Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Every Man by Casting Crowns
Every Man by Casting Crowns
I'm the man with all I've ever wanted
All the toys and playing games
I am the one who pours your coffee, corner booth each Saturday
I am your daughter's favorite teacher
I'm the leader of the band
I sit behind you in the bleachers
I am every man
I'm the coach of every winning team and still a loser in my mind
I am the soldier in the airport facing giants one more time
I am the woman shamed and haunted by the cry of unborn life
I'm every broken man, nervous child, lonely wife
Is there hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man
Is there love that never dies
Is there peace in troubled times
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man
Seems there's just so many roads to travel, it's hard to tell where they will lead
My life is scarred and my dreams unraveled
Now I'm scared to take a leap
If I could find someone to follow who knows my pain and feels the weight
The uncertainty of my tomorrow, the guilt and pain of yesterday
Is there hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man
Is there love that never dies
Is there peace in troubled times
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man
There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man
There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand?
Jesus is hope for every man
There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man
There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand?
Jesus is hope for every man
Saint of the day: Blessed Brother Andre
Today the Church remembers Blessed Andre Bessette. His story is a remarkable one and he is a great example of faith and devotion that we might imitate today!Alfred Bessette was born in Canada on August 9, 1845. He entered the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1870, taking the name of Brother Andre. He was assigned to be doorkeeper at the community's high school in Montreal. There he fostered devotion to Saint Joseph among the sick and otherwise afflicted and soon became known as the "Miracle Man" of Montreal.
With ever bigger crowds of the poor and needy gathering in front of the school. it soon brought protests from the students' parents and some community members. Bro. Andre, aware of this problem, asked in 1904 to build a small chapel on the hill beyond the school. This was the small beginning of the Oratory of St. Joseph that now stands there.
Bro. Andre died on January 6, 1937. His burial had to be postponed for several days until the last of more than three million people were able to pass by his bier and pay him homage. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 23, 1982.
To learn more about Blessed Andre please look here!
The Monastery
This was a very interesting BBC series on 6 men who shared the life of the monks for 40 days.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The “Secret” to Becoming Better in 2010
Do you want to become a better person in 2010? Here is the advice given by the Art of Manliness site:
There are always a lot of tips given out this time of year about how to make and keep resolutions and make the next year better than the last.
But I have only one “secret” to impart: discipline. It is the key to unlocking your potential and finally moving forward with your life.
The reason you still haven’t finished that book you started last January but have spent several hours surfing the internet every day? A lack of discipline. The reason that you want to propose to your girlfriend or have kids but keep holding back? You’re afraid you don’t have the discipline to be successful at those endeavors. The reason you’re still just as fat as last time you ate that cream puff before making a new resolution? A lack of discipline. The reason you haven’t made any progress on starting that side business, and your house is a dump, and you feel like your life is slipping away? No discipline!
Discipline is essentially the ability to put off what we want in the moment for what we want in the long run. By now, almost everyone is familiar with the famous marshmallow experiment run by Dr. Walter Mischel. Four year old children were each given one marshmallow. They could either eat the marshmallow immediately, or, if they waited 15 minutes for the lab assistant to return, receive another marshmallow, thus doubling their prize. The kids who were able to wait generally went on to become successful and well adjusted adults, while the kids who gobbled the first marshmallow had more trouble dealing with stress, frustration, and impulse control.
We all probably imagine ourselves as the kid who would have waited for the second marshmallow. And maybe you would have. But even the most disciplined among us have areas in our lives where we’re failing. Areas where we’re just middling by and it’s absolutely eating at us, knowing how much potential we have and how we’re not utilizing it.
Everyone wants a secret or hack on how to be more disciplined. But there isn’t one. It is simply a matter of training your mind to do what you want it to do. Of saying a resounding “No!” to the things that waste your life and your time. You decide what you really want out of life and you go for it. That’s it.
But here are some thing to think over to help your frame of mind, for as Dr. Mischel says, “We can’t control the world, but we can control how we think about it.”
Stop thinking of your “flaw” as part of your identity. Part of why it’s hard to make changes in our lives, why we find ourselves unsuccessful in changing our habits, is that we rationalize our weaknesses as simply part of “who we are.” We assuage our guilt but adopting them as part of our identity, as part of our shtick.
We’re the jolly fat guy who makes self-deprecating jokes and amazes people with how many slices of pizza he can wolf down. We’re the funny drunk who always gets totally plastered and cracks everyone up with our antics. We’re a night owl, dammit! That’s how we roll, burning the midnight oil! We’re the player, not because we can’t keep a girlfriend but just because we crush a lot!
We do so much rationalizing that it can be downright painful to change; we feel like we’re losing a part of ourselves. Maybe our habits aren’t making us happy, but at least they give us the stability of an identity, the comfort of routine. What happens when the fat guy slims down and the drunk gets sober? Who are we then?
When it’s time to shape up your life, it’s crucial to replace your old identity with a new one; it’s the same concept that applies to changing your habits. Instead of being the jolly fat guy, become the super fit, former fat guy who loves being active. Instead of being a playah, become known as the guy women would love to date, a true gentleman.
Stop being haunted by the ghost of your mom. Whenever part of you wants to become more disciplined, another part of you cries out, “We don’t have to follow anybody’s rules! Nobody puts baby in the corner!” Your mind often identifies this voice as your inner-rebel, the part of you that feels an affinity for James Dean. This voice flatters your identity. You’re not lazy, you’re a rebel!
But the voice is really your eight your old self. And he’s crying out against mom’s rules.
Whenever a man first leaves home, he begins to test his boundaries; away from his parents’ prying eyes, he is enamored with his new found freedom. Many men, like myself, saw their grade point averages bottom out during freshman year of college for this very reason.
This is actually a healthy process (provided you don’t flunk out or get a girl pregnant or something). Part of growing up is exploring and breaking your old rules and finding out how you want to live your life. At first you want to eat the whole jar of cookies because you can! No one can stop you! But there has to come a point where you say, you know, eating the whole jar of cookies makes me sick; it makes me feel like crap. It’s the place where you stop doing stuff just because you can, and start living the way you know is actually best for you and will make you happiest. Mom’s not looking over your shoulder anymore. You are in control of your life, and you don’t have to prove anything to anyone but yourself.
Freedom is not the end all be all. The voice in our head that likes to derail our efforts at discipline loves to wave the grand flag of freedom in our faces. You can choose to do whatever you’d like-that’s the ultimate in freedom! You can sleep in until noon, and surf the internet instead of cleaning up, and stay out late instead of studying. Why would you want to reign yourself in with a schedule or goals?
What the freedom voice neglects to tell you is this: while everyone has the freedom to choose, you can’t choose the consequences of those choices. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. There’s no use fighting against the laws of the universe.
The only reward of unchecked freedom is freedom itself. So you spent the day doing what you want-surfing the net in your underwear-what do you have to show for it despite an extensive knowledge of how the next Batman flick is coming along? Without the feeling of personal progress and the satisfaction of real, hard-earned achievements, freedom alone feels completely empty.
Fix your core values first. Let’s say one of your core values is family. And let’s say you’re trying to lose weight while the relationship with your wife is crap. What do you think the odds are of your success? Pretty dang low.
Think of your life like a stack of cups. Your core values are the cups on the bottom, your foundation. What if one of the bottom cups is removed or is missing? The rest of the cups will fall. If you want to be successful in tackling other areas of your life, you’ve got to build on a rock solid bedrock of core values. It’s just like building a house. You can’t put in the jacuzzi before you’ve built the foundation.
Train your discipline like you train your body. Your self-discipline is just like the muscles in your body. When you first start working out, you’ll find that there’s a maximum weight you can bench press. You can try piling more weight on the bar, but it will just crush you. That’s your baseline strength. As you regularly work out and incrementally add more weight, your baseline strength will increase and you’ll be able to lift more weight and do more reps.
Your self-discipline works in the exact same way. Right now you have a limited amount of self-discipline available to you. If you spend it on one thing, you have less to spend on other stuff. If you use your willpower in controlling your diet, you’ll find it harder to reign in your spending. But as you keep flexing your willpower in an area, your self-control will expand and you’ll have more strength to discipline the other areas of your life as well. So don’t take on too much at once. Pick an area of your life where you want to exercise more discipline and work on it until your self-discipline grows and you gain the self-control to take on more and more challenges.
Brit Hume, Tiger Woods and the Christian Faith
Gateway Pundit has some follow up on the Brit Hume and Tiger Woods issue that hit the web yesterday. I think Brit is saying what many Christians feel. I give him credit for saying it:
Brit Hume told Bill O’Reilly tonight that he wasn’t proselytizing when he suggested yesterday that Tiger Woods become Christian to help him with his marital problems. The left attacked Hume mercilessly for promoting Christianity on FOX News Sunday.
Tonight Humes said that, “Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something Tiger Woods desperately needs:”
Prayer need: Earthquake in Solomon Islands
The people of the Solomon Islands need our prayers. They suffered another earthquake yesterday while still recovering from quakes from October. The following news comes from the Bosconet site:
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the New Georgia island group (part of the Solomon Islands), which are part of Gizo Diocese under the care of Salesian Bishop Luciano Capelli. It is known that some 500 homes were affected, some destroyed. The earthquake caused a minor tsunami that did not injure anybody but caused panic.
The bishop, writing immediately after the event, indicated that the diocesan “Peter’s Boat,” as it is called, has joined the relief operation to the islands of Rendova, Tetepare, and Marovo lagoon, the most affected area. A Solomon Islands village home would house normally at least four people, so it is possible to make an initial guess as to the numbers of homeless, but further forays into this isolated area may reveal yet more damage. There are just a few Catholic communities in the area, since much of that part of Gizo was evangelized by the Adventists and United Church.
In April 2007, islands in the Gizo Diocese were hit by an even more powerful earthquake which killed 53 people and left thousands homeless, also destroying the Catholic cathedral on Gizo Island. Some of the Italian volunteers who helped with reconstruction were in the area yesterday and experienced firsthand what it means when a major earthquake hits these low-lying islands. But at least they had the satisfaction of seeing that their work (the cathedral and the kindergarten) stood strong.
The earthquake was felt in Honiara (where the Salesians have a strong presence) but caused no damage there. It may also have been felt in the adjoining Salesian diocese of Alotau, Papua New Guinea, but we have no reports from there as yet.
The bishop, writing immediately after the event, indicated that the diocesan “Peter’s Boat,” as it is called, has joined the relief operation to the islands of Rendova, Tetepare, and Marovo lagoon, the most affected area. A Solomon Islands village home would house normally at least four people, so it is possible to make an initial guess as to the numbers of homeless, but further forays into this isolated area may reveal yet more damage. There are just a few Catholic communities in the area, since much of that part of Gizo was evangelized by the Adventists and United Church.
In April 2007, islands in the Gizo Diocese were hit by an even more powerful earthquake which killed 53 people and left thousands homeless, also destroying the Catholic cathedral on Gizo Island. Some of the Italian volunteers who helped with reconstruction were in the area yesterday and experienced firsthand what it means when a major earthquake hits these low-lying islands. But at least they had the satisfaction of seeing that their work (the cathedral and the kindergarten) stood strong.
Saint of the day: John Neumann
Homily of Pope Paul VI on the Canonization of St. John Neumann via St. John Neumann Catholic Church:
Greetings to you, Brethren, and sons and daughters of the United States of America! We welcome you in the name of the Lord!
The entire Catholic Church, here, at the tomb of the Apostle Peter, welcomes you with festive joy. And together with you, the entire Catholic Church sings a hymn of heavenly victory to Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, who receives the honor of one who lives in the glory of Christ.
In a few brief words we shall describe for the other pilgrims some details of his life, which are already known to you.
We ask ourselves today: what is the meaning of this extraordinary event, the meaning of this canonization? It is the celebration of holiness. And what is holiness? It is human perfection, human love raised up to its highest level in Christ, in God.
At the time of John Neumann, America represented new values and new hopes. Bishop Neumann saw these in their relationship to the ultimate, supreme possession to which humanity is destined. With Saint Paul he could testify that “all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3, 22). And with Augustine he knew that our hearts are restless, until they rest in the Lord (S. AUGUSTINI Confessiones, 1, 1).
His love for people was authentic brotherly love. It was real charity: missionary and pastoral charity. It meant that he gave himself to others. Like Jesus the Good Shepherd, he lay down his life for the sheep, for Christ’s flock: to provide for their needs, to lead them to salvation. And today, with the Evangelist, we solemnly proclaim : “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Io. 15, 13).
John Neumann’s pastoral zeal was manifested in many ways. Through faithful and persevering service, he brought to completion the generosity of his initial act of missionary dedication. He helped children to satisfy their need for truth, their need for Christian doctrine, for the teaching of Jesus in their lives. He did this both by catechetical instruction and by promoting, with relentless energy, the Catholic school system in the United States. And we still remember the words of our late Apostolic Delegate in Washington, the beloved Cardinal Amleto Cicognani: “You Americans”, he said, “possess two great treasures: the Catholic school and the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Guard them like the apple of your eye” (Cfr. Epistola 2 iunii 1963).
And who can fail to admire all the loving concern that John Neumann showed for God’s people, through his priestly ministry and his pastoral visitations as a Bishop? He deeply loved the Sacramental of Reconciliation: and like a worthy son of Saint Alphonsus he transmitted the pardon and the healing power of the Redeemer into the lives of innumerable sons and daughters of the Church. He was close to the sick; he was at home with the poor; he was a friend to sinners. And today he is the honor of all immigrants, and from the viewpoint of the Beatitudes the symbol of Christian success.
John Neumann bore the image of Christ. He experienced, in his innermost being, the need to proclaim by word and example the wisdom and power of God, and to preach the crucified Christ. And in the Passion of the Lord he found strength and the inspiration of his ministry: Passio Christi conforta me!
The Eucharistic Sacrifice was the center of his life, and constituted for him what the Second Vatican Council would later call “the source and summit of all evangelization” (Presbiterorum Ordinis, 5). With great effectiveness, through the Forty Hours Devotion he helped his parishes become communities of faith and service.
But to accomplish his task, love was necessary. And love meant giving; love meant effort; love meant sacrifice. And in his sacrifice, Bishop Neumann’s service was complete. He led his people along the paths of holiness. He was indeed an effective witness, in his generation, to God’s love for his Church and the world.
There are many who have lived and are still living the divine command of generous love. For love still means giving oneself for others, because Love has come down to humanity; and from humanity love goes back to its divine source! How many men and women make this plan of God the program of their lives! Our praise goes to the clergy, religious and Catholic laity of America who, in following the Gospel, live according to this plan of sacrifice and service. Saint John Neumann is a true example for all of us in this regard. It is not enough to acquire the good things of the earth, for these can even be dangerous, if they stop or impede our love from rising to its source and reaching its goal. Let us always remember that the greatest and the first commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord your God” (Matth. 22, 36).
True humanism in Christianity. True Christianity-we repeat -is the sacrifice of self for others, because of Christ, because of God. It is shown by signs; it is manifested in deeds. Christianity is sensitive to the suffering and oppression and sorrow of others, to poverty, to all human needs, the first of which is truth.
Our ceremony today is indeed the celebration of holiness. At the same time, it is a prophetic anticipation-for the Church, for the United States, for the world-of a renewal in love: love for God, love for neighbor.
And in this vital charity, beloved sons and daughters, let us go forward together, to build up a real civilization of love.
Saint John Neumann, by the living power of your example and by the intercession of your prayers, help us today and for ever.
Monday, January 4, 2010
You Say You Want a Resolution?
Scott Hahn has his own take on resolutions for the New Year:
But taking stock is not enough, as you and I well know. Once we’ve sized up the previous year, we need to make resolutions. Once we know what’s working well, we pledge to make it even better. When we see something that needs to be changed, then we make like a linesman at a bowl game – and we plow into the new year with a firm purpose of amendment.
I resolve, first of all, to remember the marvels the Lord has done (see Psalm 105). If 2009 taught me anything, it taught me that this work – the work of the St. Paul Center – is not mine. Nor is it simply mine and yours. It’s the Lord’s work. Last year’s economy presented us with seemingly insuperable financial challenges. We expected to make deep cuts, out of necessity, in our programs.
God had other plans. If anything, our programs grew a bit, even as we faced them with sparse resources. In almost every case, the programs produced unexpected results, again in spite of our weakness. We thrilled to news of Bible-study start-ups, conversions of heart, and people suddenly unemployed or underemployed finding new opportunities for apostolic work.
The arm of the Lord is not shortened by recessions, wars, or opposition (see Isaiah 59:1). I’ve resolved not to forget this in 2010!
I’m resolving also to apply myself more zealously to improving conditions for our priests. This month is the halfway mark of the Church’s Year of the Priest. Our programs last year helped many clergy to grow deeper in their knowledge and love of the Scriptures – and then apply that growth to their ministry, especially in their homilies. Our clergy conference at St. Vincent Archabbey was a great success. Our Letter & Spirit Conference in Pittsburgh attracted a record number of seminarians (more than seventy) from eight seminaries. I’m resolving to put more effort and more prayer into the success of these programs when they repeat in 2010, so that we all can look forward to many “years of the priest” in our future.
I resolve, too, to press on with more Spanish-language programs this year. This is one of the most urgent requests I hear from readers, friends, and donors. They fear we’re missing an opportunity. They fear we’re not corresponding to a graced moment in history. I resolve to respond. At this time next year, you can measure the Center’s progress on this front.
In all these resolutions, it’s my burning desire to follow after our patron, St. Paul. In the Acts of the Apostles, he “resolved in the Spirit” to make tremendous apostolic progress – “to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem” (Acts 19:21). I want, however, to keep following St. Paul. He concludes his resolutions with a big one: “After I have been there [to Jerusalem], I must also see Rome.”
In May I will make a pilgrimage to the Rome with a hundred friends of the Center. We will pray for all these apostolic efforts. We’ll pray together for our friends and families to persevere in the faith. We’ll pray together for those who have strayed, that they may return. We’ll pray for those who may be on the road to conversion, that they may experience extraordinary graces in the months ahead.
Is there any chance you can join us? I’ll be there with my wife Kimberly, my friends and fellow Catholic authors Mike Aquilina and Steve Ray, and art historian and EWTN host Elizabeth Lev. We’ll visit the holy places, including some even I have never seen before! Our theme: “When in Rome … Study Romans!”
If you can’t go with us, please take our pilgrimage to your prayer. Take my resolutions, too. Pray that I’ll correspond to the graces God gives. I thank you in advance. I promise you my prayers in 2010: Resolved!
Pope Benedict is going to be busy in 2010!
Pope Benedict has a full calendar for 2010! The following comes from the Catholic News Service:As Pope Benedict XVI says goodbye to 2009, his 2010 calendar is already being filled.
On the horizon for the next 12 months are four papal trips; a Middle East Synod of Bishops; the expected publication of a document on the Bible and the second volume of "Jesus of Nazareth;" a major gathering of the world's priests; a pilgrimage to the Shroud of Turin; a probable consistory and several likely canonizations and beatifications -- including that of Pope John Paul II.
In April Pope Benedict marks five years in office, and the event will no doubt be marked by modest festivities and lots of analysis on the accomplishments and priorities of the German pontiff, who turns 83 the same month.
Several of his endeavors are works in progress, like the ongoing negotiations with the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X and the effort to bring its leaders back into full communion. No breakthrough is guaranteed in 2010, but Vatican officials say that, at the very least, the picture should be much clearer as twice-a-month meetings proceed.
January brings traditional papal liturgies and meetings, including an encounter Jan. 11 with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican. Six days later, Pope Benedict will visit Rome's synagogue for the first time, an event that has added drama since the pope's recent decision to advance Pope Pius XII's sainthood cause.
The new year also means a new slate of "ad limina" visits by groups of bishops around the world. Although the visits traditionally are made every five years, the interval has grown longer recently, and it now appears that U.S. bishops, who last came in 2004, will not be making their "ad limina" visits until 2011 -- or even later.
The pope's second volume on the life of Jesus is expected to be released in the spring, although translations may take a little longer. It's expected to cover Christ's childhood, passion, death and resurrection.
Pope Benedict will make at least four foreign trips in 2010: to Malta in April, to the Marian shrine at Fatima in Portugal in May, to Cyprus in early June and to England in mid-September. The fact that all four will take place in Europe or the Mediterranean gave rise to a rumor that the pope has decided not to make any more long-distance trips -- a rumor that informed Vatican sources said was completely untrue.
During his visit to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, the pope will present the working document for the Synod of Bishops on the Middle East, which will take place Oct. 10-24 at the Vatican. Joining him on Cyprus will be church leaders from places like northern Africa, the Holy Land and Iraq.
The pope is still putting the finishing touches on a document from a previous synod, the 2008 assembly on the Bible. That text is expected in the first half of the year.
Pope Benedict is scheduled to make four trips in Italy in 2010, including a visit in early May to see the Shroud of Turin, which many believe is the burial cloth of Christ. In early October, he makes a one-day visit to Palermo, Sicily, to address a meeting of families and youths.
Beatifications and canonizations will loom large on the papal calendar in 2010. Romans are already planning for the possible beatification of Pope John Paul II in October -- presuming that a miracle will be attributed to his intercession sometime during the next several months. On his September trip to England, the pope is expected to preside over the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, the influential 19th-century theologian and former Anglican.
Among those due to be canonized by the pope sometime in 2010 is Blessed Mary MacKillop, the Australian founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
Pope Benedict will close the Year for Priests in June, presiding over a worldwide congress of priests in Rome June 9-11 on the theme "Fidelity of Christ, Fidelity of the Priest." The program includes an evening gathering with the pope and the priests in St. Peter's Square.
Consistories to create new cardinals are always tough to predict, but most insiders expect Pope Benedict to hand out red hats sometime in 2010. Given the limit of 120 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote in a conclave, the pope would have at least 12 vacancies to fill by the middle of the year, and 19 if he waits until mid-November.
There's already a lot of speculation about which U.S. prelates, if any, would be named a cardinal. While most point to the archbishops of New York and Washington as likely candidates, it should be remembered that both archdioceses still have cardinals under the age of 80. Both Washington Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick and New York Cardinal Edward M. Egan are retired from their posts as archbishops.
In addition, the number of U.S. voting-age cardinals is at a record high 13, which will dip to 11 by the end of 2010.
Among those most certain to be on the next list of new cardinals is U.S. Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, head of the Vatican's highest tribunal, whose job title foresees that he be named a cardinal.
Media attack Brit Hume on his suggestion of Christianity for Tiger Woods
Brit Hume of Fox News is being scrutinized for suggesting that Tiger Woods would find meaning in Christianity. It is sad that a commentator is not allowed to make a personal observation or suggestion based on faith in the public square. Brit Hume is expressing his opinion on an opinion program and he should be free to do that. We should all pray for Tiger Woods in the midst of the scandal as well. Here is the story from Gateway Pundit:
This enraged the liberals and leftists.
According to democrats and liberals it is no longer acceptable to promote Christianity publicly.
Steve Benan at The Washington Monthly reported:
I was taken aback when I saw that Fox News’ Brit Hume, reflecting on Woods’ career on the air this morning, talked about whether the golfer may return to his chosen profession.
“The extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith,” Hume said. “He is said to be a Buddhist. I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So, my message to Tiger is, ‘Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.”
Hume was not, as the video shows, kidding.
It’s hard to even know where to start with something like this. How many high-profile Christians have had damaging sex scandals of late? Why is Buddhism deemed inadequate for those with family problems? Why is a senior political analyst for a so-called “news” network proselytizing, on the air, during one of the network’s “news” programs?
It used to be that liberals didn’t want you to mention Christ in schools. Then they banned Christ from Christmas concerts and public squares.
Now they are demanding that we not talk about Christianity in public.
We should have seen this coming.
More Brit-bashing from Politics Daily– “Jesus can tame you, Tiger”
Declan Galbraith sings Carrickfergus
Hat tip to Jackie on this one! All you can say is... Amazing! Declan was only 11 in this video from 2002. Check out Declan Galbraith song:
where she is waiting, my rainbow's end
I would swim over the deepest ocean
just to see her sweet smile again
but the sea is wide and i cannot get over
nor have I the wings to fly
I wish I knew a friendly boatman
to ferry me back to my sweetheart's side
I close my eyes and I remember
the fields of green and flowers gold
where we would walk in sunlit meadows
how my heart's longing to be back home
but the sea is wide and I cannot get over
nor have I the wings to fly
so I'll just dream of carrickfergus
and the day i said goodbye
now and forever my love and I
so I'll just dream of carrickfergus
and the day i said goodbye
now and forever my love and I
Saint of the day: Elizabeth Ann Seton
Today we remember Elizabeth Bayley Seton! She was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church. The following comes from the catholic.org site:
Born two years before the American Revolution, Elizabeth grew up in the "cream" of New York society. She was a prolific reader, and read everything from the Bible to contemporary novels.
In spite of her high society background, Elizabeth's early life was quiet, simple, and often lonely. As she grew a little older, the Bible was to become her continual instruction, support and comfort; she would continue to love the Scriptures for the rest of her life.
In 1794, Elizabeth married the wealthy young William Seton, with whom she was deeply in love. The first years of their marriage were happy and prosperous. Elizabeth wrote in her diary at first autumn, "My own home at twenty-the world-that and heaven too-quite impossible."
This time of Elizabeth's life was to be a brief moment of earthly happiness before the many deaths and partings she was to suffer. Within four years, Will's father died, leaving the young couple in charge of Will's seven half brothers and sisters, as well as the family's importing business. Now events began to move fast - and with devastating effect. Both Will's business and his health failed. He was finally forced to file a petition of bankruptcy. In a final attempt to save Will's health, the Setons sailed for Italy, where Will had business friends. Will died of tuberculosis while in Italy. Elizabeth's one consolation was that Will had recently awakened to the things of God.
The many enforced separations from dear ones by death and distance, served to draw Elizabeth's heart to God and eternity. The accepting and embracing of God's will - "The Will," as she called it - would be a keynote in her spiritual life.
Elizabeth's deep concern for the spiritual welfare of her family and friends eventually led her into the Catholic Church.
In Italy, Elizabeth captivated everyone by her own kindness, patience, good sense, wit and courtesy. During this time Elizabeth became interested in the Catholic Faith, and over a period of months, her Italian friends guided her in Catholic instructions.
Elizabeth's desire for the Bread of Life was to be a strong force leading her to the Catholic Church.
Having lost her mother at an early age, Elizabeth felt great comfort in the idea that the Blessed Virgin was truly her mother. She asked the Blessed Virgin to guide her to the True Faith. Elizabeth finally joined the Catholic Church in 1805.
At the suggestion of the president of St. Mary's College in Baltimore, Maryland, Elizabeth started a school in that city. She and two other young women, who helped her in her work, began plans for a Sisterhood. They established the first free Catholic school in America. When the young community adopted their rule, they made provisions for Elizabeth to continue raising her children.
On March 25, 1809, Elizabeth Seton pronounced her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, binding for one year. From that time she was called Mother Seton.
Although Mother Seton was now afflicted with tuberculosis, she continued to guide her children. The Rule of the Sisterhood was formally ratified in 1812. It was based upon the Rule St. Vincent de Paul had written for his Daughters of Charity in France. By 1818, in addition to their first school, the sisters had established two orphanages and another school. Today six groups of sisters trace their origins to Mother Seton's initial foundation.
For the last three years of her life, Elizabeth felt that God was getting ready to call her, and this gave her joy. Mother Seton died in 1821 at the age of 46, only sixteen years after becoming a Catholic. She was canonized on September 14, 1975.
Being authentic disciples and zealous apostles in bringing the Gospel to the young
The following comes from the Salesian News Agency: Also this year, as is the tradition, the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Pascual Chávez Villanueva, officially presented the Strenna to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians during a visit to the Generalate this afternoon, 31 December.
In the theatre of the Generalate, in addition to Mother Yvonne Reungoat and some of her Council, among those present were the Sisters of the community, those from the Auxilium and those from the formation houses in Rome.
The Strenna for 2010 invites the 27 groups of the Salesian Family to bring the Gospel to the young, being authentic disciples and zealous apostles.
The background to the Strenna for 2010 contains several items.
Above all the invitation of Benedict XVI to the Salesians, on the occasion of their 26th General Chapter, to consider evangelisation the main and priority frontier for their mission. The Pontiff, addressing the Rector Major in a Letter sent to him on the occasion of the GC26 said: “It presents many tasks, urgent challenges, vast fields of activity, but its fundamental purpose is that of proposing that everyone should live their human life as Jesus lived it. In multi-religious situations and in secularised ones, it is necessary to find new ways of making Jesus known, especially to the young, so that they may discover his perennial fascination.”
To this is added the constant commitment of the members of the Salesian Family to link together, as a specific characteristic of the charism of their own groups, the ideas summed up in the phrase “educating by evangelising and evangelising by educating” in order to help young people to see others and the world around them through the eyes of Christ.
The Strenna for 2010 is also an invitation to draw profit from the recent celebration of the Pauline Year and from the Synod on the Word.
In addition with the Strenna for 2010 Fr Chávez proposes as a model of the disciple and of creative fidelity Blessed Michael Rua, the first successor of Don Bosco, the centenary of whose death occurs in 2010.
Present once again in this Strenna, as in that of 2007 is the theme of education and the promotion of human rights, and from 2008 the invitation to make the Salesian Family a vast movement for the salvation of the young, and the exhortation to live in a more radical manner the Christian vocation welcoming into one’s heart Christ the Word of God.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
We Three Kings of Orient Are
Thanks Anchoress for posting this! This is one of my favorites! As we remember the Epiphany it is important to remember what the day is calling us to! The following is from a homily from Msgr. Charles Pope:There are so many wonderful details in the Epiphany story that we may lose the essential message which is: Conversion. Now the Latin word from which we get “conversion” is conversio which means “a turning around.” Hence we see the concluding effect of the Magi’s visit to the Lord is that they “return to their country by another route.” To authentically encounter the Lord is to experience conversion. All the elements of this story serve ultimately to lead them to this conversion. Perhaps we can look at the details and stages of how they come to a saving faith and are able to live differently.
To read the homily please click here!
Cardinal Schonborn celebrates New Year's Eve Mass in Medjugorje
Cardinal Schonborn has been spending time at the alleged site of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medjugorje. I was able to make a trip to the alleged apparition site with my family in 1987. It is a place of peace that finds millions of people returning to the fervor of faith each year. Let's pray for discernment as the Church continues to investigate this special place. The following comes from the Medjugorje Video site:Thousands of people from all over the world chose to shun traditional New Year’s Eve revelries and instead sought a holy experience in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Throngs of pilgrims converged on St. James Church and the surrounding area to take part in an historic New Year’s Eve Mass celebrated by Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, the archbishop of Vienna and an esteemed member of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Cardinal Schonborn has been in Medjugorje since December 28 on what was originally thought to be a private visit. The cardinal has surprised the faithful, however, by making his visit very public. During his talk in St. James Church on December 30, 2009, he went so far as to call Medjugorje a “superpower of mercy.”
The following is a video of the Cardinal's Mass:
During his homily at the New Year’s Eve Mass, Cardinal Schonborn said the following:
“Dear brothers and sisters here in the Church and on the squares in front of the church and in the yellow hall. We are all conscious of the fact that it is a big privilege to not have to celebrate the New Year with champagne.”
The crowd laughed, and the Cardinal added “Maybe later,” which was followed by laughter and clapping.
He continued: “But now we are allowed to celebrate the beginning of the New Year with Mary and Joseph and with the child that is lying in the manger and with the shepherds. These days, we have all come to Medjugorje to be especially close to the mother of the Lord. To be more exact, we have to say that we have come here because we know that the mother of the Lord wants to be close to us.
“With her, we want to begin the New Year. And the first thing that moves me when I think about the manger and the shepherds is that there were no angels present. Although here there is an angel at the nativity set, but in the gospel there are no angels waiting there. They were on the field with the shepherds… an entire host of angels. But Mary and Joseph only heard about it. The shepherds told them.
“You also didn’t see the Gospa. But there are people here who told about it. And we trust that the Mother of God really is close to us. Belief comes from hearing. And it impresses me that first, in the gospel of today, there is talk about hearing. We have to listen to the good news first. We have two ears, two eyes, and only one mouth. That means we have to listen much, watch much, and then talk also. And what are we supposed to say? We are supposed to report what we have seen and heard. The world needs a new evangelization and that is only possible through people for whom it is impossible to keep silent about what they have seen and heard.
“We all have received the faith. And through baptism we all have received the task to pass on the faith. The shepherds related what they were told. And from there it went on. The gospel, the good news was told and those who told it were believable. Those who heard also saw that the word and life harmonize, that what the witnesses saw is also true in their life.
“How can we be witnesses of the good news? First, by looking to Mary. Mary kept all that happened in her heart and pondered it. Brothers and sisters, what we need most in this time is prayer. I’m saying this with a sadness of some sorts. I know that I’m praying not enough. I know that prayer is life. Without the living relationship with God our life becomes dry end empty.
“What does the Mother of God tell us all the time? Pray. Take yourself time for prayer. Is that a good resolution for the New Year? For us priests and deacons. For us all. Time for prayer. It gives so much strength and so much joy. So much clarity. Let us ask Mary that she helps us to pray more. When we pray our word is also filled with life. And then our testimony is credible.”
"I want to tell you something about what the Apostle Paul told us. The Year of Paul is already over, we are now in the Year of Priests. But the word of the Apostle Paul was so strong because it was filled with life. In the reading of today he talks about God sending his Son so that we can become sons. The daughters are not excluded here. Daughters and sons are meant together. But Paul says we are called to become sons, not slaves. Like Jesus is Son of God we are supposed to be allowed to call God Father. In the beginning of this year the Apostle Paul tells us: You are sons and not slaves.
"I believe Medjugorje is a place where a lot of people confess. Confession is deliverance from the slavery of sin. Nothing makes us less free than sin. God wants us as sons: Freedom of the children of God. And for that he gifted us with the sacrament of reconciliation. We are to have a new relationship with God, to be allowed to call him Abba. Jesus invited us to that in a way that we trust Him, that we trust God. There is so much fear of God in us (or, "we are so afraid of God").
The cardinal went on to say "Jesus, I trust in you," in Croatian and Polish, and then continued "Pope John Paul II left us this message: Trust in the mercy of God. Trust in the mercy of Jesus.
"Trust can be heroic sometimes, if life becomes difficult. If a marriage becomes a burden, if an illness oppresses us, if we don't know what becomes of our work; then to say Jesus I Trust in You; that can be heroic. Trust; that really is an act of faith. And again we look to Mary. Who has made and gave this act of trust, of faith, more than Mary? Jesus I Trust in You. That is to be our program in the coming year.
"It is almost midnight and it is cracking," the cardinal said as he pointed towards the firecrackers going off outside. "But we are not cracking, we are praying. We are not cracking but we are singing.
"And a last word: The shepherd returned, praised God, praised him for what they heard and saw. We, too, will return home. In order that we can become witnesses of the gospel, we have to praise God first. The shepherds praised God for what they have seen and heard. I hope that we can all drive home, travel home after these days here and praise God for what we have seen and heard. Then people will also believe us when we tell, then our word will be credible.
"Now it is almost midnight. It is exactly the right moment to profess our faith. With this faith we are going into the New Year. God bless this year."
Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen
Archbishop Fulton Sheen is one of my favorite writers and I have read several of his books. Many may be familiar with the good Archbishop and his television programs but he is a fantastic writer as well! If you have never read his books then here is a place to start: Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen. The folks at CNA have written a book review:
I once told a Benedictine nun she had a good sense of humor. She said, “See, we're people too.” Most women don't leave their personalities or their humanity at the door when they enter the cloister.
After reading his autobiography, I think the same thing could be said about Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. “Priests are people too,” he would say. Sheen's primary focus in writing the story of his life was neither to create a list of his accomplishments nor to impress a particular audience. Instead, Sheen's personable writing and frank tone draw the reader into the book and introduce them to an American, a priest, a child of God, and a new friend and brother in Christ.
In his writing, one of Sheen's greatest assets is his humility, another is his honesty, and the last is definitely his humor. No one can read this autobiography of the man whom Billy Graham called “the Great Communicator,” whom Pope Pius XII called “a prophet of the times” and to whom Pope John Paul said, “You have written and spoken well of the Lord Jesus. You are a loyal son of the Church” without getting to know the human being behind the famous archbishop, the nationally recognized telecaster, the international traveler.
What “Treasure in Clay” isn't is a chronological narrative of a life, nor is it a detailed encyclopedia article about a famous person. What it most assuredly is, is a window into the life of a soul who struggled to love God, to live his vocation and to use his talents for something besides his own glory.
Sheen opens his book with a narrative of his education and a description of his family life before diving into a number of specific topics such as the making of converts, priestly celibacy, being a bishop, the missions, daily holy hours, attending the Second Vatican Council, and Marian devotion, among others. Each of these chapters could stand alone as a tale of their own. But together they both acquaint the reader with a man who pioneered the media they now take for granted and form that same reader into a more knowledgeable Catholic.
Sheen never wastes a word. His humor in describing the “683 zillion mosquitoes” in Batavia, Java, half of whom “bivouacked in his bedroom and held their maneuvers in your sleeves, drills in your trousers, and attack in formation when disturbed” is matched by the seriousness with which he addresses his priestly vocation to victim-hood, to offering himself for the world as Christ did. He is quick to inform the reader that he “didn't see a single Siamese cat in Siam” and even quicker to reiterate the absolute necessity of making a daily holy hour to one's spiritual health and well-being. Though the reader closes the book thinking he or she has shared many of Sheen's personal experiences in traveling, talking to dignitaries, or making converts, Sheen has used each of his experiences to teach his reader about human nature, divine mercy, the sacraments, and the significance of a vocation. Flipping back through the book, one can't help but be stunned at how much one learned, at the quantity of experiential and tactile information Sheen has presented.
This book is not heavy. There are no headaches over heavy theology or impossible philosophy within its pages. Though it is nearly 400 pages, it reads faster than the first Harry Potter book. And though its about one man's life, it is never, ever boring. “Treasure in Clay” is an obvious recommendation for those who want to know more than the time line of Fulton Sheen's life and accomplishments. But it also an amazing recommendation for those who need to know that it is possible to be fully human and fully happy within the Church. Lastly, I would recommend Sheen's autobiography to anyone who needs a good dose of Christian hope and humor.
Fulton Sheen's TV program was called “Life is Worth Living.” His life really was worth living, as is every human life. Reading his book reminds the individual that it is possible to live that life, whatever the individual circumstances or ministry may be. Do yourself a favor this winter and warm your soul with this inspiring and introspective autobiography.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
