The result of contraception

Go to this link to watch a very interesting video.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962)
Today marks the death of St. Gianna Beretta Molla, who was canonized in 2004. The following is taken from the Vatican website:

Gianna Beretta was born in Magenta (Milan) October 4, 1922. She diligently dedicated herself to studies during the years of her secondary and university education, while, at the same time, applying her faith through generous apostolic service among the youth of Catholic Action and charitable work among the elderly and needy as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. After earning degrees in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Pavia in 1949, she opened a medical clinic in Mesero (near Magenta) in 1950. She specialized in Pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and there after gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and poor.
While working in the field of medicine-which she considered a “mission” and practiced as such-she increased her generous service to Catholic Action, especially among the “very young” and, at the same time, expressed her joie de vivre and love of creation through skiing and mountaineering. Through her prayers and those of others, she reflected upon her vocation, which she also considered a gift from God. Having chosen the vocation of marriage, she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly dedicated herself “to forming a truly Christian family”.
She became engaged to Pietro Molla and was radiant with joy and happiness during the time of their engagement, for which she thanked and praised the Lord. They were married on September 24, 1955, in the Basilica of St. Martin in Magenta, and she became a happy wife. In November 1956, to her great joy, she became the mother of Pierluigi, in December 1957 of Mariolina; in July 1959 of Laura. With simplicity and equilibrium she harmonized the demands of mother, wife, doctor and her passion for life.
In September 1961 towards the end of the second month of pregnancy, she was touched by suffering and the mystery of pain; she had developed a fibroma in her uterus. Before the required surgical operation, and conscious of the risk that her continued pregnancy brought, she pleaded with the surgeon to save the life of the child she was carrying, and entrusted herself to prayer and Providence. The life was saved, for which she thanked the Lord. She spent the seven months remaining until the birth of the child in incomparable strength of spirit and unrelenting dedication to her tasks as mother and doctor. She worried that the baby in her womb might be born in pain, and she asked God to prevent that.
A few days before the child was due, although trusting as always in Providence, she was ready to give her life in order to save that of her child: “If you must decided between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child - I insist on it. Save him”. On the morning of April 21, 1962, Gianna Emanuela was born. Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of April 28, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you», the mother died. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. “Conscious immolation», was the phrase used by Pope Paul VI to define the act of Blessed Gianna, remembering her at the Sunday Angelus of September 23, 1973, as: “A young mother from the diocese of Milan, who, to give life to her daughter, sacrificed her own, with conscious immolation”. The Holy Father in these words clearly refers to Christ on Calvary and in the Eucharist. Gianna was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, during the international Year of the Family.

great video

Go to youtube and check out this video.

Catholics Come Home "Epic" ( :120)

It is really great. If you like it please leave me a comment.

President Obama's Chillingly Precise Prophecy
The President said today:

"It is the grimmest of ironies that one of the most savage, barbaric acts of evil in history began in one of the most modernized societies of its time, where so many markers of human progress became tools of human depravity: science that can heal, used to kill; education that can enlighten, used to rationalize away basic moral impulses; the bureaucracy that sustains modern life, used as the machinery of mass death, a ruthless, chillingly efficient system where many were responsible for the killing, but few got actual blood on their hands."

Crescent moon

At 6:00 this morning the moon, with Venus right behind it, was beautiful in the eastern sky.

“Even the priest makes mistakes while celebrating Mass.” A Catholic culture knows that the Mass is the most important, most sacred thing that there could ever be; therefore, everything should be practically perfect, right? But, try as they might, priests are human, and they make mistakes. Italians tend to be easygoing (for the most part), and when they see that someone is doing their best, they will excuse unintentional mistakes. After all, “even the priests makes mistakes while celebrating Mass!”

Bishop Olmsted

Happy Anniversary Bishop Olmsted.
10 years ago today he was ordained a bishop. He was with us for a few years in Wichita and is now leading the Diocese of Phoenix.

JP II Quote

John Paul II once wrote to our generation "Never settle for less than the moral and spiritual greatness of which you all are capable." Let's take those words to heart, and live our lives, in Christ, the very source and inspiration for us, who is indeed the greatest hero of all.

Hear Mass daily; it will prosper the whole day. All your duties will be performed the better for it, and your soul will be stronger to bear its daily cross. The Mass is the most holy act of religion; you can do nothing that can give greater glory to God or be more profitable for your soul than to hear Mass both frequently and devoutly. It is the favorite devotion of the saints.
St. Peter Julian Eymard

Five Things Every Catholic Should Know (and many don't)

1. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not part of Last Rites. The shift in emphasis from extremunction to Anointing was made over 40 years ago. However, Last Rites has always consisted of Confession and Communion. Don’t wait to call a priest until it is too late for the dying person to receive them. If you do YOU may be depriving them of the chance to properly prepare for heaven.


2. The funeral rites of the Church are not for a “celebration of the life” of the deceased. That is common in secular “memorial services”. The funeral of a Catholic is so that the community can pray that the deceased person may be forgiven their sins and go to heaven. It isn’t accomplished yet. We’re praying for it and we do that with the same prayers for all the baptized. You can personalize your license plates, not a funeral. Personal eulogies are best done at a wake, not the funeral. Besides, reflecting on the resurrection of Jesus is personal to a committed Christian.


3. Fasting for an hour from everything (except water or medication) before receiving Communion is a REQUIREMENT, not a suggestion. That includes breath mints and gum too.


4. Coming to mass each and every Sunday is an obligation binding on all Catholics. If you’re sick or in some way prevented from coming (for example, because there is 4 feet of snow on the ground) then you can stay home. However, skipping mass on purpose is still considered a serious (i.e. mortal) sin. When you do miss mass without a good reason you should not receive Communion again until you go to Confession.


5. Speaking of Confession, it is REQUIRED, not suggested, that you go to Confession at least once every year. Failure to do so is also a serious sin.

This Sunday, April 19, is Divine Mercy Sunday. On this Sunday we hear the Gospel of Jesus appearing to the apostles and giving them the power to forgive sins.

The mercy of God restores us to life. His mercy is an act of creation that brings life to those who are dead.

Come and celebrate Divine Mercy this Sunday.

5:00 PM Solemn Exposition

Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Evening Prayer

6:00 PM Benediction

Happy birthday Benedict XVI

Thank you to Vicky Villareal, Rhonda Harrel, Doreen Molitor, and the 7 high school students who helped to decorate the church for Easter. Your gift of time and talent is greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all the people who have been giving so generously to our building project. For many months we have been receiving gifts that make this project possible. Your generosity is humbling to me and makes me very grateful to be your pastor.

Easter Summary

Happy Easter!

Remember that Easter lasts for 50 days concluding with the Feast of Pentecost.

I am very happy to tell you that four people joined the Catholic Church and our parish during the Easter Vigil.

We welcome: Michael Dumond, Emily Harrison and her two children, Katy and Christian to our parish. Michael lives in the country south of Murdoch. He works in Wichita and custom builds motorcycles. Emily has lived in Kingman for a year. She works in Harper County, and her children attend St. Patrick grade school.

If you meet them, please welcome them to our parish community.

Seven Last Words

Father forgive them, they know not what they do...

We see Jesus on the cross today and hear him forgiving his persecutors, forgiving us. It is a powerful scene, but it is more than just a scene out of our faith history. Jesus’ way is supposed to be our way. Forgive, forgive, forgive, even in the face of the most unreasonable suffering and injustice. Are we willing to forgive as Jesus did?

Today you will be with me in Paradise.

The “good thief” has always been a favorite of mine. Imagine in your last dying moment that you utter a few kind words and are assured by Jesus himself that you will be in heaven with him that day. It would be nice to assume that in that situation I would have taken the path of belief, like the good thief, but there is a much bigger part of me that probably would have been like the unrepentant thief, expecting mercy and miracles despite faithlessness.

Woman, behold your son...

At last a comfort in the midst of all this misery. God gives us a mother for all time. He reminds us that his mother is our mother, who, with a mother’s unconditional love, will open her arms to us when we are desperate, when we are hurting, when we are searching for peace and a way back to the Father.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Despair, despair. If Jesus can feel despair, what hope is there for me? Then again, Jesus’ moment of despair reminds me of his humanness and that gives me hope even in this dark moment. God became man, walked on earth, suffered torture and death beyond our comprehension. My God is fully human and fully divine. My God knows what it means to live this earthly life, and so my God knows my small sufferings and heartaches and will not turn His back on me.

I thirst.

The wretched physical anguish of the Crucifixion is coming to bear. It is almost too much for us to take. Jesus, water poured out for the world, thirsts. And yet in the midst of this suffering, we remember Jesus’ words to the woman at the well, the woman to whom he first revealed his identity: “...whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst.” (John 4:14)

It is finished.

Jesus has completed his mission of redemption. Darkness descends, the earth shakes, the temple curtain tears in two. We see Jesus’ anguish near its end. We should be reduced to trembling at the enormity of his suffering, his gift to us. Unlike his followers who were plunged into fear and despair at this moment, we have the benefit of hindsight. We know what is coming. We know that his Crucifixion was cause for our salvation. His death a victory. His earthly end our eternal beginning.

Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

Jesus is going back to the Father, back to where he started before time began, but he will not leave us orphans. We patiently wait to celebrate his Resurrection, to rejoice in our unearned windfall. We wait, pray, watch, listen -- hopeful, trusting, faithful. We begin our vigil now, waiting for the darkness to turn to light.

Easter Triduum

Holy Thursday - Mass of the Lord's Supper - 8:00

Good Friday - Stations of the Cross - 3:00
The Lord's Passion - 8:00

Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil - 8:30

Easter Sunday - Mass 8:00 & 10:00

It is always difficult when your mother or father dies, no matter how old they are. In 1929 a young boy lost his mother just a month before his 9th birthday. Three years later his brother would die from an illness. Now his father was the only family he had left. In 1939 the Nazis would invade his native country of Poland and create a hell on earth for more than 5 years. In February of 1941 young Karol would come home from working in a labor camp to find his father dead in their small apartment. In addition to these tragedies the Communists ruled Poland for 45 years after the war.

The person I am describing would grow up to be John Paul II, the 264th pope and the first polish pope. His story is always very compelling to me. As a young man he had every reason to give in to despair and abandon his faith and hope in God. His personal loss and the destruction of his country would be more than many could handle. The life of John Paul II is a witness to hope. His hope was not in worldly powers or earthbound realities. He saw these destroyed while he was still a young man. His hope was in God. The strength of the human person is a spiritual strength. When the human spirit is filled with supernatural hope then it is possible to carry the cross and be victorious.

Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus and we proclaim, “Christ has risen! He has truly risen!” It is this truth of our faith which gives us hope. Hope in the battle against our own personal sins. Hope in the midst of personal suffering and loss. Hope in the battle against the forces of evil and secularism in the modern world. The person, whose soul is filled the power of the risen Christ, can stand up in true freedom and live as a child of God, even in the midst of great sorrow. We see this hope in the life of John Paul II.
April 2 was the forth anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. On this day of the Lord’s resurrection I pray that we too may witnesses to hope, a light shining in the darkness of this world.

Holy Week

It is Holy Week, and I need to stay in my parish. I have found that the more blogs and news Iread from around the country and world that I read the more distracted I am. Am I concerned about Notre Dame and Obama? Sure The state of the Church in Chicago? Yes

However, the Lord has seen fit to put me in Kingman. It seems the more mental energy I give to far away things the less I have for those things for which i will be held accountable. Most of the times they are distractions so that I don't deal with real things right in front of me.

So, this Holy Week I will be staying home, hearing confessions, preparing the liturgy, praying for the people right here in my parish.

1st Confession

I borrowed this from another priest. It is a good reflection

Earlier this week I helped to hear the first confessions of our children at St Mary's. This is the first I've done this, and what a sweet privilege it was! I was meditating not only on the privilege I had to hear these confessions, but on the advantages of first confession at a tender age. Here they are:

1. At an early age the child learns that he or she is not perfect

2. At the dawning of the age of accountability the child learns that he must be responsible

3. Right up front the child learns that God is loving and forgiving

4. The little child learns that when things go wrong forgiveness (not cover up) is the answer

5. The child steps up to the plate and does something difficult

6. In the self examination that is necessary the child begins the life long task of examining his life. (The unexamined life is not worth living)

7. He is introduced to the mystery of the sacramental life.

8. He begins to understand and accept the mysterious working of grace and providence.

9. The grown ups involved are reminded that unless they come like these little first communicants they cannot enter the kingdom

10. The little ones remind us that 'little' sins are not necessarily little in God's eyes.

Head of the State vs. Head of the Party

All the recent controversy about Obama visiting Notre Dame has made me think about the role of the President. Some defenders of Notre Dame say that the honor is given to the office of the presidency, no matter who holds it.

In England the monarchy represents the state. The Queen has no political views and people of all parties loudly sing, "God save the Queen." Their Prime Minister is the head of the party in power and he/she can be loudly opposed by those who disagree with the parties policies. The Prime Minister would not be invited to speak to groups who hold radically opposing views.

A soldier receiving a medal from the president of the USA doesn't reject the medal because of who the president is. The medal is given by the highest office of our nation. The president has particular ceremonial role. So the question is, "Is Notre Dame giving a politcal stage on which Obama can represent the views of his party, or are they honoring the Office of the President and asking that office to honor their school?"

I don't know what life was like before the 1960's but most of the documentaries of that decade show protesters villianizing LBJ and Nixon after him. Reagan was attacked by the left and then Clinton by the right. George Bush received little or no respect for the last eight years.
It seems that the Office of the President, existing above the political battlefield, does not exist.

People who are pro-life, and I am one of them, cannot stand the thought of any honor being given, especially by a Catholic school, to an individual who has used all his power and abilities to undermine the right to life of the unborn.

We have no king or queen. We only have a president. But you would think that the Church would have its own standing, a standing above political expediency.