From: John 17:1-11a
The Priestly Prayer of Jesus
[1] When Jesus had spoken these words, He lifted His eyes to Heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son that the Son may glorify Thee, [2] since Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom Thou hast given Him. [3] And this is eternal life, that they know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. [4] I glorified Thee on earth, having accomplished the work which Thou gavest Me to do; [5] and now, Father, glorify Thou Me in Thy own presence with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was made.
[6] "I have manifested Thy name to the men who Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to Me, and they have kept Thy word. [7] Now they know that everything Thou hast given Me is from Thee; [8] for I have given them the words which Thou gavest Me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from Thee;and they have believed that thou didst send Me. [9] I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom Thou hast given Me, for they are Thine; [10] all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and I am glorified in them. [11a] And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to Thee."
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Commentary:
1-26. At the end of the discourse of the Last Supper (Chapters 13-16) begins what is called the Priestly Prayer of Jesus, which takes up all of Chapter 17. It is given that name because Jesus addresses His Father in a very moving dialogue in which, as Priest, He offers Him the imminent sacrifice of His passion and death. It shows us the essential elements of His redemptive mission and provides us with teaching and a model for our own prayer. "The Lord, the Only-begotten and co-eternal with the Father, could have prayed in silence if necessary, but He desired to show Himself to the Father in the attitude of a supplicant because He is our Teacher. [...] Accordingly this prayer for His disciples was useful not only to those who heard it, but to all who would read it" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 104, 2).
The Priestly Prayer consists of three parts: in the first (verses 1-5) Jesus asks for the glorification of His holy human nature and the acceptance, by His Father, of His sacrifice on the cross. In the second part (verses 6-19) He prays for His disciples, whom He is going to send out into the world to proclaim the redemption which He is now about to accomplish. And then (verses 20-26) He prays for unity among all those who will believe in Him over the course of the centuries, until they achieve full union with Him in Heaven.
1-5. The word "glory" here refers to the splendor, power and honor which `belong to God'. The Son is God equal to the Father, and from the time of His Incarnation and birth and especially through His death and resurrection His divinity has been made manifest. "We have beheld His glory, glory as the only Son from the Father" (John 1:14). The glorification of Jesus has three dimensions to it. 1) It promotes the glory of the Father, because Christ, in obedience to God's redemptive decree (cf. Philippians 2:6), makes the Father known and so brings God's saving work to completion. 2) Christ is glorified because His divinity, which He has voluntarily disguised, will eventually be manifested through His human nature which will be seen after the Resurrection invested with the very authority of God Himself over all creation (verses 2, 5). 3) Christ, through His glorification, gives man the opportunity to attain eternal life, to know God the Father and Jesus Christ, His only Son: this in turn redounds to the glorification of the Father and of Jesus Christ while also involving man's participation in divine glory (verse 3).
"The Son glorifies You, making You known to all those You have given Him. Furthermore, if the knowledge of God is life eternal, we the more tend to life, the more we advance in this knowledge. [...] There shall the praise of God be without end, where there shall be full knowledge of God; and because in Heaven this knowledge shall be full, there shall glorifying be of the highest" (St. Augustine, "In Ioann. Evang.", 105, 3).
6-8. Our Lord has prayed for Himself; now He prays for His Apostles, who will continue His redemptive work in the world. In praying for them, Jesus describes some of the prerogatives of those who will form part of the Apostolic College.
First, there is the prerogative of being chosen by God: "Thine they were...". God the Father chose them from all eternity (cf. Ephesians 1:3-4) and in due course Jesus revealed this to them: "The Lord Jesus, having prayed at length to the Father, called to Himself those whom He willed and appointed twelve to be with Him, whom He might send to preach the Kingdom of God (cf. Mark 3:13-19; Matthew 10:1-42). These apostles (cf. Luke 6:13) He constituted in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which He placed Peter, chosen from among them (cf. John 21:15-17)" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 19). Also, the Apostles enjoy the privilege of hearing God's teaching direct from Jesus. From this teaching, which they accept with docility, they learn that Jesus came from the Father and that therefore He is God's envoy (verse 8): that is, they are given to know the relationships that exist between the Father and the Son.
The Christian, who also is a disciple of Jesus, gradually acquires knowledge of God and of divine things through living a life of faith and maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
"Recalling this human refinement of Christ, who spent His life in the service of others, we are doing much more than describing a pattern of human behavior; we are discovering God. Everything Christ did has a transcendental value. It shows us the nature of God and beckons us to believe in the love of God who created us and wants us to share His intimate life" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 109).
11-19. Jesus now asks the Father to give His disciple four things--unity, perseverance, joy and holiness. By praying Him to keep them in His name (verse 11) He is asking for their perseverance in the teaching He has given them (cf. verse 6) and in communion with Him. An immediate consequence of this perseverance is unity: "that they may be one, even as We are one"; this unity which He asks for His disciples is a reflection of the unity of the Three Divine Persons.
He also prays that none of them should be lost, that the Father should guard and protect them, just as He Himself protected them while He was with them. Thirdly, as a result of their union with God and perseverance they will share in the joy of Christ (verse 13): in this life, the more we know God and the more closely we are joined to Him, the happier will we be; in eternal life our joy will be complete, because our knowledge and love of God will have reached its climax.
Finally, He prays for those who, though living in the world, are not of the world, that they may be truly holy and carry out the mission He has entrusted to them, just as He did the work His Father gave Him to do.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
A Profile of a Local "Social Justice" Priest
A couple of years ago, while attending an Opus Dei evening of recollection, I picked up one of the bulletins to see what was happening at St Charles Borremeo parish. Fr. Tillman, it seems, was upset over the passage of Missouri's Concealed Carry law and other things, as can be seen in his bulletin...
Anyway, on to the Post Dispatch article:
I have never been to one of the "celebrations" for "Saint Martin Luther King", but I see the promotions for this event every year...
Are we to believe that those who abandoned their vows or promises and left the priesthood have determined what their true vocation is? If anything, we need to pray for all of these matters, and let the Church decide what is to be done.
As it is, I find this nattering of mindless rhetoric unbecoming of a priest. Perhaps it's just me, but this is the kind of reporting and talk that always challenges my charity and patience - stories of priests fomenting dissent under the guise of "social justice". Of course, many commendable efforts appear to have been undertaken and for those, one should be grateful.
When will we find leadership that actually leads us to become better citizens and better human beings rather than follow the opinion polls and vote to be re-elected? By doing so they are taking away the opportunity for young people to see leadership. Jesus makes it clear that the true leader shares his or her knowledge of the ways of God with all who will listen. God sent His Son to bring peace on earth. Guns do not bring peace or security in the hands of unstable, immature or angry people. May God protect us from all harm!It seems as if the good priest thinks that people should not have the right or the means to protect themselves or their loved ones from the thugs, the rapists and murderers roaming the world...As we know, only the "unstable, immature or angry people" are the ones who sought to obtain a CCW license...
Anyway, on to the Post Dispatch article:
The Rev. Richard Tillman has come full circle in his ministry and quest for social justice. The St. Charles Borromeo pastor will celebrate his final Mass at Borromeo on June 11. He will take over as pastor of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in south St. Louis, where he will minister to a growing Hispanic membership.Scary thought...One might wonder what his immigration reform would look like...
...
"Just as I was involved in the civil-rights movement in the 1960s, I'll be involved in immigration reform in the 2000s," he said.
Tillman, 66, took over as pastor of Borromeo 15 years ago. The interior of the church was refurbished during his tenure...He instituted an annual tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., an event held at the church for the past 12 years.The interior refurbished? This was at the time when the interiors of many churches were being destroyed - altars replace, tabernacles relocated, communion rails removed, statues hidden, side altars destroyed, etc...St. Charles Borremeo is no different as far as the sanctuary is concerned. While the rest of the church looks to have been spared any sort of "renovation", the sanctuary looks completely out of place in the church.
I have never been to one of the "celebrations" for "Saint Martin Luther King", but I see the promotions for this event every year...
With a degree in social work and a belief that social justice is gospel-driven, Tillman pulls no punches from the pulpit and in his writings in the church bulletin.As if a degree gives one knowledge and wisdom...
He has decried tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class...He chastened those parishioners who voted against a MetroLink line connecting St. Charles and St. Louis because they feared the transit system would "bring riffraff into the community." He chastised President George W. Bush for using scripture to justify attacking Iraq.Clueless rhetoric...
"If I don't speak out about injustice, people feel isolated and they lose their energy to create change or to find a way to work together to find a solution," he said.We need fewer priests promoting the Democratic Party platform and more priests engaged in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls...Thankfully, we have a number of great priests in the archdiocese and more and more men are answering God's call to proclaim the Gospel for the salvation of souls in fidelity and obedience to His Church.
Tillman was asked about some of the challenges facing the church regarding a shortage of priests, the celibacy issue and the pedophilia scandal. He suggested that those who are active in the church at the grassroots level will maintain lively congregations and discourse and will push for change.The only ones pushing for changes are dissidents...What other "grssroots level" groups are looking to change the Church's position on celibacy or the non-changable teaching on male only priests? It would be nice to know about which groups he is referring...
He said he hopes that eventually those priests who left the church to be married would be allowed to return and that young priests should have the option to marry.There is simply nothing as uplifting as a priest who publicly defies the Church with respect to the discipline of celibacy or lauds those groups who would reinstate those who, of their own volition, renounced their promises and left the priesthood...
Are we to believe that those who abandoned their vows or promises and left the priesthood have determined what their true vocation is? If anything, we need to pray for all of these matters, and let the Church decide what is to be done.
As it is, I find this nattering of mindless rhetoric unbecoming of a priest. Perhaps it's just me, but this is the kind of reporting and talk that always challenges my charity and patience - stories of priests fomenting dissent under the guise of "social justice". Of course, many commendable efforts appear to have been undertaken and for those, one should be grateful.
Week after the Ascension - Meekness
"And you also will bear witness, because from the beginning you are with me." St. John, 15:27.
St. Clement Hofbauer, who lived from 1751 to 1820, was called the Apostle of Vienna. Once while giving a mission this saintly Redemptorist also gave a striking example of meekness.
Many fathers of families had lost their lives in the Napoleonic wars, leaving numerous wives and children unprovided for. To care for these orphans Hofbauer founded an orphanage in Warschau, and he personally begged funds to support it.
He entered a restaurant one time, walked up to three men playing cards, and asked them for a contribution to his good work. One of the men, a godless ruffian, cursed the saint and spat in his face. Hofbauer quietly took out his handkerchief, wiped the spit from his cheek, and said without the slightest sign of anger: "That was for me, sir; now please give something for my orphans."
The abusive card-player was struck dumb with astonishment. He flushed and managed a smile, as he reached into his pocket and handed St. Clement all the money he had with him. Some time later he went to confession and became a wholly changed character.
This is just another proof of the truth of Christ's words: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land." St. Matthew, 5:4.
This Second Beatitude is one every Christian needs. True meekness is a rare virtue, yet a necessary one, as Scripture tells us: "Do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved." Eccl., 3:19.
1. Meekness is a virtue which regulates anger and impatience, envy and revenge.
3. How pleasant it is to meet and deal with a truly meek person:
"You also will bear witness, because from the beginning you are with me."
When you are meek you are with Christ, working with Him and for Him. When you are meek you are winning a happiness, a beatitude here in this world, and a never-ending happiness in the world to come. Use this prayer often:
Adapted from Prayers, Precepts and Virtues
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)
St. Clement Hofbauer, who lived from 1751 to 1820, was called the Apostle of Vienna. Once while giving a mission this saintly Redemptorist also gave a striking example of meekness.
Many fathers of families had lost their lives in the Napoleonic wars, leaving numerous wives and children unprovided for. To care for these orphans Hofbauer founded an orphanage in Warschau, and he personally begged funds to support it.
He entered a restaurant one time, walked up to three men playing cards, and asked them for a contribution to his good work. One of the men, a godless ruffian, cursed the saint and spat in his face. Hofbauer quietly took out his handkerchief, wiped the spit from his cheek, and said without the slightest sign of anger: "That was for me, sir; now please give something for my orphans."
The abusive card-player was struck dumb with astonishment. He flushed and managed a smile, as he reached into his pocket and handed St. Clement all the money he had with him. Some time later he went to confession and became a wholly changed character.
This is just another proof of the truth of Christ's words: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land." St. Matthew, 5:4.
This Second Beatitude is one every Christian needs. True meekness is a rare virtue, yet a necessary one, as Scripture tells us: "Do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved." Eccl., 3:19.
1. Meekness is a virtue which regulates anger and impatience, envy and revenge.
A. It prevents, forestalls, and checks anger and impatience, when these are not lawful. There is such a thing as "holy anger" or just wrath, a keen displeasure with sin. Ordinarily, however, anger is not lawful; it must be stopped.2. This Second Beatitude and the virtue it promotes is opposed to the spirit of the world, which is one of ambition and revenge. Read the records of the United Nations sessions; listen to the representatives of godless Russia rant and rave with white-faced and red-necked anger. There is the worldly spirit. This same spirit we meet everyday. Impatience and anger are too common in stores, on the streets, in sports, and social circles, yes, and even in our homes.
B. Meekness moderates anger when it is lawful. A mother might have a certain justified impatience with a disobedient child. Meekness will temper that impatience, and keep her from flying into a rage.
C. Meekness has a fine sense of knowing when and where and how anger may be shown.
3. How pleasant it is to meet and deal with a truly meek person:
A. Who represses every rising impulse to impatience; who controls the urge to "fly off the handle" and to "tell somebody off."4. Toward whom should we be meek?
B. Who rejects all desire for revenge; who does not feel that one bad turn deserves another.
C. Who bears patiently the evils that befall him. If his train is late, or the traffic light is against him, or there is an unavoidable delay in his meals, he does not fly into a childish tantrum.
D. Who is gentle and kind to all.
A. Toward servants and assistants. Mishaps will occur in every household and every business.5. True meekness brings happiness even in this life:
B. Toward those inferior to us by reason of their work, their education, their social position, or their poverty.
C. Toward sinners. This is an important, difficult, but absolutely necessary work of meekness. It becomes easier when we think of Christ - how He hated sin, yet loved the sinner.
D. Toward enemies and opponents. In every walk of life you will have them, people who think differently from you, who may even oppose your plans out of malice. Toward such you must be meek. St. Clement Hofbauer showed such meekness toward the card player who spat in his face. He won the day.
E. Toward the providence and arrangements of God. A sickness, a setback, a failure, make some complain against the Lord.
F. Toward ourselves with regard to personal faults and failings. Everyone does stupid things, even sinful things at times. That is no ground to be ureasonably angry with yourself.
A. By controlling the heart and the passions.In these and other ways the meek truly possess the land, even in this world. Above all, they are preparing to take possession of that better and brighter land, the kingdom of heaven. As Jesus tells His true followers today:
B. By winning the hearts of others, and gaining influence. Again, think of St. Clement winning his angry friend.
C. By closer resemblance to the meek heart of Christ.
D. By fitting the heart for further graces and gifts of God.
E. By helping the soul to enjoy all things of God.
"You also will bear witness, because from the beginning you are with me."
When you are meek you are with Christ, working with Him and for Him. When you are meek you are winning a happiness, a beatitude here in this world, and a never-ending happiness in the world to come. Use this prayer often:
"Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine."__________________
Adapted from Prayers, Precepts and Virtues
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)
Gospel for Monday, 7th Week of Easter
From: John 16:29-33
Fullness of Joy (Continuation)
[29] His (Jesus') disciples said, "Ah, now You are speaking plainly, not in any figure! [30] Now we know that You know all things, and need none to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." [31] Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? [32] The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me. [33] I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
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Commentary:
25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)--to train them for their mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does so in this discourse of the Last Supper--the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.: He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25). Verse 28, "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" summarizes the mystery of Christ's Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).
31-32. Jesus moderates the Apostles' enthusiasm, which expresses itself in a spontaneous confession of faith; He does this by asking them a question which has two dimensions. On the one hand, it is a kind of reproach for their having taken too long to believe in Him: it is true that there were other occasions when they expressed faith in the Master (cf. John 6:68-69; etc.), but until now they have not fully realized that He is the One sent by the Father. The question also refers to the fragility of their faith: they believe, and yet very soon they will abandon Him into the hands of His enemies. Jesus requires us to have a firm faith: it is not enough to show it in moments of enthusiasm, it has to stand the test of difficulties and opposition.
33. The Second Vatican Council teaches in connection with this passage: "The Lord Jesus who said `Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world' (John 16:33), did not by these words promise complete victory to His Church in this world. This sacred Council rejoices that the earth which has been sown with the seed of the Gospel is now bringing forth fruit in many places under the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, who is filling the world" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis", 22).
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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.
Fullness of Joy (Continuation)
[29] His (Jesus') disciples said, "Ah, now You are speaking plainly, not in any figure! [30] Now we know that You know all things, and need none to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." [31] Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? [32] The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me. [33] I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
________________________
Commentary:
25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)--to train them for their mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does so in this discourse of the Last Supper--the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.: He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25). Verse 28, "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" summarizes the mystery of Christ's Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).
31-32. Jesus moderates the Apostles' enthusiasm, which expresses itself in a spontaneous confession of faith; He does this by asking them a question which has two dimensions. On the one hand, it is a kind of reproach for their having taken too long to believe in Him: it is true that there were other occasions when they expressed faith in the Master (cf. John 6:68-69; etc.), but until now they have not fully realized that He is the One sent by the Father. The question also refers to the fragility of their faith: they believe, and yet very soon they will abandon Him into the hands of His enemies. Jesus requires us to have a firm faith: it is not enough to show it in moments of enthusiasm, it has to stand the test of difficulties and opposition.
33. The Second Vatican Council teaches in connection with this passage: "The Lord Jesus who said `Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world' (John 16:33), did not by these words promise complete victory to His Church in this world. This sacred Council rejoices that the earth which has been sown with the seed of the Gospel is now bringing forth fruit in many places under the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, who is filling the world" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis", 22).
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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.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Sunday After Ascension - The Priest and Forgiveness of Sins
"These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor me." St. John, 16:3.
It happened on a train speeding west from Kansas City. My question was calm and quiet until we came to the subject of confession. Then he blurted out the common objection: "Only God can forgive sin. You know, Father, you are not God. No doubt you are a better man than I am, but you are still human. I have as much power to forgive sin as any other man."
My answer was: "Suppose your own brother would commit a cold blooded murder here in Kansas. And suppose he was condemned to hang for his crime. Could you pardon him?"
"I should say not."
"Could the governor pardon him?" I went on.
My friend hesitated before he gave this answer: "Sure, he could. He's the governor. He has that power."
"But didn't you say," I objected, "that you could forgive a crime just as much as any other man?"
"Yes," he replied, "but this is different. As a man, the governor can't pardon a murderer. But as Governor of Kansas he can. That is a power of his office."
I went on to exp}ain that this same difference holds in forgiving sin. As a mere man the priest has no more power than anybody else. As the agent of God he has received from the Almighty the power to forgive sin.
As God Christ forgave sin. As God He gave that power to others. Twice before His resurrection Christ gave the power of pardoning. In St. Matthew, 16:19, we read: "And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Two chapters later our Lord repeats the same grant in the same words.
But later He tells them in words that cannot be questioned: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." St. Matthew, 20:23. From that moment the Apostles and their successors, the bishops and priests of the Catholic Church, have forgiven sins. Confession was not invented a year or a hundred years or twelve centuries later. From the very first Easter the leaders of Christ's Church had that power.
The early Church had many regulations regarding confession. These rules are still in force. Confession must be made to a "duly authorized priest." This means that a priest must have authority from the bishop of the diocese. However, in case of necessity as in danger of death, any priest may absolve any sinner anywhere of any sin.
In addition to being ordained and having authority the confessor must have knowledge and prudence. The priest is better prepared than any other to guide and direct the individual soul. With his years of study of philosophy and theology and related subjects, he has one of the best professional educations in the world. He knows the Bible; he knows psychology; he knows history; he knows the law of God; he knows the horror of sin, and he knows the weakness of human nature; he has a complete, scientific knowledge of faith and morals. Over and above all this he has the Christgiven power to forgive sin through Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, the priest is personally interested. Ordinarily he does not know and does not want to know who the sinner is. But that priest is responsible before God for that soul. What the priest says or doesn't say, even the way he says it, may decide the salvation of a soul. That is a tremendous responsibility, which Mother Church protects in every possible way.
Outstanding among these protections is what we call "the seal of confession." The lips of the priest are sealed forever. Although one should not do it, just suppose a man came to confession and told the priest: "Father, I'm John Smith and I murdered three people yesterday." The priest would not be allowed to betray that sinner in the slightest way, by word or sign or any other means. Even at the risk of death or the threat of death, the lips of the priest are sealed forever. And the courts respect this professional secrecy.
It has been the glory and story of the Catholic confessional that at no time has a priest betrayed a person who confessed. Some priests, like St. John Nepomucene, suffered cruel death rather than reveal what a certain sinner had told them in confession. By the "seal of confession" your sins are sealed forever in the heart of the priest, which in turn is sealed forever in the limitless heart of God.
But suppose your parish priest knows you. And suppose you have some shameful, delicate sin to confess. What does he think of you? I'll tell you what he thinks of you: He is proud of you. Not because you committed the sin, but because you have the faith and courage and trust to tell that sin..
Occasionally you will meet a confessor who is sharp and short in his advice and directions. He may even give you a spiritual spanking. He should be kind. However, aside from the fact that the priest is still human and subject to impatience, weariness, jangled nerves and even unkindness, he often speaks sternly with the sole desire of awakening the soul before him to realize the horror of sin and the beauty of following Christ.
The priest in the confessional is a judge. You are the accused and you are the accuser. A judge must follow the law.
The priest is a teacher; he must tell you what is right and what is wrong; he must tell you what you may do and what you may not do.
The priest is a physician. He has the power and duty of healing the wounds of your sins. Put yourself trustingly in his hands.
The priest is a father. He helps you make up for your sins in this life to avoid punishment hereafter.
People make little and even make fun of confession. To them might be applied the words of Christ: "These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor me." Such do not know the mercy of God. We do. We have shared that mercy through the agent of God, the priest. Amen.
____________________
Adapted from Talks on the Sacraments
by Fr. Arthur Tonne,OFM (© 1947)
It happened on a train speeding west from Kansas City. My question was calm and quiet until we came to the subject of confession. Then he blurted out the common objection: "Only God can forgive sin. You know, Father, you are not God. No doubt you are a better man than I am, but you are still human. I have as much power to forgive sin as any other man."
My answer was: "Suppose your own brother would commit a cold blooded murder here in Kansas. And suppose he was condemned to hang for his crime. Could you pardon him?"
"I should say not."
"Could the governor pardon him?" I went on.
My friend hesitated before he gave this answer: "Sure, he could. He's the governor. He has that power."
"But didn't you say," I objected, "that you could forgive a crime just as much as any other man?"
"Yes," he replied, "but this is different. As a man, the governor can't pardon a murderer. But as Governor of Kansas he can. That is a power of his office."
I went on to exp}ain that this same difference holds in forgiving sin. As a mere man the priest has no more power than anybody else. As the agent of God he has received from the Almighty the power to forgive sin.
As God Christ forgave sin. As God He gave that power to others. Twice before His resurrection Christ gave the power of pardoning. In St. Matthew, 16:19, we read: "And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Two chapters later our Lord repeats the same grant in the same words.
But later He tells them in words that cannot be questioned: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." St. Matthew, 20:23. From that moment the Apostles and their successors, the bishops and priests of the Catholic Church, have forgiven sins. Confession was not invented a year or a hundred years or twelve centuries later. From the very first Easter the leaders of Christ's Church had that power.
The early Church had many regulations regarding confession. These rules are still in force. Confession must be made to a "duly authorized priest." This means that a priest must have authority from the bishop of the diocese. However, in case of necessity as in danger of death, any priest may absolve any sinner anywhere of any sin.
In addition to being ordained and having authority the confessor must have knowledge and prudence. The priest is better prepared than any other to guide and direct the individual soul. With his years of study of philosophy and theology and related subjects, he has one of the best professional educations in the world. He knows the Bible; he knows psychology; he knows history; he knows the law of God; he knows the horror of sin, and he knows the weakness of human nature; he has a complete, scientific knowledge of faith and morals. Over and above all this he has the Christgiven power to forgive sin through Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, the priest is personally interested. Ordinarily he does not know and does not want to know who the sinner is. But that priest is responsible before God for that soul. What the priest says or doesn't say, even the way he says it, may decide the salvation of a soul. That is a tremendous responsibility, which Mother Church protects in every possible way.
Outstanding among these protections is what we call "the seal of confession." The lips of the priest are sealed forever. Although one should not do it, just suppose a man came to confession and told the priest: "Father, I'm John Smith and I murdered three people yesterday." The priest would not be allowed to betray that sinner in the slightest way, by word or sign or any other means. Even at the risk of death or the threat of death, the lips of the priest are sealed forever. And the courts respect this professional secrecy.
It has been the glory and story of the Catholic confessional that at no time has a priest betrayed a person who confessed. Some priests, like St. John Nepomucene, suffered cruel death rather than reveal what a certain sinner had told them in confession. By the "seal of confession" your sins are sealed forever in the heart of the priest, which in turn is sealed forever in the limitless heart of God.
But suppose your parish priest knows you. And suppose you have some shameful, delicate sin to confess. What does he think of you? I'll tell you what he thinks of you: He is proud of you. Not because you committed the sin, but because you have the faith and courage and trust to tell that sin..
Occasionally you will meet a confessor who is sharp and short in his advice and directions. He may even give you a spiritual spanking. He should be kind. However, aside from the fact that the priest is still human and subject to impatience, weariness, jangled nerves and even unkindness, he often speaks sternly with the sole desire of awakening the soul before him to realize the horror of sin and the beauty of following Christ.
The priest in the confessional is a judge. You are the accused and you are the accuser. A judge must follow the law.
The priest is a teacher; he must tell you what is right and what is wrong; he must tell you what you may do and what you may not do.
The priest is a physician. He has the power and duty of healing the wounds of your sins. Put yourself trustingly in his hands.
The priest is a father. He helps you make up for your sins in this life to avoid punishment hereafter.
People make little and even make fun of confession. To them might be applied the words of Christ: "These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor me." Such do not know the mercy of God. We do. We have shared that mercy through the agent of God, the priest. Amen.
____________________
Adapted from Talks on the Sacraments
by Fr. Arthur Tonne,OFM (© 1947)
Gospel for the 7th Sunday of Easter
From: John 17:11b-19
The Priestly Prayer of Jesus (Continuation)
(Jesus lifted his eyes to heaven and said, ) [11b] "Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou has given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. [12] While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. [13] But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. [14] I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world. [15] I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. [18] As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.
______________________
Commentary:
11-19. Jesus now asks the Father to give his disciples four things--unity, perseverance, joy and holiness. By praying him to keep them in his name (v. 11) he is asking for their perseverance in the teaching he has given them (cf. v. 6) and in communion with him. An immediate consequence of this perseverance is unity: "that they may be one, even as we are one"; this unity which he asks for his disciples is a reflection of the unity of the three divine Persons.
He also prays that none of them should be lost, that the Father should guard and protect them, just as he himself protected them while he was still with them. Thirdly, as a result of their union with God and perseverance they will share in the joy of Christ (v. 13): in this life, the more we know God and the more closely we are joined to him, the happier will we be; in eternal life our joy will be complete, because our knowledge and love of God will have reached its climax.
Finally, he prays for those who, though living in the world, are not of the world, that they may be truly holy and carry out the mission he has entrusted to them, just as he did the work his Father gave him to do.
12. "That the scripture might be fulfilled": this is an allusion to what he said to the Apostles a little earlier (Jn 13:18) by directly quoting Scripture: "He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me" (Ps 41:10). Jesus makes these references to Judas' treachery in order to strengthen the Apostles' faith by showing that he knew everything in advance and that the Scriptures had already foretold what would happen.
However, Judas went astray through his own fault and not because God arranged things that way; his treachery had been taking shape little by little, through his petty infidelities, and despite our Lord helping him to repent and get back on the right rode (cf. note on Jn 13:21-32); Judas did not respond to this grace and was responsible for his own downfall. God, who sees the future, predicted the treachery of Judas in the Scripture; Christ, being God, knew that Judas would betray him and it is with immense sorrow that he now tells the Apostles.
14-16. In Sacred Scripture "world" has a number of meanings. First, it means the whole of creation (Gen 1:1ff) and, within creation, mankind, which God loves most tenderly (Prov 8:31). This is the meaning intended here when our Lord says, "I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one" (v. 15). "I have taught this constantly using words from holy Scripture. The world is not evil, because it has come from God's hands, because it is his creation, because Yahweh looked upon it and saw that it was good (cf. Gen 1:7ff). We ourselves, mankind, make it evil and ugly with our sins and infidelities. Have no doubt: any kind of evasion from the honest realities of daily life is for you, men and women of the world, something opposed to the will of God" ([St] J. Escriva, "Conversations", 114).
In the second place, "world" refers to the things of this world, which do not last and which can be at odds with the things of the spirit (cf. Mt 16:26).
Finally, because evil men have been enslaved by sin and by the devil, "the ruler of the world" (Jn 12:31; 16:11), the "world" sometimes means God's enemy, something opposed to Christ and his followers (Jn 1:10). In this sense the "world" is evil, and therefore Jesus is not of the world, nor are his disciples (v. 16). It is also this pejorative meaning which is used by traditional teaching which describes the world, the flesh and the devil as enemies of the soul against which one has to be forever vigilant. "The world, the flesh and the devil are a band of adventurers who take advantage of the weakness of that savage you bear within you, and want you to hand over to them, in exchange for the glittering tinsel of a pleasure--which is worth nothing--the pure gold and the pearls and the diamonds and rubies drenched in the life-blood of your God-Redeemer, which are the price and the treasure of your eternity" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 708).
17-19. Jesus prays for the holiness of his disciples. God alone is the Holy One; in his holiness people and things share. "Sanctifying" has to do with consecrating and dedicating something to God, excluding it from being used for profane purposes; thus God says to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jer 1:5). If something is to be consecrated to God it must be perfect, that is, holy. Hence, a consecrated person needs to have moral sanctity, needs to be practising the moral virtues. Our Lord here asks for both things for his disciples, because they need them if they are to fulfill their supernatural mission in the world.
"For their sake I consecrate myself": these words mean that Jesus Christ, who has been burdened with the sins of men, consecrates himself to the Father through his sacrifice on the Cross. By this are all Christians sanctified: "So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood" (Heb 13:12). So, after Christ's death, men have been made sons of God by Baptism, sharers in the divine nature and enabled to attain the holiness to which they have been called (cf. Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 40).
___________________________
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 Priestly Prayer of Jesus (Continuation)
(Jesus lifted his eyes to heaven and said, ) [11b] "Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou has given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. [12] While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. [13] But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. [14] I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world. [15] I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. [18] As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.
______________________
Commentary:
11-19. Jesus now asks the Father to give his disciples four things--unity, perseverance, joy and holiness. By praying him to keep them in his name (v. 11) he is asking for their perseverance in the teaching he has given them (cf. v. 6) and in communion with him. An immediate consequence of this perseverance is unity: "that they may be one, even as we are one"; this unity which he asks for his disciples is a reflection of the unity of the three divine Persons.
He also prays that none of them should be lost, that the Father should guard and protect them, just as he himself protected them while he was still with them. Thirdly, as a result of their union with God and perseverance they will share in the joy of Christ (v. 13): in this life, the more we know God and the more closely we are joined to him, the happier will we be; in eternal life our joy will be complete, because our knowledge and love of God will have reached its climax.
Finally, he prays for those who, though living in the world, are not of the world, that they may be truly holy and carry out the mission he has entrusted to them, just as he did the work his Father gave him to do.
12. "That the scripture might be fulfilled": this is an allusion to what he said to the Apostles a little earlier (Jn 13:18) by directly quoting Scripture: "He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me" (Ps 41:10). Jesus makes these references to Judas' treachery in order to strengthen the Apostles' faith by showing that he knew everything in advance and that the Scriptures had already foretold what would happen.
However, Judas went astray through his own fault and not because God arranged things that way; his treachery had been taking shape little by little, through his petty infidelities, and despite our Lord helping him to repent and get back on the right rode (cf. note on Jn 13:21-32); Judas did not respond to this grace and was responsible for his own downfall. God, who sees the future, predicted the treachery of Judas in the Scripture; Christ, being God, knew that Judas would betray him and it is with immense sorrow that he now tells the Apostles.
14-16. In Sacred Scripture "world" has a number of meanings. First, it means the whole of creation (Gen 1:1ff) and, within creation, mankind, which God loves most tenderly (Prov 8:31). This is the meaning intended here when our Lord says, "I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one" (v. 15). "I have taught this constantly using words from holy Scripture. The world is not evil, because it has come from God's hands, because it is his creation, because Yahweh looked upon it and saw that it was good (cf. Gen 1:7ff). We ourselves, mankind, make it evil and ugly with our sins and infidelities. Have no doubt: any kind of evasion from the honest realities of daily life is for you, men and women of the world, something opposed to the will of God" ([St] J. Escriva, "Conversations", 114).
In the second place, "world" refers to the things of this world, which do not last and which can be at odds with the things of the spirit (cf. Mt 16:26).
Finally, because evil men have been enslaved by sin and by the devil, "the ruler of the world" (Jn 12:31; 16:11), the "world" sometimes means God's enemy, something opposed to Christ and his followers (Jn 1:10). In this sense the "world" is evil, and therefore Jesus is not of the world, nor are his disciples (v. 16). It is also this pejorative meaning which is used by traditional teaching which describes the world, the flesh and the devil as enemies of the soul against which one has to be forever vigilant. "The world, the flesh and the devil are a band of adventurers who take advantage of the weakness of that savage you bear within you, and want you to hand over to them, in exchange for the glittering tinsel of a pleasure--which is worth nothing--the pure gold and the pearls and the diamonds and rubies drenched in the life-blood of your God-Redeemer, which are the price and the treasure of your eternity" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 708).
17-19. Jesus prays for the holiness of his disciples. God alone is the Holy One; in his holiness people and things share. "Sanctifying" has to do with consecrating and dedicating something to God, excluding it from being used for profane purposes; thus God says to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations" (Jer 1:5). If something is to be consecrated to God it must be perfect, that is, holy. Hence, a consecrated person needs to have moral sanctity, needs to be practising the moral virtues. Our Lord here asks for both things for his disciples, because they need them if they are to fulfill their supernatural mission in the world.
"For their sake I consecrate myself": these words mean that Jesus Christ, who has been burdened with the sins of men, consecrates himself to the Father through his sacrifice on the Cross. By this are all Christians sanctified: "So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood" (Heb 13:12). So, after Christ's death, men have been made sons of God by Baptism, sharers in the divine nature and enabled to attain the holiness to which they have been called (cf. Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 40).
___________________________
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.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Gospel for Saturday, 6th Week of Easter
From: John 16:23b-28
Fullness of Joy (Continuation)
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [23b] Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My name. [24] Hitherto you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
[25] "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. [26] In that day you will ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; [27] for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from the Father. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father."
________________________
Commentary:
25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)--to train them for their mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does so in this discourse of the Last Supper--the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.: He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25). Verse 28, "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" summarizes the mystery of Christ's Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).
___________________________
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.
Fullness of Joy (Continuation)
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [23b] Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My name. [24] Hitherto you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
[25] "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. [26] In that day you will ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; [27] for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from the Father. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father."
________________________
Commentary:
25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)--to train them for their mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does so in this discourse of the Last Supper--the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.: He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25). Verse 28, "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" summarizes the mystery of Christ's Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Aug 4-6, Conference in La Crosse at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
From the St Louis Review:
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will be one of several speakers at a conference Aug. 4-6 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wis.
Other speakers include Bishop Joseph J. Madera, retired auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, and Arthur Hippler, director of the La Crosse Diocese’s Office of Justice and Peace.
The conference also is sponsored by the Queen of the Americas Guild.
For information call the guild at (630) 584-1600 or the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe at (608) 782-5440.
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will be one of several speakers at a conference Aug. 4-6 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wis.
Other speakers include Bishop Joseph J. Madera, retired auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, and Arthur Hippler, director of the La Crosse Diocese’s Office of Justice and Peace.
The conference also is sponsored by the Queen of the Americas Guild.
For information call the guild at (630) 584-1600 or the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe at (608) 782-5440.
June 19 - Opus Dei Observance of St Josemaria Escriva
From the St Louis Review:
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will be principal celebrant and homilist at 7:30 p.m. Mass on Monday, June 19, the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of the Opus Dei apostolate.
The Mass will be at the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue in the Central West End. Confessions will be heard at 6:45 p.m. The apostolate, marking its 50th anniversary in St. Louis, plans anniversary events for September.
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will be principal celebrant and homilist at 7:30 p.m. Mass on Monday, June 19, the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of the Opus Dei apostolate.
The Mass will be at the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue in the Central West End. Confessions will be heard at 6:45 p.m. The apostolate, marking its 50th anniversary in St. Louis, plans anniversary events for September.
World Apostolate of Fatima named public association of faithful
The World Apostolate of Fatima has been named a public association of the faithful in the Catholic Church by the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
A Son Returns to His Father
I just received notice of this...
Please keep him in your prayers. He will be dearly missed.
Fr. Todd Reitmeyer returned to his Father on May 24th at 12:30 PM in the year of our Lord, 2006.Fr Todd, a recently ordained priest, hosted a blog, "A Son becomes a Father".
Please keep him in your prayers. He will be dearly missed.
This Weekend's 'Da Vinci Code' Protests
Here are the locations and times for this weekend's protests:
Friday May 26th
Chase Park Plaza Cinema St. Louis, 6-8
Des Peres 14 Cine Manchester, 6-8
Cinema 1 Plus Washington, MO 6-8
Saturday and Sunday
Chase Park Plaza
Des Peres 14 Cine
Please tell your friends and family.
Thanks to Mark Serafino for the updates!
Friday May 26th
Chase Park Plaza Cinema St. Louis, 6-8
Des Peres 14 Cine Manchester, 6-8
Cinema 1 Plus Washington, MO 6-8
Saturday and Sunday
Chase Park Plaza
Des Peres 14 Cine
Please tell your friends and family.
Thanks to Mark Serafino for the updates!
The Senate's 'Tough' Immigration Bill
Some people are worried that amnesty will give illegal aliens the same rights that American citizens have. In reality, it will give the illegals more rights than the average American citizen.
...
If an American citizen forges a Social Security card in order to get a job, he can be arrested. Under a provision recently passed by the Senate, illegal aliens who forged Social Security cards not only get a pass, they get to collect Social Security benefits. [and much, much more]
...
What the immigration bill in the Senate has become is just another attempt to pander to another special interest, in disregard of how that affects the country as a whole.
...
There was a time when immigrants came here to become Americans. But there are powerful pressure groups in this country, extending far beyond the immigrant community, doing their best to keep foreigners foreign and force Americans to accommodate their foreign language and culture in the name of "multiculturalism."
Eric Johnson at Catholic Light has some interesting comments here as well.
Missouri Senator Jim Talent who opposed the recent Senate "Amnesty" Bill ( a sellout of the American people) gave a speech recently opposing the bill to provide amnesty for those who unlawfully entered the United States and those provisions which provide citizenship for at least 70 to 90 million new immigrants over the next 20 years...That speech can be read here (PDF file). A video of this speech is available here.
First priest ordained in 30 years in Laos
Vientiane (AsiaNews) – The first ordination of a priest in Laos in 30 years is scheduled to take place on June 16. The ordination of Br Sophone Vilavongsy, a 32-year-old Oblate missionary of Mary Immaculate, was supposed to take place on December 8 last year, but the government stopped it at the last moment, requiring the postponement of the historic ceremony to an unspecified date.
Archbishop Burke to Ordain Four New Priests on Saturday
Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will ordain four men to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St. Louis at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 27, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue in the Central West End.Congratulations! And may God bestow His abundant blessings on these men!
The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be conferred after the reading of the Gospel of the Mass. Announcement of the new priests’ assignments will be printed in an upcoming issue of the Review.
The new priests are, clockwise from top left, Fathers Christopher Dunlap, Christopher Martin, Aaron Nord and Nicholas Muenks.
Each has earned a master of divinity degree and master of arts in theology degree from Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.
Please keep these men in your prayers that they may fulfill their calling to the priesthood, to be an "Alter Christus", with love and fidelity.
The New Curia of Benedict XVI Looks toward Asia
The new prefect of “Propaganda Fide” comes from India. And the new secretary of the congregation for the liturgy is from Sri Lanka. His first public address was the presentation of a book. And it was revealing
by Sandro Magister
by Sandro Magister
Belleville Home of Admitted Priest Sexual Molester
BELLEVILLE -- The Rev. Real "Ray" Bourque, who admits that he sexually abused boys in the late 1970s and early '80s while serving as a priest on the East Coast, was transferred four years ago to a retirement home in Belleville.
During a brief telephone interview Monday, Bourque said that while he did sexually abuse children, he was himself a victim of molestation as a child by an attacker who was not a priest.
Asked whether he had sexually molested boys, Bourque responded: "Eventually I did." He declined further comment, saying, "I was a victim myself ... I'm retired. I'm 78 years old. I don't want to be part of a witch hunt."
An editorial in the Belleville News Democrat shows a lack of comprehension about how the Church is structured...The editorial blames Bishop Braxton for not doing something about this case:
Bourque admits he is a child molester. But because he is a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, not a parish priest, he is not covered by the sex abuse policy. He is the responsibility of the [O}blates. Their response to his pedophilia is to have Bourque sign himself out of the retirement home.First, I have not yet read whether this is a case "pedophilia" or one of homosexuality...Noting that the editorial writer is wrong about Bishop Braxton's powers to do something in this case leads me to be suspicious about the writer's other claims.
So how does current Bishop Edward Braxton respond? After the vicar general was sent to meet with the oblates' leader, Braxton concluded his obligations under the zero-tolerance policy were fulfilled and there was no more he was allowed to do under canon law.
Really?
In all fairness, the editorial should be directed toward the Oblates and not Bishop Braxton.
A Prayer for Priests
O Jesus, Eternal Priest;
keep Thy priests within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Thy Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with Thy Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unworldly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Thy holy love surround them from the world's contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit,
and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here
and their everlasting crown hereafter.
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us: obtain for us numerous and holy priests.
keep Thy priests within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Thy Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with Thy Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unworldly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Thy holy love surround them from the world's contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit,
and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here
and their everlasting crown hereafter.
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us: obtain for us numerous and holy priests.
Pope to Priests:...Be an Expert in the Spiritual Life
Papal Address to Priests in Warsaw Cathedral
"To Be an Expert in the Spiritual Life"
WARSAW, Poland, MAY 25, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI gave to priests today in Warsaw Cathedral, on the first day of his apostolic visit to Poland.
"To Be an Expert in the Spiritual Life"
WARSAW, Poland, MAY 25, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the address Benedict XVI gave to priests today in Warsaw Cathedral, on the first day of his apostolic visit to Poland.
...The faithful expect only one thing from priests: that they be specialists in promoting the encounter between man and God. The priest is not asked to be an expert in economics, construction or politics. He is expected to be an expert in the spiritual life. With this end in view, when a young priest takes his first steps, he needs to be able to refer to an experienced teacher who will help him not to lose his way among the many ideas put forward by the culture of the moment.
In the face of the temptations of relativism or the permissive society, there is absolutely no need for the priest to know all the latest, changing currents of thought; what the faithful expect from him is that he be a witness to the eternal wisdom contained in the revealed word. Solicitude for the quality of personal prayer and for good theological formation bear fruit in life...
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