RELICS ARE NOT FOR SALE!

Officials of the Rome diocese have scaled back a campaign to distribute relics of the late Pope John Paul II, after a spate of media reports forced Church officials to clarify that the relics were not for sale.
Officials promoting the cause for the beatification of the late Polish Pontiff have offered prayer cards, accompanied by a piece of the Pope's cassock, to anyone interested. The prayer cards have been available through the official web site of the beatification cause.
During the past week, several Italian newspapers reported-- inaccurately-- that relics of the late Pope were for sale, and the Rome office was deluged with requests for the prayer cards. But Church officials were alarmed by the stories, and hastened to clarify that the prayer cards were being offered free of charge.
To clear up misconceptions about the offer, the Rome diocese reproduced an interview with Msgr. Marco Frisina, originally published in Totus Tuus, the magazine associated with the cause for beatification of John Paul II. "You can absolutely never buy or sell relics of any type because they are something sacred, they don't have a price," Msgr. Frisina said. He added that the sale of relics is a sacrilege.
The prayer cards offered through the internet site of the Rome vicariate are small pieces of a cassock once worn by the late Pope. The site had carried a prominent invitation to visitors to order one of the cards, asking for a voluntary donation to defray the costs. That invitation has now been removed from the site.
The prayer cards-- which could be classified as ex indumetis relics, since they were worn by the late Pope-- remain available through the same site. But officials emphasize that they are not for sale. An explanatory note on the site explains:
There is no donation being asked for the "relic" itself, rather we ask for donations from those who can give to help cover the costs of postage in responding to the thousands of requests we have received from overseas. However, we will send the holy cards with the ex indumentis to all who request them.
Vatican officials have been troubled by the open sale of relics-- real and fake-- through the internet. Last year the Vatican brought heavy pressure to bear on vendors around St. Peter's Square who were offering questionable "relics" of the late Pope John Paul, and successfully persuaded the vendors to stop the sales.

Source : Catholic World News

POPE WARNS AGAINST 'UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM'

Pope Benedict on Sunday warned that unbridled capitalism is widening the gap between the world's rich and poor and threatening the future of the planet.
Addressing the faithful at his weekly Angelus blessing at his summer residence outside Rome, Benedict said capitalism and a fair distribution of wealth were not contradictory, but the search for profit must not be allowed to go unchecked.
"The emergencies of famine and the environment demonstrate with growing clarity that the logic of profit, if predominant, increases the disproportion between the rich and the poor and leads to a ruinous exploitation of the planet," he said.
"Capitalism should not be considered the only valid model of economic organisation," Benedict said, citing the words of his predecessor John Paul II.
Catholic doctrine has always given priority to the fair distribution of resources, the Pope said, adding that it is not too late to rein in the excesses of capitalism.
"When the logic of sharing and solidarity prevail, it is possible to correct our route and point it towards fair and sustainable development," he said.

Source: Reuters

JOHN PAUL II LIBRARY TO OPEN IN WARSAW

A library dedicated to the life and works of Pope John Paul II will open in Warsaw later this month.
The library, located at the Center for the Thought of John Paul II, will contain about 2,500 works in various languages, in addition to documentary films on the life of the late Pontiff. The library is scheduled to open on September 26.

Source: Catholic World News

POPE PRAISES NORTHERN IRELAND

Pope Benedict XVI pointed to the Northern Ireland peace process as an example to "other troubled zones of our world" that all conflict can be overcome peacefully. After 30 years of conflict, peace in Northern Ireland was "achieved through widespread international support, determined political resolve on the part of both the Irish and the British governments, and the readiness of individuals and communities to embrace the sublime human capacity to forgive," he said. The pope made his comments in a Sept. 15 address to Ireland's new ambassador to the Vatican, Noel Fahey, who presented his credentials to the pope at the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo. The entire world "has taken heart" from the success of the Northern Ireland peace process, which sent a "wave of hope" that "conflict, no matter how ingrained, can be overcome," the pope said.

Source: Catholic News Service

JOHN PAUL II RELICS AVAILABLE

People who want to receive a relic "ex indumentis" -- from the clothing -- or a holy card of Pope John Paul II, may do so by writing to the Vicariate of Rome. The Vicariate of Rome is accepting requests via mail, fax or e-mail for the religious items. The petition should be sent to "Holy Cards and Relics Service," and should indicate a shipping address.The holy cards contain the prayer to obtain graces through the intercession of the Servant of God John Paul II and can be requested in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Portuguese. Though the vicariate is not charging for the holy card, donations are accepted to cover the printing and mailing expenses.

For more information, visit the official multilingual Web site of the postulation of the cause of beatification and canonization.










Send requests to:

Vicariate of Rome -- 3rd Floor

"Totus Tuus"

Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, 6/A

Rome, Italy 00184

Source: Global Catholic News

LATIN MASS RETURNS TODAY

Summorum Pontificum, the motu proprio with which Pope Benedict XVI encouraged wide use of the Roman Missal of 1962, will take effect on Friday, September 14.
The Pope's initiative-- which was made public on July 7 after months of intense speculation-- calls upon pastors to "willingly accept" requests from the faithful for access to the pre-conciliar liturgy. Pope Benedict explained that his motu proprio was an effort to promote "interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church."

EWTN will broadcast the Latin Mass tonight (Friday) at 11.00pm (GMT) in celebration of the motu proprio.

Source: Catholic World News

NATIONAL ROSARY RALLY 2007

A National Rosary Rally will take place on Sunday 7th October (Feast of the Holy Rosary) in Dublin, at the Papal Cross, Phoenix Park at 4.00pm. All Catholic schools and colleges will be consecrated to Our Lady during the Service.

The Rally is to pray for the renewal of Catholic Education and the Catholic Faith in Ireland.

JOHN PAUL II PRAYER GROUP, DUNDALK WILL RUN A BUS TO THE RALLY ON 7TH OCTOBER AT 1.45PM FROM ST PATRICK'S CHURCH, DUNDALK. FOR MORE INFO CONTACT STEVEN 087-2030855 or LILY 0879132160. ALL WELCOME!!!

In addition to this, the National Rosary Week takes place this year 7th - 13th October. Promoters are asking all those interested to do all the can to promote the Rosary in their area.



Don't forget, the Rosary is prayed every Sunday in St Nicholas' Church, Dundalk at 7.00pm for World Peace, it is also prayed in St Patrick's (Mon - Sat) after 10.00am Mass.

'GO AGAINST THE CURRENT' - BENEDICT XVI

Pope Benedict XVI urged a megagathering of Italian young people to embrace Christ and "go against the current" of a culture marked by violence, arrogance and selfishness.
The pope also struck a strong ecological theme, saying young people need to press for courageous changes to save the planet "before it's too late."
An estimated 500,000 youths applauded the pope's words at a prayer vigil Sept. 1 and at a Mass the following day, on a hillside next to the Marian shrine of Loreto. The weekend assembly also featured music and skits, but the highlight was clearly the pope's presence.
"The (Christian) message is this: Do not follow the way of pride but the way of humility," the pope said at the Mass.
"Go against the current: Don't listen to the persuasive and self-seeking voices that today promote lifestyles marked by arrogance and violence, by self-importance and success at any cost, by appearances and possession to the detriment of being," he said.
He asked young people not to be passive recipients of the countless messages that arrive through the mass media.
"Be vigilant! Be critical! Don't be dragged along by the wave produced by this powerful movement of persuasion," he said.
Instead, the pope held out an "alternative path" marked by sharing, purity, commitment to study and work, and a deep interest in the common good.
This does not mean the Christian must renounce all pleasure or success in life, he said. On the contrary, faith gives deeper satisfaction, he said.
"Our faith does not propose a package of moral prohibitions, but a joyful path," he said.
The pope told the young people that the key to finding the right path was in a personal encounter with Christ. He said it was also essential that they participate in the life of the church.
"One cannot call oneself a disciple of Jesus if one doesn't love and follow his church. The church is our family," he said.
At the prayer vigil the day before, the pope hugged young representatives after listening to them tell of their personal spiritual trials.
In a talk, he raised the theme of environmental protection in the Christian context. Following Christ means being aware that the created world belongs to all and must be protected, he said.
"To the new generations is entrusted the future of the planet, where it is clear that development has not always been able to protect the delicate balance of nature," the pope said.
He said the ecological situation today calls for courageous choices.
"There should be a decisive 'yes' to the protection of the created world and a strong commitment to reverse those tendencies that could lead to situations of irreparable degradation," he said.
He said water in particular was a resource in danger of becoming a motive of conflict around the world unless it is shared in an equal way.
The papal event took place on the day the Italian church has dedicated to ecological awareness. Organizers of the Loreto gathering sought to minimize its environmental impact by using biodegradable and recyclable materials.
The Loreto shrine holds what is revered as the house where Mary was born, raised and visited by the angel Gabriel. Tradition holds that the house was transported to Loreto from Nazareth by angels in 1294.
The pope said Mary's purity still points the way to young people today.
"Looking at her and following her, you will discover the beauty of love, which is not, however, a disposable love that is fleeting and deceptive, the prisoner of a selfish and materialistic mentality, but true and profound love," he said.
He lamented the number of divorces today.
"How many failures of love there are around us! How many couples hang their heads, give in and separate! How many families go to pieces!" he said.
He told the youths that he was praying that "the crisis facing the family today does not become an irreversible failure."
During the weekend, the pope also briefly referred to a new book that collects dramatic letters of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India, in which she reveals her inner spiritual suffering over a period of decades.
"All believers know about the silence of God," he said. "Even Mother Teresa, with all her charity and her strength of faith, suffered from the silence of God."
The pope said one reason even Christians sometimes have to endure this "silence of God" is to better understand those who do not know God and who seek a visible sign of his presence.
But by keeping an open and attentive heart, he said, "we can find great moments in which truly the presence of God becomes perceptible for us."
The pope noted that Mother Teresa's letters, which have prompted a wave of new media interest, were already known to church officials.



Source: Florida Catholic

POPE'S AUDIENCE

Pope Benedict XVI continued his reflections on the work of St. Gregory of Nyssa during his regular public audience on September 5.
Speaking to about 16,000 people in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father resumed his discussion of the 4th-century bishop whose theological writings he had discussed at his previous weekly audience. St. Gregory of Nyssa, he observed, saw the ultimate goal of man's life as a drive "to make himself like God." That quest, the Pope continued, entails "a permanent journey, a constant commitment," in which the believer struggles constantly to practice the virtues and acquire greater grace-- a process in which "God continually expands the possibilities for the soul." St. Gregory, he told his Wednesday audience, instructed his followers to imitate Christ, "the perfect image of the Father, is our model and teacher."
Pope Benedict-- who had reached the Vatican by a helicopter flight from Castel Gandolfo in time for the audience-- apologized to his listeners for speaking in a hoarse voice. He earned good-natured applause from the crowd when he said that his voice was "somewhat damaged."



Source: Catholic World News

CATHOLIC CHURCH TARGETTED IN N.I.

A Catholic church has been damaged by a bomb attack in Co Down, the PSNI revealed yesterday.
The home-made device, packed with ball bearings and a shotgun cartridge, ignited on the windowsill of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Nunsquarter, Kircubbin.
Police said they were trying to establish a motive.
Parish Priest Colm McBride claimed whoever was responsible must have been working alone. "It's the work of a single individual who doesn't represent anybody except their own disturbed views. Relationships here are very, very good."



Source: ireland.com