The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) will be holding its first webinar on Integral Human Development on September 7th . Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB, the Some may be prompted to ask: what is Integral Human Development? What is the role of the InCommission?theCuria, the core administrathat focuses on the mission of the Church, another guides the Church on liturgy and worship and there are a number of others. In each conference of bishops, in our case Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation - September 1
September 1
https://issuu.com/catholicstandard Editorial:On Integral Human Development p2 MOC celebrate patronal feast p2 Pope calls for end to horror, madness on six month anniversary of war in Ukraine p3 A Christian Perspective on Social Issues p4 Sunday Scripture p5 NicaraguanpolicecontinueharassingCatholics p6 Wisdom of old age is a beacon for future generations, pope says p7 ServiceatHomeforthoseunabletoattendMass p8 Children’s Page p9 61st anniversary of St. Pius X Church p12 Anniversary Mass at St. Joseph Lay Ministers Formation commences Mass and Confirmation at Holy Bishop’s Engagements
Dear brothers and sisters!
Integral Human Development
“Listen to the voice of creation” is the theme and invitation of this year’s Season of Creation. The ecumenical phase begins on 1 September with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and concludes on 4 October with the feast of Saint Francis. It is a special time for all Christians to pray and work together to care for our common home. Originally inspired by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, this Season is an opportunity to cultivate our “ecological conversion”, a conversion encouraged by Saint John Paul II as a response to the “ecological catastrophe” predicted by Saint Paul VI back in 1970. [1] If we learn how to listen, we can hear in the voice of creation a kind of dissonance. On the one hand, we can hear a sweet song in praise of our beloved Creator; on the other, an anguished plea, lamenting our mistreatment of this our common home. The sweet song of creation invites us to practise an “ecological spirituality” ( Laudato Si’, 216), attentive to God’s presence in the natural world. It is a summons to base our spirituality on the “loving awareness that we are not disconnected from the rest of creatures, but joined in a splendid universal communion” ( ibid., 220). For the followers of Christ in particular, this luminous experience reinforces our awareness that “all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being” ( Jn 1:3). In this (please turn to page 11)
Missionaries of Charity celebrate patronal feast
Pope Francis said that the meaning of this is that “The duty of solidarity requires us to seek fair ways of sharing, so that there is no longer that dramatic inequality between those who have too much and those who have nothing, between those who discard and those who are discarded. Only the path of integration between peoples can permit to humanity a future of peace and hope. “ He added that this also means the integration of all those elements of which it is truly constituted. “The different systems: the economy, finance, labour, culture, family life, and religion are, each in its own way, essential components of this growth. None of them can be treated as absolute and none of them can be excluded from a concept of integral human development which considers that human life is like an orchestra that sounds good only if the different instruments are in accord and follow a score shared by all. Who is the example of the most fully integrated human? Francis explained, “God has made Himself fully known in Jesus Christ: in Him, God and humans are not divided and separated. God became man to make of human life, both personal and social, a concrete path to salvation. So the manifestation of God in Christ including his acts of healing, liberation, and reconciliation that today we are called to offer in turn to the many injured who lie by the roadside shows the way and the form of service that the Church intends to offer to the world” Jesus himself tells us clearly Thomas said, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?'
Parentson.bring their children into contact with persons who they esteem, grandparents, good friends and so on. If they love Our Lord Jesus Christ, if he is someone important in their lives, someone who they prize above all, they cannot but teach their children to speak to him. Secondly, children copy their parents. If the parents are believers, the children will automatically join in. There is in fact nothing more effective than example. Leon Jeetlall
Hence Catholic Christians keep one hour free for the celebration of the Eucharist as the kernel of the ThisSunday.excellent practice is confirmed by a church precept for which many are grateful since they know that it has helped them to be faithful in making this very obvious gesture towards God. An hour a week is not much for those who believe that their lives and happiness come from the hands of God. The existence of this obligation to go to Mass on Sunday does not mean that one does not come with love. The precept is often an assurance against laziness and carelessness. It sets one free to do something in which one finds one’s real joy. What is to be done when growing children come to a stage when they refuse to go to Mass on Sunday. Scientists are more convinced that the child gets their humanity or civilization from the world around him especially from his parents. This means that the parents transmit to the child the best of their human qualities. Those who gratefully acknowledge their faith as their greatest possession, the deepest truth they know cannot but wish to pass it
Jesus said: I am the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him. Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and then we shall be satisfied.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father, so how can you say, "Show us the Father"? (Jn 14, 6 Can9) we say truly that we know and follow Jesus in Human Integral Development? How do we know him? These are among the questions will be explored and shared in the Webinar dialogue and listening to each other of the AEC Commission on Integral Human Development led by Bishop Francis Alleyne, Chairman of the Commission on 7 September. ❖
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, August 26th, 2022 Page 2
EDITORIAL
The Missionaries of Charity celebrated their patronal feast on Monday August 22nd. The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of our Joy and Queen of the World, is the official title given to Mary as the patroness of the Missionaries of Charity. Sisters from New Amsterdam joined those at Houston for Holy Mass. ❖ (Catholic Media Guyana Facebook page)
Dear Editor, Not to have to work is an almost divine Sunday,feeling.theLord’s day is meant to be this way. It is to be a day of festival of being something more than human, of knowing what one works for, of thanksgiving for what one has got. It is a breathing space in the atmosphere of God. Not to have to work is a sort of divine experience. Our Lord Jesus Christ said “The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath”. (Mk. 2:27) Since New Testament times Christians have chosen the day of the resurrection as the Lord’s day. The day after the Sabbath they came together and celebrated the Eucharist and later took their solemn weekly Sundayrest.still means the same to us.
On 4 April 2017, 50th anniversary of the publishing of Pope Paul VI’s important encyclical letter Populorum Progresio (On the Development of all People) Pope Francis instituted a new department (Vatican Ministry) for “at the service of INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. In a major reorganization of the Vatican, It brought together the major areas of the Church’s work for “Justice and Peace,” “all the Charitable organization initiatives of the Catholic Church,” “Care of Migrants and Refugees,” Pastoral Care of Health Workers” under Francis’ direct leadership.
BY MIKE JAMES
Nothing more important than example
The pope also asked people to remember all the other wars being waged around the world, such as in Syria and Yemen, where children are suffering from hunger. He also highlighted the plight of the Rohingya people, “who wander the world because of the injustice of being driven off their land.”
VATICAN CITY (CNS) Marking the six month anniversary of the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for prayers for an end to “the horror of war.” Praying for all those being held prisoner, for the dead, for orphans and refugees, the pope also called for “concrete steps” to be taken “to end the war and avert the risk of a nuclear disaster in Zaporizhzhia,” a city in southeastern Ukraine and home to Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the plant, which has been under Russian occupation since March. At the end of his general audience talk in the Paul VI hall Aug. 24, Pope Francis repeated his calls for peace, recalling the day marked six months since the start of the war. “I renew my invitation to implore the Lord for peace for the beloved Ukrainian people who for six months now have been suffering the horror of war,” he said. The pope said he was praying for those who have been imprisoned, particularly those who are in a vulnerable or “fragile condition,” and he called on authorities “to work for their liberation.” “I think of the children, so many dead, and so many refugees, many of whom are here,” he said, indicating a number of Ukrainians seated in the Vatican audience hall. “So many wounded. So many Ukrainian and Russian children have become orphans. Orphanity has no nationality. Both Russians and Ukrainians have lost a father or mother,” he said.
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, August 26th, 2022 Page 3 Pope calls for end to horror, madness on 6 month anniversary of war in Ukraine The Diocese of Georgetown announces the commencement of the next three segment Lay Ministers’ Formation Programme. All interested persons are invited to participate, especially new or potential Lay Ministers (Catechists, Altar Servers, EMHC, Lectors, Choir members or anyone involved in lay ministry) or anyone who thinks they need a refresher. The Programme will be held via Zoom on Saturdays from 2:45 pm 4:45 pm commencing September 3rd 2022 Meeting ID: 815 5614 2686 Passcode: 445718 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81556142686? pwd=c1l5bDVTQU8vbEJnQ1QxNTVZZGRxQT09 Segment 1: 03 Sep to 26 Nov 2022 Segment 2: 04 Feb to 01 April 2023 Segment 3: 22 April to 17 June 2023 PROJECTED SYLLABUS 1. Some days of Retreat: General themes of Ministry 2. Bible 1: Gospel of Matthew 3. Bible 2: The Book of Psalms: Bible, Spirituality & Liturgy. 4. Bible 3: Biblical Spirituality, Lectio Divina etc. 5. Christology: Who is Jesus? Bible, history, spirituality. 6. Homilies:preaching/sharingtheWord 7. History & Spirituality of the Guyanese Church 8. Understanding the Eucharist: Bible, history, spirituality 9. The Sacraments: initiation, vocation, Christian living. 10.Liturgy 1: Introduction to worship; the Paschal Mystery; the Liturgical 11.Year.Liturgy 2: Liturgical spirituality; Devotions; Cult of the Saints 12.The Church: People of God 13.Understanding Vatican II 14.Social Teaching of the Church 18.17.16.15.ImprovingyourskillsinCommunicating.BasicPastoralCounselling.MinisteringtotheMarginalised.ArecentPapalDocument:LaudatoSi/FratelliTutti/other? Lay Ministers’
“But today, in a special way, six months since the start of the war, let us think of Ukraine and Russia, two countries I consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that she, a true mother of these beloved countries, that she looks upon Ukraine and Russia and brings them peace. We need peace,” he said.❖
Ukrainian refugees carrying the Ukrainian flag attend Pope Francis' weekly general audience at the Vatican Aug. 24
The pope said his mind was also on the amount of cruelty on display and the number of innocent people “who are paying for the madness.” Pope Francis again criticized all those who profit from wars, including those selling arms, calling them “delinquents who murder humanity.”
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By GHK Lall A Christian Perspective on Social Issues Ways of the worldoverpower,intrude,thewayofJesus(Part1)
For the abolition of the death penalty We pray that the death penalty, which attacks the dignity of the human person, may be legally abolished in every country.❖ Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our Throughpriests. them, we experience your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your Grantpeople.them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen
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I peer into the struggles of our times, and I think I know what is one of the prime contributions responsible, one of the main ingredients lacking. When the ways of Jesus, as enshrined so faithfully and powerfully in scripture should take hold and govern the lives of frail human beings, I regret and am ashamed that the ways of the world have come to infiltrate, infect, and incite too many in a different direction. So many, is my thinking, that I am willing to conclude that it could be the Imajority.lookat America, and there it is in shambles in its social environment, in its political upheavals. In the middle of that, though some would find the time and energy to deny or ridicule, there is another dreadful toxin. It is called the racial problem, to state it gently. After almost a century and a half beyond its bloody Civil War to remove the yoke of a race based slavery system, it is as if that war never ended, but has rebounded from its restless slumber with once suppressed, now renewed vigor. If after near 150 years of trial and error, ups and downs, progress and retreat, this is where matters rest in arguably the most advanced civilization today, if not ever, then I contemplate what this could hold, how much it may mean, for a sickly society like Guyana. In this wounded, weakened, wretched cluster of communities and neighborhoods called a nation and it is the frailest of ones, indeed the outlook doesn’t look too appealing or optimistic for citizens laboring against the tide of an environment settled in, and all too fasstandingbeourareaslagestheancepillarsourThistenedto,itswaysofnowancientduration.iswhenourChristians,especiallyCatholics,shouldbestandingasofsobrietyandwisdom,indefi-ofwhatsweepsreflexivelyacrosscrowdedcity,andthehuddledvil-andspacesdottingthepopulatedofthislargeland.ThisiswhenChurch,anditsmembers,oughttothemessengersandspokespeopleupfortruthandjustice,and the ways of Jesus. Where are they? Both Church and parishioners taking a stand inside the sacred spaces, standing for something that Jesus would have stood for, and still do? Eternally. Jesus was for brotherhood. As I see it, read it, and hear it (yes, I hear it all the time in our sanctuary of worship); about the grandeur of this love, this principled love that is merciful and forgiving, and which bears no grudges, and which helps us to blaze a path for others to follow, both inside and outside the holy spaces. It is part of following Jesus, and it is not easy, which is for sure, and surely an understatement of a particular kind. We talk about the love Jesus showed for us, the love he left for us nay, commanded us to embrace and yet, we are so, oh so, different. As should be obvious by now, on this day, I am being unduly careful with the language. Not for fear of offending, because if that has to be, it will be. But because, the objective is to open eyes and hearts, for all of us (myself at the top of the list) to dare to peak inward for a start. Only a little, then some more, and for there to be the discovery that we have allowed not Jesus to guide our pathways, but the world to overtake us, and consume us, and carry us away in its wash and wake. Be it America or Guyana, there is this new and deep consciousness about identity, and the arrangement of who should be where, and in and on top, and who should be out and kept out, as well as down. It is killing us by a death of a thousand cuts, the sword that cleaves us to our souls, as Jesus himself had warned would be a significant aspect of our hard lot. It is what converts us away from Jesus, and condemns us to follow cravenly in the ways of the world. I say it here and now, and sharply in this instance: the ways of the world are not the ways of Jesus, or of what was left as our standards in the Holy Bible, or what we have come to know are of God Withouttions. a doubt, we know, but is what we eagerly ignore, despite all our talk of love. And I compress it in all of its ugliness and the vileness of its poisons. It is of two heads on one body in this country. It is called our politics, and where there is politics, there is that other monster that proudly goes by the name of race. We have to be the most hard hearted people on this planet. The wandering, settled, and frequently disobedient Israelites had their law. We have the love that Jesus gave to us and left us, and that adds to the law first, and then ultimately triumphs over that same law, in the crucible of challenge, in those tough, unbearable, and intolerable choices to be made.
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SECOND READING: Hebrews 12:18 19. 22 24 You have to come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a first born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.
Today’s readings remind us of a chief virtue that characterizes the Christian steward: humility. This is a virtue that is widely thought of as a form of self abasement. That understanding, however, is off the mark. Humility is simply the awareness of who (and Whose) we truly are.
Behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord. My son, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver. The greater you are, the more you should behave andhumbly,then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble.
Gospel Acclamation Jn 14: 23 Alleluia, alleluia! If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Alleluia! or Mt 11: 27 Alleluia, Shoulderalleluia!myyoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart. Alleluia!
Jesus goes on to encourage us to serve and share our blessings with people facing circumstances that would make it impossible for them offer us any worldly advantage or prestige “the poor, the crippled, the lame.” Our attitude and the way in which we serve and share should be centred on true humility recognizing that we are all “little” ones in the eyes of God. We are all His children; brothers and sisters invited to our Father’s heavenly banquet. ]
On one hand, we are children of the Most High God who loved us into existence and who, by virtue of our Baptism, have the Holy Trinity dwelling within us. On the other hand, we are children who are completely dependent on God for our existence and for every breath we take. Our Lord speaks of true humility in our Gospel passage from Luke, telling the parable of the guests invited to a wedding banquet and instructing us not to seek a place of honour at the banquet table, lest a more distinguished guest arrives and we are asked to move to a lower place.
On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man”. And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher”. In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’ Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’ ❖
There is no cure for the proud man’s malady, since an evil growth has taken root in him. The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.
Response: In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.
1. The just shall rejoice at the presence of God, they shall exult and dance for joy. O sing to the Lord, make music to his name; rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. Response
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67
Jesus has much more in mind here than an etiquette lesson. He is reminding us that all glory belongs to God. The visual image He offers in having to slink down to a lower seat at the table points out how silly we are when we forget to give God the credit for our blessings and talents. On the other hand, when we live in humility recognizing that all we have is a gift from God and using those gifts to serve Him and others then God “exalts” us by filling us with even more of Himself and His grace.
2. Father of the orphan, defender of the widow, such is God in his holy place. God gives the lonely a home to live in; he leads the prisoners forth into freedom. Resp.
3. You poured down, O God, a generous rain: when your people were starved you gave them new Itlife.was there that your people found a home, prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor. Resp.
FIRST READING: Ecclesiasticus 3:17 20. 28 29
GOSPEL: Luke 14:1. 7 14
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted .
❖ [www.catholicsteward.com/blog/
Photos posted to social media showed police and paramilitaries surrounding St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Masaya, Nicaragua, Aug. 21 the same day Pope Francis expressed “concern and sorrow” for the situation in Nicaragua, where the Catholic Church has suffered increasing persecution from the regime of President Daniel BishopOrtega.Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa remains under house arrest in Managua after being seized in an Aug. 19 raid on the diocesan offices. The 11 other priests and laity arrested alongside the bishop continue languishing in the notorious El Chipote political Cardinalprison.
As pope calls for dialogue, Nicaraguan
Reflection
“The Vatican has preferred a quiet, backdoor engagement with the government to try and persuade it to downscale its repressive tactics and resume talks with the opposition, rather than public condemnation,” said Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst for the International Crisis Group.
Aroundequipment.the world, especially in the Americas, Catholic leaders issued statements expressing their solidarity with the people and the church in Nicaragua and urging Catholics to pray for peace.❖
Leopoldo Brenes of Managua visited Bishop Álvarez Aug. 19 and described the bishop as “physically deteriorated, but spiritually strong,” according to the Nicaraguan bishops’ conference. The bishops’ statement was subdued a reflection of the risks of speaking out in Nicaragua, though prelates outside the country were more vocal.
I want to tell Nicaraguans not to lose hope; let us trust in the Lord and pray for Bishop Rolando Álvarez and the priests of Matagalpa and the others who are imprisoned together with other laypeople, and all the political prisoners of these countries,” Auxiliary Bishop Silvio José Báez said in his Aug. 21 homily, delivered in Miami, where he is exiled. His comments followed Pope Francis’ call for dialogue in Nicaragua, where church charitable projects have been prohibited, priests arrested and stopped from celebrating Mass and the Missionaries of Charity expelled. During his Aug. 21 Angelus address, Pope Francis did not specifically mention Bishop Álvarez’s arrest, but he prayed for peace in the country through Mary’s intercession.
In a 2021 interview with Catholic News Service, Bishop Álvarez defended the dialogues, which he said were held as Nicaragua was literally bleeding to death, and it was necessary for all the parties directly involved to sit down and talk to make an effort to find a solution.”
The Nicaraguan bishops mediated a national dialogue in 2018 after protests erupted, demanding Ortega’s ouster. The talks broke down, however, as the bishops saw little goodwill on the government side.
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, August 26th, 2022 Page 6 Gospel
From: Journeying with the Word of God, The Religious Education Department, Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana ] (CNS) Following the arrest of a bishop and 11 others, police continued harassing Nicaraguan Catholics, even as Pope Francis called for “open and sincere” dialogue in the Central American country.
“This stems from the understanding that the louder and more outspoken is the critic against Ortega the more livid the presidential couple’s reaction is going to be, and any feeble communication channel still possibly open is likely to be shut,” he added. s wife, Rosario Murillo, is vice
Bishop Álvarez said of the church’s experience since 2018: “We have vividly experienced what the spirit of Pope Francis means when he has called us to build a field hospital in churches, which have since been even more open.” He continued, “We have experienced firsthand what it means to be a church in exodus, a church that leaves its parishes, a church on the periphery accompanying the most vulnerable, the poorest, the simplest, a church that we have not only lived conceptually, but experientially.”
(CNS photo/Mayela Lopez, Reuters)
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Humility is a word that does not mean much in our society today. It gives the impression of being meek and timid. Many people feel that you cannot succeed in the world while being humble because it means putting aside your own interest in favour of that of another person. It seems to go against the way of modern onesociety ’s own interest for the sake others. Does it mean that most people are out to benefit at the expense of others? On the other hand, we notice that today First Reading suggests that a humble person is more open to God and so is more likely to find favour with the Almighty. This is because in order to humble ourselves, we have to let go of those things that give us a false sense of importance and superiority and which separate us from Generosityothers.ingiving has always been considered an important part of being a Christian. In fact, you can tell a true Christian from those who pretend to be one by the presence or absence of generosity in giving, even if it is only some of your time. But giving by itself is not all. We hardly ever think of the quality of our giving. It is the way we give and the spirit in which we give, that is important. Today’s Gospel sets a very high standard for us in our act of giving. Jesus points out that true giving happens when nothing is expected in return. We know that the Lord is not like we are when it comes to giving. The Lord is the greatest giver of all. For one thing, he gives to those who are at times most undeserving of his gifts. We are invited to the banquet of God’s love and we take our places as children of our loving Father, neither grasping for a place of honour nor holding back out of fear. We answer God’s loving invitation with our own loving response. God calls us, welcomes us and puts us to sit down where we belong, in the company of those who pay attention to God’s Word, who listen with open hearts for God’s wisdom. Remember it is not the place that honours the guest, but the guest that honours the place. [
A Nicaraguan exiled in Costa Rica holds a poster with a Vatican City flag during the "Vigil of Faith and Freedom" outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Jose, Costa Rica, Aug. 19, 2022. The vigil was to protest the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, Nicaragua.
A priest in Nicaragua, who preferred anonymity for security reasons, called the papal comments, “bittersweet,” They say the pope was not explicit, but at least he broke the s call for dialogue was met with skepticism by many Nicaraguans open and sincere’ dialogue to restore peaceful coexistence in Nicaragua, as Pope Francis proposes, is only possible without a police state, without political prisoners, and with international guarantors who supervise the agreements,” tweeted prominent Nicaraguan journalist Carlos F. Chamorro, editorial director of the news organization Confidencial.
“
The National Police said Bishop Álvarez was under investigation for “trying to organize violent groups, inciting them to execute acts of hate against the population, provoking an environment of chaos and disorder, disturbing the peace and harmony in the community with the objective of destabilizing the Nicaraguan state and attacking the constitutional authorities.”
This announcement came on the heels of Bishop Álvarez vociferously objecting to regulators ordering the closure of Catholic radio stations in the Diocese of Matagalpa; parishioners had tried to impede police confiscating
Gospel: In today’s Gospel, Jesus urges his followers not to covet places of honour but to always act unselfishly.
From: Journeying with the Word of God, The Religious Education Department, Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana ]
In his catechesis, the final in a series of talks on old age, the pope reflected on the recent feast of the Assumption, which he said served as a reminder that “the destination is heaven.” For Christians, he explained, death is “a little like a second birth.” “If the first was a birth on earth, this second is a birth in heaven,” the pope said. “Just as, in the moment we come out of our mother’s womb, we are still ourselves, the same human being that was in the womb, so, after death, we are born to heaven, to God’s space, and we are still ourselves, who walked on this earth.”
MAKING THE WORD OF GOD YOUR OWN Step 1: Lookattoday’sReadingsprayerfully.
3.Make a great effort to let humility be your motto in dealing with others, starting this coming week.❖
2.Write out what you consider to be the characteristics of Christian giving. Talk to someone (a friend, a spouse, a fellow worker, your children) about these characteristics.
Step 3: Accepting the message of God’s Wordinyourlifeoffaith
Step 2: ApplyingthevaluesoftheReadings toyourdailylife.
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The Risen One lives in God’s world, where there is a place for everyone, where a new earth is being formed, and the heavenly city, man’s final dwelling place, is being built,” he said. A life lived according to the Gospel, he added, prepares Christians for the passage into eternal life and “puts us in tune with the unprecedented destination of the life we sow.” “Our whole life appears like a seed that will have to be buried so that its flower and its fruit can be born. It will be born, along with everything else in the world. Not without labor pains, not without pain, but it will be born. And the life of the risen body will be a hundred and a thousand times more alive than we have tasted it on this earth, the pope said.
“This wisdom of old age is the place of our gestation, which illuminates the lives of children, of young people, of adults, of the entire community. We, the elderly should be this for others; a light for others,” he said.
2nd Reading: While Mount Sinai was the place where the old covenant was made, Mount Zion stands for the heavenly Jerusalem. There all those of the new covenant are equal in dignity.
Pope Francis attends the weekly general audience at the Vatican Aug. 24, 2022. (CNS photo/Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters)
Wisdom of old age is a beacon for future generations, pope says Journeying with the Word of God
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, August 26th, 2022 Page 7
VATICAN CITY (CNS) Elderly men and women are called to pass on their wisdom and shine a path toward a better tomorrow for future generations, Pope Francis said. As one approaches the final leg of their mortal journey, little details, such as “a caress, a smile, a gesture, an appreciated effort, an unexpected surprise, a hospitable cheerfulness, a faithful bond become more acute,” and what is most essential in life “becomes definitively clear to us,” the pope said Aug. 24 during his weekly general audience.
Step 4: Somethingtothink&prayabout
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the pope continued, and his subsequent appearance to his disciples are a source of hope that allows Christians to see death not as an end, but as “a kind of step toward the encounter with Jesus, who is waiting for me to bring me to (God).” “
Pope Francis called on all Christians to “hope for this fullness of life that awaits us all, that is not “a bored expectation but rather “an expectation with eager anticipation.” “Yes, dear brothers and sisters especially you elderly the best of life is yet to come. ‘But we are old, what more is yet to come?’
The best, because the best of life is yet to come,” the pope said. Death may cause “a little bit of fear, because I don’t know what this passage means, and passing through that door causes a little fear, but there is always the hand of the Lord that carries us forward, and beyond the door there is a feast,” he said. ❖
4.What do you consider to be the things that give you a false sense of importance and superiority and which separate you from others?
2.Jesus tells us to invite the beggars, the crippled, the lame and the blind. Whom do you consider to be the beggar, the crippled, the lame and the blind in your neighbourhood, your workplace, and your church community?
1.List all the things you need to do, to let go of, to change or to put in order of priority in your life in order to live the Gospel this coming week.
1st Reading: Praise is given to the person who is humble. A humble person is open to God and never rejects wisdom, no matter where it comes from.
3.How does the Gospel challenge whom you welcome into your life, in your family, in your workplace, in your parish community?
1.What do you think is the wisdom in the advice to “be gentle in carrying out your business and you will be better loved than a lavish giver”? Is this the way the world thinks today?
To give is not a luxury for a Christian. It is our first and basic duty as followers of Christ. It is something so obvious that we shouldn’t even have to talk about it. The Christian idea of giving is when the giver doesn’t know to whom he or she is giving and when the receiver doesn’t know from whom he or she is receiving.
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C
LORD’S PRAYER As children of God, let us pray to him in the words of Jesus his Son: Our Father......
LEADER: Jesus invites us to the table which he has prepared for the weak and the poor. Though we cannot receive him today let us invite him into our hearts as we pray the Act of Spiritual Communion
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❖ [Diocesan Liturgy Commission ] those unable to attend Mass
LEADER: Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us our pride; free us from the urge to be recognized and Enable us to renounce the quest for power and privLetilegeus always honour the presence of your Son in the little and the lowly, recognizing in them our sisters and brothers whom you welcome to your table. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy GodSpirit,forever and ever. Amen.
ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL LEADER: With those considered the last and least in society, let us bring our prayers and petitions before the Lord who hears the cries of the poor. Family members are invited to make their petitions.
PREPARATION: • • • • Select 2 or 3 hymns that everyone knows LEADER: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen “In truth I tell you once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I am there among them.” (Mt: 18:19 20) The Candle is now lit LEADER: Honour, prestige and social status are attitudes we sometimes seek, the Lord warns that this is not the Christian way. Let us ask his forgiveness. (PAUSE) Lord Jesus, you came among us not to be served but to serve; Lord, have mercy. Christ Jesus, you invite everyone to the table of your festive meal; Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you exalt the humble of heart and humble the proudhearted; Lord, have mercy.
The Gospel of the Lord A Short Reflection can be given or a period of silent reflection
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you.
Service at Home for
READINGS 1stReadingistakenfromEcclesiasticus3:19 21,30 31 Responsorial Psalm 67:4 7,10 11 2nd Reading is taken from Hebrews 12:18 19,22 24 GOSPEL (Luke 14:1,7 14) A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St Luke On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’ Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’
Amen LEADER: Let us pray: Hear us, O Jesus, meek and humble of heart. Deliver us, Jesus, from the desire of being honoured, from the desire of being praised, from the desire of being preferred to others, from the desire of being consulted. Deliver us, Jesus, from the fear of being humiliated, from the fear of being despised, from the fear of suffering rebukes, from the fear of being forgotten, from the fear of being ridiculed, from the fear of being wronged. Jesus, grant us the grace to desire to be humble in all that we do. Amen.
BLESSING May God the Father, who invites us to his heavenly kingdom, strengthen us in his love. Amen May God the Son, from whom all good things come, sustain us in our faith. Amen. May God the Holy Spirit, who raises up those who are bowed down, lead us to ever greater hope. Amen. And may almighty God bless us; In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Girls and Boys, In today’s gospel reading we learn about humility. Jesus says: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted. To exalt oneself is to be filled with pride. We can sometimes get all puffed up like a balloon with our own importance. We think we are great and we expect everyone else to think so too. Maybe it is because we are so good looking, or maybe it is because we are so smart. Maybe we are really good in sports, or perhaps we are the best singer in the choir. Sooner or later, if we keep getting puffed up with our own importance, something will happen to burst our balloon. Jesus warned us that this would happen.
The Bible teaches us that if we are too proud and think too highly of ourselves, we are headed for a fall. On the other hand, if we are humble, and realize that it is through God's strength that we are able to do great things, we will be given a place of honour in the kingdom of God. Jesus, help us to be humble. Remind us that whatever abilities we have are a gift from you and that you are the one who deserves the praise! Amen. ❖
[ NFC Sources: http://www.sdc.me.uk , http://www.catholickidsbulletin.com/, http://www.sermons4kids.com , http://www.salfordliturgy.org.uk & https://thekidsbulletin ]
Happy are those people who are fair, who do what is right at all times.
Psalm 106:3
The first of the webinars will be on Wednesday 7th September 2022 at 18:00 hrs when the Commission will reflect on the formation of the human conscience and the biblical and synodal perspectives of Integral Human Development. This Webinar will be open to all but is especially addressing itself to those already engaged in social outreach and members of Diocesan Commissions for Integral Human Development. Save the date, look for the link and join us in this first crucial conversation.❖ Register by using this link: forms.gle/ZsTwwLTPnLAAqF4R9https://
All powerful God, With humble hearts and heads bowed down, We thank you for the gifts which we have taken for granted. We thank you for life, health, joy, and peace. We thank you for our families, friends, and neighbours. We thank you for our country, its natural beauty, and its diverse Wepeoples.thank you for our earth which provides all that we need to sustain ourselves so that we can live. In this time of illness, confusion, and Lookfearupon your people with mercy and love. Forthose already afflicted, We ask you to touch them with the grace of healing and Fordeliverance.thosewho are vulnerable, lonely and fearful, Wipe away their tears and help them totrust. We pray for all the essential workers especially those in healthcare, education, agriculture, and lawenforcement. Bless their hearts, hands, and minds as they respond with generosity to the cries of your Blesspeople.your people here in GuideGuyana.the leaders of our country, that they may take wise decisions that will benefit us all. Help us to reach out to the poor, lonely, vulnerable, and fearful wherever they may be. We are on the same boat, fragile and disoriented, called to row together and comfort each other. Protect us, heavenly Father, so that we may be spared the worst of this illness and receive those who have died into your loving Weembrace.make this prayer in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.❖
Guyana prays for the cure to COVID-19
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Join in the conversation on Integral Human Development (From p1) In a “Motu Proprio” (a formal pronouncement of the the Pope) of 17th August 2017, Pope Francis established the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. In that document Pope Francis stated: In all her being and actions, the Church is called to promote the integral development of the human person in the light of the Gospel. This development takes place by attending to the inestimable goods of justice, peace and the care of creation….. This Dicastery will be competent particularly in issues regarding migrants, those in need, the sick the excluded and marginalized, the imprisoned and the unemployed, as well as victims of armed conflict, natural disasters and all forms of slavery and torture.
The concept of Integral Human Development can be traced back to Pope Paul VI in his Encyclical (official letter of the Pope to Bishops of the Church) “Populorum Progressio” (Progress of peoples). Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis in particular in subsequent encyclicals have further articulated for us the understanding of Human Development and what constitutes its being Integral. The Popes speak of the blossoming of each human person given their gifts, potential, opportunities and possibilities, it is about each person becoming the best expression of themselves. That it becomes integral is about the development that happens because of our communion with others, in family, with the wider community and at the national, regional and global platforms of life. Most of all it happens because of our deep communion with the divine, with our creator in Jesus Christ and moved by the Spirit. It is the Gospel call to have life and have it abundantly, have it to the full. Or in the words of St. Irenaeus “the glory of God is in the person fully alive, but the life of every person is the vision of God”.
The AEC Commission for Integral Human Development will be reaching out to the Dioceses in the region with a series of Webinars in an effort to reflect with the faithful of the region on the evidence of God’s glory alive among his people of the Antilles and on ways to develop and further enhance that glory. Our reflections would also address the elements in our region that threaten the life and development of God’s people, to name those elements and articulate the steps necessary to reduce and eliminate those threats.
September 1 October 4 2022 Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (From Front Page)
CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, August 26th, 2022 Page 11 Season of Creation, we pray once more in the great cathedral of creation, and revel in the “grandiose cosmic choir” [2] made up of countless creatures, all singing the praises of God. Let us join Saint Francis of Assisi in singing: “Praise be to you, my Lord, for all your creatures” (cf. Canticle of Brother Sun). Let us join the psalmist in singing, “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!” ( Ps 150:6). Tragically, that sweet song is accompanied by a cry of anguish. Or even better: a chorus of cries of anguish. In the first place, it is our sister, mother earth, who cries out. Prey to our consumerist excesses, she weeps and implores us to put an end to our abuses and to her destruction. Then too, there are all those different creatures who cry out. At the mercy of a “tyrannical anthropocentrism” (Laudato Si’, 68), completely at odds with Christ’s centrality in the work of creation, countless species are dying out and their hymns of praise silenced. There are also the poorest among us who are crying out. Exposed to the climate crisis, the poor feel even more gravely the impact of the drought, flooding, hurricanes and heat waves that are becoming ever more intense and frequent. Likewise, our brothers and sisters of the native peoples are crying out. As a result of predatory economic interests, their ancestral lands are being invaded and devastated on all sides, “provoking a cry that rises up to heaven” (Querida Amazonia, 9). Finally, there is the plea of our children. Feeling menaced by shortsighted and selfish actions, today’s young people are crying out, anxiously asking us adults to do everything possible to prevent, or at least limit, the collapse of our planet’s ecosystems. Listening to these anguished cries, we must repent and modify our lifestyles and destructive systems. From its very first pages, the Gospel calls us to “repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Mt 3:2); it summons us to a new relationship with God, and also entails a different relationship with others and with creation. The present state of decay of our common home merits the same attention as other global challenges such as grave health crises and wars. “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (Laudato Si’, 217). As persons of faith, we feel ourselves even more responsible for acting each day in accordance with the summons to conversion. Nor is that summons simply individual: “the ecological conversion needed to bring about lasting change is also a community conversion” (ibid., 219). In this regard, commitment and action, in a spirit of maximum cooperation, is likewise demanded of the community of nations, especially in the meetings of the United Nations devoted to the environmental quesThetion. COP27 conference on climate change, to be held in Egypt in November 2022 represents the next opportunity for all to join in promoting the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement. For this reason too, I recently authorized the Holy See, in the name of and on behalf of the Vatican City State, to accede to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, in the hope that the humanity of the 21st century “will be remembered for having generously shouldered its grave responsibilities” ( ibid., 65). The effort to achieve the Paris goal of limiting temperature increase to 1.5° C is quite demanding; it calls for responsible cooperation between all nations in presenting climate plans or more ambitious nationally determined contributions in order to reduce to zero, as quickly as possible, net greenhouse gas emissions. This means “converting” models of consumption and production, as well as lifestyles, in a way more respectful of creation and the integral human development of all peoples, present and future, a development grounded in responsibility, prudence/ precaution, solidarity, concern for the poor and for future generations. Underlying all this, there is need for a covenant between human beings and the environment, which, for us believers, is a mirror reflecting “the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying”. [3] The transition brought about by this conversion cannot neglect the demands of justice, especially for those workers who are most affected by the impact of climate change. For its part, the COP15 summit on biodiversity, to be held in Canada in December, will offer to the goodwill of governments a significant opportunity to adopt a new multilateral agreement to halt the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of species. According to the ancient wisdom of the Jubilee, we need to “remember, return, rest and restore”. [4] In order to halt the further collapse of biodiversity, our God given “network of life”, let us pray and urge nations to reach agreement on four key principles: 1. to construct a clear ethical basis for the changes needed to save biodiversity; 2. to combat the loss of biodiversity, to support conservation and cooperation, and to satisfy people’s needs in a sustainable way; 3. to promote global solidarity in light of the fact that biodiversity is a global common good demanding a shared commitment; and 4. to give priority to people in situations of vulnerability, including those most affected by the loss of biodiversity, such as indigenous peoples, the elderly and the young. Let me repeat: “In the name of God, I ask the great extractive industries mining, oil, forestry, real estate, agribusiness to stop destroying forests, wetlands, and mountains, to stop polluting rivers and seas, to stop poisoning food and people”. [5] How can we fail to acknowledge the existence of an “ecological debt” (Laudato Si’, 51) incurred by the economically richer countries, who have polluted most in the last two centuries; this demands that they take more ambitious steps at COP27 and at COP15. In addition to determined action within their borders, this means keeping their promises of financial and technical support for the economically poorer nations, which are already experiencing most of the burden of the climate crisis. It would also be fitting to give urgent consideration to further financial support for the conservation of biodiversity. Even the economically less wealthy countries have significant albeit “diversified” responsibilities (cf. ibid., 52) in this regard; delay on the part of others can never justify our own failure to act. It is necessary for all of us to act decisively. For we are reaching “a breaking point” (cf. ibid., 61).
During this Season of Creation, let us pray that COP27 and COP15 can serve to unite the human family (cf. ibid., 13) in effectively confronting the double crisis of climate change and the reduction of biodiversity. Mindful of the exhortation of Saint Paul to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep (cf. Rom 12:15), let us weep with the anguished plea of creation. Let us hear that plea and respond to it with deeds, so that we and future generations can continue to rejoice in creation’s sweet song of life and hope.
❖ Rome, Saint John Lateran, 16 July 2022, Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel FRANCIS [1] Address to F.A.O., 16 November 1970. [2] SAINT JOHN PAUL II, General Audience, 10 July 2002. [3] Address to the Meeting “Faith and Science towards COP26”, 4 October 2021, [4] Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, 1 September 2020. [5] Video Message to Popular Movements, 16 October 2021.
From your communion of love your Word went forth to create a symphony of life that sings your praise. By your Holy Wisdom you made the Earth to bring forth a diversity of creatures who praise you in their being. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal Youknowledge.called human beings to till and keep your garden. You placed us into right relationships with each creature so that we could listen to their voices, and learn how to safeguard the conditions for life. But we turn in on ourselves and away from our co creatures. We close our ears to the counsel of our fellow creatures. We fail to listen to the cries of the poor and the needs of the most vulnerable. We silence the voices of those who hold the traditions that teach us to care for the Earth. We close our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining Word that calls to us through the Scriptures. We lament the loss of our fellow species and their habitats that will never speak again. We grieve the loss of human cultures, along with the lives and livelihoods that have been displaced or perished. Creation cries out as forests crackle, and animals alike flee the fires of injustice that we have lit by our unwillingness to listen. In this Season of Creation, we pray that you would call to us, as from the burning bush, with the sustaining fire of your Spirit. Breathe upon us. Open our ears and move our hearts. Turn us from our inward gaze. Teach us to contemplate your creation, and listen for the voice of each creature declaring your glory. For “faith comesfrom hearing.” Give us hearts to listen for the good news of your promise to renew the face of the Earth. Enlighten us with the grace to follow the Way of Christ as we learn to walk lightly upon this holy ground. Fill us with the hope to quench the fires of injustice with the light of your healing love that sustains our common home. In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news to all creation, Jesus Christ. Amen
cornerstone by Assistant Parish Priest Fr. Carl Philadelphia, which was followed by a sacred dance by the St. Pius X Dance Group. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Joel Thompson SJ, along with Msgr. Montrose and Fr. Carl Philadelphia. Deacon Joseph Oguejiofor, who will be ordained to the priesthood in September, assisted. Parishioners of St. Pius X were joined in the celebration by parishioners of the other two communities in the South Georgetown Cluster of Parishes Our Lady of the Mount, Meadow Bank; and Holy Spirit, North Ruimveldt; as well as persons from the Cathedral parish. Gifts were presented to Msgr. Montrose, as well as to Fr. Joel, Fr. Carl, and Deacon Joseph. Gifts were also presented to several parishioners as a token of appreciation of their dedicated service in performed another dance, and all present were invited to partake of breakfast, which was followed by a time of socialising and the playing of a variety
Augustine was born in North Africa in 354 AD. A Christian at 33, a priest at 36, a bishop at 41: Many people are familiar with the biographical sketch of Augustine of Hippo, sinner turned saint. But really to get to know the man is a rewarding experience. There quickly surfaces the intensity with which he lived his life, whether his path led away from or toward God. The tears of his mother, the instructions of Ambrose and, most of all, God himself speaking to him in the Scriptures redirected Augustine’s love of life to a life of love. Having been so deeply immersed in creature pride of life in his early days and having drunk deeply of its bitter dregs, it is not surprising that Augustine should have turned, with a holy fierceness, against the many demon thrusts rampant in his day. His times were truly decadent politically, socially, morally. He was both feared and loved, like the Master. The perennial criticism leveled against him: a fundamental rigorism. In his day, he providentially fulfilled the office of prophet. Like Jeremiah and other greats, he was hard pressed but could not keep quiet. “I say to myself, I will not mention him,/I will speak in his name no more./But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,/ imprisoned in my bones;/I grow weary holding it in,/I cannot endure it” (Jeremiah 20:9). ❖ [http://www.americancatholic.org ]
From Left: Msgr. Terrence Montrose, Fr. Carl Philadelphia, Fr. Joel Thompson SJ and Deacon Joseph Oguejiofor at the blessing of the cornerstone at St Pius X church’s 61st anniversary, August 21st 2022.
St. Pius X church celebrates 61st anniversary, Fr. Monty’s
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Saint of the Week
August 28 St. Augustine of Hippo
