Will Osborne and His Orchestra: "It's De-Lovely"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of Will Osborne & His Orchestra, with Dick & Dorothy Rogers, presenting "It's De-Lovely":

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of humble priests.

The House on Humility Street

The Graduate House of the Pontifical North American College in Rome is a 400-year-old baroque structure that sits two blocks away from the Trevi Fountain at the base of the Quirinale Hill. Called the Casa Santa Maria, its unofficial title is the "House on Humility Street," and it is the place where seminarians and priests live while pursuing graduate degrees in Rome.

Above the main altar in the chapel of the Casa Santa Maria is a beautiful image of our Blessed Mother called "Our Lady of Humility," which is taken from the house's unofficial title. It is said that those who pray before the main altar become well acquainted with Mary's intercessory power to guide us to follow in Christ's way of humility. The painting depicts Mary, looking heavenward as if in supplication to God for guidance. This disposition exemplifies why Mary is such a powerful intercessor. Her strength rests entirely in her faith in God to lead her to the wisdom that comes only through humility.

In fact, Mary's example demonstrates how each of us can become trusted stewards of God's wisdom, capable of guiding others in their hour of need. This is why the idea of humility is such a perfect reference in the unofficial name of the Casa Santa Maria because the priority of those studying the faith is to walk in the way of humility to prepare themselves to guide others to do the same.

In His parable about humility, Christ tells the story of a wedding banquet where those who choose a place of honor risk being displaced by a more eminent figure while those who freely choose a lowly place can only move up in the world. "When you are invited," Christ says, "go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

It seems fitting that Mary exemplifies this path of humility for our priests and seminarians studying in Rome because she understands the humility of Christ so thoroughly and can show us the way to His merciful heart.

God certainly chose Mary for her humble nature, and her role in guiding Jesus to manhood must have been a profoundly deep and beautiful relationship. In being chosen by God, Mary exemplifies the humble being exalted in Christ's parable.  In her Magnificat, Mary declares, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed."

The Magnificat is inspired by Old Testament passages in which God shows favor towards the humble of heart. By honoring Mary, we reflect this truth of God that humility deserves to be favored. It's a radical outlook that transforms our entire approach to life and enables us to see beyond superficialities to the treasures of the soul.

Today, we can see how our priests and seminarians studying in Rome follow in the footsteps of Jesus by looking to Mary as a great teacher of the things of the heart. Let us pray that she continues to guide all who turn to her wisdom and intercession in their time at our Casa Santa Maria, so they can walk in humility and learn to show others the way.

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 John Hancock

"A chip on the shoulder is too heavy a piece of baggage to carry through life." - John Hancock

Arlo Guthriie and Pete Seeger: "This Land Is Your Land"

As we continue our Independence Day celebration, I offer this version of Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger presenting "This Land Is Your Land":

 

Anniversary Blessings to Mimi and Chris!!!

Anniversary greetings to Myrna's daughter Mimi and her husband Chris, whose wedding anniversary is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year ,be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!

Belated Birthday Blessings, Ava!!!

Belated birthday greetings to Myrna's granddaughter Ava Geoghegan, who recently celebrated her birthday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!

Belated Birthday Greetings, Allison!!!

Belated birthday greetings to great-niece Allison Tanner, who celebrated her birthday yesterday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!

Prayer for Government, by John Carroll, First Bishop of Baltimore

As we continue our Independence Day celebration I offer this prayer by John Carroll, Bishop of Baltimore (the first bishop of the first diocese with its cathedra in the United States), a prayer for the new nation to be prayed in the parishes of the diocese. 

Eventually his diocese was elevated to the status of archdiocese, and Bishop Carroll (the cousin of Charles Carroll, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence), became the first archbishop of the United States. 

The prayer is as follows:  

Prayer for Government  

"We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name. 

"We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope N., the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, N., all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation. 

"We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty. 

"We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. 

"We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal. 

"Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen." 

Background information: 

New Advent: John Carroll

EWTN: The Pastoral Letter of 1792 - Bishop John Carroll 

Wikipedia: John Carroll (bishop)

Happy Independence Day!!!

As we celebrate Independence Day (which, unfortunately, too many people only know as the Fourth of July), it might be good to reflect on what this holiday is all about.

In the summer of 1776 as the Second Continental Congress was meeting in Philadelphia, several threads were in play. There was already active warfare going on between the colonies and England.

This warfare had been preceded by events such as the burning of the British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspée, in Narragansett Bay, RI, in June 1772, and a raid by colonial militia on Fort William and Mary in Portsmouth Harbor, NH, in December 1774. Then came the event in Lexington, MA, that was to trigger what came to be known as the "shot heard 'round the world" as approximately 77 colonists assembled against a force of some 700 British troops who were marching to seize weapons and munitions they had heard the colonists were storing in Concord. To this day, no one knows who who fired the shot that triggered the exchange of fire (or even whether it was fired intentionally or accidentally), a skirmish that killed eight of the colonists.

This was followed by a larger battle in Concord, where the British troops met a force of approximately 400 colonial militia (the "minutemen" that many of us have read or heard about). After this battle, the British began retreating toward Boston, and, as they did so, they were fired upon along the route by a militia force that had now grown to about 4000.

Thus began the American Revolution in earnest. There was more fighting in New England (in Massachusetts [including Maine, which was then a part of Massachusetts], Rhode Island, and Connecticut). However, the war (and most of the fighting) spread to the Middle Colonies and then to the Southern Colonies.

Initially many of the colonists were not really thinking of independence. Rather, they were protesting unfair British rule of the colonies, while others did not have strong feelings about the conflict. However, as the war dragged on, there was a growing movement for independence. The delegates to the Second Continental Congress were aware of this, and many were part of the movement.

In May of 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution stating that the United Colonies were free and independent states. The Congress appointed a committee (including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams) to follow up on this. The committee, with Jefferson doing most of the writing came up with a document that put forth a number of reasons for separation from Britain.

Even more than that, this document starts off with a list of natural rights and goes on to state that governments are set up to protect these rights, and that, if a government violates these rights, the people have a right to abolish that government and create a new one.

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed . . . ."

Then this document lists a number of grievances to show that the British government had violated these rights, and, finally, the document declares that the colonies are now free and independent states.

This document, which we now call the Declaration of Independence, was approved by the Continental Congress on the 4th of July and was actually signed by the delegates on the 2nd of August.

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Unfortunately, too few students learn much about this Declaration, what went into its development, and what this means to them. Fortunately, there is a movement in many states, including here in New England, to focus better on civics instruction.

Civics, a branch of social studies, focuses on the role of citizens and their relationship with their government. This includes studying how the system of government works and encouraging students to get involved.

One strong proponent of civics education is retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter. After he retired, I sent him a note to thank him for and to encourage his promotion of civics education.

An excerpt from this note:

"I . . . want to thank you in a special way for your promotion of civics instruction, something I think is so very important.

"I grew up in Southington, Connecticut, and the local high school did offer a civics class. However, the only students required to take the class were those in the 'general' course of studies.  Those of us in the college preparation or other courses did not need to, and very few did.  I chose to because I thought it was important to understand how our government worked on the various levels and with its various related elements, and I am grateful to this day. . . .

"Thank you for your recent encouraging words related to civics education and for your commitment to this cause.  I wish you well in this.  May your efforts bear much fruit for the students and other people of New Hampshire, of New England, and throughout the United States."

During these times a lot of American citizens are taking the country and its leadership to task in many ways - and there are many things that need to be corrected in this country. But we must not forget that there is a lot right with it. There are many good people throughout this great nation who have a lot of good ideas and a lot of enthusiasm. There are many good people who have a strong love for this nation and everything it stands for. There are many good reasons to have hope - and one of the best reasons in the nation's motto (which many people do take to heart): "In God we trust."

Happy 249th Birthday, United States of America!!!

For more information about the Declaration, visit:

National Archives: America's Founding Documents

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many, many blessings You have bestowed on the United States of America.

Br. Andrew Lyons, O.P., on Independence Day

"We call Saint Thomas the 'Angelic Doctor' for his spiritual wisdom and superhuman self-control. His teaching reaches to the very heights of heavenly contemplation. Even so, this spiritual man thinks you should sing 'God Bless America,' launch a barrage of fireworks, and eat a big ol' red, white, and blue popsicle today!

"'Are you serious?' you ask. 'Dead serious,' I reply.

"Piety toward the homeland is a duty of every citizen. We are to honor our country and love it like a child loves his parents. . . ."

In a recent commentary based on the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, Brother Andrew Lyons, O.P., reflected on honoring our nation as we celebrate Independence Day.

To access Br. Andrew's complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: Thomas Says: Eat a Popsicle! (4 JUL 25)