Happy feast day. I never knew before today that there's an indulgence opportunity:
A plenary indulgence may be gained today by anyone who makes devout use of a religious article blessed by a bishop and who also recites any approved profession of faith (e.g. the Apostles Creed), as long as the usual conditions are satisfied.
Someone just brought me a St. Benedict medal key chain blessed by Pope Benedict. Is it possible to drive devoutly? Probably I'll have to break out a blessed rosary instead.
Today's the 55th anniversary of the Pope's ordination to the priesthood, and he celebrated mass at which he bestowed the pallium on 27 new archbishops. Cool pictures here, and the same source offers his own translation of part of the homily:
"The charge of Peter is anchored to the prayer of Jesus," Benedict said. "It is this that gives him the sureness of perseverance across all human miseries. And the Lord entrusts this charge to him in the context of the Meal, in connection with the gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. The Church, in its innermost self, is a eucharistic community and so a communion in the Body of the Lord. The task of Peter is that of presiding over this universal communion; of keeping it present also in the world as a visible unity. He, together with all the Church of Rome, must -- as St Ignatius of Antioch put it -- preside in charity; to preside in the community of that love given by Christ which, ever anew, surpasses the limits of our lacking in order to carry the love of Christ even to the ends of the earth."
You'll find this news story on the homily interesting too. I expect Zenit will have the entire thing shortly.
Other stuff:
- Here's (finally) the official translation of the Corpus Christi homily.
- At the close of yesterday's Audience, the pope pleaded for the release of that Israeli soldier.
- Continuing his weekly catechesis on the Church, the Pope preached yesterday on St. James (see the whole thing at Zenit), which led him into an interesting discussion of the relation between Christianity and Judaism.
- Trouble in unexpected places: the Finns are trying to steal the relics of St. Henry!
