ST. MARY’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS) THOOTHUKUDI

CATECHISM

SECOND YEAR

Catechism Syllabus for Second Year 2013 – 2014 Chapter Page No

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I Gospel of St. Luke (Bible) Parables: Loss of Coin 1 Loss of Sheep Prodigal Son II Letters to the Romans Letters to the Galatians (Bible)

III Great Saints 1 St. Peter St. Paul St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest (1491 - 1556) St. , Apostle of and Japan 1506 – 1552 St. 1182 - 1226

IV Servite Congregation 10 Mother of Sorrows Servite Saints Seven Sorrows

V Vatican II 14

VI Sacraments 17 Reconciliation Confirmation Extreme Unction

VII Basics Christian Communities 21

VIII Hymns on the Holy Spirit 22

IX History of the 24 Our Lady of Snows Our Lady of Vailankanni Our Lady of Our Lady of Fátima Chapter I: Gospel of Saint Luke – Refer Bible Parables Loss of Coin Loss of Sheep Prodigal Son

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Chapter II 2.1. Letters to the Romans 2.2. Letters to the Galatians Refer the Bible

Chapter III: Great Saints

3.1 St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest (1491 - 1556) Ignatius was the last of eleven children born in the Loyola Castle in North of , of parents of high nobility. He was baptized Inigo. Ignatius himself dismisses his first 25 years on earth as a period given to vanities. He joined the army of king of Spain. A blow shook him out of his wordly existence. He was nursing the severe leg-wound he had received during his defence of Pamplona against the French King of Navarre. Throughout the agonizing operation, he showed great stamina and self-control, indicative of his unique strength of character. His only expression in his pain was his clenched fists!

To while away the period of convalescence, he asked for some romances of chivalry to read. But a Life of Christ and The Lives of Saints, (Flos Sanctorum), were the only ones he received. After perusing them, he would put them aside and dwell on day-dreams of past love-affairs. While reading about St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic, he questioned himself: “If they can do it, why can’t I?” While he found himself frustrated after the longing for his lady-love, his concentration on things spiritual brought him lasting comfort. Inigo could not simply brush aside the stirrings of the soul. He realized the great difference between the standard of the evil spirit and the other of God.

Actually, this was the starting point for Inigo of his religious experience. It had its revolutionary repercussions. From here he was zeroing in on achieving what is known as Ignatian charism. Without it, we can not think of the mission which he received from above and the way he fulfilled it. In 1522 he left home for ever as a penitent-pilgrim. One day he was riding his mule. Somewhere he met with a Moor. In the course of their conversation, the Moor cast a slur on the Blessed Virgin regarding her virginity. Some time after the departure of the Moor, Inigo ruminated about the slur by the Moor on Mary, vexed that he had lost an opportunity to defend Mary’s honour. So he decided to go back and meet the Moor to give him a few stabs of his dagger. But he allowed the beast to choose the way to or away from the Moor. But on retracing his steps he realized the Moor had simply disappeared. Ignatius was not yet spiritually mature. He then reached the goal of his Marian pilgrimage, Montserrat. There was a Benedictine monastery near the chapel. Here he had his night-vigil before the altar of the Virgin, preceded by a three-day long confession of his past life. At the end of it, he hung his sword and dagger at our Lady’s altar. He exchanged his clothes with a beggar for his sackcloth. With a pilgrim’s staff in his hand, he went on a pilgrimage. This was his final break with the world.

About this time he toyed with the idea of joining the but soon gave it up. He proceeded to a cave at Manresa. Manresa saw the birth of his life’s work. Later he always

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referred to his Manresa-experience. Here he had, as it were, wrestling with God. Here he experienced the effects of diverse spirits-the angel of darkness and the good angel.

He went about consulting spiritual directors. Since none had a similar experience, none could give him proper direction! Of his own accord he decided no more to repeat confessions of sins. He learnt to treat the past as past. Later he turned out to be the best of spiritual directors, having derived great help from his own temptations.

About this time he arrived at an all time important conviction that holiness consisted in the purification of the inner rather than the external. Hence he switched from excessive austerity to self-control of mind and imagination. In Manresa, he felt he was touched by the gentle hand of God. Once, he was on his way to the church of St. Paul. He sat down with his face towards the river Cardoner. The eyes of his understanding began to open. He understood many truths, spiritual as well as things about faith. Everything seemed to him to be new. The charity in his understanding was so unique that he did not receive anything similar in the rest of his life. As a byproduct, the art of of spirits reached now a new high.

Back in Spain, he realized it was God’s will that he should help his neighbours with the Spiritual Exercises for their true conversion and to deepen their Christian life. He felt the need of proper studies. Before going for studies, when he exercised his spiritual influence on his neighbours, he was misunderstood and put in chains in a dark dungeon of the for a month and a half. He endured it with exemplary courage. When they found his teaching was free from heresy, he regained his freedom.

He proceeded to Paris for theological studies. Remaining there for 7 years, he met his first companions and life-long friends, Peter Faber and Francis Xavier and four more companions, all university students. They planned to go to Jerusalem and if they were not allowed, then to go to Rome to present themselves to the . So they proceeded to Rome. On the way, a supernatural event took place of lasting importance both for the spiritual life of Ignatius and for the foundation of the . Now it is known as the of La Storta, a place near Rome. He saw clearly that the Father was placing him with Christ, His Son, Jesus with the cross on His shoulders appeared on the scene. The Father told Jesus: “I desire, you take this man for your servant.” Jesus turning to Inigo said: “It is my will that you serve us.” The Father’s words We will be propitious to you in Rome became the key to Ignatius’ unshakable trust in God’s guidance. The Society was canonically approved in 1540. the main agenda was Counter . Ignatius was unanimously elected as the General.

The Society for Inigo was not just another form of . It was an altogether new and double approach. “To seek by the salvation and perfection of one’s own soul and with equal zeal to seek the salvation and perfection of one’s neighbour.” It is Inigo’s burning apostolic zeal that is borne out in this approach. The radically different approach was due to new exigencies. Ignatius died in Rome in 1556, and was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.

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3.2. St. Francis Xavier, Apostle of India and Japan 1506 – 1552 Xavier was born in 1506. It was fourteen summers after Columbus’ first successful voyage. He was born in the Castle of Xavier, near Pampeluna in the Basque country of Spain. He was of a noble lineage in every respect. Francis was the youngest of the family. He was privileged to receive the best of education the ducal family could afford. At the age of seventeen he was sent to the Paris University. Having received his Master of Arts degree he taught philosophy. Before receiving his degree he had come under the spell of Ignatius of Loyola, his country-man. The latter had just formed a nucleus of young and energetic scholars which eventually was known as the Society of Jesus. Ignatius admitted that Francis was the toughest person to be tackled. But he won him over finally with finesse. Eventually in 1537 they were ordained priests.

Step by step Ignatius had exposed his plan of the salvation of souls to his companions. The typically Ignatian Spiritual Exercises uniformally groomed the youthful team to offer themselves to serve Christ’s cause without counting the cost. So he was finding ways and means to send his men to different parts of the world, beginning with India. Inigo arranged with the king of Portugal to take Francis and put him in Goa, India. But since the ship was not moving immediately, Xavier was staying in a hospital caring for the sick. Along with Rodriguez, his companion Xavier taught catechism in the neigbourhood.

When the voyage to India got started, the king presented to Xavier four briefs from Pope Paul III. So Xavier arrived in India as the papal legate as well as the evangelizer. After a dangerous and hectic voyage he landed in Goa on May 6, 1542. Already the Portuguese settlers had put up churches in Goa. But they were ambitious and avaricious to the core. Moreover, all the Portuguese were steeped in despicable vices. So, Xavier’s first job was to appeal to their saner senses and not to be a scandal to the pagans. They ignored the tenets and sacraments and tended to shock and alienate the pagans by their behaviour.

Soon by his zeal and tenderness he won the people’s respect and affection. He sent the tenets to rhyme, to fit popular tunes. These songs were sung everywhere, in fields, workshops, streets, homes and while going for fishing. In course of time Xavier learnt that along the southern Indian sea-coasts there were people known as Paravas who got converted earlier to avoid collision with Muslims. The Portuguese had converted them at not long ago. But they lacked religious instruction. So first he learnt the Tamil language of the Paravas. He reached Cape Comorin in 1542 itself.

Xavier extended his ministry up to the coastal villages of Travancore. There he founded forty-five churches. He also evangelized the poor fishermen along Kanyakumari coast. In village after village he baptized adults and children. They called him the Great Father. But he destroyed their temples and idols. As expected the Brahmins and the Muslims rose in rebellion. Often his hut was the target. They burnt it. Once he saved his life by hiding

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among the branches of a large tree. After this success, he journeyed to Mylapore to visit the tomb () of St. Thomas.

In 1545 he moved on to Malacca. There he spent four months. For the next eighteen months he travelled visiting the Spice Island which he calls Moluccas. After getting back, he sent three new Jesuits to this island. Before leaving, he had heard about Japan, not in the neighbourhood. After visiting the Fishery Coast and Ceylon once more, he reached Goa. He came across a Japanese convert of good repute, Anger by name. With him he had decided to enter Japan.

Kagoshima being Anger’s (later called Paul) native city, got permission from the Prince of Satsuma for Xavier to preach. While Paul translated and circulated the Creed, the catechism and the important prayers, Xavier studied the Japanese language. When once he mastered it he began to preach in Japanese. But since the Portuguese merchants abandoned the port of Kagoshima, and moved to Nagasaki, the Prince ran wild. This resulted in his withdrawing permission to Xavier to preach! He went one step further. He threatened his subjects with dire consequences if they got converted. So the same old trouble for Xavier from the Portuguese.

Analyzing the reasons for the setback, he intuitively sensed the Japanese mood. His evangelical poverty did not click. He had to change the tactics. He had to be handsomely dressed. He had to pose himself as the representative of the Portuguese king: To this effect he submitted letters. He offered lovely presents – a musical instrument, a watch and similar objects of curiosity. Xavier impressed upon the king that the presents came from the Indian authorities precisely for the emperor. He had to be princely dressed, which he did!

In 1551 Xavier left Japan leaving the converts under the care of Fr. Torres. He had stayed in Japan for nearly 2 years with a good harvest of souls. At Malacca he stayed longer than usual to know the feasibility of penetrating China. In any case Xavier was back in Goa in 1552. On the Fishery Coast the converts were flourishing. But, alas! they were pitiably exploited by the Portuguese.

After sending final instructions to his missionaries in the Diaspora, taking along with him one priest and four lay helpers Xavier set sail once more for the east. It was in 1552. On his part he reached the Chinese port of Shang-chuen, not far from Canton. Here he was forced to learn the royal Chinese spoken in higher circles and palaces. Here again there were some Portuguese trades. They were out to dissuade him. They feared Chinese reprisal on them for Xavier’s boldness. About this time, he was down with high fever. He took refuge on the Portuguese ship. But the rocking of the ship made his sickness worse. The sailors left him lying on the shore, exposed to piercing wind. Someone saw his plight. He carried him into the shelter of a nearby hut. For two weeks he lay there completely abandoned. It was his deathbed. He was praying ceaselessly in between periods of delirium. His strength was ebbing rapidly. On this day in 1552 with eyes glued on the crucifix with words, “In Te Domine, speravi, on confounder in aeterum” (I’ve put my trust, O Lord let me not be

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confounded) on his lips, he gave up his soul to his Creator. The following February his body was removed to Malacca and thence to Goa where it has remained incorrupt till date. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.

3.3. St. Francis of Assisi 1182 - 1226 John was Francis’ baptismal name. He was born in Assisi, . His father was a cloth merchant. He found his business thriving in . So out of love for France, he added the name of Francis to his son. At twenty Francis joined the town’s army in the war with Perugia. He was held a prisoner by the opposite camp. After a year of illness he mustered courage and joined the papal army. On his way he had the famous dream. He heard a voice “Follow the master and not the man.” He understood it was a clear call from Christ. He returned to Assisi. He took great interest in caring for the poor, and the sick and the lepers.

He had one more call in a dream in 1205. It came while he was at prayer in the church of San Damiano, near Assisi. The voice told him to repair the church “which as you see is in ruins.” He took up the challenge literally and at once. He began raising a fund. This included selling his precious clothes also. His father was intolerant and indignant. Francis was asked to pay back the money. To his father’s great dismay, Francis even renounced his very inheritance and handed over the clothes he wore as well. Francis was now the happiest man in the world with a mere workman’s dress.

He left Assisi and lived as a hermit for a space of two years. Complete poverty and full dedication to God gave him the greatest peace of soul. He collected alms and was personally engaged in repairing the church, in fact three neighbouring churches. In one of them the famous Portiuncula, during Mass he heard the Gospel-reading about Jesus sending the apostles to preach with but one tunic but no sandals or staff (Mt 10, 5-23). It did not take long for him to realise that this was his vocation. He began preaching metanoia (conversion) in the streets of Assisi.

Francis had such a magnetic attraction that soon a group of disciples rallied round him. They were known as Minor. They lived together in a primitive cottage. They observed strict evangelical poverty. They were not to own property. Francis got the Papal approval for it. He obtained also clerical status and a license to preach. They traversed throughout Italy. They attracted a large number of penitents. Many joined the group to evangelise and to observe strict poverty. Till the end, Fancis did not want to get ordained a priest. He held priesthood in high honour. Hence he remained a always. Antony of Padua joined the Friars Minor. His erudition was such that he was the first in the congregation appointed to teach theology to the students of the Friars Minor! About this time one of his sermons caught a very big fish-the young weak Clara, who a little later founded a congregation for young ladies, based on strict, evangelical poverty. She was attracted by Francis’ style of evangelical poverty.

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They moved in 1223 to a hermitage at Grecchio. It is here he built the first Christian crib. From here he moved a little further to La Verna. It is here he was blessed with the famous : the wounds were there; they bled, they hurt, they were clearly visible, though the stigmatist tried to hide them.

In the meantime his health was failing. He suffered from eye-infections too. He had stomach disorders also. He managed to pay a last visit to Clara at San Damiano. His final place of pilgrimage was at Portiuncula. He asked to be laid on the ground naked in imitation of our Lord. In this state his beautiful soul winged to heaven on 3rd October 1226. His remains were transferred to Assisi four years later when his successor Elias finished putting up a basilica there. But he had already been canonized 2 years earlier!

Some salient points to remember in connection with Francis’ legacy:

1. Francis’ radical movement of embracing poverty, came at a time, when the Church was seen as wealthy and corrupt. His spirituality was fully and purely evangelical. 2. But within the Order on account of this issue came a division. Those who strictly followed Francis’ approach to poverty became known as Friars Minor, the others as Conventuals. 3. In 1979 he who sang the Canticle of the Sun was proclaimed as the patron saint of Ecology and Ecologist. Such a proclamation relates him to one of world’s pressing problems today environment and its protection from pollution and destruction. 4. Though the congregation has as it were three divisions, First, Sound and – as a congregation having its origin and inspiration from Francis, they all serve as missionary vanguards.

5. For World-Peace lately, Assisi has become the converging point and pilgrimage centre. Pope John Paul II convoked the Prayer Meet of World Religious leaders thrice at Assisi to pray together.

3.4. St. Peter

Peter came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and was Andrew’s brother. They were fishermen, working with the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Peter and Andrew were the first to be called by Jesus to follow him, and “Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Peter was married, and Jesus cured his mother-in-law of a fever. His original name was Simon, or Symeon in the local Aramaic, but Jesus said he should be known as Cephas. Petros was another Greek word for rock, hence Peter, or Simon Peter, as he is often referred to in the New Testament, and the famous saying, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.”

He is given a leadership role in the New Testament texts, and it is he who makes the supreme confession of faith in Jesus: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” His name comes first in lists; he asks questions on behalf of the others; he is named first in key

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incidents such as the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration, and the agony in the garden. Yet he is no mere figurehead: his character comes across strongly from the texts: enthusiastic, as when he wants to make tents so that they can stay at the scene of the transfiguration; impulsive, as when he tries to walk across the waters of the lake to Jesus; with a streak of weakness, as shown by triple denial after Jesus’ arrest. This character is supported by an artistic tradition, firm from early times, which represents him as burly and thickly bearded, often contrasted with a thin, ascetic, sparsely bearded Paul.

After the resurrection, his triple denial is forgiven and, in Jesus’ final speech in John’s Gospel, mirrored in a triple commission: “Feed my lambs …. Tend my lambs … feed my sheep.” At Pentecost he is the first to address the crowds, astonishing them by the transformation from the cowed group hiding in an upper room, and telling them that God had poured out his spirit “that you see and hear”. He performs the first cure worked in the name of the risen Lord, faces up to the learned members of the Sanhedrin, confirms the first mission outside Israel, that of Philip the Deacon and is convinced that the good news must be taken to the Gentiles, through the dream related in Acts 10:9-16, in which God effectively overturns the Jewish purity laws in which he has been educated. He puts his new conviction into effect by baptizing the Roman centurion Cornelius and the members of his household. He then leaves James in charge of the Church in Jerusalem and undertakes a series of missionary journeys.

As the Church grew, so it aroused fears in the empire and incurred persecution. King Herod Agrippa had James killed and Peter arrested and imprisoned. He was dramatically rescued after which he seems to have withdrawn to safety for a time. He is heard of in Antioch and probably in Corinth. The First Letter of Peter is written from “Babylon” and this is generally taken to be authentic (though the Second Letter is much later), indicating that he was in Rome. It is generally accepted that he was martyred there under Nero (emperor from 54 to 68), but no written account has survived. The tradition that he was crucified, head down at his own wish so as not to be seen imitating Jesus, can be traced back to the early third century, and there is evidence from the catacombs that there was devotion to him and Paul in Rome by the same date.

Constantine built a basilica in the fourth century to house his tomb, holding bones moved from the catacombs. The present basilica was built on the same site in the sixteenth century, and excavations in the twentieth century seem certainly to have uncovered his tomb, even if they cannot prove that the bones it contains are his. If they are, the traditional representation of him as a man of heavy build, quite elderly by the time he died, is confirmed. Whatever his status was in Rome, it now seems that the tradition that he was martyred there is correct. This, added to the way he is portrayed in the New Testament, keeps his name at the head of lists of of Rome. He is patron of fishermen and regarded as holder of the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

3.5. St. Paul

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A Hellenistic Jew, St Paul is known worldwide as one of the earliest Christian missionaries, along with Saint Peter and James the Just. He was also known as Paul the Apostle, the Apostle Paul and the Paul of Tarsus. However, he preferred to call himself 'Apostle to the Gentiles'. Paul had a broad outlook and was perhaps endowed as the most brilliant person to carry Christianity to varied lands, such as Cyprus, Asia Minor (modern Turkey), mainland Greece, Crete and Rome. St Paul's efforts to accept gentile converts and make Torah unnecessary for salvation was a successful task.

Childhood Paul was born in Tarsus, in 10 AD, and was originally named Saul. Raised as a pharisaical Jew, he, in his initial years, even persecuted Christians, taking part in the stoning of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Being momentarily blinded by the vision of the image of resurrected Jesus, on the road to Damascus, led Saul to convert. He was baptized as Paul and went to Arabia for three years, indulging in prayers and reflection.

Coming back to Damascus, Paul again resumed his journey, but this time, the destination was Jerusalem. After 14 years, he again went to Jerusalem. Though the apostles were suspicious of him, St. Barnabas perceived his sincerity and brought him back to Antioch. During a famine, which struck Judea, Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Jerusalem, to deliver financial support from the Antioch community. With this, they made Antioch an alternative centre for Christians and a major Christian center for Paul's evangelizing.

Council of Jerusalem & Incident at Antioch Around 49-50 AD, an important meeting took place between Paul and the Jerusalem church. The focus of this meeting was to decide whether Gentile converts needed to be circumcised. It was at this meeting that Peter, James, and John accepted Paul's mission to the Gentiles. Though both Paul and Peter had made an agreement at the Council of Jerusalem, the latter's was reluctant to share a meal with Gentile Christians in Antioch and was publicly confronted by Paul. This is referred to as the 'Incident at Antioch'.

Resumed Mission In 50-52 AD, Paul spent 18 months in Corinth, with Silas and Timothy. Thereafter, he headed towards Ephesus, an important center for early Christianity since the 50s (AD). The next 2 years of Paul's life were spent in Ephesus, working with the congregation and organizing missionary activity into hinterlands. However, he was forced to leave on account of several disturbances and imprisonment. Paul's next destination was Macedonia, where he went before going to Corinth. After residing in Corinth for three months, he made a final visit to Jerusalem.

Arrest & Death In 57 AD, Paul arrived in Jerusalem with money for the congregation. Though reports state that the church welcomed Paul gladly, James had given a proposal that led to his arrest. Retained as a prisoner for two years, Paul had his case reopened when a new governor came into power. Since he appealed as a Roman citizen, Paul was sent to Rome for trial, by Caesar.

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However, on the way, he was shipwrecked. It was during this time that he met St. Publius and the islanders, who showered kindness on him. When Paul reached Rome, in AD 60, he spent two years under house arrest, after which he died.

Writings Thirteen epistles in the New Testament have been credited to Paul. Out of them, seven are considered to be absolutely genuine (Romans, First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, First Thessalonians, and Philemon), three are doubtful and the rest three are believed not to have been written by him. It is believed that while Paul dictated his epistles, his secretary paraphrased the gist of his message.

Along with the other works, the epistles of Paul were circulated within the Christian community and read aloud in churches. Most of the critics are of the opinion that the epistles written by Paul are one of the earliest-written books of the New Testament. His letters, mostly addressed to the churches he had either founded or visited, contained explanation of what Christians should believe and how they should live. Paul's works contain the first written account of what it means to be a Christian and thus, the Christian spirituality.

Paul and Jesus Instead of describing Christ, Paul's work concentrated on the nature of Christians' relationship with Christ and, in particular, on Christ's saving work (to give up His own life to safeguard others' life). Some of the life incidents of Jesus Christ, mentioned by Paul, are the Last Supper, His death by crucifixion and His resurrection. St Paul had written three doctrines - Justification, Redemption and Reconciliation. Paul said that Christ took the punishment on behalf of sinners, so that they are relieved off their divine retribution. In the doctrine of 'Justification', faith is regarded as the most vital constituent.

Paul argued that holding on Christ, at the time of His death and resurrection, a person would become one with the Lord. However, in terms of the release of soul, a person will achieve that on the grounds of His sacrifice. 'Redemption' is themed on freeing of slaves. Just as a specific price was paid to relieve a slave from the ownership of another, in the same way, Christ paid the price of His death, as a ransom, to relieve the common man from his sins. 'Reconciliation' deals with the fact that Christ brought down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles, created by law. The doctrine basically deals with the making of peace.

Holy Spirit Though it was permissible,Paul, in his writings, condemned eating the meats that had been offered to pagan idols. He had also written against frequenting pagan temples as well as orgiastic feasting. In the writing, the Christian community has been compared to a human body with its different limbs and organs, while the spirit is regarded as the Spirit of Christ. Paul believed that God is our Father and we are fellow heirs of Christ.

Relationship with Judaism Though not intended, Paul hastened the separation of the messianic sect of Christians from Judaism. His writing stated that faith in Christ was important in salvation for Jews and

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Gentiles alike, thus deepening the gap between the followers of Christ and mainstream Jews. Paul was of the opinion that Gentile converts need not become Jews, get circumcised, follow Jewish dietary restrictions or, otherwise, observe Jewish Law. He insisted that faith in Christ was sufficient for salvation and that the Torah did not bind Gentile Christians. However, in Rome, he emphasized on the positive value of the Law, to show God's reliability.

Resurrection Paul, through his writing, gave hope to everyone belonging to Christ, dead or alive, that they would be saved.

The World to Come The letter written by Paul, to the Christians - at Thessalonica, explicitly expresses the end of the world. When asked, what would happen to those already dead and when the end would be, Paul replied the age as passing. He assured the men that the dead would rise first, followed by the living. Though unsure about the exact time or season, Paul stated that there would be a war between Jesus Christ and the man of lawlessness, followed by the victory of Jesus.

Influence on Christianity St. Paul is said to have the greatest influence on Christianity. In fact, both Jesus and Paul seem to have equally contributed to Christianity. A significant author of the New Testament, Paul elevated the status of Christian church as the body of Christ and the world outside as under His judgment.

Chapter IV: Servite Congregation

Mother of Sorrows the Sorrowful or Mother of Sorrows and Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolors are names by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is referred to in relation to sorrows in her life.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary are a popular devotion. There are devotional prayers which consist of meditation on her Seven Sorrows. Examples include the Servite , or the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. Also, there is a corresponding devotion to the Seven Joys of Mary. The term “Sorrowful and ” refers to the combined devotion of both the Immaculate Heart and the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Servite Saints

St. Philip Benizi Servite Priest (1233 – 1285) St. Philip Benizi was born in on the Feast of the Assumption, 1233. That same day the Order of Servites was founded by the Mother of God. As an infant one year old, Philip spoke when in the presence of these new religious, and announced the Servants of the

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Virgin. Amid all the temptations of his youth, he longed to become a Servant of Mary, and it was only the fear of his own unworthiness which made him yield to his father’s wish and begin to study medicine. He received the bonnet of a doctor of medicine at Padua.

After long and weary waiting, his doubts were solved one day by Our Lady Herself, who in a vision during a Mass in Florence offered in the Servite Chapel, bade him enter Her Order. Still Philip dared only to offer himself as a lay brother; and saying nothing of his studies, in this humble state he strove to do penance for his sins. Two Dominican Fathers travelling with him one day recognized the great talents, wisdom and knowledge which he had succeeded in concealing. They talked to his Superiors, and he was told to prepare for the priesthood. As a priest he did immense good. He pacified many dissensions, common among the city-states of those days. One day he met a leper, almost naked, and having no money gave him his tunic. When the leper put it on, he was instantly cured.

Thereafter honors were accorded him in rapid succession; he became General of the Order and only by flight did he escape elevation to the Papal throne; he retired to a grotto in the mountains until the conclave had ended. His preaching restored peace to Italy, wasted by civil wars. He was sent not only to various cities of that country but to the Netherlands and , where he converted many, not without opposition and even a flogging by rebels. At the Council of Lyons, he spoke to the assembled prelates with the gift of tongues. Amid all these favors Philip lived in extreme penitence, constantly examining his soul before God, and condemning himself as only fit for hell.

Saint Philip, though he was free from every stain of mortal sin, was never weary of beseeching God’s mercy. From the time he was ten years old he daily prayed the Penitential Psalms. On his deathbed he recited verses of the Miserere, his cheeks streaming with tears; during his agony he went through a terrible contest to overcome the fear of damnation. But a few minutes before he died, all his doubts disappeared and were succeeded by a holy trust. He uttered the responses to the final prayers in a low but audible voice; and when at last the Mother of God appeared before him, he lifted up his arms with joy and breathed a gentle sigh, as if placing his soul in Her hands. He died on the Octave of the Assumption, 1285.

St. Peregrine Laziosi (1260 – 1 May 1345) St. Peregrine Laziosi is an Italian saint of the Servite Order ( Order Servants of Mary). He is the patron saint for persons suffering from cancer according to the .

He was born in Forli in the year 1260, in northern Italy, of a wealthy family. His parents and almost the whole city were anti-clergies. Once, the Pope sent a special representative to Forli to preach a sermon and try to win the people's hearts over to God. This representative was a saint called Philip Benizi. St. Philip preached to the crowd. At first, things went well and the people listened. Then, Peregrine showed up with his gang of troublemakers and they drove St. Philip from the pulpit. Peregrine went further than all of them and slapped St. Philip in the face. St. Philip offered the other cheek and forgave him.

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Peregrine was so full of remorse that he went back to St. Philip and apologized. After this, Peregrine did not feel like going with his friends anymore. He spent more time in prayer. Mary once appeared to him and directed him to go to Siena. There he joined the Servants of Mary or the Servites. The who received him was St. Philip Benizi. There he did penance for his sins.

One of the special penances he decided on was to stand whenever it was not necessary to sit. It is said that St. Peregrine did not sit for thirty years, which caused him to develop varicose veins and then cancer on his leg and foot. The sores became painful and doctors prepared to amputate his foot, but the night before the surgery was scheduled to take place Peregrine dragged himself to the foot of a crucifix and spent many hours in prayer. When he fell asleep he received a vision of Christ touching his foot. In the morning his foot was completely healed. He is therefore considered the patron saint of those suffering from cancer.

The Catholic Church canonized Peregrine in 1726. The liturgical feast of Saint Peregrine is on May 1.

St. (1270 – June 19, 1341) Juliana Falconieri was born in answer to prayer, in 1270. Her father built the splendid church of the Annunziata in Florence, while her uncle, Blessed Alexius, became one of the founders of the Servite Order. Under his care Juliana grew up, as he said, more like an angel than a human being. Such was her modesty that she never used a mirror or gazed upon the face of a man during her whole life. The mere mention of sin made her shudder and tremble, and once hearing, a scandal related she fell into a dead swoon. Her devotion to the sorrows of Our Lady drew her to the Servants of Mary; and, at the age of fourteen, she refused an offer of marriage, and received the habit from St. Philip Benizi himself. Her sanctity attracted many novices, for whose direction she was bidden to draw up a rule, and thus with reluctance she became founders of the "Mantellate." She led a life of apostolic charity, converting sinners, reconciling enemies, and healing the sick by sucking with her own lips their ulcerous sores. She was sometimes rapt for whole days in ecstasy, and, her prayers saved, the Servite Order when it was in danger of being suppressed. She was visited in her last hour by angels in the form of white doves, and Jesus Himself, as a beautiful child, crowned her with a garland of flowers.

She wasted away through a disease of the stomach, which prevented her taking food. She bore her silent agony with constant cheerfulness, grieving only for the privation of Holy Communion. At last, when, in her seventieth year, she had sunk to the point of death, she begged to be allowed once more to see and adore the Blessed Sacrament. It was brought to her cell, and reverently laid on a corporal, which was placed over her heart. At this moment she expired, and the Sacred Host disappeared. After her death the form of the Host was found stamped upon her heart in the exact spot over which the Blessed Sacrament had been placed. Juliana died in 1340 A.D. Immediately after her death she was honoured as Saint.

Seven Sorrows

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The Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary which are a popular devotion and are frequently depicted in art. It is a common devotion for Catholics to say daily one Our Father and seven Hail Mary for each.

1. The of Simeon or the circumcision of Christ. (Luke 2:34-35) 2. The flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13) 3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple. (Luke 2:43-45) 4. Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary. 5. Jesus dies on the Cross. (John 19:25) 6. Mary receives the body of Jesus in Her arms. (Matthew 27:57-59) 7. The body of Jesus is placed in the tomb. (John 19:40-42)

These Seven Sorrows should not be confused with the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Earlier, in 1233, seven youths in Tuscany founded the Servite Order (also known as the "Servite Friars", or the "Order of the Servants of Mary"). Five years later, they took up the Sorrows of Mary, standing under the Cross, as the principal devotion of their order.

Over the centuries several devotions, and even orders, arose around meditation on Mary's Sorrows in particular. The Servites developed the two most common devotions to Our Lady's Sorrows, namely the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows and the Black of the Seven Dolors of Mary. The Black Scapular is a symbol of the of Our Lady of Sorrows, which is associated with the Servite Order. Most devotional have requirements regarding ornamentation or design. The devotion of the Black Scapular requires only that it be made of black woolen cloth.

Devotion to the Mother of Sorrows

Eastern Christianity On February 2, the same day as the Great Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, Orthodox Christians and Eastern Catholics commemorate a wonder-working icon of Mary (Mother of God) known as "the Softening of Evil Hearts" or "Simeon's Prophecy."

It depicts the Virgin Mary at the moment that Simeon the Righteous says, "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also...." (Luke 2:35) She stands with her hands upraised in prayer, and seven swords pierce her heart, indicative of the seven sorrows. The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated on the 15th September every year.

Chapter V: Vatican II

The Need and the Period During 1950s, the world's bishops faced tremendous challenges driven by political, social, economic, and technological change. Some of these bishops sought new ways of

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addressing those challenges. Pope John XXII who was elected as Pope in October 1958 said that it was time to open the windows of the Church to let in some fresh air. So he announced the on January 25, 1959, to address relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern era and as a means of spiritual renewal for the church and as an occasion for Christians separated from Rome to join in search for reunion. It was the twenty-first of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The council formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI on the Feast of the in 1965.

The Opening of the Council Preparatory commissions appointed by the Pope prepared an agenda and produced drafts (schemata) of decrees on various topics. In opening the council on October 11, 1962, the Pope advised the council fathers to try to meet the pastoral needs of the church. In his opening address he said: “What is needed at the present time is a new enthusiasm, a new joy and serenity of mind in the unreserved acceptance by all of the entire Christian faith, without forfeiting that accuracy and precision in its presentation which characterized the proceedings of the Council of Trent and the First Vatican Council. What is needed, and what everyone imbued with a truly Christian, Catholic and apostolic spirit craves today, is that this doctrine shall be more widely known, more deeply understood, and more penetrating in its effects on men's moral lives. What is needed is that this certain and immutable doctrine, to which the faithful owe obedience, be studied afresh and reformulated in contemporary terms. For this deposit of faith, or truths which are contained in our time-honoured teaching is one thing; the manner in which these truths are set forth (with their meaning preserved intact) is something else.” Those summoned to the council included all Catholic bishops and certain other church dignitaries. Invited to the council sessions, but without the right to vote, were a number of observers from the major Christian churches and communities separated from Rome and a number of Catholics called auditors.

Preparatory Commissions: The work of the preparatory commissions had been done by members of the Curia. Once the council had been opened, however, council fathers from diverse parts of the world were added to the commissions. The revised decrees that grew out of the council discussions and the work of the enlarged commissions tended to have a more progressive viewpoint. These preparations, however, were halted upon the death of Pope John XXIII on 3 June 1963, since an ecumenical council is automatically interrupted and suspended upon the death of the Pope who convened it, until the next Pope orders the council to be continued or dissolved. Pope Paul VI was elected on 21 June 1963 and immediately announced that the Council would continue. The work of the council continued under Pope Paul VI and sessions were convened each autumn until the work of the council was completed on December 8, 1965.

The Enacted Documents of the Council Sixteen documents were enacted by the council fathers. The “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church” reflects the attempt of the council fathers to utilize biblical terms rather than juridical categories to describe the church. The treatment of the hierarchical structure of the church counterbalances somewhat the monarchical emphasis of the first Vatican Council’s

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teaching on the papacy by giving weight to the role of the bishops. The teaching of the constitution on the nature of the was intended to provide the basis for the call of lay people to holiness and to share in the missionary vocation of the church. By describing the church as the , a pilgrim people, the council fathers provided the theological justification for changing the defensive and inflexible stance that had characterized much of Catholic thought and practice since the Protestant Reformation.

The “Dogmatic Constitution on Divine ” attempts to relate the role of Scripture and tradition to their common origin in the Word of God that has been committed to the church. The document affirms the value of Scripture for the salvation of men while maintaining an open attitude toward the scholarly study of the Bible. The “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy” establishes the principle of greater participation by the laity in the celebration of mass and authorizes significant changes in the texts, forms, and language used in the celebration of mass and the administration of the sacraments. The “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today” acknowledges the profound changes humanity is experiencing and attempts to relate the church’s concept of itself and of revelation to the needs and values of contemporary culture.

The council also promulgated decrees (documents on practical questions) on the pastoral duties of bishops, Ecumenism, the Eastern-rite churches, the ministry and life of priests, the education for the priesthood, the religious life, the missionary activity of the Church, the of the laity, and the media of social communication. Furthermore, declarations (documents on particular issues) on religious freedom, the Church’s attitude toward non-Christian religions, and on Christian education were produced. These documents reflected the renewal in various areas of Church life begun decades before Pope John— biblical, ecumenical, liturgical, lay apostolate. The impulse of the documents and the council deliberations in general had by the early 1970s been felt in nearly every area of Church life and had set in motion many changes that may not have been foreseen by the council fathers.

The Closing of the Council On 8 December, the Council was formally closed, with the bishops professing their obedience to the Council's decrees. To help carry forward the work of the Council, Pope Paul: • had earlier formed a Papal Commission for the Media of Social Communication to assist bishops with the pastoral use of these media; • declared a jubilee from 1 January to 26 May 1966 to urge all Catholics to study and accept the decisions of the council and apply them in spiritual renewal; • changed in 1965 the title and procedures of the Holy Office, giving it the name of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as well as the titles and competences of other departments of the ; • made permanent the Secretariates for the Promotion of Christian Unity, for Non-Christian Religions, and for Non-Believers.

The Impact of the Council

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The most important and lasting fruits of Vatican II are:

1. Renewing the liturgy. The Council’s call for renewal included the Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, sacraments, and the liturgical year. This liturgical renewal emphasized the Mass as the prayer and sacrifice of priest and people united in Christ, the call to active and intelligent participation by the whole body of Christ, and openness to incorporating worthwhile customs and traditions of every culture and people.

2. Placing greater emphasis on sacred Scripture. The Council called for a much fuller menu of readings from both the Old and New Testaments in the Sunday and weekday Lectionaries of the Church. Since the Council urged more study and reading of Scripture, an impressive number of aids to the study of the Bible, as well as an increase in Bible- study groups, has appeared on the scene.

3. Viewing laypeople as equal members of the Church. All the Church—pope, bishops, priests, religious, and laity—are equal members through baptism. All share in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly roles of Christ. All are called to holiness no matter what vocation or occupation they embrace in life.

4. Restoring the ministry of permanent . Calling to restore the ministry of deacon, a ministry of service with roots in the early Church, the Council named the deacon’s tasks: baptize, reserve and distribute the Eucharist, assist at and bless marriages, take Viaticum to the dying, proclaim Scripture, instruct, preside at prayer, administer sacramentals, and officiate at funerals and burials.

5. Rethinking the concept of authority. Viewed in the spirit of the Gospel, authority is not authoritarianism and domination but a service of love in imitation of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for all.

6. Encouraging collegiality throughout the Church. Shared ministry and authority are recognized between the pope and bishops, the and priests of a diocese, the pastor and parishioners of a , and the superiors and members of religious orders and congregations.

7. Acknowledging God’s presence beyond the Church. Vatican II acknowledged the work of the Spirit in the communities of or separated Christian brothers and sisters and in other world religions. Ecumenical efforts foster unity among all Christians and greater communication and dialogue with and respect for other religions.

8. Upholding the right to religious liberty. The Council recognized the right of every individual to join the religion of one’s choice and opposed the use of force, physical or otherwise, imposing one’s religious beliefs and practices upon others.

9. Accepting the world. We see the world and its inhabitants as essentially good. We never lose hope in the restoration of all things, a restoration that has begun with the coming of

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Christ and will reach its fulfillment and perfection when Christ comes again in power and glory at the end of time.

In the wake of the Second Vatican Council, an unprecedented number of changes have been implemented in the Church. Not only was the ancient rite of Mass changed, but there was also a new canon law, a new catechism, a new liturgical calendar, and a new Bible translation. Although not all changes were authorized or called for by Vatican II, the Second Vatican Council may be considered an impetus for such change. In fact, not just external practices have changed since this revolutionary council, but the entire orientation of the Church has changed. The changes, while not revising infallible dogmas - which, of course is impossible - have nonetheless given the impression that the Church has changed entirely. In any event, the Church after the Council has clearly presented a "new face" to the world.

The teachings of Vatican Second are grounded in sacred Scripture, and they present us with an updated vision of the Church and its role in restoring all things in Christ. Pope Benedict XVI has said of the documents of Vatican II, “[They] have not lost their timelessness; their teachings have shown themselves to be especially pertinent to the new needs of the Church and the present globalized society.” Pope John Paul II referred to them as “a compass with which to orient ourselves in the vast ocean of the third millennium.”

Chapter VI: Sacraments

1. Reconciliation (Confession) The sacrament of reconciliation, or penance, popularly known as confession is a healthy and restorative process offered to us by God. The sacrament of Reconciliation is an opportunity for people to talk about their guilt and associated emotions as they wish and need. But it’s more than that. It is also a chance for people to know that their guilt forgiven. No other sacrament comes as close to the therapeutic discussion as practiced in counselling or in come analytical or psychiatric consolations. Yet many therapists feel a certain envy about this sacrament, which is more than two people talking about guilt, for in it a special rite penetrates the depths of the unconscious and effectively conveys a firm conviction that guilt has been forgiven.

The New Testament describes the admission of sins before God (1 John 1:9) and before one another: “You should get into the habit of admitting your sins to each other, and praying for each other, so that if sickness comes to you, you may be healed” (Jas 5:16). This does not refer to confession before a priest but to a mutual admission of sins which also involves prayer.

In confession, people try to restore their relationship to God and to other people. Every individual has an inborn need to confess, for everyone realizes that he or she is constantly inclined to deviate from the right way of life. To confess effectively, a resolve to

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begin afresh is necessary. In many religions this new beginning is expressed in the form of a ritual. This may be personal or public. In ages past, when bad weather had destroyed the crops, or too many misfortunes had befallen a tribe, confessional rites were celebrated in common to appease God. Confession can be expressed through the adoption of a new pattern of behaviour or in a more intense union with God.

The reconciliation of humans and God will be brought about through confession or repentance. Reconciliation is a central concept in the New Testament. The word ‘reconciliation’ comes (through Old French) from the Latin reconciler (to bring together again, to reunite, to re-establish or restore). To reconcile means to restore to full membership, to make friendly after an estrangement, and to heal, settle, harmonize and make compatible, but also to purify something sacred after it has been desecrated.

The Latin word for ‘penance’ is poenitentia, which comes from poena (punishment). If we keep to the etymology, penance is associated with doing penance, engaging in an act of penitence. Whoever has sinned receives a punishment and must give satisfaction by paying up and carrying out some penitential act in reparation for the sin committed. The main emphasis is on actually doing penance. For too many people today the Roman principle of performing something in reparation is still predominant and more decisive than the biblical message of reconciliation. They still think that they have to discharge their debt of sinfulness. In this interpretation penance would be something akin to imprisonment and carrying out a statutory assignment until satisfaction has been given.

Conclusion The sacrament of reconciliation offers us a practical way of ensuring that we are reconciled with ourselves and with each other, constantly repent, and experience God as the One who loves us unconditionally. We must not isolate the act of confession and separate it from all that Jesus preached and taught. It is meaningful only within the context of Jesus’ call to lead a life that is appropriate to God’s will and to our own human existence. In the sacrament of reconciliation we meet Jesus Christ who forgave sinners their guilt. We also meet the God of Jesus Christ, who frees us from our guilt and our guilt feelings, and allows us to experience His merciful love in this form.

2. Confirmation: Responsibility and Strength Confirmation is a sacrament intended to strengthen young people in their Christian life and support them through the Holy Spirit, so that they can stand up for themselves in this world, so that they can find their own standpoint, and live a Spirit-centred life in an often unspiritual, uninspired and spiritless world.

In baptism we are reborn in the foundation of the Holy Spirit. Through confirmation we shall be strengthened in our new existence, so that we are led by

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the Spirit of God, not by the spirit of this world. We receive a share in the power of the Spirit so that we can deny the world any power over us, and help to shape it instead as God wants it to be.

Taking Responsibility Confirmation may be thought of as the sacrament by which a young person is transformed into an adult. Young people are no longer to be seen merely as their parents’ children. Rebirth through the Holy Spirit should help them to discover their own identities and to assume responsibility for themselves and for their own lives.

Young people receive the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation in order to carry out their mission in the world and in the Church. The Spirit enables the candidates to acquire new behaviour and to develop new abilities. Therefore preparation for confirmation should include a challenge to young people to work out their ideas of what they intend to set about in their lives and which aspects of their lives they could take charge of themselves. Young people should discover their own charisma, the nature of their own power, talents and capacities to inspire others.

Confirmation as the strengthening of Christian life includes training in healthy self- discipline.

3. Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick- Comfort and Tenderness) The sacrament of anointing the sick is an essential part of the Church’s concern for the sick. The Church sees its service to sick people as pastoral care and attendance. Whoever suffers from an illness is in a state of physical but also mental and psychological, or ‘psychic’, crisis. The sick need the help of someone who listens to them and supports them.

The sacramental anointing of the sick is the most profound expression of the Church’s service to humanity. Since the Second Vatican Council, the anointing of the sick has been restored to its former position of importance. It is no longer thought of as the Last Anointing, or Extreme Unction, but as giving strength to sick people in the physically and spiritually endangered state they have entered through illness.

Many parishes and church communities now offer special services for the sick that include an anointing. Once again, the Church has recognized its responsibility to sick people. How a community treats those who are ill is very indicative of its communal ethos and spirit of reciprocity. Society nowadays tries to suppress our awareness of sickness and death and to relegate them to hospitals, nursing homes and hospices. The general attitude is that there are specialists and trained nurses who know how to look after the sick and dying. Society is not interested. The Church must not adopt this attitude to sick. It offers the sacrament of anointing the sick precisely as a sign of its nature as a community that is concerned about and

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for ill people: one that wants not only to show them God’s love but to approach them humanely and care for them.

The main purpose in this section is to describe the Christian attitude to sickness. We must no longer see the sacraments of the church as an isolated set of phenomena administered solely by priests and pastoral workers by virtue of their office or recognized vocation. The sacraments are signs of how the Church actually treats such major themes as birth and death, health and sickness, growing up, love, responsibility, mission and guilt, and acts with regard to them. These are central topics addressed by all the sacraments.

The sacrament of anointing the sick asks us to face the challenges posed by the issues and reality of sickness and death, and to tackle them on the basis of faith. The sacrament also assures us that no aspect of our lives is excluded from God’s loving concern. The essence of a sacrament is that we encounter the realm of the invisible in the midst of the visible world. The sacrament of anointing of the sick should make us more aware that in our sickness we meet God, and that it can open us to the God and Father of Jesus Christ, so that he can heal and transform our life.

The sacrament of anointing the sick is not merely a rite which priests administer to the sick. Christ meets us in the sacrament so that we can share in his life. He touches us as the Physician with power to heal our wounds. He stretches his loving hand over us so that, protected by his love, we can make our way into the mystery of life and death, and into the mystery of his death and resurrection.

The Church’s concern for the sick reaches its high point in this sacrament. The growing number of old and sick people in our times strengthens the Church, the community of the faithful, for the task of caring for ill people during this period of disturbance and distress in their lives. The quality of a community is revealed in the way it treats its sick and aged members. Precisely in the sacrament of anointing of the sick, the Church undergoes its trial as a community of those who know that they are sent by Christ to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

This sacrament is an invitation to the sick to withstand their illness in communion with Christ and to see it as an opportunity to understand the mystery of humanity in God’s presence. The anointing of the sick clearly shows that every sickness is a spiritual task, and that ultimately it demands not only medical or psychiatric care but spiritual fellowship, if it is to be accepted and transformed. The rite of anointing the sick shows us how to cope with sickness spiritually. In the end it is a matter of transforming illness into an act of devotion and love, and thereby making it the most intense of all possible forms of prayer. All our prayers must flow into the worlds with which Jesus himself entrusted his life to God’s kind and loving hand: “Lord, I commend my spirit into your hands”. (Luke 23:46)

Chapter VII: Basic Christian Communities

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Basic Christian Community (B.C.C.) Aim of B.C.C.

The Basic Christian Community (B.C.C.) is the new way of being the Church and the aim of B.C.Cs is the aim of the Church itself. Church is the continuation of the life and Christ in history. The presence of Jesus Christ in history and the Emmanuel experience, i.e., 'God with us experience' in the world are most important factors of Christian life. In the course of history the 'God with us experience' was lost in the Church, as the Church community became large crowds, incapable of relating to each other.

As a pastoral approach to bring back this 'God with us experience' to the Church, small Church communities evolved. These small communities have different names such as Basic Christian Community (B.C.C.), Basic Ecclesial Community etc.

The four characteristics of the B.C.Cs are the following: 1. They meet in houses: Faithfulness to fellowship 2. They share the word of God: The "Word" becomes the source of their life and relationship 3. They care for each other: They minister to each other in their pastoral, social and educational needs. 4. They are united to the universal Church: They become an Eucharistic community.

The first characteristic of the B.C.Cs is deepening the relationship between the members and to reconcile with each other so that they can be witnesses to the love of Christ by breaking all divisions in the community. This experience of fellowship gives them a sense of belongingness and they come to the understanding that Christianity is not commitment to some ides but commitment to persons. In the B.C.Cs they experience the presence of the risen Lord by putting into practice the 'Word of God' which is the source of their faith. This process of sharing the Word in the community helps them to speak one 'language' (unity of hearts) and build their relationship on solid foundation. The four different ministries in the Diocese, namely, Pastoral, Social, Educational and Temporal are brought down the B.C.Cs in view of making every baptized person a minister for each other in the Diocese.

Lot of activities take place in the B.C.Cs to deepen the faith of each other and to help each other in their financial, social and educational needs in communities, where the ministries become more active in developing fellowship and unity.

The B.C.Cs themselves do not become the Church. They need to be united to the universal Church through their participation in the Eucharist and accepting the leadership of the Church. The first three characteristics of B.C.Cs help them to build themselves as a community.

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With these aims in mind the B.C.Cs in our Diocese meet once in a fortnight. On the basis of the Word of God they share in each meeting, they discuss the problems of the community and find solutions for them and they pray for each other. The leaders of B.C.Cs gather in parish level once in two months for evaluation and preparing for the following meetings. The leaders' meetings are conducted by the Parish Priest and Forane Animator for B.C.C. Directions are given to the Parish Council to share with the leaders of B.C.Cs the plan of action of the Parish and the Forane in order to ensure more participation in the formation programmes and celebrations in the Forane and Parish.

Contribution of the B.C.Cs 1. Increased the participation of laity in the life of the Diocese. 2. Lay leadership grew qualitatively, especially the leadership of women. 3. Liturgy and participation in sacraments and family prayer became more active. 4. Spreading and breaking of Word of God increased. 5. Ability to pray spontaneously. 6. Social commitment has increased so that they minister to each other to a large extent. 7. Developed the different talents of the people. 8. Attitudinal change in the people brought about generosity and deeper fellowship. 9. People feel that they are the Church and their sense of belongingness increased. 10. The faith of the people and the capacity to forgive each other have increased. 11. Popular devotion and active participation in the pious associations increased.

Chapter VIII: Hymns on the Holy Spirit

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1. All Over the World

1) All over the world the Spirit is moving, All over the world As the prophet said it would be, All over the world there’s a mighty revelation, Of the Glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.

2) Deep down in my heart …. 3) Right here in our midst …..

2. Spirit of God We Worship You

Sprit of God we worship You Holy Spirit of God we worship You Sprit of God You’re one with the Father and Son We worship You (3) Fountain of love we worship You O fountain of Love we worship You Fountain of love That comes from the Father and Son We worship You (3) Wellspring of life we worship You O wellspring of life we worship You Wellspring of life That flows from the Father and Son We worship You (3)

3. Holy Spirit We Welcome You (2)

Holy Spirit we welcome you (2) Move amongst us with holy fire As we lay aside all earthly desires Hands reach out and our hearts aspire Holy Spirit (3) we welcome you Holy Spirit we welcome you (2) Let the breeze of your presence blow That your children here might truly know How to move in the Spirit’s flow

Holy Spirit (3) we welcome you Holy Spirit we welcome you (2) Please accomplish in me today Some new work of loving grace I pray Unreservedly have your way Holy Spirit (3) we welcome you

4. The Holy Spirit is My Helper

The Holy Spirit is my helper Now and forever The one who is always by my side Strengthens me when I’m weak and worn Takes away from me desires of this world He teaches me to love and forgive Shows me how to pray and fills me the Word The mysteries of God He makes known to me The truth now I’m able to see Wisdom and counsel he gives to me And fills me with power from above

Chapter IX: History of the Shrines

10.1 Our Lady of Snows

History of the Shrine

The Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Snows is very important historically, religiously and culturally. It recreates the history of the Pearl Fishery Coast of Tuticorin and its relation with the colonial rule. The inhabitants of the Fishery Coast cherish their conversion to Catholicism. Religion still plays a vital role in their lives. The shrine, statue and the festival are interwoven into their lives. The shrine witnesses the confluence of three religions – Hinduism, Islam and Catholicism. The Paravas (fisherfolk) of the Tuticorin coast have assimilated whatever practices they found suitable to them from these religions. This Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Snows is a living monument which speaks volumes of the history of the Pearl Fishery Coast and in particular, the history of Tuticorin.

Mass Conversion Though the present shrine was completed in 1713, it has an earlier history. A complete picture of the Shrine, the statue and its festivals can be understood only along with a mass conversion that took place in 1536.

The mass conversion resulted with the advent of Jesuit missionaries to India. They undertook missionary activities mostly in villages of fishermen. Among them, Francis Xavier a Spanish missionary, played a crucial role in bringing the Pearl Fishery Coast into Catholicism.

Francis Xavier landed in Goa on May 6, 1542, where he worked for a few months before arriving on this coast. The inhabitants here had already been converted by Franciscan missionaries in 1536. But on his arrival on this coast, Francis Xavier found the people devoid of any Christian faith or practice.

The people had confessed themselves to be Christians in accord with the bargain they had made with the Portuguese. But in actual living they continued to practice their own brand of religion involving the rituals of their earlier religion. They were particularly interested in the worship of Shakthi. They also worshiped Hindu goddesses such as Madurai Meenakshi Amman and Kanyakumari Bhagavathi Amman. So in order to divert the attention of the Paravas from the worship of Mother Goddess, Francis Xavier introduced the veneration of Mother Mary among the natives. Francis Xavier left the Pearl Fishery Coast in 1545 and visited Manila in the on missionary work. There he visited an Augustinian convent and was attracted by the beauty of the statue of Our Lady of Snows there.

The accepted the request of Francis Xavier to send the statue as his gift to the newly-converted people of Tuticorin coast. But only after his death, the statue of Our Lady of Snows could reach Tuticorin – on June 9, 1555, by a ship named St. Helena and was placed in the church of Our Lady of Mercy (Senhora de Piedade). The coastal inhabitants developed a deep attachment of Our Lady of Snows and lovingly called her “Panimaya Matha” (Our Lady of Snows). The practice of Mother Goddess worship was thus converted into the veneration of Mother Mary.

Basilica Status The history of the shrine reveals that the feast of Our Lady of Snows was celebrated for the first time in 1582. As a commemoration of the 400th year of the first feast, the Shrine was elevated to the status of Minor Basilica by the then Pope John Paul II. The Portuguese adopted the Gothic style of architecture in shrine.

This architecture originated in the 12th century and lasted up to 16th century. Its main features are pointed arches, ribbed vaults and buttresses – all incorporated in the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows.

The annual feast of Our Lady of Snows falls on August 5. The festival begins on July 26 with the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, and ends on the 11th day August 5. The festival is celebrated with the same religious fervour and pomp and show as in 1582.

The annual festival is the festival of families in Tuticroin. The people who have migrated from this coast to faraway places, even abroad, return to their native places. They join with their families and celebrate the festival together.

10.2 Our Lady of Vailankanni Sometime during the sixteenth century, Our Lady with her infant son appeared to a Hindi boy carrying milk to a customer’s home. While he rested under a banyan tree near a tank (pond), Our Lady appeared to him and asked for milk for her son and the boy gave her some. On reaching the customer’s home, the boy apologized for his lateness and the reduced amount of milk by relating the incident that occurred on his way.

On inspection, the man found the milk pot to be full and realized that something miraculous had happened. That man, also a Hindu, wanting to see the place where the apparition occurred, accompanied the boy. When they reached the tank, Our Lady appeared once again. On learning that it was Our Lady who appeared to the boy, the residents of the local Catholic community became ecstatic. The tank where the apparition took place is called “Matha Kulam” or ‘Our Lady’s tank’.

Some years later Our Lady appeared again. This time to a crippled boy who was selling buttermilk near a public square on the outskirts of the same village of Vailankanni. She asked him for buttermilk for her infant son and the boy complied. Our Lady asked the boy to inform a certain wealthy Catholic man in the nearby town of Nagapattinam of her appearance. Not realizing that his crippled leg was miraculously cured by Our Lady, the boy rose up and began his journey. The man also had a vision the previous night in which Our Lady asked him to build a chapel for her. Together, the man and the boy returned to the site of the .

This time Our Lady appeared to both. The man erected a thatched chapel for Our Lady at the site of her second appearance. This chapel became a holy place of veneration to Our Blessed Mother and she was called henceforth, Mother of Good Health “Arokia Matha”.

A few years later, Our Merciful Mother rescued a few Portuguese merchant sailors from a violent storm, which wrecked their ship. When the merchants reached the shore of Vailankanni they were taken by local fisherman to the thatched chapel. To give thanks and pay tribute to Our Lady, they built a small permanent chapel on their return trip. On subsequent visits they

improved on it. The merchants dedicated the chapel to Our Lady on September 8th to celebrate the feast of her nativity and to mark the date of their safe landing to Vailankanni.

Historical Data of Vailankanni Shrine

1. The history of Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni, dawned in the 16th century. 2. In September 1771, Vailankanni which had been a substation of Nagapattinam parish, was raised to the status of a parish. 3. The majestic Shrine facing the east, was renovated twice in 1920 and 1933. 4. His Holiness Pope John the XXIII, raised the Shrine to the status of ‘Basilica’ on the 3rd November 1962. The apparitions of Our Lady, the miraculous statue of Our Lady, the countless , the magnificent architecture and beauty of the Shrine, were the motives for this Shrine to become a Basilica. 5. The storeyed extension Basilica was blessed and opened in 1975. 6. In 1985, the little chapel at our Lady’s Tank, was built a new and blessed.

10.3 The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes or the Domain as it is most commonly known is an area of ground surrounding the shrine (Grotto) to Our Lady of Lourdes, in the town of Lourdes, France. This ground is owned and administrated by the Roman Catholic Church and has several functions, including devotional activities, offices and accommodation for sick pilgrims and their helpers. The Domain includes the Grotto itself, the nearby taps which dispense the Lourdes water, and the offices of the as well as several churches and basilicas. It comprises an area of 51 hectares, and includes 22 separate places of worship. There are six official languages of the Sanctuary: French, English, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and German.

History Beginning on 11 February 1858, a 14-year old peasant girl called claimed to have experienced a series of apparition of a lady dressed in white and with a blue belt around her waist, who eventually introduced herself as the Immaculate Conception, a name by which the Virgin Mary was known.

On land bordered by a loop of the Gave de Paul river is an outcrop of rock called Massabielle from masse vieille: “old mass”. On the northern aspect of this rock, near the river bank, is a naturally occurring irregularly shaped shallow cave or grotto, in which the apparitions took place.

At the time of apparitions, the grotto lay well out of town, on common ground which as used by the villagers variously for pasturing animals, collecting firewood and as garbage dump, and it possessed a reputation for being an unpleasant place.

Public interest in apparitions grew, and curious visitors began to be replaced by pilgrims from increasingly far away, drawn by compelling stories of apparitions and miracles.

A local priest Abbe Cominique Peyramale, together with his bishop, Monisignor Bertrand-Severe Mascarou Laurence, bought the grotto and the land around it from the commune in 1861, 3 years after the apparitions. Immediately they set about modifying the area to make it more accessible to visitors, and started work to build the first of the churches, which is now known as the Crypt.

In 1864, the Lyonnais sculptor Joseph-Hugues Fabisch was commissioned to create a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes based on Bernadette’s descriptions. Although it has become an iconic symbol of Our Lady of Lourdes, it depicts a figure which is not only older and taller than Bernadette’s description, but also more in keeping with orthodox and traditional representations of the Virgin Mary. The statue rests in the niche where the Virgin appeared to Bernadette. The original wild rose bush was destroyed shortly after the apparitions by pilgrims seeking relics, but a newer one has been planted nearby.

Lourdes Water Lourdes water flows from a spring at the same spot where it was discovered by Bernadette. The original spring can be seen within the Grotto, lit from below and protected by a glass screen.

The water from Lourdes was thoroughly analysed by independent chemists in 1858 and 1859. It does not appear to have a latent power to cure and has no special scientific or medical properties. Despite this, the water is itself a strong symbol of devotion for Lourdes pilgrims, and many buy statue and rosary beads containing small vials of it, and take home large plastic containers of it.

Shrine History – Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine was opened on Trinity Sunday, May 30, 1926 by the Good Shepherd Sisters. In 1952, the Sisters of the most Holy Trinity took over the operation of the Shrine. The Shrine is a replica of the Grotto in Lourdes, France. Incorporated into the Grotto are two stones taken from the stone upon which Our Lady appeared in Lourdes. The water from the Grotto flows over these holy relics.

Since its opening, thousands of pilgrims from across the country and from have come to honour Our Lady and place their petitions before her. Hundreds of favours, both

spiritual and temporal, have been reported as granted. Today, the Shrine is available for pilgrims and parish groups to come for prayer and reflections. The sisters host and conduct retreats and days of recollection as requested. The St. Ann Dining Room is available for groups who wish to spend the day. Conference rooms are also available for a few hours or all day meetings.

Knight of Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine The group was organized and officially approved by the late Right Reverend Bishop Joseph Schrembs, D.D. on November 5, 1927. These men have banded together to safeguard the interests of Our Lady at her Shrine by maintaining the silence and order befitting the immediate environs of Grotto. They assist as Ushers at Sunday Mass, Sunday afternoon services, and on evening during Novenas. They also lead Rosary and Processions and assist the Pilgrimage guests in any way possible.

Added to these duties, the gallant men contribute their labors on weekends and evenings in order to help with landscaping and caring for the grounds surrounding the Grotto; thereby greatly assisting the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity in their work at the Shrine.

10.4 Our Lady of Fátima Our Lady of Fátima is a famous title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared in apparitions reported by three shepherd children at Fátima in Portugal. These occurred on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on May 13. The three children were Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto.

The title of Our Lady of the Rosary is also sometimes used to refer to the same apparition because the children related that the apparition called herself "Lady of the Rosary". It is also common to see a combination of these titles, i.e. Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima.

The events at Fátima gained particular fame due to their elements of prophecy and eschatology, particularly with regard to possible World War and the conversion of Soviet Russia. The reported apparitions at Fátima were officially declared "worthy of belief" by the Catholic Church.

History On 13 May 1917, ten year old Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto were herding sheep at a location known as the Cova da Iria near their home village of Fátima in Portugal. Lúcia described seeing a woman "brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal ball filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by

the burning rays of the sun." Further appearances were reported to have taken place on the thirteenth day of the month in June and July. In these, the woman exhorted the children to do penance and , and to make sacrifices to save sinners. The children subsequently wore tight cords around their waists to cause themselves pain, performed self- flagellation using stinging nettles, abstained from drinking water on hot days, and performed other works of penance and mortification of the flesh. Most important, Lúcia said that the lady had asked them to pray the rosary every day, and stated that the rosary, as a frequent prayer, was the key for personal and world peace. This had particular resonance since many Portuguese men, including relatives of the visionaries, were then fighting in World War I. According to Lúcia's account, in the course of her appearances, the woman confided to the children three secrets, now known as the Three Secrets of Fátima.

Thousands of people flocked to Fátima and Aljustrel in the following months, drawn by reports of visions and miracles. On 13 August 1917, the provincial administrator and anticlergical Freemason, Artur Santos (no relation to Lúcia Santos), believing that the events were politically disruptive, intercepted and jailed the children before they could reach the Cova da Iria that day. Prisoners held with them in the provincial jail later testified that the children, while upset, were first consoled by the inmates, and later led them in praying the rosary. The administrator interrogated the children and tried unsuccessfully to get them to divulge the contents of the secrets. In the process, he threatened the children, saying he would boil them in a pot of oil, one by one unless they confessed. The children refused, but Lúcia told him everything short of the secrets, and offered to ask the Lady for permission to tell the Administrator the secrets. That month, instead of the usual apparition in the Cova da Iria on the 13th, the children reported that they saw the Virgin Mary on 15 August, the Feast of the Assumption, at nearby Valinhos.

Miracle of the Sun As early as July 1917 it was claimed that the Virgin Mary had promised a miracle for the last of her apparitions on 13 October, so that all would believe. What happened then became known as "". A crowd believed to number approximately 70,000, including newspaper reporters and photographers, gathered at the Cova da Iria. The incessant rain had finally ceased and a thin layer of clouds cloaked the silver disc of the sun. Witnesses said later it could be looked upon without hurting the eyes. Lúcia, moved by what she said was an interior impulse, called out to the crowd to look at the sun. Witnesses later spoke of the sun appearing to change colours and rotate like a wheel. Not everyone saw the same thing, and witnesses gave widely varying descriptions of the "sun's dance". The phenomenon is claimed to have been witnessed by most people in the crowd as well as people many miles away. While the crowd was staring at the sun, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta said later they were seeing lovely images of the Holy Family, Our Lady of Sorrows with Jesus Christ, and then Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They said they saw Saint Joseph and Jesus bless the people. The children were aged 10, 9, and 7 at the time.

Columnist Avelino de Almeida of O Século (Portugal's most influential newspaper, which was pro-government in policy and avowedly anti-clergical), reported the following: "Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bare-headed, eagerly searching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws - the sun 'danced' according to the typical expression of the people." Eye specialist Dr. Domingos Pinto Coelho, writing for the newspaper Ordem reported "The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarlet flame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be in an exceeding fast and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened from the sky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat". The special reporter for the 17 October 1917 edition of the Lisbon daily, O Dia, reported the following, "...the silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy purple light was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds...The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands...people wept and prayed with uncovered heads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed like hours, so vivid were they."

No movement or other phenomenon of the sun was registered by scientists at the time. According to contemporary reports from poet Afonso Lopes Vieira and schoolteacher Delfina Lopes with her students and other witnesses in the town of Alburita, the solar phenomenon was visible from up to forty kilometers away. Not all witnesses reported seeing the sun "dance". Some people only saw the radiant colors, and others, including some believers, saw nothing at all.

Since no scientifically verifiable physical cause can be adduced to support the phenomenon of the sun, various explanations have been advanced to explain the descriptions given by numerous witnesses. A leading conjecture is a mass hallucination possibly stimulated by the religious fervor of the crowds expectantly waiting for a predicted sign. Another conjecture is a possible visual artifact caused by looking at the sun for a prolonged period. As noted by Professor Auguste Meessen of the Institute of Physics, Catholic University of Leuven, looking directly at the Sun can cause phosphene visual artifacts and temporary partial blindness. He has proposed that the reported observations were optical effects caused by prolonged staring at the sun. Meessen contends that retinal after-images produced after brief periods of sun gazing are a likely cause of the observed dancing effects. Similarly Meessen states that the colour changes witnessed were most likely caused by the bleaching of photosensitive retinal cells. Meessen observes that solar miracles have been witnessed in many places where religiously charged pilgrims have been encouraged to stare at the sun. He cites the apparitions at Heroldsbach, Germany (1949) as an example, where exactly the same optical effects as at Fatima were witnessed by more than 10,000 people.

There is no evidence that people who came to Fatima, even those expecting a miracle, were staring at the sun before Lucia spoke. Most would have been focused on the tree where the children said the lady appeared. Some onlookers reported other phenomena, including luminous mist and the showers of flower petals seen around and above the tree during previous visitations.

In addition to the Miracle of the Sun, the seers at Fatima indicated that the Lady prophesied a great sign in the night sky which would precede a second great war. On January 25, 1938, bright lights, an aurora borealis appeared all over the northern hemisphere, including in places as far south as North Africa, Bermuda and California. It was the widest occurrence of the aurora since 1709 and people in Paris and elsewhere believed a great fire was burning and fire departments were called. Lucia, the sole surviving seer at the time, indicated that it was the sign foretold and so apprised her superior and the bishop in letters the following day. Just over a month later, Hitler seized and eight months later invaded Czechoslovakia.

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