BELLEVILLE - A part-time bookkeeper with a gambling problem, who embezzled $144,000 from St. Patrick Catholic Church in East St. Louis, will be allowed to repay the money instead of being prosecuted, a Belleville Diocese official said Thursday.
And the parish priest, the Rev. Clyde Grogan, is under investigation by the diocese after a financial review over the last two weeks found that an additional $75,000 of $85,000 that was spent over several years cannot be accounted for from a charity fund that he alone controlled.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Belleville Diocese Reveal $144,000 Theft
UN to Draft Sweeping Convention on Disabilities
From the E-Mail Folder...
UN to Draft Sweeping Convention on All "Disabilities"
Next week the United Nation convenes a working group to continue drafting an international convention on people with disabilities. The eventual treaty will set domestic legislation on disabilities as treaties are legal documents binding states that ratify them. There is a strong push to finish the Convention this year, and currently the draft contains several terms of concern to pro-life and pro-family advocates involved with the process.
The draft Convention contains provisions that some view as granting the disabled the "right to die." One portion of the draft language stipulates that states will "Prevent unwanted medical and related interventions and corrective surgeries from being imposed on persons with disabilities," while another calls for "...individual autonomy, including the freedom to make one's own choices, and independence of persons." On the face of it, these may seem like reasonable aspirations, but seen the light of the euthanasia movement, they could become ominous.
Other parts of the treat ensure that the disabled have access to "reproductive and family planning education, and the means necessary to enable them to exercise these rights," while another requires the disabled to have the "same range and standard" of "sexual and reproductive health services" as "other citizens." In UN parlance, "sexual and reproductive health services" have long meant access to abortion and contraception.
Additionally, in what some view as a potential back door for homosexual unions, treaty language calls for the disabled to have "equal opportunity to experience their sexuality, have sexual and other intimate relationships, and experience parenthood," as well as the right "to marry...and to found a family."
Pro-family advocates say the treaty could be used to promote homosexual rights because the draft Convention does not define "disability." The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifically excludes "transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments, or other sexual behavior disorders." Homosexuality and bisexuality are also excluded, as are age and economic status.
Experts worry that signing the Convention would be signing a blank check because the Convention could later be applied to unintended situations. The results will be far-reaching, especially in light of the fact that the UN will create a compliance committee that would scrutinize compliance of the Convention by signatory states. A similar monitoring body, the UN Human Rights Committee which reviews implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, recently directed Poland to liberalize its national laws on abortion, even though that treaty is silent on abortion.
Copyright 2004 - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute).
Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.
Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute
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E-mail: c-fam@c-fam.org Website: www.c-fam.org
Niece of MLK, Jr. to Speak Out Against Abortion at Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, January 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Immediately following the January 24 US National March for Life in Washington, women who regret their abortions will speak at the Supreme Court. Guests include the national spokesperson for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, actress, model, author, Jennifer O'Neill and the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Alveda King.
The women will stand in front of the Supreme Court holding signs that say "I Regret My Abortion" and will be speaking about their abortion experience.
Gospel for Friday, 1st Week of Ordinary Time
From: Mark 2:1-12
The Curing of a Paralytic
[1] And when He (Jesus) returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. [2] And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the word to them. [3] And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. [4] And when they could not get near Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. [5] And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." [6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? [9] Which is easier to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk?' [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- He said to the paralytic-- [11] "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." [12] And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
*********
Commentary:
4. Many Jewish houses had a terraced roof accessible by steps at the back. The same structure can be found even today.
5. Here Jesus emphasizes the connection between faith and the forgiveness of sins. The boldness of the people who brought in the paralytic shows their faith in Christ, and this faith moves Jesus to forgive the man's sins. We should question how God views our faith:the faith of these people leads to the instantaneous physical and spiritual curing of this man. We should notice also that one person's need can be helped by the merits of another.
In this man's physical paralysis, St. Jerome sees a type or figure of spiritual paralysis: the cripple was unable to return to God by his own efforts. Jesus, God and man, cured him of both kinds of paralysis (cf. "Comm. in Marcum, in loc."). Cf. notes on Matthew 9:2-7.
Jesus' words to the paralytic--"Your sins are forgiven"--reflect the fact that his pardon involves a personal encounter with Christ; the same happens in the Sacrament of Penance: "In faithfully observing the centuries-old practice of the Sacrament of Penance--the practice of individual confession with a personal act of sorrow and an intention to amend and make satisfaction--the Church is defending the human soul's individual right, man's right to a more personal encounter with the crucified forgiving Christ, with Christ saying, through the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: `Your sins are forgiven'; `Go, and do not sin again' (John 8:11). As is evident, this is also a right on Christ's part with regard to every human being in the soul's life constituted by the moment of conversion and forgiveness" (John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 20).
7-12. Here we find a number of indicators of Jesus' divinity: He forgives sins, He can read the human heart and has the power to instantly cure physical illnesses. The scribes know that only God can forgive sins. This is why they take issue with Our Lord's statement and call it blasphemous. They require a sign to prove the truth of what He says. And Jesus offers them a sign. Thus just as no one can deny that the paralytic has been cured, so no one can reasonably deny that he has been forgiven his sins. Christ, God and man, exercised power to forgive sins and, in His infinite mercy, He chose to extend this power to His Church. Cf. note on Matthew 9:3-7.
***********
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 a Paralytic
[1] And when He (Jesus) returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. [2] And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the word to them. [3] And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men. [4] And when they could not get near Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. [5] And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." [6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? [9] Which is easier to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk?' [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-- He said to the paralytic-- [11] "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." [12] And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
*********
Commentary:
4. Many Jewish houses had a terraced roof accessible by steps at the back. The same structure can be found even today.
5. Here Jesus emphasizes the connection between faith and the forgiveness of sins. The boldness of the people who brought in the paralytic shows their faith in Christ, and this faith moves Jesus to forgive the man's sins. We should question how God views our faith:the faith of these people leads to the instantaneous physical and spiritual curing of this man. We should notice also that one person's need can be helped by the merits of another.
In this man's physical paralysis, St. Jerome sees a type or figure of spiritual paralysis: the cripple was unable to return to God by his own efforts. Jesus, God and man, cured him of both kinds of paralysis (cf. "Comm. in Marcum, in loc."). Cf. notes on Matthew 9:2-7.
Jesus' words to the paralytic--"Your sins are forgiven"--reflect the fact that his pardon involves a personal encounter with Christ; the same happens in the Sacrament of Penance: "In faithfully observing the centuries-old practice of the Sacrament of Penance--the practice of individual confession with a personal act of sorrow and an intention to amend and make satisfaction--the Church is defending the human soul's individual right, man's right to a more personal encounter with the crucified forgiving Christ, with Christ saying, through the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: `Your sins are forgiven'; `Go, and do not sin again' (John 8:11). As is evident, this is also a right on Christ's part with regard to every human being in the soul's life constituted by the moment of conversion and forgiveness" (John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 20).
7-12. Here we find a number of indicators of Jesus' divinity: He forgives sins, He can read the human heart and has the power to instantly cure physical illnesses. The scribes know that only God can forgive sins. This is why they take issue with Our Lord's statement and call it blasphemous. They require a sign to prove the truth of what He says. And Jesus offers them a sign. Thus just as no one can deny that the paralytic has been cured, so no one can reasonably deny that he has been forgiven his sins. Christ, God and man, exercised power to forgive sins and, in His infinite mercy, He chose to extend this power to His Church. Cf. note on Matthew 9:3-7.
***********
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Bishop Lucas Speaks to Msgr Costa's Parishioners
SHERMAN - It is unlikely that Monsignor Eugene Costa will ever return to his ministry at St. John Vianney Church in Sherman and Holy Family Church in Athens, Bishop George Lucas told parishioners Wednesday night.Evidently, they did not love him enough to assist him in seeking help for his problems of "immoral behavior". One does not stand idlely by while someone near and dear to him commits spiritual suicide. One does all that one can do to ensure that the loved one abandons grave sin, embraces and commits to virtue, and, with God's grace, makes it to heaven.
Costa, whom the diocese says was engaged in inappropriate and immoral behavior, resigned last week after being attacked Dec. 21 and found critically injured near the band shell in Douglas Park, 400 N. MacArthur Blvd., which has a longstanding reputation as a meeting spot for gay men.
Nevertheless, church members expressed support and sympathy for the priest as they questioned Lucas after the regularly scheduled 5:30 p.m. Mass. One man stood up and told Lucas that parishioners had known about Costa's behavior for years but still supported him.
The bishop declined to specify Costa's inappropriate behavior but said he had no knowledge that it involved minors. Costa remains a priest.I thought the teenage boys arrested were 15 & 17...???
Dec. 21 was not the first time Costa had been in unusual places late in the evening, Lucas said.When grave sin becomes a habitual,usually harsh remedies are needed to rid the sinner of the sin and one's propensity to continue in that sin...
"Police uncovered a pattern of behavior inappropriate for a priest," he said. "They wanted to see if there was a reasonable explanation for him being at these places at these times."
This priest, and no doubt several others, are in grave need of spiritual help and rebirth...Certainly, far too many of us have that same need - to be purged of the bad sinful habits we have developed over time, some of which are grave matters needing immediate attention and others, while not mortal, also must be addressed at the earliest possible moment to avoid the tendency for them to develop into habits of vice.
We must keep this priest in our prayers as well as others who may have embraced the deadly sin of hmosexuality.
Two Minneapolis priests resign from parishes
Two Minneapolis priests who have led parishes sympathetic to gay and lesbian rights have announced their resignations.St. Joan's has been discussed arounf the 'net' for quite some time...
The Rev. George Wertin of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, which has clashed with its archdiocese and some orthodox Catholics in the Twin Cities, announced his retirement Sunday effective July 1. And the Rev. Stephen O'Gara of the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle said last week he's leaving March 1.
While St. Joan's has doubled its parishioners and increased its social awareness during Wertin's tenure, the church has tangled with the archdiocese for years over its sympathetic views and actions on behalf of gay and lesbian Catholics.The 'Church authority", I believe was the Holy See...
In October, Wertin was ordered by the archdiocese to remove Gay Pride material from his parish's Web site after a complaint to church authorities.
The archdiocese also told St. Joan's to stop allowing the unordained to speak at mass. Topics have ranged from scripture to missionary work to homosexuality.
A Catholic church in Minneapolis known for its progressive stands on social issues has been ordered by the Vatican and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to remove Gay Pride material from its Web site and stop allowing unordained guests to speak during mass.Of course it does!
The order was delivered by two bishops in person two weeks ago to the pastor of St. Joan of Arc and again in a statement issued Wednesday.
The Rev. George Wertin of St. Joan's said he intends to comply with the order.
But in keeping with his church's long-standing practice of community decisionmaking, he said several parish committees are considering precisely how to respond.
"It takes awhile to turn a ship around," he said. (Source)
Just so you don't feel left out....
We greet you Spirit of the North.And on and on....Brought to by the Archdiocese of ..... San Francisco....
Teach us to plant our feet securely on the earth and to see things as they really are, that the coming of your Spirit may find us standing firm in integrity. Teach us, Spirit of the North, in the solitude of winter, to wait in darkness with the sleeping earth, believing that we, like the earth, already hold within ourselves the seeds of new life.
We greet you, O Spirit of the East.
Awaken in us with each day, new hopes, new dreams of colors, loves and joys never before imagined. Fill our bodies with your breath, invigorate us. Carry us to the farthest mountains and beyond. In-spirit us that we might reach out to you boldly to grasp the miracles that are given birth with each new dawn.
Ahhh, I feel so much more in tune with everything now...
Thanks to Dom for the link...
"Creative Aging" in Ofallon, IL
"Creative aging" program is setA certificate from Aquinas Institute in pastoral care?
The Adult Faith Formation Committee at St. Clare Catholic Church in O'Fallon is sponsoring a series on "creative aging" for the recently retired and the soon-to-be retired.
Kathleen Tehan, a recent retiree who is working towards a certificate in pastoral care at Aquinas Institute in St. Louis, will lead the sessions. The 90-minute sessions will be held Tuesdays at 1 p.m. beginning Jan. 18 at the Community Financial Center, at 800 South Lincoln Avenue.
The sessions are free, but there is a suggested fee of $5 for materials. To register, call the church office at 632- 4281.
SNAP Protests Phoenix Diocese Dismissal
National advocates for those who have been abused by priests criticized the removal of the Phoenix Diocese's youth protection advocate.Personally, I'd be more concerned and skeptical about Clohessy and others instead of Bishop Olmsted.
If the marriage is the reason for the firing, "It is hard to imagine that a church leader could be so cold," said David Clohessy, national executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
He said the firing fits a pattern of backpedaling on the part of bishops regarding protection of children.
"It's hard not to be skeptical about this. The firing makes us even more committed to urging caution in dealing with church officials."
Northeast County Deanery Decision Gets Nearer
St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke is expected to make a decision on the Northeast County Deanery's "best set of recommendations" sometime in late January. However, a few people would like to catch his ear before then.
Florissant Mayor Robert Lowery Sr. noted the plan still calls for closing or merging 15 Catholic parishes and eight schools.
Lowery said he, Hazelwood Mayor T.R. Carr and other North County mayors met with Burke and the deanery's task force.
"Obviously, we had no impact on their final recommendations," Lowery said. "We worked long and hard to show them the renaissance that's taking place throughout North County — the new businesses, the tremendous number of new homes being built."
This week in Post Dispatch Town Talk
It's a shame that there are no names associated with the comments left there. But then again, it might be a source of embarrassment if one had to actually reveal one's identity when making such asinie or hateful comments.
And then there's this one. The individual has concluded that proceeds from the upcoming church closings are to pay for victims of sexual predators.
Lastly, we have a person revealing something about which I didn't know and that, perhaps, many others were unaware. Did some teachers in the archdiocese actually send the Archbishop a "lump of coal"...And this person, who engages in calumny against the Archbishop, professes to be "Catholic"...
Burke vs. St. StanislausAnother clueless individual...
ARCHBISHOP RAYMOND BURKE should be ashamed of himself. He reminds me of a tyrant and a bully. What father would deny their child food, disown them or condemn their soul over a disagreement? Cannon law is made by man. God's law is about love. A parent does not turn their back on their children nor deny them good to get their way. Burke needs to back off and follow the saying "What Would Jesus Do." I don't think Jesus would act like an extortionist and use any means to get what he wants. Burke wants the money. Would he act like this if the church did not have $9 million in assets? Leave St. Stanislaus alone.
And then there's this one. The individual has concluded that proceeds from the upcoming church closings are to pay for victims of sexual predators.
It's all about the settlementsAgain, another clueless person who doesn't see or understand the issues involved in the archdiocese.
LAST YEAR, THE archdiocese announced that the money paid for settlements for the priest scandal did not come from donations, but would come from the sale of real estate. They archdiocese is closing churches in South County, North County, and now they are closing the churches in South City. They are closing and selling our churches to pay for the their scandals. Catholics have to wake up all that will be left is the Catholic church of West County or the St. Louis archdiocese of West County.
Lastly, we have a person revealing something about which I didn't know and that, perhaps, many others were unaware. Did some teachers in the archdiocese actually send the Archbishop a "lump of coal"...And this person, who engages in calumny against the Archbishop, professes to be "Catholic"...
Return to senderSad...this person engages in the unjust damaging of the good name of Archbishop Burke by imputing to him a faults of which he is not guilty.
I'M CALLING IN regards to the teachers that hand-delivered a Christmas present to Archbishop Burke. It was a lump of coal. He doesn't even deserve that. Send him back to where he came from. He's nothing but a troublemaker, a greedy, greedy person. I'm Catholic and I have absolutely no use for that man.
Gospel for Thursday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
From: Mark 1:40-45
The Curing of a Leper
[40] And a leper came to Him (Jesus), beseeching Him, and kneeling said to Him, "If You will, You can make me clean." [41] Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean." [42] And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. [43] And He sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, [44] and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." [45] But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to Him from every quarter.
******************
Commentary:
40-44. Leprosy was seen as a punishment from God (cf. Numbers 12:10-15). The disappearance of the disease was regarded as one of the blessings of the messianic times (Isaiah 35:8; cf. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22). Because leprosy was contagious, the Law declared that lepers were impure and that they transmitted impurity to those who touched them and to places they entered. Therefore, they had to live apart (Numbers 5:2; 12:14ff) and to show that they were lepers by certain external signs. On the rite of purification, see the note on Matthew 8:4.
[The note on Matthew 8:4 states:
4. According to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 14), if a leper is cured of his disease, he should present himself to a priest, who will register the cure and give him a certificate which he needs to be reintegrated into the civil and religious life of Israel. Leviticus also prescribes the purifications and sacrifice he should offer. Jesus' instruction to the leper is, then, in keeping with the normal way of fulfilling what the laws laid down.]
The passage shows us the faithful and confident prayer of a man needing Jesus' help and begging Him for it, confident that, if Our Lord wishes, He can free him from the disease (cf. Matthew 8:2). "This man prostrated himself on the ground, as a sign of humility and shame, to teach each of us to be ashamed of the stains of his life. But shame should not prevent us from confessing: the leper showed his wound and begged for healing. If You will, he says, You can make me clean; that is, he recognized that the Lord had the power to cure him" (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").
On the discretion and prudence Jesus required regarding His person, see the note on Mark 1:34 and Matthew 9:30.
[The note on Mark 1:34 states:
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 kind of 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.]
[The note on Matthew 9:30 states:
30. Why did our Lord not want them to publicize the miracle? Because His plan was to gradually manifest Himself as the Messiah, the Son of God. He did not want to anticipate events which would occur in their own good time; nor did He want the crowd to start hailing Him as Messiah King, because their notion of messiah was nationalistic, not a spiritual one. However, the crowd did in fact proclaim Him when he worked the miracles of the loaves and the fish (John 6:14-15): "When the people saw the sign which He had done, they said, `This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!' Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the hills by Himself."]
************
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 a Leper
[40] And a leper came to Him (Jesus), beseeching Him, and kneeling said to Him, "If You will, You can make me clean." [41] Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean." [42] And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. [43] And He sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, [44] and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." [45] But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to Him from every quarter.
******************
Commentary:
40-44. Leprosy was seen as a punishment from God (cf. Numbers 12:10-15). The disappearance of the disease was regarded as one of the blessings of the messianic times (Isaiah 35:8; cf. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22). Because leprosy was contagious, the Law declared that lepers were impure and that they transmitted impurity to those who touched them and to places they entered. Therefore, they had to live apart (Numbers 5:2; 12:14ff) and to show that they were lepers by certain external signs. On the rite of purification, see the note on Matthew 8:4.
[The note on Matthew 8:4 states:
4. According to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 14), if a leper is cured of his disease, he should present himself to a priest, who will register the cure and give him a certificate which he needs to be reintegrated into the civil and religious life of Israel. Leviticus also prescribes the purifications and sacrifice he should offer. Jesus' instruction to the leper is, then, in keeping with the normal way of fulfilling what the laws laid down.]
The passage shows us the faithful and confident prayer of a man needing Jesus' help and begging Him for it, confident that, if Our Lord wishes, He can free him from the disease (cf. Matthew 8:2). "This man prostrated himself on the ground, as a sign of humility and shame, to teach each of us to be ashamed of the stains of his life. But shame should not prevent us from confessing: the leper showed his wound and begged for healing. If You will, he says, You can make me clean; that is, he recognized that the Lord had the power to cure him" (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").
On the discretion and prudence Jesus required regarding His person, see the note on Mark 1:34 and Matthew 9:30.
[The note on Mark 1:34 states:
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 kind of 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.]
[The note on Matthew 9:30 states:
30. Why did our Lord not want them to publicize the miracle? Because His plan was to gradually manifest Himself as the Messiah, the Son of God. He did not want to anticipate events which would occur in their own good time; nor did He want the crowd to start hailing Him as Messiah King, because their notion of messiah was nationalistic, not a spiritual one. However, the crowd did in fact proclaim Him when he worked the miracles of the loaves and the fish (John 6:14-15): "When the people saw the sign which He had done, they said, `This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!' Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the hills by Himself."]
************
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Obedience to Church Authority...
A Brief Primer for the Board Members of St. Stanislaus,
for all who have questions regarding Obedience,
and for those who are confused about Obedience to Church Authority.
Source.
for all who have questions regarding Obedience,
and for those who are confused about Obedience to Church Authority.
Christ repeatedly stressed the duty of obedience to the authority of the Church He was establishing. In His closing discourse to the disciples, He told them to teach all nations to observe all that He had commanded. This commission summarized the whole of the Savior’s public ministry. He determined as certain that, when He left the earth in visible form, He would leave the apostles and their successors with the right to command others in His name.Archbishop Burke is the legitimate authority in the Archdiocese in all matters requiring his governance. The duty of all of the faithful is clear when it comes to the lawful commands of the Church.
Everything that we associate with the Fourth Commandment about children honoring and obeying their parents, can be applied, in principle, to the honor and obedience that the faithful owe to those who hold legitimate authority in the Catholic Church. Yet, as in the case of parents and children, this is a mutual responsibility of the faithful toward those in ecclesiastical authority and of those in authority toward the faithful.
The Church’s law is unqualified about the duty of the faithful.Christ’s faithful, conscious of their own responsibility, are bound to show Christian obedience to what the sacred pastors, who represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith and prescribe as rulers of the Church (Canon 212).At the same time, those holding authority to teach and govern the faithful also have their duties. There are at least a dozen provisions in Canon Law for bishops alone, legislating how they are to provide for the doctrinal, moral, and liturgical needs of the people under their care. This means that, “Christ’s faithful have the right to be assisted by their pastors from the spiritual riches of the Church, especially by the word of God and the sacraments” (Canon 213).
Source.
A Novena for Archbishop Raymond Burke
Catholics throughout the St. Louis Diocese and around the country are thrilled and thankful for the example of Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, who has been courageous in confronting the enemies of the Church like Abortion and Same-sex 'marriage', while at the same time promoting the traditional Latin Mass by inviting two Latin Mass communities to St. Louis. Other stories of our Archbishop's insistence on 'orthodoxy' within the diocese and even casual observers will see a dramatic difference in the Catholic Community of St. Louis since his arrival.
As is his wont, the evil one does not stand by while advances are being made for Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Consequently, Archbishop Burke has come under attack from virtually all sides. The secular media i.e. Post Dispatch and local television outlets especially, routinely mis-quote or fabricate quotes that they attribute to His Excellency, under the guise of "news". 'Liberal' Catholics represented by the like of John Kerry and many of the local and state politicians of Missouri, question Archbishop Burke's 'understanding' of separation of church and state., and "traditional" Catholics who hide behind slanderous websites publish erroneous facts and even quote extreme left wing denouncements of the Bishop in support of their separatist argument.
In light of this, we are organizing a Novena for Archbishop Burke to be begun on Friday January 14 and ending on Saturday January 22nd, the anniversary of Roe vs.. Wade. We ask that you offer your intentions for Mass and Communion on Sunday the 23rd for his intentions asking Our Lord to strengthen Bishop Burke against these numerous attacks.
Since Archbishop Burke has a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our novena will be the Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (see below). Please commit your support for Archbishop Burke and join the fight against the enemies of the Church. We encourage you to share this campaign and spread this information through email or any other means.
Irresistible Novena
to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus
O my Jesus, Thou didst say: "Amen, I say to you, ask and you shall receive;
seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."
Hence I knock, I seek, and I ask for the grace of...
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!
O my Jesus, Thou didst say: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father
in My name, He will give unto you.” Hence I ask the Father,
in Thy name, for the grace of...
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!
O my Jesus, Thou didst say: "Amen, I say to you, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away." Encouraged by Thy infallible words,
I now ask for the grace of...
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!
Let us pray
Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace we ask of Thee, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Thy tender Mother and ours.
Hail Holy Queen...
Saint Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Heart of Jesus, rich unto all that call upon Thee, have mercy on us!
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us!
As is his wont, the evil one does not stand by while advances are being made for Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Consequently, Archbishop Burke has come under attack from virtually all sides. The secular media i.e. Post Dispatch and local television outlets especially, routinely mis-quote or fabricate quotes that they attribute to His Excellency, under the guise of "news". 'Liberal' Catholics represented by the like of John Kerry and many of the local and state politicians of Missouri, question Archbishop Burke's 'understanding' of separation of church and state., and "traditional" Catholics who hide behind slanderous websites publish erroneous facts and even quote extreme left wing denouncements of the Bishop in support of their separatist argument.
In light of this, we are organizing a Novena for Archbishop Burke to be begun on Friday January 14 and ending on Saturday January 22nd, the anniversary of Roe vs.. Wade. We ask that you offer your intentions for Mass and Communion on Sunday the 23rd for his intentions asking Our Lord to strengthen Bishop Burke against these numerous attacks.
Since Archbishop Burke has a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our novena will be the Irresistible Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (see below). Please commit your support for Archbishop Burke and join the fight against the enemies of the Church. We encourage you to share this campaign and spread this information through email or any other means.
Irresistible Novena
to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus
O my Jesus, Thou didst say: "Amen, I say to you, ask and you shall receive;
seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you."
Hence I knock, I seek, and I ask for the grace of...
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!
O my Jesus, Thou didst say: "Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father
in My name, He will give unto you.” Hence I ask the Father,
in Thy name, for the grace of...
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!
O my Jesus, Thou didst say: "Amen, I say to you, heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away." Encouraged by Thy infallible words,
I now ask for the grace of...
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be...
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee!
Let us pray
Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace we ask of Thee, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Thy tender Mother and ours.
Hail Holy Queen...
Saint Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Heart of Jesus, rich unto all that call upon Thee, have mercy on us!
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us!
Vatican has approved National Directory for Catechesis
LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, Md. (CNS) -- The Vatican has approved the U.S. National Directory for Catechesis and it is scheduled to be published in May, Catholic educators were told Jan. 10 at a national symposium on the directory.
The publication of the new directory will mark "a promising new moment for the church in the United States," Bishop Leonard P. Blair of Toledo, Ohio, told the gathering of about a dozen bishops and nearly 200 leaders from diocesan religious education offices across the country.
The new directory reflects significant changes in catechetics since the 1970s, including the emphasis throughout the church in recent years on placing catechesis more clearly within the framework of the church's fundamental mission of evangelization. The new document also reflects changes brought by the publication of the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" in 1992 and a new General Directory for Catechesis issued by the Vatican in 1997.
Archbishop Buechlein, chairman of the bishops' Committee on Catechesis, said a notice had gone out to the bishops Jan. 7 that the Congregation for Clergy, the Vatican agency in charge of catechetics, gave its approval of the directory.
Feb 13 - Dr William A. Borst on "The Shroud of Bernardin"
Credo of the Catholic Laity is proud to welcome to our lectern Wm. A. Borst Ph.D., Professor of History at St. Louis University.
Dr. Borst writes the monthly newsletter for the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation. He became involved in the Prolife movement in 1986 and is a board member of Birthright St. Louis, he has also held several offices in the St. Louis Archdiocesan Prolife committee. His talk will focus on the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s comments when he advanced the notion that Catholic Politicians should not be judged solely or even primarily by their positions on abortion. Abortion was merely one strand in the Catholic seamless garment regarding the defense of life.
Dr. Borst has had a varied and interesting professional life. In addition to teaching history at a number of St. Louis colleges and universities he developed a passion for baseball . He has written many articles and had a number of media appearances regarding this subject. This year marks his 20th anniversary on radio station WGNU where he is a talk show host. His commentaries require him to delve deeply into world events and American culture.
In addition to his many articles he has written a number of books. His most recent The Scorpion and the Frog: A natural Conspiracy, examines secret societies and their negative influence on American social and cultural history. Books will be available at the forum.
Join us for a delicious sit down Dinner at the Radisson Hotel 7750 Carondelet in Clayton 6:00 p.m. Sunday February 13, 2005. Cost $ 20.00 per person. Free inside parking at the 7777 Bonhomme Garage. Use the Orange Level Bridge to the hotel.
For more information call 314-894-0357.
Dr. Borst writes the monthly newsletter for the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation. He became involved in the Prolife movement in 1986 and is a board member of Birthright St. Louis, he has also held several offices in the St. Louis Archdiocesan Prolife committee. His talk will focus on the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s comments when he advanced the notion that Catholic Politicians should not be judged solely or even primarily by their positions on abortion. Abortion was merely one strand in the Catholic seamless garment regarding the defense of life.
Dr. Borst has had a varied and interesting professional life. In addition to teaching history at a number of St. Louis colleges and universities he developed a passion for baseball . He has written many articles and had a number of media appearances regarding this subject. This year marks his 20th anniversary on radio station WGNU where he is a talk show host. His commentaries require him to delve deeply into world events and American culture.
In addition to his many articles he has written a number of books. His most recent The Scorpion and the Frog: A natural Conspiracy, examines secret societies and their negative influence on American social and cultural history. Books will be available at the forum.
Join us for a delicious sit down Dinner at the Radisson Hotel 7750 Carondelet in Clayton 6:00 p.m. Sunday February 13, 2005. Cost $ 20.00 per person. Free inside parking at the 7777 Bonhomme Garage. Use the Orange Level Bridge to the hotel.
For more information call 314-894-0357.
Springfield Priest Resigns After Beating in Park
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. A Catholic priest who was found badly beaten in a Springfield park last month has resigned."Inappropriate behavior"? Maybe it was a new form of "pastoral outreach"...
A statement from the Springfield Diocese today says Monsignor Eugene Costa will no longer serve as pastor of parishes in the central Illinois communities of Sherman and Athens. His resignation was effective Friday.
The diocese says Costa is resigning to focus on his physical recovery and to deal with what the diocese calls instances of "inappropriate" behavior. Springfield diocese spokeswoman Kathy Sass declined to provide any details about the situation.
Police in Springfield say two teenagers have been charged with aggravated battery in Costa's beating.
(Thanks Ben Yount, WTAX Radio, Springfield)
Source.
"Homeschooling Illegal" Declares German School Official
Seven homeschool families in Northwest Germany are being forced to enroll their children in public school. The Paderborn County school board has levied fines against these families and ordered the children to attend school by Monday, January 10, or the police will forcibly take them to school. Any resistance by the parents will result in the removal of these thirteen elementary age children from their homes and into state custody!Coming soon to a police state near you? Does Christianity have anything to do with it?
Despite the lack of state recognition in Germany for homeschooling, these families pulled their children out of public school earlier this year to begin teaching them at home. Their primary reason, as Christians, was to protect their children from the humanistic and godless values being taught to their children in the public school.
I wonder if this makes Hitler and all other tyrants smile...?
Source.
Fighting homosexual "marriage" top priority for the Holy Father
Pope John Paul II put lobbying againstSource.gay[homosexual] marriage at the top of the Vatican's agenda for this year and urged politicians in prosperous nations Monday to do more for the millions of hungry people around the globe.
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