31 July 2015
Thank You, Lord
Thank, you, Lord, for the many ways in which You call us and encourage us to light the candle of our life, to be the point of light You call us to be.
Angry Letter to Priest Leads to Beautiful Friendship
Can an angry letter to a priest result in a friendship that also has a positive impact on the world at large? Yes, it can, and it's part of our history here at The Christophers that I just learned about.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of our founding by Maryknoll priest Father James Keller who used the media as a means of encouraging people toward faith and action, toward lives that reflect the motto, "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."
The timing of an email I received recently seems appropriate in light of the occasion. It came from Steve Dunlop, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and communications expert. He said that The Christophers had been off his radar for years, but he heard our radio show one Sunday and decided to reach out. Dunlop revealed that his late mother, née Jane Harris, was one of the original Christopher staff members hired by Father Keller in 1945.
Jane had graduated college with a journalism degree and worked as a writer in the world of advertising and celebrity publicity. As a result, she rubbed elbows with stars of the era, including Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, and William Holden. Dunlop explained, "A devout Catholic who attended regular rosary at St. Agnes on East 43rd Street, Mom was nagged by the notion that she was . . . hobnobbing with the stars while American servicemen were dying overseas. So she started keeping her eyes open for new opportunities - where perhaps, she hoped, the work was more in line with what she felt God wanted her to do. It was sometime during this period that she stumbled across a small ad in a newspaper with an intriguing headline: Calling All Christopher Writers!"
"The ad," continued Dunlop, "was seeking wordsmiths of all stripes who could help spread a disarmingly simple idea: that the actions of just one person could, literally, change the world. It asked interested parties to contact a 'James Keller' without much further explanation. Mom told me on many occasions the ad actually outraged her, at first. By this point, the superficial milieu of celebrity PR had beaten down her youthful idealism."
Dunlop recalled what his mother told him her letter said - "Dear Mr. Keller: Change the WORLD? Are you kidding? You have a lot of nerve to promote the idea that just one person can change the world. It seems millions of Americans can't change much of anything in the world right now. How, exactly, do you propose that one person do what millions can't? Since your ad makes it seem as though you have all the answers, I can't wait to hear them."
A week later, Jane received a response - "Dear Miss Harris: Thank you for your letter. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you. Could we set a date for you to visit my office? Please contact my secretary, Dorothy Egan, for an appointment. Sincerely, Fr. James Keller, M. M."
Jane was mortified because she hadn't realized that "James Keller" was a Catholic priest. Dunlop said, "In the 1940's, for most Catholics, addressing a priest as 'Mister' was tantamount to mortal sin!" Father Keller didn't mind, though, because he met with Jane and hired her as a writer and researcher. They worked together for five years, after which Jane left to have a family and raise three boys. But the years she spent with Father Keller always stayed with her. Dunlop said, "[Mom] was devoted to the Christopher message for the rest of her life."
This essay is this week's "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:
The Christophers
This year marks the 70th anniversary of our founding by Maryknoll priest Father James Keller who used the media as a means of encouraging people toward faith and action, toward lives that reflect the motto, "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."
The timing of an email I received recently seems appropriate in light of the occasion. It came from Steve Dunlop, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and communications expert. He said that The Christophers had been off his radar for years, but he heard our radio show one Sunday and decided to reach out. Dunlop revealed that his late mother, née Jane Harris, was one of the original Christopher staff members hired by Father Keller in 1945.
Jane had graduated college with a journalism degree and worked as a writer in the world of advertising and celebrity publicity. As a result, she rubbed elbows with stars of the era, including Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, and William Holden. Dunlop explained, "A devout Catholic who attended regular rosary at St. Agnes on East 43rd Street, Mom was nagged by the notion that she was . . . hobnobbing with the stars while American servicemen were dying overseas. So she started keeping her eyes open for new opportunities - where perhaps, she hoped, the work was more in line with what she felt God wanted her to do. It was sometime during this period that she stumbled across a small ad in a newspaper with an intriguing headline: Calling All Christopher Writers!"
"The ad," continued Dunlop, "was seeking wordsmiths of all stripes who could help spread a disarmingly simple idea: that the actions of just one person could, literally, change the world. It asked interested parties to contact a 'James Keller' without much further explanation. Mom told me on many occasions the ad actually outraged her, at first. By this point, the superficial milieu of celebrity PR had beaten down her youthful idealism."
Dunlop recalled what his mother told him her letter said - "Dear Mr. Keller: Change the WORLD? Are you kidding? You have a lot of nerve to promote the idea that just one person can change the world. It seems millions of Americans can't change much of anything in the world right now. How, exactly, do you propose that one person do what millions can't? Since your ad makes it seem as though you have all the answers, I can't wait to hear them."
A week later, Jane received a response - "Dear Miss Harris: Thank you for your letter. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you. Could we set a date for you to visit my office? Please contact my secretary, Dorothy Egan, for an appointment. Sincerely, Fr. James Keller, M. M."
Jane was mortified because she hadn't realized that "James Keller" was a Catholic priest. Dunlop said, "In the 1940's, for most Catholics, addressing a priest as 'Mister' was tantamount to mortal sin!" Father Keller didn't mind, though, because he met with Jane and hired her as a writer and researcher. They worked together for five years, after which Jane left to have a family and raise three boys. But the years she spent with Father Keller always stayed with her. Dunlop said, "[Mom] was devoted to the Christopher message for the rest of her life."
This essay is this week's "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:
The Christophers
30 July 2015
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of religious art and for the many ways it can remind us of You and Your call to us.
Br. Joseph Martin Hagan, O.P., on the Irony of Church Tours
"'What a beautiful church!' 'Look at the arches!' 'What saint is that?' 'What does that inscription say?'
"I have been spoiled with beautiful churches. From my home parish, to the Basilica at Notre Dame, to the chapel at our House of Studies in DC, and even this summer at St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City, I have enjoyed breath-taking churches for most of my life.
"As a consequence, I have been around church tours: receiving them, giving them, and sometimes accidetally interrupting them. These church tours serve an important purpose, giving voice to what the architecture and artwork have to say about God and our worship of Him. All the same, I find a recurring irony in these tours.."
In a recent commentary, Brother Joseph Martin Hagan, O.P., reflected on the irony in which people focus on architecture and artwork in the churches while Jesus is "awaiting each guest in the Eucharist." ("For a brief period of time, we get more excited about the wrapping paper than the gift.")
To access Brother Joseph Martin's complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: The Irony of Church Tours (30 JUL 15)
"I have been spoiled with beautiful churches. From my home parish, to the Basilica at Notre Dame, to the chapel at our House of Studies in DC, and even this summer at St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City, I have enjoyed breath-taking churches for most of my life.
"As a consequence, I have been around church tours: receiving them, giving them, and sometimes accidetally interrupting them. These church tours serve an important purpose, giving voice to what the architecture and artwork have to say about God and our worship of Him. All the same, I find a recurring irony in these tours.."
In a recent commentary, Brother Joseph Martin Hagan, O.P., reflected on the irony in which people focus on architecture and artwork in the churches while Jesus is "awaiting each guest in the Eucharist." ("For a brief period of time, we get more excited about the wrapping paper than the gift.")
To access Brother Joseph Martin's complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: The Irony of Church Tours (30 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Joseph Addison
"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable." - Joseph Addison
28 July 2015
Kevin Lowry on Evangelization
"Conversion is hard.
"It also takes a long time. How many people do you know who have just woken up one day and decided to change their religion, political affiliation, or even favorite football team? I can’t think of anyone. These changes do happen sometimes, but they usually result from a long process. Heck, my conversion to Catholicism took the better part of ten years, and that was relatively quick – my parents took around thirty."
"If you think about it, conversion involves dealing with some of the most important questions of life – and involves examining our very identities, who we are and how we fit into this world of ours. It’s a fascinating topic, so much that it will be the focus of my second book that I’m working on right now. How we answer these questions, and how in particular we respond to the gospel – that calls us to conversion – changes everything. About ourselves.
"And that’s hard."
In a recent commentary, writer Kevin Lowry offered a reflection on the evangelization process.
To access Kevin's complete post, please visit:
Grateful Convert: Evangelize – or Proselytize? (19 JUL 15)
"It also takes a long time. How many people do you know who have just woken up one day and decided to change their religion, political affiliation, or even favorite football team? I can’t think of anyone. These changes do happen sometimes, but they usually result from a long process. Heck, my conversion to Catholicism took the better part of ten years, and that was relatively quick – my parents took around thirty."
"If you think about it, conversion involves dealing with some of the most important questions of life – and involves examining our very identities, who we are and how we fit into this world of ours. It’s a fascinating topic, so much that it will be the focus of my second book that I’m working on right now. How we answer these questions, and how in particular we respond to the gospel – that calls us to conversion – changes everything. About ourselves.
"And that’s hard."
In a recent commentary, writer Kevin Lowry offered a reflection on the evangelization process.
To access Kevin's complete post, please visit:
Grateful Convert: Evangelize – or Proselytize? (19 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Mahatma Gandhi
“The future depends on what we do in the present.” – Mahatma Gandhi
26 July 2015
"Let All Things Now Living"
As our Sunday celebrations, I offer this version of the Lebanon County Youth Chorus presenting Katherine Davis' "Let All Things Now Living":
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are 2 Kings 4:42-22, Ephesians 4:1-6, and John 6:1-15.
The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 145 (Psalm 145:10-11, 15-18).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 145 Praise to the Goodness and Greatness of God
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 26, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 26, 2015)
Community in Mission: What Are Your Five Loaves and Two Fishes? A Homily for the 17th Sunday of the Year (25 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Eucharist vs. Junk Food - You Are What You Eat!
The Deacon's Bench: Homily for July 26, 2015: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (26 JUL 15)
Word on Fire: The Mystery of the Mass (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 17)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: Bread Left Over: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (20 JUL 15)
The CWR Blog: The feeding of the five thousand was just the beginning (25 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: The Call (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Let the Scriptures Speak: The Prophet-King Shepherds His People (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: The Bread of Life (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: A Need to Know (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Augustine (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (24 JUL 15)
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 145 Praise to the Goodness and Greatness of God
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 26, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 26, 2015)
Community in Mission: What Are Your Five Loaves and Two Fishes? A Homily for the 17th Sunday of the Year (25 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Eucharist vs. Junk Food - You Are What You Eat!
The Deacon's Bench: Homily for July 26, 2015: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (26 JUL 15)
Word on Fire: The Mystery of the Mass (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 17)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: Bread Left Over: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (20 JUL 15)
The CWR Blog: The feeding of the five thousand was just the beginning (25 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: The Call (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Let the Scriptures Speak: The Prophet-King Shepherds His People (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: The Bread of Life (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: A Need to Know (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Augustine (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (24 JUL 15)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the You give us to open ourselves to the virtues You offer to us and to make them part of our lives.
Msgr. Pope on the Interrelationship of Fortitude, Patience, and Meekness
"There is an important interplay and balance between the virtues that many modern minds set in opposition to one another. False dichotomies often prevail when the subtlety of virtues are lost or their meanings are grasped in simplistic or inaccurate ways.
"Consider three virtues that are related and which enable and moderate one other: fortitude, patience, and meekness. To most people, these virtues seem more opposed than related. Today, fortitude conjures up an image of a fearless warrior in battle, or an intense prophet fearing nothing of the opinion of men. And meekness seems to be thought synonymous with weakness and conciliation. Finally, patience in modern parlance often means either not acting at all, or acting indecisively and without courage.
"There are, of course, many problems with this thinking; the modern understanding of these words is quite different from their biblical or scholastic meaning. So part of our task is to recover a more accurate understanding of these words. But another aspect is to see how these virtues balance and moderate one another."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the true meanings of fortitude, patience, and meekness and on how embracing these virtues necessitates them working together to enable one to meet whatever is before him/her.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Fortitude, Patience, and Meekness: Three Virtues We Often Separate, but That Belong Together (20 JUL 15)
"Consider three virtues that are related and which enable and moderate one other: fortitude, patience, and meekness. To most people, these virtues seem more opposed than related. Today, fortitude conjures up an image of a fearless warrior in battle, or an intense prophet fearing nothing of the opinion of men. And meekness seems to be thought synonymous with weakness and conciliation. Finally, patience in modern parlance often means either not acting at all, or acting indecisively and without courage.
"There are, of course, many problems with this thinking; the modern understanding of these words is quite different from their biblical or scholastic meaning. So part of our task is to recover a more accurate understanding of these words. But another aspect is to see how these virtues balance and moderate one another."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the true meanings of fortitude, patience, and meekness and on how embracing these virtues necessitates them working together to enable one to meet whatever is before him/her.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Fortitude, Patience, and Meekness: Three Virtues We Often Separate, but That Belong Together (20 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"Christian witness is concrete: words without actions are empty." - Pope Francis
25 July 2015
Eva Cassidy: "Over the Rainbow"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of Eva Cassidy presenting "Over the Rainbow":
Brandon Vogt on What Every Catholic Today Needs to Ask
"New research shows that 7% of Catholics contribute 80% of all donations and volunteer hours. It's easy to cater everything to this group. We know they'll sign-up, they'll show up, they'll subscribe, they'll buy books, they'll give.
"But every Catholic needs to ask this question: what am I doing to reach the other 93%?
"In the press conference announcing Fr. Robert Barron as a new auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles, he said, 'The most significant challenge facing the Catholic Church today is the attrition of our own people.'"
In a recent commentary, writer Brandon Vogt reflected on the importance of reaching out to the other 93% (while not ignoring the 7%).
To access Brandon's complete post, please visit:
Brandon Vogt: The ONE Question Every Catholic Today Needs to Ask (23 JUL 15)
"But every Catholic needs to ask this question: what am I doing to reach the other 93%?
"In the press conference announcing Fr. Robert Barron as a new auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles, he said, 'The most significant challenge facing the Catholic Church today is the attrition of our own people.'"
In a recent commentary, writer Brandon Vogt reflected on the importance of reaching out to the other 93% (while not ignoring the 7%).
To access Brandon's complete post, please visit:
Brandon Vogt: The ONE Question Every Catholic Today Needs to Ask (23 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Elizabeth-Anne Stewart
"Becoming a disciple doesn't usually involve leaving one's occupation; for most of us, the call is to make a difference within the familiar circles of family, friends, work and faith community. However secular our lives may seem, there are always opportunities to reach out to others in love, for the sake of Christ. Without even mentioning God or religion, we can evangelize others by the way we treat them – through warm hospitality, attentive listening, simple acts of kindness. Fascinated, those we encounter may begin to question the source of our love; they, too, may start treating others with greater consideration. In turn, these people may also become more loving. And so the catch grows large and the nets expand…" - Dr. Elizabeth-Anne Stewart
24 July 2015
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You guide us through the Ten Commandments.
Bishop Tobin on the Relevance of the Ten Commandments
"So, a well-known, formerly powerful local politician is arrested and pleads guilty to various acts of political corruption including bribery, misuse of campaign funds and filing a false tax return.
"A prominent professional athlete rails against the rude, tasteless and obscene things written on the Internet about his daughter, a senior in high school, after it was announced that she had been accepted into college. . . .
"A twenty-five-year-old man is arrested and charged with felony assault after severely beating another man unconscious in a broad-daylight attack.
"The local Islamic School is vandalized when someone spray-paints racial slurs and expletives around the main entrance of the school.
"There are many other recent news stories I could add to the list and, without a doubt, by the time this column appears there will be.
"But, what do all of these events have in common? In each and every case, the offenses being reported involve the breaking of one or more of the Ten Commandments. For example - Thou shall not steal; Thou shall not bear false witness; Thou shall not kill.
"Regrettably, we don't hear much about the Ten Commandments any more. Is it just a coincidence that as the Commandments have been scrubbed from our classrooms, courtrooms and public squares they have also disappeared from the public discourse? We shouldn't be surprised, then, that there's so much corruption, violence and vulgarity in our society today. After all, we've ignored God's law that serves as the foundation of the criminal law; we've deleted the rules of engagement that regulate our life together.
"But the Ten Commandments are over 3,000 years old. They were given to a foreign nation in a distant land. They addressed the specific needs of the time. So, are they still relevant? Do they still apply to our age?"
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on why the Ten Commandments are still relevant, including how they help us to fulfill our potential as children of God, how they keep us from getting hurt and regulate our daily interactions with one another, and how they help to build a just society.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: The Ten Commandments, as Relevant as Ever (19 MAR 15)
"A prominent professional athlete rails against the rude, tasteless and obscene things written on the Internet about his daughter, a senior in high school, after it was announced that she had been accepted into college. . . .
"A twenty-five-year-old man is arrested and charged with felony assault after severely beating another man unconscious in a broad-daylight attack.
"The local Islamic School is vandalized when someone spray-paints racial slurs and expletives around the main entrance of the school.
"There are many other recent news stories I could add to the list and, without a doubt, by the time this column appears there will be.
"But, what do all of these events have in common? In each and every case, the offenses being reported involve the breaking of one or more of the Ten Commandments. For example - Thou shall not steal; Thou shall not bear false witness; Thou shall not kill.
"Regrettably, we don't hear much about the Ten Commandments any more. Is it just a coincidence that as the Commandments have been scrubbed from our classrooms, courtrooms and public squares they have also disappeared from the public discourse? We shouldn't be surprised, then, that there's so much corruption, violence and vulgarity in our society today. After all, we've ignored God's law that serves as the foundation of the criminal law; we've deleted the rules of engagement that regulate our life together.
"But the Ten Commandments are over 3,000 years old. They were given to a foreign nation in a distant land. They addressed the specific needs of the time. So, are they still relevant? Do they still apply to our age?"
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on why the Ten Commandments are still relevant, including how they help us to fulfill our potential as children of God, how they keep us from getting hurt and regulate our daily interactions with one another, and how they help to build a just society.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: The Ten Commandments, as Relevant as Ever (19 MAR 15)
Reflection Starter from Albert Schweitzer
"Do not let Sunday be taken from you. If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan." - Dr. Albert Schweitzer
23 July 2015
"In Every Age"
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of Janet Sullivan Whitaker's "In Every Age":
Capability Ranch Tends to Those with Special Needs
"Special needs kids," they call them. They might have Down Syndrome, some of them. They might have neurological development delays, or some kind of brain trauma. They might not even be "kids," but rather young adults, dealing with the same kinds of problems. But all are welcome here at Capability Ranch, in a corner of southern California, where the activities are geared toward part of the population that doesn't get all the attention that it should.
It's all the pet project of Nicola Bridges and her husband, Tony Oxley, and how they got from Point A to Point B is the subject of Ana Connery's article in a recent issue of Parade magazine. It's quite a story, and if you'd like to know more, read on.
Capability Ranch is something that Bridges has been pointing toward almost before she knew it. She was wrapped up then in what she now calls the "rat race," working for a publishing firm and helping to put food on the table for her family - which was important, since her younger son, Owen, had been diagnosed with autism when he was two. He's now 19, and he's part of the reason that the ranch came to be.
Bridges always had a yearning to do something for others, but Owen's older brother, Jack, was now enrolled at the University of Maryland. As Connery tells the story, Bridges was always on the go: "if she wasn't with Owen, she was glued to her phone or her computer, or she was on a plane en route to a meeting."
Time moved on. Remarried now to Oxley, she moved - still working - to San Diego, but along the way she had an "aha" moment: "If I could start over, I'd be a teacher or a special-education facilitator. It was just a feeling but it stayed with me for years." Eventually she knew that would be her calling.
Then tragedy struck. Bridges' older son, Jack, was viciously attacked outside a college bar, sustained a traumatic brain injury, and underwent risky surgery. He had made an apparent recovery and had been cleared to return to school when, to the shock of all, he died in his sleep. Bridges was devastated.
Still, she and her husband, who had bought the once-deserted property of the Wildlife Research Institute for what would eventually become their haven for special-needs youngsters, deeded to press on. And Capability Ranch - operating as a nonprofit center relying strictly on outside donations - was born.
Right now Bridges is taking everything one day at a time. One thing is clear: the main activity center at the ranch is named for her son, Jack, who is never far from her mind.
"We're trying to create programs specifically for those affected by brain disorders," she says, and that includes events for caregivers too. "Research shows the stress level of these caregivers is akin to soldiers returning from combat," she adds.
She'd like to do therapeutic activities with animals for the youngsters, and perhaps introduce them to sustainable farming. Overnight camping trips are a possibility as well.
But that's all in the future. For the moment she begins her days with an hour of reflection about Capability Ranch and the future.
"You know those inspirational quotes about living in the moment?" she asks. "I'm really doing that now for the first time in my life."
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
Capability Ranch, Ramona, CA
It's all the pet project of Nicola Bridges and her husband, Tony Oxley, and how they got from Point A to Point B is the subject of Ana Connery's article in a recent issue of Parade magazine. It's quite a story, and if you'd like to know more, read on.
Capability Ranch is something that Bridges has been pointing toward almost before she knew it. She was wrapped up then in what she now calls the "rat race," working for a publishing firm and helping to put food on the table for her family - which was important, since her younger son, Owen, had been diagnosed with autism when he was two. He's now 19, and he's part of the reason that the ranch came to be.
Bridges always had a yearning to do something for others, but Owen's older brother, Jack, was now enrolled at the University of Maryland. As Connery tells the story, Bridges was always on the go: "if she wasn't with Owen, she was glued to her phone or her computer, or she was on a plane en route to a meeting."
Time moved on. Remarried now to Oxley, she moved - still working - to San Diego, but along the way she had an "aha" moment: "If I could start over, I'd be a teacher or a special-education facilitator. It was just a feeling but it stayed with me for years." Eventually she knew that would be her calling.
Then tragedy struck. Bridges' older son, Jack, was viciously attacked outside a college bar, sustained a traumatic brain injury, and underwent risky surgery. He had made an apparent recovery and had been cleared to return to school when, to the shock of all, he died in his sleep. Bridges was devastated.
Still, she and her husband, who had bought the once-deserted property of the Wildlife Research Institute for what would eventually become their haven for special-needs youngsters, deeded to press on. And Capability Ranch - operating as a nonprofit center relying strictly on outside donations - was born.
Right now Bridges is taking everything one day at a time. One thing is clear: the main activity center at the ranch is named for her son, Jack, who is never far from her mind.
"We're trying to create programs specifically for those affected by brain disorders," she says, and that includes events for caregivers too. "Research shows the stress level of these caregivers is akin to soldiers returning from combat," she adds.
She'd like to do therapeutic activities with animals for the youngsters, and perhaps introduce them to sustainable farming. Overnight camping trips are a possibility as well.
But that's all in the future. For the moment she begins her days with an hour of reflection about Capability Ranch and the future.
"You know those inspirational quotes about living in the moment?" she asks. "I'm really doing that now for the first time in my life."
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
Capability Ranch, Ramona, CA
Reflection Starter from Jim Rohn
"The problem with waiting until tomorrow is that when it finally arrives, it is called today. Today is yesterday's tomorrow. The question is what did we do with its opportunity? All too often we will waste tomorrow as we wasted yesterday, and as we are wasting today. All that could have been accomplished can easily elude us, despite our intentions, until we inevitably discover that the things that might have been have slipped from our embrace a single, unused day at a time." - Jim Rohn
21 July 2015
July is Park and Recreation Month
Since 1985, July has been observed as Park and Recreation Month. During
this July, communities are being encouraged to share what they love
about parks and recreation, including the many benefits parks bring to
their neighborhoods (including health and wellness, nature, community
spirit, and social equity).
Background information:
National Recreation and Park Association
Facebook: National Recreation and Park Association
Facebook: America’s Backyard
New England Park Association
Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association
Maine Recreation & Park Association
Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association
New Hampshire Recreation and Park Association
Rhode Island Recreation and Parks Association
Vermont Recreation and Parks Association
Background information:
National Recreation and Park Association
Facebook: National Recreation and Park Association
Facebook: America’s Backyard
New England Park Association
Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association
Maine Recreation & Park Association
Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association
New Hampshire Recreation and Park Association
Rhode Island Recreation and Parks Association
Vermont Recreation and Parks Association
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings You have bestowed upon my alma mater, Providence College, and on each Catholic and other Christian college.
Ray Flynn on Religion and Politics
"Pope Francis recent encyclical on the environment
said it all about what's happening in our culture today. Some political
sources praised and welcomed the historic report from a pope who they
called a 'visionary leader.' On the other hand, other politicians
publicly responded with scorn and ridicule, even calling him a
‘socialist.’ This political sideshow proved how broken and divisive our
country has become. Instead of reporting the facts about the encyclical,
the public received a biased account and political spin. I point this
out not to offend any political persuasion -- Democrat vs. Republican,
business or labor, conservatives or liberals -- but only to point out
that in too many cases, the message of the pope and religious groups too
often gets caught up in politics. Whether it's about the environment,
economy, education, or social issues. It's all about what politicians
feel is in their best interest."
In a recent commentary, Raymond Flynn, former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and Mayor of Boston (and Providence College '63), reflected on religion, politics, and their interaction (especially in the United States).
To access Mr. Flynn's complete post, please visit:
The Boston Pilot: Echoes: Independence Day (30 JUN 15)
In a recent commentary, Raymond Flynn, former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and Mayor of Boston (and Providence College '63), reflected on religion, politics, and their interaction (especially in the United States).
To access Mr. Flynn's complete post, please visit:
The Boston Pilot: Echoes: Independence Day (30 JUN 15)
Reflection Starter from Henry David Thoreau
"The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness." - Henry David Thoreau
19 July 2015
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Jeremiah 23:1-6, Ephesians 2:13-18, and Mark 6:30-34.
The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 23 (Psalm 23:1-6).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd There Is Nothing I Shall Want by Keith Ballentine
The Gospel reading is as follows:
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 19, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 19, 2015)
Community in Mission: Four Teachings on Personal Prayer – A Homily for the 16th Sunday of the Year (18 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Hungry Sheep, Weary Shepherds
Word on Fire: Looking for a Shepherd (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 16)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: One Flock: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 JUL 15)
The CWR Blog: The Lord is my Shepherd (18 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: Shepherds Good and Bad (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: Jesus No Boy-O (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: A Lonely Place (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Bede (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (17 JUL 15)
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd There Is Nothing I Shall Want by Keith Ballentine
The Gospel reading is as follows:
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 19, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 19, 2015)
Community in Mission: Four Teachings on Personal Prayer – A Homily for the 16th Sunday of the Year (18 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Hungry Sheep, Weary Shepherds
Word on Fire: Looking for a Shepherd (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 16)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: One Flock: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 JUL 15)
The CWR Blog: The Lord is my Shepherd (18 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: Shepherds Good and Bad (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: Jesus No Boy-O (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: A Lonely Place (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Bede (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (17 JUL 15)
Msgr. Pope on Changing Our Lives Through Moving, Breathing, and Trusting
"Sometimes we like to complicate things. Every now and again it is good to simplify, to make it plain and simple. The other day it occurred to me that three words describe the well-being I have discovered in my physical, emotional, and spiritual life. They are, respectively, move, breathe, and trust.
"Let's look at each in turn. 'Move' pertains to the physical, 'breathe' to the emotional and psychological, and 'trust' to the spiritual."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the role of moving (including walking), proper breathing, and trusting (with gratitude) in his life and in our lives.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Three Words That Can Change Your Life (16 JUL 15)
"Let's look at each in turn. 'Move' pertains to the physical, 'breathe' to the emotional and psychological, and 'trust' to the spiritual."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the role of moving (including walking), proper breathing, and trusting (with gratitude) in his life and in our lives.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Three Words That Can Change Your Life (16 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"When everything falls apart, only one thing sustains our hope: God loves us, he loves everyone!" - Pope Francis
18 July 2015
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You have worked and continue to work through the history of the world.
UNESCO World Heritage Committee Declare Site of Jesus' Baptism a World Heritage Site
"UNESCO declared Bethany Beyond the Jordan, on the eastern side of the Jordan River, as a World Heritage site and the location of Jesus' baptism.
"'The decision is logical. The Eastern side is where all the Byzantine antiquities and churches are located,' said Franciscan Father Eugenio Alliata, professor of Christian archaeology at Jerusalem's Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. He said pilgrimages to the Western side began only about 600 years ago. 'But for us it is the Jordan River, the middle, which is the most holy place.'
"For years, Israel and Jordan have been at odds as to which side of the Jordan River is the actual site of Jesus' baptism, as both sides vie for the title to increase tourism. Israel upgraded its shoreline with changing rooms and a wooden deck access to the murky waters.
"But three popes have visited Jordan’s eastern shore as a sign of the Catholic Church's official recognition of the site known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan. The Gospel of John (1:28 and 10:40) records this place as where John the Baptist carried out his baptisms, including that of Jesus."
A recent Catholic News Service article reported on this action by UNESCO.
To access the complete Catholic News Service report, please visit:
Catholic New Service: Jordan bank of river where Jesus baptized declared UNESCO heritage site (16 JUL 15)
Background information:
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
"'The decision is logical. The Eastern side is where all the Byzantine antiquities and churches are located,' said Franciscan Father Eugenio Alliata, professor of Christian archaeology at Jerusalem's Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. He said pilgrimages to the Western side began only about 600 years ago. 'But for us it is the Jordan River, the middle, which is the most holy place.'
"For years, Israel and Jordan have been at odds as to which side of the Jordan River is the actual site of Jesus' baptism, as both sides vie for the title to increase tourism. Israel upgraded its shoreline with changing rooms and a wooden deck access to the murky waters.
"But three popes have visited Jordan’s eastern shore as a sign of the Catholic Church's official recognition of the site known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan. The Gospel of John (1:28 and 10:40) records this place as where John the Baptist carried out his baptisms, including that of Jesus."
A recent Catholic News Service article reported on this action by UNESCO.
To access the complete Catholic News Service report, please visit:
Catholic New Service: Jordan bank of river where Jesus baptized declared UNESCO heritage site (16 JUL 15)
Background information:
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales
We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God." - Saintt Francis de Sales
15 July 2015
Hope is Born Out of Pain and Sacrifice
The word "hope" gets tossed around a lot, and some people may see it as a saccharine sentiment or unrealistic happy talk. In some contexts, that may be true. But one of the ideas I was left with after this year's Christopher Awards is that real hope doesn't come cheap. It is hard won through dire circumstances that might have broken other people.
For instance, there's the story of New Yorker Jason DaSilva, subject of the TV category winner POV: When I Walk. Jason is a filmmaker who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 25. As reported by the website NewMobility.com, which named him their 2014 Person of the Year, "Not only did doctors tell him that he had multiple sclerosis when he was just 25, but they added that he had the worst kind: primary progressive MS. It's all downhill. There are no FDA-approved drugs to treat it and unlike some other types of the neurological disorder, there are no remissions."
Despite the bad news, Jason mustered up the courage to turn the camera on himself. When I Walk provides a window both into his own battle with the debilitating disease - and into the daily struggles of all people with disabilities. Unexpectedly, the film also becomes a love story when Jason meets and marries Alice Cook, who gives his spirit a needed infusion of joy. Through triumphs and tragedies, they carry the cross of MS together, giving witness to the power of selfless love.
Jason's journey by himself - and then with Alice - is a testament to the type of hope I'm talking about here. He slowly loses the ability to walk, finds his speech and arm movements limited, and even finds his eyesight faltering. For a filmmaker, that's an especially painful development. Even with Alice by his side helping him every step of the way, Jason could have decided to give up. Instead, he chose hope - and he did it in two meaningful ways.
There is no greater act of hope for a couple than to have a baby, and Jason and Alice have a two-year-old son named Jase. But even the path to parenthood was littered with heartbreak because Alice endured a miscarriage, which was seen in When I Walk. After everything else they'd gone through, that felt like a devastating blow to me as a viewer watching the documentary, so imagine what it felt like for them to go through it. Once again, however, they refused to be beaten down by life. Alice got pregnant again and now they get a lot of joy from the life they created together.
In addition, Jason's frustrations getting around Manhattan in his wheelchair led him to start a project called AXSMap.com. Using the website or phone app, it maps and identifies the places in the city that are most accessible for people in wheelchairs or with other disabilities. Or at least it started in New York City. Now, Jason and Alice have generated volunteers in cities around the world to map their locales and let the disabled know the stores, restaurants, streets, and modes of transportation that can accommodate them. If you're interested in helping, you can visit the website and click on Mapathon.
Jason and Alice's example of hope in the face of adversity is one story among many from this year's Christopher Awards. But theirs is a special testament to the fact that real hope isn't happy talk; it's a world-changing force born out of pain and sacrifice.
(This essay is this week's "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:
The Christophers
For instance, there's the story of New Yorker Jason DaSilva, subject of the TV category winner POV: When I Walk. Jason is a filmmaker who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 25. As reported by the website NewMobility.com, which named him their 2014 Person of the Year, "Not only did doctors tell him that he had multiple sclerosis when he was just 25, but they added that he had the worst kind: primary progressive MS. It's all downhill. There are no FDA-approved drugs to treat it and unlike some other types of the neurological disorder, there are no remissions."
Despite the bad news, Jason mustered up the courage to turn the camera on himself. When I Walk provides a window both into his own battle with the debilitating disease - and into the daily struggles of all people with disabilities. Unexpectedly, the film also becomes a love story when Jason meets and marries Alice Cook, who gives his spirit a needed infusion of joy. Through triumphs and tragedies, they carry the cross of MS together, giving witness to the power of selfless love.
Jason's journey by himself - and then with Alice - is a testament to the type of hope I'm talking about here. He slowly loses the ability to walk, finds his speech and arm movements limited, and even finds his eyesight faltering. For a filmmaker, that's an especially painful development. Even with Alice by his side helping him every step of the way, Jason could have decided to give up. Instead, he chose hope - and he did it in two meaningful ways.
There is no greater act of hope for a couple than to have a baby, and Jason and Alice have a two-year-old son named Jase. But even the path to parenthood was littered with heartbreak because Alice endured a miscarriage, which was seen in When I Walk. After everything else they'd gone through, that felt like a devastating blow to me as a viewer watching the documentary, so imagine what it felt like for them to go through it. Once again, however, they refused to be beaten down by life. Alice got pregnant again and now they get a lot of joy from the life they created together.
In addition, Jason's frustrations getting around Manhattan in his wheelchair led him to start a project called AXSMap.com. Using the website or phone app, it maps and identifies the places in the city that are most accessible for people in wheelchairs or with other disabilities. Or at least it started in New York City. Now, Jason and Alice have generated volunteers in cities around the world to map their locales and let the disabled know the stores, restaurants, streets, and modes of transportation that can accommodate them. If you're interested in helping, you can visit the website and click on Mapathon.
Jason and Alice's example of hope in the face of adversity is one story among many from this year's Christopher Awards. But theirs is a special testament to the fact that real hope isn't happy talk; it's a world-changing force born out of pain and sacrifice.
(This essay is this week's "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:
The Christophers
Reflection Starter from Steven Woodhull
"You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice." - attributed to Steven D. Woodhull
14 July 2015
Providence College Wins Architectural Award for Center for the Humanities
"The architectural publication Traditional Building recently drew attention a new building at Providence College by granting its architects the 2015 Palladio Award for "New Design & Construction, more than 30,000 sq.ft." The architecture firm S/L/A/M Collaborative and Sullivan Buckingham Architects worked with the friars at Providence College to create the Ruane Center for the Humanities for the Providence College Development of Western Civilization program."
The Dominican Friars, Province of St. Joseph, blog recently reported on this award.
To access this post, please visit:
Dominican Friars | Province of St. Joseph: Providence College Wins Architectural Award (7 JUL 15)
Background information:
Providence College
On Politicians and the Spiritual Life
"I've heard lots of commentaries recently by people who are utterly infuriated with politicians. Now, this blog isn't generally concerned with politics, but I ran across a priceless reflection this week that seems perfectly suited for the times in which we live.
"As regular visitors to gratefulconvert.com know, the late Fr. Ray Ryland was a dear friend, mentor, and source of tremendous inspiration for many years. Among his countless positive contributions to our lives was his column in OSV's The Catholic Answer magazine (well worth the cost of a subscription, by the way). Do you think politics and sainthood can ever go together? . . ."
In a recent commentary, writer Kevin Lowry offered and reflected on Father Ray's commentary (including the reminder that laypersons (including politicians) must "not separate their union with Christ from their ordinary life; but through the very performance of their tasks, which are God's will for them, actually promote the growth of their union with Him."
To access Kevin's complete post, please visit:
Grateful Convert: Saintly Politicians? (11 JUL 15)
"As regular visitors to gratefulconvert.com know, the late Fr. Ray Ryland was a dear friend, mentor, and source of tremendous inspiration for many years. Among his countless positive contributions to our lives was his column in OSV's The Catholic Answer magazine (well worth the cost of a subscription, by the way). Do you think politics and sainthood can ever go together? . . ."
In a recent commentary, writer Kevin Lowry offered and reflected on Father Ray's commentary (including the reminder that laypersons (including politicians) must "not separate their union with Christ from their ordinary life; but through the very performance of their tasks, which are God's will for them, actually promote the growth of their union with Him."
To access Kevin's complete post, please visit:
Grateful Convert: Saintly Politicians? (11 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Pope Saint John XXIII
"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." - Pope Saint John XXIII
12 July 2015
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"
As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of the London Philharmonic Choir singing "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty":
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Amos 7:12-15, Ephesians 1:3-14, and Mark 6:7-13.
The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 85 (Psalm 85:9-14).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 85 Prayer for Divine Favor
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them."
So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 12, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 12, 2015)
Community in Mission: Five Fundamental Freedoms for the Christian Evangelizer (11 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Gospel According to . . . Nike?
Word on Fire: Summed Up in Christ (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 15)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: The Church’s Mission: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (6 JUL 15)
The CWR Blog: "The Lord took me...": A deep and abiding Biblical theme (11 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: Thanks (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: The Burden of Baggage (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: Spirits, Travel & Hospitality (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Theophylact (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (10 JUL 15)
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 85 Prayer for Divine Favor
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them."
So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 12, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 12, 2015)
Community in Mission: Five Fundamental Freedoms for the Christian Evangelizer (11 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Gospel According to . . . Nike?
Word on Fire: Summed Up in Christ (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 15)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: The Church’s Mission: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (6 JUL 15)
The CWR Blog: "The Lord took me...": A deep and abiding Biblical theme (11 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: Thanks (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: The Burden of Baggage (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: Spirits, Travel & Hospitality (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Theophylact (15th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (10 JUL 15)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways you work with us, even when we turn away from You or forget You.
Msgr. Pope on the Faults and Return to God of Biblical Heroes
"Over the years, I have written a number of articles on the men of the Bible: many of the patriarchs of the Old Testament such as Abraham, Moses, David, Eli, and most recently, Lot and Jacob. Likewise, I’ve written on Peter and Paul, and on John the Baptist.
"I find the biblical portraits of these men (and also many women as well) fascinating and often brutally honest. The Scriptures seldom feature biblical heroes without flaws. Even if these epic figures eventually got their halos on straight, it certainly wasn't that way from the start. With the possible exception of Joseph the patriarch, these men often struggled mightily to hear, comprehend, and heed the voice of God.
"And God often needed to purify them greatly for the tasks that He had for them. And when I write of the struggles and imperfections of these biblical figures, I find that some of my readers take offense at my often frank discussion of their shortcomings. There is an old Latin expression Offensiva pii aurium, which means 'offensive to pious ears.'"
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the faults of biblical heroes and of God's "writing straight with crooked lines."
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Patriarchs Are People Too – A Reflection on the Fact That the Bible Speaks Frankly About the Faults of Our Heroes (9 JUL 15)
"I find the biblical portraits of these men (and also many women as well) fascinating and often brutally honest. The Scriptures seldom feature biblical heroes without flaws. Even if these epic figures eventually got their halos on straight, it certainly wasn't that way from the start. With the possible exception of Joseph the patriarch, these men often struggled mightily to hear, comprehend, and heed the voice of God.
"And God often needed to purify them greatly for the tasks that He had for them. And when I write of the struggles and imperfections of these biblical figures, I find that some of my readers take offense at my often frank discussion of their shortcomings. There is an old Latin expression Offensiva pii aurium, which means 'offensive to pious ears.'"
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the faults of biblical heroes and of God's "writing straight with crooked lines."
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Patriarchs Are People Too – A Reflection on the Fact That the Bible Speaks Frankly About the Faults of Our Heroes (9 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"The teachings of the Gospel have direct consequences for our way of thinking, feeling and living." - Pope Francis
11 July 2015
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings You bestow on us each day, whether we are aware of them or not.
Bishop Tobin on Staying Positive Around Negative People
"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny. (Mahatma Gandhi)
"So, recently I was standing in the back of the church awaiting the arrival of the students and the beginning of a Confirmation ceremony. While there I had a few minutes to check out the pamphlet rack and I came across a little brochure published by The Christophers entitled 'Staying Positive Around Negative People.'
"'Now that’s a helpful topic,' I said to myself as I quickly grabbed two of the brochures and slipped them under my alb and into my pocket."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the importance of, and ways in which one can, staying positive when surrounded by negative people.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: On a Scale of 1 - 10, How Cranky Are You? (14 MAY 15)
"So, recently I was standing in the back of the church awaiting the arrival of the students and the beginning of a Confirmation ceremony. While there I had a few minutes to check out the pamphlet rack and I came across a little brochure published by The Christophers entitled 'Staying Positive Around Negative People.'
"'Now that’s a helpful topic,' I said to myself as I quickly grabbed two of the brochures and slipped them under my alb and into my pocket."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the importance of, and ways in which one can, staying positive when surrounded by negative people.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: On a Scale of 1 - 10, How Cranky Are You? (14 MAY 15)
Reflection Starter
"By always taking out and never putting in, the bottom is soon reached." - Spanish Proverb
08 July 2015
Special Needs Kids Are Spiritually Able
"Parents of children with special needs should realize that even though they didn’t expect to have a child with special needs, that was the child God gave them - and God doesn’t make mistakes."
David Rizzo spoke those words to me because they highlighted a lesson that he and his wife Mercedes learned firsthand when their daughter Danielle was diagnosed with autism at age four. Not only did this affect how they would give her a regular education, but also how they would raise her in the Catholic faith which means so much to them. There wasn’t any material at the time that could point them in the right direction, so the Rizzos paved new ground themselves. To share what they’ve learned, they recently authored the book “Spiritually Able: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching the Faith to Children with Special Needs.”
During an interview on “Christopher Closeup,” David and Mercedes told me that the odds of Danielle sitting through Mass and receiving the sacraments seemed “insurmountable” at times. Thankfully, their parish was “welcoming and willing to help us.”
When I asked them what priests and parishioners in general can do to enhance that spirit of welcome, David said, “They need to recognize that the parents of children with special needs who are coming to their church want the parishioners to feel comfortable around their children. [We] also want them to know that we’re not being bad parents when our children [misbehave] or make noise or don’t seem focused. That’s part of the disability; it’s not a sign of their irreverence. That gives us the opportunity for the child to learn the expected behaviors. And they will because children with disabilities do learn. It is possible for them to learn to sit through Mass, participate, and become an active participant in the faith.”
One of the methods that helped Danielle was reinforcement learning, which involves giving a child something they like when they do something right. It can be as simple as verbal praise, but it works. In addition, the Rizzos created a booklet called “My Picture Missal” because “kids with autism do really well with pictures. The first picture on the page was the picture of what you should be doing with your body, whether you’re standing, sitting or kneeling. Then the second picture was what’s going on at the altar at that moment. That gives the child the visual cue for what’s expected of them. Once that worked for Danielle and clicked, suddenly she realized, ‘I’m here for a reason, there’s something important happening.’”
Getting to that point with Danielle took a lot of trial and error over several years, but the hard work paid off and she was able to receive her first Holy Communion at the traditional age
.David and Mercedes have learned a lot from being the parents of a special needs child and they wouldn’t change a thing. Mercedes said, “I’ve developed an even deeper sense of compassion and I think that has also spread to our other children.”
David concludes, “I would never have expected myself to be the father of a child with special needs. I never would have placed myself in that position. But once I was in that position, I found out that God really knew best, because here was an opportunity for me to develop into the best person that I could develop into. [Taking] an active role in Danielle’s life sent me in so many directions. That’s the biggest life lesson: when you find yourself in a situation, you have to trust that you’re there for a reason.”
(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:
The Christophers
David Rizzo spoke those words to me because they highlighted a lesson that he and his wife Mercedes learned firsthand when their daughter Danielle was diagnosed with autism at age four. Not only did this affect how they would give her a regular education, but also how they would raise her in the Catholic faith which means so much to them. There wasn’t any material at the time that could point them in the right direction, so the Rizzos paved new ground themselves. To share what they’ve learned, they recently authored the book “Spiritually Able: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching the Faith to Children with Special Needs.”
During an interview on “Christopher Closeup,” David and Mercedes told me that the odds of Danielle sitting through Mass and receiving the sacraments seemed “insurmountable” at times. Thankfully, their parish was “welcoming and willing to help us.”
When I asked them what priests and parishioners in general can do to enhance that spirit of welcome, David said, “They need to recognize that the parents of children with special needs who are coming to their church want the parishioners to feel comfortable around their children. [We] also want them to know that we’re not being bad parents when our children [misbehave] or make noise or don’t seem focused. That’s part of the disability; it’s not a sign of their irreverence. That gives us the opportunity for the child to learn the expected behaviors. And they will because children with disabilities do learn. It is possible for them to learn to sit through Mass, participate, and become an active participant in the faith.”
One of the methods that helped Danielle was reinforcement learning, which involves giving a child something they like when they do something right. It can be as simple as verbal praise, but it works. In addition, the Rizzos created a booklet called “My Picture Missal” because “kids with autism do really well with pictures. The first picture on the page was the picture of what you should be doing with your body, whether you’re standing, sitting or kneeling. Then the second picture was what’s going on at the altar at that moment. That gives the child the visual cue for what’s expected of them. Once that worked for Danielle and clicked, suddenly she realized, ‘I’m here for a reason, there’s something important happening.’”
Getting to that point with Danielle took a lot of trial and error over several years, but the hard work paid off and she was able to receive her first Holy Communion at the traditional age
.David and Mercedes have learned a lot from being the parents of a special needs child and they wouldn’t change a thing. Mercedes said, “I’ve developed an even deeper sense of compassion and I think that has also spread to our other children.”
David concludes, “I would never have expected myself to be the father of a child with special needs. I never would have placed myself in that position. But once I was in that position, I found out that God really knew best, because here was an opportunity for me to develop into the best person that I could develop into. [Taking] an active role in Danielle’s life sent me in so many directions. That’s the biggest life lesson: when you find yourself in a situation, you have to trust that you’re there for a reason.”
(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:
The Christophers
Reflection Starter from Albert Einstein
"Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born." - Albert Einstein
06 July 2015
Canadian Mosque Assists Vandalized Catholic Church
"Love thy neighbour as thyself.
"A mosque in Mississauga has taken the holy words to heart and is donating thousands of dollars to help a nearby Catholic church clean up after it was hit with a spate of vulgar acts of vandalism last month.
"After hearing of the incidents through the media, Hamid Slimi, imam of the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga, paid a visit to nearby St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church. He was shocked after Father Camillo Lando showed him some of the vandals behaviour caught on security video."
A recent Toronto Star article reported on the response of the Sayeda Khadija Centre to the vandalism done at Saint Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
To access the complete report, please visit:
Toronto Star: Mississauga mosque helps vandalized church clean up (26 JUN 15)
Background information:
Saint Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Mississauga, Ontario
Sayeda Khadija Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
"A mosque in Mississauga has taken the holy words to heart and is donating thousands of dollars to help a nearby Catholic church clean up after it was hit with a spate of vulgar acts of vandalism last month.
"After hearing of the incidents through the media, Hamid Slimi, imam of the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga, paid a visit to nearby St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church. He was shocked after Father Camillo Lando showed him some of the vandals behaviour caught on security video."
A recent Toronto Star article reported on the response of the Sayeda Khadija Centre to the vandalism done at Saint Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
To access the complete report, please visit:
Toronto Star: Mississauga mosque helps vandalized church clean up (26 JUN 15)
Background information:
Saint Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Mississauga, Ontario
Sayeda Khadija Centre, Mississauga, Ontario
Reflection Starter from Arthur Ashe
"If I were to say, 'God, why me?' about the bad things, then I should have said, 'God, why me?' about the good things that happened in my life." - Arthur Ashe
05 July 2015
"Christ Be Our Light"
As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of Bernadette Farrell's "Christ Be Our Light":
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Ezekiel 2:2-5, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, and Mark 6:1-6.
The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 123 (Psalm 123:1-4).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 123 "Trust and Reliance on the Lord"
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 5, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 5, 2015)
Community in Mission: A Bad Day in the Pulpit for Jesus? A Homily for 14th Sunday of the Year (4 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Jesus’ Homecoming
The Deacon's Bench: Homily for July 5, 2015: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (4 JUL 15)
Word on Fire: The Mission of the Prophet (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 14)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: Son of Mary: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (29 JUN 15)
CWR Blog: The Scandalizing, Thankless Job of Prophets (4 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: The Relationship Called Faith (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: Prophetic Living (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: Honor (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Symeon the New Theologian (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (3 JUL 15)
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 123 "Trust and Reliance on the Lord"
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 5, 2015)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflection: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 5, 2015)
Community in Mission: A Bad Day in the Pulpit for Jesus? A Homily for 14th Sunday of the Year (4 JUL 15)
Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Jesus’ Homecoming
The Deacon's Bench: Homily for July 5, 2015: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (4 JUL 15)
Word on Fire: The Mission of the Prophet (Cycle B * Ordinary Time * Week 14)
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology: Son of Mary: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (29 JUN 15)
CWR Blog: The Scandalizing, Thankless Job of Prophets (4 JUL 15)
Spirituality of the Readings: The Relationship Called Faith (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
The Word Embodied: Prophetic Living (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Historical Cultural Context: Honor (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Symeon the New Theologian (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time B)
Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (3 JUL 15)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You call us and encourage us to lean on You.
Msgr. Pope on Leaning on the Lord
"Most people, if asked, would say that they like everything in their life to be in perfect equilibrium, perfect balance. Losing balance physically is the prelude to a fall. Balance tends to be valued, not only in the physical sense, but also in the emotional, spiritual, and mental sense. To become mentally or emotionally 'unbalanced' is a euphemism for mental illness or distress.
"Believing is leaning - Perfect equilibrium or balance is seldom to be found in the human person, but perhaps that is good, especially in the spiritual life. The spiritual life is really about leaning."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the importance of leaning on the Lord in our spiritual lives.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Walking as an Image of Faith (2 JUL 15)
"Believing is leaning - Perfect equilibrium or balance is seldom to be found in the human person, but perhaps that is good, especially in the spiritual life. The spiritual life is really about leaning."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the importance of leaning on the Lord in our spiritual lives.
To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Walking as an Image of Faith (2 JUL 15)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"That which gives us true freedom and true happiness is the compassionate love of Christ." - Pope Francis
03 July 2015
Drone Use in Maine River Rescue
"It was Frank Roma's love of Maine's natural beauty that helped rescue a teenager who was trapped in a roiling river in Mechanic Falls on Tuesday.
"Roma, the city's fire chief, was at the Little Androscoggin River, assisting that town's fire and rescue crews. When they puzzled over how to equip the teen with a life jacket, Roma offered up the 'quad-copter' drone that he happened to bring to work that day and still had in his car.
"'I talked to the incident commander and said, 'I can fly a line out to this kid in no time, and we can haul him over a (personal flotation device),' and he said, 'Go ahead.''"
A recent Sun Journal article reported on the use of the drone in this recent rescue operation in Mechanic Falls, ME.
To access the complete Sun Journal report, including Chief Roma's reflections on the use of drones by emergency services, please visit:
Sun Journal: Auburn fire chief drafted drone into duty for river rescue (2 JUL 15)
Background information:
City of Auburn, ME
Town of Mechanic Falls, ME
Wikipedia: Auburn, Maine
Wikipedia: Mechanic Falls, Maine
"Roma, the city's fire chief, was at the Little Androscoggin River, assisting that town's fire and rescue crews. When they puzzled over how to equip the teen with a life jacket, Roma offered up the 'quad-copter' drone that he happened to bring to work that day and still had in his car.
"'I talked to the incident commander and said, 'I can fly a line out to this kid in no time, and we can haul him over a (personal flotation device),' and he said, 'Go ahead.''"
A recent Sun Journal article reported on the use of the drone in this recent rescue operation in Mechanic Falls, ME.
To access the complete Sun Journal report, including Chief Roma's reflections on the use of drones by emergency services, please visit:
Sun Journal: Auburn fire chief drafted drone into duty for river rescue (2 JUL 15)
Background information:
City of Auburn, ME
Town of Mechanic Falls, ME
Wikipedia: Auburn, Maine
Wikipedia: Mechanic Falls, Maine
Thank You, Lord
Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity and grace You give us to express our gratitude to You and to others in our lives.
Cardinal Parolin on the importance of the Encyclical “Laudato si'” in Light of 2015 Major Events
On Thursday (2 July), Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, spoke at the high-level conference "People and planet first: the imperative to change course" (Rome, Augustinianum, 2-3 July), organized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and CIDSE, an international network of Catholic non-governmental development organisations.
The theme of the Cardinal's address was "The Importance of the Encyclical Laudato Si' for the Church and the World, in the Light of Major Political Events in 2015 and Beyond." Three key United Nations conferences are scheduled to take place in the second half of 2015: the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 13-16 July), the United Nations Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda (New York, NY, USA, 25-27 September), and the Twenty-First Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations framework Convention on Climate Change or COP21 (Paris, France, 30 November-11 December) for the purpose of adopting a new agreement on climate change. Cardinal Parolin affirmed that "the Encyclical will have a certain impact on these events, but its breadth and depth go well beyond its context in time."
The Secretary of State's discourse focused on three sectors to help understand of "Laudato si'" – the international sphere, the national and local sphere, and the sphere of the Church - emphasizing the two pressing requirements relevant to all three, namely "redirecting our steps" and promoting a "culture of care."
In the international framework, he said, there is a need for "an ever greater recognition that 'everything is connected' and that the environment, the earth and the climate are 'a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone'. They are a common and collective good, belonging to all and meant for all, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone. Recognizing these truths is not, however, a foregone conclusion. It calls for a firm commitment to develop an authentic ethics of international relations, one that is genuinely capable of facing up to a variety of issues, such as commercial imbalances, and foreign and ecological debt, which are denounced in the Encyclical."
"Unfortunately, what has prevented the international community from assuming this perspective can be summed up in the following observations of the Pope: its 'failure of conscience and responsibility' and the consequent 'meager awareness of its own limitations'. We live, however, in a context where it is possible to 'leave behind the modern myth of unlimited material progress . . . [and] to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing and limiting our power;' 'we have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology; we can put it at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral'." The Cardinal remarked, "more than once I have had occasion to emphasize how the technological and operative base for promoting such progress is already available or within our reach. We must seize this great opportunity, given the real human capacity to initiate and forge ahead on a genuinely and properly virtuous course, one that irrigates the soil of economic and technological innovation, cultivating three interrelated objectives: to help human dignity flourish, to help eradicate poverty, and to help counter environmental decay."
"The forces at work in the international sphere are not sufficient on their own, however, but must also be focused by a clear national stimulus, according to the principle of subsidiarity. And here we enter into the second area of our reflection, that of national and local action. Laudato Si' shows us that we can do much in this regard, and it offers some examples, such as: 'modifying consumption, developing an economy of waste disposal and recycling . . . [the improvement of] agriculture in poorer regions . . . through investment in rural infrastructures, a better organization of local [and] national markets, systems of irrigation, and the development of techniques of sustainable agriculture,' the promotion of a 'circular model of production,' a clear response to the wasting of food, and the acceleration of an 'energy transition.'" He added, "unfortunately, 'there are too many special interests, and economic interests too easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected.'"
The final area considered by the Secretary of State was the Catholic Church, who "finds nourishment in the example of St. Francis who, as indicated from the very opening pages of the Encyclical, 'lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace."
He concluded, "Pope Francis states once again that 'the Church does not presume to settle scientific questions or to replace politics', but seems to be the bearer of the need to question the meaning and purpose of all human activity. What is well-known by now is the Encyclical's call for us to reflect on 'what kind of world we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up.' The answer which the Pope offers to this question is quite revealing: 'When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its meaning and its values. . . . It is no longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future generations. We need to see that what is at stake is our own dignity."
(from the Vatican Information Service).
Background information:
The Vatican: Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our Common Home
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
CIDSE
The theme of the Cardinal's address was "The Importance of the Encyclical Laudato Si' for the Church and the World, in the Light of Major Political Events in 2015 and Beyond." Three key United Nations conferences are scheduled to take place in the second half of 2015: the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 13-16 July), the United Nations Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda (New York, NY, USA, 25-27 September), and the Twenty-First Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations framework Convention on Climate Change or COP21 (Paris, France, 30 November-11 December) for the purpose of adopting a new agreement on climate change. Cardinal Parolin affirmed that "the Encyclical will have a certain impact on these events, but its breadth and depth go well beyond its context in time."
The Secretary of State's discourse focused on three sectors to help understand of "Laudato si'" – the international sphere, the national and local sphere, and the sphere of the Church - emphasizing the two pressing requirements relevant to all three, namely "redirecting our steps" and promoting a "culture of care."
In the international framework, he said, there is a need for "an ever greater recognition that 'everything is connected' and that the environment, the earth and the climate are 'a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone'. They are a common and collective good, belonging to all and meant for all, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone. Recognizing these truths is not, however, a foregone conclusion. It calls for a firm commitment to develop an authentic ethics of international relations, one that is genuinely capable of facing up to a variety of issues, such as commercial imbalances, and foreign and ecological debt, which are denounced in the Encyclical."
"Unfortunately, what has prevented the international community from assuming this perspective can be summed up in the following observations of the Pope: its 'failure of conscience and responsibility' and the consequent 'meager awareness of its own limitations'. We live, however, in a context where it is possible to 'leave behind the modern myth of unlimited material progress . . . [and] to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing and limiting our power;' 'we have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology; we can put it at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral'." The Cardinal remarked, "more than once I have had occasion to emphasize how the technological and operative base for promoting such progress is already available or within our reach. We must seize this great opportunity, given the real human capacity to initiate and forge ahead on a genuinely and properly virtuous course, one that irrigates the soil of economic and technological innovation, cultivating three interrelated objectives: to help human dignity flourish, to help eradicate poverty, and to help counter environmental decay."
"The forces at work in the international sphere are not sufficient on their own, however, but must also be focused by a clear national stimulus, according to the principle of subsidiarity. And here we enter into the second area of our reflection, that of national and local action. Laudato Si' shows us that we can do much in this regard, and it offers some examples, such as: 'modifying consumption, developing an economy of waste disposal and recycling . . . [the improvement of] agriculture in poorer regions . . . through investment in rural infrastructures, a better organization of local [and] national markets, systems of irrigation, and the development of techniques of sustainable agriculture,' the promotion of a 'circular model of production,' a clear response to the wasting of food, and the acceleration of an 'energy transition.'" He added, "unfortunately, 'there are too many special interests, and economic interests too easily end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected.'"
The final area considered by the Secretary of State was the Catholic Church, who "finds nourishment in the example of St. Francis who, as indicated from the very opening pages of the Encyclical, 'lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace."
He concluded, "Pope Francis states once again that 'the Church does not presume to settle scientific questions or to replace politics', but seems to be the bearer of the need to question the meaning and purpose of all human activity. What is well-known by now is the Encyclical's call for us to reflect on 'what kind of world we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up.' The answer which the Pope offers to this question is quite revealing: 'When we ask ourselves what kind of world we want to leave behind, we think in the first place of its general direction, its meaning and its values. . . . It is no longer enough, then, simply to state that we should be concerned for future generations. We need to see that what is at stake is our own dignity."
(from the Vatican Information Service).
Background information:
The Vatican: Encyclical Letter Laudato Si' of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our Common Home
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
CIDSE
Reflection Starter from 1 Thessalonians
"In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18
02 July 2015
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many interesting experiences You offer/give us and for the many ways You touch our lives, and the lives of others, through these experiences.
Walking in the Footsteps of Pope Francis
Is there anyone out there who wouldn't want to get to know Pope Francis a bit better? To know - well, what makes him tick? After all, his view of the papacy seems to be a little different from his predecessors. He's made quite a hit with just about everyone; they like his words, his teachings, his style. Wouldn’t you like to know just some more about him?
So did a group of seminarians from New York, and what's more, they did something about it. They traveled from Douglaston in Queens all the way to Argentina, where the Holy Father is from; to Buenos Aires, the city which he knew so well, the place where he was introduced to the sacraments and ordained a Jesuit priest, and served as bishop before he was elected pope in 2013.
In all, 12 seminarians made the trip, along with the three priests who accompanied them, and to a man they agreed that it was all worth it. As one seminarian put it, "I was reminded all throughout the trip of Pope Francis' call for the church to reach out to those who are most marginalized."
They walked the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires the pope had once known as archbishop; they saw the slums that he knew well; they helped build a church atop what had been a garbage dump. "Working with the local people we were in some way able to meet the pope," said another seminarian. “He was so commonplace, walking the streets, knocking on doors. They knew him very personally. He felt very strongly about the people in those neighborhoods."
Seminarian Steven Gonzalez told Catholic New York's Juliann DosSantos of what was for him a highlight of the trip. "I think that place where I felt really connected to Pope Francis was when we went to the Villas, where the poorest people of Buenos Aires live," he said. "I was so moved by all the people's stories about how the pope had in so many ways touched their lives. We could, in almost a tangible way, feel the pope's enormous impact and presence in that neighborhood."
Another seminarian, Ryan Muldoon, described a visit to what had once been the pope's home parish, Mary Help of Christians. "It's a reminder that Pope Francis, just like all of us, was initiated with the sacraments," he said. "He was baptized in an ordinary parish. He had a particularly graced moment, but sacraments are at the heart of the priestly ministry, and that is a point on which I can relate with him."
Muldoon also mentioned the priests they had met during their February visit, following in one way or another the example set by Pope Francis: "To see the love and devotion of the parish priests and how they live amongst their people and understand the struggles their people are going through, it was a tremendous model of priesthood."
The seminarians kept returning in their comments to the chapel they had helped to build, the one constructed on an old garbage dump. It's located in Villa Soldati, a mission chapel in Immaculate Virgin parish, financed entirely by the people.
"St, Francis said, 'Rebuild my church,' and they really are doing just that," said Muldoon. "It certainly was very moving."
(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:
The Christophers
So did a group of seminarians from New York, and what's more, they did something about it. They traveled from Douglaston in Queens all the way to Argentina, where the Holy Father is from; to Buenos Aires, the city which he knew so well, the place where he was introduced to the sacraments and ordained a Jesuit priest, and served as bishop before he was elected pope in 2013.
In all, 12 seminarians made the trip, along with the three priests who accompanied them, and to a man they agreed that it was all worth it. As one seminarian put it, "I was reminded all throughout the trip of Pope Francis' call for the church to reach out to those who are most marginalized."
They walked the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires the pope had once known as archbishop; they saw the slums that he knew well; they helped build a church atop what had been a garbage dump. "Working with the local people we were in some way able to meet the pope," said another seminarian. “He was so commonplace, walking the streets, knocking on doors. They knew him very personally. He felt very strongly about the people in those neighborhoods."
Seminarian Steven Gonzalez told Catholic New York's Juliann DosSantos of what was for him a highlight of the trip. "I think that place where I felt really connected to Pope Francis was when we went to the Villas, where the poorest people of Buenos Aires live," he said. "I was so moved by all the people's stories about how the pope had in so many ways touched their lives. We could, in almost a tangible way, feel the pope's enormous impact and presence in that neighborhood."
Another seminarian, Ryan Muldoon, described a visit to what had once been the pope's home parish, Mary Help of Christians. "It's a reminder that Pope Francis, just like all of us, was initiated with the sacraments," he said. "He was baptized in an ordinary parish. He had a particularly graced moment, but sacraments are at the heart of the priestly ministry, and that is a point on which I can relate with him."
Muldoon also mentioned the priests they had met during their February visit, following in one way or another the example set by Pope Francis: "To see the love and devotion of the parish priests and how they live amongst their people and understand the struggles their people are going through, it was a tremendous model of priesthood."
The seminarians kept returning in their comments to the chapel they had helped to build, the one constructed on an old garbage dump. It's located in Villa Soldati, a mission chapel in Immaculate Virgin parish, financed entirely by the people.
"St, Francis said, 'Rebuild my church,' and they really are doing just that," said Muldoon. "It certainly was very moving."
(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:
The Christophers
Reflection Starter from Charles Dickens
"Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." - Charles Dickens
01 July 2015
Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for July
The Holy Father's prayer intentions for July are:
Universal Intention (Politics): “That political responsibility may be lived at all levels as a high form of charity.”
Evangelization Intention (The Poor in Latin America): “That, amid social inequalities, Latin American Christians may bear witness to love for the poor and contribute to a more fraternal society.”
Universal Intention (Politics): “That political responsibility may be lived at all levels as a high form of charity.”
Evangelization Intention (The Poor in Latin America): “That, amid social inequalities, Latin American Christians may bear witness to love for the poor and contribute to a more fraternal society.”
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the Catholic media and for the many ways in which You work though those involved with it on the various levels.
Catholic Media Encouraged to Present Pope's Full Message
"Catholic journalists could easily 'remain on the surface' when reporting on Pope Francis with his great photo opportunities and 'buzz-catching expressions,' but they need to take their coverage a step further, said Basilian Father Thomas Rosica.
"'Our work as Catholic media is not to remain on the surface but to go to the deeper level of that story within the story,' urged the priest, founding CEO of Canada's Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation.
"Father Rosica was the keynote speaker June 26 at the Catholic Media Conference in Buffalo. He also was the recipient of the Clarion Award from the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, presented June 25 at the organization's Gabriel Awards banquet. The award recognizes creativity, excellence and leadership in communications and ecumenical cooperation. . . .
"In his address, he told Catholic media representatives about the pope's recent headline-making comments about how he doesn't watch television, have a laptop or an iPhone.
"Those remarks are not the end of the story though and Father Rosica said they shouldn't suggest the pope has no interest in modern technology.
"The 'pope is by no means a Luddite,' he said, noting that Pope Francis 'understands what authentic communication is all about' and demonstrates it in the ways he connects with people and what he wrote in 'Laudato Si'' about how modern media can 'shield us from direct contact with the pain, the fears and the joys of others and the complexity of their personal experiences.'"
A recent Catholic News Service article reported on Fr. Rosica's presentation in which he encouraged Catholic media to present the Holy Father's full message, including his wanting each person in the church to "open themselves to God's mercy and to find concrete, creative ways to put mercy into practice."
T access the complete Catholic News Service report, please visit:
CNS: Catholic media urged to unpack deeper meanings in pope's sound bites (29 JUN 15)
Background information:
Catholic Press Association of the United States & Canada
Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
"'Our work as Catholic media is not to remain on the surface but to go to the deeper level of that story within the story,' urged the priest, founding CEO of Canada's Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation.
"Father Rosica was the keynote speaker June 26 at the Catholic Media Conference in Buffalo. He also was the recipient of the Clarion Award from the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, presented June 25 at the organization's Gabriel Awards banquet. The award recognizes creativity, excellence and leadership in communications and ecumenical cooperation. . . .
"In his address, he told Catholic media representatives about the pope's recent headline-making comments about how he doesn't watch television, have a laptop or an iPhone.
"Those remarks are not the end of the story though and Father Rosica said they shouldn't suggest the pope has no interest in modern technology.
"The 'pope is by no means a Luddite,' he said, noting that Pope Francis 'understands what authentic communication is all about' and demonstrates it in the ways he connects with people and what he wrote in 'Laudato Si'' about how modern media can 'shield us from direct contact with the pain, the fears and the joys of others and the complexity of their personal experiences.'"
A recent Catholic News Service article reported on Fr. Rosica's presentation in which he encouraged Catholic media to present the Holy Father's full message, including his wanting each person in the church to "open themselves to God's mercy and to find concrete, creative ways to put mercy into practice."
T access the complete Catholic News Service report, please visit:
CNS: Catholic media urged to unpack deeper meanings in pope's sound bites (29 JUN 15)
Background information:
Catholic Press Association of the United States & Canada
Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation
Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales
"The process of the purification of our souls is never finished, and will end only with our death. We must not be upset by our imperfections; instead, we must recognize them and learn to combat them. And it is in fighting against our imperfections without being discouraged by them that our very perfection consists." - Saint Francis de Sales
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