Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He is the first United States bishop (& to date the only male citizen) to be canonized. While Bishop of Philadelphia, Neumann founded the first Catholic diocesan school system in the United States.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
John Neumann was born in what is now the Czech Republic. After studying in Prague, he came to New York at twenty-five & was ordained a priest. He did missionary work in New York until he was twenty-nine, when he joined the Redemptorists & became its first member to profess vows in the United States. At forty-one, as bishop of Philadelphia, he organized the parochial school system into a diocesan one, increasing the number of pupils almost twentyfold within a short time. Well known for his holiness & learning, spiritual writing & preaching, on 13 October 1963, John Neumann became the first American bishop to be beatified.And subsequently canonized in 1977. St. John Neumann should not to be confused with his English contemporary, Bl. John Henry Newman (1801-1890, feast day: 9 October).
Video reflection by Father Praveen Lakkisetti: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Telesphorus, Pope & Martyr (died circa 138), eighth Bishop of Rome, martyred in the reign of the emperor Hadrian or the emperor Antoninus Pius: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Simeon Stylites the Elder, Hermit (circa 390-459): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Cera of Kilkeary, Abbess (died 679; numerous variant spellings, A.K.A. of Ireland): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Christmas Weekday
The First Letter of John, chapter three, verses eleven thru twenty-one;
Psalm One Hundred, verses one(b) & two, three, four, & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses forty-three thru fifty-one.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Nathaniel recognizes Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel. Like Nathaniel, once we make the decision for Jesus, once we determine that he is the supreme good, then every other claimant to supremacy must fall away. As I’ve argued many times before, every one of us has something or some set of values that we consider greatest. There is some center of gravity around which everything else turns.Mass Readings—Memorial of St. John Neumann
Perhaps it is money and material things. Perhaps it is power and position. Perhaps it is the esteem of others. Perhaps it is your country or your political party or your ethnic identity. Perhaps it is your family, your kids, your wife, your husband.
None of this is false; and none of these things are bad. However, when you place any of them in the absolute center of gravity, things go awry. When you make any of them your ultimate or final good, your spiritual life goes haywire. When you attach yourself to any of them with an absolute tenacity, you will fall apart.
The Book of Isaiah, chapter six, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Eighty-nine, verse two;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-eight, verses sixteen thru twenty.
Saint Quote o' the Day
"Everything depends on how we love one another."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta (A.K.A. Mother Teresa, 1910-1997; feast day: 5 September)
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