Pope Francis to write meditations for Good Friday Way of the Cross for the first time
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&view=post&articleid=274693&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
The Stations of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum, April 15, 2022. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNARome Newsroom, Mar 26, 2024 / 14:30 pm (CNA).Pope Francis for the first time in his 11-year pontificate will pen his own spiritual meditations for Friday's Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) against the dramatic backdrop of Rome's historic Colosseum.The reflection will be based on the theme "In Prayer with Jesus on the Way of the Cross." The pope will write a unique treatment for each station, "centered on what Jesus experiences in that moment," the Holy See Press Office announced.Vatican News observed that the pope's decision to write his own mediations this year dovetails with the spiritual dimension of the Year of Prayer, a period of reflection the pope has called in anticipation of the 2025 Jubilee Year.In 1985 Pope John Paul II started the tradition of delegating the writing of the Good Friday Way of the Cross reflections to different individuals and groups. But he interrupted this custom...
The Stations of the Cross at Rome's Colosseum, April 15, 2022. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA
Rome Newsroom, Mar 26, 2024 / 14:30 pm (CNA).
Pope Francis for the first time in his 11-year pontificate will pen his own spiritual meditations for Friday's Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) against the dramatic backdrop of Rome's historic Colosseum.
The reflection will be based on the theme "In Prayer with Jesus on the Way of the Cross." The pope will write a unique treatment for each station, "centered on what Jesus experiences in that moment," the Holy See Press Office announced.
Vatican News observed that the pope's decision to write his own mediations this year dovetails with the spiritual dimension of the Year of Prayer, a period of reflection the pope has called in anticipation of the 2025 Jubilee Year.
In 1985 Pope John Paul II started the tradition of delegating the writing of the Good Friday Way of the Cross reflections to different individuals and groups. But he interrupted this custom when he authored his own reflections for the "Great Jubilee," or Holy Year of 2000. Pope Benedict XVI continued with the tradition throughout his pontificate.
The setting for the papal Way of the Cross is rich with history and holds a special meaning for Rome's Christians.
The Colosseum, which also bears the name of the Flavian Amphitheater, was constructed during the first century A.D. during the reign of the Flavian dynasty. The massive elliptical structure sits in the heart of ancient Rome and was known as a site for gladiatorial battles, military reenactments, and dramatic productions.
Tradition holds that early Christians were martyred in large numbers at the Colosseum. Though the archaeological evidence of the Colosseum as a site for martyrdom is scarce, the world's largest ancient amphitheater still holds a central place in the Christian imagination, serving as a symbol of the persecution of the early Church.
In 1750 Pope Benedict XIV erected a large cross and the 14 stations of the cross there; in 1756 he dedicated the edifice to the memory of the passion of Christ and the martyrs. The tradition lasted for a century until the unification of Italy in 1861, when the Church lost its sovereign temporal authority over the city of Rome.
Pope John XXIII presided over the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum once in 1959. But it was not until 1964 with Pope Paul VI that the celebration became a permanent fixture of the pope's Holy Week itinerary.
In past years Pope Francis has entrusted the meditations to different groups and individuals reflecting a wide range of themes such as war and peace, migration, and the experience of the incarcerated.
Last year's Way of the Cross was centered on the theme "Voices of Peace in a World at War," incorporating the testimonies of victims of violence whom Pope Francis encountered during his international apostolic journeys over the past 10 years.
The full text of the meditations will be made available on Friday morning ahead of the service, which will begin at 9:15 p.m. Rome time.
Full Article
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&url=10&view=post&articleid=275799&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
As parishioners and police respond to the threat of an armed intruder, clergy at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Abbeville, Louisiana take cover behind the altar on May 11, 2024. / Credit: Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, LouisianaCNA Newsroom, May 12, 2024 / 13:10 pm (CNA).Quick action by alert parishioners and local police are credited with averting a tragedy at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Abbeville, Louisiana yesterday.As 60 children were preparing for their first communion, the parish located south of Lafayette, Louisiana reported that an armed "suspicious person opened the back door." "The individual was immediately confronted by parishioners, escorted outside and the police were called," the parish indicated in a statement. In an interview with the Acadiana Advocate, Abbeville Police Chief Mike Hardy credited parishioners for having disarmed the suspect and having him already pinned to the ground when police arrived.A livestream v...
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&url=10&view=post&articleid=275795&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
The Immaculata statue from Immaculate Conception Parish in Detroit was placed in a niche in the church where a confessional used to be, along with stands displaying news articles chronicling Immaculate Conception's history, a reminder of what was lost and what has been saved. "The statue meant a lot to parishioners who came in here and adopted St. Hyacinth as their new home after Immaculate Conception was torn down," sacristan Susan Kraus said. "It is only out of fairness and respect toward them that we restore her to her original beauty." / Credit: Daniel Meloy | Detroit CatholicDetroit, Mich., May 12, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Susan Kraus got goosebumps when she discovered a decorative crown adorned with 12 stars in the basement of St. Hyacinth Parish in Detroit.The treasured piece of local Church history at the east-side Detroit parish was once considered a long-lost piece of parish lore, the headpiece for the parish's Immaculata statue, a forgotten gem from a tumultuous time."I...
http://www.myspiritfm.com/News?blogid=8838&url=10&view=post&articleid=275794&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
"We reflect with gratitude on all mothers, and let us also pray for mothers who have gone to heaven. We entrust mothers to the protection of Mary, our heavenly mother," said Pope Francis on May 12, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaRome Newsroom, May 12, 2024 / 10:45 am (CNA).On Mother's Day, Pope Francis entrusted all mothers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking everyone to remember to also pray for all the mothers who have gone to heaven.Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace on May 12, Pope Francis asked the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square for a round of applause to celebrate all mothers."Mother's Day is celebrated in many countries today. We reflect with gratitude on all mothers, and let us also pray for mothers who have gone to heaven. We entrust mothers to the protection of Mary, our heavenly mother," the pope said.Pope Francis also asked for the Virgin Mary's intercession to help in life's journey towards heaven."May Mary, she who has already arrived at...