Archbishop Raymond Burke invited the St. Stanislaus Church board of directors to meet again with archdiocesan officials who, a statement said, will address the board's "misunderstanding" of the archbishop's intentions.Article here.
Archdiocesan spokesman Jamie Allman said Tuesday that Burke hoped the meeting would take place "as early as next week."
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Archbishop Burke seeks meeting on St. Stanislaus
Dutch Euthanasia Doctors May Now Kill Perfectly Healthy Adults
The Royal Dutch Medical Association has concluded, after a three-year investigation, that Dutch doctors ought to be able to kill patients who are not ill but who are judged to be "suffering through living."Source.
Gospel for Wednesday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
From: Mark 1:29-39
The Curing of Peter's Mother-In-Law
[29] And immediately He (Jesus) left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [30] Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told Him of her. [31] And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
Jesus Cures Many Sick People
[32] That evening, at sundown, they brought to Him all who were sick or possessed with demons. [33] And the whole city was gathered together about the door. [34] And He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Jesus Goes To a Lonely Place To Pray
[35] And in the morning, a great while before day, He rose and went out to a lonely place, and there He prayed. [36] And Simon and those who were with Him followed Him, [37] and they found Him and said to Him, "Everyone is searching for you." [38] And He said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out." [39] And He went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
*******************
Commentary:
34. Demons possess a supernatural type of knowledge and therefore they recognize Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 1:24). Through the people they possess they are able to publish this fact. But Our Lord, using His divine powers, orders them to be silent. On other occasions He also silences His disciples (Mark 8:30; 9:9), and He instructs people whom He has cured not to talk about their cure (Mark 1:4; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26). He may have acted in this way to educate the people away from a too human and political idea of the Messiah (Matthew 9:30). Therefore, He first awakens their interest by performing miracles and gradually, through His preaching, gives them a clearer understanding of the kindof Messiah He is.
Some Fathers of the Church point out that Jesus does not want to accept, in support of the truth, the testimony of him who is the father of lies.
35. Many passages of the New Testament make reference to Jesus praying. The evangelists point to Him praying only on specially important occasions during His public ministry: Baptism (Luke 3:1), the choosing of the Twelve (Luke 6:12), the first multiplication of the loaves (Mark 6:46), the Transfiguration (Luke 9:29), in the garden of Gethsemane prior to His passion (Matthew 26:39) etc. Mark for his part, refers to Jesus' prayer at three solemn moments: at the beginning of His public ministry (1:35), in the middle of it (6:46), and at the end, in Gethsemane (14:32).
Jesus' prayer is prayer of perfect praise to the Father; it is prayer of petition for Himself and for us; and it also a model for His disciples. It is a prayer of perfect praise and thanksgiving because He is God's beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased (cf. Mark 1:11). It is a prayer of petition because the first spontaneous movement of a soul who recognizes God as Father is to ask Him for things. Jesus' prayer, as we see in very many passages (e.g. John 17:9ff) was a continuous petition to the Father for the work of redemption which He, Jesus, had to achieve through prayer and sacrifice.
Our Lord wants to give us an example of the kind of attitude a Christian should have; he should make a habit of addressing God as son to Father in the midst of and through his everyday activities--work, family life, personal relationships, apostolate--so as to give his life a genuinely Christian meaning, for, as Jesus will point out later on, "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
"You write: `To pray is to talk with God. But about what?' About what? About Him, about yourself: joys, sorrows, successes and failures, noble ambitions, daily worries, weaknesses! And acts of thanksgiving and petitions: and love and reparation. In a word: to get to know Him and to get to know yourself: `to get acquainted!'" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way").
38. Jesus tells us here that His mission is to preach, to spread the Good News. He was sent for this purpose (Luke 4:43). The Apostles, in turn, were chosen by Jesus to be preachers (Mark 3:14; 16:15). Preaching is the method selected by God to effect salvation: "it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21). This is why St. Paul says to Timothy: "Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Faith comes from hearing, we are told in Romans 10:17, where St. Paul enthusiastically quotes Isaiah: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" (Romans 10:15; Isaiah 52:7).
The Church identifies preaching the Gospel as one of the main tasks of bishops and priests. St. Pius X went so far as saying that "for a priest there is no duty more grave or obligation more binding (to dispel ignorance)" ("Acerbo Nimis"). In this connection Vatican II states: "The people of God is formed into one in the first place by the Word of the living God (cf. 1 Peter 1:23; Acts 6:7; 12:24), which is quite rightly sought from the mouths of priests (2 Corinthians 11:7).
For since nobody can be saved who has not first believed (Mark 16:16), it is the first task of priests as co-workers of the bishops to preach the Gospel of God to all men (2 Corinthians 11:7). In this way they carry out the Lord's command `Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15) (cf. Malachi 2:7; 1 Timothy 4:11-13; etc.) and thus set up and increase the people of God" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis").
Jesus' preaching is not just limited to words: He backs up His teaching with His authority and with deeds. The Church also has been sent to preach salvation and to effect the work of salvation which it proclaims--a work done through the Sacraments and especially through the renewal of the sacrifice of Calvary in the Mass (Vatican II, "Sacrosanctum Concilium", 6).
In the Church of God all of us should listen devoutly to the preaching of the Gospel and we all should feel a responsibility to spread the Gospel by our words and actions. It is the responsibility of the hierarchy of the Church to teach the Gospel authentically--on the authority of Christ.
************
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.
The Curing of Peter's Mother-In-Law
[29] And immediately He (Jesus) left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [30] Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told Him of her. [31] And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
Jesus Cures Many Sick People
[32] That evening, at sundown, they brought to Him all who were sick or possessed with demons. [33] And the whole city was gathered together about the door. [34] And He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Jesus Goes To a Lonely Place To Pray
[35] And in the morning, a great while before day, He rose and went out to a lonely place, and there He prayed. [36] And Simon and those who were with Him followed Him, [37] and they found Him and said to Him, "Everyone is searching for you." [38] And He said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out." [39] And He went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
*******************
Commentary:
34. Demons possess a supernatural type of knowledge and therefore they recognize Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 1:24). Through the people they possess they are able to publish this fact. But Our Lord, using His divine powers, orders them to be silent. On other occasions He also silences His disciples (Mark 8:30; 9:9), and He instructs people whom He has cured not to talk about their cure (Mark 1:4; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26). He may have acted in this way to educate the people away from a too human and political idea of the Messiah (Matthew 9:30). Therefore, He first awakens their interest by performing miracles and gradually, through His preaching, gives them a clearer understanding of the kindof Messiah He is.
Some Fathers of the Church point out that Jesus does not want to accept, in support of the truth, the testimony of him who is the father of lies.
35. Many passages of the New Testament make reference to Jesus praying. The evangelists point to Him praying only on specially important occasions during His public ministry: Baptism (Luke 3:1), the choosing of the Twelve (Luke 6:12), the first multiplication of the loaves (Mark 6:46), the Transfiguration (Luke 9:29), in the garden of Gethsemane prior to His passion (Matthew 26:39) etc. Mark for his part, refers to Jesus' prayer at three solemn moments: at the beginning of His public ministry (1:35), in the middle of it (6:46), and at the end, in Gethsemane (14:32).
Jesus' prayer is prayer of perfect praise to the Father; it is prayer of petition for Himself and for us; and it also a model for His disciples. It is a prayer of perfect praise and thanksgiving because He is God's beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased (cf. Mark 1:11). It is a prayer of petition because the first spontaneous movement of a soul who recognizes God as Father is to ask Him for things. Jesus' prayer, as we see in very many passages (e.g. John 17:9ff) was a continuous petition to the Father for the work of redemption which He, Jesus, had to achieve through prayer and sacrifice.
Our Lord wants to give us an example of the kind of attitude a Christian should have; he should make a habit of addressing God as son to Father in the midst of and through his everyday activities--work, family life, personal relationships, apostolate--so as to give his life a genuinely Christian meaning, for, as Jesus will point out later on, "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
"You write: `To pray is to talk with God. But about what?' About what? About Him, about yourself: joys, sorrows, successes and failures, noble ambitions, daily worries, weaknesses! And acts of thanksgiving and petitions: and love and reparation. In a word: to get to know Him and to get to know yourself: `to get acquainted!'" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way").
38. Jesus tells us here that His mission is to preach, to spread the Good News. He was sent for this purpose (Luke 4:43). The Apostles, in turn, were chosen by Jesus to be preachers (Mark 3:14; 16:15). Preaching is the method selected by God to effect salvation: "it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21). This is why St. Paul says to Timothy: "Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Faith comes from hearing, we are told in Romans 10:17, where St. Paul enthusiastically quotes Isaiah: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" (Romans 10:15; Isaiah 52:7).
The Church identifies preaching the Gospel as one of the main tasks of bishops and priests. St. Pius X went so far as saying that "for a priest there is no duty more grave or obligation more binding (to dispel ignorance)" ("Acerbo Nimis"). In this connection Vatican II states: "The people of God is formed into one in the first place by the Word of the living God (cf. 1 Peter 1:23; Acts 6:7; 12:24), which is quite rightly sought from the mouths of priests (2 Corinthians 11:7).
For since nobody can be saved who has not first believed (Mark 16:16), it is the first task of priests as co-workers of the bishops to preach the Gospel of God to all men (2 Corinthians 11:7). In this way they carry out the Lord's command `Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15) (cf. Malachi 2:7; 1 Timothy 4:11-13; etc.) and thus set up and increase the people of God" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis").
Jesus' preaching is not just limited to words: He backs up His teaching with His authority and with deeds. The Church also has been sent to preach salvation and to effect the work of salvation which it proclaims--a work done through the Sacraments and especially through the renewal of the sacrifice of Calvary in the Mass (Vatican II, "Sacrosanctum Concilium", 6).
In the Church of God all of us should listen devoutly to the preaching of the Gospel and we all should feel a responsibility to spread the Gospel by our words and actions. It is the responsibility of the hierarchy of the Church to teach the Gospel authentically--on the authority of Christ.
************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Richard Bach & Jamie Allman on 97.1 FM Talk Wed @5:00pm
At or about 5:00p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, St. Stanislaus' spokesman Richard Back and Archdiocesan spokeman Jamie Allman will 'discuss' the St. Stanislaus situation on the Dave Glover show.
It should make for 'interesting' listening, since we're certain to hear the same old lines of rhetoric from Mr. Bach....
It should make for 'interesting' listening, since we're certain to hear the same old lines of rhetoric from Mr. Bach....
Archbishop Donoghue Era Comes to an End
It's sad to see a bishop such as Archbishop Donoghue retire. He was one of the better bishops, IMHO, of recent years.
I understand also that Abp. Donoghue sent his seminarians to Franciscan University of Steubenville for pre-theology classes. That says much about the theology program at FUS...
Pray that more and more good and faithful bishops are appointed to lead the people to Christ through His Church.
Source.
[Archbihsop] Donoghue, 76, presided over the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta for 11 years and occasionally drew fire for controversial edicts that included a ban on women participating in foot-washing ceremonies and an edict denying Holy Communion to politicians who support abortion rights.He performed his duties as required of his calling in life.
Many Catholics praised him for his resolute convictions and unwillingness to bend the Catholic faith to soothe modern ears.Amen, brothers and sisters!
I understand also that Abp. Donoghue sent his seminarians to Franciscan University of Steubenville for pre-theology classes. That says much about the theology program at FUS...
Pray that more and more good and faithful bishops are appointed to lead the people to Christ through His Church.
Source.
Jan 15 - Pro-Life Mass & Vigil with Archbishop Burke
On Saturday morning, January 15, consider attending the Annual Comemorative Mass at the Cathedral Basilica with Archbishop Raymond Burke at 8:00 a.m.
At 9:15 a.am. Archbishop Burke will lead a Prayer Procession to Planned Parenthood's abortuary at Forest Park & Boyle.
At 10:30 a.m. return to the Cathedral for Benediction.
Sponsored by: The Helpers of God's Precious Infants, Archiocesan Pro-Life Committee
At 9:15 a.am. Archbishop Burke will lead a Prayer Procession to Planned Parenthood's abortuary at Forest Park & Boyle.
At 10:30 a.m. return to the Cathedral for Benediction.
Sponsored by: The Helpers of God's Precious Infants, Archiocesan Pro-Life Committee
Cardinal Jan P. Schotte Dead at 76
I just read about the death of this wonderful man. The Belgian cardinal was secretary general emeritus of the Synod of Bishops and president of the Central Labor Office of the Holy See. He was here a few years ago as the keynote speaker of the Arcdiosesan Eucharistic Conference (he filled in for Fr. Benedict Groeschel whose flight was delayed by weather).
He gave a very warm and moving keynote address to all in attendance. He recounted his childhood and WWII and how the Holy Eucharist was central to his life and how we all need to have Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament central in our lives. He commended then-Archbishop Rigali for restoring Eucharistic Adoration in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
I still occasionally listen to the tape of his address - he said, without mincing any words, that we must get down on our knees to adore Jesus...Perhaps, I can put some excerpts of his speech here in the next week of so.
Please keep Cardinal Schotte in your prayers.
He gave a very warm and moving keynote address to all in attendance. He recounted his childhood and WWII and how the Holy Eucharist was central to his life and how we all need to have Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament central in our lives. He commended then-Archbishop Rigali for restoring Eucharistic Adoration in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
I still occasionally listen to the tape of his address - he said, without mincing any words, that we must get down on our knees to adore Jesus...Perhaps, I can put some excerpts of his speech here in the next week of so.
Please keep Cardinal Schotte in your prayers.
"It was with great sadness that I learned the news of the sudden demise of the dear Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, and I wish to express my deepest sympathy to you and to your relatives, as well as to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to all those who knew and respected him. With a grateful soul I recall his many years of industrious collaboration with the Holy See, and especially his generous service as secretary general of the Synod of Bishops. He leaves the example of a life spent for Christ in coherent devotion to his own priestly and religious vocation and ever attentive to social questions in complete faithfulness to the Gospel and the teaching of the Church. I raise fervent prayers appealing to the Lord to welcome this dearly beloved brother cardinal in joy and eternal peace, and I send to you and to others mourning his demise a comforting apostolic blessing as a sign of my sincere participation in your pain".Source.
The Holy Father will preside at the cardinal's funeral on Friday January 14 at 11 a.m. at the altar of the Confession in the Vatican Basilica. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, dean of the College of Cardinals, will celebrate Mass along with other cardinals.
Bill McClellan and St. Stanislaus Solidarity
There might have been no good way for the Archdiocese of St. Louis to try to wrest control of the property and funds of St. Stanislaus Kostka church from its lay board of directors, but the hard-line approach - the loud talk about parishioners "hijacking" their church, the removal of the priests, the threats of penalties against the directors - certainly seemed less than effective Sunday when parishioners voted 299-5 to reject the demands of the archdiocese.I have to wonder where McClellan has been for the past few years...The insinuation that Archbishop Burke took a hard-line approach, engaged in "loud-talking", and removal of priests demonstrates are certain cluelessness about the entire situation. One would think that a reported or commentator would do more to determine the facts before making comments like the above. But then again, perhaps these days that is so much wishful thinking.
Maybe a little tenderness would have worked better. A little less shouting, a little more love.
Link.
Opus Dei, for the first time, gets a parish in Britain
OPUS DEI, the conservative Roman Catholic organisation that counts Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, among its members, has been given its first parish in Britain since it was founded in 1928.Some of the most dedicated and faithful priests I've met are those of Opus Dei...
Cardinal Cormac Murphy- O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, is to hand over pastoral care of St Thomas More church, Swiss Cottage, to Father Gerard Sheehan, an Opus Dei priest.
...
The Cardinal said: “The Catholics I’ve met in Opus Dei have clearly been very dedicated Catholics, very committed to the particular path that is prescribed by Escrivá, which is the mission of lay people in their professional fields.”
Source.
John Paul II Highlights Humanity's 4 Challenges
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 10, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Life, food, peace and freedom are the four urgent challenges now facing humanity, according to John Paul II.Zenit Link.
The Pope highlighted these challenges in a full analysis of the international situation, during his traditional new-year meeting today with ambassadors of the countries that have full diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The envoys, from 174 countries, were joined by representatives of the European Union, Russia, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the Order of Malta.
Diocese of Phoenix Fires Youth Protection Leader
One of the nation's leading advocates for the victims of clergy abuse says she was fired Saturday when officials in the Diocese of Phoenix learned that she had been married outside the church.Leave it a secular paper to muddy the waters. It is not Church "teaching" but the Church's displinary laws that regulate this particular aspect of the matter. Why did she not seek a dispensation from form if they wanted to be married outside the church?
Jenny O'Connor, who has led the diocese's Office of Child and Youth Protection since its founding in April 2003, was the key person in charge of working with victims of abuse by Catholic priests and preventing further abuse. She has been praised for her work by the executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' youth protection office and by several of the diocese's abuse victims.
O'Connor, in an interview late Monday afternoon, said she was let go for getting married in a civil ceremony that the Catholic Church does not recognize as legitimate. Catholic teaching specifies that marriages involving Catholics must be performed in the church.
The Diocese did exactly what is necessary to prevent scandal from spreading. A person in a leadership position in a diocese should not be flouting or ignoring Church law for the sake of convenience, regardless of the circumstances.
Just as those Catholics who are living in relationships outside the Sacrament of Matrimony are not permitted to engage in the various ministries of the Church, so too, should those be barred from positions of leadership in diocesan offices.
O'Connor said her husband is dying of cancer, so their wedding had to take place more quickly than a church wedding could be arranged.That's basically the crux of the matter...I find it difficult to believe that some sort of dispensation was not sought given the urgency of the situation...
"They [diocesan officials, I presume] said that has consequences. Even though I offered to have the marriage annulled, they said I was no longer a Catholic of good standing."
Source.
New Bishop Opens Door to "Dialogue"?
The successor to the Most Rev. Raymond Burke, who grew up in Stratford and was bishop of the diocese of La Crosse before moving on to the archdiocese of St. Louis, is cut from the same cloth.There is little possibility that Archbishop Burke's explanations could not be understood, except by those whose minds were closed. Archbishop Burke clearly explains the Church's teachings and gives more than adequate reasons for his steps in disciplinary actions. It remains a failure of those who are opposed to these matters if the explanations are not well received. After all, unless one accepts the grace of conversion and conforms his will to God's will, it is unlikely that he would accept the, sometimes hard, teachings of Christ and His Church.
Similar to Burke, Listecki came from average origins, as the son of a steelworker on Chicago's blue collar southeast side.
Like Burke, Bishop Jerome Listecki spent time in Rome, where he caught the pontiff's eye. Both are respected scholars.
...
Those who opposed Burke's statements on communion for Catholics whose politics are out of step with Rome, his ban on CROP Walk participation and his position on homosexuality are unlikely to find greater comfort in Listecki.
The church's teachings haven't changed, after all.
There is a chance now, however, for Listecki to initiate a more constructive discussion between Catholics and other believers about the core issues that led to Burke's strong stances that, however principled and proper according to Catholic theology, were poorly explained and received.
It's a shallow understanding of bedrock principles that leads to some worshippers' disenchantment when a Bishop Burke bursts upon the scene. A deeper knowledge may well lead to a stronger commitment and more fulfilling religious life.Is that statement ever true...
Source.
Gospel for Tuesday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
From: Mark 1:21-28
Jesus in the Synagogue of Capernaum
[21] And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. [22] And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. [23] And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; [24] and he cried out, "What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are, the Holy One of God." [25] But Jesus rebuked him saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" [26] And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. [27] And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching! With authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." [28] And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
*************
Commentary:
21. "Synagogue" means meeting, assembly, community. It was -and is- used by the Jews to describe the place where they met to hear the Scriptures read, and to pray. Synagogues seem to have originated in the social gatherings of the Jews during their exile in Babylon, but this phenomenon did not spread until much later. In our Lord's time there were synagogues, in Palestine, in every city and town of any importance; and, outside Palestine, wherever the Jewish community was large enough. The synagogue consisted mainly of a rectangular room built in such a way that those attending were facing Jerusalem when seated. There was a rostrum or pulpit from which Sacred Scripture was read and explained.
22. Here we can see how Jesus showed His authority to teach. Even when He took Scripture as His basis -as in the Sermon on the Mount- He was different from other teachers, for He spoke in His own name: "But I say to you" (Matthew 7:28-29). Our Lord speaks about the mysteries of God, and about human relationships; He teaches in a simple and authoritative way because He speaks of what He knows and testifies to what He has seen (John 3:11). The scribes also taught the people, St. Bede comments, about what is written in Moses and the prophets; but Jesus preached to them as God and Lord of Moses himself (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio"). Moreover, first He does and then He preaches (Acts 1:1)--not like the scribes who teach and do not do (Matthew 23:1-5).
23-26. The Gospels give us many accounts of miraculous cures, among the most outstanding of which are those of people possessed by the devil. Victory over the unclean spirit, as the devil is usually described, is a clear sign that God's salvation has come: by overcoming the Evil One, Jesus shows that He is the Messiah, the Savior, more powerful than the demons: "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). Throughout the Gospel we see many accounts of this continuous and successful struggle of our Lord against the devil.
As time goes on the devil's opposition to Jesus becomes ever clearer; in the wilderness it is hidden and subtle; it is noticeable and violent in the case of possessed people; and radical and total during the Passion, the devil's "hour and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53). And Jesus' victory also becomes ever clearer, until He triumphs completely by rising from the dead.
The devil is called unclean, St. John Chrysostom says, because of his impiety and withdrawal from God. In some ways he does recognize Christ's holiness, but this knowledge is not accompanied by charity. In addition to the historical fact of this cure, we can also see, in this possessed man, those sinners who must be converted to God and freed from the slavery to sin and the devil. They may have to struggle for a long time but victory will come: the Evil One is powerless against Christ (cf. note on Matthew 12:22-24).
27. The same authority that Jesus showed in His teaching (1:22) is now to be seen in His actions. His will is His command: He has no need of long prayers or incantations. Jesus' words and actions already have a divine power which provokes wonder and fear in those who hear and see Him.
Jesus continues to impress people in this way (Mark 2:12; 5:20-42; 7:37; 15:39; Luke 19:48; John 7:46). Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Savior. He knows this Himself and He lets it be known by His actions and by His words; according to the gospel accounts (Mark 1:38-39; 2:10-11; 4:39) there is complete continuity and consistency between what He says and He does. As Vatican II teaches ("Dei Verbum", 2) Revelation is realized by deeds and words intimately connected with each other: the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them; the deeds confirm the teaching. In this way Jesus progressively reveals the mystery of His Person: first the people sense His exceptional authority; later on, the Apostles, enlightened by God's grace, recognize the deepest source of this authority: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).
*************
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.
Jesus in the Synagogue of Capernaum
[21] And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. [22] And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. [23] And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; [24] and he cried out, "What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are, the Holy One of God." [25] But Jesus rebuked him saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" [26] And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. [27] And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching! With authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." [28] And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
*************
Commentary:
21. "Synagogue" means meeting, assembly, community. It was -and is- used by the Jews to describe the place where they met to hear the Scriptures read, and to pray. Synagogues seem to have originated in the social gatherings of the Jews during their exile in Babylon, but this phenomenon did not spread until much later. In our Lord's time there were synagogues, in Palestine, in every city and town of any importance; and, outside Palestine, wherever the Jewish community was large enough. The synagogue consisted mainly of a rectangular room built in such a way that those attending were facing Jerusalem when seated. There was a rostrum or pulpit from which Sacred Scripture was read and explained.
22. Here we can see how Jesus showed His authority to teach. Even when He took Scripture as His basis -as in the Sermon on the Mount- He was different from other teachers, for He spoke in His own name: "But I say to you" (Matthew 7:28-29). Our Lord speaks about the mysteries of God, and about human relationships; He teaches in a simple and authoritative way because He speaks of what He knows and testifies to what He has seen (John 3:11). The scribes also taught the people, St. Bede comments, about what is written in Moses and the prophets; but Jesus preached to them as God and Lord of Moses himself (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio"). Moreover, first He does and then He preaches (Acts 1:1)--not like the scribes who teach and do not do (Matthew 23:1-5).
23-26. The Gospels give us many accounts of miraculous cures, among the most outstanding of which are those of people possessed by the devil. Victory over the unclean spirit, as the devil is usually described, is a clear sign that God's salvation has come: by overcoming the Evil One, Jesus shows that He is the Messiah, the Savior, more powerful than the demons: "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). Throughout the Gospel we see many accounts of this continuous and successful struggle of our Lord against the devil.
As time goes on the devil's opposition to Jesus becomes ever clearer; in the wilderness it is hidden and subtle; it is noticeable and violent in the case of possessed people; and radical and total during the Passion, the devil's "hour and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53). And Jesus' victory also becomes ever clearer, until He triumphs completely by rising from the dead.
The devil is called unclean, St. John Chrysostom says, because of his impiety and withdrawal from God. In some ways he does recognize Christ's holiness, but this knowledge is not accompanied by charity. In addition to the historical fact of this cure, we can also see, in this possessed man, those sinners who must be converted to God and freed from the slavery to sin and the devil. They may have to struggle for a long time but victory will come: the Evil One is powerless against Christ (cf. note on Matthew 12:22-24).
27. The same authority that Jesus showed in His teaching (1:22) is now to be seen in His actions. His will is His command: He has no need of long prayers or incantations. Jesus' words and actions already have a divine power which provokes wonder and fear in those who hear and see Him.
Jesus continues to impress people in this way (Mark 2:12; 5:20-42; 7:37; 15:39; Luke 19:48; John 7:46). Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Savior. He knows this Himself and He lets it be known by His actions and by His words; according to the gospel accounts (Mark 1:38-39; 2:10-11; 4:39) there is complete continuity and consistency between what He says and He does. As Vatican II teaches ("Dei Verbum", 2) Revelation is realized by deeds and words intimately connected with each other: the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them; the deeds confirm the teaching. In this way Jesus progressively reveals the mystery of His Person: first the people sense His exceptional authority; later on, the Apostles, enlightened by God's grace, recognize the deepest source of this authority: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).
*************
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.
Monday, January 10, 2005
St Stanislaus - A Synopsis
The St Stanislaus Kostka Parish was founded in 1880 in the Archdiocese of St. Louis by the Most Reverend Peter R. Kenrick, the Ordinary of the Archdiocese.
In 1891, Archbishop Kenrick conveyed the property to the civil corporation of the parish, but he did not transfer control of the parish. When the property was conveyed, the parish corporation was structured so that all directors, including the pastor, were appointed by the Archbishop. The Archbishop also had final decision-making authority for any disagreement among the directors.
Article 1 of the original by-laws states, "The corporate power of the corporation shall under the laws of the State of Missouri be exercised in conformity with the principles and discipline of the Roman Catholic Church, and in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be established from time to time, for the government of said church, by the Roman Catholic Archbishop in the Diocese of St. Louis, or by his authority."
However, by this time, the Pope had declared that parishes should not be under the control of civil corporations with lay boards of directors. This declaration of the Holy Father was not uniformly applied until the adoption of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. By 1951, all parishes of the Archdiocese of St. Louis which had this structure were brought into conformity with Church law, except for St. Stanislaus.
In 1943, then-Archbishop John Glennon requested changes be made to the parish structure to conform to Church law.
Then-Archbishop Joseph Ritter in 1954 and again in the mid-1960s requested the necessary steps be taken to change the structure to conform with Church law.
In the fall of 2003 then-Archbishop Justin Rigali met with the board of directors and began the current process of bringing the parish into conformity with the more than 200 other parishes of the archdiocese.
Changes to the civil corporation's bylaws were made by the lay board in 1981 and 2004. These changes eliminated all relationship of the archbishop of St. Louis to the corporation and were made without the approval of the archbishop.
Article 12 of the original bylaws states, in part, that "Those by-laws cannot be changed or modified, nor [...] shall any amendment be made at any time which shall in anywise be in conflict with any law of the State of Missouri, or with any rule , regulation or requirement of the said Diocese of St. Louis in force at the time of such proposed change".
Through these illegal changes of the original by-laws, the lay Board of Directors took away the authority of the Archbishop over the parish corporation. Through these revisions, the Board of Directors secured its own autonomy by removing the power of the Archbishop to remove them from office. By revising the by-laws in this manner, the members of the Board violated the original purpose of the St. Stanislaus Corporation and its relationship to Saint Stanislaus Kostka Parish and thus the Roman Catholic Church.
The current conflict between the Archdiocese and the Board of Directors clearly demonstrates that the Board is defending its own position of power, which was attained through illegal modifications of the original corporate by-laws and which for the first time is being seriously challenged.
The changes the Archdiocese is requiring in the structure of the St. Stanislaus Corporation will allow St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish to be faithful to its original mission. These changes will also ensure that parish assets will be managed in accordance with both the spirit and the law of the Roman Catholic Church. In this way the required changes will benefit the entire parish community.
On August 11, 2004, Archbishop Burke stated, "With respect to the assets of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Church law safeguards and protects all such funds, buildings and grounds. I state yet again that neither I, nor my successors as Archbishop of St. Louis, will, or, for that matter, can, access or redirect the funds on deposit in the Archdiocesan Trust of any of our parishes.
"I again ask that your parish priests be accorded the same respect and cooperation which are given to the parish priests in each of the 212 other parishes of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The legitimate exercise of the pastoral office cannot be impeded, if a parish is truly to be Catholic in name and in fact."
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St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish has been given the Archbishop's assurance that as long as the parishioners continue to worship at St. Stanislaus Church and continue to support the parish , it will not be closed. This is a unique commitment that no other parish in the archdiocese has been given.
In a two-page ruling signed by Cardinal Castillon of the Congregation for the Clergy on November 11, 2004, the Vatican ruled that " ... the current board of directors of the civil corporation (St. Stanislaus) ... have amended the by-laws of the civil corporation in such a way as to deny the authority of the parochus (pastor) and the canonically provided oversight of the Archdiocese of St. Louis."
The Congregation also stated that, "...the current board of directors and members of the civil corporation have amended the corporate documents of the civil corporation so that the parish is not in conformity with the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, namely cann. 209, 519, 532, 536, 537, 1257, and 1276."
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A parishioner, Jarek Czernikiewicz, said the bylaws, beginning with the original ones adopted in 1891 and ending with those adopted in 2001, "expressly stipulate an unconditional obligation of the board of directors to exercise the powers of the corporation" in accordance with the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
"The directors of the St. Stanislaus civil corporation should accept the Vatican’s decision with dignity, obedience and respect for the Roman Catholic Church and faithful parishioners."
--------
The information above was excerpted from various sources and compiled here for ease of understanding (I hope). If anything stated above is in error, please notify me so that any necessary corrections can be made.
In 1891, Archbishop Kenrick conveyed the property to the civil corporation of the parish, but he did not transfer control of the parish. When the property was conveyed, the parish corporation was structured so that all directors, including the pastor, were appointed by the Archbishop. The Archbishop also had final decision-making authority for any disagreement among the directors.
Article 1 of the original by-laws states, "The corporate power of the corporation shall under the laws of the State of Missouri be exercised in conformity with the principles and discipline of the Roman Catholic Church, and in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be established from time to time, for the government of said church, by the Roman Catholic Archbishop in the Diocese of St. Louis, or by his authority."
However, by this time, the Pope had declared that parishes should not be under the control of civil corporations with lay boards of directors. This declaration of the Holy Father was not uniformly applied until the adoption of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. By 1951, all parishes of the Archdiocese of St. Louis which had this structure were brought into conformity with Church law, except for St. Stanislaus.
In 1943, then-Archbishop John Glennon requested changes be made to the parish structure to conform to Church law.
Then-Archbishop Joseph Ritter in 1954 and again in the mid-1960s requested the necessary steps be taken to change the structure to conform with Church law.
In the fall of 2003 then-Archbishop Justin Rigali met with the board of directors and began the current process of bringing the parish into conformity with the more than 200 other parishes of the archdiocese.
Changes to the civil corporation's bylaws were made by the lay board in 1981 and 2004. These changes eliminated all relationship of the archbishop of St. Louis to the corporation and were made without the approval of the archbishop.
Article 12 of the original bylaws states, in part, that "Those by-laws cannot be changed or modified, nor [...] shall any amendment be made at any time which shall in anywise be in conflict with any law of the State of Missouri, or with any rule , regulation or requirement of the said Diocese of St. Louis in force at the time of such proposed change".
Through these illegal changes of the original by-laws, the lay Board of Directors took away the authority of the Archbishop over the parish corporation. Through these revisions, the Board of Directors secured its own autonomy by removing the power of the Archbishop to remove them from office. By revising the by-laws in this manner, the members of the Board violated the original purpose of the St. Stanislaus Corporation and its relationship to Saint Stanislaus Kostka Parish and thus the Roman Catholic Church.
The current conflict between the Archdiocese and the Board of Directors clearly demonstrates that the Board is defending its own position of power, which was attained through illegal modifications of the original corporate by-laws and which for the first time is being seriously challenged.
The changes the Archdiocese is requiring in the structure of the St. Stanislaus Corporation will allow St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish to be faithful to its original mission. These changes will also ensure that parish assets will be managed in accordance with both the spirit and the law of the Roman Catholic Church. In this way the required changes will benefit the entire parish community.
On August 11, 2004, Archbishop Burke stated, "With respect to the assets of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Church law safeguards and protects all such funds, buildings and grounds. I state yet again that neither I, nor my successors as Archbishop of St. Louis, will, or, for that matter, can, access or redirect the funds on deposit in the Archdiocesan Trust of any of our parishes.
"I again ask that your parish priests be accorded the same respect and cooperation which are given to the parish priests in each of the 212 other parishes of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The legitimate exercise of the pastoral office cannot be impeded, if a parish is truly to be Catholic in name and in fact."
--------
St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish has been given the Archbishop's assurance that as long as the parishioners continue to worship at St. Stanislaus Church and continue to support the parish , it will not be closed. This is a unique commitment that no other parish in the archdiocese has been given.
In a two-page ruling signed by Cardinal Castillon of the Congregation for the Clergy on November 11, 2004, the Vatican ruled that " ... the current board of directors of the civil corporation (St. Stanislaus) ... have amended the by-laws of the civil corporation in such a way as to deny the authority of the parochus (pastor) and the canonically provided oversight of the Archdiocese of St. Louis."
The Congregation also stated that, "...the current board of directors and members of the civil corporation have amended the corporate documents of the civil corporation so that the parish is not in conformity with the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, namely cann. 209, 519, 532, 536, 537, 1257, and 1276."
--------
A parishioner, Jarek Czernikiewicz, said the bylaws, beginning with the original ones adopted in 1891 and ending with those adopted in 2001, "expressly stipulate an unconditional obligation of the board of directors to exercise the powers of the corporation" in accordance with the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
"The directors of the St. Stanislaus civil corporation should accept the Vatican’s decision with dignity, obedience and respect for the Roman Catholic Church and faithful parishioners."
--------
The information above was excerpted from various sources and compiled here for ease of understanding (I hope). If anything stated above is in error, please notify me so that any necessary corrections can be made.
From Town Talk: Wentzville Journal
Archbishop Burke has some nerve. I have never seen such arrogance as he has shown. I totally support St. Stanislaus and hope that they don't give in. They will be much better off staying independent from the Catholic Church and its corruption. We need a new archbishop, and I'm not even catholic.Huh?????
Remember...Don't rashly attribute to malice that which could just as easily be explained as ignorance or stupidity. That said, maybe one could say, "We need a new Allah, and I'm not even Muslim."
Source.
Parishioners overwhelmingly reject ceding church control
The headline from the Post Dispatch is, no doubt, intended to "fan the flames".
Source.
Parishioner Anthony Kaminski of St. Peters, who is host of a Polish radio show in St. Louis, danced a little jig after the vote.So what is being proposed is that Jesus encouraged disobedience from legitimate chuch authority?
"Jesus would be dancing, too," said his wife, Alice. The emotional crowd broke into a Polish song after the announcement with the refrain: "May you live for another 100 years."
Board member Joe Rudowski said he still considered himself a Roman Catholic.Of course, the Archbishop is not stating that anyone is no longer Catholic - nor can an interdiction be considered a a cause of martyrdom. Flagrant disobedience and the subsequent scandal caused by it can be considered a reason for the imposing of a just penalty, which could go beyond that of interdict:
"If the bishop does what he intends to do to the board, my feeling is I'm a martyr to the cause," he said. He said he had devoted nearly 40 years of his life as a volunteer on behalf of the parish. He said the corporation bylaws prevented the board from handing over church assets without the consent of parishioners.
Can. 1371 The following are to be punished with a just penalty:It would appear that the board is persistent in provoking disobedience.
2° a person who in any other way does not obey the lawful command or prohibition of the Apostolic See or the Ordinary or Superior and, after being warned, persists in disobedience.
Can. 1373 A person who publicly incites his or her subjects to hatred or animosity against the Apostolic See or the Ordinary because of some act of ecclesiastical authority or ministry, or who provokes the subjects to disobedience against them, is to be punished by interdict or other just penalties.
A minority of parishioners have supported the archbishop, and Bialczak accepted a petition Sunday from St. Stanislaus parishioners who have been celebrating the Polish Mass at St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Church since Burke transferred St. Stanislaus' priests there in August. Last week, those parishioners said they had collected 140 votes in support of the archbishop.
Source.
Gospel for Monday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
From: Mark 1:14-20
Jesus Begins to Preach and Calls His First Disciples
[14] Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel."
[16] And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. [17] And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men." [18] And immediately they left their nets and followed him. [19] And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. [20] And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.
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Commentary:
14-15. "The gospel of God": this __expression is found in St Paul (Rom 1:1; 2 Cor 11:7; etc.) where it means the same as "the gospel of Jesus Christ" (2 Thess 1:8; etc.), thereby implying the divinity of Jesus Christ. The imminence of the Kingdom requires a genuine conversion of man to God (Mt 4:17; Mk 6: 12; etc.). The prophets had already spoken of the need for conversion and for Israel to abandon its evil ways (Jer 3:22; Is 30:15; Hos 14:2; etc.).
Both John the Baptist and Jesus and his Apostles insist on the need for conversion, the need to change one's attitude and conduct as a prerequisite for receiving the Kingdom of God. John Paul II underlines the importance of conversion for entry into the Kingdom of God: "Therefore, the Church professes and proclaims conversion. Conversion to God always consists in discovering his mercy, that is, in discovering that love which is patient and kind (cf. 1 Cor 13:4) as only the Creator and Father can be; the love to which the 'God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ' (2 Cor 1:3) is faithful to the uttermost consequences in the history of his covenant with man: even to the Cross and to the death and resurrection of the Son. Conversion to God is always the fruit of the 'rediscovery' of this Father, who is rich in mercy.
"Authentic knowledge of the God of mercy, the God of tender love, is a constant and inexhaustible source of conversion, not only as a momentary interior act but also as a permanent attitude, as a state ofmind. Those who come to know God in this way, who 'see' him in this way, can live only in a state of being continually converted to him. They live, therefore, "in statu conversionis" and it is this state of conversion which marks out the most profound element of the pilgrimage of every man and woman on earth "in statu viatoris" (John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia", 13).
16-20. In these verses the evangelist describes how Jesus called some of those who would later form part of the Apostolic College (3:16ff). From the start of his public ministry in Galilee the Messiah seeks co-workers to help him in his mission as Savior and Redeemer. He looks for them among people used to hard work, people for whom life is a struggle and whose life-style is plain. In human terms they are obviously at a disadvantage vis-a-vis many of those to whom they will preach; but this in no way prevents their self-surrender from being generous and free. The light lit in their hearts was enough to lead them to give up everything. A simple invitation to follow the Master was enough for them to put themselves completely at his disposal.
It is Jesus who chooses them: he interfered in the lives of the Apostles just as he interferes in ours, without seeking our permission: he is our Lord. Cf. note on Mt 4:18-22.
**************
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.
Jesus Begins to Preach and Calls His First Disciples
[14] Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel."
[16] And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. [17] And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men." [18] And immediately they left their nets and followed him. [19] And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. [20] And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.
******************
Commentary:
14-15. "The gospel of God": this __expression is found in St Paul (Rom 1:1; 2 Cor 11:7; etc.) where it means the same as "the gospel of Jesus Christ" (2 Thess 1:8; etc.), thereby implying the divinity of Jesus Christ. The imminence of the Kingdom requires a genuine conversion of man to God (Mt 4:17; Mk 6: 12; etc.). The prophets had already spoken of the need for conversion and for Israel to abandon its evil ways (Jer 3:22; Is 30:15; Hos 14:2; etc.).
Both John the Baptist and Jesus and his Apostles insist on the need for conversion, the need to change one's attitude and conduct as a prerequisite for receiving the Kingdom of God. John Paul II underlines the importance of conversion for entry into the Kingdom of God: "Therefore, the Church professes and proclaims conversion. Conversion to God always consists in discovering his mercy, that is, in discovering that love which is patient and kind (cf. 1 Cor 13:4) as only the Creator and Father can be; the love to which the 'God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ' (2 Cor 1:3) is faithful to the uttermost consequences in the history of his covenant with man: even to the Cross and to the death and resurrection of the Son. Conversion to God is always the fruit of the 'rediscovery' of this Father, who is rich in mercy.
"Authentic knowledge of the God of mercy, the God of tender love, is a constant and inexhaustible source of conversion, not only as a momentary interior act but also as a permanent attitude, as a state ofmind. Those who come to know God in this way, who 'see' him in this way, can live only in a state of being continually converted to him. They live, therefore, "in statu conversionis" and it is this state of conversion which marks out the most profound element of the pilgrimage of every man and woman on earth "in statu viatoris" (John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia", 13).
16-20. In these verses the evangelist describes how Jesus called some of those who would later form part of the Apostolic College (3:16ff). From the start of his public ministry in Galilee the Messiah seeks co-workers to help him in his mission as Savior and Redeemer. He looks for them among people used to hard work, people for whom life is a struggle and whose life-style is plain. In human terms they are obviously at a disadvantage vis-a-vis many of those to whom they will preach; but this in no way prevents their self-surrender from being generous and free. The light lit in their hearts was enough to lead them to give up everything. A simple invitation to follow the Master was enough for them to put themselves completely at his disposal.
It is Jesus who chooses them: he interfered in the lives of the Apostles just as he interferes in ours, without seeking our permission: he is our Lord. Cf. note on Mt 4:18-22.
**************
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.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
St Stanislaus Parishioners Choose to Reject the Archbishop and the Church
The Parishioners at St. Stanislaus Reject Compliance with the Archbishop and the Vatican 99% to 1%.
The question being asked was:
"Should we turn over all property, funds and parish control to the Archdiocese of St. Louis?"
There were 299 votes opposed and 5 votes for. (via Fox2KTVI TV) 9:00P.M. News.
St Louis Post Article here.
The question being asked was:
"Should we turn over all property, funds and parish control to the Archdiocese of St. Louis?"
There were 299 votes opposed and 5 votes for. (via Fox2KTVI TV) 9:00P.M. News.
St Louis Post Article here.
St Stanislaus Parishioners Vote on Future
The parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka are voting for their history and their future, for their great-grandparents and their children.Source.
They will mark a ballot asking the question that has haunted them for the last 18 months: "Should we turn over all property, funds and parish control to the Archdiocese of St. Louis?"
Parish leaders said they expected between 275 to 325 out of about 500 registered church members to vote. A small but vocal contingent of Polish Catholics who have been worshipping at St. John's said last week that they had collected at least 140 names on a petition supporting Burke that they would present during the voting.
The final bylaw of the parish's original 1891 articles of association states that no "amendments (shall) be made at any time which shall in anywise be in conflict with any law of the state of Missouri, or with any rule, regulation or requirement of the said Diocese of St. Louis in force at the time of such proposed change." The parish articles of agreement also require that the church remain Roman Catholic. It is on these two points that the archdiocese may sue should parishioners decide to continue ignoring Burke's wishes.
The bylaw changes at the heart of the conflict occurred in 2001 and 2004.
Gospel for Sunday, The Baptism of the Lord
From: Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus is Baptized
[13] Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. [14] John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" [15] But Jesus answered him, "Let is be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. [16] And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; [17] and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
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Commentary:
13. Jesus spent about thirty years (Lk 3:23) in what is normally called the "hidden life". We should marvel at the silence of the Incarnate Word of God during this period. There may be many reasons why he waited so long before beginning his public ministry, but one factor may have been the Jewish custom whereby rabbis did not carry out their function as teachers until they were thirty years old. Whatever the reason, by his long years of work beside St Joseph, our Lord teaches all Christians the sanctifying value of ordinary life and work.
The Baptist prepares the people to receive the Messiah, according to God's plan; and it is only then that Jesus commences his public life.
14. St John's reluctance to baptize Jesus is not surprising since he had given such forthright witness to Him. Jesus did not need to be baptized by John since he had no sin, but he chose to receive this baptism (see the note on v. 15) before beginning to preach, so to teach us to obey all God's commands (he had already subjected himself to circumcision, presentation in the temple and being redeemed as the first-born). God wished Jesus to humble himself even to the extent of submitting to the authority of others.
15. "Righteousness" (or "justice") has a very deep meaning in the Bible; it refers to the plan which God, in his infinite goodness and wisdom, has marked out for man's salvation. Consequently, "to fulfill all righteousness" should be understood as fulfilling God's will and designs. Thus, we could translate "fulfill all righteousness" as: "fulfill everything laid down by God." Jesus comes to receive John's baptism and hence recognizes it as a stage in salvation history--a stage foreseen by God as a final and immediate preparation for the messianic era. The fulfillment of any one of these stages can be called an act of righteousness. Jesus, who has come to fulfill his Father's Will (Jn 4:34), is careful to fulfill that saving plan in all its aspects. See the note on Mt 5:6.
16. Jesus possessed the fullness of the Holy Spirit from the moment of his conception. This is due to the union of the human nature and divine nature in the person of the Word (the dogma of the hypostatic union). Catholic teaching says that in Christ there is only one person (who is divine) but two natures (divine and human). The descent of the Spirit of God spoken of in the text indicates that just as Jesus was solemnly commencing his messianic task, so the Holy Spirit was beginning his action through him. There are very many texts in the Old Testament
which speak of the showing forth of the Holy Spirit in the future Messiah. This sign of the Spirit gave St John the Baptist unmistakable proof of the genuineness of his testimony concerning Christ (cf. Jn 1: 29-34). The mystery of the Holy Trinity is revealed in the baptism of Jesus: the Son is baptized; the Holy Spirit descends on him in the form of a dove; and the voice of the Father gives testimony about his Son. Christians must be baptized in the name of the three divine persons. "If you have sincere piety, the Holy Spirit will descend on you also and you will hear the voice of the Father saying to you from above: 'This was not my son, but now after Baptism he has been made my son'" (St Cyril of Jerusalem, "De Baptismo", 14).
17. Literally, as the RSV points out, "This is my Son, my (or the) beloved". When the _expression "the beloved" goes with "the son", normally it refers to an only son (cf. Gen 16; Jer 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech 12:10). Repetition of the article and the solemnity of the passage show that, in the language of the Bible, Jesus is not just one more among the adopted sons of God, nor even the greatest of them. Rather, it declares strongly and correctly that Jesus is "the Son of God", the Only-begotten who is totally different from other men because of his divine nature (cf. Mt 7:21; 11:27; 17:5; Jn 3:35; 5:20; 20:17; etc.).
Here we can see the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies, especially Isaiah 42:1, which is applied now to Jesus through the voice of the Father speaking from 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.
Jesus is Baptized
[13] Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. [14] John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" [15] But Jesus answered him, "Let is be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. [16] And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; [17] and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
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Commentary:
13. Jesus spent about thirty years (Lk 3:23) in what is normally called the "hidden life". We should marvel at the silence of the Incarnate Word of God during this period. There may be many reasons why he waited so long before beginning his public ministry, but one factor may have been the Jewish custom whereby rabbis did not carry out their function as teachers until they were thirty years old. Whatever the reason, by his long years of work beside St Joseph, our Lord teaches all Christians the sanctifying value of ordinary life and work.
The Baptist prepares the people to receive the Messiah, according to God's plan; and it is only then that Jesus commences his public life.
14. St John's reluctance to baptize Jesus is not surprising since he had given such forthright witness to Him. Jesus did not need to be baptized by John since he had no sin, but he chose to receive this baptism (see the note on v. 15) before beginning to preach, so to teach us to obey all God's commands (he had already subjected himself to circumcision, presentation in the temple and being redeemed as the first-born). God wished Jesus to humble himself even to the extent of submitting to the authority of others.
15. "Righteousness" (or "justice") has a very deep meaning in the Bible; it refers to the plan which God, in his infinite goodness and wisdom, has marked out for man's salvation. Consequently, "to fulfill all righteousness" should be understood as fulfilling God's will and designs. Thus, we could translate "fulfill all righteousness" as: "fulfill everything laid down by God." Jesus comes to receive John's baptism and hence recognizes it as a stage in salvation history--a stage foreseen by God as a final and immediate preparation for the messianic era. The fulfillment of any one of these stages can be called an act of righteousness. Jesus, who has come to fulfill his Father's Will (Jn 4:34), is careful to fulfill that saving plan in all its aspects. See the note on Mt 5:6.
16. Jesus possessed the fullness of the Holy Spirit from the moment of his conception. This is due to the union of the human nature and divine nature in the person of the Word (the dogma of the hypostatic union). Catholic teaching says that in Christ there is only one person (who is divine) but two natures (divine and human). The descent of the Spirit of God spoken of in the text indicates that just as Jesus was solemnly commencing his messianic task, so the Holy Spirit was beginning his action through him. There are very many texts in the Old Testament
which speak of the showing forth of the Holy Spirit in the future Messiah. This sign of the Spirit gave St John the Baptist unmistakable proof of the genuineness of his testimony concerning Christ (cf. Jn 1: 29-34). The mystery of the Holy Trinity is revealed in the baptism of Jesus: the Son is baptized; the Holy Spirit descends on him in the form of a dove; and the voice of the Father gives testimony about his Son. Christians must be baptized in the name of the three divine persons. "If you have sincere piety, the Holy Spirit will descend on you also and you will hear the voice of the Father saying to you from above: 'This was not my son, but now after Baptism he has been made my son'" (St Cyril of Jerusalem, "De Baptismo", 14).
17. Literally, as the RSV points out, "This is my Son, my (or the) beloved". When the _expression "the beloved" goes with "the son", normally it refers to an only son (cf. Gen 16; Jer 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zech 12:10). Repetition of the article and the solemnity of the passage show that, in the language of the Bible, Jesus is not just one more among the adopted sons of God, nor even the greatest of them. Rather, it declares strongly and correctly that Jesus is "the Son of God", the Only-begotten who is totally different from other men because of his divine nature (cf. Mt 7:21; 11:27; 17:5; Jn 3:35; 5:20; 20:17; etc.).
Here we can see the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies, especially Isaiah 42:1, which is applied now to Jesus through the voice of the Father speaking from heaven.
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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.
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