Month: October 2009

The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith, Communion and Culture



Difference God Makes.jpg

Join us for a dialogue with Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. on the publication of

The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith,
Communion, and Culture

 

Moderated by Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete,

Theologian,
Author, Columnist

 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 7:00PM

The Metropolitan Club, 1 East 60th Street (corner of 5th
Avenue), NYC

·RSVP AND PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED. No T-shirts, sneakers, or jeans. For men, jackets and ties required. Clerical
dress or religious habits permitted. 

·To make a reservation, send an e-mail to RSVP@crossroadsnyc.com with
full name and address.

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Center, The American Bible
Society and The Lumen Christi Institute

Francis E. George.jpg

His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George, 72, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago since 1997, is widely
recognized as a leading intellectual figure in the American Catholic
hierarchy. His new book, The Difference God Makes: A Catholic
Vision of Faith, Communion, and Culture, brings together some of his most
influential writings on the Catholic vision — not just of the Church herself,
but also of all the peoples of the world. 

Weaving together intellectual insight and personal wisdom,
this investigation offers a luminous Catholic vision of communion, illustrating
the Church’s relation to numerous religions as well as the secular
world.  Drawing from both the author’s observations of Catholicism in
cultures around the globe and countless theologians’ perspectives–including
Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Thomas Aquinas, and Francis of Assisi–this
analysis demonstrates how to recognize the self-giving, liberating God who
provides freedom from the competitive, oppressive gods of secular
modernity.  This overview also recalls an assortment of fascinating
stories, from a poignant moment with a non-Christian in Zambia to the humbling
dedication of volunteers who came to observe Pope John Paul II’s visit to
Mexico City.  

Confronting controversial issues head-on, this volume will
inspire Christians everywhere while also offering non-Christians a renewed
understanding of what a lived Christianity means for political and personal
life today.

Guardian Angels

Angels, Last Judgement.jpgGod has given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

O God, Who in Thine ineffable providence has deigned to send Thy holy Angels to watch over us, grant to Thy suppliants always to find safety in their protection and in eternity to share their happiness.

Angels are not mere nice spirits who do good things for us or make feel nice, or even warm our hearts when afraid. They certainly have the inspiration to that when needed. As I mentioned to my 3rd graders on Wednesday at CCD, the Guardian Angels are God’s messengers sent to us guard us, teach us and to protect us. The primary duty of angels after worshipping God, as you know, is to deliver messages. Hence, they these holy spirits are called angels. A few years ago it was popular to wear angel pins and certainly the printing companies made a fortune off angel pictures, cards and posters.

What do we know about angels? We know they don’t have bodies, they are created by God and they worship Him at the His throne, they’re sent to give us something (a message) or to protect us from evil. The Church has always held the presence of angels as a reality since they are present, that is, seen and experienced in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. The sacred Liturgy attests to the Catholic belief in angels especially when you consider the liturgical art, music, especially at Christmas, and poetic texts used in worship. And since 1608 the Church has included the feast of the Guardian Angels in the Roman Missal. The Catechism has a section on angels; review the paragraphs.

A perduring memory of my grandmothers is that of them teaching me the prayer “Angel of God, my guardian dear.” Before bed each night when I slept over their respective homes, we would kneel by the bedside and say goodnight to God through His angels. Every day, right after Mass has finished, I pray the Saint Michael the Archangel prayer and the Angel of God prayer. Why? Because I believe God has given me these gifts and promises and I want to take advantage of the graces God offers through the angels. Do you pray to the angels?

Brush up on your knowledge of angels in a booklet published by the Catholic Information Service called, All About Angels. You can also listen to booklet as an audio file.

Say a prayer for the monks of the American Cassinese Congregation on this their patronal feast. As the founder of many monasteries, and since 1856 when official documentation from the Holy See came through, Archabbot Boniface Wimmer placed his monasteries under the care of the Holy Guardian Angels. His correspondence shows the confidence he had in the Guardian Angels. How more should we!

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

St Therese Lisieux.jpgGod our Father, you have promised your kingdom to
those who are willing to become like little children. Help us to follow the way
of 
Saint Thérèse with confidence so that by her prayers we may come to know
your eternal glory.




I would recommend reading or listening to the booklet on Saint
Thérèse‘s Little Way. It will bring you closer in understanding the same and
shed light on her fresh approach to knowing the Lord.