Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways You have guided the development of the foods we eat.

on Medieval Benedictine Monks and Chicken Dishes Today

"For the past six thousand years, humans and chicken have shared an intricate common existence. Today's chickens provide us with plentiful meat and eggs and are the most common form of poultry consumed across the world.

"Our current cultivated chickens descended from an ancestral species of Asian jungle fowl, bred to be very passive with little fear of humans and an ability to lay many eggs quickly. However, chickens were not always the easy-going birds they are today. If you can't get enough of chicken or eggs, you should probably thank medieval Catholic monks."

A recent uCatholic post offered an insight in the practices of Benedictine Monks during Medieval times and our chicken/egg dishes today.

To access the complete post, please visit:

uCatholic: Enjoy Chicken? Thank Medieval Catholic Monks. (20 SEP 17)

Reflection Starter from St. Thomas Aquinas

"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes." - attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas

Band of Spencers: "God of Grace and (God of) Glory"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of Band of Spencers presenting "God of Grace and (God of) Glory":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the foretaste of Heaven You offer us, whether we are aware of it or not, as we celebrate Holy Mass.

David Mills on Mass as "Heaven on Earth"

"A couple of rows in front me at Mass, sitting at the outside end of the row, was a man caring for another, severely disabled, man. The second made abrupt loud noises and sometimes jerked his legs or arms. The row in front of them and to their right ended at the pillar, leaving an empty space between the pillar and the aisle. There they weren't pinned into the pew, though they were denied a view of the altar.

"At the Eucharistic Prayer, the first man held the second man as they together stood up and shuffled a few steps up to the kneeler. As they knelt, he wrapped his right arm around his friend's back. His left arm must have gone around the man's chest and locked arms with the other one, probably with his left hand holding the top of the pew. . . .

"I missed most of the prayer because I was just looking at the two men, and our Savior, and His Mother. At the altar beyond the end of the aisle was the picture of a royal, eternal triumph, symbolizing the world from which God has wiped away the tears from every eye, where there is no more death, or mourning, or pain, or sorrow. Those things will have passed away."

In a recent commentary, writer David Mills reflected on how, at this Mass, he witnessed "Heaven enacted, in that man who held his friend so tightly as they worshiped their Lord."

To access Mr. Mill's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: David Mills: The day the Mass truly became "Heaven on Earth" for me (17 SEP 17)

Reflection Starter from Thomas Merton

"You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope." - Thomas Merton, OCSO

SEISConn and the Seismic History of Connecticut.

"Fifteen seismographs placed in forests, farms and backyards across northern Connecticut picked up the vibrations of a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea on Jan. 22.

"That information arrived from 200 kilometers - 124 miles - under the Earth's surface, deep within the planet's upper mantle, below its crust. It will help geologists at Yale University and elsewhere better understand what lies underneath Connecticut. It will also help explain why the supercontinent Pangea split about 200 million years ago, forming the Atlantic Ocean and creating the continents of North American, South America and Africa.

"The data might also help explain why 'the Atlantic basin is opening and getting bigger and the Pacific Ocean basin is getting smaller' and why the continents rimming the Pacific are likely to bash into each other and form a new supercontinent hundreds of millions of years from now, according to Maureen Long, a Yale professor of geology and geophysics who is overseeing the Seismic Experiment for Imaging Structure beneath Connecticut, or SEISConn."

A recent Middletown Press article profiled various aspects of the work of SEISConn.

To access the complete Middletown Press report, please visit:

Middletown Press:  Scientists using series of seismographs to study what's under Connecticut (10 SEP 17)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways You reach out to Your people through broadcast media.

Donna L. Halper, PhD, on Boston's "Radio Priest"

"On a Sunday afternoon, Sept. 15, 1929, an event occurred that would have a lasting effect on greater Boston's 800,000 Catholics. On that day, nearly 88 years ago, Father Michael J. Ahern, S.J. did something no priest in Boston had ever done before: he introduced a weekly radio program specifically for Catholics. While that may not sound very remarkable in our internet, cable television, and social media age, back in 1929, it was a very important occasion. Back then, radio was the dominant mass medium, and being on the air could turn a previously unknown performer or announcer into a celebrity.

"Radio became an obsession for Bostonians during the 1920s; families gathered in their 'radio room' to listen to their favorite programs. The most popular shows were the radio dramas (which would later be called 'soap operas') and people were also delighted to hear their favorite songs. Boston stations also provided news, sports, and weather, and as far back as 1922, there were inspirational messages and Bible readings from ministers and rabbis; there were even live broadcasts from area houses of worship. But if you were a Catholic in those formative years of radio, there were no programs that featured a priest.

"Then as now, Boston was overwhelmingly Christian, yet one of the most popular radio preachers of the 1920s was Jewish: Harry Levi, the rabbi of Boston's Temple Israel. An eloquent speaker, he developed a large following of both Jews and non-Jews. For most Bostonians, in that era before interfaith events became more common, listening to a rabbi was a new experience; to Rabbi Levi's surprise, there were many non-Jews tuned in to his broadcasts over station WNAC (today WRKO), and they enjoyed hearing him discuss the Old Testament; in fact, many sent him fan mail and asked for autographed copies of his sermons. The same phenomenon occurred for some Protestant ministers, including Rev. Henry Knox Sherrill; he broadcast over station WEEI, and he never expected that the power of radio would turn members of Boston's clergy into radio stars.

"But for whatever reason, and despite radio's growing influence, it wasn't until 1928 when the Catholic church became more active in broadcasting. That year, there were a few radio programs of interest to Catholics -- usually on special occasions. For example, on May 20, there was a Mass to honor military veterans, held at Fenway Park, and on Christmas day, there was a Mass from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross; both were officiated by Cardinal O'Connell. Undoubtedly, these broadcasts led Boston's Catholics to hope for a more frequent presence on the air. They finally got their wish in mid-September 1929 when Father Ahern debuted the weekly 'Catholic Truth Hour,' also called the 'Catholic Truth Period.'"

In a recent commentary, Donna L. Halper, PhD, reflected on the ministry of Father Ahern (who came to be known as the "Radio Priest"), on his friendship with Rabbi Levi, and on his scientific endeavors as professor and as a researcher.

To access Dr. Halper's complete essay, please visit:

The Pilot: Echoes: Father Michael J. Ahern: Boston's First 'Radio Priest' (1 SEP 17)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"In the Cross our hope is reborn. Hope born of the Cross is different from that of the world, because it is born of the love of Jesus." - Pope Francis

The Alley Cats: "The Duke of Earl"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of The Alley Cats presenting "Duke of Earl":

Note: The Alley Cats are appearing this weekend at The Big E (the Eastern States Exposition) in West Springfield, MA.

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for inspirations to express our gratitude to You and to the many helpful people in our lives.

Coping with Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are common problems today. A sense of isolation tends to heighten these problems, yet it seems the more advanced society becomes, the more it is a challenge for people to stay connected in meaningful ways. Mother Teresa said, "The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love."

The Christopher News Note titled Mental Illness: Healing the Unseen Wounds addresses the modern dimensions of anxiety and depression. It tells the story of David Mandani, whose mental illness led him to start an organization that provides free mental health resources. David found help for his own problems through the use of medication and other therapies, but he also credits his faith with sustaining him. He says, "Because I entrusted my life and my disease to Jesus, so many of the predictions people said to me never happened. I was told I would never finish college, but God gave me the grace to complete graduate school. I was told I'd never hold down a job, but God gave me a vision and purposeful ministry. I was told I should never get married or even have kids, but God gave me three big blessings, a loving wife and two incredible kids."

Faith can provide a beacon of hope in the darkest times and can help us remember that we are called to pursue health of mind and body so that we can better serve God and others. In his book Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones: Spiritual Answers to Psychological Questions, Father Benedict Groeschel highlights the importance of realizing God's love for us, writing, "If I tried to link the struggle for mental health with the struggle for holiness, I would say it is most clearly seen in the terrible battle against self-hate in the depths of the soul. Once the chain of self-hate is broken, the individual becomes free to love others, to be generous, to escape from his own darkness. This is part of the mystery of God's love. God has first loved us; let us begin now to love Him."

Discovering God's love can help us form better connections with people, and this creates an environment for healing during times of trial. We can also look to the saints for intercession and as a model for healing. St. Francis of Assisi coped with feelings of depression and self-hate by plunging himself into service to the poor, the sick, and the outcast. During adolescence, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton experienced depression and even thoughts of suicide, but she coped by finding joy in music, keeping a journal, and immersing herself in the gift of nature at the seashore. St. Dymphna suffered great angst due to traumatic circumstances in her life, and she is the patron saint for sufferers of anxiety and depression.

St. Padre Pio's motto was "Pray, hope, and don't worry." What a simple yet profound insight from a saint who battled the mental anguish that came from bearing the stigmata as well as the persecution that arose from his condition. Prayer keeps us grounded in God's love, which gives us hope to make the world around us a better place. And when we immerse ourselves in this mission, what need is there for worry? As Christ says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1)

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

Reflection Starter from Zephaniah

"The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior, who will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love,who will sing joyfully because of you." - Zephaniah 3:17

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful churches, chapels, and shrines that have been built by Your people and for the many ways in which You use them to draw people closer to You.

Zelda Caldwell on the Fifteen Oldest Catholic Churches in the U.S.

"Ten years before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in 1630, the oldest continuously operating church, the San Miguel Mission, was built in what is now Sante Fe, New Mexico. You can visit the church - and attend Mass there - along with a number of historic Catholic churches in the United States that first opened their doors to worshipers in the 17th and 18th centuries.

"While the United States is a relatively young country, its Catholic churches, founded as they were during a time of Spanish and French colonization and missionary work, link the country to its European ancestors in a tangible way."

In a recent commentary, writer Zelda Caldwell offered a slideshow featuring the 15 oldest Catholic churches in the United States.

To access her complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Zelda Caldwell: The 15 oldest Catholic churches in America (4 AUG 2017)

Reflection Starter from Henry David Thoreau

"Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed... Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." - Henry David Thoreau

Cheer UP Athletics Profiled in RI Parent Magazine

"It is one thing to be a parent, shuttling children dutifully to and fro, writing checks for uniforms, registration fees, and special shoes. It is totally another to build, from the ground up, an all-star cheerleading gym from literally nothing, after your child's existing cheer gym suddenly closes.

"Most would wince at the idea, claiming no expert knowledge of the sport. Most of us would shrug our shoulders and move our child to another gym or possibly onto a new activity altogether.

"But when dad and owner of LOPCO Contracting, Tom Lopatosky, learned his daughter Tamara's gym was in the process of folding, he sprang quickly into action. This Classical High School graduate and small business owner knew nothing about running a cheer gym, had no idea how to prepare for a competition, or organize athletes to cheer, but was so motivated by his daughter and her friends from the gym's love for cheer and cheering together, that he could not sit back and watch it all end."

A recent article in Rhode Island Parent Magazine profiled both son Tom's adventure into the competitive cheerleading world and the Cheer UP Athletics offerings for interested children and their parents.

To access the complete article, please visit:

Rhode Island Parent Magazine: Competitive Cheer (September 2017)

"Lift High The Cross"

As we continue our celebration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I offer this version of "Lift High The Cross":

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The assigned readings are Numbers 21:4-9, Phillipians 2:6-11, and John 3:13-17. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 78 (Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38).

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

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 78

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For 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.

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: Exultation of the Holy Cross (September 14, 2017)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Exultation of the Holy Cross (September 14, 2017)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: Terrorism and the Victory of the Cross

Msgr. Charles Pope: The Wisdom and Power of the Cross - A Homily for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (13 SEP 14)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many threads, often unseen by us, through which You are weaving a beautiful tapestry that will gradually be unfolded to us.

Miami-Dade Police Department Facebook Post of Chainsaw-Wielding Nun Goes Viral

"Cleanup for Hurricane Irma, one of the largest hurricanes in U.S. history, is going to take a lot of work and a long time.

"Which is why this religious sister is jumping right in, doing whatever needs to be done.

"Sister Margaret Ann was spotted by an off duty police officer, who took a video and a few pictures of her. The Miami-Dade police department shared the video and pictures on their Facebook page, and the post has gone hugely viral! As of this writing, the post has over 17,000 shares and 20,00 reactions."

A recent Church Pop post highlighted this ministry of Sr. Margaret Ann, "a Carmelite and the principal of Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School in Miami."

To access this complete post, please visit:

Church Pop: Chainsaw-Wielding Nun Goes Viral, Becomes Symbol of Irma Cleanup (13 SEP 19)

Reflection Starter from Fred Bauer

"Teach us O Lord that every day, down every street, come chances to be God's hands and feet." -  "Joe's Prayer," written by Joe Gargiola's friend Fred Bauer and read at Joe's funeral Mass of Resurrection at Saint Ambrose Catholic Church, Saint Louis, MO)

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Ezekiel 33:7-9, Romans 13:8-10, and Matthew 18:15-20. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 95 (Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9).

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

YouTube: Psalm 95: If Today You Hear God's Voice (Haas setting) 

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to his disciples: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that 'every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 10, 2017)

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 10, 2017)

Community in Mission: The Obligation of Clear, Compassionate Correction of the Sinner - A Homily for the 23rd Sunday of the Year (9 SEP 17)

The Sacred Page: Watchman on the Walls: Readings for the 23rd Sunday of OT (7 SEP 17)

The Sacred Page: Jesus and the Authority of the Church (The Mass Readings Explained) (4 SEP 17)

Word on Fire: Judgment and Love (Cycle A * Ordinary Time * Week 23)

Spirituality of the Readings: A Love Story (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

In Exile: Faults of the Parents in the Children (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Confronting in Church (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

The Word Embodied: Challenge in Community (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Historical Cultural Context: Defusing Conflict (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by John Chrysostom (Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your constant presence when we are facing serious challenges in our lives.

Msgr. Pope on Justifying Ourselves Before God Vis-à-vis Calling on God to Justify Himself for Us

"Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI possesses a keen ability to summarize the ideas and problems of our times both cogently and succinctly. Consider the following assessment of our age that he made during a 2015 interview:

"For the man of today…. things are, in a certain sense, inverted, or rather, man no longer believes he needs justification before God, but rather he is of the opinion that God is obliged to justify himself because of all the horrible things in the world and in the face of the misery of being human, all of which ultimately depend on Him (Benedict XVI, Interview with Jacques Servais, L’Osservatore Romano, English edition, March 2016).

"This is quite a profound diagnosis of the hubris of our times. This hubris is apparent among both unbelievers and believers. While Benedict sets the problem in the context of the mystery of evil and suffering, my own experience is that the problem is wider than that. Many people don't merely demand an accounting from God for the existence of evil, they also demand justification from Him for any teaching of His Scripture or the Church that does not accord with their views. The premise is that the teachings of Scripture and the Church must conform to modern notions or else stand convicted of being out-of-touch, useless, irrelevant, or even intolerant, harsh, and hurtful. 

"All of this is completely backwards. For any Catholic, it is the world and its views that should be on trial. God should not need to justify His teachings or render an account to us, rather it is the world that should be required to explain how its views do not contradict God."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the disparity between Scripture's guidance to "square everything with the measure of God's Word and reject anything that is contrary to it while retaining what is good" vis-à-vis the worldly tendency to put the Word of God and the teachings of the Church on trial if they do not conform to worldly thinking.

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

Community in Mission: Who is Really on Trial in Our Life? (1 AUG 17)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"I encourage you to entrust yourselves to the Lord, who is the only one who helps and inspires us to contribute to reconciliation and peace." - Pope Francis

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for surrounding us with the mantle of Your love.

A Deacon’s Spiritual Toolbox for Troubled Times

Deacon Don Grossnickle served the Archdiocese of Chicago for many years as a Disability Outreach Coordinator. That job tied into his work as founder of the Gridiron Alliance, an organization that supports high school athletes who've suffered spinal cord injuries. The deacon would help these young people adjust to their new situations, and also develop in them spiritual resilience that would help them deal with their futures.

In May 2016, Deacon Don needed some spiritual resilience of his own after he was diagnosed with stage IV heart failure. So how did this man of God respond to the dire news? During a Christopher Closeup interview, he said, "I was shocked. I'm a regular guy that attends to my physician and all of the care that goes with that, so there was certainly a dark cloud that came over me from the get-go. But I look upon my relationship with the Lord as a dance, and there was never a question that the Lord was doing anything to me. So with optimism in the Lord's help, my optimism is always going to carry the day." 

The years that Deacon Don spent mentoring young men through the Gridiron Alliance also gave him a solid foundation from which to deal with his own troubles. He said, "I became intimately involved with those with catastrophic injuries, and learned so very much about how attitude and a faith life can take us back from what I would call a Humpty Dumpty kind of great fall, to have the ability to respond and transform our life with the help of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. I think resilience is a toolbox that you begin practicing in earnest when the chips are down…It really comes down to perceiving life as a gift, and each of the boys taught me that every day can be a gift, if that's what we choose to make it. And like The Christophers, it's all a matter of lighting the candle and being realistic about the darkness. But being smart enough, wise enough, and gifted enough to move through it by lighting the candle."

Deacon Don is lighting that candle for others by giving seminars to his fellow patients who may not have the family and friends that he has around him. He would also like to see the Church develop ministries for people who receive bad health news. "Folks tell me that as little as 40 percent of the people who are diagnosed with my kind of condition or cancer or others, reach out," he explained. "The oppression that comes from bad news limits their verve, their strength, and they're kind of lost. So I feel like that gap needs to be bridged. They probably won't do it on their own. They probably need folks like me and others to press the opportunities that might be there to lift them up." 

Thankfully, Deacon Don's story has a happier ending than he expected. Shortly after recording our interview, he shared the news that his Level IV heart failure had reversed to Level I. His doctor explained that this kind of reversal is extremely rare, and he even sent him for two consults to make sure the new diagnosis was accurate. It was. Deacon Don credits his doctors and better eating and exercise choices with improving his health. And, of course, he is grateful to God for listening to the prayers of all his loved ones who stormed heaven on his behalf.

This essay is a recent 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:

Gridiron Alliance

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from Cardinal Francis George

"The goal of everything we do is to see ourselves as God sees us, in his light. 'Putting on the mind of Christ,' as St. Paul says, brings both joy and contrition for the sins that leave us in darkness. Conversion is the core of the Gospel the Church encourages us to live and to spread." - Cardinal Francis George, OMI

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the positive effect good spiritual and religious practices have on health and human flourishing.

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty on Daily Habits that Help Make One Happier

"Dr. Aaron Kheriaty is an associate professor of psychiatry and the director of the bioethics program at the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine.

"In an interview with Joan Frawley Desmond, a senior editor for the Register, he discussed psychological and medical research on the virtues, happiness and human flourishing."

In a recent interview published in the National Catholic Register, Dr. Kheriaty reflected on the increasing anxiety and depression being faced by people in the United States and the daily elements of one's spiritual life and the positive consequences of making them a part of one's day.

To access the complete National Catholic Register interview, please visit:

National Catholic Register: These Daily Habits Will Make You Happier, Says Catholic Psychiatrist (23 AUG 17)

Reflection Starter from Mother Teresa

" Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness."  - Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta), whose memory the Church celebrated yesterday (5 September)

Alabama: Forty Hour Week

As we continue our observance of Labor Day, I offer this version of Alabama presenting Forty Hour Week:

USCCB: Labor Day Statement 2017

In his 2017 Labor Day statement, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, calls for action based on a vision of work that supports the flourishing of the family, a clearer understanding on the nature of poverty, and solidarity with those on the margins of society.

Adopting Pope Francis' language of the "gaze of love" that God has for the worker, Bishop Dewane examines the state of work today, which, when healthy, "anoints" the worker with dignity and is essential for human growth and development. "'Brother work,' in Pope Francis' words, is formational and sustaining for every human life and community, and is essential to our faith."

Drawing on the words of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Dewane notes that insufficient, poor, or excessive work can be corrosive to the person; whereas severe and increasing disparities in wealth coupled with stagnation of wages for the majority of people presents dangers for the social pact and civil harmony. "When unethical labor conditions weaken the social pact, society can become vulnerable to attempts to use fear, and our care and concern for one another can disintegrate into blame and suspicion."

Bishop Dewane suggests reflections and actions for Catholics and all people of good will, including: solidarity with neighbors, a renewed moral emphasis by leaders in business and government, a clearer understanding of the nature of poverty, focus on the vital role of unions, and the recovery of rest and a sense of the sacred in work.

To access Bishop Dewane's complete statement, please visit:

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Labor Day Statement 2017

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of work and for the many ways in which You use our work to continue Your work of creation and to minister to Your people.

Dr. Aaron Kheriaty on Daily Habits that Will Make One Happier

". . . Americans are told they have a right to 'the pursuit of happiness,' yet research shows that anxiety and depression have skyrocketed. Is this the result of political or economic conditions, or is something else at work?

"Political and economic circumstances, like the 2008 recession, certainly play a role in the rising rates of depression and anxiety. But if we look at the recent rise of what researchers Anne Case and Angus Deaton have called 'deaths of despair' - deaths by suicide, drug overdoses and alcohol problems - we see that other important social and cultural factors are at work.

"We live in a society in which people feel increasingly socially isolated. The breakdown of marriage and weakening of family ties have disproportionately affected those with lower socioeconomic status, who are already more vulnerable. Self-reported loneliness has doubled from 20% to 40% of Americans, who now say they don't have a person in their life who can help support them in a difficult time, or with whom they can discuss important matters. If Americans have the right to pursue happiness, that cannot happen in a social vacuum. We need a society where solidarity is lived, and where social connections that contribute to human flourishing are facilitated."

". . . Dr. Aaron Kheriaty is an associate professor of psychiatry and the director of the bioethics program at the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine.

"In an interview with Joan Frawley Desmond, a senior editor for the Register, he discussed psychological and medical research on the virtues, happiness and human flourishing."

To access the complete National Catholic Register report on this interview with Dr. Kheriaty, please visit:

National Catholic Register: These Daily Habits Will Make You Happier, Says Catholic Psychiatrist (23 AUG 17)

Reflection Starter from Martin Luther King Jr.

"No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Ray Boltz: "Take Up Your Cross"

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of Ray Boltz presenting "Take Up Your Cross"

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Jeremiah 20:7-9, Romans 12:1-2, and Matthew 16:21-27. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 63 (Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9).

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

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 63 Our Souls Yearn for God 

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you."

He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct."

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 3, 2017) 

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 3, 2017)

Community in Mission: Trademarks of the True Messiah - A Homily for the 22nd Sunday of the Year (2 SEP 17)

The Sacred Page: The Cost of Discipleship: 22nd Sunday in OT (29 AUG 17)

The Sacred Page: Suffering and Discipleship (The Mass Readings Explained) (28 AUG 17)

Aleteia: Deacon Greg Kandra: What do you bring with you?: Homily for September 3, 2017, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (2 SEP 17)

Word on Fire: Jeremiah and the Word of God (Cycle A * Ordinary Time * Week 22)

Spirituality of the Readings: What’s in a Name? (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

In Exile: The Desert - The Place of God's Closeness (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time A
)

Let the Scriptures Speak: Stumbling Stone, Burning Heart, Living Sacrifice (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

The Word Embodied: Not Conforming to the Age (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time A
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Historical Cultural Context: True Honor (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

Thoughts from the Early Church: Commentary by Augustine (Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time A
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Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for those moments in which You help us to be forgetful of ourselves.

Msgr. Pope on Addressing on What Most Distracts Us

"We think of distractions as coming mostly from the world around us, but is that really true? Consider the following, drawn from the stories of the early desert Fathers and monastic experience:

"Sometimes there would be a rush of noisy visitors and the silence of the monastery would be shattered. This would upset the disciples; not the Abbot, who seemed just as content with the noise as with the silence. To his protesting disciples he said one day, 'Silence is not the absence of sound, but the absence of self.'

"The fact is, our greatest distraction is usually our very self. If this surprises us, we should probably chalk it up to pride. Why? Because what God wants us to focus on is outside and above us: in the beauty of creation, in the wonder of others, and in the magnificence of God. These are not distractions; they are often exactly what God is trying to say to us, to reveal to us."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on how we can address our distractions,especially the "noises within us, noises that come from being too self-preoccupied."

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

Community in Mission: What Is It That Most Distracts Us? (3 AUG 17)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"The journey of entrusting ourselves to the Lord begins every day, starting each morning." - Pope Francis