Saturday, December 31, 2011
The Gift of Time
O Jesus, through the immaculate heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your sacred heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all the apostles of prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Celtic Thunder: Christmas Day 1915
Celtic Thunder singing Christmas 1915.
Written by Cormac MacConnell
1915 on Christmas Day
On western front the guns all died away
And lying in the mud on bags of sand
We heard the German sing from no man's land
He had a tenor voice so pure and true
The words were strange but every note we knew
Soaring ore the living dead and dammed
The German sang of peace from no man's land
They left their trenches and we left ours
Beneath tin hats the smiles bloomed like wild flowers
With photos cigarettes and bottles of wine
We built a soldier's truce on the front line
Their singer was a lad of 21
We begged another song before the dawn
And sitting in the mud and blood and fear
He sang again the song all longed to hear
Silent night, no cannons roar
A king is born of peace for evermore
All's calm, all's bright
All brothers hand in hand
In 19 and 15 in no man's land
And in the morning all the guns boomed in the rain
And we killed them and they killed us again
At night they charged we fought them hand in hand
And I killed the boy that sang in no man's land
Silent night no cannons roar
A king is born of peace for evermore
All's calm, all's bright
All brothers hand in hand
And that young soldier sings
And the song of peace still rings
Though the captains and all the kings
Built no man's land
Sleeping in heavenly peace
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Pope Benedict: Countdown to Christmas
At sundown on Saturday, December 24, when the life-size Nativity Scene in St Peter’s Square is unveiled. This in turn will trigger a prayer vigil that will culminate in the chanting of the Kalenda, in a tradition re-established by Pope Benedict XVI, that ancient proclamation of Christ’s coming drawn from the Roman martyrology, announcing the beginning of Christmas time.
At 10 pm Rome time Pope Benedict XVI will lead celebrations of Christmas midnight mass. On Sunday from the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica he will read out his Christmas message and send out his blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and to the world) On Saturday 31 December at 17:00, the Pope will preside over the Vespers which will end with the traditional thanksgiving hymn, “Te Deum”, in conclusion of the civil year.
On January 1, Benedict XVI will celebrate mass at 9:30 in St. Peter’s, on occasion of the International Day of Peace, which this year, is entitled: “Educate Youngsters in Justice and Peace”.
In a break with tradition during Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany Pope Benedict will confer Episcopal ordination on Mgr. Charles John Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland and Mgr. Marek Solczynski Apostolic Nuncio Georgia and Armenia.
On Sunday January 8, Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate mass in the Sistine Chapel. During the celebration - as per tradition – the Holy Father will confer baptism on small infants, the children of Vatican employees.
All of these ceremonies will be broadcast live by Vatican Television with commentary available in six languages by Vatican Radio. A live stream can be accessed on www.vatican.va/video.
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