ISSUE # 37 April-June 2009 | News

The Church Promotes Contemplative Tourism

World Tourism Day will be celebrated on September 27 and this year’s theme is “Tourism – Celebrating Diversity” as announced through a pastoral message by the Pontifical Council for Migrants
and Travelers.

The message acknowledged that diversity is “a positive factor, something good and not a threat or a danger.” It further noted that tourism can be “an occasion for dialogue and listening… it puts people in contact with other ways of living, other religions, other ways of seeing the world and its history.”
Signed by the council president Archbishop Antonio Maria Viglio and secretary Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, the pastoral message
affirmed that God is the source of diversity and “the Creator was the
first to contemplate the beauty-goodness of all that he had made.”

Benedict XVI Reflects on Michaelangelo’s
Art Works in the Pauline Chapel

As Pope Benedict XVI led vespers one Saturday in the newlyrestored Pauline chapel located within the Apostolic Palace, he said that this private chapel is a place where one can learn about faith from Sts. Peter and Paul and meditate on the Eucharist. Focusing on the faces of the Apostles in the paintings, the two final works of Michaelangelo, the Pope said that St. Paul’s face “reveals the maturity of a man illuminated from within by Christ the
Lord” while that of St. Peter’s seems to show “the state of mind of a
man facing death and evil.” He further shared that the Eucharist is
the sacrament in which all the work of redemption is concentrated.

Year of the Priesthood Motivation
for Ongoing Formation for Priests

As part of initiatives for the Year of the Priesthood, the Commission for the Clergy of the Regional Bishops’ Conference in Taiwan entrusted to the Taiwan major Seminary the task of organizing an ongoing formation course for priests. The course aims to “help priests… to distinguish more clearly between the vocation of priests and the vocation of the laity…” The Commission said that all local priests ordained in the last 10 years are enjoined to participate in the course which will be held on August 17-28, 2009.

Vatican Press Office Director Comments on
Discoveries in Paul’s Tomb

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, affirmed recent discoveries that confirm Rome’s centrality to Christianity due to the presence and veneration of the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

In the latest episode of a weekly Vatican TV program, Lombardi explained that “Rome is the center of Christianity not because it was the capital of the ancient empire but because in it the princes of the Apostles suffered martyrdom and their tombs have always been looked after and venerated.” The priest also noted Pope Benedict
XVI’s announcement on scientific discoveries that “seem to confirm unanimous and undisputed tradition which claims the mortal remains of Paul.”

 

In Focus

CONGREGATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament was founded in Paris, France on May 13, 1856 by St. Peter Julian Eymard, a French priest. He found in the love of God manifested in the Eucharist that he found the answer to his search for a response to the needs and challenges of his time. He traced out for his companions and contemporaries a new form of life in the Church in response to this great love. The congregation’s original name in Latin is Societas Sanctissimi Sacramenti (SSS). There are a little less than a thousand priests, deacons and brothers present in 30 different countries throughout the world. The Philippine province or the Province of Our Lady of the Assumption, was established in 1993, being an Area Commission in August 15, 1957 to a Region in 1975 under the American Province. Like St. Peter Julian Eymard, the Blessed Sacrament Fathers and Brothers want the mystery of the Eucharist to be loved and lived in its fullness, believing that Christ in the Eucharist has the power to effect a radical transformation in our society and in all people. They believe that it is the power of the Eucharist that motivates and strengthens the congregation to work for the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom on earth. It is because of this that the celebration of the memorial of the Lord is at the center of their personal and communal life. They spend at least one hour each day in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This prayer forms part of the mission of the congregation and has priority in the life of each religious. The priests, brothers and deacons are involved in parish ministries and administration of Eucharistic shrine and retreat houses. Some of the religious are in special ministries such as teaching, school and hospital chaplaincies, formation and animation of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), mass media, liturgical research, Eucharistic evangelization, counseling, spiritual direction, charitable activities and administrative works.

For more information, please visit or call:

CONGREGATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
20 Sunnyside Drive, New Manila
Quezon City, Philippines
www.blessedsacramentph.org
723-8328, 724-6859