It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Antonín Dvořák’s “New World Symphony” (Symphony No. 9 in E Minor – “From the New World”), as played by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra:
31 July 2013
On the Pope’s Press Conference
It was interesting to see the secular reaction to the press conference held by Pope Francis as he was travelling back to Rome after World Youth Day.
Media reports:
Salt + Light: A Note on the Pope’s Remarks to Journalists en route to Rome (29 JUL 13)
The Deacon’s Bench: The Pope and the Catechism (30 JUL 13)
First Things: On the Square: Don’t Tell the Press: Pope Francis Is Using Them (30 JUL 13)
Bishop Etienne on the Value, Dignity, and Beauty of the Human Person
“Recently I was speaking with someone who was having a difficult moment. The basic issue at hand was a proper understanding of her own beauty, which means being able to see herself as God sees her.
“Life can be difficult, and our many experiences, particularly as young people, begin to form the way we think about our self. When enough bad experiences add up, depending upon our personality and chemistry, we can begin to think very negatively of our self, and even of others, God, and the world.”
In a recent commentary, Bishop Paul D. Etienne (Diocese of Cheyenne [Wyoming]) reflected on the importance of understanding of the human person as being created by God and for God.
To access Bishop Etienne’s complete post, please visit:
Truth in Love: The Human Person: Such Value, Dignity, Beauty (30 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
30 July 2013
“Glory to God in the Highest”
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of “Glory to God in the Highest”:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the truth contained with the psalm - “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.”
Msgr. Pope on the parable of the Sower and the Seed
“. . . Since the sower is the Son of Man, Jesus himself, why would the Lord, who knows everything ahead of time, sow seed he knew would not bear fruit?”
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the parable of the sower and the seed.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Reflection Starter from Fr. Angelus Silesius
“As in the flint the fire, as in the seed the tree, so is God’s likeness hidden in everything I see.” - Father Angelus Silesius
29 July 2013
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the outpouring of special graces You bestowed on the World Youth Day participants and on all who work to support them in any way.
Participants of World Youth Day Go Forth
World Youth Day has concluded, and there have been a number of good reports, from religious and secular media, about the events in this spirit-filled observance. May the seeds that were planted and nurtured during this event bear much fruit.
Media reports:
CNN: Pope to Mass of millions: Get out of church (28 JUL 13)
Catholic World Report Blog: More striking pictures from World Youth Day 28 JUL 13)
Belief Blog: What we learned about Pope Francis in Brazil (28 JUL 13)
Vatican Insider: “We need a Church capable of warming hearts” (27 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
“In the final analysis, the questions of why bad things happen to good people transmutes itself into some very different questions, no longer asking why something happened, but asking how we will respond, what we intend to do now that it happened.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.
28 July 2013
“From All That Dwell Below the Skies”
As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of “From All That Dwell Below the Skies”:
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Genesis 18:20-32, Colossians 2:12-14, and Luke 11:1-13. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 138 (Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 138 On the day I called for help You answered me O Lord
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”
And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Reflections on this day and on these readings:
The Deacon’s Bench: Homily for July 28, 2013: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 JUL 13)
Word on Fire: Sermon 654: Kingdom Prayer: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Sacred Page: Bargaining With God: The 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (26 JUL 13)
Dr. Scott Hahn: Asked and Answered (July 28th 2013 - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
The Catholic World Report Blog: The Godless Confusion and the God of Justice (27 JUL 13)
A Concord Pastor Comments: Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door... (28 JUL 13)
The Word Engaged: Praying and Pleading (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)
Pope Francis Meets with Brazilian Leaders
“Pope Francis met with leading members of Brazilian society on Saturday and stressed the importance of ‘constructive dialogue,’ saying this was essential at the present moment. ‘Between selfish indifference and violent protest,’ he said, ‘there is always another possible option, that of dialogue.’ The Pope also called for a more inclusive and humanistic economic and political process, eliminating ‘forms of elitism’ and eradicating poverty.”
A recent Vatican Radio broadcast reported on this meeting between Pope Francis and the Brazilian leaders.
To access this Vatican Radio report, including the full text of his discourse, please visit:
Vatican Radio: Pope Francis: My advice is always “dialogue, dialogue, dialogue” (27 JUl 13)
Reflection Starter from St. Alphonsus Liguori
“Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with Him, familiarly and with confidence and love, as to the dearest and most loving of friends.” – Saint Alphonsus Liguori
27 July 2013
Regional Plan Study: Many Connecticut Towns Lack Policies Supporting Transit-oriented Development
The Regional Plan Association, which operates in the 31-county New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan region, recently reported that only about half of towns along the Metro-North corridor in Connecticut have adopted plans that foster economic development around rail station areas. RPA also reported that many towns that seek to take advantage of rail service are being thwarted in their goals by outmoded parking and land-use guidelines.
The RPA study found that at 54% of Connecticut’s Metro-North stations, community visions exist for station-area development that capitalizes on transit assets to drive investment and attract residents and businesses. Some towns have put those plans into action, promoting neighborhood revitalization through walkable, mixed-use communities and helping to connect residents and employers through transit.
However, 46% of Connecticut’s Metro-North communities don’t have a plan in place, limiting their ability to take advantage of the region’s robust transit network. Even among the communities that have undertaken steps to support transit-oriented development, RPA reports that outmoded policies, especially those involving parking requirements, undermine their efforts. Too often, regulations force developers to build more parking than needed, adding costs that make projects financially unfeasible or creating surface parking lots that go unused. Only 20% of Metro-North station neighborhoods had parking requirements that reflect neighborhood walkability and transit access.
RPA also reports that, only half of station areas allow densities that encourage a mix of homes, shops, and services within walking distance of transit. Other stations are surrounded by large-lot, single-family houses, discouraging transit use, contributing to longer commutes and traffic congestion and reducing open space.
Media report:
Connecticut Post: Bridgeport, Fairfield shine in transit study (19 JUL 13)
To access the complete report, please visit:
Background information:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways You inspire us and encourage us to meet challenges we may face.
Christopher Closeup: A Reflection on a Disability
“Sometimes when parents receive a diagnosis that their unborn child will suffer from a disability, they might believe the quality of that child’s life will be so negative or troubled that it would be in his or her best interest not to be born at all.
“Yet, there are plenty of examples that prove the opposite is true.”
In a recent commentary, Tony Rossi, of The Christophers, reflected on the life of Hendrick Motorsports engineer Richie Parker and his meeting of challenges facing him in his life.
To access his complete post, please visit:
Christopher Closeup: The Disability That’s Not So Much of a Disability, After All (25 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from Marvin Hamlisch
“Music can make a difference. There is a global nature to music, which has the potential to bring all people together. Music is truly an international language . . . .” – Marvin Hamlisch
26 July 2013
World Youth Day
Over half a million young people (including more than 9,500 young people from 650 United States groups) are participating in the 28th World Youth Day, which this year is being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Its theme is “Go and make disciples of all nations.” The theme is designed to bring together young people from Brazil and the whole world to take up the call to the mission, and to be witnesses of the Risen Christ.
In addition to an upcoming visit by Pope Francis and a number of liturgical celebrations, 250 bishops from all five continents are striving to deepen the theme of World Youth Day in three mornings of catechesis on the following themes: “Thirst for hope, thirst for God,” “Being a disciple of Christ,” and “Being a missionary: now go!” The catechesis sessions are taking place in 300 locations, including churches, gyms, sports camps, and social centers. The majority of the sessions are be held in Portuguese, but there are also sessions in Spanish, English, Italian, French, German, Polish, and a number of other different languages (including Arabic, Croatian, Danish, Slovenian, Greek, Czech, and Russian).
Background information:
Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales
“A really patient man neither complains nor seeks to be pitied; he will speak simply and truly of his trouble, without exaggerating its weight or bemoaning himself.” – Saint Francis de Sales
25 July 2013
Family Circle Names West Hartford, CT, as One of Best Towns for Families
In its August issue, Family Circle is offering a list of what they are calling the ten “Best Towns for Families.” These list of communities includes one town from New England – West Hartford, Connecticut.
In its commendation, West Hartford is described as having a plucky, can-do spirit, and the author goes on to describe a number of community service activities initiated by the Town and its residents.
To access the West Hartford report page, please visit:
Family Circle: 10 Best Towns for Families: 2013: West Hartford, Connecticut
To access the complete Family Circle report, please visit:
Family Circle: 10 Best Towns for Families: 2013
Background information:
Fr. Longenecker on the Importance and Power of Prayer
“What do you mean by ‘Prayer’ to start with? If you thought it was asking God for stuff you’re not completely wrong. We’re supposed to ask God for our needs, and I think it’s just fine to ask God for the particular things like, ‘Dear God, please heal my son.’ or ‘Please God we need money to pay the bills.’
“However, these sorts of prayers are really a means to an end rather than an end in themselves. When we pray for specific things we are putting it all into God’s hands. We may say, ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ but we also say, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ When we do both together we join our will with God’s will and great power can be the result. The power I’m talking about is the power to change the world, and even more miraculous – the power to change ourselves.”
In a commentary earlier this year, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC), in the persona of Mrs Brady, Catholic Old Lady, reflected on why we should prayer and on what prayer can accomplish.
To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit:
Standing on My Head: The Importance and Power of Prayer (29 JAN 13)
Background information:
Reflection Starter from Henry Ward Beecher
“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.” – Henry Ward Beecher
24 July 2013
Beethoven: Symphony 6 (F Major Op. 68) ‘Pastoral’
It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony 6” (F Major Op. 68) (the “Pastoral Symphony”) as played by the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic):
Msgr. Pope on Common Tactics of the Devil
“One of the key elements in any contest is to understand the tactics of your opponent and to recognize the subtleties of the strategy or moves they may employ. In the spiritual battle of life we need to develop some sophistication in recognizing, naming, and understanding the subtleties of common tactics of the Devil.”
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on deception, division, diversion, and discouragement – four common ways in which the devil strives to tempt us.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Msgr. Charles Pope: Four Common Tactics of the Devil (22 JUL 13)
Refection Starter from Noah Webster
“The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities; and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.” – Noah Webster (from On the Education of Youth in America, 1788)
23 July 2013
“Glory Be To The Father”
As we continue living this week, I offer this version of Anke Zohm singing “Glory Be To The Father”:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for writers who strive to discern and proclaim truth without pushing an agenda.
The Truth As He Sees It
Maybe you’ve heard of him; maybe not. William Raspberry wasn’t quite a household name, even though he had won a Pulitzer Prize for political commentary. But for my money, he was one of the finest columnists we’ve yet produced--and for the simple reason that he was impossible to categorize. You couldn’t call him a liberal, or a conservative, or anything in between. He simply called them as he saw them, and he was content to let the chips fall where they may.
He died a year ago this month at his home in Washington, and an obituary by Dennis Hevesi in The New York Times captured his style perfectly: for 39 years in more than 200 newspapers he brought a moderate voice to social issues, including race relations--sometimes to the ire of civil rights leaders. And still, when the National Association of Black Journalists presented him with its lifetime achievement award in 1994, the citation read: “Raspberry’s clarity of thought and his insistence on speaking the truth as he sees it--even when others disagree--have kept his column fresh, unpredictable and uncommonly wise.”
William Raspberry’s home paper was The Washington Post, and it published his column first under the title “Potomac Watch” and later under his own name. As Hevesi’s obituary pointed out, he focused not on Washington power brokers but on moral issues: street violence, drug abuse, criminal justice, poverty, parenting, education and civil rights.
It was this concentration that often frustrated better-known civil rights leaders, well illustrated by this excerpt from a 1989 column when Raspberry, a black man himself, addressed them directly: “I don’t underestimate either the persistence of racism or its effects. But it does seem to me that you spend too much time thinking about racism. It is as though your whole aim is to get white people to acknowledge their racism and accept their guilt. Well, suppose they did. What would that change?”
Maybe it’s because of the generation I come from, but I especially liked his take on the song lyrics associated with rap. “Words matter,” he wrote. “And because I know words matter, I wish my children, and kids younger than my children, would get back to innocent, hopeful lyrics. I wish their music was more about love and less graphically about intercourse. I wish their songs could be less angry and ‘victimized’ and more about building a better world.”
William Raspberry was 76 when he died. On his retirement in 2005, he organized an educational facility for low-income families in his native Mississippi, “where,” he once said, “we had two of everything--one for whites and one for blacks.” He financed the project out of his own pocket.
A former editor at the Post said that Raspberry “made sense of the issues that roiled the community.” That was surely the case when he once deplored the absence of troops that would insure the safety of Washington schoolchildren. “If we can deploy American soldiers in Mogadishu.” he wrote, “is it beyond reason to deploy a few hundred troops here?”
William Raspberry: neither liberal, nor conservative, nor anything in between. He called them as he saw them, and was content to let the chips fall where they may. Do we need a few more like him? And how.
(This essay is this week’s “Light One Candle” column, written by Jerry Costello, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
The Christophers: Christopher Radio & Video
Media report:
Reflection Starter from Blessed Pope John XXIII
“We deem it opportune to remind our children of their duty to take an active part in public life and to contribute toward the attainment of the common good of the entire human family as well as to that of their own political community. They should endeavor, therefore, in the light of their Christian faith and led by love, to insure that the various institutions – whether economic, social, cultural or political in purpose – should be such as not to create obstacles, but rather to facilitate or render less arduous man’s perfecting of himself in both the natural order and the supernatural. . . . Every believer in this world of ours must be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men. And he will be this all the more perfectly, the more closely he lives in communion with God in the intimacy of his own soul” – Blessed Pope John XXIII (in Encyclical Pacem in Terris [“Peace on Earth”], 11 April 1963)
22 July 2013
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many opportunities You provide to meet You and spend time with You each day.
On Young People Looking for Liturgical Substance
“Everywhere I go these days I’m running into young converts to Catholicism.
“Just last month my wife and I had the awesome honor of being godparents at the baptism of a former evangelical, a young woman in her mid-twenties whose love for the Lord has inspired us both.
“A week later we went to the wedding of another young man we know who came into the Catholic Church a few years back.”
In a recent commentary, Michael Barber (Professor of Theology, Scripture and Catholic Thought at John Paul the Great Catholic University,San Diego, CA) offered a recent essay on the trend of a number of young people moving to Christian traditions (including Roman Catholicism) that offer liturgical substance.
To access his complete post, please visit:
Reflection Starter from Franklin Pierce
“But let not the foundation of our hope rest upon man’s wisdom . . . it must be felt that there is no national security but in the nation’s humble, acknowledged dependence upon God and His overruling providence. . . . With all the cherished memories of the past gathering around me like so many eloquent voices of exhortation from Heaven, I can express no better hope for my country than that the kind Providence which has smiled upon our fathers may enable their children to preserve the blessings they have inherited.” – Franklin Pierce (in his Inaugural Address, 4 March 1853)
21 July 2013
“Christ Be with Me”
As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of the Taylor University Chorale and Greeneville First Church of God Worship Choir singing “Christ Be with Me”:
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Genesis 18:1-10, Colossians 1:24-28, and Luke 10:38-42. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 15 (Psalm 15:2-5).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 15
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
Reflections on this day and on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 21, 2013)
Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: Mary and Martha - Meet the Lord Everyday!
The Deacon’s Bench: Homily for July 21, 2013: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (20 JUL 13)
The Sacred Page: Entertaining God: The 16th Sunday of OT (19 JUL 13)
Dr. Scott Hahn: Waiting on the Lord (July 21st 2013 - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
RI Catholic: The Lectionary: Fidelity first (18 JUL 13)
The Catholic World Report Blog: Mary, Martha, and "the better part" (20 JUL 13)
A Concord Pastor Comments: Take a stroll through my *Martha and Mary Gallery* (21 JUL 13)
The Word Engaged: Working and Wanting (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many helping hands that reach out to assist us and/or guide us as we make our pilgrimage through life.
Msgr. Pope on Learning from Other’s Experience
“As a teenager I remember resenting how adults would try and prevent me from doing what I pleased. They would often warn me not to “learn the hard way” that something was wrong. I would often be told that I should learn from them and their experiences not to make the same mistakes they did. The rebel in me thought that it might be fun and pleasurable to “make a few mistakes of my own.” Of course I pridefully thought that I would escape the consequences.
In the end of course they were right, and one the most valuable gifts I have received from others to have learned from their experience. As a pastor too I must say that my staff has preserved me from innumerable errors through their expertise and long experience with the parish.”
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on how the Church, “as a good mother and teacher,” helps us to learn from the experiences of others.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Reflection Starter from St. Catherine of Genoa
“The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything.” – Saint Catherine of Genoa
20 July 2013
Connecticut Patriots Senior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps Performance
It’s time for some fife and drum music. In this video, the Connecticut Patriots Senior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is performing at the 2009 Westbrook Muster, Westbrook, CT:
Annual Water Gun Fight to Be Held on Cambridge Common
Banditos Misteriosos, a Boston-area organization that strives to get Bostonians participating in free, open to all ages, fun activities just “a little out of the ordinary” while utilizing Boston area public spaces, is planning its (sixth) annual Water Gun Fight. The event is scheduled to be held today on Cambridge Common, in nearby Cambridge, MA, beginning at 1:00 PM.
Media report:
Boston Globe: Pumping up for the sixth annual Water Gun Fight at the Cambridge Common on Saturday
For more information about Banditos Misteriosos and about the planned Water Fight, please visit:
Facebook: Banditos Misteriosos: Water Gun Fight 2013: What's Your Season?
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for instituting each of the sacraments and for the fountain of grace each sacrament is.
On Serving the Poor in an Unfair World
“Walking the streets of Lower Manhattan with the Missionaries of Charity is not on the top ten list of activities for tourists, but this is how I have been blessed to experience the city in my summer ministry assignment. As we walk, we certainly can see the smartphones, the advertisements, and the tourists taking photos. The sisters, however, have their eyes on a building that no one is taking photos of. They enter the door that everyone else walks past: that of a run-down building that some of the poorest of the poor in Manhattan call home. The scents and visual stimuli from the flashy stores cease, and repulsive sights and smells begin as you enter and start distributing food to the residents.”
In a recent commentary, Brother Mannes Matous, O.P., reflected on his experiences on his summer ministry assignment and on the Christian call to go out into an “unfair world to serve the poor, bringing them the love of Christ.”
To access his complete post, please visit:
Dominicana Blog: Not Just a Social Program (17 JUL 13)
Background information:
Benedict XVI: Deus Caritas Est - Encyclical Letter
Mother Teresa Of Calcutta Center
Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious: Missionaries of Charity
Reflection Starter
“All the so-called ‘secrets of success’ will not work unless you do.” – Source Unknown
19 July 2013
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of clean water available in many of our municipal systems and for those who work to design, build, and maintain these water systems.
A Conversion Story
In a recent commentary, Beverly J. Lebold reflected on the steps (or “giant leaps”) that led to her conversion to the Catholic faith.
To access Kevin's complete post, please visit:
Reflection Starter from St. Thérèse of Lisieux
“Each small task of everyday life is part of the harmony of the universe.” – Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
18 July 2013
Nat King Cole: “Smile”
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of Nat King Cole singing “Smile”:
Cal Thomas on the Courage of Malala Yousafzai
“While American cable TV news engaged in saturation coverage of the closing arguments and verdict in the George Zimmermanmurder trial, the BBC and Sky News carried an inspiring speech by Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old Pakistani girl shot in the head last October by the Taliban for advocating the education of girls.
“On her birthday, Malala addressed in barely accented English a special youth gathering at the United Nations in New York. She wore a shawl that had belonged to the late Pakistani PresidentBenazir Bhutto, who was assassinated by Islamic extremists in 2007.”
In a recent commentary, writer Cal Thomas reflected on the courage of Malala Yousafzai and the insights she offered during her presentation.
To access his complete essay, please visit:
Jewish World Review: 16-year-old has a brave heart (18 JUL 13)
Media report:
BBC: Shot Pakistan schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai addresses UN (12 JUL 13)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You works through artistic creations to touch the hearts of Your people.
Br. Charles Shonk, O.P. on Fra Angelico and His Work
“Bl. John of Fiesole, better known as Fra Angelico, was one of the great painters of the early Renaissance. Many people don’t realize, however, that he was also a Dominican friar, and a very holy friar, too.
“He and his brother, Fra Benedetto, entered the Dominican Order in their mid-twenties. Both were already skilled artists. Although Benedetto produced some of the finest illuminated manuscripts in Europe, Angelico has always been the more famous of the two, being especially noted for the frescoes he painted at San Marco, the Dominican convent and church in Florence. Michelangelo, who lived a few generations later, positively revered Angelico and his work. He even carved a statue of the risen Christ to be placed by Angelico’s tomb and said of him, ‘He has gone to meet those whom he painted.’”
In a recent commentary, Brother Charles Shonk, O.P., reflected on Fra Angelico and his artistic work.
To access Br. Charles’ complete reflection, please visit:
Reflection Starter
“Lack of opportunity is often nothing more than lack of purpose or direction.” – Source Unknown
17 July 2013
Johannes Brahms: “Symphony No.1”
It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No.1,” as played by the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic):
EPA Provides Additional Funding for Brownfields Cleanups in New England
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced grants of $3.575 million in supplemental funding for eleven New England communities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects at contaminated Brownfields properties. The projects are designed to help communities create jobs while protecting people’s health and the environment.
The supplemental funds will support an array of cleanup and redevelopment projects in the following New England locations:
Connecticut:
- City of Bridgeport – $350,000,
- City of New Haven – $350,000,
- Regional Economic Xcelleration Development – $350,000, and
- Town of Winchester – $200,000;
Maine:
- Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission – $200,000 and
- State of Maine Department of Economic and Community Development – $600,000;
Massachusetts:
- City of Taunton – $300,000 and
- City of Worcester – $350,000;
New Hampshire:
- City of Nashua – $200,000,
- Regional Economic Development Center of Southern New Hampshire – $325,000, and
- State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services – $350,000.
The funding is through EPA’s Brownfields revolving loan fund, which specifically supplies funding for grant recipients to provide loans and sub-grants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. When these loans are repaid, the loan amount is then returned to the fund and subgranted or re-loaned to other borrowers, providing an ongoing source of capital within a community for additional cleanup of brownfield sites. The supplemental grants range in funding from about $200,000 to $400,000 with an average grant award of $300,000.
Nationally, there are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. EPA’s Brownfields program targets these sites to encourage redevelopment, and help to provide the opportunity for productive community use of contaminated properties. EPA’s Brownfields investments overall have leveraged more than $20 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from public and private sources and on average, $17.79 is leveraged for every EPA Brownfields grant dollar spent.
Background information:
EPA: Brownfields and Land Revitalization
EPA: Waste Site Cleanup & Reuse in New England: Brownfields
EPA: Brownfields and Land Revitalization: Revolving Loan Fund Grants
Regional Economic Xcelleration Development, Greater New Haven, CT
South Central Regional Council of Governments, CT
Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission
Regional Economic Development Center of Southern New Hampshire
Maine Department of Economic and Community Development
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Wikipedia: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Wikipedia: New Haven, Connecticut
Wikipedia: Winchester, Connecticut
Wikipedia: Taunton, Massachusetts
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing our children, for the joy they bring to our lives, and for the many ways You work through them to touch the lives of others.
Troy Hinkel on Fear and the Liturgical Year
“Christians are afraid. I read it in their blogs; I hear it in their voices. Recently, I, too, experienced a deep sense of foreboding.”
In a recent commentary, Troy Hinkel reflected on how the liturgical year gives the disciples of the Lord the opportunity to live out the life of Christ individually and communally, giving us the graces we need to face the trials and tribulations the Lord has told us would come.
To access his complete reflection, please visit:
Prayer & Perspective: Fear and the Liturgical Year (4 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from St. Francis of Assisi
“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. Where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.” – Saint Francis of Assisi
16 July 2013
Andy Needham Band: “Awaken Me”
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of the Andy Needham Band playing “Awaken Me”:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for visual treats You place before us in the natural world You created.
Wisdom Doesn’t Always Wear a Suit
“The one overriding theme I found is that wisdom doesn’t always wear a suit.”
Considering that NBC News correspondent Bob Dotson has traveled more than four million miles during his 40-year career covering American stories, you can trust that he knows what he’s talking about. In fact, his “American Story” segments have won a record six Edward R. Murrow Awards for the best-told news stories on television. He’s now sharing many of those stories in the New York Times best-selling book, “American Story: A Lifetime Search for Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things.”
During an interview with me on Christopher Closeup, Dotson explained his positive approach to journalism in an industry that often makes you feel like the world is going to hell because it’s filled with unsolvable problems.
He said, “You turn on TV these days and [always see] celebrity experts – and you wonder when they have time to actually learn about anything because they’re always on TV. Our media is a mirror that reflects the powerful and the popular culture. . . But I thought, ‘Why don’t we prop up the mirror and look in the shadows because maybe Uncle Henry or Aunt Mary or Great Grandpa has already solved this problem?’ . . . If we’ve gone several generations now where we just assume that the only people who have answers or solutions are people who are in power, then we’re overlooking people who may have already solved the challenges we still face.”
One case in point is Jack McConnell, a doctor who retired to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. During a conversation with one of the island’s 6,000 working poor, Dr. McConnell discovered that most of them couldn’t afford medical care, so they would go to the hospital emergency room whenever they were sick. The physician knew that ER visits were the most expensive way to administer medical treatment. It was fine if you broke a leg, but inefficient if you just needed a basic check-up or preventive care.
Dr. McConnell asked his fellow retired doctors, “Why don’t we open up a clinic and volunteer?” Their initial response was that they had gotten out from under burdensome insurance costs and didn’t want to open themselves up to lawsuits.
Dotson described what happened next: “[Jack McConnell] realized that almost every state in the union has what they call a Good Samaritan law. That means if you or I had a traffic accident and we’re lying on the side of the road and a doctor stopped to help, you could not then turn around and sue the doctor for helping you. So Jack went to the South Carolina legislature and said, ‘You could extend the theory of this to volunteer clinics because all we’re going to be doing is giving out flu shots and making sure kids have glasses, that sort of thing.’ So he got it passed. He ended up getting 40 or 50 doctors to start this clinic. . .Today, they have free clinics like that in 44 states because of what Jack McConnell figured out. That’s the whole point of the book. You don’t have to wait to become the American Cancer Society to do something; you could just do it.
There’s no doubt Dr. Jack McConnell is living out the Christopher message, whether he’s aware of it or not. By sharing his story and many others, Bob Dotson is doing the same thing.
(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written by Tony Rossi, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
Reflection Starter from John L. Beckley
“Most people don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.” – John L. Beckley
15 July 2013
Young Chefs Honored at White House Dinner
Fifty-four young chefs, whose recipes were selected as winners of Epicurious’ Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, recently visited the White House for the second annual Kids State Dinner, hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama in the State Dining Room.
These recipe winners include John Breitfelder, age 9, New Canaan, CT; Noah Koch, age 9, Waterville, ME; Shefali Singh, age 12, Falmouth, MA; Olivia Beauchesne, age 12, Nottingham, NH; Samantha Mastrati, age 12, Cranston, RI; and Colin Hurliman, age 9, Burlington, VT.
For a free, downloadable e-book of the winning recipes and photographs, please visit:
Epicurious: The 2013 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Cookbook
Media report:
WPRI-TV: RI girl makes food fit for White House (12 JUL 13)
Background information:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for homilies that offer points of reflection related to the Scripture readings proclaimed at Mass and for the ways You guide our pondering on and applying these insights to our lives.
Msgr. Pope on the Fruitful Reception of Sacraments
“A fundamental principle of the seven Sacraments is that they have a reality that exists apart from the priest’s holiness or worthiness. They work ex opere operato (ie.. they are worked from the very fact of the work). One need not doubt therefore that a sacrament is in fact given just because a bishop, priest or deacon seems less than holy or worthy. Neither can the disposition of the recipient un-work the work. For example, Holy Communion does not cease to be the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ merely because the one who steps forward is unworthy or even an unbeliever. The Sacrament has a reality in itself that transcends the worthiness of the celebrant or recipient.”
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on how the sacraments convey something real, but, in order for the recipient to receive a sacrament fruitfully, his/her internal disposition, mindful reception, and faith are all essential factors.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Msgr. Charles Pope: Not Magic: A Meditation on the Fruitful Reception of Sacraments (4 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from Earl Nightingale
“When you finally get absorbed in what you are doing you frequently surprise yourself with flashes of talent and brilliance you didn’t know you had in you. You can find a source of genius that lies dormant until called upon for great effort. . . .
“All of us can find resources within ourselves we would not normally suspect exist. We can find them only when we attempt something difficult or great.” – Earl Nightingale
14 July 2013
“For the Fruit of All Creation”
As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of “For the Fruit of All Creation,” as sung by the Choir of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY:
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Deuteronomy 30:10-14, Colossians 1:15-20, and Luke 10:25-37. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 69 (Psalm 66:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36-37).
The Gospel reading is as follows:
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
He said in reply,“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Reflections on this day and on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 14, 2013)
Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: The Parable of the Good Samaritan
The Deacon’s Bench: Homily for July 14, 2013: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 JUL 13)
Word on Fire: Sermon 653: Hearing the Voice of God: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Sacred Page: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? The 15th Sunday of OT (11 JUL 13)
Dr. Scott Hahn: What We Must Do (July 14th 2013 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
The Catholic World Report Blog: The Heart and the Good Samaritan (13 JUL 13)
A Concord Pastor Comments: Video: this Sunday’s gospel, told today (13 JUL 13)
The Word Engaged: Freedom on the Journey (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways You call us to live Your Gospel message in the world and for the many graces You give us to do so.
Pope Francis Releases First Encyclical
Pope Francis recently released his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei (“The Light of Faith”). The encyclical was begun by Benedict XVI and completed by Pope Francis.
Media report:
National Catholic Reporter: In first encyclical, Francis reaches out to seekers (5 JUL 13)
To access the complete encyclical, please visit:
Reflection Starter from Saint Augustine
"The Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot.” – Saint Augustine
13 July 2013
“Over the Rainbow”
As the week winds down, I offer this version of Judy Garland (as Dorothy) singing “Over the Rainbow” in the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many good priests through which You continue to spread Your Gospel message and through which You minister to Your people.
On the Importance of Good Priests
“Last month my local parish celebrated the retirement of Father Raymond Rafferty, who served as pastor of Manhattan’s Corpus Christi Church for fifteen years and has been a priest in the Archdiocese of New York since 1966. . . .
“Father Rafferty is no stranger to the world around him. These sensibilities served him well as a pastor in Morningside Heights, a vibrant neighborhood best known as a hub for all sorts of intellectual activity, largely due to the neighborhood’s most prominent tenant, Columbia University. He also took pride in the fact that Corpus Christi was the parish through which Thomas Merton was received into the Church while a student at Columbia in 1938. The spirit of Merton still looms large in the parish through the Thomas Merton Society and a Lenten Vespers series that also bears his name. . . .
“Like all priests — or anyone who follows his or her vocation — I’m sure Father Rafferty had his gripes about certain aspects of his priestly ministry. Yet, he never voiced these issues publicly, and one would not detect any dissatisfaction from his demeanor at Mass or other parish events. Instead, he exuded joy, a joy that was contagious and almost irresistibly attractive. Perhaps that’s why, at his retirement Mass, the church was over capacity with a standing-room-only crowd. It was a truly “catholic” occasion: The congregation was made up of the rich and the poor, the young and the old, and almost every ethnic population imaginable.”
In a recent commentary, Christopher White reflected, with a spirit of gratitude, on the many good priests who serve the Church tirelessly and faithfully.
To access his complete post, please visit:
Catholic Pulse: Priests Matter: A Vocation of Joy and Service (10 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from St. Thomas More
“I am the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” – Saint Thomas More
12 July 2013
John DeJak on the Need for Catholic Cab Drivers and Bartenders
“Some years back – in an interview on EWTN – Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, was addressing some of the pressing needs of the Church. He said – and I paraphrase – ‘we need Catholic cab drivers and bartenders.’ It was a comment that elicited a chuckle, but the truth of it was very serious and speaks to the way the Church understands herself and the vocation of the laity. If one stops to think about it, His Eminence is absolutely correct, practical, and – perhaps most important – counter-cultural. Perhaps this simple suggestion of the Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago could provide a template for a revolution. Come to think of it, it was done once before – but the call was for fishermen.”
In a recent commentary, John M. DeJak reflected on the inherent dignity of every human being and his/her work and on the necessity of the laity to be informed and courageous about their faith.
To access Mr. DeJak’s complete post, please visit:
The Bellarmine Forum: Needed: Catholic Cab Drivers and Bartenders (25 JUN 13)
Reflection Starter from Will Durant
“Forget mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.” – Will Durant
11 July 2013
FR. Timothy Sauppé on One Cause Leading to Closing Catholic Schools
“A stranger came into the sacristy after Sunday Mass. In an incriminating huff he said, ‘I have been away from the area for fifteen years; where are the people? And now you are tearing down the school? I went there as a kid.’
“I put my hands up to quiet him from further talking and I calmly said, ‘Let me ask you a question: How many kids did you have?’ He said, ‘Two.’ Then I said, ‘So did everyone else. When you only have two kids per family there is no growth.’ His demeanor changed, and then he dropped his head and said, ‘And they aren’t even going to Mass anymore.’
“I never thought I would be asking that question, but since I had to close our parish school, I’ve grown bolder and I started to ask that question more often. . . .”
In a recent commentary, Father Timothy Sauppé, S.T.L. (pastor of Saint Mary’s Church, Westville, IL), reflected on one of the causes for the closing of a number of Catholic schools (and parishes) throughout the nation.
To access Fr. Sauppé’s complete post, please visit:
LifeSiteNews: Priest: You’ve contracepted our parochial school out of existence (24 JUN 13)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You call us to listen to You, to spend time with You.
South Florida Catholic Hospice Provides Jewish End of Life Care
“In a quiet area on the 5th floor of Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale and at St. Catherine’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Hialeah Gardens, rabbis minister to dying Jewish patients.
“Rabbis from Catholic Hospice have been serving patients in the L’chaim Jewish Hospice program for 10 years. . . .
“Catholic Hospice plans to open two facilities that will care for Jewish patients. One facility will be in western Broward County and the other will be in southern Miami-Dade County. The program also plans to add several rabbis who will serve assigned areas.”
A recent article in the Jewish Journal (Deerfield Beach, FL) reported on the ministry of Catholic Hospice’s L’chaim Jewish Hospice Program as it serves the needs of South Florida’s Jewish community within a framework of Jewish values, customs, and traditions.
Media report:
Jewish Journal: Catholic Hospice provides Jewish end of life care (25 JUN 13)
For more information about the L'Chaim Jewish Hospice Program, please visit:
Archdiocese of Miami: Catholic Hospice: L’chaim Jewish Hospice Program
L’Chaim Jewish Hospice Program
Background information:
Reflection Starter from G. K. Chesterton
“The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.” – G. K. Chesterton
10 July 2013
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:“1812 Overture”
It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” as played by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra (Ljubljana, Slovenia):
ConnPIRG Calls for Increased Effort to Achieve Zero Waste
The Connecticut Public Interest Research Group Education Fund to recently released a report, “The Zero Waste Solution, How 21st Century Recycling and Trash Reduction can Protect Public Health and Boost Connecticut’s Economy,” that focuses on the advantages of a zero waste management strategy. Zero waste is a policy based on the principle that people and communities can use less in the first place, reuse more, and recycle and compost what’s left – sending nothing to landfills or incinerators.
Among other findings, the report reflected that Connecticut is over-reliant on incineration as a waste management strategy (burning more trash per person than any other state in the country). The report also concludes that, as a result, the ash is increasingly shipped out of state, leaving the state vulnerable to sudden price or policy changes beyond its borders. The report also reflects that trash incineration is expensive and a threat to public health: incinerators are the largest source of neuro-toxins like mercury and dioxin in Connecticut.
The report also finds that communities adopting zero waste policies (e.g., San Francisco and Nantucket) have increased their diversion rates to over eighty and ninety percent in less than a decade. According to the most recent data available from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, only three Connecticut towns have achieved 50% diversion: Darien, Middlebury, and Woodstock.
Stating that recycling material rather than wasting it creates economic activity, the report also reflects that increasing recycling would be a boon to the Connecticut economy. For example, Connecticut sent approximately 15,600 tons of #1 Plastic to incinerators or landfills in 2009, which could have been sold for somewhere between $4.4 and $12.5 million, depending on commodity prices at the time of sale. Recycling also saves money for cities and towns, who saved somewhere between $45-$90 for every ton of material recycled rather than thrown away in 2010.
To access the complete report, please visit:
Background information:
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection: Waste Reduction
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for inviting us to be part of Your people and for Your many graces related to this invitation.
Pope Francis on the People of God
“What does it mean to be ‘People of God’? First of all, it means that God does not really belong to any people; for it is He who calls us, who summons us, who invites us to be part of his people, and this invitation is open to all, without distinction, because God’s mercy ‘desires all people to be saved’ (1 Tim 2:4). Jesus does not tell the Apostles and us to form an exclusive group, an elite group. Jesus says: Go and make disciples of all nations (cf. Mt 28:19). St Paul says that within the people of God, in the Church, ‘there is neither Jew nor Gentile . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28). I would like to say to those who feel far from God and the Church, to those who are fearful or indifferent, to those who think they can no longer change: the Lord is calling you too to be part of his people and he does it with great respect and love! He invites us to be a part of this people, the people of God.”
A recent Vatican Radio broadcast reported on this reflection of Pope Francis in which spoke about the People of God and their call to be the yeast of God in this world.
To access this Vatican Radio report, please visit:
Vatican Radio: Pope at Mass: Pope: we are all invited to be members of the People of God (12 JUN 13)
Reflection Starter from Ralph Waldo Emerson
“There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
09 July 2013
The Stone Family Band: “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”
As we continue living this week, I offer this version of The Stone Family Band singing “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”:
Msgr. Pope on Having Our Moral Compass Set on Jesus
“One of the great tasks in our spiritual and moral life is to fix our point of reference. Simply put, is Jesus Christ our point of reference, or is our reference point where we stand viz a viz others?
“Many, today, in order to assess their moral state, consider their position in relation to the vast numbers of people that surround them. Perhaps they will consider that there are some who are surely holier than they are. Yes, surely internationally known figures (like Mother Theresa was), surely they rank up there way above us. Perhaps too in a more local way, many will see the holy ones who attend daily Mass or frequent Eucharistic Adoration or other devotions, and conclude that these sorts of people rank ahead of them in holiness and moral excellence.”
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the importance of having Jesus, not our neighbor, as our standard, as our point of reference, in examining our spiritual and moral lives.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Msgr. Charles Pope: Look to Jesus. A Meditation on Having our Moral Compass Set on Jesus (2 JUL 13)
Reflection Starter from Rev. Kenneth Hildebrand
“Consider this fine sentence: ‘God has never put anyone in a place too small to grow.’ Wherever our place may be . . . when we fill that place to the best of our abilities, personal growth is inevitable. Three things begin to happen. We do a better job of what we are doing. We expand our talents through vigorous use, and we fit ourselves for larger responsibility and wider opportunity.” – Rev. Kenneth Hildebrand
08 July 2013
Priest, Chaplain, Hero, Saint
From the beginning there was something different about Father Emil Kapaun, something that set him apart. Not long ago some of his friends and family tried to figure out what that something was, and the answers they came up with make for a remarkable remembrance, a perfect tribute to keep in mind this Fourth of July.
You’ve been hearing a good deal lately about Father Kapaun. In April of this year President Obama presented him posthumously with the Congressional Medal of Honor, an award that was a long time in coming. Father Kapaun died in Korea as a prisoner of war May 23, 1951, and some of the men who served with him there--and some of those whose lives he saved--were present for the White House ceremony. Not only a military hero, Father Kapaun has been recognized as a “servant of God,” the first step on the road to canonization. But formally declared or not, those who fought alongside Father Kapaun, and those who were kept as prisoners with him, know in their hearts that he is a saint already.
Born and raised in a tiny Bohemian-American community in Kansas, Father Kapaun was ordained in 1940, served as a World War II chaplain, was recalled during the Korean War and was only 35 when he died. Despite his youthful age, he had more than ample opportunity to display his heroism.
Herb Miller, who was present for the Medal of Honor ceremony, is one who remembers. A sergeant in 1951, he was targeted for execution by a Chinese guard because he was injured and had trouble keeping up with the rest of the men. But Father Kapaun turned away the soldier’s rifle, and then carried Sgt. Miller on to the next camp. In his presentation, President Obama summed up the situation:
“He carried that injured American for miles as their captors forced them on a death march. When Father Kapaun grew tired, he’d help the wounded soldier hop on one leg. When other prisoners stumbled, he picked them up. When they wanted to quit--knowing that stragglers would be shot--he begged them to keep walking.”
Before being taken prisoner, he became a legend when he refused to leave the wounded even under fire. And in prison camp, the legend only grew. According to Lt. Michael Dowe:
“He washed and tended his men as though they were little babies. He traded his watch for a blanket and cut it up to make warm socks for helpless men whose feet were freezing. The most dreaded chore of all was cleaning the latrines, and men argued bitterly over whose time it was to carry out this loathsome task. And while they argued, he’d slip out quietly and do the job.”
Ray Kapaun, the priest’s nephew, accepted the medal from President Obama. He never met his uncle--he was born six years after Father Kapaun’s death--but was raised on family lore about the priest’s resourcefulness. It would serve him in good stead years later when he alone could raid a carefully-guarded warehouse and supply his starving soldiers with food.
Above all, Ray Kapaun said, his uncle gave totally of himself for others, for the men with whom he served. He did so automatically, without thinking about it. And that, above all, was what set him apart--as a priest, as a chaplain, as a hero. His GI companions would surely agree. Of more than passing interest, it’s also the stuff of which saints are made.
(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written by Jerry Costello, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
Reflection Starter from Henry David Thoreau
“Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” – Henry David Thoreau (in Walden)
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