car for sale

hey everyone! I am selling my car!
2001 VW Jetta
100,000 miles
very good condition
1.8 liter turbo
sunroof
heated seats
keyless entry
let me know if you know someone who is interested in it.

The 5th Day of Christmas

Christmas is so great it takes 12 days to celebrate it. Parties and concerts and children's plays are all wonderful and appropriate. Don't forget to pray and recollect and give thanks.

Recollection is a term of the spiritual life. It means that we keep a conscious awareness of the love of God and our presence before him. If we practice the spirit of recollection we will grow in grace and avoid the pitfalls of sin.

Dissipation is the opposite of recollection. Dissipation can happen through the busy-ness and trials of life, through wilful distraction, and mostly through sin. The Christian should strive to practice the spirit of recollection and fight against the spirit of dissipation

More from St. John Chrysostom

I am not ashamed, having still to teach them not to be ashamed. For he (St.Paul) knew that if they succeeded in this, they would speedily go on and come to glorying also: and do you then, if you hear any one saying, Do you worship the Crucified? be not ashamed, and do not look down, but luxuriate in it, be bright-faced at it, and with the eyes of a free man, and with uplifted look, take up your confession; and if he say again, Do you worship the Crucified? say in reply to him, Yes!

"For you are not to learn everything from me, but to take pains yourselves also and enquire further, lest ye become more dull-witted." Words from St. John Chrysostom at the beginning of his homily on Romans 1.

The fly that clings to honey hinders its flight, and the soul that allows itself attachment to spiritual sweetness hinders its own liberty and contemplation. St. John of the Cross

St. John of the Cross

Here is a link to John's "Sayings of Light and Love."

http://www.karmel.at/ics/john/dichos.htm

They are great one-liners for reflection.

11. The blind person who falls will not be able to get up alone; the blind person who does get up alone will go off on the wrong road.

From the "Imitation of Christ" continued from yesterday

He reveals his secrets to a humble man and in his kindness invitingly draws that man to himself. When a humble man is brought to confusion, he experiences peace, because he stands firm in God and not in this world. Do not think that you have made any progress unless you feel that you are the lowest of all men. Above all things, keep peace among others. It is better to be peaceful than learned. The passionate man often thinks evil of a good man and easily believes the worst; a good and peaceful man turns all things to good. A man who lives at peace suspects no one. But a man who is tense and agitated by evil is troubled with all kinds of suspicions; he is never at peace with himself, nor does he permit others to be at peace. He often speaks when he should be silent, and he fails to say what would be truly useful. He is well aware of the obligations of others but neglects his own. So be zealous first of all with yourself, and then you will be more justified in expressing zeal for your neighbor. You are good at excusing and justifying your own deeds, and yet you will not listen to the excuses of others. It would be more just to accuse yourself and to excuse your brother. If you wish others to put up with you, first put up with them.

From the "Imitation of Christ"

On humility and Peace
Do not care much who is with you and who is against you;
but make it your greatest care that God is with you in everything you do.
Have a good conscience, and God will defend you securely;
no one can hurt you if God wishes to help you.
If you know how to suffer in silence, you will surely receive God's help.
Since he knows best the time and the way to set you free, resign yourself to him, for God helps you and frees you from all confusion.
It is often good for us, and helps us to remain humble, if others know our weaknesses and confront us with them.
When a man humbles himself for his faults, he more easily pleases others and mollifies those he has angered. God protects and frees a humble man; he loves and consoles a humble man;
he favors a humble man; he showers him with graces;
then, after his suffering, God raises him up to glory.

Very Funny!

http://bewareofthedoghouse.com/videoPage.aspx
I'm not even married and this makes sense to me.

Oh yea!
It is the anniversary of my baptism.
Yea! I'm not a pagan!

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Anyone who would understand the nature of the tree should examine the that encloses the roots, the soil from which its sap climbs into branch, blossom and fruit. Similarly, to understand the person of Jesus Christ, one would do well to look to the soil that brought Him forth: Mary, his mother."
Romano Guardini

Most people are bothered by those passages of scripture which they cannot understand; as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me the most are those that I do understand. Mark Twain

from the Catholic News Service

Popular U.K. children’s dictionary now excludes Christian words
London, Dec 9, 2008 / 03:49 am (CNA).- Words associated with Christianity have been removed from an Oxford University Press children’s dictionary for the United Kingdom. Editors justified the changes by citing declining church attendance and multiculturalism.
Lisa Saunders, a mother of four from Northern Ireland, compared various editions of the Oxford Junior Dictionary after discovering that the words “moss” and “fern” had been removed from her son’s edition, the Daily Telegraph reports.
She discovered that many words associated with Christianity had been removed, in addition to words associated with the monarchy and the natural world.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the deleted Christian words include abbey, altar, bishop, chapel, christen, disciple, minister, monastery, monk, nun, nunnery, parish, pew, psalm, pulpit, saint, sin, devil, and vicar.
New words were inserted based on word frequency and included the words allergic, curriculum, celebrity, and MP3 player.
Vineeta Gupta, who is in charge of children's dictionaries at Oxford University Press, described the aims of the Junior Dictionary to the Daily Telegraph.
"When you look back at older versions of dictionaries, there were lots of examples of flowers for instance,” Gupta said. “That was because many children lived in semi-rural environments and saw the seasons. Nowadays, the environment has changed. We are also much more multicultural. People don't go to church as often as before. Our understanding of religion is within multiculturalism, which is why some words such as ‘Pentecost’ or ‘Whitsun’ would have been in 20 years ago but not now."
Gupta said the publishing company produces 17 children’s dictionaries with different selections and numbers of words.
Professor Alan Smithers, the director of the center for education and employment at Buckingham University, argued that the word selections reflect the way childhood is moving “away from our spiritual background and the natural world and towards the world that information technology creates for us.”
“We have a certain Christian narrative which has given meaning to us over the last 2,000 years. To say it is all relative and replaceable is questionable,” he continued.

more incarnation

Another heresy emerged in the 5th century, Nestorianism, named after the Patriarch Nestorius of Contantinople. He said that Jesus was a human person and a divine person joined together, so that the divine Logos dwells in the man, Jesus of Nazareth and his Mother cannot be called Mother of God, but only Mother of Christ. Nestorianism was condemned at the Council of Ephesus (431), which also affirmed Mary's title of "God bearer" - Mother of God. Nestorianism seems to have emerged from the adoptionist tradition, the heretical view that Jesus was merely a man adopted by God.
Arianism, Nestorianism and even variants of adoptionism still reappear in our times. The Jehovah's Witnesses seem to be crudely Arian, to say the least. But today we face other rejections of a pre-existent Word who took flesh in Mary's womb.

incarnation continued

The most subtle denial of the divinity of Christ appeared in the fourth century, when the priest Arius (who died in 336) taught that the Word is divine but that this divine Son had a beginning. Reinterpreting John's Prologue, Arius said that the Son was not "co-eternal" with the Father. He reduced the Son to a being created by the Father, a demi-god or an emanation from God, an intermediary between God and the cosmos, but not fully God. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 295-373) was the greatest and most persistent foe of Arius and his followers.
The Catholic response to Arius was focussed around the technical term we find embodied in the Nicene Creed, homoousios. In the current English translation this is rendered "of one being with the Father." The divine Son is of one being or one essence with his divine Father. Homoousios affirms the eternal equality and unity of the Father and Son.
These disputes and defining the creed remind us of how God the Word enters our words, how human language becomes the vehicle for divine revelation. Language is the usual way we know God revealing himself in the deeds and words of Jesus Christ. This is why I believe that divine revelation comes to us normally through human language, through propositions.
As the Second Vatican Council taught, there are two sources of the one Word of God - Scripture and tradition, sources of the teachings of the Church, her dogmas and doctrines. This is why technical words were so important when used by the Church to express and protect orthodox doctrine. Homoousios in the Nicene Creed is the supreme example.

incarnation continued

Key idea
But the key idea was set out in that first sentence, "In the beginning was the Word." John was affirming and underlining one of the essentials of the Incarnation, the eternal pre-existence of the Divine Son.
This simply means that the Word, the Son or second Person of the Holy Trinity, always is. He has no beginning or end. He is God from all eternity, one and equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. As Catholics we may take this for granted, because it is the Church's own understanding of John's language. However, once we explore heresies that have denied or redefined the Incarnation, we find that Christianity in the 21st century faces errors about the Incarnation as did the era of Saint John in the late first century.
Under pagan Greek influences, gnostic heretics simply denied that God assumed a real human nature and a body that could suffer. Jesus only seemed human. This is known as Docetism. But other, more plausible and more rational, heresies moved in the opposite direction. They struck not at the humanity of Christ but at his divinity, especially by reinterpreting Saint John's affirmation of the eternal pre-existence and divinity of the Son of God who took flesh.

Understanding the Incarnation
Msgr Peter J. Elliott

Many issues are involved in accurately understanding the key Christian truth, the Incarnation. Our key is the majestic opening to the prologue to Saint John's Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word." These words echo the first sentence of Genesis "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." But John writes not of the creation of the universe but of its salvation through a unique event, the Incarnation, when God became man in Jesus Christ. Unlike the other Gospels that introduce the Incarnation with a human genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth, John chooses to give us a kind of divine genealogy, the "story of God", if you like. He has a specific purpose in mind.
"In the beginning was the Word" immediately calls for some explanation of this mysterious "Word", or logos in Greek. This language opens the mystery of God being in relationship with God: "and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John goes on to describe this Word who is always with God in the divine act of creation: "He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made."

"Sanctity, then, is not giving up the world. It is exchanging the world. It is a continuation of that sublime transaction of the Incarnation in which Christ said to Man: "You give Me your humanity, I will give you My Divinity. You give Me your time, I will give you My eternity. You give Me your bonds, I will give you My Omnipotence. You give Me your slavery, I will give you My freedom. You give Me your death, I will give you My Life. You give Me your nothingness, I will give you My All." And the consoling thought throughout this whole transforming process is that it does not require much time to make us saints; it requires only much love."
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

A choice

A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said: 'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even 1 yr. old and I'm pregnant again. I don't want kids so close together.' So the doctor said: 'Ok, and what do you want me to do?' She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm counting on your help with this.' The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: 'I think I have a better solution for your problem. It's less dangerous for you too.' She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request. Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take care of 2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms. This way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we're going to kill one of them, it doesn't matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms. The lady was horrified and said: 'No doctor! How terrible! It's a crime to kill a child! 'I agree', the doctor replied. 'But you seemed to be ok with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution. The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point. He convinced the mom that there is no difference in killing a child that's already been born and one that's still in the womb. The crime is the same!

Happy New Year

Third Architect of Modernity

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) An important element of Nietzsche's philosophical outlook is the "will to power" (der Wille zur Macht), which provides a basis for understanding motivation in human behavior. But this concept may have wider application, as Nietzsche, in a number of places, also suggests that the will to power is a more important element than pressure for adaptation or survival. In its later forms Nietzsche's concept of the will to power applies to all living things, suggesting that adaptation and the struggle to survive is a secondary drive in the evolution of animals, less important than the desire to expand one’s power.
Writing a generation before Nietzsche, Schopenhauer had regarded the entire universe and everything in it as driven by a primordial will to live, thus resulting in all creatures' desire to avoid death and to procreate. Nietzsche suggests that people and animals really want power; living in itself appears only as a subsidiary aim — something necessary to promote one's power. In defense of his view, Nietzsche appeals to many instances in which people and animals willingly risk their lives in order to promote their power, most notably in instances like competitive fighting and warfare. Once again, Nietzsche seems to take part of his inspiration from the ancient Homeric Greek texts he knew well: Greek heroes and aristocrats or "masters" did not desire mere living (they often died quite young and risked their lives in battle) but wanted power, glory, and greatness.

The third great temptation is power. I want to have my own way. My way is better than your way, it is even better than God's way. The Christian, however, prays as Jesus taught us saying, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." In another place Jesus says, "I came, not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me." The consecrated person takes a vow of obedience. In love for God he freely gives up his own will in order to carry out the will of God. All Christians must practice obedience to the will of God. Obediance to the will of God results in freedom. God is the creator and ruler of all things. When we live according to his reign we particpate in it. "If you die with me, you will also reign with me."

Second architect of modernity

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) is the father of modern psychology. Freud is also renowned for his redefinition of sexual desire as the primary motivational energy of human life. He invented the idea of sexual repression - that if we do not act on our sexual appetites we are repressed. Since modern society has accepted this most people think it is necessary and good to experiment sexually. Only by doing this can we discover our true selves. This is why modern society rejects modesty, chastity, monogamy and celibacy. All of these virtues which moderate our sexual appetite will lead to disorder in the Freudian understanding of the human person.

The desire for pleasure is indeed very strong, but it is not the measure of our whole lives. The Christian practices the virtue of temperance, placing the desires of the body under the guidance of the intelligence. The person in the religious life makes a vow of chastity, and lives in freedom not in a state of slavery to the passions. All Christians are called to practice chastity no matter what their state in life. Chastity will preserve the virtue of charity so that we always recognize the dignity of the human person and never use others as mere tools for our own pleasure. It also prevents us from being a slave to our own passions.

Three Architects of Modernity

1. Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) atheist author who wrote about economics. For him financial realities are the only realities. Economics is the driving force of society and individuals. The individual really doesn't exist. for Marx we are members of a class, destined operate out of limits of the class in which we find ourselves.
It is true that possessions are a continual temptation for man. To remedy this the religious takes a vow of poverty. Abandoning the things of this world the consecrated person bears witness that it is the spirit that gives life. All Christians are called to have this same attitude towards their earthly possessions. Recognize that they are passing away and our greatest possessions are the gifts that God bestows upon us. The things we have are not the measure of our lives or our souls.

you might be a hardcore catholic if . . .

you've accidentally genuflected at a place other than church ex. the movie theatre, school auditorium
-you're sick of being asked why priests can't be married
-you have a "favorite" religious order
-you say the meal prayer no matter where you are
-you have a nativity set at your house during christmas, and have also played with it.
-you've accidently made the sign of the cross when leaving regular buildings
-whenever anyone says "JPII" in your head you think "We love you"
-you know that Father Stan could take on Eminem anyday
-you know that advent is the beginning of the new church year.
-you have a special place in your heart for Mother Teresa
-you're more than willing to come forth with a valid miracle to help Mother Teresa become a saint
-You know at least five people named Mary
-You want to name one of your sons John Paul
-you have a Mary statue in your front yard.
-You can name off all the Joyful, Glorious, Sorrowful, and Luminous mysteries.
-you consider your rosary to be your spiritual weapon
-You've memorized the St. Michael the Archangel prayer and recite it when you feel tempted by sin
-one or more of your friends entered the seminary or the convent
-you have 20+ cousins.
-your mom is currently pregnant
-you and your spouse practice NFP
-you believe in Purgatory and know it's important to pray for the souls who are currently in Purgatory

Speaking of Christians today he said, “Our true problem is not being a minority, but rather having voluntarily become marginal, irrelevant, because of our lack of courage, so that we will be left alone, because of our mediocrity.” “For Christians,” Cardinal Rylko added, “the moment has arrived to free themselves from a false inferiority complex … to be valiant witnesses of Christ.” This is, he said, the “hour of the laity,” to take on their “responsibility in the diverse fields of public life, from politics to the promotion of life and family, from work to the economy, from education to the formation of youth.” He warned, however, that such faithfulness would come at a personal cost. “Whoever wants to live and act according to the Gospel of Christ has to pay a price, even in the highly liberal societies of the West,” he said.

Many who do not embrace the Christian faith nonetheless have a high appreciation of the importance of Christianity to the cultural and social order. Theirs is an instrumental view of religion. Edward Gibbon caught the idea nicely, and in his usual caustic manner, when describing the religious cults of the Roman Empire. He says the common people viewed them as true, the philosophers viewed them as false, and the rulers viewed them as useful. Today’s political class in America has in recent decades undergone a conversion, so to speak, to the usefulness of religion.

Ho hum, this blog is boring, nothing to report. We are finally getting started on our building project. The official start dat was Nov. 10. The contract 12 months to complete phase I. If the weather cooperates we could be in the new building by Thanksgiving next year. I hope and pray it will be so.

Dedication of our Church

On November 12, 1912 Bishop Hennessey dedicated the Church of St. Patrick in Kingman. We have been worshipping God in this church for 96 years. The celebration of the dedication of a church ranks ahead of all other memorials in the calendar. It is on the same level as a wedding anniversary. The Church is the bride and Jesus is the groom. For us in our community of Kingman Jesus has been a devoted spouse and husband to us. You celebrate your wedding anniversary as a way of renewing your joy at the yes that was exchanged between you. We celebrate the dedication of our Church as a renewal of the yes of the people of Kingman to the love of God.
You are living stones being built into the temple of God.

Hey all. I took the week off from writing. There was obviosly a lot to cover with the elections.
You might read the biographies of the saints from Monday and Tuesday, St. Martin DePorres and St. Charles Borromeo. The had completely different backgrounds but the grace of God transformed both of them in a powerful way. You can find their stories at newadvent.org

All Souls Day

This is borrowed from Fr. Cantalamessa.
Faith doesn't free believers from the anguish of having to die, but it soothes us with hope. A preface of the Mass (for All Souls' Day) says: "If the certainty of having to die saddens us, the hope of future immortality consoles us." In this sense, there is a moving testimony that also comes from Russia. In 1972, in a clandestine magazine a prayer was published that had been found in the jacket pocket of a soldier, Aleksander Zacepa, composed just before the World War II battle in which he would die.It says:Hear me, oh God! In my lifetime, I have not spoken with you even once, but today I have the desire to celebrate. Since I was little, they have always told me that you don't exist. And I, like an idiot, believed it.I have never contemplated your works, but tonight I have seen from the crater of a grenade the sky full of stars, and I have been fascinated by their splendor. In that instant I have understood how terrible is the deception. I don't know, oh God, if you will give me your hand, but I say to you that you understand me … Is it not strange that in the middle of a frightful hell, light has appeared to me, and I have discovered you?I have nothing more to tell you. I feel happy, because I have known you. At midnight, we have to attack, but I am not afraid. You see us.They have given the signal. I have to go. How good it was to be with you! I want to tell you, and you know, that the battle will be difficult: Perhaps this night, I will go to knock on your door. And if up to now, I have not been your friend, when I go, will you allow me to enter?But, what's happening to me? I cry? My God, look at what has happened to me. Only now, I have begun to see with clarity. My God, I go. It will be difficult to return. How strange, now, death does not make me afraid.

All Saints Day

St. Paul told the Philippians

"I am confidant that God, who has begun this great work in you, will bring it to completion."

The great work is our sanctification, the renewal of our souls, the making us fit for heaven. Are you cooperating with God's grace? All He needs is a little cooperation for us to become saints.

More funny things that only married men know about.
The nine words women use:
1. FINE This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
2. FIVE MINUTES If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
3. NOTHING This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
4 GO AHEAD This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
To keep reading, read more
5. LOUD SIGH This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)
6. THAT'S OK This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
7. THANKS A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome.
8. WHATEVER Is a women's way of saying #@!% YOU!
9. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, I GOT IT Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to #3.

Is this funny? I'm a priest so I am not sure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY8k7l1pxqk

The Church

There are many models of the Church. An old fashioned describes it in this way.
1. The Church Triumphant - those in heaven
2. The Church Suffering - those in purgatory, yes the Church still believes in purgatory. No, you are not just fine the way you are.
3. The Church Militant - members of the Church on earth, we are engaged in a struggle for eternal life.

Mass Times

The first saturday of December, the first Sunday of Advent, Mass will be at 5:00.
This will be a permanent change to our Mass schedule. I hope this will be more accomodating to families with children and to those who do not like to be out after dark.
Tell your friends and spread the word.

Penance gives Prayer its Power.

St. Teresa says

"God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher."

A good prayer

For All Good Things
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Loving God, who sees in us nothing that you have not given yourself,
make my body healthy and agile,
my mind sharp and clear,
my heart joyful and contented,
my soul faithful and loving.
And surround me with the company of men and angels who share my devotion to you. Above all, let me live in your presence,
for with you all fear is banished, and there is only harmony and peace.
Let every day combine
the beauty of spring,
the brightness of summer,
the abundance of autumn,
and the repose of winter.
And at the end of my life on earth,
grant that I may come to see and to know you in the fullness of your glory.

Flannery O'Connor, the Catholic novelist said "You have to push as hard as the age that pushes against you."
The culture cannot stand any dissent. So it attacks the beliefs of the Church and ridicules as stupid those who practice the faith. If you do not find your joys in worldly pursuits you are accused of being judgemental. Ms. O'Conner reminds not to be timid. In a faithless age those with faith must not be afraid 'to push back.'

Anger

Anger is an emotion and does not have a moral quality on its own. If it is at the service of the truth then it is good. If it is merely at the service of pride then it is bad.
Sometimes we need to be angry in order to accomplish a good. Injustice stirs up anger in the virtuous person. We have to be careful though that our anger is not easily provoked. Anger must always be subject to right reason. If it is not then it becomes like a raging animal destroying everything in its path.

Providence

If you are ever in Providence, RI you need to go to Caserta's Pizza it is wicked good.

Caserta's Pizzeria(401) 621-9190
121 Spruce St, Providence, RI 02903

saints

We've had several saints this week that I have overlooked.

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Spain - Doctor of the Church
St. Margaret Mary (1647 - 1690) France - vision of the Sacred Heart, first Friday devotion
St. Ignatius of Antioch (35 - 110) Palestine and Rome - early church martyr whose writings show belief in the Eucharist, incarnation, and authority of the Church

To learn more about these saints go to the Catholic Encyclopedia at Newadvent.org

Vacation

I've been gone for a few days.

Last May I celebrated my 10th anniversary of priesthood.

Several of my classmates went back to the seminary to remember old times.

I spent two days in Emmitsbuurg MD. I then went up to Rhode Island with one of my classmates. Fr. Angelo Carusi is the pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Providence. I saw many beautiful churches and ate many beautiful Italian meals.

It is good to be home.

Avarice

Avarice (from Latin avarus, "greedy"; "to crave") is the inordinate love for riches. Its special malice, broadly speaking, lies in that it makes the getting and keeping of money, possessions, and the like, a purpose in itself to live for. It does not see that these things are valuable only as instruments for the conduct of a rational and harmonious life, due regard being paid of course to the special social condition in which one is placed. It is called a capital vice because it has as its object that for the gaining or holding of which many other sins are committed. It is more to be dreaded in that it often cloaks itself as a virtue, or insinuates itself under the pretext of making a decent provision for the future. In so far as avarice is an incentive to injustice in acquiring and retaining of wealth, it is frequently a grievous sin. In itself, however, and in so far as it implies simply an excessive desire of, or pleasure in, riches, it is commonly not a mortal sin.

Justice

Anger offends against justice by excess. The just person carries out a punishment according to right reason. Anger can cloud our judgement so that we carry out justice with excessive passion.

Anger

The desire of vengeance. Its ethical rating depends upon the quality of the vengeance and the quantity of the passion. When these are in conformity with the prescriptions of balanced reason, anger is not a sin. It is rather a praiseworthy thing and justifiable with a proper zeal. It becomes sinful when it is sought to wreak vengeance upon one who has not deserved it, or to a greater extent than it has been deserved, or in conflict with the dispositions of law, or from an improper motive. The sin is then in a general sense mortal as being opposed to justice and charity. It may, however, be venial because the punishment aimed at is but a trifling one or because of lack of full deliberation. Likewise, anger is sinful when there is an undue vehemence in the passion itself, whether inwardly or outwardly. Ordinarily it is then accounted a venial sin unless the excess be so great as to go counter seriously to the love of God or of one's neighbour.

Benevolence

1. Desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness: to be filled with benevolence toward one's fellow creatures.
2. An act of kindness; a charitable gift.

Envy

Jealousy is here taken to be synonymous with envy. It is defined to be a sorrow which one entertains at another's well-being because of a view that one's own excellence is in consequence lessened. Its distinctive malice comes from the opposition it implies to the supreme virtue of charity. The law of love constrains us to rejoice rather than to be distressed at the good fortune of our neighbour. Besides, such an attitude is a direct contradiction of the spirit of solidarity which ought to characterize the human race and, especially, the members of the Christian community. The envious man tortures himself without cause, morbidly holding as he does, the success of another to constitute an evil for himself. The sin, in so far as it defies the great precept of charity, is in general grievous, although on account of the trifling matter involved, as well as because of the lack of deliberation, it is often reputed to be venial. Jealousy is most evil when one repines at another's spiritual good. It is then said to be a sin against the Holy Ghost. It is likewise called a capital sin because of the other vices it begets. Among its progeny St. Thomas (II-II:36) enumerates hatred, detraction, rejoicing over the misfortunes of one's fellow, and whispering. Regret at another's success is not always jealousy. The motive has to be scrutinized. If, for instance, I feel sorrow at the news of another's promotion or rise to wealth, either because I know that he does not deserve his accession of good fortune, or because I have founded reason to fear he will use it to injure me or others, my attitude, provided that there is no excess in my sentiment, is entirely rational. Then, too, it may happen that I do not, properly speaking, begrudge my neighbour his happier codition, but simply am grieved that I have not imitated him. Thus if the subject-matter be praiseworthy, I shall be not jealous but rather laudably emulous.

Humility

The word humility signifies lowliness or submissiveness an it is derived from the Latin humilitas or, as St. Thomas says, from humus, i.e. the earth which is beneath us. As applied to persons and things it means that which is abject, ignoble, or of poor condition, as we ordinarily say, not worth much. Thus we say that a man is of humble birth or that a house is a humble dwelling. As restricted to persons, humility is understood also in the sense of afflictions or miseries, which may be inflicted by external agents, as when a man humiliates another by causing him pain or suffering. It is in this sense that others may bring about humiliations and subject us to them. Humility in a higher and ethical sense is that by which a man has a modest estimate of his own worth, and submits himself to others. According to this meaning no man can humiliate another, but only himself, and this he can do properly only when aided by Divine grace. We are treating here of humility in this sense, that is, of the virtue of humility.
The virtue of humility may be defined: "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a lowly opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake." St. Bernard defines it: "A virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is, abases himself." These definitions coincide with that given by St. Thomas: "The virtue of humility", he says, "Consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior" For more go to Newadvent.org

Pride

Pride is the excessive love of one's own excellence. It is ordinarily accounted one of the seven capital sins. St. Thomas, however, endorsing the appreciation of St. Gregory, considers it the queen of all vices, and puts vainglory in its place as one of the deadly sins. In giving it this pre-eminence he takes it in a most formal and complete signification. He understands it to be that frame of mind in which a man, through the love of his own worth, aims to withdraw himself from subjection to Almighty God, and sets at naught the commands of superiors. It is a species of contempt of God and of those who bear his commission. Regarded in this way, it is of course mortal sin of a most heinous sort. Indeed St. Thomas rates it in this sense as one of the blackest of sins. By it the creature refuses to stay within his essential orbit; he turns his back upon God, not through weakness or ignorance, but solely because in his self-exaltation he is minded not to submit.

Clergy Conference

Here is a good list of competing impulses in our human nature
pride - humility
envy - benevolence
anger - gentleness
avarice - generosity
gluttony - temperance
lust - chastity
sloth - zeal

The bad is on the left and the good is on the right. Just in case you weren't sure.

Why obedience?
Obedience is a matter of love. When you love your greatest joy is to do the will of the beloved. Your longing is for the one you love to give you a command so that you may carry it out as an expression of your love. The person in the consecrated life joyfully forsakes his own will and embraces the will of God in love.

Why Chastity?
When you love someone you wish only to be fruitful with the one you love. You give your fecundity to that one person. The married person gives his or her fruitfulness only to the spouse. The consecrated person gives his or her virginity to Christ as a complete gift. Sexuality is placed at the service of love both in the married state and in the consecrated life.

There is a really good comment on Wednesday's post. There is a lot to know and understand about the consecrated life. It is lived in many different ways. The consecrated life is an essential part of the Church. Many people are called to this vocation, but it is difficult to answer it since there is not too much exposure to this way of life.

The vows are made out of love for Christ.
Why poverty - When you love you delight only in the gift of the beloved. It gives you great joy to give up all so that you can receive all from the one you love.

Consecrated life

The consecrated life is a particular vocation in the church.
The Consecrated life is different than the vocation of Holy Orders. It has four essential parts.
1. Community life - members of the order live together and share a common work along with all the other aspects of life. They should eat together, pray together, play together.
2. Prayer - the consecrated life is a life of prayer. Each community will have their own rules about times for prayer. Daily Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are the most important aspects of the prayer life.
3. Apostolate - a religious community most often has a particular work that all the members share. Some are teachers, others are the medical field. It is ideal that this work be done with another member of the community. Jesus sent the disciples out two by two.
4. Vows - Members take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Monk vs. brother

A monk is a man who is a member of a contemplative religious order. All monks are brothers, but not all brothers are monks. Some brothers are members of an order whose work is in the world.

Monks and nuns live a contemplative set apart from the world.

Nun vs. sister

What is a nun?
A nun is a woman who is a member of a contemplative religious order. A nun is a sister who does not go out into the world to work. She and her sisters remain in the monastery or cloister.
What is a sister?
A sister is any woman who is a member of a religious order.

All nuns are sisters, but not all sisters are nuns.

Sunday, September 14, 2008
We celebrate today the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (or Triumph of the Cross) we honor the Holy Cross by which Christ redeemed the world. The public veneration of the Cross of Christ originated in the fourth century, according to early accounts, beginning with the miraculous discovery of the cross on September 14, 326, by Saint Helen, mother of Constantine, while she was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem -- the same day that two churches built at the site of Calvary by Constantine were dedicated.
The observance of the Feast of the Exaltation (probably from a Greek word meaning "bringing to light") of the Cross has been celebrated by Christians on September 14 ever since. In the Western Church, the feast came into prominence in the seventh century, apparently inspired by the recovery of a portion of the Cross, said to have been taken from Jerusalem the Persians, by the Roman emperor Heraclius in 629.
Christians "exalt" the Cross of Christ as the instrument of our salvation. Adoration of the Cross is, thus, adoration of Jesus Christ, the God Man, who suffered and died on this Roman instrument of torture for our redemption from sin and death. The cross represents the One Sacrifice by which Jesus, obedient even unto death, accomplished our salvation. The cross is a symbolic summary of the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ -- all in one image.
The Cross -- because of what it represents -- is the most potent and universal symbol of the Christian faith. It has inspired both liturgical and private devotions: for example, the Sign of the Cross, which is an invocation of the Holy Trinity; the "little" Sign of the Cross on head, lips and heart at the reading of the Gospel; praying the Stations (or Way) of the Cross; and the Veneration of the Cross by the faithful on Good Friday by kissing the feet of the image of Our Savior crucified.
Placing a crucifix (the cross with an image of Christ's body upon it) in churches and homes, in classrooms of Catholic schools and in other Catholic institutions, or wearing this image on our persons, is a constant reminder -- and witness -- of Christ's ultimate triumph, His victory over sin and death through His suffering and dying on the Cross.
We remember Our Lord's words, "He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it." (Mt 10:38,39). Meditating on these words we unite ourselves -- our souls and bodies -- with His obedience and His sacrifice; and we rejoice in this inestimable gift through which we have the hope of salvation and the glory. (Source: Women for Faith and Family)

An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn't move.Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn't respond.Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing.Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!" And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try!"

House moving

The rectory is being moved to its new location today. I hope this works.
By the way, yesterday, September 8, was the Birthday of Mary.

This coming Sunday is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross.
We will be having a Holy Hour from 5-6 in the evening.

If you ask a teenager to reattach your ceiling fan blades, wear a helmet before turning the fan back on.

Follow this link to learn about the persecution of Christians in India
http://www.persecution.org/suffering/newsdetail.php?newscode=8443

More Augustine

St. Agustine died in the year 430. He had a profound influence on the development of Christian thinking and life. If you have the time you should make an attempt to read his works. Many scholars spend their whole lives studying St. Augustine. Fr. Groeschel once said, "The person who says he has read all of St. Augustine is lying."

Start by reading the article on Augustine at 'newadvent.org'

'Catholicradiodramas.com' has several of his homilies on their website. Many of them are narrated for listening.

St. Augustine

The desire of your heart constitutes your prayer
In the anguish of my heart I groaned aloud. There is a hidden anguish which is inaudible to men. Yet when a man's heart is so taken up with some particular concern that the hurt inside finds vocal expression, one looks for the reason. And one will say to oneself: perhaps this is what causes his anguish, or perhaps such and such had happened to him. But who can be certain of the cause except God, who hears and sees his anguish? Therefore the psalmist says: In the anguish of my heart I groaned aloud. For if men hear at all, they usually hear only bodily groaning and know nothing of the anguish of the heart from which it issues. Who then knows the cause of man's groaning? All my desire is before you. No, it is not open before other men, for they cannot understand the heart; but before you is all my desire. If your desire lies open to him who is your Father and who sees in secret, he will answer you. For the desire of your heart is itself your prayer. And if the desire is constant, so is your prayer. The Apostle Paul had a purpose in saying: Pray without ceasing. Are we then ceaselessly to bend our knees, to lie prostrate, or to lift up our hands? Is this what is meant in saying: Pray without ceasing? Even if we admit that we pray in this fashion, I do not believe that we can do so all the time. Yet there is another, interior kind of prayer without ceasing, namely, the desire of the heart. Whatever else you may be doing, if you but fix your desire on God's Sabbath rest, your prayer will be ceaseless. therefore, if you wish to pray without ceasing, do not cease to desire. The constancy of your desire will itself be the ceaseless voice of your prayer. And that voice of your prayer will be silent only when your love ceases. For who are silent? Those of whom it is said: Because evil has abounded, the love of many will grow cold. The chilling of love means that the heart is silent; while burning love is the outcry of the heart. If your love is without ceasing, you are crying out always; if you always cry out, you are always desiring; and if you desire, you are calling to mind your eternal rest in the Lord. And all my desire is before you. What if the desire of our heart is before him, but not our groaning? But how is that possible, since the groaning is the voice of our desire? And therefore it is said: My groaning is not concealed from you. It may be concealed from men, but it is not concealed from you. Sometimes God's servant seems to be saying in his humility: My anguish is not concealed from you. At other times he seems to be laughing. Does that mean that the desire of his heart has died within him? If the desire is there, then the groaning is there as well. Even if men fail to hear it. it never ceases to sound in the hearing of God.

St. Monica

Here is a link to information about St. Monica. If you know someone who is fallen away from the Church she is the one to imitate.

http://www.osa-west.org/saintmonica.html

St. Peter

This Sunday we will hear the Gospel of Peter's profession of faith.

For 500 years people have been attempting to be Christian without recognizing the role of the papacy and the Church. A radical individualism was introduced into Christianity with the protestant reformation.

More recently people love to be spiritual and not religious.

Just yesterday I read an article about someone who recommends staring at a mirror for an hour each week instead of going to Church. He thinks we should meditate on ourselves.

This same sentiment is expressed when couples preparing for marriage want their wedding to be unique. They want it in a garden or to do something in church that no one else does. (If you want a unique and special wedding try wearing white for a reason.)

When a marriage relationship or our relationship with God depends solely on our own emotions and feelings then what happens to the relationship when our feelings change.

Like a family, the Church is a communion of persons. Like a family there will be ups and downs and people who have weaknesses, but we do not abandon our family. We should always be striving to be more like Christ. As long as we are faithful to the testimony of Peter then we can be certain that we in the family established by Christ, the Church that will never pass away.

New Martyr

HYDERABAD, India, AUG. 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A 37-year-old Carmelite priest was tortured and killed on Saturday night as he traveled to the site where he was to celebrate Sunday Mass.The body of Carmelite of Mary Immaculate Father Thomas Pandippallyil was found by religious sisters headed to the Mass he was to celebrate at the center in Yellareddy, where he was director.The Carmelite had joined the Chanda mission of his order in 1987. He was ordained a priest in 2002.He was last seen alive by those same nuns who offered him dinner Saturday after he had celebrated Mass for them."Father Thomas is a martyr: He sacrificed his life for the poor and marginalized," said Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad. "But he did not die in vain, because his body and his blood enrich the Church in India, particularly the Church in Andhra Pradesh -- the southeastern state where he died.""The Church in India is shocked and deeply saddened by this barbarous killing, the result of a growing climate of intolerance and violence against Christians in this country," the 65-year-old archbishop added.Archbishop Joji contended that the crime is the result of "jealousy of the Catholic Church.""Priests and nuns," he said, "have for decades been at the service of the least fortunate in India, and this makes them targets of forces of evil who do not want the marginalized and impoverished to become empowered."

Destiny vs. Providence

Almost every culture has some form of astrology. People have always wanted to know why things happen. What forces are controlling my life and the universe? Outside of monotheism people have turned to astrology to explain why things have happened. Sorcerers and shamans were consulted to find out the future. Destiny was the determining factor in life. Within Christianity superstition can disguise itself as faith. Superstition is a trust in these forces of the universe that determine life. Nowadays people who reject faith and astrology and any organized religon will express their superstion by believing in "Karma." Be nice to others and good things will happen to you. Be mean and bad things will happen to you. People who hold this view are supposed to be very enlightened. They don't need religion to teach them. the whole moral law is summed up in the phrase, "What goes around comes around." This is the law of the uncreated universe that governs our destiny.

Tuesday

Today is the second day of school. it was great to have all the kids back in the building yesterday. It will be a challenging year as we begin our building project. The rectory will be moved on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

We have a Catholic School because all of creation refers back to the creator. When we examine a scientiific problem or when we read literature we are attemtping with our intelligence to grasp reality. All things receive their being from God. If we recognize this connection between the world and God then we will be able to more fully penetrate and understand the world around us.

The person of faith is accused of escaping from reality. It is precisely the belief in God that makes the person of faith take the world seriously. God created everything with a plan and an order. If there is no creator and the universe is a random accident of chance then there is no order, there is no purpose to reality.

Science is the natural response of the intellect being infused with faith, the knowledge of the Creator.

The Assumption

We are made in the image and likeness of God. The Blessed Virgin is the one image of God that was never tarnished. An image shares in the existence of the reality it reflects. Mary in her purity participates in God's life as much as a human being can. Therefore it is fitting that she participates fully in the joy of heaven. Where she has gone we hope to follow.

St. Maxamilian Kolbe

Go to this link to more about this great saint who was killed in Auschwitz in 1941.
http://theanchoressonline.com/aug-14-morning-sacrifice-and-reflectings/

Feast of St. Clare

In this picture Clare mourns the death of her friend Francis.

Sunday rest

God's action is the model for human action. If God "rested and was refreshed" on the seventh day, man too ought to "rest" and should let others, especially the poor, "be refreshed." The sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. It is a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.

St. Louis

I had a fun time with the daughters in St. Louis. There were over 500 women from the US and Canada. Most of the Canadians spoke French. It is good to be reminded that there are Catholics outside of Kingman, outside of Kansas, outside of the English language. It is easy for me to become very parochial. Don't ask me to like people from another country, I don't even like the way they do things in Oklahoma. The Catholic faith has been incarnated in every country and in almost every language. If the faith can take root in the heart of Kateri Tekakwitha, it can also take root in my heart.

Daughters of Isabella

I am leaving after Mass on Sunday to go to St. Louis for the international Daughters of Isabella conference. It should be a crazy good time. I hope I am not the youngest person there. Is that bad?

Wisdom of St. Thomas

Just as weariness of the body is dispelled by resting the body, so weariness of the soul must needs be remedied by resting the soul: and the soul's rest is pleasure. Consequently, the remedy for weariness of soul must needs consist in the application of some pleasure, by slackening the tension of the reason's study. Thus in the Conferences of the Fathers, it is related of Blessed John the Evangelist, that when some people were scandalized on finding him playing together with his disciples, he is said to have told one of them who carried a bow to shoot an arrow. And when the latter had done this several times, he asked him whether he could do it indefinitely, and the man answered that if he continued doing it, the bow would break. Whence the Blessed John drew the inference that in like manner man's mind would break if its tension were never relaxed.

Wisdom of play

Augustine says "I pray thee, spare thyself at times: for it becomes a wise man sometimes to relax the high pressure of his attention to work." Now this relaxation of the mind from work consists in playful words or deeds. Therefore it becomes a wise and virtuous man to have recourse to such things at times.

Philippians Chapter 2
If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

FORTITUDE: One of the four cardinal moral virtues which ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in doing the good. Fortitude (sometimes called strength, courage, or might) is also one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

TEMPERANCE: The cardinal moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasure and pro- vides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the mastery of the will over instinct, and keeps natural desires within proper limits.

Saints

I missed a couple of important saints this week.
July 22 - St. Mary Magdalen
July 23 - St. Brigit of Sweden; what a great name, strong and feminine. If I had a daughter I would name her Brigit.
July 25 - St. James the Apostle - my patron saint. Some day I want to go to Spain and visit his tomb. It is in Santiago de Compestella in northwestern Spain. Pilgrims throughout the middle ages would walk for several weeks to visit the shrine. People still go on pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James.

July 25 is also the 40th anniversary of the encyclical 'Humanae Vitae.' Paul VI promulgated this document restating the ancient and perennial teaching that contraception is a grave moral evil. The Summer of 1968 was time a revolution and dissent in every part of society and around the world. This tumult also took place in the church as many priests publicly rejected the truth of Humanae Vitae. We are still suffering and will continue to suffer as long as we reject the truth and meaning of human sexuality. It is estimated that less than 10% of Catholic couples live in accord with the teaching of Humanae Vitae.

The truth that contraception is morally degrading is not merely a 'Catholic' idea. All Christian churches taught that it was wrong until 1930. Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, taught that the widespread use of contraception would lead to the corruption of morals and the breakdown of the family.

Have you ever read the document? It is only 16 short pages. Here is a link to it.
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html
read paragraphs 8 and 9. When we reject the Church's teaching we lose the beauty of marriage which is described in these two paragraphs.

In John 6 Jesus taught the people about the Eucharist and many left him because it was too hard to bear. He turned to the apostles and asked, "Will you leave me too?" That question is addressed to us today, especially in regard to the truth of human sexuality. Hopefully we will repsond like Peter, "Lord, to whom shall go? You have the words of everlasting life."

JUSTICE: The cardinal moral virtue which consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and to neighbor (1807). Original justice refers to the state of holiness in which God created our first parents (375). Commutative justice, which obliges respect for the rights of the other, is required by the seventh commandment; it is distinguished from legal justice, which concerns what the citizen owes to the community, and distributive justice, which regulates what the community owes its citizens in proportion to their contributions and needs.

PRUDENCE: The virtue which disposes a person to discern the good and choose the correct means to accomplish it. One of the cardinal moral virtues that dispose the Christian to live according to the law of Christ, prudence provides the proximate guidance for the judgment of conscience.

“Life is not just a succession of events or experiences, helpful though many of them are. It is a search for the true, the good and the beautiful. It is to this end that we make our choices; it is for this that we exercise our freedom; it is in this- in truth, in goodness, and in beauty- that we find happiness and joy.” Pope Benedict XVI

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Go to this link to see a list of all the saints who have been members of the Carmelites.

http://carmelnet.org/html/saints.html

Virtues

Prudence perfects the intellect

Justice perfects the will

Fortitude orders the irascible appetite to the truth

Temperance orders the concupiscible appetite to what is truly good for us.

The body has two appetites.
1. Irascible - the desire to achieve a good. There are five passions for this appetite.
Hope and its opposite despair
Courage and it opposite fear
Anger

2. Concupiscible - passion for pleasure. There are six passions for this appetite.
Love and its opposite hatred
Desire and its opposite aversion
Joy and its opposite sadness

Anthropology

The human person is a composite of body and soul.
The soul has two powers:
1. intellect - to know the truth
2. will - to choose the good

St. Benedict

He is the father of western monasticism and the author of the rule of St. Benedict. His rule has guided monastic life for 1500 years. There are many Benedictine monastaries all over the world. They are famous for their Gregorian Chant and hospitality. The goal of the monastic life is conversion, to turn towards God, to love God more ardently. This is the goal of every Christian. The monk devotes every part of his life to the worship of God.

New Building

Hey everyone!
Our latest plans have been posted on the website.
Take a look at them.

Romans

Hey all.
I hope you are keeping up on your reading of St. Paul. Don't be intimidated or discouraged. Perseverance will lead to understanding.

The world believes that odediance makes you a slave.
The Catholic believes that obediance to the truth will set you free.

Benedict XVI says, "This is the goal of the Pauline Year: to learn from Saint Paul, to learn the faith, to learn about Christ, finally to learn the way of upright life."

Scripture Study

Why do we bother to study the scripture.
St. Paul says to Timothy, "Always be ready to give a reason for your hope." We study in order to draw closer to Jesus and so that we will be ready to draw others to him.
I have begun reading a book of Mother Teresa's letters. I look at her gift of herself to God and I am afraid to give so much. However, it is only in the gift of self to God that we find our true happiness and joy. The more she gave herself the more she was infused with his love and became the light of Christ. That can occur in our own souls if turn ourselves over to God more fully.

Romans Chapter 1

St. Paul is describing the world in a state of sin. The children of Abraham failed to keep the law given by Moses. The Gentiles, all who are not children of Abraham, failed to keep the natural law. Even those who have not received revelation from God are still obligated to do what is good. Whenever we reject the law of God as revealed in scripture or in nature then bad things will happen. Paul describes the results of this failure to acknowledge God in chapter 1.

St. Paul

There are several different websites dedicated to the "Year of St. Paul."
Here is one of them.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/columns.php?sub_id=13

I will attempt to give a few explanations in order to help understand these letters. The New American Bible has introductions before each book in the bible. They are usually of good quality and they will help you to understand some of the context in which Paul was writing.

I can't think of anything to talk about anymore. It is good that I did not go into journalism. How do they come up with something everyday.

What is sanity? Sanity is knowing who you are. To know this I must know where I came from and where I am going. I came from God. He gave me existence and life. I am going to God. God in his goodness and perfection is the desire of the human heart. If I do not recognize my beginning and my destination then I am not living in reality. I can crawl into a box and paint stars on the ceiling and call it the universe, but that does not make it so.

It is impossible to be just to the Catholic Church. The moment men cease to pull against it they feel a tug towards it. The moment they cease to shout it down they begin to listen to it with pleasure. The moment they try to be fair to it they begin to be fond of it. But when that affection has passed a certain point it begins to take on the tragic and menacing grandeur of a great love affair. - GK Chesterton

Marriage

A little harsh, but true.

Religious marriage is sacred act and not a social event, says Mexican archbishop
Guadalajara, Jun 17, 2008 / 09:07 pm (CNA).- The Archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, has called on the faithful to reflect on the meaning of marriage as a sacrament in which the spouses promise before God to love each other and respect each other until death, as opposed to a social event “to show off one’s friends” or “making a show of one’s wealth.”
“For many people weddings are a social celebration, a pretext for showing off one’s friends to others or for making a show of one’s wealth. It becomes an event that is anything but religious, when for Christians it should be a sacred act” in which God is witness to “the solemn promises to love one other, respect each other and be faithful all the days of their lives,” the cardinal said in an article published by the archdiocesan weekly Seminario.
The cardinal also lamented that “the majority of those who get married are not prepared (for the sacrament) and see religious marriage as a purely social event, and they think mostly about what they will wear and what the guests will wear.” Couples are also concerned about the music, which many times is not sacred, and about having a wedding in another place besides a church, the cardinal lamented.
“Whoever asks for this or falls into this does not have any sense of the religious and is not taking the Sacrament of Marriage seriously, and the difficulties start right there, as they enter and exit marriages in a frivolous manner since they cannot make a profound and serious commitment before God, and that’s why so many families end up in disaster,” he explained.
For this reason, Cardinal Iniguez called on the faithful, especially on young people, to take “the marriage commitment seriously, to think hard before marrying, to chose your partner carefully, because if you get that right, you’ll get your life right, and whoever fails in marriage will fail in everything, especially in the eyes of the Lord, who I hope will bless you.”

G.K. Chesterton says "My attitude toward progress has passed from antagonism to boredom. I have long ceased to argue with people who prefer Thursday to Wednesday because it is Thursday."

People will often say, "Get with the times." in order to justify their way of thinking.
Or they will say, "That way of thinking went out with the dark ages." as a way of arguing against the teaching of the Church. The time on the clock has nothing to do with what is true or not. Is it wrong to steal? To answer this question I do not consult my calendar. Is fornication a sin? The answer to the question is not, "This is the 21st century."

“In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”– Dorothy Sayers

St. Anthony of Padua

Grace

God is the creator.
We are creatures.
We receive our being, our life, our existence from him. In a similar way way we receive grace from God. Grace is God's life within us. The ultimate goal of the Christian life is to configured to Christ, to become one with Christ. This is made possible through the free gift of God's grace. The first grace is "sanctifying grace." This is given in baptism and when we receive confession after having committed a mortal sin. There is nothing we can do to earn this grace. it is a free gift. That is why even infants can receive it. A child is born with natural talents such as music, athletics, art, whatever. It is up to the parents to cultivate that talent. it is up to the child to act on the talent when they reach the age of reason. If the talent is not nurtured or put into practice then it will whither and amount to nothing. It is a natural good for a person to excel at music or academically or athletically, but not everyone can do this. Most people are average. However, everyone is called to be a saint. Whether you are tall or short, smart or slow witted, musical or tone def, athletic or clumsy, you are called to be a saint. In baptism the gifts are given to us so that we can grow in the image and likeness of God. Like our natural talents these supernatural gifts must also be put into practice. It is not enough to receive grace, we must act upon it. Ephesians 2:8-10. Parents must nurture the divine gift of grace in their children. Children, at the age of reason, decide to make an act of faith, hope and love. We are all seeking happiness, joy and peace. We ask this thing or that thing to make us happy. We ask this person to make us happy. When this thing or that person no longer makes us happy we move on to the next thing or we become depressed. In the end every creature will fail to make us happy because our souls are restless until they rest in God. Every created good can be taken away from you. You will get old. Your car will wear out. Your money will come to an end. The world tempts us, but the Christian no longer finds joy in the vanity of the world. The Christian finds his joy in God. Grace acts in the soul to draw us back to God. We can resist that grace or we can cooperate with it. Some saints never committed a mortal sin (St. Therese of Liseaux, St. Thomas Aquinas). Some saints were great sinners filled with pride (St. Augustine, St. Paul) In both kinds of saints it was God's grace that converted their hearts.

Wednesday night

During the school year I have classes for the high school students on Wednesday nights at 7:00.
Since that night is free in the Summer I am going to have an open discussion night for adults. If you have any questions about the faith or spiritual life come and see if I can answer them.
I have mass at 6:30 so I should be over at the offices by 7:00.
This week I am focusing on Deuteronomy 7. Hopefully this will get the discussion going.

later,
Fr. Weldon

Long Time

Wow! It has been a long time since I posted anything. I have been to three ordinations since the last time I wrote. It has been a blessing to see a deacon, three priests and a bishop be ordained.
These events have helped me to look more closely at my own vocation and how well I have been living up to it.

I also had the privilege to baptize my niece in Colorado. Baptism is the first sacrament. In baptism we receive God's life within us. Am I being a good steward of God's grace? My sister has the awesome responsibility of raising a child. I pray for her often. The 3 ordinations have reminded me of my own responsibilities. Please pray for me.

Remember! Read Matthew 5-7

Big Weekend

Friday, May 23, was the anniversary of the death of Fr Emil Kapaun in 1951.

He died in a pow camp in Korea. He was a priest from our diocese who gave his life caring for his fellow soldiers.

Friday was also my 10th anniversary of priesthood. Time flies when you are having fun.

Please pray for me to have the courage to give myself more fully to God.

Friday evening we celebrated the ordination of Ben Sawyer as a deacon.

Saturday, this morning, we celebrated the ordination of three men to the priesthood.

Adam Keiter

Aaron Spexarth

Michael Linnebur

They will be good priests. We should all pray for them.

Sunday is the Feast of Corpus Christi. This is a special Sunday set aside to grow in our love for the Eucharist. We will have a procession after the 10:00 mass.

Corpus Christi

This Sunday is the feast of Corpus Christi. We will have a procession after the 10:00 Mass.
Here is a little refresher of things you should know.

Who can receive Holy Communion?
Baptized members of the Catholic Church
Those who have reached the age of reason and are able to know the difference between ordinary bread and the Eucharist
Those who are in a state of grace – a person who is aware of having committed a mortal sin should not receive Holy Communion
A person must fast from food and drink for one hour before receiving Holy Communion

Gift of Counsel

Here is a link to an article on the Gift of the Holy Spirit known as "counsel."

http://www.cornellsociety.org/2008/05/the-gift-of-counsel/

"One filled with joy preaches without preaching." -- Blessed Mother Teresa

Ordinary Time

Pentecost is the last day of the Easter Season.
Today we return to ordinary time.
I have been away from the computer for a few days. I finally moved over to the parish office. I am on Elaine's computer, since I haven't got mine hooked up to the internet yet. I won't be able to return any e-mail for a few days.

Pentecost

Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Wisdom
Understanding
Knowledge
Counsel
Piety
Fear of the Lord
Fortitude

Pentecost

This coming Sunday is the feast of the Pentecost.
Easter lasts for 50 days. It concludes with the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles.
We will have a Holy Hour on Sunday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
Come and spend an hour with Jesus.

The Ascension

Daily Bread

Here are a few things you can do to grow in your faith.
1. Scripture
2. Catechism
3. lives of the saints
4. Communion more than once a week
5. confession once a month

Lessons to learn from the saints.

1. Saints are presented to us by Holy Mother Church for “the two I’s”: imitation and intercession.
2. As all Christians are called to imitate Christ, we also must experience self-emptying and the Cross, abandonment to providence and self-donation. We must be willing to lose everything.
3. We are not alone: the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant are closely knit, interwoven in charity. We on earth must intercede for each other and believe and ask for the intercession of the saints.
4. God makes use of the weak to demonstrate His might and love.
If we do not believe in miracles, we do not ask for them. If we do not ask for them, they will not be granted.
5. Our life of faith is noticed by non-believers and they are not unaffected.
6. How often do you invoke the help of the saints and holy angels?
7. God’s ways are not our ways.
8. No one is too small to be an occasion of grace for others.

Saints

This week is a good one to reflect on the lives of the saints.
Tuesday was St. Catherine of Sienna. She was one of 23 children born to one woman. She had many mystical experiences and was famous for her ability to make peace between those who were fighting.
Wednesday was St. Pius V. He was pope in the 1560's. He implemented the reforms of the council of Trent. Before him there were many popes who were very worldly and even some who led lives of debauchery. From the time of Pius to the present all of the popes have given good example in their personal moral life, even if they haven't all been the best of leaders.
April 28 was the anniversary of the death of St. Gianna Molla. She died in 1963. Got to this link to find our more about her.
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040516_beretta-molla_en.html
St. Padre Pio has been in the news because his body has been exhumed and found to be incorrupt. Go to this link to see pictures. Quite Amazing!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352408,00.html

saint of the day

Follow this link to learn more about St. Louis Marie DeMontfort.
http://catholicinformation.aquinasandmore.com/2008/04/28/st-louis-and-the-secret-of-mary/

a discourse on the psalms

Go to this link to see St. Augustine's commentary on Psalm 148.

http://catholicradiodramas.com/Saints_Works_Augustine/augustine%20The_easter_allleluia.htm

disturbing

Our tax dollars go to fund planned parenthood.
The Susan G. Komen (Race for the Cure) foundation also gives money to planned parenthood.

Go to this link to see one example of what planned parenthood does with your money.

http://www.ppin.org/events.aspx?EventID=10

topics?

I am looking for ideas. As I read the commentary on the pope's visit over the last week I wondered if the issues that they covered on the East Coast are also the issues that people in Kansas are also interested in.
Married priests?
Women priests?
Communion for pro-abortion politicians?
The opinion that you can be a good catholic without going to mass or accepting certain teachings of the church.

Theology is faith seeking understanding. If you are a catholic then you have faith. If you have faith then you should use your intelligence to seek to understand the faith more deeply.

St. Peter tells us, "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,but do it with gentleness and reverence."

If there are any topics you want addressed let me know.

Sister

My sister Stephanie is the webmaster for our parish website. She donates her time by posting new things on the webpage. I am very grateful to her for this gift of time and talent.
She lives on the south side of Denver.
She is schedule to have a baby girl on April 23 (2 days from now). Please offer a prayer for her.

Pope news

I should have been filling the blog with news each day of the pope's visit. I hope you were able to find news elsewhere. He celebrated his birthday (81 years) and his 3rd anniversary as pope during his visit to the United States.
Essentially his visit was a pastoral one. His message was simple.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Place your hope in Jesus.
Have the courage to seek the truth and to seek the face of Jesus.
No matter where we are in our spiritual lives we all have room for progress.
For one person progress would be to attend mass every Sunday,
for another it is to pray the rosary daily,
for another to read a paragraph of scripture every day,
for another it is to be kind to a member of the family who is very annoying,
every day there is the opportunity to grow in faith and to grow in charity.
Where is your desire?

Pope headlines

If you want to read headlines about the Pope's visit go to

http://newadvent.org/

Happy birthday, Pope Benedict!

Please take it easy; don't overdo it.

We need to celebrate a good lot more of these birthdays.

Thank you for all you have done and continue to do.

Papal News

There are many news stories about the Pope's visit.
Here is a connection to a good blog. It is written by Amy Welborn, who has written several books on the Catholic Faith.

http://amywelborn.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/sed-contra/

Tax Day

No one enjoys paying taxes, but they are part of life.
Today is a good day to think about "the common good." It is easy to think about what is good for me, but we should also put some thought into the common good. A just society is governed by laws that protect our rights and also provide the culture in which the human person can flourish. We should always strive to make our government better. However, the beauty of America is that it is the human spirit which makes our country great. The goverment cannot raise your children. Only the family can form the human person. When we honor and respect the dignity of the human person then we are making the greatest contribution to the common good possible. One of the saddest realities are the millions of people who must be put in jail to protect the common good. If those people had reached their own personal fulfillment in a good way just think of the contribution they could be making to society.
Each one us exists as part of society. As you pay your taxes you can also enjoy the good that we share together as members of a great nation.

the difference

John 6:52-59 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them,“Amen, amen, I say to you,unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent meand I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” These things he said while teaching in thesynagogue in Capernaum.

It is popular to say that all religions are the same. It is also common to hear that it doesn't matter what denomination you belong to as long as you are a good person. This way of thinking is hard to reconcile with Jesus' words that we read in the Gospel of John. That Gospel teaches us that it is necessary to receive the Body of Christ. This is why we pray for unity among all Christians and for the conversion of all people. We must always be kind and respectful of the convictions of others, but we should not pretend as if does not matter what we believe.