"THE BIRTH OF JESUS": A Reflection on the Third Joyful Mystery & South Sudan by Guest Author Jenny Hayward Jones (CAFOD, United Kingdom)
In Porto or Fátima this Christmas? Visit the History of the Precépio Exhibit. Finally, bookmark our first segment from a Live Record #7 w/ Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, guest on Bp. Barron Presents.
THE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST NEWSLETTER 2023 [1st Edition]
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Jenny Hawyard-Jones, UNITED KINGDOM
28 dezembro / 28 December 2022 [Sent by e-mail & reviewed by I. N. / K. R. / C. H.]1
Feast of the Holy Innocents2; Let us pray the Rosary today for grieving mothers.
JHJ ARTICLE PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAFOD, UK
In the Third Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, we celebrate the birth of a baby. A vulnerable child, born into a poor and oppressed community with little power. A vulnerable child, who is God with us.
Mary gave birth in a stable in Bethlehem, a simple place where she and Joseph were offered refuge after a long and difficult journey.
In South Sudan in modern days, mother-of-five Nyanguet fled her home when their village came under attack and was burned to the ground. Everything was lost. The family hid in mosquito-infested swampland, going days without food.
When it was safe to emerge, Nyanguet and her children courageously began an 80 mile journey to find refuge. They were welcomed by another community, who generously shared what little food and water they had.
This community opened their doors to Nyanguet, giving her somewhere to stay. She was also given some land and seeds to grow her own food.
She said, “We escaped here for refuge. I have a piece of land I’m cultivating now. My children and I feel safe now.”
Nyanguet’s family faces new challenges as her new community is living through the worst drought in 40 years.
I believe our prayers and support for families like Nyanguet’s are so important this Advent. Many of us are going through tough times but as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we are reminded of the goodness of all life.
The Rosary is an extremely powerful prayer. As we pray the Joyful Mysteries, let us remember all families who are facing hunger and looking for refuge and open a door of hope to those who come seeking help.
PRAYER
God of refuge, grant that we may be moved to welcome others with open arms as we seek to create a future without hunger. Amen.
AN INTRODUCTION TO CAFOD (the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development)3
CAFOD (the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) is an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
I work for and support CAFOD because I believe our mission, to work alongside the world’s poorest people, is inspired by the same Gospel values and Catholic Social Teaching that inspire me. We show our Catholic values through our love for others, and by working for justice and an end to poverty.
Through the international Caritas and Catholic Church network, we reach those in greatest need, save lives and relieve suffering with practical help. We support and enable people, communities and our local partners to be artisans of their own destiny.
Pray CAFOD’s Joyful Mysteries or listen to the podcast here.
This reflection from Jenny Hayward-Jones is adapted from CAFOD’s Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary and interactive Advent Calendar. If you are able, you can support families like Nyanguet’s by donating to CAFOD’s Advent Appeal.4
Photo credits for this article in The Rosary Hour Podcast Newsletter: Courtesy of CAFOD, UK. "THE BIRTH OF JESUS": A Reflection on the Third Joyful Mystery & South Sudan by Jenny Hayward Jones (CAFOD, United Kingdom), PUBLISHED BY TRAVESSA DA SENRA HOUSE PRESS 2022-present.
ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST AUTHOR:
Jenny Hayward-Jones joins The Rosary Hour Podcast Newsletter & O Terço Magazine as an ‘Esteemed Reader’ & ‘Contributor’ from the United Kingdom. Please welcome Jenny, to The Rosary Hour Podcast Newsletter.
BIOGRAPHY:
Jenny Hayward-Jones works for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development in England (CAFOD), an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and part of Caritas International. In her role, she supports CAFOD’s volunteers in Catholic parishes all over England and Wales to bring CAFOD’s work to life in their parish communities and to fundraise to sustain CAFOD’s global work fighting poverty.
A former diplomat for Australia, Jenny has expertise in international relations and international development with a particular interest in the Pacific Islands. Her Catholic faith is a strong motivation in her life and she is an active member of her parish community in south-west England.
Jenny has recently returned to praying the Rosary regularly and participates in a weekly Rosary on Zoom hosted by CAFOD staff and volunteers.
INSPIRING OTHERS TO PRAY EVERY DAY:
Thanks to the Archdiocese of Toronto, led by His Eminence Cardinal Collins for RT/highlighting Dr. Lombardi’s latest video on our channel. SEE: https://staugustines.on.ca/
If you missed the video, please watch and share her 3 minute lesson on the story of the “Hail Mary” here:
The Rosary Hour Podcast team wishes to thank Dr. Lombardi for her encouragement, collaboration, and continued support. Dr. Lombardi is the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs & an Associate Professor of Pastoral and Systematic Theology at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, Canada. She is a return visitor to our podcast & shares in our effort to spread the message of the Rosary to souls, through her various classes, her work with seminarians / laity / priests in Mariology courses and etc., and her books & films projects. Read about Dr. Lombardi’s work on her website here:
She also joined us in conversation with Dr. Rev. Father Charles Nahm, who shared his ordination story for the Children’s Rosary Q & A and who appeared as a respondent and guest to our Digital Café. Watch his exploration of “The Hail Mary”, with a focus on the Latin words here:
REMINDER TO PRAY FOR POPE BENEDICT XVI from HOLY ROSARY TO:
FINAL VISITOR TO THE DIGITAL CAFÉ FOR 2022 FROM PEPPERDINE U, USA
Finally, we hope you will enjoy and bookmark our upcoming 40-second video featuring Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, Professor / Author / Speaker, Seaver College Scholar of Liberal Arts at Pepperdine University (USA).
In this series of short segments, Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson joined the Rosary Hour Podcast to share her thoughts on the CATHOLIC IMAGINATION at the Digital Café.
Dr. Hooten Wilson is an esteemed guest on Bishop Barron Presents for the Word on Fire Institute / Word on Fire App. Visit her website via: https://jessicahootenwilson.com/
Our upcoming 2023 Live Record #7 led by Godric Kim (Director of the Rosary Hour Podcast) & Dr. Tina Bailey (Host of the Digital Café) explores aspects of the Catholic Imagination for our two channels — Digital Café & The Rosary: A Mini Series in our effort to understand “How to Read Like the Saints” in the School of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
FOOTNOTES
https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/the-feast-of-the-holy-innocents/ by: Father Steve Grunow is the CEO of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries:
Further, cruel King Herod represents all the powers that stand against Christ. These powers are not just outside ourselves; they lurk within us all. There are parts of ourselves that want nothing to do with Christ and jealously guard their independence from any incursion of his will. The Gospel of John reminds us of this truth in the proclamation that the Lord “came to what was his own, but his own did not accept him.” This is not meant simply as a reference to those, who like Herod, refused the Lord centuries ago- it is a meant for all of us to carefully consider. What aspects of our own lives and the lives of others are we ready to destroy because of our refusal of Christ? The story of Herod is meant as a warning to us in this regard.
SEE: Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Feast of the Holy Innocents". Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Sep. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Feast-of-the-Holy-Innocents. Accessed 28 December 2022.
Authored in December 2022 by: Jenny Hayward-Jones for The Rosary Hour Podcast Newsletter & O Terço Magazine, a new journal created by Travessa da Senra House Press in conversation with our various mentors in Canada, USA, Portugal & with Spiritual Direction on the Rosary in Portuguese from Pe. Nuno from the Camino. News of a call-for-articles / etc. for upcoming March & June issues coming soon.
In the meantime, one of our mentors helping to envision this “convite” is Art Historian & Scholar, Dr. Carneiro who invites you to visit the History of the Presépio Exhibit at the Municipal Museum which she curated in the Porto Region. Exhibit continued until January 8th and is free:
“MUSEU MUNICIPAL DÁ A CONHECER AS TRADIÇÕES DE NATAL POVEIRAS”
A partir do próximo dia 6 de dezembro e até 8 de janeiro de 2023, todos os poveiros vão poder visitar a exposição “Numas palhinhas deitado”, que dará a conhecer uma interessante mostra de presépios antigos e tradicionais.
Estarão em exibição peças da coleção do Museu Municipal, mas também de particulares que, nesta quadra natalícia, fazem questão de colaborar através da cedência dos seus presépios, muitos dos quais se revestem de muito valor familiar!
Além desta exposição, o Museu Municipal vai, ainda, recriar o ambiente da ceia tradicional de Natal numa casa de pescadores poveiros para que, essencialmente as gerações mais novas, conheçam os hábitos vividos no final do século XIX e início do século XX na Póvoa de Varzim.
INFO SOURCE: MUNICIPALITY OF PÓVOA DE VARZIM
Practice Portuguese in preparation for World Youth Day, Lisbon 2023 — & read our “Sermon Spotlight” from ARCHDIOCESE OF BRAGA: “A Christmas Homily” by
† D. José Cordeiro, Arcebispo Primaz (excerpt & video)
1. O Verbo fez-se carne e habitou entre nós
Na Bíblia, o termo “carne” indica a humanidade na sua fragilidade e miséria, sobretudo a sua decadência mortal. De facto, assim glorificamos na Oração Eucarística IV: «Pai santo, de tal modo amastes o mundo, que, chegada a plenitude dos tempos, nos enviastes, como Salvador, o vosso Filho unigénito: feito homem pelo poder do Espírito Santo e nascido da Virgem Maria, viveu a nossa condição humana, em tudo igual a nós, exceto no pecado; anunciou a salvação aos pobres, a libertação aos oprimidos, a alegria aos que sofrem».
Tertuliano, ao contemplar o mistério do Natal, cunhou uma expressão que ainda hoje soa como desafiante caminho: «caro salutis cardo» - a carne é o eixo da salvação. De facto, o Pai quer salvar a humanidade através da carne do Filho, o fundamento da Páscoa da nossa salvação. O Senhor fazendo-se homem quis amar-nos com um coração de carne! A Eucaristia é, já, semeada em Belém, casa do pão.
A proclamação, que atravessa os séculos, chega aos nossos dias porque: «“a Palavra do Senhor permanece eternamente. E esta é a palavra do Evangelho que vos foi anunciada” (1 Pd 1, 25; cf. Is 40, 8). Com esta citação da Primeira Carta de São Pedro, que retoma as palavras do profeta Isaías, vemo-nos colocados diante do mistério de Deus que Se comunica a Si mesmo por meio do dom da sua Palavra. Esta Palavra, que permanece eternamente, entrou no tempo. Deus pronunciou a sua Palavra eterna de modo humano; o seu Verbo “fez-Se carne” (Jo 1, 14). Esta é a boa nova» (Verbum Domini 1).
O anúncio da Palavra cria a comunhão e gera a alegria da fé.
2. Hoje, uma grande luz desceu sobre a terra
No dia de Natal ouvimos, solenemente, anunciar: «Hoje nasceu o nosso salvador, Jesus Cristo, Senhor; Hoje sobre nós resplandece uma luz: nasceu o Senhor; Hoje, uma grande luz desceu sobre a terra». Cristo utilizou o mesmo termo “hoje” quando exortava a aprofundar todas as Escrituras a partir do seu acontecimento pessoal, proclamando a sua missão na sinagoga de Nazaré (cf. Lc 4,21).
Aquela família pobre de Nazaré, vai a Belém e num presépio, a jovem Maria dá à luz a própria Luz da Luz.
O mistério do Natal é muito maior que as luzes e as luzinhas da árvore de Natal ou do presépio...
CONTINUED AT THIS LINK: https://www.diocese-braga.pt/noticia/1/36314
† José Cordeiro, Arcebispo Primaz