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"For Pete's Sake: A Vatican podcast" returns this week with guest Mother Agnes Mary, SV, a founding Superior General of the Sisters of Life. Mother Agnes dives into her journey of discernment, the truly miraculous stories she has witnessed while protecting life in the United States, and how she relied on her faith for strength throughout the years.
Juan Diego, the simple peasant who would come to be known all over the world by the name he received when he was reborn in baptism, was born in 1474 in Cuautitlán (now part of Mexico City) with the name “Cuauhtlatoatzin,” or “the talking eagle.” This member of the Chichimeca people would live up to his name, for eagles see far and well. He and his wife, Maria Lucía, saw enough to understand that the violence of the conquistadors was not the only thing that came to his people when the Spanish set foot upon their land. Along with the soldiers and adventurers there were humble Franciscan friars who taught the indigenous peoples with drawings and with their goodness. Cuauhtlatoatzin and his wife asked for baptism, receiving new names along with their new life in Christ.
The lady on Tepeyac hill
In December 1531, some time after his wife died, Juan Diego was walking the long path toward the friars, where he went every Saturday to receive catechetical instruction. But this day was different. As he passed by Tepeyac Hill, he heard strange, beautiful birdsong, and then a voice, calling him using the diminutive of his name: “Juantzin!” “Little Juan!” To his astonishment, he saw a beautiful young woman clothed with a mantle of stars, wearing the black girdle with which indigenous women signify that they are pregnant. She spoke to him in his native Nahuatl language, asking him to go tell the bishop to build a church at this site, so that she could give her Son to all those who came there.
The messenger
Juan Diego hurried to the bishop, Juan Zumárraga, who reacted to his tale with skepticism. The peasant returned to the beautiful lady, telling her that since he was “a man of no importance” she should choose a better messenger. The “Mother of the true God,” as she called herself, was adamant that she had chosen the correct messenger, however. After a second trip to the bishop, who asked for a sign, the lady asked Juan Diego to return the next day. The next day Juan Diego’s uncle, Juan Bernardino, fell gravely ill, and Juan Diego stayed home to care for him. On his way to fetch a priest the morning of December 12 to give last rites to his uncle, Juan Diego tried his best to avoid the Virgin, changing his path. She found him, however, and chided him with words that have echoed through the centuries: “Am I not here who am your mother?” Assuring him that his uncle would be well, she asked him to climb the hill, where nothing but cactus and scrub brush grew – especially in winter – and pick the roses he would find there. He did, bundling the flowers in his tilma, or mantle, and brought them to the bishop. When Juan Diego opened his tilma, the bishop, wide-eyed, fell to his knees, for he beheld not only roses, but the image of a beautiful mestiza, or mixed-race girl, clothed like an Indian. She was “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet” (Rev 12:1), as the Book of Revelation describes. The bishop understood: this humble Indian had really seen the Mother of God and Mother of all believers, who left her likeness imprinted on his mantle.
A man of prayer
What happened to that simple Chichimec messenger did what the missionary friars and priests by and large had been unable to do: convince the indigenous peoples that this Gospel, or good news, was also for them. By 1539, only eight years after the apparitions, some 9 million of them had asked for baptism. This lady who spoke in their language and fulfilled Aztec prophecies, was the Mother of the true God. Her Son asked to be born also in their hearts. When a church was built on the site of the apparition, Juan Diego moved into a small hut nearby in order to clean the premises, care for the pilgrims, instruct others in the faith, and above all, to pray. He remained there until his death in 1548: “a man of no importance” whose life became part of the warp and weft of this singular event in the life of the Church.
St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548). Little is known about the life of Juan Diego before his conversion, but tradition and archaelogical and iconographical sources, along with the most important and oldest indigenous document on the event of Guadalupe, "El Nican Mopohua" (written in Náhuatl with Latin characters, 1556, by the Indigenous writer Antonio Valeriano), give some information on the life of the saint and the apparitions.
Juan Diego was born in 1474 with the name "Cuauhtlatoatzin" ("the talking eagle") in Cuautlitlán, today part of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley.
When he was 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries. On 9 December 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She asked him to go to the Bishop and to request in her name that a shrine be built at Tepeyac, where she promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The Bishop, who did not believe Juan Diego, asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true. On 12 December, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac. Here, the Blessed Mother told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He obeyed, and although it was winter time, he found roses flowering. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his mantle and told him to take them to the Bishop as "proof". When he opened his mantle, the flowers fell on the ground and there remained impressed, in place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac.
With the Bishop's permission, Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus.
Much deeper than the "exterior grace" of having been "chosen" as Our Lady's "messenger", Juan Diego received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God and neighbour. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on 6 May 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City.
The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.
APOSTOLIC VISIT TO TORONTO,
TO CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA AND TO CIUDAD DE MÉXICO
CANONIZATION OF JUAN DIEGO CUAUHTLATOATZIN
HOMILY
OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II
Mexico City, Wednesday July 31, 2002
1. "I thank you, Father ... that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was your gracious will" (Mt 11:25-26).
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
These words of Jesus in today's Gospel are a special invitation to us to praise and thank God for the gift of the first indigenous Saint of the American Continent.
With deep joy I have come on pilgrimage to this Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Marian heart of Mexico and of America, to proclaim the holiness of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, the simple, humble Indian who contemplated the sweet and serene face of Our Lady of Tepeyac, so dear to the people of Mexico.
2. I am grateful for the kind words of Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Archbishop of Mexico City, and for the warm hospitality of the people of this Primatial Archdiocese: my cordial greeting goes to everyone. I also greet with affection Cardinal Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, Archbishop Emeritus of Mexico City, and the other Cardinals, as well as the Bishops of Mexico, of America, of the Philippines and of other places in the world. I am likewise particularly grateful to the President and the civil Authorities for their presence at this celebration.
Today I address a very affectionate greeting to the many indigenous people who have come from the different regions of the country, representing the various ethnic groups and cultures which make up the rich, multifaceted Mexican reality. The Pope expresses his closeness to them, his deep respect and admiration, and receives them fraternally in the Lord's name.
3. What was Juan Diego like? Why did God look upon him? The Book of Sirach, as we have heard, teaches us that God alone "is mighty; he is glorified by the humble" (cf. Sir 3:20). Saint Paul's words, also proclaimed at this celebration, shed light on the divine way of bringing about salvation: "God chose what is low and despised in the world ... so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 1:28,29).
It is moving to read the accounts of Guadalupe, sensitively written and steeped in tenderness. In them the Virgin Mary, the handmaid "who glorified the Lord" (Lk 1:46), reveals herself to Juan Diego as the Mother of the true God. As a sign, she gives him precious roses, and as he shows them to the Bishop, he discovers the blessed image of Our Lady imprinted on his tilma.
"The Guadalupe Event", as the Mexican Episcopate has pointed out, "meant the beginning of evangelization with a vitality that surpassed all expectations. Christ's message, through his Mother, took up the central elements of the indigenous culture, purified them and gave them the definitive sense of salvation" (14 May 2002, No. 8). Consequently Guadalupe and Juan Diego have a deep ecclesial and missionary meaning and are a model of perfectly inculturated evangelization.
4. "The Lord looks down from heaven, he sees all the sons of men" (Ps 33:13), we recited with the Psalmist, once again confessing our faith in God, who makes no distinctions of race or culture. In accepting the Christian message without forgoing his indigenous identity, Juan Diego discovered the profound truth of the new humanity, in which all are called to be children of God. Thus he facilitated the fruitful meeting of two worlds and became the catalyst for the new Mexican identity, closely united to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose mestizo face expresses her spiritual motherhood which embraces all Mexicans. This is why the witness of his life must continue to be the inspiration for the building up of the Mexican nation, encouraging brotherhood among all its children and ever helping to reconcile Mexico with its origins, values and traditions.
The noble task of building a better Mexico, with greater justice and solidarity, demands the cooperation of all. In particular, it is necessary today to support the indigenous peoples in their legitimate aspirations, respecting and defending the authentic values of each ethnic group. Mexico needs its indigenous peoples and these peoples need Mexico!
Beloved bothers and sisters of every ethnic background of Mexico and America, today, in praising the Indian Juan Diego, I want to express to all of you the closeness of the Church and the Pope, embracing you with love and encouraging you to overcome with hope the difficult times you are going through.
5. At this decisive moment in Mexico's history, having already crossed the threshold of the new millennium, I entrust to the powerful intercession of Saint Juan Diego the joys and hopes, the fears and anxieties of the beloved Mexican people, whom I carry in my heart.
Blessed Juan Diego, a good, Christian Indian, whom simple people have always considered a saint! We ask you to accompany the Church on her pilgrimage in Mexico, so that she may be more evangelizing and more missionary each day. Encourage the Bishops, support the priests, inspire new and holy vocations, help all those who give their lives to the cause of Christ and the spread of his Kingdom.
Happy Juan Diego, true and faithful man! We entrust to you our lay brothers and sisters so that, feeling the call to holiness, they may imbue every area of social life with the spirit of the Gospel. Bless families, strengthen spouses in their marriage, sustain the efforts of parents to give their children a Christian upbringing. Look with favour upon the pain of those who are suffering in body or in spirit, on those afflicted by poverty, loneliness, marginalization or ignorance. May all people, civic leaders and ordinary citizens, always act in accordance with the demands of justice and with respect for the dignity of each person, so that in this way peace may be reinforced.
Beloved Juan Diego, "the talking eagle"! Show us the way that leads to the "Dark Virgin" of Tepeyac, that she may receive us in the depths of her heart, for she is the loving, compassionate Mother who guides us to the true God. Amen.
After the celebration, before imparting the final blessing the Holy Father said:
At the end of the canonization of Juan Diego, I want to renew my greeting to all of you who have been able to take part, some in this basilica, others in the nearby areas and many others by means of radio and television. I warmly thank all those I have met in the streets for their affection. In this new saint you have a marvellous example of a just and upright man, a loyal son of the Church, docile to his Pastors, who deeply loved the Virgin and was a faithful disciple of Jesus. May he be a model for you who are so attached to him, and may he intercede for Mexico so that it may always be faithful! Take to all Mexicans the message of this celebration and the Pope's greeting and love for them all!
Vatican Clarifies Marian Titles in New Doctrinal Note 'Mater Populi Fidelis' | EWTN News Nightly
- video published on November 5, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49nJ7cQLfIo
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Mary Live with Dr. Mark Miravalle: New Vatican Document on Mary: A Brief Commentary
Fr. Spitzer and Doug answer questions about the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the tilma of St Juan Diego, and what happens to the souls of aborted babies.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wbnI9jzqeQ
In a challenging relationship with someone? Feeling stuck dealing with a difficult person? We’ll help you find the right ways to respond–gracefully. Dr. Greg and Lisa will help you solve your problems with relevant, relatable and achievable tools and solutions straight from the genius of the Theology of the Body.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYUdOgQgqBc
“Even today
there are many contexts in which the Christian faith is considered something
absurd, for weak and unintelligent people; contexts in which other securities
are preferred to it, such as technology, money, success, power, pleasure. These
are environments in which it is not easy to bear witness to and proclaim the
Gospel and where those who believe are mocked, opposed, despised, or at most
tolerated and pitied”: this is the central passage of the homily of Pope Leo
XIV in the commentary on the Gospel, in his first mass, concelebrated this
morning with the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.
“Even
today,” added the newly elected Pope, “there is no shortage of contexts in
which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic
leader or superman, and this not only among non-believers, but also among many
baptized people, who end up living, at this level, in a de facto atheism.” At
the end of his homily, Leo XIV indicated “an indispensable commitment for
anyone in the Church who exercises a ministry of authority: todisappear so
that Christ remains, to make oneself small so that He may be known and
glorified, to spend oneself completely so that no one lacks the opportunity to
know and love Him. May God give me this grace, today and always, with the help
of the most tender intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church.”
The celebration of Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday The funeral Mass for Pope Francis will begin at 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 26, in St. Peter's Square. It will be presided over by Cardinal Re and will conclude with the transfer of the coffin to Saint Mary Major, where the burial will take place.
21 Apr 2025 Two of England’s four cardinals appeared together earlier today to talk movingly about the death of Pope Francis and the extraordinary legacy he has left for the Church and the world.
Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Cardinal Timothy
Radcliffe OP, former Master of the Dominicans, who are both aged 79 and
therefore being under 80 entitled to vote in the coming conclave, spoke of how
his life and death illustrated the victory of love over hatred.
Commenting on the timing of Pope Francis’ death, the day after Easter
Sunday, Cardinal Nichols said: “I could only see in this the providence of God.
The risen Lord visited his disciples after his Resurrection. And it just
strikes me, he’s done the same here. He’s come to Pope Francis and said,
‘Right, home’. And it fits. The Paschal candle, the symbol of the risen Christ,
is burning brightly today. It’s almost as if the Lord wants to say to us, yes
that’s true. There is a victory over death. And while our hearts are full of
that, he takes this action of calling home a very precious servant.”
Cardinal Radcliffe said: “I think many people when they face death have
their moment of accepting that now is the time.... We celebrate the victory of
life over death, of love over hatred, so what better moment to be taken up into
the love of God.”
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'Very lonely thing being the Pope': Friend of Pope Francis describes weight he carried
Tributes have poured in from all around the world after the death of
Pope Francis. He was the first Latin American pontiff in 1,300 years and one of
the oldest popes in the church’s history.
The Vatican has shared emotional details of Pope Francis’ final hours,
reflecting his deep humility and grace. Just before his passing, he spoke his
final words to his longtime nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, expressing calm and
gratitude. On Easter Sunday, as 50,000 worshippers gathered at Saint Peter’s
Square, the Pope asked his caregiver if he was strong enough to greet them.
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Con gratitudine | Papa Francesco e il Movimento dei Focolari
The auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Rome took part in the initiative of the city's Caritas in collaboration with the Salesians of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Castro Pretorio.
A guidare il corteo monsignor Michele Di Tolve, vescovo ausiliare della diocesi di Roma. “Dovremmo ricordarci dello sguardo di Gesù nei confronti di Zaccheo – sottolinea ai media vaticani – se ci lasciamo incontrare dallo sguardo del fratello ci rendiamo conto che è il Signore che ci cerca in quello sguardo, è quello che vogliamo testimoniare, camminando umilmente in mezzo agli altri ma incrociando lo sguardo della gente”. L’invito del vescovo è quello di riconoscere in chi consideriamo diverso proprio noi stessi “perché noi siamo fragili, poveri, bisognosi, il bisogno dell’altro dovrebbe farci accorgere dei nostri bisogni – aggiunge - e questo farebbe bene, spesso siamo troppo agitati per raggiungere gli obiettivi prefissati che ci distolgono dalla relazione che invece ci fa vivere”.
[Ġw:5:14] Wara mbagħad Ġesù sabu fit-tempju u qallu: "Ara, issa fiqt, qis li ma tidnibx iżjed, biex ma tiġrilikx xi ħaġa agħar".
Jn 5:14 After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
[5:14] While the cure of the paralytic in Mk 2:1–12 is associated with the forgiveness of sins, Jesus never drew a one-to-one connection between sin and suffering (cf. Jn 9:3; Lk 12:1–5), as did Ez 18:20.
Homily of Fr. Michael P. O'Connor from Mass on April 1, 2025 at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis, MS.
Pray For The Good Health Of Your Mind, Body And Spirit!
- IN YEAR A - THE GOSPEL ON LAETARE SUNDAY IN WEEK 4 OF LENT
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Lezzjonarju Ferjali III (L-Evanġelju fil-Quddiesa libera fir-Raba' ġimgħa
tar-Randan)
- In Year C - Alternative Gospel on ANY DAY during WEEK 4 OF LENT -
Lezzjonarju Ferjali III (L-Evanġelju fil-Quddiesa libera fir-Raba' ġimgħa
tar-Randan)
Evanġelju Mar, inħasel u ġie jara. Ġw 9, 1-41
Qari mill-Evanġelju skont San Ġwann
F’dak iż-żmien, [Ġw:9:1] kif kien għaddej, Ġesù lemaħ raġel agħma minn
twelidu, [Ġw:9:2] u d-dixxipli tiegħu staqsewh: "Rabbi, dan twieled agħma
għax dineb hu stess, jew għax dinbu l-ġenituri tiegħu?". [Ġw:9:3] Ġesù
wieġeb: "Mhux għax dineb hu jew il-ġenituri tiegħu, imma ġralu hekk biex
l-għemil ta' Alla jidher fih. [Ġw:9:4] Sakemm għadu binhar, jeħtiġilna nagħmlu
x-xogħol ta' dak li bagħatni, għax jasal il-lejl meta ħadd ma jkun jista'
jaħdem. [Ġw:9:5] Sakemm għadni fid-dinja, jiena hu d-dawl tad-dinja".
[Ġw:9:6] Kif qal dan, beżaq fl-art, għamel minnu qisu tajn, u dilek bih
għajnejn ir-raġel agħma. [Ġw:9:7] U qallu: "Mur inħasel fil-menqgħa ta'
Silwam". Din tfisser 'il-Mibgħut'. Mela dak mar, inħasel u ġie jara.
[Ġw:9:8] Il-ġirien u dawk li s-soltu kienu jarawh, għax hu kien tallab, qalu:
"Dan mhuwiex dak li kien joqgħod bilqiegħda jittallab?". [Ġw:9:9] Xi
wħud qalu: "Iva, hu". Oħrajn qalu: "Le, imma jixbhu". Iżda
hu qalilhom: "Jiena hu". [Ġw:9:10] Qalulu: "Mela kif infetħulek
għajnejk?". [Ġw:9:11] Weġibhom: "Wieħed raġel, jgħidulu Ġesù, għamel
ftit tajn, dilikli għajnejja bih, u qalli, 'Mur fis-Silwam u nħasel hemm'.
Mort, inħsilt, u ġejt nara". [Ġw:9:12] Qalulu: "Fejn huwa dan
ir-raġel?". Qalilhom: "Ma nafx".
[Ġw:9:13] Lil dan il-bniedem li fl-imgħoddi kien agħma ħaduh għand
il-Fariżej. [Ġw:9:14] Issa dak in-nhar li Ġesù għamel it-tajn u fetaħ għajnejn
l-agħma nzerta kien is-Sibt. [Ġw:9:15] Il-Fariżej ukoll staqsew mill-ġdid
lill-agħma kif sar jara. U hu qalilhom: "Qegħedli ftit tajn fuq għajnejja,
mort ninħasel, u issa qiegħed nara".
[Ġw:9:16] Xi wħud mill-Fariżej qalu: "Dan il-bniedem mhuwiex ġej
mingħand Alla, għax ma jħarisx is-Sibt". Iżda oħrajn qalu: "Kif
jista' wieħed midneb jagħmel sinjali bħal dawn?". U ma qablux bejniethom.
[Ġw:9:17] U reġgħu qalu lill-agħma: "Int x'jidhirlek minnu, issa
li fetaħlek għajnejk?". Qalilhom: "Dak profeta". [Ġw:9:18]
Il-Lhud ma ridux jemmnu li hu kien agħma u ħa d-dawl qabel ma bagħtu
għall-ġenituri ta' dak li sar jara, [Ġw:9:19] u staqsewhom: "Dan, li intom
qegħdin tgħidu li twieled agħma, dan binkom? Mela issa kif ġie jara?".
[Ġw:9:20] Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu u qalulhom: "Nafu li dan hu t-tifel
tagħna u li twieled agħma; [Ġw:9:21] imma kif issa ġie jara, dan ma nafuhx, u
anqas ma nafu min fetaħlu għajnejh. Staqsu lilu, żmien għandu; ħa jitkellem hu
għalih innifsu". [Ġw:9:22] Il-ġenituri tiegħu wieġbu hekk għaliex beżgħu
mil-Lhud, għax il-Lhud kienu ġa ftiehmu bejniethom li jekk xi ħadd jistqarr li
Ġesù hu l-Messija, isib ruħu barra mis-sinagoga. [Ġw:9:23] Kien għalhekk li l-ġenituri
tiegħu wieġbu: "Żmien għandu, staqsu lilu".
[Ġw:9:24] Għal darb'oħra reġgħu bagħtu għal dak li kien agħma u qalulu:
"Agħti glorja lil Alla! Aħna nafu li dan il-bniedem huwa midneb".
[Ġw:9:25] Dak weġibhom: "Jekk hux midneb ma nafx; ħaġa waħda naf: li jien
kont agħma u issa qiegħed nara". [Ġw:9:26] Qalulu: "Imma hu
x'għamillek? Kif fetaħhomlok għajnejk?". [Ġw:9:27] U hu weġibhom: "Ġa
għedtilkom u ma smajtux! Xi tridu tisimgħu iżjed? Jaqaw tridu intom ukoll
issiru dixxipli tiegħu?". [Ġw:9:28] U qabdu jgħajruh u qalulu: "Dak
int dixxiplu tiegħu! Aħna ta' Mosè dixxipli! [Ġw:9:29] Aħna nafu li lil Mosè
kellmu Alla, imma dan ma nafux minn fejn hu!". [Ġw:9:30] Weġibhom ir-raġel
u qalilhom: "Sewwa! Hawn qiegħed l-għaġeb, li intom ma tafux minn fejn
inqala', u madankollu lili fetaħli għajnejja! [Ġw:9:31] Aħna nafu li Alla mhux
se jisma' lill-midinbin; iżda mbagħad jekk wieħed ikun iqim lil Alla u jagħmel
ir-rieda tiegħu, lil dan jisimgħu. [Ġw:9:32] Qatt fid-dinja ma nstema' li xi
ħadd fetaħ għajnejn wieħed agħma mit-twelid. [Ġw:9:33] Li kieku dan ma kienx
ġej mingħand Alla, xejn ma kien ikollu ħila jagħmel." [Ġw:9:34] Imbagħad
qabżu u qalulu: "Int se tgħallem lilna, int li twelidt dnubiet
waħdek!". U keċċewh 'il barra.
[Ġw:9:35] Ġesù sama' li keċċewh 'il barra; sabu u qallu: "Temmen
inti f'Bin il-bniedem?". [Ġw:9:36] Dak wieġeb u qallu: "Min hu,
Mulej, biex nemmen fih?". [Ġw:9:37] Qallu Ġesù: "Mhux biss rajtu,
imma huwa dak stess li qiegħed ikellmek". [Ġw:9:38] Qallu: "Nemmen,
Mulej!". U nxteħet għarkubbtejh quddiemu. [Ġw:9:39] Imbagħad Ġesù qal:
"Jien ġejt fid-dinja biex nagħmel ħaqq, biex min ma jarax isir jara, u min
jara jagħma". [Ġw:9:40] Xi wħud mill-Fariżej li kienu hemm madwaru semgħuh
jgħid dan u staqsewh: "Aħna wkoll għomja?". [Ġw:9:41] Weġibhom Ġesù:
"Li kieku kontu għomja, ma kontux tkunu ħatja ta' dnub. Imma issa qegħdin
tgħidu, 'Aħna naraw'. Mela d-dnub tagħkom għadu fuqkom".
Katekeżi ta' Patri Marcello Ghirlando ofm, Gwardjan tal-Fraternità Franġiskana ta' Għajnsielem, dwar is-Salib Imqaddes.
Ċelebrazzjoni tal-Kelma u Qima Komunitarja lis-Salib Imqaddes waqt il-Pellegrinaġġ Penitenzjali Ġubilari bil-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż Ta' Ġieżu fid-Djoċesi ta' Għawdex
Zuntier tal-Knisja Arċipretali tal-Madonna ta' Loreto, Għajnsielem
L-Ewwel Ħadd tar-Randan, 9 ta' Marzu 2025l
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Gozo Bishop leads penitential pilgrimage with revered Ta’ Ġieżu crucifix
Bishop of Gozo Anton Teuma is leading a Jubilee penitential pilgrimage on Sunday, in an event that will involve one of the country’s most revered religious artworks, the miraculous crucifix of Valletta’s Ta’ Ġieżu church.
The crucifix dates back to the 17th century, and is attributed to Innocenzo da Petralia, a Sicilian Franciscan friar and wood sculptor who primarily worked on crucifixes. Another of his crucifixes can be found in Malta: the crucifix in the Chapel of Reliquaries inside the Cathedral of St Paul in Mdina.
It is not the Ta’ Ġieżu crucifix’s first visit to Gozo: it first reached the island in 1941, when the decision was taken to move it out of Valletta to avoid the risk of wartime damage. This move marked the first time in which the crucifix had been removed from the church.
The crucifix remained in Gozo until 1944, where it was kept in another church in the care of the Franciscans: the Church of St Anthony of Padua in Għajnsielem.
It has returned to its former temporary home for this occasion: the pilgrimage is set to begin at the Church of St Anthony of Padua at around 4pm, and conclude in front of Għajnsielem’s parish church: the Parish Church of Our Lady of Loreto.
Omelija tal-Isqof ta' Għawdex Anton Teuma fl-okkażjoni tal-Espożizzjoni quddiem il-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż Ta' Ġieżu
Knisja ta' Santa Marija ta' Ġesù, il-Belt Valletta
Il-Ġimgħa 4 ta' April 2025
