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1726-1755 Gerard Majella Gerard Majella came to be invoked particularly as patron saint of pregnant women, for reasons hard to discern. He was only a humble Redemptorist lay brother. Yet he did have a strong spiritual influence on women as well as men, something unusual for one who was not a priest. Gerard was born at Muro Lucano in southern Italy. He grew up a very pious child. Perhaps because of his goodness he was often ill-treated by the fellow craftsmen with whom he studied tailoring, and even by the choleric Bishop of Lacedogna, in whose service he spent some...

65% Say Miers Confirmation Likely Survey of 600 Adults October 11-12, 2005 Should Harriet Miers Be Confirmed? Yes 32% No 28% Not Sure 40% RasmussenReports.com How Likely is it that Miers will be Confirmed? Very Likely 32% Somewhat Likely 33% Not Very Likely 16% Not at All Likely 2% RasmussenReports.com October 13, 2005--Americans are evenly divided as to whether or not Harriet Miers should be confirmed to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the latest Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 65% believe she is likely to be confirmed. Just 18% say that confirmation is not very likely or not...

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Pope set to return to traditional liturgy:- VATICAN CITY | June 19, 2005 5:11:27 AM IST Pope Benedict XVI wants to restore the traditional ceremonial Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, with Latin instead of the vernacular and Gregorian chants. Vatican expert Sandro Magister reported in his weekly newsletter Saturday that the pope is expected to replace Archbishop Pietro Marini, his predecessor Pope John Paul II's master of liturgical ceremonies. Whoever follows Marini will have orders to restore the traditional style and choreography of papal ceremonies in St. Peter's. Out will go the international Masses so dear to Pope John Paul...

ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome Code: ZE05061020 Date: 2005-06-10 Pope's Address to Bishops of Southern Africa "Be Sustained by the Lord's Promise 'I Am With You Always' " VATICAN CITY, JUNE 10, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address Benedict XVI delivered today to the bishops of South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and Lesotho at the conclusion of their five-yearly visit to Rome. * * * Dear Brother Bishops, 1. "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity" (Psalm 133:1). In this spirit of harmony I welcome you, the Bishops of South Africa, Botswana,...

12:00 AM EDT 2:55 (est.) Call-In In Depth with Richard John Neuhaus C-SPAN Richard John Neuhaus , First Things

Home | About HPR | Editorial | Sample Articles | Homilies| Mass Readings for the Day | Saint of the Day | Special Offer | Reviews Cardinal Ratzinger on Liturgical Music News and views NEW ARTICLES! -ReadCardinal Ratzinger on Liturgical Music by Michael J. Miller -ReadRatzinger on the Modern Mind by James V. Schall -ReadRatzinger on Europe, by James V. Schall -Read The Ministry and Life of Priests, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Now Pope Benedict) -Read a review of John Allen's book Cardinal Ratzinger: The Vatican's Enforcer of the Faith... -Read God Has No Daughters, wherein the critical issue...

A reflection on Corpus Christi What does Corpus Christi mean to me? It does not only bring the liturgy to mind; for me, it is a day on which heaven and earth work together. In my mind’s eye it is the time when spring is turning into summer; the sun is high in the sky, and crops are ripening in field and meadow. The Church’s feasts make present the mystery of Christ, but Jesus Christ was immersed in the faith of the people of Israel and so, arising from this background in Israel’s life, the Christian feasts are also...

Mrs Erika Kopp at home in Blackburn South proudly shows off clippings from German newspapers charting her cousin, Pope Benedict XVI’s rise. PHOTO: FELICITY DARGAN My cousin the PopePope Benedict XVI’s cousin Erika Kopp, who lives in Blackburn South and migrated to Australia from Germany with her husband Karl in 1955, recalls visiting a shop with her then six-year-old cousin Joseph and her aunt. Felicity Dargan writes. “THE SHOPKEEPER WAS AN elderly woman and she asked Joseph ‘What are you going to be when you grow up?’ Mrs Kopp said. “He replied: ‘I am going to be a Bishop’.”...

ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome Code: ZE05051523 Date: 2005-05-15 Benedict XVI As Known by Co-worker Interview with Father Augustine Di Noia ROME, MAY 15, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is a person of great inner tranquility, intensely dedicated to his work for the Church, and very "tradition-minded," said a close collaborator. So as to get to know the reality of the man behind the image portrayed at times by the media, ZENIT interviewed Father Augustine Di Noia, undersecretary for the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith, who worked with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger when the latter was prefect of...

Pope Benedict XVI, the 78-year-old former German Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, is making himself at home inside the Vatican. A few days after his election the new pope moved his furniture, his books and his personal belongings across the road, from his former apartment in a block of flats owned by the Vatican into the official papal residence. It is on the top floor of the centuries-old Apostolic Palace. And he took his upright piano with him. Unlike his immediate predecessor, who enjoyed singing but had something of a tin ear, the new Pope is a lover of classical music...

12-May-2005 -- Catholic News Agency APPOINTMENT OF ARCHBISHOP LEVADA TO THE CDF "JUST A RUMOR" OFFICIAL SAY SAN FRANCISCO, USA, May 12 (CNA) - The spokesman for the Archdiocese of San Francisco dismissed as "rumors" recent reports announcing that Archbishop William Joseph Levada was about to be appointed as the new Prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Mr. Maurice Healy, spokesman for the San Francisco diocese, dismissed the speculation as rumor, telling the Associated Press that the recent meeting between the Archbishop and Pope Benedict XVI was just a "courtesy call." Time magazine reported Tuesday...

CHAPTER I Of the parents and ancestors of the blessed Catherine, and how at eight years of age she began to do penance; her gift of prayer, and of her desire to enter into religion, and her marriage against her will. Catherine was born at Genoa in the year 1447. Her parents, Giacopo Fieschi and Francesca di Negro, daughter of Sigismund, Marquis di Negro, were both of illustrious and noble birth. On account of his merits, her father (a descendant of Robert, brother of Pope Innocent IV, who was uncle of another Pontiff, Adrain V) was created Viceroy of...

Joseph Ratzinger: Pope Benedict XVI Here, through his memoirs, is a glimpse of the early life of the man we now know as Pope Benedict XVI By Father John Jay Hughes 5/8/2005In 1998, while still prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger published a book of his memoirs from his childhood through his appointment as archbishop of Munich. Here, Father John Jay Hughes, an eminent Church historian, offers a glimpse of the early life of the man we now know as Pope Benedict XVI. By Father John Jay Hughes Driving through Alsace, France, with...

Threshold of Hope:[Father Mitch Pacwa,SJ] May 03 EWTN Live Special With guest: Fr. Fessio,SJ Discussion on Pope Benedict XVI. Father Fessio will be on EWTN at 10.00pm.est. Best to double check the time.

26-April-2005 -- Catholic News Agency PAPAL VISITS TO KRAKOW, FATIMA BEING PROPOSED ROME, Italy, April 26 (CNA) - In addition to visiting Germany in August for the 2005 World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVI may also travel to the Polish city of Krakow and the Fatima Shrine in Portugal. A few days ago the Holy Father confirmed he would be present at World Youth Day in his country of origin and on Sunday he promised Governor Edmund Stoiber of Bavaria that he wishes to visit the German state where he was born “soon.”According the Italian press, a visit to...

ST BONAVENTURE IS CALLED THE SERAPHIC DOCTOR. HIS LEADERSHIP WITH THE FRANCISCANS, FOLLOWING ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI, REVEALED A WARMTH AND DIVINE FIRE. IT EXPRESSED ITSELF BY SHOWING CHARITY, GOODWILL AND AFFECTION TOWARD OTHERS. BONAVENTURE OFFERS TO HELP US, AS WILL ALL THE SAINTS, WHEN WE PETITION HIM FOR HELP. WE CAN TRULY BE TRANSFORMED AND CHANGE OUR HABITS AND ATTITUDES ONLY WITH DIVINE ASSISTANCE. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE AND LOVE PASSIONATELY? EVERYONE LOVES CHEERFUL AND ENTHUSIASTIC GIVERS. OUR DOCTOR'S CHARITY AND KINDNESS TOWARD OTHERS WAS ARDENT AND CARING. HOW DO WE OBTAIN IT? ST BONAVENTURE TELLS...

St. Benedict and His Order: A Brief History "Listen carefully, my son, to the Master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice. The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message of mine is for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true king, Christ the Lord." (the Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue, verses 1-3) Thus...

April 19, 2005  POPE BENEDICT XVI Catholic League president William Donohue commented today on the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope:   “Orthodox Catholics have cause for great celebration—the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as our new Holy Father sends an unmistakable message: the College of Cardinals wants a man who will continue the theological legacy of Pope John Paul II.  There can be no greater tribute to John Paul the Great than this.   “In 1986, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote a letter to an insubordinate priest, Charles Curran, saying, ‘The authorities of the Church cannot allow the present...

JOHN BAPTIST de la SALLE 1651-1719 Feast: April 7 This saint is the patron of teachers, his great achievement having been to provide a system of education for the common people at a time when the poor were grossly neglected; not mercy by founding charity schools, a cling which had been attempted countless times before only to end in repeated failure, but by creating a body of trained teachers, and thus setting them on the only possible basis which guaranteed success. It was not by inclination, but solely by chance chat he was led to take up this work....