Nuncius Nicola Girasoli’ve always seen something special in Robert Prevost. He is a shepherd who has extraordinary qualities

Posted on 16. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

 

I've always seen something special in Robert Prevost. He is a shepherd who has extraordinary qualities
Photo: Attitude/Andrej Lojan

‘We must be careful not to turn our churches into museums,’ says Apostolic Nuncio Nicola Girasoli. We also discussed his strong presence among believers, the challenges facing the Slovak church, and the length of sermons.

 
During his three years in Slovakia, he visited dozens of cities and towns from east to west. He invited the people he met to visit him. ‘The more you know, the more you love,’ reasons the apostolic nuncio Nicola Girasoli, explaining his travels across the country.
When he started his diplomatic mission in Slovakia in 2022, he was surprised by the faith and religiosity of the Slovak people. ‘I often mention this to my superiors in Rome and invite them to visit you. This is how Cardinal Parolin came to Slovakia. Cardinal Parolin was also supposed to come; everything was ready,” he says with his typical enthusiasm..

However, he also points out that you cannot rest on your laurels and assume that everything is fine. ‘I am grateful to generations of Slovak Catholics for keeping the faith. But the challenge is to open up a bit. Faith is also transmitted through openness,” emphasises the sixty-eight-year-old archbishop. ‘We have to keep moving, not stop. This is especially true when it comes to working with younger generations.”

You gave us an interview to celebrate the seventieth birthday of Pope Leo XIV. There is another notable event for our editorial office to celebrate this year: the fortieth anniversary of my diplomatic service to the Holy See. I went to Jakarta on 1 May 1985, and I have been abroad almost constantly since then. I only worked in Rome for three years.

I know your diary is highly regarded in Slovakia, so I am glad to be able to make a small contribution with my testimony. I feel like a pilgrim in Slovakia. Of course, my role is primarily one of service, and I try to walk alongside people.

We would also like to talk about one of the last countries where you worked: Peru. Due to the current Holy Father, you have not been able to visit this country for five years. How do you remember Bishop Robert Francis Prevost?
I worked in Peru from 2017 to 2022, during which time the current Pope was bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo and vice president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference.

Of course, during the years that we knew each other, we met many times. We both left Peru in August 2022, and I called him to Rome a few months later. I see it as an intense experience, and I was able to talk to Bishop Prevost about many topics at the time.

Did it ever occur to you that he might one day become Pope?
Certainly, when Pope Francis called him to Rome to head the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most important offices of the Roman Curia, it became clear what a strong character he was. For example, he is from North America, but he spent many years as a missionary in Latin America and also served as the superior general of a large religious congregation.

All of this demonstrated his strong qualities, which could one day influence the conclave. 

I am referring, of course, to the idea of him becoming Pope, rather than my belief that he definitely will. However, I admit that I have always seen something special in Monsignor Robert. He is the kind of leader who possesses extraordinary qualities in the best sense of the word.

Do you remember how you felt after his election?

I was very happy. I was also happy because, like with the election of Pope Francis, I know him personally. I lived in Argentina for five years when he was a cardinal and archbishop in Buenos Aires. At that time, I was not yet an apostolic nuncio; I worked at the nunciature as a counselor.

What has changed for you as apostolic nuncio since the election of Pope Leo XIV?
We continue with joy, in continuity. In this sense, we can speak of a new enthusiasm to do our task even better.

Photo: Attitude/Andrej Lojan

We know what shaped Pope Francis in his native Argentina. For the current Pope, this is a Peruvian experience. From the perspective of an ordinary Slovak, it is probably the same, as it is in South America; however, are there significant differences between Catholicism in Peru and Argentina?

These are different experiences, because Robert Prevost is, after all, a missionary. He arrived in Peru with missionary zeal relatively young with other Augustinians from North America. Robert Prevost’s fundamental life dimension is missionary.

You speak in the present tense.

Yes, because he is a missionary, and he will continue to be one as Pope. Pope – missionary.

In the case of Cardinal Bergoglio, who later became Pope Francis, it was different. Born and raised in Argentina, he naturally had a vision of the Church in harmony with his people.

What about the differences between Peru and Argentina?
Religiosity in Latin America shares specific characteristics, such as popular piety, sensitivity to faith, and strong Marian reverence. However, there are also differences, though I didn’t see any fundamental ones.

You have been working in Slovakia for three years. How would you describe this period? What surprised you?

As you know me a little already, I won’t reveal anything new: I have always placed a strong emphasis on pastoral care. The beginning was difficult, especially with regard to the language. It was hard for me to preach and read, but I still started travelling and visiting people.
It became easier later on because I learned to read in Slovak. I think I’m doing pretty well. (Smile.)
So, what brought you here?

Above all, I was surprised by the religiosity and faith of the Slovak nation. It was a beautiful and joyful fact for me that I had not heard of before. By the way, I came to Europe in 2022 after twenty-four years spent outside our continent.

I was affected by the strong faith and religiosity of the people, as evidenced by great pilgrimages, for example. I go everywhere – I was recently in Liptovský Mikuláš, and before that in Levoča and Šaštín. I also attended the Godzone and Lumen festivals, and I see that they are all focused on religion – they are not cultural events.
When we hold such large-scale festivities in Italy, they are always cultural events. Prayer and faith are present here. I often mention this to my superiors in Rome and invite them to visit you. This is how Cardinal Parolin came to Slovakia. Cardinal Prevost was also supposed to come; everything was ready… (Smile.)

I am encouraged by the number of young people and families present. When I realized this, I started working with your bishops to strengthen your faith. In other words, we need to be more enthusiastic.

People respond well to this type of preaching and approach. So I will continue to do so. I visited 85 cities in Slovakia, from west to east. Initially, I visited parishes incognito, as they didn’t know me yet. During the summer, I attended a different parish every Sunday.

You also visit tiny parishes and villages.
I want to be close to people because I feel that the Slovak nation longs for this and responds positively to it. I continued this approach, and through interacting with people, I identified some features that are typical of the Slovak church.

What’s going on?

Compared to the other European countries where I lived, I managed to pass on the faith to young people in Slovakia. In Italy or Spain, however, my generation did not succeed. In Slovakia, however, you have families who have passed on the faith.

The risk is that the next generation will do the same, so it is crucial to reach out to young and middle-aged families to ensure the transmission of faith. That is why I rely heavily on pilgrimages, especially those for young people and families, which are essential.

Is that enough?
Another important point to note is the emphasis on communities. Many countries are experiencing a crisis of institutions and institutionalism. Not only in Slovakia, but in many other countries too, such as Italy, people perceive institutions as very distant. They no longer engage with them. This is why we must be careful not to turn our churches into museums.

Institutions no longer seem cosy, if you see what I mean. We need to engage with communities and continue to do so. These are ideas that were very close to Pope Francis, and we can see them in the early days of Leo XIV’s pontificate too.

I personally visited several communities in Slovakia, both large and small. They invited me to come and pray and encourage them, so I accepted.

Photo: Attitude/Andrej Lojan

What has been your experience of working with the Godzone project and this generation of young Catholics?
I’ll tell you how it all started. I arrived in Slovakia in August 2022, and by the end of October, I had celebrated a Mass at St Elizabeth’s in Košice, at the invitation of Archbishop Bober. The next day, someone called the nunciature. They told my secretary, Father Andrej, “We heard the nuncio in Košice. Tell him that he must go to Godzone. Let him go; there will be ten thousand young people.”

That phone call took place in the afternoon, and that evening, Godzone was in Bratislava’s Incheba. At first, I had no idea what it was exactly. I asked Bishop Jozef Haľek’s father to accompany me.

Had you encountered something like this before?

I experienced something similar in Central America, where mass pre-evangelisation meetings are often used for proclamation. I have confidence in these meetings because they aim to inspire people. There is quality music and good speakers and preachers. I find them beneficial, and of course, over time, I got to know the Godzone project even better.

The Church in Slovakia officially declared that only around forty percent of parishes took part in the national phase of the synodal process. Do you think synodality could nevertheless become an integral part of how the Church functions in our country?
You asked a good question because you used the essential term ‘synodal process’ in it. All processes take time. Pope Francis often says that he only provided the initial impetus. In a critical address to the Italian Bishops’ Conference, the current Holy Father, Leo XIV, said that synodality must become a mentality. I often repeat this nice statement in my homilies. If we want something to become a mentality, it takes time.

What does synodality mean to you?
As I often say, we have to stick together. In the day-to-day life of dioceses and parishes, this may not always be easy, but I sense that the synodal process is gradually becoming more widespread.

Let’s not forget that it progresses only gradually everywhere in the world. The Synod on Synodality was exceptional in that we had the pre-synodal phase, then the Synod itself, and now the post-synodal phase is underway.

It is also common for the document, the apostolic exhortation, to be published after a standard synod, at which point the synod ends. In this case, however, it is different because synodal walking requires a change in people’s mentality, and that takes time.

However, we must remain faithful to the identity of our faith and tradition. So, when we talk about synodality, this does not mean abandoning your identity.

In the parishes I visit, I can see where they embrace synodality and foster a sense of community and participation. Conversely, I can also see where the focus is solely on the institutional dimension. But I’m optimistic.
What should the concrete result of the synodal process be? Let’s try to name one or two things.
One thing that is already happening in many places is the greater participation of lay people in the life of the Church. Greater involvement

In my sermons, I emphasise that we should not only be present at Holy Mass, but also participate in it. During my visits to parishes, I often remind believers that they must participate. As Pope Francis said, we cannot just stand in the choir.

But what exactly should that expression be?
Let’s talk about the critical role of parish councils and pastoral councils. In some countries, this topic is a necessity due to the low number of priests. Thankfully, there are still priests in Slovakia, so the issue of parish councils does not seem to be at the forefront. However, as I said, believers should be included in church life; they should not just be seen as numbers.

I think that even here in Slovakia you can already see lay people in positions and tasks that were previously held exclusively by priests. But it’s also a process.

There is still a missionary dimension. However, a mission is possible only based on credibility. The more credible we are, the sooner we can consistently testify in front of people.

I also want to emphasize that we do not underestimate great pilgrimages and evangelization events, we have enough vocations from there. That’s why we need to continue and evaluate it. It assumes that we, as priests and bishops, will encourage people to feel integrated into the active life of the church. We talk a lot with the bishops about how to do it.

How?

This is where the synodal process comes into play. We can’t afford to say it’s good as it is and that we’re happy with it.

We have to keep moving forward. This is especially true when working with younger generations. It’s great that there are religious orders dedicated to working with them, for example. We recognise that young people often feel abandoned, and the Church can support them and connect with them.

I am writing a book on these topics, which will be published at Christmas. This is also to mark my forty years of service in the Holy See’s diplomatic service.

Photo: Attitude/Andrej Lojan

Pope Francis delivered a powerful message in Slovakia, calling for creativity and an end to rigidity. Do you think any of this is being implemented?
Before my arrival, I read and reflected on his speeches in Slovakia. From them, you could sense the Pope’s deep affection for your country. He said that he is poetry and a bridge, which are very nice and honest words. I repeat: honest.

Then there’s the topic you mentioned in your question, which doesn’t only concern Slovakia. Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has emphasized openness. He believed that we had to open up a bit because, if we didn’t, we might feel stronger, but we would actually be weaker.

I think that the Slovak bishops accepted it, the church as such accepted it, although, I repeat, some things take time.

At the start, I mentioned why I travel so much to see people.

We didn’t finish discussing that at all. So why?
It’s because a person loves more when they know more. You can’t say you know and love a person if you haven’t seen them. Through the visits I make, I get to know more and therefore love your country more. I have noticed that many people really want to open up. Even small-scale pilgrimages are a way to openness. After all, the pilgrimage is all about leaving one place and going to another.

I am grateful to generations of Slovak Catholics for keeping their faith. However, the challenge lies in opening up a little more. Faith is also transmitted through openness.

One of the specific topics that Pope Francis discussed in Slovakia was homilies. He urged priests to keep them to a maximum of seven minutes. What are your thoughts on this?
Pope Francis has also mentioned this on several occasions outside of Slovakia. He was a great shepherd with experience of working in parishes and managing the diocese of Buenos Aires, which has a population of four or five million. He was very practical and had a strong sense of pastoral care.

Personally, I believe that the content is as important as the length. My homilies usually last between thirteen and fifteen minutes. Of course, it also depends on whether I have an interpreter or read in Slovak, as I did last time in Levoča.

However, I also try to avoid homilies that are too long and aim to convey two or three key points that believers can remember and take away.

The day after the pilgrimage to Levoča, we stopped to refuel. Two men approached me and said, ‘Here we are! Here we are!’ They were referring to the words I had repeated in the sermon. (Laughter.)

Photo: Attitude/Andrej Lojan

Returning to the fact that you are very sociable, some people suggest that this may be intentional, as it gives you a good overview of the church, which will be helpful when choosing new bishops.
As I mentioned, I visit parishes and communities voluntarily and gladly, to get to know people better and love them more. I also get to know priests better, of course. I would never have met some wonderful priests if I had stayed shut away in the nunciature.

You know what else I’m doing? Every time I visit a parish, I invite its members to visit us at the nunciature. Although only about fifty people can fit here, the pastoral council of the parish and some others will come, and we will talk. Two parishes are due to arrive this month, and two more in October.

This is also an opportunity for people to familiarise themselves with the nunciature, as many have no idea what it is. For example, we have the chair that Pope John Paul II used during his last visit to Slovakia in 2003.

So, you have intensive contact with ordinary priests?
I get to know priests better over lunch and dinner. It makes a difference; it’s as if I had a meeting with two hundred priests at once. I did the same in my previous roles – I still leave the door open.

The selection of bishops is a more complex question. However, yes, the better you know people, the more you see.

The topic of selecting bishops was also included in the final document of the Synod on Synodality. The idea of lay people playing a greater role in the selection process is also mentioned. But what might this look like in practice?
We follow the instructions given to us by the Holy See, and lay people are already involved in the selection process as much as possible. We are currently studying the conclusions of the synod, and we are awaiting the final provisions of the post-synodal documents.

 

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Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Saint Cyprian

Posted on 15. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

16 September, commemoration

Position: Pope and Bishop, Martyrs

Patron: Cornelius: peasants; invoked for convulsions, nervous diseases, and villains; Cyprian: invoked against the plague

Attributes: Cornelia: tiara, horn; Cyprian: book, sword, palm tree

BIOGRAPHY

Cornelius was elected Pope only when the imperial ban on the election of a Roman bishop began to weaken. The opponents then elected antipopes, and the issue of accepting apostates back into the Church became an extraordinary problem. Emperor Gallus renewed the decree to sacrifice to idols, and Pope Cornelius testified his faithfulness to Christ by martyrdom.

Originating from Carthage in the northern part of Africa, Cyprian had a speaking education and knowledge of law. He became a Christian only after being more than 30 years old. He began to study the Scriptures of St. and follow them faithfully. He became a priest and bishop of Carthage. Here, he addressed the issue of accepting apostates, which he wrote about to Bishop Cornelius, and subsequently experienced double persecution. He lost his life the second time.

BIOGRAPHY FOR MEDITATION

“THERE IS NO SALVATION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH”

This is the famous statement of Cyprian of Carthage, who was born around 205 in modern-day Tunisia. He was raised in a pagan family belonging to the local aristocracy and, thanks to his talent, quickly mastered public speaking and law. As a pagan advocate, he led, in his own words, ‘a long ungodly and vile life’. Then he became friends with Cecil, who was a priest (perhaps they had known each other since their youth). Their conversations led Cyprian to convert to the faith, which he embraced with great sincerity. He studied the Scriptures and gave his fortune to the poor. He was baptised and began his journey towards the priesthood. Soon after his ordination, he also received episcopal ordination and was put in charge of a part of Africa.

An edict was soon issued by Emperor Decius ordering all inhabitants of the Roman Empire to sacrifice to pagan gods, with severe punishments for those who would not obey, which concerned Christians.

Those, especially their representatives, were primarily targeted by the persecution. Cyprian then thought it prudent to direct his church out of seclusion by letters. At that time, he was also writing his most important work, “On the Unity of the Church.”

It was only after the emperor had been occupied with warfare against the Goths that he could fully resume his position. Among the first issues he had to deal with were the apostates, or ‘lapsi’. He proceeded gently, recognising the large number of apostates in Carthage itself. After the initial order to sacrifice to idols, many obtained certificates in various ways so that they could sacrifice to the gods and ensure peace. Some bought them without sacrificing. All the weak and those who had been severely embezzled suddenly wanted to return to the Church. However, the original practice was that the Church punished apostasy with lifelong repentance..

Some of Cyprian’s followers who had passed through prison became filled with pride and haughtiness. They even began ordering the bishops around. Led by five priests, Cyprian’s enemies demanded that he accept everyone back without distinction, regardless of the severity of their guilt. According to them, a note bearing the words ‘Let him be accepted into the church!’ was sufficient for someone to be readmitted after intercession by a martyr. The imperative method raised doubts, however, and Cyprian disagreed with such a practice. He wanted to wait for the Church’s decision.

The Church of Rome was without a bishop for about 14 months after the death of Pope Fabian, because the secular government strictly prohibited the election of a pope. While Cyprian was in seclusion in Africa, a priestly congregation led by Novatian took over the leadership of the church in Rome. He impressed his friends with his education and eloquence, but some Christians saw his unreliability and other flaws.

With the cruel persecution subsiding, the election of the Pope was being prepared, and from Carthage, Cyprian’s enemies, led by the priest Novation, set out for Rome to influence the election of the Bishop of Rome, held in mid-March. They failed; the priest Cornelius, who was the son of the Roman Castings, was elected. The defeated party rebelled and eventually elected Novatian as antipope as its bishop.

Before addressing the issue of the return of the renegades, Cornelius reached a resolution at the episcopal assembly of Carthage, which Cyprian governed. This stated that all apostates who repent sincerely may be admitted to the sacrament of repentance and reconciled with the Church, at least at the hour of death. The severity of the punishment was to be proportionate to the offense committed. Cornelius agreed with these views and convened a council of Italian bishops for final approval; 60 bishops appeared. The decision was upheld.

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Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, Joh 19,25-27

Posted on 14. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

The greatest message of the Bible is a message to man about God who forgives, about God who loves even man who sins, about God who knows about human weakness. God wants man to acknowledge and confess his sin and to repent of it. At the heart of today’s readings is the belief that Christ came to save sinners.

Dear brothers and sisters, yesterday was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and today is the Feast of the Virgin Mary of Sorrows. “Stabat Mater Dolorosa” – We meditate on the Sorrowful Mother, on her suffering. It was under the cross that the Mother of God became the Mother of the new generation of humanity, redeemed by the most precious blood of Her Son, Jesus Christ. Yes, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Virgin Mary is the most blessed, most extraordinary person to come out of the hands of the Creator. After all, she was chosen to become the Mother of His only-begotten Son. Let’s imagine how happy she must have been to raise the Savior of the world, even though it must have been a very challenging task. Throughout her life, Mary reflected on God’s actions, kept these thoughts, and took pleasure in seeing God’s plan realized through her. Maria recognized the deepest human pains anyway. Only a few days after Her Son was born, the prophet Simeon said, “I Sword “will penetrate Your own soul.

These words could certainly have discouraged Mary from accepting the task that God had set before her, or at least drained all enthusiasm for her calling from her. But it didn’t happen. On the contrary, Mary accepted them, thought about them, and continued to live by faith in God. Maria certainly suffered, but she was a woman of joy and hope. Her intimate relationship with God was a source of comfort and trust that was able to overcome every tragedy. We title Mary as Seven Sorrowful not because of what happened to her, but because of how she was able to unite her heart with God’s heart. She saw her Son enduring the hatred of some Israeli religious leaders. She saw his disciples leave Him when He needed them most. Furthermore, she saw Him imprisoned, trampled, and killed.

In all this, Mary perceived how deep the love for the rebellious people echoed in the Father’s heart. Her pains were those of Him who knows the pain in the world and longs to see all people return to Jesus to heal and save them. All readings of today’s Sunday testify to this fact. Saint Paul says, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I am one of them, to begin with. But that is precisely why I came to mercy, so that Jesus Christ would show all his benevolence to me as the first; I was to be an example to those who believe in Him in the future, and so they reach eternal life “. Yes, God can transform a person’s heart. This truth strengthens our trust in God’s mercy.

No sinful hunter who has known his misery and truly desires conversion can always count on God’s compassion and forgiveness. Today’s parables, “o lost sheep “and “Lost Coin “are among the most beautiful places of the Gospel. A sinner is like a lost sheep and a coin. When a person finds a lost thing, he is happy. Such is the joy of God when the sinner returns to Him. That is why God also seeks the sinner, as a shepherd seeks a lost sheep and a woman seeks lost money. That is why Jesus associates with “lost “people to help them convert and thus save them. Dear brothers and setters, When Mary stood under the cross, her heart was truly pierced, not only by the suffering of Jesus, but also by the suffering of the whole world. Even now, when she prays with her Son in heaven, she is the Mother of all who suffer in any way. Even today, she is constantly crying over the horrors of the contemporary world. As Mary, let us raise our hearts and pray for all those who feel lost and hurt. 

Painful Mother of God is a loving and infinitely loved woman. That is why the Christian finds solace in her for his pains. When we suffer, then we have two options: either accept the cross with Mother Sorrowful and suffer with Christ, or curse our destiny. We are believers, that is why today we experience with Mary Her lot, Her pain, and when my lot, pain, and cross come, I want to accept it, because there is suffering in the cross, salvation is also eternal in the cross.

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Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; and I am the first of them. 1 Tim 1:15

Posted on 12. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

Students at one school discussed the emotional isolation experienced by some of their classmates during a meeting. They saw how unhappy and sometimes desperate they were. To help them, they agreed to sell small mirrors. On the other side, they printed words from the Gospel of St. John: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son…’ (John 3:16). They added a question to these words: ‘If you want to know who it was that God loved so much, look on the other side.’ Looking in the mirror, each person saw themselves and realized that they are not alone, that they are not abandoned, and that God cares about everyone, because he gave his Son for their salvation.

God so loved the world… These words, which the Lord spoke to Nicodemus on that memorable night, convey the immense love of God for humanity and the condemnation of those who reject God’s love and forfeit their salvation. ‘He came down from heaven for us and our salvation…’ (I believe). For all, for each one of us… However, we know that this immense love of God has set its own limits, namely, human freedom. Only then will we come to salvation if we want to be saved. We will find eternal life, eternal light, and truth only if we accept God’s gifts of light, truth, and grace through our own fault.

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The famous name of the Virgin Mary.Lk 1,39-47

Posted on 11. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

The month of September, apart from May and October, can also be considered the Marian month, because in it we celebrate three mysteries that concern the Mother of God. Today, we remember her name, which has the original Hebrew shape of Miriam. We cannot explain its exact meaning with certainty. According to some experts, it comes from the Hebrew word márar, or márah, which expresses bitterness and pain. Every mother knows that anger and pain are also associated with the joy of motherhood. How much more this must have been true of the one who became the mother of the Crucified One.

Guy Gilbert, a Parisian priest, recalls his childhood and relates that he loved his father but feared him. When his mother told him about his troubles after returning from work, immediate punishment followed, so he always tried to agree with his mother and interceded heartrendingly for himself. How many such requests did the mother hear before the father returned home? There were a total of fifteen children at home. A promise to her mother that she would get better was often enough, and she did not complain to her father. “I adore Mom very much, she is eighty, and I always see a fantastic look in their loving eyes, adds Guy Gilbert.

Well, we can understand the Virgin Mary by the way our mothers look at us. They certainly have difficult children who were abandoned by their mothers immediately after giving birth, or who were oppressed by their mothers. They were terribly guilty of it. When a man has a loving mother, he has received a great gift from heaven.

Saint Bernard, the great Marian worshiper of the Middle Ages, encourages us:

“Jif in this earthly life you are more tossed about in the midst of gales and storms, do not turn your eyes away from the light of this star. When a whirlwind of temptation blows you away, when you get between the pitfalls of tribulation, look at the star and call Mary. When waves of pride, ambition, gossip, jealousy toss you around, look at the star and call Mary. “

When anger or avarice, or the desire of the body, shakes the boat of your soul, look at Mary. When you are afraid of a strict judgment and you already want to be consumed by grief and overcome despair, think of Mary. In danger, anxieties and doubts, think of Mary, invoke Mary.

Let her name not be lost from your mouth, let it not disappear from your heart. And to gain the support of her intercession, do not forget the example of her life. Please her, and you will never be without hope. Think of her and you’ll never be wrong. You don’t know fear under her protection. And so you will experience on yourself, as the evangelist rightly says: “And the name of the Virgin was Maria. “

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Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Joh 3, 13-17

Posted on 10. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

Christ on the cross took away the poison of the evil serpent and freed Christians from the vitriol …The cross is the gallows leading to death, and yet on this festive day, we celebrate the elevation of Christ’s cross. For on that wood Jesus took upon himself our sin and the evil of the world and defeated them with his love. That’s why we celebrate today. The word of God we have heard tells us about it and contrasts the poisonous snakes whose bite causes death and, on the other hand, the snake that saves. Let’s stop at these two paintings. Above all, there are snakes, attacking people who have fallen into the sin of grumbling for the umpteenth time with their bite. To grumble against God is not only to speak evil of him and to complain about him; it means that trust in him and in his promises has failed in the hearts of the Israelites. For God’s people, who walk through the desert towards the promised land, are overcome by fatigue and cannot endure the journey (see Num 21:4). People therefore lose their minds, lose hope, and at some point seem to forget the Lord’s promise: these people no longer have the strength to believe, that He is the one who leads their way to the rich and fertile land. It is not by chance that people whose trust in God has been exhausted are subject to snakebite. Deadly snakes resemble the first snake mentioned in the Bible in the book of Genesis, a tempter who poisoned the human heart to make him doubt God. In fact, it is in the form of a snake that the devil mistrusts Adam and Eve by convincing them that God is not good, but rather envies their freedom and happiness. And now, in the desert, snakes return, “poisonous snakes “(v. 6); that is, original sin returns. The Israelites doubt God, distrust him, grumble, and rebel against the one who gave them life, and so they go to their deaths, when the distrust of the heart leads here! Dear brothers and sisters, this first part of that story encourages us to take a closer look at the moments in our personal history and the history of the community when trust in the Lord and among us has failed. How many times have we hardened ourselves, disappointedly and grumpily, in our deserts, losing sight of the destination of the journey! Even in this great country, there is a desert that, although it offers a beautiful landscape to look at, at the same time speaks to us about the effort and aridity that we sometimes carry in our hearts. These are moments of weariness and trial, when we no longer have the strength to look up to God; they are situations of personal, ecclesiastical, and social life, when we are bitten by a snake of mistrust, which will inject into us the poisons of disillusionment and despondency, pessimism and resignation, lock us into our ego, and extinguish enthusiasm.

However, there have been other painful bites in the history of this country: I mean the poisonous snakes of violence and atheistic persecution, that often troubled path on which people’s freedom was threatened and their dignity wounded. It is good for us to keep memories of what we have endured: we must not cut sure dark sides out of memory, otherwise we might think that they have already passed away like water and that the path of goodness is forever marked out. No, peace is never won once and for all; it must be fought for every day, as well as achieved through the coexistence of different ethnic groups and religious traditions, integral development, and social justice. If Kazakhstan is to grow even more “in brotherhood, dialogue and understanding […], build bridges of solidarity and cooperation with other people, nations and cultures “(sv. John Paul II, speech at the welcoming ceremony, September 22, 2001), everyone needs to be involved. Before that, it is necessary to renew the act of faith towards the Lord: to look to Him, to look at Him, to learn from His universal and crucified love.

So we come to the second image of the snake that saves. While the people were dying from the snake bite, God heard Moses’ intercessory prayer and said to him: “Make a snake and raise it on a stake; everyone bitten when he looks at it, stays alive “(Nm 21.8). And indeed, “when the snake bit someone and they looked at the copper snake, they remained alive “(v. 9). However, we can ask ourselves: why did God not simply destroy the poisonous snakes instead of these laborious instructions to Moses? This way of acting reveals to us his actions in the face of evil, sin, and people’s distrust. Then, as today, in the great spiritual struggle that will inhabit history until the end, God does not destroy the meanness that man freely commits: poisonous snakes do not disappear, they are still there, lurking, they can bite at any time. So, what has changed? What does God do?

Jesus explains this in the Gospel: “As Moses exalted the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be exalted so that everyone who believes may have eternal life through him “(John 3,14 15). Here comes the turning point: the serpent that saves has come among us; it is Jesus who, after his exaltation on the cross, will not allow attacking poisonous snakes to bring us death. Compared to our mundaneness, God gives us a new height: if we fix our gaze on Jesus, gnawing evil can no longer control us, because He on the cross took upon Himself the poison of sin and death and defeated His destructive power. This is precisely what the Father did in the face of the spreading evil in the world; he gave us Jesus, who approached us in a way we could never have imagined: “S the one who was without sin, he acted for us as the greatest sinner, so that through him, we might be righteous with God “(2 Cor 5,21). Therein lies the infinite greatness of God’s mercy: Jesus, who “became a son” for us, Jesus, who on the cross so to speak “stayed the hand of death “, so that at the sight of him we can resist the poisonous bites of the evil snakes that attack us.

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Why should we love our enemies?

Posted on 10. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

  •  God gives us an example in this. „[God] is also kind to the ungrateful and bad.“ (Luke 6:35) „ Let the sun rise on the bed and on the good and give rain on the righteous and the unjust.“ (Matthew 5:45)

  •  Love can prompt the enemy to change. The Bible advises us to treat our enemies with kindness. V Proverbs 25:22 it is written that when we do this, we sum embers on their heads. This metaphor refers to the process of smelting ore to obtain precious metals. Similarly, if we are kind to someone who hates us, it can figuratively melt their anger, so that the good that is in them comes to the surface.

 For example, how can we show love to our enemies?

  •  „Do good to those who hate you.“ (Luke 6:27) In the Bible, for example, it is written: „ When your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat, when he is thirsty, give him something to drink.“ (Romans 12:20) There are other ways we can show love to our enemies. A principle known as the Golden Rule: „As you want people to do to you, do to them.“ (Luke 6:31)

  •  „Yank those who curse you.“ (Luke 6:28) We bless our enemies by speaking to them kindly and considerately, even when they insult us. The Bible says: „ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but, on the contrary, bless.“ (1. Peter 3:9, footnote) This advice can help us get out of the cycle of hate.

  •  „Pray for those who insult you.“ (Luke 6:28) If someone insults you, „ don’t repay bad“. (Romans 12:17) On the contrary, ask God to forgive him. (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:59, 60) God has perfect standards of justice, so leave it to him and don’t try vengeance. (3. Moses 19:18; Romans 12:19 

The same woman kindly offers a cup of tea to a colleague who is surprised by this.

 „Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy, does not boast, does not exalt itself, does not behave rudely, is not selfish, cannot be provoked, does not count wrongs. He does not enjoy injustice, but enjoys the truth. He endures everything, believes everything, hopes everything, perseveres everything. Love never fails.“ (1. Corinthians 13:4–8)

 Should we fight our enemies?

 No, Jesus did not teach his followers anything like that. For example, when he warned them of the impending attack on Jerusalem, he did not say to stay there and fight, but to flee. (Luke 21:20, 21) And besides that, he said to the apostle Peter: „ Give your sword back to the place. All who take the sword will perish by the sword.“ (Matthew 26:52) The Bible and historians confirm that Jesus’ followers did not fight against their enemies in the first century. a (2 Timothy 2:24)

 Misconceptions about what it means to love your enemies

 Misconception: God’s Law commanded the Israelites to hate their enemies.

 Fact: The law did not contain any such order. On the contrary, he commanded them to love their neighbors. (3. Moses 19:18) The term „ refers to people in general. However, some Jews considered only Jews as their neighbors. And they looked upon the non-Jews as enemies to hate. (Matthew 5:43, 44) Jesus pointed out their wrong opinion when he told the parable of the good Samaritan. (Lukas 10:29–37)

 Misconception: To love one’s enemies is to approve of their wrongdoing.

 Fact: According to the Bible, we can love someone while disagreeing with their wrongdoing. For example, even though Jesus condemned violence, he prayed for those involved in his execution. (Luke 23:34) And even though Jesus hated sin, he gave his life for sinners. (John 3:16; Romans 6:23)

 The Rise of Christianity (Rise of Christianity) by E. Barnes states: „A careful survey of all available sources shows that until the days of Mark Aurelius [rom emperor in 161 – 180 AD], no Christian became a soldier and no soldier, when he became a Christian, he did not remain in military service.“

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The world creates unity.

Posted on 9. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

(…) The question is, who wrote this sheet, or can we even say this excerpt that we read today? The answer to this question is significant for understanding the whole text. Sure, it was written in Colossians, but who were these Colossians? First of all, they were Greeks; this aspect plays a big role there, it is of great importance, and then they were Christians, who had converted from paganism. When a person “turns” or starts doing something new, such as attending a school or joining a club, or learning a foreign language, they are excited about it. However, as a rule, how does it typically go? Most people start to slow down after a while. He discovers that there are some problems, some obstacles, and that it’s not all as he imagined; maybe the teacher is not quite right, or his classmates, or there are problems with the thing itself. The Christians in Colossae also discovered that there are problems in the church as well, that it is not all as 100 percent as they thought, and they, too, began to falter in their enthusiasm.

Paul, because he saw it, because he knew them, wanted to confirm their initial enthusiasm, tried to encourage them again, to bring them to it again, so that they don’t just become some average or below average Christians, but are as zealous as they were at the beginning, and that’s why he writes this text to them. It is a text intended for encouragement. As I said, the Colossians were Greek. Here is one such essential aspect of Greek thought. This aspect was formulated by the philosopher Plato, and it was not precisely a happy division; namely, Plato divided the world into the visible world and the invisible world, and he also assigned labels to each. He said that the visible world is evil; on the contrary, the invisible world is the real thing. In other words, Plato said: „A human soul that is invisible and cannot be touched, this soul is trapped in the human body and looks forward to the moment when it gets rid of that body.“ So Plato introduced a kind of division, but it was incorrect. The apostle Paul writes to the Colossians and says to them: „This division is bad, the world forms unity. Just as God made him visible and invisible ( we say it in prayer, I believe in God every Sunday), so this world forms unity, and you can’t say: therefore, that something is visible and can be touched is bad, and because something is invisible and cannot be touched, it is good. Not like this at all, you can’t divide it like this.“

Plato’s reflection continued that it is necessary to stay away from material things, from visible things, so that man has within himself the true wealth of invisible things. Apostle Paul wants to say to the Colossians: „No. A Christian, one who believed in Jesus Christ, will not withdraw from the visible world, but will have a different attitude towards it. Like all travelers, they look to the cardinal points, they look to the sky, and in the sky they look for a polar bear that shows them the north and derives from it where they will go, so the Christian will look at Christ.“ Or let’s say it a little differently. As a person who goes on a journey somewhere, he looks at the timetable when something is going for him, and accordingly sets out on that journey and prepares himself, thus the Christian will look at Christ and from Christ he will then derive his attitude towards all things, towards all realities – whether to those that are seen or to those, which are not visible.

Every person has one ability that only we humans have, which is to think about ourselves. Paul writes about it to the Colossians: „Cloth a new man who renews himself to the right knowledge.“ Only a person can stop, think about what was (we call it „, do a reflection of one’s own life“), and say: „This was done, thank you,“ or also say: „I messed this up, this failed, and I have to do otherwise.“ It takes a lot of force to admit a mistake in such a self-critical way; it’s not easy at all. It takes a lot of inner strength, a lot of bravery, and then it takes a lot of courage to change it to correct it somehow. But it is the mission of us Christians to look at Christ, to look at Him as an indicator of the way, an indicator of direction, and, according to Christ, to take a position on things that are around us, whether material things or intangible things.

We, too, have certainly experienced the fact that everything in the church is not just enough, that it is not all as we would like, as we would imagine. We must have also experienced the fact that those we thought would be our role models somehow disappointed us. It would be a mistake if, because of these difficulties, we put aside our faith and put aside our view of Christ because of these problems. On the contrary, if we all try to live according to the gospel, if we all try to look at Christ, then we can say, there will be fewer and fewer disappointments. So may we be able, according to Paul’s instructions, at this time, which is the time of vacation, the time of rest, to make time for ourselves too – to stop, think, and check our life direction and ask: „ Am I really following Christ?“

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Carlo Acutis. The canonization of the millennial also caused controversy; some classmates were unaware that he was a believer. The Church stands by it

Posted on 8. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

It is the first holy millennial. A well-known theologian questioned his understanding of the Eucharist, which the church gives as a model to today’s young people.

Carlo Acutis / The canonization of the millennial also caused controversy; some classmates were unaware that he was a believer. The Church stands by it.

The canonization of the millennial also caused controversy, some classmates did not know that he was a believer. The Church stands by it
Carlo Acutis. Photo: carloacutis.com

The Catholic Church will declare Italian young man Carlo Acutis a saint on Sunday. For many Catholics, this is a rare and encouraging event, but there have also been controversies and dissenting opinions surrounding the process.

An extensive critical reportage text was presented, for example, by The Economist, a British publication. The author of the article, John Phipps, describes a visit to Assisi, where he met his classmates and the mother of Carl Acutis.

The text suggests that the driving force behind the cult around Carl was his mother. When her son died of leukemia in October 2006, she began speaking in churches and conferences around the world about Carl’s carefree and open faith. She engaged journalists to write books about him, hired designers and artists to create paintings, posters, and prayer cards bearing his likeness. This is how, according to a British magazine, she tried to open up the possibility of his canonization.

John Phipps describes how he met 97-year-old Wanda Gawronska, niece of Pier Giorgio Frassati, in Turin, who would be canonized along with Carlo Acutis.

„Why are you interested in Acutis?“ she asked Phipps Gawronsk. „ There is nothing interesting about it,“said the editor.

Phipps also spoke to Carl’s best friend, who claimed to the journalist that he did not know him as a pious boy. „ Actually, I didn’t even know Carlo was religious.“

Another childhood friend of Carl’s, Frederico Oldani, who works for an airline in Milan, told the editor that when he was eleven years old, he started attending school, where he befriended Carl, with whom he shared a passion for fast cars.

He describes how the family lived in a huge house that was impeccably clean and airy, and they also had staff there to take care of the household.

He also included a caretaker, Rajesh Mohur, who was Carl’s uncle. Oldani spent a lot of time as a boy at the Acutis house, playing video games with Carlo and watching movies.

He says Carlo was known for his love of comedy. Every week, there was an Italian stand-up show on television that he did not miss. He liked the type of humor he found in the Simpsons series the most: self-critical, absurd.

Foto: carloacutis.com

Carl’s friend also recalled how the new saint burned DVDs of favorite parts, and that he was a boy to laugh with.

Another friend of Carl’s, Michele del Vecchio, told a British newspaper that Carlo Acutis „ne was someone who would impose his interests on other people“. Del Vecchio said he and Carlo edited funny videos together with his pets.

When they were in high school, the boys borrowed rough comedies and went to see Carl. Oldani and del Vecchio also told how they watched a comedy where the hero happens to become the Pope. According to them, Carlo didn’t seem to worry about it.

However, friends remember how, during one debate at school, he declared that premarital sex is nasty. And when his classmates on the subject began to provoke him, Carlo was so anxious about it that they let it go.

His friend Oldani claims that Carlo never talked about Jesus, even though he knew his parents were religious. He saw Carl as a cultural Christian and had no idea that his faith was fervent. A British magazine also quotes another friend of Carl’s who also did not feel that he was a believer from the future saint.

However, Oldani knew that Carlo was creating a website to catalog miracles, but saw it only as his expression of a passion for programming. „ Although none of the school friends I spoke to mentioned that Carlo was publicly pious, they remembered him as unusually kind,“ writes a British journalist.

Another classmate of Carl’s, who was the only one unbaptized in the class, recalls that everyone in the class except Acutis was making fun of him for not being a child of God, but Carlo never evangelized him. Even though Acutis went to a different high school than del Vecchio and Oldani, the boys met once a week. His friends only learned at Acutis’ funeral that he was involved in the parish.

Carl’s friends stayed in touch with his mother, who once announced during a meeting in his honor that she was working on Carl’s beatification, asking his friends if they would testify in the process. Although neither was religious, they agreed, seeing it as a sign of loyalty to a deceased friend.

Oldani later started a Facebook group called Friends of Carla. At first, there were only people who knew Carl from school. Later, others joined who were clearly not friends from the school: they all appeared to be from South America and began posting sentimental religious content. In the end, he left managing the group to another person. He didn’t want to read things about his friend that portrayed him differently from how he knew him.

He didn’t watch TV, says Carl’s mother

The journalist also recalls an interview with Carl’s mother, Antonia, which he requested several times.

The Economist describes how she talked about her faith journey. When Carlo was not even four years old, her father died. Two months after his grandfather’s death, Carlo said that his grandfather appeared to him and said he was in purgatory and needed their prayers.

Carl’s mother was very frightened by the idea that the father was suffering and traveled to Bologna to see a well-known priest who could read his conscience before confessing it in confession. He then told her that her father was already in heaven.

When a journalist asked Carl’s mother about The Simpsons, she nodded her head, indicating that Carl didn’t have time to watch TV. The mother told the editor how, thanks to him, his friends got closer to the faith, how he prayed for hours and sat in front of the tabernacle.

Foto: carloacutis.com

When a journalist confronted her with the fact that Carl’s friends did not know he was religious, her facial expression froze. Then Antonia phoned two people and asked them to tell the journalist about his faith.

The canonization of Carlo Acutis is also put by some in connection with problems in the church, which were caused, for example, by sex scandals. According to this opinion, the church needs at all costs a positive example of a young man who will improve its image among the young.

Campaign against canonization

 She writes that a campaign against the canonization of Carlo Acutis was created in Italy. According to the agency, the campaign was launched in March by the just-mentioned text from The Economist, „ which is not particularly in favor of the Catholic Church“.

However, the controversies were apparently started by the Italian liberal theologian Andrea Grillo, who is a full professor at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of St. Anzelma in Rome. The latter claims that Carlo had a distorted view of the Eucharist and accused those who conveyed the value of the Eucharist to the young man in this way.

„We should perhaps get to the point where we say that we recognize him as a saint ‚ despite his distorted fixation on Eucharistic miracles‘ “, says the professor. According to him, the problem does not concern Acutis, but the false teachers who surrounded him and who now want to project their evil theology on him.

Andrea Grillo criticizes the portrayal of a 15-year-old boy who repeats stereotypes from the 19th century, highlighting spirituality and concepts of sacrament and prayer that have been outdated for two hundred years.

According to him, the piety of Acutis results from the fixation on consecration (transformation) understood autonomously towards other parts of the mass–liturgy of the word, Eucharistic prayer, as well as towards the rite of communion.

The professor also criticizes Carl’s statement that the rosary is the shortest way to heaven. He points out that life is remarkable only when we begin to love God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves. Grillo also argues against other claims by the Vatican itself, based on which Carlo will be declared a saint.

Foto: carloacutis.com

Zenit states that many media outlets around the world have not understood the process of beatification and canonization. This process is reminiscent of a trial, and all objections to the canonization of a candidate are considered before a decision is made.

Another objection to Carl is that he comes from a rich family; his grandfather was a millionaire. Critics recall Jesus’ words that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. But Jesus and Christianity do not teach that all the rich are destined for damnation in hell.

Zenit also responds to criticism that Carlo was not mature at 15 to achieve holiness. This argument distorts the maturity of teenagers. In some countries, child-aged youth are tried for criminal offences as adults.

Therefore, if society recognizes its responsibility as perpetrators of crimes, it should also acknowledge its merits for virtuous and holy deeds. In today’s world, a 15-year-old is not just a child, says Zenit.

According to the portal, Acutis expressed a traditional form of Catholicism and was a convinced supporter of the fact that there is an honest Jesus in the Eucharist. Today, even many Catholics no longer accept this doctrine, but consider it only a symbol.

„ Ultimately, it is Acutis’ unwavering belief in transubstantiation and miracles that plagues progressive Catholics and secular humanists,“ writes Zenit.

The idea that a young man from a distinguished family and a computer-gifted person could adhere to these „medieval“ doctrines is considered unacceptable by many. In the process of canonization, they oppose the „primitive“ or „reaction“ religion.

Injured achilles tendon and a serious fall from a bicycle. What were the miracles through the intercession of Acutis and Frassati?
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Feast of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mt 1,1-16,18-23

Posted on 7. September 2025 by Peter Prochac

Brothers and sisters. We know that when building a church, a house, or any other building, the architect plays an important role. The architect is responsible for designing and drawing up plans for the building. Ultimately, his role is twofold: to create the building so that it is aesthetically pleasing and functional.

We could say that in the history of salvation, there is the most critical architect, who is God himself. When we read the Holy Scriptures, we can see how God beautifully and wisely directs the different periods and how carefully he selects the individuals who shape these events. In this sense, we can reflect on the event of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and her arrival in the world. As a skilled architect, God fulfilled both essential aspects in the birth and life of the Virgin Mary: Mary was born as a beautiful temple of God, untouched by the stain of original sin. At the same time, Mary received her mission from God. This mission is expressed in the presidential prayer at the liturgy of the feast of her birth; namely, that Mary’s birth announced the birth of the light of the world — Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary is presented here as the most important of God’s creations – her spiritual beauty and her mission to give birth to the Savior of mankind make her the greatest of all.    

Perhaps non-Catholics could criticize us for celebrating the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, as this event is not directly referenced in Scripture. Indeed, although it is an ancient festival that has been celebrated since around the 5th century, the events surrounding the birth of the Virgin Mary are mainly drawn from the apocryphal gospels, which were not accepted by the Church as inspired Scripture, as well as from the Church’s tradition. However, when we take a closer look at the Holy Scriptures, we see that God prepared for the coming of the Virgin Mary from eternity. After the first people sinned, he announced the arrival of a woman in paradise who would be beyond the Devil’s power. At the same time, biblical scholars have identified several figures in the Old Testament as being images of Mary, who would become the sanctuary of God. One of the most beautiful is the comparison of the Virgin Mary to the Ark of the Covenant. We know that God instructed Moses to make the Ark of the Covenant exactly as He instructed. It was intended to be a sign that the holy God was present among his people. It was a beautifully decorated box in which essential items were stored: the two tablets of God’s law, manna as miraculous food, and a testimony to God’s care for his people in the form of Aaron’s staff, which blossomed. We can certainly compare the Virgin Mary to this Ark of God. Through her birth, God began to create a sanctuary within her for Jesus, who was born from her. The Holy Spirit also descended upon her, and she conceived and gave birth to her child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary, the new Ark, was watched over by angels, through whom God often spoke to her. Therefore, Mary’s birth was no coincidence. On the contrary, every step in history was directed towards this, as evidenced by the long genealogy in Matthew’s Gospel. Many biblical personalities came first to fulfil their destiny with the name of Mary.

Brothers and sisters, it is essential for us to to discover the legacy of this holiday. What can we learn from Mary’s birth? Firstly, that every person’s life should come from the union of man, his prayers, and God’s promise. Joachim and Anna were unable to conceive for many years, despite being very devout, and they undoubtedly suffered when others wrongly judged them to be unloved and unblessed by God. However, they did not give up; instead, they sought God’s will. They kept praying, and their prayers were answered. I recently experienced this myself when I approached my husband. After several years of not being able to conceive, their prayers were answered. They were not tempted by the various possibilities of artificial insemination, but trusted that God would hear them. The moment they surrendered to God, accepting His will, God’s purpose began to be fulfilled. God blessed them with a new life. This is a lesson for us all: we should not try to control everything, but surrender ourselves to God. Therefore, a person’s birth does not depend solely on our desires or circumstances. I knew cases where husbands prioritized housing, careers, security, and certain material comforts, as well as a life without moral inhibitions; and years later, they told each other, ‘Now is the time to have a child’. ‘Now is the time to have a child’. But the child did not come. It’s as if it all depended on our decision alone, as if God’s will didn’t matter. The second implication of the circumstances surrounding the birth of the Virgin Mary is that our difficulties, crosses, and sufferings also have meaning on our journey to God. Mary’s birth was not without its unexpected twists and turns. After all, Mary was engaged to Joseph, and they certainly had a vision of how they wanted to live. However, God intervened and changed their plans. He certainly encouraged Mary and Joseph not to be afraid of the various trials that would come.

We all know how long we live now. For a long time, there was less division, sin, malice, and tension. But let’s keep in mind that today’s complex situation can also be an opportunity for us to realize that God still cares for us and will not abandon us, even when we suffer. Let this cross not break us, but lead us to greater humility. Let us continue to shape our conscience through prayer, adoration, and receiving the Eucharist, and through acts of love for others, remembering not to think only of ourselves. The important thing is to think mainly of others, especially at such a difficult time. May God help us in this, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. 

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