April 15th, 2006
by
Andy Alexander, S.J.
University Ministry and the Collaborative Ministry Office
Click here for a photo of and information on this writer.
Holy Saturday
The Easter Vigil Readings
Praying Lent
Daily Lenten Prayer
Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer
Preparing for the Easter Vigil
On Good Friday, there was no Eucharist - simply a communion service, with the Body of Christ from the Holy Thursday Eucharist. On Holy Saturday, there is no liturgy at all. The liturgy this evening is the vigil - the preparation for and entry into the celebration of Our Lord's Resurrection. It is an Easter Sunday liturgy.
On Holy Saturday we enter into the mystery. Today we contemplate Jesus, there in the tomb, dead. In that tomb, he is dead, exactly the way each of us will be dead. We don't easily contemplate dying, but we rarely contemplate being dead. I have had the blessed experience of being with a number of people who have died, of arriving at a hospital shortly after someone has died, of attending an autopsy, and of praying with health sciences students over donated bodies in gross anatomy class. These were powerful experiences because they all brought me face-to-face with the mystery of death itself. With death, life ends. Breathing stops, and in an instant, the life of this person has ended. And, in a matter of hours, the body becomes quite cold and life-less - dramatic evidence, to our senses, that this person no longer exists. All that is left is this decaying shell that once held his or her life.
Death is our ultimate fear. Everything else we fear, every struggle we have, is some taste of, some chilling approach to, the experience of losing our life. This fear is responsible for so much of our lust and greed, so much of our denial and arrogance, so much of our silly clinging to power, so much of our hectic and anxiety-driven activity. It is the one, inevitable reality we all will face. There is not enough time, money, joy, fulfillment, success. Our physical beauty and strength, our mental competency and agility, all that we have and use to define ourselves, slip away from us with time. Our lives are limited. Our existence, in every way we can comprehand it, comes to an end. We will all die. In a matter of time, all that will be left of any of us is a decomposing body.
Today is a day to soberly put aside the blinders we have about the mystery of death and our fear of it. Death is very real and its approach holds great power in our lives. The "good news" we are about to celebrate has no real power in our lives unless we have faced the reality of death. To contemplate Jesus' body, there in that tomb, is to look our death in the face, and it is preparation for hearing the Gospel with incredible joy. That we are saved from the ultimate power of sin and of death itself comes to us as a great relief, as a tremendous liberation. If Jesus lives, you and I will live! The mystery of death, which we contemplate today, will be overcome - we will live forever!
Today's reflection will lead us to the vigil of Easter. This night, communities from all over the world will gather in darkness, a darkness that represents all that we have been reflecting upon today. And there, in that darkness, a fire is lit. That flame is shared around the community until its light fills the room. Then, a Song of Exultation is sung, proclaiming that Christ is the light of this night. And, there, in the light of Christ, we mark a vigil of waiting, as we will read the scriptures that prepare us to celebrate God's revelation. This is the story of our salvation - how God prepared to rescue us from the power of sin and death.
There are 11 readings to choose from. [The link to the vigil readings above is to the New American Bible translation, from the U.S. Bishops. The following links are to the translation approved for Liturgies with Children, and includes links to the Prayers that are said after each reading at the Vigil.] We begin with the story of creation. Then comes the story of how God tested Abraham, asking him to sacrifice his own son, Isaac, but Abraham trusted God and said to his son, "God will provide the lamb." Next comes the dramatic story that prefigures our redemption and the meaning of our baptism -- the great exodus from slavery in Egypt, by the crossing of the Red Sea with divine intervention. We can read Isaiah 54: the promise God gives that "I will always be kind and merciful to you." We are offered Isaiah 55: God's invitation to "Come to the water" - a reading full of promise and hope, "He will be merciful and forgive your sins." We may read the Prophet Baruch, urging the people to "learn Wisdom," and to celebrate "because we are the people who know what pleases God." From the Prophet Ezekiel 36 we hear the consoling promise, that in spite of all our wrong doing, God will sprinkle us with clean water: "I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful." Having taken this journey through the Old Testament, all the lights in the church are turned on and we sign the Gloria, full of Easter faith. This is followed by the New Testament reading from Paul's Letter to the Romans, chapter 6: "Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death?". Finally, we proclaim the Gospel: the story of the women who come to the tomb and find it empty.
The God who created us, who led a chosen people out of slavery, raised Jesus from death. We can rejoice that death has no final victory over us. Then we celebrate the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Tonight we celebrate our faith -- that we have been baptized into the death of Jesus, so that we might have everlasting life with him.
As we behold the body of Jesus in the tomb today, and as we contemplate the mystery of our death, we prepare our hearts to receive the Good News of life. We know that tomb will be empty and remain empty forever as a sign that our lives will not really end, but only be transformed. One day, we will all rest in the embrace of Jesus, who knows our death, and who prepares a place for us in everlasting life. Our reflection on this holy Saturday, and our anticipation of celebrating the gift of life tonight and tomorrow, can bring immense peace and joy, powerful freedom and vitality to our lives. For if we truly believe that death holds no true power over us, we can walk each day with courage and freedom, in the grace being offered us - to give our lives away in love.
Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him
through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
Rom 6:3-11
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Hundreds of thousands flock to Washington to speak up for immigrants
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As many as 500,000 people left work early or took advantage of spring break from school and thronged to the National Mall April 10 to voice their support for immigrants. Bracketed on one end by the Capitol and on the other by the Washington Monument, people with accents from Bolivia, El Salvador, Mexico and Peru waved American flags and signs reading "We are America," as speakers on a stage blocks away called on elected officials to fix problems with the legal immigration system and provide a way for the 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants already in this country to legalize their status. "I look across this historic gathering and I see the future of America," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., co-sponsor with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., of an immigration bill promoted on signs carried by many in the crowd. "Today we stand together as brothers and sisters to shape America's destiny -- old Americans, new Americans, future Americans -- all joined together for the common good."
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Rallies, prayers and marches show nationwide support for immigrants
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- From Los Angeles to St. Louis, and from Jackson, Miss., to Washington, D.C., hundreds of thousands of people nationwide put on white shirts and picked up American flags to join rallies, marches and prayer services April 9 and 10 to call attention to the contributions of immigrants and to ask for changes in immigration law and policies. In several cities, Catholic bishops gave speeches and led prayers. Many participants were encouraged to join the activities at their churches. Crowds estimated to be as large as 500,000 in Dallas April 9 and in Washington April 10 blocked city streets and surprised even organizers with their size. The events were part of the National Day of Action for Immigrant Justice, aimed at opposing strict immigration enforcement legislation passed by the House in December and encouraging more comprehensive bills that would not criminalize illegal immigrants and those who provide services to them. Organizers also support legislation that would make it possible for millions of illegal immigrants to legalize their status.
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Bishops' international policy leader welcomes debt relief decision
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy has welcomed a decision by the World Bank executive board to forgive completely the debt of 17 of the world's heavily indebted poor countries. "This important step will mean that poor countries will not have to wait over a year for debt cancellation once they have qualified," said the committee head, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Fla. "This step will relieve the burdens on some of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters around the world," he added. In late March the World Bank's board of executive directors approved the necessary financing and implementation details to begin canceling all remaining debt on International Development Association loans to 17 heavily indebted poor countries that have reached what is called the "completion point" of responsible economic and social reorganization. The association is the part of the World Bank that focuses on development in the poorest nations of the world. The decision is slated to take effect with the start of the bank's new fiscal year July 1.
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Families survive deadly tornadoes, shocked by scenes of destruction
GALLATIN, Tenn. (CNS) -- Last year, Jennifer Trahan helped a family relocate to Gallatin after they lost their New Orleans home in Hurricane Katrina. Now Trahan and her family have found themselves with nothing after their house was destroyed by a tornado, one of several that killed 12 people in Tennessee April 7. "You never think it's going to happen to you," said Trahan, a parishioner at St. Stephen Church in nearby Old Hickory. Across the state the storms damaged as many as 3,000 buildings and 167 people were injured. In Sumner County, where Gallatin is the county seat, there were reports of nine deaths, 150 people were injured, and up to 900 homes, farms and businesses were damaged or destroyed. "You never think you're going to be on the receiving end," Trahan told the Tennessee Register, newspaper of the Nashville Diocese. "It's tough being on the receiving end. It's humbling."
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Gospel of Judas said not likely to resolve any theological debates
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Gospel of Judas, a gnostic gospel whose discovery was loudly trumpeted in early April, is not likely to resolve any ongoing theological debates about early Christianity, said Christopher Mount, a professor of early Christianity at Vincentian-run DePaul University in Chicago. But a theologian who has read the Gospel of Judas said it would be necessary to go through the text "line by line" to determine if any authentic teachings of Jesus were included. The theologian, Maryknoll Father Joseph Veneroso, who is also the publisher of Maryknoll magazine, noted that other gnostic texts -- rejected for use in the New Testament canon -- contain information the canonical Gospels lack, such as the names of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, as well as that of Veronica, the woman who wiped the face of Jesus as he was carrying the cross. "There's probably an element of truth to it (the Judas text). There are some traditions in Catholicism which we get from the gnostics," Father Veneroso said. "Then we get into a chicken-or-the-egg thing," whether inclusion in a text spurred the tradition, or vice versa, he added. Early Christians used the term "gnostic" to describe various sects that arose in the second century which exalted arcane knowledge, mixing Christian belief with pagan speculation and theories.
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WORLD
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Research team says Jesus' walk on water might have been on ice patch
JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Jesus' walk across the Sea of Galilee may actually have been made possible by a rare and isolated patch of floating ice, according to an Israeli-American academic research team. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark describe how Jesus sent his disciples to Bethsaida on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and joined them later in the evening, reaching their boat by "walking on the sea." A research team of oceanographers from Florida State University, Colombia University in New York and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said it has found data to refute the biblical account. The findings were made public in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of Paleolimnology, a Canadian science journal that focuses on the science of prehistoric bodies of water. "What we can do is explain something that in today's climate seems unacceptable but which could have happened 2,000 years ago," said researcher Nathan Paldor, chairman for atmospheric sciences at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University.
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Russian patriarch hopes for better ties with Hungarian Catholics
MOSCOW (CNS) -- The Russian Orthodox patriarch said he hopes for healing and better ties with the Hungarian Catholic Church on the 50th anniversary of the bloody Hungarian uprising against Soviet rule. "Wounds inflicted by past upheavals" could be healed through "only prayer and repentance," said Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow in a letter to Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest. "It was our nations' fate to suffer many severe trials in the 20th century," said the patriarch. "In the postwar period, their history witnessed many a bitter scene, among them the events of 1956. Remembering these events fills our hearts with pain and sincere regret." The patriarch's late-March letter was a reply to a February letter from the Hungarian cardinal, who expressed "love and respect" for Russians and pledged reconciliation. The patriarch said he was pleased the cardinal had established "good and cordial relations" with Orthodox Christians in Hungary.
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Way of the Cross: Simple service at Colosseum has global reach
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In the shadows of Rome's torch-lit Colosseum April 14, Pope Benedict XVI will lead the first Way of the Cross service of his pontificate. A year ago he had written the meditations on the 14 stations for Pope John Paul II, who was forced to follow the event by television in the papal apartments. This year, the Vatican decided to take special care to help others watching on television follow the event prayerfully. While tens of thousands of copies of the meditations and prayers are given to pilgrims and tourists at the Colosseum, in the past the millions of people watching on television could get the text only by going to the Vatican Web site as the rite was about to begin. For the first time, this year the Vatican publishing house sent 103,000 copies of the booklets to bookstores throughout Italy. And Germany's Herder publishing house simultaneously released a German translation of the text. In addition, the Vatican posted the original Italian text April 11 on its Web site --
www.vatican.va -- along with translations in English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.
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Former Vatican official disappointed with changes to his council
ROME (CNS) -- The former head of the Vatican's office on pastoral care for migrants said he was never consulted about changes being made to the pontifical council he headed for almost eight years. Japanese Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao, who served as president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers since June 1998, said he was disappointed and saddened by the way the curial reform took place. He only learned his post was being absorbed by another council when he read it in the newspaper. "Nobody consulted me," he said. "I felt a little bit -- how do you say it -- sad," the cardinal said in a March 15 interview with UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand which published the story online April 7. The 76-year-old cardinal learned from reading newspapers that the council's presidency would temporarily be led by Italian Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The cardinal, who submitted his resignation last year when he turned 75, as required of all bishops, found out the pope accepted his resignation during late February meetings with Vatican officials.
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French bishops say youth employment law protests signal 'deep crisis'
LOURDES, France (CNS) -- France's Catholic bishops said the monthlong street protests about the youth employment law signal a "deep crisis" in the country, which requires more consideration of "youth suffering and distress." Whatever the assessment of the law and its effect on youth employment, many youth feel discriminated against, the bishops' conference said in a statement after an April 7 meeting in Lourdes. "A certain number of young people know that, from now on, through their difficulty in finding stable work, they will not be able to enjoy a standard of living comparable to their parents," they said. The bishops' statement was issued before an April 10 announcement by Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin that he was scrapping controversial clauses in the employment law, which would have allowed employers to fire workers under 26 years old without explanation during a two-year trial period.
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PEOPLE
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Bishop offers prayers for two miners killed in West Virginia
WHEELING, W.Va. (CNS) -- After learning that two miners died in separate coal mine accidents in West Virginia April 7, Bishop Michael J. Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston offered prayers for them and their families. A total of 18 miners have been killed in the state's coal mines since January. "On behalf of the Catholic people of West Virginia, I wish to extend our prayers and sympathy to the families of the two coal miners who died in Boone and Mingo counties," Bishop Bransfield said. "Our people are again suffering. As we Christians move into Holy Week and the celebration of Easter, we shall continue to pray for these two miners and all coal miners and their families," he said. An Associated Press story April 10 said the miners were identified as Jackie Lee Toler, 53, of Long Branch, and Robert Runyon, 48, of Belfry, Ky.
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Two church aid workers killed by blast in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNS) -- Two church aid workers were killed by a mine that reportedly was detonated in an attack aimed at Sri Lankan government soldiers. Shanmugaratham Pathmanathan, 55, and Chelvendra Pradeepkumar, 29, aid workers for Caritas Jaffna, the local partner of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, known as CAFOD, were returning April 10 from tsunami recovery work in northern Sri Lanka when the mine explosion killed them both. The workers were in a van passing a Sri Lankan army jeep coming in the opposite direction. As the two vehicles passed, near an army checkpoint at Mirusuvil, a mine attached to a bicycle was detonated, killing five soldiers in the army vehicle and the two aid workers, said CAFOD, an agency of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, in a statement. Pradeepkumar was the coordinator of social mobilization and tsunami relief programs, and Pathmanathan was a coordinator of the children's program.
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April 12, 2006
U.S. cardinal at Vatican penance service says forgiveness is possible
U.S. Cardinal J. Francis Stafford led the Vatican's Holy Week penance service.
April 12, 2006
Pope says Easter preparation is good for the world
Explaining the church's Holy Week and Easter rituals during his April 12 general audience, the pope said violence is a sign of too many people's inability "to reconcile themselves in order to begin again with sincere forgiveness."
April 11, 2006
Way of the Cross: Simple service at Colosseum has global reach
In the shadows of Rome's torch-lit Colosseum April 14, Pope Benedict XVI will lead the first Way of the Cross service of his pontificate.
April 10, 2006
Send-off of pilgrim cross opens countdown to World Youth Day 2008
With the unveiling of a logo, the handover of a pilgrim cross and the cheers of young Australians, the "road to Sydney" for World Youth Day 2008 was officially opened at the Vatican.
April 10, 2006
Pope urges students at Opus Dei conference to share their faith
Meeting with some 5,000 university students attending an Opus Dei-sponsored conference, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged them to deepen their friendship with Christ.
April 10, 2006
Pope says Christ's poverty offers cure for world ravaged by greed
The Palm Sunday liturgy also marked World Youth Day, and the pope watched as youths from Germany turned over a large cross to youths from Australia, where the next international youth gathering will be held.
April 7, 2006
Jesuit scholar says Gospel of Judas does not merit name 'Gospel'
The Gospel of Judas was unimportant to most Christians when it was written hundreds of years ago and it is unimportant today, said a Jesuit professor who has convoked a series of ecumenical studies of the historical Jesus.
April 7, 2006
Pope tells youths Nazi brutality helped him decide to become a priest
In a meeting with young people, Pope Benedict XVI said he decided to become a priest after witnessing the brutality of the Nazi regime in his native Germany.
April 7, 2006
At Vatican Museums, a new way of looking at old things
The problem with being a 500-year-old museum is that the science of collecting and displaying pieces has changed dramatically.
April 6, 2006
Last fresco fragments restored in Assisi basilica
Restorers have replaced the last fresco fragments in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, more than eight years after an earthquake sent parts of the ceiling crashing to the floor.
April 6, 2006
Israel's Peres says pope would like to visit Holy Land in 2007
Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Pope Benedict XVI told him he would like to visit the Holy Land in the first half of 2007.
April 6, 2006
Pope Benedict drops tradition of Holy Thursday letter to priests
A Vatican spokesman said no papal letter would be released this year. He did not say why the pope had decided to discontinue the practice.
April 5, 2006
Christian community needs commitment to truth, Gospel, says pope
The love and unity that are essential marks of a truly Christian community cannot endure without a strong commitment to truth and fidelity to the Gospel, Pope Benedict XVI said at his weekly general audience.
April 4, 2006
Rome mayor says new underground entrance planned for Vatican Museums
A projected new entrance to the Vatican Museums will feature a giant glass pyramid and underground shops and restaurants.
April 4, 2006
Pope Benedict to preside over Holy Week, Easter liturgies
Just days before the first anniversary of his election, Pope Benedict XVI will preside over a full schedule of Holy Week and Easter liturgies at the Vatican and in Rome.
April 3, 2006
Pope calls predecessor 'rock of faith'
Pope John Paul II communicated the Gospel even when he could no longer speak and suffering racked his body, Pope Benedict XVI said at a memorial Mass for the late pope.
April 3, 2006
Scientific progress must not come at cost of human dignity, says pope
Universities and other institutions of higher learning can play a key role in sustaining the ideals and values that uphold and protect humanity while still pursuing scientific advancements, the pope said.
April 3, 2006
A year after pope's death, crowd again gathers in St. Peter's Square
Just as he did a year earlier, Pope John Paul II drew tens of thousands of people -- mainly young people -- to St. Peter's Square for a nighttime vigil.
April 3, 2006
Pope supports Iraqi bishops' call for fasting, prayer for peace
Addressing tens of thousands of pilgrims from his apartment window above St. Peter's Square, the pope noted that Iraq's bishops had appealed for people to pray and fast April 3 and 4 for peace in Iraq and in the entire world.
March 31, 2006
The Way of Beauty: Can it lead people to God?
More than 40 cardinals, bishops, religious and lay experts in culture revisited the perennial questions surrounding the nature of beauty at a Vatican conference.
March 31, 2006
Christian convert, in Italy, thanks pope for appealing on his behalf
Abdul Rahman thanked a number of people who pressed for his release; the first person he mentioned was the pope.
March 30, 2006
Pope says Catholic leaders have a right to comment on policy debates
Catholic leaders have a right to comment on public policy debates in order to educate people's consciences and uphold justice, Pope Benedict XVI told politicians from Europe.
March 30, 2006
Pope says people do not need to be perfect to be called to a vocation
"Human frailties and limits do not represent an obstacle" to having a vocation, the pope said in his message for the 2006 World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
March 30, 2006
Afghan Christian convert arrives in Italy, gets refugee status
An Afghan man who faced the death penalty for converting to Christianity flew to Italy after his release from prison.
March 29, 2006
Pope says belief in Jesus leads to communion with God, people
At his weekly general audience, Pope Benedict continued a new series of talks about the apostles and the church.
March 28, 2006
Record Vatican crowds continue a year after pope's death
In just the first eight months of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI drew nearly 3 million pilgrims to public events, according to the Vatican.
March 28, 2006
Vatican exhibit documents 500-year history of Swiss Guard
From March 29 to July 30, visitors to the Braccio di Carlomagno near St. Peter's Basilica can get a glimpse of artwork, objects and armor spanning the past half-millennium of what is the most photographed army in history.
March 27, 2006
A year after pope's death, people worldwide continue to show devotion
The Vatican still maintains a separate entrance to the grotto under St. Peter's Basilica where Pope John Paul II is buried, and Pope Benedict XVI still cites his writings and example in his public speeches.
March 27, 2006
Time ripe for improvement in Vatican-China relations, official says
In interviews with a Hong Kong television station and local newspaper, the Vatican's foreign minister said there was hope for an eventual normalization of relations between the two states.
March 27, 2006
Pope gives new cardinals rings, symbols of union with church
Placing a special ring on the fingers of 15 new cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI emphasized their relationship with him and with the universal church.
March 24, 2006
Vatican believes papal transition was moment of grace
Dramatic events spanning three weeks: A review of the papal transition of 2005.
March 24, 2006
In Rome, media finds Boston cardinal wields wicked sense of humor
Always looking for the big scoop, television and print media made a surprising discovery when they covered Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley receiving his red hat in a March 24 consistory at the Vatican.
March 24, 2006
For new cardinals, a ceremony full of symbols
The main elements in the ceremonies surrounding the creation of new cardinals are red, hat, church and ring.
March 24, 2006
Pope creates cardinals, prays for their love for church and Christ
Pope Benedict XVI created 15 new cardinals from 11 countries March 24, praying that the red garments they now wear would inspire them to an even more "passionate love for Christ, for his church and for all humanity."
March 23, 2006
A year after Pope Benedict's election, world sees new style of papacy
In April, the church marks the first anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI.
March 23, 2006
Pope, cardinals discuss several issues, including dialogue with Islam
Pope Benedict XVI and most of the world's cardinals sat down March 23 for closed-door discussions on a number of administrative and pastoral questions.
March 22, 2006
Vatican says pope dropped title for theological, historical reasons
Pope Benedict XVI has dropped "patriarch of the West" from his official titles because it was theologically imprecise and historically obsolete, the Vatican said.
March 22, 2006
Boston prelate jokes with reporters about new red cardinal garb
"I could always wear it if I was called to be on a hunting expedition with the vice president," Cardinal-designate Sean P. O'Malley said of his new red cassock.
March 22, 2006
Pope says main task of evangelizers is to lead people to Jesus
At his weekly general audience, the pope gave the second in a series of talks about the apostles and the church.
March 21, 2006
New DVD series documents athletic side of Pope John Paul II
The Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport will mark the first anniversary of Pope John Paul II's death by distributing a special DVD series documenting the pope's 26-year pontificate.
March 21, 2006
Pope Benedict's liturgies to change, says papal master of ceremonies
Archbishop Piero Marini, who also served as master of ceremonies for Pope John Paul II, said he and Pope Benedict "are re-elaborating the papal ceremonies."
March 20, 2006
Truth about human dignity will prevail, pope tells Vatican diplomats
In a meeting with Vatican diplomats accredited to the United Nations and other international governmental organizations, the pope said God is on the side of truth.
March 20, 2006
Pope, celebrating Mass with workers, prays for jobless, exploited
The pope celebrated Mass March 19 with members of Italian labor unions and Catholic organizations for workers.
March 17, 2006
Pope, Russian Orthodox patriarch affirm importance of cooperation
Pope Benedict XVI and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow have affirmed the importance of Catholics and Orthodox cooperating to keep Gospel values alive in increasingly secularized societies.
March 17, 2006
Papal preacher says to pray during life's dark moments
Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa told the pope and other Vatican officials that during life's dark moments, Jesus teaches the faithful to pray to God.
March 17, 2006
Impatient patient: Doctor says JPII often wanted to put off treatment
As a medical patient, Pope John Paul II was cooperative, insisted on being fully informed, but very often put off treatment if there was a chance it would take him away from his pastoral commitments.
March 16, 2006
Pope urges religious leaders to reconcile conflicts with dialogue
Pope Benedict XVI called on Jews, Christians and Muslims to work together to promote peace and justice and to lead the way by reconciling conflicts and divisions through dialogue and active solidarity.
March 16, 2006
Pope blesses Ukrainian Catholic Church, commemorates its survival
Pope Benedict XVI prayed that Mary and the communist-era martyrs of the Ukrainian Catholic Church would strengthen Ukrainians in their faith and their commitment to Christian unity.
March 15, 2006
Defense of family life crucial, says head of Vatican's family council
Another "Inside the Curia" interview: President of the Pontifical Council for the Family says he feels like he's "in the eye of the hurricane."
March 15, 2006
Pope says personal faith is essential, but so is church community
At his weekly general audience Pope Benedict XVI said that the slogan "Jesus, yes; the church, no" is "completely irreconcilable with the intention of Christ."
March 14, 2006
Vatican official says media should be praised for positive programs
The Catholic Church's approach to the media must include praise for positive programming and stories as well as criticism of what is harmful or dishonest, said the president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
March 14, 2006
Pope, Egyptian president discuss nuclear arms, religious tolerance
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met the pope at the end of a March 9-13 series of visits with European leaders.
March 14, 2006
Culture is key to interreligious dialogue, says Vatican official
The latest story in our "Inside the Curia" series profiles French Cardinal Paul Poupard, who heads the Vatican's councils for culture and interreligious dialogue.
March 13, 2006
Pope says every Christian must share love of God with others
The pope met with people from about 100 countries attending a conference on the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's decree on the church's missionary obligation.
March 13, 2006
Pope temporarily merges four Vatican councils under two presidents
At the start of what may be a sweeping reform of the Roman Curia, Pope Benedict XVI merged the leadership of four of the Vatican's councils under two presidents.
More Vatican stories:
Clear the calendar: For pope, everything stops for Lenten retreat
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Vatican Radio employees present pope with specially loaded iPod nano
Doctrinal head: Openly gay priests make it tough to represent Christ
Participants at Rome seminar warn gay marriage poses risk to children
Cardinal trends: Pope's picks boost Asian, U.S., European presence
Pope names 15 new cardinals, including two from U.S.
Turin's favorite saint-in-the-making remembered at Olympics
Vatican official says pope will fix liturgical abuses firmly, gently
Priest says Michael Jackson unlikely to sing in papal prayer project
Postulator says French nun's cure could be miracle for Pope John Paul
Pope's first encyclical underlines 'back to basics' theme of papacy
In first encyclical, pope calls for deeper understanding of love
for Good Friday
THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
(These stations of the Cross were written by John Cardinal Newman in 1860.)
Begin with an Act of Contrition:
"I am truly sorry for having sinned because you are infinitely good and sin displeases you. I will avoid the occasions* of sin and strive in all things to do your holy will."
(*To avoid the occasions of sin means to avoid those people, places and even thoughts that cause temptation.)
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THE FIRST STATION
Jesus is Condemned to Death.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee
R. Because by the holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Leaving the house of Caiphas, and dragged before Pilate and Herod, mocked, beaten, and spit upon, His back torn with scourges, His head crowned with thorns, Jesus, who on the last day will judge the world, is himself condemned by unjust judges to a death of ignominy and torture.
Jesus is condemned to death. His death-warrant is signed, and who signed it but I, when I committed my first mortal sins? My first mortal sins, when I fell away from the state of grace into which Thou did place me by baptism; [it was these sins] that were your death-warrant, O Lord. The Innocent suffered for the guilty. Those sins of mine were the voices which cried out, " Let Him be crucified." That willingness and delight of heart with which I committed them was the consent which Pilate gave to this clamorous multitude. And the hardness of heart which followed upon them, my disgust, my despair, my proud impatience, my obstinate resolve to sin on, the love of sin which took possession of me--what were these contrary and impetuous feelings but the blows and the blasphemies with which the fierce soldiers and the populace [inflicted on] Thee, thus carrying out the sentence which Pilate had pronounced !
Our Father, Hail Mary.
v. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.
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THE SECOND STATION
Jesus receives His Cross
V. We adore thee o Christ and we bless thee.
R. Because by thy Holy Cross thou has redeemed the world.
A STRONG, and therefore heavy Cross, for it is strong enough to bear Him on it when He arrives at Calvary, is placed upon His torn shoulders. He receives it gently and meekly, nay, with gladness of heart, for it is to be the salvation of mankind.
True; but recollect, that heavy Cross is the weight of our sins. As it fell upon His neck and shoulders, it came down with a shock. Alas ! what a sudden, heavy weight have I laid upon Thee, O Jesus. And, though in the calm and clear foresight of Thy mind --for Thou sees all things--Thou was fully prepared for it, yet Thy feeble frame tottered under it when it dropped down upon Thee. Ah ! how great a misery is it that I have lifted up my hand against my God. How could I ever fancy He would forgive me unless He had Himself told us that He under- went this bitter passion in order that He might forgive us. I acknowledge, O Jesus, in the anguish and agony of my heart, that my sins it was that struck Thee on the face, that bruised Thy sacred arms, that tore Thy flesh with iron rods, that nailed Thee to the Cross, and let Thee slowly die upon it.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
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THE THIRD STATION
Jesus falls the first time beneath the Cross.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
JESUS, bowed down under the weight and the length of the unwieldy Cross, which trailed after Him, slowly sets forth on His way, amid the mode cries and insults of the crowd. His agony in the Garden itself was sufficient to exhaust Him; but it was only the first of a multitude of sufferings. He sets off with His whole heart, but His limbs fail Him, and He falls.
Yes, it is as I feared. Jesus, the strong and mighty Lord, has found for the moment our sins stronger than Himself. He falls-yet He bore the load for a while; He tottered, but He bore up and walked onwards. What, then, made Him give way ? I say, I repeat, it is an intimation and a memory to thee, O my soul, of thy falling back into mortal sin. I repented of the sins of my youth, and went on well for a time; but at length a new temptation came, when I was off my guard, and I suddenly fell away. Then all my good habits seemed to go at once; they were like a garment which is stripped off, so quickly and utterly did grace depart from me. And at that moment I looked at my Lord, and lo! He had fallen down, and I covered my face with my hands and remained in a state of great confusion.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
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THE FOURTH STATION
Jesus meets His Mother.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
JESUS rises, though wounded by His fall, journeys on, with His Cross still on His shoulders. bent down; but at one place, looking up, He sees His mother. For an instant they just see each other, and He goes forward.
Mary would rather have had all His sufferings herself, could that have been, [rather] than not have known what they were by [staying away]. He, too, gained a refreshment, as from some soothing and grateful breath of air, to see her sad smile amid the sights and the noises which were about Him. She had known Him beautiful and glorious, with the freshness of Divine Innocence and peace upon His countenance; now, she saw Him so changed and deformed that she could scarce have recognized Him, save for the piercing, thrilling, peace-inspiring look He gave her. Still, He was now carrying the load of the world's sins, and, all-holy though He was, He carried the image of them on His very face. He looked like some outcast or outlaw who had frightful guilt upon Him. He had been made sin for us, who knew no sin; not a feature, not a limb, but spoke of guilt, of a curse, of punishment, of agony.
Oh, what a meeting of Son and Mother! Yet there was a mutual comfort, for there was a mutual sympathy. Jesus and Mary--do they forget that Passion-tide through all eternity?
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE FIFTH STATION
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his Cross.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
AT length His strength fails utterly, and He is unable to proceed. The executioners stand perplexed. What are they to do? How is He to get to Calvary? Soon they see a stranger who seems strong and active--Simon of Cyrene. They seize on him, and compel him to carry the Cross with Jesus. The sight of the Sufferer pierces the man's heart. Oh, what a privilege ! O happy soul, elect of God ! he takes the part assigned to him with joy.
This came of Mary's intercession. He prayed, not for Himself, except that He might drink the full chalice of suffering and do His Father's will; but she showed herself a mother by following Him with her prayers, since she could help Him in no other way. She then sent this stranger to help Him. It was she who led the soldiers to see that they might be too fierce with Him. Sweet Mother, even do the like to us. Pray for us ever, Holy Mother of God, pray for us, whatever be our cross, as we pass along on our way. Pray for us, and we shall rise again, though we have fallen. Pray for us when sorrow, anxiety, or sickness come upon us. Pray for us when we are prostrate under the power of temptation, and send some faithful servant of yours to succor us. And in the world to come, if found worthy to expiate our sins in the fiery prison*, send some good Angel to give us a season of refreshment. Pray for us, Holy Mother of God.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
*purgatory, see material on indulgences.
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THE SIXTH STATION
Jesus and Veronica
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
AS Jesus toils along up the hill, covered with the sweat of death, a woman makes her way through the crowd, and wipes His face with a napkin. In reward of her piety the cloth retains the impression of the Sacred Countenance upon it.
The relief which a Mother's tenderness secured is not yet all she did. Her prayers sent Veronica as well as Simon--Simon to do a man's work, Veronica to do the part of a woman.* The devout servant of Jesus did what she could. As Mary Magdalene had poured the ointment at the Feast, so Veronica now offered Him this napkin in His passion "Ah," she said, "would I could do more! Why have I not the strength of Simon, to take part in the burden of the Cross! But men only can serve the Great High Priest, now that He is celebrating the solemn act of sacrifice." O Jesus ! let us one and all minister to You according to our places and powers. And as You did accept from Thy followers refreshment in Thy hour of trial, so give to us the support of Thy grace when we are hard pressed by our Foe. I feel I cannot bear up against temptation, weariness, despondency, and sin. I say to myself, what is the good of being religious? I shall fall, O my dear Savior, I shall certainly fall, unless You do renew for me thy vigor like the eagle's,and breathe life into me by the soothing application and the touch of the Holy Sacraments which [He instituted for us].
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
(*Cardinal Newman's attitude toward gender roles is that of his culture. Don't forget this was written in England over 100 years ago. Nevertheless he uses this gender distinction to make a good point, we should minister where we are and use the talents and abilities that God has given to us.
We have to take into account our circumstances without regard to gender. If we are in good health perhaps we could do good works by using our physical strength, such as building a house for the poor. If we are not strong, still we can visit the sick. If we are very ill, very weak and confined to home or bed, then we can aid others with prayer. The point is that every man and woman can work where they are to help others and use what talents and abilities they have.)
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THE SEVENTH STATION
Jesus falls a second time.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
THE pain of His wounds and the loss of blood increasing at every step of His way, again His limbs fail Him, and He falls on the ground.
What has He done to deserve all this? This is the reward received by the long-expected Messiah from the Chosen People, the Children of Israel. I know what to answer. He falls because I have fallen. I have fallen again. I know well that without Thy grace, O Lord, I could not stand; and I fancied that I had kept closely to Thy Sacraments; yet in spite of my going to Mass and to my duties, I am out of grace again. Why is it but because I have lost my devotional spirit, and have come to Thy holy ordinances in a cold, formal way, without inward affection. I became lukewarm, tepid. I thought the battle of life was over, and became secure. I had no lively faith, no sight of spiritual things. I came to church from habit, and because I thought others would observe it. I ought to be a new creature, I ought to live by faith, hope, and charity; but I thought more of this world than of the world to come -- and at last I forgot that I was a servant of God, and followed the broad way that leads to destruction, not the narrow way which leads to life. And thus I fell [away] from You.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE EIGHTH STATION
Jesus comforts the Women of Jerusalem
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
At the sight of the sufferings of Jesus the Holy Women are so pierced with grief that they cry out and bewail Him, careless what happens to them by so doing. Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."
Ah ! can it be, O Lord, that I shall prove [to be] one of those sinful children for whom You bid their mothers to weep. "Weep not for Me," He said, "for I am the Lamb of God, and am making atonement at My own will for the sins of the world. I am suffering now, but I shall triumph; and, when I triumph, those souls, for whom I am dying, will either be my dearest friends or my deadliest enemies." Is it possible? O my Lord, can I grasp the terrible thought that You really did weep for me--weep for me, as You did weep over Jerusalem? Is it possible that I am one of the reprobate? Is it possible that I shall lose by Thy passion and death, not gain by it? Oh, withdraw not from me. I am in a very bad way. I have so much evil in me. I have so little of an earnest, brave spirit to set against that evil. O Lord, what will become of me? It is so difficult for me to drive away the Evil Spirit from my heart. You alone can effectually cast him out.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE NINTH STATION
Again, a third time, Jesus falls.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
JESUS had now reached almost to the top of Calvary; but, before He had gained the very spot where He was to be crucified, again he fell, and is again dragged up and goaded onwards by the brutal soldiery.
We are told in Holy Scripture of three falls of Satan, the Evil Spirit. The first was in the beginning; the second, when the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven were preached to the world; the third will be at the end of all things. The first is told us by St. John the Evangelist. He says: " There was a great battle in heaven. Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels. And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan." The second fall, at the time of the Gospel, is spoken of by our Lord when He says, " I saw Satan, like lightning, falling from heaven." And the third by the same St. John: There came down fire from God out of heaven,...and the devil . . . was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone."
These three falls--the past, the present, and the future--the Evil Spirit had in mind when he moved Judas to betray our Lord. This was just his hour. Our Lord, when He was seized, said to His enemies, "This is your hour and the power of darkness." Satan knew his time was short, and thought he might use it to good effect. But little dreaming that he would be acting in behalf of the world's redemption, which our Lord's passion and death were to work out, in revenge, and, as he thought, in triumph, he smote Him once, he smote Him twice, he smote Him thrice, each successive time a heavier blow. The weight of the Cross, the barbarity of the soldiers and the crowd, were but his instruments. O Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, the Word Incarnate, we praise, adore, and love Thee for Thy ineffable condescension, even to allow Thyself thus for a time to fall into the hands and under the power of the Enemy of God and man, in order thereby to save us from being his servants and companions for eternity.
Or this
This is the worst fall of the three. His strength has for a while utterly failed Him, and it is some time before the barbarous soldiers can bring Him to. Ah ! it was His anticipation of what was to happen to me. I get worse and worse. He sees the end from the beginning. He was thinking of me all the time He dragged Himself along, up the Hill of Calvary. He saw that I should fall again in spite of all former warnings and former assistance. He saw that I should become secure and self-confident, and that my enemy would then assail me with some new temptation, to which I never thought I should be exposed. I thought my weakness lay all on one particular side which I knew. I had not a dream that I was not strong on the other. And so Satan came down on my unguarded side, and got the better of me from my self-trust and self-satisfaction. I was wanting in humility. I thought no harm would come on me, I thought I had outlived the danger of sinning; I thought it was an easy thing to get to heaven, and I was not watchful. It was my pride, and so I fell a third time.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE TENTH STATION
Jesus is striped, and drenched with gall.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
AT length He has arrived at the place of sacrifice, and they begin to prepare Him for the Cross. His garments are torn from His bleeding body, and He, the Holy of Holiest, stands exposed to the gaze of the coarse and scoffing multitude.
O You who in Thy Passion was stripped of all Thy clothes, and held up to the curiosity and mockery of the rabble, strip me of myself here and now, that in the Last Day I come not to shame before men and Angels. You did endure the shame on Calvary that I might be spared the shame at the Judgment. You had nothing to be ashamed of personally, and the shame which You did feel was because You had taken on Thee man's nature. When they took from Thee Thy garments, those innocent limbs of Yours were but objects of humble and loving adoration to the highest Seraphim. They stood around in speechless awe, wondering at Thy beauty, and they trembled at Thy infinite self-abasement. But I, O Lord, how shall I appear if You shalt hold me up hereafter to be gazed upon, stripped of that robe of grace which is Yours, and seen in my own personal life and nature? O how hideous I am in myself, even in my best estate. Even when I am cleansed from my mortal sins, what disease and corruption is seen even in my venial sins. How shall I be fit for the society of Angels, how for Thy presence, until You burn this foul leprosy away in the fire of Purgatory?
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE ELEVENTH STATION
Jesus is nailed to the Cross.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
THE Cross is laid on the ground, and Jesus stretched upon it, and then, swaying heavily to and fro, it is, after much exertion, jerked into the hole ready to receive it. Or, as others think, it is set upright, and Jesus is raised up and fastened to it. As the savage executioners drive in the huge nails, He offers Himself to the Eternal Father, as a ransom for the world. The blows are struck--the blood gushes forth.
Yes, they set up the Cross on high, and they placed a ladder against it, and, having stripped Him of His garments, made Him mount. With His hands feebly grasping its sides and cross-woods, and His feet slowly, uncertainly, with much effort, with many slips, mounting up, the soldiers propped Him on each side, or He would have fallen. When He reached the projection where His sacred feet were to be, He turned round with sweet modesty and gentleness towards the fierce rabble, stretching out His arms, as if He would embrace them. Then He lovingly placed the backs of His hands close against the transverse beam, waiting for the executioners to come with their sharp nails and heavy hammers to dig into the palms of His hands, and to fasten them securely to the wood. There He hung, a perplexity to the multitude, a terror to evil spirits, the wonder, the awe, yet the joy, the adoration of the Holy Angels.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE TWELFTH STATION
Jesus dies upon the Cross.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
JESUS hung for three hours. During this time He prayed for His murderers, promised Paradise to the penitent robber, and committed His Blessed Mother to the guardianship of St. John. Then all was finished, and He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.
The worst is over. The Holiest is dead and departed. The most tender, the most affectionate, the holiest of the sons of men is gone. Jesus is dead, and with His death my sin shall die. I protest once for all, before men and Angels, that sin shall no more have dominion over me. This Lent I make myself God's own for ever. The salvation of my soul shall be my first concern. With the aid of His grace I will create in me a deep hatred and sorrow for my past sins. I will try hard to detest sin, as much as I have ever loved it. Into God's hands I put myself, not by halves, but unreservedly. I promise Thee, O Lord, with the help of Thy grace, to keep out of the way of temptation, to avoid all occasions of sin, to turn at once from the voice of the Evil One, to be regular in my prayers, so to die to sin that You may not have died for me on the Cross in vain.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE THIRTEENTH STATION
Jesus is taken from the Cross, and laid in Mary's Bosom.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
THE multitude have gone home. Calvary is left solitary and still, except that St. John and the holy women are there. Then come Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, and take down from the Cross the body of Jesus, and place it in the arms of Mary.
O Mary, at last you has possession of thy Son. Now, when His enemies can do no more, they leave Him in contempt to thee. As His unexpected friends perform their difficult work, You look on with unspeakable thoughts. Thy heart is pierced with the sword of which Simeon spoke. O Mother most sorrowful; yet in thy sorrow there is a still greater joy. The joy in prospect nerved thee to stand by Him as He hung upon the Cross; much more now, without swooning, without trembling, You did receive Him to thy arms and on thy lap. Now you art supremely happy as having Him, though He comes to thee not as He went from thee. He went from thy home, O Mother of God, in the strength and beauty of His manhood, and He comes back to thee dislocated, torn to pieces, mangled, dead. Yet, O Blessed Mary, you art happier in this hour of woe than on the day of the marriage feast, for then He was leaving thee, and now in the future, as a Risen Savior, He will be separated from thee no more.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
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THE FOURTEENTH STATION
Jesus is laid in the Tomb.
V. We adore thee O Christ and we bless thee,
R. Because by thy Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
BUT for a short three days, for a day and a half-- Mary then must give Him up. He is not yet risen. His friends and servants take Him from thee, and place Him in an honorable tomb. They close it safely, till the hour comes for His resurrection.
Lie down and sleep in peace in the calm grave for a little while, dear Lord, and then wake up for an everlasting reign. We, like the faithful women, will watch around Thee, for all our treasure, all our life, is lodged with Thee. And, when our turn comes to die, grant, sweet Lord, that we may sleep calmly too, the sleep of the just. Let us sleep peacefully for the brief interval between death and the general resurrection. Guard us from the enemy; save us from the pit. Let our friends remember us and pray for us, O dear Lord. Let masses be said for us, so that the pains of Purgatory, so much deserved by us, and therefore so truly welcomed by us, may be over with little delay. Give us seasons of refreshment there; wrap us round with holy dreams and soothing contemplations, while we gather strength to ascend the heavens. And then let our faithful guardian Angels help us up the glorious ladder, reaching from earth to heaven, which Jacob saw in vision. And when we reach the everlasting gates, let them open upon us with the music of Angels; and let St. Peter receive as, and our Lady, the glorious Queen of Saints, embrace us, and bring us to Thee, and to Thy Eternal Father, and to Thy Co-equal Spirit, Three Persons, One God, to reign with Them for ever and ever.
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, etc.
LET US PRAY
God, Who by the Precious Blood of Thy only-begotten Son did sanctify the Standard of the Cross, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who rejoice in the glory of the same Holy Cross may at all times and places rejoice in Thy protection, Through the same Christ, our Lord.
End with one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father..., for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
Back to the start of the Way of the Cross.
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Remember that a plenary indulgence is granted for the exercise of the stations. Click here, for the exact requirements for praying Stations to receive this indulgence. For material on indulgences in general look at Indulgences on our site, or the Enchiridion of Indulgences 1968.
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