Changes to the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act

A number of changes to the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act are scheduled to take place on 1 September.

To access a list of changes to this act, please visit:

RI Office of the Attorney General: Changes to the Access to Public Records Act (Chart)

To access the amended Access to Public Records Act, please visit:

RI Office of the Attorney General: Access to Public Records Act

Media report:

Valley Breeze: Government records more open following changes this year (31 JUL 12)

Background information:

RI Office of the Attorney General: Guide to Open Government In Rhode Island (6th Edition)

RI Office of the Attorney General: Open Government / Access To Public Records

RI Office of the Attorney General: Open Meetings Act Checklist

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (43, continued)

Chapter VI of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “Religious.” It continues as follows:

“43. . . . From the point of view of the divine and hierarchical structure of the Church, the religious state of life is not an intermediate state between the clerical and lay states. But, rather, the faithful of Christ are called by God from both these states of life so that they might enjoy this particular gift in the life of the Church and thus each in one's own way, may be of some advantage to the salvific mission of the Church.”(3*)

(3*) Cfr. Cod. Iur. Can., c. 487 et 488, 40. Pius XII, Alloc. Annus sacer, 8 dec. 1950, AAS 43 (1951) p. 27 s. Pius XII, Cons. Apost. Provida Mater, 2 Febr. 1947: AAS 39 (1947) p. 120 ss.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for opportunities of re-creation You offer us.

On Being Ourselves

“God is not interested in a uniform humanity.

“This is a very hard truth, because most of us can sympathize with Dmitri Karamazov’s complaint: ‘Man is too broad; I would narrow him.’

“It’s hard to relate to people who are very different from ourselves. The problem is not merely that the heart is too constricted to look without judgment, but that there becomes a very deep fear that we will be judged.”

In a recent column in the National Catholic Register, Melinda Selmys, staff writer at Vulgata Magazine, reflected on how we are called to be ourselves in the midst of all the diverse people God has created.

To access her complete post, please visit:

National Catholic Register: True Christians Must Be Themselves (26 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Henry Ward Beecher

“A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.” – Henry Ward Beecher

U.S. Fire Administration and the International Association of Fire Chiefs Initiate Study on Reduction of Fire Service Risk Taking Behaviors

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) recently announced a partnership initiative to identify individual and organizational behaviors that adversely impact firefighter health and safety and to develop strategies to mitigate them. The IAFC’s Safety, Health and Survival (SHS) Section will lead the study.

The study is designed to support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Life Safety Initiative #1: “Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.”

“There is a fundamental need for this type of research that promotes positive behaviors and effectively leads to the further reduction of firefighter fatalities and injuries,” said IAFC President and Chairman of the Board, Chief Hank Clemmensen in a prepared statement.

Background information:

U.S. Fire Administration

International Association of Fire Chiefs

National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: Everyone Goes Home

NFFF: Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives

Michael W. Smith: “Agnus Dei (Worthy is the Lamb)”

As we continue living this week, I offer this version of Michael W. Smith singing “Agnus Dei (Worthy Is the Lamb)”

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (43)

Chapter VI of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “Religious.” It begins as follows:

“43. The evangelical counsels of chastity dedicated to God, poverty and obedience are based upon the words and examples of the Lord. They were further commanded by the apostles and Fathers of the Church, as well as by the doctors and pastors of souls. The counsels are a divine gift, which the Church received from its Lord and which it always safeguards with the help of His grace. Church authority has the duty, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, of interpreting these evangelical counsels, of regulating their practice and finally to build on them stable forms of living. Thus it has come about, that, as if on a tree which has grown in the field of the Lord, various forms of solidarity and community life, as well as various religious families have branched out in a marvelous and multiple way from this divinely given seed. Such a multiple and miraculous growth augments both the progress of the members of these various religious families themselves and the welfare of the entire Body of Christ.(1*) These religious families give their members the support of a more firm stability in their way of life and a proven doctrine of acquiring perfection. They further offer their members the support of fraternal association in the militia of Christ and of liberty strengthened by obedience. Thus these religious are able to tranquilly fulfill and faithfully observe their religious profession and so spiritually rejoicing make progress on the road of charity.”(2*)

(1*) Cfr. Rosweydus, Viqae Patrum, Antwerpiae 1628. Apophtegmata Patrum: PG 65. Palladius, Historia Lausiaca: PG 34, 995 ss.; ed. C. Butler, Cambridge 1898 (1904). Pius XI, Const. Apost. Umbratilem, 8 iul. 1924: AAS 16 (1924) pp. 386-387. Pius XII, Alloc. Nous sommes heureux, 11 apr.1958: AAS 50 (1958) p. 283.

(2*) Paulus VI, Alloc. Magno gaudio, 23 maii 1964: AAS 56 (1964) p. 566.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for inspirations that You send us as we watch the various forms of animal life You have created.

Ryan Eggenberger on Evangelizizing At Work Without Being Churchy

“So here you are: Catholic, on top of the world, and loving everything about life. You naturally want to share the Good News with those you know, like your colleagues in the workplace. After all, having abundant life in Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church is pretty much the best thing ever!”

In a recent commentary, Ryan Eggenberger offered a few suggestions on how one may, in a “non-Churchy” way, lead others to the Lord. These suggestions include most joyful person in the workplace without being annoying and encouraging excellence in others.

To access Ryan’s complete post, please visit:

Ignitum Today: 4 Ways To Evangelize At Work Without Being Churchy (27 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Proverbs

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; in all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Initiative Calls for Halt in Out-of-School Suspensions

A number of educators, parents, community leaders, students have initiated a national call for a moratorium on out-of-school suspensions and for schools to adopt more constructive disciplinary policies that benefit students, classrooms, and communities.

This initiative comes as recently released federal data revealed that Black and Latino students and students with disabilities are disproportionately targeted by suspensions and are likely to be punished more severely than white students for minor, subjective misbehavior. The coalition, which includes the Dignity in Schools Campaign and the Opportunity to Learn Campaign, is stating that this method of disciplinary action deepens the achievement gap, contributes to high dropout rates, and increases the likelihood of student arrests and referrals to the juvenile justice system.

For more information about this initiative, please visit:

Solutions Not Suspensions

Related resources:

The Center for Civil Rights Remedies at UCLA Civil Rights Project: Opportunities Suspended: The Disparate Impact of Disciplinary Exclusion from School (August 2012)

Education World: In-School Suspension: A Learning Tool

Education World: School Policy Expert: Do Detentions and Suspensions Work?

Background information:

Dignity in Schools Campaign

Opportunity to Learn Campaign

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (42, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“42. . . . Therefore, all the faithful of Christ are invited to strive for the holiness and perfection of their own proper state. Indeed they have an obligation to so strive. Let all then have care that they guide aright their own deepest sentiments of soul. Let neither the use of the things of this world nor attachment to riches, which is against the spirit of evangelical poverty, hinder them in their quest for perfect love. Let them heed the admonition of the Apostle to those who use this world; let them not come to terms with this world; for this world, as we see it, is passing away.”(235)(16*)

(235) Cf. 1 Corinthians 7:31 ff.

(16*) De praxi effectiva consiliorum quae non omnibus imponitur, cfr. S. Io. Chrysostomus, In Matth. Hom. 7, 7: PG S7, 8 I s. 5. Ambrosius, De Vidu s, 4, 23: PL 16, 241 s.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for those who work in youth ministry, whether it be in a faith-based organization or on any other level, and for all the good You do through them.

Bishop Tobin on Turbulence in the Church

“I don’t recall if it was on my flight to or from my Florida vacation this summer, but at one point the pilot announced, ‘Folks, we expect to be passing through a little turbulence in a few moments, so we’d like you to return to your seats and check your seatbelts to be sure that they’re securely fastened. And please remain seated for the duration of the flight.’

“Now, if you fly very often you’ve probably heard similar announcements. Turbulence isn’t at all unusual. It’s caused by unstable air that’s often found on the edge of a thunderstorm, or while passing through a cloud bank or flying over mountains. Turbulence usually isn’t harmful to the plane which is built to withstand tremendous forces, but it can be dangerous if unsecured bodies or other objects fly around the cabin.”

In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the similarities between turbulence in the air and turbulence in the Church, whether from internal or external sources.

To access Bishop Tobin’s essay, please visit:

Without A Doubt: Turbulence, in the Sky and in the Church (23 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Steve Jobs

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs

September is National Preparedness Month

September is being observed as National Preparedness Month. This awareness month is sponsored by the Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council. National Preparedness Month is designed to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities.

The Ready Campaign is a national public service advertising campaign sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the Advertising Council. This campaign is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation.

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. September 2012 is the ninth annual NPM. This year has as its theme, “Pledge to Prepare.”

National Preparedness Month Coalition membership is open to all public and private sector organizations. Groups can register to become an NPM Coalition Member by visiting the Ready Campaign at http://www.ready.gov/ and clicking on the NPM banner.

During National Preparedness Month, coalition members are encouraged to share preparedness information with their members, customers, employees, and communities. Members spearhead activities that encourage specific steps for individual, neighborhood, and community preparedness. Once an organization registers as a coalition member, it receives access to the NPM Website, which includes a toolkit with templates, resources, and tips to assist with promoting emergency preparedness.

Background information:

FEMA: National Office of Citizen Corps

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Maine Emergency Management Agency

MEMA: Maine Prepares

Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security: Homeland Security & Emergency Response

New Hampshire Department of Safety: Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency

Vermont Division of Emergency Management

Vermont Emergency Response Volunteers

On the Importance of Study

“People often ask me what they can do as Catholics in the modern world. What they usually mean is how can they help deal with major public issues like abortion and marriage, poverty and religious liberty. There are many organizations – in addition to The Catholic Thing and the Faith & Reason Institute – that can use a spare hand or a contribution. And there are operations closer to home, too, and no shortage of challenges there.”

In a recent commentary, Robert Royal reflected on the continuing importance of study as we strive to live as active Catholics in the world.

To access his complete post, please visit:

The Catholic Thing: Work, Pray – Study (20 AUG 12)

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (42, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“42. . . . The Church continually keeps before it the warning of the Apostle which moved the faithful to charity, exhorting them to experience personally what Christ Jesus had known within Himself. This was the same Christ Jesus, who ‘emptied Himself, taking the nature of a slave . . . becoming obedient to death’,(233) and because of us ‘being rich, he became poor’.(234) Because the disciples must always offer an imitation of and a testimony to the charity and humility of Christ, Mother Church rejoices at finding within her bosom men and women who very closely follow their Savior who debased Himself to our comprehension. There are some who, in their freedom as sons of God, renounce their own wills and take upon themselves the state of poverty. Still further, some become subject of their own accord to another man, in the matter of perfection for love of God. This is beyond the measure of the commandments, but is done in order to become more fully like the obedient Christ.”(15*)

(233) Philippians 2:7-8.

(234) 2 Corinthians 8:9.

(15*) De spirituali paupertate et oboedientia testimonia praccipua S.Scripturae et Patrum afferuntur in Relatione pp. 152-153.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the writings of the Doctors of the Church and for the many ways You reach out to us through these writings.

David Van Biema on Mother Teresa

“How do secular people remember a saint? As Mother Teresa’s birthday on August 26th and the anniversary of her death on September 5th approach, I found myself thinking about this. I tried to imagine what I would know about the woman, 15 years gone, if I didn’t write about religion for a living. Probably that she was good to the poor. Short. A friend of Lady Di’s. I concluded that unless I were a pious Roman Catholic, I would know very little, which led me to consider the difference between the way the Roman Catholic church treats its deserving dead and the way society at large does.”

In a recent commentary, Time Magazine columnist David Van Biema reflected on why it is important to remember Mother Teresa.

To access his complete essay, please visit:

Time: Ideas: Why Mother Teresa Still Matters (24 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Saint Augustine

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” – Saint Augustine (whose memory the Church celebrates today)

Firewise Communities Program Offers New Online Toolkit

The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Firewise® Communities Program is offering a new Firewise toolkit, available at no cost online. Firewise is a national program that strives to encourage local solutions for wildfire safety by involving homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, firefighters, and others in the effort to protect people and property from wildfire risks.

The materials in the toolkit are designed to meet the needs of several audiences, including homeowners, fire service professionals, community leaders, and others interested in learning how to reduce wildfire risk. The entire toolkit or its separate pieces (which include a “Guide to Firewise Principles'” and a Firewise checklist for homeowners) may be downloaded and printed for meetings, presentations, and for individual use.

To access the toolkit, please visit:

NFPA: Firewise Communities Program: Firewise Toolkit

Background information:

NFPA: Firewise Communities Program

National Fire Protection Association

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (42, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“42. . . . Likewise, the holiness of the Church is fostered in a special way by the observance of the counsels proposed in the Gospel by Our Lord to His disciples.(13*) An eminent position among these is held by virginity or the celibate state.(231) This is a precious gift of divine grace given by the Father to certain souls,(232) whereby they may devote themselves to God alone the more easily, due to an undivided heart. (14*) This perfect continency, out of desire for the kingdom of heaven, has always been held in particular honor in the Church. The reason for this was and is that perfect continency for the love of God is an incentive to charity, and is certainly a particular source of spiritual fecundity in the world.”

(231) Cf 1 Corinthians 7:32-34.

(232) Cf. Matthew 19:11; 1 Corinthians 7:7.

(13*) De consiliis in genere, cfr. Origenes, Comm. Rom. X, 14: PG 14 127S B. S. Augustinus, De S. Viginitate, 15, 15: PL 40, 403. S. Thomas, Summa Theol. I-II, q. 100, a. 2 C (in fine); II-II, q. 44, a. 4 ad 3

(14*) De praestantia sacrae virginitatis, cfr. Tertullianus, Exhort. Cast. 10: PL 2, 925 C. S. Cyprianus, Hab. Virg. 3 et 22: PL 4, 443 B et 461 A. A. S. Athanasius (?), De Virg.: PG 28, 252 ss. S. Io. Chrysostomus, De Virg.: PG 48, 533 u.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many good teachers You have placed in my life throughout the years.

Msgr. Pope on Joy

“There is something deeply mysterious about joy. It is deeper than mere laughter, it is more than an emotion. Joy seems to combine both serenity and excitement along with a touch of humor or laughter. It seems to come as pure gift, emerging sometimes in an instant, sometimes as a gentle tide welling up. Perhaps its context is good news, or a humorous moment, Perhaps it exists with the satisfaction of a completed task or a reunion after an absence. It does not seem to be a learned response at all. It just is, it’s just there! Even the youngest infants show joy. It comes with the soul and is there from the start.”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the place of joy in our lives.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Msgr. Charles Pope: On the Mystery and Divine Origin of Joy (19 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Colin Powell

“Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.” – Colin Powell

“Taste and See”

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of Dr. James Moore’s “Taste and See”, as presented by the Saint Benedict Parish (Los Angeles, CA) music ministry:

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18; Ephesians 5:21-32; and John 6:60-69. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:2-3, 16-21).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 34 Taste and see the goodness of the Lord

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?”

Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him. And he said,”For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.

Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”

Simon Peter answered him, “ Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 26, 2012)

Msgr. Charles Pope: Two Hard Sayings on One Day. A Meditation on the Readings for the 21st Sunday of the Year (25 AUG 12)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Belief or Faith?

The Deacon's Bench: Homily for August 26, 2012: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (25 AUG 12)

Dr. Scott Hahn: A Choice to Make (August 26th 2012 - Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Quiet Corner: Women’s roles are crucial for the renewal of Christianity (23 AUG 12)

The Lectionary: We have the choice to follow God or secularism (23 AUG 12)

The Word Encountered: Difficult Passages (Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time B)

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (42, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“42. . . . Since Jesus, the Son of God, manifested His charity by laying down His life for us, so too no one has greater love than he who lays down his life for Christ and His brothers.(230) From the earliest times, then, some Christians have been called upon – and some will always be called upon – to give the supreme testimony of this love to all men, but especially to persecutors. The Church, then, considers martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love. By martyrdom a disciple is transformed into an image of his Master by freely accepting death for the salvation of the world – as well as his conformity to Christ in the shedding of his blood. Though few are presented such an opportunity, nevertheless all must be prepared to confess Christ before men. They must be prepared to make this profession of faith even in the midst of persecutions, which will never be lacking to the Church, in following the way of the cross.”

(230) Cf. 1 John 3:16; John 15:13.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord for the mantle of love with which You surround each of us, whether we are aware of it or not.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia Initiates Independently Managed Catholic School System

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Faith and the Future Foundation recently announced that an agreement-in-principle has been reached to create an independently managed Catholic school system that would encompass the seventeen high schools within the Archdiocese as well as its four schools of special education. The Foundation will assume strategic and operational management of these 21 Archdiocesan schools effective 1 September, with a focus on major fundraising, enrollment management, marketing, and cultivating best practices in leadership and education.

Although this agreement specifically addresses the Archdiocesan high schools and the schools of special education, the Foundation, which will work in close partnership with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, will also seek to provide support to the Archdiocesan grade schools and the newly formed Mission Schools.

Under the plans for this initiative, the Office of Catholic Education (OCE) will become a division of the Faith in the Future Foundation, reporting directly to the Foundation’s CEO. The responsibilities of OCE are to remain focused upon curriculum and standards, academic and spiritual development of students, co-curricular and extra-curricular programming, and the professional development of teachers. The Presidents and Principals of the 17 Archdiocesan High Schools and four schools of special education will continue to report to OCE. All facilities will continue to be owned and operated by the Archdiocese.

Media reports:

Catholic Philly: Philadelphia Catholic high schools, special ed schools, placed under new management (23 AUG 12)

National Catholic Register: Archdiocese of Philadelphia Unveils New Model for Education (21 AUG 12)

CBS Philly: Independent Foundation To Run Philadelphia’s Catholic High Schools (21 AUG 12)

Background information:

Faith and the Future Foundation

Archdiocese of Philadelphia: Office of Catholic Education

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Reflection Starter from Saint Augustine

“Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, do not seek to understand so that you may believe, but believe so that you may understand.” – Saint Augustine

The Scorpions: Ghost Riders in the Sky

In this presentation, a group known as The Scorpions are playing an instrumental version of (Ghost) Riders in the Sky:

Profile of a Clockmaker

“Clocks tell more than time.

“They also tell stories.

“The chime that filled a childhood home, the timepiece that kept a beloved grandparent on schedule – These memories are as much a part of the clocks that Bob Richardson repairs as the inner workings and the hands.”

An article in the current issue of The Landmark profiled Holden, MA, clockmaker Bob Richardson.

To access the compete Landmark article, please visit:

The Landmark: He keeps watch on a timeless tradition (23 AUG 12)

Background information:

Wikipedia: Holden, Massachusetts

Wikipedia: Clockmaker

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign in Progress

A number of municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies throughout New England are participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. This enforcement campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it is supported by a nationwide, multi-year advertising campaign focused on getting drunk drivers off the road. (Each year nearly 11,000 people die on the road due to accidents related to drunk driving.)

For more information about this initiative, please visit:

NHTSA: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

YouTube: How Does It All Start?

Media reports:

Sun Journal: Lisbon police take part in 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' (25 AUG 12)

Wareham Courier: Wareham Police: Drive sober or get pulled over (16 AUG 12)

Background information:

NHTSA: Time of Day and Demographic Perspective Of Fatal Alcohol-Impaired-Driving Crashes (August 2011)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (42)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“42. ‘God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in Him’.(227) But, God pours out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us;(228) thus the first and most necessary gift is love, by which we love God above all things and our neighbor because of God. Indeed, in order that love, as good seed may grow and bring forth fruit in the soul, each one of the faithful must willingly hear the Word of God and accept His Will, and must complete what God has begun by their own actions with the help of God’s grace. These actions consist in the use of the sacraments and in a special way the Eucharist, frequent participation in the sacred action of the Liturgy, application of oneself to prayer, self-abnegation, lively fraternal service and the constant exercise of all the virtues. For charity, as the bond of perfection and the fullness of the law,(229) rules over all the means of attaining holiness and gives life to these same means.(12*) It is charity which guides us to our final end. It is the love of God and the love of one’s neighbor which points out the true disciple of Christ.”

(227) 1 John 4:16.

(228) Cf. Romans 5:5.

(229) Cf. Colossians 3:14; Romans 13:10.

(12*) Cf. S. Augustinus, Enchir. 121, 32: PL 40 288. S. Thomas Summa Theol. II-II, q. 184, a. 1. Pius XII, Adhort. Apost. Menti nostrae, 23 sept. 1950: AAS 42 (1950) p. 660.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for people who encourage us to pray.

Jimmy Akin on “Hallowed Be Thy Name”

In a recent video commentary, Jimmy Akin, Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, reflected on the meaning of the phrase, “Hallowed be Thy name,” from the Lord’s Prayer.

To access this reflection, please visit:

JimmyAkin: What Does “Hallowed Be Thy Name” Mean?

Reflection Starter from Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.” – attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson

National Planting Day

Keep America Beautiful is preparing to host the first National Planting Day on Saturday, 8 September.

National Planting Day is designed to celebrate the value and power of native species in restoring ecological balance to the environment, while creating greener, more beautiful communities. With National Planting Day and other activities happening throughout autumn, Keep America Beautiful and its affiliates and partners are striving to mobilize Americans to plant native species of trees, flowers, and plants.

For more information about National Planting Day, please visit:

Keep America Beautiful: National Planting Day

Background information:

Keep America Beautiful

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. . . . Finally all Christ’s faithful, whatever be the conditions, duties and circumstances of their lives – and indeed through all these, will daily increase in holiness, if they receive all things with faith from the hand of their heavenly Father and if they cooperate with the divine will. In this temporal service, they will manifest to all men the love with which God loved the world.”

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of dew drops on the grass as they sparkle with the rays of early morning sunlight.

Father Myles Sheehan, S.J., on Assisted Suicide

“When Father Myles N. Sheehan says physicians do not need assisted suicide to provide appropriate end of life care, he is speaking from experience.

“Father Sheehan is not only the provincial of the New England Province of Jesuits, but also a physician trained in internal medicine and geriatrics, a medical educator, and an expert in palliative care.”

In a recent interview with The Pilot, Fr. Sheehan addressed the assisted suicide issue from a Catholic perspective.

To access the complete article, please visit:

The Pilot: Priest-physician brings unique perspective to suicide debate 17 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Albert Einstein

“Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.” – attributed to Albert Einstein

Afterschool Alliance Survey: Afterschool Programs Struggling in Recession’s Aftermath

As the children head back to school in this region and throughout the nation, a survey recently released by the Afterschool Alliance reports that, amid a rocky economic climate and budget-tightening at the local, state, and federal levels, many after-school programs face shrinking resources and uncertain prospects even as they are already struggling to meet the needs of children and families in their communities. Programs that principally serve minority communities have been especially hard hit.

Nearly two in five after-school programs (39 percent) report that their budgets are in worse shape today than at the height of the recession in 2008, and more than three in five (62 percent) report that their funding is down “a little or a lot” from three years ago. That leaves many after-school programs – which provide children with a safe and supervised space, hands-on educational opportunities, and access to homework help, mentors and other caring adults – unable to fully support the children in their communities who are most in need of after-school now, and without the financial security to do so in the future.

The results are part of the Afterschool Alliance’s Uncertain Times survey project. The Afterschool Alliance previously conducted Uncertain Times surveys in 2006 and 2009.

“The latest Uncertain Times results are a painful reminder that the nation’s slow road to economic recovery is a particularly rough journey for the afterschool programs that children, families and educators rely on,” said Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, in a prepared statement. “These programs are not a luxury; they’re vital to a bright future for children all across the country. What’s particularly discouraging is that programs most in need – those serving minority and high-poverty communities – are hurting the most. That means the students they serve are at risk of being denied access to afterschool programs, which keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families.”

Among other key findings of the new Uncertain Times survey:

• Nearly nine in ten programs (88 percent) report that children in their communities need after-school care but are unable to access it.
• More than half of programs (57 percent) report that their budgets are inadequate to meet the needs of their communities, close to a 10-point increase from 2009.
• Nearly one in four programs (24 percent) report that they would need to at least double capacity to meet the needs of all the kids in their communities.
• Sixteen percent of programs report that a loss of funding caused major cutbacks or shut down sites, up from 14 percent in 2009.
• More than eight in ten programs (85 percent) anticipate that the challenging economic climate will affect their programs during the 2012-2013 school year.

To view the full 2012 survey, please visit:

Afterschool Alliance: Uncertain Times: Afterschool Programs Still Struggling in Today’s Economy (2012)

Additional information:

Uncertain Times 2012: Summer Learning Fact Sheet

Background information:

Afterschool Alliance

New England City & Town: Education Issues: After-school Programs

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. . . . May all those who are weighed down with poverty, infirmity and sickness, as well as those who must bear various hardships or who suffer persecution for justice sake – may they all know they are united with the suffering Christ in a special way for the salvation of the world. The Lord called them blessed in His Gospel and they are those whom ‘the God of all graces, who has called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, strengthen and establish’.(226)”

(226) 1 Peter 5:10.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of patience, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit that it is.

Archdiocese of Atlanta Receives Mitchell Bequest

“The Archdiocese of Atlanta has received a substantial gift from the estate of Margaret Mitchell’s nephew, Joseph, including a 50 percent share of the trademark and literary rights to Gone With the Wind.”

To access the complete Georgia Bulletin article on this bequest, please visit:

The Georgia Bulletin: Mitchell Heir Leaves Estate To Archdiocese (16 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Bob Marley

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” – Bob Marley

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is observed as National Immunization Awareness Month. This is a time designed to highlight the need for improving national immunization coverage levels and to encourage all people to protect their health by being immunized against infectious diseases.

For additional information related to immunization and National Immunization Awareness Month, please visit:

National Health Information Center Toolkit

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vaccines & Immunizations

CDC: Vaccine Information for Adults

CDC: Preteen and Teen Vaccines

CDC: Infant Immunization

"Salve Regina”

Today the Church celebrates the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. With that in mind, I offer this Gregorian chant version of "Salve Regina":

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. . . . Furthermore, married couples and Christian parents should follow their own proper path (to holiness) by faithful love. They should sustain one another in grace throughout the entire length of their lives. They should embue their offspring, lovingly welcomed as God’s gift, with Christian doctrine and the evangelical virtues. In this manner, they offer all men the example of unwearying and generous love; in this way they build up the brotherhood of charity; in so doing, they stand as the witnesses and cooperators in the fruitfulness of Holy Mother Church; by such lives, they are a sign and a participation in that very love, with which Christ loved His Bride and for which He delivered Himself up for her.(11*) A like example, but one given in a different way, is that offered by widows and single people, who are able to make great contributions toward holiness and apostolic endeavor in the Church. Finally, those who engage in labor – and frequently it is of a heavy nature – should better themselves by their human labors. They should be of aid to their fellow citizens. They should raise all of society, and even creation itself, to a better mode of existence. Indeed, they should imitate by their lively charity, in their joyous hope and by their voluntary sharing of each others’ burdens, the very Christ who plied His hands with carpenter’s tools and Who in union with His Father, is continually working for the salvation of all men. In this, then, their daily work they should climb to the heights of holiness and apostolic activity.”

(11*) Pius XI, Litt. Encycl. Casti Connubii, 31 dec. 1930. AAS 22 (1930) p. 548 s. Cf. S. Io Chrysostomus, In Ephes. Hom. 20, 2: P. 62, 136 ss.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty and intricacy of spider webs.

Msgr. Pope on Cultivating Serenity During a Cultural War

“There is little doubt that a kind of cultural war is being waged on many different fronts: abortion, euthanasia, the family, marriage, rampant divorce, cohabitation & fornication, homosexual activity, gay ‘marriage,’ militant secularism and atheism, religious liberty, and so on.

“While some may not like the image of war, the conflicts are so deep and intense, the tensions so live and the sides so clearly marked that we can little avoid the term.”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the need for peace of heart and how to cultivate serenity in the midst of the various challenges of the current times.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Msgr. Charles Pope: “Been in the storm so long Children….” On the need to cultivate serenity in the midst of a culture war (13 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Saint John Eudes

“The air that we breathe, the bread that we eat, the heart which throbs in our bosoms, are not more necessary for man that he may live as a human being, than is prayer for the Christian that he may live as a Christian.” – Saint John Eudes

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. . . . Ministers of lesser rank are also sharers in the mission and grace of the Supreme Priest. In the first place among these ministers are deacons, who, in as much as they are dispensers of Christ’s mysteries and servants of the Church,(9*) should keep themselves free from every vice and stand before men as personifications of goodness and friends of God.(225) Clerics, who are called by the Lord and are set aside as His portion in order to prepare themselves for the various ministerial offices under the watchful eye of spiritual shepherds, are bound to bring their hearts and minds into accord with this special election (which is theirs). They will accomplish this by their constancy in prayer, by their burning love, and by their unremitting recollection of whatever is true, just and of good repute. They will accomplish all this for the glory and honor of God. Besides these already named, there are also laymen, chosen of God and called by the bishop. These laymen spend themselves completely in apostolic labors, working the Lord’s field with much success.(10*).”

(225) Cf. 1 Timothy 3:8-10 and 12-1

(9*) Cf. S. Ignatius M., Trall. 2, 3: cd. Funk, l, p. 244.

(10*) Cf. Pius XII, Alloc. Sous la maternclle protection, 9 dec. 1957: AAS 50 (19S8) p. 36.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of the Northern Lights and Southern Lights.

Olympic Swimmer Offers Her Medals to Blessed Mother

Deacon Greg Kandra recently posted an item about Spanish Olympic swimmer Mireia Belmonte, who won two silver medals and, upon returning to Spain, offered them to Our Lady of Monserrat in Barcelona.

To access his complete post, please visit:

The Deacon's Bench: Olympic swimmer dedicates her medals to Mary (18 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Pope St. Pius X

“My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help. I can do all in Him who strengthens me. His Power is infinite, and if I lean on him, it will be mine. His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him counsel, I shall not be deceived. His Goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned.” – Pope Saint Pius X (whose feast day is today)

“Is Retaining Students in the Early Grades Self-Defeating?”

“Many educators believe that reading by third grade is a vital indicator of future school success. Some even argue that unless children are good readers by third grade, the rest of their schooling will be an uphill struggle. Several states and school districts now require that students who have not mastered basic reading skills by the end of third grade be retained and given remedial instruction. Others argue that students should not be retained unless they have had high quality early education and reading instruction during and before third grade. These policies and practices have renewed a longstanding debate among educators about whether students who cannot read by third grade should be retained and, if so, under what circumstances.”

The Center on Children and Families at Brookings recently released a policy summarizes research on reading and retention policy and practice. In this brief, the Center offered a number of policy implications related to this issue. These implications include:

• Reducing the number of students who do not acquire basic reading skills in the early grades remains an urgent priority for American public education.
• Policies encouraging the retention of students who have not acquired basic reading skills by third grade are no substitute for the development of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the number of struggling readers.
• Test-based promotion policies are most likely to be successful if they are accompanied by specific requirements that retained students be provided with additional, research-based instruction in reading and adequate funding to implement those requirements.

To access a copy of this Brookings policy brief, please visit:

Center on Children and Families at Brookings: Is Retaining Students in the Early Grades Self-Defeating? (August 2012)

Background information:

Center on Children and Families at Brookings

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. . . . Priests, who resemble bishops to a certain degree in their participation of the sacrament of Orders, form the spiritual crown of the bishops.(6*) They participate in the grace of their office and they should grow daily in their love of God and their neighbor by the exercise of their office through Christ, the eternal and unique Mediator. They should preserve the bond of priestly communion, and they should abound in every spiritual good and thus present to all men a living witness to God.(7*) All this they should do in emulation of those priests who often, down through the course of the centuries, left an outstanding example of the holiness of humble and hidden service. Their praise lives on in the Church of God. By their very office of praying and offering sacrifice for their own people and the entire people of God, they should rise to greater holiness. Keeping in mind what they are doing and imitating what they are handling,(8*) these priests, in their apostolic labors, rather than being ensnared by perils and hardships, should rather rise to greater holiness through these perils and hardships. They should ever nourish and strengthen their action from an abundance of contemplation, doing all this for the comfort of the entire Church of God. All priests, and especially those who are called ‘diocesan priests,’ due to the special title of their ordination, should keep continually before their minds the fact that their faithful loyalty toward and their generous cooperation with their bishop is of the greatest value in their growth in holiness.”

(6*) Cf. S. Ignatius M., Magn. 13, 1: ed. Funk, I, p. 241.

(7*) Cf. S. Pius X, Exhort. Haerent animo, 4 aug. 1908: ASS 41 (1908) p. 560 s. Cod. Iur. Can., can. 124. Pius XI, Litt. Encycl. Ad catholici sacerdotii, 20 dec. 1935: AAS 28 (1936) p. 22 s.

(8*) Ordo consecrationis sacerdotalis, in Exhortatione initiali

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for people who remember the Church in their wills.

Fr. Michael Duffy on a Day in the Life of a Priest

“It’s amazing how a day in the life of a priest covers so many emotions.  This morning I attended the funeral of a brother priest - Msgr. Francis Midura, 67.  He died suddenly of a heart attack on July 30th.  He was a wonderful priest- a priest’s priest.  He was a beloved pastor – and a retired Colonel from the US Army.”

In a recent commentary, Father Michael Duffy, of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, reflected on the one day in the life of a priest.

To access Fr. Duffy’s complete post, please visit:

Father, Where Art Thou?: From sadness to joy… the day of a priest covers it all! (4 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Michelle Ustaszeski

“As you work toward your goal, anxiously anticipating the light at the end of the tunnel, don’t forget to notice the light that shines upon you today.” – attributed to Michelle C. Ustaszeski

“One Bread, One Body”

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of Father John Foley’s “One Bread, One Body”:

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Proverbs 9:1-6, Ephesians 5:15-20, and John 6:51-58. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:2-7).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 34 Taste and see how good our God can be

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to the crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 19, 2012)

Msgr. Charles Pope: Wine, a Woman, and Song: A Meditation on the Readings for the 20th Sunday of the Year. (18 AUG 12)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Life is a Feast

The Deacon's Bench: Homily for August 19, 2012: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (18 AUG 12)

Dr. Scott Hahn: Wisdom’s Feast (August 19th 2012 - Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Word Encountered: Nurtured (Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time B)

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. . . . In the first place, the shepherds of Christ’s flock must holily and eagerly, humbly and courageously carry out their ministry, in imitation of the eternal high Priest, the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls. They ought to fulfill this duty in such a way that it will be the principal means also of their own sanctification. Those chosen for the fullness of the priesthood are granted the ability of exercising the perfect duty of pastoral charity by the grace of the sacrament of Orders. This perfect duty of pastoral charity (5*) is exercised in every form of episcopal care and service, prayer, sacrifice and preaching. By this same sacramental grace, they are given the courage necessary to lay down their lives for their sheep, and the ability of promoting greater holiness in the Church by their daily example, having become a pattern for their flock.(224)”

(224) Cf. 1 Peter 5:3.

(5) Cfr. S. Thomas, Summa Theol. II-II, q. 184, a. 5 et 6. De perf . vitae spir., c. 18. Origenes, In Is. Hom. 6, 1: PG 13, 239.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for priests, deacons, consecrated religious, and dedicated lay people who serve in a chaplain ministry and for all that You do through them.

Fr. Najim on Having a True Relationship with Jesus

“Priests receive many phone calls.  Some people want to speak about a crisis they’re going through; others want information on how to get married; still others need copies of their sacrament certificates.  When the phone rings late at night, however, the first thought that goes through a priest’s mind is, this must be an emergency.  A good friend of mine who is a priest in another diocese told me about a phone call he received at 10:30 one evening.  ‘Father,’ the man on the phone said, ‘the lotto is up to 30 million.  Please pray that I win.’”

In a commentary, Father Michael Najim (Director of Spiritual Formation at the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence and chaplain at La Salle Academy, Providence, RI) reflected on what is at the heart of our relationship with Jesus.

To access Fr. Najim’s complete post, please visit:

Live Holiness: Why Do You Seek Jesus? (8 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Saint Maximilian Kolbe

“The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers.” – Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Bobby Day: “Rockin’ Robin”

It’s time for a little “Rockin’ Robin,” as sung by Bobby Day:

U.S. Mayors Conference Issues Metro Economies Report

The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently issued a report that shows that the nation’s cities and their metro areas continue to make steady progress toward economic recovery. The report also warns that failure to dramatically increase investment in transportation infrastructure could cause skyrocketing costs to families, commuters, and businesses, potentially doubling over the next decade.

The report, U.S. Metro Economies: Outlook - Gross Metropolitan Product, and Critical Role of Transportation Infrastructure, examines the impact that population increases, employment growth, export expansion, and economic output will have on metropolitan areas.

The report forecasts that by the end of 2012, 300 of the nation’s 363 metro areas will experience real economic growth (gross metro product), and predicts that over the remainder of the year the nation’s economy will see 1.4 percent increase in employment and a real GDP growth of 2.0 percent. Prepared by IHS Global Insight, the report also projects that household budgets will receive a boost from falling gas prices that are expected to decline to $3.11/gallon by the fall.

To access a list of the report’s key findings, please visit:

U.S. Metro Economies: Key Findings (July 2012)

To access a copy of the complete report, please visit:

U.S. Conference of Mayors: U.S. Metro Economies: Outlook - Gross Metropolitan Product, and Critical Role of Transportation Infrastructure (July 2012)

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (41)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“41. The classes and duties of life are many, but holiness is one – that sanctity which is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who obey the voice of the Father and worship God the Father in spirit and in truth. These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ in order to be worthy of being sharers in His glory. Every person must walk unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charity.”

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the sounds of insects during the summer.

Fr. McCloskey on the New Evangelization and Steve Jobs

“As a priest, part of my job description is to be an agent of the New Evangelization that was proclaimed by Blessed John Paul the Great. Only a few years after leading the Church into the third millennium during the Jubilee year of 2000, his mantle fell to Pope Benedict XVI, who also proclaims very seriously the Church’s evangelical mission. I assume that the great majority of my readers are serious Catholics who in these challenging times are as eager as I am to see the vision of Bl. John Paul realized and continued by Pope Benedict XVI: to see the Church recover and flourish in growth and fidelity, in particular in what was once known as the West.

“Which brings me to the case of Steve Jobs. Let me be clear, I am not postulating Steve Job’s cause for canonization. His biography will convince the reader that he suffered from emotional wounds from his early childhood as an adopted son and, to put it mildly, that sensitivity, generosity, and compassion did not stand out in him as particular virtues. To his credit, he was not particularly avaricious and lived modestly. He entered into a late marriage that produced several offspring. Have mercy on him; after all, he was a product of California in the 1960s, not exactly a breeding ground for saints.”

In a commentary earlier this year, Father C. J. McCloskey III, a Research Fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington, DC, reflected on some of Steve Jobs’ insights and practices and how they apply to the New Evangelization.

To access Fr. McCloskey’s complete post, please visit:

The Catholic Thing: Steve Jobs and the New Evangelization (29 APR 12)

Reflection Starter from Saint Josemaría Escrivá

“We live poverty by filling the hours of the day usefully, doing everything as well as we can, and living little details of order, punctuality and good humor.” – Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (40, continued)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“40. . . . Thus it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity;(4*) by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.”

(4*) Cf. Pius XI, Litt. Encycl. Rerum omnium, 26 ian. 1923: AAS 15 (1923) p. 50 ct pp. 59-60. Litt. Encycl. Casti Connubii, 31 dec. 1930: AAS 22 (1930) p. 548. Pius XII, Const. Apost. Provida Mater, 2 febr. 1947: AAS 39 (1947) p. 117. Alloc. Annus sacer, 8 dec. 1950: AAS 43 (1951) pp. 27-28. Alloc. Nel darvi, 1 iul. 1956: AAS 48 (1956) p. 574 s.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord for the blessing of modern plumbing for all those who design, install, and maintain plumbing systems and their individual parts,

Fr. Dwight Longenecker on Truth and Persecution

“Call me paranoid, but I sometimes feel like it is not only Protestants who are in protest against Catholicism, but the whole world.

“When I stop to analyze this feeling I realize that there is an argument to be made. If Catholicism embraces the whole truth wherever it appears, then it is going to offend everybody who can’t stand that particular truth. Consequently, if Catholicism embraces the whole truth everywhere, then it is bound to offend almost everybody everywhere who only hold to part of the truth or to a distorted part of the truth. (People who do this are called ‘heretics’)”

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on persecution of the Church and its people because of its stand for truth, the whole truth.

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit:

Standing on My Head: Protest and Persecution (9 AUG 12)

Background information:

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author

Reflection Starter from Colin Powell

“Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.” – Colin Powell

NOAA Raises Hurricane Season Prediction

This year’s Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, with seven named storms to date, and may have a busy second half, according to the updated hurricane season outlook recently issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The updated outlook still indicates a 50 percent chance of a near-normal season, but increases the chance of an above-normal season to 35 percent and decreases the chance of a below-normal season to only 15 percent from the initial outlook issued in May.

Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the season (1 June through 30 November), NOAA’s updated seasonal outlook projects a total (which includes the activity of the earlier tropical storms [Alberto, Beryl, Debbie, and Florence] and hurricanes [Chris and Ernesto]) of:

• 12 to 17 named storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including:
• 5 to 8 hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which:
• 2 to 3 could be major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)

The numbers are higher from the initial outlook in May, which called for 9-15 named storms, 4-8 hurricanes, and 1-3 major hurricanes. Based on a 30-year average, a normal Atlantic hurricane season produces 12 named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.

“We are increasing the likelihood of an above-normal season because storm-conducive wind patterns and warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures are now in place in the Atlantic,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the Climate Prediction Center, in a prepared statement. “These conditions are linked to the ongoing high activity era for Atlantic hurricanes that began in 1995. Also, strong early-season activity is generally indicative of a more active season.”

However, NOAA seasonal climate forecasters also announced today that El Niño will likely develop in August or September.

“El Niño is a competing factor, because it strengthens the vertical wind shear over the Atlantic, which suppresses storm development. However, we don’t expect El Niño’s influence until later in the season,” Bell said.

Background information:

NOAA: National Hurricane Center

FEMA: Ready.gov: Hurricanes

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (40)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It continues as follows:

“40. The Lord Jesus, the divine Teacher and Model of all perfection, preached holiness of life to each and everyone of His disciples of every condition. He Himself stands as the author and consumator of this holiness of life: ‘Be you therefore perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect’.(216)(2*) Indeed He sent the Holy Spirit upon all men that He might move them inwardly to love God with their whole heart and their whole soul, with all their mind and all their strength(217) and that they might love each other as Christ loves them.(218) The followers of Christ are called by God, not because of their works, but according to His own purpose and grace. They are justified in the Lord Jesus, because in the baptism of faith they truly become sons of God and sharers in the divine nature. In this way they are really made holy. Then too, by God’s gift, they must hold on to and complete in their lives this holiness they have received. They are warned by the Apostle to live ‘as becomes saints’,(219) and to put on ‘as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, patience’,(220) and to possess the fruit of the Spirit in holiness.(221) Since truly we all offend in many things (222) we all need God’s mercies continually and we all must daily pray: ‘Forgive us our debts’.(223)(3*)”

(216) Matthew 5:48.

(217) Cf. Mark 12:30.

(218) Cf. John 13.34; 15:12.

(219) Ephesians 5:3.

(220) Colossians 3:12.

(221) Cf. Galatians 5:22; Romans 6:22.

(222) Cf. James 3:2.

(223) Matthew 6:12.

(2*) Cfr. Origenes, Comm. Rom. 7, 7: PG 14, 1122 B. Ps.- Macarius, De Oratione, 11: PG 34, 861 AB. S. Thomas, Summa Theol. II-II, q. 184, a. 3.

(3*) Cfr. S. Augustinus Retract. II, 18: PL 32, 637 s. Pius XII Litt. Encycl. Mystici Corporis, 29 iun. 1943: AAS 35 (1943) p. 225.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the encouragement and other messages You send through Your prophets.

A Reflection on Extraordinary Service in Ordinary Circumstances

“As a theology major, I earned my degree turning thousands of pages of spiritual reading – reflections of saints, papal documents, and biblical exegesis. I remember highlighting quotations that struck me, whole paragraphs of intricate wording that spoke right to my soul. It’s important to continue being a student of the Catholic faith always, reading the more weighty documents and understanding Church history, but I submit that some of the best theology I’ve studied came packed in simple phrases like Christ’s “. . . whatever you did to the least of my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). This powerful statement was often quoted by Blessed Mother Teresa when she would compel the world to help others and pour oneself out in service to them.”

A recent commentary in the blog, The Catholic Wife, reflected on how helping the world at large begins with our ministry in our own families.

To access the complete post, please visit:

The Catholic Wife: You Did It to Me: Extraordinary Service in Ordinary Circumstances (9 AUG 12)

Reflection Starter from Mark Hart

“The question isn’t whether or not God wishes to grow us in virtue, the question is whether we’ll lean into Him or run when trials come.” – Mark Hart

NFPA and IAFC Release Resource Designed to Help Reduce Unwanted Fire Alarm

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) recently released the “Fire Service Guide to Reducing Unwanted Fire Alarms,” a free 17-page downloadable PDF document that offers guidance to members of the fire service to reduce unwanted fire alarms. It is available through NFPA’s catalog.

Fire departments are often faced with challenges presented by unwanted alarms as they strive to allocate limited resources to fulfill their core mission of protecting lives and property and deal with these types of notifications which do not require emergency services. An unwanted alarm is defined by NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, as any alarm that occurs that is not the result of a potentially hazardous condition. A recent NFPA study found that in 2009, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 2.1 million false alarms, which included 979,500 responses due to unintentional activations and 698,000 due to system malfunctions.

This new guide is designed to offer fire service personnel basic knowledge on how fire alarm systems and detection devices operate and how to assess the cause of alarms where no emergency condition is apparent. The guide can assist authorities having jurisdiction in developing strategies to manage response to unwanted alarms through practices reflective of risk assessment, resources management, and current code recommendations. It addresses commercial and residential building fire alarm systems, as well as single-family dwellings and single- or multiple-station smoke alarms within dwelling units.

This guide is the outcome of a summit that addressed the challenges of unwanted fire alarms that was hosted by NFPA, IAFC and the United States Fire Administration in 2011. NFPA and IAFC developed this document in collaboration.

To access a copy of the booklet, please visit:

Fire Service Guide to Reducing Unwanted Fire Alarms

Background information:

National Fire Protection Association

International Association of Fire Chiefs

“Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly”

As our celebration of the Assumption continues, I offer this version of “Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly” (sung at the Church of Saint Michael, Stillwater, MN):

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The assigned readings are Revelation 11:19, 12:1-6, 10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; and Luke 1:39-56. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 45 (Psalm 45: 10-12, 16).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;  my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

965. After her Son’s Ascension, Mary “aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers.” In her association with the apostles and several women, “we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation.”

966. “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:

967. By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus) of the Church.

Background information:

Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII:  Munificentissimus Deus - Defining the Dogma of the Assumption (1 November 1950)

Additional reflections:

Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Feast of Mary’s Assumption

Deacon Greg Kandra: Homily for August 15, 2010: Vigil of the Assumption

Lumen Gentium: The Mystery of the Church (39)

Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church.” It begins as follows:

“39. The Church, whose mystery is being set forth by this Sacred Synod, is believed to be indefectibly holy. Indeed Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is praised as ‘uniquely holy,’ (1*) loved the Church as His bride, delivering Himself up for her. He did this that He might sanctify her.(214) He united her to Himself as His own body and brought it to perfection by the gift of the Holy Spirit for God’s glory. Therefore in the Church, everyone whether belonging to the hierarchy, or being cared for by it, is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification’.(215) However, this holiness of the Church is unceasingly manifested, and must be manifested, in the fruits of grace which the Spirit produces in the faithful; it is expressed in many ways in individuals, who in their walk of life, tend toward the perfection of charity, thus causing the edification of others; in a very special way this (holiness) appears in the practice of the counsels, customarily called ‘evangelical.’ This practice of the counsels, under the impulsion of the Holy Spirit, undertaken by many Christians, either privately or in a Church-approved condition or state of life, gives and must give in the world an outstanding witness and example of this same holiness.”

(214) Cf. Ephesians 5:25-26.

(215) l Thessalonians 4.3; cf. Ephesians 1:4.

(1*) Missale Romanum, Gloria in excelsis. Cf. Lc. 1, 35; Mc. 1, 24, Lc. 4, 34; Io. 6, 69 (ho hagios tou theou); Acts 3, 14; 4, 27 et 30; Hebr. 7, 26, 1 Io. 2, 20; Apoc. 3, 7.

 

To access the complete document, please visit:

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium