Erroneous judgement –what does the Church teach

Many of say that conscience rights is under attack. And with good reason. Take for instance the US Senate’s recent rejection of conscience rights viz. President Obama’s healthcare fiasco. So, a reasonable question is what the understanding of the role of conscience in moral decision making?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (par. 1790-93) states the following about erroneous judgement:

A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. If he were deliberately to act against it, he would condemn himself. Yet it can happen that moral conscience remains in ignorance and makes erroneous judgments about acts to be performed or already committed.

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“Building a New World”: exploring human and spiritual issues through film

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“Building a New World” is new initiative Interdisciplinary Centre  for Social Communications of the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome, Italy) beginning today, Friday, 2 March.

This project is focused on film and the power film has in our lives. The premise is: a good film liberates, forms and calls us to a new way of seeing and engaging in reality. Therefore, the good people at the Gregorian are exploring how a good movie or documentary can invite people to greatness through the imagination and research how a poorly written movie with mediocre images can severely handicap one’s openness to the true, the beautiful and the good. Just think of the good Father Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” project is doing for those learning the Catholic faith for the first time or those renewing their faith; or how damaging “The Deputy” was to to the person of Pope Pius XII and the rest of the Church.

Jesuit Father Lloyd Baugh, a professor of film,  told Vatican Radio that the initiative honors the 30th anniversary of the University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Study. It is popular these days to get at human, theological and philosphical issues by the use of film. Friends of mine do it regularly in the schools in which they instruct young minds: Benedictine Father Bede Price teaches a theology and film course at his abbey’s Priory School (St Louis, MO) and Jesuit Father Edward Oakes does so at Mundelein Seminary (outside Chicago, IL). Father Baugh he teaches theology using film as the text for class: Christology through the “Jesus films,” moral issues through the “The Decalogue” of Kieslowski, interreligious dialogue through a whole series of films from different religious traditions and so on.

The current cycle of films starting today will be inaugurated by the Gregorian University Rector Jesuit Father Dumortier, Archbishop Claudio Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, of Jesuit Father Savarimuthu, director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies at the Gregorian University, and Father Baugh.

The first film is “Welcome.” which focuses on a young Kurdish boy who attempts to illegally enter England, and in doing so encounters other people changing their vision of the world, and ultimately their lives. “Welcome” is a award 2009 winning film directed by Philippe Loiret.

Other films include

March 23: “Water” (2005 Deepa Mehta film) focuses on Asia and on “the right to Freedom” drawing attention to the tragic reality of millions of young girls in India who are promised in marriage to elderly men and widowed shortly thereafter, leaving them destitute for the rest of their lives.

April 20: “La Zona” (2007 Roderigo Pla film) dedicated to the “Americas” and to the “right to Justice”, highlighting the persistent and ever-growing disparity between rich and poor particualrly in Latin America.

May 4: “Son of Man” (2006 Mark Dornford May) looks at the plight of the African continent and its “right to Hope”. May directs a narrative of the Gospel and situating the contemporaneous of the biblical reality of a township outside of Cape Town. The desire for peace is continuously punctuated by violence. It is a look at how Jesus would respond to the human reality before his eyes and what he does to change people’s hearts.

Screenings are free and everyone is welcome. For more information visit: www.unigre.it

Prayer of Intercession

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Lent is a perfect time to pray more intensely. It is a seen as a time for greater discipline that may also bear fruit in other times of the year. Yesterday’s reading of Scripture for Mass had us focus on penance. Today, the Church gives us good example of asking God for the things we need. Queen Esther is our liturgical protagonist (aside from God, that is) in interceding for others.

What is prayer of intercession? Well, prayer of intercession is known along side other types of prayer like blessing and adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and praise.

The Catechism teaches us that Jesus practiced intercessory prayer in praying to His Father for all of us. We believe this is what the Holy Spirit does for us and for the whole world. This type of prayer is practiced by priests especially when they offer the Sacrifice of the Mass and pray the Divine Office. The laity exercise the priesthood of the believers by virtue of the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation by offering a prayer for another. The saints do intercessory prayer in approaching the Throne of Grace when we ask them to. 

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Pope Benedict’s prayer intentions for March 2012

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As Queen Esther asked God for grace to follow Him more closely, so we do the same…. 


The Pope asks us to join him during the month of March in praying for women and for those face the trial of discrimination.


The general intention

That the whole world may recognize the contribution of women to the development of society.

The mission intention

That the Holy Spirit may grant perseverance to those who suffer discrimination, persecution or death for the name of Christ, particularly in Asia.

Wisdom … our life … in Christ

It was brought to my attention that we need to ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom. We need help. So ask for it. Let’s look at what the Church said at the Second Vatican Council about our own times in Gaudium et Spes:

To carry out such a task, the Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. Thus, in language intelligible to each generation, she can respond to the perennial questions which men ask about this present life and the life to come, and about the relationship of the one to the other. We must therefore recognize and understand the world in which we live, its explanations, its longings, and its often dramatic characteristics. Some of the main features of the modern world can be sketched as follows.

Today, the human race is involved in a new stage of history. Profound and rapid changes are spreading by degrees around the whole world. Triggered by the intelligence and creative energies of man, these changes recoil upon him, upon his decisions and desires, both individual and collective, and upon his manner of thinking and acting with respect to things and to people. Hence we can already speak of a true cultural and social transformation, one which has repercussions on man’s religious life as well.


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Lectio Divina not an intellectual exercise

In monastic theology, lectio divina is not simply an intellectual exercise, but a communing with the living God who reveals himself to us through his Word. It is the occasion of a visit from the Lord, a reading with God, in his company, with his help, a reading that involves two.

This spiritual exercise is accompanied by a relish which, surpassing a mere notional knowledge, leads to a true religious experience suited to each individual. This light which comes from the inspired text or – it is important to note – on the occasion of the lectio, is received by the soul as a personal message, which is meant for it and serves to build up its faith.

The monk of the Middle Ages was not primarily interested in the letter of the text, as is the exegete of today, but in the profit he could draw from it for his spiritual life. The purpose of the lectio was to stimulate devotion.

The Monastic Theology of Aelred of Rievaulx

Amedee Hallier, OCSO

Nun hits Hollywood, again: Mother Dolores Hart turns heads

Mother Dolores Wendy Carlson.jpgBenedictine nuns typically don’t go to the Oscars. For that matter, high profile actresses don’t consecrate themselves as Benedictine nuns. Dolores Hart did both. 

Dressed in the traditional Benedictine habit of the Abbey of Regina Laudis of Bethlehem, Connecticut, Mother Dolores Hart was being considered for a short film Oscar for “God Is The Bigger Elvis.” 

The film debuts on April 5 on HBO.
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Saint Gabriel Possenti of Mary, the Mother of Sorrows


St Gabriel Possenti of Mary.jpegI’ve always been impressed by the saints and blesseds of the Passionist order. So many have them exemplify what the Christian of today face, Saint Gabriel Possenti and in my opinion help us to strive to be holy.


Lord Jesus, crucified and risen, you taught Saint
Gabriel to cling to you alone as Lord and Savior and to find in your Mother a
refuge and companion along the Gospel Way. Through his prayers and
example, may we too, who honor him, share in the marvelous joys of friendship
with you and the Blessed Virgin and come to the Heavenly Father in eternal
glory, where you live forever and ever. Amen.

Cardinal Francis George preaches Sunday Vespers for Lent I

PAZ & Cardinal Francis George Feb 26 2012.jpgA Christian’s observance of Lent brings with it, I hope, a certain discipline of prayer. At The Church of Saint Catherine of Siena (411 East 68th Street, NYC) the Sundays in Lent Solemn Vespers will be celebrated at 4 pm.

The Church’s prayer is understood as consisting in Lauds, Vespers and Mass. The sacred Liturgy can’t be conceived in any other way. In fact, the Servant of God Pope Paul VI wanted parishes to celebrate the Divine Office with regularity to fill out our worship of the Triune God. And as you know, priests and religious are obligated to pray the Divine Office for the Church on a daily basis; the laity are encouraged to pray the same. At Saint Catherine’s we pray Vespers following the evening Mass (M-F) and with a more solemn character several times a year. Our praying Vespers in Lent in a more substantial way with singing psalms and hymns, preaching, vesture and incense is consistent with the tradition found with Dominicans.
Lent II: Father Jordan Kelly, OP
Lent III: Father Jay Scott Newman
Lent IV: Father Joel Warden, CO
Lent V: Father Allen White, OP
Palm Sunday: Edward Cardinal Egan
Earlier this afternoon, Cardinal George’s homily was absolutely brilliant using Saint Paul’s theme of being free in Christ and viz. freedom today and the current issues we are facing in the USA with the current administration of the United States. The Church’s choirmaster, Daniel B. Sañez, and the Schola Dominicana was perfect for God’s glory.
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