed the pallium. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was also present at the ceremony.

The Pope and Bartholomew I entered St. Peter's Square together, preceded by an Orthodox and a Latin deacon bearing the Gospel.

Following the reading of the Gospel in Latin and Greek the Holy Father presented the Ecumenical Patriarch to the assembly, after which each of them pronounced a homily.

In his homily Benedict XVI spoke of the two Apostles, patrons saints of Rome. "Through their martyrdom", he said, "through their faith and their love, the two Apostles show where true hope lies. They founded a new kind of city, one that must be formed ever and anew in the midst of the old human city which is threatened by the opposing forces of sin and human selfishness".

"We could say that their martyrdom was, in the deepest sense, like giving a fraternal embrace. They died for the one Christ and, in the witness for which they gave their lives, they became one single entity. In the New Testament we can, so to say, follow the development of that embrace, the creation of unity in witness and in the mission".

The Pope highlighted the fact that although Paul "usually went only to places in which the Gospel had not already been announced, Rome was an exception. There he found a Church the faith of which was the talk of the world. Going to Rome was part of the universality of his mission as an envoy to all peoples, ... it was an expression of the catholicity of his mission. Rome must make the faith visible to the whole world, it must be a place of encounter in the one faith".

Turning to consider Peter, the Holy Father recalled how "he left the presidency of the Christian-Judaic Church to James the Less in order to dedicate himself to his true mission, the ministry for the unity of the one Church of God made up of Jews and pagans".

After the chanting of the Gospel by the Greek Orthodox deacon and the Catholic deacon, the Greek deacon presented his book of the Gospels for the Pope to venerate and the Catholic deacon presented the Latin Gospel to the Patriarch. The Pope and Patriarch then blessed the people with the Gospels.

"The perpetual mission of Peter", he went on, is "to ensure the Church never becomes identified with a single nation, with a single culture or a single State. That she always remains the Church of everyone. That she unites humankind beyond all frontiers and, amidst the division of this world, brings God's peace, the reconciliatory power of His love".

Addressing the archbishops who were about to receive the pallium, the Holy Father told them that the gesture of imposing it upon their shoulders "reminds us of the shepherd who takes the lost sheep across his back, the sheep that cannot find its way home, and brings it back to the fold. In this sheep the Fathers of the Church saw the image of the entire human race, of all human nature, which is lost and no longer knows the way home"; and the Pastor that brings it home "is the eternal Word of God Himself". Yet nonetheless, God "also wants men 'to carry' alongside Him. Being a pastor of the Church of Christ means sharing in this task".

Pope Benedict XVI gives the Pallium to German Archbishop Reinhard Marx of Munich, his successor in the See of St. Corbinian.

In this way, he said, "the pallium becomes a symbol of our love for Christ the Shepherd, and of our loving together with Him. ... It becomes a symbol of the call 'to love them all' with the power of Christ ... that they might find Him and, in Him, themselves".

Benedict XVI concluded his homily by expressing the view that the pallium "speaks to us of the catholicity of the Church, of the universal communion of Pastor and flock, just as it is a reference to apostolicity, to communion with the faith of the Apostles upon which the Church is founded".

At the end of the Mass and before praying the Angelus, the Holy Father pointed out that since this year the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul falls on a Sunday, "the entire Church, and not just the Church of Rome, celebrates it solemnly".

After the Pater Noster, the Patriarch went up to the altar to exchange the Kiss of Peace with the Pope.

"Of course", said the Pope referring to the Pauline Year which he officially inaugurated yesterday, "its focal point will be Rome, in particular the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls and the place of the saint's martyrdom at the Three Fountains. But it will involve the entire Church, beginning with Tarsus where Paul was born, and the other Pauline sites ... in what is now Turkey, as well as the Holy Land and the island of Malta where the Apostle arrived after having been shipwrecked and sowed the fertile seed of the Gospel.

Holy Communion was distributed according to the universal norm, on the tongue, by people who were kneeling on a prie dieu.

"The truth is", he added, "that the horizon of the Pauline year cannot but be universal, because St. Paul was, par excellence, the Apostle to those who were 'far off' from the Jews and who 'by the blood of Christ' were 'brought near'. Hence, even today, in a world that has become 'smaller' but where many have still not met the Lord Jesus, the Jubilee of St. Paul invites all Christians to become missionaries of the Gospel".

"As the liturgy says, the charisms of the two great Apostles are complementary in the edification of the one People of God, and Christians cannot render valid witness of Christ if they are not united among themselves".

Benedict XVI concluded by inviting everyone to pray "for these great intentions: the Pauline Year, evangelisation, communion in the Church and full unity among all Christians, entrusting them to the celestial intercession of Most Holy Mary Mother of the Church and Queen of the Apostles".

Pope and Patriarch praying at the Confessio beneath the High Altar which houses the tomb of the Apostle Peter.

Let us fervently pray, through the intercession of Sts. Peter and Paul, founders of the Church of Rome, that the union of the Churches would come to pass in accordance with the will of Christ. Ut unum sint.