As we bid farewell to the Holy Father, may our prayers and profound thanks go with him.

Sadly the Holy Father’s four day visit to Britain has come to an end after an exhausting schedule that encompassed three open air masses, eight speeches, and the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

As Pope Benedict prepared to board his plane for his return flight to Rome, the Prime Minister, David Cameron thanked him for what he described as an "incredibly moving four days" He said that it had been an honour to have the pope in Britain.

"You have really challenged the whole country to sit up and think, and that can only be a good thing, …. Your Holiness, your presence here has been a great honour for our country. ..”

May we all continue to thank God for this great blessing for our country, and pray that we may all respond fully to the many great graces which have been granted to us during these wonderful, and blessed, four days.

England has a new Blessed! Blessed John Henry Newman pray for us.

Pope Benedict XVI said Mass at Cofton Park on Sunday at the culmination of his four-day UK state visit. More than 50,000 people attended the event and witnessed the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. Below is an excerpt from the Holy Father's homily:

Cofton Park, Sunday, 19 September 2010

….England has a long tradition of martyr saints, whose courageous witness has sustained and inspired the Catholic community here for centuries. Yet it is right and fitting that we should recognize today the holiness of a confessor, a son of this nation who, while not called to shed his blood for the Lord, nevertheless bore eloquent witness to him in the course of a long life devoted to the priestly ministry, and especially to preaching, teaching, and writing. He is worthy to take his place in a long line of saints and scholars from these islands, Saint Bede, Saint Hilda, Saint Aelred, Blessed Duns Scotus, to name but a few. In Blessed John Henry, that tradition of gentle scholarship, deep human wisdom and profound love for the Lord has borne rich fruit, as a sign of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit deep within the heart of God’s people, bringing forth abundant gifts of holiness.

Cardinal Newman’s motto, Cor ad cor loquitur, or “Heart speaks unto heart”, gives us an insight into his understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God. He reminds us that faithfulness to prayer gradually transforms us into the divine likeness. As he wrote in one of his many fine sermons, “a habit of prayer, the practice of turning to God and the unseen world in every season, in every place, in every emergency – prayer, I say, has what may be called a natural effect in spiritualizing and elevating the soul. A man is no longer what he was before; gradually … he has imbibed a new set of ideas, and become imbued with fresh principles” (Parochial and Plain Sermons, iv, 230-231).

Today’s Gospel tells us that no one can be the servant of two masters (cf. Lk 16:13), and Blessed John Henry’s teaching on prayer explains how the faithful Christian is definitively taken into the service of the one true Master, who alone has a claim to our unconditional devotion(cf. Mt 23:10). Newman helps us to understand what this means for our daily lives: he tells us that our divine Master has assigned a specific task to each one of us, a “definite service”, committed uniquely to every single person:

“I have my mission”, he wrote, “I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do his work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place … if I do but keep his commandments and serve him in my calling” (Meditations and Devotions, 301-2).

The definite service to which Blessed John Henry was called involved applying his keen intellect and his prolific pen to many of the most pressing “subjects of the day”. His insights into the relationship between faith and reason, into the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society, and into the need for a broadly-based and wide-ranging approach to education were not only of profound importance for Victorian England, but continue today to inspire and enlighten many all over the world. I would like to pay particular tribute to his vision for education, which has done so much to shape the ethos that is the driving force behind Catholic schools and colleges today.

Firmly opposed to any reductive or utilitarian approach, he sought to achieve an educational environment in which intellectual training, moral discipline and religious commitment would come together.

The project to found a Catholic University in Ireland provided him with an opportunity to develop his ideas on the subject, and the collection of discourses that he published as The Idea of a University holds up an ideal from which all those engaged in academic formation can continue to learn. And indeed, what better goal could teachers of religion set themselves than Blessed John Henry’s famous appeal for an intelligent, well instructed laity: “I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious, but men who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it, who know so much of history that they can defend it” (The Present Position of Catholics in England, ix, 390).

On this day when the author of those words is raised to the altars, I pray that, through his intercession and example, all who are engaged in the task of teaching and catechesis will be inspired to greater effort by the vision he so clearly sets before us.

While it is John Henry Newman’s intellectual legacy that has understandably received most attention in the vast literature devoted to his life and work, I prefer on this occasion to conclude with a brief reflection on his life as a priest, a pastor of souls. The warmth and humanity underlying his appreciation of the pastoral ministry is beautifully expressed in another of his famous sermons: “Had Angels been your priests, my brethren, they could not have condoled with you, sympathized with you, have had compassion on you, felt tenderly for you, and made allowances for you, as we can; they could not have been your patterns and guides, and have led you on from your old selves into a new life, as they can who come from the midst of you” (“Men, not Angels: the Priests of the Gospel”, Discourses to Mixed Congregations, 3).

He lived out that profoundly human vision of priestly ministry in his devoted care for the people of Birmingham during the years that he spent at the Oratory he founded, visiting the sick and the poor, comforting the bereaved, caring for those in prison. No wonder that on his death so many thousands of people lined the local streets as his body was taken to its place of burial not half a mile from here. One hundred and twenty years later, great crowds have assembled once again to rejoice in the Church’s solemn recognition of the outstanding holiness of this much-loved father of souls. What better way to express the joy of this moment than by turning to our heavenly Father in heartfelt thanksgiving, praying in the words that Blessed John Henry Newman placed on the lips of the choirs of angels in heaven:

Praise to the Holiest in the height
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways!
(The Dream of Gerontius).

A copy of the full address by Pope Benedict XVI may by found at:
http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/content/download/15701/91011/file/Mass%20of%20Beatification%20.pdf

The Holy Father's Visit - Holy Mass Westminster Cathedral

Dear Friends in Christ,

I greet all of you with joy in the Lord and I thank you for your warm reception. I am grateful to Archbishop Nichols for his words of welcome on your behalf. Truly, in this meeting of the Successor of Peter and the faithful of Britain, "heart speaks unto heart" as we rejoice in the love of Christ and in our common profession of the Catholic faith which comes to us from the Apostles. I am especially happy that our meeting takes place in this Cathedral dedicated to the Most Precious Blood, which is the sign of God’s redemptive mercy poured out upon the world through the passion, death and resurrection of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In a particular way I greet the Archbishop of Canterbury, who honours us by his presence.


The visitor to this Cathedral cannot fail to be struck by the great crucifix dominating the nave, which portrays Christ’s body, crushed by suffering, overwhelmed by sorrow, the innocent victim whose death has reconciled us with the Father and given us a share in the very life of God. The Lord’s outstretched arms seem to embrace this entire church, lifting up to the Father all the ranks of the faithful who gather around the altar of the Eucharistic sacrifice and share in its fruits. The crucified Lord stands above and before us as the source of our life and salvation, "the high priest of the good things to come", as the author of the Letter to the Hebrews calls him in today’s first reading (Heb 9:11).

… Faithful to Christ’s command to "do this in memory of me" (Lk 22:19), the Church in every time and place celebrates the Eucharist until the Lord returns in glory, rejoicing in his sacramental presence and drawing upon the power of his saving sacrifice for the redemption of the world. The reality of the Eucharistic sacrifice has always been at the heart of Catholic faith; called into question in the sixteenth century, it was solemnly reaffirmed at the Council of Trent against the backdrop of our justification in Christ. Here in England, as we know, there were many who staunchly defended the Mass, often at great cost, giving rise to that devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist which has been a hallmark of Catholicism in these lands.

….. We see this aspect of the mystery of Christ’s precious blood represented, most eloquently, by the martyrs of every age, who drank from the cup which Christ himself drank, and whose own blood, shed in union with his sacrifice, gives new life to the Church. It is also reflected in our brothers and sisters throughout the world who even now are suffering discrimination and persecution for their Christian faith. Yet it is also present, often hidden in the suffering of all those individual Christians who daily unite their sacrifices to those of the Lord for the sanctification of the Church and the redemption of the world. ….

The (Second Vatican) Council’s appeal to the lay faithful to take up their baptismal sharing in Christ’s mission echoed the insights and teachings of John Henry Newman. May the profound ideas of this great Englishman continue to inspire all Christ’s followers in this land to conform their every thought, word and action to Christ, and to work strenuously to defend those unchanging moral truths which, taken up, illuminated and confirmed by the Gospel, stand at the foundation of a truly humane, just and free society.

How much contemporary society needs this witness! How much we need, in the Church and in society, witnesses of the beauty of holiness, witnesses of the splendour of truth, witnesses of the joy and freedom born of a living relationship with Christ! One of the greatest challenges facing us today is how to speak convincingly of the wisdom and liberating power of God’s word to a world which all too often sees the Gospel as a constriction of human freedom, instead of the truth which liberates our minds and enlightens our efforts to live wisely and well, both as individuals and as members of society…

The complete Homily may be found at:
http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/The-Visit-Live/Speeches/Speeches-18-September/Holy-Mass-Westminster-Cathedral

"By appeal to what authority can moral dilemmas be resolved?" - the ethical foundations of civil discourse.

Yesterday,having met Queen Elizabeth II on the previous day, Pope Benedict XVI addressed representatives of civil society, the academic, cultural and entrepreneurial world, the diplomatic corps and religious leaders in Westminster Hall in London.

The following are some excerpts from his address:

"There is widespread agreement that the lack of a solid ethical foundation for economic activity has contributed to the grave difficulties now being experienced by millions of people throughout the world. So too in the political field the ethical dimension of policy has far-reaching consequences that no government can afford to ignore."

Benedict XVI emphasised that the most crucial question for modern society is to consider deeply the ethical foundation for its political choices. He highlighted the example of St. Thomas More, "the great English scholar and statesman, who is admired by believers and non-believers alike for the integrity with which he followed his conscience, even at the cost of displeasing the sovereign whose 'good servant' he was, because he chose to serve God first."

"The dilemma which faced More in those difficult times, the perennial question of the relationship between what is owed to Caesar and what is owed to God, allows me the opportunity to reflect with you briefly on the proper place of religious belief within the political process."

"Britain has emerged as a pluralist democracy which places great value on freedom of speech, freedom of political affiliation and respect for the rule of law, with a strong sense of the individual's rights and duties, and of the equality of all citizens before the law... Catholic social teaching has much in common with this approach, in its overriding concern to safeguard the unique dignity of every human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and in its emphasis on the duty of civil authority to foster the common good."

He continued: "Each generation, as it seeks to advance the common good, must ask anew: what are the requirements that governments may reasonably impose upon citizens, and how far do they extend?

"By appeal to what authority can moral dilemmas be resolved?"

Benedict XVI continued, "These questions take us directly to the ethical foundations of civil discourse. If the moral principles underpinning the democratic process are themselves determined by nothing more solid than social consensus, then the fragility of the process becomes all too evident.. Herein lies the real challenge for democracy."

"The Catholic tradition maintains that the objective norms governing right action are accessible to reason, prescinding (without taking into account) the content of revelation. According to this understanding,the role of religion in political debate is not so much to supply these norms, as if they could not be known by non-believers -- still less to propose concrete political solutions, which would lie altogether outside the competence of religion -- but rather to help purify and shed
light upon the application of reason to the discovery of objective moral principles."

"This is why I would suggest that the world of reason and the world of faith -- the world of secular rationality and the world of religious belief -- need one another and should not be afraid to enter into a profound and ongoing dialogue, for the good of our civilization."
--- --- ---
The full text of this address may be found at ZENIT's Web page:
http://www.blogger.com/www.zenit.org/article-30385?l=english

The Heralds of the Gospel in England and Wales joyfully welcome Pope Benedict XVI' to Britain.

It is with the greatest joy that we welcome the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVII. In the words of Paschal Uche who, after the Mass in Westminster Cathedral this morning, welcomed the Holy Father in the name of the young people of Britain today, we say:

Dear Holy Father,

It is a privilege and a great pleasure to welcome you …. Your visit brings us together – it is like a family reunion - and we are very pleased to see you.…. It is our prayer that your visit inspires us to be “saints of the third millennium.”

For many of us before today you were a face on the television or a picture in a Church but today we behold you face to face and (we) would like to express (our) profound and heartfelt gratitude for your visit.

May God Bless you.

Urgent Prayer Request: Our Canadian Companions ask for our prayers for Bro. Claudio.

We have been contacted by our friends and Companions in Canada, seeking the prayers and intercessions of all British friends of the Heralds of the Gospel, for Bro. Claudio Imperatrice, who is seriously ill. Bro. Claudio is greatly loved in Canada, having been instrumental in the foundation of the Heralds in that country. Below are two excerpts from e-mails received:

From our Canadian Companions:

Salve Maria!
Some time ago we were told that a Brother of the Heralds of the Gospel, Br. Claudio Imperatrice , one of the first brothers to come to Canada from Brazil, was diagnosed with cancer. .... This brother was very instrumental in the foundation of the Heralds here in Canada. There was nothing he wouldn't do to advance the cause of Our Lady here in this land. The Heralds are here today because of the determination of this man.
We are asking all companions to begin a novena to Our LADYstarting today and ending on the feast of the Nativity asking Her to restore his health..

Please feel free to include anyone who may not be on this email to join in this novena.
Thanking you in advance and in union of prayers

Excerpt from Bro. Claudio's e-mail to the Canadian Companions:

Before, during and immediately after the operation on May 27th my state was very critical and I only survived due to Masses offered and prayers said on my behalf. I can call it a miracle! ...
Besides the tumor in the intestines, it was discovered that I had metathesis in the liver and left lung that now are producing visible symptoms and signs. ... Since the operation, I have lost a considerable amount of weight, but now keeping a steady level. My skin, because of the liver turned yellowish and I went through a series of discomforts, but not pain.
... right now, I am not in a critical but in a very serious level which can either return to red alert or go down to a serious or very cautious depending how I respond. ..
In plain words, I am engaged in a total war. If, first and more important of all, I keep fighting not allowing lose confidence and full determination to go to the very end, than I win. Here comes the supernatural aspect of the struggle where prayers comes to place, thanks to Our Lady they are coming from all sides especially Monsenhor Joao Cla who constantly enquires about my situation.
Yes, do ask the Companions to pray on my behalf.
Again, thank you for your e-mail.
May Our Blessed Virgin Mary through the intercession of our Holy Founders grant you all choicest graces,
In Iesu et Maria, Claudio

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

Mother of Perpetual Help,
you have been blessed and favored by God.
You became not only the Mother of the
Redeemer,
but Mother of the redeemed as well.
We come to you today as your loving children.
Watch over (...) and take care of (him).
As you held the child Jesus in your loving arms,
so take (him)in your arms.
Be a mother ready at every moment to help (him).
For God who is mighty has done great things for you,
and God's mercy is from age to age on those who love God.
Intercede for (him), dear Mother,
in obtaining (his recovery) if it be your Son's Holy Will,
pardon for (his) sins,
love for Jesus,
final perseverance,
and the grace always to call upon you,
Mother of Perpetual Help
AMEN.

The Nativity of Our Lady

This week we celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is celebrated each year on the eighth of September. Usually it is the custom of the church to celebrate the feast day of a saint on the date of their death as this is truly their "die natalis", the day remembered as their birth into everlasting happiness. Mary, however, entered this world sinless through the privilege of the Immaculate Conception and is the firstborn of the redeemed. Her nativity is a cause for great joy as it is considered the" dawn of our salvation" as Pope Paul VI wrote in the document, Marialis Cultus in 1972.

Our Lady’s birthday marks a new era. Under the Old Covenant mankind endured a long wait for the coming of the Messiah. But at a certain blessed moment, the Divine Providence decreed that Mary should be born. Her nativity represents the entrance into the world of the perfect creature who found grace before God and had merit sufficient to bring that agonising wait to an end.

All the prayers, sufferings, and faithfulness of the just, living and dead, were at last rewarded with her arrival. There had been Patriarchs, Prophets, just men and women among the Chosen People and certainly some just men and women among the Gentiles who had prayed, suffered, and waited; none of this was sufficient to bring the coming of the Redemption. But at the appointed time, God made the perfect creature, born to be the Mother of the Saviour. Therefore, the entrance of this exquisite woman into the world is a foreshadowing of the Redemption. The gates of Heaven that had been tightly locked began to open, and the light of a new dawn, a breeze of hope, passed through.

Mary’s birth marks the arrival of a new grace, a new blessing, a new presence which would lead soon after to the presence, blessing and grace of her Most Holy Son, our Saviour. For all these reasons the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady should be most dear to us. It announces the fall of Paganism.

Since we are children of Our Lady not by our own merit but by her choice, let us ask of her a special grace. Many mystics who had visions of Our Lady said that on her feast days she visits Purgatory to release a great number of souls whom she takes back with her to Heaven. What happens with the Church Suffering gives us an idea of what takes place with the Church Militant. On her feast days her grace envelops us and gains incalculable favours for us.

As we celebrate the birth of our Most Holy Mother, perhaps it is not too early to begin to prepare ourselves for the nativity of her Son. We do not need to wait for the formal beginning of Advent to embark on the making ready of the stables of our hearts so that on Christmas night, when Joseph comes asking whether we have any room for Mary and her beloved child, we may joyfully answer, “Yes, you are most welcome. I have been expecting you and everything is ready for your stay!”

Hail! Full of Grace! Blessed among Women! Mother of God!

The Heralds of the Gospel honour Our Blessed Mother. Could we, her children, ever tire of singing her glorious praises!

Lord have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.


God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.


Holy Mary, pray for us
Holy Mother of God, pray for us
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us
Mother of Christ, pray for us
Mother of divine grace, pray for us
Mother most pure, pray for us
Mother most chaste, pray for us
Mother inviolate, pray for us
Mother undefiled, pray for us
Mother most amiable, pray for us
Mother most admirable, pray for us
Mother of good counsel, pray for us
Mother of our Creator, pray for us
Mother of our Redeemer, pray for us
Virgin most prudent, pray for us
Virgin most venerable, pray for us
Virgin most renowned, pray for us
Virgin most powerful, pray for us
Virgin most merciful, pray for us
Virgin most faithful, pray for us
Mirror of justice, pray for us
Seat of wisdom, pray for us
Cause of our joy, pray for us
Spritual vessel, pray for us
Vessel of honor, pray for us
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us
Mystical rose, pray for us
Tower of David, pray for us
Tower of ivory, pray for us
House of gold, pray for us
Ark of the covenant, pray for us
Gate of Heaven, pray for us
Morning Star, pray for us
Health of the sick, pray for us
Refuge of sinners, pray for us
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us
Help of Christians, pray for us
Queen of Angels, pray for us
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us
Queen of Prophets, pray for us
Queen of Apostles, pray for us
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us
Queen of Confessors, pray for us
Queen of Virgins, pray for us
Queen of all Saints, pray for us
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us
Queen of peace, pray for us


Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world: Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.


Pray for us, most holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O God, whose only begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech you, that while meditating of the mysteries of the most holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Copies of the ‘Magnificat – Liturgies and Events of the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom’ to be distributed to parishes.

A million copies of the ‘Magnificat – Liturgies and Events of the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom’ are due to be distributed to parishes across England, Scotland and Wales.

The handbook contains the texts for the times the Holy Father will participate in public prayer, together with a series of brief articles about the Visit. It comes in a hard-wearing, pocket-sized format which makes it easy to carry around and ‘pray as you go’. It's also a key companion for the Papal liturgies ….

The publication has been produced by the Bishops’ Conferences of England and Wales and Scotland in co-operation with Gabriel Communications, the Catholic Truth Society and Magnificat. It also includes texts for the Liturgy of the Church (Morning and Evening Prayer, and the Mass) for some days before and after the Papal Visit.

To read the full article, see official website: Pope Benedict XVI in the United Kingdom at:

http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/News-and-Media/Latest-News/One-Million-Pocket-Papal-Liturgies-for-Parishes

"Accept; it is the will of God. We will work and suffer together for love of the Church." (Pope Pius X)

His Eminence Cardinal Merry del Val was accustomed to recite daily after he celebrated the Holy Mass

O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me

From the desire of being esteemed.
Deliver me, Jesus
From the desire of being loved ---
From the desire of being extolled ---
From the desire of being honored. ---
From the desire of being praised. ---
From the desire of being preferred ---
From the desire of being consulted ---
From the desire of being approved---

From the fear of being humiliated ---
From the fear of being despised ---
From the fear of suffering rebukes ---
From the fear of being calumniated ---
From the fear of being forgotten ---
From the fear of being ridiculed ---
From the fear of being wronged ---
From the fear of being suspected ---

That others may be loved more than I Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be esteemed more than I ---
That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease ---
That others may be chosen and I set aside---
That others may be praised and I unnoticed---
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may became as holy as I should---

Amen