Archbishop Aymond of New Orleans on the Holy Innocents, then and now

Archbishop Gregory Aymond

 

• Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents: Herod ordered all baby boys killed in search of Jesus. Do we have holy innocent children today?? The 20 children of Newtown, Cn, the baby aborted because of disabilities, the 6 year old girl killed by a stray bullet on the streets of New Orleans......Lord, give them a special place in heaven. May their innocence help our society to have a change of heart and value all human life from conception to natural death.

 

>>>  This is but one of many refelections I have seen today relating this Feast Day to our modern day killings of innocent youth, most especially related to the tragedy in Newtown.  And everyday we know of the tragedy of abortion.  May God continue to bless and protect our precious chldren!

Let the 2013 season begin; reports say Sean Payton remains a Saint

Reports: Saints and Sean Payton have reached 'agreement' on new contract

Credit: Getty Images

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 26: Quarterback Drew Brees #9 and Head Coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints talk on the sidelines during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 26, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints defeated the Falcons 45-16. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)             

 

 

 

wwltv.com

Posted on December 28, 2012  

FOX Sports' Jay Glazer has Tweeted that the Saints and head coach Sean Payton have 'reached an agreement in principle' to a contract extension.
The Tweet by Glazer, was soon followed by similar Tweets from ESPN's Insider Adam Schefter and CNNSI's Peter King.

There had been concern over Payton's return to the Saints after it was revealed midseason that his previous contract extension had been voided by the NFL over some language and that the two sides had not talked about a new deal.

Rumors ran rampant that Payton could end up in Dallas where his children now live and where fans are restless for a championship-caliber team.

Prior to the season, Payton was suspended for his alleged role in a 'play for performance' scandal that also involved the suspension of former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, assistant head coach Joe Vitt and four current and former players.

The players contested their penalties and after many legal battles, their suspensions were lifted by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Payton has remained mostly mum the entire season and the word was that his value had soared as the team seemed lost without him, especially early in the season.

A sad feast day in the midst of Christmas joy: the Holy Innocents

Christmas: December 28th

Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

During this octave of Christmas the Church celebrates the memory of the small children of the neighborhood of Bethlehem put to death by Herod. Sacrificed by a wicked monarch, these innocent lives bear witness to Christ who was persecuted from the time of His birth by a world which would not receive Him. It is Christ Himself who is at stake in this mass-murder of the children; already the choice, for or against Him, is put clearly before men. But the persecutors are powerless, for Christ came to perform a work of salvation that nothing can prevent; when He fell into the hands of His enemies at the time chosen by God it was to redeem the world by His own Blood.Our Christmas joy is tempered today by a feeling of sadness. But the Church looks principally to the glory of the children, of these innocent victims, whom she shows us in heaven following the Lamb wherever He goes. The Fourth Day of Christmas

The Holy Innocents
Today, dearest brethren, we celebrate the birthday of those children who were slaughtered, as the Gospel tells us, by that exceedingly cruel king, Herod. Let the earth, therefore, rejoice and the Church exult — she, the fruitful mother of so many heavenly champions and of such glorious virtues. Never, in fact, would that impious tyrant have been able to benefit these children by the sweetest kindness as much as he has done by his hatred. For as today's feast reveals, in the measure with which malice in all its fury was poured out upon the holy children, did heaven's blessing stream down upon them. "Blessed are you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah! You suffered the inhumanity of King Herod in the murder of your babes and thereby have become worthy to offer to the Lord a pure host of infants. In full right do we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers' womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief. — St. Augustine

Rest in Peace Stormin Norman

AP source: Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf dies

By By RICHARD PYLE and LOLITA C. BALDOR |

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  Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, who topped an illustrious military career by commanding the U.S.-led international coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in 1991 but kept a low public profile in controversies over the second Gulf War against Iraq, died Thursday. He was 78.

Schwarzkopf died in Tampa, Fla., where he had lived in retirement, according to a U.S. official, who was not authorized to release the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

A much-decorated combat soldier in Vietnam, Schwarzkopf was known popularly as "Stormin' Norman" for a notoriously explosive temper.

He served in his last military assignment in Tampa as commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command, the headquarters responsible for U.S. military and security concerns in nearly 20 countries from the eastern Mediterranean and Africa to Pakistan.

Schwarzkopf became "CINC-Centcom" in 1988 and when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait three years later to punish it for allegedly stealing Iraqi oil reserves, he commanded Operation Desert Storm, the coalition of some 30 countries organized by President George H.W. Bush that succeeded in driving the Iraqis out.

"Gen. Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises," Bush said in a statement. "More than that, he was a good and decent man — and a dear friend."

Read the rest:  http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-retired-gen-norman-schwarzkopf-dies-002111413--politics.html

A Thursday morning, Christmastime, pre go to work post

On a lonely Monday morning after Thanksgiving week I sat at this very computer and penned something I called simply a Monday morning pre go to work post.  Looking back it was an attempt to put on a brave front as I retuned to a job  had come to dread over the past few months.  It did help me get through that day and remarkably has been one of the most read posts on this blog.  Go figure.

I'm in the mood to do it again this morning as circumstances find me in an unusual place on this Thursday morning in the Octave of Christmas.  First of all I'm feeling really good this time as I sit at my computer.  As I figured last November, me and my old employer were mot long for each other and I found a much more fulfilling, much more exciting job down the road.  Now this new job is not without some important responsibilities and the hours can be a tad longer.  But after six month, I love it.  The bank, FNBC, is much smaller and has a much different philosophy than the big national chain bank I worked for.  We actually talk to and with people without dialing half way around the world for a decision.  Also, I've landed in one of the more rural communities of the parish(county) in which I live.  The community is Pearl River, right on the border between Louisiana and Mississippi smack up against the river that this community gets it's name.  Needless to say, this morning, I love my job and I love working in this community!

This morning I had the responsibility of driving #1 daughter to the airport at o'dark thirty for her flight to North Carolina.  Elizabeth has a date for the next week with #1 grandson Calvin, not to mention Calvin's mom & dad!  I hope they have a great time together.  It's always a joy for a dad to see his kids get along; these two don't always as personalities are polar opposites and there is a huge age difference of 11 years.  But as they get older and with the common denominator being Calvin, I pray they have a great visit!

I'm so full of joy this Christmas time and feeling satisfied at the experiences I have recently been through.  First of all, me and my family truly celebrate Christmas as the season it is.  We are still wishing folks Merry Christmas and rejoicing in the season of the birth of Christ.  Yesterday we rejoiced at the Feast of St. Stephen but also the 26th is my wife's birthday.  Today we rejoice in the Feast of St. John the Evangelist and Wendy and I are looking forward to an evening with some good people from our home church parish.  Tomorrow brings a nice dinner event with our best friends!

So as I prepare to pack up my computer and leave this quaint little breakfast cafe where I've enjoyed a great breakfast and updated my blog, I am full.  Of course that means literally but also full of joy at all of God's blessings and the beauty of His season!  I love Christmas time and hope you continue to celebrate Christmas throughout it's season.  And I hope you feel His blessings and graces in your life!

Time to go to work; thanks be to God!

An incredible Christmas message from the Pastor in Newtown

From Monsignor Bob – Christmas Message

Posted on 23 December 2012 by St. Rose Church

Dear Parishioners,
Had I written my Christmas message a couple of weeks ago as I had planned, it would have had a far different tone than this message. We have not only witnessed one of the greatest tragedies in the world, but we as a community are called to do what we can to move forward.
I have been asked so often how do we celebrate Christmas this year. I believe that we celebrate it in its truest sense, putting aside all the secularity and simply sitting in silence and praying that the hope, healing and peace promised to us by Christ will be given to us in abundance. Perhaps, at least for us as a community, we can reclaim some of what this holyday is meant to be.
We know that some hearts in this town will be broken again on Christmas morning when that one special person is not there to open their gifts. For those whose children and spouses are with them, rather than just going right for the gifts, perhaps a hug and a prayer should come first. Prayers for those for whom this day will never be the same again and hugs for those surrounding you whose life you hold as precious. We need to know that even in these darkest hours, there is still light, light that is brighter than that great star over Bethlehem, which will take us to the place where we need to be…it will take us to the heart of Christ who will heal our brokenness, remove our anger and hurt and fill us with the peace and strength we need to not just move forward but to reclaim the life that is ours as a community in Christ Jesus. Thank you for the incredible strength that you have been for me in these days and for lifting me up in your thoughts and your prayers. I pray a special Christmas for all of us this year and for all that this holy season can hold for us as believers.
Holy Christmas, Monsignor Bob Weiss

Celebrating the Feast of an Apostle

St. John the Apostle

St. John the Apostle

Feastday: December 27
Patron of Asia Minor

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (Feast day - December 27th)

St. John, the son of Zebedee, and the brother of St. James the Great, was called to be an Apostle by our Lord in the first year of His public ministry. He became the "beloved disciple" and the only one of the Twelve who did not forsake the Savior in the hour of His Passion. He stood faithfully at the cross when the Savior made him the guardian of His Mother. His later life was passed chiefly in Jerusalem and at Ephesus. He founded many churches in Asia Minor. He wrote the fourth Gospel, and three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation is also attributed to him. Brought to Rome, tradition relates that he was by order of Emperor Dometian cast into a cauldron of boiling oil but came forth unhurt and was banished to the island of Pathmos for a year. He lived to an extreme old age, surviving all his fellow apostles, and died at Ephesus about the year 100.

St. John is called the Apostle of Charity, a virtue he had learned from his Divine Master, and which he constantly inculcated by word and example. The "beloved disciple" died at Ephesus, where a stately church was erected over his tomb. It was afterwards converted into a Mohammedan mosque.

John is credited with the authorship of three epistles and one Gospel, although many scholars believe that the final editing of the Gospel was done by others shortly after his death. He is also supposed by many to be the author of the book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse, although this identification is less certain.

An appropriate day to celebrate and catechize re: The Permanent Deacon

I wonder when good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen if he knew much about the first of Deacons who died a martyrs death?  St. Stephen, chosen with six other men to be the first Deacons of the Church, is celebrated today on the liturgical calendar.  Among many titles he is the patron Saint of Deacons.  We Permanent Deacons in New Orleans claim him as a patron and celebrate our community of Deacons on this very day!

Ironically, just a day or so before Christmas, a pretty active Catholic poster on Facebook recorded a status something like this: "why do Deacons need to dress up like Priests and why are they even necessary?" It's so difficult to imagine that 44 years after the restoration of the Permanent Diaconate, decades after encountering the Deacon at Mass, at the Church, at the many ministries we can be found at, we remain either a mystery to many or worse, a scandal to a few.

It should be noted that the Deacon is one of three Orders in the Church as described throughout Scripture, Tradition, the Magisterium and two-thousand years of history in the Church.  Permanent Deacons were heavily used in the earliest years of the Church and Deacons were closely affiliated with the Bishop.  In chapter six of the Acts of the Apostles, the Church calls for the institution of the diaconate so the Bishops and subsequently the Priests, can get about the business of saying Mass, attending to the Sacraments.  Deacons went out into the community and brought the Eucharist to the poor and widows and attended to their temporal needs.

When Pope Paul VI restored fully the order of the diaconate to a permanent rank in the Church, it was only after many years of fruitful discussion.  Some of these discussions date back to Vatican I but really took off in the interment camps of World War II.

The Permanent Deacon is indeed clergy.  He is ordained, meaning he receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  His ordination rite is very similar to what has been done for many years.  The Permanent Deacon is ordained for service to a Bishop and a Diocese.  He may be assigned to parish life, where the Deacon will assist at Mass, proclaim the Gospel, help distribute Holy Eucharist and occasionally preach.  With the charism of the Deacon being charity or service, the Permanent Deacon is almost always found at the prison, ministering to the inmate, at a nursing home ministering to the elderly, at a food bank or soup kitchen, ministering to the hungry, at the hospice program, misistering to the dying, at the rehab center, ministering to the recovering alcoholic or drug addicted individual.  The Permanent Deacon may be found ministering to the men and women of the armed forces, or first responders, or weary travelers at an airport, or any number of other places where people are hurting, scared, lonely and forgotten.

In today's Church can anyone really ask of there is a need for the Permanent Deacon?  Whatever the need and however great, the Permanent Deacon, along with the Transitional Deacons on their way to one day becoming a Priest, are necessary to fulfill the three orders of Holy Orders in the Church.  Each has specific duties and functions according to that office.  The Permanent Deacon does what Deacons do and is what Permanent Deacons are called to be.  As that Facebook poster implied, Deacons may look like Priests on the altar but only to a lazy, untrained eye.  The Deacon never wears a stole like a Priest; his stole hangs across the chest.  The Deacon never wears a chausable, the outer garment of the Priest but instead wears the Dalmatic.  The Dalmatic has sleeves, a Priest never wears sleeves with his outer garment.

Yes Permanent Deacons are married and many work in the "civilian"workforce.  The Permanent Deacon is not called to celibacy like the Priest but indeed takes a vow of conditional celibacy.  We remain faithful to our wives and if our wives pre-decease us, we never remarry without a special dispensation from the Holy Father. 

Having been ordained for over four years now I would hope that we would arrive at the day, among faithful Catholics, that never would they be such silly comments as the ones I saw on Facebok the other day.

St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, Pray for Us!

An early Church Saint preaches about St. Stepehn

Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe On Saint Stephen the Martyr

Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the triumphant suffering of his soldier. Yesterday our king, clothed in his robe of flesh, left his place in the virgin’s womb and graciously visited the world. Today his soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.

Our king, despite his exalted majesty, came in humility for our sake; yet he did not come empty-handed. He gave of his bounty, yet without any loss to himself. In a marvelous way he changed into wealth the poverty of his faithful followers while remaining in full possession of his own inexhaustible riches. And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the king, it later shone forth in his soldier. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment.

Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey’s end.

My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.

-- Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe from a sermon