The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them,"Come, and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter). - John 1: 35-42
A Homily on the Feast of St. Andrew:
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Advent and Christmas Resources from the USCCB
Catholic Conference of Illinois calls for Rejection of Civil Union Legislation
The Catholic Conference of Illinois, on behalf of Cardinal George and the other Bishops of the Conference are calling for the Illinois General Assembly to reject Senate Bill 1712 which is attempting to pass civil union legislation. You can read the Conference statement here. Thomas Peters has more information here, including information on contacting your representative to voice your concern. We have a lot of students from Illinois here in Cape, so please be sure to contact your representatives to tell them of your opposition to this bill!
Help Us Get to the March for Life!
This Sunday we will begin fundraising for this opportunity for our students to witness to the sacredness and dignity of human life from conception to natural death at the 2011 March for Life in January. We need to rent vehicles and gas for 26 students to travel to D.C. Please help us get there! If you would like to donate to this effort please contact us at http://www.ccmin.org/. You can also give directly at CCM after Mass this Sunday. We cannot express enough how much the generosity of the community means to us. Without your support and prayers we would not be able to provide so many opportunities to grow in our Catholic faith to the students of Southeast Missouri State University. Thank you for your support and may God bless you all!
Joy of Christmas Concert this Friday!
All are invited to enjoy music to celebrate the coming Christmas season. May we humbly prepare ouselves during this Advent to celebrate the coming of the Lord who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Monday, November 29, 2010
"...every human life has an incomparable, a most elevated dignity."
Saturday the Prayer Vigil for All Nascent Human Life was held in Rome and all over the world. You can read the full text of the Pope's homily here. Here are some excerpts the I really liked (my emphasis added).
"The Incarnation reveals to us, with intense light and in an amazing way, that every human life has an incomparable, a most elevated dignity."
Awesome words of wisdom from the Holy Father. No human life, whether still in the womb, toddler, teen, adult, or on the verge of their last breath, deserves to be treated like an object. Human life from its beginning stages to its final stages is sacred. Advent is a great time to reflect on the reality and sacredness of the child in the womb. Let us pray for an end to the scourge of abortion, infanticide, contraception, assisted suicide, euthanasia and all crimes against humanity. And let us faithfully reach out in love to those who feel they have no other choice but to succumb to these things. There is another choice! Choose life that you and your descendants may live! (Deut. 30:19)
"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." - Bl. Mother Teresa
Thanks for the video link, Emily!
"The Incarnation reveals to us, with intense light and in an amazing way, that every human life has an incomparable, a most elevated dignity.""Believing in Jesus Christ also means having a new outlook on man, a look of trust and hope. Moreover, experience itself and reason show that the human being is a subject capable of discernment, self-conscious and free, unique and irreplaceable, the summit of all earthly things, that must be recognized in his innate value and always accepted with respect and love. He has the right not to be treated as an object of possession or something to manipulate at will, not to be reduced to a mere instrument for the benefit of others and their interests. The human person is a good in and of himself and his integral development should always be sought. Love for all, if it is sincere, naturally tends to become a preferential attention to the weakest and poorest. In this vein we find the Church's concern for the unborn, the most fragile, the most threatened by the selfishness of adults and the darkening of consciences. The Church continually reiterates what was declared by the Second Vatican Council against abortion and all violations of unborn life: 'from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care. '"
"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." - Bl. Mother Teresa
Thanks for the video link, Emily!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Bishop Johnston Celebrating Vigil for All Nascent Human Life
In heeding the Holy Father's request, Bishop Johnston will be celebrating Vespers, Rosary and Benediction to pray for all nascent human life this Saturday, November 28th at 7pm at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau. If you're in town please come to pray with us that all human life, including life in the womb, may be respected and treated with dignity!
Matt Maher at the Show Me Center
Popular Catholic recording artist Matt Maher will be appearing at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau on Friday, January 28 at 7pm along with popular Christian artists Mercy Me, The Afters, Thousand Foot Crutch, and Jars of Clay as part of the 2011 Rock and Worship Roadshow. Tickets cannot be purchased in advance, so be sure to arrive early to purchase your $10 ticket at the door!
Matt's music is a favorite among CCM students. Here's a taste of his music if you're not familiar with it:
Matt's music is a favorite among CCM students. Here's a taste of his music if you're not familiar with it:
Holy Father's General Audience Address - November 24
Brothers and Sisters,
Our catechesis today deals with Saint Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary, a woman of great holiness and a Doctor of the Church. Catherine’s spiritual teachings are centred on our union with Christ, the bridge between earth and heaven. Her own virginal entrustment to Christ the Bridegroom was reflected in her celebrated visions. Catherine’s life also shows us the importance of the spiritual maternity exercised by so many women in every age. From this great saint let us learn to grow in holiness, love for the Lord and fidelity to his body, the Church.
Our catechesis today deals with Saint Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary, a woman of great holiness and a Doctor of the Church. Catherine’s spiritual teachings are centred on our union with Christ, the bridge between earth and heaven. Her own virginal entrustment to Christ the Bridegroom was reflected in her celebrated visions. Catherine’s life also shows us the importance of the spiritual maternity exercised by so many women in every age. From this great saint let us learn to grow in holiness, love for the Lord and fidelity to his body, the Church.
Happy Thanksgiving!
We at CCM pray that you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! And to all our students, we pray you have a restful break and safe return to campus next week! May we give thanks to God for all the many blessings he has given us, especially the gifts of life and faith! Deo Gratias!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Bl. Miguel Augustin Pro, pray for us!
 |
| Fr. Pro stretched out his hands in imitation of our Lord before his execution. |
This and other information can be found in a booklet called Viva Christo Rey by Ann Ball which we have in our Chapel on campus.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Church has NOT Changed Her Teaching on Condoms.....What the Pope Really Said
The media has been having a field day this weekend misinterpreting what the Pope said about condoms in a book called Light of the World which is an interview between Pope Benedict and journalist Peter Seewald. All over the tv, newspaper and internet you've probably seen headlines such as "Pope Softens Teaching on Condoms", blah, blah, blah. No, he hasn't. Here's some quick advice: If you ever hear the media reporting on something regarding the Church - disregard and go look at what the Pope or the Church actually said. Don't rely on the media to form your understanding of the Church because more often than not the media misunderstands, misinterprets or just plain gets it wrong. So let's look at what the Pope actually said in the interview:
Q: On the occasion of your trip to Africa in March 2009, the Vatican’s policy on AIDs once again became the target of media criticism.Twenty-five percent of all AIDs victims around the world today are treated in Catholic facilities. In some countries, such as Lesotho, for example, the statistic is 40 percent. In Africa you stated that the Church’s traditional teaching has proven to be the only sure way to stop the spread of HIV. Critics, including critics from the Church’s own ranks, object that it is madness to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.
A: The media coverage completely ignored the rest of the trip to Africa on account of a single statement. Someone had asked me why the Catholic Church adopts an unrealistic and ineffective position on AIDs. At that point, I really felt that I was being provoked, because the Church does more than anyone else. And I stand by that claim. Because she is the only institution that assists people up close and concretely, with prevention, education, help, counsel, and accompaniment. And because she is second to none in treating so many AIDs victims, especially children with AIDs.
I had the chance to visit one of these wards and to speak with the patients. That was the real answer: The Church does more than anyone else, because she does not speak from the tribunal of the newspapers, but helps her brothers and sisters where they are actually suffering. In my remarks I was not making a general statement about the condom issue, but merely said, and this is what caused such great offense, that we cannot solve the problem by distributing condoms. Much more needs to be done. We must stand close to the people, we must guide and help them; and we must do this both before and after they contract the disease.
As a matter of fact, you know, people can get condoms when they want them anyway. But this just goes to show that condoms alone do not resolve the question itself. More needs to happen. Meanwhile, the secular realm itself has developed the so-called ABC Theory: Abstinence-Be Faithful-Condom, where the condom is understood only as a last resort, when the other two points fail to work. This means that the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love, but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves. This is why the fight against the banalization of sexuality is also a part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man’s being.
There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection. That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality.
Q: Are you saying, then, that the Catholic Church is actually not opposed in principle to the use of condoms?
A: She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality.
As those of you who have gone through our Theology of the Body studies here at CCM know, contraception is an intrinsic evil. This has been and will always be the teaching of the Church. Doctines and dogmas of the Church are unchanging. Sex is meant to be an expression of profound love between a husband and wife. The Church's teachings on human sexuality are incredibly beautiful and help us understand what it means to be human and truly live out the beauty that God has called us to. It must be understood that when the Church says 'no' to something like contraception, it is saying 'Yes!' to something much more true, beautiful and good for us! Our hearts deeply desire what the Church teaches and we discover that when we truly learn why the Church teaches what she does. The Church is helping us understand how to live our lives as a self-gift as Christ himself lived. Isn't that what being a Christian is about? To be like Jesus Christ? To live like him? To love like him? How did Jesus live? Jesus offered himself up for us in a free, total, faithful and fruitful gift. That, in turn, is also how we are called to love - and that is what authentic love is. So if sex is meant to be a profound expression of the authentic love of a husband and wife (who are to be icons of the spousal relationship of Christ and the Church), then we must ask ourselves if contraception expresses authentic love which is free, total, faithful and fruitful. The answer, of course, is no, it does not. Why? Well, the purpose of contraception is to thwart conception therefore it attempts to suffocate the fruitful aspect of authentic love. Contraceptives also tempt people to engage in pre-marital or extra-martial affairs because they diminish the possibility of conception. Also, in using contraceptives you say to your spouse that you do not want to give yourself totally because you are withholding your fertility. For more on all this read these books.
Ok, so back to the Pope's interview. What was he saying? Let's first look at what he didn't say: The Pope did not say that condoms are ok for contracepting. Contraceptives are never ok. In fact, he didn't even say that condoms are ever ok. He stated many times that condoms are not moral or real solutions in combating the fight against AIDS - reiterating what he had said on his pilgrimage to Africa a while back. There are better and more conrete ways of preventing the spread of HIV - and in countries that have realized this, the spread of HIV has decreased significantly. Now let's look at what the Pope did say: He basically said that sometimes a person's intention of not spreading infection could be a first step in awakening a moral responsibility in the person which could lead to an authentic "humanization of sexuality" and authentic moral living (which, of course, would mean sex only in marriage as well as no condom use or other contraceptives). But condoms are not a moral or real solution. As Emily Bissonnette points out, "the Holy Father is not saying that this intention makes condom use good." (By the way I highly recommend reading Emily's commentary on this issue - just click on the link to read it.)
The Church's teachings are for our good and happiness and to help us authentically live out our humanity created in the image and likeness of God. The Church's doctrines and dogmas are unchanging and the Pope is the Guardian of Truth. The media has totally blown what he said out of proportion and out of context - as it usually does. Again don't rely on the media to learn about the Church. Learn about the Church from the Church.
Read more voices of truth on this topic here:
Thomas Peters
Dr. Janet Smith
Emily Bissonnette
Jimmy Akin
Q: On the occasion of your trip to Africa in March 2009, the Vatican’s policy on AIDs once again became the target of media criticism.Twenty-five percent of all AIDs victims around the world today are treated in Catholic facilities. In some countries, such as Lesotho, for example, the statistic is 40 percent. In Africa you stated that the Church’s traditional teaching has proven to be the only sure way to stop the spread of HIV. Critics, including critics from the Church’s own ranks, object that it is madness to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.
A: The media coverage completely ignored the rest of the trip to Africa on account of a single statement. Someone had asked me why the Catholic Church adopts an unrealistic and ineffective position on AIDs. At that point, I really felt that I was being provoked, because the Church does more than anyone else. And I stand by that claim. Because she is the only institution that assists people up close and concretely, with prevention, education, help, counsel, and accompaniment. And because she is second to none in treating so many AIDs victims, especially children with AIDs.
I had the chance to visit one of these wards and to speak with the patients. That was the real answer: The Church does more than anyone else, because she does not speak from the tribunal of the newspapers, but helps her brothers and sisters where they are actually suffering. In my remarks I was not making a general statement about the condom issue, but merely said, and this is what caused such great offense, that we cannot solve the problem by distributing condoms. Much more needs to be done. We must stand close to the people, we must guide and help them; and we must do this both before and after they contract the disease.
As a matter of fact, you know, people can get condoms when they want them anyway. But this just goes to show that condoms alone do not resolve the question itself. More needs to happen. Meanwhile, the secular realm itself has developed the so-called ABC Theory: Abstinence-Be Faithful-Condom, where the condom is understood only as a last resort, when the other two points fail to work. This means that the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love, but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves. This is why the fight against the banalization of sexuality is also a part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man’s being.
There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection. That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality.
Q: Are you saying, then, that the Catholic Church is actually not opposed in principle to the use of condoms?
A: She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality.
As those of you who have gone through our Theology of the Body studies here at CCM know, contraception is an intrinsic evil. This has been and will always be the teaching of the Church. Doctines and dogmas of the Church are unchanging. Sex is meant to be an expression of profound love between a husband and wife. The Church's teachings on human sexuality are incredibly beautiful and help us understand what it means to be human and truly live out the beauty that God has called us to. It must be understood that when the Church says 'no' to something like contraception, it is saying 'Yes!' to something much more true, beautiful and good for us! Our hearts deeply desire what the Church teaches and we discover that when we truly learn why the Church teaches what she does. The Church is helping us understand how to live our lives as a self-gift as Christ himself lived. Isn't that what being a Christian is about? To be like Jesus Christ? To live like him? To love like him? How did Jesus live? Jesus offered himself up for us in a free, total, faithful and fruitful gift. That, in turn, is also how we are called to love - and that is what authentic love is. So if sex is meant to be a profound expression of the authentic love of a husband and wife (who are to be icons of the spousal relationship of Christ and the Church), then we must ask ourselves if contraception expresses authentic love which is free, total, faithful and fruitful. The answer, of course, is no, it does not. Why? Well, the purpose of contraception is to thwart conception therefore it attempts to suffocate the fruitful aspect of authentic love. Contraceptives also tempt people to engage in pre-marital or extra-martial affairs because they diminish the possibility of conception. Also, in using contraceptives you say to your spouse that you do not want to give yourself totally because you are withholding your fertility. For more on all this read these books.
Ok, so back to the Pope's interview. What was he saying? Let's first look at what he didn't say: The Pope did not say that condoms are ok for contracepting. Contraceptives are never ok. In fact, he didn't even say that condoms are ever ok. He stated many times that condoms are not moral or real solutions in combating the fight against AIDS - reiterating what he had said on his pilgrimage to Africa a while back. There are better and more conrete ways of preventing the spread of HIV - and in countries that have realized this, the spread of HIV has decreased significantly. Now let's look at what the Pope did say: He basically said that sometimes a person's intention of not spreading infection could be a first step in awakening a moral responsibility in the person which could lead to an authentic "humanization of sexuality" and authentic moral living (which, of course, would mean sex only in marriage as well as no condom use or other contraceptives). But condoms are not a moral or real solution. As Emily Bissonnette points out, "the Holy Father is not saying that this intention makes condom use good." (By the way I highly recommend reading Emily's commentary on this issue - just click on the link to read it.)
The Church's teachings are for our good and happiness and to help us authentically live out our humanity created in the image and likeness of God. The Church's doctrines and dogmas are unchanging and the Pope is the Guardian of Truth. The media has totally blown what he said out of proportion and out of context - as it usually does. Again don't rely on the media to learn about the Church. Learn about the Church from the Church.
Read more voices of truth on this topic here:
Thomas Peters
Dr. Janet Smith
Emily Bissonnette
Jimmy Akin
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Watch the Consistory on TV or Online
Fr. Patrick is travelling to Rome for the Consistory of Cardinals this weekend. You can watch the Consistory on EWTN live at 3:30am on Saturday and it will be re-aired at 11am for those that like to sleep in the wee hours of the night. The Papal Mass and presentation of the cardinal's ring will be aired live at 2:30am on Sunday with a re-airing at 11am. The Holy Father will install 24 new cardinals this weekend; two of which are Americans: Archbishop Raymond Burke, who was once archbishop of St. Louis and is now serving the Church in Rome, and Archbishop Donald Wuerl who is the ordinary of Washington, D.C.
Dominican Sisters Appearing on Oprah November 23rd!
The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist first appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on February 9th. Praise to be God, the show went so well that they were invited to appear again! The Sisters will be on Oprah again on Tuesday, November 23rd. The sisters sent out an announcement about the upcoming show saying, "We have accepted this invitation in the hopes of reaching an audience we might not otherwise reach with the witness of our life and the Gospel. Please join us in praying that the show will be for the good of souls and the honor of God."
Be sure to tune in to support them and pray that their beautiful witness will bear much fruit in our country and the world! You can learn more about them at http://www.sistersofmary.org/.
Here is a clip from their first appearance back in February:
Be sure to tune in to support them and pray that their beautiful witness will bear much fruit in our country and the world! You can learn more about them at http://www.sistersofmary.org/.
Here is a clip from their first appearance back in February:
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Holy Father Requests Prayers for Children in the Womb
Pope Benedict will lead Vespers at St. Peter's on Saturday, November 27th for the "Vigil for all Nascent Human Life". He has requested that "...all Diocesan Bishops (and their equivalent) of every particular church preside in analogous celebrations involving the faithful in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations and movements.” Read more about it here.
And for all CCM students - if you would like to come with us to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. in January please sign up by November 24th in the Chapel.
"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." - Bl. Mother Theresa
And for all CCM students - if you would like to come with us to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. in January please sign up by November 24th in the Chapel.
"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." - Bl. Mother Theresa
Holy Father Pleas for Freedom for Christian Woman in Pakistan
Today the Holy Father pled for the freedom of a Christian mother of five in Pakistan who is accused of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed and has been sentenced to death. How can we help? First of all, pray. Then go here to find out more.
Pope Benedict's General Audience Address - Nov. 17
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Our catechesis today deals with Saint Juliana of Cornillon, better known as Saint Juliana of Liège. Born at the end of the twelfth century, Juliana was orphaned young and became an Augustinian nun. Intelligent and cultured, she was drawn to contemplative prayer and devotion to the sacrament of the Eucharist. As the result of a recurring vision, Juliana worked to promote a liturgical feast in honour of the Eucharist. The feast of Corpus Christi was first celebrated in the Diocese of Liège, and began to spread from there. Pope Urban IV, who had known Juliana in Liège, instituted the solemnity of Corpus Christi for the universal Church and charged Saint Thomas Aquinas with composing the texts of the liturgical office. The Pope himself celebrated the solemnity in Orvieto, then the seat of the papal court, where the relic of a celebrated Eucharistic miracle, which had occurred the previous year, was kept. As we recall Saint Juliana of Cornillon, let us renew our faith in Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist and pray that the “springtime of the Eucharist” which we are witnessing in the Church today may bear fruit in an ever greater devotion to the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood.
Our catechesis today deals with Saint Juliana of Cornillon, better known as Saint Juliana of Liège. Born at the end of the twelfth century, Juliana was orphaned young and became an Augustinian nun. Intelligent and cultured, she was drawn to contemplative prayer and devotion to the sacrament of the Eucharist. As the result of a recurring vision, Juliana worked to promote a liturgical feast in honour of the Eucharist. The feast of Corpus Christi was first celebrated in the Diocese of Liège, and began to spread from there. Pope Urban IV, who had known Juliana in Liège, instituted the solemnity of Corpus Christi for the universal Church and charged Saint Thomas Aquinas with composing the texts of the liturgical office. The Pope himself celebrated the solemnity in Orvieto, then the seat of the papal court, where the relic of a celebrated Eucharistic miracle, which had occurred the previous year, was kept. As we recall Saint Juliana of Cornillon, let us renew our faith in Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist and pray that the “springtime of the Eucharist” which we are witnessing in the Church today may bear fruit in an ever greater devotion to the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Call of God
Next week in the RCIA class here at CCM we will be talking about the sacrament of Holy Orders. Here is a preview of what we'll be talking about:
Awakening 2010
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Awakening Retreat Nov. 12-14th! Everyone had a great time and grew in their faith over the weekend. Here are some photo highlights:
Love vs. Use
Emily Bissonnette has once again written a fabulous article on Theology of the Body over at catholicexchange.com. Here are some snippets that I enjoyed. Read the whole article here.
______________________
"Because a person has a rich inner life and has free will that allows him to be a unique person, he can never be used as a means to an end. Central to the Church’s teachings about sexual morality is the understanding of the human person as a body/soul unity. John Paul summarized, “Sexuality morality comes into being not only because persons are aware of the purpose of sexual life, but also because they are aware that they are persons” (Love and Responsibility 33)."
______________________
"In his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, John Paul II said that the root of this type of society [a society that embraces the culture of death and use] is an “eclipse of the sense of God and of man” (#21). When our vision of God is obscured, then we are unable to discern the greatness and the call of the human person. Without a proper vision of what it is to be human, we have difficulty discerning the beauty and goodness of our Creator."
______________________
"The challenge for us is how to communicate the beauty of life as a gift and the joy of treating others with love to a world that seems to have lost sight of our call to greatness. When we share this gift with the world, we will eventually see the culture, music and media begin to reflect this vision."
______________________
"Because a person has a rich inner life and has free will that allows him to be a unique person, he can never be used as a means to an end. Central to the Church’s teachings about sexual morality is the understanding of the human person as a body/soul unity. John Paul summarized, “Sexuality morality comes into being not only because persons are aware of the purpose of sexual life, but also because they are aware that they are persons” (Love and Responsibility 33)."
______________________
"In his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, John Paul II said that the root of this type of society [a society that embraces the culture of death and use] is an “eclipse of the sense of God and of man” (#21). When our vision of God is obscured, then we are unable to discern the greatness and the call of the human person. Without a proper vision of what it is to be human, we have difficulty discerning the beauty and goodness of our Creator."
______________________
"The challenge for us is how to communicate the beauty of life as a gift and the joy of treating others with love to a world that seems to have lost sight of our call to greatness. When we share this gift with the world, we will eventually see the culture, music and media begin to reflect this vision."
Archbishop Dolan Elected To Be USCCB President
___________________________
U.S. Bishops Elect Archbishop Dolan New President, Archbishop Kurtz Vice President, Bishop Bransfield Treasurer, Also Vote on Chairs-Elect of Six Committees
BALTIMORE (November 16, 2010) — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) elected Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York as their new president and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky vice president at their annual Fall General Assembly.
Archbishop Dolan, who succeeds Cardinal Francis George of Chicago as president of the USCCB, was elected 128-111 on the third ballot in a run-off with Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona. Archbishop Kurtz was elected 147-91 on the third vice presidential ballot in a run-off with Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap., of Denver. Archbishop Dolan and Archbishop Kurtz begin their three-year terms as president and vice president at the conclusion of this week’s meeting.
The bishops elected Bishop Michael Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia to serve as USCCB treasurer-elect of the USCCB in a 123-114 vote over Bishop Paul Bradley of Kalamazoo. As Archbishop Kurtz is vacating the office of treasurer to assume the vice presidency, the bishops affirmed by acclamation that Bishop Bransfield assume the office immediately.
The bishops voted for the chairmen-elect of six committees who will begin their three-year chairmanships in November 2011. The bishops elected:
Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for Military Services to chair the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance in a 138-105 vote over Bishop Randolph Calvo of Reno, Nevada.
Bishop Joseph McFadden of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to chair the Committee on Catholic Education in a 120-118 vote over Coadjutor Bishop David O’Connell of Trenton, New Jersey.
Bishop Denis J. Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore, to chair the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs in a 125-113 vote over Bishop Ronald Gainer of Lexington, Kentucky.
Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, to chair the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis in a 137-102 vote over Bishop Paul Coakley of Salina, Kansas.
Bishop Daniel Conlon of Steubenville, Ohio, to chair the Committee on Child and Youth Protection, in a 146-92 vote over Bishop Patrick Zurek of Amarillo, Texas.
Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore to chair the Committee on International Justice and Peace in a 145-93 vote over Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, New York.
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Also, congrats to Bishop Conlon to chair the Committee on Child and Youth Protection. He was my bishop during my Steubenville years and is a wonderful shepherd!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Jesus in the Womb Christmas Ad
Pope Benedict's General Audience Address - November 10th
"Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This past weekend I made an Apostolic Journey to Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona, two great cities of Spain and Europe. I came as a pilgrim among pilgrims in this Holy Year of Compostela, to venerate the Apostle Saint James the Greater. The traditional practice of embracing the image of the Saint symbolizes our embrace of the Gospel which he preached and the mission which we receive in Baptism to bear daily witness to Christ and to strengthen society by our fidelity to the wisdom and truth of the Gospel. On Sunday, in Barcelona, I dedicated the Church of the Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece of the great architect Antoni GaudÃ. In this magnificent edifice Gaudà wished to celebrate the eternal source of all beauty, made flesh in Jesus Christ, who calls all humanity to become, in the Church, a temple in which God dwells. Let us pray for all families, that they may fulfil their unique role in society, and for all the people of Spain and Europe, that they may always find in their Christian roots the inspiration to pursue, along the pathways of our time, the historic mission of the Continent in today’s world."
This past weekend I made an Apostolic Journey to Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona, two great cities of Spain and Europe. I came as a pilgrim among pilgrims in this Holy Year of Compostela, to venerate the Apostle Saint James the Greater. The traditional practice of embracing the image of the Saint symbolizes our embrace of the Gospel which he preached and the mission which we receive in Baptism to bear daily witness to Christ and to strengthen society by our fidelity to the wisdom and truth of the Gospel. On Sunday, in Barcelona, I dedicated the Church of the Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece of the great architect Antoni GaudÃ. In this magnificent edifice Gaudà wished to celebrate the eternal source of all beauty, made flesh in Jesus Christ, who calls all humanity to become, in the Church, a temple in which God dwells. Let us pray for all families, that they may fulfil their unique role in society, and for all the people of Spain and Europe, that they may always find in their Christian roots the inspiration to pursue, along the pathways of our time, the historic mission of the Continent in today’s world."
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Human Experience Out on DVD!
You can purchase the DVD here. Need a refresher to remind yourself how great the film is?
Pope Benedict's General Audience Address - November 3rd
"Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Our catechesis today deals with Marguerite d’Oingt, a thirteenth-century Carthusian prioress and mystic. Marguerite’s writings, which include the earliest known examples of Provençal French, were inspired by the evangelical spirituality of Saint Bruno; they reveal her fine sensibility and her deep desire for God. Marguerite viewed life as a path of perfection leading to complete configuration to Christ, above all in the contemplation of his saving passion. She imagined the Lord’s life, his words and his actions, as a Book which he holds out to us, a Book to be studied and imprinted on our hearts and lives, until the day we read it from within, in the contemplation of the Blessed Trinity. Marguerite’s writings, filled with imagery drawn from family life, radiate a warm love of God and deep gratitude for his grace which purifies our affections and draws us more closely to him. The life and writings of Marguerite d’Oingt invite us to meditate daily on the mystery of God’s infinite love, revealed above all in the sufferings of Christ on the Cross, and to find in it the strength and joy to place our lives at his service and that of our brothers and sisters."
Our catechesis today deals with Marguerite d’Oingt, a thirteenth-century Carthusian prioress and mystic. Marguerite’s writings, which include the earliest known examples of Provençal French, were inspired by the evangelical spirituality of Saint Bruno; they reveal her fine sensibility and her deep desire for God. Marguerite viewed life as a path of perfection leading to complete configuration to Christ, above all in the contemplation of his saving passion. She imagined the Lord’s life, his words and his actions, as a Book which he holds out to us, a Book to be studied and imprinted on our hearts and lives, until the day we read it from within, in the contemplation of the Blessed Trinity. Marguerite’s writings, filled with imagery drawn from family life, radiate a warm love of God and deep gratitude for his grace which purifies our affections and draws us more closely to him. The life and writings of Marguerite d’Oingt invite us to meditate daily on the mystery of God’s infinite love, revealed above all in the sufferings of Christ on the Cross, and to find in it the strength and joy to place our lives at his service and that of our brothers and sisters."
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Pope and the 'Smokeboat'
Some of you have heard of the huge thurible used at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela affectionately called the 'botafumeiro' or 'smokeboat'. But here's a treat not too often seen: the Pope and the Smokeboat!
This huge thurible is 5 feet tall and can get up to 42 miles per hour. What I think is also interesting is how many guys it takes to make it swing! Take a look at the video again! Look at how many men are swinging that thing!
Thanks to Rocco Palmo.
This huge thurible is 5 feet tall and can get up to 42 miles per hour. What I think is also interesting is how many guys it takes to make it swing! Take a look at the video again! Look at how many men are swinging that thing!
Thanks to Rocco Palmo.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
"There Be Dragons" Behind the Scenes
Check out this behind the scenes look at "There Be Dragons", a film about two friends who grow up to find themselves in the midst of the Spanish Civil War - one turns away from God (Manolo) and one turns directly toward Him (St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei).
You can view the trailer for the movie here.
Check out this video about St. Josemaria Escriva:
"Anything done out of love is important, however small it might appear. God has come to us, even though we are miserable creatures, and he has told us that he loves us: “My delight is to be among the sons of men.” Our Lord tells us that everything is valuable — those actions which from a human point of view we regard as extraordinary and those which seem unimportant. Nothing is wasted. No man is worthless to God. All of us are called to share the kingdom of heaven — each with his own vocation: in his home, his work, his civic duties and the exercise of his rights". ~ St. Josemaria Escriva
You can view the trailer for the movie here.
Check out this video about St. Josemaria Escriva:
"Anything done out of love is important, however small it might appear. God has come to us, even though we are miserable creatures, and he has told us that he loves us: “My delight is to be among the sons of men.” Our Lord tells us that everything is valuable — those actions which from a human point of view we regard as extraordinary and those which seem unimportant. Nothing is wasted. No man is worthless to God. All of us are called to share the kingdom of heaven — each with his own vocation: in his home, his work, his civic duties and the exercise of his rights". ~ St. Josemaria Escriva
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
New Book on St. Padre Pio Released
Many of our students will be interested in this:
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Book Containing Unknown Facts About Padre Pio Hits Shelves in Spain
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Book Containing Unknown Facts About Padre Pio Hits Shelves in Spain
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Happy All Souls' Day!
Today is a special day set aside by the Church to pray for the holy souls in Purgatory. You can learn what the Church teaches about Purgatory here.
Let us pray for the faithful departed in a special way today:
God, our creator and redeemer,
by your power Christ conquered death
and returned to you in glory.
May all your people who have gone before us in faith
share his victory and enjoy the vision of your glory for ever,
where Christ lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
(From the Office for the Dead)
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the rest in peace. Amen.
Let us pray for the faithful departed in a special way today:
God, our creator and redeemer,
by your power Christ conquered death
and returned to you in glory.
May all your people who have gone before us in faith
share his victory and enjoy the vision of your glory for ever,
where Christ lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
(From the Office for the Dead)
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the rest in peace. Amen.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Vote Tomorrow! (or today if you're reading this Nov. 2nd!)
Marcel over at Aggie Catholics has a great Open Letter to Politicians up. Check it out.
Also be sure to read Cardinal-designate Burke's Pastoral Letter on Voting.
You can also view a full length interview between Cardinal-designate Burke and Thomas McKenna concerning voting here.
Here are some snippets from the interview and be sure to get out there and vote!
Also be sure to read Cardinal-designate Burke's Pastoral Letter on Voting.
You can also view a full length interview between Cardinal-designate Burke and Thomas McKenna concerning voting here.
Here are some snippets from the interview and be sure to get out there and vote!
Happy All Saints' Day!
In honor of today's Solemnity of All Saints', tonight's monthly Catholicism 101 class was about saints. If you missed it you can check out this info on how saints are canonized. We also talked about two particular people: St. Damien of Molokai and Bl. Chiara "Luce" Badano. Click on their names to find out info on them and watch the videos below. The most recent saints to be canonized are St. Mary MacKillop, St. Andre Bessette, St. Camilla Batista Varano, St. Stanislaw Stoltis, St. Guilia Salzano, St. Juana Cipitria Barriola. These six were canonized on October 17, 2010. Read more about these saints here and read Pope Benedict's homily from the canonization Mass here.
The Holy Father's November Prayer Intentions
•Mission in Latin America. That the Latin-American Churches may move forward with the continent-wide mission proposed by their bishops, assuming their share of the universal missionary task of God's people.
Pray for the Church in Baghdad
You may have heard that there was an attack on Catholics in Baghdad on Sunday during Mass. Many were killed and many were wounded. Fatalities reportedly include three priests. This is an example of the reality that martyrdom still occurs. Martyrdom is not simply something that once happened in early Christianity in the Coliseum - it still happens even today. Let us pray for those who perished, those who survived and for the repentance of those who inflicted the harm. Read the story here.
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