Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Dom Giuseppe Autorino (Rector)
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Dom Giuseppe Autorino (Rector)
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Dom Giuseppe Autorino (Rector)
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Dom Giuseppe Autorino (Rector)
Letter to the devotees of Saint Philomena worldwide. Holy Christmas 2023 We are writing you a greeting thought for Holy Christmas from the Shrine of St. Philomena, a place dear to all of us because it guards the memory of the young martyr. In our shared devotion to St. Philomena we are united in the faith that for two thousand years has enlivened the whole world: it is Jesus, dead and risen, our peace and our way. In Him we are one Body, we have one Lord, one Hope. At Holy Christmas we celebrate the beginnings of this adventure: “God became like us to make us like Him”, and all this without our merits: “in Him the Father chose us before the creation of the world”. We wish to go to meet Jesus who comes, letting ourselves be accompanied by the shepherds, the first “invited” to see God with us. Invited because they are unassuming and able, in wonder, to welcome the “good news” (Gospel). We men and women of the 21st century have “complicated” life because we got distracted and turned our gaze away from Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Today we need to repeat aloud and with cries: come, Lord Jesus. The world needs You! Our eyes see too much cruelty going around (wars and killings), too much self-reference (exaltation of the self), life at the service of personal interests, ever more widespread marginalization! Christmas comes above all for this. At Christmas God comes again to set His hand once more to that masterpiece of His: making humanity one single family. God comes again to tell us that each of us is His home and in every person, even the one most “far” from His plan, there is a depth of blessing and a spark of His love that must be recognized, brought to light, and made to grow. Christmas lights hope beyond all disappointments. It wants to offer us firm, safe ground in the whirl of times and changes. It wants to give all of us the chance of a new beginning. The shepherds, then, can lend us a hand in this. They will help us enter Christmas well, but also and above all to come out of it better. We write especially to you who, in various ways, represent the “family of St. Philomena” in the world: prayer groups of Saint Philomena, groups of the Living Rosary of Pauline Jaricot, Universal Archconfraternity Saint Philomena, Sanctuary of St. Philomena, group of devootes in Spiritual Union. You have chosen our young martyr as an “friend” to grow and keep alive in life friendship with Jesus and fidelity to His Word: we urge you to let fall what divides and always cultivate unity in diversity. Only in this way is the Philomenian charism credible and will it continue to bear abundant fruits of Christian life. This is also the time of the synodal journey, where the Church asks us to walk together, listening to one another and working for the glory of God. The Shrine remains the center of spirituality and is always open to all devotees who wish to be renewed in the presence of the sacred body. May your paths of faith, beyond the name of your group, always continue, keeping this place as a reference point, an oasis of Philomenian spirituality. We assure you of our full and sincere prayer for all of you and wish each one a Holy Christmas of Peace and Serenity. With affection and gratitude. Fr. Giuseppe Autorino (Rector) Fr. Pasquale Capasso (Vicar General and administrator )
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena,
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Lettre aux fidèles de Sainte Philomène dans le monde entier. S. Noël 2023 Chers amis et fidèles de sainte Philomène, nous vous adressons nos vœux de Noël depuis le sanctuaire de sainte Philomène, un lieu qui nous est cher à tous parce qu'il est le gardien de la mémoire de la jeune martyre. Dans notre dévotion commune à sainte Philomène, nous sommes unis dans la foi qui anime le monde entier depuis deux mille ans : Jésus, mort et ressuscité, est notre paix et notre chemin. En lui, nous formons un seul corps, nous avons un seul Seigneur, une seule espérance. À Noël, nous célébrons les débuts de cette aventure : "Dieu s'est fait semblable à nous pour nous faire ressembler à lui", et tout cela sans nos mérites : "en lui, le Père nous a choisis avant la création du monde". Nous voulons aller à la rencontre de Jésus qui vient en nous laissant accompagner par les bergers, premiers "invités" à voir Dieu avec nous. Invités parce qu'ils sont sans prétention et capables, dans l'étonnement, d'accueillir la "bonne nouvelle" (l'Evangile). Nous, hommes et femmes du XXIe siècle, nous nous sommes "compliqué" la vie parce que nous nous sommes laissés distraire et avons détourné notre regard de Jésus, l'auteur et le perfectionneur de notre foi. Aujourd'hui, nous devons répéter à haute voix et avec des cris : viens Seigneur Jésus. Le monde a besoin de Toi! Nos yeux voient trop de cruauté (guerres et tueries), trop d'autoréférence (exaltation de l'ego), la vie au service de l'intérêt personnel, la marginalisation de plus en plus répandue! C'est avant tout pour cela que Noël arrive. À Noël, Dieu vient à nouveau mettre la main à son chef-d'œuvre, qui consiste à faire de l'humanité une seule famille. Dieu revient nous dire que chacun de nous est sa maison et qu'en chaque homme, même le plus "éloigné" de son plan, il y a un fonds de bénédiction et une étincelle de son amour qu'il faut reconnaître, mettre en lumière et faire grandir. Noël allume l'espoir au-delà de toutes les déceptions. Il veut nous offrir un terrain stable et sûr dans le tourbillon des temps et des changements. Il veut nous donner à tous la possibilité d'un nouveau départ. Les bergers peuvent donc nous donner un coup de main. Ils nous aideront à bien entrer dans la période de Noël, mais aussi et surtout à mieux en sortir. Nous vous écrivons surtout à vous, qui représentez de diverses manières la "famille de sainte Philomène" dans le monde : groupes de prière de sainte Philomène, groupes du Rosaire vivant de Pauline Jaricot, Archiconfraternité universelle sainte Philomène, Sanctuaire de sainte Philomène, groupe de dévots de l'Union spirituelle. Vous avez choisi notre jeune martyre comme "amie" pour faire grandir et maintenir vivante dans votre vie l'amitié avec Jésus et la fidélité à sa Parole : nous vous exhortons à laisser tomber ce qui divise et à toujours cultiver l'unité dans la diversité. Ce n'est qu'ainsi que le charisme de Philomène sera crédible et continuera à produire des fruits abondants de vie chrétienne. C'est aussi le moment du voyage synodal où l'Église nous demande de marcher ensemble, en nous écoutant les uns les autres et en travaillant pour la gloire de Dieu. Le sanctuaire reste le centre de la spiritualité et est toujours ouvert à tous les fidèles qui souhaitent être régénérés en présence du corps sacré. Que vos voyages de foi, au-delà du nom de votre groupe, se poursuivent toujours, en gardant comme référence ce lieu, oasis de la spiritualité filomane. Nous vous assurons de nos pleines et sincères prières pour vous tous et souhaitons à chacun d'entre vous un Saint Noël de Paix et de Sérénité. Avec affection et gratitude. Don Giuseppe Autorino (Recteur) Don Pasquale Capasso (Vicaire général et administrateur)
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Letter to the devotees of St. Philomena in the world. S. Christmas 2023 Dear friends and devotees of St Philomena, we write you a thoughtful wish for Holy Christmas from the Sanctury of St Philomena, a place dear to us all because it is the custodian of the memory of the young martyr. In our common devotion to St Philomena, we are united in the faith that has animated the entire world for two thousand years: Jesus who died and rose again is our peace and our way. In Him we are one Body, we have one Lord, one Hope. At Holy Christmas we celebrate the beginnings of this adventure: "God became like us to make us like Him", and all this without our merits: "in Him the Father chose us before the creation of the world". We wish to go to meet Jesus who comes by letting ourselves be accompanied by the shepherds, the first "invited" to see God with us. Invited because they are unpretentious and capable, in amazement, of welcoming the "good news" (Gospel). We men and women of the XXI century have 'complicated' our lives because we have become distracted and turned our eyes away from Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Today we need to repeat aloud and with shouts: come Lord Jesus. The world needs You! Our eyes see in circulation too much cruelty (wars and killings), too much self-referentiality (exaltation of the ego), life at the service of self-interest, increasingly widespread marginalization! Christmas comes above all for this. At Christmas God comes again to put His hand to His masterpiece of making mankind one family. God comes again to tell us that each one of us is His home, and in every man, even the most "far" from His plan, there is a fund of blessing and a spark of His love that must be recognised, brought to light and made to grow. Christmas kindles hope beyond all disappointments. He wants to offer us stable and secure ground in the whirlwind of times and changes. It wants to give us all the possibility of a new beginning. The shepherds, then, can give us a hand in this. They will help us to enter Christmas well, but also and above all to come out of it better. We write, above all, to you, who in various ways represent the "family of St. Philomena" in the world: St. Philomena prayer groups, Pauline Jaricot's Living Rosary groups, Universal Archconfraternity St. Philomena, Sanctuary of St. Philomena, group of devootes in Spiritual Union. You have chosen our young martyr as a "friend" to grow and keep alive in your lives friendship with Jesus and fidelity to his Word: we urge you to let go of what divides and always cultivate unity in diversity. Only in this way will the Philomena charism be credible and continue to produce abundant fruits of Christian life. This is also the time of the synodal journey where the Church asks us to walk together, listening to each other and working for the glory of God. The Sanctuary remains the centre of spirituality and is always open for all devotees who wish to be regenerated in the presence of the sacred body. May your journeys of faith, beyond the name of your group, always continue, keeping as a reference this place, an oasis of Philomena spirituality. We assure you of our full and sincere prayers for all of you and wish everyone a Holy Christmas of Peace and Prosperity. With affection and gratitude. Don Giuseppe Autorino (Rector) Don Pasquale Capasso (Vicar general and administrator)
Dearest friends and devotees of Saint Philomena, Carta aos devotos de Santa Filomena no mundo. S. Natal 2023 Queridos amigos e devotos de Santa Filomena, escrevemos-vos um desejo atencioso para o Santo Natal a partir do Santuário de Santa Filomena, um lugar querido para todos nós porque é o guardião da memória da jovem mártir. Na nossa devoção comum a Santa Filomena, estamos unidos na fé que anima o mundo inteiro há dois mil anos: Jesus morto e ressuscitado é a nossa paz e o nosso caminho. Nele somos um só Corpo, temos um só Senhor, uma só Esperança. No Santo Natal celebramos o início desta aventura: "Deus fez-se semelhante a nós para nos tornar semelhantes a Ele", e tudo isto sem os nossos méritos: "Nele o Pai escolheu-nos antes da criação do mundo". Queremos ir ao encontro de Jesus que vem, deixando-nos acompanhar pelos pastores, os primeiros "convidados" a ver Deus connosco. Convidados porque despretensiosos e capazes de acolher, com espanto, a "boa nova" (Evangelho). Nós, homens e mulheres do século XXI, "complicámos" a nossa vida porque nos distraímos e desviámos o olhar de Jesus, autor e aperfeiçoador da nossa fé. Hoje precisamos de repetir em voz alta e aos gritos: vem Senhor Jesus. O mundo precisa de Ti! Os nossos olhos vêem demasiada crueldade (guerras e matanças), demasiada auto-referencialidade (exaltação do ego), vida ao serviço dos interesses próprios, marginalização cada vez mais generalizada! O Natal é sobretudo para isso. No Natal, Deus volta a pôr a mão na sua obra-prima de fazer da humanidade uma família. Deus volta a dizer-nos que cada um de nós é a Sua casa e que em cada homem, mesmo o mais "afastado" do Seu projeto, há um fundo de bênção e uma centelha do Seu amor que é preciso reconhecer, trazer à luz e fazer crescer. O Natal acende a esperança para além de todas as desilusões. Ele quer oferecer-nos um terreno estável e seguro no meio do turbilhão dos tempos e das mudanças. Quer dar-nos a todos a possibilidade de um novo começo. Os pastores podem, pois, dar-nos uma ajuda nesse sentido. Ajudar-nos-ão a entrar bem no Natal, mas também e sobretudo a sair melhor dele. Escrevemos, sobretudo, a vocês, que de várias maneiras representam a "família de Santa Filomena" no mundo: grupos de oração de Santa Filomena, grupos do Terço Vivo de Pauline Jaricot, Arquiconfraria Universal Santa Filomena, Santuário de Santa Filomena, grupo de devotos em União Espiritual. Escolhestes a nossa jovem mártir como "amiga" para fazer crescer e manter viva nas vossas vidas a amizade com Jesus e a fidelidade à sua Palavra: exortamo-vos a deixar o que divide e a cultivar sempre a unidade na diversidade. Só assim o carisma de Philomena será credível e continuará a produzir frutos abundantes de vida cristã. Este é também o tempo do caminho sinodal onde a Igreja nos pede para caminharmos juntos, escutando-nos uns aos outros e trabalhando para a glória de Deus. O Santuário continua a ser o centro da espiritualidade e está sempre aberto a todos os devotos que desejam regenerar-se na presença do corpo sagrado. Que os vossos caminhos de fé, para além do nome do vosso grupo, continuem sempre, tendo como referência este lugar, oásis de espiritualidade filomaniana. Asseguramos as nossas plenas e sinceras orações por todos vós e desejamos a cada um de vós um Santo Natal de Paz e Serenidade. Com afeto e gratidão. Dom Pasquale Capasso (Vigário geral e administrador)