Monday, May 02, 2011

Mass of thanksgiving for beatification of Pope Blessed John Paul II



YouTube - Mass of Thanksgiving for Beatification of Pope Blessed John Paul II

The following excerpt is from Catholic Online:

VATICAN CITY, (VIS) - At 10:30 Monday morning in St. Peter's Square, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., secretary of state, presided over the thanksgiving Mass for the beatification of Pope John Paul II. The liturgical texts were those of the new Blessed.

The celebration included music performed by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome, with the participation of Warsaw's Polish Union of Choirs and the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra of Katowice. Preparation for the holy rite began at 9:30am with the reading of poems by Blessed John Paul II in alternation with pieces performed by the orchestra and choir. Before Holy Mass, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, addressed those present.

"The dialogue of love between Christ and the human person characterized the entire life of Karol Wojtyla ...", Cardinal Bertone said in his homily. "We all recall how, on the day of his funeral, during the ceremony there was a moment when the wind shut the book of the Gospels placed on the coffin. It was as if the wind of the Spirit wanted to signal the end of the spiritual and human existence of Karol Wojtyla, illumined by the Gospel of Christ. With this Book he discovered God's plan for humanity and for himself, but he also learned of Christ, His face and His love, which was always a call to responsibility for Karol".

"He was a man of faith, a man of God," the cardinal emphasized. "His life was a constant prayer that lovingly embraced all who inhabit our planet, created in the image and likeness of God, and therefore worthy of the greatest respect; redeemed by Christ's death and resurrection the human person is therefore truly become the living glory of God. Thanks to the faith that he expressed, above all, in prayer, John Paul II was a true defender of the dignity of every human person and not a mere activist for political or social ideologies".
 
Read More: Pope John Paul II

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Angelic Tails: True Stories of Heavenly Canine Companions



Angelic Tails: True Stories of Heavenly Canine Companions

This newly released book is by author Joan Wester Anderson, renown for writing books on angelic visitations and miracles.  The book is published by Loyola Press.

The following excerpt is from Loyola Press:

Angelic Tails is a collection of down-to-earth true stories from ordinary people who believe that God has graced their lives through heavenly canine companions. Each of the 30 stories challenges readers to reconsider their conception of angels—from the story of a former Air Force colonel whose golden retrievers served as his heavenly helpers in the Colorado wilderness to the account of St. John Bosco, who, for more than 30 years, was protected by an angelic dog as he walked the dangerous city streets. In the end, for all who see through the eyes of faith, this book is evidence that God can use even muddy paws and cold noses to fulfill his purposes in our world.

Joan Wester Anderson has been a freelance writer and public speaker for almost thirty years. Her fifteen books include the New York Times Bestseller Where Angels Walk (Ballantine Books, 1993) and Where Wonders Prevail (Ballantine, 1997), and she is a popular guest on radio and television talk shows. The mother of five adult children and grandmother of two, she lives in Prospect Heights, Illinois.

Visit her website: Joan Wester Anderson

Read more: Loyola Press