VATICAN, Gtpministries.org – “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.” Or, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” On Ash Wednesday, millions of Catholics around the world will hear one of these two blessings, when a priest places ashes on their foreheads as a sign of the cross.

But where exactly does the ash, black or gray powder, come from? According to the instructions of the Missal Romanum, ashes are usually made from palm branches on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. These branches are then burned into a fine powder. When used, the ashes will be mixed with holy water or chrism oil to form a paste. In other parts of the world, dry ash is sometimes sprinkled on the head.

Each parish can burn dried palm leaves collected from the homes of repentant parishioners from the previous year’s Palm Week.

Why does this palm have to be from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. There is a liturgical meaning in the use of palm leaves from this Palm Sunday, unlike other materials, to make Ash Wednesday ashes.

Ashes made from palms are reminiscent of Lent. The branches signify Holy Week, the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. The feast of Palm Sunday occurs at the beginning of Holy Week, leading up to Easter. “Then it helps us identify with [Jesus] in Lent. It connects us to events in Christ’s own life.

Ashes have also long been a symbol of repentance and conversion, this tradition dates back to the Old Testament. Ashes are an Old Testament and New Testament symbol of repentance, sorrow for our sins, awareness of weakness and mortality.

BEJING, Gtpministries.org – Religious Congregation of St. Joseph in the Archdiocese of Beijing celebrated his 152nd birthday this year. At this moment of celebration, the sisters who are members of the congregation want to trace back history, deepen and revive the charism of the founder by taking the path of synod

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph is the first congregation of sisters born in China, especially in the Archdiocese of Bejing. Thus, this congregation is the first religious congregation of indigenous women in the Bamboo Curtain country.

This congregation was founded by Mgr. Louis-Gabriel Delaplace, CM, then Archbishop of Beijing, in 1872 the sisters continued their intense pastoral and missionary commitment, living community life, despite the pandemic and its consequences for the life of the Church.

The laity has always been their first apostolic commitment, which is why they regularly promote “Opening Days” to welcome lay people and non-Christians alike. They experienced this opportunity in four moments: a presentation of the history and life of the congregation; guided visits; seminars or simple exchange meetings; prayer in the chapel. Currently 49 sisters work in various dioceses, parishes, schools, clinics and nursing homes.

During formation, each candidate is required to have skills and knowledge about religion, culture, psychology and morals. Some sisters also took courses in physics, Chinese literature, Chinese moral traditions, social sciences, and foreign languages.

This congregation holds the motto from 1 Cor 9,19 (“I have become a slave to everyone to win the greatest amount”) and from Luke 17,10 (“If you have done everything that was commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants . We did what we had to do.”

According to historical sources, during a time of meditation and prayer, Msgr. Delaplace was inspired by Saint Joseph to found a Chinese religious congregation. The proposal was discussed at the Vatican Council of 1870.

After two years of preparation, with the help of the Canossian Sisters, the Congregation of Saint Joseph was founded in Beijing in 1872, whose nuns came from Beijing and the surrounding area.

After 150 years, there are now nuns from various provinces in China. According to its founder, the main goals of the Congregation are service (ecclesiastical and social) and mission.

In 1941 the Congregation reformed its structure, changing its statutes and religious customs, and adding a confession of the vow of poverty. Previously, they only took vows of obedience and purity.

Their birthdays are celebrated on the Feast of Saint Joseph. Their work is primarily in the areas of health and education, but they are always available for the diocese’s requests and needs, it was reported.

ROME, Gtpministries.org – Priests of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) found a list of names of thousands of Jews who were protected by Catholics in Rome during the war. This finding adds further evidence of the heroism of Pope Pius XII.

The list was found in the archives of the Jesuit-run Pontifical Biblicum Institute of Rome, Italy. On the list are some 4,300 people who were protected between September 1943 and June 1944, when Rome was liberated by Allied forces.

Of these, 3,600 people were identified based on their names on the list; of these, at least 3,200 were Jews. Researchers have compared the list with archives maintained by the Jewish community in Rome.

Hidden in the Monastery

At that time, there were at least 100 orders of Catholic nuns and 55 orders of Catholic monks, as well as parishes and other Catholic institutions, providing shelter during the German occupation. These Jews were hidden in monasteries, parishes and houses belonging to the order.

During the period of the Nazi occupation of Rome, at least 2,000 Jews, including hundreds of children and teenagers, were murdered. The total number of Jews in Rome was at least between 10,000 and 15,000 people. Most of them died in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, after being captured by the Nazis in mid-October 1943.

News about the discovery of the list of rescued people was announced last Thursday, September 7 2023 at a conference at the Rome Holocaust Museum. However, detailed information on these findings has not been published in its entirety for privacy reasons.

“We know where they were hidden and, under certain circumstances, where they lived before the persecution,” said a joint statement from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, the Jewish Community of Rome and Yad Vashem.

According to researchers involved in the project, the list was compiled by Italian Jesuit Father Gozzolino Birolo, between June 1944 and the spring of 1945. Birolo, who died of cancer in June 1945, had been in charge of the finances of the Biblicum di mena rector at that time it was German Father Augustin Bea SJ, who later became a Cardinal and a pioneer of Jewish-Catholic relations after the war.

Among the church facilities in Rome where Jews took refuge, according to documentation, were the Parish of the Transfiguration, the Parish of Divine Providence, the Major Seminary of Rome, the Church of San Carlo al Corso, the Parish of Santa Maria in Trastevere, the Church of Santa Maria delle Fornaci.

Researchers say that a list of religious institutions in Rome that housed Jews, along with the number of cases, was published by an Italian historian named Renzo De Felice in 1961. However, the source on which the list was based was thought to be lost until recent discoveries. This.

Although the list of people rescued consisted mainly of Jews, researchers said there were also a number of people wanted by the Nazis for other reasons, including Italian partisans involved in resistance to the occupation. Historians believe that the protection afforded to the Jews, by religious institutions in Rome, would not have been possible without the explicit encouragement of Pope Pius XII.

Defamation of Pius XII

At that time, Pope Pius The Vatican has long considered such claims to be defamatory.

Pope Benedict XVI of Germany, three years after visiting Auschwitz, refused to visit the exhibition at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel because of these false accusations. Benedict XVI defended his predecessor and believed that Pope Pius XII had fought to save the Jews who were being chased by the Nazis. When the Jews reached the Vatican, Pope Pius

Mendiang Sir Martin Gilbert, pakar Holocaust dan seorang Yahudi terkemuka di dunia, juga berpandangan bahwa pameran di Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial tersebut merupakan gambaran keliru yang “berbahaya”. Mitos diamnya Paus Pius bermula dari “The Deputy”, drama fiksi karya Rolf Hochhuth yang muncul pada tahun 1963, lima tahun setelah kematian Paus Puis XII, yang selanjutnya melahirkan serangkaian karya polemik.

Perintah Konklaf

Paus Pius XII tidak menandatangani kecaman Sekutu atas penganiayaan terhadap orang Yahudi pada tanggal 17 Desember 1942. Hal ini untuk menunjukkan bahwa ia netral.  Namun, seminggu kemudian, ia menggunakan pesan Natalnya untuk mengecam kengerian “ratusan ribu orang yang dibantai.

Sejauh menyangkut Nazi, Pius XII bukanlah Paus yang pendiam. Adolf Hitler yang selalu menanggapi kritik dengan kekerasan. Pada pertemuan tanggal 26 Juli 1943, Hitler bahkan telah menyusun rencana untuk menyerang Vatikan dan menangkap Paus dan para kardinal seniornya. Saat itu, Amerika Serikat, Spanyol dan Portugal masing-masing menawarkan pengasingan kepada Paus, tetapi Paus menolak meninggalkan Vatikan.

Italia menjadi negara pendudukan ketika, negara itu menandatangani gencatan senjata dengan Sekutu pada tanggal 3 September 1943. Tiga hari kemudian, Pius XII mengatakan kepada para uskup senior, bahwa penangkapannya akan segera terjadi dan ia akan mengundurkan diri pada saat itu. Selanjutnya, ia juga menginstruksikan, kalau itu terjadi para Kardinal dapat berkumpul di sebuah negara yang aman, mungkin Portugal, dan menyelenggarakan konklaf untuk memilih Paus yang baru.

Rencana Gagal

Rencana Hitler untuk menyerang Vatikan ini terungkap pada tahun 2007 ketika Dan Kurzman menerbitkan A Special Mission, sebuah buku berdasarkan wawancara dengan Karl Otto Wolff, Jenderal Pasukan Schutzstaffel (SS/Pasukan Khusus Nazi) yang diperintahkan untuk melaksanakannya.

Operasi tersebut ditunda tanpa batas waktu ketika Wolff menasihati Hitler untuk tidak melakukannya pada bulan Desember 1943, pada saat 477 orang Yahudi diam-diam berlindung di Vatikan. Saat itu, sekitar 3.000 orang Yahudi berada di Castel Gandolfo. Sementara itu, sebanyak 5.000 orang Yahudi lainnya disembunyikan di banyak biara di Kota Abadi.

Saat itu, beberapa orang Yahudi dilengkapi dengan akta baptis palsu bahkan ada yang menyamar sebagai pendeta. Sementara itu para biarawati di salah satu biara bahkan menyediakan rumah mereka kepada wanita Yahudi.

Sangatlah penting dipahami, bahwa tindakan kepahlawanan rahasia ini dimulai atas instruksi langsung Paus Pius XII pada tanggal 16 Oktober 1943. Hari itu tentara SS mulai mengumpulkan orang-orang Yahudi di Roma untuk dideportasi.

Gereja Katolik Menyelatkan Paling Banyak

Historical data collected among Jewish historians is the largest source containing evidence of the heroic role of Pope Pius XII. This confession dates back to the 1960s and states that the Catholic Church saved more lives than all international institutions combined.

Israeli diplomat Pinchas Lapide estimates that the Church under the leadership of Pius Pius XII saved up to 850,000 Jews from death. He based his assessment on Yad Vashem records.

The Chief Rabbi of Rome, Israel Zolli in 1946 became a Catholic and took the baptismal name Eugenio. He chose this name as a tribute to Pius XII, who was previously Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli.

JAKARTA,  Gtpministries.org – Love Day or Valentine’s Day is celebrated every February 14. It is often wondered whether this celebration is really related to St. Valentinus, medieval bishop and martyr? Also, did the tradition of celebrating Love Day come from the Catholic Church?

 Although the exact date of his birth is unknown, it is believed that St. Valentinus lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD. Historians are still unsure whether the celebration of St. The current Valentinus is based on one or two Christian martyrs executed by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus in around 270 AD.

Martyrs of Charity

Saint Valentinus (Italian: San Valentino) is a 3rd century saint, commemorated in the Catholic Church on February 14 and in the Eastern Orthodox Church on July 6.

 Since the Middle Ages, the Feast of St. Velentinus has been associated with the “day of love”. He is also the patron saint of epileptics, and beekeepers. Saint Valentine was a priest and bishop who lived during the Roman Empire. At that time, he served persecuted Christians. He was martyred and his body was buried on the Via Flaminia on 14 February. That day is then commemorated from time to time as Saint Valentine’s Day. This selection of dates dates back to at least the eighth century.

Tomb of St. Valentinus was originally in the Church of San Valentino in Rome before being moved to the Church of Santa Frances during the time of Pope Nicholas IV. Currently, the Relics of St. A flower-crowned Valentine is in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. Other religios are kept in the Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. These churches are to this day popular places of pilgrimage, especially on Saint Valentine’s Day.

, for those looking for love. At least two different Saints are mentioned in early martyrologies.[9] For St. Valentine of Rome, along with St. Valentine of Terni, “summaries of the acts of these two saints exist in almost every church and monastery in Europe,” according to Professor Jack B. Oruch of the University of Kansas.[10]

According to legend, St. Valentinus was a priest and poet of the Church who helped Christians during the period of persecution in the Roman era. He especially helped couples getting married, an act that was considered an offense at the time. This heroic act is what caused St. Valentinus was imprisoned and then killed.

In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as the Feast of Saint Valentine. He established this warning to replace a pagan tradition relating to health and fertility. Over time, Saint Valentine’s Day has become a day to celebrate love.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill attribute the romantic love affair of Valentine’s Day to the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th-century poem, “Parliament of Foules,” tells the story of a flock of birds gathered on St. Patrick’s Day. Valentinus to find a partner. Until now, the Catholic Church still includes the name St. Valentinus on the list of martyrs.

Today, Valentine’s Day continues to be celebrated globally and has expanded beyond the walls of the Church. The Valentine’s Day tradition has become a universal expression of affection.

KIELCE, Gtpministries.org – 30 seconds was all God needed to show Father Christopher (Krzysztof) Kralka his true calling, the priesthood. Previously, this young Polish man born in Kielce, southeastern Poland had completely turned his back on the Church. For years, he had never even entered any religious building. For him at that time, the Church was a backward institution that had nothing to do with the modern worldview. However, everything changed when Pope John Paul II (JP II) arrived in Poland, August 2002.

That day, the first papal visit, Christopher was upset. He wondered how he could survive this event, which was reported by all the country’s media. Of course, unlike most of his compatriots, he had no intention of watching television broadcasts.

“I didn’t feel the urge to turn on the television, but that day I felt tremendous inner pressure, pressure to listen to the Pope’s words,” Father Christopher recalled.

He remembered that the theme of the JP II pilgrimage this time was a phrase from the Bible: “God is rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4). The Holy Father explained that Jesus died for everyone. This is where Christopher was touched.

“I was so moved by the old man’s words that I couldn’t get up from my chair,” Father Christopher told Aleteia .

After hearing John Paul II’s words, Christopher felt as if he was in some kind of ecstasy. When his parents asked him to help them garden, he refused, saying he couldn’t leave the TV screen because he was watching the Pope.

“They thought it was an excuse for me not to help them. But, I felt incredible joy, freedom, and peace in that moment. Now I know it was the Holy Spirit,” he recalled.

An inner voice whispered to him that he would receive a special gift.

“When I told God that I chose him, I immediately heard the answer in my heart: ‘Become a priest,’” he said.

Father Christopher admits that once this moment passed, he questioned his reality.

“After I stopped listening to the Pope, I had doubts. At that point, I said ‘no!’ I couldn’t imagine myself as a pastor. I am a perfect example of an anticlerical person.

in his story to the editor of Aleteia , Christopher saw the priest as looking like a humanly inferior person. He thought carrying out the call was the worst choice. But in reality, it doesn’t take long for it to sink in, maybe around 30 minutes.

“I realized with joy and relief the path that God had prepared for me, and that it was this path that would allow me to be happy,” he continued.

That’s why, after about 30 seconds, Christopher finally said “yes” to God.

Evangelize young people

Previously, Pastor Christopher believed that God continued to watch over and guide. He is there, He is watching, inspiring in true passion. Currently, he feels that his calling is also to evangelize young people. In fact, he is currently carrying out his ministry at the new evangelical school founded by the Pallottines. Here he leads spiritual retreats for young people.

“I just returned from a retreat for young people preparing them for the sacrament of confirmation.”

Father Christopher explained. He concluded that it would be good for these young people to know that the Church has a treasure in the person of Jesus. It is the answer to the suffering and difficulties of young people. Pastor Christopher understood this by saying “yes” to Jesus. It only took 30 seconds for Jesus to win her heart. (AES)

KANSAS, Gtpministries.org – In 2020, a defining moment came for Karr, a 2019 University of Kansas illustration graduate. At that time, Karr found herself at the crossroads between a career as a marketing professional and her true calling.

However, the situation changed after Karr met Father Anthony Oulette from the Holy Name of Jesus Christ Parish, Archdiocese of Kansas. During the meeting, Father Oulette expressed his ideas about renovating the parish church and plans to add various works of art to the church.

“He took me to the church, presented his ideas for renovating the church,” Karr recalled.

During the meeting, Father Oulette said he planned to place paintings of Pentecost, the Virgin Mary and St. Michael. Not only that, the painting of St. Joseph who presented Jesus in the Temple will also be made with an Angel Gabriel ornament on it.

In September 2022, Karr left work and began his career in religious art. At that time, Karr worked entirely for the parish church. Her journey, marked by faith and courage, has been a testament to the power of art in revitalizing not only spaces, but also spirits.

“I love Jesus so much and I know that He is real,” Karr said.

Finding Mary

But that leap of faith is slowly starting to be proven. When Karr needed visual references for the figures in the art, he and Father Oulette decided to ask parishioners to volunteer.

When they wanted to create an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they thought of the same parishioner, Mary Leticia DeCaigny. Karr asked DeCaigny to be a model when he finished painting the Virgin Mary. Karr took a photo of DeCaigny in costume for reference. He discovered there was a deeper connection with DeCaigny.

DeCaigny and her husband lost their 8-year-old son after a five-year battle with cancer.

“He said, ‘We lost our son to cancer about 10 years ago, so I know what it’s like to walk with our suffering son. I feel very close to DeCaigny and this is confirmation that he sees me and he is with me,’” Karr recalled DeCaigny saying.

This influenced Karr’s view of this art project. He participated in this painting, and collecting models, but Karr realized this work was much bigger than him.

“There’s no way I would have known that, at first, I chose him because I liked his hair (DeCaigny- ed. ). I didn’t know that his past experiences were actually related to Our Lady. So that’s a great blessing.”

With this experience, Karr sees his hard work as not only a work of art, but it is truly something that has an impact on the people involved in it. He also hopes that this experience will have an impact on people who will see the results of his artistic work for years to come.

It took Three Years

Previously, Karr had big dreams of having a career in Hollywood. However, now he is actually planting spiritual seeds in the work he does.

“I could almost be a Catholic evangelist spy,” he said.

Karr enjoyed his time living in Kansas and loved the parish where he had just completed his assignment. It took three years to complete all the artwork which was then installed in the parish church.

He created two 15-foot paintings that bring color and warmth to both sides of the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus Christ in Kansas City. Apart from that, there are other paintings he made.

“As my faith grew, I couldn’t help it. The art just came out and it’s all religious, mostly Mary. I couldn’t stop drawing Mary,” he said.

A major shift occurred when he made his retreat. Some people also admit that God called Karr to do something. One call he then responded bravely and stepped out.

“It was very clear He wanted me to jump,” he said.

A week later, he did just that, quit his job in sales, and began his full-time career as an artist.

Karr painted and drew sacred and liturgical art and depicted deeply meaningful spiritual themes. Now, after he gave up and decided to become an artist with religious themes, he said that life has become much easier.

“It doesn’t seem that difficult. I respect my religion. It’s much more liberating.”

Karr recalled his encounter with Father Oulette. The priest said he had the ability to paint a Christian icon.

“Your spirituality is like that of an icon painter,” Karr said, imitating Father Oulette’s words.

When the works of art had been completed which carried the theme of the descent of the Holy Spirit and the appearance of Jesus, the installation of these works was carried out before Easter. It is hoped that this moment will attract the attention of the congregation and invite them to reflect on the unique message conveyed by the Holy Spirit to each community.

Admittedly, Karr’s work stands as a bridge between the divine and the mundane, capturing the essence of faith in a way that cannot be expressed in words. Through his brush, Karr allows parishioners to see not only their faces, but also their stories.

The completion of this painting was not only a moment of artistic achievement for Karr, but also a celebration of faith for the parish community. In an often divided world, this project serves as a beacon of unity, showing how art can bring people together.

Pray Before Work

Now, after completing a religious artwork for the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Karr is receiving many requests for artwork on similar themes. As Karr worked to develop a commissioned work, he prayed with them, and asked the Holy Spirit to reveal what the work would look like for them Situs Toto.

One time, Karr got a project from a family where the wife was a mental health counselor. The client had recurring dreams about Mary dressed in work clothes, diligently untying a long ribbon that shone in the light falling over her shoulders.

From that story, Karr started working on it. Karr said that even though the image is created for one client, it often moves others to tears, even if they previously knew nothing about this traditional depiction of Mary.

“I have seen how God can speak through these images. Beauty has the quality of stopping people in their tracks and making them take notice,” he said. (AES)

PONTIANAK, Gtpministries.org – I have been doing this confession regularly starting in 2021. Since then, I realized that there were so many struggles going on in my life, giving me the courage to start again after being absent from confession for so many years.

On Tuesday, March 28 2023 before entering Easter week, I went to Church to confess my sins and receive the sacrament of Penance. I came with sins that still stuck to me like worn, unwashed clothes. While waiting in line, I remembered all the sins I had committed. When it was my turn, I entered the confession room where it was just me and a priest who would listen and give me the sacrament of Penance.

During confession, my tears suddenly burst because I remembered how bad I was that my voice became lost and unclear. But I tried to organize my speech so that the Pastor could hear it clearly. After that, I was given advice and given forgiveness with the sacrament of Penance by the Pastor. God gave me relief for the forgiveness I received. I felt born again, renewed by the sacraments I had received.

The tears I felt were so warm, even though they were sobbing like they wouldn’t stop soon. I then entered the church, praying to regret all my mistakes. There was a feeling of emotion, God’s love for me was so good, that He forgave all my sins.

After praying, I felt the burden on my shoulders was reduced and I had new hope to become a better person than before. With this sacrament of Reconciliation, I am strengthened again.

Sacrament of Healing

The Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation is one of the two sacraments of healing (CCC 1423-1424). This sacrament is a sacrament of spiritual healing for sins. Sin is an act that violates the law of love for God and others. Every human being must commit sin, which is done consciously so that it can harm other people and even himself and can damage his relationship with God. Relations with others are also damaged.

The Catholic Church opens up space for people who want to confess their sins in the confession room. People are invited to reflect on themselves and renew their minds by confessing their sins.

For some people, confessing their sins is the most feared thing, firstly because they are ashamed of the sin they have committed. Second, feeling unworthy of forgiveness. Third, people don’t want to know about their sins other than themselves, and there are many other reasons why people don’t want or are reluctant to come to the confession room. There are even those who haven’t confessed their sins at all in a year or have never done so.

However, there are also people who casually come to the confession room with a list of sins they have committed because it is their obligation. Even though by confessing our sins we remember the bad past, at least we can be healed and reborn as new people and better prepared to improve our lives in a better direction.

The Sacrament of Penance is not just a matter of regret and tears, but rather “metanoia” or a change of heart in our entire attitude towards life. We are asked to be aware and have good intentions and the efforts of repentance that we make. God always accepts everyone who wants to repent.

I Forgive Him Too

2 Corinthians 2:10 “For whose trespasses you forgive, I also forgive them. Because if I forgive, – if there is anything I should forgive -, then I do it because of you in the presence of Christ,” continued in Colossians 2:13 “You too, although you were dead in your transgressions and because you were not outwardly circumcised, have been made alive God is with Him, after He forgives all our transgressions”, in this verse it is clear that God forgives our sins.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is also found in James 5:16 “Confess your sins to one another”. We just know that James 5:13-16 is the basis of the Sacrament of Penance and the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.