If parking lot Masses come to my diocese I will need to be prepared. So thinking ahead to how to make it the best experience.
So how do you follow the general rubrics in a car. First off I guess I will have to buy a lowrider to stand and kneel.
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 20 April 2020 to 30 April 2020.
The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.
Daily Homilies (fervorinos)
- 20 April 2020 – To be born from the Spirit
- 21 April 2020 – The Holy Spirit: Master of Harmony
- 22 April 2020 – Let the light of God enter in us so we do not become like bats in the darkness
- 23 April 2020 – Jesus prays for us before the Father, showing His wounds
- 24 April 2020 – Christ forms the pastor’s heart in closeness to the people of God
- 25 April 2020 – Faith must be transmitted, it must be offered, above all by witness
- 27 April 2020 – Always return to the first encounter
- 28 April 2020 – The small everyday lynching of gossip
General Audiences
Letters
- 21 April 2020 – Greeting of the Holy Father to the world of street newspapers
- 25 April 2020 – Letter of the Holy Father to the faithful for the month of May
Prayers
Regina Caeli
Papal Tweets
- “We pray today for teachers who have to work so hard to take lessons via the internet and other media channels, and we also pray for students who have to take exams in a way they are not used to. Let us accompany them with prayer. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 24 April 2020
- “Jesus formed the hearts of the Apostles to serve the people.He taught them the pastoral attitude of being near the people of God.Pastoral ministry is not accomplished with structures, but with the heart of a shepherd.Let us #PrayTogether for the Church’s pastors.#HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 24 April 2020
- “As we look ahead to a slow and arduous recovery from the pandemic, the risk is that an even worse virus may strike us: that of a selfish indifference that forgets those who are left behind.” @Pontifex 24 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for those who provide funeral services. What they do is so painful, so sad, and they are touched deeply by the pain of this pandemic. Let us pray for them.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
- “Today the Church celebrates the Feast of St Mark, one of the four Evangelists, the first to write a Gospel. It has a very simple style. If you have time today, read it. The simplicity with which he recounts the Lord’s life makes for an enjoyable read.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
- “The #GospelOfTheDay contains the Lord’s final greeting: ”Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel“ (Mk 16:15). Faith always carries us out of ourselves. The faith needs to be transmitted and offered above all with witness. Go out so that people might see how you live.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
- “Dear brothers and sisters, I offer you the texts of two prayers to Our Lady which you can recite at the end of the #Rosary. I too will recite them during the month of May, uniting myself spiritually to you. #PrayTogether Vatican Holy Rosary Links” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
- “Contemplating together the face of Christ with the heart of Mary,as we pray the #Rosary, will make us more united as a spiritual family and will help us to overcome this trial. I will pray for you, especially for those who are suffering the most. Please, pray for me.#PrayTogether” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
- “While we are combating #coronavirus, we must continue the effort to prevent and cure #malaria which threatens millions of persons in many countries. I am near to all who are sick, to those who care for them.” @Pontifex 25 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for all those who are suffering from sadness, because they are alone, do not know what future awaits them, or cannot take care of their family because they have no job. Let us pray for them today. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 26 April 2020
- “What patience the Lord has with each of us! He respects our situation, walks at our side as He did with the disciples of Emmaus, and listens to our dissatisfactions. He respects us. He enjoys listening to how we speak so as to understand us well and give us the correct response.” @Pontifex 26 April 2020
- “The #GospelOfTheDay (Lk 24:13–35) teaches us that two opposite directions are set before us in life: The path of those who let themselves be paralysed by disappointments and trudge along sadly. Then there is the path of those who put Jesus and others before their own problems.” @Pontifex 26 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for artists, who have a great capacity for creativity and show us the path forward through beauty. May the Lord grant each of us the grace of creativity in this moment.” @Pontifex 27 April 2020
- “At times in life we distance ourselves from the Lord and lose the freshness of the first call. Let us ask for the grace to always go back to that first encounter, in which He looked at us, spoke to us, and placed in us the desire to follow Him. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 27 April 2020
- “At this time, as indications emerge for a way out of quarantine, we pray that the Lord will grant us the grace of prudence and obedience to these indications, so that the pandemic does not return. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 28 April 2020
- “Many times we make comments that set off a small daily lynching. May the Lord help us to be righteous in our judgments and not to begin or follow gossip that provokes an undeserved condemnation. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 28 April 2020
- “Easter brings us this message: the message of rebirth. We can be reborn with the same strength that raised up the Lord: with the strength of God.” @Pontifex 28 April 2020
- “On the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church and Patroness of Europe, let us #PrayTogether for the unity of the European Union, so that we might all move ahead together as brothers and sisters.” @Pontifex 29 April 2020
- “When confessing our sins we must not be abstract, but simple and concrete like children: ”I am a sinner because of this, this and this.“ This leads me to feel ashamed. Being concrete makes me serious rather than vaguely feel a sense of being a sinner. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 29 April 2020
- “Being poor in spirit, mourning, meekness, thirsting for holiness, showing mercy, purity of heart, and being a peacemaker can lead to persecution for Christ’s sake. But in the end, this persecution is a cause for joy and great reward in heaven. #Beatitudes” @Pontifex 29 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether today for those who have died because of the pandemic, and in a special way for the ”anonymous“ dead.” @Pontifex 30 April 2020
- “Our witness opens the way for others. Our prayer opens the door to the Father’s heart. Let us ask the Lord that we might live our work with witness and prayer, so that the Father might draw people to Jesus. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 30 April 2020
- “Christianity is not only a doctrine, a way of behaving, a culture. Yes, it is also these things. But the core of Christianity is an encounter: the encounter with Jesus. A Christian is a person who has encountered Jesus Christ, and was open to that encounter.” @Pontifex 30 April 2020
Papal Instagram
So I once again drove to my parish and parked directly behind the Church where the altar is. Close enough that I can audibly hear the Mass from here I was parked.
Also close enough to notice the delay between the Mass and the Mass on YouTube. Somewhere between 30 to 50 seconds.
I would normally be super annoyed by the delay. I remembered we never actually hear or see things in real-time. There is always a delay based on the propagation of light and sound. Sure, not normally detectable, but the principle applies.
Distractions during Mass are nothing new. The phrase “squirrel” comes to mind. Except, today it was actual squirrels and a gecko navigating the windshield of my car.
Still, the physicality of the location helped me concentrate much more than I would have if watching at home.
Note: Picture from Passion Week.
So during the prayers of the faithful, I learned that Fr. Warren Keene had died.
He was one of the priests at my parish when I came into the Church. All three have now passed on.
I could find no obituary and he is pretty much absent from Google search results. What information I do have is from my own blog from previous posts on him.
Still, I wanted to praise and pray for this wonderful priest. He was a late vocation priest and had worked as an organic chemist for a decade. He entered the seminary in the Diocese of Gibratar and later received the S.T.B., M.A., S.T.L. and J.C.D. degrees from the Pontifical University of S. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Ordained on October 25, 1981.
I loved him for many reasons. At Daily Masses his homilies were short, but not short on content. He had an obvious love of Patristics since the Church Fathers were often the focus of his meditations.
What I found most impressive about his was that during the consecration his devotion was so obvious. I believe that if I hadn’t already believed in the Eucharist, that I would have come to believe just by watching him. I saw Jesus there through his eyes. On Good Friday’s I particularly remember his meditations he gave, especially on the last seven “words” of Jesus. He was also the priest that was saying the Latin Mass for us. This parish had the indult that was required before the later Motu Proprio that opened this up.
During his time at my previous parish, he also worked as a Chaplain at a hospital.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 21 March 2020 to 23 April 2020.
The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.
Daily Homilies (fervorinos)
- 21 March 2020 – With a “naked heart”
- 22 March 2020 – What happens when Jesus passes
- 23 March 2020 – We must pray with faith, perseverance, and courage
- 24 March 2020 – The disease of sloth and the water that regenerates us
- 25 March 2020 – Faced with mystery
- 26 March 2020 – Knowing our idols
- 27 March 2020 – The courage to keep silent
- 28 March 2020 – The people of God follow Jesus and do not tire
- 29 March 2020 – The Sunday of weeping
- 30 March 2020 – Trust in God’s mercy
General Audiences
Homilies
Regina Caeli
Papal Tweets
- “Let us #PrayTogether for pharmacists. They are working hard, together with doctors and nurses, to help the sick get better. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 16 April 2020
- “The #GospelOfTheDay (Lk 24:35–48) is one of my favorites: ”Their joy kept them from believing“ (v. 41). To be filled with joy: It is not merely being happy, positive, but is something else. It is to be filled with consolation, filled with the Lord’s presence. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 16 April 2020
- “The joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh 8:10). The joy of the Lord is the great strength we possess which drives us to continue being witnesses of life. Today let us ask for the grace of this joy, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 16 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for expectant women who will become mothers and who ask themselves: ”What type of world will my child live in?“. May the Lord give them the courage and confidence that it will certainly be a different world, but also one which the Lord will love tremendously.” @Pontifex 17 April 2020
- “The disciples had progressed in familiarity with the Lord. May the Lord also teach us this familiarity with Him, which is personal, but always communitarian: a familiarity in everyday life, in the sacraments, in the midst of the people of God. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 17 April 2020
- “We remember the difficult task entrusted to healthcare providers, nurses and doctors, in caring for persons with disabilities who have come down with Covid–19. Let us #PrayTogether for persons with disabilities and those who assist them.” @Pontifex 18 April 2020
- “Where does the Apostles’ courage come from? It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Boldness – courage – is a gift that the Lord gives on the day of Pentecost. The Christian mission is born from this gift of the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 18 April 2020
- “Today the simple and disarming love of Jesus revives the heart of Thomas (Jn 20,19–31). Like the apostle Thomas, let us accept mercy, the salvation of the world. And let us show mercy to those who are most vulnerable; for only in this way will we build a new world.” @Pontifex 19 April 2020
- “The faithful and patient mercy of God never tires of reaching out to lift us up when we fall. He wants us to see him, not as a taskmaster with whom we have to settle accounts, but as our Father who always raises us up. #DivineMercySunday” @Pontifex 19 April 2020
- “The Lord waits for us to offer him our failings so that he can help us experience his mercy. #DivineMercySunday Homily” @Pontifex 19 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for the men and women who have a vocation to political life, which is a high form of charity. We pray for political parties in various nations, so that in this pandemic they might together seek the good of the country and not the good of their own party.” @Pontifex 20 April 2020
- “To be Christian is not only to fulfill the Commandments, but ”to be born again“ and allow the Spirit to enter in us and carry us wherever He wants. This is the freedom of the Spirit. May the Lord help us always to be docile to the Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 20 April 2020
- “The Christian response to the storms of life and history can only be mercy: compassionate love among us and toward everyone, especially toward those who suffer, who have more difficulties, and are abandoned.” @Pontifex 20 April 2020
- “There’s a lot of silence at this moment. May this silence, which is a bit new to what we are accustomed, teach us how to listen. Let us #PrayTogether that we might grow in our ability to listen. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 21 April 2020
- “Many things can divide communities: money, vanity, gossip. But the Spirit comes to save us from divisions. The Holy Spirit is the Master of harmony. He creates harmony in the community, because He Himself is harmony, the harmony between the Father and the Son. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 21 April 2020
- “In the time of trial that we are presently undergoing, we experience our frailty. We need the Lord, who sees an irrepressible beauty beyond that frailty. With Him we rediscover how precious we are, even in our vulnerability.” @Pontifex 21 April 2020
- “At this moment in which unity among us is very necessary, let us pray for Europe, so that it might succeed in creating the fraternal unity which the founding fathers drempt of for the European Community. #PrayTogether Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
- “When we are in a state of sin, we are like ”human bats“ who can move about only at night. We find it easier to live in darkness because the light reveals to us what we do not want to see. But then our eyes grow accustomed to darkness and we no longer recognize the light.” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
- “Let us allow the love of God – who sent His Son Jesus – to enter into us, and help us see with the light of the Spirit. Let us ask ourselves: Do I walk in the light or in darkness? Am I a child of God? Or have I ended up like a poor ”bat“? #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
- “Earth Day is an occasion to renew our commitment to love our common home, which is not a warehouse to exploit. Let us care for it and for the weakest members of our human family. #EarthDay50 Audience” @Pontifex 22 April 2020
- “There are families in need who cannot work and have nothing to eat. Then along come usurers to take what little they have. Let us #PrayTogether for these families’ dignity. And let us pray also for the usurers, that the Lord might touch their hearts and convert them.” @Pontifex 23 April 2020
- “Peter’s secret weapon is Jesus’s prayer. Jesus prays for Peter that his faith might not fail. What He did with Peter He does for all of us. Jesus prays for us before the Father, showing His wounds, the price of our salvation. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 23 April 2020
- “The pandemic reminds us there are no differences or borders between those who suffer. We are all frail, all equal, all precious. May we be profoundly shaken: Now is the time to eliminate inequalities and heal the injustice undermining the health of the entire human family!” @Pontifex 23 April 2020
Papal Instagram
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 9 March 2020 to 15 April 2020.
The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.
Angelus
Daily Homilies (fervorinos)
- 9 March 2020 – The grace of shame
- 10 March 2020 – Sinners, but in dialogue with God
- 11 March 2020 – Vanity distances us from Christ’s Cross
- 12 March 2020 – Do not fall prey to indifference
- 13 March 2020 – Let us not forget the gratuitousness of revelation
- 14 March 2020 – Living at home, but not feeling at home
- 15 March 2020 – Addressing the Lord with our truth
- 16 March 2020 – God always acts in simplicity
- 17 March 2020 – Asking for forgiveness implies forgiving
- 18 March 2020 – Our God is close and asks us to be close to each other
- 19 March 2020 – Living in the tangibility of daily life and of mystery
- 20 March 2020 – Return to God and return to the embrace of the Father
General Audiences
Homilies
Letters
- 9 April 2020 – Letter of the Holy Father to the Archbishop of Turin on the occasion of the extraordinary Exposition of the Shroud [Holy Saturday, 11 April 2020]
- 12 April 2020 – Letter of the Holy Father to the Popular Movements
Messages
- 10 April 2020 – Message of the Holy Father to the Parish of the “Due Palazzi” Detention Centre in Padua
- 12 April 2020 – “Urbi et Orbi” – Easter 2020
Papal Tweets
- “Dear brother priests, we have been anointed to anoint, to give of ourselves. Let us #PrayTogether today asking for the humility to protect this gift of anointing, and imploring God’s mercy for the people entrusted to us and for the entire world. #HolyThursday” @Pontifex 9 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether. Follow the Easter Triduum liturgies: YouTube ” @Pontifex 9 April 2020
- “Gaze upon the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again. #PrayTogether #GoodFriday ” @Pontifex 10 April 2020
- “This Face disfigured by wounds communicates great peace. His gaze is directed not to our eyes but to our heart, as if to say: Have faith, do not lose hope. The power of the love of God, the power of the Risen One overcomes all things. #HolyShroud ” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
- “Let us direct our gaze to the Man of the Shroud, in whom we recognize the features of the Servant of the Lord, which Jesus accomplished in His Passion. Participate in the prayer before the Holy Shroud through the media at 5 PM: Video” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
- “Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear: This is the message of hope. It is addressed to us, today. These are the words that God repeats to us this very night.” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
- “Let us silence the cries of death, no more wars! Since we need bread, not guns. Let the abortion and killing of innocent lives end. May the hearts of those who have enough be open to filling the empty hands of those who do not have the bare necessities.” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
- “Tonight we acquire a fundamental right: the right to hope. It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own.” @Pontifex 11 April 2020
- “In this night, the Church’s voice rings out: “Christ, my hope, is risen!”. This is a different “contagion”, a message transmitted from heart to heart – for every human heart awaits this Good News. It is the contagion of hope: “Christ, my hope, is risen!”.” @Pontifex 12 April 2020
- “Dear brothers and sisters, Indifference, self-centredness, division and forgetfulness are not words we want to hear at this time. We want to ban these words for ever! Message” @Pontifex 12 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for government leaders, scientists and politicians who are beginning to study a way out of the pandemic, though its ”aftermath“ has already begun. May they find the right way, always for the good of their people.” @Pontifex 13 April 2020
- “We will either bet on life, in favor of the resurrection of our people, or we will bet on the god of money, turning back to the tomb of hunger, slavery, war, the making of weapons, of children without an education. #HomilySantaMarta Santa Maria Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 13 April 2020
- “In the #GospelOfTheDay we hear that the women proclaimed Jesus’ Resurrection to the disciples. Today I would like to remember the efforts that so many women make to take care of others, even during this health crisis.” @Pontifex 13 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether that the Lord might give us the grace of unity among us. In these difficulties times, may He allow us to discover the communion that binds us and the unity which is greater than any division. Santa Maria Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 14 April 2020
- “To repent means returning to faithfulness. Today let us ask for the grace to look beyond our own security, and to be faithful even before the tomb and the collapse of so many illusions. Remaining faithful is not easy. May the Lord keep us faithful. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 14 April 2020
- “Jesus’ resurrection shows us that death does not have the last world; life does. Christ has been raised, so it is possible to have a positive outlook on every event of our existence, even the most difficult ones and those charged with anguish and uncertainty.” @Pontifex 14 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for the elderly, especially those who are isolated or in rest homes and are afraid of dying alone. They are our roots. They gave us the faith, tradition, and a sense of belonging. Let us pray that the Lord might be near to them.” @Pontifex 15 April 2020
- “God’s faithfulness is a patient fidelity to His people. God listens, guides, explains slowly, and kindles the heart as He did with the two disciples who had traveled far from Jerusalem: He made their hearts burn so they would return home. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 15 April 2020
- “They are called children of God who have learned the art of peace and exercise it, knowing that there is no reconciliation without the gift of one’s own life, and that peace must be sought always and in every situation. #Beatitudes #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 15 April 2020
Papal Instagram
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 29 March 2020 to 8 April 2020.
The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.
Angelus
General Audiences
Homilies
Messages
Papal Tweets
- “These days of pain and sadness are bringing many hidden problems in society to the surface. We ask St Teresa of Calcutta to reawaken in us the sense of nearness to so many persons who are hidden in normal life, such as the homeless. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
- “May our Christian existence be like that of our father Abraham: aware of having been chosen, joyful in moving toward a promise, and faithful in fulfilling the covenant. #HomilySantaMarta Santa Marta Mass” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for the difficulties that families are encountering in these days with children with #autism, and all persons with disabilities” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
- “Video” @Pontifex 2 April 2020
- “There are some who are already thinking about after the epidemic, and all the problems that will arise regarding poverty, work, hunger. Let us #PrayTogether for all the people who are helping today, but who are also thinking about how to help all of us tomorrow.” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
- “It would be good to stop a moment this Friday to think about the sorrow of Mary,the Sorrowful Mother,and to say ”thank you for accepting to be our Mother“.In the motherhood of Our Lady we see the Church’s maternity which welcomes everyone.#HomilySantaMarta Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
- “Today I would like to thank all new mothers who confront understandable fears. Thank you, as well, to those who affectionately and competently support them. The children born during this time of the #coronavirus are a sign of great hope.” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
- “Dear friends, good evening! This evening I have the chance to enter your homes in a different way than usual. If you allow me, I would like to have a conversation with you for a few moments Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 3 April 2020
- “In these painful times, people think of doing many good things. But others think of how they can take advantage of the situation to profit personally from it. Let us #PrayTogether that the Lord might grant an upright, transparent conscience to all of us.” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
- “We should adopt the habit of examining the process of temptation in ourselves, which changes our hearts from good to bad: How did the process begin in my soul? How did it grow?… May the Holy Spirit enlighten us to have this interior awareness. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
- “By ourselves, we cannot remove the dust that sullies our hearts. Only Jesus, who knows and loves our heart, can heal it. #Lent is a time of healing” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
- “#PrayTogether Palm Sunday Video ” @Pontifex 4 April 2020
- “This astonishes us: God saved us by taking upon himself all the punishment of our sins. Without complaining, but with the humility, patience and obedience of a servant, and purely out of love. #PalmSunday” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
- “The Father upheld Jesus in his service. He did not take away the evil that crushed him, but rather strengthened him in his suffering so that our evil could be overcome by good, by a love that loves to the very end. #PalmSunday Homily” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
- “Jesus experienced total abandonment in a situation he had never before experienced in order to be one with us in everything. He did it for me, for you, to say to us: “Do not be afraid, you are not alone. I experienced all your desolation in order to be ever close to you”.” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
- “God saved us by serving us. We often think we are the ones who serve God. No, he is the one who freely chose to serve us, for he loved us first. It is difficult to love and not be loved in return. And it is even more difficult to serve if we do not let ourselves be served by God.” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
- “Dear young people, feel called yourselves to put your lives on the line. Do not be afraid to devote your life to God and to others; it pays!For life is a gift we receive only when we give ourselves away, and our deepest joy comes from saying yes to love, without ifs and buts #WYD” @Pontifex 5 April 2020
- “In those prisons that are overcrowded, there is the danger that this pandemic will end up as a grave tragedy. Let us #PrayTogether for those responsible, for those who must make decisions, so that they might find a correct and creative way to resolve this problem.” @Pontifex 6 April 2020
- “We will be judged on our relationship with the poor. When Jesus says, ”The poor you will always have with you“, he is saying, ”I will always be with you in the poor; I will be present there“. This is at the center of the Gospel, so much so that we will be judged on it.” @Pontifex 6 April 2020
- “The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others. For life is measured by love.” @Pontifex 6 April 2020
- “In these days of #Lent, we’ve been witnessing the persecution that Jesus underwent and how He was judged ferociously, even though He was innocent. Let us #PrayTogether today for all those persons who suffer due to an unjust sentence because of someone had it in for them.” @Pontifex 7 April 2020
- “There are always times in life when we fall, each one of us is a sinner. But what matters is our attitude before God. We ask for the grace to persevere in service and, when we fall, the grace to weep as Peter wept. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 7 April 2020
- “In these holy days let us stand before the Crucified One and let us ask for the grace to live in order to serve. May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most in need. May we not be concerned about what we lack, but what good we can do for others.” @Pontifex 7 April 2020
- “Let us pray today for the people doing business with those in need during this pandemic, who seek to profit from the needs of others and ”sell“ them. May the Lord touch and convert their hearts. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 8 April 2020
- “Let’s think of the little Judas that we all have within ourselves. Every one of us is capable of choosing between loyalty and self-interest. We are each capable of betraying, of selling, of making choices based on our own interests. Where are you, Judas? #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 8 April 2020
- “From the open heart of the Crucified one, God’s love reaches each one of us. Let us allow His gaze to rest on us. We will understand that we are not alone, but loved, for the Lord does not abandon us and He never, ever forgets us. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 8 April 2020
Papal Instagram
So I have been pondering on participation in the Mass.
Specifically, I think tomorrow when my parish is streaming the Sunday Mass that I will go and park in the back of the church behind the chapel. The Tabernacle is in an arrangement being center and behind the main altar and shared with the Marian chapel behind it.
What actual distinctions are there if I am physically present in the church during Mass compared with me being physically present behind the church during Mass? Sure there is a fuller sign value of being in the church itself during Mass, but what other distinctions?
If the walls were transparent, I would be in visual distance of the priest. So I am thinking about what level of physical proximity matters. At large Papal masses such as WYD people are often at the very edge or visual distance and have to rely on projection screens to watch. So I think I am in somewhat the same situation relying on a mobile device to observe the Mass. So I think proximity is important and that it is not the same as being at home watching a streaming Mass live.
So I am interested in theological speculations on this.
On just a psychological level, I see this as beneficial to myself. Watching a Mass at home just leaves me as purely an observer and my feeling of participation about nil. I am happy for others that this is more helpful for them. Although I have to remind myself not to rely on my feelings as the arbiter of participation.
For Holy Week I will be spending my holy hour outside in the back of the church. This morning I was doing the same. I know precisely where the Tabernacle is and that I was only a couple of yards from it. I can easily visualize the interior of this historic wooden church. I have been thinking of making a Stations of the Cross standing outside and behind each image.
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 25 March 2020 to 1 April 2020.
The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.
General Audiences
Homilies
Messages
Papal Tweets
- “If you find it hard to pray, don’t give up. Be still; make space for God to come in; let Him look at you, and He will fill you with His peace. #Lent” @Pontifex 26 March 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for the many people who are concerned for others – families that don’t have enough to eat, elderly people who are alone, the sick in hospital – and who pray and seek to help them. We thank the Lord for stirring these sentiments in the hearts of the faithful.” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
- “Let us ask the Lord for the grace to fight against the evil spirit, to dialogue when we need to dialogue but, in the face of the spirit of fury, to have the courage to remain silent. #HomilySantaMarta Santa Marta Mass Vudei” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
- “Statio Orbis #PrayTogether ” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
- “From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace. ” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
- “But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7). Homily” @Pontifex 27 March 2020
- “In these days we are beginning to see other consequences of the pandemic. One is hunger. We’re beginning to see the aftermath. Let us #PrayTogether for the families who find themselves in need and are already facing hunger due to the pandemic. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
- “The people of God have a sense of knowing where the Spirit is, of knowing the paths of salvation. The people of God follow Jesus. They can’t explain why, but they follow Him. And they never tire. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
- “It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others. [Video]” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
- “During #Lent I invite you to halt in contemplation before the crucified Lord and repeat: “Jesus, you love me, transform me…”. ” @Pontifex 28 March 2020
- “I am thinking of the many people who are weeping. We, too, accompany them from our hearts. It wouldn’t do us any harm to weep a bit as our Lord wept for all of His people. #PrayTogether Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 29 March 2020
- “Profoundly moved and troubled, He weeps (Jn 11:35). We ask the Lord for the grace of weeping today before all the people who are suffering the consequences of this pandemic. May today be for everyone like a Sunday of tears. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 29 March 2020
- “We are one human family. Let us bring all hostilities to a halt. May our joint fight against the #COVID–19 pandemic bring everyone to recognize the great need to reinforce brotherly and sisterly bonds. #globalceasefire @antonioguterres @UN” @Pontifex 29 March 2020
- “#PrayTogether for the many people who are not succeeding in coping and remain in fear because of this pandemic. May the Lord help them to have the strength to cope for the good the entire community. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 30 March 2020
- “The Lord does justice for the innocent woman, forgives the sinner, condemns the corrupt ones, helps the hypocrites convert themselves. Each of us has our own story, our own sins. Let us look at the Lord who does justice, but who is also extremely merciful. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 30 March 2020
- “When we stand before the crucified Jesus, we see the depth of His love, which restores our dignity and sustains us. #Lent” @Pontifex 30 March 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for those who are homeless. In this moment when everyone is supposed to be at home, may society help them and may the Church welcome them. Santa Marta Mass – YouTube” @Pontifex 31 March 2020
- “Jesus took our sins upon Himself to the point of making Himself sin. It’s not easy to understand this; we will never fully comprehend it. We can only contemplate, pray, and give thanks. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 31 March 2020
- “The Lord frees and heals the heart, if we call on Him with humility and trust. #Lent” @Pontifex 31 March 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for all who work in the media, who work to communicate, to inform us, so that people are not so isolated, and to educate children. We pray for all those who are helping us bear this time of isolation.” @Pontifex 1 April 2020
- ““If you remain in my Word, you will indeed be my disciples” (Jn 8:31). The disciple is someone who is free because he or she remains in the Lord. To remain in the Lord means allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 1 April 2020
- “What does it mean to have a “pure” heart? A purified heart is the result of a process that implies a liberation and a renunciation. The pure of heart is not born thus, it has lived an interior simplification, learning to renounce evil in itself. #Beatitudes #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 1 April 2020
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This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 4 February 2020 to 25 March 2020.
The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.
Angelus
Daily Homilies (fervorinos)
- 4 February 2020 – Experiencing God’s love for us
- 7 February 2020 – There is no humility without humiliation
- 13 February 2020 – Beware of sliding into worldliness
- 14 February 2020 – Cherish those who accompany us in life
- 18 February 2020 – Open our hearts to compassion
- 20 February 2020 – Accepting Jesus even to the Cross
- 25 February 2020 – Service is the measure of greatness in the Church
General Audiences
Messages
- 8 March 2020 – Message for the 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2020
- 19 March 2020 – Video Message of the Holy Father Francis to mark the moment of Prayer promoted for the whole country by the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), on the feast of Saint Joseph
Speeches
Papal Tweets
- “On this Feast of #StJoseph let us ask the Lord for the grace to live in the concreteness of everyday life and also in the ‘concreteness’ of the mystery. Entering into the mystery is not about dreaming; entering into the mystery means to adore. Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.19” @Pontifex 19 March 2020
- “Dear Brothers and Sisters, this evening let us join together spiritually in the prayer of the Holy Rosary. May Mary, Health of the sick, and St Joseph, man of faith, intercede for us! #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 19 March 2020
- “#PrayTogether, entrusting ourselves to the intercession of St. Joseph, who knew precariousness and bitterness. Though he worried about the future, he knew how to walk through the darkness of certain moments, always letting himself be guided by God’s will without reservation. ” @Pontifex 19 March 2020
- “Let us #PrayTogether for doctors, hospital staff, and volunteers who are giving their own lives to save others. And for civil leaders, for those who have to make decisions at this time. All these people are the pillars defending us in this crisis.” @Pontifex 20 March 2020
- “The God of tenderness will heal us of all life’s wounds and of all the bad things we have done. Returning to God means returning to an embrace, the embrace of the Father. #HomilySantaMarta Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.20” @Pontifex 20 March 2020
- “The fire of God’s love consumes the ashes of our sin. The embrace of the Father renews us from inside and purifies our heart. #Lent” @Pontifex 20 March 2020
- “Today we remember the families who cannot leave their homes: may they know how to find a way of communicating well, and conquer the anguish of this moment together. Let us #PrayTogether for peace in families today during this crisis, and for creativity.” @Pontifex 21 March 2020
- “The Lord forgives all our sins, but He needs me to show them to Him. The #GospelOfToday teaches us how to pray, how to draw near to the Lord: humbly, with our ”souls exposed“, without make-up, or dressing ourselves up with our own virtue. #HomilySantaMarta Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.21” @Pontifex 21 March 2020
- “#Lent invites us to reflect on the meaning of life, sure in the knowledge that only in and with Christ will we find the answer to the mystery of suffering and death. We were not created for death, but for life in abundance: eternal life.” @Pontifex 21 March 2020
- “Let us pray for the many people who are dying alone, without being able to say goodbye to their loved ones. Let us pray also for the families who cannot accompany their loved ones on that journey. #PrayTogether Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.22” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
- “In Jesus’ presence, the true sentiments of the heart come forth. Let us read the #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 9:1–41) to understand what happens when Jesus passes by. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
- “The #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 9:1–41) teaches us that sin is like a dark veil covering our face and keeping us from seeing ourselves and the world clearly. The Lord’s forgiveness removes this cloak of darkness and gives us new light.” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
- “We want to respond to the virus pandemic with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness. Let us stay united. I invite all Christians to direct their voices together toward Heaven, reciting the Our Father on Wednesday, 25 March, at noon. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 22 March 2020
- “Let us pray today for those persons who are beginning to experience economic problems due to the pandemic, because they cannot work. All of this affects the family. #PrayTogether Holy Mass at Casa Santa Marta 2020.03.23” @Pontifex 23 March 2020
- “The first requirement for prayer is faith, the second is perseverance, and the third is courage. In these days when we need to pray more, let us ask ourselves if we pray like this. The Lord never deludes! He makes us wait, but He never deludes. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 23 March 2020
- “Today Jesus speaks those same words to you: “Take heart, I am here with you, allow me to enter and your life will change!” #Lent” @Pontifex 23 March 2020
- “In these days a number of doctors and priests have died. Many nurses were infected because they were serving the sick. I thank God for the example of heroism they give us in caring for the sick. Let us #PrayTogether for them and their families.” @Pontifex 24 March 2020
- “The #GospelOfTheDay (Jn 5:1–16) tells of a paralytic ailing from pessimism, sadness, tepidity: a poisonous fog surrounding the soul that doesn’t allow it to live. Then there is the symbol of our new life: the water that Jesus used to regenerate us in Baptism. #HomilySantaMarta” @Pontifex 24 March 2020
- “Let us stay united. I invite all Christians to direct their voices together toward Heaven, reciting the Our Father tomorrow, 25 March, at noon. #PrayTogether #PrayForTheWorld [Video]” @Pontifex 24 March 2020
- “#PrayTogether ” @Pontifex 25 March 2020
- “With her ”yes“ given to the Angel, the Virgin welcomed the Word made flesh and accepted to become the mother of the Son of God. So, in Mary, the encounter between God and man becomes reality. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 25 March 2020
- “In the context of the pandemic that threatens human life and the global economy, today we reiterate the teaching of #EvangeliumVitae to transmit the culture of life to future generations: an attitude of solidarity, care, and welcome. #GeneralAudience” @Pontifex 25 March 2020
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