DAVID BELLUSCI
  • Home
    • About Father Bellusci
    • Contact
  • TALKS
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • ARTICLES
    • Homilies
    • Blogs
    • Catholic Pilgrim >
      • Photos
    • Book Reviews
  • FRASSATI
    • Reflections
  • Books
    • Pier Giorgio Frassati Truth, Love and Sacrifice
    • Age of Innocence
    • Roman Incense
    • Love Deformed, Love Transformed
    • Ontology Of Blue
    • Amor Dei in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
    • Beating The Drums
    • Readers Review >
      • Age of Innocence
  • Sexuality
    • Humanae Vitae
    • Theology of the Body >
      • Introduction
      • Lessons 1-9
    • GENDER IDEOLOGY
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Andrzej Skulski
    • Br. Gavin Rodrigues, O.P.
    • Lara Paniagua

Spread the good news

John 20: 11-18
"But Mary was standing outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, as she wept, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' 'They have taken my Lord away,' she replied, 'and I don't know where they have put him.' As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.' Jesus said, 'Mary!' She turned round then and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rabbuni!' -- which means Master. Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' So Mary of Magdala told the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord,' and that he had said these things to her." 

Resurrection in Christ

29/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Fifth Sunday of Lent
​Vancouver, March 29, 2020
​
For those who listened to Pope Francis on Friday, March 27, live-streamed from the Vatican -- to the city and to the world, Urbi et Orbi -- we found ourselves united in prayer with the Holy Father and eleven million people, listening to the Gospel where Jesus calms the storm, Pope Francis’ homily, emphasising the words of Jesus, “Do not be afraid.” Then, time spent in silent Adoration.
 
The six Roman candelabra served not only to brighten St. Peter’s sagrato where the extraordinary prayer took place, but as symbol of the presence of the true light, Jesus Christ –  in His Word, in His Real Presence. The flames contrasted with a dark rainy Rome at 6 pm. Only the carabinieri were visible standing by their blue cars and lights flashing leading to Via della Conciliazione.
 
The Crucifix placed on the left of the sagrato was transported from San Marcello, the Basilica maintained by the Order of Servites on Via Corso.
 
For many the icon of the Virgin Mary looked familiar: Salus Populi Romani, “Health of the Roman people.” The icon was carried over from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where the icon is kept in the Pauline chapel (cappella Paolina) named after Pope Paul V who had the chapel rebuilt.
 
What does “health” mean.? Why is the Virgin Mary, “health of the Roman people”? Roman, of course, are all those attached to the Church of Rome, namely, with the Bishop of Rome, who is also Pope and the Vicar of Christ.

“Salus” has the meaning of “health” but in spiritual language, health also means salvation. So, when we turn to Mary, we are asking her to intercede for our health, but also for our salvation. Salvation, as every Roman Catholic knows comes from the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom Mary, the “God-bearer” brings into the world, with her “yes.”
 
“Salus” has a sound-resemblance to “salvus”; both mean salvation, but the former conveys the sense of health and safety, we might say more natural meaning. Salvus has the supernatural sense of salvation, as in “Jesus saved the people,” Jesus populum savlus fecit. So, the salus with Mary and salvus with Jesus convey this safety/health/salvation. 


Read More
0 Comments

gaudete sunday

22/3/2020

1 Comment

 
4th Sunday of Lent
Vancouver, March 22, 2020
​
The city streets of Vancouver have the light and scent of Spring; cherry blossoms already open beneath blue skies. Snow covered mountains stretch across the north shore. God’s creation seems dressed for Gaudete Sunday, 4th Sunday of Lent – day of Joy.

Then, I hear about further social distancing; in the park where I drink take out coffee on a bench -- alone, I watch Vancouver workmen tape the play ground to keep children from playing together. What’s worse are the frightful pictures of panic-stricken hoarders clearing out shelves. The provincial government has yet to intervene to control hysterical shopping. If raw selfishness is not exacerbated by the imagination, the reality of a potentially deadly virus does create panic. I watched video clips of escalating deaths in China, followed by Iran. But now Italy has unveiled the highest number of deaths caused by this same Lenten coronavirus. I spoke to family and to clergy across Italy: the situation is devastating. And I cannot get the prophet Jeremiah out of my mind, “…even prophets and priests roam the country at their wits’ end.” (Jeremiah 14:18). What happened to Rome? To Italy? To the world?

Rome, where Peter and Paul were executed; Rome where the blood martyrs filled the colosseum grounds and the fields of Circus Maximus. Where the early Roman Christians withdrew and prayed at gravesites in the catacombs. The relics of martyrs, Saints Cosmas and Damien, venerated in a Roman basilica. The blood of saints that purified and relics that sanctified by the power of Christ’s redeeming blood. For Rome, for Italy, for the world, God provided us with models of faith, of courage, of holiness.
Picture

Read More
1 Comment

Time to move on!

8/3/2020

0 Comments

 
2nd Sunday of Lent
Vancouver, March 8, 2020

​We have all have had the experience of change that involves “going to another place” where we shall spend our time -- perhaps live our lives. When we first began school, elementary or high school, the anxiety of the unknown, the unexpected. Two questions we might ask? Will I be happy. Will I like the people.

I know when my niece changed schools, from one Catholic school to another starting Grade 2, this was quite the event for her, and the entire family, who had also just moved. The anxiety was felt across the three generations: grandparents, parents, and child.

We may also have had the experience of moving into a new house. Common experience for Canadians who look for a better home, more suitable, bigger or down-sizing. Regardless, there is again anxiety. Will I be happy? Will I regret it?
​
And when we change countries, we pack up our bags and move, whether alone or with our family, we are still anxious whether this is the right thing. The right move: we leave people behind, like family, and who knows what we can expect. Will we want to turn around and go back because we miss home? 

​Canada is made up of migrants who left their homeland to settle in this vast land, green in the summer but icy in the winter. Sometimes people never returned to set foot on the land they left; others, spend their lives feeling homesick: I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss the way of life.
​
Change is about hoping you’re making the right decision, sometimes, you don’t seem to have a choice in the matter. Circumstances mean that you must sell your home and move out – move one -- elsewhere…
​

Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Who fails the student?

1/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
First Sunday of Lent
Vancouver, March 1, 2020


The Lenten readings for our Sunday and weekday Masses stress conversion.

Come back to me. Return to your God. Repent, and believe in the Gospel. The words of Ash Wednesday.
Conversion mean repentance. And by repenting we can return to God. In fact, conversion
comes from Latin, com-vertere “turn around” “to turn back” “transform”

Remember: if we think we do not need to repent or we have no need for conversion, it is the same as saying we do not sin.

We should also reflect on the seriousness/gravity of our sins. When are sins are frequent, and they are the same sin, we start to think this is normal, this is how I am.

We find a way of rationalising our sinfulness so as to diminish if not remove the sin. And the more time goes by, the more the sin becomes part of us, and more difficult to remove.

You can think of health: it’s easier to treat an illness when it’s diagnosed early, and hopefully still treatable.
​
But as more time goes by, and you say I’ll wait, and take care of this problem later, it does become more difficult to treat. Our spiritual life is like our health.


Read More
0 Comments

    Author

    Fr. David Bellusci, O.P.
    is a Roman Catholic Priest, and Assistant Professor 
    of Philosophy and Theology at Catholic Pacific College in Langley, B.C.

    List by Titles




    Who are the people on your list?
    The Language that Builds
    The Joy in the midst of Uncertainty
    Angels and Stars
    On Silence
    New Circumcision
    Here I am
    ​Remember me in Paradise
    Authority Christ Entrusts to Peter
    Sacrificing Isaac
    Us And Them
    ​Joy of Boasting in the Cross
    ​
    The 12 Apostles

    Are you saved?
    ​Follow Christ: obey the Commandments...
    ​Joy of Holiness
    ​Seeing Beyond Addiction
    Who is My God?

    Are we too secure, too comfortable to think about God and the poor?
    ​Faith and Pride
    ​Fighting the Enemy: Satan
    ​Time for Conversion
    What are your Weapons?
    ​​Presentation of the Lord - Day of Consecrated Life
    Love--it's not about me
    ​Word of God - preserved and transmitted
    Time to Move On!
    ​Gaudete Sunday
    ​Ressurection in Crist
    Observers and Participants
    ​
    Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia
    ​Jesus, I love You
    Moved by the Spirit
    Going to Heaven by the power of the Holy Spirit

    ​Immaculate Heart of Mary
    Who Is Your Treasure
    What is Your Fear
    "Blessed Are You Among
    Women": Mary Taken Up to Heaven
    ​The One with the Keys
    Challenged-Corrected-Cleansed
    ​O
    ur-Lady-of-Victory Our-Lady-of-the-Rosary
    All Saints! All Souls! Our Prayers!
    A Capable Woman

    Removing the Clutter
    ​Does the Birth of Christ change our lives?
    Transformed by the Resurrection

    ​St. Joseph: Terror of Demons
    ​
    Is Jesus Lord of your life?
    Do you need a Saviour?
    Radicality of the Gospel
    ​



     
    ​​

    Archives

    February 2023
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    All Saints
    All Souls
    Battle Of Lepanto
    Catholic League
    Catholic Schools
    Chastity
    Christmas
    Church
    Cleansing
    Community
    Confession
    Conversion
    Corpus Christi
    Correction
    Cross
    Divine Mercy
    Divorce And Remarriage
    Dominicans
    Easter
    End Times
    Eternal Law
    Everlasting Life
    Ezekiel 33
    Falsehood
    Fear
    First Nations
    Gospel
    Gossip
    Holiness
    Holy Trinity
    Homilies
    Homosexual Activity
    Humility
    Immaculate Conception
    Immaculate Heart
    Jesus
    Love
    Lust
    Mary
    Matthew 18
    Morality
    Natural Law
    Original Sin
    Our Lady Of Rosary
    Paganism
    Papacy
    Pentecost
    Pornography
    Postmodern Ideologies
    Pride
    Purification
    Purity
    Radicality
    Reconciliation
    Repentance
    Residential Schools
    Resurrection
    Rosary
    Saint Joseph
    Salvation
    Saviour
    St
    St. John The Baptist
    St. Pope Pius V
    Terror Of Demons
    Transformation
    Virtue
    Vocation
    Wife
    Wisdom

    RSS Feed

Contact
Books
Frassati

    Get the latest from Fr. Bellusci delivered to your inbox:

Join our email list
© David Bellusci
  • Home
    • About Father Bellusci
    • Contact
  • TALKS
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • ARTICLES
    • Homilies
    • Blogs
    • Catholic Pilgrim >
      • Photos
    • Book Reviews
  • FRASSATI
    • Reflections
  • Books
    • Pier Giorgio Frassati Truth, Love and Sacrifice
    • Age of Innocence
    • Roman Incense
    • Love Deformed, Love Transformed
    • Ontology Of Blue
    • Amor Dei in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
    • Beating The Drums
    • Readers Review >
      • Age of Innocence
  • Sexuality
    • Humanae Vitae
    • Theology of the Body >
      • Introduction
      • Lessons 1-9
    • GENDER IDEOLOGY
  • Guest Bloggers
    • Andrzej Skulski
    • Br. Gavin Rodrigues, O.P.
    • Lara Paniagua