Ad Maoirem De Gloriam

(Updated 8:13 a.m., October 25)  Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle will be among the six non-European Roman Catholic prelates who will join the Vatican's College of Cardinals in November, Pope Benedict XVI announced Wednesday. At 55, Tagle will become the world's second youngest cardinal and has been touted as a future papal contender. Cardinals advise the pontiff and elect his successor among themselves upon his death. The newest group of appointees will bring the total number of cardinals world-wide to 120. The other new cardinals will be the American James Michael Harvey, Lebanon's Bechara Boutros Rahi, India's Baselios Cleemis, Nigeria's John Onaiyekan and Colombia's Ruben Salazar Gomez. Cleemis, at 53, will be the youngest cardinal. The  CBCP News website  mistakenly said that Tagle would be the world's youngest cardinal. The site also said that Tagle will now be the seventh cardinal in the Church’s history in the Philippines. The other cardinal...

Deo Gratias! We have a new Filipino Prince of the Church! POPE ANNOUNCES CONSISTORY FOR CREATION OF CARDINALS (Vatican Radio) – Pope Benedict XVI has announced a consistory for the creation of six new Cardinals. To the joy of pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square for the weekly audience with the Holy Father, he made his announcement at the end of his catechesis. The Cardinals-elect are: Archbishop JAMES HARVEY, Prefect of the Pontifical Household; His Beatitude, BECHARA BOUTROS RAI, Patriarch of the Maronite Church; His Beatitude BASELIOS CLEEMIS THOTTUNKAL, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Church; Archbishop JOHN OLORUNFEMI ONAIYEKAN, Archbishop of Abuja Nigeria; Archbishop RUBEN SALAZAR GOMEZ, Archbishop of Bogota, Colombia; Archbishop LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines. The consistory will take place November 24th next. With six new members the College of Cardinals will count 122 Cardinals eligible to vote in conclave. Source:  http://www.news....

Photo Credit: 100% Katolikong Pinoy Dear Brother Bishops, Dear Brothers and Sisters Today, fifty years from the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, we begin with great joy the Year of Faith. I am delighted to greet all of you, particularly His Holiness Bartholomaois I, Patriarch of Constantinople, and His Grace Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. A special greeting goes to the Patriarchs and Major Archbishops of the Eastern Catholic Churches, and to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences. In order to evoke the Council, which some present had the grace to experience for themselves – and I greet them with particular affection – this celebration has been enriched by several special signs: the opening procession, intended to recall the memorable one of the Council Fathers when they entered this Basilica; the enthronement of a copy of the Book of the Gospels used at the Council; the consignment of the seven final Messages of the Council, and of the Catechism...

October 1st is the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux. Even though the French saint passed away at the age of 24, her short life continues to have great impact. During a general audience on April 6th 2011, the Pope explained what “The Little Flower” can teach Christians about  spirituality.  BENEDICT XVI (6/04/2012) “Theresa received permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux at the tender age of fifteen. Her name in religion – Sister Theresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face – expresses the heart of her spirituality, centered on the contemplation of God’s love revealed in the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption.  In imitation of Christ, Theresa sought to be little in all things and to seek the salvation of the world. Taken ill in her twenty-third year, she endured great physical suffering in union with the crucified Lord; she also experienced a painful testing of faith which she offered for the salvation of those who deny God. By striving to embody God’s lo...

Pope Benedict XVI is welcomed upon his arrival at Beirut international airport on September 14, 2012 by Lebanon's President Michel Sleiman (2nd L), First Lady Wafa Sleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (2nd R), his wife Randa (C) and Prime Minister Najib Mikati (R). FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/GettyImages  

 --- Image by © Benjamin Hiller/Corbis. 15 Sep 2012, Beirut, Lebanon --- Female Muslim Shia wait on the street towards the Baabda presidantial palace for the arrival of pope Benedict XV. Beirut, Lebanon. The pope meets there memebers of the Lebanese Parliament as well as religious leader to discuss the current situation in the Middle East.

September 10, 2012. Next Sunday the Pope will be in Lebanon, right next door to Syria's civil war. In light of his coming trip, he expressed his closeness to those that are suffering from military conflicts in the Middle East. He also encouraged the international community to continue to work towards a lasting peace. “The effort for dialogue and reconciliation should be prioritized by all parties, and should be supported by the international community, to be increasingly aware of the importance for everyone to achieve a stable and lasting peace throughout the region,” said Benedict XVI. Benedict XVI also called on Colombian officials to look toward forgiveness and reconciliation in their plans to begin negotiations with the FARC rebel group. BENEDICT XVI “It was announced in Colombia, Norway and Cuba, an important dialogue between the Colombian government and representatives of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, with the participation of delegates from Venezuela and ...

September 10, 2012. (Romereports.com) Benedict XVI received the participants of the International Marian Congress. For one week, this group of Mariologists reflected on the evolution of theology on the Virgin Mary after Vatican II. The Pope asked them to help give more strength to the Christian faith. BENEDICT XVI “As you know, on October 11, to remember that extraordinary event, we will solemnly begin the Year of Faith, that I wanted to orient with the Motu Proprio 'Porta Fidei,' which presents Mary as a model of faith, I invoke your special protection and advocacy on the path of the Church entrusted in her, blessed because she believed, this time of grace.” During the audience, the Pope recalled his own participation in the Second Vatican Council. He described how it was decided that the figure of the Virgin Mary would be studied in one of the main documents. While greeting the pope, some of the participants gave gifts to him, such as this image of the Virgin Mary and th...

September 11, 2012. (Romereports.com) Fifteen years ago John Paul II visited Lebanon. Now his successor will pay a visit. Next week, Benedict XVI will be in the heart of the Middle East, to encourage Christians who are suffering and facing discrimination. The visit will also be a new opportunity to promote co-existence by strengthening ties with Muslim communities. To prepare and keep track of his visit, a website was launched in French, Arabic, English and Italian. The website will also include the Pope's speeches, which without a doubt will focus on the current instability in the Middle East. BENEDICT XVI Angelus 07-29-2012 “It's with great pain and suffering that I'm following the tragic and rising violence in Syria,which has left many dead and others wounded, including civilians. The violence has also left many homeless, forcing them to become refugees in neighboring countries.” The Pope will be in Lebanon for three very intense days. On Friday 14th, he will vi...

VATICAN CITY, September 7 (CNA/EWTN News) .- Pope Benedict XVI says that the most newly evangelized parts of the world now have to pass on the gift of Jesus Christ which they have recently received. "The Church is born of the mission and grows with the mission," the Pope said Sept. 7, adding that "the faith is a gift to be welcomed into our hearts and lives, one for which we must always thank the Lord. "But faith is donated in order to be shared; it is a talent given that it may bear fruit, a light that must not remain hidden," he stressed. Pope Benedict was addressing a group of around 100 recently consecrated bishops from parts of the world which are deemed mission territory by the Vatican. Represented among their number were clerics from Africa, Asia, America and Oceania. The gathering at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo was organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The Pope noted that in the territories where ...

photos credit: http://www.gizmag.com/renault-electric-popemobile/24044/ Renault Donates 2 Eco-sustainable Vehicles By Luca Marcolivio VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 6, 2012 (Zenit.org).- On Wednesday the Holy Father received two Renault battery-powered vehicles, made expressly for the Pontiff and the staff at his service. The gift was explained during a press conference held in the Marconi Room of Vatican Radio. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, recalled some of the salient passages about the commitment of the Catholic Church to care for the environment and renewable energy. In his encyclical "Caritas in Veritate," Benedict XVI spoke about the environment and also addressed the topic in his 2010 World Day of Peace Message, "If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation." "The Holy See already has other electric cars. In particular, the Holy Father made use of one during his pastoral visit to Venice and Arezzo, and on t...

MANILA, March 10, 2012—Pope Benedict XVI has conveyed his condolence for the passing of Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez in a telegram sent to Cardinal Ricardo J. Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu. Cardinal Sanchez was prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy. He was head of the Vatican dicastery from 1991 until his retirement in 1996. He died March 9 in Manila at the age of 91. According to the Vatican’s Information Service, the text of the pope’s telegram gratefully recalls "the late cardinal's dedicated service to the Lord as a priest and bishop in his native country, as well as our service together in the Roman Curia during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II". The Holy Father commends Cardinal Sanchez's "noble soul" to the Lord and prays "that his witness will inspire others to dedicate their lives to the service of the Lord and His Holy Church, especially in the priesthood". Born on March 17, 1920 in Catand...

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS   BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2012 “ Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works ” (Heb 10:24) Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Lenten season offers us once again an opportunity to reflect upon the very heart of Christian life: charity. This is a favorable time to renew our journey of faith, both as individuals and as a community, with the help of the word of God and the sacraments. This journey is one marked by prayer and sharing, silence and fasting, in anticipation of the joy of Easter. This year I would like to propose a few thoughts in the light of a brief biblical passage drawn from the Letter to the Hebrews:“ Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works”. These words are part of a passage in which the sacred author exhorts us to trust in Jesus Christ as the High Priest who has won us forgiveness and opened up a pathway to God. Embracing Christ bears fruit in a ...

Calls for Conversion at Personal and Community Level VATICAN CITY, JAN. 18, 2012 (Zenit.org).- The path to Christian unity requires more than being nice to each other and cooperating, says Benedict XVI. Full and visible unity will require transformation and being conformed to the image of Christ. The Pope said this today as he dedicated his weekly general audience to the theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which begins today. The annual celebration is held in the Northern hemisphere in the week leading up to the feast of the conversion of St. Paul (Jan. 25), while in the Southern hemisphere, it is generally marked around the feast of Pentecost. "The full and visible unity of Christians for which we long demands that we allow ourselves to be ever more perfectly transformed and conformed to the image of Christ," the Holy Father stated. "The unity for which we pray requires interior conversion, both communal and personal. It is not simply a ma...

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 18, 2012 (Zenit.org).- In his traditional greetings to close the weekly general audience, Benedict XVI today exhorted youth to "witness generously to your faith in Christ, who illumines the journey of life." As is customary, the Pope also had a special message for the sick and for newlyweds. "May faith be a constant comfort in suffering," he said to the sick. And to the brides and grooms, he said, "May the light of Christ be for you, dear newlyweds, an effective guide in your family life."

Leon, Mexico, Jan 18, 2012 / 02:05 pm ( CNA ) .- Archbishop Jose Guadalupe Martin Rabago of Leon said Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming trip to the city will be the first time a pontiff visits the country's area with the highest percentage of Catholics. In an interview with CNA on Jan. 17, Archbishop Rabago expressed his joy that Leon was chosen as the site of the papal visit, which will take place March 23-26. He noted that within the city “there is a section where 94 percent of the population is Catholic.” Pope John Paul II did not visit the area during any of his five trips to Mexico, and the arrival of Benedict XVI “is a way to allow people to rejoice in this experience of faith.” Archbishop Rabago said the Pope’s visit is “a recognition of the fidelity of our people, who have remained faithful to the Church despite all the proselytism by sects. The people have overwhelmingly remained in the Church,” he added. “Leon is the geographical center of Mexico and ...

By David Kerr Vatican City, Jan 18, 2012 / 02:15 pm ( CNA/EWTN News ) .- Pope Benedict XVI said today that achieving Christian unity requires more than “cordiality and cooperation” and that it must be accompanied by interior conversion. “Faith in Christ and interior conversion, both individual and communal, must constantly accompany our prayer for Christian unity,” said the Pope to over 8,000 pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall on Jan. 18. The Pope’s comments mark the start of the 2012 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that runs until Jan. 25. It will be observed by over 300 Christian churches and ecclesial communities around the globe.  The Pope asked for “the Lord in a particular way to strengthen the faith of all Christians, to change our hearts and to enable us to bear united witness to the Gospel.” In this way, he said, they “will contribute to the new evangelization and respond ever more fully to the spiritual hunger of the m...

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, who assumed office in November, said that the Church’s Magisterium and the Christian roots of Europe are indispensable in facing the continent’s economic crisis. “The Pope’s Magisterium and his personal, strong testament, important contribution of the Holy See and Italian Episcopal Conference, are propelling and critical elements of fundamental importance which, in the face of the common good, we cannot escape,” he said. “The Pope’s hands are strong hands that hold up the weight of many; they are reassuring hands because they themselves are supported.” “The relation between nations and the Church can be a bridge, an opening which knocks down the walls of national selfishness and cements the sense of belonging which means respect, responsibility and solidarity,” he added. “It is precisely through the re-evaluation of the Christian roots of Europe that lies the secret to overcoming the serious situation experienced by the continent...

Miami, Fla., Jan 14, 2012 / 06:42 pm ( CNA ) .- The Archdiocese of Miami is organizing a pilgrimage to Cuba for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Thomas Wenski announced Jan. 12. “We travel in solidarity with the Church in Cuba – and in response to their invitation to share with them this historic event,” he said at a Jan. 12 press conference. “The Pope travels to Cuba as a pilgrim of charity. We go to Cuba in the same spirit.” The archbishop cited the Spanish-language theme of the visit, “A Jesus por Maria, la Caridad nos une,” which means “To Jesus through Mary, love makes us one.” Pope Benedict’s March 26-28 visit comes as the Catholic Church in Cuba celebrates the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the statue of Our Lady of Charity in waters off the coast of Cuba. Pope Benedict XV declared her the patroness of Cuba in 1916. Pilgrims from the Miami archdiocese will travel to Cuba under two possible plans. One includes stops in both Santiago and H...

Leon, Mexico, Jan 16, 2012 / 04:11 pm ( CNA/EWTN News ) .- A religious order unveiled new details on the convent where Pope Benedict and his entourage will be staying during his upcoming visit to Mexico March 23-26. While in the city of Leon on March 23, the Pope will stay with the Servants of the Most Holy Eucharist and of the Mother of God in a remodeled room described as “very austere.”  “It will have a night stand, a crucifix, a statue of the Virgin Mary and a rosary,” community superior Mother Rocio told CNA on Jan. 15.   She noted that the Pope usually stays in a convent or monastery when he travels to a city where there is no Apostolic Nunciature. After visiting the site in December of last year, Vatican officials decided the Pope should stay with the order – a congregation founded by Mother Trinity of the Most Pure Heart of Mary and originally from Spain. The religious community also runs a school in the city of Leon. Mother Rocio said ...