Prayer: from the "Chinook Psalter" in Earth Prayers

May we today be touched by grace, fascinated and moved by your creation, energized by the power of new growth at work in your world.

May we move beyond viewing this life only through a frame, but touch it and be touched by it, know it and be known by it, love it and be loved by it.

May our bodies, our minds, our spirits, learn a new rhythm paced by the rhythmic pulse of the whole created order.

May spring come to us, be in us, and recreate life in us...

I’m Here. You are Safe. The Fourth Sunday of Easter 2020

   I’m Here. You are Safe.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter 2020

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May 3, 2020

Acts 2:14, 36-41; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10

Jesus is portrayed in these readings as the shepherd and guardian of our souls, the one who promises us goodness and kindness all the days of our lives, and we are asked to hear his voice and believe in him. Psalm 23 is a great comfort to many in times of trial and distress and it is often sung at funerals. It reminds me of a conversation I had with a  friend who remarked about her grandmother, who passed away this week of COVID-19. She said, “I always thought that she had an unquestioning, immature faith, simply following the church teachings without much reflection, but it grew upon me that is was something more profound, it was a deep surrender that I came to hold up in wonder. Though the church was not sacramentally present to her, she did not die alone.”

Another friend, a nurse who lives alone, relayed to me, in tears, her terrible ordeal with the virus. She said that her illness debilitated her so much that she could only sip water due to feeling nauseous and it felt like she was floating from the fever. Her body strained so much with aches, imbalances, and shallow breathing. Her concerned siblings checked on her each day. On that ninth day, when her condition worsened, she finally realized she’d have to go to the hospital, to the place where she contracted the virus. That night, she thought she was going to die, and then her father came into her bedroom, held her in his arms, stroked her head, and clear as day, said, “I’m here. You are safe.” She calmed down and made it through the night, and her fever left her the next day. Her father who came to her in her time of need died this past Christmas.

My friend’s father acted much like Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He is the one who will take away our fears and he will be with us, even if others cannot. He will be with us to say, “I’m here. You are safe. You are mine. I care for you and love you.” He is the one who takes away our fears so that we can live in hope once again. His presence in our life gives us purpose. Our life, even though it can be under assault, has a purpose, and perhaps something in our world needs to be transformed.

Because we are a people of prayer, we can hear the voice of Jesus, and he hears our voices. In prayer, it is good if we learn to listen more, and talk less. Trust me. You’ll like what he has to say. Let him contemplate you. He wants to tell you that he appreciates the time you give him, that he is so pleased with who you are and who you are becoming, that he just wants to sit and waste time with you, that you belong to him and that you are precious in his eyes, and there is no other way that he would prefer to spend his time – just sitting comfortably with you.

We bring other voices into prayer, the voices of those who are important to us, the voices of those who control us or have power over us, or have hurt us or have been mean to us, and many other voices. These voices need discernment. Even many voices who are telling us the right way forward are often opinion-makers and not news sources. We need to return to the one voice we can always trust, the voice we hear in our conscience, the voice that is stuck in our gut, the voice that we hear in the middle of the night when we are ready to give up. We return to the voice of the shepherd. This is the voice of hope, and when we have hope, we have all we need to guide us forward, to go on living, to embrace the new day with courage and energy.

The Lord is my shepherd, and I lack for nothing. He gives me rest and refreshes my hope. He helps me to discern, and he replaces my fear with faith and trust, and he gives me courage. He says, “I’m here. You are safe.” He gives me everything I need and his goodness and kindness will be with me forever, for we will live forever together.

Scripture for Daily Mass

First Reading:

Monday: (Acts 11) The Apostles include the Gentiles into the community after solemn deliberation. Peter lifts the Jewish dietary laws for them declaring that, “God granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”

Tuesday: (Acts 11) Those who had been dispersed since the persecution that followed Stephen’s stoning began proclaiming the story of Jesus Christ to their new communities. The number of converts increased dramatically. 

Wednesday: (Acts 12) The word of God continued to spread and the number of disciples grew. At Antioch during prayer, the Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Thursday: (Acts 13) In Perga in Pamphylia, Paul stood up and told the story of God’s deliverance of the chosen people from bondage and slavery. God’s work continued in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

Friday (Acts 13) The whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord, but strict Jews opposed Paul and Barnabas and claimed they told the wrong story.

Saturday (Acts 13) The Gentiles were delighted when Paul and Barnabas opened scripture for them and those them of their inclusion as God’s elect. Salvation was accessible to them too.

Gospel: 

Monday: (John 10) The Good Shepherd tales continues as Jesus describes to his friends the characteristics of a self-interested person who pretends to be a shepherd. The sheep know and trust the voice of the good shepherd.

Tuesday: (John 10) During the feast of the Dedication, Jesus declares he is the good shepherd and that he and the Father are one.

Wednesday (John 10) Jesus cries out, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me.” Jesus speaks and acts of behalf of the Father.

Thursday (John 13) Jesus makes “I am” statements and he shows he does the work of the Father when after he washes the feet of the disciples, he says, “I am.”

Friday (John 14) In his farewell discourse, Jesus consoles his friends. He tells them that the is going away but will soon return to take away their fear.

Saturday (John 14) He reassures that that since they know the mind and heart of Jesus, they also know the mind and heart of the Father.  

Saints of the Week

May 3: Philip and James, Apostles (first century), were present to Jesus throughout his entire ministry. Philip was named as being explicitly called. James is called the Lesser to distinguish him from James of Zebedee. Little is known of these founders of our faith.

May 4: Joseph Mary Rubio, S.J., priest (1864-1929), is a Jesuit known as the Apostle of Madrid. He worked with the poor bringing them the Spiritual Exercises and spiritual direction and he established local trade schools.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      May 3, 1945. American troops take over Innsbruck, Austria. Theology studies at the Canisianum resume a few months later.

·      May 4, 1902. The death of Charles Sommervogel, historian of the Society and editor of the bibliography of all publications of the Jesuits from the beginnings of the Society onward.

·      May 5, 1782. At Coimbra, Sebastian Carvahlo, Marquis de Pombal, a cruel persecutor of the Society in Portugal, died in disgrace and exile. His body remained unburied fifty years, till Father Philip Delvaux performed the last rites in 1832.

·      May 6, 1816. Letter of John Adams to Thomas Jefferson mentioning the Jesuits. "If any congregation of men could merit eternal perdition on earth and in hell, it is the company of Loyola."

·      May 7, 1547. Letter of St. Ignatius to the scholastics at Coimbra on Religious Perfection.

·      May 8, 1853. The death of Jan Roothan, the 21st general of the Society, who promoted the central role of the Spiritual Exercises in the work of the Society after the restoration.

·      May 9, 1758. The 19th General Congregation opened, the last of the Old Society. It elected Lorenzo Ricci as general.

Estoy aquí. Estás seguro. El cuarto domingo de Pascua 2020

Estoy aquí. Estás seguro.

El cuarto domingo de Pascua 2020

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3 de mayo de 2020

Hechos 2:14, 36-41; Salmo 23; 1 Pedro 2: 20-25; Juan 10: 1-10

Jesús es retratado en estas lecturas como el pastor y guardián de nuestras almas, el que nos promete bondad y bondad todos los días de nuestras vidas, y se nos pide que escuchemos su voz y creamos en él. El Salmo 23 es un gran consuelo para muchos en tiempos de prueba y angustia y a menudo se canta en los funerales. Me recuerda una conversación que tuve con una amiga que comentó sobre su abuela, quien falleció esta semana de COVID-19. Ella dijo: "Siempre pensé que tenía una fe inmadura e incuestionable, simplemente siguiendo las enseñanzas de la iglesia sin mucha reflexión, pero creció sobre mí que era algo más profundo, fue una rendición profunda que llegué a sostener con asombro". . Aunque la iglesia no estaba presente sacramentalmente para ella, no murió sola ”.

Otra amiga, una enfermera que vive sola, me contó, llorando, su terrible experiencia con el virus. Ella dijo que su enfermedad la debilitó tanto que solo pudo beber agua debido a las náuseas y se sintió como si estuviera flotando de la fiebre. Su cuerpo se tensó tanto con dolores, desequilibrios y respiración superficial. Sus hermanos preocupados la vigilaban todos los días. En ese noveno día, cuando su condición empeoró, finalmente se dio cuenta de que tendría que ir al hospital, al lugar donde contrajo el virus. Esa noche, ella pensó que iba a morir, y luego su padre entró en su habitación, la abrazó, le acarició la cabeza y, clara como el día, dijo: "Estoy aquí. Estás seguro." Se calmó y pasó la noche, y su fiebre la dejó al día siguiente. Su padre que acudió a ella en su momento de necesidad murió la Navidad pasada.

El padre de mi amigo actuó como Jesús, el Buen Pastor. Él es quien quitará nuestros miedos y estará con nosotros, incluso si otros no pueden. Él estará con nosotros para decir: "Estoy aquí. Estás seguro. Tu eres mia Me preocupo por ti y te amo ". Él es quien quita nuestros miedos para que podamos vivir con esperanza una vez más. Su presencia en nuestra vida nos da un propósito. Nuestra vida, aunque puede estar bajo asalto, tiene un propósito, y quizás algo en nuestro mundo necesita ser transformado.

Debido a que somos un pueblo de oración, podemos escuchar la voz de Jesús, y él escucha nuestras voces. En la oración, es bueno si aprendemos a escuchar más y hablar menos. Créeme. Te gustará lo que tiene que decir. Deja que te contemple. Quiere decirte que aprecia el tiempo que le das, que está tan satisfecho con quién eres y en quién te estás convirtiendo, que solo quiere sentarse y perder el tiempo contigo, que le perteneces y que eres preciosa en sus ojos, y no hay otra manera en que él preferiría pasar su tiempo, simplemente sentarse cómodamente con usted.

Llevamos otras voces a la oración, las voces de aquellos que son importantes para nosotros, las voces de quienes nos controlan o tienen poder sobre nosotros, o nos han herido o han sido malos con nosotros, y muchas otras voces. Estas voces necesitan discernimiento. Incluso muchas voces que nos dicen el camino correcto a menudo son formadores de opinión y no fuentes de noticias. Necesitamos volver a la única voz en la que siempre podemos confiar, la voz que escuchamos en nuestra conciencia, la voz que está atrapada en nuestro intestino, la voz que escuchamos en medio de la noche cuando estamos listos para rendirnos. Volvemos a la voz del pastor. Esta es la voz de la esperanza, y cuando tenemos esperanza, tenemos todo lo que necesitamos para guiarnos hacia adelante, para seguir viviendo, para abrazar el nuevo día con coraje y energía.

El Señor es mi pastor, y no me falta nada. Me da descanso y refresca mi esperanza. Me ayuda a discernir, y reemplaza mi miedo con fe y confianza, y me da coraje. Él dice: "Estoy aquí. Estás seguro." Él me da todo lo que necesito y su bondad y amabilidad estarán conmigo para siempre, porque viviremos para siempre juntos.

Escritura para la misa diaria

Primera lectura:
Lunes: (Hechos 11) Los apóstoles incluyen a los gentiles en la comunidad después de una deliberación solemne. Peter levanta las leyes dietéticas judías para ellos declarando que, "Dios otorgó el arrepentimiento vivificante a los gentiles también".

Martes: (Hechos 11) Aquellos que se habían dispersado desde la persecución que siguió a la lapidación de Esteban comenzaron a proclamar la historia de Jesucristo a sus nuevas comunidades. El número de conversos aumentó dramáticamente.

Miércoles: (Hechos 12) La palabra de Dios continuó difundiéndose y el número de discípulos creció. En Antioquía durante la oración, el Espíritu dijo: "Apartad para mí a Bernabé y a Saulo para el trabajo al que los he llamado".

Jueves: (Hechos 13) En Perga en Panfilia, Paul se puso de pie y contó la historia de la liberación de Dios del pueblo elegido de la esclavitud y la esclavitud. La obra de Dios continuó en la vida de Jesús de Nazaret.

Viernes (Hechos 13) Toda la ciudad se reunió para escuchar la palabra del Señor, pero los judíos estrictos se opusieron a Pablo y a Bernabé y afirmaron que contaron la historia equivocada.

Sábado (Hechos 13) Los gentiles estaban encantados cuando Pablo y Bernabé abrieron las Escrituras para ellos y para aquellos de su inclusión como elegidos de Dios. La salvación también era accesible para ellos.

Evangelio:
Lunes: (Juan 10) Los cuentos del Buen Pastor continúan mientras Jesús describe a sus amigos las características de una persona interesada que finge ser un pastor. Las ovejas conocen y confían en la voz del buen pastor.

Martes: (Juan 10) Durante la fiesta de la Dedicación, Jesús declara que él es el buen pastor y que él y el Padre son uno.

Miércoles (Juan 10) Jesús grita: "Quien cree en mí, cree no solo en mí sino también en el que me envió". Jesús habla y actúa en nombre del Padre.

Jueves (Juan 13) Jesús hace declaraciones de "Yo soy" y muestra que hace el trabajo del Padre cuando después de lavar los pies de los discípulos, dice: "Yo soy".

Viernes (Juan 14) En su discurso de despedida, Jesús consuela a sus amigos. Él les dice que se está yendo, pero que pronto regresará para quitarles el miedo.

Sábado (Juan 14) Asegura que, dado que conocen la mente y el corazón de Jesús, también conocen la mente y el corazón del Padre.

Santos de la semana

3 de mayo: Felipe y Santiago, apóstoles (primer siglo), estuvieron presentes en Jesús durante todo su ministerio. Philip fue nombrado como llamado explícitamente. James se llama el Menor para distinguirlo de James de Zebedeo. Poco se sabe de estos fundadores de nuestra fe.

4 de mayo: Joseph Mary Rubio, S.J., sacerdote (1864-1929), es un jesuita conocido como el Apóstol de Madrid. Trabajó con los pobres llevándoles los Ejercicios Espirituales y la dirección espiritual y estableció escuelas de comercio locales.

Esta semana en la historia jesuita

• 3 de mayo de 1945. Las tropas estadounidenses se hacen cargo de Innsbruck, Austria. Los estudios de teología en el Canisianum se reanudan unos meses más tarde.
• 4 de mayo de 1902. La muerte de Charles Sommervogel, historiador de la Sociedad y editor de la bibliografía de todas las publicaciones de los jesuitas desde los inicios de la Sociedad en adelante.
• 5 de mayo de 1782. En Coimbra, Sebastián Carvahlo, marqués de Pombal, un cruel perseguidor de la Sociedad en Portugal, murió en desgracia y exilio. Su cuerpo permaneció sin enterrar cincuenta años, hasta que el padre Philip Delvaux realizó los últimos ritos en 1832.
• 6 de mayo de 1816. Carta de John Adams a Thomas Jefferson mencionando a los jesuitas. "Si alguna congregación de hombres pudiera merecer la perdición eterna en la tierra y en el infierno, es la compañía de Loyola".
• 7 de mayo de 1547. Carta de San Ignacio a los escolásticos de Coimbra sobre la perfección religiosa.
• 8 de mayo de 1853. La muerte de Jan Roothan, el 21º general de la Sociedad, quien promovió el papel central de los Ejercicios Espirituales en el trabajo de la Sociedad después de la restauración.
• 9 de mayo de 1758. Se inauguró la XIX Congregación General, la última de la Antigua Sociedad. Eligió a Lorenzo Ricci como general.

Spirituality: "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" by Wendell Berry

So, friends, every day do something that won't compute...Give your approval to all you cannot understand...Ask the questions that have no answers. Put your faith in two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years...Laugh. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts...Practice resurrection.

Spirituality: John of Capistrano

Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life. Their own lives should be an example to others, showing how they must live in the house of the Lord.

Poem: "Burning Hearts" by William Cowper

It happen’d on a solemn eventide,
Soon after He that was our surety died,
Two bosom friends, each pensively inclined,
The scene of all those sorrows left behind,
Sought their own village, busied as they went
In musings worthy of the great event:
They spake of him they loved, of him whose life,
Though blameless, had incurr’d perpetual strife,
Whose deeds had left, in spite of hostile arts,
A deep memorial graven on their hearts.
The recollection, like a vein or ore,
The farther traced enrich’d them still the more;

They thought him, and they justly thought him, one
Sent to do more than he appear’d to have done,
To exalt a people, and to place them high
Above all else, and wonder’d he should die.
Ere yet they brought their journey to an end,
A stranger join’d them, courteous as a friend,
And ask’d them with a kind engaging air
What their affliction was, and begg’d a share.
Inform’d, he gathered up the broken thread,
And truth and wisdom gracing all he said,
Explain’d, illustrated, and search’d so well
The tender theme on which they chose to dwell,
That reaching home, the night, they said is near,
We must not now be parted, sojourn here.
The new acquaintance soon became a guest,
And made so welcome at their simple feast,
He bless’d the bread, but vanish’d at the word,
And left them both exclaiming, ‘Twas the Lord!
Did not our hearts feel all he deign’d to say,
Did they not burn within us by the way?

Spirituality: "To Bless the Space Between Us," John O'Donohue

A blessing is a form of grace; it is invisible. Grace is the permanent climate of divine kindness. There are no limits to it... For one who believes in it, a blessing can signal the start of a journey of transformation. It belongs to the same realm as the inner life- its effect becomes only indirectly visible in the changed quality of one's experience. Where before gravity and deadness had prevailed, there is now a new sense of animation and lightness. Where there was grief, a new sense of presence comes alive. In the wall of blindness a window of vision opens.

Poem: “A Prayer in Spring” by Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Ignatian Spirituality Resources

If you are interested in prayerful resources related to Ignatian Spirituality ….

• Here is an Examen that was created in response to COVID-19.
• In addition to the Examen, the Ignatian Solidarity Network has created these Prayers and Resources in response to COVID-19.
• Here is a Meditation for the Anxious.
• Ignatian Spiritualty contains many prayerful resources, including Ignatian Wisdom for Troubled Times and, in addition to the Examen noted above, a Coronavirus response lesson for children in parishes and schools
• Pray As You Go has daily prayers by the Jesuits of Britain.  Also now is Pray As You Stay, a weekly online retreat in response to COVID-19.  There is also a library of Prayer Tools: the tool highlighted for this week is loneliness.
• Sacred Space is the prayer website for the Irish Jesuits, with a Reflection on the coronavirus.
• The Jesuit Prayer Team provides reflections on Scripture as well as short biographies on the “Blessed Among Us,” the ordinary people who led extraordinary lives who have gone before us
• God In All Things  contains many prayerful resources, including an Audio Meditation on “Beloved.”
• Heart to Heart also contains a series of prayerful resources, including Practices for the Pandemic - The Sign of the Cross Mediation and Seeds of Hope Lenten Series.
• There is a Three Minute Retreat from Loyola Press.
• Do you like podcasts? Jesuit podcasts can be found at AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast and Jesuitical.
• Would you like to connect body and mind and prayer?  Ignatian Yoga may be something for you.

Other prayerful resources ….

• Give Us This Day, a monthly publication of Scripture and reflections, is offering its digital version without charge.
• The Hallow app is a Catholic mediation app.
• Another podcast?  Here is one from Inside the Vatican.
• Would you like to participating in liturgy electronically?  Pope Francis's Daily Mass from Casa Santa Marta and Bishop Barron's Daily Mass are available, as well as Sunday Mass that are archived and livestreamed on Sunday in the Albany Diocese.
• Holy Week at Home prepared by Liturgical Press.

Would you prefer a prayer?  Here are some …

• Prayer for Healing  
• Prayer for Peace and Solidarity in a Time of the Pandemic.
• Pope's Prayer to Mary
• Prayer for Conscience and Courage During Times of Public Struggle
• Ignatian Spirituality Blog. http://www.predmore.blogspot.com

Reflections about living during this time …

• From Jim Martin, SJ,  Faith in the Time of the Coronavirus  
• From Simcha Fischer, Good and Beautiful Things I've Seen Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic
• From Richard Rohr, OFM, Love Alone Overcomes Fear
• From Thomas Reese, Spirituality in a Time of Quarantine
• From Arturo Sosa, SJ, Superior General of the Jesuits, What Part of the Path to God does COVID-19 show us?

Spirituality: Dorothy Day, Catholic Worker co-founder

We believe in loving our brothers regardless of race, color or creed, and we believe in showing this love by working for better conditions immediately and the ultimate owning by the workers of their means of production.

Never Walking Alone. Third Sunday of Easter 2020

   Never Walking Alone.

Third Sunday of Easter 2020

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April 26, 2020

Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35

 

 

Peter’s bold words in Jerusalem must have shocked the Jewish authorities and empowered the followers of Jesus. It is always a good idea to tell the truth, and it is best not to do it in a violent way. Peter masters this reality when he plainly states that the Jewish religious leaders put Jesus to death through lawless men, and yet his intent is not to shame, but to allow the Jews right away to listen and observe what God was doing right before them. The life of Jesus was according to God’s plan and Jesus was obedient to his mission. For this purpose, God vindicated Jesus, found him blameless, and raised him from the dead, releasing him from the throes of death. This is the statement I like: It was impossible for Jesus to be held by the power of death.

 

I can’t help but wonder what God was feeling when Jesus was condemned to death and was crucified. The power of God’s feelings and his love for Jesus was able to raise him from death. The world could not have the ultimate power over him as he proved himself to be faithful to God’s mission and as he allowed God’s power to be worked through him, but he raised him to life for our benefit so that we may see the strength of God’s love, a love that can penetrate beyond the walls of death. Death is no longer an obstacle. That means for us that we can know God’s love extends to us and to our loved ones, living or deceased, and that we, like Jesus, can live in right relations with God.

 

Truth-telling is an important part of Christian life, and it is also an art that we have to learn to master. Jesus shows us how to tell that truth as he meets up with the dejected disciples on their way to Emmaus. He joins them where they are. He does not walk faster or slower than they, and he paces himself with his words so that the disciples can grasp the truth he is revealing. Most of the time, Jesus is simply walking with them along the road, at their pace, as he listens, and then respectfully speaks. He does not force, argue, confront, but simply paces himself, and then he lets his actions speak more clearly than any words can do.

 

A lesson in this is that Jesus is going to walk with us at our own pace. He won’t lag behind; he won’t be remote or out of view. Our eyes may be clouded for whatever reason, but that doesn’t mean he is not with us. We may not see him at all times and we may wonder about God’s presence during times like these with the COVID-19 crisis. Especially in our throes of suffering and the possibility of death, we wonder if God is there, and why God permits such senseless distress. God raised Jesus because of his magnanimous love for him, and for us, and Jesus wants to explain that to us, in ways and times that we can understand. We just have to know that we are not walking alone and that we will meet Jesus on the way. When that happens, our hearts will burn with desire because we will know for certain that God is by our side.

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

 

First Reading:

Monday: (Acts 6) Stephen worked great signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.

 

Tuesday: (Acts 7) False testimony is lodged against him but he stands angelic before them. Angry opponents stone him, including Saul, who consents to execute him. 

 

Wednesday: (Acts 8) A severe persecution breaks out in Jerusalem and the believers are displaced to Judea and Samaria. Saul, trying to destroy the Church, enters house after house to arrest them.

 

Thursday: (Acts 8) Philip’s testimony and miracles in Samaria emboldens the believers. Philip heads out to Gaza and meets an Ethiopian eunuch who is reading Isaiah’s texts. Philip interprets the scripture and the eunuch begs to be baptized.

 

Friday (Acts 9) Meanwhile, Saul is carrying out hateful acts against the believers and is struck blind as he beholds a manifestation of Jesus. The beginning of his call and conversion takes place. 

 

Saturday (1 Peter 6 – Mark the Evangelist) Clothe yourself in humility; be sober and vigilant and resist the devil. The God of grace will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. 

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (John 6) Jesus feeds the 5000 as a flashback to the Eucharistic memory of the believers with the Bread of Life discourse.

 

Tuesday: (John 6) Jesus instructs them, “It was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven; my heavenly father gives the true bread.” Jesus proclaims, “I am the bread of life.”

 

Wednesday (John 6) God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but that the world might be saved through him.

 

Thursday (John 6) Jesus states that all that is required is belief in him. Belief is not given to all. The way to the way is through the Son.

 

Friday (John 6) The Jews quarreled and opposition to the cannibalistic references of Jesus rises because his sayings are hard to accept. He tells the people, “my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” If you eat of Jesus, you will live forever.

 

Saturday (Mark 16) Jesus appeared to the Eleven giving them instructions to proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

 

Saints of the Week

 

April 28: Peter Chanel, priest, missionary, martyr (1803-1841), is the first martyr of the Pacific South Seas. Originally a parish priest in rural eastern France, he joined the Society of Mary (Marists) to become a missionary in 1831 after a five-year stint teaching in the seminary. At first the missionaries were well-received in the New Hebrides and other Pacific island nations as they recently outlawed cannibalism. The growth of white influence placed Chanel under suspicion, which led to an attack on the missionaries. When the king’s son wanted to be baptized, his anger erupted and Peter was clubbed to death in protest. 

 

April 28: Louis of Montfort, priest (1673-1716), dedicated his life to the care of the poor and the sick as a hospital chaplain in Poitiers, France. He angered the public and the administration when he tried to organize the hospital women's workers into a religious organization. He was let go. He went to Rome where the pope gave him the title "missionary apostolic" so he could preach missions that promoted a Marian and Rosary-based spirituality. He formed the "Priests of the Company of Mary" and the "Daughters of Wisdom."

 

April 29: Catherine of Siena, mystic and doctor of the Church (1347-1380), was the 24^th of 25^th children. At an early age, she had visions of guardian angels and the saints. She became a Third-Order Dominican and persuaded the Pope to return to Rome from Avignon in 1377. She died at age 33 after receiving the stigmata.

 

April 30: Pope Pius V, Pope (1504-1572), is noted for his work in the Counter-Reformation, the Council of Trent, and the standardization of the Roman Rite for mass. He was a fierce conservative who prosecuted eight French bishops for heterodoxy and Elizabeth I for schism. The Holy League he founded defeated the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto whose success was attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

May 1: Joseph the Worker was honored by Pope Pius XII in 1955 in an effort to counteract May Day, a union, worker, and socialist holiday. Many Catholics believe him to be the patron of workers because he is known for his patience, persistence, and hard work as admirable qualities that believers should adopt.

 

May 2: Athanasius, bishop and doctor (295-373), was an Egyptian who attended the Nicene Council in 325. He wrote about Christ's divinity but this caused his exile by non-Christian emperors. He wrote a treatise on the Incarnation and brought monasticism to the West.

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

·      Apr 26, 1935. Lumen Vitae, center for catechetics and religious formation was founded in Brussels.

·      Apr 27, 1880. On the occasion of the visit of Jules Ferry, French minister of education, to Amiens, France, shouts were raised under the Jesuit College windows: "Les Jesuites a la guillotine."

·      Apr 28, 1542. St Ignatius sent Pedro Ribadeneira, aged fifteen, from Rome to Paris for his studies. Pedro had been admitted into the Society in l539 or l540.

·      Apr 29, 1933. Thomas Ewing Sherman died in New Orleans. An orator on the mission band, he was the son of Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. He suffered a breakdown, and wanted to leave the Society, but was refused because of his ill health. Before his death he renewed his vows in the Society.

·      Apr 30, 1585. The landing at Osaka of Fr. Gaspar Coelho. At first the Emperor was favorably disposed towards Christianity. This changed later because of Christianity's attitude toward polygamy.

·      May 1, 1572. At Rome, Pope St. Pius V dies. His decree imposing Choir on the Society was cancelled by his successor, Gregory XIII.

·      May 2, 1706. The death of Jesuit brother G J Kamel. The camellia flower is named after him.

Nunca caminando solo. Tercer domingo de Pascua 2020

Nunca caminando solo.

Tercer domingo de Pascua 2020

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26 de abril de 2020

Hechos 2:14, 22-33; Salmo 16; 1 Pedro 1: 17-21; Lucas 24: 13-35

Las audaces palabras de Pedro en Jerusalén deben haber conmocionado a las autoridades judías y capacitado a los seguidores de Jesús. Siempre es una buena idea decir la verdad, y es mejor no hacerlo de manera violenta. Peter domina esta realidad cuando afirma claramente que los líderes religiosos judíos mataron a Jesús a través de hombres sin ley, y sin embargo, su intención no es avergonzar, sino permitir que los judíos enseguida escuchen y observen lo que Dios estaba haciendo justo delante de ellos. La vida de Jesús estaba de acuerdo con el plan de Dios y Jesús fue obediente a su misión. Para este propósito, Dios reivindicó a Jesús, lo encontró sin mancha y lo levantó de la muerte, liberándolo de la agonía de la muerte. Esta es la declaración que me gusta: era imposible para Jesús ser retenido por el poder de la muerte.

No puedo evitar preguntarme qué estaba sintiendo Dios cuando Jesús fue condenado a muerte y fue crucificado. El poder de los sentimientos de Dios y su amor por Jesús fue capaz de resucitarlo de la muerte. El mundo no podía tener el poder supremo sobre él, ya que demostró ser fiel a la misión de Dios y permitió que el poder de Dios se ejerciera a través de él, pero lo levantó a la vida para nuestro beneficio para que podamos ver la fuerza de Dios. amor, un amor que puede penetrar más allá de los muros de la muerte. La muerte ya no es un obstáculo. Eso significa para nosotros que podemos saber que el amor de Dios se extiende a nosotros y a nuestros seres queridos, vivos o fallecidos, y que nosotros, como Jesús, podemos vivir en buenas relaciones con Dios.

Decir la verdad es una parte importante de la vida cristiana, y también es un arte que debemos aprender a dominar. Jesús nos muestra cómo decir esa verdad cuando se encuentra con los desanimados discípulos en su camino hacia Emaús. Se une a ellos donde están. Él no camina más rápido o más lento que ellos, y se pasea con sus palabras para que los discípulos puedan comprender la verdad que está revelando. La mayoría de las veces, Jesús simplemente camina con ellos por el camino, a su ritmo, mientras escucha, y luego habla respetuosamente. No fuerza, discute, confronta, sino que simplemente se pasea a sí mismo y luego deja que sus acciones hablen más claramente de lo que cualquier palabra puede hacerlo.

Una lección de esto es que Jesús caminará con nosotros a nuestro propio ritmo. No se retrasará; no estará alejado o fuera de la vista. Nuestros ojos pueden estar nublados por cualquier razón, pero eso no significa que no esté con nosotros. Es posible que no lo veamos en todo momento y que nos preguntemos acerca de la presencia de Dios en momentos como estos con la crisis COVID-19. Especialmente en nuestra agonía de sufrimiento y la posibilidad de muerte, nos preguntamos si Dios está allí y por qué Dios permite tanta angustia sin sentido. Dios resucitó a Jesús debido a su amor magnánimo por él y por nosotros, y Jesús quiere explicarnos eso, en formas y momentos que podamos entender. Solo tenemos que saber que no estamos caminando solos y que nos encontraremos con Jesús en el camino. Cuando eso suceda, nuestros corazones arderán de deseo porque sabremos con certeza que Dios está a nuestro lado.

Escritura para la misa diaria

Primera lectura:

Lunes: (Hechos 6) Esteban hizo grandes señales y maravillas en el nombre de Jesús.

Martes: (Hechos 7) Se presenta falso testimonio contra él, pero él se mantiene angelical ante ellos. Los oponentes enojados lo apedrean, incluido Saúl, quien consiente en ejecutarlo.

Miércoles: (Hechos 8) Una persecución severa estalla en Jerusalén y los creyentes son desplazados a Judea y Samaria. Saúl, tratando de destruir la Iglesia, entra casa por casa para arrestarlos.

Jueves: (Hechos 8) El testimonio y los milagros de Felipe en Samaria envalentonan a los creyentes. Philip se dirige a Gaza y se encuentra con un eunuco etíope que está leyendo los textos de Isaías. Felipe interpreta la escritura y el eunuco ruega ser bautizado.

  

Viernes (Hechos 9) Mientras tanto, Saúl está llevando a cabo actos de odio contra los creyentes y se queda ciego cuando contempla una manifestación de Jesús. El comienzo de su llamado y conversión tiene lugar.

Sábado (1 Pedro 6 - Marque el evangelista) Vístase de humildad; Sé sobrio y vigilante y resiste al diablo. El Dios de la gracia te restaurará, confirmará, fortalecerá y establecerá después de que hayas sufrido un poco.

Evangelio:

Lunes: (Juan 6) Jesús alimenta a los 5000 como un recuerdo de la memoria eucarística de los creyentes con el discurso Pan de vida.

Martes: (Juan 6) Jesús les instruye: “No fue Moisés quien te dio pan del cielo; mi padre celestial da el verdadero pan ". Jesús proclama: "Yo soy el pan de vida".

Miércoles (Juan 6) Dios no envió a su Hijo al mundo para condenarlo, sino para que el mundo pudiera salvarse a través de él.

Jueves (Juan 6) Jesús declara que todo lo que se requiere es creer en él. La creencia no se da a todos. El camino hacia el camino es a través del Hijo.

Viernes (Juan 6) Los judíos se pelearon y la oposición a las referencias caníbales de Jesús aumenta porque sus dichos son difíciles de aceptar. Él le dice a la gente: "mi carne es verdadera comida, y mi sangre es verdadera bebida". Si comes de Jesús, vivirás para siempre.

  

Sábado (Marcos 16) Jesús se apareció a los Once dándoles instrucciones para proclamar el Evangelio a toda criatura.

Santos de la semana

28 de abril: Peter Chanel, sacerdote, misionero, mártir (1803-1841), es el primer mártir de los mares del Pacífico Sur. Originalmente un párroco en la zona rural del este de Francia, se unió a la Sociedad de María (maristas) para convertirse en misionero en 1831 después de cinco años de docencia en el seminario. Al principio, los misioneros fueron bien recibidos en las Nuevas Hébridas y otras naciones insulares del Pacífico, ya que recientemente prohibieron el canibalismo. El crecimiento de la influencia blanca puso a Chanel bajo sospecha, lo que condujo a un ataque contra los misioneros. Cuando el hijo del rey quiso ser bautizado, su ira estalló y Peter fue golpeado hasta la muerte en protesta.

28 de abril: Louis de Montfort, sacerdote (1673-1716), dedicó su vida al cuidado de los pobres y enfermos como capellán del hospital en Poitiers, Francia. Enojó al público y a la administración cuando trató de organizar a las trabajadoras del hospital en una organización religiosa. Lo dejaron ir. Fue a Roma, donde el papa le dio el título de "misionero apostólico" para poder predicar misiones que promovieran una espiritualidad mariana y basada en el rosario. Formó los "Sacerdotes de la Compañía de María" y las "Hijas de la Sabiduría".

29 de abril: Catalina de Siena, mística y doctora de la Iglesia (1347-1380), fue la 24 de 25 niños. A temprana edad, tuvo visiones de los ángeles guardianes y los santos. Se convirtió en dominicana de tercer orden y persuadió al Papa para que regresara a Roma desde Aviñón en 1377. Murió a los 33 años después de recibir los estigmas.

30 de abril: el papa Pío V, papa (1504-1572), destaca por su trabajo en la Contrarreforma, el Concilio de Trento y la estandarización del rito romano para la misa. Era un feroz conservador que procesó a ocho obispos franceses por heterodoxia y a Isabel I por cisma. La Liga Santa que fundó derrotó al Imperio Otomano en la Batalla de Lepanto, cuyo éxito se atribuyó a la intercesión de la Bienaventurada Virgen María.

1 de mayo: Joseph the Worker fue honrado por el Papa Pío XII en 1955 en un esfuerzo por contrarrestar el Primero de Mayo, una fiesta sindical, obrera y socialista. Muchos católicos creen que es el patrón de los trabajadores porque es conocido por su paciencia, persistencia y trabajo duro como cualidades admirables que los creyentes deberían adoptar.

2 de mayo: Atanasio, obispo y médico (295-373), fue un egipcio que asistió al Concilio de Nicea en 325. Escribió sobre la divinidad de Cristo, pero esto provocó su exilio por parte de emperadores no cristianos. Escribió un tratado sobre la Encarnación y trajo el monacato a Occidente.

Esta semana en la historia jesuita

• 26 de abril de 1935. Lumen Vitae, centro de catequesis y formación religiosa fue fundado en Bruselas.

• 27 de abril de 1880. Con motivo de la visita de Jules Ferry, ministro de educación francés, a Amiens, Francia, se escucharon gritos bajo las ventanas del Colegio de los Jesuitas: "Les Jesuites a la guillotine".

• 28 de abril de 1542. San Ignacio envió a Pedro Ribadeneira, de quince años, de Roma a París para sus estudios. Pedro había sido admitido en la Sociedad en l539 o l540.

• 29 de abril de 1933. Thomas Ewing Sherman murió en Nueva Orleans. Orador de la banda de la misión, era hijo del general de la Guerra Civil William Tecumseh Sherman. Sufrió un colapso y quiso dejar la Sociedad, pero fue rechazado debido a su mala salud. Antes de su muerte, renovó sus votos en la Sociedad.

• 30 de abril de 1585. El desembarco en Osaka del p. Gaspar Coelho. Al principio, el emperador estaba favorablemente dispuesto hacia el cristianismo. Esto cambió más tarde debido a la actitud del cristianismo hacia la poligamia.

• 1 de mayo de 1572. En Roma, el papa San Pío V muere. Su decreto que impone el Coro en la Sociedad fue cancelado por su sucesor, Gregorio XIII.

• 2 de mayo de 1706. La muerte del hermano jesuita G J Kamel. La flor de camelia lleva su nombre.

Prayer: Stewardship of Creation, from Alice Walker, writer

Helped are those who love the entire cosmos rather than their own tiny country, city, or farm, for to them will be shown the unbroken web of life and the meaning of infi nity. Helped are those who love the Earth, their mother, and who willingly suffer that she may not die; in their grief over her pain they will weep and in their joy in her lively response to love, they will converse with all living things. Helped are those who love and actively support the diversity of life; they shall be secure in their differences.

Prayer: "How I go to the woods" by Mary Oliver

Ordinarily, I go to the woods alone, with not a single
friend, for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore
unsuitable.

I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of
praying, as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible. I can sit
on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can hear the almost
unhearable sound of the roses singing.

If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love
you very much.”


― Mary Oliver, Swan: Poems and Prose Poems

Poem: Denise Levertov, Selected Poems

I witnessed
all things quicken to color, to form
my question
not answered but given
its part
in a vast unfolding design lit
by a rising sun.

Poem: From “The Resurrection Prayers of Magdalen, Peter, and Two Youths”

Like her friend
she would curse the barren tree
and glory in the lilies of the field.
She lived in noons and midnights,
in those mounting moments of high dance
when blood is wisdom and flesh love.

But now
before the violated cave
on the third day of her tears
she is a black pool of grief
spent upon the earth.

They have taken her dead Jesus,
unoiled and unkissed,
to where desert flies and worms
more quickly work.

She suffers wounds that will not heal
and enters into the pain of God
where lives the gardener
who once exalted in her perfume,
knew the extravagance of her hair,
and now asks her whom she seeks.

Source: John Shea, The Hour of the Unexpected, pp. 48-49.

Poem: “Recognizing the Beloved” by Macrina Wiederkehr

O Risen Christ,
When I search for you in the darkness
Show me the light of your face.
When my darkness is too heavy
Send me the dawn.
When I am dejected because of your absence
Remind me to share my presence with someone.
When I am hungry for nourishment
Invite me to breakfast.
When I cast my nets on the wrong side of life
Come to my assistance.
When I do not recognize you
Call me by name.

Poem: “The Resurrection Prayers of Magdalene, Peter, and Two Youths” by John Shea

On the road that escapes Jerusalem
and winds along the ridge to Emmaus
two disillusioned youths
dragged home their crucified dream.
They had smelled messiah in the air
and rose to that scarred and ancient hope
only to mourn what might have been.
And now a sudden stranger falls upon their loss
with excited words about mustard seeds
and surprises hidden at the heart of death
and that evil must be kissed upon the lips
and that every scream is redeemed for it echoes
in the ear of God and do you not understand
what died upon the cross was fear.
They protested their right to despair but he said,
“My Father’s laughter fills the silence of the tomb.”
Because they did not understand they offered him food.
And in the breaking of the bread
they knew the imposter for who he was –
the arsonist of the heart.

John Shea, The Hour of the Unexpected, pp. 48-49.

The Breath of Jesus. Second Sunday of Easter 2020

   The Breath of Jesus.

Second Sunday of Easter 2020

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April 19, 2020

Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 118; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31

We can relate to the situation of the disciples in both the Gospel and the First Reading. In the Gospel, the friends of Jesus are locked indoors for fear of the religious authorities, and we are locked indoors, almost paralyzed, for fear of an invisible virus. The First Readings shows the Christian community gathered together, sharing bread, telling stories, and praying for the needs of everyone. It is much like those of us who cannot attend church, having found inventive ways to pray, and we spend more time cooking for others and breaking bread together once again, and as we do so, we find blessings hidden and revealed in previous unseen places.

When we have fear and when we are physically isolated from others and cannot stay connected, we can get agitated, feel a sense of dread, get angry and express it in the wrong ways, or feel a foreboding sense of gloom, especially when the future seems unknown. Jesus gives us a model of what to do when we are feeling this fear: We are to breathe. We breathe while knowing that it is not just our breathing in the air around us. We are breathing in the peace that Jesus gives us to take away any fear we have. He does this on the day of the Resurrection to help his friends collect themselves and to realize they are not alone. After they are calm, they can figure out how best to proceed in this new reality.

And like the disciples, there is always one among us who does not want to go along with the program. For the disciples, Thomas did not meet up with them the first night because he could not belief the news reports. It made no sense to him and he was trusting other sources of information. Likewise, we know people who are basing their decisions upon different sources. They are not in step with the community and they can be obstacles to wholeness because they trust in their own news sources and conclusions. We have no way of reaching them. Fortunately, Thomas came back to the community and once Jesus breathed upon him, he was able to be reconciled to Jesus and to the community.

Therefore, during this time of crisis, let us return to these breaths, to do deep breathing exercises four or five times throughout the day until it is a habit that is integrated into our regular day. We are able to breathe in the peace Jesus wants us to have so that we can make sound decisions, so we can speak and act well. We are able to breathe in the calmness that allows us to hear the stories of others so that we are filled with compassion and understanding. We are able to breathe in the wisdom that gives us patient endurance as we learn to trust more fully in God. We are able to breathe in the presence of Jesus in a time when we cannot receive him sacramentally but that we dig deep into our soul to come to greater belief. We are at peace when we receive Jesus. We believe.

Scripture for Daily Mass

First Reading:

Monday: (Acts 4) Peter and John return to their people after being released from the religious authorities. They prayed about their ordeal and the whole house shook and all were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Tuesday: (Acts 4) The community of believers was of one heart and mind and together they bore witness to the Resurrection. Joseph, called Barnabas, sold a property and give money to the Apostles.

Wednesday: (Acts 5) The high priest with the Sadducees jailed the Apostles but during the night the Lord opened the prison doors and the Apostles returned to the Temple area to preach.

Thursday: (Acts 5) The Apostles were brought forth again during their arrest and they were reminded that they were forbidden to preach. Peter said on behalf of the Apostles that they are to obey God, and not men. 

Friday (Acts 5) Gamaliel, the Pharisee, urges wisdom for the Sanhedrin declaring that if this is of God, it cannot be stopped, but if it is of men, it will certainly die out.

Saturday (Acts 6) The number of disciples grew. The Hellenists complained to the Hebrews that their widows were being neglected. The Twelve decided it was right to select seven reputable men (deacons) to take care of the daily distribution while they continued with prayer and the ministry of the word. Meanwhile the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly. Even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Gospel: 

Monday: (John 3) Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews comes to Jesus wondering about where he is able to do the great miracles and teachings. He tries to understand.

Tuesday: (John 3) Jesus answered Nicodemus saying, “you must be born from above” to accept this testimony.

Wednesday (John 3) God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but that the world might be saved through him.

Thursday (John 3) Jesus explains that he was come from above and speaks of the things that are from above. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.

Friday (John 6) Near a Passover feast, Jesus miraculously feeds the hungry crowds as a good shepherd would. He reminds the people that the actions in his earthly life were precursors of the meal that they are to share. They are to eat his body and drink his blood. 

Saturday (John 6) Jesus then departs to the other side of the sea. When a storm picks up, he walks on the turbulent waves and instructs them not to be afraid. He is with them. He has power over the natural and supernatural world.

Saints of the Week

April 21: Anselm, bishop and doctor (1033-1109), was a monastic abbot in Normandy who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 after the Norman conquest of England in 1066 when the English hierarchy was displaced. Church-state relations peppered his term, but he became known to the church because of his theological and philosophical treatises, mostly for his assertion about the existence of God – an idea greater than that which no other idea can be thought. His method of theology is summed up in “faith seeking understanding.”

April 22: Jesuits honor Mary as the Mother of the Society of Jesus. In the Gesu church in Rome, a painting of Our Lady of the Way (Maria della Strada) is portrayed to represent Jesuit spirituality. Mary had been a central figure to Ignatius’s spirituality. In 1541, seven months after papal approval of the Jesuit Order and two weeks after his election as the first general, Ignatius celebrated Mass at Our Lady’s altar in the basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls in Rome.

April 23: George, martyr (d. 303), was killed in Lydda, Palestine. He may have been a Roman soldier who organized a Christian community in what is now Iran (Urmiah). He became part of the Middle Ages imagination for his ideal of Christian chivalry and is thought to have slain a dragon. He was sent to Britain on an imperial expedition. He became the patron of England (and of Crusaders) and the nation adopted George’s Arms, a red cross on a white background, which is still part of the British flag.

April 23: Adalbert, bishop and martyr (956-997), was Bohemian-born who was consecrated bishop of Prague amidst fierce political opposition. He was exiled and became a Benedictine monk in Rome that he used as a base to preach missions in Poland, Prussia, Hungary, and Russia. He is named the "Apostle to the Slavs." He was killed in Gdansk, Poland.

          April 24: Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr (1578-1622), was a canon lawyer from Swabia, Germany who became a Capuchin Franciscan  in Switzerland in 1612. Prior to priesthood, he tutored nobles in France, Italy and Spain and helped interpret legislation that served the poor. He was known as the "lawyer for the poor." He was later appointed to the challenging task of preaching to the Protestants in Switzerland, where he was killed for being an agent for the king. He was the head of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in anti-Catholic hostilities. He was accused of being the king's political agent and was assaulted and killed.

April 25: Mark, the Evangelist is the author of the earliest Gospel and is associated with Peter whom he heard preach. Mark was a member of the first Christian community in Jerusalem and his mother owned a house in the city that was used as a place of prayer during Peter's imprisonment under Herod Agrippa I. He was originally a companion of Paul and Barnabas having traveled with them back to Antioch in Syria. Later, they brought him along as their assistant on a missionary journey. He is associated with Peter’s ministry later in life. He was sent to Alexandria and formed a church that is now known as the Coptic Orthodox Church.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Apr 19, 1602. At Tyburn, Ven. James Ducket, a layman, suffered death for publishing a work written by Robert Southwell.

·      Apr 20, 1864. Father Peter de Smet left St Louis to evangelize the Sioux Indians.

·      Apr 21, 1926. Fr. General Ledochowski sent out a letter De Usu Machinae Photographicae. It stated that cameras should belong to the house, not the individual. Further, they should not be used for recreation or time spent on trifles rather than for the greater glory of God.

·      Apr 22, 1541. Ignatius and his first companions made their solemn profession of vows in the basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls.

·      Apr 23, 1644. A General Chapter of the Benedictines condemned the calumny that St Ignatius was not the real author of the Spiritual Exercises. A monk had earlier claimed that the content was borrowed from a work by Garzia Cisneros.

·      Apr 24, 1589. At Bordeaux, the Society was ordered to leave the city. It had been falsely accused of favoring the faction that was opposed to King Henry III.

·      Apr 25, 1915. Pierre Rousselot, Professor at the Institute Catholique in Paris, is wounded and taken prisoner during World War I.