Book Review: My Battle AgainstHitler by Dietrich von Hildebrand

The topic of the Holocaust is always one that brings about mixed feelingsfrom the reader. One of the greatest tragedies in human history is alwaysbegs the question of, “how did this even happen?” As someone who hastaken college courses on the Holocaust, tried to read about the manydifferent facets and aspects of it, and has even had the privilege to work

on a university speaker series about the Holocaust that has brought someof the greatest academics, historians, researchers, and survivors to discussit, I have always struggled to understand the Holocaust as a person offaith. From simply the perspective of a Christian, one is forced to wonderhow evils of this nature could even be committed from one person toanother. But as a Catholic convert, I could not understand how this couldhave taken place without any and every Catholic standing up againstthese atrocities at once.The only way to understand how these events transpired is to view themin their context. It is easy to sit and view these events after the fact, makejudgement calls on information that was not available, or say what shouldhave been done. Did anyone have the foresight to know what was goingto happen? Most could never have imagined the awful Final Solution thatwas brought forth by the Nazi regime. But it is not as though theforfeiting of rights, the government sponsored antisemitism, and the forceof the Nazi party arrived overnight. This slow build up of resentment,misguided national pride and division based upon pseudo-science wassomething that was very apparent if one took notice.

One prominent Catholic thinker did take notice. Dietrich von Hildebrandwas one who noticed the dangers of the National Socialism and themanner in which Hitler’s rise to power was anything but a revitalizationof Germanic pride. A philosopher, teacher, theologian, and fellowCatholic convert, von Hildebrand was one of the earliest voices in theresistance and opposition to the Nazi regime. My Battle Against Hitler:Faith, Truth, and Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich is acompilation of memoirs by von Hildebrand and his writings againstNazism. Translated by John Henry Crosby and his father, John F. Crosby(who was a student of von Hildebrand in the later years of his life), thiswork brings together the story of a man who was very aware of what thetype of thinking that National Socialism could lead to and his struggle toinform all those who would hear his voice.

Speaking against the dangers of National Socialism, the Nazi ideology,and the limitation of individual rights, von Hildebrand would quickly beput on the Nazi “black list” and become a target of the Nazis. Having toflee his home for Florence, then Austria. von Hildebrand would not keepsilent on the atrocities that were beginning to take place. Identifyinghimself alongside the “non-Aryans”, von Hildebrand would speak forthose who would be quickly losing their rights, their homes, andeventually their lives. Most troubling to von Hildebrand was howCatholics could try to see the value and lighter side of what Hitler waspromoting. The dangers of putting the state above the individual wascontrary to the dignity, respect, and image of God that is in all humans.Von Hildebrand would identify this movement toward a skewed ideologyas what made the National Socialist movement so dangerous, before theyeven committed their first crime.

Being such an ardent adversary of the Nazis, von Hildebrand wouldbecome “the greatest obstacle for National Socialism in Austria. No one

causes more harm” according to Germany’s Ambassador to Austria.Writing from there, von Hildebrand’s works would be seen as a directthreat to the Nazi party. To show on an intellectual, moral and theologicallevel that the basis for national Socialism was against the faith, the Nazisviewed von Hildebrand as one who could overthrow the Nazi regime.Being such a threat, a proposed assassination was brought forth by SSleader Heinrich Himmler. Von Hildebrand narrowly escaped those whocame to arrest him.My Battle Against Hitler is a wonderful work that gives the reader insightthrough previously unpublished works into the mind that Pope Pius XIIwould refer to as a “20th century Doctor of the Church.” Later, PopeBenedict XVI would say, “When the intellectual history of the CatholicChurch in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich vonHildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time.” Thisvolume is an easy read that allows the reader to see how the creepingprogress of National Socialism was not the fire that we would desire to benoticed, but rather the slowly boiling water that the frog could not notice.Only a strong voice with foresight into the future could warn of the ills ofthis ideology and help to see where this could lead to.

Even as he confidently challenged Nazism on the firm basis ofphilosophical arguments, the real source of his strength and hisamazing peace and joy in those darkest of hours lay in hisever-deepening life of faith. “I had the consciousness that whatI was doing was right before God,” he later wrote, “and thisgave me such inner freedom that I was not afraid.”

Being a Christian in the PublicSphere

What does it take to be a Christian in the public sphere? I ask myself thisquestion all the time. We live in a world where our ideas, beliefs andvalues are constantly put to the test. As Christians especially, we arealways pushed to see if our value of love of neighbor can stand up in thetesting of actions and words that constantly contradict stated beliefs.Every Christian denomination has dealt with these quandaries differently.Some have gone with the flow and attempted to change “with the times”.Others, will adapt and allow certain changes to their beliefs and creedstatements to allow wiggle room or new thought. Others, banking onhistory or strength in numbers, will stand back, allow the onslaught ofarrows to come, and try to withstand, always keeping their guard up.

What is the proper response? But further, is there truly a need for a“response”? For example, everyone is all the rage right now about talksgoing on among bishops about the “new Catholic reaction towardhomosexuality”. Every report I read confuses me. I read each one lookingfor some new teaching, some new insight, or perhaps even a change insomething prior, but all I am greeted with is a further clarification of thesame belief as before. The Church has always believed and taught aboutthe dignity of every person. No person is outside of God’s reach for Loveand Forgiveness. We are not the judge of our fellow man and should notcondemn them. We should never condone sinful behavior, but this doesnot mean we can’t still love the person. To assume that anyone of us isbetter than anyone else is just plain prideful. Each person sins. Eachperson is accountable to God for the things they have done or have failedto do. But we are called to love as God does. Despite have a splinter in

their eye, or a beam in our own, we can love one another and encourageone another to be better.Every time a new law or policy comes up, we have to evaluate what thisdoes for our fellow man in general. When those who are persecuted needhelp, we should be there. I do not care if a person is straight, gay, orwhatever sexual orientation they feel they are, they all deserve to beloved. No one deserves to be hurt. We cannot judge a person based upontheir feelings or what they struggle with, we can only discuss whatactions they actually do. I will not condone actions that I feel are contraryto God, but a person in and of themselves are not contrary to or beyondbeing loved. There are too many -isms in this world. People are judgedand hurt because of their skin color, age, gender, ethnicity, faith, wealth(or lack thereof), sexual actions, ranking on an unknowable coolnessscale, poor judgement, or just because they are somehow “different.” Idon’t remember Christ saying that His salvation was conditional uponsomething you are, just on what you actually do. The only condition wasif you are willing to accept Him, and follow Him. This following doesnecessitate actions. This does require you to “sin no more.” But it allstarts somewhere.

When you are a Christian in the Public Sphere, you have to make youbeliefs known. But this does not require you to alienate people. Christ didnot point out the “other” and say, “See that guy, he does bad things, sodon’t ever talk to him.” Christ pointed out faults, often times veryblatantly, but always chose to be among those very people and love them,and teach them. Time and time again, Christ was judged by others fordining with tax collectors and prostitutes. These are two of the mostoutwardly glaring sinful professions of the time. Christ knew they hadsinned. Everyone knew they had sinned. But that didn’t exclude themfrom an invite to the table.

Throughout history, we see examples of holiness and love reaching out tothose who need it. Mother Teresa cared for those outside of societalbounds and thought. Rev. Martin Luther King fought for rights, not onlyof those suffering racism, but those who were maltreated because of theirgender, or their social class. They did these things because their faithcompelled them too. They did not stand behind books, policies or wallsand say that these others are not for them or for God. They reached out,and helped those who needed it most. To be a Christian is not to onlygather those around you who are your fellow faithful, but more to go outand preach the gospel by your actions. St. Francis said, “Preach thegospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” We are to stand aswitness to God’s love. To be a Christian in the public sphere is to beoutwardly seen as a Christian, through your words, but more importantly,through your deeds.

Can what I buy hurt me

spiritually?When thinking about how we spend our money, most decisions are easy.We all have bills to pay and simple needed things. We buy food, gas forour cars, clothes and other essentials. But when we find ourselves in anarea of comfort and have extra, what do we spend our money on? Orwhen we are buying something, does the level of luxury that we buy intomatter?

For instance, say I want to buy a car. I might need the car, and it willserve many purposes, but is it wrong if I buy a luxury car rather than asimple car that would get me from A to B or fit those I need to tr ansport?The same could be said for clothes, a cell phone, or other items. If youdesire to spend more on these items and buy a more luxury brand, is thatsomething that could hurt your faith?

As St. Paul wrote to Timothy, ” For the love of money is the root of allevils, and some in their desire for it have strayed from the faith andpierced themselves with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:10). But what doesthis mean? Does this mean that money, or by extension, what we buywith our money, can be an evil that will pull us away from our faith?Well, it depends on what your motivation is. If you buy a luxury car forthe purpose of being a status symbol, or buy it because it’s an expensivebrand, then your motivation (pride, perhaps?) may be in the wrong place.If you appreciate the craftsmanship of the brand and the creativity andskill that created this, thereby giving glory to God that man has the abilityto create something of this beauty, then perhaps your intentions are stillgood.

Many would say that simplicity is the way to go and that the extra moneyyou thereby save should be given to the poor or charity. But rememberthat even though a luxury- brand company will make a profit on their sale,there are many deserving people who actually made the product that willalso benefit, and supporting those people is a good as well. Perhapsmoderation is the key here. If you spend a little more in one area, then tryto spend less in others.

Remember also to ask yourself some key questions. Do I need this item?Do I only want it to fill in a piece of me that God should be fillinginstead? Is this a desire, or a need? Rationalization can happen easilywhen thinking about purchases, but only you and God know thedisposition of your heart and what your intent is.

 

 

 

The Pope and the MafiaI’m a convert, so naturally, I have an affinity for all the little trappings ofthe faith. With that, I know the journey that I went through to get here andin a way, I feel protective of my Church. I feel reverence for the BlessedMother, for her husband Joseph, and especially for our Lord. This is whywhen I see someone act contrary to the faith they profess, I feel deeplysaddened. At times, this shame is also felt with frustration. I have neverunderstood how in movies it is portrayed that a mobster (or other criminalfor that matter) can commit a murder, and then go to Mass that Sunday. Ihave never understood why it is portrayed as understandable and acceptedthat the devotion of the Catholic faith and violence are not at obviousodds. Movies like “The Godfather” or “Boondock Saints” that have theirmain characters committing atrocious acts, and then acting as if they areone with the faithful have always rubbed me the wrong way. These areonly movies, but they do have basis in real life.

Well, our wonderful Holy Father Pope Francis will not sit idly by. Just ashe showed bravery in Buenos Aires as Archbishop, Francis has spokenout strongly against the mafia and let the world know they are not inunion with the Church’s beliefs. Francis was recently in Lampedusa andCalabria visiting with refugees, immigrants, and the unemployed. There,the ‘Ndrangheta are the main force in the area and their mafia tactics haveruled that land for decades. Francis spoke out, publicly aligning himselfwith those who have been affected and encouraging those in attendance.

During a Mass for the same population, Francis was explicitly clear inspeaking out against those who are harming their neighbors.The pontiff spoke out about the mafia last March as well. On thatoccasion he asked the “men and women of the mafia” to convert andchange their lives “so that they do not end up in hell….which is whatawaits if they continue on this path…. The power, the money you havenow through illicit business, from many mafia crimes, is bloody money, itis bloody power and you cannot take it with you to the next life”.Encouraging the faithful at Mass this week, Francis furthered thismessage and said that, “this evil must be fought and distanced.”

Our Holy Father, a loving and gentle spirit, is also one who is honest andforthright in calling things how they are. We can no longer sit idly by andhave the world confused by the purported faith of those doing thesecrimes. I applaud our pontiff, and hope that having such ills brought tolight will further the message of Christ’s Church and bring in those whomay have been deterred by the confusion and mixed appearances.

Why Are We Always Looking Up?

I realized a while ago that we all suffer from the same condition. Nomatter what station we are in life, no matter the socioeconomic status, nomatter the (fill in descriptor here), we all are constantly looking up, whenwe should be looking around and especially down. What I mean by this isthat we are always concerned with who has more than us. We all look atwho has more money, possessions, title, status, or whatever than us. I findthis to be true no matter how much of what ever it is you have. The richalways want to be richer. The leaders always want to be in the next higherposition. We worry about things and always think, “as soon as I get X, I’llbe happy.” Why is that?

I am guilty of this too. But recently, I caught myself. Yes, I would love tohave more, but what I have currently I should feel blessed for. And ofcourse, I should feel extremely grateful for what I have because there area great many who don’t have what I do. Those who are in need of thethings that I take for granted would be disgusted at my purportedunhappiness about not having even more. I am healthy, well fed, have a

warm bed to sleep in, a job, and many many luxuries I can’t even thinkof. But I would surely notice if they were gone. Why am I not moregrateful?I think it is because I am too busy looking up, when I need to look aroundand down. When I look around, I notice that I am not doing that bad.When I look down, I see that I am doing pretty well and I should help outthose who are not. I realize my life isn’t as hard as I once thought. Irealize that what I have in many cases is perfectly fine. I realize what Ishould be grateful for and should be thanking God dearly for every day.Can’t think of what to pray for in thanksgiving? Look around and down,then you will be dumbfounded that you weren’t already thanking God forwhat you have. It could always be better? No, it could always be worse,but it isn’t, thank God.

“Good” Friday?Good Friday is a peculiar name. When I think about Good Friday, itdoesn’t always feel “good.” This is the day on which our Lord wasCrucified. When one looks from the perspective of salvation at the factthat without dying, Christ could not rise from the dead, then it is “good”,but when taken by itself, it is a solemn occasion for me. While not a HolyDay of Obligation, this is a beautiful service to take part in. Since thebeginning of the faith, no Mass has been celebrated on this day. This dayis a solemn day of reflection, prayer, and remembrance. The vestments ofthe priest are red (or black in traditional Latin), and the Passion according

to the Gospel of John is read. There is typically a procession to the frontwhere the faithful come forward and kiss the cross.Kissing the cross has always been something that has struck me as veryspecial. My patron saint is St. Mary Magdalene. Being the patron saint ofconverts, she has always held a special place for me in the Passion story.With St. John the beloved disciple, the Magdalene was there the wholetime with Jesus’ mother. She was witness to the full Passion of our Lordand never left His side. There are images of her kissing the Cross, orJesus’ feet as He was still on the Cross. In reality, the entire crux of ourfaith resides on that Cross. It is there that salvation came out of prophecyand into the world. If it wasn’t for this act of pure love and self sacrificeon our behalf (remember, Christ had no sin and had no reason to bepunished, and if one person’s life in exchange for another could pay fortheir debt, imagine what the life of God’s Son would be worth), then wewould have no hope. We would all fall short of Grace as no matter whatwe could do, we could not cover the debt that sin has put upon us. This isthe way that this Friday is “Good.”

The reason the Cross is kissed is the fascinating history of our Churchthat I love. Towards the end of the fourth century, we learn that in theLatin Liturgy, the Bishop of Golgatha would be a part of the Fridayservice where they would bring out wood from the True Cross. (Yes, theactual cross Christ was crucified upon was discovered by St. Helena,Constantine’s mother).

“. . . a silver-gilt casket is brought in which is the wood of theholy Cross. The casket is opened and (the wood) is taken out,and both the wood of the Cross and the Title are placed uponthe table. Now, when it has been put upon the table, theBishop, as he sits, holds the extremities of the sacred woodfirmly in his hands, while the Deacons who stand around guardit. It is guarded thus because the custom is that the people, bothfaithful and catechumens, come one by one and, bowing downat the table, kiss the sacred wood and pass on.” (Duchesne, tr.McClure, 564)

From this rich history, we continue to commemorate the Passion of ourLord and be as close as we can to Him. While we cannot kiss the TrueCross, we focus our attention on the image of Christ crucified before us,and bring our minds into focus before we receive the Good News ofChrist Resurrected on Easter Sunday.

Why Are We Always

I’ll just give up M&Ms for LentEvery year it’s the same thing: Lent is fast approaching and everyoneasks, “What are you giving up for Lent this year?” I always stumble toanswer this question. I want to give up something meaningful, but at thesame time, something that is feasible. Nothing feels worse to me thandedicating something to God and falling short. (Of course we all fall shortof Grace all the time, but bear with me….) When we come to the time ofLent, we need to keep focus on what the period of 40 days is actuallyabout. Lent is a time of preparation and focus, for forty days beforeEaster. While the practice of giving up something for Lent is not required,it is something that strengthens us. As Jimmy Akin puts it,

“By denying ourselves something we enjoy, we discipline our

wills so that we are not slaves to our pleasures. Just asindulging the pleasure of eating leads to physical flabbinessand, if this is great enough, an inability to perform inphysically demanding situations, indulging in pleasure ingeneral leads to spiritual flabbiness and, if this is great enough,an inability to perform in spiritual demanding situations, wewhen the demands of morality require us to sacrificesomething pleasurable (such as sex before marriage or notwithin the confines of marriage) or endure hardship (such asbeing scorned or persecuted for the faith). By disciplining thewill to refuse pleasures when they are not sinful, a habit isdeveloped which allows the will to refuse pleasures when theyare sinful. There are few better ways to keep one’s prioritiesstraight than by periodically denying ourselves things of lesserpriority to show us that they are not necessary and focus ourattention on what is necessary.”

This makes the purpose of giving something up easier to understand, butwhat about the mandatory abstinence from meat and the fasting on certaindays? Under current cannon law, all Catholics who are between 18 and 60are obliged to fast and abstain. Each Friday, all Catholics are to refrainfrom eating meat in remembrance of the day of the week on which Christwas crucified, (in fact this tradition is encouraged to be done throughoutthe year) but on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, all are to fast as well.This requires only having one full meal, and no more than two smallersnacks. Of course, children, elderly and anyone with a medical issue arenot required to do these things.

But what is the point? The purpose in fasting and abstaining is to growcloser to Christ. Just as in the book of Daniel (10:1-3), “In the third yearof Cyrus king of Persia . . . ‘I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate nochoice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at alluntil the three weeks were over.'” Daniel fasted and kept close to the Lordin this time. The 40 days which we spend in prayer, abstinence, fasting,repentance, and devotion, are akin to the 40 days that Christ spent in thewilderness being tested by Satan. The 40 days are also akin to the 40years Israel spent wandering in the wilderness. They are symbolic of atime when we must align our minds away from the world and closer toGod. After this time of trial and testing, we are hoping to be stronger andmore invigorated in the faith than before.

The early Church fasted immensely for two days before the celebration ofthe Easter Vigil. Later this fasting period was extended to the 40 dayperiod we are now familiar with. This fasting aids our prayer lives; thehunger that we feel should remind us to hunger for God. The first readingon the Friday after Ash Wednesday shows us the importance of fasting.The prophet Isaiah insists that fasting without changing our behavior isnot pleasing to God. “This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasingthose bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free theoppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry,

sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when yousee them, and not turning your back on your own” (Is 58:6-7). Thischarge should sound all too familiar to Christians. The fasting andrestrictions that we put on ourselves should make us better Christians.When we hunger for God, we hunger for what He desires. His desires aresimply outlined. When we give things up, whether prescribed or of ourown choosing, let us do so with the heart of one who loves the Lord. Letus go forth and do His will.

What's the Point?

I have seen many people debate over the years about the type of musicthat is performed in a Mass. While I have often toted the line that I canappreciate the variance of musical types from parish to parish, a sort of 31flavors of ice cream for the church yet still all ice cream, it has gotten meto thinking about the role of music in the Mass. There are definitelydifferent roles of music within the Mass itself. The “Gloria” and the“Alleluia”, for example, and very necessary and a part of the Mass andare called “ordinaries”. But there are typically 4 songs that come from thehymnal (the Processional, during the preparation of the gifts, during thedistribution of the Eucharist, and the Benediction) , and they vary fromSunday to Sunday. These “Propers” can change with the seasons and theMusic Director has some choice in what is played.

In reality, those four songs don’t vary too much in my parish; I seem tohear repeats pretty often. Perhaps these are favorites of the choir, or theyare classics that have been performed in my parish since long before Iwas around. But, it is these songs that add the musical flair that isdifferent from one parish to the next. In my current parish, the choir alsofeatures guitar, piano, drums, bass and sometimes a guest instrument suchas violin or horn. However, in the next parish over, they are much more

orthodox; they only have an organ, and the music is led by a Cantor whosings only in chant. Much of the music is A Capella and in Latin. Whilethis could be chalked up to simple preference, I thought there should bemore to it than that. It got me asking, what’s the point?What is the point of these songs during the Mass? The ones that areprayers are in the middle of the Mass and they will have the same wordsno matter what parish you go to. Sure, the instruments that are used aredifferent because of the performers that are in that parish, but essentially,aside from some slight musical style differences, the main prayer songsare the same. The other 4 songs are not as direct a part of the service, butthey have another purpose. I was reading a nice myth debunker aboutmusic by St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Pensacola, FL. The point that thisarticle brought up at the end was about the purpose of music.

The music at Mass is supposed to inspire us to think more reverently andcontemplate God. The music is not supposed to be simply what we like,or even to make us sad, but it can be powerful. It is not feel good music,but it is supposed to bring our minds and hearts closer to God. “If themusic at Mass reveals more about what we like and what makes ushappy, it is doing us a disservice. If it brings us to true prayer and helpsus contemplate the beauty of God’s holiness and love, it can reveal Godto us in amazing ways.”

This explains why most music at evangelical or non-denominationalchurches feels wrong to me. While the music may be good, or evensomething I would like in another context, it does a disservice to those

who came to worship. The music takes the place of the purpose of theservice. This is even more relevant in the Mass. As Catholics, we havethe True Presence, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ therebefore us in the Eucharist. Nothing should take us away from that. Ifanything, the music should inspire us to contemplate deeper, think morereverently, and be more awe-inspired by God and what He did for us.While there can be variance in the music from one parish to another, onething is for certain; no parish should have music that takes away from thebeauty and mystery of God who is present.

Families Can Be Together ForeverIn the light of All Saints Day, I began thinking about families in adifferent context. While we are familiar with our nuclear family (theexpression is too much fun not to say) of our mother, father and siblings,we have come to think of our family in a broader context in today’sworld. Today’s children are taught that anyone can make up your“family”. Perhaps this includes a grandmother, an uncle, a step-father, acousin, or other relative. Whomever you include in your context of loveand trust can be your family. Looking at family in this way helps me tounderstand the Communion of Saints, a community that is bound togetherby Love as well. This Love, if you want to get even grander andextrapolate this further, is God Himself. God is pure Love, and the HolySpirit’s actions in this world and the next are the actions of Love.

On All Saints Day, we commemorate the holy ones who have gone onbefore us into the arms of God’s Love and who therefore make up thebody of the Communion of Saints. Although not always havingindividual feast days, memorials or solemnities, these saints are honoredboth for their faith and as part of the loving bond which unites us. So onthis special day, we think about and ask for the intercession of all of ourfamily in Heaven. There is a phrase that I have kept with me from mytime as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, orMormons. Part of their theology talks about how their “Families can betogether forever.” Although their doctrine is more focused on the human

nuclear family, both here on Earth and in relationship with one anotherafter this life, I have come to realize that as Catholics we believe in thisphrase too.For us Catholics, “family” is much more than our group of bloodrelatives; we understand that we are all God’s children. We profess JesusChrist as our brother, and everyone who believes in Him is a part of ourfamily. The Communion of Saints is that larger family with whom wewill spend eternity in God’s Love in Heaven. In other words, not onlywill we be with those whom we love in our nuclear family, but we will bethere with everyone who has professed God’s Love throughout the ages.From our brother Augustine, to our sister Mother Theresa, we will bewith all of our family together in God’s presence, singing in praise andenjoying the pure happiness and goodness of God. And I thought myfamily reunions were big!

When Saints Become RealI am very excited to hear that Pope John Paul II will finish thecanonization process and be declared a saint. While this news is excitingon many levels, there is one aspect of his sainthood that excited me morethan the rest. JPII is a saint for the modern Catholic. Not only is he arecent Pope whom many remember hearing and seeing themselves, but heis a beautiful example of how the saints were regular people in their livesas well. Too often we focus on the bigger named saints who are fromdays long past. These men and women lived hundreds, if not over athousand years before us. While their lives were exemplary and this doesnot diminish their deeds in the least, I sometimes have difficultyassimilating their example to our modern lives.

I would never think that these men and women would not be as faithfilled today as they were in their time, but in the same thought, ourchallenges are, well . . . different. Even though at the root of all evil andsin we find the same elements, some vices are more readily accessibletoday and can therefore be harder to fight off. So, while searching for anexample of someone who lived in this world, but was not of this world,many of our classic saints did not fully fit the bill for what I was/amlooking for at times. However, as I contemplated this dilemma and lookedfor a modern saint whom I could relate to, I found something in my ownback yard that brought it all into sharp focus for me.

In my town, we are blessed to have a wonderful Catholic High Schoolthat is fittingly named after our beloved, and soon to be canonized Pope.Pope John Paul II High School is a beautiful large campus that is abeacon of Catholic teaching right here in the “buckle” of the Bible Belt ofTennessee. I have been trying out going to daily Mass at the school sinceit is so close and the time fits well with my schedule. One time afterMass, I thought I would look around at the campus before escaping towork. Of course there were great pictures, murals and words of the Pope,but there was one display case that caught my attention. I had heard ofthis before, but I had forgotten that it resided here.

In a tall glass case, off to the side of the hall way near the chapel, wasdisplayed the black ski jacket worn by JPII. This jacket, which willshortly become a second-class relic, was accompanied by pictures of JPIIwearing it and an article discussing his love of the outdoors and skiing.Apparently, JPII loved going skiing so much that on more than oneoccasion, he would put on regular priest clothes and go out in anondescript car, to enjoy some skiing without the hustle and bother of hisnormal travels.

As I looked at this jacket, as I read the simple stories of a humble man

sneaking away to enjoy nature, I began to see JPII in a new light. Yes, hewas a man of tremendous faith. Yes, he negotiated the end of the ColdWar. Yes, he wrote some of the most beautiful and theologicallyprofound words about the human condition and sexuality. But, he wasalso a regular person. He got stressed out, he felt the pressures of life andwork, he didn’t need the extravaganza that comes with his office; he washuman and needed an escape. Our beloved pontiff just wanted somemoments to himself. When he put on this ski jacket and got a few runsdown the slopes, he wasn’t the leader of over a billion faithful. He wasKarol Józef Wojty�a, a humble Polish man who loved nature and skiing.When I get stressed out, need a moment to myself and feel the pressure, Ino longer think I am less than I need to be. It is not selfish to care forone’s self by taking a break for a few. If such a tremendous man andfaithful leader as JPII can need a moment, perhaps we can learn from hisexample that God loves us not only in our moments of great care forothers, but also in our moments of care for ourselves. Pope John Paul II,pray for us all!

Let God Be The JudgeOne of the greatest moments of clarity I ever experienced whileinvestigating the Catholic Church was when I came to understand asimple truth: Life is sacred; plain and simple. While I know it may beelementary to many, this simple truth helped me unlock the answers to allmy confusion on the Church’s teachings. Once I had a firm understandingof why life is sacred (which I won’t get into at the moment, you’ll justhave to go with me on this), I was able to apply this standard to manycontemporary issues that were holding me up in my faith life.

If you look at life as sacred, then it follows that everything should bedone to preserve it, and nothing should be done to prevent it. This life isnot ours, but a gift from the One who created it. In drawing this line,many teachings became clear. Why would the Church be againstcontraception? Well, it prevents life from happening if God wills it. Whywould the Church be against euthanasia? Ending a life is not the decisionof a person, but is in the hands of God. Why would the Church be againsthomosexual acts? These cannot be procreative, and that is not what theChurch teaches about sexual relationships.

Many of these teachings can be uncomfortable; in fact they are notpolitically correct. But if one can see the line in the sand and what isbeing valued, then this rubric can be applied to any case. One of the mostrecent examples of where politics, emotion and personal desire can comeinto conflict with this moral line is the death penalty. Whether it is thecase of a mass shooting at a school, military base, or movie theater, orwhether it is the senseless acts of evil done to women and children, whenwe hear of it we are impelled to cry out for justice. We seek justice tomake things better. We want justice for those who can’t speak forthemselves. When the atrocities are so great, so depraved and so immoral,we find ourselves looking for the worst punishment we can muster. Welook for the death penalty.

But, we are not the authors of life. We do not have the right to take itaway from anyone, no matter how justified it feels. Believe me, I knowthis teaching is hard. And if a violent tragedy touches you in a personalway, you wish for retribution all the more. However, do we lose sight ofwho we are, who has created us and the sanctity of life in our most heatedmoments? Or is this the time when we are called to be something more?Christ calls upon us to forgive those who hurt us. We are to pray for thosewho persecute us. If we only love those who love us, what reward is therein this? In the midst of His pain and suffering, Christ called out to HisFather to forgive those who had set Him up to die.

I am certainly glad that I am not the judge. I am glad that I am not the onewith the right to determine who is accountable for the sins they havecommitted. Heaven would be a lonely and empty place if my feeble mindwas to occupy the judgement seat. We are taught to value every life. I

may not always like or understand this teaching, but I will always live byit. 

 

Does How We Dress Send AMessage?I know that I have written before about dressing at Mass. Since then I’veseen this topic pop up again in a Catholic Professionals group that I am apart of, and it seems to be a constant concern for folks across the country.But as I was logging on recently, my news homepage lit up with anotherpressing issue that is related: how younger people are dressing in general.Never mind going to a religious service or dressing for an interview; thiswas discussing how younger people (girls more specifically) are dressingevery day, and the great lengths that parents are going to to combat it. Itwould seem as though the pendulum has swung so far in the direction ofthe acceptance of provocative dressing with young girls, that it has cometime to swing the other way. As younger and younger girls are wearingclothes, make up, and accessories that you would not typically see untilmore adult years, parents are confronted with dealing with related issuesfar earlier than they would have thought.

While I will not get into the diatribe of how provocative dressing could beinterpreted by those around you, I will comment about the beauty ofmodesty. The confidence, respect and beauty of dressing modestly willalways shine across, despite the audience. True beauty, that is the inner

heart, soul, and dare we say likeness of God that is in every person, canonly be acknowledged when outside distractions and lures are put aside.Just as a person’s skin color, looks or weight can tempt us to judge thembased on outside appearances instead of discovering who they really are,so can the manner in which they dress. This message seems to be lost onyounger generations, and stories of parents going to great lengths to bringthis to their child’s attention are making the news.One that caught my eye was about a concerned father in Utah, who wasso fed up with verbally fighting his daughter’s desire to wear short-cutshorts that he decided to send the message of what is decent by cutting hisown jeans into “daisy dukes” before going out together. ( See the article here ) By the end, the daughter admitted she got the point and refused toget out of the car one more time with him dressed this way. From reportslike this to reports of “daddy approved” dresses on Duck Dynasty, itwould seem that parents have reached a point where they can begin againto speak of modesty without getting rolling eyes in return.

As I always thought of it, modesty keeps you from revealing everythingtoo soon to someone (no pun intended). Once you are fully exposed, whatis there left to share (pun possibly intended)?

Pope Francis: The Pope from theEnd of the Earth (Book Review)

As our beloved new Pope was traveling to Brazil for World Youth Day, I

thought it would be fitting to learn more about the man whose simpledemeanor and actions have so quickly captured the hearts of bothCatholics and non-Catholics alike. Our good friends over at SaintBenedict Press were kind enough to supply me with a copy of Thomas J.Craughwell’s new book, Pope Francis: The Pope from the End of the Earth. This beautiful new book gives a great introduction to the manJorge Mario Bergoglio, who has quickly become known around the worldas Pope Francis. With many stunning photographs throughout, this bookexplores the sudden call for Conclave as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVIresigned and the Church sought a new shepherd to sit in the throne of St.Peter. With a moving Forward by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, theArchbishop of Boston, the book welcomes the reader into the world ofConclave, the process of getting the Church ready for a new leader, andthe anticipation of what the future may bring.Personally, I love Conclave. Ever since I first read about the process ofelecting a new pope, I have been fascinated by the ritual, the grandeur andthe unique spirit that the highest calling in our Church calls for. WhileCraughwell does show examples of how the new pope and hispredecessor are different, he does a beautiful job in making you fall inlove with each for their own reasons. With wonderful side notes andinteresting facts about the pope, Conclave, and more, Craughwell bringsthe new pope to the reader as if he has known him all along. While PopeFrancis surprised much of the media with his humility,straightforwardness, and casual nature, Craughwell shows that by lookingat Francis’ past, anyone can see that these simple acts by the new HolyFather are in fact, just his nature. From Francis’ simple dress, to payinghis hotel bill in person, to humbly asking for everyone else to pray forhim before all else, Pope Francis can be seen as the “Undoer of Knots”that our Church needed in the next Holy Father.

After reading this simple book (and only simple due to the short amountof time that Francis has been in the position of pope), I have come torespect, admire, and love our new Pope. Reading of Francis’ defense oflife, love for the poor, personal piety, and love for the Eucharist made thisbook an absolute page turner that I could not put down. As I wonderedwhat our Church would do in its unique position of having two livingpopes, an instance that has not occurred in centuries, I grew to see whatwas so amazing about both men, the faith, and the Church all at the sametime. It is best summarized as the book closes:

Despite all the uncertainty and anxiety that followed BenedictXVI’s resignation, and the anticipation of what lies ahead inthe reign of Pope Francis, one thing is certain: the CatholicChurch, instituted and safeguarded by Christ, will endure. Thefact was made clear when Benedict XVI greeted Pope Franciswith a spirit of obedience and a reverent, loving embrace.Francis will continue – in his own way and with his ownunique talents and gifts – the mission that Benedict took upfrom John Paul II, and so on back through the years to Peter,

and to Christ himself: the mission to bring souls to heaven andto restore all things in Christ. Viva il papa!

 

"Why was this perfume not soldfor three hundred denarii andgiven to poor people?"I read an interesting article about how much money the Vatican has. Ihave heard this argument before, and I heard it brought up again in theelection of Pope Francis. With his election, many people spoke theirdesire for personal changes within the Church. Many don’t even belongto the Church, but think they know what is best for her. Besides the usualindignation of a desired change on Church stance toward celibacy, gaymarriage, contraception, and the like, one I also heard was a criticism of“how much money the Vatican has.” This critique has always fascinatedme because most people who make this remark have absolutely no ideahow much the Church has, let alone what she does with it. All they see isthe grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica and the works of art that she holds.Forgetting that the art inside is “priceless”, outsiders judge this holding aspompous and greedy. They claim that selling these items off could solveworld hunger.

Well, the answer is a bit more complicated than one could previouslythink. First, the Church does not consider herself the owner of any ofthese works of art. The Church is merely the custodian of these piecesand buildings that in reality belong to all of humanity. It is only by the

diligence, and sometimes personal sacrifice, that these works havesurvived all these centuries. If the Church did not guard them, they wouldsurely been lost as so many other works, including many of the original“Eight Wonders of the World.” But besides art, the Church does have anannual budget that it openly shares with the world. Even though notrequired by anyone to do so because they are their own sovereigncountry, the Vatican publishes its budget for all to see.In the budget, one could see that the Vatican employes over 3,000 peopleand supports over 1,000 retired employees as well. Besides this, theVatican runs museums, a newspaper, a radio station and the rest of thework that entails running a small country. In addition, the Churchsupports missions, missionaries, dioceses, monasteries, convents andreligious orders throughout the world. After this is all considered, peopleshould try to understand that the Church also helps support and runhospitals, universities, and is the largest single charitable organization onthe planet. Catholic Charities distributes food, housing, relief and help allover the planet to any and all who need it.

When looked at all together, one can see all the wonderful work theChurch does with these funds in the name of Christ and continuing tospread His Gospel. The Church, especially our beloved new Pope Franciscare deeply about the poor. Naming himself after the humble servant ofGod displays his devotion to this precept of the Church. But also, one hasto see that we adorn the Church at times with the best we have becausewe believe God deserves no less. Just as the inside of a Chalice that apriest uses to consecrate the Precious Blood of our Lord in the Eucharistis required to be at least lined with gold or silver because it touches theBlood of our Lord, we know that it is the attachment to money that is evil.Therefore we give all that we have to God and to those He wants us tocare for. Having money is not sinful unto itself, it is what one does with itthat can lead one to sin. The Church is the visible body of Christ on Earthand the church that we enter is His house. While God is everywhere, inall things and with all things, I feel that I must give all to God and notmyself. This is why we give to others as well, they are made in the imageand likeness of God. And Christ told us that when we take care of them,we are taking care of Him. Everything is about God. Let us not forgetthis.

Read the original article that inspired this at Ignitum Today .

For All Time and Eternity

There is one phrase from the Latter Day Saints that I have kept with meall these years since I was Mormon. Even though this phrase and themanner in which the LDS use it are theologically troubling, I do like thesentiment. When the LDS get married it is a very big deal. This is not thesimple, “We thought about it, and since we’ve been together a long timewe might as well,” type of decision. The sacrament of marriage for theLDS is one of the highest ceremonies one can in which one can partake inthe temple. One must be worthy to go into the temple first (involvinginterviews with your local bishop and obtaining a “temple recommend”),be able to perform the lower sacraments in the temple of “baptism for thedead,” and also receive one’s personal endowments (referred to as “takingout” your endowments) which one can then later do for the dead as well.At any rate, all of these preliminaries are obtained before one canentertain the notion of getting married or “sealed” in the temple.

The point is, during the ceremony, the last part of the vows during whichthe officiant would normally say, “Until death do you part,” is replaced

with, “For all time and eternity.” While they are getting at something else,I like the attitude toward marriage that results from this. See, the divorcerate among LDS is very minimal. This is because the President, or“prophet,” would need to undo the sealing. Because of this and theirtheology, LDS have a very serious attitude toward marriage. I think this issomething that should be carried over into Catholicism as well. While wedo not use these terms in the sacrament of marriage, we do have a seriousattitude toward it. If a man and woman are validly married in the Church(or otherwise), a divorce will not undo the sacrament. Getting anannulment will not do it either. In actuality, the annulment states thatthere never was a sacrament performed in the first place. So in reality,because you were never married, you are free to do so now.Unfortunately, there is a disease in our society that causes people to havea lacking attitude toward this sacrament. As Christ was asked,

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is itlawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He whocreated them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE ANDFEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALLLEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINEDTO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONEFLESH’? “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Whattherefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matt19:3-6). (I was going to undo the formatting of capitals, but Ikind of like the authority my computer gave it. =-) )

There seems to be an attitude of “divorce for any reason at all” or “trialmarriage” in our society. This is not what the sacrament is about. That iswhy so many families get torn apart. No one comes out a winner indivorce. Is there a solution? Not always. Sometimes people must make upfor the mistake of getting into something that shouldn’t have, or perhapssomething that was not taken seriously enough. (I know this is rough; myintention is not to hurt anyone, but rather to inspire thought.) Marriage isa holy sacrament, actually only one of seven that we have. It is ordainedand commissioned by God. We need to take heart in this. To go in withthe attitude that divorce is an option for when things get rough or don’t goyour way is not to give yourself to the other fully. You are alwaysreserved when you have one hand on the ripcord of your divorceparachute.

So how do we fix this problem? It is actually quite simple. First, ponderthe seriousness of getting married and all that it means: all the good andthe not-so-good that comes with bonding yourself to someone througheverything. Second, take the parachute off. Instead of the “until death dous part” or even “until things get to rough” mentality, try the “for all timeand eternity” attitude. That one has no escape clause. When you take thatoption off the table you are forced to do more. You are forced to makesure you are active and taking part and responsibility in making thingsbetter, for you and your spouse. Every argument is worth resolving, everyfeeling is validated, and every day is worth giving yourself wholly to theother. If we are even to attempt to contemplate the love that caused Godto give up His only Son for us or the sacrifice that Christ made for us, weneed to attempt to give ourselves fully (mind, body, and heart) to the oneto whom we committed ourselves when we said, “I do.” I took myparachute off before I got on the plane, so I know that no matter howrough the turbulence gets, I am staying on until we land together, safely atour destination.

Pope Francis the Maverick Pope?

Pope Francis

I was driving to work the other day and I was listening to NPR. I heard astory that caught my attention from the very first moment. The reportersaid, “Pope Francis has been in office for just over two months and hasbeen making headlines for many remarks that emphasize inclusiveness,contrasting sharply with his predecessors’ style and apparently even withcenturies-old Catholic dogma” ( read the full article here ). A statementlike that almost made me swerve out of my lane. Really? Our new HolyFather, the one who has been cheered for his humility and love, is arenegade maverick pope who is breaking away from tradition?

The pope was under fire for this: “The latest was a statement last weekthat all human beings, even atheists, can be redeemed.” I was completelystunned. It left me saying to out loud to myself in my car, “And…….”How is this a separation from Church teaching? And how could you thinkthat any pope before him had taught any differently? Pope Francis said:

“The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood ofChrist: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, theatheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makesus children of God of the first class. We are created children inthe likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed usall. And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandmentfor everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towardspeace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others,if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, littleby little, we will make that culture of encounter: We need thatso much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’tbelieve, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: We will meetone another there.”

The report went on to say that the Vatican quickly tried to recant what the

Holy Father was saying and use the media to spin it in the right direction:“A Vatican spokesman quickly intervened. Father Thomas Rosica said,‘people who know the Catholic Church cannot be saved if they refuse toenter or remain in her.'” The reporter also sad that Francis was in starkcontrast to his predecessor Benedict, who was more conservative andrestrained in his homilies.This report made me scream out loud. It is amazing how the media andthe outside world can have such a misunderstanding of Church teaching.If you look at the two statements, the pope and the spokesman (whosupposedly echoed previous popes like Benedict) are both saying thingsthat are true about salvation. In Francis’s case, he is correct. The Blood ofChrist has redeemed us all; Christ’s salvific act redeemed not only theChristians but also every soul that has and will ever exist. The catch tothis redeeming grace is that we have to accept it. Atheists can beredeemed as well, as long as they accept it.

As for Benedict and the “centuries-old Catholic dogma” to which thereporter alluded, that teaching is true as well. Christ left us with oneChurch: the Catholic Church. When Christ gave the keys to the Kingdomto Peter, He established His Body on earth. As Scripture teaches us, we,the believers in Christ, make up His Body. And as Christ said, He is theway, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except throughHim. So, in that way, no one can obtain heaven without being a part ofthat Body which is the Church.

To accept Christ’s gift of salvation and redemption one would need totake part in His Love and be a part of everything that He gave to us. Toreceive His baptism, one must be baptized. To receive His Spirit, onemust be confirmed. Anyone and everyone is eligible for this gift. So yes,atheists can be redeemed. And yes, only through the Church can one getto heaven. One Church, one truth, one salvation. It all goes together.

The Devil Made Me Do ItDoes it ever feel as though the more you try to do better and live byGod’s word, the hard the Devil tries to pull you back down? I thoughtabout it for awhile and realized that the mantra, “The holier you get, thehard the Devil would try to pull you back down,” makes sense becausewhen you are holier you are a bigger prize, you need more temptation tobreak you, and you need a stronger force to stop you. Well, in actuality,this may not be the case. What I can see is that all these things are alreadythere, we just don’t notice them. There is temptation and sin in the world,everywhere. And the more we attune ourselves to God and what Hedesires, the more apparent these contrary things become.

I noticed that as I attempted to go to Mass more, pray more, reform myways and thinking more, I would become more easily offended by things,whether it be swearing, media and sexuality, or plain respect. As Ibecame more in tune to what was good, what was not good stuck outmore. While we can try to change the world and clean up what is aroundus, we first need to establish a solid foundation to stand on for when thesecountless temptations and sins seemingly bear down on us. This is whythe Church is a family. Community is ever so important. If one were toattempt to try and battle the world alone, he or she would encounterendless difficulty and setbacks to the point he or she would end up alone.Perhaps this explains the hermits and those in centuries past whoseparated themselves from the world to focus on God.

But those who separated themselves all complained about somethingsimilar: Satan would come after them there too. It wasn’t just the worldand its lures, it was also themselves. Without any help they would betormented by this and almost break. That is why many early saintsadvocated for those seeking God to live together in communities. There isstrength in numbers. When we are together, we can lean upon each other.This is not only set up for monastic life; it is in God’s design for all of us:the married couple, the family relationship between brothers, sisters, sons,daughters, etc. This dynamic is even there in true friendship. What is theconstant in all these relationships that is the biggest weapon against sinand temptation? Love. I know its simple, but that’s it. In the love we havefor one another, the love of God and neighbor, we care for the other’swell being and help him or her in the battle. The Devil can never makeyou do anything. We all have free will and choice. The best way to makesure that you don’t succumb to things you should not is to surroundyourself with what is good.

Those who truly care for you, especially your family, will support youand keep you strong. This is what we should seek for in a friend, partner,or vocation. When considering the impact of relationships in our lives, weshould ask: Will this relationship support us or bring us down? No man isan island. Besides being lonely, that kind of solitary existence can lead aperson to be pushed around by outside influences like a ship blown in astorm. I would rather be part of a mountain than an island, or perhaps astate that is part of a union, or a country that is part of a continent. Thatsounds a lot better, and it also sounds like a situation in which I could gethelp when I needed it. Yeah, that’s it…..

Being an island looks like a lonelyexistence……

 

Come unto Me Like A Child

“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom ofGod like a child will not enter it at all” (Mark 10:15).

A friend and spiritual sparring partner asked me if I remembered theverse where Christ wanted us to act as a child when receiving the GoodNews. As I though about it more, I wondered what it was that Jesus wasgetting at. Becoming a father has been one of the best experiences of mylife. Seeing how my kids grow and learn and play is truly awe-inspiring.As I pondered this verse, I thought about my kids and what it is about theway that they receive things that Jesus could be alluding to. Perhaps it isthis: When my son was just a little younger we were buying him presentsthat were supposedly the best for development. We would buy the V-Tech/Baby Einstein/Learning whatever toy that lit up, sang songs, playedgames, used shapes and colors, and was designed to inspire learning andcognitive development. These toys are great, and perhaps they do work ashe is so smart he surprises me every day. But one day stands out in mymind.

We were at the store and I was showing him all these various toys andseeing if he was interested. Using reaction and attention alone (since hedidn’t talk yet), I would let him play with each thing and observe hisreaction. After going through exciting toy after exciting toy, the item hewanted and would not stop playing with was a blue Frisbee. It was light

blue with some silver lightning bolts on it. Nothing fancy; not even thefun one with the cone in the middle so you could spin it on your fingerlike a pro. He loved this thing. He waved it around and put it on his head.He banged it on the cart and played with it all the way home. At home itwas more Frisbee time. I have pictures of his excitement with this thing.This made me think. What was it about his excitement over this Frisbeethat I didn’t understand? Perhaps it was the lesson that it is not the bellsand whistles that make something great. Instead, it is the simplicity in thejoy that it brings. When we look to Christ, He does not say that He willcome back with bags of cash and flat screen TVs for everyone. We do notpicture heaven as rolling around in sports cars and playing video gameswhile wearing more jewelry than Mr. T. What there is in Christ is love.Plain and simple, pure love. Some of my favorite modern images ofChrist are where He is hugging someone. There is nothing more assuringof someone’s care for you than a sincere hug. Not a half-sided, pat on theback hug, but a loving embrace that tells you that you are what matters.These are the hugs that I get from my son when I come home from work.Yes, sometimes I have to ask for one real quick in the midst of hisexcitement to tell me about something, but the hugs are always genuine.

Receive the gift of God like a child, like a gift that a loving parent hasgiven you, and see the worth in it. Not based upon the cost or the coolnew features, but based on the love that gave it to you and the simplicityof receiving a gift. Kids are always excited for a present. It doesn’t matterif it is a piece of candy, a coin, or a rock. The fact that a gift was given tothem makes whatever it is the best thing on earth at that moment. Sowhen you hear that Christ gives Himself to you (and thereby gives theKingdom of God and all that comes with it), you should be as excited as achild receiving a present. A big hug should follow.

Let Him Who Is Without Sin Castthe First Stone

During Lent, one of the daily scriptures read was the famous scene in theeighth chapter of the Gospel according to John. Jesus has returned to thetemple area and begins teaching all the people. The scribes and Phariseesbrought to Him a woman they claim was caught in adultery. Being in thecourt area, they told him that Mosaic Law commanded that the woman bestoned to death for her sins. Trying to catch Him up in His words, theyasked Jesus what He thought should be done with her. Jesus did notrespond right away, but stooped down to begin writing in the dirt withHis finger. After a moment, He straightened up and said:

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throwa stone at her.”

Jesus then stooped down again and resumed writing in the dirt. One byone the scribes and Pharisees began to walk away. After a time, Jesusstood back up and was alone with the woman. He asked her:

“‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’

She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemnyou, either. Go. From now on sin no more.'”

This beautiful passage always struck me, but it was not until aconversation with a friend about this narration that something stood out tome. Since we always like to bounce religious and spiritual ideas off ofone another, my friend asked what I thought it was that Jesus wrote in thedirt. I replied jokingly that this was the only thing we hear of that Jesuswrote, but I wasn’t sure. But, after a few minutes more, I thought aboutwhat Jesus could have possibly written and why those accusing Himwould suddenly walk away when they were trying to condemn Him andthis woman as well. The phrasing of “He who is without sin among you,let him be the first to throw a stone at her” struck me. Jesus was pointingout the fact that all of us sin. He knew this, and He knew that these holyleaders were sinners as well, even though they would not acknowledge itthemselves.

I would propose that Jesus was writing out their sins in the dirt. Thiswould explain why they would walk away one by one. Perhaps, as Hewrote, each one recognized his own sins in what Christ wrote. PerhapsJesus was writing the Ten Commandments, or perhaps the 613 LeviticalLaws that these men were supposed to be following themselves. Eitherway, seeing their own sinfulness in what was displayed, these holy men

walked away humbled. Sensing they had all left and now no one was in aposition to accuse this woman, Jesus gives her the charge to go and sin nomore.This beautiful story reminds me of a little saying I picked up somewherealong the way: “Be careful who you point a finger at; you will alwayshave at least three of your fingers pointing back at yourself.” We are allsinners, we are all fallen, and, most importantly, we all forget that fromtime to time. It is easy and quick to point out the splinter in another’s eyewhile forgetting the log in our own. Christ did not condemn this woman,but showed her love instead. Shouldn’t we do the same?

And just for giggles:

The Shroud of Turin: A Study ofthe PassionWhenever I think about the Passion of our Lord, I think back to a paper Idid for my undergraduate thesis. I was told I could write about anysubject I liked, and just prior to that I had heard about the Shroud ofTurin. The Shroud is believed to be the actual burial cloth of Christ in

which He was wrapped in He was taken down from the cross. While theShroud has been clouded in controversy for centuries and many peoplewould like nothing better than to prove that it is a fake as if doing sowould degrade religion or belief in general, the Shroud has eludedrational thought time after time and analysis after analysis.

The Shroud is a rectangular cloth measuring 14.3� long by 3.7� wide.The cloth is woven in a three-to-one herringbone twill composed of flaxfibrils. The brownish image of a front and back view of a naked man withhis hands folded across his groin grace the length of the cloth with theheads meeting in the middle as to suggest it was folded over the body atthe head. The darker stains on the cloth are from whole blood and theimage bears the wounds matching the biblical accounts of the Passion. Ifone wishes to think about the various sufferings of our Lord and see theresult, the Shroud brings each suffering into view before your eyes.

The Shroud of Turin

The wounds seen on the Shroud are as follows:

●One wrist bears a large, round wound, seemingly from piercing(the second wrist is hidden by the folding of the hands).

●An upward gouge appears in the side penetrating into the thoraciccavity that would indicate the spear that pierced His side.

●Small punctures spread around the forehead and scalp resultingfrom the crown of thorns.

●Scores of linear wounds appear on the torso and legs. Thesewounds are consistent with the distinctive dumbbell wounds of aRoman flagrum.

●The face is swollen from severe beatings, perhaps at the councilmeetings during the night where He was struck by His accusers.

●Streams of blood run down both arms. These appear to be blooddrippings from the main flow occurred in response to gravity at anangle that would occur during crucifixion.

●Large puncture wounds appear in the feet as if pierced by a singlespike.

While the Shroud was venerated for centuries, it was not until 1898 thatamateur photographer Secondo Pia took the first photographs of theShroud and, when developing the film, saw the image in the negativesand everything came into glaring focus. The image of a man between5’7� and 6’1� with shoulder length hair and a beard was clearer thanever and it was so detailed that Secondo was at first accused of forgery.Later he was exonerated many times over by subsequent photographers.

The Shroud Negative

Whether you believe this cloth to be authentic or not after going throughthe piles and piles of research and heated debate, the Shroud brings tomind all the suffering Christ went through in His Passion. To stand beforethe Shroud (which is a very rare occasion as it is only brought out from itscase a couple of times each century), even in picture form, is to see eachmark, each whip, each nail, and every bruise that led up to the sacrificethat saved us all. Staring at the Shroud caused me to see the marks on theknees that were a result of Jesus falling while carrying the cross. Theswelling on the face that was from punches and slaps, or perhaps fromfalling with arms tied to the beam of the cross that He was carrying assome scholars contend was the norm for Romans to do to a prisoner,would help me to see and feel things that I had not thought of before.

Perhaps growing up with the knowledge of Christ’s crucifixion has madeus water down what He went through. Seeing His body on the cross atevery Mass has desensitized how horrible this death must have been.They say crucifixion, more specifically asphyxiation, is perhaps one ofthe most painful ways to die. For this reason, I only let myself watch themovie The Passion once or twice per year. I do this because the pain andsuffering that our Lord went through should send that horrible, almostnauseating feeling through your body.

The sorrow and love I feel for our Lord when I see this representation ofwhat He went through for us always makes me stop; it makes the worldstop for a moment, and it puts everything into perspective. Only knowingthe vindication of Easter Sunday’s Resurrection can right everything. Butfor that moment, on Holy Thursday through Good Friday, we go toCalvary with our brother, our Lord, and we should weep with Him as theMagdalene did at His feet.

A crucifix with accurate wounds as seenon the Shroud of Turin

Go to this link for many more picture and an interactive look at theShroud.

What do you think of the Shroud?

Want to Adopt a Cardinal?With all of the politicking and guessing who will be the next RomanPontiff, our cardinals need our prayers more than ever. On Wednesday,March 6th, the College of Cardinals held a prayer service beginning withthe rosary followed by Eucharistic adoration, then Vespers, andconcluding with a Benediction. Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the archpriestof the Vatican basilica, presided over this service. As preparation, theCollege of Cardinals, alongside His Holiness, Benedict XVI, asked all of

the Catholic faithful to pray with and for the College of Cardinals as theyget ready to enter conclave.

In the midst of all the decision making and discussion surrounding whothe next pope should be, the most important voice among all should belistened to and heard the most clearly of all. The Holy Spirit should guidethe cardinals to their decision. I am very grateful that our leaders take thisholy obligation seriously and prayerfully. Yes, the identity of a new popeand the country from which he comes are important, but this man shouldnot just be a leader who can defend the faith and help the Church in hercurrent times. This man should be someone who is above all a humbleservant. We must not lose touch with what this office is set up to do. AsChrist instructed, “Those who would be first, shall be last; and those whoare last, shall be first.”

In my prayers for the College of Cardinals, I pray for their openness tothe Holy Spirit as well as humbleness to listen to one another. But, attimes, it may be hard to picture praying for a whole body of people. Kindof like praying for “our country and its leaders,” it seems so impersonal.Therefore, I give you a new yet fun way to direct your prayerful thoughts.You can adopt a cardinal. The following web site, adoptacardinal.org ,will have you enter your email address and then send you a cardinal’sname for whom to pray.

Besides being fun and quirky, the site enables you to learn about a leaderin our Church that you perhaps didn’t know before. For example, myCardinal is Josip Bozani� from Croatia. He has been a cardinal since2003, and he is the Archbishop of Zagreb, Croatia. His Eminence is is amember of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of theSacraments, the Congregation for Catholic Education (renewed on 11December 2010), the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and the SpecialCouncil for Europe of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit will intervene in this conclave and send a sign tothe cardinals to make their decision easier, like In 236 A.D., when a mannamed Fabian (not even a candidate) was proclaimed pope after a dove,the symbol of the Holy Spirit, landed on his shoulder. But since theSistine Chapel is inside and locked up, unless a dove sneaks in a window,we may be out of luck. So, for now, pray hard. But I’m still open to themiracle option; God always finds a way.

Conclave: A Time of Change?While I am saddened by the sudden announcement of our shepherd PopeBenedict XVI resigning from the Chair of Peter, there is a part of me thatteems with excitement and anticipation. There has always been andalways will be something that utterly fascinates me about conclave. Thisspecial election will only happen a few times during someone’s lifetimeand it is one of the most fascinating rituals in our Church. I was not yetformally a part of the Church the last time conclave took place, so I amexcited to watch it transpire this time.

Conclave itself has been a part of our Church for more than half thehistory of Christianity and it is the oldest ongoing method for choosing aleader of any institution. The basic format for choosing a pontiff has beenthis way for most of Christianity. As communities became established,they would elect bishops chosen by the clergy and laity with theassistance of neighboring bishops. St. Cyprian says that Pope Corneliuswas chosen Bishop of Rome “by the decree of God and of His Church, by

the testimony of nearly all the clergy, by the college of aged bishops, andof good men.” Eventually the College of Cardinals would come torepresent the people and bishops of the Church and streamline the votingprocess as the Church grew larger and larger.

While the election process has suffered from outside pressure andinfluence (as any election right down to your city council will), theprocess of selecting a new pontiff has always been taken seriouslythrough prayerful reflection of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. On themorning of the first day of conclave, the cardinals assemble in St. Peter’sBasilica and celebrate the Eucharist. After, they gather in the PaulineChapel of the Palace to proceed to the Sistine Chapel while singing VeniCreator Spiritus. Upon arrival, the cardinals take an oath to observe theprocedures set down by apostolic constitutions: if elected, defend theliberty of the Holy See; to maintain secrecy; and to disregard theinstruction of secular authorities on voting. The cardinals swear this oathwhile touching the Gospels. After all have taken the oath, the Master ofthe Papal Liturgical Celebrations orders all others to leave the Chapel bycalling out “Extra omnes!” (Latin for, roughly, “Everybody else out!”)While most others are ushered out, priest are available for confession andtwo doctors are admitted. In keeping with the holy demeanor of theceremony, those in conclave are not permitted to correspond or conversewith anyone outside the conclave by post, radio, telephone, or otherwise,and eavesdropping is an offense punishable by excommunication.

While some parts of the conclave are newer, like sweeping the Chapel for“bugs” as they did before the election of Benedict XVI, others haveremained the same. After the death of the pope (the most typical reasonfor electing a new pontiff), the Camerlengo would verify that death by

lightly striking the pope’s forehead with a silver hammer and calling tohim by his Christian name three times. After verification, the Camerlengowould take possession of the Ring of the Fisherman worn by the pope,along with the papal seal, and destroy it in the presence of the College ofCardinals. While this was originally meant to avoid the forging ofdocuments, today this is merely a symbol of the end of the pope’s reign.These trappings, while antiquated, are the sign of the serious nature of thereign of one who shepherds a flock of over 1.2 billion Catholics today.As we come closer to the next conclave, we may speculate upon who thenext pope will be. Any baptized Catholic is technically eligible, but thechances are very slim. The last time a pope was elected from outside theCollege of Cardinals was in 1378 with Pope Urban VI. And the lastperson who was elected who was not already an ordained priest or monkwas Pope Leo X in 1513. (Who was the youngest pope ever elected.) Ifsomeone who is not ordained were to be elected, upon their election theywould immediately have to be ordained a deacon, then priest, and thenconsecrate him as a bishop.

Newly elected popes have traditionally contrasted with their predecessors.This is reflected in the Italian phrase, “After a fat pope, a lean pope.”Even those cardinals elected by the preceding pope have often been quitedifferent from their immediate precursors. The controversial conservativePope Pius IX was followed by the aristocratic diplomatic Leo XIII, andLeo was then followed by the lower-class and bluntly outspoken PopePius X. While Pius X was ultra-conservative, Pope Benedict XV was alow-key moderate in contrast. Moving away from the political sphere,Pope Pius XI was a former librarian and mountain climber who led theChurch more authoritatively akin to Pius X. Afterwards, Pius XII wouldcontrast his predecessor by being more of a diplomat as he was a formerSecretary of State. While he was descended from Roman aristocracy, hisfollower would be the humble and – in his own words, “ordinary” –“Good Pope John,” Pope John XXIII. No one was more surprised at thiselection than Pope John as he had his return rail ticket in his pocket forafter the conclave.

Who knows what we will get from the coming conclave. Perhaps we willall be surprised. But whether an Italian, an African, a Latin American, orour own Archbishop Dolan, the Conclave will have us recall the beautifulhistory of the Church and remind us of the pope’s ever-important role.While not concerned with a monarch, this ceremony rings to me far moreimportant than any English wedding or crowning.

Fat Tuesday and LentWhen we hear the term “Fat Tuesday,” an occasion more commonlyknown by the French name “Mardi Gras,” we often think of scenes of

debauchery, gluttony, and sinful partying. But this image is more of acurrent rendition of this traditionally spiritually fueled day. While todaythere is more emphasis on beads, alcohol, and parties, the Fat Tuesdaywas originally meant to be the last preparation for the Lenten season. Theactual festival still starts the day after Epiphany and is called “Carnival”in many countries. Coming from the Latin words carne vale, meaning“farewell to the flesh,” this season serves as preparation for the fasting ofLent and abstaining from meat. There is traditionally a season of partiesthat commemorate the arrival of the newborn King.

These celebrations would include meat and items like pancakes thatwould consume the dairy products that could not be used during Lent. Myfavorite is what is known as the “King’s Cake,” which is baked in a circleto remind us of the circular routes that the Three Wise Men took to avoidand confuse King Herod, knowing he wanted to kill the child King.Originally, colored beans were baked inside the cake (modern ones willhave a small plastic baby representing Christ). The guest who discoveredthe beans would find him- or herself named king for the day and wouldalso host the following year’s party.

It is no coincidence that the colors for Mardi Gras are always the purple,green, and gold. These liturgical colors symbolize justice, faith, andpower respectively. While modern celebrating patrons do not slaughter afattened calf to eat on the last day it is allowed before the Lentensacrifice, the city of New Orleans still respects the purpose of the day byending its parties at midnight and sending battalions of street sweepers topush the crowds out of the French Quarter immediately as Lent begins.

Despite the raucous parties and general disregard for morals that arepresent today, we should look to the history and purpose of Fat Tuesday,a history of which we still see remnants, and frame our minds in thatmanner. What feels like just days ago we celebrated the birth of ourSavior. A few days after, we honored the day that commemorates thekings of distant lands recognizing the infant child as the newborn King.Sometimes it seems so sudden that we go from celebrating the birth andcoming of the King to reflecting on the Passion and the sacrifice that Hewould later make for us all. Perhaps these are celebrated so close to oneanother for good reason: in His birth we found our hope; in His death wefind our salvation.

So, we should celebrate and have a party on the last day(s) of this joyousseason, but the reason we celebrate so loudly is that we know how Hislife culminated, a gift on which we will spend 40 days reflecting. Enjoythe King’s Cake, eat the fattened calf, and celebrate Christ coming intothe world, because the next day (or at midnight if the street sweepers getto you first) we begin the true celebration of something real and beautiful.We will ponder this sacrifice and abstain from pleasures to bring greater

focus upon it, because the gift of salvation through the cross cannot becelebrated by a mere party. No, it takes much more than that.

Living Your Faith at the MoviesWhile it is important to go to Mass, say our daily prayers, and identifyourselves as Catholic, it is all too easy to forget the importance of livingour faith when it comes to media consumption. This can be especiallytrue in our choice of which movies to watch. I had this battle a while backwhen I began to take my faith seriously. I noticed that as I prayed moreand became closer to God, I was more easily offended by things I wouldsee in movies. Some movies I would know to avoid before seeing them.But some would look alright, but somewhere during the movie therewould be unnecessary nudity or gore. Besides trying to avert my eyes, Iwould be disappointed as to the apparent need to include this content forno reason. Then I found what I needed.

The United States Council of Catholic Bishops has a great web site andthey have a section where they do movie reviews. The reviews are simpleand from a Catholic perspective. The best part is that each review listseverything that could be found offensive. After, the bishop’s page givesthe movie their own rating. There is AI, AII, AIII, Limited and MorallyOffensive. This rating system doesn’t always match the MPAA rating,but saves you a lot of heartache. Sometimes a movie could be rated PG orPG-13 but still be troubling. Not every movie is listed, but it saves me alot of grief.

Perhaps I have missed some funny or moving movies that have wonawards or have been the quoting sensation for a while, but certainly Ihave felt the difference in what I take in. I have gone back through mymovies and gotten rid of some old favorites with some difficulty, but Iknow it’s for the better. You should check it out. Go to the Bishops’ page ( usccb.org ) and see the reviews under the media section (and there is aton of other great stuff in their web page as well) or go straight to www.catholicnews.com/movies.htm

What Is Truth?As Pilate was searching for fault in Jesus, he asked Jesus if He was theKing of the Jews as those who had turned Him over had indicated. Intheir conversation, Jesus replies:

You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born,and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth.Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

– John 18:37

Jesus came to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears Hisvoice. Now, we can extrapolate this many ways; we can begin to speak ofthe goodness of God and that God is pure goodness, therefore God is thereality of all things (as they are created good) and the ultimate reality is inessence truth, but I would like to look at another angle. Truth is alsopurity. Truth has no bias and truth has no agenda. The truth is the plainand simple fact of the matter. When we are honest in our dealings withone another, we let go of the selfish nature that can hinder our progress.When we cut someone short or bend the facts to serve a certain agenda,we are putting our own ideals first and attempting to make somethingappear that is not there. However, when we honestly deal with the facts,when we do not put our own desires ahead of the reality of the possibleoutcomes, we are showing the greatest virtue of them all: love.

When we deal in truth, we love and respect each other to see the imageand likeness of God in one another. When we let the truth prevail, weexpose ourselves to our potential flaws and open ourselves up forreconciliation. When we speak the truth, we trust in one another to notuse it to hurt. The truth is a hard thing. Most often, truth is hard when it issomething of which we are ashamed. We know that whatever it is shouldnot be the way it is or has become, and we neglect the truth to try to hidethat. If we were of truth from the beginning, we might not go down thesebad paths. When we put the other first, when we love one another, we donot hurt ourselves, but rather we trust the other to do the same in return.

This love is not always returned to us. But, the One who is love, the onewho testifies to the truth, will always be there to catch us when we are letdown. He knows our hearts and when we are of truth we hear His sacredvoice, and that is the voice of pure love. His is the voice that is calling ushome. His is the voice that welcomes the weary, the persecuted, theafflicted, and the down-trodden. When we realize that the truth is themain thing that is expected of us, we can see that all other matters fallinto place. Our moral convictions are inside us to let us know where thetruth is. It is not right that a man be homeless; in truth, we have too muchourselves and should share with those who have less. It is not right tosteal; we should, in truth, be honest in our dealings with one another andnot take what we do not deserve. It is not right to cheat on that test orplagiarize that paper; in truth, we know that we are expected to showwhat we have learned by using our own words and thoughts.

Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matterscannot be trusted in large ones either.

– Albert Einstein

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road totruth; not going all the way, and not starting.

– Buddha

We should always deal in truth. Truth is loving one another. Truth isalways looking for the good in ourselves as well as others. Truth is theOne who loves us all unconditionally. “What is Truth?” Pilate asks. . . .the truth is all that matters.

The Majesty of GodIn this fast paced world of buying and selling, making money whilefighting for more time, and working and serving, we can make ourselvesthe center of our own universe. At times we forget about God and all thatHe has given us. We go about our existence and focus only on our littleshort term goals. We think about our jobs, our schooling, our families andfriends. We think about what we will do that night, that weekend, or in anhour. We forget that each waking moment is a gift from God. The merefact that we exist at all is a loving gift from God. This may be hard tograsp, especially in terms of trying to figure out your own importance toGod. Do you or I matter? Were we a specific, purposeful part of God’splan, or just part of the package deal that came with creating life?

God loves each and every one of us: “Before I formed you in the womb Iknew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” (Jer 1:5). Weare all special and known. But does this make God any less majestic andpowerful, if He deals with our small, nitty gritty details? No. When I wantto think about how amazing and wondrous God is, I take a cue from mybeautiful wife. She says that whenever she wants to think about God, allshe needs to do is think about space. If we get outside of our own littlebubble for a moment, we can look at where we are relative to everythingelse. It is amazing enough to look at a map on the internet and zoom outfrom your own house. You will see that you are in a larger city, region,state, country, and only a small speck on this planet. But if one reallywants to think about God and be awestruck by His majesty, look at somepictures of space. When you look at the vastness of space, the stars, theplanets, and all that is out there, not to mention how small you and I noware compared to that massive area, one can see that something cosmic andmystical is truly at work.

God cares about every one of us and hears our little prayers. Butremember, God is also the author of everything out beyond our world.God created the stars, the planets, the galaxies, and beyond. While Hewas creating these beautiful cosmic views and complex systems that westill are slowly coming to comprehend, He always had it in mind to makeyou. You are as important to Him as anything else, if not more. God hascreated you and I with love. He has a plan for every one of us. He didfrom the beginning. It was He who could create something as a part ofthis master plan and truly know that it was “good.”

Whenever you feel forgotten, whenever you feel distant from God, youshould look at these pictures and remember that the One who created all

of this is the One who created you, on purpose, with a purpose. He lovesyou. He knew what He was doing; take heart.For some amazing pictures from space that are updated daily, look to http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html .

The Stigmata: A Sure Sign ofFaith?The presence of stigmata is a striking phenomenon that has occurred atleast 321 times in saints since the Middle Ages. The word stigmata comesfrom the Greek word ������ stigma, meaning a mark or tattoo. St.Paul used this term in his letter to the Galatians, saying, “I bear on mybody the marks of Jesus.” However, this did not come to fruition in theChurch until St. Francis of Assisi. In 1224 A.D., two years before hisdeath, St. Francis was so enraptured with and close to our Savior that hewas given the gift of feeling the pain that Christ bore for all in the form ofstigmata. St. Francis would bear the marks of the nails in his hands andfeet, as well as the gash from the spear that pierced the side of Christ. Hisbiographer, Thomas of Celano, detailed this occurrence:

“When the blessed servant of God saw these things he wasfilled with wonder, but he did not know what the vision meant.He rejoiced greatly in the benign and gracious expression withwhich he saw himself regarded by the seraph, whose beautywas indescribable; yet he was alarmed by the fact that theseraph was affixed to the cross and was suffering terribly. ThusFrancis rose, one might say, sad and happy, joy and griefalternating in him. He wondered anxiously what this visioncould mean, and his soul was uneasy as it searched forunderstanding. And as his understanding sought in vain for anexplanation and his heart was filled with perplexity at the greatnovelty of this vision, the marks of nails began to appear in hishands and feet, just as he had seen them slightly earlier in thecrucified man above him. His wrists and feet seemed to bepierced by nails, with the heads of the nails appearing on hiswrists and on the upper sides of his feet, the points appearingon the other side. The marks were round on the palm of eachhand but elongated on the other side, and small pieces of fleshjutting out from the rest took on the appearance of the nail-ends, bent and driven back. In the same way the marks of nailswere impressed on his feet and projected beyond the rest of theflesh. Moreover, his right side had a large wound as if it hadbeen pierced with a spear, and it often bled so that his tunicand trousers were soaked with his sacred blood.”

St. Francis of Assisi’s vision

One might write this off (and some have) as a natural occurrence drawingfrom a mixture of illness, pious devotion, and legend. Modern skepticswould say that persons who are highly devoted to Christ may brandthemselves with these marks to feel the pain that Christ felt. While somepeople may suffer from post-traumatic illnesses and religious fervor,these events could no longer be disputed when they occurred in themodern age.

St. Padre Pio would bore stigmata for over 50 years, and he wasexamined by countless physicians and pathologists. No one could find anexplanation for the marks and their consistent bleeding without infection.No traces of any material causing the wounds could be found. Often, St.Pio would experience intense pain associated with the stigmata, evenwhile some tried to stay with him for extended periods of time to see ifthe wounds were self-inflicted. St. Pio would try to hide the marks andbear the pain in silence, but the stigmata are apparent in images of thesaint officiating Mass.

St. Padre Pio celebrating Mass

Over time, the marks of the stigmata could not be disputed. Only theirorigin could be scrutinized and tested. However, no cause could be foundfor so many mystics in the Church (mostly women over time) who borethe wounds of Christ. To come to know God is a goal many of us share.As we pray, we attempt to contemplate the Passion and what it was forChrist to suffer for us all when He did not have any guilt of His own.While the mere thought of having nails driven through my hands or feet,having a crown of thorns placed upon my head, or being whippedrepeatedly with the flagellum would usually be enough to turn mystomach and be left drained, these mystic saints were given intimateknowledge of the pain the Christ endured. Most only found relief whenfed the Eucharist. For many, the stigmata would appear on a Thursdayand reside with them until Friday afternoon, about the time that Christrelinquished His spirit. For people such as St. Francis of St. Padre Pio,they bore the marks and pain without end.

What do you do to understand the sacrifice that was made for you? I amnot asking anyone to purchase a discipline or silice and experience thepain (even though Mother Teresa reportedly used both and encouragedher followers to do the same), but to take a moment to see why thissacrifice was not symbolic or metaphoric. Jesus took on physical humanform, He felt pain, and He was ultimately tortured and killed in a mostpainful way for you and me. I cannot fathom what this really was. MayGod’s love, the same love that compelled Him to endure all this for youand me, be known and appreciated. Now, is it so much to ask to be onyour knees at Mass? I didn’t think so either.

After Seeing This, How Can

Anyone Doubt?As I set out to write my newest article, I wanted to write about a saint.Among these inspiring people, how does one choose? Well, I decided notto talk about one saint, but a bunch of saints. There are a good number ofsaint who can belong to the group who would be called, “TheIncorruptibles.” Certain saints have been found over time to be verydifferent than the normal person, even after their death. You or I, or eventmany saints for that matter, have our mortal body decompose after wedie. This process is very quick and many gross things begin to happen toour bodies. I will not go into the messy details, but the short of it is thatour bodies fall apart very rapidly after there is not life in them.

However, certain saints have eluded this tragic fate and left for us yetanother sign of God’s Grace. The first saint to be discovered as incorruptwas St. Cecilia. Suffering martyrdom around the year 177 A.D., StCecilia would be discovered in 1599 A.D. when the basilica she wasinterred in was being renovated. In a very well documented exhumation,St. Cecilia was found to be in the same position as she was placed in hercoffin (the position she died in proclaiming the Trinity with her lastbreath) and looking very much as if she had just passed moments ago.She had remained untouched until this discovery and matched the statuethat had been erected of her perfectly as if she was still posing for it.

After her discovery, many more saints have been found over the centuriesto be incorruptible. Not all are the same, some have turned in color a bit,others withered slightly, but the fact that they have not turned to bone anddust without having any preservation, internal or environmental,confounds all scientific thought. The list is vast, but here are some imagesof my favorite incorrupt saints.

St. Vincent De Paul (Died 1660 AD)

St. Jean Marie Vianney (Died 1859 AD)

St. Bernadette of Lourdes (Died 1879 AD)

St. Silvan (Died 350 AD)

And one of my favorites is this:

St. Padre Pio (Died 1968)

St. Padre Pio not only was found to be in this perfect state, but was onewho lived with the stigmata for fifty years. I was so awe struck by thesight of him the first time that I saw him that I have decided to include a

video link as well. ( Click here .)These are not discoveries that were made long ago before science couldexplain things. St. Pio was discovered in 2008. There are things thatscience can not explain. These are gifts from God to show his power andgrace among us. There are so many things that can make one doubt theirfaith. So many challenges come from so many directions. When someonechallenges your faith, challenges the belief in saints and God’s action inthe world, show them one of these pictures. Even the thought of one ofthese incorrupt saints makes me struck with awe that God loves us somuch. After seeing this, how can anyone doubt?

 

Links for incorrupt saint stories:

http://listverse.com/2007/08/21/top-10-incorrupt-corpses/

http://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/st-cecilia.html

http://www.catholicapologetics.info/library/gallery/incorrupt/incorrupt.htm

http://www.overcomeproblems.com/incorruptables.htm

 

 

Advent Marks the Beginning andthe EndWe are now officially in the season of Advent and I couldn’t be happier. Ido get wrapped up in the Christmas décor, music, and food, but what Ilove about the season is the mood. There is something about having a litChristmas tree and dim lights, perhaps a real fire, and family all around. Itis this setting that makes the worries of the outside world melt away andanticipation grows each day until the big event. It is important toremember amidst all the gifts and material trappings that this season is theseason of Advent.

Advent is more than simply waiting for the coming of Christ, basicallyrecalling His birth in a manger. It is also the recollection of awaiting Histriumphant Second Coming. Just as the world awaited the Savior’s birth,we await His return and the coming of the Kingdom. As the General

Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar indicates, the Adventseason is a period of devout and joyful expectation.

It is humbling to think of the age we live in when we know the Saviorcame to us and did so much for us. The season of Advent recalls theanticipation before He was born. The people of Israel were alwayslooking for the One who would redeem them and be the long awaitedMessiah. This feeling can be relived as we wait for His triumphant return.We all desire to see God. As the world grows more cynical and moreintolerant of religious freedom, shunning those who wear their faithproudly, the season of Advent capitalizes on the waiting for the King tocome. The One who has redeemed the world will come for all of us towelcome us into His arms. When? This we do not know. As we are told,the coming of the Kingdom of God will be like a thief in the night (1Thes5:2). It will happen when we least expect it, so we best be ready. So, lighta candle on the Advent wreath, celebrate His glorious birth, andremember, we still await His return, just as those before awaited Hisbirth.

What Qualities Do You Want in aLeader?With so much happening in the discussion of elections, policies and such,the character and attributes of those who lead us have been underscrutiny. We analyze and pick apart past judgments, actions, and votesand try to compile in our minds what type of person we are putting into aleadership role above us.

What we are really trying to do is know how this person will react whenan important issue arises. One current hotbed issue crosses between twoof our spheres. The HHS mandate brings politics and faith into conflict.While the Health and Human Services mandate that decrees allorganizations’ health insurance plans cover “women’s services” whichinclude abortion inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization, theagency has let churches and worship places be exempt. However, thebishops of the Church have had to come to aid of the faith, as Catholicschools, universities, charities, and hospitals are not exempt.

The administration is not willing to budge, and neither is the USCCB(United States Council of Catholic Bishops). Cardinal Timothy Dolan,president of the USCCB outlined that he, nor the other bishops can budgeon this to violate their consciences and have these things allowed thatclearly go against Catholic social teaching. Read about his statement

here. Some have said that the bishops are not being open enough to workwith the government on this. I say no. This is exactly what we need andshould have from those who watch over us in the faith. Moreover, this iswhat Christ outlined as what was needed of the faithful.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan

As Jesus would tell in His parable in St. Matthew’s Gospel, our bishopsare acting like the man who built his house upon solid rock, rather thansand.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and actson them, may be compared to a wise man who built his houseon the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and thewinds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did notfall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hearsthese words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like afoolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, andthe floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against thathouse; and it fell—and great was its fall.” When Jesus hadfinished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching;for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not astheir scribes.” (Mt. 7:24-29)

The strength of our bishops’ stance is founded in the manner that they arefirm and listen to the words of Christ. They hear His words and stand firmin them. If they heard the words and then let these actions stand and comeagainst His Church, then it would be nothing more than a house builtupon sand. Support the bishops, stand with them as they fight this assaulton religious freedom. As the parable teaches us, the winds will come, thestorms may rain, but since our house is founded upon rock, the rock oftruth, the rock of St. Peter, the cornerstone that is Christ, it will not fall.

Where Is the Morality?Sometimes morality is hard to come by in today’s world. As I was drivingrecently, I was listening to news reports about the damage from HurricaneSandy. Thousands are without power and food, and many have lost theirhomes. This particular report talked about the need for gasoline and thefact that the stations cannot keep up. Some stations are unable to pumpgas because of the lack of electricity, while those that can are running outbecause people are driving many miles to find a station that can supplytheir needs. People need this gas for generators, cars, and so forth, butmost importantly to make power to cook, heat their homes, and try to livetheir lives.

As these people scramble to find locations that have fuel, some end up

waiting for hours in lines as long as 200 cars to try to get fuel. To makethe trip worth their while, gas cans are brought with them and cars arefilled. As the report went on to discuss the worry about the gas supply andhow soon more can come, the discussion changed to talk about the price.Most people did not care or even know the price of fuel, even though it issuch a needed resource. The report then discussed that this time of crisiswould usually be the ideal time to raise prices. By raising prices, themarket economy would curb people’s desire to buy too much fuel andensure there was enough; plus, the stations could make a lot of moneyand help the economy as well. One commentator went as far as to say thatprices as high as $25 per gallon would not be unreasonable.Where did everyone’s morals go? I thought that, perhaps, since thesepeople are in the midst of recovering from a natural disaster, morality andconscience would kick in to tell us all that to help one’s neighbor is themost important thing. Basing prices off demand would be one thing ifthese gallons of fuel were for a fun cross-country drive, but rather this isfor cooking food, space heaters, and light.

When we see someone in great need, the last thing we should think aboutis personal gain. We all do not help one another as much as we should,but Our Lord counsels us to help the “least of these” since we are, in fact,helping Him, and we should always avoid personal gain at other’sexpense. When the Lord comes to separate the sheep from the goats andto bring the faithful into the Kingdom, those who did not follow Hiscounsel will ask, “Lord, when did we see you and fail to clothe you, feedyou, visit you?” I hope He does not have to answer, “Remember thosepeople you made money off of when they were in trouble?” Politics andelections aside, we should all band together to help those in need. Oursense should be always to do the right thing, always to help and love oneanother. Let your faith mold the way you interact with the world.Sometimes it is not the most convenient thing, or not the action that willturn out best for you, but it is the gentle tugging of the Holy Spirit in yourheart that will let you know what you should do. Pray for those who arein need.

The Church and Science TodayIf you read my initial post for The Papist, you would know that my pathto Catholicism actually has Dan Brown to thank (in part). It was his book that led me into investigating the Church. Well, I still have a love forBrown’s writings (although at times his facts may be more fictional thantrue), and my favorite work of his is Angels and Demons. Now I knowthis one features the main antagonist trying to blow up the Vatican duringConclave. However, even though Robert Langdon comes to the Church’srescue while criticizing, I like that the Camerlengo who is helping run theVatican while a new Pope is chosen speaks to the Conclave about the

relationship between the Church and science.

“… but science and religion are not enemies! There are simplysome things that science is just too young to understand. So thechurch pleads: ‘stop,’ ‘slow down,’ ‘think,’ ‘wait’… and forthis – they call us backward. But who is more ignorant: theman who cannot define lightning, or the man who does notrespect its natural awesome power?”

This line is very indicative of what is happening today. There has been agreat push for science to find a cure for life’s most horrible diseases. ThisI support, but in their rush, they have resorted to the use of stem cells thathave been taken from killed fetuses to harness their power and potentialto become other types of cells. Embryonic stem cell research has been acontroversial and objectionable evil that we have had to fight. Now, theNobel Prize has been awarded to two scientists who have found a way toget this same power and potential from adult cells. They can even useskin cells from any part of the body and, through a simple procedure,transform them into stem cells that can do the same things as theembryonic cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells (or iPS cells) can be usedto help cure Alzheimer’s, repair paralyzed limbs, repair eye damage, andhelp alleviate many, many more ailments. This ground breakingdiscovery has solved the moral and ethical issues of using embryoniccells.

When I heard this news I jumped for joy as I thought this was a greatvictory for us all, but then I heard that some are still advocating the use ofembryonic cells. Why? They could not say, and there is no advantage ofdoing so. I guess there will always be battles to fight and life will alwaysneed protection. But this has shown me that God provides for Hischildren. This is why we plead with the world to slow down and do thingsthoughtfully and ethically. It is not because we wish to hinder progress, orbecause we hate science and discovery. It is because, just as a parentwarns a child, there are proper ways to do things and we need to respectthat.

This is not the “have it now” attitude that our society promotes. That ishow bad decisions with harmful ramifications are made. God allows and

wants us to use our potential, even in science. As we discover God’s waysand the ways in which He does things, we can use this potential faithfully.We do not need to take the easy route and hurt others along the way. TheCatholic Church does not oppose science, it actually leads it morally.Here are a few Catholic priests to whom we are indebted in the field ofscience; I have written the ones that caught my eye in bold:

●Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718–1799) – Mathematician who wroteon differential and integral calculus

●Georgius Agricola (1494–1555) – Father of Mineralogy [11]

●Albertus Magnus (c.1206-1280) – Patron saint of natural sciences●André-Marie Ampère (1775–1836) – One of the main

discoverers of electromagnetism●Amedeo Avogadro (1776–1856) – Noted for contributions to

molecular theory and Avogadro’s Law●Roger Bacon (c. 1214-1294) – Franciscan friar and early

advocate of the scientific method●Daniello Bartoli (1608-1685) – Jesuit priest and one of the first to

see the equatorial belts of Jupiter●Antoine César Becquerel (1788-1878) – Pioneer in the study of

electric and luminescent phenomena●Henri Becquerel (1852–1908) – Awarded the Nobel Prize in

physics for his co-discovery of radioactivity●Claude Bernard (1813-1878) – Renowned physiologist who

helped to apply scientific methodology to medicine●Jacques Philippe Marie Binet (1786–1856) – Mathematician

known for Binet’s formula and his contributions to number theory●Jean-Baptiste Biot (1774–1862) – Physicist who established the

reality of meteorites and studied polarization of light●Bernard Bolzano (1781-1848) – Priest and mathematician who

made important contributions to differentiation, the concept ofinfinity, and the binomial theorem

●Giovanni Alfonso Borelli (1608-1679) – Often referred to as thefather of modern biomechanics

●Roger Joseph Boscovich (1711–1787) – Jesuit priest andpolymath known for his atomic theory and many other scientificcontributions

●Thomas Bradwardine (c.1290-1349) – Archbishop and one of thediscovers of the mean speed theorem

●Louis Braille (1809–1852) – Inventor of the Braille reading andwriting system

●Jean Buridan (c.1300-after 1358) – French priest who developedthe theory of impetus

●Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) – Awarded the Nobel Prize in

Medicine for pioneering vascular suturing techniques●John Casey (mathematician) (1820-1891) – Irish geometer known

for Casey’s theorem●Giovanni Domenico Cassini (1625–1712) – First to observe four

of Saturn’s moons and the co-discoverer of the Great Red Spot onJupiter

●Augustin-Louis Cauchy (1789–1857) – Mathematician who wasan early pioneer in analysis

●Bonaventura Cavalieri (1598-1647) – Churchman known for hiswork on the problems of optics and motion, work on theprecursors of infinitesimal calculus, and the introduction oflogarithms to Italy. Cavalieri’s principle in geometry partiallyanticipated integral calculus.

●Andrea Cesalpino (c.1525-1603) – Botanist who also theorizedabout the circulation of blood

●Jean-François Champollion (1790-1832) – Published the firsttranslation of the Rosetta Stone

●Guy de Chauliac (c.1300-1368) – The most eminent surgeon ofthe Middle Ages

●Albert Claude (1899-1983) – Awarded the Nobel Prize inMedicince for his contributions to the study of cells

●Christopher Clavius (1538–1612) – Jesuit who was the mainarchitect of the Gregorian calendar

●Mateo Realdo Colombo (1516–1559) – Discovered the pulminarycircuit, [12] which paved the way for Harvey’s discovery ofcirculation

●Carl Ferdinand Cori (1896-1984) – Shared the Nobel Prize withhis wife for their discovery of the Cori cycle

●Gaspard-Gustave Coriolis (1792-1843) – Formulated lawsregarding rotating systems, which later became known as theCorialis effect

●Charles-Augustin de Coulomb (1736–1806) – Physicist knownfor developing Coulomb’s law

●Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) – First person to formulate acomprehensive heliocentric cosmology

●Johann Baptist Cysat (c.1587-1657) – Jesuit priest known for hisstudy of comets

●René Descartes (1596–1650) – Father of modern philosophy andanalytic geometry

●Pierre Duhem (1861–1916) – Historian of science who madeimportant contributions to hydrodynamics, elasticity, andthermodynamics

●Jean-Baptiste Dumas (1800–1884) – Chemist who established

new values for the atomic mass of thirty elements●Christian de Duve (1917–present) – Nobel Prize winning

cytologist and biochemist●John Eccles (neurophysiologist) (1903–1997) – Awarded the

Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on the synapse●Stephan Endlicher (1804-1849) – Botanist who formulated a

major system of plant classification●Bartolomeo Eustachi (c.1500-1574) – One of the founders of

human anatomy●Hieronymus Fabricius (1537–1619) – Father of embryology●Gabriele Falloppio (1523–1562) – One of the most important

anatomists and physicians of the sixteenth century●Mary Celine Fasenmyer (1906-1996) – Roman Catholic sister

and mathematician, founder of Sister Celine’s polynomials●Pierre de Fermat (1601–1665) – Number theorist who

contributed to the early development of calculus●Enrico Fermi (1901–1954) – Awarded the Nobel Prize in physics

for his work in induced radioactivity●Fibonacci (c.1170-c.1250) – Popularized Hindu-Arabic

numerals in Europe and discovered the Fibonacci sequence●Hippolyte Fizeau (1819-1896) – The first person to determine

experimentally the velocity of light [13]

●Léon Foucault (1819–1868) – Invented the Foucault pendulumto measure the effect of the earth’s rotation

●Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787–1826) – Discovered Fraunhoferlines in the sun’s spectrum

●Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) – Made significantcontributions to the theory of wave optics

●Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) – Father of modern science●Luigi Galvani (1737–1798) – Formulated the theory of animal

electricity●Pierre Gassendi (1592–1655) – French astronomer and

mathematician who published the first data on the transit ofMercury and gave the Aurora Borealis its name

●Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac (1778-1850) – Chemist known for twolaws related to gases

●Paula González (1932-present) – Roman Catholic sister andprofessor of biology

●Francesco Maria Grimaldi (1618–1663) – Jesuit who discoveredthe diffraction of light

●Robert Grosseteste (c.1175-1253) – Bishop who has been called“the first man to write down a complete set of steps for

performing a scientific experiment” [14]

●Johannes Gutenberg (c.1398-1468) – Inventor of the printingpress

●Jean Baptiste Julien d’Omalius d’Halloy (1783–1875) – One ofthe pioneers of modern geology [15]

●René Just Haüy (1743–1822) – Priest and father ofcrystallography

●Eduard Heis (1806-1877) – Astronomer who contributed the firsttrue delineation of the Milky Way

●Jan Baptist van Helmont (1579-1644) – Founder of pneumaticchemistry

●Charles Hermite (1822–1901) – Mathematician who did researchon number theory, quadratic forms, elliptic functions, and algebra

●John Philip Holland (1840–1914) – Developed the firstsubmarine to be formally commissioned by the U.S. Navy

●Antoine Laurent de Jussieu (1748-1836) – The first to propose anatural classification of flowering plants

●Athanasius Kircher (c.1601-1680) – Jesuit scholar who has beencalled “the last Renaissance man”

●Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713–1762) – French astronomernoted for cataloguing stars, nebulous objects, and constellations

●René Laennec (1781–1826) – Physician who invented thestethoscope

●Joseph Louis Lagrange (1736-1813) – Mathematician andastronomer known for Lagrangian points and Lagrangianmechanics

●Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) – Biologist whose theorieson evolution preceded those of Darwin; also divided theanimal kingdom into vertebrates and invertebrates

●Karl Landsteiner (1868–1943) – Nobel Prize winner whoidentified and classified the human blood types

●Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749–1827) – Famed mathematician andastronomer who has been called the “Newton of France”

●Pierre André Latreille (1762-1833) – Pioneer in entomology●Antoine Lavoisier (1743–1794) – Father of modern chemistry [16]

●Jérôme Lejeune (1926-1994) – Pediatrician and geneticist, bestknown for his discovery of the link between diseases andchromosome abnormalities

●Georges Lemaître (1894–1966) – Father of the Big Bang theory●Marcello Malpighi (1628–1694) – Father of comparative

physiology [17]

●Étienne-Louis Malus (1775-1812) – Discovered the polarization

of light●Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) – Father of long-distance

radio transmission●Edme Mariotte (c.1620-1684) – Priest who independently

discovered Boyle’s law●Pierre Louis Maupertuis (1698-1759) – Known for the

Maupertuis principle and for being the first president of the BerlinAcademy of Science

●Gregor Mendel (1822–1884) – Father of genetics●Marin Mersenne (1588–1648) – Father of acoustics●Charles W. Misner (1932-present) – American cosmologist

dedicated to the study of general relativity●Gaspard Monge (1746-1818) – Father of descriptive geometry●Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682–1771) – Father of modern

anatomical pathology [18]

●Johannes Peter Müller (1801–1858) – Founder of modern physiology [19]

●John von Neumann (1903–1957) – Brilliant 20th century scientistwho made major contributions to quantum mechanics,mathematical physics, and computer science

●Jean-Antoine Nollet (1700-1770) – Discovered the phenomenonof osmosis in natural membranes.

●William of Ockham (c.1288-c.1348) – Franciscan friar known forOckham’s razor

●Nicole Oresme (c.1320-1382) – Fourteenth century bishop whotheorized the daily rotation of the earth on its axis

●Barnaba Oriani (1752-1832) – Known for Oriani’s theorem andfor his research on Uranus

●Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) – Created the first modern atlasand theorized about continental drift

●Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) – One of the most famousmathematicians of all time

●Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) – Father of bacteriology [20]

●Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1580–1637) – Discovered theOrion Nebula

●Georg von Peuerbach (1423–1461) – Has been called the fatherof mathematical and observational astronomy in the West [21]

●Giuseppe Piazzi (1746-1826) – Theatine priest who discoveredthe asteroid Ceres and did important work cataloguing stars

●Jean Picard (1620–1682) – French priest and father of modernastronomy in France [22]

●Jules Henri Poincaré (1854 – 1912) – French mathematician,

theoretical physicist, engineer, and a philosopher of science whodiscovered a chaotic deterministic system which laid thefoundations of modern chaos theory; also one of the founders oftopology

●Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) – Awarded the Nobel Prizefor his contributions to neuroscience

●René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur (1683-1757) – Scientificpolymath known especially for his study of insects

●Francesco Redi (1626-1697) – His famous experiments withmaggots were a major step in overturning the idea ofspontaneous generation

●Henri Victor Regnault (1810-1878) – Chemist with two lawsgoverning the specific heat of gases named after him [23]

●Giovanni Battista Riccioli (1598–1671) – Jesuit priest and thefirst person to measure the acceleration due to gravity of fallingbodies

●Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923) – Discovered X-rays●Theodor Schwann (1810–1882) – Founder of the theory of the

cellular structure of animal organisms●Angelo Secchi (1818-1878) – Jesuit priest who developed the

first system of stellar classification● Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865) – Early pioneer of antiseptic

procedures and the discoverer of the cause of puerperal fever●Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729-1799) – Priest and biologist who laid

the groundwork for Pasteur’s discoveries●Nicolas Steno (1638–1686) – Bishop and father of stratigraphy●Francesco Lana de Terzi (1631-1687) – Jesuit priest who has

been called the father of aeronautics●Louis Jacques Thénard (1777–1857) – Discovered hydrogen

peroxide●Theodoric of Freiberg (c.1250-c.1310) – Gave the first

geometrical analysis of the rainbow●Evangelista Torricelli (1608–1647) – Inventor of the barometer●Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli (1397–1482) – One of the most

distinguished scientists of the fifteenth century●Richard Towneley (1629-1707) – Mathematician and astronomer

whose investigations and correspondence contributed to theformulation of Boyle’s law

●Louis René Tulasne (1815-1885) – Noted biologist with severalgenuses and species of fungi named after him

●Louis Nicolas Vauquelin (1763–1829) – Discovered the chemicalelement beryllium

●Pierre Vernier (1580-1637) – Mathematician who invented the

Vernier scale●Urbain Le Verrier (1811–1877) – Mathematician who

predicted the discovery of Neptune●Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) – Father of modern human

anatomy●François Viète (1540–1603) – Father of modern algebra [24]

●Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) – Renaissance anatomist,scientist, mathematician, and painter

●Vincenzo Viviani (1622-1703) – Mathematician known forViviani’s theorem and Viviani’s curve as well as his experimentsto determine the speed of sound

●Alessandro Volta (1745–1827) – Physicist known for theinvention of the battery

●Wilhelm Heinrich Waagen (1841–1900) – Geologist andpaleontologist

●Karl Weierstrass (1815-1897) – Often called the father of modernanalysis [25]

●E. T. Whittaker (1873–1956) – English mathematician who madecontributions to applied mathematics and mathematical physics

●Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717–1768) – One of thefounders of scientific archeology

Rights and ConsequenceWe are in the middle of 40 Days for Life and the issue of abortion is inthe news everywhere you look. I have seen this debate in both religiousand secular media and I have been proud at times and disgusted at others.After listening to a debate on public radio, one speaker’s former accoladekept ringing in my mind: she was the former president of “Catholics forChoice.” This name and the organization that it represents bother me tomy core. While I am not in the business of judging others and saying whois a part of the faithful and who is not, I, as a person who takes my faithseriously and follows the teachings of my Church, cannot sit idle andhave my Church’s name lumped in with those who spit in her face.

The issue at hand can be debated in many ways and through differentangles, but the foundation of the view that abortion is intrinsically evil(always and in every instance) can be boiled down to one principle: life issacred. Knowing that this is the case and that ending life is always wrong,one can also see that preventing life from happening throughcontraception is wrong. One can also see that the death penalty is wrongthrough the same rationale. But by saying that abortion and contraception

are morally wrong, are we trouncing a person’s rights? Easily we can seethat a person has a right not to be killed, but does a person have a right tosex? Sure, no one can tell you that you cannot have sex, but you have toknow that there are possible consequences to what you do. For example, aperson has a right to eat, but there are a number of possible outcomes forhaving a lackadaisical attitude toward when and how you should do this.When the Church says that contraception is wrong, or that abortion iswrong, the Church is defending individual rights, not taking them away.You do have a choice, as Catholics for Choice would like you to have,but that choice is not to do evil. That choice is before that. One has toknow that life is full of causes and effects. If you decide to have sex(which you have a right to do), you have to know that this is where babiescome from. If you decide to eat White Castle for every meal (which youalso have the right to do, though I also don’t suggest it), you have toacknowledge that this is where heart disease can come from. If youdecide to drive on the wrong side of the freeway, there is a good chanceyou may not live to tell the tale. One cannot always have their cake andeat it too. There are certain parameters to things we do. You can eat acake, but not for every meal. One should exercise and eat healthy thingsas well. One can have sexual relations with another person, but it shouldbe done within the confines of a loving marriage to help create balance aswell.

I also would like to put out one more thought. Although I have used theloose analogy of eating in this diatribe, there is a fundamental differenceto this right. If you don’t eat, you will die. I know it sounds harsh, but it’strue. But if you don’t have sex, you will still live (as crazy as it sounds).We are better than the animals; we can control our passions and instincts.We do not have to act on every inclination and urge we feel. If you are ina situation where sex might have outcomes that you would not be in favorof, then…..wait for it….. just don’t do it. I know, I’m asking you to movemountains, but it is reality. Our society has lost the ability to see chastityas a good thing, as a virtue, as a choice. There is another choice forCatholics. It is to choose life, to choose prudence, to choose not to dosomething, or at least not do something in the wrong way.

The Hunger Games Helped MeUnderstand ChristThis may seem odd, but recently I discovered a new way to understandthe sacrifice that Christ made for us all. I have always tried to understand,even through graduate classes on the topic, how the Crucifixion andPassion of Christ covers our sins. Now I did finally understand it, butwhen I would try to explain it to people and refer them to the writings ofSt. Anselm, their eyes would begin to glaze over. However, recently I

thought of it in a new light. After watching The Hunger Games again onDVD, I saw something in the action of the main character Katniss that Ihad not seen before.For those of you who don’t know, The Hunger Games is placed in thefuture when there are 12 districts of people after a major revolt in ourcountry. As a result of this massive yet defeated revolt, the governmentcenter, “The Capitol,” decrees that each district will offer one boy andone girl as tribute to the Capitol to participate in an annual “HungerGames.” These tributes will fight to the death until only one remains. InDistrict 12, the main character Katniss’s younger sister (Primrose) isdrawn as the tribute for that district. In an act of sheer love and alsodesperation, Katniss tries to stop them from taking her, then ultimatelyvolunteers as tribute so that her sister may be spared. The rest of themovie and the games are not relevant here, although it is a pretty goodstory.

What struck me are the circumstance in which Katniss volunteers astribute in place of her sister. Katniss loves her sister and has beenessentially playing mother to her after their father is gone and theirmother is rendered incapable. The single moment of volunteering is akinto what Christ has done for each of us. Even though we deservepunishment and damnation for our flawed human condition (much likePrimrose was fairly chosen among the names), Christ loves each of us somuch that even though He is completely free from sin and need ofpunishment, He volunteers to take our place in our own punishment. Bysacrificing Himself, this perfect One of God, His sacrifice for us coversall of our sins and need for punishment. All we need to do is let Him do it(imagine Katniss looking back to Primrose and asking if that is what she

would like her to do after volunteering for it).

While this simple analogy may be small and flawed in some respects,Katniss yelling the little phrase, “I volunteer as tribute!” rings in my earsat times when I am contemplating Christ and His love for us. He loves meso much that He volunteered to take my place and pain. I certainly don’tdeserve that, nor does any of us. That one gift is worth all the praise andadoration that we could ever give. (And we haven’t even talked about theKingdom of God that He is preparing for us in addition. How did we getso lucky?)

Life Is PreciousThis post will be off the cuff because I would like it to be from the heart.Yesterday I was attending a lunch at the university where I work withsome religious leaders of the campus. As we were waiting for some of thelast folks to arrive, we saw a woman fall at the front door. People lept toher aid as she fell and hit rather hard. We did not know what happened,but we could see it was serious. She was not breathing and people beganto yell for someone to call 911. As the chaos ensued, our chaplains cameto her aid and got emergency help on the phone. Luckily, there was a

doctor eating lunch there and he, as well as a nurse who was present,came out to assist the woman. CPR was started and continued for a solidten minutes until a firetruck, ambulance and police arrived. EMTs workedon the woman from there. After more CPR, a defibrillator and more wasattempted to revive the woman; the situation seemed dire. As friendswatched in tears, the woman was constantly compressed and worked on.Our religious leaders of various faith traditions stood by and all silentlyprayed for her as she was still in a critical state. She was taken away inthe ambulance and taken to the hospital still critical. After much trying,we have found out that she is alright.Seeing this made me think of how precious life is, how we occupyourselves with stuff, stress, and differences. But as I watched this eventunfold, I saw faith leaders of very different denominations and traditionscome together in simple prayer to a common God. At this moment, it didnot matter your creed, service, or flag. Theology was set aside for thecommon view of life and how we are all precious in the eyes of God. Wedid not know this woman, nor did we know if she was religious, let aloneof what faith she was a part. All we knew was that, in that moment, shewas our sister in the Lord. Don’t let life and small differences squanderyour time on this planet. God is pure love and that is what is at theessence of everything we are and do. Sure there is a time for gentlecorrection, thought, debate, and talk, but if love, real love that would haveyou come to the aid of that person no matter what, is not present at alltimes, I’m afraid we are all lost. Pray for your family, pray for yourfriends, pray for your enemies, and pray for those you don’t know.

“. . . love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

Light of Your FaceIn the new translation of the Mass, we hear a wonderful phrase thatalways grabs my attention. When the Eucharist is being consecrated, theprayer speaks of “those who have fallen asleep in the hopes of theresurrection” and how, with them, we pray that God will “bring us intothe light of Your face.” Previously, this phrase was translated as “light ofYour presence,” but this new translation is much more accurate,especially to the Latin Vulgate. I personally love this new phrasing in theMass; let me tell you why.

The “Light of God’s Face” is actually a very scriptural phrase that is usedmany times in both the Old and New Testaments. The occasion that Ialways think of is in the book of Exodus when Moses is spending timewith God on the mountain:

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the twotables of the testimony in his hand as he came down from themountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shonebecause he had been talking with God (Exodus 34:29).”

Moses had been up on the mountain speaking with God and he receivedthe Ten Commandments. Just prior to coming down the mountain, Godrefers to Himself and what Moses is able to see of Him: “‘But’, he said,‘you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live’” (Exodus33:20). Moses was able to see God’s back, but that is all.

God’s glory was seen in the light radiating from His face. This light ismuch more than Moses could handle as a mere human, but he was stillaffected by it as his own face shone when he came down from themountain.

(Fun side note, this part with Moses coming down from the mountainwith his face shining has been mistranslated in the past and, as a result, itwas thought that Moses had horns when he came down. Subsequently,Michelangelo created a very famous statue of Moses which, it appears,

has small horns. Google it sometime, it’s pretty interesting to see.)But, what is this light that comes from God’s face? I think of it asevidence of the Trinity. As Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; hewho follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”(John 8:12). And when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain (anothermountain experience, coincidence?), He was shining with this light aswell: “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like thesun” (Matthew 17:2).

This light of God’s face is what we are told to seek. This is where wedirect our hopes and our prayers: “If my people who are called by myname humble themselves, and pray and seek my face…then I will hearfrom heaven” (2 Chronicles 7:14). This interaction with the light of God’sface is our mediation with Him. The great mediator for us is, of course,Jesus Himself. With the psalmist we say: “Hear, O Lord, when I cryaloud, be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, ‘Seek my face.’My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’ Hide not your facefrom me” (Psalm 27:7-9).

So, every time I hear this new translation of the Mass, I hear the prayerthat we may be brought into the light of God’s face, and I smile. I think ofall the references to it I have mentioned (and a few more) and at thatmoment I also look at the face of Christ on the cross behind the altar. His

is the face we seek, He is the light of God’s face, His face shone with thelight and He taught us how we can achieve the same. That is the“glowing” that we should all seek for. I want to be glowing and shiningso much with the grace of God, that one can see it in my face too.

RespectI hope this doesn’t come off as too much of rant, but I truly think thatrespect is something that is lacking at Mass. As I have written aboutbefore, the Mass is the summit and culmination of much of our faith.There, we are truly in the presence of God and are there to acknowledgeand worship Him. Through the priesthood in which Christ Himselfinstituted, we have a way to celebrate and adore God actually present infront of us. So, of course Christ’s physical presence in front of us shoulddeserve respect, but those set apart and consecrated to bring us to Himshould as well.

At Mass, there is a lack of respect in many areas. I will touch on a few,not to reprimand those who do these things, but to bring attention to themfor correction. As St. Paul said to Timothy,

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly toevery one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponentswith gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repentand come to know the truth, and they may escape from thesnare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will”(2 Tim 2:24-26).

Dressing for the occasion. Mass is a sacred time. We are in the presenceof God and need to dress as though we are standing in front of Him. Tocome to Mass in a tank top with the local sports team on it with flip-flops,or to dress so revealingly that it causes men’s eyes to leer is dressing in amanner unfit for worship. Christ loves us all, but we love Him so much inreturn that we should give our best for Him, not what we hang out at thebeach in. Jeremy Winter wrote a great piece about modesty and evenwhy it is more attractive.

Kneeling. The General Instruction for the Roman Missal (GIRM) detailsthat we are to kneel at certain parts of the Mass. Most specifically, we areto kneel at the portions where Christ is truly present and in front of us atthe altar. I understand that if you are unable to kneel, or you have asleeping child on you, it may not be very possible. But unless it issomething of that nature, you should kneel, even if there isn’t a kneelerfor you. If it hurts a little kneeling on a hard floor, think of it as doing a

little something for the person who suffered greatly and died for you. Canyou do that for Him for a couple of minutes? I like to remember it by theIndiana Jones quote: “Only the penitent man will pass. The penitent manis humble, kneels before God.”Leaving Mass. There are two occasions for this. The most blatant isreceiving the Eucharist and then running away. Christ is there, present.You just received Him and others are doing the same. You would turnyour back and leave after receiving this gift? This “Dine and Dash,” as Ilike to call it, comes close to defeating the purpose of receiving the Body,Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. Now, if you have to leave for workimmediately or pick someone up at the airport in five minutes, thenperhaps it can be overlooked. But just to leave the parking lot beforeothers?

Secondly, those who leave before the final blessing or before the priestwalks out are lacking respect for him. Out of resect for someone whoholds the sacred vocation to bring us Christ in the Mass, one should waitfive seconds until he leaves. There is no need to beat him to the door.

I hope I don’t need to mention the parking lot. They say the mostdangerous place is a Catholic church parking lot after Mass, but we willleave that for another time. Please, respect one another, respect yourpriest who has committed his life to God to be of service for you, and,most of all, respect our Lord and Savior who gives us everything. Onehour per week is all He asks for in return for your very existence. Is thattoo much to ask?

The Crux of FaithIf someone claims to be a follower of Christ, a Christian, then it shouldmatter to him or her greatly if he or she is following Him correctly. Toview all of the feuding denominations of Christianity can bedisheartening, but I can help narrow down this field of choices quitesimply. The central aspect of faith is found in one of the most majorSacraments that Christ Himself instituted and commanded us to carry out,the Eucharist. The institution of the Eucharist is not only discussed at theLast Supper, but it is also mentioned at great length in the Gospelaccording to John. Now, many churches have aEucharist/Communion/Sacrament that is in the form of bread of sometype and wine/grape juice/water, but the real way to know that the churchone attends adheres to what Christ instituted, is if that community offaithful believes that Jesus is TRULY present, Body and Blood, in thatSacrament. The Real Presence is one of the surest signs that you are onthe right track. Let me show you why…

Many Evangelical/Protestant/Fundamentalist/etc. Christians will say thatthe Sacrament that Jesus commanded us to carry out at the Last Supperwas and is meant only as a symbol. Unfortunately for them, even acursory reading of John chapter six will show quite easily that this is notthe case. Jesus spoke in many parables and used every form of literaryprose. He did at times speak in metaphors, like when He said, “I am thedoor,” or, “I am the vine”. Yes, Jesus is like a door in that He is the way,the entry point for our salvation. In the same way, Jesus is like a vine inthat He has the sap that nourishes us and we have to adhere to Him togrow spiritually. But, Jesus is not like bread or wine. He clearly states thatHe is “true food” in His Body and His Blood is “true drink.”

As one reads chapter six, you can see that Jesus goes on and on aboutthis, very determined to make the disciples and Jews listening understand.Twelve times He says He is the bread that came down from heaven; fourtimes He says they would have “to eat my flesh and drink my blood.” Asthey heard Him say these things, they questioned and asked, “How canthis man give us his flesh to eat?” This does not sound like someone whois saying, “Ah! He means figuratively, I got ya!” Jesus went further tocorrect their thinking and repeated Himself in elicit terms: “Truly, truly, Isay to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood,you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood haseternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is foodindeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinksmy blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:53–56).

Jesus did not give a side explanation as He did with the parable of thesower. Jesus drove the point home by being literal. In John 6:60 we read:“Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, ‘This is a hard saying;who can listen to it?’” These were his disciples, people who had listened

to Him speak in parables and metaphors many times. But upon hearingthis teaching, there was no turn of phrase. “It is the Spirit that gives life,the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit andlife” (John 6:63; cf. 1 Cor. 2:12–14).It is at this point that the most glaring aspect comes to surface: “Afterthis, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him”(John 6:66). These disciples, who knew that Jesus was the Christ, the longawaited Messiah and King, would walk away from the person who theyhad given up everything to follow because of this teaching. This teachingwas too much to handle. Would a follower give up all of this for a simplemetaphor? I say not. Those who understood and believed this teachingwould die for it in the centuries to come. This belief is why someChristians would be accused of being cannibals and arrested. TheChristians of the first generation would attest to this belief.

Ignatius of Antioch, who had been a disciple of the Apostle John and whowrote a letter to the Smyrnaeans around A.D. 110, said, referring to“those who hold heterodox opinions,” that “they abstain from theEucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharistis the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sinsand which the Father, in his goodness, raised up again” (6:2, 7:1).Ignatius (110 A.D.), Justin Martyr (150 A.D.), Origen (244 A.D.), Cyrilof Jerusalem (mid-300s A.D.) and Theodore of Mopsuesta (400s A.D.)would leave writings confirming this belief. Theodore would verypoignantly say, “When [Christ] gave the bread he did not say, ‘This is thesymbol of my body,’ but, ‘This is my body.’ In the same way, when hegave the cup of his blood he did not say, ‘This is the symbol of myblood,’ but, ‘This is my blood,’ for he wanted us to look upon the[Eucharistic elements], after their reception of grace and the coming ofthe Holy Spirit, not according to their nature, but to receive them as theyare, the body and blood of our Lord” (Catechetical Homilies 5:1).

After the explicit teaching of Christ, the heavy decision of the disciples,and the writings and beliefs of the first Christians, it is obvious that Christis to be truly present in the Eucharist. The question, then, is, which churchhas the Real Presence? After searching, the field can narrow down to theCatholic Church, the Orthodox Church, Anglicans, Lutherans, and someMethodists. While Methodists will say that this is simply a “HolyMystery,” others will claim literal presence in the Sacrament. But what isglaring to me about the list of denominations is that they all are splintersfrom the One Holy and Apostolic Catholic Church. Whether it isauthoritarian dispute (Anglicanism), personal holiness and practicedispute (Lutheranism), or a dispute over the role of Our Blessed Motherand the manner in which the Holy Spirit enters the world (Orthodox), allof these traditions get their belief in the Real Presence from the CatholicChurch. The Catholic Church is the obvious answer to the questions ofwhich church did Christ establish and which church continues to teachwhat He taught. And if one values (which you should) the aspect ofhaving priestly authority to consecrate the Eucharist and perform this

Sacrament, then the answer is even clearer.

Despite the personal views and side disputes, Christ gave us a veryimportant gift: Himself. We are to encounter Him always and carry outthe Sacrament in remembrance of Him. Why make the decision any moredifficult than it needs to be? The crux of the faith question is, Where is Christ? He is here, in the Eucharist. Every day, always available to beseen and adored. Stop by any parish. Go to perpetual adoration. TheChurch reveres Christ in the Eucharist because that is really Him, with usalways, just as He said He would be.

Strength of the SaintsAs a continuation of an earlier post, I would like to shed light on anothername that is heard, but rarely understood when spoken of during theconsecration of the Eucharist during Holy Mass. As the list of names thatis read in the longer form of the Mass permits, one will hear the namesPerpetua and Felicity. These two powerful women saints are some of theearliest named female martyrs of the Church and give us something veryvery special, their own words. Perpetua is said to have spoken her ownaccount of her visions and time in prison and was recorded by her fellowprisoner Saturus.

Perpetua was a 22 year old girl who has just given birth to a baby whenshe is arrested, along with her pregnant slave Felicity, for being aChristian around the year 203 A.D. Set to be executed at the militarygames in celebration of the Emperor Geta’s birthday, Perpetua is able tokeep her child in prison and is moved after bribing the guards to a bettersection of the prison in order to care for the child. Despite her family’spleas for her to recant her faith to save herself and the child, she refuses.While in prison, she receives multiple visions and foresees what she willendure in the arena. In her first dream, Perpetua sees a large ladder that isfixed with weapons along the sides that she must climb. At the foot of thisladder is a dragon that Saturus faces first, and then she must confrontafter. This vision shows her the suffering the she and the other martyrswill endure. Later, after Perpetua and the others are taken before thegovernor for sentencing, Perpetua has another vision. This time, she seesher deceased brother Dinocrates, who had died unbaptized from cancer atthe early age of seven. later she would pray for him and have anothervision of him happy and healthy with his face disfigurement reduced to ascar. Perpetua’s last vision would be of her battling an Egyptian thatwould symbolize her battle with the devil himself.

In prison before the games, Felicity gives birth to her child. Felicity isglad to have given birth, in order that she may be martyred along withPerpetua as pregnant women could not be executed. Once the Christiansare led into the arena, the crowd demands that they are scourged firstbefore being executed. After, a boar, a bear and a leopard are set upon the

men while a wild cow was set upon the women. After being badlywounded by the animals, they would give one another the kiss of peacebefore being put to the sword. As Perpetua was injured by the first pierce,the swordsman’s hand trembled as he was not experienced and afraid.Perpetua herself set the blade to her neck to give the proper placingbefore she was slain.Perpetua and Felicity’s story is one of courage, faith and love, despite herfamily’s and particularly her father’s, pleas.

Perpetua’s answer was simple and clear. Pointing to a water jug, sheasked her father, “See that pot lying there? Can you call it by any othername than what it is?”

Her father answered, “Of course not.” Perpetua responded, “Neither can Icall myself by any other name than what I am — a Christian.”

Perpetua could not abandon her faith for fear of losing her life. Giving herchild to her mother and brother for care, she was determined to meetChrist if that is how He deemed it for her to happen. I pray we can have1/10th of the strength of these women.

Saints and especially martyrs in heaven, pray for us!

Father, Your love gave the saints Perpetua and Felicity

courage to suffer a cruel martyrdom.By their prayers, help us to grow in love of You.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

Humbly I Am Yours

The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. Heis also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especiallyafraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when wemake the Sign of the Cross.

– St Anthony of the Desert

Humility is one of my favorite virtues as it seems to be the basis for somany others. Having the right mind set from the beginning is essential toliving our Catholic faith. Whether it be acting charitably toward anotheror making a right decision, one must be humble enough to know that their

actions and decisions have an impact on others. To realize that we aremere creatures and that the one who loves us and created us has betterdesires for us than to feed our every whim and passion is a humblingthought.The world, and perhaps the devil as St Anthony would say, is very keenon making us think we are the center of our own universe. What evermakes you feel good, do it. People will go so far as to say that as long aswhat you want to do doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one has the right tojudge you. This is pride at its best. Thinking that whatever you want to dois right simply because you desire it neglects others, neglects commonsense, and mostly neglects respect for who created you.

Life is a precious gift. All that we have is a precious gift. And I hate tobreak it to everyone, but none of us deserve what we have received. Weall fall short of what we should do. Simply put, we are all sinners. God,who is the source of all goodness, and is in fact goodness itself, did nothave to give us life, food, shelter, clothes, safety, air, water, warmth,companionship, or the myriad of other blessings that we take for granted.To realize that Our Lord gives us so much, without asking very much ofanything in return, only because He loves us, is a sobering thought.

We need to be humble in our lives. This means living out the simpleprecepts and commands that Our Lord gave to us. When we realize weare indebted to God in a way we can never repay, we can come with ahumble attitude to practice the other virtues of our faith. We can becharitable toward others, especially those less fortunate than ourselves, asOur Lord asked us to do because we are in fact doing these things forHim. We can be kind, diligent and patient. When we realize the gift ofour bodies, we can be humble enough to be chaste in our actions, mindsand hearts.

Even still, when we practice these virtues, we should be humble in thepractice of them as well. We do what we do because of our returned loveto God. When we are in church, we bow, kneel or genuflect because werecognize the presence of God. We do not desire to be recognized for ourfaith, but desire to serve others more.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has lefthouse or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children orlands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive ahundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sistersand mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and inthe age to come eternal life. But many that are first will be last,and the last first.”

Guilty or Not Guilty?

If we lived in a society like that of ancient Rome and Christianity wereillegal, when you were brought before a judge being accused of being aChristian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? I loved beingasked this question. Living in the “Buckle of the Bible Belt,” folks here inthe South are very forward with their faith at times and they will ask youthings of this nature point blank. More often, I will see questions on abillboard or a semi truck that ask, “If you died today, do you know whereyou would end up?” Now, granted that the majority of these folks are notCatholic but of more of an Evangelical brand of Christianity, I stilladmire their zeal for their faith. They are not afraid to let you know whatthey believe and that it molds their lives.

There is a fine line between proclaiming your faith, and boasting of yourfaith. Christ warns us not to do the latter. In the Gospel according toMatthew, Jesus says,

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love tostand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they maybe seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door andpray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who seesin secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:5-6).

Is someone asking you a faith-developing question or hanging a sign ofhis or her faith being a hypocrite, or simply displaying his or her faith?Perhaps it is all in how one lives his or her faith. If the goal of sayingthese things is to proclaim the Gospel message and to bring more peopleto Christ, then this action is good.

How do we as Catholics display our faith without boasting? One of thesimplest ways that you can show your faithfulness without boasting is topray before meals, especially in public. Now of course one shouldexercise neighborly love and never do anything that would knowingcause scandal or hurt anyone, but that is not what I am talking about.When you go to a restaurant, pray before you dive into your food andmake sure that you make the sign of the cross. This prayer can be silentand internal, simple and short; it does not need to be anything flashy.Giving thanks for the wonderful things God has given us should be doneconstantly, especially in a world where so many go without.

I thought about this living here in the South. While we Catholics are notthe majority of the population, one should not be afraid to do something

as simple as this before a meal. When I see a person or a family praybefore a meal, sometimes with hands joined, I do not judge them andbecome offended. They may not be of the same faith as I am, but I cansee that their faith means something to them. It molds and affects theirdaily lives. I am proud that they can live their faith and that those aroundthem can respect it.There are many other ways in which one can display his or her faithwhich are not boastful. Some are more visible than others, including: aCatholic bumper sticker on your car, a crucifix around your neck, readinga book with a faith-based title in public, or other physical displays ofone’s faith. But the most inspiring and effective way to show others yourfaith and to help them see the beauty in it too is to live it. Whether thismeans refraining from foul language, being mindful of what type of TVor movies one watches, dressing modestly, or attending Mass as often aspossible, these outward signs of faith will have a profound effect onothers.

So, if you are ever in a situation where a judge will seek to find enoughevidence to prove that you are a Christian, I hope that witnesses arecalled, evidence from your home/work/church are brought forth, and yourtestimony can prove you guilty as charged.

Patience Is a VirtuePatience is a virtue. That’s how the old saying goes, right? Well, yes, itactually is. There are two different lists of virtues and the exact namesdiffer depending upon which list you consult. While both do the job oflisting virtues that are scripturally sound, I prefer the later list, sometimescalled the Seven Heavenly Virtues, which was proposed by a Christiangovernor named Aurelius Prudentius who died around 410 AD, in hispoem “Psychomachia” or “Battle/Contestof the Soul.” In his list, the seven virtues that battle the seven deadly sinsare chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, andhumility.

I like this list because the terms are more familiar and easy to understandthan lists that include words like “fortitude.” While all these virtues areimportant, and we learn them in various ways every day (hopefully), thereis one that I focused on today. My two year old son is the master atteaching me the virtue of patience.

As a “professional limit tester” (as we have come to name this stage), heis constantly seeing what he can do and get away with. If you say don’tthrow something, he may toss it forward onto the ground instead. Whilethis may technically still be a throw, is it only a toss now? Did I say no

tossing or no throwing? How far can we go with this? This made mewonder, how far do we test the limits of God’s patience?The One who knows all and knows what is good for us can see what weshould and should not do. He even knows that we know better. But weare human. We mess up constantly and we are weak enough to do thewrong things, sometimes repeatedly. So how can we be more Christlike?By exercising the same patience with others that we receive from theFather who loves us.

While we may know better, or the person who offended you may orshould know better, we have to strive for understanding and patience. Tobe what we should and always act perfectly according to love, we have tobe like Christ. We try, but often fail. It is a learning process.

Just like I love my son dearly but have my patience tested, we need to bepatient as our Father in heaven is patient with us. He wants to see howwonderful the final product will be. We should all think that way towardone another. I know you have flaws, but you are working through them,just like I am. Patience is a virtue; so is humility, which is why I canknow that I need more of both.

Can the Church Grow with theTimes?In a fast-moving secular world, many people’s complaint about theChurch is that it is old fashioned. While I can understand their point (andperhaps at times this is actually what draws me to the Catholic Church),upon closer inspection, the Church does have innovation and newness toher, you just have to look. Recently, Facebook released its IPO on WallStreet. Now you, yes you, can own your own little piece of this socialmedia pioneer and see what happens in the world of digitalcommunication. In the spirit of that event, I thought I would share a wayin which the gospel is being spread through Facebook that I find ratherinteresting and fun.

After reading through some Catholic news articles, I saw a link to a videoabout a Facebook game that was being released. Now, while Farmvilleand others have seen their day, this game is actually something I support.“Journey of Jesus: The Calling” is a Facebook game that runs in much thesame way as other games like Farmville, but it follows the life andteachings of Jesus as a disciple. The graphics are pretty well done andlittle activities at every step display gospel attributes and messages. Fromthe first moment I played the game I was pulled in; I thought it was aninteresting and inventive way to reach many young people today.

 

 

 

 

 

While I do advocate for playing outside/using your imagination/playingsports/limiting digital screen time, especially as kids are more and moreengrossed with electronics and games, I will say that this is a wonderfulway to engage young minds (and perhaps adults too) with the gospelmessage while staying in the times. Although the Pope has warnedagainst too much time on Facebook and harvesting only “digital friends,” the Holy Father has joined the digital age with a web site called Pope2You , a Twitter account for Pope2You which updates in differentlanguages, and even iPhone apps that are currently only availableoverseas.

One can come to the faith or be exposed to the message of Christ in amultitude of ways. Likewise, those already involved can benefit incountless ways from the Church’s presence in their daily lives. It is mucheasier to walk the straight and narrow path when one has every part of hisor her life engulfed in spiritual outlets. Seeing Catholic emails, the Holy

Father appearing in your Newsfeed, reading the latest Tweet fromVatican City, following blogs like The Papist, and playing games thathave you involved in the miracles of Christ are some examples. Whenyou invite the Holy Spirit into so many areas of your life, is there anyroom left for sin? Let’s hope not. I would rather the devil see a “NoVacancy” sign when he passes by my soul, wouldn’t you?

The Tree, the Tumbleweed, andthe DandelionBear with me as I work this thought through. I was intrigued bysomeone’s metaphor today and thought I would elaborate on it a bit. Thequestion that I pose to you the reader is this: are you a tree, a tumbleweed,or a dandelion? Now, while many might be thinking about their answeralready and seeing the attributes of each, I ask you to hold off. You see,each of these is a metaphor for the way we are spiritually. There is a greatwave of “tolerance” in our society and in ways it is wonderful, but inothers it is very damaging.

Think of it this way: you are a tree. You a strong and stable. You aregrounded in your roots. Perhaps these roots are made of a theology, adoctrine or dogma. More precisely, this is your personal faith. You are sostrongly rooted that you can grow and stretch forth without worry. Yourbranches are your reaches into the outside world. Interaction with the air,elements, and animals are how you interact with other faiths and“spiritualities'”(whatever that may mean). But, since you have a solidtrunk and roots, you can not be swayed too far and you will not lean. Youlive in a symbiotic relationship with others and you get as much as yougive.

But, perhaps you are a tumbleweed. You grew in that soil of learning andtradition, but once you got big enough, the outside forces took over. Your

long branches into the sky reached so far that you were taken away by thewind and ripped straight out of the ground. You no longer have anygrounding and your roots have no choice but to tumble along with you asyou roll helplessly along. Subject to the elements, you are pushedwherever the wind takes you and you will eventually break apart intonothingness at this rate.

Or, if you are still young, perhaps you are the dandelion. Morespecifically, you are the seeds that blossom on the top and flower intothose white fluffy parachutes that get caught in the wind. Where you arefrom or perhaps your parents are the plant itself and they have grownstrong in their tradition. Maybe they are a true weed and will take up rootwherever they feel comfortable, but nonetheless, they grow constantly.They bring you up and grow , putting you out to the world. They haveyou teetering on the edge, gaining your independence, until the windeventually takes you away. The important part is where you land. Willyou land in fertile soil in which you can take root and grow to becomesomething more than a seed? Or will you be subject to the elements andfall where there is nothing but a barren wasteland?

In this world, many people fall into these categories. Not all, but most. I

like to think of myself as a tree. I want to be a tree, a mighty oak orredwood that will stand strong and can even be a place to shade those inneed. Hopefully your faith is strong enough to take root and stand firm.Today’s world would have us reach out so far and wide to accept as muchdifference as we can, while at the same time leaving very little in whichour roots can take hold. At some point, the roots as weak as they are maygive and you will simply tumble away. I hope not.I pray for you and myself that you may be a tree.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, norstands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delightis in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Heis like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season,and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wickedare not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore thewicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation ofthe righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the wayof the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:1-6).

What You Can Learn fromMonasticismAfter finishing a paper on the spirituality of monasticism, it got methinking about how diverse the different orders and rules of monasticismare. In the history of Chistianity, pious individuals have sought God invarious ways. Beginning with St. Anthony of the Desert, solitude wasthought to help with the search for God. When followers wanted toimitate St. Anthony, those who could not handle the solitude would revisethe rule to live in a community with one another. Over time, differentrules would develop that would emphasize different aspects of the asceticlife.

Some, like the Benedictines, would focus on obedience and work. Aconsequence of the communal living in a Benedictine community wouldbe various jobs around the monastery. Perhaps you would farm, orperhaps you would do dishes. No matter what, life in the monasterywould be similar to a beehive, all individuals working hard toward thesame goal that would have sweet results. The Cistercians would teachlabor above all and shy away from the theology and Scripture copyingthat the Benedictines would do.

Other orders, like the mendicant orders of the Franciscans or Dominicans,would put poverty first and live solely off of the charity others. This formof asceticism would focus on being out in the world and preaching.

However, even between these two similar orders there was a difference ofopinion on how to interact with the world. St. Francis of Assisi wouldemphasize service and example. He was credited with saying, “Preach thegospel always, and if necessary use words.” He would instruct hisfollowers to lead by example and service. St. Dominic Guzman would tellhis order to preach in the streets. Their poverty and personal servicewould give credibility to the preaching that they were doing. Thedifferences are subtle, but important.The differences in these orders made me think about our Catholic faithover all. There are so many different ways to worship, all under the samebody of believers. If you prefer a Mass where the music is progressiveand light and the sermon is the most important part of the Mass, we havea parish for you. If you are more of a traditionalist and love Latin, chants,and incense, there’s a parish for you too! No matter what your flavor is,the Catholic Church can welcome you. We are all one big family and weall celebrate the same body and blood of Christ. Just as any ascetic canfind an order that would complement what he or she thinks is the bestway to serve God, so can you find your home if you only look.

What Is Your Level of Happiness?Happiness is a pretty simple concept to understand. We all desire to behappy; we must choose to be unhappy. The Church Fathers dove furtherinto this simple emotion to reveal, through the work of Aristotle, thatthere are, in fact, four levels of happiness. We can all tell that some of thethings which make us happy last, while others don’t. How can we strivefor the ones that last? Are some worth more than others? The answer issimpler than you think.

The first level of happiness is called laetus. This is instant happiness.More precisely, it is instant gratification. When I eat a steak (I’m hungryalready), I am instantly enjoying it, feeling full and the effects of thehappiness I get from it. Anything that is external to the person and givesthem joy generates this first level of happiness. Buying that car, feelingthat hug, being given a gift; these all give instant happiness. The problemis, these things do not last. As quickly as they came in they begin to leaveand more is needed to fill the gap.

The second level is called felix. This level is based upon accomplishment.When, in comparison to someone else, I am doing better than they are. IfI am promoted at work, win a trophy, get a good grade, these are all betterthan something that money could buy. This happiness lasts longer andcan be relished. The drawback to this kind of happiness is that itinevitably comes at someone else’s expense. In order to do better thansomeone else, that person has to do worse. He or she did not win whatyou did, otherwise it wouldn’t be as special. If everyone tried for thislevel of happiness, then the world would be a very cold and cut throatplace.

The third level of happiness is called beatitudo. This is where we findhappiness in helping and loving others. This level of happiness involvesphilanthropy: seeing what others need and the desire of making thathappen for them. While this happiness is better than the second level, it isstill limited. The joy is long-lasting until the person we are helping is nolonger with us. If one’s joy is found in someone else and then that persondies, for example, the ability to find joy in him or her dies too. To be sure,another can take their place, but that joy does not last.

The fourth and highest level of happiness is called sublime beatitudo.This level of happiness involves discovering what is inside each personthat brought us happiness at level three. As the Church Fathers tookAristotle’s teaching to a new level, they would explain that what he was,in fact, referencing God at this level. It is the image and likeness of Godin which we are all made that we are seeing in others. As Christ indicated,when we do things for “the least of these,” we are actually doing thesethings for Him. When viewed in this light, we are always doing things forGod. To be truly happy we must strive toward seeing the beatific vision,which is God’s glorious Face, in everyone and everything. We can seeglimpses of this in moments at level three, but we strive toward it in allthat we do in level four.

This is what all of the Church’s teachings express: loving your neighbor,seeing God in others (especially those in need), living for God in all thatyou do, and so forth. So if you find yourself longing, review the level ofhappiness toward which you are working. True, many things bringhappiness, but what is the purpose of it all? Why are we here? Whatwould Jesus do? He always worked toward that beatific vision. Christshowed us what we should do to obtain the Kingdom of God, which is thezip code for real happiness.

The Heart of UnityWhy are there so many different “denominations” of Christianity? Whycan I go down a street in Tennessee, effectively the “buckle of the Biblebelt,” and simultaneously lay eyes on ten churches of different creed,belief, and doctrine? The answer is disunity. This is not a word that onehears too often. But the heart of the matter is that people separate fromthe original church to which they belonged for different reasons, likefeeling that they can do something better, more piously, or closer to whatChrist desired. They may claim different authority, or sometimes all theyneed is their own authority. When a problem arises, instead of workingthrough it together and within the church, the anger separates the personand whoever follows him or her to a new place.

This is the crux of every schism since the beginning of the Church. Ithought of this as I was passing by a church named after St. Augustine.Was this a Catholic parish named after one of our greatest saints andDoctors of the Church? No. Sadly, this was a church of a denomination

that separated more than 1,500 years after Christ started His Church.Many churches are named after many of our saints, but this time, it struckme with a subtle irony.St. Augustine dealt with abundant controversies and issues in his day, butwhen I saw this church, I thought of one in particular: the Donatistcontroversy. Getting into the third century, the Roman emperorDiocletian still persecuted many Christian groups, but he was showingleniency to some. He declared that if a group were to give up theirScriptures to the state as a symbol of obedience to the emperor, theywould be allowed to live. In different cases, some in fear for their life, didas instructed. Others resisted by various means, including handing overother papers (since the soldiers couldn’t read anyway), but ultimatelyresisted unto the point of death. The ones who did as instructed werelabeled as traitors and no longer worthy of the priesthood. The baptismsthey would perform were considered invalid.

St. Augustine would fight this view by insisting that it was not the priest’sholiness that made the sacrament valid, but the office of the priesthooditself and Christ Himself working through it. This made me think aboutwhy various groups have separated from the Church throughout thecenturies. Most times it was due to disagreement over practice or the factthat a doctrine of the Church had been corrupted. This is what MartinLuther did. He separated due to corruption and what he viewed as loss ofthe faith. For him, the answer was to separate. For his contemporary, St.Teresa of Avila, the answer was reform from within.

Fast forward a few centuries: Now there is a church named after a manwho fought against the very separation that caused it to be there. Perhapsa misunderstanding of what Augustine taught. Perhaps ignorance of histeachings. Or perhaps it is the Lord’s way of bringing attention to a subtleirony that could be the catalyst for reconciliation. Should we letdisagreement, especially over things that happened long ago, be thereason we do not belong to one body in Christ’s holy Church? Perhapswhen issues arise we should stress unity in all things and work together asOur Lord would have us do. If a problem comes up, talk it out. TheChurch can grow stronger than ever before and be a closer body ofbelievers. Where do you find disagreement in your parish?

Do You Have A RegularConfessor?Recently I went to a penance service at my parish. I am so glad that theyhad this opportunity. Our priest invited other priests from around thediocese to come and be available for confessions on this night for theparish. In all, there were eight different priests there to hear confessions.

That is so amazing! What a wonderful sight it was to see all of these holymen there to offer their time for everyone!There was a short service beforehand with readings from the OldTestament, Letters and Epistles, and the New Testament. After that, ourpriest led us through renewing our baptismal promises with greaterexplanation of each. It was very enlightening for everyone there to seehow the elements of the Apostles’ Creed, to which we all responded that“we believe,” apply to our daily lives. After the service, all of the priestswere designated to different areas of the church. Because our church onlyhas one dedicated confessional room, all of the other areas would be faceto face with the confessor.

What amazed me is that the first priest, who was finished and had nomore people to hear, was the one who had the actual confessional roomwhere there was the option of confessing behind a screen. More peopleseemed to choose to make their confession face to face in other parts ofthe church. I used to think that it could be intimidating for most people todo it this way. Me, I actually prefer it. If I am going to make sure that Imake a truly honest and good confession, I want the priest to look me inthe eye. I like to speak openly and honestly. I want advice, not justforgiveness. To me, if one is truly sorry for his or her sins, then he or shehas an absolute desire not to do them again. I want advice, tips, tricks,anything to help me avoid even the “near occasion of sin” as the Act ofContrition says.

One thing that I find important is to have a regular confessor. Having onepriest that you go to helps your spiritual life abundantly. This is someoneto whom you can go and really work on the things that trip you up. Also,by going to the same priest, there is a motivation to be better. Do youwant to go to the same person consistently and tell him, “Whoops, sorry, Imessed up again in the same way?” Having a regular confessor, andgoing to him regularly I might add, helps you to stay on the straight andnarrow. The former personal secretary of Blessed Pope John Paul IIreported that he would go to confession weekly with the same PolishMonsignor every Saturday. Sometimes it is hard even to contemplatewhat the Pope would have to confess. If I ever feel that I am doing well, Iremind myself of this and know that I can always do better.

I am very grateful for this Lenten service and that my parish gave theopportunity for so many to go to confession at one time. The regularlyscheduled times cannot always work with busy schedules and today’sworld. But, the priest is always available by appointment. Don’t be afraidto call and ask. This is one of the greatest benefits of belonging toChrist’s Church. Christ gave us this beautiful sacrament when He said toSt. Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; andwhatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, andwhatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (Matthew16:19). All of the apostles were given this duty. As the bishops are theirsuccessors, so do they have this solemn duty; and as the priests are theirrepresentatives to so many people, they have what Christ directly gave tous all. Take advantage of this gift. The graces that abound whenreconciliation is utilized are amazing. You feel better, feel closer to God,and great weights are lifted off your

shoulders.

Road Rage Anyone?How do you deal with traffic? Well, for me I was taught how to drive bya New York driver and a New Jersey driver. Not exactly the shiningexamples of calm defensive driving. Nevertheless, I was taught how todrive well. But, when traffic begins to form and drivers start makingerratic moves to gain that extra three feet, my mouth turns to a sailor justarrived in port. I have tried to correct this for years, but this Lentenseason I decided to give it another try, but with a different twist. Thistime, I was going to do something proactively to help this endeavor. Idecided to say the rosary as I drive.

Now as I drive, I say the rosary to myself and focus as much as I can onthe mysteries of the decades. I will be honest, there are times when I maymiss a bead, or get mixed up for a second as I try to navigate the lanesand switching freeways, but this has helped me tremendously. I say therosary every day and start my day with some of the best prayers possible.In addition, it is very hard to swear at anyone when constantly saying theBlessed Mother’s name. As I end each Hail Mary with asking her to“pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death,” I can see that I ama weak human. I have my errors and weaknesses, but I have courage thatI am trying.

To add to my calming efforts, I have a few catholic stickers on my truckas well. I can’t cut anyone off when I have a sticker that says “Pray forthe Unborn” or a Miraculous Medal sticker on my car. I have not gone as

far as to have my truck blessed (as old as it is, it could probably use somegrace to keep going), but I find my truck to be symbolic for life ingeneral. If you surround yourself with Christ, then you are compelled tolive up to what you display. If Mary is there on your shoulder, you do notwant to let her down. As I attempt to cure all aspects of my inner roadrage, I can see how I can set up the rest of my life to cure all my other illsas well. Perhaps this Lenten season is a time to see where we forget toproclaim Christ, and to find a way to add a Catholic sticker to leteveryone else, as well as ourselves, know what we want to proclaim.

The Silver Lining to ControversyIn all the debate going on over the HHS mandate in the news circlestoday, there can be a general feeling of dismay. As the governmentpresses harder and harder to conform everyone into a new religion called“tolerance,” it might seem as if the people of Christ may be losing. But Ihave two simple things to tell you: We are not, and there is a great by-product to this debate.

First, I can tell you that the Church will survive this. She has survived for2,000 years and will continue to do so. As “logos” from the fellas over at stpeterslist.com helps us realize, the Church has outlasted manyseemingly strong and powerful empires in her time and will continue tostand strong long after more have fallen away.

Christ said, “I also say to you that you are Peter,and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades will notoverpower it” (Matt 16:18). So, no matter what the world throws at us, nomatter what red tape and restrictions are put in the way, the Church willstand. Now, the bishops have drawn a correct line in the sand when theysay this is a requirement that must not be allowed. However, the Church,her morals, and life do not rely upon the feeble approval of the USgovernment.

I can say, though, there is another reason for hope. As this issue has comeup, an aspect of the Church’s teaching has been brought out of the backshadows and into the light. Most of the public knows about the Church’sstance on abortion and can at least perceive why the stance is the way itis. The opinion against contraception, however, has not always been as

well known, or as thoroughly articulated. Now, with the discussion aboutthe evils of contraception, people are forced to learn why the Church is sovehemently against contraception as well and the connection to theprinciple that outlines her stance against abortion. When one can see thatthe primary importance is life, and the allowance for God to be the authorof life, many decisions are easy to see. Sometimes, when a line is drawnin the sand, it is easier to see where you stand and if that is the side onwhich you wish to be.The conversation is in full swing. Congress votes on this and even thosewho claim to be Catholic are scrutinized as to which way they vote to seeif it is in line with the Church’s teaching. I heard news reports on NPRradio and other media outlets that give way to curious listeners to whatthe Church actually teaches. They will distort this clarification with falseclaims and statistics. One report claimed that the majority of Catholics donot follow the Church’s teaching on contraception. Another went so far asto give an un-sourced stat that 98% of Catholic women have usedcontraception at some point in their lives. When I heard this I was in nosmall fashion yelling at my car radio. Later, I went in search of thisstaggering statistic. As it turns out, this statistic is true, kinda. While the survey questioned 7,356 women in 2006-2008 who were aged 15-44, thisquestionnaire was limited to those who were “sexually active women whoare not pregnant, post-partum or trying to get pregnant.” To me this is asmaller slice of Catholic women than what the media wants you to thinkit is. This does not count those who are waiting until marriage, those whoare older than 44 years old, or other women that might not fit this narrowview. The data was not as strong as you think. Besides, if the data is moreanalyzed, one can see that, even from this small, not-so-random samplingof Catholic women, 11% of women reported using no contraception at all . So, I was not a math major, but I know that it can not be 98% usingit, when 11% said they did not use it in the same study. Also, whendigging deeper, only 68% of women in this report used thecontraception that this entire debate is about. But, no matter how youslice it, there is still a large proportion of women who claim to beCatholic, who are not following the Church’s teaching. This is a problem.

No matter what happens, this is a teaching moment. The real deal is thatthe Church’s view and teaching is becoming known. The only recoursethe opposition has is to claim that the people do not follow it. When theconversation comes up around you, use the opportunity to talk about itwith people. Whether the person is a non-Catholic questioning theteaching or a pew-sitter who knows it but does not understand it, this isthe moment to have the conversation and talk about it. Ignorance is nolonger an option for this issue. As fellow Papist blogger Alejandroeloquently pointed out in his entry “ The Church Is NotModern…Thank God for That! ,” the fact that the Church does notconform to the will of society and government in this new age of“tolerance” is a very good thing. The Church does love all people andwant the best for everyone. All are welcome, but as any mother would do,she will tell you when you are in the wrong. If experience and age bring

wisdom, then perhaps the young United States should listen to the wiseolder Church; she may have some wisdom to impart and an experience ortwo to back it up.

Who Was That Now?I love the Mass. I am more of a Latin Mass attendee, specifically. Whatdo I love about it? I love the ritual, the sights, the sounds, and the smells.I love all the grandeur that the Church incorporates into a High Massbecause it makes me realize how awe-inspiring God truly is. If one wereto sit and really think about the majesty of God, many things come intofocus. Should you wear a football jersey to Mass? No, you should want toshow God how much you love and respect Him by dressing well to be inHis presence. Should you play on your phone, zone out during thereadings, and be disappointed if the homily is not of the caliber of amotivational speaker’s talk? No, of course not. The Mass is so wonderfuland beautiful because the entire arrangement of it is a prayer to God.

Every reading, every prayer, every bow, kneel, and genuflection is part ofthis wonderful opportunity to show resect and love for the Creator of theuniverse. In today’s society, however, there is variation and acceptanceout of love for the common person. Based upon how large a parish is, thespace in the building, and the type of people at the Mass, the priest mayselect which version of the Mass he would like to say/offer. There arethree common versions and at many parishes the shortest version is said.Perhaps this is because of the size of the congregation, and families withsmaller children do not generally have the energy to keep small kids quietfor longer. (At least, this is what my priest told me.) However, I like thelongest version best.

Besides the grandeur and extended words in the descriptions, I like theextended prayers. In the prayer of consecration, the priest extends theprayer to include others by name who are with Our Blessed Mother inheaven. Specifically, I like that this list mentions martyrs. All saints areworthy of our admiration and prayers, but martyrs hold a special place inmy heart. Not only to live a holy life but to give the ultimate sacrifice forChrist is the biggest act of love anyone could ever do. During this prayerthe priest says a slew of names and I would like to shed some light on oneof them, Agnes.

Born in the late third century, Agnes was a Christian at a very early age.While this was still illegal, she did not hide her love for Christ. When sheturned of age (12 or 13) she was ordered to sacrifice to a pagan god andlose her virginity by rape. She would be led to a temple in Minerva wherethis was to take place. Upon coming to the altar, she made the sign of thecross. Refusing to worship the pagan god, she was threatened and

tortured. Seeing this young girl in this state, many young men steppedforward offering to marry her to save her. Not knowing whether theiroffers were out of pity or lust she denied them all, indicating that to do soto save her own life would be an insult to Christ, who was her HeavenlySpouse. Desiring to keep her consecrated virginity intact she accepteddeath in order to see Christ, which is what she truly desired. Sources varyon how she was martyred (either beheaded, stabbed, or burned), but it isknown that she was mentioned in one of the earliest Eucharistic prayersof which we have record.Each year on her feast day, two lambs are blessed at her church in Rome.Their wool is then shorn and woven into palliums (bands of white) thatthe pope confers on archbishops to show their jurisdiction. Agnes ispictured in art holding a lamb, a symbol of Christ, purity, and perhaps thesource of this tradition. Her foster-sister, Saint Emerentiana, was alsomartyred two days later while on her way to pray at Anges’s grave by anangry mob of pagans after she professed her love for her sister and forChrist. Perhaps both girls being martyred so close together is the sourcefor the symbolism of two lambs.

Her feast day is January 21st.

“All-powerful and ever-living God, You choose the weak inthis world to confound the powerful. When we celebrate thememory of Saint Agnes, may we like her remain constant inour faith. Amen.”

(Prayer to St. Agnes)

Now if you get the opportunity to hear your priest offer the names of theother saints and martyrs in heaven with Our Blessed Mother who we hopeto join, you may know the story of one of those faithful servants ofChrist.

How Dan Brown Made Me aCatholicIn joining The Papist as a contributor, I decided to think back upon myown faith and what had led me to the Church in the beginning. Assomeone who was brought up in a multi-faith household and thensubsequently explored many other faiths, the manner in which I became apart of the Catholic Church can be attributed to one person: MaryMagdalene. This is fitting considering that, among her many patronages,she is the patron saint of converts, but it is more interesting because the

way I was brought to her was through The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.I was researching the religions of the world for a while by the time I readthe book, but once I read so many wild allegations about this disciple inthe book, I had to discover what was real and what was fiction.As I researched, I found out much of what Brown attributed to MaryMagdalene and the Church was wildly embellished. But I did find awonderful disciple in the person of Mary. I would subsequently searchmuch more about the Church in general and then “swim the Tiber” asthey say, converting in 2007, but Mary Magdalene would be by my sideall the while. I chose her as my patron saint and have kept her by myheart since. I have made her my companion, my advocate, and myinspiration as I continue my doctoral studies about her. I would like to tellyou more about her.

As most people know, Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Christ whofollowed Him during His ministry and played a very important rolefollowing His crucifixion. Many things and passages have been attributedto her over the centuries, but the only passages that can be known to betruly her are the ones discussing her presence at the crucifixion, her beingthe first (or in the company of the first) to see the risen Christ, and oneverse in the Gospel according to Luke. In Luke, she is revealed as “ . . .Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had goneout . . .” (Luke 8:2). She was one of the group of women following Jesuswho helped provide for Him out of her “private means.” This verse, alongwith others about a “Mary” or women, would lead to her being deemed areformed prostitute. This characterization, whether seen as positive ornegative, has followed her for centuries until this day.

The stories of her devotion to Jesus and being the “apostle to theapostles” drew me to her more than anything else. Without her relatingthe Good News of Christ’s Resurrection to the apostles, there might nothave been Christianity at all. Besides these wonderful blessings of beingwith Jesus and being honored as the first to see His glory, the stories andlegends of Mary Magdalene after the point the Scriptures leave off areeven more fascinating.

In The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine, Mary is held to havebeen placed in a rudderless boat, along with Lazarus and Martha (herattributed brother and sister), Maximin (who was one of the 72 disciples),Marcelle (who was Martha’s chambermaid) and Cedony (who was theblind man cured by Christ), by Jews attempting to get rid of the followersof Jesus. Doomed to die without provisions or manner of navigation, theboat arrived by the grace of God on the shores of Southern France inMarseilles. Seeking shelter, Mary and the others found cover under theporch of a pagan temple in town. When seeing the people arrive there inthe morning to make sacrifice to the idols inside, she arose and began topreach the Good News of Christ to the people. The lips that were creditedwith kissing the Lord’s feet in tears were so eloquent in speaking theplain and beautiful truth of Jesus that many were converted. Afterpreaching for a few years in the country and the conversion of the prince

of the province and his wife by way of a miracle where his wife woulddie in childbirth on an ocean voyage but would rise again, Lazarus wouldbe installed as bishop of the city and Maximin as bishop of nearby Aix bythe local prince after converting to Christianity. However, MaryMagdalene would be desirous of a life of contemplation and solitude andwould live her remaining years in a cave in the wilderness that had beenchosen by angels. She would have no food or running water in thisdesolate place. Instead, she would be lifted up to heaven daily by angelsand fed there. Living in this cave, and sometimes depicted in art onlycovered by her long hair (very reminiscent of the camel hair of John theBaptist), Mary would live over thirty years in the cave as an ascetic. Atthe end of her earthly life, Mary would be mystically transported to thechurch where Maximin was bishop and ask for communion from himbefore her spirit ascended to heaven with angels before his eyes. Herbody was buried there and left the smell of roses in the place for sevendays.The legend of Mary Magdalene would catch fire in the time of TheGolden Legend‘s publication and it would become part of a book that wasread as much as, if not more than, the Bible itself. Mary’s story ofconversion and love for our Lord gave an example of realizing what lifeis really about. If the legends are taken into account alongside thereferences in Scripture, one finds a person of great wealth and beauty whocomes to see that life is more than mere possessions or earthly pleasures,but an opportunity to find what is real and then to spread the joy of themessage of Christ. Even being one who was privileged enough to followChrist in His earthly ministry and to be the first witness to Hisresurrection, she still spent the remaining time of her life contemplatingthe meaning of His words and actions. Commonly pictured with a skull toshow her focus on mortality and always displaying a look of a mixture ofcontemplation, penance, longing, and wonder, Mary Magdalene is awonderful example of strength and hope for us all. No matter the weightof one’s sin, one can always come back and follow Christ with his or herwhole heart. Saint Mary Magdalene, Pray for Us!

PRAYER TO SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Saint Mary Magdalene,woman of many sins, who by conversionbecame the beloved of Jesus,thank you for your witnessthat Jesus forgivesthrough the miracle of love.

You, who already possess eternal happinessin His glorious presence,please intercede for me, so that some dayI may share in the same everlasting joy.

Amen.