News flashes

         On May 8, vandals committed hate-crime acts against the Holy Cross Church in Monterey, CA damaging the baptismal font brought to Californiaby Bl. Junipeo Serra in 1791 and causing damage to the church and Mission Santa Cruz.

Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby founded by sisters, said, “I am stunned” after being criticized by the Vatican for focusing their work too much on poverty and economic injustice while keeping “silent” on abortion and same-sex marriage. (comment: those fellows in the Vatican don’t have much to do.)

-         While attending a funeral at a Methodist Church, I picked up a brochure in the pew “Looking for a Church Home? Please Join Us! Our Hearts ,our Minds and our Doors are Always Open.”

(comment: have you ever seen such a welcome mat in a Catholic church?)

 

 Today’s Martyrs

(Lest we forget)

 Let us purify ourselves through the martyrs, or rather, through him through whom they too were purified in blood and truth.

St. Gregory Nazianzen (died 390)

My favorite priest, layperson, breathing saint or organization

Bishop Andrew Francis of Multanis calling upon the Church to declare to declare Shahbaz Bhatti a martyr. He was the only Catholic in the Pakistan cabinet and was assassinated for his opposition to the nation’s blasphemy law. In his last conversation, he said, “I know I will die assassinated, but I lay down my life for Christ and for inter-religious dialogue.” 

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

 

Interesting sayings

(Regarding the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith’s recent censuring of our women religious) Their action is certain to be a pastoral disaster, another instance of the hierarchy acting in an imprudent and counterproductive fashion. All Catholic should support the effort of the bishops to preserve and pass on the fundamentals of the faith, and correcting doctrinal error is part of that process. But wouldn’t the bishops be more effective in that task if they did not confuse disagreement about public policy with doctrinal dissent—and if the experience and judgment of women were given an honored place and a decisive role in the church’s governance?

                        Editors in the May 18 issue of Commonweal

 

 My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would quit dying.

Rodney Dangerfield

 

If the Lord had been born to high rank and amidst luxury, unbelievers would have said the world has been transferred by wealth. If he had chosen as his birthplace the great city of Rome, they would have thought the transformation had been brought about by civil power. Suppose he had been the son of an emperor. They would have said: “How useful it is to be powerful.” Imagine him the son of a senator. It would have been: “Look what can be accomplished by legislation!”

          But in fact, what did he do? He chose surroundings that were poor and simple, so ordinary as to be almost unnoticed, so that people would know it was the Godhead alone that had changed the world. This was his reason for choosing his Mother from among the poor of a very poor country, and for becoming poor himself.

Theodotus of Ancyra, (died 446 AD)

 

 Communiqués

(Regarding Catherine Grant’s submission, “Thank You”, and her replies)

-   I want to thank you for making this available to me. I have pasted it on   my refrigerator door to remind me every morning how blessed I am.

Gertrude Owens (Boston,MA)

Dear Gertrude, It is a wonderful reminder. I, too, keep my copy within eyesight for daily viewing. I would like to suggest another reading that you will enjoy called “Desiderata”, which is available at your bookstore. 

-         It might help some people, but I’ve got enough problem of my own   without having to worry about those millions of poor souls who might be worse off than me.

Jonathan Willsby (Liverpool,UK)

Dear Jonathan, Thanks for you response. We all have problems in our lives, but there is always room for a small prayer for the less fortunate. If it is possible, try to get a copy of “Desiderata” from your bookstore; it will give you a new outlook on life. 

-         In addition to reminding me how fortunate I am, this encourages me to pray each day for the millions who are in need of my prayers.

Wiley Kincaid (San Diego,CA)

Dear Wiley, Thanks for your prayers, and may you continue to be blessed.

-         Having gone through two divorces, I want to add to your list those lucky women who are happily married, and to warn single women that over half of the marriages in America end up in the pond.

Maggie O’Brien (New York,NY)

Dear Maggie, Sorry for your misfortune. Your suggestion to add the happily married to the list is appreciate. Now we must pray for those who are contemplating marriage and hope that they will take a hard look at the vows they will be taking. Marriage is not always easy. It is a job that requires love, trust, honesty and understanding between two individuals.

Chuckle Time

Seated beside a priest on the subway, there was a very drunk and unkempt man with lipstick smeared on his cheek. He was annoying the other passengers as heread aloud his newspaper. Turning to the priest, he said, “Tell me, Father, what causes arthritis?” The priest said, “Too much alcohol, bad living conditions, and too much freedom with women.”

The man listened intently and nodded.  A few minutes later, the priest felt a pang of pity and asked the drunk how long he had had arthritis.

“I never had arthritis,” he said, “but I read that the Pope has it.”