A Virgin Most Powerful!

Having been very busy over the last few days I haven't had time to blog, and so much has happened!  The best was of course the enrolling of Hildegard of Bingen in the canon of Saints by the Holy Father last week. I was delighted!  She was one incredible woman, a polymath, a lady of great culture and indeed so wise the nickname, "The Sybil of the Rhine" is no exaggeration.  She will be the fourth woman Doctor of the Church - I presume the Pope will conduct a ceremony for both herself and St John of Avila. 

For many St Hildegard is unknown, and for some of us, she is a woman much misunderstood.  She has been claimed by all and sundry, and so now when we hear of her it tends to be by radical feminists who see her as a rebel against male patriarchy and New Agers who see her as some sort of "white witch" casting her spells and mixing her earth potions in the best ecological way.  If Hildegard was around she would give them a slap, as a friend of mine would say. 

She was first and foremost, and she would declare this herself, a faithful daughter of the Church.  She loved Christ, and that is the first thing we need to remember.  She was consecrated from an early age, and most of her long life in an abbey.  She was a wise, prudent and holy Abbess, given much to prayer and the practice of virtue.  She received many visions which helped her understand the teaching of Christ and the call to holiness, and she responded generously to that call.  She wrote mystical texts, profound theological works (hence her being declared a  Doctor), praised her Lord and dignified the liturgy with her musical compositions, and nurtured a deep love for the poor and the sick.   She was also obedient to the Pope, and listening to the advice of wise and holy people: she entrusted herself to the advice and guidance of St Bernard of Clairvaux.

Pope Benedict dedicated to Audience talks to her in 2012: one on the 1st September, and the second the following week: they are well worth reading.   St Hildegard's cult has now been officially confirmed, her feast, the 17th September, has been added to the General Calendar, so we may now publicly celebrate her feast in our parishes and churches, and offer votive Masses and Offices. 

The Relics of St Hildegard

In other news:

Here's an interesting post from Elizabeth Scalia over at the Anchoress blog.  She starts with a few thoughts on Nanci Pelosi, and then moves to reflecting on the possibility of a schism within the Catholic Church in America and the creation of an American Catholic Church which will be liberal, pro-abortion, married priests, women priests (the usual stuff) and obedient to the secular authorities. 

It is a very interesting article, and she has a point.  As readers will know I have mooted that the same may happen in Ireland, though my even suggesting it has raised a few eyebrows ("Never happen, father").  To be honest I think it might - it has happened before, most notably during the Protestant Revolution in the 16th century.  Henry VIII's creation of his Church of England is a perfect example.  Looking around him and listening to what is being said, here in Ireland is a definite anti-Rome movement growing in the Church, a movement, if not sparked, certainly encouraged by our Prime Minister and members of the government.  As I said before, an obedient "state church" would come in very happy.  As for our socialist friends who quote Marx on religion, they know the value of being the ones handing out the opium to the people.

We shall see.

Right, a bit of music - we haven't had some in a while.  In honour of her canonisation, a some of St Hildegard's compositions:

Communion Of Saints

St Isaiah the Prophet

A few months ago I finally bought a copy of the new Roman Martyrology after much diddering.  I had been meaning to get a copy for myself, but could not source one outside of the Vatican bookshop.  It was when I was in London that I picked up a copy in the CTS bookshop beside Westminster Cathedral - a fantastic shop.   The book was expensive but will be very useful.

So today, as I look through the entries, I see it is the feast of the Prophet Isaiah - traditionally the Church has honoured the Old Testament prophets as Saints: in Carmel we venerate St Elijah as one of our spiritual fathers.  Tomorrow, incidentally, is the feast of St Job.

Other feasts today:  St Pachomachus the abbot, father of monasticism in the East.  St Hermas, a first century bishop and martyr, who was mentioned by St Paul in his Letter to the Romans.  The Martyrs of Persia - three hundred and ten Christians put to death for their faith in the fourth century.  St Denis of Lyons, bishop. St Gerontius of Cervia, a bishop murdered by bandits near Ancona in the year 501 when returned from a Synod in Rome, honoured as a martyr.  St Beatus, a French hermit.  Blessed Fortis Gabrielli, a hermit of the Camaldese order who died in 1040.  Blessed Benincasa of Monte Politano, a Servite. Blessed Thomas Pickering, an English Benedictine lay brother put to death for his Catholic faith in 1679 during the reign of King Charles II - he was falsely accused under the fictional Titus Oates plot.  St Joseph Do-Quang Hien, a Vietnamese Dominican priest beheaded for his faith in Tonkin in 1840.  And two from the diocese of Munich: Blessed Maria-Teresa Gerhardinger, foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who died in 1879; and Blessed Stephen Grelewski, a Polish priest interred and martyred in Dachau Concentration Camp 1941.  Not mentioned in the Martyrology (it is already out of date), St George Preca, Maltese diocesan priest and Third Order Carmelite (Ancient Observance).

A snapshot of the Martyrology, but also of the life of the Church - all over the world the various local churches celebrate their own local Saints and Beati, and in doing so commemorate the Communion of Saints, and the union which exists in the Church - a union, under Peter, which to be bound by faith, love and, sometimes forgotten, sanctity.  It is the deepening of such union which should be high on the list of those seeking reform: a union which is not confined to the people who are alive today, but one which includes all those who have gone before us "marked with the sign of faith" and those yet to be conceived: that is the Church. 

Spinning A Cocoon

Yesterday the ACP and various other groups held a conference in Dublin.   As expected it was a liberal love-in, where the reform of the Church, attendees were told, is to be found in ordaining women, allowing priests to marry, promoting contraception, giving communion to couples in irregular relationships and blessing those relationships, also, I presume, allowing homosexuals to “marry” each other, permitting abortion and, one might conclude, overthrowing the Pope. In other words: throwing out the moral teachings of Scripture and most of the Church’s teaching and canonising desires and feelings as the only authentic guides to truth and the Christian life.

They cited Vatican II and how it had been taken away from them, mentioning the first 16 documents of the Council: listening to what they are looking for one wonders if they have actually read those documents.  They want a new form of Church where inclusiveness is the hallmark – not faith I presume.   It is obvious their definition of the Church is very different from what most of us believe it to be: since the beginning the Church was understood as a communion of faith, of those who follow Christ and his teachings.  Given that these people reject many of those teachings, their definition of the Church is surely as loose as what people feel: that is certainly not the basis of any credible or stable organisation, much less a universal communion.

There was incredible naivety: incredible in that such naivety should exist in a group of people who are, for the most part, senior citizens.  For one thing they actually believe that the abuse crisis would not have happened if women were in control of the Church.  With all due respects to women, they are as sinful and corrupt as men.  Yet since the radical feminist revolution there persists the myth that women are sinless and always righteous.  Women are well capable of ignoring and covering up abuse as much as men.  Indeed it has been known that some women have actually ignored the abuse of their own children by their husbands out of fear.  The new law on mandatory reporting is going present problems in this area: will mothers who cover up the abuse of their children be granted immunity from prosecution?

In reality these children of the Age of Aquarius are spinning a cocoon around themselves.  Ignoring reality, they hold fast to their liberal dream, a dream which has become a nightmare for so many.  A dream that has devastated the Anglican Communion and other Christian denominations where attendance at Church has plummeted and these institutions no longer have any credibility in the eyes of most people.  The fact that the Catholic Church is being attacked left, right and centre and the media feel the need to be a thorn in her side means that she cannot be ignored: she is credible – so credible she has enemies who are working hard to destroy her.  Unfortunately among those enemies are those who claim to know how to “reform” her.  

This dream of theirs has left two uncatechised generations, with a third being misinformed as I write.  Three generations who have had the faith taken away from them and replaced with the fashionable opinions of a single, disaffected generation.  Three generations who have been told that mere human thinking is the Gospel by people who think that their opinions comprise the word of God.

A dream which has devastated religious life, stripped it of its prophetic nature, and made it a sap for left wing politics.  A dream which has led to rejection of the worship of God for worship of the self, even worship of nature: thirty years behind everywhere else, Irish liberals are dancing around trees and preaching free love – “Hey dude, it’s the Seventies here!”   And in face of the appalling vista their dream has created in other countries and other denominations, they have shut their eyes and ears, refusing to see and hear and just keep chanting their mantra over and over again. 

My advice to those who went to the conference yesterday: if what was said there reflects your opinions and what you want for the Catholic Church, then you had better have serious rethink.  The Church will not change her teachings – if she did, she would no longer be the Church, but rather the creation of mere human thinking.  You are not unique in your dissent, the Church has had many like you in the past, and she’ll sit this one out just as she sat the others out.  That’s why it seems she acts so slowly in dealing with you – she knows you and your ideas will die out, as a merciful mother she’ll be patient and loving and hope you’ll get sense.  (Take heart, faithful Catholics!) 

The Church will reform, as she has in the past, but true reform, a new preaching of the Gospel and the moral teaching of the Church which actually respects life and human beings.  She will experience a new Renaissance in faith, authentic orthodox faith.  It will take time, but it will happen: there are many of my generation committed to serving the Church in this New Evangelisation, and among the generation coming after us there are already many young missionaries eager to get involved.  You allowed such young people to speak to you yesterday; they spoke of the beauty of the faith and communion with Peter, the rock on which the Church is built.  You ignored them, accused them of lecturing to you and wrapped the comfort blankets even tighter around you.  The Church needs reform, no doubt about it, but it is you rather than the Church, which need to change beliefs.  You no longer share the faith of the Church: time for a rethink or an exit.  Be true to yourselves, as St Dominic Savio would say.

However rather than live the rest of your lives living with frustration and bitterness (realising that the vast majority of you are at least middle aged and most elderly), if you cannot return to the communion of faith of the Roman Catholic Church, I would suggest that you look around and see if there are other denominations which formally hold what you believe.  The Anglican Communion, for example, needs members, they believe everything you believe: I’m sure they would be delighted to have you.  And in their ranks you will have everything you want.

The Struggle For Life

A quick post to draw your attention to another struggle to save the lives of the unborn.  As pro-abortion advocates conspire to introduce abortion into Ireland, a group in the Principality of Liechtenstein are trying to do the same.    The Hereditary Prince, Alois, is opposing the efforts, using his royal veto to prevent the legislation going through.   He needs our prayers as things, it seem, are getting desperate - the pro-abortion hounds have the taste of blood in their mouths and they will not be content until they get what they want. 

God help us, Liechtenstein is small enough as it is, do they want to start killing their babies and wipe out their tiny nation altogether?  If there is one thing which marks the pro-abortion position it is a mindless, senseless blindness which lets them ignore the dreadful consequences of abortion. 

The Prince has threatened to abdicate, and that, I think, would plunge the Principality into a Constitutional crisis.  I may need to be corrected on this, but I think the Principality is sovereign because of the Prince - if he goes, then the Principality ceases to exist.  I'm not sure about this, I will have to check, but there is something unique about the country and the Princely family.

In the meantime, we pray for the Prince and his allies who are trying to save the unborn. 

Recent Events

It has been a busy few days here, and in Ireland it has been an eventful week.  More revelations concerning the Cardinal and the media has been bursting a gut to make the most of it.   It has been a difficult week for the Church here, once more we were bombarded from all sides with accusations, anger (rage even), protestations, inertia, bigotry, opportunism - at this stage it all just congeals into one big ugly tumour.   God help the poor victims at the heart of all this.  One also wonders how we can kick start the reform of the Church here in Ireland with all this.  Would a complete clearing of the decks help? 

One thing which struck me was the hypocrisy at the heart of the media campaign.  I accept that Christians who fail to live up to Christ's teachings frequently fall into the category of hypocrite - that is why Jesus in his wisdom gave us the Sacrament of Confession.  But the "holier than thou" attitude of the media is sickening.  While RTE has been exposed, they are still jumping on the bandwagon and throwing stones.  The recent BAI report on the Prime Time Special Mission to Prey was damning - the National Union of Journalists are not happy with it and are challenging it.    I notice in their defence of the journalist involved, the NUJ are using arguments not too dissimilar from those the Cardinal is using to defend himself: interesting. 

The reporter at the heart of the whole affair has finally resigned - it took her long enough: if she was a Catholic bishop she would have been hounded out long ago.  Given that RTE is calling for episcopal resignations all over the place, in this libel case they have been slow to clear the decks.  Some minor shuffling around took place, but I am inclined to think that that was merely cosmetic.

Meanwhile the politicians are breaking their own demand for separation of Church and State by demanding, albeit in a cautious way, the resignation of the Cardinal.  They preface their remarks with the phrase "in my personal opinion" - who would ever think that "personal" would become such a dirty word?  I see the Minister for Education is trying to use the situation to push his agenda to get the Church out of education: he is not comfortable with the Cardinal being the head of the Church in Ireland when the Church has the patronage of so many schools.   Meanwhile Enda Kenny, our Taoiseach, has said that it is not up to him to determine who leads the Church.  It's a pity he didn't adopt that attitude last July when he attacked the Pope. 

Personally (if they're all using it, so will I!) in my view I think they are very concerned over who leads the Church - an erastian puppet denomination would be much more favourable to the current administration here in Ireland than an independent universal communion.  After all with abortion and gay marriage, among other things, being lined up, a supportive native Irish catholic church is the preferred option.  Some have even suggested to me that certain political figures are in dialogue with certain religious figures to see if such an institution could be created and "the Vatican" airbrushed out of Irish Catholicism.  Is that possible?

In other news: the dissenting nuns in the US LCWR are reacting to the recent report from their Apostolic Visitation - they are not happy.  Reading their response I am reminded of an incident from the life of Blessed John Paul II concerning the disciplining of a nun who was ardently pro-abortion and had herself elected to a legislature.  The Vatican had been in dialogue with her for some time pointing out that her position was not in keeping with the teaching of the Church, but she dug her heels in, refused to resign her office in the legislature (priests and religious are not allowed present themselves for national/civic election) and maintained her position on abortion, publicly promoting the “pro-choice” position.   The Pope finally had enough and sent a representative for a final chat to see if she could be persuaded to back down: she refused.  So she was asked that if it came to choice which would she choose: her position as a consecrated religious or that of an advocate for abortion?  Defiant as ever she maintained her position.  The papal representative reached into his briefcase and took out a document: it was a dispensation from her vows, already signed.  Having made her position clear, she was being dispensed of her vows and free to go wherever she liked. The nun was stunned.

The LCWR representative is Sr Brigid McDonald and she's lashing out in good old dissenting fashion.  Her reaction goes to prove the truth of what the Visitation found.  Like the sister above, Sr Brigid, it seems, is pro-abortion.  Is it not time for an official to pop over to the US from Rome with a briefcase??  Here's an interesting article on obedience from Fr Bevil Bramwell.  He notes: "Interestingly, people who have trouble with obedience to the Church will still obey their boss and the weatherman or the cop on the beat and not note the inconsistency."  I would go further and say, from my own experience, that those who reject obedience to the Church demand obedience from those under them and they can be tyrannical superiors.  

Anyway, to cheer us all up on this Bank Holiday Monday, some music.  Today is an easy day for many, another day of rest - not here - I have a funeral later and lots to do.  But sit back and enjoy a little piece of Mozart - always puts you in the right mood!   From The Marriage of Figaro, this is Figaro's fantastic aria at the end of Act One, "Non piu andrai".  It was the piece I used for auditions when my heart was set on an operatic career. "Sometimes I wish....." Ah no, stop now, Father, serving God is better. 

Happy Anniversary!

Congratulations and best wishes to Mother Angelica and her sons the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, who celebrate the 25th anniversary of their foundation.  The friars, founded by Mother on the 2nd May 1987 - feast of St Athanasius, the Doctor of Orthodoxy, serve EWTN, while conducting various other ministries living the charism of their spiritual mother, Mother Angelica.    

Let's remember them in our prayers as they put themselves in the service of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, and his Church.  May the Lord make them prophetic through what they say, how they live and who they are.

Bits And Pieces

Happy feast day to you all: today is of course the optional memoria of St Joseph the Worker (I think that needs an upgrade - it should be a memoria at least).  Every blessing to all our workers who, like St Joseph, faithfully serve their families, their society and God through their toil.  Through the intercession of St Joseph may they be sanctified through their work and encourage others to see the true dignity of man and woman revealed through honest labour.

I see the case of the Chinese dissident is causing problems for both the US and China: he is the elephant in the parlour as the two countries work out their trade deals.  Human rights tend to get in the way of economics, so best to ignore them - at least that is the message that seems to becoming out of Ireland, the US and other countries who covet China's business.  Another reason why Chen Guangcheng might not be top of Barak Obama's Christmas card list is because the dissident is opposing China's forced abortion and sterilisation policies.  Seeing as Obama, Sebelius and their cohorts are trying to force Catholics to pay for contraception and abortaficients the parallels are just a little too similar for comfort.  Lucky then that they can "eat around" the issues. 

In other news, I refer you again to Christopher McCamley's blog: he's been doing a bit of investigation into the ACP and how they run their website.  It seems, despite all their talk of tolerance, censorship and their anger over priests being silenced (they were censured - different thing), they employ a rather tough line in censoring the comments that are left on their site: they delete those comments they don't agree with.  What's new?  Self-styled liberals tend to be the most illiberal of all.  Indeed a friend of mine refuses to call them liberals or progressives because they actually want to limit freedom and make their own view the only valid one. 

I remember when in seminary we were constantly being lectured to by these "liberals" - I can say this now because the Visitation Report is out.  Time and time again our formators tried to quash orthodoxy and expose us to "progressive ideas" which, funnily enough, always contradicted the teaching of the Church, the will of the Holy Father and at times even the Commandments.  To contradict their opinions, to expose them, was to bring wrath on your head - which many of us did many times.   There was no room for dialogue - to question (even innocently) what they were preaching was to expose yourself as bigot: "You're so closed".  There was one way to do things: their way.  There was one way to "do liturgy" - their way.  There was one way to be a priest: their way.  Veer from this and they would do what they could to get rid of you.  So am I upset that certain "liberal" priests are being investigated?  Not at all. 

Another interesting opinion for you, from a friend of mine.  Looking at the moves which the government seems to be taking to legislate for abortion here, he wondered if there was an economic reason for this.  His argument goes like this:  Ireland is the best place to have a baby - the safest.  Pregnant women are well cared for (absolutely true - our health professionals are fantastic, God bless them).  If a woman has a difficult pregnancy, everything is done for her and the baby; hospitals will even keep a pregnant woman at risk of serious complications in care for the duration of her pregnancy to make sure that she is looked after and any emergencies are dealt with quickly (the pro-aborts don't tell you about that when they are raking up the hard stories).

However, such care costs money - lots of money, money Ireland is struggling to find in these hard times.  Is it possible, my friend has asked, that abortion is being seen as a cheaper option for a difficult pregnancy? That abortion is cheaper than having to provide for babies and children that have serious medical needs?  And so in order to keep the national budget on course, certain cuts have to be made??  Would a government be so cynical, so uncaring? What do you think?   Are the Minister of Health and the Fine Gael/Labour government considering the financial benefits of legalised abortion?

The White Pope

Today is the feast of Pope St Pius V, one of the great reforming popes of the Council of Trent.  St Pius was a Dominican and it is due to him, I believe, popes wear white: Pius continued to wear his habit after his election.  Funny though, in the debate between the Dominicans and the Jesuits (I'm sure you know all the jokes), I never heard the Dominicans boast that every pope is a Dominican since he wears the habit.  I'm sure they would say they are too humble to remind us!  Indeed.

St Pius was a remarkable man - first of all he became a Saint when many of the popes of that era saw themselves more as temporal lords than priests and had a few mistresses in their past.  Fr Michele Ghislieri, OP, later Pius V, was a holy and learned man.  He was a renowned theologian who was brought to Rome to work in the Inquisition.  For those still labouring under the Enlightenment/Secularist charge that the Roman Inquisition was the same as the Spanish, note that it wasn't.  It was far more merciful and actually run by the Church and not by the state as the Spanish one was. 

St Pius is, perhaps, most famous for two things: first the victory at the battle of Lepanto.  A good Dominican to the last, when Christian Europe was under threat from Muslim invasion, he told the Christians to pray the rosary, and it was this great programme of prayer which led the meagre Christian navy to victory over the much larger Muslim armada.  So Pius's lesson for us in Ireland in these difficult times is simple: "Get out the beads and start praying!" Yes, Saintly Holy Father, we will.

St Pius is also famous for his excommunication of Queen Elizabeth I of England, an act which infuriated the queen and led to a greater persecution of Catholics in her realms.  There are few things here.  Was he correct to do so?  A number of historians say he was not - he should have refrained in order not to provoke an already narky queen.  Interesting view - one which Pius XII may have agreed with as he was faced with the same problem (anti-Pius critics and historians please note - be consistent now!). 

One could say that Pius V was only confirming what was already a fact: that Elizabeth I was no longer in full communion with the Catholic Church - and that also is correct: in establishing her "settlement" and confirming herself as the head of the Church in England she did break communion with Rome - she was excommunicate.  One has to wonder why she was so offended?  She sounds like a modern liberal: they attack and reject "Rome" and "The Vatican", and distance themselves from it, and then when Rome confirms this they are upset, angry and sharing the pain of their rejected, broken hearts.  "It's all a mystery", as a friend of mine would say.  "They need a good slap", as another would say: I couldn't possibly comment.

In other news, I see an interesting article on Catholic Culture, concerning a bishop in Wisconsin, USA.  He appointed a number of priests of the Society of Jesus the Priest to various parishes, and it seems they offer the Extraordinary Form as part of the Mass schedule in the parishes.  Some are not happy in the parish of Platteville, however, and have said that the priests are "pre-Vatican II" and it seems they are voting with their wallets, withholding donations, so much so that a Catholic school had to be closed.  The bishop is not happy, and he must be hearing rumours that are doing the rounds in the parish because he has reminded the people of the canonical penalty for calumny and told them to refresh their memories as to what those penalties are. 

Wow!  As every priest in a parish knows there are parishioners who have nothing better to do but make up stories about their priests and spread them around as if they were true: all of us have fallen victim to such gossip.  It does not matter how small the parish is, rural or urban, there are people out there who just want to talk and gossip.   I know of cases where parishioners calumnied their parish priests for years, and then, when the priests died they were considered the best in the world and their successors are rogues etc etc, and it all starts again.  It's nice to see a bishop reminding parishioners that not only are they supposed to be Christians, and therefore charitable and supportive of their priests, but if they do make up and spread malicious gossip there are canonical penalties to deal with them in order to protect the good name of innocent priests.

St Pius V, pray for us all!  Happy feast day, dear Dominican brothers and sisters: keep up the good work!

A Real Reformer

If today were not a Sunday, we would be celebrating the feast of St Catherine of Siena, Dominican Tertiary and Doctor of the Church.  In Europe, we honour her particularly as one of our patrons. 

Catherine, as you known, is one of the Church's most remarkable figures, and one of her most dynamic reformers.  Her life and career undermines the radical feminist charge that all women in the Catholic Church were oppressed.  She also shows how a woman can work and have an influential role in the Church without having to be ordained.  Interestingly in all the debates I have had with those seeking the ordination of women, they never refer to Catherine, or, funnily enough to St Teresa of Avila, or St Bridget of Sweden. I wonder why.

Anyway, as reform is on everyone's lips at the moment, and as the Holy Father has reminded us recently that authentic reform cannot come from dissent, and as some dissident priests are being investigated here in Ireland, it might be no harm to look at the life, teaching, and sanctity of one of the great reformers.  There is an excellent article on St Catherine in the Catholic World Report which is worth reading.

A Modest Proposal On The Feast Of A Pro-Life Saint

The Pro-life movement doesn't have a declared Patron, though Our Lady of Guadalupe tends to be regarded as the Patroness of Life.   Today's Saint would also make a fitting patron - St Gianna Beretta Molla, the mother who died in 1962 offering her life for her child.

I sure you all know her story: born into a devout Catholic home in 1922, studied to become a doctor after discerning she did not have a vocation to the religious life.  She married Pietro Molla and they had three children in quick succession. She balanced life as a wife, mother and doctor, with work in service of the Church, particularly Catholic Action and the Society of St Vincent de Paul.  She was renowned for her holiness and charity.

In late 1961 she became pregnant again, but a growth was also diagnosed in her womb.  Offered an abortion as the way to safe her life, she refused: apart from knowing there were other options available, she would not take the life of her unborn child - abortion is murder: if she had to sacrifice a life she would sacrifice her own rather than kill the baby.  A baby girl was born on Holy Saturday 1962, Gianna died a week later from complications.  She was canonised in 2004 by Blessed John Paul II in the presence of her husband and children - I think that may be a first.

Given the uphill battle we have now to keep abortion out of Ireland, we need St Gianna's intercession.  So now I am making a suggestion, from the day you read this post until the day Ireland is free of the threat of abortion, offer three Hail Marys seeking the intercession of St Gianna.  It is a simple offering, it will no more than a moment, but that daily offering may well help the unborn of Ireland.   Pass on the word.

Saint Gianna,

Wife, Mother, Doctor and exemplary Christian,

intercede with Christ, our Lord of Life

to help us in these times to proclaim the Gospel of Life;

to bring to an end the evil of abortion

and the conversion of those who promote it;

to help and console those women tempted to do it,

and to heal those who have had one.

Watch over Ireland in these critical days.

Amen.