Heralds of the Gospel

Month: September 2008

The Founder of the Heralds of the Gospel is appointed Papal Canon of the Basilica of St. Mary Major

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Rome, September 14, 2008
(Heralds of the Gospel) This morning, by a bull of Pope Benedict XVI, Monsignor João Scognamiglio Clá Dias E.P., founder and general president of the Heralds of the Gospel, an international association of faithful of pontifical right, was received into the Liberian Chapter of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major. In a solemn ceremony held in the Chapter Chapel and presided by the Archpriest Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, Monsignor João Scognamiglio Clá Dias E.P. was created an honorary canon of the Papal Basilica, after which Holy Mass was celebrated at the Papal Altar by Cardinal Law and concelebrated by Monsignor João Clá, the other members of the Liberian Chapter, and numerous priests. The grandiose Basilica was filled by the faithful attending the Eucharistic celebration.
The Liberian Chapter dates back to the twelfth century, currently comprising 31 canons, 7 of which are honourary. Being a Papal Basilica, the Chapter members are created by the Supreme Pontiff, soconferred with the dignity of Apostolic Protonotary Supernumerary.St. Mary Major is one of four Papal Basilicas together with St. Peter,St. Paul, and St. John Lateran. Pope Liberius first conceived the building of this basilica around the year 360, but construction onlybegan under Pope Sixtus III, in the Fifth Century, soon afteraffirming the Divine Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin and her title of Theotokos at the Council of Ephesus.
This historic basilica houses some of the most venerable relics of Christianity, including the Manger where the Christ Child was born,displayed for public veneration. Another interesting fact is that themedieval bell tower is the highest in Rome at 75m (about 240ft).

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

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Fr. João S. Clá Dias
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”
– Matthew 13:31–32
Those hearing this parable know of the botanic construction of mustard, characterized by its minuscule seed that, once planted, gives birth to a lush bush, always green.
God might have created the mustard seed solely to serve as the object of this beautiful parable of our Savior. Extremely small in its beginning, astonishing in its development, this plant is a good example to illustrate the origin and strength of Catholic apostolate, and even of the Kingdom of Heaven. Who, present when Jesus, just before ascending to heaven, gave instructions to the small group of disciples, couldn’t imagine that, in the future, millions of Catholics would populate the world.
In the teaching of this parable, growth is an essential element. The Kingdom of God and apostolate are almost imperceptible in their beginning, but as time goes on their expansion is incalculable, above all by the disproportion between the scarcity of the means and the greatness of the effects.
When a baby is brought to the baptismal font and is touched by the waters of grace, God sanctifies him. Years later some of these tender and delicate infants will become giants in the Faith, everyone knows of a St. John Bosco, or a St. Teresa of the Child Jesus for example. Colossal trees, born from such a simple ceremony…
This parable motivates us to believe in the strength of the expansion and the penetration of the Church, it teaches us, at the same time, the true sense of the Kingdom of Heaven and the triumph of the good ones, who will be shining at the Final Judgment.

Procession in honour of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres. Brampton Ontario

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Last Sunday, the Heralds of the Gospel participated in a procession in downtown Brampton by invitation of Fr. Andrej Chilmon, Pastor Our Lady of Fatima Parish in that same city.

This particular procession is a Portuguese tradition that comes to Toronto from the Azorean community (I think that is the Island of Sao Miguel where this devotion is most visible). The feast is called Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres and there is a beautiful bust of Our Lord after the scourging that leads the procession through the streets and back to the church. This is a very symbolic tradition because it reminds us that we follow Christ all the days of our lives, through the streets, in the workplace, at home and in all that we do. And as in the procession Christ always leads us back to the Church, His mystical body on earth.

Included in this post, there are some pictures from the procession.

Lumen Veritatis

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Lumen Veritatis is opening it’s second campus!
This time last year we were just opening the first school of the Heralds in Hamilton, Ontario. This year we are pleased to announce that we’ve started another in the Toronto area. The school is close to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church (Dufferin and Hwy 7, click here for map) and is open to anyone, call for more details!

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On August 23rd, there was another fund raising raffle to help out with Toronto branch, and it was a huge success! Enclosed are some pictures from the draw.

In a special way, we thank all those who helped!