The Catholic Church In Uzbekistan

FYI -- Uzbekistan is a Former Soviet Republic in the heart of Central Asia.

It is now an Independent Country. It has possibly the smallest Catholic Community in the world.

The City of Tashkent is the Capital Of Uzbekistan.

Here are some articles for your perusal.

1) Easter draws non-believers to the Church, says bishop of Tashkent

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Easter-draws-non-believers-to-the-Church,-says-bishop-of-Tashkent-33984.html


2) Easter in Uzbekistan: newly baptized and a vigil in four languages

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Easter-in-Uzbekistan:-newly-baptized-and-a-vigil-in-four-languages-37079.html


3)  Uzbek Church serves everyone, hopes for the arrival of new priests

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Uzbek-Church-serves-everyone,-hopes-for-the-arrival-of-new-priests-45844.html

7 Ways To Honor The Sacred Heart Of Jesus

At the very center of Christianity is love. 

Love is the whole message, the whole law. Now, I don’t mean love in the sense of quickly passing infatuation or sexual attraction, two mistaken definitions of our confused culture, but rather sacrificial self-giving. 

In its essence, love is nothing more than laying down your life for the good of another.

The deeper we grow in the Catholic and Apostolic faith, the more we realize that the gospel is centered not so much in our love for God, but in God’s love for us. 

Holy Church has dedicated the month of June to a devotion that is designed to remind us of the depth of God’s passionate love for his creatures: devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In the burning and wounded Sacred Heart, we see that God’s heart is consumed with love for us—so much so that he was willing to suffer and die for us in the most gruesome manner. The Sacred Heart teaches us that true love is always costly, but that it always gives life.

There is much more that can be said about devotion to the Sacred Heart, but today I want to focus on 7 ways we can honor it.

1. Consecration – In mediating on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we realize the depth of God’s sacrificial love for us. Jesus gave himself to us completely on the Cross to prove his love for us, and he continues to do so every day in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 

When we receive the Eucharist, we receive the very heart of Christ.

 Yes, Jesus gives us his heart again and again, and the only reasonable thing to do is to give our hearts to him in return. One beautiful way to do this is by consecrating ourselves to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

2. Enthronement – An important aspect of devotion to the Sacred Heart is recognizing and submitting to the authority of Jesus Christ in every aspect of our lives. Jesus is truly a king—the king of the Church, of our families, and of society in general. The tradition of enthroning the Sacred Heart is an excellent way to express this kingship of Christ.

In this ceremony, a blessed image of the Sacred Heart is placed prominently in our homes, reminding us that Jesus is our king, and that we should love and serve him with our whole hearts.

3. Reparation – The name of Jesus is regularly blasphemed and abused in media, literature, and every day conversation. Each time this happens, the heart of Christ is wounded again by the rejection of his creatures. One way we can show love to the Sacred Heart is by making acts of reparation for the abuse that Jesus receives.


4. First Fridays – When our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary and revealed the devotion to the Sacred Heart, he requested the practice of attending mass, going to confession, and receiving him in the Eucharist on the first Friday of 9 consecutive months. This devotion is important because we remember the passion and death of our Lord on Friday. It is essentially a novena that reminds us of the love of Jesus for us, and instills in us a desire to imitate his sacrificial love.

Of course, we are all busy, and it can be difficult to remember the first Friday devotion. But we must do it out of love for the Sacred Heart.

5. Frequent Prayer – Prayer is the breath of the spiritual life and the primary way we grow in love for God and neighbor. Calling frequently on the Sacred Heart is an excellent way to pray, since doing so is an appeal to the love and mercy of Jesus. Prayer to the sacred heart can be as lengthy as a novena or litany, or as simple as a spontaneous, “Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.”

6. Imitation – Devotion to the Sacred Heart is designed to inspire imitation. We can say all the right prayers and even practice the first Friday devotion faithfully, but if we aren’t imitating the self-giving, sacrificial love of Jesus, we aren’t truly devoted to his heart. Of course, imitating the Sacred Heart starts with giving love to Christ and being ready to sacrifice for his sake. But it also involves loving those we encounter every day—including those we don’t particularly like.  It means loving and forgiving our enemies and those who persecute us. It means laying our life down for others.

7. Missionary activity – Finally, loving the Sacred Heart of Jesus means bringing its love to others. It means sharing our faith with those who may have fallen away from it, or who might have never heard of the fact that Christ lovingly gives himself to us, body and soul, in the Eucharist. It means bearing witness to the fact the Jesus is our king whom we serve sacrificially. And it means bearing our crosses lovingly and patiently.

Conclusion: 

 Devotion to the Sacred Heart has waned in recent years, but I encourage all of you to learn more about this beautiful devotion, and to grow in your love for the burning heart of Jesus. It is only when we learn to imitate the true, costly, and sacrificial love of the Sacred Heart that we will discover our vocation as men.

 Credits : The Catholic Gentleman 

The Catholic Church in Kazakhstan

The Catholic community has about 150 thousand faithful; in the territory religious of 20 different nationalities reside, for a total of 120 priests and 130 nuns. 

The event that marked the rebirth of the Church after the Soviet persecution was the apostolic visit of Pope John Paul II in 2001. 

Archbishop of Nur-Sultan: "We look to the future with hope".

Nur-Sultan (AsiaNews) - 

A "small flock" blessed "by the blood and tears of millions of martyrs" of Soviet persecution: this  is how Msgr. Tomash Peta, Archbishop of Nur-Sultan (new name of Astana), describes the Catholic Church of Kazakhstan.

Speaking to AsiaNews he outlines the main characteristics of a young Church, composed of about 150 thousand faithful. A Church "small in number", but lively, active, international and with a strong devotion to Mary. A Church that still prays in Russian, even if the national language is Kazakh. "This year we published the first religious book in Kazakh. The hope - he says - is to be able to translate the missal by the end of 2019".

Bishop Peta is the pastor of the Archdiocese of Santa Maria di Nur-Sultan. The national Church gained freedom after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 2003 the Episcopal Conference of Kazakhstan was created, composed of the dioceses of Nur-Sultan, Karaganda (led by Msgr. Adelio Dell'Oro) and of the Holy Trinity of Almaty (led by Mgr. Jose Luis Mumbiela Sierra); in addition, there are the apostolic administrations of Atyrau (governed by Fr Dariusz Buras) and that of the Byzantine rite Catholics in Kazakhstan and Central Asia (led by Fr Vasyl Hovera).

The country enjoys religious freedom: "We can build churches, chapels and monasteries. We invite priests and nuns from all over the world. At the moment, religious of 20 different nationalities reside in the territory, for a total of 120 priests and 130 nuns. The Catholic Church is recognized thanks to an Agreement (a sort of Concordat) between the Holy See and the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the capital there is also the Apostolic Nunciature, with the Nuncio Indian archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt ".

Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world, with a population of 18 million inhabitants. The archbishop reports that "70% professes Islam and 20% is Russian Orthodox Christian. 

There is also a small community of Lutherans and many Protestant groups ". The demographic composition "of the Kazakh steppes was marked by forced deportations of the 1930s and 40s. For this reason, after independence  was obtained in 1991, at least four million people emigrated. Of these, 500 thousand Catholics ".

The Catholic Church was marked by an important event: "The pastoral visit of Pope John Paul II in 2001 (22-25 September). It took place 11 days after the attacks against the Twin Towers in New York. The journey showed the world a living Church: at the mass celebrated in Astana there were 40 thousand people. Without exaggerating, I can say that the papal visit opened a new chapter in the history of our Church. From that moment, every three years a Congress of religious representatives of all faiths is held in the capital. "

The pontiff's journey was also an opportunity to raise the Marian shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace to the national sanctuary, in the village of Ozyornoye. Here, “next to the great Cross erected at the top of the hill, the youth gathering has been held since 1999. The meeting is very important because it offers them the opportunity to deepen the Christian faith and reflect on their future, on marriage and the family ". On the cross is an inscription, in memory of the victims of communist repression: "To God - honor. To men - peace. To the martyrs - the Kingdom of heaven. To the people of Kazakhstan - gratitude ".

Since 2014, the village of Ozyornoye has also hosted an altar for worship, named "The Star of Kazakhstan". It reflects one of the main characteristics of the Catholic community: the strong Eucharistic adoration and in particular devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Msgr. Peta reports: "In the years of Soviet domination, when Catholics were forced to live without churches, priests and sacraments, Catholics created a sort of eighth sacrament: that of the prayer of the Rosary. The reason is that the only thing they could do during the persecutions was to baptize their children and pray the Rosary. In some ways, the Rosary has replaced the lack of the shepherds ". Today, he concludes, "Kazakhstan is a blessed country, perhaps thanks to that blood and those tears of millions of martyrs. We thank the Lord and look to the future with hope ".

Credits : Asia News June 27, 2019 

Catholicism In Iran

The number of Christians in that country, in fact, decreases year by year.

Before the 1979 Revolution, Christians in Iran were 300 thousand out of a population of 42 million.

Today they are 70,000 out of 80 million inhabitants. The majority of them (50,000) belong to the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, while Catholics are 10,000, that is 0.35% of the total population. Half of them are Chaldeans and a few hundred are Latinos.

The spiritual-religious center of the Catholic community is located in the Armenian district of Djolfa: a quiet place of the old town with splendid Islamic style buildings, mosques, palaces and gardens which remind of an illustrious past.

Time seems to have stopped in Djolfa. The residences of the nobility, dating back to the seventeenth century, are surrounded by high walls, which protect them from the glances of the curious. There are two knockers on the ancient wooden doors of these buildings: one for men and another for women. This allowed the women in the house to understand by the knocking at the door, whether the visitor was a woman or a man, and in the second case they covered their face with a veil.

Our Lady of the Rosary, the Catholic Cathedral of Isfahan is in the historic district of Djolfa. The church was built by the Dominicans in 1681 and bears witness to the time when the Catholic Church in Persia was important and pompous.

We meet Herach Touroussian, who has worked as a custodian at this church for 15 years. He is a Christian Armenian, however religious affiliation is not important to him: “Faith is what counts”, he says. As a young man he worked in a steel mill in Isfahan and later went to Armenia, a country which at that time was part of the Soviet Union. “In those times, the cathedral was full of treasures. Even the steps leading to the altar were covered with silver.” Herac recalls. Today all those treasures no longer exist. Herach spends his time cultivating a small garden and repairing objects, which, perhaps nobody will ever use. It has been years since the last time the Mass was celebrated in the cathedral, and the building needs to be restored.

Unlike the Assyrian-Chaldean and Armenian Churches, the Catholic Church in Iran, does not have legal status; it is not allowed to own properties or land and does not have incomes. In order to move around the obstacle, the Armenian church had to officially declare that they own ‘Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral’. Last January, Father Jack Youssef, was appointed Apostolic administrator of the small Catholic community of Isfahan, consisting of about two thousand Catholics and five parishes.

The rites of the Catholic Church in Iran are the Chaldean, the Armenian Catholic and the Latin rite.

The local Catholic Bishops’ Conference consists of four bishops; two are of Chaldean rite, in the diocese of Tehran and Urmia, respectively Metropolitan Archbishop Ramzi Garmou (also president of the Bishops’ Conference since 2007) and Bishop Thomas Meram; Neshan Karakeheyan is the Patriarchal Administrator of the Armenian-Catholic diocese of Isfahan, with residence in Tehran (about three hundred faithful), while Father Jack Youssef is the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin diocese of Isfahan.

There are 15 parishes with about 15 priests throughout Iran. “As a church, our mission is witnessing despite the difficult context. In Iran in fact, minorities recognized by the Constitution are strictly forbidden to proselytize and the performance of acts of worship is strictly regulated by the regime.

However, the strength of the Church in Iran”, underlines Mgr. Garmou, “is not affected by the small number of the faithful, nor by the lack of a legal status”. “This small flock – the prelate states – can be witness of the presence of Jesus, by living its faith in daily life in contact with people of other faiths.” The Catholic Church in Iran is committed to the field of education by managing some schools, kindergartens and nursery schools. Some sisters run hospitality centers for the elderly and for young people.

An Inspiring Homliy For Corpus Christi Sunday 2019

Today is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

In 1263, a priest from Prague was en route to Rome making a pilgrimage asking God for help to strengthen him in his faith, because he doubted his vocation. He stopped in a village called Bolsena, 70 miles north of Rome. While celebrating Mass there, as he raised the Host during the consecration, the bread turned into visible flesh and began to bleed.  The drops of blood fell onto the small white cloth. The following year in 1264 Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of the body and blood of Jesus, today’s solemnity of Corpus Christi.

The miracle of the host turning to flesh and bleeding--- pointed to the fact that in the Eucharist is a real and entire person.  The Eucharist is not just a hunk of flesh or just some blood.  The Eucharist is a person!  The Eucharist is the whole Jesus!  We can’t have a relationship with a hunk of flesh, but we can have a relationship with a person, who will listen to us.

The same Jesus who came down from heaven in the womb of Mary, walked the face of the earth, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered, died, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, is the same Jesus in the Eucharist today, but resurrected.  We should give Jesus in the Eucharist, the greatest possible reverence.

The most common way to disrespect Jesus in the Eucharist, is to receive Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin. If we purposely miss Mass on Sunday or commit any mortal sin, we are not permitted to receive Holy Communion, unless we first go to Confession. Otherwise we commit a sacrilegious communion. If we receive the Eucharist with a mortal sin on our soul, we do not receive any graces whatsoever and deeply offend Jesus.

Those who cannot go to Mass on Sunday, due to their health or because they are homebound or in a nursing home, or if they work in a hospital or nursing home or if a police officer or EMT, even if they miss Mass, it is not sinful.

To receive Holy Communion on the hand is an indult, which is a permission. The ordinary manner the Church intends us to receive Communion is on the tongue. I repeat, the ordinary manner the Church intends us to receive Communion is on the tongue.

It’s up to each bishop as to whether or not to grant permission to receive in the hand. The bishop in the Diocese where Medjugorje is located, does not permit Communion in the hand.  When Communion is received in the hand, people lose reverence and begin to treat it as bread, which it’s not. The Eucharist is a person. It’s Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

If we receive Communion in the hand, we are to immediately put the Host in our mouth before walking away. Years ago, some priests told the people of their parish, to step aside and then put the Host in the mouth. But, practice has shown, Hosts are dropped on the floor and particles fall to the floor. It is quicker and safer to put the Host immediately in your mouth before walking away. Sadly, some people have stolen Hosts because they walk away with it in their hands.

Also, many times, very small particles of the Host remain in the palm of the hand and then fall to the ground. Each particle, no matter how small is the whole and entire person of Jesus.

As a priest I always tell the people who receive Communion, I recommend that you receive Communion on the tongue, because it is the manner the Church desires and it is the safest way to prevent particles from falling to the ground.  However, if you would decide to receive in the hand, after you put the Host in your mouth, please look at the palm of your hand and pick up any particles and consume them.

A Vatican II document says every Catholics is to make a sign of reverence, such as a bow of the head or the sign of the Cross before receiving Holy Communion.

We are to fast one hour before receiving Holy Communion, except for medicine or water. Diabetics can be exempt, but only when necessary. Gum, coffee, tea, candy are not permitted within the hour before receiving. In hospitals and nursing homes if the priest or extra ordinary minister is unable to come back, Communion can be given in less than an hour.

After we receive Holy Communion, Jesus remains inside us physically for at least 10 minutes, until the Host is assimilated into the body. We should pray to Jesus, who comes inside us and not leave Mass immediately after receiving the Host. Otherwise, we offend Jesus by ignoring Him, who has come inside us.

There is no greater joy on earth than to have union with Jesus in Holy Communion. We should pour out our heart to Him, thank Him, talk to  Him, ask for favors and listen to Him, who speaks to us Heart to heart.

Today, on this Corpus Christi Sunday, let us resolve to treat Jesus in the Eucharist, with the greatest possible respect, and if it’s been years since you received Communion on the tongue consider doing as the Church intends, out of humility and specially out of love for our God, who hides Himself under the appearance of bread, but is truly there in His real risen physical body.

The Catholic Church Is Not Dead and Buried

April 28, 2019 was the Feast of Divine Mercy. 

In February of 1931, Sister Faustina saw Jesus dressed in a white garment with rays of white and red coming from His Heart.  Jesus said, “Paint a picture according to the vision you see and with the signature, ‘Jesus I trust in You.’ I desire that this picture be venerated first in your chapel and then throughout the whole world.” 

Later Jesus explained, “The rays represent the Blood and Water which gushed forth from the depths of my Mercy when My agonizing heart was pierced on the cross. The pale rays symbolize the water which cleanses and purifies the soul: the red rays represent the blood, which gives new life to the soul.” Our Lord also said, "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and specially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened." 

Jesus said the greater the sinner the greater the mercy. “Summon all those to confidence in the incomprehensible depth of my mercy for I desire to save all.  The well of mercy was opened wide with a lance on the cross for all souls. I do not exclude anyone.” Jesus said, “Tell ailing mankind to draw close to my merciful heart and I will fill them with peace. Mankind will not find consolation until it turns with confidence to my mercy and love.”  Jesus said, “Let no soul fear to come to me, even if its sins be as scarlet.  This feast emerged from the bosom of my mercy and is founded in the depths of my mercies.”

Sr. Faustina saw an angel about to execute God’s punishment on a city. She prayed for mercy but her prayers were without effect.  Then suddenly she heard this prayer, “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”, which caused the angel to lose its power to punish the city.

With this prayer, as well as the prayer, “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world”, it is called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  Jesus said, “Say unceasingly this chaplet.  Anyone who says it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as a last hope.  If the most hardened sinner recites this chaplet even once, they will receive grace from my infinite mercy.  I want the whole world to know my infinite mercy.  I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in my mercy.” Jesus also said, “I desire the confidence of my people.  Let not even the weak and very sinful fear to approach me, even if their sins be as numerous as all the sand of the earth all will be forgiven in the fathomless pit of my mercy.”

We need to Ask for Mercy. In our day and age we need to ask for Mercy due to the most horrible injustices occurring in the world.  Euthanasia, Embryonic Stem-cell Research, Abortion, Infanticide, the persecuting of Christians in China, India, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and other countries, the killing of Christians throughout the world, terrorism, child abuse, sexual abuse of children by priests, bishops and cardinals and those in the Church who covered it up. Truth is not being proclaimed.  We need to ask for mercy by regularly praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to atone for our sins and those of the whole world.

We Need to Be Merciful: First by forgiving those who hurt us. And second by doing deeds of mercy through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. To counsel the doubtful, to admonish the sinner, to instruct the ignorant, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, pray for the living and the dead. Corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, bury the dead, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned and give alms to the poor.

We Need to Completely Trust in Jesus. Some are abandoning the Church due to the scandals and due to the lack of leadership in the Church. But we need to trust in the Lord. Trust in His Mercy.
If we are upset by confusing teachings, we should cry out, “Jesus I trust in You!” If we are upset by the horrific sexual abuse scandal, we pray, “Jesus I trust in You!” If we wonder, “When will abortion end and all the sins against life?” We should place our hope in Jesus and cry out: Jesus I trust in You!’ We trust that Jesus is with us through our agony! We are not alone in enduring these great trials and difficulties.

Some are abandoning the faith, but we should not throw the baby out with the bath water.  The Church is the body of Christ. The Church is the bride of Christ.  Jesus promised the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. So what are we to do in this sad time?

We should throw out the false doctrine such as: Hell does not exist, or couples who are divorced and re-married civilly can receive Holy Communion, or homosexual relationships are now acceptable, or that God wills the diversity of religions, or the death penalty is no longer permitted in any circumstance, or that non-Catholics can now receive Holy Communion at special events…or that doctrine and dogmas grounded in divine revelation are subject to change, such as woman can now be priests-- because we now have a new modern way of seeing things. All of this is baloney! And all of this is dirty bath water to be thrown out! This is not Catholic. None of this belongs to the deposit of faith.

Jesus is saying to us today-- the same words He spoke to His apostles, “Will you abandon me too?” And we like Peter, should respond, “Where shall we go Lord, you have the words of eternal life.”

Today, we feel like the apostles in the upper room, who were hiding in fear. Jesus had died. They must have been down-cast because the Lord was crucified. Yet, they trusted. When suddenly, Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with You!”

For us it seems like the Church, the body of Christ is dying on the Cross. Will we be like all the apostles, except John and abandon Jesus? Or will we be like the Virgin Mary and John, who faithfully stood with Jesus.  Will we stand by the Church as she goes through Her Passion?

We will not abandon the Church. Rather, we will defend the Church and Her teachings. We need to stand up and proclaim the truth and be a witness of mercy by our lives.

Even if it appears as though the Church is being crucified, even if it appears as though the Church is dead and buried and lying in the tomb, we will cry out from the depths of our heart:

 “Jesus I trust in You! Jesus I trust in You! Jesus I trust in You! Lord I believe in You. I believe in your Church and I pray, with your grace, I will be faithful to you, even to death, because I look forward with Hope for the resurrection on the last day. Amen.

Important Ejaculations For Corpus Christi Sunday June 23, 2019

1) Eucharistic Heart Of Jesus Christ, Divine Furnace Of Charity Inflame My Heart With Perfect Love For You.

2) Eucharistic Heart Of Jesus Christ, Through The Infinite Value Of Each Holy Sacrifice Of The Mass, Offered Now And Until The End Of Time, Have Mercy On Us And On The Whole World.

3) For Me Life, Means The Eucharistic Heart Of Christ.

4) All I Want Is To Know Christ Jesus, In The Holy Eucharist.

5) Eucharistic Blood Of Christ, Cleanse Me From All That Is Not Holy.

6) Deliver The World, Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ, From The Grip Of Satan.

7) Jesus I Trust In You, You Dwell In The Blessed Sacrament, Full Of Mercy And Infinite Compassion.

8) Jesus I Trust In You, You Have Come Not For The Self Righteous But For Sinners.

9) Jesus I Trust In You, The Healthy Do Not Need A Physician But Those Who Are Sick.

10) Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ, Have Mercy On Me A Sinner, By The Healing Power Of Your Eucharistic Love Remove All False Idols From My Life That I May Love You With My Whole Heart And Serve and Worship You Alone.

11) Deliver All Your People, Eucharistic Heart Of Jesus Christ, From The Bondage Of Sin And Division For Each Soul Is So Precious To You.

12) Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ, I Believe That You Are The Son Of God, Personally Present In The Holy Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Nourish My Faith Jesus, With That Mature Faith That Has Power To Conquer The World.