Travis County Residents - Urgent Action Needed

From the Austin Diocese - about pro-life activism needed in Travis County.

JOIN OUR DIOCESAN-WIDE EFFORT

HELP STOP TAX-FUNDED ABORTIONS BY THE

TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTHCARE DISTRICT!

The Travis County Health Care District (TCHD), primarily funded by property

taxes, has budgeted $450,000 for elective abortions for Travis County residents

meeting poverty guidelines. Although the funding has been approved, an

additional vote will be taken by the TCHD Board of Managers to approve

contracts allotting the funds to specific abortion providers.

A meeting has been set for Thursday, Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m., in the

Commissioners Courtroom at 314 W 11th St., for the TCHD Board of Managers

to discuss the contracts and take appropriate action on them.

Your help is urgently needed with our Diocesan-wide effort, which includes:

1. Taking immediate action regarding this Advocacy Alert.

Non-Travis County residents are urged to pass this alert to Travis

County residents -- to friends, relatives and co-workers.

Travis County residents are urged to contact TCHD to stop the use of

county taxes being spent on abortions.

Sample Message

Poor women need help providing for their children, not eliminating them

through abortion. Women deserve better than abortion from TCHD, and

county taxpayers deserve better use of their funds.

Contact Information for the TCHD Board of Managers:

Phone: 512-978-8000

E-mail: info@traviscountyhd.org

Mail: Board of Managers, Travis County Healthcare District

1111 East Cesar Chavez Street, Suite B; Austin, Texas 78702

2. Participating in a Petition Drive at your parish the weekend of Dec. 5/6.

Petitions can also be downloaded at: www.myprolife.org so that

signatures can be collected at group meetings before Dec. 8.

These petitions are to be signed by Travis County residents only, but

all are urged to pray for the success of this effort.

For more information go to www.myprolife.org

                   or call (512) 949-2486

Guess the Source

Can you guess the source of this quote? No cheating (i.e. Googling it).

The Implications of Faith in One God

Believing in God, the only One, and loving him with all our being has enormous consequences for our whole life. It means coming to know God's greatness and majesty: "Behold, God is great, and we know him not." Therefore, we must "serve God first".

It means living in thanksgiving: if God is the only One, everything we are and have comes from him: "What have you that you did not receive?" "What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me?"

It means knowing the unity and true dignity of all men: everyone is made in the image and likeness of God.

It means making good use of created things: faith in God, the only One, leads us to use everything that is not God only insofar as it brings us closer to him, and to detach ourselves from it insofar as it turns us away from him:
My Lord and my God, take from me everything that distances me from you.
My Lord and my God, give me everything that brings me closer to you.
My Lord and my God, detach me from myself to give my all to you.
It means trusting God in every circumstance, even in adversity. A prayer of St. Teresa of Jesus wonderfully expresses this trust:
Let nothing trouble you / Let nothing frighten you
Everything passes / God never changes
Patience / Obtains all
Whoever has God / Wants for nothing
God alone is enough.

Weekend Roundup

From the weekend:

**Don't forget to check out the Manhattan Declaration.  You can also sign it if you feel so inclined.

**Ignatius Press is having a sale.

**Pray for the Catholics in Vietnam and other countries were the faithful are persecuted.

**Anti-Catholicism is still acceptable in our culture.  Carl Olson does a good job in pointing out the hypocrisy of it all.

**Same-sex marriages.  Not a good idea.

**A good analysis of why many Catholics aren't in the pews.

Advent 2009

Advent is the forgotten liturgical season. With all the business of Thanksgiving and then the build-up of Christmas, we have forgotten, as a culture, how to celebrate Advent.  Yes, we realize it when we go to church and see the purple (and then pink) candles lit on the Advent wreath.  Some of us might even have an Advent wreath at home.  But, we miss out on what the season truly can bring to us if we don't slow down.

I have prepared a long list of resources at the end of this post, but first a reflection I wrote a few years ago.

The Spirit of Advent - A Reflection on The Advent Season

The Advent season brings with it a number of joys, expectations and opportunities to celebrate. It also brings with is crass consumerism, exploitation of the true meaning of Christmas and an opportunity for self-indulgence. We should be careful, this holiday season, to truly celebrate the most monumental moment in human history – the Incarnation of Christ.

Advent is a season of preparation for the birth of the Lord. Just as the Israelites awaited the birth of the Messiah for generations upon generations, so we await the coming of our king – Jesus. Many Israelites waited to see the day of salvation when the Anointed One would be crowned king and save the nation from captivity, a wordly salvation. But, the day never arrived during their earthly life, because Christ brought a spiritual kingdom. We, on the other hand, have been blessed to live in this Kingdom of God – the age of the Church. So, our anticipation of salvation must be re-lived every year as a commemoration of Christ becoming man. But, we too can be caught up in believing that our salvation is of an earthly form.

Think of a mall or large store in the weeks of Advent, decorated with Christmas decorations since Halloween, crowded with many people searching for presents for friends and family. They may be shopping for items for the office “holiday party” or for something to decorate their homes with. Unfortunately, this really has nothing to do with Advent, as the church understands it. Our culture has inculcated in us a desire to give and receive objects, to celebrate with eggnog and by putting up Santa in our yards. While these things are not bad in and of themselves, they certainly can serve as a distraction for us.

I recently heard that “this season is about loved ones and celebrations”. While spending time with friends and family is a good thing, for Catholics the season of Advent is not all about celebrating. More than celebrations, Advent is an opportunity to make the spiritual preparation for God-becoming-man a sacred opportunity to grow in faith, hope, and love. We need to stop, which is difficult enough in our busyness, and reflect on the fact that the supreme being, the omnipotent One, the Alpha and Omega, the Lion of Judah, the Morningstar, the Messiah, King, and our Lord and Savior – GOD – humbled Himself to take on our fallen nature in order that we might be raised up with him to the heavenly heights of the divine.

Instead we settle for mistletoe, stockings, and Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer.

I would like to propose some practical ways in which we might turn this season into one of hopeful preparation and penance. But first, we must remember that while the Advent season is a penitential one, it isn’t quite as somber as Lent, because of the Joy that accompanies the expectation of Christ’s birth.

Suggestion #1 – Pray throughout the season. Simple and common sense for a Christian, it is also the most important part of making the season truly sacred. Without this prayerful connection to God, we cannot expect the season to be a spiritual success. Advent traditional prayer activities include the Advent wreath, Jesse Tree, and Posadas. You can also use an Advent devotional to help as a daily prayer guide. Of course the Eucharist and the Mass should be the center of any prayer life.

Suggestion #2 – Give your self as a gift to the less fortunate. There are ample opportunities to serve those less fortunate than ourselves. Spend an afternoon at a shelter or food bank. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house. Buy a gift for a needy child or family using the giving tree. Help St. Vincent de Paul distribute food and gifts to families in need. Visit the elderly or sick in a nursing home or hospital. These are the kind of gifts that require true sacrifice, but also have an eternal reward.

Suggestion #3 – Try to spread the real meaning of the season. This suggestion might be the most difficult for some. This means we don’t go overboard with Christmas until Advent is over. You might try some simple suggestions to help anticipate Christmas.

• If you have a manger scene at home, don’t put Jesus into it until the morning of Christmas. We have started a tradition of having the three wise men wander throughout our house until Epiphany. The children look forward to "finding" where the three statues.
• Progressively decorate. Remember that our Christmas lights and decorations are a symbol of the “light of the world” – Jesus – coming into the darkness. He isn’t here until Christmas, so try to postpone the lights until then.
• Allow yourself to slow down. Try not to rush through Advent in order to “get to the good stuff” of Christmas.
• Donate money to your local charity in the name of a loved one. Give this as a gift instead of another item from the store.

Whatever you do to make Advent a special time of preparation, remember that nothing is as important as nurturing the relationship you have with Jesus. Simeon and Anna waited their entire lives for the Messiah to come, and when they finally met the babe in the Temple, they were filled with the greatest joy imaginable. Let us await Christ in Advent in order that our hearts may also be able to overflow with gratitude and then truly say, as Simeon did -

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people.
A light to reveal you to the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel. – Luke 2: 29-32

Advent Clearinghouse of links 
(please post additional links in the comments section - I will add later)

**US Bishops - Advent Page. Great site, has Advent prayers, calendar, resources, and more.
**Family Reflections from USCCB.
**Catholic.org - Advent page.
**EWTN.com - advent page.
**CatholicEducation.org - Advent traditions page.
**Catholic Information Network - Advent Reflections.
**Our Sunday Visitor - Advent resources.
**Catholic Exchange - articles on Advent.
**Catholic Encyclopedia - article on Advent.
**Creighton University - Advent prayer page.
**Passionist - Advent page.
**Churchyear.net - Advent Page.
**American Catholic - FAQ about Advent.
**Domestic Church - how to make an Advent wreath.
**CatholicMom - Advent Resources.
**Beliefnet - Interactive Advent Calendar.
**Intro to Advent Video.
**Video of Advent Homilies.
**Get an Advent Wreath for your website from Curt Jester.
**Reflection on The End of Advent.
**Top 10 Things to Know About Advent.

Happy Thanksgiving

Watch out for flying hams and turkeys that need eye surgery.

Just click the links...

History of The Beatles

I never knew...


Tip O' the hat to Mark.

God and Beauty

The Church has consistently taught that humans seek out the true, the good, and the beautiful.  Artists, musicians, composers, actors, etc. have a special place in helping us discover all of three, especially beauty, in the created order.  Benedict XVI says this, "if we acknowledge that beauty touches us intimately, that it wounds us, that it opens our eyes, then we rediscover the joy of seeing, of being able to grasp the profound meaning of our existence."
As a musician himself (pianist) the Pope understands the importance of such truths personally. We should listen closely when he speaks about it:


“Beauty is the glow of the true and the good that flows out of every ordered state of being.” - Joseph Pieper.

Prayer Request

Please pray for Catherine Simmons, daughter of Josh and Elizabeth Simmons (St. Mary's parishioners), who died this afternoon.  Please pray for her family as well. She was born Nov 15. God bless them.  They urgently need your prayers.  Please lift them up.
St. Catherine pray for us.

Purgatory???

Q - Okay, so what is the deal with Purgatory?


A - Thanks for the question.  First let me tell you what Purgatory is not. Purgatory is not heaven or hell. Purgatory is not a permanent state of being. Purgatory is not a "second chance" after we die to get it right. Purgatory is not how we "earn our way to heaven". Purgatory is not saying that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient.

So, now that we have that out of the way, we can go on to the doctrinal aspects of it. We will start with what the Church says about it.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church it states the following:

1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.⁶⁰⁶ The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:⁶⁰⁷

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.⁶⁰⁸

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin."⁶⁰⁹ From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.⁶¹⁰ The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.⁶¹¹

So, from the Church's own official documents we can see that Purgatory is the "final cleansing" of sin that we commit while on earth. This is because as Revelation 21:27 says, "nothing unclean shall enter" into heaven. If we are not perfect, and I haven't met a perfect person yet, and yet still merit (by God's grace alone) heaven, then we need to go through this purgation before entering into glory.

Now, some will say that we do not need any purification, because we are already washed clean in the blood of Christ. Yes, we are washed clean (in baptism), but being made perfectly holy is a process. Think of purgatory as the last step in this process before we enter into heaven. Our sufferings and sanctification never take away from Christ's sufferings on the Cross.

Some also say that it is unbiblical. While the word "purgatory" may not be in the Bible, there are certain passages that implicitly contain the basis of purgatory.

Matt 5: 25-26 says,

"Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny."

--Here we are being told that we will ultimately be held responsible for all of our actions. There are two dimensions to being forgiven for a sin, the divine and the human. While we may be forgiven by God, we still have to go to our brother for forgiveness as well. Here it says that if we fail to obtain the human dimension of forgiveness, then God will hold us responsible ultimately. But, the human element does not merit eternal, but rather finite, punishment. So, it leaves open the door to Purgatory, which is finite.

Next in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 Paul writes,

"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."

--Paul is saying that we will not enter into our reward until we are cleansed of all unrighteousness. Clearly Paul says we will be "saved", but there will be loss and flames through which one escapes. Also, this loss will be for those things which are not of value.

Lastly, in 2 Maccebees 12 we see the practice of Jews offering up sacrifices for the dead. They would not do those in heaven or hell any good, so the passage at least points to the Jewish beliefs in some other state of being in the afterlife.

With all of this evidence we couple some ancient Christian statements on Purgatory and the evidence seems pretty weighty.

Here is another link if this short intro didn't fully answer your question.

Bishop Tobin "Interviewed" by Chris Matthews

I have commented several times on the war of words between Bishop Tobin and Representative Patrick Kennedy (see examples here and here).  The issue has started to get a lot of press and Bishop Tobin agreed to go on Hardball with Chris Matthews last night (video below).

Chris Matthews should be ashamed of himself.  As Deacon Keith Fournier says "Matthews showed how inept he is as an interviewer, how misinformed he is as a Catholic, how rude he is as a person and how threatened he is by the Moral truth."  I wouldn't go so far as to ask for him to be fired, but he should apologize.  More important, he should repent.

He presumes to lecture the bishop and tries to box him in to a little box.  He insults him, interrupts him, and acts shamefully.  He is a Catholic and doesn't like Bishop Tobin challenging his own politics by challenging Kennedy.

Bishop Tobin did get in the last word when he said, "I will reflect on that if you reflect on the teachings of the Church."  Pray for Matthews.  Pray for Kennedy.

Potpourri

A post full of randomness:

**Crying babies in church a good thing? Yup.

**How cohabitation is a sin against social justice.

**10 reasons modernist Christianity will die.

**How to evangelize your family this Thanksgiving.

**Global-warming scientists hid evidence that was contrary to their hypothesis. Bad decision.

**A teen decided to skip school. Nothing new here. But, what he did with his free time was unique. At least he was being productive.

**Last (and certainly least) is a zoo that is selling - "$15 pendant necklaces contain dried, sterilized reindeer droppings — sprayed with glitter — on a beaded chain".  Um...

The UN Can't Help It...

The United Nations can't help themselves.  Years ago they sold an international peacekeeping identity for a radical political agenda. At the front of the agenda is abortion.  Another item on their current agenda is global climate change.  So, how do you wed these two together into a compelling story?
1 - Make climate change the cause of a great evil.
2 - Make the solution to the great evil abortion.

The result = climate change leads to prostitution, which would go away if abortion-on-demand was furthered, because it would reduce the number of people that stress the climate.

I wish it were just fiction.  From the article:

The effects of climate change have driven women in communities in coastal areas in poor countries like the Philippines into dangerous work, and sometimes even the flesh trade, a United Nations official said.

Suneeta Mukherjee, country representative of the United Nations Food Population Fund (UNFPA), said women in the Philippines are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the country.

“Climate change could reduce income from farming and fishing, possibly driving some women into sex work and thereby increase HIV infection," Mukherjee said during the Wednesday launch of the UNFPA annual State of World Population Report in Pasay City.

Amazing isn't it? Well, here is the UN's solution...

The UNFPA suggested five measures to mitigate climate change and overpopulation:
Bring a better understanding of population dynamics, gender and reproductive health to climate change and environmental discussions at all levels;

Fully fund family planning services and contraceptive supplies within the framework of reproductive health and rights, and assure that low income is no barrier to access;

Prioritize research and date collection to improve the understanding of gender and population dynamics in climate change mitigation and adaptation;

Improve sex-disaggregation of date related to migration flows that are influenced by environmental factors and prepare now for increases in population movements resulting from climate change; and

Integrate gender considerations into global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Not the first or last time we will see such agendas from the UN tied together methinks.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good - 22,000 youth in procession with the Blessed Sacrament.  The pictures tell the story.

The Bad - A man who was thought to be unconscious and in a coma for 23 years is now found to be fully conscious and paralyzed.  Lord have mercy on him! I can't imagine what kind of inner torture he must have undergone.

The Ugly - Patrick Kennedy just doesn't get it. He keeps blaming Bishop Tobin for his own mistakes and when Bishop Tobin rises up to defend the Church, Kennedy plays the victim.  Pray for Kennedy's conversion.

Fun Stuff

One of the greatest ends to a football game ever.  From a high school game in California.

Radio Show

I will be on the SonRise Morning Show with Brian Patrick on EWTN Radio on Monday morning, but I believe I will only be live in Cincinnati. The show will most likely air on EWTN another morning later in the week nationally.

Shroud of Turin - Fake or Real?

I don't have much of an opinion about the Shroud of Turin, and for that matter, the Catholic Church doesn't definitively say whether it is genuine or not.  But, there is some interesting research that just came out about it.

Barbara Frale, a researcher at the Vatican archives, says in a new book that she used computer-enhanced images of the shroud to decipher faintly written words in Greek, Latin and Aramaic scattered across the cloth.

She asserts that the words include the name "(J)esu(s) Nazarene" — or Jesus of Nazareth — in Greek. That, she said, proves the text could not be of medieval origin because no Christian at the time, even a forger, would have mentioned Jesus without referring to his divinity. Failing to do so would risk being branded a heretic.

"Even someone intent on forging a relic would have had all the reasons to place the signs of divinity on this object," Frale said Friday. "Had we found 'Christ' or the 'Son of God' we could have considered it a hoax, or a devotional inscription."

The shroud bears the figure of a crucified man, complete with blood seeping from his hands and feet, and believers say Christ's image was recorded on the linen's fibers at the time of his resurrection.

The fragile artifact, owned by the Vatican, is kept locked in a protective chamber in a Turin cathedral and is rarely shown. Measuring 13 feet (four meters) long and three feet (one meter) wide, the shroud has suffered severe damage through the centuries, including from fire.

The Catholic Church makes no claims about the cloth's authenticity, but says it is a powerful symbol of Christ's suffering.

Of course this doesn't stop those with an agenda from trying to debunk it, as I have written about before.

Catholic Unity vs Protestantism?

Q - Aren't there a bunch of different Catholic rites? I mean, you have the Roman, Byzantine, Carmelite, Dominican, and a whole bunch of other different titles. What happened? Why the split? What makes us different, and what makes us all Catholic? What makes our church the 'right one'/the one to be in? Can we recieve their communion and can they recieve ours?

And what makes this split different than the one Luther made? What makes the difference between one rite and another different than the difference between the catholics and the lutherans or the catholics and the baptists? Is the catholic church just as screwed up and separated as all of the protestant churches?

A - Thanks for the questions, I hope I can help straighten some of this out for you.  I will break up the questions below to see if I can answer them all for you.  Also, I have provided links that can answer the questions with more depth.

1 - Aren't there a bunch of different Catholic rites?
Yes there are.  Most Catholics are ignorant of this fact.  There are more than just Latin-rite Catholics, which 99% of us are.  In fact, there are dozens of other rites, you can read about all of them here.
A Rite = A way to pray liturgy and worship God which comes from a certain ecclesiastical (church) tradition.

2 - I mean, you have the Roman, Byzantine, Carmelite, Dominican, and a whole bunch of other different titles. What happened?
What happened is that each of the prayers and ways of worshiping God developed in different places in different ways over many years.  The Church has never believed that every catholic rite has to have the exact same prayers or ways of having the liturgy, as long as the essential elements of each liturgy are there.

3 - Why the split?
There is no split.  There is still unity.  A different Catholic rite is still Catholic.  They are still in union with Rome.  It might be the Eastern Orthodox you are thinking of here.  They are not Catholic, but this is a different story that you can read about here.

4 - What makes our church the 'right one'/the one to be in?
There is no "right" rite, but there is a "right" Church - which is the one true Church Jesus established = the Catholic Church.  You can read more about it here and here.

5 - And what makes this split different than the one Luther made? What makes the difference between one rite and another different than the difference between the catholics and the lutherans or the catholics and the baptists?
Again, between the differing Catholic rites there is unity in diversity, not disunity.  Between Catholics and Protestants we have much bigger doctrinal issues, the preeminent issue being authority.  Luther rejected the Catholic Church's authority and set himself up as an authority of one.  This opened the door to the doctrinal chaos we see in Christianity today.

The different Catholic rites developed different ways of praying, different doctrinal emphases, etc.  But, there is always unity.

6 - Is the catholic church just as screwed up and separated as all of the protestant churches?
No.  We can see this because we have the Pope who is the visible sign of unity for all Catholics.  To illustrate my point, a prominent Protestant theologian, Stanley Hauerwas, recently preached about Reformation Sunday (celebrated in some Protestant churches) about how that particular celebration was scandalous and what Protestants can learn from Catholic unity.  I recommend you read all of the article, but here is a snip:

Catholics do not begin with the question of “How much do we need to believe?” but with the attitude “Look at all the wonderful stuff we get to believe!” Isn’t it wonderful to know that Mary was immaculately conceived in order to be the faithful servant of God’s new creation in Jesus Christ! She therefore becomes the firstborn of God’s new creation, our mother, the first member of God’s new community we call church. Isn’t it wonderful that God continued to act in the world through the appearances of Mary at Guadalupe! Mary must know something because she seems to always appear to peasants and, in particular, to peasant women who have the ability to see her. Most of us would not have the ability to see Mary because we’d be far too embarrassed by our vision.

Therefore Catholics understand the church’s unity as grounded in reality more determinative than our good feelings for one another. The office of Rome matters. For at least that office is a judgment on the church for our disunity. Surely it is the clear indication of the sin of the Reformation that we Protestants have not been able to resist nationalistic identifications. So we become German Lutherans, American Lutherans, Norwegian Lutherans. You are Dutch Calvinist, American Presbyterians, Church of Scotland. I am an American Methodist, which has precious little to do with my sisters and brothers in English Methodism. And so we Protestant Christians go to war killing one another in the name of being American, German, Japanese, and so on.

At least it becomes the sin of Rome when Italian Catholics think they can kill Irish Catholics in the name of being Italian. Such divisions distort the unity of the Gospel found in the Eucharist and, thus, become judgments against the church of Rome. Of course, the Papacy has often been unfaithful and corrupt, but at least Catholics preserved an office God can use to remind us that we have been and may yet prove unfaithful. In contrast, Protestants don’t even know we’re being judged for our disunity.

I hope this helps. Peace to you.  Pray for Christian unity.

John Paul II Lectures

What a treat!  One of my favorite professors from grad school, Douglas Bushman, is doing a series of lectures for the Diocese of Fort Worth on John Paul II.  It is a great way to get an intro to JPII from a scholar who knows him well.  Bushman is one of the best theologians that few people have ever heard of.  He best gift is making theology understandable and applicable.  I highly recommend you give him a listen.

The three sessions already completed are entitled:
*Session I: Pope John Paul II on Vatican II and the New Evangelization
*Session II: Pope John Paul II on the Meaning of Life in Christ
*Session III: Pope John Paul II on Man in the Image and Likeness of God
You can listen to all of them here.

Upcoming lectures will include these topics:
*(12/15/09) Session IV: Pope John Paul II on God the Father, Rich in Mercy
*(1/19/10) Session V: Pope John Paul II on the Holy Spirit and the Renewal of the Inner Man
*(2/16/10) Session VI: Pope John Paul II on the Vocation to Love and Suffering
*(3/16/10) Session VII: Pope John Paul II on the Vocation to Work
*(4/20/10) Session VIII: Pope John Paul II on the Faith of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Screwtape Letters Come Alive

One of the greatest works of CS Lewis is his book of fictional letters from one demon to another - The Screwtape Letters.  It is now brought to life, and it sounds amazing.  This is one will soon be in St. Mary's library.
Check out the actor who played Gollum voicing the lead character.


Tip O' the hat to CMR.

The Manhattan Declaration

A new document will be issued at noon today in an unprecedented show of solidarity between Christian leaders about moral issues our country is currently facing.  The full statement, entitled the Manhattan Declaration, will be officially released the press conference at noon.  Stay tuned for more.  Here is the first news on it.

Today a group of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders and scholars will release the Manhattan Declaration, which addresses the sanctity of life, traditional marriage and religious liberty.  The 4,700-word declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere to their convictions and informs civil authorities that the signers will not - under any circumstance - abandon their Christian consciences.  Drafted by Dr. Robert George, Dr. Timothy George and Chuck Colson and signed by more than 125 Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical Christian leaders, the Manhattan Declaration will be made public at a noon ET press conference held in the Lisagor Room at the National Press Club.

Among the signers of the Manhattan Declaration scheduled to appear at the press conference are:

• Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
• Donald William Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, Diocese of Washington, D.C.
• Harry Jackson Jr., Bishop, Hope Christian Church
• Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, Diocese of Philadelphia
• Timothy George, Professor, Beeson Divinity School at Samford University
• Chuck Colson, Founder, The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview
• Ron Sider, Professor, Palmer Theological Seminary and Director of the Seminary’s Sider Center on Ministry & Public Policy
• George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center and Founding President of the James Madison Foundation
• Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
• Jim Daly, President and CEO, Focus on the Family

Excerpts from the declaration include:

• "We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right - and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation - to speak and act in defense of these truths.  We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence."
• "We recognize the duty to comply with laws whether we happen to like them or not, unless the laws are gravely unjust or require those subject to them to do something unjust or otherwise immoral."
• ". . . We will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriage or the equivalent or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family."

UPDATE: here is the full statement.  Sign the declaration here.

Fulton Sheen Quote

If you have never read anything from Archbishop Fulton Sheen, you should.  Here is a sample:

Sin was the act by which man refused to see created things for what they were -- stepping stones to God, a means to an end -- and began instead to clutch at them as ends in themselves. That is what sin is, still. As a man loves his sense of humor when he cannnot see the point of a pun, so he loses his humor in its entirety when he ceases to see the point of the universe, which is that all things are revelations, symbols, reminders of God who made them. To take things as ends in themselves is to overrate them, treating them with a solemnity which is not warranted.

I would have said - "we worship creation and not the creator." What a word-smith Archbishop sheen was.

Busy...

"I am busy."  The mantra of modern man.  I know I have said it too many times.
Are you busy? Maybe a better question would be “why are you busy”?

I think in our modern day, being “busy” has become a badge of honor. A badge that many are more than happy to wear because it allows them to say “no” to entering into a deeper relationship with God or others.

An example might be a conversation that goes this way:
-How are you?
-Busy.
-Everything okay?
-Just too much to do.

At this point the inquirer feels that they too are taking time from the other person and the desire to continue in the conversation quickly dissolves.

Yes, in modern society we have a lot of things that pull us in different directions. But, the human in front of us is more important than most of those tasks keeping us busy. We quickly forget that the human in front of us is how we encounter God in daily life:

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matt 25:40)

Really though, how does this work in our daily lives? It is the same way it has been done since the beginning of time - prioritize God and others in our lives.

When we start to say we are too busy for others, it hurts us even more than the other person. We need the “other” in our lives in order to have our lives rightly ordered. Even more so, we need God.

If you are a student, I have a message for you - life doesn’t slow down after school. Most of you will be married and St. Paul says this about marriage.

“I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife” (1 Cor. 7:32-33)

Once you are married and have children, it becomes even more difficult to manage time and be present to God and others.

Bearing all of this in mind, let us remember that:
-Work can’t be first (no, I am not saying to quit)
-School can’t be first (no, I am not saying to skip class or not to study hard)
-Family and boyfriend/girlfriend can’t be first (no, I am not saying to end a relationship)
-EVEN CHURCH can’t be first. (no, I am definitely not saying to skip Mass, but you can be too busy with other "churchy" activities.)
-God must be first

Once He is, we are able to see the vast dignity and importance of the “other” and we time stops when they are in front of us.

In order to properly order our lives and therefore make God and the “other” a priority, we must each ask these questions:
1 - What do I need to do in order to have a better relationship with God?
2 - What time do I need to devote to God?
3 – What are some concrete ways I can prioritize God and others.
4 - How can I not be too “busy” for the most important things in life?

A few suggestions:
*Schedule prayer if necessary.
*Be prudent in how you spend your time.
*Make relationships a priority.
*But, at the same time, don’t neglect your obligations.

Pray for me and I will pray for you that we can all find God and others today as we use our time wisely.

Portraits

Apparently a certain student, who will remain unnamed, has a bit too much time on their hands.  This is the result.

It is quite a flattering rendition, even if my head is a bit too round and my body a bit too small.
I find it a nice match for other portraits, such as the holy card Marcel (done by another student last year):

Lastly, we have the sketched Marcel (done a few years ago by a young girl at a talk I gave):

Must be the forehead - easier to draw than hair...

Why Do We Bow During the Creed?

Q - I was talking to my younger sister the other day and she asked me why we bow our heads during the Nicene Creed when we say, "By the Power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became Man." I tried to look it up online but couldn't really find an answer. I know we are honoring the nativity and Mary... but isn't the whole creed talking about important things that we believe? I was just wondering why this line stood out above all the rest.

A - Thanks for the question. We are honoring that which is greater than Mary - Jesus and His Incarnation. There are several times in Mass that we are asked to bow as well as make other signs of honoring our Lord. In fact, there are two kinds of bows we make during Mass. A simple bow of the head and a more profound bow of the body, then there is the act of adoration of our God - genuflection.

We bow our heads during any mentioning of the name of Jesus, Mary, a saint if we are celebrating their feast day, or the names of the Blessed Trinity all together. We also bow our head before receiving Communion.

We make a more profound bow of the body during the Creed, as you pointed out, in order to honor the most important act in human history - God becoming man. Also, this is the kind of bow we make toward the altar, when passing in front of it or entering the sanctuary. If the tabernacle is not in the main sanctuary of a Church, then the priests and servers will bow before and after entering the Sanctuary.

We genuflect toward the Eucharist at all times as well as the cross during Good Friday. We should genuflect upon entering and leaving Church toward the Tabernacle. The priests and servers will also do this upon entering and leaving, but not during Mass. On Annunciation and Christmas we also genuflect during the creed instead of bowing.

I hope this helps.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Phil 2: 9-11

Fr. Barron on The Movie "2012"

NOTE - Spoiler warning.

Get Ready...

The US Bishops just approved the new translation for the Roman Missal, despite furious opposition led by Bishop Trautman.  What does this mean?  It means that after the Vatican puts the stamp of approval on it, we will see new Mass parts in a few years rolled out.  Here are some of the changes coming soon.

Currently:
Celebrant - "The Lord be with you"
Congregation - "And also with you"
Change:
Celebrant - "The Lord be with you"
Congregation - "And with your spirit"

Currently:
"This is the Lamb of God"
Change:
"Behold the Lamb of God"

Aggie Bonfire Collapse Anniversary

We are now at the 10th anniversary of the Bonfire Collapse (Nov 18 - 2:42 AM).
Please keep all who were part of this tragedy in your prayers.
12 lives were lost and 27 were injured.

We Aggies are a proud lot, but we don't forget our own.  There are two ceremonies that are planned on campus.  The first in Reed Arena tonight at 8pm.  The second will be a candlelight vigil at the bonfire memorial at 2:42 am.

God have mercy on Texas A&M.

Some Songs Are Way Too Long

I love Tim Hawkins.

Co-Ed Dorms a Bad Idea?

A recent study says so. But, did we need a study to tell us this?

A new study finds university students in coed housing are 2.5 times more likely to binge drink every week. And no surprise, they're also likely to have more sexual partners, the study found. Also, pornography use was higher among students in coed dorms.

Can someone live in a co-ed dorm and not have sex or get drunk? Of course. But, it is just increasing the temptations and the occasion of sin.  Maybe we need a study on studies that point out common sense.

On the other hand, it isn't nearly as bad as co-ed rooms.

Have some Ramen noodles.

Why Can't Non-Catholics Receive Communion?

Q - Why can't non-Catholics receive Holy Communion? What if they say that they believe that it is the Body and Blood of Jesus like we do? What should we say to them?

A - Thanks for the question.  There are several reasons that non-Catholics cannot receive Communion in the Catholic Church.  I can tell you there are some myths out there about this topic.  It isn't a judgment about anyone's salvation nor is it about how sincere someone may believe in Christ.

First, we must give a quick explanation of what the Catholic Church teaches about The Eucharist and why it is so important. From John 6:53-56.

So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

This is the first teaching of Christ on the Eucharist. He clearly states (again and again in John 6) that the Eucharist is not just a symbol of his Body and Blood, but truly becomes his body and blood. Otherwise it would make no sense for his followers to understand him literally (John 6: 41 & 52) and then walk away from him (John 6:66) withouth Jesus clearly explaining that he was speaking figuratively.

Then we have the last supper accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Here Christ clearly teaches that the bread and wine are transformed into his body and blood ("this IS my body" & "this IS my blood"). Taken along with Paul's admonition in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30,

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill and some have died.

It all adds up.  The Catholic Church has consistently taught, through 2,000 years, that Christ is truly present - body, blood, soul, and divinity - in the Eucharist.  For more on the Church's teaching on the Eucharist, read a previous post here.

Therefore, to receive him in Communion is an outward statement of unity of faith.  It says, in the action of the congregation, that we are united (communion) to one another in believing in all the Catholic church believes, teaches, and confesses.  Those who are not Catholic cannot make such a statement, because they are not fully in communion with us.  So, for a non-Catholic to receive Communion is a counter-sign to the truth.  It says outwardly "we are one", when we are not.  It is a lie, spoken with our bodies.

To receive the Eucharist does not only mean we believe in it, but in all that the Catholic Church holds to be true.  It says with the body "I am Catholic and hold all that the Church teaches to be true as truth."

A non-Catholic should be told exactly what we believe.  Most do not share our belief in the Eucharist.  If they don't, then they probably won't want to receive if explained as I did above.  But, what if a non-Catholic says they share a belief in the Eucharist?  I suggest you invite them to join us at Communion - but only after they enter the Church through Confirmation (and baptism if necessary).  If one truly believes in the Eucharist, then the only place to receive it is in the Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox Churches.  Why wouldn't you join if you truly believe we have the Eucharist?

Furthermore, the Church limits communion to Catholics out of concern for their spiritual well-being.  Paul tells us why in the 1 Cor. verse quoted above.  To receive without discerning the body and blood, is to receive condemnation.

Lastly, the Church has no right to change the clear teaching of Christ.  We must always be faithful to his teaching, even when others are offended (even when we are not trying to offend, sometimes it happens).  We are not trying to be exclusive, but honest and faithful to Christ.

Remember this, not all Catholics can receive Communion, but only those in full communion with the Church and those in the state of grace (no un-confessed mortal sins).

Here is the US Bishops statement on the issue that you can find on the back of most missalettes.

For Catholics
As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

For our fellow Christians
We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ's prayer for us "that they may all be one" (Jn 17:21).

Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3).

For those not receiving Holy Communion
All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.

For non-Christians
We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family.

I hope this helps.

Vatican To Rule on Medjugorje

Interesting development on the purported apparitions of Mary at Medjugorje.

Cardinal Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo recently said that the Vatican will officially comment on the supposed apparitions of the Virgin in Medjugorje.

Watch the video for the full story and details on the process of the investigation.

Smoked Pot Lately?

An elderly man is escorted to the body, he crouches down close, a police officer pulls back the blue coat and the man holds his face in his hands and weeps.

He has just identified the body of his seven-year-old grandson, Jaciel Ramirez. The man in car is his 28-year-old son, Raul.

The elderly man then calmly crosses the street, where he is greeted by his wife. She cries out loudly after her husbands tells her the news. Read the article.

Some say that smoking pot or doing other drugs is a victim-less crime.  If you agree, watch the video below or read the article above.  There are millions of direct victims and billions of indirect victims of drug-trade.

There are more videos in this series by the Washington Post here.

This doesn't even go on to mention the other issues of the drug-trade - addiction, broken families, trillions spent every year, slavery, environmental damage, etc.
To top it all off, intentionally getting high is gravely immoral, for the same reasons getting drunk is.

Mexico = 6 hours from College Station.

Big Events at St. Mary's

Some Dates you want to mark on your calendar.

1 - John Martignoni, the host of a popular Bible apologetics call-in show on EWTN radio, will be here this Wed in the church at 7:30pm.  The event is free.  RSVP is not required, but appreciated.
John is also the Founder and President of the Bible Christian Society.  John's talk is entitled "Apologetics for the Scripturally-Challenged."

2 - Dr. Ted Sri (an author, theologian, and popular speaker) will be here on Feb 2.  Dr. Sri currently serves as a Provost and Professor of Scripture and Theology at the Augustine Institute in Denver.  Dr. Sri will be speaking on "The New Sexual Revolution: Men, Women and the Mystery of Love in John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and Love and Responsibility."

3 - Fr. Mitch Pacwa, the host of EWTN LIVE (and other EWTN programs), will be speaking at St. Mary's on Friday, Apr 23.  Fr. Mitch is an expert Biblical scholars and is fluent in 12 languages.  Time TBD.

Don't miss any of these opportunities to learn more about the Catholic Church.  In the past few years St. Mary's Institute of Catholic Studies - Distinguished Speakers Series - has hosted a number of speakers, including:
-Cardinal DiNardo
-George Weigel
-Christopher West (twice)
-Archbishop Gregory Aymond
-Others

The Vatican Believes in Aliens???

The Vatican held a 5 day conference last week on the possibility of extraterrestrial life.  It has been making the rounds on the media outlets, with most of them sensationalizing the story and not understanding the point of it all. The conference was a scientific one (not a theological one), which discussed the possibility.  In other words, the Vatican is not saying there is life on other planets, but that we should be prepared if there is. If there is, how then should the Church be prepared to deal with it theologically and the implications therein.  Here is the level-headed Fr. Jonathan Morris on what is going on.

Is Lying Always Wrong?

Q - I have a question about lying. We all know lying is a sin, I think even an intrinsically evil one. CCC 2485. What about the police sting operations? Specifically the ones used to catch child predators. Often times a police agent will pose as a child in order to entice the criminal. Sinful?

A - Thanks for the question! Let us look at the paragraph from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that you cited.

2485 By its very nature, lying is to be condemned. It is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is to communicate known truth to others. The deliberate intention of leading a neighbor into error by saying things contrary to the truth constitutes a failure in justice and charity. The culpability is greater when the intention of deceiving entails the risk of deadly consequences for those who are led astray.

We can see that a lie is when we consciously withhold the truth from someone.  It can be a grave sin, depending on the situation.  But, what about these situations where someone is lied to in order to bring justice?  The Catechism says this:

2489 Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet LANGUAGE. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.

Notice the last line - we are not bound to give someone the truth, if they do not have a right to know it.  So, building on these two paragraphs we can define a lie as = deliberately withholding the truth from someone who has a right to it.

One example I might give to illustrate this definition is the following:
-During World War II a Christian family helps their Jewish neighbors by hiding them in their house.  Nazi soldiers come knocking on the door and ask if there are Jews inside.  The Christians say there are not Jews inside.  Did they lie?  Not by the definition above, because the Nazis have no right to the truth.

In the same way, if someone is trolling the internet looking for minors to prey upon, they have no right to know if they are talking to a police officer or not.  Therefore the officer is not lying and no sin is committed.

Other situations that may keep us from giving out information (when we might say nothing at all) include protecting another person's privacy, company secrets, government intelligence, personal reputation, etc.

I hope this helps.