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| Vatican City, Sep 7, 2008 / 10:53 am (CNA).- Before the recitation of the Angelus, Pope Benedict spoke about the Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria, dedicated to the Queen of All Sailors. Addressing an audience of almost 100,000 people, which included Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Sard Governor Renato Soru, the Holy Father noted that tomorrow the Church celebrates the feast of the birth of Mary. He further reminded them that each grace the Lord granted to Mary, “he granted thinking of each of us, her children.” Speaking from the elevated square in front of the Shrine at Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, Pope Benedict turned his audience’s attention to the “Sweet Queen of the Sards,” venerated by illustrious individuals in the course of the centuries. Bl. Pius IX decreed her coronation; one hundred years ago St. Pius X proclaimed her patron of all of Sardinia; Pius XI gave the new church the title of “Minor Basilica;” fifty years ago Pius XII made himself spiritually present with a special message transmitted live by Vatican Radio; and in 1960 Bl. John XXIII sent a letter for the reopening of the Shrine to worship after its restoration. The Holy Father said that the first pope to return to the island in 1650 years was the Servant of God Paul VI, who visited the Shrine on April 24, 1970. John Paul II prayed in front of the holy image of Our Lady on October 20, 1985. “Even I,” Pope Benedict continued, “have chosen the Shrine of Bonaria to make a pastoral visit that would ideally span all of Sardinia.” Stating that “today we renew the care of Cagliari, of Sardinia and of each of its inhabitants to Mary,” the Holy Father invoked the intercession of Mary to watch over all, especially those most in need: children and young people, the elderly, families and the sick, so that the patrimony of the Gospel values may be transmitted intact to new generations and that Christ may reign in families, in communities and in society. The Holy Father noted that the birth of Mary was a “fundamental stage” for the Family of Nazareth, cradle of humanity’s redemption. “With immense gratitude,” Pope Benedict continued, “we ask Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate and our Mother, to protect every earthly mother, those who, together with their husbands, raise their children in a harmonious family context, and those who, for so many reasons, find themselves facing this difficult task alone. May all of them carry out their daily service in the family, the Church, and society with dedication and fidelity. May the Virgin Mary be support, comfort, and hope for all!” The Pope concluded by referencing the people of Haiti, who he said were “harshly tried in recent days by the passage of three hurricanes.” He said, “I pray for the victims, who unfortunately have been numerous, and for those left homeless. I am close to the whole country, and I hope that it may receive the necessary aid as soon as possible. I entrust all to the maternal protection of Our Lady of Bonaria.” |






Gospel Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” |

| Saint of The Day |
| A man convinced of the inestimable worth of each human being, Frederick served the poor of Paris well and drew others into serving the poor of the world. Through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, his work continues to the present day. Frederick was the fifth of Jean and Marie Ozanam’s 14 children, one of only three to reach adulthood. As a teenager he began having doubts about his religion. Reading and prayer did not seem to help, but long walking discussions with Father Noirot of the Lyons College clarified matters a great deal. Frederick wanted to study literature, although his father, a doctor, wanted him to become a lawyer. Frederick yielded to his father’s wishes and in 1831 arrived in Paris to study law at the University of the Sorbonne. When certain professors there mocked Catholic teachings in their lectures, Frederick defended the Church. A discussion club which Frederick organized sparked the turning point in his life. In this club Catholics, atheists and agnostics debated the issues of the day. Once, after Frederick spoke on Christianity’s role in civilization, a club member said: "Let us be frank, Mr. Ozanam; let us also be very particular. What do you do besides talk to prove the faith you claim is in you?" Frederick was stung by the question. He soon decided that his words needed a grounding in action. He and a friend began visiting Paris tenements and offering assistance as best they could. Soon a group dedicated to helping individuals in need under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul formed around Frederick. Feeling that the Catholic faith needed an excellent speaker to explain its teachings, Frederick convinced the Archbishop of Paris to appoint Father Lacordaire, the greatest preacher then in France, to preach a Lenten series in Notre Dame Cathedral. It was well attended and became an annual tradition in Paris. After Frederick earned his law degree at the Sorbonne, he taught law at the University of Lyons. He also earned a doctorate in literature. Soon after marrying Amelie Soulacroix on June 23, 1841, he returned to the Sorbonne to teach literature. A well-respected lecturer, Frederick worked to bring out the best in each student. Meanwhile, the St. Vincent de Paul Society was growing throughout Europe. Paris alone counted 25 conferences. In 1846, Frederick, Amelie and their daughter Marie went to Italy; there Frederick hoped to restore his poor health. They returned the next year. The revolution of 1848 left many Parisians in need of the services of the St. Vincent de Paul conferences. The unemployed numbered 275,000. The government asked Frederick and his co-workers to supervise the government aid to the poor. Vincentians throughout Europe came to the aid of Paris. Frederick then started a newspaper, The New Era, dedicated to securing justice for the poor and the working classes. Fellow Catholics were often unhappy with what Frederick wrote. Referring to the poor man as "the nation’s priest," Frederick said that the hunger and sweat of the poor formed a sacrifice that could redeem the people’ s humanity In 1852 poor health again forced Frederick to return to Italy with his wife and daughter. He died on September 8, 1853. In his sermon at Frederick’s funeral, Lacordaire described his friend as "one of those privileged creatures who came direct from the hand of God in whom God joins tenderness to genius in order to enkindle the world." Frederick was beatified in 1997. Since Frederick wrote an excellent book entitled Franciscan Poets of the Thirteenth Century and since Frederick’s sense of the dignity of each poor person was so close to the thinking of St. Francis, it seemed appropriate to include him among Franciscan "greats." |


