A Challenge?

A dear friend of mine, who is a priest in England, has just told me about things that are afoot there. It appears Bishop Patrick O'Donaghue, Bishop of Lancaster has today (27 August) released "Fit for Mission?" In this it shows the Church offers practical guidance on how to live out the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, through challenging common misinterpretations of the key council documents on Liturgy, Revelation, the Church, and the Church in the world.

Bishop Patrick is convinced that if we regain the Catholic sense of balancing change with continuity, the life of our parishes will be energised by the gifts of the Holy Spirit given at the Second Vatican Council.

I have downloaded it, and though it is 92 pages, I am going to try to read this document and perhaps you might consider it too. We need to reconsider our faith and recommit ourselves to promoting it, if we truly desire to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the good Bishop may give us over here on "the other side of the pond" a little kick in the pants to do it!

He makes a point...

There is so much misunderstanding in the CHurch today, but this article, by my friend, is a good place to begin. Check this out.

All its cracked up to be?

Apparently, the two presumptive nominees for the two media-promoted political parties in America are meeting this weekend. You might be interested to read this interesting article from the California Catholic Daily.

There is so much to be said about the obvious contradiction between Senator Obama claiming Christianity as his religion and the wholesale acceptance of Abortion on demand. How can one who claims to know the creator of life also claim to be pro-abortion - for the death of either a human baby or AT VERY LEAST a potential human (which you must admit since no human embryo ever becomes a chair or a frog!)

Regardless, of this contradiction, this talk would be interesting to watch to see how faith is integral to these to lives which are vying for the Presidency of our beloved country.

What give us the right?

I just read this article which I have shared with our Music department.

I have to admit, I have wondered about this once or twice. It seems a bit odd we think it is appropriate to use the tetragrammaton "YHWH" so liberally. Praise God that the Vatican has made clear the sanctity of the Holy Name of God! May we who have ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches.

If you are going to spend any money in this economy...

Make sure it is worth spending!

I just received this forwarded email from our youth minister, Anthony Gallegos:


[snip]

Different Drummer, a company specializing in socially good and redemptive content, including films like Amazing Grace and Bella, is pleased to bring you the movie Henry Poole is Here, starring Luke Wilson, George Lopez, and Adrian Barraza, about a young man (Luke Wilson) who abandons friends and work to spend what he believes are his remaining days alone. The discovery of a "miracle" by a nosy neighbor ruptures his solitude and restores his faith in life.


The movie has the support of the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry, National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association, Catholic Campus Ministry Association, Theology on Tap, National Catholic Student Coalition, Life Teen, Knights of Columbus, etc. For the movie’s opening, August 15th, Catholic organizations, youth and young adult ministries, and individuals are celebrating the Feast of the Assumption – and keeping with the spirit of the day and weekend, organizing a night out at the movies for Henry Poole’s opening weekend. Theology on Tap has provided the official discussion guide for Henry Poole is Here. This will be a great movie night event with an opportunity for substantive discussions. Listed below is all the pertinent information and promotional material for the movie. God Bless!

***HENRY POOLE IS HERE OPENS NATION WIDE FRIDAY, AUGUST 15TH***

Visit the official website for information and national theater listing (available Tuesday, August 5th): http://www.myspace.com/henrypooleishere

Download the official study guide from Renew Theology on Tap: http://www.renewtot.org/

Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJHpqyVOwug

Purchase tickets the week of August 10th: http://www.fandango.com/

Group Ticket Sells: 1 877-HENRY90 (436-7990)

USCCB Review: http://www.usccb.org/movies/h/henry-poole.shtml

“This little gem of a film with its truthful emotions, likable characters, and themes of faith and community concern (even when Henry commits a desperate act) should resonate warmly with Catholic viewers.” – USCCB Film and Broadcasting

[snip]

I was kinda skeptical myself but then I checked out the trailer:



Then I realized... "Oh, it has George Lopez playing a priest!!!?? That has to be good." Just kidding. Seriously though, it seems like it is a good movie. And with these kind of endorsements, I would encourage everyone to go out and check this out. And if turns out to be a horrible movie, well offer it up to the Blessed Mother on the feast of her Holy Assumption, body and soul, into heaven.

How can you lose?

The danger of pacifism

I ran across this video last night, though it is long, I would recommend it to whoever is interested in the emerging promience of Islamic culture in our modern world. For us who profess the Catholic Faith, we ought not to fear anyone who desires to destroy the Church. While many have sought to destroy the Church, none have prevailed - why? Because the Church is not made from the mere thoughts of man, but endowed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Some would think that we should fear the oncoming onslaught talked about in this video, I for one think that while we should prepare to respond to those who would question or discuss the Catholic Faith with us, we should not fear to prepare to offer a witness, even by our death, that the Love of God is real and life-giving.

When one reads the lives of the martyrs we find that no one of them sought to gain anything in this world, except to bear witness to the Love of God in their lives as a gift to Him. This witness never sought to force anyone to anything, except that they might see in our human life that there is something worth truly living and dying for; something which must be chosen and can never be imposed. For the one thing which is not spoken of in Islam is the the freedom to love with one's whole heart, which submission can never hope for.

The Lord Jesus Christ invites us offer our lives to Him in service IN LOVE. This is the reason why people are able to wear flip-flops to Mass or to sacrilege the Holy Eucharist by not discerning their way of life in the Catholic Faith. If we receive the gift and respond most fully we can and should become saints, but if we ignore or devalue the gift of Jesus Christ, then we flagrantly ignore all that God has offered to us in the Holy Catholic Faith. I ask you to consider where are you in your Catholic Faith? Have you accepted all that the Church teaches us as a gift which will bear your greatest joy, which is what Jesus called "life more abundantly (Jn 10:10)." Or have you picked and chosen what you would believe, what is referred to today as "Cafeteria Catholicism."

How woud you know one way or another? St. Gregory of Nyssa taught how Heaven would be going "from Glory to Glory" because we will be dynamically ever-more filled with the Mystery, Love, and Glory that is God. We will be ever satiated, and yet ever more desirous at the same time! For us Catholics, all the way to heaven is heaven, as I often say in RCIA and have heard others say. The point is that if we are perseverant in Love or even obedient in love then God will fufill our desire to know. Nevertheles, there will alway be those who deny this possibility, who can't imagine that the only living God truly is merciful and loving for each of his creation, even if they reject him. The question we must respond to is: Do we reject Him or love Him?

There are many things that are worth discussing about the video above and I hope that any of you who read this blog would offer your comments.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-871902797772997781

Who doesn't need innocence?

You will notice, if you are a regular reader of this blog, that I have added a new link to the right over there -->. It is to my most favorite band ever, who just so happens to be Catholic and American. I actually know a guy who is playing with them in Lancaster, PA where they are from. I hope you might take moment to check out the link and listen to a few songs. Hopefully you might like them too.

Well, here I sit watching the smoke rise up from Green Mountain, which I can see from my office window. It had gone down quite a bit, but now seems to be flaring up. I hope all are ok over there. Please say a prayer for the Firefighters who are working up there and any families who might be affected. Perhaps this one:

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
That never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thy intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly to thee O virgin of Virgins, my mother. To thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemency hear them and answer them,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Watching the fire plume into the sky made me think of my favorite band, the Innocence Mission. Why? I am not really sure. I just thought about how things are so good when you are young and innocent. We parents have a grave responsibility to help our children enjoy their innocence and to promote it as they grow up. Innocence from what? Well, nothing more than sin - which we can do with the help of the Sacraments.

I often wonder how many people take the Sacraments that seriously? Hopefully, we might reconsider the Sacrament of Confession most especially since our innocence is restored in that Sacrament, while our reparations remain. Life is never easy, but if we catch hold of "the Innocence Mission" which is brough forth in our Lord Jesus Christ then we can be restored in mind, body and strength to arrive at what is most important for our lives - union with God our Father. May no one of us ever doubt that reality, since upon this lies the hope of a better life - no matter what our economic situation is!