Rome, Italy, Jun 23, 2020 / 10:30 am (CNA).- Sister Stan Mumuni dedicates her life to caring for abandoned children with birth defects in Ghana. When the coronavirus pandemic spread to West Africa, she said that she ran to the market to buy soap and supplies, but the prices had already tripled.
“We ran to the place. The price has gone too high. We have to get food to store food to be able to feed these children,” Sister Stan said at a virtual symposium June 23.
Some of the children cared for by her religious order have such severe disabilities that they cannot eat solid food, but rely on milk. “Getting milk to feed them everyday was very, very hard,” she said.
“Many people are dying of hunger. We live in a poverty zone. … With the pandemic we have to struggle with the little we have to be able to even reach out to others to support them.”
As parts of Ghana went into lockdown, Sister Stan said that she received more and more phone calls. First, there were calls from the special needs schools asking her order to come pick up the orphaned children and bring them to their house as the schools closed.
Then there were the calls concerning newborn disabled children whose lives were at risk.
The Marian Sisters of Eucharistic Love, founded by Sister Stan in 2009, provide a home for children with special needs who were often rejected by their families and communities because of superstitious beliefs that associate birth defects with witchcraft.
“At this period too, we have been called by so many priests: ‘Please rescue a child that is in danger,’” she said.
“‘Please, Sister, come, we have rescued two children that they wanted to kill them.’ ‘Please come, a woman gave birth and died and that child is considered ‘witch’ … and we need to do something about it.’”
Sister Stan said that although movement had become very difficult, she knew that God was calling her order to rescue these children.
She recalled that she had heard this call very distinctly in the founding of the Marian Sisters of Eucharistic Love: “Christ told me: ‘Even though you have nothing, I am telling you to go and rescue my children.’”
“All this we have to risk our lives to go in search for such innocent victims,” she said. “Christ said: ‘Let the children come to me’ … children are precious to God.”
She added: “Our mission here on earth is to keep rescuing life, rescuing souls, and to keep spreading the good news of the kingdom of God.”
Sister Stan was one of several sisters who shared her religious order’s experience of the COVID-19 pandemic in the “Women Religious on the Frontlines” virtual symposium co-hosted by the U.S. and British embassies to the Holy See.
Sister Alicia Vacas, regional leader of the Comboni Sisters in the Middle East, was also called to take risks to serve those in need amid the pandemic.
“Unfortunately one of our communities in Bergamo got infected at the very beginning of the coronavirus emergency, and we started receiving very bad news from the community,” Sister Alicia said at the symposium.
“And several young sisters, several of us nurses, we volunteered to go and reach them and to help them.”
Once she arrived in the town of Bergamo, located in Lombardy, the epicenter of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak, Sister Alicia said that the Comboni motherhouse “was in real chaos” because “everybody was sick.”
She estimated that 45 sisters of the 55 living in Bergamo were ill. Ten Comboni sisters from her community died during the outbreak.
“It has been a very powerful experience to live from inside the suffering of the people in Bergamo,” she said, adding that it has been an experience of Christ’s Passion.
“As a Comboni sister, I think it has been only a privilege … sharing with people’s lives, with people’s sufferings,” she said, calling it a “gift from God for the whole congregation.”
Sister Alicia, who is now back at the convent in Jerusalem, said that the coronavirus pandemic is not over and “the situation is very worrying” for many sisters in other parts of the world.
The World Health Organization reported June 22 the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases, with more than 183,000 new infections documented worldwide in 24 hours.
Sister Alicia said: “I have been in contact with many sisters working in places like Jordan … in South Sudan, in Chad, in Ecuador, and I can see the sisters exposed to many risks with no equipment at all. They don’t work in many cases in government hospitals. They don’t have access to tests. So they are receiving suspected cases and patients without any possibility of protecting themselves.”
“For many other sisters who are not working in medical issues, they have to face this explosion … of poverty and social crisis, and many sisters … are dealing with starvation,” she added.
Callista Gingrich, the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, said that the coronavirus pandemic “has caused vast unemployment, poverty, and food insecurity — further challenging the work of women religious.”
“I want to take a moment to recognize and honor the tremendous sacrifices made by women religious during this pandemic,” she said. “Here in Italy, and around the world, many faithful sisters have made the ultimate sacrifice while caring for others. As we continue our work together, let us preserve and honor their memory.”
[…]
By illuminating the fact that The Office Of The MUNUS is “forever”, Pope Benedict illuminated the fact that “The Holy Spirit was not promised to the successors of Peter that by His revelation they might make known new doctrine, but that by His assistance they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound the Revelation, the Deposit of Faith, delivered through the Apostles”.
Pope Benedict, by maintaining The Office Of The MUNUS, The Gift Of The Holy Ghost, The Gift Of Infallibility in regards to Faith And Morals, exposed the fact that there existed within the hierarchy of The Catholic Church a counterfeit magisterium that, in denying The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, The Spirit Of Perfect Divine Eternal Love Between The Father And His Only Begotten Son, Jesus The Christ, Who Must Proceed From Both The Father And His Only Begotten Son, Jesus The Christ, In The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Divine Eternal Complementary Love, The Most Holy Blessed Trinity, Pope Benedict exposed the fact that this counterfeit magisterium, which, in denying The Divinity of The Most Holy Blessed Trinity, was attempting to subsist within The One Body Of Christ, while denying The Most Holy Blessed Trinity, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost, Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, and thus Pope Benedict exposed the fact that this counterfeit magisterium, in essence, existed in a state of apostasy, in complete contradiction to The Deposit Of Faith.
Dear Blessed Mother Mary, Mediatrix Of All Graces, Mirror of Justice And Destroyer Of All Heresy, Who Through Your Fiat, Affirmed The Filioque, and thus the fact that There Is Only One Son Of God, One Word Of God Made Flesh, One Lamb Of God Who Can Taketh Away The Sins Of The World, Our Only Savior, Jesus The Christ, thus there can only be, One Spirit Of Perfect Divine Eternal Complementary Love Between The Father And His Only Begotten Son, Jesus The Christ, Who Must Proceed From Both The Father And His Only Begotten Son, Jesus The Christ, In The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Divine Eternal Complementary Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity (Filioque), hear our Prayer that your Immaculate Heart Will Triumph soon for the sake of Christ, His Church, all who will come to believe, and all our beloved prodigal sons and daughters, who, hopefully, will return to The One Body Of Christ, which exists From The Father, Through, With, And In His Only Son, Jesus The Christ, In The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque) Amen.
Cleverly (!) maybe not quite a “counterfeit magisterium,” but rather a deceptive rupture between intact and formal teachings which are never denied outright (the Magisterium), and actual practice–a schizophrenic ploy of indirect signaling, photo-ops and insinuation–and, as wisely anticipated by St. John Paul II in his encyclical Veritatis Splendor (1993):
“A separation, or even an opposition [!], is thus established in some cases between the teaching of the precept, which is valid and general, and the norm of the individual conscience, which would in fact make the final decision [no longer a ‘moral judgment’!] about what is good and what is evil. On this basis, an attempt is made to legitimize so-called ‘pastoral’ solutions contrary to the teaching of the Magisterium, and to justify a ‘creative’ hermeneutic according to which the moral conscience is in no way obliged, in every case, by a particular negative precept [thou shalt not!]”(n. 56).
And…
“This is the first time, in fact, that the Magisterium of the Church [!] has set forth in detail the fundamental elements of this [‘moral’] teaching, and presented the principles for the pastoral discernment necessary in practical and cultural situations which are complex and even crucial” (n. 115).
And,
“The Church is no way the author or the arbiter of this [‘moral’] norm” (n. 95).
ND: there is only ONE , HOLY, CATHOLIC & APOSTOLIC CHURCH. No parallel magisterium!
Powerful words ND.
“God’s Revolution” is not over yet?
God bless,
CN
Benedict XVI was a good and holy man. He was an inspired teacher whose
sermons, books and reflections touch even ordinary non-theologians. His resignation
was a much lamented setback for the Church.
We were blessed to have two great popes in my lifetime: John Paul II and
Benedict. John Paul II has reached sainthood; hopefully, Benedict will join him.
May I live to see that. !!
In his later years as Pope I became very fond of Benedict XVI- his teaching, graciousness and gentle spirit. I would very much like the Church to begin the long process in examining his cause, and if he measures up, his eventual canonization. In the mean time I will continue to evoke his intercession. I thank God for Benedict XVI!
Please!!! I love BXVI! But enough of the “spirit of Vat II” (note the lower case “s”) led rush to canonize every Pope nowadays! It’s downright scary who is in the batters box after BXVI!!!
Here we go again. Yet another Vatican II Pope canonized. Despite the moral wreckage which they helped–by their negligence–to bring about.
Heroic Sanctity? In someone who delivered us into the hands of Bergoglio?
I’m a huge fan of Ratzinger-Benedict and when I met him in 2003, he was humble and other oriented—not selfish. He might be a future doctor. But let’s hold off. Wisdom says don’t rush, no? Saint Therese took longer. Francis Xavier took far longer. Joan of Arc far longer. The Church thinks and acts in centuries, we used to hear. In my private prayer for nearly 3 years I’ve both prayed for his repose and beseeched his intercession. Give it the required time and trust with hope. Full investigation into his life, transparency. Abandonment.
I am convinced of Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XIV’s personal sanctity. His entire life will be carefully scrutinized, in order to ascertain heroic virtue. This man was a holy genius. Holy geniuses are few and far between.
Before he became pope, I was a so-so Catholic. As soon as he stepped out on the balcony of St.Peter’s Basilica on the day of his election, I was infused with a love for Jesus Christ and for the papacy. That’s the moment I delved into my Catholic faith with a sincere commitment. Not only did I read as much as I could of his writings, but I read the entire Bible, and entire Catechism of the Catholic Church, in order to be informed and educated about my own faith. This was the “Benedict effect” for me.
I was privileged to scratch the the surface of his opus: thirty-two books of his, and counting. His “Introduction to Christianity” is a recognized masterpiece. He leaves behind him a treasury of Catholic teaching, for generations of theologians to dissect, including all of his homilies and speeches. In fact, his musings on Good Friday, 2005, just before John Paul II’s death, clearly demonstrate that Ratzinger was nothing short of a prophet (reminiscent of St.Pope Paul VI’s prophetic voice in Humanae Vitae), discussing the filth that was in the Church and his comments about the “Dictatorship of Relativism” in his pre-conclave homily before his election as pope.
His quiet and humble demeanor was just one of his personal traits. When my beloved mother, who truly loved and respected him, died, I wrote him a five-page letter, in French (his mastery of French was exquisite, by the way). He wrote me back; I still have his letter (what a gift for me!). His sweet words and compassionate understanding touched me deeply.
I thank God for giving us this Holy Pope. I have no doubt that he will be declared a Doctor of the Church eventually.
Marie Brousseau: Catholic author, essayist, biologist and teacher
Author of “Defending Human Dignity: Catholic Answers to Gender, Abortion and Relativism
mariebrousseau.com
This business with Francis declaring that Benedict supported him and the “legalizing of homosexuality because it is not a heresy” -has to come to a reckoning, it seems to me.
Also to re-emphasize, it is bearing down on Pope Leo.
See references in my comments in the CWR news report on the removal of Bishop Strickland.
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2023/11/11/breaking-pope-francis-relieves-strickland-of-his-duties-as-bishop-of-tyler/
Marie Brosseau above (5:09 p.m.) – Ditto. During JPII’s time, I swallowed the MSM’s slanderous portrayal of Ratzinger/Benedict. How could I have been such a sucker?
Eight days left on the Catechism in a Year!
Cleo above (4:21 am) – I understand exactly what you’re talking about. Secular media set the tone by their subjective narrative. They negatively, and falsely, influenced a lot of people.
They did the same thing with Pope Pius XII. It is essential to get informed through proper sources. For Pius XII, the Jewish community has exonerated him, thanks to numerous documentation of his heroic actions, such as hiding thousands of Rome’s Jewish men, women and children, in convents around the eternal city, and at Castel Gandolfo.
For Benedict, the whole episode of his being enrolled in the “Hitler Youth” was a pernicious attempt to smear his good name. I discuss this very aspect of the subjectivity of MSM, in my essay called “The insidiousness of subjectivity”. I also devote space about Ratzinger’s views on the dictatorship of relativism in my book (Defending Human Dignity).
I have reviewed two of Ratzinger’s works, “The Spirit of the Liturgy” and his timeless “Introduction to Christianity”, on Goodreads (I am also a Goodreads author). I will soon be reviewing another of his masterpieces, “Jesus of Nazareth”, the first in his trilogy on Jesus, which he wrote as Pope Benedict XVI.
I highly recommend all of his writings to everyone: if you want to know this man’s mind, heart and soul, read his books. His autobiography, “Milestone”, was published in 1998:he recounts the first fifty years of his life, covering his childhood in Nazi Germany, forced service in Hitler Youth and the army, his calling to the priesthood, his theological studies, experiences at Vatican II, professorship, and rise in the Church up to 1977, offering deep personal insights into his formation and faith. Another gem is “The Ratzinger Report” (1985), in which he frankly discussed the state of the Church. His interviews with journalist Peter Sewald are also very insightful, especially “Salt of the Earth” (1997).
For insights into the bias of secular media,and other topics, such as “Lying by Omission” and the use of language to distort the truth (“Truth and Language”), you can read my essays which are posted on my Blog page, on my website (mariebrousseau.com), anytime.