November 10 2023 - Pope Leo the Great and the Barbarians

 Today we honor the first Bishop of Rome to have been called Leo, a name used subsequently by 12 later Popes, the latest being Leo XIII at the turn of the 20th century.

Leo was a native of Tuscany. Around the year 430, he was ordained a deacon of the Church of Rome. 10 years later, he was sent by Pope Sixtus III on a diplomatic mission to Gaul to resolve a difficult conflict. While Leo was carrying out this mission of Peace, Pope Sixtus died. Leo was elected Pope to succeed him, and his Pontificate lasted for 21 years, which is quite long for a papacy, the ninth longest, in fact.

Constant barbarian invasions and the gradual disintegration of the Roman Empire, certainly made the papacy of Pope Leo the First a challenging one. And yet, his papacy was so effective, and his holiness so evident, that he is the first Pope to be given the title, “The Great”. Leo Magnus, Leo the Great.

In 452, the Pope received reports that Attila the Hun was invading northeastern Italy with his horde of barbarians. So, the 52 year old Pope rode on horseback to meet the barbarian leader and pleaded with Attila to call off his invasion. The leader of the Huns, impressed by the Pope, left Italy.  Unfortunately, a few years later, another barbarian horde, the Vandals, attacked and sacked Rome. Again, the Pope, defenseless went forth to meet the invader to implore him to desist. The Vandal leader promised to spare the great Basilicas of St Peter, St Paul and St John Lateran, in which the terrified population of Rome sought refuge and were spared.  

We live in barbarous times, again no? The barbarians may not be riding in on horses and laying waste to our beautiful structures and ransacking our treasures. Rather, modern culture—through mass media and even the so-called education system, breeds attitudes which are antithetical to culture and civilization itself. (As a priest friend of mine recently said) and the barbarians are not just at the gates, they are in the seats of power collecting their spoils of war from good honest people. They traffic human beings and murder babies. And they are proving to be quite resistant to the Gospel.

And yet, we ride out to meet them, not with swords of steel, but with the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God. For maybe, some of them will be converted. And after, they have laid waste to our land, the Church will remain, as our Lord promised in the Gospels, “the gates of hell shall not prevail”—the Church has endured barbarians before, and we’ll do it again. Our task is to keep the faith until the Lord returns, to keep the flame of faith alive during the difficult times, and to spread it as we are able, to stave off cultural decay as we can, to turn away the barbarians from their destructive ways as we are able through pleas of peace, to preserve the faith when peace is rejected, and keep our souls from sinful discouragement, to witness to the truth of the Gospel with our lives and work always for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Pope Francis all Bishops and clergy: that they may always lead us in fidelity to the saving Gospel of Christ. 

In reparation for sins against the innocent unborn, for an overturning of laws which disregard human life and dignity, and for courage in bearing witness to the Gospel of Life.

For the strength to be faithful to all of the Lord’s commands and the grace and humility to repent of our failings.

For the impoverished and sick and those experiencing any sort of trial: that Jesus the Bread of Life will be their sustenance, and that Christians will be instruments of God’s mercy for all those in need.  

We pray in a special way during this Month of November for all of the faithful departed; for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

February 8 2022 - St. Josephine Bakhita - International Day of Prayer Against Human Trafficking

 Born to a wealthy Sudanese family in the Darfur region of Southern Sudan, Josephine was kidnapped at the age of nine by slave traders and given the name Bakhita, which means fortunate.   Over the next decade she was sold several times and was forced to endure repeated humiliations and beatings.  One of her owners was particularly sadistic and scarred her for life by cutting her with a razor blade and salting the wounds.

She was finally bought by a public servant who turned her over to a family who employed her as a nanny in Italy where slavery was illegal.  

Treated by the family with kindness, Josephine became acquainted with the Catholic faith, and after religious instruction, she was received into the church.

Several years later she joined the daughters of Charity, also known as the Canossian sisters in Italy.  She became known for her gentle presence and her willingness to undertake any task.

On May 17, 1992, Josephine Bakhita was beatified by Pope John Paul II and was proclaimed Saint on October 1, in the Jubilee year 2000.

During his homily at her canonization Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II said that in St. Josephine Bakhita, "We find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights."  Slavery and human trafficking continue even in our present age, and through the intercession of today’s saint, we pray for its complete abolishment.  Today in fact is the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.

St. Josephine is a model of virtue and holiness for all of us. Her life speaks of the value of forgiveness, reconciliation and love, for in her heart she overcame feelings of hatred for those who had harmed her. So much so, that she came to say, “The whole of my life has been God’s gift

She also learned from the tragic events of her life to have complete trust in the Almighty who can bring goodness out of evil, and even in the evils that we suffer can bring about a greater good in us. 

May we join our prayers and steadfast works with St. Josephine, contributing to righting all injustices, and may we imitate her virtues of forgiveness, compassion, and self-donation for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For all of those children, women and men currently trapped in situations of slavery, that God will help to liberate them from their chains. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those vulnerable to being trafficked, especially immigrants and refugees, orphans and runaways that God give them safe passage and safe homes, we pray to the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all who perpetuate slavery, human trafficking, child prostitution and evils against humanity. Let us pray to the Lord.

That all government leaders and lawmakers will recognize the dignity of every human person and, free from all corruption, work for the development of all peoples. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

February 8 2021 - St. Josephine Bakhita - World Day Against Human Trafficking

 For a number of years, February 8 has been designated the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. Today’s saint in fact is the patron saint against human trafficking.  

In 1877, as a young girl, Josephine was taken from her village in Sudan and forced to walk 600 miles to the market where she was sold. Over the next 10 years, she was bought, sold, and regularly abused. 

One of her owners was particularly sadistic and scarred her for life by cutting her with a razor blade and salting the wounds. 

Finally, as a young woman, Josephine was freed from this cruel cycle through the intervention of the Canossian Sisters of Verona Italy, and was housed and employed by an Italian family through whom she became acquainted with the Catholic faith. She would go on to join the Canossian Sisters as a vowed religious. 

During his homily at her canonization Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II said that in St. Josephine Bakhita, "We find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights."  Slavery and human trafficking continue even in our present age, and through the intercession of today’s saint, we pray for its complete abolishment.  

St. Josephine was canonized, not just because she was victim of terrible cruelties and inhumanity. She is now held aloft as a model of virtue and holiness because her life speaks of power of Christ-like forgiveness, reconciliation and love. As a victim of inhumanity and injustice, she could have allowed hatred and resentment to mold her life—many in our society are fueled by much slighter injustices than faced by St. Josephine. Rather, Josephine found liberation from hatred and resentment through Christ. So much so, that she came to say, “The whole of my life has been God’s gift”, and as a vowed religious devoted herself to steadfast charity and compassion through a life of self-donation. was not defined by the abuse that she received, but by the love that she shared.

On this day in 2019, Pope Francis invoked St. Josephine and called upon government leaders worldwide to intervene and stop the trafficking of persons. 

May we join our prayers and steadfast works with St. Josephine, contributing to righting this injustice, and imitate her virtues of forgiveness, compassion, and self-donation for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For all of those children, women and men currently trapped in situations of slavery that God will help to liberate them from their chains. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those vulnerable to being trafficked, especially immigrants and refugees, orphans and runaways that God give them safe passage and safe homes, we pray to the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all who perpetuate slavery, human trafficking, child prostitution and evils against humanity. Let us pray to the Lord.

That all government leaders and lawmakers will recognize the dignity of every human person and, free from all corruption, work for the development of all peoples. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord