January 16th

At the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

This morning we visited the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.  We spoke with a priest that has worked in the Congregation for 35 years.  We learned about the process of canonization from the diocesan level all the way to the Pope's final decision.  We learned that men and women are canonized so that they can be imitated by us and so that we can take advantage of their intercessory power.  We also learned that sin in the life of the person does not disqualify them absolutely from being canonized; what is important is that the person repented of the sin and cooperated with God's grace to reach perfection before death.  Knowing that the worst of sinners can become the greatest of saints, with God's grace, should give all of us hope.  God is so good.

Our Lady of Confidence

We celebrated Mass at the Roman College at the Chapel of Our Lady of Confidence.  This title of Mary has special significance for the St. Paul Seminary.  Our rector went to the Roman College and developed a devotion to Our Lady of Confidence.  We now have a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Confidence in St. Mary's Chapel at SPS.  It was a wonderful opportunity to reminded (just months before our priesthood ordination) that our confidence does not lie in our own strength, abilities or talents, but rather in the mercy of God.  Mary shows us what complete and boundless confidence in God looks like.

In the evening we visited the Pontifical Council for Integral Human Development (a new council at the Vatican that combined four previously existing councils into one). This Pontifical Council has mediated the Church's outreach to the thousands and thousands of refugees that have had to flee the threat of terrorism and civil war.  The Christian is called to "welcome the stranger".  It was fitting to start our day talking about saints and to end it talking about seeing Jesus in those who are suffering, which has always been a disposition of the saints.

God bless you and may we all remember the call we have by our baptism to be saints.

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