Archive - 2009

Dr. David Mueckl, recipient of the Papal Honor of Knight Commander with the Star of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great.

Dr. David Mueckl awarded honor of Knight Commander with Star of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great

St. Louis, MO — His Excellency, Archbishop Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of Saint Louis, has announced that His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has bestowed upon Dr. David Mueckl, PhD, DBA, the Papal Honor of Knight Commander with Star of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great.

VATICAN CITY — Christmas is not a children's fairy tale, it is God's answer to humanity's thirst for real peace, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Christ's birth in Bethlehem was part of a divine plan, which is "a plan of peace," he said Dec. 20 before his midday recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square.

"Bethlehem is also a city-symbol of peace in the Holy Land and throughout the whole world," he said.

If a visitor from another planet were to come to earth at this time, he would quickly realize that this is a season of joy of nearly universal proportions.

If he were to turn on a radio or television, the sounds of Christmas would be inescapable.

Not everyone has the same perspective of the season. For Christians, it is a festival of the spirit. For some, it is a commercial venture. For others it is simply a legal holiday. For a few it is something to oppose. For secularists, it is an observance of an entire season.

A memorial Mass was celebrated Dec. 19 for Sister Rose Ann McNamee, a longtime educator, at St. Anne's Chapel of Anna House-The Sarah Community in Bridgeton.

Sister Rose Ann, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul for 75 years, died Dec. 13 at Anna House. She was 94.

A native of Chicago, she was baptized Veronica Marie McNamee. In 1934 she entered the Daughters of Charity in Normandy. In 1947 she earned a bachelor's degree from Fontbonne College in home economics with a minor in business education.

As the fate of federal health care reform continues to unfold in Congress, Catholics are asked to be vigilant in urging their legislators to prohibit federal funds from being used for elective abortions.

As of Review press time on Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate was still debating its version of health care reform legislation, called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The Gospel according to Luke 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.

This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.

And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.