From Human Events:
The report, The Media Assault on American Values, reveals that media messages appear to be undermining the pillars of America’s cultural edifice: strength of character, sexual morality and respect for God. The report is based on findings of a major scientific survey commissioned by CMI, a division of the Media Research Center.
The National Cultural Values Survey reveals a striking correlation between greater exposure to television and permissive moral views. Heavy television viewers (four hours or more per evening) are less committed to character virtues like honesty and charity, and more permissive about sex, abortion and homosexuality. Light television viewers (one hour or less per evening) are more likely to attend religious services and live their lives by God’s principles.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
New Book Answers Critic
One of Pope Benedict's loudest critics of his recent book Jesus of Nazareth
is former Catholic (now Jewish) scholar Geza Vermes who wrote in his review of the book in the Times:
In a new book that will be released in July and is now available for ordering on Amazon-- The Apostles
. The Pope answers this criticism, as well as providing an excellent overview of what can be known from Scripture and Traditions about the first followers of Jesus--as well as what lessons we can derive from their example. Here is an excellent follow-up to Jesus of Nazareth.
If you go to The Apostles
Amazon page, you can buy both Jesus of Nazareth and The Apostles for $25.14!
is former Catholic (now Jewish) scholar Geza Vermes who wrote in his review of the book in the Times:Another recurrent theme in Ratzinger’s perception of Christ is that Jesus
intended the Gospel to be preached to all the nations. If so, did he just forget
Jesus’ sayings that contradict the universality of the apostolic mission,
namely, that both Jesus and his disciples were sent only to the “lost sheep of
Israel” (Matthew x, 5-6; xv, 24).
In a new book that will be released in July and is now available for ordering on Amazon-- The Apostles
. The Pope answers this criticism, as well as providing an excellent overview of what can be known from Scripture and Traditions about the first followers of Jesus--as well as what lessons we can derive from their example. Here is an excellent follow-up to Jesus of Nazareth.If you go to The Apostles
Amazon page, you can buy both Jesus of Nazareth and The Apostles for $25.14!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Visions of Mary in South Africa?
From iol.com:
The 17-year-old Benoni girl who has attracted thousands of visitors after claiming to have had visions of the Virgin Mary is to be investigated by the Catholic Church.
Father Barney McAleer on Tuesday confirmed that the church would investigate the claims of Francesca Zackey, but said this would be done in the same manner that other revelations of this kind were handled by the church.
"This kind of thing can take years," he said.
According to McAleer, the Catholic church "is used to these sorts of things, they happen all around the world".
He referred to the claims made by Zackey as the experience of a private revelation or message, which could be described as a manifestation similar to those reported by other religions.
Another Story: South African Teen Claims to Have Visions of Virgin Mary:
Zackey is the youngest of four daughters in a devoted Catholic Lebanese family. Underneath a long black sweater, the teenager was wearing a zip-up sweat shirt printed with the word "punk".
"She's always been a different child, very bold," said Bridget Zackey, the girl's mother, who had a blue string of rosary beads wrapped around her right hand. She said the visions seemed to come at an opportune time for her daughter who has just finished school and was going through a transitional period in her life. "I think this is her calling."
The teenager said she first saw the Virgin Mary on May 7, interrupting the family's evening meal.
"My brother-in-law asked for an encyclopedia, and as I was replacing the book back, I just smelt the strongest fumes of roses and it just hit me, and I fell to my knees and I started crying the tears of joy," she said.
Zackey said she called her family to the bookshelf and they also smelled roses. Then she said she was compelled by the "Holy Spirit" to go to her bedroom where she saw the Virgin Mary sitting on the right side of her bed.
"She had ice blue eyes, brown hair, long brown hair, and an ice blue cloak. Her hands were open, there was light coming out of her hands," Zackey said.
Zackey said at first she was scared by the visions, but "then the Holy Spirit took over" and gave her strength.
In her visions, the mother of Jesus Christ called on the teenager to write a book documenting her visions and start a youth prayer group.
"She said to me that she wants people to pray with their hearts. She said: 'I want you to open your house for seven days and I want you to put statues where I have been,"'.
Zackey said she had had about 20 visions of the Virgin and each site is marked with candles, idols of Mary and roses.
The 17-year-old Benoni girl who has attracted thousands of visitors after claiming to have had visions of the Virgin Mary is to be investigated by the Catholic Church.
Father Barney McAleer on Tuesday confirmed that the church would investigate the claims of Francesca Zackey, but said this would be done in the same manner that other revelations of this kind were handled by the church.
"This kind of thing can take years," he said.
According to McAleer, the Catholic church "is used to these sorts of things, they happen all around the world".
He referred to the claims made by Zackey as the experience of a private revelation or message, which could be described as a manifestation similar to those reported by other religions.
Another Story: South African Teen Claims to Have Visions of Virgin Mary:
Zackey is the youngest of four daughters in a devoted Catholic Lebanese family. Underneath a long black sweater, the teenager was wearing a zip-up sweat shirt printed with the word "punk".
"She's always been a different child, very bold," said Bridget Zackey, the girl's mother, who had a blue string of rosary beads wrapped around her right hand. She said the visions seemed to come at an opportune time for her daughter who has just finished school and was going through a transitional period in her life. "I think this is her calling."
The teenager said she first saw the Virgin Mary on May 7, interrupting the family's evening meal.
"My brother-in-law asked for an encyclopedia, and as I was replacing the book back, I just smelt the strongest fumes of roses and it just hit me, and I fell to my knees and I started crying the tears of joy," she said.
Zackey said she called her family to the bookshelf and they also smelled roses. Then she said she was compelled by the "Holy Spirit" to go to her bedroom where she saw the Virgin Mary sitting on the right side of her bed.
"She had ice blue eyes, brown hair, long brown hair, and an ice blue cloak. Her hands were open, there was light coming out of her hands," Zackey said.
Zackey said at first she was scared by the visions, but "then the Holy Spirit took over" and gave her strength.
In her visions, the mother of Jesus Christ called on the teenager to write a book documenting her visions and start a youth prayer group.
"She said to me that she wants people to pray with their hearts. She said: 'I want you to open your house for seven days and I want you to put statues where I have been,"'.
Zackey said she had had about 20 visions of the Virgin and each site is marked with candles, idols of Mary and roses.
Sen. Brownback at Catholic Men's Conference in SC
Asks: “Is [Rape] Made Any Better by Killing an Innocent Child?”
From Lifesite:
In a talk to the National Catholic Men’s Conference this past weekend, Senator Sam Brownback criticized the commonly held notion that abortion should always be allowed in cases of rape, reports the Associated Press.
“Rape is terrible. Rape is awful,” Brownback said to the approximately 500 conference attendees, but then asked, “Is it made any better by killing an innocent child? Does it solve the problem for the mother that’s been raped?”
“We need to protect innocent life. Period.”
The June 9th conference was hosted by St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers. The president of the conference, Steve Wood, in introducing Senator Brownback criticized politicians who call themselves Catholic, but who in their public life repudiate fundamental Catholic teachings, specifically on abortion.
“I don’t know about you,” said Wood, “but this stuff by many Catholic politicians who say, ‘I’m personally opposed, but.’ But what? You should have the integrity to be consistent in both personal and public life.”
From Lifesite:
In a talk to the National Catholic Men’s Conference this past weekend, Senator Sam Brownback criticized the commonly held notion that abortion should always be allowed in cases of rape, reports the Associated Press.
“Rape is terrible. Rape is awful,” Brownback said to the approximately 500 conference attendees, but then asked, “Is it made any better by killing an innocent child? Does it solve the problem for the mother that’s been raped?”
“We need to protect innocent life. Period.”
The June 9th conference was hosted by St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers. The president of the conference, Steve Wood, in introducing Senator Brownback criticized politicians who call themselves Catholic, but who in their public life repudiate fundamental Catholic teachings, specifically on abortion.
“I don’t know about you,” said Wood, “but this stuff by many Catholic politicians who say, ‘I’m personally opposed, but.’ But what? You should have the integrity to be consistent in both personal and public life.”
Tucson Priests One Step Away from Sainthood
From AZStarnet.com:
Two Carmelite priests who once worked in Tucson are among 498 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War who will be beatified in Rome this fall.
Beatification is the second to last step toward sainthood.
The Rev. Lucas Tristany and the Rev. Eduardo Farré — both priests with the Discalced Carmelite Friars who lived and worked in Tucson — will be among 498 martyrs of 20th century Spain who will be beatified Oct. 28.
Two Carmelite priests who once worked in Tucson are among 498 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War who will be beatified in Rome this fall.
Beatification is the second to last step toward sainthood.
The Rev. Lucas Tristany and the Rev. Eduardo Farré — both priests with the Discalced Carmelite Friars who lived and worked in Tucson — will be among 498 martyrs of 20th century Spain who will be beatified Oct. 28.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sopranos Non-Ending or Ending
Fade to black...
*The "therapy" ending. Given that the show has centered on therapy for eight years and the recurring theme of therapy is "what does it mean to you?"--it ends with a "you fill in the blank or black" as it were...
*The "song" ending. Music has always been a big part of this show and the choice of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" gives one a hint at the ending:
Workin' hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win
Some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
...which also hints at a movie, we've been told won't happen. But this last show introduced so many new plot lines as to almost be laughable.
*The nuclear explosion-nihilist ending...hinted at were the terrorist warnings of the last episodes. Perhaps the fade to black indicated a nuclear explosion and the destruction of Newark?
*The coward's ending--not willing to take a stand, three diferent endings were shot, none of them were aired.
*The buy the DVD ending...all three endings will be available on the DVD version of the season that won't be available in true Sopranos fashion for another two years.
*The cat ending...we were in the last scene given a peak at what the cat was looking at and saw.
*Then there is this..Tony Soprano died "you wouldn't even know it had happened: everything would just go black," from a conversation with Bobby on the boat about getting whacked.
Knoxville Bishop may be New Archbishop of Louisville
From the Courier Journal:
Joseph Kurtz, 60, head of the Knoxville diocese since 1999, could be announced as the new head of the larger, Louisville archdiocese as early as Tuesday, according to an article Philadelphia-based Tablet writer Rocco Palmo posted Saturday on his blog, Whispers in the Loggia.
Kelly retired last year when he turned 75, but remains on the job until Pope Benedict XVI names a replacement.
Cecelia Price, a spokeswoman for the Louisville archdiocese, said she couldn’t comment.
Joseph Kurtz, 60, head of the Knoxville diocese since 1999, could be announced as the new head of the larger, Louisville archdiocese as early as Tuesday, according to an article Philadelphia-based Tablet writer Rocco Palmo posted Saturday on his blog, Whispers in the Loggia.
Kelly retired last year when he turned 75, but remains on the job until Pope Benedict XVI names a replacement.
Cecelia Price, a spokeswoman for the Louisville archdiocese, said she couldn’t comment.
Blair 'may become a Catholic deacon'
From The Daily Mail:Tony Blair has discussed becoming a Roman Catholic deacon when he quits office.
The revelation comes as he prepares to meet the Pope amid speculation that he will use the audience in the Vatican to announce his conversion.
In his last foreign engagement, just days before he leaves Downing Street for the final time, the Prime Minister will visit Pope Benedict XVI in what officials say will be a "highly significant" personal mission.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
I have written a lot about the Mass--without ever really intending to do so. First, I wrote about the Mass in The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You
--this book has done so well that I was asked to write a follow-up to it. That book How To Get The Most Out Of The Eucharist
, probably should have been titled "How to Offer Your Sacrifice at Every Mass." Then this year, A Pocket Guide to the Mass
, which is part of the "A Pocket Guide" series. Each book is different and offers a slightly different way to open oneself up to the riches that are being bestowed upon us by fulfilling the Lord's command to "Do this." Thanks to everyone who has read any of the three and offered very positive reviews of them.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
President Bush Meets the Pope
From the Chicago Tribune:Inside, the pope gave the visiting president a 17th Century lithograph of St. Peter's Square and a gold medallion, and the president gave the pope a walking stick that a homeless man in Dallas had inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The pope also was heard to inquire about the president's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which they had discussed a defensive missile shield for Europe.
"Sometimes I'm not poetic enough to describe what it's like to be in the presence of the Holy Father,'' Bush, who had visited Pope John Paul II during the president's re-election campaign in 2004, said during an interview with European press before departing for this weeklong tour of Europe.
"It is a moving experience. And I have not been in the presence of this particular Holy Father. Obviously, three visits with the last great man, and I'm looking forward to this,'' Bush said of Benedict XVI. "I'm looking forward to hearing him. He's a good thinker and a smart man. I'll be in a listening mode.''
Friday, June 08, 2007
Bush to Shine Spotlight on Sant 'Egidio Groups
From Pravda (of all places):
On the surface, a Bush meeting with Sant'Egidio seems implausible. The organization is at the forefront of the international anti-death penalty movement, working city by city to generate support for a worldwide moratorium on capital punishment.
Spokesman Mario Marazziti acknowledged there was an obvious clash of cultures regarding capital punishment. Bush allowed 152 executions while he was governor of Texas, the U.S. state that executes more inmates than any other.
But Marazziti said Saturday's encounter - which the White House requested - should still be constructive. Sant'Egidio's other social justice initiatives - such as running schools for the poor, soup kitchens for the hungry and home visitations for the elderly - are the type of faith-based programs that Bush often embraces.
"We will try not to be naive, to be respectful ... but at the same time sincere, to find all the ways in which poverty can be fought and human dignity can be supported," Marazziti said.
One area where the two find common ground is fighting AIDS in Africa, and that is expected to be a focus of Saturday's discussion, Marazziti said.
On the surface, a Bush meeting with Sant'Egidio seems implausible. The organization is at the forefront of the international anti-death penalty movement, working city by city to generate support for a worldwide moratorium on capital punishment.
Spokesman Mario Marazziti acknowledged there was an obvious clash of cultures regarding capital punishment. Bush allowed 152 executions while he was governor of Texas, the U.S. state that executes more inmates than any other.
But Marazziti said Saturday's encounter - which the White House requested - should still be constructive. Sant'Egidio's other social justice initiatives - such as running schools for the poor, soup kitchens for the hungry and home visitations for the elderly - are the type of faith-based programs that Bush often embraces.
"We will try not to be naive, to be respectful ... but at the same time sincere, to find all the ways in which poverty can be fought and human dignity can be supported," Marazziti said.
One area where the two find common ground is fighting AIDS in Africa, and that is expected to be a focus of Saturday's discussion, Marazziti said.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Corpus Christi in Rome
From Asia News Italy:
“The Eucharistic Mystery is the gift Jesus Christ makes of Himself, whereby he reveals God’s infinite love for every man,” Benedict XVI said during the mass at the beginning of the procession. “Hence Corpus Domini is a unique festivity that represents an important moment of faith and praise for each Christian community.” It is a celebration “that brings us back to the spiritual atmosphere of Holy Thursday, the day when on the eve of His Passion Jesus established the Holy Eucharist in the Cenacle.”
It is “a gift” that “the Apostles got from the Lord in the privacy of the Last Supper but which was meant for all, i.e. the entire world. Hence it must be proclaimed and openly displayed so that everyone can meet ‘Jesus walking by” as it was once possible in the streets of Galilee, Samaria and Judea. This way, as they receive it, His love can make each one whole and new again.”
The Pope quoted a passage from the Gospel of Luke about the loaves and the fish that ends with “They all ate and were satisfied” (cf Lk, 9:11b–17). “First of all,” he said, “I would like to emphasise ‘all’. The Lord wants everyone to eat the Eucharist because the Eucharist is for all” since “Christ sacrificed himself for the whole of humanity. With him in the streets and in between the houses of our City residents will be offered joy, immortal life, peace and love.”
San Antonio Nuns
Show their support:
From the Sun Sentinel:
Sister Rosalba Garcia, wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey, center, Sister Angelina Gomez, holding a Spurs flag, and several other nuns of the Salesian Sister of Mary Immaculate Province gather for a photo in front of their San Antonio Spurs banner in San Antonio, Tuesday. Each Sister is praying for an individual player and had been throughout the NBA basketball play-offs.
The Plains of Niniveh, a Trap for Iraqi Christians!
From Asia News Italy:
On the eve of the meeting between the Pope and Bush, the Archbishop of Kirkuk analyses the risks of the project to assign Christians an autonomous region in the Plains of Niniveh, a solution already rejected by authoritative figures in the Vatican.
On the eve of the meeting between the Pope and Bush, the Archbishop of Kirkuk analyses the risks of the project to assign Christians an autonomous region in the Plains of Niniveh, a solution already rejected by authoritative figures in the Vatican.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Christopher Hitchens Hates You and Wants to Make War with You
If you are a believer...and he thinks belief in God poisons everything...jeez I guess he is an example of what nonbelief does.
Heard him speak today at BEA...more about it when I'm home.
UPDATE: Since I've been so remiss in completing my take on this, I offer another person who was in attendance's summary:
Hitchens minced no words: "I hate religion, and I want there to be a war on it." Hitchens has been called an "atheist evangelist," Sheler said, and while rejecting the terminology, Hitchens said he was proud to join Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins, calling them "the three horsemen of the counter-apocalypse."
Heard him speak today at BEA...more about it when I'm home.
UPDATE: Since I've been so remiss in completing my take on this, I offer another person who was in attendance's summary:
Hitchens minced no words: "I hate religion, and I want there to be a war on it." Hitchens has been called an "atheist evangelist," Sheler said, and while rejecting the terminology, Hitchens said he was proud to join Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins, calling them "the three horsemen of the counter-apocalypse."
Man Tries to Jump in Popemobile
Pope unfazed by the incident...(Asia news had said it was a woman, must be the pink shirt that threw them)...here is the picture:
Video of the incident.
Video of the incident.
Man Tries to Jump in Popemobile
Pope unfazed by the incident...(Asia news had said it was a woman, must be the pink shirt that threw them)...here is the picture:
New Books You Will be Interested In
Should you read Harry Potter? Find out what a homeschooling mom has to say:
Want to meditate on the mystery of the Creed with a trusted spiritual advisor?
You've read Jesus of Nazareth, now read what the Pope has to say about the origins of the Catholic Church and the Apostles:
Want to reinvigorate your spiritual life by making a good confession?
Have a question about your spiritual life?
Want the perfect gift for that teen or young adult faced with the big questions of what life is all about anyway?
Want to meditate on the mystery of the Creed with a trusted spiritual advisor?
You've read Jesus of Nazareth, now read what the Pope has to say about the origins of the Catholic Church and the Apostles:
Want to reinvigorate your spiritual life by making a good confession?
Have a question about your spiritual life?
Want the perfect gift for that teen or young adult faced with the big questions of what life is all about anyway?
A Church for China
From Atlantic Online:
In 1577, the Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci left Italy on a mission to bring the Christian faith to Ming dynasty China. He was neither the first Christian, nor the first Catholic, to arrive in the Middle Kingdom. But his arrival marked the beginnings of a Jesuit presence that would survive erratically in China for nearly four centuries.
Everything changed in 1949 when the Communists came to power. Western religion—along with all else foreign—was unwelcome welcome in the PRC. Although Pope Pius XII had established an official independent hierarchy for China’s Church back in 1946 (making the China Jesuit Mission null and void), European bishops still retained control over more than 80 percent of the country’s dioceses. In 1951, the Communist Party expelled all missionaries and severed diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Chinese priests tried to convince the Communist government that the country’s Catholic Church could operate independently, but by 1955, Chinese Catholics had become targets as well, and over the course of two weeks that fall, more than 1,200 Catholic priests, nuns, and laypeople were arrested and detained.
Read the rest
In 1577, the Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci left Italy on a mission to bring the Christian faith to Ming dynasty China. He was neither the first Christian, nor the first Catholic, to arrive in the Middle Kingdom. But his arrival marked the beginnings of a Jesuit presence that would survive erratically in China for nearly four centuries.
Everything changed in 1949 when the Communists came to power. Western religion—along with all else foreign—was unwelcome welcome in the PRC. Although Pope Pius XII had established an official independent hierarchy for China’s Church back in 1946 (making the China Jesuit Mission null and void), European bishops still retained control over more than 80 percent of the country’s dioceses. In 1951, the Communist Party expelled all missionaries and severed diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Chinese priests tried to convince the Communist government that the country’s Catholic Church could operate independently, but by 1955, Chinese Catholics had become targets as well, and over the course of two weeks that fall, more than 1,200 Catholic priests, nuns, and laypeople were arrested and detained.
Read the rest
Woman Jumps the Fence at Papal Audience
From Asia News Italy:
Before the beginning of the audience, while Benedict XVI was travelling the square in his open topped popemobile to greet the faithful, a woman climbed over the barriers in an attempt to near the Pope, but was stopped by security.
Before the beginning of the audience, while Benedict XVI was travelling the square in his open topped popemobile to greet the faithful, a woman climbed over the barriers in an attempt to near the Pope, but was stopped by security.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Monday, June 04, 2007
Book Expo of America--People Spotted
The BEA (Book Expo of America) is widely attended by people in the publishing industry and you never quite know who you are going to run into, like this fellow (no introduction needed) ...
who of course is an avid reader and believer in God or this guy who doesn't believe in much including buttoning up his shirt (Christopher Hitchens)...
Sometimes you run into movie stars or a person who once played one on Gilligan's Island (Tina Louise who now writes children's books)...
A current day movie star (Juliann Moore)...
Or a famous New Yorker having a bite...
who of course is an avid reader and believer in God or this guy who doesn't believe in much including buttoning up his shirt (Christopher Hitchens)...
Sometimes you run into movie stars or a person who once played one on Gilligan's Island (Tina Louise who now writes children's books)...
A current day movie star (Juliann Moore)...
Or a famous New Yorker having a bite...
Franz Jagerstatter to be Declared a Martyr
Excellent, excellent, excellent!!!I've used his story in some of my books and have always thought that his resistence is the example that needed to be praised publicly. Pope Benedict has authorized the promulgation of his cause. From Vatican Information Service:
- Servant of God Frank Jagerstatter , Austrian layman, born 1907 and killed in Berlin, Germany in 1943.
His story by Robert Royal at the Catholic Education:
Austrian Farmer Franz Jagerstatter ROBERT ROYAL
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
"That might (have been) our worst game of the year,"
...said Cubs manager Lou Piniella.I once taught Lou's son Derek, and have met him a few times back then.
But I am a Florida Marlins fan and so I was happy to be at Wrigley Field to witness what Lou calls "their worst game of the year!"
There is no better place to watch a baseball game, then Wrigley. The fans are into baseball, there is electricity to the place. There is no video scoreboard or much of anything else to distract you from the game.
I sat a few seats away from where Bartman sat when he became the billy(scape) goat for the Cubs losing to the Marlins the last time that the Marlins ultimately won their second World Series Championship.
A pleasant visit if you are like me, one of the very few faithful Florida Marlin's fans!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Motu Proprio This Week?
I know we've heard this before, but this actually makes sense--to link it to the Letter to China as an outreach to the traditionalist church there...
Father Z has the goods:
Der Spiegel: Motu Proprio THIS WEEK
Father Z has the goods:
Der Spiegel: Motu Proprio THIS WEEK
Monday, May 28, 2007
Back to Ordinary Time (8th Week)
But not so in the old days, as Father Mark points out, in an excellent post on the "suppression" of the "Octave of Pentecost" (similar to the Octave of Christmas and Easter) that was celebrated up unto 1969, He includes this anectdote:
The story goes that on the Monday after Pentecost in 1970 His Holiness Pope Paul VI rose early and went to his chapel for Holy Mass. Instead of the red vestments he expected, green ones were laid out for him. He asked the Master of Ceremonies, "What on earth are these for? This is the Octave of Pentecost! Where are the red vestments?" "Your Holiness," replied the Master of Ceremonies, "this is now The Time Throughout the Year. It is green, now. The Octave of Pentecost is abolished." "Green? That cannot be," said the Pope, "Who did that?" "Your Holiness, you did." And Paul VI wept.
Paul VI did not weep alone. Many wept with him. It was reported that Catherine de Hueck Doherty of Madonna House was inconsolable. Faithful the world over were speechless at the brutal removal of one of the Church Year’s most cherished moments. In some countries the hierarchy were frightfully embarrassed: the civil calendar had retained the Monday and Tuesday after Pentecost as holidays, while the Church had erased them from hers. Little by little, the voices of those seeking the restoration of the Pentecost came to be heard in high places.
The story goes that on the Monday after Pentecost in 1970 His Holiness Pope Paul VI rose early and went to his chapel for Holy Mass. Instead of the red vestments he expected, green ones were laid out for him. He asked the Master of Ceremonies, "What on earth are these for? This is the Octave of Pentecost! Where are the red vestments?" "Your Holiness," replied the Master of Ceremonies, "this is now The Time Throughout the Year. It is green, now. The Octave of Pentecost is abolished." "Green? That cannot be," said the Pope, "Who did that?" "Your Holiness, you did." And Paul VI wept.
Paul VI did not weep alone. Many wept with him. It was reported that Catherine de Hueck Doherty of Madonna House was inconsolable. Faithful the world over were speechless at the brutal removal of one of the Church Year’s most cherished moments. In some countries the hierarchy were frightfully embarrassed: the civil calendar had retained the Monday and Tuesday after Pentecost as holidays, while the Church had erased them from hers. Little by little, the voices of those seeking the restoration of the Pentecost came to be heard in high places.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
The Pope's New Book
Our Sunday Visitor will release the new book--The Apostles: The Origin of the Church and Their Co-Workers sometime this summer (July or August). It takes up where Jesus of Nazareth leaves off, but unlike that book which the Pope did not want to be considered part of his magisterial office--this one is and contains some of the same teachings as well as many others concerning the origins of the church and the Apostles. It will please any reader of Jesus of Nazareth. The cover of the book has a tie in with this week's feast. Here is the image that is used:
sometime this summer (July or August). It takes up where Jesus of Nazareth leaves off, but unlike that book which the Pope did not want to be considered part of his magisterial office--this one is and contains some of the same teachings as well as many others concerning the origins of the church and the Apostles. It will please any reader of Jesus of Nazareth. The cover of the book has a tie in with this week's feast. Here is the image that is used:
Solemnity of Pentecost
From Vultus Christi
Those lacking in understanding
find themselves standing under tongues of fire.
Those once dark are illumined from within;
the flame over every head dances its way into every heart
and faces once abashed shine as they have never shone before.
Unveiled now, they “behold the glory of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18)
and in every mouth there is the taste of new wine
and the sound of a new song: “Alleluia!”
Pentecost at the Pantheon in Rome
Red roses fall from the sky!
Father Z has the details and pictures:
There is a tradition in Rome on Pentecost Sunday. At the Church S. Maria ad Martyres, the Pantheon, at the end of Mass red rose petals are let fall in great abundance through the oculus, the dome’s "eye" which is completely open to the sky. Fireman from Rome’s fire department scale the exterior of the dome and let the petals fall.
Open Book/Annunciation's Bestseller's List
For May 2007
(as of May 27, 2007)
What Books People who Read Amy's Open Book blog and Michael's Annunciation blog are buying this month.
1. Jesus of Nazareth
2. The DVD: Into Great Silence (Two-Disc Set)
3.A Pocket Guide to the Mass (A Pocket Guide to)
4. An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order
5. The Feast of Corpus Christi
Pope's Regina Coeli Message for Pentecost
From Asia News Italy:“In this extraordinray event – he continued – we find the essential and qualifying characteristics of the Church: the Church is one, as was the community of Pentecost gathered in prayer and 'agreement': ‘the community of believers was of one heart and mind' (Acts; 4,32). The Church is holy, not because of its own merits, but because it is animated by the Holy Spirit, it keeps its gaze fixed on Christ, so as to become one with Him and his love. The Church is Catholic, because the Gospel is destined for all peoples, thus from the very begining, the Holy Spirit makes it so it is announced in all tongues. The Church is apostolic, because it has been built upon the cornerstone of the Apostles, and is the faithful custodian of their teachings down through the unbroken line of episcopal succession”.
Moreover, the “Catholic” characteristic of the Church, capable of reaching out to all peoples in all languages, also renders it “missionary”. “The Church – continued the pontiff – is in its very nature a missionary Church, and since the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit has ceaselessly propelled it and continues to guide it along the world's paths, to the very edges of the earth and the end of all time”.
The pope then added a further, “essential point”: the Church is also “Roman”, not in the context of geographical limitations, but as an expression of its catholic and missionary nature : “In the Acts of the Apostles - explained the pope - … the passage of the Gospel from the Jews to the pagans, from Jerusalem to Rome is described. Rome represents the pagan world, thus all of the nations of people who are beyond the circle of God's ancient people. In fact, the Acts conclude with the arrival of the Gospel in Rome. Thus we can say that Rome is synonymous of Catholicism and Mission, it expresses faithfulness to the origins, to the Church of all times, to a Church which speaks all languages and to all cultures”.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Mary and the Muslims
From the National Rosary Crusade, written many years ago by the Servant of God Bishop Fulton Sheen:MARY
The Qu'ran, which is the Bible for the Muslims, has many passages concerning the Blessed Virgin. First of all, the Qu'ran believes in her Immaculate Conception, and also in her Virgin Birth. The third chapter of the Qu'ran places the history of Mary's family in a genealogy which goes back through Abraham, Noah, and Adam. When one compares the Qu'ran's description of the birth of Mary with the apocryphal Gospel of the birth of Mary, one is tempted to believe that Mohammed very much depended upon the latter. Both books describe the old age and the definite sterility of the mother of Mary. When, however, she conceives, the mother of Mary is made to say in the Qu'ran: "O Lord, I vow and I consecrate to you what is already within me. Accept it from me."
When Mary is born, the mother says: And I consecrate her with all of her posterity under thy protection, O Lord, against Satan!"
The Qu'ran passes over Joseph in the life of Mary, but the Muslim tradition knows his name and has some familiarity with him. In this tradition, Joseph is made to speak to Mary, who is a virgin. As he inquired how she conceived Jesus without a father, Mary answered:
Do you not know that God, when he created the wheat had no need of seed, and that God by his power made the trees grow without the help of rain? All that God had to do was to say, 'So be it, and it was done.'
The Qu'ran was also verses on the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity. Angels are pictured as accompanying the Blessed Mother and saying: "Oh, Mary, God has chosen you and purified you, and elected you above all the women of the earth." In the nineteenth chapter of the Qu'ran there are 41 verses on Jesus and Mary. There is such a strong defense of the virginity of Mary here that the Qu'ran, in the fourth book, attributed the condemnation of the Jews to their monstrous calumny against the Virgin Mary.
FATIMA
Mary, then, is for the Muslims the true Sayyida, or Lady. The only possible serious rival to her in their creed would be Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed himself. But after the death of Fatima, Mohammed wrote: "Thou shalt be the most blessed of all women in Paradise, after Mary." In a variation of the text, Fatima is made to say, "I surpass all the women, except Mary."
This brings us to our second point: namely, why the Blessed Mother, in the 20th century, should have revealed herself in the insignificant little village of Fatima, so that to all future generations she would be known as "Our Lady of Fatima." Since nothing ever happens out of Heaven except with a finesse of all details, I believe that the blessed Virgin chose to be known as "Our Lady of Fatima" as a pledge and a sign of hope to the Muslim people, and as an assurance that they, who show her so much respect, will one day accept her divine Son too.
Evidence to support these views is found in the historical fact that the Muslims occupied Portugal for centuries. At the time when they were finally driven out, the last Muslim chief had a beautiful daughter by the name of Fatima. A Catholic boy fell in love with her, and for him she not only stayed behind when the Muslims left, but even embraced the faith. The young husband was so much in love with her that he changed the name of the town where he lived to Fatima. Thus, the very place where our lady appeared in 1917 bears a historical connection to Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed.
The final evidence of the relationship of Fatima to the Muslims is the enthusiastic reception which the Muslims in Africa, India, and elsewhere gave to the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Muslims attended the church services in honor of our Lady, they allowed religious processions and even prayers before their mosques; and in Mozambique, the Muslims who were unconverted, began to be Christian as soon as the statue of Our Lady of Fatima was erected.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Cardinal Martini Praises Pope's Jesus of Nazareth
From Catholic World News:
Cardinal Martini, an influential and outspoken prelate who has sometimes clashed with the Vatican because of his liberal views, described Jesus of Nazareth as "a great and ardent testimony to Jesus of Nazareth and his significance for the history of mankind."
Noting that the Pope had asked readers to consider his book "in a spirit of freedom" rather than as an authoritative teaching, Cardinal Martini observed that the book is not the work of a Scripture scholar, and has "little faults." But he balanced that criticism by saying that the Pope writes as a theologian "who moves easily through the exegetical literature of his time." Cardinal Martini pointed to what he saw as three strengths in the Pope's work: a willingness to examine the life of Jesus in the context of all human history; a determined effort to "anchor the Christian faith in its Jewish roots;" and a skepticism about the historical-critical approach to Scripture, which in turn means "rejecting any contradiction between faith and history."
Cardinal Martini, an influential and outspoken prelate who has sometimes clashed with the Vatican because of his liberal views, described Jesus of Nazareth as "a great and ardent testimony to Jesus of Nazareth and his significance for the history of mankind."
Noting that the Pope had asked readers to consider his book "in a spirit of freedom" rather than as an authoritative teaching, Cardinal Martini observed that the book is not the work of a Scripture scholar, and has "little faults." But he balanced that criticism by saying that the Pope writes as a theologian "who moves easily through the exegetical literature of his time." Cardinal Martini pointed to what he saw as three strengths in the Pope's work: a willingness to examine the life of Jesus in the context of all human history; a determined effort to "anchor the Christian faith in its Jewish roots;" and a skepticism about the historical-critical approach to Scripture, which in turn means "rejecting any contradiction between faith and history."
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Quote from the Pope's Jesus of Nazareth
In a word, the true morality of Christianity is love, an exodus out of oneself, and yet this is precisely the way in which man comes to himself. (page 99...emphasis mine)
This quote occurs in the section on the Sermon on the Mount. I thought the play on the word "exodus" was brilliant and much needed in a time when the meaning of love (the subject of Deus Caritas Est)is so self-absorbed that it often rings hollow to the modern audience.
Atheist Wilson Gives $22.5 Million for Catholic Fund
From Bloomberg:
Wilson, 80, said in a phone interview today that although he is an atheist, he has no problem donating money to a fund linked to Catholic schools.
``Let's face it, without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no Western civilization,'' Wilson said. ``Shunning religious organizations would be abhorrent. Keep in mind, I'm helping to pay tuition. The money isn't going directly to the schools.''
Wilson, 80, said in a phone interview today that although he is an atheist, he has no problem donating money to a fund linked to Catholic schools.
``Let's face it, without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no Western civilization,'' Wilson said. ``Shunning religious organizations would be abhorrent. Keep in mind, I'm helping to pay tuition. The money isn't going directly to the schools.''
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Bishop Testifies Immigration Reform 'Crucial'
Orlando's Bishop Wenski, from the Orlado Sentinel:
Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, representing the U.S. Catholic Church and its immigrant tradition, testified to a House committee today that reform of the system is crucial.
Wenski appeared before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration as the topic gathered momentum and the Senate debated a compromise bill negotiated in part by Sen. Mel Martinez, R- Fla.
"As providers of pastoral and social services to immigrants throughout the nation, we in the Catholic Church witness the human consequences of a broken immigrant system every day in our parishes, social services programs, hospitals and schools," Wenski said in written testimony. "Families are divided, migrant workers are exploited and abused, and human beings unnecessarily die in the American desert."
Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, representing the U.S. Catholic Church and its immigrant tradition, testified to a House committee today that reform of the system is crucial.
Wenski appeared before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration as the topic gathered momentum and the Senate debated a compromise bill negotiated in part by Sen. Mel Martinez, R- Fla.
"As providers of pastoral and social services to immigrants throughout the nation, we in the Catholic Church witness the human consequences of a broken immigrant system every day in our parishes, social services programs, hospitals and schools," Wenski said in written testimony. "Families are divided, migrant workers are exploited and abused, and human beings unnecessarily die in the American desert."
Pope Recalls Injustices Done to Indigenous Peoples
In his weekly audience, from Asia News Italy, (I actually watched this audience live this morning on EWTN without any commentary--which was like being there and even though I know next to no Italian, I knew from the words that he was addressing this issue):
In his address, Benedict XVI re-evoked various highlights of his journey, during which he said he aimed to impress the theme of the relationship between faith and culture, which in the Latin American continent has created history, life experiences and art. But, he added, “Memories of the glorious past cannot ignore the shadows which accompany the history of evangelization. We cannot ignore the suffering and injustices imposed on the indigenous populations”, as already condemned, he recalled, by theologians such as Bartholomew de Las Casas. Thus within the continent the Gospel became “has expressed and continues to express the identity of the peoples in this region and provides inspiration to address the challenges of our globalize era”. “The Catholic identity is the most adequate because it is animated by the principals of the Churches Social Doctrine” and the Church in order to contribute to resolving socio-economic problems, “must mobilize all of its strength to converge with others who work for the common good”. In fact, “Brazil is an example for other countries of this new model for development” and “Christian culture can animate ‘reconciliation’ between mankind and creation, starting from a recovery of human dignity in relation to God the Father”.
In his address, Benedict XVI re-evoked various highlights of his journey, during which he said he aimed to impress the theme of the relationship between faith and culture, which in the Latin American continent has created history, life experiences and art. But, he added, “Memories of the glorious past cannot ignore the shadows which accompany the history of evangelization. We cannot ignore the suffering and injustices imposed on the indigenous populations”, as already condemned, he recalled, by theologians such as Bartholomew de Las Casas. Thus within the continent the Gospel became “has expressed and continues to express the identity of the peoples in this region and provides inspiration to address the challenges of our globalize era”. “The Catholic identity is the most adequate because it is animated by the principals of the Churches Social Doctrine” and the Church in order to contribute to resolving socio-economic problems, “must mobilize all of its strength to converge with others who work for the common good”. In fact, “Brazil is an example for other countries of this new model for development” and “Christian culture can animate ‘reconciliation’ between mankind and creation, starting from a recovery of human dignity in relation to God the Father”.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
The Pope's Answer to Islam: Quotes from Jesus of Nazareth
It is in Jesus that the promise of the new prophet is fulfilled. What was true of Moses only in a fragmentary form is now fully realized in the person of Jesus.: He lives before the face of God, not just as a friend, but as a Son; he lives in the most intimate unity with the Father.(page 6)
Ultimately the Introduction of the pope's book is an apologetic to make this point that Jesus is the prophesied prophet of Deuteronomy 18:18-19 and he comes back to this point throughout the book.
I was mentioning this to a friend, who on hearing this said that this struck him as a direct response to Islam that often uses this passage, as well as Jesus' prophesies of sending the Paraclete (Holy Spirit) as pointing to "the Prophet" meaning Muhammad. There are number of examples of this on the internet, I quote from one of them...From the Islamic Voice, which has a detailed apologetic for Muhammad being the prophesied prophet(I qoute only the beginning, go to the web site for the fuller treatment):
An clear cut biblical prophecy for Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is found in the fifth Book of Moses. Though much has been written about it, always useful to mention it whenever the subject occurs. The prophecy (in the words of New International Version) reads as follows:
"I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers: I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the Prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account." (Devt. 18:18-19)
The following points of the prophecy are worth elaborations with the point of view of comparative religious study, as the Christian brethren are led to be believe that the above prophecy was for Jesus Christ.
I will raise for them: Raising up "is the exact terminology Qur'an has repeatedly used for a prophet: The Arabic equivalent is 'Ba-asa'. Nowhere in the new Testament these words have been used for 'Jesus Christ'.
St. Rita of Cascia
From The Church's Most Powerful Novenas
:Rita Lotti was born near Cascia in Italy in the fourteenth century, the only child of her parents, Antonio and Amata. Her parents were official peacemakers in a turbulent environment of feuding families.
At an early age Rita felt called to religious life; however, her parents arranged for her to be married to Paolo Mancini. Rita accepted this as God’s will for her, and the newlyweds were soon blessed with two sons.
One day while on his way home, Paolo was killed. Rita’s grief was compounded with the fear that her two sons would seek to avenge their father’s death, as was the custom of the time. She began praying and fasting that God would not allow this to happen. Both sons soon fell ill and died, which Rita saw as an answer to her prayers.
Now alone in the world, Rita sought to enter religious life, feeling that God had cleared the path for her to fulfill the vocation that she had felt was hers from childhood. Yet she found that the convent she so desired to enter was reluctant to accept her due to fears that the political rivals that had killed her husband would bring violence on them.
She finally brought peace between the rivals and was able to enter the Convent of St. Mary Magdalene of the Augustinian Nuns. In religious life, Rita was noted for her holiness. She spent her days not only in prayer and contemplation but also in service to the sick and the poor.
One day while kneeling in prayer and contemplating the passion of Jesus, she received the wound of one thorn from the crown of thorns that she bore until her death some fifteen years later.
Devotion to St. Rita was almost nonexistent for five hundred years, but with her canonization in 1900, all of that has changed. She is truly a saint for every state in life, having spent her life as a married woman, a mother, a widow, and a religious.
Bishops’ Conference Responds To 18 Democrats Critical Of Pope
From the USCCB:
In an unfortunate May 10 statement, 18 of the 88 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives criticized Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks concerning Mexican lawmakers legalizing abortion. The Representatives’ statement misrepresents the Holy Father’s remarks and implies that the Church does not have a right to voice its teaching in the public square.
The Holy See has made clear that neither the Mexican bishops nor the Holy Father have excommunicated any legislator. Rather, the Holy See reiterated longstanding Church teaching that anyone who freely and knowingly commits a serious wrong, that is, a mortal sin, should not approach the Eucharist until going to confession.
“The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision of society.” (United States Catechism for Adults, p. 442) Consequently, every Catholic is obliged to respect human life, from conception until natural death.
To suggest that the Church should not clearly voice its teaching and apply it in a pluralistic society is to attack freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The Catholic Church always will and must speak out against the destruction of innocent unborn children. The right to do so is guaranteed by the Constitution that all legislators are elected to uphold. Speaking and acting against abortion is not a matter of partisan politics. It is a matter of life and death.
The bishops urge all Catholics, especially those who hold positions of public responsibility, to educate themselves about the teaching of the Church, and to seek pastoral advice so that they can make informed decisions with consistency and integrity.
In an unfortunate May 10 statement, 18 of the 88 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives criticized Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks concerning Mexican lawmakers legalizing abortion. The Representatives’ statement misrepresents the Holy Father’s remarks and implies that the Church does not have a right to voice its teaching in the public square.
The Holy See has made clear that neither the Mexican bishops nor the Holy Father have excommunicated any legislator. Rather, the Holy See reiterated longstanding Church teaching that anyone who freely and knowingly commits a serious wrong, that is, a mortal sin, should not approach the Eucharist until going to confession.
“The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision of society.” (United States Catechism for Adults, p. 442) Consequently, every Catholic is obliged to respect human life, from conception until natural death.
To suggest that the Church should not clearly voice its teaching and apply it in a pluralistic society is to attack freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The Catholic Church always will and must speak out against the destruction of innocent unborn children. The right to do so is guaranteed by the Constitution that all legislators are elected to uphold. Speaking and acting against abortion is not a matter of partisan politics. It is a matter of life and death.
The bishops urge all Catholics, especially those who hold positions of public responsibility, to educate themselves about the teaching of the Church, and to seek pastoral advice so that they can make informed decisions with consistency and integrity.
Monday, May 21, 2007
The Mundelein Psalter
An interesting project with connections to an old friend Fr. Samuel Weber O.S.B. who I know from my Saint Meinrad College days and who I once gave a six hour ride to in Florida many moons ago.
The Mundelein Psalter
Plus a review at the New Liturgical Movement.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
There is a Line in the Big Lebowski...
Your "revolution" is over...,
Condolences!
The bums lost!
This thought comes to mind when I read reviews by critics of the scholarship of the pope.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Quotes from the Pope's Jesus of Nazareth
Luke transmits to us the same saying, but at the end he adds: "And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, 'The old is good'" (Lk 5:39). There do seem to be good grounds for interpreting this as a word of understanding for those who wished to remain with the "old wine." (page 181)
Now, to anyone who claims this is going back to before the Council, I challenge them to find this kind of interpretation back then (by a conservative that is). One of the things that bothers so many progressives in the Church is that both Pope John Paul II and the current pope defy the limitations of the labels placed upon them--they are seekers of the Truth, and not some ideology created in their own image and likeness rather than the image and likeness of the one true God. Another reason, why this is truly a "great book"...
Friday, May 18, 2007
Quotes from the Pope's Jesus of Nazareth
"Both Evangelists designate Jesus' preaching with the Greek term evangelion--but what does that actually mean?" (page 46).
"The term has recently been translated as "good news." That sounds attractive, but if falls far short of the order of magnitude of what is actually meant by the word evangelion. This term figures in the vocabulary of the Roman emperors, who understood themselves as lords, saviors, and redeemers of the world. The messages issued by the emperor were called in Latin evangelion, regardless of whether their content was particularly cheerful and pleasant. The idea was that what comes from the emperor is a saving message, that it is not just a piece of news, but a change of the world for the better.
When the Evangelist adopt this word, and it thereby becomes the generic name for their writings, what they to tell us is this: What the emperors, who pretend to be gods, illegitimately claim, really occurs here--a message endowed with plenary authority, a message that is not just talk, but reality, (pages 46-47)."
Now, there is something to think aboutthe next time you here the Gospel--the evanglion proclaimed at Mass...
Cardinal Clarifies His Comments in Time Interview
From Catholic News Agency:
Nevertheless, in statements to Carlos Polo, reproduced exclusively by the Catholic News Agency, Cardinal Maradiaga, who is in Aparecida participating in the V General Conference of the Latin American Bishops’ Council, said his comments to Time magazine should be reformulated “in light of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith teaches in its document, ‘Worthiness to Receive Communion’.”
“A politician who publicly supports abortion, he excommunicates himself. It’s not question of receiving Communion or not; he has already done serious harm to the communion of faith of the Church, to the communion of moral life, and therefore that person himself is doing an act that is inconsistent with what he says he believes,” the cardinal said.
“That is, we’re talking about a person who has become a broken-off branch of the tree of life of the Church, a dry branch that has lost its vital sap and is doing something that is a lie. One who is against life and who is clearly opposed to the message of the Lord Jesus, as is an abortion supporter, cannot be in Communion with Holy Mother Church,” he stated.
“Therefore, if one uses the desire to receive Communion as a justification, it is the worst manner of doing so, because one is doing an act that contradicts what one says he believes,” the cardinal said.
“In addition,” he continued, “a recent declaration of the Holy See clearly states that when
all precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible, and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.”
“This is the current law of the Church and it would be best if these people who know it do not try to receive Holy Communion because they are committing an act that is completely immoral and inconsistent with truth,” he said in conclusion.
Nevertheless, in statements to Carlos Polo, reproduced exclusively by the Catholic News Agency, Cardinal Maradiaga, who is in Aparecida participating in the V General Conference of the Latin American Bishops’ Council, said his comments to Time magazine should be reformulated “in light of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith teaches in its document, ‘Worthiness to Receive Communion’.”
“A politician who publicly supports abortion, he excommunicates himself. It’s not question of receiving Communion or not; he has already done serious harm to the communion of faith of the Church, to the communion of moral life, and therefore that person himself is doing an act that is inconsistent with what he says he believes,” the cardinal said.
“That is, we’re talking about a person who has become a broken-off branch of the tree of life of the Church, a dry branch that has lost its vital sap and is doing something that is a lie. One who is against life and who is clearly opposed to the message of the Lord Jesus, as is an abortion supporter, cannot be in Communion with Holy Mother Church,” he stated.
“Therefore, if one uses the desire to receive Communion as a justification, it is the worst manner of doing so, because one is doing an act that contradicts what one says he believes,” the cardinal said.
“In addition,” he continued, “a recent declaration of the Holy See clearly states that when
all precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible, and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it.”
“This is the current law of the Church and it would be best if these people who know it do not try to receive Holy Communion because they are committing an act that is completely immoral and inconsistent with truth,” he said in conclusion.
Left at Caution Light to Abbey Entrance
Congratulations to my friend Father Seamus Malvey who was solemnly professed yesterday at the Abbey of Gethsemane. Directions to the monastery always include the last direction...either left or right at caution light--depending upon what direction you are coming from...very symbolic. When you leave the Monastery you have to turn left or right at the red light, depending upon where you are going.What the piece below doesn't mention about the former "Jim" Malvey is that he arrived at the monastery on September 11, 2001.
I know him from the days we were in school together between 1983-1986 before he was ordained a priest for Palm Beach. I ran into him a few years ago when I was messing with the video equipment in the welcome center--neither of us recognized each other at first (time has a way of doing that) but both recognized the other's voice.
From the Palm Beach Post:
When Seamus Malvey takes his final vows as a Trappist monk today, he will be entering a third phase of his religious evolution.
The first phase consisted of 20 years in the Christian Brothers order. Then he became a priest in the Diocese of Palm Beach, serving nearly two decades at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens, in other parishes and in several diocesan appointments.
His imagination was captured back in high school when he read The Seven Storey Mountain, the memoir of Thomas Merton, probably the most famous Trappist monk of the 20th century. Merton's combination of mysticism and outspoken political activism galvanized the post-World War II generation of spiritual seekers, many of whom followed him to the Abbey of Gethsemani in the hills of Kentucky.
But it wasn't until after his retirement from the diocese that Malvey finally made it to Gethsemani.
"I had always thought of being a contemplative, so I said, let me just write them and at least be rejected."
The monks at Gethsemani range in age from 30 to 92 and usually do not take postulants as old as Malvey, but the monks of the order voted to accept him.
There is a decidedly egalitarian streak at the abbey, where a priest or a Ph.D. may be assigned to do manual labor and abbots are elected by a community vote.
Still, he was surprised when the abbot transferred him from working in the laundry to running the abbey's busy visitor center and bookstore, where busloads of day-trippers and retreat-goers arrive year-round.
The abbey was established in 1848 by the French Cistercian order. From the beginning the abbey was self-sustaining, even built from bricks made by the monks. They still grow their own vegetables and make their own shoes and other necessities. The monastery does a brisk year-round business in its signature cheeses, bourbon-laced fudge and fruitcakes.
With 2,300 acres to oversee, the order even has its own forester monk.
Besides their daily duties in the kitchens and the fields, the monks chant the Psalms seven times a day, starting at 3 a.m., as they have every day since the abbey was founded.
Long periods of solitude produce interesting results, said Malvey.
"I can't pretend I'm humble and holy," Malvey says. "Eventually, it will break down and finally you become yourself. That's when grace takes over. God calls a person, the real you, not the person you would like to be."
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Quote's From the Pope's Jesus of Nazareth
"The sign of God is overflowing generosity.We see it in the multiplication of the loaves; we see it again and again--most of all, though, at the center of salvation history, in the fact that he lavishly spends himself for the lowly creature, man." (page 252).
This quote reminds me of another quote from another book, recently published in English which actually would reflect the thought of Father Joseph Ratzinger in the 1960's. There is a quote that actually gives insight into a theory of the cosmos that is tied into scientific fact at a more basic level. Here is the quote:
"The miracle at Cana and the miracle of feeding the five thousand are signs of that superabundance of generosity which is essential to God's way of acting, that way of doing things which in the process of creation squanders millions of seeds so as to save one living one. That way of doing things that lavishly produces an entire universe in order to prepare a place on earth for that mysterious being, man." What It Means to Be a Christian: Three Sermons
, (pages 79-80)
Motu Proprio News from CELAM
In an address given by Cardinal Hoyos (Ecclesia Dei):
Intervención sobre Ecclesia Dei-16 de mayo de 2007
Fr. Z has an English translation of the address, I quote one paragraph from his translation:
In Latin America, since it is well-known, we must be grateful to the Lord for the return of a whole Diocese, that of Campos, earlier a Lefebvrian one, that now after five years, presents good fruits. It has been a pacific comeback and the faithful who have registered in the Apostolic Administration are glad to be able to live in peace in his parochial communities; even more, in fact some Brazilian dioceses have made contacts with the Apostolic Administration of Campos that has put at their disposal priests for the pastoral care of the traditionalist faithful in local churches. The project of the Holy Father has been already partially proved in Campos, where the pacific cohabitation of two forms of the only Roman rite in the Church is a beautiful reality. We have the hope that such a model produces good fruits, also in other places of the Church where both catholic faithful live with liturgical diverse sensibilities. And we hope, also, that such a way of living together should attract also those traditionalists who are still far.
Intervención sobre Ecclesia Dei-16 de mayo de 2007
Fr. Z has an English translation of the address, I quote one paragraph from his translation:
In Latin America, since it is well-known, we must be grateful to the Lord for the return of a whole Diocese, that of Campos, earlier a Lefebvrian one, that now after five years, presents good fruits. It has been a pacific comeback and the faithful who have registered in the Apostolic Administration are glad to be able to live in peace in his parochial communities; even more, in fact some Brazilian dioceses have made contacts with the Apostolic Administration of Campos that has put at their disposal priests for the pastoral care of the traditionalist faithful in local churches. The project of the Holy Father has been already partially proved in Campos, where the pacific cohabitation of two forms of the only Roman rite in the Church is a beautiful reality. We have the hope that such a model produces good fruits, also in other places of the Church where both catholic faithful live with liturgical diverse sensibilities. And we hope, also, that such a way of living together should attract also those traditionalists who are still far.
Father Euteneuer Invites Congressional Gang of 18 to Leave
The Catholic Church...
From The Christian Wire:
Father Euteneuer said, "It is an embarrassment that a Catholic, much less a member of Congress should make such an absurd statement. Even if this statement were true, the Holy Father answers to a Higher Power than Rep. DeLauro and the Gang of 18."
"The truth is," Father Euteneuer said, "nothing threatens the American experiment more than the legal but unjust killing of human beings by abortion which stands in stark contrast to the very first right enumerated by our Declaration of Independence: The Right to Life. The humanity of the unborn child is no longer even debated. It is a scientific fact. Abortion is murder, and murder is against the law. Like Dred Scott before it, which violated certain citizens' Right to Liberty, Roe v. Wade is bad, dishonest law and will eventually fall."
"Excommunication is a pastoral and medicinal penalty, not a political one. The Pope is well within his free expression of religion guaranteed by the US Constitution—and his pastoral duty—to warn any Catholic when their eternal salvation is jeopardized by their actions" Father Euteneuer said. "This is what the Catholic Church teaches and what Catholics believe. If the Gang of 18 believes otherwise, honesty and integrity requires they find another church that tells them what they want to hear. If they have that much of a problem being Catholic, no one is forcing them to stay. We certainly don't need their hypocrisy."
From The Christian Wire:
Father Euteneuer said, "It is an embarrassment that a Catholic, much less a member of Congress should make such an absurd statement. Even if this statement were true, the Holy Father answers to a Higher Power than Rep. DeLauro and the Gang of 18."
"The truth is," Father Euteneuer said, "nothing threatens the American experiment more than the legal but unjust killing of human beings by abortion which stands in stark contrast to the very first right enumerated by our Declaration of Independence: The Right to Life. The humanity of the unborn child is no longer even debated. It is a scientific fact. Abortion is murder, and murder is against the law. Like Dred Scott before it, which violated certain citizens' Right to Liberty, Roe v. Wade is bad, dishonest law and will eventually fall."
"Excommunication is a pastoral and medicinal penalty, not a political one. The Pope is well within his free expression of religion guaranteed by the US Constitution—and his pastoral duty—to warn any Catholic when their eternal salvation is jeopardized by their actions" Father Euteneuer said. "This is what the Catholic Church teaches and what Catholics believe. If the Gang of 18 believes otherwise, honesty and integrity requires they find another church that tells them what they want to hear. If they have that much of a problem being Catholic, no one is forcing them to stay. We certainly don't need their hypocrisy."
What is an Acquisitions Editor?
I often get asked this, since it is my job title. Michael Hyatt the President and CEO of Thomas Nelson has a blog and in his description of the publishing process he defines what an "acquisition editor" is and does--thank you Michael!
From Where I Sit:
Hurdle 1: The Acquisitions Editor
Acquisitions editors are the people inside the publishing house specifically charged with finding and developing authors and books that are congruent with the publisher’s mission. Over time, they have developed a “nose” for the right projects. They usually see hundreds of proposals every year. Good editors can review a proposal and decide in sixty seconds or less whether it merits further consideration. If it doesn’t, then it gets tossed into the rejection pile.
Typically, an acquisitions editor has unlimited authority to say “no.” They can reject a proposal without approval from anyone. Conversely, they don’t usually have the absolute authority to approve a proposal for publication. The most they can do is shepherd the proposal through the next step in the process.
This is why your first objective as an author is to sell the acquisitions editor. He’s the “gatekeeper” to the publishing house. If you can’t do that, you’re dead in the water. This is the one place where you have the most control. You must develop a compelling book proposal that gets the acquisitions editor’s attention. You must show that the content is compelling and there is a viable market for it.
I recommend you start with two sources: my article, How to Write a Winning Book Proposal (a PDF), and Terry Whalin’s Book Proposals That Sell. Both of these will help you clear the first hurdle.
From Where I Sit:
Hurdle 1: The Acquisitions Editor
Acquisitions editors are the people inside the publishing house specifically charged with finding and developing authors and books that are congruent with the publisher’s mission. Over time, they have developed a “nose” for the right projects. They usually see hundreds of proposals every year. Good editors can review a proposal and decide in sixty seconds or less whether it merits further consideration. If it doesn’t, then it gets tossed into the rejection pile.
Typically, an acquisitions editor has unlimited authority to say “no.” They can reject a proposal without approval from anyone. Conversely, they don’t usually have the absolute authority to approve a proposal for publication. The most they can do is shepherd the proposal through the next step in the process.
This is why your first objective as an author is to sell the acquisitions editor. He’s the “gatekeeper” to the publishing house. If you can’t do that, you’re dead in the water. This is the one place where you have the most control. You must develop a compelling book proposal that gets the acquisitions editor’s attention. You must show that the content is compelling and there is a viable market for it.
I recommend you start with two sources: my article, How to Write a Winning Book Proposal (a PDF), and Terry Whalin’s Book Proposals That Sell. Both of these will help you clear the first hurdle.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Quotes from the Pope's Jesus of Nazareth
"The burning bush is the cross," (page 349).
Now, there is something you can think about long and hard. It'll also help you to understand why this book is so good...
Fr. Z's "Prayer to Say Before Logging on to the Internet"
From WDTPRS:
Almighty and eternal God,who created us in Thine imageand bade us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful,especially in the divine person of Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,grant, we beseech Thee,that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor,during our journeys through the internetwe will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Theeand treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter.Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
In ESPAÑOL
Oración antes de una conexión a la red internet
Oh Dios omnipotente y eterno que nos has creado a tu imagen,
y nos has mandado buscar todo lo que es bueno, verdadero y bello,
especialmente en la persona de tu Hijo Unigénito
y Señor nuestro Jesucristo,
te rogamos, que por intercesión de
San Isidoro, Obispo y Doctor de la Iglesia,
hagas que durante nuestras peregrinaciones en la red internet
dirigimos nuestros ojos y nuestras manos solamente a lo que te es grato
y que tratemos con caridad y paciencia a todas las almas que encontremos.
Por Cristo nuestro Señor.
Amén.
A prayer before logging onto the internet
Almighty and eternal God,who created us in Thine imageand bade us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful,especially in the divine person of Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,grant, we beseech Thee,that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor,during our journeys through the internetwe will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Theeand treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter.Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
In ESPAÑOL
Oración antes de una conexión a la red internet
Oh Dios omnipotente y eterno que nos has creado a tu imagen,
y nos has mandado buscar todo lo que es bueno, verdadero y bello,
especialmente en la persona de tu Hijo Unigénito
y Señor nuestro Jesucristo,
te rogamos, que por intercesión de
San Isidoro, Obispo y Doctor de la Iglesia,
hagas que durante nuestras peregrinaciones en la red internet
dirigimos nuestros ojos y nuestras manos solamente a lo que te es grato
y que tratemos con caridad y paciencia a todas las almas que encontremos.
Por Cristo nuestro Señor.
Amén.
Catholic Dems protest Pope's Abortion Comments
It is time to for a clear, unambigous teaching on this matter...
From USA Today:
A group of 18 Catholic House Democrats publicly disputed Pope Benedict XVI's recent condemnation of politicians who support abortion rights, saying that "such notions offend the very nature of the American experiment."
From USA Today:
A group of 18 Catholic House Democrats publicly disputed Pope Benedict XVI's recent condemnation of politicians who support abortion rights, saying that "such notions offend the very nature of the American experiment."
Some Athletes Choose Abortion Over Losing a Scholarship
This is horrible. Is this the country that we've become, the land of the free?
What does this say about the real price that is being paid by athletes (females, obviously) to play for the NCAA?
From AOL Sports:
A report on ESPN's Outside the Lines this morning contains news that could generate some major controversy regarding NCAA policies with respect to female athletes. According to the report, some schools have written policies saying any student-athlete who becomes pregnant will lose her athletic scholarship, and that many athletes have abortions because they don't want to lose their scholarships.
What does this say about the real price that is being paid by athletes (females, obviously) to play for the NCAA?
From AOL Sports:
A report on ESPN's Outside the Lines this morning contains news that could generate some major controversy regarding NCAA policies with respect to female athletes. According to the report, some schools have written policies saying any student-athlete who becomes pregnant will lose her athletic scholarship, and that many athletes have abortions because they don't want to lose their scholarships.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
This is a Great Book
Jesus healing the possessed.
I think with the release of this book (which I got yesterday and read straight through) the pope is positioning himself to be the St. Thomas Aquinas of our age. How or why do I say this? Because like St. Thomas who answered the objections to the Faith in his day, this pope is doing the same.
A few months ago someone asked me what book I would recommend that they give to their adult children who no longer practiced the faith, without hesitation I named this book as the one. At the time I had only read some excerpts available online from Germany and Italy. It was an act of faith then, now that I have the book I know that my recommendation was justified.
This is a great book, magisterial (even though the pope doesn't want it thought of in that way). It is not just another book about Jesus, it a revolutionary book about Jesus...in that it recaptures why people have had their lives changed by their belief in Jesus for over 2,000 years.
What makes this book so special? It is like a modern Summa (those who know St. Thomas Aquinas will understand me here) in that it answers modern questions of doubt, skepticism and even inquiry on not only who Jesus is, but why Jesus is the most important person anyone has ever or can ever know.
The pope's methodology is to take a scene from the Bible, like the Lord's baptism and then to draw on that scene from the entire Bible, to show what modern scholarship has done to help us to understand the historical context of the scene, tell us how the early Church fathers interpreted the scene, how would it have been viewed in Judaism (he uses the reflections of a Rabbi when discussing the Sermon on the Mount) and then to give the reader the meaning of this event for them. Along the way he answers questions to the many objections modern people bring to their encounter with Jesus.
As someone who has studied theology for a number of years and been exposed to every screwball theology out there, I found this book to be a corrective lens to refocus and correct my vision of who Jesus is and what following him means. What impresses me (and I'm not easily impressed) is that the Pope takes on the "screwball (my term, not his)" theologies in such a way as to making them seem silly (although he is incredibly charitable in his approach).
This book will have a great effect on renewing the Church and centering it on an image of Christ that is Biblical and credible, erasing years of poor and faulty preaching and teaching.
If you are not Catholic, but a Christian you will love this book too. In fact I predict you will be come a big fan of Joseph Ratzinger and will want to read his many published works to encounter someone rooted in Scripture and conversant with modern attacks on it. If you are a non Christian I think you will find in the book an excellent introduction to what Christians believe about the God-man from Nazareth. To all you parents out there who sent your kids to Catholic schools and now wish they would practice their faith, give them this book and reintroduce them to Jesus of Nazareth.
I think with the release of this book (which I got yesterday and read straight through) the pope is positioning himself to be the St. Thomas Aquinas of our age. How or why do I say this? Because like St. Thomas who answered the objections to the Faith in his day, this pope is doing the same.
A few months ago someone asked me what book I would recommend that they give to their adult children who no longer practiced the faith, without hesitation I named this book as the one. At the time I had only read some excerpts available online from Germany and Italy. It was an act of faith then, now that I have the book I know that my recommendation was justified.
This is a great book, magisterial (even though the pope doesn't want it thought of in that way). It is not just another book about Jesus, it a revolutionary book about Jesus...in that it recaptures why people have had their lives changed by their belief in Jesus for over 2,000 years.
What makes this book so special? It is like a modern Summa (those who know St. Thomas Aquinas will understand me here) in that it answers modern questions of doubt, skepticism and even inquiry on not only who Jesus is, but why Jesus is the most important person anyone has ever or can ever know.
The pope's methodology is to take a scene from the Bible, like the Lord's baptism and then to draw on that scene from the entire Bible, to show what modern scholarship has done to help us to understand the historical context of the scene, tell us how the early Church fathers interpreted the scene, how would it have been viewed in Judaism (he uses the reflections of a Rabbi when discussing the Sermon on the Mount) and then to give the reader the meaning of this event for them. Along the way he answers questions to the many objections modern people bring to their encounter with Jesus.
As someone who has studied theology for a number of years and been exposed to every screwball theology out there, I found this book to be a corrective lens to refocus and correct my vision of who Jesus is and what following him means. What impresses me (and I'm not easily impressed) is that the Pope takes on the "screwball (my term, not his)" theologies in such a way as to making them seem silly (although he is incredibly charitable in his approach).
This book will have a great effect on renewing the Church and centering it on an image of Christ that is Biblical and credible, erasing years of poor and faulty preaching and teaching.
If you are not Catholic, but a Christian you will love this book too. In fact I predict you will be come a big fan of Joseph Ratzinger and will want to read his many published works to encounter someone rooted in Scripture and conversant with modern attacks on it. If you are a non Christian I think you will find in the book an excellent introduction to what Christians believe about the God-man from Nazareth. To all you parents out there who sent your kids to Catholic schools and now wish they would practice their faith, give them this book and reintroduce them to Jesus of Nazareth.
Interview: A Rising Latin American Cardinal
With Honduran Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, who was high on many lists to be the pope during the last conclave and he is young enough that he'll be high on most lists for the next one if Benedict doesn't live to be over 100 (which given his current stamina could well happen--and hopefully will).
I've met the Cardinal and he is very charismatic, he would bring the good charism of the Latin American church to the universal church. The interview is in Time Magazine, here is a snipet:
Q. Do you agree with the Pope's statement that pro-choice Catholic politicians merit excommunication.
A. It is canon law that everyone who works for abortion is excommunicated. It's not something the Pope invented. If you favor abortion, you are outside the communion of the Church. And it was necessary to say that. There are people in Mexico saying I am Catholic and I support abortion rights. This is a contradiction in its very essence. As a teacher of the Church, the Pope has a responsibility of teaching when something happening is wrong.
Q. Do you agree with bishops who deny giving Holy Communion to the these politicians?
A. This is a different point. For who am I to deny Holy Communion to a person? I cannot. It's in the tradition of moral theology that even if I know a person is living in grave sin, I cannot take a public action against him. It would be giving scandal to the person. Yes, he should not seek (communion), but I cannot deny it from him.
I've met the Cardinal and he is very charismatic, he would bring the good charism of the Latin American church to the universal church. The interview is in Time Magazine, here is a snipet:
Q. Do you agree with the Pope's statement that pro-choice Catholic politicians merit excommunication.
A. It is canon law that everyone who works for abortion is excommunicated. It's not something the Pope invented. If you favor abortion, you are outside the communion of the Church. And it was necessary to say that. There are people in Mexico saying I am Catholic and I support abortion rights. This is a contradiction in its very essence. As a teacher of the Church, the Pope has a responsibility of teaching when something happening is wrong.
Q. Do you agree with bishops who deny giving Holy Communion to the these politicians?
A. This is a different point. For who am I to deny Holy Communion to a person? I cannot. It's in the tradition of moral theology that even if I know a person is living in grave sin, I cannot take a public action against him. It would be giving scandal to the person. Yes, he should not seek (communion), but I cannot deny it from him.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Pope: Make the Word of God Known!
From Zenit:
As a first step, we can respond to this question with another: what is this "reality"? What is real? Are only material goods, social, economic and political problems "reality"? This was precisely the great error of the dominant tendencies of the last century, a most destructive error, as we can see from the results of both Marxist and capitalist systems. They falsify the notion of reality by detaching it from the foundational and decisive reality which is God. Anyone who excludes God from his horizons falsifies the notion of "reality" and, in consequence, can only end up in blind alleys or with recipes for destruction.
The first basic point to affirm, then, is the following: only those who recognize God know reality and are able to respond to it adequately and in a truly human manner. The truth of this thesis becomes evident in the face of the collapse of all the systems that marginalize God.
Yet here a further question immediately arises: who knows God? How can we know him? We cannot enter here into a complex discussion of this fundamental issue. For a Christian, the nucleus of the reply is simple: only God knows God, only his Son who is God from God, true God, knows him. And he "who is nearest to the Father’s heart has made him known" (John 1:18). Hence the unique and irreplaceable importance of Christ for us, for humanity. If we do not know God in and with Christ, all of reality is transformed into an indecipherable enigma; there is no way, and without a way, there is neither life nor truth.
God is the foundational reality, not a God who is merely imagined or hypothetical, but God with a human face; he is God-with-us, the God who loves even to the Cross. When the disciple arrives at an understanding of this love of Christ "to the end", he cannot fail to respond to this love with a similar love: "I will follow you wherever you go" (Luke 9:57).
We can ask ourselves a further question: what does faith in this God give us? The first response is: it gives us a family, the universal family of God in the Catholic Church. Faith releases us from the isolation of the "I", because it leads us to communion: the encounter with God is, in itself and as such, an encounter with our brothers and sisters, an act of convocation, of unification, of responsibility towards the other and towards others. In this sense, the preferential option for the poor is implicit in the Christological faith in the God who became poor for us, so as to enrich us with his poverty (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9).
Yet before we consider what is entailed by the realism of our faith in the God who became man, we must explore the question more deeply: how can we truly know Christ so as to be able to follow him and live with him, so as to find life in him and to communicate that life to others, to society and to the world? First and foremost, Christ makes his person, his life and his teaching known to us through the word of God.
At the beginning of this new phase that the missionary Church of Latin America and the Caribbean is preparing to enter, starting with this Fifth General Conference in Aparecida, an indispensable pre-condition is profound knowledge of the word of God. To achieve this, we must train people to read and meditate on the word of God: this must become their staple diet, so that, through their own experience, the faithful will see that the words of Jesus are spirit and life (cf. John 6:63). Otherwise, how could they proclaim a message whose content and spirit they do not know thoroughly? We must build our missionary commitment and the whole of our lives on the rock of the word of God. For this reason, I encourage the Bishops to strive to make it known.
An important way of introducing the People of God to the mystery of Christ is through catechesis. Here, the message of Christ is transmitted in a simple and substantial form. It is therefore necessary to intensify the catechesis and the faith formation not only of children but also of young people and adults. Mature reflection on faith is a light for the path of life and a source of strength for witnessing to Christ. Most valuable tools with which to achieve this are the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its abridged version, the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In this area, we must not limit ourselves solely to homilies, lectures, Bible courses or theology courses, but we must have recourse also to the communications media: press, radio and television, websites, forums and many other methods for effectively communicating the message of Christ to a large number of people.
As a first step, we can respond to this question with another: what is this "reality"? What is real? Are only material goods, social, economic and political problems "reality"? This was precisely the great error of the dominant tendencies of the last century, a most destructive error, as we can see from the results of both Marxist and capitalist systems. They falsify the notion of reality by detaching it from the foundational and decisive reality which is God. Anyone who excludes God from his horizons falsifies the notion of "reality" and, in consequence, can only end up in blind alleys or with recipes for destruction.
The first basic point to affirm, then, is the following: only those who recognize God know reality and are able to respond to it adequately and in a truly human manner. The truth of this thesis becomes evident in the face of the collapse of all the systems that marginalize God.
Yet here a further question immediately arises: who knows God? How can we know him? We cannot enter here into a complex discussion of this fundamental issue. For a Christian, the nucleus of the reply is simple: only God knows God, only his Son who is God from God, true God, knows him. And he "who is nearest to the Father’s heart has made him known" (John 1:18). Hence the unique and irreplaceable importance of Christ for us, for humanity. If we do not know God in and with Christ, all of reality is transformed into an indecipherable enigma; there is no way, and without a way, there is neither life nor truth.
God is the foundational reality, not a God who is merely imagined or hypothetical, but God with a human face; he is God-with-us, the God who loves even to the Cross. When the disciple arrives at an understanding of this love of Christ "to the end", he cannot fail to respond to this love with a similar love: "I will follow you wherever you go" (Luke 9:57).
We can ask ourselves a further question: what does faith in this God give us? The first response is: it gives us a family, the universal family of God in the Catholic Church. Faith releases us from the isolation of the "I", because it leads us to communion: the encounter with God is, in itself and as such, an encounter with our brothers and sisters, an act of convocation, of unification, of responsibility towards the other and towards others. In this sense, the preferential option for the poor is implicit in the Christological faith in the God who became poor for us, so as to enrich us with his poverty (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9).
Yet before we consider what is entailed by the realism of our faith in the God who became man, we must explore the question more deeply: how can we truly know Christ so as to be able to follow him and live with him, so as to find life in him and to communicate that life to others, to society and to the world? First and foremost, Christ makes his person, his life and his teaching known to us through the word of God.
At the beginning of this new phase that the missionary Church of Latin America and the Caribbean is preparing to enter, starting with this Fifth General Conference in Aparecida, an indispensable pre-condition is profound knowledge of the word of God. To achieve this, we must train people to read and meditate on the word of God: this must become their staple diet, so that, through their own experience, the faithful will see that the words of Jesus are spirit and life (cf. John 6:63). Otherwise, how could they proclaim a message whose content and spirit they do not know thoroughly? We must build our missionary commitment and the whole of our lives on the rock of the word of God. For this reason, I encourage the Bishops to strive to make it known.
An important way of introducing the People of God to the mystery of Christ is through catechesis. Here, the message of Christ is transmitted in a simple and substantial form. It is therefore necessary to intensify the catechesis and the faith formation not only of children but also of young people and adults. Mature reflection on faith is a light for the path of life and a source of strength for witnessing to Christ. Most valuable tools with which to achieve this are the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its abridged version, the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In this area, we must not limit ourselves solely to homilies, lectures, Bible courses or theology courses, but we must have recourse also to the communications media: press, radio and television, websites, forums and many other methods for effectively communicating the message of Christ to a large number of people.
Our Lady of Aparecida
Some history behind the image, from Wikopedia:The history of Our Lady of Conception Aparecida begins in 1717, when news arrived that the Count of Assumar, Dom Pedro de Almeida e Portugal, Governor of the Province of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, would be passing by the village of Guaratinguetá on his way to Vila Rica, today the city of Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais.
Three fishermen, Domingos Garcia, Filipe Pedroso and João Alves were sent out by the local authorities to find fish in the Paraíba River. They went down the river and found nothing. After many unsuccessful attempts they arrived at a place called Porto Itaguaçu.
João Alves threw his net into the water and brought back a statue of Our Lady of Conception, but the head was missing. He threw his net in again and soon reeled in the head of the statue. After that, according to the legend, the fish arrived in abundance for the three humble fishermen and their nets were full.
According to most sources the image had been sculpted by Frei Agostino de Jesus, a monk from São Paulo known for his sculpture. The image was less than three feet tall, was made around 1650, and must have been underwater for years. It is a dark brown color, is covered by a stiff robe of richly embroidered thick cloth, and wears an imperial crown which was added in 1904. Only her face and hands can be seen.
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