St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor

St. Thomas Aquinas (1224/1225-1274) is one of the most influential figures in the history of the Church. A Dominican priest, his life and work show that love of God and intellectual rigor call for each other. The Church has recognized in him a perennial model for theological, philosophical and spiritual formation, especially in the formation of priests.

Born in Roccasecca, in the Kingdom of Sicily, into a noble family, Thomas received his early education at the Benedictine abbey of Montecassino. He later studied at the University of Naples, where he came into contact with the texts of Aristotle and the newly founded Order of Preachers. Against his family's plans, he decided to join the Dominicans. This choice would definitively mark his life.

A life dedicated to study and to God

The biography of St. Thomas is full of episodes of fidelity, work and prayer. After entering the Order of Preachers, he was sent to study in Paris and Cologne, where he became a disciple of St. Albert the Great, one of the great scholars of the 13th century. There he was trained in philosophy and theology, with a method that integrated human reason and Christian revelation.

His family, opposed to his religious vocation, even held him back for a time to dissuade him. Thomas remained steadfast. This episode, far from being anecdotal, shows an essential trait of his character: the serenity and deep conviction with which he sought the truth and fulfilled the will of God.

Once ordained a priest, he developed an intense academic work. He taught at the University of Paris and in various Dominican studies in Italy. He was an advisor to popes and actively participated in the intellectual life of the Church of his time. However, he never understood study as an end in itself. For Thomas, study was a form of service: to serve the Church, preaching and the salvation of souls.

The spirituality of St. Thomas is sober and profound. A man of prayer, he celebrated the Eucharist with great recollection. In his Eucharistic hymns -still used today in the liturgy, such as the Pange lingua or the Adoro te devote- a deep faith, centered on Christ, is perceived, which complements his enormous intellectual rigor.

He died on March 7, 1274 in the abbey of Fossanova, on his way to the Council of Lyon. He was about 49 years old.

He was canonized in 1323 and proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1567. Later, the Church would declare him Common Doctor, recommending his doctrine in a special way for theological formation.

St. Thomas Aquinas and his work for Christian formation

The greatness of St. Thomas Aquinas is manifested above all in his extensive and systematic written work. Among all his writings, two stand out for their importance and their lasting impact on the life of the Church.

The Summa Theologica is his best known work. Conceived as a manual for the formation of theology students, it is structured in a pedagogical way: each question is posed with objections, a central answer and the final replies. This method seeks to teach how to think. Thomas accepts difficulties and questions, because he trusts that the truth can be known and expressed with clarity.

In the Summa addresses the great themes of the Christian faith: God, creation, the human being, the moral life, Christ and the sacraments. Everything is arranged with a clear criterion: to lead man to his ultimate end, which is God. This integral vision explains why the Church continues to recommend this work as the basis for ecclesiastical studies.

The Summa contra Gentiles, is more apologetic in character. It is designed to dialogue with those who do not share the Christian faith, showing that many fundamental truths can be reached by reason. It is a work especially relevant today, in a pluralistic cultural context, where the Church is called to dialogue with contemporary reason without renouncing revelation.

One of the central contributions of St. Thomas is the harmony between faith and reason. For him, there can be no contradiction between the two, because both proceed from God. Human reason has its own field and a real dignity; faith does not annul it, but elevates it. This principle has been explicitly assumed by the Magisterium of the Church, especially in documents on priestly formation and Catholic education.

It is also essential to contribute to the Moral Theology. His explanation of the natural law, of the virtues and of human action remains a solid reference for understanding Christian morality as a path to fulfillment, not as a simple set of norms. Morality, for St. Thomas, is a free and reasonable response to the love of God.

St. Thomas Aquinas proposes five remedies of surprising efficacy against sadness.

1. The first remedy is to indulge yourself. 

It is as if the famous theologian had already intuited seven centuries ago the idea, so widespread today, that chocolate is an antidepressant. It may seem a materialistic idea, but it is clear that a day full of bitterness can end well with a good beer. 

That something like this is contrary to the Gospel is difficult to prove: we know that the Lord gladly participated in banquets and feasts, and both before and after the Resurrection he gladly enjoyed the beautiful things of life. Even a Psalm affirms that wine gladdens the heart of man (although it is necessary to clarify that the Bible clearly condemns drunkenness).

2. The second remedy is crying. 

Often, a moment of melancholy is harder if you can't find an escape route, and it seems as if the bitterness builds up until it prevents you from carrying out the smallest task. 

Crying is a language, a way of expressing and undoing the knot of a pain that can sometimes suffocate us. Jesus also wept. And Pope Francis points out that "certain realities of life can only be seen with eyes that have been cleansed by tears. I invite each of you to ask yourselves: Have I learned to cry?.

3. The third remedy is the compassion of friends.. 

The character of Renzo's friend comes to mind, in the famous book "Los novios", who, in a large house uninhabited because of the plague, recounts the great misfortunes that have shaken his family. "These are horrible events, which I would never have thought I would have seen; things that take away the joy for life; but talking about them among friends is a relief". 

It's something you have to experience to believe. When you feel sad, you tend to see everything in gray. At such times it is very effective to open your soul with a friend. Sometimes all it takes is a short message or phone call and the picture brightens up again.

4. The fourth remedy against sadness is the contemplation of truth. 

This is the fulgor veritatis of which St. Augustine speaks. Contemplating the splendor of things, in nature or in a work of art, listening to music, being surprised by the beauty of a landscape... can be an effective balm against sadness. 

A literary critic, a few days after the death of a dear friend, had to speak on the subject of adventure in Tolkien. He began thus: "To speak of beautiful things before interested people is for me a real consolation...".

5. Sleeping and bathing.

The fifth remedy proposed by St. Thomas is perhaps the one that one would least expect from a medieval master. The theologian states that a fantastic remedy against sadness is to sleep and take a bath. 

The efficacy of the advice is evident. It is profoundly Christian to understand that in order to remedy a spiritual evil, bodily relief is sometimes necessary. Since God became Man, and thus assumed a body, the material world has overcome the separation between matter and spirit.

A widespread prejudice is that the Christian vision of man is based on the opposition between soul and body, and the latter would always be seen as a burden or obstacle to the spiritual life. 

In reality, Christian humanism considers that the person (soul and body) is completely "spiritualized" when it seeks union with God. To use the words of St. Paul, there is an animal body and a spiritual body, and we will not die, but we will be transformed, because it is necessary that this corruptible body be clothed with incorruptibility, that this mortal body be clothed with immortality.

For all these reasons, St. Thomas Aquinas is a figure who is particularly close to the mission of the CARF Foundation, which supports the integral, intellectual, human and spiritual formation of seminarians and diocesan priests from all over the world. His life is a reminder that the Church needs well-formed pastors, capable of thinking with rigor, teaching with clarity and living their teachings with coherence.

Pope Leo XIV: first 8 months of pontificate

At this point in the year, more than a few commentators are launching into a review of the first few months of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. My impression is that perhaps too much is being pretended, and that such a short time barely serves to glimpse the horizons of a pontificate that, if God does not provide otherwise, has a long life ahead of it.

The pillars of the new Pope's pontificate

And, without wanting to interpret anything, I will only underline three details that are doing a lot of good to the souls of believers who are well disposed to pray and venerate the Pope Leo XIV. These three details are: the centrality of Jesus Christ, true God and true man; the veneration and devotion to Mary, Mother of God; and the prospect of eternal life.

The centrality of Christ was clearly manifested in the episode that occurred while Leo XIV was visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. He wanted to follow the visit, and not stop to pray with the Emirs. In an interview a few days later, the Pope indicated that he wanted to pray in a church, before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. That is, to pray adoring the true God the Son, made Eucharist, food for eternity.

Devotion to the Virgin Mary and Hope

Devotion to the Virgin Mary was deeply engraved in the souls of the pilgrims who attended the last audience of the Jubilee Year, which Pope Francis Leo XIV held in St. Peter's Square on Saturday, December 20.

«Sisters and brothers, if Christian prayer is so profoundly Marian, it is because in Mary of Nazareth we see one of us who generates. God made her fruitful and she came forth to meet us with her features, as every child resembles its mother. She is the Mother of God and our mother. "Our hope," we say in the Salve Regina. She resembles the Son and the Son resembles her».

«And we resemble this Mother who gave face, body and voice to the Word of God. We resemble her, because we can generate the Word of God down here, transform the cry we hear into a birth. Jesus wants to be born again: we can give him body and voice. This is the birth that creation is waiting for».

«To hope is to generate. To hope is to see this world become God's world: the world in which God, human beings and all creatures walk together again, in the garden city, the new Jerusalem. Mary, our hope, always accompanies our pilgrimage of faith and hope».

Reflections on the mystery of death and eternity

The prospect of eternal life, which, unfortunately, is hardly mentioned in all its fullness - death, judgment, hell and glory - Leo XIV addressed it masterfully in the audience of December 10 last, from which I transcribe a few paragraphs:

«The mystery of death has always raised profound questions in human beings (...). It is natural, because all living beings on earth die. It is unnatural because the desire for life and eternity that we feel for ourselves and for the people we love makes us see death as a condemnation, as a "contradiction in terms"».

«Many ancient peoples developed rites and customs related to the cult of the dead, to accompany and remember those who were on their way to the supreme mystery. Today, however, there is a different trend. Death seems to be a kind of taboo, an event to be kept at a distance, something to be spoken of in a low voice, so as not to disturb our sensibility and tranquility. For this reason, we often avoid even visiting cemeteries, where those who have gone before us rest while awaiting the resurrection».

«What is death, then, and is it really the last word on our life? Only human beings ask themselves this question, because only they know that they must die. But being aware of it does not save him from death, but in a certain sense "burdens" him more than all other living creatures.».

Oración por el papa León XIV

Resurrection and the challenges of transhumanism

(...) «St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, in his famous writing titled Preparation for death, reflects on the pedagogical value of death, stressing that it is a great teacher of life. Knowing that it exists and, above all, meditating on it teaches us to choose what to really do with our existence. To pray, to understand what is good in view of the kingdom of heaven, and to let go of what is superfluous, which instead binds us to ephemeral things, is the secret to living authentically, with the awareness that our passage on earth prepares us for eternity».

«However, many current anthropological views promise immanent immortality and theorize about prolonging earthly life through technology. It is the scenario of “transhumanism”which is making its way on the horizon of the challenges of our time» (...).

«The event of Christ's resurrection reveals to us that death is not opposed to life, but is a constitutive part of it as a passage to eternal life. The Passover of Jesus makes us prelike, in this time still full of sufferings and trials, the fullness of what will happen after death» (...).

"Resurrection -the pope assures Leo XIV- is capable of illuminating the mystery of death to its very depths. In this light, and only in this light, what our heart desires and hopes for becomes a reality: that death is not the end, but the passage towards full light, towards a happy eternity».

«The Risen One has preceded us in the great trial of death, emerging victorious thanks to the power of divine Love. Thus he has prepared for us the place of eternal rest, the house where we are expected; he has given us the fullness of life in which there are no longer shadows or contradictions (...). To await it with the certainty of the resurrection preserves us from the fear of disappearing forever and prepares us for the joy of life without end».

And, before the new year, may the Light of the manger of Bethlehem, the Light of God, continue to illuminate our journey. Light of God, may it continue to illuminate our journey.

Ernesto Juliá, (ernesto.julia@gmail.com) | Previously published in Religión Confidencial.

What are sacred vessels: liturgical objects?

Liturgical objects and sacred vessels were gaining importance since the first centuries of Christianity. Many of them were conceived of as relics, such as the Holy Grail and the Lignun Crucis.

. The presence of sacred vessels in the Middle Ages is evident not only from the objects that have come down to us to the present day, but also from the numerous documentary sources: inventories of the churches in which the acquisitions or donations of certain liturgical objects were recorded, among which the sacred vessels stood out.

Nowadays, we call sacred vessels the utensils of liturgical worship which are in direct contact with the Eucharist. Because they are sacred, they are used only for that purpose and must be blessed by the bishop or a priest before they are consecrated with them.

In addition, they must have the necessary dignity to carry out the Holy Mass. According to the Spanish Episcopal Conference -each bishops' conference details its standards of dignity according to local traditions- it is required that they be made of noble metal or other solid, unbreakable and incorruptible materials and that they be considered noble in that place.

The paten and chalice are the most important sacred vessels since the beginning of Christianity. They contain the bread and wine that will be consecrated during the Holy Mass and that will become the Body and Blood of Christ. With the passing of time, and the needs of Eucharistic worship and of the faithful, other sacred vessels have appeared, such as the ciborium, pyx (with which communion is brought to the sick) and the monstrance, as well as other accessories.

After the celebration of the sacraments, the priest cleans and purifies the liturgical objects he has used, since all must be clean and well preserved.

Why are sacred vessels important to a priest?

Having all the elements necessary to impart the sacraments and celebrate the Holy Mass is indispensable for the ministry of a priest.

For this reason, the Social Action Board (PAS) of the CARF Foundation delivers each year sacred vessel backpacks to seminarians from all over the world who are studying in Pamplona and Rome and who are graduating and returning to their home countries. The current backpack contains everything necessary to celebrate Holy Mass with dignity in any place, without the need for a previous installation.

The Sacred Vessel Backpack of the CARF Foundation enables young priests without resources to administer the sacraments where they are most needed. At this time, it is not only the priest in front of them, but also all the benefactors who will make it possible for them to exercise their ministry with adequate material dignity.

vasos sagrados objetos litúrgicos de los sacerdotes para la Misa
A priest reverently uses the sacred vessels, an ornate silver chalice and paten.

Which liturgical objects are sacred vessels?

The principal sacred vessels are those which, previously consecrated, have been destined to contain the Holy Eucharist. Like the chalice, paten, ciborium, pyx, monstrance and tabernacle.

Contrary to the sacred vessels secondary, that do not have contact with the Eucharist, but are intended for divine worship, such as the cruets, acetre, hyssop, incense burner, bell, alb and the candlestickamong others.

Main liturgical objects

Chalice

From Latin calix which means drinking cup. The calyx is the sacred vessel par excellence. Used by Jesus and the apostles at the Last Supper, it was probably a glass of kiddush (Jewish ritual tableware for the Passover celebration), being at the time a semi-precious stone bowl.

The earliest known official decrees from synods date back to the 11th century, already expressly prohibit the use of glass, wood, horn and copper, because it is easily oxidized. Tin is tolerated and noble metals are recommended instead.

The shape of the ancient chalices resembled more a cup or amphora, often with two handles for easy handling. This type of chalice was in use until the 12th century. Since that century almost all chalices, devoid of handles, are distinguished by the width of the cup and by a greater separation between it and the foot that constitutes the stem of the chalice with the knot, at mid-height.

Paten

It comes from the Greek phatne which means plate. It refers to the shallow, slightly concave tray or saucer where the consecrated bread is placed in the Eucharist. The paten came into liturgical use at the same time as the chalice and must be gilded on the concave side. It is important that it allows easy collection of particles on the body.

In the accounts of the Last Supper, mention is made of the dish with the bread that Jesus had before him on the table (Mt 26:23; Mk 14:20). As for the material of the patens, it followed the same evolution as the chalice.

Accessories for chalice and paten

Cup

The conservation of the Eucharist after the celebration of Mass is a custom that dates back to the early days of Christianity. ciborium.

In ancient times the faithful sometimes kept the Eucharist, with exquisite care, in their own homes. St. Cyprian speaks of a little chest or ark that was kept at home for this purpose (De lapsis, 26: PL 4,501). It was also, of course, kept in the churches. 

They had a space called secretarium o sacrarium, in which there was a kind of closet (conditorium) where the Eucharistic chest was kept. These conditorium were the first tabernacles. They were usually made of hard wood, ivory or noble metal; and they were called píxides -with a flat lid, fastened with hinges, or with a conical lid and in the form of a turret with a foot.

In the late Middle Ages, the possibility of receiving communion outside of Mass became popular, requiring a larger size and evolving into the present-day cup: a large cup used to distribute communion to the faithful and then to keep it to preserve the body of Christ. It is covered, when kept in the tabernacle, with a circular veil called the conopeo, the name also given to the veil that covers the tabernacle in the color of the liturgical season.

In places where Holy Communion is solemnly brought to the sick, a small ciborium of the same style is used. The small pixel used is made of the same material as that of the ciborium. It has to be gilded on the inside, the bottom should have a slight rise in the center, and it should be blessed by the shape. Benedictio tabernaculi (Rit. Rom., tit. VIII, XXIII). It is also called teak or portaviático and it is usually a round box made of noble materials.

Custody or monstrance

The monstrance is an urn framed in glass in which the Blessed Sacrament is publicly exposed. It can be made of gold, silver, brass or gilded copper. The most suitable shape is that of the sun that emits its rays everywhere. The lunette (manly or lunula) is the vessel in the middle of the monstrance, made of the same material.

The lunette, as long as it contains the Blessed Sacrament, can be placed in the tabernacle within a crate. If the tabernacle has enough space to hold the monstrance, then it should be covered with a white silk veil. It is also used for processions outside the church on special dates such as the Feast of Corpus Christi.

All these vessels should be made of gold, silver or other material, but gilded on the inside, smooth and polished, and may be topped by a cross.

Vineyard

The wine coolers are two small pitchers where the water and wine necessary to celebrate the celebration are placed. Holy Mass. The priest mixes the wine with a little water and, for this, he has a complementary spoon. They are usually made of glass so that the priest can identify the water in the wine, and also because they are easier to clean. However, you can also find bronze, silver or pewter cruets.

Acetre

It is a cauldron in which holy water is placed and is used for the liturgical sprinklings. All the water that collects the acetre, is dispersed with the swab.

Hyssop

Utensil with which the sprinkles holy waterconsisting of a handle with a bunch of bristles or a hollow metal ball with a hole at the end to hold the water. It is used together with the acetre.

Censer and incense

The censer is a small metal brazier suspended in the air and held by chains which is used to burn incense. Incense is used to manifest worship and symbolizes the prayer that goes up to God.

Bell

It is an inverted cup-shaped utensil of small size with a clapper inside, that used to call for prayer during the consecration. The bell is used to attract attention and, in addition, to express a feeling of joy. There are single-bell or multi-bell bells.

Candlestick

It is a support where the candle is placed which is used in the liturgy as a symbol of Christ, who is the Light that guides all.

vasos sagrados objetos litúrgicos de los sacerdotes para la Misa San Josemaría Escrivá

"The woman who, in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany, anoints the Master's head with rich perfume, reminds us of our duty to be splendid in the worship of God.

-All the luxury, majesty and beauty seem little to me.

-And against those who attack the richness of sacred vessels, ornaments and altarpieces, the praise of Jesus is heard:opus enim bonum operata est in me»-a good deed has he done with me». St. Josemaría
(Camino, 527).

Bishop Erik Varden presents 'Healing Wounds' at Omnes Forum

Healing woundsThe fragility of life strikes us in many ways, with losses, uncertainties, visible and invisible wounds. And in the face of this personal anguish, the words of Erik Varden, Bishop of Trondheim (Norway) and Cistercian monk, emerge as the wind of hope. His message, profoundly Catholic and at the same time contemporary, has made him one of the most lucid and heard voices of Catholicism in the 21st century.

Suffering is not an enemy, but a mystery

For this reason, its presence always causes expectation and excitement, because his speech has an impact on every person who has ever felt the weight of pain, loss or uncertainty.

In Madrid, more than 250 people crowded the Aula Magna of the CEU San Pablo University to attend the Omnes Forum and listen to him. The bishop of Trondheim and author reflected on his latest book Healing wounds, which touches on human suffering and its Christian meaning. The Forum, organized by Omnes Magazine together with Ediciones Encuentro and the Ángel Herrera Oria Cultural Foundation, was sponsored by the following organizations CARF Foundation.

Erik Varden (Sarpsborg, Norway, 1974) is an accessible monk, a religious man who turns the meaning of suffering upside down: «it is not an enemy, but a mystery that demands to be seen, welcomed and transformed from the heart», he pointed out.

From a Christian point of view, suffering cannot be simply explained or eliminated. Christianity does not offer theories that annul pain, but a presence capable of assuming and redeeming it. And that presence is Christ incarnate. For this reason, this monk, born into a non-practicing family of Lutheran tradition, explained that the core of the Christian mystery is in the IncarnationGod, being absolute transcendence, enters into the human condition to heal it from within. «The Incarnation takes place in view of the Redemption,» he said, insisting that the suffering is not the end of the story.

A beauty that heals

In a slow but firm voice, Varden reminds us that suffering is not a cosmic accident or a failure of the universe, but a deep mystery which, if contemplated with faith, reveals a beauty that heals.

In his lecture, he evoked a passage from Crime and punishment where a man, in the face of unjust pain, cries out in anger: «I'm not a man.«there can be no answer to this». Faced with this cry, his brother does not try to correct or explain it; he simply remains silent and looks at the cross. That, he said, is the Christian response: «not an explanation that cancels out the pain, but a silent presence in the face of suffering».

Between denial and victimization: two contemporary pitfalls

Varden pointed to two typical responses of our time to suffering. On one hand, the culture of surface and appearance, what he called the “Instagram trend” that pushes us to projecting perfect and invulnerable lives, hiding any wounds. On the other hand, the growing inclination to victimization may cause wounds to become closed and absolute identities.

The danger, he explained, is to be caught between these two dynamics: denying pain or trapping it as a static identity. And both distort the Christian perspective. 

heridas-que-sanan-erik-vardem-foro-omnes

Experiencing pain firsthand

Erik Varden is a man who has experienced firsthand the search for meaning in the face of pain. Born in a family A non-practicing Lutheran, his life took a radical turn when, as a teenager, he experienced a spiritual awakening that led him to deepen his Christian faith and, eventually, to enter the monastic life.

With studies at the University of Cambridge and the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, he entered the Cistercian monastery of Mount St. Bernard in England in 2002, where he became a member of the Cistercian monastery of Mount St. Bernard in England. ordained priest and later elected abbot.

His works, which include titles such as Chastity, On Christian conversion y Healing wounds, The work combines a deep spirituality with a sensitive look at the human condition.

Healing wounds: contemplating the mystery of the cross

His latest book, Healing wounds stands as a profound meditation on that same experience. Drawing from an ancient Cistercian poem, Varden invites us to contemplate the wounds of Christ not as a sad or defeated symbol, but as the living source from which healing can be found.

«We all carry scars - some visible, others hidden deep in the soul - and we look for answers in therapies, philosophies or spiritual advice that often fall short of the question that tears us most: why does life hurt?»He launched as if it were a missile before the silence of the Aula Magna of the CEU.

But this contemporary monk knows how to give a comforting answer: «on the path of life, suffering is not eliminated, but transformed by to join in Christ's redemptive suffering, becoming not only a consolation but also a source of life and grace».

The cross: symbol of freedom and communion

The Norwegian bishop also reflected on the cross as a symbol that breaks with our logic of self-sufficiency. He noted that contemplate the cross -where nails pierce the flesh and mobility is nullified - seems to represent the absolute negation of freedom. But, he said, read from the perspective of faith, reveals an extreme freedom: «if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, but let your will be done.".

Even when physical freedom is restricted, a completely free inner response is still possible. The cross shows that we are not mere spectators of suffering, but can respond freely in the midst of it.

Book cover Healing wounds, by Erik Varden (Ediciones Encuentro).

Healing is not forgetting, it is transforming into love.

The bishop insisted that healing is not instantaneous nor does it automatically eliminate pain. Some physical or emotional fractures may remain, but that does not exclude them from the healing action of grace. «The Christian faith proclaims not only a God who is capable of eliminating suffering, but a God who carries it with us and transforms it into a source of healing and life.".

And here he quoted the words of Isaiah which he himself put as an epigraph in his book: “By his wounds we have been healed”to add that learning to say “Lord, this is yours.”, Even wounds that hurt can be turned into bridges of healing for oneself and others.

A valley illuminated by hope

At the conclusion of his speech at the Forum, Varden stated with serenity and depth: «we live in this world as in a valley of tears, but it is a valley illuminated by the light of Christ.".

It is not an empty phrase of consolation, but an affirmation that recognizes the reality of human pain and the Christian hope that we are not alone in our wounds. Every painful experience, when accepted and interpreted in faith, can be transformed into a path of communion with God and with others.

heridas-que-sanan-erik-vardem-foro-omnes

The Catholic turn and suffering as a horizon of life

In a interview granted to María José Atienza, Varden, editor-in-chief of Omnes Magazine, shortly after the Forum, Varden spoke of what he called a real catholic turn in our time. For him, the Christian faith «is not simply to add a layer of comfort to an already “perfect” or “self-sufficient” life, but to accept that the deepest part of human existence revolves around our wounds, which we usually prefer to hide or deny.».

Varden explained that under the prism of faith, suffering acquires a totally different dimension: «we begin to be able to see our own wounds as potentially life-giving and life-enhancing.".

This Catholic turn, according to him, is neither sentimental nor superficial, but a profound return to the Christian tradition that recognizes - but does not avoid - human wounds and places them before the mystery of Christ. It is a call not to lose oneself in the denial of pain, nor in a permanent victimization, but to situate suffering within a larger story that leads to life.

Marta Santínjournalist specializing in religion.

Apostolic letter: a fidelity that generates a future

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Council decrees Optatam totius y Presbyterium ordinis, The Pope issued the Apostolic Letter "The Pope's Message to the Church", promulgated on October 28 and December 7, 1965. Loyalty that generates future, reflecting on fidelity in service, fraternity, synodality, mission and the future.

Although this letter may seem to be addressed only to priests, all the Christian faithful have a priestly soul. We summarize the main points of the apostolic letter.

Fidelity: This is what priests are called to do; to persevere in the apostolic mission is to ask oneself about the future of the ministry and to help others to perceive the joy of the priestly vocation.

They are two texts born of a single inspiration of the Church, aware that the longed-for renewal of the Church depends to a great extent on the ministry of priests, always animated by the spirit of Christ.

With this apostolic letter, Pope Leo XIV invites us to «reconsider together the identity and function of the ordained ministry in the light of what the Lord is asking of the Church today».

Loyalty and service

The Pope warns that: «especially in times of trial and temptation, we are strengthened when we do not forget that voice, when we are capable of remembering with passion the sound of the Lord's voice who loves us, chooses us and calls us, We also entrust ourselves to the indispensable accompaniment of those who are experts in the life of the Spirit.

The Pope invites that priests continue to be trained and that this formation does not stop at the time of the seminary. Ongoing, permanent formation, in such a way that it constitutes a constant dynamism of human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral renewal. The CARF Foundation is dedicated body and soul to this work.

fidelidad diseñar nuevos mapas de esperanza papa león XIV carta apostólica

Fidelity and fraternity

And reflecting on fidelity and fraternity, the Pope quotes the decree Presbyterorum ordinisThe priests of the New Testament, although by reason of the sacrament of Holy Orders they exercise the ministry of father and teacher, a most important and necessary ministry among the people and for the people of God, are nevertheless, together with all the Christian faithful, disciples of the Lord, made sharers in his Kingdom by the grace of God who calls.

With all those regenerated in the fountain of Baptism priests are brothers among brothers, since they are members of the one Body of Christ, whose edification is required of all».

«The priestly fraternity, therefore,» says the Pope, "rather than being a task to be carried out, is a gift inherent in the grace of Ordination. We must recognize that this gift precedes us: it is not built up by good will alone and by virtue of a collective effort, but is a gift of Grace, which makes us sharers in the ministry of the bishop and is realized in communion with him and with our brothers and sisters".

Fidelity and synodality

Then, when speaking of the identity of priests, he emphasizes what is indicated by the decree Presbyterorum ordinis on the link with the priesthood and the mission of Jesus Christ (cf. n. 2) and further points out three fundamental coordinates: the relationship with the bishop, sacramental communion and fraternity with other priests; and the relationship with the lay faithful.

In this way he also invites us to live fidelity together with the exercise of synodality. «The impetus of the synodal process is a strong invitation of the Holy Spirit to take decisive steps in this direction.».

«In an increasingly synodal and missionary Church, the priestly ministry loses none of its importance and relevance, but, on the contrary, will be able to focus more on its proper and specific tasks,» says the Pontiff.

fidelidad diseñar nuevos mapas de esperanza. carta apostólica

Fidelity and mission

«The identity of priests is constituted around their being for and is inseparable from their mission,» says the Pope reflecting on fidelity and mission. As a «priestly vocation develops between the joys and labors of a humble service to the brethren, which the world is often unaware of, but for which it has a deep thirst: to find believing and credible witnesses of the Love of God, faithful and merciful, constitutes a primary means of evangelization.».

He warns of two temptations against fidelity to the mission in a fast-paced, hyper-connected world. The first would be to fall into «a efficiency mindset according to which the value of each one is measured by performance, that is, by the number of activities and projects carried out». And secondly, «a kind of quietism: frightened by the context, We become self-absorbed, rejecting the challenge of evangelization and adopting a lazy and defeatist approach.

Loyalty and future

Looking to the future, Pope Leo XIV hopes that «the celebration of the anniversary of the two conciliar decrees and the journey we are called to share in order to implement and update them will result in a renewed vocational Pentecost in the Church, by raising up holy, numerous and persevering vocations to the ministerial priesthood, so that there will never be a lack of workers for the Lord's harvest».

The Pope concludes by thanking the Lord who is always close and walks with his people through the priest, «and I thank all of you, pastors and lay faithful, who open your minds and hearts to the prophetic message of the conciliar decrees. Presbyterorum ordinis y Optatam totius and are ready, together, to nourish and stimulate each other for the journey of the Church».

Agustín Velázquez Soriano.

Why do we recommend listening to 10 minutes with Jesus every day?

The 10 Minutes with Jesus (10mcJ) have one objective: to bring the life of Christ to the listeners. To show the beauty of Jesus' life, his doctrine and virtues, and to serve as a 'loudspeaker' to touch people's hearts and bring them closer to God.

In addition, 10 minutes with Jesus has decided that donations made through its YouTube channel will contribute to the study grants funded by the CARF Foundation for diocesan priests, seminarians and religious men and women serving the Church around the world.

How do I make donations on YouTube? The Super Thanks

YouTube has recently activated the possibility of entering donations via a button called Super Thankswhich allows content creators to earn revenue and interact with users who want to show them greater appreciation for their content than the simple Like or I like it, which we all know.

In each 10-minute video with Jesus, a Thank You button will appear. Clicking on it opens the option to donate different amounts.

What is 10 minutes with Jesus?

This content, called 10 minutes with Jesus, are audios recorded by priests with the aim of helping to pray. The project was born in 2018, at the suggestion of Maria Feria, a mother and teacher. In view of the summer vacations, Maria suggested to the chaplain of her school to record short spiritual talks to share during those vacations with her children and young people around her.

At the mother's insistence, Father José María García de Castro, a priest incardinated in the Prelature of Opus Dei, agreed. He set up a first audio, using his own cell phone and a simple and accessible language. 

On that first occasion, Fr. José María thought of talking about everyday things and how to bring the Gospel closer to daily life. Specifically, he related the contents of a letter sent to him by a young man who had been collaborating with the nuns of Mother Teresa of Calcutta in a children's home in Nairobi, Kenya. 

In the letter, the young man told the priest, among other things, about one of the moments that marked him the most during his stay in Africa. Specifically, when a Sister of Charity asked him to take in his arms a baby who would not stop crying and invited him to give him affection.

The young man was paralyzed because the baby was so hot from the fever, but the nun's words gave him security. She began to coo to the little one, to caress him, to smile at him, to give him kisses. The child stopped whimpering and smiled. A few seconds later, he fell asleep. However, the university student noticed that the child was not breathing and called the Sister of Charity, who confirmed his death. 

"She knew that the child was dying and looking into my eyes she said to me: he has died in your arms and you have gone a few seconds ahead of the Love that God is going to give him for all eternity," the young man recounted in the letter that inspired Don José María to speak in that first audio of how each person in his day to day life can advance that Heaven, avoiding arguments at home, smiling at loved ones or being kind to others. 

Maria Feria's children connected with the message. The priest recorded a second audio and a third and then many more.

10 minutes with Jesus continued to grow

Don José María contacted other priest friends of his to join this exciting project. This is how the first WhatsApp group was created and people from all over the world began to join as listeners to this initiative. By the end of the summer of 2018, thousands of people were receiving these audios daily. The priests decided to continue recording 10 minutes until today.

Currently the 10 minutes with Jesus team is all over the world. They do not know each other, they are united by the Internet and the love for Jesus Christ.

Today, 10 minutes with Jesus has become a mass phenomenon. This is due to its ability to adapt to people's needs and lifestyles. It offers convenient access to spirituality and reflection in a busy world. It adds an immense variety of channels to cater to a very diverse audience. And it has become a valuable tool for those seeking to strengthen their spiritual life in the midst of everyday life.

"We priests speak very strangely and we don't want to fall into that; here we speak clearly and in order to be understood."

Javier Sánchez-Cervera, parish priest of San Sebastián de los Reyes.
You can listen to 10mcJ in several languages

The 10 minutes with Jesus has a YouTube channel, where you have the possibility to enjoy the content. The channel has more than 147,000 subscribers and offers you access to all the content. Here you can find the audios translated into English, Portuguese, French and German.

"In spite of all the sorrows, the world has 400,000 priests who adore the Lord and are dedicated to Him, serving all souls regardless of their creed. And what better way to help the formation of diocesan priests and seminarians, as well as religious men and women to be trained in the universities supported by the CARF Foundation?"

Javier Sánchez-Cervera, parish priest of San Sebastián de los Reyes.

Channels where you can receive or listen to the 10 Minutes with Jesus  

You can listen to 10 minutes with Jesus on a wide variety of platforms and apps. 10mcJ has a dedicated app that you can download to your Apple or Android device. In it, you can listen to the audios directly. With this tool 10 minutes with Jesus, brings to your device the content of more than 700 audios, updated daily and classified by themes, ages, priests and with links to more content related to the meditation of the day.

The APP works in the background, the audios can be listened to with the screen off or when opening other applications. In addition, it offers you different possibilities such as free access to the audio of each day and suggestions of other audios that can help you. It also allows you to search for meditations in the database. And it provides access to the Scripture quotations that accompany each meditation or any other relevant text. 

On the other hand, it has a section to take your own notes as a spiritual diary. And it allows you to download audios to your device to listen to them offline.

There are also other channels available so as not to miss the 10 minutes with Jesus. The choice of platform will depend on your personal preferences and the device you use.

"Currently the 10mcJ team is scattered around the world. We don't even know each other. We are united by the Internet and the love of Jesus Christ. Priests and lay people from the USA, Mexico, England, Spain, Colombia, Kenya, Philippines form the team that makes it possible for tens of thousands of people around the planet to spend 10 minutes a day in conversation with Jesus through WhatsApp audios, Spotify, Telegram, Instagram, YouTube, Ivoox, Apple podcast, Google Podcast in five languages." 

Javier Sánchez-Cervera, parish priest of San Sebastián de los Reyes.

Look for your moment, think that you are with Him and give the play.

It is important to note that the promoters of this initiative also offer direct contact with the priests. That is, anyone who wants to contact one of the priests of the 10 Minutes with Jesus team can do so by filling out a form on the website.