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The 6th of January, the feast of the Epiphany, has always been a very special day for Miles Jesu. Much of the spirit of the Epiphany is embodied in the charism of Miles Jesu. When the approval of Miles Jesu as an Ecclesial Family of Consecrated Life came through on the 6th of January from the Vicariate of Rome, it was seen as God’s blessing on the institute, the confirmation of the Holy Spirit through the Church.
For 40+ years Miles Jesu has toiled and grown from a small community of men in Phoenix, Arizona in 1964, to an international Institute of men and women on 4 continents. Miles Jesu is one of the very first Institutes to be approved as an Ecclesial Family of Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church, a sign of great confidence and trust on the part of the official Church. This approval speaks highly of the tremendous growth of Miles Jesu, especially in the last 15 years, as well as of the many wonderful works Miles Jesu is currently promoting around the world.
Around the world, Miles Jesu communities planned celebration Masses, often with the local hierarchy as celebrant. In Rome, the celebration Mass was held on the 10th of February 2002 at St. John Lateran’s and was celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Lopez Trujillo. Concelebrating were His Excellency Domenico Pecile, Bishop Emeritus of Latina Diocese, Our Founder and Father General Fr. Alphonsus Maria Duran, M.J., Monsignor Natalino Zagotto, Episcopal Vicar for Consecrated Life for the diocese of Rome, along with three other priests. The 10th of February was chosen to mark the anniversary of the death of Paul Michael Murphy, one of the first professed members of Miles Jesu, and a model for all its members.
During the homily His Eminence spoke of the approval of Miles Jesu in Rome as a sign of appreciation for the fidelity, spirit and charism that the members of Miles Jesu show and testify to in their whole lives. At the same time, His Eminence said, Miles Jesu is an enthusiastic stimulus in the Diocese of Rome to illuminate others by the strength of their charity. His Eminence also affirmed that the spirituality of the wisdom of the cross and the fiery desire of sanctity prevails in their communities.
Other celebrations followed, including a celebration in London, England.
His Grace, Archbishop Michael Bowen of Southwark Diocese of London, the longest serving of the bishops of England and Wales, was the main celebrant for the Mass. The Rt. Rev. and Rt. Hon. Mgr. Graham Leonard, former Anglican Bishop of London and himself a member of Miles Jesu, will concelebrate as will Rev. Ian Ker, a leading authority on the life and works of Cardinal John Henry Newman and also a member of Miles Jesu. Having read the comments of Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, Monsignor Leonard wished to add the following:
“I am very glad of having this opportunity of endorsing what Cardinal Lopez Trujillo says about Miles Jesu. From my experience of working with them here in England and on the Path to Rome International Convention, I would like to make two further points of appreciation. I am very impressed by the way, in which the members make evident the freedom that comes from living the traditional Catholic Faith and relating it to the situation in this country. Secondly, they have a great gift of being able to provide role models for older teenagers and those in their early twenties as they try to live as faithful Catholics in our present society. Both qualities give us much cause to thank God.”
Monsignor Leonard is the Patron of Path to Rome and President of the CONTINUITY Movement in England. It is a movement, which works to inspire conversion to the Church, to re-claim lapsed Catholics and to inspire and strengthen Catholics, by making known the essential role of the Church in the development of the history and culture of England. The movement has especially grown in recent months and the final approval from Rome affirms CONTINUITY’s great importance, nothing less than the conversion of all England!
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