Papal Medallions Pt.2

Here are some more Papal Medallions that one of my boys received as a Christmas gift. You can find the others in the May.7, 2011 posting.



 Once again...has anyone seen these before?

                       

Catholic Mexico

BTS from our last trip to Mexico ( with a disposable camera )

                               

 Perpetual adoration chapel

 Saint Pius X...with missing thumb

Viva Cristo Rey!

Street Art in Rome

This guy is pretty good.

Blessed Pope Urban II

A thousand years later...what would Blessed Pope Urban II do today?

Council of Clermont 1095

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.html

Pope Urban II gave a Speech at the Council of Clermont in 1095 to garner support for a crusade to rid the Holy Land of the Turks who had overtaken most of Asia Minor. The following is an overview of different accounts of the Pope’s speech. Throughout all the accounts the same theme is repeated although using different methods of attraction. In some cases men are asked to mark themselves on the forehead or on their clothing with the sign of Christ’s passion, the cross.

Fulcher of Chartres states that Crusaders should fight so that more Christians are not killed and more Christian land is not occupied. The crusaders should fight because Christ commands it, not just the Pope. In this speech the Pope also appeals to remission of sins for those who will go out and fight for this cause.

Robert the Monk’s version of the speech of Clermont 1095 appeals to scripture verses. It is a very passionate speech that entices those who are listening that God is speaking to them through the Biblical scriptures. This version of the speech is very graphic and aims to tug on the hearts of every Christian who is listening. The descriptive tortuous acts are crying out for vengeance. Robert the Monk wants to compare fighting for the Holy Land to emulate that of nobility such as King Charles the Great.

The Gesta version is from an un-named source that focuses on the words of Christ. That if one is to be in eternal glory with Him one must suffer greatly. This version also mentions that the Pope traveled and spoke his speech everywhere he went to garner support.

Balderic of Dol version is an intense, spirited account that begins by painting the invaders as animals that should be flogged. Balderic writes that a true Christian soldier is one who kills for Christ and one who is prepared to die for Christ. The things of this world are not important (not even your wives). Balderic adrenalized the listeners by comparing this new crusading army just as important as the battles of Israel in the Old Testament.

Guibert de Nogent wrote an account that reminds the Christian faithful that they have been given a new life in Christ, and all that they have is owed to Christ, without Christians there is nothing. There is also an appeal on grounds of simple humanity and morals, even if one were not a Christian one should find the atrocities going on to be unacceptable. The Pope also gives his apostolic blessing to those who would take up this fight and blesses their family members under the protection of the Papacy as well.

Pax Christi

Holy Father Steps Down

Fratres carissimi
Non solum propter tres canonizationes ad hoc Consistorium vos convocavi, sed etiam ut vobis decisionem magni momenti pro Ecclesiae vita communicem. Conscientia mea iterum atque iterum coram Deo explorata ad cognitionem certam perveni vires meas ingravescente aetate non iam aptas esse ad munus Petrinum aeque administrandum.
Bene conscius sum hoc munus secundum suam essentiam spiritualem non solum agendo et loquendo exsequi debere, sed non minus patiendo et orando. Attamen in mundo nostri temporis rapidis mutationibus subiecto et quaestionibus magni ponderis pro vita fidei perturbato ad navem Sancti Petri gubernandam et ad annuntiandum Evangelium etiam vigor quidam corporis et animae necessarius est, qui ultimis mensibus in me modo tali minuitur, ut incapacitatem meam ad ministerium mihi commissum bene administrandum agnoscere debeam. Quapropter bene conscius ponderis huius actus plena libertate declaro me ministerio Episcopi Romae, Successoris Sancti Petri, mihi per manus Cardinalium die 19 aprilis MMV commisso renuntiare ita ut a die 28 februarii MMXIII, hora 20, sedes Romae, sedes Sancti Petri vacet et Conclave ad eligendum novum Summum Pontificem ab his quibus competit convocandum esse.
Fratres carissimi, ex toto corde gratias ago vobis pro omni amore et labore, quo mecum pondus ministerii mei portastis et veniam peto pro omnibus defectibus meis. Nunc autem Sanctam Dei Ecclesiam curae Summi eius Pastoris, Domini nostri Iesu Christi confidimus sanctamque eius Matrem Mariam imploramus, ut patribus Cardinalibus in eligendo novo Summo Pontifice materna sua bonitate assistat. Quod ad me attinet etiam in futuro vita orationi dedicata Sanctae Ecclesiae Dei toto ex corde servire velim.
Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die 10 mensis februarii MMXIII

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Roman Holiday

Here are a few photos from my last trip to Rome.