Since we are travellers and pilgrims in the world, let us ever ponder on the end of the road, that is of our life, for the end of our roadway is our home (St Columban, 8th sermon).
Showing posts with label Blessed Laura Vicuña. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blessed Laura Vicuña. Show all posts
GospelMatthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17(English Standard
Version, Anglicised)
When Jesus
heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving
Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun
and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — the people dwelling in darkness have
seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying,
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
[While walking by the Sea
of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his
brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to
them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left
their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers,
James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their
father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat
and their father and followed him.
And he went throughout all
Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom
and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.]
Last Sunday in the Philippines was the Feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The gospel was Matthew 18:1-5, 10 in which Jesus tells us,Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I saw his words come to life twelve years ago at the end of Mass in Holy Family Home for Girls in Bacolod City. I lived in that city from 2002 until 2017.
In January 2014 four new girls arrived at the home. One, whom I'll call 'Josie', was aged 14 and was profoundly deaf. Her main way of communicating was Sign Language. The Sisters, staff and some of the girls began to learn some Sign Language. The other three new girls included two aged ten and one aged six.
At the end of Mass I saw 'Josie' sitting and quietly crying. I wasn't quite sure why. One of the ten-year-old new girls, rather small for her age but very lively and whom I'll call 'Grace', went over to 'Josie' and put her arms around her to comfort her. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
The majority of the girls in Holy Family Home have had horrific experiences, in most cases within their own wider family circle. They truly know what it is to be dwelling in darkness.
['Josie' was able to go home in 2016. We discovered that she had some hearing and, with hearing aids, she has improved her speech and hearing considerably. The other three girls were still at Holy Family Home when I left the Philippines in June 2017].
In my latter years in Bacolod City I used to celebrate Mass in Holy Family Home on to mark the feast of St Agnes, 21 January. Each year we combined a celebration of St Agnes the Martyr (c.291 - c.304), patron saint of chastity, of young girls and of rape victims, and Blessed Laura Vicuña(1891 - 1904), a patron of abuse victims who offered her life for the conversion of her mother and whose feast day is 22 January. Their years of birth and death paralleled with 16 centuries between them.
Each year I told the girls that the life of Blessed Laura, whose father died when she was young, was so like their own and that she became a saint in the midst of and through her sufferings, especially the cruelty of her stepfather who wasn't married to her mother. Despite her young age she had the maturity, generosity and holiness to offer her life so that her mother would return to the Lord. She told this to her mother when she, Laura, was dying. It was the physical abuse of her stepfather that led to her death. Laura's prayers were answered.
Laura understood the stark reality of the words of Jesus in today's gospel: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. She also understood the power of God's mercy. In Holy Family Home I frequently made myself available for confession and many of the girls would come. Sometimes I girl would ask me to hear her confession.
Holy Family Home exists because of the sins of adults against girls, some only small children. It is a place where most of the girls have been among those dwelling dwelling in the region and shadow of death (Gospel),in a land of deep darkness (First Reading). I have brought many visitors to Holy Family Home and the one word they nearly all have used to sum up their experience is 'joy', a joy they find among the girls, though they aren't always aware of the suffering. Those who live there are a testimony to the truth of the words of Isaiah that we listen to in the First Reading, words we also listened to at the Mass During the Night at Christmas:
The second part of today's gospel - very likely the celebrant will omit this and use the shorter gospel reading - tells us of the call of the first disciples who were later called to be apostles, the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Immediately they left their nets . . .Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Yetwe know from the gospels that they continued to fish from time to time and to encounter stormy weather.
In the Philippines most fishermen are poor and go to sea in very small boats. In some countries larger boats go far from land and often encounter very dangerous weather. And a very large percentage of international seafarers are Filipinos.
In our prayers to day let us remember our fishermen, our seafarers and those involved in rescue work at sea. Let us also remember the members of a number of European navies who in recent years have saved countless refugees travelling in unsafe boats from north Africa to southern Europe. Tragically, many refugees never make it.
Home from the Sea
Written by Phil Coulter, sung by Liam Clancy
Traditional Latin Mass
Third Sunday After the Epiphany
The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 01-25-2026 if necessary).
Readings(Jerusalem Bible: Australia,
England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,
Scotland, South Africa)
GospelMathew 4:12-23 [or 12-17] (New
Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)
Now when
Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the
lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah
might be fulfilled:
‘Land
of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and
for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’
From that time Jesus began to
proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
[As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish
for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son
of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending
their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left
the boat and their father, and followed him.
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news of the
kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.]
Last Sunday in the Philippines was
the Feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The gospel was Matthew 18:1-5, 10 in
which Jesus tells us,Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. I saw his
words come to life six years ago at the end of Mass in Holy FamilyHome for Girlsin Bacolod City. I lived in that city from 2002 until
2017.
In January 2014 four new girls arrived at the home.
One, whom I'll call 'Josie', was aged 14 and was profoundly deaf. Her main way
of communicating was Sign Language. The Sisters, staff and some of the girls
began to learn some Sign Language. The other three new girls included two
aged ten and one aged six.
At the end of Mass I saw 'Josie' sitting and
quietly crying. I wasn't quite sure why. One of the ten-year-old new girls,
rather small for her age but very lively and whom I'll call 'Grace', went over
to 'Josie' and put her arms around her to comfort her. Whoever becomes
humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
The majority of the girls in Holy Family Home have
had horrific experiences, in most cases within their own family circle. They
truly have sat in darkness.
['Josie' was able to go home in 2016. We discovered that she had some
hearing and, with hearing aids, she has improved her speech and hearing considerably.
The other three girls were still at Holy Family Home when I left the
Philippines in 2017].
In my latter years in Bacolod City I used to celebrate
Mass again in Holy Family Home on to mark the feast of St Agnes, 21 January.
Each year we combined a celebration of St Agnes the Martyr (c.291 - c.304),
patron saint of chastity, of young girls and of rape victims, and Blessed Laura Vicuña(1891 - 1904), a patron of abuse victims who offered her
life for the conversion of her mother and whose feast day is 22 January.
Each year I told the girls that
the life of Blessed Laura, whose father died when she was young, was so like
their own and that she became a saint in the midst of and through her
sufferings, especially the cruelty of her stepfather who wasn't married to her
mother. Despite her young age she had the maturity, generosity and holiness to
offer her life so that her mother would return to the Lord. She told this to
her mother when she, Laura, was dying. It was the physical abuse of her
stepfather that led to her death. Laura's prayers were answered.
Laura understood the stark reality of the words of
Jesus in today's gospel: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come
near. She also understood the power of God's mercy.
Holy Family Home exists because of the sins of
adults against girls, some only small children. It is a place where most of the
girls have sat in the region and shadow of death. I have brought
many visitors there and the one word they nearly all have used to sum up their
experience is 'joy', a joy they find among the girls and among the Capuchin
Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family and the staff. Those who live there are a
testimony to the truth of the words of Isaiah that we listen to in the First
Reading and the Gospel this Sunday and that we listened to at the Mass During
the Night at Christmas:
The people who sat in
darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of
death
The second part of today's gospel
tells us of the call of the first disciples who were later called to be
apostles, the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James
and John. Immediately they left their nets . . .Immediately
they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Yetwe know from the
gospels that they continued to fish from time to time and to encounter stormy
weather.
In the Philippines most fishermen are
poor and go to sea in very small boats. In some countries larger boats go far
from land and often encounter very dangerous weather. And a very large
percentage of international seafarers are
Filipinos.
In our prayers to day let us remember our fishermen, our seafarers and those involved in rescue work at sea. Let us also
remember the members of a number of European navies who have saved countless
refugees in the last couple of years travelling in unsafe boats from north
Africa to southern Europe. Tragically, many refugees never make it.
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned (Matthew 4:16, NRSVCE).
Now when
Jesusheard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.He left Nazareth and made his home
in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,so that what had been spoken through
the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and
for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’
From that time Jesus began to
proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’
[As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen.And
he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’Immediately
they left their nets and followed him.As
he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his
brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he
called them.Immediately
they left the boat and their father, and followed him.]
Missa Brevis in G Major, Kyrie,
Mozart Lumen
Choir, conducted by Jooyoung Kim 'Once upon a time', 5th Annual Concert (1 December 2012) Moonjeong-dong Catholic Church, Seoul, South Korea
Last Sunday here in the Philippines
was the the Feast of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The gospel was Matthew 18:1-5, 10 in
which Jesus tells usWhoever
becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I saw his words come to life at the end of Mass in Holy Family Home for Girls here in Bacolod City where I live.
In January 2014 four new girls came to the home. One, whom I'll call 'Josie', was aged 14 and profoundly deaf. Her main way of communicating was Sign Language. The Sisters,
staff and some of the girls began to learn some Sign Language. The other
three new girls included two aged ten and one aged six.
At the end of Mass I
saw 'Josie' sitting and quietly crying. I wasn't quite sure why. One of the
ten-year-old new girls, rather small for her age but very lively and whom I'll
call 'Grace', went over to 'Josie' and put her arms around her to comfort
her. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven.
The majority of the
girls in Holy Family Home have had horrific experiences, in most cases within
their own family circle. They truly have sat in darkness.
['Josie' was able to go home last year. We discovered that she had some hearing and, with hearing aids, she has improved her speech and hearing considerably. The other three girls are still at Holy Family Home].
The Virgin and
Child with St Martina and St Agnes, El
Greco [Web Gallery of Art]
I will celebrate Mass again in Holy Family
Home on Monday evening to mark the feast of St Agnes, 21 January. Each year in
the Home we combine a celebration of St Agnes the Martyr (c.291 - c.304),
patron saint of chastity, of young girls and of rape victims, andBlessed Laura Vicuña(1891 - 1904), a patron of abuse victims who offered her life for the
conversion of her mother and whose feast day is 22 January. (We moved the
celebration this year to 23 January for liturgical reasons).
Each year I tell the girls that the life of
Blessed Laura, whose father died when she was young, was so like their own and
that she became a saint in the midst of and through her sufferings, especially
the cruelty of her stepfather who wasn't married to her mother. Despite her
young age she had the maturity, generosity and holiness to offer her life so
that her mother would return to the Lord. She told this to her mother when she
was dying. It was the physical abuse of her stepfather that led to her death. Laura's
prayers were answered.
Laura understood the stark reality of the words of
Jesus in today's gospel: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come
near. She also understood the power of God's mercy. Repentance and God's
mercy are central to the preaching and teaching of Pope Francis. Since Blessed
Laura, born in Santiago, Chile, and died in Argentina he must be familiar with her
life that embodied what he has spoken about so many times.
Holy Family Home exists because of the sins of
adults against girls, some only small children. It is a place where most of the
girls have sat in the region and shadow of death. I have brought
many visitors there and the one word they nearly all have used to sum up their
experience is 'joy', a joy they find among the girls and among the Capuchin
Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family and the staff. Those who live there are a
testimony to the truth of the words of Isaiah that we listen to in the First
Reading and the Gospel this Sunday and that we listened to at the Mass During
the Night at Christmas:
The people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of
death
The second part of today's gospel tells us of the
call of the first disciples who were later called to be apostles, the brothers
Simon Peter and Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Though Immediately they left their nets . . .Immediately they left the boat and their father, and
followed him we know from the
gospels that they continued to fish from time to time and to encounter stormy
weather.
Here in the Philippines most
fishermen are poor and go to sea in very small boats. In some countries larger
boats go far from land and often encounter very dangerous weather. And a very
large percentage of international seafarers - the largest group, I think - are
Filipinos.
In Britain and Ireland the members
of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) mostly volunteers, and their
counterparts throughout the world, often put their lives in danger to save those
in danger at sea. Irish Lifeboatscovers
both the RLNI in Ireland and Community Rescue Boats Ireland (CRBI). Last September Caitriona Lucas (41) a volunteer in the Irish Coast Guard and mother of two, died during a search-and-recovery operation off the west coast.
Irish musician and songwriter Phil
Coulter, who lost a brother in a drowning accident, wrote a wonderful song
about those who risk their lives at sea to save the lives of others, Home
from the Sea. Here is a video of the song with Phil Coulter's musicians, a
choir of members of the RNLI and the late Irish singer Liam Clancy, than whom
there was no one better to put across a ballad.
In our prayers today let us
remember our fishermen, our seafarers and those involved in rescue work at sea. Let us remember too the members of a number of European navies who have saved countless refugees in the last couple of years travelling in unsafe boats from north Africa to southern Europe. Tragically, many refugees never made it.
On a
cold winter's night, with the storm at it's height,
A lifeboat answers a call.
They pitched and they tossed, 'till we thought they were lost,
As we watched from the harbour wall.
'Tho the night was pitch black, there was no turning back,
For someone was waiting out there,
And each volunteer had to live with his fear
As we joined in a silent prayer.
Chorus: Home, home, home from the sea,
Angels of mercy, answer our plea.
And carry us home, home, home from the sea,
Carry us safely home, from the sea.
As
they battled their way past the mouth of the bay
It was blowing like never before.
As they gallantly fought everyone of them thought
Of loved ones back on the shore.
Then a flicker of light and they knew they were right.
There she was on the crest of a wave.
She's an old fishing boat and she's barely afloat.
Please God, there are souls we can save.
Chorus.................
And
back in the town, on a street that runs down
To the sea and the harbour wall.
They had gathered in pairs at the foot of the stairs,
To wait for a radio call.
Then just before dawn, when all hope was gone,
Came a hush, and a faraway sound.
'Twas the coxswain, he roared, 'All survivors on board,
Thank God, and we're homeward bound'.
Chorus.................... +++
Then just before dawn,
when all hope was gone, Came a hush, and a faraway sound. 'Twas the coxswain, he roared, 'All survivors on
board, Thank God, and we're homeward bound'.
The people who sat in
darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and
shadow of death
