Prince of Peace Catholic Church

Why kneel for communion?

2010-09-13T10:34:00.002-04:00

Sandro Magister has an analysis of Pope Benedict's practice of inviting the faithful to kneel to receive Holy Communion at Papal Masses. You can read it here.

Cardinal John Henry Newman's private chapel

2010-09-08T11:56:00.001-04:00

The Cardinal's Personal Chapel from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.

Don't adorn the church while neglecting the poor

2010-09-01T10:52:00.001-04:00

Do you want to honor Christ’s body? Then do not scorn him in his nakedness, nor honor him here in the church with silken garments while neglecting him outside where he is cold and naked. For he who said: This is my body, and made it so by his words, also said: "You saw me hungry and did not feed me, and inasmuch as you did not do it for one of these, the least of my brothers, you did not do it for me." (Mat 25:34ff) What we do here in the church requires a pure heart, not special garments; what we do outside requires great dedication.

Let us learn, therefore, to be men of wisdom and to honor Christ as he desires. For a person being honoured finds greatest pleasure in the honor he desires, not in the honor we think best. Peter thought he was honoring Christ when he refused to let him wash his feet; but what Peter wanted was not truly an honour, quite the opposite! Give him the honour prescribed in his law by giving your riches to the poor. For God does not want golden vessels but golden hearts.

Now, in saying this I am not forbidding you to make such gifts; I am only demanding that along with such gifts and before them you give alms. He accepts the former, but he is much more pleased with the latter. In the former, only the giver profits; in the latter, the recipient does too. A gift to the church may be taken as a form of ostentation, but an alms is pure kindness. Of what use is it to weigh down Christ’s table with golden cups, when he himself is dying of hunger? First, fill him when he is hungry; then use the means you have left to adorn his table. Will you have a golden cup made but not give a cup of water? What is the use of providing the table with cloths woven of gold thread, and not providing Christ himself with the clothes he needs? What profit is there in that? Tell me: If you were to see him lacking the necessary food but were to leave him in that state and merely surround his table with gold would he be grateful to you or rather would he not be angry? What if you were to see him clad in worn-out rags and stiff from the cold, and were to forget about clothing him and instead were to set up golden columns for him, saying that you were doing it in his honour? Would he not think he was being mocked and greatly insulted?

Apply this also to Christ when he comes along the roads as a pilgrim, looking for shelter. You do not take him in as your guest, but you decorate floor and walls and the capitals of the pillars. You provide silver chains for the lamps, but you cannot bear even to look at him as he lies chained in prison. Once again, I am not forbidding you to supply these adornments; I am urging you to provide these other things as well, and indeed to provide them first. No one has ever been accused for not providing ornaments, but for those who neglect their neighbour a hell awaits with an inextinguishable fire and torment in the company of the demons. Do not, therefore, adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all.

- St John Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew
quoted from The Crossroads Initiative

Papal Prayer Intentions for August

2010-07-30T09:30:00.000-04:00

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That those who are without work or homes or who are otherwise in serious need may find understanding and welcome, as well as concrete help in overcoming their difficulties".

His mission intention is: "That the Church may be a 'home' for all people, ready to open her doors to any who are suffering from racial or religious discrimination, hunger or wars forcing them to emigrate to other countries".

Women in the Vatican

2010-07-26T10:24:00.002-04:00

Baltimore Basilica

2010-07-07T10:33:00.000-04:00

Last night in our class on the history of the Catholic Church in the United States we discussed architectural styles of American Catholic churches. I referenced in particular the Basilica in Baltimore, which has some excellent pictures on its website here.

The New Evangelization of the West

2010-06-28T14:57:00.000-04:00

The Holy Father has established a new dicastery within the Roman Curia dedicated to the "new evangelization."

The History of the Catholic Church in the United States

2010-06-21T08:25:00.001-04:00

This class starts tomorrow at 7 pm in Croghan Hall. I hope to see many there!

Thomas Frederick Price, the Tar Heel Apostle

2010-06-07T10:02:00.000-04:00

To help you gear up for our upcoming class on the history of the Catholic Church in the United States with a special focus on the history of the Church in the Carolinas, here is a unique (i.e. rather dated in its style) video produced in the 1940s about Father Thomas Frederick Price, founder of the Maryknoll Fathers and the first native born North Carolinian to be ordained a priest.

Adore the LORD in Holy Attire

2010-06-07T09:35:00.001-04:00

Msgr. Charles Pope, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, has written an excellent blog post about the proper attire for Holy Mass.

Man of the Eucharist and Martyr of Truth

2010-06-02T11:04:00.000-04:00

Zenit has a beautiful reflection for the feast of Corpus Christi by Fr Thomas Rosica, CSB that focuses on the figure of Father Jerzy Popieluszko who will be beatified this weekend.

St Thomas Aquinas, OP

2010-06-02T10:18:00.005-04:00

from the Vatican Information Service regarding today's general audience:

VATICAN CITY, 2 JUN 2010 (VIS) - In today's general audience held in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI continued with his catechesis dedicated to the great saints of the Middle Ages, speaking on St. Thomas Aquinas, called the "Angelic Doctor" for the elevated nature of his thought and the purity of his life".

The Pope explained that Thomas was born around 1225 to a noble family in Roccasecca, Italy near the Abbey of Montecasino. He was sent to the University of Naples at a young age where he first became interested in Aristotelian thought and felt a call to the religious life.

In 1245 he went to Paris to study theology under the guidance of St. Albert the Great who held this student in such esteem that he was asked to accompany him to Cologne, Germany to open a centre for theological studies.

"Thomas Aquinas, at St. Albert the Great's school, carried out a task of fundamental importance in the history of philosophy and theology as well as for history and culture", the Pope said. "He studied Aristotle and his interpreters in depth" and "commented on a great part of Aristotle's works, discerning what was valid in it from what was doubtful or refutable, demonstrating its consonance with the facts of Christian revelation, using Aristotelian thought with great breadth and intelligence in presenting the theological writings he composed. In short, Thomas Aquinas demonstrated that a natural harmony exists between reason and the Christian faith".

"His great intellectual endowment brought him again to Paris to teach theology. That is where he began his monumental literary output: commentaries on the Sacred Scriptures and the works of Aristotle along with his masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae".

"There were a few secretaries who assisted in drafting his works, among whom was Reginald of Piperno [...] who was bound to him by a fraternal and sincere friendship characterized by great trust and reliance. This is a characteristic of the saints", the pontiff observed. "They cultivate friendship because it is one of the most noble manifestations of the human heart and holds something of the divine within it".

In 1259 Thomas Aquinas participated in the General Chapter of the Dominicans in Valenciennes, France to establish the order's constitutions. On his return to Italy, Pope Urban IV charged him with composing the liturgical texts for the feast of Corpus Christi.

"St. Thomas has a profoundly Eucharistic soul", the Pope affirmed. "The beautiful hymns that the liturgy of the Church sings to celebrate the mystery of the real presence of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Eucharist are due to his faith and theological wisdom".

In Paris, where he returned in 1269, a great number of students followed his courses, but the "Angelic Doctor" also dedicated himself to preaching to the people, who listened with attention. "It is a great gift that theologians know how to speak with simplicity and fervour to the faithful. The ministry of preaching, on the other hand, also helps those who are experts in theology to develop a healthy pastoral realism and enriches their research with stimulation", the pontiff remarked.

In the final months of his life, St. Thomas -- who died in 1274 at the Abbey of Fossanove, Italy when he was heading to Leon to participate in an ecumenical council -- confessed to his friend Reginald of Piperno that, after a divine revelation, he considered his work as "so much straw", writing nothing further afterwards.

"It is a mysterious episode that helps us understand not only Thomas' personal humility but also the fact that all that we are able to think and say about the faith, as elevated and pure as it may be, is infinitely surpassed by the greatness and beauty of God who will reveal himself to us in the fullness of paradise," Benedict XVI concluded.

Johnny Cash

2010-05-27T10:10:00.000-04:00

Now this is not your usual Catholic News fare, but it's pretty interesting.

Suing the Church (From First Things)

2010-05-26T16:56:00.000-04:00

Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap. of Denver has published an article at First Things about the question of church governance in light of the recent sexual abuse scandals and consequent lawsuits against the Church.

The Pope on the Common Good

2010-05-26T10:17:00.000-04:00

The Pope says that the common good, not just profit, must be society's goal. Read the full story here.

Young Religious Women

2010-05-26T10:12:00.000-04:00

Here is an article on young religious women and the religious communities that are attracting new, young vocations. This article highlights the features common to those communities experiencing a renaissance in our day.

The Parish

2010-05-25T11:40:00.000-04:00

Now that RCIA, Adult Education, and many other programs have drawn to a close for the summer, I have taken some time to think about how to improve what we are doing here at Prince of Peace in anticipation of next year. Today in my reflections I have been reading some sections from Pope John Paul II's exhortation on the laity, which I want to share this morning. Email me if you have any thoughts on how we might more effectively be "the 'village fountain' to which all would have recourse to their thirst."

From Christifideles Laici:

The Parish
26. The ecclesial community, while always having a universal dimension, finds its most immediate and visible expression in the parish. It is there that the Church is seen locally. In a certain sense it is theChurch living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters(90).

It is necessary that in light of the faith all rediscover the true meaning of the parish, that is, the place where the very "mystery" of the Church is present and at work, even if at times it is lacking persons and means, even if at other times it might be scattered over vast territories or almost not to be found in crowded and chaotic modern sections of cities. The parish is not principally a structure, a territory, or a building, but rather, "the family of God, a fellowship afire with a unifying spirit"(91), "a familial and welcoming home"(92), the "community of the faithful"(93). Plainly and simply, the parish is founded on a theological reality, because it is a Eucharistic community(94). This means that the parish is a community properly suited for celebrating the Eucharist, the living source for its upbuilding and the sacramental bond of its being in full communion with the whole Church. Such suitableness is rooted in the fact that the parish is a community of faith and an organic community, that is, constituted by the ordained ministers and other Christians, in which the pastor-who represents the diocesan bishop(95)-is the hierarchical bond with the entire particular Church.

Since the Church's task in our day is so great its accomplishment cannot be left to the parish alone. For this reason the Code of Canon Law provides for forms of collaboration among parishes in a given territory(96) and recommends to the bishop's care the various groups of the Christian Faithful, even the unbaptized who are not under his ordinary pastoral care(97). There are many other places and forms of association through which the Church can be present and at work. All are necessary to carry out the word and grace of the Gospel and to correspond to the various circumstances of life in which people find themselves today. In a similar way there exist in the areas of culture, society, education, professions, etc. many other ways for spreading the faith and other settings for the apostolate which cannot have the parish as their center and origin. Nevertheless, in our day the parish still enjoys a new and promising season. At the beginning of his pontificate, Paul VI addressed the Roman clergy in these words: "We believe simply that this old and venerable structure of the parish has an indispensable mission of great contemporary importance: to create the basic community of the Christian people; to initiate and gather the people in the accustomed expression of liturgical life; to conserve and renew the faith in the people of today; to serve as the school for teaching the salvific message of Christ; to put solidarity in practice and work the humble charity of good and brotherly works"(98).

The Synod Fathers for their part have given much attention to the present state of many parishes and have called for a greater effort in their renewal: "Many parishes, whether established in regions affécted by urban progress or in missionary territory, cannot do their work effectively because they lack material resources or ordained men or are too big geographically or because of the particular circumstances of some Christians (e.g. exiles and migrants). So that all parishes of this kind may be truly communities of Christians, local ecclesial authorities ought to foster the following: a) adaptation of parish structures according to the full flexibility granted by canon law, especially in promoting participation by the lay faithfulinpastoral responsibilities; b) small, basic or so-called "living" communities, where the faithful can communicate the Word of God and express it in service and love to one another; these communities are true expressions of ecclesial communion and centers of evangelization, in communion with their pastors"(99). For the renewal of parishes and for a better assurance of their effectiveness in work, various forms of cooperation even on the institutional level ought to be fostered among diverse parishes in the same area.

The Apostolic Commitment in the Parish
27. It is now necessary to look more closely at the communion and participation of the lay faithful in parish life. In this regard all lay men and women are called to give greater attention to a particularly meaningful, stirring and incisive passage from the Council: "Their activity within Church communities is so necessary that without it the apostolate of the Pastors is generally unable to achieve its full effectiveness"(100).

This is indeed a particularly important affirmation, which evidently must be interpreted in light of the "ecclesiology of communion". Ministries and charisms, being diverse and complementary, are all necessary for the Church to grow, each in its own way.

The lay faithful ought to be ever more convinced of the special meaning that their commitment to the apostolate takes on in their parish. Once again the Council authoritatively places it in relief: "The parish offers an outstanding example of the apostolate on the community level, inasmuch as it brings together the many human differences found within its boundaries and draws them into the universality of the Church. The lay faithful should accustom themselves to working in the parish in close union with their priests, bringing to the Church community their own and the world's problems as well as questions concerning human salvation, all of which need to be examined together and solved through general discussion. As far as possible the lay faithful ought to collaborate in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by their own ecclesial family"(101).

The Council's mention of examining and solving pastoral problems "by general discussion" ought to find its adequate and structured development through a more convinced, extensive and decided appreciation for "Parish Pastoral Councils", on which the Synod Fathers have rightly insisted(102).
In the present circumstances the lay faithful have the ability to do very much and, therefore, ought to do very much towards the growth of an authentic ecclesial communion in their parishes in order to reawaken missionary zeal towards nonbelievers and believers themselves who have abandoned the faith or grown lax in the Christian life.

If indeed, the parish is the Church placed in the neighborhoods of humanity, it lives and is at work through being deeply inserted in human society and intimately bound up with its aspirations and its dramatic events. Oftentimes the social context, especially in certain countries and environments, is violently shaken by elements of disintegration and de-humanization. The individual is lost and disoriented, but there always remains in the human heart the desire to experience and cultivate caring and personal relationships. The response to such a desire can come from the parish, when, with the lay faithful's participation, it adheres to its fundamental vocation and mission, that is, to be a "place" in the world for the community of believers to gather together as a "sign" and "instrument" of the vocation of all to communion, in a word, to be a house of welcome to all and a place of service to all, or, as Pope John XXIII was fond of saying, to be the "village fountain" to which all would have recourse in their thirst.

"The Church should fear only sin"

2010-05-18T09:43:00.003-04:00

From this past Sunday's Regina Coeli:

Propose ceaselessly

2010-05-17T12:12:00.001-04:00

We impose nothing, yet we propose ceaselessly, as Peter recommends in one of his Letters: “In your hearts, reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defence to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). And everyone, in the end, asks this of us, even those who seem not to. From personal and communal experience, we know well that it is Jesus whom everyone awaits. In fact, the most profound expectations of the world and the great certainties of the Gospel meet in the ineluctable mission which is ours, for “without God man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is. In the face of the enormous problems surrounding the development of peoples, which almost make us yield to discouragement, we find solace in the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ, who teaches us: ‘Apart from me you can do nothing’ (Jn 15:5) and who encourages us: ‘I am with you always, to the close of the age’ (Mt 28:20)” (Caritas in Veritate, 78).

-- Pope Benedict XVI, Homily at Porto, Portugal, 14 May 2010

Sexual Abuse in the Church

2010-05-11T11:32:00.002-04:00

The Holy Father has addressed the sexual abuse crisis aboard the Papal plane en route to Portugal. The Holy Father once again called for the purification and renewal of the Church.

Full quote from the Papal Plane:
"In terms of what we today can discover in this message, attacks against the pope or the church don’t come just from outside the church. The suffering of the church also comes from within the church, because sin exists in the church. This too has always been known, but today we see it in a really terrifying way. The greatest persecution of the church doesn’t come from enemies on the outside, but is born in sin within the church. The church thus has a deep need to re-learn penance, to accept purification, to learn on one hand forgiveness but also the necessity of justice. Forgiveness does not exclude justice. We have to re-learn the essentials: conversion, prayer, penance, and the theological virtues. That’s how we respond, and we can be realistic in expecting that evil will always launch attacks from within and from outside, but the forces of good are also always present, and finally the Lord is stronger than evil. The Madonna for us is the visible maternal guarantee that the will of God is always the last word in history."

St Damien of Molkai

2010-05-10T16:00:00.000-04:00

Today is the feast day of St Damien of Molokai (the first since he was canonized). Inside Catholic has a fine article connecting the life of St Damien to the present trials the Church is facing.

Remembering John Cardinal O'Connor

2010-05-03T16:03:00.000-04:00

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the death of John Cardinal O'Connor of New York. First Things has a number of remembrances of this great figure in the history of the American Church.

May he rest in peace.

Forgiveness

2010-05-03T15:59:00.002-04:00

The Anchoress has a powerful post today on forgiveness and reconciliation. Highly recommended.

Papal Prayer Intentions for May

2010-04-30T09:34:00.000-04:00

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That the shameful and monstrous commerce in human beings, which sadly involves millions of women and children, may be ended".

His mission intention is: "That ordained ministers, religious women and men, and lay people involved in apostolic work may understand how to infuse missionary enthusiasm into the communities entrusted to their care"

Union with Christ and the fruitfulness of your apostolate

2010-04-27T12:56:00.000-04:00

"It will suffice to tell you in a word: only your personal and profound union with Christ will assure the fruitfulness of your apostolate, whatever it may be."

- Pope Paul VI, Address to the Congress on the Apostolate of the Laity, 1967

Clarifications about Confirmation

2010-04-27T11:19:00.002-04:00

Msgr Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington has written a good blog post clarifying prevalent confusion about the sacrament of Confirmation. It would be good for us to read this and consider how we promote misconceptions about the sacrament with those we know.

Prince of Peace Featured in Miscellany Article

2010-04-26T15:02:00.000-04:00

Prince of Peace and the Sodality of St Monica are featured in this week's Miscellany in this article about lapsed Catholics returning to the Church.

Pope Benedict and the Sexual Abuse Crisis

2010-03-29T15:33:00.000-04:00

Recent weeks have seen Pope Benedict XVI hammered in the secular press over his alleged mishandling of sexual abuse by priests in Ireland, Germany, and Wisconsin. A number of Catholic commentators have offered responses and much-needed clarifications. Here is a sampling of those:

Father Raymond J. DeSouza offers clarifications about the reportage of the New York Times.

George Weigel and Father Jay Scott Newman challenge Sinead O'Connor and her misleading piece in yesterday's Washington Post.

George Weigel writes about the scandals and their portrayal in the global press at First Things.

Also, if you have not read it you can read the Holy Father's letter to the Irish Church here.

The always fair John Allen has an article on this topic as well.

Let's pray for the church.

Health Care Reform (yet again)

2010-03-17T13:52:00.000-04:00

Several bishops have an opinion piece at the Washington Post site on the Health Care Reform Bill and the shortcomings of the Senate version. They not only draw attention to the shortcomings related to life and conscience, but also to immigrants.

Read it here.

Health Care Reform (again)

2010-03-16T11:57:00.000-04:00

His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George, OMI, the Archbishop of Chicago and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued another statement on the Health Care Reform legislation on which Congress appears ready to vote.

It seems to me that the basic message is this: the Bishops want and support comprehensive health care reform, but also want to maintain restrictions on abortion funding that are already in place under the Hyde Amendment. These restrictions are in place in the House bill, but not in the Senate bill.

You can read the statement here.

Lent in Rome

2010-03-05T10:10:00.000-05:00

Here is a report on an initiative in Rome to mark Lent with 40 days of continuous Eucharistic adoration:

Rosemary Goldie, RIP

2010-03-04T13:53:00.000-05:00

Word comes from Australia that Rosemary Goldie has passed away at age 94. Ms. Goldie was the first woman to hold the rank of Undersecretary in a dicastery of the Holy See and was a great champion of the lay apostolate during her half-century of service to the Pope and the Church working in Rome. The Archdiocese of Sydney has a profile and remembrance here.

Great Quote on the Lay Apostolate

2010-03-03T14:38:00.001-05:00

"The Holy Spirit does not descend into the City of Man in the form of a dove. He comes only in the endlessly energetic spirit of justice and love that dwells in the man of the City, the layman."

Fr John Courtney Murray, SJ, "The Role of Faith in the Renovation of the World.," 1948.

Papal Prayer Intentions for March

2010-03-01T10:33:00.002-05:00

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for March is: "That the world economy may be managed according to the principles of justice and equity, taking account of the real needs of peoples, especially the poorest".

His mission intention is: "That the Churches in Africa may be signs and instruments of reconciliation and justice in every part of that continent".

Year of the Priest

2010-02-25T09:27:00.000-05:00

The Congregation for Clergy together with HM Television has produced a fast-paced film for the Year of the Priest. Here is the first part of the film:

The Church Recognizes the Face of Jesus in the Poor

2010-02-18T09:14:00.000-05:00

Here is the Holy Father's recent address at the shelter for the poor and marginalized run by the social service agency of the Diocese of Rome at the Rome's Termini train station.

"Connoisseur of churches"

2010-02-12T10:54:00.001-05:00

C.S. Lewis, the great English teacher and apologist, wrote a novel called The Screwtape Letters in the form of a series of letters from a senior demon to a demon in training. These letters are intended to help the junior demon secure the damnation of his "patient." The Screwtape Letters is a very thoughtful book that helps us recognize our own weaknesses to temptation in order to help us be on guard against the wiles of the devil. Here is a selection from chapter 16:

MY DEAR WORMWOOD,

You mentioned casually in your last letter that the patient has continued to attend one church, and one only, since he was converted, and that he is not wholly pleased with it. May I ask what you are about? Why have I no report on the causes of his fidelity to the parish church? Do you realise that unless it is due to indifference it is a very bad thing? Surely you know that if a man can't be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighbourhood looking for the church that "suits" him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.

The reasons are obvious. In the first place the parochial organisation should always be attacked, because, being a unity of place and not of likings, it brings people of different classes and psychology together in the kind of unity the Enemy desires. The congregational principle, on the other hand, makes each church into a kind of club, and finally, if all goes well, into a coterie or faction. In the second place, the search for a "suitable" church makes the man a critic where the Enemy wants him to be a pupil. What He wants of the layman in church is an attitude which may, indeed, be critical in the sense of rejecting what is false or unhelpful, but which is wholly uncritical in the sense that it does not appraise—does not waste time in thinking about what it rejects, but lays itself open in uncommenting, humble receptivity to any nourishment that is going. (You see how grovelling, how unspiritual, how irredeemably vulgar He is!)

This attitude, especially during sermons, creates the condition (most hostile to our whole policy) in which platitudes can become really audible to a human soul. There is hardly any sermon, or any book, which may not be dangerous to us if it is received in this temper. So pray bestir yourself and send this fool the round of the neighbouring churches as soon as possible. Your record up to date has not given us much satisfaction.

Abortion Oppnents or Human Rights Advocates?

2010-02-12T10:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a thoughtful article about how we present the pro-life movement and how we might better express our pro-life position publicly. The article is at the homepage of an Italian think-tank closely allied with the ecclesial movement Communion and Liberation. Read it here.

Sacraments Class

2010-02-04T19:20:00.000-05:00

Due to low attendance at the class scheduled for tonight on the Sacraments of the Church, we will attempt to begin the class next Thursday at 7 pm in Croghan Hall. The material covered next week will be the introductory material originally scheduled for tonight.

Lent

2010-02-04T08:50:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe, but Lent begins in less than two weeks. We should now begin giving some consideration to what disciplines we will take on for Lent, what we intend to give up in mortification for the Lenten season, and what books we will take up as spiritual reading for the season.

This Lent might be the ideal time for you to take up a classic work of Christian spirituality such as St Francis de Sales' Introduction to the Devout Life or Thomas a Kempis' Imitation of Christ or perhaps you feel called to simply dedicate yourself to the continuous and deep reading of one the four Gospels or another book of the Bible. The staff at St Anthony's Catholic Store in Greenville is more than capable of helping you pick out an appropriate text to read in the coming season. You might also spend some extra time studying Christian doctrine as part of your Lenten discipline. One of the sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, particularly the section on prayer, would be fruitfully studied during Lent.

Let us begin now to prepare for a holy Lent and by a holy Lent may we be more disposed to fruitfully celebrate the mysteries of Holy Week and Easter.

New Adult Education Class

2010-02-02T20:58:00.000-05:00

Our winter/spring adult education class on the Sacraments of the Church begins this Thursday (2/4/10) at 7 pm in Croghan Hall. All are welcome.

Papal Prayer Intentions for February

2010-02-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

Here are the Holy Father's prayer intentions for the month of February:

General Prayer Intention: "That by means of sincere search for the truth scholars and intellectuals may arrive at an understanding of the one true God".

Mission Intention: "That the Church, aware of her own missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim His Gospel to all peoples".

St Thomas Aquinas

2010-01-28T15:30:00.000-05:00

Today the Church remembers St Thomas Aquinas, OP, priest and doctor. You can read up on St Thomas over at the Church of St Vincent Ferrer blog.

Here at Prince of Peace those who are weekly adorers in our Perpetual Adoration Chapel belong to the Guild of St Thomas Aquinas so named because of the Angelic Doctor's great love for Christ in the Eucharist, which was expressed beautifully in his theological and liturgical texts. Here is one quotation from his Summa that struck me while reading today: "It is a law of friendship that friends should live together... Christ has not left us without His bodily presence on our pilgrimage, but he joins us to Himself in this sacrament in the reality of His body and blood." (Summa Theologiae III, 75, 1)

St Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!

March for Life and the media

2010-01-27T15:23:00.000-05:00

Each year a couple hundred thousand pro-lifers gather in Washington, DC to demonstrate for life and each year the mainstream media marginalizes or ignores the marchers and their cause. One man has sought to expose this deliberate distortion by creating a documentary challenging the mainstream media on this point. Here is an example of the work of "Thine Eyes."

The Blessing of the Lambs

2010-01-25T16:18:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, on the Memorial of St Agnes, virgin and martyr, the Pope blessed the two lambs whose wool will be used for the making of the palliums that the Holy Father will present to the new metropolitan Archbishops on the Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul.

Robert George Lecture

2010-01-25T16:00:00.000-05:00

Robert P. George, the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and one of America's most important Catholic intellectuals, will be speaking tomorrow evening at 8 p.m. at the Younts Conference Center at Furman University. His lecture is titled "Science, Philosophy, and Religion in the Embryo Debate" and is the first in a series of lectures on Biotechnology and Politics sponsored by the Tocqueville Program at Furman.

The New York Times Magazine recently published a profile of Professor George, which can be viewed here.

Pray for Haiti

2010-01-13T11:54:00.002-05:00

The Washington Post has the story here.

Mendicant Orders

2010-01-13T11:48:00.000-05:00

Pope Benedict devoted this morning's catechesis to the Mendicant preaching orders that arose in the life of the Church during the 13th century. At the conclusion of the audience the Holy Father met with the woman who attempted to attack him during the Christmas Midnight Mass at the Vatican to assure her of his forgiveness and spiritual closeness.

VATICAN CITY, 13 JAN 2010 (VIS) - Benedict XVI dedicated his catechesis,

during the general audience held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, to the

mendicant orders that came into being in the thirteenth century, focusing onthe most famous: Franciscans and Dominicans founded, respectively, by the Italian Francis of Assisi and the Spanish Dominic de Guzman.

"The saints", said the Pope, "guided by the light of God, are the true

reformers of the life of the Church and society. Teachers by their words and witnesses by their example, they are able to promote stable and profound ecclesial renewal".

Saints such as Francis of Assisi and Dominic de Guzman "were able to read

the 'signs of the times', and discern the challenges the Church of their

time had to face". One of these challenges was the expansion of groups and

movements of faithful who, though inspired by a legitimate desire for

authentic Christian life, often placed themselves outside ecclesial

communion". These groups included the Cathars or Albigensians who revived

such ancient heresies as "disdain for the material world, the negation of

free will and the existence of a principal of evil comparable with God".

Movements such as these proved successful, "not only because they were

well organised, but also because they denounced a disorder that really did

exist in the Church, caused by the un-exemplary behaviour of various members of the clergy".

And yet the Franciscans and Dominicans showed "that it is possible to live

evangelical poverty without separating oneself from the Church". They

rejected not only the possession of material goods but also refused the idea that the community could own lands and estates, living "an extremely sober life in order to remain close to the poor and placing their trust in Providence alone.

"This individual and community lifestyle of the mendicant orders", the

Holy Father added, "united to their complete adherence to Church teaching

and authority, was much appreciated by the Pontiffs of the time, ... who

gave their complete support to these new ecclesial experiences, recognising

in them the voice of the Spirit".

"Today too, though we live in a society in which 'having' often prevails

over 'being', we are still receptive to examples of poverty and solidarity",

Pope Benedict observed, and he recalled how Paul VI had affirmed that "the

world is willing to listen to teachers when they are also witnesses. There

is a lesson that must never be forgotten in the work of spreading the

Gospel: we must ourselves live what we announce, be mirrors of divine

charity".

The mendicant orders likewise responded to the widespread need for

religious instruction felt at the time, preaching and "dealing with topics

close to people's lives, especially the practice of the theological and

moral virtues, using concrete and easily understood arguments".

Because of the importance of the mendicant orders, lay institutions such

as the guilds and civil authorities often consulted them. Thus Franciscans

and Dominicans became "the spiritual animators of mediaeval cities, ...

putting into effect a pastoral strategy that was adapted to the transformations of society". At a time in which the cities were expanding

they built their monasteries in urban areas and travelled from place to

place "abandoning the principle of stability which had characterised

monastic life for many centuries". To this end they adopted a new form of

organisation, "giving greater importance to the order per se and to the

superior general" as opposed to the autonomy which individual monasteries

had enjoyed until then. "Thus they were better prepared to meet the needs of the universal Church".

Another great challenge of the age were the "cultural transformations",

which gave rise to lively debate in universities. The friars did not

hesitate "to enter the universities themselves, as students and teachers,

erecting study centres" of their own "and profoundly influencing the

development of thought".

The Holy Father concluded: "Today too there is a 'charity of and in

truth', an 'intellectual charity' that must be brought into play in order to illuminate minds and associate faith with culture. The commitment shown by Franciscans and Dominicans in mediaeval universities is an invitation to us to remain present in the places where knowledge is produced in order to throw the light of the Gospel, with respect and with conviction, on the

fundamental questions that concern man, his divinity and his eternal destiny".

Kingstree Update

2010-01-10T22:37:00.004-05:00

Here are some photos from the St Ann's Outreach Center in Kingstree. These were taken when I delivered the second load of blankets and towels that were collected by the people of Prince of Peace. As you can I see, I had some help from the kids in the after school program.

You will see in the background that the car was packed to the brim, so I think we should count this a very successful effort. Thank you to all who donated items for the people served by the Outreach Center.

Also, last Wednesday the Sisters and students welcomed Merideth Hite a doctoral student in music (oboe) at the Julliard School in New York and a native of Abbeville, SC for an afternoon of music and musical games. Merideth is a friend of mine from our time at the S.C. Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities and having grown up in a town similar in size to Kingstree she wanted to share her experiences and offer some encouragement to the students in the after school program run by the Sisters. I am glad Prince of Peace was able to facilitate this connection. Here is Merideth with the students:

Pope's address at Soup Kitchen

2010-01-08T10:09:00.001-05:00

I have been eagerly anticipating the English translation of the address the Holy Father gave on the Feast of the Holy Family during his profoundly moving visit to the Soup Kitchen run by the Community of Sant'Egidio in the Trastevere section of Rome and today I see that Zenit has a translation from the Holy See:

Dear Friends:

For me it is a moving experience to be with you, to be here in the family of Sant'Egidio Community, to be with Jesus' friends, because Jesus especially loves those who suffer, persons who are in difficulties, and he wishes to relate to them as his brothers and sisters. Thank you for this possibility. I am happy and I thank those who with love and competence have prepared the meal, and I have really been able to prove the efficacy of this kitchen. Best wishes!

Likewise, I thank all those who have served so well, with so much agility that in one hour we have enjoyed a great lunch. Thank you! Best wishes!

I address my cordial greeting to the vice manager, Archbishop Luigi Moretti, and to Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni-Narni-Amelia. I greet affectionately professor Andrea Riccardi, founder of the community, a longtime friend (as are also Bishop Paglia and Bishop Spreafico) and I thank him for the very kind and profound words he addressed to me. In addition to professor Riccardi, I greet the president, Marco Impagliazzo, and the parish priest of St. Mary in Trastevere, Don Matteo Zuppi, ecclesiastical counselor. Finally, I address a special greeting to all the friends of Sant'Egidio and to each one of those present.

During the meal I had the opportunity to get to know a bit about the history of some of you, as reflection of the human situations present here. I have heard painful histories, burdens of humanity, but also the history of a love you have found here, in Sant'Egidio: histories of the elderly, of emigrants, people without a stable home, gypsies, the handicapped, people with economic problems or other difficulties all tested, in one way or another, by life. I am here among you to express to you my closeness and to tell you that I love you and that your persons and trials are not far from my thoughts, but at the center and in the heart of the community of believers, and also in my heart.

Made visible through the loving gestures of those who follow Jesus is the truth according to which "(God) has first loved us and continues to love us first; that is why, we can also correspond with love" ("Deus Caritas Est," 17). Jesus says: "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me" (Matthew 25:35-36).

And he concludes: "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (40). On hearing these words, how can we not feel to be truly friends of those in whom the Lord recognizes himself? And not only friends, but also relatives. I have come to be among you precisely on the feast of the Holy Family because, in a certain sense, hat family is similar to you. In fact, from his very first steps, Jesus' family also had to face difficulties: They lived the worry of not finding a place to stay, were forced to emigrate to Egypt because of the violence of King Herod. You know very well what difficulty means, but here you have someone who really loves and helps you; more than that, some of you have found your family here, thanks to the attentive service of Sant'Egidio Community, which offers a sign of God's love for the poor.

What has been realized here today is what happens at home: Whoever serves and helps is at the same time helped and served, and the one in greatest need has the first place. What comes to my mind is the expression of the Psalm: "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Psalm 133:1). The commitment to make those who are alone or in a situation of need feel at home, which Sant'Egidio Community carries out in such a praiseworthy way, is born from attentive listening to the Word of God and from prayer. I wish to encourage everyone to persevere in this way of faith.

With these words of St. John Chrysostom I wish to remind each one: "Realize that you become a priest of Christ, giving with your own hand not flesh but bread, not blood but a cup of water" (Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew, 42:3). What richness the love of God gives life, which is expressed in the concrete service of needy brethren! When the Roman judges of the time asked St. Lawrence, deacon of the Church of Rome, to hand over the treasures of the Church, he showed the poor of Rome as the real treasure of the Church. We can take up this gesture of St. Lawrence and say that you are the precious treasure of the Church.

To love, to serve, gives the joy of the Lord, who said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). May each one be, in this time of special economic difficulties, a sign of hope and witness of a new world for those who, shut in their egoism and believing naively that they will be able to be happy on their own, live in sadness or in an ephemeral joy that leaves the heart empty.

A few days have passed since Christmas: God became a child, he came close to us to tell us that he loves us and that he needs our love. I wish all of you affectionately happy feasts and the joy of experiencing increasingly the love of God. I invoke the protection of the Virgin of the Visitation, who teaches us to go "promptly" to help brethren in their needs, and I bless you all affectionately.

[The Pope gave the following greeting at the end of the visit]

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

After having taken part in the celebratory meal in Sant'Egidio Community's soup kitchen and after having greeted some of the students of the Community's School of Language and Culture, I address a cordial greeting to all those of you who were unable to come in, but who participated in this meeting from outside, as I am told, for the past two or three hours. Thank you.

Many persons who are in need from various countries are here to find a word, a help, a light for a better future. Commit yourselves so that no one will be alone, so that no one is marginalized, so that no one is abandoned.

There is a language that, beyond the different languages, unifies everything: that of love. As the Apostle St. Paul says: "If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1). It is also the language of this school, which we must all learn and practice increasingly. We are taught this by the Child Jesus, God, who out of love became one of us and speaks above all with his presence, with the humility of being a child that makes himself dependent on our love. This language will improve our city and our world.

I bless everyone with affection and gratitude for all that you do here for the poor, with the hope of building the civilization of love. Thank you all. Happy feasts and happy year!

The Christocentric Life

2010-01-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

Here is a really thoughtful and interesting post from Winston Elliot posted on the Catherine of Siena Institute blog. Check it out here.

A New Year

2010-01-04T15:42:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of this new year as we make our resolutions let us not forget to make resolutions to improve in our interior lives. Perhaps we could spend a few extra minutes in mental prayer each day, resolve not to neglect the Rosary, or promise to spend more time reading the life of Christ as found in the Gospels.

Here is a thought for the new year from St Josemaria Escriva:

“Time is a treasure that melts away. It escapes from us, slipping through our fingers like water through the mountain rocks. Yesterday is gone, and today is passing by. Tomorrow will soon be another yesterday. Our lives are so very short. But what a great deal can be done for God in this short space of time!”

(Friends of God, 52)

Yes, the years are short and they pass quickly by, so let us resolve in this new year to spend our days in God's service.

January Prayer Intentions

2010-01-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Here are Pope Benedict's prayer intentions for January:

General Intention: "That young people may learn to use modern means of social communication for their personal growth and to better prepare themselves to serve society."

Mission Intention: "That every believer in Christ may be conscious that unity among all Christians is a condition for more effective proclamation of the Gospel."

Happy New Year.

The secret of a true Christmas

2009-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Mother Teresa has reminded us today about the secret source of her service to the poor and of the whole of her life: the love of Jesus. And this is also the secret to celebrate a true Christmas. In the Christmas carol "Adeste Fideles" there is a verse that says: "Sic nos amantem quis non redamaret?" How can one not return the love of one who has loved so much?" A loving heart is the only crib Jesus loves to come to at Christmas.

But where can this love be found? Mother Teresa knew of whom she should request it: of Mary! One of her prayers says:

"Mary, my dearest Mother, give me your heart so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate, so full of Love and Humility, that I may receive Jesus as You did -- and go in haste to give Him to others."

Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., Preacher of the Pontifical Household, Third Meditation for Advent, 2003.

St Alberto Hurtado: the Call of Christ

2009-12-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

Christ came to this world not to do his great work alone but with us, with all of us, to be the head of a great body whose living, active cells we are. We are all called to incorporation in him, this is the fundamental level of Christian life… But for some there are higher calls; a call to surrender oneself to him, to live only for him, to make him the norm of one’s intelligence; to consider him in each of one’s actions, to follow him in his endeavors, even more, to make one’s life Christ’s project, Christ’s venture. For the seaman, his life is the sea; for the soldier, the army; for the nurse, the hospital; for the farmer, his land; for the generous soul, his life is Christ’s venture!

This is the essential part of the call of Christ: Do you wish to consecrate your life to me? The problem is not sin; it is a problem of consecration! Consecration to what? To personal holiness and to the apostolate. Personal holiness or sanctity that is a faithful imitation of the sanctity of Christ.

St Alberto Hurtado, Meditation on the Kingdom

Look to the Child

2009-12-22T07:57:00.000-05:00

You must look at the Child in the manger. He is our Love. Look at him, realizing that the whole thing is a mystery. We need to accept this mystery on faith and use our faith to explore it very deeply. To do this, we must have the humble attitude of a christian soul. Let us not try to reduce the greatness of God to our own poor ideas and human explanations. Let us try to understand that this mystery, for all its darkness, is a light to guide men’s lives.

Whenever I preach beside the crib, I try to see Christ our Lord as a child wrapped in swaddling clothes lying on straw in a manger. Even though he is only a child, unable to speak, I see him as a master and a teacher. I need to look at him in this way, because I must learn from him. And to learn from him, you must try to know his life — reading the Gospel and meditating on the scenes of the new testament — in order to understand the divine meaning of his life on earth.

In our own life we must reproduce Christ’s life. We need to come to know him by reading and meditating on Scripture, and by praying, as we are doing now in front of the crib. We must learn the lessons which Jesus teaches us, even when he is just a newly born child, from the very moment he opens his eyes on this blessed land of men. The fact that Jesus grew up and lived just like us shows us that human existence and all the ordinary activity of men have a divine meaning.

St Josemaria Escriva, Christ is passing by, 13-14

UPDATE: Advent Morning of Recollection

2009-12-18T22:29:00.002-05:00

The Advent Morning of Recollection for Women scheduled for tomorrow is still on. Please exercise prudence in deciding whether or not you can safely attend.

Pope to lunch at Rome soup kitchen

2009-12-17T08:08:00.001-05:00

Pope Benedict will spend part of the Feast of the Holy Family next week lunching at one of the soup kitchens run by the Community of Sant'Egidio, a lay ecclesial movement founded in Rome in the 1960's by a group of students. They serve 10,000 people in their annual Christmas lunches all over Rome.

Catholic News Service blogged the story here.

Homily

2009-12-16T17:02:00.000-05:00

I came across a wonderful homily given on the Feast of St Josemaria Escriva by Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St Joseph. This homily takes up many themes of interest, particularly for this Year of the Priest. Please take the time to read this, and in it to recognize your own priestly dignity and the responsibility you have to pray for priests.

Pope: In Conflict Look to Rome

2009-12-10T10:13:00.000-05:00

mystery & expectation

2009-12-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

Here is a lovely homily preached this week by my friend and former professor, Fr Thomas Joseph White, OP, at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.

For more on the Dominican House of Studies please visit their website.

Papal Prayer Intentions for December

2009-12-01T08:56:00.000-05:00

From today's Vatican Information Service bulletin:

VATICAN CITY, 1 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for December is: "That children may be respected and loved and never be the victims of exploitation in its various forms".

His mission intention is: "That at Christmas the peoples of the earth may recognise in the Word Incarnate the light which illuminates every man, and that the nations may open their doors to Christ, the Saviour of the world".

The Feast of St Andrew the Apostle

2009-11-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

Today the Church remembers St Andrew who was the first disciple to be called by our Lord and the brother of St Peter, head of the Apostolic College. St Andrew is often called "St Andrew the First Called" in the Eastern Churches because of the former distinction. The Bishops of Constantinople are considered the successors of St Andrew and on this day each year the Bishop of Rome, successor of St Peter, sends greetings to his brother the Bishop of Constantinople or Ecumenical Patriarch, the successor of St Andrew. The current Ecumenical Patriarch is Bartholomew I and he is the 269th successor of St Andrew.

The Kiss of the Brothers

The successors of Peter and Andrew

The Vatican Information Service published this note today on the Pope's message to Patriarch Bartholomew:

VATICAN CITY, 30 NOV 2009 (VIS) - As is traditional for the Feast of St. Andrew, the Pope has written a Message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. The Message was delivered during the course of a visit to Istanbul by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

In his English-language Message for the feast of the patron of the patriarchate of Constantinople, the Pope recalls how that saint was brother to St. Peter and, like him, suffered martyrdom. "The memory of the holy martyrs compels all Christians to bear witness to their faith before the world", he writes. "There is an urgency in this call especially in our own day, in which Christianity is faced with increasingly complex challenges".

"Our Churches have committed themselves sincerely over the last decades to pursuing the path towards the re-establishment of full communion, and although we have not yet reached our goal, many steps have been taken that have enabled us to deepen the bonds between us".

The Holy Father goes on to note that "this openness has guided the work of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue, which held its eleventh plenary session in Cyprus last month" on the theme "the role of the Bishop of Rome in the communion of the Church in the first millennium". This subject was "certainly complex and will require extensive study and patient dialogue if we are to aspire to a shared integration of the traditions of East and West", he says.

"The Catholic Church understands the Petrine ministry as a gift of the Lord to His Church. This ministry should not be interpreted in the perspective of power, but within an ecclesiology of communion, as a service to unity in truth and charity. The Bishop of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity ... is understood to be the 'Servus Servorum Dei' (Servant of the Servants of God). ... It is a question of seeking together, inspired by the model of the first millennium, the forms in which the ministry of the Bishop of Rome may accomplish a service of love recognised by one and all".

And, "even as we make this journey towards full communion, we should already offer common witness by working together in the service of humanity, especially in defending the dignity of the human person, in affirming fundamental ethical values, in promoting justice and peace". Our Churches, Pope Benedict concludes, "can work together in drawing attention to humanity's responsibility for the safeguarding of creation".

Let us spend today in prayer for the restoration of the full, visible communion of the Churches of East and West.

Kingstree Mission

2009-11-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

The Felician Sisters in Kingstree (at our parish partner, the St Ann Catholic Outreach Center) are featured in the current issue of The Catholic Miscellany.

Pope: Beauty is path to God

2009-11-19T13:49:00.002-05:00

Pope Benedict dedicated yesterday's general audience catechesis to the beauty of Cathedrals and the means by which beauty leads us to God.

Cluny

2009-11-12T12:08:00.001-05:00

The Holy Father dedicated yesterday's general audience to the history and witness of the Abbey of Cluny. This was a very interesting catechesis particularly for its discussion of ecclesial reform, liturgical renewal, and the importance of "roots" for the continent of Europe. Here is the Vatican TV news report:

More information on the Abbey and Congregation of Cluny is here.

Adult Education begins again tonight

2009-11-12T12:04:00.002-05:00

Our new program of Adult Education, a study of the Letter to the Colossians, begins tonight at 7 pm in Croghan Hall. I hope to see many of you there.

Madly in love with Jesus

2009-11-10T18:35:00.000-05:00

A Spanish Poor Clare convent that has seen a surge in vocations...
Watch this video of them with Fr Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household.

These are women madly in love with our Lord.

The relationship of the Church to the modern world

2009-11-09T10:50:00.000-05:00

The Holy Father used his visit yesterday to the hometown of Pope Paul VI to catechize on the essential dialogue that must take place between the Church and the modern world. Here is the news piece from Vatican TV:

Pope's words for the feast of St Charles

2009-11-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

from Zenit.org:

Pontiff: Let Christ Have Input in Daily Schedule

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 4, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI encouraged young people today to follow the example of St. Charles Borromeo and allow Christ to influence the decisions they make on a daily basis.

At the end of the general audience in St. Peter's Square, the Pope made reference to the saint celebrated by the Church today.

Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) served as secretary of state under Pope Pius IV and was instrumental in the Counter-Reformation and the Council of Trent.

Benedict XVI described him as "animated by ardent love for Christ" and said he was a "tireless teacher and guide."

"May his example help you, dear young people, to let yourselves be led by Christ in your daily choices," the Pontiff said. "May it encourage you, dear sick people, to offer your suffering for the pastors of the Church and for the salvation of souls; may it support you, dear newlyweds, in founding your family on evangelical values."

All Souls Mass

2009-11-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

Mass was offered here at Prince of Peace on All Souls Day according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and featured the combined choirs of Prince of Peace and St Mary's, Greenville singing Gabriel Faure's Requiem. Here are some pictures

Pope's Prayer Intentions for November

2009-11-02T10:12:00.002-05:00

The Holy Father's prayer intentions for November:

General Intention:

"That all the men and women in the world, especially those who have responsibilities in the field of politics and economics, may never fail in their commitment to safeguard creation".

Mission Intention:

"That believers in the different religions, through the testimony of their lives and fraternal dialogue, may clearly demonstrate that the name of God is a bearer of peace".

Health Care Reform

2009-11-02T09:47:00.000-05:00

The Bishops of the United States are urging Catholics to contact their Senators and Representatives to let them know that Catholics can only support Health Care Reform that protects the dignity and rights of every person, especially the unborn child. Please visit the Bishops' Health Care Reform site for more information.

Contact our congressional delegation:

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
(202) 224-6121
http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
(202) 224-5972
http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorGraham

Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC)
(202) 225-6030

http://inglis.house.gov/contact.asp?content=sections/contact/write_inglis

Duties to the World

2009-10-23T17:12:00.000-04:00

The world has grown old and sterile because charity has grown cold. The love of men must grow weak and ineffective unless it is rooted in and expressive of the love of God; the love of God also must be thought to be dwindling and decaying into love of self unless it leads us to share in the redeeming activity of Christ. And perhaps it is true to say that outside the Church that zeal for doing good in the world which is the glory of the West is losing its power because it is losing its roots in the love of God; whereas within the Church, on the contrary, the chief danger we have to fight against is the danger of a self-centered piety which neglects its duties to the world.

Fr Gerald Vann, O.P., The Divine Pity, 1946

the priest, the sister, the Playboy Playmate, and a married man

2009-10-22T17:23:00.000-04:00

Here is a great article about a typical "New York" moment by Ed Mechmann, coordinator of Public Policy for the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of New York.

This is going to sound like the beginning of a strange joke, but here goes anyway.

A priest, a sister, a married man and a Playboy Playmate got on the elevator the other day... and I wound up learning a lesson about the theology of the body.

Allow me to explain.

Last week, Sr. Lucy of the Sisters of Life and I were invited to appear on a radio show that is broadcast on the Catholic Channel of Sirius Satellite Radio. The show is called Word of Life, and it's hosted by Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P., a very accomplished Dominican priest. We were being invited on his show so that Sister Lucy could talk about some of the activities of Respect Life Month, and I was going to give people an overview of public policy advocacy and the health care reform issue.

When we arrived at the building where the radio station is located, Sr. Lucy and I were greeted by Fr. Aquinas, and while we were standing at the security checkpoint, we encountered a very glamorous, shapely young woman who looked like a model.

One couldn't help but notice that her health was in very grave risk, because her blouse was suffering from a serious shortage of fabric. That's putting it mildly. But she was dressed for the occasion, since she was a Playboy Playmate, on her way to appear on a radio show run by a "men's magazine". Being a normal male human being, I found this all very, very distracting. Every other man in the vicinity certainly did, too, because she was the center of attention, to say the least.

What happened next taught me the lesson.

We went to the elevator to go upstairs to the studio, and all got on the same car. Sr. Lucy and Fr. Aquinas were standing on either side of the young lady. So here we were: a priest, a sister, a Playboy Playmate, and a married man who was struggling to maintain custody of his eyes and thoughts, and who was thinking about what an odd collection of people he was with. The elevator stopped, and a man got on. He was taken aback by this scene, and immediately remarked, "You're not going to the same place". One of those classic "only in New York" kind of remarks.

But in a way, this all made sense thanks to the theology of the body. Our bodies have a deep meaning, which Pope John Paul called its "nuptial meaning". The natural physical complementarity of man and woman reveals to us that we are meant to enter into the loving, faithful union of marriage. Our natural sexual desire for the opposite sex is a call to that union of persons, and is not all about using others for personal pleasure. It is a call to be a gift of self.

And each person in the elevator illustrated something important about this. A priest, a man who has been sacramentally conformed to Christ, and gives us the Body of Christ in Communion, so that we could see in vivid reality that true love is a total gift of self. A sister, a woman who gives herself fully to Christ and His Church as a powerful living sign of the mutual gift in the heavenly marriage of the Lamb and His bride. A married man, who is committed to his life-long faithful and fruitful covenant with his wife, and who is struggling to see this beautiful woman not just as a body to be coveted for my pleasure, but to regard her instead as a person. And the Playboy Playmate, whose body is being displayed by our debased culture as an object to be lusted after, a commodity to be used so that money can be made from the weakness of men.

This didn't come to me all at once, but only later, as I reflected on my own feelings and reactions to that elevator ride. But now, I wish I could go back to that time. I wish I had the courage to tell her that her body is beautiful not because it gives men pleasure but because it's a sign that she is a person made in the image of God. I wish I could introduce her to my wife, or some of the other women I know who are trying to put all of this into practice in real life.

I wish I could get her, and all the men she encountered that day, to see the deeper meaning of the priest, the sister and the married man on that elevator.

h/t Fr Aquinas

Faith is not merely an intellectual exercise

2009-10-21T15:43:00.000-04:00

From today's General Audience. The Pope shares something of which we all need to be reminded.

The Difference God Makes

2009-10-19T11:29:00.000-04:00

Francis Cardinal George, OMI, the Archbishop of Chicago, has recently published a book of essays entitled The Difference God Makes. Cardinal George is one of the most thoughtful and intelligent bishops in the United States and when he speaks I listen. He has published a bit of a reflection on his book and the press it has received on his blog, which is a good teaser for those who might be interested in purchasing it.

The recent publication of my book of essays, The Difference God Makes, has made a difference in my life. People seem interested in what I think, and that is very satisfying if somewhat surprising. I’ve participated in explanations of the book to the media and to others in Chicago, and it has been presented at the Lateran University in Rome and at the Metropolitan Club in New York.

The theme of the book is simply that relations are prior to and more important than individual experiences in defining who we are and that the relation to God relates us to everything and everyone else. It takes a lifetime to grow into all these relationships, and the task is never completed. Unfortunately, the task won’t even be taken up if we imagine that we are who we are because of our choices and that relationships are “added on” and can be rejected at will.

The task of seeing everything interrelated, of seeing the whole before its parts, is made more credible today because of the birth of ecological consciousness. If everything is related in the material world, the spiritual inter-relatedness that is ecclesial communion becomes easier to envision. We are somewhat more used to seeing things whole now than we were a few years ago, and this habit is a great advantage in trying to understand the Church.

I began to “see the Church whole” when, years ago, I visited Oblate missionaries around the globe. There are many ways to live our faith, I observed, but the faith itself unites everyone and brings us into a relationship that has universal love as its source and goal. If one’s vision is global, then the difficulties at one moment or in one part of the Church cannot possess us or distract us from an authentic sense of who we are in the Church.

Living in the Church is to participate in the marriage between Christ and his people. Married people not only live together, they also live “through” one another. This concept of shared self-consciousness, of being shaped by a relationship necessary for you to be yourself, deserves more analysis by theologians who want to explore the reality that is ecclesial communion.

Loving the Church is essential if one is to love Jesus Christ, the Church’s bridegroom. Loving the Church is also a challenge in a society where the Church is in the way of many people’s social projects and personal desires. Nevertheless, Christ can be adequately known only from within his body, the Church, just as one can know who a husband really is only by knowing his wife.

It’s interesting to see what parts of a book appeal to different people. It’s fascinating to see how different interpretations can be given to words that seem simple and straightforward enough. The publication of my book has occasioned good conversation, and that’s what I had hoped it would do.

Vatican Newspaper Reminds Obama to Remember War on Life

2009-10-14T14:53:00.002-04:00

Great article in L'Osservatore Romano as reported by Zenit here.

Check it out.

Global Christianity

2009-10-06T15:09:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Durham, North Carolina! I am here at Duke University attending the Divinity School's annual continuing education convocation for those engaged professionally in theological education and pastoral ministry. This morning we heard two presentations from Professor Philip Jenkins of Penn State on "The Futures of Christianity" and "Reading the Bible in Light of Global Christianity." Professor Jenkins is a pioneer in his field and it was wonderful to hear him in person. In college I read his book The Next Christendom: the Rise of Global Christianity and today's presentation was largely an update of the conclusions he made that book back in 2002. There are several key things which I took away from today's lecture:

1. The "average" Catholic in the world is a young African woman. Increasingly, the geographical center of Catholicism is shifting to the Global South, particularly Africa. Here are some statistics that bear this out:

- In the 20th century the number of Christians in Africa increased from about 10 million to 300 million.

- there were more baptisms in the Philippines last year than there were in Poland, France, and Spain combined.

- Europe and European Christianity is being "bred" out of existence owing to its wholesale rejection of the Church's teaching on artificial birth control and the consequent development of a hopeless contraceptive mentality. In some parts of Europe reproduction is occurring at less than one child per woman, but there are parts of Africa that are reproducing at a rate of 6 or more children per woman.

2. Owing to the demographic decline in Europe, more and more Africans and others from the Global South are immigrating to perform jobs previously done by Western Europeans. Consequently, patterns of religious belief from the Global South are also immigrating to Europe. Thus, we can hope that the faithful from the Global South will be missionaries to post-modern Europe, bringing the hope of the Gospel back to the continent that was once so vibrantly Christian. Europe is now more of a mission territory than Africa is.

3. Jenkins also emphasized how much the success of religion and the success of local churches depends upon the presence of children. A society with lots of children tends to be more traditionally religious. The social and educational institutions for children are often religious, thus religious institutions are likely places for families to gather with children in much of the world. Moreover, Christianity-a religion that definitely favors life and values children- is a more welcoming environment for children than the ambient culture.

4. By 2050 the United States will be a majority minority country. The Church here in the U.S. must prepare to welcome new waves of immigrants from the Global South who are already Christians, often expressing their Christianity in a distinctly African, Asian, or Latin mode that we are not used to.

5. Interestingly, Jenkins predicts the effective conversion of China to Christianity in the next several generations. The Chinese government officially admits that there are around 20 million Christians in China, but he suspects that, in a conservative estimate, there are now probably 50-60 million Chinese Christians.

I hope these realities will stimulate an ever greater awareness of the worldwide Church and the "mission of the Redeemer", which has been entrusted to the Church and is bearing so much fruit in large parts of the world.

Let us pray especially for the success of the Special Synod on Africa, which the Holy Father is presiding over this month in Rome and in which our Metropolitan Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta is participating.

October Prayer Intentions

2009-09-30T15:27:00.002-04:00

The Holy Father's prayer intentions for October are:

"That Sunday may be lived as the day on which Christians gather to celebrate the risen Lord, participating in the Eucharist". (General Intention)

"That the entire People of God, to whom Christ entrusted the mandate to go and preach the Gospel to every creature, may eagerly assume their own missionary responsibility and consider it the highest service they can offer humanity". (Mission Intention)

Prayer

2009-09-28T21:40:00.000-04:00

You don't know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, "Lord, I don't know how to pray!" you can be sure you've already begun.

Saint Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 90

St Wenceslaus

2009-09-28T09:59:00.002-04:00

Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St Wenceslaus, martyr. You can read more about him here. He is one of the great patrons of the Czech Republic, and so the Holy Father made a visit to the church dedicated to his memory and celebrated his liturgical memorial in Prague this morning. The Holy Father returns to the Vatican this evening following his weekend visit to the Czech Republic.

Pope Benedict to the Czech Republic

2009-09-25T09:12:00.002-04:00

This weekend the Holy Father will travel to the Czech Republic on his 13th Apostolic Journey outside of Italy. The program and missal for his visit can be found here. His addresses and homilies will be posted at the same site as they become available.

In our hearts let us journey with the Holy Father this weekend, accompanying him with our prayers, as he brings the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Czechs. Let us also unite ourselves in prayerful solidarity with the Church and people of the Czech Republic as they receive the vicar of Jesus Christ this weekend. May their hearts be open to receiving the message he brings.

Be you perfect

2009-09-24T09:10:00.004-04:00

Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. - St Matthew 5.48

These words of our Lord from St Matthew's Gospel should cause us to pause and consider both our dignity and our vocation as Christians. In virtue of our baptism we carry within us sanctifying grace which is the seed of supernatural life. As plant seeds carry within themselves the urge to grow, so also does sanctifying grace seek to grow and advance in our souls. Every baptized person contains within his soul the impulse to grow in his supernatural life. Yet, our supernatural life is constantly threatened by weeds that would seek to choke its growth. This is why the Christian must be always diligent to keep watch of those weeds and to prune where necessary. We must always press on to the goal of our perfection and participation in the life of God who has called us to himself in Holy Baptism.

By being one with Christ we are also one with the Church. The Scriptures, the Sacraments, the prayers and merits of the Saints, all become ours by our participation in the life of Christ through his body the Church. These are the tools at our disposal for striving for the perfection we are bound to seek and keeping the weeds at bay. Let us never become complacent, but remain always diligent in cooperating with the grace of God, mediated through the sacraments of the Church, as we seek the perfection to which we are called.

This post is based on chapter 3 of Archabbot Benedict Baur, OSB, In Silence with God, (New York: Scepter, 1997).

Abiding in Jesus

2009-09-22T11:03:00.003-04:00

Our Lord teaches us in St John 15. 1-8 that we must "abide" or "remain" in him and that those who abide in the Lord will bear fruit for Christ, but those who do not abide in Christ will "be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned." (v. 6).

How then do we abide in Christ? Jesus himself tells us how in St John 6.56: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." Therefore, we see that abiding in Christ is to partake of his flesh and blood in the Most Holy Eucharist. By partaking of the Eucharist and loving him present in the Eucharist he tells us that we abide in him and will not suffer the fate of those who are thrown out to be gathered and burn. Those who eat his flesh and drink his blood abide in him and those who abide in him bear fruit for him.

Let us consider the meaning of these words and make a resolution to love Jesus more fervently and abide more deeply in him by making frequent visits to our Eucharistic Emmanuel, particularly in our parish adoration chapel. By making a daily visit to him in our churches or, at least, making a spiritual communion when we cannot make it by the church we will grow in intimacy with the One who awaits us under the veil of a Sacrament, Jesus.

Preparing to receive Holy Communion

2009-09-17T08:37:00.004-04:00

How well do we prepare ourselves to receive the Lord in Holy Communion? An illustration of the dispositions we should have in receiving our Lord in this Sacrament of His Love is found in today's meditation in the In Conversation With God series.

"A catechism teacher would tell "his young charges that whenever a famous person stays somewhere overnight, people like to hang some kind of plaque or memorial. For example, Cervantes lived here or Pope 'X' slept here. This is why every Christian who has received Holy Communion should imagine himself wearing the sign, Jesus Christ stayed here."

What sort of preparations would we make in our homes if a famous or important guest was coming to spend the night? How much more effort should we make to prepare the house of our soul to receive Jesus, our Divine Guest?

The Presence of God

2009-09-11T15:55:00.001-04:00

"Sometimes put yourself very simply before God, certain of his presence everywhere, and without any effort, whisper very softly to his Sacred Heart whatever your own heart prompts you to say.”

St. Jane Frances de Chantal

h/t: Intentional Disciples

America needs you, Thomas Aquinas

2009-09-09T11:15:00.001-04:00

Check out this great article by Fr Robert Barron of Mundelein Seminary in Chicago on St Thomas Aquinas and the lessons he can teach us today.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2009-09-08T08:33:00.006-04:00

Today, nine months after the Feast of her Immaculate Conception, the Church in the both the East and in the West celebrates the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Here is something to guide our meditation today:

The Church cannot insist too much on the true position of Mary, for it is a strong hedge round the doctrine of the Incarnation. Every grace of Mary's, every prerogative, every dignity she has, is hers simply because she is the Mother of Christ; and it is wholly for His sake that we honor her, nor do we give her any honor which does not in consequence redound to Him of necessity.

Abbot Chapman, Bishop Gore and the Catholic Claims

Some poems for today are here.

Please pray today for all of those who will be coming to the first session of RCIA tonight. May their hearts be opened to receive the Word of Life.
O Mary, Mother of Divine Hope, pray for us.

Catholic News

2009-09-04T09:40:00.003-04:00

Here are some links to interesting items currently circulating on the Catholic web:

The U.S. Bishops have issued a statement for Labor Day reasserting the dignity of work.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston seeks to clarify his participation in Senator Kennedy's funeral and address the criticism of it by people in the pro-life movement.

Bishop Olmstead of Phoenix discusses St John Vianney's devotion to the sacrament of penance.

The bishops of Kansas City in Kansas and Kansas City-St Joseph's, Missouri have issued a pastoral statement on health care reform that highlights the importance of subsidiarity for any proposal.

St Gregory the Great

2009-09-03T14:42:00.005-04:00

Today the Church commemorates St Gregory the Great, pope and doctor. St Gregory was born in Rome around the year 540 and quickly rose through the ranks of civil government to the prefecture, which he renounced. He subsequently became a monk in his own home and dedicated this new monastery on the Caelian Hill in Rome to St Andrew. After only three years of peaceful retirement in his home-monastery, he was called to ordination to the diaconate, against his will, by the Bishop of Rome. This was a time of great uncertainty and difficulty in Rome owing to the external threats to the city. For six years Gregory served as the Pope's permanent legate to the Byzantine court. This position was difficult for Gregory owing to the worldliness of the court. However, his time was made easier by the presence of several brother monks from his monastery in Rome who accompanied him on his mission. It was also during this period that he began his writing on moral and theological subjects. Gregory returned to Rome and began his service as Abbot of the monastery of St Andrew's where he occupied his days in prayer, sacred reading, preaching, and lecturing.

Gregory was not, however, to be left in peace much longer. In the midsts of Rome's tragedies, including a devastating flood, the pope, Pelagius II, died and the clergy and people of Rome elected Gregory to succeed him. His reign was remarkably successful and as a result he is one of only two popes regularly called "the Great." As pope Gregory was the ecclesial and civil ruler of Rome and bore responsibility for meeting the temporal, as well as spiritual, needs of the people.

Among Gregory's greatest accomplishments was the comprehensive reform of the Sacred Liturgy. Tradition holds that Gregory was responsible for the composition of the form of plainchant that bears his name and the revision of the sacramentary or missal used at Rome.

Just as Gregory was zealous for the Sacred Liturgy so was he zealous for the care of the poor and for them he emptied the treasury of the Church. He was also responsible for sending St Augustine of Canterbury to England to preach the Gospel and to establish the see of Canterbury.

St Gregory died on March 12, 604. He is celebrated today, the anniversary of his consecration as bishop and enthronment as pope. Let us pray today for the pastors of the Church that, like St Gregory, they may be zealous hearers and preachers of the word of God.

The Catholic Encyclopedia has much more on St Gregory the Great here.

St Josemaria Escriva

2009-09-01T14:42:00.003-04:00

Since he is venerated in the church here at Prince of Peace, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a bit about the life of St Josemaria Escriva who is an inspiration and intercessor for the thousands of lay men and women who are devoted to his teaching or are members of Opus Dei, the ecclesial reality he established.

St Josemaria was born the second of six children in Barbastro, Spain in 1902. He grew up in a devout family and attended Catholic schools. His father's bankruptcy and the death of three sisters were early tragedies that taught him the meaning of suffering. Josemaria felt that God was calling him to do something special and specific with his life and so he answered God's call by becoming a priest. He was ordained in 1925.

In the midst of his pastoral ministry, he also tutored students in law in order to provide for his family, which he was the head of following his father's death. Josemaria also spent a great deal of time ministering to the sick, the poor, and university students.

In October 1928, while making a retreat at the Vincentian Fathers' house in Madrid, St Josemaria was shown the specific mission that God wished to entrust to him and to which he would dedicate the rest of his life. Based on this experience St Josemaria founded Opus Dei, an insitution within the Catholic Church dedicated to helping men and women follow Christ by seeking holiness in their daily life and work, and growing in love for God and their fellow men.

His first book, now known in English as The Way, was published in 1934. There are now more than 4 million editions of this book in print. In the 1930's and 40's, after enduring the hardship of the Spanish Civil War, St Josemaria traveled Spain preaching retreats and continuing his apostolic work among the young. The Work (Opus Dei) began to expand throughout Spain and received the approval of local bishops.

In 1946, St Josemaria moved to Rome to be near the Apostolic See and to establish Opus Dei more firmly within the life of the Universal Church. Opus Dei received pontifical approval in 1950 affirming its foundation mission and the character of its spirituality.

The 1950s saw the launching of new apostolic initiatives under the inspiration of St Josemaria and Opus Dei. These include schools, a university, hospitals, and professional training centers. Non-Catholics and Non-Christians were invited to participate in these activities and to cooperate with Opus Dei in its apostolic works.

The 1960s saw the arrival of the Second Vatican Council and its groundbreaking teaching on the apostolate of the laity. St Josemaria worked closely with the Council Fathers because he so clearly anticipated the Council's teaching on the laity.

St Josemaria never ceased preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and calling all men and women to holiness of life. He made several oversees trips in the 1970s carrying his message, which is nothing but the timeless message of the Gospel, to new audiences.

The saint died suddenly on June 26, 1975 at the age of 73 in the presence of his closest colloborators and shortly after offering Holy Mass. Pope John Paul II beatified Josemaria Escriva on May 17, 1992 and canonized him on October 6, 2002.

Here at Prince of Peace we have an image of St Josemaria hanging in the main church on the wall opposite the confessional. Let us venerate St Josemaria with great love for his holiness and sound teaching.

More information on St Josemaria can be found here.

September 1, 1939

2009-09-01T11:29:00.004-04:00

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Poland by the German Army, which began the Second World War in which over 50 million people total, 6 million Jews, 20% of the Polish population, 25 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen, 418,500 Americans would perish.

Today, George Marlin has an interesting column in which he considers this anniversary from a Catholic perspective. We can learn many lessons-most taught us by the witness and teaching of Pope John Paul II-from studying and remembering this horrible war. You can read his column here.

May the Saints of the Second World War, men and women like St Maximillian Kolbe and St Edith Stein, pray for us today and always that we may work for peace.

Prayer Intentions for September

2009-09-01T09:31:00.009-04:00

Let us join the Holy Father together with Catholics around the world in bringing these petitions to the throne of grace this month (source: Vatican Information Service):

Pope Benedict XVI's general prayer intention for September is: "That the word of God may be better known,welcomed and lived as the source of freedom and joy".

His mission intention is: "That Christians in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar,who often meet with great difficulties, may not be discouraged fromannouncing the Gospel to their brothers, trusting in the strength of the Holy Spirit".

St Monica, pray for us

2009-08-27T09:05:00.005-04:00

Today the Church celebrates the memory of St Monica, wife and mother. She is well-known as the mother of St Augustine, bishop of Hippo and doctor of the Church, who won his conversion to the faith by many years of prayer, tears, and fasting. She is an exemplary teacher of perseverance and patience in prayer. Fittingly, the Church will celebrate the memory of her son tomorrow.

We celebrate St Monica in a particular way here at Prince of Peace through our Sodality of St Monica, which is dedicated to praying for the return of those who have left the practice of the Catholic faith and supporting those whose loved ones have left the Church. More information of this Sodality is available from the brochures at the statue of St Monica in the Church.

God of mercy,
comfort of those in sorrow,
the tears of St Monica moved you
to convert her son St Augustine to the faith of Christ.
By their prayers, help us to turn from our sins
and to find your loving forgiveness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mental Prayer

2009-08-25T09:24:00.008-04:00

"Mental prayer is nothing but a friendly conversation in which the soul speaks, heart-to-heart, with the One Who we know loves us."
St Teresa of Avila

One indispensable feature of the devout Christian life is daily mental prayer or meditation. Mental prayer, in contrast to vocal prayer, is that prayer that is unaided by particular or prescribed formulas, but which is made by the mind without the use of speech. Mental prayer is "a pious communication of the soul with God" (Simler, see below) or, most simply, a conversation between the devout soul and God, his creator. By means of this daily conversation we will become more friendly and familiar with God and, as a consequence, grow in sanctity and apostolic effectiveness. The heart and primary focus of all mental prayer or meditation must be Jesus, both the example of his life and his own prayer will model for us fruitful prayer and serve as the subject for our prayer.

How then do we go about making a daily meditation? The following scheme is drawn from Father Thomas Dubay's Prayer Primer (Charis, 2002), Chapter 8.

First, we must set aside a time and place suitable for mental prayer. Our Lord taught that we should pray behind the closed door of our rooms (Matthew 6.6) suggesting that solitude and quiet are indispensable for fruitful prayer. However, it would also be appropriate for us to visit the Perpetual Adoration Chapel or the church before or after daily Mass for our meditation.

Secondly, we should "inwardly gather ourselves" and concentrate intensely upon some pious subject in order to enter into the meditation with a clear and open mind. Recall that you are in the presence of God, consider his presence in the tabernacle or in the monstrance, or recite his Name several times as a means of quieting the mind and soul as you prepare for meditation.

Thirdly, read a passage from Scripture or some other daily meditation resource (I prefer the In Conversation with God series published by Scepter and available at St Anthony's Bookstore in Greenville). Your prayer will be, in part, a response to what God is communicating in the day's Scriptures or in the passage you have read from another text.

Next, we respond to the reading by seeking to apply it to our life and entering into a heart-to-heart conversation with the Lord about the content and application of the text. This conversation should lead to adoration, praise, contrition, and petition, which are called "affections" and are the heart of mental prayer.

We finish our prayer by making a specific resolution, based upon our reading and affections, to apply to our life from this point forward.

Further reading:

Besides Father Dubay's book cited above, you may wish to read the Catechism of Mental Prayer by Very Rev. Joseph Simler, SM (TAN, 1984).

New Translation of the Roman Missal

2009-08-25T08:58:00.003-04:00

The Bishops of the United States and the other Anglophone countries around the world have been working for some time on a new English translation of the Roman Missal that is more authentic to the original Latin text of the Roman Missal. The new translation is needed because in 2000 Pope John Paul II promulgated a new definitive edition of the Roman Missal that includes additional prefaces and prayers, the commemorations of the recently canonized saints, and additional Votive Masses. In 2001, to aid the work of translation into vernacular languages, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (a.k.a. "Cultu Divino") issued the instruction Liturgiam authenticam, setting out guidelines for the complicated work of translation that would render a result more faithful to the original Latin texts of our liturgical texts. The result will be an English translation of the Holy Mass that better reflects the intricacies and beauty of the language of the Mass, the specific cultural heritage of the Mass of the Latin Rite, and the theology and spirituality of worship in the Latin Rite.

The Bishops have just set up a new website dedicated to explaining and preparing us to receive this new translation, which we will probably begin to use in 2011. I encourage you to spend some time on the website and begin to familiarize yourself with the new translation and the reasons behind the changes we will experience. Undoubtedly, there will be other opportunities for us to discuss this topic in adult education and elsewhere around the parish in the next two years so that we are well-prepared to receive this new translation.

The vocation of the priest

2009-08-24T09:48:00.005-04:00

A year of the priest meditation to begin the week:

The topic of priestly vocations could not be of greater importance for the Church, given the mission of the priest. Christ confided to the priest the administration of his sacraments which in the Church are the ordinary path and the means par excellence for the reception of Grace. The celebration of Holy Mass, which is the renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross on our altars, is the most excellent of all acts carried out under heaven, the act that gives the greatest glory to God, more than any apostolic works, sacrifices and prayers… and this act, the center of Christian life, can only be realized by priests. The purification of souls soiled by sin has been confided to the priest. In those countries in which the Catholic priest has disappeared, the Church has disappeared as well…

The problem of the priestly vocation is a Christian problem in every sense of the word, a problem that is of interest not only to a chosen few who can study this vocation but also for all Christians. A problem for parents who wish to give a Christian education to their children; a problem for youth who need a guide during those difficult years to direct them in the crisis of adolescence; a problem for the poor who need a father concerned for their necessities; a problem for those who aspire to form a home, who need a guide for their conscience, spiritual directors; a problem for those who have no faith - a problem which they themselves do not perceive and, for that reason, one that is all the more fearful - who need someone to selflessly lend them a hand; a problem for the sick who search in vain for someone to encourage them to enter into eternity with serenity, who will console their family and friends. The whole of Christian life is filled with the presence of the priest and all of us should interest ourselves in this problem because their number grows ever smaller but above all we should desire that they might grow in spirit.

May they be saints, but also may they be numerous, because the apostolic activity of every man has a limit and once this limit is passed, his strength can reach no further… then so many others will remain without the help they seek.

Saint Alberto Hurtado, 1901-1952

A plan of life (part 3)

2009-08-21T13:19:00.003-04:00

Better late than never. Here is part 3 of my series on developing a plan of life for deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ. Here I will suggest several things that we can do each month and each year to better grow in friendship with our Lord. As with the previous posts, these suggestions are derived from those found in James Socias' Handbook of Prayers (Scepter, 2001).

Monthly:

At least once a month we should recourse to God's mercy in the sacrament of penance. This sacrament has the power heal us and reconcile us to God whom we have offended by our sins. God alone can forgive, because it is his justice we have sinned against. God wishes to show us his mercy. He desires to heal and forgive us. The Lord awaits us in the sacrament of penance where he will heal us, forgive us, and restore us if we come with contrite hearts imploring his mercy. Confessions are heard every Wednesday at Prince of Peace from 10 until 11 am and from 6:30 until 7:30 pm and on Saturdays from 4 until 5.

If possible, seek out a knowledgeable and prudent spiritual director to whom you can confidently bear your soul and grow in friendship with Christ through their guidance. A spiritual director will also be able to hold you accountable for maintaining your plan of life.

Spend a few hours in recollection or a "mini-retreat," preferably before the Blessed Sacrament. Spend this time reviewing your life and making resolutions for the next month.

Yearly:

Try to make a two or three day retreat each year. Visit a monastery for a time of unstructured prayer and silence, go on a directed retreat, or simply take two or three days in silence up in the mountains or at the beach. Just as the body needs a vacation each year, so the soul needs a retreat.

This post concludes our series on developing a plan of life. Feel free to contact me with any questions or for further suggestions.

A plan of life (part 2)

2009-08-19T11:20:00.005-04:00

As I said I would do in Monday's post, I want to continue thinking together about the things that we can do every day, every week, every month, and every year to grow in intimacy with the Lord Jesus. Today, I want to continuing thinking about our plan of life by considering the types of things we should do each week. As with those on Monday, these suggestions are adapted from James Socias' Handbook of Prayers (Scepter, 2001).

Weekly:

We must center our entire week around the sacrifice of the Holy Mass offered on Sundays. Devote Sundays to prayer, holy leisure, acts of charity, and your family. Try to avoid, as much as possible, using Sunday as a day to catch-up on housework or schoolwork. Moreover, we must not rush through Mass, leave Mass early, or cut short our devotions and attentiveness to God in order to get to Starbuck's or brunch. These things must always be subordinated to God and the Sunday Mass. Read more about keeping Sunday holy in Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter Dies Domini.

If we do not receive Holy Communion every day we should at least try to receive on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Receiving Holy Communion must be preceded by an adequate preparation that begins the night before Sunday as we begin to anticipate the celebration of the Lord's Day. Our hearts and minds should be set more intently on God after sundown on Saturday when the liturgical Sunday begins. We must also remember to maintain the one hour fast from all food and beverages (excepting water and medicine), which the Church requires before the reception of Holy Communion.

We should also keep Saturday as a special day in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The roots of the celebration of the Blessed Mother on Saturday date from Carolingian times (9th century), but the reasons for the choice of Saturday are unknown. The Saturday celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary "emphasizes certain values "to which contemporary spirituality is more sensitive: it is a remembrance of the maternal example and discipleship of the Blessed Virgin Mary who, strengthened by faith and hope, on that great Saturday on which Our Lord lay in the tomb, was the only one of the disciples to hold vigil in expectation of the Lord's resurrection; it is a prelude and introduction to the celebration of Sunday, the weekly memorial of the Resurrection of Christ; it is a sign that the "Virgin Mary is continuously present and operative in the life of the Church" (from the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, 188). We can enter into this weekly celebration of Our Lady by offering a special prayer to her or venerating an image of her with more fervent devotion on Saturdays.

On Thursday, I will propose some things that we can do each month to grown in our friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ.