First apologist for the faith and 2nd century martyr. Wrote of the Catholic Mass in 155 AD and it's still the same today!

                        

St. Justin

Facts

Feastday: June 1

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All the voices around Justin clamored that they had the truth he sought so desperately. He had listened to them all since he first came to Rome to get his education. They each shouted that they held the one and only answer but he felt no closer to the truth than when he had started his studies. He had left the Stoic master behind but the Stoics valued discipline as truth and thought discussion of God unnecessary. He had rejected the Peripatetic who seemed more interested in money than discussion. The Pythagorean had rejected him because he didn't know enough music and geometry -- the things that would lead him to truth. He had found some joy with the Platonists because the contemplation of ideas gave wings to his mind, but they had promised wisdom would let him see God and so, where was God?
There was one place that Justin always escaped to in order to get away from these shouting, confusing voices and search out the quiet inner voice that led him to truth. This place was a lonely spot, a path that seemed made for him alone in a field by the sea. So sure was he of the isolation of his retreat that he was shocked one day to find an old man following him.
The old man was not searching for truth but for some of his family. Nonetheless they began a discussion in which Justin identified himself as a philologian, a lover of reason. The old man challenged him -- why was he not a lover of truth, a lover of deeds. Justin told him that reason led to truth, and philosophy led to happiness. This was certainly an interesting thing for Justin to say since he had not found the truth in the study of reason or happiness in his quest among the philosophers! Perhaps the old man sensed this for he asked for Justin's definition of philosophy and of happiness.
In the long discussion that followed, Justin spoke eloquently to the old man's searching questions but even Justin had to admit that philosophers may talk about God but had never seen him, may discuss the soul but didn't really know it. But if the philosophers whom Justin admired and followed couldn't, then nobody could, right?
The old man told him about the ancient prophets, the Hebrew prophets, who had talked not of ideas but of what they had seen and heard, what they knew and experienced. And this was God. The old man ended the conversation by telling Justin to pray that the gates of light be opened to him.
Inflamed by this conversation, Justin sought out the Scriptures and came to love them. Christ words "possess a terrible power in themselves, and are sufficient to inspire those who turn aside from the path of rectitude with awe; while the sweetest rest is afforded those who make a diligent practice of them."
Why hadn't Justin known about Christianity before with as much as he had studied? He had heard about it, the way other pagans of second century Rome had, by the rumors and accusations that surrounded the persecution of Christians. The fearlessness of their actions made him doubt the gossip, but he had nothing else to go by. Christians at that time kept their beliefs secret. They were so afraid that outsiders would trample on their sacred faith and descrate their mysteries that they wouldn't tell anyone about their beliefs -- even to counteract outright lies. To be honest, there was good reason for their fears -- many actors for example performed obscene parodies of Christian ritual for pagan audiences, for example.
But Justin believed differently. He had been one of those outsiders -- not someone looking for trouble, but someone earnestly searching for the truth. The truth had been hidden from him by this fear of theirs. And he believed there were many others like him. He exhorted them that Christians had an obligation to speak of their faith, to witness to others about their faith and their mysteries.
So Justin took his newfound faith to the people. This layman became the first great apologist for Christianity and opened the gates of light for so many others. He explained baptism and Eucharist. He explained to the pagans why they didn't worship idols and why that didn't make them atheists. He explained to the Jews how Christians could worship the same God but not follow Jewish laws. He explained to the Greeks and the philosophers how philosophy did not take into account the dignity of humankind. He wrote long arguments known as apologies and traveled to other lands in order to debate publicly. His long education in philosophy and rhetoric gave him the skills he needed to match his oponents and the Holy Spirit gave him the rest.
It is not surprising that Justin was arrested during the persecution under Marcus Aurelius. Along with four others (Chariton, Charites, Paeon, and Liberianus) he was brought before the Roman prefect, Rusticus, to be accused under the law that required sacrificing to idols. When Rusticus demanded that they "Obey the gods at once, and submit to the kings," Justin responded, "To obey the commandments of our Saviour Jesus Christ is worthy neither of blame nor of condemnation."
When Rusticus asked what doctrines he believed, Justin told him that he had learned all the doctrines available during his quest but finally submitted to the true doctrines of the Christians, even though they didn't please others. (An understatement when he was under danger of death!)
When Rusticus asked where the Christians gathered, Justin gave a response that gives us insight into Christian community and worship of the time: "Where each one chooses and can: for do you fancy that we all meet in the very same place? Not so; because the God of the Christians is not circumscribed by place; but being invisible, fills heaven and earth, and everywhere is worshipped and glorified by the faithful."
When Rusticus asked each of them if they were a Christian, they all responded the same way: "Yes, I am a Christian." When Rusticus tried to put responsibility for this on Justin, they responded that God had made them Christians.
Just before Rusticus sentenced them he asked Justin, "If you are killed do you suppose you will go to heaven?" Justin said, "I do not suppose it, but I know and am fully persuaded of it."
Justin and his fellow martyrs were beheaded in the year 165 and went to be with the Truth Justin had longed for all his life. He is often known as Justin Martyr and his works are still available.

June Prayer Intentions of the Holy Father

Let's prayer with the Holy Father in June!

June

• Unemployed. That the unemployed may receive support and find the work they need to live in dignity.
• Faith in Europe.  That Europe may rediscover its Christian roots through the witness of believers.

A new month, for now, means face time with my grandson!

Yes, I know, usually I post about June 1st reminding myself and my readers that it is the beginning of real summer, it's hot, it's rainy and June ushers in the six month season of hurricanes.  Oh June!  But June is the month of my wedding anniversary, the month of some pretty powerful devotions in the life of the Church and the time for weddings, ordinations and some left over graduations.


Yet tonight I'm too tired and excited all at once to blog on about all the above.  My personal calendar this year takes me and the wife to North Carolina where almost the entire 1st week of June will be devoted to Calvin!  We got to spend about 2 hours with #1 grandson tonight between our arrival and his bedtime.  It sure is good to see him.  Of course mom and dad are there too and we are so glad to see them as well.  Calvin, despite weekly Skype sessions, usually needs some time to warm up to us.  Such was the case tonight too but all was warm and fuzzy when he went to bed.  Tomorrow through Wednesday we will get to spend all day with Calvin and half a day Thursday; all worth the trip!


Here is the 1st of many pictures to come in the week ahead:

Travel update

After working full days my wife and I packed up the van and began the long trek north and east to be with #1 grandson.  We did not get to leave until 6:30 so we are resting our heads tonight in, wait for it:  beautiful Tuscaloosa Alabama!   And yes, I am rocking the purple and gold.


This represents about 30-32% of the total mileage and hours all the way to North Carolina.  So we hope to be at it early so we can arrive late afternoon or early evening.


Progress!


Blogging resumes tomorrow evening, unless I can't sleep in this Crimson Tide hotel room!

A Vietnamese Martyr canonized by Saint John Paul II

St. Thomas Du

Facts

Feastday: May 31
Death: 1839
Canonized By: Pope John Paul II

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Vietnamese martyr. A native of Vietnam, he entered the Dominicans as a tertiary and aided the Catholic cause in Vietnam until his arrest by authorities. He was tortured and finally beheaded. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1988.

2025 is a long way off but WOW; Pope and Patriarch working toward "being one"

Pope, Orthodox Patriarch look to new meeting at Nicea

Catholic World News - May 30, 2014

Pope Francis and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople have agreed to plan for an ecumenical meeting to be held in Nicea in 2025, the AsiaNews service reports. Patriarch Bartholomew revealed that he and the Roman Pontiff had “agreed to leave as a legacy to ourselves and our successors a gathering in Nicaea in 2025, to celebrate together, after 17 centuries, the first truly ecumenical synod, where the Creed was first promulgated.” The Council of Nicea, held in 325, brought together over 300 bishops and approved the formula of faith now known as the Nicene Creed. Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch chose Nicea—now known as Iznik, Turkey—as the site for a council that could bring together Eastern and Western Christians, as the original Council of Nicea did.

On our way to see #1 grandson Calvin!

I am on my way, with Wendy in tow to see our little man, #1 grandson Calvin.


Love this pic from last Christmas here at our place but today we are North Carolina bound!

An Archbisop goes to death row to confirm a killer; wow; what a witness to mercy

Death row inmate confirmed Catholic Sentinel photo by Jon DeBellis Archbishop Alexander Sample prepares to enter Oregon State Penitentiary to confirm death row inmate Gary Haugen. Gary Haugen Robert Pfohman SALEM— One of Oregon's most infamous prisoners Tuesday received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Archbishop Alexander Sample in a heavily-guarded private ceremony in the maximum security prison here. Gary Haugen was convicted in November, 2011 of murdering a fellow inmate while serving a life sentence for the murder of his former girlfriend's mother. Haugen has gained notoriety for dropping his appeals and asking to be executed. A second death row prisoner, Jason Van Brumwell, who was an accomplice with Haugen in the prison killing, wants to die too, arguing that pursuing appeals is pointless. Haugen was sentenced to die for his second murder on December, 2011, but his execution was put on hold by Gov. John Kitzhaber, despite Haugen's pleas to end his life. The Democratic governor has halted all executions for the duration of his time in office. Oregon State Penitentiary, or OSP, as the the high-walled, Belgian razor wire-topped prison fortress on the outskirts of the capital is known, houses 2,100 inmates, including nearly 300 behind bars for sex offender convictions. Thirty-five men are confined to special housing-single occupancy cells on Death Row. The last execution here occurred in May, 1997. On Tuesday afternoon, a shackled Haugen entered the small room followed by three other Catholic death row inmates plus guards. Haugen, who said his heart was pounding, went to the floor and lay face down before his chief shepherd, saying, “I am not worthy to be here.” The prisoners — Haugen, Ricardo Serrano, Conan Hale and Jeff Tiner — were then closed in individual cages that included only a small opening. There were no chairs or pews, so Haugen stood through the entire Mass with a peaceful, gentle expression on his face. Though only a few feet from the archbishop, a sturdy crosshatch of iron kept them apart. Death row inmates are forbidden to touch anyone, so it was unusual when the archbishop reached in to anoint the inmate’s head gently. Haugen was baptized earlier this year. Tiner, who has written letters to the editor to support Catholic causes, is Haugen’s sponsor. During his homily, Archbishop Sample told Haugen and the other men that Jesus experienced being a criminal. He reminded the men they are not alone. “God died on that cross because he loves you,” the archbishop said. Archbishop Sample explained the holy oil used for confirmation. It is infused with sweet-smelling balsam. He told Haugen that now, he is to be “the fragrance of Christ in this place.” The inmates received Communion kneeling as the archbishop reached through the small opening. “I have seen confirmations all spring and there was nothing like this one,” says Deacon Tom Gornick, who directs prison ministry in the archdiocese. The Sacrament of Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments that Catholics receive during their religious upbringing. Catholic doctrine says this sacrament seals the faithful with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and who are strengthened in their Christian life. The Catholic woman who heads the entire state Department of Corrections, Colette Peters, hopes that Haugen may be on the cusp of saving his soul. Peters has transformed life in prison for Oregon inmates through her reforms, introducing many innovative programs to guide prisoners for eventual re-entry into civilian life. For his part, the archbishop is partnering with Peters so he can have better access to his parishioners who live behind bars and cannot get to Mass on weekends. His next series of prison ministry visits will be to women's prisons. He is transformed himself as he passes through tight security screening and is escorted to the chapel by correctional officers, no longer called guards. The 6 foot, 2 inch-tall, 53-year-old  youthful looking churchman has been actively involved in prison ministry since his days as a young cleric in the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan, along Lake Superior in the Upper Michigan Peninsula. Deacon Tom Gornick contributed to this story.

Maid of Orleans, a revered Saint in New Orleans, she was martyrd for the faith at the age of 19

St. Joan of Arc

Facts

Feastday: May 30
Patron of soldiers and France
Birth: 1412
Death: 1431

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St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France. On January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc was born to pious parents of the French peasant class, at the obscure village of Domremy, near the province of Lorraine. At a very early age, she heard voices: those of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret.
At first the messages were personal and general. Then at last came the crowning order. In May, 1428, her voices "of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret" told Joan to go to the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. For at that time the English king was after the throne of France, and the Duke of Burgundy, the chief rival of the French king, was siding with him and gobbling up evermore French territory.
After overcoming opposition from churchmen and courtiers, the seventeen year old girl was given a small army with which she raised the seige of Orleans on May 8, 1429. She then enjoyed a series of spectacular military successes, during which the King was able to enter Rheims and be crowned with her at his side.
In May 1430, as she was attempting to relieve Compiegne, she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English when Charles and the French did nothing to save her. After months of imprisonment, she was tried at Rouen by a tribunal presided over by the infamous Peter Cauchon, Bishop of Beauvais, who hoped that the English would help him to become archbishop.
Through her unfamiliarity with the technicalities of theology, Joan was trapped into making a few damaging statements. When she refused to retract the assertion that it was the saints of God who had commanded her to do what she had done, she was condemned to death as a heretic, sorceress, and adulteress, and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. She was nineteen years old. Some thirty years later, she was exonerated of all guilt and she was ultimately canonized in 1920, making official what the people had known for centuries. Her feast day is May 30.
Joan was canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.

The Novena to the Holy Spirit; begins tomorrow, Come Holy Spirit

TOMORROW is the beginning of the oldest Novena in the History of the Church, it begins on Friday, Nine Days before Pentecost and ends on Pentecost Sunday. You do not have to be a Catholic to pray this prayer, so I invite all of my friends to pray it with me. Here are the prayers for the First Day (Friday):
To be recited daily during the Novena
PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the
Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples,
deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the
work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may
despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things
that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the
light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the
surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I
may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the
obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God
and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of
Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of
Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in
any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true
disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.
Day 1
FIRST DAY
Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming
radiance give!
The Holy Spirit
Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is
to be feared--sin? Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His
sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the
heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine
Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should
pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us."
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the
Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness all sins, vouchsafe to send forth
from heaven upon us your sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and
Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and
Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.
Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts
PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the
Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples,
deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the
work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may
despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things
that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the
light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the
surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I
may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the
obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God
and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of
Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of
Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in
any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true
disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

The strength of the Permanent Diaconate in the United States

Thanks to Deacon Greg Kendra at Deacon's Bench for summarizing this rather lengthy albeit important report on the Permanent Diaconate in the United States:

USCCB: More than 15,000 permanent deacons now active in the U.S.

May 29, 2014 By Deacon Greg Kandra

A press release from Washington:

The 2013-2014 annual survey of permanent deacons in the United States finds the majority are married Caucasians, and the number at retirement age is on the increase. The survey also finds that U.S. permanent deacons reflect a greater ethnic mix than U.S. priests in general but less of a mix than the general Catholic population.
The findings are outlined in “A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate: A Study for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops 2013-2014.” The study was conducted by the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. The entire report can be found at this link. 
“Ever since their inception into the modern church in the 1960’s, permanent deacons have served generously in our parishes, institutions and communities and remain special gifts to the Church,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “As their median age increases, we must take necessary steps to invite others to hear the Lord’s call to serve as deacons.”
Major findings from arch/dioceses that responded to the survey note the following:
• Chicago, with 745 permanent deacons, has the most permanent deacons, followed by Galveston-Houston (418), Los Angeles (407) and Philadelphia (336). Adjusting for Catholic population size, Latin rite dioceses with the lowest ratio of Catholics per permanent deacon include Fairbanks, Alaska (664 Catholics to every deacon), Lexington, Kentucky (722 Catholics per deacon), Amarillo, Texas (748 Catholics per deacon), and Jefferson City, Missouri (787 Catholics per deacon).
• The 133 Latin Rite responding arch/dioceses (out of 178 arch/dioceses) report a total of 13,866 permanent deacons. The two arch/eparchies (out of 17 arch/eparchies) that responded report 48 permanent deacons. It is estimated that there are as many as 18,725 permanent deacons in the United States today. An estimated 15,191 deacons, or about 82 percent, are active in ministry.
• The Los Angeles Archdiocese has more than 10,000 Catholics per deacon. Other arch/dioceses with high numbers of Catholics per deacon include El Paso, with more than 26,500 Catholics per deacon, Fresno and San Jose in California, with more than 16,000 Catholics per deacon, and San Bernardino with more than 14,000.
• On average, responding arch/dioceses and arch/eparchies report 84 deacons in active ministry. The inactive include 15 percent who are retired, one percent suspended from active ministry, one percent on a leave of absence, and two percent inactive for other reasons.
• Ninety-three percent of active deacons are currently married. Four percent are widowers, and two percent have never been married. Less than one percent are divorced or remarried.
• Ninety-four percent of active deacons are at least 50. About a quarter (24 percent) are in their 50s, four in ten (42 percent) are in their 60s, and more than a quarter (28 percent) are 70 or older. Seven in ten active permanent deacons (70 percent) are at least 60. According to Canon Law and the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States, the minimum age for ordination to the permanent diaconate is 35. Nine in ten arch/dioceses (91 percent) have a minimum age requirement for acceptance into the diaconate formation program. The minimum age ranges from 29 to 45, with a median age of 32.
• Dioceses have mandatory ages of retirement from active ministry for deacons. Twelve percent require retirement at age 70; 85 percent at 75, and three percent at another age.
• Seventy-eight percent of active deacons are non-Hispanic whites. Sixteen percent are Hispanic or Latino. Three percent are African American and 3 percent are Asian or Pacific Islander. One percent of active deacons are Native Americans or members of other racial/ethnic groups.
• Active permanent deacons are more diverse racially and ethnically than U.S. priests, although not as diverse as the U.S. Catholic population. According to a national random survey of priests conducted by CARA in 2009, 92 percent of U.S. priests are non-Hispanic whites, 3 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 2 percent are African American or black, and 3 percent are Asian American.
• Six in ten active deacons (60 percent) have at least a college degree. More than one tenth (11 percent) have a graduate degree in a field related to religion or ministry.
• Eighty-three percent of responding arch/dioceses require post-ordination formation of deacons, with a median of 20 hours of post-ordination formation annually.
• Nearly three in ten (28 percent) active deacons have a graduate degree. Almost twice as many have a graduate degree in a field not related to the Diaconate (17 percent) as have one in a religious field such as religious studies, theology, Canon Law, etc., (11 percent).
• One third (32 percent) of active permanent deacons have a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of education. About one in five (18 percent) has some college education or an associate’s degree as their highest level of education. One fifth (20 percent) have a high school degree or GED. Very few active deacons (1 percent) have less than a high school degree.
• During the 2013 calendar year, responding arch/dioceses reported 355 deacons retired from active ministry and 237 died. In 2013, 19 deacons requested laicization.
• Twelve permanent deacons were reported to have left the diaconate to prepare for the priesthood, slightly more than what was reported in 2012 and 2011.
• About one in six (16 percent) active permanent deacons are financially compensated for ministry. Deacons compensated for another parish ministerial position (in addition to their diaconal responsibilities) make up the largest proportion among those compensated for their ministry.
• Among deacons compensated for full-time ministry, three in ten (30 percent) are paid for a full-time ministerial position in a parish, such as director of religious education (DRE) and youth minister.
• Fewer than one in ten deacons in a compensated ministry (8 percent) serve the diocese in a ministerial position (e.g., diocesan DRE, diocesan youth minister) and the same proportion serve in a non-ministerial position, working, for example, in administration, business, finance.
• Almost one in four deacons (23 percent) are financially compensated for ministry in hospitals or in prisons. One in ten (10 percent) is financially compensated for the pastoral care of one or more parishes under Canon 517.2, either full-time or part-time.

Read more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2014/05/usccb-more-than-15000-permanent-deacons-now-active-in-the-u-s/#ixzz339RhdMBz

In case it's not the Ascension in your neighborhood(very likely); Saint of the Day

                        

Martyrs of Toulouse

Facts

Feastday: May 29

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Twelve martyrs put to death by Albigensian heretics nearToulouse, France, on the eve of the feast of the Ascension. Four diocesan priests, three Dominicans, two Benedictines, two Franciscans, and one layman died singing the Te Deum. They were beatified in 1866.

Is tomorrow Ascension Thursday or just Thursday? Is Sunday Ascension Sunday or the 7th Sunday of Easter? Confused?

Ascension Thursday Sunday?

By Scott P. RichertMay 27, 2014

A reader writes:

Why is Ascension Thursday a Holy Day of Obligation in some areas [of the United States] and not others?

This is a very good question. The simple, but confusing, answer is that Ascension is a Holy Day of Obligation everywhere in the United States. (See Holy Days of Obligation in the United States for the complete list.) It's just that, in most dioceses, the celebration is transferred from Thursday (40 days after Easter) to the following Sunday. Since Catholics are already obligated to attend Mass on Sunday, most people don't realize that Ascension is a Holy Day of Obligation--they think they're in church just for Sunday Mass.
The reader continues:

I know it is up to the diocese but WHY would it be a choice at all? I have many friends from other states, and I am the only one who is obligated to attend Mass on Thursday.

Now, we're getting to the heart of the matter. The reader is not quite correct: The decision is not left up to each diocese; rather, each ecclesiastical province in the United States is allowed to decide whether to transfer the celebration of the feast. (An ecclesiastical province is basically one large archdiocese and the dioceses that are historically associated with it. Generally, in the United States, there's one ecclesiastical province per state, with a few exceptions for historical reasons.) All of the ecclesiastical provinces in the United States have chosen to transfer the celebration except for Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and the state of Nebraska. With the exception of Nebraska, each of these is one of the oldest Catholic provinces in the United States, which may explain why they've chosen to stick with tradition.
But why is it a choice at all? The answer, whether we like it or not, is a combination of convenience and pastoral considerations. Attendance at Ascension Thursday Masses had been falling for years before the bishops of the United States, in accordance with canon law, petitioned the Vatican to allow the celebration to be transferred to the following Sunday. That meant that a lot of priests were celebrating extra Masses, while a lot of Catholics were violating a precept of the Church by not celebrating a Holy Day of Obligation.
Which takes us to the reader's final remark:

My feeling is that this is just one more reason for the Catholic Church failing in numbers. People have decided that if these rules can be changed they must not be important, and they ignore the other rules as well.

I Am A Human Being

First I'm aware I'm a child of God...what I pray for is humility...the brute, the bigot and the batterer are also children of God...


Dr. Maya Angelou, died today at the age of 86.


Watch this incredible video, entitled simply, I Am A Human Being:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePodNjrVSsk




Here is the story of her passing today in Winston-Salem, North Carolina:


http://news.yahoo.com/author-maya-angelou-dies-86-north-carolina-151746880.html;_ylt=A0LEVyiZaoZTZTEA1QBXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByaHEyNGMxBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1VJQzFfMQ--

Update on hero Steve Gleason; no whte flags!

Saints hero Steve Gleason home from hospital, ready for next challenge

Jennifer Hale

FOX Sports New Orleans

MAY 26, 2014

Derick E. Hingle / USA TODAY Sports

FOX Sports New Orleans Jennifer Hale

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Updated MAY 26, 2014

     

Former Saints player Steve Gleason is now home from the hospital, ready to conquer the next challenge in his battle against ALS, albeit adjusting once again to a new piece of medical equipment, this one to help him breathe.

One week ago, Gleason had to be hospitalized and undergo a tracheotomy. It's a procedure Gleason was expecting to have done early this summer, but was hoping to postpone until after Memorial Day.

Although Gleason's discharge from the hospital came Sunday afternoon, a little later than expected, the former Saints special teams member is in great spirits and already game-planning about the next move for Team Gleason.  The foundation that Gleason and his wife Michel established has now gained world-wide support in its mission to find a cure for ALS and help patients live more productive lives in the meantime.

Gleason now relies on technology to communicate: he uses his eyes to type messages that a computer simulating his voice then speaks. Like every other aspect of Gleason's public battle with ALS, he is sharing his adjustment to life after his tracheotomy with people.

"Like every other piece of equipment I've acquired (wheelchair, feeding tube), my anticipation and preconceived fear was unfounded with this trake," Gleason said.

Team Gleason's slogan is "No White Flags," a motto Gleason is still living out loud everyday.

"I am persistent like a banana tree," Gleason said after his tracheotomy. "Cut me down, and I will be back before you know it." 

Built schools, offered hospitality, found an order, the patron Saint of skiers

St. Bernard of Montjoux

Facts

Feastday: May 28
Patron of mountaineers, skiers, the Alps
Birth: 923
Death: 1008

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Bernard of Montjoux was probably born in Italy. He became a priest, was made Vicar General of Aosta, and spent more than four decades doing missionary work in the Alps. He built schools and churches in the diocese but is especially remembered for two Alpine hospices he built to aid lost travelers in the mountain passes named Great and Little Bernard, after him. The men who ran them in time became Augustinian canons regular and built a monastery. The Order continued into the twentieth century. He was proclaimed the patron saint of Alpinists and mountain climbers by Pope Pius XI in 1923. He is sometimes fallaciously referred to as Bernard of Menthon and the son of Count Richard of Menthon, which he was not. His feast day is May 28th.
Bernard became patron and protector of skiers because of his four decades spent in missionary work throughout the Alps.

Michigan Bishops stand strong: don't support the play-like dress up act of the heretics womenpriests

Kalamazoo bishop warns Catholics not to participate in 'Womenpriest' ordination ceremony

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By Julie Mack | jmack1@mlive.com The Kalamazoo Gazette
on May 27, 2014 at 9:10 AM

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Bishop Paul Bradley of the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo is warning Catholics not to participate in a ceremony Saturday in which a Three Oaks woman will be ordained by the group Roman Catholic Womenpriests.

Bishop Paul J. Bradley of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.MLive file photo 

The May 31 ceremony for Lillian Lewis, 75, will be held at First Congregational Church in Three Oaks. The ceremony will be conducted by Joan Houk, a Womenpriests bishop.
In a two-page letter inserted in the weekly newsletter distributed at Catholic Masses over the weekend, Bradley strongly criticized the upcoming event as one that will "undermine the unity of the Church." (Click here for a pdf of Bradley's letter.)
"With great sadness, I share with you the serious news that a woman in our diocese is attempting to participate in the simulation of the sacrament of priestly ordination," Bradley wrote.
"... This action will further separate her from the Church in a very grave manner. It also has the potential to cause great confusion for the faithful," the letter said.
The letter does not name Lewis, but says she and direct participants in the ordination will be excommunicated, and those who "give witness and encouragement to this fundamental break with the unity of the people of God place themselves outside of the full community with the Church."
That means, the letter said, they may not receive the sacraments of the Church until they go to confession.
The letter says the Catholic Church teaches that all people have "equal dignity," but because Jesus Christ was a man, the "imagery which God has given can only be respected with and lived with an ordained priesthood reserved to men."
The letter refutes contentions that the Church is punishing contrarian views.
"People are free to believe what they want without coercion," Bradley wrote. "However, when we are baptized, we promise to believe all that God has revealed and all that His Church teaches; no one is forced to be Catholic."
A Chicago native, Lewis grew up Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She earned her bachelor's degree at Mundelein College and her master's in theology at Marquette University, both Catholic institutions.
She worked in as a pastoral associate for 25 years for Catholic congregations in the Chicago area.
She said she knows she will be excommunicated, but feel strongly about that women should be priests.
"I don't work for the church anymore," she said. "My real job now is give witness and stand up for what I believe in."
Roman Catholic Womenpriests was started in Germany in 2002 as a "prophetic organization within an international progressive movement in the Roman Catholic Church," according to its website.
One of its core beliefs is that "women and men are created equal by God and can equally represent Christ in ministry."
The website says it has ordained 145 women worldwide.

Another Pro Life victory in the Lousiana Senate; keeping the evil away from our schools

Louisiana Passes Bill Banning Abortion Clinics From Public Schools

by Steven Ertelt | Baton Rouge, LA | LifeNews.com


The Louisiana state Senate has approved a novel pro-life bill that ensures representatives of abortion clinics don’t have access to public schools.
“HB 305 provides that no representative of a business or organization that performs abortion may provide instruction in schools that receive state funding,” Louisiana Right to Life says. “This will ensure that organizations with financial interest in abortion, like Planned Parenthood, cannot teach children.”
The Senate voted 31-5 Tuesday to give final passage to the measure, which now heads to pro-life Governor Bobby Jindal. He is expected to sign it into law as he has signed so many other pro-life bills.
“Bogalusa Sen. Ben Nevers, a Democrat who handled the bill in the Senate, says the measure makes sure that people with a financial interest in promoting abortion can’t speak to students,” AP reported. “New Orleans Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, a Democrat who opposed the proposal, described it as an effort to keep medically-appropriate sex education out of Louisiana schools.”

Author of HB 305, Rep. Hoffmann (R-West Monroe), said:”This bill isn’t about sex education. This is about abortion businesses teaching in schools.” Proponents of HB 305 also mentioned that teenagers often struggle with post-abortion syndrome which include depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide and guilt.

Dorinda Bordlee, senior counsel with Bioethics Defense Fund who has drafted other key bills stopping abortions in Louisiana, tells LifeNews she is available to help other states get this important legislation in place.
“Louisiana families should know that their children aren’t be targeted by groups that have financial incentives to subtly sell abortion and other irresponsible behavior that is dangerous to the health and safety of children,” she said. She aid pro-life groups should work to “stop abortion organizations from accessing school children.”
The Louisiana Senate also approved two other pro-life bills that will head to Jindal’s desk.

• HB 1262 provides life-saving information about the psychological impact of abortion and on the dangers of the sex trafficking industry to women prior to an abortion.
• HB 1274 provides life-sustaining procedures for pregnant women.

Bordlee said HB 1262 will ensure that victims of sex trafficking who are often coerced into abortion clinics receive a “Point of Rescue” brochure. The Point of Rescue brochure will offer resources for women and girls who are victims of the sex trade. It will also offer women hotlines for free counseling before abortion, as well as post abortion counseling if they are experiencing psychological trauma of abortion or have experienced coercion.

Rep. Badon (D-New Orleans), author of 1274, discussed the importance of life-sustaining care for pregnant women. He said: “This is a simple bill that gives the unborn child a voice in an unfortunate situation”. Senator Nevers also explained why he supports the bill. He said, “If I have to decide, I will side on the side of life”.
Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, also applauded the vote, saying the bills are “common-sense legislation that protects women and unborn children.”

Heart monitors, daily Mass,Crawfish to die for and #1 grandson Calvin!

Yep, that sums up my Memorial Day.  Knowing my work week would be challenging, I opted to have all my medical tests done on a Monday morning, apparently, despite Memorial Day, a regular work day for the medical profession.  Some of you know that since my surgery, I have had a flare up of long-dormant mitral valve prolapse.  This heart condition, usually treatable with medication, can cause scary feeling arrhythmias and in my case, they certainly do.  So I had some tests run early yesterday morning, got equipped with a 48 hour heart monitor(yes, that means no shower until Wednesday).  I even had to do some blood work.  Quite frankly, I was very amazed at the number of folks like me having medical things done too.  As I said, holiday for some, for doctors, nurses and technicians, I guess just another Monday.


The proximity to the medical clinic allowed me to stop in at Mass yesterday morning at MHT.  I was to late to vest and assist and took it in from the pews.  I nice way to offer some prayers for myself, my wife's continued rehab and others facing their own challenges.  Fr. Rodney did a nice job weaving Memorial Day, the feast of St. Philip Neri and the Gospel of the Day into his daily homily.


Meanwhile, back at home, our friends Aimee & Keith were over, doing their usual thing and boiling up when heck of a mess of crawfish.  This was no ordinary crawfish boil because in addition to the mudbugs we added Brussels sprouts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, deer sausage, onions, mushrooms, garlic, oranges, and a whole pineapple.  Everything was so good.  For those of you who live far from me and have no idea what a crawfish boil is; I'm sorry, so, so sorry!


The afternoon was topped off with another great Skype session with Calvin, my #1 grandson!  What a joy that we get to see him grow up week after week despite 12 hours travel time between us.  But guess what, the abitadeacon is on his way to North Carolina soon, real soon!


So I arrive at a Tuesday morning on my way to work, heart monitor in tow and so very thankful to God, for, among many, many things, health, doctors and nurses, life, freedom, my faith, my country, good friends, awesome seafood and #1 grandson and all my family!  Thanks be to God for the gift of another day!

No new news here: Celibacy is a discipline, not a dogma; move on people

Pope says he favours celibacy for priests but door open to change

Pope Francis said late yesterday that he believed that Roman Catholic priests should be celibate but the rule was not an unchangeable dogma, and "the door is always open" to change.
Francis made similar comments when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires but his remarks to reporters on a plane returning from a Middle East trip were the first he has made since becoming pope.
"Celibacy is not a dogma," he said in answer to a question about whether the Catholic Church could some day allow priests to marry as they can in some other Christian Churches.
"It is a rule of life that I appreciate very much and I think it is a gift for the Church but since it is not a dogma, the door is always open," he said.
The Church teaches that a priest should dedicate himself totally to his vocation, essentially taking the Church as his spouse, in order to help fulfil its mission.
However while priestly celibacy is a tradition going back around 1,000 years, it is not considered dogma, or an unchangeable piece of Church teaching.
There has been pressure for change, particularly in the wake of recent sexual abuse scandals with proponents of optional celibacy in the Church arguing that sexual frustrations could drive some priests to sexually abuse children.
But the Church has rejected this argument, saying that paedophilia, whether in the Church or outside of it, is carried out by people with psychological problems.
Priests are allowed to marry in the Anglican and other Protestant churches as well as in the Orthodox Church.

Several days after the Pope's visit, fire reported at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity

Fire damages Bethlehem's Nativity church May 27, 2014 11:26 AM

Pope Francis visits the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem May 25, 2014. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano

BETHLEHEM, Palestine: A fire broke out in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity early Tuesday, just hours after Pope Francis wrapped up a three-day Middle East pilgrimage that saw him visit the shrine.
Bethlehem Governor Abdel-Fatah Hamayel told AFP it was a small fire that had broken out accidentally when an oil lamp fell over just before dawn, causing some damage to fabric wall hangings inside the Grotto of the Nativity itself.
"It was an accident that started when an oil lamp fell over. The fire started on its own, then burned itself out," he said.
The fire, which was discovered at around 4:30 a.m. (0100 GMT) when the security guard smelled smoke, broke out in the cave underneath the 4th-century basilica where Christians believe Mary gave birth to Jesus.
Inside, the charred remains of several brightly-coloured wall hangings hung limply against the cave walls which were blackened with soot. Two ornate icons of Mary holding Jesus sustained smoke damage.
"We have asked those who work there many times to put out the oil lamps and candles when the church closes at 6 p.m.," Hamayel said, adding that similar accidents had happened in the past.
Pope Francis visited the church Sunday after celebrating an open-air mass in Bethlehem's Manger Square at the start of the Israeli-Palestinian leg of his Middle East pilgrimage, which began in Jordan on Saturday.
The basilica, which was built by the Roman emperor Constantine, attracts more than a million pilgrims every year, making it the biggest tourist attraction in the occupied Palestinian territories outside Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/May-27/257831-fire-damages-bethlehems-nativity-church.ashx#ixzz32uo81xMS
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

When England was truly Catholic; a Saint for England

St. Augustine of Canterbury

Facts

Feastday: May 27
Death: 605

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At the end of the sixth century anyone would have said that Augustine had found his niche in life. Looking at this respected prior of a monastery, almost anyone would have predicted he would spend his last days there, instructing, governing, and settling even further into this sedentary life.
But Pope St. Gregory the Great had lived under Augustine's rule in that same monastery. When he decided it was time to send missionaries to Anglo-Saxon England, he didn't choose those with restless natures or the young looking for new worlds to conquer. He chose Augustine and thirty monks to make the unexpected, and dangerous, trip to England.
Missionaries had gone to Britain years before but the Saxon conquest of England had forced these Christians into hiding. Augustine and his monks were to bring these Christians back into the fold and convince the warlike conquerors to become Christians themselves.
Every step of the way they heard the horrid stories of the cruelty and barbarity of their future hosts. By the time they had reached France the stories became so frightening that the monks turned back to Rome. Gregory had heard encouraging news that England was far more ready for Christianity than the stories would indicate, including the marriage of King Ethelbert of Kent to a Christian princess, Bertha. He sent Augustine and the monks on their way again fortified with his belief that now was the time for evangelization.
King Ethelbert himself wasn't as sure, but he was a just king and curious. So he went to hear what the missionaries had to say after they landed in England. But he was just as afraid of them as they were of him! Fearful that they would use magic on them, he held the meeting in the open air. There he listened to what they had to say about Christianity. He did not convert then but was impressed enough to let them continue to preach -- as long as they didn't force anyone to convert.
They didn't have to -- the king was baptized in 597. Unlike other kings who forced all subjects to be baptized as soon as they were converted, Ethelbert left religious a free choice. Nonetheless the following year many of his subjects were baptized.
Augustine was consecrated bishop of the English and more missionaries arrived from Rome to help with the new task. Augustine had to be very careful because, although the English had embraced the new religion they still respected the old. Under the wise orders of Gregory the Great, Augustine aided the growth from the ancient traditions to the new life by consecrating pagan temples for Christian worship and turning pagan festivals into feast days of martyrs. Canterbury was built on the site of an ancient church.
Augustine was more successful with the pagans than with the Christians. He found the ancient British Church, which had been driven into Cornwall and Wales, had strayed a little in its practices from Rome. He met with them several times to try to bring them back to the Roman Church but the old Church could not forgive their conquerors and chose isolation and bitterness over community and reconciliation.
Augustine was only in England for eight years before he died in 605. His feast day is celebrated on May 26 in England and May 28 elsewhere. He is also known as Austin,a name that many locations have adopted.

Pope announces on plane ride home his 1st meeting with victims of clergy sex abuse

Pope to meet with sex abuse victims for first time in June
By Francis X. RoccaCatholic News Service

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM JERUSALEM (CNS) -- Pope Francis will meet with a group of sex abuse victims for the first time in June, he told reporters May 26.
During an inflight news conference on his return to Rome from the Holy Land, the pope also confirmed reports the Vatican is investigating charges its former secretary of state misappropriated $20 million from the Vatican bank. And he announced he plans to visit the Philippines and Sri Lanka in January.

Pope Francis answers questions from journalists aboard the flight from Jerusalem to Rome May 26. (CNS/Paul Haring)

The pope described the abuse of children by priests as "such an ugly crime" and a "very grave" problem, the betrayal of a priest's duty to lead young people to holiness, comparable to performance of a Black Mass.

"We must move ahead, ahead, zero tolerance," he said.

As an indication of how seriously he takes the problem, the pope said he would meet in the first week of June with a group of six to eight sex abuse victims from various countries, including Germany, England and Ireland. He also will celebrate a private Mass with the group in the Vatican guesthouse, where he lives. Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, a member of the recently established Vatican commission on child protection, will be present at the gathering, the pope said.

Pope Francis is not known ever to have met with a group of sex abuse victims, something Pope Benedict did several times in various countries. Marie Collins, a sex abuse survivor from Ireland whom the pope named to the child protection commission, met him at the Vatican in May.

Pope Francis said the church cannot have privileged "daddy's boys," exempt from punishment when it comes to sex abuse of minors. He revealed that three unnamed bishops are currently under investigation by the Vatican for misdeeds related to sex abuse, and another has been found guilty and is awaiting punishment. It was not clear if the bishops in question had been accused of personally abusing children or of mishandling accusations of abuse against other priests.

The pope also was asked about reports that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who as Vatican secretary of state was considered the highest Vatican official, mishandled 15 million euro (about $20.5 million) in funds held by the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican bank.

"It's something being studied, it's not clear," the pope said. "Maybe it's the truth, but at this moment it's not definitive."

Asked if he might follow his predecessor's lead and ever resign, Pope Francis said he would pray for the wisdom to obey God's will, but added that Pope Benedict had "opened the door" to the possibility of other retired popes and would not remain a "unique case."

Discussing what he has frequently called a "throwaway culture," the pope said it was exemplified not only by youth unemployment and neglect of the elderly, problems he has cited before, but also by low fertility rates in Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain.

Regarding the two Synods of Bishops on the family he has called for this October and October 2015, the pope lamented what he characterized as an overemphasis, by members of the clergy among others, on the question of when divorced and civilly remarried Catholics may receive Communion.

The pope said focusing on that question posed the risk of "casuistry," which he has defined in the past as the practice of setting general laws on the basis of exceptional cases. He emphasized the synods would consider the pastoral care of the family in its totality.

END