Bishop Johnston on Year of Faith Indulgence

By:  

From Most Rev. James V. Johnston, Jr.

In accordance with the Holy Father’s decree at the beginning of the Year of Faith (Oct. 11, 2012), I wish to encourage the faithful of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau to avail themselves of the plenary indulgence granted during the Year of Faith, which concludes on Nov. 24, 2013, the Solemnity of Christ the King.

“During the Year of Faith, which will last from Oct. 11, 2012 to Nov. 24, 2013, a Plenary Indulgence for the temporal punishment of sins, imparted by the mercy of God and applicable also to the souls of deceased faithful, may be obtained by all faithful who, truly penitent, take Sacramental Confession and Eucharist and pray in accordance with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.” Read more

Source:  

What is the meaning of life?

By:  

“For whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” –Mt 16:25

There is a stereotypical scene of the seeker climbing a mountain to reach the wisest man in the world. When he arrives, tired and out of breath, the guru asks him, “What is it you seek, my son?” The man answers him, “the meaning of life.” This indeed is the question that lurks in every person’s heart. It is often suppressed by busyness or distraction. It is the question that all the religions of the world attempt to address, and the pursuit of the great philosophers. Only Christ (and Christianity) has the complete answer. Read more

Source:  

The power of a picture

By:  

“… You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”­ –Jn 8:32

Recently, the head basketball coach at Rutgers University was dismissed because of abusive behavior toward his players. The behavior was reported last year in a newspaper article and not much was made of it; that is, until video of the behavior surfaced and people could see it. It quickly became the lead story on television and the Internet. As long as the story was relegated to words it did not have power. Pictures have power. Read more

Source:  

Bishop’s prayer intentions for May

By:  
BISHOP JOHNSTON–Bp. James V. Johnston paused as a candle was lit from the Easter Candle in St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau, during the Easter Vigil Mass on March 31, 2013. (Photo by Dan Williams)
BISHOP JOHNSTON–Bp. James V. Johnston paused as a candle was lit from the Easter Candle in St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau, during the Easter Vigil Mass on March 31, 2013. (Photo by Dan Williams)
  • For the thousands of refugees displaced by the civil war in Syria.
  • For those who serve in Catholic media and communications.
  • For China: On May 24th, the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians, we pray for the Church undergoing persecution in China and ask for Mary’s intercession on their behalf.
Source:  

The need for a new witness

By:  

The following talk was presented at the St. Louis Prayer Breakfast held May 24, 2012 by Most Rev. James V. Johnston, Jr., DD, JCL, Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

FRUITFULNESS—A couple participated in the 2013 Wedding Anniversary Celebration held in St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau. Sex and Marriage and the Call to Fruitful Communion is a portion of Bp. James Johnston’s talk concerning, “The Need for a New Witness.” (The Mirror photo)
FRUITFULNESS—A couple participated in the 2013 Wedding Anniversary Celebration held in St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau. Sex and Marriage and the Call to Fruitful Communion is a portion of Bp. James Johnston’s talk concerning, “The Need for a New Witness.” (The Mirror photo)

I am honored to have been invited by Abp. [Robert] Carlson and Legatus to address you this morning. I thank all of you for the love you have for Christ and his Church.

You may know that before I ventured off to seminary, I worked for several years as an engineer. One of my sisters, who works in marketing for Alcoa, sent me this little story several years ago: Read more

Source:  

Serving God in southern Missouri

By:  

“Mature disciples make a conscious, firm decision, carried out in action, to be followers of Jesus Christ no matter the cost to themselves.” –“Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” US bishops, 1992.

Financial report: our stewardship

The quote above from the US bishops’ pastoral on stewardship clearly indicates that a Christian steward is a disciple of Jesus who captures the vision of Jesus in every aspect of life. Christian stewards share in Jesus’ mission: in their relationships, words, and actions. In doing so, they help to extend God’s kingdom. As disciples practicing stewardship, we are each called to receive God’s gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them out of love with others, and return them with increase to the Lord. Read more

Source:  

A real share in the life of Jesus

By:  

“The Resurrection above all constitutes the confirmation of all Christ’s works and teachings.”­ –Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 651

The significance of the Resurrection

As we begin the Easter Season, it is good for us to prayerfully ponder the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Many do not give enough attention to the Resurrection, perhaps because it is an event that is so foreign to our own lives and time. We do have experiences of witnessing people’s deaths, enabling us to identify more easily with Jesus’ Passion and death: But the Resurrection? Even Jesus’ apostles struggled with this. Read more

Source:  

Pope calls us to unvarnished Catholicism

By:  

PALM SUNDAY AT VATICAN—Pope Francis blessed palms with holy water at he began Palm Sunday Mass at the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 24. Pope Francis is going to focus the energies of the Church on the person of Jesus Christ and the mission that flows from being a disciple, Bp. James V. Johnston said. (CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani)
PALM SUNDAY AT VATICAN—Pope Francis blessed palms with holy water at he began Palm Sunday Mass at the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 24. Pope Francis is going to focus the energies of the Church on the person of Jesus Christ and the mission that flows from being a disciple, Bp. James V. Johnston said. (CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani)

“More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”­ –Phil 3:8

We have a pope!

This recent week was one to remember. The drama of electing a new Successor of Peter reached a climax on March 13, 2013, when to the surprise of many, white smoke emerged from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on the first full day of the conclave, in its fifth ballot. The world was then introduced to the man chosen: the Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, now known as Pope Francis. Read more

Source:  

Giving thanks for Pope Benedict XVI

By:  
BISHOP GREETS POPE--Bp. James V. Johnston, Jr., greeted Pope Benedict XVI during the March 6-13, 2012, ad limina visit to the Vatican. (Photo used with permission of L’Osservatore Romano)
BISHOP GREETS POPE--Bp. James V. Johnston, Jr., greeted Pope Benedict XVI during the March 6-13, 2012, ad limina visit to the Vatican. (Photo used with permission of L’Osservatore Romano)

“I have felt, and I feel even at this very moment, that one receives one’s life precisely when he offers it as a gift.” –Pope Benedict XVI, finalgeneral audience, St. Peter’s Square, Feb. 27, 2013

On Feb. 28, along with millions of others, I watched as the massive doors of Castel Gandalfo slammed shut at 8 p.m. local time in Rome. This symbolic event also starkly marked the closing of the doors on the papacy of Benedict XVI. Even with the sound reasoning behind his decision, there was a poignant sadness at seeing the Holy Father turn for the last time from the balcony and exit the stage of history. Read more

Source:  

Praying for the Church in transition

By:  

“And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’” –Mt 16:17-18

FISHERMAN'S RING--The fisherman's ring--the pope's signet--is seen on the right hand of Pope Benedict XVI. When a pope dies or resigns the ring is destroyed in a special ceremony, usually carried out in private. (CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo)
FISHERMAN'S RING--The fisherman's ring--the pope's signet--is seen on the right hand of Pope Benedict XVI. When a pope dies or resigns the ring is destroyed in a special ceremony, usually carried out in private. (CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo)

Last week a good priest friend of mine called and left me a message, saying, “We certainly are living in apocalyptic times.” He was no doubt referring to the surprising announcement of Pope Benedict on Feb. 11 that he would resign from the papacy at 8 p.m. Rome time on Feb. 28, the first such action of a pope in more than six centuries. To add to the drama, there was a host of cosmic events also occurring last week: the rare lightening strike of the top of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica on the very day of the Holy Father’s resignation; a large asteroid passed unusually close to the earth; and then the largest meteor in a century exploded in dramatic fashion over Russia. Read more

Source: