"The whole experience was phenomenal," says Deacon Scott

The video weaves images of the rustic Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia where Deacon Scott grew up and has many pictures of his ordination by Most Rev. Giuseppe Mani, the archbishop of Cagliari, against the backdrop of the historic Shrine of Our Lady of Bonaria in Cagliari, on the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea.

“The whole experience was phenomenal, but to me the most rewarding part was being in one of our oldest Sanctuaries, surrounded by numerous priests/brothers of the community, knowing that those in the USA were able to participate via internet….” Deacon Scott said in his article, “A Mercedarian Journal from Rome.”

The video traces his Catholic upbringing in rural Virginia where the Catholic population was very small, as well as his attraction to the Order of Mercy through holy cards that he came across during an unexpected stay at a friend’s apartment.

See the video on Gloria TV, or the articles on our website: “One of Our Own Is To Be Ordained to the Sacred Diaconate,” or Deacon Scott’s complete story, “A Friend’s Suggestion Leads to a Mercedarian Vocation.”

Virgen Merced

The Mother of God graces America’s Hispanic Southwest in a multitude of glorious guises. While Our Lady of Guadalupe is certainly la favorita, countless other images color Marian devotions in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, and their heritage stems from medieval Spain.

But among all the Old World Madonnas revered, only one counts among her accessories a royal coat of arms. La Merced, or “Our Lady of Mercy,” emerges from the storybook era of Marco Polo and Don Quixote, and her 13th century history rivals Hollywood for intrigue, romance and adventure.

In the 1200s, the Moors were very efficiently rampaging through Spain. As they advanced, the Spanish were simultaneously penetrating Arab territories, bent upon converting “infidels” to Christianity and defending Crusader strongholds in the Holy Land.

At home and abroad, then, from the early 13th century until near the close of the 18th century, the Spanish faced capture and imprisonment. If they refused to renounce their Christianity, they were almost certainly marked for torture and death.

While some Spanish religious orders of a military nature (peculiar to that time and place) were dedicated to nursing and giving comfort to the captives, a totally unique and dramatic approach to their relief was effected by the Virgin Mary.

In a vision to a young nobleman, Mary urged the formation of a military fraternity that would rescue prisoners by means of ransom.

Military orders

St. Peter Nolasco (c. 1189-1258) was born in France, educated in Spain and, through the fortunes of war, was eventually appointed tutor to King James of Aragon. From childhood, he had exhibited a unique spirituality and disregard for the luxurious environment to which he was born.

He habitually gave lavishly to the poor, and fashioned for himself a very austere and prayerful lifestyle. His vision of the Blessed Mother in 1218 not only catapulted him into the unlikely role of sword-bearing leader, but it would also touch the lives and times of future centuries of Spanish-speaking peoples—wherever they were destined to plant and preserve the faith.

After securing the required sanction of King James of Aragon, Nolasco initiated the military Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Ransom of Captives (O de M.) in 1218.

The order originally attracted young noblemen whose heritage equipped them to practically address the matter of ransom. They were known as “knights,” and it was only later that clergy were represented in the ranks.

Although he was the first commander general of the order, Nolasco was not himself a priest, nor did he ever become one. It was 100 years until a papal order required that at least the leader of the community must have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The founder required of himself and his followers a special vow in addition to the usual three—to devote their “whole substance and very liberty to the ransoming of slaves,” even to the point of acting as hostages in order to free others.

70,000 Rescues

According to records, the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Ransom of Captives accomplished approximately 70,000 rescues—some 2,700 during the founder’s lifetime.

The order elected a habit of white, signifying innocence. Some histories claim that Mary provided such guidance during her appearance to Nolasco. An enthusiastic King James authorized the members to wear—emblazoned on their breasts and long scapulars—his own distinguished arms -of Aragon.

Shield of Mercy

The Maltese Cross is its most striking component—a unique cruciform that commemorates Malta’s steadfast defense against the Turks.

Papally confirmed in 1235, the fraternity became popularly known as the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, or the Mercedarians. It rapidly spread throughout Western Europe, and some of its friars eventually sailed with Columbus to America.

Those who later accompanied the conquistadors’ relentless march through the New World and New Spain were extremely vigorous in the conversion of indigenous peoples.

Almost 300 monasteries and convents were rapidly established in Latin America, and all required appropriate decoration. La Merced therefore became a very popular subject of Spanish colonial paintings.

Our Lady of Mercy is frequently portrayed in a queenly stance, extending a generous mantle to either side. Huddled beneath its protection is a group of the faithful.

Begging for Mary’s Intercession

Virgen Merced, from the Museum of Bellas Artes, Valencia.

There is a less common La Merced. The Madonna format is embellished with a base of supplicants—captives begging Mary’s intercession. This glowing rendition, by Manuel de Samaniego (1767- 1824), can be admired today in a historic Mercedarian church in Quito, Ecuador.

The ethereal luminance of the background smacks of the influence of the Spanish painter Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1617-82), whose popular Marian prints were provided as models to Indian and mestizo artists.

The bold colors and lavish embellishment with gilt brocade are characteristic of the paintings accomplished in the great colonial art centers of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

However varied her portrayals may be, La Merced is immediately recognizable. Without exception, on her breast and often repeated on the scapular extended from her hand, is the distinctive royal signature of the Mercedarian order: the splendid arms of the King of Aragon.

What an incredible journey in time and place from medieval Spain and Africa to the missions of the New World and New Spain, and hence to the American Southwest, where Our Lady for the Ransom of Captives continues to respond to prayers murmured in “the language of the angels.”

Modernized mission

Mercedarians evangelizing the New World.

The Mercedarians remain an active order, principally in Spain and Latin America. Lacking a military mission, they have long since turned to education and social causes.

Only a bit of chain attached to the belt remains as a reminder of its ancient accommodation of swords, but the order persists in its original concern for captives: they are often prison chaplains.

Nolasco died in 1258, after a lifetime dedicated not only to the rescue of Spanish captives, but to the simultaneous and massive conversion of Moors to Christianity. Countless miracles are attributed to his relics, and he was canonized in 1628.

St. Peter Nolasco, who obviously relished a military ambiance, must be delighted with the reputation and honors that his Lady of Mercy has acquired—especially in Peru. In 1615, she was credited with saving Lima from an invasion by Dutch pirate ships.

Not surprisingly, she became patron of the country. General San Martin, Latin America’s great revolutionary leader and liberator of Peru, promoted her to Marshal of the Peruvian Army in 1823.

Among Lima’s magnificent Spanish colonial churches is La Merced, a Baroque extravagance fitted with exquisite silver altars, bejewelled gold appointments and wall and ceiling carvings of lacelike delicacy.

In 1921, its ancient Spanish statue of Our Lady of Mercy was formally crowned in an elaborate ceremony. On Sept. 24, the anniversary of that coronation, the president of Peru and top officials of all the armed forces stand tall before Our Lady for the Ransom of Captives.

The dignitaries wear full military regalia, which in Latin American nations are extraordinarily “spiffy.” It isn’t difficult to imagine the figure of St. Nolasco there among them—sword at his side, proudly displaying on his white habit the ancient arms of the king of Aragon, respectfully waiting for his Lady to address her commander general.

Stevens writes from Colorado Springs, Colo. This article was taken from the December 15, 1996 issue of Our Sunday Visitor. To subscribe, write Our Sunday Visitor, Inc, 200 Noll Plaza, Huntington, In 46750.

Our Sunday Visitor is published weekly.

Copyright (c) 1996 EWTN Online Services.

Provided courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network PO Box 3610 Manassas, VA 22110 Voice: 703-791-2576 Fax: 703-791-4250 Web. Read original article.

Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria where Deacon Scott was ordained.

Happy Epiphany! (In Italy it is celebrated on the proper day…but this is in anticipation to Sunday for you in the USA)

Just a little update to let you know how things are going, and to wish you well in this Christmas Season. The academic year has gone well so far – my classes are rather interesting, and all is well. In Italy, the first semester runs from October until January, so I am currently on a break…but must finish the semester when we start back next week.

Aside from that there really is not much to say – I normally have 6 hrs of class every day…and that alone occupies the majority of my time. I still do manage to find some time for some reading, reflecting, and time to just relax (though not too much). I did, however, want to write a little of what I have been up to since my last update.

My Deaconate Ordination was December 10 at our Sanctuary of Bonaria in Cagliari, Sardinia – one of the oldest houses in the Order (since 1334). I had spent time before preparing, but nothing truly prepares you for the experience until you go through it yourself. Reading the rite, witnessing others perform it…does not really scratch the surface of the encounter one has during their own Ordination.

I arrived in Bonaria a couple days before the Ordination, but as everything had been prepared well in advance, there was nothing that needed to be done for the Ordination itself. The Formators Meeting was to begin the day before, so there were many friars there that I did not know – mostly from Spain – so I took the opportunity to get to know them.

The Ordination itself was at 7:30 pm, presided over by the Archbishop of Cagliari, Archbishop Giuseppe Mani. The entrance hymn was “O God Beyond All Praising,” sung in English (the rest of the Mass was in Italian), and there were many people in the Basilica. I remember it all felt overwhelming. The points that stick out though, are when I placed my hands in those of the Archbishop for the promises, the prostration during the litany, being vested, receiving the Book of the Gospels, and the offertory which had a Sardinian twist. A musician playing a traditional Sardinian instrument led the offertory procession…which included several youth dressed in traditional Sardinian attire.

Deacon Scott holds the Chalice during the doxology.

The whole experience was phenomenal, but to me the most rewarding part was being in one of our oldest Sanctuaries, surrounded by numerous priests/brothers of the community, knowing that those in the USA were ableto participate via internet; those who would have been there but could not had the ability to witness it…including my family, of which none were here in Italy for.

The next day – Sunday – I proclaimed the Gospel for the first time as a Deacon.

We returned to Rome where there was a week of classes left before the winter break. I was one of the Deacons for the Canon Law Faculty Mass for the end of the year, and the next day I left for Carpignano to celebrate Christmas with our community there. When I arrived, I was surprised to see that the Sanctuary itself was closed…for a renovation project to restore it to what it was before the earthquake of the 1980’s. The smaller side chapel had became the church for daily Masses, and the social hall across the street was now the church for Sundays and other celebrations. The work here should be done by May though.

While here I have done many things…such as going on a day retreat with the youth/choir, which ended with us seeing the Christmas lights at Salerno. The Christmas celebrations were beautiful (including Midnight Mass at Midnight), and the next day – Feast of St. Stephen – there was a baptism by yours truly. The choir performed a couple of concerts – all very well done – which included a couple Christmas carols in English. The pronunciation was a little off on a few words, but it was heart-warming to hear. I preached at all the Masses today (Epiphany), and the people gave many compliments. To top it off, it snowed today; I miss winters with snow, so today was a real treat.

I return to Rome on Monday, and will have a couple weeks of class before the second semester starts. I will say that being in Carpignano has been a very rewarding experience, and there is a part of me that is not too excited about heading back to the lectures and note-taking. Then again, the other part of me is looking forward to getting back to my normal routine!

Well, that is all I have for now. I wish you a Happy Epiphany, and I will be in touch!

In Christ,
- Rev. Bro. Scott, O. de M.

A Mercedarian takes part in the Extraordinary Form Mass on the Feast of St. Stephen, Cleveland, OH

Fr. Michael as Deacon.

A beautiful and successful Solemn Mass for the patronal feast of St. Stephen was celebrated at St. Stephen’s Church in Cleveland on Tuesday, December 27, 2011! Those who took part in the High Mass were Fr. Bede Kotlinski, OSB, Celebrant; Fr. Michael Donovan, O. de M., Deacon; and Mr. Albert Beltz, Sub-deacon. The St. Stephen schola  provided the wonderful sacred music during the liturgy.

Fr. Michael is a Mercedarian priest who is stationed at the Order’s parish, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, West Cleveland. He works as a parochial vicar at the parish. Fr. Michael has many duties at the parish including: teaching Catholic Doctrine at the school, teaching adult formation classes in Sacred Scripture, and coordinating the Mercedarian Third Order. He has been gifted with a beautiful voice and a love for the sacred liturgy. This has lead Fr. Michael to celebrate the Extraordinary form of the Mass on several occasions at the Order’s parish at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

See impressive photos of the Latin Mass at beautiful St. Stephen’s Church, Cleveland.

A New Deacon, Br. James Chia, in LeRoy, N.Y.

Br. James is from Malaysia.

The Order rejoices at yet another Ordination to the diaconate: Br. James Chia, O.de M. will be ordained the Sacred Diaconate on January 7^th at 4:30 pm at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, LeRoy, NY. The ordaining bishop will be Most Rev. Edward M. Grosz, D.D. from the Diocese of Buffalo.

Br. James come from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. He grew up in a devout Catholic family of 17 children! In December 1989, Br. James came to Philadelphia to study Electrical Engineering Technology at Temple. Eventually he decided to immigrate to United States in 2001 in search of the American Dream. After a time of seeking his own dreams, Br. James came to realize God was calling him to be a Mercedarian Friar. After seven years of formation, Br James is now preparing to be ordained a Transitional Deacon in the Church. We ask for your prayers for Brother as he makes his final preparations for this important step toward priestly ordination.

Read the article, “One Man’s Search for the American Dream Led Him to Become a Mercedarian Friar.”

In St. Petersburg, FL, Fr. Ken helps a group of Catholics explore the rich heritage of our Catholic Faith

Fr. Ken in Sunny Florida

Fr. Ken Breen, O. de M. is the Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg. Father has been teaching a Bible study series over the past few years at the Cathedral. These classes are held each Monday. Fr. Ken teaches two classes that day, morning and evening, to over 20 people a class.

Over the next several Mondays, the Bible study topic will be Fr. Barron’s Catholicism Series. Word on Fire Catholic Ministries offers a unique vision of the Catholic Faith with this brand new series. This program seeks to explore, through a global journey, the living culture of the Catholic Church. From the lands of the Bible, to the great shrines of Europe, to the shores and heartland of America, to the mysteries of Asia, to the rich landscapes of Latin America, to the beating heart of Africa. It is a ten-part DVD series that Fr. Ken calls “So powerful”! May this Bible study and all Fr. Ken’s work at the Cathedral lead to an increase in the love for the our beloved Catholic Faith!

Go to the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle.

Some of the martyrs were burnt, some were shot, and some died of exposure and starvation. Shown above is a Spanish church destroyed during the civil war.

Servants of God Mariano Alcala Perez and eighteen companions of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy were confirmed as martyrs by the Vatican’s Congregation of the Causes of Saints, which stated that they were killed “in hatred of the faith in Spain” between 1936 and 1937.

“This has been a long time in coming,” stated Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M., the order’s vocation director in the United States. “These men courageously chose death rather than deny their faith,” and are greatly admired by the Mercedarian brethren and others. We have been praying for this for several years, and thank God for their recognition by the Church.”

To Be Recognized as Blessed

Mariano Alcala Perez, Servant of God

The next step will be their formal recognition as “blessed,” which should take place in Spain sometime next year, and then the process continues toward canonization as saints.

The Mercedarian Order counts as among victims of the war 27 of its friars during this time of strife, between 1936 – 39, at which conservative rebels, led by Francisco Franco, successfully battled an atheistic regime then in power.

About one thousand Spanish martyrs have been beatified or canonized by the Church, and for some two thousand additional martyrs, the beatification process is underway. In all, nearly 7,000 priests, religious, nuns, friars and monks were martyred during what is known as Spain’s Red Terror.

Widespread Bloodshed

It was a time of widespread bloodshed involving tens of thousands of civilians, as well as great animosity against any Church personnel, as well as many pious lay persons.

The victims were executed and tortured. The official report released in 1939 by the Very Rev. Alfred Scotti, the Order’s superior general, paints a horrible picture of suffering and hatred. In the Madrid house of the Order, nine priests were assassinated and four were killed in the College of St. Peter, Madrid. Another four were killed in the house at Harencia. At Olivar, in Aragon, ten priests were killed; four at Barcelona, six at Lerida, and three at the famous House of Ransom.

“The ways of their death were various,” according to the report, carried in the July 21, 1939 Catholic Herald, in the United Kingdom. “Some were burnt, some were shot, some died of exposure and starvation.”

Spared for Only a While

The report states,

The Rev. Mariano Pine Turon was made prisoner …. [and then] killed. His corpse was burnt. At the same period the Rev. Mariano Alcala Perez, former Superiorof the Order, was made prisoner. At the time his life was spared because of his great age. Later, when he testified that he was a member of the Order of Mercy, he was shot…. The Rev. Tomas Carbonell Miguel, Provincial of the Order in Aragon, was discovered in a house near the convent in Lerida. He was dragged to the cathedral and shot….

NearLerida, the Rev. Edouardo Massanet and Jose Uragui were battered to death. The Rev. Thomas Campo Marin was shot, with 68 other prisoners, in the cemetery at Lerida. The Rev. Fauetino Gazulla Galve, well-known historian, died of wounds, following a bombardment.

Killed for Saying “Jesus”

The report continues, “The Rev. Jose Rene Prenafreta was killed in Barcelona, for having pronounced the word ‘Jesus.’” Other priests killed include the Rev. Francesco Gargailo Gascon, Manuel Sancho Agutlar, Antonio Gonzalez Penin and Francesco Mitja.

The material damage to the Order in Spain shows a pointed hatred. “The church in Barcelona and house of the Order have been destroyed,” the report says. “In Lerida the church was turned into a cinema with a wine bar. The house in Olivar was destroyed. At Puig the church was pillaged and the statue of the Virgin cut into pieces.”

Only “Fault” — Believing in Christ

In one of Pope John Paul II’s canonizations of the martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, he said,

To this glorious band of martyrs belong many Spanish Christians, executed out of hatred for the faith in the years 1936-1939 … during the wicked persecution unleashed against the Church, its members and its institutions. Bishops, priests and religious were persecuted with particular hatred and cruelty; their only fault – if one can express it that way – was believing in Christ, preaching the Gospel and leading the people on the road to salvation. The enemies of Christ and of his teaching believed that by eliminating them, they could make the Church completely disappear from Spanish soil.

(John Paul II, “Decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints,” 1992)

The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy was founded in Spainin 1218 and is present in Pennsylvania, three other states in the United States, and in numerous other countries in Europe, South/Central America, Africa, and India.

References

Catholic Herald, in U.K., “Fate of an Order in Spanish War.”
Hagiography Circle, “Martyrs of the Religious Persecution During the Spanish Civil War.”
Oblates of Mary Immaculate postulation website, “Spanish Martyrs.”
Order of Mercy website in U.S., Historical Synthesis.
Wikipedia, “Spanish Civil War,” and ”Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War.”
Zenit, “7 Advance Closer to Official Sainthood.”

The Shrine Church of Gothic-Catalan style

Due to the Catalan and Aragonese expansion in the Mediterranean, in 1324, Infante don Alfonso had a castle and a church built in Sardina. The church was located on the hill of Bonaria on the south-eastern part of the town of Cagliari. As king, in 1335, he donated the church to the Order of the BVM of Mercy with the obligation to send two religious immediately, then six more after the death of the rector of the church, Guillermo Jordán, who died in 1348. The Mercedarians accepted the donation and they established themselves there.

In March 25, 1370 a sailing-ship from Spain was caught in the middle of a violent storm. The crew jettisoned the entire cargo included a heavy chest into the ocean. As soon as the chest touched the water, the storm suddenly calmed down miraculously.

The chest was found at the port of Bonaria by the townspeople. However, no one was able to lift the chest out of the shallow water on the shore. The townspeople hurried up the hill to get the Mercedarian Friars to assist them. The friars easily lifted Chest out the waters and took it to their church. Upon opening the chest all were amazed because it contained a wonderful statue of the Madonna holding the infant Jesus in her left hand and a lit candlein her right one. The Child Jesus holds a ball in his left hand and reaches out to grasp a candle standing on a ship model held by his mother. It accurately records the wind’s direction though it is in a draftless room.

In the hall next to the sacristy is the chest which contained the statue.

Soon, devotion for the Madonna spread both in the island and in the world, particularly among sailors who invoked her to be their patroness. The “conquistadores” gave the name Buenos Aires to the capital of Argentina as a sign of their devotion to the Madonna of Bonaria which, in fact, means “good air”.

On September 13th 1907, Our Lady of Bonaria was proclaimed patroness of Sardinia by Pope Pius X, and the unfinished church was later raised to the rank of minor basilica by Pius XI. On April 24, 1970, Pope Paul VI visited this famous shrine and celebrated an open-air Mass addressing the pilgrims on the need of veneration of the Mother of God. Pope John Paul II came to Bonaria as a pilgrim on October 20th, 1985.

On Sept, 7th 2008, Pope Benedict XVI came to honor Our Lady of Bonaria for the celebration of the first Centenary of her proclamation as the highest Patron of Sardinia. Here is a news agencies account of the event:

A renewed society must come from young Christians, says Pope Benedict

Rome, Italy, Sep 8, 2008 / 10:22 am (CNA).- Shortly after arriving on the island of Sardinia on Sunday morning, Pope Benedict presided over Mass for 100,000 people at the Shrine of Our Lady of Bonaria. In his homily, the Pope challenged his listeners to help young people encounter Christ, and through this new generation of Christians, evangelize politics, the economy and the working world.

The Mass took place on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Bonaria, the island’s patroness, a fact recognized by Pope Benedict.

He called on the faithful “to give thanks to Mary for her protection and to reiterate our faith in her, recognizing her as the ‘Star of the new evangelization’.”

Invoking the help of Our Lady of Bonaria, Benedict XVI underscored the need for the people of Sardinia to bring Christ “to families, small domestic Churches and cells of society.” Families “today more than ever need trust and support at both a spiritual and social level,” the Pontiff added.

If Sardinian society is to be renewed, it must come from young people who “by their nature are bearers of fresh energy,” he continued. Turning to Our Lady again, the Pope implored her help for the Sardinian church in developing new initiatives to reach the young, who “are often victims of a widespread nihilism.”

With Mary’s intercession, “May she help you evangelize the world of work, of the economy and of politics, which needs a new generation of committed lay Christians, capable of seeking solutions of sustainable development with competency and moral rigor,” the Pope prayed as he closed his homily.

At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Benedict XVI performed an act of consecration to Mary which concluded with the gift of a golden rose to Our Lady of Bonaria.

The American Friars holding the actual statue the day the Pope came.

On Saturday December 10^th @ 1pm (American Eastern Time) Br Scott Brentwood will be ordained to the Sacred Diaconate at this Holy Shrine. It can be viewed live on www.bonaria.eu (on right side transmission button or Trasmissione in diretta Ss.Messe giorni festive Ore). Please keep Br Scott in your prayers as he prepares for this day.

Nemi Friary

The Santissimo Crocifisso shrine was built in 1637; the adjoining monastery housed a community of Franciscan monks before they were replaced by the Mercedarians. The shrine draws its name from the story of the crucifix that surmounts the building. That crucifix was crafted in 1673 by a Franciscan friar, Vincenzo da Bassiano. He reportedly was frustrated in his efforts to carve the face of Christ, and resigned himself to leave the task unfinished, going to sleep and planning another effort the next day. When he awoke, however, he found the image sculpted exactly as he had wanted it. This miraculous crucifix became a source of veneration for the people throughout Italy.

Santissimo Crocifisso (Most Holy Cross)

In the late 1800’s when then Master General and reformer Peter Armengol Valenzuela arrived in Rome, the Order only had two convents: Saint Adriano and Cagliari. On March 19, 1881, the Master General acquired Nemi, a former Franciscan convent put up for auction. For many years thereafter the house was used as a formation house for postulants and novices of the Order.

A recent event occurred at the friary in 2006 news agencies gave this report:

 Pope makes surprise personal pilgrimage August 23, 2006

Pope Benedict XVI quietly slipped out of Castel Gandolfo on August 22, to make a private pilgrimage to a shrine in the nearby town of Nemi.

The Holy Father made the unannounced trip on Tuesday afternoon, leaving his summer residence with small police escort and making the 10-mile trip by car to Nemi, where the Santissimo Crocifisso (Most Holy Cross) shrine is located.

The Pope was accompanied by his brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, and a few members of his staff, the Media news agency reports. After praying before the Blessed Sacrament, they joined the Mercedarian priests who administer the shrine for Vespers.

Later the Pope visited the Mercedarian monastery. His stay in Nemi was about two hours.

From all indications, it appeared that the Pope had planned the visit so that his arrival would be unexpected. This was the second such pilgrimage of his summer stay at Castel Gandolfo.

Over the years this once famous site has fallen into disrepair. A large scale reconstruction was begun to bring this ancient building back to its original beauty. This project has taken several years of work. During the work the house was really in bad shape: The interior walls were missing with dust and debris everywhere.  The windows were still the original ones….many with broken glasses.

Recently the restoration is nearing completion. For the first time in years, a retreat for the friars in Italy took place at in Nemi. Br. Scott, an American studying in Italy had this to say:

“There have been MANY changes with renovations to Nemi: the outside has been repainted/repaired, new windows, and new floors in the 3nd (old Novitiate and Postulancy) and 4rd floors (rooms for visiting students during the summers).  The old Novitiate Chapel (later a makeshift library/storage) was redone with new flooring, windows, etc., and is now a small “meeting room.”  The old cells were too small, so interior walls were removed to enlarge the rooms….and private bathrooms were put in for every individual room.  The 3nd floor now has individual rooms for 20, with an additional 10 on the 4rd (which are larger than the ones on the 3rd floor, so each room on the 4th floor technically could hold two instead of one).  This is in addition to the rooms reserved for the community on the 2nd floor.  At night there are small, blue LED lights that illuminate the hallways so you don’t have to turn on the larger lights.  Also, air conditioning/heating was placed in every bedroom where previously there were neither.  We used the smaller refectory (the former novice/priests’ refectory) as opposed to the larger one used formerly for postulants and those coming for our school (work is still not finished there).”

A new chapter begins in the history of this ancient house. In the future, the Province hopes to hold retreats, Chapter meetings, and other large gathers. There overlooking Lago di Nemi we can remember our past and look forward to the future!!

Br Scott and his mom at the Solemn Vows.

Br Scott has been in formation with the Order since August 2004.  Over the years, Br Scott has gone through the normal formation program of a 9 month postulancy, a canonical year of novitiate, and several years in Simple Vows. He completed a Masters of Divinity and Masters in Moral Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary just outside of Philadelphia, PA. After completion of his seminary program, Br Scott was asked by his superiors to move to Rome and prepare for further studies. During his first year in Rome, brother worked hard to master the Italian language. He took courses and practiced each day with the Italian friars.

In the fall of 2010, Br Scott began his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University pursuing a Licentiate in Canon Law. This program is academically challenging and takes three years to complete. However, Br Scott has done very well in his studies and continues to become more fluent in Italian.

On June 29^th 2011, Br Scott and Br. James Chia, O. de M. made their Solemn Vows in the Order at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Philadelphia, PA. This was a joyous event for the brothers as they consecrated themselves to God and the Order through the vows of Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, and the 4^th Vow of Redemption.

The next step in Br. Scott’s journey is ordination to the Sacred Diaconate. Brother was recently approved by the provincial council to be ordained a Transitional Deacon. The Sacred Diaconate is a ministry of service, and the lowest rank of holy orders, below the priesthood and the episcopate. The deacon is ordained into the service of Christ by the Sacrament of Holy Orders administered by a bishop. He receives an indelible mark on his soul to enable him to function as Christ who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mt 20:28)”. The Second Vatican Council lists the deacon’s liturgical and pastoral functions: “to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services” (LG 29).  In all these ways, Br Scott will prepare himself to one day be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Christ.

Join us in praying for Br Scottston as he prepares to receive this beautiful Sacrament. By it he will be more configured to Christ who serves us all.

Fr Joseph gives a talk to FOCUS missionaries

Is your faith a bastion for martyrdom? The leaders of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students faced this question during their missionary retreat in Pennsylvania. To help the FOCUS leaders commit more radically to the Lord so as to better witness to the students at universities to whom they minister, Fr. Joseph Eddy, O.de.M. provided the missionaries with inspiring talks on martyrdom, and the example of the martyrs of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy.
Martyrdom, the true and highest gift of witness to Christ and the Faith, is a grace given by God. But all the faithful are called to perfection, to the same heroic witness of charity. This entails imitating Christ so as to fulfill His Father’s will and to nourish our faith with an incessant commitment to the Gospel. This is why the FOCUS Missionaries attend Mass and make holy hours with the Eucharist several times a week, so that they can be with Christ and take Him out to the students and even the world, to “consecrate the world itself” to God (Lumen Gentium).
The Mercedarian Order was founded by St. Peter Nolasco through the Blessed Virgin Mary, to participate in the Lamb of God’s sacrificial, ransoming mission for the redemption of the world, specifically by freeing Christian captives in danger of losing the Faith. The Mercedarians today continue to seek the same freedom of captives in danger of giving up the one, true Faith. The friars, in professing the Fourth Vow (the Blood Vow), willingly choose, in charity, to give up their lives for the redemption of captives, should it be necessary.
But, there is another martyrdom that exists and that is practiced by the faithful of the Church. It is the white martyrdom of community life. This daily dying of those undergoing the ordinary sufferings of family and community life enables true sanctification. Then, these souls, by their witness, can encourage others who are struggling to persevere in the faith. Praying constantly for faith, living theological hope, and begging for the strengthening of captive Christians, martyrdom was a grace given to some Mercedarians for the glory of God, the ultimate witness of Christ’s love and Truth. Today, when the world attacks faith through skepticism, hedonism and all forms of self-idolatry, Jesus’ call to perfection remains. We may or may not one day be a martyr like St. Serapion and other Mercedarians. But it is certain that we must be holy, endure the white martyrdom, and follow the will of God for the sake of the conversion of the world and the salvation of the Church in trial. That total love which Christ gave us on the Cross—and the love that He asks us to give to others—is nothing but the same heroism of a martyr’s love.

A Mercedarian Postulant

Scott strums the guitar

I was raised in a suburb north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My family was only modestly Catholic, so when I got to college the practice of the Faith was not something immediately pressing on my conscience. This changed sophomore year, when a friend challenged me on my living the faith and started what would turn into a conversion.

While this wasn’t something that took place all at once or without a significant fight, it was a deep change in both lifestyle and outlook.  Now, I struggled not to live my own life, but to live the life of Christ in me. This is a challenge, of course, but with the eyes of Faith, it is the only rewarding way for a Christian to live. I started serving Masses and volunteering with the Pittsburgh Oratory and the Pitt Campus Ministry around this time.

By serving Masses, I grew closer to the liturgy and the worship of the Church and fed an already growing desire to for more complete consecration to God and a life focused and centered around the Sacraments and the example of the Saints.  By the end of college, I had also begun to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, which became an important part of my dailyprayer life and also my discernment.

I visited several mendicant orders, even volunteering with onefor a summer, but eventually found that the combination of community life, Marian devotion, liturgical life, and (most importantly) redeeming charism of the Mercedarians attracted me in a unique way. If Christ came among usin order to redeem us, what greater imitation of Christ can a religious offer than the imitation of His redeeming mission?

Blessed Juan as a young priest

Blessed John Nepomucene Zegri y Moreno, Founder (1831-1905) Juan Nepomuceno was named, like the pioneering bishop of Philadelphia, John Nepomucene Neumann (1811-60; 5 Jan.), after St John Nepomuk, the fourteenth –century confessor to Queen Sophie of Bohemia, who was drowned on the orders of her dissolute husband, King Wenceslaus IV. Juan was born in Granada in Southern Spain to Antonio Zegri Martin and Josefa Moreno Escuedero, who brought him up to be devout and sensitive to the needs of the poor. He wanted to become a priest in order to serve the poor, and accordingly entered the seminary of San Dionisio in Granada, and was ordained in the cathedral in June 1855. He served in two parishes in Granada, carrying out his duties, as he said in a homily, “like a good shepherd, going after lost sheep; like a doctor, healing sick hearts wounded by faults and binding them with hope; like a father, who visibly provides for all those who, suffering from abandonment, must drink from the bitter chalice and receive nourishment from the bread of tears.”

Juan’s career progressed rapidly in ecclesiastical terms: he was appointed synodal judge in Granada, then canon of Malaga Cathedral, visitor of the religious Orders in the diocese, and spiritual director of the seminarians. He was then summoned to Madrid to become preacher and royal chaplain to Queen Isabel II (1830-1904; queen 1843-68). After she was deposed he returned to Malaga, and in March 1878 he founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, whose purpose was to work for the spiritual and material advancement of the poor. The foundation spread rapidly throughout Spain. Following the general understanding in the Church and the time (determined to distinguish herself from a nascent socialism dedicated to changing the structures of society); Fr Zegri declared that “charity is the only answer to all social problems.” He told his Sisters to “heal wounds, repair evils, comfort sorrows, dry tears; do not, if possible, leave even one person in the world abandoned, afflicted, unprotected, without religious education and assistance.”

This noble goal did not prevent some of the Sisters from accusing him of improper behavior. The case was referred to Rome and no less a weapon than a Pontifical Decree was launched at him, barring him from contact with the Congregation he had founded. This unjust situation lasted six years, until a further Pontifical Decree reinstated him, though in practice he still kept away from his “daughters,” who were not disposed to accept Rome’s second verdict. This state of affairs lasted until he died on 17 March 1905, “like Jesus, alone and abandoned.” Some of the Sisters had kept a true memory of events, but it was not until twenty years after his death that he was again officially recognized as the founder of the Congregation.

He was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 2001 and beatified by him on 9 November 2003, with four others, in a ceremony that brought the number of Blessed declared by this Pope to 1,320. In his homily, the Pope called him “an upright priest of deep Eucharistic piety,” made no mention of the rift with his Congregation, and simply said, “Today this Institute, following in the footsteps of its founder, continues its dedication to witness and promote redemptive charity.” Taken from page 85-86 (March 17): Butler’s lives of the saints: Supplement of new saints and blessed By Paul Burns, Alban Butler

Dear Mercy Family,

It was at Montserrat, in Spain, that St. Peter Nolasco gained the supernatural courage and strength that sustained him in his work for the captives.

Montserrat Shrine

We see in our Saint (St Peter Nolasco) a fundamental progression within the Marian perspective.

First: A road from Mercy to Mary. We already know that mercy or the redemption of captives was achieved without taking Jesus’ mother into account. Yet at a specific time, Peter discovered the in depth connection binding the work of mercy with Mary’s ecclesial presence. From then on the paths are joined. Mary is linked to the program of liberation. She is the model, the inspiration, and the beginning of the redemptive work. Upon reaching the end of the path, one discovers Mary as “the radical expression of mercy”; she is the depth and the inner stability of all apostolic works.

Second: From then on we understand the road leading from Mary to the Mercedarians. Uniquely, Peter Nolasco discovers that Mary is the foundation of mercy and freedom. She sustains and determines the meaning of the liberation movement, giving it a maternal and mysterious aspect, always receptive to the Heart of Jesus and of His Loving Father (Constitutions of the Order of the B.V.M. of Mercy, #7).

At the end of that process the paths are mutually fruitful and complementary, so much so that St. Peter’s redeeming endeavor is forever called the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy. From then on St. Peter’s Friars, Sisters, and the Third Order will always consider Mary as the Mother of Freedom, the one who encourages the redemptive plan of mercy, and sustains it with her presence. Mary specifies, promotes, and gives meaning to God’s liberation among mankind. This is why we can begin from Mary as Mother of Compassion; she appears as the Mother of Captives: the Blessed Mother came to Peter Nolasco and enabled him to understand the mystery of God’s redemption made visible in people’s distress and captivity.

As our older sister, Mary is the first and most privileged disciple of the Lord. She shows us the road of faith lived in accordance with the teaching of Jesus and His redemptive work. The imitation of this type of committed discipleship brings us to discover the essential moments of service and sacrifice, from the Church to others. Mary “presides over and inspires our prayers” (Constitutions #73). She brings us the risk to live faith, challenge to trust, which is not void but rather authentic acceptance of the Divine Will.

Yes, the Marian way of our Mercedarian commitment is being in love with God, so completely, with surrender and abandonment, which is a tradition of choice by being for others in mercy to secure true liberation in Christ.

Let us always say: Yours in Christ through Mary,

Fr. Eugene Costa, O. de M., Novice Master