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2 - Meeting of Our Lord with Simeon & Anna
5 - Sunday of the Prodigal Son
11 - All Souls Saturday
12 - Meatfare Sunday
19 - Cheesefare Sunday
20 - Beginning of the Holy Forty Days Fast
26 - Sunday of Orthodoxy
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Pontiff Sends $200,000 to Peru
Monday, 20 August 2007 21:52
VATICAN CITY, AUG. 20, 2007 (Zenit.org).- By way of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Benedict XVI sent $200,000 to the relief effort in Peru after an earthquake devastated the country and claimed at least 540 lives.
The Vatican confirmed today in a communiqué the monetary gift as well as Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's trip to the region, affected by Wednesday's magnitude-8 quake.
The Holy Father said Sunday during the Angelus address that he was sending Cardinal Bertone, his secretary of state, to Peru. He said the cardinal had already foreseen a trip to the South American country.
The Pontiff's gestures wish to "express the solicitude of the universal Church for those that have lost their loved ones and their possessions," the statement said.
Benedict XVI is encouraging the faithful and Catholic aid organizations to undertake every possible means of organized assistance in a spirit of "fraternal charity toward the affected population, respecting the locally-defined priorities and in accord with the local Church."
The Pontifical Council Cor Unum is the Vatican dicastery that oversees the Church's charitable activities.
ZE07082009 - 2007-08-20
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Prayer for Life
O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son, enlighten the minds and hearts of those blinded to the truth that life begins at conception so that they may see that the pre-born in the womb is already adorned with Your image and likeness. Enable us to guard, cherish and protect the lives of all those who are unable to care for themselves. For You are the Bestower of Life, bringing each man from non-being into being, sealing each with your divine and infinite love and we glorify you together with Your Father, Who is without beginning, and your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
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Wisdom from the Church Fathers
The work of prayer belongs to the angels, and is, therefore, the special concern of the Church. Every other work, i.e., charity, nursing the brethren, visiting the sick, caring for prisoners, releasing captives, and other similar things, is done by the brethren in love and offered by them to God. Similarly, poverty, fasting, sleeping on the ground, prostrations, vigils, etc., are good and like a sacrifice to God, because they aim to subdue and humble the body so that we may be purified and approach God and become friends of God -- yet these things do not present us directly to God, whereas prayer does so and unites us with Him. A person praying acts towards God like a friend -- conversing, confiding, requesting -- and through this becomes one with our Maker Himself. St. Symeon of Thessalonica |