Communio – Page 390 – …bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

5 “distressed” bishops moving to full communion with Rome

The Boston Globe ran a story today, “UK Catholics say 5 Anglican bishops converting,” emphasing these 5 as disaffected, distressed, defectors for political reasons: homosexually inclined and female clergy. It could be, however, that these 5 desire to follow Christ in the true Church he founded, and the bishops acknowledge this fact. Of course, one never knows what the exact back story really is because the information is filtered through many layers before the print media goes to print. The statement of the five bishops can be read here and if you are interested in the Forward in Faith groups, see their website.

The bishops, and for any baptized Christian “moving” to become Catholic are said to be coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. They are not converting. This point is made briefly in the article but it seems to obscured by the author because of the particular situation. The Anglicans are Christian; they have converted to Christ; they pray the Lord’s Prayer; Anglicans have a spiritual life. What they are doing by becoming Catholic is following the promptings of the Holy Spirit to live in the truth of unity with the Bishop of Rome.

The 5 Anglican bishops are: Bishops Andrew Burnham, Keith Newton, John Broadhurst, Edwin Barnes and David Silk.

My hope is that the 5 bishops “pope” but that they do so for the right reason and not because of they truly are disgruntled with Anglicanism. Rome doesn’t need more disgruntled Catholics. Are they following Christ and the guided companionship of the Church or their own moral compass?

Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity

“Here there is no longer anything but God. He is All; He suffices and we live by Him alone” (Letter 91).

Today is the feast of the Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906), one of those mature Carmelite mystics who forcefully brings us back to center.

She reminds us that the most Holy Trinity is given to each person at the time of Baptism and again in Confirmation and fed through the Eucharist.

She once wrote, “It seems to me that I found my heaven on earth, since heaven is God and God is in my soul. The day I understood that, everything became clear to me. I wish to tell this secret to those whom I love so that they also, through everything, may also cling to God …” (Letter 122).

Blessed John Duns Scotus

The Preface for the Mass of Blessed John Duns Scotus

Father, all-powerful and everliving God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You give the Church great joy as she celebrates the memory of John Duns Scotus, in whom the spirit and ideals of our seraphic father Francis burned brightly and came to light and life.

You led him to see that virtue was of greater value than learning, and taught him the pre-eminence of love over all worldly knowledge.

You chose him to be the subtle unravler of reality, enabling his sharp mind to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of the depths of your love for us.

He acclaimed the universal primacy of your Son, the masterpiece and perfect manifestation of your eternal love enfleshed in Christ the New Adam, the King of all creation.

You taught him to praise Mary, conceived without sin, untarnished and resplendent in her immaculate beauty, your intended Model for creating us in dignity and goodness.

You instruct us by his teaching and by the holiness of his life, and give protection in answer to his prayers. Therefore, with the angels and all the saints we join in their unending hymn of praise.

Faith in Russia Today: Archbishop Paolo Pezzi in conversation

Crossroads Cultural Center

p r e s e n t s

FAITH IN RUSSIA TODAY

A Conversation with

the Most Reverend Paolo Pezzi, FSCB

Archbishop of Mother of God in Moscow

In cooperation
with Radius, and Communion and Liberation

Date: Wednesday, November 17,
2010

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: Pryzbyla Center, Great
Room

The Catholic University of
America

620 Michigan Ave., NE,
Washington, DC 20064

Metro: Red Line, Brookland/CUA

Campus
Map

The conference is free and
open to the public

For more information

the flyer can be downloaded here: Archbishop
Paolo Pezzi in DC.pdf

Humor is a Catholic thing, really….

Humor and Catholicism are not easily cohered by many people. For some reason, many people believe that to be a Catholic, a saint, a person “in-tune” with God means, by definition, to look unhappy, if not really be, unhappy. Yea, but no. Really, the contrary is true if you know God, His Son and sacred Scripture. To have a healthy, vibrant spiritual life is have joy. We hunger for intimate connections with God, others and self. We are made for love and joy. Yet, love and joy are mysteries in the Providence, and love and joy separates us from the animals, as does freedom. And to love is be full of joy, full of humor and delight.

Tonight, I had the pleasure of seeing an old and dear friend, Jesuit Father James Martin, speak at Yale University’s St Thomas More Catholic Chapel. Nearly hundred people were in attendance including members of the local and Yale communities. Father Martin is the Cultural editor of America Magazine, the only Catholic weekly journal of opinion. He’s the author of a plentitude of articles and several books (My Life with the Saints & The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, and he’s due to publish yet another book, Sarah’s Laugh: Joy Humor and Laughter in the Spiritual Life, in a few months.

Martin was invited by More House to deliver the More House Lecture, which since its establishment in 1962 has had a few distinguished Jesuits. The inaugural More House Lecturer was given by Father John Courtney Murray, SJ in 1962 on the topic of the Problem of God. Martin is now on a spry list of notable –and a few ignoble– scholars and cultural types. A terrific honor, indeed.

Father Martin’s point is that joy and laughter are under-rated in the spiritual life and are essential for a healthy physical and spiritual life. To be joyful is to be in-touch with God. Joy equals holiness (for those who pray).

While humor is culturally bound in time, place and location, there is evidence that laughter had some importance among the Old Testement characters, think of Abraham and Sarah, Isaiah and in the New Testament with Jesus, think of his interchange with Nathaniel. Saints had a particular bias for humor and joy and laughter, think of Saints Teresa of Avila, Philip Neri, Benedict, Blessed John XXIII and Teresa of Calcutta, and countless others.

Father Martin had ten points in praise of humor and its intimate connection with the spiritual life:

humor evangelizes; humor shows others our faith in God, in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; humor shows the victory of love over hatred;
humor is a tool for humility; it aids in the quest of humility; humor is a great way to keep one grounded and away from the Deadly Sin of pride; as my mother says frequently, don’t take yourself that seriously;
humor shocks the hearer to hear something new; humor gets the point of across
humor speaks truth to power, especially when other forms of truth-telling seem to fail; do we need more pompous, puffed-up and powerful people with a distinct lack of humor leading us, in Church and in society?
humor shows Christian courage: think of Saints Lawrence and Thomas More;
humor deepens a relationship with God (if you have one); by analogy –Catholics love theological analogies: being in relationship with God is like being on the phone–someone talks and someone listens; a healthy relationship with God would mean that joy is very much a part of one’s relationship with God; as Father Martin pointed out from the Ignatian spirituality point of view, can I imagine that God might want to be playful with me? Can I delight in God’s desire for giving me the unexpected? Can I, like the Prophet Isaiah, allow God to delight in me and I delight in God?
humor shows genuine hospitality, it shows the other that being welcome in a place is a virtue;
humor is healing –it releases endorphins; one never laughs at sin or personal hurt but in its proper place humor gives us a break;
humor opens our minds –it helps us to relax; humor helps get the message across, eases the burdens and allows us to imagine being personally with Jesus; joy is the surest sign of the Holy Spirit;
humor is fun and fun is a foretaste of heaven.

Thanks be to God for the grace of laughing. John Paul II and Benedict XVI have also showed us the value and place of humor in life. As I have said before here: can I really take my humanity seriously? Can I be joy-filled? Can I allow God to show me the way to Him through humor?

Radical, Political Islamic leaders declare: “Iraq’s Christians are legitimate targets & now face the “doors of destruction”

There’s no doubt that Christians in Iraq are facing the significant trails of their lifetime. These are our brothers and sisters. Some call it a jihad against the Christian minority and others say this is an example of a more globalized efforts to squeeze out Christianity in the Middle East. The horrific attack is religiously motivated driving the Christians from the region, an ethnic cleansing. Multiple religious groups in Iraq create diversity, it creates democratic processes, no matter the size of the community.

The Islamists as a group is small, perhaps not more than 5% but they have money and are mobilized. But where is the outrage of the Islamic leaders of the reasonable sort speaking against these attacks? Barely is the media reportiing on last Sunday’s events.

Vatican Radio reported that “The victims of Sunday’s massacre in Our Lady of Salvation Church Baghdad were laid to rest Tuesday. A telegram from Pope Benedict to the leader of the Syro-Catholic Church in the Iraqi capital, Archbishop Athanase Matti Shaba Matoka, was read out to mourners during the funeral service. The Pope said ‘deeply moved by the violent death of so many faithful and their priests, Tha’ir Saad and Boutros Wasim, I wish, during the sacred funeral rite, to share spiritually in this occasion and pray that these our brothers and sisters are welcomed by the mercy of Christ into the Father’s House.for years this country has been suffering untold hardships and even Christians have become the subject of brutal attacks that, in total disregard of life – an inviolable gift from God – want to undermine confidence and peace. I renew my call that the sacrifice of our brothers and sisters may be the seed of peace and true rebirth, and that those who care about reconciliation, solidarity and fraternal coexistence, find the strength and motivation to do good.'”

Additionally, Asia News reported, “The so-called ‘War Department’ of the ‘Islamic State of Iraq’ (ISI) al-Qaeda in Iraq issued a statement on the Web to announce that the passing of the deadline of its ‘ultimatum’ to the Egyptian Coptic Church to release two Egyptian women, Camilia Cheh and Wafa Constantine, wives of Coptic priests, whom according to the terrorists are detained against their will in a convent after converting to Islam. Their conversion has been denied by all the Islamic religious authorities in Egypt, and the Muslim Brotherhood have harshly attacked the authors of the massacre in Baghdad. Al-Qaeda, however, confirms that all Christians and their churches have become “legitimate targets” of the terrorist group and are therefore are in danger. The message issued today by the Iraqi cell of al-Qaeda also makes explicit reference to the Vatican.”

Further, “While confirming its desire to attack the Christians, the terrorists say they want to give one more chance to the Catholics of the Church of Rome. They claim that ‘the War Office of the Islamic State of Iraq’ announced that starting today all the churches and Christian organizations and their leaders are a legitimate target for mujahedeen. These politicians and their bosses in the Vatican should know that the sword will not fall on the heads of their followers if they proclaim their innocence, and distance themselves from what has been done by the Egyptian Church. Al-Qaeda calls on Catholics to ‘send a clear signal to the mujahedeen of their effort to put pressure on the Egyptian Church in order to obtain the release of two women, their prisoners.'”

Martin Chulov of the Guardian in Britain, wrote “Resurgent al-Qaida threatens Christians in Iraq with ‘destruction”: “Al-Qaida in Iraq has threatened more attacks on Iraq’s Christians, claiming that they are legitimate targets who now face the ‘doors of destruction.’ The warning, published today on militant websites, came three days after gunmen from an al-Qaida front group, the Islamic State of Iraq, raided one of Baghdad’s main cathedrals during Sunday mass. More than 50 people were killed and dozens were wounded when Iraqi forces stormed the church in an attempt to lift the four-hour siege. In its statement, ISI described the pope as ‘the hallucinating tyrant of the Vatican’ and warned that Christians would be ‘extirpated and dispersed’ from Iraq. ‘All Christian centers, organizations and institutions, leaders and followers, are legitimate targets for the muhajideen wherever they can reach them… We will open upon them the doors of destruction and rivers of blood.'”

What does it mean to love totally? How can we learn to love truly? –Catholic Action asks Pope for advice

Pope Benedict
XVI responded to a cross section of Italian Catholic Action, on Saturday,
October 31. Reportedly, there were 50,000 children, 30,000 youth and 10,000
educators of Catholic Action, who were in Rome meeting under the theme: “There
Is More. We Become Great Together.” WOW!!!! The Pope really takes humanity seriously; he really understands me and my desires and my limitations. One of the Q&A that I liked is the
following:

Your Holiness, our teachers in Catholic Action tell us that to grow
up it is necessary to learn to love, but often we fail and we suffer in our
relationships, in our friendships, in our first loves. But what does it mean to
love totally? How can we learn to love truly?

Benedict XVI: A great question.
It is very important, I would say fundamental, to learn to love, truly to love,
to learn the art of real love! In adolescence we stop before the mirror and we
notice that we are changing. But if you continue to look at yourself, you will
never grow up! You grow up when you do no longer let the mirror be the only
truth about you but when you let your friends tell you. You will grow up if you
are able to make your life a gift to others, not to seek yourselves, but to
give yourselves to others: this is the school of love. This love, however, must
bring you into that “more” that today shout to everyone. “There
is more!” As I have already said, I too, in my youth wanted something more
than what the society and the mentality of the time presented to me. I wanted
to breathe pure air, above all I desired a beautiful and good world, like our
God, the Father of Jesus, wanted for everyone. And I understood more and more
that the world becomes beautiful and good if one knows this will of God and if
the world corresponds to this will of God, which is the true light, beauty,
love that gives the world meaning.

It is quite true: You cannot and must not
adapt yourselves to a love reduced to a commodity to be consumed without
respect for oneself or for others, incapable of chastity and purity. This is
not freedom. Much of the “love” that is proposed by the media, on the
internet, is not love but egoism, closure, it gives you the illusion of a
moment, but it does not make you happy, it does not make you grow up, it binds
you like a chain that suffocates more beautiful thoughts and sentiments, the
true desires of the heart, that irrepressible power that is love and that has
its maximum expression in Jesus and strength and fire in the Holy Spirit, who
enflames your lives, your thoughts, your affections. Of course it demands
sacrifice to live love in the true way — without renunciation one does not
find this road — but I am certain that you are not afraid of the toil of a
challenging and authentic love. It is the only kind that, in the final
analysis, gives true joy! There is a test that tells you whether your love is
growing in a healthy way: If you do not exclude others from your life, above
all your friends who are suffering and alone, people in difficulty, and if you
open your heart to the great friend Jesus.

Catholic Action also teaches you the
roads to take to learn authentic love: participation in the life of the Church,
of your Christian community, loving your friends in the Children’s Catholic
Action group, in Catholic Action, availability to those of your age at school,
in the parish or in other environments, the company of the Mother of Jesus,
Mary, who knows how to guide your heart and lead you along the way of good.
Moreover, in Catholic Action, you have many examples of genuine, beautiful,
true love: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Blessed Alberto Marvelli; love that
also leads to the sacrifice of one’s life, like with Blessed Pierina Morosini
and Blessed Antonia Mesina.

Young people of Catholic Action, aspire to big
goals, because God gives you the strength. “More” is being young
people and children who decide to love like Jesus does, to be the protagonists
of our own lives, protagonists in the Church, witnesses of the faith to those
who are your age. “More” is the

human and Christian formation that
you experience in Catholic Action, which unites spiritual life, fraternity,
public witness to the faith, ecclesial communion, love for the Church,
collaboration with the bishops and priests, spiritual friendship. “Growing
up together” speaks of the importance of being part of a group and a
community that helps you to grow, to discover your vocation and to learn true love.
Thank you.

The cross reveals God’s face of love giving us a sure hope of eternal life

The Pope celebrated Mass for the bishops and cardinals who died in the past year on Wednesday. In his homily he addressed what I believe –and the Church has consistently taught– are central themes of our Catholic faith which are too often misunderstood or not understood enough. The last line of this post is THE most important thought for us to contemplate on today. From the Vatican’s Press Office we read:

The Pope remind his congregation that “eternal life” designates
“the divine gift granted to humankind; i.e., communion with God in this
world and its fullness in the next. Eternal life was opened to us by Christ’s
Paschal Mystery and faith is the way to attain it”. Referring then to
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, as recounted in today’s Gospel, the Pope
explained how in this exchange Jesus “reveals the most profound meaning of
the event of salvation: … The Son of man must be raised on the wood of the
cross so that those who believe in Him might have life. … The cross,
paradoxically, from being a sign of condemnation, death and failure, becomes a
sign of redemption, life and victory in which, with the eyes of faith, we can
see the fruits of salvation.”

The salvific significance of the cross
“consists in the immense love of God and in the gift of His only-begotten
Son. … The verbs ‘to love’ and ‘to give’ indicate a decisive and definitive
action expressing the radical way in which God approached man in love, even
unto the total giving of self, … lowering Himself into the abyss of our utter
abandonment, and crossing the portal of death. The object and beneficiary of
divine Love is the world, in other words humanity. This completely cancels the
idea of a distant God divorced from man’s journey, and reveals His true
face.” God “loves without measure. He does not show His omnipotence
in punishment, but in mercy and forgiveness.”

Day of Prayer & Healing for Teens who have experienced abortion – November 20th

Many of you are in parishes with schools and/or youth groups
and have teens who are suffering from the effects of abortion. Please promote this
unique opportunity for them to come to a Day of Prayer and Healing for Teens –
November 20th.

For confidential registration or more information, please call Theresa at Lumina Hope and Healing after Abortion at 718-881-8008 and visit the Lumina website.

Saint Charles Borromeo

Saint Charles Borromeo’s intercession is as much needed today as ever we needed it. He was an unexpected gift of God to his family and to the Church and we ask him to intercede for us. Some interesting points about the legacy of Saint Charles Borromeo, whose feast we celebrate today.

His nephew,
Federico Borromeo (1564-1631), was archbishop of Milan from 1595 and,
furthering Charles’ support for Catholic learning, in 1609 founded the
Ambrosian Library in that city. He donated a tremendous collection of art and
literature to the library.
Borromeo’s emblem is the Latin
word humilitas (humility), which is a portion of the Borromeo shield.
He is usually represented in art in his robes, barefoot, carrying the cross as archbishop; a rope round his neck, one hand raised in blessing, thus recalling his
work during the plague.
Borromeo is one of only four people mentioned at the
beginning of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, citing them as responsible
for the Council of Trent, which gave way to the modern day catechism. The
others mentioned are St. Peter Canisius, St. Turibius of Mongrovejo and St.
Robert Bellarmine.
The city and county of St. Charles, Missouri are named for
Borromeo.