Communio – Page 244 – …bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

From Bethlehem to Golgotha to glory: connecting with the tragedy in Newtown in the Christian view

The beauty of Nativity has been marred by the tragedy
in Newtown, Connecticut. Naturally, some good hardly find joy, hope, people,
love with the terrible loss; some even question the existence of a God who
really knows and loves us. Here is the text of a sermon delivered on the Third
Sunday Advent by Archbishop J. Augustine DiNoia, OP, at the National Shrine
here in Washington. The archbishop is a gift theologian, trained at Yale and now works at the Holy See.

As we prepare to celebrate the 12th day of Day of Christmas perhaps it is worthwhile reflecting on what needs saying.

Brothers and sisters in Christ. A week ago today, in St.
Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, Connecticut, the Dominican Fr. Peter John
Cameron opened his homily with the startling words: “Never before has the
Massacre of the Holy Innocents taken place before the Birth of Christ. But that
is what has happened in Newtown.” At another point in his homily he mentioned
that he had run into a man that morning who reported that someone had said to
him that Christmas should be canceled this year. “No,” Fr. Cameron
declared, “Christmas will not be canceled! We need Christmas more than ever!
Because the only way that we can make sense of this horror is if God himself
becomes flesh and comes to dwell among us as our Friend. We need the presence
of Jesus Christ in our midst to rescue us from this misery.”

Continue reading From Bethlehem to Golgotha to glory: connecting with the tragedy in Newtown in the Christian view

Recall Abortion

Perhaps this new book on myths of abortion contributes to what Pope Benedict calls “human ecology.” In the days before the annual March for Life, Recall Abortion is fitting.

Recall Abortion, the first book by longtime pro-life
activist Janet Morana, examines the societal changes that led to legal abortion
and the lies that ensure it continues to be one of the most common medical
procedures for women. Through research, interviews with medical professionals
and testimonies of women who have had abortions, Morana takes apart the myth
that abortion is safe and necessary health-care and shows the abortion industry
for what it is: A profit-driven, unscrupulous and often criminal enterprise
that victimizes women.

Continue reading Recall Abortion

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

This is the generation which seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

O God, who crowned with the gift of true faith Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s burning zeal to find you, grant by her intercession and example that we may always seek you with diligent love and find you in daily service with sincere faith.

Saint Elizabeth Ann was responsible for the Catholic school system in the USA, and many of the Catholic hospitals. She was the first US saint. How good it would be if a revival of vocations to the Sisters of Charity. Right now, the Sisters of Charity are on the verge of vanishing.

113th United States Congress took office

The 113th United States Congress was sworn into office today.

Our prayers ought to be with them,

O God, who arrange all things in wondrous order and govern in marvelous ways, look with favor on the assembled, for whom we now pray, and mercifully pour out upon them the spirit of your wisdom, that they may decide everything for the well-being and peace of all and may never turn aside from your will.

By the numbers: 13 new senators, 84 new congress people. This freshman class has a Kennedy, a reindeer farmer and animal vet; 2 physicists in Congress. The longest in office, 38 years, is Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont.

Catholics are concerned for the common good, the good working of the public order.

Moses B. Anderson, SSE, dead at 84

The Most Reverend Moses Bosco Anderson, SSE, 84, died on January 1, 2013, in Detroit.

Bishop Anderson was an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit since 1983. He was nominated to the episcopacy by Blessed John Paul II and ordained a bishop by Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka.

Bishop Anderson was a priest of the Society of Saint Edmund, a pastor, lecturer in theology, a vice president of student affairs at the College of Saint Michael (VT), and the holder of several honors and awards including the honor of being “Chief of the Ashanti Tribe (Kumasi, Ghana).

Historically, Anderson was the 7th African American bishop to serve the Church in the USA. He was a priest for 54 years and a bishop for 30.

A complete biography of Bishop Anderson: + Moses B. Anderson, SSE Biography.pdf

Holy Name of Jesus

At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Phil 2:10-11, entr. ant.)

We honor the Holy Name of Jesus today. In the middle of Christmastide, we take time to recall the saving power of the holy name of Jesus: He who saves, He who is the eternal Word of the Father.

The Church prays,

O God, who founded the salvation of the human race on the Incarnation of your Word, give your peoples the mercy they implore, so that all may know there is no other name to be invoked but the Name of your Only Begotten Son.

You may want to seek out your Bible to discover, or re-discover some passages. Look at the first three Commandments, plus Psalm 99:3, Mark 16:17-18, Luke 1:31, Acts 3:6; 9:34; 9:40, John 16:23, and Philippians 2:9-11.

It seems to me that with all this good teaching as an invitation to my own conversion, I need to watch what I say with regard to the Lord’s Name. Instead of using the name of Jesus in a vulgar manner, I ought to have the habit of making the aspiration, “Jesus” slowly and deliberately.

Pray the Litany of the Holy Name today.

In the Pope’s teaching on January 2 where he picks up Pilate’s question of the origin of Jesus. A question that all of us ought to ask. It is more than an intellectual exercise, it is a matter of truth, it is a matter of our following the One sent by our Creator. If you can’t answer this question immediately, keep on reading. Pope Benedict says,

We can answer that “…from the beginning of the Gospels, what Jesus’ true origin is: He is the only begotten Son of the Father. He comes from God. We are facing the great and disconcerting mystery that we celebrate in this time of Christmas: the Son of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, became man in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This is an announcement that resounds every new and which carries with it hope and joy to our hearts because each time it gives us the certainty that, even if we often feel weak, poor, incapable of facing the difficulties and the evil of the world, the power of God is always acting and works wonders precisely in our weakness. His Grace is our strength.”

Saints such as Bernard, Bernardine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola among others have promoted the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. The image of IHS comes from the first 3 letter of Jesus’ name written IHESUS.

AND, His name is our glory.

Can working for the Church be a good thing?

Ideas bounce around my head about working for the Church if one is not a member of the clergy or a religious order. Some of my friends would say, “Why bother?” There’s some truth in this attitude. There’s a lot of problems with working in the Church these days and not all of it regarding pay. Let’s just say, working for the Church can be a great place to use your talent for Someone greater and for eternal consequences. Experience tells me that church-working need not be a sad, hostile, dysfunctional place to spend one’s life. BTW, what I say is not only for the laity because the clergy have the same issues.

I wonder if working for the Church could be:

a great place to work at; a fun place to work, a welcoming, loving & fulfilling culture
a place where a good use of technology possible for the Gospel (tech is hot these days)
a place to network with Catholics (Christians and “seekers”) to propose a new lens of life
time available to see how your work affects lots of people
a place that will teach you something new
pay and perks that strive to be competitive
a place where the employees are happy
have opportunities for spiritual development.

There’s a lot that’s wrong with the way the Church works in the world today. Many dioceses, indeed, the Holy See and the Vatican, have effectively disaffected people because a lack of humanity, courage, love, compassion and faith. What comes to mind, is that working for the Church ought to be a place where the glory of God is man and woman fully alive working for something Greater: salvation.

If business is working on these matters, why not the Church? The proclamation of the Gospel and a sacramental life ought to take on best practices of the business world. I pray for the grace of knowing my own need for conversion, fraternity, vocation and mission. We all need a place to exercise a God-given diakonia and martyria (service and witness).

Saint John, beloved friend of the Lord, pray for us.

Pope meets the Kings

The Pope meets the Kings on January 1.

The saint and his bear: Saint Seraphim of Sarov

Several years ago I was introduced to the figure of Saint Seraphim of Sarov ((1759-1833). He was a monk, priest, hermit and ascetic. He was known for his wisdom and humanity. In the Orthodox church he held the title of “startsy,” that is, a charismatic elder (in the strict sense of the word) “anointed” by the Holy Spirit with the gifts of prophesy, healing, discernment of God’s will. Saint Seraphim, you might say, was a spiritual father.

There is a story about Saint Seraphim that gives an interesting side to the man. It reads something to this effect,

“Two nuns from a
certain convent once came to visit Saint Seraphim. Suddenly a bear lumbered
unexpectedly out of the woods and frightened the visitors with his appearance.
“Misha,” – said the saint, – “why do you frighten the poor orphans! Go back and
bring us a treat, otherwise I have nothing to offer to my guests.” Hearing
these words, the bear went back into the woods, and two hours later he tumbled
into the holy elder’s cell and gave him something covered with leaves. It was a
fresh honeycomb of purest honey. Father Seraphim took a piece of bread from his
bag, gave it to the bear, pointed to the door – and the bear left immediately.”

I wonder if Saint Seraphim is invoked by those who have troubled bears? I am sure his guidance would be helpful.

Peace with God firmly linked with faith, Pope preaches on Jan. 1

Do you ever ask what peace really is? What are the horizons of peace? Why is the name of Jesus held holy, revered, not to be easily used in common speech? What brings every man, woman and child peace? Who is Mary, and why is she important? Pope Benedict answers these questions in a homily at a Mass he celebrated today to mark the New Year, the World Day of Peace, the solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.

The Theotokos of Vladimir.

“May God bless
us and make his face to shine upon us.” We proclaimed these words from Psalm 66
after hearing in the first reading the ancient priestly blessing upon the
people of the covenant. It is especially significant that at the start of every
new year God sheds upon us, his people, the light of his Holy Name, the Name
pronounced three times in the solemn form of biblical blessing. Nor is it less
significant that to the Word of God – who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn
1:14) as “the true light that enlightens every man” (1:9) – is given, as
today’s Gospel tells us, the Name of Jesus eight days after his birth (cf. Lk
2:21).

It is in this Name that we are gathered here today. I cordially greet
all present, beginning with the Ambassadors of the Diplomatic Corps accredited
to the Holy See. I greet with affection Cardinal Bertone, my Secretary of
State, and Cardinal Turkson, with all the officials of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace; I am particularly grateful to them for their effort to spread
the Message for the World Day of Peace, which this year has as its theme
“Blessed are the Peacemakers”.

Continue reading Peace with God firmly linked with faith, Pope preaches on Jan. 1