Dedication of St. John Lateran

If you were to ask 100 people the following question: What is the name of the Pope's main church in Rome? I would guess the 100 people would answer: St. Peter's Basilica. WRONG!

Survey says, "St. John Lateran."

Remember, St. Peter's Basilica is technically not in Rome, but in Vatican City, a sovereign city-state within Italy. St. John's is the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Rome and since the Pope is the Bishop of Rome, his main church is St. John Lateran (aka the Lateran).

American Catholic tells us: The first basilica on the site was built in the fourth century when Constantine donated land he had received from the wealthy Lateran family. That structure and its successors suffered fire, earthquake and the ravages of war, but the Lateran remained the church where popes were consecrated until the popes returned from Avignon in the 14th century to find the church and the adjoining palace in ruins.

Pope Innocent X commissioned the present structure in 1646. One of Rome’s most imposing churches, the Lateran’s towering facade is crowned with 15 colossal statues of Christ, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and 12 doctors of the Church. Beneath its high altar rest the remains of the small wooden table on which tradition holds St. Peter himself celebrated Mass. Today, the church celebrate's it's dedication.

Unlike the commemorations of other Roman churches (St. Mary Major, Sts. Peter and Paul), this anniversary is a feast. The dedication of a church is a feast for all its parishioners. St. John Lateran is, in a sense, the parish church of all Catholics, for it is the pope's parish, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome. This church is the spiritual home of the people who are the Church.

The church is truly magnificent. My wife and I visited St. John's last year. Incidentally, a little Franciscan fun fact. When St. Francis was seeking papal approval for is order of lesser brothers, he visited Pope Innocent III at St. John Lateran.

Initially, Innocent did not approve. The following day, Innocent reported he had a dream of Francis holding up a tottering Lateran. He then approved Francis' order of lesser brothers. Today, commemorating that event, there is a statue of Francis and his companions across the street looking at the Lateran.

Woman Rabbi finds herself tangled in an Interfaith web

Rabbi Susan Talve probably had no idea what she was getting herself into when she provided hospitality for a group of dissident women claiming to be ordained Catholic priests.

National Catholic Reporter : Two Catholic women are being ordained by Roman Catholic Womenpriests here Nov. 11, prompting outrage from Catholic officials -- outrage that, surprisingly, is directed less at the women aspiring to the Catholic priesthood, or at the movement ordaining them, than toward a rabbi who agreed to host the event.

The women to be ordained are Elsie Hainz McGrath, a retired writer and editor for a Catholic publishing house, and Rose Marie Dunn Hudson, a former teacher. Bishop Patricia Fresen, who was for many years a Dominican nun, ordained the women as deacons Aug. 12 and will perform the ceremony here. The women are among a growing number of deacons, priests and bishops ordained in the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement. Based on responses to formal invitations, Hudson said organizers are expecting 300 to 400 to attend.

Noting that ordaining women is forbidden by Catholic canon law, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke wrote to Rabbi Susan Talve, senior rabbi at Central Reform Congregation -- the synagogue host -- urging her to revoke her offer of hospitality. Meanwhile, the director of the archdiocesan Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Fr. Vincent A. Heier, has excoriated Talve for her role, likening it to a Catholic pastor inviting a Holocaust denier to speak, and describing Talve’s action as a major setback to the area’s strong, hard-won Jewish-Catholic relations.

The president of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association, Rabbi Mark Fasman finds it inappropriate for a synagogue to host an event no Catholic parish would allow and, though stressing that he speaks only for himself, acknowledged that among rabbis he is not alone. He is worried that what should be a Catholic issue -- whether women can be ordained -- will provoke a backlash against Jews.

Responding to Catholic concerns, the Jewish Community Relations Council released a statement Oct. 26 distancing itself and other Jewish congregations from Talve’s decision, stressing that Judaism is non-hierarchical and congregations are autonomous. “It is our hope that an isolated act on the part of a single congregation will not be allowed to disrupt the long tradition of continued dialogue and mutual respect between our Jewish and Roman Catholic communities,” the statement said.

The fracas is one that Ronald Modras, professor of theological studies at St. Louis University, finds both fascinating and profoundly symbolic. “It’s a remarkable demonstration of sisterhood,” he said. “You have women of two faiths, Catholic and Jewish, standing together against patriarchal exclusion.” He referred to Talve’s risking the ire of Catholic officials and rabbinical colleagues, both groups predominantly male, and the Catholic women’s bucking Catholic law.

Talve, founding rabbi of Central Reform Congregation, a former president of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association and herself active in interfaith affairs, is the most prominent female rabbi in St. Louis. Her urban congregation is noted for its inclusiveness and commitment to social justice. While Talve said she regrets the pain her action has caused to Catholic and other Jewish leaders, she is not backing down.

“These two lovely women who say they want to serve their community approached us. One of our core values is hospitality and providing a shelter of peace for those who are looking for a safe place. It seemed in keeping with these values, which come right from the Torah, to provide a space for them,” she said.

This isn’t the first time Heier, the archdiocesan official, has found Talve’s values misguided. “She has done a number of things in the past few years that I think are borderline in terms of sensitivity, pushing an agenda I don’t always agree with.” In this latest action, he said, “she has moved beyond the bounds.”

For Talve, the surprise is not such anger, but the number of positive responses she has received. Just as St. Louis Jews take differing stances on Talve’s decision -- she secured the unanimous vote of her board and the support of her congregation before agreeing to serve as host -- many Catholics have come forward to thank her for sharing her sacred space. “I have received dozens of letters, scores of e-mails and many phone calls from Catholics -- women religious especially -- who are in support of our hosting the ordination and understand the values that are guiding us,” she said. “It is painful and sad for me that there are people in the Catholic community who are offended by this.”

Talve, while refraining from offering an opinion on what the Catholic church should do, wishes the women well. “I understand the call of women who want to serve in this way, and I believe women have something special to give. I have experienced this in my own life.”

Some think married priests is the answer!

Allow priests to marry seems to be answer, at least from this journalist point of view to the current clergy shortage. Roger Chesley from Virgina Pilot online thinks he has the magic bullet to solve the current clergy shortage throughout the world.

"GOD BLESS OUR overworked Roman Catholic priests. Their ranks keep thinning, the pews keep filling and dioceses across the nation are scrambling to meet the needs of the faithful.
Whether it's having one priest serve several "clustered" parishes, recruiting more permanent deacons, or increasing the roles of the laity, the Catholic Church hierarchy is struggling to find the right combination to minister to an ever-growing number of parishioners. Especially in this country, single Catholic men aren't seeking the often-austere, task-laden lives of the priesthood.

In article this week by The Pilot's Steven Vegh discussed the push by the Catholic Diocese of Richmond to boost the ranks of deacons, the ordained male clergy who can administer some sacraments but cannot do all the functions handled by priests. Deacons can be married.

A suggestion, one I've mentioned before: Allow married priests. (Though I'm a married Catholic, it's not something I'd seek personally.) A majority of U.S. Catholics favors the change, according to surveys.

I know, I know, the church is not a democracy. And the priest shortage in the United States is not as acute as in other countries, such as Mexico and in parts of Asia and Africa.
Nor am I referring to the handful of priests who were married when they converted from other faiths - mainly Episcopal or Lutheran - to Catholicism. They number only about 100, said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

But it's clear the Catholic Church needs additional help on the altar. In 1975, there were 58,900 diocesan and religious priests in the United States, according to the nonprofit Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. Today, there are 41,449. Meanwhile, the number of Catholics has exploded, from 48.7 million in 1975 to 64.4 million today.

Priests who have left the active ministry to marry, or those married Catholics who want the option of becoming priests, could do a great service for the faith. They would gain spiritually, and they could ease the workload of current priests.

At least the possibility of married priests was discussed two years ago, shortly after Pope Benedict XVI's tenure began, during the Synod of Bishops. The advisory body grappled with the worldwide priest shortage and whether celibacy was necessary.

In the end, church policy was not altered, but "the fact that [open discussion] even happened is significant," said James D. Davidson, sociology professor at Purdue University and one of four authors of the recently released book, "American Catholics Today."

"The idea to expand the pool of people eligible for the priesthood" has gained in intensity in recent decades, he told me by phone Thursday. "Catholics put a value on the sacrament. They see the decline of priests as a potential threat to their ability to get communion or last rites," also called anointing of the sick. Priests, not deacons, must administer the anointing and consecrate bread and wine for Holy Communion.

I might not see the change in my lifetime - the Catholic Church moves glacially. But married Catholic men should have the option of becoming priests. "

After reading the above article, I was disappointed the author mentions nothing new. What Roger and his counterparts forget, our Protestant and Jewish brethren, who allow married clergy do not have their seminaries overflowing either.

Years ago, I was dead against married priests strictly from a conservative point of view. Now, as an ordained deacon, I am still not in favor for not only traditional but practical reasons as well. In particular, the church has struggled almost 40 years in getting the diaconate to a place where families and marriages did not suffer from the demands of ministry. At the onset, believe it or not, a decent percentage of deacons were getting or have already had divorced their wives.

During my formation tenure, I have witnessed several classmates struggle with family and employment priorities. Such demands, if not properly embraced by the entire family can cause irreparable damage to one's family after ordination.

To a certain degree, because deacons have outside employment, priorities are family, employment diaconate. Realistically, it is difficult to compartmentalize these priorities. Deacons, (and I certainly do) must have understanding and charitable wives who value charitable service to the community.

I have got to believe, with married priests, the demands would be far greater and managing one's household more difficult. The church does not want to be in the business of breaking up families.

The real crisis today is not the shortage of priests but the crisis in religious and family values. When one can solve this equation, then we will start to see a reversal not only in the clergy and religious life trend but in the value of life as well.

Commemoration of All The Faithful Departed

If you have ever entered the Church of Our Savior on Park Ave and 41st street in Manhattan, your eyes are immediately drawn to the large words written across the ceiling of the high altar. “Lord it is good that we are here.”

These words were spoken by St. Peter after he witnessed the transfiguration of our Lord. It must have been a wonderful expereince, one that Peter did not want to end.

My dear friends, tonight it is good that we are here. We are gathered here in this church, united, perhaps in sorrow and sadness as we remember our family and friends who have passed away this year.

But know that as we celebrate the mystery of Christ love at every Eucharist, we are also united in faith and hope that our loved ones are now enjoying everlasting life with the Lord Jesus.

Most of us would agree that our Word is our most important asset - We rarely promise anything unless we can deliver. We are especially careful what we promise our children. They all listen very carefully to our every word and expect results when we make promises.

They will pester us to make sure we deliver.

We must also be careful what we say to adults, especially to a grieving family or friend. Often we are lost for words we greet them at a funeral home. Why? Because deep down we know that we can not magically take away their pain and suffering. Most of the time, we compromise by offering our much needed presence and support.

The same is not true when the Lord Jesus speaks. His words have meaning because he is the only one who can give us hope and offer us eternal life.

Why should we believe him?

No parent would promise their children anything if they could not keep their promises. Do you think Jesus would make a promise he couldn't keep?

Jesus knows how we feel right now.

Although the Gospels are silent on this, I am sure Jesus felt the same when his foster father Joseph died. This is a pretty safe assumption knowing that the gospels tell us how he wept when his friend Lazarus died.

The human person of Jesus felt the same pain we are feeling.

Yet we, as believers, we know that the divine person of Jesus, by his own life, death and resurrection offers humanity a chance to receive everlasting life.

Yes, we all will admit that perhaps all our loved ones, even those who were advanced in age and those who suffered with long illnesses were all taken too suddenly. Unfortunately, we can not change that.

We must find hope and consolation in the words Jesus spoke in our Gospel proclaimed this evening.

We heard him say, “Do not let your heart be troubled.”

"In my father’s house there are many dwelling places.”

“If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?"

My dear friends, tonight, it is good that we are here. It is good that we continue to come to this place to listen more attentively to the words of Jesus, who is the way, the truth and life.

In our prayer life, we must be like children, hanging on to every word spoken by God and believing in God’s promises.

Tonight, we must commit ourselves to follow Jesus and live in faith and hope knowing that our loved ones are at peace with the Lord they most faithfully served.

Let us continue to pray for one another as we continue our journey in life, with faith in Jesus.

Feast of All Saints

Why are we obligated to come to Mass on All Saints day? The church, in her infinite wisdom obliges us to come to Mass on this feast day because of the importance of recognizing all the saints, not just those canonized. We come to recognize all who have journeyed through life on a path of holiness.

Today, the church desires that we unite ourselves with all those men, women and children who lived their lives loving Jesus following the Gospels he preached.

The Second Vatican Council reminded all Catholic Christians of the most important vocation in life, namely, a universal call to holiness. By our Baptism, whether a priest, religious, or lay person we are all called to holiness.

Perhaps some of the greatest saints or role models we find worthy of imitation have never been canonized, but non the less, they are saints. They might be our parents, our relatives, our teachers, our friends, our parish priests and our co-workers.

Today, in remembering them, we are reminded to live holy lives. We are all called to a deep, abiding relationship with Jesus Christ no matter what form of life we choose. Holiness is really the perfection of faith, hope, and sharing in God’s very nature, which is love.

Is perfection possible? Probably impossible, but that is what makes the journey most interesting. We shouldn't kid ourselves into believing that the saints are made of smooth, carved out marble without imperfections that we see on grand high pedestals. They were ordinary people, who had faults and made mistakes. Some suffered with illnesses and tragedies, others gave their lives for Christ. But at one point in their lives, they all had a desire to be holy. Once they said yes, God's grace did all the rest.

St. Matthew tells us that the path to holiness does not begin when we reach the other side of life. We are blessed now if we strive to live according to the beatitudes. The blessedness is not only a promise of tomorrow, but a reality of today.

God’s grace is within us now. Jesus wants us to live the beatitudes in this life.

Jesus wants us to be poor in spirit, meek, humble, merciful and peacemakers. The beatitudes need to be incorporated in our lives so we too, one day, can share the kingdom of heaven with all the saints and praise God in glory for ever.

Every time we celebrate the liturgy, heaven and earth are united. The liturgy is a foretaste of what we will share with the saints in heaven.

Leon Bloy, a French Catholic writer, once said “the only tragedy in life is not to become a saint.” Holiness is about realizing our deepest, greatest potential, becoming who we were truly destined to be. What a shame it would be to miss it.

Mother Angelica said it a bit more succintly," We are all called to be saints, don't miss the opportunity!"

("Communion of Saints" tapestry depicted above is taken from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles)

Cardinal tells Religious - "Get Blogging"

Cardinal Ruini, the 76 year old prelate from Italy and former head of the Italian Bishops Conference urges Religious to get the real Jesus and His message out on the web.

Zenit reports: Cardianl Camillo Ruini spoke to the religious at the Pontifical Urbanian University during the diocesan gathering of the Union of Major Superiors of Italy, which represents 1,287 communities and 22,000 religious in Rome. According to the Roman diocesan weekly RomaSette, Cardinal Ruini said: "A priest from Novara told me that the theme of 'Jesus' is very much discussed by youth in blogs.

The focus, though, comes from destructive books that are widespread today, and not from Benedict XVI’s book ‘Jesus of Nazareth. "What will the idea of Christ be in 10 years if these ideas triumph? The 76-year-old prelate admitted, "I don’t understand the Internet, but especially young religious ought to enter blogs and correct the opinions of the youth, showing them the true Jesus.”

“The teaching emergency is central in Benedict XVI's concerns," the cardinal said. "For him, education in the faith coincides with service to society, because to form someone in the faith means to form the human person."

Simply giving motivations for living defeats nihilism and gives value to the human person, a value that is based on Christ himself, the fact that God became a man."The cardinal asserted that an educator’s testimony and content can matter more than pedagogical techniques. He called for catechists to be creative in finding occasions for promoting Benedict XVI’s book, saying it shows the solidity of faith in the historical Jesus of the Gospels, and bases the identity of the Christian in a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.

Cardinal Ruini said that in Catholic schools, "the religious can witness to Christ in all their lessons, in the sciences, in history and even in Italian literature, in an inseparable union of faith and culture. Your creativity ought to find new techniques for the vocational challenge, which ought to develop in step with society.

"Progressive" Nun speaks on how to resist patriarchial approaches to church leadership.

Is Burlingame Mercy Sister Eloise Rosenblatt teaching the faithful to be disobedient? Obviously Sister is not happy with her position in religious life and desires to rally other free thinking religious and laity against the Church instituted by Christ. She plans to speak on “Countering and Challenging Patriarchy in the Church” on Oct. 27 at Our Lady of the Rosary Church Hall in Palo Alto.

The California Catholic Daily reports: The event, sponsored by the Thomas Merton Center in Palo Alto, was advertised in the Oct. 16 Valley Catholic, the newspaper of the San Jose diocese. According to the Oct. 14 Thomas Merton Center bulletin, Sister Eloise will address the question: “How do progressive Catholics, who wish to stay members of the Roman church, change the entrenched patriarchal church systems that disempower the laity in general, and women in particular?”

Sister “will take a broad analytical approach and recognize how subordination works culturally and doctrinally,” said the bulletin. “She proposes long-term strategies for resisting and reforming patriarchal approaches to church leadership, by invoking the church’s own teaching.” (Sounds to me like she is re-interpreting the church's teaching according to her agenda instead of invoking it)

Sister Eloise, both a feminist theologian and a doctor of law, directs ELOROS Inc. (Education, Law, and Religious Organizations), which, says the bulletin, is “a non-profit organization that provides parish inservice education about employment issues and California’s mandatory antidiscrimination training.” In the past, Sister Eloise has addressed other “progressive” gatherings. She offered workshops at the 1998 and 2005 Call to Action West Coast Conferences on the topics, “Keeping your church job,” church law, and clergy sexual exploitation of adult women.

Call to Action is a group that promotes public dissent against Church teaching on women’s ordination, homosexuality, birth control, and other matters.

Need I say any more. If you follow the link above, you will note the number of negative comments Sister received.

Something to think about: Just think what our world and the Catholic Church would be like had Frances Cabrini, Elizabeth Seton, Catherine Sienna, Mother Teresa, Teresa of Avila, Dorothy Day and Mother Angelica (just to name a few) chose to focus their energies on rallying the faithful against the hierarchy.

Francis of Assisi challenged the hierarchy in a positive way, for the benefit of the poor, the marginalized and outcasts.

Harry Potter is kicked out of school!

Harry has not been expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.


Fox News reports that a Catholic pastor at a Massachusetts parochial school has made all the Harry Potter books there disappear, saying they are spiritually dangerous for children and could encourage them to engage in witchcraft.

The Rev. Ron Barker of St. Joseph's School in Wakefield, Mass., said he stripped the library there of the fantasy series by British author J.K. Rowling in the last month after discovering the novels were among the 10,000 volumes on the shelves.

"This is a parochial school and I have the moral authority to do this," he said in an interview with FOXNews.com. "For some people, reading those books is a vehicle to become involved in the occult. ... My basic premise is for the spiritual protection of the children."

A group of about a dozen parents complained about Barker's decision to yank the books and wrote a letter petitioning him to put Potter back in the school library.


"We must allow our children the space to discover how to make correct moral choices on their own," the parents wrote. "While we recognize that some fear that Harry Potter books may lead to the practice of Wicca and Satanism, we respectfully disagree that such fears warrant the removal of reading material from the school library."

Barker contends that parents and children have every right to read the Potter series, of which the seventh and final installment "Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows" came out last summer. He suggested they check them out of the public library or get them at the bookstore but maintained they have no place in a Catholic school.

"I’m not preventing people from buying the books," Barker said. "I’m not marching down to the public library demanding that they burn the books. I'm protecting from what could be a danger to some people. Evil is very seductive."

Barker said. But a few might — and that's what he fears.


I would prefer our children to choose a book from the vast number of classics that have been written. Since I have not read any of the Potter books, I am not inclined to give an opinion. I would love to hear from those of you have read them and tell us what you think.

Is the tide is turning towards Catholicism?

Yes, according to author David Hartline, the tide is turning towards Catholicism.

If found his interview on ZENIT very interesting. Here are some of the highlights.

Young people want something built on a solid foundation after seeing how the culture of death is destroying society, said author David Hartline.Hartline is the author of the recent book "The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism," published by Catholic Report. In this interview with ZENIT, Hartline considers some of the changing trends in the Church that have come about through courageous Catholic leaders, seen especially in Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

Q: What motivated you to write "The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism"?

Hartline: While working for the Church, I began to notice a series of hopeful trends in the Church that few were discussing. I wrote an article for my Catholic Report Web site that was picked up by a number of Internet sites and publications. Because of its popularity, I decided to write a book filled with data and stories concerning my observations.

Q: In what ways do you see the tide turning?

Hartline: It is turning in many ways. In a nutshell, wherever Church orthodoxy is taught the Church is flourishing. This extends to the young and old. In the book, I note that in dioceses where Church orthodoxy is emphasized, we see increases in seminarians and youth involvement in the Church. For example in the United States, the Archdioceses of Denver, St. Louis, and Omaha, along with the Diocese of Lincoln, known for their clear observance of Church orthodoxy, have the same number of men studying for the priesthood than less-orthodox led dioceses that have five to 10 times as many Catholics.

We also see vibrant parishes involved in Scripture study, catechism courses, apologetics, Eucharist adoration, rosary devotions, as well as programs to assist those in need. This is the springtime of evangelization that John Paul II spoke of some years ago. Because of these efforts, we are seeing many converts embrace the Church. There have been some well-known converts in the last 20 years, starting with Scott Hahn, (one of my favorite writers who also runs the St. Paul's Center for Biblical Theology) Deacon Alex Jones, Francis Beckwith and even bishops from other churches.

However, these are just a few illustrative examples; there are millions of converts who came into the Church in the last few years who were well versed in the teachings of their previous churches, some who were even proudly anti-Catholic. However in their quest to prove Catholicism wrong, many found the Catholic Church to be the one Jesus founded. Often, converts approach me at the various talks I give and say three things kept them from Catholicism; the Eucharist, Mary and the papacy. When I asked what brought them into the Church they basically give the same answer, the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother and the Holy Father, or the magisterium.

These were all subjects they knew little about until the read the early Church Fathers and saw the continuum of 2,000 years of the Church's history and teachings. While there are hopeful signs in the United States and Latin America, and even glimmers of hope in Europe, the most vibrant areas of the Church can be found in Africa and Asia. In 2006 alone, some 8 million converts came into the Church and 3,000 priests were ordained in Asia and Africa.On these continents, the faithful often have many struggles, political and religious oppression along with poverty.

However, "the least of these" sure seem to be showing the wealthier parts of the Catholic world how to live and practice their faith. Recently, a priest originally from Uganda was visiting the United States to raise money for his parish in Sudan. This visiting priest told me he was taken aback by some in the Western world who verbally attack the Church, some of whom were even members of the Church. He said such a thing would be unthinkable in much of Africa, since the Church, its teachings and graces, such as the sacraments, are embraced with awe, wonder and gratitude.

Finally, one can't talk about the turning tide without mentioning the worldwide influence of Mother Teresa and Mother Angelica. One was called to help the forgotten and the poorest of the poor, while the other was called to launch a worldwide television and radio ministry to evangelize and defend the Church throughout the four corners of the earth.

Q: In the United States you trace this turning tide to World Youth Day in Denver that occurred in 1993. Why do you see this event as a catalyst?

Hartline: There are three events I believe helped turn the tide.The first took place with the election of John Paul II in 1978, the second was World Youth Day in Denver in 1993, and the third was the huge outpouring of love from millions of people both in Rome and throughout the four corners of the world after the death of John Paul II and the election of Benedict XVI.

Funny, we are experiencing the same results with some of the traditional religious orders.

Welcome Sisters and Brothers!

While efforts for dialogue between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church have been derailed, there is continued good news to report from Ireland. Three parishes from the Church of Ireland have asked for full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

The parishes, in counties Down, Tyrone and Laois are members of the 'traditional rite' within the Church of Ireland. The Irish Catholic newspaper, has learnt that the members of these parishes, along with traditional Anglicans from twelve other countries, have signed a letter to the Vatican seeking "full, corporate, sacramental union" with the Catholic Church under the authority of the Pope.

The dramatic move would see the entire parish communities received in to the Catholic Church. While only a few hundred Anglicans in Ireland will be affected, the move, if approved by the Vatican, would see 400,000 Anglicans worldwide admitted into the Catholic Church, the paper reports. The traditional rite of the Church of Ireland emerged in 1991 after the House of Bishops of the Church of Ireland decided to start ordaining women. Traditionalist Anglicans decried the move as a "defiance of both Scripture and Tradition.

"A spokesman for the traditional rite confirmed that the members of the traditional rite of the Church of Ireland did hope to be received into "full communion with the See of Rome". A decision was made at a plenary meeting of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC), the umbrella organisation for traditional Anglicans, to petition Rome for such a move earlier this month.According to a statement from the TAC "the bishops and vicars-general unanimously agreed to the text of a letter to the See of Rome seeking full, corporate, sacramental union.

"The letter was signed solemnly by all the College and entrusted to the Primate and two bishops chosen by the College to be presented to the Holy See," the statement added.A spokesman said "the letter was cordially received at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith."The Primate of the TAC has agreed that no member of the College will give interviews until the Holy See has considered the letter and responded," he said.

It is rare for entire Anglican communities to seek corporate communion with the Catholic Church whereby every member of the parish becomes Catholic and the parish effectively becomes part of the Catholic Church. There have been a number of high-profile individual conversions. Most recently, Anita Henderson, wife of the Church of Ireland Bishop of Killala was received in to the Catholic Church in a private ceremony in Ballina, Co Mayo. In the US, the so-called 'pastoral provision' allows Catholic bishops to establish 'Anglican Use Catholic parishes', which use a liturgy adapted from Anglicanism. However, the parishes are in full communion with the Holy See and accept all Catholic teachings.

Bishop urges Catholic youth to be bold in their faith

Catholic adults are not the only ones hearing Pope Benedict's message to be "steadfast in faith."

The Bishop of Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades tells more than 500 Catholic youth," Never be ashamed of your faith." The bishop of Harrisburg presented strong reaffirmations of Christian faith in a homily he delivered to an audience of mostly middle-schoolers from Lancaster and Lebanon counties who are beginning their journey toward confirmation.

"It takes courage to be a Catholic today. Never be afraid to be a Christian," Rhoades said. The bishop's homily urged the mainly seventh-grade students to stand firm and profess a strong faith in Jesus Christ.

About 570 parishioners from 26 Catholic churches in the two counties attended the Mass, which kicked off the start of the Youth Education Summit, a two-year spiritual preparation for the seventh-graders' confirmation. Yolanda Larson, the pastoral associate for youth at the church, was the main organizer of the kick-off event. "Some of the parishes [in attendance] which are really small can't do this on their own," she said. "We looked at their needs, and there needs to be a first concrete step for them [toward confirmation]." "We've never done anything this large," said Sister Mary Elizabeth Schmidt of the Sacred Heart Convent in Lancaster. "The kids were excited to have the bishop coming."Schmidt sat on the committee that organized the event.

The committee was composed of five other members of the Lancaster and Lebanon deaneries. Rhoades also told the audience to affirm the centrality of Christ in their faith. "If one of your non-Christian friends asked who Jesus Christ is, what would you say?" he asked the students. Children in the audience gave a variety of answers for the bishop. "Jesus is the savior," one said."He is the Son of God," another said."He is part of the trinity," said still another."No matter what, he is with us," Rhoades said. "Don't let a day go by without cultivating that relationship.

"The 49-year-old Rhoades also detailed his own personal journey into the seminary in college. "Seventh-grade was the first time I started thinking about becoming a priest," he said. "I went to college, but the calling was still there. I kept resisting it. One day I surrendered. It is a big sacrifice."Be open to the Lord's call for your vocation," he told the audience. Afterward, the bishop spoke with parishioners in the church lobby. The homily and Mass were accompanied by music performed by Women at the Well.

I was amazed to learn that the youth from this diocese embark on a two year Confirmation spiritual preparation program. In our parish, the program is far less than one year. The youth and their catechists should be commended for their commitment.

Nuns and Bikers team up for the needy

Over the years nuns have ventured out of the class room into hospitals, homeless shelters and day care centers. In Houston, they have teamed up with Harley riders in the annual Nun Run for charity.

For Sister Deenan Hubbard, peace comes from prayer. But freedom comes from coasting a foot off the ground at 55 mph while sitting sidecar on a Harley. "It is a blast!" Hubbard exclaimed Saturday before setting off on a motorcycle trip from Houston to Galveston with 19 other Roman Catholic nuns and about 250 bikers.

Called the Nun Run, the motorcycle rally was sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and the Christus Foundation for HealthCare to raise money for the needy. Riding on a motorcycle with the wind in her face is especially sweet, Hubbard said, knowing that she is doing God's work. The rose on her forearm, a temporary tattoo, was appropriate for the occasion, she said grinning.

"I'm the lead bike!," Hubbard beamed as motorcycle engines roared. She, and her brother, longtime biker Ted Hubbard, started the rally three years ago. Hubbard recalls approaching church officials about endorsing the idea. "They said, 'What? Bikers and nuns?' " She responded: "Why not?" The first rally drew about 60 bikers and raised about $15,000. This year's Nun Run, Hubbard said, drew about 250 bikers and raised $100,000 for Christus Southwest Community Health Center to help needy families.

Saturday's rally began as a festival of sorts at Villa de Matel, the order's motherhouse just south of downtown. Inside were a tattoo station and tables where bikers in leather had breakfast with nuns, some in traditional attire.

Outdoors, eager nuns — several of them elderly — waited in line for quick motorcycle rides around the convent grounds. "May I have a ride now?" "Is it my turn?"Sister Mary Nora Dwan, 90, was ready for a spin. "I'm going to get in there," she declared to her friends before being helped into a sidecar. Wearing a black Harley Davidson bandana over her veil, Dwan gracefully waved goodbye with one hand and shook a pom-pom with the other as the driver whisked her away.

Bikers set to drive the nuns to Galveston said they were mindful that they would be carrying special cargo. "Oh, yeah," said Doyle Keeling, who provided his sidekick with a helmet equipped with a microphone so the two could speak during the 50-mile trip. Bikers Morris and Miriam Hall, who are not especially religious, said the Nun Run makes them feel a little closer to God.

And it might just help keep his bike in good shape and fend off flat tires, said Morris Hill, adding that he and his wife donated about $170 to the event. Funds were raised through entry fees as well as personal and corporate donations delivered before and at the event. Many nuns accompanied the bikers to Galveston by bus.

Before they left, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Fiorenza and Jim McIngvale of Gallery Furniture gathered the crowd for a last-minute fundraising plea. They barbed one another in playful theatrics, sending hundreds into laughter over who could raise the most money. Volunteers held two helmets in the air — silver for McIngvale, black for Fiorenza. Bikers, nuns and visitors hustled to drop cash into the helmets. Fiorenza won. He said a prayer. Then bikers and nuns alike made the sign of the cross.

Story was featured in the Houston Chronicle.

Why Catholics Pray the Rosary?

The recitation of the rosary has been a time honored Marian devotion for centuries. During the pre-Vatican II days, the rosary was very popular since many congregants attending mass understood very little Latin and prayed the rosary instead. You can still see remnants of mature Catholics practicing the same.

Since Vatican II, the rosary, like many other devotional practices have generally fallen out of favor. Recently, the tide has been changing. Catholics are re-discovering this hidden jewel of the church. The Rosary itself has been enhanced to include scriptural meditations at each decade.

Personally, I love the rosary. Often, we don't have time for contemplative prayer. The rosary is a chance to really focus on and meditate on each aspect of God's redemptive plan for all humanity.

The Catholic Sun reported: Catholics have been praying the rosary for more than 800 years with confidence God will hear their prayers, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix, Arizona said. “With Mary His Mother, we gaze on the face of Christ, contemplating the mysteries of His life, those mysteries by which the world is redeemed,” he said.

“Such contemplative prayer helps us, like Mary, to love her Son,” the bishop said. “It deepens our desire to serve Him and to pray for the needs of His Body, the Church.”

While traditionally Catholics have believed the Blessed Mother gave the rosary to St. Dominic in the 13th century, Dominican Father James Thompson said the actual historical source isn’t clear.

What is clear is that the 150 Hail Marys of the 15-decade rosary correspond to the 150 psalms prayed by the Church, he said. “It’s a lay person’s way of participating in the prayer of the Church,” Fr. Thompson said. “You can look at it as a ready-made prayer service. You don’t even need to be literate, much less ordained or religious to do it.”

While the rosary has been an official prayer of the Church and the preferred devotion of many saints, “We cannot use anything we do not understand, especially when it comes to prayer,” Bishop Olmsted said.

Those who discover the contemplative, Christ-centered nature of the rosary will find it to be a great help in nurturing a lively friendship with Jesus,” he said. “They will also discover, if they persevere for a week or more, that the repetitiveness of the rosary’s Hail Marys is a real help in dealing with distractions,” the bishop said. “Repetition is the language of love: we never get tired of hearing ‘I love you.’”

This language of the rosary has transformed many Catholics in the Phoenix Diocese, lay and religious alike. Mary Fierros, a parishioner at St. Louis the King in Glendale and a member of the Legion of Mary, started praying the rosary 40 years ago. “I had breathing difficulties, so I promised Our Lady that if I were healed I’d pray the rosary every day,” she said. “I haven’t had trouble breathing since.”

“When one prays the rosary, one remembers the promises God made through his Angel Gabriel,” said Levi Vazquez, who heads up the rosary group with his wife Guillermina. Before the crucifixion, Mary was mother to Jesus, Vazquez said. After Jesus told John, “Behold your mother,” Mary was mother to all humanity.

“As her children, we must ask her for what we need,” Vazquez said. As with our biological mothers, he said Catholics could have an intimate relationship with Mary. “You have to have that personal encounter with her. She’ll give you little proofs, and you’ll come to know her more and more — though you’ll never know her completely,” Vazquez said.

If you had not prayed the rosary in a long time, or never had a chance to be acquinted with it, give it a try.

Pope Benedict meets with World Religious Leaders, condemns all forms of violence.

Pope Benedict met with religious leaders from around the world. Urged all to work for peace and to denounce violence. "Religion can never justify violence." He also condemned the deplorable local acts of violence in Naples.

MSNBC reports: The pope's visit coincided with a three-day meeting of religious leaders from around the world on the role of religion and culture in creating a violence-free world.

The pope told the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist leaders they must work for peace and reconciliation among peoples.

"In a world wounded by conflicts, where violence is justified in God's name, it's important to repeat that religion can never become a vehicle of hatred, it can never be used in God's name to justify violence," he said. "On the contrary, religions can and must offer precious resources to build a peaceful humanity, because they speak about peace in the heart of man."

While the pope's message was universal, it had particular resonance in Naples, which has long been one of Italy's most violent cities. Besides petty crime, it has been wracked by Camorra turf battles over drug and arms trafficking, prostitution rackets and other lucrative activities.

During an open-air Mass in Naples' main square, Benedict called for programs in schools and the workplace to change a "mentality" of violence that he said increasingly draws in young people who have few economic opportunities.

They (Religious Leaders) were gathered for the 21st annual peace meeting sponsored by Sant'Egidio Community, a Rome-based lay Catholic organization. Pope John Paul II hosted the first such meeting in the hilltop town of Assisi, birthplace of peace-loving St. Francis, in 1986.

Liturgy of the Hours - Not just for Clergy & Religious

St. Paul tells us to pray always without ceasing. Did you ever wonder how this is possible? For centuries, clergy, religious and contemplatives pray/chant the Divine Office (Liturgy of Hours). It's a tradition of santifying certain times of the day.

Deacons are also obligated to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, specifically morning and evening prayer. Personally, this daily ritual allows me to connect with God and at the same time, fulfill an obligation to pray for the special intentions of the church throughout the world. We all know the power of prayer, hundreds of thousands of clergy, relgious and even lay people too are also joining their prayer with yours.

The Long Island Catholic reports: For many people, the Liturgy of the Hours evokes images of a priest reading a breviary alone or monks or sisters chanting the Psalms in unison. But the Liturgy of the Hours is “the common prayer of the Church” for everyone — a simple form of prayer that anyone can pray in a group or alone, said Sister of Mercy Sheila Browne, associate director of the diocesan Office of Worship.

The Liturgy of the Hours presents a way to be mindful of the gift of the different hours of the day. Someone can choose to say the Liturgy of the Hours just once, such as morning or evening prayer, or can mark each of the traditional seven hours. Though there are some variations, the format each time encompasses an opening prayer, a hymn, praying the Psalms, a reading from Scripture, intercessory prayer, the Lord’s Prayer or “Our Father,” and a concluding prayer, she noted. “It runs a few pages if you print it as a booklet,” Sister Sheila said. “It could take 10 minutes to pray by yourself, say if you’re riding the Long Island Rail Road.” Praying aloud with others generally takes 15 to 20 minutes.

“The custom of gathering at certain times of the day to pray is very, very ancient,” predating Christianity, Father DeGrocco said. There is evidence that the early Church prayed in common at certain hours.“It was later on that the Liturgy of the Hours became the prayer of the clergy and religious,” Sister Mary Alice said. “The rosary became more popular with the laity.”

“The Church has made great strides since the Second Vatican Council in opening up the Liturgy of the Hours to wider use,” Sister Sheila said. The clergy are still obliged to pray it. “There are some parishes that celebrate it weekly. Some parishes do so only during certain seasons, such as Advent and Lent,” Sister Mary Alice said. In addition, parishioners can pray it informally.

“In the diocesan Pastoral Formation Institute,” she continued, “we try to give our students an experience of Liturgy of the Hours and train lay people in how to lead the prayer.” “Every Christian has the obligation to pray unceasingly,” Father DeGrocco said, citing the words of St. Paul, according to his or her individual state of life and circumstances. “Praying the Hours is one way.

“You can get the book, ‘Liturgy of the Hours,’ at a religious book store,” Sister Sheila said. “Or it can be ordered from a liturgical press.” She added that there are simplified forms for use by groups or families. “There are also Web sites that you can download it from, such as www.universalis.com or www.ebreviary.com.”

Try it, you might like it!

Is Giuliani an enemy of Conservative Christians?

Ruddy himself has said, "I am not your enemy." With each passing day, religion and religious values are becoming more and more the main issue for the next presidential election. All candidates realize this and all are trying to work their way through it without offending any side. The truth is, you are who you are and your actions speak louder than your rhetoric.

The New York Times reports: Rudolph W. Giuliani strolled into the maw of the religious conservative movement Saturday, seeking to defuse a crowd of over 2,000 activists with language of Christian inclusiveness and shared values, while offering a litany of promises meant to convey that he would not be their enemy if elected president.

Mr. Giuliani, who addressed the audience at the Values Voter Summit here for about 40 minutes, talked about his beliefs, saying his reliance on God’s guidance was at “the core of who I am.” He said he understood and agreed with the feelings of many that their “values are under assault by a culture that is moving in the wrong direction.”

Mr. Giuliani, the former New York mayor, acknowledged that members of the audience probably had serious differences with him, but after his speech, even his critics said his performance may have swayed some Christian conservatives to at least drop opposition to his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He, like other speakers, was met with a standing ovation.

Mr. Giuliani’s appearance Saturday was one of the most highly anticipated moments of the campaign. When Mr. Giuliani announced his presidential run this year, many dismissed his chances of winning the Republican nomination because of his liberal views on social issues — a core part of the party’s conservative platform — and his personal life. Mr. Giuliani supports abortion and gay rights. He has been twice divorced and is estranged from his two children. He was raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic schools, though he does not regularly attend church.

But he has led in national polls, prompting growing alarm among Christian conservative leaders whose followers are a powerful voting bloc in the party. Several dozen evangelical leaders met recently in Salt Lake City and vowed to support a third-party candidate if Mr. Giuliani won the nomination.

Rick Scarborough, an influential conservative leader who heads the group Vision America, said Mr. Giuliani may have succeeded in defusing that possibility and helped his chances in the general election among Christian conservatives with his performance Saturday.

The saga continues!

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Perseverance

Please note, when reading this homily, keep in mind that it will be preached at our Cluster's Life Teen Mass.



About 5 years ago, a very wise priest was about to address a group of men considering becoming deacons. He asked us this important question.

What is your most important vocation/calling in life?

Because I believe it was one of the most important questions ever asked, I would like to begin by asking you the same.

Many, like yourselves, answered everything but God’s call to holiness. Each of us are called to be the best person, the best Christian we can possibly be. If we actively respond to God’s call to holiness – then we can be the best teenager, student, son, daughter, friend, priest, religious or what ever.

Jesus has told us, be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.
Holiness is a task – we have to work at it. We can not grow weary.

Being the best at anything today requires much practice, knowing where to go for help and most of all, perseverance.

Why is perseverance so important? We all love a sense of accomplishment. To quote a popular cliche. When the going gets tough the tough get going.

Faith has a lot of competition in the world.

You may experience peer pressure from friends, some might say, “Why do you have to go to mass on Sunday evenings? Let’s all go hangout by the shore.”

As students, you are probably always so busy with school work. Perhaps loaded up with AP classes, involved in all kinds of activities and sports programs.

Then there’s television, especially reality TV shows that keep telling you to value only materialistic things. Money, power and success is where its at!

Society and Role Models - Kathy Griffin Comedian, who doesn’t believe it’s necessary to thank Jesus for her award. “He had nothing to do it.” The sad news about Kathy’s comments, many young people laughed along with her.

Today’s readings tell us that diligence and perseverance are noble and praiseworthy in the eyes of God.

They tell us that God has placed a calling on each of our hearts. God wants us to use the gifts He has given us no matter what challenges or worldly obstacles that are placed in our path. We need to be prepared to meet those challenges head-on and remove those obstacles.

In the first reading, Moses had to keep his arms raised beyond pain to protect the Israelites. Sometimes, we have to do things, even if it hurts as long as we do what is right. Other times we have to help and support each other on their faith journey. Moses had the support of Aaron and Hur. Who do we support?

In the Gospel, we heard about the widow who nagged the judge until he saw things her way. God does not want us be nags, but, like the widow, He wants us to be persistent in our prayer life.

Prayer as you know is not just asking all the time. Prayer does not always result in a request granted. Perseverance in prayer strengthens our faith. It enables us to see beyond our own particular needs and know that we are all part of a larger plan of spending eternity with God.

Prayer is about listening! At times, we are not good listeners.

It amazes me every time I am on the express bus, there is always some talking constantly from the moment we leave mid-town Manhattan until we come into Bay Ridge Brooklyn.

I often feel sorry for the person on the other end of the phone.

St. Paul tells us to listen to the voice of God speaking directly in the Bible. He tells us to remain faithful to what we have learned and believed.

Why? So we will not to be swayed by all the false teachings that surround us. The Bible expresses God’s will for salvation, a message that every one of us needs to hear and obey.

Bibles are useful for teaching and for training in righteousness. They are not show pieces in the home, they are meant to be used!

Getting back to our original question. We can begin answering our call to holiness by listening to God speaking to us in the scriptures.

We can begin answering our call to holiness by deepening our prayer life.

Perseverance and persistence requires discipline. Like cardio exercise and weight training you have to do it on a regular basis. Once a week is not enough.

We all carry all kinds of electronic devices. We use cell phones to stay in touch with our families and friends.

We use blackberry’s to stay in touch with co-workers and employers. Did you ever think about carrying a pocket size bible to stay in touch with God? I understand you even download passages from the bible or your favorite prayers on your iPod.

As we continue to celebrate this Eucharist – the gift of God’s love for us. Let us leave here this evening thinking about how we can better respond to God’s call of holiness.

May we open our ears and our hearts to God speaking to us in sacred scripture.

May we become more persistent in our prayer life and remain steadfast in hope that every prayer spoken or in the silence of our hearts, is heard by God.

Retiree keeps things rolling!

Did you ever wonder what life would be like once you retired? There should be plenty of time for golf, family, hobbies and Caribbean vacations. No so for Henry DelCastillo, a 35-year career as a sales management executive at Mattel.

Henry made the decision to retire.“I made the choice to retire, even though my company wasn’t ready for me to go,” explained DelCastillo, who had also retired from the Army Reserve with the rank of colonel 10 years earlier after 36 years of continuous service. “I had decided that I wanted to move on.”He found himself filled with the same restless energy that had driven him from his home at age 17 and propelled him into a life of consistent achievement and impressive professional success.

He was ready to search for something to fill his time.“…After I stopped working, I found myself wondering, ‘What am I going to do…?’ he admitted. “I don’t play golf, I don’t really have hobbies, and my grandchildren are grown. I realized that I needed to be involved in service.”

The drive to be productive is a deeply ingrained personal characteristic, explained DelCastillo, a native of New York City. “I was a high school dropout. I joined the Army on a whim at 17. The Army got me on the right path, and I began working toward my education,” he recalled.

Having attended other area Catholic churches in the past, DelCastillo found himself inspired by a meeting in 2004 with Father John Robert Skeldon, who was serving as an associate pastor at St. Michael Church in Bedford at the time.

Talking with Fr. Skeldon was a turning point for me,” reflected DelCastillo. “He was very instrumental in leading me into this life of service. I consider it something of an awakening.”

After becoming a parishioner at St. Michael’s, DelCastillo soon became involved in weekly Scripture studies, stewardship efforts, and the work of the Northeast Emergency Distribution Committee (NEED), an interfaith outreach program supported by the parish. As he personally interviewed NEED clients as a volunteer counselor, he was struck by the problems faced by individuals who lacked dependable transportation and were thus unable to find and maintain employment.“

The transportation service, offered free of charge to eligible residents, has now been operational for over a year and has provided over 2,000 rides during that time. American Red Cross vans provide transportation from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, to low-income workers in the HEB area.

As for Henry DelCastillo, while he considers the HEB Transit Project “a tremendous success,” he isn’t content to rest upon his laurels. He is also passionate about his work with “Educate the Children,” a Mission Council program of the Diocese of Fort Worth that partners with Father Bob Thames in serving children in Cabezas, Bolivia. DelCastillo has been to Bolivia twice to assist with the program, he said. “Actually, my reasons for serving are very selfish,” mused DelCastillo. “I just want to ‘pay back’ for all of the benefits and treasures I have received.

The Holy Spirit has entered my life, and while I thought I was the one in charge all these years, it’s taken me until now to learn that [God] was the one who has always been in control. And I’m grateful. That’s why I do what I do.” This inspirational story was featured in North Texas Catholic.

Henry, did you consider becoming a Deacon?

St. Luke, the Evangelist & Historian

"Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received." (Luke 1: 3-4)

Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Luke who provides us with the beautiful Nativity story and wrote the longest Gospel. Luke is also the writer of the Acts of the Apostles. "Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion. "Only Luke is with me," Paul writes (2 Timothy 4:11). (American Catholic)

He is sometimes referred to as the “historian” among the evangelists. While he does make historical references to Roman Emperors and Jewish Kings, some of his details are vague and not always accurate.

Luke’s intent in presenting an orderly narrative is to show God working to move human history through the various periods of salvation. Part of Luke’s message is that the good news of Jesus is meant for all people.

Christologically, Jesus is a great prophet; Lord of all nations, Savior of the poor. Jesus heals the sick & impaired people; forgiving sinners and debtors. You will be judged on how you use your wealth and possessions (many parables on the rich & poor).

Legend attributes the creation of the famous Our Lady of Czestochowa (also known as the Black Madonna) to St. Luke, the evangelist. It has been said that St. Luke "painted a portrait of the Virgin on the cedar wood table at which she had taken her meals." St. Helena, the Queen-Mother of Emperor Constantine is said to have located the portrait during her visit to the Holy Land and to have brought it to Constantinople in the fourth century. After remaining there for five centuries, it allegedly was transferred in royal dowries until it made its way to Poland.

An Argument Atheists Kant Refute

Recently, atheists have stepped up their attacks on religious beliefs. New books have been written that essentially call those who are believers superstitious fools. The Age of Enlightenment brought many to question humanity's quest for God. There is however, one philosopher, a product of the same Age that differed with his contemporaries.

Catholic Online featured the following story that was initially published in the Christian Science Monitor. This atheist attack is based on a fallacy – the Fallacy of the Enlightenment. It was pointed out by the great Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant erected a sturdy intellectual bulwark against atheism that hasn't been breached since. His defense doesn't draw on sacred texts or any other sources of authority to which people of faith might naturally and rightfully turn when confronted with atheist arguments. Instead, it relies on the only framework that today's atheist proselytizers say is valid: reason.

The Fallacy of the Enlightenment is the glib assumption that there is only one limit to what human beings can know – reality itself. This view says we can find out more and more until eventually there is nothing more to discover. It holds that human reason and science can, in principle, unmask the whole of reality.

In his 1781 "Critique of Pure Reason," Kant showed that this premise is false. In fact, he argued, there is a much greater limit to what human beings can know. Kant showed that human knowledge is constrained not merely by the unlimited magnitude of reality but also by a limited sensory apparatus of perception. Consider a tape recorder. It captures only one mode of reality, namely sound. Thus all aspects of reality that cannot be captured in sound are beyond its reach. The same, Kant would argue, is true of human beings. The only way we apprehend empirical reality is through our five senses.

Thus, when Christopher Hitchens and other atheists routinely dismiss religious claims on the grounds that "what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence," they are making what philosophers like to call a category mistake. We learn from Kant that within the domain of experience, human reason is sovereign, but it is in no way unreasonable to believe things on faith that simply cannot be adjudicated by reason.

Kant exposes the ignorant boast of atheists that atheism operates on a higher intellectual plane than theism. He shows that reason must know its limits in order to be truly reasonable. Atheism foolishly presumes that reason is in principle capable of figuring out all that there is, while theism at least knows that there is a reality greater than, and beyond, that which our senses and our minds can ever apprehend.

Be wary of false prophets!

Who is the real quarterback?

For Deanna Favre, wife of the three-time MVP Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre, prayer is her best defensive play. Deana had many opportunities to give up on life and God, but through all her misfortune, tragedies and illnesses, she survived through the power of prayer. Milwaukee Catholic Herald featured the following story this past week.

Deanna’s approach to prayer and faith goes far beyond the gridiron. Her Catholic faith and the power of prayer are what sustained her through her bout with breast cancer three years ago, as well as through the many tragedies which have befallen her family, including the untimely deaths of her father-in-law, Irvin Favre, her brother, Casey Tynes, and two months ago, the death of her stepfather, Rocky Byrd.

“I think your faith does really deepen when things happen,” she said in a telephone interview with your Catholic Herald. “It taught me a lesson, because it seems I was calling on God a whole lot more than when I used to, but we need to be thankful for all the things in life, and need to say thank you to God, rather than waiting until something bad happens to call on him. We have so much to be thankful for; we are financially set, our children are healthy.”

Deanna described her upbringing in Kiln, Miss., as faith-centered. “My mom (Ann Byrd) was very, very Catholic, taking us to church every Sunday, teaching catechism classes,” she said. In fact, she said some of her earliest memories of Brett date back to catechism class. Both Deanna and Brett went to a public school, but every Wednesday a bus took the public elementary school students to catechism classes at Annunciation Catholic Church after school.

“I love being Catholic,” said Deanna. “Some people think it’s too traditional because we repeat the same things at every Mass, but I love the fact that we re-enact the Last Supper every week, because it reminds us of what God did for us.”

In her book, “Don’t Bet Against Me: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life,” Deanna wrote, “But hearing Dr. Henry’s voice brought the truth home with stunning force. I had a loving husband, two daughters, a wonderful life. And breast cancer. Unavoidable. True. Deadly.”She goes on to describe how she told Brett the news. He had been calling her regularly the morning she went for the biopsy. Each time, she told him she had no news. Call back after 12:30.“Brett didn’t wait until 12:30. I had barely disconnected the doctor’s call when my phone rang again. Without even saying hello, Brett asked, “Did you hear anything?” When I didn’t — couldn’t — answer, he exhaled a jagged breath, “Oh, God.”

His spontaneous prayer would have to suffice; I was too numb to pray. Prayer part of recovery. Once the initial shock of the diagnosis wore off, however, Deanna said prayer was a big part of her recovery. One of her reasons in writing the book, she said, was to help others realize the power of prayer. “The faith aspect of it, too. I don’t think people always realize the power of prayer and how faith plays a role in recovery or getting over the loss of somebody,” she said. “I don’t want people to think I’m perfect in my faith, and I’m not saying I am holier than thou, but it’s helped me get out of different things in life.”

Prior to breast cancer, Deanna said she had occasionally wondered about her life’s purpose. “I remember always thinking, ‘OK, God, if you have a plan or purpose for me, you need to spell it out.’ Now it’s so funny; I prayed that for so long,” she said, adding that she believes things happen for a reason. “God has an ultimate plan and this has all been part of his plan. Now I can really see how he planned things out for me.

Their Catholic faith was a key factor in Brett and Deanna’s decision not to have an abortion when she became pregnant following her second year of college.“We were always totally against (abortion),” she said, adding that putting their baby up for adoption was also not a consideration. “My mother always said, ‘You make your bed, you sleep in it.’ I knew premarital sex was wrong, but for whatever reason (I) did. I had made my bed and I knew I would keep the baby,” she said.

“All the stuff we’ve been through over the years has molded us into two different people. For herself, Deanna said she’s convinced the power of prayer has helped her family. “Brett is a completely different person and I can see the power of prayer in just that. It’s changed our lives, our family. I still pray for him for a lot of different reasons and I pray for his protection (on the football field) each week,” she said. “I find myself praying a lot, when I get up in the morning, when I’m driving. I did not always allow God to be in every decision I made in the past, and I realize the ones he wasn’t a part of, were probably not good decisions.”

St. Teresa of Avila - Woman of Faith & Perseverance - Doctor of the Church

Today we celebrate the feast of the great Carmelite mystic, St. Teresa of Avila. A while back I was complaining about having such a rough day, a friend told me a great story about Teresa.

One day, Teresa was having an important meeting with her Bishop. As she prepared herself for the meeting, she put on her best habit. On her way to the meeting, she was caught in a powerful rain storm. After much thunder and lightning, the horse became frightened and caused her carriage to tip over. Teresa landed in a muddy pool of water. She immediately looked up to heaven and said, "Lord, why do you love me so much?"

Teresa was born in Avila, Spain in 1515. She entered the Carmelite order and despite much opposition, made great progress in instituting reforms. She wrote many books on sublime doctrine which resulted from the fruit of her own sense of spirituality and prayer life

The gift of God to Teresa in and through which she became holy and left her mark on the Church and the world is threefold: She was a woman; she was a contemplative; she was an active reformer.

Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate, courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human. Like Jesus, she was a mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent, yet much in tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer. A holy woman, a womanly woman.

Teresa was a woman "for God," a woman of prayer, discipline and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her own conversion was no overnight affair; it was an arduous lifelong struggle, involving ongoing purification and suffering. She was misunderstood, misjudged, opposed in her efforts at reform. Yet she struggled on, courageous and faithful; she struggled with her own mediocrity, her illness, her opposition. And in the midst of all this she clung to God in life and in prayer. Her writings on prayer and contemplation are drawn from her experience: powerful, practical and graceful. A woman of prayer; a woman for God.

Teresa was a woman "for others." Though a contemplative, she spent much of her time and energy seeking to reform herself and the Carmelites, to lead them back to the full observance of the primitive Rule. (taken from American Catholic)

Teresa is a wonderful example of how if one has faith and perseverance, they can do great things for Christ.

Depression - the most common and serious brain disease in America.

I was surprised to learn that more than 23 million people in the United States suffer from Depression. The social aspects of the Gospel compel us to minister to those in need. Often we think (and should think) of the homeless, the handicapped, the aged and the ailing.

I wonder how many of us minister to those suffering from depression. How many of can recognize when our family members, our co-workers and members of our faith community suffer from this dreaded disease?

The Daily Herald (Chicago) reports: "Winston Churchill called it the black dog. While in the throes of it, Abraham Lincoln described himself as "… the most miserable man living," adding that if his feelings of despondency were "equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth." Mike Wallace said it made him feel "lower than a snake's belly."

Women experience depression at twice the rate of men. Depression often occurs late in life, and only 10 percent of these sufferers ever receive treatment. Suicide is more common among senior citizens than among the population as a whole, and two-thirds of those deaths are attributed to untreated or undiagnosed depression.

One person who had struggled with depression for most of his life described it as trying to walk up a steep hill on useless legs, using crutches, while pretending that your legs work just fine.

Unbidden and invisible, depression is an equal-opportunity illness, arriving on the heels of grief, major illness or times of stress, or because it is an unspoken family legacy. Depression is a thief that robs you of your life until you enlist help. Trying to kick depression on your own is like trying to talk yourself out of a heart attack.

That's what Jean found when she sought help during her second bout with depression. Menopause catapulted Jean, who is using an alias, into her first episode of depression. Medication worked, but after a series of personal losses, including her parents' deaths and changes at work, she was quick to recognize that that unwanted guest had returned. Enlisting help from the Behavioral Health Services of Central DuPage Hospital, Jean went into an outpatient program where she spent five days a week for a month in therapy with mental health professionals.

Having worked in education for decades, Jean knew that the signs of depression are not to be ignored. Symptoms include feeling overwhelmed at even the simplest tasks; a persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood; feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, helplessness; loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, decreased energy; difficulty concentrating; difficulty remembering or making decisions; insomnia or oversleeping; early-morning awakening; loss of appetite or overeating; thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts; or headaches, digestive problems, pain or other physical disorders that don't respond to treatment.

"I was a professional so I had to force myself to go to work. In fact, everything I did, I had to force myself to do," recalled the 64-year-old suburban woman. "I couldn't concentrate, I didn't want to face the day. I just wanted to sleep. I had lost interest in most everything that had once been significant to me. It was easier for me to stay home than face people."

Now, a year later, Jean is getting re-acquainted with the strong, assertive woman she once was. And she's eager to tell others the importance of valuing ourselves enough to seek help when we need it.

Many people in our own back yard might be suffering from this disease. We all know people who have lost a loved one, might be facing some financial difficulty or dealing with a problem child. They might be the most vulnerable.

If someone you know has any of these symptoms, encourage them to seek the proper help immediately. Depression is no different from any other disease. Sometimes your friendship, care and concern can make a difference in some one's life who might experience some darkness in their life. Don't be afraid to share your light of Christ with them.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Thankfulness and Faith

As parents we are always reminding our children to say “thank you” when they receive a gift or when someone pays them a nice complement. Why do we teach our children and perhaps need to remind ourselves to say thank you when appropriate?

First, a “thank you” acknowledges that a gift has been given freely. It shows that we appreciate what was given to us.

Secondly, a "thank you" establishes a unique relationship between the giver and receiver.

In today’s Gospel, as Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem for the last time, he was confronted by ten lepers. He probably did not know them. They cried out to him and asked for pity and unexpectedly they were healed of their leprosy.

Before their encounter with Jesus, these 10 lepers were bound together by their terrible disease, but in the end, they were separated by a cure.

Before we give the nine lepers a bad rap for not saying thank you, we need to understand that they were following the rules.

Leprosy is a terrible disease, physically and mentally. In Jesus' time, it forced those afflicted to live apart from their families and friends. Life must have been horrible and painful for them.

Before they could have been re-accepted into society, they needed to show themselves to the temple priests to certify that they were cured. They did exactly what they were supposed to do. After their certification, they went home to resume their lives.

We can relate to them. How do we act when we have been relieved of an illness? Do we run right back to the doctor to thank him for the antibiotics he prescribed to make us feel better? Probably not, we rush to resume our lives before we were sidetracked with an illness.

The Samaritan leper went one important step further. He connected the dots well. He recognized and appreciated Jesus for who Jesus was, he was more than a healer. He was the Son of God who came into this world to save us. His life would never be the same again.

The physical cure the lepers received is not the essence of the story. Jesus wants us to know that what ever faults and imperfections we have that separate us from Him, we too can be cured. He wants us too to experience the new life that comes by having faith in him.

Why did Jesus make a big deal about not receiving a thank you from the other nine? God certainly does not need our thanks.

He wants to teach us that Gratitude is necessary because it recognizes God as the giver of all life and helps make known God’s mighty deeds working in our lives.

When Jesus prayed, he always thanked His father for the gifts that were given him. Before he gave himself on Calvary, at the last Supper, He gave his Father thanks and praise.

In looking into our own lives, we can find ourselves like the 9 lepers.

When we forget to give thanks to God, we fail to recognize God as the source of all goodness.

No matter what trials and tribulations were are experiencing, no matter what sickness or health issues we are facing, no matter how severe our financial problems maybe - we have all been given the gift of Jesus – who has given us the gift of his own life so we can live with him forever.

We need to be more like the Samaritan leper – and run back to Jesus and thank him for the gift of himself.

We need to be like the Samaritan leper and recognize Jesus for who he really is – our Savior and Redeemer.

We need to be like the Samaritan leper and allow faith in Jesus transform our lives.

A grateful person is one who can see a gift and say, “This is a gift. Someone gave me something I did not deserve.”

When we come to the celebration of the Eucharist, we have an opportunity to run back to Jesus, thank him and transform our lives by His words and examples.

The 10 lepers in today’s gospel knew Jesus as a healer. All ten begged for mercy, all 10 hurried to the temple.

One of them, a Samaritan, the one least expected turned back and realized something more was happening than a physical cure.

He recognized Jesus as his Savior and Redeemer. His life changed forever

St. Luke connects thankfulness and faith. Being thankful to God says something about our faith. Our belief in God is strengthened each time we thank God because it acknowledges God as the true giver of all life.

For us, as for the Samaritan leper, salvation is revealed and experienced in our worship and our sentiments of thankfulness.

Francine and Enzo, today you come back to the place you started your married life together.

Your world of 25 years ago has changed, for better or worse, yet you come to thank God for all your blessings. Never forget that God is the source of all goodness, God is the source of ever lasting life.

My dear friends, let us pray that we may never fail to Thank God for the gift of life, for the Gift of His Son, for the Gift of His Holy Spirit and for the gift of each other.

Sr. Pauline Day, CSJ - A Gentle Woman

The St. Ephrem Community and the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood are mourning the loss of a dear friend, sister and associate. This week, our dear Sister Pauline returned home to God.

A Josephite Sister for more than 50 years, Pauline was the director of our parish's Spirituality Center.

She was the backbone of our bereavement ministry, spiritual direction program, centering prayer sessions, faith formation programs and coordinator of all our Advent and Lenten Retreats and Prayer Services.

An upbeat member of our staff, Pauline could have always been counted on to roll up her sleeves and dive into any project that passed her way. She also led and coordinated small faith sharing groups and a book review club. She had a great sense of humor and was always willing to give a person a chance to express themselves.

Tonight, I had the opportunity to speak with our Pastor, Msgr. Peter Kain, who rushed home from his annual retreat. We fondly remembered her as a true "Gentle and prayerful woman" who touched the lives of so many people.

I first met Pauline over ten years ago when I started to become active in parish ministry. Without her knowing much about me, she offered me a chance to run a devotional series on the "Lives of the Saints." I never forgot the opportunity but more importantly, I was grateful for the confidence she expressed in me. Later on we worked together on the Liturgy Committee as well as the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion ministry.

She touched just about every aspect of parish life. Pauline was able to encourage and guide so many women and men to become active in lay ministry.

Since the end of last year, she battled her illness with great dignity. Never looking for sympathy, she desired only prayers. I was extremely grateful she was able to share my joy on Ordindation day this past May. (Photo: Pauline and I enjoying a moment at my ordination reception)

Although we are all going to miss her, her prayerful and dedicated spirit is alive and well in our community. Please remember Pauline, her family and her Sisters in your prayers. "Requiescat in pace"