The beauty of marriage (Part 1)

On Wednesday night, we had another "Theology on Tap" at Tonic.  This was our third time doing it and got another decent showing.  The groups have been excellent - really into the topics and asking penetrating questions.  They seemed especially grateful for Wednesday's discussion on marriage.  Basically, I told some stories from weddings I have officiated, laid out my marriage preparation program, and went through some excerpts from a talk I give to engaged couples, "The Beauty of Marriage".  After all that, I opened it up for questions.  Interestingly, there was only one or two questions about annulments (that usually dominates when talking about the sacrament of Holy Matrimony), none on divorce, and a few on same-sex marriage.  One general point for those who were there (and for all of us) for that intense part of the discussion:  God has said that same-sex relations are sinful, and every sin is hurtful.  So, it is an act of love to defend the Church's teaching about same-sex relationships.

I started the talk with a few stories.  One time, I officiated a wedding in Philadelphia.  At the rehearsal dinner, I was asked to bless the food.  After the blessing, I yelled out to the room of about 80 Philadelphia Eagles fans, "Go Redskins!"  A moment of stunned silence ensued.  Then, a loud chorus of boos..!  In my homily at another wedding, I told the story of how the couple met: at a bar, the groom was filled with "liquid courage" and told the bride that she was the "most beauuuutiful woman...in the whoooole world".  I embelished the way he said it, of course, and included a slurring of some words.  Apparently, in telling the story and to the extent that I did, I stole half of the best's toast at the wedding reception!  One time, I started a wedding without the bride.   She was taking forever in the vestibule, and we were on a limited schedule.  So, when I walked into the Church ready to start, she immediately began to process down the aisle.  She joined the groom and me, and I said, "thanks for coming". 

I told one last story which led into a serious point that I would hit later.  One couple who came for marriage prep was extraordinary ignorant about their Catholic faith.  Some of our discussions were painful because they were so clueless.  But, they were like sponges during the whole process..they soaked up everything I said and taught.  So, at their rehearsal dinner, one of the bridesmaids made the comment, "yeah, so, (the bride) told me what you talked about with them, that contraception prevents not only procreation, but union.  I totally agree".  I  could...not...believe it. Wow, awesome, Lord!

I explained my marriage prep program: six meetings with couples.  In the first meeting, I interview each and do the prenuptial questionnaire from the Archdiocese which includes many canonical questions (mainly that each is free to marry the other) while the other takes a survey called "Foccus".  In the next meeting, we review the results of the survery, and the couple is usually crushed to know that they are not as compatible as they thought.  Normally, though, it just reveals all the things that they have not discussed.  And, need to discuss!  In the next meetings, I lead discussions on God's Plan / marriage as vocation and living holiness in marriage, communication / prayer, the good news about sex (a talk I give in the setting of Eucharistic Adoration), the "beauty of marriage", and planning the wedding liturgy.  They also have to attend a "Pre Cana" weekend with the Archdiocese with other couples to go over a lot of this same stuff but also to learn much about Natural Family Planning.  My program is pretty intense and thorough, but it's out of love for marriage and for the couple that I demand six meetings and discuss all these important things.  It's worth it!!

Next week in Part 2, I will post the notes from my talk, "The Beauty of Marriage", most of which I presented on Wednesday night.  To be continued...

 

5th Sunday of Lent - homily

We've had a few problems recently uploading my Sunday homilies; for whatever reason, our website podcasts weren't playing them in full length.  Thanks to Michael Russo and Dave Bentz, though, I think we have the problem fixed. 

Please click on today's title to go into our website and click on the "play" button by the podcast.  We will try to upload my homilies from recent weeks on the site, too.

3-year-old Padre-to-be?

Please pray for all GW Catholics who are discerning a religious vocation.  Currently, it's a few women and a handful of men.  For many of our women, the past year or two has been the first time they have seen or been exposed to religious sisters.  Two Servants of the Lord come to our Tuesday dinners every week and have a blast with us; we serve with the Missionaries of Charity once a month; and, some of our girls have taken an interest in checking out the Sisters of Life.  Most of our active women are freshmen and sophomores, so it is still early in their discernment.  But, they quickly laugh off the idea of becoming a nun when I propose it casually.  They all say they want to have children.  (they eventually get around to saying they want a husband...!).  Ladies, this is a beautiful desire, of course, but every religious sister has the same desire! Jesus has asked them to sacrifice that desire for the sake of the kingdom (Mt 19:12).  He might be asking the same of you, who knows.  Just, please be open to whatever His Will is for you.  You are sooo good and beautiful.

It has been an interesting experience working with our men in discernment this year.  Several of them have shown the signs of being called to priesthood and/or interest in being a priest.  They are seniors, grad students, and alumni who could enter seminary this fall if it was God's Will.  These are good men!  I have had friends, family, vocations, societies, cloistered nuns, and even Cardinal Wuerl praying for these men. While only one of them is seriously considering entering seminary in the near future, just about all of them have shown signs of growth in holiness and discerning their vocation.  I believe that more than one of them is called to be a priest, so hopefully those who are called will hear God's voice and respond....sooner than later.

Just recently, a few other male juniors and sophomores have shown serious signs that they are called to and/or are interested in the priesthood.  Right now, they are simply living out their Call to Holiness (which Vatican II said we all have!) which is extraordinary to witness.  We are having a men's discernment dinner this Thursday.  Two of last year's stars at the Newman Center and current seminarians, Andrew Buonopane and John Sollee, will be speaking to the guys about their journeys to the seminary as well as life in the seminary.  Please pray that it is a fruitful night for our men.

One thing that Andrew and John might say on Thursday, which is true of most seminarians and priests, is that they practiced saying Mass in their homes at some point growing up.  I know I did.  You might have heard about this before.  But, I imagine you have never seen a video of it, and certainly not of a 3 year old doing it! The video below is such a clip...and it is precious.  The future "Father Isaiah"??

GW Catholics go national!

So, this picture of GW Catholics praying the rosary in front of the White House was on the cover of the Catholic Standard (the Catholic newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington) recently!  It's a great pic, and we are so grateful to the Standard for their professional and generous coverage of the event.  But, the story has been picked up by other Catholic news services around the country.  GW Catholics have gone national! And, viral...hopefully; it has been splashed around the internet pretty well.  Thanks to all who have helped to tell others about the amazing witness of the Catholic students at GW!

There's another reason why GW Catholics have gone national.  Our idea to have a rally is being replicated in over 100 places around the country today.  There are rallies to protect religious liberty as a response to the HHS mandate around 12 noon EST throughout the U.S.  Ok, so maybe they thought of this themselves; but maybe, GW Catholics (in particular, our Pro-Life Director, Chris Crawford) gave them the idea...!   However the rallies have come about, praise God that they are!  Praise God whenever good responds to evil, and that "where sin abounds, grace abounds the more". 

Here is the Catholic Standard article; to view the article online, please click on today's title.


In front of White House, G.W. students pray for religious freedom

MARK ZIMMERMANN

Editor

Their number was biblical, and their message reflected their belief in the Gospel and in the U.S. Constitution. On March 3, Catholic students from George Washington University on short notice organized a Mass of Conscience. Then their group of 12 prayed the rosary outside the White House, as a prayerful witness for the religious freedom that they believe is threatened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' mandate requiring health insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, sterilizations and contraceptives.

Standing at a small altar behind a stained glass window that read, "With God, All Things Are Possible," Father Greg Shaffer, the chaplain at George Washington University's Newman Center, celebrated the Mass of Conscience at the center's chapel.

"It (this issue) is not about contraception. It's about being forced to act against our conscience," said the priest, who said the mandate threatens the Catholic Church's charitable, health care and educational outreach in this country. "That's what's at stake."

Father Shaffer said that numbers didn't matter on that day - their witness did, and he praised the students for being catalysts in standing up for religious freedom. He said he hoped their example would spur an archdiocesan-wide movement. "Today we're prayerfully and peacefully making our voices heard," the college chaplain said.

Before walking to the White House, the students ate subs together downstairs at the Newman Center. Lindsay Butkus, a sophomore majoring in communications at nearby George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., was invited by a G.W. student to join the prayer vigil.

"I came out today as a Catholic. Being able to live my beliefs is very important to me. I don't agree with the health care mandate," she said, adding that despite the Obama Administration's announced accommodation, "that money (for those services) is still coming from somewhere. I don't want to give money for something I don't believe in."

Butkus said she hopes the nation's Catholics stand up for their religious freedom and against the mandate. "If we all used the voices we have, we could make a difference."

The student added, "I believe that you have to stand for something, or you can fall for anything. If we let the government control this, who knows what they'll try to control next."

The students then began walking together through the George Washington University campus, toward the White House which is about five blocks away. Three of the women held signs that together read, "PROTECT RELIGIOUS LIBERTY." They walked through the center of campus past other students who were mulling about on a mild Saturday afternoon.

"This event is important to raise awareness.. (about) the government threatening the religious liberty of a specific group of people," said Michael Russo, the student president of the G.W. Newman Center who is studying history and classics. "It (the students' witness) attaches faces to the issue. It shows people are impassioned about it and willing to stand for the issue, especially on a campus like G.W., which isn't religious."

That point was echoed by Chris Crawford, a G.W. political science major who helped organize the prayer vigil. "We organized this (because) we got upset with the mandate. We saw it as an affront to religious liberty. We're in the middle of a city and a campus where we feel like we're standing alone a lot. This was the tipping point."

The fact that G.W. students were publicly standing up for religious freedom, Crawford said. "sends a good message, that this movement is coming from G.W. We are on a really secular campus."

Prayer, he said, is "very important" in such an effort. "That's at the center of it all. It broadens the message and strengthens it. It brings it beyond politics."

As the students walked closer to the White House, Kara Dunford, a political communications major at G.W., said, "(It's) important for us at the Newman Center, as college students, to get involved in issues that are important to our future as Catholics in the United States. Particularly on this issue, it's important for us to send a message (that) it's not just bishops and priests who care about this HHS mandate, it's us as college students. We realize this encroaches on our liberties as practicing Catholics."

Dunford said the fact their witness was centered on prayer is critical. "What we're trying to show is all Church teaching is rooted in love. It's not bigotry. It's not hate. Starting with a Mass, and ending with a rosary, we can show it. We're not out there screaming with signs."

Holding the sign for "Liberty" was Justyna Felusiak, who is studying political science at G.W. "I just feel like everyone has the constitutional right to religious freedom," she said. "This is beyond me being Catholic. It's what our country was founded on, and why people came here. It's been (our) tradition and our law since the country started."

She too emphasized the importance of prayer in the effort: "As a Catholic, I feel that's a great solution to many situations and problems."

Joining the students was Bryce Garber, a lay missionary from FOCUS - the Fellowship of Catholic University Students - serving at the G.W. Newman Center. "The reason I came out today, (is) I believe in the freedom of religious expression laid out in the Constitution, and I don't think the government has any right stepping into that," he said. "...Up until this time in history, there's never been a point and time where the government has stepped in and tried to direct the practice of faith."

Then the group arrived on the sidewalk in front of the White House, and they quietly prayed the rosary together, as tourists walked by and some people took pictures of them. About a block away, protesters highlighting an international issue used a loud speaker to direct their message toward the White House.

After they had prayed the rosary, the group of George Washington University students and their friends walked together back to campus. Dan Grossano, another FOCUS missionary serving at the G.W. Newman Center, said he hoped their witness would be "the beginning of a great response against this grave violation of conscience."

The young adult said it was "encouraging to see students taking the initiative with this... An attack against one is an attack against all."

Emily Puckett, a G.W. sophomore majoring in international relations, had held the "Religious" sign, and said the students' peaceful witness was important. "We're here to pray," she said. "Everyone was here for the right reason."

She too underscored her concern for protecting religious freedom. "Religious freedom is something our country was founded on. It's so crucial," she said, expressing concern about what might happen if people remain indifferent about the HHS mandate and its future implications. "In the future, there will be no limits," she said. "It's important we stand up now. We need to stop it."

That point was also made by Nicolas Pedreira, a psychology major at G.W. "I think as a Catholic, I have a responsibility to stand up for my religious freedom in this and for the religious liberty of others," he said. "Right now, they're coming for Catholics. Who knows where the government will go next in its breach of religious freedom."

Those moments praying quietly in front of the White House were important, he said. "It's good it's a silent protest, that will catch people's attention. We stood firm in our faith."

George Washington University student Christina Longofono, a history major, also emphasized the importance of prayer in the effort to protect religious freedom. "Jesus said, 'I am the vine, and you are the branches. Apart from me, you can do nothing.' It's very important that we not only acknowledge God, but involve him in our efforts to protect our right to worship him."

On Tuesdays, she joins other Catholic students in praying the rosary outside an abortion clinic on campus, and sometimes people curse at them, so Longofono said she wasn't worried about what reaction their prayer vigil would provoke.

"This isn't an issue that just faces Catholic Americans. It faces all Americans... If the government can take way the (religious freedom) rights of one people, it can take away everyone's rights," she said.

As she walked with her friends back to campus, she added, "Culturally, this is not a popular issue. It's important that we do what's right, even when everyone is not on our side."

"St Joe, My Beau"

I have posted a blog or two from one of our former students who has her own blog site.  She sent me her post from Monday which was the Solemnity of St. Joseph. She has been one of the main beneficiaries of his powerful intercession among GW Catholics, so she wanted to write on Monday about his amazing intercession in her life recently.  I preached at Monday's Masses about her and other students who have seen clear and poignant results from doing novenas to St. Joseph. 

The following are excerpts from her account of seeing his loving and merciful work in her life.  To view the full text, please click on today's title.


…I was ready to give up on the whole novena thing. Oh yeah... and I was ready to give up on the whole spiritual dry spell thing, too. My mental yelling at God: You want to keep me in the dark, God? Fine. I'll just do the bare minimum to get by! No, I wasn't angry/frustrated/fed up at all!

Sensing my desperation, my spiritual director urged me to give another novena a shot. He suggested a novena to St. Joseph as our last ditch effort for me to get a job. I'm not kidding when I say "last ditch" either. I was ready to pack up and move home. I begged my way through that novena, yet it still felt pretty empty and bleak. Was someone actually listening in Heaven? I finished that novena, not expecting much to happen.

A few days later, I had a job offer.

Granted, it was for an administrative assistant position for a property management company (i.e. not related to my field at all), but it was a JOB.

…I thought that getting a job would solve all my problems, especially spiritually. I thought that once I didn't have the worry of being job-less looming over me, my spiritual dry spell would dry up and all would be right with my world again. Except it wasn't. I was thankful to have a paycheck every two weeks, but I also knew that my search was not over. It was clear to me that my job was not my calling in life, and I struggled to figure out how to continue discerning the next step. The spiritual dryness still persisted, and while I was starting to accept it, that didn't make the silence and unrest I felt in prayer any better.

…It just so happened that the timing of all of this worked out that I would be finishing up my novena on Ash Wednesday, the unofficial anniversary of my spiritual dry spell. Coincidence? I'll leave that for you, dear reader, to decide.

Knowing that it was probably because of St. Joseph that I got a job before, I tried to pour my heart and soul into my broad novena intention. Throughout the nine days, however, my simple intention evolved into more and more petitions, desires that had been lying on my heart that I had been ignoring. I started to glimpse little flickers of light and feel tiny waves of peace rushing over me when I prayed, but they didn't last very long.

Day nine arrived, and I spent part of my lunch break praying my novena in front of the Blessed Sacrament, begging dear St. Joseph to show me something... anything! Part of me hoped that I would be rewarded with a spectacular vision of my life all laid out, but I left adoration without any new revelations. By this time, I wasn't too surprised. I had become fully accustomed to my dry spell.

It was that night when things started to get weird. One of the intentions that had shoved its way into my nine days of prayer popped up, and I dared to think, "Could this be a result of my novena?"** Not wanting to set myself up for disappointment though, I tried not to read anything into it, and I went to sleep that night still waiting for answers.

**This became the very specific intention of my next St. Joe novena, which I finished today!

The next day was any other day, just a normal Thursday. I'd missed a call while at work, and I finally got a chance to check my voicemail while driving home.

This is [insert name of HR person here] at the US [insert government agency name here] calling to make you a job offer as a [insert job title here]. The salary is [insert number that is way more than I've ever made in my life here]. If you could please give me a call back, I would be happy to give you more details. Congratulations, we're excited to have you join us!

Can you imagine my shock?

But wait, it gets better.

I got home and not only did I have an email from this person with more details, but I had another job offer in my inbox from a company in Ohio.

This is when I started freaking out! After almost a year of job craziness, I suddenly had two job options staring me in the face?!

St. Joseph, I asked you to show me what's next! How are TWO JOB OFFERS showing me what's next? That's making me make a decision! You were just supposed to show me everything... Oh wait.... I get it.

St. Joseph was a father and husband, chosen by God to lead the holiest of families. He lived his life as a faithful servant to Christ, working hard to provide whatever his family needed. He did all of this with humility, despite the suffering he had to have endured throughout his life, and was graced with the privilege of dying in the arms of Jesus and Mary. This same St. Joe has become my Heavenly beau, my cheerleader, my guide. He wants me out of that desert so that I too can live my life as a faithful servant to Christ.

So, don't be surprised if I start hanging out with St. Joe all the time. We do practically everything together now. You might even say we're attached at the spiritual hip. I want to keep my friend with me in my daily life, so that hopefully I will someday get to meet him in Heaven so I can say, "Thank you, St. Joe, my beau!"

Remember, most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.

"The true center of my Catholic faith is rooted in service"

Last week, thirteen of us had an amazing week of service during our Alternative Spring Break in Appalachia.  One of our students has blogged about the trip and gave me permission to post it here.  I'm not surprised knowing her and so many of our other superstar college students here, but it's still kind of mind-blowing that the following comes from the beautiful heart and intellect of a 20-year-old!



Whenever I tell people that I’m Catholic, they usually come to one of two conclusions: either they think that I’m just a casual church-goer who only hits the pews when I feel apologetic about living a typical college lifestyle or that I’m a hardcore, Bible-thumping maniac who judges everyone in my sight. However, neither of these assessments are accurate. Over the years, my faith in God has manifested itself through a love of both the consecrated Eucharist (the actual body and blood of Christ) and a passion for service to my fellow man; while I do believe in the seemingly crazy Catholic doctrine on the life and divinity of Jesus Christ, I choose to demonstrate His love and light through my actions and service for the world around me. Cue my alternative spring break trip down to West Virginia with the GW Newman Center:


In Mount Hope, WV, lives a Vietnam War veteran named Carl Taylor whose mobile home burned down in an electrical fire a few weeks ago. Since the accident, the organization West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps has been sending volunteers to demolish, rebuild and clean up his home. For a week, 13 GW Catholics, including our chaplain Father Greg Shaffer and campus minister Amy West, put up dry wall, installed new windows and painted Carl’s entire home. We spent the week rolling up our sleeves and giving of our time, effort and (sad day for a particular sophomore) blood in order to restore both Carl’s living conditions and hope for the future. With only a few family members to support him, our care, love and tireless effort helped him to grab a toe-hold in the middle of this tumultuous time and know that, no matter how hopeless his situation might seem, there are people who genuinely care for him and will be praying for his and his home’s full recovery.

The heart of the Catholic Church is the person of Jesus Christ. To be Catholic means to live out His teachings and His beautiful dedication to humility, passion and above all, love. The true center of my Catholic faith is rooted in service - to Christ and to my neighbor. Saint Francis urged Catholics to, “at all times, preach the Gospel and when necessary, use words”; even though there are so many amazing passages in the Bible that speak to God’s unending love, it is infinitely better to demonstrate that love by sacrificing of yourself for the good of others and experience that glowing joy within your own heart as well. The thirteen of us were so blessed to be able to work with WVMAW and Carl this past week because it opened our eyes to this service-based approach to faith and rededicated our hearts to the humility and passion of sharing God’s love. No matter what alternative spring break GW students went on this past week, whether it be Kansas, NOLA, my beloved West Virginia or any other, I’m confident that we all, religious or not, experienced the same thing: that when our lives and hearts are truly dedicated to service, we allow our light to shine through and positively impact everyone we encounter.

"We have to prepare for tough times"

The following are excerpts from the most recent letter of Cardinal Dolan to all U.S. bishops regarding the HHS mandate. His words are strong and clear. How good God is to give us such solid leadership when we need it most! To read the full letter, please click on today’s title.


Have a great Spring Break! We pray that you will be safe, good, and holy.



March 2, 2012

My brother bishops,


...When the President announced on January 20th that the choking mandates from HHS would remain, not only we bishops and our Catholic faithful, but people of every faith, or none at all, rallied in protest. The worry that we had expressed -- that such government control was contrary to our deepest political values -- was eloquently articulated by constitutional scholars and leaders of every creed.

On February 10th, the President announced that the insurance providers would have to pay the bill, instead of the Church’s schools, hospitals, clinics, or vast network of charitable outreach having to do so. He considered this “concession” adequate. Did this help? We wondered if it would, and you will recall that the Conference announced at first that, while withholding final judgment, we would certainly give the President’s proposal close scrutiny. Well, we did -- and as you know, we are as worried as ever.

For one, there was not even a nod to the deeper concerns about trespassing upon religious freedom, or of modifying the HHS’ attempt to define the how and who of our ministry. Two, since a big part of our ministries are “self-insured,” we still ask how this protects us. We’ll still have to pay and, in addition to that, we’ll still have to maintain in our policies practices which our Church has consistently taught are grave wrongs in which we cannot participate. And what about forcing individual believers to pay for what violates their religious freedom and conscience? We can’t abandon the hard working person of faith who has a right to religious freedom. And three, there was still no resolution about the handcuffs placed upon renowned Catholic charitable agencies, both national and international, and their exclusion from contracts just because they will not refer victims of human trafficking, immigrants and refugees, and the hungry of the world, for abortions, sterilization, or contraception. In many ways, the announcement of February 10 solved little and complicated a lot. We now have more questions than answers, more confusion than clarity.

So the important question arises: What to do now? How can we bishops best respond, especially united in our common pastoral ministry as an Episcopal Conference? For one, under the ongoing leadership of Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Bishop Blaire and Bishop Lori we will continue our strong efforts of advocacy and education. In the coming weeks the Conference will continue to provide you, among other things, with catechetical resources on the significance of religious freedom to the Church and the Church’s teaching on it from a doctrinal and moral perspective. We are developing liturgical aids to encourage prayer in our efforts and plans on how we can continue to voice our public and strong opposition to this infringement on our freedom. And the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty, that has served the Conference so well in its short lifespan, will continue its extraordinary work in service to this important cause.

Two, we will ardently continue to seek a rescinding of the suffocating mandates that require us to violate our moral convictions, or at least insist upon a much wider latitude to the exemptions so that churches can be free of the new, rigidly narrow definition of church, minister and ministry that would prevent us from helping those in need, educating children and healing the sick, no matter their religion.

In this regard, the President invited us to “work out the wrinkles.” We have accepted that invitation. Unfortunately, this seems to be stalled: the White House Press Secretary, for instance, informed the nation that the mandates are a fait accompli (and, embarrassingly for him, commented that we bishops have always opposed Health Care anyway, a charge that is scurrilous and insulting, not to mention flat out wrong. Bishop Blaire did a fine job of setting the record straight.) The White House already notified Congress that the dreaded mandates are now published in the Federal Registry “without change.” The Secretary of HHS is widely quoted as saying, “Religious insurance companies don’t really design the plans they sell based on their own religious tenets.” That doesn’t bode well for their getting a truly acceptable “accommodation.”

At a recent meeting between staff of the bishops’ conference and the White House staff, our staff members asked directly whether the broader concerns of religious freedom—that is, revisiting the straight-jacketing mandates, or broadening the maligned exemption—are all off the table. They were informed that they are. So much for “working out the wrinkles.” Instead, they advised the bishops’ conference that we should listen to the “enlightened” voices of accommodation, such as the recent, hardly surprising yet terribly unfortunate editorial in America. The White House seems to think we bishops simply do not know or understand Catholic teaching and so, taking a cue from its own definition of religious freedom, now has nominated its own handpicked official Catholic teachers.

We will continue to accept invitations to meet with and to voice our concerns to anyone of any party, for this is hardly partisan, who is willing to correct the infringements on religious freedom that we are now under. But as we do so, we cannot rely on off the record promises of fixes without deadlines and without assurances of proposals that will concretely address the concerns in a manner that does not conflict with our principles and teaching.

Congress might provide more hope, since thoughtful elected officials have proposed legislation to protect what should be so obvious: religious freedom. Meanwhile, in our recent debate in the senate, our opponents sought to obscure what is really a religious freedom issue by maintaining that abortion inducing drugs and the like are a “woman’s health issue.” We will not let this deception stand. Our commitment to seeking legislative remedies remains strong. And it is about remedies to the assault on religious freedom. Period. (By the way, the Church hardly needs to be lectured about health care for women. Thanks mostly to our Sisters, the Church is the largest private provider of health care for women and their babies in the country.) Bishop William Lori, Chairman of our Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty, stated it well in a recent press release: “We will build on this base of support as we pursue legislation in the House of Representatives, urge the Administration to change its course on this issue, and explore our legal rights under the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”

Perhaps the courts offer the most light. In the recent Hosanna-Tabor ruling, the Supreme Court unanimously defended the right of a Church to define its own ministry and services, a dramatic rebuff to the administration, apparently unheeded by the White House. Thus, our bishops’ conference, many individual religious entities, and other people of good will are working with some top-notch law firms who feel so strongly about this that they will represent us pro-bono. In the upcoming days, you will hear much more about this encouraging and welcome development.

Given this climate, we have to prepare for tough times. Some, like America magazine, want us to cave-in and stop fighting, saying this is simply a policy issue; some want us to close everything down rather than comply (In an excellent article, Cardinal Francis George wrote that the administration apparently wants us to “give up for Lent” our schools, hospitals, and charitable ministries); some, like Bishop Robert Lynch wisely noted, wonder whether we might have to engage in civil disobedience and risk steep fines; some worry that we’ll have to face a decision between two ethically repugnant choices: subsidizing immoral services or no longer offering insurance coverage, a road none of us wants to travel.

Brothers, we know so very well that religious freedom is our heritage, our legacy and our firm belief, both as loyal Catholics and Americans. There have been many threats to religious freedom over the decades and years, but these often came from without. This one sadly comes from within. As our ancestors did with previous threats, we will tirelessly defend the timeless and enduring truth of religious freedom...


With prayerful best wishes, I am

Fraternally in Christ,

Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Catholic Trivia!

Last night, we played "Catholic Trivia" after the Tuesday dinner. We did this two years ago with the same questions, but almost all of our active students are freshmen and sophomores.  Unless they read my blog from Jan, 2010, they hadn't heard the questions.  I was hearing confessions during the game, but popped my head in for part of it; they all seemed to enjoy it very much.  And, they did quite well from what I have heard (I don't think as well as the group two years ago who got every question correct except for one - the first question of Round 2).  Each player on the winning team took home a $25 gift card!

These are not the most difficult questions in the Catholic trivia world, but they did get the students thinking. Here are the questions and answers; see how you do!




Catholic Trivia

Round 1

1. All the following are sacraments of initiation except:
a. Baptism
b. Confession
c. Eucharist
d. Confirmation


2. Which pope issued Humanae Vitae:
a. JP II
b. Pope St. Pius X
c. Paul VI
d. John XXIII


3. The first five books of the bible are called the:
a. Pentecost
b. Pentathlon
c. Pentateuch
d. Pentagon


4. The book of prayers used at Mass is called:
a. Missal
b. Missalette
c. Lectionary
d. Sacramentary


5. All the following were Apostles except:
a. Matthew
b. Paul
c. Luke
d. John


6. What year was Jerusalem destroyed:
a. 70 BC
b. 44 AD
c. 70 AD
d. 68 AD


7. Drunkenness is a sin against which commandment:
a. First
b. Fifth
c. Seventh
d. Eighth


8. Which saint translated the bible from Greek into Latin:
a. Augustine
b. John Chrysostom
c. Jerome
d. Hilary


9. In the Beatitudes, Jesus promises that this group of people will see the “beatific vision:”
a. Peacemakers
b. Merciful
c. Pure of heart
d. Meek


10. In which Marian Apparition did the Blessed Mother ask all Catholics to pray the rosary daily for the conversion of sinners:
a. Lourdes
b. Fatima
c. Madjugore
d. La Salette


Round 2

1. Who is the second longest reigning pope:

2. In the gospel of John what is Jesus’ first miracle:

3. The Summa Theologica was written by:

4. What is the name given to the series of 129 Wednesday Audiences delivered by JPII on the meaning of human embodiment:

5. Who administers the sacrament of holy matrimony:

6. How many books are there in the Catholic Bible:

7. The four cardinal virtues are justice, fortitude, prudence and

8. What was the name of the papal bull issued in response to Martin Luther’s criticisms of the Church:

9. What is the name of the 20th C Italian Saint who sacrificed her own life for that of her child and is now the patron St. of the pro-life movement:

10. The first Catholic Church in the United States was founded where:


Final Round

1. At Mass, when does the bread and wine actually become the Body and Blood of Christ?

2. What are the three conditions of a mortal sin?

3. What was the heresy that the Church fought against which said that Jesus was not truly God?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Answers

Round 1
1 b
2 c
3 c
4 d
5 c
6 c
7 b
8 c
9 c
10 b

Round 2

1 Pius IX
2 Changing water into wine (wedding feast at Cana)
3 Thomas Aquinas
4 Theology of the Body
5 The man and woman
6 73
7 Temperance
8 Exsurge Domine (Rise up Oh Lord)
9 St. Gianna Beretta Molla
10 St. Augustine

Final Rd

1 When the priest says the words, “This is my body”…”this is the cup of my blood”
2 Grave matter, full knowledge, full consent
3 Arianism

"Abortion, Birth Control Pills Raise Breast Cancer Risk"

I guess it’s because of all the talk going on in our country about contraception, but lately I have been bombarded with information that links birth control with cancer. A friend of mine sent me this:



Here are some sites I found on Birth Control and cancer...interesting they are finding a link between birth control and prostate cancer...

www.sciencedaily/birthcontrol, www.hearthealthywomen.org/risk/birthcontrol,
www.nationalcancerinstitute/riskoforalcontraceptives,  www.webmed.com/birthcontrol-lupus,
http://www.healthland.time.com/ linkbetween birthcontroland prostate cancer



I had heard of the increased risk between the birth control pill and breast cancer before, but didn’t know about the link between the pill and prostate cancer or lupus. Why do we not hear about these connections? With all of the trillions of warnings of health risks on every possible medication and with how frequently birth control pills are prescribed, why do we NEVER hear of the health risks of the birth control pill?

Below are two sources that make the link between birth control and breast cancer. The truth needs to get out there so that people can make the right choices about their lives, their families, and which movements to follow. The first is an online article,  "Abortion, Birth Control Pills Raise Breast Cancer Risk", I found on the link between birth control and breast cancer from about.com. The second is a video by Fr. John Hollowell; the youth to whom he ministers are devouring his pamphlets on the truth about the birth control pill.  I hope to find some pamphlets for GW Catholics so that you can know the truth in clear terms, too.



In 2003, the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) sought to reassure women that using birth control pills would not raise their risk for breast cancer. NCI also told women that having an abortion was not a risk factor for breast cancer. Now it turns out that a study published in April 2009 by Jessica Dolle and other researchers of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center appears to show just the opposite: oral contraception (OCs) is linked with an increased risk for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in women who are 45 years old and younger. The research paper, "Risk factors for triple-negative breast cancer in women under the age of 45 years," was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. This research paper features a table of risk factors, which includes oral contraception use, tobacco and alcohol consumption, number of births, breastfeeding, and induced abortion.

Dolle's research shows that if you started taking birth control pills before age 18, your risk for TNBC is increased by 3.7 times. If you've been using The Pill within the last one to five years, your TBNC risk is raised 4.2 times. Triple-negative breast cancer is aggressive and strikes women who are under 40, and many victims are African Americans. Survival odds for TBNC are lower than average, compared to other types of breast cancer.

As if that news were not alarming enough, a statement in this paper refers to induced abortion as a factor that is associated with an increased breast cancer risk. One of the study co-authors, Louise Brinton, spearheaded the 2003 NCI workshop about the abortion-breast cancer link (referred to as ABC). That workshop made every effort to assure women that having an induced abortion was not linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, and that research did not support an ABC link. Keep in mind that this paper discusses only one study.

Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2002, I took birth control pills for about 5 years. They prevented conception, made me a little queasy, but seemed otherwise harmless. In those days, the hormones in The Pill were lower than contraceptives that were produced in the 1980's, so I thought they were safe. After all, a doctor prescribed them for me - so no health risk, right? Maybe they were wrong! As soon as my breast lump was detected on a mammogram, when I was 46 years old, I was told to stop taking The Pill. That was one year before NCI told us that The Pill would not raise my risk for breast cancer. Now, I wish I'd never taken it. Perhaps one's risk is not as simple as taking The Pill, or eating a healthy diet, or having a genetic mutation - but if my risk is lower now because of being off contraceptives and never having had an abortion, I'm glad there's something I can do. I just wish we could have as much information as possible, to reduce our risk of breast cancer.

College Mass of Conscience / Rally at White House tomorrow

Cardinal Wuerl just started a blog! Check it out at: http://cardinalsblog.adw.org/.



A few weeks ago, our Pro-Life Director at the Newman Center came up with a brilliant idea. He suggested that we have a Mass and rally of conscience to protest the HHS mandate. I thought his idea was so good that I called the Archdiocese immediately; they voiced approval with great enthusiasm. So, the first (I believe there will be more of these this year) Mass and Rally of Conscience will be tomorrow (March 3) at the GW Newman Center. It reminds me, of course, of the March for Life which has ballooned into a major event for the Church in the U.S. It’s always so good to be proactive with major causes…and proactive in such a solid, positive, communal way. This is what we need!

Tomorrow’s event is primarily for college students from around the area, but as the ad below says, others are invited. My guess is that the Archdiocese will hold a bigger one of these later in the year which hopefully will bring a huge presence to DC and the White House. If you cannot join us tomorrow, please pray for its fruitfulness.



Thanks to the recent Health and Human Services mandate, religious freedom is under attack in the United States. Weeks ago, The President changed the wording of the Mandate in an attempt to silence Catholics. The verbal adjustment did nothing to change the policy. The verbal adjustment did nothing to change the policy. We need to unite to send a message to our government:

People of faith are not backing down, we are doubling down!

On Saturday, March 3, 2012, college students from the greater Washington area will be joining together for a Mass for religious freedom at the GW Newman Catholic Student Center. We are encouraging college groups and people of all ages to attend this Mass and to show their solidarity with the Catholic Church in their fight to protect religious liberty.

After Mass, we will have a quick bite of lunch, then march to the White House for a short rally and to prayerfully pray the rosary outside the White House. 

Please email Chris Crawford today if you are attending – chriscra@gwmail.gwu.edu.

"Jesus Walks on the Water...Searching for Jesus" (bulletin bloopers)

My uncle sent me the following hilarious bulletin bloopers.  I bet the students here will know which one is my favorite!


They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thanks for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

--------------------------
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
--------------------------
The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.'
The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
--------------------------
Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not
worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
--------------------------
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone
who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about
you.
--------------------------
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
--------------------------
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
--------------------------
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
--------------------------
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
--------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
--------------------------
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
--------------------------
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir
practice
--------------------------
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
--------------------------
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
--------------------------
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
--------------------------
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
--------------------------
Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM -prayer and medication to follow.
--------------------------
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
--------------------------
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.
--------------------------
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the
pancake breakfast next Sunday.
--------------------------
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
-------------------------
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM.. The
congregation isinvited to attend this tragedy.
--------------------------
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the
sideentrance.
--------------------------
The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours".

Can you give $20 to support our Appalachia service trip?

Host family in Barcelona?  A very good, young woman who is a Catholic student at a midwest university will be studying spanish in Barcelona next year.  She is looking for a host couple or family with whom she can live for the school year so she can be fully immersed in the language and culture.  If you know of a family, please email me at chaplain@gwcatholic.com.
--------------------------------------------

A group of GW Catholics, Amy (our campus minister), and I will go on a service trip to Appalachia (Charleston, West Virginia) over spring break, March 10-17. It's called "Alternative Spring Break". We will be building and renovating homes for low-income families.


The students have to raise $10,000 in order to go on the trip. This covers their transportation, housing, project fees, tools, food, gas, etc.  Can you help them meet their goal?

You can help send these students on the trip by donating through our website. Click on today's title which will take you to our new site, then go to "Make a Gift". Click on the orange PayPal "donate" button. Your donation will go to the GW Newman Center which will put it toward the Alternative Spring Break trip.


A donation of $20 will pay for a student's housing for a night.

A donation of $50 will pay for a student's tools and equipment for the week.
A donation of $100 will pay for a student's transportation for the week.


On behalf of the students, thank you very much for your generosity!

1st Sunday of Lent - homily

Please click on today's title for Sunday's homily.  Once in the GW Catholics site, you might have to click on the smaller homily title twice

Stations of the Cross tonight, 5:30 pm

I just posted the homily from Ash Wednesday on the GW Catholics site.  To listen to the homily, please click on today's title which will take you into the site.  You may have to click twice on the smaller title in the site.


Tonight at Newman Center as part of our Lenten observance:

Stations of the Cross, 5:30 pm
Eucharistic Adoration from 6-7 pm.

Also, during Lent, Confession will be offered on Tuesdays from 6:30-8 pm in the Newman Center parlor (1st floor) in addition to the usual times.

Ash Wednesday!

Masses today at 12 noon, 6 pm, 8 pm - Marvin Center, 3rd floor, Grand Ballroom

"101 Practical Fasting Ideas for Lent"

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday!! Masses will be offered for GW students, faculty, administration, and guests at 12 noon, 6 pm, and 8 pm. Please note: ALL MASSES will be in the Marvin Center, 3rd floor, Grand Ballroom. Visiting priests will be offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation before, during, and after Masses.
The following is an excellent list of fasting ideas from “Catholic School Chronicle”. To view the site, please click on today’s title.

101 Practical Fasting Ideas for Lent

February 24, 2009
By Nick Senger

[Note: I've updated this list with 10 more ideas at One Catholic Life - February 17, 2010]

Fasting, praying and almsgiving are the three penitential practices that we are asked to engage in during Lent. In addition to fasting and abstaining with the rest of the Church on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, we are also challenged to make individual sacrifices appropriate to our own spiritual condition. However, before we choose something to give up for Lent, it’s important to assess our current spiritual state:

• What habits do I engage in that are destructive to my spiritual health?
• To what material things am I too attached?
• What areas in my life are unbalanced?
• To what do I devote too much or not enough time?

Only after asking questions like these are we are ready to decide what to give up or what to add to our lives during Lent. The following list is meant to be an aid in this process. Use it as you need based on your current circumstances.

“Through fasting and praying, we allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God.”

–Pope Benedict, Lenten message, 2009

1-10: The Usuals:

1. Give up candy/sweets.
2. Give up television time.
3. Give up eating snacks between meals.
4. Give up or limit soda or coffee.
5. Give up or limit video games.
6. Spend more time with family.
7. Give to the poor.
8. Do an extra chore each day.
9. Perform a random act of kindness.
10. Spend more time in prayer.

11-20: Prayer

1. Pray a book of scripture using lectio divina.
2. Attend Mass on a weekday (every day if possible).
3. Pray the rosary each day, alone or with your family.
4. Prayerfully read Abandonment to Divine Providence.
5. Make a special prayer notebook and list all the people in your life who need prayers; pray for them each day. Add someone new every day.
6. Learn to pray the Liturgy of the Hours.
7. Make a commitment to attend Eucharistic Adoration regularly.
8. Commit to examining your conscience each evening.
9. Pray the Jesus Prayer throughout the day.
10. Pray the Angelus each day at noon.

21-30: For Those Addicted to Popular Culture

1. Switch from regular radio to Christian music radio or Catholic talk radio.
2. Avoid shows with gratuitous sex or violence.
3. Give up or limit watching sports on television.
4. Listen to only classical music for the next 40 days.
5. Drive to work in silence each day.
6. Read a work of classic literature.
7. Read a Catholic classic.
8. Read a story to a child.
9. Sit in fifteen minutes of silence each day.
10. Write a letter to God each day.

31-40: For Internet Users/Bloggers

1. Set time limits on overall online time.
2. Limit Facebook time.
3. Limit Myspace time.
4. Resist making or adding to lists that rank people.
5. Share one spiritual video with your online network once a week.
6. Blog about the poor once a week.
7. Add a spiritual blog to your blog reader.
8. Subscribe to a prayer podcast like Pray As You Go or Pray Station Portable.
9. Leave an encouraging or positive comment on a different blog each day.
10. Help a new blogger by sending traffic their way.

41-50: For Those Who Need to Be More Grateful

1. Each week, write a letter of thanks to a different member of the clergy, beginning with your bishop and parish priest.
2. Each week write a thank-you note to your parents.
3. Write a poem of praise for each person in your family.
4. Get a stack of sticky-notes and write one sentence of thanks each day and stick it to the bedroom door of each person in your family so that by Easter they each have 40 sticky-notes.
5. Find the psalms of thanksgiving or praise in the Bible and pray them.
6. Write a list of the ways God has blessed you and add to it each day. This could be done in a notebook or on a big poster hanging on your wall.
7. At dinner each evening ask your family to share one thing for which they are grateful.
8. Make a CD or iPod playlist of praise and worship music and listen to it each day.
9. Make a point of saying “Thank You” a certain number of times per day.
10. Help your children write thank you letters to their teachers.

51-60: For Those With Lives Out of Balance

1. Go for a walk each day with a loved one and talk about life and faith.
2. Take the kids to the park each week for some carefree time.
3. Give up fast food and give the money to charity.
4. Exercise each day.
5. Spend at least half an hour each day in meaningful conversation with your spouse.
6. Go on a Lenten retreat.
7. Pray with Sacred Space each day.
8. Commit to a daily 3 Minute Retreat.
9. Begin the online 34-week Retreat for Everyday Life.
10. Give up your most unhealthy habit.

61-70: For Those Who Need Spiritual Nourishment

1. Read the documents of Vatican II, especially Gaudium et Spes.
2. Read The Cathechism of the Catholic Church or The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.
3. Sign up for adult formation classes at a local parish.
4. Join a Bible study.
5. Attend Stations of the Cross at a local parish.
6. Find a spiritual director.
7. Read The Imitation of Christ.
8. Listen to a free Catholic audio book from Maria Lectrix.
9. Read Introduction to the Devout Life.
10. Read a spiritual autobiography (i.e., Augustine’s Confessions, Story of a Soul, Journal of a Soul, Witness to Hope)

71-80: For Those Who Need to Increase Their Service to the Needy

1. Volunteer at soup kitchen or other food program.
2. Coordinate a food drive at your parish, school or place of employment.
3. Find out who in your parish is sick and offer to visit them or bring them food.
4. Call your local Catholic Charities office and volunteer.
5. Begin making visits to a nursing home.
6. Help an elderly or disabled person in your neighborhood with yard work or other difficult chores.
7. Become a hospital volunteer.
8. Become part of a prison ministry team.
9. Coordinate a clothing drive.
10. Make rosaries and give them away.

81-90: For Those Who Need to Be More Active in Their Parish

1. Become a lector.
2. Volunteer to become an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist
3. Volunteer to help with the parish youth group.
4. After each Mass stay awhile and introduce yourself to someone you don’t know.
5. Join the Knights of Columbus.
6. Offer to be a Confirmation sponsor.
7. Volunteer to be an usher.
8. Offer to help with funeral dinners.
9. Help with the RCIA program.
10. Volunteer to do lawn work, cleaning or other needed maintenance for the parish.

90-101: Potpourri

1. Begin to receive the Sacrament of Penance weekly.
2. Give up foul language.
3. Give up gossiping.
4. Read and study Healing the Culture.
5. Study the life of a different saint each day.
6. Cook dinner each night for your family if someone else normally does.
7. Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
8. Carry extra food in your car, purse or backpack to give to street corner beggars.
9. Begin practicing socially conscious investing.
10. Spend a week meditating on each of the seven principles of Catholic social teaching.
11. Make breakfast each morning for your family.

7th Sunday - homily

We should be familiar with today’s Gospel of the paralytic and Jesus. It is a scene that elicits much reflection and provides a few images that are good for meditation. Jesus is preaching to a packed house, literally. He is preaching and teaching. Then, four men bring their paralyzed friend to the house but can’t get in because of all the people. So, they open up the roof and lower him down. This took some doing, of course. Jesus sees what great friends this man has! They have a sense of urgency in bringing their friend to Jesus. They have strong faith, of course; it is their faith that prompts the Lord to forgive and heal their friend.


I want to focus on the scribes, though. They question Jesus’ authority to forgive the paralytic’s sins. We might wonder how and why they did that. It is Jesus! He is God, He is the Son of God. But, we know the full story about Jesus which they didn’t at that point. We know of his divine authority, and might look down on those in the gospel who questioned it. And yet, many Catholics do the same thing as the scribes when it comes to the authority of priests to forgive sins. They acknowledge the authority of priests to baptize, consecrate the Eucharist, anoint the sick and dying, but why do they approach the sacrament of Confession differently?

We discussed this last Wednesday at our “Theology on Tap”. I told some stories involving the other sacraments – getting a call two years ago to baptize a student who fell out of a building and died later after receiving the sacrament; being called to immediately perform the Anointing of the Sick on the father of a good friend of mine; being asked to come in on my day off recently to celebrate Mass because our substitute priest backed out at the last minute. In all these examples, people recognized the authority the priest has…an authority they don’t have. You recognize this when you come to Mass. You inherently believe that the bread and wine will become the Body and Blood of Christ through my hands and the words I will say. You will show this when you kneel before the elements, believing that it is the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. If it’s not – if it’s just bread and wine – then get the heck away from Mass and the Catholic Church. You would be kneeling before and worshiping bread. Talk about blasphemy! But, you rightly believe that a change happens because it does…through the priest.

So, I asked the students the other night why it is different with Confession. Why do people think that they can go directly to God, or like the scribes, only God has authority on Earth to forgive sins. The students said it was because Confession is more of a personal situation which I totally get. But, if we really believed that the power of Christ was in the priest and it was really Christ that we encounter in the confessional, how could we not go? Even if people don’t have mortal sins to confess, they would still go regularly to talk to Jesus and receive His grace through the priest.

He helps our faith as he helped the faith of those at the house. To show that He has authority to forgive sins, he says to the paralytic, “rise, pick up your mat, and walk”. The man rose, picked up his mat…and walked. The people were astonished and glorified God, saying, “we have never seen anything like this”. He performed a miracle for them! He has performed miracles through priests…many, many miracles. The priest who will celebrate the 7:30 Healing Mass has had miracles at his parish. Jesus has worked two miracles through me – a broken foot that healed (the bone healed up within a week!) and a brain tumor that disappeared after I laid my hands on the woman and drenched her head with miraculous water from Lourdes, France. It is the same miraculous power…the power of Christ. He gave the power to work miracles to the first priests….the power to heal…to baptize….to consecrate…to forgive sins…to drive out demons. They passed it to the next priests who passed it to the next priests...all the way down to current priests. We have the power…the power of Christ through our hands.

Let us be open to Christ and that we may experience His healing and forgiveness through His priests.

Healing Mass tonight, 7:30, St Stephen's

"I am asking Catholic Women to speak out for your faith"

I find it curious that politicians and pundits who usually are the champions of the separation of Church and state are those who are defending the HHS mandate.  Just yesterday, I heard the DNC chairperson say in an interview that the Church should make contraception freely available to all of its employees.  That's fine if that's her personal opinion; "it's a free country", after all (or at leat it was).  But, she is an active senator.  Who is she as a lawmaker to tell the Church what to do?  This is what the founders of our country tried to avoid with the Constitution. 

And, what those who are in favor are not realizing, among other things, is that the President is setting a dangerous precedent.  As the head of our Pro Life group wrote recently, "If you give the President the power to add whatever they want to coverage, you also give them the power to take away whatever coverage they want. Thus, there could be a socially conservative president down the line who could deny coverage for contraceptives for ALL insurance companies. Or, there could be a president who dictates higher rates for certain people based on their lifestyle. This power extension is not just dangerous to Catholics, it is dangerous for all health professionals and all people. The power doesn't disappear after Obama."

Also, this senator said that 99% of Catholic women have used contraception at one time in their lives.  (This number, amazingly, has shot up dramatically in just a few weeks!  Maybe those Catholic women who hadn't used it thought that they need to get with the program...or, the numbers are inflated...whatever the real number is, it is big). While contraception is not the main issue of the mandate (religious freedom is), a good friend of mine sent me something she wrote in response to that whole line of thinking.  She is so right to call on Catholic women to speak up. The video below is (several pro-life) women speaking up! 


"On Friday February 10, 2012, a group named Catholics For Choice took out a full page ad on Page 11 in the A section of the Washington Post. This group depicted a graph showing 98% of Catholic women for birth control and 2% opposed. The problem is WE are all Catholics For Choice because Our Lord gave us a free will to choose. Anyone who calls themselves Catholic has made a choice to be part of that Faith: no one is forced to become or stay Catholic. The church does not change its teachings to suit the needs of individuals because it has been founded on the teachings of Our Lord. The church realizes that many women have chosen not to follow its teaching on birth control; however that does not mean it will or should change its teaching. We are called to live an informed moral life. If one chooses to not accept a teaching, that is a conscience decision between that person and God. That individual choice does not change the Church’s teaching that it is morally wrong.

I am asking Catholic Women to speak out for your faith. We often sit back and let our church leaders speak on our behalf but this time we are called to speak as Catholic Women for Choice and we choose to be Catholic."

-Mary Tull

Healing Mass: "so...joyful"

The audio from my homily at the Mass for Life is up on the ADW site. Please click on today’s title which will take you into the site.



To get us ready for this Sunday’s Healing Mass at the 7:30 student Mass at St. Stephen’s, the following is a post I made three years ago about someone’s experience at a Healing Mass. Our set-up won’t be the same as this; we won’t have the same music and nuns…! Fr. Jim Stack will be the celebrant and will expose the Eucharist before the final blessing and invite people to come up for him to lay hands on them and pray over them. Please come with an open mind and spirit. As I said in last Sunday’s homily, the best prep for this is to go to Confession and receive the Eucharist at the Mass. Invite your friends – Catholic and non-Catholic. All are invited to receive the healing power of Christ through Fr. Stack!!



The following is a comment from another blog site by someone who attended a healing Mass (he seemed to indicate in other parts of his post that he used to be skeptical about such Masses). After reading this intriguing reflection, I might be interested in celebrating one some day:


…They call the Mass a "cenacle". The Mass was celebrated by the parish priest, and about 15 nuns of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Siervas de los Corazones Traspasados de Jesus y Maria) were present. I'm part of the leadership team for an Emmaus retreat which will be held at our parish in March, and I also went with the hope of juicing up my personal spirituality in preparation for the retreat…

I left the wife and kids at home. My wife asked if she should come and bring our youngest son who suffers from some allergies. I said let me check it out first.

I showed up at the church about 10 minutes before the 8pm Mass started. There were lots of people in the church, young and old. The church was eventually packed. I'd say there were 200 people there on a Friday night, lots of people in their 20s too (I'm 44). They were praying the rosary, of course.

This was a serious crowd. Serious in the sense that they were quiet. Better dressed than the Sunday parochial school congregants at my parish. Very little pre-Mass chatter. Very few cell phones ringing. People kept filing in after the Mass started…

The Mass was in Spanish. The lector was really good. The priest gave a great homily about John the Baptist, and about courage to have Christian values.

I was really struck by the music. The nuns would sing really praiseful, hallelujah music. It was not like what you see on tv in evangelical African-American churches, but it was really joyful with a tempered, Catholic twist. The hallelujahs seemed to escalate, building power, until they seemed to knock you over like a wave of water. These were women singing. They sang into microphones, but their voices sounded powerful apart from the electronic boost, and distinctly feminine. They sang at different points during the liturgy of the Eucharist. I felt like crying, it was so beautiful, but held it back.

The priest reminded everyone that they should have been to confession to receive the Eucharist (I went yesterday to get ready for this). Lots of people did NOT go to receive the Eucharist. I'd say maybe 25 or 30% sat it out. In my parish, I would say 95% of the people receive the Eucharist every Sunday. The make-up of the crowd was about the same as in my parish - almost 100% hispanic, with maybe 70 or 80 percent being Cuban/Cuban-American.

The Mass ended about an hour after it started, but there was no dismissal. A monstrance was brought out, and the Eucharist displayed and adored as virtually everyone kneeled. During the adoration those little nuns blasted out their beautiful, strong, hallelujah music. Many people held their hands up in the air as they kneeled. I just kneeled with my hands pressed together tightly. The priest held what seemed to be a very heavy monstrance up in the air for quite a few minutes. Then he walked around the church with it, up and down all the aisles and sides. People held up their hands towards the Eucharist. I just kept my hands together. We all stared at Him in the Eucharist, as the nuns continued to sing. It was so.... Joyful!...