We do indeed need to show joy as Catholics

  

 

My motto 

 “Be happily and uncomplicatedly Catholic.”

Michael J. Sheehan

Archbishop of Santa Fe

 

My favorite priest, layperson, breathing saint or organization

In 2003, Catherine Meloy resigned as Senior Vice President of Clear Channel Communications, ending 20 years as a prominent media executive to become the President and CEO of Goodwill of Greater Washington (DC). Although she had little experience in the field of rehabilitation and marketing, she welcomed the challenge.

          During the past seven years she has restructured the overall mission of Goodwill, and established national records in training and job placement of handicapped persons.  She has completely redesigned end expanded the Goodwill stores to make them attractive and profitable locations.

          Cathy’s deep religious faith and zest for life makes her a model for all of us Joyful Catholics.

Interesting sayings 

The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 29:19

 The way the Israelis are acting, you can understand why Jesus, a Jew, decided to become the first Christian.

                  Armiger Jagoe 

The love of man increases in the same proportion as the love of God increases, and it lessens by the same cause and in the same proportion.  O you then, Author of this miracle, sacred tie of the visible and invisible, inexhaustible source of our present happiness and our future beatitude, of our perfection begun and our perfection to come!

       

   Father Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, O.P., who died in 1861, was a splendid Dominican who founded the Order of Preachers in France after the French Revolution.

 Sometimes when I look at my children, I say to myself, “Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.”

Lillian Carter, mother of Jimmy Carter

Communiqués

Regarding Carol Keehan, I hope this is not the sister who favours abortion and fellow traveler of Obama.  

                             Kalapurra C. Thomas

(reply: Yes it is, and I am one of her friends and admirers.)

 

For my weekly visits to a Catholic Retirement Home, I take copies of your Joyful Catholic blog, and the residents love them.  Keep it up!

                             Rebecca Armstrong

How can I be a Joyful Catholic with all the problems the Church has today?

                             Bill Whitmore

(reply: Bill, climb to a new height to overlook current Church problems and marvel at the joyful treasures you have because of your Catholicism.) 

Chuckle Time

When Jesus was confronting the men threatening to stone the woman for her sins, he said, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.”

          Just then as a stone flew past his head, he turned and said, “Damn-it, Mother!”

 

Special Intentions List

 As you pray with a broad brush, please include these loved ones, who have been submitted by our readers. You, too, are invited to send me names of your special persons who are in need of prayer.  My address is joyfulcatholic@comcast.net. They will be on the list for 60 days. At the end of that time, if prayers are still needed, you merely have to renew the name.

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

Linwood “Skip” Williams, Gerry Paradiso, 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,

Camilus Musselman, Bob Kehlhofer, Ed Cole

Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Rev. David Granfield, Rev. Patrick Granfield,

Mort Barron

As you note, because of miraculous healings, several names have been deleted and added to our Deo Gratias list.

Why?

You will discharge your labor well if you perform with gaiety, quietly, courageously, constantly.
Bishop Joseph Fenwick (1846)

For us joyful Catholics, the first chapter of my book Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholics presents a problem that raises its ugly head every time I go to Mass. The chapter is “Why Do We Catholics Behave the Way We do?” And, so far, no one has given me a plausible answer.
Canon Stuart Wilson, a priest in London, told of his secretary commenting about a picture in obituary section of the London Times. “Why,” she exclaimed, “I recognize that man. He has been going to daily Mass for twenty years, and we never knew who he was.”
Now at the end of each Mass, Canon Wilson tells the congregation , “Sit a bit longer and get to know a stranger sitting nearby.” When this happened to my wife and me when attending his Mass, we introduced ourselves to a young woman next to us. She told us she was from Australia, in England studying to be a nurse. We learned about her family, and we told her briefly about ourselves, Fifteen minutes later when we reluctantly said goodbye, it was with a loving hug. Wow! To think this happened in a Catholic Church.
For ten years I have been going to an early Sunday Mass, which is not overly crowded with most of the parishioners sit in the same pews. With my instilled Southern Hospitality, I disturb the tranquil waters by smiling at those around me. I usually get flash smiles in return. When I’m feeling brassy, I will occasionally say, “Good morning.” Half the time, I get a muffled reply. One old fellow was so shocked to hear my voice that he quickly looked down to be sure his pants were zipped up.
While inside a structure dedicated to a leader who instructed us to love our neighbor, why do we behave like cloistered souls?
(And what are your thoughts?)

 

Chuckle Time
Returning to the church for the Saturday 5PM Mass, the young priest was stopped on the sidewalk by an ancient parishioner who said, “Would you mind helping an old lady up the steps?” He gladly obliged and when they neared the church door, she asked if the monsignor was saying the Mass. When he smiled and said that he was doing the Mass, she said, “Would you mind helping an old lady down the steps?”

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