O God, who in your kindness begin all good things and bring them to fulfillment, grant to us, who find joy in the Solemnity of the holy Mother of God, that, just as we glory in the beginnings of your grace, so one day we may rejoice in its completion.
Through Christ our Lord.
(Prayer Over the Offerings)

BLESSINGS FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Author Unpacks What Pope Francis Means by the Term

By Marie Meaney

ROME, December 05, 2013 (Zenit.org) - In his homily during his daily Mass the other day, Pope Francis warned against the spirit of worldliness. He called it “a fruit of the devil who makes his way forward with the spirit of secular worldliness”. These are strong words, and we have seen so far that Pope Francis is not afraid of calling the devil by his name nor speaking about the momentous choices each one of us has to make.

But is the “world” really that dangerous?

« Haraminè » : this is the name of our new house in Gwangju where four disabled adult men, aged 20 to 31, live in residence with the community, in a section of the house adapted to their needs. The name of the house means: "those sent by God". These four young men have varying degrees of disability and personal autonomy. The eldest, Chong Shil Park, works in a refrigerator assembly shop, is in good physical shape, but has cognitive disabilities. The second, UttUm Kim,  has Down Syndrome (he is one in the photo below giving the archbishop a bouquet); he works in a 'closed shop' run by the Sisters of Saint Paul de Chartres.

Today a light will shine upon us,
for the lord is born for us;
and he will be called Wondrous God,
Prince of Peace,
Father of future ages:
and his reign will be without end.
(Isaiah 9:1, 5; Luke 1:33)

The Assumption Family