Former Franciscan seminary head calls attack on yeshiva 'monstrous'

Former Franciscan seminary head calls attack on yeshiva 'monstrous'

By Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service

JERUSALEM (CNS) -- A Palestinian gunman's attack on a Jewish seminary was a "monstrous" atrocity, said a former director of Jerusalem's Franciscan seminary.

Father Artemio Vitores, vicar of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, told Catholic News Service he has lived through five wars and two Palestinian uprisings in the Holy Land, but the attack on the seminary, or yeshiva, affected him on a more personal level.

"Seminaries have another atmosphere, whether they are Jewish or Christian students. They are young students dedicated to their religious studies," he said March 7, the day after the attack. "We have to avoid hate. That is not taking us anywhere."

A Palestinian gunman opened fire on a crowded library and study hall of the Mercaz Harav Seminary, killing eight people, ages 15-26, and wounding 11 others. The seminary is home to several hundred students and is the flagship seminary for the religious Zionist movement, which advocates placing Jewish settlers in Palestinian territories.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the Galilee Freedom Brigades -- an Israeli-Arab group -- has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came just after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the Holy Land.

However, Wadie Abunasser, director of the International Center for Consultations and a Catholic resident of the northern city of Haifa, said he doubted Israeli Arabs would have undertaken such an attack. He said for several years Israeli security forces have been trying to determine whether an Israeli-Arab terrorist cell exists in Galilee, but they have not uncovered anything.

Nevertheless, he said, such a claim may have negative effects on the Jewish Israeli attitude toward Arab residents of Israel in the long run. He said the rising trend of the idea of transferring the Arab population into Palestinian-controlled territories -- which some radical Israeli parliament members have proposed recently -- could gain more support among Jewish Israelis.

Media reported the streets of Gaza filled with crowds passing out sweets and armed men firing in the air in celebration following the attack.

The Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, issued a statement saying the group "blesses the (Jerusalem) operation. It will not be the last."

In the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Gazan reaction.

At the time of the explosion, Gaza had been under Israeli military attack for a week, and more than 110 Palestinians had died during violence on the southern border, where Palestinian militants have been launching Qassam rocket attacks into southern Israeli towns. Abbas, whose Fatah Party was ousted from Gaza by Hamas last summer, suspended peace talks with the Israelis March 2 after the Israeli incursion.

Father Vitores said the positive peace ideas discussed in recent times have not yet come to fruition, but Palestinians and Israelis need to put their wounds aside and continue with the process of working toward peace.

He said he participated in a meeting with Abbas several months ago and was impressed by the president's optimism.

"There were some good ideas coming from this land where there is continuously war," he said. "In the heart of the people there is a desire for peace. That is not an impossible or radical hope. But for that there must be tolerance and acceptance."

Father Vitores said he knows from experience that, eventually, talks will resume and everyone will have to make compromises.

"They have to reach the point where they accept the other," he said. "They may not become brothers, but at least there will be tolerance."

Father Vitores said he had spoken to a group of visiting nuns who were worried about visiting the Via Dolorosa -- the traditional route of Jesus' Way of the Cross -- the morning following the attack. He said he told them that as Christians they were called to walk along that path, to continue visiting the holy places, and then in time other people, too, would follow them along their path of peace and tolerance.

END

URL: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0801293.htm

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Seraphic Praise and Worship

The Capuchin Friars in Denver, CO hold a praise and worship service on the third Thursday of each month. The adoration and praise of the Creator was a key aspect in the spirituality of St. Francis. In all creation, he saw the Divine imprint of his Lord and Master. Yet it was the Eucharistic Presence of Christ that most captivated St. Francis' heart and drew the full outpouring of his praise.

Join us on as we continue this long tradition with Eucharistic Adoration, live music, the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and reflections on the Franciscan charism. Seraphic Praise and Worship, so called because of Francis' vision of a winged seraph enveloping the Crucified from which he received the stigmata, is organized by the Capuchin Franciscans and Capuchin Poor Clares in Denver, CO. Anyone is welcome, but we especially invite any young men and women interested in the Capuchin/Poor Clare way of life to come and learn more about us. Event details are listed below:

WHERE:

St. Patrick's Oratory

Our Lady of Light Monastery

3325 Pecos Street.

Denver, CO. 80211

WHEN:

March 20 (Holy Thursday - silent)

April 17

May 15

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the Capuchin Franciscans atSt. Francis of Assisi Friary: (303) 477-5542 (or)Fr. John Lager, O.F.M.Cap. (303) 981-1111

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Resurrection of the Heart

Resurrection of the Heart

Gospel Commentary for 5th Sunday of Lent

By Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

ROME, MARCH 7, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The stories in the Gospel were not only written to be read, but also to be relived.

The story of Lazarus was written to tell us: There is a resurrection of the body and there is a resurrection of the heart; if the resurrection of the body will happen "on the last day," that of the heart happens, or can happen, everyday.

This is the meaning of the resurrection of Lazarus that the liturgy wishes to point out to us in the first reading from Ezekiel about the dry bones.

The prophet has a vision: He sees a vast field of dried bones and understands that they represent the low morale of the people. People were saying: "Our hope has vanished, we are lost." God's promise is directed to them: "Behold, I open your tombs, I raise you from your tombs. […] I will fill you with my spirit and you shall live again."

This example is also not dealing with the final resurrection of the body, but the resurrection of the heart to hope. Those cadavers, it is said, came back to life, began walking and were "a great army, exterminated." It was the Israeli people who began hoping again after their exile.

From all of this we can deduce something that we also know from experience: That we can be dead, even before we die, while we are still in this life. And I am not only speaking of the death of the soul caused by sin; I speak also of that state of a total absence of energy, of hope to fight and to live that one can only call: death of the heart.

To all those who for various reasons -- a failed marriage, spousal infidelity, the sickness of a child, financial ruin, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse -- find themselves in this situation, the story of Lazarus should resound like the bells on Easter morning.

Who can give us this resurrection of the heart? For certain afflictions, we know that there exists no human remedy. Words of encouragement often fail to suffice.

Even at the house of Martha and Mary there were "Jews who came to console them," but their presence didn't help. We need to "call for Jesus," as Lazarus' sisters did. To invoke him as people buried under an avalanche or under the ruins of an earthquake who, with their cries, get the attention of the rescuers.

Oftentimes people in these situations are not able to do anything, not even pray. They are like Lazarus in the tomb. They need others to do something for them. Jesus once spoke these words to his disciples: "Heal the sick, raise the dead" (Matthew 10:8).

What did Jesus mean? That we must physically raise the dead? If that were the case, history shows us that the number of saints who put this into practice could be counted on our fingers.

No, Jesus meant, above all, those whose hearts are dead, the spiritually dead. Speaking of the prodigal son, the father said: "He was dead and has come back to life" (Luke 15:32). He could not have been talking about physical death, if he had come back home.

The command to "raise the dead" is addressed to all of Christ's disciples. Even us! Among the works of mercy that we learned as children, there was one that told us "to bury the dead." Now we know that we must also "raise the dead."

[Translation by Mary Shovlain]

* * *

Father Raniero Cantalamessa is the Pontifical Household preacher. The readings for this Sunday are Ezekiel 37: 12-14; Romans 8: 8-11; John 11: 1-45.

Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-21995?l=english

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Her Station Keeping: Immaculate Conception to CoRedemptrix

Matthew Tsakanikas

Her Station Keeping: Immaculate Conception to CoRedemptrix




February 23, 2008

The recent history of Mariology has not always been told and so the recent reinvigoration of the movement for a 5th Marian Dogma by the group of five Cardinals remains a curiosity to some. Others believe the movement should be dropped since Cardinal Ratzinger in the year 2000 mentioned in an interview with Peter Seewald that he was not in favor of the title "CoRedemptrix". The interview caused a stir in the English-speaking world when it was published two years later in God and the World and has been used ever since to question those who speak of the need for the official promulgation of the title. However, we should make the distinction that Cardinal Ratzinger was not Pope at that time, and he was not speaking in an official capacity. In fact, a careful examination of Joseph Ratzinger's writings reveals he has a deep Mariology and understanding of all the issues necessary for such a title; he even provides foundations that were missing in previous attempts to clarify the need for the title "CoRedemptrix".

The intention of this article is to demonstrate that promulgation of the title and dogma "CoRedemptrix" is not a luxury but much rather a necessity. John Paul the Great did much to heal misunderstandings in Mariology since Vatican II, but Joseph Ratzinger's own words still ring true from the time he made this statement concerning Lumen Gentium: "[T]he immediate outcome of the victory of ecclesiocentric Mariology was the collapse of Mariology altogether" (Mary: The Church at the Source, p.24). This "collapse" was an outcome that not even Paul VI's "introduction of the title 'Mother of the Church'" could prevent (p.24). What allowed false interpretations that led to the collapse? What is the needed healing for the Church and the world? The five Cardinals are on the right track. The title "Co-Redemptrix" is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It will help make sense of the titles "Mediatrix" and "Advocate" which Lumen Gentium did bestow on Mary. More importantly, it will restore the Mariology our religious orders and our "domestic churches" (family homes) need to flourish.

Lourdes 150 Years Later

"I am the Immaculate Conception" was the response to Saint Bernadette's question, "What is your name?" It is a response the Church has meditated upon for the past 150 years since the Virgin's apparitions in Lourdes in February 1858. Of course, we know this is the same person who was the Mother of Jesus and that, even before this interesting "new name" (cf. Rev 2:17) declared at the Lourdes apparition site, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception had already been proclaimed. Almost 2000 years earlier, the Angel Gabriel himself had already greeted Mary by just as fascinating a "new" name: "Full of Grace" (Lk 1:28). Names from God reveal callings or missions. Those who receive grace are to be sources of grace for others as Saint Basil the Great tells us in his treatise on the Holy Spirit.

Some of Pope Benedict's earlier writings on Mary (from 1979-1980) are contained in a more recent book called Mary: The Church at the Source. He follows an insightful observation to penetrate the mystery of Mary's mysterious calling. He alludes to the mystery of personhood when discussing that John the Evangelist never uses Mary's name in his gospel, but only calls her the "Mother of Jesus". Ratzinger continues: "it is as if she had handed over her personal dimension, in order to be solely at [Jesus'] disposal, and precisely thereby had become a person" (p.16).

The most important moment that Mary is identified as the Mother of Jesus is when John the evangelist is preparing us to understand that Mary is now the New Eve. This moment is at the foot of the Cross when Jesus looks down and says to her, "Woman, behold your son" (Jn 19:20). What then is the mystery of human personhood which we are called to contemplate concerning the one revealed as: "Full of Grace", "Immaculate Conception", "Mother of Jesus", and "Woman"? Can we as beloved disciples understand it better if we will stand with her, "At the Cross Her Station Keeping"? How is Mary's calling as "Immaculate Conception" further revealed at the Cross?

Orientale Lumen and Human Personhood

In his Apostolic Letter, Orientale Lumen, we catch John Paul the Great's deep appreciation for the East's theology of the person: "The East helps us to express the Christian meaning of the human person with a wealth of elements. It is centered on the Incarnation, from which creation itself draws light. In Christ, true God and true man, the fullness of the human vocation is revealed. In order for man to become God, the Word took on humanity" (#15.2). It is the same theology which guides his theology of the body, inspired by the mysticism of Saint John of the Cross whose writings are immersed in the tradition of the Greek fathers.

In Orientale lumen, John Paul the Great basically reiterated the great Doctor of the East and West, Saint Athanasius: "God became Man, that man might become God" (CCC #460). It is the very source of Saint Louis De Montfort's True Devotion proclamation that "what God is by nature, the Virgin is by grace". Pope John Paul the Great wants the West to recover this aspect of the catechetical tradition which the East preserved more consistently: "we believe that the venerable and ancient tradition of the Eastern Churches is an integral part of the heritage of Christ's Church, the first need for Catholics is to be familiar with that tradition, so as to be nourished by it" (cf. OL #1.4).

In several previous articles on Catholic Exchange I have discussed deification through Christ's grace...the patrisitic understanding of how man "becomes God" without loss to man's personal identity (See: The Spirit and the Assumption: Deification and Vatican II; “Is Man to Become God?”; Deification and the New Evangelization). These have not always emphasized that where this takes place is in man's self-emptying (cf. Phil 2:7 "kenosis")...where Christ makes it possible for human love to become divine. The basis of John Paul the Great's theology of the body is the development of Vatican II's Christology when it proclaims that "Jesus fully reveals man to himself" (Gaudium et Spes #22) and so "man can fully discover his own self only in a sincere giving of himself" (Gaudium et Spes #24). Jesus had already explained the process of deification: "Whoever loses himself (becomes a gift) for my sake will be found [become a true person]" (cf. Mt 10:39 & Lk 9:24); and: "Man has no greater love than to lay down his life for his beloved" (Jn 15:13). If we are to "become God"...Who is the model of true Personhood, then we must become Love by God's power working within us "to desire and to work" (Phil 2:13). The Fathers tells us that we are made in the image of God to become the likeness of God...real persons.

Vatican II: Her Station Keeping?

Ratzinger's comment becomes more revealing. It is Mary who loses herself for Jesus' sake: "it is as if she had handed over her personal dimension, in order to be solely at [Jesus'] disposal, and precisely thereby had become a person" (Mary: The Church at the Source, p.16). In her self-emptying at the foot of the Cross, something greater is occurring in her than in any other human redeemed by Christ. As the Immaculate Conception she is already the Church (the Spouse) in person and an actual part of Jesus' Redemption by her special share in the Spirit prior to all others. Jesus' Spirit is at work in her at the Cross to suffer in faith with the Redeemer. The fuller meaning of the Immaculate Conception is being revealed. The "mournful mother weeping" is the Woman, "wailing aloud in pain as she labored to give birth" (Rev 12:2). Jesus then proclaims: "Woman, behold your son!" (Jn 19:26). At the Cross, her calling as the Immaculate Conception was further revealed...she was now the new Eve. Jesus could now say to all disciples: "Behold your Mother!" (Jn 19:27).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: "Mary became the Woman, the new Eve" (CCC #726). Though she was the Immaculate Conception from the beginning, the fuller meaning of this grace was not revealed in her without her always making a gift of herself in the service of her Son. Whenever the Spirit applies Christ's redemption to us, we now always find Mary "again in travail until Christ be formed in you" (cf. Gal 4:19). We never experience the Spirit apart from Mary, the Woman. She is truly our Mother here and now whenever we are touched by grace and participate in Jesus. She is redeemed by Christ's coming into this world for us men and our salvation, but the Church has been clear she is redeemed in a unique manner: "Mary belongs more to Christ than to Adam" (Ratzinger, God and the World, p. 304). Her work as the Immaculate Conception remains a work of Christ in her.

When Vatican II placed the Virgin within the framework of the Church by including chapters on Mary within the document Lumen Gentium, a shift in emphasis was made to correct false exaggerations (even tendencies) that seemed to make Mary an alternate to Christ. Lumen Gentium's structure was a reaffirmation that she too is redeemed by Christ and was dependent upon the Word's Incarnation for the grace in which she shared. Sadly, this shift of emphasis was misinterpreted by many. Some people began to think that talk of Mary as "model" and "exemplar" meant that her motherhood was an analogy only. She became, for many, more of a model than a mother.

Restoring Her Station

Ratzinger wrote that the immediate effect of this shift, known as the victory of ecclesiocentric Mariology, "was the collapse of Mariology altogether" (Mary: The Church at the Source, p.24). Paul VI tried to prevent such misunderstandings by officially bestowing the title "Mother of the Church" upon Mary with the promulgation of Lumen Gentium. This title was supposed to "express the fact that Mariology goes beyond the framework of ecclesiology and at the same time is correlative to it" (cf. Ratzinger, p.29). In other words, it was supposed to affirm her real motherhood without being a source for false exaggerations that make her parallel to Christ.

What is ironic is that the Church recognized the need to bestow a title on Mary after this shift at Vatican II in order to prevent a breakdown in Mariology. Did Paul VI's particular title prevent the breakdown? The obvious answer according to Ratzinger is "No." More ironically, and having spoken against the title "Co-Redemptrix" while Prefect for the Congregation of Doctrine of the Faith, Pope Benedict is now being asked by several Cardinals to reconsider the views he held on the title's fittingness before becoming Pope. In the case of the Arian crisis, it took the term "homoousios" to restore real orthodoxy to Christology. Can the title "Co-Redemptrix" do the same for Mariology and give greater glory to Christ?

Lumen Gentium used the actual titles of "Advocate" and "Mediatrix" for Mary (see: LG #62). Without "Co-Redemptrix" these titles are open to misinterpretation and we are left with the idea that Mary is more a model for us as to how we are each an advocate or a mediatrix. The Greek word perichoresis describes how some terms help to explain one another and give a better picture of the whole through their interplay. For a true perichoresis to occur with "Advocate" and "Mediatrix", the title "Co-Redemptrix" is necessary for orthodoxy. "Co-Redemptrix" affirms that Mary is in Christ in the Spirit during the Redemption (cf. Paul VI, Credo of the People of God #14-15). It is a reaffirmation of her calling as the Immaculate Conception. "Mediatrix" can then explain why Mary is present in our receiving the Redemption because of her priority as "Co-Redemptrix"; thus grace is not received apart from her. Grace (the indwelling of the Spirit) is still directly from Jesus as communicated by the Spirit, but inseparable from Mary's role in the Spirit. "Advocate" sheds more light on Mary's continued office of obtaining the Spirit for us and Mary's constant prayers that Jesus send the Spirit for us.

The five Cardinals who recently relaunched the effort to restore Marian orthodoxy amongst Roman Catholics through the official promulgation of the title "CoRedemptrix" have joined with John the Evangelist to comfort Mary "at her station keeping". They have wrapped their arms around religious orders in order to lend them support. They have stood with every "domestic church" to reinvigorate each with renewed Marian devotion. The greatest hope is that, united with Mary, each of us will better learn to give himself and herself to God at the foot of the Cross — at every Liturgy of the Eucharist — and become a real person through the grace of sanctification (which is our deification).

"Hail, O perfect purity, immaculate bridal-chamber of the Word, cause of the deification of us all, sweet sounding echo of the voice of the prophets! Hail, O glory of the apostles!... O most holy Mother of God, save us!" ("Acathist Hymn", Sixth Ode, Byzantine Daily Prayer, p.964).


URL: http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/70013

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Mother Teresa: Darkness Experts

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Mother Teresa: Darkness Experts
by Fr. Alex Ayeung, LC

The recent press coverage on Mother Teresa’s long dark night of the soul has ranged from commentaries insinuating that she was an agnostic do-gooder, to those hailing her as a model for the modern-day people caught in the temptation to doubt, but who is a

How one categorizes Mother Teresa depends greatly on one’s openness to the supernatural. From a purely naturalistic point of view, there can be no explanation of “interior darkness” other than labyrinthine psychological neurosis. For those who think that life is absurd, Mother Teresa’s hiding of her experience is at best a cover-up to save the weak among us from being tempted to give it all up. But if we are open to supernatural reality – and if we believe her own words – Mother Teresa’s relegating her experience to a private diary was an act of humility so as not to draw attention not to herself, but God.

It is notable that Mother Teresa opened her soul’s secrets to few people, and these were priests: knowledgeable and holy ones, no doubt, but priests who most probably had not experienced the dark night of the soul, at least not to the extent she did. And yet, this great saint was confiding in those priests in order to receive counsel, spiritual illumination, and courage.

What counsel would I have given to one such as Mother Teresa? Would I just shrug my shoulders and tell such a saintly person to seek out someone else? Or perhaps there is something about my priesthood that ipso facto qualifies me to give counsel, light and strength.

Vatican II reminds us that all people are called to be saints. Thus, the means towards sanctity, one of which is solid spiritual direction, cannot be lacking in the Church. And I think that the main source of spiritual guidance comes from us priests – by vocation. It is the grace of ordination, the grace of state, which makes us fit to be the go-to person in spiritual uncertainty and darkness. There is something about just being a priest that should make us suitable to understand and counsel souls who experience even severe moral sufferings.

Even if I have not had a Calvary experience of “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” my priesthood in persona Christi re-enacts this at every celebration of the Mass. The holy Mass is the self-same sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, under the species of bread and wine. As a priest, I offer it, not only in the name, but also in the very person of Christ. When I say, “This is my body… This is my Blood … given up for you,” I am truly saying this as in Christ as Priest and Victim.

Christ is living his Calvary experience in me, a priest, at every Mass. The faithful in the pews need to experience Christ’s personal example of fidelity amid horrible physical and moral suffering, in interior darkness, loneliness and abandonment. Thanks to Christ’s institution of the Eucharist and the institution of the priesthood, we priests make Christ’s personal and sacrificial fidelity to each and every person active at every Mass. Christ is present at the Mass, calling every Catholic to imitate him in living redemptive suffering, to whatever degree God permits: “Joe, Susan, follow me, imitate the example you experience here in the Eucharist.” What a beautiful truth! We make present, at the Mass, the solution to the deepest human sufferings: the person of Christ himself. In fact, human suffering is not explainable by esoteric theories. Human suffering is explainable only by a person who accompanies us through it, a person for whom and with whom we can suffer.

Articulating the reality of the paschal sacrifice in the form of spiritual direction or counsel requires some measure of study and practical experience. But the existential bases are there from the moment we have received our priestly ordination.

That said, we priests are called in a special way to incarnate the sacrificial love of Christ in the whole of our own personal lives, not only during the celebration of the Mass. Mother Teresa’s experience reminds us that since we make present Christ’s sacrificial and victim love every day in persona Christi; it would be absurd to not try each day to integrate our daily journey into this mystery. When we find ourselves tempted by loneliness, incomprehension, tiredness, dryness in prayer, moral sufferings of one type or another, let us make active the truth of our priesthood: Christ is suffering in me, out of love for the Father and souls. There is an unexplainable – at least in human terms – spiritual joy that comes from suffering with Christ in order to carry out God’s will and lead souls to him.

In a culture of naturalistic tendencies, people need priests to reaffirm the supernatural dimension of human existence and to be sign and sacrament of Christ’s redemptive suffering for them. When people come to us with the anguish of suffering to ask, “Why?” our very accompanying presence should be able to give them light and strength.


URL: http://www.catholic.net/hope_healing/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=22

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Ever thought about your vocation?

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Cardinal Comments on the Importance of Charity

Youth Worth Their Weight in Love

Cardinal Comments on the Importance of Charity

By Robert Cheaib

ROME, MARCH 4, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The value of each of us will be determined by love, said the archpriest of St. Peters' Basilica told a gathering of young people in Rome.

Cardinal Angelo Comastri said this Friday during a Mass at the San Lorenzo International Center. The center, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary March 13, was inaugurated by Pope John Paul II in 1983 and houses the first cross of the World Youth Days.

The cardinal commented on the passage of the Gospel of Mark in which a scribe asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. “Like the scribe did," he said, "so this afternoon we also ask Jesus, ‘Which is the first commandment? What matters most to God?’

“In God’s eyes we are worth as much as we love. This is a revolution. The world uses other valuation criteria. In God’s eyes there is only one value: love.”

Cardinal Comastri added: “At the end of our lives, we will all be put in the scale of charity, and each one will be worth as much as they loved.

“But why does only charity matter?”

“The answer,” said the 64-year-old cardinal, “is once again the Christian revolution: Because God is love. If you are in love, you have God with you, and if you have God with you, you are already in heaven. If, however, you are missing God, you don’t have anything.”

Referring to the passage about the sinful woman who washes Jesus’ feet and dries them with her hair in the house of a well-known Pharisee, the archpriest of St. Peter's said: “In that moment, this woman declares through her acts: I believe that you are love. I have love, I had not found it until today, but now that I’ve found you, I’ve understood that God is love.

“And Jesus told the man who had invited him: Simon, you appear to be good, but your heart is made of ice, you are worthless in God’s eyes. Instead, this woman has understood it, she has found love. And so this woman is greater than you.”

The cardinal asked the young people the following question: “We go to church, we listen to God’s word, we receive the Eucharist, but how often does charity enter into us?

“In this time of Lent, we are invited to conversion; we all need to convert in order to accept the surprising news of the Gospel: Each of us is worth as much as we love.”

Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-21970?l=english

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Popular Italian Catholic saint exhumed 40 years on

Popular Italian Catholic saint exhumed 40 years on
Mon 3 Mar 2008, 9:48 GMT
[-] Text [+]

By Philip Pullella

ROME, March 3 (Reuters Life!) - The body of the mystic monk Padre Pio, one of the Roman Catholic world's most revered saints who died 40 years ago, has been exhumed to be prepared for display to his many devotees.

The body of the Capuchin friar, who was said to have had the stigmata -- the wounds of Christ's crucifixion -- on his hands and feet -- is to be conserved and put in a part-glass coffin for at least several months from April 24.

A Church statement said the body was in "fair condition", particularly the hands, which Archbishop Domenico D'Ambrosio, who witnessed the exhumation in the southern Italian town where Pio died, said "looked like they had just undergone a manicure".

A spokesman for the monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo said he believed morticians would be able to conserve the face of the bearded monk well enough for it to be recognisable.

The body, which had been buried under marble in a crypt, was exhumed during a three-hour service that ended after midnight.

A Catholic magazine once found that far more Italian Catholics prayed to Padre Pio than to any other icon of the faith, including the Virgin Mary or Jesus.

Some 7 million people visit his tomb every year. There are some 3,000 "Padre Pio Prayer Groups" around the world, with a membership of around 3 million.

The friar, born Francesco Forgione, died in 1968 aged 81.

Among the stories that surround him is one that he wrestled with the devil in his monastery cell.

Padre Pio is also said to have predicted future events, to have been seen in two places at once, and to have been able to tell people their sins before they confessed them to him.

Pope John Paul II made him a saint in 2002 at a ceremony that drew one of the biggest crowds ever to the Vatican after the Church said it had found evidence that the miraculous cure of a sick woman was due to the dead monk's intercession.

But Padre Pio was dogged during his life and even after his death by accusations that he was a fraud.

A new book last year suggested he was a self-harming man who may have used carbolic acid to create wounds in his hands mimicking those of Christ when he was nailed to the cross.

Church officials have repeatedly denied that he was a fake. (Editing by Kevin Liffey)


URL: http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL03190158.html

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Pope: Roman primacy is "necessary" in the Church, today as in the past

03/05/2008 12:47
VATICAN

Pope: Roman primacy is "necessary" in the Church, today as in the past

Illustrating at the general audience the figure of St Leo the Great, Benedict XVI again asserts the purpose of the primacy of the bishop of Rome and recalls how at the time of the undivided Church he was also recognised by the Eastern bishops.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Roman primacy in the Church is "necessary", today as in the past it is "at the service of truth and charity" and "serves communion" in the one Church of Christ. Benedict XVI made the remarks during the illustration of the figure of St Leo the Great, to whom he dedicated today's address for the general audience, to again assert the purpose of Petrine primacy and to recall its existence since the time of the undivided Church. The affirmation comes on the eve of a visit from ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew I to the Vatican, and shortly after the Catholic-Orthodox meeting in Ravenna, which acknowledged the principle of the primacy of the bishop of Rome, leaving open the question of its concrete exercise in relation to the role of the synod.

At today's general audience, which was again divided into two segments because of the great number of the faithful who were split between the basilica of Saint Peter and the Paul VI hall, the pope continued his reflection on the Fathers of the Church, speaking of St. Leo the Great, "one of the greatest pontiffs ever to have honoured the Roman see", "the first pope whose preaching has come down to our time".

His pontificate began in 440, "undoubtedly one of the most important [pontificates] in the history of the Church", in "very difficult" times. The repeated assaults of the barbarian invasions, the weakening of the authority of the empire, and a grave social crisis, in the words of the pope, "had forced" the bishop of Rome to take on a role in the civil sphere as well, which increased the prestige of the Roman see. Benedict XVI recalled the best-known episode in the life of Leo the Great, when in 452 he went to Mantua and convinced Attila, leader of the Huns, not to continue with his invasion. "It was a memorable sign of the peacemaking activity conducted by the pontiff". But he did not have similar success with his attempt, in the spring of 455, to prevent the invasion and sacking of Rome on the part of the Vandals. "The gesture of the pope, who went unarmed to meet the invader, at least prevented Rome from being burned" and allowed the basilicas of St Peter, St Paul, and St John to be spared, "in which part of the terrorised population took refuge".

He was "a theologian and pastor, at the service of communion and a tireless promoter of Roman primacy, showing himself an authentic heir of the apostle Peter, and the Eastern bishops also showed in their awareness of this". So it was in 451, when the Council of Chalcedon addressed the "Christological controversy", affirming the union in the one person of Christ, without confusion and without separation, of his two natures as true God and true man. The principle was affirmed by Leo in an important doctrinal text that was read at Chalcedon and "welcomed with significant acclamation".

The primacy of the pope is, therefore, a "primacy of communion", "at the service of truth and charity" and "also at the service of communion among the different Churches". Citing Leo, the pope finally repeated: "what was communicated to all the apostles was entrusted to only one of them".

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2nd Lenten Sermon of Father Cantalamessa

2nd Lenten Sermon of Father Cantalamessa

"Keep Us From Pronouncing Useless Words When We Speak of You"

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 29, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Lenten meditation delivered today by Capuchin Father Rainero Cantalamessa, preacher of the Pontifical Household, to Benedict XVI and the Roman Curia, titled "'For Every Useless Word': Speaking 'as With Words of God.'"

This is the second in a series of Lenten meditations titled "The Word of God Is Living and Effective."

* * *

1. From Jesus Who Preaches to Christ Preached

In the second letter to the Corinthians -- which is, par excellence, the letter dedicated to the office of preaching -- St. Paul writes these programmatic words: "We do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord!" (2 Corinthians 4:5). In a previous letter to these same faithful in Corinth he wrote: "We preach Christ crucified!" (2 Corinthians 4:5). When the Apostle wants to embrace the content of Christian preaching with a single word, this word is always the person of Jesus Christ!

In these statements Jesus is no longer seen -- as in the Gospels -- in his quality as preacher, but as that which is preached. Similarly, we see that "Gospel of Jesus" acquires a new meaning, without, however, losing the old one; from the "glad tidings" in which Jesus is the subject, one passes to the "glad tidings" in which Jesus is the object.

This is the meaning that the word "gospel" acquires in the solemn beginning of the Letter to the Romans: "Paul, servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, chosen beforehand to proclaim the Gospel of God, which he promised in the sacred Scriptures, regarding his Son, born from the line of David according to the flesh, constituted Son of God with power according to the Spirit of sanctification through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Romans 1:1-3).

In this second Lenten meditation we will focus on the Word of God in the mission of the Church. This is the theme that the third chapter of the "lineamenta" of next October's Synod of Bishops is concerned with. The following is an outline of the topics of that chapter:

The Church's Mission is to Proclaim Christ, the Word of God Made Man;

The Word of God is to be Accessible to All, in Every Age;

The Word of God: the Grace of Communion Among Christians;

The Word of God: A Light for Interreligious Dialogue:

(a) With the Jewish people

(b) With other religions

The Word of God: The Leaven in Modern Culture

The Word of God and Human History.

I will restrict myself to a particular, very limited point, which however, I believe influences the quality and effectiveness of the proclamation of the Church in all of its expressions.

2. "Useless" Words and "Effective" Words

In Matthew's Gospel, in the context of the sermon on the words that reveal the heart, a saying of Jesus is reported that has made readers of the Gospel tremble throughout history: "But I say to you that men will have to answer for every useless word on the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).

It has been difficult to explain what Jesus intended by "useless word." Some light is shed by another passage in Matthew's Gospel (7:15-20) that addresses the theme of the tree that is known by its fruit and where the whole discourse seems to be directed at false prophets: "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are rapacious wolves. You will know them by their fruit."

If Jesus' saying has some relationship with the saying about false prophets, then perhaps we can discover what the word "useless" means. The Greek term that is translated by "useless" is "argon," which means "without effect" (alpha privative, plus "ergos," which means "work"). Some modern translations, including that of the Italian bishops' conference, render the term with "baseless," and so with a passive value: a word without a basis, in other words, slander. It is an attempt to give a more reassuring sense to Jesus' threat. It is not at all particularly disturbing, in fact, if Jesus says that an answer has to be given to God for every slander!

But, on the contrary, the meaning of "argon" is active and signifies a word that does not establish anything, that produces nothing -- thus, empty, sterile, without effectiveness.[1] In this sense the Vulgate's ancient translation was more accurate: "verbum otiosum," an "otiose" word, useless, which is the understanding adopted today in the majority of translations.

It is not hard to understand what Jesus means if we compare this adjective with that which, in the Bible, always characterizes the word of God: the adjective "energes," effective, that which works, that is always followed by an effect ("ergos"). This is the same adjective from which energetic is derived. St. Paul, for example, writes to the Thessalonians that, having received the divine word of the Apostle's preaching, they had welcomed it not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, as "the word of God that works ("energeitai") in those who believe (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13). The opposition between the word of God and the word of men is presented here, implicitly, as an opposition between the word "that works" and the word "that does not work," between the effective word and the ineffective and vain word.

We also find this concept of the effectiveness of the divine word in the letter to the Hebrews: "The word of God is living and effective ("energes") (4:12). But it is an ancient concept; in Isaiah, God declares that the word that has gone out from his mouth will never return to him "without effect," without having "done that for which it was sent" (cf. Isaiah 55:11).

The useless word, for which men will have to answer on the Day of Judgment, is not, therefore, every and any useless word; it is rather the useless, empty word pronounced by him who should instead pronounce the "energetic" words of God. It is, in sum, the word of the false prophet, who has not received the word of God, but nevertheless persuades others to believe his merely human words are the word of God. What happens is exactly the reverse of what St. Paul says: Having received a human word, it is not taken for what it is, but for what it is not, that is, a divine word. For every useless word about God, man will have to answer! This, then, is the meaning of Jesus' grave admonishment.

The useless word is the counterfeit of the word of God, it is a parasite of the word of God. It is recognized by the fruits that it does not produce, because, by definition, it is sterile, without effectiveness -- for the good, of course. God "keeps vigil over his word" (cf. Jeremiah 1:12), is jealous for it and cannot allow man to make use of the divine powers that it bears.

The prophet Jeremiah permits us to hear, as through a loudspeaker, what is concealed beneath that word of Jesus. With him it is now clear that it is the false prophets who are the targets: "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Listen not to the words of your prophets, who fill you with emptiness; visions of their own fancy they speak, not from the mouth of the Lord. Let the prophet who has a dream recount his dream; let him who has my word speak my word truthfully! What has straw to do with the wheat? says the Lord. Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, like a hammer shattering rocks? Therefore I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who steal my words from each other. Yes, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who borrow speeches to pronounce oracles" (Jeremiah 23:16, 26-31).

3. Who Are the False Prophets?

But we are not here to give a disquisition on the false prophets in the Bible. As always, the Bible is speaking about us. That word of Jesus does not judge the world, but the Church; the world will not be judged over useless words -- all of its words are, in the sense described above, useless words! -- but it will be judged, if at all, for not having believed in Jesus (cf. John 16:9). The "men" who must answer for every useless word are the men of the Church; we are the preachers of the word of God.

The "false prophets" are not only those who from time to time disseminate heresies; they are also those who falsify the word of God. Paul is the one who uses this term, drawing it from the contemporary language; literally it means to water down the word, as do the fraudulent hosts when they dilute their wine with water (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2). The false prophets are those who do not present the word of God in its purity, but they dilute and extenuate it with a thousand human words that come from out of their heart.

I too am the false prophet, every time that I do not entrust myself to the "weakness," "foolishness," "poverty" and "nakedness" of the word and I cover it up, and I esteem what I have clothed it in more than the word itself, and the time that I spend covering it up is more than that which I spend with the word, remaining before it in prayer, worshipping it and allowing it to live in me.

Jesus, at Cana in Galilee, transformed water into wine, that is, [transformed] the dead letter into the Spirit that gives life -- this is how the Fathers of the Church interpreted the episode; false prophets are those who do the exact opposite, and change the pure wine of the word of God into water that does not inebriate anyone, into a dead letter, into vain chatter. Deep down, they are ashamed of the Gospel (cf. Romans 1:16) and of Jesus' words, because they are "too hard" for the world, or too poor or naked for the intellectuals, and they then try to season them with what Jeremiah called "visions of their own fancy."

St. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy: "Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God […] imparting the word of truth without deviation. Avoid profane, idle talk, for such people will become more and more godless" (2 Timothy 2:15-16). Profane chatter is that talk that is not relevant to God's design, which does not have anything to do with the mission of the Church. Too many human words, too many useless words, too many speeches, too many documents. In the era of mass communication the Church too runs the risk of falling into the "straw" of useless words, speaking just to say something, writing just because there are journals and newspapers to be filled.

In this way we offer to the world an optimal pretext resting content in its unbelief and its sin. When they have heard the authentic word of God, it would not be easy for unbelievers to go off saying -- as they often do after listening to our preaching: "Words, words, words!" St. Paul calls the words of God "the weapons for our battle" and says that they alone "destroy arguments and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Humanity is sick from noise, the philosopher [Soren] Kierkegaard said; it is necessary to fast, but a fasting from words; someone needs to cry out, as Moses did one day: "Be silent and listen Israel!" (Deuteronomy 27:9). The Holy Father reminded us of the necessity of this fast from words in his Lenten meeting with the pastors of Rome and I believe, as is his wont, his invitation was not first directed to the world but to the Church.

4. Jesus did not Come to Speak to us of Frivolities

These words of Péguy have always struck me:

"Jesus, my child,"

-- it is the Church speaking to her children --

"did not come to speak to us of frivolities

He did not make the trip to descend to the earth,

to come to tell us riddles and jokes.

There is no time for entertaining ourselves.

He did not give his life,

to come to tell us fables."[2]

The concern to keep the word of God distinct from every other word is such that, sending his apostles out on mission, Jesus commands them not to greet anyone on the way (cf. Luke 10:4). I experienced at my own expense that sometimes this commandment must be obeyed to the letter. Stopping to greet people and exchange pleasantries as one is about to begin preaching inevitably disturbs concentration on the word that is to be announced and causes this word to lose its alterity in regard to all human discourse. The same exigency is experienced -- or should be experienced -- when one is vesting to celebrate Mass.

The exigency is even greater when it is a matter of the content itself of preaching. In Mark's Gospel Jesus cites the words of Isaiah: "In vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines that are human precepts" (Isaiah 29:13); then he adds, turning to the Pharisees and scribes: "Neglecting the commandment of God, you follow human traditions ... and in this way you nullify the word of God with traditions that you yourselves have handed down" (Mark 7:7-13).

When one never succeeds in proposing the simple and naked word of God, without making it pass through the filter of a thousand distinctions and precisions and additions and explanations, which in themselves are even right, but extenuating the word of God, one is doing precisely what Jesus reproved the Pharisees and scribes for that day: one "nullifies the word of God"; one dilutes it, causing it to lose the greater part of its power of penetration in the heart of men.

The word of God cannot be used for other ends or to clothe already existing human discourses with the mantle of divine authority. In times that are still near to us, one saw where such a tendency led. The Gospel was used to support every type of human project from class struggle to the death of God.

When a listener is so predetermined by psychological, factional, political or impulsive conditions, to make it impossible, from the outset, not to say what he expects and not to make him completely right about everything; when there is no hope of being able to lead the listeners to that point in which it is possible to say to them: "Convert and believe!" then it is well not to proclaim the word of God so that is not be used for party goals and, therefore, betrayed. It is better, in other words, to renounce a real proclamation, limiting oneself -- if one pursues the matter at all -- to listening, and trying to understand and taking part in the people's anxieties and sufferings, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom rather by presence and charity. Jesus, in the Gospel, shows himself to be very careful about not letting himself be used for the political ends of a party.

Obviously, the reality of experience, and thus the human word, is not excluded from the Church's preaching, but it has to be subordinated to the word of God, to the service of this word. As, in the Eucharist, the body of Christ assimilates those who consume it, and not vice-versa, so also in proclamation the word of God must be the more vital and stronger principle, to subjugate and assimilate the human word, and not the contrary. It is necessary, because of this, to have the courage more often to begin, in treating the doctrinal and disciplinary problems of the Church, from the word of God, especially that of the New Testament, and to remain thus linked to it, bound by it, certain that in this way one will more surely discover, in every question, what the will of God is.

One sees this same need in religious communities. There is a danger that in the formation given to young people and novices, in spiritual exercises and everything else in the community's life, more time is spent on the writings of the founder of the community -- often very poor in content -- than on the word of God.

5. Speak as With Words of God

I realize that a grave objection can be raised to what I am saying. Should the Church's preaching, then, reduce itself to a sequence -- or a barrage -- of biblical citations, with so many indications of chapter and verse, in a manner reminiscent of the Jehovah's Witnesses and other fundamentalist groups? Certainly not. We are the heirs of a different tradition. I will explain what I mean by being bound to the word of God.

We turn again to the second letter to the Corinthians, where St. Paul writes: "For we are not like the many who trade [literally: "water down," "falsify"] on the word of God; but as out of sincerity, indeed as from God and in the presence of God, we speak in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:17); and Saint Peter, in his first letter exhorts Christians saying: "Whoever preaches, let it be as with the words of God" (1 Peter 4:11). What does it mean to "speak in Christ," or to speak "as with the words of God"? It certainly does not mean to repeat materially and only the words pronounced by Christ and by God in Scripture. It means that the fundamental inspiration, the thought that "informs" and rules everything else, must come from God, not from man. The preacher must be "moved by God" and speak as in his presence.

There are two ways to prepare a sermon or any written or verbal proclamation of faith. I can sit down at the desk and choose for myself which word to proclaim and the theme to develop, basing myself on my knowledge, my preferences, etc., and then, once the discourse is prepared, get on my knees to hastily ask God to bless that which I have written and make my words effective. This is already something good but it is not the prophetic way. The contrary is what should be done. First, get on your knees and ask God what the word is that he wants to speak; then, sit at the desk and use your own knowledge to give a body to that word. This changes everything because it is not God who must make my word his, but it is I who make his word mine.

It is necessary to begin with the certainty of faith that, in every circumstance, the Risen Lord has a word in his heart that he wants to reach his people. It is that which changes things and it is that which must be discovered. And he will not fail to reveal it to his servant, if his servant asks for it humbly and insistently. In the beginning there is an almost imperceptible movement of the heart; a little light that begins to flicker in the mind, a word of the Bible that begins to draw attention to itself and that illuminates a situation.

Truly "the smallest of all seeds," but afterward you will see that everything was inside; there was a single note that felled the cedars of Lebanon. Then go to your desk, open your books, consult your notes, consult the Fathers of the Church, the masters, the poets. But it is already something else. It is no longer the Word of God at the service of your culture but your culture at the service of the Word of God.

Origen describes the process that leads to this discovery well. Before finding nourishment in Scripture, he said, it is necessary to endure a certain poverty of the senses; the soul is surrounded on all sides by darkness, one enters onto ways that have no exit; until, suddenly, after toilsome searching and prayer, the voice of the Word resounds and immediately something is illuminated; he whom the soul sought comes to meet her, "springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills" (Song of Songs 2:8), that is, disposing the mind to receive his powerful and luminous word.[3] Great is the joy that accompanies this moment. It caused Jeremiah to say, "When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart" (Jeremiah 15:16).

Typically God's answer comes in the form of a word of Scripture that, however, in that moment reveals its extraordinary relevance to the situation and the problem that is to be treated, as if it were written precisely for it. Sometimes it is not even necessary to cite or comment explicitly on any biblical word. It is enough that it be present in the mind of the one speaking and inform everything that he says. If this is the case, then de facto he speaks "as with the words of God." This method is always valid: for the great documents of the magisterium as for the lessons that the master gives to his novices, for a refined address as for a humble Sunday homily.

We have all experienced how much one word of God that is deeply believed and lived gives to the someone before he speaks it and sometimes this occurs without his knowing; often it must be recognized that among many words it was that one that touched the heart and led more than one hearer to the confessional.

After having indicated the conditions of Christian proclamation -- speaking of Christ with sincerity as moved by God and under his gaze -- the apostle asks: "And who is up to this task?" (2 Corinthians 2:16). It is plain that no one is up to it. We carry this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). We can, however, pray and say: Lord, have mercy on this poor clay pot that must carry the treasure of your word; keep us from pronouncing useless words when we speak of you; let us once taste your word so that we know how to distinguish it from all others and so that every other word will appear insipid to us. Spread hunger throughout the land, as you promised, "not a hunger for bread, or a thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the Lord" (Amos 8:11).

* * *

[1] Cf. M. Zerwick, Analysis philologica Novi Testamenti Graeci, Romae 1953, ad loc.
[2] Charles Péguy, "The Portal of the Mystery of the Second Virtue," in "Oeuvres poétiques complètes," Gallimard 1975, pp. 587 s.

[3] Cf. Origen, In Mt Ser. 38 (GCS, 1933, p. 7); In Cant. 3 (GCS, 1925, p. 202).

[Translation by Joseph G. Trabbic]

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2-15-08 BODY LANGUAGE: Living the Theology of Our Bodies, Pt. III

2-15-08 BODY LANGUAGE: Living the Theology of Our Bodies, Pt. III

Christopher West
Feb 15, 2008 12:00 PM

This is the final installment of a three-part series on what Pope John Paul II called the three "infallible and indispensable" means for living the theology of our bodies: prayer, Eucharist, and Penance (see TOB 126:5). As we observed in the last column, to live the "theology" of our bodies means to recognize the plan of love that God has written into our bodies as male and female and to live in accord with it.

Christianity is the religion of the incarnation. Ultimate Spiritual reality (God) has been manifested in the flesh: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1:14). We, too, are called in Christ to manifest God’s love in the flesh. In fact, the call to love as God loves is stamped right in our bodies.

A man’s body does not make sense by itself, and neither does a woman’s. Seen in light of each other, we discover the unmistakable plan of the Creator — man and woman are designed to be a fruitful gift to each other. "Be fruitful and multiply" is simply a call to live in the image of God in which we are made. "For this reason . . . the two become one flesh." For what reason? To reveal, proclaim, and participate in the very love of Christ and the church (see Eph 5:31-32). Such a love is called marriage.

Marriage, of course, is not the only way to live the "theology of our bodies." Regardless of our state in life, we are all called to love as God loves. Spouses do this in a very particular way by becoming "one flesh" and by devoting themselves to the natural fruit of their love — children. Consecrated celibate men and women do this by devoting themselves entirely to the family of God. And single men and women imitate Christ in all the ways they make a gift of themselves to others.

The common denominator for us all is that, despite our sincere intentions, we fail in innumerable ways to "love as Christ loves." This means that in all human relationships, a large dose of mercy will be required. Think about it: every one of us is created for perfect love, but none of us receives it from the other people in our lives, and none of us is able to give perfect love to others. This leaves us hurt and in need of mercy and healing.

Thank God for the sacrament of penance! The riches of this sacrament are inexhaustible. Unfortunately, many Catholics have not been helped to appreciation this sacrament beyond the preparation they received in second grade. We can tend to think that if we haven’t done anything "big, bad, and horrible" there’s no reason to go.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Curch says: "Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed, the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our consciences, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit" (CCC 1458).

Progressing in the "life of the Spirit" does not mean we reject our bodies. Rather, it means we open our bodies to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so that what we do with our bodies glorifies God. This is the only way to live the theology of our bodies — by opening ourselves to the "life of the Spirit." And regular reception of the sacrament of penance (even if we’re not committing serious sin) is an "infallible and indispensable" way of remaining open to the life of the Spirit.

As often as we are falling into serious sin, we should be going to confession — every week if necessary. For those who, by God’s grace, are not regularly struggling with mortal sin in their lives, many wise spiritual directors suggest confession at least once a month.

Living the theology of our bodies (that is, loving as Christ loves) engages us in a serious battle against sin. Through this sacrament of mercy we are not only reconciled to God through the forgiveness of our sins. We also receive "an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle" (CCC 1496). We should avail ourselves of this spiritual strength regularly. Why not go to confession soon?

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THE DISPERSION: 'Happiness Is...'

THE DISPERSION:
'Happiness Is...'

Jim Baron
Feb 26, 2008 5:00 PM

There is a basic principle in the moral life that everyone is searching for happiness. The choices we make for ourselves are often made considering what will make another or ourselves happy, either at that moment or down the road. These decisions range from filling bodily needs (food, water, etc.) to material goods, friendships and love.

There are also individuals who enjoy being miserable, thinking that their "unhappiness" will make them happy. Even bad choices are made with a view to happiness, such as drug and alcohol abuse. The addict will use because one, he is addicted, and two, he believes that the fix will make him happy on some level, just by satiating the craving. Most obvious in the realm of sexual appetites, many individuals spend their lives and resources pursuing impoverished or false means of satisfaction, but this is a whole other article altogether.

The point is that everyone wants to be happy. God made us that way. Everyone can honestly say with St. Augustine, "My heart is restless until it rests in thee."

Just taking a walk down the street, it is fairly easy to tell who is happy, who is searching and who is just plain worn down. Life itself provides many hurdles and bumps that can make a happy life difficult, but as Christians we have been shown a better way. The proverbial "they" say all the time that neither money nor immediate gratification can bring happiness. True. "They" say that a life lived for itself, pursuing only our own wants/goals/desires, is a guaranteed way not to be happy. Also true.

So what is involved in being happy? Many things contribute to one’s overall happiness, but I want to propose three essential aspects of that true happiness we long for. Foremost, life in Christ and his church brings the greatest happiness, but unfortunately too few are convinced by this. So here is an attempt to put it in another perspective.

1) Being able to look at yourself in the mirror. Have a clean and well-informed conscience. This is fundamental to the Christian life and living well. Our God-given conscience is one of our best friends in this life. Unfortunately, many people confuse their conscience for their opinion. We often speak of our conscience as what we would like to be true, not necessarily what is true. Many arguments of conscience come from what someone deems fair or how he or she would like the world to be. This is often the case in hot-topic arguments such as abortion, gay rights and many other moral situations. Sure, one is entitled to his or her opinion but that does not necessarily mean he or she is right.

One’s conscience can be misinformed or even coarsened, making it an "erring" conscience. This happens in a number of ways, such as wrong information, lack of examination, or plain old rationalization of bad choices. If a wrong has been done, denying that it was wrong does not make it so; it’s better just to admit the fault and deal with it. There is great danger in compromising the truth or confusing it with falsehood, which dulls our sense of right and wrong. The conscience must be well acquainted and founded on truth, which is unchangeable and objective. Appreciating a truth that is outside of oneself and ordering one’s life to that is an important step to happiness.

2) Putting in a hard day of work. The happiest people are the ones that give it their all no matter what they do, who "leave it all on the field" so to speak. Sports are a great comparison for the moral life. In a game, only the athlete really knows if he or she put forth their effort. Even if he or she did not succeed, that person still has no regrets.

At the end of the day, it is good to be tired. There is no better night of sleep than going to bed knowing that you really did your best, either at work, study, prayer, sports, family life, or whatever you do. This will also make times of leisure much more relaxing and refreshing. There is great dignity in hard, honest work, be it manual or mental, and investing ourselves into whatever we do. Refer to No. 1.

3) Finally, know thyself. Know your own purpose and vocation. What is God calling you to do? What were you made for? If we seek this, we will be much more happy than chasing our own desires or illusions. A vocation is what God is calling you to do, be it as a priest, nun, husband or a wife.

The great news is that we can test these things out. That is what dating is for; that is what seminary is for. This is called discernment; figuring out what God has in store for us. Each of us has a role to fill in the human community, a state of life that we were made for, and it is important to discern this and be open to God’s will.

If you are a young man or woman, it is important to consider all of your options, religious life or marriage (despite what our friends may say, trust me). If you are married already or in the religious life, it means devoting yourself to that state of life, to your family, religious community or parish. A vocation implies commitment, a choice to give yourself over to and live your life for another. In both cases, refer to Nos. 1 and 2 above.

In short, the happy life is one that is lived with integrity before God and before man, which means living for someone other than ourselves. Jesus, ultimately, is our happiness and this life is supposed to prepare us for one of ultimate happiness in the next.

Happiness does not necessarily mean success or having things come easily, but it is the unaccountable joy in giving yourself away. It is at least worth a shot.

URL: http://www.coloradocatholicherald.com/display.php?xrc=894

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Theology on Tap: Render Unto Caesar by Archbishop Chaput

March 14
Render Unto Caesar
Archbishop Chaput
Faith in Jesus Christ, to be authentic, must prove itself in our actions. That includes our public behavior - our political choices. Fidelity not only makes us better Catholics, but better citizens too.


7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Braun's Bar and Grill
1055 Auraria Parkway
Denver, CO 80204
720.932.0707
PARKING AVAILABLE at Auraria Campus.

Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Denver
Office of Young Adult Ministry

For more information, contact Stefania Elsmore at 303.715.3178
or email stefania.elsmore@archden.org

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World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2008 - By Benedict XVI

Messages

World Day of Prayer for Vocations 2008

February 22, 2008 - By Benedict XVI

Dear brothers and sisters,

1. For the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be celebrated on 13 April 2008, I have chosen the theme: Vocations at the service of the Church on mission. The Risen Jesus gave to the Apostles this command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19), assuring them: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28: 20). The Church is missionary in herself and in each one of her members. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, every Christian is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel, but this missionary dimension is associated in a special and intimate way with the priestly vocation. In the covenant with Israel, God entrusted to certain men, called by him and sent to the people in his name, a mission as prophets and priests. He did so, for example, with Moses: “Come, - God told him - I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people … out of Egypt …when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you will serve God upon this mountain” (Ex 3: 10 and 12). The same happened with the prophets.

2. The promises made to our fathers were fulfilled entirely in Jesus Christ. In this regard, the Second Vatican Council says: “The Son, therefore, came, sent by the Father. It was in him, before the foundation of the world, that the Father chose us and predestined us to become adopted sons … To carry out the will of the Father, Christ inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth and revealed to us the mystery of that kingdom. By his obedience he brought about redemption” (Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 3). And Jesus already in his public life, while preaching in Galilee, chose some disciples to be his close collaborators in the messianic ministry. For example, on the occasion of the multiplication of the loaves, he said to the Apostles: “You give them something to eat” (Mt 14: 16), encouraging them to assume the needs of the crowds to whom he wished to offer nourishment, but also to reveal the food “which endures to eternal life” (Jn 6: 27). He was moved to compassion for the people, because while visiting cities and villages, he found the crowds weary and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (cf. Mt 9: 36). From this gaze of love came the invitation to his disciples: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest” (Mt 9: 38), and he sent the Twelve initially “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” with precise instructions. If we pause to meditate on this passage of Matthew’s Gospel, commonly called the “missionary discourse”, we may take note of those aspects which distinguish the missionary activity of a Christian community, eager to remain faithful to the example and teaching of Jesus. To respond to the Lord’s call means facing in prudence and simplicity every danger and even persecutions, since “a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Mt 10: 24). Having become one with their Master, the disciples are no longer alone as they announce the Kingdom of heaven; Jesus himself is acting in them: “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me” (Mt 10: 40). Furthermore, as true witnesses, “clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24: 49), they preach “repentance and the forgiveness of sins” (Lk 24: 47) to all peoples.

3. Precisely because they have been sent by the Lord, the Twelve are called “Apostles”, destined to walk the roads of the world announcing the Gospel as witnesses to the death and resurrection of Christ. Saint Paul, writing to the Christians of Corinth, says: “We – the Apostles – preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1: 23). The Book of the Acts of the Apostles also assigns a very important role in this task of evangelization to other disciples whose missionary vocation arises from providential, sometimes painful, circumstances such as expulsion from their own lands for being followers of Jesus (cf. 8,1-4). The Holy Spirit transforms this trial into an occasion of grace, using it so that the name of the Lord can be preached to other peoples, stretching in this way the horizons of the Christian community. These are men and women who, as Luke writes in the Acts of the Apostles, “have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ” (15: 26). First among them is undoubtedly Paul of Tarsus, called by the Lord himself, hence a true Apostle. The story of Paul, the greatest missionary of all times, brings out in many ways the link between vocation and mission. Accused by his opponents of not being authorized for the apostolate, he makes repeated appeals precisely to the call which he received directly from the Lord (cf. Rom 1: 1; Gal 1: 11-12 and 15-17).

4. In the beginning, and thereafter, what “impels” the Apostles (cf. 2 Cor 5: 14) is always “the love of Christ”. Innumerable missionaries, throughout the centuries, as faithful servants of the Church, docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, have followed in the footsteps of the first disciples. The Second Vatican Council notes: “Although every disciple of Christ, as far in him lies, has the duty of spreading the faith, Christ the Lord always calls whomever he will from among the number of his disciples, to be with him and to be sent by him to preach to the nations [cf. Mk 3: 13-15]” (Decree Ad Gentes, 23). In fact, the love of Christ must be communicated to the brothers by example and words, with all one’s life. My venerable predecessor John Paul II wrote: “The special vocation of missionaries ‘for life’ retains all its validity: it is the model of the Church's missionary commitment, which always stands in need of radical and total self-giving, of new and bold endeavours”. (Encyclical Redemptoris Missio, 66)

5. Among those totally dedicated to the service of the Gospel, are priests, called to preach the word of God, administer the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, committed to helping the lowly, the sick, the suffering, the poor, and those who experience hardship in areas of the world where there are, at times, many who still have not had a real encounter with Jesus Christ. Missionaries announce for the first time to these people Christ’s redemptive love. Statistics show that the number of baptized persons increases every year thanks to the pastoral work of these priests, who are wholly consecrated to the salvation of their brothers and sisters. In this context, a special word of thanks must be expressed “to the fidei donum priests who work faithfully and generously at building up the community by proclaiming the word of God and breaking the Bread of Life, devoting all their energy to serving the mission of the Church. Let us thank God for all the priests who have suffered even to the sacrifice of their lives in order to serve Christ ... Theirs is a moving witness that can inspire many young people to follow Christ and to expend their lives for others, and thus to discover true life” (Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, 26).

6. There have always been in the Church many men and women who, prompted by the action of the Holy Spirit, choose to live the Gospel in a radical way, professing the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience. This multitude of men and women religious, belonging to innumerable Institutes of contemplative and active life, still plays “the main role in the evangelisation of the world” (Ad Gentes, 40). With their continual and community prayer, contemplatives intercede without ceasing for all humanity. Religious of the active life, with their many charitable activities, bring to all a living witness of the love and mercy of God. The Servant of God Paul VI concerning these apostles of our times said: “Thanks to their consecration they are eminently willing and free to leave everything and to go and proclaim the Gospel even to the ends of the earth. They are enterprising and their apostolate is often marked by an originality, by a genius that demands admiration. They are generous: often they are found at the outposts of the mission, and they take the greatest of risks for their health and their very lives. Truly the Church owes them much” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 69).

7. Furthermore, so that the Church may continue to fulfil the mission entrusted to her by Christ, and not lack promoters of the Gospel so badly needed by the world, Christian communities must never fail to provide both children and adults with constant education in the faith. It is necessary to keep alive in the faithful a committed sense of missionary responsibility and active solidarity with the peoples of the world. The gift of faith calls all Christians to co-operate in the work of evangelization. This awareness must be nourished by preaching and catechesis, by the liturgy, and by constant formation in prayer. It must grow through the practice of welcoming others, with charity and spiritual companionship, through reflection and discernment, as well as pastoral planning, of which attention to vocations must be an integral part.

8. Vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life can only flourish in a spiritual soil that is well cultivated. Christian communities that live the missionary dimension of the mystery of the Church in a profound way will never be inward looking. Mission, as a witness of divine love, becomes particularly effective when it is shared in a community, “so that the world may believe” (cf. Jn 17: 21). The Church prays everyday to the Holy Spirit for the gift of vocations. Gathered around the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles, as in the beginning, the ecclesial community learns from her how to implore the Lord for a flowering of new apostles, alive with the faith and love that are necessary for the mission.

9. While I entrust this reflection to all the ecclesial communities so that they may make it their own, and draw from it inspiration for prayer, and as I encourage those who are committed to work with faith and generosity in the service of vocations, I wholeheartedly send to educators, catechists and to all, particularly to young people on their vocational journey, a special Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 3 December 2007

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

URL: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=169

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Vocations must be sown in children and young people, says the Pope

Vatican

Vocations must be sown in children and young people, says the Pope

Vatican City, Feb 22, 2008 / 10:48 am (CNA).- Today the Vatican released the Pope’s message for the 45th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which this year has the theme of "Vocations at the Service of the Church on Mission". In his message, Pope Benedict stressed that Christian communities must prepare children and young people for vocations by their witness to the Gospel.

Pope Benedict began his message by recalling Jesus’ Great Commission to the Apostles (Mt. 28:19-20) to take the message of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. He then traced this mission back to its origins in the call of God to the prophets.

According to the Pope, the way the Gospel is transmitted today remains the same as in the time of the Apostles. “In the beginning, and thereafter, what ‘impels’ the Apostles is always ‘the love of Christ’. (...) In fact, the love of Christ must be communicated to the brothers by example and words, with all one's life.”

The Holy Father also made sure to note that no one is exempt from the call to evangelize, saying, “every Christian is called to bear witness and to announce the Gospel”. However, “this missionary dimension is associated in a special and intimate way with the priestly vocation,” the Pope said.

Perhaps most notable in the Pontiff’s message was his emphasis on the need to reach children and young people.

Benedict XVI praised “priests who have suffered even to the sacrifice of their lives in order to serve Christ” saying that “Theirs is a moving witness that can inspire many young people to follow Christ and to expend their lives for others, and thus to discover true life.”

He also called on Christian communities to “never fail to provide both children and adults with constant education in the faith.” The Holy Father added, “Vocations to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life can only flourish in a spiritual soil that is well cultivated. Christian communities that live the missionary dimension of the mystery of the Church in a profound way will never be inward looking.

In his closing remarks, Pope Benedict thanked all those who promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life but also “to young people on their vocational journey”.

The celebration of the 45th World Day of Prayer for Vocations will take place on April 13, the fourth week of Easter, this year.

The full message from Pope Benedict XVI can be found at: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/document.php?n=169

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Catholics to receive four new saints in October

Vatican

Catholics to receive four new saints in October

Vatican City, Mar 3, 2008 / 12:42 pm (CNA).- On Saturday, Benedict XVI declared that four people will be recognized as saints in a ceremony to be held on Sunday October 12. The blesseds who will be canonized are: Gaetano Errico, Maria Bernarda Butler (nee Verena), Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception (nee Anna Muttathupandathu), and Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran.

Gaetano Errico was an Italian teacher, born in 1791, who showed immense dedication to his students. He not only educated his students but formed them spiritually with Christian doctrine and moral values.

He experienced a life-changing event in 1818 while praying at a retreat. St. Alphonsus Liguori appeared to him in a vision and told him that God wanted him to found a new religious congregation and to build a church in Secondigliano in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Fr. Errico died in 1860 at the age of 69.

Maria Bernarda Butler will be the first modern Swiss woman to be canonized.

Born in 1848 in Auw, eastern Switzerland, Maria entered the Capuchin Maria-Hilf convent at the age of 19. She was named the mother superior only four years later.

She later traveled to South America to establish a convent to teach and care for children in Ecuador, and later performed healing miracles in Colombia where she died at the age of 76.

The third Blessed is Anna Muttathupandathu born in Kerala, southern India, in 1910. She was a professed sister of the Congregation of Poor Clares of the Third Order of St. Francis. Also known as Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception, she died in 1946 and will become India’s first female saint.

Blessed Narcisa was born on October 29, 1832 in the city of Nobol, Ecuador. Her parents were farmers and devout Christians. During her youth she was a seamstress and showed a great love for prayer.

She dedicated her early life to the service of her family, caring for the home and creating an atmosphere of charity, joy, and peace between her eight brothers and sisters. After the death of her mother, she also devoted herself to the education of her younger siblings.

Later she went to Guayaquil where she devoted herself to caring for abandoned children and young people. She lived in Cuenca and later moved to Lima, Peru, where she was renowned for her qualities as a catechist of children and young people, until her death on December 8, 1869.

URL: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11955

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The Attractive Side to Celibacy

VOCATIONS Following Christ

The Attractive Side to Celibacy by Br Timothy Lyons, LC A good marriage is, in the best sense of the word, something awesome. Celibacy is too, when you see it the way Jesus does. Celibacy for the sake of saving time and money is not enough.

Angels can’t be priests. The Lord calls only men, and a normal part of being a man is to like girls. When God calls a man to the priesthood he doesn’t unplug his natural attraction to marriage. I know young men who would join the seminary, if they did not have to sacrifice dating and marriage. Last year, a television series dramatized the tension they may feel: “God or the Girl.”

Why does it have to be one or the other? For some, marriage seems too good to give up. Is celibacy something the Church should rethink? I am a seminarian and I almost agree: it is not something we can or should re-think, but it does deserve a second look. Take a quick, superficial look at celibacy, like a lot of outsiders do, and certainly it will seem like giving up marriage is too much to ask. But celibacy comes from God – it was not the Church’s idea. Christ inspired it, so it has to be awesome. If we do not appreciate its greatness, this is probably because we haven’t yet taken a good look at it for what it is.

Among mainstream Catholics, you often have three viewpoints. Some critics argue that celibacy needs to go. There is the contention, old and rather naïve, that, ever since the Middle Ages, celibacy is how the ones in power have stayed in power. Others contend that the Church should make it optional: there are, in fact, already some married Catholic priests, who have converted from the Anglican clergy, or else who serve other rites. A third group suggests we keep it because it saves the Church millions of dollars, and gives priests time to be with their flock. In other words, it makes practical sense. Between administering the sacraments, teaching, preaching and spending time with his flock, the last thing Father needs on a Sunday morning is to have to run out to buy baby formula. Later on in life, who will pay for his kids’ college? This is a real consideration: a celibate priest is already hard pressed for time. Still, I think that even this last position fails to see the best thing about celibacy, to see it from Christ’s point of view.

A good marriage is, in the best sense of the word, something awesome. Celibacy is too, when you see it the way Jesus does. Celibacy for the sake of saving time and money is not enough. Let’s put it this way. Marriage is so good, why not let a husband and a wife have more than just each other? Why not let a husband share his love with more than just one woman, or a wife with more than just one man? You would laugh if someone replied: “No, that would cost too much money.” The whole point of marriage is the love it takes to dedicate yourself to one person, saying with your life, “Even though I have other options, I choose you.” It is beautiful, though not always easy, precisely because it costs. I think celibacy has this same beauty, if not more.

Part of what makes priestly celibacy seem hard to swallow is that sometimes we tend to think of the priesthood as another career, like “social service”, “law”, or “medicine”. Many priests would cringe at this idea. For example, John Paul II described his priesthood in two adjectives: “gift and mystery”. The Catechism teaches that Jesus Christ is the one and only priest. An ordained Catholic priest shares in the priesthood of Christ, because the Sacrament of Holy Orders is an anointing of the Holy Spirit. At ordination the Spirit stamps him with a seal, configuring him to Christ, and giving him power to act in the person of Christ. His priesthood is not something he does, but something he is, and for eternity.

So the priesthood is more than a career. But still, it is interesting to note that surveys of different walks of life – lawyers, doctors, teachers, and so on – indicate that priests are the happiest men at what they do. If celibacy is so unreasonable a demand, why are priests typically happy? We should not be surprised. God is the “God of the Living.” If he calls a man to be a priest, it is because he wants to unite that man to Himself in a special way. The same goes for religious sisters and brothers, consecrated lay people, and many single Catholics. The living God fills them up. Step One in the process calls them to make room in their hearts, clearing out other “merely” human affections. Step Two, the decision to consecrate themselves with vows or promises, tells Christ and his Church, “You are worth it.” God is never outdone in generosity. This helps us understanding why Jesus says that in heaven everyone is celibate. Instead of marriage and dating, there is union with God Himself. Here on earth, happiness and love has limits, but not in heaven: there it never stops growing.

Christ was truly man, and he chose celibacy for himself. Was he “repressed” or sad? He was able to love more people, and was so enthusiastic about his priesthood that he still wants to share it with others! As Jesus told Peter, it is a gift “for those who are called”, and not a price that they have to pay. This is what motivates celibacy. It is one way the Church invites Christians to follow in Christ’s footsteps.

The Church has two thousand years of evidence for just how much happiness and generosity this way of life can produce. The proof is in a myriad of saints who were celibate. Not all the saints lived celibacy, of course, but it is no accident that many chose to. Why does the world call Blessed Theresa of Calcutta “Mother” if she was never a wife? She adopted all of us, especially the poorest, and she is just one example among thousands of consecrated men and women religious, who committed themselves in heart, mind, body, and soul to Jesus Christ and to saving souls.

If we really believe in Jesus Christ, celibacy is priceless. Its value is not in “saving time” and “cutting costs”. God does not see it in these terms. For Him, it is one way of reminding us that He is source of all love and happiness. Those of us who have this calling might think of it as our gift to God, but really it is His gift to us and to the Church. May we see its true value, and when we do, it will come as no surprise to watch how God blesses the Church with great vocations: vocations to marriage, vocations to religious life, and plenty of vocations to the priesthood.


Timothy Lyons, of the Legionaries of Christ, studies for the priesthood in Rome.

URL: http://www.catholic.net/vocations/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=24

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