Video for the beatification of Pope Paul VI, Vicar of Christ and Successor of St. Peter the Apostle

To those who would like to follow the proceedings live from the Vatican, please see the video below. The event, the Holy Mass of the Beatification of Pope Paul VI will start at 10.00 am Central European Time (CET/UTC+1) direct from St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican City.

The video will remain after the live event should you miss it. May Blessed Pope Paul VI pray for us all and for our families!

Cardinals Update : Cardinal Franc Rode, C.M., Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life (Slovenia), turned 80, ceases to be a Cardinal-elector

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On Tuesday, 23 September 2014, Cardinal Franc Rode, C.M., Cardinal-Deacon of S. Francesco Saverio alla Garbatella, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life (Slovenia), turned 80, and therefore, according to the rules written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he lost his right to vote in any future conclave. Cardinal Franc Rode was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 5 September 1934.

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Cardinal Rode was made Cardinal-Deacon of S. Francesco Saverio alla Garbatella by Pope Benedict XVI in the 2006 Consistory of Cardinals on 24 March 2006, the first Consistory of his pontificate. Cardinal Rode was made a Cardinal in honour of his position as the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life, the branch of the Roman Curia in charge of all religious orders and all matters pertaining to religious life and profession, a position he held from 2004 to 2011. Before that, Cardinal Rode was the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ljubljana (Slovenia), the greatest and largest see in the country of Slovenia, from 1997 to 2004.

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http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardB16-1.htm#695

May God bless His Eminence Cardinal Rode with a blessed old age and health. May he remain strong in the faith and hopefully can perhaps still continue to work great graces and good works of love and peace just as he had once done in his long service to the Church, particularly his contributions as a member of the Roman Curia in helping the actions of the Holy See and the Pope.

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The College of Cardinals now stands at 210 members in total, with 113 Cardinal-electors and 97 Cardinal non-electors. There are now a vacancy of 7 Cardinal-elector as compared to the maximum number of electors allowed in the Conclave of 120.

Next Cardinal-elector to age out (80) will be Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B. (Italy), the Cardinal Secretary of State Emeritus of the Secretariat of State and the current Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church of the Apostolic Camera on 2 December 2014.

Cardinals Update : Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, President Emeritus of Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’ (Germany), turned 80, ceases to be a Cardinal-elector

On Friday, 5 September 2014, Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lorenzo in Piscibus, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’ (Germany), turned 80, and therefore, according to the rules written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he lost his right to vote in any future conclave. Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes was born in Kirchhundem, Germany on 5 September 1934.

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Cardinal Cordes was made Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana by Pope Benedict XVI in the 2007 Consistory of Cardinals on 24 November 2007, the second Consistory of his pontificate. Cardinal Cordes was made a Cardinal in honour of his position as the President of the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’, the branch of the Roman Curia focused on the efforts of the Holy See in the field of human and Christian development, involved in various charitable acts and humanitarian relief efforts, a position he held from 1995 to 2010. Before that, Cardinal Cordes was the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity from 1980 to 1995, and before that, the Auxiliary Bishop of Paderborn (Germany), from 1975 to 1980.

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http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardB16-2.htm#707

May God bless His Eminence Cardinal Cordes with a blessed old age and health. May he remain strong in the faith and hopefully can perhaps still continue to work great graces and good works of love and peace just as he had once done in his long service to the Church, particularly his contributions as a member of the Roman Curia in helping the actions of the Holy See and the Pope.

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The College of Cardinals now stands at 210 members in total, with 114 Cardinal-electors and 96 Cardinal non-electors. There are now a vacancy of 6 Cardinal-elector as compared to the maximum number of electors allowed in the Conclave of 120.

Next Cardinal-elector to age out (80) will be Cardinal Franc Rode, C.M. (Slovenia), the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life on 23 September 2014.

Cardinals Update : Cardinal Paolo Sardi, Patron of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (Italy), turned 80, ceases to be a Cardinal-elector

On Monday, 1 September 2014, Cardinal Paolo Sardi, Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana, Cardinal-Patron of  the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (Italy), turned 80, and therefore, according to the rules written in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, he lost his right to vote in any future conclave.

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Cardinal Paolo Sardi was made Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Ausiliatrice in Via Tuscolana by Pope Benedict XVI in the 2010 Consistory of Cardinals on 20 November 2010, the third Consistory of his pontificate. Cardinal Sardi was made a Cardinal in honour of his position as the Patron of  the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, one of the most prominent and important charity and public action arm of the Church, the direct and current successor of the Knights Hospitallers established during the era of the Crusades, a position which he held from 2009 to the present day.

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http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardB16-3.htm#1368

May God bless His Eminence Cardinal Sardi with a blessed old age and health. May he remain strong in the faith and hopefully can perhaps still continue to work great graces and good works of love and peace as he continues to minister to the people of God through his patronage of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. We also pray for the success of the actions and the charities of this faithful order of the Church.

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The College of Cardinals now stands at 210 members in total, with 115 Cardinal-electors and 95 Cardinal non-electors. There are now a vacancy of 5 Cardinal-elector as compared to the maximum number of electors allowed in the Conclave of 120.

Next Cardinal-elector to age out (80) will be Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes (Germany), the President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’ on 5 September 2014.

Cardinals Update: Passing of Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Detroit (United States of America), at the age of 86

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Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio has passed away on last Wednesday, 20 August 2014 at the age of 86. He was the Metropolitan Archbishop of Detroit, one of the largest and most important Archdioceses in the United States of America, from 1981 to 1990. He was then appointed as the President of the Prefecture of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, and the President of the Governatorate of the Vatican City State, a post which he held between 1997 to 2006, essentially the top prelate in charge of the day-to-day governance of the smallest country in the world, the Vatican City, where the heart of the Church is.

http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardJP2-4.htm#169

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Cardinal Szoka was created Cardinal in 1988 by Pope St. John Paul II in his fourth Cardinal creation consistory on 28 June 1988. His motto was “To live in faith”. This means an emphasis on truly living the faith in the life he led, and truly, he had been faithful and had already shown that faith through the actions he had done in his long and wonderful life filled with total dedication to the tasks given to him and to the people entrusted to his care.

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We pray for Cardinal Szoka, that he will rest in peace, and God will reward him for all his hard and great work as the long time servant of God as the shepherd of the faithful in Detroit, as well as for all the ministries and good works he had done for the sake of God and His people in the entire Universal Church in his dedication and work in the Roman Curia. May the Lord welcome him into His embrace in heaven and give him eternal rest and happiness that he deserved.

With the passing of Cardinal Szoka, and the recent aging out of Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, the College of Cardinals now stands at 210 members, with 116 Cardinal-electors and 94 Cardinal non-electors. The number of Cardinal-electors now is 4 below the specified maximum limit of 120.

There are now 4 Cardinal-elector vacancy in the College of Cardinals, 0 vacant Cardinal Suburbicarian Sees (for Cardinal Bishops), 5 vacant Cardinal Titles (for Cardinal Priests) and 9 vacant Cardinal Deaconries (for Cardinal Deacons).

Official Schedule of Papal Apostolic Journey to Korea (14-18 August 2014)

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Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014
4:00 p.m. Leave by plane from Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport for Seoul

Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014
10:30 a.m. Arrival at the Seoul Air Base
12:00 p.m. Private Mass at the Apostolic Nunciature to Korea
3:45 p.m. Welcoming ceremony in the garden of the Blue House (Presidential Palace) in Seoul and courtesy visit to the president of the Republic in the Blue House
4:30 p.m. Meeting with the authorities and government officials in the Chungmu Hall of the Blue House of Seoul
5:30 p.m. Meeting with Korean bishops in the conference headquarters of the Episcopal Conference of Korea

Friday, Aug. 15, 2014
8:45 a.m. Transfer by helicopter to Daejeon (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Daejeon)
10:30 a.m. Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Annunciation in the World Cup stadium of Daejeon and praying of the Angelus
1:30 p.m. Lunch with the youth of the Major Seminary of Daejeon
4:30 p.m. Transfer by helicopter to the Solmoe shrine
5:30 p.m. Meeting with the Asian youths at the Solmoe shrine (As part of Sixth Asian Youth Day – 2014)
7:15 p.m. Transfer by helicopter to Seoul

Saturday, Aug. 16, 2014
8:55 a.m. Visit to the Shrine of the Martyrs of Seosomun
10:00 a.m. Holy Mass and Beatification Paul Yun Ji-Chung and his 123 companions (Korean Martyrs) at the Door of Gwanghwamun in Seoul
3:30 p.m. Transfer by helicopter to Kkottongnae
4:30 p.m. Visit to the Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled in the House of Hope in Kkottongnae
5:15 p.m. Meeting with the religious communities of Korea in the School of Love training center of Kkottongnae
6:30 p.m. Meeting with the leaders of the Lay Apostolate at the Spirituality Center of Kkottongnae
7:00 p.m. Transfer by helicopter to Seoul

Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014
10:00 a.m. Transfer by helicopter to Haemi
11:00 a.m. Meeting with the Asian bishops in the Haemi shrine
1:00 p.m. Lunch with the bishops of Asia in the refectory of Haemi shrine
4:30 p.m. Holy Mass concluding the Sixth Asian Youth Day in the castle of Haemi
7:00 p.m. Transfer by helicopter to Seoul

Monday, Aug. 18, 2014
9:00 a.m. Encounter with religious leaders in the palace of the old Curia of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seoul
9:45 a.m. Holy Mass for peace and reconciliation in the Myeongdong Cathedral of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Seoul
12:45 p.m. Farewell ceremony from the Republic of Korea at the Air Base of Seoul
1:00 p.m. Departure by plane from the Air Base of Seoul to Rome’s Ciampino International Airport
5:45 p.m. Arrival at Rome’s Ciampino International Airport

Passing of Cardinal Ricardo Maria Carles Gordo of Spain, at the age of 87

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Cardinal Ricardo Maria Carles Gordo, Cardinal Priest of S. Marie Consolatrice al Tiburtino has passed away on Tuesday, 17 December 2013 at the age of 87. He was the Archbishop of Barcelona, as an Archdiocese directly subjected to the Holy See from 1990 to 2004.

http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardJP2-6.htm#27

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Cardinal Carles Gordo was created Cardinal in 1994 by Blessed Pope John Paul II in his sixth Cardinal creation consistory on 26 November 1994. His motto was Ut Omnes Unum Sint, “That they all may be One”, part of the prayer of Jesus for His disciples before His Passion, for the unity of His Church.

We pray for Cardinal Carles Gordo, that he will rest in peace, and God will reward him for all his hard and great work as the long time servant of God as the shepherd of the faithful in Barcelona, for all the ministries and good works he had done there for the sake of God and His people. May the Lord welcome him into His embrace in heaven and give him eternal rest and happiness that he deserved.

With the passing of Cardinal Carles Gordo, the College of Cardinals now stands at 199 members, with 109 Cardinal-electors and 90 Cardinal non-electors.

There are now 11 Cardinal-elector vacancies in the College of Cardinals, 13 vacant Cardinal Titles (for Cardinal Priests) and 9 vacant Cardinal Deaconries (for Cardinal Deacons)

Passing of Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci of Italy, at the age of 96

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Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci, Cardinal Deacon of SS. Nomi di Gesu e Maria in Via Lata has passed away on Monday, 11 November 2013 at the age of 96. He was the Director of the Sistine Chapel Choir (1956-1997), better known as his title of the Director Master of the Pontifical Musical Chorus of the Sistine Chapel.

http://www.gcatholic.org/hierarchy/data/cardB16-3.htm#45954

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Cardinal Bartolucci was created Cardinal in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI in his third Cardinal creation consistory and he was a longtime Director of the Sistine Chapel choir, a great conductor and composer of sacred and liturgical music, for over 41 years from 1956 to 1997. Cardinal Bartolucci retired in 1997, but even then, he still conducted his beloved choir and created more beautiful music for worship after he retired. He was honoured by Pope Benedict XVI for his longtime service to the Church by the bestowal of the red hat of a Cardinal in 2010, when he was 93.

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We pray for Cardinal Bartolucci, that he will rest in peace, and God will reward him for all his hard and great work as the long time servant of God through music as the conductor, director, and composer of the Papal liturgical music and sacred music through the Sistine Chapel choir  and his numerous other contributions to the Universal Church and for the Lord’s sake. May the Lord welcome him into His embrace in heaven and give him eternal rest and happiness that he deserved.

With the passing of Cardinal Bartolucci, the College of Cardinals now stands at 200 members, with 109 Cardinal-electors and 91 Cardinal non-electors.

There are now 11 Cardinal-elector vacancies in the College of Cardinals, 12 vacant Cardinal Titles (for Cardinal Priests) and 9 vacant Cardinal Deaconries (for Cardinal Deacons)

Tuesday, 22 October 2013 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Blessed Pope John Paul II, Pope (Scripture Reflection)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, be ready, be prepared, and be vigilant. Those are the key things that the Lord wants from us all to take heed of and to observe, as we live in this world, that we do not fall into the traps of the devil. That we also take heed of the loving works and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have been made worthy once again, of the Lord.

Having been taken from the dominion of the evil one, and no longer having to suffer eternal punishment with him is the reason, brethren, why the devil will constantly try to corrupt us back, so as to once again cast us away from the presence of God, as once happened to Adam and Eve, our ancestors, through their transgressions in disobedience.

We cannot be idle and let our guard be weakened, for the devil has his army of fallen angels, his subordinates, ready at all times to strike at us at our weakest points. That is why we must always be prepared for all circumstances. The Lord will come again as He had promised us through His disciples, and He will come again at a time we least expect of all.

Be prepared, brethren, for we have to always be awake at all times, that when the Lord comes again, at the time unexpected to all, we will be found ready and upright by He who comes, and therefore, be found worthy of His eternal kingdom, and worthy of the eternal glory and joy that He will bestow on all of us whom He will take as His own, and no one else will have any power over us.

And He who is to come has come down once as Jesus, the Son of Man, to be the new Adam. For just as once Adam the first man had sinned before the Lord and therefore, as the first reading today stated, that because of his single transgression, mankind had to suffer the consequences of Adam’s sin, by allowing evil and sin to enter into the hearts of men, therefore, by the singular act of Christ, the new Adam, the new Man, we are once again made whole and complete in salvation.

That singular act, is an act of perfect obedience to the will of God, and an act of perfect selflessness and love, just as the act of Adam, the first man, is an act of selfishness and disobedience. For Adam and Eve, tempted by Satan in the form of a snake, desired to have knowledge on things good and evil, and therefore to be like God, just as the snake had tempted them so. This brought mankind into sin and therefore bring them under the jurisdiction of death.

Yet, Christ’s act of selflessness, love, and perfect obedience, that is none other than His Passion and sacrifice on the hill of Calvary, when He laid down His life for our sake, for the love of us all, and in complete obedience to the will of God the Father. In this, He had become the new Man, the new Adam, through whom all mankind are once again made justified and worthy.

Today, we celebrate the feast of a great man, and yet a humble and loving servant of God. Yes, that is the feast of Blessed Pope John Paul II. This year will be the last time we celebrate his feast as a Blessed, as next year in April, Pope Francis, the current Pope will elevate this holy man into the glory of the sainthood. Blessed Pope John Paul II is well known for his love and devotion for the Lord, through His Blessed Mother Mary. This devotion extended not just to his devotions and prayers, but also to his life and actions.

Blessed Pope John Paul II showed the nature of Christ to the world, through his own life examples. He forgave the one who had tried to assassinate him, mirroring the example of Christ who forgave those who had pierced Him and condemned Him to die a humiliating death on the cross. Blessed Pope John Paul II also showed the nature of suffering and perseverance through his last years of life, lived in suffering from various debilitating conditions. He taught many of us the importance of faith and devotion to God, even amid suffering and times of difficulties.

And ultimately, Blessed Pope John Paul II was known for his approach to all mankind, especially those who had faltered in their way towards the Lord. He championed the call for everyone to reach out towards holiness, and a life filled with faith and love towards the Lord our God. He asked all to open wide the doors of their heart to the Lord. Yes, indeed, the doors of our heart must be opened to the light and love of God, that we do not reject His love and kindness, which He had offered freely for us, and too often that mankind decided to reject Him and turn Him away from our hearts.

May the Lord our God who laid down His life for us, continue to inspire in us, the love for Him and for our fellow men, that we can realise how much love that He has for us. And also, that we all can begin if we have not done so, to build up our heavenly ‘bank account’ through obeying the will of God, doing His commandments, that is again, to love one another and to love God. So that when the Lord comes again, at a time unknown to us, we will be found ready and worthy, that He will bless us and give us the place in the kingdom that He had prepared for us. May Blessed Pope John Paul II intercede for us in heaven, and may God bless us all. Amen.

Tuesday, 22 October 2013 : 29th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Blessed Pope John Paul II, Pope (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Luke 12 : 35-38

Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit, like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open the door to him.

Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes. Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron, and have them sit at table, and he will wait on them.

Happy are those servants, if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak!