Mothers and Motherhood - A Reflection on Family Life

If the father is the head of the family, the mother is its heart. I do not know of a better way of showing the true worth and position of the mother of a family than by likening her to its heart.

Strength must be tempered with gentleness, or there is danger of rule by force. The strength of man is required for the protection and up­building of the family. The gentleness of woman is just as necessary to restrain that strength and sustain it. For strength needs maintenance as well as restraint. The mother's sacrifices and devotion reanimate the father when his strength wanes from exhaustion, and restrain him when it wouM lead him to excessive measures. Children who are blessed with a firm father and a gentle mother have something for which to thank God all the days of their lives.

In considering the father, it seems that he means more to the family than does the mother. But in considering the mother, it seems that she is the more essential. The truth is, both have their necessary place and dignity, and in general it can­not be said which makes more for the well-being of the children. Where father and mother are what they ought to be, their mutual influence on the children is ideal, and though different in kind, usually equal in degree.

A good father means everything to a family if the mother is not the right kind. And a good mother has often made the children forget that they have a bad father. It almost seems that whenever the father is delinquent, the mother rises to noble heights of devotion and service, and if the mother fails, the father assumes added duties nobly.

Neither father nor mother, however, can fall short of his or her duty without a decided detri­ment to the children in one way or another. Chil­dren without a good father lose something which no mother can make up for. And children without a good mother will go through life deprived of something which the best of fathers cannot supply. Neither father nor mother, therefore, can afford to leave to the other the part which God has intended specifically for him or her.

I do not need to say anything about the worth and dignity of a mother. The man or child who needs to be told that nothing on earth approaches so near to the divine as does a mother's love, knows not what a mother is, and cannot be made to know. The man or child who does not know the sublime influence of a mother's love has not felt the most inspiring sentiment that one human being can arouse in another.

Instead of glorifying the mother, I wish to say a few words to her which may help her to become what every mother desires to be - the best human influence in the lives and hearts of the children whom God has given her. It is hard for me to restrain myself from eulogizing instead of advis­ing the mother.

Taking for granted, therefore, that mothers are the loftiest expression of the goodness of God in this world of ours, let me say that they should do nothing to lessen the wonderful influence for good which they can exert. A mother should remember her function in the family - she is its heart.

What a world of meaning that one word sug­gests! It is the heart that suffers and sometimes breaks. It is the heart that rejoices and over­flows with joy. Suffering and sympathy make the mother so cherished, so inspiring, so loved. Suf­fering and sympathy also bring to the mother her greatest joy. For her heart is so good that she delights to suffer for the well-being of others. Her kind, gentle nature it is that cheers the chil­dren and their father, and helps them over the rough places on the journey of life.

But if the mother has her cares and sufferings, she also has her joys. Indeed, it may be said that no human joy is comparable to that expe­rienced by a good mother. Every joy of the chil­dren and their father is hers twofold. If her mother's love causes her to suffer with her family, it also enables her to rejoice with them, and no human joy is so free from alloy as a mother's.

Besides she realizes that in proportion as she lives for her family, they live for her. The good mother is the queen of the household. She reigns supreme over the hearts of her subjects. More than that, she is the inspiration of the father of the family. Under the gentle influence of a good mother, the father of a family finds it easy to toil and to face the trials of life. Oh, that every mother might realize her dignity and power, for she holds the key to the souls of her children and it is she who opens their little hearts and places in them the seeds of future character.

Motherhood exercises the most intimate and powerful influence known among men. Some of the greatest Saints were the children of saintly mothers. St. Augustine was the fruit of St. Monica's example and prayers and tears. St. Louis of France found in his mother Blanche a holy model. Her words, spoken to him in his youth, "I had rather see you dead at my feet than guilty of mortal sin," were engraved on his heart and influenced him throughout his entire life. The great St. Bernard was the child of a mother so holy that virtue, inculcated by her example, be­came almost second nature. Bad mothers have also left their impress on their children. The mother of Nero was a murderess. What he was the whole world knows to its disgrace. The mother of Voltaire was notably immoral. The son surpassed the mother in vice. Rightly, then, may we say, "The mother in her office holds the key of the soul, and stamps the coin of character on her child." What a wonderful responsibility that puts upon the mother! As the potter fashions the clay, so does the mother mould the child by her precepts, but still more by her example. Her responsibility gives to the mother her lofty place in life and justifies the poet when he exclaims, "Then crown her queen of the world."

The first school a child attends is the one pre­sided over by its mother. On those early lessons begun in the cradle and continued in the home, the career of after life mainly depends. Youth is like wax for receiving impressions and like steel for retaining them. If in the tender years of childhood the mother has placed the proper impress on her children, they will be the better for it all their lives. But if, as sometimes happens, a bad im­pression has been made in the classroom of child­hood, the misfortune of it for mother and for child will indeed become evident as time goes on.

As the children grow up the solicitous care of the good mother follows them in the home and outside. You may fancy that all this is a burden on the mother. As well say that a miner who safeguards the gold he has dug from the earth is burdened by its care. As the miner looks ahead and sees in vision the comfort and luxury which his wealth will procure, and in that prospect finds peace and joy in spite of his labor, so does the good mother rejoice in the care of her children, forseeing that her affectionate care will make both them and herself happier and better in the years to come.

The good mother is like a gardener who cul­tivates delicate plants. The gardener must prepare the soil and keep it moist and remove every harmful growth. But the joy he experiences as the plants rise from the ground and develop into beautiful flowers, more than repays him for his labor. The pleasure of beholding the result of his painstaking care is so great that frequently he cultivates a garden not for what it produces but for the pleasure of producing. When the plants are human souls, when the tender growth is one's own child, what must be the joy of the gar­dener! And as the devoted mother watches her flowers unfold, beholds their love responding to her own, what joy on earth compares with hers! "Then crown her queen of the world," for queen she is. The world is what mothers make it.

Napoleon, on being asked what France needed most, as it lay prostrate after prolonged war, re­plied, "Mothers I" Mothers of the right sort, he wanted, mothers who would rear children to pro­mote the glory of France. Napoleon knew of what he spoke. He had seen men under all con­ditions, and with his genius for realizing situations he perceived that the greatest need of his fallen country was not wealth, but mothers.

The mother it is who by her gentle care trans­forms the "young animal," the being with its pos­sibilities of selfishness and cruelty, into a Chris­tian man. She thus cooperates with God not only in the creation of her child but also in the forma­tion of a cultured man and child of God. Rightly conceived, what a dignity is motherhood! These days, alas, some mothers fail to appreciate their lofty station. Instead of living for the substan­tial joys of motherhood they spend their energies on trifles. Like children, they desire nothing but sweets, failing to realize that nature calls for substantial diet and not merely attractive desserts. Desserts are very good in their place, but they must not take precedence of substantial food.

Some mothers neglect the home for outside. Relaxation and amusement are necessary for mothers, but not at the expense of their motherly duties. Nature has so ordered that a good mother finds her greatest relaxation and entertainment in the home. No amount of outside distraction will compensate for what she loses by spending her­self on external amusements and persons. I do not mean at all to belittle social duties and proper amusements. These are not only desirable but necessary. But they are not paramount. Some mothers seem to make visiting and shopping and display their main purpose of living. And all the while they are losing the God-given joys of the home and, moreover, their children are grow­ing up without due supervision and the father of the family is often secondary to outsiders. I know that I may be considered extreme in speaking thus, but if you knew of all the broken homes caused by frivolous mothers you would desire me to be even more vigorous in exposing this malady, which is more pronounced now perhaps than ever be­fore. Because of licentious magazines and in­decent theatres and a worldly code of morals a premium is now put upon the very things which formerly were in disrepute. All this has resulted in wrong standards of motherhood among many women.

Some frivolous mothers measure their happi­ness by the amount of money they can spend and by the capacity of the father of the family to furnish them with dress and outside amuse­ment. Such mothers wonder why it is that after a time they are like dried up cisterns. They have sold their inheritance for a mess of pottage. The supreme joys of the home have been bartered for outside distraction, which brings in the end noth­ing but emptiness. Not that a mother should not have recreation, I repeat, but a good mother usually finds that her chief pleasure is the home.

Please do not understand me to mean that a mother should be tied down to the home. But there are some mothers who are almost strangers to the home. They are uneasy unless they have a date for this and that, and they count that day lost which has not been spent in paying or re­ceiving a visit.

They are surprised at length when they realize that the home has no attraction for them. But it is they who have made it unattractive. If the mother runs about, the children will run loose also. The father on returning from a hard day's work will find a cold reception. The mother has spent herself on outsiders, and she has nothing left for the children and their father.

Soon she has nothing left for herself. The affection and esteem of her family have been lost. As the children grow up, they seek their amuse­ment outside, away from the home made unat­tractive by a selfish mother. Then, too late, she realizes that she has made a mistake. Her home is not a home. Her children find their pleasure anywhere, except at the fireside, their father seeks his pleasure elsewhere, and the home has gone forever.

How very, very many homes have been made desolate by such procedure! The woman is amazed when she hears about the devotion of other families to their mothers. She wonders why her children and their father do not mean for her all that other families mean for other mothers. Oh, if I could only make mothers realize how much their happiness and that of their families depends upon devotion to the home!

Nature has fitted all things for their appointed purposes. And nature has so constituted a mother that her greatest peace and happiness is found in motherly duty. There need be no fear that she will become a piece of furniture in the home. If she does her part, she will find that her children and their father are more solicitous for her wel­fare and enjoyment than for their own.

In a thousand ways, all that is done for them will come back to the mother. How to make their mother happy will be their first thought. They will find ways and means of giving her more pleasure in the home and outside than she would ever get by being always on the lookout for her own amusement and distraction.

Never in the history of the world has there been such a craze for selfish enjoyment as of late. People seek amusement here and distraction there, thinking only of themselves. With what result? In this era of selfishness there is more dissatisfaction, disappointment, distress and disorder than ever before.

The worst way to satisfy self is to seek self. Selfishness is the worst possible investment a per­son can make. We are images of God. God's happiness is to make others happy. The closer we approach to His way, the happier we shall be. The very essence of goodness lies in im­parting itself to others. The best and happiest people in the world are they who find their pleasure in doing something for others. It is the one pleasure that has no unpleasant reaction.

I remember on one occasion meeting a long­shoreman on the docks of Manhattan and saying to him: "My dear man, you have a hard and long day of it."

"Very true, Father," he replied, "but when I think of my children and their mother, and that my wages give them the comforts they need, the day does not seem hard or long."

That was wisdom in a nutshell. That man did not find life a burden. That man was happy in making others happy. God bless him, and the many like him!

After all, what do we get out of life that is worth while! Dress, food, travel, society, enter­tainment? When you sum it all up, what does it give you that really contributes to a contented mind? A good friend is more than all the style and amusement of life. And if a friend is one of the greatest blessings of life, what must chil­dren and their father be to a mother!

We like to please our friend. A mother likes to please her children and their father. Who does not know the great joy that comes from giv­ing a friend a substantial and desirable present? A good mother gives to her children and their father the best present of all - herself. And this is a pleasure she enjoys, not only occasionally, but daily. Mrs. Gadabout often wonders how Mrs. So-and-so can stand her quiet and confined life. And all the while Mrs. So-and-so, a good mother, is thanking God for her paradise on earth.

Oh, the joys of a mother who is a good mother! Oh, the happiness of the mother who spends her­self on her children and their father! Drudgery, Mrs. Gadabout calls it, but a little bit of heaven the good mother considers it. Is there any joy in the world like working for those you love? And no human love is, or should be, greater than that of a mother towards her children and their father. The mother who does not find her greatest joy in living for her family is hardly a mother at all.

Of course I know as well as you, Mrs. Gada­bout, that a woman should not be tied down to the routine of domestic duty. There are social duties as well as domestic. The mother who fails in her social duties is unfair to herself and her family. For certain circles the social duties are imperative. But the good mother will know how to discharge them, not as a detriment to the home, but as a benefit to it.

I have known social butterflies, mothers of families, who did not see their children more than once a week! Of course that was among people of wealth, where maids and governesses were sup­posed to look after the children. But maid or governess is not a mother, and it may be too late when the mother realizes it.

In the ordinary walks of life, Mrs. Gadabout has no maids or governesses, but, nevertheless, she sacrifices the home, the children, and their father to her craze for novelty and amusement. Such a mother must pay an awful tax for her pleasure. When she can least afford it that tax will be levied, for the time will come when she no longer cares to gad about. She will wake up to the emptiness of it all and then turn to seek her comfort in her home, only to find that she has none. Meanwhile the children and their father have lost the best human influence. in their lives.

But the good mother! As the years steal on, the affection of the children and their father grows stronger and stronger. Their only thought is for her. She who found her joy in sacrificing her­self for others now finds that it has all come back to her manyfold. Idolized by her family, she reigns queen of the home. Her heaven, it seems, has begun before she says farewell to earth.

And that is another thing which the good mother has always in view, that this life is not heaven, but only the way to it. She expects a way of the cross, and that very expectancy makes it less hard to walk in the path of aflliction when it stretches before her, as sooner or later it does for all.

She teaches her children and their father by her example to live in this world, but not for it. She is careful that family prayers are said, that Mass is duly attended, and the Sacraments frequently received. She inculcates piety by word and deed.

Although solicitous for the worldly success of her children, she gives them to understand that it must never be attained at the cost of virtue. She teaches truthfulness, purity and consideration by her own high ideals. She knows that if she is to have the love and respect of her children she must show love and respect to their father.

While insisting on the necessity of the virtues of religion, she does not overlook the social vir­tues. She realizes that the religion of her chil­dren will lose nothing before God, but will gain before men if it be adorned by the outward graces and refinements which constitute good manners and are held in esteem by good society.

To live for the eye of God, but not to over­look the eye of man, that is her lesson to her little ones. She knows that often a very virtuous person may be put down as vicious because of vul­garity. Vulgarity is not sin. But as people see only the exterior, a virtuous person should avoid vulgarity as a disease. The good mother will inculcate this in the minds of her children.

How often have you traced a non-Catholic's condemnation of our Religion to the fact that a Catholic maid, butler or workman was careless or lacking in the social virtues? A good Catholic would die rather than offend God by sin. Yet often enough people without religion, sinning seriously and continually, appear more virtuous than some Cathohics simply on account of the social virtues.

Mothers of families should be the first to see the importance of the niceties and conventionalities of good society. Children brought up in the right Catholic way will have manners superior to all that the rules of society alone can give. Keep God's commandments and do not neglect the polite laws of human intercourse. That should be the aim in every family, and it will be accomplished mainly by the influence of a good mother.

A mother who has good children possesses more than money or anything else can give. You know the story of the Roman matron who, when asked by a frivolous gad-about of that era, to display her jewels, called her two sons, and embracing them, said: "Behoid my jewels!"

On a certain occasion a mother was complaining to me of her poverty. I told her I thought she was quite well off. In surprise, she declared that she could not understand my remark. I answered nothing in reply, but changed the topic of conversation. A few minutes later I returned to the matter indirectly.

"I know a gentleman who is very wealthy, and he has taken a decided fancy to your little John. He told me he would like to adopt him and he will give you fifty thousand dollars as a present if you will consent. You have seven children, and you will not miss Johnnie. What do you say?"

Of course I knew what she would say, but I was not prepared for the vigorous denunciation of the gentleman and myself which followed. It concluded by her announcing that not for fifty thousand nor for fifty million would she give up Johnnie. Smiling, I said: "Did I not tell you that you were rich ?" She, too, smiled and went away happy - and rich.

Every good mother is possessed of more wealth than she realizes. Money does not procure happiness - good motherhood does. Even though a good mother has privations to meet and disap­pointments and even ingratitude, she nevertheless has a wealth of joy in her solicitude for her loved ones.

Ingratitude is the hardest stroke she may have to bear. God may at times permit a good mother to suffer this extreme pang. But it is because He loves her as she loves her children, and He knows that affliction will make her dearer to Him. Christ and His mother knew the sting of ingrati­tude. They bore it in order to sanctify its endurance for those who accept it patiently for God's sake.

The good mother will turn even ingratitude into a source of peace and joy, realizing that by it she can draw closer to God, and also obtain His help and grace for her ungrateful ones. For the good mother loves even the ingrates of her household.

How like unto God she thus becomes, for He loves us even when we turn away from Him or positively offend Him. The Good Shepherd sought especially the sheep that strayed, and the good mother somehow seems to love with especial tenderness her strayed sheep. God made her so.

Mothers, you have a wonderful mission in the world. Not until you see God face to face will you realize what it meant to be a good mother.

From "You and Yours, Practical Talks on Family Life"
by Fr. Martin J Scott, S.J.

Archdiocesan Annual Catholic Appeal

This is just a reminder that the ACA runs through this weekend. Some have increased their contributions, in part because of the strong, faithful, and spiritual leadership of Archbishop Burke.

There have been some reports of negativity, however, it must be remembered that this negativity reflects badly, not only on the Archdiocese and Archbishop Burke, but on our priests and our parishes.

We are called to a faithful and generous stewardship and to show our unity with others who rely on our sharing of our gifts with them. Please do all you can and remind others to participate in this very important campaign.

More information is available here.

Gospel for Saturday, 6th Week of Easter

From: John 16:23b-28

Fullness of Joy (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [23b] Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My name. [24] Hitherto you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

[25] "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. [26] In that day you will ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; [27] for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from the Father. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father."
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Commentary:

25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)--to train them for their mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does so in this discourse of the Last Supper--the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.: He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He is God, for only
God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25). Verse 28, "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" summarizes the mystery of Christ's Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).
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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.

Fr Thomas Reese "forced" to resign...due to Vatican pressure?

So says National unCatholic Reporter...

Jesuit Fr. Thomas J. Reese, editor for the past seven years of America magazine, a premier publication of Catholic thought and opinion, has resigned at the request of his order following years of pressure for his ouster from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The resignation caps five years of tensions and exchanges among the congregation, which was headed at the time by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, the Jesuits and Reese, according to sources close to the magazine who asked not to be identified.

A release from the magazine May 6, which did not mention the forced ouster, announced that the new editor is Jesuit Fr. Drew Christiansen, who has served as associate editor.

13 Catholic Colleges & Universities Defy Bishops' Ban on Honors for Public Dissidents

MANASSAS, VA (May 5, 2005) – At least 13 Catholic colleges and universities—which this spring have invited 14 commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients who are public opponents of fundamental Catholic teachings—are at odds with the U.S. bishops who forbade such honors and platforms in a statement last June.

“We are blowing the whistle on any Catholic college or university that blatantly disrespects the bishops by defying their clear command and teaching,” said Patrick J. Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society (CNS), a national organization dedicated to the renewal of Catholic identity at America’s 219 Catholic colleges and universities. “After decades of scandal at secularizing colleges, last June the bishops drew a line in the sand. No college that crosses that line deserves the label ‘Catholic’ or the support of the faithful—most especially monetary support.”

More.

May 7 - St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr

From: The Liturgical Year-Dom Prosper Gueranger O.S.B

The eleventh century, the century of contest between priests of the Church and Barbarism, gives today another martyr to our Risen Jesus. It is Stanislaus, beloved by noble Poland as one of her chief protectors. He was slain at the altar by a Christian prince whom he had reproved for his crimes. The blood of the courageous Pontiff was mingled with that of our Redeemer in the same sacrifice. What an invincible energy there is in these lambs whom Jesus has sent amidst the wolves. (St. Matthew 10:16) They seem to be straightway changed into lions as Jesus himself was at his Resurrection. There is not a century that has not had its martyrs; some for the faith, others for the unity of the Church, others for her liberty, others for justice, others for charity, and others, like our great Saint of today, for the maintenance of morals.

The nineteenth century too, has had its martyrs; scarcely a year elapses without our hearing of some who have added to the bright list in the far East. At the commencement of the eighteenth century there was little probability of it’s providing such an abundant harvest of martyrdom as it did. Of one thing we are quite sure: whatever persecutions may arise in the future, the Spirit of fortitude will not be wanting to the champions of truth. Martyrdom is one of the Church’s characteristics and it has never failed her. The Apostles who are very close to Jesus during these days preceding his Ascension drank the chalice which he drank; and only yesterday we were honouring the martyrdom of the favourite disciple-yes, even he had to tread the path prepared for all.

Holy Church tells us, in the account we now subjoin, how the saintly bishop of Cracow was offered the glorious chalice, and how courageously he accepted it.

Stanislaus was born at Cracow in Poland. His parents, who were of a noble family, after being thirty years without children, obtained him from God by prayer. He gave promise, even from his infancy, of future sanctity. Whilst young, he applied hard to study, and made great progress in Canon Law and Theology. After the death of his parents, he wished to embrace the monastic life, and therefore distributed his large fortune among the poor. But divine Providence willing otherwise, he was made a Canon and preacher of the Cathedral of Cracow, by Bishop Lampert, whose successor he afterwards became. In the duties thus imposed on him, he shone in every pastoral virtue, especially that of charity to the poor.

Boleslaus was then king of Poland. The Saint incurred his grave displeasure for having publicly reprimanded his notorious immorality. Wherefore in a solemn meeting of the grandees of his kingdom, the king summoned him to appear in judgment, to answer to the accusation of having appropriated to himself some land purchased in the name of his Cathedral. The witnesses were afraid to speak the truth and the bishop was unable to produce the deeds for sale, but he promised to bring before the court within three days the seller of the land, Peter by name, who had died three years previously. His proposition excited laughter, but was accepted. For three days did the man of God apply himself to fasting and prayer; and, on the day appointed, after offering up the sacrifice of the Mass, he commanded Peter to rise from his grave, who, there and then, returned to life, and followed the bishop to the king’s tribunal. There, to the bewilderment of the king and the audience, he gave his testimony regarding the sale of the land, and the price duly paid him by the bishop. This done, he again slept in the Lord.

After several times admonishing Boleslaus, but all to no purpose, Stanislaus separated him from communion with the faithful. Maddened with anger, the king sent soldiers into the church, that they might put the holy bishop to death. They thrice endeavored to do so, but were each time repelled by the hidden power of God. The impious king himself then went: and finding the priest of God offering the unspotted victim at the Altar, he beheaded him with his own hand. The corpse was then cut into pieces and thrown into a field; but it was miraculously defended from wild beasts by eagles. During the night, the Canons of Cracow, aided by a heavenly light, collected the scattered members, and having placed them in their natural position, they found that they were immediately joined to each other, so that not a single mark of a wound was traceable. God manifested the sanctity of his servant by many other miracles, which occurred after his death, and which induced Pope Innocent the Fourth to proceed to his canonization.

Thou wast powerful in word and work O Stanislaus! And our Lord rewarded thee with a martyr’s crown. From thy throne of glory, cast a look of pity upon us; obtain for us from God that gift of fortitude which was so prominent in thee, and which we so much need in order to surmount the obstacles which impede our progress. Our Risen Lord must have no cowards among His soldiers. He took by assault the kingdom into which he is about to enter; and he tells us plainly that if we would follow him thither, we must prepare to use violence. (St. Matthew 11:12) Brave soldier of the living God, obtain for us brave hearts. We need them for our combat - whether that be one of open violence for the faith or unity of the Church, or one which to be fought with the invisible enemies of our salvation. Thou wast indeed a good shepherd, for the presence of the world neither made thee flee nor fear; ask our heavenly Father to send us shepherds like thee. Succour every part of the world. Convert her persecutors, as thou didst convert Boleslaus; he was thy murderer, but thy martyrdom won mercy for him. Remember thy dear Poland, which honors thee with such fervent devotion. Be with her now that she has regained her rank among nations. During the severe trials which her sins drew down upon her, she maintained the sacred link of Catholic Faith and unity; she was patient and faithful; our Risen Jesus has had pity on her, and rewarded her patience and fidelity by granting her a share in his own Resurrection.
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What a parallel there is here today - The Board of Directors of St Stanislaus Kostka Parish as King Boleslaus, and Archbishop Burke and the Faithful Polish Parishioners being persecuted and vilified by the Board and others over a piece of land as was St Stanislaus...

Use of Latin makes some uncomfortable

A recent "Dear Father" question is answered by Father Thomas G. Keller who is a part-time associate at the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica Parish, archdiocesan master of ceremonies and associate director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship.

Occasionally, he teaches classes at the Paul VI Center. If you have the opportunity to enroll in a continuing education class which he teaches, don't pass it by. You can learn a great deal from him - which is probably why he is one of the outstanding priests who provide answers to the weekly questions in the St. Louis Review.

Dear Father:
I recently completed the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and have noticed that occasionally my parish sings the various Mass parts (Holy Holy, Lamb of God, etc.) in Latin. Since I did not grow up Catholic I feel left out. Why do they do that?
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The reply:
I did not grow up with the Latin liturgy either and have a couple of Latin teachers from the seminary who would testify that I am probably left out also during the singing the Sanctus (Holy) and Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). But I have always tried to improve my comprehension of Latin.

The purpose of liturgy is to be an instrument of participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, therefore the use of our own language facilitates this goal. However, as the recently televised liturgies from Rome demonstrate, the Catholic Church is multinational and Latin is our common language. If you viewed Pope John Paul II’s funeral or the following conclave liturgies on TV, you would have heard Italian, English, Spanish, Polish and other languages. But Latin was used most often.

Possibly anticipating the use of media to broadcast the liturgy or seeing the increasing frequency of international travel, the bishops of the Second Vatican Council in their "Constitution on Sacred Liturgy" offered this reflection in paragraph 54: "Nevertheless, steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them."

We are a Church of many cultures, traditions and languages, but we all draw on the common heritage of the Church of Rome and the contribution of the Latin language. If your parish uses Latin occasionally or even regularly, I encourage it to help you and others born since the advent of vernacular liturgy feel more comfortable with it through the use of worship aids or even occasional practice. Just as the presence of other cultures and their languages enhance our worship, so does our common language Latin.

May is Mary's Month

Archbishop Burke offers his reflections on the Blessed Virgin Mary during this special time of the year.

Diocese employee says judge in abortion case should be denied communtion

WEST PALM BEACH — An employee of the Diocese of Palm Beach said Thursday that Palm Beach County Juvenile Court Judge Ronald Alvarez, a Catholic, should be denied communion for allowing a 13-year-old foster child to have an abortion.

Don Kazimir, who works for the diocese's Respect Life Office, which opposes abortion and the death penalty, called Alvarez's office Wednesday to ask which church the judge attends. Kazimir said he wanted to speak with Alvarez's priest, who he said might have a problem with a Catholic judge agreeing to an abortion.

My Friend, Benedict XVI | An Interview with Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ

Father Joseph Fessio’s answers to a series of questions posed about Pope Benedict XVI. They were answered on April 21, 2005, before he got on an airplane to fly to Rome for the formal installation of Pope Benedict XVI.

An Instruction on Miracles

And these signs shall follow them that believe.(Mark 16:17)

What is a miracle?

A miracle, as defined by St. Thomas Aquinas, is any­thing beyond the ordinary, fixed state of things that is done through God. Thus when the sun stands still in his course, when thousands are fed with five loaves and two small fishes, when by a word or simple touch the dead are raised to life, the blind see, and the deaf hear, these are things contrary to nature, and are miracles which can only be performed by God or those persons to whom God has given the power.

That God can work miracles, cannot be denied. God has made the laws of nature, and at any time it pleases Him, He can suddenly suspend them, and that God has at times done so, we have more solid and undeniable proofs, than we have for the most renowned and best authenticated facts of history, far more witnesses testify to miracles, the whole world has believed them, and been converted by them; more than eleven millions of martyrs have died to confirm and maintain their truth; no one gives up his life for lies and deceptions; the Jews and pagans have admitted them, but ascribed them to witchcraft and the power of demons rather than to God; by this they proved and acknowledged the truth of miracles, because in order to deny them, they were driven to false and absurd explanation of them.

Can men work miracles?

No; only God works miracles through man to whom He gives the power. The history of the Christian Church in all ages bears testimony, that men have wrought miracles in the name of Jesus, as, for example, the apostles and the saints.

Can miracles be worked by the relics of saints, pictures, etc.?

The Church, in the Council of Trent, solemnly declares, that we are never to believe that there is in any picture or relic any hidden power by which a miracle can, be worked, and that we are not to honor or ask any such thing of them. Therefore no miracle can ever be worked by them, but God can perform miracles through them, and He has done so, as the holy Scriptures and the history of the Church of Christ both prove. But when through certain pictures (usually called miraculous pictures) miracles do take place, that no deception may occur, the Church commands that such a picture shall not be exposed for the veneration of the faithful, until the truth of the miracles performed is by a rigorous examination established beyond doubt; she then causes such pictures to be respectfully preserved as monu­ments of the goodness and omnipotence of God.

Why are there not so many miracles in our ties as there were in the first days of the Church?

Because the Church is no longer in need of such extra­ordinary testimony to the truth of her teachings. Thus St. Augustine writes: "He who in the face of the conversion of the world to Christianity demands miracles, and strives to doubt those which have been wrought in favor of this most wonderful change, is himself an astonishing miracle of irrationality and stupidity;" and St. Chrysostom says: "The question is sometimes asked: How happens it there are not so many miracles now‑a‑days? The answer is, because the knowledge of Christ is propagated all over the earth, and the Church is like a tree which, having once taken deep root and grown to a certain height, no longer needs to be carefully watered and supported."
____________________________
From "The Church's Year" by Fr. Leonard Goffine

Gospel for Friday, 6th Week of Easter

From: John 16:20-23

Fullness of Joy (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [20] "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. [21] When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. [22] So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. [23] In that day you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My name."
****************************************
Commentary:

21-22. This image of the woman giving birth (frequently used in the Old Testament to express intense pain) is also often used, particularly by the prophets, to mean the birth of the new messianic people (cf. Isaiah 21:3; 26:17; 66:7; Jeremiah 30:6; Hosea 13:13; Micah 4:9-10). The words of Jesus reported here seem to be the fulfillment of those prophecies. The birth of the messianic people--the Church of Christ--involves intense pain, not only for Jesus but also, to some degree, for the Apostles. But this pain, like birthpains, will be made up for by the joy of the final coming of the Kingdom of Christ: "I am convinced," says St. Paul, "that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).

23-24. See the note on John 14:12-14.

[Note on John 14:12-14 states:
12-14. Jesus Christ is our intercessor in Heaven; therefore, He promises us that everything we ask for in His name, He will do. Asking in His name (cf. 15:7, 16; 16:23-24) means appealing to the power of the risen Christ, believing that He is all-powerful and merciful because He is true God; and it also means asking for what is conducive to our salvation, for Jesus is our Savior. Thus, by "whatever you ask" we must understand what is for the good of the asker. When our Lord does not give what we ask for, the reason is that it would not make for our salvation. In this way we can see that He is our Savior both when He refuses us what we ask and when He grants it.]
*****************
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.

Prayers Answered: Outreach Center Will Continue

The prayers of the people of Immaculate Conception/St. Henry have been answered, and the people have received a partial yes.

The church's outreach center, which includes its food pantry, will continue, even though the church will close at the end of June.

About 60 families get the food they need to survive at the pantry each month. The outreach center is at 3135 Lafayette Avenue, between Grand Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue. The church is across the street at 3120 Lafayette Avenue.

More.

Catholic school system is failing to deal with sprawl

This can been seen of the public school system throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area as well, especially here in St Charles County. It seems that new subdivisions cannot be built fast enough. Once beautiful, peaceful farms have become a network of new roads, with fields from which have sprung acres and acres of houses instead of corn and soybeans. And with this 'progress' have come the pains experienced by local educators.

As an aside, we are witnessing about 300 or so new homes being built on the other side of the road from our house. The traffic will become progressively worse. The 'country' atmosphere, to which we moved some 20+ years ago, is disappearing before our very eyes. Instead of cattle, horses, and hayfields, we now see cars, trucks, and homes...And this goes on for MILES...it's absolutely unbelievable! I still have not figured out from where all these people came...or even better, how anyone can afford it...Anyway, I digress.

Schools in St. Louis need help, according to the superintendent . As schools close in the inner city and inner suburbs, and new schools are sought in western St. Charles County, the St. Louis region has yet to come to grips with the issue of urban sprawl, educators say.

George Henry, superintendent of Catholic Education for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, has watched the issue affect not only public schools but also the 164 Catholic schools in 11 counties in the region.

More...

Mary Broome's Letter to the Editor

Mary Broome runs the St. Louis Chapter of the Blue Army and was instrumental in getting the local Marian Catechists group established here in St Louis with Archbishop Burke...Her letter to the Post:

Regarding the pope

Speaking as a lifelong Catholic, I feel compelled to respond to the calumnious opinions of Maureen Dowd and J.M. Haas in the April 26 Post-Dispatch.

Anyone who sincerely listened to Pope John Paul II for 26 years, or to the few public comments of Pope Benedict XVI in the past two weeks, would have heard the transmission of the gospel of Jesus Christ in humble and conciliatory terms. They also would have understood the tremendous responsibility the popes have to protect and defend the faith handed down to them.

It is understandable that many will not embrace the teachings of the Catholic church. Jesus said, “Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” The Catholic church’s teachings do not conform to the spirit of the world; hence they will always be difficult to accept.

The attraction of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI for multitudes of Catholics, non-Catholics and especially the young is their unambiguous response to difficult issues. This is an example of courage and strength in a world of contradictions.

As a Catholic woman, I am profoundly grateful to God for blessing my church and the world with such a pious, humble genius. My hope is that those who feel as I do will pray constantly for our shepherd, as he has requested, so that he will be strengthened in the battle with the wolves both visible and invisible.

Mary Broome
St. Louis

Link.

Survey Finds 45% of Catholic Hospitals in US Dispensing Abortion Drugs

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A study funded by the radically pro-abortion organizations, the John Merck foundation and Catholics for a Free Choice, surveyed staff at all 597 Catholic hospitals in the United States and found that only 55% of them refused to dispense the abortifacient morning after pill.

As repulsive as this news is, it could actually be worse. The percentage could be as high as the number of colleges and universities which claim to be Catholic and which are not even close.

Sooner or later, bishops are going to have to act with courage to clean up this mess which has resulted from many decades of neglect and derelection of duty.

Archbishop Flynn: No Communion for sash-wearers

In a stunning reversal from last year:

Archbishop Harry Flynn has told gay-rights supporters they will not be allowed to receive Holy Communion while wearing rainbow-colored sashes because the practice has come to be perceived as a protest against Catholic teaching and is unacceptable to the Vatican.

It's also unacceptable to faithful Catholics and should be seen as a grave scandal...

"I am asking you to remove your sashes before you receive Holy Communion," Flynn wrote to Brian McNeill of Minneapolis, the Rainbow Sash Alliance organizer. McNeill made the letter public today. "I ask you to observe this sign of respect for the Eucharist not only in the Cathedral but in all our parishes. No one wearing the sash will be permitted to receive the Blessed Sacrament."

What utter nonsense...a request to remove one's sash before receiving Holy Communion...

Flynn said previously that members of the local group "assured us, in writing, that their attendance at the annual Pentecost Mass … is not in protest of the Church's teachings."

Perhaps, by some sort of mental gymnastics, one might conclude that wearing the sash might not have been the intention of the sash-wearer. However, how, exactly, is it possible to conclude that wearing the sash means anything other than a rejection of the teachings of the Church? Inquiring minds would like to know....

Does the fact that Cardinal Ratzinger is now the Holy Father have any bearing on this latest development?

Will Cardinal Mahony be issuing a similar letter before May 15?

Article here.

Oh, I forgot the link to the letter of Archbichop Flynn...You can read it here.

Archbishop Chaput: The Crusades: The truth makes a difference

Anyone who reads George Orwell’s dark novel of the future, “1984,” will remember the following lines:
“He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.”

Memory is a powerful thing. It helps form who we are, how we think and what we do. By influencing our choices here and now, memory encourages a certain shape to the future — and discourages others. That’s why every new ideology and generation of social engineers seeks to rewrite the past. Whoever controls the memory of a culture also has power over its future.

That’s why today’s European Constitution makes no mention of the continent’s profoundly Christian past. By writing Christian faith out of Europe’s history, secularists hope to wipe it out of Europe’s future....

Why Ratzinger Is the Right Pope: The Market Explains

The laws of economics applied to the election of Benedict XVI. An analysis by Luigi Zingales, and a counter-analysis by Ettore Gotti Tedeschi.
by Sandro Magister



Article here

Urgent Appeal from the Friday Fax

Dear Colleague,

UN radicals met for a two week meeting in March and the pro-life and pro-family coalition was there. Radicals attempted ONCE MORE to make abortion a universally recognized human right. Once more they attempted to export the UN's extremist abortion policy to the rest of the world by using a UN document.

Like I said, we were there. Partway through the first week, we receive intelligence that the radical groups intended to issue a document in support of their pro-abortion position and that it would be signed by 300 groups. This document would have put immediate pressure on poor countries to support the radical abortion position.

Here is what we did.

We sent a message to the Friday Fax list, a list that now numbers 60,000 readers from all over the world. We sent an emergency message to this massive list and asked ORGANIZATIONS to send a note of support for the pro-life language in the document under debate.

Here is what happened.

Within two hours 400 groups had sent a message. Within eight hours this number had grown to 800. Within 24 hours this number had grown to 2000 groups from all over the world who wrote notes in support of our pro-life position.

And this is what we did then.

On the morning of March 8th, the US Ambassador to the UN held a briefing for non-governmental organizations attending the UN meeting. The US Mission to the UN was packed with friends, and also with enemies, those who want to force abortion on the developing world.

At a key moment in the briefing, I rose and presented the names of these 2000 groups to the US Ambassador to the United Nations. It was a stack of paper almost a foot high! There was thunderous applause from our friends and hisses and boos from our opponents. And this was precisely the encouragement the US needed at that moment to continue the pro-life fight.

In the end, we won that UN debate and a large part of the credit goes to those good folks on the Friday Fax list who answerer that emergency call that day in March.

Friends, the Friday Fax is a cornerstone of our ongoing UN pro-life fight. And now it is time for you to help the Friday Fax.

We need your sacrificial financial gift to keep the Friday Fax going. It costs around $100,000 per year to produce the Friday Fax. This money does not come from rich foundations like the ones that give billions of dollars to our enemies. This money does not come from governments that give billions of dollars to the enemies of life and family. THIS MONEY ONLY EVER COMES FROM YOU!

Friend, please go to http://www.c-fam.org/donations.htm and give as much as you possibly can in support of the Friday Fax.

We can continue winning the UN pro-life fight but we cannot do it without your immediate help. Please go to http://www.c-fam.org/donations.htm and give as much as you possibly can.

I will be back to you each week for the next six weeks to give you plenty of reasons to open up your wallet and your heart to our work.

Yours sincerely,
Austin Ruse
President
C-FAM
Editor in Chief
Friday Fax

PS You will be pleased to know that after we presented our 2000 names to the US Ambassador, our opponents chickened out and never even presented their puny 300! We can win friends. Help us do that.

Ascension Thursday

Why did Christ say to His apostles: "Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to all creatures"?

To show that no one is to assume the office of preach­ing, but must look for his mission from the lawful pastors of the Church. And when Christ sends His apostles into the whole worlds to all nations without exception, He shows His willingness to save all men. If the designs of God are not fulfilled, the blame is not to be attributed to God, but to man, who either does not accept the doctrine of the gospel, or accepting, does not live in accordance with it, or else renders himself by his obduracy in vice, unworthy of the gospel.

Is faith without good works sufficient for salvation?

No, faith that is not active in love, not fruitful in good works, and therefore not meritorious, (Gal. V. 6.) is not suf­ficient for salvation. "Such faith," says St. Anselm, "is not the faith of a Christian, but the faith of the devil." Only he who truly believes in Christ and His doctrine, and lives in accordance with it, will be saved.

Is ours then the true faith since all the faithful do not work miracles; as Christ has predicted?

St. Gregory very beautifully replies to this question: "Because the Redeemer said that true faith would be ac­companied by miracles, you must not think that you have not the faith, because these signs do not follow; these miracles had to be wrought in the beginning of the Church, because faith in her had to be increased by these visible signs of divine power." And even now when such signs are necessary for the propagation of the faith, and victory over unbelief, God gives His faithful power to work them.

Are miracles wrought now in the Catholic Church?

Yes, for there have been at all times saints in the Church, who, as seen from their lives, have wrought miracles, on account of their faith, which even the heretics cannot deny; for instance St. Francis Xavier, who in the sight of the heathens, raised several dead persons to life. In a spiritual manner all pious Catholics still work such miracles; for, as St. Chrysostom says, "they expel devils when they banish sin, which is worse than the devil; they speak new tongues when they converse no longer on vain and sinful things, but on those which are spiritual and heavenly." "They take up serpents," says St. Gregory, "when by zealous exhortations they lift others from the shame of vice, without being themselves poisoned; they drink deadly things without being hurt by them, when they hear improper conversation without being corrupted or led to evil; they lay their hands upon the sick and heal them, when they teach the ignorant, strengthen by their good example those who are wavering in virtue, keep the sinner from evil, and similar things." Strive to do this upon all occasions, O Christian, for God willingly gives you His grace and you will thus be of more use to yourself and others, and honor God more than by working the greatest miracles.

Where and how did Christ ascend into heaven?

From Mount Olivet where His sufferings began, by which we learn, that where our crosses and afflictions begin which we endure with patience and resignation, there begins our reward. Christ ascended into heaven by His own power, because He is God, and now in His glorified humanity He sits at the right hand of His Father, as our continual Mediator.

In whose presence did Christ ascend into heaven?

In the presence of His apostles, and many of His dis­ciples, whom He had previously blessed, (Luke XXIV. 51.) and who, as St. Leo says, derived consoling joy from His ascension. Rejoice, also, O Christian foul, for Christ has today opened heaven for you, and you may enter it, if you believe in Christ, and live in accordance with that faith. St. Augustine says: "Let us ascend in spirit with Christ, that when His day comes, we may follow with our body.

Yet you must know, beloved brethren, that not pride, nor avarice, nor impurity, nor any other vice ascends with Christ; for with the teacher of humility pride ascends not, nor with the author of goodness, malice, nor with the Son of the Virgin, impurity. Let us then ascend with Him by trampling upon our vices and evil inclinations, thus build­ing a ladder by which we can ascend; for we make a ladder of our sins to heaven when we tread them down in combating them.

From "The Church's Year" by Fr. Leonard Goffine

Pope's car in eBay bidding war

BIDDING for Pope Benedict XVI's old Volkswagen, on offer on eBay Germany, topped 100,000 euro ($166,000) today, 10 times the price the current owner paid for it.

Cardinal Rigali on the Gift of a New Pope

ROME, MAY 4, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Justin Rigali sees the new Pope's commitment to promoting the dignity of people as a key response to terrorism.

The archbishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was among those participating in the events of Benedict XVI's first week as Pontiff. Here is an excerpt of an interview he gave April 25, the day after the inauguration of the new pontificate.

The Unity of the Church

By unity is meant that the members of the true Church must be united in the belief of the same doctrines of revelation, and in the acknowledgment of the authority of the same pastors. Heresy and schism are opposed to Christian unity. By heresy, a man rejects one or more articles of the Christian faith. By schism, he spurns the authority of his spiritual superiors. That our Saviour requires this unity of faith and government in His members, is evident from various passages of Holy Scripture.

In His admirable prayer immediately before His pas­sion, He says: "I pray for them also who through their word shall believe in Me; that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me," (John 17:20-21) because the unity of the Church is the most luminous evidence of the divine mission of Christ. Jesus prayed that His followers may be united in the bond of a common faith, as He and His Father are united in essence, and cer­tainly the prayer of Jesus is always heard.

St. Paul ranks schism and heresy with the crimes of murder and idolatry, and he declares that the authors of sects shall not possess the kingdom of God (Gal 5:20-21). In this epistle to the Ephesians, he insists upon unity of faith in the following emphatic lan­guage: "Be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; one body and one Spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us al1" (Eph 4:3-6). As you all, he says, worship one God, and not many Gods; as you acknowledge the same divine Medi­ator of redemption, and not many mediators; as you are sanctified by the same divine Spirit, and not by many spirits; as you all hope for the same heaven, and not different heavens, so must you all profess the same faith.

Unity of government is not less essential to the Church of Christ than unity of doctrine. Our divine Saviour never speaks of His Churches, but of His Church. He does not say: "Upon this rock I will build my Churches," but, " Upon this rock I will build my Church," (Matt 16:18) from which words we must conclude, that it never was His intention to establish or to sanction various conflicting denominations, but one corporate body, with all the members united under one visible Head; for as the Church is a visi­ble body, it must have a visible head.

The Church is called a kingdom: "He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His king­dom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:32,33) Now in every well-regulated kingdom there is but one king, one form of government, one uniform body of laws, which all are obliged to observe. In like manner, in Christ's spiritual kingdom, there must be one Chief to whom all owe spiritual allegiance; one form of ecclesiastical government; one uniform body of laws which all Christians are bound to observe; for, "every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate" (Matt 12:25).

Our Saviour calls His Church a sheepfold. "And there shall be made one fold and one shepherd" (John 10:16). What more beautiful or fitting illustration of unity can we have than that which is suggested by a sheepfold? All the sheep of a flock cling together. If they are momentarily separated, they are im­patient till reunited. They follow in the same path. They feed on the same pastures. They obey the same shepherd, and fly from the voice of strangers. So did our Lord intend that all the sheep of His fold should be nourished by the same sacraments and the same bread of life; that they should follow the same rule of faith as their guide to heaven; that they should listen to the voice of one Chief Pastor, and that they should carefully shun false teachers.

His Church is compared to a human body. "As in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office; so we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one mem­bers one of the other"(Rom 12:4-5). In one body there are many members, all inseparably connected with the head. The head commands and the foot instantly moves, the hand is raised and the lips open. Even so our Lord ordained that His Church, composed of many members, should be all united to one supreme visible Head, whom they are bound to obey.

The Church is compared to a vine, all whose branches, though spreading far and wide, are neces­sarily connected with the main stem, and from its sap they are nourished. In like manner, our Saviour will have all the saplings of His Vineyard connected with the main stem, and all draw their nourishment from the parent stock.

The Church, in fine, is called in Scripture by the beautiful title of bride or spouse of Christ, (Apoc 21:9) and the Christian law admits only of one wife.

In fact, our common sense alone, apart from revela­tion, is sufficient to convince us that God could not be the author of various opposing systems of religion. God is essentially one. He is Truth itself. How could the God of truth affirm, for instance, to one body of Christians that there are three Persons in God, and to another that there is only one Person in God? How could He say to one individual that Jesus Christ is God, and to another that He is only man. How can He tell me that the punishments of the wicked are eternal, and tell another that they are not eternal? One of these contradictory statements must be false. "God is not the God of dissension, but of peace" (1 Cor 14:33).

I see perfect harmony in the laws which govern the physical world that we inhabit. I see a mar­vellous unity in our planetary system. Each planet moves in its own sphere, and all are controlled by the central Sun.

Why should there not be also harmony and con­cord in that spiritual world, the Church of God, the grandest conception of His omnipotence, and the most bounteous manifestation of His goodness and love for mankind!

Hence, it is clear that Jesus Christ intended that His Church should have one common doctrine which all Christians are bound to believe, and one uniform government to which all should be loyally attached.

With all due respect for my dissenting brethren, truth compels me to say that this unity of doctrine and government is not to be found in the Protestant sects, taken collectively or separately. That the various Protestant denominations differ from one another not only in minor details, but in most essen­tial principles of faith, is evident to everyone con­versant with the doctrines of the different Creeds. The multiplicity of sects in this country, with their mutual recriminations, is the scandal of Christianity, and the greatest obstacle to the conversion of the heathen. Not only does sect differ from sect, but each particular denomination is divided into two or more independent or conflicting branches.

In the State of North Carolina, we have several Baptist denominations, each having its own dis­tinctive appellation. There is also the Methodist Church North and the Methodist Church South. There was the Old and the New School Presbyterian Church. And even in the Episcopal Communion, which is [was] the most conservative body outside the Catholic Church, there is the ritualistic, or high church, and the low church. If you question closely the individual members composing any one fraction of these denominations, you will, more often than not, find them giving a contradictory view of their tenets of religion.

Protestants differ from one another not only in doctrine, but in the form of ecclesiastical govern­ment and discipline. The church of England ac­knowledges the reigning Sovereign as its Spiritual Head. Some denominations recognize Deacons, Priests, and Bishops as an essential part of their hierarchy; while the great majority of Protestants reject such titles altogether.

Where, then, shall we find this essential unity of faith and government? I answer, confidently, no­where save in the Catholic Church.

The number of Catholics in the world [circa 1895] is computed at two hundred and twenty-five million. They have all "one Lord, one faith, one baptism," one creed. They receive the same sacraments, they worship at the same altar, and pay spiritual allegiance to one common Head. Should a Catholic be so unfortu­nate as contumaciously to deny a single article of faith, or withdraw from the communion of his legiti­mate pastors, he ceases to be a member of the Church, and is cut off like a withered branch. The Church had rather sever her right hand than allow any member to corrode her vitals. It was thus she excom­municated Henry VIII because he persisted in violating the sacred law of marriage, although she foresaw that the lustful monarch would involve a nation in his spiritual ruin. She anathematized, more recently, Dr. Dollinger*, though the prestige of his name threatened to engender a schism in Germany. She says to her children: "You may espouse any political party you choose; with this I have no concern." But as soon as they trench on matters of faith, she cries out: "Hitherto thou shalt come, and shalt go no farther; and here thou shalt break thy swelling waves" (Job 33:11) of discord. The tem­ple of faith is the asylum of peace, concord, and unity.

How sublime and consoling is the thought, that no matter where a Catholic goes over the broad world, whether he enters his Church in Pekin or in Mel­bourne, in London, or Dublin, or Paris, or Rome, or New York, or San Francisco, he is sure to hear the self-same doctrine preached, to assist at the same sac­rifice, and to partake of the same sacraments. [comment: Were this only the case today...]

This is not all. Her Creed is now identical with what it was in past ages. The same Gospel of peace that Jesus Christ preached on the Mount; the same doctrine that St. Peter preached at Antioch and Rome; St. Paul at Ephesus; St. John Chrysostom at Constantinople; St. Augustine in Hippo; St. Ambrose in Milan; St. Remigius in France; St. Boniface in Germany; St. Athanasius in Alexandria; the same doctrine that St. Patrick introduced into Ireland; that St. Augustine brought into England, and St. Pelagius into Scotland, is ever preached in the Catholic Church throughout the globe, from January till December - "Jesus Christ yesterday, and to-day, and the same forever." (Heb 13:8)

The same admirable unity that exists in matters of faith, is also established in the government of the Church. All the members of the vast body of Cath­olic Christians are as intimately united to one visible Chief as the members of the human body are joined to the head. The faithful of each Parish are subject to their immediate Pastor. Each Pastor is subor­dinate to his Bishop, and each Bishop of Christen­dom acknowledges the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter, and Head of the Catholic Church.

But it may be asked, is not this unity of faith impaired by those doctrinal definitions which the Church has promulgated from time to time? We answer: No new dogma, unknown to the Apostles, not contained in the primitive Christian revelation, can be admitted. (John xiv. 26; xv. 15; xvi. 13.) For the Apostles received the whole deposit of God's word, according to the promise of our Lord: "When He shall come, the Spirit of truth, He shall teach yon all truth." And so the Church proposes the doctrines of faith, such as they came from the lips of Christ, and as the Holy Spirit taught them to the Apostles at the birth of the Christian law - doctrines which know neither variation nor decay.

Hence, whenever it has been defined that any point of doctrine pertained to the Catholic faith, it was always understood that this was equivalent to the declaration that the doctrine in question had been revealed to the Apostles, and had come down to us from them, either by Scripture or Tradition. And as the acts of all the Councils, and the history of every definition of faith evidently show, it was never contended that a new revelation had been made, but every inquiry was directed to this one point - whether the doctrine in question was contained in the Sacred Scriptures or in the Apostolic traditions.

A revealed truth frequently has a very extensive scope, and is directed against error under its many changing forms. Nor is it necessary that those who receive this revelation in the first instance, should be explicitly acquainted with its full import, or cogni­zant of all its bearings. Truth never changes; it is the same now, yesterday, and forever, in itself; but our relations towards truth may change, for that which is hidden from us today may become known to us tomorrow. "It often happens," says St. Augustine, "that when it becomes necessary to defend certain points of Catholic doctrine against the insidious attacks of heretics, they are more careful1y studied, they become more clearly under­stood, they are more earnestly inculcated; and so the very questions raised by heretics give occasion to a more thorough knowledge of the subject in question." (De Civitate Dei, Lib. 16,Cap. ii, No.1)

Let us illustrate this. In the Apostolic revelation and preaching, some truths might have been con­tained implicitly, e. g., in the doctrine that grace is necessary for every salutary work, it is implicitly asserted that the assistance of grace is required for the inception of every good and salutary work. This was denied by the semi-Pelagians, and their error was condemned by an explicit definition. And so in other matters, as the rising controversies or new errors gave occasion for it, there were more explicit declarations of what was formerly implicitly believed. In the doctrine of the supreme power of Peter, as the visible foundation of the Church, we have the implied assertion of many rights and duties which belong to the centre of unity. In the revela­tion of the supereminent dignity and purity of the Blessed Virgin, there is implied her exemption from original sin, etc., etc.

So, too, in the beginning, many truths might have been proposed somewhat obscurely or less clearly; they might have been less urgently insisted upon, because there was no heresy, no contrary teaching to render a more explicit declaration necessary. Now, a doctrine which is implicitly, less clearly, not so earnestly proposed, may be overlooked, misunder­stood, called in question; consequently, it may hap­pen tl1at some articles are now universally believed in the Church, in regard to which doubts and con­troversies existed in former ages, even within the bosom of the Church. "Those who err in belief do but serve to bring out more clearly the soundness of those who believe rightly. For there are many things which lay hidden in the Scriptures, and when heretics were cut off, they vexed the Church of God with disputes; then the hidden things were brought to light, and the will of God was made known." (St. Augustine on the 54th Psalm, No. 22.)

This kind of progress in faith we can and do admit; but the truth is not changed thereby. As Albertus Magnus says: "It would be more correct to style this the progress of the believer in the faith, than of the faith in the believer."

To show that this kind of progress is to be ad­mitted, only two things are to be proved: 1. That some divinely revealed truths should be contained in the Apostolic teaching implicitly, less clearly explained, less urgently pressed. And this can be denied only by those who hold that the Bible is the only rule of Faith, that it is clear in every part, and could be readily understood by all from the begin­ning. This point I shall consider farther on in this work. 2. That the Church can, in process of time, as occasions arise, declare, explain, urge. This is proved not only from the Scriptures and the Fathers, but even from the conduct of Protestants themselves, who often boast of the care and assiduity with which they "search the Scriptures," and study out their meaning, even now that so many Commentaries on the sacred Text have been published. And why? To obtain more light; to understand better what is revealed. It would appear from this that the only question which could arise on this point is, not abou the possibility of arriving by degrees at a clearer understanding of the true sense of revelation, as circumstances may call for successive developments, but about the authority of the Church to propose and to determine that sense. So that, after all, we are always brought back to the only real point of division and dispute between those who are not Catholics and ourselves, namely, to the authority of the Church, of which I shall have more to say here­after. I cannot conclude better than by quoting the words of St. Vincent of Lerins: "Let us take care that it be with us in matters of religion, which affect onr souls, as it is with material bodies, which, as time goes on, pass through successive phases of growth and development, and multiply their years, but yet remain always the same individual bodies as they were in the beginning. . . , It very properly follows from the nature of things that, with a perfect agreement and consistency between the beginnings and the final results, when we reap the harvest of dogmatic truth which has sprung from the seeds of doctrine sown in the spring-time of the Church's existence, we should find no substantial difference between the grain which was first planted and that which we now gather. For though the germs of the early faith have in some respects been evolved, in the course of time, and still receive nourishment and culture, yet nothing in them that is substantial can ever suffer change. The Church of Christ is a faithful and ever watchful guardian of the dogmas which have been committed to her charge. In this sacred deposit she changes nothing, she takes nothing from it, she adds nothing to it."

Adapted from "The Faith of Our Fathers"
By James Cardinal Gibbons

* Dr Johann Joseph Ignatius von Dollinger - A historian and theologian, born at Bamberg, Bavaria, 28 February, 1799; died at Munich, 10 January, 1890. Excommunicated by the Church.

Dollinger declared, concerning the doctrine of Papal Infallibility, “As a Christian, as a theologian, as a historian, as a citizen, I cannot accept this doctrine.”

His followers came to be called Old Catholics because they rejected the new doctrines of the Papal Church and appealed to the standard of faith and worship in the Undivided Christian Church.

More info on Dollinger

Gospel for Thursday, 6th Week of Easter

From: John 16:16-20

Fullness of Joy

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [16] "A little while, and you will see Me no more; again a little while, and you will see Me." [17] Some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this that He says to us, `A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, `because I go to the Father'?" [18] They said, "What does He mean by `a little while'? We do not know what He means." [19] Jesus knew they wanted to ask Him; so He said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, `A little while and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? [20] Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy."
**********************
Commentary:

16-20. Earlier our Lord consoled the disciples by assuring them that He would send them the Holy Spirit after He went away (verse 7). Now He gives them further consolation: He is not leaving them permanently, He will come back to stay with them. However, the Apostles fail to grasp what He means, and they ask each other what they make of it. Our Lord does not give them a direct explanation, perhaps because they would not understand what He meant (as happened before: cf. Matthew 16:21-23 and paragraph). But He does emphasize that though they are sad now they will soon be rejoicing: after suffering tribulation they will be filled with a joy they will never lose (cf. John 17:13). This is a reference primarily to the Resurrection (cf. Luke 24:41), but also to their definitive encounter with Christ in Heaven.
******************
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.

'Catholics Supporting the Denial of 'Nutrition and Hydration' are not in Communion With the Church'

It is a rare person who has not heard of the recent cruel homicide of the Florida woman, Terri Schiavo. Everyone, it seemed, had a strong opinion on the subject. Yet, despite clear moral teachings on the evils of euthanasia, there are ‘Catholics’ who boast support for euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.

An excellent article by Barbara Kralis, supported by numerous documents (with links).

Once Moral Decay Begins, Stopping It Is Extremely Difficult

Bestiality on the Rise in Sexually Libertine Sweden

Here's a indication of the "thinking" of animal protection people:

Animal welfare agents are not concerned about the morality of the act, or that human beings would actually resort to this kind of behaviour, but rather are concerned that animals are being hurt and are perhaps suffering "psychological harm" in the process. "Even if it is difficult to assess an animal's degree of psychological suffering, it is likely that it experiences discomfort or is subjected to psychological suffering even in cases where there is no evidence of physical injury," said the report.

Is it time to kiss Sweden good-bye?

Missouri State Says no Adoption for Lesbian Women

KANSAS CITY, Mo, May 4, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two lesbian Kansas City women, told they could not adopt children because of their homosexual lifestyle, are suing the state with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Lisa Johnston and Dawn Roginski were denied the right to adopt a child by Missouri Department of Social Services who acted according to state policy. The pair argue that they are eminently qualified – Johnston being an early childhood education specialist, while Roginski is a chaplain and youth counsellor.

An "early childhood education specialist" and a "chaplain and youth counsellor"? Isn't that something else about which to be concerned?

Source.

Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, who is President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, on Monday said, of adoption by homosexuals:

"They say that children adopted by two people of the same sex are very happy. A child may be for a couple of years but when the child reaches the age of reason, when he grows up and becomes a young adult, how tragic it will be for him to let his friends know that his 'parents' are two women or two men? This situation endangers the child's personality, balance, harmony."

Blogs sounding off on Catholicism, new pope

Knight-Ridder reports on Catholic Blogs. Father Jeffrey Keyes of St. Edward Church in Newark, Calif., whose blog, The New Gasparian, is quoted in the article as are some others.


Those listed in the article are:
******************************************

A sampling of Catholic and pope-related blogs:

_ The New Gasparian: http://gasparian.stblogs.org

A journal by Father Jeffrey Keyes of St. Edward Church in Newark,Calif., "dedicated to the life and mission of St. Gaspar del Bufalo, and to a life lived in response to the call and the cry of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our ongoing mission is to share good news of hope and communion."

_ Erik's Rants and Recipes: www.pinkmochi.com/eriksrant

By Oakland, Calif., freelance writer Erik Keilholtz on "food, art, music, bullfighting, politics, Catholic Theology."

_ Shrine of the Holy Whapping: http://holywhapping.blogspot.com

"`Catholic Nerds' at the University of Notre Dame share their thoughts on Catholic identity at the university, cultural reviews and other musings."

_ St. Blog's Parish: http://praiseofglory.com/blogs.htm

List of Catholic blogs.

_ Open Book: http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook

Blog by Catholic author Amy Welborn.
****************************************

Source.

Pope Designates Cardinal to Stand in at Beatifications

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI has designated a cardinal to stand in for him at a beatification ceremony later this month in a shift from his predecessor who declared more "blesseds" and saints than all his predecessors over the past 500 years combined.

[Cardinal Jose] Saraiva Martins told Vatican Radio on Wednesday that Benedict was merely reverting to the accepted practice at the Vatican that pre-dated John Paul, whereby the pope would designate a bishop and cardinal to preside over beatifications. The pope himself would celebrate canonizations.

More.

Is Marymount Manhattan College Still Catholic?

New York church official says group wrong on college's Catholic label

NEW YORK (CNS) -- A report by the Cardinal Newman Society that Cardinal Edward M. Egan of New York has declared Marymount Manhattan College to be no longer Catholic is not correct, according to the cardinal's spokesman.

Joseph Zwilling said in a telephone interview May 1 that the cardinal had taken no action regarding the college.

National Directory for Catechesis is Now Available from USCCB

WASHINGTON (May 3, 2005) – The National Directory for Catechesis (NDC), reference point for the formation of catechists and the preparation of all catechetical materials in the United States, is now available from USCCB Publishing. Published simultaneously was a Summary of the National Directory for Catechesis, a resource developed by the Committee on Catechesis.

More.

Respectful Silence at St Agatha's

Respectful atmosphere

Those annoyed by the social chatter at their parish churches might prefer the atmosphere at St. Agatha Catholic Church, 9th Street and Utah Avenue in St. Louis. Attendees observe respectful silence. Every Sunday at 8 a.m. the Latin Tridentine Mass is celebrated, followed by a Latin High Mass at 10 a.m.

In 1988 Pope John Paul II wrote the "Ecclesia Dei Adflicta" and instructed, "Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued by the Apostolic See." The services at St. Agatha's are sanctioned by Archbishop Burke.

St. Agatha's is easily accessible from Interstate 44. Take I-55 south to Arsenal Street and turn left, then right at the first light. The church is several blocks south on 9th Street.

Suzanne Bolten
Oakland

Why not attend Ascension Thursday Mass on Thursday (of all days) at St. Agatha Church at 7:00PM?

Pope's election is a wake-up call

A good letter to the editor in today's Post Dispatch:

To the Editor:

The election of Pope Benedict XVI should be a major wake-up call for the liberal faction that has infiltrated the Catholic Church.

In these days of "everything is OK attitude—whatever you do, do not hurt anyone's feelings," we get guidance from the Holy Spirit. He helps the cardinals elect a very conservative pope who will keep the sacred doctrines intact despite the immoral society that wants otherwise.

The news media are always asking if this pope would relax the hard-line stance of Pope John Paul II. What they do not understand is these "hard-line" doctrines cannot be changed (by a church that truly follows Jesus' will) even if the pope wants to. They are doctrines established 2,000 years ago by Jesus himself—men cannot change them.

Celibacy by the clergy is a custom, yes. Why does the church hold fast to this? Paul tells us in the Bible that "It is better if they not marry." So do we follow our desires or the Bible?

Abortion and euthanasia (Thou shalt not kill); marriage (which we now have to define in law), the doctrine on contraception (which was taught by all Christian churches until 1930), the ban on human cloning and only men clergy, etc., are doctrines set up by the Lord himself—they have been taught the same by the church for 2,000 years. The pope is not God—he is just a servant, here to promote the correct doctrine and keep them intact as Jesus commanded.

Paul Harvey said that the new pope wants to unite all Christians, and then he said that the new pope was known as a hard-line conservative of the old views.

I guess he thinks that agreeing with the liberal society, going along with the idea that sin and immoral ideas are OK will promote unity? Not! The devil would want us to think that that is true! Nothing could be farther from the truth.

True unity comes from following the Lord, following His will, not ours. If we follow His will and trust Him, He will take care of us.

It is a fact that people do not like to be told that what they are doing is wrong; they do not want to give up their "fun." I was caught up by this idea several times in my life. I am very happy that I have overcome my dependence on sin and I am able to make the Lord number one in my life—more important than anything and find true happiness. This is a happiness and peace that is just too hard to explain, but once you experience it, you will never go back.

No Jesus, no peace. Follow and know Jesus—know peace.

Gerald Macke
Leopold

Source.

Nearly Four out of Five Catholic Politicians in Canada to Vote in Favor of Homosexual 'Marriage'

TORONTO, May 3, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An analysis by Catholic Insight magazine reveals that 72.4% of Catholic Members of Parliament in Canada have committed to voting in favour of homosexual 'marriage'. The magazine's report indicates that only 27.6% will vote in favour of traditional marriage.

Over 7 out of 10 have, for some reason, rejected their obligations to God, family and country. Of course, this may be similar to the legislators here in the US.

Brain-Injured Fireman's Recovery Takes Science Into a Murky Area

Another article as a followup to the post last night.

Archbishop Levada to be next CDF Prefect?

Former Portland Archbishop William Levada could become the next guardian of religious orthodoxy in the Vatican, charged with safeguarding church doctrine and morals.

"It's a quiet rumor that I have heard," current Portland Archbishop John G. Vlazny told The Oregonian.

Levada met privately with the pope Tuesday, according to news reports.

Source.

Gospel for Wednesday, 6th Week of Easter

From: John 16:12-15

The Action of the Holy Spirit (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [12] "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak of His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify Me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is Mine; therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and declare it to you."
**************************
Commentary:

13. It is the Holy Spirit who makes fully understood the truth revealed by Christ. As Vatican II teaches, our Lord "completed and perfected Revelation and confirmed it...finally by sending the Spirit of truth" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 4). Cf. note on John 14:25-26.

14-15. Jesus Christ here reveals some aspects of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. He teaches that the Three Divine Persons have the same nature when He says that everything that the Father has belongs to the Son, and everything the Son has belongs to the Father (cf. John 17:10) and that the Spirit also has what is common to the Father and the Son, that is, the divine essence. The activity specific to the Holy Spirit is that of glorifying Christ, reminding and clarifying for
the disciples everything the Master taught them (John 16:13). On being inspired by the Holy Spirit to recognize the Father through the Son, men render glory to Christ; and glorifying Christ is the same as giving glory to God (cf. John 17:1, 3-5, 10).
***********************************
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.

A Request from the Dissenters of St Stanislaus Kostka

I received the following letter, a Request from the President of Concerned Parishioners of St Stanislaus, this evening (PDF format-image file). It has been transcribed here, I believe, correctly and accurately.

It is a letter which deserves much commentary, but that will have to wait due to the late hour. It has been suggested, however, that this is another step, in a series of steps being taken, for those to separate themselves from the Church despite the Archbishop's generous offers to reconcile and compromise. This letter demonstrates the obstinacy, evidently, of many who remain disobedient, enslaved by pride.

The letter:
--------------------------------------------------
St. Stanislaus Kostka
Polish Roman Catholic Church
Page 1 of 2 April 20, 2005

A Request:
This is a simple and humble request We, the parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish Roman Catholic Church, are asking you, the clergy of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, to assist us in persuading the Archbishop to begin a true dialogue with our representatives or to answer publicly why we are continuing to be denied our faith in our parish. You are the "front line" apostles, dedicating your lives for our Lord and our religion.

For the past year the faithful of the St. Louis Archdiocese have read in the St Louis Review, Our Sunday Visitor, and their church bulletins and now nationally a myopic view of the conflict between the Archdiocese of St. Louis and St. Stanislaus Polish Roman Catholic Church. This information provided either by Archbishop Burke himself, designated delegates, or by Polish dissidents (who were moved from St. Stanislaus to St. John's) portray us as an evil empire. Our responses and position continues to be restricted in any official Catholic Church media.

We are being called renegades, our Board of Directors, following our direction, were interdicted, priests are threatened if they serve us in their religious basic calling, and Bishops are informed there is no need for priests in St. Louis and especially at St. Stanislaus. We have the celebration of mass denied, marriages, christenings and any other religious celebration that comes with the Roman Catholic faith from a Roman Catholic priest prohibited. Individuals who devoted their life to the Roman Catholic faith and our parish, whose roots in our Heritage ran deeper than most mortals have had to have their last mass at another parish, crushing the families and further shaking their faith. This withholding for the sake of the almighty dollar and ultimate solitary power under the guise of selected Canon Laws should be an insult to you and all religious leaders.

This letter is about the Roman Catholic religion and providing religious sacraments to all Roman Catholics that request it. We can provide the history of our parish and this conflict, but for brevity, we have placed our web site www.saveststans.org.

On numerous occasions through our Board of Directors. individuals, a parishioner group and through attorneys have attempted to resolve this conflict and retain somewhat what our ancestors and Archbishop Kendrick achieved. Regardless of what offer was made, all compromises or offers were rejected.

The parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka also expressed their wishes in several open letters to Archbishop Burke. A letter was hand delivered to Archbishop Burke on March 20, 2005 asking him to provide a priest to have mass. This year has been proclaimed the "Year of the Eucharist", In the letter, we appealed to the Archbishop, to provide us Roman Catholic religious leadership and to open a true dialogue with us. One hundred and sixty (160) parishioners signed this letter. No response was provided.


St. Stanislaus Kostka
Polish Roman Catholic Church
Page 2 of 2 April 20, 2005

On April 1, 2005, another letter was sent stating that many of our parishioners are older people and requesting that the worldly differences be set aside and work together to resolve this embarrassing Roman Catholic conflict. Some parishioners are terrified of the idea that they may die tomorrow and no priest will be allowed to have a funeral mass in their parish." This has already happened on at least three occasions. No response was received.

On April 6, a letter signed by the Board of Directors was sent asking, "That our differences are set aside at this sad time and you find it in your heart to grant
a memorial mass for Pope John Paul II in a parish he visited." No response was received.

With the support of some prelates from Rome, we asked Archbishop Burke to begin a dialogue by accepting a mutually agreed mediator. No response was received.

We are being forced out of the Archdiocese of St. Louis not through any intention or agenda on our part. We are good, supportive Roman Catholics, but as any human, we cannot continue to tolerate the withholding of our faith under the conditions demanded.

We agree that we are structured differently than most Roman Catholic churches, but it is allowed in Canon law and what is wrong with our structure? We are certain that many of the parishes being closed wish they had a true voice in their parish and as the clergy, we are certain most of you rather be dealing with the religious aspects rather than mini­-CEOs. We have survived for 125 years, have been faithful to the archdiocese all this time, and have had no hidden intention other than being united in our worship and faith of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

We realize what we are asking, but are certain there are many clergy who have a disdain for what is being done to us through a very narrow view of Canon Law. To those content in the archdiocese and believe withholding the sacraments from the faithful is an acceptable form of our religion discipline, think of your calling to God. Afterward, if you still feel this is a correct process, then, please do not distort the conflict from the pulpit or through your written words as some have done. Understand both sides before you speak.

Pope John Paul II gave a group of US bishops who were visiting Rome in 2004 for their "Ad Limina" a message: "The bishops must have the confidence of the people". We ask this of you.

Thank you for your time and please consider our request.
[signed]
Mr. Ben Krauze
President of Concerned Parishioners
St Stanislaus Kostka
Polish Roman Catholic Church

Planned Parenthood launches campaign against Pope Benedict XVI

New York, May. 03, 2005 (CNA) - Planned Parenthood has launched a campaign to motivate all of its members and supporters, nominal Catholics and non-Catholics, to send letters to the editor, requesting that Pope Benedict XVI reconsider his “backward views” and change his opinion on sexual morality.

It is strange that these people refer to the views of the Church as "backward" considering that the views of Planned Parenthood and others are looking "backward" to the moral depravity of the previous civilizations of Rome, Greece and others. The Church, on the other hand, is always looking "forward", awaiting the return of our Lord and King, and leading God's children toward the heavenly kingdom. Who, then, holds the "backward" views?

Pope Benedict XVI must be encouraged to “reconsider his dangerously outdated stances on birth control, abortion and sexuality in order to help move the Catholic Church into the 21st century,” reads a memo issued by campaign manager Eve Fox.

"Into the 21st century"? Not really...they are wanting the Church to join with them in returning to the pre-Christian era when birth control, abortion, infanticide and homosexuality were perfectly legal...Of course, Planned Parenthood and others who deny that there is objective truth, demand that truth be seen as relative and prefer that all accept their inversion of reality. How backward is this?

Source.

Buffalo Firefighter Awakens from 10 Year Coma

Buffalo, NY (WBEN/AP) -- In what family members are calling a miracle, a Buffalo firefighter is talking again after nearly a decade in a brain-damaged state.

Donald Herbert suffered severe injuries when a roof collapsed on him while he was fighting a fire in December 1995. The injury left him brain damaged and unable to speak.

Herbert has been at the Father Baker Covalence Home for the past several years, but relatives say over the weekend he started talking again and his memory has returned.

I just saw a segment of this of FOX News - what a blessing this is for him, and his family. Perhaps this could serve as another reason to pray and hope for those similarly afflicted.

Source.

Heads-Up - Fr. Joseph Fessio on EWTN Tonight *UPDATED*

**** UPDATED ****

Starts a 7:00PM Central

New arena for birth-control battle

Rebecca Polzin walked into a drugstore in Glencoe, Minn., last month to fill a prescription for birth control. A routine request. Or so she thought.

Minutes later, Polzin left furious and empty-handed. She said the pharmacist on duty refused to help her. "She kept repeating the same line: 'I won't fill it for moral reasons,' " Polzin said.

Earlier this year, Adriane Gilbert called a pharmacy in Richfield to ask if her birth-control prescription was ready. She said the person who answered told her to go elsewhere because he was opposed to contraception. "I was shocked," Gilbert said. "I had no idea what to do."

The two women have become part of an emotional debate emerging across the country: Should a pharmacist's moral views trump a woman's reproductive rights?

"No idea what to do?" Hint: other pharmacies...

Should a OB-GYN be forced to perform an abortion?

Those who use birth control pills for other medical conditions may wish to review more up-to-date studies and information available from the Pope Paul VI Institute here and here.

Roman Catholic Bishop to be installed as Anglican Canon

HISTORY will be made at Chelmsford Cathedral on Sunday when a Roman Catholic bishop is installed as a canon in the Anglican holy centre.

The Bishop of Brentwood, the Rt Rev Thomas McMahon, will become the first Roman Catholic to be accepted into such a role.

The move is part of the Church of England's push for 'unity' with other Christian churches.
...
Rt Rev McMahon will be one of three church leaders to be honoured by the Bishop of Chelmsford.

The two others to be installed are the Rev Elizabeth Caswell, Moderator of the United Reformed Church - her territory covers Essex and Suffolk and she is based at Whittlesford, Cambridge - and the Rev Ermal B.Kirby of Ilford, the Chairman of the Methodist District, which includes Essex and parts of north east London and East Anglia.

I'm not certain what this means - "to be installed as a canon" - but something does not seem quite right about it. Bishop McMahon's bio lists him as a previous member of ICEL, Vice-President of Pax Christi since 1987 and a founder member of the Movement for Christian Democracy.

Article is here.

eBay Relents on Eucharist Policy in Response to Massive Protests

CYBERSPACE, May 3, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Online auctioneer, eBay, has finally changed its policy in the face of massive complaints about the sale of consecrated hosts. For weeks, the hugely successful eBay has been belittling and ignoring calls from Catholics, including bishops, to prohibit the sale of the holy Eucharist, the consecrated bread that Catholics believe is the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ and is described in Catholic theology as the ‘source and summit’ of Catholic spiritual life.

In an email, forwarded to LifeSiteNews.com, to eBay spokesman Edmund Leong said that the company had consulted with Catholic members and representatives of other religions and has decided to include the Eucharist as one of its off-limits items. A staffer writing on behalf of Bill Cobb of eBay’s Community Watch Team writes in his email, “We have concluded that sales of the Eucharist, and similar highly sacred items, are not appropriate on eBay. We have, therefore, broadened our policies and will remove those types of listings should they appear on the site in the future.”

More from LifeSiteNews

An Interview with Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family

Regarding the grave situation of the assault on the family in Spain.

Vatican City (Fides Service) - In view of the serious situation in Spain where the family is under systematic attack with a serious of measures imposed by the government to change the Spanish Code of Civil Code to allow people of the same sex to ‘marry’ and adopt children, accelerate and facilitate separation and divorce, allow free distribution of ‘day-after’ pills at health centres, Fides spoke with Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family.

More here.

A New Inspirational Book Club

Courtesy of "The Curt Jester".
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Join today and Get 5 Books for $1 Plus get a one year subscription to "Heretics Today"!



Benefits of membership:

• Unlike other book clubs there are no contracts or other rules to follow. We hate forcing our set of membership preferences on anybody and don't want to be dogmatic. Just make up your own book club rules and follow them, just as you do in real life.


• Our book club selections are written by the finest faithful dissidents who challenge stodgy orthodox ideas with fresh new ideas, just as new as gnosticism!

************ Here is but one example from the books shown above:
The celebrated bishop and Call To Action speaker writes a tour de force series of chapters celebrating the wonders of heterodoxy. It is the purpose of the writer to attempt an explanation, not of whether the Christian Faith can be believed in the traditional form, but of how he has personally come to recreate it for modern sensibilities. The author writes a rousing call for the return to heterodoxy....
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For all of the exciting details of this once-in-a-lifetime offer, click here.

Latin High Mass for Ascension Thursday

From an EMail update:

St. Agatha's will have a Latin High Mass on Ascension Thursday (yes, on THURSDAY), May 5 at 7:00pm.

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Also, First Friday (May 6) Latin High Mass will be at 7:00PM at St. Francis de Sales.

Hat Tip to Marc P. for the update...

Pope Benedict to be Installed as Bishop Of Rome, May 7

On Saturday, May 7 at 5.30 p.m. the Holy Father Benedict XVI will preside at a Eucharistic celebration at St. John Lateran Basilica on the occasion of his taking possession of the Chair of the Bishop of Rome, according to an announcement from Archbishop Piero Marini, Master of the Liturgical Ceremonies of the Supreme Pontiff.

Source.

RSM: the name 'Joseph Ratzinger' means aggressive homophobe

CHICAGO, May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM) with its supporters will be entering Cathedrals and parishes around the nation on Pentecost Sunday, May 15. We are inviting our supporters to join us, and wear the Rainbow Sash as a symbol of dignity and inclusion.

In the weeks since the death of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI. For many gay men and lesbians the name Joseph Ratzinger means aggressive homophobe.

The article states:...we call on our brothers and sisters, both straight and gay, around the nation to enter parishes wearing the Rainbow Sash. To create a sash just go to a fabric store and ask for a strip of 7ft rainbow fabric. It goes over your left shoulder and is pinned at the right hip. The Rainbow Sash is put on as the priest is processing in. Should you be denied Communion go back to your pew and remain standing while the rest of the congregation kneels. However, if you do receive communion, go back to your pew and kneel. This simple act is a public dialogue that counters those who promote hate in God's name.

Are we to understand that God, Who in the Bible states that homosexuality is an abomination, promotes hate in HIs won name?

Deluded and sick people in need of much prayer.

Article.

De-homosexualization of the Catholic Church

by Dr. Jack Wheeler

A Vatican source has disclosed to To The Point a psychological trauma of John Paul II. Whenever Vatican investigators brought the results of their vetting process regarding an individual’s candidacy for bishop, cardinal, or other office, and they revealed he was a homosexual, John Paul II would refuse to believe it.

He did so because accusing someone of homosexuality was a standard practice of the Communist government in his native Poland regarding anyone it regarded as an enemy of the state. From his ordination as a Catholic priest in 1946 to elevation to Archbishop of Krakow in 1963 and Cardinal in 1967, the then Karol Wojtyla witnessed this personal destruction repeatedly. So traumatized, he summarily dismissed such accusations as Pope, and would approve the elevation of anyone so accused.

This is why the Catholic Church, from Bishops in Boston to the Vatican itself, is riddled with homosexuals today. This also explains the hysterical reaction of homosexuals, such as writer Andrew Sullivan, to Cardinal Jozef Ratzinger succeeding John Paul II as Pope Benedict XVI.

Article.

The Ascension - A Lesson on the Poor in Spirit

"In my name they shall cast out devils." St. Mark, 16:17.

Did you ever hear of men in their right minds burning money? I want to tell you about two fellows who saved their lives by burning their bank­rolls many years ago.

Pilot W. B. Sylvester of Vancouver and his passenger, Donald Houle of Port Alberta, British Columbia, were in a plane that overturned in gale­swept waters. The shivering men clung to the pontoons for hours while the sun sank and a blustering night descended. With darkness came colder winds and angrier waves. At first the plane rode the swells lightly, but gradually it settled. It was so dark that they could not even make out the shore. "We can't last through the night," said Sylvester. "We'll have to burn everything we can and trust some passing boat to see our signal."

Houle had a cigarette lighter, one that worked, fortunately. They burned it for some time, and then lit articles dug from their pockets, letters and business papers first, then pieces of clothing.

"I have only my bankroll left," Sylvester finally exclaimed. "Might as well burn it, too."

"Right," muttered Houle. "Here's mine."

One at a time they lit the bills, most of them $10 bills (comparable today to a $50 bill, perhaps). They lit them and held them up in the hope someone would see the flame. They were lighting their last bills when a faint shout reached their ears. A fishing boat had sighted one of those expensive flames. Later, Sylvester declared : "I don't know how much money went up in smoke, but I'm not sorry about a cent of it. The stuff saved our lives; you can't take it with you anyway."

Those men learned the hard way part, at least, of what Christ meant when He declared: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." St. Matthew, 5:2.

Those opening words of the most wonderful sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount, form what is called the First Beatitude. There are seven others which need to be considered in the future.

"Poor in spirit" are those:
1. Who own and acquire temporal things for Christ's sake.
2. Who bear in patience loss of property, money, or other material things.
3. Who are contented with their poor and lowly lot in life.
4. Who, though rich, do not set their hearts on their wealth, but use it for the works of God.
5. Who are humble, and convinced of their own weakness, their own want and helplessness.

The words "in spirit" are most important. They point out the source, the subject of poverty, namely, the heart and will. They point out the means to poverty, namely, the grace of God. They point out the end and purpose of poverty of spirit, namely, spiritual goods, religious happiness in par­ticular.

"Blessed" means holy and happy. "Blessed" means favored with bless­ings, joyful, enjoying spiritual happiness. The blessing of being poor in spirit has many effects:
1. Complete dependence of God.
2. Absolute yielding to His holy will.
3. Friendly communion with Him.
4. Large-heartedness to others.
5. Confidence in undertaking great things for God. Look at the works of mercy in our country alone, undertaken with little funds but great confidence in God.
6. Closer resemblance to our Lord and His Blessed Mother, who were actually poor.
7. Perfect peace and contentment; anxiety and fear are absent.
8. Social advantages:

A. Frugality or temperance in the use of things, as opposed to sinful waste.
B. Contentment with one's lot, a boon to nerves and peace of mind.
C. Better understanding between class and class.
D. Better relations between labor and management.
E. Diligence and enterprise and sacrifice on the part of individuals and groups.

"The kingdom of heaven" is the reward promised to "the poor in spirit." Rich and powerful is the kingdom of the spirit. Nobody but God knows what those rewards will be; but rich rewards we know they must be, for they come from Him who is All-Generous.

Are you truly "poor in spirit"?
Do you belong to one of the three follow­ing groups?
1. In the first are those who are actually and really poor, and who are, for religious reasons, contented with their poverty.
2. This beatitude belongs secondly to those who are wealthy or well-fixed, as we say, but who are not unreasonably attached to their wealth. This they show by using their money for good causes.
3. Lastly we have those who are poor by choice, and out of love for God and God's work - religious, priests, brothers and nuns. They try to detach themselves not only from money, but also from many of the honors and pleasures that money will buy.

Jesus tells us today that one sign or mark of His followers is that "in My name they shall cast out devils." One of the most powerful workers for Satan is the devil of greed for gold and worldly possessions. The spirit of Christ, the spirit I hope you have, drives out this devil.

You don't have to burn your money as did the two men marooned on their fallen plane. But you must think and live the truth that putting money in its proper place is one means of winning heaven. And money's proper place is not at the top of your scale of values. Don't let money be your god. For all too many it is their god. Make it your servant, your helper in serving the one, true God.
__________________
Adapted from Prayers, Precepts and Virtues
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)

Gospel for May 3, Feast: Sts. Philip and James, Apostles

From: John 14:6-14

Jesus Reveals the Father (Continuation)

(Jesus said to Thomas), [6] "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me." [7] "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; henceforth you know Him and have seen Him.

[8] Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." [9] Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, `Show us the Father?' [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I say toyou I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does His works. [11] Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the words themselves.

[12] "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. [13] Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; [14] if you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
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Commentary:

4-7. The Apostles did not really understand what Jesus was telling them: hence Thomas' question. The Lord explains that He is the way to the Father. "It was necessary for Him to say `I am the Way' to show them that they really knew what they thought they were ignorant of, because they knew Him" (St. Augustine, "In. Ioann. Evang.", 66, 2).

Jesus is the way to the Father--through what He teaches, for by keeping to His teaching we will reach Heaven; through faith, which He inspires, because He came to this world so "that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life" (John 3:15); through His example, since no one can go to the Father without imitating the Son; through His merits, which make it possible for us to enter our Heavenly home; and above all He is the way because He reveals the Father, with whom He is one because of His divine nature.

"Just as children by listening to their mothers, and prattling with them, learn to speak their language, so we, by keeping close to the Savior in meditation, and observing His words, His actions, and His affections, shall learn, with the help of His grace, to speak, to act, and to will like Him.

"We must pause here...; we can reach God the Father by no other route...; the Divinity could not be well contemplated by us in this world below if it were not united to the sacred humanity of the Savior, whose life and death are the most appropriate, sweet, delicious and profitable subjects which we can choose for our ordinary meditations" (St. Francis de Sales, "Introduction to the Devout Life", Part II, Chapter 1, 2).

"I am the way": He is the only path linking Heaven and Earth. "He is speaking to all men, but in a special way He is thinking of people who, like you and me, are determined to take our Christian vocation seriously: He wants God to be forever in our thoughts, on our lips and in everything we do, including our most ordinary and routine actions.

"Jesus is the way. Behind Him on this Earth of ours He has left the clear outlines of His footprints. They are indelible signs which neither the erosion of time nor the treachery of the Evil One have been able to erase" ([St] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 127).

Jesus' words do much more than provide an answer to Thomas' question; He tells us: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life". Being the Truth and the Life is something proper to the Son of God become man, who St. John says in the prologue of his Gospel is "full of grace and truth" (1:14). He is the Truth because by coming to this world He shows that God is faithful to His promises, and because He teaches the truth about who God is and tells us that true worship must be "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23). He is Life because from all eternity He has divine life with His Father (cf. John 1:4), and because He makes us, through grace, sharers in that divine life. This is why the Gospel says: "This is eternal life, that they know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent" (John 17:3).

By His reply Jesus is, "as it were, saying, By which route do you want to go? I am the Way. To where do you want to go? I am the Truth. Where do you want to remain? I am the Life. Every man can attain an understanding of the Truth and the Life; but not all find the Way. The wise of this world realize that God is eternal life and knowable truth; but the Word of God, who is Truth and Life joined to the Father, has become the Way by taking a human nature. Make your way contemplating His humility and you will reach God" (St. Augustine, "De Verbis Domini Sermones", 54).

8-11. The Apostles still find our Lord's words very mysterious, because they cannot understand the oneness of the Father and the Son. Hence Philip's persistence. Then Jesus "upbraids the Apostle for not yet knowing Him, even though His works are proper to God--walking on the water, controlling the wind, forgiving sins, raising the dead. This is why He reproves him: for not recognizing His divine condition through His human nature" (St. Augustine, "De Trinitate", Book 7).

Obviously the sight of the Father which Jesus refers to in this passage is a vision through faith, for no one has ever seen God as He is (cf. John 1:18; 6:46). All manifestations of God, or "theophanies", have been through some medium; they are only a reflection of God's greatness. The highest __expression which we have of God our Father is in Christ Jesus, the Son of God sent among men. "He did this by the total fact of His presence and self-manifestation--by words and works, signs and miracles, but above all by His death and glorious resurrection from the dead, and finally by sending the Spirit of truth. He revealed that God was with us, to deliver us from the darkness of sin and death, and to raise us up to eternal life" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 4).

12-14. Before leaving this world, the Lord promises His Apostles to make them sharers in His power so that God's salvation may be manifested through them. These "works" are the miracles they will work in the name of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 3:1-10; 5:15-16; etc.), and especially the conversion of people to the Christian faith and their sanctification by preaching and the ministry of the sacraments. They can be considered greater works than Jesus' own insofar as, by the Apostles' ministry, the Gospel was not only preached in Palestine but was spread to the ends of the earth; but this extraordinary power of apostolic preaching proceeds from Christ, who has ascended to the Father: after undergoing the humiliation of the cross Jesus has been glorified and from Heaven He manifests His power by acting through His Apostles.

The Apostles' power, therefore, derives from Christ glorified. Christ our Lord says as much: "Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it". "It is not that he who believes in Me will be greater than Me, but that only that I shall then do greater works than now; greater, by him who believes in Me, than I now do by myself without Him" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 72, 1).

Jesus Christ is our intercessor in Heaven; therefore, He promises us that everything we ask for in His name, He will do. Asking in His name (cf. 15:7, 16; 16:23-24) means appealing to the power of the risen Christ, believing that He is all-powerful and merciful because He is true God; and it also means asking for what is conducive to our salvation, for Jesus is our Savior. Thus, by "whatever you ask" we must understand what is for the good of the asker. When our Lord does not give what we ask for, the reason is that it would not make for our salvation. In this way we can see that He is our Savior both when He refuses us what we ask and when He grants it.
********************
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.

Pope's old car smashing records on eBay

BERLIN (AFP) - Interest in Pope Benedict XVI's old Volkswagen, currently on offer on eBay Germany, has smashed all records for the Internet auction site with nearly four million hits, the company said.
The bidding for the metallic gray 1999 Golf IV in mint condition started at 9,999 euros (about 12,800 dollars), and by Monday, with more than 136 registered offers, had reached 62,595 euros.

More.

Bishop Henry Courageously Repeats Statement Which Drew Gay Human Rights Complaints

CALGARY, May 2, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "Since homosexuality, adultery, prostitution and pornography undermine the foundations of the family, the basis of society, then the State must use its coercive power to proscribe or curtail them in the interests of the common good." That was the statement Calgary Bishop Fred Henry made in January which resulted in two as of yet unresolved complaints being filed with the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Over the weekend Bishop Henry repeated the statement in another pastoral letter and expounded on it.

Continued here.

Rainbow Sash Movement Prepares for Pentecost

A letter was sent to each Catholic Bishop in the United States advising them that Rainbow Sash Movement will be entering Cathedrals and Parishes on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2005.

April 27, 2005

Eminences and Excellencies:

Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2004 is approaching. The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the Rainbow Sash Movement will be entering Cathedrals and Parishes across the nation on that date. We come as we always have come in prayerful dignity, to enter into one of the most joyous times in the Church, the birthday of the Church. As is our tradition we will be wearing Rainbow Sashes to designate that we are Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender/Straight and Catholic. We come to offer our talents and support in rebuilding the Church.

I am reminded of what Fr. Mychal Judge once said, 'if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans for tomorrow'. For those of you who don’t know Fr. Mychal Judge he was a New York Fire Department Chaplain, Franciscan priest. The Chaplain had been among the first to reach the scene of carnage on 911. Sudden death smashed upon the kneeling priest when, having removed his helmet, he was administering the last rites to a dying fireman. Here was a real religious 'martyr'. He also ministered to the gay community with same blind love. However his ministry to our community had to be in the shadows for fear of reprisals. Authentic ministry must be based in love.

So we come in joy to celebrate the diversity of the Church. There are those who will say because we publicly identify ourselves, we are engaging in a political protest. Please listen to our intent. We come joyfully as part of the people of God to take part in the Sacred Liturgy. We offer you our support in these difficult times. If you cannot see someone, and are therefore blind to their presence, how can you welcome them, as the Catechism instructs?

We continue to call for open dialogue. It is our hope moving forward that you will open your hearts and minds to our faithfulness, and speak with us. We hope this dialogue process can begin prior to your November meeting in Washington DC. The best way to love your neighbor is to get to know them.

Sincerely Yours Christ,
Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement

A call for open dialogue to eliminate sodomy as a sin?....Perhaps we can have a vote to determine what is and is not sinful? Will the Catholic Church be as accomodating to sinful behavior as our ECUSA brethern? The answer is clear for who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

We do not have to look too far back to see how this open and public dissent should be handled:

From a post on January 24, Cardinal Arinze denies he approved U.S. Archbishop giving "Rainbow Sashers" Holy Communion. The letter to Barbara Kralis is here.

From a post on January 31, Archbishop Harry Flynn issues perplexing "clarification" statement

From a post on February 16, Cardinal Arinze Ends Debate: No Communion for Pro-Abortion Politicians or Rainbow Sashers

Rainbow Sash wearers, the Cardinal says, are showing their opposition to Church teaching on a major issue of natural law and so disqualify themselves from being given Holy Communion.

Does this means that those who, while wearing the "Rainbow Sash", approach the priest for Holy Communion are to be denied? Fundamentally yes, it seems - that is unless one wishes to engage in linguistic contortions to read something else into it.

A Flame Still Burns in Ireland

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I flew to Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day. I was expecting the flight would have some kind of celebration in honor of St. Patrick and even imagined I might see a bit of green. To my surprise, there was neither much green nor a passing reference to Ireland’s patron saint.

The lady sitting next to me was a fallen away Catholic who found it quite ironic that I would be carrying a statue of Our Lady of Fatima to Catholic Ireland....Arriving in Ireland a bit groggy after a sleepless night, I faced a grumpy customs agent who, with a characteristic Irish brogue, asked the reason for my stay. I replied with as much candour as I could muster, “I am here to help a friend spread the Fatima message.” The agent simply rolled his eyes as if to say, “Oh no, another religious fanatic,” ...

More here at America Needs Fatima

Bishop DiLorenzo Ousts "unorthodox" Priest

Gruff, opinionated and iconoclastic doesn’t begin to describe the Rev. Thomas J. Quinlan , the gravel-voiced, chain-smoking priest of Holy Family Catholic Church in Virginia Beach. During his 47 years of parish ministry, “TQ” scorned public opinion – and doctrine as well, critics say – in colorfully preaching his interpretation of Vatican II Catholicism.

Did you catch that - "his interpretation of Vatican II"?

Quinlan advocated vigorous lay involvement in the Mass and ministry, and salted services with attention-grabbing twists, such as a famous Palm Sunday motorcycle ride in the sanctuary of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk.

But his days as a priest in charge of a parish are numbered. After receiving a complaint from a visitor to Holy Family about the priest’s unorthodoxy, Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo wrote to “strongly suggest” that Quinlan retire. “I had a visit with him and told him I wanted another year and he said, 'No, I’m retiring you,’” Quinlan said last week after talking with the bishop.

More.

Leon Suprenant Discusses Pope Benedict XVI

For those who may not know, Leon Suprenant, Jr., is president of Catholics United For the Faith located in Steubenville, Ohio. Catholics United for the Faith is an international lay apostolate founded in 1968 by H. Lyman Stebbins to support, defend, and advance the efforts of the Teaching Church in accord with the teachings of the Second Vatican Council.

[He] couldn't be more pleased with the cardinals' selection of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany as Pope Benedict XVI.

According to Suprenant, he can't think of a better successor to the late Pope John Paul II who was known as "The People's Pope."
...
Suprenant said he first came upon Ratzinger's work when he left college and was working out his faith and belief in the church.

"Like a lot of college students, I had gone away from my faith for awhile. "When I began to come back to the church, I was faced with the philosophy of the far right and the far left in the church. It was the book 'The Ratzinger Report' that I felt made the most sense. He was not right or left, he just stood on fundamental traditions of the church without being extreme," Suprenant said.

More here.

What Really Happened at the Conclave

[Pope] Benedict XVI's account: the guillotine, the dizziness… The microculture typical of the conclave. How the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel affected the cardinals. The sign of Jonah

by Sandro Magister

ROMA, May 2, 2005 – In the days immediately following the conclave, the press went berserk providing adventurous reconstructions of the voting, one scrutiny after another.

Placed side by side, most of the reconstructions cancel each other out. But some of them agree – though they differ about the name – in maintaining that during the first scrutinies a strong alternative candidate was offered next to Joseph Ratzinger. So strong, in fact, that this other pulled ahead of Ratzinger for a while.

But Benedict XVI himself soon put an end to these ruminations.

He did so while speaking with some German pilgrims, on the morning of Monday, April 25. Recounting how he had experienced the conclave, he said:

"As the voting process gradually showed me that the guillotine, so to speak, was to fall on me, my head began to spin…"

Further down you will find the pope's complete account, both in the original German version, which was immediately published by the Vatican press office, and in the English translation of the Italian version that appeared two days later in "L'Osservatore Romano."

More.

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention for May

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for the month of May is: "That those persecuted for the sake of faith and justice may experience the consolation and strength of the Holy Spirit".

His mission intention is: "That the Pontifical Missionary Works, proposed by the Holy Father and the bishops for the evangelization of all nations, may help the people of God to feel that they have a real part to play in the mission 'ad gentes'."

Cardinal McCarrick to seek retirement at 75

Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, said yesterday he is interested in retiring when he turns 75 in July.
"I'll be writing my [retirement] letter, and I'm certainly open to retirement. I have a thousand things I could do, or at least I think I could do," Cardinal McCarrick told The Washington Times yesterday.

In Peoria, Catholic men proudly exhibit their faith

The Church's Right to Make Laws

"Behold, I send my messenger before thy face." St. Matthew, 11:10.

One of the mightiest monarchs of the world was the first Napoleon. All of Europe was at his feet. 1804 was the year set for his coronation as emperor, and he invited Pope Pius VII to do him that honor. The Little Corporal tried to persuade the Pontiff to move the papal throne to Paris. With high-sounding language and energetic gestures the conqueror set before the Holy Father the apparent advantages of such a change.

"How well you act comedy," the Pope remarked.

Incensed, Napoleon snatched up a drawing of St. Peter's at Rome, tore it to bits and exclaimed: "This is what I will do to the Church! I will completely crush her."

"Now you act tragedy," the Pope said calmly.

And tragedy it proved to be. Twice Napoleon practically put the Pope into prison. Then he grabbed the states of the Church. Exactly four days after that move, Napoleon suffered his first defeat in battle. And the Pope, a prisoner, old and weak, knew his rights and his duty. He excommunicated the emperor, who cried out in his rage: "Does the Pope think his excommunication will cause the guns of my soldiers to fall out of their hands?"

Yet, that is literally what happened. A few years later, in 1814, when Napoleon attacked Russia, almost all his troops, half a million strong, perished in the wintry weather. The guns actually dropped from the frozen hands of his soldiers. The end came rapidly. Napoleon was taken prisoner, exiled, and given plenty of time to realize the might and power of Him who said: "He who hears you, hears me; and he who rejects you, rejects me; and he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me." St. Luke, 10:16.

History has borne out the right of the Church to govern in all things spiritual. The Church has the power to make and to enforce laws.

1. Reason proves that. Place the Church on the lowest possible footing, look at it merely as some sort of organization, and at once you realize that it has the right to make laws for its members. Where is the club that does not have a head and a set of rules? Show me any organization, and it will have some regulations to guide its members.

2. But the Church is more than a mere club. It is a kingdom, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is a kingdom that stretches beyond all kingdoms. It reaches up to heaven itself. It reaches into every comer of the earth. It reaches down into the depths of the human heart. It includes men of all regions, classes and colors. Its laws are not man-made but God-made.

3. Christ gave His Church the right to govern: "Amen I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven." St. Matthew, 19:18.

4. The Apostles understood that they had complete spiritual power. They said: "For the Holy Spirit and we have decided to lay no further burden upon you but this indispensable one, that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from immorality." Acts, 15:28-29.

Their precepts came from Christ. (1 Thess., 4:2) St. Paul gave direc­tions regulating marriage between pagans and Christians. The Catholic Church, now with over 1 billion professed members, has a detailed set of regulations called Canon or Church Law. Of these rules six apply especially to all Catholics. They are:
1. To attend Mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation.
2. To fast and abstain on the days appointed by the Church.
3. To confess our sins at least once a year.
4. To receive Holy Communion at least once a year.
5. To contribute to the support of our pastor.
6. To marry according to the rules of the Church.

The Church has the right to make these laws and she has the right to enforce them. If a teacher has the right to impose a task, she has the right to see that the task is performed, even by punishment. The Church pun­ishes disobedient members by denying the sacraments, Holy Mass, and Christian burial. She does not want to hurt the offender, but to convert him.

It is true, the Church has no police force or army to enforce her penalties in a physical way. But nothing is more clear in history than that Christ has backed up, even in a physical, material way, the commands of His Church. Napoleon in the 19th century, Hitler in 20th, bear witness to Christ's hand in His Church.
Pope Pius VII could not fight back; could not call out an army; could not directly punish Napoleon. But God punished the offending emperor in a definite and strikingly appropriate way. Napoleon boasted that the Pope could not take the guns out of his soldier's hands. Those guns dropped out of their frozen hands a few years later in the Russian snows.

You and I must obey the Church's laws and regulations. They were made with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Of the Church we can say what Christ said of St. John in the Gospel: "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face."

The Church goes before us, showing the way, pointing out the right path, telling us what we are to do and what we are to not to do. The Church is God's mes­senger to you. Follow Christ's messenger.
______________________________
Adapted from Prayer, Precepts, and Virtues
by Fr. Arthur Tonne

Montana Governor Will Disband Abstinence Council, Stop Ads

Helena, MT (LifeNews.com) -- Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer plans to disband a statewide abstinence council credited with helping lower the state's high teen pregnancy rates. The governor will also cancel an advertisement campaign funded in part with grants from the federal government.

Montana Family Foundation President and former state legislator Jeff Laszloffy sent a letter to Schweitzer Thursday asking him to reconsider...Laszloffy said the independent poll found that 85% of all respondents felt the ads helped teens avoid pregnancy.

The adage, "If it's not broken, don't fix it", apparently does not apply...

Gospel for May 2, Memorial: St. Athanasius, Bishop & Doctor of the Church

From: John 15:26-16:4a

A Hostile World (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [26] "But when the Counsellor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me; [27] and you also are witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

The Action of the Holy Spirit

[1] "I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. [2] They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. [3] And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor Me. [4a] But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them."
***********
Commentary:

26-27. Just before the Ascension our Lord will again charge the Apostles with the mission to bear witness to Him (cf. Acts 1:8). They have been witnesses to the public ministry, death and resurrection of Christ, which is a condition for belonging to the Apostolic College, as we see when Matthias is elected to take the place of Judas (cf. Acts 1:21-22). But the public preaching of the Twelve and the life of the Church will not start until the Holy Spirit comes.

Every Christian should be living witness to Jesus, and the Church as a whole is a permanent testimony to Him: "The mission of the Church is carried out by means of that activity through which, in obedience to Christ's command and moved by the grace and love of the Holy Spirit, the Church makes itself fully present to all men and peoples in orderto lead them to the faith, freedom and peace of Christ by the example of its life and preaching, by the sacraments and other means of grace" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 5).

2-3. Fanaticism can even bring a person to think that it is permissible to commit a crime in order to serve the cause of religion--as happened with those Jews who persecuted Jesus to the point of bringing about His death, and who later persecuted the Church. Paul of Tarsus was a typical example of misguided zeal (cf. Acts 22:3-16); but once Paul realized he was wrong he changed and became one of Christ's most fervent apostles. As Jesus predicted, the Church has often experienced this sort of fanatical, diabolical hatred. At other times this false zeal, though not so obvious, takes the form of systematic and unjust opposition to the things of God. "In the moments of struggle and opposition, when perhaps `the good' fill your way with obstacles, lift up your apostolic heart: listen to Jesus as He speaks of the grain of mustard seed and of the leaven. And say to Him: `edissere nobis parabolam': explain the parable to me.'

"And you will feel the joy of contemplating the victory to come: the birds of the air lodging in the branches of your apostolate, now only in its beginnings, and the whole of the meal leavened" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 695).

In these cases, as our Lord also pointed out, those who persecute God's true servants think they are serving Him: they confuse God's interest with a deformed idea of religion.

4. Here Jesus prophesies not only His own death (cf. Matthew 16:21-23) but also the persecution His disciples will suffer. He forewarns them of the contradictions they will experience so that they will not be scandalized or depressed when they do arise; in fact, difficulties will give them an opportunity to demonstrate their faith.
***************
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.

Why there are Mysteries in Religion

People often wonder why there are "religious truths" that we cannot understand. What purpose does a mystery serve in our relations with God? Why should there be matters in our Faith which are above our comprehension?

If we give this a bit of thought, then the reason for mysteries will be understandable.

First of all, they enable us to make an act of faith in God. If God gave us truths which we could reason out for ourselves, we should not be trusting to His truthfulness but to our intelligence. If you take from God only what you can verify, you are treating Him as you do your fellow man. Indeed, hardly as well, for you take many things from your fellow man which you do not and cannot verify.

It is a rare man who understands all matters of history, science, and government, yet most of us have faith in these things. See how we trust our lives and national honor to the leader of our country.

He frequently does not and cannot give an explanation of policies. Facts which he has and which justify his actions must be kept secret for reasons of the public welfare. Yet we have such confidence in his intelligence and integrity that we trust him. That is our act of faith in the government, in a man. Should we not trust to the integrity and intelligence of the Ruler of the world?

If, therefore, God sees fit to tell us something which we could never know by our own reason, why not accept it as an acquisition to our knowledge and be grateful for it? How many things the astronomer and chemist and historian tell us which most of us cannot reason out and yet which we accept gladly? All life may be said to be an act of faith in one another.

Why, then, should we not make an act of faith in God?

Now if there were no mysteries, we could not make an act of faith in God. A mystery is something above reason, but not against it. It is something which, though not implying a contradiction, is yet so full of difficulty that we have to exclaim: How can it be! God simply says: "It is so, trust me."

There are mysteries in our own lives, mysteries in the world about us. If you told anyone before Columbus' time that there were people on the other side of the world, they would say: "Impossible! How can it be! They would fall off, they would be head downwards!" If the law of gravitation solves the difficulty, why may not God, in His own time, solve all the mysteries? One of the joys of heaven will be that we shall understand everything.

I cannot say it too often, - God does not want us to understand Him, as much as He wants us to trust Him and freely love Him. If He sees fit to reveal certain things about Himself to us which we could never learn by ourselves, should we not thank Him? Should we also not expect God to be a mysterious Being? Nature is certainly mysterious, why should nature's God not be so?

If, then, there are revelations about the mysterious God, they must be in the nature of mysteries. A man is a mystery to himself. He does not know with complete certitude how his mind commands his body, or how he remembers things. If man is a mystery to himself, why should not Almighty God be a mystery to him?

In imparting to us, therefore, information about Himself, as in the Trinity and Incarnation and the Eucharist, we should expect mysteries. It is for that reason that our religion is called our holy Faith. It is based on faith in God. Its foundation is the veracity of God. We know that God is Truth, that if He says something it is so, and accordingly we say: "Speak, Lord, thy servant hears."

Through the Church God speaks to us. Our duty is to accept what He tells us gratefully, and, by doing as directed, to merit one day seeing face to face the Infinite God in whose light we shall be enlightened and in whose presence we shall rejoice forevermore. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the mind of man to conceive the things that God has prepared for them that love Him."

_______________________________
Adapted from God and Myself, An Inquiry into the True Religion,
by Martin J Scott, S.J.

A Seminarian Recalls Cardinal Ratzinger's Simplicity

These simple incidents told me a lot about the man who recently stepped up to guide the Church. Some might call them coincidences, but I prefer to call them God-incidences, something that God allowed so that I could experience something special about the man who would be Benedict XVI.

These little snippets by Brother Benjamin Cieply are well worth the read... (for May 1)

Genetic Mingling Mixes Human, Animal Cells

On a farm about six miles outside this gambling town, Jason Chamberlain looks over a flock of about 50 smelly sheep, many of them possessing partially human livers, hearts, brains and other organs.

The University of Nevada-Reno researcher talks matter-of-factly about his plans to euthanize one of the pregnant sheep in a nearby lab. He can't wait to examine the effects of the human cells he had injected into the fetus' brain about two months ago.

I briefly saw a news report about this facility and part of an interview with one of the scientists.

What creatures will scientists come up with in years to come?

From Magic: The Gathering

Some Already Knew This

U.S. networks downplay pro-Pope polls, reveal liberal media bias

Washington DC, Apr. 29, 2005 (CNA) - A poll by ABC and The Washington Post demonstrated that 81 percent of U.S. Catholics approve of the selection of Pope Benedict XVI, but both media outlets downplayed these results, observed media analyst Tim Graham.

Instead, they chose to headline another one of the poll’s findings that 66 percent of Americans do not want a change in Senate filibuster rules.

The Media Research Center’s director of media analysis noted that the Post put its filibuster story on page one Tuesday, and placed the pro-Pope poll on page A-11.

Pope calls for workers' rights to be respected

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - In his first Sunday Angelus blessing, Pope Benedict XVI issued a clarion call for workers' rights to be respected, saying solidarity, justice and peace were the pillars of the human family.

"I hope that the young, especially, will not want for work, and that working conditions will be ever more respectful of the dignity of the human person," the 78-year-old pope told more than 50,000 pilgrims in St Peter's Square in an address on May Day.

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Vatican review of seminaries to raise issue of gay priests

A Vatican evaluation of American seminaries planned three years ago in response to the clergy sex-abuse crisis is expected to move forward under Pope Benedict XVI and will likely tackle the polarizing issue of whether gays should become priests.

The appraisal will focus on conditions in the seminaries, including how instructors present church teaching on sexuality and celibacy, to look for anything that contributed to the scandal.
...
The Rev. James Martin of the Jesuit magazine America says four Vatican sources had told him that, under Pope John Paul, the Vatican was about to issue a decree placing severe restrictions or an outright ban on seminarians who acknowledge being gay, even if they are celibate.

The Church regards homosexuality as fundamentally disordered...

Advancement to religious vows and ordination should be barred to those who are afflicted with evil tendencies to homosexuality or pederasty, since for them the common life and the priestly ministry would constitute serious dangers.

Sam Sinnett, national president of DignityUSA, which represents gay and lesbian Catholics, said he was worried the seminary review and new enrollment standards could result in a "witch hunt" against gays, despite their contributions in parishes and elsewhere.

Dignity USA is an anti-Catholic organization and it promotes sinful behavior.

Source.

Pope makes first window appearance

ROME, Italy (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday made the first appearance of his papacy at the window of his apartment, telling tens of thousands of faithful and curious he was keeping up the cherished tradition of his beloved predecessor, John Paul II, who had last appeared to crowds in St. Peter's Square in silent suffering.

Link.

Gospel for the 6th Sunday of Easter

From: John 14:15-21

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [15] "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor, to be with you for ever. [17] even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; you know Him, for He dwells with you, and will be in you.

[18] "I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. [19] Yet a little while, and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. [20] In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. [21] He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and manifest Myself to him."
********************
Commentary:

15. Genuine love must express itself in deeds. "This indeed is love: obeying and believing in the loved one" (St. John Chrysostom, "Hom. on St. John", 74). Therefore, Jesus wants us to understand that love of God, if it is to be authentic, must be reflected in a life of generous and faithful self-giving obedient to the Will of God: he who accepts God's commandments and obeys them, he it is who loves Him (cf. John 14:21). St. John himself exhorts us in another passage not to "love in word or speech but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18), and he teaches us that "this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments" (1 John 5:3).

16-17. On a number of occasions the Lord promises the Apostles that He will send them the Holy Spirit (cf. 14:26; 15:36; 16:7-14; Matthew 10:20). Here He tells them that one result of His mediation with the Father will be the coming of the Paraclete. The Holy Spirit in fact does come down on the disciples after our Lord's ascension (cf. Acts 2:1-13), sent by the Father and by the Son. In promising here that through Him the father will send them the Holy Spirit, Jesus is revealing the mystery of the Blessed Trinity.

"Consoler": the Greek word sometimes anglicized as "paraclete" means etymologically "called to be beside one" to accompany, to console, protect, defend. Hence the word is translated as Consoler, Advocate, etc. Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as "another Consoler", because He will be given them in Christ's place as Advocate or Defender to help them, since Jesus is going to ascend to Heaven. In 1 John 2:1 Jesus Christ is described as a Paraclete: "We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous". Jesus Christ, then, also is our Advocate and Mediator in Heaven where He is with the Father (cf. Hebrews 7:25). It is now the role of the Holy Spirit to guide, protect and vivify the Church, "for there are, as we know, two factors which Christ has promised and arranged in different ways to continue His mission [...]: the apostolate and the Spirit. The apostolate is the external and objective factor, it forms the material body, so to speak, of the Church and is the source of her visible and social structures. The Holy Spirit acts internally within each person, as well as on the whole community, animating, vivifying, sanctifying" ([Pope] Paul VI, "Opening Address at the Third Session of Vatican II", 14 September 1964).

The Holy Spirit is our Consoler as we make our way in this world amid difficulties and the temptation to feel depressed. "In spite of our great limitations, we can look up to Heaven with confidence and joy: God loves us and frees us from our sins. The presence and the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church are a foretaste of eternal happiness, of the joy and peace for which we are destined by God" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 128).

18-20. At various points in the Supper we can see the Apostles growing sad when the Lord bid them farewell (cf. John 15:16; 16:22). Jesus speaks to them with great tenderness, calling them "little children" (John 13:33) and "friends" (John 15:15), and He promises that He will not leave them alone, for He will send the Holy Spirit, and He Himself will return to be with them again. And in fact He will see them again after the Resurrection when He appears to them over a period of forty days to tell them about the Kingdom of God (cf. Acts 1:3). When He ascends into Heaven they will see Him no longer; yet Jesus still continues to be in the midst of His disciples as He promised He would (cf. Matthew 28:20), and we will see Him face to face in Heaven. "Then it shall be that we will be able to see that which we believe. For even now He is with us, and we in Him [...]; but now we know by believing, whereas then we shall know by beholding.
****************
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.