Miscellany

Just a few items that might interest the readers of this blog:

Pope John Paul II Beatification Website: As you probably know, Pope Benedict XVI will beatify his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, on May 1 of this year. I would love to go to Rome for the beatification, but I expect the hotel and related prices will be through the roof, putting it well outside our meager budget. Much better to visit Rome during the off-season when both the prices and the crowds are way down. 

In anticipation of the event, a website devoted to John Paul's cause is now up and running. It's quite comprehensive and accessible in several languages, including English. I spent a little time this morning browsing the site and learned all sots of things I didn't know. Here's the link: John Paul II Beatification

Cause of Jacques and Raïssa Maritain. A beatification cause that I wasn't aware of is that of Jacques Maritain (1882-1973) and his wife Raïssa (1883-1960). Maritian, one of the preeminent Catholic philosophers of the twentieth century, was raised a Protestant but was strongly influenced by the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Raïssa, both a philosopher and a poet, was raised a Jew in a Russian-Ukranian family. She emigrated to France and met Maritain while studying at the Sorbonne. Both she and her husband converted to Catholicism in 1906, two years after their marriage.Their cause is being promoted as an example to the faithful of a holy marriage. The below video provides an overview of the cause for this couple's beatification.




Another Anglican Bishop Ordained in the Catholic Church. The Anglican Ordinariate continues to expand as Anglican priests and bishops come into the Church. The latest is Anglican Bishop Edwin Barnes who was ordained a deacon this past Friday, and will be ordained to the priesthood next month. Here's a link to a related article by Deacon Keith Fournier published on Catholic Online: Anglican Ordinariate Grows.

Newly ordained Deacon Barnes (right)