For your June Calendar

Here are some dates you might want to remember during June:

• June 1 - Global Day of Parents
• June 3 - Birthday of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt (1817-1881), Founder of the Sisters of Christian Charity
• June 4 - International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
• June 5 - World Environment Day
• June 8 - Feast of the Sacred Heart
• June 12 - World Day Against Child Labor
• June 14 - Eid al-Fitr begins at sunset
• June 15 - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
• June 17 - Father's Day
• June 19 - Juneteenth (Emancipation Day)
• June 20 - World Refugee Day
• June 23 - Public Service Day
• June 26 - International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

On the Call to Holiness in Today's World

In April, we introduced  Gaudete et Exsultate, the Holy Father's Apostolic Exhortation "On the Call to Holiness in Today's World."  Today, we will begin to share excerpts of the letter, whose goal is to "repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities" (n. 2).

"'A great cloud of witnesses' (Hebrews 12:1) impels us to advance constantly towards the goal.  These witnesses may include our own mothers, grandmothers or other loved ones (cf. 2 Tim 1:5).  Their lives may not always have been perfect, yet even amid their faults and failings they kept moving forward and proved pleasing to the Lord" (n. 3)

"The saints in God's presence preserve their bonds of love and communion with us. . . . Each of us can say: 'Surrounded, led and guided by the friends of God . . . I do not have to carry alone what, in truth, I could never carry alone.  All the saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me and to carry me'" (n. 4, quoting Pope Benedict XVI).

Rest in Peace, Sister Henry!

The Sisters of Christian Charity mourn the loss of Sister Henry Lambert, SCC, who died on Friday.  A tribute to Sister Henry from today's Williamsport (PA) Sun-Gazette ("Sister Henry Lambert: A City Servant and Sister of Mercy") can be found here and Sister's obituary can be found here.

As the founder of St. Anthony's Center and St. Anthony's Clinic in Williamsport, Sister Henry dedicated so much of her life to serving the "least" of our brothers and sisters.  She was known for her charitable works throughout Lycoming County, PA and beyond.  The picture below is taken from a very large mural in Williamsport, "Inspiration Lycoming," by Michael Pilato.  In the mural, Sister Henry is depicted cooking for the hungry she served every day for over 40 years.

Rest in peace, Sister Henry!  "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Stop Trafficking

The May issue of Stop Trafficking is available here.  This issue highlights how vulnerability among children leads to exploitation and sex trafficking.

Happy Feast of Blessed Pauline!

Faithful readers may recall that on April 14, when we celebrated the anniversary of the beatification of Pauline von Mallinckrodt, we referred to the homily of Pope John Paul II during the beatification liturgy in 1985.  Several of you expressed interest in reading the entire homily. 

We thought that today, when the Church observes the Feast of Blessed Pauline (1817-1881), it would be appropriate to share an English translation of the homily.  Through the wonders of technology and the kindness of Sister Adalberta in Germany, we are able to share the text, which appeared in an article in the May 13, 1985 issue of L'Osservatore Romano. Click here to access the article. 

Here are some excerpts of the Holy Father's homily:

"The spiritual message of the new Blessed, Pauline von Mallinckrodt, can be summed up in a very relevant and concrete philosophy of life: to follow Christ unreservedly in unshakable faith; to love God and lovingly to dedicate oneself to the most lowly and poor, for the sake of Christ.

. . .

Hers was a conscious and courageous faith.  It allowed her to endure pain, bitterness and many trials, and it showed itself in her complete and unreserved love for Jesus Christ and his Mother Mary.  Full of confidence and trust she left herself in their hands.  Striving for God and his greater glory she grew in grace, for she constantly drew strength from prayer in the context of a profound eucharistic life.

. . .

Her plans were daring; but she knew how to wait in quiet and humble restraint for the time which God would choose.  Her work grew successful, though only amid continual struggles and difficulties.  The time of its greatest growth also saw the coming of a destructive storm, persecution under the laws of the Kulturkampf.  But here too Mother Pauline showed her interior openness to the will of God and was ready and able to encounter trials, and make her Way of the Cross.

The life of Mother Pauline is an example to us.  In answer to the anxious unrest of modern man she shows us a way to inner peace: by courageously and trustingly seeing God in one’s suffering brother and sister.  Thus her message has relevance today too, for the search for God is always relevant."

Happy Feast of Blessed Pauline!

Blessed Pauline, we pray to you:  Lead us to God!

For your May Calendar

Here are some dates you might want to remember during May:

• May 1:  International Workers' Day/Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
• May 10: Feast of the Ascension
• May 13: Mother's Day
• May 15:  Ramadan begins at sunset
• May 20: Pentecost
• May 28:  Memorial Day

Earth Day 2018

Click here to access resources for the 48th anniversary of Earth Day (today) from Catholic Climate Covenant.  Resources are also available here from the Catholic Health Association of the United States, where you will find a prayer from St. Basil the Great: 

Oh God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things; with our brothers the animals to whom you gave the earth as their home in common with us.  We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high domain of  humans with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to you in song, has been a groan of travail.  May we realize that they live not for us alone, but for themselves, and for you, and that they love the sweetness of life.  Amen.