Free Republic

Preps are in their final stages for Monday night's liturgy at California's Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano marking the unveiling of the historic shrine's new retablo, or altar screen. The $2 million backpiece, created in Spain and brought to the Left Coast by boat, is the first project of its kind to be completed in a US church in decades. Topping out at 41 feet high by 30 across, the all-cedar work is completely carved in accord in the ancient style of craftsmanship, and adorned with 23 karat goldleaf. The central figures are an antique depiction of the Godhead...

October 23, 2006 Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Monday 43 Reading 1Eph 2:1-10 Brothers and sisters:You were dead in your transgressions and sinsin which you once lived following the age of this world,following the ruler of the power of the air,the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh,following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses,and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.But God, who is rich in mercy,because of the great love he had for us,even when we...

October 23, 2003Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Thursday 45 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading IRom 6:19-23 Brothers and sisters:I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature.For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurityand to lawlessness for lawlessness,so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.But what profit did you get thenfrom the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.But now that you have been...