Pope's Angelus "Commit Yourself to Overcoming Hunger"

From the International Tribune:

"In any case, every person and every family can and must do something to alleviate hunger in the world, adopting a style of life and consumption compatible with safeguarding creation and with criteria of justice toward whose who cultivate the land in every country," Benedict said.

The U.N. agency, in a report late last month, said that 10 years after global leaders had pledged to halve the number of the world's hungry, almost no progress has been made, with some 854 million people worldwide still suffering from undernourishment.

Benedict urged the faithful to join him in "committing ourselves concretely to defeat the scourge of hunger" and promote justice and solidarity.

Village Used in "Borat" Plans to Sue Actor, Studio

Real village used in Romania...

From The Daily Mail:

But now the villagers of this tiny, close-knit community have angrily accused the comedian of exploiting them, after discovering his new blockbuster film portrays them as a backward group of rapists, abortionists and prostitutes, who happily engage in casual incest.

They claim film-makers lied to them about the true nature of the project, which they believed would be a documentary about their hardship, rather than a comedy mocking their poverty and isolation.

Villagers say they were paid just £3 each for this humiliation, for a film that took around £27million at the worldwide box office in its first week of release.

Now they are planning to scrape together whatever modest sums they can muster to sue Baron Cohen and fellow film-makers, claiming they never gave their consent to be so cruelly misrepresented.

Cardinal Arinze on Mass in Latin

From Saint Louis Today:

In his address on Saturday, titled, "Language in the Latin Rite Liturgy: Latin and Vernacular," Arinze said the Roman church used Greek in its early years, but was "Latinized" in the fourth century. "The Roman rite has Latin as its official language," he said. The great religions of the world all "hold on" to their founding languages — Judaism to Hebrew and Aramaic, Islam to Arabic, Hindu to Sanskrit and Buddhism to Pali.

"Is it a small matter," he asked, for priests or bishops from around the world to be able to speak to each other in universal language of the church? Or for "a million students" who gather for World Youth Day every few years "to be able to say parts of the Mass in Latin?"

In an hourlong, often humorous, address that received several standing ovations, Arinze suggested that, in order to give Catholics options, large parishes offer the Mass in Latin at least once a week, and in smaller, rural parishes, at least once a month. (Homilies, he said, should always be in the faithful's native language.) Latin "suits a church that is universal. It has a stability modern languages don't have," he said.

Last month Vatican officials said Pope Benedict XVI would soon loosen restrictions on the Latin, or Tridentine, Mass. In the 1960s the Second Vatican Council approved the use of vernacular translations of the Tridentine Mass, and today most Catholics are familiar with the celebration of Mass in their own languages.

Why the Republicans Lost Congress

And why a third vible party is needed right now!

From Chuck Baldwin Online:

As the Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, said, "If the Republican Party truly wants to know why they lost, they need only look in the mirror. The most vulnerable seats in both houses were those held by politicians who had abandoned the pro-life and the pro-marriage principles that first brought them to power."

As an example of the GOP's neglect to fight for conservative principles, Euteneuer noted the loss of pro-life legislation in South Dakota. He correctly said, "While South Dakotans fought valiantly to defend their babies, we once again witnessed an almost total lack of support from the national [Republican] leadership."

Euteneuer is right. George Bush's neocons have all but decimated whatever genuine conservatism remained in the GOP, and they did it on the backs of the faithful conservatives still in the party.

There is also no question that the American people are fed up with Bush's war in Iraq. They are tired of being lied to about why our young men and women were sent to war, and they are tired about being lied to about why they are still there.

Feast of St. Leo the Great

I attended an early mass at St. Leo the Great's tomb one morning while in Rome and as I read the office of readings for today by him, I thought how death makes this even more apparent.

St. Leo, pray for us!

From the Office of Readings:

Although the universal Church of God is constituted of distinct orders of
members, still, in spite of the many parts of its holy body, the Church subsists
as an integral whole, just as the Apostle says: We are all one in Christ. No
difference in office is so great that anyone can be separated, through
lowliness, from the head. In the unity of faith and baptism, therefore, our
community is undivided. There is a common dignity, as the apostle Peter says in
these words: And you are built up as living stones into spiritual houses, a holy
priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ. And again: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people set apart. For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by
the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy
Spirit, so that beyond the special service of our ministry as priests, all
spiritual and mature Christians know that they are a royal race and are sharers
in the office of the priesthood. For what is more king-like than to find
yourself ruler over your body after having surrendered your soul to God? And
what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer
him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one’s heart? Because, through
the grace of God, it is a deed accomplished universally on behalf of all, it is
altogether praiseworthy and in keeping with a religious attitude for you to
rejoice in this our day of consecration, to consider it a day when we are
especially honoured. For indeed one sacramental priesthood is celebrated
throughout the entire body of the Church. The oil which consecrates us has
richer effects in the higher grades, yet it is not sparingly given in the lower.
Sharing in this office, my dear brethren, we have solid ground for a common
rejoicing; yet there will be more genuine and excellent reason for joy if you do
not dwell on the thought of our unworthiness. It is more helpful and more
suitable to turn your thoughts to study the glory of the blessed apostle Peter.
We should celebrate this day above all in honour of him. He overflowed with
abundant riches from the very source of all graces, yet though he alone received
much, nothing was given over to him without his sharing it. The Word made flesh
lived among us, and in redeeming the whole human race, Christ gave himself
entirely

.

"Gravely Flawed"

So say the experts about a document dealing with homosexuals that the bishops will be discussing...

From World Net Daily:

"Gravely flawed" – that's the dire warning of medical experts who have seen
copies of the proposed guidelines for "Ministry to Persons with Homosexual
Inclinations," to be released by the Catholic Bishops of the United States at
their annual conference in Baltimore next week.

Go to the story for all the details.

Another African Vocation

Disturbing that children are still treated like sheep in some parts of the world...

From The New Vision, Uganda's leading website:

LIRA Diocese Catholic Bishop the Rt. Rev. Joseph Franzelli received a 14-year-old orphan as a gift. This was in recognition of his pastoral work at Lwala primary school, Alito sub-county in Apac district.

Franzelli, who was on a one-month pastoral tour, was also given six sheep, four goats, about 15 litres of honey and money. The gifts were handed over at a ceremony at the school campus recently. He had confirmed over 200 Christians at the school chapel.

The boy’s guardian, Miscellanea Auma, said the Primary Four boy, only identified as
Onyung, is expected to devote his life to church work and perhaps become a
priest.

Jihad Finds Strange Advocate in Jesuits

Sandro Magister at Chiessa:

The recent October edition of “La Civiltà Cattolica” – the authoritative
magazine of the Rome Jesuits printed with the supervision and authorization of
the Vatican authorities – opens with a jaw-dropping editorial on Islam. The
editorial furnishes a very detailed and alarming description of fundamentalist
and terrorist Islam, behind which “there are great and powerful Islamic states”:
an Islam aiming at the conquest of the world and fostered by violence “for the
cause of Allah.” But it does this without even the slightest note of criticism
of this nexus of violence and faith. And it is as if this nexus were an
inescapable reality, against which the West and the Church should do little or
nothing: little at the practical level – it’s enough to look over the scant
measures against terrorism that are recommended – and nothing at the theoretical
level.

All Souls Day

Pope Benedict XVI prays at the tomb of Pope John Paul II today...

Holy Souls Online

All Souls Apostolate of Prayer

Mission to Empty Purgatory

Helpers of the Holy Souls

No Green Light from Vatican for Quebec Priest

See the "Huh?" post below....

From LifeSite.net:

The Diocese of Joliette has issued a press release after the mainstream
media erroneously reported that the Vatican had given permission for a Catholic
priest who supports abortion and homosexual 'marriage' to run for public
office.

Both a Canadian Press story, published in several papers, and a CBC
story claimed that the Vatican granted Fr. Raymond Gravel special permission to
run for politics. Gravel is representing the Bloc Quebecois, a separatist
party which is also known for its support of abortion and homosexual
'marriage'.

The first line of the press release from the diocese states: "No 'green
light' was given by the Vatican." It continues, "The Bishop of Joliette
did not receive any permission from Roman Authorities regarding the plans of Fr.
Raymond Gravel."

The Crux of the Problem: Atheism

The latest Harris Poll provides some startling beliefs out there among people who claim religious affiliation...the Jews it seem have barely any certianity that God exists, Catholics aren't much better...I guess for many this is another item in the cafeteria line...

From Breitbart.com:

Among the various religious groups, 76 percent of Protestants, 64 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Jews said they are "absolutely certain" there is a God while 93 percent of Christians who describe themselves as "Born Again" feel certain God exists.

When questioned on whether God is male or female, 36 percent of respondents said they think God is male, 37 percent said neither male nor female and 10 percent said "both male and female."

Only one percent think of God as a female, according to the poll.

Asked whether God has a human form, 41 percent said they think of God as "a spirit or power than can take on human form but is not inherently human."

As to whether God controls events on Earth, 29 percent believe that to be the case while 44 percent said God "observes but does not control what happens on Earth".

Feast of All Saints:Pope's Homily

Just the improvisations here, from Asia News Italy:

Twice, the pope deviated slightly from his written address to underline
certain fundamental ideas.

The first time, citing St Bernard, he said that looking at the saints
serves to “awaken in us the great desire of holiness”. And he added
spontaneously: “Awakening the desire to be close to God, in the great family of
friends of God. Being close to God in his family is the vocation of all
Christians”. Here is a twofold concern of the pope: that holiness should not be
considered as something exceptional, and that it should be seen in relation to
God. He said: “To be saints, it is not necessary to undertake extraordinary
works and actions, or to possess exceptional charismas.” Above all, he wants to
instil the idea that the true dignity of man comes through holiness and
relationship with God. Bearing in mind the secularized world, which tends to do
without God and to exclude Him, the pope said: “The example of the saints is an
encouragement for us to follow in the same footsteps, and to experience the joy
of those who trust in God, because the only true reason for man’s sadness and
unhappiness is living far from Him.”

The second improvisation came as the pope was talking about the
Beatitudes, the Gospel of today’s Mass. The Gospel of the Beatitudes is often
used by some theologians to present a Christianity “of values” (poverty, hunger,
justice, peace workers and so on), detached from the person of Jesus. The pope
was clear: “In reality, the Blessed one par excellence is only Him, Jesus. It is
He, in fact, who is truly poor in spirit, afflicted, meek, the one who hungers
and thirsts for justice, merciful, pure in heart, and a peace worker. It is He
who is persecuted in the cause of right”. And spontaneously he added: “The
Beatitudes show us the mystery of death and resurrection, which is the mystery
of Jesus.” He continued: “With the Beatitudes, Jesus points out to us how to
follow him and to imitate him. In the measure that we welcome his invitation and
seek to follow it, we too can participate in his Beatitudes.”

Thus, the emphasis of Benedict XVI corrects a confused concept
that makes holiness a sort of “religion of civic values”, without testifying to
the Christian roots. At the same time, he opens a door to dialogue with the
Protestant world, which is often critical about the saints and devotion to them:
holiness is following Christ, not divinization operated by man. The pope said:
“Holiness calls for constant effort, but it is possible for all because, more
than the work of man, it is above all a gift of God, three times Holy... With
Him [with Christ] the impossible becomes possible and even a camel can pass
through the eye of a needle (cfr Mk 10:25). With his help, only with his help,
is given to us to become perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect (cfr Mt
5:48).”

New Prefect of the Congregation of Clergy

Brazil gets a place in the curia...

And other matters...from the Vatican Information Service:

- Accepted the resignation from the office of Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, presented by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Claudio Hummes O.F.M., archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, presented by Cardinal Francesco Marchisano. He is succeeded by his coadjutor, Archbishop Angelo Comastri, prelate emeritus of Loreto, Italy, vicar general for Vatican City State, president of the Fabric of St Peter's.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of New York, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Robert A. Brucato, upon having reached the age limit.

Huh? There Has to Be More to This Story...

From The Globe and Mail:

First, Rev. Raymond Gravel had to get permission from the Vatican to run in a federal by-election. Now, the former prostitute who used to work in gay leather bars has to convince the voters of Repentigny riding that he is the right man to represent them.

And:

Mr. Gravel gave up prostitution after being so severely beaten by a client that he ended up in hospital.

His tenure as a priest has not been low key, either. An outspoken advocate, Mr. Gravel has publicly decried the Roman Catholic Church's position on same-sex marriage. He also received a disciplinary letter from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became Pope Benedict XVI.

Mr. Gravel was also one of 19 priests who created a tempest in February when they signed an open letter criticizing the church's position on same-sex marriage and its opposition to ordaining gays.

"I would say that 50 per cent of the priests in Quebec are gay, but if I became a priest, it's because I'm a believer and I believe in the message of Christ," he said in an interview last year with Fugues, a gay magazine.

Words of Angelus in Latin on Big Screens at St. Peter's

So everyone can pray the prayer with the pope. Great idea and needed since so few actually know the prayer in Latin. Read the pope's commentary on the Gospel before you head out to Mass.

From Asia News Italy:

In St Peter’s Square, on a sunny day reminiscent of summer, the Latin text of the Angelus prayer was shown on maxi screens for the first time, to enable the faithful present to pray the words together with the Pope. Among the crowd of 50,000 pilgrims, there was a large yellow and blue arch with the word “Loreto”, put up by youth delegates from all the regions of Italy. They are currently meeting in Rome to implement a three-yearly project of the Italian church entitled “Agorà of youth”. Greeting them after the Marian prayer, Benedict XVI publicly announced his intention of going next year to the city that hosts a famous Marian shrine. “Dear friends,” he told them. “I bless your journey and I await you in large numbers for the meeting of young Italians scheduled for 1 and 2 September 2007 in Loreto.” He added: “Near that beloved Marian shrine, we will live a moment of grace together, in the joy of faith and perspective of mission, not least in preparation for the World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008.”

An unusual group present in the square today was composed of hundreds of motorcyclists of the Motorcyclists Association of the police force, who thundered down Via Conciliazione.

Before the Angelus, leaning out of the window of his study in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, the pope spoke about the Gospel reading, stressing that the “decisive moment was the personal, direct encounter between the Lord and that suffering man. They face each other: God with his desire to heal and the man with his desire to be healed. Two freedoms, two converging desires: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ asks the Lord. ‘Let me see again,’ responds the blind man. ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ With these words, a miracle takes place; the joy of God, the joy of man. And Bartimaeus, who has come to the light, ‘followed him on the way’, according the Gospel. Thus he becomes his disciple and goes with the Teacher to Jerusalem, to participate with Him in the great mystery of salvation."

The pope continued: “This account, with the essentiality of its passages, evokes the route of the Catechumen towards the sacrament of Baptism, which in the ancient Church was also called ‘Enlightenment’. Faith is a journey of enlightenment: it departs from the humility of recognizing that we are in need of salvation and reaches personal encounter with Christ, who invites all to follow him along the road of love. It is on this model that the itineraries of Christian initiation are based, as they prepare for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation (or Cresima) and the Eucharist. In places of ancient evangelization, where the baptism of children is widespread, opportunities of catechesis and spirituality are offered to youth and adults, to enable them to follow a path of rediscovery of their faith in a mature and conscious way, to consequently assume a coherent commitment of bearing witness. How important the work of pastors and catechists in this field is! The rediscovery of values of one’s Baptism is at the basis of the missionary commitment of each Christian, because we see in the Gospel that those who allow themselves to be fascinated by Christ cannot but testify to the joy of following his footsteps. In this month of October, especially dedicated to mission, we understand even more that, precisely due to the strength of Baptism, we possess an innate missionary vocation.”

He added: “Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that missionaries of the Gospel may multiply. Intimately united with the Lord, may every person who has been baptized feel called to announce the love of God to all, with the witness of his own life.”

California Bishops Release Guidelines for Voters

In California and with issues on that state's ballot. Most of the issues are predictable, but I found this one rather lame (to be frank about it) and given the current problems that several of the California dioceses are dealing with that relates to this issue almost an indictment against them...

How should one vote on this issue according to them on this proposition?

From The Tidings:

Proposition 83: Sex Offenders. Sexually Violent Predators. Punishment, Residence Restrictions and Monitoring. Initiative Statute.
Proposition 83 will increase penalties for violent and habitual sex offenders and child molesters, prohibit residence near schools and parks, and require GPS monitoring of registered sex offenders. Fiscal Impact: Proposition 83 would increase Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) prison operating costs (longer sentences and purchase of GPS equipment)-possibly hundreds of millions of dollars; however, GPS monitoring may reduce recidivism among offenders.
A reflection on Catholic teaching:
"We are guided by the paradoxical Catholic teaching on crime and punishment: We will not tolerate the crime and violence that threatens the lives and dignity of our sisters and brothers, and we will not give up on those who have lost their way... We seek both justice and mercy. Working together, we believe our faith calls us to protect public safety, promote the common good, and restore community. We believe a Catholic ethic of responsibility, rehabilitation, and restoration can become the foundation for the necessary reform of our broken criminal justice system."
-Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration, U.S. Bishops, 2000

Is there a failure here to recognize the human condition? What about the church's teachings on original sin? Jesus teaching on scandalizing the little ones? Is there anything wrong with carrying around the "Mark of Cain--a GPS device" when even God chose that method of rehabilitation in Genesis? I think here is an example where the shepherds have lost their moral voice and are more worried about defending their past acts of irresponsibility then speaking up for those who are abused by the powerful...and the abusers need to be marginalized for their own salvattion sake. We can't continue to live in a world that doesn't deal with the reality of sin and violence--the church's teaching on penance for sins needs to be revived.

"Jesus" Takes on Michael J. Fox in Response Ad

Jim Caviezel played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ...from LifeSiteNews:

In the one minute response ad Caviezel is joined by celebrities that include Cardinal’s pitcher Jeff Suppan and Patricia Heaton, star of the TV comedy Everybody Loves Raymond and honorary chair for Feminists for Life. After explaining the facts of the issue they in turn state, “Don’t be tricked”, Don’t be deceived”, Don’t be fooled”, with Caviezel ending the ad telling Missouri voters, “You know now. Don’t do it. Vote no on (Amendment) 2”, the ballot initiative that would permit research using human embryos in the state.

The election campaign in Missouri centers on the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative (Amendment 2). While the amendment claims to ban “human cloning,” in fact it would only ban a human clone from being implanted in a woman. Creating a human clone and then killing it for research purposes would be permitted.

New Auxiliary for Archdiocese of Detroit

From the Archdiocese of Detroit:

A priest of the Corpus Christi diocese, Msgr. Daniel Flores, is named auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Cardinal Maida says he's delighted that the bishop-elect "is now part of our team," and indicates the new bishop's ministry will include a special focus on Hispanic concerns in the Detroit archdiocese. For his part, Bishop-elect Flores says he is "humbled" by Pope Benedict XVI's expression of confidence in him, and "looks forward to learning and serving in my new home."

Also in Detroit, Church to be converted to Mosque:

After 83 years, the church will celebrate its final Mass on Sunday and become the first church in the Archdiocese of Detroit sold to a mosque. It will cater to a new crop of immigrants -- from Bangladesh, primarily.

"It's going to hurt," said Rice, 68. "There are a lot of memories there. But you've got to go with the times."

The Islamic Center of North Detroit has a purchase agreement with the Archdiocese of Detroit for Our Lady Help of Christians' five buildings, which tentatively are planned to be used for an Islamic community center, larger worship space and possibly a school.

The conversion of the Detroit buildings, on the Hamtramck border, from church to Muslim center underscores how much the community's makeup has changed. Long-entrenched Catholic churches have had to downsize as their congregations moved to the suburbs and other immigrant groups moved in.

Pope Begins New Catechesis

Starts with St. Paul today...

From Asia News Italy:

Benedict XVI today announced a new cycle of catechesis to 25,000 people
gathered for the general audience, since he has completed his depiction of the
12 apostles. Starting with Paul of Tarsus, he will now tackle “men and even women who dedicated their lives to the Gospel and to the Lord”.
After Jesus, recalled the pope, Paul “is the person from the beginning about who we are most informed”, both from the Acts of the Apostles as well as his letters that allow us to get to know him “without intermediaries”. “A diaspora Jew, Paul lived in
the city of Tarsus between Anatolia and Syria”, a persecutor of Christians until
struck by the light of Christ. Described by Chrysostom as “superior to angels
and archangels” and by Dante as “vase of election”, which means, the pope explained, “an instrument chosen by God”, Paul knew the first disciples of
Christ, “who put not a religion but the person of Jesus at the centre, and to
him was linked the remission of sins”. But his “enlightenment and true vocation
came when he encountered the Risen Lord”. For this reason, Paul “describes himself explicitly as an apostle by vocation or an apostle by the will of God”.
Benedict XVI said: “From that moment, he dispensed all his energies for Jesus
Christ and for his Gospel”. From here is drawn the foremost teaching of Paul,
that “what counts is putting Jesus Christ at the centre of our lives, and that
in the light of Christianity, every other value is found or even, if necessary,
purified from possible impure matter.”

A New Poor Clare Blog

Interesting...