Saturday, November 04, 2006

The Faithful of Elsberry Are Blessed with a Good and Faithful Servant

From the Review, we read, in part, Archbishop Burke's appointments:

Rev. Raymond D. Hager, associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Cottleville, is named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Elsberry, effective Nov. 3, 2006.

Rev. Robert E. Zinser, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Elsberry, has resigned his pastorate and the resignation has been accepted, effective Oct. 23, 2006. Father Zinser is granted a leave of absence from the active priestly ministry, for doctrinal reasons, effective Oct. 23, 2006. (my emphasis)

I cannot recall ever hearing of a leave of absence being granted for doctrinal reasons. Surely it has happened in the past, but I don't recall that reason being printed in the Review.

Zinser was appointed to Sacred Heart in June, 2004...He probably should have devoted himself to prayer and reconciliation rather than placing himself in a parish, knowing that his "beliefs" were at odds with the Church's teachings. It's possible that he may have helped a number of people in his care develop questions, doubt, and disbelief regarding the Church's teachings on angels, God as the creator of all (or anything), and much more...

He is the author of a book, The Fascinated God, in which, as another priest has said, "He proceeded to disprove or undermine every pillar of our Christian faith"...Of course, he couldn't disprove anything, although he probably thought he did.

What's worse, this man had over two years to spread his poison among the faithful in Elsberry. Many aware of the situation prayed for protection and spiritual health of those in his care. Though it appears that Zinser has left the priesthood after some 30-40 years, let us not neglect to continue to pray for him. His rejection of what he evidently once believed as the truth is lamentable. May God restore sight to his eyes and replace his confusion with clarity of thought.

But now, God's blessings are upon the faithful of Elsberry! Archbishop Burke has sent them Fr. Hager, an orthodox and faithful priest. As I understand it, Fr. Hager is one of the best young priests in the Archdiocese.

We send our congratulations to Fr. Hager on receiving this appointment as well as our prayers for his success in carrying out his mission to help lead souls to heaven. Please say a prayer for him and for all of our priests!


Mental Prayer-Monthly Check-Up for November, On Examination of Conscience

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: To make a sincere check-up on how I examine my conscience each evening.

Check-Up: At the end of each day did I quietly look into my memory of the day's events and honestly seek out any evil I may have done? Was I satisfied with this; or did I demand an account of the way I lived out my Faith? Have I been serious about the examen of conscience, sincerely asked myself "Have I gone to places or been with persons or done things that easily lead to sin?" Or put this question: "How did I handle that temptation to anger or unkindness? What will I do the next time? Have I ever determined to take these problems to some priest? Exactly how did I go about making an act of contrition? Just saying the words? Or did I recall what I have learned about the malice of sin, how it robs me of grace and leads to hell? And at the end did I settle upon one definite thing I was going to do next day to be more like Christ? Or did I plan how I would fight a particular temptation or struggle against a bad habit? Most important of all, did I humbly ask God to help me to do this in the coming day?

I Speak to Christ: Christ crucified, you can see how badly I need your help - help to make a serious and Sincere examen of conscience each night before I go to sleep. Since I need your help so much, I know you will be with me each day with all the graces I need. Teach me to stay close to you by working at my examen of conscience.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Day 7 of the Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Intention of Defeating Amendment 2

___________________________________

Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, ask and you shall receive;
seek and you shall find;
knock and it shall be opened unto you."
Hence I knock, I seek, and I ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask
of the Father in My name,
He will give unto you.”
Hence I ask the Father,in Thy name, for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away."
Encouraged by Thy infallible words,
I now ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

Let us pray

Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace we ask of Thee, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy tender Mother and ours.

Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clememt. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
__________________

Saint Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Heart of Jesus, rich unto all that call upon Thee, have mercy on us!
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us!

Signatories to Declaration that Missouri Amendment 2 Endorses Human Cloning

Signed (institutional affiliations are for identification only):

Markus Grompe, M.D.
Director, Oregon Stem Cell Center
Professor, Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon

Raymond F. Gasser, Ph.D.
Professor and Human Embryologist
Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy
Louisiana State Univ. Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, Louisiana

Mary Ann Glendon
Learned Hand Professor of Law
Harvard Law School

H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Children
Huntsman Cancer Institute
Professor of Oncological Sciences
Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics
University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, Utah

Robert P. George
McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence
Professor of Politics
Princeton University

Maureen L. Condic, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, Utah

David C. Hess, M.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Neurology
Medical College of Georgia

Peter Augustine Lawler
Dana Professor of Government
and International Studies
Berry College
Mount Berry, Georgia

William J. Burke, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor in Neurology
Associate Professor in Medicine
Associate Professor in Anatomy and Neurobiology
Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center

Jean Peduzzi-Nelson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Detroit, Michigan

Kenneth J. Dormer, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor, College of Medicine
Department of Physiology
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Gilbert Meilaender, Ph.D.
Duesenberg Professor in Christian Ethics
Valparaiso University

Steven Calvin, M.D.
Associate Professor
Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Women's Health
Co-Chair, Program in Human Rights and Medicine
University of Minnesota

David A. Prentice, Ph.D.
Affiliated Scholar
Clinical Bioethics
Georgetown Medical Center

Anton-Lewis Usala, M.D.
President and CEO
CTMG, Inc.
Greenville, North Carolina

William B. Hurlbut, M.D.
Consulting Professor
The Neuroscience Institute at Stanford
Stanford University Medical Center

Diana J. Schaub, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Political Science
Loyola College
Baltimore, Maryland

Joseph R. Zanga, M.D., FAAP, FCP
President, American College of Pediatricians
Professor of Pediatrics
Brody School of Medicine
East Carolina University

C. Ward Kischer, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor
Cell Biology and Anatomy
Specialty in Human Embryology
University of Arizona College of Medicine

James Carroll, M.D.
Chief, Child Neurology
Vice-Chairman, Department of Neurology
Medical College of Georgia

John I. Lane, M.D.
Associate Professor of Radiology
Section of Neuroradiology
Mayo Medical School
Rochester, Minnesota

Kevin T. FitzGerald, S.J. Ph.D., Ph.D.
David P Lauler Chair in Catholic Health Care Ethics
Research Associate Professor
Department of Oncology
Georgetown University Medial Center

Dwayne D. Simmons, Ph.D.
Director, Research Center for Auditory and Vestibular Studies
Department of Otolaryngology
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, Missouri

C. Ben Mitchell, Ph.D.
Director, The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity
Associate Professor of Bioethics & Contemporary Culture
Trinity International University
Deerfield, Illinois

W. Malcolm Byrnes, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Howard University College of Medicine
Washington, DC

Leonard P. Rybak, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Surgery
Southern Illinois University
School of Medicine
Springfield, Illinois

Donald A. Godfrey, Ph.D.
Professor of Otolaryngology
Department of Surgery
University of Toledo College of Medicine

Keith A. Crutcher, Ph.D.
Department of Neurosurgery
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Cincinnati, Ohio

Oswaldo Castro, M.D.
Acting Director
Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease
Washington, DC.

Elizabeth A. Johnson, M.D.
Consultant, Hematology/Oncology
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

David L. Bolender, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Cell Biology,
Neurobiology and Anatomy
Medical College of Wisconsin

Alfonso Gomez-Lobo, Dr. phil.
Ryan Family Professor
of Metaphysics and Moral Philosophy
Georgetown University
Washington, D.C.

James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biological Engineering
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

_____________________________
Received from LifeSiteNews.com

Four priests, previously suspended, are laicized

Four suspended priests of the archdiocese have been dismissed from the priesthood, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke has announced.

The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has laicized, or permanently dismissed from the clerical state, James A. Funke, James L. Gummersbach, Bryan M. Kuchar and Michael L. Seidel. All four men had what was determined to be credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor against them.

Their priestly faculties had been suspended by the archdiocese and they were forbidden to function or represent themselves as priests.

A statement from the archdiocese noted that Archbishop Burke, after a careful examination of the allegations against the men, asked that the proceedings be undertaken to return the men to the lay state.

Dismissal from the clerical state, which is given with the approval of the pope, means that a priest is dispensed from all obligations that he assumed by way of sacred orders and that the archdiocese no longer has responsibility for his support.




Gospel for Nov 4, Memorial: St Charles Borromeo, Bishop

Saturday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Luke 14:1, 7-11

[1] One Sabbath when He (Jesus) went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching Him.

A Lesson About Humility

[7] Now He told a parable to those who were invited, when He marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, [8] "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; [9] and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. [10] But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. [11] For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
______________________

Commentary:

11. Humility is necessary for salvation that Jesus takes every opportunity to stress its importance. Here He uses the attitudes of people at banquet to remind us again that it is God who assigns the places at the Heavenly banquet. "Together with humility, the realization of the greatness of man's dignity--and of the overwhelming fact that, by grace, we are made children of God--forms a single attitude. It is not our own efforts that save us and gives us life; it is the grace of God. This is a truth which must never be forgotten" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 133).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Mental Prayer for the First Saturday of November

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

First Joyful Mystery (Annunciation)
The Hail Mary


Grace I Ask: Mary, help me to know you better so I can truly love you as I should in my practical daily life.

Hail Mary: The first thing that comes to my mind when I say Mary is Mother - my Mother. What does a mother do? She cares for her child. How much more Mary for me? My Mother, I need your care - with my daily temptations against purity - laziness in my studies - I want to be strong in my way of life. Mother, give me your help.

Full of Grace: Mary, you know the meaning of grace. Teach me and show me what grace should mean to me: the very life of God within me, it makes me truly another Christ, it makes me truly your son. Mary, you who were full of grace, please show me these truths so that they will affect my life.

The Lord Is With Thee: First by grace in your soul... and then physically within your body for nine months... carrying within you the God who made the world. Give me the grace to receive God well within me too... in Holy Communion... the God who made the world, I too can carry within me.

Blessed Art Thou Amongst Women: Mary, what a greeting! Of all the women in the world - past, present, or future - you are the greatest, the holiest the most beautiful, the most loving and lovable. Mary, teach me to be able to recognize a truly "great" woman when I see her. Show me, Mary, what makes a woman really and truly a woman, one to be honored, to be respected, to be truly loved. Let me look at you, Mary, for a long time - for the more I can see you in a girl, the more I know that girl is truly one of God's chosen souls­ - a true and wonderful woman.

And Blessed Is the Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus: Every mother gives the world a great gift - but think, Mary, what a gift you gave us, your Son­ Jesus Christ, God-Man.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Thought for Today: You are God's gift - and God is your gift - to me!
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Day 6 of the Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Intention of Defeating Amendment 2

___________________________________

Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, ask and you shall receive;
seek and you shall find;
knock and it shall be opened unto you."
Hence I knock, I seek, and I ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask
of the Father in My name,
He will give unto you.”
Hence I ask the Father,in Thy name, for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away."
Encouraged by Thy infallible words,
I now ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

Let us pray

Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace we ask of Thee, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy tender Mother and ours.

Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clememt. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
__________________

Saint Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Heart of Jesus, rich unto all that call upon Thee, have mercy on us!
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us!

Heavenly Father, help us to recall...

Someone sent me this prayer this afternoon. I will keep it on my mind and in my heart as I drive home this evening.
Heavenly Father, help us to recall that the person who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and was rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children. Please watch over them and bless them.

Help us to recall that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester. Please watch over him and bless him.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares. Please watch over him and bless him.

Help us to recall that the old couple who were walking annoyingly slowly through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress were savoring a special moment. Based on the biopsy report she got back last week, that may be one of the last times that they can go shopping together. Please watch over them and bless them.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all mankind. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive. Help us to show patience, empathy and love.

Showing No Courage, Cardinal Keeler Punts

I have yet to understand why those who have the appearance of "men" are afraid to act like men, and choose, instead, to act like wimps, invertebrate jellyfish...

Catholic Bishops Say No to Outside Voter Guides
By Daniel Burke

WASHINGTON -- A committee of Catholic bishops has strongly urged fellow bishops not to allow the distribution of outside voter guides in Catholic parishes. As the nation moves toward the Nov. 7 midterm elections, millions of voter guides have been produced by Catholic and other Christian groups. But in a private letter sent to fellow prelates, Cardinal William Keeler, chairman of the bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities, said outside voter guides may not present church teachings accurately and may lead to “needless legal entanglements.” Instead, the cardinal urged his fellow bishops to allow only guides authorized by the bishops' conference itself.

Unless one is deaf, dumb and blind (or dead) or a spineless bishop of which we have too many, it's quite simple to determine the faithful guides from the pseudo-Catholic guides.

Frankly, Keeler and "men" like him are not worthy of being leaders, much less bishops. If only they had the courage of the Apostles! I can only wonder, if we lived in early Rome, how many of these weak-kneed "shepherds" would have rejected the faith and offered sacrifices to false gods rather than suffer martyrdom?

Source.

Planetary Theology on Election Eve...

From the Review "News Briefs", we read:

Theologian and author Father Tissa Balasuriya, OMI, will speak on planetary theology and the papal encyclical "God is Love" from an Asian perspective.

He will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at St. Cronan Parish, 1202 S. Boyle Ave. on the near Southside, and at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, at St. Louis University, in room 142 of the humanities building, 3800 Lindell Blvd. For information call Margaret Mary Moore at (314) 781-3231.

Speaking of Planetary Theology, I can't help but recall the very first time I learned the "Mother Earth" is our greatest Sacramental - and this was announce during a homily at a "Pro-Life" Mass...The reason I think this is significant is that the priest giving that 'erudite' homily is now the Pastor of the above mentioned parish...

Anyway, for those who are unfamiliar with this theologian, he was one of the few, in recent times, to have been formally excommunicated. A year after his excommunication which occurred on on 2 Jan 97, Balasuriya signed a Profession of faith and the excommunication was lifted...Balasuriya's beliefs and writings were at odds with Catholic teaching and doctrine. For more information on the reasons for his excommunication, click here.

Balasuriya's evaluation of the Holy Father's encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" can be read here. But that should not prevent us from looking at a paragraph or two of his "Companion" to the Pope's encyclical:
While acknowledging a variety of viewpoints, the Encyclical remains firmly grounded in a traditional Western context. Adherents among the many strains of contemporary Christian theology may thus find much to take issue with here. Feminist theologians will object to its occasionally sexist language, along with its arguments with respect to reproductive rights. Liberation theology in the Latin American grain receives no acknowledgment of its unique contribution to the development of Christian teaching over the past several decades (e.g, love as it relates to compassionate activism and efforts at constructive social change). Proponents of liberation theology in its Asian and African incarnations will have much to say about their experience of the "Christian love" imposed on them through Western colonialism. Those seeking inter-religious dialogue may wish to remind the Pope that the traditional Christian interpretation of "God is love" seems not to have applied to them throughout much of Catholicism's history. And those concerned with inter-racial justice, global ethics, and ecology may also find fault with Christian theology and spirituality as they experienced it.

Or this:
The superpower world of the 21st century has been built up by force and invasion during the five centuries since 1492 when the Christian Churches were partners with Europe in global conquest. These crimes call for reparation. The Church has been far from being an effective witness to the God of love during the creation of this unjust, racist world (dis)order. Most of the saints mentioned by the Pope as icons of social charity were far from being champions of the rights of the oppressed, or of the conquered peoples of the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Global social justice was hardly their concern during the period when the current exploitive world system was in the process of being established. They were inspired by a theology and spirituality that presented the message of Jesus in a manner that legitimized the Western colonial adventure.

And there's much more than this...I don't have the stomach to go through it all. I believe the inclusion of this "talk" by the St Louis Review to be questionable, at best.

Perhaps it's me, but I find Balasuriya's writings and attitude offensive - offensive to me as a Catholic - as one tries to do all I can to submit faithfully to everything which is proposed by the Church for our belief. I find it offensive that one who was accepted back into the fold, still finds time to criticize the Church and encourage others to do likewise. I sometimes find myself questioning his sincerity in his expressed Profession of Faith.

Be that as it may, I would certainly hope and pray that more Catholics will be attending Holy Mass, praying the Rosary, and/or a Novena, or something of that nature, petitionaing our Lord for His grace and intervention on the eve of a most important day for our State and its citizens (including those yet to come into existence).

Our Duty to Vote, Informed by Truth, in Obedience to Truth

Voting for Family and Life on November 7

Archbishop Burke addresses this most urgent responsibility we have as voters and as citizens, especially as it relates to Amendment 2.

Our responsility is first, "to vote", and also, "to vote for both the integrity of procreation within the family and the inviolability of embryonic human life."

Failing to vote is failing to exercise the virtue of love on behalf of the whole of society. Failure to vote is failure to vote for the truth which will serve the greatest good of all in society.

It seems to me that a failure to vote against Amendment 2 would be a mortal sin, especially in light of the gravity of this direct constitutional attempt to clone human life for the purpose of killing it. (This is somewhat outside the scope of Archbishop Burke's column, but I tend to lose too many "thoughts" these days and feel I better record it while it's on my mind.)

We have grave matter - a direct attack against the most defenseless of humanity, an attempt to create a class of human persons whose lives are reduced to slavery, experimentation, and direct killing.

We have knowledge of the gravity of the matter. We have been informed numerous times that it is our duty, for the love of Christ, our fellow man and for the common good, to vote in opposition to this direct attack on the integrity of human procreation and the dignity of embryonic human life.

What willful, deliberate action do I take, based on the knowledge that I have of this grave matter? Will I sin gravely or will I avoid killing my soul and choose to exercise the virtues which are pleasing to God?
Do I accept the Church's teaching just as I would the teaching of my Lord, Jesus?

Or do I permit my arrogance and pride to consume me so that I reject the good, the objective truth, my obligations - because my understanding of "freedom" is deficient?

Does my pride interfere in my conforming my will to the will of Christ?

Does my pride lead me to violate my obligations to God and to others who depend on me - like the unborn?

Do I vote in conformity with the good, in conformity with the truth, in conformity with the the will of my Savior?

Or do I cast my ballot in rebellion to the truth, in a manner which ultimately results in my crying out, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!!!"
For some people, these may indeed be real obstacles. Those of us who have been consumed with arrogance and pride in our lives can understand this and the difficulties that some may have. However, I cannot understand how any rational and truly compassionate person would not fulfill his/her obligation to vote against this horrendous amendment.

Please read Archbishop Burke's column...His columns are clear and unambiguous - he leaves the reader with the information needed to contine on the road to holiness and sanctity.

Please share these words and the prayer below with your friends and family. Countless lives are stake as are the rights of citizens to a representative government.
From the Review, Archbishop Burke continues:
Please vote for the truth. Please encourage others to do the same.

I close with the prayer which I offered at the Rally for the Defeat of Amendment 2, held at St. Alphonsus (Rock) Church on this past Oct. 28:

"Almighty God, we come to You in our great need. You have made us the stewards of your manifold gifts. Above all, you have made us stewards of your greatest gift, human life created in Your own image and likeness, and redeemed by Christ, Your Son, on the Cross. Our stewardship of Your gift of human life, at its very beginning, today stands under a great challenge.

Without Your help, we know that we will fail to safeguard our tiniest brothers and sisters.

With Your help, we are confident that we can safeguard and foster all human life, especially the lives of our brothers and sisters who are under deadly threat.

Enlighten our minds with Your truth and inflame our hearts with Your love, that we may be wise stewards of human life, and courageous defenders of our innocent and defenseless brothers and sisters.

We beg You to grant the grace of conversion of mind and heart to those who would offend You most gravely by attempting to generate human life artificially and by destroying the embryonic human life which they have generated.

Grant to us all the conversion of mind and heart which will enable us to speak the truth and to do the truth with Your divine love which knows no boundary or limit.

We ask this, all-loving Father, through Christ, Your Son and our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Black leaders make a plea to Missouri voters

Despite claims to contrary by John Danforth and selcted "experts", Amendment 2 is deceptive - it will ensure that women will be viewed and treated as commodities; it will subject them to life threatening procedures; and it will target the most poor, disadvantages and desperate women.

Missouri, Don’t Get Egg in Your Face
By Kathryn Jean Lopez

“I’m scared for our young women, especially lower-income minority women who might be deceived by money.”

So says Yvonne Bailey, a black pastor from St. Ann, Missouri, in a new ad produced by Missourians Against Cloning. In it the mom implores, “Protect our daughters. Vote no on Amendment 2.”
...
The TV ad featuring Mrs. Bailey — which will begin running tonight throughout Missouri and is scheduled also to air during Oprah in St. Louis on Friday afternoon — comes on the heels of press conference and “Open Letter of Warning from State and National African American Leaders on Amendment 2.” In the letter, signers warn:

Amendment 2 says that it bans the buying and selling of eggs for human cloning. In reality, Amendment 2 creates a market for millions of eggs for cloning and medical experimentation. In fact, Amendment 2 creates a safe haven for human egg traffickers in the State of Missouri.

The fact is there are not enough human embryos in fertility clinics to do the massive experimentations envisioned by big biotech firms. Nationally, it is estimated there are only 400,000 human embryos stored in IVF clinics, and most of those are beyond the reach of medical and scientific experimentation. Scientists and bioethicists warn us that millions of eggs will be needed to do the kind of human experimentation that big biotech firms want to do.

The biotech special interests behind Amendment 2 understand this, which is why they have hidden human cloning and egg trafficking in the fine print of Amendment 2.

Let us pray that when this amendment is exposed to light of day, and the truth of its deceptions and trickery become known, it will crumble under the weight of its own insidious deceit.




Amendment 2 Hurts Girls

Cardinals' shortstop joins debate on Amendment 2

Shortstop David Eckstein "gets it"...

The Cardinals' shortstop joins pitcher Jeff Suppan in a new print ad opposing Amendment 2, which addresses stem cell research.

In its own deceptive manner, the Post-Disgrace leaves out the word "EMBRYONIC" when referring to "stem cell research". This is, no doubt, a move to confuse readers, an attempt to blur the distinction between the intrinsically evil embryonic stem cell research and the morally and ethically licit "adult" stem cell research. But then, we must always consider the source.

...this is the first time that Eckstein's name has appeared in campaign materials.

The ad is set to run today in newspapers across the state, including the Post-Dispatch. It features an "open letter to the people of Missouri" signed by Eckstein, Suppan and Kansas City Royals player Mike Sweeney.

The trio of ballplayers, who call themselves "athletes with moral convictions," say that, among other things, the "fine print" of Amendment 2 would allow for the cloning of human beings.
It's a wonderful thing to see athletes with "moral convictions" and these men are to be praised and thanked for speaking out against the trickery and deceptions of Amendment 2!

Donn Rubin, chairman of the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, says the ad is repeating misleading comments made by opponents of the amendment throughout this campaign season.

Rubin continues to spread the same lies as his accomplices in deceit such as the Danforths and all of the others. Rubin and his comrades in deception don't want the public to know the details - they don't want the public to know the truth. This is so obvious when one compares the ballot language with the actual wording of the Amendment. Wordsmiths and tricky lawyers must have been employed in order to deceive Missouri citizens into voting against their beliefs.

Rubin said Eckstein and the other athletes in the ad are either "being misled or they are purposely being misleading."

"And I prefer to believe my sports heroes are not deliberately misleading us," Rubin said.
Rubin ought to know something about deception - he and his group have attempted to deceive the public from the very beginning. It's a shame he and his companions are living in the wrong time in history. It seems that they would have been more at home working for Hitler and Mengeles, conducting bizarre and macabre experiments, creating a class of human persons whose "life is unworthy of life", and spreading the lies and propaganda to further their agenda. What a pathetic bunch, this Missourians for Life-Saving Cures group.

We have to pray for these people and for their salvation. And we must oppose them and the evil that they wish to enshrine into our Constitution, with all vigor and determination.

And may God bless these athletes, exemplary roles models, for the stand they are taking. Would that former Senators, lawyers, clergy and others had such character!




Rebellion among some French clergy grows

Brian Mershon has another excellent article on the developing problems with French bishops and priests in opposition to anticipated plans of the Holy Father to relax restrictions of celebrating the Tridentine Mass.


Gospel for Friday, 30th Week In Ordinary Time

From: Luke 14:1-6

Jesus Cures a Dropsical Man on the Sabbath


[1] One sabbath when he (Jesus) went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. [2] And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. [3] And Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?" [4] But they were silent. Then he took him and healed him, and let him go. [5] And he said to them, "Which of you, having an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?" [6] And they could not reply to this.
______________________

Commentary:

1-6. Fanaticism is always evil. It often causes blindness and leads a person, as in this case, to deny the principles of justice and charity and even basic humanitarianism. We should never be fanatical about anything--no matter how sacred it is.
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Another Courageous Bishop, Robert Morlino

Bishop: All Priests Must Play Recorded Homily on Life and Family or Suffer "Serious Consequences"

After hearing reports of "isolated cases" of priests refusing to convey, or even publicly contradicting, the bishops' messages on these important topics [teaching on voting in favor of life and family], [Bishop Morlino of Madison, WI.] went to the extraordinary step of ordering all of the priests in his diocese to play a recorded message of his own at weekend Masses on November 4-5 in the place of the homily.

To demonstrate the gravity of the matter, Bishop Morlino warned of "serious consequences" for priests who would contradict the vital teachings of the church in these matters. "I must make it very clear that any verbal or non-verbal expression of disagreement with this teaching on the part of the priest will have to be considered by myself as an act of disobedience, which could have serious consequences," he said.

Not even "non-verbal" expressions are allowed - how many disobedient and unfaithful priests are in that diocese?

Day 5 of the Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Intention of Defeating Amendment 2

___________________________________

Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, ask and you shall receive;
seek and you shall find;
knock and it shall be opened unto you."
Hence I knock, I seek, and I ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask
of the Father in My name,
He will give unto you.”
Hence I ask the Father,in Thy name, for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away."
Encouraged by Thy infallible words,
I now ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

Let us pray

Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace we ask of Thee, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy tender Mother and ours.

Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clememt. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
__________________

Saint Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Heart of Jesus, rich unto all that call upon Thee, have mercy on us!
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us!

Fairy Tales...

Just in time for that special bedtime story...

Fed-up Wal-Mart worker quits over pro-'gay' agenda

Is the Wal-Mart of today nothing but a mutated, degenerate, depraved offshoot of the company Sam Walton founded? Many would say yes, others are clueless, and a few are probably tickled pink and lavender...

People should spend their hard-earned dollars elsewhere, preferably with those who share similar morals, character and virtues. Perhaps Wal-Mart should observe what has happened to Ford since its entry into the homosexual lovefest.

Here's the story of another brave soul who refuses to accept the anti-family culture being embraced by so many.

When is a clone not a clone...?

That's a simple question - when Amendment 2 supporters redefine the terms...

An article in the Orlando Sentinel by Kathleen Parker confirms what opponents of Amendment 2 have been saying for months:

"I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me."
-- U.S. Rep. Willard Duncan Vandiver, 1899

Vandiver's words spoken more than a century ago helped to popularize his home state's unofficial designation as the "Show-Me State." Whether they still hold true will be tested Nov. 7 when voters try to wrap their minds around a stem-cell amendment that is long on "frothy eloquence" and short on "show me."

It has been suggested that the researchers have been practicing the slogan with other words, hoping, as they changed the definition of cloning, that they can also redefine the State slogan - "SHOW ME, the MONEY"!

To be clear: Approval of "Constitutional Amendment 2" would mean approval of a constitutional right to clone.

Yet, when voters go to the polls, that's not what they'll read on the ballot. Instead, they'll vote on a bullet-point summary of the 2,100-word amendment that reads like a pro-life manifesto blended with progressive compassion.

It's deceptive, it's tricky, it's designed to obfuscate the truth...

What's not to love? Never mind that stem-cell research of every kind is legal today and happening in Missouri. Or that the people of Missouri are not now, nor will they ever be, denied access to cures and therapies of whatever sort.

But that's not what the TV and Radio spots tell us - we are told that some in the "Show me the money" state want to deny us access to cures...More spin and deceptions from the Danforths and their cohorts.

As for cloning, no one should be surprised to hear that it depends on what one's definition is. By using less-familiar scientific language, supporters of the stem-cell initiative effectively have redefined "cloning" to mean only reproductive cloning -- that is, implantation of a lab-created embryo in a woman's womb for the purpose of creating a human being.
As reported many times, the cloning for killing advocates have taken a page directly from the William Jefferson Clinton playbook - redefine terms to mean something they are not.

While the amendment would ban that procedure, it would allow "somatic cell nuclear transfer," which is the widely accepted scientific definition of "cloning."

Not according to the supporters of the Amendment - who are, apparently, quite astute proteges of Clinton.

Whether one clones an embryo for birth, or clones an embryo for research, a clone is a clone is a clone.

The people of Missouri are NOT to be told things like this...the MCLC (Missouri Coalition for Legalized Con-games) will be upset if the truth comes out.

Sentient humans are probably wondering why Missouri needs a constitutional amendment for embryonic-stem-cell research when it is already legal.
The answer is coming....

Given the confusing language of the amendment, one can objectively conclude that whatever the intent, voters aren't being dealt a straight hand.

There are card-sharks and cheaters at the table...

The driving force behind the proposed amendment is the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, which has raised $30.1 million to push the initiative, [nearly all of it from ] James and Virginia Stowers, the billionaire founders of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a biomedical research company in Kansas City, Mo., that focuses on finding solutions to gene-based diseases...[and]...Their new entity, BioMed Valley Discoveries...a for-profit enterprise designed to market scientific discoveries.

May the people of the State of Missouri see this Amendment for what it truly is - a blank check from the taxpayers paid to researchers for cloning human life only to kill that life - and all of this, to be done with impunity and with an unheard of PROTECTION and IMMUNITY from any govermental oversight.

May the Stowers millions of dollars spent on this campaign go up in smoke.


Bishop Robert Finn: Stem-cell proposal would be bad in many ways

I am a faith leader, as well as a lifelong Missourian and taxpayer. I urge you to read the text of Amendment 2 (posted on the Internet at .gov/elections) on the Missouri ballot Tuesday and vote no on this deceptive and destructive initiative.

Amendment 2 would be bad law.

1) The preface reads, “You are advised the proposed constitutional amendment may change, repeal, or modify by implication … the following provisions of the Constitution of Missouri.” The secretary of state lists 44 sections. On these grounds alone voters should reject it.

2) Subsection 2 (7) states that no law, regulation or ordinance or other governmental action could “restrict” or “discourage” any stem-cell research. This would ensure that no elected official in state or local government would have the power to represent the people in regulating this research.

3) If passed, the legislative branch would forfeit part of its oversight of the budget. Amendment 2 reads, “No state or local government body or official shall eliminate, reduce, deny, or withhold any public funds provided or eligible to be provided … (for) such research.”

Bishop Finn then addresses other issues, such as "Amendment 2 would be bad ethics"-hope of cures does not justify the taking of an innocent human life, "bad business"-regulation-free protection to the biotech industry, and "bad science"-scientific heresy...

Now if only the Missouri voters, with the help of God's grace, will reject this proposed amendment.




A Local Example of Courage and Sacrifice

Here is a report from the brother of a local man Chris Lozano, the father of 7 children, a lieutenant colonel in the Marines, who's currently in Anbar province, Camp Fallujah (3rd tour, the first was in Afghanistan and the second through the invasion). His family lives here in St. Louis - we should make every effort to remember them in our prayers.

It seems that those brave men and women in the military were aware of Kerry's latest derogatory statements before most other Americans, as is evidenced by this picture which was sent home by Lieutenant Colonel Lozano.



I think it is well worth sharing the following with you:
If you want a little insight into where his heart is, you might find his (very) occasional blog interesting.

Here's one post: http://amarinestory.blogspot.com/2006/10/when-warriors-weep.html
On a related topic from a couple of weeks ago.

Also here's a site we put together for him from the first two deployments: www.amarinestory.com

I hope that this helps to remind us that those in our military are real men and women who are answering the call of our country to defend us and others. I thank Mr. Lozano for forwarding this information to me. I touches me deeply to learn of the tremendous sacrifice his brother and family are making. May our Lord grant all of them protection and extraordinary graces to endure their hardships and sacrifices. May our Blessed Mother cover all of them with the mantle of her motherly protection.

And a giant "thank you" goes out to Bob L. for sharing this with us! May God bless you and your family!

Gospel for Nov 2, Commemoration: All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

From: John 11:17-27

The Raising of Lazarus (Continuation)

[17] Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. [20] When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him, while Mary sat in the house. [21] Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] And even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You." [23] Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." [24] Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." [25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" [27] She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, He who is coming into the world."
________________________

Commentary:

1-45. This chapter deals with one of Jesus' most outstanding miracles. The Fourth Gospel, by including it, demonstrates Jesus' power over death, which the Synoptic Gospels showed by reporting the raising of the daughter of Jairus (Matthew 9:25 and paragraph) and of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12).

The Evangelist first sets the scene (verses 1-16); then he gives Jesus' conversation with Lazarus' sisters (verses 17-37); finally, he reports the raising of Lazarus four days after his death (verses 38-45). Bethany was only about three kilometers (two miles) from Jerusalem (verse 18). On the days prior to His passion, Jesus often visited this family, to which He was very attached. St. John records Jesus' affection (verses 3, 5, 36) by describing His emotion and sorrow at the death of His friend.

By raising Lazarus our Lord shows His divine power over death and thereby gives proof of His divinity, in order to confirm His disciples' faith and reveal Himself as the Resurrection and the Life. Most Jews, but not the Sadducees, believed in the resurrection of the body. Martha believed in it (cf. verse 24).

Apart from being a real, historical event, Lazarus' return to life is a sign of our future resurrection: we too will return to life. Christ, by His glorious resurrection through He is the "first-born from the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:20; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5), is also the cause and model of our resurrection. In this His resurrection is different from that of Lazarus, for "Christ being raised from the dead will never die again" (Romans 6:9), whereas Lazarus returned to earthly life, later to die again.

18. Fifteen stadia, in Greek measurement: three kilometers (two miles).

21-22. According to St. Augustine, Martha's request is a good example of confident prayer, a prayer of abandonment into the hands of God, who knows better than we what we need. Therefore, "she did not say, But now I ask You to raise my brother to life again. [...] All she said was, I know that You can do it; if you will, do it; it is for you to judge whether to do it, not for me to presume" ("In Ioann. Evang.", 49, 13). The same can be said of Mary's words, which St. John repeats at verse 32.

24-26. Here we have one of those concise definitions Christ gives of Himself, and which St. John faithfully passes on to us (cf. John 10:9; 14:6; 15:1): Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the Resurrection because by His victory over death He is the cause of the resurrection of all men. The miracle He works in raising Lazarus is a sign of Christ's power to give life to people. And so, by faith in Jesus Christ, who arose first from among the dead, the Christian is sure that he too will rise one day, like Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:23; Colossians 1;18). Therefore, for the believer death is not the end; it is simply the step to eternal life, a change of dwelling-place, as one of the Roman Missal's Prefaces of Christian Death puts it: "Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in Heaven".

By saying that He is Life, Jesus is referring not only to that life which begins beyond the grave, but also to the supernatural life which grace brings to the soul of man when he is still a wayfarer on this earth.

"This life, which the Father has promised and offered to each man in Jesus Christ, His eternal and only Son, who 'when the time had fully come' (Galatians 4:4), became incarnate and was born of the Virgin Mary, is the final fulfillment of man's vocation. It is in a way the fulfillment of the 'destiny' that God has prepared for him from eternity. This 'divine destiny' is advancing, in spite of all the enigmas, the unsolved riddles, the twists and turns of 'human destiny' in the world of time. Indeed, while all this, in spite of all the riches of life in time, necessarily and inevitably leads to the frontiers of death and the goal of the destruction of the human body, beyond that goal we see Christ. 'I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me...shall never die.' In Jesus Christ, who was crucified and laid in the tomb and then rose again, 'our hope of resurrection dawned...the bright promise of immortality' ("Roman Missal", Preface of Christian Death, I), on the way to which man, through the death of the body, shares with the whole of visible creation the necessity to which matter is subject" ([Pope] John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 18).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Mental Prayer for the First Friday of November

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Greatness of the Sacred Heart's Love for Us

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: To grasp something of Christ's great love for me.

Mental Picture: A few years ago in the war (WWII) an American patrol was surprised by an enemy hand grenade landing between their feet in the muck of the road. For an eternal split-second they froze, paralyzed by surprise and fear. Instantly one man leaped forward; there was a muffled blast. No one was touched but the man on the ground. He had dived on the grenade like a football player covering a fumble. He was dead. "Greater love than this no man has, than he give his life for his friends."

My Personal Application: Christ gave His life no less for me. If that generous soldier had known about his heroic split-second choice an hour before could he have made it? He would have been even more of a hero if he did. Christ knew about His death all His life. He actually felt the agony of its torture the night before. He could have stepped back at any instant between the garden and Cal­vary. Every step, every blow, each fall, each nail, was a new split-second choice he made. He made them to save me, to save me from hell. Theolo­gians say that Christ would have undergone His entire Passion for one sinner if there had been only one. So I can truly say that He suffered all of it for me.

I Speak to the Sacred Heart: I believe you suffered this for me. Perhaps I could realize and not for­get so quickly if I had seen your pain and known it was for me. I also shy away from your great suffering when I am ashamed of my sins and ashamed that I ignore you so much. Help me see there are no conditions on your love. You saw all my sins, all my forgetfulness, all my neglect, before you suffered. You don't even mention them now. Teach me to love you simply and sincerely as you have loved me.

Thought for Today: "Greater love than this no man has, than he give his life for his friends."
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Day 4 of the Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the Intention of Defeating Amendment 2

___________________________________

Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, ask and you shall receive;
seek and you shall find;
knock and it shall be opened unto you."
Hence I knock, I seek, and I ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask
of the Father in My name,
He will give unto you.”
Hence I ask the Father,in Thy name, for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

O my Jesus, Thou didst say:
"Amen, I say to you, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away."
Encouraged by Thy infallible words,
I now ask for the grace of...

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!

Let us pray

Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace we ask of Thee, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thy tender Mother and ours.

Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us,
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of they womb, Jesus.
O clememt. O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
__________________

Saint Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Heart of Jesus, rich unto all that call upon Thee, have mercy on us!
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us!

Has the Media Again Ignored an Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough?

Human Liver Grown from Cord Blood Stem Cells--Media Ignores UK Breakthrough
Wesley Smith charges media deliberately ignore advancements using adult stem cells
By Gudrun Schultz

NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom, November 1, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A group of British scientists has achieved a major breakthrough in stem cell technology, growing the world’s first artificial human liver in a laboratory, using stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood. The achievement has been largely ignored, however, by North American mainstream media.

The UK Daily Mail reported yesterday on the work of Newcastle University researchers Nico Forraz and Colin McGuckin, who have successfully grown ‘mini-livers’ capable of being used to test new drugs and, in future years, of providing life-saving treatment to patients in need of liver transplants.

Researchers predict the science, with none of the ethical concerns associated with the use of embryonic stem cells, will be used to repair damaged livers within the next five years, and within 15 years whole artificial livers will be grown to be used in transplants.

And where are we with the "Lifesaving Cures" being proposed by embryonic stem cel research...left with empty promises of cures but with grandiose plans to take taxpayers' money.

Let's all hold our breath until this great achievement is broadcast on the evening news!




Check this out: Antique Holy Cards!

U S Soldiers in Iraq Respond to John Kerry

This was just too good to pass up...





This should serve as another reminder that we need to support and pray for those brave men and women who are serving our country with valor, dedication, and sacrifice. It's a shame that they must suffer attacks from those who claim to be "patriots"...you know, the ones who are so bitter, negative, vindictive, and "tolerant".

Gospel for November 1, Solemnity, All Saints

From: Matthew 5:1-12a

The Beatitudes


[1] Seeing the crowds, He (Jesus) went up on the mountain, and when He sat down His disciples came to Him. [2] And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: [3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [5] Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. [6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [7] Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. [8] Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. [9] Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. [10] Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [11] Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in Heaven."
_________________________

Commentary:

1. The Discourse, or Sermon, on the Mount takes up three full chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel--Chapters 5-7. It is the first of the five great discourses of Jesus which appear in this Gospel and it contains a considerable amount of our Lord's teaching.

It is difficult to reduce this discourse to one single theme, but the various teachings it contains could be said to deal with these five points: 1) the attitude a person must have for entering the Kingdom of Heaven (the Beatitudes, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, Jesus and His teaching, the fullness of the Law); 2) uprightness of intention in religious practice (here the "Our Father" would be included); 3) trust in God's fatherly providence; 4) how God's children should behave towards one another (not judging one's neighbor, respect for holy things, the effectiveness of prayer, and the golden rule of charity); 5) the conditions for entering the Kingdom (the narrow gate, false prophets and building on rock).

"He taught them": this refers both to the disciples and to the multitude, as can be seen at the end of the Sermon (Matthew 7:28).

2. The Beatitudes (5:3-12) form, as it were, the gateway to the Sermon on the Mount. In order to understand the Beatitudes properly, we should bear in mind that they do not promise salvation only to the particular kinds of people listed here: they cover everyone whose religious dispositions and moral conduct meet the demands which Jesus lays down. In other words, the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who suffer persecution in their search for holiness--these are not different people or kinds of people but different demands made on everyone who wants to be a disciple of Christ.

Similarly, salvation is not being promised to different groups in society but to everyone, no matter what his or her position in life, who strives to follow the spirit and to meet the demands contained in the Beatitudes.

All the Beatitudes have an eschatological meaning, that is, they promise us definitive salvation not in this world, but in the next. But the spirit of the Beatitudes does give us, in this life, peace in the midst of tribulation. The Beatitudes imply a completely new approach, quite at odds with the usual way man evaluates things: they rule out any kind of pharisaical religiosity, which regards earthly happiness as a blessing from God and a reward for good behavior, and unhappiness and misfortune as a form of punishment. In all ages the Beatitudes put spiritual goods on a much higher plane than material possessions. The healthy and the sick, the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor--all are called, independently of their circumstances, to the deep happiness that is experienced by those who live up to the Beatitudes which Jesus teaches.

The Beatitudes do not, of course, contain the entire teaching of the Gospel, but they do contain, in embryo, the whole program of Christian perfection.

3. This text outlines the connection between poverty and the soul. This religious concept of poverty was deeply rooted in the Old Testament (cf., e.g., Zephaniah 2:3ff). It was more to do with a religious attitude of neediness and of humility towards God than with material poverty: that person is poor who has recourse to God without relying on his own merits and who trusts in God's mercy to be saved. This religious attitude of poverty is closely related to what is called "spiritual childhood". A Christian sees himself as a little child in the presence of God, a child who owns nothing: everything he has comes from God and belongs to God. Certainly, spiritual poverty, that is, Christian poverty, means one must be detached from material things and practice austerity in using them. God asks certain people--religious--to be legally detached from ownership and thereby bear witness to others of the transitoriness of earthly things.

4. "Those who mourn": here our Lord is saying that those are blessed who suffer from any kind of affliction--particularly those who are genuinely sorry for they sins, or are pained by the offenses which others offer God, and who bear their suffering with love and in a spirit of atonement.

"You are crying? Don't be ashamed of it. Yes, cry: men also cry like you, when they are alone and before God. Each night, says King David, I soak my bed with tears. With those tears, those burning manly tears, you can purify your past and supernaturalize your present life" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 216).

The Spirit of God will console with peace and joy, even in this life, those who weep for their sins, and later will give them a share in the fullness of happiness and glory in Heaven: these are the blessed.

5. "The meek": those who patiently suffer unjust persecution; those who remain serene, humble and steadfast in adversity, and do not give way to resentment or discouragement. The virtue of meekness is very necessary in the Christian life. Usually irritableness, which is very common, stems from a lack of humility and interior peace.

"The earth": this is usually understood as meaning our Heavenly Fatherland.

6. The notion of righteousness (or justice) in Holy Scripture is an essentially religious one (cf. notes on Matthew 1:19 and 3:15; Romans 1:17; 1:18-32; 3:21-22 and 24). A righteous person is one who sincerely strives to do the Will of God, which is discovered in the commandments, in one's duties of state in life (social, professional and family responsibilities) and through one's life of prayer. Thus, righteousness, in the language of the Bible, is the same as what nowadays is usually called "holiness" (1 John 2:29; 3:7-10; Revelation 22:11; Genesis 15:6; Deuteronomy 9:4).

As St. Jerome comments ("Comm. on Matthew", 5, 6), in the fourth Beatitude our Lord is asking us not simply to have a vague desire for righteousness: we should hunger and thirst for it, that is, we should love and strive earnestly to seek what makes a man righteous in God's eyes. A person who genuinely wants to attain Christian holiness should love the means which the Church, the universal vehicle of salvation, offers all men and teaches them to use--frequent use of the Sacraments, an intimate relationship with God in prayer, a valiant effort to meet one's social, professional and family responsibilities.

7. Mercy is not a just a matter of giving alms to the poor but also of being understanding towards other people's defects, overlooking them, helping them cope with them and loving them despite whatever defects they may have. Being merciful also means rejoicing and suffering with other people.

8. Christ teaches us that the source of the quality of human acts lies in the heart, that is, in a man's soul, in the depths of his spirit. "When we speak of a person's heart, we refer not just to his sentiments, but to the whole person in his loving dealings with others. In order to help us understand divine things, Scripture uses the _expression `heart' in its full human meaning, as the summary and source, _expression and ultimate basis, of one's thoughts, words and actions. A man is worth what his heart is worth" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 164).

Cleanness of heart is a gift of God, which expresses itself in a capacity to love, in having an upright and pure attitude to everything noble. As St. Paul says, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). Helped by God's grace, a Christian should constantly strive to cleanse his heart and acquire this purity, whose reward is the vision of God.

9. The translation "peacemakers" well convey the active meaning of the original text--those who foster peace, in themselves and in others and, as a basis for that, try to be reconciled and to reconcile others with God. Being at peace with God is the cause and effect of every kind of peace. Any peace on earth not based on this divine peace would be vain and misleading.

"They shall be called sons of God": this is an Hebraicism often found in Sacred Scripture; it is the same as saying "they will be sons of God". St. John's first letter (3:1) provides a correct exegesis of this Beatitude: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are".

10. What this Beatitude means, then, is: blessed are those who are persecuted because they are holy, or because they are striving to be holy, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thus, blessed is he who suffers persecution for being true to Jesus Christ and who does so not only patiently but joyfully. Circumstances arise in a Christian's life that call for heroism--where no compromise is admissible: either one stays true to Jesus Christ whatever the cost in terms of reputation, life or possessions, or one denies Him. St. Bernard ("Sermon on the Feast of All Saints") says that the eighth Beatitude is as it were the prerogative of Christian martyrs. Every Christian who is faithful to Jesus' teaching is in fact a "martyr" (a witness) who reflects or acts according with this Beatitude, even if he does not undergo physical death.

11-12. The Beatitudes are the conditions Jesus lays down for entering the Kingdom of Heaven. This verse, in a way summing up the preceding ones, is an invitation to everyone to put this teaching into practice. The Christian life, then, is no easy matter, but it is worthwhile, given the reward that Jesus promises.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

November 1, All Saints - Married Saints

"Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven." St. Matthew, 5:12.

In the year 1206 there gathered in the castle of Wartburg in Thuringia six famous poets. Of their songs and poems the Duke was to decide which was best. So beautiful was their poetry that the Duke was unable to choose. He sent one of his officials to a neighboring kingdom to invite a celebrated wise man named Klingsohr to com~ and make the decision.

Klingsohr was famous in foretelling the future. The crowd greeted him with a request for some new prediction. The wise man surveyed the stars and exclaimed:
"I will tell you something both new and joyous. I see a beautiful star rising in Hungary, the rays of which extend to Marburg, and from Marburg over all the world. Know even that on this night there is born to my lord, the King of Hungary, a daughter who shall be named Elizabeth. She shall be given in marriage to the son of your prince, she shall become a saint, and her sanctity shall rejoice and console the entire world."

This bright new star was St. Elizabeth of Hungary, famous Franciscan Tertiary, saintly queen, wife and mother. A bride at the age of thirteen; a mother at sixteen; a widow at twenty; dead at the age of twenty-four, she was declared a saint five years later. These are rapid highlights in the life of this holy wife and mother, in a life blended of sweet romance, virtuous courtship, married happiness and married tears.

As we scan the stars of sanctity on this feast of All Saints we see many who were married. What admirable ancestors in the faith. What sterling examples to mothers and fathers today. What heroes and heroines in put­ting into practice the plan for sainthood offered by Jesus in the Gospel for this day. What help they give, what inspiration, to you parents and par­ents to be. There is no marriage situation but finds its example in the his­tory of the holy.

1. In one group both husband and wife were saints. On February 26th we keep the feast of St. Ethelbert and St. Bertha. There were St. Elzear and St. Delphina. There was St. Chrysanthus, a converted nobleman, who was tempted by the beautiful Daria. He converted her, married her, and helped her become a saint. St. Pinianus and St. Melania shared their immense wealth with the poor until they themselves became the poorest of the poor.

2. We find husbands who were saintly, but whose wives were not. St. Thomas More had a devoted but rather worldly wife. Blessed Sebastian of Mexico was another example.

3. In a third group, rather numerous, we find a saintly wife with a sinful husband. In still other groups we find saintly parents and saintly children.

Some of you may find your example in St. Fabiola. She was wealthy and well known, but her first husband was so wicked that she divorced him and married another. At that time she was far from sanctity, but on the death of her second husband she turned to God. She put aside her gorgeous wardrobe, dressed in garments of penance, and stood before the gates of Rome, trying to make amends for her scandal. What an example to those of you who might be tempted to enter an impossible or sinful marriage.

There was one thing common to all these married saints - they followed the formula laid down by the Son of God in the Gospel of today.

They were poor in spirit. They gave generously to the poor. We even see the saintly and wealthy Queen Isabella of Spain, who helped Columbus to discover America, patching the clothes of her husband and children.

They were meek and patient and forgiving like St. Monica.

They shed their tears. They experienced hunger and thirst. They were merciful. And, yes, they were pure of heart. Many of these married saints, by mutual agreement lead a life of virginity.

They were peacemakers. They suffered for the sake of justice. Always these heroes and heroines remembered that Christ said they were blessed, if they accepted all trials in His spirit.

There is your plan, dear parents. There is your formula for family sanctity. There you see how St. Elizabeth of Hungary arrived at sanctity. There you see how many mothers and fathers of your parish will some day become saints. Today you will decide anew to live according to Christ's program. Whether you are canonized or not, you will go on loving and serving God above everyone and above everything.

Follow Christ's formula. It will make yours a happier home, a happier marriage, a happier family. Try it. Your reward will be very great - in this world and in the next. Amen.
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Adapted from Talks on the Sacraments
by Fr. Arthur Tonne,OFM (© 1947)

November 1, All Saints - Hall of Holiness

"Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in beaven." St. Matthew, 5:12.

Overlooking the Hudson River in New York City is an open-air colon­nade known as America's Hall of Fame. Between its columns one sees busts of outstanding men and women who have helped to make America great. It is like a history of America in stone.

This Hall of Fame was begun in 1894. It is the only one of its kind in all the world. How are the people chosen for this high honor? The names of those whose bust will be placed there are chosen by popular approval. Every five years the public is invited to nominate the American they con­sider worthiest to occupy a position in this hall of honor.

Then there is a board of electors - one hundred of them. If three-fifths of these approve the choice, the name of that man or woman is then chiseled into the Hall of Fame. Another rule is that no one can be elected until twenty-five years after his death. Accordingly, the Hall includes only those whose life and work have stood the acid test of time.

Whom do we find in this national niche of glory? We find representa­tives, writers, statesmen, philanthropists, preachers, artists, soldiers, actors, inventors. educators, explorers, lawyers, reformers, engineers, sculptors, sailors, physicians, and a composer.

Broad and inclusive as this list may appear, it does not take in all who have contributed to making America great. Nor does it include all great Americans, for greatness is not measured by the praise of the public, or the renown and recognition one receives. It is measured by what one is and by what one does. According to that measurement millions of Americans should be represented in our Hall of Fame.

Something like that is Mother Church's Hall of Holiness. On her official lists are the names of thousands of saints. They are from every walk of life; from almost every nation: from every race: from every profession, trade and class of society. Mother Church honors in a special way these men and women who have done something outstanding for the spread of God's kingdom. She, too, selects her saints very slowly and very carefully.

But that slow and careful choice does not mean that there are not many saints. Today's feast, All Saints, is a day on which we honor many millions who have led heroic lives of service of God.

Today we honor all the unknown men and women - unknown to us, but known to God - who tried to know, love and serve God in a very special and heroic way.

Why do we honor them? Why do we honor the Queen of Saints, the angels, and the holy people of God? Here are the reasons:
1. Because God has honored them by giving them grace and glory.

2. Because it is natural for us to honor those who are outstanding in any worthwhile field. We honor our parents, our teachers, our friends. We honor heroes of our country. How much more ought we to honor the heroes of that heavenly country?

3. Because in honoring the angels and saints and the Queen of them all, we are following the example of Sacred Scripture, (Gen 18:2; Josue 5:15; Numbers 22:21; Apoc 22:8) and also writings in the early Church.

4. Because in honoring the saints and angels we are honoring God, whose handiwork and masterpieces they are.

But what makes a saint? What is the formula? What is the test and pattern?
Jesus gives us the formula and the test in today's Gospel:

1. He tells us that the poor in spirit will possess the kingdom of heaven. Read the lives of the heroes a.nd heroines of God and you will notice that they were not attached to money and the things that money can buy. Most of them were really poor. Others were rich, but they used their riches for God and their fellow-men.

2. Jesus tells us that the meek will possess the land. Do you know someone who is meek and gentle, someone who avoids fighting and quarrels? Mark that man and that woman as having one of the trademarks of a saint.

3. The saints were sad in the sense that they sorrowed over the neglect of God and the things of God. But that sorrow is now turned into joy.

4. Those who hunger and thirst after justice, that is, those who strive at all costs to model themselves after the God-man, will enjoy spiritual satisfac­tion.

5. Another mark of the man of God is mercy. Show me a heart that is for­giving and merciful, and I will show you a heart that is saintly.

6. The saintly are also pure, in thought, word and deed. With all their energy they strive to be pure. To such Christ promises the sight of God.

7. Do you know any peacemakers, people who strive to bring about under­standing and harmony between individuals, families, communities and even nations? Then you know why Christ called them children of God.

8. Another note in the lives of the saints is persecution, often by their own families and friends. They bear it patiently. Today they are rewarded.

There you have the formula. Don't you want to be in the Hall of Holiness? Don't you want to serve God in a special way? No matter what your walk in life, your age, your education, your class, race or color, you can fol­low this formula. You, too, can be worthy to have your name in the list of heroes and heroines of God.

Whether the world ever knows or finds it out, makes no difference. God knows who is following the formula of the Eight Beatitudes. Today when we honor the unknown servants of God, we will renew our determination, with their help, to strive for the honor of some day being numbered among the saintly, even if it is among the saints known only to God. Amen.
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Adapted from Occasional Talks
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)

Mental Prayer for November 1, Feast of All Saints

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Give me the grace, Lord, to keep before my eyes the example of those saidts that have gone before me.

The Idea: Boys, girls, housewives and laborers, soldiers, priests and doctors today are honored by the Church for following our Lord in a life well spent. Perhaps some of our friends and acquaint­ances are among them. Yet just a few years ago they were just as we are now, struggling to stay out of sin, being tempted, falling into sin and rising again. Now, for all eternity they enjoy the happiness of heaven. November 1 can be a day on which we gain much courage and determination to keep on trying to grow closer to God. Let us not think of the saints as extraordinary people who accomplished the impossible. They are ordinary people who did God's will as best they could. That is all God asks.

My Personal Application: Do I set the saints up on a high pedestal and convince myself that that is not for me? They are ideals to strive for, models to imitate, friends to seek help from. Who is my patron saint? I should ask now for his or her help in following our Lord. He or she is interest­ed in me now. For saints in heaven understand much more clearly the importance of grace, the evil of sin, and the goodness of God.

I Speak to the Saints: This time I will let the saints speak for me. They know better what is helpful for gaining salvation; and they are close to God. All you saints, speak to God for me and ask Him that I may profit by your example.

Thought for Today: All you saints, intercede for me!
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

November 1, All Saints - They Lead the Way

"Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven." St. Matthew, 5:12.

Some years ago the authorities in a certain section of China decided to introduce football into their native land. The school teachers were told to teach their boys the game. They sent for a number of rule books; translated them into Chinese; and then asked their pupils to copy out page after page of these rules and learn them by heart.

After the boys had memorized the rules, the teachers gave lectures on the game. The lectures were followed by written tests. You can imagine how discouraging the results.

About that time an American happened to visit the principal village in that district. Some of the lads told him of their desire to play football and of their efforts to learn the game.

"Good heavens," the visitor shouted, "you'll never learn to play football that way. The only way to learn is by playing."

He bought a football, took the boys out on a field, and in an hour's time taught them more about football than they had learned from books in the past six weeks.

During the past year we have been thinking about the rules for the great game of life. We have thought about prayer, and the laws of Mother Church, and the virtues that go to make a true follower of Christ. But, unless we see those virtues in practice, unless we see the program carried out, it is difficult for us to understand, and still more difficult for us to carry it out.

Accordingly, on this great feast of All Saints we might dwell on the thought, among others, that the saints really put all this theory into prac­tice. They really show us how to follow Christ. They not only tell us, explain to us, and show us the rule book. They actually show us how to do it.

1. The feast we celebrate today dates back to the 8th century, though it was already mentioned in the 4th century. Pope Boniface IV converted the Pantheon in Rome to a Christian temple of worship. The Pantheon was the gallery of all the gods. How much more meaningful it became when it housed the images and shrines of the special friends of the one, true God.

2. Mother Church had many reasons for establishing this feast, and has many reasons for keeping it today:
A. She wants us to remember and honor all the saints in heaven. Their
number is legion; it is impossible to have a feast for each one. Fur­thermore, there are literally millions of holy souls whose very names have been forgotten, who lead lives of sanctity. All these we include in today's celebration. We also include the saintly souls of our own times, heroic mothers, virtuous fathers, Christ-like sons and daugh­ters, who followed our Lord just like the saints in the official lists of Mother Church. All of them we honor today. Perhaps your mother and my mother are among them.

B. We want to thank God for His graces and mercies to the saints. Deep-dyed sinners like St. Augustine and St. Margaret of Cortona were changed by God's grace into men and women of God.

C. Mother Church established this feast to give us an example. She wants us to remember that all the saints carried out the program of Christ. We even have for the Gospel today the Eight Beatitudes, on which we meditated before. Look into the lives of the saints and you will find those blessings in abundance.

D. Mother Church wants to encourage us in our weakness and embarrass us in our lukewarmness. We think it can't be done. We think it impossible - to be poor in spirit, to be merciful, to be pure, to be just - until, yes, until we see the saints doing those very things in an heroic way.

On the other hand, the Church wants to shame us, as it were, into doing good and being good. You have all noticed a mother correcting a child by pointing to the good things done by another: "There, look at Mary. She puts away her toys when she is finished playing with them."

E. We honor the saints today in order to obtain their intercession, their powerful influence with God. We all have difficulties with one or the other virtue. Why not ask some saint who specialized in that prac­tice, to help you acquire it?

F. Mother Church asks us to think of the saints that we may repair our negligence in celebrating their particular feasts throughout the year. Did you remember your saint on his or her feast day? What is your baptismal name? It is that of some saint in the calendar of the Church. What does that saint or name mean to you? Perhaps you don't even know when your saint's day occurs. Today pray especially to your patron saint.
3. All Saints' day has many lessons:
A. It gives us confidence and hope. The saints had the same trials and difficulties that we have.

B. It fans our love and charity. This is a sort of family festival.

C. It increases our devotion to these special friends of God and secures their powerful help.

D. Above all, this feast inspires us to imitate their virtues, their way of life. They acutally show us how it can be done, how it was done.

Yes, this is a day to rejoice and exult, a day to encourage and inspire, a day to renew our determination to follow as closely as we can those who followed Christ so closely.

As the Gospel tells us, we will rejoice and exult in the saints. They have shown us how the rules for following Christ are to be carried out. Watch the saints. Pray to the saints. Follow the saints. Amen.
__________________
Adapted from Prayers, Precepts and Virtues
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)