Fr. Bloomfield's Blog

Faith Seeking Understanding for December 2, 2007

2007-12-03T10:04:00.000-05:00

Celebrating the first Sunday of Advent is always a challenge when we are in the midst of the “Holiday” or “Shopping” Season. Christmas songs and carols are on the radio and in the stores; the greetings change to “Merry Christmas” (or sadly, “Happy Holidays”) from our cashiers; and every commercial features Santa, reindeer, or elves reminding us to spend, spend, spend. The joy of giving and receiving Christmas presents is a wonderful reminder of the infinite gift given to mankind at the Incarnation – the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity made man.

Nevertheless, the focus on shopping and finding “that perfect gift” can obscure the importance of our Advent preparations for the great feast of the Nativity of our Lord. This doesn’t mean that we should lay aside our Christmas cards only to pray or to avoid trips to the malls and stores is search of gifts for our families and loved ones; it does, however, remind us to allow these exterior preparations to find a deeper root in our souls. Then, the long lines can be an opportunity to meditate on Christ’s coming; the extra traffic provides an occasion for blessing (and not cursing!); the inconveniences can be a moment to pause and consider the very difficult journey of our Lady and St. Joseph to Bethlehem and all the difficulties surrounding childbirth in a stable.

This Saturday, December 8, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (and still a Holy Day of Obligation). It is fitting that we set aside the austerity and longing of Advent to celebrate this singular grace and privilege of our Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary. The Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854, states, “We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.”

Interpreting this theologically power-packed phrase, we learn a great deal: the Immaculate Conception is Mary’s unique privilege, but nevertheless is a result of our Lord’s saving work; furthermore, we learn that Mary was never tainted by sin, though herself still in need of a Savior; and finally, that this particular grace is effected in anticipation, since God is able to work outside of the limits of space and time. Such a unique grace is preeminently fitting for the Blessed Virgin Mary.

As the Fathers of the Church recognize, by her “Yes” to the plan God offers at the Annunciation, she undoes the “No” of Adam and Eve; she is, in fact, the New Eve, preserved from sin and perfectly pure to be the mother of Her Divine Son. Dante opens the 33^rd Canto of his Paradisio in exquisite praise of our Lady:

“O virgin mother, daughter of thy Son,
humble beyond all creatures and more exalted;
predestined turning point of God’s intention;

Thy merit so ennobled human nature
that its divine Creator did not scorn
to make Himself the creature of His creature.”

Have a blessed week!

November 25, 2007

2007-11-26T14:37:00.001-05:00

I hope that everyone had a blessed and happy Thanksgiving Day; it is always a blessing to be able to spend time with friends and family in giving thanks for the many gifts God has given to us. This Sunday is also the Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. By celebrating this day, we “summarize” our entire year (and indeed all our lives) under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As our King, the Lord Jesus asks for all our hearts, minds, and souls. He is, however, the most generous and benevolent of Kings who has given up His own life for our sake; by turning our lives over to Him, we actually gain freedom, peace, and joy. We live in the truth of who were have been created to be: sons and daughters of the Most High and Triune God, Who is Love itself.

Considering this (and praying to St. Andrew whose feast-day we celebrate on November 30^th!) as we prepare for the First Sunday of Advent next week, I would like to return to my commentary on The Golden Compass. It’s often very easy to either criticize a work of fiction without seeing its merits, or simply fire away at modern American culture because we seem so distant from God. What is more difficult, however, is to really engage the culture with the confidence that Christ’s Kingdom will really be victorious.

That is, we know that we have the truth on our side, but often present it with a grim or defeated approach. Or sometimes, we are afraid to allow the truth to be splendid but gentle at the same time. And sometimes, we just simply don’t know what the Church teaches. Therefore, we really need to educate ourselves first and foremost, and then make choices that coincide with this formation. Sometimes it will mean not seeing a movie “everyone is seeing” or sometimes it may mean not continuing a magazine subscription or particular cable channel. Each of these choices has as its foundation the decision to follow Christ as our King.

In the case of The Golden Compass, we cannot be afraid of the ideas Pullman presents, but on the contrary must form our minds to defend the truth of Christianity. Personally, I cannot see the value in supporting such a movie or novel, particularly because the author has even stated publicly in interviews that he is “trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief” (cf. Denis Grasska in The Michigan Catholic, 9 Nov 2007, p. 22). Nevertheless, we should be able to address these ideas in conversation and present thoughtful responses to these claims. Educating our children, in particular, must be a constant priority – not only in what the Church teaches, but why. The Church’s teachings are not arbitrary but founded on truth.

The Catechism is an excellent place to begin; even if we find it a little confusing or tough to understand at times, it provides the perfect foundation for our Faith. This “intellectual” formation is an essential way to keep Christ as the King of our lives and culture, and also to not fear when certain ideas may challenge the Church. Christ is the most powerful, and yet gentlest of Sovereigns. His Love provides the foundation for our lives; may we keep Christ the King of our lives and hearts every day – by how we pray, how we think, and work, and play, and most importantly, how we love. God bless you all!

Yes, I'm Back... For Novemeber 18, 2007

2007-11-20T13:12:00.000-05:00

I am certain that without some prompting, it will seem strange to finally return to publishing these articles, but I am finally settled in here at Divine Child, and promise to post these items since I write them every week for our bulletin. Particularly important is the concern surrounding Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, so please enjoy.
-----

The secular “Holiday Season” is really upon us in full swing: Thanksgiving comes early this year, the college football season is nearly over, and Christmas advertisements and sales are already overwhelming us. And although Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and presents a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on God’s goodness and the bounty we have received, another important issue is before us. The feasts of the Presentation and St. Cecilia will have to wait!

Christmastime, apart from the shopping and such, has also recently been a time for new movie releases. In particular, I enjoyed waiting for the next Lord of the Rings movie release, or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and also The Nativity Story. Unfortunately, one of this year’s “holiday releases” has all the appearances of being an uplifting and positive spiritual story, but in reality it has the potential to undermine our Faith.

Ever since the Harry Potter controversy, however, I have been wary about blanket condemnations of books or movies. I enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series, but felt conversations (not just about magic, but about many different choices) between parents and children would help balance the books and develop their potential to promote authentic heroism, truth-seeking, and self-sacrifice.

Therefore, when I heard about Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, I wondered if the concern might be overworked and decided to read the book for myself. Unfortunately, however, the well-written story cleverly hides a dangerous agenda that seeks to cast doubt about the existence of God and the role of the Church in our life. Obviously, I have not seen the movie which will be released on December 7, but having read the first book (this also being a trilogy) widespread concern is well-founded.

The Golden Compass is the first of three books telling the tale of Lyra Belacqua, a young girl, and her adventures in a world very similar to our own; throughout the book, however, the Church is depicted as an agency of deceit, cunning, and arbitrary authoritarian power. The “Magisterium” and “Church” of the novel are evil and destructive, harming children for their own selfish ends and having little regard for the truth.

Most troubling, however, is the easy way in which Pullman uses these familiar concepts – and even Scripture quotations – while changing their meaning and using them to instill doubt and fear with regard to sin, grace, the Church, priests, and even free will. The philosophical presuppositions of the book rely on using these concepts to undermine God’s free gift of Grace through Jesus Christ and instead replace them with a “naturalistic” approach that will attempt to even prove that God does not exist.

I will continue my reflections on the movie and book in next week’s article, but rather than being afraid of these things, we must be willing to study and defend our Faith. Have a blessed and holy Thanksgiving Day, giving thanks to our Lord for all the many blessings in our lives.

Return to the Blogosphere

2007-07-19T13:55:00.001-04:00

I finally logged onto the Blogger Dashboard and realized that it has been significantly too long since I late posted -- in fact, it was before our very memorable trip to the Holy Land. Since returning from Israel, parish life became a non-stop flurry of activity, including a transfer from St. John Neumann to Divine Child in Dearborn.

Please accept my apologies for having disappeared for such a lengthy period of time. Now that I'm getting settled into my new assignment I will do my best to keep the blog updated and current once again.

I don't know if I'll have a chance to offer a thorough recap of the Holy Land pilgrimage, but it was an incredible experience, and we owe Steve and Janet Ray, Teresa Tomeo and her husband Dominic, and Corporate Travel a great debt of gratitude. We were blessed to begin our travels in Galilee and finish with several days in Jerusalem. The personal highlight for me was the opportunity to celebrate a morning Mass at the Holy Sepulchre -- or rather in the Tomb itself.

The Franciscans sang the Mass of the Resurrection and I celebrated at an altar set up in the ante-chamber of the very place where our Lord rose from the dead. Incredible does not begin to describe it.

I will try to catch up as quickly as I can, and I do intend to post briefly on the recent Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum" which clarifies and expands permission to celebrate the Mass under the older form (from 1962).

Join Us (Digitally!) on Pilgrimage

2007-03-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, you will be able to join us on pilgrimage to the Holy Land by a "virtual tour." Our pilgrim guide, Steve Ray, has been able to arrange daily videos of our pilgrim group to be made available on his blog at: http://blog.catholicconvert.com/.
You will be able to see the sites we visit, and even leave messages for our group. Please keep us in your prayers, and we will keep you in ours.
I look forward to sharing the photos with you all on my return.

Faith Seeking Understanding for March 11, 2007

2007-03-08T13:29:00.000-05:00

In anticipation...

I am on pilgrimage to the Holy Land this weekend and next weekend. If all has gone well, our group should be in Galilee until Tuesday when we go to Jerusalem for the remainder of our time. If you would like to follow our progress and see us on our journey, visit Steve Ray’s blog at http://blog.catholicconvert.com/. Steve is a local Catholic apologist from the Ann Arbor area and has been to the Holy Land more than 40 times; he is our guide for the pilgrimage. He also has several videos that explore Scripture through the geography of Israel and the surrounding area, and his videographer is accompanying us on our pilgrimage. Every evening, they will post a short video clip and greetings from the pilgrims to the website, so please check in on us every day!

Since I don’t have the time to dedicate to beginning our next Father of the Church until I return from pilgrimage, I thought we would explore some of the different Lenten traditions that prepare the Church for Easter in different ways. Of particular interest is the Roman practice of the “Station Churches,” which dates to the third century.

In the early Church, the Pope would travel, accompanied by large numbers of the faithful, to a different church in Rome for every day of Lent. A special Mass was celebrated at each of these churches by the pope, as an expression of the “pilgrimage of Lent” but also as a way to prepare each portion of the city for the great celebration of the Paschal Mysteries at Easter.

During the 14^th century, owing to the Avignon Papacy, the practice fell into disuse, but was been restored most recently by Bl. John XXIII in 1959. The pope no longer travels to every Station Church every day of Lent, but he nevertheless begins Lent by celebrating Mass and distribution Ashes at Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill, and celebrates the most prominent of the Liturgies at their respective stational church.

The people of Rome, however, are well aware which church is to be visited each day, and the parishes and monasteries that are honored with the title of Station Church are always filled with great preparations for their particular day. For some time now, the American seminarians studying at the North American College in Rome have developed their own Station Church pilgrimage, and walk each day of Lent to the ancient Station Church and celebrate a 7 a.m. Mass before their day of studies begin. Some of these churches are a great distance from the College, so the students had an added austerity for the Lenten season.

Unlike Ordinary Time, every day of Lent has its own particular readings and Mass prayers: the Opening Prayer, the Prayer Over the Gifts, and the Prayer After Communion. Some of these Masses even retain a mention of the particular grace or virtue connected with the Station Church, but often go unnoticed. Such an abundance of grace is offered to us through the Lenten season; by reflecting on the daily readings and prayers, we are strengthened in our penances and self-discipline and better prepared to celebrate Easter.

The Station Churches also give us the encouragement of the martyrs and the great saints of the early Church, reminding us of the eternal happiness that awaits us in heaven. No matter how great our trials or suffering on this earth, Christ desires to share eternity with us, and the season of Lent helps us better prepare for that eternal celebration of Easter as well.

Next week, even though we will still be on pilgrimage, I will briefly outline the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a preparation for receiving this Sacrament during Lent. This season of repentance allows us to ask God for His Mercy and to receive it with confidence through the ministry of His Church.

May God bless you all, and be assured of my prayers for all of you while I am in the Holy Land.

Faith Seeking Understanding for March 4, 2007

2007-03-08T13:08:00.000-05:00

This Friday, March 9, I will be leaving on pilgrimage to the Holy Land for 10 days, with about 100 other pilgrims. We will be staying in Jerusalem and Capernaum, and will have an opportunity to visit many of the holy sites including the locations of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Please keep our group in your prayers and be assured of our prayers on your behalf. Since I have never been to the Holy Land, I am looking forward to returning with a better understanding of the customs and culture of the place where our Lord lived, died, and rose from the dead.

Since I never managed to finish exploring the Apostolic Constitutions in the past few weeks, we can return to them this week; then we can take a break from the Fathers and discover some of the treasures of the Holy Land.

Book Eight is the last book of the Apostolic Constitutions. It addresses the different gifts of the Holy Spirit as they are given to the Church, both in the sense of particular charisms of healing, casting out demons, or prophecy, and also in the gifts of Holy Orders. In either case, the purpose of the gift is to build up the whole Church and to witness especially to unbelievers about the power of God. Therefore, “to be a Christian is in our own power; but to be an apostle, or a bishop, or in any other such office, is not in our own power, but at the disposal of God, who bestows the gifts” (Bk. 8, n. 1).

The heart of the teaching in this section concerns the forms of selection and ordinations, particularly of bishops. The bishop must be, above all, blameless and a worthy candidate; at this time in the Church, it seems as though the people and the priests approved the choice of their new bishop by acclamation and also by public scrutiny. Similar to the current ordination rite of Bishops, three bishops were required to ordain the new bishop. Also, two deacons held the book of the Gospels open over the head of the new bishop, while the prayer of consecration is said.

The prayer for the ordination of bishops, priests, and deacons are then included, but unfortunately they are too long to include in this article. Each prayer, though, in its own way, expresses the grace that is imparted to the one being ordained and his role of service in the Church.

An interesting section then outlines the days of rest, particularly with regard to feast days; the goal of the Sunday rest in honor of the Resurrection is to allow for prayer and the celebration of the Liturgy. Also included as days of rest are the Ascension, Pentecost, Christmas, Epiphany, the feasts of the Apostles, and St. Stephen’s day (cf. Bk. 8, n. 33).

Aside from days of rest, however, the early Christians were exhorted to pray frequently by the Constitutions, having prayers at dawn, then in the morning, 9 am, noon, 3 pm, and evening. This section even describes some of the prayers, which are very beautiful; the prayer for the faithful departed is particularly touching: “Let us pray for our brothers that are at rest in Christ, that God, the lover of mankind, who has received his soul, may forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his reward in the land of the pious … where all sorrow, grief, and lamentation are banished” (Bk. 8, n. 41).

This concludes the Apostolic Constitutions, which have given us an insight into the early Church’s life and practices. Our next Father will be St. Augustine, but I will spend a few weeks recounting our Holy Land pilgrimage.

The College of Ss. Peter and Paul Educational Foundation is holding a benefit dinner featuring Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz from Lincoln, Nebraska, on March 16^th at the St. John’s Center. If you are interested in attending, or in having more information about the College, please call (248) 347-3649.

Have a blessed week!

College of Ss Peter and Paul Banquet

2007-02-26T11:08:00.002-05:00

The College of Ss. Peter and Paul is hosting a benefit dinner on Friday, March 16, 2007 at the Inn at St. John's.

We are pleased to welcome Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, as our keynote speaker to address the nature of Catholic higher education.

For more information, or for tickets, see the invitation or please call (248) 347-3649.

Also, we are now able to accept online donations, so if you would like to contribute to the development of the College, please visit http://www.sspeterandpaulfoundation.org/ or just click here.

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 25, 2007

2007-02-26T11:08:00.001-05:00

This weekend we celebrate the first Sunday of Lent, the great season of penance and conversion that prepares the entire Church to celebrate the solemn feast of Easter. The traditional elements of Lenten penance are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We can imagine these three practices to be just like the legs of a stool; if one leg is missing, the stool topples. In the same way, our Lenten preparations will collapse if we do not practice all three.

Prayer is the essential foundation of the spiritual life. Without a rich prayer life, we cannot know God’s will in our life, nor can we fulfill it. Our sufferings become unbearable because they are not united in our wills to the sufferings of Christ; our joys become hollow because they are separated from the Creator of all good things. How do we pray? Prayer is a gift from God, yet it is also a discipline that we exercise. Lent provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen this discipline.

The Liturgy of the Hours or Christian Prayer is an excellent method to pray with the Church through the season of Lent. These are the prayers required for priests and religious brothers and sisters; the laity have been encouraged since the Second Vatican Council to join these prayers, and include this aspect of prayer in their own lives. Principally, the Liturgy of the Hours prays through the book of Psalms in the course of four weeks. It also provides a structure to pray in the morning, mid-day, and evening, giving a context for God to work through the busy-ness of our daily lives.

Even if we don’t pray with the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, other devotional prayers, or novenas can add a particular sweetness to our Lenten discipline, because we encounter Christ each time we open our hearts in prayer. Litanies, particularly of the Saints, the Blessed Mother, or the Sacred Heart also offer an excellent experience of coming to know Christ and the Saints through disciplined prayer. Above all, however, prayer must be regular and planned. By struggling through the difficult and challenging times in prayer and overcoming distractions, we discipline our wills to receive an abundance of grace.

Fasting without prayer is a futile exercise. We may discipline our appetites to some extent, but for what purpose? Joined to prayer, however, fasting becomes a powerful tool to help us overcome all the capital sins: pride, envy, greed, gluttony, sloth, lust, and anger. Furthermore, we see our own problems and sufferings in the light of the Cross, which invests them with deeper meaning and purpose. Because we have chosen to suffer voluntarily something small, such as hunger, or the desire for a favorite game, pastime, entertainment, or food, we are better able to endure sufferings that we do not choose. The goal of the spiritual life is conformity to the Cross of Christ.

Finally, we might see in almsgiving a particular “proof” of the effectiveness of Lent. Charity is the measure of our growth in holiness; if, therefore, we were to pray for seven hours a day and eat only a piece of bread and a cup of water each day throughout Lent, and yet not have generous hearts to provide for the needs of the poor and afflicted, our efforts are in vain. Prayer and Fasting are gifts from God to expand our hearts and allow them to be pierced by the soldier’s lance, so that we might, in imitation of our Lord, also pour forth our own lives in loving service.

Almsgiving is also an expression of sacrifice – setting apart as holy – because we take from what we might need in order to generously provide for those who are in great need. Prayerful consideration of how to give alms throughout Lent is an essential aspect of our spiritual lives as well. Do not neglect the “alms” of time spent together with family and friends, particularly those who are most alone. Often this expression of our charity can be much more difficult than writing a check.

May God richly bless your Lenten penances and bring us all to the joys of Easter!

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 18, 2007

2007-02-26T11:07:00.001-05:00

The celebration of Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday, Paczki Day, etc.) is this Tuesday, which means that Lent begins the following day. As Catholics, we have the unique blessing to be able to enjoy this day of revelry and merrymaking before the austerities of Lent begin, because we are able to understand that Christ is the cause of all our joy and that our sins require yearly penance. Even so, we should always remind ourselves to be temperate in our indulgences before Lent begins and to deny ourselves good things to prepare our hearts to really celebrate the Resurrection.

Ash Wednesday is a day of Fast and Abstinence, requiring those 14 and older to abstain from eating meat, and requiring those 18 to 60 to fast, eating only one complete meal and two lighter meals that would not equal the larger meal. We will celebrate Mass at 9 am, Noon, and 7 pm on Ash Wednesday, and have distribution of ashes throughout the day. We also recall that Lent is a time of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving; may this Lent be an opportunity to grow in holiness and experience the mercy of God in a deeper and richer way for all of us.

The tradition of self-denial through Lent is part of the traditional Catholic discipline that helps us recognize that our appetites are “disordered.” That is to say, unless we are able to discipline our wills through the grace of the Holy Spirit, we will always be tempted to excess in our desires. We can always eat more, drink more, watch more television, buy more clothes, electronics, or other toys, or indulge ourselves in any number of ways. The discipline of Lent acts as a yearly corrective, reminding us of the need to rely more perfectly on God for our sustenance, and to seek to continually perfect ourselves. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

To share some family news, my brother 1LT Charles Bloomfield left for Iraq last weekend to begin a one-year tour there. He is a field artillery officer and was stationed at Ft. Riley, KS, before his deployment. Please pray for my brother and all our men and women who are serving in the military, but particularly for those who are so far from home. The sacrifices they make on our behalf truly are heroic.

In less than three weeks, I will be traveling to Israel with 100 other pilgrims to spend ten days in and around Jerusalem. You have seen the fliers in the gathering area and the advertisements in the bulletin; I can hardly believe that this trip is almost here. Having never been to the Holy Land, I’m not sure what to expect, but I am confident that many graces will be poured out upon our pilgrimage. In fact, every time I open the Scriptures now, it seems that another geographical location jumps out at me: Judea, Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, etc. I am eager to see these places in person, and to be able to bring your prayers and intentions with us to the ground upon which Jesus himself walked.

We will finish our exploration of the Apostolic Constitutions next week, followed by the beginning of the great St. Augustine. Have a blessed week!

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 11, 2007

2007-02-26T11:01:00.000-05:00

Continuing our exploration of the Apostolic Constitutions, as we have for the last few weeks, we move on to book six. This book begins by admonishing bishops to always teach the truth, and to avoid heresies: “Above all things, O bishop, avoid the sad and dangerous and most atheistical heresies, eschewing them as fire that burns those that come near to it. Avoid also schisms: for it is neither lawful to turn one’s mind towards wicked heresies, nor to separate from those of the same sentiment out of ambition” (bk. 6, n. 1).

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same” and “schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him” (CCC 2089). It seems strange to admonish a bishop to avoid such obvious dangers to the unity of the Faith, but even in the early Church, these problems were not unknown.

Interestingly enough, we continue to read that the apostles’ names were often applied to certain books, in hopes of gaining credibility and authority from their position. Nevertheless, the Constitutions urge not “to receive those books which obtain in our name, but are written by the ungodly. For you are not to attend to the names of the apostles, but to the nature of the things, and their settled opinions” (bk. 6, n. 16).

Next, the author addresses the issue of clerical celibacy; even as early as this writing (fourth century), we see an understanding of the clerical state as preventing future marriage: “it is not lawful for them, if they are unmarried when they are ordained, to be married afterwards; or if they be then married, to marry a second time, but to be content with that wife which they had when they came to ordination” (bk. 6, 17). Although no reason is given for such a teaching, it is clearly not something new or unexpected, but rather simply enforcing the common practice already understood by the Church.

The remainder of the sixth book describes the fulfillment of the Law (of the Old Testament) in Jesus Christ; as we move to the seventh book, however, we return to the themes that we saw in the Didache. That is, the notion of the “Two Ways” is in some sense the charter of the Christian life: “there are two ways – the one of life, the other of death; which have no comparison with one another, for they are very different, or rather entirely separate; and the way of life is that of nature, but that of death was afterwards introduced, – it not being according to the mind of God, but from the snares of the adversary” (bk. 7, n. 1).

Just as in the Didache, we then read all the various actions unbecoming of a Christian, and how to avoid them. Then begins a short section on Christian initiation, describing the various Sacraments. Interestingly, our celebration today retains many of the elements described in the Constitutions: “Beforehand anoint the person with the holy oil, and afterward baptize him with the water, and in the conclusion shall seal him with the ointment” (bk. 7, n. 22).

Likewise, the practice of always gathering on Sunday is essential to the Christian life: “On the day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord’s day, assemble yourselves together, without fail, giving thanks to God, and praising Him for those mercies God has bestowed upon you through Christ, and has delivered you from ignorance, error, and bondage” (bk. 7, n. 30).

As we prepare for the beginning of Lent during the next week, we will then turn and examine the early Christian preparation for the welcoming of catechumens, and the nature of their training and education in the Faith. Even today, we can consider Lent a sort of “Spring Training” to practice our Faith more fully, and to enter in each year more deeply to the mysteries of our Lord’s saving life, death, and resurrection.

Have a blessed week!

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 4, 2007

2007-02-05T09:59:00.000-05:00

I just realized that I'm missing a few posts, so I'll try to add them later today. Thanks for your patience!

I can hardly believe that February has already begun, and that Lent begins in just over two weeks. Our Holy Land pilgrimage leaves in just over a month; if you would like me to bring any prayer intentions, please e-mail me or bring a note by the office.

We will continue our exploration of the Apostolic Constitutions this week with Book 4, which begins by admonishing the faithful to have concern for the poor. Corresponding to this is the criticism of the love of money: “For he that has money and does not bestow it upon others, nor use it himself, is like the serpent, which they say sleeps over the treasures; and of him is that scripture true which says, ‘He has gathered riches of which he shall not taste;’ and they will be of no use to him he perishes justly” (Bk. 4, n. 4).

Next, we hear about domestic life: “Fathers, educate your children in the Lord, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Bk. 4, n. 11). Such education is still essential, always beginning in the home, which is the foundation of the life of the Church. We further read that parents will be held accountable for their children’s decisions: “if the offending children get into the company of debauched persons by the negligence of those that begat them, they will not be punished alone by themselves; but their parents also will be condemned on their account” (ibid.).

Book 5 describes the conditions of those condemned to death for confessing the Gospel; the faithful are encouraged to support the martyrs, to visit those condemned in prison, and to support the families they leave behind. Nevertheless, harsh words are reserved for those who deny Christ: “He that denies himself to be a Christian, that he may not be hated of men, and so loves his own life more than he does the Lord, in whose hand his breath is, is wretched and miserable, as being detestable and abominable, who desires to be the friend of men, but is the enemy of God, having no longer his portion with the saints, but with those who are accursed” (Bk. 5, n. 4).

Although these words sound somewhat harsh to us, considering the Lord’s mercy and compassion, when we imagine the devastation wrought by persecutions in the early Church, we can understand why denying Christ was so horrific. Since we are not faced with such visible and forceful persecution in our society, it is easy to admire the martyrs. Nevertheless, we must constantly defend the Faith by our actions and choices, so that our friends and neighbors would never doubt our obedience to Christ.

We also read about the feast-days to be celebrated by the early Church: “first of all, the birthday which you are to celebrate on the twenty-fifth of the ninth month; after which let the Epiphany be to you the most honored, in which the Lord made to you a display of His own Godhead, and let it take place on the sixth of the tenth month; after which the fast of Lent is to be observed.” (Bk. 5, n. 13).

A description of the Easter-Vigil also follows: “From the evening till cock-crowing keep awake, and assemble together in the church, watch and pray, and entreat God; reading, when you sit up all night, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, until cock-crowing, and baptizing your catechumens, and reading the Gospel with fear and trembling, and speaking to the people such things as tend to their salvation” (Bk. 5, n. 19). And then, “now the Lord is risen, offer your sacrifice, concerning which He made a constitution by us, saying, ‘Do this for a remembrance of me;’ and leave off your fasting, and rejoice, and keep a festival, because Jesus Christ, the pledge of our resurrection, is risen from the dead” (ibid.).

The continuity in Christian practice, for the sixteen centuries since the Constitutions were produced, never ceases to amaze me; we clearly rely upon our ancestors in the Faith for all that we have. We will continue to explore this document for the next few weeks; have a blessed and holy week!

Faith Seeking Understanding for January 28, 2007

2007-02-04T22:08:00.000-05:00

Last week, we began to explore the Apostolic Constitutions, a fourth-century work that gives us a depiction of the life of the early Church. Knowing our heritage and ancestors in the Faith gives us courage and hope that our own growth in holiness is not only possible, but it is what God desires. The third book of the Constitutions describes different roles in the Church, beginning with widows.

“Choose your ‘widows not under sixty years of age,’ that in some measure the suspicion of a second marriage may be prevented by their age” (Bk. 3, n. 1). Continuing, we read, “the true widows are those which have had only one husband, having a good report among the generality for good works; widows indeed, sober, chaste, faithful, pious, who have brought up their children well, and have entertained strangers unblameably, which are to be supported as devoted to God” (Bk. 3, n. 3).

The unique association of widows in the early Church provided a marvelous network of prayer and charity, as well as example and support for the entire Church. Reading further, we also see that these widows who dedicate themselves to prayer and good works provide an example of holiness; they are not distracted by idleness or gossip as well.

The Constitutions then turn to the distinction between the laity and the priesthood: “Neither do we permit the laity to perform any of the offices of the priesthood; as, for instance, neither the sacrifice, nor baptism, nor the laying on of hands, nor the blessing, whether the smaller or the greater…. For such sacred offices are conferred by the laying on of the hands of the bishop” (Bk. 3, n. 10). This illustrates a clear understanding of the Sacraments as received, and even the handing down of ordination only by a bishop connects the entire Church to the apostles in a very concrete manner.

The document also speaks of a “deaconess,” who was to assist at the baptisms of women; when immersion baptism was still celebrated, and those being baptized wore no clothes when they were immersed, “let a deacon receive the man and a deaconess the woman, so that the conferring of this inviolable seal may take place with a becoming decency” (Bk. 3, n. 16).

After this practical instruction follows a beautiful description of the meaning of baptism: “This baptism, therefore, is given into the death of Jesus: the water is instead of the burial, and the oil instead of the Holy Spirit; the seal instead of the cross; the ointment is the confirmation of the confession; the mention of the Father as of the Author and Sender; the join mention of the Holy Spirit as of the witness; the descent into the water the dying together with Christ; the ascent out of the water the rising again with Him. The Father is the god over all; Christ is the only-begotten God, the beloved Son, the Lord of glory; the Holy Ghost is the Comforter, who is sent by Christ, and taught by Him, and proclaims Him” (Bk. 3, n. 17).

Reflecting on our baptismal call, we can see the great dignity that is conferred by sharing in the death and resurrection of Christ; indeed, it is a sacrament that we could reflect upon daily as a reminder of our true home in heaven, and our new life in the Blessed Trinity.

Finally, we read about deacons, and their responsibility in the Church: “Let the deacons be in all things unspotted, as the bishop himself is to be, only more active; in number according to the largeness of the Church, that they may minister to the infirm as workmen that are not ashamed” (Bk. 3, n. 19). The deacons are further exhorted to “not scruple it, if they should be obliged to lay down their life for a brother” (ibid.). During days of persecution, such a visible witness to the love of Christ must have been a powerful example; many deacon-martyrs grace the list of saints: St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, and St. Vincent, are the most prominent.

Book Three concludes with the requirement on the ordinations of bishops and priests: “We command that a bishop be ordained by three bishops…. But a presbyter and a deacon are to be ordained by one bishop and the rest of the clergy” (Bk. 3, n. 20). This requirement still exists in the Church today.

We will continue with the Apostolic Constitutions next week. God bless you!

Faith Seeking Understanding for January 21, 2007

2007-02-04T10:07:00.000-05:00

Having examined the Didache in last week’s article, I would like to explore another work of the early Church that also bears the name of the Apostles: The Apostolic Constitutions. Unlike the second-century Didache, however, the Constitutions are clearly of later origin and never seem to have been regarded as authentically connected directly to the Apostles themselves. Nevertheless, the Constitutions do present a view of fourth-century Church life and practice.

The work is divided into eight books, covering the whole of the Christian life: the first book, on the laity; the second, on bishops, priests, and deacons; the third, on widows and some sacramental life; the fourth, on public works of charity and family life; the fifth, on the martyrs and the liturgy; the sixth, on heresies and the law; the seventh, on the Christian life, the Eucharist, and the Sacraments of Initiation; and the eighth, spiritual gifts and ordination.

Since it would be impossible to cover all the material in this extensive work, I will just present a few pertinent quotations that exhort the early Christians (and us) to greater holiness. To begin, we are encouraged to read Scripture: “Read the books of the Law, of the Kings, with the Prophets; sing the hymns of David; and peruse diligently the Gospel, which is the completion of the other” (Bk. 1, n. 5).

For family life, we read: “Let the husband not be insolent nor arrogant towards his wife; but compassionate, bountiful, willing to please his own wife alone, and treat her honorably and obligingly, endeavoring to be agreeable to her” (Bk. 1, n. 2). And further, “Let the wife be obedient to her own proper husband, because ‘the husband is the head of the wife’” (Bk. 1, n. 8). The expectation is clearly to sacrifice, each spouse for the other, out of reverence for Christ.

In the next book, the character of a bishop is described: “Let him also be merciful, of a generous and loving temper… Let him be also ready to give, a lover of the widow and the stranger; ready to serve, and minister, and attend; resolute in his duty; and let him know who is the most worthy of his assistance” (Bk. 2, n. 3). Why is this? “For you bishops are to be guides and watchmen to the people, as you yourselves have Christ for your guide and watchman” (Bk. 2, n. 6).

In this same book, we also read a brief description of what the church building ought to look like: “Let the building be long, with its head to the east, with its vestries on both sides at the east end, and so it will be like a ship. In the middle let the bishop’s throne be placed, and on each side of him let the presbytery sit down; and let the deacons stand near at hand, in close and small girt garments, for they are like the mariners and managers of the ship: with regard to these, let the laity sit on the other side, with all quietness and good order” (Bk. 2, n. 57).

It seems that even 1600 years ago, human nature was the same: “Let the deacon oversee the people, that nobody may whisper, nor slumber, nor laugh, nor nod; for all ought in the church to stand wisely, and soberly, and attentively, having their attention fixed upon the word of the Lord” (ibid.).

In addition, the importance of common prayer was stressed: “Assemble yourselves together every day, morning and evening, singing psalms and praying in the Lord’s house. In the morning saying the sixty-second Psalm, and in the evening the hundred and fortieth…. And on the day of our Lord’s resurrection, which is the Lord’s day, meet more diligently” (Bk. 2, n. 59).

Finally, we are reminded that our first and most important work is the worship of God: “Follow therefore your trades as by the by, for your maintenance, but make the worship of God your main business” (Bk. 2, n. 61).

We will continue to explore the remaining books of the Constitutions in the next few weeks. Hopefully, we have all been inspired by the tremendous presentation that Fr. J-Glenn Murray offered this past week; I am certain that it will help improve our celebration of the Sacred Liturgy here at St. John Neumann! Have a blessed week.

Faith Seeking Understanding for January 14, 2007

2007-01-14T18:24:00.000-05:00

Now that we have returned to the season of Ordinary Time, I would like to return to our study of the Fathers of the Church. We could move directly to a very lengthy study of one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church, St. Augustine. Before we embark on this challenging course, however, I would like to examine a very beautiful and profound document known as the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” or the Didache.

The Didache is an ancient document, dating from between 50 – 160 A.D., containing a description of the life of the early Church and an exhortation to holiness. It had been lost for centuries, until it was rediscovered in 1883. The Didache is divided into three parts: the first sets forth the teaching on the “two ways”, the second explains the Sacraments of the early Church, and the third addresses the Church’s ministers.

“There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, you shall love God who made you; second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you” (Didache, 1). The way of life is therefore the way of the Gospel, following Christ. It continues: “And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born” (ibid., 2).

All of these practices had become commonplace in the Roman Empire, and yet the Christians clearly understood the difference not only in their beliefs, but also in the way of life to which Christ had called them. A great many parallels exist in our culture today, and just as the early Christians, we are called to witness to the “way of life” set forth in the Gospel.

The way of death stands opposed to all of the teachings of Christ; it is a way that leads to destruction. How do we respond? “See that no one causes you to err from this way of the Teaching, since apart from God it teaches you. For if you are able to bear the entire yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able to do this, do what you are able” (ibid., 6).

The next section describes the practice of the Sacraments in the early Church. “And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water” (ibid., 7). It speaks of the Eucharist: “But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord” (ibid.). It also contains a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving to be said after receiving the Eucharist. Here is a sample:

“We thank You, holy Father, for Your holy name which You caused to dwell within our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. You, Master almighty, created all things for Your name’s sake; You gave food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to You; but to us You freely gave spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Your Servant” (ibid., 10).

The Didache concludes with a section on discerning between true and false teachers (or prophets), and how they ought to be treated: “Whosoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turns and teaches another doctrine to the destruction of this, hear him not” (ibid., 11).

The conclusion stands almost as a warning: “Watch for your life’s sake. Let not your lamps be quenched, nor your loins unloosed; but be ready, for you know not the hour in which our Lord will come. But come together often, seeking the things which are befitting to your souls: for the whole time of your faith will not profit you, if you are not made perfect in the last time” (ibid., 16).

Have a blessed week!

Urgent Need for Blood

2007-01-10T11:55:00.000-05:00

Our parish, St. John Neumann, in Canton, MI, is hosting a Blood Drive on Sunday, January 21. According to the recent request from the Michigan Red Cross, blood is beyond a critical need, and I would ask all of you to please come and donate, and to pass along this news.

St. John Neumann is located at the Northwest corner of Warren and Sheldon Roads, in Canton, Michigan.

Faith Seeking Understanding for January 7, 2007

2007-01-08T10:55:00.001-05:00

The Christmas season lasts until the Baptism of the Lord, which will be celebrated tomorrow this year. Ordinarily, this Feast is on a Sunday, but because the Solemnity of Epiphany is celebrated on this Sunday, the feast is transferred. Ordinary time begins on Tuesday, but we don’t want to miss out on the meaning and significance of today’s feast. Next Sunday, we’ll return to our exploration of the Fathers of the Church with the great St. Augustine.

Dom Guéranger speaks of the Epiphany in glowing terms: “The Epiphany is indeed a great Feast, and the joy caused us by the Birth of our Jesus must be renewed on it, for as though it were a second Christmas Day, it shows us our Incarnate God in a new light” (Dom Prosper Guéranger, The Liturgical Year, vol. 3, p. 108). The new light of Epiphany is that of the revelation of the Divinity of Christ to all the nations: “It leaves us all the sweetness of the dear Babe of Bethlehem, who hath appeared to us already in love; but to this it adds its own grand manifestation of the divinity of our Jesus” (ibid.).

The relationship with Christmas is made clear, since “at Christmas it was a few Shepherds that were invited by the Angels to go and recognize the Word made Flesh; but now, at the Epiphany, the voice of God himself calls the whole world to adore this Jesus, and hear him” (ibid.).

The feast of Epiphany celebrates three great mysteries of our Faith, “manifestations” of Jesus’ glory: “[first,] the mystery of the Magi coming from the East, under the guidance of a star, and adoring the Infant of Bethlehem as the divine King; [second,] the mystery of the Baptism of Chris, who, whilst standing in the waters of the Jordan, was proclaimed by the Eternal Father as Son of God; and thirdly, the mystery of the divine power of this same Jesus, when he changed the water into wine at the marriage-feast of Cana” (ibid.).

Yet even as we contemplate these three great mysteries, our hearts and minds are ever led to Calvary and to the Cross; the mystery of God-made-man is always a mystery of Sacrifice. Just as the rough wood of the manger – not even a fit crib for a baby, let alone for God! – points to the Throne of the Cross, from which Christ reigns in sacrifice, so to do the gifts of the Magi direct us to Sacrifice. The gold is for a great king, but the incense which calls to mind the prayers of the saints only serves to prepare us for the burial spices of myrrh, in anticipation of our Lord’s death.

The waters of Baptism signify burial as well; St. Paul asks “Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3). And even the great miracle of the water made into wine at Cana foreshadows another transformation: the wine of the Last Supper into the Precious Blood of our Savior. That Blood is poured out upon the Cross, so that each of us may have a share in the divine life.

The mystery of the Epiphany, then, must be lived out in our hearts and our homes. When we see the Kings adore the infant God, or when we see Christ emerge from the waters of the Jordan, or when we see the water-made-wine, we become aware of the eternal and transcendent God and of His passionate love for each of us. This Love is not just an idea or a feeling; it is a Person, Who comes to us physically in the Eucharist as often as we come to Him.

I pray that this Epiphany may be a new “manifestation” of God, particularly in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, for each of us this year. Then, as we return to our homes and families, places of work and recreation, we would in turn manifest Christ’s love to all whom we meet. This is the goal of the traditional house-blessing that many families celebrate on this day. By marking our doors in chalk with 2 0 + C + M + B + 0 7 and recalling not only the Kings (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar), but also the Latin prayer, “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” (May Christ bless this house), may we find that blessing every day of this New Year, and always.

May God bless you always!

Faith Seeking Understanding for December 31, 2006

2007-01-02T15:18:00.001-05:00

The Octave of Christmas is perhaps the most joyful time of the Church year. An “octave,” as the name implies, means simply “eight.” In the Church calendar, an octave is the week following a major feast day concluding with another feast on the “eighth day,” almost as an echo of the great celebration. Throughout the Middle Ages, Octaves were celebrated for many different feast; in the current calendar, the Church celebrates two octaves: Christmas and Easter.

Unlike the Octave of Easter, however, the Christmas Octave includes several other feast days: St. Stephen (Dec. 26^th), St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27^th), the Holy Innocents (Dec. 28^th), and St. Thomas à Becket (Dec. 29^th). The Sunday within the Octave is the Feast of the Holy Family. Even with all these feasts, however, we aren’t distracted from the primary celebration of the Birth of Christ, since the Saints draw their holiness from the Incarnation and in turn direct us back to contemplate our Lord as well.

The Octave-Day of Christmas is the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. This year, it falls immediately after the Feast of the Holy Family, allowing us to contemplate these mysteries in their fullness. For many centuries, this feast was called the Feast of the Lord’s Circumcision, since in St. Luke’s gospel we read: “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (2:21). Mary and Joseph were faithful to the Covenant that God had made with his Chosen People; circumcision was the sign of that covenant.

Concerning his birth and following circumcision, St. Bernard of Clairvaux says, “He was born of a woman, but by whose fruitfulness the fruit thus came forth, so that the flower of virginity was not crushed; he was wrapped in swaddling clothes, but these wrappings were honored by the praises of angels; he was hidden in the manger, but was revealed by a shining star from heaven. Just so, his circumcision proves the truth of his humanity; and his name, which is above every name, shows the glory of his majesty. Circumcised as a true son of Abraham; he was named Jesus as the true Son of God” (Sermo I in circumcisione Domini, n. 2).

The current feast, however, calls to mind the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Incarnation; she is in fact theotokos, the “God-Bearer,” as the Council of Ephesus declared in 431 A.D. Not simply a passive onlooker, the Blessed Virgin Mary truly cooperated in a unique and singular manner in the story of our salvation. Just as every human mother does not simply give birth to her children, so too, our Blessed Mother exercised her role in salvation history throughout her life. Mary is at the beginning of our Lord’s life, and at the end: “She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger” (Lk. 2:7) and then “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister….” (Jn. 19:25). Her entire life was a fulfillment of the promise she made to the angel at the Annunciation: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Lk. 1:38).

In between the Crib and the Cross, we find a mostly silent, contemplative Mary, who occasionally speaks (“They have no wine,” for example, at the wedding in Cana), but mostly ponders in her heart the greatness of her Son, and gently points him out to the entire world. Mary’s work continues today – may we be reminded of her importance in our lives, and renew our devotion to her maternal heart, always drawing us closer to Jesus.

Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity for all the Christmas cards and gifts I have received; please be assured of my gratitude and prayers. I pray that all of you will have a blessed and holy New Year, and that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, we may each grow in holiness every day of 2007, drawing closer to the Heart of her Divine Son. May God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for December 24, 2006

2006-12-29T11:33:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry it took me so long to post this for Christmas! I pray that everyone is enjoying the Octave, and celebrating the Birth of Our Lord with gusto. Thank you to those who have sent cards and gifts; I'll get to the Thank-Yous as soon as I send out my own Christmas cards!

From the December 24th Bulletin:

The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, or Christmas Day, celebrates that great and miraculous event of the birth of Jesus Christ to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. Our hearts and minds also reflect upon the related mystery of the Incarnation – God made man – at the Annunciation. These two deeply intimate and related mysteries of the virginal conception and the virgin birth demonstrate the incomprehensible reality of the blessed Trinity, which is at the same time entirely and completely transcendent and distant, and yet also immanent and present.

In honor of this great and awesome celebration of Christ’s Birth, our exploration of the Fathers of the Church will take a brief pause, and we will instead reflect upon these mysteries of Christ’s love, made present for us in the Sacred Liturgy and revealed to us in Sacred Scripture.

“The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” says St. John’s Gospel (1:14). Such is the joy that fills our hearts (and the entire world) at God’s coming among us as a man. Yet His generosity and humility does not stop there, but He condescends to come among us as one of us, being born into a human family, thereby sanctifying every part of human life. The “hidden life” of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, gives us confidence that the Creator of the universe desired to endure the difficulties and hardships of family life, not only to provide an example but also to sanctify it from within.

Joyfully, then, we welcome Christ into the Holy Family and place the baby Jesus into his manger on Christmas morning. By doing so, however, we welcome Him into our own families as well, desiring to keep Him there not only during the Octave of Christmas (which we should celebrate with fervor!) but throughout the year. Even the image of the manger (or less-romantically the “feeding-trough”) and the name of Bethlehem (“House of Bread”) directs our minds to the Holy Eucharist, in which we feed upon Christ, the Bread of Life.

The Incarnation stands at the center of all human history: our Advent preparations recall the longing of the world for centuries upon centuries for our Savior to come, and our celebration of Christmas directs our lives to prepare the world for His return in Glory. God, having joined Himself definitively to our human nature, saves us by His miraculous birth and gives us each a personal share in the redemption He won for us by the Cross.

Wonders do not cease, however, as we contemplate the entrance of God into His creation, for by the union of the Creator to his creatures, He restores all creation in Himself. Therefore every Sacrament owes its possibility to the Incarnation. Because God has sanctified the ordinary and humble material world, through bread and wine, water and oil, and human touch, He gives to His Church the means of salvation through these very ordinary means. It was “by the Holy Spirit” that Mary conceived our Lord; likewise, it is “by the Holy Spirit” that each Sacrament allows material creation to mediate the grace of the Paschal Mystery (the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ).

As Dom Guéranger illustrates in his Christmas volume, “It is for this divine transformation that the world was in expectation for four thousand years, and for which the Church prepared herself by the four weeks of Advent. It has come at last, and Jesus is about to enter within us, if we will but receive him. He asks to be united to each one of us in particular, just as he is united by His Incarnation to the whole human race; and for this end, He wishes to become our Bread, our spiritual nourishment. His coming into the souls of men at this mystic season has no other aim that this union. He comes not to judge the world, but that world may be saved by him, and that all may have life, and may have it more abundantly” (Dom Prosper Guéranger, The Liturgical Year, vol. 2, p. 11).

It would be difficult to conclude without quoting from the great St. Bernard of Clairvaux, from his second homily for Christmas Eve, “Who by his great mercy unto that great birth, and who tomorrow leads us to that most famous event, and likewise tomorrow to visit us as our neighbor and condescend to be with us … who tomorrow sets foot upon earth, that we might receive the crown of our infant King with the joy of salvation and be victorious with Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit who lives and reigns, God, forever and ever. Amen.”

Have a blessed and Merry Christmas!

Faith Seeking Understanding for December 17, 2006

2006-12-20T13:36:00.001-05:00

Since Christmas Eve is also the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we are only one week away from Christmas. Customarily, this week has been a week of intensified prayer and even works of penance to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Certain cultures maintain this tradition by abstaining from meat on Christmas Eve. Because the days fall as they do, our Mass schedule is also somewhat confusing for next weekend. Planning ahead will ensure that we are able to celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent with its joyful anticipation – as well as to enjoy the celebration of the Birth of Christ on Christmas Day. The Sacred Liturgy prepares us for this Feast, but also allows us to encounter these Mysteries in a tangible way.

Continuing with our preparation for Christmas, but also in our exploration of Tertullian and his theology, we move into the “Montanist” or heretical period of his work. Not everything that Tertullian wrote during this time was in error, as we will see, but his separation from the Church casts suspicion on them. In order to refute another heretic, Marcion, he wrote “On the Flesh of Christ,” proving that Christ has a human body. Appropriately, we will explore this work today.

Christ, by sharing in human birth, demonstrates his care and concern for every aspect of human life: “Our birth He reforms from death by a second birth from heaven; our flesh He restored every harassing malady; when leprous, He cleanses it of the stain; when blind, He rekindles its light; when palsied, He renews its strength; when possessed with devils, He exorcises it; when dead, He reanimates, -- then shall we blush to own [our flesh]?” (On the Flesh of Christ, ch. 4).

Recalling the dualism of Marcion’s heresy, we can understand why Marcion would be ashamed of God having human flesh, since there can be no interaction between spirit and matter. Nevertheless, Tertullian demonstrates the Catholic faith quite strongly, in insisting on the reality of Christ’s birth. “Which is more unworthy of God, which is more likely to raise a blush of shame, that God should be born, or that He should die? That He should bear the flesh, or the cross? Be circumcised, or be crucified? Be cradled, or be coffined? Be laid in a manger, or in a tomb?” (ch. 5).

If all these things were merely figments of the imagination, or only “phantoms,” we are reminded “all that we hope for from Christ will be a phantom” (ibid.). Tertullian adds a rhetorical flourish to illustrate his point: “You ought rather to have brought Christ down, not from heaven, but from some troop of mountebanks, not as God besides man, but simply as a man, a magician; not as the High Priest of our salvation, but as the conjurer in a show; not as the raiser of the dead, but as the misleader of the living, -- except that, if He were a magician, He must have had a nativity!” (ibid.).

As a corollary of the truth of the Incarnation, when the Word became flesh, he sanctified humanity: “For in putting on our flesh, He made it His own; in making it His own, He made it sinless” (ch. 16). In all of these statements, Tertullian does not err or stray from the Catholic faith, and although his rhetoric may seem extreme in certain cases, his goal was to publicly defend the truth of the Incarnation.

Our Holy Land pilgrimage preparations are in full swing; please prayerfully consider joining us as we explore the places made holy by Jesus’ own footsteps. There are flyers in the gathering area. Have a blessed Third Week of Advent as we “rejoice in the Lord always,” and prepare our hearts and homes for His coming at Christmas. May God bless you!

Faith Seeking Understanding for December 10, 2006

2006-12-20T13:35:00.000-05:00

Drawing closer to the great Solemnity of Christmas, we have already arrived at the Second Sunday of Advent, with only two full weeks to prepare for the coming of Christ. The theology of Tertullian will continue to assist us in our preparations, while we continue to examine his orthodox writings. The ancient maxim, “Corruptio optimi pessima” or “The corruption of the best is the worst,” held true with Tertullian. His faithful writings provide a sure and true guide to theology, whereas his heretical writings only bewilder and surprise.

In his work The Prescription Against Heretics, Tertullian continues the important work of establishing the authentic rule of belief against those who taught contrary to the teachings of the Apostles, handed on through the authority of the Church. This rule of faith “prescribes the belief that there is one only God, and that He is none other than the Creator of the world, who produced all things out of nothing through His own Word…; that this Word is called His Son, and … at last brought down by the Spirit and Power of the Father into the Virgin Mary, was made flesh in her womb, and being born of her, went forth as Jesus Christ” (On Prescription Against Heretics, ch. 13).

The source, he says, for this rule of Faith is the teaching of the Apostles, who were directly sent by Jesus Christ. In turn, the Apostles bore witness to this Faith by their preaching and miraculous deeds, in order that the churches founded by them in every city would preserve this same Faith. “Indeed, it is on this account only,” Tertullian teaches, “that they will be able to deem themselves apostolic, as being the offspring of apostolic churches. … Therefore the churches, although they are so many and great, comprise but the one primitive church, (founded) by the apostles, from which they all (spring)” (ibid., ch. 20).

Furthermore, “it is in the same degree manifest that all doctrine which agrees with the apostolic churches – those molds and original sources of the faith must be reckoned for truth, as undoubtedly containing that which the churches received from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, Christ from God” (ibid., ch. 21).

The simple historical truth of apostolic succession (a continuous connection to the apostles and the churches which the founded) is the most eloquent defense of the truth of the Catholic Faith.

More than defending the truth and historicity of the Church, however, Tertullian is also known for the development of Latin terminology and systematic theology to describe the Sacraments. On Baptism begins with beautiful words of hope and confidence: “Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life!” (On Baptism, ch. 1).

In this treatise we discover a systematic explanation of the Sacrament of Baptism, beginning with its prefigurement in the Old Testament (the parting of the Red Sea, the water from the rock, the waters of the great flood), the correspondence of the exterior sign (washing with water) to the interior grace (cleansing of sin and recreation in the Holy Spirit), an answer to objections, and the effects of Baptism.

Examining his treatise On Prayer is a fitting way to conclude this week’s article, because Tertullian explores the Lord’s Prayer, which he says is an “epitome of the whole Gospel” (On Prayer, ch. 1). As proof, he summarizes: “The honor of God in the ‘Father;’ the testimony of faith in the ‘Name;’ the offering of obedience in the ‘Will;’ the commemoration of hope in the ‘Kingdom;’ the petition for life in the ‘Bread;’ the full acknowledgement of debts in the prayer for their ‘Forgiveness;’ the anxious dread of temptation in the request for ‘Protection.’ What wonder? God alone could teach how He wished Himself prayed to” (ibid., ch. 9).

What is the value of such properly Christian prayer? “It supplies the suffering, and the feeling, and the grieving, with endurance; it amplifies grace by virtue. … Prayer is the wall of faith: her defensive and offensive armor against the foe who keeps watch over us on all sides. And, so we never walk unarmed” (ibid., ch. 29).

May we persevere in prayer as we watch for the coming of Christ! Have a blessed week!

Apology for Delinquency

2006-12-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

I apologize for my slow and erratic posting of my articles. As you might imagine, things have been busy as we prepare to celebrate the Birth of Christ.

I'll add the previous two weeks now...

Faith Seeking Understanding for December 3, 2006

2006-12-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

The First Sunday of Advent begins a new liturgical year and begins to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas. In celebrating the Incarnation (God becoming man), the Church recognizes the importance and goodness of material creation and its union with the spiritual world in the person of Jesus Christ. By studying the Fathers of the Church, we have seen that the great theologians continually defended the goodness of the physical world, in contrast to the Gnostics (and others) who believed that the spiritual was always opposed to the physical.

We have a unique perspective on this battle in the early Church through the eyes of our next theologian: Tertullian. Tertullian was born around 160 A.D., in Carthage (North Africa, in modern-day Tunisia), and was a lawyer by profession. As a young man, he converted to Christianity and was ordained a priest around the year 200. He is often referred to as the Father of the Latin Church because he wrote no longer in Greek, but in Latin, vigorously defending Catholic practice and theology against pagans and heretics.
Unfortunately, his important role in the foundation of Latin Christianity began to suffer. Within a few years, Tertullian himself joined a heretical group known as “Montanists,” and he definitively separated from the Church by 213. From this point, he wrote even more strongly against the Catholic Church he had once loved and defended. Although the Montanists were moral rigorists, even their practice was not strict enough for him, and Tertullian eventually founded his own sect. According to St. Jerome, Tertullian died at a very old age, around 240 A.D., at Carthage.

Even though his later writings are heretical, Tertullian provides an important body of work detailing heresy and Catholic thought, as well as employing certain words and phrases in Latin that are still in use today. St. Cyprian of Carthage (early third century) relied heavily on Tertullian’s theology, which later influenced St. Augustine. We will spend a few weeks exploring Tertullian’s contribution to Latin theology.
Of his early works, the Apology defends Christians against the claims and attacks of the Roman Empire in its persecution of the early Church. After reading his excessive rhetoric, we might wonder if the Romans were even more outraged and determined to destroy the Christians. After mocking, to a certain extent, the false claims made against Christians (such as those of cannibalism, incest, and other shameful practices), Tertullian begins to describe the actual beliefs and practices of the Christians.

“We are neither ashamed of Christ – for we rejoice to be counted His disciples, and in His name to suffer” (Apology, ch. 21). He continues to describe the person of Jesus Christ: “He proceeds forth from God, and in that procession He is generated; so that He is the Son of God, and is called God from unity of substance with God” (ibid). But, the Second Person of the Trinity then proceeded forth from God, “Descending into a certain virgin, and made flesh in her womb, is in His birth God and man united” (ibid).

This, however, is only the first coming of Christ. “A second [coming], which impends over the world, now near its close, in all the majesty of Deity unveiled” (ibid). Nevertheless, the Empire still counts Christians as enemies, even though they simply worship God. Why?

“They pay no vain, nor false, nor foolish honors to the emperor; that, as men believing in the true religion, they prefer to celebrate their festal days with a good conscience, instead of with common wantonness” (ch. 35). He finally turns the persecutions on their heads, because “[Christians] conquer in dying; we go forth victorious at the very time we are subdued” (ch. 50), so much so, that we read that famous phrase at the conclusion of his work: “The seed [of the Church] is the blood of Christians” (ibid).

We will continue with Tertullian next week; have a blessed first week of Advent, as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Christ-Child. May God bless you!

Family of Faith Apostolate

2006-12-01T14:44:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it's a bit late to promote a talk I'm giving this evening, but here it is.

I'll be speaking on "The Sacraments of Christian Initiation" tonight at Sacred Heart Parish in Dearborn, Michigan, for the Families of Faith Apostolate at 7:30 pm. Hope to see you there.

Sacred Heart Parish website and directions.

Faith Seeking Understanding for November 26, 2006

2006-11-26T11:07:00.001-05:00

We have reached the end of another Liturgical Year as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King today, and prepare for the First Sunday of Advent next week. Hopefully, everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving spent with family and friends, to thank God for the blessings of this past year. Recounting our blessings often spurs us to imitate Christ in His boundless generosity and to give of ourselves in return.

Clement of Alexandria was concerned for those who had been blessed with material possessions, and so he wrote the treatise: “Who is the rich man who may be saved?” This treatise explores the meaning of ownership and property, the role of wealth in human life, its dangers and pitfalls, but also its blessings.

He begins by beautifully presenting the hope of salvation, even for the wealthy: “let not the man that has been invested with worldly wealth proclaim himself excluded at the outset from the Savior’s lists, provided he is a believer and one who contemplates the greatness of God's philanthropy” (n. 3). But, this does not mean the path will be easy: “Nor let him, on the other hand, expect to grasp the crowns of immortality without struggle and effort, continuing untrained, and without contest.”

What is the path to salvation, even for the rich man? “Let him go and put himself under the Word as his trainer, and Christ the President of the contest; and for his prescribed food and drink let him have the New Testament of the Lord; and for exercises, the commandments; and for elegance and ornament, the fair dispositions, love, faith, hope, knowledge of the truth, gentleness, meekness, pity, gravity: so that, when by the last trumpet the signal shall be given for the race and departure hence, as from the stadium of life, he may with a good conscience present himself victorious before the Judge who confers the rewards, confessedly worthy of the Fatherland on high, to which he returns with crowns and the acclamations of angels.”

“Riches, then,” he says, “which benefit also our neighbors, are not to be thrown away” (n. 14) but rather rightly used for their benefit. He continues, by reminding the reader that even those who have cast off their possessions may still be afflicted by the passions, whereas the proper use of possessions and wealth can serve even to rightly order our desires and help us grow in holiness.

“If one is able in the midst of wealth to turn from its power, and to entertain moderate sentiments, and to exercise self-command, and to seek God alone, and to breathe God and walk with God” (n. 26), this is the rich man who may be saved, not through his own efforts, but by the God’s grace.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone of some upcoming events:

On Tuesday, November 28^th, at 7:00 pm, Steve Ray will be at St. John Neumann to offer a presentation about the Holy Land pilgrimage coming up in March. Come and learn about the places where our Lord walked and taught.

The following Tuesday, December 5^th, at 7:00 pm, the parish presents Leonardo Defilippis as Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz. Tickets are free for parishioners; simply stop by the office and pick them up, and don’t miss this excellent performance!

Have a blessed week as we prepare for the Advent of our Lord.

Faith Seeking Understanding for November 19, 2006

2006-11-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

After the brief “detour” through our Roman pilgrimage, we return to our study of the Fathers of the Church with St. Clement of Alexandria. Before beginning our study, however, I would like to invite you to a few upcoming events at the parish.

On Tuesday, November 28^th, at 7:00 pm, local apologist Steve Ray will be at St. John Neumann to offer a presentation about the Holy Land pilgrimage coming up in March. Steve is an amazing speaker with an incredible amount of first-hand experience in the Holy Land. He has published several books and is the host of a DVD series that explores the Scriptures through the lens of the Holy Land. It will be our privilege to hear him in person and pick his brain – so even if you won’t be able to come along on pilgrimage, please join us on Tuesday, November 28^th to bolster your faith with Steve Ray.

The following Tuesday, December 5^th, at 7:00 pm, we are extremely happy to welcome Leonardo Defilippis and his one-man drama Maximilian: Saint of Auschwitz. I have known Leonardo for more than 10 years and thoroughly enjoy his productions. Maximilian, in particular, captures the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe in a very intense, yet spiritual and family-friendly manner. Tickets are free for parishioners; simply stop by the office and pick them up.

Clement of Alexandria was raised in the pagan culture of second century Greece. Most likely born in Athens, he was converted to the Faith of Jesus Christ, and sought deeper instruction. He finally arrived in Alexandria (Egypt), the ancient center of the Greek Academy and pagan philosophy, to study under Pantaenus, the head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Eventually, Clement would succeed Pantaenus and lead the famous School; owing, however, to persecutions in the early third century throughout Egypt, he was forced to flee. The details of his death around 215 A.D. are unknown.

Three major works of Clement are extant: the Exhortation to the Greeks, the Tutor, and Miscellanies. Some scholars see in these titles a great trilogy of the Christian life, corresponding to initial conversion, ongoing education in the Faith, and divine illumination. Clement of Alexandria stands as a pioneer in the harmonization of Greek philosophy with the Truth of Jesus Christ. He is also known for another work, “Who is the Rich Man who can be saved?”, a treatise exploring the possibility of salvation for the wealthy.

His teaching is too much to contain in one article, so I will simply present a few of his quotes here, and we can return to Clement next week.

“Man, that had been free by reason of simplicity, was found fettered to sins. The Lord then wished to release him from his bonds, and clothing Himself with flesh – O divine mystery! – vanquished the serpent, and enslaved the tyrant death; and, most marvelous of all, man that had been deceived by pleasure, and bound fast by corruption, had his hands unloosed, and was set free. O mystic wonder! The Lord was laid low, and man rose up; and he that fell from Paradise receives as the reward of obedience something greater – namely, heaven itself” (Exhortation to the Greeks, Ch. XI).

“As therefore the … the pilot steers the vessel, desiring to save the passengers; so also the Instructor [Christ] guides the children to a saving course of conduct, through solicitude for us; and, in general, whatever we ask in accordance with reason from God to be done for us, will happen to those who believe in the Instructor. And just as the helmsman does not always yield to the winds, but sometimes, turning the prow towards them, opposes the whole force of the hurricanes; so the Instructor never yields to the blasts that blow in this world, nor commits the child to them like a vessel to make shipwreck on a wild and licentious course of life; but, wafted on by the favoring breeze of the Spirit of truth, stoutly holds on to the child's helm – his ears, I mean – until He bring him safe to anchor in the haven of heaven” (Tutor, Bk. I, Ch. VII).

Have a blessed week!

Faith Seeking Understanding for November 12, 2006

2006-11-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

Last week’s article detailed the first half of our pilgrimage; this week, I’ll describe the many graces we received upon our arrival in Rome. Even though the drive back from San Giovanni Rotondo was long, we had an ambitious schedule for our first day in Rome: Mass in one of the crypt chapels of St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. After a very brief tour of St. Peter’s and a quick lunch, it was time for the “Scavi” tour.

“Scavi” means “excavations” in Italian; these particular excavations were begun in the 1940s when an ancient cemetery was discovered underneath St. Peter’s Basilica. Even though tradition had always said that St. Peter’s tomb lay directly beneath the high altar, no one had attempted to find the tomb. After extensive digging and many significant discoveries, the team reached the area of St. Peter’s tomb. Many experts were involved, including an expert in ancient graffiti, to decipher the writings on the uncovered monuments.

Amazingly enough, St. Peter’s tomb was found, along with bone fragments of one man, of robust build, from 70 – 80 years old. This matches our description of St. Peter – a fisherman who served the Church as the first pope until around 67 A.D., when tradition says he was crucified upside-down by the emperor Nero. The Scavi tour was a very moving and powerful experience for all of us.

That evening, I had the unexpected good fortune of meeting many of my friends who live in Rome for dinner; God’s providence provided for our busy schedule!The next day, we celebrated Mass at St. Paul’s, visited the catacombs, and several other noteworthy churches.

We had to rise early on Wednesday, to be in line for the Papal Audience (so we could have the best seats). Despite some exuberant late-arriving pilgrims from other countries, we managed to secure our places to have a magnificent view of Pope Benedict XVI as he rode by on his “Popemobile”. He gave a moving talk about the life and importance of St. Paul. Afterwards, some of us spent a wonderful evening attempting to conquer a seemingly endless banquet of Roman cuisine at my favorite local “Hostaria”.

Thursday was our last day in Rome, so we made the most of it by celebrating Mass at Santa Maria Maggiore, the oldest Church (in the West) dedicated to our Lady. Beneath the high altar is a reliquary containing the manger in which Christ was placed on the first Christmas. We enjoyed a wonderful “Arrivederci Roma” dinner at Piazza Navona, and then packed for our flight home. Thank you so much for your prayers while we were gone; we kept your petitions with us for the entire time.

For those interested, I am planning a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March. Steve Ray will give a presentation on our trip at St. John Neumann on November 28, at 7:00 pm. Have a blessed week!

Homily for the Thirty-First Sunday; Year B

2006-11-05T11:03:00.000-05:00

Rather than the text of the homily, just some points for consideration:

Christ tells us the first, and most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second? Love your neighbor as yourself.
Because of Original Sin, our heart, soul, and mind are weakened and darkened. We desire those things we shouldn't, or desire even good things in excess. Our intellect is afflicted by these desires, and we attempt to see reality according to our preferences, instead of according to the truth.
No area of our life is exempt from the love of God -- our family life, economic life, sexual life; our recreation, health, and education; even politics are under the realm of Christ's Kingdom. We learn the principles from the Church, and then enact these according to our proper competence. For the lay faithful in the Church, this means proclaiming the Gospel by your lives and choices.
Politically, this means that the social order ought to be converted to Christ and conformed to the truth by the involvement of the laity. Nevertheless, we must always live and act in accordance with the truth, given to us by the teaching authority of the Church. Political choices bear great weight in the moral life because of the responsibility we have to govern ourselves rightly.
The Church hierarchy does not propose candidates or public policy decisions, but rather seeks to form consciences and sanctify the laity, who in turn act upon well-formed consciences in their political life and build up the social order.

This Tuesday's election presents a concrete opportunity to direct our hearts and illumine our minds according to the Church's timeless and unchangeable teaching on the respect for human life. In particular:

Respect for human life at its beginning and end is essential. This defines our political responsibility and governs the limits by which we may properly exercise our political freedom. Embryonic stem-cell research and abortion cannot be supported because of their direct attack on the dignity of the human person.
No perceived social benefit, aggregate good, or other criteria can overcome this fundamental and foundational respect for human life at its beginning and end. Moreover, this is not an issue of revealed truth, but rather a circumstance in which our natural reason has become clouded. Therefore the Church calls our attention to the dignity of the person, even though that person is still in the womb.
Marriage between one man and one woman also reveals our fundamental understanding of the human person, the meaning and dignity of human sexuality, and the context in which children will be raised.

An objection may be raised, namely, that other areas of "respect for life", such as concern for the poor, improvement in the educational system, questions about just war, and capital punishment, are just as important. Then-Cardinal Ratzinger addressed this very question in a 2004 letter to Cardinal McCarrick, of Washington, D.C. We read: "There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia" (from July 2004 Memo).

Political issues often arouse our deepest emotions and reactions. The world of politics speaks to the very core of our beliefs about right and wrong, good and evil, justice and injustice. The Cross of Jesus Christ directs us to seek not our own wills, our own political parties, or salvation in anyone or anything but Him. Even in our political life, Christ Himself desires to direct our affections, illumine our minds, and inspire our souls so that we may serve Him with all our strength.

May we serve Him faithfully, not just this coming Tuesday, but every day of our life.

Faith Seeking Understanding for November 5, 2006

2006-11-05T10:55:00.003-05:00

Back from Italy!

All of our pilgrims safely returned from a very blessed journey to Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo, and Rome. Personally, I had an incredible time, and received countless graces and blessings that will take quite a while to reflect upon and understand. Thank you so much for all of your prayers while we were gone; we placed your petitions on or near the altars upon which we celebrated the Holy Mass each day, and kept you in our thoughts and prayers throughout the pilgrimage.

I had not returned to Italy since my ordination, so the opportunity to celebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi, the church where St. Pio celebrated for many years, and St. Peter’s Basilica was nearly overwhelming. Celebrating Mass at these holy places was certainly a highlight for me, but God had many other graces in store for us as well.

Upon arrival in Assisi, we visited the Portiuncula chapel at Saint Mary of the Angels and celebrated Mass. The Portiuncula was one of the churches physically rebuilt by St. Francis, and is very near the place he died. The following day we visited his tomb, and explored Assisi, seeing the tomb of St. Clare and wandering through the quiet, peaceful medieval town.

From there, it was on to San Giovanni Rotondo, via the important shrines of Loreto (the Holy House of Nazareth) and Lanciano. Lanciano is home to an extraordinary Eucharistic Miracle: in the 8^th century, after the Consecration of the bread and wine, the host visibly turned to human flesh, and the wine, to human blood. Since that time, the miracle has been kept for pilgrims to venerate, and in the 1970’s, scientific tests revealed that the host was actually a slice of human heart muscle, matching the blood-type of the coagulated blood. This miracle is a profound testimony to the reality of the Eucharistic Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Pio’s shrine was crowded with pilgrims, but we were blessed to speak with a friar who had known Padre Pio for several years before his death. After hearing about Padre Pio’s extraordinary and miraculous life, he asked me to bless our pilgrims with a glove Padre Pio had used to cover the wounds in his hands from the stigmata. This was entirely unexpected, and very moving for all of us.

We then visited the nearby Monte Sant’Angelo, where St. Michael the Archangel has appeared several times. We then had to endure the long drive back to Rome, where we arrived just in time to eat a marvelous dinner and collapse into bed. Next week, I’ll share a few photos and stories from the Rome portion of our pilgrimage, and then we’ll return to the Fathers of the Church.

May God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for October 29, 2006

2006-11-05T10:55:00.001-05:00

Although we’re already back from our pilgrimage to Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo, and Rome, I’m actually writing this article before we leave. Next week, I promise to include some photographs of our group and share some of the great stories from our journey. I also hope to return to a World Championship Tigers victory!

This week, however, we continue our reading of the Shepherd, and his second book of “commandments.” The seventh commandment the shepherd gives to Hermas is to “Fear the Lord and keep His commandments” (commandment 7). Obeying the commandments might seem obvious, but more importantly, we need to properly understand the “fear of the Lord”. He says “the fear of the Lord is strong, and great, and glorious” (ibid.). This fear does not shrink, cower, or hinder our action; rather, it compels us to love. Such “fear” is not “being afraid,” but rather knowing God’s immense power and love for us, seeks to respond by obeying Him and loving Him in return. Conversely, we are not to fear the devil, because as the shepherd says, “there is no power in him” (ibid.).

Moving to the eighth commandment, we discover what philosophers call the “First Principle of the Natural Law,” or “Do good and avoid evil.” As the shepherd tells Hermas, “Restrain yourself in regard to evil and do it not; but exercise no restraint in regard to good, but do it” (commandment 8). Hermas wonders what he should avoid, and the shepherd covers every sin from lust to slander; but then he hears what good things he should do; the list is beautiful: “First of all, there is faith, then fear of the Lord, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, patience. …[H]elping widows, looking after orphans and the needy, rescuing the servants of God from necessities, being hospitable, never opposing anyone, being quiet, having fewer needs than all men, reverencing the aged, practicing righteousness, watching the brotherhood, bearing insolence, being long-suffering, encouraging those who are sick in soul, not casting those who have fallen into sin from the faith, but turning them back and restoring them to peace of mind, admonishing sinners, and not oppressing debtors and the needy” (ibid.).

Unceasing prayer is the topic of the ninth commandment: “With all your heart turn to the Lord, and ask of Him without doubting, and you will know the multitude of His tender mercies; that He will never leave you, but fulfill the request of your soul. …Do not cease to make the request of your soul and you will obtain it” (commandment 9).

The tenth commandment exhorts Hermas to cast out grief, which comes from doubt and anger, and to instead “put on cheerfulness, which is always agreeable and acceptable to God, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does what is good, and minds what is good, and despises grief; but the sorrowful man always acts wickedly. First, he acts wickedly because he grieves the Holy Spirit, which was given to man a cheerful Spirit.” (commandment 10). Also, grief tends to consume a person, he says, even pushing away the Holy Spirit.

As we move to the eleventh commandment, we find another tool for discernment, rather than something to avoid. The shepherd instead exhorts Hermas to discern between true and false prophets by examining their works: “Try by his deeds and life the man who says that he is inspired” (commandment 11). Certainly, even today, this is sound advice.

Finally, the twelfth commandment concludes this section of the Shepherd. After all the previous exhortations to action or choices, Hermas is now encouraged in his desires: “Put away from you all wicked desire, and clothe yourself with good and chaste desire” (commandment 12, ch. 1). Desire is at the root of our choices and actions; when we strive to purify even our desires, the shepherd says, we cultivate good desires and live in the Spirit of the Lord. Even though these are difficult commandments, we should not be discouraged, because “the man who has the Lord in his heart can also be lord of all and of every one of these commandments” (ibid., ch. 4). In truth, he says, with the Lord in our heart, “there is nothing easier or sweeter, or more manageable than these commandments” (ibid.).

This builds confidence in our own ability to follow Christ. May God bless you all!

Previous Articles Finally Published!

2006-11-05T10:34:00.000-05:00

Faith Seeking Understanding for October 22, 2006

Although I’m writing this article before we leave to Italy, according to our itinerary, we should be leaving San Giovanni Rotondo today and arriving in Rome this evening. We’ll return on Friday evening, hopefully with many wonderful stories and photographs, as well as a renewed spirit of faith and desire for holiness. Be assured of our prayers throughout the pilgrimage.

Returning to the Shepherd of Hermas, we continue with the second book, on the commandments. The commandments that are given come from the vision of the shepherd which completed the first book. He gives a total of twelve commandments; we will briefly explore each one.

“First of all, believe that there is one God who created and finished all things, and made all things out of nothing” (bk. 2, commandment 1). Clearly, even obedience to the commandments comes from God Himself; He is the source and goal of our lives.

The second commandment says, “speak evil of no one, nor listen with pleasure to anyone who speaks evil of another” (commandment 2). As a corollary, we are also urged to give alms and care for the poor. The two are related through a certain purity of heart which always seeks holiness of life.

Third, we read, “Love the truth and let nothing but truth proceed from your mouth, that the spirit which God has placed in your flesh may be found truthful” (commandment 3). At these words, Hermas weeps in repentance and begs forgiveness for his lies, at which point the shepherd encourages him in his sorrow – and in reforming his life.

The fourth commandment forbids adultery and other sexual immorality: “Guard your chastity and let no thought enter your heart of another man’s wife, or of fornication, or of similar iniquities” (commandment 4, ch. 1). Yet the shepherd constantly counsels repentance and forgiveness, even for a spouse who has been unfaithful. This prompts Hermas to inquire about the importance of repentance even after baptism, at which point he learns that “if anyone is tempted by the devil and sins after [baptism], he has opportunity to repent but once” (ibid., ch. 3). From this statement, we see that the penitential discipline in the early Church was very rigorous, but offered hope to those who sinned after baptism.

Next, the struggle between patience and anger is analyzed; we can recognize the same struggles in our souls, even today: “For nothing at all, the man or woman becomes embittered on account of occurrences in their daily life, as for instance on account of their food, or some superfluous word that has been uttered, or on account of some friend, or some gift or debt, or some such senseless affair. For all these things are foolish and empty and unprofitable to the servants of God. But patience is great, and mighty, and strong, and calm in the midst of great enlargement, joyful, rejoicing, free from care, glorifying God at all times, having no bitterness in her, and abiding continually meek and quiet. Now this patience dwells with those who have complete faith” (commandment 5, ch. 2). Patience, he says, will then strengthen us for the rest of the commandments.

The sixth commandment, rather than being something to avoid, offers guidance for the “discernment of spirits.” Hermas asks how to know the difference between the Holy Spirit and the spirit of the evil one. Just as Jesus says, we know these spirits by their fruits: the evil spirit encourages us in anger, harshness, greed, lust, pride, and similar things; the good spirit, however, encourages us in righteousness, purity, chastity, gentleness and modesty. His counsel? “Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness; but depart from the angel of iniquity, because his instruction is bad in every deed” (commandment 6, ch. 2).

Next week, we will finish the commandments of the Shepherd. Confidently, too, we should be celebrating a victorious Detroit Tigers World Championship team as well. May God bless you all!

Photos from Italy

2006-11-01T13:14:00.000-05:00

If you click on the link below, you can visit the photo album from the pilgrimage. It's only a small sample.

Italy 2006

Safely Home

2006-10-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

Last night, we all safely returned from an amazing pilgrimage to Italy. The past ten days were extremely blessed, with many memories and graces to treasure for the days, months, and years to come.

I'll post a real travel-log as soon as I have a few moments, including some of the best pictures I took.

Highlight for me: Mass at the tomb of St. Francis in Assisi. Simply unbelievable.

On Pilgrimage!

2006-10-18T12:54:00.000-04:00

Along with 45 parishioners, I am leaving today for Italy. We'll arrive in Rome, then immediate go to Assisi; after a day in Assisi, we head to San Giovanni Rotondo. After a day there, we return to Rome for four days.

Please pray for our safe travel and spiritual growth, and be assured of our prayers for you as well. If I get a chance to "check in" from an Internet Cafe, I will post an update of our travels.

Arrivederci!

Annual Football Challenge

2006-10-16T11:05:00.000-04:00

We had a great time at the St John Neumann Young Adults football game on Sunday. Check out the rest of the pictures at our Picasa web album.

Faith Seeking Understanding for October 15, 2006

2006-10-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

Before we move on to our next patristic writing, the Shepherd of Hermas, I would like to write briefly about the Pilgrimage to Italy. Many of you know that a group of 45 pilgrims (most are from St. John Neumann) and I are traveling to Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo, and Rome this week. We depart on Wednesday evening, and will be bringing you with us in our prayers; please pray for safe travel, good weather, and spiritual growth as we visit the tombs of Sts. Francis, Clare, Padre Pio, Peter, Paul, and many others. Since this is a pilgrimage, we will celebrate Mass daily at a different holy site, and promise to remember your needs and intentions.

If you would like to request specific prayers, please e-mail me at frandrew@sjncanton.net and your petitions will be brought with us to Italy. We also have a public papal audience on our itinerary, as well as a visit to the necropolis, or Scavi, beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. I promise to take plenty of photographs to share with you on our return. For any of you who were unable to join us this time, don’t be discouraged: I have just finalized the details for our next pilgrimage to the Holy Land from March 9 – 18, 2007. Stay tuned for more details!

As we change gears and return to our study of the Fathers, the Shepherd (or Pastor) of Hermas offers excellent material for the next few weeks. The Shepherd was one of the most popular pieces of Christian literature during the second through fourth centuries. Often ranked among Scripture, this work was written during the middle of the second century, probably around 160 A.D. The author is technically unknown, although the work attributes itself to a “Hermas” who was the brother of “Pope Pius (I)”; therefore, we cannot study the life or teachings of “Hermas,” but simply examine his writing, which is an excellent example of the piety and spiritual life of the early Church.

The work is divided into three books containing Five Visions, Twelve Commandments, and Ten Similitudes (or Parables). Unlike the authors we have encountered to this point, The Shepherd is not concerned so much with theology as with morality; that is, its goal is to preach conversion and repentance. Such writings are valuable even to us today, not just to see what challenges faced the early Church, but also to allow us to reflect on sin in our own lives and to encounter the merciful love of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Visions begins with Hermas’ encounter with a Lady, who accuses him of sinfulness, especially in his heart; nevertheless, in the second vision forgiveness is offered to him and his family, if they would but repent and amend their life: “Forgiveness will be granted to all the saints who have sinned even to the present day, if they repent with all their heard and drive all doubts from their minds” (Bk. 1, Vision 2, Ch. 2).

The third vision is of a tower, built with a variety of stones representing the Church and all Her different members. Supporting the Church, however, are seven ladies, representing Faith, Self-restraint, Simplicity, Guilelessness, Chastity, Intelligence, and Love (cf. Bk. 1, Vision 3, Ch. 8). Nevertheless, Hermas is cautioned not to seek revelations in prayer: “Make no further demands for revelations. If anything ought to be revealed, it will be revealed to you” (Ch. 12).

In the fourth vision, Hermas encounters a great and terrible beast: “Go therefore and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If then you prepare yourselves and repent with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart be pure and spotless, and you spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will direct them” (Vision 4, Ch. 2).

Finally, in the fifth vision, we encounter the shepherd for whom the book is written; this shepherd guides Hermas (and us) through the next two books; the shepherd is actually a guardian angel, sent to enlighten the conscience and direct Hermas to eternal life. We will discover his wise advice next week. May God bless you all … and of course, Go Tigers!

Book Mentioned in Today's Homily

2006-10-15T12:51:00.000-04:00

I don't have time to post the whole homily at the moment, but the book I mentioned in today's homily is the Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life, by Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. It's at Amazon.com here.

Faith Seeking Understanding for October 8, 2006

2006-10-10T07:58:00.000-04:00

St. Irenaeus has given us a wealth of information as we have studied his writings during the past several weeks. In Against the Heresies, he stresses the importance of remaining within the Church to receive the teaching of Christ, passed on through the Apostles and their successors. The Gnostic heresies are clearly false, because they depart from the Tradition of the Church, in their search for “knowledge.”

In summary, Irenaeus defines true knowledge as “the doctrine of the apostles, and the ancient constitution of the Church throughout all the world, and the distinctive manifestation of the body of Christ according to the successions of the bishops, by which they have handed down that Church which exists in every place, and has come even unto us, being guarded and preserved, without any forging of Scriptures, by a very complete system of doctrine, and neither receiving addition nor subtraction [of the truth]; and … above all the pre-eminent gift of love, which is more precious than knowledge, more glorious than prophecy, and which excels all the other gifts” (bk. 4, ch. 33, n. 8).

The Gnostics also, by denying the goodness of the material world, deny the Incarnation. He says, “if the flesh were not in a position to be saved, the Word of God would in no wise have become flesh” (bk. 5, ch. 14, n. 1). The heart of the Gospel message is this truth, that God became man to save all men: “He had been made flesh and blood after the way of the original formation of man, saving in his own person at the end that which had in the beginning perished in Adam” (ibid.).

Irenaeus ends Against the Heresies with a beautiful conclusion, summarizing the recapitulation of these things in Christ – that He has come to us, that we might return to Him: “the First-begotten Word, should descend to the creature, that is to what had been molded, and that it should be contained by Him; and on the other hand, the creature should contain the Word, and ascend to Him, passing beyond the angels, and be made after the image and likeness of God” (bk. 5, ch. 46, n. 3).

As we conclude our study of Irenaeus this week, we will read a few quotes from the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, which was discovered in 1904. He begins by establishing the rule of Faith in the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (cf. n.5, ¶ 2). After summarizing the Fall of Man (Original Sin) and the clear division that existed between God and man, Irenaeus presents the beautiful argument of “recapitulation” (as we saw above), that is, that Christ restores all things in Himself:

“For it was necessary that Adam should be summed up in Christ, that mortality might be swallowed up and overwhelmed by immortality; and Eve summed up in Mary, that a virgin should be a virgin’s intercessor, and by a virgin’s obedience undo and put away the disobedience of a virgin. And the trespass which came by the tree was undone by the tree of obedience, when, hearkening unto God, the Son of man was nailed to the tree; thereby putting away the knowledge of evil and bringing in and establishing the knowledge of good: now evil it is to disobey God, even as hearkening unto God is good.” (n. 33 - 34).

By demonstrating the prophecy and typology that points to Christ throughout the Old Testament, Irenaeus illustrates the continuity of the Old and New, as well as God’s continued providence to draw His people to Himself. If we reject the Trinity, which is the foundation of our Faith, however, we fall into error: “So then in respect of the three points of our seal [the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit], error has strayed widely from the truth. For either they reject the Father, or they. accept not the Son and speak against the dispensation of His incarnation; or else they receive not the Spirit, that is, they reject prophecy. And of all such must we beware, and shun their ways, if in very truth we desire to be well-pleasing to God and to attain the redemption that is from Him” (n. 100).

St. Irenaeus not only has given us a glimpse into the errors of Gnosticism, but also has allowed us to see the beginnings of theology as reason and faith work together to address contemporary issues. Next week, however, we change direction slightly and encounter the Shepherd of Hermas, which addresses the moral challenges of Christians in the second century. May God bless you all!

Homily for Sunday, October 8, 2006

2006-10-08T18:45:00.000-04:00

Because I forgot to post my "Faith Seeking Understanding" today, and since tomorrow is my day off, I will post some of the thoughts from this Sunday's homily:

Today's readings (Gen 2:18-24 and Mk 10:2-16, in particular) read like they were chosen for a wedding Mass. It's appropriate therefore, to reflect on the meaning of Christian marriage, especially when Christ seems to hold up such a high standard in the Gospel.

First of all, it's clear that Marriage itself -- as an institution -- is under attack in our culture today. Maybe not explicitly, since we don't read editorials or books calling for the abolition of marriage. But implicitly, we live without understanding the necessity of faithful, stable marriages as the bedrock of our society.

Look around: divorce is the result (and it is a tragedy), but it begins even before we start thinking about the hazards of casual sexual encounters. We continually treat other human persons as things for our entertainment and gratification. Whether through contraception, homosexual activity, pornography, extramarital sex, premarital sex, adultery -- and all of these things promoted and encouraged by the media and entertainment industry -- we diminish the value of the human person.

Christ, however, comes to free us from the bondage of sin and death that comes from denying the "nuptial meaning" of the body. He tells the Pharisees, the Apostles, and us, that marriage is the permanent, lifelong, exclusive and fruitful union of one man and one woman. Sexual relations are meant for this union alone, and it is within marriage that sexual intimacy brings about the "one flesh" union spoken of in Genesis and quoted by our Lord.

God has inscribed within our very being "from the beginning" this "law of the gift" which means that each person is meant to be "for another." We can see it in the story of the creation of Eve, where Adam found completion in his human nature by giving of himself for his bride's very existence. So, too, in a similar image, when Christ in the sleep of death brought forth His bride, the Church, from his pierced side.

We have many resources to learn about what Pope John Paul II called the "Theology of the Body," and to fight back against our culture which continually wears away at the true meaning of life -- the meaning of the Cross. Read the Theology of the Body, recently retranslated and republished; or for an easier introduction, try Christopher West's books: Good News About Sex and Marriage, Theology of the Body for Beginners, or his talks available on his website. Another great resource is John Kippley's Marriage is for Keeps, which helps us understand what makes for a successful, happy, and lifelong marriage. Finally, Bishop Fulton Sheen wrote a marvelous book entitled Three to Get Married.

How do we individually fight the battle for marriage? It begins at home, by embracing the cross in our daily lives -- overcoming sin through the power of the Sacraments (Confession and the Eucharist) and dying to ourselves for our spouses and families. It seems simple, but the reality is that this is the greatest drama and most important challenge we will ever face.

Christ Himself strengthens us when He raises the bar for lifelong, faithful marriage; be confident that with His grace, nothing is impossible.

Faith Seeking Understanding for October 1, 2006

2006-10-01T10:18:00.000-04:00

Even though we are continuing with our study of St. Irenaeus, and his Against the Heresies, the month of October brings to mind two things. First, October is the month of the Rosary; it is also “Respect Life” month. As such, I would like to encourage everyone to come to the Life Chain at Warren and Wayne Roads on Sunday afternoon, from 2:30 – 3:30 pm. Also, throughout the month, we can pray the rosary – alone, with our families, with friends, or at the parish – for an end to abortion and for a greater respect of human dignity at every stage.

Interestingly enough, the very Gnostics that St. Irenaeus dealt with had very little regard for human dignity, because everything “material” was the result of the principle of evil. Hence, the Gnostics opposed marriage, procreation, and even supported suicide as a means of allowing their “spiritual self” to escape the evil body. Although our culture now seems to worship the material world – instead of rejecting it – the Catholic Church still plays an important role in calling to mind the truth and meaning of the human person.

Last week, we saw how Irenaeus demonstrated the historical truth of the Church: bishops in every diocese could be traced to the apostles. Most importantly, the Diocese of Rome was at the heart and center of the Catholic Church, preserving her unity and doctrine. Irenaeus continues: “Since therefore we have such proofs [of apostolic origin], it is not necessary to seek the truth among others with it is easy to obtain from the Church; since the apostles, like a rich man [depositing his money] in a bank, lodged in her hands most copiously all things pertaining to the truth: so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life. For she is the entrance to life; all others are thieves and robbers” (bk. 3, ch. 4, n. 1).

We notice clearly that Irenaeus stresses the importance of the Church as the repository of the truth; Scripture is often silent, in which case: “How should it be if the apostles themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary to follow the course of the tradition which they handed down?” (ibid.).

Having established the Church as the firm rule and guide of the truth, he returns to demonstrating the theology of redemption. Jesus Christ must have truly become man, not only appearance, but completely; otherwise, our salvation would be empty: “He caused man to cleave to and become one with God. For unless man had overcome the enemy of man, the enemy would not have been legitimately vanquished. And again: unless it had been God who had freely given salvation, we could never have possessed it securely. And unless man had been joined to God, he could never have become a partaker of incorruptibility. For it was incumbent upon the Mediator between God and men, by His relationship to both, to bring both to friendship and concord, and present man to God, while He revealed God to man” (ch. 18, n. 7).

He concludes this argument with stirring words, offering us profound hope in the reality of the Incarnation (God becoming man): “If, not having been made flesh, He did appear as if flesh, His work was not a true one. But what He did appear, that He also was: God recapitulated in Himself the ancient formation of man, that He might kill sin, deprive death of its power, and give life to man; and therefore His works are true” (ibid.).

Irenaeus begins the fourth book with an analysis of the continuity between the old covenant and the new. Both, he says, are established by the same God – not two different Gods. God has not changed, but rather fulfilled the covenant through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: “The Lord did not abrogate the natural [precepts] of the law, by which man is justified…but He extended and fulfilled them. …He did not teach us these things as being opposed to the law, but as fulfilling the law, and implanting in us the varied righteousness of the law” (bk. 4, ch. 13, n. 1).

Irenaeus continues to supply a wealth of theology and history for us, so we will continue next week. My pilgrimage to Italy is from October 18 – 27, and I appreciate your prayers for our group. If anyone would like to send prayer requests along with us, please e-mail or bring your requests by the office. May God bless you!

This just in....

2006-09-26T11:37:00.000-04:00

I have just confirmed the final dates and itinerary of our next pilgrimage! We will be blessed to travel to the Holy Land this coming March 9 - 18 -- with noted Catholic apologist (and expert in the Holy Land) Steve Ray, and his lovely wife Janet. We will also be joined by Teresa Tomeo (from WDEO's Catholic Connection on AM 990 and AM 1440 in the Detroit and Saginaw area).

Cost: $2699 per person (before December 1, 2006)
To register, or for more information, call Corporate Travel at (313) 565-8888.

View the brochure.

Hope to see you there!

Here are the details:

Friday, March 9: Depart USA via overnight flight on scheduled airline to Tel Aviv, Israel.
Saturday, March 10: Arrive Tel Aviv Airport where you will be greeted by your guides Steve and Janet Ray. Our motor coach will transport us to our Hotel on the shores of Galilee. Check in for three nights and attend a welcome dinner hosted by Teresa Tomeo and her husband Dominic. Optional visit to shore where Steve gives an introduction. Overnight in Tiberias.
Sunday, March 11: Drive to Nazareth for Mass in the Grotto of the Basilica of the Annunciation; visit Church of St. Joseph where the Holy family lived. Then to Cana of Galilee where married couples will can renew their wedding vows. After lunch, drive to Mount Tabor where Jesus met Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration. Half the group will eat at the hotel and half at Aberge Shulamit. Overnight in Tiberias.
Monday, March 12: Short drive to Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. Then north to Banias (Caesarea Philippi) Where Jesus said, “You are Peter and on this rock.” Return through Golan Heights. Lunch and boat ride on Galilee. Mass at Primacy of Peter Church, walk along the sea, visit Tabgha. The other half of group will eat at Aberge Shulamit. Overnight in Tiberias.
Tuesday, March 13: Visit ancient “Jesus Boat” then to Tabgha where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. Visit Capernaum for Mass at St. Peter’s house and and see the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught about eating his Flesh and Blood. Next visit Kursi where the demons were cast in the herd of pigs. Lunch then renew baptismal vows in the Jordan River. Travel through the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem and along the way we will see many biblical places and look across to Moses’ Mount Nebo as we pass Jericho through the Judean Wilderness and up to Jerusalem. Check in to our hotel in Jerusalem for the next five nights. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Wednesday, March 14: Early morning Mass at Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Breakfast, then drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd’s Field where the angels appeared. After lunch travel to Ein Karem. Visit the Church of the Visitation and the Church of St. John the Baptist. Overnight Jerusalem.
Thursday, March 15: Visit and pray at the Western Wall. Visit the Garden and Church of Gethsemane and the Grotto of the Arrest. Enter St. Stephen’s Gate and visit Bethesda before Mass at the Church of St. Anne where Mary was born. After lunch visit Mount Zion, the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (“where the cock crowed”) and walk the Roman steps. Visit the Upper Room (Cenacle), Dormition Abbey where Mary “fell asleep.” Overnight in Jerusalem.
Friday, March 16: Optional 6-7 AM visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with Steve and Fr. Ed. After breakfast pray the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow) ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Drive to the Mount of Olives to visit the Chapel of the Ascension where Jesus rose into heaven. Camel rides. Mass at Dominus Flavit (where Jesus wept) overlooking Jerusalem. Afternoon free for exploring, sleeping, praying, shopping, etc. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Saturday, March 17: Optional trip to Dead Sea, Qumran, Jericho and Masada. Some may decide to stay back in Jerusalem. Mass and farewell dinner at Seven Arches watching sunset over Jerusalem. Transfer to the airport for return flight.
Sunday, March 18: Return home from Tel Aviv after a memorable spiritual journey to the Holy Land.

Reflection on Today's Gospel

2006-09-24T12:10:00.001-04:00

As just one point from my homily this weekend: are we as a society ready to receive all the children into our midst? A reminder of the pro-life message is important, not only today, but every day until unborn children once again receive the protection of law.

Next Sunday, from 2:30 - 3:30 pm, at the corner of Warren and Wayne Roads, in Westland, MI, we will participate in the Life Chain. Please come and voice your support for the unborn.

Faith Seeking Understanding for September 24, 2006

2006-09-24T12:10:00.000-04:00

This week, we continue with St. Irenaeus of Lyons and his important work Adversus Hæreses (Against the Heresies), which analyzes and demonstrates the errors of the Gnostic heresies of the second century. In the first book (of five), Irenaeus set forth the errors of the Gnostics; in the remaining books, he explores the Truth.

He begins his teaching with the eternal and uncreated being of God, who has created all things – not as a defect – but as a revelation of Himself: “For even creation reveals Him who formed it, and the very work made suggests Him who made it, and the world manifests Him who ordered it” (bk. 2, ch. 9, n. 1). Contrary to the Gnostics, who believed that creation was a series of irrational “fragmentation” that progressively distanced itself from its origin, the Catholic faith believes that Creation – and all creatures, including man – have been created by God as good.

Christ, then, does not only come to His creation as an appearance or phantom, but as a man to save all men, as Irenaeus says, “He did not seem one thing while He was another, as those affirm who describe Him as being man only in appearance; but what He was, that He also appeared to be. …Not despising or evading any condition of humanity, nor setting aside in Himself that law which He had appointed for the human race, but sanctifying every age…. For He came to save all through means of Himself – all, I say, who through Him are born again to God” (ch. 22, n. 4).

Continuing, Irenaeus arrives at the Gnostic errors about the nature of God as well. By gradually growing in knowledge (gnosis) they arrived at a purified knowledge of the various levels of “spirits,” who each approach God. In this case, knowing the real truth requires an examination of the Trinity, which Irenaeus offers: “[it was] the Father only who begat, and the Son who was begotten” (ch. 28, n. 6). This may not seem remarkable (since we repeat this in the Creed every Sunday), but this preserves the teaching received from the Apostles, who were taught by Christ Himself.

At the beginning of the third book, Irenaeus provides testimony to the existence of the four Gospels, and their historical context: “Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia” (bk. 3, ch. 1, n. 1).

Beyond the Gospels, Irenaeus also bears witness to the importance of the Apostolic Tradition, passed on through the bishops of the Church: “we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, and which is preserved by means of the successions of presbyters in the Churches” (ch. 2, n. 2). The heretics, Irenaeus says, “consent neither to Scripture nor to tradition” (ibid.).

The studied defense that Irenaeus then presents of the continuous succession of bishops since the apostles strengthens our faith in Christ’s care for His Church, even today: “It is within the power of all, therefore, in every Church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world; and we are in a position to reckon up those who were by the apostles instituted bishops in the Churches, and to demonstrate the succession of these men to our own times” (ch. 3, n. 1). Irenaeus does not need to list every diocese, so he chooses Rome to illustrate the constant teaching of the Church, “that tradition derived from the apostles, of the vey great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by the succession of bishops” (ch. 3, n. 2).

As early as the second century, the universality of the teaching authority of Rome was clear, and the norm for the rule of the Faith: “It is a matter of necessity that every Church [diocese] should agree with this Church [Rome] on account of its preeminent authority, that is, the faithful everywhere, inasmuch as the apostolic tradition has been preserved continuously” (ibid.).

Next week, we continue to see Irenaeus’ defense of the Catholic Church and the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. May God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for September 17, 2006

2006-09-17T09:34:00.000-04:00

St. Irenaeus is perhaps the most important theologian of the second century. As we have seen with the Letters of St. Ignatius, and even the works of St. Justin Martyr, the Church was in her infancy and was suffering persecution throughout the Roman Empire. As such, their works tended to be exhortations to holiness or defense of the Faith. The development of theology, however, was just about to begin. Along with this growth in exploring the Faith came the danger of heresy. Irenaeus responded to the heresies of his time with clarity and firmness.

He was born in the first half of the second century, between 115 and 125 A.D., to a Christian family, most likely near Smyrna in Asia. He seems to have been a disciple of St. Polycarp there; owing to the lively trade with Gaul (modern-day France), the bishop Pothinus was sent as a missionary to Lyons and Irenaeus accompanied him as a young priest. Pothinus was martyred by the Romans, whereupon Irenaeus became the bishop of Lyons. The Roman persecutions were not the only danger to the Church at this time: heresies had also begun to spread. St. Irenaeus of Lyons then began his great work to stamp out heresy and to defend the true Faith until his death sometime around 202 A.D. We celebrate his feast day on June 28^th.

Two works remain of great importance: Against the Heresies (Adversus Hæreses) and the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching. Against the Heresies is a monumental work of five volumes intended to expose and refute the various Gnostic heresies of the time. As we have seen before, gnosis is the Greek word for knowledge; the Gnostic heresies were different ways of searching for a hidden or secret knowledge that would bring salvation. These heresies would appear to use some elements of Christianity, but their beliefs were completely opposed to the Gospel. Since his work is so important, we will spend a few weeks exploring the teaching of St. Irenaeus and the theology that he develops to refute the errors of Gnosticism.

He begins with clarity about error: “These men falsify the oracles of God, and prove themselves evil interpreters of the good word of revelation. They also overthrow the faith of many, by drawing them away, under a pretense of knowledge [gnosis]” (bk. 1, preface). Continuing, “Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced more true than the truth itself” (ibid.). How often, even today, are the truths of Christianity mocked by the culture, which would present a more attractive “truth” in its place?

What was Irenaeus’ plan? “I intend, then, to the best of my ability, with brevity and clearness to set forth the opinions of those who are now promulgating heresy. … I shall also endeavor, according to my moderate ability, to furnish the means of overthrowing them, by showing how absurd and inconsistent with the truth are their statements” (ibid.).

In the first few chapters of his first volume, he describes the very strange and esoteric beliefs of the Valentinian Gnostics. What becomes alarmingly clear is that the Gnostics used the Scriptures to their own ends, interpreting everything according to their own erroneous doctrines. Foundational to their belief is the dichotomy that must exist between matter and spirit. Irenaeus clearly describes the war that exists between spirit and matter for them: “it is impossible that material substance should partake of salvation, so again it is impossible that spiritual substance should ever come under the power of corruption” (ch. 6, n. 3).

If this were the case, Irenaeus explains, then Jesus Christ could not be “the Word made flesh,” because spiritual beings cannot associate with the material; and as such, this would prevent Christ from saving men by the shedding of His blood. In fact, however, spirit and matter are united in each human person.

The Church is the guardian of the truth of the Faith: “The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith” (ch. 10, n. 1). Moreover, “the Church, having received this preaching and this faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully preserves it. She also believes these points just as if she had but one soul, and one and the same heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, with perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth” (ch. 10, n. 2).

We will continue learning from this great theologian next week. God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for September 10, 2006

2006-09-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

St. Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho follows the ancient philosophical method of “dialogue.” The Greek philosophical “dialogue” was popularized with Plato, who often portrayed Socrates in “dialogue” with other philosophers to illustrate the truth of the matter at hand. The Dialogue of Justin is no different; he encounters Trypho, a Jewish man, who asks him to share the truth that he knows. This work opens our minds not only to the philosophy of Justin, but also of second-century Judaism and its relationship to the early Church. Justin agrees to share his beliefs, because “philosophy is, in fact, the greatest possession, and most honorable before God, to whom it leads us and alone commends us” (ch. 2).

Justin then recounts his own encounters with Platonists, Stoics, Pythagoreans, and others, all of which left him wanting yet more. He happened upon an elderly man one day who questioned him about his beliefs, and then opened the Scriptures to Justin. He immediately offers the hope of this Faith to Trypho: “If, then, you have any concern for yourself, and if you are eagerly looking for salvation, and if you believe in God, you may … become acquainted with the Christ of God, and, after being initiated, live a happy life” (ch. 8).

Trypho, however, rejects the existence of Christ, and questions Justin on the Christians’ way of life; Justin describes the New Covenant as fulfilling the old: “The true spiritual Israel, and descendents of Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham … are we who have been led to God through this crucified Christ” (ch. 11). Justin then uses many examples, particularly from the prophet Isaiah to demonstrate the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in Christ and the Church.

Justin quotes extensively from the Scriptures (the Old Testament) as a common ground with Trypho, upon which to have their dialogue; nevertheless, their understanding varies a great deal. Justin sees the Law and the Prophets as foreshadowing Christ and His Church, fulfilling the Law, and opening salvation to all nations in Christ: “Though a man be a Scythian or a Persian, if he has the knowledge of God and of His Christ, and keeps the everlasting righteous decrees, he is circumcised with the good and useful circumcision [of Baptism], and is a friend of God, and God rejoices in his gifts and offerings” (ch. 28).

Already in the early Church, the Psalms were understood to speak of Christ; Justin explains the prophecies contained in the Psalms as well. Trypho is astonished: “You utter many blasphemies, in that you seek to persuade us that this crucified man was with Moses and Aaron, and spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud; then that he became man, was crucified, and ascended up to heaven, and comes again to earth, and ought to be worshipped” (ch. 38). In an impassioned plea, Justin then opens the Jewish rituals to their deeper meaning in Christ, particularly the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, the offerings of flour, and the ritual garments.

One of the strongest points and most insistent arguments Justin makes is that this prophecy of Isaiah refers to the Virgin Birth: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel” (Is. 7:10ff., cf. Dialogue, ch. 66, 77, 84). The final and challenging argument is then to determine that this Jesus is in fact God, co-eternal with the Father, and yet also the same man who was crucified, and yet risen from the dead, fulfilling all the prophecies.

Justin concludes by encouraging Trypho and his companions to embrace the Faith: “I exhort you to give all diligence in this very great struggle for your own salvation, and to be earnest in setting a higher value on the Christ of the Almighty God than on your own teachers” (ch. 142).

There are additional works of St. Justin Martyr, including an Address to the Greeks, as well as other fragments of lost writings. Finally, the touching account of his martyrdom recalls his great holiness; Justin, replying to threats of death, said: “Through prayer we can be saved on account of our Lord Jesus Christ, even when we have been punished, because this shall become to us salvation and confidence at the more fearful and universal judgment-seat of our Lord and Savior” (Martyrdom of Justin, ch. 4).

Next week we will begin exploring the works of St. Irenaeus of Lyon. May God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for September 3, 2006

2006-09-08T07:48:00.000-04:00

Faith Seeking Understanding for September 3, 2006

St. Justin Martyr begins the next period of patristic study known as the “Apologists.” Unlike the modern use of the word “apology,” the ancient use of this word did not express regret or sorrow, but rather means a reasoned defense of belief. Justin engaged the early second-century Roman Empire with powerful logic, brilliant rhetoric, and unmatched passion for the Catholic Faith. Such a reasoned defense for the moral and intellectual superiority of the Faith grew out of his own life: Justin was a convert from paganism.

He was born in Palestine around the year 100 A.D. The study of philosophy captivated Justin’s early life, but after examining the major philosophical systems of the time, he embraced the Catholic Faith in 130. From this moment on, Justin would describe Jesus Christ as the true teacher and the Faith as the “True Philosophy.” After teaching and defending the Faith, particularly in three works (Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, and the two Apologies), Justin was martyred in Rome in 165. The Church celebrates the feast of St. Justin on June 1.

Justin addressed his two Apologies to the Emperor as a defense of the Faith in a hostile imperial climate. He presents his case: “if any of the accused deny the name, and say that he is not a Christian, you acquit him, as having no evidence against him as a wrong-doer; but if any one acknowledge that he is a Christian, you punish him on account of this acknowledgment. Justice requires that you inquire into the life both of him who confesses and of him who denies, that by his deeds it may be apparent what kind of man each is” (First Apology, ch. 4). Justin is eager to defend not only the name of Christians, but more importantly, their life.

He continues, “Our teacher of these things is Jesus Christ, we also was born for this purpose, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate…; and that we reasonably worship Him, having learned that He is the Son of the true God Himself” (ch. 14). Following Christ, then, Justin defends the lives of Christians who practice virtue in all things: chastity, generosity, mercy, patience, civil obedience and more (cf. ch 15-17).

The Resurrection, though, is the key to Christianity: “You are now incredulous because you have never seen a dead man rise again. ...It is better to believe even what is impossible to our own nature and to men, than to be unbelieving like the rest of the world, we have learned; for we know that our Master Jesus Christ said, that ‘what is impossible with men is possible with God’” (ch. 19).

After analyzing the prophesies that prove Christianity’s truthfulness, Justin then describes how one becomes Christian: baptism. “As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated … For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water” (ch. 51).

Once baptized, Christians are then admitted to the liturgy: “There is then brought to the [presider] bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost…. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion” (ch. 65).

The Greek word Justin uses in this passage is “eucharistein” – to give thanks. He continues: “This food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these…the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word…is the flesh and blood of that Jesus” (ch. 66). The earliest Christians believed in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

When do Christians gather? “Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the word; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead” (ch. 67).

Next week, we will hear from Justin’s Dialogue with Trypho. Have a blessed week!

Faith Seeking Understanding for August 27, 2006

2006-08-27T11:23:00.000-04:00

The Epistle of Barnabas, although highly regarded by the early Church, presents some difficulty for the study of the Fathers of the Church. Its authorship, although attributed to “Barnabas,” is actually unknown. Some have automatically assumed that the Barnabas in question is the co-worker of St. Paul (Acts 4:36; 9:27), although very little evidence suggests this is the case. What is known, however, is its antiquity and connection with the Scriptures; most probably the letter was composed around 131 A.D.

Even though the author of this epistle is not certain, it does offer insight into the belief and practice of second-century Christianity. From the beginning of the letter, Christianity is considered something “handed down” from the apostles: “I should take the trouble to communicate to you some portion of what I have myself received” (ch. 1).

Barnabas urges his readers to live in accord with God’s commandments, particularly since the “last days,” were considered to be upon them: “Let us be spiritually-minded: let us be a perfect temple to God. … Let us meditate upon the fear of God, and let us keep His commandments, that we may rejoice in His ordinances. … Take heed, lest resting at our ease, as those who are called [of God], we should fall asleep in our sins, and the wicked prince, acquiring power over us, should thrust us away from the kingdom of the Lord” (ch. 4).

A traditional method of interpreting Scripture is to follow “typology,” that is, seeing those events and people as “types” which prefigure events to come. Such a method is even used by our Lord when He instructs the disciples on the road to Emmaus; the Epistle of Barnabas makes extensive use of this: “The good Lord has foreshown all things to us, that we might know to whom we ought for everything to render thanksgiving and praise” (ch. 7) The letter then describes the Jewish “scapegoat,” and similar sacrifices as prefiguring Christ’s own death.

He continues: “Let us further inquire whether the Lord took any care to foreshadow the water [of baptism] and the cross” (ch. 11). After describing several of the Psalms in reference to the water, we read as a type of the Cross: “Moses then makes a brazen serpent, and places it upon a beam, and by proclamation assembles the people” (ch. 12). The bronze serpent was only one such example of the may prefigurements of the Old Testament.

The second half of the Epistle of Barnabas demonstrates the early Christian understanding of “the two ways”: a way of light and a way of darkness. We will see this distinction again in the Didache and other early Christian writings. Barnabas says: “There are two ways of doctrine and authority, the one of light, and the other of darkness. But there is a great difference between these two ways. For over one are stationed the light-bringing angels of God, but over the other the angels of Satan” (ch. 18).

In its description of the way of light, the early Christians faced temptations that remain even today: “The way of light, then, is as follows. … You shall love Him that created you: you shall glorify Him that redeemed you from death. … You shall not commit fornication: you shall not commit adultery. … You shall not slay the child by procuring abortion; nor again, shall you destroy it after it is born. … You shall not be hasty with your tongue, for the mouth is a snare of death. … You shall remember the day of judgment, night and day. … You shall confess your sins. You shall not go to prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of light.” (ch. 19).

The other way? “The way of darkness is crooked and full of cursing; for it is the way of eternal death with punishment, in which way are the things that destroy the soul: idolatry, … hypocrisy, double-heartedness, adultery, murder, rape, haughtiness, … poisoning, magic, avarice, want of the fear of God” (ch. 20). Also included in this “way of darkness” are those who ignore the needy, oppress the afflicted, and unjustly treat the poor (cf. ch. 20). Human nature remains constant, but God is constantly pouring His grace upon His Church, to enable us to walk in the “way of light.”

He concludes: “May God, who rules over all the world, give to you wisdom, intelligence, understanding, knowledge of his judgments, with patience. … Farewell, you children of love and peace. The Lord of glory and of all grace be with your spirit. Amen” (ch. 21).

Next week, we will meet St. Justin Martyr, Christian philosopher and the first of “the Apologists,” who defended the Faith by rational argument. May God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for August 20, 2006

2006-08-27T11:19:00.000-04:00

Due to the wedding, I was out of town; sorry for the delayed posts...

Faith Seeking Understanding for August 20, 2006

This week, we continue to explore the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr. Longing for martyrdom, he writes to the Romans: “For though I am alive while I write to you, yet I am eager to die for the sake of Christ. My love has been crucified, and there is no fire in me that loves anything; but there is living water springing up in me, and which says to me inwardly, Come to the Father” (Romans, ch. 7).

To some, Ignatius’ words may seem extreme, even foolish, in his desires: “May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me; and I pray that they may be found eager to rush upon me, which also I will entice to devour me speedily, and not deal with me as with some, whom, out of fear, they have not touched. … Pardon me [in this]: I know what is for my benefit. Now I begin to be a disciple, and have no desire after anything visible or invisible, that I may attain to Jesus Christ. Let fire and the cross; let the crowds of wild beasts; let breakings, tearings, and separation of bones; let cutting off of members; let bruising to pieces of the whole body; and let the very torment of the devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christ” (Romans, ch. 5).

How is it that Ignatius can speak with such disregard for his life? He reminds the Romans, and us: “All the ends of the world, and all the kingdoms of the earth, shall profit me nothing. It is better for me to die for the sake of Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends of the earth. … Permit me to be an imitator of the passion of Christ, my God” (Romans, ch. 6). St. Ignatius serves as a bold witness to the eternal value of martyrdom, especially in contrast to societies that only see value in the material world.

Unlike his other letters, Ignatius begins his Letter to the Romans with a lengthy introduction, describing and praising the Roman Church: “Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church which has obtained mercy, through the majesty of the Most High God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son; the Church which is sanctified and enlightened by the will of God, who formed all things that are according to the faith and love of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior; the Church which presides in the place of the region of the Romans, and which is worthy of God, worthy of honor, worthy of the highest happiness, worthy of praise, worthy of credit, worthy of being deemed holy, and which presides over love” (Romans, intro.). A clear primacy of the Church of Rome existed, even from the end of the first century.

St. Ignatius has a clear love for the Eucharist as well; he defends the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and teaches the Church in Philadelphia that the Eucharist is not only the sign of unity among Christians, It also is the cause of that unity. He writes: “[I] exhort you to have but one faith, and one preaching, and one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ; and His blood which was shed for us is one; one loaf also is broken to all, and one cup is distributed among them all: there is but one altar for the whole Church, and one bishop, with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants” (Philadelphians, ch. 4). Again, he writes: “Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it” (Smyrnæans, ch. 8).

Finally, he writes cautions against heresy in several of his letters. Just as St. Polycarp faced the Docetists, Ignatius, too, was concerned that such Gnostics falsehoods not corrupt and destroy the Faith of the young Church. “Stop your ears,” he writes, “when any one speaks to you at variance with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was descended from David, and was also of Mary; who was truly begotten of God and of the Virgin, but not after the same manner” (Trallians, ch. 9). After proclaiming the same truths found in the Apostles’ Creed, Ignatius continues: “If, as some that are without God, that is the unbelieving, say, He became man in appearance [only], that He did not in reality take unto Him a body, that He died in appearance [merely], and did not in very deed suffer, than for what reason am I now in bonds...? In such a case, I die in vain” (Trallians, ch. 10).

His final letter to Polycarp is filled with tender affection for his student, and with the firmness and conviction of passing on the Faith: “I also am the more encouraged, resting without anxiety in God, if indeed by means of suffering I may attain to God, so that through your prayers, I may be found a disciple. … I trust that, through grace, you are prepared for every good work pertaining to God” (Polycarp, ch. 7).

Next week, we will examine the Epistle of Barnabas. God bless you!

A few more wedding photos

2006-08-27T10:51:00.000-04:00

Will (the Best Man) making his toast.

The happy couple enjoying dinner.

Cutting the cake.

"One dance to fall in love with you."

Congratulations Chuck and Julia!

2006-08-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, August 19, 2006, my brother 2LT Charles Edward Bloomfield married Julia Lynn Kreiner, in Portland, MI. What a blessing to be able to celebrate the wedding Mass and receive the vows for my brother and sister-in-law! (The wedding festivities did keep me from blogging, but I'm back now...)

Congratulations, Chuck and Julia! We're so happy for both of you, and for our families. May God bless you with an abundance of His grace, and a big, healthy, and happy family!

2006-08-13T11:11:00.000-04:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

15th Century Graduale Romanum

2006-08-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

There is an exsquisite item on auction at eBay: a 15th Century Graduale Romanum. The Roman Gradual contains the necessary Gregorian Chants for the Mass (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, and Communion), as well as the "Ordinary" of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei).

This is truly a remarkable copy. To quote Indiana Jones: "It belongs in a museum."

(Biretta tip: Shawn Tribe from The New Liturgical Movement. Stop by his excellent page for always timely and insightful content.)

Faith Seeking Understanding for August 13, 2006

2006-08-13T10:42:00.000-04:00

Although St. Ignatius of Antioch is older than St. Polycarp, we examined Polycarp’s letter and martyrdom last week to set the stage for examining the life, writings, and martyrdom of Ignatius today. Legend says that Ignatius was the little child our Lord placed in front of the Apostles in Mark 9:36 The legend cannot be proven, but it is certain that he was a direct disciple of St. John the Apostle and therefore another ancient witness to the teaching of the Apostles and the Early Church. Ignatius was the third bishop of Antioch (in southwestern Turkey), after St. Peter and Evodius. He was martyred in Rome between 98 and 117 A.D. during Trajan’s persecution; his feast day is October 17^th.

Seven of the fifteen letters that bear Ignatius’ name are clearly authentic; these he wrote to the Churches in Philippi (Macedonia), Ephesus (Turkey), Magnesia (Central Greece), Tralles (modern Aydin, Turkey), Rome (Italy), Philadelphia (modern Alasehir, Turkey), and Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey). He also wrote a letter to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. Throughout his letters, he urges unity among the Christian faithful and their bishop, as a successor of the apostles.

Ignatius’ letters, above all, testify to the very early understanding of hierarchy in the Church. He mentions the orders of bishop, presbyter (priest), and deacon as a universal practice of the Church: “Beloved, be careful to be subject to the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons. For he that is subject to these is obedient to Christ, who has appointed them; but he that is disobedient to these is disobedient to Christ Jesus” (Ephesians, ch. 5).

The bishop is not just the representative of Christ, but also the representative of the Church: “Since, then, I have had the privilege of seeing you through Damas your most worthy bishop, and through your worthy presbyters Bassus and Apollonius, and through my fellow-servant the deacon Sotio, whose friendship may I ever enjoy, inasmuch as he, by the grace of God, is subject to the bishop and presbytery, in the law of Jesus Christ” (Magnesians, ch. 2).

Obedience to and unity with the bishop is a hallmark of the Faith: “As therefore the Lord foes nothing without the Father, for says He, ‘I can of my own self do nothing,’ so do you neither presbyter, nor deacon, nor layman, do anything without the bishop” (Magnesians, ch. 7). To the Trallians, he writes: “It is therefore necessary, whatsoever things you do, to do nothing without the bishop. And be subject also to the presbytery, as to the apostles of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, in whom, if we live, we shall be found in Him. It behooves you also, in every way, to please the deacons, who are ministers of the mysteries of Christ Jesus” (Trallians, ch. 2).

Sunday (the Lord’s Day) is to be celebrated as a weekly reminder of the Paschal Mystery: “Let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days” (Magnesians, ch. 9).

During his letters, Ignatius reveals his status as a prisoner for the Faith several times, but always with great joy: “For [Christ Jesus] is my hope; He is my boast; He is my never-failing riches, on whose account I bear about with me these bonds from Syria to Rome, these spiritual jewels in which may I be perfected through your prayers, and become a partaker of the sufferings of Christ, and have fellowship with Him in His death, His resurrection from the dead, and His everlasting life” (Ephesians, ch. 11).

His desire for martyrdom is evident: “Suffer me to become food for the wild beasts, through whose instrumentality it will be granted me to attain to God. I am the wheat of God, and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God. … Then shall I be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world shall not see so much as my body. … When I suffer, I shall be the freedman of Jesus Christ, and shall rise again emancipated in him” (Romans, ch. 4).

Since his writings are so important, we will continue to explore St. Ignatius of Antioch in next week’s article as well.

On Tuesday, August 15, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is a Holy Day of Obligation. We will celebrate Mass at St. John Neumann at 9:00 am and 7:00 pm for the Feast. God bless you all!

Breakfast with Cardinal Arinze

2006-08-12T16:54:00.000-04:00

Holy Trinity Apostolate is sponsoring another "Breakfast with the Bishop" event this September. As an added bonus, however, the bishop in question is also a Cardinal.

His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Arinze, the Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, will be coming to Southeastern Michigan for this event on September 30, at Andiamo Ristorante in Sterling Heights, beginning at 9:00 am.

Joining Cardinal Arinze will be the Archbishop of Detroit, Adam Cardinal Maida, along with auxiliary Bishops Schoenherr, Boyea, Anderson, and Quinn, and from Saginaw, Bishop Robert Carlson.

Registration form is here.

I hope to see many of you there!

The Art of Confession

2006-08-09T17:51:00.000-04:00

Click over to Rorate Caeli. The post on the Sacrament of Confession is quite good.

Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

2006-08-09T17:48:00.000-04:00

Today, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, were pleased to receive four sisters in simple vows, at Christ the King parish in Ann Arbor, MI. What a blessing to be there for the Mass and vows!

Pray for the sisters, especially as they bid farewell to eight sisters who will be journeying to mission fields in Phoenix, AZ, and Hilton Head, SC.

Reflection on the Transfiguration

2006-08-06T09:59:00.000-04:00

I said last night's Vigil Mass at 4:30 pm. Unfortunately, after preaching the homily, it didn't seem quite as coherent as I had intended. Here's another try:

Today's feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord teaches us two clear items: first, about our Lord; the other, about ourselves.

First of all, the amazement of the three chosen Apostles, Peter, James, and John, and the mysterious heavenly voice give us a clear indication that Jesus is utterly unique. In fact, this lesson is an important one to learn: Jesus is the Only Son of the Father, made a man by the power of the Holy Spirit, and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit. His Glory is the Glory of the Blessed Trinity -- of God Himself. The presence of Elijah and Moses show us the fulfilment of the Prophets and the Law in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, therefore, is so much more than a mere man; He is the center and culmination of all history. Everything in heaven and earth is summed up in him. This miraculous appearance of dazzlingly white clothing, teaching from a mountain, with the glory and splendor of God Himself places in humble awe before Jesus.

The vision also teaches us something about ourselves, particularly through the witness of these three Apostles. They seem to miss the point, much as we might as well. Even though this experience was intended to strengthen these men for Jesus' suffering and death, they wander down the mountain wondering "What it means to rise from the dead."

And about six weeks later, these same men fall asleep when confronted with the depths of Jesus' humanity on the Mount of Olives. Peter denies our Lord; James and John flee in fear; only John returns to be at the foot of the Cross.

Not until after the Resurrection -- when they are allowed to tell the story -- does the story really make any sense to them; and this is where we learn the lesson about ourselves. The glory witnessed by the Apostles today isn't only Jesus' glory. We can say that again: the glory isn't only for Jesus. That glory is ours as well, as members of His body, and co-heirs to His Kingdom.

Each of us is destined for the same result: glorious appearance, dazzling clothes, illuminated faces, and life with the Father. Why? Because Christ has gained this victory for us by His own suffering and death, on another mountain -- the Mountain of Calvary. So as we see the depths of His humanity, broken and bloodied on the Cross, we know the glory that is His from all time: the Glory of the Father.

And as the first reading today gives us an example, we enter into this glory at every Mass. When we encounter our Lord today in the Eucharist, may it tranfigure our lives now, and prepare us and strengthen us for our own share in Christ's passion and death -- so that we too might share in our Lord's glory for all eternity.

Faith Seeking Understanding for August 6, 2006

2006-08-06T09:57:00.000-04:00

Even though today is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, my bulletin article (continuing the Fathers of the Church) is here:

Following St. Clement of Rome, St. Polycarp is the next of the Apostolic Fathers; he was the bishop of Smyrna (now in Turkey) and a student of the Apostle John. When Polycarp was 87 years old (between 155 and 167 A.D.) he was burned at the stake. His feast day is celebrated on February 23^rd.

Of Polycarp’s writings, only the Letter to the Philippians has survived. St. Ignatius of Antioch does mention Polycarp in his letters to the Magnesians and Ephesians, as well as addressing a letter to Polycarp himself; the Church in Smyrna also sent a letter to the Church at Philomelium describing his martyrdom.

Like St. Clement, Polycarp sent his letter to a Church originally strengthened by the Apostle St. Paul, demonstrating the unity of the early Church. In this case, however, the Philippians had requested an exhortation from Polycarp, as well as any letters he had from St. Ignatius. He first recalls the letter of St. Paul: “[Paul] when among you accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, which, if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbor, ‘is the mother of us all’” (ch. 3).

Next, he exhorts his readers to holiness of life, and stresses the true Faith against the errors of the Docetist heresy, which claimed that Christ’s incarnation was only an illusion or appearance (from the Greek dokesis). To resist such heresy, Polycarp recommends: “Forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning; ‘watching unto prayer,’ and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God ‘not to lead us into temptation,’ as the Lord has said: ‘The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak’” (ch. 7, emphasis added). Authentic tradition or “handing down” from the Apostles is the guarantee of the true Faith.

In his encouragement of praying for a particular priest who has separated himself from the Church, he does not suggest harsh means: “Be then moderate in regard to this matter, and ‘do not count such as enemies,’ but call them back as suffering and straying members, that you may save your whole body” (ch. 11).

He reminds his readers to pray: “Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings, and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that you may be perfect in Him” (ch. 12). The letter finishes by saying that the copies of the letters of Ignatius which they requested are included.

The description of Polycarp’s martyrdom is of later origin, but testifies to the ancient esteem for the martyrs: “Looking to the grace of Christ, they despised all the torments of this world, redeeming themselves from eternal punishment by the suffering of a single hour. For this reason the fire of their savage executioners appeared cool to them. For they kept before their view escape from that fire which is eternal and never shall be quenched, and looked forward with the eyes of their heart to those good things which are laid up for such as endure; things ‘which ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man,’ but were revealed by the Lord to them, inasmuch as they were no longer men, but had already become angels. And in like manner, those who were condemned to the wild beasts endured dreadful tortures, being stretched out upon beds full of spikes, and subjected to various other kinds of torments, in order that, if it were possible, the tyrant might, by their lingering tortures, lead them to a denial of Christ” (ch. 2).

When demanded by the Roman proconsul to deny Christ and avoid being killed, Polycarp replied with confidence: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did my any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” (ch. 9). Polycarp was sentenced to be burned alive; miraculously, the fire was not able to burn him, so the executioner pierced his heart with a dagger and his body was burned.

Next week, we encounter another great martyr for the Faith: St. Ignatius of Antioch. May God bless you!

Faith Seeking Understanding for July 30, 2006

2006-07-29T17:17:00.000-04:00

The earliest Church Fathers are called “Apostolic” because they were the first successors of the Apostles to whom Christ had entrusted His Church. St. Clement of Rome was the first of the Apostolic Fathers, the fourth pope (after Sts. Linus and Cletus), and an important figure for preserving the unity of the Church. His feast day is November 23.

Little is known for certain about St. Clement himself; a fourth-century account describes his martyrdom under the reign of the emperor Trajan. According to the story, after having been banished to Crimea, Pope Clement converted the people through miraculous means; in response, the emperor ordered him to be fastened to an anchor and thrown into the sea. In the 9^th century, while on crossing the Black Sea to evangelize the Khazars, St. Cyril discovered the relics of the saintly pope and returned them to Rome, where they were placed in the high altar of the basilica of San Clemente.

Many writings are attributed to St. Clement, but we possess only one letter that Clement surely wrote: the Epistle to the Corinthians. This letter was received with such universal respect throughout the early Church that in some places it was regarded almost as Sacred Scripture and read during the Liturgy; some early manuscripts of the New Testaments letters even include St. Clement’s letter immediately following the inspired books.

St. Clement composed his Epistle in Greek sometime after Nero’s persecution in 68 A.D., although it is more likely that it followed Domitian’s persecution of 93 A.D. St. John (the Apostle and Evangelist) was still alive at the time and living in exile on the Island of Patmos; nevertheless, a particular controversy in Corinth required the attention – and intervention – of the successor of St. Peter, to whom our Lord had given the universal jurisdiction of the Church.

Certain men of the Church of Corinth had begun a revolt against the legitimate authority; Clement wrote to them on behalf of the entire Church to re-establish correct order and the proper authority of the Church in Corinth. The letter is beautiful in its simplicity, and the direct yet gentle way in which the pope exhorts the people of Corinth to repentance and renewed obedience and holiness of life provides an excellent model, even today.

He begins by complimenting the Corinthians on their faith and perseverance in unity: “You were sincere and uncorrupted, and forgetful of injuries between one another. Every kind of faction and schism was abominable in your sight” (ch. 2). But sadly, “the worthless rose up against the honored, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, and the young against those advanced in years. For this reason, righteousness and peace are now far departed from you” (ch. 3).

Recalling to mind the great stories of the Old Testament, Clement continues through the martyrdom of Sts. Peter and Paul and other contemporary martyrs, urging the Corinthians to repent and imitate these great fathers of our Faith: “Let us turn to every age that has passed, and learn that, from generation to generation, the Lord has granted a place of repentance to all such as would be converted unto Him” (ch. 7).

After further examples of such repentance, he exhorts the Corinthians to humility: “Let us therefore, brethren, be of humble mind, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, and angry feelings” (ch. 12). Such will bring about peace, even in the order of the cosmos (cf. ch. 20).

He desires to preserve proper order: “Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. … And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits, having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe” (ch. 42). This attests to apostolic succession, which is the guarantor of the Faith, lived out in charity.

“Love,” he says, “admits of no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony” (ch. 49). Finally, he urges those who have separated themselves from this connection to Christ through the bishop, to repent and submit to the Church: “It is better for you that you should occupy a humble but honorable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, you should be cast out from the hope of His people” (ch. 57).

St. Clement reminds us of the importance of the Pope, even from the first century, and the need to be in union with him. Next week, we discover the treasures of St. Polycarp. Have a blessed week!

Source of Prayers in Latin and English

2006-07-25T15:48:00.000-04:00

As you know, I enjoy praying in Latin. I had discovered the "Thesaurus Precum Latinarum" or "Treasury of Latin Prayers" some time ago, but never mentioned it here. Enjoy the beautiful patrimony of the Church compiled at this useful and helpful website.

Faith Seeking Understanding for July 23, 2006

2006-07-24T15:00:00.000-04:00

The Catholic Church is blessed with a rich heritage of tradition dating to the time of the Apostles. As the Apostles learned from Christ, they “handed on” that teaching through their writings, but also through the Sacraments and other unwritten traditions, preserving the Gospel in its fullness. In fact, our word “tradition” comes from the Latin “tradere,” which means to “hand over” or “hand down.” Therefore, the Apostolic Tradition is a gift handed on from Christ Himself, given to the Church through the ministry of the Apostles and their successors.

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the study of the successors of the Apostles and their extensive writings. Commonly referred to as the “Fathers of the Church,” these holy men lived and passed on the Faith through the earliest days of Christianity. Who exactly are the Fathers of the Church? They are the men, often bishops, who taught and nourished the early Church in Her infancy; the period of the Fathers usually ends with St. Gregory the Great in the West (d. 604) and St. John Damascene in the East (d. about 754). These dates are not fixed, however, and oftentimes St. Bernard of Clairvaux (d. 1153) is described as the “Last of the Fathers,” owing to his stylistic similarity and clarity of doctrine.

The Fathers are further divided into “Greek” and “Latin” Fathers, depending on the language and culture in which they taught; both groups of Fathers develop different aspects of theology and teach in their own style and method. We are indebted to the teaching and lives of these men, who spent their lives at the service of the Church and her growth. Many of their names are well-known to the world, such as St. Augustine, St. Leo the Great, and St. John Chrysostom; others are more obscure, such as Vincent of Lerins and Dionysius.

By studying the Fathers of the Church and their writings, we encounter the Apostolic Faith in a new way, and often are captivated by the beauty and clarity with which these great shepherds fed their flock. Throughout the next year, I hope to be able to open the treasures of the Fathers of the Church through my weekly article, although enough material exists to last for a lifetime of prayer and study.

Apart from the teaching of the Fathers themselves, the method of theology they employed teaches us a great deal as well. Never was it more true that “their theology was learned on their knees.” That is to say, prayer and meditation – on the Sacred Scriptures above all – were the spring from which their doctrine flowed. Not content, however, with simply teaching and passing down the Faith, these men lived the consequences of their teaching to the fullest, with a deep concern for the poor; they often suffered for the Faith as well, and some were blessed to gain the martyr’s crown.

The study of the Fathers and their teaching is usually described as either patrology or patristics, although the distinctions between these two fields are often blurred. What is important, however, is to realize the proximity of the Fathers’ lives to the Apostles, and to the Apostolic teaching; as the Fathers agree on points of theology, morality, and discipline, we have a great resource to assist our own understanding of the teaching of the Church, as well as heavenly intercessors to aid our path to holiness.

The first era of the Fathers of the Church is known as the “Apostolic Fathers,” or those men who knew the Apostles and were their immediate successors. We will begin our study of the individual Fathers next week with the life and writings of St. Clement of Rome.

I pray that your summer vacations are restful and refreshing as well, and that this summer heat hasn’t been too overwhelming! May God bless you all.

As an online resource, enjoy the following sites, all dedicated to the Fathers of the Church:
The Fathers Online
Wikipedia Church Fathers Entry
More Fathers Online
The Way of the Fathers (blog)
"Fathers Know Best" (patristics tracts from Catholic Answers)
Crossroads Initiative Library

Faith Seeking Understanding for July 16, 2006

2006-07-17T15:59:00.000-04:00

Today, apart from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is also the memorial of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Having grown up at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Wyandotte, this feast-day was a celebration for the whole parish. Honoring Mary under the title of “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel” is a devotion that has grown from the Carmelite tradition since the 14^th century; in particular, this Marian devotion is best known by the wearing of the Brown Scapular.

Many of us remember being “enrolled” in the confraternity of the Brown Scapular at the time of First Communion, and wearing the itchy pieces of brown wool around our necks throughout our childhood. But what exactly is the Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and why was it worn? Is it still worn today?

A scapular, in general, is the name for a shoulder-width piece of cloth (usually from the monastic habit) that is placed over the shoulders and extends to the floor in front and back. Originally distinctive to monks, the scapular became known for its symbolism as the “yoke of Christ” (since it is worn over the shoulders, or scapula in Latin) and the armor of Christ (since it covered the habit).

As monastic orders grew, the practice of “third orders” developed, in which laymen and laywomen were invited to participate in the life of the monastic community, while still living a life in the world. These third-order members were married, had families, and worked at ordinary jobs. They were, however, also bound to the monastery with certain requirements; they received a monastic scapular as a sign of this bond, and then also received the privilege of being buried in the full monastic habit when they died.

Many scapulars exist, each associated with a particular religious community. The Brown Scapular, however, is the oldest and remains the most popular; this is the scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and its use and devotion are also recalled on today’s feast. According to Carmelite tradition, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite priest, in Cambridge, England, on July 16, 1251. He had begged her to provide protection for the Carmelites, who were suffering persecution at the time. The legend tells us that our Lady appeared to him and gave him the Brown Scapular, and promised that whoever wore the Scapular faithfully would receive special graces and in particular, her assistance at the moment of death.

There are particular indulgences attached to the Scapular even today, and the pious custom of wearing the scapular is common in many places. The Scapular, however, is not a magic talisman, charm, or amulet; it is, rather, a sacramental of the Church which acts as a means for grace. When we wear the scapular, we should be devoutly committed to daily prayer, regular reception of the Sacraments (particularly of the Eucharist and Penance), and to a life of a charity.

The Great Pope John Paul II wrote a letter to all Carmelites in 2001, on the 750^th anniversary of the giving of the scapular. He reminds us:

“The Scapular represents a synthesis of Marian spirituality. It nourishes the devotion of believers, making them sensitive to the loving presence of the Virgin Mother in their lives. The Scapular is essentially a ‘habit’. …Those who put on the Scapular are introduced into the land of Carmel so that they might ‘eat its abundant fruit’ (cf. Jer. 2,7), and experience the tender and maternal presence of Mary, as they commit themselves daily to put on Christ and to make his presence manifest in their lives for the good of the Church and of the whole of humanity.”

Scapulars are still sold in religious goods stores (like Mateja’s on Ford Rd. in Westland, or Our Lady of Grace bookstore at Domino’s farms, or even online); once purchased, the scapular should be blessed and then the person should be enrolled in the Scapular by a priest. Put putting on the Scapular, we are reminded to “put on the mind of Christ,” and live as his faithful sons and daughters.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us!

Joshua Michael Schmiedicke, Requiescat in Pace

2006-07-10T12:17:00.000-04:00

Please pray for the four-year-old son of Regina Doman-Schmiedicke, Joshua Michael, who died on Saturday. Regina is an alumna of Franciscan University and is an outstanding author. She's currently working on some great Catholic novels for teens. Visit her website here.

In the meantime, please pray for Regina, her husband Andrew, and their other children Thomas, 2, and Marygrace, 6.

Obituary follows:
-----------------

Joshua Michael Schmiedicke, 4, of Strasburg died Saturday at Warren Memorial Hospital.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Front Royal by the Rev. Edward Hathaway. Burial will be in Panorama Memorial Gardens.

Joshua was born July 26, 2001, in Front Royal, son of Andrew T. and Regina E. Doman Schmiedicke of Strasburg. He was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Surviving with his parents are two brothers, Caleb Schmiedicke and Thomas Schmiedicke; three sisters, Rose Schmiedicke, Marygrace Schmiedicke and Joan Schmiedicke; grandparents, John and Michele Doman and Tom and Candy Schmiedicke; and great-grandmothers, Helen Doman and Joanne Kane.

The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at the church, during which a Christian wake will be held at 8 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Save A Family Plan, P.O. Box 611832, Port Huron, Mich. 48061-1832.

Arrangements are being handled by the Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal.

Faith Seeking Understanding for July 9, 2006

2006-07-09T11:23:00.000-04:00

This week, on July 11^th, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Benedict, the great father of western monasticism. Nearly all that we know about Benedict’s life comes from St. Gregory the Great (himself a Benedictine monk) and his writings. Benedict was born in modern-day Norcia, Italy, (about 100 miles northeast of Rome) in A.D. 480, only four years after the “fall of Rome.” During this tumultuous time in Europe, Benedict abandoned the life of nobility and left his studies and wealth to undertake the life of Christian perfection.

After departing Rome with several companions, he took up residence in a town near Subiaco, in an effort to find some peace to discern his next step in radically following Christ. He soon met a monk, Romanus, who gave him a monastic habit and encouraged him to live as a hermit. During the next three years, he remained in a nearby cave, growing in self-discipline and holiness. He gradually gained great fame, and when the abbot of the monastery died, he was prevailed upon by all to take up the task.

Unfortunately, however, the monks were not used to Benedict’s austerities and discipline, and tried to poison him. He survived, and his fame for holiness continued to grow and many came to Subiaco for training in the monastic life, and sought to be subject to Benedict under the vow of obedience. In response, twelve monasteries were built, in which these new monks lived, always looking to Benedict as their father and head.

During this period of Benedict’s life, he forged the practice of monasticism to be the perfect balance of “ora et labora” – “prayer and work”. The monks lived a communal life, working together and praying together, striving as a family to live the fullness of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. As the monasteries grew, however, troubles came to Subiaco; in order to preserve the monks, Benedict moved the foundation to the hilltop of Monte Cassino, which become the great center of the Benedictine life for centuries.

It was here at Monte Cassino that Benedict wrote his famous “Rule,” known throughout the world as the foundation document for Western monastic life. The Rule of St. Benedict describes in detail the entire life of the monk: his prayer, his work, his meals, his rest, and his interior dispositions. The Rule has been the source of inspiration for generations and generations of Benedictine monks, and remains a central part of monastic life today. Many monasteries read a section of the Rule before every evening meal.

One of Benedict’s great accomplishments was to achieve a balance in prayer and work; the austerities were not severe, and the penances not burdensome. The goal of the monastic life coincides with the Christian life: to establish a community with Christ at its center. A unique and distinctive feature of the Benedictine life, however, is the continual chanting of the Psalms.

Known as the Divine Office (or Liturgy of the Hours), the monastic practice of singing the Psalms throughout the day organizes the life of the monastery. The monks assemble to sanctify the hours by chanting the mercies of God. Most of the entire repertoire of Gregorian Chant comes from the monastic Office. Nothing captures the medieval imagination quite like an ancient monastery, with black-robed monks silently processing into their choir-stalls, prepared to offer the “Sacrifice of Praise” on behalf of the entire world.

St. Benedict died at Monte Cassino sometime around A.D. 543. Since then, the Benedictine monks have been responsible for evangelizing Europe and preserving the faith during the darkest times; they have become popes and cardinals; and continue today to witness the need for holiness and sacrifice in the modern world.

St. Benedict, pray for us

Fr. Schall on American Indepedence

2006-07-06T10:40:00.000-04:00

Fr. Schall has an excellent essay at Ignatius Insight, wherein he reflects on our Nation's founding and the principles which established the United States of America. It's an excellent thought-provoking piece. Enjoy.

Faith Seeking Understanding for July 2, 2006

2006-07-06T08:31:00.000-04:00

Our country celebrates the great national holiday of Independence Day this week, and for all of us it’s an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends, to enjoy the fireworks displays, and to have a long weekend. In the midst of our celebrations, let’s not forget to remember and pray for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who continue to defend American independence on the battlefield. One of the current basic training slogans used by drill sergeants to motivate their troops is “Freedom isn’t free!” May God protect and bless all our service personnel and their families this Fourth of July and may we never forget the high cost of freedom borne by our courageous veterans.

Freedom and independence are blessings cherished by all Americans. Nevertheless, responsibility always accompanies the exercise of freedom; for us to be truly free, we must choose according to the truth. When we exercise our freedom to choose whatever we desire, instead of what we ought to desire, we act contrary to this great gift. Once, I heard an excellent example to illustrate this point:
Someone, desiring to exercise his freedom without restraint, decides to fill his car’s gas tank with lemonade. “No-one,” he said, “can tell me how to operate my car. It’s my car, and I’ll use it however I want.” This man certainly was free to do as he chose; but now, he is a pedestrian.

What is freedom? The Catechism explains: “Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility” (CCC 1731). Human freedom flourishes when we choose according to the truth; we become more free the more we continue to choose our greatest good, who is God Himself. Therefore, the saint is the person who exercises his or her freedom perfectly: even though the number of choices may be drastically reduced (since all sinful choices are immediately rejected), the quality of choice is increased because God is the final object of love, which is manifest in every concrete decision.

The opposite? We turn to the Catechism which reminds us: “The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to the ‘slavery of sin’” (CCC 1733). Therefore, even though choosing sin may appear to be a broader number of choices, in fact, “there is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just” (ibid.). Just like the man who ruined his automobile, we ruin ourselves when we choose against the exercise of virtue, according to God’s plan for our lives.

In our exercise of freedom, we realize our true dignity as children of God, made in His image and likeness. Happily, we are not left to our own strength to determine what is right, and then to choose those things. Our Lord founded a Church, to which He gave the assurance of constant help from the Holy Spirit; He continues to teach us the truth through His Church. Moreover, God supports us daily with His infinite strength and power, continually bestowing grace when we request His help. Instead of restricting our freedom, the free gift of grace supports and strengthens our free choice.

As we read in the Catechism, “the more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in inner freedom and confidence during trials, such as those we face in the pressures and constraints of the outer world” (CCC 1742). Therefore, even when we are under great stress and anxiety, God’s grace enables us to be self-possessed and act in the true freedom which characterizes the children of God.

Jesus and Mary exemplify this great exercise of freedom for excellence according to the truth. Our Lord freely chose the Cross to save us from sin and death; our Lady freely chose to accept the call to be the Mother of God, with all its suffering and toil. May we imitate this perfect use of the gift of freedom and respond to God’s offer of grace which calls us all to be holy and perfect in his sight, all the days of our life.

Happy Fourth of July!

Faith Seeking Understanding for June 25, 2006

2006-06-27T08:29:00.000-04:00

Summer is finally upon us, along with warm weather to enjoy and road construction to avoid, especially on those long family drives. Summertime, especially with its lazy days and pleasant evenings can be a great opportunity to grow in our spiritual lives and draw closer to God. Vacations provide the perfect change in environment and schedule to examine our spiritual life during the routine days. Sometimes, we have enough time to pray and meditate more; other times, we may have the urge to find a new spiritual book, or read the Scriptures in a new light; and on vacation, attending Mass at a different parish is always an opportunity to experience the wider Catholic world.

How can we make the most of these times that refresh us in body and soul? What are some concrete ways to grow closer to Christ this summer?

Just as our final festival reminded us to “take Jesus with us” on vacation, that truth is essential to growing in our spiritual lives this summer. Simply reminding ourselves that Christ accompanies us throughout every aspect of our life can be enough to prompt prayers of praise, thanksgiving, petition, and even contrition. When we look at a beautiful summer sunset, sing songs around the campfire, or enjoy a weekend at the cabin, these times of rest and relaxation are all gifts from God.

Family prayer can also take these changes in schedule into account: praying the rosary together on long drives, praying in petition and thanksgiving for safe travel, and prayers before and after meals (even in restaurants!) can bring God into our recreation.

St. Irenaeus (whom the Church celebrates this Wednesday, June 28^th), is a Father of the Church who knew exactly what it meant to have Jesus as part of every moment of his life. He was born around 125 A.D. in modern-day Turkey into a Christian family; eventually, he became the Bishop of Lyons in France, and was one of the greatest defenders of the Faith. As a boy, he heard the preaching of St. Polycarp, who had been a disciple of St. John the Apostle. This direct connection to one of the Twelve is a compelling reason to trust Irenaeus’ teaching.

He is most famous for his work Adversus Hæreses (Against the Heresies), which clearly and forcefully presents the Catholic teaching against the Gnostics, who sought a secret gnosis, or “knowledge” to bring about salvation. Another work, lost for centuries, was discovered in the early 1900’s, entitled The Proof of the Apostolic Preaching. These early writings offer a glimpse at the continuity of the teaching of the Catholic Church throughout the centuries. Irenaeus, as a bishop, was faced with theological challenges and disagreements, but instead of bowing to pressure, he taught what he had received: “This, beloved, is the preaching of the truth, and this is the manner of our redemption, and this is the way of life, which the prophets proclaimed, and Christ established, and the apostles delivered, and the Church in all the world hands on to her children” (Proof of the Apostolic Preaching, 98).

We also celebrate the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul this week (June 29^th) and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome (June 30^th). All of these saints bear witness to the importance of keeping Christ first in everything that we do, even to the very sacrifice of our lives for the Gospel.

May God bless you this summer as you travel (or stay at home!), and bring you closer to His Son’s Sacred Heart!

Fath Seeking Understanding for June 18, 2006 -- Corpus Christi

2006-06-17T17:06:00.000-04:00

Corpus Christi – the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ – evokes a powerful memory of the Eucharistic processions that take place yearly in the Italian cities of Orvieto and Bolsena (about 70 miles north of Rome). When I was living in Rome, I was invited to participate with seminarians from the North American College in these processions which date to the 13^th century. Both processions, which wind through the narrow and hilly streets of these two medieval Italian villages, are expressions of faith in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist; they also bear witness to the origin of today’s great feast in honor of the Blessed Sacrament.

Bolsena is the site of what is known as a “Eucharistic Miracle,” in which the Sacred Host visibly transforms into flesh and blood. While celebrating Mass in 1263 at the Church of St. Christina in Bolsena, Peter of Prague was uncertain as to the truth of the Eucharist. Immediately after the words of consecration, however, the Sacred Host began to bleed. As the drops of blood fell onto the corporal, the astonished priest stopped the Mass, and was taken to nearby Orvieto, where Pope Urban IV was staying. Immediately ordering an investigation, the Pope ordered the Host and corporal (with the blood stains) to be brought to Orvieto in procession, where they were enshrined in the Cathedral.

St. Thomas Aquinas was asked by the Pope to compose a hymn in honor of the Miracle, and the following year, the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted in the universal calendar. St. Thomas’ hymn, the Lauda Sion, is a remarkable theological summary of the Church’s faith in the Eucharist while being an equally beautiful and artistic composition filled with love for our Lord. Today, the Lauda Sion remains in the Liturgy as an optional sequence before the Gospel on today’s feast.

Each city celebrates this feast with a Eucharistic procession, in which the relic of the Eucharistic miracle is carried throughout the town; at the end of the procession, the Blessed Sacrament is carried in an ornate monstrance. Benediction is celebrated at small altars set up throughout the procession-route. Bolsena is particularly unique, however, because the townspeople adorn the entire route with flower-mosaics. These mosaics are created with fresh flower petals and leaves, on patches of dirt, to honor the Blessed Sacrament. Only the priest or bishop carrying the monstrance with the Eucharist steps on the beautiful flowers; everyone else in the procession carefully avoids them.

Even though participating in both processions was incredibly exhausting, the experience was unforgettable and deeply moving. Beyond giving honor and glory to our Lord, physically present in the Eucharist, these processions recall the importance of cultural expressions of our Faith. There can be no doubt, after witnessing such care and devotion, as to our Faith in the Eucharist. Processions, celebrations, religious plays, and religious music all strengthen our practice of the Faith and provide opportunities for evangelism.

The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ also gives us an opportunity to reflect on the importance and the meaning of the Eucharist in our own lives. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11; cf. CCC, 1324). The Eucharist is not only the goal of our life, it is the means by which we reach that goal. It is the pinnacle of our worship, while being the fulfillment of God’s sanctification of His people. In the Eucharist, we not only encounter God in an absolutely unique way, we are united to Him in anticipation of eternal life.

Although Christ is present in His word, in the prayer of the Church, in the poor and downtrodden, He is present “most especially in the Eucharistic species” (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7). The Eucharist is a presence unlike all others, because it is the substantial presence of God among us, in His flesh and blood. Finally, this Eucharistic Presence of Christ “begins at the moment of consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist. Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts” (CCC 1377).

We sing the praises of our Lord in the Eucharist with St. Thomas Aquinas, in the Adoro te devote:

Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore,
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more,
See, Lord, at Thy service low lies here a heart
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.

Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived:
How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed;
What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;
Truth Himself speaks truly or there’s nothing true.

Happy 231st Birthday!

2006-06-14T08:16:00.000-04:00

Today is the birthday of the U.S. Army. Enjoy the DoD's tribute here. As we celebrate the founding of such a great institution which has protected and defended our great nation, let's pray for the brave men and women of the Army who continue to make this country great by their service.

Almighty God, bless our troops who serve our nation. Protect them from harm, grant them an outpouring of your Spirit, and bring them safely home. As you watched over Israel and granted them victory over their enemies, guard our men and women and never let them be far from your Heart. Grant all these things through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

College of Ss. Peter and Paul

2006-06-12T17:29:00.000-04:00

For all those interested in Catholic higher education here in Michigan, several local Catholic intellectuals are beginning the arduous task of founding a new College. Drs. Henry Russell and Monica Migiorino-Miller are two of those developing the curriculum and development plan for this new and hopeful venture in continuing the Catholic tradition of promoting the Liberal Arts.

A lecture and reception will be help on Sunday, June 25th, at 7 pm, at the home of Mr. Edmund Miller (67919 Eight Mile Rd., South Lyon, MI). For more information, please call the Ss. Peter and Paul Educational Foundation at (734) 239-3476.

UPDATE: Visit the College's Foundation Website here.

Faith Seeking Understanding for June 11, 2006 -- Trinity Sunday

2006-06-11T10:56:00.000-04:00

Although we are back to “Ordinary Time,” of the Liturgical Year, the Sundays immediately following Pentecost provide the opportunity to reflect on the core mysteries of the Faith. Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and next week is the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (formerly known as Corpus Christi). Since we can never exhaust these mysteries by prayer or study, learning and understanding the doctrine of the Church is a lifelong task. Instead of discouraging us, however, such richness and majesty prompts more questions and a deeper desire to draw close to God in our minds, so that we may serve Him better with our hands and hearts.

The existence of the Blessed Trinity is an article of Faith. We profess our Faith in one God, Who is Three Divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this teaching in paragraphs 232 – 267. In words that may be surprising, the Catechism says, “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life” (CCC 234). The Incarnation and Passion, the Eucharist and the Sacraments, even the Immaculate Conception and Assumption are all at the service of revealing God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to the world. Even though the word “Trinity” never appears in Scripture and despite centuries of theological arguments about how best to articulate Catholic belief in the Trinity, our belief in one God in Three Persons is the foundation of our Faith.

Not only is Trinity the source of all the other mysteries of the Faith, it is also the light which enlightens them and enables us to live our calling as Christians (cf. CCC 234), because this mystery is the very life of God Himself. We know God’s works through history and Sacred Scripture, but we encounter God Himself in the mystery of the Trinity. The Trinity is also a mystery in its most proper sense: no amount of study, experimentation, or reflection could conclude that God is Three-in-One. Although the existence of God can be known through natural reason (cf. Vatican I, Dei Filius, ch. 2), the nature of God as a Trinity of Persons is unknowable without Divine Revelation: “His inmost being as Holy Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel’s faith before the Incarnation of God’s Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 237).

The Church’s understanding of the Trinity developed during the first four centuries after Christ. The Christological heresies led to the Trinitarian heresies such as “modalism”, “adoptionism”, and “Arianism.” The Ecumenical Councils of Nicea (A.D. 325) and Constantinople (A.D. 381) clarified the nature of the Trinity as “consubstantial.” The Greek word homoousios (“same-substance”) was the touchstone of orthodox faith, defended by St. Athanasius; the term homoiousios (“similar-substance”) was championed by the notorious heretic Arius and those who believed Jesus was not God. Amazingly enough, the difference of a single letter “i” nearly split the Church. Such vigorous controversy reminds us of the importance of believing the truth, even when it is unpopular or challenging.

After describing the nature of the Trinity in itself (each Person is God, “consubstantial,” and co-eternal), the Church began to reflect upon the relationship between the Persons. Each Divine Person is properly described by His name; hence, the Father is truly and properly a Father. Although we experience fatherhood (and motherhood) through our earthly parents, God is a Father in the deepest sense. He “transcends human fatherhood and motherhood, although he is their origin and standard: no one is father as God is Father” (CCC 239). The Persons are distinct from one another by their relationship: “It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds” (CCC 254). Therefore, “Because it does not divide the divine unity, the real distinction of the persons from one another resides solely in the relationships which relate them to one another” (CCC 255).

Continuing to explore the depth of the Mystery, we praise God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Faith Seeking Understanding for June 4, 2006

2006-06-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

Every year on the Solemnity of Pentecost the Church in Detroit rejoices in a special way at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, because of the annual priestly ordinations that have just taken place. Yesterday, three transitional deacons, Charles Fox, Don Lacuesta, and Hoang Chi Lam, were ordained Catholic priests for the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Vigil of Pentecost provides an excellent backdrop for the grace of priestly ordination, and rich subject for meditation as we celebrate the graces given to the Church through these new priests. Every ordination is also a moment to continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood, recalling the sacrifice and dedication required to bring the sacraments to the Church, particularly of the Eucharist and Penance.

Pentecost furthermore recalls to our minds and hearts the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Fortitude, Counsel, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. In responding to these gifts, we live out our primary vocation as Christians, that is as the Second Vatican Council says, the “universal call to holiness”. This teaching is most clearly articulated in the Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, chapter five. We read, “this holiness of the Church is unceasingly manifested, and must be manifested, in the fruits of grace which the Spirit produces in the faithful; it is expressed in many ways in individuals, who in their walk of life, tend toward the perfection of charity, thus causing the edification of others” (LG, 39).

The graces of Pentecost Sunday, in particular, call our attention to a renewed commitment to this universal vocation, whether in middle school, high school, or college, whether single or married, whether working or retired, clergy or laity, man or woman, each Christian is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life of sanctity. Such holiness manifests itself in our family life, in our business practices, in countless daily decisions, and in our life of prayer. As the Council continues, “all Christ’s faithful, whatever be the conditions, duties and circumstances of their lives-and indeed through all these, will daily increase in holiness, if they receive all things with faith from the hand of their heavenly Father and if they cooperate with the divine will. In this temporal service, they will manifest to all men the love with which God loved the world” (LG, 41).

What is the source for this life of holiness? How are we to live such Christ-centered lives, with the temptations and trials that surround us? Pentecost gives us the answer, as the Council teaches: “God pours out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us” (LG, 42). God, Who is Love, accomplishes His work in the world through His Church; we are strengthened and empowered for this task by the gift of the Holy Spirit to each of us. We receive the Spirit for the first time at Baptism, we are sealed in His gifts at Confirmation, and continually renewed in the Spirit through Penance and the Eucharist.

“Indeed, in order that love, as good seed may grow and bring forth fruit in the soul, each one of the faithful must willingly hear the Word of God and accept His Will, and must complete what God has begun by their own actions with the help of God’s grace. These actions consist in the use of the sacraments and in a special way the Eucharist, frequent participation in the sacred action of the Liturgy, application of oneself to prayer, self-abnegation, lively fraternal service and the constant exercise of all the virtues” (LG, 42).

But for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such a task would be impossible. Thanks be to God, however, that He gives us all the necessary graces to follow His commandments and to live a life of holiness. Only by His grace can we live His life on earth, and share in eternal life, to which we are all called. We implore the Holy Spirit today:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy Love.

Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, who does instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; grant us, in that same Spirit, to be truly wise and to ever rejoice in His consolations, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Faith Seeking Understanding for May 28, 2006

2006-05-30T14:34:00.000-04:00

Although the Liturgical and Scriptural traditions of the Church have customarily placed the Ascension on a Thursday, recent pastoral adaptation for much of the United States has transferred the celebration of this great Solemnity to the following Sunday. Therefore, today is the seventh Sunday of Easter, but we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. This feast recalls the events described in Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:3-12. Just as every liturgical feast is more than a simple “remembering,” so to, our celebration of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven is more than celebrating an historical event.

Then-Cardinal Ratzinger, in his book The Spirit of the Liturgy, reminds us that the Liturgical commemoration of history brings us into immediate contact with that reality; in a certain sense the historical event is made present even as we become partakers in the eternal present of God’s action. He writes: “The liturgy is the means by which earthly time is inserted into the time of Jesus Christ and into its present. It is the turning point in the process of redemption” (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 61). In a passage that is a bit more obscure, we read “The real interior act, though it does not exist without the exterior, transcends time, but since it comes from time, time can again and again be brought into it. That is how we can become contemporary with the past events of salvation” (ibid., p. 56).

Even though these ideas are somewhat theologically advanced, they are not impossible to penetrate. In our liturgical celebration of the saving events of our redemption – the Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ – we truly participate in the eternal action of the Son, even as He acted concretely in history. Because, however, Jesus Christ is a divine person, His actions are not limited to space or time. When we participate in the Sacred Liturgy, we make present those historical realities and are caught up into the eternal worship of the Father by the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension today, our hearts and minds are caught up with Jesus Christ as He ascends to the Father. In some way, we gaze into the heavens along with the Apostles, admonished by the two angels: “Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). We long for the second coming of Christ, but at the same time, know that unless our Lord departs, He cannot send the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, Whom we await at Pentecost (cf. John 16:7).

Through the mystery of the Ascension, we know that we have a home awaiting us in heaven. Each of us is called by the Father to dwell with Him, His Son, and the Holy Spirit for all eternity; this is an amazing call, made more amazing by our Lord’s continual offer of the divine life of grace so that we may achieve this great destiny. We are charged to live out the mystery of the Ascension, not gazing into heaven, but preaching the Gospel with our words and deeds, until we too are called home.

We also celebrate a feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary this week, at the end of the month dedicated to her honor. May 31^st is the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, recalling her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Even though Mary herself was pregnant with the child Jesus, she undertook an arduous journey to the hill-country of Judea in order to minister to her cousin during the final months of her pregnancy. Seeing Mary as the new “Ark of the Covenant,” the parallels between Luke 1:39-56 and 2 Samuel 6:10-15 provide an interesting example of “typology,” a traditional way of seeing the unity of Scripture and interpreting the prophetic actions and words of the Old Testament in light of the New.

As we celebrate this Memorial Day with family and friends, may we be inspired by the example of charity given us by the Virgin Mary, and carry the Christ-child with us to our summer holiday destinations. Then we won’t simply gaze into the heavens, longing for our Lord’s return, but we can truly make Him present everywhere we go, through the power of His Spirit. May God bless you!

Faith Seeking Understanding for May 21, 2006

2006-05-21T10:50:00.000-04:00

As I celebrated the baptism of my nephew, Maximillian Patrick, last weekend in Palo Alto, California, I was reminded of the great joy that the Church always experiences when she welcomes new members at the baptismal font. But the Rite of Baptism also reminds us of the great responsibilities we have as baptized members of Christ’s Body, the Church. During the Easter Season, the Church focuses on the Sacrament of Baptism in a unique way, because the Paschal Mystery – the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – is the way in which we are reborn into the life of Christ.

Today’s first reading recalls the extension of the Sacramental life of the Church to the Gentiles, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. St. Peter, speaking in his capacity as the head of the Apostles and the first Pope, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, teaches that since the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles, they could not be denied baptism. Baptism wasn’t the end of the journey for those new Christians, nor is it the end of our journey. This Sacrament is the beginning of our life in Christ, opening us to the grace of the Sacraments, and welcoming us into His Body. Apart from these graces, though, Baptism confers a great responsibility upon each of us: parents, godparents, children, and indeed the whole Christian community.

Our Baptism compels us to live a life of Christian fidelity and evangelical zeal. This means that everyone we meet should in some way know the love of the Father; amazingly enough, as we spread this love of the Father, we experience His love in an ever deeper way. Obeying the Commandments of God allow us to know His love, because this is the way in which we experience His Covenant. Christ was faithful unto death, and when we imitate His fidelity, we are no longer slaves, but His friends.

While I have been gone to California, I have been blessed in many different ways, especially with the opportunity to celebrate Mass at two of the great California missions: Santa Barbara and San Juan Bautista. I also celebrated Mass at my sister’s parish, and was privileged to be able to preside at a beautiful celebration of Vespers on Sunday evening. You are all in my prayers, and I thank you for your prayers while I have been gone. May God bless you abundantly!

Faith Seeking Understanding for May 14, 2006

2006-05-21T10:49:00.000-04:00

Today, May 14, is my first anniversary of priestly ordination; it is almost impossible to believe that a year has already passed. God has blessed me in so many ways during this year, and I am thoroughly grateful for the opportunity and grace to serve His Church as a priest. This weekend, however, I rejoice in a special way, as I baptize my nephew, Maximilian Patrick Ortega, in Palo Alto, California, where my sister and brother-in-law currently live.

As I have been reflecting on the sacrament of baptism, particularly after the Easter Vigil, but also in preparation for my nephew’s baptism, the marvelous generosity of God continues to astound me. We often speak of God’s goodness, of His mercy, and of His grace, but thinking about exactly what happens in baptism can bring us to a new and deeper level of faith. Today’s Scripture readings also speak powerfully of God’s grace and of the importance of baptism as the first sacrament, the sacrament of entrance into His family. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, as well, we recall the joy of our Mother, the Church, as she welcomes new children through this marvelous Sacrament.

Our Lord says: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). Baptism grafts us onto the true vine of Christ. By the free gift of God’s grace, “Baptism takes away original sin, all personal sins and all punishment due to sin. It makes the baptized person a participant in the divine life of the Trinity through sanctifying grace, the grace of justification which incorporates one into Christ and into his Church.” This isn’t all; baptism also “gives one a share in the priesthood of Christ and provides the basis for communion with all Christians.” Finally, “it bestows the theological virtues [Faith, Hope, and Love] and the gifts of the Holy Spirit [Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord]. A baptized person belongs forever to Christ. He is marked with the indelible seal of Christ (character)” (Compendium, q. 263).

All of these effects are brought about, not through our own effort, but simply because the Father loves us and has given us His Son and His Spirit, in Whom we are baptized. This is clearly shown when parents share their faith with their children who are quite young. Such generosity clearly demonstrates God’s boundless love for each of us, who are welcomed into His family from the baptismal font. Whether we consider the image to be a flock of sheep (from last Sunday) or the vine (this Sunday), we know that our vocation is to belong to Christ. He has redeemed us, and He desires us so much that he has given us the Sacraments to share in His own divine life. Baptism is the entrance to that life.

In baptism, we become adopted sons and daughters of God, “partakers of the divine nature,” and co-heirs with Christ to the Kingdom. The baptized person also becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who dwells within him and continually renews his life (cf. Catechism, para. 1265 ff.). Pondering these graces, we might think they are outlandish or extravagant; they seem to be too much, and often our experiences seem to contradict this truth. Often, during trials and temptations, we feel more like outsiders than the sheep belonging to the Good Shepherd; when sufferings arise, we feel like we have been pruned from Christ’s vine, and cast into the fire.

St. John comforts the early Church (and us as well) with his letter: “Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.” Even though it is difficult, especially in our world, St. John encourages us, “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” We have an immense confidence in God, and in the grace that He gave each of us in baptism, and in the life He continues to pour out through the Sacraments of the Church. We know that we are members of His Body, called to the Divine life, and the Banquet of Eternal Life. He is always faithful to His promises.

May God bless all mothers today, in a special way, as we honor their sacrifices and love. Thank you for your witness and fidelity!

Faith Seeking Understanding for May 7, 2006

2006-05-07T07:59:00.000-04:00

Since last Sunday, several people have asked about the book I mentioned in my homily. The book is called the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and is published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a concise resource to open the treasures of the Church’s Tradition and teaching to the world. The first printing was in March 2006, and it is widely available, either online or in bookstores. Pope Benedict XVI, in the motu proprio dated June 28, 2005, presented the Latin original to the Church with these stirring words:

“The Compendium, which I now present to the Universal Church, is a faithful and sure synthesis of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It contains, in concise form, all the essential and fundamental elements of the Church’s faith … which allows believers and non-believers alike to behold the entire panorama of the Catholic faith.

“I entrust this Compendium above all to the entire Church and, in particular, to every Christian, in order that it may awaken in the Church of the third millennium renewed zeal for evangelization and education in the faith, which ought to characterize every community in the Church and every Christian believer, regardless of age or nationality.

“But this Compendium, with its brevity, clarity and comprehensiveness, is directed to every human being, who in a world of distractions and multifarious messages, desires to know the Way of Life, the Truth, entrusted by God to His Son’s Church.”

Such an endorsement is an excellent reminder that we can always do more to encounter Jesus Christ, particularly as we seek to follow and serve Him with all our heart, mind, and strength. The Compendium is an excellent way to form our minds in accord with the Church, so that as members of the Body of Christ, we conform our ways of thinking and acting to the Truth of Jesus Christ.

In today’s first reading, St. Peter instructs his listeners in the unique and foundational truth of Jesus Christ: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” We are often easily swayed by the culture to believe that many paths lead to heaven, or that as long as we are sincere in our beliefs, things will be just fine. The passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus teach us something much different: Jesus Christ alone is our salvation.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed at the time by then-Cardinal Ratzinger, issued a document entitled Dominus Iesus (the Lord Jesus) on August 6, 2000, clarifying the Church’s teaching in this regard. Many of us struggle with evangelization (preaching the gospel) and apologetics (defending the teachings of the Church) on a daily basis. At work, with our families, and even with friends, questions continually arise about the nature of Christ, the possibility of grace, the moral teaching of the Church, and the Sacraments. All of these questions have answers, but ultimately, their solution is found in the person of Jesus Christ Himself, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (cf. John 14:6).

These continual struggles remind us of the necessity of developing a personal holiness of life, founded upon the Sacraments (particularly of Penance and the Eucharist) and daily prayer (Eucharistic adoration, the Holy Rosary, lectio divina, Sacred Scripture); we also must, in addition to this personal holiness, cultivate an intellectual life that learns from the Church, and deepens our appreciation of the Mysteries of our Faith. As a result, our deeds and words will begin to draw many souls to Christ and we will become “evangelists” ourselves.

May God bless you all abundantly!

Faith Seeking Understanding for April 30, 2006

2006-04-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

The month of May – known as “Mary’s Month” – begins tomorrow, not with a feast of our Blessed Mother, but with the great feast of St. Joseph the Worker. In an effort to rehabilitate the misguided and erroneous teaching of the communist party, Pope Pius XII established this feast in 1955 to honor the Patron of the Universal Church, in his capacity as a laborer. We are justly reminded that work, as such, is an essential element of man’s nature, and is perfectly in harmony with his great dignity as a child of God: “The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it” (Gen. 2:15). Although we are not certain exactly how Adam cared for and cultivated the Garden of Paradise, it is clear that our work – and rest – both reflect the image and likeness of God, in which we are created.

After the Fall, however, as punishment for Original Sin, toil and sweat become elements of work, reminding us of the struggle that now exists in all creation, until Christ shall restore all things in Himself at the end of time (cf. Genesis 3:17-29). Nevertheless, work, just compensation, and care for the poor, all speak strongly of human dignity, and of our ultimate destiny of Eternal Rest in the Father’s house. While we toil, however, we pray to St. Joseph, patron of workers, to intercede for all laborers, that they would receive just wages for a just day’s work; and we are likewise reminded of our cooperation in the renewal of creation by the work of our hands, in imitation of St. Joseph, and of his foster son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Throughout this month of May, we are also encouraged to grow in our devotion to the sinless spouse of St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary, by whose “Yes” to God’s plan we are all pleased to enjoy the promises of Resurrection, continually intercedes for us before the throne of her Divine Son. One particular way to grow in our devotion to Mary is to pray the rosary as a family each night throughout the month of May. The rosary, as so many saints and popes have reminded us, is nothing less than the “school of the gospels,” teaching us the greatest lessons of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection through a program of meditation, prayer, and contemplation. As an added grace, whenever the rosary is prayed publicly, a plenary indulgence may be obtained, provided the ordinary conditions are met (prayers for the Holy Father, sacramental confession, and detachment from sin).

During this Eastertide, as we continue to celebrate the joy of the Risen Lord, the traditional Angelus prayer, recited at morning, noon, and evening, is replaced by the Regina Cæli (Queen of Heaven). We help sanctify the hours of our days when we stop to pray at specific times, or when prayer brackets our day. Honoring the Mother of God with this beautiful prayer recalls the union of her suffering with her Son on the Cross, and likewise the glorious triumph of the Resurrection.

Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia:
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.

Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

V. Gaude et lætare, Virgo Maria, alleluia,

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus: Deus qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum lætificare dignatus es: præsta, quæsumus, ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuæ capiamus gaudia vitæ. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen.

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen

Ave Maria Radio Pledge Drive

2006-04-25T08:16:00.000-04:00

I'm a day late on this item, but there are four days left to support one of the greatest Catholic resources in southeastern Michigan: Ave Maria Radio. The 2006 Spring Membership drive is currently underway, and the radio network is always in need of our support. Please listen to AM 990 in Detroit (WDEO), 1440 in Saginaw/Bay City/Midland (WMAX), or on the internet at http://www.avemariaradio.net/.

Catholic radio is a continual source of orthodox teaching, inspiration, and community that builds up our faith and supports a Catholic culture capable of engaging the secular mindset so prevalent in our world today.

If you just want to pledge, give them a call at: 1-877-288-1077.

Faith Seeking Understanding for April 23, 2006

2006-04-25T08:13:00.000-04:00

As our Easter joy continues to lift our minds and hearts to God, we recall in a unique way His boundless Divine Mercy this Sunday, the Octave of Easter. Throughout history, the Church has celebrated the greatest feasts on the calendar (Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc.) with an Octave. Throughout the Octave (eight days), the Liturgy (Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours) remains focused on the feast in a particular way: the readings, antiphons, and psalms explore different aspects of the same truth. The Easter Octave has given us eight days to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection with the same fervor and expectant hope that characterized Easter Sunday.

The 2^nd Sunday of Easter (the Octave of Easter) has been known as “Divine Mercy Sunday” since the declaration Misericors et Miserator (May 5, 2000) from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which stated: “throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come.”

This devotion – and today’s Feast of Divine Mercy – originated with the revelations of Jesus Christ to St. Faustina Kowalska, in Krakow, Poland. Our Lord appeared to Sister Faustina on February 22, 1931, which she describes in her diary:

“In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, ‘paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.’”

Sister Faustina was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II, and so that this marvelous message of Christ’s Mercy would be extended to the whole world, he decreed that on Divine Mercy Sunday, the Church extends “a plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. ‘Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!’)” (Decree on Indulgences attached to the Divine Mercy).

As we celebrate the glory of the Risen Christ, we are made aware of the Mercy which poured from His pierced side upon the Cross. Even as we bear our individual crosses of anguish, suffering, and sin, Christ accompanies us and offers us His boundless Mercy, if we desire to receive it. Let us rejoice in Christ’s merciful love that has saved us from sin, made us sharers in His Divine Life, co-heirs with Him to the Kingdom of God, and adopted Sons and Daughters of the Father.

Christ is risen! He is truly risen! Alleluia!

Some Pictures from France

2006-04-21T08:32:00.000-04:00

Three of my brothers on a shadowy street in Amiens, our first stop (after Beauvais). The Cathedral of Amiens is roughly double the size of Notre Dame in Paris.

The reputed relic of St. John the Baptist's head, and the great treasure of the Cathedral of Amiens. I'm sure there are more than a few stories about this, especially since at least two other churches in the world claim the same relic.

The abbey church of St. Ouen in Rouen. We're enjoying some "vin, pain, fromage et jambon", or wine, bread, cheese, and ham for our lunch.
One of the most moving days of the trip: Omaha Beach.

From the causeway to a great pilgrim shrine: Le Mont-Saint-Michel. Thankfully, religious life has been restored at this ancient abbey by the Monastic Fraternity of Jerusalem, who celebrate Mass in the abbey church at noon every day.

In front of the great Cathedral of Chartres, in the evening. Magnificent.

One of the rooms in the famous Chateau of Blois, in the Loire Valley. Each room was more exquisite than the next.

The Benedictine Abbey of Notre Dame de Fontgombault. The Abbey Church dates to the 11th Century; of course, it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, thanks to the vicissitudes of French history.

Taking a walk in Fontgombault.

The small chapel across the Creuse River, where the original monks (with their founder Petrus a Stella) established their communal life roughly 1000 years ago.

AD MVLTOS ANNOS!

2006-04-16T10:07:00.000-04:00

Happy Anniversary of election to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, gloriously reigning on the throne of Peter. We offer our prayers and best wishes to "il Papa" as he celebrates not only the joy of the Risen Christ, on this Easter Wednesday, but also the challenge of being the Vicar of Christ. As an added note, he just celebrated his 79th birthday on Easter Sunday.

How well I remember the events of one year ago: we had just finished the mid-day Mass in the Theologate chapel (I was a transitional deacon), and were on our way to the refectory for lunch. The words echoed through the hall as an astute seminarian had checked the TV -- "HABEMUS PAPAM!" Crowding into the lounge, we waited with nervous expectation until those marvelous words reached our ears: "Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum, habemus Papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Iosephum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Ratzinger, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedicti Decimi Sexti." At the word "Iosephum", there was a collective gasp ... and then the confirmation, with the unforgettable name: "Ratzinger."

Shouts of joy erupted; high-fives, hugs, and tears filled the room. We rejoiced with the Church throughout the world at the election of her new head and chief shepherd. As we reflect on this past year -- World Youth Day in Cologne, Deus Caritas Est, and everything else -- we offer our prayers for His Holiness:

Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Benedicto. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum ejus.

Let us pray for our Pope Benedict. May the Lord protect him, give him life, and make him blessed on the earth, and not hand him over to the will of his enemies.

Viva il Papa!

-----

UPDATE: I've opened this post for comments; feel free to praise Papa Benedetto, share your memories of a year ago, or hopes for the pontificate.

Faith Seeking Understanding for Easter Sunday, April 16, 2006

2006-04-16T10:05:00.000-04:00

Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia! He is risen as He said, Alleluia! We rejoice today with all of creation at the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has destroyed the chains of sin and death; He has conquered the powers of darkness; He has defeated the devil. Jesus Christ is risen; He is truly risen, Alleluia!

The fast of Lent is now over and the discipline we have practiced for forty days is at and end. By the power of Christ’s sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, however, we are ever more committed to living by the grace He won for us. Having been washed anew in the Blood of the Lamb – and rejoicing with those who have been cleansed from sin and reborn from the baptismal font at the Vigil – we are confident in this new life, living in the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the core of the Faith, which is why this great feast is celebrated with an Octave (eight days of rejoicing in the Liturgy). Stopping to ponder this amazing reality, even for a moment, certainly boggles the mind. Nothing in our normal human experience has prepared us for this: a man, tortured and brutally executed on a cross, and buried in a cave for three days, on his own power has risen from the dead. Christ’s resurrection is utterly unique, as is His role in salvation. As St. Peter beautifully preaches in Acts 4:12, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

Everything that Christ teaches is ratified by His Resurrection. So how can we trust His commandments? By hoping in the power He demonstrated by rising from the dead. How can we trust the truth of the Resurrection? By faith, but also by the witness of the Apostles unto death. Every one of the Apostles was martyred (Greek for “witness”) for the truth of the Resurrection. Such dramatic and selfless testimony confronts us with the truth of Christ’s message. We are bound by this truth to accept all of Christ’s teaching, from the powerful commandment to love God and our neighbor (Mk 12:30), to the beatitudes (Mt 5:3-10), to the foundation of His Church (Mt 16:18-19), to the Real Presence of the Eucharist (Jn 6:32-63), to our responsibility to evangelize (Mt 28:19-20), and so much more.

Joy should fill our hearts as we hear the magnificent Easter Sequence: Victimæ Paschali Laudes. Another hymn, formerly sung during the procession before Mass likewise excites the boundless love that responds to Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection; it is the Salve, Festa Dies, written by St. Venantius Fortunatus, bishop of Poitiers. A few verses express the beauty and sentiments of Easter Sunday perfectly:

Hail, thou festive, ever venerable day!
Whereon hell is conquered and heaven is won by Christ.

Lo! Our earth is her spring; bearing thus her witness that,
with her Lord, she has all her gifts restored.

Throw off thy shrouds, I pray thee!
Leave thy winding-sheet in the tomb.
Thou art our all;
and all else, without thee, is nothing.

The white garments symbolize unspotted souls;
And the Shepherd rejoices in his snow-like flock:
Hail, thou festive, ever venerable day!
Whereon hell is conquered and heaven is won by Christ.

May you have a blessed and holy Octave of Easter, celebrating each day of this week as a new promise of the hope of eternal life!

Faith Seeking Understanding for April 9, 2006

2006-04-08T17:46:00.000-04:00

The austerities and hardships of Lent are nearly through; Holy Week has at last arrived with the great songs of “Hosanna” for our Lord as He makes His final entry into Jerusalem. The moving proclamation of the Passion of the Lord spiritually prepares us for this final week of Lent, foreshadowing the great events of our salvation and allowing us to enter into the depths of our Lord’s suffering and death.

Every day of Holy Week offers a new opportunity to open our hearts and turn more completely to Christ. The Sacred Liturgy recalls, and in a certain manner, makes present the central mysteries of our Faith. As we prepare to enter the sacred Triduum (Latin for “Three Days”), the Church centers our gaze on Christ and His Sacrifice, teaching us some deeper truth each day. Many of us participated in the Holy Week Festival that recalled the importance and centrality of the events of Holy Week in our lives. Each of us should renew our effort to participate in the Liturgies of Holy Week, particularly the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, and rejoicing with the Church at the Easter Vigil.

After Palm Sunday, Holy Week can seem fairly quiet; the palms adorn the crucifixes and we wait in silence for the great events of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. The readings from the Mass on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, however, prepare us for these days. Monday’s Gospel (John 12:1-11) recalls the anointing of Christ’s feet by Lazarus’ sister, Mary, in preparation for His death; Tuesday (John 13:21-33, 36-38) foretells Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial; and Wednesday (sometimes known as “Spy Wednesday”; Matthew 26:14-25) finishes telling the sad story of Judas’ treachery. By reading these Gospels at the family meal during Holy Week, we can truly begin to prepare our hearts for the solemn days ahead. On Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:00 pm, we will also be celebrating the Sacrament of Penance at St. John Neumann. Holy week is the perfect time to ask forgiveness for our sins, and to see our sins and failures in light of Christ’s victory on the Cross.

The Chrism Mass on the morning of Holy Thursday recalls the joyful institution of the priesthood by our Lord on the night He was betrayed. There is no parish Mass on Thursday morning; instead the priests gather with their bishop in the Cathedral to renew their vows of priestly service and to witness the blessing of the Holy Oils to be used throughout the year: the Oil of Catechumens (Baptism), the Oil of the Sick (Anointing), and the Sacred Chrism (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders).

The evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper was often called “Maundy Thursday” from the words “Mandatum novum,” or the “New Commandment” of love and service that Christ gave to His Church in the washing of the Apostles’ feet. Several volunteers have their feet washed by the priests in imitation of Christ’s service. Intimately connected with the institution of the priesthood is the institution of the Holy Eucharist, which we joyfully celebrate at this Mass as well. Christ gives the Church, through the ministerial priesthood, the gift of Himself, lasting until He returns in glory: His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, present under the appearance of ordinary bread and wine. How blessed we are to share this great and noble Sacrament of His Love!

We then move to the “Altar of Repose,” where we adore Christ and prepare for the celebration of His Passion on Good Friday. The somber Liturgy of the Passion – not a Mass, for no Masses are celebrated on this day on which the Church recalls the death of Her Lord and Founder – calls to mind Christ’s incredible love, and His Sacrifice that sets us free from sin. We hear the Passion proclaimed; we pray for the entire world; we venerate the cross; and then we receive Holy Communion.

As we watch and wait in the silence of Holy Saturday, our hearts become one with the Mother of God, who silently shared in her Son’s agony and death. May the sorrow of Christ’s Passion and Death pierce our hearts, that we might die to sin with Christ, in order to live anew with Him on Easter Sunday: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Faith Seeking Understanding for April 2, 2006

2006-04-07T12:14:00.000-04:00

I am (was) on retreat this week at the French Abbey of Our Lady of Fontgombault, a daughterhouse of the Great Abbey of St. Peter’s in Solesmes. Some of you may know that I was blessed to live nearly an entire year at this ancient Benedictine Abbey a little over six years ago. (A picture of this monastery is also hanging in my office.) More than 70 monks live at the abbey and they are entirely self-sufficient, providing themselves with fruit, vegetables, eggs, and other produce. They are also able to sell much of what they grow and raise to townspeople and visitors.

In the first half of the 19^th Century in France, a young diocesan priest named Propser Guéranger was drawn by the Holy Spirit to discover the beauties of Benedictine monasticism. After much prayer and discernment, he re-founded the Abbey at Solesmes, becoming its first Abbot, and essentially restoring the monastic life to France, which had been desolate since the destruction left in the wake of the French Revolution. French monasticism had been a pillar of the Faith in Europe throughout the middle ages; pilgrims often stayed at monasteries as they walked to Mont-Saint-Michel, Tours, or Santiago de Compostela (in Spain), and they were a center of learning and culture, preserving the exercise of faith and reason. Abbot Guéranger is most famous for his monumental 15 volume work entitled The Liturgical Year which has recently been reprinted in an English translation.

In their rebuilding of monastic life, the monks from Solesmes began the arduous task of further restoring the precious and ancient patrimony of Gregorian Chant. Much of the actual practice of chant had fallen into disuse and many of the ancient manuscripts had been lost or forgotten. These tireless Benedictines uncovered the melodies and methods of the ancient “plainsong” chant that provided the backbone for the Divine Office and the Mass. Their small community continued to grow, and despite the horrors visited upon France by two World Wars (and rampant secularism) spread throughout the country.

The Abbey of Our Lady of Fontgombault was originally founded by Petrus á Stella in the 11^th Century as a Benedictine Monastery. The French Wars of Religion and the Revolution, along with sickness and disease, decimated the Abbey. The monks from Solesmes, however, restored the communal life there after the end of the Second World War. Currently, the monks chant the entire Divine Office (or Liturgy of the Hours) in Latin each day; they also sing their conventual (community) Mass daily. The rest of their day is spent in silence, except for a brief period of daily “recreation” when conversation is permitted. All of the monks also spend some time (depending on their role in the monastery) at manual labor each day, whether gardening, tending the animals, making pottery or other crafts, or simply cleaning the monastery and its grounds.

The monks also have many recordings of Gregorian Chant, which are according to many (and not just me!) the finest example of Chant anywhere. Even the recordings, however, cannot duplicate the marvelous sense of joy and peace that fills the heart when quietly kneeling in the dark, 1000-year old Abbey church at the end of Compline (Night Prayer), listening to the final echoes of the Salve Regina fade softly into the night.

In 1999, twelve monks left the Abbey of Fontgombault to establish a new foundation in the United States, in Clear Creek, Oklahoma. If you are interested in learning more about these monks and their ministry in the heartland of our country, please visit www.clearcreekmonks.org. They are in the process of building an Abbey church, similar in many ways to the Romanesque one they left behind in France. Be assured of my prayers for all of you! May God bless your final weeks of Lenten preparation for the holiest week of the year.

Back from France!

2006-04-07T11:59:00.000-04:00

I have safely returned from pilgrimage and retreat, refreshed and strengthened for the Liturgies of Holy Week. Watch for pictures from the Abbey of Fontgombault, as well as our other pilgrimage sites: Amiens, Rouen, Lisieux, Bayeux, Omaha Beach, Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Le Mans, Chartres, Orleans, Blois, Tours, and Poitiers.

Among the interesting items we had the opportunity to venerate were the relic of the skull of St. John the Baptist (Amiens Cathedral) and the Veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Chartres Cathedral). I also was blessed to celebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Martin of Tours and in the Carmel of Lisieux (St. Therese).

Stay tuned.

On Retreat

2006-03-27T15:21:00.000-05:00

I am leaving this evening for retreat at the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady of Fontgombault in France. Be assured of my prayers for all of you; please pray for me.

I promise to post photos of the monastery and the other sites we visit upon my return at the beginning of Holy Week. May God bless you all!

Faith Seeking Understanding for March 26, 2006

2006-03-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

Today, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, is traditionally known as Laetare Sunday, because of the first words of the Introit (or Entrance Antiphon) for today’s Mass: “Laetare Ierusalem.” The English translation of this beautiful antiphon reads: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and gather together, all you who love her; rejoice with gladness, you who have been in sorrow, so that you may exult and be satisfied with the abundance of your consolation.” This verse is taken from the prophet Isaiah (66:10) and provides encouragement for all of us as we reach the middle of Lent.

The Church, as the New Jerusalem, is invited to rejoice at the prospect of salvation and her preparations for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery: the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even though the penances of Lent may become tiring; even though our initial zeal may have begun to lag; even though our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving may have begun to slack, the Liturgy reminds us of the merciful abundance that our Lord bestows upon us with His Grace.

In former times, when all musical instruments were silent during Lent, the organ alone was permitted this Sunday as a foretaste of the joy of Easter. Likewise, rose-colored vestments were worn instead of purple (just as on the third Sunday of Advent) as a cheerful reminder of the dawn of the new day of the Resurrection that is quickly approaching. They also remind the faithful of the ancient papal custom of blessing a golden rose at the Vatican on this Sunday.

If we are beginning to feel discouraged by the length of Lent or the challenge of penance, today is an excellent day to rekindle our fervor and renew our efforts at conversion of heart as we prepare for the great and solemn celebration of Holy Week.

Yesterday, March 25, was the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the day on which we commemorate the moment of the Incarnation. Nine months from now, we will celebrate Christmas; yet almost by way of juxtaposition, the Church recalls the unity between the mysteries of God becoming man (the Incarnation) and His Crucifixion. The wood of the crib in so many ways foreshadows the wood of the Cross. The Annunciation and the Nativity find their ultimate conclusion – their ultimate meaning – on Calvary.

As we reflect upon the mystery of the Annunciation, Mary (the “Mystical Rose”) is clearly at the center of the mystery. Her quiet “Yes” to the Angel Gabriel resounds throughout human history. In her simply and humble acceptance of God’s will to save the human race from sin and death, she became the first Christian. She is the first and most perfect disciple of her divine Son, and she leads each of us to Him. Her fidelity was not limited to the Annunciation, or the Nativity, or the Presentation, or even the finding in the Temple. She appears in silent yet eloquent testimony to the meaning of true love at the foot of the Cross and through the magnificent gift of the Spirit on Pentecost.

Just as the Blessed Virgin accompanied Christ through His passion and death, she accompanies each of us, not just by way of imitation and example, but also through her gracious and efficacious intercession before her Son’s heavenly throne. May the “Yes” of the Annunciation echo in our lives, helping us to bear our own Cross out of love for the King who shed His Blood for us. The first stanza of the beautiful Stabat Mater reminds us:

At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Da Vinci Code Resources

2006-03-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

As the paperback release of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code approaches next week, and as media-hype grows in anticipation of the movie premier, I would like to offer a few helpful resources to balance the distortion and confusion the book has left in its wake:

The Da Vinci Antidote (also the Da Vinci Outreach): http://www.davinciantidote.com/
The American Bishops' Jesus Decoded: http://www.jesusdecoded.com/
Amy Welborn's De-Coding Da Vinci: http://www.amywelborn.com/davincicode.html
The Da Vinci Hoax: http://www.ignatius.com/books/davincihoax/
Da Vinci Hoax Blog: http://insightscoop.typepad.com/davincihoax/
Exposing Errors in the Da Vinci Code
Cracking the Da Vinci Code (from Catholic Answers)

Also, Fr. John Riccardo at St. Anastasia's in Troy, Michigan, is currently hosting a series on the Da Vinci Code. The remaining dates are March 29 and April 5. Check their website for details.

Faith Seeking Understanding for March 19, 2006

2006-03-22T08:09:00.000-05:00

This post is a tad late, unfortunately, for Sunday or the Feast of St. Joseph, but it's here nevertheless.

Today, March 19, is usually the Solemnity (Solemn Feast) of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, and patron of the Universal Church. Since, however, today is a Sunday, St. Joseph’s feast-day is transferred to Monday, March 20, this year. Among all the saints in the whole calendar, aside from the Blessed Virgin Mary, none has been as close to our Blessed Lord as St. Joseph. Joseph is mentioned only a few times in the Gospels, but these brief glimpses into his life provide us with much fruit for meditation, particularly as we near the middle of Lent.

We know, among other details of St. Joseph’s life, that he was from Bethlehem, a descendent of King David (Mt 1:1-16; 20) and that he was a skilled laborer, which tradition has interpreted as a carpenter (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3). The Scriptures are silent as whether Joseph was a young or old man at the time of his marriage to Mary, although much of traditional art depicts an elderly Joseph. Nevertheless, he and Mary were truly married; and although the marriage was never consummated, this purely virginal marriage did not lack any grace or happiness.

St. Matthew’s Gospel describes Joseph as “a just man,” but troubled by the undeniable fact that Mary was with child. His faith in God – and trust in Mary – is manifest in the very next scene when he believed the angel’s message, and “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Mt 1:24). Truly, although God’s ways are not our ways, Joseph’s fidelity accompanied Mary, even when there was no room for them in the inn of Bethlehem. He comforted her and cared for her through childbirth and the visits of the shepherds and magi. He preserved Mary’s virginity and protected her and her newborn Son, even from the tyranny of King Herod, and led them to safety in Egypt.

The last time we encounter Joseph in the Gospels is when he and Mary searched in vain for the 12 year-old child Jesus throughout Jerusalem. He and his wife sought Jesus “anxiously” (Lk 2:48), only to be amazed at His answer: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Yet Jesus returned to Nazareth, and was obedient to them (cf. Lk 2:51).

The Scriptures do not speak of the death of St. Joseph; scholars suggest that Joseph died in Nazareth, surrounded by Jesus and Mary, since no further mention of Joseph is made during Jesus’ public ministry, and furthermore, our Lord entrusted His Mother to St. John at the foot of the Cross. Many generations of Catholics have sought St. Joseph’s intercession for the grace of a happy death: to be found in the state of grace surrounded by Jesus and Mary, just as St. Joseph ended his own earthly life.

Even in the mostly silent witness of the Scriptures, we clearly see the greatness and sanctity of the foster-father of Jesus, caring for the Holy Family, providing for them, and growing in holiness through the vocation of marriage. He was clearly an obedient Jew, faithful to the Covenant with Israel; yet he was most certainly our Lord’s most ardent disciple and friend. Not much imagination is required to consider the love of St. Joseph for Jesus, and the devotion of Jesus in return. Joseph’s virtue and obedience provide an unparalleled model for fathers in raising virtuous and holy sons and daughters.

We conclude with a prayer to St. Joseph:

Gracious Saint Joseph, protect me and my family from all evil as you did the Holy Family. Kindly keep us ever united in the love of Christ, ever fervent in imitation of the virtue of our Blessed Lady, your sinless spouse, and always faithful in devotion to you. Amen.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Faith Seeking Understanding for March 12, 2006

2006-03-14T07:44:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that this is a couple days late!

Last week’s reading from the Book of Genesis told of the Covenant established between God and the human race after the flood. The rainbow in the clouds stands as an everlasting sign of God’s covenantal fidelity. Throughout the Old Testament God continued to draw close to His people by means of new and fuller Covenants; each of the Covenants, however, pails in comparison to what God has offered in the “New and Everlasting Covenant” in the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son.

Nevertheless, each of the Covenants from the Old Testament teach us some different aspect about God and His passionate and selfless love, not just for the Jewish people as recipients of these promises, but really for the whole human race. Each Covenant prepares mankind to accept the truth of the Incarnation (the Word made flesh) and to receive the promises of these “sacred family bonds” with God.

This week, the Covenant with Abraham is our focus. Even though God has already made a Covenant with Abraham, and sealed it with the sign of circumcision, He tests Abraham by requiring the sacrifice of Isaac, his beloved son – the son given to Abraham in the Covenant with God. Such a test bewilders us; why does God require such a thing? Hasn’t Abraham already left his family, his former ways; hasn’t he suffered enough? In the final analysis, though, we aren’t really in a position to judge God’s command or His methods. He gave Abraham sufficient grace to respond to this most overwhelming of tests – and He brought him to a deeper, utterly selfless faith that relies upon God for everything.

Just as the former Covenants reveal something about the New Covenant, they also in many ways “foreshadow” Christ’s own life. The Fathers of the Church were eager to see Christ in every verse of the Old Testament, and with good reason: both Testaments, Old and New, are a complete whole. St. Augustine teaches that Grace, “concealed in the Old Testament, is revealed in the New.” This does not mean that the Old Covenant actually “hid” grace from view, but that God’s actions must be understood in light of His definitive gift of His Son made man.

This often changes our perspective on the stories of the Old Testament. By reading today’s reading from Genesis according to this “typology,” we see Isaac and Abraham foreshadow Christ and His own Father. Isaac bears the wood for the sacrifice to the mountain where he is to be killed; likewise, Christ bears the wood of the Cross up Mount Calvary. The father is willing to sacrifice his son, and the son (many Fathers of the Church remarked) went willingly and obediently to his death. However, as if to shatter our preconceptions, God saves Isaac at the last moment – replacing him with, not a lamb, but a ram, caught by his head in a bush of thorns.

In the fulfillment of this foreshadowing, it is God the Father who offers His Son, the true Lamb, crowned with thorns – a willing sacrifice. But this sacrifice is offered by the Son Himself, who freely lays down His life, that we might live. In our Lenten penances, as we strive to repent of our sins and draw closer to Christ, this image is a powerful reminder of the cost of our salvation. As St. Paul then says in his letter to the Romans today, “He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” (Rom 8:32). We can have absolute trust and confidence in the Father’s love and mercy.

Have a blessed and happy St. Patrick’s day; and may God bless you and your Lenten penances of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving with abundant grace!

Faith Seeking Understanding for March 5, 2006

2006-03-05T10:14:00.000-05:00

Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, following the custom of our beloved late Pope John Paul II, has given the Church a Lenten Message. His letter offers us encouragement and support for our Lenten penances and reminds us to be faithful in our preparations for the celebration of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection at the end of the Forty Days. The theme that Benedict has chosen for his message is: “Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity” (Mt 9:36).

This theme recalls the plight of underdeveloped nations and realistically, even the poor in our midst. Lent, as a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, is exceptionally appropriate to contemplate the social nature of our Faith as well as the call to conversion that demands expression in our concrete love of neighbor. As we have seen in the last two weeks’ articles about the encyclical Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict is concerned that this aspect of the Gospel not be overlooked.

Our gaze upon the “crowds” must be in imitation of Jesus’ concern and pity: “The gaze of Jesus embraces individuals and multitudes, and he brings them all before the Father, offering Himself as a sacrifice of expiation” (Lenten Message 2006). The Pope recalls his predecessor Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio, and the importance of developing a “complete humanism” that truly respects the dignity of each human person. Our Holy Father suggests then, that “for this reason, the primary contribution that the Church offers to the development of mankind and peoples does not consist merely in material means or technical solutions. Rather, it involves the proclamation of the truth of Christ, Who educates consciences and teaches the authentic dignity of the person and of work; it means the promotion of a culture that truly responds to all the questions of humanity.”

In our practice of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we become conformed to Christ who had compassion on the crowds; such self-denial opens our hearts to the grace and working of the Holy Spirit. After such discipline and denial, uniting our hearts to Christ, then we are more perfectly capable of offering a truly authentic gift of self to the poor, the disabled, the unborn, and any who suffer the attacks against human dignity. We, then, do not give simply our money, our time, our resources, or even ourselves – we are able to give Christ. The Pope says: “Those who act according to the logic of the Gospel live the faith as friendship with God Incarnate and, like Him, bear the burden of the material and spiritual needs of their neighbors.”

As we help in the global development of poor nations, the pope teaches: “Moved like Jesus with compassion for the crowds, the Church today considers it her duty to ask political leaders and those with economic and financial power to promote development based on respect for the dignity of every man and woman.” These efforts, must however “include a recognition of the central role of authentic religious values in responding to man’s deepest concerns, and in supplying the ethical motivation for his personal and social responsibilities.”

Entrusting this task to Mary, the Mother of God, we contemplate her divine Son with love and compassion this Lent. May our efforts at fostering true human development throughout the world be strengthened by our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, so that we can truly bring Christ to the world as His faithful disciples.

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 26, 2006

2006-02-25T17:10:00.000-05:00

Lent is nearly upon us. Certainly the pączki (found in nearly every grocery store and bakery this week) remind us that Ash Wednesday is not far behind. Shrove Tuesday, known also as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and Karnival (carne vale, or “farewell to meat”), is customarily our final day of indulgence before the austerities of Lent begin. In fact, the word “shrove” comes from the Old English “shrive,” meaning “to hear confessions.” Lent can often catch us off guard, though: we “give up” our favorite dessert, beverage, or pastime, and grudgingly grit our teeth for the forty days ahead until Easter Sunday. Unfortunately, the true conversion of our hearts (or metanoia) sometimes gets lost in the shuffle and Holy Thursday finds us unprepared for Easter.

Nevertheless, such challenges to the great spiritual and corporal penances of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving shouldn’t discourage us, but rather encourage us to make the fullest use of this Lent. Since we are made up of both body and soul, these penances should motivate us to deeper love of our Lord and our neighbor; in turn, our love of God and neighbor reminds us to do penance for our sins and to renew our commitment to holiness.

Since the season of Lent is a time of penance (cf. CIC, can. 1250), the Church also obliges certain practices during this holy time: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. Every Friday of Lent is a day of abstinence from meat as well. After our fourteenth birthday, we are bound by the law of abstinence; the law of fasting binds those eighteen years and older until they are fifty-nine years old (can. 1252). But why do we practice penance – giving up meat on Fridays or giving up chocolate for all of Lent?

The Catechism reminds us that penance “prepares[s] us for the liturgical feasts and help[s] us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart” (CCC 2043). We also read, however, that “Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, ‘sackcloth and ashes,’ fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance” (CCC 1430).

Such interior repentance is appropriate, even for the baptized, because we are all sinners; we are in daily need of conversion to God, breaking with sin, and turning from evil. God Himself desires our hearts more than anything, and throughout these forty days of preparation for the solemn celebration of the paschal mystery – that is, Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection – at Easter, we gain this conversion by contemplating the cost of sin: Jesus Christ, scourged and bloodied, crucified for our sins. Penance allows us to enter deeply into Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, to recognize our own infidelity and His mercy, and prompts a deep sorrow within our hearts. This, however, is not a sorrow of discouragement or despair, but a pain which arises from love and which brings about healing.

May we strive this Lent to enter into authentic fasting and deny ourselves good things out of sorrow for sin, and love for Christ; may we practice deeper prayer, coming to known our Savior through the Gospels and the Psalms; and may we grow in concern for our neighbor and give alms, not just from our surplus, but from our need. Let this Lent be the best preparation yet, so that we may fully celebrate the sorrow of Good Friday and the boundless joy of Easter Sunday as true members of Christ’s Body.

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 19, 2006

2006-02-25T17:02:00.000-05:00

Last week, we examined the first half of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est, which is a theoretical or “speculative” look at the nature of human and divine love. The second half, our Holy Father tells us, “is more concrete, since it treats the ecclesial exercise of the commandment of love of neighbor” (1). In his introduction to the second part, he says: “The entire activity of the Church is an expression of a love that seeks the integral good of man: it seeks his evangelization through Word and Sacrament, and undertaking that is often heroic in the way it is acted out in history; and it seeks to promote man in the various arenas of life and human activity. Love is therefore the service that the Church carries out in order to attend constantly to man’s sufferings and his needs, including material needs” (19, my emphasis).

After a brief historical examination of the Church’s earliest concern for the poor, particularly using St. Lawrence as an example, the pope stresses two important facts: first, “The Church’s deepest nature is expressed in her three-fold responsibility: of proclaiming the word of God (kerygma-martyria), celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia), and exercising the ministry of charity (diakonia)”; second, “The Church is God’s family in the world. In this family no one ought to go without the necessities of life. Yet at the same time caritas-agape extends beyond the frontiers of the Church” (25).

The question then arises: what is the relationship of faith to politics? Are the role of the State and the Church the same, interrelated, or completely distinct? The pope reminds us that “the Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State” (28). Nevertheless, “there is no ordering of the State so just that it can eliminate the need for a service of love” (ibid.). Clearly, the Church is not left on the sidelines.

The Church, rather, “is called to contribute to the purification of reason and to the reawakening of those moral forces without which just structures are neither established nor prove effective in the long run” (29). The pope asks the concrete question: “What are the essential elements of Christian and ecclesial charity?” Section 31 provides the answers.

First, it is “the simple response to immediate needs and specific situations: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for and healing the sick, visiting those in prison, etc.” But we must give more than just material support; we also must truly love those in need of our care.

Second, he says charitable activity “must be independent of parties and ideologies.” Instead of serving worldly goals, charity “is a way of making present here and now the love which man always needs.”

Finally, charity “cannot be used as a means of engaging in what is nowadays considered proselytism.” Nevertheless, we don’t place Christ on the sidelines in our charity; rather, we allow love alone to speak. “God’s presence is felt at the very time when the only thing we do is to love.” Thus, “by their activity – as well as their words, their silence, their example – they may be credible witnesses to Christ.”

Mary, he says, is our perfect model and example of faith, hope, and love. He concludes with this beautiful prayer: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, you have given the world its true light, Jesus, your Son – the Son of God. You abandoned yourself completely to God’s call and thus became a wellspring of the goodness which flows forth from him. Show us Jesus. Lead us to him. Teach us to know and love him, so that we too can become capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a thirsting world” (41).

The Second Look Project

2006-02-14T15:07:00.000-05:00

Visit the Second Look Project -- an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in effort to help educate all of us on the truths behind abortion in our country. Dispelling the common myths around abortion helps all of us to be better informed and better able to defend the truth.

There is also an initiative currently underway in the State of Michigan for a ballot proposal to legally establish personhood at the moment of conception. The drive needs 300,000 signatures by July. For the moment, more information is available from (810) 750-4080.

(Biretta tip: Fumare)

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 12, 2006

2006-02-11T16:39:00.000-05:00

On January 25^th, Pope Benedict XVI published his first encyclical, entitled Deus Caritas Est (God is Love). Our Holy Father has given us a marvelous meditation on the meaning of love, human and divine, as the foundation of the Christian life. In many ways, Pope Benedict is re-focusing our attention on Jesus Christ at the beginning of his pontificate; he gives us the opportunity to reflect upon God’s love for each of us, our love of God in return, and our love for one another.

The encyclical is divided into two parts: the first part, the pope tells us, is “speculative” or a theological investigation of the truth about God’s love and its link to human love; the second part is a concrete application, examining the way in which the Church (and individual Christians) exercises the commandment of love of neighbor. I will examine the first part of the encyclical this week.

Pope Benedict begins his analysis of love by reminding us that the word “love” itself means many different things in our culture. “Are all these forms of love basically one,” he asks, “or are we merely using the same word to designate totally different realities?” (2). To explain the authentic meaning of love, he then discusses the difference between two Greek words for love: eros and agape. Initially, the Pope defines eros as “a term to indicate ‘worldly’ love,” and agape as “referring to love grounded in and shaped by faith.” Nevertheless, he says, they cannot be completely separated: “The more the two [kinds of love], in their different aspects, find a proper unity in the one reality of love, the more the true nature of love in general is realized” (7). This is to say that eros, the “ascending” and self-seeking love, is strengthened by agape and seeks the happiness of the other. “Anyone who wishes to give love,” Pope Benedict says,” must also receive love as a gift.” From whom do we receive this gift? “Jesus Christ, from whose pierced heart flows the love of God” (7).

Amazingly, “God is the absolute and ultimate source of all being; but this universal principle of creation – the Logos, primordial reason – is at the same time a lover with all the passion of a true love. Eros is thus supremely ennobled, yet at the same time it is so purified as to become one with agape” (10). Such love, the pope tells us, is most visible – most understandable – as we contemplate the pierced side of Christ: “It is from there that our definition of love must begin” (12).

The Eucharist draws us into Christ’s sacrifice; it is the gift of His enduring presence, and it also brings us into union with all to whom Christ gives Himself: “Communion draws me out of myself towards Him, and thus also towards unity with all Christians. … Love of God and love of neighbor are now truly united: God incarnate draws us all to Himself” (14). Reminding us of this truth, Pope Benedict then demonstrates how this love we have received from God in the Eucharist – and which we have returned to Him – overflows into our authentic love of neighbor.

He says: “Only if I serve my neighbor can my eyes be opened to what God does for me and how much he loves me. The saints – consider the example of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta – constantly renewed their capacity for love of neighbor from their encounter with the Eucharistic Lord, and conversely this encounter acquired its realism and depth in their service to others. Love of God and love of neighbor are thus inseparable, and they form a single commandment” (18). Next week: the second half of the encyclical which sees the Church’s charitable activity as a manifestation of Trinitarian love.

End of the Spear

2006-02-05T10:20:00.000-05:00

I saw End of the Spear last night and thoroughly enjoyed the portrayal of the lay (Protestant) missionaries who risked their lives to bring Christ to the native peoples of Ecuador. The group was among the founders of Mission Aviation Fellowship which continues to evangelize today.

It is a very poignant film and brings to mind the imperative to preach the Gospel to all nations. Do we have the missionary zeal required by our Faith? Are we prepared to preach Christ to all whom we meet -- regardless of the consequences?

Faith Seeking Understanding for February 5, 2006

2006-02-05T10:19:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl weekend has finally arrived to the Motor City. The focus of the whole country has been on Detroit this past week, and even non-fans wonder what the final score on Sunday night at Ford Field will be. Just as with so many aspects of our lives, football – and in particular, the Super Bowl – can offer an insight into the challenges and triumphs in the Spiritual Life.
The Spiritual Life (or Interior Life) isn’t an artificial layer, added on by society or the Church. This “Spiritual Life” is actually the deepest and most fundamental dimension of who we are as men, women, and children. The Spiritual Life is the life of the soul, the closest point of contact between man and God, and the place of greatest struggle between good and evil. Although the human person is a “composite” unity, consisting of body and soul united as one, the soul is the dimension of man that allows him to strive for union with God, because it – like God – is a spiritual substance.

How does this relate to football, though? Just as in every sport, the athletes train and practice, working their bodies beyond the ordinary; they have God-given talent, but it must be refined by hard work, by discipline, and by continual effort. So, too, is each of us given the capacity to know, love, and serve God with our whole heart, mind, and strength. Yet, if we do not practice – if we do not train – these great “potentials” will remain just that. And when game time arrives – a difficult moral choice, a temptation to sin, or an opportunity for virtue – we will be unable to achieve victory.

Football also has rules and a structure. The quarterback is free to throw a pass once he passes the line of scrimmage; the secondary is free to practice pass interference; and the linemen are free to hold. But such apparent freedom results in penalties, and the actions of one player negatively affect the entire team. The major difference with our spiritual life is that the rules are not arbitrary. Football could be played in countless different ways; God, however, has inscribed only one human nature in our souls. There is only one human nature, and when we exercise our freedom, we are only truly free when we choose according to the truth. When we sin, not only do we offend God, we also damage the entire Body of Christ. Just as when one player scores a touchdown the whole team receives the six points, so too does the whole Body rejoice at the virtue and triumph of one of its members (this is the Communion of Saints).

The Spiritual Life is, however, the fundamental aspect of each of our lives. Nothing else is more important. We can choose to encounter God on the deeper levels of our Faith, to pray, to study, to discipline our souls; but we can also ignore our highest calling and avoid practice and sit on the bench. Unlike football, however, the Spiritual Life has eternal meaning. At the end of the game, the results of Super Bowl XL will just be another fact of history; Seattle or Pittsburgh will be victorious and the season will end. The Spiritual Life, however, does not just echo into eternity; it propels us to Eternal Life or eternal death. It isn’t just a game.

Thankfully, our Lord Jesus Christ has already won the victory over sin and death. When we live completely as members of His Body, there is no question as to the outcome; but we must choose to practice and to play with His team! Christ invites us to enrich our lives by encountering Him in prayer and the Sacraments, by renewing our commitment to practice self-discipline and penance, and to love God and neighbor with every bit of our lives. Then we truly will win the victory of everlasting life.

Faith Seeking Understanding for January 29, 2006

2006-01-31T11:58:00.000-05:00

According to some of our ancient religious and cultural traditions, this week is when the Christmas season finally ended. The feast of the Presentation of the Lord, on February 2nd, traditionally marked the last day of the Christmas season. Even though we usually wonder whether the groundhog will foretell six more weeks of winter on this day, remembering the theological importance of the Presentation (or “Candlemas” as it was often called) can allow us to briefly rekindle the joy of Christmas in our homes once again.
This feast recalls the end of the “time of purification,” required by the Mosaic law for a woman who had given birth to a son; forty days after Christ’s birth, Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, in order to offer sacrifice to Yahweh. This story is retold in the Luke 2:22-40. At the Temple, they offered the prescribed sacrifice, and encountered Simeon and Anna, receiving prophecies about the Child. Traditionally, candles are blessed on this day, signifying the entry of Christ, the Light of the World, into the Temple of Jerusalem; God has truly visited His people and has made His dwelling in our midst.
The Church’s Night Prayer (or compline) canticle (Nunc Dimmitis) also comes from this encounter in the Temple. After holding the Christ-child, Simeon responds with a beautiful prayer that has been used for centuries to end the Liturgical day: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
We also celebrate the famous founder of the Salesians, St. John Bosco, on January 31st. Don Bosco, as he is commonly known, was born in 1815, and died on January 31, 1888. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934. He is most famous for his care for the poor and abandoned youth, who were often forced to work in the factories, and had no education. Don Bosco taught the children, housed the orphans, and cared for their spiritual needs. He organized the Salesian Society (named for St. Francis de Sales) to continue this important charitable work, which continues the care of youth today.
St. John Bosco continually stressed the importance of regular Communion and Confession, and always ensured that the youth attended Mass on Sundays. As we continue to reflect on Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Dies Domini we are reminded of the importance of the Sunday rest. Christ enters into the definitive “Sabbath Rest” of Heaven through His resurrection; we are therefore called to re-examine the meaning of creation in light of its eternal destiny. The Sabbath rest of the Covenant of Creation foretells and prefigures the final and eternal Covenant.
The Pope connects the “rest” after the Creation story with the Salvation of His People: “The God who rests on the seventh day, rejoicing in his creation, is the same God who reveals his glory in liberating his children from Pharaoh's oppression. Adopting an image dear to the Prophets, one could say that in both cases God reveals himself as the bridegroom before the bride” (no. 12). Our Sunday “rest” is found in the context of creation and redemption. Our new Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has just published his first encyclical, entitled Deus Caritas est – God is Love. It is available at http://www.vatican.va/. May God bless you abundantly this week and always!

Deus Caritas Est

2006-01-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

I'm in the middle of reading our Holy Father's first Encyclical, Deus Caritas Est. I strongly encourage everyone to dig into Pope Benedict XVI's thought. This meditation on the mystery of human and divine love is truly an excellent place to begin; even if it's intimidating, the Pope's style is profound but accessible.

As another item, please visit CatholicCulture.org. They're struggling financially -- and they provide a wealth of excellent Catholic resources. Please contribute if you can.

Homily for Sunday, January 22, 2006

2006-01-22T16:07:00.000-05:00

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Repent and believe the Gospel.

Today's Mass speaks strongly of repentance: whether Jonah in the first reading or our Lord in the Gospel, it is clear that the message of "metanoia," of changing our hearts and minds is central to God's saving action in our lives. Yet receiving the message of repentance is not an easy one; I am sure that any of you who have been corrected haven't found it easy or simply to accept the need to change.

Seminary is a difficult place for precisely that reason. The priests and professors charged with forming men to be priests are constantly looking to help improve the qualities of each seminarian; this makes for a tough go of it, however, when it seems as though "everyone has something against me." My University, Franciscan University, also had the blessing to be a place where everyone considered it his or her duty to correct a brother or sister when they weren't living the Gospel to its fullness.

I remember one occasion in particular in which a friend of mine addressed a pretty harsh criticism: "Andy, you're selfish and proud; you really need to consider others. You're not the most important person in the room." After three or four days of fuming and anger -- and prayer -- I realized the truth of the statement, and began to ask for the grace of true repentance: changing my heart and mind.

Wherever the call to repentance comes from -- whether a friend or an enemy -- we need to prepare our hearts in humility to accept the message. The Assyrians were enemies of the Jews; yet Jonah was called to preach conversion to Nineveh, which is near modern-day Mosul, in Iraq. It was a great city, but it heard the call to repentance without delay, even though it was delivered by an enemy. Everyone, whether guilty or not, from greatest to least, began the fast and covered themselves with sackcloth. We don't know what the sin was, but we do know that God's purpose was merciful: he spared Nineveh.

Our nation is in need of similar repentance today. We need to hear the Gospel call to repent of our nation's complicity in the greatest evil of our day, an evil that was extended as a Constitutional right 33 years ago today. In 1973, the Supreme Court decisions of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton enshrined the "right" to abortion with Constitutional protection throughout all nine months of pregnancy. Since then, nearly 46 million children have been legally killed in our great nation.

Such numbers stagger the mind, but maybe we can think in terms we can understand. If we consider the Big House in Ann Arbor, holding over 100,000 fans for each home game, and six home games each season, the crowds of 70 seasons total about 46 million. These children have been killed legally, and yet our outcry remains small. As Catholics in particular, we need to heed the call to repentance and conversion, particularly for this great evil in our midst.

We need to "change our minds" and hearts in every area of our lives: do our purchases support abortion providers? Do our investments? Do we accept abortion as a political fact? Or are we, in fact, willing to change the way we view the political landscape and demand an end to the legalized killing of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters? Can we break free of the common way of thinking and see the truth of abortion as an horrific attack on the dignity of the human person?

Each of us has been given inherent dignity by God -- not by the state, not by our parents, or by doctors, but by God -- and we must respect this dignity with absolute care. The Gospel call to repent means to embrace the fullness of the truth, including the difficult truths of working to end injustice, even when it has become culturally accepted.

And then, perhaps we need to repent of the way we treat mothers in difficult pregnancies -- do we shun them? Criticize or ridicule single mothers, instead of helping them with food and clothing and shelter? Do we offer the open arms of Christ's forgiveness to women suffering from the effects of abortion? Or do we send them away without any hope, closing the door of repentance?

Jonah was sent to Nineveh to offer the hope of repentance. We look at the Cross and see our Lord's even more generous offer of His own life in exchange for our sins. Are we prepared to repent and transform our lives to make abortion unthinkable? And illegal?

The bishops of the United States have declared tomorrow, Monday, January 23, 2006, a national day of penance for the scourge of abortion in our nation. I encourage all of you to fast and to pray for this cause, and to examine each of our lives to see where Christ is calling us to repent and follow Him more deeply, especially with regard to this critical issue of our day.

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.