Uniquely among the responsible leaders on all sides of the First World War, Karl had frontline experience. After assuming power he strove to alleviate the horrors of war he saw, and took concrete steps to bring about peace. As emperor he understood peace to be his absolute, kingly duty. In his ascension manifesto, therefore, he named peace as his central goal. Only Karl took up the peace proposal of Pope Benedict XV, incorporating its principles in a set of proposed peace accords (which historians have evaluated as thoroughly realistic and having had great potential).
The life of Emperor Karl is an encouraging example of faith. His beatification gives encouragement to all who feel overtaxed by their duty – and it invites us to use his inherent qualities (yet also limited) for the pursuit of peace, freedom and loving responsibility.
Young pilgrims, Christ needs you to enlighten the world and to show it the “path to life” ( Psalm 16 ) The challenge is to make the Church’s “yes” to Life concrete and effective. The struggle will be long, and it needs each one of you. Place your intelligence, your talents, your enthusiasm, your compassion and your fortitude at the service of life !
At this stage of history, the liberating message of the Gospel of Life has been put into your hands. And the mission of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth is now passing to your generation.
The Church needs your energies, your enthusiasm, your youthful ideals, in order to make the Gospel of Life penetrate the fabric of society, transforming people’s hearts and the structures of society in order to create a civilization of true justice and love.
You young people .. know that the Truth is more powerful than darkness; that Love is stronger than death. I would like to invite each of you to listen careful to God’s voice in your heart. Listen to his voice. Do not be afraid.
Holy Communion is the most efficacious means of uniting the soul to God. The best preparation for the divine banquet is to keep ourselves well purified.
Let everything in creation draw you to God. Refresh your mind with some innocent recreation and needful rest, if it were only to saunter through the garden or the fields, listening to the sermon preached by the flowers, the trees, the meadows, the sun, the sky, and the whole universe. You will find that they exhort you to love and praise God; that they excite you to extol the greatness of the Sovereign Architect Who has given them their being.
Believe me, afflictions, fears, desolations, dryness, abandonment, temptations, and other persecutions make an excellent broom, which sweeps from your soul all the dust of hidden imperfections.
“The Josephology Society has been a vision I’ve carried in my heart for over a decade,” said Rev. Edward Looney, STL, the Founder of the Josephology Society and a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay in the US.
With a dedicated team of 16 charter members – including well-known scholars like Dr. Scott Hahn, Mike Aquilina, and honorary advisors Fr. Larry Toschi, OSJ, MTh, MDiv, MSTM and Very Rev. Donald H. Calloway, MIC, MDiv, STB, STL – the dream of this new academic society is to bring together scholars, theologians, clergy, consecrated religious, and laity from around the world who are passionate about promoting the study of Saint Joseph and fostering a deeper appreciation for the loving father of Jesus and the chaste husband of Mary.
“I felt the time was right to bring this idea to life,” said Fr. Looney, author, social media evangelist, and current Secretariat (and past President) of the Mariological Society of America. “As a Marian theologian, I see Josephology as closely related to Mariology. By studying Joseph, we naturally find ourselves drawn to Jesus and Mary but with new and profound insights. Christology and Mariology complement Josephology.”
October 13 was chosen as the official launch date for The Josephology Society (TJS) because Joseph also appeared with Mary at Fatima, Portugal on this date in 1917, witnessed by many thousands, holding the Christ Child and blessing the world at the renowned “Miracle of the Sun” as a profound reminder of the importance of family and fatherhood.
With its first Josephology Symposium slated for May 1, 2025 and a call for paper abstracts to be submitted for its Josephology Studies publication by January 6, 2025, TJS is cordially inviting all Josephologist scholars, devotees, and students worldwide to join this new Society for their intellectual and spiritual enrichment and to contribute to the advancement of Josephology in Christian history.
To join, or for more information please visit https://josephologysociety.com
In addition, Fr. Looney can be reached for further inquiries at edwardlooneybooks@gmail.com
Let nothing Disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing. God does not change. Patience wins all things. For God alone suffices.
Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love for they enkindle and melt the soul.
May today bring you inner peace. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let God’s presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.
Trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
In 1992, Jesuit Father John Hardon gave a series of exceptional talks on Columbus for the 500th anniversary of the Catholic discovery of America. He brought to light many vital facts overlooked or ignored by secular historians.
“The underlying motive of Columbus’ historic voyage was the conversion of those who did not know Christ as the living Son of God and son of Mary,” stressed Father Hardon. “Throughout the log, Columbus makes it clear he and his men are sailing across the Atlantic to spread the good news of salvation and convert the natives to Christianity.”
Columbus was deeply devoted to Our Lady. His writings disclose childlike dependence on her. He named his flagship the Santa Maria — Holy Mary. A favorite prayer was “May Jesus with Mary be with us on the way.” For safety in a storm he promised his first act of thanksgiving on returning home would be a pilgrimage to the shrine of Santa María de Guadalupe in southern Spain.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.
