VATICAN CITY, MAY 14, 2005 (VIS) - This evening at the altar of the Cathedra in the Vatican Basilica, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided at Mass for the beatification of Servants of God Ascension Nicol Goni and Marianne Cope.
At the beginning of the ceremony, by order of Benedict XVI, Cardinal Saraiva read out the Apostolic Letter by which the Supreme Pontiff inscribed the two Servants of God in the Book of Blesseds.
In his homily, the cardinal spoke of the Solemnity of Pentecost, highlighting how the Apostles "experienced the Holy Spirit and became witnesses of Christ, Who died and rose again, missionaries along the paths of the world. The same experience is repeated in all those who, by accepting Christ, open themselves to God and to humanity; it is repeated above all in the saints, both in the anonymous saints and in those who have been raised to the glory of the altars. Saints are the masterpieces of the Spirit, Who molds the face of Christ, and infuses God's charity in their hearts."
Speaking of the Spanish Blessed, Ascension del Corazon de Jesus, the cardinal described her as "one of the great missionaries of the last century" who "wished to belong exclusively to God, consecrating herself as a Dominican nun in the Santa Rosa monastery in Huesca, Spain." After recalling that when she was 45, the Lord called her to be a missionary in Peru, Cardinal Saraiva affirmed: "With youthful enthusiasm and complete trust in Providence, she left her homeland and dedicated herself to the task of evangelization, extending her zeal to the entire world, beginning with the American continent. Her generous, far-reaching and effective work left a profound impression in the missionary history of the Church.
"She collaborated with the Dominican Bishop Ramon Zubieta in founding the Dominican Missionary Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary, a congregation of which she was the first superior general. Her missionary life abounded in sacrifice, renunciation and apostolic fruits. ... Supported by a living faith and a fervent devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to Our Lady of the Rosary, she committed herself to the salvation of souls, completely forgetting herself. She frequently exhorted her daughters to do likewise, affirming that souls cannot be saved without personal sacrifice."
As for Marianne Cope, who was born in Germany but emigrated to the United States while still very young, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints pointed out that her encounter "with those suffering from leprosy took place when she was far along on her journey to Christ. For 20 years she had been a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of Syracuse in New York."
God, said the cardinal, called her "to a more difficult missionary service," that of caring for lepers on the Island of Molokai, Hawaii. "She left everything and abandoned herself completely to the will of God. ... She willingly worked with Blessed Damian De Veuster," known as the apostle of lepers, and "she loved those suffering from leprosy more than she loved her very self. She served them, educated them, and guided them with wisdom, love and strength. She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan, she became their mother."
At the end of his homily, Cardinal Saraiva highlighted how the two new Blesseds "brought into the world the fruits and signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit, they spoke the language of truth and love, the only language capable of breaking down the barriers of culture and race, and of rebuilding the unity of the human family, which has been lost through pride, the thirst for power, and the refusal of God's sovereignty."
.../BEATIFICATION/SARAIVA MARTINS VIS 20050516 (650)
No comments:
Post a Comment