A Few Friday Jesuit Tidbits

They have their sights on China, Zenit reports.

Their British province is going to launch a new on-line journal next Friday (report):

"Thinking Faith will be launched at approximately 7pm on Friday, 18 January 2008 on www.thinkingfaith.org. To be informed whenever new articles are uploaded, please contact: jmi@jesuits.org.uk"

Reuters posts "Five facts about the Jesuits" (generally accurate).

Vatican analyst Sandro Magister: "Last Call for the Society of Jesus – To Obedience"

Related: "Jesuits meet this week to choose new leader ... and get a tongue-lashing" (Jan. 7)

This year's Ash Wednesday earliest in the year since 1856 (more)

Source.

Notable events in 1856.

This year Ash Wednesday is February 6th, Easter will be March 23rd.

The earliest it can occur, according to Wikipedia, is February 4th (and as late as March 10).

Next year Ash Wednesday will be February 25th, Easter will be April 12th.

Only a month between Epiphany (the end of the twelve days of Christmas) and the beginning of Lent!

"Outgoing U.S. ambassador to Vatican meets with pope"

From today's Vatican bulletino:

The Holy Father today received in [a] separate audience ... Francis Rooney, ambassador of the United States of America, accompanied by his wife, on his farewell visit.

CNS covered the meeting here. Learn more about the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See here on Wikipedia, as well as at the official U.S. Government page.

The new ambassador to the Holy See is Mary Ann Glendon [wiki page] [in the news].