Tag: Saint

At the name of Jesus…

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bowIf you have ever visited an Eastern Catholic parish or Eastern Orthodox parish, you will have noticed that whenever the Trinity or any of the divine names are mentioned, the priest and people will cross themselves and incline their heads in a bow, even if only slightly.

This is a practice I really like and I’ve often wished that this would be more present at western parishes. Well, I recently found out that, at least in theory, it should happen there too…

The place where you discover this is the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), which is basically a commentary on the Missal, explaining how Mass should be celebrated:

A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.
– GIRM 275

How about that?! I did a little more digging and found out that this practice has considerable antiquity. For example, in the 13th Century, the Fathers of the Council of Lyons seem to have been inspired by the epistle to the Philippians where St. Paul talks about how “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10). Here’s what the Council said:

Each should fulfill in himself that which is written… that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious name is recalled, especially during the sacred mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head.
– Council of Lyons II, Constitution 25

So, even if it’s not common practice in your parish, I’d invite everyone to follow the guidance offered to us by the GIRM and to honour the Lord, His Mother and His Saints with this small gesture of reverence.

Catholic Bucket List #6: Read some CS Lewis

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Today we have something of a rather odd Catholic Bucket List item:

Catholic Bucket List #6: Read some CS Lewis

cs-lewis

This is something of an odd Bucket List item since CS Lewis isn’t, in fact, Catholic. However, he is an absolutely terrific writer. This year I have read four C.S. Lewis books and have been so impressed by his depth of thought and refined style. His insight into spiritual battle and temptation in The Screwtape letters is so insightful. His articulation of the Christian faith in Mere Christianity is just superb.

However, you don’t have to read this theological works to fulfill this bucket list item though. Lewis was a writer of some wonderful fiction. I grew up with my mother and sister reading The Chronicles of Narnia to me and they were some of the first books I read myself when I was able. In fact, I would go so far as to invite you, if you have not yet read them, to read The Chronicles of Narnia. In the past few years I have made new friends who have never read them before. When I discover this to be the case, I immediately go out and buy a set for them.

Hippolytus Of Rome…Saint and Anti-Pope

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Hippolytus was an Early Church Father who lived in 3rd Century Rome and the story of his life is a particularly colourful one. He was the first Anti-Pope of the Catholic Church, setting himself up as Bishop of Rome in competition with with Pope Callixtus, and later with his successors Urban and Pontianus.

Yet, despite all this, we also call him Saint Hippolytus. How did the first Anti-Pope also manage to be declared a Saint of the Catholic Church? Good Question! Jimmy Akin has the Catholic answer…

Quite some time ago in the JP2 Group we read through Apostolic Tradition, a work attributed to St. Hippolytus. I have just finished recording the text onto MP3:


Apostolic Tradition – St. Hippolytus of Rome

Many thanks to the members of the JP2 Group for being my congregation! 😉

Saint of 9/11

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Have you ever heard of Fr. Mychal Judge? I hadn’t until I watched “The Saint of 9/11” on Hulu. He was a Franciscan Priest who died with those at the Twin Towers. Click on the image below to watch the documentary in Hulu (US Only).

Living life like the Max

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Today is the feast day of one of my favourite Saints, the great St. Maximilian Kolbe.

I’m not really sure why, but I can’t recall hearing stories of the lives of the Saints whilst I was growing up, despite being in Catholic education for most of my schooling.  I actually first heard the story of Maximilian Kolbe whilst visiting a Protestant church.  For me, this was an often-repeated irony, having actually been introduced as an adult to the Saints by a Baptist Pastor!

When I first heard his story in that Protestant church, Maximilian was quite-rightly held up as a model of Christ-like behaviour.  Unfortunately, I also remember it was in a sermon where he was contrasted with another figure who was specifically identified as Catholic, whereas Maximilian’s background was not mentioned.

It was only when I started to read more about him and his story that I discovered that he was not only Catholic, but a priest and at that time, to my horror, someone with a very strong Marian devotion.

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