Magnificat at 15

Fr CameronThanks to Joan Frawley Desmond of the National Catholic Register we can read a recently published interview, “‘Magnificat’: Introducing the Liturgy to Christian Laity for 15 Years,” with Dominican Father Peter John Cameron, Editor-in-Chief of Magnificat.

Desmond’s interview gives good insight and stands on its own. The author draws out the current work and future hopes of the Dumont and Cameron in English. Desmond notes what I would call a treasure for all of us: Magnificat gives horizon and develops a culture of encounter, a meeting with the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Mother; Magnificat does not merely correct errors experienced with regard to catechesis, but it orders how we pray, what we believe and encourages us to live anew in Christ Jesus with the Church.

The fact of the matter is that Magnificat has in these previous 15 years (!) more a generous contribution to spreading the faith and thus opened an incredible number of doors unto the Divine Mystery. The sheer breadth of hagiography, spiritual reading and sacramentality does give pause because, in my mind, our Catholic patrimony is  fully appreciated and a lived. The artwork alone is spectacular (save for a few specimens).

Key to the work of and reason for Magnificat is for the formation of the laity in applying the theology and disposition of the Church to make the sacred Liturgy known and prayed by the laity.

In an era of greater emphasis on the place and role evangelization and faith formation in the Catholic Church, Magnificat is a necessary tool. 250K other English speaking people think so, too. Thanks to Father Peter John and his staff of writers, customer service, technology experts, and consultants.

Priest killed allegedly for giving bad homilies

The small, rural Scilian town of Trapani apparently is a crossroads of culture and history. It is now dealing with the murder of an elderly priest for allegedly giving bad homilies. His assailant, 33 and unemployed, wanted to teach Father a lesson one what he was saying in the pulpit. In some reports, Father Michele DiStefano is said to have spoken in a public fashion of the wrong-doings (sins?) of his people. I hope he wasn’t revealing what he heard in the confessional.

Bad preaching can drive people away. Actually, I think music can equally disturbing. If priests read this report they may want to get their affairs in order, or pick up a Father Peter John Cameron’s book on preaching, Why Preach: Encountering Christ in God’s Word.

I suppose you could make many conclusions about this circumstance, but I think it’s if we pray for God’s mercy on Father Michele and the man who killed him.

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

Canceling Christmas is not an option

We all are hurting today. Whatever the reason, joy seems to be lacking in many. For some people any celebration of Christmas is out of the question. They believe that joy is not permitted due to the murders of children and adults. There is no room for hope, no possible way to feel anything but misery. There is no question that the radical absence of loved ones is very trying and almost hopeless. I think we can understand this line of thinking, but I think for people of true Christian faith this is not the answer.

Our friend, Dominican Father Peter John Cameron (Editor-in-Chief of Magnificat), tells us why Christmas is important and how it shapes our humanity and our belief that death and violence doesn’t have the final word. He makes a clear case for a true celebration of JOY. Father Cameron celebrates the sacred Liturgy weekly at the now famous Catholic Church in Newtown, Connecticut, Saint Rose of Lima.
For your prayerful consideration: Fr. Peter Cameron Newtown Homily Dec 16 2012.pdf