30 June 2017
Go Home and Have Dinner Together
In an article for the Washington Post,
Harvard Medical School Professor Anne Fishel writes, "As a family
therapist, I often have the impulse to tell families to go home and have
dinner together rather than spending an hour with me." Citing research
demonstrating the benefits of family dinners, she notes that regular
family dinners have been shown to boost academic achievement in
children, increase healthy eating, and improve psychological health.
Fishel is the founder of the Family Dinner Project, a Harvard-based organization that promotes the benefits of families gathering for meals together. Stories are shared on the Family Dinner Project website, like the one about Edward and Valerie, whose young adult children had developed the habit of getting fast food and eating in separate parts of the house. Edward and Valerie wanted some way to reconnect with their children so they came up with creative ways to get their kids excited about enjoying a meal as a family. They picked topics of conversation that might involve current events or subjects relating to their own lives. They played games at the table and worked on preparing the meal together.
Summarizing the positive impact these gatherings had on them, Edward said, "We got back some of what was lost in the family. Sitting down together, talking and laughing helped us get back a sense of closeness and family unity."
Trying as best we can to gather with loved ones for meals is an important first step in building the solidarity God wants us to have with one another, but it shouldn't stop there. We should prioritize family time and make a point of talking regularly, being present for each other, and finding enjoyable activities to do together.
In his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis reflects on the attention family members should give to one another, comparing it to the attention Christ gave people during His earthly lifetime. Francis writes, "Our loved ones merit our complete attention. Jesus is our model in this, for whenever people approached to speak with him, he would meet their gaze, directly and lovingly (cf. Mk 10:21). No one felt overlooked in his presence, since his words and gestures conveyed the question: 'What do you want me to do for you?' (Mk 10:51)."
This is a beautiful model of love within the family that Pope Francis presents to us, and it is important to cultivate this kind of love because it is within the family that we learn so much about how to treat others. Through daily interactions, family members learn how to be attentive to each other's needs and to respond to those needs in a selfless manner.
It is within the family that we learn how to seek true joy through communion with God and others. Christ taught us about this kind of communion in a very simple but profound way in the breaking of the bread at the last supper. It must have made great sense to the disciples that Christ chose a meal to institute the miracle by which He would remain with us down through the ages. Their memories of breaking bread with Him on many occasions must have been as joyful as any conceivable human experience. He holds out that joy to each and every one of us in the meal He invites us all to partake in. We must remember to keep that joy alive when we gather as family so that we can carry it forth into every aspect of our lives.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column, written by Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M, of The Christophers' Board of Directors; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
The Christophers
Family Dinner Project
Pope Francis: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia
Fishel is the founder of the Family Dinner Project, a Harvard-based organization that promotes the benefits of families gathering for meals together. Stories are shared on the Family Dinner Project website, like the one about Edward and Valerie, whose young adult children had developed the habit of getting fast food and eating in separate parts of the house. Edward and Valerie wanted some way to reconnect with their children so they came up with creative ways to get their kids excited about enjoying a meal as a family. They picked topics of conversation that might involve current events or subjects relating to their own lives. They played games at the table and worked on preparing the meal together.
Summarizing the positive impact these gatherings had on them, Edward said, "We got back some of what was lost in the family. Sitting down together, talking and laughing helped us get back a sense of closeness and family unity."
Trying as best we can to gather with loved ones for meals is an important first step in building the solidarity God wants us to have with one another, but it shouldn't stop there. We should prioritize family time and make a point of talking regularly, being present for each other, and finding enjoyable activities to do together.
In his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis reflects on the attention family members should give to one another, comparing it to the attention Christ gave people during His earthly lifetime. Francis writes, "Our loved ones merit our complete attention. Jesus is our model in this, for whenever people approached to speak with him, he would meet their gaze, directly and lovingly (cf. Mk 10:21). No one felt overlooked in his presence, since his words and gestures conveyed the question: 'What do you want me to do for you?' (Mk 10:51)."
This is a beautiful model of love within the family that Pope Francis presents to us, and it is important to cultivate this kind of love because it is within the family that we learn so much about how to treat others. Through daily interactions, family members learn how to be attentive to each other's needs and to respond to those needs in a selfless manner.
It is within the family that we learn how to seek true joy through communion with God and others. Christ taught us about this kind of communion in a very simple but profound way in the breaking of the bread at the last supper. It must have made great sense to the disciples that Christ chose a meal to institute the miracle by which He would remain with us down through the ages. Their memories of breaking bread with Him on many occasions must have been as joyful as any conceivable human experience. He holds out that joy to each and every one of us in the meal He invites us all to partake in. We must remember to keep that joy alive when we gather as family so that we can carry it forth into every aspect of our lives.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column, written by Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M, of The Christophers' Board of Directors; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
Background information:
The Christophers
Family Dinner Project
Pope Francis: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia
Reflection Starter from G. K. Chesterton
"The most incredible thing about miracles is that they happen." - G. K. Chesterton, in "The Blue Cross" (The Innocence of Father Brown)
29 June 2017
John Horvat II on a Catholic Understanding of Leisure and Its Role in Our Lives
"Modern American society promises to make life so
much easier. No longer do most people have to labor long and hard to
make ends meet. Americans should have plenty of time to enjoy their
leisure.
"But many don;t take this time. They have a problem with leisure. According to a report commissioned by Project: Time Off, the average American takes less than 17 days of vacation per year. Some 54 percent don't even take these days off. They are working 662 million more days than they are required. Nearly a third of these days (206 million) cannot be cashed out and are therefore forfeited, which means people are working for free.
"The situation becomes worse when considering that two-thirds of those who do go on vacation take work with them. Others keep up with or are expected to know what is happening at work by checking online. Bosses often feel free to call vacationing employees to resolve problems. People are cyber-tethered to their jobs.
"The resulting paradox is that with all the labor-saving devices employed everywhere, people should be working less, not more. However, modernity has delivered one of the hardest work schedules known in history. People are on call 24/7. Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper once wrote that 'the world of work is becoming our entire world' that threatens to 'engulf us completely.'
"As a result, people experience high levels of stress and anxiety. It suggests that people do not understand or know how to enjoy leisure."
In a recent commentary, John Horvat II reflected on a Catholic understanding of leisure and its relationship to the world of work and pleasur.
To access Mr. Horvat's complete essay, please visit:
Crisis Magazine: Why Can't Americans Enjoy Life? (June 2017)
"But many don;t take this time. They have a problem with leisure. According to a report commissioned by Project: Time Off, the average American takes less than 17 days of vacation per year. Some 54 percent don't even take these days off. They are working 662 million more days than they are required. Nearly a third of these days (206 million) cannot be cashed out and are therefore forfeited, which means people are working for free.
"The situation becomes worse when considering that two-thirds of those who do go on vacation take work with them. Others keep up with or are expected to know what is happening at work by checking online. Bosses often feel free to call vacationing employees to resolve problems. People are cyber-tethered to their jobs.
"The resulting paradox is that with all the labor-saving devices employed everywhere, people should be working less, not more. However, modernity has delivered one of the hardest work schedules known in history. People are on call 24/7. Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper once wrote that 'the world of work is becoming our entire world' that threatens to 'engulf us completely.'
"As a result, people experience high levels of stress and anxiety. It suggests that people do not understand or know how to enjoy leisure."
In a recent commentary, John Horvat II reflected on a Catholic understanding of leisure and its relationship to the world of work and pleasur.
To access Mr. Horvat's complete essay, please visit:
Crisis Magazine: Why Can't Americans Enjoy Life? (June 2017)
Reflection Starter from Blessed John Henry Newman
"Learn to do thy part and leave the rest to Heaven." - Blessed John Henry Newman
27 June 2017
On the Nature of Thriving Parishes
"Full pews. Active community outreach. Spiritual growth.
"Is this what constitutes a thriving parish?
"Just as every parish is a distinct community with a distinct 'personality,' each may have its own blueprint for success.
"'For a parish to genuinely thrive in the sense of what the Church means by fruitfulness or effectiveness, it has to embrace the mission of the Church: to evangelize,' explained Dave Nodar, founder and director of ChristLife, a ministry that helps parishes develop a process to make missionary disciples. Nodar pointed out that evangelization is 'introducing people to a personal encounter with the living Lord Jesus.'"
A recent National Catholic Register article offered one view on the nature of thriving parishes.
To access the complete National Catholic Register report, please visit:
National Catholic Register: What Constitutes a Thriving Parish? (25 JUN 17)
"Is this what constitutes a thriving parish?
"Just as every parish is a distinct community with a distinct 'personality,' each may have its own blueprint for success.
"'For a parish to genuinely thrive in the sense of what the Church means by fruitfulness or effectiveness, it has to embrace the mission of the Church: to evangelize,' explained Dave Nodar, founder and director of ChristLife, a ministry that helps parishes develop a process to make missionary disciples. Nodar pointed out that evangelization is 'introducing people to a personal encounter with the living Lord Jesus.'"
A recent National Catholic Register article offered one view on the nature of thriving parishes.
To access the complete National Catholic Register report, please visit:
National Catholic Register: What Constitutes a Thriving Parish? (25 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter from Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The means by which we live are marvelous indeed. And yet something is missing. We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together. . . . Our abundance has brought us neither peace of mind nor serenity of spirit." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
26 June 2017
On Pope Clement VIII and the Spread of Coffee Drinking
"Coffee is one of the most consumed drinks in the world, second only to
water, enjoyed by millions every day. The drink was not always so
ubiquitous, only becoming popular relatively recently during the 16th
century. If you can't start the day without first having your morning
cup of coffee, then you should probably thank Pope Clement VIII.
"Coffee was first introduced around the 9th century when Muslim shepherds noticed wild coffee beans were having a stimulant on their flocks of sheep. Clerics learned the techniques to cultivate the beans, and the drink quickly spread throughout the Muslim world. . . .
"As the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome, and coffee was first brought to Pope Clement VIII around the year 1600."
In a recent commentary, writer Billy Ryan reflected on the role played by Pope Clement VIII in the spread of coffee drinking.
To access his complete post, please visit:
uCatholic: Can't Live Without Coffee? Thank This Pope. (16 JUN 17)
"Coffee was first introduced around the 9th century when Muslim shepherds noticed wild coffee beans were having a stimulant on their flocks of sheep. Clerics learned the techniques to cultivate the beans, and the drink quickly spread throughout the Muslim world. . . .
"As the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome, and coffee was first brought to Pope Clement VIII around the year 1600."
In a recent commentary, writer Billy Ryan reflected on the role played by Pope Clement VIII in the spread of coffee drinking.
To access his complete post, please visit:
uCatholic: Can't Live Without Coffee? Thank This Pope. (16 JUN 17)
Have
you ever listened to the Gospel of Mark? A few years ago, I had the
pleasure of seeing Jesuit Father George Drance perform *mark in New York
City. On stage, Drance recreates the experience of the underground
church reciting the Gospel of Mark in the years after the death of
Jesus. Before the gospels were written down, they were retold among the
early followers of Christ. Under the persona of a street artist, Father
Drance performs a story normally so well-known that it is easy to be
complacent when hearing it in a more traditional setting
Have
you ever listened to the Gospel of Mark? A few years ago, I had the
pleasure of seeing Jesuit Father George Drance perform *mark in New York
City. On stage, Drance recreates the experience of the underground
church reciting the Gospel of Mark in the years after the death of
Jesus. Before the gospels were written down, they were retold among the
early followers of Christ. Under the persona of a street artist, Father
Drance performs a story normally so well-known that it is easy to be
complacent when hearing it in a more traditional setting.
Have you ever listened to the Gospel of Mark? A few years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Jesuit Father George Drance perform *mark
in New York City. On stage, Drance recreates the experience of the
underground church reciting the Gospel of Mark in the years after the
death of Jesus. Before the gospels were written down, they were retold
among the early followers of Christ. Under the persona of a street
artist, Father Drance performs a story normally so well-known that it is
easy to be complacent when hearing it in a more traditional setting.
My friend and I decided to go on a whim. It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a campus minister and a theologian follow fish drawn in chalk on the sidewalk, looking for a tiny experimental theater to see the Gospel of Mark performed. An hour later, we found ourselves completely captivated and on the edge of our seats as Peter denies Jesus and the male disciples all flee. Spoiler alert: The play ends abruptly after Jesus rises from the dead and appears to Mary Magdalene.
As Drance’s character disappeared into the darkness, his words written in chalk, I experienced a deeper sense of fire and longing.
Revisiting stories as we search for our humanity and deeper truths is in part what Christians do each Sunday as we listen to the gospel. We know the story; we know the characters and the ending. It is easy then to tune out
My friend and I decided to go on a whim. It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a campus minister and a theologian follow fish drawn in chalk on the sidewalk, looking for a tiny experimental theater to see the Gospel of Mark performed. An hour later, we found ourselves completely captivated and on the edge of our seats as Peter denies Jesus and the male disciples all flee. Spoiler alert: The play ends abruptly after Jesus rises from the dead and appears to Mary Magdalene.
As Drance’s character disappeared into the darkness, his words written in chalk, I experienced a deeper sense of fire and longing.
Revisiting stories as we search for our humanity and deeper truths is in part what Christians do each Sunday as we listen to the gospel. We know the story; we know the characters and the ending. It is easy then to tune out
Have you ever listened to the Gospel of Mark? A few years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Jesuit Father George Drance perform *mark
in New York City. On stage, Drance recreates the experience of the
underground church reciting the Gospel of Mark in the years after the
death of Jesus. Before the gospels were written down, they were retold
among the early followers of Christ. Under the persona of a street
artist, Father Drance performs a story normally so well-known that it is
easy to be complacent when hearing it in a more traditional setting.
My friend and I decided to go on a whim. It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a campus minister and a theologian follow fish drawn in chalk on the sidewalk, looking for a tiny experimental theater to see the Gospel of Mark performed. An hour later, we found ourselves completely captivated and on the edge of our seats as Peter denies Jesus and the male disciples all flee. Spoiler alert: The play ends abruptly after Jesus rises from the dead and appears to Mary Magdalene.
As Drance’s character disappeared into the darkness, his words written in chalk, I experienced a deeper sense of fire and longing.
Revisiting stories as we search for our humanity and deeper truths is in part what Christians do each Sunday as we listen to the gospel. We know the story; we know the characters and the ending. It is easy then to tune out
My friend and I decided to go on a whim. It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a campus minister and a theologian follow fish drawn in chalk on the sidewalk, looking for a tiny experimental theater to see the Gospel of Mark performed. An hour later, we found ourselves completely captivated and on the edge of our seats as Peter denies Jesus and the male disciples all flee. Spoiler alert: The play ends abruptly after Jesus rises from the dead and appears to Mary Magdalene.
As Drance’s character disappeared into the darkness, his words written in chalk, I experienced a deeper sense of fire and longing.
Revisiting stories as we search for our humanity and deeper truths is in part what Christians do each Sunday as we listen to the gospel. We know the story; we know the characters and the ending. It is easy then to tune out
Have you ever listened to the Gospel of Mark? A few years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Jesuit Father George Drance perform *mark
in New York City. On stage, Drance recreates the experience of the
underground church reciting the Gospel of Mark in the years after the
death of Jesus. Before the gospels were written down, they were retold
among the early followers of Christ. Under the persona of a street
artist, Father Drance performs a story normally so well-known that it is
easy to be complacent when hearing it in a more traditional setting.
My friend and I decided to go on a whim. It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a campus minister and a theologian follow fish drawn in chalk on the sidewalk, looking for a tiny experimental theater to see the Gospel of Mark performed. An hour later, we found ourselves completely captivated and on the edge of our seats as Peter denies Jesus and the male disciples all flee. Spoiler alert: The play ends abruptly after Jesus rises from the dead and appears to Mary Magdalene.
As Drance’s character disappeared into the darkness, his words written in chalk, I experienced a deeper sense of fire and longing.
Revisiting stories as we search for our humanity and deeper truths is in part what Christians do each Sunday as we listen to the gospel. We know the story; we know the characters and the ending. It is easy then to tune out
My friend and I decided to go on a whim. It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: a campus minister and a theologian follow fish drawn in chalk on the sidewalk, looking for a tiny experimental theater to see the Gospel of Mark performed. An hour later, we found ourselves completely captivated and on the edge of our seats as Peter denies Jesus and the male disciples all flee. Spoiler alert: The play ends abruptly after Jesus rises from the dead and appears to Mary Magdalene.
As Drance’s character disappeared into the darkness, his words written in chalk, I experienced a deeper sense of fire and longing.
Revisiting stories as we search for our humanity and deeper truths is in part what Christians do each Sunday as we listen to the gospel. We know the story; we know the characters and the ending. It is easy then to tune out
Reflection Starter from Hebrews
[T]he word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
25 June 2017
Msgr. Pope on the Relationship 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. 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 importance of not separating what God has joined, in this case fortitude, patience, and meekness. He concludes with:
"Scripture says, be angry but sin not (Eph 4:26). With respect to our virtues we might add this: have the courage and zeal of fortitude, but be not foolhardy, presumptuous, or headstrong.
"Have the courage and zeal to enter the battle. Don't be like so many people today who are soft, cowardly, and indiscriminately conciliatory. Conversely, enter not with wild, ungoverned fortitude (which isn't really true fortitude at all); enter with a fortitude that is patient and willing to endure through what may well be a long battle. Enter with a fortitude that is authoritatively mastered and stabilized through meekness."
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 (15 JUN 17)
"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. 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 importance of not separating what God has joined, in this case fortitude, patience, and meekness. He concludes with:
"Scripture says, be angry but sin not (Eph 4:26). With respect to our virtues we might add this: have the courage and zeal of fortitude, but be not foolhardy, presumptuous, or headstrong.
"Have the courage and zeal to enter the battle. Don't be like so many people today who are soft, cowardly, and indiscriminately conciliatory. Conversely, enter not with wild, ungoverned fortitude (which isn't really true fortitude at all); enter with a fortitude that is patient and willing to endure through what may well be a long battle. Enter with a fortitude that is authoritatively mastered and stabilized through meekness."
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 (15 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"Each one of us is precious; each one of us is irreplaceable in God's eyes." - Pope Francis
24 June 2017
Ridgewood Cavaliers of Harmony: "I Love a Parade"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of the Ridgewood Cavaliers of Harmony presenting "I Love a Parade":
New Study Reflects Heavier Rainfall May Be Region's "New Normal"
"Intense rainfall events, like the one that triggered flash floods
throughout the region and a mudslide in southern Vermont on Monday, have
become much more common in the last 20 years, according to researchers
at Dartmouth College.
"Though the jury is still out on whether climate change is behind the trend, the findings, which were published last month, do suggest that what we think of as 100-year flood events might actually be much more likely to happen than conventional wisdom suggests, said Jonathan Winter, who joined Dartmouth colleagues Huanping Huang and Erich Osterberg on the research team.
Winter found that intense rainfalls - generally thought of as 2 or more inches of precipitation in a 24-hour period - are 53 percent more likely to happen than they were before the mid-1990s. . . .
"Winters and his colleagues were surprised when they analyzed rainfall data at 116 weather stations throughout the Northeast between 1901 and 2014.
"Instead of seeing a slow and steady increase in storm events, they found a dramatic change that happened all at once - in 1996.
"The study was published in the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Hydrometeorology by the team, which included Dartmouth’s departments of Earth Sciences and Geography, as well as faculty from the University of Vermont and Columbia University."
A recent Valley News article reported on this study and some potential applications of the research.
To access the complete Valley News report, please visit:
Valley News: Dartmouth Study Finds Heavier Rainfall May Be Region's 'New Normal' (21 JUN 17)
"Though the jury is still out on whether climate change is behind the trend, the findings, which were published last month, do suggest that what we think of as 100-year flood events might actually be much more likely to happen than conventional wisdom suggests, said Jonathan Winter, who joined Dartmouth colleagues Huanping Huang and Erich Osterberg on the research team.
Winter found that intense rainfalls - generally thought of as 2 or more inches of precipitation in a 24-hour period - are 53 percent more likely to happen than they were before the mid-1990s. . . .
"Winters and his colleagues were surprised when they analyzed rainfall data at 116 weather stations throughout the Northeast between 1901 and 2014.
"Instead of seeing a slow and steady increase in storm events, they found a dramatic change that happened all at once - in 1996.
"The study was published in the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Hydrometeorology by the team, which included Dartmouth’s departments of Earth Sciences and Geography, as well as faculty from the University of Vermont and Columbia University."
A recent Valley News article reported on this study and some potential applications of the research.
To access the complete Valley News report, please visit:
Valley News: Dartmouth Study Finds Heavier Rainfall May Be Region's 'New Normal' (21 JUN 17)
CheerUp Athletics Profiled on The Rhode Show
"Cheer UP’s J3 Team is made up of a group of 11 young women ages 8-14,
whom previously had participated in other area All Star Cheer Programs -
the majority of which stemming from one program in particular.
"What looked like a bleak ending to their competitions together when the previous gym closed due to a variety of challenges, Co-Owners Tom Lopatosky and Alison Swallow got together and were able to create a new program and get their own gym, which now serves as a thriving Athletic center for cheerleading programs internally and from all over the state."
Son Tom's co-(ad)venture into competitive cheerleading was recently profiled on WPRI-TV's
"What looked like a bleak ending to their competitions together when the previous gym closed due to a variety of challenges, Co-Owners Tom Lopatosky and Alison Swallow got together and were able to create a new program and get their own gym, which now serves as a thriving Athletic center for cheerleading programs internally and from all over the state."
Son Tom's co-(ad)venture into competitive cheerleading was recently profiled on WPRI-TV's
Marcia Segelstein on the Importance of Fathers
"We live in a time when single motherhood is often lauded as some kind
of feminist affirmation. For the movement whose catchphrase was 'A
woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle,' it's not a stretch to
discount the need for men in general, including for children. Consider
that the organization Single Mothers by Choice has counted 30,000 members since its start in 1981.
"We also live in a time when divorce is thought of as no-big-deal for the kids - who often end up living without their fathers - as long as it's a 'good divorce.' . . .
"Social science, however, says that fathers matter. . . ."
In a recent commentary, writer Marcia Segelstein reflected on the importance of fathers in the lives of their children.
To access Ms. Segelstein's complete post, please visit:
National Catholic Register: Blogs: Marcia Segelstein: Scripture Says to Take Care of the Fatherless - Because Fathers Matter (18 JUN 17)
Background information:
National Fatherhood Initiative
American College of Pediatricians: Position Statements: Defending Traditional Marriage
"We also live in a time when divorce is thought of as no-big-deal for the kids - who often end up living without their fathers - as long as it's a 'good divorce.' . . .
"Social science, however, says that fathers matter. . . ."
In a recent commentary, writer Marcia Segelstein reflected on the importance of fathers in the lives of their children.
To access Ms. Segelstein's complete post, please visit:
National Catholic Register: Blogs: Marcia Segelstein: Scripture Says to Take Care of the Fatherless - Because Fathers Matter (18 JUN 17)
Background information:
National Fatherhood Initiative
American College of Pediatricians: Position Statements: Defending Traditional Marriage
Reflection Starter from Anso Coetzer
"Decisions become easier when your will to please God outweighs your will to please the world." - Anso Coetzer
22 June 2017
Dan Byron on the Miracles Around Us Each Day
"One afternoon, at some sort of parish event, one of the young women
from the parish asked me, 'You believe in miracles, don't you?'
"My response was simply, 'No.'
"Somewhat shocked she said, 'Given some of your conversations with people around me, I thought you had been through all sorts of stuff, and you don't believe in miracles?'
"'No, it is not a matter of belief, I depend on them.'
"'Depend how?'
"'If you have a few minutes, sit here and I will share some of the events with you.', and so it began…"
In a recent commentary, writer Dan Byron reflected on miracles happening around each of us each day and our need to be attentive to them.
To access Mr. Byron's complete post, please visit:
Catholic Stand: Miracles Happen All The Time (4 JUN 17)
"My response was simply, 'No.'
"Somewhat shocked she said, 'Given some of your conversations with people around me, I thought you had been through all sorts of stuff, and you don't believe in miracles?'
"'No, it is not a matter of belief, I depend on them.'
"'Depend how?'
"'If you have a few minutes, sit here and I will share some of the events with you.', and so it began…"
In a recent commentary, writer Dan Byron reflected on miracles happening around each of us each day and our need to be attentive to them.
To access Mr. Byron's complete post, please visit:
Catholic Stand: Miracles Happen All The Time (4 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter from St. Thomas More
"The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest." - Saint Thomas More, whose memory the Church celebrates today (22 June)
20 June 2017
Celtic Thunder: "A Place in the Choir"
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of Celtic Thunder presenting "A Place in the Choir":
Chorus:
"All God's creatures got a place in the choir,
Some sing low and some sing higher,
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire,
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got."
Thank you, Nap Pawtucket, for the tip.
Chorus:
"All God's creatures got a place in the choir,
Some sing low and some sing higher,
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire,
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got."
Thank you, Nap Pawtucket, for the tip.
Brian Jones on Technology, Holiness, and Wholeness
"During a recent group conversation about contemporary technology, a
friend mentioned what he considered to be the elephant in the room,
namely, that we live in a technological age. 'To be anti-technological,'
my friend concluded, 'seems to be rather extreme and dangerous.' Typically, when criticisms are made about technology, it is not uncommon
for some people to wonder if you are some kind of Luddite or (even
worse, apparently) Amish. They envision you out in the countryside,
devoid of any and all technology, tending cows, churning butter, cut off
from others and, perhaps most importantly, being more than a little
strange.
"I think it is necessary to respond to such claims, for while they are intelligible, they seem to be symptomatic of the wrong questions and ideas. When we think about technology, we often do so simply in terms of 'use.' In other words, it is typical to consider technology primarily in terms of what we should not do with it. Looking at pornography or fostering vitriol towards others using social media would be considered bad uses of the internet and digital technology. By not engaging in these activities, and many others that one could think of, suggests that we are using technology as it was meant to be.
"Such a position is not misguided. To use technology in a virtuous way is part of the correct way to see and understand such things. However, it is only a part. What is often neglected are considerations pertaining to more fundamental questions about what technology is. And this is where conversations can get a bit awkward and messy. To take seriously the question 'What is it?' is not to be anti-technology. Rather, it is the natural human inclination to know what things are; it is the spring of philosophy and, might I add, human happiness."
In a recent commentary, writer Brian Jones reflected on contemporary technology and its relationship to health, wholeness, and holiness.
To access Mr. Jones' complete post, please visit:
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: Seeking holiness and wholeness in an age of technology (29 MAY 17)
"I think it is necessary to respond to such claims, for while they are intelligible, they seem to be symptomatic of the wrong questions and ideas. When we think about technology, we often do so simply in terms of 'use.' In other words, it is typical to consider technology primarily in terms of what we should not do with it. Looking at pornography or fostering vitriol towards others using social media would be considered bad uses of the internet and digital technology. By not engaging in these activities, and many others that one could think of, suggests that we are using technology as it was meant to be.
"Such a position is not misguided. To use technology in a virtuous way is part of the correct way to see and understand such things. However, it is only a part. What is often neglected are considerations pertaining to more fundamental questions about what technology is. And this is where conversations can get a bit awkward and messy. To take seriously the question 'What is it?' is not to be anti-technology. Rather, it is the natural human inclination to know what things are; it is the spring of philosophy and, might I add, human happiness."
In a recent commentary, writer Brian Jones reflected on contemporary technology and its relationship to health, wholeness, and holiness.
To access Mr. Jones' complete post, please visit:
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: Seeking holiness and wholeness in an age of technology (29 MAY 17)
Reflection Starter from Thomas Lay, S.J.
"Often when struggling to make some major change in life, whether elected or enforced, some remark that if they truly had faith, or really were mature, they would be able to do this so much better. 'Better' almost always meant quicker, if not instantly. Yet when our Scriptures present the Almighty One creating, they make it clear that he does not do so in the blink of an eye. Creating takes time. Even the Lord had to take time or give time to put a world together." - Thomas Lay, S.J.
19 June 2017
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the grace You are giving Your people to (re)turn to Your Church.
On the Prime Importance of Christian Unity
"Some Protestant clergy have chosen
unity over fragmentation. They have given up everything to become
Catholic and lead congregations into the Catholic Faith. On February 12th,
2012, Monsignor Jeffrey Steenson was installed as the first Ordinary
for the Anglican Ordinariate in the United States. In his
installation homily, he uttered some of the dearest words to my mind,
heart, and soul. 'The first principle of the Ordinariate is…about
Christian unity.' (You may read the full homily here, https://ordinariate.net/installation-homily-1)
"A cobbled together proto-community of faithful Christians who had already been meeting for a year, and desperately hoping that this kind of unity would be offered in the United States, were ecstatic. The potential of visible, tangible, organic, incarnate unity would be made available for our separated Christian brothers and sisters, and we couldn't wait to get started.
"Fracture and fragmentation have plagued the Christian Church from Her inception, but as most of us know, the significant rupture came with the Reformation. Since that time, rupture after rupture after rupture has occurred. Statisticians do not have a full idea of how many denominations now exist, but it's in the thousands.
"The Baptist church of my childhood experienced a fracture. Out of that came another church; and that one lasted several years before it formally ended, fortunately on amicable terms. And then we scattered. Some to other churches, some to none."
In a recent commentary, writer Gregory Martha Herr, Obl.S.B., reflected on the importance of true Christian unity.
To access his complete post, please visit:
Catholic Stand: The First Principle is Christian Unity (10 JUN 17)
"A cobbled together proto-community of faithful Christians who had already been meeting for a year, and desperately hoping that this kind of unity would be offered in the United States, were ecstatic. The potential of visible, tangible, organic, incarnate unity would be made available for our separated Christian brothers and sisters, and we couldn't wait to get started.
"Fracture and fragmentation have plagued the Christian Church from Her inception, but as most of us know, the significant rupture came with the Reformation. Since that time, rupture after rupture after rupture has occurred. Statisticians do not have a full idea of how many denominations now exist, but it's in the thousands.
"The Baptist church of my childhood experienced a fracture. Out of that came another church; and that one lasted several years before it formally ended, fortunately on amicable terms. And then we scattered. Some to other churches, some to none."
In a recent commentary, writer Gregory Martha Herr, Obl.S.B., reflected on the importance of true Christian unity.
To access his complete post, please visit:
Catholic Stand: The First Principle is Christian Unity (10 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter
"You can't keep trouble from coming, but you don't have to give it a chair to sit on." - New England Proverb
18 June 2017
George Calloway on Stick Ball and Children
"I read an article recently on the dangers of obesity in children and
how this threat is growing not just in American culture but throughout
all first world nations. I know - and you do, too - this is not news. It's
been endemic in developed countries for the last thirty years or so.
But, the author of the story seemed to suddenly discover it amid the
controversy about taxing sugared drinks in some major American cities.
Of course, it had nothing to do with a new source of revenue only about
the health of our children.
"If my father was alive today he would probably have had a conniption fit (people back in the day used to have conniptions, in fact it was quite commonplace especially after your team lost in overtime). Dad would have said that government had no place taxing a beverage, any beverage, just because elitist community and municipal planners, who know better than the helots that populate this planet, deigned to protect the ignorant masses out of the benevolence of their own hearts. Yes, dad would have said that because he saw the coming intrusions of dictatorial social engineering as far back as the Sixties. He always maintained that, given their own imaginative resources, kids could pretty much take care of themselves, as long as they were instructed and disciplined enough to eat their vegetables at dinner, or not eat at all, attend to their religious obligations, and come home when the streetlights came on.
"Unlike today, where our children eat what they want, have no idea Who and what God expects them to be, and are slaves to electronic devises that keep them inside four walls, deprive them of social skills, increase inertia (if that’s possible), and cause corpulence unimaginable just a generation ago."
In a recent commentary, writer George Calloway reflected on the importance of children exercising their bodies and their potential to "express themselves with imagination and exuberance."
To access Mr. Calloway's complete post, please visit:
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: On fathers, conniptions, and stick ball (17 JUN 17)
"If my father was alive today he would probably have had a conniption fit (people back in the day used to have conniptions, in fact it was quite commonplace especially after your team lost in overtime). Dad would have said that government had no place taxing a beverage, any beverage, just because elitist community and municipal planners, who know better than the helots that populate this planet, deigned to protect the ignorant masses out of the benevolence of their own hearts. Yes, dad would have said that because he saw the coming intrusions of dictatorial social engineering as far back as the Sixties. He always maintained that, given their own imaginative resources, kids could pretty much take care of themselves, as long as they were instructed and disciplined enough to eat their vegetables at dinner, or not eat at all, attend to their religious obligations, and come home when the streetlights came on.
"Unlike today, where our children eat what they want, have no idea Who and what God expects them to be, and are slaves to electronic devises that keep them inside four walls, deprive them of social skills, increase inertia (if that’s possible), and cause corpulence unimaginable just a generation ago."
In a recent commentary, writer George Calloway reflected on the importance of children exercising their bodies and their potential to "express themselves with imagination and exuberance."
To access Mr. Calloway's complete post, please visit:
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: On fathers, conniptions, and stick ball (17 JUN 17)
Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers: "I Am the Bread of Life"
As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers presenting "I Am the Bread of Life" by Suzanne Toolan, RSM:
Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). The assigned readings are Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; and John 6:51-58. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 147 (Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 147 "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem"
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: Body and Blood of Christ (June 18, 2017)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Body and Blood of Christ (June 18, 2017)
Community in Mission: Are You a Mouse or A Man? A Homily for The Feast of Corpus Christi (17 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: The Solemnity of Corpus Christi (16 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: The Body and Blood of Christ (The Mass Readings Explained) (12 JUN 17)
Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: This is the Body of Christ: Homily for June 18, 2017, Corpus Christi (Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) (17 JUN 17)
Word on Fire: Every Word from the Mouth of God (Solemnities * Corpus Christi)
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: The new manna, the Eucharist, is supernatural food given for supernatural life (17 JUN 17)
Spirituality of the Readings: Intimate Transformation (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A)
In Exile: Bread and Wine (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Let the Scriptures Speak: Discerning the Body (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
The Word Embodied: The Church of Unity (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Historical Cultural Context: First Century Strategies (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Augustine (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 147 "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem"
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: Body and Blood of Christ (June 18, 2017)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Body and Blood of Christ (June 18, 2017)
Community in Mission: Are You a Mouse or A Man? A Homily for The Feast of Corpus Christi (17 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: The Solemnity of Corpus Christi (16 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: The Body and Blood of Christ (The Mass Readings Explained) (12 JUN 17)
Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: This is the Body of Christ: Homily for June 18, 2017, Corpus Christi (Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) (17 JUN 17)
Word on Fire: Every Word from the Mouth of God (Solemnities * Corpus Christi)
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: The new manna, the Eucharist, is supernatural food given for supernatural life (17 JUN 17)
Spirituality of the Readings: Intimate Transformation (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A)
In Exile: Bread and Wine (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Let the Scriptures Speak: Discerning the Body (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
The Word Embodied: The Church of Unity (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Historical Cultural Context: First Century Strategies (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Augustine (Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A )
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of our fathers and for the father-figures You have placed in our lives.
Msgr. Pope on the Beatitudes
"We began reading the Sermon on the Mount during daily Mass this week.
One of the flawed ways of reading it is to see the Lord's teaching
merely as a list of moral demands that we must fulfill out of our own
flesh or human ability. To do so is to miss the point.
"The better way to understand the Sermon on the Mount is to see that our Lord is painting a picture of the transformed human person. In effect, He is saying, 'This is what your life will look like and be as I increasingly live my life in you.' The Sermon is description more so than prescription; it is a gift to be received more so than a set of demands to be met."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the meaning of - and some implications of - the Beatitudes.
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Some Basics on the Beatitudes (13 JUN 17)
"The better way to understand the Sermon on the Mount is to see that our Lord is painting a picture of the transformed human person. In effect, He is saying, 'This is what your life will look like and be as I increasingly live my life in you.' The Sermon is description more so than prescription; it is a gift to be received more so than a set of demands to be met."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the meaning of - and some implications of - the Beatitudes.
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Some Basics on the Beatitudes (13 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"Everyone's existence is tied to that of others: life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions." - Pope Francis
17 June 2017
"Call of the Champions"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of "Call of the Champions" presented by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, and International Children's Choir (John Williams conducting):
Public Works Line of Duty Death
A New England public works servant recently died in the line of duty, a reminder of the hazards and stresses faced by the members of the region's municipal services.
David Fiske, a 31 year veteran of the Plainville, MA, Department of Public Works, died as a result of an accident that occurred while he was cutting grass at the Town pumping station.
May he rest in peace.
Media reports:
The Sun Chronicle: Plainville DPW worker killed in accident (15 JUN 17)
The Sun Chronicle: DPW worker killed in Plainville accident identified (16 JUN 17)
Background information:
Plainville Department of Public Works
Town of Plainville
Wikipedia: Plainville, Massachusetts
David Fiske, a 31 year veteran of the Plainville, MA, Department of Public Works, died as a result of an accident that occurred while he was cutting grass at the Town pumping station.
May he rest in peace.
Media reports:
The Sun Chronicle: Plainville DPW worker killed in accident (15 JUN 17)
The Sun Chronicle: DPW worker killed in Plainville accident identified (16 JUN 17)
Background information:
Plainville Department of Public Works
Town of Plainville
Wikipedia: Plainville, Massachusetts
Bishop Tobin on Tobit Moments We All Face
"The readings for daily Mass this [past] week have been taken from the Book
of Tobit, one of the most colorful and interesting books of the Bible.
(And by the way, that’s Tobit, not Tobin!)
""According to the introduction to the book found in the New American Bible: 'The Book of Tobit, named after its principal character, combines Jewish piety and morality with folklore in a fascinating story. Prayer, psalms, and words of wisdom, as well as the skillfully constructed story itself, provide valuable insights into the faith and the religious milieu of its unknown author. The inspired author of the book used the literary form of religious novel for the purpose of instruction and edification.'
"In its compact fourteen chapters, the drama includes a serious health crisis, domestic arguments worthy of Archie and Edith Bunker, several mysterious deaths, the intervention of heavenly spirits, and, ultimately, a happy ending. In other words, the Book of Tobit has all the makings of a contemporary soap opera.
". . . the truth is, we all have some 'Tobit moments' in our lives, those moments when we're convinced that someone has unceremoniously dumped on us. These are the times when we feel that the world has turned against us, that someone is treating us unfairly, that we're the innocent victims of a 'vast right wing conspiracy,' or something.
"Perhaps these moments come from the onset of an unusual illness; or when I've lost my job because of a vindictive boss; or when the incompetent bishop has given me the worst assignment in the diocese; or when my valuable contributions to an important project aren't recognized; or when I'm randomly selected for an income tax audit. You get the idea.
"Anytime I find myself in a situation that causes me to ask 'why me?' and then start to feel sorry for myself - that's a Tobit moment. And the way that we respond to these situations tells a lot about our character. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on lessons that may be gleaned from the Book of Tobit, including the need to remember that, regardless of the bad things that come our way, we still have many wonderful blessings and that we should think about other people who are dealing with more serious, life-changing problems.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: We All Have Some Tobit Moments (8 JUN 17)
To acces one translation of the Book of Tobit, please visit:
New American Bible: The Book of Tobit
""According to the introduction to the book found in the New American Bible: 'The Book of Tobit, named after its principal character, combines Jewish piety and morality with folklore in a fascinating story. Prayer, psalms, and words of wisdom, as well as the skillfully constructed story itself, provide valuable insights into the faith and the religious milieu of its unknown author. The inspired author of the book used the literary form of religious novel for the purpose of instruction and edification.'
"In its compact fourteen chapters, the drama includes a serious health crisis, domestic arguments worthy of Archie and Edith Bunker, several mysterious deaths, the intervention of heavenly spirits, and, ultimately, a happy ending. In other words, the Book of Tobit has all the makings of a contemporary soap opera.
". . . the truth is, we all have some 'Tobit moments' in our lives, those moments when we're convinced that someone has unceremoniously dumped on us. These are the times when we feel that the world has turned against us, that someone is treating us unfairly, that we're the innocent victims of a 'vast right wing conspiracy,' or something.
"Perhaps these moments come from the onset of an unusual illness; or when I've lost my job because of a vindictive boss; or when the incompetent bishop has given me the worst assignment in the diocese; or when my valuable contributions to an important project aren't recognized; or when I'm randomly selected for an income tax audit. You get the idea.
"Anytime I find myself in a situation that causes me to ask 'why me?' and then start to feel sorry for myself - that's a Tobit moment. And the way that we respond to these situations tells a lot about our character. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on lessons that may be gleaned from the Book of Tobit, including the need to remember that, regardless of the bad things that come our way, we still have many wonderful blessings and that we should think about other people who are dealing with more serious, life-changing problems.
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
Without A Doubt: We All Have Some Tobit Moments (8 JUN 17)
To acces one translation of the Book of Tobit, please visit:
New American Bible: The Book of Tobit
Reflection Starter from G. K. Chesterton
"I think the oddest thing about the advanced people is that, while they are always talking about things as problems, they have hardly any notion of what a real problem is." - G. K. Chesterton
15 June 2017
Fr. Pablo Migone on Harmony in the Holy Spirit
"Imagine yourself sitting at the theater, excited that you will hear the
local symphony. The lights dim, the curtains open, the first violinist
enters, everyone claps. He stands in front of the musicians and you
hear an A played by the oboe, all the instruments join in as they tune.
The conductor now enters, takes his baton, stands in front of the
musicians and for the next hour all you hear is the instruments playing
that same note, an A. How boring it would be! Music is beautiful
because different notes come together to create harmony. Music is
beautiful because there is dissonance and resolution. Music is
beautiful because there is a variation of volume and speed.
"Different notes need each other to make a harmony: there is no need to play just one note as long as each note knows its place within the chord. They work together creating unpleasant sounds (dissonance) that resolve into beautiful chords (resolution), creating something truly remarkable. All notes must follow the tempo of the conductor to stay together and avoid chaos.
"Just as the conductor makes it possible for the instruments to be in harmony, the Holy Spirit is the conductor of the symphony of the universe, directing all things into harmony and unity without demanding conformity. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Father Pablo Migone reflected on the similarities between a conductor of an orchestra and the Holy Spirit at work in the world.
To access Father Pablo's complete post, please visit:
Labyrinthine Mind: Harmony in the Holy Spirit (9 JUN 17)
"Different notes need each other to make a harmony: there is no need to play just one note as long as each note knows its place within the chord. They work together creating unpleasant sounds (dissonance) that resolve into beautiful chords (resolution), creating something truly remarkable. All notes must follow the tempo of the conductor to stay together and avoid chaos.
"Just as the conductor makes it possible for the instruments to be in harmony, the Holy Spirit is the conductor of the symphony of the universe, directing all things into harmony and unity without demanding conformity. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Father Pablo Migone reflected on the similarities between a conductor of an orchestra and the Holy Spirit at work in the world.
To access Father Pablo's complete post, please visit:
Labyrinthine Mind: Harmony in the Holy Spirit (9 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter from Washington Irving
"A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles." - Washington Irving
14 June 2017
"You're a Grand Old Flag"
As we continue our observance of Flag Day, I offer this version of the by Mormon Tabernacle Choir presenting "You're A Grand Old Flag" (written by George M. Cohan):
Flag Day and National Flag Week
Today, 14 June, is Flag Day, which marks the anniversary of the
adoption by Congress of the Stars and Stripes as emblem of the nation
(in 1777). This week, the week beginning 11 June, is also being observed
as National Flag Week.
This year is also the 202nd anniversary of the writing of “The Star Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States of America:
Smithsonian National Museum of American History: The Star-Spangled Banner
I am the flag of the United States of America.
I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.
There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.
My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.
Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.
My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.
My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.
My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.
My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.
I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.
I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.
I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers – the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth.
I am as old as my nation.
I am a living symbol of my nation’s law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
I voice Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy: “A government of the people, by the people,for the people.”
I stand guard over my nation’s schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.
I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.
Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.
I have my own law – Public Law 829, “The Flag Code” – which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.
Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.
I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom.
As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are – no more, no less.
Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth.
Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty.
God grant that I may spend eternity in my “land of the free and the home of the brave” and that I shall ever be known as “Old Glory,” the flag of the United States of America.
Red Skelton's commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance:
Red Skelton's Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance
YouTube: Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance
Background Information:
The History Of Flag Day
This year is also the 202nd anniversary of the writing of “The Star Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States of America:
Smithsonian National Museum of American History: The Star-Spangled Banner
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“I am the Flag”
by Ruth Apperson Rous
by Ruth Apperson Rous
I am the flag of the United States of America.
I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.
There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.
My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.
Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.
My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.
My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.
My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.
My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.
I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.
I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.
I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers – the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth.
I am as old as my nation.
I am a living symbol of my nation’s law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
I voice Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy: “A government of the people, by the people,for the people.”
I stand guard over my nation’s schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.
I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.
Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.
I have my own law – Public Law 829, “The Flag Code” – which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.
Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.
I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom.
As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are – no more, no less.
Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth.
Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty.
God grant that I may spend eternity in my “land of the free and the home of the brave” and that I shall ever be known as “Old Glory,” the flag of the United States of America.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Red Skelton's commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance:
Red Skelton's Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance
YouTube: Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Background Information:
The History Of Flag Day
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings You have poured on the United States, whether we are aware of them or not.
Service Led Me Back to Faith
Kathy Izard has made it her mission to provide housing for the homeless in her adopted home of Charlotte, North Carolina. You could even say that she's doing God’s work. It's ironic since she spent much of her life questioning God's existence. Izard's doubts stemmed from her mother Lindsay's battle with mental illness. It took 16 years for doctors to correctly diagnose and treat Lindsay so she could live a relatively normal life. But the experience soured Izard on the idea of a loving God, even though she came from a religious Presbyterian family. She had no use for church until one memorable experience after she became a parent herself.
During a Christopher Closeup interview about her Christopher Award-winning memoir The Hundred Story Home, Izard recalled that she and her four daughters had been swimming in the YMCA when they passed a portrait and her eight-year-old asked, "Mommy, who's that?"
Izard recalled, "It was a picture of Jesus. I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I've taken this non-religion thing too far!' I started going back to church. That led me to volunteering for the soup kitchen and working with the homeless . . . Service is something that my family grew up with and that led me back to a faith I didn't know I'd lost."
That service began at Charlotte's Urban Ministry Center, an interfaith ministry dedicated to feeding the homeless. For years, Izard believed she was making a positive difference. But when she was giving a tour of the facility to a formerly homeless man named Denver Moore, he asked her why they do so much good during the day, but send the homeless back outside at night to fend for themselves.
That question changed Izard's life. She gave up her job as a graphic designer to take a full-time position with the Center and start researching how to move forward. She came upon an idea called Housing First. At the time, the prevailing idea was that the homeless needed to become sober or get a job before earning the right to housing. The problem was that living under a bridge in 32 degree weather and wondering where your next meal is coming from didn't allow them to focus on anything else.
Izard said that the Housing First philosophy asks, "What if we housed people and then worked on what they needed, whether that was sobriety or education or mental health treatment? That's the way our program started . . . We took 13 people who'd been homeless for years, and we found them apartments. We put them with a case worker and tried to work on the issues that had made them homeless. Amazing things happen when you restore people's hope and dignity, and you give them that shot."
Izard also discovered that this approach was more financially feasible than the alternative: "When people are on the streets, they overuse jails, ER rooms, hospital beds. We did a cost analysis and it turns out the average cost of leaving a person on the street was about $40,000 a year. The cost of housing them was $13,000 a year."
Today, the Urban Ministry Center owns and operates a permanent supportive housing facility for over 120 homeless men and women. They've moved over 450 people off the streets and plan to build more housing. In addition, because of her mother's struggles, Izard helped create a "residential mental health treatment center" called Hope Way.
Izard grew up with the mantras "Do good" and "Love well." She's certainly living up to those standards.
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
Urban Ministry Center, Charlotte, NC
HopeWay, Charlotte, NC
National Alliance to End Homelessness: What is Housing First?
During a Christopher Closeup interview about her Christopher Award-winning memoir The Hundred Story Home, Izard recalled that she and her four daughters had been swimming in the YMCA when they passed a portrait and her eight-year-old asked, "Mommy, who's that?"
Izard recalled, "It was a picture of Jesus. I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I've taken this non-religion thing too far!' I started going back to church. That led me to volunteering for the soup kitchen and working with the homeless . . . Service is something that my family grew up with and that led me back to a faith I didn't know I'd lost."
That service began at Charlotte's Urban Ministry Center, an interfaith ministry dedicated to feeding the homeless. For years, Izard believed she was making a positive difference. But when she was giving a tour of the facility to a formerly homeless man named Denver Moore, he asked her why they do so much good during the day, but send the homeless back outside at night to fend for themselves.
That question changed Izard's life. She gave up her job as a graphic designer to take a full-time position with the Center and start researching how to move forward. She came upon an idea called Housing First. At the time, the prevailing idea was that the homeless needed to become sober or get a job before earning the right to housing. The problem was that living under a bridge in 32 degree weather and wondering where your next meal is coming from didn't allow them to focus on anything else.
Izard said that the Housing First philosophy asks, "What if we housed people and then worked on what they needed, whether that was sobriety or education or mental health treatment? That's the way our program started . . . We took 13 people who'd been homeless for years, and we found them apartments. We put them with a case worker and tried to work on the issues that had made them homeless. Amazing things happen when you restore people's hope and dignity, and you give them that shot."
Izard also discovered that this approach was more financially feasible than the alternative: "When people are on the streets, they overuse jails, ER rooms, hospital beds. We did a cost analysis and it turns out the average cost of leaving a person on the street was about $40,000 a year. The cost of housing them was $13,000 a year."
Today, the Urban Ministry Center owns and operates a permanent supportive housing facility for over 120 homeless men and women. They've moved over 450 people off the streets and plan to build more housing. In addition, because of her mother's struggles, Izard helped create a "residential mental health treatment center" called Hope Way.
Izard grew up with the mantras "Do good" and "Love well." She's certainly living up to those standards.
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
Urban Ministry Center, Charlotte, NC
HopeWay, Charlotte, NC
National Alliance to End Homelessness: What is Housing First?
Reflection Starter from Henry Ward Beecher
"A thoughtful mind, when it sees a Nation's flag, sees not the flag only, but the Nation itself; and whatever may be its symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag the Government, the principles, the truths, the history which belongs to the Nation that sets it forth." - Henry Ward Beecher
13 June 2017
David Mills on Catholicism and Politics
"'I'm not,' declares the writer, 'a liberal or a conservative. I'm a Catholic.' I see and hear versions of this a lot, especially in my Facebook feed, and I think most of us know the feeling. Neither major party inspires confidence. I keep thinking of the pop song of my childhood, whose chorus went: 'Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you.'
"That declaration makes sense. It is something the faithful Catholic ought to say as a statement of his fundamental conviction, even if he finds himself a liberal or conservative in practice. It publicly anchors him to a position he can't abandon when political life tempts him to do so, for example when being a good party member requires him to deny the needs of the poor or the unborn child's right to life.
"Catholic Social Teaching doesn't map well onto American politics today. Taken as a whole, it speaks more highly of economic freedom than most liberals like and more highly of the need for government to correct the market than most conservatives like. It definitively rules out the social darwinist forms of libertarianism and the collectivist forms of socialism."
In a recent commentary, writer David Mills reflected on the relationship between Catholic social teaching and politics and on how the Church is a gift that gives us the gift of developed reflection on social and political matters.
To access Mr. Mill's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia: David Mills: Catholicism and Politics (8 JUN 17)
"That declaration makes sense. It is something the faithful Catholic ought to say as a statement of his fundamental conviction, even if he finds himself a liberal or conservative in practice. It publicly anchors him to a position he can't abandon when political life tempts him to do so, for example when being a good party member requires him to deny the needs of the poor or the unborn child's right to life.
"Catholic Social Teaching doesn't map well onto American politics today. Taken as a whole, it speaks more highly of economic freedom than most liberals like and more highly of the need for government to correct the market than most conservatives like. It definitively rules out the social darwinist forms of libertarianism and the collectivist forms of socialism."
In a recent commentary, writer David Mills reflected on the relationship between Catholic social teaching and politics and on how the Church is a gift that gives us the gift of developed reflection on social and political matters.
To access Mr. Mill's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia: David Mills: Catholicism and Politics (8 JUN 17)
Reflection Starter from Matthew
"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." - Matthew 5:13-16
11 June 2017
"Father, I Adore You"
As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of the Maranatha Singers presenting "Father, I Adore You":
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Today the Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday. The assigned readings are Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; and John 3:16-18. The Responsorial Psalm is from Daniel 3 (Daniel 3:52-56).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3 "Glory and Praise to God forever"
The Gospel reading is as follows:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: The Most Holy Trinity (June 11, 2017)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Body and Blood of Christ (June 18, 2017)
Community in Mission: One and One and One Are One - A Homily for Trinity Sunday (10 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: Circle of Love: Readings for Trinity Sunday! (9 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: The Mystery of the Trinity (The Mass Readings Explained) (5 JUN 17)
Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: Making the sign of the cross: Homily for Trinity Sunday (10 JUN 17)
Word on Fire: The Communication of Love (June 11, 2017)
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: The Gospel of the Trinity: "God is Love" (10 JUN 17)
Spirituality of the Readings: The Story of Our Lives (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
In Exile: A Mother Quivering With Delight (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
Let the Scriptures Speak: Living Trinity (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
The Word Embodied: In the Name of the Father (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
Historical Cultural Context: The World (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Gregory Nazianzen (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3 "Glory and Praise to God forever"
The Gospel reading is as follows:
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Reflections on these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: The Most Holy Trinity (June 11, 2017)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Body and Blood of Christ (June 18, 2017)
Community in Mission: One and One and One Are One - A Homily for Trinity Sunday (10 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: Circle of Love: Readings for Trinity Sunday! (9 JUN 17)
The Sacred Page: The Mystery of the Trinity (The Mass Readings Explained) (5 JUN 17)
Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: Making the sign of the cross: Homily for Trinity Sunday (10 JUN 17)
Word on Fire: The Communication of Love (June 11, 2017)
Catholic World Report: The Dispatch: The Gospel of the Trinity: "God is Love" (10 JUN 17)
Spirituality of the Readings: The Story of Our Lives (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
In Exile: A Mother Quivering With Delight (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
Let the Scriptures Speak: Living Trinity (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
The Word Embodied: In the Name of the Father (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
Historical Cultural Context: The World (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Gregory Nazianzen (Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity A)
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