Rome and Providence

Late home last night after a rather long journey to Manchester where we have a wonderful new OCDS group.  We talked about yesterday’s saint – Josaphat – who was born in what is now Ukraine, and we said a prayer for Ukraine.  I compare him with our St Thomas More and St John Fisher and the other Reformation martyrs, because like them he suffered martyrdom in defence of the unity of the Church with the See of Peter.  Down to this day, so many fail to understand that this is a fundamental issue – ‘On this rock I will build my Church’.  We could also call it a ’foundational’ issue – the issue of the Church’s foundations.  It is not by chance that the Church is headquartered, humanly speaking, in Rome, that we Carmelites along with other Religious Orders, are headquartered in Rome, the place of Peter’s crucifixion, it is by Divine Providence.

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Theresa K, Fr Jon B, Catherine

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS – housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – in hospital

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Lucia – Overwhelmed by weariness

 Mark – brain infection

Joy Smith – in hospital

Richard P – in hospital

 Defence of the unborn and the elderly

 RIP Martin Gilham, Sue Burton, little Matthew (six years old, died of cancer)