From: Mark 10:2-16
The Indissolubility of Marriage (Continuation)
[2] And Pharisees came up and in order to test Him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" [3] He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" [4] They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." [5] But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment. [6] But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.'; [7] `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, [8] and the two shall become one.' So they are no longer two but one. [9] What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder."
[10] And in the house the disciples asked Him about this matter. [11] And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; [12] and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
Jesus and the Children
[13] And they were bringing children to Him, that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. [14] But when Jesus saw it He was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to Me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of God. [15] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." [16] And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands upon them.
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Commentary:
1-12. This kind of scene occurs often in the Gospel. The malice of the Pharisees contrasts with the simplicity of the crowd, who listen attentively to Jesus' teaching. The Pharisees' question aimed at tricking Jesus into going against the Law of Moses. But Jesus Christ, Messiah and Son of God, has perfect understanding of that Law. Moses had permitted divorce because of the hardness of that ancient people: women had an ignominious position in those primitive tribes (they were regarded almost as animals or slaves); Moses, therefore, protected women's dignity against these abuses by devising the certificate of divorce; this was a real social advance. It was a document by which the husband repudiated his wife and she obtained freedom. Jesus restores to its original purity the dignity of man and woman in marriage, as instituted by God at the beginning of creation. "A man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24): in this way God established from the very beginning the unity and indissolubility of marriage. The Church's Magisterium, the only authorized interpreter of the Gospel and of the natural law, has constantly guarded and defended this teaching and has proclaimed it solemnly in countless documents (Council of Florence, "Pro Armeniis"; Council of Trent, "De Sacram. Matr."; Pius XI, "Casti Connubi"; Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 48; etc.).
Here is a good summary of this doctrine: "The indissolubility of marriage is not a caprice of the Church nor is it merely a positive ecclesiastical law. It is a precept of natural law, of divine law, and responds perfectly to our nature and to the supernatural order of grace" ([St] J. Escriva, "Conversations" , 97). Cf. note on Matthew 5:31-32.
5-9. When a Christian realizes that this teaching applies to everyone at all times, he should not be afraid of people reacting against it: "It is a fundamental duty of the Church to reaffirm strongly [...] the doctrine of the indissolubility of marriage. To all those who, in our times, consider it too difficult, or indeed impossible, to be bound to one person for the whole of life, and to those caught up in a culture that rejects the indis- solubility of marriage and openly mocks the commitment of spouses to fidelity, it is necessary to reaffirm the good news of the definitive nature of that conjugal love that has in Christ its foundation and strength (cf. Ephesians 5:25).
"Being rooted in the personal and total self-giving of the couple, and being required by the good of the children, the indissolubility of marriage finds its ultimate truth in the plan that God has manifested in His revelation: He wills and He communicates the indissolubility of marriage as a fruit, a sign and a requirement of the absolutely faithful love that God has for man and that the Lord Jesus has for the Church.
"Christ renews the first plan that the Creator inscribed in the hearts of man and woman, and in the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony offers `a new heart': thus the couples are not only able to overcome `hardness of heart' (Matthew 19:8), but also and above all they are able to share the full and definitive love of Christ, the new and eternal Covenant made flesh. Just as the Lord Jesus is the `faithful witness' (Revelation 3:14), the `yes' of the promises of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:20) and thus the supreme realization of the unconditional faithfulness with which God loves His people, so Christian couples are called to participate truly in the irrevocable indissolubility that binds Christ to the Church, His bride, loved by Him to the end (cf. John 13:1).
"To bear witness to the inestimable value of the indissolubility and fidelity of marriage is one of the most precious and most urgent tasks of Christian couples in our time" (John Paul II, "Familiaris Consortio", 20).
13-16. This Gospel account has an attractive freshness and vividness about it which may be connected with St. Peter, from whom St. Mark would have taken the story. It is one of the few occasions when the Gospels tell us that Christ became angry. What provoked His anger was the disciples' intolerance: they felt that these people bringing children to Jesus were a nuisance: it meant a waste of His time; Christ had more serious things to do than be involved with little children. The disciples were well-intentioned; it was just that they were applying the wrong criteria. What Jesus had told them quite recently had not registered: "Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me" (Mark 9:37).
Our Lord also stresses that a Christian has to become like a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. "To be little you have to believe as children believe, to love as children love, to abandon yourself as children do..., to pray as children pray" ([St] J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", Prologue).
Our Lord's words express simply and graphically the key doctrine of man's divine sonship: God is our Father and we are His sons and daughters, His children; the whole of religion is summed up in the relationship of a son with His good Father. This awareness of God as Father involves a sense of dependence on our Father in Heaven and trusting abandon- ment to His loving providence-- in the way a child trusts its father or mother; the humility of recognizing that we can do nothing by ourselves; simplicity and sincerity, which make us straightforward and honest in our dealings with God and man.
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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, October 08, 2006
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Mental Prayer for October 8-It Takes More Than One
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: Cooperation, intelligence, obedience, and loyalty.
The Idea: Our journey on earth to heaven cannot be made alone. We travel and live with other human beings. This calls for mutual assistance. That is "cooperation." If we don't work together - cooperate - we all remain stuck in the mud and get nowhere. Cooperation means a balance of authority and obedience.
Someone, then, has to have authority. And for it to mean anything, all the others have to give loyal obedience. So, authority isn't something we have to put up with. It is an important part of our helping each other to God. We get nowhere unless, with obedience and intelligence and loyalty, we cooperate in carrying out orders that are given. Authority isn't one man lording it over others just to feel important; it is a necessary part of that steppingstone to God. But authority without cooperation is useless.
My Personal Application: In my own life do I act as if we can all go in opposite directions and still pull together? What is my attitude toward those who may be in charge? Do I try really to make our journey easier by cooperation - intelligent... obedient... loyal cooperation - with my bishop...my parents... my teachers... my leaders...my boss? God works through the men and women He has made; and when they are rightfully in charge, then such cooperation is the surest way to put God's will into practice here and now.
No, it isn't always easy! But the journey toward my goal is too important for me to spoil it by refusing the help that only I can give. Do I give it? - intelligent, obedient, loyal cooperation, a means to lead me to God in my everyday life.
I Speak to Christ: Lord, this isn't always easy, and there is no use pretending that it is. But you too obeyed even those who were less good, less pleasant, less intelligent than you. You did it because they spoke God's will and pointed out the way to serve Him. Help me to see how important, how helpful is this intelligent, obedient, loyal cooperation with those in authority. Give me, too, your help in making it part of my life.
Thought for Today:There is no advancement without cooperation.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: Cooperation, intelligence, obedience, and loyalty.
The Idea: Our journey on earth to heaven cannot be made alone. We travel and live with other human beings. This calls for mutual assistance. That is "cooperation." If we don't work together - cooperate - we all remain stuck in the mud and get nowhere. Cooperation means a balance of authority and obedience.
Someone, then, has to have authority. And for it to mean anything, all the others have to give loyal obedience. So, authority isn't something we have to put up with. It is an important part of our helping each other to God. We get nowhere unless, with obedience and intelligence and loyalty, we cooperate in carrying out orders that are given. Authority isn't one man lording it over others just to feel important; it is a necessary part of that steppingstone to God. But authority without cooperation is useless.
My Personal Application: In my own life do I act as if we can all go in opposite directions and still pull together? What is my attitude toward those who may be in charge? Do I try really to make our journey easier by cooperation - intelligent... obedient... loyal cooperation - with my bishop...my parents... my teachers... my leaders...my boss? God works through the men and women He has made; and when they are rightfully in charge, then such cooperation is the surest way to put God's will into practice here and now.
No, it isn't always easy! But the journey toward my goal is too important for me to spoil it by refusing the help that only I can give. Do I give it? - intelligent, obedient, loyal cooperation, a means to lead me to God in my everyday life.
I Speak to Christ: Lord, this isn't always easy, and there is no use pretending that it is. But you too obeyed even those who were less good, less pleasant, less intelligent than you. You did it because they spoke God's will and pointed out the way to serve Him. Help me to see how important, how helpful is this intelligent, obedient, loyal cooperation with those in authority. Give me, too, your help in making it part of my life.
Thought for Today:There is no advancement without cooperation.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Gospel for October 7, Memorial: Our Lady of the Rosary
From: Luke 10:17-24
The Seventy Return From Their Mission
[17] The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!" [18] And He (Jesus) said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. [19] Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. [20] Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven."
Jesus Gives Thanks
[21] In that same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was Thy gracious will. [22] All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him."
[23] Then turning to the disciples He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! [24] For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
________________________
Commentary:
20. Our Lord corrects His disciples, making them see that the right reason for rejoicing lies in hope of reaching Heaven, not in the power to do miracles which He gave them for their mission. As He said on another occasion, "On that day many will say to Me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast our demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers'" (Matthew 7:22-23). In other words, in the eyes of God doing His holy will at all times is more important than working miracles.
21. This passage of the Gospel is usually called our Lord's "hymn of joy" and is also found in St. Matthew (11:25-27). It is one of those moments when Jesus rejoices to see humble people understanding and accepting the word of God.
Our Lord also reveals one of the effects of humility--spiritual childhood. For example, in another passage He says: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 18:3). But spiritual childhood does not involve weakness, softness or ignorance: "I have often meditated on this life of spiritual childhood, which is not incompatible with fortitude, because it demands a strong will, proven maturity, an open and firm character [...]. To become children we must renounce our pride and self-sufficiency, recognizing that we can do nothing by ourselves. We must realize that we need grace, and the help of God our Father to find our way and keep it. To be little, you have to abandon yourself as children do, believe as children, beg as children beg" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 10 and 143).
22. "This statement is a wonderful help to our faith," St. Ambrose comments, "because when you read `all' you realize that Christ is all-powerful, that He is not inferior to the Father, or less perfect than He; when you read `have been delivered to me', you confess that Christ is the Son, to whom everything belongs by right of being one in substance [with the Father] and not by grace of gift" ("Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").
Here we see Christ as almighty Lord and God, consubstantial with the Father, and the only one capable of revealing who the Father is. At the same time, we can recognize the divine nature of Jesus only if the Father gives us the grace of faith--as He did to St. Peter (cf. Matthew 16:17).
23-24. Obviously, seeing Jesus with one's own eyes was a wonderful thing for people who believed in him. However, our Lord will say to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (John 20:29). St. Peter, for his part, tells us: "Without having seen Him you love Him; though you do not see Him you believe in Him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).
___________________________
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 Seventy Return From Their Mission
[17] The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!" [18] And He (Jesus) said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. [19] Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. [20] Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven."
Jesus Gives Thanks
[21] In that same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was Thy gracious will. [22] All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him."
[23] Then turning to the disciples He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! [24] For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
________________________
Commentary:
20. Our Lord corrects His disciples, making them see that the right reason for rejoicing lies in hope of reaching Heaven, not in the power to do miracles which He gave them for their mission. As He said on another occasion, "On that day many will say to Me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast our demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers'" (Matthew 7:22-23). In other words, in the eyes of God doing His holy will at all times is more important than working miracles.
21. This passage of the Gospel is usually called our Lord's "hymn of joy" and is also found in St. Matthew (11:25-27). It is one of those moments when Jesus rejoices to see humble people understanding and accepting the word of God.
Our Lord also reveals one of the effects of humility--spiritual childhood. For example, in another passage He says: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 18:3). But spiritual childhood does not involve weakness, softness or ignorance: "I have often meditated on this life of spiritual childhood, which is not incompatible with fortitude, because it demands a strong will, proven maturity, an open and firm character [...]. To become children we must renounce our pride and self-sufficiency, recognizing that we can do nothing by ourselves. We must realize that we need grace, and the help of God our Father to find our way and keep it. To be little, you have to abandon yourself as children do, believe as children, beg as children beg" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 10 and 143).
22. "This statement is a wonderful help to our faith," St. Ambrose comments, "because when you read `all' you realize that Christ is all-powerful, that He is not inferior to the Father, or less perfect than He; when you read `have been delivered to me', you confess that Christ is the Son, to whom everything belongs by right of being one in substance [with the Father] and not by grace of gift" ("Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").
Here we see Christ as almighty Lord and God, consubstantial with the Father, and the only one capable of revealing who the Father is. At the same time, we can recognize the divine nature of Jesus only if the Father gives us the grace of faith--as He did to St. Peter (cf. Matthew 16:17).
23-24. Obviously, seeing Jesus with one's own eyes was a wonderful thing for people who believed in him. However, our Lord will say to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (John 20:29). St. Peter, for his part, tells us: "Without having seen Him you love Him; though you do not see Him you believe in Him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).
___________________________
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, October 06, 2006
October 7 - Our Lady of the Rosary
The above is from Women for Faith and Family.
Madonna of the Rosary (with Mysteries of the Rosary)
by Lorenzo Lotto
(1539) Oil on canvasChurch of San Nicolo, Cingoli
Feast of the Holy Rosary
The feast of the Holy Rosary was established by Saint Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto, October 7, 1571. The victory was attributed to the help of the holy Mother of God whose aid was invoked through praying the Rosary.
The celebration of this day invites all to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so singularly associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God. [From the Christian Prayer(Liturgy of the Hours)]
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Today, most especially in our culture which has so little regard for human life and human dignity, let us respond to Archbishop Burke's request and make every effort to faithfully pray, daily, the Rosary (or at least one decade), a most powerful weapon against the forces of evil, and beseech Our Lady to intercede for us to her loving Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in order that we will receive the help and courage so desperately needed in these troubled, confused, and dangerous times.
Our Lady Of The Holy Rosary Novena PrayerThe Novena Prayer is from EWTN.
My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena: (Mention your request).
I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God’s holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.
I offer you this spiritual “Bouquet of Roses” because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.
Mental Prayer for the First Saturday of October
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Consecration and Reparation
Fifth Glorious Mystery
(Mary's Queenship: Mary has frequently reappeared on earth to help and guide her children.)
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To do what Mary asked at Fatima.
The Idea: Lucy of Fatima writes: "Our Lady once more stretched out her hands. The projected ray of light seemed to pierce the earth, and we saw what looked like a great sea of fire in which were plunged black and burning demons and souls in human form, resembling live transparent coals. Lifted up by the flames they fell back like sparks in a great conflagration amid loud screams and cries of pain and despair. We raised our eyes to the Blessed Virgin who said, kindly and sadly: 'You have seen hell, and the souls of poor sinners. To save them, our Lord wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If people will do what I shall tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be peace in the world'."
My Personal Application: Then, Mary, you told us exactly how to repair injuries to your Immaculate Heart: "Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is nobody to make sacrifices and to pray for them. Do not offend our Lord any more; He is already much offended. Say the Rosary daily."
Dear Mother, I'll do my best to say a daily Rosary. Saving a soul means more to me than 10 minutes spent on TV, snacks, parties, leisure. And you told the children at Fatima, Mary, "I shall come to ask the consecration of the world to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation of the first Saturday of the month. If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace." These are my Mother's requests. What shall I do?
I Speak to Christ: Dear Jesus, I will start today to repair the injuries I and others have caused you by repairing the suffering we've caused Mary your special gift to us. I'll do this with your help, by Communion and confession, by good works for others, etc.
Thought for Today: Pray and make sacrifices and reparations for sinners.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Consecration and Reparation
Fifth Glorious Mystery
(Mary's Queenship: Mary has frequently reappeared on earth to help and guide her children.)
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To do what Mary asked at Fatima.
The Idea: Lucy of Fatima writes: "Our Lady once more stretched out her hands. The projected ray of light seemed to pierce the earth, and we saw what looked like a great sea of fire in which were plunged black and burning demons and souls in human form, resembling live transparent coals. Lifted up by the flames they fell back like sparks in a great conflagration amid loud screams and cries of pain and despair. We raised our eyes to the Blessed Virgin who said, kindly and sadly: 'You have seen hell, and the souls of poor sinners. To save them, our Lord wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If people will do what I shall tell you, many souls will be saved and there will be peace in the world'."
My Personal Application: Then, Mary, you told us exactly how to repair injuries to your Immaculate Heart: "Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to hell because there is nobody to make sacrifices and to pray for them. Do not offend our Lord any more; He is already much offended. Say the Rosary daily."
Dear Mother, I'll do my best to say a daily Rosary. Saving a soul means more to me than 10 minutes spent on TV, snacks, parties, leisure. And you told the children at Fatima, Mary, "I shall come to ask the consecration of the world to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation of the first Saturday of the month. If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace." These are my Mother's requests. What shall I do?
I Speak to Christ: Dear Jesus, I will start today to repair the injuries I and others have caused you by repairing the suffering we've caused Mary your special gift to us. I'll do this with your help, by Communion and confession, by good works for others, etc.
Thought for Today: Pray and make sacrifices and reparations for sinners.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
A 'MUST READ': Missouri Bishops on Amendment 2
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
At the height of his public ministry, our Lord Jesus expressed the heart of His teaching on love with the unforgettable words: "Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40). As our Lord was about to offer His life for the salvation of all mankind, He taught us once again to love as He loves, without limit or boundary. For over 30 years now, we have witnessed, in our nation, the tragic consequences of a culture which sanctions the killing of innocent human life. In the United States, the least of our brothers and sisters are the unborn children threatened by abortion and the human embryos artificially produced to be destroyed as mere objects of research.
Today, in our State of Missouri, we witness a most disturbing advance of the culture of death with dire implications for our whole nation. Not only is human life deemed by many to be disposable, if unwanted, but a growing sector of society holds that some human lives are expendable for the sake of the interests of others, and may even be generated in laboratories solely to be destroyed.
Human cloning for research purposes embodies just such a belief. In cloning for research, human embryos are artificially created only to be destroyed in scientific and medical experiments. These cloned human beings are deliberately killed, at the earliest stage of their life for the sake of someone else’s idea of "scientific progress" or "therapy."
The stage of human life at which the killing takes place makes no difference. No matter how big or small we are, we all begin our unique journey of life as a human embryo. Killing is killing, no matter how young or old the victim. And no human life, at any stage of its development, may ever be taken for the sake of someone else’s gain. The teaching of Christ is and remains that every human life, at every stage of development, deserves our ultimate respect and protection.
On this coming Nov. 7, Missourians will be asked to vote on an amendment to enshrine in our State Constitution a right to clone and kill human life for the sake of supposed medical advancement. At first glance, the wording of Amendment 2 may sound like something good. It even appears to be a ban on cloning in Missouri. But the wording is deceptive. In fact, Amendment 2 creates a constitutional right for researchers to engage in human cloning for purposes of research.
It also leads to the exploitation of women. Human cloning for research requires women to risk their own health in supplying the eggs necessary for generating cloned human embryos. The artificial ovarian stimulation needed to make women produce the many needed eggs can lead to stroke, infertility, organ failure and even death. The women involved are used as a mere commodity, as a means to advance someone else’s speculations about "progress."
Finally, this amendment would take resources away from proven research. Adult stem-cell research — including stem cells from umbilical cord blood, placenta and bone marrow — has shown itself to be extremely successful in treating dozens of human illnesses, and shows promise even for conditions such as spinal cord damage, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. These cells can be obtained without any harm to the donor and without any violation of the moral law. Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, for instance, has the second- largest umbilical cord blood bank in the world.
Our late and most beloved Holy Father Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae: "The use of human embryos or fetuses as an object of experimentation constitutes a crime against their dignity as human beings who have a right to the same respect owed to a child once born, just as to every person" (no. 63). The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the same teaching: "It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material" (no. 2275).
Tragically, the proponents of the ballot initiative known as Amendment 2 have succumbed to false thinking which reduces nascent human life to an object, to a commodity whose value is determined by the interests of technical advancement and corporate profit. At work here is the fundamental moral error, "the end justifies the means," in its most heinous form. As committed Christians, we must oppose such false thinking with genuine Christian love, with adherence to the Truth which truly sets us free.
Does the Church’s total opposition to Amendment 2 mean that we are insensitive to those who believe such research will one day be the answer to their debilitating diseases? Not at all. On the contrary, we support the aggressive pursuit of stem-cell research which respects the moral law and has genuine promise.
When pressed for honest answers, many scientists now admit that the hope for cures from human cloning is very remote, and that the means to get there are highly impractical. The plain fact is that, despite years of concerted effort, embryonic stem-cell research has never yet helped a single human patient, and even worldwide efforts to obtain stem cells from cloned human embryos have been mired in failure and fraud. By contrast, we stand in genuine solidarity with our brothers and sisters who suffer debilitating disease.
We endorse medical research that does no harm to any human being on the pretext of helping another, and research which reverences and respects the dignity of all members of the human family, born and unborn.
In the face of such disturbing cultural trends — now hitting so close to home — none of us can remain indifferent. We Catholics in the State of Missouri must bring our knowledge of the moral truth to bear upon our choices, especially when participating in the democratic process. Our "least brethren" are depending upon us. Our Lord Jesus Christ is depending upon us. We must vote, and we must vote "no" on Amendment 2.
Let us all pray, through the intercession of the Mother of God, under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America and Star of the New Evangelization, that all human life will be safeguarded and protected by the Constitution and laws of our beloved State of Missouri. With heartfelt gratitude and the assurance of our constant prayer for each of you, we remain
Yours sincerely in Christ,
The Most Rev. Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis
The Most Rev. Robert W. Finn, Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
The Most Rev. John R. Gaydos, Bishop of Jefferson City
The Most Rev. John J. Leibrecht, Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
The Most Rev. Robert J. Hermann, Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis
The Most Rev. Raymond J. Boland, Bishop Emeritus of Kansas City-St. Joseph
____________________
At the height of his public ministry, our Lord Jesus expressed the heart of His teaching on love with the unforgettable words: "Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40). As our Lord was about to offer His life for the salvation of all mankind, He taught us once again to love as He loves, without limit or boundary. For over 30 years now, we have witnessed, in our nation, the tragic consequences of a culture which sanctions the killing of innocent human life. In the United States, the least of our brothers and sisters are the unborn children threatened by abortion and the human embryos artificially produced to be destroyed as mere objects of research.
Today, in our State of Missouri, we witness a most disturbing advance of the culture of death with dire implications for our whole nation. Not only is human life deemed by many to be disposable, if unwanted, but a growing sector of society holds that some human lives are expendable for the sake of the interests of others, and may even be generated in laboratories solely to be destroyed.
Human cloning for research purposes embodies just such a belief. In cloning for research, human embryos are artificially created only to be destroyed in scientific and medical experiments. These cloned human beings are deliberately killed, at the earliest stage of their life for the sake of someone else’s idea of "scientific progress" or "therapy."
The stage of human life at which the killing takes place makes no difference. No matter how big or small we are, we all begin our unique journey of life as a human embryo. Killing is killing, no matter how young or old the victim. And no human life, at any stage of its development, may ever be taken for the sake of someone else’s gain. The teaching of Christ is and remains that every human life, at every stage of development, deserves our ultimate respect and protection.
On this coming Nov. 7, Missourians will be asked to vote on an amendment to enshrine in our State Constitution a right to clone and kill human life for the sake of supposed medical advancement. At first glance, the wording of Amendment 2 may sound like something good. It even appears to be a ban on cloning in Missouri. But the wording is deceptive. In fact, Amendment 2 creates a constitutional right for researchers to engage in human cloning for purposes of research.
It also leads to the exploitation of women. Human cloning for research requires women to risk their own health in supplying the eggs necessary for generating cloned human embryos. The artificial ovarian stimulation needed to make women produce the many needed eggs can lead to stroke, infertility, organ failure and even death. The women involved are used as a mere commodity, as a means to advance someone else’s speculations about "progress."
Finally, this amendment would take resources away from proven research. Adult stem-cell research — including stem cells from umbilical cord blood, placenta and bone marrow — has shown itself to be extremely successful in treating dozens of human illnesses, and shows promise even for conditions such as spinal cord damage, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. These cells can be obtained without any harm to the donor and without any violation of the moral law. Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, for instance, has the second- largest umbilical cord blood bank in the world.
Our late and most beloved Holy Father Pope John Paul II wrote in his encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae: "The use of human embryos or fetuses as an object of experimentation constitutes a crime against their dignity as human beings who have a right to the same respect owed to a child once born, just as to every person" (no. 63). The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the same teaching: "It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material" (no. 2275).
Tragically, the proponents of the ballot initiative known as Amendment 2 have succumbed to false thinking which reduces nascent human life to an object, to a commodity whose value is determined by the interests of technical advancement and corporate profit. At work here is the fundamental moral error, "the end justifies the means," in its most heinous form. As committed Christians, we must oppose such false thinking with genuine Christian love, with adherence to the Truth which truly sets us free.
Does the Church’s total opposition to Amendment 2 mean that we are insensitive to those who believe such research will one day be the answer to their debilitating diseases? Not at all. On the contrary, we support the aggressive pursuit of stem-cell research which respects the moral law and has genuine promise.
When pressed for honest answers, many scientists now admit that the hope for cures from human cloning is very remote, and that the means to get there are highly impractical. The plain fact is that, despite years of concerted effort, embryonic stem-cell research has never yet helped a single human patient, and even worldwide efforts to obtain stem cells from cloned human embryos have been mired in failure and fraud. By contrast, we stand in genuine solidarity with our brothers and sisters who suffer debilitating disease.
We endorse medical research that does no harm to any human being on the pretext of helping another, and research which reverences and respects the dignity of all members of the human family, born and unborn.
In the face of such disturbing cultural trends — now hitting so close to home — none of us can remain indifferent. We Catholics in the State of Missouri must bring our knowledge of the moral truth to bear upon our choices, especially when participating in the democratic process. Our "least brethren" are depending upon us. Our Lord Jesus Christ is depending upon us. We must vote, and we must vote "no" on Amendment 2.
Let us all pray, through the intercession of the Mother of God, under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America and Star of the New Evangelization, that all human life will be safeguarded and protected by the Constitution and laws of our beloved State of Missouri. With heartfelt gratitude and the assurance of our constant prayer for each of you, we remain
Yours sincerely in Christ,
The Most Rev. Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis
The Most Rev. Robert W. Finn, Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
The Most Rev. John R. Gaydos, Bishop of Jefferson City
The Most Rev. John J. Leibrecht, Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
The Most Rev. Robert J. Hermann, Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis
The Most Rev. Raymond J. Boland, Bishop Emeritus of Kansas City-St. Joseph
____________________
In the Archdiocese of Minneapolis:'Coming Out' Sunday services announced
MINNEAPOLIS, October 5 (UPI) — A group of Catholics in Minneapolis will celebrate "National Coming Out Day" next Tuesday at the Basilica of St. Mary.Many have asked why hasn't Archbishop Flynn closed the heresy-ridden St. Joan of Arc parish? And how is something like this allowed to continue?
Fr. Michael O'Connell will preside over the event, sponsored by St. Joan of Arc Church, as a service is held in the basilica's St. Joseph Chapel.
"Along with the planned retreat activities, there will be time for reflection, journaling, massage, friendship and recreation," organizers of the Dignity Twin Cities event said Thursday in a news release. "We encourage participants to stay overnight on Saturday for the full, rich experience of the retreat, but commuters are also welcome."
Also, this Sunday, Dignity Twin Cities, a homosexual group, will celebrate a noon mass at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
Source.
HT to Darla for the link.
Don't forget this...Pro-life rally
"Get Out the Vote," a pro-life rally, will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at January Wabash Park, 502 N. Florissant Road in Ferguson.
Speakers include Alan Keyes, former U.S. ambassador and presidential candidate; Judie Brown, president of American Life League; Dr. Paul Byrne, longtime pro-life advocate; Zip Rzeppa, executive director of St. Louis Metropolitan Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and well-known sports personality; and Joseph Scheidler, founder of Pro-Life Action League.
Call Mary Ann Daub at (314) 479-1749 for information.
Speakers include Alan Keyes, former U.S. ambassador and presidential candidate; Judie Brown, president of American Life League; Dr. Paul Byrne, longtime pro-life advocate; Zip Rzeppa, executive director of St. Louis Metropolitan Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and well-known sports personality; and Joseph Scheidler, founder of Pro-Life Action League.
Call Mary Ann Daub at (314) 479-1749 for information.
Amendment 2 - Exploitation of and Dangers to Women
Today's article by Archbishop Burke touches on several aspects of the dangers to which women will be exposed should they choose to sell their eggs to those who facilitate the murder of innocent human life.
He also touches on the fact that the act of subjecting oneself to the harvesting of one's eggs for embryonic stem cell research is, not only dangerous, but a grave, mortal sin.
We must be deeply concerned since this grave matter before us (Amendment 2) will lead to the exploitation of poor and young woman who will be become the next "commodities" in a market eager for eggs for cloning...and the dangers these women will face are very real, indeed.
He also touches on the fact that the act of subjecting oneself to the harvesting of one's eggs for embryonic stem cell research is, not only dangerous, but a grave, mortal sin.
We must be deeply concerned since this grave matter before us (Amendment 2) will lead to the exploitation of poor and young woman who will be become the next "commodities" in a market eager for eggs for cloning...and the dangers these women will face are very real, indeed.
In the discussion of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Missouri, known as Amendment 2, on the ballot for this coming Nov. 7, a most important consideration is the exploitation of women, which it involves. As a shepherd of God’s flock, I am deeply concerned for all involved in the evils of human cloning and the destruction of the human embryo to harvest its stem cells. My first concern, of course, is for the most innocent and defenseless humans involved, namely the human embryos cloned through somatic cell nuclear transfer.Read Archbishop Burke's column here.
I am also deeply concerned for the women who are necessarily involved in the process of human cloning. In order to perform human cloning or somatic cell nuclear transfer, scientists must first procure human eggs from which to remove the nucleus, in order to replace it with the nucleus of a somatic or body cell of the donor with whom the cloned human will be identical. Human cloning requires the harvesting of eggs from women who are exploited to accomplish the purposes of its proponents. As Christians, we must address the immorality of such exploitation.
Amendment 2 Supporters - Ignorant or Liars?
Michael J. Fox was in the state yesterday to stump for Claire McCaskill and to promote passage of Amendment 2 which requires the cloning of humans for research and killing.
All of us, including the Church, are true and enthusiastic supporters and "champions of stem cell research", provided innocent human life is not destroyed in the process. While McCaskill and company might be "champions" of immoral embryonic stem cell research, it must be noted that she and her "party" are also "champions" of the culture of death.
It should come as no surprise then, that while she has zero regard for the inviolability and dignity of human life at its very earliest stages, she also has no regard for the health of women whose lives will be endangered by "egg harvesters."
Her position on Amendment 2 also demonstrates that she advocates usurping the rights of of the state, its citizens and taxpayers by denying them a voice in the funding of the "Clone and Kill" amendment.
It must be noted that those who support Amendment 2 have no problems giving public monies to private enterprises for unethical and immoral purposes, from which Missourians will receive nothing (except a request for more money).
Bets are that Fox has not a clue what deceptions lie hidden in the Amendment language; that is, we hope that he is woefully ignorant of the issues. It's either that - or - he is a blatant liar. Those are the only possibilities for speaking in such a manner.
Perhaps, because of his disease, his following of leaders of the culture of death is due to his diminished capacity for understanding the facts. We can only pray that the Lord opens his eyes to the horror being done to his and our unborn brothers and sisters.
Let us not forget that each one of us began our life journey as an embryo - let us not forget, as well, that our Lord, too, began His human nature as one these little ones.
"I'm a one-issue guy. I'm about stem cells," Fox said Thursday in an interview before joining state Auditor Claire McCaskill here at a restaurant...Noticably absent was the adjective "embryonic" in describing stem cells...
To him and millions of others, Fox said, stem cell research offers the hope of potential treatment and cure.Again, conveniently missing from the article is any distinction of embryonic and adult stem cells. This seemingly deliberate attempt to cloud the issue by suggesting that all stem cell research is the same is a disservice to the readership of the Post and the citizens of the State of Missouri.
Fox said he was aiding McCaskill because "she's very much a champion" of stem cell research - including Amendment 2...Michael J., by such comments, has revealed that he is either a deceitful liar or an ignorant shill regarding both Amendment 2 and the "champions of stem cell research"...Hopefully, the latter is the case.
All of us, including the Church, are true and enthusiastic supporters and "champions of stem cell research", provided innocent human life is not destroyed in the process. While McCaskill and company might be "champions" of immoral embryonic stem cell research, it must be noted that she and her "party" are also "champions" of the culture of death.
It should come as no surprise then, that while she has zero regard for the inviolability and dignity of human life at its very earliest stages, she also has no regard for the health of women whose lives will be endangered by "egg harvesters."
Her position on Amendment 2 also demonstrates that she advocates usurping the rights of of the state, its citizens and taxpayers by denying them a voice in the funding of the "Clone and Kill" amendment.
It must be noted that those who support Amendment 2 have no problems giving public monies to private enterprises for unethical and immoral purposes, from which Missourians will receive nothing (except a request for more money).
Fox said he respects those who oppose the research for religious reasons, but added, "I don't respect the manipulation of them" by those who use the word "cloning." Fox also objects to opponents' claims that women's eggs would be harvested. Fox noted that Amendment 2 would include bans on cloning and egg harvesting.Fox apparently hasn't lost his ability to read from a script...
Bets are that Fox has not a clue what deceptions lie hidden in the Amendment language; that is, we hope that he is woefully ignorant of the issues. It's either that - or - he is a blatant liar. Those are the only possibilities for speaking in such a manner.
Perhaps, because of his disease, his following of leaders of the culture of death is due to his diminished capacity for understanding the facts. We can only pray that the Lord opens his eyes to the horror being done to his and our unborn brothers and sisters.
Let us not forget that each one of us began our life journey as an embryo - let us not forget, as well, that our Lord, too, began His human nature as one these little ones.
For all the Theologically Inclined...
Hello bloggers,
Katerina and I have started a competition on our blog to go along side the Major League Baseball playoffs: The World Series of Catholic Theologians. The purpose is to have some fun while encouraging the study of theology among our readers. We picked theologians representative of the whole theological spectrum, the criteria being: 1. theologian claims to be doing Catholic theology; 2. theologian has had a large influence, for better or worse, on Catholic thought.
We were hoping you would help us out with this, perhaps by encouraging your readers to vote and, of course, by voting yourselves or leaving comments. We'd like this to be as big as possible. Thanks in advance!
Peace and blessings,
Michael
Harry Crocker- Message to Islamists:Don't Tread on Me
As we (or the better informed among us at least) celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto (*) this Saturday, marking the date in 1571 when the navy of Pope Pius V's Holy League turned back the Ottoman Turks from one of their recurrent jihads, it might be opportune to consider how the Islamic world has advanced politically over the last half century.Click here to read the article.
. . .
As far as our national interest is concerned, it doesn't much matter what Islamists and Baathists and Fatahists do to one another as long as they leave us alone -- and by leaving us alone, I mean not only not attacking us (or developing means to attack us), but deferring to our right to befriend whom we choose to befriend, to trade with whom we wish to trade, and to broadcast our ideas to whoever wants to listen, to be ourselves in the world, and to be true to our unofficial motto of Don't Tread on Me.
(*)Saturday is the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary.
The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted to honor Mary for the Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Pope St. Pius V and all Christians had prayed the Rosary for victory.More information is available from Catholic Culture here.
Lepanto, perhaps the most complete victory ever gained over the Ottoman Empire, on October 7, 1571, is commemorated by the invocation "Help of Christians," inserted in the Litany of Loretto. At Belgrade the Turks were defeated on the Feast of Our Lady ad Nives in 1716. A second victory gained that year on the Octave of the Assumption determined Pope Clement XI to command the Feast of the Rosary to be celebrated by the universal Church. Leo XIII added the invocation "Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us," to the Litany of Loretto. The Feast is in reality a great festival of thanksgiving for the signal and countless benefits bestowed on Christendom through the Rosary of our blessed Queen.
Former Priest and Loyola Professor Breaks Silence on new book The Rite of Sodomy
This was a press release which I received via email...No link available.
Date: October 4, 2006HT to Patte G for the update.
From: New Engel Publishing, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania .
To: Chicago Media Contacts
Archdiocese of Chicago Contacts
U.S. Religious and Diocesan Publications
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 25, 2006/New Engel Publishing/ - Former priest and Loyola Professor Emeritus Eugene C. Kennedy broke the silence surrounding the controversial book The Rite of Sodomy – Homosexuality and the Roman Catholic Church by Randy Engel with a scathing commentary on Religion News Service in Washington, D.C. on August 31, 2006.
Engel says that Kennedy’s attack on her book, which documents 100 years of intergenerational homosexuality and pederasty in the American Catholic hierarchy, was specifically aimed at Engel’s disclosure of the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin’s role in securing a stronghold for the Homosexual Collective within the Catholic Church in America (AmChurch).
According to Engel, in the original version of his commentary “Abbott More Like Costello in Attacks on Bernardin,” (8/30/06), Kennedy mistakenly attacked columnist Matt C. Abbott (www.renewamerica.us) for his alleged comments on Bernardin’s connections to the clerical homosexual network in the United States . This error was later remedied in a revised commentary after RNS confirmed that Abbott’s column ‘“Remembering’ Joseph Cardinal Bernardin” (8/18/06) was based on quotes from Engel’s book, The Rite of Sodomy.
“It is unfortunate that Kennedy puts himself in the untenable position of condemning a book he has never read,” Engel says. “For example, he would be hard pressed to find any justification for the charge that I blame homosexuals ‘for all the ills of society,’” she notes.
“What I do claim,” says Engel, “is that the Homosexual Collective to date has successfully infiltrated, colonized and metastasized the Catholic priesthood and religious orders in the United States as well as the Catholic hierarchy.” “Indeed, the main focus of my 1312-page book is the identification of homosexual prelates in AmChurch starting at the turn of the 20th century with William Cardinal O'Connell and Francis Cardinal Spellman and ending with Cardinal Bernardin and other American prelates,” Engel explains.
According to Engel, “The ongoing sex abuse scandal in AmChurch, that includes the systematic cover-up by members of the American hierarchy of criminal acts of Catholic priests and religious who prey on young boys, takes on new meaning when viewed within the context of a long-existing network of homosexual bishops and cardinals in AmChurch.”
“Bernardin's role in accelerating the rise of the Homosexual Collective in AmChurch cannot be overstated,” Engel states. “He was instrumental in giving the Collective a strategic foothold in the National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference (later renamed the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops) in Washington , D.C. , beginning with the bureau’s founding in 1966/1967.”
Engel notes that Kennedy charged her with wrongly linking Bernardin "in some way to the 1984 murder of a church organist in Chicago ." “Actually,” said Engel, “it was the cardinal who linked himself, indirectly, to the police investigation of the murder of Frank Pellegrini, a defecting member of the Chicago clergy homosexual/pederast ring known as the “ Bo ys’ Club,” when he (Bernardin) showed up at the murdered man's house on the evening that Pellegrini's body was discovered. The cardinal said he did not know the victim,” reports Engel.
“News of the existence of the “ Bo ys’ Club” is not new,” she asserts. “In the paperback version of Father Andrew Greeley's non-fiction book Furthermore! Memories of a Parish Priest published in 1999, the priest-writer made reference to the same ring and implied that it was capable of criminal actions to protect its own,” she says.
According to Engel, Bernardin’s involvement in the homosexual network that operated out of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona , Minn. was less-well known.” “Had he taken the time to read The Rite of Sodomy Kennedy would have seen that the groundwork for these charges was carefully laid in Chapter 14 that precedes my chapter on Bernardin, in the section describing the misdeeds of Bishop Robert H. Brom of the Diocese of San Diego, formerly Bishop of Duluth, Minn.”
“Regarding the charges against Bernardin made by Steven Cook in 1993,” says Engel, “the observation of writer-therapist Richard Sipe comes to mind.” According to Sipe, "Cook never retracted his allegations of abuse (against Bernardin) by anyone's account other than Bernardin’s.” “As to my charge that Bernardin made a (well-laundered) pay-off to Cook in the seven-figure range,” said Engel, I will stand behind that charge.” “Cook did not recant. He settled,” she says.
Engel states that Kennedy’s defense of Cardinal Bernardin did not surprise her. “Kennedy, was Bernardin’s long-time friend and biographer,” said Engel, “and a well-known supporter of pseudo-Catholic pro-homosexual groups like Dignity and New Ways Ministry.” “He dismissed my charges against Cardinal Bernardin as ‘hilarious’ and ‘illogical,’ she concludes, “but, sadly, he appears to be the only one laughing.”
- End -
Contact Information
Randy Engel, author
Randy.Engel@riteofsodomy.com
724-327-8878
www.riteofsodomy.com
A Prayer in Defense of Life
Almighty God, You have blessed us with the gift of human life, made in Your own image and likeness, and redeemed by the Most Precious Blood of Your only-begotten Son.Prayer by Archbishop Raymond Burke, at the Rally of Christians Against Human Cloning, August 28, 2006.
You have entrusted human life into our hands as the first of Your gifts to us, so that we may serve You by serving our brothers and sisters, especially those in most need.
We beg you to assist us, by Your grace, so that we may do all within our capacity to defend the inviolable dignity of every human life, from the moment of its inception to the moment of natural death.
In the present crisis which we face, bless us, dear and all-merciful Lord, with wisdom and courage to defend the right to life of our brothers and sisters at the embryonic stage of development.
Help us to proclaim the truth with love, so that our State of Missouri may fulfill its most fundamental duty, to promote the common good by protecting and promoting all human life, without limits or boundaries.
We ask this, all-loving Father, through Christ, your Son and our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The full remarks of Archbishop Burke to the Assembly may be read here.
Gospel for Friday, 26th Week In Ordinary Time
From: Luke 10:13-16
Jesus Condemns Cities For Their Unbelief
(Jesus said,) [13] "Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. [14] But it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. [15] And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to Heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.
[16] "He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."
_________________________
Commentary:
16. On the evening of the day of His resurrection, our Lord entrusts His Apostles with the mission received from the Father, endowing them with powers similar to His own (John 20:21). Some days later He will confer on Peter the primacy He had already promised him (John 21:15-17). The Pope is the successor of Peter, and the bishops the successor of the Apostles (cf. "Lumen Gentium", 20). Therefore, "Bishops who teach in communion with the Roman Pontiff are to be revered by all as witnesses of divine and Catholic truth [...]. This loyal submission of the will and intellect must be given, in a special way, to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he does not speak "ex cathedra" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 25).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Jesus Condemns Cities For Their Unbelief
(Jesus said,) [13] "Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. [14] But it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. [15] And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to Heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.
[16] "He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."
_________________________
Commentary:
16. On the evening of the day of His resurrection, our Lord entrusts His Apostles with the mission received from the Father, endowing them with powers similar to His own (John 20:21). Some days later He will confer on Peter the primacy He had already promised him (John 21:15-17). The Pope is the successor of Peter, and the bishops the successor of the Apostles (cf. "Lumen Gentium", 20). Therefore, "Bishops who teach in communion with the Roman Pontiff are to be revered by all as witnesses of divine and Catholic truth [...]. This loyal submission of the will and intellect must be given, in a special way, to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he does not speak "ex cathedra" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 25).
___________________________
Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
This ought to be good...
...(sarcasm now off)
Canadian Bishops' Discussion on Catholic Politicians and Abortion to Include Address by Cardinal McCarrick
Do the bishops of Canada really need to hear from a man who failed to divulge Cardinal Ratzinger's memo to his brother bishops?
Canadian Bishops' Discussion on Catholic Politicians and Abortion to Include Address by Cardinal McCarrick
Do the bishops of Canada really need to hear from a man who failed to divulge Cardinal Ratzinger's memo to his brother bishops?
"Catholics in the Public Square"
[On October 7, Phoenix] Bishop Olmsted will launch his new booklet “Catholics in the Public Square.” As faithful Catholics, we have certain responsibilities and moral standards that we need to uphold to ourselves, our family, community and our nation. This booklet explains what is appropriate in our modern, secular world and how we should seek to influence persons involved in the political process. All are encouraged to attend the launch of this booklet. Admission and breakfast is free but you must RSVP. Call Genny Jones at (480) 503-1843 to reserve a seat.Source.
Mental Prayer for the First Friday of October
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
The Sacred Heart - Symbol of Love
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To understand why Christ asked to be honored as the Sacred Heart.
The Idea: When I look at Christ's heart, I remember that it is a human heart that grew (as I did) through boyhood, "in wisdom and age and grace." His heart felt all that it takes to build a man: age, eyes, but grace and wisdom more. I have grace in His sacraments, wisdom in His Sacred Heart, if I look to see it there.
I see that the true Man has a tireless, giving heart; He came more to serve others than be served. He has a gentle, understanding heart; He gave a widow back her son, He cured cripples and lepers, forgave sinners, drew little children to Him, and yet could drive a whole market place from the temple by the force of His voice and eyes. He never blasted anyone except the hardened, righteous Pharisees.
I see true Man can suffer and even have a sad and troubled heart; it's no shame to have a fearful heart if it still can say, "Father, thy will be done." And though He could weep at a friend's grave, He bore spittle and blows and scourging and thorns and nails and death without a cry or sound. This heart bore these for me. Could any man suffer so much for me?... and not love me?
My Personal Application: Could even God have done more than He has done to prove that He is real?... to prove that He has a sensitive human heart and wants to be treated as one who is human? And yet do I not often treat Him as if He did not exist, as if He were not real at all? When Christ appeared to St. Margaret Mary to spread the devotion to His Sacred Heart, He said, "Behold this heart that has so loved men and received so little love in return." Until I come to think of Him in terms as real as my parents and friends, He will still be able to complain this way of me.
I Speak to the Sacred Heart: (Reread the idea slowly, telling Christ how you understand each phrase).
Thought for Today: Sacred Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may love you more and more.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
The Sacred Heart - Symbol of Love
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To understand why Christ asked to be honored as the Sacred Heart.
The Idea: When I look at Christ's heart, I remember that it is a human heart that grew (as I did) through boyhood, "in wisdom and age and grace." His heart felt all that it takes to build a man: age, eyes, but grace and wisdom more. I have grace in His sacraments, wisdom in His Sacred Heart, if I look to see it there.
I see that the true Man has a tireless, giving heart; He came more to serve others than be served. He has a gentle, understanding heart; He gave a widow back her son, He cured cripples and lepers, forgave sinners, drew little children to Him, and yet could drive a whole market place from the temple by the force of His voice and eyes. He never blasted anyone except the hardened, righteous Pharisees.
I see true Man can suffer and even have a sad and troubled heart; it's no shame to have a fearful heart if it still can say, "Father, thy will be done." And though He could weep at a friend's grave, He bore spittle and blows and scourging and thorns and nails and death without a cry or sound. This heart bore these for me. Could any man suffer so much for me?... and not love me?
My Personal Application: Could even God have done more than He has done to prove that He is real?... to prove that He has a sensitive human heart and wants to be treated as one who is human? And yet do I not often treat Him as if He did not exist, as if He were not real at all? When Christ appeared to St. Margaret Mary to spread the devotion to His Sacred Heart, He said, "Behold this heart that has so loved men and received so little love in return." Until I come to think of Him in terms as real as my parents and friends, He will still be able to complain this way of me.
I Speak to the Sacred Heart: (Reread the idea slowly, telling Christ how you understand each phrase).
Thought for Today: Sacred Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may love you more and more.
__________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
Too Good not to Share: Clerical Contraception
From Spirit and Life by Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer:
The beloved founder of Human Life International, Fr. Paul Marx, was not known to mince words when it came to what he called the "conspiracy of silence" from the pulpits of our Church on the issue of contraception, but his insights of twenty and thirty years ago were right on target and remain true to this day: "Future generations," he said, "will wonder why so many Catholic bishops and priests in the West didn't see contraception as a seminal evil and the chief cause of the Church's swift decline." There is the core issue. Priestly silence about contraception is deadly both to the Church and to our society.
To this day the vast majority of Catholic clergy refuse to talk about contraception despite their moral obligation to do so. I can tell you that it is not only in the United States that this is the case; it is true in every part of the world. The reasons for this negligence range from outright heresy to lack of moral courage to inexcusable ignorance of the subject matter. Whatever the reason, the effect is the same: something I call clerical contraception.
Contraception itself is a rejection of God's sovereignty over one's marriage and a refusal to obey the Lord's command to "be fruitful and multiply." The priest, though not married, analogously contracepts the life-giving seed of truth when he refuses to preach the Catholic Faith - all of it. Faith comes through hearing, says St. Paul, and it is through the priestly ministry that Christ transmits the Faith to His bride, the Church, so that she can be fruitful and multiply the souls who are brought to salvation.
This is probably the main reason why so many Catholics today contracept or sterilize themselves and see absolutely no contradiction in receiving the Eucharist every Sunday and believing themselves in perfect communion with the Church. They've never been admonished that it is a mortal sin to use contraception or get sterilized. They've never been told of the physical and spiritual danger of these practices, and they've never been made aware of the magnificent, life-giving alternatives that the Church offers to the Ideology of Infertility.
Priests who are silent about the teaching on contraception also forget two very important things: first, priestly vocations generally come from large families. Failure to preach openness to life and generosity with children has a direct effect on how many men will be standing in the trenches with us later on.
Contracepting this teaching has the same effect as contracepting the marital act: sterility. The persistent sterility of priestly vocations in the West is caused by priests who are silent about the plague of contraception among the laity and forget that their own vocations are the result of their parents' generosity with life. Overworked priests will be reaping the fruits of their silence on contraception for a long time.
Secondly, priestly silence about contraception has eternal consequences. The price of that silence is the loss of souls.
Contracepting men and women who are not warned of their sin and who therefore do not repent of it risk the death of their immortal souls, and that is a scandal of immense proportions. To be warned is to be forewarned, especially about something so crucial. Perhaps the only danger of greater consequence is the danger to the priests themselves who don't do their job: they risk their own spiritual deaths because in the end they will be held accountable for preaching the Church's full message "in season and out of season."
All priests should read the Lord's message to the prophet Ezekiel to know the high stakes of failing to preach the fullness of Christ's teaching: "If I say to the wicked man, You shall surely die; and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his wicked conduct so that he may live: that wicked man shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death" (Ez 3:18). May every priest take this warning to heart!
Throwing Rational Thinking by the Wayside
That's what we witness in reading this letter to the Post:
It's painfully obvious that Mr. Thomas is the "clueless" one here as his depth of basic biological knowledge is clearly demonstrated to be non-existent.
This is what happens when one relies on the use of code words and phrases in a vain attampt to make a point - a point which can be refuted by even the most basic of rational thinking.
As a draft report from California's $3 billion dollar stem-cell institute released Tuesday indicated, it is unlikely to develop cures for diseases or other ailments any time soon (within the next 10-15 years)...Are Missourians supposed to fund this kind of research as the behest of private industry, to say nothing of its moral implications?
Perhaps, if Mr. Thomas and like-minded voters did a bit more research, they would not be as eager to jump on the Amendment 2 bandwagon?
We have precious little time before cloning and killing at public expense might become enshrined in the Missouri constitution. A major effort of education is needed. An even more important effort of prayer and sacrifice is needed to ask for our Lord's mercy and assistance in defeating this evil.
Pray the rosary daily!
Source.
I have read the proposed Stem Cell Initiative from cover to cover and I am convinced it is a good thing for Missouri.Opponents? It is an indisputable scientific fact that Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer is a "cloning" procedure...So, Mr. Thomas, is "science" just plain wrong?
Opponents of the measure who claim stem cell research is a form of human cloning are just plain wrong.
A single human cell is not a human. Yes, a single human cell is a form of life, but those who claim that stem cell research is tantamount to "taking a life to save a life" are as clueless as the day is long, or they simply want to mislead others. Human cells are routinely used in many forms of scientific and medical research other than stem cell research. Where's the outcry in that regard?Most Pro-Life advocates never refer to a "potential human being" but rather a "human being with potential". The phrase "potential human being" has been used routinely by those who promote the culture of death - refusing to recognize the inherent dignity of any human life, save their own.
If Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) amounts to destroying a "potential human being" as some opponent's claim, then every sperm cell is also a potential human being as well. I don't see a ground swell of support to save every sperm cell, do you?
It's painfully obvious that Mr. Thomas is the "clueless" one here as his depth of basic biological knowledge is clearly demonstrated to be non-existent.
This is what happens when one relies on the use of code words and phrases in a vain attampt to make a point - a point which can be refuted by even the most basic of rational thinking.
The simple fact of the matter is that many people in this country are afraid of any controversial issue they don't understand.The fact of the matter is that those who truly understand the dangerous ramifications and deadly effects of Amendment 2 rightfully fear its passage. Those who now fail to understand what Amendment 2 is, will eventually come to understand its insidious nature, but then, it will be too late.
Because stem cell research is a complicated issue, many voters don't want to take the time to fully understand the issue, so they simply oppose it. Based on a recent Journal article, some of Jefferson County's politicians fall into this category.Amendment 2 is about more than "stem cell research" and those who oppose it do so precisely because they fully understand what is at stake, especially when it comes to amending the constitution to enshrine evil.
Yes, it's true that stem cell research has not produced any cures, yet. But many other forms of research that have produced cures started out as controversial issues pitting science against the so-called "moral majority."It's true that embryonic stem cell research has produced nothing but problems, tumors and cancerous growths, while adult stem cell therapies have treated over 70 different diseases and conditions. This is not a "moral majority" issue. It is an agenda driven attempt to obtain public funding and private profits for unethical scientific research - nothing more, nothing less. When the source of private funding for sinister research dries up, the next option is to look for naive and gullible individuals to fleece, either privately or publicly.
As a draft report from California's $3 billion dollar stem-cell institute released Tuesday indicated, it is unlikely to develop cures for diseases or other ailments any time soon (within the next 10-15 years)...Are Missourians supposed to fund this kind of research as the behest of private industry, to say nothing of its moral implications?
Perhaps, if Mr. Thomas and like-minded voters did a bit more research, they would not be as eager to jump on the Amendment 2 bandwagon?
The language of the Stem Cell Initiative clearly prohibits cloning a human being. Furthermore, fertilization of cells use in stem cell research is not required.Another voter has bought into the lies of Amendment 2.
I dismiss the rhetoric of narrow-minded religious zealots who twist the facts to suit their own narrow-minded agenda.While Mr Thomas might feel good about "dimissing the rhetoric of Religious zealots", there are a number of scientists and doctors who are equally opposed to Amendment 2 for ethical and scientific reasons. Others are opposed for financial reasons. Some are opposed for moral reasons. These can all be easily dismissed if one is ignorant of the issues or if one has been deceived by the "rhetoric" of those whose hidden agenda is one of greed and deceit.
I will vote "yes" on Amendment 2.
Bill Thomas
Fenton
We have precious little time before cloning and killing at public expense might become enshrined in the Missouri constitution. A major effort of education is needed. An even more important effort of prayer and sacrifice is needed to ask for our Lord's mercy and assistance in defeating this evil.
Pray the rosary daily!
Source.
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