On This Rock

VIDEO: Margaret Sanger Interview (Spoiler Alert: anti-Catholic Rant)

2012-02-01T15:31:00.001-05:00

I stumbled across this video which doesn't have many views but is pretty amazing! It is an interview with Mrs. Sanger. Early on in the video the interviewer asks her "Today your opposition stems from where?" Sanger responds: "I feel that my main opposition is from the hierarchy of the Catholic Church!"

The rest of the video is a rant against the Church and the Church's position.

This shows, yet again, that the battle against contraception, abortion, and the rest is a battle being fought by the Catholic Church. Pretending that their is a middle ground between the Church's teaching and Ms. Sanger's is simply that - pretending.

Planned Parenthood Propaganda Video

2012-02-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

John Jalsevac over at Life Site News found this lovely cartoon which continues to highlight the true insanity of people over at Planned Parenthood. As Jalsevac notes:

"Drowning an abstinence advocate in a garbage can full of water, blowing up zombie pro-life protesters with giant condoms shot from a gun, cooking a pro-life senator in a boiling cauldron – these are all things Planned Parenthood thought were so funny and so clever that they included them in a promotional video put out by its former Planned Parenthood Golden Gate affiliate in 2005."

Again, you have to see it to believe it!

"I Know About the Bad Popes!!!"

2012-02-01T07:22:00.000-05:00

Fr. Barron on HHS/Obama Mandate - As Always, Very Well Done!

2012-01-30T18:22:00.002-05:00

Compilation of all of the Responses from Bishop's on the Obama/HHS Atrocity (I Will Continue to Update)

2012-01-30T13:53:00.002-05:00

I know I'll miss some, so if you know of another letter or statement from a (arch)bishop send it to me in the comment box.

USCCB statement - click here to read

Bishop Olmsted, Phoenix - click here to read

Archbishop Gomez, Los Angeles - click here to read

Bishop McFadden, Harrisburg - click here to read his letter

Bishop Lennon, Cleveland - click here to read his letter

Bishop Zubik, Pittsburgh - click here to read his letter titled "To Hell With You!"

Bishop Blair, Toledo - click here to read

Archbishop Wenski, Miami - click here to read

Archbishop Schnurr, Cincinnati - click here to read

Bishops Vann and Farrell, Dallas Fort Worth - click here to read

Bishop Jugis and Burbridge, North Carolina - click here to read

Bishop Malooly, Wilmington - click here to read

Archbishop Wilton Gregory, Atlanta - click here to read

Bishop Sample, Marquette - click here to read

Bishop Ricken, Green Bay - click here to read

Bishop Taylor, Little Rock - click here to read

Bishop Vlazny, Portland - click here to read

Bishop Jackels, Wichita - click here to read
click here to read Bishop Jackel's homily

Minnesota Catholic Conference click here for their response

Bishop Bradley, Kalamazoo - click here to read

Bishop Lori, Bridgeport - click here to read his statement
click here

Archbishop Carlson, St. Louis - click here to read

Bishop Jenky, Peoria - click here to read his letter

Bishop Conley, Denver - click here to read

Bishop Nickless, Sioux City - click here to read

Bishop Loverde, Arlington - click here to read

Thomas Peters takes up the compilation and has many other names on his site, which you can access by clicking here

Planned Parenthood Victory Dance

2012-01-29T22:04:00.000-05:00

This is literally a video that Planned Parenthood produced in celebration of the fact that Obama and HHS are going to force Catholics to violate their consciences. You have to watch it to believe it!

Health-Care Brainstorm

2012-01-29T00:59:00.000-05:00

This time next year, what surgeries and operations will your health care plan NOT be required to cover even though President Obama will be forcing every insurance to cover getting a freaking vasectomy??? Leave a comment in the inbox and let's see if we can't create a list.

Side note - anyone know of a person in the United States who can't afford contraception?

Archbishop Dolan Explains Briefly the Issue

2012-01-28T15:35:00.002-05:00

Great Fulton Sheen Quote

2012-01-26T14:54:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Kevin Shook who passed this quote on to me...very appropriate...perhaps it is Bishop Sheen's next miracle?

"Since a week ago last Saturday, we can no longer expect them to defend the law of God. These sects will work out the very logic of their ways, and in 50 or 100 years there will be only the [Catholic] Church and paganism. We will be left to fight the battle alone, and we will."
--Then-father Fulton J. Sheen, March 1931, reacting to the United States Federal Council of Churches of Christ endorsement of the use contraception by married couples

We Shall All Hang Together Or We Shall All Hang Separately

2012-01-25T16:13:00.001-05:00

The title of this post is a famous quote from Benjamin Franklin that applies to Catholics today just as much as it did to the North American British Colonies in the 1770's.

President Obama has done exactly what every Catholic knew he was going to eventually do (every Catholic except Sr. Carol Keehan and the editors of U.S. Catholic), and that is he is going to force Catholics to violate a core, fundamental, bed-rock teaching of the Faith. There is a conscience-exemption in the new legislation that requires organizations to cover contraception (even the types which cause abortions), but the exemption hardly applies to anyone because it is so narrow. Organizations that employ non-Catholics will not be exempt. Even Fr. Jenkins from Notre Dame is now worried about the direction Obama is heading. All Catholics should be really alarmed when Fr. President Jenkins starts getting nervous about an Obama policy (by the way, Fr. Jenkins, how's the "dialogue" that you so proudly began going now?)

This move by Obama wouldn't even make sense to a cold-hearted power-hungry win-at-all-costs Machiavellian. As Michael Gerson notes in the Washington Post, the move doesn't even make POLITICAL sense:

"It is also politically incomprehensible. Obama’s Catholic outreach is being revealed as a transparent ploy a year before he faces reelection. A portion of the Democratic coalition — including civil libertarians and pro-choice activists — has decided to attack and marginalize Catholic leaders and institutions."

People sometimes accuse the Church of being overly-dramatic and alarmist in nature when it comes to "political" issues (this is clearly a moral issue as well, but no one calls it that). However, I will say unequivocally (and you can call me crazy all you want) but if priests and bishops don't speak out against this and make a stand, we're done. I don't mean the Church is done, but I mean, without hyperbole, that the persecution discussion will be a matter of "when" and not "if." It might already be too late now anyways.

A major part of the problem, though, is how we got to this point in the first place. Obviously this law didn't spring up in a vacuum. When I'm begging priests to do SOMETHING on this issue, I don't just mean to raise the alarm on this specific law. I also mean we have to preach about contraception to people who have never heard it preached before; we have to preach it to people who have only heard about the Church's teaching on contraception from the enemies of the Church. This is an uncomfortable vocation, but then again, I heard a lot in the seminary that we were to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.

Thomas Peters quotes on his blog a member of the Catholic Democrats, Patrick Whelan, trying to defend President Obama's decision. Whelan notes - “…we know Catholic women, and by extension their families, use oral contraception at the same rate as the overall population. For over half a century, since the issuance of Humanae Vitae, Catholics and Catholic theologians have taken issue with the Church’s teaching on birth control.”

There we have it. Because a large percentage of Catholics disagree with a key teaching of the Church, it's apparently okay to force those who DON'T agree with it to violate their consciences. Note the evidence Whelan uses...it is PRECISELY the DISSENT of Catholics in the pews. It has to be preached and explained and taught from the pulpit and through classes and by bringing in pro-life doctors and experts, it has to be a NEW EVANGELIZATION. It may be too late, but we have to try anyways.

Let me share a genuine thought that crosses my mind often, and not just when stories like this continue to come down the pipe - there is a general sense of authentic dread that hangs on the horizon for me about the direction we are moving in as a society, and specifically about the way our society views the Catholic Church. The more history I read, the more similarities I see with the other eras of persecution that the Church has undergone.

So, are priests and bishops going to take a stand, or are we, as a U.S. Church, going to keep talking about happier things and continue to cozy up to those who are ever more brazenly moving our society closer to a point where the Catholic Church is underground in our country?

We will all hang together or we will all hang separately. Let's hang together!

UPDATES: Cardinal Mahony, typically found closer to the President's policies than not, has come out blasting the President's decision. Cardinal Mahony notes: "I cannot imagine that this decision was released without the explicit knowledge and approval of President Barack Obama. And I cannot imagine a more direct and frontal attack on freedom of conscience than this ruling today. This decision must be fought against with all the energies the Catholic Community can muster.” Click here to read the entire story. This ought to be received as a gigantic shot over the bow of the President.

Also, Cardinal Wuerl has spoken out on the issue and believes we can still win the contraception battle. Click here for the story.

As a priest friend of mine asked, "is this the incident that finally wakes Catholics up to the reality and importance of this issue?" If the past two days are any indication, it seems that perhaps a fire has been lit in the Catholic world.

Mark Wahlberg - FANTASTIC Video on Faith, Going to Church Every Day, etc.

2012-01-19T11:27:00.000-05:00

Fascinating interview - especially worth listening to the last minute and a half! This is coming from a guy who's seen both sides of life, and doesn't just rap about them!

A Little Video Response to the Anti-Catholic Rap Star

2012-01-14T01:28:00.001-05:00

Why I Hate "Why I Hate Religion and Love Jesus", but Love My Religion

2012-01-13T18:46:00.001-05:00

Although I hesitate to bump this guy's Youtube counter, here is the video everyone is talking about if you haven't seen it yet

So we have once again been subjected to the diatribes of a guy with a video camera. Let's look at some of his statements one at a time.

"Started so many wars." - Really? Which ones? To quote David Bentley Hart "There is something inherently absurd in persistently speaking of these...wars of succession as "wars of religion" as though they were fought principally over matters of doctrine by parties whose chief concern was the propogation of one or another version of the "true faith." to paraphrase - the mercenary armies in wars throughout history have at times carried flags of different religious affiliation, but they were in name only. Never has an actual war been fought over transubstantiation or some other doctrine of religion.

He "raps" about single moms that have had a divorce - I don't even know what he's saying there, but then he says in the Old Testament God called religious people "whores." What? Was he looking for a word that rhymed with "divorce"? What could he possibly be referencing from the Old Testament that could at all be construed as demeaning religiously minded people.

"Build Churches while hungry people starve" - Oh boy, here we go again. The Catholic Church is the single largest provider of charity in the world. Mother Teresa is the greatest example of a person working with the poor, perhaps forever. Guess what - MOTHER TERESA WAS A PRACTICING CATHOLIC. Not only that, she went to Mass daily, prayed a Rosary every day, did two holy hours every day, and, the best part, when she would build a new house for her sisters in a new area the house would be DIRT POOR - EXCEPT...YOU GUESSED IT...THE CHAPEL! She would get gold chalices, nice vestments, and make sure that everything surrounding the celebration of Mass was beautiful. Why, because Beauty (note the capital B because it refers to Christ) will save the world. I celebrate Mass in a nursing home with some of the poorest of the poor in our society. We are intentional about having music, vestments, candles, a nice chalice and so forth. Should I instead sell my chalice, divide the 1,000 dollars up among the residents, and give that to them? Would that make their life any better? "Hey, Louis, here's 34 dollars, Father sold all his nice stuff he uses for Mass. Isn't this 34 dollars a life-changer?" This is absurd, ridiculous, and something uttered only by people who have never actually worked with the poor or downtrodden and think that money fixes everything.

"religion never gets to the core" - really? It does if you get out of its way! It can remain a surface-level reality - God always allows Himself to be rejected, even when people portray it as "wanting to get closer to His Son!"

"I aint judging" - no of course not (sarcasm alert) you are simply saying anyone who is a member of a religion is a buffoon and has never actually read the Bible. Where would anyone get the impression that you are actually judging someone?

"Jesus hated religion" - here we see the absolutely ridiculous claim that is the "rappers" thesis - but if Jesus hated religion, I wonder why he was a practicing Jew, and why he told Peter "on this rock, I will build my Church." Does that sound like a man who hates religion - he's founding a Church.

"If he came to your Church would they actually let him in" - Every Catholic Church I've ever been to lets everyone in. I've never seen a person turned away from Church my entire life.

"Church = Man made invention" - See Jesus (the guy who the "rapper" claims to love) telling Peter "on this rock I will build My CHURCH"

"Religion makes you blind" - what was that earlier about not judging anyone?

....................
Here's the real deal with all of this - some people, in their naivete, can't stand the fact that bad people pretend to be good. Where better to hide if you are a bad person and want to pretend to be good than in the Church? Some people can't handle that fact, and note that neither could the people who wanted the weeds and the wheat separated in the Gospel, but Jesus said "No! It will happen at the end." Some people can't handle messes and the intermingling of good and evil, and they can't handle being in a big Church with lots of people, some of whom do really heinous things, so these types of people make their own room, a fantasy world like little children make, and they call that room "the me and Jesus room" and no one else can come in, and its just me and Jesus in there, and its warm and cozy and no bad people can get in. Problem is Jesus said "get out there in the world among people," and he prayed that we be one in His Church, but some people don't want to do that, which is why this video is viral on the internet.

Marky Mark's a Catholic - but the Bishops Say Avoid His Film

2012-01-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

Although Marky Mark is a daily communicant, his movie this weekend got the dreaded "morally offensive" review by the bishops. To read why Catholics are encouraged to find another film, read here.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

This movie has been tagged as "L" limited to adults, and some adults may find it offensive. Click here for the review

Catholic? Understand Technology? Want to Make a Lot of Money?

2012-01-10T12:53:00.000-05:00

Here is something I've been kicking around for a few months, and an email today from a St. Malachy parishioner inspired me to throw this idea out there.

With the new translation, song books, inserts, etc. now more than ever Catholics are juggling worship aids.

I've also realized, as a baby priest, how much conversion could take place if people could more easily follow the words being said at Mass. As a priest, especially during the Eucharistic prayer, I try to go slow (but not monotonously slow) in order for people to process the words, but I know from my own experience as a seminarian that the ability to follow along greatly increases the internalization of the prayers being lifted up at Mass.

The "daily Missal" is nice if yo can afford the 55 dollar cost. I had one in the seminary, and it was a big step forward for me with regards to my "praying the Mass" as opposed to "going to Mass." The downside of the "daily Missal" is that you have to know how to navigate it. The typical daily Missal is about 2,000 pages, and so you have to know how to find the prayers for the day on your own. Often times which Eucharistic Prayer will be used isn't known until the priest starts.

The other problem with a daily Missal is that you still need a separate book for songs.

Here's how someone could make a lot of money.

Make a website where a priest can click on a couple of options for the weekend (which preface, which Eucharistic Prayer, which hymns) and then, based on those, Every single word and song could be emailed as a pdf to the entire parish. The parishioners could then put them on their cell phones/Kindles/Ipads or print them off and bring the document in.

I know the "hymn" part might be an issue, and I'm no guru of copyright laws, but 99% of the parishioners don't need the actual hymn sheets with notes - at Ritter we just put the words to the hymns in our programs, and because so many people can't read music anyway, it works.

We've also learned at Ritter that it is HIGHLY more likely that people will follow along if everything is in one place. For our first Mass with the new translation, we put every word in our program and paid a little extra for the printing, but it was TOTALLY worth it. You could FEEL the interior participation of the kids and you could look out and see them following along throughout the entire Mass. People are curious and want to follow, but our Catholic parishes often make it very hard to follow along. Imagine being a guest for a weekend as well. Would you have any idea where to go to in order to follow along?

If you know of someone with some business/technology savvy who would be interested, pass this proposal on to them. I'd be happy to connect with the person and share more ideas.

I would love it if parishioners could have an easy way to follow along with the words of the Mass; what a way to encourage interior active participation!!!!

"I'm Not Being Fed" ??? Homily for the Epiphany

2012-01-08T16:02:00.002-05:00

The Devil Inside - Worst Movie of All Time?

2012-01-06T23:35:00.000-05:00

My "worst movie of all time" short list had a few vying for top honors for several years now. "Cobra" with Sly Stallone, "Godzilla" with Matthew Broderick, and all three of the latest Star Wars Films - say hello to your newest challenger - "The Devil Inside"

Before I get to deeper theological issues that would make this a must NOT see, let me say that the teenagers who packed the theater tonight wanted their money back after the film, and I fully support their protest. By the way, if you ever want to see people freak out socially, go with a priest to an exorcism movie. Completely packed theater, but I had TWO SEATS ON EACH SIDE OF ME OPEN!!!!

As far as "non-priest" film commentary, let me say that everything in the film that was scary is in the trailer. Of course there is the exorcism in the basement (do they happen anywhere else?), the contortion, the sliding across the room, all of which you knew was going to happen because of the trailer.

the film had elements of the "Blair Witch Project", but it had none of the elements that made "Blair Witch Project" scary. When I saw The "Blair Witch Project" in college, I was scared out of my mind because it had the effect of watching live footage, but this film was edited, cut, had subtitles etc. so it was first-person documentary, but it wasn't. Plus, things just continue to escalate in "Blair Witch Project", but this film has a ton of boring down time, or, as you'll see below "agenda time" where, through "interviews with the priests" the film boringly and preachily crams an anti-Catholic agenda down the audience's collective throat.

The film also had parts of Denzel Washington's "Fallen", whereby the demon can be passed from person to person like the flu. This is absolutely idiotic for one, but it also has already been done, so rehashing that plot "twist" was really terrible.

Anyway, to the deeper issues.

I'll start with the biggest problem. This is the first exorcism "film" that has somehow still managed to make the Church out to be the bad guy. The thing I talk on this blog about all the time actually seems to be the central thesis of the film - the demonic notion that there are two different "churches" - the "Bureaucracy" which is full of paper-pushing clerical ladder climbers, and the "good church" - the spiritual nest of people outside the walls of the Vatican.

As the film opens, Maria Rossi is possessed and kills three people at an exorcism. She is hospitalized in Rome, and her daughter, twenty years later, decides to investigate. While in Rome, she meets two priests who "have been ordained exorcists" (for crying out loud, have a Catholic watch the film to clean up the absolute blundering of certain basic verbage - even if it is some Catholic who hates the Church, just get somebody who knows that you don't get ordained an exorcist, that you don't wear a purple stole during baptisms, that priest collars are not actually made of mangled athletic tape, etc.) Anyway, the two priests try to help Isabella, and eventually try to perform an exorcism on her Mom.

Here is where the insane anti-institutional narrative kicks in - the two priests are like rogue Ghost-busters, because, as they note, the Vatican often leaves people out to dry by denying them exorcisms. Yes, you read that correctly, according to the film, the Vatican approves or denies EVERY application for exorcism in the world, every day!

Of course, the Church is then the arch-enemy, "denying" Isabella's mother an exorcism. This is so asinine, but just in case you aren't sure how it really works, every diocese has at least one exorcist who the bishop allows to perform exorcisms. The bishop doesn't "review applications" for exorcism, LET ALONE ROME! Unbelievable.

Throughout the movie, then, the filmmakers bombard the audience with constant commentary on how "the Church covers things up, that's what the Church always does" and "The Church is really against this, that's why I know this is right" and the same mindless babble you hear from Church haters every day.

The film contains violent and vulgar scenes during the exorcism, which, ironically, is the one thing the film gets right. If you read true accounts of exorcisms, exorcists consistently note the profanity, often sexual in nature, that the demon(s) utter - anything to distract the priest. The demon(s) in the film also accurately try to use the sins of those present to distract them, which is also a true element of exorcisms. These few truths, however, are not treated or discussed but rather simply take place without explanation.

Again, I can talk details of the film all night, but please know that I simply want my money back, and I hope to spare anyone else from being cheated out of their money.

If you want to know what exorcisms really are, read "The Rite" or "An Exorcist Tells His Story." Don't wait for Hollywood filmmaker wannabes to get it right, because it will never happen.

Do You Want to Save Your Catholic School? Make It CATHOLIC

2012-01-06T17:26:00.000-05:00

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia today announced the shuttering or merging of 44 of its Catholic schools.

Dioceses, and big ones at that, are heading towards the same types of moves, with (soon to be Cardinal) Dolan apparently honing in on a massive "restructuring" of New York's Catholic school system as well.

Despite the fact that I run this blog, I know that I don't know much about much, but one thing I believe I do know is the direction that a Catholic school will need to go in if it wants to remain viable.

People bemoan massive school closings as if they signal the death of the Church in this or that (arch)diocese, but its not! Look at every corporation or industry that has been around for more than 20 years - the businesses in that industry that don't shutter their doors remain open because THEY ADAPT!

I firmly and passionately believe, as I've said here before, that if schools don't integrate Catholicism into their entire curriculum, they ought to start prepping retirement plans for their employees.

You have to look a little down the train tracks in order to be an organization that adapts, and I believe wholeheartedly that the curve that a school needs to jump out in front of if it wants to be successful and remain open and viable a few years from now is the Catholic identity curve.

I guarantee that as Archbishop Chaput looked over the list of schools in his Archdiocese and had to make hard calls on closings, while some of it was clearly based on economics, I also know that a big part of it also came down to which schools are passing on the Faith in all that they do, and which ones simply give Catholicism a head nod. Especially in tough-call situations, where most everything else was equal, surely the schools that emerged from today are the schools with strong Catholic identity throughout their curriculum.

Having strong Catholic identity doesn't really translate to dollars - YET. Not a lot of parents are out there saying, "I've got to find an authentically Catholic school" for my kid. I know a lot of people who simply look for the word "Catholic" in the title of the school, and their investigation stops there.

That being said, I think in ten years we are going to see two things
a) a lot more parents doing their homework on the Catholic identity of a school
and
b) bishops who really make Catholic identity priority number 1 (we're already seeing this one pan out on the East Coast and elsewhere in the U.S. in the first tremors of a nationwide shake-up).

Some schools may look around and assure themselves of their economic viability and sleep well at night not having to worry about such issues. Well, most schools receive lots of aid from their dioceses and parishes, and those sources can vanish in a flash (i.e. 25 priests suddenly accused of abusing children) and even the once-economically-stalwart schools may find their heads on the chopping block.

We have got to start encouraging and helping teachers incorporate the Catholic faith into their classes. Most don't right now for one simple reason: they don't get paid anymore to put in the extra effort. If I'm running a Catholic school, I would start offering VERY lucrative prizes to teachers who do incorporate the faith in their "non-theological" classes. If I were still teaching math at Chatard, and the principal came out and said "we are going to give 5 1,000 dollar bonuses to the five best lesson plans this semester that incorporate Catholic identity into their classes" you can bet I'd suddenly be motivated.

It is this kind of encouragement that schools will need to start providing their teachers if "Catholicism across the curriculum" is going to take hold (just as "technology across the curriculum" and "writing across the curriculum" programs have taken hold in the past 5-10 years as well).

The question here is which schools will get out in front of the curve, and which schools will stick with the status quo?

Let's all pray for the thousands of teachers who today learned of their job loss, and let's pray that, through the forward thinking of our many many school leaders and teachers, other dioceses may be spared this pain.

The Devil and Art

2012-01-06T11:14:00.000-05:00

With the release of the movie "The Devil Inside" as a high school chaplain I am bombarded with questions about the Devil. One of the things that has been most unexpected in my priesthood is the fascination of young people with the Devil - they want to know about exorcisms, possession, spirits, hauntings, etc. - it is as if the only thing that still stirs them to an awareness of eternal realities is movies and shows about exorcisms - and I am thankful that at least something is still performing that awakening for them.

I ran across a beautiful talk that Archbishop Chaput gave two years ago on the Devil and, ironically, art and beauty. The entire reflection is worth your time, but I found this passage to be relevant to the questions the young people bring:

"If we do not believe in the devil, sooner or later we will not believe in God. We cannot cut Lucifer out of the ecology of salvation. Satan is not God's equal. He is a created being subject to God and already, by the measure of eternity, defeated. Nonetheless, he is the first author of pride and rebellion, and the great seducer of man. Without him the Incarnation and Redemption do not make sense, and the cross is meaningless. Satan is real. There is no way around this simple truth."

The entire talk can be accessed by clicking here.

Video on the Actual Star of Bethlehem

2012-01-04T16:30:00.000-05:00

This is a video I showed to my class a few years ago on the Star of Bethlehem. I first saw the show on EWTN and was really impressed.

This weekend is the Epiphany - the visitation by the wise men from the East. This is a pure case of science and religion aligning with one another.

The video is produced by the same person that produced the Passion of the Christ and I think you will really enjoy this.

Great Article on Whether Vatican II Was a Break With the Past

2012-01-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

This is a bit technical at times, but the article is brief and very well written - some may find it a beneficial read. It is short and to the point, and, as a bonus, it uses math concepts! (nerd alert: I was a math major in college). Click here to read the article.

Good Article on Sports and Reality

2012-01-03T09:56:00.000-05:00

I continue my Christmas break pattern of not writing anything original, but at least passing on things that are written by other people!

This is a really good article on sports (which I and the author both love) and the need to balance sports with reality - or perhaps we should say to NOT BALANCE sports with reality, but to instead make reality and real issues weightier than the entertainment provided by athletics.

Click here to read the column by Norman Chad (the Slouch)

Shameless Popery: Why Celebrate Christ's Birth, Instead of His Conce...

2011-12-30T19:27:00.000-05:00

With the pro-life movement being a part of my life, a question that I've discussed with many is "why is the Conception of Christ" treated with such little fanfare, while we make His birth a huge deal? Isn't His Conception (celebrated 9 months before Christmas) when he became a human person? This article below does a great job of treating that question.

Shameless Popery: Why Celebrate Christ's Birth, Instead of His Conce...: Since life begins at conception, why do we focus on celebrating the Birth of Christ, rather than His Conception ? After all, from a Cathol...

Mary the Mother of God

2011-12-30T19:23:00.000-05:00

This is a post from a scholarly priest in Montana. While studying together in Rome, Fr. Ryan and I were good buds, and we actually (unsuccessfully) climbed Mount Eiger in Switzerland together. He's a true scholar and his reflection is worth the read

http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2011/12/if-mary-is-mother-of-jesus-why-isnt.html

A New Video

2011-12-29T23:29:00.000-05:00

This is the latest video from my video production company that is not a company. I like putting together little mash-ups when I get the time.

Some might say this isn't real "Christmassy" but then again, neither is the stoning of Saint Stephen, the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, or the martyrdom of Beckett, all of which we celebrate and remember this week.

Appalled

2011-12-26T23:21:00.000-05:00

A post about "hosts" and an issue that is arising more frequently at parishes across the country. There are ways around this, but anyone presenting hosts to be consecrated for wheat allergies ought to run the ingredients by their parish priest first. Appalled

Same Lap, Same Child, 33 Years Later

2011-12-25T16:36:00.000-05:00

This morning I was blessed to have Mass in a still-silent St. John's in downtown Indy around 6:30 am. Because I had no Mass scheduled, I went to my favorite place on Earth and had Mass by myself.

I celebrated Mass this morning at the side altar of the pieta (statue of Mary holding Her dead Son in her arms - first immortalized by Michelangelo's statue in St. Peter's Basilica).

As I celebrated Mass this morning, it hit me that just as we celebrate today the birth of a child resting peacefully in His Mother's arms, so the pieta memorializes that same Mother holding that same Child in those same arms. The two scenes will always now be intimately connected for me in a way that had not ever occurred to me before.

It was especially driven home to me when I elevated the Host and the chalice. At each elevation, because the statue is so big and so close to the altar, all I could see was the Host/chalice and the Blessed Mother in the near-background holding Her dead Son. It seemed as if I was showing to the Blessed Mother Her Son, and it was as if She was saying, "I believe, but look how the world treats Him!"

May we remember His coming as a child, and may we remember that, despite every effort on His part, some still choose to reject His message. May more people open their hearts to let Him make His dwelling with them - and may we live in such a way as to inspire that increase!

Homily for Christmas - Unto Us A CHILD Is Born

2011-12-24T23:32:00.002-05:00

Why Pope Benedict Will One Day be Recognized as a Doctor of the Church

2011-12-24T15:15:00.000-05:00

This is an excerpt from a Christmas homily that Pope Benedict gave almost 30 years ago. I found it in an obscure book titled "Dogma and Preaching" which is a collection compiled in the mid 1980's of some of Fr./Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's homilies.

This excerpt brilliantly and succinctly sums up so much of what the Church says to the world during this Christmas season. The excerpt combines real world wisdom with the best that psychology has to offer the world. I hope it brings a bit of holiday joy to you and your loved-ones this Christmas Eve!

"Today it is practically obligatory for a theologian or preacher to direct more or less withering criticism at the way we celebrate Christmas and to compare the placid comfort of our festivities with the hard reality of the first Christmas. Christmas - they tell us - has been commercialized beyond redemption; it has degenerated into a meaningless commercial bustle. Its piety has been sentimentalized; the celebration of the unfathomable mystery of God's Incarnation has turned into a cheap romantic melodrama that is focused on a pretty, curly-haired baby, accompanied by a bit of fantasy about the family and much emphasis on bourgeois self-satisfaction. In fact, in most instances all that survives of religion is a breath of sentimentality; people find it comforting once a year, on this night when all the lights blaze out, to be touched by a feeling that stirs reveries of childhood and an idealized time now long past.

The criticism is undoubtedly justified in large measure. It has not, however, perhaps been sufficiently observant of the fact that behind the facade of commercialism and sentimentality the desire for something great and primal has not wholly disappeared, and even that the sentimentality acts as a screen behind which a profound and pure feeling lurks, too shy to reveal itself to the gaze of others."

QUAERITUR: Long confession lines, having only venial sins, and blocking someone else’s chance to confess

2011-12-23T17:29:00.000-05:00

Great post from Fr. Z.
QUAERITUR: Long confession lines, having only venial sins, and blocking someone else’s chance to confess

The Magnificat and Cooking

2011-12-22T21:35:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I had some of my siblings over for dinner. The main course went really well and tasted delicious. I went with one of my Mom's recipes, so success was a given.

Desert, on the other hand, was an unmitigated disaster! Long story short - I was going to fry up some beignets (New Orleans donuts) and the oil got to hot, started smoking, spread throughout the house, and I'm lucky the oil never caught fire and burned the house down.

Cooking has been on my mind even now (6 days later) because I'm still bombing the house with cleaning chemicals, taking apart the microwave to clean it, bleaching, mopping, vacuuming, wiping, etc. I've spent 80 dollars on chemicals, and I think today was the Battle of the Bulge; I feel like I finally got the upperhand and turned the corner on the stench in the rectory.

What in the heck does that have to do with the Magnificat of Mary which was today's Gospel reading? Mary begins her litany of praise to God by saying "My soul gives praise to God my savior" and as I prayed over those lines cooking came to mind.

Interesting that Mary says her SOUL praises God - if our soul's on board, it's like we're saying its a deeper level of commitment; it's as if the Blessed Mother is saying "This is not a surface-level thing. My whole BEING praises God."

This seems to me to be like cooking. You can't microwave a Thanksgiving turkey - if the heat is going to sink in, it has to do so over time...slowly...if it has any hope of getting down deep. I mean technically you can try and cook something too fast, but it gets too hot and gets burned up - kind of like those who expect to have a conversion experience as soon as they sit down to pray and think:

"Okay God...I just sat down here to pray so start talking to me...could you speed this up...I can't hear you...it must not be working...God must not love me...so much for this prayer thing!"

These last few days before Christmas we are encouraged in all directions to be frantic, to get stressed, and sometimes we're just authentically excited to the point where we don't WANT to wait for God.

Let us realize that if our SOUL is ever going to be involved, if our SOUL is ever going to be touched by God to the point where we can exclaim "My SOUL proclaims the greatness of God" then it will only be because we sat in the oven of prayer and spent TIME letting God slowly seep in towards our innermost being.

Hobbit Trailer

2011-12-21T10:32:00.002-05:00

If you've followed the blog at all my love for Tolkien is surely not a surprise at this point. This looks to be quite the movie experience!

Best to click on it, go to the Youtube site and watch it on full screen

Who Cares about the Dedication of the Cathedral??

2011-12-21T08:40:00.000-05:00

Last night, after looking at a calendar, I realized that today is a feast day for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis because it is the anniversary of the dedication of our Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral. A few weeks ago, I posted here about how some days are elevated depending on where you live.

Anyway, as I started thinking about today, it seemed a bit forced that I would celebrate the dedication of a Church building downtown. Isn't that almost like cheating for a reason to celebrate.

(Starbucks drive thru person: "Can I help you"
Me: "yes, I'd like a coffee please. It's the anniversary of the dedication of our Catholic cathedral downtown.")

As I prayed about it this morning, I came to a couple of realizations I'd like to share.

I've written often on here about how easy it is to conceive of things as "Spiritual or Earthly" - the tendency we have as human beings to put things on one side of the divide or the other. Nancy Pelosi gives nice voice to that tendency here. We may not go to the extremes that Mrs. Pelosi did, but we often get a lot closer to such an extreme than we would like to admit.

The Church and Jesus stand in the breach yanking the spiritual and the earthly together, not allowing people to get away with their attempts to sift through reality and decide what is "spiritual" and what is "earthly." The Eucharist is BOTH spiritual and earthly, Jesus is both spiritual and earthly, WE as human beings are both spiritual and earthly...and the Eucharist (all sacraments), the Church, Jesus, human beings etc. are BOTH spiritual and earthly IN A WAY THAT CAN NOT BE PULLED APART - I can never say "that's the historical earthly Jesus comments there...and those are the things that the transcendental spiritual Jesus said there." I can't say "that's the earthly church talking or acting there...and over here we have the spiritual church at work." No separating the wheat from the chaff until the end of time.

So celebrating the anniversary of a Church downtown is a good exercise because it, perhaps more than anything else in our Church's calendar, forces us to remember that the building is not JUST an earthly collection of brick and mortar, it is a place where God has CHOSEN to mix realities that, thankfully, despite our attempts to do so, can not be unmixed in this lifetime.

An Actual Place that Bills Themselves as a Catholic College and Means It!

2011-12-20T16:49:00.000-05:00

First a chillingly beautiful poem from the pages of First Things

Winter Concert
by N. E. Dunkle

At St. Progressive University
We toil to demonstrate diversity.
Before our concert, let me tell you how
We come to sing of winter solstice now
Instead of Christmas as we did until
Three students asked that ash tree Yggdrasil
Be raised beside each lighted Christmas tree
To show respect to Norse mythology.
So now you can feel safe; there’s nothing here
Denoting Advent or the Christian year.
Progressive is the light, and we have seen it;
We still hum Christmas tunes, but we don’t mean it.

I've heard many people say "The best place to lose your Catholic Faith is at a Catholic college" and from what I've seen the past 10 years or so, it is hard to argue with that statement.

If you are looking for a college that is Catholic and means it you need to look at supporting/attending Wyoming Catholic College. Watch the awesome trailer that they just released through my favorite group in the world --> Grassroots Films

Enjoy!

Why it Might Be GOOD if Pope Benedict Does Resign

2011-12-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

Let me begin by saying I am a gigantic fan of Pope Benedict and he helped form me into the priest I am just as much as the seminary did. I have a book I've written on his theological ideas, although I'm still trying to clean it up for publishing. Needless to say, I am a fan.

Stories are starting to surface that the Pontiff is aging and seems tired and worn down. He has himself called attention several times to the fact that a pope is able to resign if he so chooses, the only requirement being that he not be forced to do so.

I believe that if Pope Benedict were to resign it could be very instructive and catechetical for both the Church and the world at large.

Blessed Pope John Paul II chose not to resign, and I think it was because his NOT resigning allowed him an opportunity to teach the world about suffering, about the dignity of the elderly, and it gave him a chance to put into practice the teaching on end of life issues (specifically the teaching he helped clarify - the idea that all people should be hydrated and fed until life is no longer sustainable).

Just as JP II clinging to his papacy to the very end served to educate the world, I think Benedict RESIGNING could serve as a very helpful and much needed teaching moment as well.

Some writers have talked about the confusion that would exist in most people's minds if there were "two popes." That most people see "two popes" as somehow problematic illustrates exactly why we could be well-served by experiencing just such a scenario.

Many people completely fail to grasp the idea of papal infallibility. I myself did not properly understand the teaching until I was in the seminary and had a chance to study it in depth. In the mind of most people the Church believes that a pope can do no wrong - that God somehow protects the pontiff from any and all error and sin. This of course leads those both outside and inside the Church to scoff - "look at all the bad popes through all the years, clearly your doctrine of infallibility is laughable!!!"

But infallibility only applies to when the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) is teaching something in a very clear way or declaring something in a very clear way as being infallible, only then is said teaching actually held to be infallible. The times where a pope declares something infallibly are few and far between.

It would be very healthy for people to realize that INFALLIBILITY IS RARE AND ONLY APPLIES TO THE OFFICE NOT TO THE MAN. The Pope is a bishop like all other bishops. Pope Benedict has a cathedral, he oversees the diocese of Rome, he baptizes, he runs capital campaigns, he approves the building of new Churches in the diocese, he ordains priest for his diocese and so forth. What does set him apart is the fact that from the beginning of the Church there is a clear deference to the Bishop of Rome by the other bishops of the world on matters that needed resolution by an authority.

Being pope makes a person really no more SPIRITUALLY guided by God than any other bishop throughout the world. Becoming pope does not make a person into some super-human-angelic hybrid - a bishop who becomes the bishop of Rome takes on AN OFFICE which can be laid aside and assumed by someone else without any problem in the mind of those who understand what a bishop is and what the pope is.

Perhaps this would be a much needed lesson for both those in the Church and those who would perhaps enter under Her roof if only they properly understood what the office of the papacy is and what it is not.

The Angelus

2011-12-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

This weekend at Mass the opening prayer is the following

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.

This is a prayer used by many Catholics THREE TIMES a day!

I first encountered the Angelus Prayer when I was in my third year of seminary studying in Rome. We always prayed it before lunch, but I gradually learned that many Catholics pray the prayer at 6 am, Noon, and 6 pm. Below is a famous painting by Jean Francois Millet titled "The Angelus" which shows people stopping during their day to pray the Angelus.

The Angelus has three short strophes which are followed by a "Hail Mary". Those three strophes are the following

The Angel (first word in the Latin version is "Angelus" which is where the prayer derives its title) of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary...

Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your Word.
Hail Mary...

(genuflecting) The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
Hail Mary...

The Angelus is kind of a constant reminder of the key points of Marian doctrine.
1) Mary conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit
2) Her famous fiat (Latin for "be it done") that is a model for each of us each day
3) Mary actually gave birth to a real human being

I have found this prayer very helpful for me throughout the day, especially the "May it be done unto me according to your Word" phrase. This phrase is key, and that's why I preached on that phrase this weekend.

The Angelus prayer concludes with a short strophe
"Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray

and one concludes with the opening prayer for today's Mass (mentioned above).

This is a devotion that I have found very helpful and formative. Here a word of caution, though, before adding this to your devotional life. We ought to always be leery of adding other devotions into our life. It is possible to be what is known as "overly-devotional" in the sense that some people will recite prayers and devotions but never spend any time in silent prayer. I am VERY cautious about adding a devotion to my life. For the past 4-5 years my devotional life has consisted in a daily Rosary and the Angelus three times a day. One's devotional life is very personal and ought to be constantly examined to continue to strike a successful balance between being overly devotional and not having any devotional prayer in one's life at all.

In conclusion, for those of you interested in making the Angelus a part of your day, here is the whole prayer.

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

(genuflecting) And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Consubstantial? What the Heck is That? Fr. Romanus Cessario Offers a Good Explanation

2011-12-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

Preparing for the Roman Missal, 3rd Edition: 'Consubstantial with the Father'

Father Romanus Cessario, O.P.
Posted: 1/14/2011

Early on, Catholic parents teach their children to bless themselves: "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The spoken words and bodily movement express Catholic belief in both the Holy Trinity, the three-Person God, and the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This familiar gesture introduces the child into the central Christian mysteries that will sustain his or her Catholic life. Significantly, it remains the last sign that the priest makes over the body of a departed Christian soul.

Some Background

As important as the sign of the cross is, no one should take this basic initiation into Christian doctrine and practice for granted. During the first centuries of the Church's history, not a few -- in some instances, even well-meaning -- persons got things wrong when they tried to explain the status of the Eternal Son, the Second Divine Person. It required an enormous effort on the part of holy popes and wise bishops both to expound and defend orthodox Catholic belief about the full divinity of the Eternal Son of God, the one and the same who "by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary."

Still, various errors spread throughout the Church, first in the East and then in the West. The most widespread of these heresies takes its name from a North African priest named Arius. Arianism offered an easy solution to those who found it difficult to envisage Three Persons in One God. The heresy also suited those who found it hard to accept that God could become man and still retain the fullness of divinity. Arians instead opted to revere Christ as a creature of God, albeit a very exalted creature. They wanted to speak of Christ as "like" the Father, one who resembled God. We still reject this Arian error when at Mass on Sunday the Church confesses of the Eternal Son that he is "God from God, / Light from Light, / true God from true God, / begotten, not made..." In other words, the Church rejects the suggestion that the Eternal Son is made or created in the way that all other creatures, including human beings, are made or created.

These words, "begotten, not made," come from the Nicene Creed. This ancient profession of Catholic faith ordinarily is prayed each Sunday after the reading of the Gospel and the priest's homily. It is called the Nicene Creed because of its initial formulation at the Council of Nicaea, an early ecumenical council (325) celebrated by the Church in what is today Iznik, Turkey. At the Council of Nicaea, the Magisterium of the Church had to confront controversy about the status of the Incarnate Son of God. Is the Second in God identical with the Father? Catholics know that the authoritative teachers of Catholic faith defined that the Eternal Son born of the Virgin Mary is fully God. As central as this belief remains to the Christian faith, the word chosen to express the sameness of the Son and the Father is a technical one that requires explanation.

"Consubstantial with the Father"

For the last 40 years or so, Catholics have become accustomed to express their belief in the sameness of the Father and the Son by the expression, "one in Being with the Father." This translation came about because certain experts had opined that a literal translation of the Latin term "consubstanialem," that is, consubstanital, would be too unfamiliar to the everyday churchgoer.

However, the expression "one in Being with the Father" does not translate "consubstantialem." The expression is too vague. Since God creates and sustains all that exists, everything in some sense can be said to be one in being with God. Not that everything is the divine nature but that everything outside of God remains dependent on the divine nature for its borrowed existence. The sameness that the Eternal Son enjoys with the Father is not like that. Instead, this sameness arises from the specific substance or nature of the Godhead. Catholic faith holds that each of the three Divine Persons share one and the same divine nature or substance. Just as the mystery of the Blessed Trinity stands at the heart of our belief, so also it grounds our salvation.

The Greek expression adopted at the Council of Nicaea is "homoousious," which is translated into English as "con-substantial." The Eternal Son, who was born of the Virgin Mary, is neither "like" the Father nor "practically the same substance" as the Father. The Eternal Son enjoys the very same substance as the Father. The Son possesses fully the Godhead of the Father. So today, the Church again confesses in the English rendition of the Creed that Jesus Christ is "consubstantial with the Father."

Significance for Christian Life

Discussions of translation of official texts may seem to interest only theologians and semantic experts. The fact of the matter is that we are dependent upon certain words in order to embrace the truth about the Catholic religion. The effort to learn words like "consubstantial" pays off huge dividends for the spiritual life. Why? The more we know the Truth about God the more we love him. This axiom applies especially to the Trinity, whose indwelling in the souls of the just is the reason that Catholics first teach their children to bless themselves. And as the Church confirmed at Nicaea, only God can save us.

Father Romanus Cessario, o.p., serves as senior editor for Magnificat and teaches theology at St. John's Seminary in Boston.

Reprinted from Magnificat, February 2011, Vol.12, No. 12, pp. 5-8, To order call 1-866-273-5215 Web site: www.magnificat.com.

Who Says the Priesthood is Boring? - The Drumming Priest

2011-12-15T06:55:00.000-05:00

My friend, seminarian Doug Marcotte, sent me this video of a priest from New York jamming out at an ordination party. Archindy has our dancing Fr. Meyer, and it looks like New York has their drumming Fr. Rich Mastrogiacomo. I love the sign of the cross at the end of the jam!

Christ Does Not Annihilate Us: Homily for Our Lady of Guadalupe

2011-12-12T15:59:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate the apparition of our Blessed Mother to St. Juan Diego. We know the famous story whereby Juan Diego goes in front of the bishop carrying flowers from the apparition in his cloak, and when he dumps them on the floor in front of the bishop, emblazoned on his cloak is the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Scientists have poked and prodded and have found no other explanation for the cloak beyond the idea that it is miraculous.

What I'd like to focus on today is the idea that the Blessed Mother appears to Juan Diego with the characteristics of the local people - skin tone, eyes, dress, etc. I think that is important. Our Lady has appeared in countless apparitions around the world, some much more famous than others, but all of them unique. In all of these visions, Our Lady manifests herself as one of the locals. This is very important for us because it shows us that Our Blessed Mother, like Her Son, does not annihilate our culture when we take them into our cultural experience. We do not give up our dances, our dress, our patriotic days (as long as they are just), our songs, our friends, our foods, our country. Many people spread fear about God (or the Church) - "They're like a cult - beware and steer clear - they'll make you drink the kool-aid!" Nothing could be further from the truth! God does not ask us to stop being Americans or Poles or Mexicans or Indians etc. God elevates our culture when we allow Him to infuse it, he does not destroy.

Just as God, Mary, Jesus, and His Church do not destroy our culture, they do not destroy us as individuals either. Neither God, the Blessed Mother or the Church do violence to us - even though secretly that is our fear - "If I give my life to Christ I will lose my own personal identity, I will be weird, I will no longer be myself anymore!" But nothing could be further from the Truth!

If Christ and His Church are the yeast and our society is the wheat, we do not lose our "wheatness" by allowing ourselves to be infused by the yeast.

As a society, but first as individuals, we need to let God in the door. Our Lady of Guadalupe...pray for us!

Whose Theology of the Body?

2011-12-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago in the Criterion there was an article about a 'Theology of the Body' workshop for college students. I am a huge fan of the 'Theology of the Body', but it is important to remember that the 'Theology of the Body' is a very specific set of teachings and reflections by the late Pope John Paul II. The 'Theology of the Body' is a collection of 129 talks given by JP II over the course of several years on very specific themes dealing with the interplay of spirituality and sexuality.

The 'Theology of the Body' continues to grow in demand and notoriety, and 'Theology of the Body' speakers are highly sought after for youth groups, high schools, college groups, Theology on Tap meetings and so on. The problem that I've noticed throughout the past few years is that sometimes someone brands themselves as a 'Theology of the Body' speaker when in fact they proceed to simply offer up their version of a chastity/sex talk.

An example of this is the speaker that the Criterion interviewed. About her recent 'Theology of the Body' talk, the Criterion noted that "Rather than discuss the specifics of Blessed John Paul II's teachings, she shared stories about her own experiences in high school and college." I found that to be pretty telling.

I remember one time hearing a famous presenter on the Theology of the Body (who, overall, was faithful to the themes of the 'Theology of the Body') who talked about how guys should, when they are tempted sexually, extend their arms out in the form of the cross. That is a great idea, but it isn't anywhere in the 'Theology of the Body.'

I have no problem with chastity/sexuality talks, and in fact I think they ought to happen often for young people, but we just can't be calling them 'Theology of the Body' talks. Sometimes speakers will attempt to add an aura of authority to their talk so they trace their ideas back to John Paul II when in fact what the speaker talks about isn't really mentioned in the 'Theology of the Body.'

I think we also do a disservice to our Catholic faithful if we say the 'Theology of the Body' can be understood in an hour or two. The book form of all of the talks put together is 500+ pages and every page is VERY deep. I think those who pretend to help someone grasp it all in an hour give the impression to those who've never explored it in greater detail that they now have the gist of the Theology of the Body when in reality it is something that would bear fruitful reading, or at least reading a faithful summary.

If someone told you that they've summarized the 'Theology of the Body' in a talk, then I hope you at some point go back to a more in-depth analysis of the talks, or, if you're feeling really adventurous, the speeches themselves.

Click here for a good summary

Click here to order a copy of a book that I have all of the couples that I prepare for marriage read through that brings in several themes from the 'Theology of the Body'

Here is a website that coordinates lots of resources for the 'Theology of the Body'

Movie Reviews

2011-12-09T15:08:00.000-05:00

The Sitter

This one gets the big fat "O" as in stay away and take advantage of one of the other 4 billion fun things to do this weekend! Click here to read the review

New Year's Eve

This one has every person from Hollywood in it! It is rated A-III for adults and you can read the review here.

School Plays Are For Pansies? Homily for the Immaculate Conception

2011-12-08T17:38:00.000-05:00

The Advent Conspiracy - Awesome Short Video!

2011-12-07T13:17:00.000-05:00

I love the idea of giving "presence" - I've worked harder at that over the years but still could do better.

Jimmy Fallon on Wanting to Be a Priest and How the Mass Isn't What It Used to Be

2011-12-07T08:05:00.000-05:00

This is from
http://www.sacatholic.com/2011/12/05/catholicism-jimmy-fallon-wanted-to-be-a-priest/

On NPR's Fresh Air, Terry Gross interviewed Late Night Host Jimmy Fallon. Comedically speaking, I've always been a fan, even though on SNL, he could never keep a straight face. Maybe that's why I liked him!

In his interview, we learn two things. A) He wanted to be a priest and B) he's fallen away because
"There’s a band there now, and you got to, you have to hold hands with people through the whole Mass now, and I don’t like doing that...there’s Frisbees being thrown, there’s beach balls going around, people waving lighters, and I go, ‘This is too much for me.’ I want the old way. I want to hang out with the nuns...that was my favorite type of Mass, and the grotto, and just like straight up, just Mass Mass." That may be the theme for this blog - stuff like this ultimately drives people away and doesn't speak to anyone who is actually seeking an authentic encounter with God. I was fascinated to hear it from someone like Fallon.

If you are interested, here is a transcript of that part of the interview:

GROSS: So you went to Catholic school when you were young.

Mr. FALLON: Oh yeah.

GROSS: Did you have…

Mr. FALLON: I wanted to be a priest.

GROSS: Did you really?

Mr. FALLON: Yeah. I loved it.

GROSS: Why?

Mr. FALLON: I just, I loved the church. I loved the idea of it. I loved the smell of the incense. I loved the feeling you get when you left church. I loved like how this priest can make people feel this good. I just thought it was – I loved the whole idea of it. My grandfather was very religious, so I used to go to Mass with him at like 6:45 in the morning, serve Mass. And then you made money, too, if you did weddings and funerals. You’d get like five bucks. And so I go ‘Okay, I can make money too.’ I go, ‘This could be a good deal for me.’ I thought I had the calling.

GROSS: Do you think part of that calling was really show business? ‘Cause – like the priest is the performer at church.

Mr. FALLON: Yeah. You know what – I, really Terry, I’m, I recently thought about this. [...] It’s my first experience on stage is as an altar boy. You’re on stage next to the priest, I’m a co-star.

(Laughter)

GROSS: ‘Also starring, Jimmy Fallon.’

(Laughter)

Mr. FALLON: Yeah, I have no lines but I ring bells. I ring bells and I swing the incense around. And you know, you are performing. You enter through a curtain, you exit through the, I mean you’re backstage. I mean, have you ever seen backstage behind an altar? It’s kind of fascinating.

GROSS: Right.

Mr. FALLON: So I think it was my first taste of show business – or acting or something.

GROSS: And there are comparisons, I think, between a theater and a church. They are just, kind of, places that are separated from outside reality.

Mr. FALLON: Yeah. And I remember I had a hard time keeping a straight face at church as well.

GROSS: Did you?

Mr. FALLON: Which – yeah…

GROSS: Did you do imitations of the priest?

(Laughter)

Mr. FALLON: Oh, of course. Yeah. I used to do Father McFadden all the time. He’s the fastest talking priest ever. He’s be like…

(Mumbling)

(Laughter)

Mr. FALLON: And then you leave and you go, ‘What was that?’

(Laughter)

Mr. FALLON: That guy’s the best. I mean, that was church? Sign me up! I’ll do church. I’ll do it 10 times a day if that’s church! He was great.

GROSS: Do you still go to church?

Mr. FALLON: I don’t go to – I tried to go back. When I was out in L.A. and I was kind of struggling for a bit. I went to church for a while, but it’s kind of, it’s gotten gigantic now for me. It’s like too… There’s a band. There’s a band there now, and you got to, you have to hold hands with people through the whole Mass now, and I don’t like doing that. You know, I mean, it used to be the shaking hands piece was the only time you touched each other.

GROSS: Mm-hmm.

Mr. FALLON: Now, I’m holding hand – now I’m lifting people. Like Simba.

(Laughter)

Mr. FALLON: I’m holding them (Singing) ha nah hey nah ho.

(Speaking) I’m doing too much. I don’t want – there’s Frisbees being thrown, there’s beach balls going around, people waving lighters, and I go, ‘This is too much for me.’ I want the old way. I want to hang out with the, you know, with the nuns, you know, that was my favorite type of Mass, and the grotto, and just like straight up, just Mass Mass.

Everything's Not Lost

2011-12-06T15:48:00.000-05:00

This morning at Mass I got to the point where I was supposed to name the person the Mass was offered for. As I thought for a moment, I went ahead and offered Mass for a friend of mine for whom I've offered Mass many times. Matt took his life several years ago, but his death still comes to mind often, especially when I'm celebrating Mass.

Later this morning, I came across a Coldplay song for the first time that I absolutely love, and I listened to it several times this morning while getting some work done, and started paying attention to the words. The title of the song is "Everything's Not Lost" and I really liked the following verse:

When you thought that it was over
You could feel it all around
Everybody's out to get you
Don't you let it drag you down

A few hours later, with the song still playing in my mind, I learned of another horrible, gut-wrenching suicide.

I talked to our kids after school about the importance of talking to someone when things seem like they are going bad and getting worse. Often those who take their own life think that they won't be missed, or that everyone's life will be better if they are gone - and this is never the case. Suicide always rips apart many people and sends shockwaves throughout communities and families. Let us pray for families who are carrying the unimaginable cross of trying to put their life back together after the suicide of a loved one. To all who may be down right now, please know that no matter how bad things get, at the end of the day "Everything's Not Lost"

Great Description of Why the Revised Translation

2011-12-05T12:53:00.000-05:00

Have young people in your family? Even if you don't, would you like a simple and entertaining little video about why we have the revised translation at Mass? This is from a guy named Mark Hart from Phoenix and is very well done and short

Obsessively Navigating One's Ipod During Advent/Christmas

2011-12-02T22:30:00.001-05:00

Christmas songs are a tricky one for a lot of Catholics. There is always a twinge of guilt for most who are jamming to "Jingle Bells" on November 25th when the Church is saying "Watch," "Wait," "Listen," "Be Still."

I think most don't want to take the time to sort through it all and decide what they can listen to and what they can't (and that is understandable). Therefore, I present to you my obsessive leg work on what songs are okay and when. This is not Canon Law, and I'd appreciate feedback/suggestions/your favorites!!!

I made four playlists on my Ipod the day after Thanksgiving this year.
1) Advent Church Music and Carols
2) Carols and Songs for the run-up to Christmas
3) Christmas Church Music
4) Christmas Songs

How to construct the first playlist:
1) Buy St. Meinrad's Advent CD (click here to purchase)
2) Get some other Advent music. Here are some suggestions
O Come O Come Emmanuel

Ave Maria (both because of Dec. 8th being in Advent, and because Marian hymns are also "Adventish", especially Marian hymns that celebrate the visitation of the Angel to the Blessed Virgin.) Here is a WONDERFUL version of the Ave Maria worth the download!

Holy is Your Name (Mary's response when the Angel visits her)

Veni Redemptor Gentium

2) This is the trickiest of the playlists. People want to listen to something Christmassy in the run-up to Christmas. The Church is cool with this after December 17th when we begin the second half of Advent - the anticipation of the FIRST coming of Jesus in Bethlehem (the first half of Advent is preparation for the 2nd coming). So what "Christmas" songs would be acceptable in the run-up to Christmas?

First of all, you have the "Christmas" songs that you could listen to right now because they are simply a celebration of winter. Those songs that are "okay right now":
Let It Snow
Winter Wonderland
Jingle Bells
Jingle Bell Rock
The Holly and the Ivy
O Christmas Tree (it's just about a tree - although if you think it's wrong to put up your tree until Christmas day, then this song would be banned from this list)
It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year
Deck the Halls
Frosty the Snowman
Sleigh Ride

The most subjective part of all of this is whether or not there are songs that one could listen to BEFORE Christmas that nonetheless still MENTION Christmas. I say yes - but I have criteria. The song has to get me thinking about what happened in Bethlehem without being overly celebratory about it happening just yet. Also, since I'd be listening to these songs from December 17th on into Christmas, a big requirement for me is that they still be kind of quiet/peaceful/in the spirit of prayerfulness that ought to still be present in the last 8 days of Advent. Again, this is all subjective.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
White Christmas
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Please Come Home for Christmas
The Little Drummer Boy

3) This is the list of Christmas songs you might encounter at a Mass during the Christmas season. Of course, the St. Meinrad CD has some lovely renditions of Christmas Mass music on there as well. In addition, here are some of the more common Church songs during Christmas:
O Come All Ye Faithful
Silent Night
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Oh Holy Night
The First Noel
Joy to the World
O Come Let Us Adore Him
Away in a Manger
O Little Town of Bethlehem
What Child Is This?
Angels We Have Heard On High
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

4) This is basically everything that I believe you ought to hold off for until December 25th. That, again, is up to you.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town/Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer/etc. - you may have issues with these. Understandable. Last year I did a post about whether or not Santa Claus = the Antichrist. You can go there by clicking here. The comments that follow the initial post are helpful I think.

The Christmas Song ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire...")
Christmas Time Is Here (Charlie Brown TV Show)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
On Christmas Night
Carol of the Bells
Do You Hear What I Hear
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Holly Jolly Christmas
12 Days of Christmas

These lists are a little obsessive, obviously, but I do think putting a little time into it actually helps make Christmas even more blessed and enjoyable. Putting SOME limit on our music selections these next four weeks is really a type of fasting - we make the decision to not simply unleash the entire arsenal of our Christmas musical catalog on Black Friday, but instead are called to a gradual and measured approach to December 25th.

Okay, so what did I get wrong? Further suggestions? Favorite versions of songs?

St. Francis Xavier Feast Day Tomorrow!

2011-12-02T11:47:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is a solemnity in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis! It is the feast day for St. Francis Xavier our patron saint.

At St. Malachy we will be having Mass at 8:15, followed by adoration which will last until 10:30. Also during that time we will be having confessions.

In the evening, around 7:15 I will also be giving a talk at Holy Rosary to their women's advent reflection evening. I am super excited because I'm going to be talking about "Beauty", a subject I am most passionate about right now.

So who is St. Francis Xavier? I will simply insert here the passage from the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Born in the Castle of Xavier near Sanguesa, in Navarre, 7 April, 1506; died on the Island of Sancian near the coast of China, 2 December, 1552. In 1525, having completed a preliminary course of studies in his own country, Francis Xavier went to Paris, where he entered the collège de Sainte-Barbe. Here he met the Savoyard, Pierre Favre, and a warm personal friendship sprang up between them. It was at this same college that St. Ignatius Loyola, who was already planning the foundation of the Society of Jesus, resided for a time as a guest in 1529. He soon won the confidence of the two young men; first Favre and later Xavier offered themselves with him in the formation of the Society. Four others, Lainez, Salmerón, Rodríguez, and Bobadilla, having joined them, the seven made the famous vow of Montmartre, 15 Aug., 1534.

After completing his studies in Paris and filling the post of teacher there for some time, Xavier left the city with his companions 15 November, 1536, and turned his steps to Venice, where he displayed zeal and charity in attending the sick in the hospitals. On 24 June, 1537, he received Holy orders with St. Ignatius. The following year he went to Rome, and after doing apostolic work there for some months, during the spring of 1539 he took part in the conferences which St. Ignatius held with his companions to prepare for the definitive foundation of the Society of Jesus. The order was approved verbally 3 September, and before the written approbation was secured, which was not until a year later, Xavier was appointed, at the earnest solicitation of the John III, King of Portugal, to evangelize the people of the East Indies. He left Rome 16 March, 1540, and reached Lisbon about June. Here he remained nine months, giving many admirable examples of apostolic zeal.

On 7 April, 1541, he embarked in a sailing vessel for India, and after a tedious and dangerous voyage landed at Goa, 6 May, 1542. The first five months he spent in preaching and ministering to the sick in the hospitals. He would go through the streets ringing a little bell and inviting the children to hear the word of God. When he had gathered a number, he would take them to a certain church and would there explain the catechism to them. About October, 1542, he started for the pearl fisheries of the extreme southern coast of the peninsula, desirous of restoring Christanity which, although introduced years before, had almost disappeared on account of the lack of priests. He devoted almost three years to the work of preaching to the people of Western India, converting many, and reaching in his journeys even the Island of Ceylon. Many were the difficulties and hardships which Xavier had to encounter at this time, sometimes on account of the cruel persecutions which some of the petty kings of the country carried on against the neophytes, and again because the Portuguese soldiers, far from seconding the work of the saint, retarded it by their bad example and vicious habits.

In the spring of 1545 Xavier started for Malacca. He laboured there for the last months of that year, and although he reaped an abundant spiritual harvest, he was not able to root out certain abuses, and was conscious that many sinners had resisted his efforts to bring them back to God. About January, 1546, Xavier left Malacca and went to Molucca Islands, where the Portuguese had some settlements, and for a year and a half he preached the Gospel to the inhabitants of Amboyna, Ternate, Baranura, and other lesser islands which it has been difficult to identify. It is claimed by some that during this expedition he landed on the island of Mindanao, and for this reason St. Francis Xavier has been called the first Apostle of the Philippines. But although this statement is made by some writers of the seventeenth century, and in the Bull of canonization issued in 1623, it is said that he preached the Gospel in Mindanao, up to the present time it has not been proved absolutely that St. Francis Xavier ever landed in the Philippines.

By July, 1547, he was again in Malacca. Here he met a Japanese called Anger (Han-Sir), from whom he obtained much information about Japan. His zeal was at once aroused by the idea of introducing Christanity into Japan, but for the time being the affairs of the Society demanded his presence at Goa, whither he went, taking Anger with him. During the six years that Xavier had been working among the infidels, other Jesuit missionaries had arrived at Goa, sent from Europe by St. Ignatius; moreover some who had been born in the country had been received into the Society. In 1548 Xavier sent these missionaries to the principal centres of India, where he had established missions, so that the work might be preserved and continued. He also established a novitiate and house of studies, and having received into the Society Father Cosme de Torres, a spanish priest whom he had met in the Maluccas, he started with him and Brother Juan Fernández for Japan towards the end of June, 1549. The Japanese Anger, who had been baptized at Goa and given the name of Pablo de Santa Fe, accompanied them.

They landed at the city of Kagoshima in Japan, 15 Aug., 1549. The entire first year was devoted to learning the Japanese language and translating into Japanese, with the help of Pablo de Santa Fe, the principal articles of faith and short treatises which were to be employed in preaching and catechizing. When he was able to express himself, Xavier began preaching and made some converts, but these aroused the ill will of the bonzes, who had him banished from the city. Leaving Kagoshima about August, 1550, he penetrated to the centre of Japan, and preached the Gospel in some of the cities of southern Japan. Towards the end of that year he reached Meaco, then the principal city of Japan, but he was unable to make any headway here because of the dissensions the rending the country. He retraced his steps to the centre of Japan, and during 1551 preached in some important cities, forming the nucleus of several Christian communities, which in time increased with extraordinary rapidity.

After working about two years and a half in Japan he left this mission in charge of Father Cosme de Torres and Brother Juan Fernández, and returned to Goa, arriving there at the beginning of 1552. Here domestic troubles awaited him. Certain disagreements between the superior who had been left in charge of the missions, and the rector of the college, had to be adjusted. This, however, being arranged, Xavier turned his thoughts to China, and began to plan an expedition there. During his stay in Japan he had heard much of the Celestial Empire, and though he probably had not formed a proper estimate of his extent and greatness, he nevertheless understood how wide a field it afforded for the spread of the light of the Gospel. With the help of friends he arranged a commission or embassy the Sovereign of China, obtained from the Viceroy of India the appointment of ambassador, and in April, 1552, he left Goa. At Malacca the party encountered difficulties because the influential Portuguese disapproved of the expedition, but Xavier knew how to overcome this opposition, and in the autumn he arrived in a Portuguese vessel at the small island of Sancian near the coast of China. While planning the best means for reaching the mainland, he was taken ill, and as the movement of the vessel seemed to aggravate his condition, he was removed to the land, where a rude hut had been built to shelter him. In these wretched surroundings he breathed his last.

It is truly a matter of wonder that one man in the short space of ten years (6 May, 1542 - 2 December, 1552) could have visited so many countries, traversed so many seas, preached the Gospel to so many nations, and converted so many infidels. The incomparable apostolic zeal which animated him, and the stupendous miracles which God wrought through him, explain this marvel, which has no equal elsewhere. The list of the principal miracles may be found in the Bull of canonization. St. Francis Xavier is considered the greatest missionary since the time of the Apostles, and the zeal he displayed, the wonderful miracles he performed, and the great number of souls he brought to the light of true Faith, entitle him to this distinction. He was canonized with St. Ignatius in 1622, although on account of the death of Gregory XV, the Bull of canonization was not published until the following year.

The body of the saint is still enshrined at Goa in the church which formerly belonged to the Society. In 1614 by order of Claudius Acquaviva, General of the Society of Jesus, the right arm was severed at the elbow and conveyed to Rome, where the present altar was erected to receive it in the church of the Gesu.

Saint Andrew and My Brother

2011-11-30T21:42:00.000-05:00

This is a written out version of a homily I gave at two very different Masses today, one was St. Malachy grade school (focusing on the jealousy piece), and one was for a Ritter senior retreat. I decided to type it out because I personally found it very enjoyable to deliver.

Growing up, my brothers and I were always around football. My grandfather is the second winningest coach in Kentucky high school history. My dad was a great coach for a long time at Roncalli until he needed to make more money for our family, and so he hung up his whistle. Since before I can remember, my brothers and I all wanted to play football.

When I finally got the chance in 5th grade, I wasn't very good. I wasn't fast, couldn't throw, and wasn't big enough to play on the line. I had fun with it and loved playing, I just wasn't very good.

My brother Matt, the brother immediately younger than me, was a much different story. He was tall, fast, and athletic. He could throw, run, catch, etc. He played quarterback and was one of the best players on his team.

Not only that, Matt was back then (and still is) the funniest person I've ever known. If he weren't called by God to teach math, I'm sure he would be doing standup comedy.

I say this to establish the fact that, while growing up, in grade school and high school, I had a lot of jealousy for Matt's humor and athleticism.

Which brings us to today's feast. Saint Andrew. As the Gospel relates, St. Andrew is the brother of...St. Peter. St. Peter in the Gospels is the star of the Apostles. Jesus tells Peter - "I'm building my Church on you." In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter gives the speeches and heals people. Peter settles disputes as the unanimous final authority. Peter gets the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. A quick look at some of the early writings of the Church, and we all see a similar pattern of deference to Peter...

...And then there is Andrew his brother. If the Apostles were ever characters in a school play, getting to play Andrew would be almost on par with starring as the tree.

St. Andrew had to at times struggle with jealousy - but I think the lesson is he clearly got over it. I can honestly say that today I don't have even a twinge of jealousy for my brother Matt. We both support each other, and when I see him do something hysterical (we work together at Ritter) or hear from another teacher about something he said or if someone tells me about what a great job he does teaching, I am filled with 100% pride and 0% jealousy. "That's my brother!" I think to myself. And I know he'd say the same for me at this point in his life.

If I've been able to get to that point, then surely St. Andrew did as well.

100 Psychologists will agree on nothing except that we are shaped in gigantic ways by our families of origin - ways that we may not see at the moment. Some of the ways that our families have shaped us we try to bury or hide away. Even people who come from great families have struggles to overcome - whether it be jealousy (me) or juggling the dynamics of balancing so many intersecting relationships, and the list could go on forever.

We have to be honest with ourselves about our families. We have to A) admit that they have a strong impact on us B) admit that we have gained many great things from our families and C) there are issues in our family dynamics that must be overcome and dealt with.

St. Andrew had no choice but to think, "who am I in relationship to "the rock" of Jesus' Church?" but he put in the hard work, and he surely got to a point of healing as well. Maybe he talked with Jesus about it, maybe he talked with his friends about it...one thing is for sure, he put in the hard work to get to a spot where he was no longer haunted by the successes of his brother.

May we get to that same spot someday with the memories, relationships, and personalities of our own families.

Priest as Leader and Father

2011-11-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about priesthood and leadership and fatherhood and vision for the past year or so - for some reason even more vividly recently.

The priest, going back to the beginning, has had a three fold mission laid at his feet by Christ and the Church.
1) Lead worship (dispense the Sacraments)
2) Teach the Faith
3) Govern (lead the community)

I think fatherhood is one of those things that is so absent from our world today, and because it is so absent, I think many people don't know how to be fathers (fathers of families or priestly fathers). The thing that I've been blessed with is my own father's example (and my grandfather's), along with many fatherly priests in my life, and also many good fathers to observe from afar (Pope Benedict, Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Buechlein) etc.

One of the key things that I'm trying to prepare/hone is the ability to lead/govern a community. I like to teach, so #2 is pretty natural for me, and I think #1 is pretty natural fit for me (although it is certainly more than simply reading the words) - it is #3 that I think is difficult for many men today, whether it be priests or dads.

What people secretly want from those who are their fathers is first of all a vision, and secondly the determination to get there without being paralyzed by fear of making mistakes. Any leader has people who whine and moan about decisions, but ultimately they would leave if they didn't, on some level, still want the person to be their leader. I've come to this conclusion through discussions with lots of people (priests, dads, moms, parishioners, etc.). Someone sent me a video clip from the president of Marian University, Mr. Dan Elsener, and I think it just does such a good job, in a few minutes, of kind of encapsulating the type of leader I want to be. Of course he talks about money and fundraising, but even then I think his answers strike me as profound, fatherly, and spot on. I hope this short clip inspires you to continue to reflect on the type of leader you are called to be, because we are all, in one capacity or another, leading people.

Bow Hunting and Advent

2011-11-27T19:07:00.002-05:00

Talk on the Eucharist

2011-11-26T14:45:00.000-05:00

What is the Eucharist? Is Christ really present? Can't we just as easily use Cheetos and Pepsi? Why can't non-Catholics receive the Eucharist? Why can't Catholics receive communion at other places of worship? Why does it still look like bread and wine?

Final Round of Chastity/Theology of the Body Presentations

2011-11-22T10:46:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posting. This past week, starting last Tuesday, I felt as if I may have in fact contracted the Bubonic Plague, or something similar. I'm on the mend, and ready to take up posting again.

This is the final edition of CRHS Chastity Talks 2K11. This afternoon, I will have been able to speak at length with every student in our school on chastity. It has been AMAZING and has born MUCH fruit! Thanks for your prayers.

This talk doesn't have many new additions - the only one I can think of is the "Opposite of the Barney Theme Song - the "I'll use you, you'll use me, we're a happy co-dependency!"

Anyway, here you go for anyone interested:

How Did Our Economy Get Here?

2011-11-16T09:53:00.002-05:00

Click here to read a fantastic and SHORT reflection on the sin of usury and the state of our economy. Usury is a subject that has been raised here before and it is important to continue to think about it as a society.

Chastity Talk to Guys and Girls Using Twilight and Some Other Film Clips

2011-11-14T11:51:00.000-05:00

The first few minutes are the same as the talks I've been giving at ritter, but then I bring in some different film clips than what I've been using, including some Twilight clips that I think are especially helpful.

Paterno and Pedophile Priests

2011-11-09T20:18:00.000-05:00

"And we all covered up in it too. Ain't nobody clean." - Denzel Washington, Glory

If you don't follow sports, then you perhaps haven't heard of the imminent firing/"retiring" of long-time Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno. Paterno, still coaching today at the age of 84, has been in the role of "college football grandpa" for the past 10-15 years. Penn State, under "Joe-Pa's" leadership, has had a sterling record of academic excellence and overall program integrity even as many other college football programs have spiraled out of control and into the abyss of scandal. Somehow, under Paterno's guidance, Penn State had managed to steer clear of disaster.

Or so it seemed.

This week it was revealed that long time defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was caught in a Penn State locker-room shower with a young boy. The offense was brought to Paterno, and Paterno passed on the information to his superiors. That's the right thing to do...the problem was that he never followed up, and when Sandusky continued to be with the program, Joe-Pa apparently did nothing.

You can find all the commentary and breaking news elsewhere. Of course as a Catholic priest I can't help but think of the scandal that continues to hang over the Catholic Church in America when I hear all of the news on Sandusky and Joe Paterno.

As I've been listening to sports talk driving around town these past few days, the anger and rage are palpable, and rightly so. What I've also been thinking about is this: 70% of 18-24 year old men look at porn at least once a month. Another study suggests that 14% of men visit a strip club regularly. A lot of the guys calling in to the shows are in that same age range.

When people feed the sex-ploitation industries, we can't be shocked when some people in our society go wacko. Some guy out there peeved about Sandusky might say, "I look at porn, but I'm in control, I'm not like that Jerry Sandusky nut house." Obviously Sandusky's crimes are heinous, but anyone who helps fan the flame of the over-sexualization of our culture ought to realize that they had a part to play in these horrible crimes as well. This is not to in any way rationalize Sandusky's (or any other child abuser's) actions, but while we're sewing a nice big scarlet letter for Sandusky, many of those who are so outraged ought to also be looking to see if perhaps they helped feed the flame that led to these horrible crimes.

Some might say, "Yeah, we heard this line of arguing in the 1920's during prohibition - since some can't control alcohol, let's ban it all." But that line of reasoning could apply to anything - somebody can go wacko over anything. Somebody can abuse food, prescription pills, alcohol, TV, the internet, etc. Sexuality is a different beast. Unlike other things that people can abuse, there is no such thing as responsible porn use. Our culture is over-sexualized right now by any standard, and none of it is good.

I'd like to address two possible objections at this point: 1) "I'm a priest so of course I think everything is over-sexualized." I think this is pretty ridiculous; many sociologists and psychologists agree that this has reached previously unseen levels. 2) "Are you saying we need to have women wearing burqas and we need to have the government legislate sexuality?" No, I'm not; I think change is always up to lots of people making individual choices to start doing the right thing. News-flash: the government will never fix anything besides roads - real change starts with us.

A phenomenon I've noticed on this blog is that some people today think "what I do doesn't affect anyone else, and what other people do doesn't affect me." This is a REALLY dangerous mentality to have, and it is also flat wrong. Of course the things I do affect others. If I choose to patronize one company over another, my patronization of said company might make the difference in them being profitable vs. them closing up shop. Every second we spend on a website is a dollar sign for someone, every penny we spend is a vote for one company over another. Do you patronize those who utilize overly sexual advertisements? Do you look at porn, thus fueling an annual 12 billion dollar industry (greater than CBS, NBC, and ABC combined)? How do you let your kids dress?

Sandusky (and guilty priests and bishops) need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and all of us, in addition to following the Sandusky story, need to take a long look inward as well.

"And we all covered up in it too. Ain't nobody clean."

Very Good Documentary

2011-11-09T13:55:00.000-05:00

The trailer for a film called "Demographic Winter." Young adults and teenagers alike who watch the film have been unanimously engrossed. It is a quality film, and I have high standards for films! Check out the trailer:

Awesome Catholic Speaker Coming to Indy Area This Weekend

2011-11-09T13:38:00.000-05:00

Live near Indy?

Apparently, there IS such a thing as a Free Lunch! Popular Catholic author and radio personality Patrick Madrid will be at St Alphonsus Liguori Church in Zionsville (1870 W Oak St.—a.k.a. SR 334) this coming Saturday (Nov 12th) for a FREE seminar entitled “Why Be Catholic?” The day starts with their regular Saturday 7:30am Mass and the first of four talks will begin by 9am with the day concluding by 3:30pm. If you can only make it for part of the day (or for an hour) it will definitely be worth it. Patrick is one of the best Catholic speakers out there right now, and you will find him engaging, dynamic, and informative.

There is no cost to you other than your time and a little gas money, and their parish will even provide you with a free breakfast and lunch as long as you register in advance by clicking here. Don’t be misled by the lack of cost, because this guy is great! You can find out more about his work by clicking here

You are sure to find spending this Saturday in Zionsville worthwhile, even if you can only make it for part of the day.

Galileo? The Church Hates Science? A Presentation to a Ritter Physics Class

2011-11-09T09:46:00.000-05:00

This is the class until someone started drilling on the roof and we had to move locations. I think there is some pretty important stuff presented in here.

Worth Watching

2011-11-08T16:25:00.000-05:00

Why Archbishop Buechlein Stopped Receiving the Indystar

2011-11-06T09:46:00.000-05:00

The Archbishop told me on several different occasions that he stopped taking the star many years ago. He contacted the editor and told him of his decision, and the editor of the Star tried to talk him back into receiving the paper, but the Archbishop refused until the paper started publishing all the facts on stories.

Not that I had a good view of the Star before, but the sort of journalism on display in today's front page story has forced me into the same position - when I'm on my own as a priest, if I'm in Indy, I will not be receiving the Indianapolis Star.

As I read today's article, chills went down my spine. I didn't feel enraged or pound the breakfast table or anything like that, I just sat there reading the article and I guess the best way to sum up my feelings would be that it made me feel numb.

One of the first sentences of the article was what really made my heart sink - "[the law giving contraceptives to mothers who recently gave birth] undoubtedly would have led to fewer unwanted pregnancies, fewer children born into families not financially able to take care of them and fewer abortions." UNDOUBTEDLY??? Is this authentic journalism? I'm not even asking for an article slanted to the Church's perspective, all that I'm asking for is real journalism, journalism that has enough integrity to present all the facts, and when it is a contentious point, you go to both sides of the debate and lay out the arguments.

This is a perfect snapshot of the type of bullying that the media has been engaged in over the last several decades or so. No longer do journalists present both sides of the story, they simply provide one side of the story and try to beat into submission all those who even raise the question that there might be another side to the story. "UNDOUBTEDLY"??? What arrogance.

We've been over this tired ground before. Who conducts the research on contraception and abortion rates that everyone quotes...the Guttmacher Institute. Who is the Guttmacher Institute - a research arm of Planned Parenthood. Wouldn't an 8th grader doing a story for his school newspaper recognize the conflict of interest there? Would anyone trust Snickers to do a study on the effects of chocolate on us? "Snickers Says Chocolate Consumption Will Reduce Obesity"...would anyone buy that?

"The Liberal Media" is a tired story, and yet the media continues to more brazenly push an agenda that many scientists and studies have flatly contradicted.

Here are some of the studies that have been done that contradict the studies done by Guttmacher et. al.

Here is just a snapshot of the many studies that have been done revealing that contraception does not reduce abortions (from the Bishop's website). If you'd like hundreds of other studies, especially if you work at the Indianapolis Star, I can put you in touch with those as well. All the Church is asking for is fairness - quit only reporting on studies conducted simply to give a veneer of respectability to those who believe in the contraception lie

Fact Sheet: Greater Access to Contraception Does Not Reduce Abortions
1. Contraceptive use is already "virtually universal among women of reproductive age."1

89% of sexually active women of reproductive age "at risk" of becoming pregnant use contraception, and 98% have used it in their lifetime.2 Among teenagers who are sexually active and do not want to become pregnant, all but 7% are using contraception.3

2. With typical use, contraceptives often fail to prevent pregnancy.

In the first 12 months of contraceptive use, 16.4% of teens will become pregnant. If the teen is cohabiting, the pregnancy (or "failure") rate rises to 47%. Among low-income cohabiting teens, the failure rate is 48.4% for birth control pills and 71.7% for condoms.4
Forty-eight percent of women with unintended pregnancies5 and 54% of women seeking abortions were using contraception in the month they became pregnant.6

Contraception expert James Trussell of Princeton says: "The Pill is an outdated method because it does not work well enough. It is very difficult for ordinary women to take a pill every single day."7 Pregnancy is so likely from even a slightly delayed dose that government guidelines advise women to use "emergency contraception" if they had unprotected intercourse within two days after taking their daily progestin-only pill 3 hours late.8

3. Why contraceptives work less well than we are told

Contraceptive effectiveness is often estimated on a misleading per-use basis, or as failure rates over 12 months of typical use for all women of reproductive age. This greatly understates failure rates among teens, and fails to account for cumulative risk from more frequent sexual activity.

Risk compensation: Numerous studies examining sexual behavior and STD transmission have demonstrated risk compensation behavior, i.e., a greater willingness to engage in potentially risky behavior when one believes risk has been reduced through technology.9

4. Studies show that greater access to contraception does not reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions.

Increasing access to contraception gives teens a false sense of security, leading to earlier onset of sexual activity and more sexual partners, which counteracts any reduction in unintended pregnancies.

Researchers in Spain examined patterns of contraceptive use and abortions in Spain over a ten-year period from 1997-2007. Their findings, published in the journal Contraception in January 2011, were that a 63 percent increase in the use of contraceptives was accompanied by a 108 percent increase in the rate of elective abortions.10

In July 2009 results were published from an expensive three-year program at 54 sites, funded by England's Department of Health, seeking to "reduce teenage pregnancy" through, among other things, sex education and advice on access to family planning beginning at ages 13-15. "No evidence was found that the intervention was effective in delaying heterosexual experience or reducing pregnancies." Young women who took part in the program were more likely than those in the control group to report that they had been pregnant (16% vs. 6%) and had early heterosexual experience (58% vs. 33%).11

David Paton, author of four major studies in this area, has found "no evidence" that "the provision of family planning reduces either underage conception or abortion rates."12 He sums up the U.K. experience: "It is clear that providing more family planning clinics, far from having the effect of reducing conception rates, has actually led to an increase…. The availability of the morning-after pill seems to be encouraging risky behavior. It appears that if people have access to family planning advice they think they automatically have a lower risk of pregnancy." 13

K. Edgardh found that despite free contraceptive counseling, low cost condoms and oral contraceptives, and over-the-counter emergency contraception (EC), Swedish teen abortion rates rose from 17 per thousand to 22.5 per thousand between 1995 and 2001.14

Peter Arcidiacono found that among teens, "increasing access to contraception may actually increase long run pregnancy rates even though short run pregnancy rates fall. On the other hand, policies that decrease access to contraception, and hence sexual activity, may lower pregnancy rates in the long run."15

5. Emergency Contraception (EC) does not reduce unintended pregnancy and abortion.
Twenty-three studies published between 1998 and 2006, and analyzed by James Trussell's team at Princeton University, measured the effect of increased EC access on EC use, unintended pregnancy, and abortion. Not a single study among the 23 found a reduction in unintended pregnancies or abortions following increased access to emergency contraception.16 For more information, including the conclusions of individual studies and researchers on this point, see "Fact Sheet: Emergency Contraception Fails to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion."

6. A decline in teen sexual activity does reduce teen (or unwed) pregnancies and abortions.
Concludes one analysis of the decline in non-marital pregnancies among teens from 1991 to 1995: "The reduction in numbers of 15-19 year olds having intercourse accounts for 67% of the decline in pregnancy rate."17 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that from 1991 to 2001 "53% of the decline in pregnancy rates can be attributed to decreased sexual experience."18

Uganda's success in combating the epidemic of HIV/AIDS has lessons for reducing unintended pregnancies and abortions among teens and young adults. According to 150 experts in this field, "when targeting young people, for those who have not started sexual activity the first priority should be to encourage abstinence or delay of sexual onset, hence emphasising risk avoidance as the best way to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections as well as unwanted pregnancy. After sexual debut, returning to abstinence or being mutually faithful with an uninfected partner are the most effective ways of avoiding infection."19

Notes
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Advance Data No. 350, Dec. 10, 2004: "Use of Contraception and Use of Family Planning Services in the United States: 1982-2002"; www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad350.pdf.
2 Guttmacher Institute, Abortion in Women's Lives, www.guttmacher.org/pubs/2006/05/04/AiWL.pdf, at 6-7.
3 Id., "Facts on Contraceptive Use," January 2008; www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_contr_use.html.
4 H. Fu et al., "Contraceptive Failure Rates: New Estimates from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth," Family Planning Perspectives 31 (1999): 56-63 at 61.
5 Abortion in Women's Lives, note 2 supra, at 7.
6 Guttmacher Institute, "Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States," July 2008, www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html.
7 D. Rose, "The Pill 'has had its day as an effective contraceptive'," The Times (UK), June 26, 2008; www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article4215441.ece?articleid=4215441.
8 National Guideline Clearinghouse, "The use of contraception outside the terms of the product license" (2005), Recommendation No. 18; www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?ss=15&doc_id=7488&nbr=4433.
9 J. Richens et al., "Condoms and Seat Belts: the Parallels and the Lessons," The Lancet 355 (2000): 400-403; M. Cassell et al., "Risk compensation: the Achilles' heel of innovations in HIV prevention?", British Medical Journal 332 (2006): 605-607; for extract see www.bmj.com/cgi/pdf_extract/332/7541/605?ct.
10 J. Dueñas et al., "Trends in the Use of Contraceptive Methods and Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy in the Spanish Population during 1997-2007," 83 (2011) Contraception 82-87.
11 M. Wiggins et al., "Health Outcomes of Youth Development Programme in England: Prospective Matched Comparison Study," British Medical Journal 339.72 (2009): b2534; advance online publication (7 July 2009): 1-8 at l; www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/339/jul07_2/b2534.
12 D. Paton, "The Economics of Family Planning and Underage Conceptions," J. of Health Economics, 21.2 (March 2002): 207-225; abstract at www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V8K-4537PJR-3/2/7b0ac0ed4b84065fae3119e1663e50bc. This study examined 16 regions of the U.K. over a 14-year period, and also focused on the effect of the Gillick ruling, which from 1984 to 1985 required parental consent for girls under 16 to obtain contraception in England (but not in Scotland). Predictably, a heavy drop in clinic visits occurred among English girls under 16. Many expected to see increased pregnancies and abortions in this group, compared to older girls in England and girls under 16 in Scotland; instead the study found no increase in pregnancies or abortions in the former group, and no decrease in underage pregnancies or abortions overall from greater access to contraception.
13 Quoted in K. Ahmed, "Abortions rise in under-age sex crisis," The Observer (UK), 17 March 2002; www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/mar/17/medicalscience.socialsciences.
14 K. Edgardh et al., "Adolescent Sexual Health in Sweden," Sexually Transmitted Infections 78 (2002): 352-6; available at http://sti.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/78/5/352.
15 P. Arcidiacono et al., "Habit Persistence and Teen Sex: Could Increased Access to Contraception Have Unintended Consequences for Teen Pregnancies?", Working Paper, Duke University Department of Economics (Oct. 3, 2005): 1-38 at 31; www.econ.duke.edu/~psarcidi/teensex.pdf.
16 E. Raymond et al., "Population Effect of Increased Access to Emergency Contraceptive Pills: A Systematic Review," Obstetrics & Gynecology 109.1 (January 2007): 181-8.
17 J. Mohn et al., "An analysis of the causes of the decline in non-marital birth and pregnancy rates for teens from 1991-1995," Adolescent and Family Health 3.1 (Spring 2003): 339-47 at xx.
18 J. Santelli et al., "Can Changes in Sexual Behaviors Among High School Students Explain the Decline in Teen Pregnancy Rates in the 1990s?", Journal of Adolescent Health 35 (2004): 80-90 at 80.
19 D. Halperin et al., "The time has come for common ground on preventing sexual transmission of HIV," The Lancet 364.9449 (27 November 2004): 1913-1915 at 1913. 3/17/11

movie reviews

2011-11-04T17:56:00.000-04:00

I just returned from seeing my first film at the theater in several months; I took in "The Way" on the south side at the AMC 17. I was glad to see it only cost me 5 bucks since I went at 1 in the afternoon. Anyway, I really recommend taking it in. This weekend will probably be the last opportunity to take it in at the theater. Other than the fact that throughout the film the dad spreads his sons ashes all along the pilgrimage route, it was a great film. Anyway, here are the reviews for the movies for this weekend:

A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas

Not a big shock to see this film get the "O" tag for being morally offensive. If you are Catholic, go see "The Way" instead!!! Click here for the review of Harold and Kumar.

Tower Heist

Tower Heist gets a surprising "L" for a film like this. Some adults may be offended by this one. Click here for the review.

In Time

In Time is rated A-III which is a softer rating than I was expecting after seeing the previews. Perhaps it has a pro-life message in there somewhere? Check in and leave a review if you go see it. Here's the review.

Anonymous

Perhaps this is the "pessimist" in me coming out, but I doubt they get the Bard right in this one, nor do I think they'll go into the Faith that informed Shakespeare. The movie got the "L" tag, which means even some adults might be offended. Click here for the review.

Let's Not Be Content With The Barnyard Anymore

2011-11-03T15:31:00.000-04:00

Homily from All Saints Day

Feast of St. Malachy

2011-11-02T17:48:00.000-04:00

November 3rd is a solemnity for St. Malachy parish. The day the Church designates as the day to remember a parish's saint is a BIG deal and ought to be celebrated on par with Christmas and Easter and the other solemnities. While not a holy day of obligation, it should be considered a very joyous day for all in the parish. As I always tell people on big feast days and solemnities - eat an extra dessert today!

Also, quickly, if you've ever wondered what the difference is between a solemnity/feast/memorial, here you go:

The highest rank a day can have is a solemnity. All Sundays are solemnities, and in addition to Sundays, there are approximately 19 others scattered throughout the year.

Here are the solemnities, in case you are curious
January 1st - Mary, Mother of the Lord
January 6th - Epiphany of the Lord
March 19th - Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
March 25th - Annunciation of Mary
Easter
Sunday after Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday
40 days after Easter - Ascension of the Lord
50 days after Easter - Pentecost
Trinity Sunday
Thursday after Trinity Sunday - Body and Blood of Christ ("Corpus Christi")
8 days after Corpus Christi - Sacred Heart of Jesus
June 24th - Nativity of St. John the Baptist
June 29th - Saints Peter and Paul
August 15th - Assumption of Mary
November 1st - All Saints
November 2nd - All Souls
Last Sunday before Advent - Feast of Christ the King
December 8th - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 25th - Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Also, a parish's feast day is a solemnity, as well as the day that is the anniversary of the dedication of the parish Church.

After solemnities, feasts are the next highest rank for a day, and below feasts we have the celebrations that are known as memorials. Most saints, if they aren't "special" (well-known), their day is typically a memorial. Not all saints even make the calendar though. St. Malachy isn't in the calendar of celebrations that are celebrated throughout the world, but each saint has a day where those who have a special devotion to that saint are to celebrate that saint. For example,
St. Peter and Paul = solemnity around the world
St. Luke the evangelist = feast around the world
St. Theresa of Avila = memorial around the world
St. Malachy = not on the world wide calendar, but for St. Malachy parish, November 3rd is bumped up to a solemnity.

Anyway, St. Malachy was a bishop in Ireland whose story can be found here. What St. Malachy is most well known for is his prophecy. Here is the description of the prophecy taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia

"The most famous and best known prophecies about the popes are those attributed to St. Malachy. In 1139 he went to Rome to give an account of the affairs of his diocese to the pope, Innocent II. While at Rome, he received (according to the Abbé Cucherat) the strange vision of the future wherein was unfolded before his mind the long list of illustrious pontiffs who were to rule the Church until the end of time. The same author tells us that St. Malachy gave his manuscript to Innocent II to console him in the midst of his tribulations, and that the document remained unknown in the Roman Archives until its discovery in 1590 (Cucherat, "Proph. de la succession des papes", ch. xv). They were first published by Arnold de Wyon, and ever since there has been much discussion as to whether they are genuine predictions of St. Malachy or forgeries. The silence of 400 years on the part of so many learned authors who had written about the popes, and the silence of St. Bernard especially, who wrote the "Life of St. Malachy", is a strong argument against their authenticity, but it is not conclusive if we adopt Cucherat's theory that they were hidden in the Archives during those 400 years.

These short prophetical announcements, in number 112, indicate some noticeable trait of all future popes from Celestine II, who was elected in the year 1143, until the end of the world. They are enunciated under mystical titles. Those who have undertaken to interpret and explain these symbolical prophecies have succeeded in discovering some trait, allusion, point, or similitude in their application to the individual popes, either as to their country, their name, their coat of arms or insignia, their birth-place, their talent or learning, the title of their cardinalate, the dignities which they held etc. For example, the prophecy concerning Urban VIII is Lilium et Rosa (the lily and the rose); he was a native of Florence and on the arms of Florence figured a fleur-de-lis; he had three bees emblazoned on his escutcheon, and the bees gather honey from the lilies and roses. Again, the name accords often with some remarkable and rare circumstance in the pope's career; thus Peregrinus apostolicus (pilgrim pope), which designates Pius VI, appears to be verified by his journey when pope into Germany, by his long career as pope, and by his expatriation from Rome at the end of his pontificate. Those who have lived and followed the course of events in an intelligent manner during the pontificates of Pius IX, Leo XIII, and Pius X cannot fail to be impressed with the titles given to each by the prophecies of St. Malachy and their wonderful appropriateness: Crux de Cruce (Cross from a Cross) Pius IX; Lumen in caelo (Light in the Sky) Leo XIII; Ignis ardens (Burning Fire) Pius X. There is something more than coincidence in the designations given to these three popes so many hundred years before their time. We need not have recourse either to the family names, armorial bearings or cardinalatial titles, to see the fitness of their designations as given in the prophecies. The afflictions and crosses of Pius IX were more than fell to the lot of his predecessors; and the more aggravating of these crosses were brought on by the House of Savoy whose emblem was a cross. Leo XIII was a veritable luminary of the papacy. The present pope is truly a burning fire of zeal for the restoration of all things to Christ.

The last of these prophecies concerns the end of the world and is as follows: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End." It has been noticed concerning Petrus Romanus, who according to St. Malachy's list is to be the last pope, that the prophecy does not say that no popes will intervene between him and his predecessor designated Gloria olivæ. It merely says that he is to be the last, so that we may suppose as many popes as we please before "Peter the Roman". Cornelius a Lapide refers to this prophecy in his commentary "On the Gospel of St. John" (C. xvi) and "On the Apocalypse" (cc. xvii-xx), and he endeavours to calculate according to it the remaining years of time."

Saint Malachy - pray for us!!

Parenting Help

2011-11-02T17:00:00.000-04:00

I've grown to love listening to Dr. Ray Guarendi on EWTN, and I think his sense of humor blended with his wisdom makes his show really worth the time. If you don't currently listen to Dr. Ray, give him a try, he comes on in the afternoons, and his show airs from 1 to 2 p.m.

Dr. Ray also has some fantastic resources for parents that I can't recommend enough. What I'd encourage you to do is listen to him a few times and see if what he is saying resonates with you as a parent, and then, if you like him, perhaps purchase some of his resources. His most famous and popular book/DVD is "You're a Better Parent than You Think!"

Here is a teaser preview of "You're a Better Parent than You Think"

If you want to check more about Dr. Ray, click here to browse his products. Also, if you go to the website, browse around a bit - one of the funniest things I've ever heard was when he read one of his fake "let me tell you how good my family is" Christmas letters over the air. You can actually find each of the letters from the past ten years on his website, and I'll be posting one or two as Christmas draws nearer.

Finally, here is a longer interview that Fr. Mitch Packwa had with Dr. Ray on Fr. Mitch's show. It is almost an hour, but for those interested, here you go.

We Hit 100,000 Views On Here!

2011-10-28T06:02:00.000-04:00

I wanted to note a historic moment that occurred yesterday - the blog hit the 100,000 view mark!

As I noted at 50,000, I really am shocked and thankful to see how God has used this whole thing. There are certain things in my life that I've done that, in the back of my head, I knew it was only because of God's grace, but in the moment it really felt like I was willing it to happen. Here I'm thinking of things like playing football, teaching, and also some of the adventures I've had traveling across the U.S.

There have been other things where I have been so aware of the fact that God is the one really steering that I really do not find it difficult to remain humble about. For example, when a priest friend and I helped lead several Katrina clean-up trips, despite some people giving me the credit, I really had a profound sense that it was God's doing. This blog has been another one of those events for me in my life.

A quick story about one of the reasons this blog has hit 100,000 - A post that continues to draw a couple hundred views a week is the post on the litany of Yoda. The reason...Google images somehow routes people to my blog a lot of the time now when people search for an image of Yoda. I have no idea how that happens, but the good Lord brings a couple hundred people a week to the blog who are simply looking for a picture of Yoda to download. Now most of you that have done a Google image search will know that you don't even have to truly visit the site to get the picture, but undoubtedly a person or two has actually checked out the blog. Because I kind of talk bad about Yoda, I'm thankful no Star Wars computer science major has gotten mad at me and hacked the blog in protest of me talking bad about the little green guy!

Anyway, thanks for being a part of a great community on here. Know of my prayers for you, and if you ever need some specific prayers, please don't hesitate to drop me a line. Also, if you ever have a topic that you think would be interesting to see a post on, please know that I'd love suggestions!

God bless!
Fr. John Hollowell

Why Doesn't the Mean Catholic Church Let People Get Married Outdoors?

2011-10-26T15:23:00.002-04:00

It asks that weddings be indoors for our own good!

Chastity Talk to the Jr./Sr. Ladies

2011-10-24T12:01:00.000-04:00

Film is edited not because I said something bad or heretical but because I had battery issues, so I had to end up putting two of them together. I actually did the presentation 7 times! Lot of talking, but it was a GREAT experience for all of us.

2 Catholic Films This Weekend

2011-10-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

This weekend sees the release of two films that Catholic sites and commentators have been talking about for a while now. The first is "The Way" starring Martin Sheen. Sheen travels the pilgrimage to Compostella, a famous and ancient pilgrimage through Spain that ends at the Basilica where St. James the Apostle is buried. I will be seeing this one. I like Sheen, I like movies, and I want to one day hike the pilgrimage myself. A new feature for Catholic movies - here is the preview of the film!

Click here for the review from CNS. It is rated A-III for adults.

The second film is called Mighty Macs. It is a sports drama in the setting of an all girls Catholic college staffed by nuns. Here is the preview:

The film is rated A-I, acceptable for all people. Click here for the film's review.

Johnny English Reborn

This film is rated A-II teens on up. Click here for the review.

St. Malachy Parishoner Writes and Perfoms Song Headed for Platinum!

2011-10-20T10:14:00.000-04:00

Click here to listen to Rachel Worden's song "Be My Voice"

Besides the fact that the song is pro-life, it is a beautiful song artistically speaking as well. We need good faithful Catholics in the arts, and Rachel is doing a great job trying to follow God's path for her. Other good Catholic artists out there? Let me know in the comments below if you know of other Catholic artists spreading the Gospel through their work in the arts.

Those Who Can Do, Those Who Can't Teach? Tips for Effective Teaching

2011-10-20T09:59:00.000-04:00

This is a presentation I gave to our lay catechetical team (those who will be giving presentations to our RCIA group this year). Many people, from parents to teachers to catechists have to teach topics at some point in their life, and most usually underestimate how hard it is to effectively teach until it is too late. Here I presented our team with a few "tricks of the trade" that can help make any theological presentation more digestible.

Interesting Piece on Justifying Things Like Sloppy Dress at Mass, Reason Being "At Least They Were There"

2011-10-19T11:47:00.000-04:00

From the OSV Blog: Click here for a read.

Marriage Prep Weekend

2011-10-19T11:08:00.000-04:00

This weekend I helped with a program at Holy Rosary for couples preparing for marriage called "One In Christ." It is an exciting new program that came from a priest in Chicago and it is a nice mix of working on practical skills like communication and finances, but also bringing in some theology along the way as well.

In addition to myself, the actual facilitators of the weekend were Mark and Michelle Overhalt, and they do a fantastic job and they treat this program as their main ministry for the Church and it is a fantastic ministry! There were also two other married couples who help facilitate the weekend and give some of the talks. One of the couples was Eric and Sarah Babbs, and Sarah is a fellow Catholic blogger. She is part of a blog that features thoughts from lots of young Catholic authors. Her work (and the work of her team) can be found by clicking here. When she's not contributing to that blog, she maintains her own blog, Fumbling Toward Grace, which can be found here. Both are very much worth your time. It is just great to be in the same room with a bunch of people who like being Catholic!

These were my talks from the weekend (the battery ran out on the third talk) which were the more theologically centered presentations, but perhaps someone may find them interesting. The first talk is on sin/suffering, the second is on redemption/forgiveness and the third talk is on the difference between a covenant and a contract. Let's all pray for a continued strengthening in marriages throughout our country!

Bishop Coyne on WIBC

2011-10-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

Good listen during work:

http://www.wibc.com/podcasts/Episodes.aspx?PID=2237

Movie Reviews

2011-10-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

The Big Year

This film is rated A-III acceptable for adults and older teens. Click here for the review

The Thing

This film is rated "L" - contains content that may disturb adults. Click here for the review

Footloose

This film is rated "O" - it ought to be avoided by Catholics. Click here to read the review.

Who Might Be Our Next Archbishop?

2011-10-12T16:28:00.001-04:00

I thought it would be fun to just start to share some information about some potential people who might become our next archbishop. Certainly everything on here is complete speculation, and mainly an exercise in excitement as we wait for our new shepherd.

There are a couple of principles in play that will help whittle down the list of potential candidates considerably.
1) What we can say 99% for sure is that the next archbishop will be a guy who is currently serving as a bishop of his own diocese. Because we are an archdiocese, we wouldn’t get a guy who is currently serving as an auxiliary somewhere. In order to become an archbishop, you almost always have to establish that you can run a smaller diocese on your own first.
2) We likely will not get a guy who is already an archbishop somewhere else. The only time archbishops get moved to become archbishops elsewhere is if the new destination would be one of the top-tier archdioceses – usually denoted by the fact that the archbishop of those archdioceses typically becomes a cardinal (New York, LA, DC) Indianapolis is, in all likelihood, not to become an archdiocese with that type of “prestige” in the foreseeable future, so we should be very surprised if we get a man who is already an archbishop elsewhere.
3) The third principle is related to the first. While we can be sure we’ll get a guy who has been tested a bit, we can also be pretty sure we won’t get a guy who is getting closer to the retirement age of 75.
4) While the first three principles are pretty much rock-solid, the last is less solid. It is LIKELY but not guaranteed that our next archbishop will be from somewhere in the Midwest. Of the current archbishops in the U.S. 14 of the 30 are not from the region they are currently serving in; obviously, then 16 of the archbishops are serving in the region they came from. Let’s take a look around the region.

Indiana – It doesn’t seem likely that our new Archbishop would come from Indiana. Bishop Chuck Thompson is brand new in Evansville, and Bishops Kevin Rhoades (Fort Wayne – South Bend) and Bishop Timothy Dogherty are in their second years. Bishop Joseph Melczek from Gary in set to retire in two years. Some people have been asking about Bishop Coyne’s chances. I read somewhere that I have a better chance than Bishop Coyne – because Canon Law requires that the apostolic administrator of a diocese can not be made the next bishop - however, when I went to look for that source again, I was unable to track it down - so that may in fact not be the case. Nonetheless, due to the fact that Bishop Coyne has not yet served as a bishop on his own, I think his chances are, unfortunately, small.

Illinois has a couple of possibilities. Likely out of the running are Bishop Doran of Rockford who is 75, and Bishop Conlon of Joliet and Bishop Paprocki of Springfield have only been bishops on their own for one year. Bishop Jenky from Peoria is an interesting candidate in that he is a member of the Holy Cross Brothers from Notre Dame, giving him an Indiana flavor. Bishop Jenky has also been a bishop on his own for 9 years, but at the age of 64 would have plenty good years of service ahead of him. Bishop Braxton of Belleville is similar in age (67) and time spent at the helm (6) to Bishop Jenky, but financially there has been some rumblings and contentions in the diocese the past several years.

Ohio has some possibilities as well. Bishop Lennon of Cleveland looks good age wise (64) and experience wise (5 as bishop) but has recently asked Rome to review his leadership. Bishop Lennon closed approximately 50 parishes, and many people were upset by that, and the rumblings continue. Bishop Campbell of Columbus is a little old (68) which would give him 7 years – but then again, that’s what they said about Cardinal Ratzinger before the conclave! Two strong candidates from Ohio would be Bishop Blair from Toledo and Bishop George Murry SJ from Youngstown. Both are in their early 60’s, and Bishop Blair has been leading Toledo for 8 years, while Bishop Murry has been at the helm of Youngstown for 4 years. I have met Bishop Blair on several occasions because he sends his seminarians to St. Meinrad, and I was able to hear him preach many Masses where he dropped into St. Meinrad for a visit. He seems like a really good guy, pretty laid back, excellent, relatable homilies.

Finally, Kentucky and Tennessee. I put it last not because I dislike the state (which is the case with most Hoosiers) but it simply fell there randomly – I promise! Bishop Steib in Memphis is Archbishop Buechlein’s successor there, but is likely too old now at 71. Bishop Foys of Covington is 66 and has been at the helm for 9 years, giving him some considerable seasoning. Bishop Stika of Knoxville is only 54 years old and has been a bishop for 2 years, but I’ve heard he’s on the rise, could Indy be his next stop? Bishop Gainer of Lexington is also a candidate at the age of 64 with 9 years as bishop. Bishop Choby of Nashville is 64 and has been a bishop there for 6 years.

Last but not least – our own Bishop Paul Etienne. On the illustrious Catholic blog Whispers in the Loggia, maintained by Rocco Palmo, who, unlike myself, is actually connected and in the know on such things, Bishop Etienne was profiled last Spring as one of the 5 young bishops who are “on the rise.” There’s nothing I can add that would speak to Bishop Etienne’s suitability any more than that nod.

With all that being said, here, then, are my top 5 candidates for people in the region (or from around here) who could succeed Archbishop Daniel Buechlein.

Bishop Paul Etienne of Wyoming

Click here to read up on Bishop Etienne's blog. 5 of the 30 current archbishops are serving in their home diocese - will Pope Benedict make it 6?

Bishop Blair of Toledo

Click here to visit Bishop Blair's homepage. Bishop Blair and his diocese of Toledo have also been in the news recently because they have taken the lead on banning all support for the Susan G. Komen Foundation until they stop donating to Planned Parenthood. Click here to read the story on this current issue.

Bishop Stika of Knoxville

Bishop Stika is a blogger as well. Click here to visit his blog.

Bishop Jenky, CSC, of Peoria

Read here about Bishop Jenky's new puppies, his visit with Pope Benedict, and the recent news-making decision to cease adoption services through Peopria's Catholic Charities. For a story on that decision, you can also click here.

Bishop Foys of Covington

Bishop Gainer of Lexington

Click here to visit Bishop Gainer's homepage

The size of the pictures is not meant to convey any personal preference - Google Images gave me these photos. Also, it should be noted that we could very easily get someone from the east or west coast (or Kamchatka for that matter) - this is just a preliminary look around the region to see who might be eligible. I hope this has been helpful, and if nothing else, at least it might help raise a greater awareness of some of the people working in the Church throughout the Midwest. Let's continue to pray for our new archbishop, whomever he may be.

"Quality of Life?" Grandparents' Day Homily

2011-10-11T14:32:00.000-04:00

WANTED: Pastors!

2011-10-10T14:43:00.001-04:00

The following is excerpted from the Rite of Ordination

16. The candidate goes to the bishop and, kneeling before him, places his joined hands between those of the bishop.

If the bishop is the candidate's own Ordinary, he asks:
Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?
Candidate: I do

Bishop: May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.

Even as a young priest, I have realized the temptation to see myself with a "special mission." I have two main things that serve as temptations to become for me my "special mission." The first temptation for me to be a rogue worker in the vineyard of the Lord is as an educator. I like teaching, it gives me life, I feel like I do a good job, etc. I will be presenting this year at the National Catholic Educator's Association (in one of several hundred break-out sessions). Sometimes it is tempting to think "I ought to demand or at least really beg the bishop to let me stay in a high school."

Another temptation is electronic in nature - I'd love to start some kind of archdiocesan evangelization outreach through blogging/social media/video production - I think it could be important work that would bear a lot of fruit.

I share these two examples because there have been a lot of priests in recent memory who have been out doing their "special mission" who have run into serious problems. One example is Fr. Frank Pavone, founder of Priests for Life. He started his own abortion outreach program that has been very successful nationally, even though during the meteoric rise he was always under his vow to his bishop. Now that Fr. Frank is being asked to back away from his "special mission" we're seeing some problems letting go. Also we have as another example the crash and burn of Fr. Corappi (someone impersonated me on message boards defending his actions - it wasn't actually me). While being under vows of obedience to his superior, he started an outreach organization that also became wildly successful, only to fall into serious trouble. As he fell, it seems like Fr. Corappi has believed that his mission is bigger than his vows. Another example from the recent past would be the downfall of the now deceased Fr. Maciel, founder of the once BOOMING religious order the Legionaries of Christ (who have since been heavily restructured and brought under MUCH closer supervision). A final example of a priest having a mission and getting himself into trouble would be the priest who hosted EWTN's wildly popular "Life on the Rock" for several years...before running off and getting married.

As I think about my "special missions" and I dream "what might be" and the possibilities if I were granted "pure potency" to create whatever I saw fit from scratch, I am reminded of something simple - I was ordained to be a parish priest, a pastor. I'm not saying no diocesan priest can do special ministry, but one's ego has to be kept in TIGHT check because the devil loves working on people for whom "the normal rules don't apply." Not only am I reminded that I was ordained to be a parish priest, I remind myself that that is ALL I envisioned when I discerned the priesthood. I didn't think "huh, I'll join the priesthood to become a high school teacher/administrator" or "huh, I'll join the diocesan priesthood so I can create my own new little ministry from scratch."

I like teaching, and I like doing electronic evangelization, but I am also thankful that I'm in a position to say I don't NEED them. I made a vow to Archbishop Buechlein and his successors to go and do what they ask of me - and usually what the Archdiocese needs is parish priests. I like doing things that aren't "pastoring" but that is precisely why I'd be happy to get sent somewhere 300 miles from a school where video and electronic evangelization are not the parish's primary concerns. As Thomas Kempis notes "it is good for a man to have his will thwarted." I've seen what believing "I'm not a normal priest, I'm a special priest" can cause.

"Special missions" always attract men because, again, they involve pure potency, an opportunity to create something where there was nothing. Special missions also allow a man to have the satisfaction of being able to point to stuff and have that masculine adrenaline rush of being able to say "I made that from nothing." Parish priests can get that sometimes, but it is often much slower - the parish was there before a pastor gets there, and it will be there after the pastor leaves.

We continue to ask God to send us men who will serve in the priesthood, and I pray not just for men willing to serve in the priesthood, but for men willing to serve as pastor.

In the Breviary which contains the Liturgy of the Hours that priests and deacons pray at least 5 times daily, there is a beautiful poem by Geoffrey Chaucer which is excerpted from his epic masterpiece "The Canterbury Tales" entitled "The Parish Priest" I thought it might be a fitting end

"A good man was there of religion,
And was a poor Parson of a town;
But rich he was of holy thought and work
...
He could in little thing have suffisance.
Wide was his parish, and houses far a sunder,
But he neglected not, for rain or thunder,
In sickness or in mischief to visit,
The furthest in his parish, great and little,
Upon his feet, and in his hand a staff.
This noble example to his sheep he gave,
That first he wrought, and afterward he taught,
Out of the gospel he these words caught
...
He set not his benefice to hire,
Nor let his sheep, encumbered in the mire,
To run unto London, unto St. Paul's,
To seek a chantery of souls,
Or with a Brotherhood to be withold;
But dwelt at home, and kept well his fold.
So that the wolf ne'er made it miscarry:
He was a shepherd, and no mercenary."

FOLLOW UP: I think some good questions have been raised about this post's origin/intent that I need to clarify

1) Every diocese has priests that are asked to do non-parish assignments. Some guys serve faithfully in the tribunal, mostly working on annulments, and that is just one example of many non-pastoring posts that diocesan priests can be asked to serve in. The type of temptation I spoke of in my original post involves the type of "special mission" where there is virtually no accountability - an assignment where there is a blank slate to make something into whatever that priest wants it to be (made even more dangerous if it was that priest's idea in the first place) - those situations are dangerous and need a lot of humility on the part of the person carrying them out. A priest working at the tribunal didn't think up the tribunal himself, so it is a lot easier to be humble. Fr. Pavone created Priests for Life from scratch, and Fr. Corappi created his "brand" from scratch as well, and thus it can be much more dangerous under that scenario.

2) The reason I shared this post is because guys who have been priests for 3-4 years in our Archdiocese typically start to get put in new roles, and so I've had to do a lot of discerning about that as I prepare to fall into that time frame in my priesthood. I had to pray a lot and ask myself "okay, what if you aren't in a school next year" and I can say I ultimately came to peace because I realized that I was ordained to be a pastor, so if that happens next year, I'm now at peace with that.

3) I also wanted to spread affirmation for guys who are already pastors. It is often a less-than-glamorous post when compared to "special missions", kind of like the difference between stay at home moms and a mothers who travels around the world - but there is a lot to be said for our priests serving faithfully, day in and day out, in our parishes throughout the world and they often go unrecognized.

Does Jesus Hate Denim? Homily from the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2011-10-10T12:59:00.000-04:00

Movie Reviews

2011-10-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

Real Steel

This film is rated A-III for teenagers and adults. Click here for the review

Machine Gun Preacher

This film is rated "O" for morally offensive and Catholics ought to find another film to watch. Usually, a film is problematic because of its portrayal of either violence or sexuality without consequences. Rarely, a movie is rated "O" because of philosophical problems - i.e. "Million Dollar Baby" which glorified euthanasia. This film seems to be problematic because it suggests that violence can be a path for those in ministry. Click here to read the review.

Courageous

This film is rated A-II pretty much everybody but little kids. Click here for the review.

Ides of March

This film is rated "L" because it contains content that some adults might find troubling. Click here for the review.

Great Article on What a Parish Priest is, and What a Parish Priest is Not

2011-10-06T17:23:00.000-04:00

Click here to read

Brett Favre Go Away!

2011-10-06T17:09:00.000-04:00

Some say a blog can get in trouble for going off the normal path of the kind of posts that are typically on the blog.

This post is about sports, which isn't normally found on here, but I do think there is some spirituality in all of this as well.

If you don't follow sports, it's okay, I think it will still make sense. Brett Favre is a retired quarterback who used to be in Green Bay for a long time. His last years in Green Bay a young new guy showed up - Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers has always publicly been nothing but class. Favre, for about the last three years of his career in Green Bay, would wait until the last minute before the season started to announce his return for another year - and every year Rodgers, the guy waiting in the wings, would be a class act about and not complain about the prima donna act that the older guy would display every year.

Today Rodgers is considered the best quarterback in the NFL and continues to be a class act publicly, and has handled his success really well. Last year, despite tons of injuries, he led the Packers to a Superbowl win.

So what does Brett Favre do a few days ago? Now that he can't play anymore and doesn't have the spotlight on him anymore, Favre goes on a radio show in Atlanta and puts on the greatest display of backhanded complementing I've ever seen. Here are Favre's comments:

On ESPN 790 Favre said he wasn't surprised Rodgers won a Super Bowl, saying "the biggest surprise to me would be that he didn't do it sooner" and that Rodgers "just kind of fell into a good situation."

He's got tremendous talent, he's very bright and he got a chance to kind of sit and watch and he saw successful teams do it right, (translation: watching me play was what helped him)

and so he just kind of fell into a good situation. (translation: he got lucky. My response: No Brett, you got lucky landing with the 2009 Vikings when you had every play maker under the sun...but you threw an interception in the fourth quarter in crunch time. Everyone was hurt on last year's Packers team and Rodgers still won a Superbowl)

And on top of that, he's a good player. (translation: he's not great. My response: he's the best quarterback in the NFL)

I don't think anyone would question now the talent around him is even better than when I was there. So I really was surprised it took him so long. (translation: it is his fault they didn't win earlier. My response: Brett, you had tremendous talent in Green Bay also. Rodgers had a banged up team and he got it done.)

Really, the early part of last season, it hadn't quite clicked yet and I didn't know if it would. I just figured at some point, when they hit their stride, they're going to be hard to beat. And that's what happened." (translation: "I'm a genius!")

Rodgers response to the whole incident: "It takes 53 guys to win a championship and we had the right recipe last year and we're trying to do the same thing this season." - Now that is what real class looks and talks like.

The reason I include all of this on here is that stuff like this happens a lot in conversations, even among "churchy folk" and I think we need to be mindful of it when we do it because it always has, at its core, anger, and if we don't acknowledge anger, it will poison us. I wonder if Favre knew he was angry or not, but regardless, it happens too much and we need to monitor it. It also pops up a lot on the internet and in our electronic conversation, so we pray that we may guard and monitor our tongues as St. Paul encourages us.

Mass for Our New Archbishop?

2011-10-06T16:39:00.000-04:00

"I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11: 10-11

Today at Mass I prayed for the first time a Mass found in the back of the Sacramentary (Roman Missal) titled "Mass for the Election of a Pope or Bishop." It was really quite beautiful, and I made the decision before looking at the Gospel, part of which is found above.

In the Gospel, Jesus first recounts how, just a man trying to sleep will get up if a visitor keeps knocking, so persistence in prayer pays off. What are we to make of the fact that Jesus says, essentially, "ask for things in prayer a lot and you are more likely to get them." A similar paradox would seem to be present in the fact that the Church would even have a Mass so that we could pray for the process of discovering our new Archbishop. Doesn't the Holy Spirit guide the Church? Will the process not work if we don't pray? It is similar to the fact that the Church says our first petition at Mass ought always to be for the Church or the Pope. I always pray something like "for Pope Benedict..." but then I'm stuck - what to say that wouldn't imply that God doesn't know what Pope Benedict needs? Sometimes I say something like "For Pope Benedict, that God may sustain him in his ministry." But then I think does that mean that God doesn't know that Pope Benedict needs sustained? Maybe the prayer should just be "For Pope Benedict...let us pray to the Lord."

The point, I think, and this was what I shared in my homily today - the point is that God asks us to be persistent in our prayer NOT because persistent prayer changes God but because persistent prayer changes US! May God be persistent in His changing us!

Let's Talk About Sex Some More!

2011-10-05T15:06:00.000-04:00

Phase 1 of our new chastity program - this presentation was given to our junior and senior guys several times to ensure small group sizes so that we could have discussion. The girls remained in their classes and participated in a presentation on Humanae Vitae from their theology teacher. Round 1 of the program went very well - thanks be to God. Hopefully something in this video might be of use to a young man that you know.

Chastity Class to Jr./Sr. Boys from John Hollowell on Vimeo.

St. Theodora

2011-10-03T07:10:00.000-04:00

Today is the feast of St. Theodora Guerin (Mother Thodore) - and within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis today is a solemnity. It is pretty rare to have a saint who comes from an American diocese (although she was born and raised in France). Mother Theodore and her fellow sisters who left France to found a religious order in the upstart diocese of Vincennes (later renamed the Archdiocese of Indianapolis) endured travel and living conditions that are barely imaginable today. Mother Theodore and her sisters founded what would become the Sisters of Providence. Mother Theodore - pray for us.

Here is the collect (opening prayer) that the Church has issued for use in Masses on her feast day.

Loving God,
In Mother Theodore Guerin
You have given us an examle of a religious woman
who trusted deeply in Providence.
Through her intercession,
inspire us to dedicate our lives
to proclaiming the Gospel
through works of love, mercy, and justice.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Mass tomorrow for St. Therese

2011-09-30T16:14:00.000-04:00

Mass at 8:15 am before first Saturday confessions and adoration which will begin immediately following Mass

Why Don't We Have Maracas at Our School Masses?

2011-09-28T13:54:00.000-04:00

Homecoming Mass - without music? What does the "full, conscious, and active participation" that Second Vatican Council called for really mean?

Does Ordination Protect a Person From Sin?

2011-09-26T22:56:00.002-04:00

Fridays With Daniel

2011-09-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

From the final chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy:

"Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the LORD showed him all the land."

I suppose it is natural to have a strong affinity for the bishop that ordains you a priest. Most priests that I have talked to, even the ones that strain for positive things to say about the "institutional Church", even they speak fondly of the bishop who ordained them.

My entire priestly ministry to this point has flowed from Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, and anything that I have done as a priest has been done because he has asked me to do so in his stead. How does one say "thank you" for that?

Attending his press conference today was a very thought-provoking experience. I remember back to the day in 1993 when he first arrived in Indy and he came to our home parish. I was able to shake his hand. 9 years later he took me to lunch to talk about me going to the seminary. I remember being terrified as we drove to the Rathskeller, especially given the fact that 20 minutes earlier I didn't know that he knew my name. 8 years later he laid his hands on my head and ordained me a deacon. 8 months after being ordained a deacon, he ordained me a priest and gave me my first assignment.

I have always seen the Archbishop as a fatherly figure in my life. He asked me to go to Rome to study, and I knew my family would be hesitant. To help ease the tension for my family, he offered to come over for dinner and help explain things. In his ordination homily for myself and fathers Peter Marshal and Jeremy Gries, I really felt as if it was my own father speaking to me; that homily was one of the great gifts that I received over the course of my ordinations.

All that being said, the most poignant memory for me concerning the Archbishop will be the Friday afternoons I was able to spend with him last Spring. Following his initial stroke, he was unable to stand and celebrate Mass for himself, so he had a schedule set up which ensured that priests in the area would be present each day to celebrate Mass in his presence while he concelebrated from his chair.

For no other reason than the fact that Cardinal Ritter High School is .8 miles from the Archbishop's house, I was asked to cover Fridays. It worked out well from my end because Friday was the one day where I didn't already have a Mass scheduled.

Every Friday afternoon I'd leave the awesome but hectic (borderline frantic) pace of Cardinal Ritter, make the short drive up Kessler, and walk into the Archbishop's recovery room at his house. I would usually check in with him to see how his progress was going, and as I vested I'd let him know what was new and exciting in my life. After we had caught up, I'd ask him who his Mass was being offered for. Usually the Archbishop offered his Mass up for the priests and seminarians of the Archdiocese. One time I shared with him that I was offering my Mass up for a young lady from Ritter whose grandmother had just died. He told me he would offer up his Mass for the young lady as well.

As Mass would begin, we'd have the usual opening rites and prayer. I would read the readings, and then I would go and kneel before him in his chair and ask for his blessing to proclaim the Gospel. I was always struck by the fact that I was asking the blessing of the man who ordained me to proclaim the Word of God to now proclaim that same Word to him! When the Gospel was done, I would bring to the Archbishop the Gospel so that he could kiss it. Two years earlier the Archbishop, at my ordination, had placed the Book of the Gospels in my hands, and now I was placing it in his.

I rarely offered a homily on those Friday afternoons, but one time I shared a brief reflection, and when I was done he shared his thoughts as well.

During the Eucharistic Prayer, I always slowed down for the line "We pray for our Holy Father Pope Benedict, Our Bishop Daniel" - our Bishop Daniel - the man who I can see right now out of the corner of my eye - the successor of the apostles - humbled by illness and age - "our Bishop Daniel" - I pray it every day, and I mean it every day, but to be praying it there in his presence must have comforted him - I hope his thought as he heard that was "every day, at every altar throughout this Archdiocese, people are praying for me."

After the Eucharistic prayer, I would bring him the Host, which he would hold in his hands, while I held up the other half of the host over the chalice, elevated it, showed both Eucharistic Species to him and said "This is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper" As with the Gospel, he who had anointed my hands to bring the Eucharist to others was now receiving the Eucharist from those same hands. What a mystery!

Sometimes after Mass, the Archbishop would be up for taking an assisted walk around his house. During those occasions, he would place his hands in mine and I would help him walk around the house and help support his weight, especially on the side that struggled after his stroke. In the ordination rite, a priest folds his hands and places those folded hands in front of the bishop as the bishop wraps his hands around the priest's. The priest makes a promise of obedience during that time. Now the role was reversed, and it was the bishop who was placing his hands in mine.

As I would prepare to leave, he always told me two things. "I don't care if you tell people you came here, but make sure you tell them how much I love daily Mass and how much I love the Eucharist." Indeed, he had the tabernacle moved down into his recovery room so that he could pray from his chair at any hour of the day.

This is my chance to make good on his wish. The Archbishop will be remembered for many things, but for me his number one legacy will be his insistence that we all be people of prayer. He preached about it at ordinations, he preached about it at Chrism Masses, he wrote about it in the Criterion, but most importantly, he lived it, and he continues to live it in such a way that everyone who meets him knows he is a man who spends hours a day wrapped in prayer.

Now a man who has spent most of his adult life at the helm of something is having to let go of the reigns as his body has rebelled against him. At the age of 31 he became the rector of Saint Meinrad seminary. Being a rector is a HUGE responsibility. Imagine looking out on a sea of several hundred men and thinking daily "I am responsible for making sure these guys are ready to serve Christ in His Church as priests." He served in that role for many years until he was named the Bishop of Memphis before spending his last 19 years with us as Archbishop. That's a long time to be in charge of something.

The man who has spent his whole priesthood leading now returns to St. Meinrad to spend the final stage of his life as a monk (he mentioned in the press conference that he is renewing his vow of poverty! How awesome is that!). As I sat listening to him speak today, and as I was reflecting on his life thus far, I couldn't help but think of Moses. Moses was in a position of leadership from a very young age. He spent his whole life in charge, for better or worse, and as the final chapter of the Torah recounts, Moses was led up a high mountain to watch those he had led for so long pass into the Promised Land under the leadership of a new person whom he had laid hands on.

This story of Moses is often only viewed from the perspective of punishment, and certainly that is one element of the story as Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land because he failed to trust in God. But I also see Moses propped up against that Rock looking out over the land watching the families and the community that he had led now walking away and pushing on, and I see that as a time where God called Moses aside so that the two of them could spend a day or two alone together. Several times Moses had met God on the mountain top while Moses was in the vigor of life, and at the end of Moses' journey, it only seems fitting that Moses would be forced to retreat from the active life to again spend precious time with his Lord.

I think it is fitting that the Archbishop is retiring to St. Meinrad. For those who have never been, St. Meinrad is on a "mountain top" as well, at least by Indiana standards. It is my belief that God is now calling home His "good and faithful servant" for some time away from the active life so that he may instead spend his final years in what the Church has always considered the highest vocation - that of prayerful contemplation with our Lord. The list of the Archbishop's accomplishments is long, but it may be that one day we will look back and be most thankful for his time spent lifting our Archdiocese up in prayer before the Eucharist these years at St. Meinrad.

This is a short video I put together set to a song whose title is most appropriate - "Go Rest High on that Mountain" by Vince Gill. The song is about someone who has died, and the Archbishop is far from that, but I think the title of the song is fitting for the next stage in his life. I found some photos on the internet of the Archbishop, and I mixed those in with some video footage from his new destination.

Archbishop Buechlein, an extremely inadequate thank you. You will be in our prayers and we know that we will be in yours.

The Archbishop can be reached via snail mail at the following
Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein OSB
200 Hill Drive
Saint Meinrad, IN
47577

I think it would be awesome if he was met by stacks and stacks of thank you's and personal notes when he moves in a few weeks from now.

"Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the LORD showed him all the land"

Full Video of the Archbishop's Press Conference

2011-09-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

This is a nice thing for the Archdiocese to post because I think it captures the Archbishop's humility and prayerfulness.

Archbishop Buechlein Retirement Press Conference (2011) from Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Vimeo.

Media Coverage of Archbishop's Retirement

2011-09-21T13:49:00.001-04:00

Indianapolis Star
As with Bishop Coyne, I felt the Star did a great job covering the story with this morning's front page story. The only thing I found strange was the inclusion that reitred professor of history Jim Divita (Marian University) predicted that the next archbishop would be "conservative on Church matters and liberal on social issues." Really? How could you make a prediction like that? My only hope is that the professor was offering his HOPE for the next archbishop's leanings, and that it was the reporter who put too much weight behind the guess.

Pre Press Conference TV from Fox 59 AM

Very nice story post interview by WTHR's Kevin Rader

Archbishop's Press Release

2011-09-21T13:35:00.000-04:00

I was at a very nicely handled press conference today where the Archbishop announced his retirement. It was interesting that when asked by a reporter about what he felt like his most important accomplishment was he answered very quickly "Catholic schools." Some of the other accomplishments that were mentioned by Bishop Coyne included the raising of over 300 million dollars through capital campaigns, the ordination of 40 priests, the founding of Brute College Seminary which is already over capacity, the opening of holy family homeless shelter, and the increase in vocations under his watch, which he unequivocally attributed to the busy adoration chapels throughout the Archdiocese.

More about the day and the past 19 years to follow. Here is his press release.

Pope Benedict XVI has granted early retirement to the Most Reverend Daniel M. Buechlein, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The announcement was made today by the Vatican and is effective immediately. Archbishop Buechlein has led the Archdiocese of Indianapolis since his appointment as archbishop by the late Pope John Paul II on July 14, 1992.

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed the archdiocese’s auxiliary bishop, Bishop Christopher J. Coyne, as the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Bishop Coyne will govern the archdiocese until a new archbishop is named.

Archbishop Buechlein, 73, requested the retirement earlier this year due to health issues resulting from a stroke he suffered on March 19, 2011. The normal retirement age for bishops is 75. The stroke was the latest in a series of health issues for Archbishop Buechlein in recent years including a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, which required several months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

In his retirement, Archbishop Buechlein plans to return to southern Indiana to live at Saint Meinrad Archabbey and to rejoin the Benedictine community where he took a solemn profession as a Benedictine monk nearly 50 years ago.

“It has been a joy for me to serve as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for the past 20 years. I want to thank all of the clergy, religious, archdiocesan staff and lay people for the support you have given me over the years,” Archbishop Buechlein said. “You truly have been a blessing to me. With your help and the help of God we have been able to accomplish much.”

Press Conference tomorrow at 10 a.m.

2011-09-20T14:36:00.002-04:00

There has been a press conference scheduled for the Catholic center at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. The media will be present along with the priests, deacons, and parish life coordinators. We have been told that it will be an historic announcement for the future of our Archdiocese, but I have no idea what it will be. I am always last in the rumor mill. Regardless of the announcement, we can always pray for the Archbishop and for our entire Archdiocese.

I'll keep you posted, and I'll try to get something written up in the wake of the announcement.

God bless!

Is God Arrogant?

2011-09-20T14:20:00.002-04:00

So high are my ways above your ways" ???

Homily from Women's Conference - "He Showed Them His Hands and His Side"

2011-09-20T14:17:00.002-04:00

Are Cloistered Sisters and Brothers a Waste of People Who Could Be Working For the Church?

2011-09-20T08:17:00.003-04:00

Some say that those who pray for the world in cloistered monasteries and convents are a waste because they could be "doing something" like running a hospital or some other ministry such as teaching or working with the poor. I firmly believe one day in Heaven we will all owe a great deal of thanks to the cloistered religious who pray for us night and day.

Sisters of Life Profile

2011-09-19T08:23:00.001-04:00

Great clip on the Sisters of Life

Nothing Grows Around Abortion Clinics - Homily from Pro-Life Mass

2011-09-19T07:51:00.000-04:00

Weekend Movie Reviews (catching up from last weekend as well)

2011-09-16T16:10:00.000-04:00

Warrior

Rated "L" so only for adults, but the review has high praise for the film. Click here to read the review

Contagion

Rated A-III for adults. Click here to read the review

I Don't Know How She Does It

Rated A-III - acceptable for adults. Click here for the review

The Mill and the Cross

A-III acceptable for adults. Click here for the review

Creature

"O" - morally offensive. Click here to read why you would be well served to stay away and instead go to the St. Malachy Country Fair!

Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star

"O" Morally Offensive - BOOO! Go to the Malachy Country Fair instead! Click here to read the review

Drive

Click here to see why the bishops say you should go to the St. Malachy Country Fair instead.

Straw Dogs

"O" - click here to read why. Did I mention there is a Country Fair in Brownsburg this weekend?

Why We Write Our Prayers Down in a Book and then Read Them

2011-09-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

Some want more spontaneity in the prayers at a Catholic Mass. I do not, and this is exhibit A!!!