Some web browsing......

Pope Francis in Armenia:
Pope Francis invokes magic word ‘genocide’ on day one in Armenia



In Armenia, The Pope's Prayer: "May Our Communion Be Complete"  
The Armenian Genocide: “We can no longer deny it” - Popes from Benedict XV to Francis have assisted in driving the revelation into the open
 Francis at the monastery of ‘Khor Virap’
Armenian Catholicos Karekin at Divine Liturgy in Etchmiadzin
Lessons from pope in Armenia on why ecumenism matters

Other bits & pieces:

• Poland Defends Its Pro-Life Laws, Blasts EU Leaders Telling It to Legalize Abortion
• New centre for dialogue between faith and reason planned
• Complexity and totality of Irish involvement in WWI recalled
• Former Custos to administer Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
• Letters from Irish Jesuit priest who served in Battle of the Somme found after 100 years
• Spotlight on the conclusions of the Orthodox Council in Crete
• Who smiles like this near the moment of death? - Sister Cecilia, of the Carmel of Santa Fe in Argentina, witnessed to her love for Christ in her struggle with lung cancer
• The death of Sister Cecilia; the rest of the story - Her joy was accompanied — or perhaps explained — by a profound state of prayer

World Youth Day Cross travels the world as a symbol for younger generations

“Creating a culture of vocation in today’s Irish Church-is it too late?” - Sr Louise O'Rourke

Cross post from Pilgrims Progress:
   

The following is a talk which I was invited to give to the Annual General Meeting of St. Joseph's Young Priest's Society in Foxrock on the 13th of June 2016.Good evening, it’s good to be here with you this evening. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sr. M. Louise O’ Rourke, and I’m a Disciple of the Divine Master, up at Newtownpark Avenue. Thanks to Dominic Dowling for inviting me to speak to you too.
When I asked Dominic, what do you want me to speak about…he more or less told me that I could choose! Sometimes it is easier to be given a topic to talk about. Anyways, after some prayer and reflection I came up with the title: “Creating a culture of vocation in today’s Irish Church- is it too late? ”.

Everyone is called to discern what God wants them to do with their lives — be it a young man considering the priesthood, men and women entering the religious life, a man feeling called to the permanent diaconate, a couple deciding on marriage, or someone recognizing a dedicated single life. Today, however, there are many challenges to hearing God’s call, and the task of the Church is to assist men and women to discern the path that will lead them to true happiness and eternal life.

We often associate the term “vocation” solely with priesthood or those discerning a call to the priesthood. But it is more than that. The word vocation comes from the Latin word vocare, which is a verb that means ‘to call’. In simplest terms, a vocation could also be called a ‘calling.’ In our Catholic worldview, we believe that God has a plan for each of us. In a way, in a broad way, the whole sense of discipleship, the whole sense of divine Providence, the whole sense that God has a plan for us, stems from what you might call this generic sense of vocation. What we often overlook is that we all have a vocation. Two actually! Primarily, we are all called to a life of holiness. That is we should all be striving to be saints one day. In addition, we all have a particular vocation. It is through our particular vocation that we discern the state of life God is calling us to.

We tend to hear all the time about a “crisis in vocations.” This is usually discussed concerning vocations to the priesthood. But the challenge of discerning a vocation is not limited to the priesthood. The crisis is that the vocations to the priesthood and religious life are not being nurtured and encouraged as well as they could be. Nor is the vocation to marriage. The crisis is not just one of numbers; it is a crisis of culture.  There are many who are being called, yet for a young person today it can be very daunting to acknowledge such a thing and pursue it.

That said, I don’t believe there is a vocation crisis.  I believe that what we have is a Vocation Awareness Crisis.  I know that God continues to call men and women into service, but I think we have created an environment in our Catholic culture where people no longer have the ears to hear that call; or the willingness to follow it. Outside of our church, our secular culture values materialism, wealth, status, position, celebrity and power, far, far above a call to poverty, chastity, obedience and service and so the natural outcome is fewer deacons, priests and religious, fewer married couples and families open to promoting vocations.

In vocation circles, we often talk about creating a culture of vocations. This is not a new concept. We know it used to exist.  Fifty years ago, there was no greater honour to a family than if one of its members became a priest or a religious, but those times have changed. But they can change again. 

Ad multos annos to Pope Emeritus Bendict

On the occasion of his 65th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood, we wish Pope-Emeritus Benedict a hearty congratulations!

• Benedict XVI to Francis: 'your goodness is a place where I feel protected'
• Papa Ratzi's "Thanksgiving" – On His Priestly 65th, B16 Seeks "The Transubstantiation of the World" 
• Vatican celebrates anniversary of Benedict's ordination
• Pope Benedict XVI and 65 years of friendship with Christ - The Pope Emeritus recalls his ordination and reflects on the meaning of the priesthood
• Francis and Benedict: The most exclusive brotherhood on the planet - Stop for just a moment and ponder what we have just seen...

The Pan Orthodox Holy & Great Council - The End as Beginning: The Process after the Council

Message of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church 

Encyclical of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church       

26th June 2016 - The Holy Name of Jesus - 13th Sunday in Ordinary time Year C

We have a full team on SS102fm this week with John, Lorraine, Anne and Shane all back on air! Lorraine takes us through a reflection on the Holy Name of Jesus and we have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel as well as liturgical odds and ends including our weekly celestial guides.

 

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks programme HERE.

 

The Holy Name of Jesus

 

Lorraine leads us in a reflection this week on the Holy Name of Jesus. You can listen to the podcast of the reflection excerpted from the main programme HERE.

 

To pray the holy name of Jesus is a very simple way of praying always. There is power in a name and it calls up the very presence of Jesus. Nowadays it is profaned in so many ways, that it is very pleasing to the Lord when it is used with love and devotion. We are told that "all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father". So, not only is it a very intimate way of praying and being in the presence of the Lord, it is also very powerful, because it has authority, both in Heaven, on earth and in the underworld.  

• Poor Clare's - Galway - webpage on the Holy Name
• Fisheaters - Devotion to the Holy Name
• Apostleship of Prayer - The Name, the Heart, and the Blood

Gospel - Luke 9:51-62

Reflection from Limerick Diocesan Weekly Newsletter:

I will follow you anywhere ...
but just let me just pop home for a moment first ...

This Sundays Gospel concerns Jesus 'resolutely' on the road to Jerusalem. We hear that he meets lots of people who think he is interesting, inspiring - worth following even. These people deeply mean their words ... until action is required. Then commitments and questions arise. A weaker man might be slowed in his journey to reason or argue with each point. Jesus does not slow - he is resolute.

You and I are followers of Jesus Christ who want to live our lives according to his teaching. We are committed, inspired and determined ... but don't we all seem to have 'special circumstances' where being a Christian doesn't apply!!

- perhaps we have special reasons for not praying or going to Sunday Mass, we just have to do something else first...
  - perhaps we have special reasons for ignoring the call to justice, mercy and compassion for the vulnerable ... we just have to secure our own place in the world first...
  - perhaps we have special reasons for disrespecting our neighbour, or family or friends ...

The truth is that there are no special reasons to put off being a follower of Jesus: we either are or we are not. The wonderful thing is that we are not trapped by the past - at every moment we can choose again to follow Jesus. In this time, in these circumstances we can ask for the grace to take one step on the road to Jerusalem, and another ...

'We know the whole law is summed up
in the single commandment
to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Yet we create fences around ourselves to keep neighbours outside
and tell ourselves we have no responsibility.
Even in our own back yard we “bite and devour” one another.

 We wish it were different.
When Jesus calls us to follow him,
we find every excuse to instead go home
or to the workplace to finish something more important first.
Yet we yearn to be more centred on You.

Despite our resistance,
we can be assured that God’s strong arm redeems the people.
God calls us back to God’s realm, and encourages us
with a love we can never lose no matter how hard we push back,
no matter how often we forget, no matter how far we stray.
We need but ask and we are forgiven.'

*******

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire

Centre for Liturgy

English Dominicans

Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - psalter week 1; 13th week in ordinary time

Saints of the Week


27th June - St Cyril of Alexandria
28th June - St Irenaeus
29th June - Ss Peter & Paul
30th June - The First Martyrs of Rome
1st July - St Oliver Plunkett
2nd July - Blessed Giovanni da Fabriano Becchetti

WYD2016 - The songs that weave 16 years of World Youth Day's together

Pan-Orthodox Holy & Great Council -Opening Divine Liturgy for Pentecost and Day 1

Vatican Radio:

Pope Francis on Sunday urged Catholics to pray for the Orthodox leaders from around the world who are holding their ‘Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church’ on the Greek island of Crete.

As chairman of the Council, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Sunday presided at a Divine Liturgy in the Metropolitan Church of St Minas in the capital Heraklion, to officially open the week long meeting. Observers from other Christian Churches, including a Vatican delegation headed by Cardinal Kurt Koch of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, are also in Crete and are due to attend the first session of the Council on Monday.

Speaking after the Angelus prayer to thousands of pilgrims and visitors gathered in St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis noted that the Orthodox Church this Sunday marks the solemnity of Pentecost. "Let us unite ourselves in prayer with our Orthodox brothers", the Pope said, calling on the Holy Spirit to send "his gifts on the patriarchs, archbishops and bishops gathered at the Council".
Pope Francis then led the crowd in the recitation of the Ave Maria, praying for all Orthodox Christians as their leaders meet to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the world community today.

Pentecost Sunday in Crete:



Homily by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Chairman of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church at the Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy in the Metropolitan Church of St. Minas in Heraklion, Crete With Their Beatitudes ​the Primates of the Holy Orthodox Churches

Photos of the opening Divine Liturgy

Video Report on Day 1:

Sr Marie Louise O'Rourke - Ad multos annos!

SS102fm sends its heartiest congratulations and ad multos annos to friend of the blog and prayerful intercessor Sr Louise O'Rourke PDDM on the fifth anniversary of her final profession as a Sister Disciple of the Divine Master.

In praise and glory of the Most Holy Trinity,

who consecrated me in Baptism and now calls me

to follow more closely Jesus Master,
Way, Truth and Life as his disciple,

I offer myself totally to God.

In your hands, Sr. Kathryn Mary Williams,

delegate of the Superior General,

before you, sisters and brothers,
I Sr. Mary Louise O’ Rourke, in full liberty,

make my vows of chastity, poverty and obedience

for my entire life according to the Rule of Life

of the Disciples of the Divine Master.

In communion with my sisters,

I commit myself to live in the Church, the charism of Fr. James Alberione

at the service of the Eucharist, the Priesthood and the Liturgy

for the coming of the Kingdom of God in the world.

I entrust myself to the intercession of Mary, Queen of Apostles,

of Saint Paul the Apostle and to the prayer of my sisters.

May God bring to fulfilment the work he has begun in me.
Amen

Ad multos annos Sr Mary Louise O'Rourke PDDM

19th June 2016 - Events at Knock Summer 2016 - 12th Sunday in Ordinary time

On this weeks programme John, Lorraine and Shane are joined by Maria Hunt from Knock Shrine to discuss up coming events at our national shrine to Our Lady. We have our regular reflection on this weeks Sunday gospel as well as other notices and liturgical odds & ends.

You can listen to the podcast of the full programme HERE. 
 
Knock 2016


Mosaic of the Apparition at Knock in the newly refurbished basilica at Knock

On this weeks programme we are joined by Maria Hunt from the Knock Shrine office who tells us about the up coming events on the Knock calendar as well as reminding people about the resources and supports at Knock Shrine for families and individuals in their faith journey including the various youth ministry and also prayer guides available to all. 
Obviously the main highlights for the Shrine this summer will be the re-dedication  of the basilica which will be lead by Cardinal Sean O'Malley from Boston on the 16th July and the annual Knock Novena in August 2016.
 
You can listen to Maria's interview excerpted from the main programme podcast HERE.

• Knock Shrine website
• Events page and calendar on the Knock Shrine website with a facility to sign up for monthly newsletter.
• Knock Shrine Facebook page 

Gospel - Luke 9:18-24 - Who do you say that I am?
 

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ They answered, ‘John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’

He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’

Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:
 
Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections Centre for Liturgy
English Dominicans
 
Liturgical odds & ends
 
Liturgy of the Hours - psalter week 4; 12th week in ordinary time
 
Saints of the Week
 
20th June - The Irish Martyrs
21st June - St Aloysius Gonzaga
22nd June - St Thomas More & John Fisher (martyrs)
23rd June - Blessed Francis O’Sullivan
24th June - Solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist
25th June - Saint Molonachus of Lismore

Some web browsing......the Pan Orthodox Holy & Great Council - UPDATED

Logo of the Holy & Great Council

Eastern Orthodox Primates gathered in Crete to prepare for the pan-Orthodox Council, June 17, 2016. Credit: GOA/DIMITRIOS PANAGOS. Photo courtesy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

The Pan-Orthodox Holy & Great Council begins this weekend in Crete after many difficulties but with the absence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

 

What is it and why should it be important to Catholics? Series of articles below including number of updates.

The omens aren't looking too positive for the success of the Pan-Orthodox Holy & Great Council scheduled to be held in Crete from June 19th. What is it and why should it be important to Catholics? Series of articles and coverage below:

NCR- Pan-Orthodox Meltdown Ahead of Great Council?  
Crux - Leading cleric says Orthodox Church’s ‘Vatican II’ is a go
Crux - Russians want to postpone historic Orthodox summit
Russian statement on their participation
Crux - Gut-check time in June for both Orthodox and Catholics 
Russian Orthodox Church pulls out of Crete council

Got news? Will anyone cover that historic, and now shaky, Orthodox council in Crete?

Background:

Vatican Radio - Countdown to opening of Pan-Orthodox Council in Crete
America - Will Pan-Orthodox Council Be Held for First Time in over a Thousand Years?
It’s Everyone Or No One. The Synodality That Is Sinking the Council
Catholic Herald - Orthodox scholars urge leaders to go ahead with council 
Catholic Herald - Orthodox leaders split over whether Council can go ahead
Catholic Herald - Pope sends top Vatican officials to Pan-Orthodox Council
Troubles facing the Pan-Orthodox Council confirm the need for the Petrine office 

UPDATE:
Crux- Moscow wants delay, Constantinople moves ahead on Orthodox summit

UPDATE 2:
Update: Arrival of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew  (including video)
Crux- With or without Russia, spokesman says Orthodox council is ‘binding’
Vatican Radio - Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Crete ahead of pan-Orthodox Council (including radio report)
La Stampa - “Here is why the Russian Church is not attending the Council in Crete”
CNEWA- “What If They Gave a Synod and Nobody Came?” 

UPDATE 3:
First Things - The Pan-Orthodox Council Must and Will Proceed
First Things - The Pan-Orthodox Council: Where Things Stand
CNA - Pan-Orthodox Council still a go – spokesman for Ecumenical Patriarch
Russian Patriarch sends greetings to council in Crete, calls for unity
‘Other’ Orthodox have low expectations for ‘Great Council’


Keep an eye on the YouTube channel of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for video updates on the Council.

Official website of the Holy & Great Council

12th June 2016 - Exploring the Cistercian Life: Interview with Br Malachy Thompson OCSO

This weeks programme on SS102fm is a rather busy one. Initially John has a short interview with Fr Seamus Enright from Mount St Alphonsus on the upcoming novena. And then John and Shane are joined in studio by Br Malachy Thompson from Mt St Joseph Abbey in Roscrea who shares with us about the Cistercian life.

We have our regular review of the weekly celestial guides as well as some notices and other bits and pieces.

You can listen to the podcast of the full programme HERE.

Annual Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Like the arrival of the swallows, the erection of the roadside signs reminding Limerick that the annual novena is coming is a sure sign of the summer. On this weeks programme Fr Seamus Enright has a chat with John about the up coming novena - in this special 150th anniversary year - and extends an invitation to all to come and participate in one of the daily sessions between 17th and 25th June.

There will be 10 celebrations each day – the first at 7am, the final one at 10.30pm. The blessing of babies and young children will take place on Sunday, June 19th at 4.30pm. Mass will not be celebrated at this session.

The interview with Fr Seamus Enright about this years solemn Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is excerpted from the main programme and can be listened to HERE.

You can find out about the novena and the times and themes of the sessions on the website HERE.

Exploring the Monastic Life - Mt St Joseph Abbey Roscrea

We are joined in studio this week by Br Malachy Thompson OCSO who is a member of the Cistercian community of Mount St Joseph's Abbey at Roscrea in Co Tipperary.

He joins us this week to tell us about the monastic life and in particular how that is lived as a Cistercian monk as well as sharing his own journey to the monastic life.

Br Malachy also extends an invitation to young men to attend a weekend 1st - 3rd July 2016 to take time aside and make space to discern where their life journey is taking them and to explore and share the rhythm of monastic daily prayer life.

The interview with Br Malachy Thompson about Cistercian life and the upcoming discernment weekend is excerpted from the main programme and can be listened to HERE.

You can find out more about Mount St Joseph Abbey and the Cistercian way of life by checking out their website HERE.

Gospel - Luke 7:36 - 8:3

A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others who provided for them
out of their resources.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Centre for Liturgy
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours: psalter week 3; 11th week in Ordinary time

Saints of the Week

June 13th - St Anthony of Padua
June 14th - St Davnet
June 15th - Bl Helen of Poland
June 16th - St Colman McRhoi
June 17th - St. Albert Chmielowski
June 18th - Saint Colman mac Mici

A New Custos for the Holy Land

With the approval of the Holy See, the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) has appointed Father Francesco Patton as the new Custos of the Holy Land. Father Patton, who hails from northern Italy and has served as secretary of the order’s general chapter, succeeds Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who has served as Custos since 2004.

The Custos of the Holy Land is the Minister Provincial (i.e. the major superior) of the Friars Minor living throughout the Middle East. He has jurisdiction over the territories of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt (in part), Cyprus and Rhodes without counting the numerous houses or Commissariats in various parts of the world (worth mentioning are those in Rome and Washington).

The main task of the Custos, in addition to animating the life of the friars, is to coordinate and direct the reception of pilgrims who come to the Holy Land for pilgrimage and pray at the shrines of our Redemption. This task was bestowed by the Holy See over 600 years ago. The term used at those times to designate this task was "custody" of the holy places, from which derived the terms still in use "Custody" and "Custos ".

He heads The Custody, a body made up of 285 members of the Franciscan order from 39 countries. Its territory covers Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Cyprus, the Greek island of Rhodes and the monastery of Mouski, in Cairo.

The videos below from Terra Sancta News show the ancient ceremonies whereby the Custos takes up his role as Guardian of the Holy Places.

Archbishop Eamon Martin interview in support of unborn human life

At the conclusion of the Summer 2016 General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, spoke to the media in respect to the findings of the UN Human Rights committee regarding Ireland’s constitutional protection of the unborn.

In the interview, Archbishop Eamon Martin affirmed the need to respect the right to life of all mothers and their unborn children. He agreed that being told that a child may die shortly after birth is a difficult and traumatic situation for any woman or parents to find themselves in and that “women in these situations need compassion, they need help, but in doing so, we would be pleading also for the life of the unborn child.”

Archbishop Eamon Martin continued, saying that “The fundamental right is the right to life. If we take that away, everything crumbles”, adding that, if the Irish people are to make a decision on the eight amendment, “we will add our voice to the many people who will be saying ‘Love them both. Love the mother, love the baby, and respect life at all times.'”

You can listen to the full interview with Archbishop Eamon Martin HERE.

Some web browsing.......

Pope: Euthanasia is triumph of selfishness, not act of compassion

Ceremonial welcome heralds new ‘custos’ -  Franciscan has long held key role in supporting Catholics in Holy Land, stewarding holy sites

Is it a vocation or a job or profession?

What's the priesthood for? Bishop Barron has some thoughts

Is the Convent Still Going?

US Dominican nuns ‘best possible outcome’ following friars’ Limerick departure

Pope Francis approves Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life

Pope issues motu proprio on removal of Bishops

50 Things a Man Should Be Able To Do

Religious rivalries put to one side as work begins to renovate Christ’s tomb

It’s Everyone Or No One. The Synodality That Is Sinking the Council

Will Pan-Orthodox Council Be Held for First Time in over a Thousand Years?

Countdown to opening of Pan-Orthodox Council in Crete

The Apostle to the Apostles gets a liturgical feast!

St. Mary Magdalen's day on the liturgical calendar has now been elevated from memorial to feast.

The reason, according to Archbishop Arthur Roche, is that she “has the honor to be the first witness of the Lord’s resurrection.”

“She is the witness to the risen Christ and announces the message of the Lord’s resurrection just like the rest of the Apostles,” he said, explaining that for this reason “it is right that the liturgical celebration of this woman should have the same rank of Feast as that given to the celebration of the Apostles in the General Roman Calendar.”

Some commentators have also made the point that this is a restoration of the respect given to Mary Magdalene on the liturgical calendar which was changed in 1960 prior to the Vatican Council.

• Vatican - Communique from Vatican
• Aleteia - Mary Magdalene, “Apostle to the Apostles,” Given Equal Dignity in Feast
• Crux - New feast touts Mary Magdalene as ‘paradigm’ for women
• Pilgrims Progress - Mary- Rabbuni!

The icon above depicts Mary Magdalene, a complex and thought-provoking woman. The artist, Robert Lentz, ofm, is a Franciscan friar currently stationed in Houston, TX.  His work is known around the world and reflects his experience among the poor in this country and in the Third World. The tradition of associating eggs in the icons of the saint come from the story that following the death and resurrection of Jesus, she used her position to gain an invitation to a banquet given by the Roman Emperor Tiberius. When she met him, she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed, "Christ is risen!" The Emperor laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the egg in her hand turning red while she held it. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her hand turned a bright red and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire imperial house   Mary's support of Jesus' ministry, her presence at the cross, and her witness to His resurrection has led many to call her "equal to the apostles".  However, there is a lot of discussion about the way that Mary has been described as a prostitute and this Sunday's gospel from Luke helps to confuse the situation as it recounts the story of the woman who comes to bath the feet of Jesus with her tears and then anoints them. "The Church’s tradition, particularly Gregory the Great, mostly identified as the same person, Mary Magdalene, the woman with the jar of nard, and the sister of Lazzarus and Martha.  Certainly she was at the foot of the Cross and at the tomb on the morning after the Resurrection.  There’s no evidence that she was a prostitute or the adulteress brought to the Lord in John 7.  In Mark 16:9 we read that the Lord had performed an exorcism for her: “But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”  This is also in Luke 8:2: “Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth”.Augustine thought these were perhaps the seven deadly sins or vices.  It may have been on this foundation, along with some ambiguity about various Marys in the Gospels, that she was conglomerated into also being a fallen woman who then repented........"



Reliquary of the skull of St Mary Magdalene

St Mary Magdalene, one of the patron saints of the Dominican Order who celebrate their 800th anniversary this year has her feast day on 22nd July. Her relics are in the small church in St. Maximin in Provence, France. You can also read about them here at EWTN.