culture – Page 9

William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wed

Blessings on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, who wed today, the feast of Saint Catherine of Siena

“Be who God
meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

So said St Catherine of
Siena whose festival day this is. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man
and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their
deepest and truest selves.

Many people are fearful for the future of today’s
world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its
shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every
continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every
wedding day should be, a day of hope.

In a sense every wedding is a royal
wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen of creation, making a new
life together so that life can flow through them into the future.

William and
Catherine, you have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so
loved the world that he gave himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.

In
the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to
each other.

The spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves.
Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual
life in which we discover this: the more we give of self, the richer we become
in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true
selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are
seeking to bring one another into fuller life.

Continue reading William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wed

Crowd turns out for St Gianna Mass

The second annual Saint Gianna Mass was celebrated earlier this evening at The Church of Saint Catherine of Siena (411 E. 68th St., NYC) by the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Michael Dolan. The Mass was co-sponsored with the Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of NY. About 600 people turned up for the Mass to ask for Saint Gianna’s intercession in the fertility issues. We tend to think it is easy to get pregnant, but for many couples having a biological child is quite difficult that creates much suffering.

The picture is of the Archbishop meeting the young servers and their guide prior to the Liturgy.

A voice for the voiceless — women and children in China: Reggie Littlejohn speaks out

Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Several weeks ago I focused my attention —our attention— on the rights of women and children, especially unborn children, in China, by highlighting the work of Reggie Littlejohn. How can one be unmoved by the plight for another human being; in case, women and unborn children??? What about the preference for the poor? What about human dignity?

When I met Reggie through my friend Suzanne Tanzi, the editor of Traces magazine, I was instantly drawn to her work for others. I recognized in her that Christ is working directly through the words and works for those who really have no voice in a country that forcibly holds a One Child Policy. China is among the most offensive countries when it comes to human rights abuses and our Chinese brothers and sisters need an advocate.

Here’s an amazing interview with Reggie: Open your Mouth –Littlejohn Interview.pdf

A recently published essay by Reggie Littlejohn: “China: Family Planning Official Stabs Man to Death“

The link above will take you another blog post which has links to Reggie Littlejohn’s work.

Meaningful life change: 38 is too late

the ONION

America’s Finest News Service

APRIL 2, 2011 | ISSUE 47•13

BALTIMORE–After years of observing people in their late 30s to early 40s, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have determined that once an individual reaches 38 years of age it is too late to make any meaningful life changes. “Our analysis indicates that if people turn 38 before getting the job they always wanted, meeting that special someone with whom they can settle down, or accepting themselves for who they are, they never will,” said study coordinator Dr. Erik Heuer, adding that those who haven’t “figured things out” by their late 30s die sad, miserable, and alone 100 percent of the time. “In order to bolster our findings, we observed several subjects ages 38 and above who attempted to finally resolve their troubled relationship with a parent or write that novel that’s been kicking around in their head, and the results were, well, very sad to say the least.” The study has been criticized in peer-review by multiple scientists aged 38 and older, many of whom said they are going to yoga and learning Korean cooking and that it’s really going quite well.

h/t to Fr Charles

James Martin reviews “Of Gods and Men”

The culture editor at America Magazine Jesuit Father James Martin, reviews the stunning movie “Of Gods and Men” on Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. His comments are worth hearing.

Here is a previous post on “Of Gods and Men” with a few links to other pages including Prior Christian de Cherge’s testament.

Atheists feast day

“Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.'” ~Psalm
14:1. Happy feast day, atheists!

Court of the Gentiles –next step

Success is not a word that is appropriate for matters pertaining to faith, even if it’s dealing those hearing the message of the Gospel for the first time or fancy programs. But I think it’s fair to say that from the reports that are coming from the Court of the Gentiles last weekend, this event was extraordinarily successful. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, his staff and collaborators have the makings of very significant work for culture, humanity and theology which will, no doubt, bear much fruit.

What’s at stake is not theology but humanity, not God but man and woman. If we don’t deal with our humanity, our human need, our desire for the infinite, then we will be less than what we are made for: happiness and greatness.

Sandro Magister’s follow-up can be read here.

Chicago is on the list of possible events like the Court of the Gentiles. AND not New York?

BTW, read this blog post on the origin of the “Court of the Gentiles.”

Cardinal Burke on the truth of human sexuality & fall of Christian culture

Raymond Cardinal
Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, has been traveling lately. Most recently to Australia. There he spoke on the theme of “The Fall of the Christian West,” at a
symposium organized by the Australian Catholic Students Association, Sydney. He gave “particular attention to the witness to the truth regarding human sexuality, as fundamental to holiness of life, and to the question of conscience as the irreplaceable and secure guide in the pursuit of holiness of life.” The cardinal also reflected on martyrdom.

Among
many things said in the address the Cardinal said:

quoting Benedict XVI said, we “need to form our consciences, in accord with the moral teaching of the Church … ‘our responsibility to make these criteria [these moral foundations] audible and intelligible once more for people today as paths of true humanity, in the context of our paramount concern for mankind'”
“…our call to build anew a
strong Catholic culture, in fidelity to our vocation to give witness to Christ
and, therefore, to be martyrs for the faith”
“witness to the truth regarding
human sexuality, as fundamental to holiness of life, and to the question of
conscience as the irreplaceable and secure guide in the pursuit of holiness of
life.”
“The life of the martyr for the faith finds its center and source in the
Eucharistic sacrifice, in Eucharistic adoration, and in all forms of
Eucharistic devotion, especially visits to the Blessed Sacrament and spiritual
communion throughout the day”
“The Holy Eucharist not only strengthens us
spiritually to be true martyrs, but is the model of our martyrdom, pure and
selfless love, without condition, to the end.”

You ought to read the entire excellent address is here: Cardinal R Burke, The Fall of the Christian West, March 11, 2011.pdf

Are chickens people, too?

One of the NY “news” rags that I periodically glance at (no pun intended) told me that a study at the University of Bristol (UK) determined that chickens are people. I didn’t know that. Did you? Here’s the story:

Chickens have feelings, according to British veterinarians. The researchers took a group of mother hens and their chicks and blew puffs of air at the chicks. This caused the birds distress and sent their heart rates up, reducing the temperature of their eyeballs –a well-known sign of stress. The mother hens showed exactly the same signs of stress when they were hit with puffs of air, too …

I wonder what the chickens feel when you tell them Colonel Sanders is coming for tea.

Now you can see why some people people do and think silly things about humanity.