Comments on: Beginning Holy Week

By: Dan Romard

Dan Romard — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:25:00 +0000

Cardinal Sean,

Please keep the presence of the missions in downtown Boston. The work they do is immeasurable. The St. Thomas More Chapel provides a wonderful respite from the stress and strains of our daily work life. The Propagation of the Faith store is exactly that…a means by which we can spread and multiply our faith on a daily basis. It provides the gifts and cards we use to promote and spread the word and work of our Lord within reach. The chapel and store provide us with a constant reminder of our faith and the opportunity to re-connect with that faith locally, quickly, quietly. Knowing it is nearby provides a sense of inner comfort. Closing these two valuable assets and moving the office to Braintree is not propagating anything and is a mistake.

Dan Romard
Waltham, MA

By: DEE

DEE — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:35:44 +0000

LOVED THE STORY OF THE “COMMUNION GUY”. ARENT KIDS ADORABLE. THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS…..GOD’S GIFTS. LOVED THE PICS OF THE DIOCESAN HAPPENINGS AROUND EASTER. SORRY TO HAVE EASTER PASS. WE HAD A GREAT LENT AND A GREAT EASTER WEEK.
LOOK FWD TO PENTECOST… WHEN THE PORTUGUESE REALLY CELEBRATE….

By: Sr. Nancy Strillacci

Sr. Nancy Strillacci — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:54:08 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
It is wonderful to see you in all your activities in the Boston area via this blog. It was a privilege to serve with you in the Diocese of Palm Beach. I wish you a happy Easter season. Hello to my cousin Sr. Cora at the Seminary.
In Him,
Sr. Nancy Strillacci
Mt. Sacred Heart, Hamden CT

By: Michael Gaffney

Michael Gaffney — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:02 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
I have enjoyed reading your blog and I have found it very interesting.

Sincerely,
Michael Gaffney

By: Paulus Winardi

Paulus Winardi — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:08:01 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
Thank you that I can see your blog. Although you are Cardinal and Arcbishop, you are really a friiar minor Capuchin

By: Mary E. Grey

Mary E. Grey — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:44:46 +0000

Cardinal Sean
God Bless you I enjoyed reading
your homily on the celebration of the Chrism Mass held that beautiful Tuesday during Holy Week. My daughter Molly attends 4th grade at St.Catherine’s School in Norwood and they had the pleasure of attending that mass. She came home that day very excited to tell me all about her exciting trip to the Cathedral.Her fondest memory was your story about the husband and wife and their Anniversary Day. You certainly captured her spirit and she said she loved hearing you speak.Thankyou for all you do.

By: Kiana

Kiana — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:05:45 +0000

I think it is very interesting that Holy Thursday is the most significant and moving celebration of the year. It also has two liturgies, one is the Mass of Chrism and the other is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. I did not know that in Boston they usually celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week. I thought Easter was the most moving and significant celebration of the year. I also find it quite interesting that at the Chrism Mass the priests renew their priestly commitment to Christ and to serve the Church. I could not believe that the cathedral was filled with 400 priests. I would have loved to be apart of that mass celebration. I love how the whole church community is their when you bless the oils. I hope to see you soon!
~ Kiana

By: Marissa

Marissa — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:05:05 +0000

I think it is very interesting that in Boston they celebrate the mass of Holy Thursday on the Tuesday of Holy Week. To me it is very fascinating it is one of the most significant and moving celebrations of the year. It is awesome how they bless the oils that will be used in all of the baptisms, anointing of the sick, ordinations and confirmations in the following year. It is appealing to me how the blessings in the Mass will be used in the administration of the sacraments all over the archdiocese. It is also interesting at the Chrism Mass how the priests renew their priestly commitment to Jesus Christ and to serve the Church. I can’t wait to read your newest blog! Here I am, reporting from St. Paul School, I’m Marissa. Hope to see you soon!

By: ~Colby

~Colby — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:47:04 +0000

Hello this is Colby from St. Paul School in Hingham!
I was truly amazed to read about Chiara and her fidelity to God by reading and learning about the Scriptures with other believers. I was also interested in Adalberto Martinez and how he started out as a priest and is now the bishop of San Pedro. They both seemed to have a very close relationship with God.
God Bless!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:42:25 +0000

As always there is a great deal of interesting information and events in Cardinal Sean’s blog. I like to read about what he is doing and the people he meets, but I was surprised to find an interest in the deceased Chiara Lubich. I liked reading about what she did during World War I. She and her friends must have been very close to God at that time because they read the Scripture in the bomb shelter. I try to pay attention to the Scripture in church, but sometimes it is hard to understand. It’s very easy to learn a phase from the Scripture, but Chiara and her friends lived it. They practiced what they preached. Chiara Lubich was a very lucky, kind, and caring woman. She met such great people and had a great life serving as a helper to God. I believe she has met God, Jesus, and her family in heaven. I will keep her family members who are still living in my prayers. I hope that other students from St. Paul School who read this will also remember her in their prayers.
~ Kelly

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:04:15 +0000

As a student of Saint Paul School, I was very interested in reading about the Holy Thurday Celebration. It was wonderful to see 400 priests at the Mass. That shows the devotion to serving God of so many men. I enjoyed the video of his homily. It was obviously very well thought out, and I bet it was fascinating to anyone who heard or read it.
-Crc

By: Johnny

Johnny — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:25:42 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
I am Johnny and I go to St. Paul School in Hingham, Massachusetts. This week’s blog was incredible. My favorite part was the part about the Chism Mass. The pictures of the Chism Mass caught my attention. The pictures told me a lot about what happens at the mass, like lots of priests come to get the oil that they will use for the rest of the liturgical year. It caught my eye to see that not just the priests go to the Chism Mass but also some students and adults go too. This week’s blog taught me a ton about what happens at the Chism Mass.

By: Curtis Spalt

Curtis Spalt — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:09:15 +0000

I thought Chiara ( Claire ) Lubich was an incridable person because to me she seemed fearless. I do not think I would like to sit in bomb shelters during a war. That is something she did as she read from the scriptures ” The word of life “. I believe she touched many peoples lives through her spirituality. Chiara’s idea was to be like St. Francis and inspire universal brother hood which I believe is something that should be more stressed upon today. The good news is that she made such an impact on those that she worked with that her spirituality still continues to grow.

By: Gabriella

Gabriella — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:55:57 +0000

This week I took an interest in reading about Chiara Lubich. She seems like she was an amazing person who not only had a strong faith in God, but wanted others to share that spirituality with her. What I admire most about her from this information, is that she would take a phrase from Scripture and live it intensely for a month. To me, that sounds like a great idea and it would truly help me and others build a stronger bond with God. It must have been a shame to see her go but we must remember that she is now entering everlasting life with God. My class at St. Paul School will remember her in our prayers and hope others continue her work in spreading the loving message of Jesus. God bless.

By: ~Caroline Smart~

~Caroline Smart~ — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:44:09 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,

I think it was very kind of you to visit the Little Sisters of the Poor. You are truly an imitation of Jesus Christ! I wish I could have been at Jeanne Jugan Residence to see the residents and staffs faces when they recieved their got their gifts from you. I hope that when I get older I can go around and help people of all ages…just like you! Whether it’s reading them a book or a newspaper, donating food or money, or just spending my time with them. I look forward to your next! Until then…

Please pray for our school principle and our secretary… they are in need of all of our prayers. Thank You:-)

GBY

~Caroline Smart~ ****A student from St.Paul School****

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:41:24 +0000

Hi I am from St.Paul School and I have learned very much from this blog.In this blog the part about Chiara Lubich caught my attention because of the good things she did. She sounded like a person who was spiritually intact with God. She would read the scripture with friends in bomb shelters with her friends and she also wanted to restore unity in the world just like Jesus wanted. Also she created a movement called La Opera di Maria. Since she is resting with God now, I hope someone will come and follow the path she had taken and finish her quest for world unity.

By: Caroline J.

Caroline J. — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:35:44 +0000

The part that interested me the most was when they showed a picture of the funeral of Iraqi Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho. The words that Cardinal Sean said interested me, like when he said that was great to see both Catholics and Muslims at the funeral. That is what God wants, for people of two total different religions to come together like they did.
It was a sad funeral with thousands of people (as the Cardinal described). But it was good to see that they were praying for peace in honor of their late Archbishop.
Once again was another blog that taught me something that I did not know before.
Caroline J. St. Paul School

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:32:15 +0000

I find it sad that Chiara Lubich recently died. I believe that everyone should do what she and her friends did during World War II (Minus bomb shelters). It would almost certainly make the world a better place. You wrote that she shared St. Francis’s desire to restore unity. Did her society, La Opera di Maria, (The Society of Mary) have something to do with this? What did it do, exactly?

Ben

By: Megan

Megan — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:19:58 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
My name is Megan and I attend St. Paul School in Hingham MA. I am (as always) very impressed with your blog. It must be pretty fantastic being able to bless the oils at the Chrism Mass. I had no idea you had to mix in blasm and breathe on the Chrism. To see that four hundred priests attended tha Chrism Mass blew my mind! Someday, I would love to see it.
Untill your next post,
~Megan~

By: Christian Leahy

Christian Leahy — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:19:58 +0000

Hi, I’m Christian Leahy from St. Paul school in Hingham and I loved your latest blog. What I found most interesting about your new blog was how you went to the Little Sisters of the Poor because it was St. Josephs feast day. I think that meant a lot to them because they look up to St. Joseph so much. While you were there you helped hand out gifts and I think that was very generous. Lately I have been reading your blogs and I think it is wonderful how you travel across the world to help others. Thank you.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:15:25 +0000

Hello, my name is Hugh, and I attend St. Paul’s school. Chiara Lubich, or (Claire), must have been a really great human being. Having gone through World War II, she must have had a rough childhood. I think the fact that Chiara and her friends picked the word, “that all might be one ” was a good choice because during that time everyone needed to act as one. I believe in Chiara’s theme because I feel that one of our duties as Christians is to remain a unit.

By: Caroline K.

Caroline K. — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:46:00 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
It was great to read about the Masses that you celebrated during Holy Week. I loved the pictures from the Palm Sunday Mass at St. Mary Parish in Franklin. It was also nice to read about your visit to Jeanne Jugan Residence on St. Josephs Day. St. Joseph’s Day is special for our teacher, Sister Catherine, who is a Sister of St. Joseph. Thank you very much for your blog. We all love hearing about what you have been doing, here at Saint Paul School. GBY!
Sincerely,
Caroline K.

By: Jody

Jody — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:34:00 +0000

Cardinal Sean,
I hope you had a wonderful Easter. I will keep Chiara Lubich in my prayers and I believe the St. Paul’s seventh grade will keep her in our prayers. I am new at a Catholic School, so I am glad that I could read all that you wrote about Holy Week.

By: Clara

Clara — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:24:01 +0000

The part in Cardinal Sean’s blog I enjoyed the most was his homily on St. Patrick. I have done reports on St. Patrick before and what Cardinal Sean spoke was very true. St. Patrick was a strong believer in his faith and he wanted to share it with everyone. Half of the Irish people changed the religion and became Christians, and St. Patrick is the one to thank. Even though St. Patrick’s Day is over St. Patrick should not be forgotten. Half of the nation is Christian and part of that is because of him!!!
-Clara
-St. Paul Student
Hingham Massachusetts

By: Clara

Clara — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:17:59 +0000

The part in Cardinal Sean’s blog I enjoyed the most was his homily on St. Patrick. I have done reports on St. Patrick before and what Cardinal spoke was very true. St. Patrick was a strong believer in his faith and he wanted to share it with everyone. Half of the Irish people changed the religion and became Christians and, St. Patrick is the one to thank. Even though St. Patrick’s Day is over St. Patrick should not be forgotten. Half of the nation is Christian and part of that is because of him!!!
-Clara
-St. Paul Student
Hingham Massachusetts

By: Hannah

Hannah — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:15:03 +0000

Reading about Chiara Lubich really touched me. She left her life here on Earth to be with Christ at age 88, and I think everyone can learn something from her. In World War II she went out of her way to read scriptures, with her friends. This showed me that she really cared about her relationship with God, because she cared enough to continue prayer in such an emotional and hard time for America. She most likely had a strong connection with God, and I think it’s something that every single person needs to strive for. In tough times most forget to keep praying, since they are caught up in what’s going on. At St. Paul School we pray every single day, and when something comes up we pray for that person, and their family. I know that this is part of building up your faith, and reading about people like Chiara Lubich really shows me that’s its very important.

By: Susie

Susie — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:42:37 +0000

Hi, this is Susie from Saint Paul School Hingham.
I thought it was very kind for you to honor Chiara Lubich. It seems like she was a very dedicated woman to what she believed. The reason I say that is because she gathered with her friends during very hard times and not only talked about God but also lived his word.
Thank you for taking the time to writ this blog.

~Susie~

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:49:57 +0000

Hi Cardinal Sean! I am a seventh grader at St. Paul School in Hingham. The blog about Cardinal Sean visiting the Jeanne Jugan Residence was sooooooooo great! I really think it’s wonderful how he would take time to visit with the elderly and wish them a happy Easter! That is such a great example on how we should serve others during this liturgical celebration. I bet it really made their day.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:33:51 +0000

Hello, My name is Christopher and I am a Seventh Grade student at Saint Paul School in Hingham, Massachusetts. It is very interesting that they put out the candles so that the congregation is surrounded by darkness. There sure are a lot of candles on that. I also agree that the Tenebrae is a beautiful way to pray publicly in the cathedral during holy week. I also can imagine how beutiful it must have been with the amazing music and the harmonious choir. This blog is an excellent source of information and more people should be introduced to it.

Sincerely,
Christopher

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:32:00 +0000

Cardinal Seán and readers – I wish you all peace and joy during this sacred and Holy Week! Rejoice!

By: Lucia Colella

Lucia Colella — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:10:04 +0000

Dear Bishop Sean,
what a gift to visit your blog! Having been part of Focolare since I was 9 years old, I especially cherished your words on our beloved Chiara Lubich. I watched all three videos that related to her on your blog. Thank you so much for having them there. Like Carla Cottignoli said, now it is my (ours collectively) turn to live out her charism in the world. Thank you also for all the other news of your week, it is an immense grace to share in what you do. Assuring you of my deepest unity and prayers,
Lucia

By: KATHLEEN MAHER

KATHLEEN MAHER — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:06:37 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean, God bless you. I have really enjoyed your masses this holy week. The blessing of the holy oil, really touched my heart. When you mentioned the couple struggling to save their marriage in your sermon. In many ways that felt like me. I’ve heard you speak many times now and I feel you are a very kind and soft spoken man. You seem to understand so much. I am praying that God will heal my marriage. Would you please pray for my marriage? God bless you, Kathleen

By: Father Ronald Knott

Father Ronald Knott — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:55:10 +0000

Cardinal,
I was honored to be quoted in your Chrism Mass homily. It made my day.
Father Ronald Knott