St. Paphnutius

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: September 11

---

The holy confessor Paphnutius was an Egyptian who, after having spent several years in the desert under the direction of the great St. Antony, was made bishop in the Upper Thebaid. He was one of those confessors who under the Emperor Maximinus lost the right eye, were hamstrung in one leg, and were afterwards sent to work in the mines. Peace being restored to the Church, Paphnutius returned to his flock, bearing all the rest of his life the glorious marks of his sufferings for the name of his Crucified Master. He was one of the most zealous in defending the Catholic faith against the Arian heresy and for his holiness. As one who had confessed the Faith before persecutors and under torments, he was an outstanding figure of the first General Council of the Church, held at Nicaea in the year 325. Paphnutius, a man who had observed the strictest continence all his life, is said to have distinguished himself at the Council by his opposition to clerical celibacy. Paphnutius said that it was enough to conform to the ancient tradition of the Church, which forbade the clergy marrying after their ordination. To this day it is the law of the Eastern Churches, whether Catholic or dissident, that married men may receive all Holy Orders below the episcopate, and continue to live freely with their wives. St. Paphnutius is sometimes called "the Great" to distinguish him from other saints of the same name; the year of his death is not known. His feast day is September 11.

Papa akutana na Waziri Mkuu wa Kuwait

Papa Francisko akimpokea Waziri Mkuu Kuwait Sheik Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al Sabah - ANSA

(Vatican Radio)  Jumatano, Septemba 10, 2015, Papa Francis alimpokea na kuzungumza nae , Waziri Mkuu wa Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. 
Katika mazungumzo yao ya kirafiki , waligusia mandhari mbalimbali ya maslahi kwa pande zote ikiwemo  michango chanya ya kihistoria ya Wakristo wachache miongoni mwa jamii Kuwait. Na pia walilenga umuhimu wa elimu katika kukuza utamaduni wa kuheshimiana,  mshikamano na ujenzi wa amani kati ya watu tofauti na wenye dini tofauti.

Baada ya Kukutana na Papa,  Waziri Mkuu Sheikh Jaber na ujumbe wake alikutana na Katibu wa Nchi wa Vatican, Kardinali Pietro Parolin,akiwa amefuatana Askofu Mkuu Paulo Ghallager , Mkuu wa Idara ya mahusiano ya nchi za nje wa Vatican. Lengo la kukutana kwao ilikuwa  kutia saini katika Mkataba wa Maridhiano kati Sekretarieti ya Nchi  ya Vatican na Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje ya Nchi ya Kuwait . Utiaji huo wa saini,  ulifanywa na  Askofu Mkuu Paulo Gallagher na Waziri  Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Naibu Waziri katika  waziri wa Mambo ya Nje, Kuwait.
Taarifa inataja kuwa Mkataba huo,  unawezesha utendaji thabiti zaidi kwa pande zote mbili, kuimarishwa  zaidi na kuwa na mahusiano thabiti baina ya nchi, katika kushirikiana , kuheshimiana, kujenga  amani na utulivu wa kikanda na kimataifa.

Batarokota asema kipindi cha mapumziko ni muhimu na wala si uvivu

Kipindi cha mapumziko baada ya kazi,  ni zawadi ya  thamani ambayo Mungu alifanya kwa familia ya binadamu", ambayo haipaswi kupita au kupuuzwa katika mipango ya utendaji wa familia na mtu binafsi . Ni maelezo ya msanii wa nyimbo za asili nchini Tanzania Batarokota aliyoyatoa jana jumatano wakati wa kuinjilisha katika kanisa la Mt Bakita Oilcom nane nene Mjini Morogoro. msanii Batarokota alitoa  wito kwa familia kuiishi kama inavyotakiwa Siku ya Mapumziko ya Jumapili, kwa kushiriki katika Ibada ya Ekaristi inayobadili kila wakati wa maisha, hata wakati wa uchungu. Batarokota  akitafakari umuhimu wa mapumziko ya baada yakazi, alisema, mapumziko yaliwekwa na Mungu mwenyewe,kama nafasi ya kutafakari uzuri wa kile kilichofanyika au kuumbwa kama Mwenyezi Mungu mwenyewe alivyofanya baada ya kuiumba dunia na vyote vilivyomo. Na hivyo mapumziko inakuwa  nafasi nyingi wazi ya kufikiria pia  jinsi ya kusonga mbele kwa mafanikio zaidi katika kazi. 

St. Anthony the Great

Waangalizi wa ndani na mwenendo wa uchaguzi mkuu

Mwanaharakati, Martina Kabisama.

Katika kipindi cha uchaguzi, vyombo mbalimbali zikiwamo asasi mbalimbali za kiraia hufanya kazi ya uangalizi wa mwenendo wa uchaguzi.

 

Mbali na asasi za ndani, lakini pia waangalizi wa nje, nao hufanya kazi hiyo.

 

Yapo mambo mbalimbali ambayo huangalia katika uchaguzi, ambayo kwa namna moja ama nyingine mwisho wa siku wanapaswa kuwaambia  wananchi nini ambacho wamegundua katika uchaguzi husika.

 

Yapo mambo mbalibali ya kuangalia katika uchaguzi, lakini mojawapo ni namna vyombo husika vinavyosimamia uchaguzi vinavyofanya kazi yake.

 

Mojawapo ni pamoja na kuangalia endapo vyombo hivyo vinatenda haki kwa kila mwanasiasa au chama chochote cha siasa ambacho kimepata sifa ya kushiriki katika uchaguzi.

 

Kadhalika, kama wananchi nao kwa upande wao wanapata haki yao ya kushiriki katika mchakato mzima wa upatikanaji viongozi wao kwa uhuru.

 

Kuangalia vyombo vya usalama navyo kwa upande  wake kama vinatimiza wajibu wake ipasavyo  upande wa usalama, kwa kuhakikisha wanapewa ulinzi, bila kujali ni mwanasiasa marufu ama siyo maarufu,  ni chama  kikubwa au siyo kikubwa.

 

Nyingine ni kuhakikisha watu katika makundi mbalimbali wanapewa nafasi na fursa nzuri ya kushirikishwa  katika mchakato wote wa uchaguzi kuanzia kujiandikisha, kushiriki katika kampeni kwa kupata fursa ya kusikiliza sera kwa wagombea na vyama mbalimbali na kupiga kura.

 

Hapa ni pamoja na makundi ya watu wenye ulemavu wa aina zote.

 

Kazi hii pamoja na wadau wengine, pia inapaswa kufanywa na vyombo vingine kama Tume ya Taifa ya Uchaguzi (Nec), vyombo vya usalama, na Ofisi ya Msajili wa vyama vya siasa.

 

Miongozni mwa wadau ambao wamepewa mamlaka ya kuangalia mwenendo wa uchaguzi mwaka huu ni pamoja na Muungano wa waangalizi wa uchaguzi nchini (Cemot), ambao wameeleza kujipanua zaidi katika aina yao ya uangalizi.

 

Katika kufamikisha kazi yao hiyo, na kwa kuhakikisha wanaifanya kwa ufanisi, wameamua kuandaa ofisi maalum ambayo itakuwa kituo cha kutoa na kupokea taarifa mbalimbali za kile kinachoendelea katika uchaguzi.

 

Ofisi hiyo itajikita katika kukusanya taarifa mbalimbali  kutoka kwa waangalizi wake ambao wamewatawanya nchi nzima pamoja na kwa wananchi wenyewe ambao watapata fursa ya kutoa taarifa ya jambo lolote ambalo watabaini haliendi sawa au vinginevyo.

 

Mwenyekiti  Mwenza wa Muungano wa asasi hizo, Martina Kabisama, anasema  kituo hicho kitakuwa kinafanya kazi kwa kutoa taarifa kwa mtindo wa kisasa wa teknolojia ya habari (Teknohama)  na kwamba tayari wameandaa vifaa maalum vya kufanyia kazi hiyo.

 

Mbali na hilo, pia wameandaa wataalam wa kuchambua masuala yatakayokuwa yanajitokeza katika uchaguzi na pia kitawapa fursa wananchi kwenda kupata taarifa mbalimbali watakazohitaji.

 

Kabisama anasema waangalizi wa ndani zaidi ya 10,000 wamesambazwa  katika maeneo mbalimbali nchi nzima  kwa ajili ya kuhakikisha wanakusanya taarifa za kila kinachofanyika katika uchaguzi huo.

 

Pamoja na mambo mengine, anasema tathmini ya uchaguzi imeanza tangu mchakato wa kuandikisha wapiga kura kupitia mfumo wa kielektroniki wa Biometric Voters Registration (BVR).

 

Anasema wanafanya hivyo kwa maslahi ya taifa na Watanzania ili kuhakikisha kila mtu anashiriki katika uchaguzi pasipo kubaguliwa.

 

“Nchi hii ni ya Watanzania wote, hakuna mtu mwenye hati miliki ya taifa hili na ndiyo maana tumeomba na tumepewa nafasi ya kufuatilia uchaguzi kama ambavyo tumekuwa tukifanya miaka mingine,” anasema na kuongeza:

 

“Lengo ni kuhakikisha haki inatendeka na kila mtu anashiriki katika kuchagua kiongozi ambaye anaamini atamletea maendeleo na pia kila chama na mwanasiasa apewe haki yake Kikatiba.”

 

Balozi wa Dernmark nchini, Einar Jensen, anasema hiki ni kipindi muhimu kwa Tanzania na inatakiwa kuhakikisha uchaguzi unafanyika kwa amani ukiwa huru na haki.

 

“Ili uchaguzi ufanyika kwa amani, kitu kinachotakiwa kuzingatiwa ni kuhakikisha unakuwa huru na haki, hayo yote yanatakiwa kuanzia katika kundikishwa kwa kila mtu mwenye haki ya kuandikishwa kupiga kura ahakikishe amepata haki hiyo, haya yote yakizingatiwa ni lazima mvuke salama,” anasema.

CHANZO: NIPASHE

Prayer of the Day for Thursday, September 10, 2015

Prayer in Time of Anger Lord Jesus, there is anger in my heart and I cannot root it out.
I know that I should calm down and offer the hurt and disappointment to You
but my emotion is running away with me.
Help me to overcome this weakness and give me peace of heart as well as mind.
Let me learn from this experience and grow into a better human being. Amen.

Daily Reading for Thursday, September 10th, 2015

---

Reading 1, Colossians 3:12-17

¹² As the chosen of God, then, the holy people whom he loves, you are to be clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience.
¹³ Bear with one another; forgive each other if one of you has a complaint against another. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same.
¹⁴ Over all these clothes, put on love, the perfect bond.
¹⁵ And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Always be thankful.
¹⁶ Let the Word of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God;
¹⁷ and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him.

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 150:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

¹ Alleluia! Praise God in his holy place, praise him in the heavenly vault of his power,
² praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for all his greatness.
³ Praise him with fanfare of trumpet, praise him with harp and lyre,
⁴ praise him with tambourines and dancing, praise him with strings and pipes,
⁵ praise him with the clamour of cymbals, praise him with triumphant cymbals,
⁶ Let everything that breathes praise Yahweh. Alleluia!

---

Gospel, Luke 6:27-38

²⁷ 'But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.
²⁹ To anyone who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek as well; to anyone who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic.
³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from someone who takes it.
³¹ Treat others as you would like people to treat you.
³² If you love those who love you, what credit can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them.
³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit can you expect? For even sinners do that much.
³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to get money back, what credit can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount.
³⁵ Instead, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
³⁶ 'Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.
³⁷ Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
³⁸ Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.'

St. Salvius of Albi

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: September 10
Death: 584

---

Bishop of Albi and a friend of Pope St. Gregory I the Great. Also called Sauve, he was a native of Albi and, originally a lawyer, he entered a monastery and served for a time as a monk before receiving election as abbot. Then, after, hying as a hermit, he became a bishop, serving as shepherd of Albi from 574-584. He reportedly died while caring for the sick during an outbreak of some epidemic. He also ransomed prisoners and brought King Chilperic back to orthodox teachings.

Kateksi ya Papa yahimiza :familia na makanisa lazima kuwa wazi,

Papa Francisko akisalimia mmoja wa wagonjwa waliofika kusikiliza katekesi yake - OSS_ROM

(Vatican Radio) Papa Francisko katika Katekesi yake ya  Jumatano ameendelea kuzungumzia juu ya familia, akipeleka mawazo yake juu ya uhusiano uliopo kati ya kati ya familia na jumuiya ya Kikristo.
Papa Francisko amebainisha kuwa dhamana kati ya familia na jumuiya ya kikristo,  ni dhamana asilia  kwa sababu, Kanisa ni familia ya kiroho, na familia ni Kanisa kidogo. Kanisa, ni nyumba ya walio amini katika Yesu kama chanzo cha udugu na mshikamano kati ya watu wote. Matukio makubwa ya nguvu kidunia yaliyoandikwa katika vitabu vya historia, yamebaki hivyo katika vitabu , lakini historia ya  upendo wa binadamu,  imeandikwa moja kwa moja kwenye moyo wa Mungu, na kwamba ni utendaji unaobaki kuwepo milele yote. Na hii ndiyo maana alisisitiza Papa,  kwa nini familia ni muhimu sana.
Aliendelea kuyatazama maisha ya Yesu mwenyewe kwamba,  baada ya kuishi kwa miaka thelathini ndani ya familia,  Nazareti, aliwakusanyika jamii waliokuwa wamemzunguka, na kuunda Kanisa.  Na familia hii, Papa amesema,  si familia iliyofungwa na mipaka ya kimadhehebu au itikadi lakini familia yenye kukaribisha wote, kama ilivyokuwa kwa familia ya Yesu, haikuwa tu ya mitume , lakini pia waliwakaribisha wenye njaa na kiu, wageni na wateswa, wenye dhambi na Mafarisayo.

Kwa sababu hii, Papa Francis amesema kuwa linakuwa ni jambo muhimu kwa ajili ya  kuimarisha mapatano kati ya familia na jumuiya ya Kikristo.  Aliendelea kusema kwa kuitazama familia katika mapana ya mkusanyiko wa familia nyingi pamoja chini ya jina Parokia, na kusema kwamba, familia na Parokia, yanakuwa ni maeneo mawili,  jumuiya ya upendo inayotembea katika barabara ambayo , chanzo chake  na mwisho ni Mungu mwenyewe. "Baba Mtakatifu amesema, waamini wa Kristo wanahitaji kupata uelewa na ujasiri wa kufanya upya ahadi yao ya  imani na ukarimu.  Hivyo ni kwa njia ya neema ya Mungu, jamii  na parokia, zinaweza kuwa uwezo wa kukamilisha "muujiza" wa kuchagiza udugu zaidi kama ilivyokuwa kwa kanisa la mwanzo duniani.

Papa Francisko Mwezi Novemba kutembelea Africa

Mwenyekiti wa Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki (KCCB), Askofu  Philip Anyolo, ametangaza rasmi juu ya ujio wa Papa nchini Kenya kwamba itakuwa mwezi Novemba 2015.  Hilo limo katika barua yake kwa Waamini Wakristo aliyoitoa kwa niaba ya Maaskofu,tarehe 27, Agosti, 2015.  Askofu Anyolo kasema, "Baba Mtakatifu amekubali mwaliko wa Maaskofu wa kuitembelea  Kenya mwezi Novemba 2015.

Anyolo Askofu, wa Jimbo la  Homabay, pia anasema , ziara ya Papa ni ziara ya kichungaji, na hivyo Kanisa litashirikiana na Serikali ya Kenya, katika maandalizi na ufanikishaji.Askofu Anyolo ameeleza na kuomba sala za waamini na msaada wa kihali kwa ajili ya kufanikisha ziara ya Papa nchini Kenya.

Maaskofu wa Kenya katika ziara yao akitume ya kila baada ya miaka mitano katika  Ofisi za Idara ya Curia ya Roma na Kiti Kitakatifu , waliyoifanya hapo  13-17th, Aprili, 2015, walitoa mwaliko kwa  Baba Mtakatifu alitembelee taifa la Kenya.
Katika ziara hii ya kwanza kwa Papa Francisco kuzuru bara la  Afrika, pia atatembelea Uganda na Jamhuri ya Afrika ya Kati.

Papa Francisko asema Wakristo wanaendelea kuteseka kimyakimya

Jumatatu hii 7 Septemba katika Kanisa dogo la Mtakatifu Marta ndani ya Vatican, wakati wa Ibada ya Misa ya mapema asubuhi, Baba Mtakatifu Francisco, aliongoza Ibada ya Misa akishirikiana na  Patriaki wa Cilicia ya Armenia, aliyechaguliwa hivi karibuni, Mwenye Heri Gregory Petro XX. Katika Ibada hiyo, wakiwepo pia Maaskofu wa Sinodi ya Kitume ya Armenia ya Kanisa Katoliki, na Kardinali Leonardo Sandri, Mkuu wa Usharika kwa ajili ya Makanisa Katoliki ya Mashariki.

Papa katika homilia yake baada ya masomo ya siku alivyozungumzia jinsi leo hii Wakristo wengi, wanavyoendelea kuteseka katika maeneo mengi, na huku viongozi wenye mamlaka duniani, wakikalia kimya uhalifu huo. Amesema hata leo hii pengine hata zaidi ya siku za nyuma , Wakristo wanateseka kuuawa au kufukuzwa katika nchi zao kwa sababu tu ya imani yao kwa Kristo.
Papa kwa uchungu, amewatia moyo Wakristo akisema, ndugu zangu wapendwa kwa hakika hakuna Ukristo usioandamana na mateso. Na alieleza na kukumbusha juu ya Heri” Heri yenu ninyi watu wakiwatukana , wakiwadhulumu na kuwasingizia kila aina ya uovu juu yangu ,furahini na kushangilia maana tuzo lenu ni kubwa mbinguni”. Leo hii hilo linatokea mbele ya dunia na viongozi wameshindwa kusitisha uovu huo.  Wakristo wanapita katika kipindi kigumu cha njia ya mateso , kama ilivyokuwa kwa Kristo mwenyewe.  
Papa alieleza na kukumbuka Madhulumu haya kwa Wakristo, Taifa la Armenia likiwa moja ya Mataifa ambako Wakristo wengi waliipita njia hii ya mateso.  Taifa la kwanza kuongokea Ukristo. Papa alieleza na kuwakumbuka pia Wakristo wa Libya, Misri, Iraki  wanaochinjwa kama kuku kwa kuitangaza Injili ya Kristo.
Papa amesali ili Bwana leo hii aweze kutufanya sisi sote kusikia ndani ya mwili wake Kanisa, upendo mkuu kwa ajili ya wafia dini wa wakati wetu na pia katika kuwa tayari kufa kifo dini. Na kwamba , hakuna Mkristo mwenye kujua hatima ya maisha yake mbele ya uso huu wa madhulumu. Na hivyo ni vyema kuiomba neema ya Bwana ili kama hili litatokea siku moja , tuwe na ushupavu wa kutoa ushahidi wetu  kama wafia dini wengine walivyotuonyesha. Na hasa Wakristo wa Armenia.
Papa Francisko  awali alitoa  barua  kwa Patriaki mpya wa  Cicilia ya Armenia, ambayo ni tahafifu mpya kwa ajili ya  ushirikiano na Makanisa ya  Mashariki, barua ya tarehe  25 Julai 2015. Aidha taarifa za awali zinaeleza, kabla ya Ibada ya Misa , viongozi hawa wawili, walipata nafasi ya kubadilishana zawadi, tukio linalotajwa kuwa ni ishara ya wazi ya umoja wa kikanisa unaoridhiwa na  Baba Mtakatifu Francisko   na Mwenye Heri Gregorio Pietro Ghabroyan , Patriaki wa Cecilia ya Armenia.  Imetajwa hizi ni hisia wazi na ukweli hai wenye kuhamasishwa na Upendo wa Kikristo.

Sin

The Seven Deadly Sins We should not be satisfied merely to keep the commandments of God, but should always be ready to do good deeds, even when they are not commanded. The commandments of God state the minimum requirements for salvation. They should be kept not merely according to the letter, but also according to the spirit, which obliges us to strive for greater perfection.
Actual sin is any willful thought, desire, word, action or ommission forbidden by the law of God.

PRIDE

Unrestrained appreciation of our own worth.

GREED

Immoderate desire for earthly goods.

LUST

Hankering for impure pleasures.

ANGER

Inordinate desire for revenge.

GLUTTONY

Unrestrained use of food and drink.

ENVY

Sorrow over another's good fortune.

SLOTH

Laxity in keeping the Faith and the practice of virtue, due to the effort involved.

THE FOUR SINS CRYING TO HEAVEN FOR VENGEANCE

1. Willful murder (including abortion)
   
2. The sin of Sodom.
   
3. Oppression of the poor.
   
4. Defrauding laborers of their wages.

THE SIX SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Presumption of God's mercy.
   
2. Despair.
   
3. Impugning the known truth.
   
4. Envy at another's spiritual good.
   
5. Obstinacy in sin.
   
6. Final impenitence.

NINE WAYS OF BEING ACCESSORY TO ANOTHER'S SIN

1. By counsel.
   
2. By command.
   
3. By consent.
   
4. By provocation.
   
5. By praise or flattery.
   
6. By concealment.
   
7. By partaking.
   
8. By silence.
   
9. By defense of the ill done

Parent's Prayer

All praise to You, Lord Jesus,
Lover of children:
Bless our family,
And help us to lead our children to You.

Give us light and strength,
And courage when our task is difficult.
Let Your Spirit fill us with love and peace,
So that we may help our children to love You.

All glory and praise are Yours, Lord Jesus,
For ever and ever.

Amen.

Daily Reading for Wednesday, September 9th, 2015

---

Reading 1, Colossians 3:1-11

¹ Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.
² Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth,
³ because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God.
⁴ But when Christ is revealed -- and he is your life-you, too, will be revealed with him in glory.
⁵ That is why you must kill everything in you that is earthly: sexual vice, impurity, uncontrolled passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god;
⁶ it is precisely these things which draw God's retribution upon those who resist.
⁷ And these things made up your way of life when you were living among such people,
⁸ but now you also must give up all these things: human anger, hot temper, malice, abusive language and dirty talk;
⁹ and do not lie to each other. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self,
¹⁰ and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its Creator;
¹¹ and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and Jew, between the circumcised and uncircumcised, or between barbarian and Scythian, slave and free. There is only Christ: he is everything and he is in everything.

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13

² Day after day I shall bless you, I shall praise your name for ever and ever.
³ Great is Yahweh and worthy of all praise, his greatness beyond all reckoning.
¹⁰ All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh, and your faithful shall bless you.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might,
¹² making known your mighty deeds to the children of Adam, the glory and majesty of your kingship.
¹³ Your kingship is a kingship for ever, your reign lasts from age to age. Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words, and upright in all his deeds.

---

Gospel, Luke 6:20-26

²⁰ Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said: How blessed are you who are poor: the kingdom of God is yours.
²¹ Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall have your fill. Blessed are you who are weeping now: you shall laugh.
²² 'Blessed are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of man.
²³ Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, look!-your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
²⁴ But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
²⁵ Alas for you who have plenty to eat now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who are laughing now: you shall mourn and weep.
²⁶ 'Alas for you when everyone speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.

St. Peter Claver

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: September 9
Patron Saint of Negro Missions
Birth: 1580
Death: 1654

---

St. Peter Claver was born at Verdu, Catalonia, Spain, in 1580, of impoverished parents descended from ancient and distinguished families. He studied at the Jesuit college of Barcelona, entered the Jesuit novitiate at Tarragona in 1602 and took his final vows on August 8th, 1604. While studying philosophy at Majorca, the young religious was influenced by St. Alphonsus Rodriguez to go to the Indies and save "millions of perishing souls."
In 1610, he landed at Cartagena (modern Colombia), the principle slave market of the New World, where a thousand slaves were landed every month. After his ordination in 1616, he dedicated himself by special vow to the service of the Negro slaves-a work that was to last for thirty-three years. He labored unceasingly for the salvation of the African slaves and the abolition of the Negro slave trade, and the love he lavished on them was something that transcended the natural order.
Boarding the slave ships as they entered the harbor, he would hurry to the revolting inferno of the hold, and offer whatever poor refreshments he could afford; he would care for the sick and dying, and instruct the slaves through Negro catechists before administering the Sacraments. Through his efforts three hundred thousand souls entered the Church. Furthermore, he did not lose sight of his converts when they left the ships, but followed them to the plantations to which they were sent, encouraged them to live as Christians, and prevailed on their masters to treat them humanely. He died in 1654.

Hadithi ya Yesu Kristo - Kiswahili, Tanzania lugha / The Story of Jesus ...

Daily Reading for Tuesday, September 8th, 2015

---

Reading 1, Micah 5:1-4

¹ But you (Bethlehem) Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, from you will come for me a future ruler of Israel whose origins go back to the distant past, to the days of old.
² Hence Yahweh will abandon them only until she who is in labour gives birth, and then those who survive of his race will be reunited to the Israelites.
³ He will take his stand and he will shepherd them with the power of Yahweh, with the majesty of the name of his God, and they will be secure, for his greatness will extend henceforth to the most distant parts of the country.
⁴ He himself will be peace! Should the Assyrian invade our country, should he set foot in our land, we shall raise seven shepherds against him, eight leaders of men;

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 13:6, 6

---

Gospel, Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

¹ Roll of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:
² Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers,
³ Judah fathered Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram,
⁴ Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon,
⁵ Salmon fathered Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse;
⁶ and Jesse fathered King David. David fathered Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,
⁷ Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asa,
⁸ Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, Joram fathered Uzziah,
⁹ Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, Ahaz fathered Hezekiah,
¹⁰ Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Josiah;
¹¹ and Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers. Then the deportation to Babylon took place.
¹² After the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah fathered Shealtiel, Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel,
¹³ Zerubbabel fathered Abiud, Abiud fathered Eliakim, Eliakim fathered Azor,
¹⁴ Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, Achim fathered Eliud,
¹⁵ Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, Matthan fathered Jacob;
¹⁶ and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.
¹⁸ This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally.
²⁰ He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.
²¹ She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.'
²² Now all this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:
²³ Look! the virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means 'God-is-with-us'.

St. Adrian

Short Cuts

Facts

Feastday: September 8
Patron of plague, epilepsy, arms dealers, butchers, guards, soldiers
Death: 306

---

According to legend Adrian was a pagan officer at the imperial court of Nicomedia. Impressed by the courage of a group of Christians who were being tortured, he declared himself a Christian and was imprisoned with them and suffered excruciating tortures before he was put to death. His young wife, Natalia, who was present at his death, comforted him in his agony, recovered one of his severed hands, and took it to Argyropolis near Constantinople, where she fled to escape the importunities of an imperial official of Nicomedia who wanted to marry her. She died there peacefully on December 1. Adrian is the patron of soldiers and butchers.

Perfect Youth Group-Mbuga zetu Ngoma.AVI

Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, September 8, 2015

A Prayer for Grandparents.

 

 

Jesus our Savior As your grandson. I know that every period Of our lives Has its responsibilities As well as its joys.
Today, it seems That grandparents Have either too little Use or too much; Either we are shunted aside To do nothing, Or we are called upon To do everything.
Help me to know Just where my duties lie In my particular situation And to carry them out as best I can.
Take care of my family, My children, and their children. Inspire them all To follow your Grandson And lead truly Christian lives.
Keep all of us In your loving care, Never let us turn away from Jesus, And help us in the end To receive the joy Of entering into your Grandsons� Glorious presence forever.
Good St. Ann pray for us grandparents.
Amen.

Dear St. Ann, You were truly twice blessed To have our blessed Mother As your daughter And