Friday, 17 June 2011 10:49

At age 110, Massachusetts woman still sees life as ‘glorious adventure’
NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. (CNS) — Elizabeth T. Gauthier “has always viewed life as a glorious adventure,” and at age 110, she continues to approach it with enthusiasm, according to her son.
Mrs. Gauthier, considered a super-centenarian by the U.S. census and the Guinness World Records, celebrated her birthday at her parish church, St. Peter’s in Northbridge, by going to Mass, which reflected the importance of faith in her daily life.
The Mass drew about 200 relatives and friends from Canada and the United States, said Edgar Gauthier, her 78-year-old son and only child. Worcester Bishop Robert J. McManus and several priests were there, too.
During the June 5 Mass, when Bishop McManus gave her an apostolic blessing from Pope Benedict XVI, Mrs. Gauthier said she wasn’t expecting that. The congregation sang “Happy Birthday,” and she waved to the crowd.

More than 60 U.S. bishops expected to join World Youth Day pilgrims
WASHINGTON (CNS) — More than 60 U.S. bishops plan to join the 25,000 U.S. World Youth Day pilgrims expected to be part of an estimated 1 million-plus young people who will attend at least one of the events in Madrid Aug. 16-21.
A morning Mass for the U.S. pilgrims, with the bishops concelebrating, is slated for Aug. 20 at Palacio de Deportes, home to “Love and Life: A Home for English-Speaking Pilgrims,” which will provide English-language World Youth Day events. The air-conditioned center has seating for 15,000.
The Knights of Columbus and the Sisters of Life are lead sponsors of the Love and Life pilgrimage center; they had jointly sponsored a similar center for 2008’s World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia. Co-sponsors include Holy Cross Family Ministries, Canada’s Salt and Light Television Network, the Apostleship of Prayer, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, World Youth Alliance and the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.
The center will be open free of charge to all World Youth Day pilgrims. A special chapel is being constructed at the site.