Communio – Page 205 – …bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Saint Justin Martyr

O God, who through the folly of the Cross wondrously taught Saint Justin the Martyr the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, grant us, through his intercession, that, having rejected deception and error, we may become steadfast in the faith.

We typically tell the narrative of Saint Justin Martyr, the second century orator, in these terms: Justin was among the first Christians to use his brain. Well, not really. But we do say that by the age of 30 Justin confessed faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah and began to use his philosophical training to explain what the Christian movement means to the believer, and why would want to be a Christian as opposed to being a pagan (i.e., an unbeliever) or an adherent to Judaism. His conversion was from paganism and not Judaism.

Justin was well-eduacted man who later worked as a teacher first in Ephesus and later in Rome. His school of debate in Rome was followed by many in Rome which led to his death by beheading. This great apologist (defender of the faith, that is, one who gave reasons for our hope) is what we need today. The extant works by or about him are the Apologies, Dialogues with Trypho and the Acts.

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Father Andrew Greeley, RIP

The famed Chicago priest, sociologist and novelist Father Andrew Greeley died on Thursday. He was 85 and in poor health since 2008. He died in his sleep.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, Noon, at Christ the King Church, 9325 South Hamilton Avenue.

Father Andrew Greeley was a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago for 59 years. He assisted as priest on Chicago’s south side.

With so many personal and professional accomplishments, Andrew Greeley’s identity was that of a priest.

Peter Steinfels’ NY Times obit for Greeley is worth a good read even if you disagree with Greeley’s critical remarks about the Church. Steinfels brings out some interesting points about Father Greeley and the context in which he existed.

His autobiography is Confessions of a Parish Priest.

The Chicago Archdiocese published this obit for Greeley.

NBC Chicago 5 has a remembrance.

Mary, Queen and Mother of priests, pray for us.

Saint Andrew, brother of the Lord, pray for us.

Saint John Vianney, pray for us.

Pope Francis’ prayer intentions for June 2013

The pastor’s job is to educate the people given to him by God to lead to heaven. He needs the gifts of dialogue, listening and a healthy concern for the other. Moreover, the pastor a church needs to know how to present, even re-present, the Christian gospel and tradition of the Church for the salvation of others.

The papal intentions for the month of June are good for all of us to be mindful of when it comes to living our faith, interacting with others, and preparing an outreach plan of evangelization. Certainly Pope Francis has these qualities but he, like all of us, need the help of the Divine Majesty to live them with intensity. Hence, we unite our prayers with the angels and saints in asking God for a double portion of the Holy Spirit.

In connection with the papal intentions, let’s also pray for the students are graduating.

The general intention

That a culture of dialogue, listening, and mutual respect may prevail among peoples.

The missionary intention

That where secularization is strongest, Christian communities may effectively promote a new evangelization.

What is the relation the Holy Spirit to the Church

Post Pentecost some of our study and prayer ought to work on what it means to live by the Holy Spirit and how does the Church relate to the Spirit. We need to be serious about the Holy Spirit and not leave such questions to the dust bin or the happy-clappy Christians who claim to be slain in the Spirit alone. Sometimes I get the sense that we Catholics go to extremes when it comes to Holy Spirit: either we pay no attention to the Spirit or we ascribe to much to the Spirit. We even forget that the Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity: the Bible reveals the Holy Spirit to be God.

There is nothing to fear in coming to understand the what and who the Holy Spirit is for the Catholic.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (797) teaches:

What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church. To this Spirit of Christ, as an invisible principle, is to be ascribed the fact that all the parts of the body are joined one with the other and with their exalted head; for the whole Spirit of Christ is in the head, the whole Spirit is in the body, and the whole Spirit is in each of the members. The Holy Spirit makes the Church the temple of the living God:

Indeed, it is to the Church herself that the “Gift of God” has been entrusted. In it is in her that communion with Christ has been deposited, that is to say: the Holy Spirit, the pledge of incorruptibility, the strengthening of our faith and the ladder of our ascent go God. For where the Church is, there also is God’s Spirit; where God’s Spirit is, there is the Church and every grace. (Saint Irenaeus)

Dorothy Day and St Procopius Abbey meet again

I don’t hide the fact that I believe Dorothy Day is a very reasonable and attractive candidate for the Church to canonize. Following Pope John Paul’s insistence that we need more contemporary saints from among the laity, we have a good model in Day. Several times in the past years I have posted articles on Dorothy Day (+1980) and I am happy to do so again today. My enthusiasm has less to do with Day’s social activism –even though at one time the Catholic Worker Houses were more Catholic and Benedictine-like– as it does with her accepting the truth of Jesus Christ as Messiah, her eventual conversion to Catholicism and her being a Benedictine Oblate.

Oblation as a lay woman she was first connected with the Benedictine monks of Portsmouth Abbey before she settled her Oblation to St Procopius Abbey (outside Chicago). However, there is a difference of opinion on where Day’s Oblation was first offered, Portsmouth or Procopius. The historians have done some fact checking, so the matter is closed.

Personally, I have been anxious for the Benedictines and the officials of Day’s sainthood cause in the Archdiocese of New York to talk about the relevance of Day’s Benedictine connection and to propose it for the laity’s consideration to follow. Hopes have been fulfilled with St Procopius Abbey Abbot Austin Murphy’s posting of the Oblate Dorothy Day on their web site.

More on the Dorothy Day-St Procopius connection and the prayer for her canonization is noted here.

Connecticut retreat house has a saint’s severed arm

Saints in Connecticut. Relics point to Jesus Christ.

Litchfield County Times’ reporter Tom Breen published his “Catholic Retreat Near Mystic Features Severed Arm of Medieval Saint” on May 25, 2013. He writes on the first class relic of Saint Edmund of Canterbury, a renowned English archbishop, in a Mystic, CT, retreat house by the same name.

The infrastructure of holiness rests, in part, with the witness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Saints, for those who are Catholic, are men and women who know they are sinners, who have been forgiven, and who know what it means to live the sacred Scriptures. Specifically, they point to Christ as Messiah and say that it is in fact possible for all of us to be saints.

The Church has venerated, not worshiped saints and their relics. As reliable witnesses, the saints to this day point to Jesus. By the second century Christians would pray in the places where the martyrs were buried and/or where they were killed. A human contact is necessary for all of us.

The practice of offering Mass upon the tombs of the saints became normal; when the Christian community expanded, the practice of praying with the saints followed. Devotion ensued and Connecticut has a verifiable saint to honor.

Saint Edmund of Canterbury’s feast day is November 16.

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Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The generosity of the young Virgin Mother of our Savior is honored today. As the prayer below says, Mary was moved by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we also ought to make God’s greatness known, loved and imitated.

On this feast I want to pray for 4 things:

1. for Giovannimaria, 7, who died yesterday after a prolonged illness;

2. for my friend Fr Edward Oakes, SJ, who was recently diagnosed Type-4 pancreatic and liver cancer;

3. for the Order of the Visitation

4. for those who need visit from a person and who lives a lonely existence.

Mary tells us of God’s mercy given to all generations.

With the Church we pray,

Almighty ever-living God, who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb, inspired her to visit Elizabeth, grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit, we may magnify your greatness with the Virgin Mary at all times.

For Giovannimaria

This morning a dear little friend was called home to the Lord following a long and stressful encounter with neuroblastoma. Giovannimaria (GMR), 7, has been in the USA for the last few years, coming from Rome, to receive the best treatment possible from the health professionals at Memorial Sloan Kettering, NYC.

Giovannimaria suffered much, especially in the last few months. He bore significant pain and an experience of several hospitalizations.

Having been with the GMR and his family has been a good thing for me for this reason: he has helped me in no demonstrable way to reflect on the meaning of life, suffering, faith, friendship, healthcare, people’s dignity and the like. This was a profound experience for me; it was life altering for GMR. While I can say that GMR and his family opened new doors to what it means to belong to Jesus in a concrete way. I was with GMR when he first received the Eucharistic Lord but he alone made the journey to meet the Lord personally.

I hope when GMR met Jesus earlier today he asked Him why he had to live and die from a disease as painful as neuroblastoma. I am looking forward to the real answer. Perhaps the Lord said to GMR, “you had the tumors to show the world what it means to have mercy for oneself, others and those who are not like me; to allow me to love you and the others in a big way.”

With the Church we pray,

O God, who called your servant Giovannimaria to serve you in affliction and sickness, grant, we pray, that he who followed your Son’s example of suffering, may also receive the reward of his glory.

In this picture is Giovannimaria and our friend, Emily. Photo courtesy of George Goss, Dominican Foundation.

New York-native Benedictine monk illuminates the Word

Pope Paul VI told us we need more witnesses to the faith. I’ve quoted the pope several times on this just point. True, the personal witness of a man and woman to the inner and outer works of the Holy Spirit is what concretely moves the heart. Truth is encountered in the witness. Father Tom Rosica, CSB, of Salt and Light TV interviews known and less known witnesses of the faith that for me, really opens new vistas.

That I am interested in sharing the beauty of the Benedictine charism on Communio as the baptismal vocation is lived through monks, nuns, sisters and the laity. Father Rosica interviews Benedictine priest and monk Father Michael Patella of Saint John’s Abbey (Collegeville. MN). It is linked at the end of this post.

Saint John’s is a very large large abbey. At one time it was the largest in the world, now the monks numbers about 150. The monastic community administers a university, a high school, a press, an ecumenical center, a critically acclaimed international library of digital manuscripts, and several parishes. The monks of this abbey also serve the Church in a variety of places in the USA and other countries. No one can doubt the creative genius as a gift the Spirit with the men called to live a monastic vocation at Saint John’s Abbey.

Father Michael’s interview happened in August 2012 and was released in April 2013.

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Monastero de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

One of the weekly gifts for me is to read the reflections of Abbot Philip of the Abbey of Christ in the Desert (Abiquiu, NM). Abbot Philip is a real good man with a practical spiritual insight and tons of experience. He’s been a religious superior for a long time. This week’s reflection in part dealt with the abbot’s fraternal visit to the Monastero de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (Monastery of Our Lady of Solitude) located outside of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México.

The Benedictines of Our Lady of Solitude started very modestly in 1974 by Father Aelred Wall. Though a long time since the founding, Our Lady of Solitude now has ten monks who are dependent on the assistance of Christ in the Desert.

The Mexican monasteries seem to be doing well. And they deserve our fraternal and material support.

Though a little dated, this video of the monastery of Soledad reflects certain beauty.