Catholic Press

Catholic World News reported that the Pope celebrated these Beatifications in the midst of his countrymen. (It seems they did not notice they were canonizations.) The emphasis in all their reporting was on the Polish saints. Their article reports that roughly half of the 50,000 people there were from Poland.

Obviously they have the right to report on the event from their perspective. I will report on the event from the perspective of one who was there, and was with many people from my community who were there.

We estimate that more than 75% of the crowd were wearing Maria De Mattias Red Hats, and that most of them were Italian. Happy Birthday was sung to the Holy Father in four languages that I heard.

Catholic World News has proved to me once again that they report on the Church from a relatively narrow perspective. One wonders if they even had a reporter present.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 10:30 PM link

. . .

Yes, I am home in Chicago. It is great being back at an American keyboard. Rome was great. I go back at the end of June.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 9:49 PM link

. . .

John Paul II Homily

The entire homily can be found here:

Here is the portion about Maria De Mattias

"This is his commandment, that we should believe... and love one another" (I Jn 3: 23). The Apostle John exhorts us to accept the boundless love of God, who for the salvation of the world gave his Only-begotten Son (cf. Jn 3: 16). Christ expressed this love in a sublime manner when he poured out his Blood as "an infinite price of redemption" for all humanity. Maria De Mattias was won over in the depths of her spirit by the mystery of the Cross and founded the Institute of the Sisters Adorers of the Blood of Christ "under the emblem of the Divine Blood". Love for Jesus crucified was expressed in her in passion for souls and in humble devotion to her brothers and sisters, her "beloved neighbour", as she liked to say. "Let us encourage one another", she urged, "to suffer willingly out of love of Jesus who with such great love shed his blood for us. Let us work hard to win souls for heaven".

St Maria De Mattias entrusts this message to her spiritual sons and daughters today, spurring all to follow the Lamb who gave himself in sacrifice for us, even to the point of giving up their life.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 9:16 PM link

. . .