I had never heard of this young boy until today... but this is worth a watch:
We must understand we are each very special to God...
In Christ, we find our lives, if we are willing to lose our life in Him who reveals the mystery of God's own love and life...
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Heresy vs. the Faith Jesus taught?
It is a very uncomfortable reality, but it is reality nonetheless:
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Two weeks lost?!
I am sorry, dear readers that is has been a week or two since my last post. Unfortunately, I was recently rear-ended down on the 16th street mall while on my pedi-cab (a.k.a. bike taxi). It has cause some pain and anguish, as I was thrown backwards on to my cab. I have had a fairly funky bruise on my leg that continues to cycle through various colors of purple :( I had hit my head on the passenger seat of my bike, which I am claiming the reason I continue to be so scatterbrained :) (though it is actually padded leather!). I have not been on my bike since then, and I am not sure if it is because of emotional scarring :) or if it just that I haven't had the time. Likely the latter....
Though more importantly I have recently started my classes for RCIA at Notre Dame, am preparing for Catechist training for the Religious Education program, and just taught my first class with the Denver Catholic Biblical School in over two years. This year I am teaching the 3rd year on "The Prophets, Esther and Tobit." I am very thankful to the Lord for this opportunity. However, this has caused a pause in my writing for the last two weeks. Even now, I am only posting something which I hope you will consider, because it is of importance to consider which "crowd" we fall into. Significant, says I. What do you think?
On my way to my class I was listening to a CD talk by Betty Drennan, put out by Lighthouse Catholic Media, which was entitled (or something to this effect) "A Former Satanist becomes Catholic." There were many things I found so impressive about this talk. The primary one being the focus she placed on the 7 Sacraments of the Catholic Church that she pointed out were the 7 WEAPONS left by Christ for us to defeat Satan. She noted, and she was speaking at a Charismatic Conference, that many Charismatics focus on the gifts of the Spirit, while ignoring the Sacraments. This is to their grave detriment. In particular, she noted how powerful the Sacrament of Reconciliation is; which I tried to sneak in before I taught this morning, unfortunately to no avail. She also noted how we must be very aware of ourselves, our strengths and our weaknesses, in order that we know where Satan will attack us. I find this to be true. As I continue to wage spiritual war in my job here at the Parish, I continue to find that old temptations are being revisited upon me.
Nevertheless, it is important to have friends upon which we can rely. Thankfully, I have the great blessing of knowing a good friend in the New Director of Religious Education at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins. which happens to be exactly where I will be teaching on Monday mornings for the Biblical School. As Sirach notes, in 6:6 (if I remember correctly), "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter, and he that finds one is blessed." I think God for friends who are faithful, and for you dear readers who have visited this site to read this. Please know that my ear is yours if I can help in any way. Meanwhile, it is back to work tomorrow at Notre Dame, as I ended up taking most of the day off today (though I went into the office in the evening). I had thought that Friday would be my day off, but it looks like Monday is more likely. But, I suppose, that is neither here nor there. Until we meet again in this written experience of my life, may Christ by your light to shine in the darkness.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Oh... now it is getting good...
The secularists and atheists are now not just protesting but attacking World Youth day! "Blessed are you when they persecute you, and utter every kind of curse against you." Let the world battle with the Catholic Faith... it has already lost...
This weekend some protested the Pope , and the pilgrims who came to pray with him, for things that make no sense. But in spite of it all, an army of youth, dedicated and dedicating their lives to Christ has now been sent forth.
This weekend some protested the Pope , and the pilgrims who came to pray with him, for things that make no sense. But in spite of it all, an army of youth, dedicated and dedicating their lives to Christ has now been sent forth.
HOLY TOLEDO?!?!?!
Michael Voris, over at RealCatholicTV.com has been covering the World Youth Day celebrations in Spain. In the run-up to the Sunday Mass with the Pope, however, he has been doing some reporting on life and culture of the Catholic Church in Spain. I found this report about receiving the Holy Eucharist on the hands particularly interesting:
To be sure, this practice has been allowed for by the Vatican in the document Memoriale Domini. Of particular note, is that the Congregation makes quite clear that: "However, the Church's prescriptions and the evidence of the Fathers make it abundantly clear that the greatest reverence was shown the Blessed Sacrament, and that people acted with the greatest prudence." Given the crisis in faith in the Holy Eucharist today for many people, one wonders whether this might not be of concern again today in 2011. In general, there has been a desacralization of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as one need only look at the attire that has changed and become the norm over the last 50 years. What was once shirt and tie for men has become shorts and a t-shirt/tank top many times.
Again, to be absolutely fair, in this document which is the basis for the Church allowing for Communion on the hands, the Congregation for Divine Worship also noted historically that:
Looking around today, one rarely sees people maintaining this practice, however. It is unfortunate, i think, because nature itself demonstrates the beauty of being fed by one's mother. Consider the little baby birds, before they can fly they merely open their mouth for their mother who has flown the heights and depths of the sky and has wisdom to share merely open their mouth to receive what is being offered to them so that they too can one day fly.
Fr. Z over at the blog called "What does the Prayer really say?" had an interesting article about his take on the allowance for Reception of Holy Communion on the tongue. To sum it up: he is against it. It is important to note that Communion on the hand is not an absolute right, and in fact, as the article Fr. Z is commenting on points out in the document Redemptionis Sacramentum the church made it clear that it is only allowed in places where the permission has been granted. We do live in a place (The good ole US of A) where this permission has been granted, by the way. Nevertheless, it is worth re-considering the weight of the Tradition and the significance of allowing ourselves to be taken care of by Holy Mother Church. To be fed by our Lord is always a good a thing, and never more excellent than at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with his own Body & Blood.
Perhaps, by our choice, we might consider receiving Holy Communion on the tongue as a sign of personal submission and humility to Christ and His Church which feeds us with the Sacrament of Redemption, the Holy Eucharist.
To be sure, this practice has been allowed for by the Vatican in the document Memoriale Domini. Of particular note, is that the Congregation makes quite clear that: "However, the Church's prescriptions and the evidence of the Fathers make it abundantly clear that the greatest reverence was shown the Blessed Sacrament, and that people acted with the greatest prudence." Given the crisis in faith in the Holy Eucharist today for many people, one wonders whether this might not be of concern again today in 2011. In general, there has been a desacralization of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as one need only look at the attire that has changed and become the norm over the last 50 years. What was once shirt and tie for men has become shorts and a t-shirt/tank top many times.
Again, to be absolutely fair, in this document which is the basis for the Church allowing for Communion on the hands, the Congregation for Divine Worship also noted historically that:
Later, with a deepening understanding of the truth of the eucharistic mystery, of its power and of the presence of Christ in it, there came a greater feeling of reverence towards this sacrament and a deeper humility was felt to be demanded when receiving it. Thus the custom was established of the minister placing a particle of consecrated bread on the tongue of the communicant.
This method of distributing holy communion must be retained, taking the present situation of the Church in the entire world into account, not merely because it has many centuries of-tradition behind it, but especially because it expresses the faithful's reverence for the Eucharist.
Looking around today, one rarely sees people maintaining this practice, however. It is unfortunate, i think, because nature itself demonstrates the beauty of being fed by one's mother. Consider the little baby birds, before they can fly they merely open their mouth for their mother who has flown the heights and depths of the sky and has wisdom to share merely open their mouth to receive what is being offered to them so that they too can one day fly.
Fr. Z over at the blog called "What does the Prayer really say?" had an interesting article about his take on the allowance for Reception of Holy Communion on the tongue. To sum it up: he is against it. It is important to note that Communion on the hand is not an absolute right, and in fact, as the article Fr. Z is commenting on points out in the document Redemptionis Sacramentum the church made it clear that it is only allowed in places where the permission has been granted. We do live in a place (The good ole US of A) where this permission has been granted, by the way. Nevertheless, it is worth re-considering the weight of the Tradition and the significance of allowing ourselves to be taken care of by Holy Mother Church. To be fed by our Lord is always a good a thing, and never more excellent than at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with his own Body & Blood.
Perhaps, by our choice, we might consider receiving Holy Communion on the tongue as a sign of personal submission and humility to Christ and His Church which feeds us with the Sacrament of Redemption, the Holy Eucharist.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Assumption Novena 2011!
I am joining over 2800 Catholics to pray the Assumption Novena in preparation for the Feast of the Assumption.
I’m pretty excited to pray this with so many faithful Catholics around the world and I thought you’d like to join too!
There are thousands of people praying through this novena website and there will be millions praying around the world.
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+ Sign up for handy email reminders to get the the novena prayers here: http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifAssumption Novena
+ If you have a website, post about it there!
+ Email your friends and family and get them praying too!
Let’s get all the Catholics we know to pray this novena together for the Assumption!
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