October 12, Virgen del Pilar of Zaragoza: what do we celebrate?
Patroness of the Hispanidad, of the city of Zaragoza and also of Mail and the Civil Guard. Thousands of pilgrims of all nationalities come to pray to the Virgin of Pilar in Zaragoza, where the Cathedral-Basilica is located.
Zaragoza, throughout the year, but especially during the festivities of the Pilar, is the city from where the national and universal union arises. Since Columbus opened the doors to the New World in 1492, Christian values have spread to the nations of America, Africa and Asia, now united by the solid pillar of a common past, a common language and a rich and diverse culture.
What is the history of the Virgen del Pilar?
As recorded in 13th century documents preserved in the cathedral of Saragossa, the story goes back to the period immediately following the Ascension.
In the year 40 AD, the Apostles had begun to fulfill the mission of preaching the Gospel. Each one seeking a part of the world.
The documents state that Santiago, "passing through Asturias, arrived with his new disciples through Galicia and Castile, to Aragon, the territory called Celtiberia, where the city of Zaragoza is located, on the banks of the Ebro.
The Apostle was seeing that that civilization was incredibly hard. It was very difficult to make the words of the Gospel reach those people, so James began to get discouraged when he saw that his efforts were not bearing fruit.
But on the night of January 2, 40 AD, Santiago, who was resting with his disciples by the river Ebro, in the Roman Caesaraugusta, which was the name given by Rome to the present Zaragoza, suddenly heard the voices of angels singing "Ave, Maria, gratia plena" and the Virgin appeared standing on a marble pillar".
The Blessed Virginasked the Apostle to build him a church there, with the altar around the pillar where he was standing, and promised that he would "This place will remain until the end of time so that the virtue of God may work wonders and marvels through my intercession with those who in their needs implore my patronage".
The Virgin disappeared and the pillar remained there. The Apostle James and the eight witnesses began to build a church on that site. But before it was finished, James ordained one of his disciples as a priest to serve it, consecrated it and gave it the title of Santa Maria del Pilar, before returning to Judea. This was the first church dedicated in honor of the Blessed Virgin.
Years later...
Pope Clement XII is aware of this devotion and establishes October 12 as the day on which the feast of the Virgin of the Pilar is celebrated.
On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus set his first foot in America and thus it became clear that there is a world beyond Hispania. For this reason, Our Lady of the Pillar is entrusted with the Hispanic world, because the evangelization of the new lands was placed under her mantle.
The devotion of the people is so deep among the Spaniards, and from such remote times, that the Holy See allowed the establishment of the Office of the Pillar in which the apparition of the Virgin is consigned as "an ancient and pious belief".
The city of Zaragoza and the basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, its patron saint
On the banks of the Ebro River in Zaragoza stands the Basilica del Pilar. Its construction began in Renaissance times, it goes through the Baroque period and ends, in the 18th century, with neoclassical solutions.
Inside the basilica is the Santa Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, a magnificent case that encloses the pillar where the Virgin of Pilar appeared to the Apostle Santiago and which visitors have venerated over the centuries. This pillar is covered in bronze and silver, and holds a statuette representing the Virgin of Pilar, with an imposing mantle and the child Jesus in her arms.
The image of the Virgin
The carving of the Virgin does not reach forty centimeters. Its lines are late Gothic, and from the way the tunic is buttoned, the belt with its buckle, the high waist and the shoes, it could be dated to the 15th century.
The figure of the Child holds a little bird in one hand and with the other hand he holds tightly to his Mother's mantle. It can be said that it does not follow the sculptural style of the Virgin, although it completes it.
The whole is based on the Pilar, the smooth column of jasper covered with carved silver that except for the 2nd, 12th and 20th of each month, the Virgin of the Pillar, is not covered with mantle.
Some curiosities:
On the current importance of the Basilica
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pilar in Zaragoza is the most visited monument in Spain in recent years pre-pandemic. The Basilica del Pilar is not only the main tourist attraction of Zaragoza and the icon of the city, but also the first Marian shrine in the world and an important pilgrimage destination, millions of people visit it annually.
It is a Basilica and also a Cathedral. Zaragoza was the first city in the world to have two cathedrals, the first, from the early twelfth century when the troops of Alfonso the Battler conquered the city, the second the Basilica del Pilar, since 1676 no less.
You can climb one of the four towers, for only 3 €. The elevator reaches 63 meters high and you can enjoy the best panoramic views of the city of Zaragoza from the viewpoint of one of the four towers of the Basilica of Pilar. You can also contemplate from there the majesty of the Ebro River and the Pyrenees. In addition, you can also access the highest part of the towers (which is about 80 meters high) after climbing a few steps.
From the history of the basilica of the Virgen del Pilar
In August 1936 the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar was bombed. During the Spanish Civil War by a Republican airplane, there were 4 bombs, one fell on the Ebro, another on the Plaza del Pilar and two inside the temple without any of them exploding or causing serious damage. Two of these bombs are exposed in the pillars of the temple and the hole, in the shape of a cross, left by the one that fell in the square was filled with marble.
On the artistic and cultural value of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar.
Goya painted the dome of the basilica of the Virgen del Pilar in only 44 days.
The first Spanish film in history was shot at the Pilar in 1898.
The Basilica del Pilar is the only Christian building in the world with Taoist symbology. These are the symbols similar to those used in traditional Chinese medicine that adorn some parts of the temple and that feed the theory of Taoist influence in El Pilar. The Jesuit monks returned to Zaragoza after a period as missionaries in China and this may be their explanation.
"In those years, I entrusted my prayer to a simple image of the Virgin of Pilar, so that the Lord would grant me to understand what my soul was already feeling. Domina! -I used to say to her in Latin terms, not precisely classical, but embellished by affection.-I am not a woman, ut sit: Madam, let it be of me what God wants me to be.
St. Josemaría.
Our Lady of the Pillar in the life of St. Josemaria
In the childhood of St. Joseph Mary the Virgin of the Pillar has been a great companion and support. His parents, Aragonese by birth, instilled his devotion in him since he was a child. And this devotion accompanied him until the end of his life.
In the last years of his life, he was accompanied by a small image of the Virgin of Pilar that he kissed every morning when he woke up; and in his workroom, he kept another life-size representation of the Virgin of Pilar.
During the years he spent in Zaragoza, both in the seminary and studying law, his visits to the Virgin were daily. "As I had good friendships with several of the clergymen who looked after the basilica, one day I was able to stay in the church after the doors were closed. I made my way to the Virgin, with the complicity of one of those good priests now deceased. I climbed the few stairs that the children know so well and, approaching, I kissed the image of Our Mother. I knew that this was not the custom, that kissing the mantle was allowed exclusively to the children and the authorities (...)
(...)However, I was and I am sure that my Mother of the Pillar was happy that I skipped for once the established customs in her cathedral. I continue to treat her with filial love. With the same faith with which I invoked her in those times, around the 1920s, when the Lord made me guess what he expected of me: with that same faith I invoke her now (...). Under her protection, I remain always happy and secure". That prayer before Our Lady of the Pillar, asking her to see and be what God wanted for him, prepared the foundation of Opus Dei.
Domina, ut sit! Madam, let it be that... which you want
St. Josemaría celebrated his first solemn Mass in the chapel of El Pilar in Saragossa. When he moved to Madrid and then to Rome, he continued to visit Our Lady whenever he could. The last time was on April 7, 1970.
On June 23, 1992, after the recently celebrated beatification of the Founder of Opus Dei, the then prelate of the Work, Don Álvaro del Portillo, offered a mantle to Our Lady of the Pillar.
On the occasion of this feast, we offer a prayer to ask for her intercession: Blessed Virgin of the Pillar, pray for the Pope and the bishops, for priests and for all Christians, that we may be worthy to attain the promises of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
At the feet of the Virgin
"Now we understand the profound meaning of the Pillar. It is not, nor has it ever been, an occasion for sterile sentimentalism: it establishes a firm foundation on which a real and solid norm of Christian conduct is based. At the Pillar, as at Fatima and Lourdes, at Einsiedeln and Loreto, at the Villa de Guadalupe, and in those thousands of places that Christian piety has built and continues to build for Mary, the children of God are educated in the faith.
History takes us back to the apostolic beginnings, when evangelization, the proclamation of the Good News, began. We are still in that era. For the greatness and eternity of our Lord, two thousand years are nothing. James, Paul, John and Andrew and the other apostles walk with us. Peter sits in Rome, with the watchful duty of confirming all in the obedience of faith. Closing our eyes, we relive the scene recounted to us, as in a recent letter, by St. Luke: all the disciples, animated by the same spirit, persevered together in prayer, with Mary, the mother of Jesus," says St. Josemaría.
Our Lady of the Pillar is a sign of strength in faith, love and hope. With Mary, in the cenacle, we receive the Holy Spirit. He will not abandon his Church. Our Lady will multiply the number of Christians on earth, convinced that it is worthwhile to give one's life for the Love of God.
With the collaboration of: OpusDei.org
Pope Francis: dialogue and collaboration among believers
During his apostolic visit to Asia and Oceania, Pope Francis held an interreligious meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia (a country with a large Muslim majority, where there are only 10 % of Christians and 3 % of Catholics), in the Istiqlal Mosque (cf. Speech 5-IX-2024).
The building was designed by a Christian architect and is linked to the Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption by the "tunnel (subway) of friendship." There, Pope Francis praised nobility and harmony in diversityso that Christians can witnessing to their faith in dialogue with great religious and cultural traditions. The motto of his visit was "faith, fraternity, understanding".
Friendship and working together, according to Pope Francis
Encouraged the Pope Francis believers to continue with the communication - symbolized in that tunnel of friendship- I encourage you to continue on this path: that all of us, the people of the country, will be able to make a difference in the life of the country, all togetherby cultivating one's own spirituality and practicing one's own religion, we can to walk in the search for God and contribute to building open societiesThe "new generations of the Church, founded on mutual respect and mutual love, are capable of isolating rigidities, fundamentalisms and extremisms, which are always dangerous and never justifiable".
In this perspective, Pope Francis wanted to leave them two orientations. First, always see in depth. Because beyond the differences between religions - differences in doctrines, rites and practices - "we could say that the common root of all religious sensibilities is one: the search for an encounter with the divine, the thirst for the infinite that the Most High has placed in our hearts, the search for a greater joy and a life stronger than death, which animates the journey of our lives and impels us to go out of ourselves to meet God".
Pope Francis insisted on what is fundamental: "Looking deeply, perceiving what flows in the most intimate part of our life, the desire for fullness that lives in the depths of our heart, we discover that we are all brothers and sisters, all pilgrims, all on the way to Godbeyond what differentiates us".
A few days later Pope Francis would tell young people in Singapore: "all religions are a path to God". (Meeting13-IX-2024). This is so and it is fulfilled in the religions themselves and to the extent that they respect human dignity and do not oppose the Christian faith. This is not said, therefore, in reference to deformations of religion such as violence, terrorism, Satanism, etc.
On the other hand, Pope Francis also did not affirm that religions are equivalent to each other, or that they have the same value in the Christian perspective (cf. Decl. Nostra Aetate of the Second Vatican Council and the subsequent magisterium, cf. Dominus Iesusof 2000).
In fact, Catholic doctrine teaches that religions, along with elements of truth and goodness, have elements that need to be purified (see also the document of the International Theological Commission), The Christian and religions, 1996).
Secondly, Pope Francis invited to take care of the relationships among believers. Just as a subway passage connects, creates a link, "what really brings us closer is to create a connection between our differences, to cultivate bonds of friendship, of attention, of reciprocity".
Indeed, far from any relativism or syncretism, these links - as previous Popes have also insisted and practiced - "enable us to to work together, to walk together in the pursuit of some objective, in the defense of human dignity.in the fight against poverty, in the promotion of peace. Unity is born of personal bonds of friendship, mutual respect, mutual defense of the spaces and ideas of others".
In other words, it is "promoting religious harmony for the good of humanity"The joint declaration prepared for this occasion is along these lines (cf. Istiqlal joint statement).
"In it we assume with responsibility the great, and sometimes dramatic, crises that threaten the future of humanity, particularly wars and conflicts, unfortunately also fueled by religious instrumentalizations; but also the environmental crisis, which has become an obstacle to the growth and coexistence of peoples.
And against this backdrop, it is important that the values common to all religious traditions be promoted and reinforced, helping society to "eradicate the culture of violence and indifference".
Like a beacon of light
In Papua New Guinea (with a large Christian majority and a quarter of them Catholics), Pope Francis noted upon his arrival in the country: "To all who profess to be Christians," he said upon arriving in the country, "I strongly urge you never to reduce your faith to an observance of rites and precepts, but to make it consist in love, in to love and follow Jesus Christand can become lived cultureinspiring minds and actions, transforming themselves into a beacon of light to illuminate the journey.
In this way, faith will be able to help society as a whole to grow and to find good and effective solutions to its great challenges" (Meeting with the authorities at the APEL Haus, Port Moresby, 7-IX-2024).
The perfume of Christ
In East Timor (where the context is very diverse: a large majority of Catholics), he invited Catholics to take care of their identity first and foremost: "Do not cease to deepen the doctrine of the Gospel, do not fail to mature in the spiritual, catechetical and theological formationbecause all this is necessary for announce the Gospel in this culture of yours and, at the same time, purify it of archaic and sometimes superstitious forms" (Meeting with the Catholic hierarchy and pastoral collaborators in the cathedral of Dili, 10-IX-2024).
"Let us remember," Pope Francis added, "that with the perfumeIn the witness of a coherent Christian life, we must anoint the feet of Christ, which are the feet of our brothers and sisters in the faith, beginning with the poorest of the poor.
The most privileged are the poorest. And with this perfume we have to take care of them. The gesture that the faithful make when they meet you, priests, is eloquent here: they take the consecrated hand and bring it to their foreheads as a sign of blessing" (Ibid.).
Finally, in Singapore (located at the forefront of the economy and material progress, with few Christians, but alive and committed to fraternal dialogue between ethnic groups, cultures and religions) during the Mass he celebrated in the national stadium (Singapore Sports Hub, cf. Homily,12-IX-2024), Pope Francis stressed that. nothing is built without lovealthough some might think that this is a naïve statement.
[This text is a synthetic version of the one that will be published in the journal Omnes, October 2024].
Nithin, the only Syro-Malabar Rite seminarian in Spain
Nithin Joji Karimpanmackal, a seminarian of the Syro-Malabar rite from the diocese of Kerala (India), is in his third year of theology at the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Kerala. University of Navarra and resides in the Bidasoa international seminar.
At the age of 25, in addition to continuing his formation in Pamplona, this summer he has collaborated in the pastoral care of the collegiate church and basilica of San Isidro, in Madrid, helping his pastor, Don Angel Luis Miralles, and attending to the small but fervent Catholic community of the Syro-Malabar rite in the Spanish capital, which is composed of about 80 people.
The Syro-Malabar Rite Mass
Every Sunday, the collegiate church of San Isidro celebrates a Syro-Malabar rite Mass at five o'clock in the afternoon, which lasts approximately two hours. This celebration is a meeting point for the faithful of this liturgical tradition in Madrid.
Nithin points out the great closeness that exists between the parish priests and the faithful in his diocese of Kerala, an aspect he seeks to maintain in Madrid: "The Syro-Malabar rite comes from the Apostle St. Thomas. At present, we have about 500 priests in Kerala," he says proudly.
Queues for confession in San Isidro
During his stay in Madrid, Nithin has been impressed by the devotion of the people of Madrid to San Isidro and the Jesus del Gran Poder, venerated in the collegiate church. In addition, he has been surprised by the number of faithful who come to confession with some frequency: "It is impressive, there are queues for confession, something that is not so common in other places," he says.
A vocation since the age of 15
Nithin was born on January 8, 1999 in Alappuzha, Kerala (India). He is the son of Joji Thomas and Sherly Joji, and has an older brother, Jithin Joji Thomas. His vocation to become a priest began at an early age: at the age of 15 he entered the minor seminary after completing his primary education in his hometown of Manimala.
In 2014, he joined the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Changanaserry in Kerala, where he resided during his training. Subsequently, he graduated in Commerce, majoring in finance and taxation from St. Berchmans Autonomous College, affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala.
After completing his B.A. in 2020, he continued his philosophical studies at the Jeevalaya Institute of Philosophy, Bengaluru, affiliated to the Urbaniana University of Rome.
After his philosophical studies, Nithin participated in a regency program, serving as secretary in the office of Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Powathil. He also collaborated with 'Apostle', an educational initiative of the archdiocese that supports students from 7th grade to higher levels, accompanying them in their vocational discernment.
Training at the Bidasoa International Seminar
At the end of the regency program, his bishop sent him to Spain to continue his theological formation at the Bidasoa International Seminary and at the University of Navarra in Pamplona.
"Thanks be to God, I have finished my second year of Theology and I feel grateful to the benefactors of the CARF Foundation who have supported me in my formation. The experience of living with seminarians from different cultures and traditions is enriching, and the environment in Bidasoa favors a greater closeness to God," Nithin emphasizes.
Pauline Mathias, Tanzanian seminarian in Madrid
Pauline Mathias is another seminarian, from Tanzania, from the diocese of Mwanza, who is doing his pastoral work in the parish of St. Manuel Gonzalez in San Sebastian de los Reyes in Madrid. He is studying 3rd year theology at the UNAV and also resides at the Bidasoa International Seminary. "I am very happy to live with different seminarians from all over the world," he says and thanks the benefactors for this opportunity.
A close relationship with parishioners
Pauline explains that her pastoral activity in Madrid includes preparing the liturgy and Mass, helping with the distribution of Communion. But what she has enjoyed most is meeting and interacting with the parishioners and living with them, some of whom even like to invite them to their own homes to spend some time. "The Christians in this parish are very kind, and it is surprising to see the number of people who frequently come to confession," he says.
He has also been able to dedicate himself to give catechesis to the young people to support the work of the parish priest Don José María Marín so that they can be closer to Jesus Christ.
He also highlights the sense of responsibility of Catholics in his country in parish activities, something that, according to him, could also inspire Spanish Catholics. And he is grateful for all the love and support he has received and continues to receive from the benefactors and friends of the CARF Foundation, thanks to whose help he can continue with his academic, spiritual and human formation.
Marta SantínJournalist specializing in religious information.
JRR Tolkien: 3 priests who marked his life
What influenced Tolkien when writing The Lord of the Rings?
J.R.R. Tolkien J.R.R. Tolkien had three major influences. The first was the events of his own life, for example, the First World War. The second was the author's academic background; he was a linguist and the The Lord of the Rings was at first almost an excuse to overturn the languages Tolkien had invented.
The third influence is the values and themes proper to Catholicism, and the priests who marked the author's life. of the saga of The Lord of the Rings y who contributed to its formation. J.R.R. Tolkien was a fervent Catholic and that inevitably had to be reflected in his work. He was a devout Catholic since his conversion and throughout his life. He later formed a Catholic family and the eldest of his children was also a Catholic. priest.
Tolkien's childhood and conversion
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892. His father, Arthur Tolkien, worked as a diamond merchant for the Bank of England. In 1895, Mabel Tolkien decided to go with her two sons on a visit to England. But in South Africa her father dies, leaving the family with no income.
Ronald was only 4 years old so his mother had to care for the young Tolkien and his brother on her own. After her husband died, the family moved to Birmingham. Soon after, Tolkien's mother decided to convert to Catholicism and with her her children.
It must be kept in mind what it meant to abandon the Anglican faith in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This act was seen not only as a religious betrayal, but also as a betrayal of one's country, pThe Tolkien family was socially ostracized. And to make life more difficult for the future author, when he is 12 years old, his mother dies. He and his brother become orphans.
Father Francis Xavier Morgan will support them financially and spiritually from then on. Since these events, the life of J.R.R. Tolkien changes and religion and the figure of the priest become a fundamental part of their childhood.. Facts that inevitably forge their character.
Father Francis Xavier Morgan, Tolkien's tutor
This priest, who never wanted to lose his roots, and who always traveled to Spain whenever he could, came from a Spanish family with a significant background in the world of letters, the Böhl de Faber family. Francisco Javier Morgan Osborne was born in El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz) in 1857. At the age of eleven
At the age of eleven was sent to study at the Birmingham Oratory School under the direction of the famed Cardinal John Henry Cardinal Newman.. After completing his studies, he began his religious career and joined the community of the Oratory. ordered, in March 1883.
For the rest of his life he was linked to this institution and its prestigious school, carrying out multiple tasks. During his early years he was personal assistant to the Cardinal himself, whom he represented in an audience with Pope Leo XIII..
. After Cardinal Newman's death in 1890, he took on a wide variety of tasks, from directing the prestigious Oratory choir to other bureaucratic activities. Above all, however, his vocation was manifested in his deep personal involvement with the Oratory parish and its parishioners, among whom he carried out numerous acts of mercy and philanthropy.
The figure of Father Morgan in Tolkien's life
Thus, among others, he took on the role of tutor to an orphan boy who was to become the famous philologist and writer J. R. R. R. Tolkien, although this task meant that for several years he could not return to Spain to visit his family.
The financial means that Mabel Tolkien had left for the children's upbringing were very meager, but father Francis secretly supplemented them with money from his share of the family business in Puerto de Santa Maria.
J.R.R. Tolkien, who referred to Father Morgan as his second father, obtained from him the financial resources that enabled him to study at King Edward's School and later at Oxford.
Also owed his religious training, a fundamental trait in the work of this author, as well as his taste for languages and in particular for the Spanish language.
In addition, several experts say Tolkien used him as inspiration for some of his characters. and that, thanks to him, the cultural tradition of his ancestors, particularly Fernán Caballero, reached the British author.
Morgan died in Birmingham in 1935, saddened by the difficult political and social situation that Spain was suffering in those moments prior to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Probably his most important legacy is that of having been a link between the Spanish Catholic and cultural tradition and such an outstanding figure as Cardinal Newman. and, in turn, of having transmitted all this to one of the most universal authors of the 20th century.
"Ten thousand difficulties do not make a doubt," said Newman, but overcoming them does make a saint.
Cardinal Newman's influence on The Life of Tolkien
Father Francis Xavier Morgan, was attached to St. Philip Neri Oratory in Birmingham founded by Cardinal John Henry Newman who was canonized in 2019. Today Newman is more relevant than ever, some of today's problems are similar to those of the Victorian England of his time: among others, the rational understanding of God, the need for the formation of the laity and the scrupulous search for moral truth.
. This was the understanding of Benedict XVI, who beatified him in 2010. Although he lived more than a century ago, Newman is a person who has much to say to the world today. His book on what a university is, for example, is a classic on education that continues to be discussed today. And it's not just an abstract discussion: Newman started a university in Dublin and a grammar school in England, and both endure to this day.
With a continuous work over 45 years, Newman brings about a great social change in the country. By the time of his death in 1890, it was already looking good for someone to become a Catholic. Conversion is a socially acceptable path thanks to Newman.
The miracle that made it possible to canonize John Herny Newman.
Mythology, properly understood, prefigures the Gospel.
Like other British Catholic authors, J.R.R. Tolkien owes a debt to Newman's thought and ideas. which, due to his biographical circumstances, were surely transmitted to him in a very direct way. Precisely Cardinal Newman's influence was decisive in Tolkien's decision to create a mythological universe with Catholic roots.
"Cardinal Newman defended, with respect to myths, that there are two revelations. One, the one contained in the Bible. And the other, to reach the Gentiles, through nature, which was reflected throughout history through the myths," explains Diego Blanco, an expert in Tolkien's work.
In this sense, Newman argued that mythology properly understood prefigures the Gospel. Thus Tolkien understood the need to create a mythology for non-Catholic England. and begins to write TheSilmarillionwhere the creation of a world with a unique God in which the most beautiful angel rebels is developed. The idea behind it is "to narrate in a mythological way in order to reach people's hearts without forcing people."White emphasizes through the narration of "a deep and spiritual battle that Tolkien always defended".
Newman has left an enormous legacy regarding his ideas, which facilitates the task of knowing in detail his thought.. Thus, for Newman, the role of the literature should never be to develop moral virtues, as this is something that should fall to the family and the Church. This intimate belief, undoubtedly shared by Tolkien, he demonstrated it through various facts such as the renunciation in his works of allegory.
The writer Graham Greene (1904-1991) defined Newman as the 'patron saint of Catholic novelists' in what amounts to a recognition of the heritage of the founder of the Oratory. by authors such as himself, Hilaire Belloc, G.K. Chesterton, Evelyn Waugh or J.R.R. Tolkien himself.
All have in common, among themselves and with Newman, the origin of their inspiration, based on their moral and intellectual foundations as convinced Catholics and fruit, in many cases, of experiences that had an enormous influence on their beliefs.
"The Lord of the Rings is, of course, a fundamentally religious and Catholic work, unconsciously at first, but then I became aware of it in revision." J.R.R. Tolkien's words to Jesuit Father Robert Murray.
Jesuit Father Robert Murray, a friend of the Tolkien family.
Father Robert Murray had been a personal friend of J.R.R. Tolkien since 1944, when they were introduced by the author's aunt. At the time, Murray was a graduate student at Corpus Christi College in Oxford. In 1946, Murray joined the Catholic Church due in part to his relationship with the Tolkien family.
After graduating, Murray joined the Society of Jesus and was ordained in 1959. This Jesuit had the privilege of maintaining a close friendship with the writer, of reading and correcting, especially on theological questions, the manuscripts of The Lord of the Rings. And to maintain an abundant correspondence on the subject.
In one of these letters, Tolkien details to Father Murray that. The Lord of the Rings is a Catholic work in its foundation, without a doubt: "The Lord of the Rings is, of course, a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously at first, but then I became aware of it in the revision," says the English author.
After being ordained to the priesthood on July 31, 1959, Robert Murray had his first Mass at the Oratory Church of Saint Aloysius in Oxford. Father Murray recalled that Tolkien and his son Christopher Tolkien were present that day. The Tolkien's friendship with the Jesuit lasted for years, until the last days of his life.
In August 1973 he had lunch with Tolkien, who died the following month, on September 2. On September 6, 1973 a requiem Mass for Tolkien was held at St. Anthony of Padua in Headington, Oxford.
The prayers and readings were chosen by his son John, who officiated at the Mass with the help of Robert Murray and the pastor, Monsignor Doran. On September 15, 1973, Tolkien's obituary was published in The Tablet, written by Father Robert Murray.
José Manuel Ferrández Bru J.R.R. Tolkien and Cardinal Newman: Children of the Same Light.
Tolkien. Letters from JRR Tolkien, Arte y Letra, 2006.
Jesuit.org.uk /profile/robert-murray-sj.
"Faith in God is key to overcoming secularism on the road to the priesthood."
Pedro Santiago Méndez Cruz, a student of the University of Navarra and of the Bidasoa International SeminarIn this book, he finds in faith in God the strength to overcome adversity and to reaffirm his vocation as a priest. From his childhood marked by the love of his grandparents, to his decisive spiritual experience in a retreat, Pedro invites us to reflect on the importance of Christian formation and the virtues that a priest of the 21st century must cultivate.
How faith guides young people in the face of secularism
"Between 73 % and 78 % of the population in Mexico is Catholic, but I feel that the secularism that is permeating my country is due to a lack of Christian formation. Young people need to know our faith, which is wonderful," says Pedro.
For him, without formation, without knowing the Catholic faith in depth, young people allow themselves to be trapped by the fads that are lavished on the social networks to which so many are hooked without control. "Sometimes we get carried away by others and begin to lose our roots, Christian values and beliefs, and this is happening among young Mexicans. They are Catholics in words, but they do not practice their faith."
The faith of his grandparents: roots of the priest of the future
Pedro is a young man from the Diocese of Tabasco who never knew his biological father. His mother became pregnant at the age of 18 and had to work to raise her son. "So I stayed with my maternal grandparents, a situation that happens to many children in Mexico. I owe them everything: they gave me their love and their faith in God. I call them both mom and dad.
"Even though my family is not perfect, and I don't know my biological father, I thank the Lord for everything he has given me. He gave me an adoptive father who is my grandfather-dad," she says with emotion and serenity.
Her mother later had another daughter, who is now 16. "She was one of the most beautiful gifts the Lord has given me, a sister."
It was his grandparents who taught him his first prayers and took him to the parish catechesis at the age of six, when he also joined the group of altar boys. In this way, he matured his faith in three main areas: home, school and parish.
How faith helped Peter in his period of rebellion
Like many teenagers, during high school he experienced a rebellious period in his life. He was 13 or 14 years old when he faced several difficulties at school and experienced some problems in his family.
"One day I spoke to my parish priest. I will never forget his words. He told me that we don't notice when we have God in our lives, that we don't perceive that He always takes us discreetly by the hand. But when we move away from Him, we do notice His absence and life becomes different.
If Jesus is not in our life, our life is nothing. If Jesus is in my life, my life is worth a lot. Then I began to think about what Jesus wanted from my life. I recognized my mistake, my distance from the Lord, and I returned to Him," says Pedro.
The spiritual experience that confirmed his vocation to the priesthood
When he finished high school, during his first year of Bachillerato, he realized that the Lord was asking something of him, although he was not sure if his vocation was to be a priest.
"My pastor then encouraged me to attend a spiritual retreat, and I went. At that retreat, at a certain moment, I had an indescribable experience: I felt that I was alone before the Lord in the Eucharist, face to face with Him, just Him and me. And He said to me: "Take up your cross and follow me". It was there that I cleared up all my doubts," he recounts.
He entered the minor seminary of his diocese at the age of 16. His grandparents were overjoyed.
Qualities for a 21st century priest: Faith, prayer and empathy.
For him, in addition to receiving an integral formation, a priest of the 21st century needs to be a priest of prayer, who does not neglect those moments of intimacy with God.
"That is the most important thing, but also to be close to the faithful, to the people of God. It is important to be empathetic with people, listen to them, understand them and learn from them. This is what I am discovering now in the pastoral work I have done during the summer," says this young seminarian.
There is one virtue that he considers essential in the life of a priest: "Sincerity is vital. If a priest is not sincere, he will not be a good priest. We live in a world in which it is difficult for us to let ourselves be accompanied. We priests also need others to guide us and help us".
Therefore, for Peter, prayer, empathy, learning from others and allowing himself to be instructed by those who know are the essential qualities that a priest of the 21st century should acquire.
Faith in God as a support in the face of the loneliness of the priest
Living the formation experience at the Bidasoa Seminary is something he could never have imagined. "It makes me very excited to share the faith and the wonderful experiences I am living in Spain, with my brother seminarians and with the formators. Sharing the faith and knowing that I am called by God fills me with joy. It is an unparalleled experience of formation and life," says Pedro.
However, there is also something that scares him, and that is priestly loneliness. "If the priest is not firm in his vocation and is not convinced of what he is, the routine can cloud the true meaning of his mission. Priests must not be left alone".
For Peter, therefore, it is necessary to pause, to set aside moments of rest and prayer to cultivate our relationship with God. With these words he concludes this meeting of small confidences, giving thanks to all the benefactors of the CARF Foundation who have helped him in his studies and training.
Marta SantínJournalist specializing in religious information.
A Polish priest: "God is so good, so great, that there is no challenge that has no solution".
God does not allow himself to be won over in goodness and love. It was when I was a teenager, after attending the WYD in Rome 2000 and shortly thereafter learning of the Opus DeiThe vocation to the priesthood took shape for this young Polish man who is now a very happy priest living in Poznan.
Does praying for vocations to the priesthood count for anything? Ask Stanislaw Urmanski who, when he was just a boy, was told by a priest that he would pray that one day he would be ordained. Two decades later, that little boy would become a priest.
"I remember my grandfather asking me to help him with an errand with a good priest friend of his. I was about 10 years old and I had to bring him some books. When I was saying goodbye, he asked me if he could pray for my priestly vocation. I didn't think much of it at the time, but today it seems clear that the priest prayed for me, and that in the end it became a reality", Stanislaw Urmanski told the CARF Foundation.
The experience of faith in God in the family
This Polish priest, born in 1984, also stresses a fundamental aspect that, in the end, would mark his future vocation as a priest: the transmission of the faith that was born in the bosom of his family. "My parents were my first evangelizers, although it was always in a very natural way, without forcing anything," he recalls. His parents," he adds, "went to Mass every day and their lives then reflected what they were nourished by every day: the Eucharist.
Stanislaw also points out another family element that helped him in this whole process. "My parents' house has always been very open; we received many visits, whether from friends, acquaintances or monitors from the parish youth group. Thanks to this I understood very easily that faith is lived 24 hours a day, and that faith also means mission. It doesn't mean staying with your arms folded," he says.
His call to become a priest came about in this Christian environment in which faith was lived as something natural and thanks to which he even has another brother who is also a priest. "It was a gradual process, and it is still going on, because in every Christian vocation you have to say yes to the Lord every day, many times a day. That is the beauty of it and what makes life an adventure," Fr. Stanislaw says with conviction.
An experience at WYD
However, in the midst of this gradual process there were some milestones that marked his life. He especially highlights what he experienced at the World Youth Day 2000 in Rome, the great Jubilee: "I was 16 years old. Everything I saw had a great impact on me, and I realized that the Lord was asking something special of me".
And God manifested himself to him in a very concrete way. Father Urmanski says that after returning from WYD, he began to pray that the Lord would show him the way. Just a short time later, "a classmate of mine began to frequent the center of the Work in Warsaw. The following week I showed up at that place and I liked it very much. That's when it all began to take shape.
The great teachings of Rome and Pamplona
His vocation as a priest is closely linked to the Work, an institution he came to know in a providential moment of his adolescence. Today he is a priest of the Prelature and chaplain of Solek, the center in the Polish city of Poznan, from where he also spiritually attends several schools.
Stanislaw Urmanski has a unique memory of the formation he received both in Rome and in Pamplona, in the process of becoming a priest. "It marked me deeply," he admits. His time in Rome allowed him to meet the then prelate of the Work, Mr. Javier Echevarría, He says that he felt that he was "very much his son, as well as that of St. Josemaría.
For his part, of his time in Pamplona, he highlights the great experience he had there "from the academic point of view". And he cites a very specific element: "The fifth floor of the library, the library of Theology, is a marvel. The bibliographic resources are very rich. Without it, he says he could not have finished his doctoral thesis in Dogmatic Theology.
From his years of study at Navarra and in RomeStanislaw received more than an excellent academic and spiritual formation. He says he discovered the universality of the Church. "You feel it, you see it in the faces, in the stories of your companions, who are more than that, they are brothers. Then you return to your country, but you have already experienced that the Church is everywhere, and you know that you are supported by the communion of the saints with all those you have met and many more.
The beauty of the everyday
There are many important moments that he has experienced as a priest since Father Stanislaw was ordained in 2015, but he says that he would highlight as important the everyday, the everyday. As a priest of the Work, he normally works with small groups, something that, as he explains, "is nothing spectacular at first glance, but is spectacular in the eyes of God.
And he recounts a recent example of an experience he had with a group of high school students: "I had meetings with them throughout the course on the history of art. The highlight was a trip to Vienna. We visited the Kunst Historische Museum and each child prepared a short exhibition of a painting. There was also a spiritual component. It gives a lot of hope to see young people enthusiastic about beauty, praying, helping each other among friends."
Finally, in view of the challenges facing priests today, Fr. Stanislaw Urmanski insists that each priest must to know that he is only a collaborator, an instrument of God, an instrument of God.. And he is especially clear about one fact: "God is so good, so great, that there is no challenge that has no solution. The important thing is to trust Him, to let Him guide us.
Finally, this Polish priest would like to leave a message for the benefactors of the CARF Foundation. "You are doing something very good that will bring much fruit. It is something that seems hidden to the naked eye, but in Heaven it will be known," he concludes.
