“Every scribe who has been
instructed in the kingdom of heaven brings from his storeroom both the
new and the old.” (Matthew 13:52)
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
The Pope is Coming to the USA Next Year!!!!
Archbishop Chaput announced that Pope Francis will be visiting the USA in 2015. Next year will see the 2015 World Meeting of the Families in Philadelphia from September 22-27th.
Catholic News Service has the whole story. Click here to read the full story, and keep praying for the Holy Father and our Church in the US!
Catholic News Service has the whole story. Click here to read the full story, and keep praying for the Holy Father and our Church in the US!
Monday, July 21, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Contraception, Francis, and the Holy Spirit
A few comments:
1) There is a general fear that if we trust the Holy Spirit, then we're all going to turn into a bunch of relativistic Stevie Nickses running around in a drug-induced trance with tambourines and praising the gods of a bygone era. Pope Benedict acknowledged that it is understandable to be cautious when we first hear the Holy Spirit, not because it is right to fear the Holy Spirit, but because so much craziness has been done TO the Church and so many wounds have been inflicted upon the Church by those claiming to be operating under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
That being said, we should never fear the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will NEVER lead us anywhere BUT to Christ and to His Church. "The Spirit will lead you to ALL truth." (John 16:13). We can't stifle the spirit because some loonies have tried to hijack the Spirit. Instead, we must reclaim the Spirit, and show what a life lived in the Spirit looks like authentically!
2) Am I saying in this homily that catechesis (passing on the particular truths of the Faith) is not important? BY NO MEANS! Of course knowing our Faith is important, and we have to DOUBLE or TRIPLE our efforts in this area. Some become lukewarm BECAUSE they know nothing about our Faith. However, the thing we have to LEAD with is an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ, and the Joy and Peace that he offers. The Holy Father is rightly saying that we should never give someone a pamphlet on contraception the first time this person shows up asking about Catholicism.
Thanks to all of our catechists who are working so hard to hand on the Truths of our Faith. Keep up the great work!
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Democracy is Like Marriage
Pope’s Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI both talked
extensively about democracy and capitalism.
To sum it up briefly – democracy seems to be our best form of government, but just because you have a republic or a democracy, that does NOT mean that things are going
to work out.
A DEMOCRACY TAKES VIGILANCE…DAILY…ALL THE TIME
The Truth will not prevail automatically
First principles can be rejected and new ones enshrined and democracy can become totalitarian very quickly.
What are you doing to help shape our democratic system?
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Are We Not Smart Enough to Fix This?
People all the time - "The Catholic Church is a bunch of Republicans. They should have their tax privilege revoked"
Well, here's the issue that has had me in the most hot water as a pastor - immigration - and I don't think the Church's stance on this issue is going to get a Catholic invited to speak at the Republican National Convention any time soon.
The behavior of our fellow citizens at the border recently has been sickening to watch. The Church is for borders, and for sovereignty, but anyone with "eyes to see and ears to hear" knows that some of our fellow Americans have clearly been acting in the wrong.
We've got a lot of smart people in this country - we can surely figure out a way to help people live here who want to be here.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Euclid and Same Sex "Marriage"
As I've admitted on here elsewhere, I was a math major.
Euclid's Geometry is based on five axioms. These axioms are used to build the whole system. If you change one of the axioms (i.e. you say "two parallel lines CAN intersect") then the ENTIRE system changes, and it looks COMPLETELY different than Euclidean Geometry.
You can change one of the axioms, but the change echoes throughout the system, producing a completely new system.
Marriage between a man and a woman is an axiom of our society. It is assumed to be true and everything hinges on that as a foundational principle. There are a few other "axiomatic" principles that our society is founded on. The Church notes that a just society is one in which:
1) the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death, is honored
2) religious freedom is granted
3) the right to work is respected
4) marriage is between a man and a woman
IF YOU STOP UPHOLDING THESE VALUES...THE SYSTEM CRASHES...DEMOCRACY EXISTS NO MORE
Some people think the Church is against same-sex "marriage" because the Bible and the Church are against same-sex sex. The Church is against same-sex "marriage" because the Church knows the types of decisions that bring societies crashing down - and one of those would be a redefinition of what marriage is.
That's why the Church says:
"If, from a legal standpoint, marriage between a man and a woman were to be considered just one possible form of marriage, the concept of marriage would undergo a radical transformation, with grave detriment to the common good." (Compendium of Social Teaching, paragraph 228).
Here's the point - we're not saying, as Catholics, that society needs to listen to us because God is great and "you all need to do what God says"...
The Catholic Church says, as a political advisor, IF YOU CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF MARRIAGE, YOUR SOCIETY WILL NOT ENDURE
If you change one of the foundational axioms, you change EVERYTHING...and when you change an axiom, what you soon have is a system that looks NOTHING like what you had before
Euclid's Geometry is based on five axioms. These axioms are used to build the whole system. If you change one of the axioms (i.e. you say "two parallel lines CAN intersect") then the ENTIRE system changes, and it looks COMPLETELY different than Euclidean Geometry.
You can change one of the axioms, but the change echoes throughout the system, producing a completely new system.
Marriage between a man and a woman is an axiom of our society. It is assumed to be true and everything hinges on that as a foundational principle. There are a few other "axiomatic" principles that our society is founded on. The Church notes that a just society is one in which:
1) the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death, is honored
2) religious freedom is granted
3) the right to work is respected
4) marriage is between a man and a woman
IF YOU STOP UPHOLDING THESE VALUES...THE SYSTEM CRASHES...DEMOCRACY EXISTS NO MORE
Some people think the Church is against same-sex "marriage" because the Bible and the Church are against same-sex sex. The Church is against same-sex "marriage" because the Church knows the types of decisions that bring societies crashing down - and one of those would be a redefinition of what marriage is.
That's why the Church says:
"If, from a legal standpoint, marriage between a man and a woman were to be considered just one possible form of marriage, the concept of marriage would undergo a radical transformation, with grave detriment to the common good." (Compendium of Social Teaching, paragraph 228).
Here's the point - we're not saying, as Catholics, that society needs to listen to us because God is great and "you all need to do what God says"...
The Catholic Church says, as a political advisor, IF YOU CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF MARRIAGE, YOUR SOCIETY WILL NOT ENDURE
If you change one of the foundational axioms, you change EVERYTHING...and when you change an axiom, what you soon have is a system that looks NOTHING like what you had before
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Indiana Bishops Issue Statement on Same-Sex Marriage
The dignity of the human person, rooted in his or her creation in the image and likeness of God, is a fundamental principle of Catholic social teaching. The Church upholds the dignity of every human person, including persons with same-sex attraction, whom we accept and love as our brothers and sisters.
At the same time, the Church upholds the dignity and sanctity of marriage as a natural union established by God between one man and one woman, intended towards the establishment of a family in which children are born, raised, and nurtured. This is not simply a matter of belief. It is at the very heart of the nature of marriage. Thus, it is not within the power of any institution, religious or secular, to redefine marriage since it is God who is its author.
Today's decision by Richard L. Young, Chief Judge United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana, to redefine the institution of marriage as an emotional partnership between two consenting adults regardless of gender ignores this fundamental and natural truth of marriage and opens its definition to the whims of public opinion.
With deep respect for all our brothers and sisters, we nevertheless see no basis in law or in nature for any definition of marriage that seeks to expand it beyond that of a covenant between one man and one woman. Our position on this matter seeks only the common good of all men and women as well as the health and well being of families.
As pastors, we will continue to preach and teach the truth of marriage as it is ordered by God, encouraging all people to embrace the fullness of that truth, while upholding the dignity of all persons. We will continue to work through the Indiana Catholic Conference to encourage our legislators and judges to uphold this truth as well. We urge all involved in this issue to conduct themselves with mutual respect and civility in public discourse.
Most Reverend Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., D.D.
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne, S.L.D.
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Most Reverend Charles C. Thompson, D.D., J. C.L.
Diocese of Evansville
Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades, D. D.
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Most Reverend Dale J. Melczek, D.D.
Diocese of Gary
Most Reverend Timothy L. Doherty, D.D., Ph.D.
Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana
At the same time, the Church upholds the dignity and sanctity of marriage as a natural union established by God between one man and one woman, intended towards the establishment of a family in which children are born, raised, and nurtured. This is not simply a matter of belief. It is at the very heart of the nature of marriage. Thus, it is not within the power of any institution, religious or secular, to redefine marriage since it is God who is its author.
Today's decision by Richard L. Young, Chief Judge United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana, to redefine the institution of marriage as an emotional partnership between two consenting adults regardless of gender ignores this fundamental and natural truth of marriage and opens its definition to the whims of public opinion.
With deep respect for all our brothers and sisters, we nevertheless see no basis in law or in nature for any definition of marriage that seeks to expand it beyond that of a covenant between one man and one woman. Our position on this matter seeks only the common good of all men and women as well as the health and well being of families.
As pastors, we will continue to preach and teach the truth of marriage as it is ordered by God, encouraging all people to embrace the fullness of that truth, while upholding the dignity of all persons. We will continue to work through the Indiana Catholic Conference to encourage our legislators and judges to uphold this truth as well. We urge all involved in this issue to conduct themselves with mutual respect and civility in public discourse.
Most Reverend Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., D.D.
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne, S.L.D.
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Most Reverend Charles C. Thompson, D.D., J. C.L.
Diocese of Evansville
Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades, D. D.
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Most Reverend Dale J. Melczek, D.D.
Diocese of Gary
Most Reverend Timothy L. Doherty, D.D., Ph.D.
Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana
Monday, July 7, 2014
Is God Like the "Force"?
People leave God because of false images they have of God. Maybe we're part of the problem
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
My Niece Olivia Serenades Her New Sister! AWESOME!
Now THIS is pro-life!!!
"You will be a beautiful as your mother takes care of you
Your feets are very small and your hand is very small
Everything is small because you're little
You always said v, you love Olivia the big sister
Your legs are little
You love your baby
Close your eyes and go to sleep
Go to sleep and you will be fine
Just go to sleep and I
Just go to sleep with your eyes closed and wide
Not open up, and you can't be
You can't be
You can be the beautiful word
You can't be a baby always, you're growing
You can't hold my finger or do that
Then you always hold my finger
Then you always hold everyone's finger
Because you love to suck on your thumb
Then you always do things all!!!
Here, you can have the baby back!"
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
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