Spy Wednesday
Blessed Rolando Rivi
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National Catholic Register
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“Tomorrow, one priest less,” said the political commissioner of one of the Communist Party’s “Garibaldi Brigades” of Monchio, a small town in the northern Italian province of Modena. Those words uttered in 1945 signaled the commissioner’s decision that seminarian Rolando Rivi had to be executed. Rivi was only 14, and now he is the Church’s first beatified seminarian.
From 1943-1949, approximately 4,500 people were killed in Modena, Italy by communists. Among them were 93 priests, who were accused of several offenses, including collaboration with the fascist government, giving aid to fascist refugees or simply being priests or studying to become one. The latter was the case of Rivi.
In the judge’s verdict, it is written that Rivi was killed because he was “very young and of a pious and irreprehensible conduct,” and “he sympathized with Catholic partisans and opposed the spread of communism.”
For Risso, Rivi’s martyrdom is clear. The verdict, he said, “seems to be written by a pope, but it has been written by an Italian judge.”
(6 Minute Read)
“When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, 'Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.' Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, 'Surely it is not I, Lord?' He said in reply, 'He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.' Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, 'Surely it is not I, Rabbi?' He answered, 'You have said so.'”
– Mt 26:20-25
Surrendering it all to God
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Visitation Birth Doula
Know you are made for this. Birth Doula. Postpartum Doula
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Let us hold tight to Christ
I had the privilege of attending 2 births to start off this Holy Week and what stood out to me was how Jesus on the Cross was present for both mamas.
One mama held tight to her crucifix during the surges
Both had Him present in their space
Both beautifully surrendered their birth to Him.
Let us hold tight to Christ this week as we continue to enter into Holy Week and each day as we enter into a new day of motherhood, whether pregnant or postpartum.
Spy Wednesday?
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Matthew Bunsen
Contributor at The National Catholic Register
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Today is traditionally called “Spy Wednesday” because this is the day that Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord to the Sanhedrin. Judas became a spy for the Enemy. He watched Jesus and the Disciples and waited for the moment to betray them all, and he betrayed the Christ with a kiss.
All three Synoptic Gospels include the account, as it is an important moment in the events of the Passion (Matthew 26:12-14, Mark 14:10-12, Luke 22:3-6). Each provides a few details that are worth considering.
(6 Minute Read)
Calling all Catholic entrepreneurs
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Meme time
Sometimes memes help put things in perspective 😭
A.M.D.G.