In Caritate Non Ficta

Thousands Attend NC Mass for Life in Nation's Capital

2012-01-27T20:39:00.003-05:00

From the Diocese of Raleigh website:

Several thousand Catholics from North Carolina braved cold drizzle Monday, January 23, 2012, to take part in the National Right to Life March in Washington, D.C. The annual event marks the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial Roe v. Wade Decision, which allows abortion on demand.

Prior to joining the march, the faithful from the Diocese of Raleigh and the Diocese of Charlotte attended a North Carolina Mass for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge was Principal Celebrant and Homilist. Concelebrating were Priests from both dioceses. Also in attendance were deacons and seminarians from Raleigh and Charlotte.

The theme of Bishop Burbidge’s homily focused on all that is possible. Giving words of encouragement, Bishop Burbidge said it is possible to replace “‘a culture of death” with the “Gospel of Life.”

“It is possible to change the hearts of elected officials,” Bishop Burbidge said, “so that their decisions, actions and votes ensure a society in which all people are treated equally and never denied the right to be born and to live with dignity and respect.”

Noting how the shared hopes and prayers of the faithful are rooted in The Truth, which is Jesus, Bishop Burbidge said, “His mandate is that life from the moment of conception to natural death must be revered, defended and protected.” The Bishop added, “and that respect and dignity are shown to all of His people, especially the unborn, weak, vulnerable, the needy and those whose rights and freedom are violated.”

The Washington Basilica:

Entrance procession of servers, seminarians, deacons, priests, and Bishop Burbidge:

At the March for Life the following day, I ran into my good Mercedarian friends, Fr. James and Brother David:

Visit to France, Part 1

2012-01-20T21:01:00.008-05:00

I was able to spend 12 days of Winter break in France with Fr. Cusick. Here is part one of some photos of what we visited.

First we spent a few days in Paris. We stayed with the Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament near the Champs Elysees, which was lit up at night and full of people:

I'm not sure why there was a petting zoo with donkeys, but this photo is for Fr. George (his favorite animal is the donkey, which carried Christ!). Visit his website and support him in his apostolate of praying for the Church as a hermit!

Fr. Cusick and I went to Rue de Bac in Paris for Mass - the site where Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Laboure and revealed the Miraculous Medal to her.

Warning to priests - it took us over an hour to get permission to offer the Extraordinary Form in a side chapel. If you visit, you might want to take a copy of Summorum Pontificum with you, as the priest-in-charge initially told us it was "not possible" to offer Mass in Latin at his shrine.

A beautiful day overlooking the Seine River:

We visited Sainte Chapelle, which was build by King Louis to house the relic of the Crown of Thorns. The Sainte Chapelle is now a part of the French Parliament building, and I believe the relics have been moved to Notre Dame:

The inside of Sainte Chapelle:

The original reliquary:

Notre Dame Cathedral:

We made a quick stop to the convent in Nevers to see St. Bernadette:

This is the actual statue (Our Lady of the Waters) that Saint Bernadette loved to visit each day:

The Cathedral of Nevers:

We stopped at the Cathedral of Orleans....

And then visited Chartres with a friend from the Institute of the Good Shepherd. A great restaurant in Chartres:

Buying food for our New Year's celebration that night:

The Cathedral of Chartres:

A very famous statue of Mary from the 1500's in the Cathedral of Chartres:

Up next, New Years celebration in Courtalain with the Institute of the Good Shepherd, and a tour of the Brittany region of France...

Cause for Beatification and Canonization of Father Thomas F. Price

2012-01-17T19:02:00.005-05:00

From the Diocese of Raleigh website:

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge has announced the diocesan phase of the Cause for Beatification and Canonization of Father Thomas Frederick Price will open March 9, 2012. Father Price, who was born in Wilmington, NC, on August 19, 1860, was the first native North Carolinian to be ordained to the Priesthood.

At the time of his ordination, some 800 people in the state identified themselves as Catholic. Father Price was committed to converting all residents of North Carolina to Catholicism. The January/February 2011 edition of the NC Catholics profiled Father Price in a cover story.

Read the news release issued January 17, 2012 (PDF), regarding the diocesan phase of the Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Father Price.

“Asinus Es, Sed Christum Portas!"

2012-01-10T00:20:00.000-05:00

“Asinus Es, Sed Christum Portas!" ("You are a donkey, but you carry Christ!") - Saint Augustine

“Oh blessed perseverance of the donkey that turns the water-wheel.” - St. Josemaria Escriva

Oh blessed perseverance of the donkey that turns the water-wheel! Always the same pace. Always the same circles. One day after another: everyday the same. Without that, there would be no ripeness in the fruit, nor blossom in the orchard, nor scent of flowers in the garden. Carry this thought to your interior life. And what is the secret of perseverance? Love. Fall in Love, and you will not leave him. (St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 998-999)

You want to know on what our faithfulness is founded? I would say, in broad outline, that it is based on loving God, which makes us overcome all kinds of obstacles: selfishness, pride, tiredness, impatience... A man in love tramples on his own self. He is aware that even when he is loving with all his soul, he isn't yet loving enough. (St. Josemaria Escriva, The Forge, 532)

'Never Give Up': Heartbreak as Brave 12-year-old Cancer Blogger Loses Battle to Brain Tumor

2012-01-09T06:31:00.010-05:00

Please add the soul of this brave young girl to your prayers:

Just days before Jessica Joy Rees lost her heartbreaking battle with brain tumors, her parents wrote on their blog about how they were excited for a great 2012.

They were confident that the 12-year-old girl would reach her goal of making 50,000 of her 'Joy Jars' which were filled with candy and toys for sick children. They were exploring other medical treatments in Europe and out of reach of the FDA. They continued to pray and encouraged others to do the same.
Unfortunately, their prayers were answered differently than they hoped. 'We have prayed and prayed and prayed for sweet Jessie to be healed here on earth but God's plan was to use heaven for healing,' they wrote on Facebook when Jessie died on Thursday....

The Orange County seventh-grader, called 'Jessie' by family and friends, began her blog and Facebook page after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in March [2011]. A second tumor was discovered in September. While some of her posts discussed her struggles as she underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments, others urged readers in dozens of countries to support pediatric cancer research and to pray for other children with the illness. She always signed her posts with the acronym 'NEGU', short for 'never ever give up.'

Also, she and her parents started The NEGU Foundation, a nonprofit organization to raise awareness of pediatric cancer, support sufferers and raise money for research. The foundation sold and provided thousands of 'JoyJars' stuffed with candy and toys to sick children. More than 3,000 were sold and distributed in 27 states last year, according to the NEGU website.

Jessica wrote on Facebook that her mission was 'to encourage kids fighting cancer to Never Ever Give Up by spreading hope, joy and love. A cheerful heart is great medicine.' After a particularly hard day in November, Jessica took to her website, jessicajoyrees.com, to admonish her pain and focus on her love for all that she did still have in her life.
'I love spreading joy to kids with our JoyJars. I love reading all of the posts on Facebook. I love having so many people praying for me. I love that people are supporting NEGU and allowing us to help kids. I love my family and all of my new friends,' the 12-year-old wrote.

Her funeral was held last Wednesday in her local town, where her father is a pastor. Let's keep her soul and her family in our prayers!

Taken from Daily Mail Reporter

Au Revoir, Paris

2012-01-07T12:13:00.001-05:00

After a great vacation, I will be returning to North Carolina tomorrow afternoon. Please pray for safe travels, and I will post photos as soon as I can!

Medical Update

2011-12-26T17:55:00.003-05:00

My recent MRI on Thursday showed that my tumor remains stable, so my doctors and the bishop have approved my request to return to the seminary in January. It was great Christmas news!

I leave this evening for a short trip to France - mostly the Brittany and Normandy regions. I will post photos when I return. Thank you all for your continued prayers for my health, and be assured of mine for you!

Charlotte Diaconate Ordination

2011-12-18T16:37:00.004-05:00

My close friend Rev. Mr. Jason Barone was ordained a transitional deacon on December 17th in Charlotte's Cathedral of St. Patrick. My friendship with Deacon Barone dates back to 2003 when we met in Europe on a Summer retreat sponsored by the Legionaries of Christ. Rev. Mr. Peter Shaw was also ordained, and I am happy that I have gotten to know him over the past year.

A few hours after the ordination, Deacon Barone served as deacon and homilist for a Solemn High Mass at Saint Ann Church in Charlotte, NC. Fr. Timothy Reid offered the Mass, and the music was provided by St. Ann's Schola Cantorum:

Organ Prelude & Processional
Sprinking Rite: Asperges Me (4-voice Montani)
Introit: Rorate caeli (Gregorian chant)
Kyrie (4-voice Goudimel)
Gradual: Prope est Dominus (Gregorian chant)
Alleluia: Veni, Domine (Gregorian chant)
Credo III (Gregorian chant)
Offertory: Ave Maria (3-voice by Giovanni Cipolla)
Offertory Hymn: Creator alme (3-voice Oliver Hayes)
Sanctus XVII (Gregorian chant)
Agnus Dei (4-voice Goudimel)
Communion: Ecce Virgo (Gregorian chant)
Recessional: Veni O Sapientia (2-voice Rowe)
Postlude: Salve Regina (Gregorian chant)
Organ Postlude

I don't have any photos from the Mass, but five months ago at St. Ann's, Rev. Mr. Barone served as Master of Ceremonies for a Solemn High Mass in the presence of the local Ordinary, Bishop Peter Jugis. Rev. Mr. Shaw is kneeling in front, holding the Missal:

Please pray for Deacons Barone and Shaw, who will both be ordained to the priesthood in a few months.

Father Ted

2011-12-14T22:32:00.002-05:00

When I was in Ireland I learned about this very funny show about a Catholic priest and his newly ordained assistant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjIDYpbVqYY

I Want Those Albs

2011-12-14T22:15:00.004-05:00

Photo taken from Roman Catholic Vocations

Possibly Unpopular Opinion of the Year

2011-12-13T23:04:00.024-05:00

On my cousin's blog, she often posts her "Possibly Unpopular Opinion of the Week." She's an Army wife and a homemaker and writes about raising her children. Her posts are quite funny, so I am stealing her idea just once, even though this post is not going to be funny. It is going to be quite serious. I'm going to give my "Possibly Unpopular Opinion of the Year." Most of my family and friends are going to disagree, but it needs to be said. It concerns the Legionaries of Christ.

A brief history of the Legion, taken directly from their website:

On January 3rd, 1941, Fr Marcial Maciel (1920-2008) founded the Legion of Christ in Mexico City. In an audience on June 12th, 1946, Pope Pius XII said that the new religious congregation must contribute to the formation of Catholic leaders, especially in Latin America. In 1959, the first draft of what would become the statutes of a movement for lay people was drafted. Shortly after, the name Regnum Christi (Kingdom of Christ) was chosen. In February 1965, Pope Paul VI granted definitive approval to the Legion of Christ with the Decretum Laudis (Decree of Praise). In 1970 Pope Paul VI entrusts the Legionaries of Christ with an extensive mission territory in the Riviera Maya of Quintana Roo, Mexico. This mission territory is now the Prelature of Cancun-Chetumal.

In 2006, a canonical investigation by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reached sufficient moral certainty to impose grave canonical sanctions on Fr. Maciel, corresponding to the accusations made against him, including the sexual abuse of minor seminarians. Taking into account the advanced age and delicate health of Fr. Maciel, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith decided “to forego a canonical trial and invite the priest to a reserved life of prayer and penance, renouncing all public ministry. The Holy Father approved these decisions.” On January 30, 2008, Fr. Marcial Maciel passed away in Jacksonville, Florida.

In 2009, after a gradual internal process of gathering information, the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ publicly confirmed that Fr. Maciel had a daughter in the context of a prolonged and stable relationship with a woman, along with other gravely reprehensible behaviors. Some months later, the communications media presented two other people, siblings who state that they are sons of Fr. Maciel by his relationship with another woman.

In March, Pope Benedict XVI decided to initiate an apostolic visitation to the institutions of the Legion of Christ to help the congregation overcome its existing difficulties. The apostolic visitation, carried out by five bishops, began on July 15, 2009.

On March 25, 2010, the superiors of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi issued a public statement expressing their deep sorrow for the gravely reprehensible actions of their founder. At the same time, they renewed their commitment to deepen their understanding of the Legion’s history, charism, and spirituality, and to engage in a process of renewal under the guidance of the Church.

Upon the conclusion of the apostolic visitation, Pope Benedict XVI decided to continue accompanying the Legionaries of Christ. To this end, on July 9, 2010, the Pope appointed Archbishop Velasio De Paolis as pontifical delegate, with the task of guiding the congregation of the Legionaries of Christ through a process of revision and renewal. An apostolic visitation to the consecrated members of Regnum Christi was also announced.

Sounds horrible, doesn't it? I was also surprised and very hurt as this scandal unfolded. Many Catholic dioceses were dealing with sex abuse crises at the same time that these allegations were coming to light, so in a way it just added to the "discomfort" of being Catholic during this time. I'm sure that many people suffered, just as other Catholics suffered from local scandals in their own dioceses.

I love the Legionaries of Christ. Why? Because I have known them for over 10 years, and I wouldn't be in the seminary if it weren't for them. In fact, I dare to say that I wouldn't be Catholic if it weren't for them. They are a great order whose founder and some of their leaders failed them miserably. Who knows what his intentions were in the beginning. I like to think that he had good intentions - who knows. Perhaps he had the best intentions; perhaps he didn't. Either way, he failed (as we all do, by the way), but in this case, he brought shame upon his followers and upon the Church in general.

I'll tell a story. In the Spring of 2003, I was just completing my Freshman year at the Naval Academy. I was barely 18 years old. I heard about a trip to Europe - the "Prince of Liechtenstein Catholic Leaders Fellowship." It was a free trip to Europe, and I had never been to Europe! It was a one month Summer pilgrimage and retreat to France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. They wanted an equal number of men and women to go (since they were staying in separate housing), and a few men dropped out at the last minute. They needed Catholic men to sign up - who wouldn't want to go? I only applied because I wanted to go to Europe, and it turned out that the trip was run by some priests - the Legionaries of Christ. I didn't care - I wanted to go to Europe!

Who knew that this trip would change me completely! During this trip I learned how to pray from the heart. One of the Legionary priests, Fr. David Daly, learned that I had not been to Mass or Confession in many years, so he sought me out. Eventually, I went to confession for the first time in about 8 years and was restored to a State of Grace. I can't explain how that made me feel. Later on, I spoke to him about his priesthood and I was immediately attracted to the idea of becoming a priest. I wanted the priesthood. I wanted to be able to offer Holy Mass and to absolve sins. This idea never left my heart, and 8 years later, I am in my 3rd year of seminary. The years in between college and seminary weren't free of challenges, but I was "turned over" to another Legionary priest, Fr. Michael Sliney, in my college years, and he helped rekindle the "spark" of a vocation while I continued to run from the idea of a vocation to the priesthood. Others who attended this pilgrimage are also in seminaries or convents. God worked through these priests and this pilgrimage. There is no doubt about it!

At the time of the pilgrimage in 2003, the Legionaries of Christ were quite popular. They boasted thousands of seminarians and hundreds of priests throughout the world. Thousands of people joined their Regnum Christi movement because they are faithful to the traditions of the Church. Then all of a sudden, everything came crashing down with Fr. Maciel's abuse scandal.

Let's be candid - there were problems in the Legion and Regnum Christi. The Vatican has pointed this out as the Legion's Constitutions are being revised. Some members have had horrible experiences that still affect their lives, and this can't be brushed aside. Many priests and seminarians have left - about 5% I have heard. In the meantime, the Legion of Christ has turned to Rome for guidance. Some members wanted to re-found the Order, while others thought a revision of the Constitutions was more prudent. The Holy Father sided with the latter, and a revision of the Legion's Constitutions under the direction of Archbishop Velasio De Paolis is underway. The Holy Father has confirmed that they have a valid charism and mission, so let us pray for them as they continue to reform.

Personally, my relationship with the Legionaries has only grown stronger. I meet with a Legionary for spiritual direction, and he has changed my life for the better. My best confessions have been with Legionary priests. My first general confession was with a Legionary priest, and it brought me so much peace. I make my yearly retreat with the Legionaries in Thornwood, NY (highly recommended for priests and seminarians). I visit the seminarians there (who have become my friends), and I was with them for Thanksgiving this year. They are joyful, charitable, in a healthy environment, and on fire for the Lord. To be honest, I was sad when I had to leave them because I felt so "at home" with them. They are my brothers and my friends. They strive daily for holiness, and it shines forth in how they treat each other and their guests.

I was walking down the hallway of Thornwood seminary on Thanksgiving day, and I ran into Fr. Sliney - the priest who rekindled the spark of my vocation when I was in college. He was the priest who kept encouraging me to pursue the gift of the priesthood, but I kept ignoring his advice. However, his words always stuck with me. He was so patient with me. We hadn't seen or spoken to each other in 6 years because I graduated from college and left town, so I was so happy to see him and finally thank him for the great gift he gave me by continuing to encourage me to seek and love the priesthood when all I wanted to do was date and look for a wife, even though I knew deep down that I was called to the priesthood. He saved my vocation.

I have friends who are Legionaries, and they love their vocation. It's not for everyone, and I have friends who have left for marriage or diocesan priesthood, but I know very few who had a "bad" experience. I have stayed for a lengthy time in Legionary houses and seminaries in Connecticut, New York, and Rome. I have also attended their retreats. They are not "brainwashed," "pressured" or anything else. Many people make this judgment without getting to know the men involved. They are there following the Lord's calling and I pray that someday I will have half the zeal for souls that they have. They are all suffering as their Constitutions are revised and necessary changes are made, but let's pray for them. They are good men, especially the ones who have stuck around during the recent trials. Seek one of them out if you can - you won't be disappointed.

I believe that the Legion of Christ will survive this storm. It's a miracle that they've survived this long and still have so many vocations - and they are solid vocations, trust me. The Lord can bring good things out of bad situations, and He often does. I don't doubt that this will be another example. We must pray! Can you image how they must feel - those who have chosen to stay with the movement awaiting the Holy Father's ruling? There is turmoil in their family - let us empathize with them. They are our brothers, and they are suffering right now. Please stop now and say a prayer for them.

In the words of the quote they wake up to over the speaker every morning: "Christ our King, Thy Kingdom Come!"

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A few photos from my recent Thanksgiving visit to their seminary in Thornwood, NY. Here I am showing off the turkey (and the rare glass of wine!). To my right are the sweet potatoes (with marshmallows - they have Southern class!). The Americans loved them, but the South Americans had trouble liking them! I got to sit with American, French, German, and Swiss seminarians all at one table. It was wonderful.

French Legionaries! I got to practice my French with them! Cassocks and French cuffs made it even more French!

We played an American football game - all 70 seminarians! The Europeans and South Americans had to learn how to play! Would you believe that the best receiving came from a Brazilian who knew nothing about football? I made my best friends on the football field.

“Everything Can And Should Lead To God”

2011-12-13T18:03:00.002-05:00

For those (like me) who struggle with procrastination and sloth, especially when it comes to studying, St. Josemaria Escriva gives us a stern warning that it is our responsibility to be able to defend the True Faith when we are called upon to do so. The Holy Spirit is certainly capable of enlightening our hearts and minds when Holy Mother Church is attacked, but we also have to do our part. We must study and use our time wisely before we are called to defend the Church from attacks. Is it not a bit presumptuous to be lazy in our study of the Faith, assuming that God will make up the difference later? St. Josemaria cautions:

There is an urgent need for spreading the doctrine of Christ. Store up your training, fill yourself with clear ideas, with the fulness of the Christian message, so that afterwards you can pass it on to others. Do not expect God to illuminate you, for he has no reason to when you have definite human means available to you: study and work (St Josemaria Escriva, The Forge, 841).

We must spread Catholic doctrine, even though we may feel unworthy or not holy enough to do so. We are all weak, but it is miraculous how God continues to work through us and use us as His instruments. Let us pray that we may be purified so that we may be even more effective in building up the Kingdom:

Lord, we are glad to find ourselves in your wounded palm. Grasp us tight, squeeze us hard, make us lose all our earthly wretchedness, purify us, set us on fire, make us feel drenched in your Blood. And then, cast us far, far away, hungry for the harvest, to sow the seed more fruitfully each day, for Love of you. (St. Josemaria Escriva, The Forge, 5).

Mercedarian Reflections for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

2011-12-06T19:47:00.007-05:00

My favorite Feast Day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, is quickly approaching. I think it is appropriate to remember a Mercedarian Saint, Peter Paschasius, who not only was beheaded for the Faith on this day in 1300, but who was a champion of the Immaculate Conception long before it was declared a dogma of the Church. In fact, he publicly defended the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary before any other Western theologian (as far as I know), both in Paris and in his 1295 work, Life of Lazarus.

The Mercedarian website gives a great biography of this beloved Saint:

The son of devout Mozarabs [Christian inhabitants of Spain under the Muslim Moorish kings], Peter Paschasius was born in Valencia in 1227. Peter Nolasco [Founder of the Order of Mercy] and his brothers knew young Peter Paschasius' family and they stayed at their house near the Gate of Valldigna when they were on their way to a redemption. Peter Paschasius started his ecclesiastical career in his native city and he completed his studies at the University of Paris. Upon returning to Valencia, he was honored with the post of canon of the cathedral church.

Soon after, he left his post to join the Order of Mercy and he received the habit in the Valencia Cathedral at the hands of Arnaldo of Carcassonne in 1250. He traveled to Rome in 1296 and Pope Boniface VIII appointed him bishop of Jaén. On February 20, 1296, he was consecrated by Cardinal Mateo de Acquasparta in Saint Bartholomew’s chapel of the island on the Tiber. Later, when he was making a pastoral visit to his Jaén Diocese, he was attacked and taken captive to Granada by the Muslims of that kingdom. While in jail, he wrote in Provençal [a French dialect]: Dispute of the Bishop of Jaén with the Jews and Refutation of the Mohammedan Sect, two very interesting works with apologetic content to provide Christian captives with arguments against the proselytizing sermons of the Jews and Moslems. Peter also wrote The Book of Gamaliel dealing with Christ’s passion and death, The Destruction of Jerusalem, Treatise against Moslem Fatalism, The Gloss on the Pater Noster and The Gloss on the Ten Commandments.

This learned Mercedarian doctor has the honor of having publicly defended the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Paris and in his work, Life of Lazarus, written in 1295, long before any other Western theologian.

Several times, his fellow redeemers sent him the ransom money, but Peter preferred to have other captives recover their freedom instead of him. The fifty years he had been wearing the Mercedarian habit had left a Mercedarian imprint on his soul. On December 6, 1300, while he was still wearing the vestments he had used to celebrate Mass, he was beheaded in his dungeon. He was buried in the place where the prison was and where he died. Christians called this place "Martyrs’ Hill." Peter’s written works constitute a valuable legacy of the Order of Mercy. Some Mercedarian writers like Manuel Mariano Ribera (1720) Juan Interián de Ayala (1721) and Peter Armengol Valenzuela (1901) have defended the religious status and the Mercedarian profession of this distinguished bishop of Jaén. His works were compiled and published by Fathers Bartolomé de Anento (1676) and Peter Armengol Valenzuela (1905-1908).

May your preparation and celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception be fruitful and full of joy!

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UPDATE: Many have emailed and commented about other Western theologians who began to defend the Immaculate Conception around the same time. From what I have read, Blessed Duns Scotus' work came a few years after that of Saint Peter Paschasius, not to diminish the importance of either of these theologians. Perhaps there were others who defended the Immaculate Conception even earlier?

Fr. Thomas Price Relative Meets with Bishop Burbidge

2011-12-06T17:37:00.006-05:00

From the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh website:

In mid-November 2011, the Most Reverend Michael Burbidge received a letter revealing a surprising connection to Father Thomas Frederick Price, first North Carolina native to be ordained a Catholic priest. Fr. Price is known to North Carolina Catholics as the “Tar Heel Apostle” for his pioneering missionary work in the State. After making an indelible mark for the Church in North Carolina, Fr. Price went on to co-found the Maryknoll Society, renowned for its foreign missionary efforts.

The letter to the Bishop came from Edward Price, a parishioner of St. Ann, Clayton, regarding his lineage to Fr. Price. Mr. Price explained that he had received a copy of the January/February 2011 issue of the NC Catholics magazine that featured Fr. Price on the cover. Mr. Price sent the magazine to his parents, Carl and Gloria Price of New Jersey, who suspected a family connection to the priest. The Prices began many hours of genealogical research. With the help of the Maryknoll Society in New York, Mr. Carl Price confirmed his belief that he was related to Fr. Thomas Frederick Price as a third cousin.

(...)

Bishop Burbidge met with Mr. and Mrs. Price at the Catholic Center during Thanksgiving week on their first visit to North Carolina. After a private meeting, the Bishop led the couple to the location of the planned Cathedral Campus Facilities Project, to be built on a portion of the land purchased by Fr. Price more than 100 years ago.

“It’s so amazing at 82 years old to have the interest in my ancestry re-kindled beginning with the magazine, then the 100-year anniversary of Maryknoll Society, and now the building of the Cathedral -- all in one year,” said Carl Price. “I see the hand of God in all of this.

“I’m so honored by this connection,” he continued, “to know that my ancestor accomplished so much and that he walked this very ground.”

The Bishop said he hoped the Price family to be present for the opening of the Cathedral Campus.

(...)

“Spirituality has always been important to us through 54 years of marriage and nine children,” said Mr. Price. “We pray through St. Bernadette and our Blessed Mother for Fr. Price’s beatification.”

Discerning a Vocation

2011-12-01T12:48:00.009-05:00

I receive many emails from Catholics who think they may have a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. While many desire a religious vocation, they worry that because of a sinful past or a presumed lack of "worthiness," they couldn't possibly have a vocation. My advice is always a phrase that I take directly from St. Josemaria Escriva: "Do not lack simplicity!" God can and does use our faults and weaknesses for good.

He wrote in The Way:

Look: the apostles, for all their evident and undeniable defects, were sincere, simple... transparent. You too have evident and undeniable defects. May you not lack simplicity (932).

In the 2nd chapter of Christ is Passing By, St. Josemaria highlights the weaknesses of the Apostles (our first bishops chosen by Christ Himself!). Can we not relate? He wrote:

The first Apostles, for whom I have great affection and devotion, were nothing to boast about, humanly speaking. With the exception of Matthew, who probably earned a comfortable living which he left behind at the behest of Jesus, the Apostles were mere fishermen. They lived a meager existence, fishing all night to keep food on the table.

But social status is unimportant. They weren’t educated; they weren’t even very bright, if we judge from their reaction to supernatural things. Finding even the most elementary examples and comparisons beyond their reach, they would turn to the Master and ask: “Explain the parable to us” (Matt 13:36). When Jesus uses the image of the “leaven” of the Pharisees, they think that he’s reproaching them for not having purchased bread (Matt 16:6‑7).

They were poor; they were ignorant. They weren’t very simple or open. But they were even ambitious. Frequently they argued over who would be the greatest when — according to their understanding — Christ would definitively restore the kingdom of Israel. Amid the intimacy of the last supper, during that sublime moment when Jesus is about to immolate himself for all of humanity, we find them arguing heatedly (Luke 22:24‑27).

Faith? They had little. Jesus Christ himself points this out (Matt 14:31; 16:8; 17:17; 21:21). They had seen the dead raised, all kinds of sicknesses cured, bread and fish multiplied, storms calmed, devils cast out...

And did these men of little faith at least stand out in their love for Christ? Undoubtedly they loved him, at least in word... They are ordinary men, complete with defects and shortcomings, more eager to say than to do. Nevertheless, Jesus calls them to be fishers of men (Matt 4:19), co‑redeemers, dispensers of the grace of God.

Could Jesus be calling you as well?

7-year-old Gets Wish to Meet the Pope

2011-11-28T17:23:00.001-05:00

"Her birth mother had wanted to have an abortion, but backed out and decided to give her life."

New Rosary!

2011-11-25T22:16:00.003-05:00

Thanks for the great Rosary, Fr. George! It just arrived today from his Holy Souls Hermitage, and all of the "beads" are small St. Benedict medals. No forces of evil shall ever approach!

Immaculate Conception Novena

2011-11-23T11:48:00.005-05:00

Dear friends, I would appreciate your prayers during this novena to the Immaculate Conception from November 30 - December 8, even if just a short "Ave." Know of my prayers in return! Thank you!

http://www.dioceseofraleigh.org/news/view.aspx?id=1313

Feast of St. Josaphat!

2011-11-12T07:56:00.009-05:00

In 1595, when St. Josaphat was a boy, the Eastern Orthodox bishop of Brest-Litovsk (in Belarus) and five other bishops representing millions of Ruthenians sought reunion with Rome. John Kunsevich (Josaphat became his name in religious life) was to dedicate his life and die for the same cause. Born in what was then Poland, he went to work in Wilno and was influenced by clergy adhering to the Union of Brest of 1596. The Union of Brest was a decision of the Ruthenian Church to break relations with the Patriarch of Constantinople and place themselves under the Roman Pontiff as an Eastern Catholic church.

Josaphat became a Basilian monk, then a priest, and soon was well known as a preacher and an ascetic. He became bishop of Vitebsk (now in Russia) at a relatively young age, and faced a difficult situation. Most monks, fearing interference in Eastern liturgy and customs, did not want union with Rome. By synods, catechetical instruction, reform of the clergy and personal example, however, Josaphat was successful in winning the greater part of the Orthodox in that area to the union.

However, a dissident hierarchy was set up the next year, and the opposition spread the accusation that Josaphat had "gone Latin" and that all his people would have to do the same.

Despite warnings, he went to Vitebsk, still a hotbed of trouble. Attempts were made to drive him from the diocese: A priest was sent to shout insults to him from his own courtyard. When Josaphat had him removed and shut up in his house, the opposition rang the town hall bell and a mob assembled. The priest was released, but members of the mob broke into the bishop’s home. He was struck with an axe, shot, and his body was thrown into the river. It was later recovered and is now buried in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He was the first saint of the Eastern Church to be canonized by Rome.

His death brought a movement toward Catholicism and unity, but the controversy continued (and continues to this day). After the partition of Poland, the Russians forced most Ruthenians to join the Russian Orthodox Church, but Ruthenian Catholics remain widespread throughout the world thanks to the efforts of St. Josaphat.

From the Eastern Divine Liturgy (Mass) of today:

Troparion of St. Josaphat (Tone 4): "You have become a brilliant light, O hieromartyr Josaphat. You gave up your life for your sheep like the Good Shepherd. You were slain by the lovers of heresy, and you have walked into the Holy of Holies to rest in the company of the angels. O long-suffering saint, we make this petition to you: Beg Christ, the Prince of Shepherds, to save our souls and to number us among the sheep on his right hand."

In the same words as the ending of the Eastern Divine Liturgy, we ask God to grant us "Many Years" - "Mnohaja Lita" - especially to all Eastern Catholics today:

Happy Veterans Day!

2011-11-11T18:49:00.003-05:00

We took this photo during my first deployment to the Northern Arabian Gulf in 2007 onboard the USS VELLA GULF (CG 72). It was inspired by Captain Davis' (front and center) love for Naval history. Sadly, Captain Davis passed away suddenly less than a year later from complications during throat surgery. He was one of the finest leaders I have ever met.

A happy Veterans Day to all who have served.

Mercedarian Feast of All Souls

2011-11-07T16:05:00.008-05:00

Today, the Order of Mercy commemorates the Feast of All Souls of the Order. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. The Mercedarians are a great group, and I'm happy that they inducted me into their Third Order back in March 2009:

You can see the Mercedarian shield/Coat of Arms hanging on the front of the Mercedarian habit and embroidered on the front of the Mercedarian Scapular. The order elected a habit of white, signifying innocence. Some histories claim that Mary provided such guidance during her appearance to Saint Peter Nolasco. An enthusiastic King James of Aragon authorized the members to wear his own distinguished arms and crown on their breasts and long scapulars. The Maltese Cross is its most striking component - a unique cruciform that commemorates Malta's steadfast defense against the Muslim Turks.

Medical Update and Admission to Candidacy

2011-11-04T18:37:00.006-04:00

I visited the doctor last week to learn that my brain tumor is still stable. When they compared my most recent MRI to my November 2010 MRI, it appeared that the tumor may be slightly smaller than one year ago. For this reason, my doctors have decided to keep me on the daily chemotherapy treatments for at least a few more months, since they appear to be having some effect.

On November 4th, the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo, I was admitted to Candidacy for the Orders of Diaconate and Priesthood along with 20 other seminarians (6 of us from Raleigh). In the presence of Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., the Archbishop of Philadelphia, we stated publicly our intention to continue formation towards Holy Orders.

Below, a photo of the new Raleigh Candidates (back row, left to right): Steve Cartwright, Ian Van Heusen, Phil List, Philip Johnson, Johnathon Baggett, Robert Schmid. Front row (left to right): Fr. Phil Tighe (Diocese of Raleigh), Fr. Ned Shlesinger (Vocations Director, Diocese of Raleigh), Fr. Shaun Mahoney (Rector of St. Charles Seminary, Philadelphia), Bishop Daniel Thomas (Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia), Archbishop Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (Archbishop of Philadelphia), Bishop Michael Burbidge (Bishop of Raleigh), Fr. Brendan Buckler (Diocese of Raleigh), Fr. Vic Gournas (Diocese of Raleigh), Fr. Joseph Bongard (Vice Rector of St. Charles Seminary, Philadelphia).

2011-11-01T09:32:00.002-04:00

"Make yourself familiar with the Angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you."

- St. Francis de Sales

Catholic Culture: The All Souls Day Indulgences

2011-10-31T13:45:00.004-04:00

"Memento Mori" - "Remember Death"

Often overshadowed by Halloween (October 31) and All Saints Day (November 1), All Souls Day is a solemn feast in the Roman Catholic Church commemorating all of those who have died and are in Purgatory, being cleansed of their venial sins and atoning before entering into Heaven. The importance of the feast was made clear by Pope Benedict XV when he granted all priests the privilege of celebrating three Masses on All Souls Day: one for the faithful departed; one for the priest's intentions; and one for the intentions of the Holy Father. Only on a handful of other very important feast days are priests allowed to celebrate more than two Masses.

On All Souls Day, we not only remember the dead, but we apply our efforts, through prayer, almsgiving, and the Mass, to their release from Purgatory. There are two indulgences attached to All Souls Day, one for visiting a church and another for visiting a cemetery. While the actions are performed by the living, the merits of the indulgences are applicable only to the souls in Purgatory.

Always refer to the Norms on Indulgences for specific guidelines and requirements for gaining plenary and partial Indulgences.

Praying for the dead is a Christian obligation. The Church devotes the month of November to prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and participation in the Mass of All Souls Day is a good way to begin this month.

UPDATE:

Rorate Caeli outlined the indulgence conditions much more eloquently:

§ 1. A plenary indulgence, applied exclusively to the souls in Purgatory, is granted to the Christian faithful who:

1° on every single day, from the first to the eighth day in November, devoutly visit a cemetery and, even if only mentally, pray for the faithful departed;

2° on the day of Commemoration of All Faithful Departed [November 2] (or, according to the Ordinary, on the preceding or subsequent Sunday, or on the day of the solemnity of All Saints) piously visit a church or oratory and there recite the Pater and the Credo.

2011-10-24T16:13:00.003-04:00

My nephew Paul has decided that he likes to pour water over his new little brother, Matthew:

Called to Candidacy!

2011-10-21T19:00:00.005-04:00

I received a call from my bishop this morning informing me that I have been called to Candidacy for Holy Orders. I will be admitted along with the rest of my class on November 4th at St. Charles Borromeo seminary in Philadelphia. It is the first official step towards the priesthood, which hopefully will follow in about three years. Please pray for all of us!

"The rite of admission is celebrated when is has been established that the intention of those aspiring to Holy Orders is supported by the necessary qualifications and has achieved sufficient maturity. The intention of receiving Holy Orders is to be expressed publicly by the aspirants. The Bishop or the Major Superior of a clerical religious institute, or his delegate, publicly accepts the aspirants' intention."

These photos are from last year's Mass for Admission to Candidacy at St. Charles seminary in Philadelphia:

Bishop:
My children, the pastors and teachers in charge of your formation, and others who know you, have given a favorable account of you, and we have full confidence in their testimony. In response to the Lord's call, are you resolved to complete your preparation so that in due time you will be ready to be ordained for the ministry of the Church?

R/ I am.

Bishop:
Are you resolved to prepare yourselves in mind, heart, and spirit to give faithful and compassionate service to Christ the Lord and his body, the Church?

R/ I am.

Bishop:
The Church receives your declaration with joy. May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment.

All: Amen

"Be attentive, Lord, to our prayers for your sons,

who wish to dedicate themselves to your service

and the service of your people in the sacred ministry;

in your love, graciously bless + them,

that they may persevere in their vocation,

and that, in holding fast with undivided charity to

Christ the Priest,

that they may be worthy to take up the apostolic mission.

Through Christ our Lord."

A Catholic Hermit Is Cold!

2011-10-20T15:01:00.025-04:00

There is a Catholic hermit who is praying for us, but he is cold as Winter approaches because he can't afford a stove!

Fr. George Byers, C.P.M. is building Holy Souls Hermitage in the North Carolina Mountains. His mission is to pray for us. Just today, Holy Mass was offered according to the 1962 Missal for the intentions of his benefactors.

In his spare time over the past year, he has been tutoring me in my seminary courses while I undergo cancer treatments, keeping me from falling behind and actually putting me ahead of schedule with my courses.

However, Winter is approaching, and he is getting cold. From his blog:

"People’s idea of being a hermit involves being out in the desert. The usual paintings of hermits involve being half-dressed, baking to death in the hot sun. Mind you, upper Egypt would be horrifically hot… during the day.

But there are some things that you can only learn with experience. In the desert, it’s not so much the daytime that’s a penance, it’s the nighttime freezing temperatures. There are wild ranges of temperatures from hellishly hot to the cold that one would behold when hell freezes over.

Hermits who live in rain forest mountains[!] can know a wild range of temperatures, though perhaps not so intensely severe. Yet, the other day, it went — in the fahrenheit scale — from the mid 80's during the day down to the 30's at night. 50 degrees in about six hours. Yikes! Great football weather. Great lumberjack weather. But hard to live in outdoor temps 24/7. Which is the reason for a cave, or, lacking a cave, a hermitage, with a stove, with stove pipe!

The cost is $1,506.98. I can’t solicit donations under Obama’s administration. So I won’t. I’m just informing you of my personal project!

This morning it was near freezing again. Tomorrow it might just freeze altogether. And then… Winter!

If anyone were to force me to take a donation against all my protestations, such a kind soul would have to send a check made out to George David Byers, and send it to: 102 College Station Drive; Suite 3 — PMB 233; Brevard N.C. 28712 USA !"

Parish Festival

2011-10-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

Each year, St. Catherine's has a competition between the different neighborhoods of the parish. The competition includes a 5k run, basketball, and other games. However, the most important event is the "Knowledge of the Faith" tournament. The teams have been preparing and studying the Catechism for weeks.

The preliminary round advanced 4 of the 10 teams to the finals, which will be held on October 22nd when Bishop Burbidge breaks ground for the new parish. Here, the points from the preliminary round are added up:

Wise Words :)

2011-10-16T22:24:00.003-04:00

Sunday Football

2011-10-16T11:24:00.001-04:00

Sunday football with one of the newest members of St. Catherine parish - baby Declan Hartel!

Pray For a New Dominican Novice!

2011-10-14T17:00:00.004-04:00

Please pray for my friend, Jamie Hickman (now Br. Francis Mary) who entered the Dominican Novitiate on August 8, 2011:

Br. Francis and I met in 2003 when we both attended a month-long retreat in Europe for Catholic college students. He had just completed his first year at West Point, while I had just finished my first at Annapolis, so we bonded quickly. Here we are on the trip, outside of St. Mary Major following the Papal Eucharistic Procession for the Feast of Corpus Christi. We are next to each other on the right side of the photo (back when I had hair!):

We also had an audience with then-Cardinal Ratzinger. I am kissing his ring, and Br. Francis is partially blocked by my head. The priest on the right is Fr. Jonathan Morris of Fox News' "Red Eye" fame. He organized this trip and found donors to cover virtually all of our costs. Please pray for him!

Diocese of Charlotte Seminarian Jason Barone was also on the trip as a young undergraduate, and all three of us were able to get together for a small "8 year reunion" after a June 2011 ordination in Raleigh, just before Jamie left for the Novitiate:

His biography from the Dominicans' website:

"All my life I've wanted to serve my country and the Church - the Cross and the Flag are central symbols in my life. Four years at West Point and five years as an Infantry officer granted me the opportunity to serve my nation domestically and in multiple Asian countries. I've traveled the world and experienced God's children in many different lands. I've learned that Truth, Jesus Christ, is present in our lives. Now I am happy that God has granted a new opportunity to devote my life to service, this time as a Dominican friar. I believe that I will be more influential as a Christian soldier identified as a son of St Dominic than I have been as an Army Ranger.

I did not come to the Order of Preachers alone. My formation as a Christian began when my loving parents brought me into this world and pointed me to Christ, His Father, and His mother. My parents are selfless people who have sacrificed for others, knowing that their personal example serves as a witness to God's love. They sent me and my two older sisters to Catholic schools from K-12th grade, allowing the Benedictines to form our hearts and minds. I still have a Benedictine spirit and find peace when I return to the Abbey in Richmond, VA, for liturgical prayer with the monks. Born on the feast of St Francis, I have a Franciscan heart as well, and one of my dearest friends from college is a Capuchin friar in New York. The Army remains dear to me, especially as I consider some of the officers who encouraged my faith as a cadet and young officer. My philosophy professors - this was my major - taught me how the ancients searched for Truth. One of the first Dominicans I met was a friar from Oxford who lectured at a Catholic leaders fellowship in France after my plebe year. And my vocation discernment continued.

I learned more about the Province of St. Joseph when my best friend from college introduced me to a holy man applying to the Order. His example and that of the other friars gave me assurance that I could entrust my soul to the formation and care of this Province. Reading the histories of the early Dominicans and the founding of the Order, I noted great parallels to today's societal issues. My personal interest in political philosophy led me to investigate the Order's Constitutions, which I find remarkable. Most importantly I came to believe that I would find the greatest happiness in life as a friar. Whether I end up serving as a missionary in east Africa, as a pastor on a leading university campus or as a chaplain to the dying, I hope that my witness in my white habit will remind the world that God loves us, just as my family and friends have shown me. I know that I need brotherhood and a clear mission in order to live my vocation, and I hope that God's Dogs will provide all that I need and more."

Happy Feast of the Holy Rosary!

2011-10-07T16:37:00.004-04:00

The Story of the Battle of Lepanto

At various times in history, the rosary has been cited as a decisive factor in the outcome of significant battles. The fight for control of the Mediterranean and the conquest of Europe was one of them. The Battle of Lepanto, in 1571, would be the largest naval engagement since the Battle of Actium in 30 B.C. To the mind and eyes of the world, it seemed as if the Turks, or Moslems, would have a decisive victory. Pope Pius V, a former aesthetic and devout Dominican monk, blessed the mission fleet led by Don Juan, the half brother of Philip II of Spain, instructing him to take no evil sailors and requested that the faithful pray the rosary unceasingly.

When Don Juan heard that Cyprus had fallen to the Moslems and that all prisoners were being tortured and executed, he pulled up anchor and headed directly to the Gulf of Lepanto to engage the enemy. Ali Pasha commanded the Turkish fleet of 330 ships, reinforced by Uluch Ali, the notorious leader of the Moslem corsairs (pirates), infamous for terrorizing Catholic ships in the Mediterranean. Don Juan commanded about 300 ships consisting of Venetians, Genoese, Spanish, Knights of Malta and the Papal States.

At dawn, October 7, 1571, the two fleets clashed. Don John commanded his flagship and galleys. Iron rams were removed from the Christian ships, as the plan was for boarding and close quarter fighting. At the same time, Pope Pius V, accompanied by a group of the faithful, entered the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray the Rosary and ask Our Lady to intercede for a Catholic victory. The prayers continued in Rome as the Catholic and Moslem fleets battled. Later in the day, the Pope is said to have suddenly interrupted his business exclaiming, “A truce to business! Our great task at present is to thank God for the victory which He has just given the Catholic army.”

The Pope declared October 7 the feast day of “Our Lady of Victory.” Years later, the feast was renamed “Our Lady of the Rosary” by Pope Clement XI. Pope Pius V was canonized in 1712.

Pray For This Priest

2011-10-04T19:51:00.008-04:00

Pray for this priest, Fr. Rodriguez, who was recently transferred from his parish in El Paso after uproars over his many public remarks upholding the Church's teachings, especially concerning marriage and sexuality. I don't know the circumstances surrounding his transfer, so of course I can't speculate. There are other wonderful videos on Youtube of him explaining the Faith.

In El Paso, Fr. Rodriguez heard confessions 5 times a week and was the only diocesan priest who offered the Latin Mass.

He was moved from El Paso to a small town of 9,000 souls, and I am sure they will be glad to have him. May he inspire many holy vocations to the priesthood and religious life in his new assignment!

A year ago, he defended marriage on the local news:

2011-10-03T16:37:00.001-04:00

"I shall spend every moment loving. One who loves does not notice her trials; or perhaps more accurately, she is able to love them." -Saint Bernadette

Bishop Jugis' Homily for the 2011 Eucharistic Congress

2011-09-27T16:33:00.001-04:00

Charlotte Eucharistic Congress

2011-09-26T21:15:00.007-04:00

This past weekend, I had the privilege of participating in the Diocese of Charlotte's Eucharistic Congress. The event began on Friday evening with a great talk by Cardinal Arinze, but unfortunately I do not have any photos of that event. He spoke very forcefully about the need to keep Sunday holy, and how we should not consider it part of the weekend where we do our shopping, play competitive sports, or do unnecessary work. Rather, it should be a time of recreation with our family, a time to visit friends, and a time to help the poor and needy.

The next morning, thousands participated in the Eucharistic procession in the streets of Charlotte. Leading the procession were the Coats of Arms of Cardinal Arinze, Bishop Jugis, and Bishop Burbidge, who were present for the Congress:

Bishop Jugis processes into the Charlotte Convention center with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, as the thousands of faithful kneel in adoration:

Our Lord is placed on the altar that was constructed for this event:

Bishop Burbidge gave an excellent homily during the Holy Hour about how all Catholics are united in the Eucharist:

I had the honor of speaking at the event about the Eucharist and redemptive suffering:

I met some of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (cloistered, contemplative nuns), who recently relocated to Charlotte. They were so nice and joyful, as is usually the case when you come across sisters who wear the habit and love their vocation as brides of Christ. They live at a parish in Charlotte at the moment as they raise money to build a convent nearby. Perhaps you could make a donation to them, or parishes could support them by buying altar breads for Mass from them. I met the Mother Superior, and two of the sisters:

Fr. James Brent, O.P. (Dominican) spontaneously took the stage. He began his fiery preaching about angelic warfare. One by one, people gathered around him until hundreds of people were listening intently. He spoke plainly and forcefully about the need to maintain chastity and purity, and the temptations that are present in the modern world. He then enrolled those that were interested into the Angelic Warfare Confraternity, a traditional Dominican apostolate:

The Angelic Warfare Confraternity is a supernatural fellowship of men and women bound to one another in love and dedicated to pursuing and promoting chastity together under the powerful patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Confraternity is an official apostolate of the Dominican Order. The Confraternity began to grow in different parts of Europe in the 1400's, and was officially founded for the whole Church in 1727 by Pope Benedict XII. It is one of the ancient Confraternities of the Dominican Order.

The three essential practices are:

i. Enrollment and Registration. In the enrollment ceremony, a Dominican priest confers the blessing upon the cord and medal of St. Thomas Aquinas and the person who will wear it. The name of the person enrolled and place of the enrollment ceremony goes into the official Register.

ii. Wearing either the blessed cord of St. Thomas or blessed medal of St. Thomas (or both) as continuously as one reasonably can for the rest of one's life.

iii. Daily prayers for purity for oneself and all the members of the Confraternity. The daily prayers consist of two special prayers for chastity and fifteen Hail Mary's.

Read their website if you desire more information about joining, or watch the following video presentation:

The Story of The Order of Mercy

2011-09-20T22:02:00.005-04:00

The Feast of Our Lady of Mercy will be celebrated on September 24th. As a Third Order Mercedarian, it is a very important Feast for me.

The story of Our Lady of Mercy begins with St. Peter Nolasco, born in Languedoc about 1189. At the age of 25 he took a vow of chastity and gave his vast estates to the Church. After making a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Montserrat, he went to Barcelona where he began to practice various works of charity.

He conceived the idea of establishing an Order for the redemption of captives seized by the Muslims on the seas and in Spain itself; they were being cruelly tormented in their African prisons to make them deny their faith.

He spoke of it to the king of Aragon, James I, who knew him well and already respected him as a saint; for the king had already asked for his prayers when he sent out his armies to combat the Muslims, and he attributed his victories to those prayers.

On one night — August 1, 1218 — the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Peter, to his confessor, Raymund of Penafort, and to the king, and through these three servants of God established a work of the most perfect charity, the redemption of captives.

On that night, while the Church was celebrating the feast of St. Peter in Chains, the Virgin Mary appeared first to St. Peter Nolasco, saying that she indeed desired the establishment of a religious Order, later known as the Mercedarians, bearing the name of her mercy. Its members would undertake to deliver Christian captives and offer themselves, if necessary, as a ransom pledge.

The Order, thus solemnly established in Spain, was approved by Pope Gregory IX under the name of Our Lady of Mercy. By the grace of God and under the protection of His Virgin Mother, the Order spread rapidly. Its growth was increased as the charity and piety of its members was observed; they very often followed Our Lady's directive to give themselves up to voluntary slavery when necessary, to aid the good work.

It was to return thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin that a feast day was instituted and observed on September 24, first in the Order, then everywhere in Spain and France. It was finally extended to the entire Church by Pope Innocent XII. Pope Leo XIII encouraged the devotion by making this feast proper to all the dioceses of England, with a focus on how Our Lady ransoms us from the slavery of our sins, and brings us the grace of conversion.

Below is a short video on the history of the Order, and how they minister today:

2011-09-19T10:16:00.000-04:00

Baltimore Archbishop Praises Homeschooling Families

2011-09-15T21:01:00.003-04:00

Baltimore Archbishop Praises Homeschooling Families

by Thaddeus Baklinski

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/baltimore-archbishop-praises-home-schooling-families

BALTIMORE, September 14, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - At a Mass celebrated for home schooling families held in the Lady Chapel inside the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, praised families who choose to homeschool their children.

“I’ve seen this over and over again across the country. It’s in homeschooling that you have every opportunity to share the values that really matter: respect for one another, respect for the Church and the sacraments and the ability to sacrifice for others and to see how best we can serve,” he said, according to a report in the diocesan newspaper, the Catholic Review.

Since arriving to serve as archbishop of Baltimore in October 2007, Archbishop O’Brien has ordained seven new priests for the Archdiocese and over 120 men have entered the program for priestly formation.

He told the homeschooling families gathered: “There’s no greater feeder for the vocations than the home-schoolers.”

The archbishop stressed the role of parents in teaching the faith to their children, whether they are homeschooled or attending parochial school. He added that homeschoolers are a reminder to Catholic parents of children in Catholic and other schools, that “theirs is the principle obligation for forming the consciences of their youngsters in Gospel values.”

“In a time when our government schools are forming, are dictating, the direction of moral values in many cases, homeschooling reminds our public educators in the secular field that the final responsibility belongs to parents,” he added.

At the conclusion of Mass the archbishop reiterated his support for homeschooling, and noted that while he understood the difficulties parents face in deciding to teach their children at home, he urged them to persevere, saying homeschool families have become “exceedingly important to the Church.”

Archbishop O’Brien has celebrated Mass for homeschool families many times during his four-year tenure, telling home school families he believes his support is very important.

“Home-school educators are very persevering in their admirable efforts to educate their children at home,” Archbishop O’Brien told the Catholic Review.

“Sometimes it can be a lonely endeavor and getting together like this with one another, with the encouragement of their archbishop, is a very important contribution to their perseverance.”

Bishop Burbidge Announces Plans for New Cathedral

2011-09-07T17:29:00.006-04:00

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge announced Wednesday, September 7, 2011, the planned construction of a new Cathedral Campus for the Diocese of Raleigh. In making the official announcement, Bishop Burbidge said the proposed 2,000-seat Cathedral will be dedicated under the title, Holy Name of Jesus.

The proposed Cathedral Campus will be located on a 39-acre tract of land adjacent to Western Boulevard and Centennial Parkway that has historical significance for the Catholic Church in North Carolina. The property is what remains of 400 acres purchased in 1897 by Father Thomas F. Price, the “Tar Heel Apostle” and first native North Carolinian to be ordained a Catholic priest. In 1899, Father Price established an orphanage on the site known as the “Nazareth Community.” The site currently houses the Catholic Center administration building and a smaller office building.

In his announcement, Bishop Burbidge explained that the name of the new Cathedral also has historical roots for the property. “It commemorates the name of the chapel established by Father Price at Nazareth and which was known under this same dedication to the holy name of Our Lord.” Bishop Burbidge said. “It is fitting that the name of our new Cathedral is the Holy Name of Jesus.”

For Roman Catholics, the Cathedral stands as the visible unifying presence of the Church. It is the sign of the mission of Christ to be exercised there among the people. All parishes in the Diocese are extensions of the Cathedral, as it holds the chair, the cathedra, of the Diocesan Bishop, from which he gathers the faithful to guide and lead them, as teacher and shepherd.

The need for a new Cathedral is prompted, in large part, by the continuing vibrant growth of the Catholic population throughout the Diocese, which covers the 54 eastern counties of the state. In the 10-year period between 2000 and 2010, the Catholic population in the 54-county Diocese has increased approximately 42 percent from 152,493 to 217,125 registered Catholics, with an estimated 200,000 plus unregistered Catholics, mostly of Hispanic origin. With a seating capacity of 320, Sacred Heart Cathedral, as the “Mother Church” of the Diocese, is unable to accommodate most of the Diocesan liturgical celebrations.

Initial renderings of the Cathedral Campus can be viewed on a website now under development for the project: www.holynamecathedralnc.org.

Taken from www.dioceseofraleigh.org

Raleigh TLM Continues to Grow

2011-09-06T17:39:00.003-04:00

The Latin Mass continues to be offered at the Raleigh Cathedral every 1st Sunday of the month at 4:30pm:

Help the Nuns Keep Their Convent!

2011-09-04T18:55:00.002-04:00

Mystic Monk Coffee

2011-08-23T11:14:00.003-04:00

I recently tried this coffee, made by the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming. It's great, and it supports them in their project to build a new monastery. They make many types of coffee and tea. Order it here!

New Nephew!

2011-08-22T15:24:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Matthew Thomas Johnson!

Venerable Conchita Cabrera de Armida

2011-08-21T18:30:00.002-04:00

You don't have to be a consecrated priest or Religious to be holy. Venerable Conchita Cabrera de Armida knew from an early age that she wanted to be a wife and mother to many children. As a child she often prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and often felt incapable of loving God how He deserved to be loved. This was behind her wish to have many children - to give birth to more "voices" to praise God.

Conchita picked out her future husband at age 13, Pancho Armida. She considered herself engaged to him and never considered anyone else. She married at age 22 and went on to have nine children. She attended Mass every day and prayed constantly.

She said that God told her that she was to suffer and write. That was her charism. She never claimed visions, but often spoke as if Jesus had conversed with her.

Her book A Mother's Letters reflects the fact that she was not a cloistered mystic but a busy mother with nine children and a widow during a turbulent time in Mexico's political history (The Mexican Civil War). The letters provide a glimpse of her warm, human side as she communicates with her family.

Of herself she wrote: "I carry within me three lives, all very strong: family life with its multiple sorrows of a thousand kinds, that is, the life of a mother; the life of the Works of the Cross with all its sorrows and weight, which at times crushes me until I have no strength left; and the life of the spirit or interior life, which is the heaviest of all, with its highs and lows, its tempests and struggles, its light and darkness. Blessed be God for everything!"

Her canonization process was started in 1959 by the Archbishop of Mexico City, at which time about 200 volumes of her writings were submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Pope John Paul II declared her venerable on December 20, 1999 and she is currently in the process of beatification.

Medical Update, and Request for Prayers

2011-08-19T18:49:00.003-04:00

My MRI last week showed that my tumor has remained stable, thanks be to God. I will complete chemotherapy in October or November, and then the doctors will watch the tumor as my body recovers from 3 years of constant chemo. If the tumor starts to grow again, I will resume treatment immediately.

On a similar note, please pray for the repose of the soul of Jennifer Robbins, who died of brain cancer last week. She was diagnosed about 18 months before I was, and she became a good friend and example over the three years that we knew each other. Priest friends, please remember her in your Masses:

A Gem from "Vultus Christi"

2011-08-18T16:28:00.003-04:00

This interesting post is taken from Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby's great blog, Vultus Christi. Here he reflects on the Collect (Opening Prayer) for the feast of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, as found in both the 1962 and 1970 Roman Missals. Fr. Mark has some very interesting concerns regarding the revised Missal, which are found below. For the sake of length, only the English translation is posted below for comparison. The original Latin can be found on Fr. Mark's blog:

Did Anyone Else Notice This?

by Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby, OSB

The Modification of a Collect

A few days ago, on the feast of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, the holy Curé of Ars, I preached on the splendid Collect of the day as given in the 1962 Missale Romanum:

Almighty and merciful God,
who didst make Saint John Mary wonderful
in his pastoral zeal
and constant prayer and penance,
grant, we beseech Thee,
that by his example and intercession,
we may be able to win the souls of our brethren for Christ,
and together with them attain to glory everlasting.

Later in the day, I had occasion to look at the Collect as it appears in the reformed Missale Romanum, Editio Typica Tertia (2008). In the New English Translation, this same Collect will, as far as I know, appear as:

Almighty and merciful God,
who made the Priest Saint John Vianney
wonderful in his pastoral zeal,
grant, we pray,
that through his intercession and example
we may in charity win brothers and sisters for Christ
and attain with them eternal glory.

Constant Prayer and Penance Deleted

The revised prayer of the 1970 Missal retains only one of the three priestly attributes mentioned in the older prayer, that of pastoral zeal. Constant prayer and penance, the two attributes that sustained Saint John Mary Vianney's pastoral zeal, are deleted from the 1970 version of the prayer. On the other hand, the phrase in caritate [with charity] was added to the penultimate phrase of the text.

Pastoral Zeal

If one ascribes to the axiom, "Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi" it is clear that this manipulation of the Collect has far reaching consequences for one's understanding of how the priesthood is to be lived out. If what matters is "pastoral zeal" above all else, one risks becoming, and rather quickly, "as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Constant prayer obtains an inpouring of divine charity; penance makes room for it in the heart. Constant prayer and penance are the context of a pastoral zeal that is supernaturally motivated and not a exercise in clerical narcissism.

Burnout

The post-Conciliar model of the priesthood placed the emphasis on pastoral zeal, while downplaying the importance of constant prayer and penance. These latter attributes were often dismissed as monastic and, as everyone knows, following the much-quoted worm-eaten old chestnut, "parish priests are not monks!" The difficulty is that pastoral zeal without constant prayer and penance leads to clerical burnout. This is something that I have seen all too often.

The Chicken or the Egg?

I'm left with a question. Did the model of diocesan priesthood change following the liturgical reforms because of the deletions and amendments made to liturgical texts such as the one looked at here? Or were the deletions and amendments to liturgical texts designed to reflect an activistic pastoral vision that had made inroads in the post-war period well before the Second Vatican Council?

A Revision of the Revised Texts?

I have already suggested elsewhere on Vultus Christi that the New English Translation of the Roman Missal, while a small step in the right direction, is far from being the solution to deeper underlying issues. One must be prudent, lest the popular canonization of the euchological texts in the New English Translation of the Roman Missal, appear to suggest that the said translation, and the Editio Typica from which it was made, are, in some way, flawless vehicles of the continuity of Tradition. Perhaps the Editio Typica Tertia itself needs to be revised and brought into a more generous textual conformity with the 1962 Missale Romanum.

Final days in Lourdes and Rome

2011-08-16T19:42:00.009-04:00

I'm afraid I did not take many photos this year in Lourdes (posts from the past two Summers show Lourdes in detail), but overall it was a great experience, as Spanish Seminarian Jorge expressed one morning outside of the Seminarian residence:

I celebrated my 27th birthday my last day in Lourdes, and my friend Father Hugues Beaugrand from the Institute of the Good Shepherd (a French Priestly Society of Apostolic Life) came to visit. He celebrated Mass next to the relics of Saint Bernadette, and we made a visit to the grotto:

I made a quick visit to Rome since I was already so close:

My friend John Paul Sonnen of Orbis Catholicus gave my family a tour of the Vatican:

Papal carriages:

The Jeep that was carrying Pope John Paul II when he was shot:

One evening, John and his wife invited me to dinner at their apartment in the resort town of Santa Marinella, right outside of Rome:

Lunch the next day with my friend Msgr. Soseman from the Congregation for the Clergy:

On Wednesday, I went to the Papal Angelus at the Holy Father's Summer residence, Castel Gandolfo:

The beautiful view in the town:

Swiss Guard guarding the entrance:

I was able to sit in the "sick" section, which was in the front row underneath the Holy Father:

I spoke with the Pope's private secretary, Msgr. Georg Ganswein. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met:

Greetings from Eternal Rome

2011-07-29T18:06:00.003-04:00

After a great tour of the Vatican by the infamous John Paul Sonnen of Orbis Catholicus...

He invited me to his home in the Italian resort town of Santa Marinella. His beautiful new bride cooked a wonderful dinner before we enjoyed a pipe of black cavendish by the ocean:

Love it.

2011-07-29T15:45:00.002-04:00

Check out the sign...

NC Bishops Applaud Legislative Override

2011-07-28T15:45:00.002-04:00

By a vote of 29 to 19 the State Senate has overridden Governor Perdue’s veto of the Woman's Right to Know Act. Combined with the State House override, the measure now becomes law. In response, the Bishops of North Carolina wrote:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

After many months of work, including your prayers, hundreds of phone calls and thousands of emails, we are pleased to share the great news that the General Assembly has successfully overridden Governor Beverly Perdue’s veto of the Woman’s Right to Know act. This legislation will now become the law in North Carolina.

We would like to thank you for all of your efforts on behalf of life and we would like to thank the legislators who originally voted in favor of this important act and those legislators who supported the override. This new law affords protection to the lives of many innocent unborn children. It also respects the dignity of women. Thank you again for your support and efforts on behalf of the unborn. May God bless you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge
Bishop of Raleigh

Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis
Bishop of Charlotte

In addition, Bishop Burbidge commented, "I am profoundly grateful for all the priests, religious and laity in our Diocese who offered their fervent prayers and strong support on behalf of this historic legislation. I also thank all of you for your ongoing commitment to the Gospel of Life."

Source: Diocese of Raleigh

New Mercedarians

2011-07-14T05:27:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to the two new Mercedarian novices: Br. Michael and Br. Josiah, O. de M! Please pray for them as they continue formation for the priesthood.

First Solemn High Mass of Fr. Brendan Buckler - Diocese of Raleigh, NC

2011-06-13T22:10:00.007-04:00

The day following his ordination, Fr. Brendan Buckler offered his first Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Raleigh, NC.

The servers and clergy line up:

Fr. Carlos Viego (Diocese of Newark) assists as Deacon. Rev. Mr. Don Maloney (Diocese of Raleigh) assists as Subdeacon. Fr. John Brancich (F.S.S.P.) assisted as Assistant Priest:

The Vidi Aquam reminds us of our baptism:

Fr. Buckler vests in the chasuble, and the cope transfers to the Assistant Priest:

The sacred ministers recite the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar: "I will go unto the altar of God..." (Psalm 42).

Incensation of the altar:

The Gloria:

The Deacon receives Father's blessing before chanting the Gospel:

The elevation of our Blessed Lord:

Servers' communion:

Our Vicar General was in choir, among many diocesan priests and seminarians:

Photos by Paul Tomas

Scripture and Tradition

2011-06-08T17:33:00.004-04:00

A passage that stuck out while reading for my Fundamental Theology course:

"He who denies Tradition its character and source, loses the accurate reality of the Scripture. He who renders relative the one also relativizes the other. And this minimization of Tradition is a great obstacle to perceiving in all its fullness and depth, what God has been gracious enough to reveal to us.

‎But there is one consoling truth: even if someone denies a truth such as that of the two sources manifesting the revelation of the unique Source, that does not mean that this man is not affected... positively or negatively by the truth carried all the way to him by the immutable unity of Tradition and Holy Scripture. It is like the man who would deny or hate God: he would none the less be living thanks to the Wisdom, Omnipotence and Goodness of God."

- Cardinal Joseph Siri, Gethsemane

Fr. Brendan Buckler Ordained to Priesthood

2011-06-07T15:04:00.003-04:00

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge bestowed the Sacrament of Holy Orders on Father Brendan Joseph Buckler at an Ordination Mass celebrated at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh on June 4, 2011:

Deacon Buckler vests:

The Litany of the Saints is sung as Deacon Buckler lays down his life for the Church:

The imposition of hands:

Bishop Burbidge receives the first blessing of Fr. Buckler:

Followed by blessings bestowed on the faithful:

The following day, Father Buckler offered his first Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form in the Cathedral. Fr. Carlos Viego (Diocese of Newark) served as Deacon, Deacon Don Maloney (Diocese of Raleigh) served as Subdeacon, and Fr. John Brancich (F.S.S.P.) served as Assistant Priest:

Remember to Support Holy Souls Hermitage!

2011-06-06T18:00:00.004-04:00

Visit the website of Holy Souls Hermitage (http://holysoulshermitage.com) and be sure to support Fr. George in his priestly apostolate:

"The Bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, has welcomed me as a hermit on one of the ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains in his diocese.

The Fathers of Mercy have agreed to my being a hermit since it is said that it would be good to have some prayers for the Fathers of Mercy. I am eager to do apostolic work, always, but I look at eremitical life as entering more fully and intensely into the New Evangelization: if priests are sanctified, they will be all the more available for the sanctification of those called by the Lord to go to heaven.

I’m a hermit by choice, by way of life-long desire, ever since my vocation at two and a half years old, both to the priesthood and to be dedicated to the sanctification of the priesthood. For much of my life I didn’t think it was possible to be a hermit, but I finally figured out that it has to do with trust in the Lord. With this realization I gave up a coveted teaching position of Scripture, Theology and Liturgy at the Pontifical College Josephinum (where I was also a Spiritual Director, Confessor and Formation Advisor). I had standing invitations to teach in major seminaries right around the world, with the last, very hard to turn down invitation coming in from an Archdiocesan Major Seminary just minutes before entering my new hermitage.

We hermits are as different one from another as Saint Jerome the hermit was from Saint Paul the hermit. There’s lots of time for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Prayer of the Church, Rosaries and time before our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In consultation with my Spiritual Director and Confessor, not to mention my Superior General and the Bishop, Holy Souls Hermitage is dedicated to prayer and penance especially for the sanctification of priests in the purgatory of this world and the next. Along with this, I write on such subjects as the Immaculate Conception and the Priesthood, the Spiritual Life and the Priesthood, Confession and the Priesthood, and so on.

Accompany me as I start out being a hermit to assist my fellow priests and bishops to bring souls to heaven."

He still has many expenses to cover. Visit his "Benefactors" page to support him in his mission!

Don Edward Maloney Ordained to Transitional Diaconate

2011-05-27T17:15:00.004-04:00

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge ordained Rev. Mr. Don Edward Maloney to the Transitional Diaconate at Saint Luke the Evangelist Church in Raleigh on May 21, 2011. In August, Deacon Maloney will enter his Fourth year of Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and is scheduled for ordination to the Priesthood in 2012.

The entrance procession:

Rev. Mr. Maloney lies prostrate as the Litany of the Saints is chanted:

The promises of poverty and chastity:

The promise of obedience to the bishop and his successors:

The laying on of hands - the unbroken line of Holy Orders back to the Apostles:

Photos from Diocese of Raleigh

I Must Admit....

2011-05-24T19:49:00.003-04:00

I must admit it - President Obama made me laugh hard today during his visit to Ireland. It turns out that he has Irish roots on his Kansas-born mother's side, so he exclaimed: "My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall O'Bama’s, and I’ve come home to find the apostrophe that we lost somewhere along the way."

He then downed a pint of Guinness in 4 gulps, which impressed the Irish crowd:

Michelle didn't seem to enjoy hers as much:

The Rapture

2011-05-21T20:04:00.001-04:00

Poof!

World is Ending on Saturday?

2011-05-20T09:50:00.007-04:00

If you've driven on a highway recently, you've probably seen one of these signs "predicting" Judgment Day. It was apparently calculated by a Protestant minister with the following logic:

"In 2 Peter 3:8, Holy God reminds us that one day is as 1,000 years. Therefore, with the correct understanding that the seven days referred to in Genesis 7:4 can be understood as 7,000 years, we learn that when God told Noah there were seven days to escape worldwide destruction, He was also telling the world there would be exactly 7,000 years (one day is as 1,000 years) to escape the wrath of God that would come when He destroys the world on Judgment Day. Seven thousand years after 4990 B.C. (the year of the Flood) is the year 2011 A.D. (our calendar)."

It should also be noted that this same minister predicted the end of the world back in 1994, which obviously didn't happen.

My friend Msgr. Soseman has written a great reflection on this topic, which is found below. Enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------------------

I have a confession to make: I have never understood all of this talk about the "rapture" or all of this concern for the end of earthly time.

The end of the world has been forecast, I understand, for Saturday at 6 p.m. local time, in each time zone in the world. This is the second time that this particular minister has forecast the world's end. His first prediction was for a date in 1994, from what I understand, and that obviously never happened. I guess his followers will know well in advance if he was proven right, as 6 p.m. New Zealand time comes a long time before 6 p.m. San Francisco time, and evil places like Minneapolis and Billings will find their end an hour or two before Las Vegas and San Francisco. (I would suspect that if Our Lord planned to end the world in accord with local time zones, he would perhaps consider STARTing, not ending, in California).

For a Christian, there never needs to be overt concern regarding the end of the world. We know that the earthly world will end for us at our deaths, which could take place, of course, at any time. We need to live our lives ready to meet our maker, to embrace our encounter with the four last things: death, judgment, heaven (likely via that purification from the effects of our sins which we call purgatory) or hell. We need to stay close to our Lord, and not have fear, but instead be ready to see Him face to face when death should come for us.

A convinced Christian should not worry about the general judgement, what in some Protestant circles is called the rapture (although their debate on pre-mid and post-millenialism is always a bit mystifying), which was predicted for this Saturday. This is what has been called, in general Christian circles, the apocalypse, the end of the world. Regarding that, we know not when it will come.

It could happen in five seconds.

four

three

two

one

Nope, hasn't happened yet.

Or it could be ten thousand years away.

Some of the early Christians felt that the end of times was imminent, just as some Christians do today. Just as we should be prepared for our own deaths, we need to be prepared for the end times whenever they should come. We prepare in the same way. Living our lives in communion with our Lord, enjoying the good things he provides for us on this earth, but always turning from sin, turning from evil, and embracing a relationship with HIM.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, who died in his early twenties, felt that if we were living a good, moral, life, in Communion with Our Lord, we should never be perturbed, even if we heard the world was ending. Famously, when the Jesuit novices got into a discussion about the end times, the question arose what each would do should he hear the world had a half an hour left whilst he was playing a game of billiards. Some said they would run to the chapel, others said they would go to Confession, others that they would seek out their loved ones. St. Aloysius said he would keep on playing billiards.

St. Aloysius once said that it is better to die as a child of God than as king of the entire world. We can, indeed, conquer worlds. We can, indeed, seek great success in our job with our family. We must ask ourselves, however, whether we are, indeed, living as a child of God, even while we conquer the world.

An ancient prayer is worded in honor of the Blessed Trinity: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The world referred to, is not the earth, it is not the world around us which will never end, instead, of course, it is the heavenly world, our eternal existence. This should be our prime concern, unity with our Lord, who is God from before time and will be in the ages of ages, in a world which never ends.

So, whether the world ends in five seconds

four

three

two

one.

Nope,

or at 6 p.m. local time Saturday in Frisco, or in 10,000 years, love our Lord enough to desire to be with him at all times!

TLM in the Vatican

2011-05-16T12:46:00.003-04:00

A Pontifical High (Tridentine) Mass was offered at the Vatican on Sunday May 15, 2011. It was in conjunction with the Third Conference on Summorum Pontificum held in Rome, May 13-15.

Feel Free to Pontificate!

2011-05-09T20:05:00.004-04:00

Add your comments and opinions to any post by clicking on the new "Pontifications" button at the bottom of posts. Login with Google, AIM, Wordpress, or even post anonymously!

Medical Report

2011-05-08T13:02:00.002-04:00

Thanks to all who have been praying for me. My tumor remains stable and I'll follow up with the doctor in 6 weeks. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Off to Baltimore

2011-05-04T17:38:00.001-04:00

I am leaving now for Baltimore for my appointments at Johns Hopkins - please keep me in your prayers!

Thoughts on the Death of Osama Bin Laden

2011-05-02T20:51:00.008-04:00

‎"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live." (Ezekiel 18:23,32)

We learned on Sunday that after 10 years in hiding, the mass-murderer Osama bin Laden has been killed by US Armed Forces. As I quickly scoured through social media posts, I found nothing but rejoicing at his death. Here are the first five posts I found:

"Yeah!!! Bin Laden is finally dead!"

"I just got the news. Toasting our boys with a scotch."

"So after 10 years of hide and go seek the US wins. Boo-yah, bi***es!"

"It's a GOOD day to be an American!"

"I can and will cheer for the death of this monster. He will be judged and found guilty (I Pray) by the most high God."

On top of these comments were a few videos spreading on the internet from my Alma Mater, the US Naval Academy, where a "spontaneous pep rally" (spontaneous gathering of all students in one place) was held to cheer and celebrate Osama's death. "I believe that we have won," they chanted over and over while jumping up and down, after learning that Navy SEALs delivered the fatal blows.

I'm not trying to defend any of the actions of Osama Bin Laden. They were despicable and evil. He was a mass-murderer and remained a threat to society. I made 2 deployments myself to the Persian Gulf to fight terror when I was in the Navy. I lost a Naval Academy classmate and friend in Afghanistan when he was shot in the chest by an insurgent sniper. I'm definitely not emotionally "separated" from what is going on there.

The Church allows execution in cases where someone remains a dangerous menace to society, and Osama continued to fund and support violence against innocent people. But my question is, why do we rejoice at his death...is it merely out of a sense of vengeance?

The Vatican issued an immediate statement about Bin Laden's death:

"Osama Bin Laden - as everyone knows - has had the gravest responsibility for spreading hatred and division among people, causing the deaths of countless people, and exploiting religion for this purpose.

Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”

Get that? We do not rejoice at anyone's death, no matter how evil they are, and even if it is justified. Even in cases of a just Capital Punishment, it is with great sadness that someone must be put to death to protect the rest of society.

Many hope that he will get his "just rewards" from God, implying that they hope he is damned. We should not wish eternal damnation on anyone - even our worst enemies. Remember, God created Bin Laden in the same way that He created us - in His image and likeness - so God loved Bin Laden as a person with His infinite love. He loves each and every one of us in the same way. Instead of rejoicing at this man's death, can't we as Catholics spare a prayer for his soul, which objectively is in need of many prayers? None of us are worthy of God's mercy or the gift of heaven. Let us pray for the forgiveness of all - even those whom we have come to despise.

Some might be offended, but tonight I will be praying for the eternal repose of the soul of Osama bin Laden. No one knows what went through his mind between the bullet hitting his head and death - perhaps his heart turned to God in perfect contrition. Only God knows, so may God have mercy on his soul if He sees it fit.

Happy Feast of Saint Catherine!

2011-04-29T18:08:00.002-04:00

Saint Catherine of Siena (1347 - 1380)

The 25th child of a wool dyer in northern Italy, St. Catherine started having mystical experiences when she was only 6, seeing guardian angels as clearly as the people they protected. She became a Dominican tertiary when she was 16, and continued to have visions of Christ, Mary, and the saints. St. Catherine was one of the most brilliant theological minds of her day, although she never had any formal education. She persuaded the Pope to go back to Rome from Avignon, in 1377, and when she died she was endeavoring to heal the Great Schism. In 1375 Our Lord give her the Stigmata, which was visible only after her death. Her spiritual director was Blessed Raymond of Capua. St, Catherine's letters, and a treatise called "A Dialogue" are considered among the most brilliant writings in the history of the Catholic Church. She died when she was only 33, and her body was found incorrupt in 1430.

From Catholic.org

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T08:09:00.003-04:00

"This man who had died was now living with a life that was no longer threatened by any death. A new form of life had been inaugurated, a new dimension of creation. The first day, according to the Genesis account, is the day on which creation begins. Now it was the day of creation in a new way, it had become the day of the new creation.

We celebrate the first day. And in so doing we celebrate God the Creator and his creation. Yes, we believe in God, the Creator of heaven and earth. And we celebrate the God who was made man, who suffered, died, was buried and rose again. We celebrate the definitive victory of the Creator and of his creation. We celebrate this day as the origin and the goal of our existence. We celebrate it because now, thanks to the risen Lord, it is definitively established that reason is stronger than unreason, truth stronger than lies, love stronger than death. We celebrate the first day because we know that the black line drawn across creation does not last forever. We celebrate it because we know that those words from the end of the creation account have now been definitively fulfilled: "God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen 1:31). Amen."

- Pope Benedict XVI's Easter Vigil 2011 homily

Happy Feast of Saint Bernadette Soubirous!

2011-04-16T14:21:00.002-04:00

"I suffer. All my cries of anguish rise to you, my comforter. In your adorable heart I grieve. To your heart I confide my sighs, my anguish, my grief to your grief. My Jesus, sanctify my sufferings by this holy union. Grant that by increasing my love for you, my grief may become lighter and easier to bear." -St. Bernadette, Personal Notes, 1873-1874.

Nebraska bishop: Catholic politicians who support Planned Parenthood should be denied Communion

2011-04-15T07:37:00.002-04:00

LINCOLN, Nebraska, April 14, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Though not “formally excommunicated,” Catholic politicians who support Planned Parenthood or other measures facilitating abortion are “placing themselves outside of the pale of the Church’s doctrine” and should be denied Communion, says Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska.

The bishop told LifeSiteNews that Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, should be seen an enemy of the Catholic Church because “it advocates doctrines, immoral activities which are contrary to ... the teachings of Almighty God.”

In 1996, Bishop Bruskewitz announced that any Catholics in his diocese who persisted as members of Planned Parenthood would be excommunicated automatically. The decision was upheld by the Vatican in 2006.

“Membership in Planned Parenthood [is] incompatible with being a Catholic living a clear adherence to the Catholic faith,” he insisted.

Last week, American Life League (ALL) called for the excommunication of the 62 Catholic congressmen who voted in February against defunding Planned Parenthood. The group pointed out that the Catholic Church has a history of excommunicating those who support its greatest enemies, including supporters of Freemasonry, Nazism, and communism.

Bishop Bruskewitz said the excommunication in his diocese applies to members of the abortion giant, not legislators or others supporting it. He said it “could be” that excommunication is warranted for such legislators, but that that issue has not come up in his diocese. “Individual bishops can only make legislation for their own diocese,” he explained.

The bishop’s comment was backed up by Dr. Edward Peters, a canon lawyer at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, and a consultant to the Vatican’s Apostolic Signatura, who told LifeSiteNews this week that excommunication of politicians supporting Planned Parenthood could only happen if individual bishops or the national conference of bishops institute a specific law or penalty to that effect. Peters said, however, that bishops can act now by denying Communion to pro-abortion politicians under canon 915.

Bishop Bruskewitz himself emphasized that in his diocese those publicly supporting abortion would be denied Communion. “In this diocese, the priests and everyone who distributes Holy Communion would be instructed not to give Holy Communion to such people,” he said.

“We are trying, as we interpret it, to obey the canons of the Catholic Church, which say that someone who is a notorious public sinner shouldn’t be admitted to Holy Communion,” he explained. “That’s simply the case.”

Advocates for abortion or euthanasia are “placing themselves in a position where they are not to receive Holy Communion because they’ve defected from the Church’s faith,” he added.

Regarding excommunication, the bishop said its purpose is “to bring people who are Catholics to realize the error of their ways, and to repent and to return to the correct measure of obedience that’s expected of a disciple of Christ.”

He said it’s inaccurate to suggest excommunication lacks compassion or shuts down dialogue. Dialogue is “important,” he said, but it “must have an exit” and is “not just simply talking interminably.”

Explaining the manifold reasons why Catholics cannot support Planned Parenthood, the bishop said, “It advocates contraception. ... In its origins, from Margaret Sanger, it concentrates on racism. It believes certain races are inferior. It has certainly a eugenic aspect to it – extermination of people who are considered unfit to live, a la Nazis. And of course abortion is an abominable crime. The Second Vatican Council is very clear about that. Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion supplier, business, and purveyor, in the United States.”

Was Chief Sitting Bull a Catholic convert?

2011-04-13T14:34:00.002-04:00

Was Chief Sitting Bull a Catholic convert? Did he convert William “Buffalo Bill” Cody? I found this article to be very interesting: http://catholiclane.com/was-chief-sitting-bull-a-catholic/

A North Carolina Hermit

2011-04-06T18:03:00.002-04:00

Please pray for and support Fr. George Byers, C.P.M. as he begins his new apostolate as a hermit in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I met Fr. Byers in 2008 while he was a chaplain in Lourdes, France. He is building his hermitage from the ground up.

Keep up with him and submit your prayer petitions via his blog: http://holysoulshermitage.wordpress.com/

Eastern Catholicism

2011-04-05T17:14:00.000-04:00

There has been some big news recently in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. A few days ago, their bishops elected a new head for their "branch" of Catholicism (their de facto Patriarch), 40 year-old Sviatoslav Shevchuk. I don't use the term "branch" as if it were a division in the negative sense, so I will clarify.

In my experience, some (perhaps even most?) Roman Catholics don't even know of the existence of other Catholic Churches, which vary from Roman Catholicism in liturgy and popular piety but are still in communion with the Pope and Roman Catholics. I certainly knew nothing about them until an Eastern Catholic friend enlightened me in 2005. Hopefully this blog post will provide some exposure for those who haven't experienced the traditions of the various Eastern Churches.

The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous, self-governing (in Latin, sui iuris) particular churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome - the Pope. Together with the Roman/Latin Church, they compose the worldwide, universal Catholic Church. They preserve some centuries-old eastern liturgical, devotional and theological traditions and emphases.

The term Eastern Catholic Churches refers to 21 of the 22 autonomous particular Churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church is the 22rd Church. The Eastern Churches follow five main Eastern traditions: Alexandrian, Antiochian, Armenian, Byzantine and Chaldean. They retain their ceremonies, traditions, laws, and customs which date back to the Apostles, while at the same time preserving the necessary communion with the Bishop of Rome. While they are self-governing, they all recognize the central role of the Bishop of Rome within the College of Bishops and his infallibility on those occasions when speaking ex cathedra.

After the Great Schism in 1054 which split the Churches in the East (now known as the Eastern Orthodox) from the Roman Catholic Church, some Eastern Churches chose to regain communion with the Pope and thus have become the Eastern Catholic Churches. Some have never broken communion, some were separated only geographically for a period of time, and others re-joined the Church much later. The diagram below shows the historical foundations of the 21 Eastern Catholic Churches, which all have their various traditions and liturgies. Most traditions are associated with the Byzantine Rite, while over the centuries the various Western rites have been unified into a single Roman/Latin Rite as we know it today:

While the Popes haven't interfered with the liturgies of the East, they have always shown their respect for Eastern traditions. For example, Venerable Pope Pius XII opens his Encyclical on the Roman liturgy, "Mediator Dei," with the comment: "If in this encyclical letter We treat chiefly of the Latin liturgy, it is not because We esteem less highly the venerable liturgies of the Eastern Church, whose ancient and honorable ritual traditions are just as dear to Us. The reason lies rather in a special situation prevailing in the Western Church, of sufficient importance, it would seem, to require this exercise of Our authority."

One of the most widespread Eastern Liturgies is the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, composed by Saint John Chrysostom in the late 300's A.D. Popes John XXIII and John Paul II have publicly celebrated the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom - with Pope John XXIII using the Papal Tiara as the bishop's crown. When Christians debate about worship in the "early Church," this liturgy really is from the early Church, and many might be surprised to witness how ornate it really is:

In this recent video, the new Patriarch is "enthroned" as the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. The ceremonies date back to the earliest traditions of Christianity:

The Eastern Catholic Churches are represented in the Holy See and the Roman Curia through the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, which is made up of a Cardinal Prefect (who directs and represents it with the help of a Secretary) and 27 Cardinals, one Archbishop and 4 Bishops, designated by the Pope.

Historically, Eastern Catholic Churches were located in Eastern Europe, the Asian Middle East, Northern Africa and India, but due to migration they are now also in Western Europe, the Americas and Oceania where eparchies have been established alongside the Latin dioceses. These days, it is easy to find an Eastern Catholic Church, and their Masses (called The Divine Liturgy) fulfills any Catholic's Sunday obligation.

Eastern Catholic Churches can be considered to be the "counterparts" to the Eastern Orthodox Churches who have remained divided from Rome since the Great Schism in 1054. For example, there is a Ukrainian Catholic Church and a Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the former maintaining communion with Rome.

When speaking in a recent interview about Ukrainian Catholic martyrs, the new Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop commented on the necessity of communion with Rome: "Our Martyrs were martyrs for unity with the Holy Father."

Eastern Catholic Churches make up a small percentage of the membership in the Catholic Church when compared to the Latin Rite, which has over one billion members. The largest sui juris church is the Byzantine Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with 4.3 million members and the second largest is the Syriac Syro-Malabar Catholic Church at 3.9 million members.

In a way, this plurality of Catholic Churches shows the authenticity of the Catholic Church's teachings. Sent by Christ himself, the Apostles went to various parts of the world to "baptize all nations" and spread the Faith which they learned directly from Christ. Understandably, the practice of this Faith was manifested in different traditions and ceremonies throughout present-day Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean regions with little communication between them, but the liturgies and ceremonies are strikingly similar. To this day, all of the Churches teach Seven Sacraments, Transubstantiation in the Eucharist, an ordained Priesthood, an all-male Priesthood, reverence for Mary (the Theotokos or "God-Bearer" in Greek), sacramental confession to a priest, etc. How can we doubt that these teachings came from Christ himself when they are present in every Eastern and Western Church and tradition before the Protestant split?

Much more could be said about how the Liturgy professes the Faith, but a great place to start is with Pope Benedict XVI's book The Spirit of the Liturgy, especially Part 4, Chapter 1.

"Mnohaya Lita," ("Many Years") to Archbishop Shevchuk!

Visit Lourdes, and Pray to Saint Bernadette!

2011-04-04T12:22:00.000-04:00

Jesuit Father James Martin gives a great summary of the importance of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette:

A Great Upcoming Movie about the Faith in Mexico

2011-04-01T14:19:00.004-04:00

Young Men, Join the Norbertines

2011-03-31T14:34:00.001-04:00

Medical Update

2011-03-29T18:33:00.004-04:00

Good news came from my last visit to Johns Hopkins. After reviewing my MRI scans, the group of oncologists, surgeons, and radiologists agreed that the tumor is stable and has not grown since December (since the end of the novena to the Immaculate Conception, perhaps?). I am to continue the current treatment (daily oral chemotherapy) in hopes that it will keep the tumor at bay for many years.

I have already long outlived the prognosis for this incurable tumor, and I thank the great medical staff at Johns Hopkins, as well as all who have been praying for me!

2011-03-22T14:33:00.000-04:00

"The single greatest need in the world today is the practice of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament." - Fr. John Hardon

Bishop DiLorenzo Blesses New St. Benedict (FSSP) Chapel in Chesapeake, Virginia

2011-03-11T13:57:00.007-05:00

On Saturday, March 5, 2011, Bishop Francis DiLorenzo of the Diocese of Richmond blessed the new Saint Benedict (FSSP) Chapel in Chesapeake, Virginia in the Extraordinary Form. This project began many years ago to accommodate the growing number of faithful in the area who are attached to the traditional rites.

Following the blessing of the chapel, Fr. Neal Nichols, FSSP (Chaplain) offered the first Solemn High Mass in the chapel, assisted by Fr. Eric Flood, FSSP (North American Superior of the FSSP) as Deacon, and Fr. Peter Byrne, FSSP (Assistant Chaplain) as Subdeacon.

The facade of the new building:

The beautiful interior, with opportunities for future additions:

Bishop DiLorenzo (left) admires the beautiful altar:

The St. Benedict's "Knights of the Altar" prepare to lead the procession to the cornerstone:

The Bishop blesses the cornerstone, then blesses the exterior of the building in procession:

Hundreds of faithful fill the new chapel:

Bishop DiLorenzo blesses the interior of the new chapel, followed by the chanting of the Litany of the Saints. Upon reaching the Saint in whose name the chapel is being dedicated (Saint Benedict), the Saint is invoked three times:

Following the blessing, the altar is adorned and a Solemn High Mass is offered in the chapel for the first time:

A photo of one half of the attending priests and seminarians from the Dioceses of Richmond, Arlington, Portland, and Raleigh. Also present were local Benedictine Brothers and Priests, and seminarians from the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter:

Deo Gratias for a wonderful day long awaited by many in the Diocese of Richmond.

Photos taken by Fr. Cusick of "A Priest Life." Final photo taken by Steve Neill of the Catholic Virginian.

Blessing and first Mass at the New Saint Benedict Chapel, Chesapeake, Virginia

2011-03-06T18:55:00.004-05:00

I attended the blessing of the new chapel of Saint Benedict (an apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter) in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Saturday. I assisted at Holy Mass here from 2006-2009 while I was stationed on ships in Norfolk, VA. Here is a photo of Father Neal Nichols, FSSP, celebrating the first Solemn High Mass in the newly dedicated church. He is assisted by Father Eric Flood, FSSP, and Father Peter Byrne, FSSP. You can see more photos the of the church, the blessing and first Mass by visiting Father Cusick's blog A Priest Life.

I have a new Goddaughter!

2011-03-03T13:58:00.008-05:00

Baby Catherine was baptized in the Extraordinary Form on February 27.

Part I: In the Narthex (or outside) of the Church:

The priest (wearing a violet stole), sponsors, and the catechumen stand outside of the church, symbolizing that at this point, the candidate is not a member of the Church. The Godparents/Sponsors respond for the child:

Priest: "Catherine, what do you ask of the Church of God?"
Sponsor: "Faith."
Priest: "What does Faith offer you?"
Sponsor: "Life everlasting."
Priest: "If then you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments. 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.'"

The priest then breathes 3 times on the candidate in the form of a Cross, recalling the Spirit (breath, wind, "ruach") of God.

Priest: "Go forth from her, unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete"

The priest now makes the Sign of the Cross with his thumb on the candidate's forehead and breast.

Priest: "Receive the Sign of the Cross both upon your forehead + and also upon your heart +; take to you the faith of the heavenly precepts; and so order your life as to be, from henceforth, the temple of God. Let us pray: Mercifully hear our prayers, we beseech Thee, O Lord; and by Thy perpetual assistance keep this Thine elect, Catherine, signed with the sign of the Lord's cross, so that, preserving this first experience of the greatness of Thy glory, she may deserve, by keeping Thy commandments, to attain to the glory of regeneration. Through Christ our Lord."

Sponsor: "Amen."

The priest places his hand on the candidate's head:

Priest: "Let us pray: Almighty, everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, look graciously down upon this Thy servant, Catherine, whom Thou hast graciously called unto the beginnings of the faith; drive out from her all blindness of heart; break all the toils of Satan wherewith she was held: open unto her, O Lord, the gate of Thy loving kindness, that, being impressed with the sign of Thy wisdom, she may be free from the foulness of all wicked desires, and in the sweet odor of Thy precepts may joyfully serve Thee in Thy Church, and grow in grace from day to day. Through the same Christ our Lord, Amen."

The priest then puts a little blessed salt in the candidate's mouth. Salt is the symbol of that wisdom which gives a relish for the sweetness of divine nourishment; preserves, by the teaching of the Gospel, from the corruption of sin, and prevents evil passions from growing in men's souls.

Priest: "Catherine, Receive the salt of wisdom; let it be to thee a token of mercy unto everlasting life. May it make your way easy to eternal life."

Sponsor: "Amen."
Priest: "Peace be with you."
Sponsor: "And with your spirit."
Priest: "Let us pray: O God of our fathers, O God the Author of all truth, vouchsafe, we humbly beseech Thee, to look graciously down upon this Thy servant, Catherine, and as she tastes this first nutriment of salt, suffer her no longer to hunger for want of heavenly food, to the end that she may be always fervent in spirit, rejoicing in hope, always serving Thy name. Lead her, O Lord, we beseech Thee, to the laver of the new regeneration, that, together with Thy faithful, he may deserve to attain the everlasting rewards of Thy promises. Through Christ our Lord."
Sponsor: "Amen."

Part II: Admission into the Church Building

The priest makes the Sign of the Cross three times over the candidate and says:

"I exorcize thee, unclean spirit, in the name of the Father + and of the Son, + and of the Holy + Spirit, that thou goest out and depart from this servant of God, Catherine, For He commands Thee, accursed one, Who walked upon the sea, and stretched out His right hand to Peter about to sink. Therefore, accursed devil, acknowledge thy sentence, and give honor to the living and true God: give honor to Jesus Christ His Son, and to the Holy Spirit; and depart from this servant of God, Catherine, because God and our Lord Jesus Christ hath vouchsafed to call her to His holy grace and benediction and to the font of Baptism."

The priest again makes the Sign of the Cross on the candidate's forehead.

Priest: "And this sign of the holy Cross, which we make upon her forehead, do thou, accursed devil, never dare to violate."

For the final time, the priest lays his hand on the candidate's head:

Priest: "Let us pray: O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, Author of light and truth, I implore Thine everlasting and most just goodness upon this Thy servant Catherine, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to enlighten him her with the light of Thy wisdom: cleanse her and sanctify her, give unto her true knowledge; that, being made worthy of the grace of Thy Baptism, she may hold firm hope, right counsel and holy doctrine. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The priest lays the end of his stole on the candidate as a symbol of his priestly authority, and admits him into the church building, which is the symbol of the Church of Christ:

Priest: "Catherine, enter thou into the temple of God, that thou mayest have part with Christ unto life everlasting.

Sponsor: "Amen."

On behalf of the child, the Sponsors recite the Creed and Our Father.

Part III: In the Nave of the Church

Priest: "I exorcize thee, every unclean spirit, in the name of God the Father + Almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His Son, our Lord and Judge, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit, that thou be depart from this creature of God, Catherine, which our Lord hath deigned to call unto His holy temple, that it may be made the temple of the living God, and that the Holy Spirit may dwell therein. Through the same Christ our Lord, who shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire."

The priest takes a little spittle and touches the ears and nostrils of the candidate with it. This rite comes from Mark 7:33-35, when Jesus healed the deaf-mute: "And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: 'Ephpheta,' which is, 'Be thou opened.' And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right."

Priest: "Ephpheta, that is to say, Be opened, for an odour of sweetness. Be thou, devil, begone; for the judgement of God shall draw near."

The sponsors then answer for the child:

Priest: "Catherine, do you renounce Satan?"
Sponsor: "I do renounce him."
Priest: "And all of his works?"

Sponsor: "I do renounce him."
Priest: "And all his pomps?"
Sponsor: "I do renounce him."

The priest annoints the candidate with the oil of catechumens on the heart and between the shoulders in the form of a Cross, saying:

Priest: "I annoint you + with the oil of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord, that you may have everlasting life."

Part IV: At the Font

The priest removes his violet stole and puts on a white one. The sponsors confirm belief in the Creed.

At the font:

Priest: "Catherine, will you be baptized?"
Sponsor: "I will."

The priest pours water over the head of the candidate three times, once after each mention of the Divine Persons. As he pours the water, the priest says these words:

Priest: "I baptize you in the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Spirit."

The child is then anointed a second time, this time with Sacred Chrism. This tradition comes from the early Church when Confirmation was administered immediately after baptism (as it is still practiced among Eastern Catholics). While Baptism and Confirmation are two distinct Sacraments, the Catechism of the Council of Trent sums up their interconnectedness very well: "In Baptism man is enlisted into the service, in Confirmation he is equipped for battle; at the baptismal font the Holy Ghost imparts fullness to accomplish innocence, but in Confirmation he ministers perfection to grace." The Catechism of Trent continues: "It is peculiar to Confirmation first to perfect the grace of Baptism. For those who have been made Christians by Baptism still have in some sort the tenderness and softness, as it were, of new-born infants, and afterwards become, by means of the Sacrament of chrism, stronger to resist all the assaults of the world."

In the Roman Church, this second anointing with Sacred Chrism remains as symbolic of the child's future reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. If Baptism is conferred on an adult, there is only one post-baptismal anointing, that of Confirmation.

Father anoints Catherine a second time:

Priest: "May the Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath regenerated thee by water and the Holy Spirit, and who hath given thee the remission of all thy sins, may He Himself + anoint thee with the Chrism of Salvation, in the same Christ Jesus our Lord, unto life eternal."

Priest: "Peace be with you."
Sponsor: "And with your spirit."

This priest takes a white linen cloth -- symbolizing the purity of a soul cleansed from all sin, and places it on the head of the candidate.

Priest: "Receive this white garment, which mayest thou carry without stain before the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou mayest have life everlasting."

The priest gives the sponsor a lighted candle: "Receive this burning light, and keep thy Baptism so as to be without blame: keep the commandments of God, that when the Lord shall come to the nuptials, thou mayest meet Him together with all the Saints in the heavenly court, and mayest have eternal life and live for ever and ever."

Priest: "Catherine, go in peace and the Lord be with you. Amen."

Sponsor: "Amen."

2011-02-27T21:16:00.002-05:00

"Throughout our lives we should only be concerned with one meeting, and that is our Particular Judgment before the throne of God immediately after death."

The Real Presence

2011-02-26T10:55:00.001-05:00

Fr. Bill Casey from the Fathers of Mercy:

Professor Myron - The "Thomist of Lourdes"

2011-02-24T22:54:00.007-05:00

There are very few people who have had an immediate impact on my life. I first went to Lourdes in 2005 while I was still a lukewarm college student. I didn't go again until 2009 when I was diagnosed with cancer. During that time, I met the current anonymous priest who is tutoring me in my seminary courses while he prays for us as a hermit (By the way, he needs a car if anyone in Western NC has a cheap one to sell). This priest also got me involved in Summer service work at the Lourdes shrine, which has continued over the past 2 Summers.

During my first Summer working in Lourdes, I met a Professor named Myron. It was hard not to meet him - he stood in the street and engaged everyone who passed by. If you stopped, you were invited to the Legion of Mary house for a cup of tea so that he could talk to you about the Faith. Most people just walked by, but I saw his joyful smile as I was out for a walk and we had a great talk. His mission was the conversion of souls, but since I was already applying to the seminary, we formed a friendship instead. I joined him in the streets some days - he would literally stop everyone on the street and talk to them about the Faith. If someone was poor or in need, he would help them.

The Summer ended, and I went off for my first year of seminary. I finished the year, and the next Summer I went back to Lourdes for my second "round." Myron came as well, as he does every year.

In his spare time, he teaches Arabic and Spanish at a local university in Cleveland. But he is also a brilliant philosopher and theologian. He spends a lot of time giving presentations and talks about the Doctors of the Church, and he records them and sells his CDs for $5. He was recently invited to give a talk at Oxford University. He has spoken about St. Benedict, St. Bernard, St. Gertrude, St Louis de Montfort, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many others. Through his insight, each of his presentations have changed the way that I view the world and life in general. Email me if you are interested in getting some of his CDs.

In the meantime, look for him in Lourdes, where he spends every Summer. Ask him out for a cup of coffee, and you'll get your money's worth of wisdom from this "Thomist of Lourdes":

Medical Update

2011-02-22T21:14:00.003-05:00

News was good from my most recent doctor appointment. My latest MRI showed that the tumor has not grown over the past 6 weeks - welcome news after the tumor had been growing slowly over the past year. It seems that my excellent doctor, a native German, made the right choice by being patient and leaving me on my current chemotherapy treatment.

I return to the doctor at the end of March for another MRI - please pray for more good news!

Army/Navy 2010

2011-02-16T17:40:00.001-05:00

While looking through my camera, I noticed that I never posted photos from the 2010 Army/Navy game. My seminarian friend, Jason, was able to get great tickets for the game in Philadelphia. Here, we are headed up to the box seats:

Chris checks out the catered box:

We got to sit in the box right above the Midshipman seating:

The tickets came with field passes:

Navy SEALs parachute in before the game:

Of course, another Navy victory!

Write to your Congressmen

2011-02-15T13:16:00.002-05:00

Write to your Congressmen now to urge them to defund Planned Parenthood. The votes start today. My email: "I am writing to urge that Congressman Miller support all pro-life amendments to H.R. 1 this week, including the Pence Amendment, which would deny federal funds to Planned Parenthood, which is the nation's biggest abortion provider. Please tell me how the congressman intends to vote on the Pence Amendment."

On February 15, 16, and 17, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on multiple abortion-related amendments to a bill (H.R. 1) that will fund all federal programs through September 30, 2011. Of particular importance is an amendment to be offered by Congressman Mike Pence (R-In.), which would deny all federal funds, through September 30, for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., and 102 PPFA affiliates, which are named in the text of the amendment.

Visit to MD

2011-02-11T09:38:00.007-05:00

I recently traveled to Maryland for my appointment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. I should have the results of my tests soon, and will be sure to post a medical update.

My friend Fr. Kevin Cusick hosted me, and we saw some of the local Catholic sites. First, we visit the All Saints Sisters of the Poor in Catonsville, MD. These former Episcopalian nuns converted to Catholicism in 2009, with the Episcopalian acceptance of openly homosexual clergy being the "final straw." All but two of the sisters became Catholic, and they work mostly with the poor and sick. Their chaplain also converted. Here is their beautiful convent:

Their schedule:

Reverence for the Real Presence:

Their chapel:

The high altar - all Masses are ad orientem:

One of the side altars:

Next we visited Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, run by the great Nashville Dominicans. Here is their beautiful altar:

Their academy:

Next, to downtown Baltimore:

Fr. Cusick and I on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes at his rectory. He has still not taken down his Christmas tree!

Today: a visit to Saint Francis de Sales Church in Benedict, Maryland

2011-02-10T09:49:00.004-05:00

Tonight I will take part in Eucharistic Adoration at the church of Saint Francis de Sales in Benedict, Maryland. I have been invited to give a short talk during the service about the blessings I have received since learning I had cancer two years ago.

The Holy Hour will begin at approximately 7:45 pm and will immediately follow a 7 pm Requiem Mass in the Extraordinary Form. If you are unable to attend, please join us in the Holy Spirit through the communion of prayer.

The Church of Saint Francis de Sales is located at 7185 Benedict Avenue in Benedict, Maryland 20612.

Lesser-Known Saints: St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre

2011-02-04T21:09:00.003-05:00

Missionary and martyr, born at Puech, Diocese of Cahors, France, 6 January 1802; martyred at Ou-Tchang-Fou, China, 11 September 1840.

Jean-Gabriel was one of eight children born to Pierre Perboyre and Marie Rigal. By reason of his piety, he was the model of his companions during his childhood. While acting as companion to his younger brother, in the preparatory seminary of Moutauban, he felt the Divine call to the priesthood, and after obtaining the consent of his father to take the step, he entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Mission, in the seminary of Montauban, December 1818. On the feast of the Holy Innocents, 1820, he made the four vows of the Vincentians. He was ordained to the priesthood, 23 September 1825, in the chapel of the Sisters of Charity, by Bishop Dubourg, of New Orleans, and on the following day he said his first Mass.

Shortly after his ordination, he was sent to the seminary of Saint-Flour to teach dogmatic theology, and two years later, he was appointed superior of the preparatory seminary of Saint-Flour. His great sanctity and marvelous success induced his superiors, in 1832, to appoint him sub-director of the novitiate in Paris. He continued in this office until 1835, when he begged for permission to go to China, there to preach, to suffer, and to die. He left Havre on 21 March, and on 29 August 1835, arrived at Macao, where he spent some time studying the Chinese language.

On 21 December 1835, he began his journey to Ho-Nan, the mission assigned to him. In January 1838, he was transferred to the mission of Hou-Pe, in which he laboured zealously and with great success. In September 1839, the persecutions against Christians broke out in Hou-Pe, and Jean-Gabriel was one of the first victims. The events leading to his death bear a striking resemblance to the Passion and Death of Christ. A neophyte, like another Judas, betrayed Jean-Gabriel for thirty ounces of silver. He was stripped of his garments and clothed with rags, bound, and dragged from tribunal to tribunal. At each trial, he was treated inhumanly, tortured both in body and in soul. Finally, he was taken to Ou-Tchang-Fou, and after unparalleled tortures, was condemned to death. The sentence was ratified by an imperial edict, and on 11 September 1840, Jean-Gabriel was led to death with seven criminals. The holy priest was strangled to death on a cross.

Jean-Gabriel was declared Venerable by Gregory XVI in July 1843, beatified by Leo XIII on 9 November 1889, and canonized by John Paul II on 2 June 1996. His feast is celebrated on 11 September.

Book review: "The Closing of the Muslim Mind"

2011-01-30T06:40:00.000-05:00

The most eye-opening book of 2010
by Philip Lawler

"If ignorance really is bliss, then no one should read The Closing of the Muslim Mind."

But since I prefer to know the truth, even when it is distressing, I found Robert Reilly's study of Sunni Muslim thought to be the most enlightening book of 2010.
Reilly tells the sad story of how a great philosophical battle within Islam, between the Mu'tazilites and the Ash'arites, shaped the history of the faith and led inevitably to the crisis of Islam today. This intellectual battle – which was settled by the middle of the 9th century – was no dry academic discussion; it was a high-stakes contest, with implications that should be obvious to thoughtful Christians of the early 21st century.

Major philosophical disputes ordinarily run for centuries. Platonists and Aristoteleans are still arguing today. Echoes of the debates from the Council of Nicea can still be heard in the theology departments of Catholic universities. But the Mu'tazilites are no longer arguing with the Ash'arites. In Islam the debate has been closed – not because one argument proved more persuasive than the other, but because one school invoked its authority to silence criticism.

The Mu'tazilites attempted the same synthesis of faith and reason that medieval philosophers accomplished within Christianity. While fully accepting the authority of the Qu'ran, the Mu'tazilites believed that the Islamic faith could be subjected to logical analysis, and the works of Allah would conform to the demands of human reason.

Not so the Ash'arites. This school of thought insists that Islam requires utter subjection to the will of God. To think that Allah is subject to reason is impudent, even blasphemous, in the Ash'arite view. The Ash'arites do not accept even the most fundamental logical analysis of the Qu'ran; they demand unquestioning obedience to the word of Allah.

When some passages of the Qu'ran contradict others, the Mu'tazilites say that reason should guide the faithful to the truth. The Ash'arites make no such concession to human reason. If Allah wishes to be contradictory, they argue, who are we mortals to question the almighty? Thus the principle of non-contradiction, the most fundamental principle of rational thought, is wiped off the boards, and Islam enters the province of unreason.

The triumph of the Ash'arites, Reilly tells his readers, represents the final closing of Islamic mind. With Mu'tazilites, some inter-faith dialogue would have been possible. But with Ash'arites, there is no basis for a reasoned discussion because reason itself is held in disdain.

So Islamic thought since the 9th century has been marked by a disinterest in consistency, in analysis, in scientific exploration. It is no coincidence, Reilly observes, that the great discoveries of the Arab world occurred before the rise of Islamic power. Nor it is surprising that the development of the Islamic nations lags far behind that of their Western counterparts.

Regrettably, the Ash'arite victory was apparently definitive, because once reason has been overthrown, there is no way to resolve disputes other than the imposition of power. Islam became a faith defined entirely by the exercise of the will: Allah's will. If a Mu'tazilite dared to suggest that the Qu'ran should be examined through the prism of reason, then that Mu'tazilite was charged with a blasphemous offense against the faith, and his life was in jeopardy.

Pope Benedict was playing a very interesting gambit, then, when he suggested in his famous Regensburg address that Islam, like Christianity, should be held to the standards of reason. The Holy Father was offering a serious dialogue with any Muslim leaders who might be willing to take up the Mu'tazilite cause.

Surely the Pope knows that it would be dangerous for any Islamic scholar to head down that road. But as things stand, the entire world is headed down a dangerous road, toward a confrontation between Islam and the West. It would be best, surely, to avoid a violent confrontation. But if we hope to avoid violence we must have some other means of resolving disagreements. Before we can engage in productive dialogue with Islam, we must find interlocutors who will treat that dialogue seriously – who will treat reason seriously. What I mean by judgment here is clear and unambiguous truth telling, the placing of things, both good and bad, in the light that permits them to appear as they really are.

This guy gets it...

2011-01-29T16:56:00.003-05:00

Rep. James Lankford from Oklahoma explains why the Right to Life is self-evident, and he obviously cares more about the truth than his political career. Watch the entire video and pray that more congressmen will stand up for the unborn:

2011-01-27T14:23:00.003-05:00

‎"Let all, then, who would live in Christ, flock to their priests. By them they will be supplied with the comforts and food of the spiritual life. From them they will procure the medicine of salvation assuring their cure and happy recovery from the fatal sickness of their sins. The priest, finally, will bless their homes, consecrate their families and help them, as they breathe their last, across the threshold of eternal happiness." - Pope Pius XII, "Mediator Dei"

NC Mass for Life

2011-01-26T22:44:00.005-05:00

More than 24 buses from parishes throughout the Diocese made their way to D.C., leaving in the early hours of Monday morning. They were joined by several thousands of other Catholics from the Diocese of Raleigh and the Diocese of Charlotte, who traveled by car, some departing as early as Sunday.

Once again, as in recent years, the Upper Church of the Basilica was filled for the 11:30 a.m. North Carolina Mass for Life. The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge was the Principal Celebrant. The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte, was Homilist and Principal Concelebrant. The large majority of those in attendance were from North Carolina, with worshippers from other Dioceses sprinkled throughout the 2,500-seat shrine. Several hundred other people stood along the sides of the Upper Church.

While it is wonderful that so many rally for life each year, let us pray that the sin of abortion will be abolished so that such a rally will no longer be necessary in the future.

The Shrine:

The entrance procession:

Seminarians from Raleigh and Charlotte:

Bishops Jugis (Charlotte) and Burbidge (Raleigh):

Responsorial psalm:

Deacon Brendan Buckler proclaims the Gospel:

Bishop Jugis delivers the sermon:

NC Catholics gather for the March for Life:

Long Weekend in Washington, DC

2011-01-24T23:21:00.005-05:00

This weekend was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the sanctity of all human life on the (sad) anniversary of the legalization of abortion.

On Saturday night in DC, I had the opportunity to attend the Life Prizes awards with my friend Lila Rose, a 2008 Life Prizes winner for her work with Live Action, and other friends involved in pro-life work. Life Prizes is an annual prize program awarding up to $600,000 for outstanding efforts to awaken the conscience of America to the sanctity of human life through public advocacy, scientific research, outreach and public disclosure activities, legal action and other noteworthy achievements:

Laura Ingraham, a recent convert to Catholicism and the official guest host of The O'Reilly Factor, was the emcee for the night and announced the six winners:

One of the winners was Bobby Schindler, a devout Catholic and the co-founder of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network. He is the brother of Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged patient who died in 2005 after being deprived of food and water by order of a judge. After Terri's death, her family vowed to fight for the right to life of disabled and vulnerable men and women everywhere, and their organization has provided assistance to more than 1,000 families through a national network of resources, support, and medical facilities for the medically-dependent, persons with disabilities, and those incapacitated in life-threatening situations. Here, Bobby publicly pleads for Terri's life in 2005:

After the ceremony, we headed to the famous "Dubliner" pub in DC, where I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Schindler in person to discuss his work and the Faith:

The well-known pro-life blogger Jill Stanek was also at the "Dubliner" after the awards:

The next day, hundreds of bishops, priests, deacons, and seminarians gathered with thousands of the faithful for the Vigil Mass for Life in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC:

On Monday morning, pilgrims from the dioceses of Raleigh and Charlotte filled the basilica for the North Carolina Mass for Life. As these photos come from a phone, I hope to have better photos from the Mass once they are posted on the diocesan website:

Bishop Burbidge blesses the faithful at the end of Mass:

Following Mass, we met as a diocese to participate in the March for Life, praying that the sin of abortion will soon come to an end:
With Stacy, the sister of a priest friend:

Lesser-Known Saints: Saint Ephrem

2011-01-20T10:02:00.003-05:00

Saint Ephrem the Syrian was born sometime around the year 306 in Nibisis, a Syrian town located in modern-day Turkey. The Church was suffering under the persecution of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. It was long believed that Ephrem's father was a pagan priest, but evidence from his own writings suggests that both of his parents may have been Christians, so his father may have converted later in life.

Ephrem was baptized around the age of 18, and he may have been ordained a deacon at the same time. Since one of the chief activities of a deacon is the preaching of the Gospel, Ephrem began to write deeply theological hymns and biblical commentaries. In his lifetime, he may have written as many as three million lines, and 400 of his hymns still survive. His hymnography earned him the title "Harp of the Spirit."

Fleeing westward from the Persians, who were ravaging Turkey, Ephrem settled in Edessa, in southern Turkey, in 363. There, he continued to write hymns, especially defending the teaching of the Council of Nicea against the Arian heretics, who were influential in Edessa. He died tending plague victims in 373. He is the patron of spiritual directors.

Lesser-Known Saints: Saint Peter Louis Mary Chanel

2011-01-18T12:06:00.006-05:00

Peter Chanel began his life working on his father's farm, and later became a model student, parish priest, and missionary. After his ordination in 1827, he was given the parish of Crozet, which had earned a bad reputation. Over three years, his attendance to the sick gained the confidence of the parishioners and brought about a spiritual revival.

In 1831, wishing to become a missionary, he was one of the first to join the missionary Society of Mary which was formed at Lyons, France in 1822, but he taught another five years in the seminary of Belley. In 1836, the Marists received papal approval, and Peter was sent with a small band of missionaries to New Hebrides in the Pacific. With a lay-brother and an English layman, Thomas Boog, Peter went to the Islands of Futuna, under French sovereignty near Fiji, where cannibalism had only recently been forbidden by the local ruler, Niuliki.

The missionaries gained the confidence of the people by ministering to the sick, learning the language, and beginning to teach. The chieftain Niuliki became jealous of their influence, however, and was further angered when his own son said he wished to be baptized. Three years after his arrival, when his companions were away, Peter was attacked by a band of warriors who killed him with a club and cut up his body with their hatchets. His martyrdom served his cause, however, for within a few months the island was Christianized.

When called upon to justify his conversion, one of Chanel's catechumens had said of him, "He loves us. He does what he teaches. He forgives his enemies. His teaching is good."

Because he was the first martyr of the South Seas, Peter Chanel is the patron of Oceania.

Visit with Fr. Benedict

2011-01-17T21:41:00.003-05:00

Before the end of the semester at St. Charles, I received a visit from Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR. He and I have been in touch ever since I read his book A Priest Forever: The Life of Fr. Eugene Hamilton. A close friend of Fr. Benedict, Fr. Eugene was a seminarian with terminal cancer, and he was ordained on his deathbed.

Fr. Benedict was in the area for a talk, and then stopped by St. Charles before returning to New York. I thank him for his charity and for thinking of me. Please pray an Ave for him.

Lesser Known Saints: Saints Nicholas Pieck and his Companions: "The Martyrs of Gorkum"

2011-01-16T16:21:00.003-05:00

In 1572, Calvinists killed nineteen priests and religious because of their Catholic religion in Gorkum, Holland. Eleven of those killed were Franciscans, one Dominican, one Norbertine, and the rest were diocesan priests. In late June and early July, Calvinists officially seized the town of Gorkum and the Franciscans and four other priests were treated without mercy and with great contempt.

The Calvinist admiral, Baron de la Marck, had them dragged half naked and starving to the town of Briel, where they were paraded around the square much to the amusement of the people. That evening they were interrogated by the admiral and Calvinist ministers as to their religious beliefs. In order to gain their freedom they were ordered to abandon their belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist. They refused to do this.

They were led to a deserted monastery where there was a shed with two beams. They were all hung while Father Nicholas Pieck spoke words of encouragement as he was flung off a ladder. Their bodies were thrown into two ditches where they remained until they were dug up and brought to the Franciscan church in Brussels in 1616. They were canonized in 1867 as the 19 Martyrs of Gorkum.

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2011-01-06T23:50:00.003-05:00

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Update

2011-01-04T19:26:00.004-05:00

I hope all readers had a wonderful Christmas celebration. I was blessed to return to my home parish for the Christmas Missa Cantata offered by Fr. Parkerson.

Many of my friends have already heard, but I will not be returning to St. Charles Seminary next semester due to my health. I have become overwhelmed trying to balance daily chemotherapy with classes and the seminary's rigorous schedule, so I need some time off.

With the blessing of the seminary and Bishop Burbidge, I will be spending next semester as a seminarian in residence at Saint Catherine of Siena parish in Wake Forest, NC. In this photo, Bishop Burbidge and Fr. Phil Tighe, the pastor of Saint Catherine's, welcome Mother Assumpta Long, O.P., from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist to a recent conference at the parish. I thank Fr. Tighe for his hospitality:

A priest friend who wishes to remain anonymous will be tutoring me in my seminary courses so that I will not fall behind as I pursue the priesthood. Please keep this kind priest in your prayers, and as always I appreciate your prayers for my health.