VATICAN CITY, 30 NOV 2010 (VIS) - Benedict XVI's general prayer intention for December is: "That our personal experience of suffering may be an occasion for better understanding the situation of unease and pain which is the lot of many people who are alone, sick or aged, and stir us all to give them generous help".
His mission intention is: "That the peoples of the earth may open their doors to Christ and to His Gospel of peace, brotherhood and justice".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/ VIS 20101130 (90)
May we all strive to be for others, putting ourselves on the backburner....at least for this month.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Pope, the teacher, the leader, the shepherd of the Catholic Church
So much has been written in the Catholic Church that never reaches the believer in the pew. For that matter, the progress in the ecumenical movement between the faiths continues to be fruitful. How can we get the message to them?
As I am writing this thought, Great Britain is experiencing a surge of Anglican priests and bishops leaving the Church of England for the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox/Vatican discussions are becoming more and more respected and exciting, the Protestant church leaders are discovering more and more just how similar we all believe.
But as these meetings and discussions are continuing, so are the writing and teachings of the Chair of Peter. Papal writings are instruments of instruction to the masses. The encyclicals, apostolic letters, speeches, audiences, all bring forth new understandings to issues of current events.
Each pope through the ages wrote letters, encyclicals, etc, some to certain audiences, others to the general world, but nonetheless, these documents should be given widespread attention they deserve. Most believers in the pew have no clue what an encyclical is or the difference between a letter and a statement, much less the teachings they bring forth. Here is a breakdown of the most popular documents that are used by the Pope:
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/
As I am writing this thought, Great Britain is experiencing a surge of Anglican priests and bishops leaving the Church of England for the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox/Vatican discussions are becoming more and more respected and exciting, the Protestant church leaders are discovering more and more just how similar we all believe.
But as these meetings and discussions are continuing, so are the writing and teachings of the Chair of Peter. Papal writings are instruments of instruction to the masses. The encyclicals, apostolic letters, speeches, audiences, all bring forth new understandings to issues of current events.
Each pope through the ages wrote letters, encyclicals, etc, some to certain audiences, others to the general world, but nonetheless, these documents should be given widespread attention they deserve. Most believers in the pew have no clue what an encyclical is or the difference between a letter and a statement, much less the teachings they bring forth. Here is a breakdown of the most popular documents that are used by the Pope:
Encyclical Letter — This, by definition, is a letter addressed primarily to the bishops of the Universal Church and through them as teachers of the Faith to the whole People of God. It may address questions of faith and morals, an event or the memorial of an event or previous encyclical, or even the situation of a particular group or country.
Encyclical Epistle — This type of document is more rarely issued than an encyclical letter, but it is very similar. The primary difference is that instead of being addressed to all the bishops, it is usually addressed to the bishops of a particular region or country.
Apostolic Exhortation — This type of papal writing is, as it conveys, an exhortation. This means that it addresses a particular audience and is an encouragement to some particular good.
Apostolic Letter — An apostolic letter can be addressed to anyone, often the whole People of God about a multitude of issues. It may concern the erection of a basilica.
Apostolic Constitution — This is exactly what you see...constitution having to do with governing or legislating.
So you see, these are VERY important documents that should be shared with those sitting in the pews. I'll do my part to bring them to my readers with links and updates. I hope they bring to those who read them as much enlightenment and joy as they do me.....Oh I am such a Catholic geek!
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/
Couple of prayer requests
We just came back from another great family Thanksgiving week with my mom and my brothers' family. We always have a good time visiting, laughing, and eating (of course!) We stay with my mom, who is a young 78, and she hasn't lost her touch in the kitchen that's for sure.
Anyway, she has both types of arthritis and recently hurt her back and is in great pain all the time. She can't stand for any real length of time and can't have surgery for this type of injury...for whatever reason. My mom has always had pain for as long as I can remember from arthitis and now this. She had 2 pain blockers during the summer just so she could attend and enjoy most of the festivities of my older brother's daughter's wedding. Please pray for my mom that the doctors can find something for her, so that for the rest of her life (which I hope is still many years!!!!) she can have some relief.
Also, today begins the novena for our seminarian, Phillip Johnson, who is battling brain cancer. See my previous post for the prayers.
God bless!
Anyway, she has both types of arthritis and recently hurt her back and is in great pain all the time. She can't stand for any real length of time and can't have surgery for this type of injury...for whatever reason. My mom has always had pain for as long as I can remember from arthitis and now this. She had 2 pain blockers during the summer just so she could attend and enjoy most of the festivities of my older brother's daughter's wedding. Please pray for my mom that the doctors can find something for her, so that for the rest of her life (which I hope is still many years!!!!) she can have some relief.
Also, today begins the novena for our seminarian, Phillip Johnson, who is battling brain cancer. See my previous post for the prayers.
God bless!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Novena for Phillip Johnson, a Raleigh Seminarian
Bishop Burbidge has asked all of us in the Diocese of Raleigh the pray this novena for Seminarian Philip Johnson, beginning on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Please spread the word:
Father all-powerful and ever-living God,
you chose the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
the mother of your Son, to be the mother and help of all Christians.
As she endured her bitter agony
at the cross of her Son, she was consoled by you
with the hope of His resurrection.
Now, in heaven
she consoles with a mother’s love all who turn to her with faith,
until the day of the Lord dawns in glory.
~Pray the Memorare~
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me.
~We pray~
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
we are filled with confidence that your prayers on our behalf
will be graciously heard before the throne of God.
Bring our seminarian, Phillip Johnson healing, peace, courage and strength
as he shares in the suffering your Son.
O Glorious Mother of God,
in memory of your joyous Immaculate Conception,
hear our prayers and obtain for us our petitions.
Friday, November 12, 2010
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI to Young People and Seminarians 2008
APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND VISIT TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERS
MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND SEMINARIANS
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Saint Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, New York
Saturday, 19 April 2008
Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Young Friends,
“Proclaim the Lord Christ … and always have your answer ready for people who ask the reason for the hope that is within you” (1 Pet 3:15). With these words from the First Letter of Peter I greet each of you with heartfelt affection. I thank Cardinal Egan for his kind words of welcome and I also thank the representatives chosen from among you for their gestures of welcome. To Bishop Walsh, Rector of Saint Joseph Seminary, staff and seminarians, I offer my special greetings and gratitude.
Young friends, I am very happy to have the opportunity to speak with you. Please pass on my warm greetings to your family members and relatives, and to the teachers and staff of the various schools, colleges and universities you attend. I know that many people have worked hard to ensure that our gathering could take place. I am most grateful to them all. Also, I wish to acknowledge your singing to me Happy Birthday! Thank you for this moving gesture; I give you all an “A plus” for your German pronunciation! This evening I wish to share with you some thoughts about being disciples of Jesus Christ ─ walking in the Lord’s footsteps, our own lives become a journey of hope.
In front of you are the images of six ordinary men and women who grew up to lead extraordinary lives. The Church honors them as Venerable, Blessed, or Saint: each responded to the Lord’s call to a life of charity and each served him here, in the alleys, streets and suburbs of New York. I am struck by what a remarkably diverse group they are: poor and rich, lay men and women - one a wealthy wife and mother - priests and sisters, immigrants from afar, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior father and Algonquin mother, another a Haitian slave, and a Cuban intellectual.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Saint John Neumann, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, and Padre Felix Varela: any one of us could be among them, for there is no stereotype to this group, no single mold. Yet a closer look reveals that there are common elements. Inflamed with the love of Jesus, their lives became remarkable journeys of hope. For some, that meant leaving home and embarking on a pilgrim journey of thousands of miles. For each there was an act of abandonment to God, in the confidence that he is the final destination of every pilgrim. And all offered an outstretched hand of hope to those they encountered along the way, often awakening in them a life of faith. Through orphanages, schools and hospitals, by befriending the poor, the sick and the marginalized, and through the compelling witness that comes from walking humbly in the footsteps of Jesus, these six people laid open the way of faith, hope and charity to countless individuals, including perhaps your own ancestors.
And what of today? Who bears witness to the Good News of Jesus on the streets of New York, in the troubled neighborhoods of large cities, in the places where the young gather, seeking someone in whom they can trust? God is our origin and our destination, and Jesus the way. The path of that journey twists and turns ─ just as it did for our saints ─ through the joys and the trials of ordinary, everyday life: within your families, at school or college, during your recreation activities, and in your parish communities. All these places are marked by the culture in which you are growing up. As young Americans you are offered many opportunities for personal development, and you are brought up with a sense of generosity, service and fairness. Yet you do not need me to tell you that there are also difficulties: activities and mindsets which stifle hope, pathways which seem to lead to happiness and fulfillment but in fact end only in confusion and fear.
My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew – infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion – before it was fully recognized for the monster it was. It banished God and thus became impervious to anything true and good. Many of your grandparents and great-grandparents will have recounted the horror of the destruction that ensued. Indeed, some of them came to America precisely to escape such terror.
Let us thank God that today many people of your generation are able to enjoy the liberties which have arisen through the extension of democracy and respect for human rights. Let us thank God for all those who strive to ensure that you can grow up in an environment that nurtures what is beautiful, good, and true: your parents and grandparents, your teachers and priests, those civic leaders who seek what is right and just.
The power to destroy does, however, remain. To pretend otherwise would be to fool ourselves. Yet, it never triumphs; it is defeated. This is the essence of the hope that defines us as Christians; and the Church recalls this most dramatically during the Easter Triduum and celebrates it with great joy in the season of Easter! The One who shows us the way beyond death is the One who shows us how to overcome destruction and fear: thus it is Jesus who is the true teacher of life (cf. Spe Salvi, 6). His death and resurrection mean that we can say to the Father “you have restored us to life!” (Prayer after Communion, Good Friday). And so, just a few weeks ago, during the beautiful Easter Vigil liturgy, it was not from despair or fear that we cried out to God for our world, but with hope-filled confidence: dispel the darkness of our heart! dispel the darkness of our minds! (cf. Prayer at the Lighting of the Easter Candle).
What might that darkness be? What happens when people, especially the most vulnerable, encounter a clenched fist of repression or manipulation rather than a hand of hope? A first group of examples pertains to the heart. Here, the dreams and longings that young people pursue can so easily be shattered or destroyed. I am thinking of those affected by drug and substance abuse, homelessness and poverty, racism, violence, and degradation – especially of girls and women. While the causes of these problems are complex, all have in common a poisoned attitude of mind which results in people being treated as mere objects ─ a callousness of heart takes hold which first ignores, then ridicules, the God-given dignity of every human being. Such tragedies also point to what might have been and what could be, were there other hands – your hands – reaching out. I encourage you to invite others, especially the vulnerable and the innocent, to join you along the way of goodness and hope.
The second area of darkness – that which affects the mind – often goes unnoticed, and for this reason is particularly sinister. The manipulation of truth distorts our perception of reality, and tarnishes our imagination and aspirations. I have already mentioned the many liberties which you are fortunate enough to enjoy. The fundamental importance of freedom must be rigorously safeguarded. It is no surprise then that numerous individuals and groups vociferously claim their freedom in the public forum. Yet freedom is a delicate value. It can be misunderstood or misused so as to lead not to the happiness which we all expect it to yield, but to a dark arena of manipulation in which our understanding of self and the world becomes confused, or even distorted by those who have an ulterior agenda.
Have you noticed how often the call for freedom is made without ever referring to the truth of the human person? Some today argue that respect for freedom of the individual makes it wrong to seek truth, including the truth about what is good. In some circles to speak of truth is seen as controversial or divisive, and consequently best kept in the private sphere. And in truth’s place – or better said its absence – an idea has spread which, in giving value to everything indiscriminately, claims to assure freedom and to liberate conscience. This we call relativism. But what purpose has a “freedom” which, in disregarding truth, pursues what is false or wrong? How many young people have been offered a hand which in the name of freedom or experience has led them to addiction, to moral or intellectual confusion, to hurt, to a loss of self-respect, even to despair and so tragically and sadly to the taking of their own life? Dear friends, truth is not an imposition. Nor is it simply a set of rules. It is a discovery of the One who never fails us; the One whom we can always trust. In seeking truth we come to live by belief because ultimately truth is a person: Jesus Christ. That is why authentic freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in; nothing less than letting go of self and allowing oneself to be drawn into Christ’s very being for others (cf. Spe Salvi, 28).
How then can we as believers help others to walk the path of freedom which brings fulfillment and lasting happiness? Let us again turn to the saints. How did their witness truly free others from the darkness of heart and mind? The answer is found in the kernel of their faith; the kernel of our faith. The Incarnation, the birth of Jesus, tells us that God does indeed find a place among us. Though the inn is full, he enters through the stable, and there are people who see his light. They recognize Herod’s dark closed world for what it is, and instead follow the bright guiding star of the night sky. And what shines forth? Here you might recall the prayer uttered on the most holy night of Easter: “Father we share in the light of your glory through your Son the light of the world … inflame us with your hope!” (Blessing of the Fire). And so, in solemn procession with our lighted candles we pass the light of Christ among us. It is “the light which dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride” (Exsultet). This is Christ’s light at work. This is the way of the saints. It is a magnificent vision of hope – Christ’s light beckons you to be guiding stars for others, walking Christ’s way of forgiveness, reconciliation, humility, joy and peace.
At times, however, we are tempted to close in on ourselves, to doubt the strength of Christ’s radiance, to limit the horizon of hope. Take courage! Fix your gaze on our saints. The diversity of their experience of God’s presence prompts us to discover anew the breadth and depth of Christianity. Let your imaginations soar freely along the limitless expanse of the horizons of Christian discipleship. Sometimes we are looked upon as people who speak only of prohibitions. Nothing could be further from the truth! Authentic Christian discipleship is marked by a sense of wonder. We stand before the God we know and love as a friend, the vastness of his creation, and the beauty of our Christian faith.
Dear friends, the example of the saints invites us, then, to consider four essential aspects of the treasure of our faith: personal prayer and silence, liturgical prayer, charity in action, and vocations.
What matters most is that you develop your personal relationship with God. That relationship is expressed in prayer. God by his very nature speaks, hears, and replies. Indeed, Saint Paul reminds us: we can and should “pray constantly” (1 Thess 5:17). Far from turning in on ourselves or withdrawing from the ups and downs of life, by praying we turn towards God and through him to each other, including the marginalized and those following ways other than God’s path (cf. Spe Salvi, 33). As the saints teach us so vividly, prayer becomes hope in action. Christ was their constant companion, with whom they conversed at every step of their journey for others.
There is another aspect of prayer which we need to remember: silent contemplation. Saint John, for example, tells us that to embrace God’s revelation we must first listen, then respond by proclaiming what we have heard and seen (cf. 1 Jn 1:2-3; Dei Verbum, 1). Have we perhaps lost something of the art of listening? Do you leave space to hear God’s whisper, calling you forth into goodness? Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness, listen to God, adore him in the Eucharist. Let his word shape your journey as an unfolding of holiness.
In the liturgy we find the whole Church at prayer. The word liturgy means the participation of God’s people in “the work of Christ the Priest and of His Body which is the Church” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7). What is that work? First of all it refers to Christ’s Passion, his Death and Resurrection, and his Ascension – what we call the Paschal Mystery. It also refers to the celebration of the liturgy itself. The two meanings are in fact inseparably linked because this “work of Jesus” is the real content of the liturgy. Through the liturgy, the “work of Jesus” is continually brought into contact with history; with our lives in order to shape them. Here we catch another glimpse of the grandeur of our Christian faith. Whenever you gather for Mass, when you go to Confession, whenever you celebrate any of the sacraments, Jesus is at work. Through the Holy Spirit, he draws you to himself, into his sacrificial love of the Father which becomes love for all. We see then that the Church’s liturgy is a ministry of hope for humanity. Your faithful participation, is an active hope which helps to keep the world – saints and sinners alike – open to God; this is the truly human hope we offer everyone (cf. Spe Salvi, 34).
Your personal prayer, your times of silent contemplation, and your participation in the Church’s liturgy, bring you closer to God and also prepare you to serve others. The saints accompanying us this evening show us that the life of faith and hope is also a life of charity. Contemplating Jesus on the Cross we see love in its most radical form. We can begin to imagine the path of love along which we must move (cf. Deus Caritas Est, 12). The opportunities to make this journey are abundant. Look about you with Christ’s eyes, listen with his ears, feel and think with his heart and mind. Are you ready to give all as he did for truth and justice? Many of the examples of the suffering which our saints responded to with compassion are still found here in this city and beyond. And new injustices have arisen: some are complex and stem from the exploitation of the heart and manipulation of the mind; even our common habitat, the earth itself, groans under the weight of consumerist greed and irresponsible exploitation. We must listen deeply. We must respond with a renewed social action that stems from the universal love that knows no bounds. In this way, we ensure that our works of mercy and justice become hope in action for others.
Dear young people, finally I wish to share a word about vocations. First of all my thoughts go to your parents, grandparents and godparents. They have been your primary educators in the faith. By presenting you for baptism, they made it possible for you to receive the greatest gift of your life. On that day you entered into the holiness of God himself. You became adoptive sons and daughters of the Father. You were incorporated into Christ. You were made a dwelling place of his Spirit. Let us pray for mothers and fathers throughout the world, particularly those who may be struggling in any way – socially, materially, spiritually. Let us honor the vocation of matrimony and the dignity of family life. Let us always appreciate that it is in families that vocations are given life.
Gathered here at Saint Joseph Seminary, I greet the seminarians present and indeed encourage all seminarians throughout America. I am glad to know that your numbers are increasing! The People of God look to you to be holy priests, on a daily journey of conversion, inspiring in others the desire to enter more deeply into the ecclesial life of believers. I urge you to deepen your friendship with Jesus the Good Shepherd. Talk heart to heart with him. Reject any temptation to ostentation, careerism, or conceit. Strive for a pattern of life truly marked by charity, chastity and humility, in imitation of Christ, the Eternal High Priest, of whom you are to become living icons (cf. Pastores Dabo Vobis, 33). Dear seminarians, I pray for you daily. Remember that what counts before the Lord is to dwell in his love and to make his love shine forth for others.
Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests contribute greatly to the mission of the Church. Their prophetic witness is marked by a profound conviction of the primacy with which the Gospel shapes Christian life and transforms society. Today, I wish to draw your attention to the positive spiritual renewal which Congregations are undertaking in relation to their charism. The word charism means a gift freely and graciously given. Charisms are bestowed by the Holy Spirit, who inspires founders and foundresses, and shapes Congregations with a subsequent spiritual heritage. The wondrous array of charisms proper to each Religious Institute is an extraordinary spiritual treasury. Indeed, the history of the Church is perhaps most beautifully portrayed through the history of her schools of spirituality, most of which stem from the saintly lives of founders and foundresses. Through the discovery of charisms, which yield such a breadth of spiritual wisdom, I am sure that some of you young people will be drawn to a life of apostolic or contemplative service. Do not be shy to speak with Religious Brothers, Sisters or Priests about the charism and spirituality of their Congregation. No perfect community exists, but it is fidelity to a founding charism, not to particular individuals, that the Lord calls you to discern. Have courage! You too can make your life a gift of self for the love of the Lord Jesus and, in him, of every member of the human family (cf. Vita Consecrata, 3).
Friends, again I ask you, what about today? What are you seeking? What is God whispering to you? The hope which never disappoints is Jesus Christ. The saints show us the selfless love of his way. As disciples of Christ, their extraordinary journeys unfolded within the community of hope, which is the Church. It is from within the Church that you too will find the courage and support to walk the way of the Lord. Nourished by personal prayer, prompted in silence, shaped by the Church’s liturgy you will discover the particular vocation God has for you. Embrace it with joy. You are Christ’s disciples today. Shine his light upon this great city and beyond. Show the world the reason for the hope that resonates within you. Tell others about the truth that sets you free. With these sentiments of great hope in you I bid you farewell, until we meet again in Sydney this July for World Youth Day! And as a pledge of my love for you and your families, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing.
TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND VISIT TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERS
MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND SEMINARIANS
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Saint Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, New York
Saturday, 19 April 2008
Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Young Friends,
“Proclaim the Lord Christ … and always have your answer ready for people who ask the reason for the hope that is within you” (1 Pet 3:15). With these words from the First Letter of Peter I greet each of you with heartfelt affection. I thank Cardinal Egan for his kind words of welcome and I also thank the representatives chosen from among you for their gestures of welcome. To Bishop Walsh, Rector of Saint Joseph Seminary, staff and seminarians, I offer my special greetings and gratitude.
Young friends, I am very happy to have the opportunity to speak with you. Please pass on my warm greetings to your family members and relatives, and to the teachers and staff of the various schools, colleges and universities you attend. I know that many people have worked hard to ensure that our gathering could take place. I am most grateful to them all. Also, I wish to acknowledge your singing to me Happy Birthday! Thank you for this moving gesture; I give you all an “A plus” for your German pronunciation! This evening I wish to share with you some thoughts about being disciples of Jesus Christ ─ walking in the Lord’s footsteps, our own lives become a journey of hope.
In front of you are the images of six ordinary men and women who grew up to lead extraordinary lives. The Church honors them as Venerable, Blessed, or Saint: each responded to the Lord’s call to a life of charity and each served him here, in the alleys, streets and suburbs of New York. I am struck by what a remarkably diverse group they are: poor and rich, lay men and women - one a wealthy wife and mother - priests and sisters, immigrants from afar, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior father and Algonquin mother, another a Haitian slave, and a Cuban intellectual.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Saint John Neumann, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, and Padre Felix Varela: any one of us could be among them, for there is no stereotype to this group, no single mold. Yet a closer look reveals that there are common elements. Inflamed with the love of Jesus, their lives became remarkable journeys of hope. For some, that meant leaving home and embarking on a pilgrim journey of thousands of miles. For each there was an act of abandonment to God, in the confidence that he is the final destination of every pilgrim. And all offered an outstretched hand of hope to those they encountered along the way, often awakening in them a life of faith. Through orphanages, schools and hospitals, by befriending the poor, the sick and the marginalized, and through the compelling witness that comes from walking humbly in the footsteps of Jesus, these six people laid open the way of faith, hope and charity to countless individuals, including perhaps your own ancestors.
And what of today? Who bears witness to the Good News of Jesus on the streets of New York, in the troubled neighborhoods of large cities, in the places where the young gather, seeking someone in whom they can trust? God is our origin and our destination, and Jesus the way. The path of that journey twists and turns ─ just as it did for our saints ─ through the joys and the trials of ordinary, everyday life: within your families, at school or college, during your recreation activities, and in your parish communities. All these places are marked by the culture in which you are growing up. As young Americans you are offered many opportunities for personal development, and you are brought up with a sense of generosity, service and fairness. Yet you do not need me to tell you that there are also difficulties: activities and mindsets which stifle hope, pathways which seem to lead to happiness and fulfillment but in fact end only in confusion and fear.
My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew – infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion – before it was fully recognized for the monster it was. It banished God and thus became impervious to anything true and good. Many of your grandparents and great-grandparents will have recounted the horror of the destruction that ensued. Indeed, some of them came to America precisely to escape such terror.
Let us thank God that today many people of your generation are able to enjoy the liberties which have arisen through the extension of democracy and respect for human rights. Let us thank God for all those who strive to ensure that you can grow up in an environment that nurtures what is beautiful, good, and true: your parents and grandparents, your teachers and priests, those civic leaders who seek what is right and just.
The power to destroy does, however, remain. To pretend otherwise would be to fool ourselves. Yet, it never triumphs; it is defeated. This is the essence of the hope that defines us as Christians; and the Church recalls this most dramatically during the Easter Triduum and celebrates it with great joy in the season of Easter! The One who shows us the way beyond death is the One who shows us how to overcome destruction and fear: thus it is Jesus who is the true teacher of life (cf. Spe Salvi, 6). His death and resurrection mean that we can say to the Father “you have restored us to life!” (Prayer after Communion, Good Friday). And so, just a few weeks ago, during the beautiful Easter Vigil liturgy, it was not from despair or fear that we cried out to God for our world, but with hope-filled confidence: dispel the darkness of our heart! dispel the darkness of our minds! (cf. Prayer at the Lighting of the Easter Candle).
What might that darkness be? What happens when people, especially the most vulnerable, encounter a clenched fist of repression or manipulation rather than a hand of hope? A first group of examples pertains to the heart. Here, the dreams and longings that young people pursue can so easily be shattered or destroyed. I am thinking of those affected by drug and substance abuse, homelessness and poverty, racism, violence, and degradation – especially of girls and women. While the causes of these problems are complex, all have in common a poisoned attitude of mind which results in people being treated as mere objects ─ a callousness of heart takes hold which first ignores, then ridicules, the God-given dignity of every human being. Such tragedies also point to what might have been and what could be, were there other hands – your hands – reaching out. I encourage you to invite others, especially the vulnerable and the innocent, to join you along the way of goodness and hope.
The second area of darkness – that which affects the mind – often goes unnoticed, and for this reason is particularly sinister. The manipulation of truth distorts our perception of reality, and tarnishes our imagination and aspirations. I have already mentioned the many liberties which you are fortunate enough to enjoy. The fundamental importance of freedom must be rigorously safeguarded. It is no surprise then that numerous individuals and groups vociferously claim their freedom in the public forum. Yet freedom is a delicate value. It can be misunderstood or misused so as to lead not to the happiness which we all expect it to yield, but to a dark arena of manipulation in which our understanding of self and the world becomes confused, or even distorted by those who have an ulterior agenda.
Have you noticed how often the call for freedom is made without ever referring to the truth of the human person? Some today argue that respect for freedom of the individual makes it wrong to seek truth, including the truth about what is good. In some circles to speak of truth is seen as controversial or divisive, and consequently best kept in the private sphere. And in truth’s place – or better said its absence – an idea has spread which, in giving value to everything indiscriminately, claims to assure freedom and to liberate conscience. This we call relativism. But what purpose has a “freedom” which, in disregarding truth, pursues what is false or wrong? How many young people have been offered a hand which in the name of freedom or experience has led them to addiction, to moral or intellectual confusion, to hurt, to a loss of self-respect, even to despair and so tragically and sadly to the taking of their own life? Dear friends, truth is not an imposition. Nor is it simply a set of rules. It is a discovery of the One who never fails us; the One whom we can always trust. In seeking truth we come to live by belief because ultimately truth is a person: Jesus Christ. That is why authentic freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in; nothing less than letting go of self and allowing oneself to be drawn into Christ’s very being for others (cf. Spe Salvi, 28).
How then can we as believers help others to walk the path of freedom which brings fulfillment and lasting happiness? Let us again turn to the saints. How did their witness truly free others from the darkness of heart and mind? The answer is found in the kernel of their faith; the kernel of our faith. The Incarnation, the birth of Jesus, tells us that God does indeed find a place among us. Though the inn is full, he enters through the stable, and there are people who see his light. They recognize Herod’s dark closed world for what it is, and instead follow the bright guiding star of the night sky. And what shines forth? Here you might recall the prayer uttered on the most holy night of Easter: “Father we share in the light of your glory through your Son the light of the world … inflame us with your hope!” (Blessing of the Fire). And so, in solemn procession with our lighted candles we pass the light of Christ among us. It is “the light which dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride” (Exsultet). This is Christ’s light at work. This is the way of the saints. It is a magnificent vision of hope – Christ’s light beckons you to be guiding stars for others, walking Christ’s way of forgiveness, reconciliation, humility, joy and peace.
At times, however, we are tempted to close in on ourselves, to doubt the strength of Christ’s radiance, to limit the horizon of hope. Take courage! Fix your gaze on our saints. The diversity of their experience of God’s presence prompts us to discover anew the breadth and depth of Christianity. Let your imaginations soar freely along the limitless expanse of the horizons of Christian discipleship. Sometimes we are looked upon as people who speak only of prohibitions. Nothing could be further from the truth! Authentic Christian discipleship is marked by a sense of wonder. We stand before the God we know and love as a friend, the vastness of his creation, and the beauty of our Christian faith.
Dear friends, the example of the saints invites us, then, to consider four essential aspects of the treasure of our faith: personal prayer and silence, liturgical prayer, charity in action, and vocations.
What matters most is that you develop your personal relationship with God. That relationship is expressed in prayer. God by his very nature speaks, hears, and replies. Indeed, Saint Paul reminds us: we can and should “pray constantly” (1 Thess 5:17). Far from turning in on ourselves or withdrawing from the ups and downs of life, by praying we turn towards God and through him to each other, including the marginalized and those following ways other than God’s path (cf. Spe Salvi, 33). As the saints teach us so vividly, prayer becomes hope in action. Christ was their constant companion, with whom they conversed at every step of their journey for others.
There is another aspect of prayer which we need to remember: silent contemplation. Saint John, for example, tells us that to embrace God’s revelation we must first listen, then respond by proclaiming what we have heard and seen (cf. 1 Jn 1:2-3; Dei Verbum, 1). Have we perhaps lost something of the art of listening? Do you leave space to hear God’s whisper, calling you forth into goodness? Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness, listen to God, adore him in the Eucharist. Let his word shape your journey as an unfolding of holiness.
In the liturgy we find the whole Church at prayer. The word liturgy means the participation of God’s people in “the work of Christ the Priest and of His Body which is the Church” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7). What is that work? First of all it refers to Christ’s Passion, his Death and Resurrection, and his Ascension – what we call the Paschal Mystery. It also refers to the celebration of the liturgy itself. The two meanings are in fact inseparably linked because this “work of Jesus” is the real content of the liturgy. Through the liturgy, the “work of Jesus” is continually brought into contact with history; with our lives in order to shape them. Here we catch another glimpse of the grandeur of our Christian faith. Whenever you gather for Mass, when you go to Confession, whenever you celebrate any of the sacraments, Jesus is at work. Through the Holy Spirit, he draws you to himself, into his sacrificial love of the Father which becomes love for all. We see then that the Church’s liturgy is a ministry of hope for humanity. Your faithful participation, is an active hope which helps to keep the world – saints and sinners alike – open to God; this is the truly human hope we offer everyone (cf. Spe Salvi, 34).
Your personal prayer, your times of silent contemplation, and your participation in the Church’s liturgy, bring you closer to God and also prepare you to serve others. The saints accompanying us this evening show us that the life of faith and hope is also a life of charity. Contemplating Jesus on the Cross we see love in its most radical form. We can begin to imagine the path of love along which we must move (cf. Deus Caritas Est, 12). The opportunities to make this journey are abundant. Look about you with Christ’s eyes, listen with his ears, feel and think with his heart and mind. Are you ready to give all as he did for truth and justice? Many of the examples of the suffering which our saints responded to with compassion are still found here in this city and beyond. And new injustices have arisen: some are complex and stem from the exploitation of the heart and manipulation of the mind; even our common habitat, the earth itself, groans under the weight of consumerist greed and irresponsible exploitation. We must listen deeply. We must respond with a renewed social action that stems from the universal love that knows no bounds. In this way, we ensure that our works of mercy and justice become hope in action for others.
Dear young people, finally I wish to share a word about vocations. First of all my thoughts go to your parents, grandparents and godparents. They have been your primary educators in the faith. By presenting you for baptism, they made it possible for you to receive the greatest gift of your life. On that day you entered into the holiness of God himself. You became adoptive sons and daughters of the Father. You were incorporated into Christ. You were made a dwelling place of his Spirit. Let us pray for mothers and fathers throughout the world, particularly those who may be struggling in any way – socially, materially, spiritually. Let us honor the vocation of matrimony and the dignity of family life. Let us always appreciate that it is in families that vocations are given life.
Gathered here at Saint Joseph Seminary, I greet the seminarians present and indeed encourage all seminarians throughout America. I am glad to know that your numbers are increasing! The People of God look to you to be holy priests, on a daily journey of conversion, inspiring in others the desire to enter more deeply into the ecclesial life of believers. I urge you to deepen your friendship with Jesus the Good Shepherd. Talk heart to heart with him. Reject any temptation to ostentation, careerism, or conceit. Strive for a pattern of life truly marked by charity, chastity and humility, in imitation of Christ, the Eternal High Priest, of whom you are to become living icons (cf. Pastores Dabo Vobis, 33). Dear seminarians, I pray for you daily. Remember that what counts before the Lord is to dwell in his love and to make his love shine forth for others.
Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests contribute greatly to the mission of the Church. Their prophetic witness is marked by a profound conviction of the primacy with which the Gospel shapes Christian life and transforms society. Today, I wish to draw your attention to the positive spiritual renewal which Congregations are undertaking in relation to their charism. The word charism means a gift freely and graciously given. Charisms are bestowed by the Holy Spirit, who inspires founders and foundresses, and shapes Congregations with a subsequent spiritual heritage. The wondrous array of charisms proper to each Religious Institute is an extraordinary spiritual treasury. Indeed, the history of the Church is perhaps most beautifully portrayed through the history of her schools of spirituality, most of which stem from the saintly lives of founders and foundresses. Through the discovery of charisms, which yield such a breadth of spiritual wisdom, I am sure that some of you young people will be drawn to a life of apostolic or contemplative service. Do not be shy to speak with Religious Brothers, Sisters or Priests about the charism and spirituality of their Congregation. No perfect community exists, but it is fidelity to a founding charism, not to particular individuals, that the Lord calls you to discern. Have courage! You too can make your life a gift of self for the love of the Lord Jesus and, in him, of every member of the human family (cf. Vita Consecrata, 3).
Friends, again I ask you, what about today? What are you seeking? What is God whispering to you? The hope which never disappoints is Jesus Christ. The saints show us the selfless love of his way. As disciples of Christ, their extraordinary journeys unfolded within the community of hope, which is the Church. It is from within the Church that you too will find the courage and support to walk the way of the Lord. Nourished by personal prayer, prompted in silence, shaped by the Church’s liturgy you will discover the particular vocation God has for you. Embrace it with joy. You are Christ’s disciples today. Shine his light upon this great city and beyond. Show the world the reason for the hope that resonates within you. Tell others about the truth that sets you free. With these sentiments of great hope in you I bid you farewell, until we meet again in Sydney this July for World Youth Day! And as a pledge of my love for you and your families, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing.
A Saint Report: St. Josaphat.....by Sarah Reposted from 11/12/07
St. Josaphat was born, John Kunsevich, in Vladimir, Volhynia, Poland in 1580. He became a merchant but was unhappy. In 1604, he entered the monastery of Holy Trinity in Vilna and took the name Josaphat. He worked diligently for reunion of the Orthodox Church and the Church of Rome. In 1617, Josaphat became the bishop of Vitebsk, in Russia. Soon after, he was made bishop of Polotsk. He sought to reform the diocese that was split by political and religious tension. He was successful and by 1620 the diocese was largely Catholic. But the tension still persisted. The archbishop Meletius Smotritsky had an orthodox bishopric to rival the Catholic bishopric. Josaphat was recognized as the legitimate archbishop of Polotsk. Leo Sapiah, the chancler of Lithuania, made a false accusation of Josaphat being responsible for the state of unrest. Josaphat went to Vitebsk to address the situation. While he was preaching he was surrounded by a mob that killed him and threw him into the river. He was killed on November 12, 1623, and is honored as an apostle of reunion of Christian churches.
Fives years after his death, his body was found intact, but his clothes were rotted. In 1667, his body was exhumed and still found intact. His body was moved to Rome and buried there. He was named a saint in 1876.
This is a requirement for Sarah's religious studies.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
To Amazon.com, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, and Mr. Finan
Just recently, I have become aware of a book written for the pleasures of child sexual abusers and the child. As commented by the author himself:
To Amazon.com's defense comes, Mr. Christopher Finan, President of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression:
Tell me, Christopher Finan, you a parent two sons, right? How would you feel if a sex abuser got a hold of one of your sons using the information from this nifty little "How-to" book? Would that allow you to sleep at night a possibly a little better? Can you see the faces of these children?
Once again this issue comes up that one has a 'right' under the First Amendment to freedom of expression, doing what they want with no regard on how it may affect others.
Child abuse debilitates, but child SEXUAL abuse destroys a person forever. Abuse in any form never goes away, it is always in the memory of the victim....and possibly in the aggressor as well. There is documented proof of the emotional and physical damage to persons involved abuse. These people are NEVER the same, so let's talk about the children who trust unconditionally the authority and care of adults. When they are sexually assaulted, where is there point of perspective? Where do they fine the truth of right and wrong actions?
To this "next generation' individual, sex is neither right or wrong nor a beautiful emotional gift of physical self-donation to their future life-long love. Nope, not for this now broken child. Hence, continued high rate of divorce, broken relationships, more unwanted, or back-burner babies, abortions, the continued cycle of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, and the sad downspiral of our societal neucleous called the family consisting of mom, dad and children proliferates.
Just look around Amazon, Christopher Finan, and all those who cherish and defend the 'RIGHT' to delusional freedoms. What do you really see? Happy families, strong society, successful students at high rates of completion of higher education? Smaller prisons, less violence in the schools, abortion mills closing, happy children on less emotional drugs? What is the reality of the state of our nation? World? Is it getting better?
The human person is a relational being. Sex is the icing on the cake when in the secure and proper setting of a marriage. Sounds old-fashioned, I know. But the right to have a happy relationship that is both healthy and nurturing does not come from anywhere and by anybody. It takes time, patience, and good judgement. This healthy state of being radiates throughout the couple into the community, affecting our society in positive ways, giving strength and good inspiration to others around them.
The right to have sex with a child, or the freedom of expression to publish and sell, much less write a book about 'safe sex with a child' is a heinous act against society and healthy children. It says to the general public, go ahead and have sex with a child if you want, we'll help you with this "how-to' book. We don't really care how the child feels, or the parents, or how the future will turn out for these people...that's not what we are here for, we are here for you to get your joys off successfully with an innocent, trusting, and unprotected child.
How dare you think this is ok!!?? How dare you think this is right and healthy and moral!!!
Amazon, you are off my list for this Christmas and I hope those who read this can see how this needs to be off their's as well.
God help you and those who think this type of publication is needed in our society.
God help us all!
This is my attempt to make pedophile situations safer for those juveniles that find themselves involved in them, by establishing certian [sic] rules for these adults to follow," a product description read. "I hope to achieve this by appealing to the better nature of pedosexuals, with hope that their doing so will result in less hatred and perhaps liter sentences should they ever be caught."Safer?? So that there would be less hatred and perhaps lighter sentences should they ever be caught." Oh my!
To Amazon.com's defense comes, Mr. Christopher Finan, President of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression:
That doesn't mean Amazon should be prohibited from selling it, counters Christopher Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. He said that Amazon has the right under the First Amendment to sell any book that is not child pornography or legally obscene. Finan said Greaves' book doesn't amount to either because it does not include illustrations.So it doesn't include illustrations? That's why is shouldn't be denied being listed and sold publicly? No illustrations, content doesn't matter?
Tell me, Christopher Finan, you a parent two sons, right? How would you feel if a sex abuser got a hold of one of your sons using the information from this nifty little "How-to" book? Would that allow you to sleep at night a possibly a little better? Can you see the faces of these children?
Once again this issue comes up that one has a 'right' under the First Amendment to freedom of expression, doing what they want with no regard on how it may affect others.
Child abuse debilitates, but child SEXUAL abuse destroys a person forever. Abuse in any form never goes away, it is always in the memory of the victim....and possibly in the aggressor as well. There is documented proof of the emotional and physical damage to persons involved abuse. These people are NEVER the same, so let's talk about the children who trust unconditionally the authority and care of adults. When they are sexually assaulted, where is there point of perspective? Where do they fine the truth of right and wrong actions?
To this "next generation' individual, sex is neither right or wrong nor a beautiful emotional gift of physical self-donation to their future life-long love. Nope, not for this now broken child. Hence, continued high rate of divorce, broken relationships, more unwanted, or back-burner babies, abortions, the continued cycle of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, and the sad downspiral of our societal neucleous called the family consisting of mom, dad and children proliferates.
Just look around Amazon, Christopher Finan, and all those who cherish and defend the 'RIGHT' to delusional freedoms. What do you really see? Happy families, strong society, successful students at high rates of completion of higher education? Smaller prisons, less violence in the schools, abortion mills closing, happy children on less emotional drugs? What is the reality of the state of our nation? World? Is it getting better?
The human person is a relational being. Sex is the icing on the cake when in the secure and proper setting of a marriage. Sounds old-fashioned, I know. But the right to have a happy relationship that is both healthy and nurturing does not come from anywhere and by anybody. It takes time, patience, and good judgement. This healthy state of being radiates throughout the couple into the community, affecting our society in positive ways, giving strength and good inspiration to others around them.
The right to have sex with a child, or the freedom of expression to publish and sell, much less write a book about 'safe sex with a child' is a heinous act against society and healthy children. It says to the general public, go ahead and have sex with a child if you want, we'll help you with this "how-to' book. We don't really care how the child feels, or the parents, or how the future will turn out for these people...that's not what we are here for, we are here for you to get your joys off successfully with an innocent, trusting, and unprotected child.
How dare you think this is ok!!?? How dare you think this is right and healthy and moral!!!
Amazon, you are off my list for this Christmas and I hope those who read this can see how this needs to be off their's as well.
God help you and those who think this type of publication is needed in our society.
God help us all!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
A book Review: Full of Grace, by Christine Watkins
At times of sorrow and great trials, one calls out to God, “Where are you, HELP!” Something to show definitively that He is there, proof that this too shall pass, would be consolation to get through each day we only dream of receiving. Usually there is just silence, a quiet that gives no hope.
Lisa Hendey, of Catholicmom.com, put out a request for some moms to write a review on a book called, “Full of Grace” written by Christine Watkins, a spiritual director and convert to the Catholic Church from Atheism or at least gnosticism. In Christine’s book written earlier this year, 2010, is an amazing compilation of stories of people searching for something, someone to help them get through each day of their life’s situation. Each of these six souls, including herself, endures situations very different from each other, yet with a common denominator, the search and knowledge of God.
Goran, John, Papa Jaime, Angela, Michael, and Christine tell stories of alarming degrees of desparation, isolation, and at times, complete hopelessness to the near point of death in some cases. During my reading of the book, I felt it difficult to believe such tribulations and human struggle. I would tell myself, “Good grief, this is too weird, or too unbelievable and dramatized.” Only to be reminded by my own deep faith in the love our Holy Mother has for us throughout the ages.
The journeys from the pit of life to the amazing place called Medugorje and the power of prayer, peace, and divine love is incredible enough, but to read the unfolding of deliverance at the hands of our Holy Mother’s divine love and nurturing is a blessing of hope. How astonishing is it to be cured of cancer, addiction, hopelessness, and given a new life of love, mercy, and forgiveness.
The search is over for these six believers, but is it for you the reader? Where are you in your faith journey? Do you need a shot of encouragement and hope? Inspired by this book, you may see similarities in the stories and know that if they can receive the motherly attention of our Divine Matriarch, so can you. Ponder the questions and thought provoking reflections at the end of each story, read the messages our blessed mother continues to send to us like the one below for further help in turning to a more disciplined prayer life and especially the rosary.
Christine Watkins was kind enough to send me a copy of her book for this review. Thank you! This is a book review for http://www.catholicmom.com/
Lisa Hendey, of Catholicmom.com, put out a request for some moms to write a review on a book called, “Full of Grace” written by Christine Watkins, a spiritual director and convert to the Catholic Church from Atheism or at least gnosticism. In Christine’s book written earlier this year, 2010, is an amazing compilation of stories of people searching for something, someone to help them get through each day of their life’s situation. Each of these six souls, including herself, endures situations very different from each other, yet with a common denominator, the search and knowledge of God.The journeys from the pit of life to the amazing place called Medugorje and the power of prayer, peace, and divine love is incredible enough, but to read the unfolding of deliverance at the hands of our Holy Mother’s divine love and nurturing is a blessing of hope. How astonishing is it to be cured of cancer, addiction, hopelessness, and given a new life of love, mercy, and forgiveness.
The search is over for these six believers, but is it for you the reader? Where are you in your faith journey? Do you need a shot of encouragement and hope? Inspired by this book, you may see similarities in the stories and know that if they can receive the motherly attention of our Divine Matriarch, so can you. Ponder the questions and thought provoking reflections at the end of each story, read the messages our blessed mother continues to send to us like the one below for further help in turning to a more disciplined prayer life and especially the rosary.
Dear Children, as I look at you, my heart seizes with pain. Where are you going my children? How you sunk so deeply into sin that you do not know how to stop yourselves? You justify yourselves with sin and live according to it. Kneel down beneath the Cross and look at my Son. He conquered sin and died so that you, my children, may live. Permit me to help you not to die, but to live with my Son forever. Thank you!-Mary’s message of October 2, 2009, from www.Medjugorje.org.
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!
Christine Watkins was kind enough to send me a copy of her book for this review. Thank you! This is a book review for http://www.catholicmom.com/
Monday, November 8, 2010
You Won't Regret Letting Christ In, Says Pope
Highlights Importance of Dedication of Holy Family Basilica
BARCELONA, Spain, NOV. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- If you allow Christ to enter into your heart, you won't regret it, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope invited the world to become friends with God today in his homily at the dedication Mass of the Church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) in Barcelona, which he also designated a basilica.
"As we consecrate the altar of this church, which has Christ as its foundation, we are presenting to the world a God who is the friend of man and we invite men and women to become friends of God," the Pontiff affirmed. "If we allow God into our hearts and into our world, if we allow Christ to live in our hearts, we will not regret it.
The Pontiff said he considered the dedication of Holy Family as "an important step in a long history of hope, work and generosity that has gone on for more than a century." Construction on the basilica, which is considered the masterpiece of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), began in 1882, and is not expected to finish until earliest 2026.
He said he also considers it "significant" that he is the one to dedicate the structure. "I have been moved above all by Gaudí's confidence when, in the face of many difficulties, filled with trust in divine Providence, he would exclaim, 'St. Joseph will finish this church,'" the Holy Father explained. "So it is significant that it is also being dedicated by a Pope whose baptismal name is Joseph."
Benedict XVI said the dedication takes place at a time in which "man claims to be able to build his life without God, as if God had nothing to say to him," and proposed that the "great task" of the faithful is to "show everyone that God is a God of peace not of violence, of freedom not of coercion, of harmony not of discord."
"In this masterpiece," the Holy Father reflected, "Gaudí shows us that God is the true measure of man; that the secret of authentic originality consists, as he himself said, in returning to one's origin which is God. Gaudí, by opening his spirit to God, was capable of creating in this city a space of beauty, faith and hope which leads man to an encounter with him who is truth and beauty itself."
"It stands as a visible sign of the invisible God, to whose glory these spires rise like arrows pointing towards absolute light and to the one who is Light, Height and Beauty itself," he added.
Inspiration
The Pope reflected that in Sagrada Familia, Gaudí was inspired by nature, Scripture and the liturgy to bring together "the reality of the world and the history of salvation, as recounted in the Bible and made present in the liturgy."
"He made stones, trees and human life part of the church so that all creation might come together in praise of God," the Holy Father explained, "but at the same time he brought the sacred images outside so as to place before people the mystery of God revealed in the birth, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
"In this way, he brilliantly helped to build our human consciousness, anchored in the world yet open to God, enlightened and sanctified by Christ," Benedict XVI continued. "In this he accomplished one of the most important tasks of our times: overcoming the division between human consciousness and Christian consciousness, between living in this temporal world and being open to eternal life, between the beauty of things and God as beauty."
And the architect did this, the Pope pointed out, "not with words, but with stones, lines, planes, and points."
"Beauty is one of mankind's greatest needs," the Holy Father affirmed. "It is the root from which the branches of our peace and the fruits of our hope come forth.
"Beauty also reveals God because, like him, a work of beauty is pure gratuity; it calls us to freedom and draws us away from selfishness."
On ZENIT's Web page:
Full text: www.zenit.org/article-30878?l=english
BARCELONA, Spain, NOV. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- If you allow Christ to enter into your heart, you won't regret it, says Benedict XVI.
The Pope invited the world to become friends with God today in his homily at the dedication Mass of the Church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) in Barcelona, which he also designated a basilica.
"As we consecrate the altar of this church, which has Christ as its foundation, we are presenting to the world a God who is the friend of man and we invite men and women to become friends of God," the Pontiff affirmed. "If we allow God into our hearts and into our world, if we allow Christ to live in our hearts, we will not regret it.
"We will experience the joy of sharing his very life, as the object of his infinite love."
The Pontiff said he considered the dedication of Holy Family as "an important step in a long history of hope, work and generosity that has gone on for more than a century." Construction on the basilica, which is considered the masterpiece of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), began in 1882, and is not expected to finish until earliest 2026.
He said he also considers it "significant" that he is the one to dedicate the structure. "I have been moved above all by Gaudí's confidence when, in the face of many difficulties, filled with trust in divine Providence, he would exclaim, 'St. Joseph will finish this church,'" the Holy Father explained. "So it is significant that it is also being dedicated by a Pope whose baptismal name is Joseph."
Benedict XVI said the dedication takes place at a time in which "man claims to be able to build his life without God, as if God had nothing to say to him," and proposed that the "great task" of the faithful is to "show everyone that God is a God of peace not of violence, of freedom not of coercion, of harmony not of discord."
"In this masterpiece," the Holy Father reflected, "Gaudí shows us that God is the true measure of man; that the secret of authentic originality consists, as he himself said, in returning to one's origin which is God. Gaudí, by opening his spirit to God, was capable of creating in this city a space of beauty, faith and hope which leads man to an encounter with him who is truth and beauty itself."
"It stands as a visible sign of the invisible God, to whose glory these spires rise like arrows pointing towards absolute light and to the one who is Light, Height and Beauty itself," he added.
Inspiration
The Pope reflected that in Sagrada Familia, Gaudí was inspired by nature, Scripture and the liturgy to bring together "the reality of the world and the history of salvation, as recounted in the Bible and made present in the liturgy."
"He made stones, trees and human life part of the church so that all creation might come together in praise of God," the Holy Father explained, "but at the same time he brought the sacred images outside so as to place before people the mystery of God revealed in the birth, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
"In this way, he brilliantly helped to build our human consciousness, anchored in the world yet open to God, enlightened and sanctified by Christ," Benedict XVI continued. "In this he accomplished one of the most important tasks of our times: overcoming the division between human consciousness and Christian consciousness, between living in this temporal world and being open to eternal life, between the beauty of things and God as beauty."
And the architect did this, the Pope pointed out, "not with words, but with stones, lines, planes, and points."
"Beauty is one of mankind's greatest needs," the Holy Father affirmed. "It is the root from which the branches of our peace and the fruits of our hope come forth.
"Beauty also reveals God because, like him, a work of beauty is pure gratuity; it calls us to freedom and draws us away from selfishness."
On ZENIT's Web page:
Full text: www.zenit.org/article-30878?l=english
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Komen Foundation contributes Big $$ to Planned Parenthood
Komen Foundation
NEW YORK, NOV. 4, 2010 (Zenit.org).- In an article published Oct. 29, an error was made in reporting the amount of money Komen affiliates contributed to Planned Parenthood in 2009. Komen spokesman John Hammarley told The Daily Caller that in 2009, affiliates gave Planned Parenthood programs $731,303. He also noted that affiliates contributed a total of $3.3 million to Planned Parenthood programs from 2004-2009. ZENIT regrets the error.
Meaning that if you participate in Susan G. Komen walk for cure, you are contributing to Planned Parenthood, if you purchase products with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen foundation, you are contributing to Planned Parenthood.
If you are for the sanctity of life and helping unborn babies, their moms celebrate the gift of life let's find another source of funding for a cure.
NEW YORK, NOV. 4, 2010 (Zenit.org).- In an article published Oct. 29, an error was made in reporting the amount of money Komen affiliates contributed to Planned Parenthood in 2009. Komen spokesman John Hammarley told The Daily Caller that in 2009, affiliates gave Planned Parenthood programs $731,303. He also noted that affiliates contributed a total of $3.3 million to Planned Parenthood programs from 2004-2009. ZENIT regrets the error.
Meaning that if you participate in Susan G. Komen walk for cure, you are contributing to Planned Parenthood, if you purchase products with proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen foundation, you are contributing to Planned Parenthood.
If you are for the sanctity of life and helping unborn babies, their moms celebrate the gift of life let's find another source of funding for a cure.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The 'haves' and 'have-nots' Which one is better?
Everybody knows a "haves"...if it isn't themselves, striving for the next dollar, better car, house, etc. You see many of them at the malls, constantly finding more things to match, fit, or simply to have another, 'backup' piece of clothing.
Jesus was asked by a man that was considered a well-to-do, what he needed to do to gain his place in Heaven. Jesus' response? Well, you remember how that went, right? When told that he had to leave all his belongings and follow Him, the fella couldn't bear that and walked away grieving (Matt 19:22). Why was he sad?
Have you ever thought about that part of the story? He had many possessions and was told to earn his place in Heaven, he must sell all his possesions and give the money to the poor. With many possessions, he must have been one of those who worked hard and kept all his stuff, purchasing more as the money came in. Looking around, he saw those who didn't have what he had and knew that wasn't the life he wanted. That life looked hard, unrelenting, persecuted, and insecure.
We see those people today, at the street corners asking for help, in lines, walking the streets; it looks tough and unsecure. To those of us with warm beds, heaters, and a safe place to go at night, it seems so scary to be poor and at worse homeless. So, we give, and give more money to their cause. Bring canned goods to the city pantries, pray for them, slip someone a couple of bucks or buy them a lunch (so we know they didn't use our money to buy wine or cigarettes). But you know something?
The 'have-nots' just might be the lucky ones. I mean, they can start from the bottom up and not be attached to 'things' like we are. In a way, they are the fortunate ones. I'm crazy, right? Well, think about it, if you look around your cozy office, bedroom, or whereever you are at the computer, you have things you are pretty attached to. If someone came up to you today and said, "You have to give up your stuff, sell it and give all the proceeds to the poor before you die, or you won't be heading to Heaven." What would you do? Go away, grieving?
Jesus was asked by a man that was considered a well-to-do, what he needed to do to gain his place in Heaven. Jesus' response? Well, you remember how that went, right? When told that he had to leave all his belongings and follow Him, the fella couldn't bear that and walked away grieving (Matt 19:22). Why was he sad?
Have you ever thought about that part of the story? He had many possessions and was told to earn his place in Heaven, he must sell all his possesions and give the money to the poor. With many possessions, he must have been one of those who worked hard and kept all his stuff, purchasing more as the money came in. Looking around, he saw those who didn't have what he had and knew that wasn't the life he wanted. That life looked hard, unrelenting, persecuted, and insecure.
We see those people today, at the street corners asking for help, in lines, walking the streets; it looks tough and unsecure. To those of us with warm beds, heaters, and a safe place to go at night, it seems so scary to be poor and at worse homeless. So, we give, and give more money to their cause. Bring canned goods to the city pantries, pray for them, slip someone a couple of bucks or buy them a lunch (so we know they didn't use our money to buy wine or cigarettes). But you know something?
The 'have-nots' just might be the lucky ones. I mean, they can start from the bottom up and not be attached to 'things' like we are. In a way, they are the fortunate ones. I'm crazy, right? Well, think about it, if you look around your cozy office, bedroom, or whereever you are at the computer, you have things you are pretty attached to. If someone came up to you today and said, "You have to give up your stuff, sell it and give all the proceeds to the poor before you die, or you won't be heading to Heaven." What would you do? Go away, grieving?
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