Learning to be Quick to Listen

St James tell us, "Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (4:4). As I listen to the endless stream of mindless blather on television, I am reminded of this powerful verse. People talk about Christmas in earthly terms. They mention Santa Claus, gifts, and trees. They want a new IPad, car, or jewelry. Their passions lie with the world. The celebration of the birth of the greatest man who ever lived does not even register with many of them. It is numbing and I am saddened. Being a lover of the world means that you want to stay in this world. You are worried about leaving the things in this world behind. I am not suggesting that we should not enjoy our time on earth. In fact, we should spend it with a higher purpose. But remember that it is temporary and the greater prize is to come in the next life. The anticipation of spending eternal life with our Lord is so excit...

Pope Benedict XVI said the Catholic Church must reflect on what is wrong with its message and Christian life in general that allowed for the widespread sexual abuse of children by priests. While accepting responsiblity for the scandal, Benedict said the abuse must also be seen in the broader social context, in which child pornography and sexual tourism are rampant, and where as recently as the 1970s pedophilia wasn't considered the absolute evil that it is today. The pope made the remarks to Vatican cardinals and bishops gathered for his traditional Christmas speech, an eagerly anticipated address that Benedict uses to press key issues he wants the church hierarchy to reflect on. While stressing that most priests do good, honest work, Benedict said revelations of abuse in 2010 reached "an unimaginable dimension" that required the church to accept the "humiliation" as a call for renewal. "We must ask ourselves what we can do to repair as much as possible the...

Are you a slave of Christ Jesus? In the readings for this Sunday's Mass, St. Paul proclaims his allegiance to Christ. He declares that he is indeed a slave to Christ Jesus. The word slave in American conjures up different images than Paul is describing here but the essence is the same. Essentially, it was an honor and privilege according to the Old Testament, to be bound as a slave to God. Paul is bound to Jesus in all aspects. He is willing to do anything for Jesus. In fact, remembering Paul's conversion story, it makes this statement even more amazing. Saul, as Paul was known before his conversion on the road to Damascus, was indeed a Christ-hater. He despised the growing movement led by Christ. He tortured and persecuted people who were followers of Christ. But as we all know, his conversion experience turned everything around. St. Paul became, arguable, the most fervent disciple of Christ Jesus. Paul certainly devoted his life to spreading the message of Christ. So I go bac...

Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay has approved the Marian apparitions seen by Adele Brise in 1859, making the apparitions of Mary that occurred some 18 miles northeast of Green Bay the first in the United States to receive approval of a diocesan bishop. The decree on the apparitions' authenticity comes nearly two years after Bishop Ricken opened a formal investigation. On Jan. 9, 2009, he appointed three theologians to study the history of them. Brise, a Belgian immigrant, was 28 when Mary appeared to her three times in October 1859. The first appearance took place while Brise was carrying a sack of wheat to a grist mill about four miles from Robinsonville, now known as Champion. A few days later, on Oct. 9, as Brise walked to Sunday Mass in Bay Settlement, about 11 miles from her home, Mary appeared to her again. After Mass, Brise told the pastor what she had seen. He told her to "ask in God's name who it was and what it desired of her." On the way home from Bay Se...

Are you taking this time of Advent to prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? I know that you feel there are presents to buy and cards to send but stop a moment to figure out what is really important. The thing that most people want at this time of the year is love in all its many shapes and forms. It could be fellowship for someone who is experiencing a dark moment in their lives. It could be a text message to someone who is searching for a guardian angel. It could be a simple act of letting someone into the traffic line. It could be a smile as you pass someone in your building. The fact is that we all need to feel loved and this is an especially stressful time not only because we feel that we have so many obligations but because we are vulnerable. So often the holiday season brings up images and memories of unhappy moments. It is human nature that we dwell on the negative and we must fight to focus on the positive. Instead of harboring those disquieting me...

Since when did being Pro-Family make you a member of a hate group? According to Maggie Gallagher, chairman of the board for the National Organization for Marriage, that is exactly what the Southern Poverty Law Center has done in releasing a list of groups that include the Family Research Council, National Organization for Marriage, and Concerned Women for America. The SPLC says that these groups, and others, are anti-gay and therefore hate groups. Make no mistake; this is definitely the next step in advancing the gay agenda in America. Because the Catholic Church, as God has said, defines a family as a father, a mother, and children, the SPLC claims that is hate speech. The belief is not only Biblically-based but rooted in good scientific research that shows the family unit is the best building block of a good society. We as Catholic have to look no further than the Holy Family. Joseph and Mary raised Jesus in a loving home providing foundational religious instruction along with the t...

Trusting in God is all we need to do to have a fulfilling life. Then why is it so hard for us as humans to place our trust in the God who created us? It is the same mistake that Adam and Eve made when they decided to try to take God's place. They allowed their egos to take them down the path of sin and the world was never the same. It is the same mistake that the Jews made over and over again in the Original Testament. Although God gave them numerous chances, they were led astray time after time. Finally, God became man in the person of Jesus Christ. Finally, someone showed us what trust in God can mean. Jesus trusted God even to the death. Jesus did suffer and He had doubts but He always trusted God. After He was crucified for our sins, God raised Him from the dead. Jesus shows us the way. He also provides his body in Mass each week so that we can eat of this bread and attain everlasting life. The promise of life everlasting with God is pure delight. It is perfection. It really is...

In the 10 months since Haiti's devastating earthquake buried nearly 300,000 people beneath rubble, the response from American Catholics for relief and rebuilding has been like none before, reported Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell at the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But ongoing needs are massive and redevelopment of Haiti is proceeding slowly and with many obstacles, according to several bishops whose committees are involved in the U.S. church's ongoing assistance. Several bishops provided pieces of a comprehensive oral report about aspects of the church's efforts for Haiti. For example, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, who has long worked among the Haitian community in the United States and is chairman of the Haiti Advisory Group of the bishops' Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America, said the massive devastation in Haiti included the destruction of 70 parishes, dozens of schools, and several convents and centers of priestly formation. He a...

Isiah 26:1-7 says, "On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal rock. He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor. The way of the just is smooth; the path of the just you make level." How glorious would that be if we were shouting this from the top of the highest buildings in the land or, even better, from every pulpit in the land? On this day we choose to honor our veterans, it is fitting to think about the protection that the Lord has offered to us. Why are we not rushing to accept it? In fact, many of us Catholics are embracing this offer. We are li...

People are angry. When they become angry, they usually look for someone or something to blame. All too often lately, the media outlets have become the target. Do I think that some of the media outlets have an anti-Christian slant? That is a fact. Can we blame everything that is wrong in the world only on that fact? Absolutely not because we have become, like the Jews in the book of Kings, a house divided. We have lost our way and we have become two tribes. 1 Kings 12:26 says, "Jeroboam thought to himself: The kingdom will return to David's house." That was a prophesy about the coming of Jesus Christ. If we know one thing from reading the Bible, God stands by His word. The house of David, in the person of Jesus, did return to power. Jesus came to lead the Jews back to the Temple and to God. But something else happened along the way. The Gentiles were offered a place at the table and thankfully, they accepted. The Catholic Church was formed and has continued for over 2010 y...

Bishops must guide their faithful to use their vote to oppose efforts to legalize abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict XVI told bishops from Brazil. "Dear brother bishops, to defend life we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, and we must refuse any compromise or ambiguity which might conform us to the world's way of thinking," the pope said October 28 during a meeting with bishops from northeast Brazil. The bishops were making their "ad limina" visits to report on the status of their dioceses. Pope Benedict did not mention the fact that Brazilians were to vote October 31 in a presidential election, but said he wanted to discuss with the bishops their obligation to give their faithful the information and moral guidance they need to ensure their political decisions contribute to the true good of humanity. Both of Brazil's presidential candidates, Dilma Rousseff and Jose Serra, have said they oppose lifting restrictions on abortion, but Brazil's anti...

A 31-year-old Michigan nursing student is experiencing her own personal housing crisis after she posted an ad on a church bulletin board looking for a "Christian roommate." After seeing the notice, someone in the community filed an official complaint with the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan, alleging that the ad "expresses an illegal preference for a Christian roommate, thus excluding people of other faiths." Rather than dismiss the complaint as ridiculous on its face, the agency flew into action. "It's a violation to make, print, or publish a discriminatory statement," Fair Housing's executive director said. Representatives from the National Fair Housing Institute say it is illegal to advertise for a Christian roommate or indicate any type of religious preference. But, as the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) points out, there's nothing discriminatory about it. This woman "is not a landlord. She does not own a management company. She does ...

Pope Benedict XVI in his brilliant book Jesus of Nazareth tells us that God is on the way to you. In this day of false gods and lack of faith, many people have decided that they do not need God or do not believe that God exists. Pope Benedict tells us, "...we have developed a concept of reality that excludes reality's translucence to God. The only thing that counts as real is what can be experimentally proven. God cannot be constrained into experimentation." This set off the brightest light bulb moment for me. I have been struggling with reading the Old Testament. It was my reason self that had taken over as I read. But we understand that there is faith and reason and they are separate. Trying to constrain God in a petri dish would be like trying to grab an alligator by his mouth. You will get a nub back. The same is true about God. You will blind yourself to the reality that God is bigger than that and is incomprehensible to us. His mystery lies in His majesty. So you h...

Reading the Old Testament always causes me to pause. God and Israel have a really rocky relationship. No matter what God does and how much He gives to them, Israel still does not fully trust Him. The other thing that creates problems for me is placing the story in the right context. What else is going on? What was the norm of the day? I was reading the story of Pharaoh and Moses in Exodus and as soon as I started reading about the plagues, the movie about the Ten Commandments popped into my head. How many times have I seen that movie? The images flood over you and even as you are reading the Bible, the scenes from the movie play out. I found myself saying "but where is this or that" referring to things that occurred in the movie but are not necessarily written in the Bible . Anyway, it also caused me to focus my attention on the plagues that God used to convince Pharaoh to release Israel. By digging deeper, I have come to understand that each of the plagues was designed to il...

There was an interesting article in the USA Today recently that talked about society's current obsession with fear. It seems, since September 11 or maybe because of it, we have grown increasingly more anxious about such threats as terrorism attacks, health pandemics, and environmental disasters (like the recent oil spill). The author of a new book Be Very Afraid makes the argument that "our method of coping is to make an idol out of any activity, agency or technology that will promise us security." Robert Wuthnow wrote the book and is a sociologist. Columnist Henry Brinton notes that "we worship the god of security." It has become a false idol for us because of the feeling of constant threats. Brinton says, "One of the goals of religious faith is to fashion a life that is not consumed by fear of death. This can be done by looking for eternal value in each day on earth, eternal salvation in heaven, or some combination of the two. But these approaches are dif...

Pope Benedict XVI denounced "terrorist ideologies" that spur violence in God's name as he opened a meeting Monday of bishops from around the Middle East.Pope Benedict said such ideologies were based on false gods and should be "unmasked." The pontiff made the off-the-cuff remarks at the opening working session of the meeting, or synod, which was called to address problems the minority Catholic Church faces in the largely Muslim region. In his remarks to the synod participants, Pope Benedict lamented the forces at play in the world that "enslave" men and threaten the world, citing drugs as well as "terrorist ideologies. The make violence apparently in the name of God, but it's not God: These are false divinities that must be unmasked. They are not God." Is war ever the right answer? Didn't Jesus Christ come to replace the hate and violence with peace and love? Doing something that we know is wrong and saying it is in the name of God d...

Last month, as the abortion industry celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the FDA approval of RU-486, we learned the grim news that two more women have died from complications related to the abortion drug. Since its approval in 2000, 12 women (and approximately a million babies) have died as a result of RU-486's growth in the U.S. Ella, which is almost a chemical twin of RU-486, was approved by the FDA on August 13th. According to the CDC, both women died from complications with c. sordelli, the bacteria linked to a number of RU-486 casualties from 2000-2006. Many are claiming that the FDA's approval process for RU-486 was significantly flawed. Since then, more than 1,300 women have reported adverse effects from using the drug--including 336 hospitalizations, 172 blood transfusions, and now 12 deaths. RU-486 continues to sit unopposed on pharmacy shelves, while women pay a severe price. Other drugs with less extreme effects have been pulled from the market--but the FDA seems i...

The recent suicide of a Rutger's student who was "outed" by his roommates, pushed me to look more closely at what our Church teaches about homosexuality. The Catechism says in 2357, "Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,tradition has always declared that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.' They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which...

Bullying is being blamed for the death of Asher Brown, a Texas thirteen year old, who committed suicide on September 23. I am not sure that bullying is strong enough a word. I am dumbfounded as to how people can relentlessly ridicule and harass another person. Day after day, showing up at school just to make another person's life miserable. Terrible enough to push this young man to take his own life. Satan was at work on both sides of this issue. Even more startling was a comment left by an apparent adult about this tragedy. Instead of mourning the loss and focusing on lifting the grieving family up in prayer, this person identified only as ModerateChuck said, "Another point that stands out is: how could a 13 year old get access to a pistol without his parents noticing? In my house, weapons are strictly controlled and locked." If you have read my blog before, you know of my passion for the Epistle of James. In this instance, St. James words have unfortunately come true. J...

A Christian event on Saturday for Fort Bragg soldiers and members of the surrounding area is unconstitutional and should be canceled, according to Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. The anti-Christian group said in a statement Thursday that the planned event — a concert and other activities called "Rock the Fort" — improperly enlists the military in a bid by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to win Christian converts. The Charlotte-based ministry has sponsored similar events on military bases around the country. According to the BGEA's website, Saturday's event in Fayetteville is different because civilians as well as military personnel will be able to attend. "Chaplains at the fort identified 20 churches in the area where most soldiers are involved," the site says. "The churches are now walking alongside chaplains from Fort Bragg, hosting training and praying for this event." The site describes "Rock the Fort...

Pope Benedict XVI beatified Cardinal John Henry Newman and said his vision of religion's vital role in society should serve as a model today. the pope read aloud the decree proclaiming Cardinal Newman "blessed," a major step on the way toward official recognition of sainthood. Blessed Newman, a 19th-century theologian and a prolific writer on spiritual topics, left the Anglican Church and embraced Catholicism at the age of 44. The pope announced that his feast day would be October 9, the day of his entry into the Catholic Church. In his homily, the pope drew a portrait of Blessed Newman as a man who had profound insight into the Christian call to holiness and the importance of prayer and whose eloquent prose was able to inspire many of his time and subsequent generations. In particular, he said, Blessed Newman examined the relationship between faith and reason and "the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society." The pope paid special tribute to Bless...

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. I am sure, like me, you have said those words thousands of times. Perhaps you were just repeating them along with everyone else. I encourage you to take a close look at what this really means. Pope Benedict XVI covers it very nicely in his book Jesus of Nazareth if you want an "expert" opinion. I am increasingly concerned that we are not paying attention to things that Jesus has specifically asked us to do and this is one of them. We know about this beautiful prayer because the apostles asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. The Lord's prayer is a definitive instruction and we are urged to listen carefully. Luke 11:4 says, "and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us." It is difficult to forgive people. We usually want to retaliate. To make them feel like we felt when they hurt us. But let's go deeper. When we "trespass" against someone we are creati...

The anniversary of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 has certainly caused many people to stop and reflect on the implications of that event nine years removed. The topic has been raging in the national media for a while especially over the plan to place an Islamic cultural center and mosque a couple of blocks away from ground zero in New York. Georgetown University theology professor Chester Gillis says that at its core, the mosque furor is not unlike what Catholics experienced in the United States for more than 100 years. He also is dean of Georgetown College and the founding director of the program on the Church and Interreligious Dialogue within the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. While there are a wide range of political, philosophical and even zoning arguments about the Islamic center plans, Gillis sees anti-Muslim sentiment -- based in misconceptions and xenophobia -- at the core of the debate. "The neophytes in society are always on the outsi...

Did you watch the various programs about the terrorist attacks of 9/11 this weekend? I caught a few on the National Geographic Channel. The amount of detail was astonishing. I heard for the first time, many of the personal phone calls made by people trapped in the Twin Towers and on the various airplanes used as weapons by the Al-Qaeda. I am still shocked when I see the the planes flying into the Twin Towers. The Catholic News Service also recently ran an interesting story about Fr. Tom Iwanowski, who is pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Oradell, NJ. For Jersey City residents living near Our Lady of Czestochowa (where Fr. Tom previously served), the absence of the twin towers of the World Trade Center -- which had been a dominant point of reference on the horizon -- is a constant, sad reminder of the brutal murder of 3,000 innocent people, including more than 670 from New Jersey. "As the afternoon progressed, people came to seek consolation in church and comfort in the rest area we h...

I was listening to Catholic Radio this morning and heard an interesting conversation about abortion. Perhaps I haven't been paying close enough attention but apparently many of the Pink organizations (namely Susan Komen Breast Cancer) have created numerous alliances with Planned Parenthood. As you are well aware, PP is extremely pro-abortion and promotes the culture of death with the use of our tax dollars. Karen Malec, who runs the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, maintains a very informative website that explains this connection much better than I could. The program also talked about a useful source of information on the after-effects of abortion and post-abortion healing. The website was an eye opener for me and I consider myself a very informed pro-lifer. Just goes to show how life can distract you from what is truly important. I would urge you to pray for an end to abortion in America. It is truly the most egregious human-rights violation that our great nation allows.

Did you know that there is a group that names a Single Christian of the Year? I didn't and thought the news story was perhaps kidding me. I did click and read it and was not surprised to learn that Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos had been selected. Tebow says he is saving himself for marriage, meaning that he is still a virgin. He has been a good role model and has been very vocal about his belief in Christ. Hopefully he has brought many sports fans to the Lord and for that I thank him. While we are on the subject of sports, I wanted to pass along a story I read about Russell Shepard. He plays for the LSU Tigers and is originally from Houston, Texas. Apparently, he has a younger brother who is not as athletically skilled as Russell but nevertheless plays football. The younger brother is a senior in high school and got a scholarship offer to play at McNeese State University next year, which is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Russell was so thankful that his brother had received ...

Happy birthday Mother Teresa (or more officially Blessed Teresa of Calcutta). She would have been 100 years old today. I am sure she is working hard in Heaven just as she did on earth for her Holy Father. So many people have been blessed by her presence and work. For such a tiny person, she made a loud noise but not in the usual way. It was her example, her faith with works, that brought so many people to Jesus. She continues to do that thirteen years after her death. As she often said, "Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person." Happy birthday beautiful lady.

If you saw Jesus on the street today and He asked you to follow Him, what would you do? Quick, make the choice! In our heart, I am sure we would say yes Lord and follow Him. It is the question asked in Sidewalk Prophets current single You Can Have Me. They go on to add the catch, "But I had to give up everything; All I once held dear and all of my dreams; Would I love You enough to let go; Or would my love run dry; When You asked for my life" It is, of course, the question that Jesus asked his apostles. They did follow him and left behind their old way of life. It made me think, would I even see Jesus in the streets of today? There are so many distractions. We are all so busy. Would I take the time to stop and talk to Jesus? If the answer is no, that signals a deeper problem. If we are indeed too busy for Jesus, what are we doing with our time that is more important? What are we doing with our time that will take care of us eternally? Are we building up the Kingdom of God wit...

I for one have decided to boycott Best Buy and Geek Squad. Here is why. Two years ago, Father Luke Strand, then a deacon in his last year of studies to become a priest of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, came into the spotlight for his unusual looking car. Riding around town in a black Volkswagen Beetle with a Roman collar painted on the hood, a "God Squad" logo on the sides, and a personalized license plate GODLVYA proudly proclaiming his mission, he attracted attention on the roads. The car, along with his laid-back nature and outgoing personality, sparked faith-filled conversations with friends and strangers alike. Now an associate pastor at Holy Family Parish in Fond du Lac, Father Strand is again in the public eye for his God Squad vehicle: The logo is too similar to Best Buy's Geek Squad trademark. In mid-August, Father Strand received a letter from the Minnesota-based consumer electronics company requesting that he "cease-and-desist" his God Squad logo, because...

Pope Benedict XVI named Redemptorist Fr. Joseph Tobin as the new secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, colloquially known as the "Congregation for Religious." It’s the office with lead responsibility for some 190,000 religious priests and brothers, and roughly 750,000 sisters, worldwide. Tobin is the Superior General of the Redemptorists from 1997 to 2009 and becomes an archbishop by virtue of the appointment. As someone who has been influenced by Redemptorists growing up, I know that they are terrific priests that become very involved in the community life of the parishes they serve. This is a wonderful accomplishment for the order. Fr. Tobin was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 3. 1952. He is the oldest of 13 children of Joseph (deceased) and Marie Terese Tobin. Tobin was baptized at and attended a Redemptorist Parish, Holy Redeemer Church, and entered the Redemptorist minor seminary in the autumn of 1966. He ent...

My help comes from the Lord. How often do I say this throughout the day? I am slowly coming to realize how true this statement is and hearing The Museum sing these same words helps to remind me in a beautiful way. It, of course, is a scripture quoted from the Bible . Psalms 121 :2-4 tells us, "My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. God will not allow your foot to slip; your guardian does not sleep. Truly, the guardian of Israel never slumbers nor sleeps." Now that provides the comfort we are all searching for. God, our guardian, is always there to help and protect us. He is ever present if we just turn to Him. I have a friend who is walking so strongly with the Lord. During a recent torrential thunderstorm, she remarked, "thank you Lord for washing my car, it needed it." I just smiled because she is really allowing God to permeate her every fiber. I like rain and think that lightening displays the power of God but I never thought to look at a st...

Hearing the readings this past Sunday at Mass has left a lasting impression on me. I returned to Ecclesiastes Chapter 1 to read the entire passage after hearing a teaser. We heard 1:2 which says, "Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!" But the next two lines are just as telling, "What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays." It speaks of the futility that many of us pursue in trying to collect as many possessions as we can. It reminds us of how easily it is to be consumed by false gods and idols rather than concentrating on God's plan for us. In 1:11 it says, "There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them." A very relevant remark for this age. We are constantly trying to reinvent ourselves, our society and our world but the problem with mo...

Some of the oldest images of the Apostles Andrew, John, Peter, and Paul were recently uncovered in the catacombs of Rome. Art restorers in Italy made the discovery using laser technology. They appear to be from the second half of the 4th Century or the early 5th Century. The tomb belonged to a Roman noblewoman in the Santa Tecla catacomb and had come to light over two years ago but the restoration process has just now allowed the images to be accessed so that proper identification could be made of the pictures. Some of the folks working on the project note that the images certainly had an influence on later pictures of the Apostles. The project leader, Barbara Mazzei, said that the find was very emotional. The project is being funded by the Vatican. It is times like these when I am glad that science continues to be used in matters like this. We walk by faith and now that the Apostles were real people but it is nice to have validation of this sort. Having these images also allows us to ...

The scripture today comes from Obadiah in the Original Testament. "The pride of your heart has deceived you: you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose abode is in the heights, Who say in your heart, Who will bring me down to earth?" (v3). It got me to thinking about the pride we carry as people. There are two kinds of pride of course and I am not talking about the kind that you feel as a parent when your child does something wonderful. I am not talking about the pride you feel when a friend is recognized for doing God's will. I am talking about the kind of pride that causes people to put themselves above our Lord. The kind of pride that allows people to say, "prayer takes the place of thinking." The kind of pride that leads one to say, that prayer hinders medical and scientific advances, it is a distraction." Who will bring me down to earth indeed? Thou shall have no other gods before Me. The first commandment tells us in very plain language that we sh...

Thank you almighty God for sending Tropical Storm Bonnie to clean up the oil spill created by man. Many had wondered what it was going to take to clean up this disaster but those of us who trust in your providence knew that you would take care of this. We also thank you for the slow but steady recovery of Haiti and for allowing stability to take hold. I attended a wonderful Mass at St. Anthony Cathedral in Beaumont, TX this weekend and heard Bishop Guillory preach for the first time. He was terrific and used modern day examples to further illustrate the Lord's word from the Gospel reading. What really struck me was his emphasis on the first reading as well. Bishop Guillory talked about forgiveness in such a way that it made me begin to look at so many things in a different light. Our society is very focused on public humiliation. People are recording and filming others in very unflattering situations. It seems that many are taking great joy in the downfall of others. I am not sayin...

What an uproar has occurred at the University of Illinois over Catholic doctrine. It seems that Kenneth Howell, an adjunct instructor, sent an email to his students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In the email, Howell was trying to clarify a teaching point about utilitarianism and used the subject of homosexuality to illustrate his point. In the email explanation Howell says, "Before looking at the issue of criteria, however, we have to remind ourselves of the ever-present tendency in all of us to judge morality by emotion. The most frequent reason I hear people supporting same-sex marriage is that they know some gay couples or individuals. Empathy is a noble human quality but right or wrong does not depend on who is doing the action or on how I feel about those people, just as judging an action wrong should not depend on disliking someone. This might seem obvious to a right thinking person but I have encountered many well-educated people who do not (or cannot?)...

A friend of mine recently took a trip to Israel. He mentioned that one of the most toughing moments of his trip was his visit to the Western Wall . I should mention that he is Jewish and so this visit had added significance. One of the more interesting comments he made was the diversity of people he saw at the Wailing Wall, as many people have labeled it. It is a very important Jewish religious site located in the Old City of Jerusalem. A lot of the wall was constructed in 19BC with the remaining parts being added in the 7th century and is said to be what was left of Solomon's original Temple after its destruction. It gained the additional title of wailing because Jews would frequently come to the wall and lament the destruction of the Temple. The reason people pray at the wall is because it is believed to be the closest point to the Holy of Holies, the holiest room of the old Temple . My friend's comments left me with thoughts about the significance of this type of gathering s...

"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance" James 2-3. Couldn't we all use a little more perseverance in this day and age? Perseverance, in theological terms, means continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation. The ultimate prize, eternal life with God in Heaven. So how are you doing on the state of grace thing? The Church teaches us that to receive Communion worthily, you must be in a state of grace, have made a good confession since your last mortal sin, believe in transubstantiation, observe the Eucharistic fast, and, finally, not be under an ecclesiastical censure such as excommunication. St. Paul also weighs in on this and says, "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. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cu...

Each summer the people of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church invite their friends and neighbors in the Manchester, Michigan area to a gathering to explain and clarify what the Catholic Church is and what it is not. Deacon Dennis Walters of St. Mary’s, who will lead the sessions, asks inquirers to consider a quote by Bishop Fulton Sheen, the famous television priest from the 1950s. “There are not 100 people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are many who hate what they wrongly think the Catholic Church to be,” he once said. Walters says the sessions will address common misconceptions such as thinking that Catholics don’t have to read the Bible, don’t accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, practice human traditions rather than God-ordained worship, worship Mary, or follow a religion of rules and regulations rather than faith in Christ. Walters states these notions are “all wrong” and that even Catholics would reject a church that taught them. I think this i...

Where do you stand as a Catholic in this time or turmoil? Have you struggled with the implications of dwindling priests exacerbated by the abuse scandal? Have you spent time in prayer, talking with God about your role in the future of your Church? Do you have an idea of how you will use the talents, abilities and gifts that God has provided you to make a difference in this world especially within your Church? Have you asked God to use you in this way? Catholic blogger John L. Allen Jr. writes that the Catholic Church under Pope Benedict XVI is adopting a strategy that many minority groups have employed in the past. Now Allen is kind enough to define what he feels is a minority group because my first reaction, and probably yours, is that the Catholic Church cannot be a minority group based on the fact that it is the largest Christian Church in the world and it continues to grow at the macro level. However, Allen makes the point that because of the recent attacks against the Church, we C...

The real news is so outrageous that you don't even have to try to make it up. Students in Provincetown, Massachusetts – from elementary to high school – will be able to get free condoms at school, under a policy passed earlier this month, even though their parents might object. The policy, which requires school nurses to supply condoms to any student who asks. The policy had its roots with a school district wellness committee, an independent board of appointed community members that recommended making condoms available at schools.“I don’t like that students can’t be discreet about this,” said school committee member Shannon Patrick. “They have to go and ask for it. I’d rather them not have the conversation [with counselors] and have the condom than not have the condom.” What about the rights of the parents and respecting their religious beliefs? “I can see some kids opting out because of the conversation. I’m not against [the policy]. I’m just trying to put myself in that teenager’...

Sr. Lucia Brady, O.S.C. is Pastoral Assistant and heads the RCIA program at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Largo, Florida. St. Jerome is home to almost 2,800 families and more than 6,200 parishioners. Active parish ministries number more than 50. If you would like to share your thoughts like Sr. Lucia did, simply answer the Seven Question Survey and return it to fellmananthony@gmail.com. I know that St. Lucia’s responses will bless you. 1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? One of the biggest challenges to my faith was a time when our family suffered five deaths in the space of three years as well as some personal illness. One of the deaths was my younger brother, who was killed by a drunken driver while he was walking on the footpath. It took me some time to forgive the driver and to come to an awareness of God's plan for me during this time. 2. What scripture do you find yourself turning to most often? In Him I live and move and have m...

"That you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil." I am starting the blog today with Ephesians 4:22-27 for a specific reason. I noticed a news story this morning that has my blood boiling. Apparently, Reverend Jeffrey Newell is still a priest, serving in the Diocese of Tijuana. I say still because he was supposed to be barred from being anywhere near children after he was reported for child abuse. The Diocese of Los Angeles agreed to ban Newell in a settlement with the victim who had been molested by Newell for several years, beginning when the cleric was first a youth minister and ...

The U.S. Bishops met recently in St. Petersburg Florida. While there, they offered a prayer for the ongoing crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. That is not unusual. What I found most interesting is the final part of their prayer. It says, "Finally, we offer our prayers for our government leaders and for the industry leaders and experts who are working to cap the leak and repair this damage. May God give them wisdom and strength in this trying hour, and may He move them to seek lasting solutions benefiting the common good of our society." What a wonderful prayer to say everyday. When we elect people to positions of leadership, the expectation is that they will respect the followers. After all, without followership there can be no leadership. I feel that may be part of the problem in the U.S. right now. The followers have so little faith in the leaders that we are all wandering looking for something else. Unfortunately for many people that something else can be destroying their live...

I wish I lived in or near Wilmore, Kentucky. Why you ask? Because then I could attend the Ichthus Music Festival. The artist lineup is incredible. Skillet, Toby Mac, Casting Crowns, Switchfoot, Newsboys, Superchick, Francesca Battistella, and Josh Wilson are just a few of the folks performing. I also like the fact that Chick-fil-A is one of the sponsors. That company is very consistent with its message and it is always grounded in Christianity. Their boldness deserves to be recognized and supported. Anyway, back to the festival and all that it involves. They also have an outstanding array of speakers including Dave Ramsey. The Ichthus Music Festival is the oldest and longest-running Christian music festival in the nation. It was started in 1970 by an Asbury Seminary professor Dr. Bob Lyon and a group of his students as a positive and redemptive response to the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Upstate New York. Did you know that ichthus is Greek for fish. It was the symbol that Christians us...

My financial adviser called me the other day to check on my retirement status. She said that she had looked at my portfolio and did not like how it was performing. She was very concerned about my future and my ability to enjoy my current quality of life. Did I have the same concerns she asked? It caused me to pray about the matter. I was drawn to Psalms 39:19, which says, "In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty." I know that God is not telling us to sit idly by and do nothing. I think what He is telling us in this passage is to enlarge out expectations. I understand that my financial adviser has a job to do and she is thinking in very earthly terms. But I also am afraid that she may be thinking of making sure my cup is full when God is planning to send me a river. I know that my reward in Heaven will be more than I can ever expect. I am not sure if I am really prepared for that. Our God provides more than enough. He is not bound by...

Sunday we celebrate the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua. He is very special to me and I have felt his presence in my life for a long time. Did you know that he is regarded as the quickest person to be named a saint? Pope Gregory IX named him a saint less than a year after his death in 1231. Also, it is reported that when he died, the bells of the churches in Padua rang of their own accord. Many people said that the angels rang the bells to welcome Anthony to Heaven. St. Anthony has been a good prayer partner for me over the years and I continue to call on my friend to join me in prayer for various issues and conflicts. I encourage you to connect with one of the saints and build a relationship. Discover why they were selected to become a saint and ask them to pray for you and your needs. You may find the same comfort I do with St. Anthony, as I know he is always at my side. I just discovered that the Catholic Student Center at Lamar University is adding a new chapel to their on-campus...

What next, what next? That is what I keep hearing people say about the world's current state. The Great Flood of 2010 in Nashville has certainly allowed folks to show their true spirit. So many have answered the call to action. Faith without works is just emptiness. Allowing God to use you for greatness is such a blessing. I encourage everyone to try it sometimes. I was so moved this morning on the way to work. The latest Casting Crowns song came on. It is called If We Ever Needed You . It certainly captures the situation of the world at present. With the massive oil disaster in the once beautiful Gulf of Mexico on top of the other disasters that have been coming at us combined with the lack of leadership in the White House, we are indeed in need of God's hand now. I am praying for all of the folks who depend on the Gulf for their livelihood. The oil spill is threatening to wipe out a way of live for so many people. It is truly devastating to sit and watch as the oil keeps spew...

I am so excited about a new voice that has emerged on Christian radio. If you have not heard Audrey Assad, get ready to hear purity and light. Not only is she singing about God and offering Him glory and praise, she is not playing the typical games that so many pop stars play. She is being honest about her faith life and the journey that has led her to this point. Raised a Protestant from birth, she became a Catholic about three years ago. I encourage you to read her story in her own words here. You should also get a copy of her latest album , For Love of You. What I love about Audrey is her strong show of support for Pope Benedict. How mature and insightful is this young woman? She is able to understand, unlike many who are twice her age, that Pope Benedict is not a place holder in the Seat of Peter. He is there to lead and guide the church that Jesus established. Pope Benedict stands for the righteousness that is the Catholic Church and has served her well over these last 2000 years....

Two reports over the last few days have me very excited about some upcoming film releases. The first is a film about martyred monks that recently received the second prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Usually something at Cannes does not interest me at the awards usually go to movies that are either very humanistic and worldly or political and celebrating hedonistic themes. The film is called "Of Gods and Men" and is about a group of French monks who were martyred in Africa during the 1990s. The French director, Xavier Beauvois, centers the movie around the true story of seven Cistercian monks who were taken hostage and murdered by Islamic fundamentalists in 1996. There are news reports that the audience members wept during the presentaion of the film in Cannes. The monks, who lived contemplative lives in the service of the poor in the Atlas Mountains built strong friendships with their surrounding community and lived in relative peace until conflict arises between the local ...

Fr. Hugo Blotsky, O.S.B., is Pastor of St. Francis Catholic Church in Thermopolis, Wyoming. Their website states that they are a faith community that is located at the southern end of the Big Horn Basin at the north entrance to the Wind River Canyon. Fr. Hugo was kind enough to share his thoughts to the Seven Question Survey. Please let me know what you think as I found his answers very inspiring, especially his reminder of the importance of the simple act of Mary agreeing to God's request. She is certainly an inspiration to all of us. 1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? Trying to make sense out of all the turmoil in the world today. 2. What scripture do you find yourself turning to most often? Gospel of Matthew: "Where two or more are gathered in my Name, there am I in their midst." 3. How do you think God is revealing his presence to us i...

The Contemporary Christian group Skillet has a song called Awake . The song describes what many of us face each and every day. Namely, the inability to detach ourselves from the worldliness that is offered by our society. They explain that they are at war with the world and they feel themselves slowly slipping out of God's hands. You know the feeling perhaps even better if you have ever encountered a really terrific retreat or workshop. In the moment, you are on fire. The blaze intensifies over the period that you are at the retreat. When you suddenly realize that you are about to have to return to the "real" world, your enthusiasm starts to wain and you are troubled. It happens to the best of us. I am sure it is the feeling the apostles had when they realized that Jesus had died. In fact, we know that they locked themselves away from the rest of the world. What is it that we are so worried about? The fear of going it alone is probably the culprit. But we need to remember...

What have you done lately to further God's reign? We as Christians proclaim that God reigns over all the earth and we are called to be the hands and feet of the mystical body. But that means that we must be active in our ministry and we must work to extend God's reign. What does that mean to you? I think it calls me to engage in conversation about God with others. I am instructed to bring the Good News to everyone. Only when we share the message of Jesus and His sacrifice can others come to truly understand what that gift allows. I also think we should be more active in doing. We need to notice where the needs are in our community and respond to those needs like Jesus did when He walked the earth. The economic downturn has caused us all so much difficulty and the burden of new taxes and monumental governmental intervention will only worsen that for us. However, there are those that are being forgotten because we are troubled by our political leadership and the strain of oppress...