From Seasons of Grace: Did NSA spy on the Vatican & Pope Francis?

NSA Spied on Vatican, Pope Francis, Too? (UPDATED)

October 30, 2013 By Kathy Schiffer Leave a Comment

The National Security Agency didn’t only spy on Angela Merkel and on our own citizens.  They may actually have spied on Pope Francis, both before and after his election to the papacy.
A new report by the Italian weekly news magazine Panorama claims that the NSA monitored the telephone calls of many Catholic cardinals and bishops during the March 2013 conclave.   The magazine also stated that the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the residence where many cardinals including Jorge Bergoglio stayed in the days leading up to the Conclave, may have been under electronic surveillance.
The report followed the claim by Cryptome, a website that gathers intelligence on surveillance and national security, that the U.S. had intercepted 46 million telephone calls in Italy between December 10, 2012 and January 8, 2013.  That would have covered the end of Pope Benedict’s papacy, and it’s believed the espionage continued to include the confidential conversations leading up to the Conclave at which the new Pope was elected.
The information gleaned from this illegal and unwarranted spying was then divided into four categories: “leadership intentions”, “threats to financial system”, “foreign policy objectives” and “human rights”.  The NSA, according to Panorama, may have also monitored calls regarding the appointment of Ernst Von Freyburg as president of the Vatican’s Institute for Religious Works (IOR).
Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See Press Office, seemed unconcerned.  He released a statement today, which was read by Press Office co-director Fr. Ciro Benedettini.  In the statement, Father Lombardi said:

“My response regarding the article on Panorama on the alleged wiretapping is that we don’t know anything about this matter and in any case, we have no worries about it.”

One rests well when one speaks only the truth.

*     *     *     *     *

UPDATE:  The NSA has contested the report by Panorama, and today NSA spokesperson Valerie Vines released a statement saying,

“The National Security Agency does not target the Vatican. Assertions that NSA has targeted the Vatican, published in Italy’s Panorama magazine, are not true.”

Praying out loud

Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 377 - Vocal Prayer

What is vocal prayer?

In the first place, prayer is lifting the heart to God. And yet Jesus himself taught his disciples to pray with words. With the Our Father he left us the perfect vocal prayer as his testament to show how we should pray.

While praying we should not try to think pious thoughts. We should express what is in our hearts and offer it to God as complaint, petition, praise, and thanks. Often it is the great vocal prayersthe Psalms and hymns of Sacred Scripture, the Our Father, the Hail Marythat direct us to the true substance of prayer and lead to a kind of free, interior prayer. (YOUCAT question 501)

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Dig Deeper: CCC section (2700-2704) and other references here.

A Benedictine reformer is our "Halloween" Saint of the day

St. Wolfgang

St. Wolfgang

 

Feastday: October 31
Died: 994

Wolfgang (d. 994) + Bishop and reformer. Born in Swabia, Germany, he studied at Reichenau under the Benedictines and at Wurzburg before serving as a teacher in the cathedral school of Trier. He soon entered the Benedictines at Einsiedeln (964) and was appointed head of the monastery school, receiving ordination in 971. He then set out with a group of monks to preach among the Magyars of Hungary, but the following year (972) was named bishop of Regensburg by Emperor Otto II (r. 973-983). As bishop, he distinguished himself brilliantly for his reforming zeal and his skills as a statesman. He brought the clergy of the diocese into his reforms, restored monasteries, promoted education, preached enthusiastically, and was renowned for his charity and aid to the poor, receiving the title Eleemosynarius Major (Grand Almoner). He also served as tutor to Emperor Henry II (r. 1014-1024) while he was still king. Wolfgang died at Puppingen near Linz, Austria. He was canonized in 1052 by Pope St. Leo IX (r. 1049-1054). Feast day: October 31.

Catholics: It's ok to celebrate Halloween; you can even say "trick or treat"

Seasonal Features
Halloween



Celebrating Halloween, All Saints

Days observed and celebrated by secular society can connect to important faith-related concepts for children and families. In excerpts from Celebrating Saints and Seasons, author Jeanne Hunt suggests ways parents and teachers can make Halloween and All Saints Day come alive for children in faith-filled and fun experiences.

Halloween’s Christian Roots

When you think of Halloween, what comes to mind? For a lot of people, Halloween has become synonymous with candy, costumes, scary stuff, witches, ghosts and pumpkins. But do you know the Christian connection to the holiday?

Catholics and Halloween

How can Catholics celebrate Halloween in the context of their Christian faith? Listen to American Catholic Radio to find out.

• ACR #06-44: How Catholics should take back “holy” Halloween and use it as a time of evangelization.
  Click here to listen online.
  
• ACR #07-44: Suggestions for celebrating Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day with a spiritual twist.
  Click here to listen online.

The Tale of Jack O’ Lantern

Why do we carve pumpkins for Halloween? Read a story from Catholic Update that explains the origin of this yearly tradition.

Witches, Ghosts and Magic: What Catholics Believe

What are Catholics to think about the devil, exorcism, psychic hotlines, fortune tellers, ESP, ghosts and magic in the light of current Church teaching? Curiosity about the supernatural is normal especially for teenagers during Halloween but is it “of the devil” as some Christians claim?

How Halloween Can Be Redeemed

How can Catholics keep All Hallows Eve from becoming “hollow”? Celebrate Halloween and All Saints Day while remembering both the Christian connection to Halloween and the positive messages that stem from the holiday.

Bishop Shelton Fabre installed today as Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux

God speed Bishop Fabre.  The Catholic community in and of New Orleans will miss you but rejoices in your installation to begin your ministry in Houma-Thibodaux!

Ways to pray

Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 376 - Ways to Pray

Are there various ways to pray?

Yes, there is vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer. All three ways of prayer presuppose recollecting one's mind and heart. (YOUCAT question 500)

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Dig Deeper: CCC section (2699) and other references here.

A "Les Miserables" era Blessed; beatified by Bl. Pope JP II

Bl. Jean-Michel Langevin  

 

Feastday: October 30
1731 - 1793
Beatified By: 19 February 1984 by Pope John Paul II at Rome, Italy

Jean-Michel Langevinwas a Priest in Angers, France. Martyred during the French Revolution.

A week like this; for the Permanent Deacon, it still is being despite lots of doing

I just published a post concerning a Cardinal's appreciation for the need of a Permanent Diaconate some 50 year ago.  Ah, the good Cardinal was a prophet yet the article may be written in such a manner that Permanent Deacons are simply needed to "do" more to help out those overworked Priests.  While this certainly happens, the Permanent Diaconate was needed because it's all about the Church being, Holy Orders being and service, as a charism, sacramentalized by the presence of the Deacon at Mass, the Sacraments, prayer service, in the workplace, in the marketplace.

Let's take a look at this week to understand the need for Permanent Deacons and all some of what happens from their presence.  On Sunday alone the vast majority of my day, and that of my wife for that matter, was spent in what we call Inquiry.  The Archdiocese of New Orleans has 30 + men inquiring into the possibility of a call to a vocation as a Deacon.  To respond to this call, a series of inquiry sessions is held over a period of many, many months.  My wife and I have dedicated ourselves to helping out in this process as table leaders; serving as a moderator and example for several couples as they discern their calling.  It's a wonderful experience, even though the sessions are 65 miles from home and take about 7 hours, with all the travel time.  Having remembered the example of many a great Deacon and his wife while I went through Inquiry back in 2003, I find it very normal to want to serve in that capacity today.  Again, this serves as another example of being even though it sounds a lot like doing!

While a normal work week beckons, I find myself with plenty of responsibility for the rest of the week.  On Monday night I helped to train 3 new altar servers who are ready to serve themselves at my assigned parish.  Monday also brought much time for preparation as I am conducting and preaching a remembrance service tomorrow night and preaching twice this coming weekend.  By Monday night, I am neck deep into preparation for both.  Speaking of preparation, I also have two ongoing marriage preps and three baptisms.  There is always checks and double checks until the event actually takes place.

Tomorrow night I will travel back to Rayburn Correctional to preside and conduct the Remembrance Service for one of the inmates who unexpectedly died last week.  Everyone, inmates and volunteers, as well as guards, etc., was fond of our friend Woody.  His passing will leave a void in our Catholic community at the prison.  I plan to offer words of reflection, remembering and consolation from the prayers and readings selected.  It's heart warming to see such care and concern for even one classified as a prisoner from his fellow inmates all the way to the staff & administration of the prison.  His presence as a faithful Catholic at Rayburn actually endeared him to men of many different faith based traditions.

As if this alone would not be enough for a week, we all know that with the ending of October and the start of November we have All Saints Day.  And this year the holy day of obligation falls on a first Friday.  We are planning three liturgies, a bereavement service as well as having Adoration all day on the 1st.

Come Sunday, it's time to preach twice and my prep work is ongoing.  Hopefully this week I will be able to post the homily for all to consider.

Yes, a week like this is, for the Permanent Deacon, about being, even though there is plenty of doing.  I understand now that the doing flows from my being and my gift in doing is all about presence.  I love the ministry of the Permanent Deacon entrusted to me by God!

Why one Cardinal was ready for the permanent diaconate, 50 years ago at Vatican II

Permanent Deacons Would Meet Urgent Need in Latin America, Says Cardinal

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Jim Lackey

Peru’s Cardinal declared that a permanent diaconate would answer a “general need” in the Church today, a need especially urgent in Latin America.
Juan Cardinal Landazuri Ricketts, OFM, of Lima said in an interview that the proposal for a permanent diaconate — with the possibility of married deacons — involves a “profound” change in the Church. He was explaining what he had said earlier in a speech in the council hall given in the name of 90 Latin American bishops.
“It is to be desired,” he said, “that no judgment be passed [on the proposal] … without exact information on the reasons … for its creation, on its forms of action, and on its relationship with the early Church, particularly if the judgment is negative.”
The diaconate exists in today’s Church, but as a step to the priesthood. The deacon’s functions — which include preaching, baptizing, distributing Communion and assisting the priest at a solemn Mass — are usually performed by priests. In the early Church, deacons also took care of administering material goods, such as distributing alms to the poor.
Explaining the special need in Latin America, the Cardinal said: “It is there that the lack of priests is felt more vividly, to the damage of Christian life in general.”
He said that the deacons could administer the Eucharist in mission areas, preach, teach religion … and even witness marriages for the Church.
Asked whether he thought deacons should be allowed to marry, the Cardinal said that this is a “delicate” point and that he believes the “door should be left open so that the Holy See, acting on petitions from bishops’ conferences asking for this, could decide on the conditions … and issue the proper norms” for married deacons.
Father Jorge Mejia
NCWC News Rome correspondent

Basically Cardinal Pell is saying the SSPX is full of...., well, rubbish; duh

Pell dismisses traditionalist leader's attack on Pope

            

George Pell

In this interview the cardinal comments on the recent meeting of the Council of Cardinals with Francis, the reform of the Roman Curia, and Lefebvrist leader Bishop Fellay's attack on the Pope

gerard o'connell rome
The Australian cardinal George Pell, one of the eight cardinals that Pope Francis has chosen to advice  him, agreed to talk about his experience of their historic meeting (October 1-3) with the Holy Father on the understanding that “the only substantial information” available about that gathering is what Fr Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, gave to the media. “Anything that I might say will be peripheral to that”, he said; and “as one of the Pope’s councilors, I see that part of my task is to defend and explain the Holy Father, to support him in his role”.  
 
On that basis, I interviewed him in Rome, October 17, five days after Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior-General of the Society of Saint Pius X, speaking in Kansas City, had launched a harsh attack on Pope Francis. I began by asking him to comment on that attack.
 
Bishop Fellay has denounced Pope Francis as “a genuine modernist”, and charged that while the Church was “a disaster” before he was elected, he is making it “10,000 times worse”. What do you say to this?
To put it politely, I think that’s absolute rubbish!   Francis said he’s a loyal son of the Church, and his record shows that.  He’s very, very concerned for the day-to-day life of the people, and for those who are suffering, those not well off and those in difficult situations.  He’s a completely faithful exponent of Christ’s teaching and the Church’s tradition.   
 
So people like Fellay have completely misread Pope Francis?
Yes, it is a gigantic misreading!  In actual fact, the Lefebvrists – many of them - have misread the situation for decades.  It was to Benedict’s great credit that he tried to reconcile with them, but they didn’t respond. Now the Church today accepts the Second Vatican Council. You don’t have to accept every jot and tittle of it, but it is part of Church’s life now, there’s no way around that.
 
An Argentinean theologian, Father Carlos Galli, recently told me that he sees “the elder brother syndrome” emerging in the Church as Pope Francis goes out more and more to meet the prodigal sons.  What do you say to that?
Well I think it is up to us elder-brothers, unlike the elder-brother in the parable, to get behind the father as he goes to meet the prodigal son.   It’s our task to help him in that, to defend him.
 
You and the other seven cardinal advisors had an unprecedented opportunity to sit and discuss with the Pope for three days on matters relating to the governance of the universal Church and the reform of the Roman Curia. What did it feel like being in that meeting?
I think we were all very much aware of the significance of the occasion.  Nobody seems to know how long ago it is since a Pope has had such a regular group of advisors outside the Roman Curia, or what you might call a regular consistory. 
 
In the Council of 8 Cardinals, and also in the Council of the Synod of Bishops of which I am also a member, the discussions were substantial, frank and friendly.  The Pope didn’t have a great deal to say but he is a very good listener.  He asked people to speak freely, he wanted us to speak our mind. He doesn’t like flattery, and I suspect he sees through it quite efficiently.   We didn’t waste time; the discussions were useful and substantial, and he didn’t take offense at anything we said. We are councilors. We are there to offer advice, and he is certainly free to accept, reject or modify it.  We all realize this and we appreciate the opportunity that the Holy Father has given to us cardinals from all around the Church. I think all this will be for the long term benefit of the Church. I don’t think it is good for popes to be isolated. Our terms of reference are brief, not highly developed.  We are to talk about the governance of the universal Church and the reform of the Roman Curia.  Obviously other things will come up; he mentioned the topic of marriage and family life.
 
The 8 Cardinals will have another meeting with Pope Francis on December 3-5, and again in February 2014.  One gets the impression that the Pope is pushing ahead to reach a rapid conclusion at least on the reform of the Roman Curia.   Is that a correct read?
I think that’s a reasonable expectation, whether it will work out like that I don’t know.  I think we’ll probably meet every two months, at least until the middle of next year. It’s no secret that the cardinals in the pre-conclave meetings wanted very significant improvements in the life of the Roman Curia, and I believe that Pope Francis is completely committed to that.

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Episcopal Priest inspired by Pope Francis; says many will return to Rome

DeVaul: Pope is refreshing, renewing all Christians

 

  

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By THE REV. PHIL DEVAUL / GUEST COLUMNIST

A few years ago, during the papacy of Benedict XVI, a colleague of mine mentioned to me that he loved whenever the pope made a particularly divisive or poorly received public statement. He said it meant more ex-Catholics would soon be making their way to the Episcopal Church.
I have no idea whether or not my friend's statement had any statistical backing, or was merely anecdotal – all I remember was how sad it made me to hear him say it.

Pope Francis greets the faithful as he arrives for his weekly General Audience in St. Peter Square at the Vatican on Wednesday.

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO, AP

Jesus gave his life to the task of bringing God's love, grace, compassion, healing, joy, justice and truth into the lives of every single person he met. Jesus lived, died and was raised for the purpose of bringing the world into a real, meaningful, lasting relationship with God.
Ultimately, if we are followers of Jesus, fostering this relationship should be our primary (and secondary and tertiary) concern. Making sure people have a relationship with God exactly the same way we do is short-sighted. We want people to comprehend the height and depth and width and breadth of God's love for them – and our desire for this knowledge should trump our desire for how it comes to pass.
I write all of this with Pope Francis in mind.
Put simply, the new head of the Roman Catholic Church is blowing everyone's minds. He is saying and doing things that seem like fresh water in the midst of a desert. He is speaking and acting with compassion, honesty and generosity of spirit. His wisdom is grounded in love. My guess is that Pope Francis is going to bring a lot of people back to Rome.
This is fantastic. What's more, if some ex-Romans find themselves leaving our churches to return, then God bless them on their way.
There is a story in the Gospel of Mark where a man who is not one of the 12 disciples is going around driving out demons in Jesus' name. The disciples, of course, don't like this, but Jesus basically shrugs his shoulders and says that if this man is doing God's work in Jesus' name, it can only be a good thing – even if this man is not following the same path as the disciples.
We are all in this together. We want people to know what it means to be loved by God. When a Christian leader drives people away from the church, all Christians are injured. When a Christian leader brings people into a deeper understanding of the grace of God, everyone wins.
Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox – we are all refreshed, renewed and raised up by Pope Francis.
Someone asked me recently if he makes me want to be Roman Catholic.
No.
Something more important: He makes me proud to be a Christian.
And, of course, he'd be welcome in the Episcopal Church any time.

- Philip DeVaul is priest in charge at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Costa Mesa.

When do you pray?

Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 375 - When to Pray

When should a person pray?

From the earliest times Christians have prayed at least in the morning, at meals, and in the evening. Someone who does not pray regularly will soon not pray at all.

Anyone who loves another person and all day long never gives that person a sign of his love does not really love him. So it is with God, too. Anyone who truly seeks him will keep sending him signals of his longing for his company and friendship. Get up in the morning and give the day to God, asking for his blessing and to "be there" in all your meetings and needs. Thank him, especially at mealtimes. At the end of the day, place everything into his hands, ask him for forgiveness, and pray for peace for yourself and others. A great dayfull of signs of life that reach God. (YOUCAT question 499)

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Dig Deeper: CCC section (2697-2698) and other references here.

Vienna Nun and Nurse; another of those beatified by Bl. Pope JPII

Bl. Maria Restituta

                                 

Bl. Maria Restituta

 

Feastday: October 29
1894 - 1943
Beatified By: 21 June 1998 by John Paul II

Sister Maria Restituta (1 May 1894, Husovice, Austria-Hungary (now part of Brno, Czech Republic) – 30 March 1943, Vienna, Austria) was a nun and a nurse. Her birthname was Helen Kafka.[1] She was a shoemaker's daughter.

 

from Wikipedia

Sister Maria Restituta (1 May 1894, Husovice, Austria-Hungary (now part of Brno, Czech Republic) – 30 March 1943, Vienna, Austria) was a nun, nurse, who was martyred at the hands of the then national-socialist regime. Her birthname was Helena Kafka.^[1]

 

Life[edit]

Born on 1 May 1894, the sixth daughter of a shoemaker in Husovice in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire,^[2] she was baptised Helena.^[3] When she was two years old, her family moved to Vienna, the capital, and home to a Czech migrant community, where she grew up. She worked as a salesclerk and then as a nurse^[4] at the Lainz public hospital.
While working as a nurse, she met the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity and entered their community in 1914, at the age of 20. She took the name Restituta after a 4th-century Christian martyr.^[2] After the First World War, she began working as a nurse at the Mödling hospital, eventually becoming the leading surgical nurse.
The Mödling hospital was not spared the effects of the 1938 Anschluss. When the Nazis took over Austria, Sister Restituta was very vocal in her opposition to the new regime. "A Viennese cannot keep her mouth shut", she said.^[3] When a new hospital wing was constructed, Sister Restituta hung a crucifix in every room. The Nazis demanded the crosses be taken down and the sister refused.^[4] The Nazis demanded that the crosses be removed, threatening Sr Restituta's dismissal. The crucifixes were not removed, nor was Sr Restituta, since her community said they could not replace her.^[3]
She was denounced by a doctor who fanatically supported the Nazis. On Ash Wednesday 1942 (18 February of that year), after coming out of the operating theatre Sr. Mary Restituta was arrested by the Gestapo and accused not only of hanging the crosses but also of having written a poem mocking Hitler.^[3] On 29 October 1942 she was sentenced to death by the guillotine by the Volksgerichtshof for "favouring the enemy and conspiracy to commit high treason". The Nazis offered her freedom if she would abandon the Franciscan sisters, but she refused.^[2] When a request for clemency reached the desk of Martin Bormann, a high ranking Nazi official, he replied that her execution would provide “effective intimidation” for others who might want to resist the Nazis.^[4] She spent the rest of her days in prison caring for other prisoners. She was beheaded on 30 March 1943.^[2] She was 48 years old.

Veneration[edit]

On 21 June 1998, on the occasion of Pope John Paul II's visit to Vienna, Sister Maria Restituta was beatified.
Blessed Maria Restituta, the only Sister to be condemned to death under the national-socialist regime, was commemorated on the evening of 4 March 2013, in the Basilica of St Bartholomew on Tiber Island, with a liturgy of the word at which Cardinal Christoph Schönborn presided. During the rite the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity gave to the Basilica a small cross which Maria Restituta carried on the belt of her habit. The relic was placed in the chapel which remembers the martyrs of nationalist socialism.^[5]
She was a lady who, with a renewing strength, was able to give an example of freedom of expression and of responsibility of the individual conscience – even in difficult circumstances, animated by a virtue that is at times inconvenient: courage.^[5] "It does not matter how far we are separated from everything, no matter what is taken from us: the faith that we carry in our hearts is something no one can take from us. In this way we build an altar in our own hearts", the religious wrote in a letter from prison.^[5]

Are Deacons called to be Superheroes? So says one Bishop

ARTICLES

Deacon Edward J. Handel, of St. John the Evangelist, Waynesboro, receives the Laying on of Hands from Bishop DiLorenzo.

New Deacons likened to ‘Superheroes’

by Steve Neill
of The Catholic Virginian

I n his exuberance of welcoming 19 men who were presenting themselves to be ordained deacons for the Diocese of Richmond, Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo compared them to “superheroes” comic strip lore and early TV.
Among those he mentioned was Superman, alias Clark Kent, who fought for “Truth, Justice and the American Way.”
Others included Steve Rogers and, “Let’s not forget, ladies, Wonder Woman,” Bishop DiLorenzo said.

Deacon Philip P. Wilkinson, of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Yorktown, receives the Book of the Gospels from Bishop DiLorenzo.

The bishop made his remarks during the homily at the ordination liturgy, Oct. 19, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
“Dare I suggest that there are elements of a superhero among those of you who are presenting yourself today?” the bishop asked rhetorically.
“You’ve got to be a special kind of person,” he said. “You are willing to get out there and present yourself as a servant leader.
“You certainly are intelligent and you are role models,” Bishop DiLorenzo continued.

Deacon William E. “Eddie” Craig, of Holy Name of Mary, Bedford, makes the promise of obedience.

“Young people look at you and the very fact that you are a public person makes you—in their eyes—a curiosity.”
While acknowledging that the new deacons have goals for their future, he encouraged them to pursue one in particular.
“It’s to be first and foremost in a deep relationship with Jesus Christ,” Bishop DiLorenzo said.
“We’re here as a church, as a community with the lay faithful, your friends and your fellow parishioners.”
In addition to preaching the Word of God and proclaiming the Gospel, deacons are expected to visit the sick and those in nursing homes, and give baptismal instruction to parents of new babies.
“You’ll probably be the first contact with the Church many have had in a long time,” Bishop DiLorenzo said.

Wives assisted in the Investiture with Stole and Dalmatic. At the left are Deacon Stanley J. Stefanowicz, of St. John the Evangelist, Marion, and Christ the King, Abingdon, with his wife, Patricia.

He also addressed the deacon’s role in marriage preparation where they could expect challenges.
“Sometimes it doesn’t fit the nice and neat categories you and I were raised in,” he said.
He spoke of other ways in which a deacon might serve in parish ministry, depending on his skills.
“Our parishes need deacons who have a sense of finance and some could be business managers,” Bishop DiLorenzo suggested.
Others could provide outreach to the poor and to persons with disabilities.
“This is the exciting work and challenge of being a deacon,” he said and concluded, “For that, we thank you for coming forward. We thank your wives, your families.
“I thank the priests who will be working with you."

Service must always bring Jesus & The Good News!

Pope Francis: Catholic aid agencies that don’t ‘bring Jesus and his Gospel’ are ‘dead’

by John-Henry Westen

• Mon Oct 28, 2013

 

ROME, October 28, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Building on a theme that has become a favourite of his, Pope Francis, in an address last week, said that the Catholic Church “is not a shop, a humanitarian agency, an NGO” and that missionary efforts must primarily be concerned with bringing people the message of Jesus.
The Pope compared the Church to Mary, whom he described as the “model of charity.” When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, he said, she “brought not only material help — she brought this too — but she also brought Jesus, who was already alive in her womb. Bringing Jesus into that house meant bringing joy, the fullness of joy. ”

“In this, the Church is like Mary,” he continued. “The Church is not a shop, she is not a humanitarian agency, the Church is not an NGO. The Church is sent to bring Christ and his Gospel to all. She does not bring herself — whether small or great, strong or weak, the Church carries Jesus and should be like Mary when she went to visit Elizabeth.
“What did Mary take to her? Jesus. The Church brings Jesus: this is the centre of the Church, to carry Jesus! If, as a hypothesis, the Church were not to bring Jesus, she would be a dead Church. The Church must bring Jesus, the love of Jesus, the charity of Jesus.”
The pope was addressing between 85,000 and 100,000 pilgrims who had come to Rome for the weekly general audience on Wednesday last week.
The comments came as no surprise to those who have followed Francis’ speeches since his election. As early in his papacy as March 14^th, Francis warned against the Church becoming a “compassionate NGO.”
At his first Mass as pope in the Sistine Chapel, Francis said, “If we do not confess to Christ, what would we be? We would end up a compassionate NGO. What would happen would be like when children make sand castles and then it all falls down.”
Again, in off the cuff remarks in April in the sermon of his daily homilies, Pope Francis said the Church must avoid becoming “bureaucratic”. “It’s a love story,” he said. “…Offices are required, OK! but they are necessary up to a certain point: as an aid to this love story. But when organization takes first place, love falls down and the Church, poor thing, becomes an NGO. And this is not the way forward."
In June, Pope Francis again said at a morning Mass that the Church must avoid becoming an NGO. “The proclamation of the Gospel must follow the path of poverty. The testimony of this poverty: I have no wealth, my wealth is the gift I received, God: this gratuity is our wealth! And this poverty saves us from becoming managers, entrepreneurs,” he said.
“And when we find the apostles who want to build a rich Church and a Church without the gratuitousness of praise, the Church becomes old, the Church becomes an NGO, the Church becomes lifeless.”
Following this theme, Terrence Prendergast, the archbishop of Ottawa and the pontiff’s fellow member of the Jesuit order, in a speech on October 16^th to charitable donors, quoted the pope at his first homily after the papal election saying, “We can walk as much as we want, we can build many things, but if we do not profess Jesus Christ, things go wrong. We may become a charitable NGO, but not the Church, the Bride of the Lord.”
“When we do not profess Jesus Christ, the saying of Léon Bloy comes to mind: ‘Anyone who does not pray to the Lord prays to the devil.’ When we do not profess Jesus Christ, we profess the worldliness of the devil, a demonic worldliness.
Archbishop Prendergast continued, “That is a strong challenge to all of us! Especially to those entrusted with the Catholic mission in education, health care, social justice, development, and the various corporal works of mercy. No matter how well we do that work with professional competence, if we do not profess Jesus Christ, we run the risk of a ‘demonic worldliness,’ to use the blunt language of Pope Francis.”
Efforts from the Vatican to reform Catholic aid agencies, to orient them more towards their original purpose of spreading the religious message of the Church as well as providing practical material and medical aid, started under Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
Recently a large number of Catholic international aid agencies - Development and Peace in Canada, Catholic Relief Services in the US and CAFOD in Britain - have come under close scrutiny for their work with secular organisations that promote values opposed to Catholic moral and social teaching. In January this year, Pope Benedict called on aid agencies to refuse partnerships with such groups. Benedict said January 19^th, in an address to the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and its president, Cardinal Robert Sarah, “We must exercise a critical vigilance and at times refuse funding and collaborations that, directly or indirectly, favour actions or projects that are at odds with Christian anthropology.”
Benedict’s address followed the release of a juridical document, called a Motu Proprio, ordering the reform of Catholic charitable agencies, particularly of the Vatican-sponsored international umbrella group, Caritas International.
“The Church’s charitable activity at all levels must avoid the risk of becoming just another form of organized social assistance,” Pope Benedict wrote. “The collective charitable initiatives to which this Motu Proprio refers, are required to follow Catholic principles in their activity.”

Where do you pray?

Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 374 - Where to Pray

Can you pray anywhere?

Yes, you can pray anywhere. Nevertheless a Catholic will always look also for those places where God "dwells" in a special way. Above all these are Catholic churches, where our Lord is present in the tabernacle under the appearance of bread.

It is very important for us to pray everywhere: in school, on the subway, during a party, in the midst of our friends. The whole world has to be drenched with blessings. But it is also important for us to visit sacred places, where God waits for us, so to speak, so that we can rest in his presence, be strengthened, replenished, and sent forth by him. A genuine Christian is never just sightseeing when he visits a church. He lingers a moment in silence, adores God, and renews his friendship and love for him. (YOUCAT question 498)

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Dig Deeper: CCC section (2685-2696) and other references here.

More information on the Apostle St. Simon the Zealot

St. Simon the Zealot

                                 

St. Simon the Zealot

 

Feastday: October 28
Died: 65 or 107

Simon was surnamed the Zealot for his rigid adherence to the Jewish law and to the Canaanite law. He was one of the original followers of Christ. Western tradition is that he preached in Egypt and then went to Persia with St. Jude, where both suffered martyrdom. Eastern tradition says Simon died peacefully at Edessa. His feast day is October 28th.

More information of the Apostle, St. Jude

St. Jude Thaddaeus

                                 

St. Jude Thaddaeus

 

Feastday: October 28
Patron of Desperate Cases

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. St. Jude was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus.

Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.

He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia. The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the third century of our era.

Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. Little else is known of his life. Legend claims that he visited Beirut and Edessa; possibly martyred with St. Simon in Persia.

Jude is invoked in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them. Therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases and his feast day is October 28. Saint Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot who betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin and lack of trust in God's mercy.

The Feast of Two Apostles

October 28

Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles

Feast

“Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, ‘Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him’” (John 14:22-23).[1]
Saints Simon and Jude were two of the Apostles. In the Gospel of Luke, Simon is called “the Zealot,” meaning he may have belonged to a radical anti-Roman group. Jude, the son of James, spoke with Jesus at the Last Supper. According to Passion of Simon and Jude, an apocryphal text, the two saints preached and were martyred together in Persia. These Apostles remind us to execute the will of God with a sense of inquiry and passion.[2][

Are you following the Pope on Twitter?

Pope's Twitter account attracts 10 million followers

 

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Pope Francis greets the crowd at St Peter's square after a mass on October 27, 2013 at the Vatican (AFP Photo/Alberto Pizzoli)

Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis welcomed news on Sunday that his Twitter account @pontifex had attracted more than 10 million followers.
"Dear Followers I understand there are now over 10 million of you! I thank you with all my heart and ask you to continue praying for me," the pontiff tweeted early Sunday.
Francis's predecessor Pope Benedict XVI had opened the account on December 12, and interest in tweets from the pontiff surged after the Argentine pope was elected in March.
People around the world follow @pontifex in nine languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Polish and Latin.
Followers in Spanish are the largest group at four million, followed by English with three million and over more than million in Italian.

Pray through/with the Saints

Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 373 - Turning to the Saints

Why does it help to turn to the saints when we pray?

Saints are people who are aflame with the Holy Spirit; they keep God's fire burning in the Church. Even during their earthly life, the saints prayed ardently, in a way that was contagious. When we are close to them, it is easy to pray. Of course, we never worship saints; we are allowed, though, to call on them in heaven, so that they may present petitions for us at the throne of God.

Around the great saints developed particular schools of spirituality, which like the colors of the spectrum all point to the pure light of God. They all start with a fundamental element of the faith, so as to lead in each case by a different gate to the center of the faith and devotion to God. Thus Franciscan spirituality starts with poverty of spirit, Benedictine spirituality with the praise of God, and Ignatian spirituality with discernment and vocation. A spirituality to which someone feels attracted, depending on his personal character, is always a school of prayer. (YOUCAT question 497)

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Dig Deeper: CCC section (2683-2684) and other references here.

Apostle of Ethiopia

St. Frumentius

                                 

St. Frumentius

 

Feastday: October 27
Patron of Aksumite Empire
Died: 380

Called “Abuna” or “the fa­ther” of Ethiopia, sent to that land by St. Athanasius. Frumentius was born in Tyre, Lebanon. While on a voyage in the Red Sea with St. Aedesius, possibly his brother, only Frumentius and Aedesius survived the shipwreck. Taken to the Ethiopian royal court at Aksum, they soon attained high positions. Aedesius was royal cup bearer, and Fruementius was a secretary. They introduced Christianity to that land. When Abreha and Asbeha inherited the Ethiopian throne from their father, Frumentius went to Alexandria, Egypt, to ask St. Athanasius to send a missionary to Ethiopia. He was consecrated a bishop and converted many more upon his return to Aksum. Frumentius and Aedesius are considered the apostles of Ethiopia.

On Priesthood Sunday, I remember

This weekend is Priesthood Sunday and unfortunately, most Catholics will never know this.  Some parishes may embrace this, others may simply not know about it and in some cases, Pastors specifically and Priests in general don't like to call attention to themselves.  Of course we all can think of that occasional exception to the rule.

For many of us Catholics, we have never really stopped and thought about the importance of the Priest.  Quite simply: no Priest, no Eucharist.  No Priest, no Reconciliation. 

I hope you have fond memories of Priests.  For me, I lived right next door to a parish rectory.  It was not unusual to look out my bedroom window and see a Priest, cassock and all, walking the property either praying his breviary or reciting the Rosary.  These Priests were Marists who were assigned to several of the parishes in the Algiers community of New Orleans.  The first  Priest I remember well was saintly Fr. Templeton.  Apparently long before I even came along, he helped my family through some difficult times and was well regarded by my grandmother.  He indeed baptized me and as I grew older I have memories of good Fr. Templeton having dinner at our home often.

The next real impactful Priest in my life was Fr. Francis Hannigan.  He too was a Marist and lived next door.  He took a real interest in me as he learned I had no dad and loved baseball.  He loved baseball too and often I watched many a All-Star game or World Series with good Fr. Hannigan.  When in high school I won a local speech contest, he personally recruited me to be a lector.  At 15, there I was lecturing along with all the adults.  Fr. Hannigan also took an interest in my girlfriend from high school and would eventually lead her in RCIA classes, oversee her profession into the Catholic faith, witness our marriage and baptize our first child.  He was a positive presence in my life for many, many years.  I still cringe today that for some unknown reason I was unable to speak at a remembrance service upon his death.  He was a good and holy man and such a great influence in my life!

The next really great experience I had with a Priest would be my first encounter with a Benedictine monk.  Fr. William McCandless was the pastor at the local church in Abita Springs.  He would be the first Priest I went to confession in many years.  His generous words and welcoming me "home", as he put it was the catalyst to my fervent return to the Catholic Church.  Under his influence, I became remarkably active in all aspects of parish life and became involved with the parish council, finance committee and Grand Knight of the local KC Council.  One day, the good monk casually but intentionally mentioned to me the diaconate.  I had no real idea, but two years later I was inquiring about the possibility of a vocation.

When Fr. William returned to the Benedictine Abbey we were introduced to Fr. Robert Cavalier, the first archdiocesan pastor in the history of St. Jane Parish.  His arrival coincided with my letter of acceptance from the Archbishop to begin formal aspirancy and eventually formation to become a Permanent Deacon.  Fr. Robert was my local guidance through many years of formation and I eventually became a Deacon assigned back to him when I was sent home to St. Jane's.  He would also guide me through the difficult transition to being moved to a neighboring parish.  Fr. Robert also played a major role in helping me and my family during my mom's passing.

Fast forward to today where I serve at Most Holy Trinity now under the leadership of Fr. Rodney Bourg.  He is currently overseeing the beginning of the construction of our new church and family life center.  At MHT we are also helped by Fr. Dean Robbins who can balance a good joke with a powerful homily all in 10 minutes.

During formation I was blessed to meet many Priests who would avail themselves to help us along our journey.  At the prison where I minister I too have been blessed by the help of many Priests, most notably Fr. Pat Collum who gives two nights a month to bring Mass and Reconciliation to the inmates.

I hope you too will have some time this weekend, or in the week ahead, to reflect and remember those Priests in your life.  Can we all join together and pray for our Priests on this Priesthood Sunday!

This is Priesthood Sunday

About Priesthood Sunday

Together we can make a difference!

One afternoon, I was waiting for Mass to start at St. John’s and there was no priest. Some nuns were visiting from New York and they said they didn’t have a priest in all their parishes anymore, and that Eucharistic services were common. I thought, “What would it be like if there were no priests?” And I asked myself, “What are you doing about it?”
-- Elizabeth Shrier, Serra Club of Omaha, NE

What is "Priesthood Sunday"?

Priesthood Sunday, the last Sunday of October, is a special day set aside to honor the priesthood in the United States. It is a day to reflect upon and affirm the role of the priesthood in the life of the Church as a central one.
In the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandal, there has been concern that the image of all priests has been tainted by the actions of a few. Priesthood Sunday sends a message to all that the sins of a few do not reflect the innocent majority, and that the parish priest, as the instrument of Christ's ministry on earth, is loved and respected by those in the parish community.
This nationwide event is coordinated by the USA Council of Serra International. It is sponsored by the USA Council of Serra International and the Serra International Foundation.

What happens on Priesthood Sunday?

The lay faithful of all parishes in the country develop their own special way of marking the day and honoring their parish priests both at Mass and other parish events, such as social celebrations and school activities.
Priesthood Sunday was designed to be an event led by the laity, but your parish priest can participate by talking about how he experienced and answered his own calling, the need for vocations to keep the priesthood vital, and about priests who have inspired him.
Priesthood Sunday will also offer an opportunity for priests and their parishioners to build a stronger working relationship for the future. Together, they can dialogue to take an honest look at the challenges of the future and how they can collaborate to meet those challenges as a united force.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: USA Council of Serra International
             888-777-6681
             serraus@serraus.org

August 19, 2013

PRIESTHOOD SUNDAY:

Catholics honor priests in nationwide event

In October 2013, Catholic parishes throughout the United States will show support for their priests with prayer, celebration and dialogue. The last Sunday of October is designated as Priesthood Sunday, a one-day celebration of the priesthood organized by parish lay leaders and coordinated by the USA Council of Serra International.

“The purpose of Priesthood Sunday is to engage every level of the church in the United States in a national conversation about the priesthood,” said Rev. Richard Vega, President of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils. NFPC represents more than 26,000 U.S. priests.

Priesthood Sunday was established in 2003 to provide a way for Catholic communities to express appreciation for the devoted priests who serve them so faithfully despite recent negative attention in the media. Such a celebration is increasingly relevant in light of the declining number of priests in the U.S. Only about 4,000 of the 19,000 parishes in this country currently have more than one priest. Many priests serve two or more parishes by themselves.

The lay faithful of each parish, school or other ministry are asked to develop their own special way of marking the day and honoring both priesthood and their own priests. Special liturgies, Priesthood Sunday celebrations and the opening of a dialogue between priests and parishioners are encouraged. Priesthood Sunday is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of October, but some dioceses and parishes may celebrate at a different time to coincide with other planned events.

Lay parish leaders are invited to visit www.priestsunday.org for suggested liturgies, social celebrations, reflections, and downloadable graphics, guides and posters. Requests for printed material may be directed to 888.777.6681.

“Affirming and supporting our priests are some of the most important things that we can do as Serrans,” says Gary Davis, past president of the USA Council of Serra International, the non-profit organization coordinating Priesthood Sunday. The USA Council is responsible for disseminating information to parishes interested in honoring their priests on this very special day. “Our priests give of themselves every day in so many different ways. It is an honor to recognize them in a manner in which entire parishes may join together in an outpouring of appreciation,” said Davis.

Priesthood Sunday is coordinated and sponsored by the USA Council of Serra International. Serra International is a worldwide Catholic organization of lay men and women dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life. More than 10,000 members in over 280 clubs are active in the United States. The USA Council is available at the number above or at www.serraus.org. The USA Council office is based in Chicago.

 

Praying to/with the Holy Spirit

Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 372 - The Holy Spirit and Prayer

Why do we need the Holy Spirit when we pray?

The bible says, "We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words" (Rom 8:26).

Praying to God is possible only with God. It is not primarily our accomplishment that our prayer actually reaches God. We Christians have received the Spirit of Jesus, who wholeheartedly yearned to be one with the Father: to be loving at all times, to listen to each other with complete attention, to understand each other thoroughly, to want wholeheartedly what the other person wants. This holy Spirit of Jesus is in us, and he is speaking through us when we pray. Basically prayer means that from the depths of my heart, God speaks to God. The Holy Spirit helps our spirit to pray. Hence we should say again and again, "Come, Holy Spirit, come and help me to pray." (YOUCAT question 496)

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Dig Deeper: CCC section (2670-2682) and other references here.

Became a king instead of a cleric but remained faithful to the Church

St. Alfred the Great

                                 

St. Alfred the Great

 

Feastday: October 26
848 - 899

King of Wessex, scholar, and renowned Christian monarch. Alfred was born in 849, the fifth son of the Wessex king. During a journey to Rome in 853, he was accepted as a godson by Pope Leo IV . He was a great scholar, translating classics for his people, and early on seemed destined for a career in the Church. Instead, he became king and was forced to spend most of his reign in conflict with the Danes who were then threatening England. His work as a patron of the arts, literature, and especially the Church made him a beloved figure in England.

It's a beautiful cool Friday night and I have a date with wallpaper; all because of Calvin

Down in these parts we wait very patiently for days and evenings like this.  At 9 P.M. we are experiencing cool temps in the upper 40's.  It could not be more delightful.  Sounds like a great evening to maybe go out for dinner, take in a high school football game down the road or just sit out on the porch and soak in all this autumn feel good air.  At the Talbot abode, it is none of the above.  The better half has me helping her rip and destroy and discard decades old wallpaper in the living room and the hallway.  She's still at it; I've surrendered.  However, after just 2 hours, the wallpaper is gone, not a hint of it.  Unfortunately, the better half now feels motivated to let the painting begin!  For me, I bow out gracefully here; I have work at the bank in the morning and ministry all weekend long.

Why are we ripping wallpaper and painting.  Amazingly, after living on our 10-acre paradise for 18 years, we have never done much to the place except paint here or repair something there.  But that was B.C.; before Calvin!!  Yes, finally, after what will be 15 months of life, and Pops & Nona traveling there; Calvin, with mom & dad, is coming here!!!  The big event is still 6 to 7 weeks off, and thank goodness because Extreme Make Over, Talbot edition, is far from complete.  Once again, I refer to my better half, who has declared from on high that we will change out all the flooring in the entire house, get brand new kitchen counter tops, paint 4 rooms, hang new light fixtures, purchase various new furnishings and have the driveway redone from the road to the front door.  Now a dollar figure will not be offered up here to keep the peace and prevent me from a momentary seizure, but this is slightly more than significant.  I never knew Calvin's arrival in southeast Louisiana would be so, well, expensive.

Now no one should take any of this wrong; Calvin's anticipated arrival is something I am looking forward to with profound joy.  I cannot wait to see him, and mom & dad too, in my own home.  In fact, this will be the first time all of my family will even meet him.  And I guess the secondary bit of good news; it will be the first time the Talbot clan will get to mess up my expensive renovations.

Looking forward, there is much work to be done as Wendy begins painting the living room and we continue to change-out this and fix-up that.  And along the way, we both dutifully go to work, I attend to my many ministry responsibilities and then there is always the never ending grass to be cut.

Yes, it is the most beautiful evening of the year since last March.  And we wrestled with wallpaper and paint.  It is well worth it and it served again tonight as a great reminder: I love being Calvin's Pops and I love the amazing commitment of my better half, in absolutely everything she undertakes. 

And yet, we are all reminded, it's not what we do, but who we are that really counts!

Why? Because in whatever we do because of who we are, it's the gift of presence that really is the best present ever!