World Youth Day pilgrims have been inundating Europe this week as many are taking the opportunity not just to travel to Madrid but also to make pilgrimages to other holy sites in Europe such as Lourdes, Rome, Fatima, etc.

The Knights of Columbus and the Sisters of Life are hosting an English-speaking pilgrim site at the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid called the Love and Life Center.  This place is gonna be hoppin' with fabulous speakers, musicians, etc.

I'll highlight just a couple of the musicians and speakers briefly:

Mike Mangione and the Union - ya'll remember Mike and the band when they were here last April - you can be reminded of their awesomeness here:
Offering by LLRLRR

L'Angelus - family Cajun and Irish influenced band originally from Louisiana; taking their name from the beautiful Marian prayer traditionally prayed at 6am, Noon and 6pm, so-called because of the opening line: “the angel of the Lord declared unto Mary...”.  Here is a video of their performance at last January's FOCUS Conference held in Nashville:

Chris Stefanick: Steubenville graduate, Director of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of Denver and talented speaker. Here's some video clips from a talk he did also at a FOCUS Conference:

Fr. Robert Barron who makes regular appearances on the blog.

You can see the list of all the other performers and speakers at the Love & Live Center here.

Great video.  If you're a regular reader or CCMer, you'll see why I think so when you watch it :)

St. Dominic and the Order of Preachers

Today is the Feast of St. Dominic who is an incredibly important saint in the life of the Church.  St. Dominic founded the Order of Preachers in the early thirteenth century.  The Order was widely successful in refuting the Albigensian heresy which taught that all matter was evil.  The Dominicans are still known for their charism of preaching and have had a profound effect on the life of the Church throughout history.  The Pope even wears white because of the Dominicans (whose habit is white - when St. Pius V was elected to the Papacy he wanted to retain his white Dominican habit and it basically stuck).  Many great saints were members of the Dominican order whether as friars, sisters or layperons, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Martin de Porres, St. Catherine of Siena, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, etc.  Another interesting fact is that the Dominicans and Franciscans are so closely tied that both orders refer to the others founder as 'Holy Father Dominic/Francis' and so today is a solemnity not only for the Dominicans but also for the Franciscans.  You can read more about the life of St. Dominic here and here (this link has a lot of miraculous stories which are pretty cool).

This day actually provides the opportunity to start something that I had been thinking of lately which is to highlight a particular religious order on the blog around once a month, and so today we will begin with the Dominican Province of St. Joseph.  This particular province has friars located mainly in the northeastern part of the United States with some located as far west and south as Kentucky.  Many of our students will recall visiting the Dominican House of Studies in D.C. during our trip to the March for Life (pictured above) which serves as a priory for members of the province.  I really encourage you to check out their website (which I'm quite impressed with) - they have a lot of great information including videos, blogs, articles, etc. For all the young men who are discerning a call to the priesthood or religious life as a brother, this order is definitely worth checking out. They have 'Come and See' weekends coming up which you can find out about here.  And speaking of vocations, many of the brothers will be making solemn profession this Saturday, August 13th at the Dominican House of Studies, so I'm sure they would appreciate some prayers on that day.  There are nine brothers professing, including my great friend, Br. Peter Martyr.  All in all, the Dominicans of the Province of St. Joseph are quite simply awesome.

This is a great video featuring 21 young men receiving the habit as novices and 8 novices making simple profession.  One thing about this order that is striking is that their numbers are growing at an amazing rate - 21 new novices in this video!  God is still calling people to give everything to Him and His people in a beautiful gift of self.  Young people want truth, not watered-down fluff.  The orders that are unwaveringly committed to the Truth and orthodoxy are the ones that are growing - and this is proof:

Leaving All Things Behind from Province of Saint Joseph on Vimeo.

"If we really understood the Mass,
we would die of joy."

- St. John Marie Vianney

Pregnancy is Not a Disease

You may have heard at this point that health insurance in the U.S. is now going to be required to include contraceptives with no co-pay.  This is seriously alarming, particularly for Catholics and other Christians who recognize the harm that contraceptives do to women, marriages and newly conceived children (as contraceptives can also work as abortifacients).  If you would like to see some reasons why contraceptives are harmful you can see Marcel's list here.

In reading about this turn of events I was shocked (sort of) by the statements that were being made regarding this new mandate and the use of contraceptives.  For example, Kathleen Sebelius reportedly said the following:

Not doing it [providing contraceptive coverage] would be like not covering flu shots.

How did this disordered thought process of thinking that a human life is like a virus creep into our mentality?  As Cardinal DiNardo said in his statement:

Pregnancy is not a disease, and fertility is not a pathological condition to be suppressed by any means technically possible....I can only conclude that there is an ideology at work in these recommendations that goes beyond any objective assessment of the health needs of women and children.

Cynthia Pearson of the National Women's Health Network, which is apparently quite happy about free contraception, had this to say:

Over a span of generations from grandmothers to granddaughters, we have come from birth control being a hope and a wish — and almost luck — to being recognized as a part of health care that improves women's health.

Improves women's health?  In fact, particularly if we're talking about the pill, contraceptives may endanger women's health. The Mayo Clinic says the following:

Side effects of combination birth control pills may include:
An increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, heart attack, stroke and cervical cancer
Elevated blood pressure
Nausea
Bloating
Breast tenderness
Mood changes
Headaches

Etcetera.  Dr. Rebecca Peck of Physicians for Life recently wrote an article titled: "Significant Risks of Oral Contraceptives (OCPs): Why This Drug Class Should NOT Be Included In a Preventative Care Mandate" which you can read here. Not only may it cause both major and minor health risks but contraceptives have undeniably led to a tremendous increase in women being treated as objects, as well as an increase in abortion rates (which may be linked to breast cancer increases), all of which may also lead to a decrease in emotional and mental health.  Then of course there are the abortifacient properties of oral contraceptives:  the pill works in three ways - 1) it suppresses ovulation; 2) it thins the cervical mucus making sperm migration more difficult 3) it thins the lining of the uterine wall thereby causing difficulty for a newly fertilized egg (ie. a new human life) to implant in the womb. Now I'm not a doctor, so I'm not saying that there are absolutely no health benefits whatsoever, but after examining the evidence I certainly would not classify contraceptives as "improving women's health".

I echo Cardinal DiNardo's comments:

The IOM [Institute of Medicine] missed an opportunity to promote better health care for women that is life-affirming and truly compassionate.  I once again urge the Department of Health and Human Services to focus on the need of all Americans, including immigrants and the poor, for basic life-saving health coverage – not on mandating controversial elective practices in ways that undermine the good of women and children, the consciences of employers, employees and health plan providers, and the common good.

Speaking of consciences, the mandate obviously violates the conscience rights of American citizens.  It seems there is some kind of religious exemption, but there are serious problems with it.  Cardinal DiNardo:

Although this new rule gives the agency the discretion to authorize a ‘religious’ exemption, it is so narrow as to exclude most Catholic social service agencies and healthcare providers....For example, under the new rule our institutions would be free to act in accord with Catholic teaching on life and procreation only if they were to stop hiring and serving non-Catholics...Could the federal government possibly intend to pressure Catholic institutions to cease providing health care, education and charitable services to the general public? Health care reform should expand access to basic health care for all, not undermine that goal.

Thankfully there is a bill being co-sponsored by Reps. Jeff Fortenberry (who by the way, is a fellow Franciscan University of Steubenville alum and who gave the most recent Graduate Commencement address at the University which you can watch below) and Dan Boren called the "Respect for Rights of Conscience Act" which you can read and see who else is signing on to the bill here.  Cardinal DiNardo said of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act:

It’s now more vital than ever that Congress pass the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act to close the gaps in conscience protection in the new health care reform act, so employers and employees alike will have the freedom to choose health plans in accordance with their deeply held moral and religious beliefs.

So this is all to say: 1) pray for a renewed and right understanding of human sexuality and who we are made to be; 2) contact your representative and let them know that you do not want this contraceptive mandate and urge them to pass the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act of 2011.  At this time, according to the Act's bill summary it looks like it has 36 co-sponsors with only one rep. from Missouri and one rep. from Illinois (the two states from which most of you reading this are probably from).  So to make it easy for you all you have to do is click here to find out who your rep. is and contact them at the address or phone number that comes up.

To wrap it up, I think Cardinal DiNardo says it best:

HHS says the intent of its ‘preventive services’ mandate is to help ‘stop health problems before they start, but pregnancy is not a disease, and children are not a ‘health problem’ – they are the next generation of Americans.

Wow, that was a long post - and we didn't even get into the philosophical or theological problems with contraceptive use.  Maybe we'll do that in another post. :)

In the meantime, enjoy Rep. Fortenberry's commencement address - don't forget that amidst all the turmoil, hope is always present: 

Video of CCM Pilgrims in Europe

Rita Jo Dirnberger and Chris Horan, two of the pilgrims who went with CCM to France, Spain & Portugal this summer, put together a nice video of pictures from the trip - check it out:

Fr. Barron on Lasting Friendships

I'll be writing some on this topic as regards Bl. JPII's Love & Responsibility because he addresses this very concept in the first chapter - I've been slow on my follow up posts on L&R but I hope this week to catch up with it...

Requiescat in pace, Archbishop Sambi

From EWTN News:

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Holy Father’s diplomatic representative to the U.S., died in the evening on Wednesday, July 27. The nuncio was at a Baltimore hospital, where he was on a ventilator because of complications from a lung surgery performed two weeks ago.

On Monday, the nunciature, along with Archbishop Sambi's family, who traveled to Baltimore from Italy after Archbishop Sambi’s condition worsened, asked “Bishops, priests, religious, and lay faithful” to offer “sacrifices and prayers” for his recovery.

Archbishop Sambi was appointed by Pope Benedict in 2005 as the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. He began his duties in Washington, D.C. in February of 2006.

Continue reading here.

Families: Be Holy!

This is an important reminder to parents especially if their child may be called to a religious vocation.  God entrusts parents with the lives of their children to help them become the people He made them to be - to give them proper direction in the journey to heaven.  God has prepared a path for this child to come back to Him and is asking the parents to assist the child in discovering that path.  It is so important, therefore, for the parents to encourage the possibility of a religious vocation for their children. We will be the happiest in the vocation to which God has called us.  Parents, and future parents, you will aid your child in finding happiness and, most importantly, aiding them in their journey to heaven, if you support them if they think they may be called to religious life.  Sadly, many parents discourage their children if the possibility of a religious vocation is brought up, but if there is support rather than hostility, then the reception of the vocation to which the child is called will allow, not only the child, but the whole family to flourish in the freedom of the Holy Spirit. Family life is so incredibly important - families are the basic unit of society and if the family falls apart the society itself will fall apart.  If, however, families are seeking holiness then they have the ability to transform the culture from a culture of death to a culture of life and civilization of love. The family is what it all hinges upon so to speak.  The family is where the child first learns how to love.  This has dramatic consequences whether for good or for ill.  The Church speaks of the family as the 'ecclesia domestica' or 'domestic church'.  Bl. JPII recognized the importance of the family so much that he dedicated the whole year of 1994 as the 'Year of the Family' because he saw a need for a renewal in family life and he also wrote one of his thickest encyclicals 'Familiaris Consortio' on this topic.  Families, be holy!  Bl. John Paul the Great, intercede for us that our families may seek the holiness for which they are made.



This is probably the closest you'll ever see Fr. Patrick to a motorcycle.  Check out the story here.




Photo by Fred Lynch

  

What Mass looks like from a communion of saints view:

From Fr. Z.'s blog

The New Translation - It's Gonna Rock Your Socks

Word for Word [Teens] from Life Teen on Vimeo.

Can't make it to WYD? Make a virtual pilgrimage

If you can't make it to World Youth Day in Madrid Aug. 16-21 in person, the tech-savvy have created a virtual pilgrimage website where you can create an avatar, follow twitter updates, facebook updates, watch video, etc. It's kinda fun actually - they've even made a little Pope avatar (even though the Pope will be there - haha!) Around 2,398 people have signed up virtually as of now.  Learn more here.

But, of course, you will also want to unite yourself with WYD pilgrims not only through technology but also spiritually through prayer and the Sacraments. :)

By the way, in a lot of the WYD 2011 Logos like the one pictured, instead of "WYD" you may have seen "JMJ" which stands for "Jornada Mundial de la Juventud" which means "World Youth Day" in Spanish since it's being held in Madrid, Spain this year.

Padre Pio Coming to a Retreat Center Near You

If you have time to make a quick trip over to Vandalia, Illinois I highly encourage you to do so either on Tuesday, August 2 anytime between 10am-8pm or Friday, August 5 between 10am-Noon to venerate one of the gloves and dried blood (basically a scab - I know it sounds gross, but it's actually really cool) from his stigmata.  A priest who lived with St. Pio at San Giovanni Rotundo will be there, Fr. Ermelindo di Capua. 

Read more from the St. Louis Review.  Check out more info about the retreat that coincides with this at Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry.

Chillin' at Castel Gandolfo

This is a pretty cool tradition that Pope Benedict is continuing with his former university students:

From the Rocky Mountains to Rocky's Hometown

This is big news:

Photo by James Baca
August, 2010



Cardinal Justin Rigali will hold a news conference this morning to announce that Pope Benedict XVI has named Archbishop Charles J. Chaput O.F.M., Cap. as the 13th Bishop and 9th Archbishop of Philadelphia. Archbishop Chaput will be Installed on Thursday, September 8, 2011, the feast of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at 2:00 p.m. The Holy Father has also appointed Cardinal Rigali as Apostolic Administrator with all of the responsibilities of Archbishop until the Installation of Archbishop Chaput.

Archbishop Chaput, who is 66, is a member of the Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin. He was ordained a priest in 1970 and became a bishop at the age of 43. At that time he became the Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota. Since 1997 he has served as Archbishop of Denver. A member of the Prairie Band Potowatami Tribe, Archbishop Chaput is the second Native American to be ordained a Bishop in the United States and the first Native American Archbishop.

I LOVE Archbishop Chaput!  He is amazing!  Philadelphia is so blessed to have had Cardinal Rigali and now Abp. Chaput - who will most likely come to be known as Cardinal Chaput.  Keep Cardinal Rigali, Abp. Chaput and the Archdioceses of Philadelphia and Denver in your prayers during this time of transition.

Update:
Here is the video of Archbishop Chaput's remarks at the press conference:

A man who needs no introduction...

Today is the Feast of St. Benedict, the twin brother of St. Scholastica.  He's kind of a big deal. :) 

A sacramental that is widely used in the Church is the St. Benedict medal.  Click here to read about the entire medal, but my favorite part is this: around the edge of the back of the medal are the letters V R S N S M V S M Q L I V B:

VADE RETRO SATANA; NUNQUAM SUADE MIHI VANA.
Get behind me, Satan; Never suggest vain thoughts to me.

SUNT MALA QUAE LIBAS;
The cup you offer is evil;

IPSE VENENA BIBAS!
Drink the poison yourself!

Take that, Satan!

84 Years of Faithfulness at 103 Years Old

Check out this video of Sr. Teresita - a cloistered nun in Spain who is 103 years old and has spent 84 years in the convent.  I love that she says she's hoping to meet the Pope when he comes to Spain for World Youth Day next month!  hehe! 
There's a lot of good stuff in this video - the encouragement of her parents to join the convent and discern a vocation, the fact that she joined simply because she was called, the misconceptions she had about nuns before she entered, how happy she is in the cloiseter, the prayer that she always offers which she talks about toward the end of the video - good stuff:


Tip of the hat to Fr. Z.

JPII! We love you so much we're naming stuff after you!

I love this picture - I just keep wondering what
he's reading and what he's looking at.

The name of Bl. John Paul the Great is popping up everywhere which I must say I am thrilled about!  Here is a sampling of churches, newman centers, universities and schools that are adopting the name of this great saint of modern times:

John Paul the Great University
John Paul the Great Catholic High School - Dumfries, VA
John Paul II High School - Plano, TX
John Paul II Institute
John Paul II Newman Center at Illinois State University
John Paul II Newman Center at the University of IL - Chicago
John Paul the Great Student Center at Christendom College
John Paul II Student Resource Center at the University of Sydney
John Paul II Center for Special Learning
Bl. John Paul II Parish - Big Fork, Montana
Bl. John Paul II Parish - Southbridge, Massachusetts

Life: Imagine the Potential

This video was made a few years ago but I happened upon it again this morning and it's definitely worth revisiting:

St. Maria Goretti: Model of Purity and Forgiveness

Today is the Feast Day of St. Maria Goretti.  Maria is fairly well known in our day and I highly recommend seeking her intercession, especially for youth who may be struggling with embracing chastity.  Maria was only 11 years old when she died in 1902 after a young farm hand named Alessandro Serenelli attacked her with lustful intentions.  He ended up stabbing her many times; wounds which ultimately caused her death.  On her deathbed she spoke words of forgiveness for her attacker.  She is often depicted with lilies and a palm branch; the lilies symbolize her purity and the palm branch symbolizes her martyrdom.  

Alessandro was sent to prison for his crime and during his time there Maria appeared to him with lilies.  This experience was powerful for Alessandro who reformed his ways and upon his release from prison went to live with Capuchin friars until his death in 1970.  Maria was canonized in 1950 in Rome.  Maria's mother was accompanied by Alessandro at the canonization.  The story of Maria and Alessandro is an amazing story of purity, forgiveness, conversion and redemption. The redeeming power of Christ can change even the hardest of hearts. 

Alessandro himself gives testimony to the harmful effects of much of what the world continues to struggle with (and even on a grander scale today) when he wrote the following: "My behavior was influenced by print, mass-media and bad examples which are followed by the majority of young people without even thinking."  As the saying goes, "garbage in, garbage out".  What we watch, listen to, who we look up to, has a profound effect on who we become and the vices or virtues that we practice.  The content of much of our entertainment has become filled with degrading material and the pornography business rakes in billions. But while there is much to fight, there is also much to be hopeful about. 

God is more powerful than our sins, our failings or our disappointments.  A renewal in the life of the family and the Church is happening and as a renewal in the family and the Church happens a renewal in society happens.  Just as when the family is broken, the sociey is broken; when the family is renewed, the society is renewed.  God always sends us what we need when we need it.  Bl. John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body is playing a major role in this renewal as well as Pope Benedict's efforts regarding the liturgy and unity.  Be of good cheer - God knows what He's doing and He is still in control!  Continue to pray for the virtues of chastity, temperance and fortitude.  When you show the world the joy that you experience from embracing a life of chastity you become a witness of redemption and through you God gives others grace to experience that same joy - just like St. Maria Goretti.  Will you be the saint He has made you to be?

Read more about St. Maria Goretti here.

Corpus Christi

"Christ, "the living bread which came down from heaven" (Jn 6: 51), is the only one who can appease the hunger of human beings of every time and in every corner of the earth." ~ Bl. Pope John Paul the Great



 
Read about the history of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ and the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto which is strongly connected to this celebration here.

A Monkey Couldn't Paint the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Yesterday a group of students and other community members began a summer study of Karol Wojtyla's (Bl. JPII) Love and Responsibility.  A dense and awesome philosophical work by the man who would become pope, L&R explores what it means to be a person and how the reality of who we are as persons effects our relationships with one another, particularly the relationship between man and woman.  The groundwork of what would later be known as the Theology of the Body, L&R heavily discusses the personalistic norm - that persons are not objects to be used by one another, but are subjects possessing inherent dignity and worth meant to receive and give love, not to be used.   Love is to will the good of the other.  So I'll be posting reflections, comments, thoughts, etc. as time permits about the text.  And now, drum roll please, by the grace of God, let us begin:

One of the first things Wojtyla does in L&R is to establish the fact that the human person is essentially different from the rest of the created world.  Man is not simply another animal on the level of dogs, cats, zebras, lions, platypus, etc. There is something different about us. He says, "...man has the ability to reason, he is a rational being, which cannot be said of any other entity in the visible world, for in none of them do we find any trace of conceptual thinking."  Animals cannot grasp concepts like justice, beauty, peace, truth, etc.  It would be utterly impossible for a monkey to ever paint something like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and even further impossible for him to paint it, sit back and marvel at it contemplating the truth, beauty and goodness that it reveals to him and then desire to be more true, beautiful and good himself and ponder the meaning of his existence.  Only the human person is capable of such a thing.  The image that comes to mind is a scene from George of the Jungle that has George's best friend, an ape, wearing glasses on the tip of his nose while reading a classic work of literature and, of course, talking to George like he earned a doctorate at Harvard.  Cute, but totally outside reality.  I mean, really, why do we think it's hilarious when movies show depictions of animals talking and doing things that only humans can do?  Because it's ridiculous so we think it's funny. 

As Wojtyla points out, only the person has an interior life, a spiritual life:

In man cognition and desire acquire a spiritual character and therefore assist in the formation of a genuine interior life, which does not happen with animals.  Inner life means spiritual life.  It revolves around truth and goodness.  And it includes a whole multitude of problems, of which two seem central:  what is the ultimate cause of everything and - how to be good and possess goodness at its fullest.

What immediately comes to my mind here is that the person asks the questions 'who am I?', 'why am I here?', 'how do I find happiness?'.  Animals don't ask these kinds of questions.  He also talks about how the person desires goodness.  How often are we seeking the good even if we often fail in recognizing the true good and falling for a lie?  And if I could just briefly venture into some theology here, I would like to point out that God himself is the Ultimate Good and as St. Augustine famously quoted, "O God, our hearts are restless until they rest in you."  Therefore, being that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that we were made to share in the eternal exchange of love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we can say, yes, God, who is the Ultimate Good, is calling us back to himself and our hearts are ever seeking to dwell in that Goodness - the person desires goodness because the person desires God and we are restless until we rest in him - until we 'possess goodness at its fullest'.

Wojtyla goes on to discuss how the person is a subject who interacts with the world not only on a physical, sensual plane but also on a spiritual plane and that the person possesses free will. 

That's probably enough to chew on for the day.  In the next section he begins to discuss  the "first meaning of the verb 'to use'" and then "'love' as the opposite of 'using'" which I hope to discuss in the next post for the book. 

Feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Cardinal Fisher

If for some reason you happen to be looking for a lawyer, today would be an excellent day to choose one as we celebrate the patron of lawyers, St. Thomas More.  We also celebrate St. John Cardinal Fisher today.  Thomas was a layman in England who served as chancellor for King Henry XIII and was a devout and faithful Catholic.  When Henry wanted to divorce his wife to marry another woman, the Pope upheld the teaching of Christ that a valid marriage is binding until the death of one of the spouses.  This obviously didn't sit well with Henry, but Thomas defended the teaching of Christ and the Church, the papacy and marriage, which of course dissatisfied Henry even more so he had him beheaded.  And Henry actually liked Thomas, so I bet all of Henry's friends were gettin' nervous.
Here is an excerpt of a letter that Thomas had written to his daughter, Meg, before his beheading:

 I will not mistrust him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how Saint Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Christ and pray to him for help. And then I trust he shall place his holy hand on me and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning.

Read the rest of the letter here.

If you're looking for a good movie to watch tonight, may I suggest A Man for All Seasons which portrays the story of St. Thomas More?

St. John Fisher was the bishop of Rochester, England and also defended the validity of Henry's marriage which, again, Henry wasn't so happy about, so he had him beheaded too - actually Cardinal Fisher was beheaded prior to Thomas and both were beheaded at London Tower. Henry proceeded to start his own church. 

Read a little more about Cardinal Fisher here.

On a related note, being the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, who were such heroic defenders of marriage, please pray for the state of New York today as the state legislature is deciding whether to legalize same-sex "marriage" or not.  As the family goes, so goes the nation as Bl. John Paul the Great would often remind us, so it is important for us to recognize, uphold and witness to the great sanctity and dignity of marriage between one man and one woman, for in this relationship we see a grand reflection of the love of God that is uniquely expressed between spouses and cannot be duplicated in the same way in other relationships.  As Archbishop Dolan has stated time and time again in his efforts to defend marriage in his state, marriage is a public and common good.  Study after study shows how detrimental it is for children to be deprived of a father and a mother and same-sex "marriage" would have dire consequences in this area.   The National Organization for Marriage, who have suggested praying through the intercession of today's saints, has been working hard with many people to uphold marriage in New York.  Prayer is powerful and effective, so let us pray with the archbishop today through the intercession of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher that marriage will once again be defended for the common good of the family and the nation.

Happy Father's Day

Gracias, Marcel.

The Presence Is Real

Watch this video about the Jewish roots of the Eucharist to strengthen your belief in the Eucharist, the Priesthood and our Catholic faith.  You can also buy Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist for more info regarding what you hear in the video.

Love & Responsibility Study

Join us for a summer study of Karol Wojtyla's (Bl. JPII's) Love & Responsibility every Tuesday night beginning June 21 at Calix Coffeebar at 7pm.  See you there!

"Learn From the Way the Wildflowers Grow..."

"...Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.  But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?" - Matt. 28:30

Wow, is our Marian grotto in bloom or what?

  

Love the yellow lilies! I think Our Lady does too!



Bright, sunny view from the Newman Center

"Forgive Those Who Persecute You"

If you're struggling to forgive someone in your life watch this story - if she can do it , so can you:

Thanks to Marcel.

Alcohol Can't Satisfy

Many college students struggle with alcohol and drunkeness - it's a true and sad reality that so many young adults feel so empty and starved for authentic love that they try to fill their emptiness with whatever they possibly can - often turning to alcohol, drugs and sex - only to find that all these things are fleeting and the next day they feel even worse than they did before.  Working on a college campus I see it happen all the time.  But there's incredible hope, because what I also see happen all the time are students discovering what - or more accurately, who - can give them the unfleeting and authentic love for which they're looking when they have an encounter with Jesus Christ. 
This is all to lead up to directing you to a nice post about alcohol use and the dignity of the person over at Unshakeable Hope - check it out.

Eucharistic Congress in St. Louis June 24-26- (and it's free!)

St. Anthony: Hammer of Heretics

St. Anthony, whose feast day is today, lived at the end of the 12th century and beginning of the 13th century, and is one of the most well-known and popular saints of the Church.  He was a gifted preacher and many miracles are attributed to his intercession both during his earthly life and his heavenly life.  Many people were spurred to repentance and conversion as a result of his preaching and he was well-gifted in refuting heresies leading to the nickname 'Hammer of Heretics'. 

Read this article to find out more about his life including why his intercession is often sought when seeking something that has been lost and why he is often depicted holding the Christ Child. 

St. Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal and in reading the article mentioned above you can read how he ended up in Padua, Italy.  Below are some photos relevant to St. Anthony's early life in Lisbon:

St. Anthony was born in 1195 where this small altar now
sits in the basement of a beautiful church named
in his honor in Lisbon, Portugal.

Bl. Pope John Paul the Great visited Lisbon and prayed
at the the site of St. Anthony's birth in 1982.



The baptismal font in which St. Anthony was baptized
located at the Cathedral which was a block from
St. Anthony's home.  "Anthony" is actually his
religious name - he was baptized "Ferdinand".



Come, Holy Spirit

From the Office of Readings in the Breviary - St. Irenaeus on Pentecost:

Like dry flour, which cannot become one lump of dough, one loaf of bread, without moisture, we who are many could not become one in Christ Jesus without the water that comes down from heaven.  And like parched ground, which yields no harvest unless it receives moisture, we who were once like a waterless tree could never have lived and borne fruit without this abundant rainfall from above...If we are not to be scorched and made unfruitful, we need the dew of God.  Since we have our accuser, we need an Advocate as well.  And so the Lord in his pity for man, who had fallen into the hands of brigands, having himself bound up his wounds and left for his care two coins bearing the royal image, entrusted him to the Holy Spirit.  Now, through the Spirit, the image and inscription of the Father and the Son have been given to us, and it is our duty to use the coin committed to our charge and make it yield a rich profit for the Lord.

Choose An Identity

So I was reviewing some comments on a blog this morning and noticed that on the right hand side of the page I was being prompted to leave my own comment and to do so you have to select what name you want to appear, so the screen prompts you to:

Choose an identity.  In reality, you have a true identity - you are a son or daughter of God - that is the truth of who you are - an unrepeatable person made in God's image and likeness.  So the question then becomes will you choose to live in the truth of who you really are or will you fall for a lie.  Will you choose your true identity or a false identity?   

Every person who has ever lived has had to make this choice all the way back to the beginning with Adam and Eve.  When faced with temptation from Satan it was not simply a question of eating a piece of fruit.  It became a question of trusting God and living according to their true identity or a false one.  Everyday you are asked this, too.  Every time you're faced with temptation, doubt, worry, decisions, relationships, vices, etc. it's as though you are being asked who you really are.  Will you recognize your dignity?  Or will you allow yourself to be degraded through sin?  This is why Satan is called the father of lies - he is constantly lying to us about who we are, saying things like 'you're not worth it', 'you're ugly', 'you're not loved', 'you aren't good enough, 'you can't be better', 'you're nothing'.  Lies, lies, lies - all lies!  Why do we listen to these lies so much!?

When we are tempted to succumb to the lies that are being thrown at us, we need to turn to our Blessed Mother.  She chose to live according to her true identity at every moment of her life.  "I am the handmaid of the Lord." This Woman knew who she was and never let a lie enter her Immaculate Heart.   Mary, the New Eve, and Christ, the New Adam, blew away the lies that were sowed in the garden. "The knot of Eve's disobedience, was untied with Mary's obedience" - St. Irenaeus.  Bearing the Truth Himself in her very womb, she shows us what it means to live in the truth.  As Catherine of Siena said, "If you are who you are meant to be, you will set the world on fire." And as a holy and Spirit-filled mentor once pointed out to me, you can see that Mary is on fire with the Holy Spirit:

"I have come to set a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already blazing!" - Luke 12:49.  If we lived according to the truth of our identity the world would be set ablaze with the love of God because we would see Christ more clearly and when we look at Him we see who we are and who we are meant to be.  Sin blinds, darkens and hides the truth from us - whenever we sin we lie to ourselves about who we are - but thank God, the Truth sets us free and by His grace our true identity is revealed to us. 

So next time you are tempted to sin, doubt and despair, say to yourself: "what is my identity?  I am a son or daughter of God.  I am loved.  I have worth.  God made me for truth, beauty and goodness.  I was not  made for sin.  I was made for love."  Then ask the Blessed Mother to reveal the truth to your heart and she will bring you her Son's grace and mercy to choose your true identity.   

"Christian, recognize your dignity!" - Pope Leo the Great

Heal.

CCM Europe Pilgrimage 2011

I'm still processing the prayer and effects of the CCM pilgrimage to Lourdes and Fatima, so I'll be writing some reflections on it as the days go on, but I want to give the students who attended an opportunity to share any thoughts, memories or reflections they may have as well.  So those of you who would like to do so, please share what you would like in the combox. 

Dome of St. Peter's - Fr. Barron

Happy Anniversary, Fr. Patrick!

Don't forget to wish Fr. Patrick a happy anniversary today - nine great years as a priest of Jesus Christ!  Smokes! 

Totus Tuus Maria

Quite appropriate after walking upon the soil of Fatima.

Sr. Miriam James on Life on the Rock

Sr. Miriam James, SOLT who was a speaker at our women's retreat in April was recently a guest on EWTN's Life on the Rock.  Watch the video here: (this is a double whammy video because not only does it feature Sr. Miriam but it also has a short message about Fr. Michael Scanlan, former president and chancellor of Franciscan University of Steubenville!):



Follow Sr. Miriam's blog here.

Fatima and the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem

This will be the final post regarding the upcoming pilgrimage to Europe that many of our students will embark on beginning this Monday until they get back and share with us all the awesome-ness they saw. 

Fatima, Portugal:  If you don't yet know about Fatima do yourself a favor and learn about it - these apparitions are probably the most important of the 20th century.  In 1916 the Guardian Angel of Portugal appeared to three children (Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco) three times during which he prayed with them, taught them how to pray and adored the Blessed Sacrament with them.  Then in 1917, Our Lady appeared to them six times (appearing a seventh time to Lucia in 1920).  During the apparitions Our Lady told the children to pray the Rosary for peace in the world and shared with them what is now known as the 'secrets of Fatima', called this because the children did not reveal them - Lucia revealed the first two secrets after 1960 at the request of the bishop and the third secret was sent to the Vatican which was not revealed until very recently.  I won't go into detail here, but rather will point you to the following links which go into detail quite well: 
Fatima - EWTN
Message of Fatima - Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith
Also, during one of the apparitions Our Lady told the children to pray the following after each mystery of the Rosary which you may recognize: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy."
Many pilgrims accompanied the children when Our Lady appeared to them including 70,000 people at the sixth apparition at which occurred the Miracle of the Sun.  You can also read about this at the above EWTN link.  Jacinta and Francisco passed away not long after the apparitions occurred and Lucia passed away in February of 2005. Jacinta and Francisco have been beatified. 

Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem, Portugal:  In the thirteenth century a woman who was afraid her husband was cheating on her decided to go to a sorceress who said she would only work with her if she brought her a consecrated Host.  This obviously being a major major sacrilege, the woman was hesitant but agreed and when she was carrying the host in her linen to take to the sorceress It began to bleed.  The woman ran to her home and placed the Host in a chest in the bedroom.  It continued to bleed and during the night rays of light came forth from the chest.  The woman explained everything to her husband and the two adored the Host the rest of the night.  The parish priest came to return the Host to the church and they did so in procession.  The Host can still be adored at the church today.  Learn more about this Eucharistic miracle at the following links from which the above was derived:
Pierced Hearts
Real Presence

Lourdes, Avila and Burgos

Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the most well-known Marian apparitions in the world and is one of the most highly visited Catholic pilgrimage sites.  In 1858, 14 year old Bernadette Soubirous saw Our Lady for the first time after venturing out to collect driftwood for her family.  Our Lady motioned for Bernadette to pray the rosary and after its conclusion she disappeared.  The third time Our Lady appeared to Bernadette she asked her if she would return for 15 consecutive days.  Bernadette agreed.  During one of the appartitions Our Lady instructed Bernadette to drink of the spring water, wash herself and eat the nearby herbs.  Bernadette started towards the nearby creek but Our Lady told her that was not correct but to go 'over there'.  Bernadette went where Our Lady instructed and dug at the ground to uncover the spring.  Many miracles have occurred through these 'healing waters' of which no impurities have been found.  Of course, another important aspect of the Lourdes apparitions is that when Bernadette asked Our Lady who she was she replied "I am the Immaculate Conception".  The Immaculate Conception is the dogma that Mary was preserved free from the stain of original sin and was free from all personal sin her whole life by a singular grace of God. Bernadette later became a Sister of Charity. She is incorrupt and can be venerated at the convent in Nevers.  Read more about Bernadette and the apparitions here, here and here.

Crossing the border into Spain:
Avila's big claim to fame is, of course, St. Teresa of Avila.  St. Teresa is one of three women doctors of the Church along with St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Catherine of Siena.  St. Teresa reformed the Carmelite order and was a great mystic.  She had a strong devotion to St. Joseph and encouraged people to call on his assistance.  One of her greatest writings, Interior Castle, continues to be a source of spiritual nourishment.  Here is an excerpt: 

In a word, my sisters, I will end by saying that we must not build towers without foundations, and that the Lord  does not look so much at the magnitude of anything we do as at the love with which we do it.  If we accomplish what we can, His Majesty will see to it that we become able to do more each day.  We must not begin by growing weary; but during the whole of this short life, which for any one of you may be shorter than you think, we must offer the Lord whatever interior and exterior sacrifice we are able to give Him, and His Majesty will unite it with that which He offered to the Father for us upon the Cross, so that it may have the value won for it by our will, even though our actions in themselves may be trivial.

Read more about St. Teresa of Avila here.

Burgos, Spain:  The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos, well-known for their beautiful Gregorian chant, are fairly near here.  You can learn about this order here.   Listen to their chant in the following:

Happy Birthday JPII!

Wow, where have I been today?  Thanks to a friend on Facebook I was reminded that today is Bl. JPII's birthday - he would have been 91 years old today.  So celebrate in honor of our dear Bl. John Paul the Great!

Lisieux and Mt. St. Michelle

Lisieux is the Carmelite home of St. Therese, one of the most popular saints of modern times.  St. Therese grew up at Les Buissonnets and entered Carmel at 15 years of age.  St. Therese is one of three women doctors of the Church and her spirituality of doing little things with great love has had a profound effect on many, including Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  Her Story of a Soul has been read by millions and continues to inspire today. Her relics can be venerated at Carmel in the Chapel and pilgrims can also see the statue of the Blessed Mother from which Therese saw Our Lady smile at her during a severe illness in her youth - after this occurence she was cured.  Students will visit the Carmelite convent, Les Buissonnets and the Basilica of St. Therese.

Mont-St.-Michelle does not seem to have much detailed information readily available regarding the appearance of St. Michael to the local bishop, St. Aubert, in the 8th century, but you can read some information here.  Mont-St.-Michelle is one of the most breath-taking sites and architecture around. 

St. Vincent de Paul and Sacre Coeur

Continuing through Paris people and places:

St. Vincent de Paul is quite popular- a vast number of parishes and of course the charitable organization, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, are named for him.  Rather than recount information here, I simply direct you here to read about him and his many incredible stories from his priesthood to his time as a slave to founding religious congregations to serving the poor, etc.  This man did a lot and just as his spiritual daughter, St. Catherine Laboure, he is also incorrupt. 

Also, check out this site to learn more about the Basilica of the Sacred Heart or Sacre Coeur built on Montmartre.

St. Thomas Aquinas and Handwriting 101

Next time your professors complain about your sloppy handwriting, show them this:

St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal

In one week many of our students will travel to France, Spain and Portugal where they will see many holy sites of pilgrimage, particularly sites of Marian apparitions and devotion. I thought this would be a good opportunity, therefore, to share information about the places and people they will be seeing, so each day this week I will try to post about a different place to which they will travel. 

Today's post is about St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal - a Marian apparition which occurred in the early 19th century in Paris, France:

St. Catherine Laboure was a Daughter of Charity, a religious community founded by St. Vincent de Paul.  St. Vincent actually appeared to St. Catherine in a dream when she was young basically hinting at the fact that she would someday enter the order.  Not long after she had entered, on July 18, 1830, St. Catherine was awakened by her guardian angel at 11:30pm and was told by him to go to the Chapel where the Blessed Virgin was waiting for her.  She followed the angel to the Chapel and after waiting for a while the Blessed Virgin appeared to her and spoke to her of the suffering that would occur in France (which turned out to be the French Revolution).  She told her to be confident and not afraid and that she would be with her.  After two hours St. Catherine returned to her cell. 

In November, Our Lady appeared to Catherine holding a gold globe of which she said represented the world and in particular France and each individual soul.  Rays emitted from rings and she said these represented the graces given to souls who ask for them.  Rings from which rays did not emit were graces for which souls failed to ask.  She then told Catherine to have a medal struck of the image she was seeing which was Our Lady with her hands extended, rays emitting from her hands, Our Lady standing on a globe crushing a serpent under her foot and the words, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." encircling her. On the back would be the letter 'M' with a cross and a bar, with the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts underneath. Our Lady said that many graces would be given to those who wore the medal around the neck with confidence.  Later on, thousands of medals were struck by order of the Archbishop and many who were suffering sickness during an epidemic were healed.  St. Catherine did not reveal that she had been the sister to whom the visions were granted for many years.  Her body remains incorrupt and can be seen under the altar where Our Lady appeared to her 181 years ago. 

For more detailed descriptions of the apparitions from which the above was derived and pictures of St. Catherine visit the following:
Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal - Paris, France
Shrine of the Miraculous Medal - Perryville, MO
Story of the Apparitions - Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary
EWTN

Unique Day in History

Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima - 94 years ago at the Cova da Iria near Fatima, Portugal, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children - Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta - beginning a story that continues to fascinate and inspire to this day.  You can read information about the apparitions here and here.
Also in connection with Our Lady of Fatima, thirty years ago today Bl. John Paul the Great was shot in St. Peter's Square.  JPII attributed his survival to Our Lady saying that it was a mother's hand that guided the bullet. The bullet was placed in the crown of the statue of Our Lady at the Shrine in Fatima. 
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Bl. John Paul the Great, pray for us.

Attend Church Teaches Forum with CCM

If you would like to attend the Church Teaches Forum in Louisville, KY July 15-16 with CCM please email Kristen here.  Speakers include Raymond Cardinal Burke, Francis Cardinal Arinze, Fr. Roger Arnsparger, and Bishop Daniel Thomas. 

Catholicism

I. Love. Being. Catholic.

Happy Summer!

Summer break has basically officially started for students.  Summer is both a relief and a challenge, so to help you make this summer a good one, I refer you to one of our very first posts from last year: Five Tips on Having a Great Summer. 
If there is one thing you do this summer let it be to grow in holiness!  The world needs the witness of saints and God is calling you to be one!
And, of course, don't forget to continue checking out the blog regularly!
For those of you who are graduating - may God be with you in this next stage of your life and be sure to stay in touch with us at CCM!
For those who have gone home for the summer - enjoy your break and we'll see you soon in the fall!
For those who will still be in town for the summer - yea! Summer's around here are quiet so I'm glad some of you will still be in town - be sure to join in our summer 'Love and Responsibility' study (time and location TBD). 
We'll be praying for all of you!  May you all have a blessed and relaxing summer break!

You can jam to this as you finish your last final:

Bl. JPII the Great - Man of Hope

Pope Benedict's homily on Sunday for JPII's beatification was awesome - click here to read it.  I just want to briefly offer some reflections on his homily and on the life of Bl. John Paul II from my own experience:

As many of you know, I have a deep love for Bl. JPII the Great.  But why?  The short answer is that I wouldn't be who I am if JPII had not opened wide the doors of his heart to God's grace and shared it with the world.  He has been a spiritual father to me in a profound way.  Millions of people throughout the world feel the same way - he wasn't just a public world figure for us - he was really our 'papa'.  When I think of JPII I find the communion of saints to be incredibly tangible because I never once met him or saw him in person, and yet I feel as though he is near me with the guiding hand of a father telling me not to be afraid to follow Christ. 

In Bl. John Paul II we see that by God's grace it really is possible for one man to change the world.  Because of his fiat to God, he affected change on the world stage, such as the role he played in the fall of Communism, etc; but through his witness God has changed the world of individual hearts.  There are estimates that over 1-2 million people were at the beatification this weekend - but that only scratches the surface of the lives he affected.  How many people could not be in Rome but have been changed by his witness, writings and preaching?  Bl. John Paul II the Great is absolute proof that when we offer ourselves totally to the service of the Lord, God will produce abundant fruit. 

Bl. JPII finally held us to a higher standard - he knew that only in Christ can we find true happiness and when he looked at the world he saw it wallowing in mediocrity - degrading itself into something ugly and despairing.  His was a voice that called us to something greater - reminding us of who God made us to be - that we are made to be beautiful and holy - that hope must not die and in Christ we can have the abundant life for which we are searching.  Echoing the very words of Christ from the Gospels, he reminded us not to be afraid to follow Jesus, to take up our crosses and embark on this journey and adventure of life in the Spirit. 

The Church gives us saints and blesseds as examples to follow in being disciples of Jesus. Let us not miss this opportunity to learn from Bl. JPII how to make a sincere gift of our lives to Christ and others, how to suffer well for the salvation of souls, how to uphold the dignity of all human life and put simply - how to love.

By his witness of faith, love and apostolic courage, accompanied by great human charisma, this exemplary son of Poland helped believers throughout the world not to be afraid to be called Christian, to belong to the Church, to speak of the Gospel. In a word: he helped us not to fear the truth, because truth is the guarantee of liberty. To put it even more succinctly: he gave us the strength to believe in Christ, because Christ is Redemptor hominis, the Redeemer of man....My own service was sustained by his spiritual depth and by the richness of his insights. His example of prayer continually impressed and edified me: he remained deeply united to God even amid the many demands of his ministry. Then too, there was his witness in suffering: the Lord gradually stripped him of everything, yet he remained ever a “rock”, as Christ desired. His profound humility, grounded in close union with Christ, enabled him to continue to lead the Church and to give to the world a message which became all the more eloquent as his physical strength declined. In this way he lived out in an extraordinary way the vocation of every priest and bishop to become completely one with Jesus, whom he daily receives and offers in the Church.  Blessed are you, beloved Pope John Paul II, because you believed! Continue, we implore you, to sustain from heaven the faith of God’s people.

As this quote from Pope Benedict's homily suggests, Bl. JPII the Great truly took on the role that Christ offered him in being Peter, rock, to us for so many years.  Through the intercession of Bl. Pope John Paul the Great and our Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven, may we grow in holiness and become who we are - sons and daughters of the King.  Totus Tuus Maria.

Blessed Pope John Paul II the Great, pray for us!

Divine Mercy Sunday was a very blessed day indeed as our beloved Pope John Paul II the Great was declared "Blessed" in St. Peter's Square at the 10am Mass.  I've heard different numbers regarding how many pilgrims were in attendance but I keep hearing between 1 and 2 million people - either way that's a lot!  Now pray through his intercession for another miracle so he can be canonized!  :)

Below is a video showing the moment when Pope Benedict read the decree beatifying Bl. John Paul II the Great, the unveiling of his image, and finally the presentation of the relic which was a vile of JPII's blood drawn before his death in case he needed a transfusion.  If you watch the video you'll see a sister in black carry the relic to Pope Benedict - her name is Sr. Tobiana who helped to care for Bl. John Paul during his pontificate; the sister in white who carried the vile from Pope Benedict to the place of veneration was Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre who was miraculously cured of Parkinson's disease after praying through the intercession of Bl. John Paul - this was the miracle that allowed the beatification to move ahead.