We do indeed need to show joy as Catholics.

We do indeed need to show joy as Catholics.  

My motto — “Be happily and uncomplicatedly Catholic.”

Michael J. Sheehan, Archbishop of Santa Fe

 

Quiz

Last week, the winner of the autographed copy of Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholic is Elmer Ridgeway in San Francisco. Here are the answers:

 The three countries where there is there the greatest difference between the rich and the poor are Singapore, USA and Portugal. (comment: Congress and 84% of Americans think Christ was talking about material things when he said, “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will grow rich, but for the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”)

2.  Kateri Tekakwitha was the first Native American to be declared “Blessed”.

 3.  When people wanted to obtain favorable weather, including rain to end a drought, they would pray to St, Agricolus, the 7^th century bishop of Avignon. 

       It seems that the Vatican has blown in by refusing the accept the resignation of Dublin’s auxiliary bishops, who had dirty fingers in connection with Archbishop Martin’s attempt to solve the sexual assault problems in Ireland. This stupid act by the Pope has angered the hell out of 93% of the Catholics in Ireland. (Comment: For God’s sake, Holy Father, wise up, please!)

The trapped miners in Chile have set aside a part of their cavern as a chapel and have asked that a crucifix be sent down through the narrow passageway.

-         The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation has published a protest against the 25-foot wall around Jerusalem and the many humiliating check points the Arab Christians have to endure which greatly limits their access to Christian schools, hospitals and care for the elderly. (Comment: You bleeding-heart Jews are doing a damned good job in demonstrating what discrimination is.)

-         Catholic World News reported on the martyr condition for the Catholics who are 7% of the 85 million in Communist Vietnam where the government had outlawed religious gatherings. An estimated 4000 are daring to meet in homes for Mass. (comment: Let us give this thought when we routinely and casually get to the Church on Sundays.)

 -   The Week on September 24 reported that an independent commission in Belgium found that, in every Catholic parish, the clergy or church workers had sexually abused children.

                                 Facit Short Story 

Lost-Rosary, not good as new.

Finder, please keep in good use. 

My favorite priest, layperson, breathing saint or organization 

We should welcome Fr. Giles Pinnock, who with his family is soon to enter our Catholic Church. This is the message he gave his Church of
England parishioners:  

“I have reached a point in my journey in the Faith at which I have become firmly and prayerfully convinced over a period of months that I should seek to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church without further delay. I have been the Vicar of St. Mary’s for four years, during which time you have been a support and generous community to serve.

“The particular decision to leave this parish has been harder than the joyful decision to be received into the Catholic Church—although the two are of necessity connected, and as the Lord tells us in today’s Gospel, we must be willing to change fundamentally the context and the detail of our lives if we are truly to be his disciples…This is such a moment for me and my family.” To those of you are considering becoming Catholic, either as members of the forthcoming Ordinanate under the provisions of Anglicanoum coetibus or in a local Catholic parish, I trust that I am, in the manner of a middle-eastern shepherd, walking ahead of the flock, leading you by my example to safe pasture.”     

 (Now, tell me about your favorite Catholic priest, layperson or organization that is making a difference, aljagoe@comcast.net ) 

Interesting sayings

I say God gave humans the truth, and the Devil came and said, “Let’s organize it and we’ll call it religion.”

 

Deepak Chopra Lord, open my eyes to your wonderful works. Help me to see how much you’ve blessed me in the past so that I can be open to receive the grace you have prepared for me in the future.

The Word Among Us

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

                                    Daniel Patrick Moynihan             

When love seizes upon limited beings it draws from them a degree of energy which enlarges man beyond himself. Here below, love is a prelude of the eternal embrace in which our life will be consummated.

Father Henri-Dominique Lacordaire (1861), who was a great Dominican preacher in France after the French Revolution 

 Live every day like it’s your last.  And one day you’ll be right. Frank Sinatra

 Communiqués 

I thoroughly enjoyed your account of your recent trip to Lourdes. I felt as if I were there with you!

                   Mary Ellen Crozier 

You told a lot about being in Lourdes, but you acted like a sightseer. Did you do any praying while you were there?

                   Richard Rodriquez

(reply: Yep, a lot.) 

Chuckle time

Reliable Government Source 

On an Indian reservation in British Columbia, when the chief’s people asked him if the winter was going to be cold or mild, he told them he would meditate on it and let them know the next day. 

That night the chief called the Canadian Meteorology Office and was told it might be a cold winter.  He then so advised his tribe to start collecting firewood. A week later, the chief again called the government office and the meteorologist said, “It is going to be an extremely cold winter because the Indians are collecting firewood like crazy.”

Special Intentions List

 

 Juanita Caldwell, Isola Todd, David Abbey, Amie Ellis, Linwood “Skip” Williams, Eileen Grotsky, Roseanne Somlock, Nicholas Gallagher, Tom Lewis, Donald Whitcomb, Violeta Zepeda, John Aylor,

Rev. Joseph Marini, Enrique Portillo, Sharon McPike, Tom Ryan, Joseph Normile, Jim Quimby, Russell Edwards, Gertrude Goldstein,

Rev. Stephen Huffstetter, Hugh Cannon, Eric Moore, Joan Barrett, 8-year-old Michael Fotta and his parents, Lolita Alvarez, Camilus Musselman, Jack Conner, Ed Block, Isobel Milligan, Peter Bartkiewiez and his family,

 Joe Toles, Grace Toomey, Bob Earll, Camilus Musselman, Bob Kehlhofer, Ed Cole, Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Jay Parker, William Stephenson,

Roger Stoven, Bob Abbott, Denny Kline, the flood victims in Pakistan,

 the trapped miners in Chile.

Be happily and uncomplicatedly Catholic.

We do indeed need to show joy as Catholics.   My motto — “Be happily and uncomplicatedly Catholic.”

Michael J. Sheehan, Archbishop of Santa Fe

 

The Age of Apathy and Ignorance 

Realizing that we are the last of the Catholics in our family, last week my wife and I donated our massive family Bible to our church library.  Our splendid four children, two sons-in-laws and two daughter-in-laws have no interest in Catholicism, and our ten remarkable grandkids have little (if any) knowledge of Christianity.

          Several years ago, our adorable six-year-old granddaughter was visiting us. At breakfast one morning when I mentioned I had trouble understanding the Buddhist religion, she told me all about when Buddha was under a tree he had this revelation that he taught to his followers, etc., etc. I then asked her what she knew about the 5,000 year history of the Jews and about Jesus Christ. With the truth of youth, she said, “I haven’t the foggiest.”

        Our two generations following us are all admirable individuals—intelligent, well-educated, loving one another and their neighbors, thoughtful, sensitive, good and popular citizens in their communities and enjoyable company.  They have made themselves healthy and financially successful.  They are all good kids, of whom I am busting with pride.  Yet I am concerned about their satisfied two-dimensional lives, devoid of religion.

          St. Augustine compared religion as a bridge to a higher location.  To me, I relate it to an experience I had years ago when I would take early morning swims in the clear sea at the Costa Brava.  I enjoyed it as a refreshing way of starting the day. Then one morning I had my initial experience with a snorkeling mask.  I was stunned to see clearly the beauty of the under-water world. Before, I had been content with skimming along the surface, ignorant of the sea treasures below me. Now, thanks to my mask, like magic an entire new world opened for me.

          I feel that way about my Faith.  There are boundless spiritual treasures that Catholicism makes available for me every minute of the day.  It gives me the opportunity to view all with new and fresh sight—though the eyes of others, of Christ, of Blessed Mary, and of thousands of saints. This gives meaning, purpose and enjoyment to the hum-drum of life.  As the theologian Ewert Cousins wrote, “Theology is concerned with the ultimate level of religious mystery which is even less accessible than the mystery of the physical universe.”

 I have the uncomfortable feeling of being a frustrated billionaire who hasn’t figured out how to share his wealth.  Without intent, I am a hoarder of spiritual blessings I want to share.  My failure to pass my appreciation of religion on to my children is a puzzlement, and I don’t know the answer.  As one who has experienced this feeling, Kenda Creasy Dean, professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, said she has spend the most depressing summers of her life, interviewing teens about their faith.

As an interesting tid-bit, I read this in the North American Almanac 1929: “He who fights religion and its institutions kicks at the stars. He who incurs religion’s enmity must be a brave fighter for he may have 1,000 hands of logic, yet cannot lay low the one hand of religious prejudice.”

You readers, give me your thoughts and advice.  I welcome it!

thejoyfulcatholic@comcast.net.

Recommended readings

-         “Twelve instant ways of beautifying the Novus Ordo” by Monica Miller. PhD., in the August/September issue of Homiletic & Pastoral Review.

-         “What’s Extraordinary?” by Gerald Coleman, S.S., in America, August 30 – September 6.

-         “The Traditional Sources of Thomas Merton’s Environmental Spirituality” by Patrick O’Connell PhD in Spiritual Life, fall 2010.

-         “A Tree Full of Monkeys – Why The Soul  Needs Silence” by John Garvey, in Commonweal, July 16

We do indeed need to show joy as Catholics!

We do indeed need to show joy as Catholics.  

My motto – “Be happily and uncomplicatedly Catholic.”

Michael J. Sheehan Archbishop of Santa Fe 

 

 

Quiz

1. In what three countries is there the greatest difference between  the rich and the poor?

2.  Who was the first native American to be declared “Blessed”?

 3.  When people wanted to obtain favorable weather, including rain to end a drought, whom did they pray to?

 News Flashes

Holy Jocks!

 Sister James Dolores, 73, of Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, posed on a surfboard, to promote the 15^th annual Nun’s Beach Surf International on 9/11, The proceeds will go to maintain their Villa Maria by the Sea in Stone Harbor, N.J.

 Bishop Thomas Paprocki will run in the October 17 Denver marathon, raising money for the recent restoration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, IL.

 Auxiliary Bishop of Denver James Conley, Fr. Jim Crisman and two St. John Vianney seminarians will also participate in the Denver event to increase support and awareness of vocations.

Misc.

The August 28th  Economist reports that Florida State University has conducted a study on infidelity. They are puzzled why they found that couples who attend religious services are more likely to be satisfied with their marriages than those who do not. (comment: These fellows in academia sometimes don’t have much to do.)

Real estate developer Shariff El-Gama, backer of the Islamic center near Ground Zero, is a true religious cur.  He is a New-York-City-born Muslim with an Egyptian father, a Catholic mother, married to a Christian and  now is converting to the Jewish faith.

         An article in The Catholic Standard points out the problem that many young people have who want to dedicate their lives to the Church are hindered by debt. Elise Maloney wants to become a Little Sister of the Poor but must first pay back $75,000 in student loans.  This splendid Order is trying to help her by conducting bake sales. (comment: any of you joyful Catholic who want to contribute, get in touch with me.)

 Facit Short Story 

Reality       

God, the Father, is;

God, the Son, is;

God, the Holy Spirit, is.

That is why

I am.

 

My favorite priest, layperson, breathing saint or organization

 Fr. F.  Richard Spencer has served for six years as a military chaplain in Iraq.  After one of the many occasions when he had to minister to the injured and dying, he wrote, “In the moment, you do your prayers; then move to the next situation, because it’s continuous chaos. You just offer prayers that they would see the face of God that very day and you trust and hope. We had both Iraqis and Americans die. I didn’t know who was Muslim or who was Christian – but they all got a prayer.”

          On September 8 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., Fr. Spencer was installed as the next auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese for U. S. Military Services.  He now is the first man in this position who will be able to enter war zones and have unprecedented access to military personnel serving in most difficult circumstances.

         Now, tell me about your favorite Catholic priest, layperson or organization that is making a difference

joyfulcatholic@comcast.net 

Interesting sayings

No one created the first cause, precisely because it is the first. And  there is no real reason why we should establish limits to it, for it has no limits, no borders.  Since it was not made, it has no beginning: that is, it has always been and there is no reaon why it should cease to exist at any given time. And this means it is eternal. This cause is God.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, the Polish Conventual Franciscan who was martyred in Auschwitz. 

 I’ve learned that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

Andy Rooney

I do not know what God wants to do with me. I am always more content. Everyone is suffering, and I ,who should do rigorous penances, experience such continual profound joys that I have trouble keeping them under control.

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (1691)

 

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

Daniel Patrick Moynihan

 

There are two things I like about politicians.  They never are bothered with facts and they are the best people on earth that money can buy.

A cab driver in Washington, D..C.

 

Chuckle time

The scene when God let St. Francis, St. Benedict and St. Ignatius of Loyola be present at the birth ot Christ:

St. Francis and St. Benedict dropped to their knees and prayed quietly. St. Ignatius took Joseph aside and said, “Have you thought about the boy’s education?”

 

Juanita Caldwell, Isola Todd, David Abbey, Amie Ellis,

Linwood “Skip” Williams, Tom Medved, Eileen Grotsky, Roseanne Somlock, Nicholas Gallagher, Tom Lewis, Donald Whitcomb, Violeta Zepeda, John Aylor, Rev. Joseph Marini, Enrique Portillo, Sharon McPike, Tom Ryan, Joseph Normile, Jim Quimby, Russell Edwards, Gertrude Goldstein,

Rev. Stephen Huffstetter, Hugh Cannon, Eric Moore, Joan Barrett, 8-year-old Michael Fotta and his parents, Lolita Alvarez, Camilus Musselman, Jack Conner, Ed Block, Isobel Milligan, Peter Bartkiewiez and his family,

 Joe Toles, Grace Toomey, Bob Earll, Camilus Musselman, Bob Kehlhofer, Ed Cole, Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Jay Parker, the flood victims in Pakistan, the trapped miners in Chile.