Know Your Catholic Faith

The Mass is a Sacrifice w/ Fr. Bill Casey

2011-12-20T00:38:00.001-05:00

Come Holy Spirit: A Beautiful Song and Prayer!

2011-11-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

This is a beautiful song and prayer by Tom Booth! Close your eyes, listen, and invite the HOly Spirit into your heart!

St. Theresa of Lisieux on Purgatory

2011-11-04T21:09:00.003-04:00

Click the title

"One does not need to go to Purgatory" ~ St. Theresa of Lisieux

Saint Thomas Aquinas' Prayer Before Study

2011-11-01T02:00:00.003-04:00

Click on the title of this post for St. Thomas Aquinas' Prayer Before Study

An Encounter with Our Lady, or Just Wishful Thinking!

2011-10-28T23:54:00.004-04:00

As I tell this story, keep in mind that the name, Maria, in Hebrew, means the star of the sea.

One day this past summer, I was playing with my three year old daughter on a beach not too far from my home. Regan was having fun digging in the sand as I stood over her watching her delight as she created her sand sculptures. It was then that a young woman, whom appeared to be in her mid twenties and dressed from head to toe in a blue and white makeshift dress of some sort, walked past us in silence. It was a very warm and sunny day and I could not help but think that this woman was way overdressed for the weather conditions, but at the same time I found the woman’s modesty to be rather refreshing in a culture that has become almost devoid of modesty. There was something peaceful about the woman that was hard to describe!

As I continued to play with Regan on the beach, I saw that the woman was walking back toward our direction. Upon reaching our location, she stopped, and pointing to Regan, said something like, ‘She is so beautiful!’ I thanked her for the compliment. She then said, “I’m a Catholic missionary.” Although I thought it strange for someone to initiate a conversation in such a manner, I welcomed her words as an opportunity to discuss my Catholic Faith and my interest in evangelization!
I responded, “I am a Catholic also. Aren’t we all called to be missionaries? The world is our mission field, isn’t it?” The woman seemed pleased with my response and smiled as she nodded her approval. I noticed that the woman spoke with an accent, so I asked her where she was from. She replied, “I am from Mexico.”

The woman went on to explain that she was on a mission at a local girl’s boarding school where some girls from her country were taking part in a summer program. We engaged in a very brief conversation about her mission at the school. As the woman spoke, I was drawn by the peace she seemed to radiate! At the end of our conversation, I asked the woman for her name and told her I wanted to include her missionary efforts in my prayers, to which she responded, “My name is Maria.” The woman then said goodbye and continued walking up the beach and eventually out of sight.

It did not strike me until I was driving home, especially since the woman had identified herself as Maria, that for whatever reason, I may have had an encounter with the Blessed Mother, not to mention the fact that the woman’s physical appearance reminded me so much of just about every image I have ever seen of our Blessed Mother during my lifetime. But why me? I don’t know! I only know that for the remainder of my life, I’ll always remember the day I encountered a woman who may have been the “Star of the Sea”!

An encounter with our Blessed Mother, or just a case of wishful thinking?

Time for Catechesis

2011-08-07T04:00:00.001-04:00

Catechesis should be of primary concern to the Roman Catholic Church when Catholics provide answers such as these when asked whether or not they regularly attend Mass, and if so, why?
‘I don’t go to Mass because it’s not a sin anymore.’
‘I think you don’t have to go.’
‘ I have to because I go to boarding school. I do it to keep my parents happy.’
‘I go every Sunday because my grandmother and my family go, but if I were on my own I would not go.’
‘I go because my parents go, but I don’t really know any other reasons for going.’
‘I’m just not interested.’
‘It’s boring. I used to go with my grandmother because it made her feel good.’
‘I don’t have to go to church to pray. I can pray at home.’

The aforementioned answers were given to Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV.com as he randomly interviewed Irish Catholics on the streets of Dublin on June 29, 2011. What makes these answers so alarming is the fact that Ireland, where 84.7% of the population is Catholic, has been a bastion of the Catholic Faith for nearly 1500 years. What has existed in Ireland for 1500 years has been nearly totally destroyed in less than 40 years. But this attitude toward Mass is not unique to Ireland!

The bottom line is that Catholics need to be informed of the reasons for attending and participating in the Mass, the most important of which is the fact that Jesus is present at Mass and longs to give himself to us in the Eucharist! For this reason alone Catholics should be knocking down the doors to churches to get in!

Priests should take every opportunity to reinforce the importance of the gift God has given us through the sacraments, especially Holy Eucharist at Mass! The importance and the reasons for participating in the Mass should be taught and reinforced at every level of catechesis.

I cannot imagine the faithful thinking that Mass is “boring” if they truly knew what happens at each Mass. It is far from boring when the Creator of all that is “seen and unseen”, humbles Himself to become truly present under the appearance of bread and wine in order to give Himself to us, so that we may experience Him through all our senses and share in His Divinity! That is exciting and AWESOME, not boring!

Let us pray that others will come to know what the Mass is all about! Let us take every opportunity to share what we know about the awesome treasure that we call Mass!

Solomon Asked for Wisdom - So Should We!

2011-07-26T08:33:00.005-04:00

In his homily this past Sunday, our pastor, Father Wilson, illustrated how we can all experience the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth through the practice of our Faith. But he went on to say that it requires more than just routine attendance at Mass and simply going through the motions of receiving Holy Communion. Father Wilson warned that those of us who simply go through the motions each week at Mass should not be surprised when our lives are unaffected by this so called practice of our Faith.

In the gospel reading this past Sunday (July 24th), Jesus explains that “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” The point Jesus makes in this parable is that the things found, i.e., the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price, were being earnestly searched for with great effort. Picture one man digging up a field in search of a treasure, the other toiling and searching through oysters for that one great pearl. And so in the practice of our Faith we must put forth effort to seek the treasure of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Truth, who is Jesus. Do we earnestly seek the Truth? How much effort do we expend seeking and understand His Truth? Do we pray for more faith? Jesus is the Truth! He is the “way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)! If we don’t participate in Mass and truly believe that Jesus is really present under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist, we gain NOTHING from it (John 6:48-58)! NOTHING! This is the reason so many Catholics have left the Church. It is also the reason why Mass attendance has declined. It is the reason many Catholics will say, ‘I get nothing out of it!’ Multitudes should be crashing the doors to go to Mass if there was a true belief in Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist!

I strayed from the practice of my Catholic Faith for a lengthy period of time in my life. So for years I missed out on so much grace! Without verbalizing it, I too was among those Catholics who doubted Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. This had to be the case; otherwise I would have put Jesus first in my life and greatly anticipated each and every reception of his very body, blood, soul, and divinity in Holy Communion! We Catholics should long to go to Mass and be healed and nourished through the grace of the sacraments. For me it was a lack of knowing the truth. It was my neglect in seeking the truth. I think that is the case for most Catholics.

As Father Wilson said in his homily, and continues to incorporate into many of his homilies, ‘there is no greater gift we can receive on earth; there is nothing more important in our lives than strengthening our relationship with Christ in the Eucharist and receiving his grace through the sacraments; these are the ways to true and lasting joy!’

My prayer is that Catholics with a lack of knowledge or doubts about their Faith will pray for understanding; will seek the truth through the Magisterial teachings of the Church; and worthily receive Jesus in the Eucharist after returning Home through the healing portal of the sacrament of Reconciliation!

May 21st Rapture

2011-05-22T05:53:00.010-04:00

I write today to the followers of Harold Camping and all the precious souls throughout the world who love Jesus and want to experience His eternal and awesome love! I humbly ask in a most charitable way that you consider looking no further then your local Catholic church for a truly life-changing and transforming experience!

Jesus is there, truly present in every tabernacle, in every Catholic church, under the appearance of bread. In the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Jesus longs to give Himself to us and to become united with us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. If you have the faith to truly believe that God is the Creator of the universe, all that is seen and unseen, then it should not be hard to believe that He can also make Himself truly present in the Eucharist!

Please spend time in prayer over what I have written to you, and invest some time in seeking the truth concerning Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist!

Reference sources for the Eucharist:

John 6
http://www.catholicscomehome.org/answers-eucharist.php

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1322 - 1419 http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/index/e.htm

Real Presence Website
http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/a.html

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T02:50:00.004-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to our Heavenly Mother!

Little Known Facts About Our Lady of Guadalupe

2011-02-04T04:52:00.014-05:00

Last week at our parish we were blessed to have the opportunity to view the missionary image of Our Lady of of Guadalupe. I have for some time been aware of the story of our Lady's appearance to Juan Diego in 1531, and I have seen the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe many times in my life, however, I knew very little of this miraculous event until our pastor gave his homily this past Sunday. I would like to share what I learned with you!

In 1531, in Mexico City, Mexico, our Lady appeared to 57-year-old widower, Juan Diego as he was on his way to attend Mass. Juan Diego was an Aztec Indian and a convert to Christianity.

Our Blessed Mother revealed her identity to Juan Diego and told him she wanted him to inform the bishop of the diocese that she would like a chapel built in the place she was standing so she could have a place in which she could lead people to her Son. Juan agreed and met with the bishop, however was quickly dismissed.

Our Blessed Mother appeared to Juan a second time to see if he had made any progress with her request. Juan explained that he was quickly dismissed and suggested to our Lady that she find a more prominent member of the village, someone whom the bishop would be more likely to listen to. Our Blessed Mother insisted that Juan go back to the bishop once more, which he did. This time, the bishop told Juan he would take the request seriously if Our Lady would give a sign.

In an attempt to avoid Our Lady, Juan took a different route as he walked to attend Mass, however, Our Lady once again appeared to him to question him regarding her request. Juan explained about the bishop's request for a sign.

Our Blessed Mother than directed Juan to pick some roses on a hill nearby and bring them to her. The roses that Our Lady requested did not normally grow in the season in which she appeared to Juan Diego. Nonetheless, Juan brought a bunch of roses back to Our Lady. She then directed him to give her his tilma (cloak). Our Blessed gently laid the tilma on the ground, wrapped the roses in the tilma, and gave it back to Juan directing him to take it and give it to the bishop.

Juan promptly delivered his tilma to the bishop, and upon opening it in the bishop's presence, the roses fell out and the two gazed in amazement upon the most beautiful image of Our Lady which covered the entire tilma. The bishop was convinced of the miracle and built the chapel. Within approximately eight years of the building of the chapel, there were nearly 7 million converts to Christianity in what was then a pagan society.

Recently scientists have discovered some truly amazing facts about the tilma and its image that defy nature and all scientific explanation. Here are a few:

The plant fibers tilmas are made of wear out after fifty years, but the Tilma of Our Lady has endured 480 years. For 116 years it was left unprotected from smoke, dust, heat, humidity, and continual contact with hands and other objects. Not even the accident in 1791, when muriatic acid fell on the Tilma, nor the terrorist attack in 1921, when a bomb was placed in front of her in a flower vase, have been able to destroy the Tilma of Guadalupe.

NASA has stated that the image’s colors are not made from any material found on Earth. A laser that scanned the image even found that the colors float three tenths of a millimeter in front of the Tilma surface, without touching it.

Microscopic analysis of the pupils of Our Lady of Guadalupe reveals what she must have seen in the instant her image appeared. She is surrounded by thirteen people. One of these is clearly identified as Bishop Juan de Zumárraga. Zooming in even more, to the point of examining the Bishop’s pupils, reveals the spectacle he saw: Juan Diego opening his garment in front of him. The Virgin exhibits qualities of a living person, too. Her eyes contract and dilate in response to light and darkness. The temperature of the Tilma remains stable at 98.6 degrees. A stethoscope has even measured the heartbeats of a baby in her womb.

The aforementioned facts were obtained from the following source - http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=6003.

Divine Treasure!

2010-07-26T09:31:00.002-04:00

The earth is a mere pinpoint in this immense universe, the ends of which remain unknown to man! It never ceases to amaze me that its Creator longs for a close relationship with its human inhabitants, so much so that He humbles Himself and makes Himself available veiled under the appearance of bread and wine to those who will receive Him! Always be mindful of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist! Thank you Lord for the wonderful gift of your Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, the Nourishment that sustains us on this journey!

Power of the Eucharist

2010-05-25T08:30:00.006-04:00

To be the men and women God intended us to be in our roles as priests, religious, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives and friends; children of God made in His image; to love with the love of Christ; to offer ourselves as holy and living sacrifices; to have faith and hope, and to increase in every other virtue; is possible only through the grace that comes through frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

It is impossible to fulfill our purpose in this life without the Eucharist! Amen!

Go to confession and attend Mass often, daily if possible! It will change your life!

A Wealth of Information!

2010-04-02T01:28:00.004-04:00

I recently attended a Catholic Men's Conference at which the Knights of Columbus were present and distributing some very informative, well written, and easy to read booklets from the Knights of Columbus Catholic Information Service. The booklets I have read are: The Gift of Woman, The Family in the Modern World, and Becoming a Man of God.

The great thing is that these booklets are available online as downloadable audio files or pdf files. You may also order hard copies of the booklets for only a $1.00 each, and at reduced rates for bulk orders.

The booklets cover a wide variety of topics on matters pertaining to Catholic faith and life. You can access this great resource at the following link - http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/publications/cis/podcasts/veritas/index.html

Soul of Christ, Sanctify Me!

2010-03-31T08:21:00.010-04:00

The Anima Christi is a beautiful prayer! The following four prayers develop the richness of the prayer even further. I discovered these prayers in a publication entitled The Catholic Devotional published in 2006 by the Apostolic Publishing Company, 7010 6th Street North, Oakdale, MN 55128.

Soul of Christ, Sanctify Me!

Make a saint of me. Show me how to rid myself
Of traits of character that annoy others;
that make the lives of those about me miserable.
Help me to break the hardened shell within which selfishness hides, and which renders me insensible to the needs of others.
May I become great enough to be the servant of both rich and poor.
May I grow strong in virtue, so as to sustain the weak and encourage the weary.
May my heart increase its power to love, so as to be able to minister kindness to the timid and mercy to the wayward.
May I have the honor to bring cheer to all my fellow men on the long and sometimes rugged road of life.

Body of Christ, Save Me!

Save me from my great archenemy, my weak and faltering self.
Save me from all greed of money, of power, and of praise.
Save me from the thirst for pleasure, worldly show, and midnight revelry.
Save me from betraying You, Dear Lord, in thought, or in word, or in deed.

Blood of Christ, Strengthen Me!

Inebriate me with Your Love, that I may be absorbed in Your Will. Absorbed so as to be unmindful of my ills and petty cares.
Unmindful of weariness and pain, heartache, and disappointment.
Heedless of the lash of cruel words, and patient under wrongs.

Passion of Christ, Strengthen Me!

Strengthen me under the pressure of temptation.
Strengthen me when principle is at stake.
Strengthen me to do Your Will, My God.
Strengthen me in moments of suffering, in times of loneliness, in periods of depression.
Strengthen me that I may never swerve from You, Dear Christ, nor weaken through a desire to be popular, through hope of social distinction.
Strengthen me to accept my cross and carry it generously to the end.
On the battlefield of life, stand by me that I may never prove a traitor in the ranks.
Stand by me that I may not be dazzled by the glitter and glow of the enemy camp.

Unfathomable Love! - Awesome Privilege!

2010-03-05T11:36:00.005-05:00

It has been discovered that an ordinary, 8oz. drinking glass can hold approximately 2 million grains of sand.

The photographs and data scientists have gathered through the use of the Hubble telescope indicate the majesty and incomprehensible size of the universe that exists beyond our planet. It is estimated that there are more stars in the heavens than there are grains of sand on all the beaches of the world.

Consider the world unseen by the naked eye and all of its wonder. The complex structure and life-sustaining automated functions of just the trillions of cells in the human body alone.

Contemplate the fact that all of creation is maintained in a perfect, life-sustaining balance, i.e., the perfect mixture of gases in the air we breath, precise distances of the sun and the moon from our earth, which are necessary to sustain life on earth.

Think of the marvelous, awesome complexity of the vast variety of insects and birds, and the variety of life existing beneath the ocean waves!

I don’t about you, but whenever I’m in our Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament, or at Mass during transubstantiation as the priest says the words, “This is My Body”, my mind is immediately aware of the fact that the awesome Creator of our vast universe is not only present, but desires to be with us!

It is truly a humbling experience, and an inexpressible privilege, not only to be in the presence of the Creator, but to be able to receive His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity as spiritual and physical nourishment for our journey.

Armed with the knowledge that God, the Creator of the universe, longs to give Himself to us fully, and makes Himself available to us daily under the appearance of bread and wine, ONE SHOULD NEVER AGAIN HAVE A REASON TO FEEL UNLOVED! For this is the perfect love! Out of love, God gives Himself to us, and accepting His Gift assists us in passing the love of God on to others. This is how love remains eternal. St. Paul illustrates the permanence of love in his first letter to the Corinthians when he says, “love never fails”. St. Paul emphasizes the fact that love remains long after prophesy, knowledge, and tongues pass away.

The next time you receive Christ in the Eucharist, or are privileged to spend time with Him at adoration, ponder the magnificence of the love our awesome Creator has for us!

The Catholic Church Is Perfect! Why?

2010-03-05T11:28:00.002-05:00

Do you know someone who no longer practices their Catholic Faith, and claims that it was the sexually deviant behavior of some members of the clergy, and the failure of the Church to address the issue that finally caused them to leave the Church?

As repulsive as pedophilia is, especially when committed by a man whom we know has been ordained to represent Christ on earth in the administration of the sacraments, we must remember that the MAN has not been made perfect through the sacrament of Holy Orders. The priest is still a man and thus remains subject to the tendency toward sin along with the rest of humankind.

It is not man that makes the Catholic Church PERFECT, it is Jesus Christ who founded the Church and instituted the sacraments. As Catholics we must remain focused on Christ, truly present in the Eucharist, the very center of our Faith! If we are looking for perfection in a man, we will fail to find it in any church on earth!

John L. Barger, founder of Sophia Institute Press, in a debate with his daughter over the perfection of the Catholic Church, presents a powerful yet brief argument which I encourage all to read here.

Pray The Rosary Online

2010-02-27T08:40:00.001-05:00

Pray The Rosary Online

Called To Give A Common Witness

2010-01-27T03:49:00.004-05:00

I was prompted to write this post after receiving a video via my Facebook Inbox from a Christian woman, not of the Catholic Faith, whom, after finding me on the world wide web, decided that I needed to be rescued from the evil clutches of Rome. The video follows this post, and is actually quite good!

She sent me the usual anti-Catholic rhetoric and suggested several links that would help to set me straight. I lovingly and gently responded by suggesting that she spend some time learning what the Catholic Faith truly teaches and directed her to the website Catholics Come Home.

The fact that this woman sent me this video served as a warm reminder that our call as Christians is a common call, in fact we are all commissioned by our Lord to proclaim the same Good News to the world! The point is that Christian unity is incredibly beautiful because it demonstrates the very love of God which is manifested by a common concern for the eternal salvation of every soul!

In this Year of Evangelization, our Holy Father shared the following reflection concerning Christian unity. On January 25, 2010, the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, Pope Benedict XVI in a homily he gave at vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, appealed to all Christians to give a common witness starting immediately . . .Pope Says Now Is Time For United Testimony.

In a world in which the enemy has craftily led so many away from God by deception, distraction and false hopes of happiness, Christians need more than ever to unite to share the love of Christ with the world!

Pope Benedict reflected on the "fundamental intuition" of the preliminary ecumenical gathering held in Edinburgh, Scotland one hundred years ago: that Christians cannot proclaim the Gospel credibly if they are divided. Within Christianity there are about 34,000 separate groups of which over half of them are independent churches that have no interest in linking with a large denomination. There are over 4,684 Christian groups in the United States teaching their own brand of 'truth'.

Satan and his minions seem to have gained much ground in two major areas, both of which we must immediately begin work to reverse. We must abandon the culture of death in which we now live and acknowledge the sanctity of life! We must also begin to restore Christian unity into the one Body of Christ which God intended us to be!

Our Best Defense!

2010-01-22T03:14:00.001-05:00

We proceed on this journey stalked constantly by a vicious and cruel enemy, an enemy who hates us simply because we are created and loved by God! This enemy is cunning, calculating, and constantly scheming to launch attacks against us, which if successful, can result not only in the death of our body, but the eternal death of our soul! The enemy is Satan and his minions.

The good news is that God has provided the ammunition necessary to defend ourselves against these attacks! Without it we are as weak and defenseless as newborn babes! That ammunition is God’s grace!

Now most Christians, including myself will agree that one way to receive God’s grace is by earnestly asking for it in prayer! Now God is capable of all things and no man should presume to understand the mind of God, so we can probably all agree that God can bestow His grace upon anyone He wishes in any manner He deems fit!

From a Catholic perspective, the ammunition or grace of which I speak is the grace which is made available to us in the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ as He gives Himself to us in the Eucharist! However, to receive the fullness of the grace made available to us in the Blessed Sacrament, we must be properly prepared and disposed to do so!

What do we mean by properly disposed and prepared to receive our Lord?

First, we must firmly believe without a doubt in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist! We must then very humbly and thankfully acknowledge the greatness of the One whom we are about to receive into our bodies and souls!

Reflect if you will on this fact: the God who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist is the same God who created the incomprehensible vastness, complexity, and beauty of the entire universe, from the immeasurable magnitude of the cosmos to the awesome design and workings of the sub-atomic world! He is also the One who keeps it all in perfect balance in the palm of His Mighty Hand! This is the God for whom we must be properly prepared to receive, truly present in the communion wafer that is placed on our tongue or in the palm of our hand at Mass!

Our preparation to receive our Lord in the Eucharist begins in the sacrament of Reconciliation. This is how we make clean and presentable the house into which we are inviting our Lord! The grace that is conferred upon us in the sacrament of Reconciliation requires true contrition for our sins! True contrition is demonstrated by a firm resolve to avoid future sin! Although we are absolved of our sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation, our tendency toward sin remains. So, once again, we need God’s grace to continue to fight off future temptation when the enemy has us in his sights!

The next step in receiving our Lord in the Eucharist is to truly desire to receive Him, and welcome Him warmly into our hearts and surrender ourselves totally to Him. In this way we become the instruments through which others will come to know Him! We are reminded of this when we hear the priest speak these words at Mass, “The Mass is ended, now go in peace to love and serve the Lord!”

Receiving Christ in the Eucharist gives us tremendous power against the temptations of sin and is the Source and Summit of our Faith!

Find the Answers

2010-01-22T02:21:00.004-05:00

Bishop Fulton Sheen once said, "There are not more than 100 people in the world who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive to be the Catholic Church."

The optimum word here is perceive! Where have these perceptions come from?

In the spirit of Christian love, please take the time to examine what the Catholic Church truly believes and teaches about such topics as Mary and the Saints, Salvation, Scripture and Tradition and more.

Scroll to the bottom of this page and allow the Holy Spirit be your guide as you begin to explore these topics.

Year of Evangelization

2010-01-15T07:34:00.005-05:00

This is the most important invitation anyone can receive! The logo to the left is so beautiful! A depiction of our Lord Jesus Christ welcoming all to return home with open arms! Imagine!

The following explanation of the meaning of The Year of Evangelization is taken directly from the F.A.Q. page of the website Year of Evangelization - Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.

Please take some time to peruse the website and share it with others!

Thank you for visiting! May the peace of our Lord be with you always!

So Many Good, Dedicated, and Holy Catholic Priests

2010-01-07T09:39:00.004-05:00

There have been, and still are so many good, holy, and dedicated Catholic priests serving God in this world! This thought comes to mind each time the media focuses the world’s attention on something negative concerning Catholic priests. By no means am I trying to lessen the serious nature of such incidents. The point is that the same amount of attention should be given to the far greater number of positive instances of self-sacrificing service given by our Catholic clergy from the Holy Father on down!

I’ll share with you the story of Father Vincent Capodanno, a priest who was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions while serving as Chaplain with the Marines in Vietnam.

Fr. Capodanno’s story was written by Father Daniel L. Mode in a book entitled, The Grunt Padre. A DVD of the same title is also available. The video contains powerful and moving accounts by Marines who were ministered to by Fr. Capodanno on the battlefield on the day that he gave his life! If you’re looking for a tearjerker, this is it, and it’s REAL!

The following 6-minute video is part of an interview with Mr. James Capodanno on the 40th anniversary of his brother’s death.

In Just Five Days!

2009-12-20T06:00:00.004-05:00

Five days remain until we celebrate the birth of our Savior, and so I wanted to share this video with you. It features the song, Mary Did You Know. Merry Christmas!

Evangelization Opportunity

2009-12-11T05:49:00.005-05:00

Visit The Reason For Our Hope Foundation website where Father Larry Richards presents some great lessons on the Catholic Faith on both audio and video. You may also listen audio files of past homilies he’s given at his parish, St. Joseph Church/Bread of Life Community, in Erie Pennsylvania.

I became a fan of Father Larry Richards after listening to his audio presentation a year or two ago entitled, The Mass Explained. I have since purchased the video of this presentation, which I believe is a must see for every Catholic, fallen-away Catholic, and those thinking of converting to the catholic Faith.

I like Father Larry’s style! He pulls no punches and never compromises the truth!

Are You a Real MAN?

2009-12-06T05:32:00.006-05:00

Are you a MAN, or do you just think you’re a MAN? Just as merely uttering the words, ‘I love you’ are meaningless without them being made manifest through action, calling yourself a MAN, is equally as meaningless without acting like one!

What must I do to be a real MAN you ask? God provided us the perfect example of what it is to be a MAN in our Lord Jesus Christ! Another great example is St. Joseph, the man God charged to love and care for His very Son, as well as our Blessed Mother!

Want to be a REAL MAN? For starters, take a little time away from the things far less important, pray for wisdom, and get yourself a copy of Father Larry Richards latest book, Be A Man, and as you read it allow the words to sink in and take root! Then ask God for the grace and strength to make the necessary changes in your life!

Father Larry is right on target, and pulls no punches in offering his words of wisdom in the areas of love, marital fidelity, lust, sex, and everything else we need to know about to really and truly Be A Man!

Heaven on Earth

2009-12-06T03:46:00.004-05:00

Father Larry Richards, in his presentation entitled, The Mass Explained, says this about what occurs at every Mass, ‘eternity folds into the present and the present folds into eternity.’

At the beginning of each Mass we hear the priest say these words in what is known as the Penitential Rite, “My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.”

Yes, the fact that the God of the universe, Jesus Christ, becomes truly present among us and gives Himself to us in the Eucharist is a mystery of faith. As we commemorate Christ’s one redeeming sacrifice for the sins of the world, we join our Blessed Mother and all the angels and saints at the foot of the cross as we give glory and honor to our Savior as He gives us His life so that we may live!

How awesome is this image? And how privileged we are to stand in His presence!

Dr. Scott Hahn, in his book, The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth, uses a beautiful illustration of the Mass as a time “when heaven touches down to save an earth under siege.” Of course Dr. Hahn is referring to the continuous battle we wage against the spiritual forces of darkness perpetrated by Satan and his army of demons.

Now that we have a little knowledge of what goes on at Mass, it should be a place where we all long to be! We should be there as often as possible, and eagerly look forward to each and every celebration of this Holy Sacrifice!

Please pass this on to all our Catholic brothers and sisters, as well as all humanity for that matter – Jesus gave His life for ALL!

A Tale Of A Good Shepherd And A Lost Sheep

2009-11-28T01:47:00.005-05:00

Recently, Congressman Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island has clashed with the Catholic Church and Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence regarding the congressman’s public support of a health care reform bill which supports public funding for abortions.

Congressman Kennedy’s public support for the right to choose abortion and his criticism of the Catholic Church’s opposition to the current health care reform bill is in clear contradiction to his claim that he is a practicing Catholic. At this juncture, the bishop would be negligent in not responding to, and caring for a sheep that has wandered from the flock into dangerous surroundings!

All of this has now made national news. Congressman Kennedy claimed in an interview dated November 22, 2009, that Bishop Tobin has forbid him to receive Holy Communion. You may read Bishop Tobin’s response to Kennedy’s claims here.

Catholics should be concerned not so much with the their ability to receive the sacraments, but with whether or not they are properly disposed to receive them. Christ’s sanctifying and saving grace is conferred through the sacraments when the recipient is properly disposed to receive that grace, i.e., receiving the Eucharist in the state of mortal is not the proper disposition toward receiving the Sacrament. The same goes for the sacrament of Confession (Penance, Reconciliation). The recipient asking to be absolved is not properly disposed to the sacrament if he or she is not sincerely contrite, and willing to repent and make every effort to avoid sin in the future.

Discussions on local radio talk shows has served to reveal that many professed Catholics, at least in and around the Diocese of Providence have much to learn about the Faith they claim to be practicing. A professed Catholic is not at liberty to pick and choose which Church doctrine he or she believes and follows, and what he or she does not believe, and thus does not follow. The Church has one teaching authority, the Magisterium, whose teachings are the true teachings received from Jesus Christ and passed on through apostolic succession over the centuries up to the present day.

We cannot profess the Catholic Faith and then do what we want concerning abortion, contraception, and reception of the sacraments etc.!

As Catholics, and I include myself, we need to spend much more time learning about and practicing our Faith, then on doing things that do little to enhance the quality of our life here on earth, much less our eternal life!

This is a wake up call for the Catholic Church. We are in dire need of better ways in which to educate the faithful and evangelize the truth. We need to pray more often and more fervently, not only for ourselves, but for our Holy Father, our bishops and priests and all the clergy and religious, all catechists, all political leaders, and everyone throughout the world who does not know Christ, or does not think that Christ is essential in their lives!

Let us pray for Bishop Tobin, that he remain close to our Lord, and continue to courageously and boldly proclaim and stand by the truth as he shepherds his flock! And let us pray for Congressman Kennedy, and all Catholics, whom have strayed and are wandering, that they may safely return home!

Always Time for Mass

2009-11-27T23:33:00.004-05:00

http://www.masstimes.org/ is a great resource for those wanting to attend Mass when they are unable to take advantage of the Mass times offered at their home parishes.

This website offers listings for Mass times, Confession schedules, and times of Eucharistic Adoration in numerous languages and numerous countries. You may search it by country, province, diocese, and postal zip code.

I have used it and have found it extremely helpful when I have wanted to attend daily Mass when the Mass time in my home parish conflicts with my work schedule, or when looking for a time and place to go to Confession or Eucharistic Adoration.

How Do We Reject Christ?

2009-11-25T10:03:00.010-05:00

I preface the following post by saying that I offer it in the spirit of love, and by no means out of a sense of self-righteousness! I have certainly been guilty of countless instances in which I traded Christ’s offer of an intimate relationship for the things of this world and my own selfish desires!

There is no doubt Christ experienced tremendous physical pain and suffering as he went to the cross for us, but was his physical suffering the thing that caused him the most anguish?

I thought of this during Mass today. I thought of all the times I chose to satisfy my physical needs and desires by making and taking the time to do so, rather than making the time to do the things that would help build my relationship with the God of the universe, the God who longs to be a close friend to this lowly sinner! In other words, I REJECTED HIM! I rejected him no less than those who cried out, “CRUCIFY HIM”!

We must ask ourselves, is it the rejection of Christ’s unending and extreme love for us that caused him the most intense anguish and pain as he prepared for the cross at Gethsemane? How do we feel when we are rejected by those we love? Magnify that feeling trillions of times over and we would only be able to begin to imagine what Christ must have felt and still feels today as we reject his love and invitation to share in his divinity!

We always seem to be able to make time for everything else but for the one who really matters, Jesus Christ!

Jesus strongly desires to be with us! Do we strongly desire to be with him? How painful it must have been for our Lord to know that so many would never respond to, or even give a second thought to what he was about to do out of love for us and a desire to be with us for eternity!

Jesus gives himself to us daily in the Eucharist – please consider preparing yourself through the sacrament of Reconciliation to receive him into your heart with all of the praise and worship he deserves, and then welcome him eagerly under your roof by receiving him in the Eucharist!

Let's Listen to Our Mother!

2009-11-19T11:58:00.003-05:00

I recently finished a book entitled, "Our Lady of Kibeho: Mary Speaks to the World from the Heart of Africa". The author, Immaculee Ilibagiza, survived the terrible genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994 – thirteen years after Our Blessed Mother warned of the atrocities through the visionaries she appeared to in the village of Kibeho, Rwanda.

Over a million lives were lost in the genocide, including Immaculee’s grandparents, mother, father, and two brothers. However, under the care and direction of our Blessed Mother, combined with her faith in Almighty God, Immaculee forgives her family’s killers, and continues to preach about forgiveness and reconciliation to this day.

This book has inspired me to strive for a closer relationship with my heavenly Mother, a Mother who loves us and whose only desire is to draw us closer to her Son! I am sure it will continue to have the same impact on many others who read its pages.

Mary appeared to three young college girls in 1981. She predicted the genocide in Rwanda 13 years before it happened. This convinced the Vatican that the apparitions were real. Immaculee Ilibagiza survived the genocide and wrote the best selling novel Left to Tell. She was left to tell the remarkable story of how Our Lady appeared in Kibeho, Africa.

Reflections on the Eucharist

2009-11-19T11:42:00.004-05:00

Lord, I am eager to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as often as I am able! It is there that you give me yourself in the Eucharist! And when I am properly prepared and disposed to receive you, the grace that you offer is astounding!

It is equally awesome to think, that the Creator of the vast universe in which we live, the designer of the complexities of it all, and the one who keeps it all in perfect balance, even as we fail to take proper care of what you have given us, humbles himself to become truly present in the form of bread and wine in order that I may be nourished for my journey back to you, Lord! How can I thank you, Lord, other than to say, “I am yours, I want to do your will, use me for the purpose for which you created me!” Amen!

Spectators On and About the Cross

2009-11-08T00:43:00.004-05:00

Watch and listen to Bishop Fulton Sheen in his last Good Friday homily, recorded in 1979 at St. Agnes church, New York. This is part 1 of a 5 part video with a total time of about 45 minutes. It will be 45 minutes very well spent!

The title of the homily is Spectators On and About the Cross. The bishop speaks of three types of SPECTATORS; Spectators of indifference, or those who have fallen away, Spectators of pain, and Spectators of love. We are those spectators.

Heaven, Hell, Purgatory | Fathers for Good

2009-11-07T03:36:00.001-05:00

Heaven, Hell, Purgatory | Fathers for Good

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Battle Over the Doctrine of Salvation

2009-11-03T00:33:00.004-05:00

The Battle continues to wage over doctrine concerning salvation. Well meaning non-Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ vehemently argue that we Catholics are wrong to believe that works are an important aspect of salvation. In doing so they usually site a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus in which he says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NAB).

These admonishments seem to imply that we Catholics believe that our salvation is determined solely by our works, and are therefore ignorant concerning the true Source of our salvation, and thus are not truly saved. Nothing could be further from the truth. If our brothers and sisters in Christ would just take the time to study carefully and prayerfully the teachings of the Catholic Church, they would soon learn of their gross misunderstanding, and perhaps even consider entering into the fullness of the Church! For it is there that Christ, the God of the universe and all its splendor and awesome wonder, humbles Himself out of love for each one of us, and makes Himself present in the sacrament of the Eucharist, giving Himself to us in a form we can understand and experience with all of our senses. What an awesome God to offer nourishment for our bodies and souls daily as we make our journey back to Him! Thank You Lord!!!

I can assure you that nowhere in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or in any other Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church will one find anything that remotely implies that we Catholics are to believe that we are saved solely by our works, or that our salvation is contingent solely upon how good we tried to be in this lifetime! Catholics believe that we are saved by the grace which God makes available to us through our Lord Jesus Christ, which was gained for us through His passion, death and resurrection. It is a free gift to those who will accept it by faith!

We are free to accept or reject this gift, but if we make the freewill choice to accept it, we must continuously ask for God’s grace in order to meet the demands of daily Christian existence! As fallen creatures, this takes WORK! Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23-24, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily 11 and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” This means we must begin to deny ourselves in order to love and serve others, and we must live our lives in a manner that is indicative of our gratitude for God’s saving grace!

The words, ‘I am saved by grace alone’ seem to imply that once the free gift of salvation is accepted we need do nothing more then wait for God to carry us off to Heaven! Consider the following. The words, ‘I love you’ are meaningless without action, or, if you will, WORKS! Can we tell our wives, husbands, children, or anyone else for that matter that we love them and never give of ourselves to show it! Can one truly and sincerely accept God’s saving grace by merely speaking the words? I think we can all agree that the answer is no!

St. James talks about the necessity of both faith and works when he says the following, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called "the friend of God." See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (James 2:14-26 NAB)

PLEASE, I appreciate the zeal expressed by my non-Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, and the concern that they should have for my salvation, but I ask humbly and charitably to PLEASE look up and prayerfully read for yourself all that the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about SALVATION. Remember also that there is ONE TEACHING AUTHORITY for the Catholic Church, the Magisterium, which has been around for 2000 years, and will continue to exist until Christ returns.

Jesus Himself said, “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18 NAB) THE Church will remain despite the attacks of Satan, all human frailty and weakness, and all persecution, until Jesus returns! Jesus said it, so you can BELIEVE it!

It is with charity and not pride that I ask that you to accept the Magisterial teachings of the Catholic Church as truth, for the sin of pride leads to death rather than life, and our Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, Truth, and the Life. There is no better way to intimately know and receive Jesus than in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which He, Himself instituted at the Last Supper as a way to remain with us until His return!

Approximately 1500 years after Christ founded His Church, a Catholic priest by the name of Martin Luther, publicly protested (the word from which the word Protestant is derived) against several practices of the Catholic Church. Satan saw this as a golden opportunity and an open door to conduct a clever attack, which for a relatively short period of time (500 years) has resulted in an extremely rapid increase in dissension and division among Christians, to the extent that there are now literally tens of thousands of Christian churches and denominations that continue to divide over doctrinal issues.

Contained in the Liturgy of the Catholic Mass, as part of the Eucharistic Prayer II are the very beautiful words, “Lord, remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in love, together with Benedict XVI, our Pope . . .” Let us all ask the Holy Spirit for the wisdom to recognize the truth, and to protect us from all deception that hinders us from experiencing the closest relationship we can possibly have with our Savior, which is in the Eucharist!

All Saints Day

2009-10-29T15:41:00.002-04:00

Halloween is in 2 days; a time when many children and some adults have fun dressing up, going to parties, or trick or treating, but more importantly is the day that follows, which is All Saints Day.

Saints are special because they showed God how much they loved Him by the way they lived their lives. Saints are important to us because they set the example of how we are to live our lives doing God’s will! Learn more about this special day here. You will also find a collection of great prayers fitting for this day in the Church year.

Pray the Rosary

2009-10-29T05:47:00.005-04:00

Why pray the Rosary?

The Church believes that it is necessary for a Christian to meditate (prayerfully think about) the will of God, the life and teachings of Jesus, the price He paid for our salvation, and so on. Unless we do this we will begin to take these great gifts for granted and ultimately fall away from the Lord. Every Christian must meditate in some way in order to preserve the gift of salvation (James 1:22-25). Many Catholic and non-Catholic Christians prayerfully read and apply Scripture to their lives, that is, meditate on them. With the rosary this can be done virtually anywhere and anytime . . . read more

Here is a great resource for praying the Rosary online . . . Come Pray the Rosary

Blessed Brother Andre - Thank you, Phil!

2009-10-24T06:27:00.004-04:00

Recently, a co-worker took his family on a trip to Montreal, Canada. Prior to leaving for the trip, Phil informed me that he intended to visit both Notre Dame and St. Joseph’s Oratory. He began to tell me about a visit to St. Joseph’s with his family as a youth, and how he learned then of the miraculous healings that occurred there over the years. It was refreshing to see that this man was excited about taking his family on a vacation that would both educate his children, as well as potentially impact their faith formation.

Upon his return from Notre Dame and St. Joseph’s Oratory, Phil presented me with a booklet about the man responsible for the establishment of St. Joseph’s, Blessed Brother Andre. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the life of such a great man of God, but what truly impressed me was my co-worker's thoughtfulness! When Phil gave me the booklet, I couldn’t help but think, here is a man that took the time to pick up a booklet that he knew I would enjoy reading, all while vacationing and spending time with his family. Thank you, Phil! May God always give you the grace necessary to continue to love and care for your family the way St. Joseph cared for Jesus and Our Blessed Mother!

Phil also told me that he prayed and lit candles at St. Joseph’s for one of our co-workers and the wife of a retired friend and co-worker, both of whom are seriously ill! Let us all keep Doreen and Linda in our prayers!

I love reading about the saints and also about those whose cause for beatification and canonization is in progress!

As Catholics, we look to the saints as role models. Saints, as well as those being considered for canonization, are ordinary people whose love for God and gratitude toward Him, manifests itself in what the Church refers to as living lives of heroic virtue. Heroic virtue is extraordinary and supernatural in nature because it is made possible only by the grace of God.

As Christians, we look to Christ as our number one Role Model. In his infinite wisdom, Christ, through his Church, also gives us the saints as role models.

The saints exemplify the extent to which we should all attempt to imitate Christ, and so it is useful to examine their lives to see what caused their transformation from ordinary to extraorinary.

For most it was a recognition of God’s love and mercy. Saints are not perfect people. St. Paul zealously pursued and persecuted Christians before his conversion. St. Peter, the rock upon which our Lord built his Church, publicly denied knowing Christ out of fear for his own life three times. St. Monica prayed for her son, St. Augustine for seventeen years before his conversion. There is hope for all of us through the grace of God!

You Are Special!

2009-09-14T06:32:00.004-04:00

You Are Special!

What is it about us that prevents us from taking a moment every now and then to consider the incomprehensible majesty of our Creator?

It is amazing to think that our Creator God, our Heavenly Father, who remains in control of every aspect of the vastness of this universe, desires an intimate relationship with each and every one of us! THANK YOU, LORD!

If you ever found yourself thinking that you were nothing special, or perhaps even worthless and without purpose, think again!

The Creator of this vast universe would never have humbled Himself to walk among us and suffer terribly in order to offer us salvation if we were worthless creatures, however small and insignificant we may think we are, or seem to appear, in comparison to the incomprehensible size of the universe! THANK YOU, LORD!

God considers us to be so special that He remains with us to this day, again humbly making Himself available to us under the appearance of bread and wine in the sacrament of Holy Eucharist! He desires to be with you! Do you desire to be with Him? THANK YOU, LORD!

The Mass: Why Are We There?

2009-09-12T03:25:00.005-04:00

I love seeing full churches at any Mass, and I would encourage all Catholics to attend Mass, not just on Sundays, but whenever possible. I realize that there are many responsibilities and commitments that place great demands on our time, but where there is a will, there is a way.

The more we learn about our Catholic faith, and the more we grow in knowledge of the grace available to us, especially in the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession/Reconciliation, the more eager we will become to make time to go to Confession and attend and participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

The entire Liturgy of the Mass is one big, beautiful prayer of worship and thanksgiving. I encourage you to take the time to listen carefully to the liturgy, and participate fully at Mass.

My prayer is that all Catholics, including myself, through the grace of Almighty God, will continue to grow in the knowledge of our faith, and to realize what a privilege it is to not only be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but also to be able to unite with Him in the Eucharist.

“We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.” (from the Eucharistic prayer at Mass)

I am always on the lookout for good resources, especially videos, that will increase our knowledge of what the Mass is all about, which I pray will eventually lead us all into a full appreciation for this most precious Gift we have available to us!

The following is a video I found on YouTube and published by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The title is Introduction to the Mass. At its conclusion, a series of videos will continue to play, each giving explanations for each part of the Mass.

One of my all time favorite video teachings on the Mass is entitled, The Mass Explained. It is presented most eloquently by Father Larry Richards. There is little doubt that you will find Father Richards to be very informative! He is a great speaker with the God-given ability to hold your attention! This video, along with other great resources can be found at The Reason For Our Hope Foundation.

Please don’t hesitate to share this with others! Thank you for your time, and may our Lord’s peace remain with you always!

Seven Secrets of Successful Parishioners

2009-09-01T15:02:00.004-04:00

Our pastor recently published an abridged version of an article entitled, Seven Secrets of Successful Parishioners in this past week’s bulletin. The article was written by Paul Wilkes, and appeared in the August 2004 edition of The Catholic Update. The full article may be read here.

Immediately following the article in the bulletin was an encouraging and inspirational comment from our beloved pastor, in which he stated that we fit the description of successful parishioners as illustrated in the article.

Here are those “Seven Secrets of Successful Parishioners”

1) Believe in the Adventure of Being Catholic

. . . "We've never done that before" or "That's not in the budget" are not insurmountable barriers to living out what successful parishioners know is the gospel mandate to heal and serve and comfort and educate and evangelize. They are optimists who say, "This is too good an opportunity to pass up; let's do it, let's find the money and the people somehow, some way." . . .

2) Believe in Other Parishioners

. . . So it is in our parishes. The successful parishioner looks out over the parish and sees untapped talent, seeds waiting to sprout, an abundance of goodness just waiting to be summoned for whatever task is at hand. It's all there, the successful parishioner senses. It doesn't need to be "hired out"; it just needs to be summoned forth. . . .

3) See the Parish as the Spiritual Epicenter of Their Life

. . . To the successful parishioner, the parish is the Church. This takes nothing away from the universal Church of which we all are a part. But a universal church does not have the companionship, the immediacy, the intimacy of the parish and the successful parishioner continually returns to this spiritual home. This is the extended spiritual family, promising fellow travelers for this portion of the pilgrimage that is our lives. . .

4) Do Not Always Have to Win or Be Right

. . . The successful parishioner cares too much about the parish to look upon it as a jousting match or a place where ego must triumph and be continually fed.

This "secret" is not one that strong-minded, active parishioners always practice well, but it is absolutely crucial in the makeup of the successful parishioner. For without it, the Holy Spirit has little room to influence or inform or steer. . . .

5) Are Proud Enough of the Parish to Represent It Well

. . . Successful parishioners are ambassadors for their parish. While admitting the parish still has so much more to do to meet the needs of its people, the community and the world, they speak in positive terms about what their parish is doing. Without being boastful, they are proud of their parish's accomplishments, presence in the community, future plans.
They are not shy about both proclaiming they are Catholic and living out their Catholicism in a specific place. . . .

6) Are Not Members, But Disciples

. . . Membership has a static sound to successful parishioners. Quite frankly, it's not good enough for them. Attending or "doing their obligation" is not sufficient for this most important part of their life.
Discipleship, not membership, characterizes how they choose to live a Catholic life within their parish and in their everyday life. As Christ saw needs in the world and tried to meet them, so do the successful parishioners who are not afraid to proclaim Christ's message—no, not with words, but with their actions. . .

7) Believe in the Power of Prayer and the Eucharist

. . . While I've saved this "secret" for last, it is the most important. It is the very foundation of the successful parishioner's life. After all, what is all the work and involvement in parishes to accomplish, if it is not grounded in prayer? And without the Eucharist? Without God coming so urgently and completely into our lives . . .

Paul Wilkes is the author of The Seven Secrets of Successful Catholics, and creator of New Beginnings, a parish revitalization program, which is distributed by St. Anthony Messenger Press. To find out more, go to www.AmericanCatholic.org/NewBeginnings.

Positive Changes in the Newly Revised Liturgy of the Mass

2009-08-25T20:29:00.009-04:00

New Words: A Deeper Meaning, but the Same Mass

The Missale Romanum (the Roman Missal), the ritual text for the celebration of the Mass, was first promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as the definitive text of the reformed liturgy of the Second Vatican Council. A second edition followed in 1975.
Pope John Paul II issued a revised version . . . read more

The Value of Every Life!

2009-08-16T10:26:00.005-04:00

“You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew;
my bones were not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth.” (Psalm 139:13-15 NAB)

Every life is willed into existence by God, our Creator, and all human life is precious in the His eyes! Our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for each and every one of us without discrimination! That should suffice to define the value God has placed on human life!

God Is Not A Genie!

2009-08-16T03:41:00.007-04:00

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives us the example of how we are to ask for our Heavenly Father’s help. As Jesus awaits his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prays the following prayer, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39 NAB)

Again in Matthew’s gospel we are given another example of how to ask God for help. This time the example is given to us by a leper who approaches Jesus asking to be healed. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew8:2-3NASB)

The point is that God knows what is best for us and wants what is best for us, which means that He will sometimes choose not to respond to our requests for reasons that are beyond our understanding.

He may also choose to delay answering our prayers because immediately doing so would not conform to His divine plan of salvation.

When it seems that God has not heard our prayer, or that He is an uncaring God who ignores our pleas, we must remember to trust that He knows what is best for us!

It is truly unfortunate when people become angry with God when their prayers seem to go unheard, as if God were some genie who is under an obligation to grant our every wish and desire.

Trust in God! His love is eternal and perfect! He desires the best for us! Never allow yourself to stray from His loving care!

Into Great Silence: One Carthusian Monks Words of Wisdom

2009-08-14T00:28:00.004-04:00

My favorite part of the film documentary, "Into Great Silence" a film about the Carthusian Monks, is an interview that takes place with an elderly, frail, blind monk.

Unfortunately, this video clip shows only about half of the interview. I'm convinced that the wisdom the monk shares during the interview is the result of a life spent in silent contemplation and prayer. He demonstrates a peace and contentment that goes beyond anything that the material world has to offer.

The interview begins about 1 minute and 10 seconds into this short video clip.

About Saint Philomena, Patroness and Protectress of the Universal Living Rosary Association.

2009-08-13T22:10:00.001-04:00

About Saint Philomena, Patroness and Protectress of the Universal Living Rosary Association.

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Nourishment for the Soul!

2009-08-13T08:18:00.007-04:00

You eat, you sleep, you exercise.

We take care of our bodies daily by doing these things. We get periodic checkups at the doctors and dentists in an attempt to remain healthy. We clothe ourselves and provide ourselves with shelter and as many physical comforts and pleasures as possible. We try to take good care of our bodies!

But has the hectic pace of life in today’s world kept you from taking the time to nourish and care for your soul? Like the body, the soul needs to be fed and nourished along this life’s journey.

We receive that nourishment through close union with Jesus Christ. As Catholics, we are privileged to receive this nourishment through the sacraments, through which God pours forth His grace via Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.

Our souls are brought to life through the Sacrament of Baptism, or as our evangelical brothers and sisters in Christ like to say, our souls are “BORN AGAIN”. That’s right! We are ALL “Born Again Christians” when we are baptized.

The Sacrament of Confession / Reconciliation / Penance heals the sick soul and restores it to the state it was in at the moment we were baptized. Frequent trips to the confessional are as important to the health of our souls, as visits to the doctor’s office are to our bodies!

Finally, and most importantly, Christ, through His Church, makes Himself available to us daily in the Eucharist. Christ in the Eucharist provides the ultimate nourishment for our souls as He unites intimately with us to give us the strength to love and serve as He has taught us to do!

There are many good resources available to those of you who are seeking the truth and looking for answers. I urge you to take some time to care for your soul. Explore the many good websites out there that can provide the information you're looking for, or at least point you in the right direction!

The following video is from the website, http://www.catholicscomehome.org/. It’s a good place to start. On the right side of this page are links to other good sites with great resources such as EWTN, THE REASON FOR OUR HOPE FOUNDATION, NEW ADVENT, and SCRIPTURE CATHOLIC.

Catholics - Know Your Faith: The Eucharist and the Road to Emmaus

2009-08-01T14:41:00.000-04:00

Catholics - Know Your Faith: The Eucharist and the Road to Emmaus

For the wages of sin is death . . .

2009-06-05T17:19:00.005-04:00

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NAB)

A question often raised by those who have wandered away or have lost their faith is – How can a “loving God” allow so much pain and suffering in the world, i.e., the atrocities of war, starvation, disease, abortion . . .?

The answer is simple yet difficult for most to accept because the counter argument for these skeptics goes something like this – “If God is all powerful He could put an end to it at any time!”

Let’s address the two questions:

First of all, pain, human misery, and suffering all began with the original sin of Adam and Eve, whose free will God respected. Think of the following analogy: God is the perfect parent who knows what’s best for His children, i.e., His will for us! As human parents we strive to lead our children in certain directions in an attempt to ensure that they have the best life possible, but in many cases they reject these attempts because they believe their way is better! Most of us know what happens when we do not follow our parents’ advice!

As human history continued man’s continuing rejection of God’s will eventually led to more and more misery and suffering up to the present day.

Secondly, although He has the power to end it all immediately, God cannot! By doing so He would in effect be saying, Go ahead, behave anyway you like without consequences.

Like any parent, God our Heavenly Father hates to see His children suffer! But again, God will not interfere with our free will to love or reject Him. Human parents have very little, or sometimes no control over their children once they have reached adulthood! Remember, without the free choice to love someone, true love cannot exist, and God wants us to choose to love Him freely!

Through the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, God has provided the means by which death, sin and suffering is defeated. Most Christians believe that this will only occur when Christ returns, but if you think about it, although man will continue to sin because of his nature, much of the death and suffering we now experience in this world could be eliminated if we only followed what Jesus taught us!

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is asked by a Pharisee (a scholar of the law), "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus responded, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." (Matt 22:34-40 NAB)

In conclusion, most who have seen Mel Gibson’s movie, Passion of the Christ, I’m sure would agree that Christ painfully suffered immense physical torture. What the film does not accurately portray however, is what must have amounted to the greatest source of Christ’s suffering, and that is the visions he must have had, and the knowledge he possessed of the suffering and atrocities humankind would endure due to their rejection of God’s will which Jesus came to reveal.

Throughout history, man has an spent an inordinate amount of time, energy, and resources devising ways to inflict death and suffering upon one another. If only it had been spent caring for and loving one another!

The following video is graphic and only one example of the many things Christ must have visualized during his passion. It’s no wonder he sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane! PLEASE! Let us repent and pray that all will turn to Christ so that the suffering depicted in this video and all such human suffering will not be repeated!

The Rosary

2009-05-31T08:43:00.003-04:00

"Woman, Behold Your Son - Behold, Your Mother"

2009-05-06T23:23:00.003-04:00

Jesus appointed Mary to be the Mother to all Christians when he said the following words as he hung on the cross.

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27)

Our Blessed Mother’s words to the servants at the wedding at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you," (John 2:5) are the very same words she has for us today, ‘Do what Jesus tells you!’ Mary wants nothing more than to lead us to her Son!

If you have ever been told by well-meaning, but uninformed Christians about how wrong Catholics are to “pray” to Mary, David MacDonald offers some valuable information concerning the truth about our relationship with our Blessed Mother . . . read it here

Sacraments, Grace, Nourishment

2009-05-05T17:47:00.006-04:00

The sacraments were given to us by Christ. They are the means by which we receive the sanctifying grace that Jesus earned for us through his passion, death, and resurrection. Jesus, being God, knew that the sacraments would be the perfect and most fitting way for us to receive the grace he earned for us, since as creatures with bodies, we experience the sacraments with all of our bodily senses, sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. We hear the words used in the administration of the sacraments (“I baptize you in the name of the Father . . .” “The Body of Christ . . .” “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”), we feel, taste, and smell the bread, wine, water, oil and other matter used in the sacraments. God knows that we are best led to things spiritual through things that we can experience with our bodies. This makes perfect sense since it is also through our bodily senses that we are tempted and led to sin.

We must always remember that we consist of a body AND a soul. Just as the physical body is born, strengthened, nourished, healed in affliction, helped at the hour of death, guided by authority, and given a place in which to dwell, the soul is brought into spiritual life by Baptism; it is strengthened by Confirmation; nourished by the Holy Eucharist; healed by Penance; helped at the hour of our death by Anointing of the Sick; guided by God's ministers through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and it is given a body in which to dwell by the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Every sacrament is important! As Catholics we are extremely fortunate to have the sacraments at our disposal. Our faith is centered on the sacraments, especially the Eucharist in which Jesus is present and makes himself available to us daily at Mass. Jesus Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist is our greatest source of nourishment and strength for our journey through life, the goal of which is to return to our Father in Heaven and experience the Beatific Vision (to behold God face to face)

As parents we love our children, we want only the very best for them, and so we provide everything humanly possible for them out of love and concern for their welfare. We desire for them to have the best life possible!

Well think about this! God is the PERFECT PARENT and we are all His children. If we, as imperfect parents, want the best for our children, how much more do you think God, the PERFECT PARENT, wants for all of us? He knows what is best for us and He wants the best for us which is exactly why He wants us to do His will (to live and behave in certain ways)!

It is similar to us wanting our children to do certain things and behave in certain ways because we know that it is in their best interest. Just as our children’s lives will be made better by following our direction and listening to our advice, our lives will improve beyond measure by following the direction of our Heavenly Father. God directs us and makes His will known to us through Jesus Christ! The teachings and truths of our faith have been passed on to us beginning with the Apostles and remain with us today in the one teaching authority of the Church referred to as the Magisterium.

In Matthew 7:24-27, at the conclusion of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says these words, 24 "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

Let us build foundations on the Rock and sustain and support those foundations with the grace Jesus provides through the sacraments!

Blessed Imelda’s Eucharistic Miracle!

2009-04-19T19:32:00.003-04:00

Blessed Imelda Lambertini, born in Bologna, Italy in 1322, was given the title, Patroness of First Communicants for good reason!

Even at the age of nine, Imelda had an extraordinary devotion to Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist at Mass and in the tabernacle. To receive Our Lord in Holy Communion became the consuming desire of her heart, but the Church at that time and place prohibited anyone under the age of twelve from receiving their first Holy Communion.

In expressing how she yearned to receive the Eucharist, Imelda was known to ask the question, "Tell me, can anyone receive Jesus into his heart and not die? "

The following miracle story illustrates how our Lord responded to Imelda’s intense desire to receive Him in the Eucharist, and is one that should remind all of us Catholics of how we should approach the Blessed Sacrament with the utmost reverence, and to receive the Eucharist only after being made worthy through the sacrament of Reconciliation!

Blessed Imelda was a pious child who begged her parents to allow her to become a Dominican when she was just nine years of age. Her parents, though saddened at having to be separated from their only child, recognized God's will for their daughter, and Imelda joined the nuns at Val di Pietra.

Her status among the nuns is unclear. She received the habit and participated in the life of the nuns to some extent. At that time, children were not allowed to make their First Holy Communion until age 12, but Imelda prayed continually that she would be able to receive Our Lord without having to wait so long.

When Imelda was 11, after Mass on the vigil of the Feast of the Ascension, the Sacred Host was seen suspended amidst a brilliant light above Imelda's head. The chaplain, who was immediately summoned, gave the Host to Imelda. Afterwards, the nuns left her alone to make her thanksgiving. The prioress soon discovered, however, that Imelda, who had been in ecstasy, had died shortly after receiving her First Holy Communion, so much in love was she with Our Lord in the Eucharist.

Blessed Imelda Lambertini was declared Patroness of First Communicants by Pope St. Pius X.

Be Anxious for Nothng!

2009-04-17T17:10:00.013-04:00

In the Liturgy of the Mass as part of the Communion Rite, we hear the priest say these words following the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

We are reminded that as followers of Christ we need not be anxious! The Lord will deliver us if we wait on Him and trust in Him!

For all of you who are experiencing anxiety over the things of this world, take heart and trust in God. Below are only a few verses from God’s Word about His promise to protect and guide us through the storms of this earthly life.

Following the Bible verses below, please click on the video to listen to and read the lyrics of Matt Redman’s song, Never Let Go - this song is very appropriate for the times in which we live!

BIBLE VERSES:

A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.
You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. (Psalm 23:1-6)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9-10)

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)

Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:3-5, 7a)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)

Fear of others will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:13a,14)

Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

By his light I walked through darkness. (Job 29:3)

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28

Happy Easter! Experience the Resurrection Power!

2009-04-12T17:41:00.006-04:00

In the liturgy we say the words, “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.”

Today we celebrate the glory of Christ’s resurrection along with the promise of eternal life made available to all who trust in Him!

Always remember, you are never alone! In our darkest hour Christ is there with us!

Let us give Him thanks and praise! Let us love Him and serve Him always!

The Eucharist and the Road to Emmaus

2009-04-11T23:18:00.003-04:00

In the Gospel of Luke, (Luke 24:13-35) Jesus suddenly appears walking alongside two of his followers after his resurrection, however his followers did not recognize him to the point that they began to give Jesus the account of his own trial and crucifixion.

Jesus then proceeded to interpret Scripture passages that made reference to his passion, death and resurrection. Still not recognizing him, the two then asked Jesus to stay with them for a while to which he agreed.

Later as they were having dinner, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. Luke tells us in verse 31 that it was only when Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them that the two followers recognized him.

This account of the two disciples’ interaction with the risen Lord, which occurred on the Road to Emmaus, concludes this way in verse 35 – “Then the two recounted (to the other apostles and followers of Jesus) what had taken place on the way (to Emmaus) and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

We come to know Jesus in the breaking of the bread, The Eucharist!
Let us continue to recognize Jesus when we come to his table at Mass, and always remember his words, "This is my body, which will be given for you”

Transubstantiation – Christ Is Truly Present!

2009-04-11T22:25:00.008-04:00

Believing that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist is essential to the practice of our Catholic faith! (CCC 1324)

Why is it so hard for some to believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist?

After all, if Christ is the Creator of the vast universe in which we live and all that it contains, then what could possibly prevent him from making himself present to us under the form of something with which we are familiar, and are capable of experiencing with all of our senses?

St. Thomas Aquinas explains the mystery of Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist in terms of what the Church refers to as transubstantiation. He tells us that everything that has substance, such as bread and wine, stands under what philosophers refer to as “accidents”,. The accidents give a substance its appearance, texture, taste, and smell.

UPON CONSECRATION OF THE BREAD AND WINE, CHRIST HIMSELF BECOMES, OR REPLACES, THE SUBSTANCE UNDER WHICH THE ACCIDENTS OF THE BREAD AND WINE STILL REMAIN. In other words, what we still perceive through all of our senses as bread and wine, has now supernaturally become transformed into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Listen to what St. John Chrysostom and St. Ambrose have to say about transubstantiation in the following references found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1375.

“It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but he who was crucified for us, Christ himself. The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God's. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered.” (St. John Chrysostom, prod. Jud. 1:6: PG 49, 380.)

“Be convinced that this is not what nature has formed, but what the blessing has consecrated. The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed. . . . Could not Christ's word, which can make from nothing what did not exist, change existing things into what they were not before? It is no less a feat to give things their original nature than to change their nature.” (St. Ambrose, De myst. 9, 50; 52: PL 16, 405-407.)

Read More About Our Lord's Presence in the Eucharist

Come Back To Confession!

2009-04-04T17:20:00.004-04:00

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in CCC #2181 - The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

When a person negligently “bags Mass,” to go shopping, catch-up on work, sleep a few extra hours, attend a social event, or not interrupt vacation, the person is allowing something to take the place of God. Something becomes more valuable than the Holy Eucharist . . .Read More

What is grave sin?

A serious, grave or mortal sin is the knowing and willful violation of God's law in a serious matter, for example, idolatry, adultery, murder, slander. These are all things gravely contrary to the love we owe God and, because of Him, our neighbor.

Mortal sin is called mortal because it is the "spiritual" death of the soul (separation from God). If we are in the state of grace it loses this supernatural life for us. If we die without repenting we will lose Him for eternity. However, by turning our hearts back to Him and receiving the Sacrament of Penance we are restored to His friendship. Catholics are not allowed to receive Communion if they have unconfessed mortal sins.

Thousands, if not millions of Catholics have abandoned the sacrament of Penance. Some reject the Church’s teaching on the sacrament and rely on their own opinions and interpretations, while others suffer from the lack of proper faith formation. In any event, proper disposition toward, and reverence for the Eucharist must be restored by informing Catholics of the error of receiving Communion while not in a state of grace.

Only when properly disposed to the sacrament of Penance, can we be restored to a state of grace and thus become worthy to approach and receive our Lord in the Eucharist!

COME BACK TO CONFESSION! Let’s repent of our sins and return to practicing our faith in accordance with the teachings of the Church. Let us show thanks for the grace Christ provides for us through His sacraments by humbly accepting these gifts of love!

Catholic Apologetics with Dr. Peter Kreeft

2009-04-04T06:26:00.007-04:00

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at Boston College and at the King's College (Empire State Building), in New York City. He is a regular contributor to several Christian publications, is in wide demand as a speaker at conferences, and is the author of over 45 books including: Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Christianity for Modern Pagans, and Fundamentals of the Faith.

Dr. Kreeft is a great Catholic apologist! Please take time to visit his website by clicking on this link - Peter Kreeft. There you will find many writings and audio files that are yours to download for free.

Thanks, John!

2009-04-02T17:56:00.003-04:00

Recently, I emailed a very good friend of mine, John, one of my postings entitled, Life Is the Only Choice! I knew he would like the pro-life message, but I wanted to get his opinion on the song, since we are both amateur musicians and have similar tastes in music.

John certainly supported the anti-abortion message, and as I suspected, liked the song as well. Contained in his response, John used a phrase I found to be very profound, which was “The real message is lets breath life into the living!!!! “

The context in which John used this phrase was in his reference to how we must defend life and cherish life at all stages, not just the lives of the unborn, which by no means are any less precious.

What struck me about the phrase was its application to evangelization, and the numerous references in Scripture illustrating God’s ability to create and restore both physical and spiritual life from His very breath.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that "16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

As followers of Christ, we are to proclaim the Gospel message to all the world., which in essence does breath life into the living, or perhaps more appropriately, the dead.

Thanks John!

Why the Sacrament of Reconciliation After Baptism?

2009-04-02T17:00:00.003-04:00

We are regenerated, or, “born again” in the sacrament of Baptism. We are washed clean of all sin! However, this new life we receive does not abolish the frailty and weakness of human nature, nor the inclination to sin that tradition calls concupiscence.

Following our baptism, we proceed through life constantly engaged in a spiritual struggle toward holiness and eternal life to which our Lord never ceases to call us. We NEED the effects of the sacrament of Reconciliation to assist us in this life-long battle.

Please prayerfully consider going to Confession no matter how long it has been since the last time you have gone! Experience Christ’s healing power, as well as His warm, loving, and forgiving embrace, as you listen to the words of absolution spoken by Christ Himself through the ministerial role of His priest.

Knowing God's Will

2009-04-02T15:31:00.004-04:00

Here is a two-minute long video clip from one of Father Larry Richard’s great video teachings entitled, Knowing God’s Will.

Please take some time to explore the many valuable resources available on Father Larry Richards' website.

Prayer After Receiving Communion

2009-03-30T22:20:00.010-04:00

Jesus, Creator of the universe, we believe You are truly present among us under the appearance of bread and wine;

We acknowledge, that through the grace You offer us in this Eucharist, we grow closer to You, are healed of sin, and preserved from future sin;

Thank You for loving us so much!

We are Yours; we long to become the instruments through which others may come to know, love, and desire You;

Lord, please use us as You will to lead others to the grace You offer;

and may the sanctifying grace conferred upon us in this Eucharist today be shared with all those who will not, or cannot partake in this precious gift You offer! Amen!

Life Is The Only Choice!

2009-03-27T21:26:00.007-04:00

Read David MacDonald's personal testimony about how he made his journey home to the loving, merciful and healing embrace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mr. MacDonald performs the song he wrote in the video below concerning his own personal experience with abortion. David is a great Catholic Christian artist whose music glorifies our Lord and His Church!

Pray and Fast NOW!

2009-03-26T18:01:00.002-04:00

Brothers and sisters, we need to pray and fast NOW! Watch the video below. WARNING and CAUTION! It is extremely graphic!

No to President Obama at Notre Dame!

2009-03-26T17:26:00.009-04:00

The Cardinal Newman Society is dedicated to renewing and strengthening Catholic identity at America's 224 Catholic colleges and universities.
By clicking on the picture in this post, or by following the link below, you will be directed to The Cardinal Newman Society’s website. There you will have the opportunity to sign a petition addressed to Father John I. Jenkins, president of Notre Dame University, imploring him to address the obviously poor choice of inviting President Obama to be this year’s commencement speaker. You can read the beginning of the petition below.
Dear Father Jenkins:

It has come to our attention that the University of Notre Dame will honor President Barack Obama as its commencement speaker on May 17.
It is an outrage and a scandal that “Our Lady’s University,” one of the premier Catholic universities in the United States, would bestow such an honor on President Obama given his clear support for policies and laws that directly contradict fundamental Catholic teachings on life and marriage.

This nation has many thousands of accomplished leaders in the Catholic Church, in business, in law, in education, in politics, in medicine, in social services, and in many other fields who would be far more appropriate choices to receive such an honor from the University of Notre Dame. . . read more and sign the petition

Worth a Few Minutes of Your Time

2009-03-26T16:22:00.002-04:00

Worth a Few Minutes of Your Time

Posted using ShareThis

We Are Being Deceived!

2009-03-24T17:42:00.005-04:00

To my Catholic brothers and sisters,

We live in a time in which many misconceptions and beliefs have arisen about the truth of our Catholic faith, especially here in the United States.

Concerning SIN and HELL, rest assured these are both still very real!

We don’t seem to hear much about them anymore because they have become unpopular and uncomfortable topics for today’s believers. The Church can only refrain from incorporating teachings on sin and punishment and the remedy for such, as it is found in the sacraments, at the risk of placing many in peril concerning their salvation from eternal damnation!

Jesus has much to say about SIN and HELL in the gospels, all of which has been included in the Magisterial teachings of the Church. All we have to do is take some time away from our televisions, or any one of the many other trivial distractions we engage in, and break out the Catechism of the Catholic Church to learn more about what Christ offers us through His Church!

The bottom line is that you are not free to pick and choose what to believe as truth concerning the teachings of the Church. This is why we as Catholics enjoy one teaching authority, The Magisterium! It is the truth which has endured for the past 2000 years!

We tend to choose to believe and practice only what suits our lifestyles and the rest we discard. Take the Sacrament of Reconciliation for example! Today 75 percent of American Catholics say they don't see the importance of formal confession. That is not what the Catholic Church teaches!

The Church teaches that intentionally missing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is a mortal sin, as is sexual relations outside of marriage, as is also the use of artificial means of contraception, yet so many of us commit the sacrilege of receiving Christ in the Eucharist each week in the state of mortal sin rather than confessing and repenting of these sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation!

Please, brothers and sisters, let’s not fall victim to the deceptions concerning our Catholic faith, which Satan continues to so easily and effectively propagate!

I urge you to take some time to learn of the healing and nourishing grace filled power of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist and to practice the faith in accordance with its true teachings!

Peace!

There's No Place Like Home!

2009-03-24T15:36:00.006-04:00

Karla Wilkinson was a "lukewarm" Catholic until events in her life caused her to come home to the richness of her faith. Karla went on to write a book entitled Holy Habits.

The following article by Karla Wilkinson, which appeared in the May/June 2002 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine briefly describes what caused her to completely embrace her Catholic faith. I am sure you will find it informative and inspiring, and something that all of us Catholics keep in mind!

A Recovering Lukewarm Catholic Discovers Holy Habits

Karla Wilkinson

From the May/Jun 2002 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine

I always thought it was enough to be a halfhearted Catholic. After all, I was a nice person who seldom hurt anyone, with a little religion thrown in for good measure. Then something deeply painful happened- and I learned that "nice" was not enough and "lukewarmness" was no match for tragedy.

Five years ago, suddenly and without warning, my infant son died. Two weeks later my mother died. My heart was crushed. After the funerals, when things grew quiet . . . read more

Lenten Parish Mission

2009-03-23T10:24:00.004-04:00

Click on the title of this post and you will be able to hear Father William Casey, C.P.M., in his Lenten Parish Mission presentation seen on EWTN this month, present the truth about the Catholic Church as it undergoes an onslaught of attacks brought on by Satan's longstanding desire to destroy it!

Remember, the Church has come under attack many times during its past 2000 year history, but still remains and will remain until the end of the age!

Why?

Because Jesus said these words to Peter, "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt 16:18)

Fr. Casey's message is timely for all Catholics, especially for those who have drifted away! So please take a few minutes to seek the truth!

Beauty of the Liturgy of the Mass

2009-03-17T18:03:00.004-04:00

Brothers and sisters,

Have you ever really listened to the Liturgy of the Mass or taken the time to read these beautiful prayers? I urge you to do so!

A simple reading of these prayers and petitions by anyone who claims that the Roman Catholic faith is a cult, or that Catholics aren't "saved" should serve to convince them otherwise!

Please, click on the title of this post to link to a place where you'll be able to read and meditate on the Liturgy of the Mass!

Catholic Liturgy and Biblical Texts

2009-03-17T17:46:00.006-04:00

Don't believe those who try to tell you there is nothing biblical about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

Click on the title of this post to go to a place where you can find the evidence that what goes on at Mass is biblical!

Let Us Fall Facedown

2009-03-17T16:02:00.004-04:00

Do we take Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist for granted? I for one have certainly been guilty of this at times as indicated by my posture and dress while in His presence at Mass.

How do we prepare to enter into the presence of our Savior, the Creator of the universe, who humbled Himself and gave His life out of love for us?

What is our demeanor? How are we dressed? How much reverence do we display as we enter into the presence of Jesus?

Is our lack of reverence an indication of a lack of faith that Christ is really present in the Eucharist?

When we enter our churches; when we are at Mass; or when we are at Eucharistic adoration, let us never forget that we are in the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Let us give Jesus the respect, adoration, and reverence He so rightly deserves!

My evangelical friends once introduced me to a great Christian musician and songwriter from England by the name of Matt Redman.

Whenever I think of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, I think of a song by Matt Redman called Facedown. The words are so appropriate in describing how all of us should act in the presence of our Savior!

View the video and listen to the song and let me know what you think.

Jesus Is With Us Always!

2009-03-16T17:46:00.004-04:00

Learn all there is to know about the Sacrifice of the Mass and teach it to your children! It is far from boring! It is the source of our very life!

Faith Formation – Thank You, Felician Sisters!

2009-03-16T16:56:00.008-04:00

I consider myself fortunate to have been educated by the Felician Sisters in grades K-8. I will remain forever grateful to those dedicated servants of God.

My prayer is that every parent be afforded the opportunity to send their children to Catholic schools.

The faith foundation the Felician Sisters helped establish in me has stood the test of time. There have been times when I have neglected the practice of my Catholic faith and placed God on hold as I raced through life. But I’m here to tell you that God never let me go, as He patiently waits for every one of us! His hand was always upon me and I will forever remain amazed and awestruck at His mercy and love!

God’s grace, mercy, love, and patience have ignited in me a burning desire to do for others what those wonderful Felician Sisters did for me, which is to share the teachings of our Catholic faith and encourage believers to proclaim those truths to others with the love and gentleness of Christ!

Look, Here is the Messiah! No, There He Is!

2009-03-10T22:18:00.012-04:00

Whenever I think of how much Christianity has divided since the time of the Great Schism in the year 1054 to the present time, in which there are now literally thousands of Christian denominations and movements throughout the world, I think of the following words Jesus spoke to the apostles in the Olivet Discourse (Matt 24:23-28 NAB)

23 If anyone says to you then, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.
24 False messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders so great as to deceive, if that were possible, even the elect.
25 Behold, I have told it to you beforehand.
26 So if they say to you, 'He is in the desert,' do not go out there; if they say, 'He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
27 For just as lightning comes from the east and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

I think of these words also whenever well-meaning Christians, who I'm sure were genuinely concerned about my salvation, have said things to me like, 'why are you still remaining in the Catholic Church, it's a cult based on pagan practices,' or there is no biblical basis concerning the practices and doctrine of the Catholic Church, I immediately focus on the Jesus' words, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is! do not believe it.'

Christ warned in verse 24 of this passage, that false prophets and false messiahs would be able to deceive even the elect. You have to ask yourself the question, how is one so easily deceived? The answer is a lack of genuine knowledge about our faith!

I am not being judgmental here because I have certainly been guilty for many years of not taking the time and putting the effort into learning about my Catholic faith, but how many of us spend tremendous amounts of time to engage in meaningless activities, yet can never find the time or the energy to learn about our faith.

Please! Take the time to learn about your faith and put it into practice. It's been Christ's gift to us for the past 2000 years! When you sincerely seek the truth about it, you'll find it to be a beautiful source of spiritual strength and nourishment that is intended to sustain us until our Savior's return!

Peace!

How Do I Serve You Lord?

2009-03-09T17:32:00.003-04:00

Please click the title of this post to be re-directed to a very enlightening post by Pillar Novice.

I'm sure you'll be blessed!

The Beauty of the Sacraments!

2009-03-09T16:42:00.009-04:00

Part of the beauty of the sacraments is the manner in which they confer God’s grace upon us.

In his divine wisdom, Jesus knew that as corporeal beings we would best be led to things of a spiritual nature through our five senses.

St. Thomas Aquinas refers to the matter (water, oil, etc.) and form (words) of each sacrament as proper and fitting for the purpose intended.

He also informs us of the role sacraments play in our salvation to which he says the following:

I answer that, Sacraments are necessary unto man's salvation for three reasons. The first is taken from the condition of human nature which is such that it has to be led by things corporeal and sensible to things spiritual and intelligible. Now it belongs to Divine providence to provide for each one according as its condition requires. Divine wisdom, therefore, fittingly provides man with means of salvation, in the shape of corporeal and sensible signs that are called sacraments.

The second reason is taken from the state of man who in sinning subjected himself by his affections to corporeal things. Now the healing remedy should be given to a man so as to reach the part affected by disease. Consequently it was fitting that God should provide man with a spiritual medicine by means of certain corporeal signs; for if man were offered spiritual things without a veil, his mind being taken up with the material world would be unable to apply itself to them.

The third reason is taken from the fact that man is prone to direct his activity chiefly towards material things. Lest, therefore, it should be too hard for man to be drawn away entirely from bodily actions, bodily exercise was offered to him in the sacraments, by which he might be trained to avoid superstitious practices, consisting in the worship of demons, and all manner of harmful action, consisting in sinful deeds.

It follows, therefore, that through the institution of the sacraments man, consistently with his nature, is instructed through sensible things; he is humbled, through confessing that he is subject to corporeal things, seeing that he receives assistance through them: and he is even preserved from bodily hurt, by the healthy exercise of the sacraments.

Taken from St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica: TREATISE ON THE SACRAMENTS Part III, Q. 61, A. 1, Whether Sacraments are Necessary for Man's Salvation?

When We Become Angry at God

2009-03-08T17:35:00.002-04:00

When tragedy strikes, when things don’t go the way we planned; when children suffer, when we lose those close to us, especially parents who endure the death of a child, through all the atrocities mankind inflicts upon one another, the one question that always arises is – God, why do you allow this to happen?

Most people upon asking this question will quickly and mistakenly answer it the following ways: God does not exist; If He exists, He does not care, otherwise He would put an end to human suffering or prevented it.

Answered in this way, most people become angry at God and fall away from the faith. As followers of Christ, it is our duty gently lead these hurt souls back to the healing power of God’s grace. For their anger toward God is born only out of a lack of understanding and not true contempt toward God. No human can understand the ways of God.

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

We need only look to the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mary, full of grace, chosen by God to bear and give birth to our Savior, was not spared from the anguish of having to watch her son be tortured, brutalized, and put to an agonizing death on the cross.

It is easier said than done, but as we endure the storms of life, rather than becoming upset with God, we must follow our Blessed Mother’s example and never lose faith even in the midst of the most painful experiences. God’s grace will suffice to lead us safely through the storm!

And remember, God does not bring evil upon us, sin or disobedience is the cause of all evil; God delivers us from it!

The following youtube video clip from Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, gives the audience a sense of the anguish our Blessed Mother must have endured as she watched her son suffer on his way to the cross.

Prayer of St. Ignatius Loyola

2009-03-08T17:26:00.003-04:00

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my

understanding and my entire will, All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything

is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and

your grace. That is enough for me. Amen

Prayer of St. Francis

2009-03-08T17:22:00.002-04:00

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

Prayer To The Holy Spirit

2009-03-08T17:12:00.005-04:00

Breathe into me, Spirit of God, that I may think what is holy. Drive me, Spirit of God, that I may do what is holy.

Draw me, Spirit of God, that I may love what is holy.

Strengthen me, Spirit of God, that I may preserve what is holy.

Guide me, Spirit of God, that I may never lose what is holy. St. Augustine

What If I Give All?

2009-03-07T20:07:00.015-05:00

I learned of a song called What If I Give All by Ray Boltz from a friend of mine who grew up in a refugee camp in Ghana where he and his family sought refuge from the civil unrest that ravaged their native country of Liberia.

This video features that song. It's sure to touch your heart! Let us all remember those in need during this Lenten season. Peace!

Christians Unite In Prayer and Fasting!

2009-03-07T19:16:00.002-05:00

A co-worker and I were talking about the state of the world the today. We spoke of the many concerns over the world economy, genocide, hunger, homelessness, and the ever growing lack of respect for human life, which has dramatically increased ever since we legalized the torturing and murdering of babies while they are in what should be the safest place in the world, their mother’s wombs.

While we standby and watch all that is happening, the enemy sits back and laughs over the lack of Christian unity. He gloats over this sin and its devastating effects!

With God’s grace let’s mount up a defense and defeat this attack!

Now is the time for Christians to unite and become the one body in Christ that we were meant to be, to pray for the renewal of faith, and to ask God to use us as instruments through which others will come to know of the salvation Christ obtained for us through his passion, death, and resurrection!

During this Lenten season, let us become united in prayer and fasting for the many who need to hear God’s call to come home with repentant hearts, seeking to restore their relationship with Him!

We ask this through Christ our Lord! Amen!

On Devotion To Our Blessed Mother

2009-03-01T19:46:00.016-05:00

True devotion to Mary leads us closer to Jesus

The following is a letter Pope John Paul II wrote on St. Louis de Montfort's “Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”

On December 8, 2003, Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to the Montfort religious family, on the occasion of the 160th Anniversary of the publication of the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, written by St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. Here are large excerpts from this letter:

A work destined to become a classic of Marian spirituality was published 160 years ago. St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin at the beginning of the 1700s, but the manuscript remained practically unknown for more than a century. When, almost by chance, it was at last discovered in 1842 and published in 1843, the work was an instant success, proving extraordinarily effective in spreading the “true devotion” to the Most Holy Virgin.

I myself, in the years of my youth, found reading this book a great help. “There I found the answers to my questions”, for at one point I had feared that if my devotion to Mary “became too great, it might end up compromising the supremacy of the worship owed to Christ” (Gift and Mystery). Under the wise guidance of St. Louis Marie, I realized that if one lives the mystery of Mary in Christ, this risk does not exist. In fact, this Saint's Mariological thought “is rooted in the mystery of the Trinity and in the truth of the Incarnation of the Word of God” (ibid.).

Since she came into being, and especially in her most difficult moments, the Church has contemplated with special intensity an event of the Passion of Jesus Christ that St. John mentions: “Standing by the Cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, Your son!’. Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, Your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took Her to his own home” (Jn 19: 25-27). . . Read More @ http://www.michaeljournal.org/montfort.htm

Fr. Larry Richards on Obedience to God!

2009-02-28T20:02:00.005-05:00

Many people fall away from the faith because they're angry at God for a variety of reasons. We bring many of our problems upon ourselves by rejecting what God has planned for us!

Many extremely bad and sorrowful things happen to the best of people, and while we watch the innocent suffer, we must always remember one thing, and that one thing is that everything that is evil and unjust in this world is the result of sin, not God. Sin is man's disobedience to God. It is living outside of His will!

Don't be mad at God! Come home to Him!

The following is a video of Father Larry Richards speaking on Obedience to God:

Another Lenten Reflection!

2009-02-28T19:53:00.003-05:00

Shout To The Lord - A beautiful song put to still photos from Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ.

Thank you, Jesus!

You Raise Me Up!

2009-02-28T19:14:00.005-05:00

The youtube video below is a beautiful version of the song, You Raise Me Up performed by a band called Selah.

This Lent, let us meditate on how God raises us up, especially in our darkest hours! Let's also reflect on how we can best serve as God's instruments in helping to raise up our brothers and sisters who are in need!

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." (Matt 25:40)

Lord, How Do I Serve You?

2009-02-23T20:00:00.008-05:00

Please click the title of this post to be re-directed to a very enlightening post by Pillar Novice.

I'm sure you'll be blessed!

Christian Division: Satan’s Joy!

2009-02-22T19:38:00.002-05:00

Upon performing a Google search on the words CHRISTIAN DIVISION, the 2nd website on the list of the results of the search was entitled, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism. I immediately clicked on the website, which brought me to an excellent article addressing the evils surrounding the division and bickering among Christians.

It is a must read for all of us who profess to follow Christ. The author effectively brings to light many of the victories Satan enjoys as a result of Christians battling over their differences.

Read the full article (The Wickedness of Christian Division, Anti-Catholicism, and Anti-Protestantism) by following the link below – a truly impressive site. May God’s blessings remain always upon the labor of this author!

http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2004/05/wickedness-of-christian-division-anti.html

Christian - What Does It Mean?

2009-02-15T13:21:00.006-05:00

The word Christian means follower of Christ. As Christians we must ask ourselves the queston, what must we do to live up to this title?

To follow Jesus is to live according to his Word; to imitate him!

In the following verse from Luke's gospel, Jesus himself gives the instruction concerning what we must do on a daily basis as Christians!

23 Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily 11 and follow me." (Luke 9:23 NAB)

Lord I Am Not Worthy!

2009-02-12T20:18:00.002-05:00

Just prior to receiving our Lord in the Eucharist at Mass we say, "Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I will be healed."

The following is the scripture passage from Luke's gospel from which our response at Mass is derived. It is a beautiful story of the great humility, reverence, and faith demonstrated by the Roman Centurion who sought help from our Lord!

“When he had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion 3 there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, "He deserves to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us." 6 And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. 4 7 Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." 9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." 10 When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.” (Luke 7:1-10)

What’s The Big Deal About Saints?

2009-02-11T22:22:00.003-05:00

As Catholics, why do we give so much attention to the saints?
I recently came across a brief reflection that appeared in the publication, One Bread, One Body, Volume 24, Issue 6, entitled The Imitation of Christ. The author is very effective in explaining how the saints assist us in our quest to imitate Christ. In fact, it was the following sentence that caught my attention and reminded of something St. Thomas Aquinas said concerning the sacraments.

The author writes, “. . . However, we are human beings, created with human senses, and we relate most readily to other humans. This is why God sent His only Son, Jesus, to take on human flesh (Jn 3:16).

In his treatise on the sacraments, St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that it is because of our human nature that we must be led by things corporeal and sensible to things spiritual and intelligible. (Summa Theologica, Part III, Q.61)

Read the entire reflection below:

“The Imitation of Christ”

Here on earth, we do not see Jesus as He is. "Now we see [Him] indistinctly" (1 Cor 13:12). We get glimpses of Jesus through the splendors of His creation. We can see Him in His eucharistic splendor. However, we are human beings, created with human senses, and we relate most readily to other humans. This is why God sent His only Son, Jesus, to take on human flesh (Jn 3:16).

God is so generous in creating ways for us to relate to Him that He has also created other human beings who point us to Himself. He has sent us saints — holy people who have allowed the light of Christ to shine through their lives so that all may see the goodness in their acts and give praise to God (Mt 5:16). God has given saints for what seems like every imaginable state in life. There are saints for doctors, homemakers, priests, religious sisters, accountants, teachers, lawyers, sinners striving to reform, disciples striving to grow in holiness, etc. Each of these saints is a gift from God sent to help us "see" Jesus in a new and deeper way.

Jesus gave His disciples an example to follow (Jn 13:15; 1 Pt 2:21). In the same way, the saints are examples for us. Heed the call of the saints as they tell us: "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Cor 11:1).

You can access this great reflection and many others by logging on to http://www.presentationministries.com/home/home.asp.

This is a great website and a valuable resource for those looking to grow in their faith!

Hilary Said This

2009-02-10T07:22:00.005-05:00

In one of his writings on the Trinity, Bishop Hilary of Poitiers said this about the Holy Eucharist.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 315 - 368 A.D.) Early Church Father & Doctor of the Church

When we speak of the reality of Christ's nature being in us, we would be speaking foolishly and impiously -- had we not learned it from Him. For He Himself says: "My Flesh is truly Food, and My Blood is truly Drink. He that eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood will remain in Me and I in Him." As to the reality of His Flesh and Blood, there is no room left for doubt, because now, both by the declaration of the Lord Himself and by our own faith, it is truly Flesh and it is truly Blood. And These Elements bring it about, when taken and consumed, that we are in Christ and Christ is in us. Is this not true? Let those who deny that Jesus Christ is true God be free to find these things untrue. But He Himself is in us through the flesh and we are in Him, while that which we are with Him is in God. (The Trinity 8:14)

She Touched His Garment!

2009-02-06T20:12:00.003-05:00

And a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, 15 who (had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and) was unable to be cured by anyone, 44 came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 Jesus then asked, "Who touched me?" While all were denying it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are pushing and pressing in upon you." 46 But Jesus said, "Someone has touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me." 47 When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Falling down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 8:43-48)

The afflicted woman grasped at, and was able to touch only the garment of Jesus, and the power that flowed into her just from our Lord’s garment, combined with her faith, healed an illness that had tormented her for twelve years!

Do you long to be healed with that same power? Experience that same healing power course through your body and soul in the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist!

As Catholics we can do so much more than simply attempt desperately to grasp the garment of Jesus for our healing! Jesus makes himself readily available to us daily as he gives us his whole body, blood, soul, and divinity at Mass!

Come receive Jesus! He longs to be with you! Do you long to be with him?

Jesus Forbid Us To Judge – He Commands Us To Love!

2009-01-28T19:15:00.007-05:00

In this powerful and very moving 4 minute video, Fr. Larry Richards, founder of the Reason For Our Hope Foundation, reminds us of an extremely important teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. One I’m sure every one of us needs to apply to the way in which we relate to others.

Father Richards reveals this truth by relating to us a personal experience in which he was reminded that Jesus commands us to love and not to judge. Enjoy! Please pass this message along to others. It is one we all need to hear.

Also, please visit the Reason For Our Hope Foundation website @ http://www.thereasonforourhope.org/ where you can listen to Fr. Richards’ homilies, view more of his video presentations, order materials and videos, and learn more about the mission of this ministry, and ways in which you can support it.

You will be blessed!

What It Means To Be A Real Man!

2009-01-26T19:36:00.008-05:00

Fathers, Husbands and All Boys and Men:

Take a lesson from St. Joseph!

Let’s take a look at this remarkable saint!

He is the silent saint! The Gospel does not record one spoken word of St. Joseph, nevertheless, what this great saint did in his life for God speaks volumes.

St. Matthew’s Gospel describes St. Joseph as being an upright man. This simply means that he lived by God's standard, keeping the commandments and emulating God's love.

St. Joseph was obedient to God without question and demonstrated great faith! Following what must have been devastating news, St. Joseph unquestioningly fulfilled the task set before him by God in marrying our Blessed Mother and raising Jesus as his own!

St. Joseph courageously led Jesus and Mary to safety when instructed to do so, and provided for them by working hard without complaint!

St. Joseph was presented with the most awesome responsibility! He was entrusted with the spiritual and physical well being of our Blessed Mother and Jesus! We are also entrusted by God with the spiritual and physical well being of our wives and children!

What some saints have said about St. Joseph:

St. Bernardine of Siena (d. 1444) preached, "He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of His greatest treasures, namely, His divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying, 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”

St. Teresa of Avila (d. 1582) said, "I took St. Joseph as my advocate and protector, and recommended myself very earnestly to him. He came to my help in the most visible manner. This loving father of my soul, this beloved protector, hastened to pull me out of the state in which my body was languishing, just as he snatched me away from greater dangers of another nature which were jeopardizing my honor and my eternal salvation! For my happiness to be complete, he has always answered my prayers beyond what I had asked and hoped for. I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant. I am astonished at the great favors which God has bestowed on me through this blessed saint, and at the perils from which He has freed me, both in body and in soul."

Popes through the ages of the Church have also recognized the importance of St. Joseph:

Pope Pius IX declared him the Patron of the Catholic Church (1870).

Pope Leo XIII in "Quamquam Pluries" (1889) wrote, "Joseph was the guardian, the administrator and the legitimate and natural defender of the divine household of which he was the head. It was thus natural and very worthy of St. Joseph that, as he supported in another era all the needs of the Family of Nazareth which he wrapped in his holy protection, he now covers with his heavenly patronage and defends the Church of Jesus Christ."

Pope John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (1989) exhorted the faithful to look to St. Joseph in our troubled age: "This patronage must be invoked, and it is always necessary for the Church, not only to defend it against dangers ceaselessly cropping up, but also and above all to support it in those fearful efforts at evangelizing the world, and spreading the new evangelization among nations where the Christian religion and life were formerly the most flourishing, but are now put to a difficult test.... May St. Joseph become for all a singular master in the service of the saving mission of Christ that is incumbent on each and every one of us in the Church: To spouses, to parents, to those who live by the work of their hands or by any other work, to persons called to the contemplative life as well as to those called to the apostolate."

Pope John XXIII on Nov. 13, 1962 ordered St. Joseph's name inserted into the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), a proper recognition for the Guardian of the Universal Church. Moreover, St. Joseph's feast day of March 19 is a solemnity and traditionally a holy day of obligation throughout the universal Church (Code Canon Law, No. 1246); however, the United States was granted an exemption from the requirement at the request of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (1884) because of the difficulty of observing holy days in a non-Catholic environment.

Pope Pius XII, in 1955, established the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 to present St. Joseph as the exemplar of all working men and to focus on the true dignity of human labor in contrast to the "May Day" celebrations of communist countries.

Some material in this post was borrowed from an article entitled St. Joseph: The Silent Figure, writen by Fr. William Saunders, which may be found on the link to the web page below and which was obtained with permission from the Arlington Catholic Herald - http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0410.html

Father William Saunders is dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College and pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Sterling, Virginia. The above article is a "Straight Answers" column he wrote for the Arlington Catholic Herald. Father Saunders is also the author of Straight Answers, a book based on 100 of his columns and published by Cathedral Press in Baltimore.

Get Healed In The Sacrament of Reconciliation

2009-01-26T18:38:00.005-05:00

Reconciliation, also referred to as Confession or Penance is a healing sacrament. Just as we must seek medical attention for physical illness, the grace conferred through the sacrament of Confession heals the soul and places it in the state of grace in preparation to receive our Lord in the Eucharist!

Note that proper disposition in the reception of the sacraments are essential elements in receiving the grace that they confer! For example, in the sacrament of Confession, one must approach with faith, humility, sincere contrition, and gratitude for the forgiveness received!

Below is a brief but accurate definition of this sacrament, including the effects that it has on its recipients. It certainly addresses some misconceptions about what some non-Catholics have heard or believe about the sacrament, not to mention many Catholics whom have not aken the time to learn enough about their faith to adequately defend it.

I found this definition on the following website belonging to St. Bartholomew Parish, located in Long Beach, CA. http://www.sblb.org/

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Penance is a sacrament of the New Law instituted by Christ in which forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is granted through the priest's absolution to those who with true sorrow confess their sins and promise to satisfy for the same. It is called a "sacrament" not simply a function or ceremony, because it is an outward sign instituted by Christ to impart grace to the soul. By way of further explanation it is needful to correct certain erroneous views regarding this sacrament which not only misrepresent the actual practice of the Church but also lead to a false interpretation of theological statement and historical evidence.

From this it should be clear:

• that penance is not a mere human invention devised by the Church to secure power over consciences or to relieve the emotional strain of troubled souls; it is the ordinary means appointed by Christ for the remission of sin.

• No Catholic believes that a priest simply as an individual man, however pious or learned, has power to forgive sins. This power belongs to God alone; but He can and does exercise it through the ministration of men.

• It is not true that for the Catholic the mere "telling of one's sins" suffices to obtain their forgiveness. Without sincere sorrow and purpose of amendment, confession avails nothing, the pronouncement of absolution is of no effect, and the guilt of the sinner is greater than before.

• While this sacrament as a dispensation of Divine mercy facilitates the pardoning of sin, it by no means renders sin less hateful or its consequences less dreadful to the Christian mind; much less does it imply permission to commit sin in the future.

Body and Soul

2009-01-20T20:14:00.004-05:00

We are all made up of a body and a soul.

Most of us wouldn’t think of going without a meal, let alone going without nourishment for an extended period of time. The reason is obvious – illness and death! Or, when we become ill, would we intentionally deprive ourselves of the aid of a physician or medication?

Why then do many of us deprive our souls of nourishment and healing? As Catholic Christians, that source of nourishment and healing is provided to us by Christ through the sacraments.

It is Christ that restores our soul to life in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and it is He who nourishes us with His very Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Each time we participate in the Mass, we transcend time and are present at Christ’s crucifixion, death and resurrection. Each time, we receive the healing and nourishment that sustains us on our journey to our true home – heaven!

Please don’t neglect your soul! Come home today for the healing and nourishment Christ wants to give to you!

Why are the Sacraments Important?

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There is power in the sacraments!

The power of the sacraments comes from Christ himself!

Each sacrament was instituted by Christ himself for the purpose of conferring upon those who choose to participate in the sacraments with the proper disposition, the grace he earned through his passion, death and resurrection.

As Catholics we enjoy the privilege of being in communion with Jesus and his Church each and every when we take the opportunity to receive Him in the Eucharist at daily Mass!

The beauty of the sacraments is the manner in which they confer God’s grace upon us. In his divine wisdom, Jesus knew that as corporeal beings we would best be led to things of a spiritual nature through our bodily senses. St. Thomas Aquinas refers to the matter and form, used in each sacrament as proper and fitting for the purpose intended. He also teaches us the following about the role sacraments play in our salvation:

I answer that, Sacraments are necessary unto man's salvation for three reasons. The first is taken from the condition of human nature which is such that it has to be led by things corporeal and sensible to things spiritual and intelligible. Now it belongs to Divine providence to provide for each one according as its condition requires. Divine wisdom, therefore, fittingly provides man with means of salvation, in the shape of corporeal and sensible signs that are called sacraments.

The second reason is taken from the state of man who in sinning subjected himself by his affections to corporeal things. Now the healing remedy should be given to a man so as to reach the part affected by disease. Consequently it was fitting that God should provide man with a spiritual medicine by means of certain corporeal signs; for if man were offered spiritual things without a veil, his mind being taken up with the material world would be unable to apply itself to them.

The third reason is taken from the fact that man is prone to direct his activity chiefly towards material things. Lest, therefore, it should be too hard for man to be drawn away entirely from bodily actions, bodily exercise was offered to him in the sacraments, by which he might be trained to avoid superstitious practices, consisting in the worship of demons, and all manner of harmful action, consisting in sinful deeds.

It follows, therefore, that through the institution of the sacraments man, consistently with his nature, is instructed through sensible things; he is humbled, through confessing that he is subject to corporeal things, seeing that he receives assistance through them: and he is even preserved from bodily hurt, by the healthy exercise of the sacraments. Summa Theologica: TREATISE ON THE SACRAMENTS (QQ[60]-90): Question. 61 - OF THE NECESSITY OF THE SACRAMENTS (FOUR ARTICLES)

Why Did The Word Become Flesh?

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"HE WAS CONCEIVED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,AND WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY"

This Christmas let us meditate on why the Word became Flesh?

We find the answer to this question in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which tells us the following:

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With the Nicene Creed, we answer by confessing: "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man."
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The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who "loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins": "the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world," and "he was revealed to take away sins":70
Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in the darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?71

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The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him."72 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."73
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The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me." "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me."74 On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the Father commands: "Listen to him!"75 Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes and the norm of the new law: "Love one another as I have loved you."76 This love implies an effective offering of oneself, after his example.77
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The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of the divine nature":78 "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God."79 "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God."80 "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods."81