The Pope and Our Lady of Fatima

This is an important weekend.

The Holy Father will consecrate the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun.  He is leading the Church in prayer and adoration.  Recall what happened in Syria after the vigil for peace.  Something is happening.

I think of the prayer of Esther...

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the Lord. Taking off her splendid garments, she put on garments of distress and mourning. In place of her precious ointments she covered her head with dirt and ashes. She afflicted her body severely; all her festive adornments were put aside, and her hair was wholly disheveled...

We have a Pope who set aside his splendid garments, the trappings of his office... who humbles himself in prayer before the Madonna.

Something is happening.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are all gathered for this event of the Year of Faith devoted to Mary, Mother of Christ and of the Church, our Mother. The statue of Our Lady, which has come from Fatima, helps us to feel her presence in our midst. Mary always brings us to Jesus. -  Pope Francis, Vatican Radio

United in the prayers of the Rosary.

 

More exciting thoughts and reflections on Saturday morning while the cat is out in the backyard hunting for chipmunks and mouses and rabbits.

Jean Vanier

I love the following quote I posted earlier in the week:

"When you finally discover that you are just one of the little people, don’t conclude that this makes you special." - Madeleine Delbrel

I'm so not special - what a relief.  But I am so one of the little people - one of many - and not special.

I'm often wrong about stuff too.

That said... If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right... remember that song?  (Percy Sledge and Luther Ingram did it best.)  The premise of the song involves adultery - so in that respect it isn't a good message of course, but it occurred to me that just the title speaks to something I discovered about righteous people online.

Righteous Catholics really seem to value being right over everything else.  They have the truth - they know the truth - they own the truth, and they know they are right.  Being right determines who won the debate.  Being right means knowing who goes to hell.  Being right means knowing who is in heaven.  being right means you can go online and call people liars and hypocrites and sodomites and fake Catholics and heretics and cowards and whatever else you deem them to be.  It dawned on me when someone claimed to have won some sort of contest in my combox the other day.  He was happy because some 'point' had been 'conceded' to him, after he insulted another commenter to the post.  It was obvious that being right was far more important to this guy than being civil - and more importantly, being charitable.  An anonymous righteous person thought it important to insult another person he deemed wrong about something the righteous person disagreed with.

Maybe you don't understand what I'm trying to say here...

But if loving a brother or sister is wrong, I don't want to be right.

+ + +

 

So many fears are, in fact, hidden: for example, the fear of our own violence. When another person does not comply with my desires, I am faced with my own powerlessness. Much of our violence is a reaction to our powerlessness. We cannot control everything. We are rendered vulnerable by all that which reveals our mortality and our frailty. And I think our greatest difficulty is admitting that the essence of our identity is that of being loved by God. Such abandonment to His love can only come at the hour of our death. Martin Luther King said that we can only stop despising others when we have come to terms with that which we despise of ourselves. That is definitely a challenging journey, and it only ends when, faced with death, we can say, "I am ready." - Jean Vanier

 

From the combox: "No one can be a sodomite and a saint at the same time."

Holy and Righteous Abraham and Lot

You don't say. 

I couldn't resist and had to reply:

... at least one Sodomite I know of became a saint - that would be Lot - he and his family left Sodom of course - which just goes to show you, if someone leaves a sinful lifestyle behind, they can indeed be saved and even become a saint.

The Orthodox commemorate Abraham and Lot twice on the Liturgical calendar:

Holy and Righteous Abraham and Lot, October 9

Read their story in the book of Genesis. They are also commemorated on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, Dec 11-17.  - Source

Lot has been commemorated in many ancient liturgical canons as well.  See here.

Anyway.  Lot was from Sodom, therefore a Sodomite, and the Church believes he is in Heaven, and therefore a Saint.  Get it?

Bonus:

Columbus did not discover America, he simply claimed it for Spain.  The Chinese discovered it and colonized it way before that.  What?  A Chinese lady proudly explained it to me after I remarked on how much Inca people resembled Chinese people.

That's all.

Good News Friday.

Former Twin City Good News bloggers, Cathy and Ray.*

First.

DoughBoy is finally leaving The Office!  It is his last day!  The office is partying all day!  DB's office in the boiler room will be closed permanently. 

Second.

Minneapolis St. Paul has a new auxiliary bishop!  Fr. Andrew Cozzens was appointed by Pope Francis.  People are happy.  He's an excellent choice.

Third.

Blessed Angela of Foligno is declared a saint, and Bl. Amato will be - two Third Order Franciscans - lay saints.  Thank you Pope Francis.

Fourth.

LarryD is getting more hits now that he quit blogging than ever before.  Rumor has it that he may be putting together a reality show for EWTN. 

Fifth.

What?  Oh - you mean fifth? 

 Fifth of vodka.

 

*Really huge shoes to fill. 

Here's a thought...

Madeleine Delbrel (1904-1964)

"When you finally discover that you are just one of the little people, don’t conclude that this makes you special." - Madeleine Delbrel

The Voris vs. Shea Debate: An objective POV.

From In Statu Vitae blog.

Before I start to describe all that I recall regarding the event, in the interest of transparency I have to say that I would place my own views in closer proximity to the Voris camp than to the Shea camp, although I do greatly respect and enjoy reading/watching both gentlemen's work.

Since Mr. Shea was arguing in the affirmative on the topic, he gave his opening arguments. The mic was then passed to Mr. Voris, and this is where things quickly became a bit heated. In his first turn or two at the microphone, Michael Voris focused less on the substance of the debate, but instead started referencing quotes that Mark Shea had written on his blog regarding ChurchMilitant.tv, Michael Voris, Michael Voris's followers, etc. Michael Voris clearly came to the debate with an ax to grind. - Read the full account here.

Sounds to me as if it was a nice diversion for local Church Militants.


Update:  Mark Shea also posted on the debate here.

Totally decent,

I must say!

 

Gay Italian Group Writes to the Holy Father...

One report claims the Pope actually responded:

In their letter, a group of gay and lesbian Catholics organized into the group, Kairos of Florence, asked for openness and dialogue, noting that closure to discussion "always feeds homophobia." The members were shocked to receive a personal response to their appeal from Pope Francis. One leader of the group told La Repubblica "no one had ever even given a nod of response" before. The Kairos group said they also received a letter from the Vatican Secretariat of State, which informed them that Pope Francis "really enjoyed" their letter to him and the way it was written, calling it an act of "spontaneous confidence."

The group had written to Pope Francis in a personal appeal to to be recognized as people and not as a "category." A leader of the impromptu committee said as gay Catholics they had in the past written to other members of the church leadership in Italy and had always before been rewarded with silence. - Source

This is what is so amazing - to me at least - in view of what's been going on in my town. 

If the story is true, that means that the Holy Father actually acknowledged, recognized the group - he confirmed that they actually exist, in doing so, he recognized their humanity.  But first, he listened.  He listened.  Then - if the report is true - he responded to their concerns.  He responded to them.

It doesn't mean Church teaching can or will change.  That's not the point.

He responded to them.
 

Minneapolis Archdiocese has a problem with sex-addict priests?

Dominican Father Reginald Whitt

Set up a new Task Force.

The archbishop has appointed a new vicar for ministerial standards, Dominican Father Reginald Whitt, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He will assume full responsibility for all issues related to clergy sexual misconduct, the archdiocese said.

Start a new committee.

Father Whitt will appoint the members of the all-layperson task force, which is expected to convene this week. It will consist of at least six people from a variety of backgrounds — none of whom are employed by the archdiocese or any of its parishes.

Once again - it appears this is all about protecting 'children' - not that anything is wrong with that.  But I thought they already had some sort of program for all of that?  Evidently it didn't work?

Archbishop Nienstedt said there is “no room for misconduct among our clergy and our standard must be zero tolerance for abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. We hold a sacred trust. Our very vocation requires the highest standard of conduct so that all may be drawn to the person of Jesus Christ through our witness.” 

While the archbishop retains his authority in the archdiocese, he has committed that he will not interfere in the work of the vicar or the task force. - Catholic Spirit

 

Argument of the Month Club Oktoberfest with Mike Voris and Mark Shea underway...

Red carpet pre-debate coverage...

 

 

 

All the women were promptly removed.

 

 

 

A disguised Mark Shea arrives with his security detail and ran smack into Mike Voris. 

 

 

Security - crowd control in the beer garden.

 

 

 

 

 

First arrest of the night: No conceal and carry permit.

 

 

 

Meanwhile...

 Badger Catholic arrived late.

 

 

 

 

Mike Voris takes his place on stage. 

 

 

 

Cameras, cell phones, recording devices go black ...

the debate begins!

 

 

 

What?

 

 

 

 

Now I wish I would have attended.

If today you hear his voice...

I like this very much:

“Open up your heart and listen to what God is saying to you. Allow your life to “written” by God”. Just as the Good Samaritan did when he stopped to help the stranger, we must all listen to God’s voice and sometimes put our own projects on hold to do his will.

Speaking to those present for morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Monday, Pope Francis pointed out that it can happen that Christians, Catholics, priests. Bishops and even the Pope sometimes turn away from God!

Not to listen to his voice, not to take heed in our hearts of his proposal and his invitation– the Pope said – is a daily temptation. And he said there are many ways in which one can turn away from God, polite, sophisticated ways… And to better illustrate his message, Pope Francis recalled the parable recounted in the Gospel in which there is a half-dead man lying in the road. A priest walks by – a zealous priest wearing a cassock and on his way to say Mass. The priest looks at the man and says to himself “I will be late for Mass” and goes on his way. “He didn’t hear the voice of God” – Pope Francis pointed out.

Then a Levite passes by – the Pope continued – and perhaps he thinks “If I get involved and the man dies, then tomorrow I will have to go before the judge and give testimony…” so, the Pope continued “he too goes on his way. He too – Francis points out - “turns away from the voice of God”…

Only the Samaritan, a sinner, someone who habitually turns away from God had the capacity “to hear God and to understand his request”. Someone – the Pope observes – “who wasn’t used to participating in religious rites, who didn’t lead a “moral” life, who was theologically “wrong”, because – Pope Francis explained – Samaritans believed that God should be adored elsewhere, not where the Lord had said”. But “the Samaritan understood that God was calling him and he did not turn away. He went to the man, bound up his wounds, poured on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn and took care of him”. He gave up his whole evening for him.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis said, the priest was on time for Mass and the faithful were happy; the Levite’s schedule was not upset…. And the Pope asked: “why did Jonah run away from God when the Lord asked him to go to Ninevah and he boarded a ship to Spain? Why did the priest turn away from God? Why did the Levite turn away from God? Because their hearts were closed, and when your heart is closed you cannot hear the voice of God. Instead the Samaritan - he said - “saw and was moved with compassion”: his heart was open, he was human, and humanity brought him close to God. - Homily for Monday's Mass

If you really listen to the Pope - I think you'll get to understand him.

He speaks from experience I think.  It's the sinner's experience. 

Years ago, when I struggled with habitual sin, I tried to get to confession as soon as I could.  I would get up very early and drive a long distance to a church which had confessions first thing in the morning, right after the 6:30AM Mass.  I drove over the speed limit some mornings, just to be first in line after Mass.  I drove through stop lights - I broke the law.  One day I was going to confession at noon at a downtown church.  As I entered the parking lot I slightly brushed the fender of an old car parked on the street.  I didn't even bother to check for a scratch on my car or the other car - because I had to get in line for confession.  I was so determined to let no one and no thing get in my way.  I'm so ashamed that I acted like that - that I added to my sin.  I have so many stories like that - and at the time I failed to see the significance of my failings, my lack of charity - I was so intent upon being absolved from my 'bigger' sins.  At times, I've acted similarly in my mad rush to get to Mass on time.   Mea culpa!  But doesn't that sound a little bit like what the Pope was talking about?

On the other hand, have you ever been brushed off by a priest?  Have you ever asked for advice or direction, only to be brushed off, your concerns not taken seriously?  Or because he was too busy?  To much in a rush?  Have you ever brushed off some one else because you had better things to do?

I'm so grateful for such a simple, honest, Holy Father.  It amazes me how well he understands the sinner, how he welcomes them and eats with them.

 

Michael Voris* in the Twin Cities ...

... Tonight, October 8, 2013

"He's keen -

He’s lean -

Church Militant

Marine!"

- Long Skirts

One night only... 3PM to closing.

AOTM: South St. Paul (near the stockyards)

St. Augustine's Catholic Church

In the basement Lower Level of St. Augustine's Catholic Church. 408 3rd St N. South St Paul, MN 55075

More information here.


*Mark Shea will be there too.

Nuestra Señora del Rosario

 

You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary.

- Promises of Our Lady

Happy Feast Day!

Rosario

 

Advice for Pope Francis....

from Imelda Marcos...

"Never dress down for the poor,

they won't respect you for it." - Mrs. Marcos

I bet that's what Francis really meant when he said, "I'm no Blessed Imelda."


What?
 

St. Bruno

Happy feast day Carthusians!

 

 

 

Speaking about the Charterhouse:

"Many wish to come into this port, and many make great efforts to do so, yet do not achieve it. Indeed many, after reaching it, have been thrust out, since it was not granted to them from above.

Therefore, my brothers, you should consider it certain and well established that whoever partakes of this desirable good, should he in any way lose it, will grieve to his death, if he has any concern for the salvation of his soul." -Letters of St. Bruno. Office of Readings.



 

 

 



Mass Chat: Tough Call.

When your Archbishop and all his men are in trouble...

It is so difficult.  So very, very difficult.

Kissing...

 

Who, what do you kiss?

The topic came up in an email.  A Chinese lady who reads my blog complained about a little kid - a toddler - who kisses people on the lips.  She thought it was inappropriate and could possibly indicate something more sinister.  I mentioned that my dad kissed everyone on the lips, men, women, children.  Not just randomly of course, but when the situation was right - say the waitress at dinner was especially nice - cases like that.  The fact that he opened his mouth always seemed rather gross to me.  That isn't the point of this post however.

In my response to the Chinese lady, I told her I rarely ever kiss(ed) anyone.  I'm not a kisser.  I have to force myself to kiss anyone.  I blame my mother.  As a toddler I used to make smoochy sounds before going to bed, as a way of being cute and asking for a kiss good night, until one night she yelled at me to "Just ask for a kiss if that's what you want you little bastard!  I get so sick of hearing you make those insipid sounds!  Speak!"  I know!  She could be so strict - raised by nuns, you know.

So anyway - that ended the good night kisses.  Come to think of it, I never even kissed her good bye on her death bed.

So who, what do I kiss?

As I told the Chinese lady, I do kiss things, and very rarely people - just a peck on the cheek mind you.

Once my sister came to visit and I forced myself to kiss her on the cheek and she pushed me away and told me to knock it off, "Don't start acting like dad!"  I was grateful not to have to kiss her again.  I've had friends who insist on kisses - I offered it up, as a sacrifice and an act of charity, did it as quickly as possible.  Thankfully the practice of 'air-kisses' has trickled down to the lower classes.

For the most part I only kiss holy things - except for my cat, I suppose.  I kiss my cat's nose sometimes.  She may not like it however, since she immediately licks her nose as if she is licking it off.  I really think cats prefer rubbing noses instead of kissing.

As I said, I kiss holy things.  I kiss relics, holy card images, the Bible, the crucifix, my rosary, icons, the feet of statues, and so on.  I usually kiss my hand if I just received communion in the hand.  I've also kissed a bishop's ring once or twice - although that's kind of weird for me, and I think it was weird for the last bishop I did it too as well.  I leaned too far in and my lips parted over it - the ring.  It was weird.  I knew him as a priest, so I was just trying to be nice.

Oh!  At times I have kissed my forefinger and placed it on a person's forehead.  They are usually dead by that time.

Now hugs are different.  I can kind of hug people.  I prefer to do it in emails however.

Big hug!



H/T Nankin Chow Mein Halloween

What?

 

Beato Marvelli

October 5

A single layman.
.
Blessed Alberto Marvelli, known in life as an engineer and charitable worker, lived from 1918 to 1946 in the diocese of Rimini, Italy. Like his mentor, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Alberto lived a short life, dying at the age of 28. 
.
His spirituality, completely free of exaggeration, was perfectly integrated with his daily duties and obligations. His charity reflected that of the good Samaritan, pointed out by our Lord in the Gospel. Alberto dedicated himself to the apostolate sharing in the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Especially during and after the war, Alberto was at the service of the poor and suffering.
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In his youth Alberto was friends with the famous film maker, Frederico Fellini.  Shortly after his beatification, I looked with renewed interest at  a couple of my favorite Fellini films and noted how the director frequently relied upon Catholic devotion and practice to tell his stories.  As a recent commentary by Dr. David A. King suggests, Fellini's Catholicism was deeply woven into his work: Fellini’s ‘La Strada’ Emphasizes Catholic Truths.  I wonder if Blessed Alberto would have lived if the two would have remained friends?  I rather think so, despite the fact sections of Fellini's work were more or less 'indexed' by Vatican censors at the time.   
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Bl. Alberto's spiritual friends included St. Gemma Galgani, for whom he had a tender devotion and drew inspiration for his deep love of the passion of Christ. He also had an ardent Eucharistic piety. His communions seemed to enrapture his soul and kept him joined to Jesus for a long time in thanksgiving.
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Marvelli kept a diary since the age of 15 which reveals many details about his life. In one entry he wrote, "What a great deal of work is needed in this world which is so far from Christ; it is necessary for us to offer sacrifices; we must act to the utmost of our strength to make Christ known and loved. It is the call of duty we are urged by, and we are obliged to realize it."
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Bl. Alberto prayed for the grace to be able to practice acts of mercy:  “Jesus give me a bit of Thy infinite love for men and their miseries, of Thy endless and supernatural ardour of apostolate”.
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Alberto was killed on October 5, 1946 after being hit by a truck while on his way to the aid of a poor family.
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Link: Beato Alberto Marvelli, Diocesi di Rimini

Putting on the new man...

“We must undress ourselves today from a very serious danger that threatens each person in the Church: the danger of worldliness.” - Pope Francis in Assisi

I think John Allen of NCR makes an insightful observation on Pope Francis.

Francis had a sort of mystical experience upon his election to the papacy that's apparently freed him up to be far more spontaneous, candid and bold than at any previous point in his career.

Allen refers to the Scalfari interview with Francis which seems to offer a "mystical subtext to the boldness and freewheeling style we've seen from Francis, which stands in stark contrast to the reputation he had in Argentina."

In the relevant portion of the interview, Scalfari asks Francis if he's ever had a mystical experience. Here is the response as presented by La Repubblica, concerning the moments immediately after he was elected to the papacy: 

"My head was completely empty and I was seized by a great anxiety. To make it go way and relax I closed my eyes and made every thought disappear, even the thought of refusing to accept the position, as the liturgical procedure allows. I closed my eyes and I no longer had any anxiety or emotion." 

That experience, Francis suggests, gave him the courage to accept the job and to forge ahead. 

It's an important insight because it helps explain something that otherwise seems inexplicable: How to account for the transformation that's come over Jorge Mario Bergoglio since he became Pope Francis? 

Consider that during his entire 15 years as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio gave a grand total of five interviews. In the seven months he's been pope, he's already done three, and they've all been humdingers. 

Journalists who covered Bergoglio in Argentina report that he shunned the spotlight, and on those rare occasions when he did have to appear in public, he often came off as formal and, some would say, a bit boring. As pope, he's become a rock star. As archbishop and as president of the bishops' conference in Argentina, Bergoglio was careful and measured in his public declarations, while as pope he's letting it all hang out. 

Back in April, I interviewed his sister, Maria Elena Bergoglio, and even she told me that something was different about her brother since he took over the church's top job. 

Recently, I spoke to one of the cardinals who elected Francis (not an American, by the way), who had been received by the pope in a private audience. The cardinal told me he had said point-blank to Francis, "You're not the same guy I knew in Argentina." 

According to this cardinal, the pope's reply was more or less the following: "When I was elected, a great sense of inner peace and freedom came over me, and it's never left me." - NCR

I am convinced the Holy Spirit is guiding our Holy Father.


 

Now, some good news: The Pope in Assisi.

photo source

There is so much - but I thought this was sweet:

“Marriage is a real vocation,” the Pope explains, “just like priesthood and religious life.”

The Pope recalls that the mother of a man in his 30s asked him what she could do to encourage her son to get married. “Stop ironing his shirts,” he replied. 

He says that celibacy is not a negative decision, but a great “yes” to God. - Pope Francis to young people massed outside the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels.

"Stop ironing his shirts."  That's funny.