Posts
Showing posts with label breaking news on catholic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breaking news on catholic. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 April 2018
Sunday, 3 December 2017
Come let's Celebrate the New Born King as Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja hereby invite the general public to her annual Christmas Carol
Tuesday, 22 August 2017
English bishops strongly welcome Lord Farmer’s report
The English bishops’ lead bishop for prisons welcomed the publication of a government report on the importance of prisoners’ families.
“I strongly welcome Lord Farmer’s report, which highlights clearly the central role that families can play in helping prisoners to turn their lives around and making our society safer,” said Bishop Richard Moth.
Monday, 21 August 2017
Mary Queen Of The Church And mother of Our Lord
Mary Queen Of The Church:
Apart from God Himself, a fullness that no one other than God will ever possess."
Spurred on by piety and faith, may we glory in being subject to the rule of the Virgin Mother of God; she bears the royal sceptre in her hand, while her heart is ever aflame with motherlove.
With the certainty of faith we know that Jesus Christ is king in the full, literal, and absolute sense of the word; for He is true God and man. This does not, however, prevent Mary from sharing His royal prerogatives, though in a limited and analogous manner; for she was the Mother of Christ, and Christ is God; and she shared in the work of the divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all. From this union with Christ the King she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things; and upon this same union with Christ is based that royal privilege enabling her to distribute the treasures of the kingdom of the divine Redeemer. And lastly, this same union with Christ is the fountain of the inexhaustible efficacy of her motherly intercession in the presence of the Son and of the Father.
Without doubt, then, does our holy Virgin possess a dignity that far transcends all other creatures. In the eyes of her Son she takes precedence over everyone else. In order to help us understand the preeminence that the Mother of God enjoys over all creation, it would help to remember that from the first moment of her conception the holy Virgin was filled with such a plenitude of grace as to surpass the graces enhancing all the saints. Recall what our predecessor Pius IX, of blessed memory, wrote in his Bull Ineflabilis Deus: "More than all the angels and all the saints has God ineffable freely endowed Mary with the fullness of the heavenly gifts that abound in the divine treasury; and she, preserving herself ever immaculately clean from the slightest taint of sin, attained a fullness of innocence and holiness so great as to be unthinkable
Excerpted from Ad Caeli Reginam, Pius XII.
Spurred on by piety and faith, may we glory in being subject to the rule of the Virgin Mother of God; she bears the royal sceptre in her hand, while her heart is ever aflame with motherlove.
With the certainty of faith we know that Jesus Christ is king in the full, literal, and absolute sense of the word; for He is true God and man. This does not, however, prevent Mary from sharing His royal prerogatives, though in a limited and analogous manner; for she was the Mother of Christ, and Christ is God; and she shared in the work of the divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all. From this union with Christ the King she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things; and upon this same union with Christ is based that royal privilege enabling her to distribute the treasures of the kingdom of the divine Redeemer. And lastly, this same union with Christ is the fountain of the inexhaustible efficacy of her motherly intercession in the presence of the Son and of the Father.
Without doubt, then, does our holy Virgin possess a dignity that far transcends all other creatures. In the eyes of her Son she takes precedence over everyone else. In order to help us understand the preeminence that the Mother of God enjoys over all creation, it would help to remember that from the first moment of her conception the holy Virgin was filled with such a plenitude of grace as to surpass the graces enhancing all the saints. Recall what our predecessor Pius IX, of blessed memory, wrote in his Bull Ineflabilis Deus: "More than all the angels and all the saints has God ineffable freely endowed Mary with the fullness of the heavenly gifts that abound in the divine treasury; and she, preserving herself ever immaculately clean from the slightest taint of sin, attained a fullness of innocence and holiness so great as to be unthinkable
Excerpted from Ad Caeli Reginam, Pius XII.
Saturday, 19 August 2017
Master Daolu ordered to cease all further rescue work of women and children in Rugao.
The Chinese news outlet Global Times is reporting that a monk who saves babies from abortion and then brings them up has come into conflict with authorities.
Master Daolu, a former businessman turned monk, believes, like many Buddhists, that the baby has a soul fm conception, and that abortion is murder. However, he doesn’t just persuade women not to have abortions – he provides shelter and care for them and their babies.
Lifelong care
According to an earlier Global Times article, when he began his ministry, Master Daolu converted his own villa in Nantong, in East China’s Jiangsu Province into a foster home, hiring nannies and recruiting volunteers to care for abandoned babies. He offers women in crisis pregnancies – most of them in their twenties and unmarried -money, shelter, healthcare and help to raise their children. He promises to take care of the children until adulthood, and, he explains, mothers “chose me instead of a public foster home, as they could return to see their children or take away them at any time.” Public foster homes only receive orphans and the mothers don’t know of their babies’ whereabouts after they are adopted, he says.
Shut down
This brave monk has already faced huge difficulties in obtaining hukou, or household registration, for the children, which is needed to access public education and healthcare. Now it is reported that the local government in Rugao, a county-level city under Nantong’s jurisdiction, has shut down his foster home, and forced him to sign an agreement that all the women leave and take their children with them. He is also ordered to cease all further rescue work of women and children in Rugao.
Battling on
Daolu hasn’t disbanded the women and children as he promised in the letter, instead arranging for them to live in apartments rented by himself, or the homes of lay Buddhists. He said that there are currently more than 20 women waiting to give birth and 23 children up to five years of age under his care. He has no plans to stop his rescue efforts, and has vowed to keep fighting to get legal recognition for the children.
Incomprehensible number of lives lost
This is a somewhat surprising article to find in the Global Times, whose editorial stance is strongly pro-government. Even more surprisingly, it admits the enormous scale of abortion in China – 23 million abortions a year, including 10 million that are performed in private clinics or via medication (which the Chinese government repeatedly ignored). However, it makes no mention that many are the direct result of China’s coercive population control policy, and forced abortion is rife.
Master Daolu, a former businessman turned monk, believes, like many Buddhists, that the baby has a soul fm conception, and that abortion is murder. However, he doesn’t just persuade women not to have abortions – he provides shelter and care for them and their babies.
Lifelong care
According to an earlier Global Times article, when he began his ministry, Master Daolu converted his own villa in Nantong, in East China’s Jiangsu Province into a foster home, hiring nannies and recruiting volunteers to care for abandoned babies. He offers women in crisis pregnancies – most of them in their twenties and unmarried -money, shelter, healthcare and help to raise their children. He promises to take care of the children until adulthood, and, he explains, mothers “chose me instead of a public foster home, as they could return to see their children or take away them at any time.” Public foster homes only receive orphans and the mothers don’t know of their babies’ whereabouts after they are adopted, he says.
Shut down
This brave monk has already faced huge difficulties in obtaining hukou, or household registration, for the children, which is needed to access public education and healthcare. Now it is reported that the local government in Rugao, a county-level city under Nantong’s jurisdiction, has shut down his foster home, and forced him to sign an agreement that all the women leave and take their children with them. He is also ordered to cease all further rescue work of women and children in Rugao.
Battling on
Daolu hasn’t disbanded the women and children as he promised in the letter, instead arranging for them to live in apartments rented by himself, or the homes of lay Buddhists. He said that there are currently more than 20 women waiting to give birth and 23 children up to five years of age under his care. He has no plans to stop his rescue efforts, and has vowed to keep fighting to get legal recognition for the children.
Incomprehensible number of lives lost
This is a somewhat surprising article to find in the Global Times, whose editorial stance is strongly pro-government. Even more surprisingly, it admits the enormous scale of abortion in China – 23 million abortions a year, including 10 million that are performed in private clinics or via medication (which the Chinese government repeatedly ignored). However, it makes no mention that many are the direct result of China’s coercive population control policy, and forced abortion is rife.
Wednesday, 16 August 2017
SCRIPTURAL REASONS WHY CATHOLIC CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGE MARY'S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
"And the angel came in unto her, and said, hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." - Luke 1:28
It is the term "full of grace" that is emphasized by the Church when dealing with Mary's Immaculate Conception. The title "full of grace" comes from the Greek word kecharitomene, which describes a "perfection" and "abundance" of grace. In other words, Mary was proclaimed by the angel to be with a perfection of grace, which was a very powerful statement. How can Mary be completely and perfectly with God's grace, yet still have sin left in her? Christians eventually came to recognize that it was extremely possible for Mary to be without sin, especially if she was completely filled with God's grace. Luke 1:28 happens to be the only place in the Bible where anyone is addressed with the important title of "full of grace."
"the Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." - Luke 1:35
Luke 1:35 shows Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant. According to the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was the pure and holy vessel that held the Ten Commandments (the Old Covenant). The Ark was so holy in fact, that if anyone where to touch it they could actually fall down and die! It was housed in the Holy of Holies, which was a perfectly clean place where the Jewish high priests could enter only once a year according to their law (See Lev. 16:2-4). So how are Mary and the Ark related? The same language that describes God's "dwelling" place for the Old Ark is used again for Mary's overshadowing by the Holy Spirit. Put another way, the Old Ark held God's Ten Commandments and could not be touched by human hands because of its holiness. Mary, the New Ark, holds the New Covenant in her womb, which is Jesus Christ. How much holier is Christ than the Ten Commandments? It only makes sense that for Mary to hold God in her womb, she too would be completely pure and without any sin.
"I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed (offspring) and hers; He (she) will crush your head while you strike at his (her) heel." - Genesis 3:15
What does the book of Genesis have to do with Mary's Immaculate Conception? Genesis 3:15 is the first passage in the Bible that refers to Jesus defeating Satan on the cross. It is also the first verse that shows us how Mary would become the New Eve. The seed of the woman, who would crush the serpent's head, is Jesus. The woman at enmity, or hostility with the serpent, is Mary. It was God who put this hostility between Mary and Satan (the serpent), and it is believed to be in the same likeness as Christ's hostility for the seed of the serpent. What exactly does all this mean? For Mary to be like Christ in His hostility for Satan forever, it is very possible to say that this passage implies Mary's lack of sin. What better way is there to be in total hostility with Satan than to be in God's constant grace? As the New Eve, Mary undid the "no" of the Old Testament Eve by saying, "yes" to carry Jesus.
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
DAILY READING FOR 16TH AUGUST, 2017
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ DT 34:1-12; PS 66:1-3,5,16-17; MT 18:15-20 ]
1 Then, leaving the Plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah opposite Jericho, and Yahweh showed him the whole country: Gilead as far as Dan,
2 the whole of Naphtali, the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, the whole country of Judah as far as the Western Sea,
3 the Negeb, and the region of the Valley of Jericho, city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
4 Yahweh said to him, 'This is the country which I promised on oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I shall give it to your descendants. I have allowed you to see it for yourself, but you will not cross into it.'
5 There in the country of Moab, Moses, servant of Yahweh, died as Yahweh decreed;
6 he buried him in the valley, in the country of Moab, opposite Beth-Peor; but to this day no one has ever found his grave.
7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye undimmed, his vigour unimpaired.
8 The Israelites wept for Moses on the Plains of Moab for thirty days. The days of weeping for the mourning rites of Moses came to an end.
9 Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him, and him the Israelites obeyed, carrying out the order which Yahweh had given to Moses.
10 Since then, there has never been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man whom Yahweh knew face to face.
11 What signs and wonders Yahweh caused him to perform in Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants and his whole country!
12 How mighty the hand and great the fear that Moses wielded in the eyes of all Israel!
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 66:1-3, 5, 8, 16-17
1 [For the choirmaster Song Psalm] Acclaim God, all the earth,
2 sing psalms to the glory of his name, glorify him with your praises,
3 say to God, 'How awesome you are! 'Your achievements are the measure of your power, your enemies woo your favour,
5 Come and see the marvels of God, his awesome deeds for the children of Adam:
8 Nations, bless our God, let the sound of his praise be heard;
16 Come and listen, all who fear God, while I tell what he has done for me.
17 To him I cried aloud, high praise was on my tongue.
Gospel, Matthew 18:15-20
15 'If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: whatever the misdemeanour, the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain the charge.
17 But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a gentile or a tax collector.
18 'In truth I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 'In truth I tell you once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three meet in my name, I am there among them.'
Pride is the cause of our sins. Most of our problems stem from a low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence. This explains why many of us are ambitious, winning laurel after laurel to prove to ourselves and to others that we are good enough, intelligent and capable. We want to feel good about ourselves. That is why we compete with others to climb to the top. But the truth is that we will never be good enough for everyone and we can never be the best as there will always be others who are better than us in other things.
Pride also leads to anger, resentment and grudges. This is especially so when others have more than us or are better than us and are more popular and loved. We want to compare and when others are better than us, we fall into the sin of envy. Pride also insists on justice and the need to secure our rights. We become reactive and vindictive when our rights are compromised. We feel the need to defend our rights and take what belongs to us. We are always worried about how people think of us rather than how we think of ourselves.
But today we are called to see the bigger picture of life. Whilst ambition and justice are important, they are not everything. It is right to have an ambition in life so that we can live a purposeful and meaningful life. It is not wrong to demand for your rights. Yet, if we spend all our time winning crown after crown, and fighting with our opponents, we will feel drained and so sapped of energy that we have little left to enjoy life with our friends and loved ones. We will be pursuing goals that can never be realized because there will be always another goal to achieve.
Indeed, the Lord told Moses to let go of his ambition. Whilst Moses had done much to set His people free from the slavery of the Egyptians, formed a motley crowd of people into a nation and preparing them to enter the Promised Land after 40 years in the desert, He would not be allowed to enter into it. The Lord said to him, “This is the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross into it.’”
Moses accepted the will of God and His plan for himself and the people. Moses did not appeal to the Lord to give him the opportunity to see through until the mission was accomplished. He was ready to surrender everything into the hands of God. He did not insist that since he rescued the people from Egypt and brought them out and up, he deserved the right to lead them into the Promised Land. This is so unlike most of us when we bargain with the Lord that we be given the grace to see through what we started. Parents when sick often pray that they will live till they are able to see their children graduate, get married and have a child. They feel the need for closure before they leave the world.
But God was saying to Moses to leave everything into His hands. He knew best and He knew what to do. God had His plans in place. God had already prepared his successor in the person of Joshua. He “was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. It was he that the sons of Israel obeyed, carrying out the order that the Lord had given to Moses.” In other words, no one is indispensable. God will see through His projects and plans. We need not worry about what will happen when we are no longer around. Hence, the Lord gave Moses a preview of what He intended to give to the people of Israel. “Leaving the plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo and the Lord showed him the whole land.” With or without Moses, the plan of God would be realized.
We must learn from Moses to graciously let go and let God take over. It is true that no one could replace Moses for he was an exceptional leader. “Since then, never has there been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man the Lord knew face to face. What signs and wonders the Lord caused him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and his whole land! How mighty the hand and great the fear that Moses wielded in the sight of all Israel!” Yet, we can trust that it is not in our hands or power but in the hands and power of God. As leaders, we are simply laying the foundation for the next leader to bring the organization to a higher level. So in truth, we build upon each other’s successes and failures. But at the end of the day, it is God’s work, not ours. Like the psalmist, we pray, “Cry out with joy to God all the earth, O sing to the glory of his name. O render him glorious praise. Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!’ Come and see the works of God, tremendous his deeds among men. Come and hear, all who fear God. I will tell what he did for my soul: to him I cried aloud, with high praise ready on my tongue.” All glory be to God alone.
Indeed, in life, we must remember that God has a plan for each one of us. We are not here permanently but are pilgrims along the way. As William Shakespeare in his play, “As you like it”, said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” So let us not cling to our positions, to our offices and roles that we play in this life. We should simply do our best, play our part and when it is time to exit, exit graciously and not grudgingly. Life on this earth is temporary, so is everything else – money, health, beauty, accomplishments, power, position and fame. All these things do not last. Our real heaven and the true Promised Land is in heaven where we get our final reward. This was what Moses was to arrive at, not the earthly Promised Land. But he had a foretaste of what the heavenly Promised Land was like – much greater than what he could see.
However, the Kingdom of God is not built in a day. Already during the time of Matthew’s Christian community, there were quarrels, misunderstandings and scandals. This was the context of the evangelist in citing the advice of Jesus in handling difficult matters in the community, especially errant members. Whether these are the real words of Christ or the thoughts of Jesus reinterpreted by the early Christian community, the truth remains that there is no perfect community. If Catholics are scandalized by the sins and weaknesses of fellow Christians and Church leaders, it is because they are not realistic about themselves. As Jesus said to the adulterous woman, “Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (Jn 8:10f)
But it is important to take note of the process. Underpinning the whole process of fraternal correction is dialogue in truth and in charity. It is not about revenge and seeking to destroy the sinner or seeking punishment on someone who has wronged us. Unfortunately, when we seek justice, we are in truth seeking revenge; not the restoration of the social order. We just want the person who hurt us to be punished, not so much corrected or to repent. Hence, the procedures taught by the Lord involves a series of steps. Firstly, to have it out quietly with the person concerned. If he refuses to listen, find some others to mediate. Only when that fails, is it then to be reported to the authorities. But how many of us observe the instructions of our Lord in dealing with errant Catholics? We report them immediately to the authorities so that they could be humiliated and be given the punishment that we hope to see. Underlying such desire is the inability to let go and let God take over. We cannot let go of our anger and vindictiveness. But Jesus is asking us, as He asked Moses, to let go of our attachment to our pride. Jesus said, “But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.” In other words, let him be and allow the grace of God to bring him back at the proper time. We cannot force people to be converted. They need self-awareness and grace is required. We need to wait for God’s time.
1 Then, leaving the Plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah opposite Jericho, and Yahweh showed him the whole country: Gilead as far as Dan,
2 the whole of Naphtali, the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, the whole country of Judah as far as the Western Sea,
3 the Negeb, and the region of the Valley of Jericho, city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
4 Yahweh said to him, 'This is the country which I promised on oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I shall give it to your descendants. I have allowed you to see it for yourself, but you will not cross into it.'
5 There in the country of Moab, Moses, servant of Yahweh, died as Yahweh decreed;
6 he buried him in the valley, in the country of Moab, opposite Beth-Peor; but to this day no one has ever found his grave.
7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye undimmed, his vigour unimpaired.
8 The Israelites wept for Moses on the Plains of Moab for thirty days. The days of weeping for the mourning rites of Moses came to an end.
9 Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him, and him the Israelites obeyed, carrying out the order which Yahweh had given to Moses.
10 Since then, there has never been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man whom Yahweh knew face to face.
11 What signs and wonders Yahweh caused him to perform in Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants and his whole country!
12 How mighty the hand and great the fear that Moses wielded in the eyes of all Israel!
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 66:1-3, 5, 8, 16-17
1 [For the choirmaster Song Psalm] Acclaim God, all the earth,
2 sing psalms to the glory of his name, glorify him with your praises,
3 say to God, 'How awesome you are! 'Your achievements are the measure of your power, your enemies woo your favour,
5 Come and see the marvels of God, his awesome deeds for the children of Adam:
8 Nations, bless our God, let the sound of his praise be heard;
16 Come and listen, all who fear God, while I tell what he has done for me.
17 To him I cried aloud, high praise was on my tongue.
Gospel, Matthew 18:15-20
15 'If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: whatever the misdemeanour, the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain the charge.
17 But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a gentile or a tax collector.
18 'In truth I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 'In truth I tell you once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three meet in my name, I am there among them.'
Pride is the cause of our sins. Most of our problems stem from a low self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence. This explains why many of us are ambitious, winning laurel after laurel to prove to ourselves and to others that we are good enough, intelligent and capable. We want to feel good about ourselves. That is why we compete with others to climb to the top. But the truth is that we will never be good enough for everyone and we can never be the best as there will always be others who are better than us in other things.
Pride also leads to anger, resentment and grudges. This is especially so when others have more than us or are better than us and are more popular and loved. We want to compare and when others are better than us, we fall into the sin of envy. Pride also insists on justice and the need to secure our rights. We become reactive and vindictive when our rights are compromised. We feel the need to defend our rights and take what belongs to us. We are always worried about how people think of us rather than how we think of ourselves.
But today we are called to see the bigger picture of life. Whilst ambition and justice are important, they are not everything. It is right to have an ambition in life so that we can live a purposeful and meaningful life. It is not wrong to demand for your rights. Yet, if we spend all our time winning crown after crown, and fighting with our opponents, we will feel drained and so sapped of energy that we have little left to enjoy life with our friends and loved ones. We will be pursuing goals that can never be realized because there will be always another goal to achieve.
Indeed, the Lord told Moses to let go of his ambition. Whilst Moses had done much to set His people free from the slavery of the Egyptians, formed a motley crowd of people into a nation and preparing them to enter the Promised Land after 40 years in the desert, He would not be allowed to enter into it. The Lord said to him, “This is the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross into it.’”
Moses accepted the will of God and His plan for himself and the people. Moses did not appeal to the Lord to give him the opportunity to see through until the mission was accomplished. He was ready to surrender everything into the hands of God. He did not insist that since he rescued the people from Egypt and brought them out and up, he deserved the right to lead them into the Promised Land. This is so unlike most of us when we bargain with the Lord that we be given the grace to see through what we started. Parents when sick often pray that they will live till they are able to see their children graduate, get married and have a child. They feel the need for closure before they leave the world.
But God was saying to Moses to leave everything into His hands. He knew best and He knew what to do. God had His plans in place. God had already prepared his successor in the person of Joshua. He “was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. It was he that the sons of Israel obeyed, carrying out the order that the Lord had given to Moses.” In other words, no one is indispensable. God will see through His projects and plans. We need not worry about what will happen when we are no longer around. Hence, the Lord gave Moses a preview of what He intended to give to the people of Israel. “Leaving the plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo and the Lord showed him the whole land.” With or without Moses, the plan of God would be realized.
We must learn from Moses to graciously let go and let God take over. It is true that no one could replace Moses for he was an exceptional leader. “Since then, never has there been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man the Lord knew face to face. What signs and wonders the Lord caused him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and his whole land! How mighty the hand and great the fear that Moses wielded in the sight of all Israel!” Yet, we can trust that it is not in our hands or power but in the hands and power of God. As leaders, we are simply laying the foundation for the next leader to bring the organization to a higher level. So in truth, we build upon each other’s successes and failures. But at the end of the day, it is God’s work, not ours. Like the psalmist, we pray, “Cry out with joy to God all the earth, O sing to the glory of his name. O render him glorious praise. Say to God: ‘How tremendous your deeds!’ Come and see the works of God, tremendous his deeds among men. Come and hear, all who fear God. I will tell what he did for my soul: to him I cried aloud, with high praise ready on my tongue.” All glory be to God alone.
Indeed, in life, we must remember that God has a plan for each one of us. We are not here permanently but are pilgrims along the way. As William Shakespeare in his play, “As you like it”, said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” So let us not cling to our positions, to our offices and roles that we play in this life. We should simply do our best, play our part and when it is time to exit, exit graciously and not grudgingly. Life on this earth is temporary, so is everything else – money, health, beauty, accomplishments, power, position and fame. All these things do not last. Our real heaven and the true Promised Land is in heaven where we get our final reward. This was what Moses was to arrive at, not the earthly Promised Land. But he had a foretaste of what the heavenly Promised Land was like – much greater than what he could see.
However, the Kingdom of God is not built in a day. Already during the time of Matthew’s Christian community, there were quarrels, misunderstandings and scandals. This was the context of the evangelist in citing the advice of Jesus in handling difficult matters in the community, especially errant members. Whether these are the real words of Christ or the thoughts of Jesus reinterpreted by the early Christian community, the truth remains that there is no perfect community. If Catholics are scandalized by the sins and weaknesses of fellow Christians and Church leaders, it is because they are not realistic about themselves. As Jesus said to the adulterous woman, “Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” (Jn 8:10f)
But it is important to take note of the process. Underpinning the whole process of fraternal correction is dialogue in truth and in charity. It is not about revenge and seeking to destroy the sinner or seeking punishment on someone who has wronged us. Unfortunately, when we seek justice, we are in truth seeking revenge; not the restoration of the social order. We just want the person who hurt us to be punished, not so much corrected or to repent. Hence, the procedures taught by the Lord involves a series of steps. Firstly, to have it out quietly with the person concerned. If he refuses to listen, find some others to mediate. Only when that fails, is it then to be reported to the authorities. But how many of us observe the instructions of our Lord in dealing with errant Catholics? We report them immediately to the authorities so that they could be humiliated and be given the punishment that we hope to see. Underlying such desire is the inability to let go and let God take over. We cannot let go of our anger and vindictiveness. But Jesus is asking us, as He asked Moses, to let go of our attachment to our pride. Jesus said, “But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.” In other words, let him be and allow the grace of God to bring him back at the proper time. We cannot force people to be converted. They need self-awareness and grace is required. We need to wait for God’s time.
CATHOLIC CLERGIES MUST ENCOURAGE POLITICS TO BEATER LIFE
why catholic church is not left behind in the game of politics
We speak as bishops, as teachers of the Catholic faith and of the moral law. We have the duty to teach about human life and dignity, marriage and family, war and peace, the needs of the poor and the demands of justice. Today we continue our efforts to teach on a uniquely important matter that has recently been a source of concern for Catholics and others.
It is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, founded on her understanding of her Lord’s own witness to the sacredness of human life, that the killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and can never be justified. If those who perform an abortion and those who cooperate willingly in the action are fully aware of the objective evil of what they do, they are guilty of grave sin and thereby separate themselves from God’s grace. This is the constant and received teaching of the Church. It is, as well, the conviction of many other people of good will.
To make such intrinsically evil actions legal is itself wrong. This is the point most recently highlighted in official Catholic teaching. The legal system as such can be said to cooperate in evil when it fails to protect the lives of those who have no protection except the law. In the United States of America, abortion on demand has been made a constitutional right by a decision of the Supreme Court. Failing to protect the lives of innocent and defenseless members of the human race is to sin against justice. Those who formulate law therefore have an obligation in conscience to work toward correcting morally defective laws, lest they be guilty of cooperating in evil and in sinning against the common good.
As our conference has insisted in Faithful Citizenship, Catholics who bring their moral convictions into public life do not threaten democracy or pluralism but enrich them and the nation. The separation of church and state does not require division between belief and public action, between moral principles and political choices, but protects the right of believers and religious groups to practice their faith and act on their values in public life.
Our obligation as bishops at this time is to teach clearly. It is with pastoral solicitude for everyone involved in the political process that we will also counsel Catholic public officials that their acting consistently to support abortion on demand risks making them cooperators in evil in a public manner. We will persist in this duty to counsel, in the hope that the scandal of their cooperating in evil can be resolved by the proper formation of their consciences.
Having received an extensive interim report from the Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians, and looking forward to the full report, we highlight several points from the interim report that suggest some directions for our efforts:
We need to continue to teach clearly and help other Catholic leaders to teach clearly on our unequivocal commitment to the legal protection of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Our teaching on human life and dignity should be reflected in our parishes and our educational, health care and human service ministries.
We need to do more to persuade all people that human life is precious and human dignity must be defended. This requires more effective dialogue and engagement with all public officials, especially Catholic public officials. We welcome conversation initiated by political leaders themselves.
Catholics need to act in support of these principles and policies in public life. It is the particular vocation of the laity to transform the world. We have to encourage this vocation and do more to bring all believers to this mission. As bishops, we do not endorse or oppose candidates. Rather, we seek to form the consciences of our people so that they can examine the positions of candidates and make choices based on Catholic moral and social teaching.
The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.
We commit ourselves to maintain communication with public officials who make decisions every day that touch issues of human life and dignity.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of Catholic life. Therefore, like every Catholic generation before us, we must be guided by the words of St. Paul, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27). This means that all must examine their consciences as to their worthiness to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord. This examination includes fidelity to the moral teaching of the Church in personal and public life.
The question has been raised as to whether the denial of Holy Communion to some Catholics in political life is necessary because of their public support for abortion on demand. Given the wide range of circumstances involved in arriving at a prudential judgment on a matter of this seriousness, we recognize that such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles. Bishops can legitimately make different judgments on the most prudent course of pastoral action. Nevertheless, we all share an unequivocal commitment to protect human life and dignity and to preach the Gospel in difficult times.
The polarizing tendencies of election-year politics can lead to circumstances in which Catholic teaching and sacramental practice can be misused for political ends. Respect for the Holy Eucharist, in particular, demands that it be received worthily and that it be seen as the source for our common mission in the world.
Catholics in Political Life was developed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians in collaboration with Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFMCap, and Bishop Donald W. Wuerl. It was approved for publication by the full body of bishops at their June 2004 General Meeting and has been authorized for publication by the undersigned
We speak as bishops, as teachers of the Catholic faith and of the moral law. We have the duty to teach about human life and dignity, marriage and family, war and peace, the needs of the poor and the demands of justice. Today we continue our efforts to teach on a uniquely important matter that has recently been a source of concern for Catholics and others.
It is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning, founded on her understanding of her Lord’s own witness to the sacredness of human life, that the killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and can never be justified. If those who perform an abortion and those who cooperate willingly in the action are fully aware of the objective evil of what they do, they are guilty of grave sin and thereby separate themselves from God’s grace. This is the constant and received teaching of the Church. It is, as well, the conviction of many other people of good will.
To make such intrinsically evil actions legal is itself wrong. This is the point most recently highlighted in official Catholic teaching. The legal system as such can be said to cooperate in evil when it fails to protect the lives of those who have no protection except the law. In the United States of America, abortion on demand has been made a constitutional right by a decision of the Supreme Court. Failing to protect the lives of innocent and defenseless members of the human race is to sin against justice. Those who formulate law therefore have an obligation in conscience to work toward correcting morally defective laws, lest they be guilty of cooperating in evil and in sinning against the common good.
As our conference has insisted in Faithful Citizenship, Catholics who bring their moral convictions into public life do not threaten democracy or pluralism but enrich them and the nation. The separation of church and state does not require division between belief and public action, between moral principles and political choices, but protects the right of believers and religious groups to practice their faith and act on their values in public life.
Our obligation as bishops at this time is to teach clearly. It is with pastoral solicitude for everyone involved in the political process that we will also counsel Catholic public officials that their acting consistently to support abortion on demand risks making them cooperators in evil in a public manner. We will persist in this duty to counsel, in the hope that the scandal of their cooperating in evil can be resolved by the proper formation of their consciences.
Having received an extensive interim report from the Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians, and looking forward to the full report, we highlight several points from the interim report that suggest some directions for our efforts:
We need to continue to teach clearly and help other Catholic leaders to teach clearly on our unequivocal commitment to the legal protection of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Our teaching on human life and dignity should be reflected in our parishes and our educational, health care and human service ministries.
We need to do more to persuade all people that human life is precious and human dignity must be defended. This requires more effective dialogue and engagement with all public officials, especially Catholic public officials. We welcome conversation initiated by political leaders themselves.
Catholics need to act in support of these principles and policies in public life. It is the particular vocation of the laity to transform the world. We have to encourage this vocation and do more to bring all believers to this mission. As bishops, we do not endorse or oppose candidates. Rather, we seek to form the consciences of our people so that they can examine the positions of candidates and make choices based on Catholic moral and social teaching.
The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.
We commit ourselves to maintain communication with public officials who make decisions every day that touch issues of human life and dignity.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of Catholic life. Therefore, like every Catholic generation before us, we must be guided by the words of St. Paul, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27). This means that all must examine their consciences as to their worthiness to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord. This examination includes fidelity to the moral teaching of the Church in personal and public life.
The question has been raised as to whether the denial of Holy Communion to some Catholics in political life is necessary because of their public support for abortion on demand. Given the wide range of circumstances involved in arriving at a prudential judgment on a matter of this seriousness, we recognize that such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles. Bishops can legitimately make different judgments on the most prudent course of pastoral action. Nevertheless, we all share an unequivocal commitment to protect human life and dignity and to preach the Gospel in difficult times.
The polarizing tendencies of election-year politics can lead to circumstances in which Catholic teaching and sacramental practice can be misused for political ends. Respect for the Holy Eucharist, in particular, demands that it be received worthily and that it be seen as the source for our common mission in the world.
Catholics in Political Life was developed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Task Force on Catholic Bishops and Catholic Politicians in collaboration with Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFMCap, and Bishop Donald W. Wuerl. It was approved for publication by the full body of bishops at their June 2004 General Meeting and has been authorized for publication by the undersigned
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT POPE FRANCIS
He's the first Jesuit pope.
He's from Buenos Aires,
making him the first pope from Latin America.
That also makes him the first pope born
outside of Europe in more than 1,000 years.
He chose the name Francis
in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century monk known for his charity
and kindness to animals.
Before his election, he was the archbishop of
Buenos Aires.
He is known for leading a simple life,
eschewing a mansion to live in a Spartan apartment.
He rode mass transit in
Argentina, and chose to take a minivan with the other cardinals after he was
elected pope rather than ride in a special sedan.
He can cooks his own meals.
In his youth, he enjoyed dancing the tango
with a girlfriend before discovering a "religious vocation."
He trained as a chemist.
He is one of five children and his parents
were from Italy.
He has been criticized for not speaking out
against Argentina's military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s.
He slammed other Latin American priests who
objected to the baptizing of children born out of wedlock.
. He was critical of Argentina's decision to legalize same-sex
marriage, calling it "a destructive attack on God's plan." He also
opposes gay people's adopting children.
In 2001, he washed the feet of 12 patients with AIDS at an
Argentine hospice.
He speaks three languages:
Spanish, Italian and German.
He had a lung removed as a teenager, after an
infection.
He is rumored to have been
the runner-up in 2005, losing that papal election to Benedict XVI.
After being elected pope,
he remained standing on the same level as the cardinal-electors rather than
sitting in a throne
He is a good listener
COMMON BUT POWERFUL PRAYERS OF THE HOLY CHURCH AND HOW TO SAY IT
Specific prayers that Roman Catholic
believers say at certain times or on certain occasions. Our Father is part of
the Catholic Mass, for example, and the Act of Contrition is said as part of
the Sacrament of Penance. The Glory Be and Hail Mary are repeated as part of
the Rosary, along with the Our Father:
·
Our
Father: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom
come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against
us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail
Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art
thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary,
Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory Be: Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the
beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Act of
Contrition: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I
detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because
they offend you, My God, who are all good and worthy of all my love. I firmly
resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near
occasions of sin. Amen.
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES TO ACCEPT OPENLY GAY MINISTERS?
Roman Catholic Church respects and loves the homosexual person the same
as it does the heterosexual. Catholicism teaches that homosexual people must be
treated with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every act or thought of
hatred, violence, or persecution toward the homosexual is condemned.
Monday, 14 August 2017
Pope warns against putting one's trust in horoscopes and fortune telling rather than Christ, who is the only true security that gets us through times of trial and darkness.
Pointing
to how Peter begins to sink when walking toward Jesus on the water in the day's
Gospel reading, Francis noted that the same thing can happen to us when we put
our trust in false securities.
“When we
do not cling to the Word of the Lord, but consult horoscopes and fortune tellers,
we begin to sink,” the Pope said Aug. 13.
The
episode, he said, serves as a reminder “that faith in the Lord and in his word
does not open a path where everything is calm and easy; it does not take us
away from the storms of life.”
Rather,
“faith gives us the security of a presence that pushes us to overcome the
existential storms, the certainty of a hand that grabs us in order to help us
in difficulties, showing the way even when it's dark.”
“Faith,
then, is not an escape from life's problems, but it supports on the journey and
gives it meaning.”
Pope
Francis spoke to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for his weekly Angelus
address, focusing on the day's Gospel reading from Matthew, in which Jesus
walks on water in the midst of a storm, and beckons Peter to come to him. Peter
initially begins to walk toward Jesus, but starts to sink out of fear when he
sees the waves, and cries out for Jesus to rescue him.
This
episode, Francis said, has a lot of symbolism for both individuals, and for the
Church as a whole.
The boat
can represent the life of each person, but also the life of the Church, he
said, explaining that the wind signifies the “difficulties and trials” each
will face.
Peter's
cry of “Lord, command me to come to you,” and then his plea “Lord, save me!”
represent both our desire feel close to the Lord, and “the fear and anguish
which accompany us in the most difficult moments of our lives and our
communities, marked by internal fragility and external difficulty,”
Francis said.
In the
moment when he looked at the wind and the waves and began to fear, Peter wasn't
founded on the Word of God, “which was like an outstretched rope to cling to in
front of the hostile and turbulent waters.”
The same
thing happens to us when we put our faith in trivial, worldly securities,
rather than in the Lord, he said.
Pope
Francis said the passage is “a stupendous image” of the reality of the Church
throughout the ages: “a ship which, along the crossing, must counter winds and
storms which threaten to overwhelm it.”
What
saves the ship is not the courage and quality of it's men, he said, but rather,
“the guarantee against a shipwreck is faith in Christ and in his word.”
“On this
ship we are safe, despite our miseries and weaknesses, above all when we get on
our knees and adore the Lord” as the disciples did, who, after Jesus calmed the
storm, prostrated themselves and said “truly you are the Son of God!”
To drive
the point home, Francis had the crowd repeat the phrase, listening as they
shouted “truly you are the Son of God” three times.
Francis
closed his address asking that the Virgin Mary intercede in helping all to
“stay firm in the faith in order to resist the storms of life, to stay on the
boat of the Church, eschewing the temptation to go on amusing, yet insecure
boats of ideologies, fashions and slogans.”
He then
led pilgrims in praying the traditional Marian prayer and greeted various
groups of youth from around Italy before asking for prayer and giving his
blessing.
POPE FRANCIS SPEND HIS SUMMER SEEKING TREATMENT FOR A SCIATICA CONDITION...TO GET SET TO DEPART FOR A FIVE-DAY OVERSEAS TRIP TO COLOMBIA
Pope Francis is spending part of his reduced summer
schedule in 2017 seeking treatment for a sciatica condition that continues to
irritate him.
As part
of that regime, the 80-year-old pontiff is receiving
both massages and injections twice a week in order to reduce pain in his leg.
The account did not offer details of who’s delivering the treatments, or where
they’re taking place.
So far
the Vatican has not commented on the report, and traditionally takes the
position that such matters pertain to the pope’s private life.
Pope
Francis first revealed that he suffers from sciatica, a nerve condition usually
resulting from the herniation of a spinal disk, in 2013, during an in-flight
press conference on his return from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, following a World
Youth Day celebration.
In
response to a question about his health, Francis said, “The worst thing that
happened - excuse me - was an attack of sciatica - really! - that I had the
first month, because I was sitting in an armchair to do interviews and it hurt.
Sciatica is very painful, very painful! I don’t wish it on anyone!”
Generally
speaking, the pain caused by sciatica is confined to one side of the body and
is felt in the back and leg, although under some circumstances it may occur on
both sides. To be clear, the condition is not life-threatening, and there’s no
indication it prevents the pontiff from carrying out the responsibilities of
his office.
Pope
Francis is legendary for not taking summer breaks, and, according to the Famiglia Cristiana report, that habit
easily pre-dates his papacy. In fact, he’s said that he last took what most
people would describe as a summer vacation, meaning going away somewhere, in
1975, well before he was even a bishop and shortly after he took his final vows
as a member of the Jesuit order.
During a
return flight from South Korea in 2014, he said: “The last time I took a
vacation outside of Buenos Aires, with the Jesuit community, was in 1975. I do
always take a vacation - really - but in my habitat; I change pace. I sleep
more; I read the things I want; I listen to music; I spend more time
praying…And this makes me relax.”
As part
of that summer down time, the magazine reports, the pontiff has been taking
treatments for his condition during each of the last two summers, in order to
be better prepared to carry out his responsibilities during the coming year.
In 2007,
journalist Massimo Franco reported for the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that then-Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires had visited a Roman physician named
Valter Santilli for treatment of the disorder.
According
to Franco’s report, Santilli said he had told Bergoglio that sciatica is a
“prophetic disease.” When Bergoglio asked why, Santilli reportedly said:
“Because
in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, in chapter 23, there’s the episode
of Jacob’s struggle with the angel, who touched his sciatic nerve, on the hip
joint, and that night, after his sciatic problem, the Lord changed his name to
Israel.”
“You
see,” Santilli continued to Bergoglio, “after your sciatic problem, the Lord
will change your name too.”
According
to Famiglia Cristiana, Santilli
adds now that Pope Francis called him shortly after his election in March 2013,
after the two hadn’t seen one another for some time.
“One
morning, my cell phone went off and the caller presented him like this:
‘Professor Santilli?’” he said.
“I
replied, ‘Yes, who’s this?’”
“The
response was the following: ‘I used to be called Jorge Mario Bergoglio, but the
Lord has changed my name and now I’m called Pope Francis!’”
Francis’s
next scheduled public event will come on Sunday, when he delivers the
traditional noontime Angelus address. He’s currently set to depart Sept. 6 for
a five-day overseas trip to Colombia.
WHO PAY CATHOLIC PRIESTS?
Catholic priests are often met with
relatively low salaries, especially when compared to other religious leaders. A
large part of this has to do with doctrine. Catholic priest take a series of
vows when entering this service. Chastity is one of the better known, but priests
also take a vow of poverty; they’re expect to do more with less. And unlike
rabbis or protestant ministers, priests do not have families to support, so the
need for money isn't the same.
IS PRAYING ANGELUS MORE THAN APPRECIATION FOR CATHOLICS?
THANKS GIVING. . .
In some sense, just as a little child must
first feel assured that those possessions he is fondest of will be duly
appreciated, before he will agree to share them with another, so God often
acts with us about revealing what is especially precious to Him.
It might surprise us to know that one of
these divine valuables is names, and
even a short perusal of Holy Scripture lends abundant proof of it. Time and
again we come across sacred events whose participants bear names not merely of
supernatural meaning, but of direct celestial origin. Few concepts are more
familiar or human to us than a name, and God often takes advantage of this by
inserting “mystical” names into events as a simple yet effective means of
awakening in souls a healthy fear of Him—or a fearless love of Him.
A Prophecy…
Behold a
Virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and His name shall be called
Emmanuel. (Isaias 7: 14)
Seven hundred years after its utterance,
this prophecy of the holy Isaias came to pass. Emmanuel—God with us. Was anything ever revealed to
fill our hearts with greater delight? Never has God so outdone Himself in
forming a name of such exquisite appropriateness; never was there a single word
so perfectly self-contained in meaning and implication. We yearned with a
great yearning for the coming of our Emmanuel, for the time when God would be
with us indeed, walking His earth. And, in ardent response on His part, God
desired with desire to hasten the time of this prophecy’s fulfillment, the
first sublime step being the accomplishment of this Divine conception so
longed-for, in that moment we call the Incarnation—when God became Man.
A Meaning…
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto
Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
With disarming simplicity the very essence
of the Annunciation is given to us by these opening lines of the Angelus. However,
if we desire to understand both this event and the Angelus more fully, it is
necessary to turn with equal simplicity and childlike trust to what is termed
the “Deposit of Faith.” It contains all the beliefs of the Catholic Church,
consisting, as it does, of Church tradition and Holy Scripture—in this
particular instance the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint Luke. To the Depositum Fidei, then, let us turn
indeed, and now think back:
It is 3:00 on the afternoon of March
twenty-fifth; it is a Friday. Taking on the appearance of a man, the Archangel
Gabriel, whose name means Strength of God,
leaves heaven for earth; he has a divine proposal to deliver—and a reply to
receive. His destination? A certain little house on a quiet street in the tiny
Galilean town of Nazareth, for there she lives, whose coming God has
anticipated from all eternity. She has ravished the Heart of God with her love
for Him and her humility before Him, and in her we find the only perfect source
of consolation that God has reserved for Himself on earth-the only perfect
refuge of comfort He has allowed Himself. Having remained faultless of any
offence against God—never by one thought, word or deed did she fail to measure
up to the supreme and consummate perfection of a creature conformed to the
Will of God—her purity and sinlessness is beyond utterance. Her vocation was so
select and sublime and divine that He created her soul free from Original Sin,
the sin of Adam. Thus at this moment her glorious title is that of the
Immaculate Conception—but, kneeling in prayer, she is soon to be offered
another…
“And the angel being come in, said unto
her: ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women…Behold
thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son: and thou shalt
call his name Jesus.’ ”
The Virgin of virgins asks, “How shall this
be done, because I know not man?”
“And the angel answering said to her: ‘The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow
thee. And therefore the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the
Son of God.’ ”
Having thus made known to her His
desire-and only after receiving her sweet and meek consent:
“V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
R. Be it done to me according to thy
word.”—did God effect an event greater than that of the creation of the
universe and the dawn of time. For within the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary
was conceived a God-Man—the Savior
of the human race.
V. And the Word was made flesh,
R. And dwelt among us.
Lo! Eternity and time have met, the Word
has been made flesh! The Lord
has become Our Lord—Jesus
Christ. This holiest of names, Jesus, means Savior, Christ
means the Anointed One; and now
indeed the Redemption of the world is at hand. Oh, can we not feel the very
trembling of the angels? It is the Incarnation that has finally come to pass!
Although 1981 years old, It is a Beauty ever new. Jesus said: “Abraham
rejoiced that he might see My day;”—even the holy ones of the Old Law may now
rest, satiated—”he saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56) Emmanuel—God—is with us,
and He shall not be taken away.
Now may we say:
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R. That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.
To restless human eyes, the significance of
this Event of all events, revealed by God in such simplicity, can appear
stripped of any great importance; thus in most hearts it endures a painful
lack of appreciation, especially in these days. But our Holy Mother the
Church, being a mother indeed, will not have us to be ungrateful children. Knowing
well our forgetful tendencies, in the Angelus she has provided a means of
keeping alive within us that awe and wonder properly due to the mystery of the Incarnation.
A Method . . .
The Angelus should be recited three times a
day: as early in the morning as possible (at 6:00 a.m., or upon awakening),
again at noon, and once more at 6:00 p.m. It may be said privately, of course,
but whenever recited with others, one person leads it by saying aloud the
verses and the first half of the Hail Mary—that
is, until “blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.” The others make the
responses and say the second part of the Hail
Mary;—then all join in to say the closing prayer. For the sake of uniformity,
where the faithful may not be gathered together in one place, the traditional
practice has the Angelus said to the stroke of a bell—three rings for each
verse, response, and Hail Mary; then
nine more throughout the final prayer—eighteen strokes in all.
A Legacy…
Numberless are the saints who were born or
who died, by the providence of God, “as the Angelus was sounding” from the town
bell or from local Church and monastery steeples. Thus was a holy future often
prophesied, or a life of heroic sanctity confirmed, by Him who is pleased to
reveal, as He sees fit, those souls whose lives further the effect of that
Incarnation so admirably honored in the Angelus.
There is not a saint to be named, of recent
centuries, who did not claim devotion to the Angelus. To name but one, Saint
Germaine Cousin. The little shepherdess of Pibrac in France, would drop to her
knees in prayer upon hearing the Angelus ring—even while crossing a stream.
And the bells themselves are greatly reverenced.
Many are preserved, even from before the Middle Ages, and the greater number
bear inscriptions, usually in Latin, that indicate their holy employment.
Often in France they read Ave Maria, and
many in England honor Saint Gabriel—for example: “I am sweet as honey, and am
called Gabriel’s bell,” and “Gabriel the messenger bears joyous tidings to holy
Mary.”
A Reason…
Through the Annunciation came the
Incarnation; by the Incarnation is Christmas brought to us. From the beginning
that is Christmas we arrive at the end that is our Redemption on Calvary.
Through Calvary we are given the Resurrection, then the Ascension—through
which, if we save our souls, we attain the bliss of heaven and the Vision of
God.
Let
us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy
grace into our hearts; that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was
made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought
to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Through the Angelus we say “Thank you” to
God and His Holy Mother. And, through the Angelus, we poor pilgrims also beg
the grace of strength to faithfully persevere through our exile upon earth,
unto a share of eternal life in our true and lasting homeland.
Sunday, 13 August 2017
GUIDE TO EXAMINE YOUR CONSCIENCE BEFORE CONFESSION FOR FAITHFUL CATHOLICS
Many of us may be tempted to begin our examination of conscience when we get in line at the confessional. There is nothing wrong with this practice if the line looks something like this:
However, you don’t want to get caught in the middle of your examination when it is your turn to go in to the confessional. If you don’t regularly examine your conscience, it may take awhile before you are fully prepared. Next time you go to confession, consider preparing before you go; for one should not simply just go to confession, but rather make the best confession possible.
One of the essential pieces in the Rite of Penance is the examination of conscience. We take an internal self-examination of our spiritual life and bring to light those sins that keep us from a more intimate relationship with Christ. Here, we recall our sins and faults committed since our last confession.
There are several ways to make a good examination of conscience. One of the easiest and most common ways to examine your conscience is by turning to the Ten Commandments for guidance. In this way you will prepare your heart and mind for confession by contemplating on the Word of God.
Each of the Ten Commandments can be broken down into questions. For example, if you ask yourself if you have killed someone – for most of us it is an obvious no. But, we may fail to grasp the entirety of the commandment. We may not have physically killed an individual but have we emotionally, physically, or spiritually hurt ourselves and others? This brings the fifth commandment into a whole new light.
The examination of conscience below is based on the Ten Commandments. Begin by praying. This will put you in the best frame of mind for recalling your sins.
PRAYER BEFORE CONFESSION BY ST. JEROME
“Show me, O Lord, Your mercy, and delight my heart with it. Let me find You whom I so longingly seek. Behold, here is the man whom the robbers seized, manhandled, and left half dead on the road to Jericho. Kind-hearted Samaritan, come to my aid! I am the sheep who wandered into the wilderness. Seek after me and bring me home again to Your fold. Do with me according to Your Will, that I may abide with You all the days of my life, and praise You with all those who are with You in heaven for all eternity. Amen.”
questions to prayerfully consider before going to confession:
Examination of Conscience
“I am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other gods besides me.”
1. Have I doubted or denied God’s existence?
2. Have I been ungrateful to God for His benefits?
3. Am I open to God’s will?
4. Do I rely solely on myself and not on God?
5. Have I abandoned the Catholic Faith?
6. Have I joined a non-Catholic church or anti-Catholic group?
7. Have I refused to believe any truths of the Faith or any teachings of the Church?
8. Did I fail to profess or defend the Faith?
9. Have I failed to go to confession at least once a year?
10. Have I been faithful to my daily prayers?
11. Have I practiced any superstitions?
12. Am I unwilling to turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s work in my soul?
“You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.”
13. Have I taken the Lord’s name in vain, for example, carelessly, in anger, or surprise?
14. Do I speak irreverently of holy persons, places or things?
15. Have I cursed myself or others?
16. Did I use profanity?
17. Have I called down evil upon anyone or anything?
18. Did I get angry with God?
19. Have I angered others so as to make them curse?
20. Have I broken a vow made to God?
21. Have I murmured or complained about God?
“Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.”
22. Did I miss Mass on a Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation?
23. Did I arrive to Mass late or leave early?
24. Did I receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin?
25. Have I been irreverent while receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament?
26. Have I been willfully distracted during Mass?
27. Do I distract others during Mass?
28. Have I done unnecessary work on Sunday?
“Honor your father and your mother.”
29. Have I disobeyed, insulted, or shown disrespect to my parents or legitimate superiors?
30. Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?
31. Did I neglect to give a good religious example to my family?
32. Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous toward my family?
33. Have I failed to meet my children’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational needs?
34. Have I disobeyed the lawful demands of my superiors, teachers, or employer?
35. Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children?
36. Did I cause anyone to leave the Catholic Church?
37. Did I cause tension and fights in my family?
38. Did I care for my aged and infirm relatives?
“You shall not kill.”
39. Did I kill or physically injure anyone?
40. Did I have an abortion, or advise someone else to have an abortion?
41. Do I use artificial contraception or birth control?
42. Have I entertained thoughts of suicide, desired to commit suicide, or attempted suicide?
43. Have I participated in euthanasia or assisted suicide?
44. Have I placed others in harms way, by driving or texting inappropriately?
45. Have I failed to help someone in danger or in need?
46. Do I drink or smoke excessively or abuse prescribed drugs?
47. Have I wished evil on anyone?
48. Do I deliberately harbor unkind and revengeful thoughts about others?
49. Have I taken revenge?
50. Have I used harsh or abusive language toward others?
51. Have I spread gloom through my words and actions?
52. Is there anyone with whom I refuse to speak, or against whom I bear a grudge?
53. Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortunes?
54. Have I led others into sin?
“You shall not commit adultery” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife”
55. Did I commit impure acts with another – fornication (premarital sex) or adultery (sex with a married person)?
56. Did I commit impure acts by myself (masturbation)?
57. Do I engage in homosexual acts?
58. Have I refused my spouse the marriage right without good reason?
59. Am I dating someone who is civilly divorced but still bound by a valid marriage?
60. Did I marry or advise anyone to marry outside the Catholic Church?
61. Have I willfully entertained impure thoughts or desires?
62. Did I respect all members of the opposite sex, or have I objectified them?
63. Have I read, listened to, viewed, or spoken of impure things?
64. Have I worn revealing or immodest clothing?
65. Have I succumbed occasions of impurity?
“You shall not steal.”
66. Have I stolen money or property?
67. Have I cheated?
68. Have I failed to make restitution for what I stole?
69. Have I intentionally damaged property?
70. Have I accepted or bought stolen property?
71. Have I helped someone steal?
72. Am I dishonest in my business dealings?
73. Have I failed to make restitution for my stealing, cheating and frauds?
74. Do I gamble excessively?
75. Have I borrowed without permission?
76. Have I failed to return things borrowed?
77. Did I waste time at work, school or at home?
78. Have I cheated my employer of an honest day’s work?
79. Have I cheated my employees of their wages?
80. Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent need?
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
81. Have I lied deliberately?
82. Have I deliberately misled or deceived anyone?
83. Did I gossip or reveal others’ faults or sins?
84. Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?
85. Have I signed false documents?
86. Have I failed to prevent the defamation of another’s character?
87. Have I revealed secrets and betrayed trust?
88. Do I make false judgments and harbor false suspicions?
89. Have a failed to forgive someone or held a grudge?
90. Have I failed to apologize or make amends?
91. Did I fail to keep secret what should be confidential?
92. Have I disclosed another’s sins without serious reason?
“You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
93. Am I greedy or selfish?
94. Am I envious of someone’s possessions, talents, or blessings?
95. Do I indulge in self-pity?
96. Am I proud, vain, or desire to be praised?
97. Have I exaggerated my success?
98. Have I minimized or made excuses for my failures?
99. Have I measured my charity by what others have given, rather than my ability to give?
Going to confession can be overwhelming and uncomfortable. This list of questions is extensive and can be daunting. It can be hard to say out loud the things in our lives that we have done wrong. Rather than looking down upon your failings, let the sorrow for sin help you overcome them. Look upon this sacrament as an opportunity to make full reparation for your sins, and restore your soul’s relationship with God. If you are reluctant to go to confession remember God’s mercy and compassion.
“Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall become white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall become white as wool.” (Isiah 1:18)
Remember, Christ came into the world to save sinners!
ABORTION GREAT EVIL?
Catholics believe that willingly, knowingly, and deliberately committing evil is never justifiable — no matter how good the intention and no matter how noble the cause. This is a moral absolute for Catholics, and it can’t be diluted or altered. The Church believes that if in even one circumstance, someone is allowed to knowingly and willingly commit evil so that good may come from it, then Pandora’s box is opened for anyone to claim he was merely doing a so-called necessary evil for the greater good in the long run. So the Church teaches that one innocent life can’t be taken even if it would save hundreds, thousands, or millions.
VALUING THE LIVES OF BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD
Often, people say that the Catholic Church opts for the child over the mother. Not the case at all. If a pregnant woman has a heart attack and needs emergency surgery, it’s considered morally permissible to put her under anesthesia and operate, even though it’s likely that she’ll spontaneously abort the unborn fetus as a consequence.
The distinction is that her body is doing the act of ejecting the fetus as an effect of the primary action of the doctors who are trying to save both lives — the mother and the baby. If the baby dies naturally, the Church believes that no sin has been committed. But if the doctor or nurse directly kills the baby, that’s considered murder, the taking of an innocent life.
ACTING QUICKLY IN THE CASE OF RAPE
Even the horror and tragedy of rape or incest isn’t considered cause to kill an innocent unborn life. If possible, the woman — who is also considered an innocent victim — can get treatment as soon as possible to try to prevent conception from occurring immediately after the rape or incest.
Moral theologians and doctors say that it takes several hours to a day for the sperm to reach the egg, so the Church permits a female rape victim to be given a contraceptive only if ovulation or conception haven’t yet taken place and the drug given isn’t an abortifacient — a so-called contraceptive that doesn’t prevent fertilization and conception but rather removes, destroys, or prevents implantation of the embryo.
The Church’s stand is that even though she’s an innocent victim of a horrible evil, the unborn child is also an innocent victim. No matter what the circumstances that led to the conception, once conceived, that child has an immortal soul and has a right to live as much as the mother.
WHY DATING IS NOT TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE BY CHRISTIANS
I believe it is a “feel good” kind of word. Some Christians find the word “dating” to be a negative term due to their secular counterparts using the term excessively. I think a single Christian person using “courtship” to describe their dating life wants to psychologically believe they are doing something a little better, a bit more nobler than merely “dating”.
These two words, however, should NOT be used interchangeably. They are two very different words, with different meanings, and indicate two different places in the process towards marriage. In fact, with regards to “dating” I should not be too quick to say that this term necessarily included in the process towards marriage.
There is a fundamental different between courtship and dating. Dating does not necessarily mean the persons are interested in marriage at all, let alone interested in determining if this person they are dating might be the person they should marry one day. For many, dating is a form of entertainment, something to do with one’s free time. It is completely possible to date someone with absolutely no intention of considering them for marriage.
Courtship, on the other hand, absolutely does have marriage in mind. To say that you are courting someone or are in a courtship is basically to say “I am moving toward potential marriage with this person, and we shall see how it goes.” It also absolutely implies exclusivity with the person. To enter into courtship means to put a hold on considering any other person for marriage in order to focus on determining if this person you are courting is the one to become engaged to marry.
Notice that courtship is not engagement. To become engaged to a person is to make a decision to marry. Courtship wants to focus only on the person you “think” might be the one you want to spend the rest of your life with.
Those who enter into courtship are pretty sure they have found the one. They are not going into courtship with any thought that it is not the one. Otherwise, they would not be exclusive. It is quite a big step to become formally exclusive with someone. It is a practice run of making the formal decision to forsake all others on the day you exchange vows. In courtship, you do forsake all others, but not as a vow, but rather as a trial run.
Because it means exclusivity, courtship needs to be a short period of time, and have a definitive end. It cannot be open ended. Otherwise, you risk hurting each other in a way you do not wish to, but can simply because you are not yet married. It risks looking like and acting like you are married, when you have not formally made the commitment. It risks giving in to the temptation to do that one thing reserved ONLY to married couples because you become so used to each other and, what the heck, you love each other and are practically married anyway, so why not?
At the practical level, you want to be in courtship for a short time, with the agreement to get engaged or end the relationship at the end of that time period. This ensures that hearts are not too invested beyond repair, and that both persons are able to become available to new persons.
Another reason courtship is usually entered into when both are pretty certain they have found the one is because the reality of starting over from scratch with a new person and going through the process again is draining and deflating. It’s very similar to building a house. When you have done it once, you are not inclined to do it again. It is much too involved and comes at a high price.
So courtship should not be used interchangeably with dating, and should not be entered into lightly. However, if it the courtship does not work out, you have avoid rushing into a marriage that you may likely have regretted later. Courtship, as a process, ensures that all the right steps have been taken and all the right things have been talked about in order to come to the closest conclusion possible that you are in love and want to spend the rest of your life with this person. I usually advise couples in courtship to make sure they have taken a good, long road trip together so they can experience all the sides of each other, which a long road trip seems to bring out. If you can endure each other’s faults, quirks, and negatives sides, and still say “I love you!”, then you have what you are looking for.
I assume at this point my focus on courtship has provided some insight into what dating is. First, dating is NOT courtship. The best way to describe dating is that it is a sampling process. You date in order to sample the person. You spend non-commitment time with the person in order to see if there is an all around attraction to that person enough to move on to “serious dating.” Serious dating is no longer a sampling process. You have realized you want to be married and have learned more about yourself and the kind of person you are attracted to from your dating experience.
Some people never stop sampling. In fact, they unfortunately allow themselves to cheapen their offering by showing they only want to sample, and never purchase. You know the many sample food stations in Costco? I know a man who told me he goes in there to have lunch by partaking in all the sample stations, and then leaves. As if Costco is in business to hand out free lunches. What is Costco’s goal with these sample stations? To “sell” the product they are allowing people to sample.
Single persons who want to get married are in this same situation. They are putting themselves out there to sample in hopes to find a buyer. This particularly pertains to women, since men are the purchasers (the ones who propose).
Dating today has sadly become a free-for-all of perpetual samplers, which no intention to buy (make a permanent commitment). Worse, they naturally are inclined to want to sample the marriage-only goods as well, proving further they don’t want the commitment and responsibility that comes with the dating process toward marriage. I think these persons should be made to where a tag that says “Samples Only” so the single people serious about finding the right person and ready to make a commitment can avoid wasting time with the sample-only people.
Dating is a great thing, as long as people are willing to make commitment moves. Move on to serious dating, and then to being willing to be exclusive, and then to courtship, and then engagement, and then marriage. Otherwise, it is just socializing with friends. True, serious dating seeks to find your best friend. Courtship confirms that you found that best friend.
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