Humbly permit me to share my view of the world through the Good News. Voyage with me as I preoccupy myself about ... The Lord's Affairs... And, let my Heart Speak to Your Heart. As Blessed Cardinal Newman would says: 'Cor Ad Cor Loquitur...' Heart speaks to Heart...'
I wondered if there was something else to their dancings. Meanwhile, it seems out there some of their behaviors were also not fully understood yet. I came across people who've been studying them for years and still are. I thought I don't have that long though I love them much. Then reconciling knowledge from The Theology of the Body and Dei Verbum, it seems that we have certain things in common. They have the ability to stand on one leg. Surely, this show the power of their body, but then it seems that for those who do Ballet, it is a move that is part of their dancing routines. Of course, it was not obvious at first until I browsed through the scenes of one of my favorites movies Step Up.
Then, I carried on to the next thing that seemed to be a puzzle about them for the past few years: their migration to Siberia in Russia. I mean no one goes to a place to voluntarily die. News reporters, experts have expressed both their concerns and their opinions at the unexpected arrival of the flamingos in the coldest part of Russia, a trajectory said to be opposite to their regular route. What caught my attention was one comment as seen in the news report below mentioning how the wind led in such direction, or to be more direct fooled them...
So I paused for a moment and directed my focus to the wind, thus approaching it this theologically. I mean I'm on a quest to attempt to look at creation through the eyes of God. In the Holy Writ, there are different passages of God manifesting Himself through the Wind either with God the Father or God the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, there is this one particularly in the Old Testament where "... Yahweh changed the wind into a west wind, very strong, which carried the locusts away and swept them into the Sea of Reeds. There was not one locust left in the whole of Egypt..." - Exo 10:19 (NJB) Could the Father Almighty, the creator of Heaven and Earth, be the one who behind-the-scenes interfered with the flamingos annual routine? Could it be that what He did millenias ago, He repeated but our eyes have so far away from perceiving the signs of time as Pope Benedict XVIwould advise that the only pausible explanation was to say that there is been a failure in their orientation mechanism? Could it be that He, the maker of Heaven and Earth, whispered in their ears through the wind? And if it is they had become deaf to the voice of God, He chose to turn their attention back to Him by detaching from what we have come to see in them; experts dancers who seduce one another through dancing. Not that there is anything wrong in that! In fact, I could not help but think that maybe their dancing are also a mean for them to praise the Lord. Who knows? Of course, I am writing from a hypothetical approach as well. If so, then like the rest of us called to go and make disciples of all nations, He dare to pick those He thought would be missionaries by surrendering to His Holy Will. And so as the New Jerusalem Bible narrates about the apostle Paul and his friends' ship in the book of Acts 27:15 "... the ship was caught and could not keep head to wind, so we had to give way to the wind and let ourselves be driven...", then we could suggest that the same for them, missionary flamingos for Siberia, the wildest and coldest place on Earth as described by BBC. Missionaries in a new land who drew attention, caused stirs who will learn to use what they have to conquer the new land like the rest of the species who had to do so. However, not just on their own but by turning to their maker their creator who by the power of the Holy Spirit will inspire them what to do to fill this place for the glory of God. Throughout time and history, the law of Darwin finds its way again and again applying to creatures that they who can adapt to their environment will better survive. Some species have multiplied, and some winter after winter have decreased in number. So, through the eyes of Faith, I must say that their presence there will and could make a difference to that habitat, just as it would change them as well hopefully for the better as they learn all about that land meanwhile establishing themselves. Now how? Time will tell... They've conquered lands where they've reached the million, so let be attentive to the Lord moving through them... So... does divine revelation (Dei Verbum) makes our reasoning less? or does it prove to be complementary to science, philosophy and else...? Pope Paul VI affirms to us that "... God, the beginning and end of all things, can be known with certainty from created reality by the light of human reason (see Rom. 1:20); but teaches that it is through His revelation that those religious truths which are by their nature accessible to human reason can be known by all men with ease, with solid certitude and with no trace of error, even in this present state of the human race." - Dei Verbum, Par 6. For 'On Dei Verbum - part I', click here...
This time, what angle to cover this subject from was
really really hard. There were so many options that at last I approached it
from God revealing himself through creation. And the outcomes did demonstrate that when God did create us, he meant it when he said we would have dominion over the earth. This could only be done if we strove to seek deeper communion with Him by seeing what surrounds us through His eyes. The sounds of our equipment at times echo the sounds of certain creatures, when we open our ears to listen. Then we comprehend the Scripture where our Lord speaks of hearing and understanding. St John Paul II in his theological approach to the body challenges us in making us realize that failure to accept one’s body is failure to accept creation. Pretty daring one would say, but truth is once we start diving in the world of fashion
not in a superfluous manner, but truly with in mind a sense of holiness, we
might marvel at how we become companions of the Heavenly Father, Abba, in the Garden whom He consults just as He did with Adam when He sought to name the different creatures. Filled by the Holy Spirit, when we look at the works of our hands through the eyes of Christ, we are either becoming allies of God’s work or we are on the other side, and we simply miss out on discovering the very depths of one of the gifts bestowed upon us when we were being confirmed: the gift of Wonder and Awe… Now when it comes to be filled with wonder, I could count on my fingers key creatures that from a tender age caught my attention, and whenever I would see them I would just be mesmerized before the Holy Trinity blesses me to know more and more the works of the Father's hands. Among these are the Flamingos. I think it all started when I started learning how to dance Salsa, and then I discovered all these other types of dances that had influence my land and ancestral line such as Samba. But then, there was Flamenco. So I remember often times confusing Flamenco and Flamingowhen identifying these birds growing up, because both these names are pretty similar. During my pilgrimage in 2016 (a combo destination of WYD in Poland and other destinations for me such as the Czech Republic), I was encouraged to visit Praha Zoo; the Zoo of Prague. While making my way through this vast territory getting acquainted both with creatures I knew, creatures I had encountered and knew not their names and creatures I had never seen nor even thought existed, I ran into the Flamingos. For the first time in my life, I was seeing them face - to - face. Obviously, I brought back memories home with me as you see here: I was only at the Zoo for that day, and just that in itself was a pilgrimage for the numerous creatures that filled this space. It definitively felt like visiting another kingdom, and you want to see it all before you leave: you can't afford to be tired. I might have the privilege to introduce more of them to you in my Botanical Theology series.
Two years later when finally answering the call to dive into the knowledge of what God the Father took the time to create, what my maternal grandmother and some of my ancestors studied without books, and what in my readings on the Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she herself devoted time while being raised in the temple to the study of creation through the angels dispatched to be her tutors and countless other saints and holy ones on my path, I decided to call it Botanica Theologia. So obviously, came the time to cover the Flamingos. And as I got to know them through readings and videos over the weeks, I noticed an emphasis was put on their dancing: it seemed renowned as an approach to find a mate. However, discovering that their colonies can reach the million, and seeing how easy it is to lose them. Hypotheses began to broom in me.
To be continued... Fanny Magnificat, MZRB. Remember to stop by my Holy Emporium and find me on Google, Twitter and Youtube...
My reflections On the Ministry and Life of Priests - Presbyterorum Ordinis were so many that rather than pouring them out there, I chose reminisce on clergy who have elevated the priestly life in ways they themselves might have dreamed of, but never imagined. Why? Because He, Our Lord, whom we adore is the One we glorify because it is only with his Power working in us that infinitely more than we can ask or imagine is done (Eph 3:20 NJB).
It is rare today to see in societies being more and more secularized priests' praised on national TV unless it is a Catholic Channel. Rather, you will hear the sinful lives of a few exposed which stains the holiness of the many who've chosen to do it well. You'll hear about the one who was taken to the diocesan tribunal for child abuse, or the one who left the priesthood many reasons, or the one who joined a sect or the one who suddenly realized that priesthood was no longer for him and either found a woman and left or left for pursuit of another vocation. You will rarely hear about clergy who celebrate 25 years anniversary, or 50 years of celibate priesthood. You will rarely hear that the Catholic Church is so rich that she actually has married priests, legit! I mean sacramentally married with children.
You will rarely hear about the one who loves the people of God so much so that His very love will heal, such as St John Mary Vianney who was such a doctor of the soul that he was reputed to spend hours in the confessional hearing his parishioners to mend the wounds of their souls. His holiness grew so much so that it is said that bars and liquors store shut down, and Sundays were renowned to be dedicated to the Lord with the people of God filling the sanctuary to hear the Word of God.
Or even about St Pio of Pietrelcina who I grew up knowing as a faithful apostle of Christ, in whose name many of children met to intercede for his Canonization and whom we referred to in those days as Padre Pio. Another one who was not just blessed with the visible Stigmata, the open wounds of Christ crucified. Yes, he suffered with Christ taking flesh in him for the salvation of souls; stigmata he bore for 50 years. As well, regardless of the disbeliefs or crosses he bore, in regards to the Lord working in Him, it did not stop the long line ups of souls coming to Him, or those whose prayers the Lord answered through his intercession for the gift of a child; naming them Pia if it was a girl or Pio if it was a boy. Regardless of the persecutions as many saints before Him, the graces from heaven grew ever more as he was graced with the charism of Bilocation;
one who could be in two places at the same time. Indeed, sounds pretty freaky! but there are gifts we receive by the power of the Holy Spirit, and they tend to look similar to gifts given by other spirits. One must learn to make the difference. Ignorance might say only witch can do that, but in Christ, there is much that we can do and be through Him who strengthens us that surpasses all things. And so these are just holy men now saints who saw that their priestly role was to sanctify the faithful.
~Sisters of St Pio & the children @Lunch Time~
Lo behold, inspiring many other young men to rise to the call of the priesthood and do marvel for the Church; such is the case of the Reverend Father Gilbert Dagnon who was the founder of two religious order. First, came the Brothers of Jesus - Christwhile serving both as a professor and as a rector in Ouidah at St Joan of Arc Seminary and then came the Franciscan Sisters of St Pio in Benin, and spreading its wings across Africa to Togo, Gabon and the future will tell us where next... But this is me jumping ahead in excitement. As one who embodied the words spoken over him during his anointing, there was indeed no boundaries to him being Priest, Prophet and King (Gaudium et Spes). Next to that, He was truly was recognized as one of the exorcists of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, this holy man who many throughout their life dream to see was the one who wrote the national anthem that is sung nationwide in the Republic of Benin. Rather than letting culture compromise him in his priestly life, he demonstrate to us that culture is not the end, but that culture can indeed conform itself to the Gospel (Gaudium et Spes, par. 51).
~Me being blessed by him in his last moments~
Myself, I got to witness how the Members of his congregation established in a parish that had the school annexed to it would welcome the students during lunch, feed them and have them nap before the return to class in the afternoon. They were uniforms 'Khakis', so no one can tell the rich kid from the poor kid. This religious order has also orphanages, so rather than telling people how many kids to have as mentioned in Gaudium et Spes, he chose the road that will potentially make things better, not just with the children and orphans, but as well by using farming in the rural areas where his ministry led him to relieve villagers from their miseries that they may become self sufficient. Dear Reverend Gilbert Dagnon, intercede for us that we may one day be among those who shout Saint.
It is incredible how rich the Church's teachings and liturgical wealth are lived from one continent to another. Although we have seven sacraments worldwide, there are administered different as we venture ourselves through the Ritual Churches or from nation to nation. I could not help but reminisce over my last year before moving to Canada when covering Vatican II's document on the Apostolate for the Lay People - Apostolicam Actuositatem.
@ former classmate. Same promotion.
~ Different generations ~
Let me put things into context; It is an all Girls College run by religious women determined to maintain high educational standards. We are the first promotion, and it is my second year before our good Lord ships me to a new land; Canada. Sacraments are still offered in the school context along with the regular curriculum. But in the midst of the seven sacraments, there is, in Benin, this step between the Sacrament of Confirmation and the last one (Holy Orders, religious Life or Marriage) called Engagement Solennelle (Solemn Engagement). It is quite taken seriously for it for you can call that year where the challenge to think about your vocation begins, if you had not before. For others, it is to let the Holy Spirit dig your heart and reveal to you what your apostolate is to be. Looking back, you could call Our Entry in Society. Here, it is from faith perspective, but it would not be much different from what you witnessed during the period of the Renaissance in Europe. Matter of fact, were we not learning British English as a 2nd official language. I recall it being a strenuous exercise for me. By then, I did know my vocation, but my apostolate? My life had been so enriched spiritually by then that, I did not know what to choose. See we were told, you say only one thing! So as the days got closer, one thing became clearer that all complemented each other. And Lo behold, the day came where just like the many young ladies, I stood before the assembly and with palpitations in my heart, spoke loudly in the microphone handed to me and with conviction the words that would continuously remind me that I was to be Catholic bound. And indeed as mentioned in the decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, whatever He calls us too , he will give us the grace to live out that vocation. So the Holy Trinity, by the power of the Holy Spirit has been granting me the grace to see my life in Christ refined, making me worthy in my unworthiness to grow as co-heir of a rich kingdom, meanwhile being led to others in this same kingdom who through their testimonies fortify my faith.
@ St Bernard Parish with foundress Marie-Josette Bonneval & local sisters.
Thus, it was that I was blessed one evening in my parish to meet the co-foundress of a religious order that found home in our diocese from Brazil that same year by Msgr Alberto Taveira, and among the parishes that welcomed them, our shepherd did open to them the doors;The Seeds of the Word from the Portuguese Sementes do Verbo. Not only among the orders we had welcomed that year, I confess I had been intrigued by them, but my holy curiosity began to be fed when it was slowly taken to their roots. Yes, this lay woman by whose side I have the privilege to stand in this photo started this community in Europe. If someone would have ever told her so, she would not have believed it. Upon an ill caught by her husband, co-founder and now Deacon Georges Bonneval of the same community, she promised our Lord that if He was to heal him, she would consecrate her life to him. Lo behold, our sweet Lord Jesus loves such deals, so at the surprise of the doctors in the early stage of their married life, the miraculous healing came to pass. Their apostolate went beyond the parishapostolates (often referred to as ministries as clarified in Apostolicam Actuositatem. As their community grew, she narrated to me how they were invited to start a community in Brazil by one of the Monsignor. Today, they've planted their seeds not just in Europe, in the Americas (Canada, Brazil), but the door has now opened for them in Africa through Cameroon. As reminded to us by Father John Trigilio in regards to Apostolicam Actuositatem, par 7 that "the whole goal of the laity is to sanctify the world", thus through this apostolate they have, and today the Seeds of the Word Communityhas religious women, priests, lay people. It offers lay people the opportunity to take a Sabbatical Year based on three pillars; a season of formation, a season to practice living out St Benedict Rule of Ora et Labora, and a season for vocation discernment.
Through their apostolate, they've become a light to the nations reflected for the greater glory of the Heavenly Father the decree on the Church's missionary activity (Ad Gentes). During that same visit, in our exchanges, I also learnedthat she was among those who laid hand on the deceased Jean Pliya,
one of the pillars and leading faces of the Catholic Charismatic Movement in Benin. This was a man who was a professor, wrote on countless subjects, was on the point to retire when the Lord called him forth and busied him further. For a Catholic Layman, he was a zealous predicator of the Holy Spirit who took the Good News to all continents. He did start any order, but meanwhile wearing additional hats to those cited (husband, writer, father), he paved the way not just by living out that call of Vatican II in Ad Gentes to be missionary by offering Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, but He formed the next generation of Charismatic Leaders in Benin. Among them were my mother, now Dr. Kossou Leocadie, a biker working at the Ministry of Finances, who wanting nothing to do with the gifts of the Holy Spirit initially was swept away by His power and the patience of this Holy Man who saw much more in her than a government worker. Over the years, she was seen releasing the Chaplet of Love with the imprimatur (approval) of Msgr Blais in Quebec, Canada; one that distributed to nations in these four continents so far (Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa).
By then, I was witnessing how the Catholic Missionary world in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit was getting smaller as I stood before foundress Bonneval, bringing not clergy, or religious but lay people from one continent to the other together. It was another experience of Christ's actions two thousand years ago going from town to town to pick disciples and apostles. Here, He was moving from nation to nation, continent to continent.
