In 1990, Father Calise was at a breaking point. Ten years into his priesthood, alcohol had infiltrated every aspect of his life, straining relationships with his family, parishioners, and his vocation itself. At the urging of a concerned priest, he entered a 90-day treatment program at Guest House, a specialized residential center in Michigan for clergy with addictions. This decision marked the beginning of his journey to recovery.

A New Mission: Supporting Others in Recovery

Father Calise’s sobriety gave him a new perspective on ministry. Determined to support others facing similar struggles, he founded Transition House, a place of respite and renewal for priests re-entering ministry after treatment for addiction. Located within the rectory of Transfiguration-St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Maspeth, New York, where he serves as pastor, Transition House has grown beyond its original mission.

“Initially, it was intended for priests recovering from addictive behaviors,” explains Father Calise. “But over the years, it has evolved to serve a broader purpose.” Now, the house also welcomes clergy dealing with non-addiction-related challenges, such as health issues, visa complications, or the need for temporary relief from pastoral pressures.

Transition House is not a treatment center but a haven for priests transitioning back into ministry. “It’s a space where they can acclimate to diocesan life after treatment,” says Father Calise. With six bedrooms, a living area, and a chapel, the home offers a supportive environment tailored to individual needs. Some priests stay for weeks, while others remain for months, depending on their circumstances.

Loneliness and Addiction in Clergy Life

Father Calise is uniquely positioned to provide guidance, having experienced the pain of addiction himself. His struggle began in adolescence, eventually spiraling into alcoholism. Reflecting on those years, he recalls, “There was so much pain and sadness. But out of that, I’ve been able to help others find a path to healing.”

Clergy members, he notes, are particularly vulnerable to addiction due to the isolating nature of their roles. “We live very solitary lives. Many priests are alone in their rectories, and even when they’re not, there’s often a deep sense of loneliness. That isolation often seeks solace.”

Statistics back up this reality. The St. John Vianney Center in Pennsylvania estimates that 10% of U.S. priests struggle with substance addiction, yet only 2% seek treatment. The stigma surrounding addiction and the demands of ministry often prevent priests from reaching out for help.

Healing Through Service

Father Calise’s personal recovery journey has become a cornerstone of his ministry. He also celebrates Serenity Sundays, healing Masses at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish for individuals in various stages of addiction recovery. These services provide spiritual support and a sense of community for those on their path to sobriety.

“Recovery taught me to be available to God’s surprises,” he reflects. “It’s about being present for the unexpected needs of others and seeing Christ in those moments.”

As Transition House marks seven years of operation, Father Calise continues to lead by example. His story is a testament to the power of vulnerability, resilience, and faith. For him, the work is far from over. “Sobriety has given me the chance to touch lives in ways I never imagined. And for that, I’m deeply grateful.”

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(ZENIT News – Asia News / Vatican City, 11.26.2024).- On Friday, 22 November, the Vatican hosted the award ceremony for the 2024 Ratzinger Prize, which the homonymous Foundation has given out since 2011 to individuals who have distinguished themselves in scientific research of a theological nature.

This year, for the first time, one of the two winners is from Asia, Japanese sculptor Etsurō Sotoo along with the American theologian Cyril O’Regan. Originally from Kyoto, Sotoo has been working in Barcelona for 46 years on the Sagrada Família. Designed by Antonio Gaudì (1852-1926), the great architect whose cause for beatification is underway, the cathedral is as visionary as it is full of meanings.

On 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI himself presided over the solemn ceremony of consecration of the church in Barcelona, which is so significant for our time. We publish extensive excerpts from  Etsurō Sotoo’s address at the award ceremony.

***

When I first came to Barcelona from Japan in 1978, I remember feeling like a stranger in a foreign land. Every street, every corner, appeared full of stories and symbols that, at first, were foreign to me. However, when I started working with stone, when I took the chisel and started sculpting, I knew that stone had its own language, a language that needs no translation, so I came looking for stone from Japan to Europe.

Stone is great art or something more. Art, in its purest form, is a universe of stone, to the end of the universe where no one has gone and we cannot go, but I know that the stone is there.

Working at the Sagrada Família made me realise that, although we come from different cultures, we share a common essence that can be expressed not only through art, for I discovered that Gaudí had a somewhat oriental intuition. Over time I began to feel that my Japanese roots and this Catalan land were connected, like two branches of the same tree, which meet in the spirituality of creation. I want to explain the fruits and leaves I have worked on: more than 200 pieces, each more or less a tonne, each finished in five days, that is, on Monday I would bring the stone and by Friday I delivered it. No one then knew what meaning they had.

Gaudí’s disciples had ordered me to put fruit with leaves underneath, stone fruits; above the fruits, colourful Venetian mosaic, and below fruits and stone leaves. But why, what does it mean? Understanding this was necessary for me to sculpt, because a sculptor does not limit himself to cutting stone without sense or meaning, and if I did not understand it I could not work. So I investigated, but since no one knew, I had to invent. We grow thanks to words. And we ourselves are fruits, I say it in the words of Pope Ratzinger: «We are fruits of nature.»

We must not only respect nature. Gaudí said that nature was his teacher; for example, fruits and leaves. In Japan, fruits are not born or ripen in leafless nature. In Japan we grow and mature thanks to words, because we write words with signs. The ideogram for Kotoba, which means word, is composed of two signs: «to say» and «leaves», and literally means «to make a leaf out of saying». My heart tells me that, with this truth, people feel or learn, and that the secret that moved Gaudí lies here: leaves and fruits as a symbol of the growth of our soul, because this temple is a tool to make us grow. I imagine that Gaudí did not know the Japanese language, but since he learnt from nature, that is, nature was his teacher, and our culture also comes from nature, we arrive at the same answer.

This is how I immersed myself in the spirit of this work, feeling deeply Japanese and at the same time a son of this city, like a seed that was born in Japan and flew to Barcelona, a Mediterranean city, a rich land where it grows, adapting and developing far beyond my expectations. In every sculpture, in every figure that I have sketched, I wanted to convey something of that duality, of that encounter between worlds that enriches, adds and deepens our identity, because the more different the cultures that come together, the newer and stronger the culture that is born.

Perhaps there is no better example than the Nativity Portal, where music-playing angels and the children’s choir celebrate the birth of the Child Jesus. For me, these sculptures are not just stone figures. They are a song to life, an attempt to capture those children in stone as if they were my living children, as if each figure was about to move, dance or sing. This is Gaudí’s secret: he was always looking for shapes that would make the stone statue look alive, in motion.

When I started working with stone, a very old gentleman came to see me, and told me: «That child is me, when I was nine or ten years old I used to play ball in front of the Sagrada Família and every time Mr. Gaudí passed by we stopped the game, we stopped as a sign of respect. One day this gentleman, Gaudí, approached me and, putting his hand on my head, said: ‘I will give you a candy if you will be a model’. I didn’t know what a model was, I went to visit his studio with my friends.”

I didn’t expect to see a living model of that façade, I thought they were all dead, and I’m also happy to have made something very similar to that man. Isn’t that what we all feel inside? That impulse to get closer, to touch the divine. We are not simply making a figure and much less a monument; we have to create something real. The Baby Jesus who is there is not made of stone, everyone wants to see him as he was two thousand years ago, where he really existed; everyone wants to be there, together with the Magi, present at the most important and magnificent event of that time.

People wonder how you can continue to build without Gaudí. Art is not like someone has made a mistake and we follow this wrong path; art, like science, is the search for the right answer, because, even if Gaudí is no longer with us and he did not leave any data, if we look where Gaudí looked, we always find the right answer. This is my way of building the Sagrada Família.

Today, almost a century and a half after Gaudí began to work, we are closer than ever to seeing the Sagrada Família completed. But I wonder: Even when the architectural project is completed, is it really possible that a work like this can be finished? Can we say that something that is growing is completed? The Sagrada Família is not just a construction; It is a symbol of our ability to create something greater than ourselves, something that lasts, that transcends. Gaudí said: «The more we try, the better, because the owner of that house is not in a hurry.» I would add that this temple is an eternal instrument that builds us: Pope Benedict said in his homily that, “The Church of herself is nothing; she is called to be the sign and instrument of Christ”

Personally, I know that my mission in this work is not over. There will always be something more to do, some detail to perfect, some space to fill with meaning, something to restore and improve. Gaudí said that his real client was God and I believe that, in some way, all of us who work here feel this same vocation. My job is not only to sculpt stone, but to give it life, to transmit through it the faith and love that Gaudí dreamt of. Always thinking: how can we give happiness to this great client, God? The answer is: “We simply try to make ourselves happy, as every parent feels happy when they see their children happy, loved.”

Therefore, as long as there is a spark of creativity, as long as there is a stone waiting to be carved, I will stay here, serving this work with humility and devotion. In the meantime, we try to improve the work, learning, building ourselves as human beings.

For me, the Sagrada Família is not just a building under construction: it is a prayer that rises, a song that celebrates the greatness of God and the nobility of the human spirit. And I know that, in this place, I will always find a home, a reason to go on, a purpose that fills my heart. We are simply a note within the score that harmonises God’s music.

When I see visitors marvel at the sculptures, stop to observe every detail, I know that my work, our work, acquires meaning. The work of the Sagrada Família is an invitation to engage God in dialogue, to peace, to communion. And it is this, in the end, that gives me strength. I feel that my life, my culture, my history, and each of the days I have dedicated to this basilica have not only been worth it, but I feel built by it, not by me.

The Sagrada Família will continue to be a beacon of hope and love for all who visit it. And, as long as God and destiny allow it, I will remain here, to take care of her, sculpting, dreaming and working so that every corner of this temple reflects the divine light, that light that unites us and reminds us that, in the end, «We are all one in love».

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A Life of Defiance and Sacrifice

Gibbons, who has spent over 11 years in prison for her peaceful protests against abortion, is currently incarcerated following her latest arrest in June 2024. Her crime? Standing silently outside Toronto’s Morgentaler Clinic, a site at the heart of Canada’s abortion debate. Despite facing legal repercussions for her actions, she remains unwavering in her convictions.

In her letter, Gibbons criticized Canada’s judiciary for what she perceives as its complicity in perpetuating abortion. She described the system as one that «silences dissent» and prioritizes property rights over the lives of the unborn. “The disdain of the court for life is palpable,” she wrote, lamenting what she called the nation’s “amnesia” about the sanctity of life.

The Legal Backdrop: A Battle for Free Expression

Ontario’s “Safe Access to Abortion Services Act,” enacted in 2018, prohibits pro-life activities, including silent protests and prayer, within 50 meters of abortion facilities. Gibbons has frequently clashed with this law, viewing it as a blatant suppression of free expression and a surrender to what she calls “the mills of death.”

The law, initially introduced by a Liberal government, remains unchallenged under the Conservative leadership of Premier Doug Ford. Gibbons’ resistance to this legislation has come at a personal cost—her repeated arrests and imprisonment.

A Message Rooted in Faith and Hope

Gibbons’ letter is not just a critique of Canada’s legal and political landscape but also a call to action for pro-life advocates. She exhorted supporters to reject complacency, warning that “a world where evil goes unchallenged is dying.” She urged individuals to confront injustice head-on, inspired by the “love of Christ” and a shared humanity with the unborn.

In her poignant words: “The Holy Spirit mobilizes us to defend our shared humanity with our unborn friends. Keep going! Peace of Christ.”

A History of Peaceful Resistance

Gibbons’ activism spans decades, marked by arrests, trials, and imprisonment. Her most recent legal battles began in May 2024, when she spent hours outside the Morgentaler Clinic before being arrested. Even when transferred to a mental health court for remaining silent during proceedings, Gibbons remained resolute, refusing to abandon her principles.

Her activism is deeply tied to Canada’s history of abortion legislation. Since the legalization of abortion in 1969, more than four million unborn children have been aborted, according to CLC. Gibbons sees her actions as a counterpoint to this grim statistic—a testimony to the value of every life.

The Broader Context: A Nation Divided

Gibbons’ case comes at a time of heightened tension around abortion rights in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government has doubled down on its pro-choice stance, while pro-life advocates like Gibbons continue to challenge the prevailing narrative.

Her letter serves as both a rallying cry and a reminder of the cost of conviction. For Gibbons, the fight for life is not merely a political issue but a moral imperative that transcends the courtroom and enters the realm of faith and humanity.

In a nation grappling with its identity and values, Gibbons’ voice, even from behind bars, resonates as a call to remember, resist, and persevere.

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“The Meese Award is the highest award ADF bestows,” said ADF CEO, President, and General Counsel Kristen Waggoner. “Its namesake, Attorney General Edwin Meese, is a hero to us all. His wisdom and friendship provided crucial guidance and support to ADF in its formative years. General Meese’s life’s work embodied a commitment to the Constitution, textual originalism, and religious liberty. ADF presents this award each year to leaders in our culture who have courageously walked into the wind of opposition; giants on whose shoulders we stand as we work to protect our most fundamental freedoms. This year, I’m honored to present the Meese Award to Dr. Thomas F. Farr. ADF recognizes Tom’s significant efforts in publicly promoting and defending our most cherished freedoms and a principled jurisprudence through the active advancement of constitutional originalism.”

As an advocate, thought leader, and public servant, Dr. Farr’s vigilance in expanding religious liberty around the globe has been unparalleled. He served for 28 years as a foreign service officer, where he worked diligently to bring religious literacy to the Foreign Service through education. He pioneered America’s religious liberty diplomacy, resulting in global advances for free exercise and, in some cases, the saving of lives.

Waggoner noted that Farr possesses a deep understanding of how essential religious freedom is to human flourishing—and that its divine origin makes it the most precious of natural rights.

“Tom’s years at the helm of the Religious Freedom Institute produced remarkable scholarship, upon which ADF’s lawyers and experts regularly rely,” she explained. “Tom’s decades of faithful service have embodied and advanced religious freedom through scholarship, diplomacy, and a steady Christian presence in the halls of power.”

The award is named in honor of former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese III, who was the first recipient in 2009.

“I am honored to have my name associated with this award, which has been distinguished by the outstanding individuals who have received the award over the past years. That tradition continues today with our recipient, Thomas F. Farr, who has tirelessly worked to advance religious freedom,” Meese said.

Past award recipients include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Judge Robert Bork, Archbishop Charles Chaput, Dr. Albert Mohler, Ambassador Sam Brownback, Chuck Colson, Prof. Robert P. George, ADF Founder Alan Sears, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, and former ADF CEO and Home School Legal Defense Association Founder Michael Farris.

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(ZENIT News / Cali, 11.13.2024).- “This is Colombia’s biggest misfortune. Crime has become an industry,” laments Father Gersaín Paz, parish priest of Santa Marta, Cali, during a visit to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Drug trafficking, human trafficking and prostitution have spread across the country.

According to UN data, Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine. Over 1,100 tonnes of drugs were seized in 2023, and an estimated 15,000 people fall victim to human trafficking each year.

Cali, located in the southwest of Colombia, in the Cauca Valley, is considered the “capital of the drug trade” and is home to alarming rates of violence, with an average of 1,500 murders every year. Fr Gersaín explains that it is “one of the poorest and most violent cities. In our neighbourhood, Santa Marta, we have two or three murders every week.”

This reality ends up drawing in children and adolescents as well. Many are forcefully recruited into criminal gangs or join them of their own free will. Lack of opportunities, school absenteeism and social deprivation lead many to get involved in these and other illicit activities. “Some teenagers resort to selling their bodies on the internet, for instance,” Fr Gersaín says, sorrowfully. “And we have heard of children who have killed other children.”

This worrying situation is also reflected in the number of suicides, which affects both adults and children. “We have at least two suicides a month in this area. It’s terrible. I asked a child who was cutting himself why he did so, and he replied: ‘I want to cry, but I can’t’,” Fr Gersaín tells ACN. “Only around a third of the 70,000 people who live around here are baptised, and only 10% are practicing. These people really need support,” he says.

Despite the violence and desolation, there is still room for hope. Many of the youngsters who used to be immersed in violence and delinquency have found a second chance in Fr Gersaín’s parish, which was enlarged and improved with ACN funding.

Fr Gersaín explains that since he arrived at the parish, he has changed the way he interacts with the adolescents, using music and other creative initiatives to motivate them. During retreats, he asks them to disconnect from everything for a few hours, to be in silence, which at the beginning seemed impossible to them. Nonetheless, the priest comments that, with time, the youth have learned to “really enjoy this experience and have shown a great capacity for prayer”.

“I don’t know any teenagers who, after joining us, went back to drugs”

Fr Gersaín continues to search for ways to reach everyone. The church room which was once only used for catechesis is now also a music conservatory, where the community welcomes youngsters who are looking for a second chance. Here they receive training on the violin and piano, and other musical instruments. “Some of the children who studied music here, now earn a living playing around the world, or are getting their doctorates in Switzerland and Vienna,” Fr Gersaín explains, beaming. “We are talking about children from very vulnerable backgrounds, who used to living in extremely tough conditions. I am convinced that with the right opportunities, we could get rid of the violence. It has already decreased by around 80% because of the diocesan initiatives,” he stresses. The priest further explains that, after going through the parish programme, young people begin to plan their own life projects. “I don’t know any teenager who, after joining us, went back to drugs,” says the ACN project partner.

Priests traditionally play a key role in Latin American culture, since because of the strong Catholic tradition and the scarcity of social services in some areas, they often take on the role of community leaders, providing support in education and health, and acting as mediators in conflict situations. According to Fr Gersaín, “it is crucial to put this to use for the common good,” and he stresses the importance of clergy formation: “Priests have to receive solid training, not only in terms of liturgy, but also in how to deal with real problems, such as violence and unemployment.”

A radical change: a new church to support the younger generations

The parish was established 15 years ago. At first, when it was entrusted to Fr Gersaín, it had no electricity, possums wandered through the parish hall, and the heat was unbearable. “We didn’t even have bathrooms,” he recalls. “Now we have a church which is frankly beautiful and spacious. People are very excited about the upcoming official inauguration; it is a wonderful space. It has been a radical change.”

Having a place to meet is essential for any community, the priest says. “If I have a sacristy and an adequate office, I can better receive people. This is a dream for the parishioners.” And he concludes: “Thanks to ACN we can continue to grow and adapt to the community’s needs. Pastoral work has to be an important pillar, to help to guide and support the new generations.”

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“To discern the sign of the times- the Grand Master said – is to recognise society’s newest challenges and to adapt and transform ourselves to overcome those challenges, ensuring, all the time, that we remain both relevant and effective”. The Grand Master therefore emphasised the unique nature of the Order of Malta, in being both a Religious Order and a Sovereign Entity.“We use our sovereignty to serve the poor and sick, refugees and migrants, the marginalised and forgotten (…), for human rights advocacy, for the rights of migrants and the poor, in opposition to human trafficking, and for other humanitarian causes”.

Describing the different historical stages, the Grand Master then explained how the Order of Malta has become a global force thanks to its hospitaller mission, expanding rapidly over the last 50 years from its original European base to the Americas, Asia and the pacific, with an impressive growth of the humanitarian activities in the 5 continents, parallel to that of diplomatic relations, which are now maintained with 114 countries. “One of the key factors in the endurance of the Order, over these many decades, has been its ability to stay true to the charism of its founder, Blessed Gerard. Tuitio fidei, obsequium pauperum. “Defence of the faith through service to the poor.” It is a significant fact that our assistance to the poor goes directly to the poor. And when I say ‘directly’, I do not mean it in the figurative sense of the word, but rather quite literally. I mean no intermediaries. From the hands of the Members of the Order to the hands of the poor and hungry.”

The reference is to the fieldwork of the 48 National Associations – supported by 13,500 members of the Order of Malta, more than 100 Ambassadors, 50,000 employees and over 100,000 volunteers – that have developed thousands of programmes directly supportive of the poor who are often excluded not only from social programmes, but also from normal human social interaction. “ It is often in the volunteers that we can see a truly evangelical spirit that inspires and permeates their work, sometimes under difficult and even extreme circumstances”, he underlined.

As a matter of fact, “delivering humanitarian assistance has become, in the last decade, more perilous than ever”. Speaking of the Order of Malta’s involvement in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, as in the Middle East, the Grand Master recalled the urgency of respecting international humanitarian law: “The civilian population in conflict zones has sadly become a deliberate target of violent acts: killings, bombings, psychological attacks and physical threats – with the expressed purpose of depriving the population of essential means of survival. Under these reprehensible circumstances, the most vulnerable groups – children, the elderly, the sick, and the disabled – are those who suffer the most. This is unacceptable”.

Within the International Community, the Order of Malta is in the forefront, calling for the implementation of the norms of the International Humanitarian Law. “In the face of today’s issues and tomorrow’s challenges, the traditional Mission and the Charisma of the Order maintain their validity and, I would venture to say, their relevance in the modern world”, concluded the Grand Master, highlighting how religion can still play a crucial role in human and social development today.

At the end of the lectio magistralis, in which the Grand Master said he was honoured by the recognition bestowed on him by one of the elite top 5% universities globally, the official ceremony of conferring an honorary doctorate was held.

The Grand Master, Fra’ John Dunlap, is visiting Australia on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Order of Malta’s Australian Association, active since 1974 in various initiatives starting with the “Coats for the Homeless” programme spread across the country, in palliative care and in responding to disasters such as the summer 2020 bushfires. During the trip’s stops in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra, Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap, and Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, visited projects supporting the homeless, the marginalised and the sick. The trip was an opportunity to meet with the Governor of Queensland, the Honourable Jeannette Young AC PSM, the Governor of New South Wales, the Honourable Margaret Beasley AC KC, and the Governor-General of Australia, Sam Mostyn AC.

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Sister Clare’s path to faith was nothing short of remarkable. In her youth, she showed little interest in religion, pursuing a promising career in acting. However, in the year 2000, a Holy Week retreat in Spain profoundly changed her life. She experienced a deeply moving conversion and felt an undeniable call to join religious life with the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Her story—from a self-described “wild child” to a woman of unwavering faith—continues to inspire people across generations and continents.

An Irish Woman’s Faith Becomes a Global Inspiration

Born in 1982 amid the social upheaval of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, Sister Clare grew up in Derry, a city made internationally familiar by the popular show “Derry Girls”. But Sister Clare’s story offers a different glimpse into Derry’s soul: one of resilience, spiritual strength, and community devotion. Her life took a transformative turn, bringing her from a life on stage to missionary work around the world, eventually to Ecuador, where she served young people and communities until her life was tragically cut short in the 2016 earthquake.

Father Gerard Mongan, a priest from her parish in Derry’s Bogside neighborhood, described the announcement of her canonization cause as “overwhelmingly joyful.” He said the process, which will formally open on January 12 in Madrid, reflects Sister Clare’s enduring impact and has sparked a deep sense of anticipation for the people of Derry, who are eager to see one of their own recognized as a “Servant of God.”

“We are witnessing an extraordinary moment for our city,” Father Mongan shared. “She’s inspired a generation of young people here and elsewhere to rekindle their faith and find joy and purpose in it.”

A Legacy of Joyful Service and Compassion

Following her initial calling, Sister Clare joined the convent and embarked on a journey that spanned multiple countries. After taking her first vows in 2006, she served in various communities, including her work with young people facing difficult family circumstances in Belmonte, Spain. Known for her zeal and boundless joy, Sister Clare quickly became a role model for youth and a source of comfort and inspiration to those around her. Her mission eventually took her to Jacksonville, Florida, where she continued her pastoral work at Assumption Parish and School.

Father Frederick Parke, a priest who served with her in Florida and passed away in 2021, recalled her infectious enthusiasm. “Her joy was irresistible; the young people could see her love for the Eucharist, and they felt drawn to it themselves. She was a beacon of hope and kindness.”

The Power of a Life Transformed

Sister Clare’s story has gained a strong following, particularly among young Catholics who see in her a relatable yet extraordinary example of spiritual transformation. Her congregation, the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, produced a documentary, “All or Nothing”, chronicling her life, which has amassed over 2.5 million views on YouTube. Additionally, the book “Sister Clare Crockett: Alone with Christ Alone”, published in 2020, offers an intimate look into her spiritual journey through her personal writings, letters, and the testimony of those who knew her.

Reflecting on her conversion experience, Sister Clare wrote about the profound impact of Good Friday in 2000. “There were no choirs of angels,” she recounted, “but I knew He was on the cross for me. That conviction became a calling.”

Steps Toward Sainthood Begin in Madrid

With the opening of her cause in Madrid, Sister Clare will be declared a “Servant of God,” marking the first stage of an intensive review of her life and service. The appointment of a postulator and vice-postulator will ensure that her story reaches the Vatican with careful scrutiny and dedication.

For her family, friends, and the many she has inspired, the prospect of her canonization is a dream realized. Father Mongan expressed hope that the cause would allow even more people to encounter Sister Clare’s legacy of compassion, humility, and joyous service.

“Sister Clare has brought countless people back to their faith,” Father Mongan said. “This moment is a powerful reminder of her spirit—a beacon of hope for a world that deeply needs it. We await with open hearts.”

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Henry Sire, former member of the Order of Malta and author of The Dictator, commented on the battle of 1565, in which the Knights of Saint John resisted the siege of Sultan Soliman for four months.The importance of the battle is due to the fact that Soliman decided to attack the Knights of Saint John or Hospitaller Orden, founded in 1084, expelling them from the Island of Rhodes in 1522, allowing them to withdraw with honour from the war. They established themselves in Malta.

In further conquests, Soliman destroyed Hungary, threatened Vienna and sent his armada to the Western Mediterranean as a great threat to Christian Europe.

Gibson shared with Moviesweb.com some additional details of the project: it is “a limited television series about the siege of Malta, which is an incredible story, and there is only one place to film that. I mean, Malta “is where it happened in these forts where 700 Knights defended Malta against the Turks’ attacks. Soliman sent 40,000 men and ships and yet, the Knights won. So it was quite crazy.”

Father Zacharias Portelli, of Maltese origin, explained that “the key of this victory was the dedication of the Knights of Saint John, a Religious Order of soldiers founded at the time of the Crusades to fight for the Christian cause against the Muslim enemy.” The Knights to care of the sick and groups of pilgrims to the Holy Land. Over time, they assumed a military character in face of the Muslims’ armed attacks.

The Ottomans won the Island of Rhodes from the Order of Knights of Saint John in 1522, but Emperor Charles ceded it to the Knights in 1530, in order to defend that strategic point.

The Knights were not keen to accept Malta given its dry landscape, drizzle and open scrubland. However, it had large ports on the north side where they could dock their fleet. The Ottomans attacked Malta in 1551, but they desisted in face of the Knights firmness, who saw themselves as defenders of Christendom, in addition to being carers of the sick and pilgrims.

A group of Spanish soldiers in the San Telmo Fort knew they were going to die: the forces defending Malta numbered 6,500 people, with some 500 Knights, whereas the Ottoman forces numbered 50,000 men. The defense of the Island with thick stone bastions and fortresses lacked powder but had much heartfelt faith.

After incessant prayers, on September 8, Feast of the Most Holy Virgin May’s Nativity, the Ottomans gave up and moved away. They had suffered great losses and had few provisions.

The siege having ended, top officials of the Order offered copious thanks to the Lord. The Grand Master celebrated a solemn Te Deum. The Order of Saint John never again faced a battle of such magnitude as the Great Siege, although it supported the Battle of Lepanto of 1571, which implied the naval decline of the Ottomans in the Mediterranean. The Knights of Saint John governed Malta up to 1798.

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In the face of adversity, over 2,000 Christians came together at the Shrine of Our Lady Queen of Palestine in a spirit of devotion and prayer. Among the assembly were clergy, religious men and women, Seimnarists, Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulcher, the Knights of Malta, students from the Christian schools of Jerusalem, and faithful from various parishes of the diocese. In one voice they lifted their burdened hearts to heaven, praying for the Church and the people of the land, asking Our Lady to shield the Holy Land from all harm and renew their hearts with courage, faith, and love.

In his homily, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista addressed the role of the Virgin Mary as an intercessor and inspiration in times of crisis and difficulties. Reflecting on the reading from Revelation (Rev. 12, 3-4) he expressed that despite being faced with evil and violence in this world, we, the faithful, must trust in the power of love and life that transcends the forces of evil because «it is powerless against the power of love that generates life» which is represented by the «woman clothed with the sun». He reminded those present to bear witness to God’s kingdom through “work and words”, here in the Holy Land. He emphasized the need to build relationships based on dignity, justice, and peace, resisting the temptation to fall into fear, selfishness, and the pursuit of power. Despite the difficulties, it is faith in God’s power that illuminates the path toward peace and justice. While acknowledging the ongoing struggle and uncertainty in the Holy Land, he concluded by encouraging the faithful, reminding them that «evil will not have the final word in their lives or the life of the Holy Land.»

Before the final blessing, Msgr. William Shomali, the General Vicar, led a prayer to Our Lady Queen of Palestine, asking her to protect the land of her birth and to guide the faithful towards the triumph of truth and justice, accompanying them on their earthly journey toward heaven.

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(ZENIT News / Jabboulé (Lebanon), 10.29.2024).- Since 23 September, the intense bombing of the villages around Jabboulé in northern Beqaa, Lebanon, has forced hundreds of people to seek refuge in the grounds of the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Help in Jabboulé. “On the first night of the bombing, dozens of people came running to take refuge with us,” recounts Mother Joselyne Joumaa, the superior general of the congregation, to the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). “In twelve days, we received more than 800 refugees. We are overwhelmed, and we can’t receive any more.”

During peacetime, the convent school teaches children of all faiths without distinction, which has enabled the sisters to forge close links with the surrounding Muslim community: “They have such trust that you even often hear the displaced Muslim people say: ‘It’s your cross which will protect us!’”

With the help of ACN, which supports the sisters with emergency aid through the financing of food, medicine and accommodation, the 15 sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Good Help in Jabboulé have not only opened the doors of their convent, but also doors of the school and the orphanage which they run. Most of the internally displaced people are Shia Muslims. Some of them have lost everything, but all are marked by fear or trauma, because of the violence of the bombing.

A peaceful harbour in the tempest

With great dedication, the sisters receive the humanitarian aid, sort the boxes and do the distribution; everyday they provide breakfast and lunch for the 800 displaced people and take the time to listen to them. “They come to share with us their anguish and their fear of tomorrow,” explains Mother Joselyne. “And we are also listening to them to respond to their material needs, which are many.” Two or three times a week, the sisters organise discussion and play groups, offering the children a semblance of normality in this troubled context.

Many of the displaced people get involved, helping the sisters with the tasks necessary to manage the crisis: the men cut wood for the winter, collect rubbish and carry the boxes of emergency supplies, while the women help in the kitchen.

Some of them ask the sisters if they can spend time in their chapel, appreciating the calm and peace which reign there. It is also the place where the sisters find the strength needed to face the daily challenges as concerns multiply. “Winter is coming. How will we provide heating, electricity, hot water?” asks Mother Joselyne anxiously. “It’s a fact: thinking about tomorrow can pull us down because the daily tension is sometimes hard to bear. But our mission is to continue faithfully, and we ask you to support us with prayer,” she says to ACN.

The serenity and the smile of the sisters, even in the middle of a crisis, never cease to surprise the displaced Muslims. Mother Joselyne emphasises that the sisters’ love and humble service often remind them of the attitude of the Virgin Mary, who is likewise venerated in Islam, which creates a spiritual connection between the two religions. The sisters’ calm spreads to the displaced children, who are often terrified by the bombing. “When the parents themselves, gripped with panic, don’t manage to calm their children, it’s the sisters who take them in their arms and assure them that they are safe because they are in the house of God,” says Mother Joselyne.

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