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.

Don’t Fight With a Duck!

Favorite Quote

The Church involves a tension between the human and the divine. It does so because it stems from the Incarnation, which is the primary tension involving the fully divine in the person of Jesus
Rev. William P. Clark, O.M.I.  

Don’t Fight With a Duck! 

When I returned home from a week’s stay in my place in Florida, I wanted to tell friends my torn-up left hand was from a fight with an alligator.  But the embarrassing truth is that I had a losing round with a duck. (“A what!?” is the response I get when I tell of this event.)

 The last day of my visit, I went over to meet a new neighbor who had recently moved in next door. As I was walking on the lawn, I was shocked to realize something had grabbed hold of the back of my left leg and wouldn’t let go. I turned around and found that a large Muscovy* duck had attacked me.

 As I tried to kick it off, I slowly fell on the ground. At age 72 (At 80 I started counting backward and will be 71 next year), my balance ain’t what it used to be. The man-eating duck keep biting me, and when I got up, I grabbed it by the neck and it became limp.  I started taking the critter down to dump in the lake when it suddenly became a violent flapping volcano. In a flash, it reached up with its webbed foot and took off the top of my left hand. I released it and the damned duck waddled off, claiming victory.

  Mary, the new neighbor, heard the commotion and came to my rescue. Inside her house, she used her entire supply of band aides to stop the bleeding.  She is a 6’2” blonde with a heart in proportion to her size.  After her first aid treatment, she came back with me to meet my wife and began our new lifetime friendship.

  That night before getting to sleep, as a joyful Catholic, I used my “thank You!” mantra to recount this event and its aftermath. First was receiving the treasure of our new friend Mary. If the duck had attacked my wife instead of me, we would be looking forward to a Christmas meal of roasted duck instead of turkey.  At the medical clinic I met many splendid young and dedicated people, especially the efficient doctor, who looked like he had just finished high school.  While he was stitching up my hand and I was lying, saying it didn’t hurt, I thought of what real pain must be like. I remembered that, as I was doing, Christ had stretched out His hand, but He did this to get a spike pounded through His wrist.  And He did this for you and me — Wow! Thank You, Christ.

 Another benefit is that it has made an amusing story for the wonderful people I visit in the nursing homes I visit. All-in-all, I’m glad it happened because it woke me up to the wonders and benefit of being a joyful Catholic. Amen!

*Muscovites are a South American duck species which reach over 20 pounds and can take two people to restrain. Their feet have strong sharp claws. (You betta believe it!)

 Admired saying

 The Christian faith is this: encounter with Christ, the living Person who gives life a new horizon and thereby a definitive direction.

                                Jeff Ziegler, in The Catholic World Report

 

News flashes

– (Church in crisis) Detroit archdiocese is losing $42,000 a day and laying off 1/3 of staff.  The Catholic World Report

–(for Catholics who have nothing better to do) Michelle Obama is criticized for having worn a black veil when she met Pope Benedict XVI. U.S.Catholic, Org. 

– Be aware of the dissenters, calling themselves “the American Catholic Council” who are trying “to create a new Church”. The Catholic World Report

 Haiku time

(Submitted by Susan Keller in Omaha, Nebraska) 

Rejoice!

When God became Man

This renewed all creation.

Yes, God became man! 

(send me yours: joyfulcatholic@comcast.net 

Recommended reading

-         “More ‘Access’ Means Less Care” in November issue of

The Catholic World Report  www.catholicworldreport.org  

-         http://www.zenit.com/  (daily news from the Vatican)         

Last Week’s Quiz Results

The first winner of a gift copy of Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholics, who clocked in at 3:32 PM on November 26, is Jim Beckingham in Tucson, AZ.

 1.     What were the names of the two future disciples whom Jesus found casting their nets into the sea, and he told them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”?

Simon and his brother Andrew

2.     Who was the saint, born in Assisi in 1193, who established an order of women devoted to the poor?

Saint Claire

3.     The Vatican Library originated in which time?

(a)  13^th Century

(b)  <15^th Century>

(c)   17^th  Century

Chuckle time

 Internal Revenue Agent: Father Kincaid, is it true that your parishioner, John Jones donated $10,000 to your church last year?”

  Father Kincaid: He will.

My favorite priest

(Submit your favorite priest to joyfulcatholic@comcast.net)

          As there is no current recommendation (shame on you!), I submit a very special person: Brian Burnie, an English self-made millionaire who sold his 16 million pound country hotel and gave the proceeds to cancer charities. He said, “We live in a me, me, me society, and it has always been important for me to think of others. My ambition is to die penniless.  We came into the world with nothing and we should leave with nothing.”     

London Telegraph  5/20/2009

 

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, David Abbey, Amie Ellis, Linwood “Skip” Williams, Gerry Paradiso, Nick DeCarlo, Tom Medved, Bob Haines, Eileen Grotsky,

Rebecca Matthews, Roseanne Somlock, Nicholas Gallagher, Tom Lewis,

Violeta Zepeda, Rev. Joseph Healy, John Aylor,

Rev. Joseph Marini, Enrique Portillo, Sharon McPike, Joe Berger, Tom Ryan.

Note that Susan McGahee has now entered Eternal Paradise. We still keep her in our prayers.

 

Self-Blindfolded in Paradise

Just because I am God’s own, totally unique, God’s very own possession, what else can I do but sing of God’s goodness. My whole being sings.

                                                              Sr. Charleen Hug, S.N.D.

(She teaches theology at Notre Dame Academy in Toleodo, OH)

Self-Blindfolded in Paradise

 

Last week when I was in Florida, I took an early morning walk.  The morning sun felt good on my face.  I shook hands with a giant benjamina ficus tree by firmly grasping one of its root stalks, and I sensed the power and strength of this masterpiece of Nature.  Further along, I stopped to listen to a mocking bird in a large hibiscus tree with yellow bell-shaped flowers. For my benefit, the bird sang every song it has ever heard — non stop.

          When I passed a six-foot gardenia bush covered with white flowers that perfumed the area, I snapped off a flower to put in my buttonhole.  In all directions, there was lush green vegetation and shrubbery with bright red and orange flowers.  I thought that the word which best described the place was “paradise.”
          Then I saw a man walking forward me, with a dog on a leash and a cell phone held against his ear.  As we passed, he didn’t see me.  I startled him when I said, “Good morning!”

          He gave me a quick nod and pressed the phone closer to his face.

          “Communication’s a great thing,” I said.

          “You betcha,” he muttered as he passed on his way.

          As have millions of his compatriots, the poor fellow walking the dog is a victim of the Age of Distraction, which has been successfully nurtured by mobile technology.  iPods, Walkmans, cell phones and the yet-to-be-invented audio-communication tools entice us to be blind to that which is within our field of vision.  It is difficult to be a joyful Catholic when you are not aware of nearby people and things in which you should have interest.

          It is good to test ourselves occasionally to be sure we haven’t let modern hearing and speaking devices prevent us from quiet time. As Father Thomas Massard, S. J., wrote in a recent American magazine, “If technology is rendering this sort of deliberate oblivion more likely, then let’s unplug and make a choice for immediacy.”

          I think it’s important to be available and receptive to hear the Voice which needs no device to reach our ears.

 

(And what are your thoughts?)

         

 

Joyful Catholic Quiz

(The first to send the right answers will receive a gift copy of

Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholics)

 

1.   Who were the women who discovered the empty tomb of Christ on Easter morning?

 

2 When a new Pope is elected, what is the color of the smoke that arises from the Vatican chimney?

 

3.  Who was St. Monica’s famous son?

 

 

 

Chuckle time

 (Church Bulletin) Now that we have a second baptism fount at the North Entrance of the church, babies can now be baptized at both ends.

 

My favorite priest

Don’t forget to submit your recommendation for your favorite priest above.

American Catholics, Don’t be Proud!

At first glance, it doesn’t look too bad.  I read that, in the period 2004-7, we rated 9^th among other nations with our number of 309,000 adult baptisms. Then when I gave this further thought, I was ashamed of our poor rating.

 For example, ahead of us in 7^th place was Peru with 425,000 baptisms.

Since their population is less than one-tenth of that in America, relating our miserly achievement to theirs is comparing Buffalo, NY, to Los Angeles.

  In 6^th place is Mexico with 445,000 baptisms.  As their population is one third that of the USA, comparing our number of new Catholics to those in Mexico is relating Corpus Christi to San Antonio.

Why do we have such a poor record of attracting others to our faith?  Could it be that we are too smug and secure with our self-satisfaction, too free of fear of deprivation, etc.?

  What are your thoughts?

Joyful Catholic Quick Quiz

Why this blog?

Consider the strong emphasis Paul places on joyful living.

He makes it clear that he himself valued joy as a desirable

and attainable human experience. By one count he employed

the words “joy” and “rejoice” sixteen times in his Letter to

the Philippians.

                                                    Msg. James Turro (2009)

 

The purpose of The Joyful Catholic is to remind us to enjoy our Faith and, by example, to invite others to the feast.

          During WWII when I was flying bombing missions in the Mediterranean area, every time I switched from one squadron to another, I made friends with Catholics, not knowing they were Catholic. This puzzled me.  Also Joe Marini, my co-pilot, who became as close as a brother, was Catholic. None of them every talked to me about their religion.  (Joe is now a retired priest in Oakland, CA)

          After the war, it was tough returning to bland civilian life. Working in downtown Washington, D.C., I frequently would retreat into St. Matthews Cathedral where it was dark and quiet.  If I happened to be there when a Mass took place, I tried to follow in the Missal by brushing up on my high school Latin.  Gradually, I realized that the Eucharist was the guts of Catholicism.  I wanted to receive the Sacred Host.

          After a 2AM revelation, I rammed my way into the Church and was baptized before noon, knowing only the Apostles Creed. Sixty years later I am still learning.

          When I revisit my conversion, I realize that doctrine and knowledge of the Church played a minor role. The magnet was the example of Catholic friends. 

          In my Next in Line Clubs, which encourage the writing of autobiographies, I emphasize the importance of “show, don’t tell.”

The same advice applies to each of us Catholics in our daily lives.  By what we say and do, we show to the world that we are blessed to be Catholic.  By exuding joy, we are attractive advertisements for the Church.  Each day, we should state with conviction, “I am a joyful Catholic,” and marvel at its effectiveness.  Let us work to develop a joyful Catholic Community. It can be done!

(And what are your thoughts?)

Chuckle time

The irate father grabbed his rambunctious kid during Mass and took him out of the church.  As they reached the door, the kid shouted back to the congregation, “Pray for me! Pray for me!”

 

My favorite priest

For many years, by his kindness and devotion to the Mass, Monsignor W. Louis Quinn at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Bethesda, Maryland, has been a constant inspiration to me.  He radiates goodness!

                                                                   Armiger Jagoe

 

Why I wrote Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholic.

I wrote Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholic to to express a few things which concern me about Catholicism. The overall theme of the book is to remind us Catholics to enjoy our religion.  I have little admiration for my solemn fellow church-goers who have a “I’m holier than thou” look on their faces.    I worry about the lack of community within the Church.  For example, 94% of church attendees demonstrate they think each person is private islands with a “Keep Off!” sign on the beach.       I have special concern about the watering down of the value of the Eucharist Sacrament.  Once a very solemn and respected part of the Mass, it is now treated as a side dish, included at no cost in the Mass agenda.

Welcome

Light Reading for Good and Wayward Catholic

The Purpose of the Joyful Catholic is to remind us each day to enjoy our faith and invite others to the feast.