Inspired by Truth, Enlightening Minds for the Church in Canada and Throughout the World
Inspired by Truth, Enlightening Minds for the Church in Canada and Throughout the World
A young Karol Wojtyla, while discerning his vocation as he matured in his hometown of Wadowice, thought of becoming a Carmelite, drawn to their contemplative life and deep spirituality, prayer, devotion to Our Lady, silence, and total focus upon God. His spiritual director recommended rather that he follow the path to the diocesan priesthood –[…]
Around this time of year in the Office of Readings, or Lauds, we follow the travails of the prophet Elijah from the Book of Kings, his battle with the Ahaz, the false prophets of Ba’al, the whole spiritus mundi – and the Jezebel behind the throne. He was indeed a ‘burning fire’, refusing to compromise[…]
(In light of the today’s feast of Saint Bonaventure, here are some thoughts on the great Franciscan cardinal, scholastic, doctor of the Church and mystic from Pope Benedict XVI, whose doctorate followed the thought of the saint’s historical theology. Bonaventure was a contemporary, collaborator and colleague of the Dominican Saint Thomas Aquinas, another ‘doctor’, and[…]
BENEDICT XVI GENERAL AUDIENCE Saint Peter’s Square Wednesday, 17 March 2010 [Video] Saint Bonaventure (3) Dear Brothers and Sisters, This morning, continuing last Wednesday’s reflection, I would like to study with you some other aspects of the doctrine of St Bonaventure of Bagnoregio. He is an eminent theologian who deserves to be set beside another great[…]
BENEDICT XVI GENERAL AUDIENCE Paul VI Audience Hall Wednesday, 10 March 2010 Vatican Basilica To participants in the Pilgrimage of the Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation Dear Brothers and Sisters, I am glad to receive you in this Basilica and to address my cordial welcome to each one of you. I greet the pilgrimage promoted by the Don[…]
In beautiful things St. Francis saw Beauty itself, and through His vestiges imprinted on creation he followed his Beloved everywhere, making from all things a ladder by which he could climb up and embrace Him who is utterly desirable. (Saint Bonaventure, +1274)
(The young Josef Ratzinger completed his doctorate on the thought of Saint Bonaventure, and his devotion is evinced by his giving not just one, but three full addresses on the great Franciscan. So these are personal for the former pontiff and, as he says, nostalgic. We would do well to ponder them on this feast).[…]
(This year, I have the great grace of being in Assisi on the feast of this great Franciscan saint – more to say on that. For now, some words on Bonaventure, the ‘second founder’ of the Franciscan Order, which continues to do great things for God). Some of the ‘Doctors of the Church’ have epithets,[…]
I left off these reflections with my arrival in Florence, after the Purgatory – I will not say hell, for it had its end – of the overnight bus ride across the border. I now take them up again as I depart. I do not wonder that the bus drivers – and so many others[…]
A true saint for our times is the one we celebrate today – Camillus de Lellis (+1614) (we will follow the Canadian calendar, and for those American readers who would like to reflect on Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, please see here). Camillus was born in what is now Abruzzo, in Naples, in 1550. His father was[…]
