SNAP Disappointed No Evidence Found Against Priest

A criminal investigation of allegations that the Rev. Robert Osborne, the former president of Vianney High School, molested two students has ended with no criminal charges.

Based on the conviction that priests are guilty until proven innocent, SNAP expresses disappointment that St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch concluded that "there was no evidence at all of criminal conduct [by Fr. Osborne]."

"We are disappointed that no criminal charges are being filed against Osborne now, but hope that others who he manipulated and exploited will come forward soon," said Barbara Dorris, a SNAP member.

Perhaps, SNAP can find someone who can be "manipulated" by an expert at planting "repressed memories"?

[Fr.] Osborne, 73, has always denied the accusations. He remains a defendant in a civil suit filed in February by one of the alleged victims. That case is set for trial in April.
...
Speaking for Osborne, his attorney, J. Martin Hadican said Wednesday, "Father Osborne is elated with the outcome and grateful for the thorough investigation."

SNAP, unable to deal with facts that support priests and their claims of innocence, has to spin the issue to save face while continuing to blame the priests:

SNAP National Director David Clohessy said prosecutors must meet a high bar to file criminal charges, and added, "It's really tempting but naive and reckless to assume this is an exoneration."

We can be thankful that prosecutors must deal with facts. SNAP, however, is satisfied to condemn and convict others based on unproven allegations. It seems that the qualities of objectivity, fairness and justice are absent in many SNAP members, yet they demand these same qualities from others...

Gospel for Thursday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 11:5-13

Effective Prayer

[5] And He (Jesus) said to them (the disciples), "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; [6] for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; [7] and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'? [8] I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him whatever he needs. [9] And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [10] For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks find, and to him who knocks it will be opened. [11] What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; [12] or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
_________________________

Commentary:

5-10. One of the essential features of prayer is trusting perseverance. By this simple example and others like it (cf. Luke 18:1-7) our Lord encourages us not to desist in asking God to hear us. "Persevere in prayer. Persevere even when your efforts seem barren. Prayer is always fruitful" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 101).

9-10. Do you see the effectiveness of prayer when it is done properly? Are you not convinced like me that, if we do not obtain what we ask God for, it is because we are not praying with faith, with a heart pure enough, with enough confidence, or that we are not persevering in prayer the way we should? God has never refused nor will ever refuse anything to those who ask for His graces in the way they should. Prayer is the great recourse available to us to get out of sin, to persevere in grace, to move God's heart and to draw upon us all kinds of blessing from Heaven, whether for the soul or to meet our temporal needs" (St. John Mary Vianney, "Selected Sermons", Fifth Sunday after Easter).

11-13. Our Lord uses the example of human parenthood as a comparison to stress again the wonderful fact that God is our Father, for God's fatherhood is the source of parenthood in Heaven and on earth (cf. Ephesians 3:15). "The God of our faith is not a distant Being who contemplates indifferently the fate of men--their desires, their struggles, their sufferings. He is a Father who loves His children so much that He sends the Word, the Second Person of the Most Blessed Trinity, so that by taking on the nature of man He may die to redeem us. He is the loving Father who now leads us gently to Himself, through the action of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", p. 84).

13. The Holy Spirit is God's best gift to us, the great promise Christ gives His disciples (cf. John 5:26), the divine fire which descends on the Apostles at Pentecost, filling them with fortitude and freedom to proclaim Christ's message (Acts 2). "The profound reality which we see in the texts of Holy Scripture is not a remembrance from the past, from some golden age of the Church which has since been buried in history. Despite the weaknesses and the sins of every one of us, it is the reality of today's Church and the Church in all times. 'I will pray to the Father,' our Lord told His disciples, 'and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you for ever.' Jesus has kept His promise. He has risen from the dead and, in union with the eternal Father, He sends us the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and to give us life" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 12).
___________________________
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.

Mental Prayer for October 12-Drink

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: To form an intelligent, Christlike attitude toward drink.

The Idea: No reasonable Catholic would say that alcohol in any beverage form is evil in itself. It is a creature of God and, therefore, good in itself.

But it can be evil when wrongly used. A man or woman who always drinks to the point of intoxi­cation certainly uses alcohol wrongly. One who always drinks moderately certainly uses it cor­rectly.

For instance, a man who knows that even one bottle of beer makes him lose some self-control and therefore avoids even that one beer uses alcohol correctly. Likewise, a man who knows that he can safely drink two highballs or cocktails and stops there uses it correctly also.

My Personal Application: A good, sound idea, worked out by experienced persons, is that young people should avoid alcohol until they are at an age when they can safely and wisely determine how to use this creature. The emotional upsets of the teen years make it impossible for an indi­vidual to face this creature in the right way. Too much group pressure, being one of the "crowd," the advertising of today - these, are just a few of the other obstacles that young people have to overcome in arriving at a correct choice about alcohol.

I Speak to God: Facing this question calmly helps me drive away any fears I may have had about drink. Grant me grace to understand the best use of this creature of yours, Lord. I will use it or bypass it according as I see its usefulness in my life.

Thought for Today: Drink is a creature; use it if it helps, avoid it if it hinders.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Update: Pope will broaden use of Latin Mass

Vatican, Oct. 11 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI is preparing to release a motu proprio extending permission for priests to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass, Vatican sources have confirmed.

The new papal document-- for which a publication date has not yet been set-- would give all priests permission to celebrate the Mass of St. Pius V. This permission, a "universal indult," would replace the existing indult that dates back to 1988, when Ecclesia Dei authorized use of the Tridentine rite until more restricted conditions, requiring the permission of the local bishop.

Good news, indeed!

How is this for a headline?

From the Times Online:
Pope set to bring back Latin Mass that divided the Church

The "Latin Mass" divided the Church?

I was actually alive during the Second Vatican Council and I don't seem to recall that the Tridentine Mass was, in any way, the cause for the subsequent turmoil and division in the Church. But why let the facts get in the way of journalism?

The Pope is taking steps to revive the ancient tradition of the Latin Tridentine Mass in Catholic churches worldwide, according to sources in Rome.

Pope Benedict XVI is understood to have signed a universal indult — or permission — for priests to celebrate again the Mass used throughout the Church for nearly 1,500 years. The indult could be published in the next few weeks, sources told The Times.

We've heard these rumors before...I'm a bit skeptical since it would appear to me, at least, that a reputable Catholic news organization would have some corroboration of this "rumor".

By bringing back Mass in Latin, Pope Benedict is signalling that his sympathies lie with conservatives in the Catholic Church.

Reading Catholic "news reports" from the secular press is both sad and funny - these folk seem completely unable to understand what they say...Injecting political terms likes "conservative" and "liberal" into the Curch serves no purpose except to foster division. One is either a faithful Catholic or one is not.

The new indult would permit any priest to introduce the Tridentine Mass to his church, anywhere in the world, unless his bishop has explicitly forbidden it in writing.

Then how is this different from the current indult, except in procedure or policy - explicitly forbidding as opposed to explicitly granting?

Hopefully, this universal permission will come to pass.

Gospel for Wednesday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 11:1-4

The Our Father

[1] He (Jesus) was praying in a certain place, and when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught His disciples." [2] And He said to them, "When you pray, say: `Our Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. [3] Give us each day our daily bread; [4] and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.'"
_____________________________

Commentary:

1-4. St. Luke gives us a shorter form of the Lord's Prayer, or Our Father, than St. Matthew (6:9-13). In Matthew there are seven petitions, in Luke only four. Moreover, St. Matthew's version is given in the context of the Sermon on the Mount and specifically as part of Jesus' teaching on how to pray; St. Luke's is set in one of those occasions just after our Lord has been at prayer--two different contexts. There is nothing surprising about our Lord teaching the same thing on different occasions, not always using exactly the same words, not always at the same length, but always stressing the same basic points. Naturally, the Church uses the longer form of the Lord's Prayer, that of St. Matthew.

"When the disciples asked the Lord Jesus, `Teach us to pray', He replied by saying the words of the `Our Father', thereby giving a concrete model which is also a universal model. In fact, everything that can and must be said to the Father is contained in those seven requests which we all know by heart. There is such simplicity in them that even a child can learn them, but at the same time such depth that a whole life can be spent meditating on their meaning. Isn't that so? Does not each of those petitions deal with something essential to our life, directing it totally towards God the Father? Doesn't this prayer speak to us about `our daily bread', `forgiveness of our sins, since we forgive others' and about protecting us from `temptation' and `delivering us from evil?'" ([Pope] John Paul II, "General Audience", 14 March 1979).

The first thing our Lord teaches us to ask for is the glorification of God and the coming of His Kingdom. That is what is really important--the Kingdom of God and His justice (cf. Matthew 6:33). Our Lord also wants us to pray confident that our Father will look after our material needs, for "your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all" (Matthew 6:32). However, the Our Father makes us aspire especially to possess the goods of the Holy Spirit, and invites us to seek forgiveness (and to forgive others) and to avoid the danger of sinning. Finally the Our Father emphasizes the importance of vocal prayer. "`Domine, doce nos orare. Lord teach us to pray!' And our Lord replied: `When you pray say: "Pater noster, qui es in coelis"... Our Father, who art in Heaven...'. What importance we must attach to vocal prayer!" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 84).

1. Jesus often went away to pray (cf. Luke 6:12; 22:39ff). This practice of the Master causes His disciples to want to learn how to pray. Jesus teaches them to do what He Himself does. Thus, when our Lord prays, He begins with the Word "Father!": "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46); see also Matthew 11:25; 26:42, 53; Luke 23:34; John 11:41; etc.). His prayer on the Cross, "My God, My God,..." (Matthew 27:46), is not really an exception to this rule, because there He is quoting Psalm 22, the desperate prayer of the persecuted just man.

Therefore, we can say that the first characteristic prayer should have is the simplicity of a son speaking to his Father. "You write: `To pray is to talk with God. But about what?' About what? About Him, about yourself: joys, sorrows, successes, failures, noble ambitions, daily worries, weaknesses! And acts of thanksgiving and petition: 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", 91).

2. "Hallowed be Thy name": in this first petition of the Our Father "we pray that God may be known, loved, honored and served by everyone and by ourselves in particular." This means that we want "unbelievers to come to a knowledge of the true God, heretics to recognize their errors, schismatics to return to the unity of the Church, sinners to be converted and the righteous to persevere in doing good." By this first petition, our Lord is teaching us that `we must desire God's glory more than our own interest and advantage." This hallowing of God's name is attained "by prayer and good example and by directing all our thoughts, affections and actions towards Him" ("St. Pius X Catechism", 290-293).

"Thy Kingdom come": "By the Kingdom of God we understand a triple spiritual kingdom--the Kingdom of God in us, which is grace; the Kingdom of God on earth, which is the Catholic Church; and the Kingdom of God in Heaven, which is eternal bliss [...]. As regards grace, we pray that God reign in us with His sanctifying grace, by which He is pleased to dwell in us as a king in his throne-room, and that He keeps us united to Him by the virtues of faith, hope and charity, by which He reigns in our intellect, in our heart and in our will [...]. As regards the Church, we pray that it extend and spread all over the world for the salvation of men [...]. As regards Heaven, we pray that one day we be admitted to that eternal bliss for which we have been created, where we will be totally happy" ("ibid.", 294-297).

3. The Tradition of the Church usually interprets the "bread" as not only material bread, since "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3). Here Jesus wants us to ask God for "what we need each day for soul and body [...]. For our soul we ask God to sustain our spiritual life, that is, we beg Him to give us His grace, of which we are continually in need [...]. The life of our soul is sustained mainly by the divine word and by the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar [...]. For our bodies we pray for what is needed to maintain us" ("St. Pius X Catechism", 302-305).

Christian doctrine stresses two ideas in this petition of the Our Father: the first is trust in Divine Providence, which frees us from excessive desire to accumulate possessions to insure us against the future (cf. Luke 12:16-21); the other idea is that we should take a brotherly interest in other people's needs, thereby moderating our selfish tendencies.

4. "So rigorously does God exact from us forgetfulness of injuries and mutual affection and love, that He rejects and despises the gifts and sacrifices of those who are not reconciled to one another" ("St. Pius V Catechism", IV, 14, 16).

"This sisters, is something which we should consider carefully; it is such a serious and important matter that God should pardon us our sins, which have merited eternal fire, that we must pardon all trifling things which have been done to us. As I have so few, Lord, even of these trifling things, to offer Thee, Thy pardoning of me must be a free gift: there is abundant scope here for Thy mercy. Blessed be Thou, who endurest one that is so poor" (St. Teresa of Avila, "Way of Perfection", Chapter 36).

"And lead us not into temptation": it is not a sin to "feel" temptation but to "consent" to temptation. It is also a sin to put oneself voluntarily into a situation which can easily lead one to sin. God allows us to be tempted, in order to test our fidelity, to exercise us in virtue and to increase our merits with the help of grace. In this petition we ask the Lord to give us His grace not to be overcome when put to the test, or to free us from temptation if we cannot cope with it.
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.

Mental Prayer for October 11-Popularity and Human Respect

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: My God, teach me to see myself as I am, to live my life as Christ lived His: constantly working to do your holy will in everything that I do.

The Idea: A few years ago in a large midwestem high school there was a senior who was the most respected, most well-liked boy in the school, al­though he never knew it. He was one of those rare people that everyone enjoyed being with, one that you never feared would do or say anything the least bit out of place. He was a self-sacrificing and trustworthy individual - a Christlike person.

This senior was popular in the best sense of the term simply because of what he was. He never "ran after" popularity by fawning on other people, by spending a lot of money, by driving the "flash­iest" car. Nor was he ever "wise" or constantly telling off-color stories, etc.

On the contrary, he was a very normal person: he worked hard in school, took part in athletics and other school activities; he enjoyed parties and dances, and freely gave of himself to others and for others.

My Personal Application: What kind of person am I? Am I liked and respected for who I am? Do I help others? Am I trustworthy? Do I work hard at work or in school? Do I take part in activ­ities? Do I show a Christlike personality on every occasion?

I Speak to God: How foolish to seek popularity or human respect. I know it is not important. Places in heaven are not given with preference to popular people. Help me to be an unselfish person, Christlike. If popularity does come my way, I will recognize it as a mere trifle that is easily lost. You too, Jesus, were popular - for a time. Popularity isn't worth worrying over; it comes and goes.

Thought for Today: To live for Christ and to do things for Him and for others, but not to win the applause of others!
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

If Only More People Would Face Reality....

MIT Professor: Embryonic Stem Cell Research Nowhere Close to Helping Patients

Canberra, Australia (LifeNews.com) -- An MIT professor says that embryonic stem cell research is nowhere close to helping patients. He said that's because scientists haven't yet figured out how to stop embryonic stem cells from causing tumors when injected into patients.

Professor James Sherley, a stem cell researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was in Australia to talk with lawmakers about why they should resist backing legislation promoting human cloning.

A Real Treat...Women-Led "Liturgies"

There has been some criticism of my position that there is (and has been) a manipulation of our language in such a way so as to remove any reference to male nouns when referring to mankind as a collective of all, both male and female.

By now, after decades of a faulty feminist mentality, we should all understand where this leads. Here is a perfect example of such irrational thinking (and more) gone awry (from the first 'liturgy' of "Catholic" Action Network, Sept 30 ):

Reflection from September 20th CAN Liturgy

In the reading from the first chapter of Genesis in The Holy Bible, recall the following things:
...the creation of "Humankind" in God's image...

The feminine God is relational. She set forth a pattern of life on planet earth as God's hand laid the foundation of the earth. All of our relations were brought together in one universal webb [sic] of life. When my Native American friends pray, the prayer session is often opened and closed with the phrase: ALL MY RELATIONS!

All ----living or deceased----are honored and thanked because our Creator saw that all of Her creation was good.
...
The wonder of being human is understanding that we are earth......that the breath of the Creator is in us all....that She created us and all Her relations.....that She is the Word......that from the beginnings, the present, and forevermore....She saw that her Creation was and is very good!

Sort of gives you goosebumps all over, doesn't it...? Who's starting to feel pretty "earthy", one with nature...?

The Loss of Sense of Sin. . .

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 9, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The loss of the sense of sin stems from the loss of the sense of God, says Benedict XVI.

"Where God is excluded from the public forum," the Pope said, "the sense of offense against God -- the true sense of sin -- dissipates, just as when the absolute value of moral norms is relativized the categories of good or evil vanish, along with individual responsibility."
. . .
"This ugly phenomenon, however, can be dispelled," the Pope said. Then, referring to the Gospel parable of the prodigal son, he added: "Following the light of Christ's healing truth is to say with the father: 'My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours' and we must be glad 'because your brother ... who was lost ... is found.'"

We must pray every day for the return of our brothers and sisters who have abandoned Christ and His Church. They are lost - some are even engaged in the work of the evil one.

It is not only up to bishops and priests to speard the Good News...We are also to do our part by our witness, how we live our lives, and by our prayers and reparations for those who are in so much need of conversion.

No More “Saginaw Blessing”

From Adoremus Bulletin:

Saginaw Bishop Robert Carlson included a section suppressing the “Saginaw Blessing” in his directives implementing the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

The “Saginaw Blessing” was originated by Bishop Kenneth Untener shortly after he became bishop of Saginaw in 1980. [Bishop Untener died in March 2004.]

During this “blessing”, everyone in the congregation raises both arms as they recite the verses. The second verse, which uses feminine language for God was Bishop Untener’s innovation.

May the Lord bless and keep you!
May she make her face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
And give you her peace.

This goofiness has been going on for 25+ years? And we wonder why so many Catholics are so confused, have left the Church, or who fell obligated to dissent from the Church's teaching. May God have mercy on Kenneth Untener's soul.

Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted Releases Voting Guide

From Bishop Olmsted's homily of October 7:

Today we are hosting a Legislative Issues Seminar, and we are launching a little book with the title: “Catholics in the Public Square.” Why would a bishop write such a book? Because there is a public square, and because Christ expects us to be active there: loving our neighbor, engaging the culture, promoting the common good, and defending the dignity and rights of all. This is part and parcel of being a follower of Christ.
. . .
Not all social issues are of equal importance, either. It is good to recall the words of our late Holy Father John Paul II who wrote, “Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights – for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture – is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with the maximum determination (Christifideles laici, #38).”
. . .

In a similar vein, Pope Benedict, in an address earlier this year to European Politicians, said, “As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, the principal focus of her interventions in the public arena is the protection and promotion of the dignity of the person, and she is thereby consciously drawing particular attention to principles which are not negotiable. Among these the following emerge clearly today:

· Protection of life in all its stages, from the first moment of conception until natural death;

· Recognition and promotion of the natural structure of the family – as a union between a man and a woman based on marriage.

Some Catholics wish to obfuscate the fact that there are fundamental issues - they try to group all issues as if they are of equal importance, when this is clearly opposed to right reason. As the Church tells us, there are issues which are always and everywhere to be opposed, issues which are truly "non-negotiable"...Anyone who claims otherwise is a deceiver.

Of course, the Arizona Star has a different take, classifying voters' guides as either "conservative" or "liberal" as if the teaching of the Church fits nicely into some political or ideological camp, while it adds to further confusion of some of the Catholic voters who have yet to learn what being Catholic entails.

...the various voting guides represent varying viewpoints, including if issues such as abortion and gay marriage should be of higher importance than other items meaningful to Catholics, such as immigration and war.

One of the more conservative guides, "Catholics in the Public Square," was published by Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. The other conservative guide was published by the California-based Catholic apologists' group Catholic Answers. A third conservative guide was published by the New York-based Priests for Life group.

A more liberal guide, published by the Washington, D.C.-based Catholic Alliance for the Common Good, says responsible voting is not best decided with a "litmus test" of selected issues. The guide has been criticized by conservative Catholic groups, which say abortion is always the most important public policy issue for Catholic voters.

The right to life IS the "most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights" despite what some professed Catholics would have us believe.

"Anything that represents itself as the only Catholic point of view, that says for example that abortion is the most important issue, that is not Catholic," said the Rev. Bartholomew Hutcherson, a Dominican priest who is pastor of the St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center at the University of Arizona.

How despicable is such a statement coming from a Dominican priest? - Or any priest for that matter? He directly opposes Christifideles laici, the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II.

"Ultimately, the decision is left up to each person's conscience," [Hutcherson continued.]

As expected, we hear the mantra of "conscience" - without the proper qualifying adjectives of: properly formed, defective, malformed, dead, and so on...But this is to be expected from those who have a flawed understanding ofd their faith.

"I don't think the hierarchy of the church should be involved in politics. They should be ministering to the hungry, to people who have no place to sleep; they should be ministering spiritually," said local Catholic Clementine Caccia-carro, 72. "Personally, abortion has never been an option for me, but I don't think the government has any right putting its nose in it. It is complicated. Faith somewhat forms my conscience, but the older I get, I think I'm getting smarter. I feel I have the right to make those judgments on my own."

God will be happy to hear of her "independence", I'm sure...People with malformed or defective consciences use neither reason nor faith to arrive at the truth. The truth is some arbitrary 'principle' which means, in the final analysis, absolutely nothing for them. Pity them. Pray for them. They have imbibed the poison of relativism and are either dead or dying spiritually.

We have so much to look forward to in the coming weeks leading up to the election. How many more will betray Christ and their fellow men by following the wide path of evil and deceit?

Pray the Rosary daily!

Gospel for Tuesday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 10:38-42

Martha and Mary Welcome Our Lord

[38] Now as they went on their way, He (Jesus) entered a village; and a woman named Martha received Him into her house. [39] And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching. [40] But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." [41] But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; [42] one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good position, which shall not be taken away from her."
___________________________

Commentary:

38-42. Our Lord was heading for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) and His journey took Him through Bethany, the village where Lazarus, Martha and Mary lived--a family for whom He had a special affection, as we see in other passages of the Gospel (cf. John 11:1-14; 12:1-9).

St. Augustine comments on this scene as follows: "Martha, who was arranging and preparing the Lord's meal, was busy doing many things, whereas Mary preferred to find her meal in what the Lord was saying. In a way she deserted her sister, who was very busy, and sat herself down at Jesus' feet and just listened to His words. She was faithfully obeying what the Psalm said: `Be still and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10). Martha was getting annoyed, Mary was feasting; the former coping with many things, the latter concentrating on one. Both occupations were good" ("Sermon", 103).

Martha has come to be, as it were, the symbol of the active life, and Mary that of the contemplative life. However, for most Christians, called as they are to sanctify themselves in the middle of the world, action and contemplation cannot be regarded as two opposite ways of practising the Christian faith: an active life forgetful of union withGod is useless and barren; but an apparent life of prayer which shows no concern for apostolate and the sanctification of ordinary things also fails to please God. The key lies in being able to combine these two lives, without either harming the other. Close union between action and contemplation can be achieved in very different ways, depending on the specific vocation each person is given by God.

Far from being an obstacle, work should be a means and an occasion for a close relationship with our Lord, which is the most important thing in our life.

Following this teaching of the Lord, the ordinary Christian should strive to attain an integrated life--an intense life of piety and external activity, orientated towards God, practised out of love for Him and with an upright intention, which expresses itself in apostolate, in everyday work, in doing the duties of one's state in life. "You must understand now more clearly that God is calling you to serve Him IN AND FROM the ordinary, material and secular activities of human life. He waits for us every day, in the laboratory, in the operating room, in the army barracks, in the university chair, in the factory, in the workshop, in the fields, in the home and in all the immense panorama of work. Understand this well: there is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations, and it is up to each of you to discover it [...]. There is no other way. Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him. That is why I can tell you that our age needs to give back to matter and to the most trivial occurrences and situations their noble and original meaning. It needs to restore them to the service of the Kingdom of God, to spiritualize them, turning them into a means and an occasion for a continuous meeting with Jesus Christ" ([St] J. Escriva, "Conversations", 114).
___________________________
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.

Questions and Answers on Amendment 2- The Human Cloning Amendment

Questions You Should Ask, Answers You Should Know Regarding the Human Cloning Amendment

First Things To Know About Amendment 2:

What is the title of Amendment 2 and when will it be considered by
voters?
Amendment 2 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a new section in the Missouri constitution to be known as the “Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative.” It will be voted on by voters at the general election on November 7, 2006.

Does the title and ballot summary of Amendment 2 accurately reflect its provisions?
No. The title and the ballot summary are deceptive and are being used as a marketing strategy to win votes.

Doesn’t Amendment 2 involve stem cell research?
Yes, but it involves a lot more. Instead of focusing on morally acceptable and effective research with adult stem cells, the amendment pushes Missouri into embryonic stem cell research and human cloning.

The Missouri Catholic Conference has answered numerous questions regarding this amendment.

Mental Prayer for October 10-Companions

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: My God, teach me the value of real friends and show me how my friends can lead me to you.

The Idea: Everyone has to have friends, people who are sincerely interested in him and in whom he is sincerely interested. His friends help him out, give him their time. He does the same for them. The old saying, "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you what you are," neatly sums up what a person's friends mean to him. Friends help each other in many ways; thus friendship leads them to a good and happy life. In this way they help each other to be good men. By their companionship, their being together, by using their friendship well, they are coming closer to God.

My Personal Application: What type of friends do I have? Are they leading me into trouble? Do they always tell the latest off-color story? Am I bringing this same spirit to them? Briefly, are my friends helping me to God by a good, happy life?

I Speak to Christ: How I envy the men and women who had the luck to meet you, Christ. Let me be able to say at the end of each day, "Those who have come in contact with me today have, perhaps, become better persons by having met me." At least may it be true that "No one who ever comes in contact with me will be worse off for it."

Thought for Today: Be a true friend.
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Gregorian Chant: The Secret Thoughts of Joseph Ratzinger

They are well explained by Giacomo Baroffio, a great expert in liturgical music, using the device of an imaginary discourse written by the current pope, and a request for forgiveness left in his predecessor’s desk
by Sandro Magister

ROMA, October 9, 2006 – Let’s imagine that the document that follows is the discourse that Benedict XVI has prepared for the upcoming feast of saint Cecilia, patroness of music, which falls each year on November 22.
....

Gospel for Monday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 10:25-37

Parable of the Good Samaritan

[25] And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Him (Jesus) to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" [26] He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" [27] And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind: and your neighbor as yourself." [28] And He said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live." [29] But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" [30] Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. [31] Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. [32] So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, [34] and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [35] And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, "Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' [36] Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" [37] He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
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Commentary:

25-28. Our Lord's teaching is that the way to attain eternal life is through faithful fulfillment of the Law of God. The Ten Commandments, which God gave Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1-17), express the natural law in a clear and concrete way. It is part of Christian teaching that the natural law exists, that it is a participation by rational creatures in the Eternal Law and that it is impressed on the conscience of every man when he is created by God (cf. Leo XIII, "Libertas Praestantissimum"). Obviously, therefore, the natural law, expressed in the Ten Commandments, cannot change or become outdated, for it is not dependent on man's will or on changing circumstances.

In this passage, Jesus praises and accepts the summary of the Law given by the Jewish scribe. This reply, taken from Deuteronomy (6:4ff), was a prayer which the Jews used to say frequently. Our Lord gives the very same reply when He is asked which is the principal commandment of the Law and concludes His answer by saying, "On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:40; cf. also Romans 13:8-9; Galatians 5:14).

There is a hierarchy and order in these two commandments constituting the double precept of charity: before everything and above everything comes loving God in Himself; in the second place, and as a consequence of the first commandment, comes loving one's neighbor, for God explicitly requires us to do so (1 John 4:21; cf. notes on Matthew 22:34-40 and 22:37-38).

This passage of the Gospel also included another basic doctrine: the Law of God is not something negative--"Do not do this"--but something completely positive--love. Holiness, to which all baptized people are called, does not consist in not sinning, but in loving, in doing positive things, in bearing fruit in the form of love of God. When our Lord describes for us the Last Judgment He stresses this positive aspect of the Law of God (Matthew 25:31-46). The reward of eternal life will be given to those who do good.

27. "Yes, our only occupation here on earth is that of loving God--that is, to start doing what we will be doing for all eternity. Why must we love God? Well, because our happiness consists in love of God; it can consist in nothing else. So, if we do not love God, we will always be unhappy; and if we wish to enjoy any consolation and relief in our pains, we will attain it only by recourse to love of God. If you want to be convinced of this, go and find the happiest man according to the world; if he does not love God, you will find that in fact he is an unhappy man. And, on the contrary, if you discover the man most unhappy in the eyes of the world, you will see that because he loves God he is happy in every way. Oh my God!, open the eyes of our souls, and we will seek our happiness where we truly can find it" (St. John Mary Vianney, "Selected Sermons", Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost).

29-37. In this moving parable, which only St. Luke gives us, our Lord explains very graphically who our neighbor is and how we should show charity towards him, even if he is our enemy.

Following other Fathers, St. Augustine ("De Verbis Domini Sermones", 37) identifies the Good Samaritan with our Lord, and the waylaid man with Adam, the source and symbol of all fallen mankind. Moved by compassion and piety, He comes down to earth to cure man's wounds, making them His own (Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 3:5). In fact, we often see Jesus being moved by man's suffering (cf. Matthew 9:36; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13). And St. John says: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:9-11).

This parable leaves no doubt about who our neighbor is--anyone (without distinction of race or relationship) who needs our help; nor about how we should love him--by taking pity on him, being compassionate towards his spiritual and corporal needs; and it is not just a matter of having the right feelings towards him; we must do something, we must generously serve him.

Christians, who are disciples of Christ, should share His love and compassion, never distancing themselves from others' needs. One way to express love for one's neighbor is perform the "works of mercy", which get their name from the fact that they are not duties in justice. There are fourteen such works, seven spiritual and seven corporal. The spiritual are: To convert the sinner; To instruct the ignorant; To counsel the doubtful; To comfort the sorrowful; To bear wrongs patiently; To forgive injuries; To pray for the living and the dead. The corporal works are: To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To shelter the homeless; To visit the sick; To visit the imprisoned; To bury the dead.

31-32. Very probably one reason why our Lord used this parable was to correct one of the excesses of false piety common among His contemporaries. According to the Law of Moses, contact with dead bodies involved legal impurity, from which one was cleansed by various ablutions (cf. Numbers 19:11-22; Leviticus 21:1-4, 11-12). These regulations were not meant to prevent people from helping the injured; they were designed for reasons of hygiene and respect for the dead. The aberration of the priest and the Levite in this parable consisted in this: they did not know for sure whether the man who had been assaulted was dead or not, and they preferred to apply a wrong interpretation of a secondary, ritualistic precept of the Law rather than obey the more important commandment of loving one's neighbor and giving him whatever help one can.
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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.

Testosterone Free Scriptures

Maybe it's just me, but I cringe and squirm in the pew whenever I hear a neutered or butchered translation of the Readings or the Gospels at Mass...such as we had today:

"Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."

For what it is worth, the Latin Vulgate has this for Mark 10:9:

Quod ergo Deus iunxit homo non separet.

...which the Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition translates as:

What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.

Few there are that are unfamiliar with the phrase, "let no man put asunder."

Man - that awful word that so offends the sensibilities of radical feminists as well as those of some bishops and priests who act as if they are human geldings

(A horse is usually gelded to make him more placid, making him easier to control. Geldings were once prized by classical steppe warriors for their silence. From Answers.com)

Hmmm...placid, silent, easier to control...sounds familiar.

I have 1 or 2 NAB translations at home - neither of which is used, except on a most rare occasion. I do hear they're handy for self-mortification, though. I have found the RSV-CE, the Douay-Rheims/Challoner, the Confraternity versions to be far better for reading and study.

Interestingly, I prepare for Mass by reading the commentaries for the day with the daily readings, oblivious to any possible "surprises" which might come from the NAB version coming from the lectern. What is really surprising is that "Son of Man" never became "Son of Humanity", except in the twisted words of some priests I have heard.

I must recall that I must be thankful that the butchering of the Scriptures was not completed...and that we have still have translations that have escaped the influence of feminists and modernists.

Mental Prayer for October 9-Studies

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: My God, teach me to understand the place of studies in my life.

The Idea: All of us spend many years in school with English, math, physics, etc. What have these to do with my becoming holy? God has given each one of us a mind, but one which varies with each person. According to his ability the individual must use his mind as a means to find God. His mind is a creature, and the man who correctly uses his education does not work just to be thought smart, to have other people tell him how bright he is, to be able later on to make a lot of money. No, he uses his studies and education to develop his mind so that he will be able to understand the problems of his own life, to find the solution to these problems, to understand the proper values of money, pleasure, honor, etc.

My Personal Application: Am I studying or have I studied just to be thought wise, just to make a name for myself, to make money, or for any other reason like these! If I am, then my actions are not bringing me much closer to God. If I am studying to develop my mind so that I will be a better man, a man seeking God in every aspect of his life, then I am using studies correctly.

I Speak to God: Help me to use my mind as a spring to holiness. My studies can help me to understand people and things so I can know you, can help others. My mind, like all of your creatures, my God, can bring me and others closer to you.

Thought for Today: I will continue to develop and use my mind and intellect to help me to be holy.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

Columbus - Courageous Catholic

"And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." St. John, 1:14.

On the last voyage of Columbus to the new world the four vessels in his command were struck by the wildest storm the fearless sailor had ever encountered. The waves ran mountain high; they pounded the boats so violently that the sailors could not control them. To top their danger, Columbus fell dangerously ill. An old wound reopened, and for nine days his life hung in the balance.

During eight of those days the wind and the waves and the rain made toys of their ships. On December 13, 1502, at the height of the confusion, a shriek burst forth from one of the ships, and was echoed by the other three. A typhoon, horror of the deep, a deadly wind whipped into a water-spout - woe to those who meet it on the ocean lanes.

The despairing cry of the crew struck to the very soul of Columbus; he shuddered; he called from his bed below; he groaned, as with super­human effort he rolled out of bed, staggered to his feet, and clutched his way to the deck. A devil's trick, thought he; would that the chaplain, Father Alexander, had not died; the powers of good must overcome this evil of the deep.

He would recite the last Gospel of the Mass. He ordered candles lit and their flag unfurled; he buckled on his sword beneath the cord of St. Francis, which was always a part of his dress. He took the Bible and faced the onrushing monster. In a voice that could be heard above the howling elements, Columbus repeated the beloved Disciple's inspired and inspir­ing words.

At the sentence, "And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us," he drew his sword, stretched soul and body to the full stature of his faith, and made in the air, in the very teeth of the typhoon, the holy sign of the cross. As a tiny wave is broken by the hand of man, so the hand of God turned the towering water-spout from its track, broke and scattered it over the ocean.

Turn back in the discoverer's life to that day of the first departure. We see 120 men paced by Columbus, marching toward the monastary of La Rabida. He was leading the crews of his three sailing vessels to receive Holy Communion from the Franciscan Friar, Father Perez, the former confessor of Queen Isabella of Spain, he who had persuaded the powers that were to outfit the ships and crew who were to set out tomorrow over the trackless Atlantic.

Though wrinkled with worry and disappointment, the leader's face was firm with determination; it was softened with a smile that expected the best in the midst of setbacks and failures. Nothing could dim, much less drown, the flame of his hope and faith. He was convinced. And his conviction was built on a trust in God's protecting hand. He proved that trust by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion the day before his departure.

Before daybreak on the morning they were to pull up anchor Colum­bus again received Holy Communion from the hands of his Franciscan friend. He wanted the Lord of the deep to be with him on his voyage. This was in line with his practice of not beginning any action of what­ever importance without calling for divine help and offering the work for the glory of God.

A loyal Catholic then, he remained one throughout his life, as we gather from the high motives and intentions he demostrated with regard to his travels.

Notable was his plan to recruit another army, outfit it from the profits of his discoveries, and with this army recover the Holy Land from the Turks. One primary purpose of all his explorations was to spread the gospel to those who knew it not. His first action upon landing was to plant the cross.

In one so Catholic we can expect a tender love of our Blessed Mother. The Star of the Sea shone throughout his life. He found help at the monastary of Our Lady of La Rabida; he called his first ship "Santa Maria"; he and his crew received Communion in the chapel of the Blessed Virgin; and every evening on the voyage the crews of all three ships sang a hymn to Christ's Mother.

Place after place he named after Mary - Our Lady of the Sea, Mary, Star of the Sea, Our Lady of Montserrat, Holy Mary of the Rotunda, Conception, Assumption, Our Lady of the Grotto. While returning to Spain he taught the Indians accompanying him, the Ave Maria or Hail Mary, and other prayers to the Mother of God.

His second voyage was placed under the special protection of the Immaculate Conception. His admiral's ship was called "Gracious Mary." Even in death Mary's mantle was about him for he was buried in a church dedicated to his heavenly Mother.

These are but photographic flashes of Columbus, courageous Catholic. He was a true Franciscan Tertiary; he wore the cord of St. Francis con­stantly; he believed in the power of the cross; he put trust in the words of Scripture; he loved Holy Mass and Communion; he was concerned about the Holy Land. Like St. Francis and seven centuries of his followers, he wanted to win it back for Christian hearts.

How proud we American Catholics should be of Columbus. How doubly proud American Franciscans should be of the discoverer of America.

Columbus Day should have a deep significance for all Catholics and all Franciscans. May I suggest that you keep the day by attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion. May I recommend that you pray your October Rosary with renewed fervor, thinking the while of the fear­less, faithful Columbus who took time out from the cares of leadership to teach the Hail Mary to primitive Indians. May Columbus Day and all it stands for encourace us in the brave, undaunted living of our faith. Amen.
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Adapted from Occasional Talks
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)