Opus Dei leader dies at 84

Prelate of Opus Dei passes away due to lung infection

Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez (centre), Prelate of Opus Dei, greets Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlanlnepantia, Mexico at the Vatican. Bishop Echevarria headed Opus Dei for more than 20 years before passing away in Rome. (Photo Credit: CNS Photo/Paul Haring)

Bishop Javier Echevarria Rodriguez, the Prelate of Opus Dei, died at the age of 84 in Rome Dec. 12, days after being hospitalized with pneumonia.

"I wish to make known to you and to all members of this prelature my deepest condolences," the Pope wrote Dec. 13 expressing his sympathy, "at the same time that I unite to your action of giving thanks to God for his paternal and generous witness of his priestly and episcopal life."

The late bishop was born in Madrid in 1932, where he met St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, a Catholic organization with the goal of growing spiritual health and discipleship among laity. Members of Opus Dei are taught to use their work and daily activities to encounter the Lord.

Bishop Echevarria would eventually become St. Josemaria's secretary from 1953 to 1975, and was ordained a priest of the prelature in 1955. He later became the secretary general of Opus Dei, and was elected prelate in 1994, being consecrated a bishop the following year.

Msgr. Fernando Ocariz, Bishop Echevarria's auxiliary, now controls the prelature's ordinary government. A successor will be nominated later.

For the full story, see Catholic News Agency.

Catholic Cemeteries prepares for month of Holy Souls

Gardens of Gethsemani to hold several Masses

A replica statue of the Pieta, located in the grounds of Gardens of Gethsemani. (Photo Credit: Catholic Cemeteries Archdiocese of Vancouver)

The month of November is traditionally the time when Catholics pray for all the deceased. Catholic Cemeteries has several Masses offered throughout the month for the various loved ones who have passed from this world.

Here are several of the Masses and their times:

Oct. 30: Monthly Mass of Remembrance at 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 31: All Hallows' Eve Mass Filipino at 5:30 p.m.
Oct. 31: All Hallows' Eve Prayer Vigil at 7 p.m.
Nov. 1: All Saints' Day Mass at 7 p.m.
Nov. 2: All Souls' Day Mass at 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 11: Remembrance Day Mass at 10 a.m.
Nov. 26: Reverently Laying to Rest Service at 10 a.m.
Nov. 27: Monthly Mass of Remembrance at 2:30 p.m.

All Masses will take place in the Evangelist Chapel at Gardens of Gethsemani. A full list of the events and details can be found here.

WYD Trek: TNG -- Day 1

Group arrives in Warsaw

By Josh Tng

A cross outside the chapel at Heathrow airport.

After seventeen hours of travel, our group of pilgrims has reached Poland. Energy levels range from exhausted (myself) to ecstatic.

Before arriving in St. John Paul II's homeland, we celebrated Mass in a chapel in Heathrow airport. Now we ready ourselves for a new day and the excitement ahead.

We will see what Poland has in store for us!

jtng@rcav.org

WYD Trek: TNG -- Day 0

Youth embark on pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Poland

By Josh Tng

Josh Tng (back row, left) and other World Youth Day pilgrims from Vancouver gather for a photo
before embarking on their journey to Poland July 17.

World Youth Day: a spiritual frontier.

This blog will document the voyages of Joshua Tng. My mission for this travel blog: to explore Europe, to seek out deeper faith and prayer, and to boldly go where many pilgrims will go as well.

As I write this, my group is at the Vancouver airport. We will be flying to London, before heading to Poland. I will attempt to add updates daily after we arrive.

Please pray for us and all the pilgrims from Vancouver, and from around the world, as we participate in the 31st World Youth Day.

jtng@rcav.org

Visit this link for Papal World Youth Day messages.