At 8:46 a.m., five hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center’s North Tower (1 WTC) and at 9:03 a.m. another five hijackers crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower (2 WTC). There were a total of 2,996 deaths, including the 19 hijackers and 2,977 victims. The victims that day included one Franciscan Priest, while he was performing his priestly duties on the injured and dead.
Today is the Feast of the Patron of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. Louis the King. He lived his faith with conviction and publicly. Here is a meditation on this topic from a modern Franciscan who is presently the Archbishop of Denver and soon to be the Archbishop of Philadelphia:
“Speak in the light”
Cardinal Henri de Lubac: once wrote that “It is not true … that man cannot organize the world without God. What is true is that, without God, [man] can ultimately only organize it against man. Exclusive humanism is inhuman humanism … ”
St. Thomas More, a Franciscan Tertiary, has been named the patron for lawyers and politicians. This holy and wholly Catholic man was a husband and father in addition to being a lawyer and became Lord Chancellor of England so much was he respected and regarded in his own time. He was beheaded in witness of the Truths of the Faith in 1535.
Blessed Pope John Paul II would write of him: “Precisely because (more…)
No, I was not helpless or worthless or useless in that prison. I was not terribly humiliated because I was rejected as a priest. These men around me were suffering, they needed help. They needed someone to listen to them with sympathy, someone to comfort them, someone to give them courage to carry on. They needed someone who was not feeling sorry for himself but who could truly share in their sorrow. They needed someone who was not looking for consolation but who could console. They needed someone who was not looking for respect and admiration because of what he was but someone who could show them love and respect even if spurned and rejected himself.
As Christ had set the example for me, so could I be to them an example of Christian charity and concern. If nothing else, if they insisted upon shunning me, I could at least pray for them and offer up for them to the Father of us all the suffering and anguish that their rejection of me as a priest caused me. Christ had prayed for his persecutors, “Father, forgive them.” If I could do nothing else at this moment in the prison at Perm, I could do that. (more…)
December 17, 2010. The Vatican has accused China of oppressing religious freedom and says that attempts to control the conscience of its citizens and interfere in the internal affairs of the Catholic Church does no credit to Beijing. In a strongly worded statement, the Vatican said their attitude is a sign of fear, weakness and intransigent intolerance. The report also states that Beijing has “unilaterally damaged the climate of trust and dialogue” that had developed between the Vatican and the government.
Heavenly Father, we praise you and give you thanks for all your wonderful blessings. You are the Source and Fountain of Life. We acknowledge you as Lord, not only of individuals but of countries and governments as well. Awaken in every heart reverence for the work of your hands. All human life is sacred from the first moment of conception to natural death for it is created in your image and likeness.
Jesus, the firstborn of all creation, you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Have mercy on us, on our families and our country. Accept our prayers and fasting in atonement for the tragic sin of abortion in the world, especially in our country. By the merits of your precious blood, shed for our redemption, instill in all hearts a profound respect for life and bring about an end to abortion, euthanasia, and every other assault on innocent human life.
Come, Holy Spirit, strengthen us and give us courage to work tirelessly to promote a true Culture of Life, whether in season or out of season – a culture that recognizes the dignity and sanctity of every person. Raise up men and women to serve in public office who will work tirelessly for the protection of all human life.
Blessed Mary, Mother of God, and our Mother, you bore the Author of Life in your womb, by your intercession may our hearts be conformed to yours so that we might accept, nurture, and cherish all human life. Sacred heart of Jesus, pierced for love of our love, we trust in your mercy and goodness. Amen.
Written by Bishop James D. Conley, Auxiliary Bishop of Denver
Please join in the prayer effort during these 40 days: September 22nd-October 31st. For more information see www.40daysforlife.com
A Chilean saint, Fr. Alberto Hurtado (d. 1952), often repeated the saying of the famous French priest, Lacordaire, in speaking of the pathway to holiness: “It is proper for the noblest hearts to discover the most urgent need of their epoch and to consecrate themselves to it.” Saints always have their feet on the ground and their minds on God or at least trying to discern the Will of God for the transformation of their societies. In this perspective there is little doubt that many of those who strive for holiness today will consecrate themselves to the most urgent need of our epoch: namely, putting an end to the wholesale slaughter of the innocents by modern day Herods and Pharaohs. It is to this end that this little book is written. This manual is meant to shake people up and call them to the battle to save lives and souls. The day is far gone and the need has grown increasingly urgent.
Modern American society and, by extension, the rest of the world that is influenced by American politics and culture, is be systematically dismantled before our very eyes by a spiritual e of evil that is not recognized as such. If the devil were to appear to the children of this age as he truly is, in all his ugliness and horror, he would be roundly rejected. So, of course he doesn’tappear as he truly is. This clever being, it is said, “disguises himself as an angel of light”(2 Cor 11:14)3 and has found countless illusory costumes in which to conduct his evil, all the while maintaining an appearance of political correctness and acceptability in polite society. Real Christians don’t fall for his deceit, though. We have eyes to see the truth because we are followers of the Truth, and it’s time to “consecrate” ourselves to the Truth in a new and bold way. (more…)
“Get a life!” An angry shout from a passing care reached our ears. And again, a little later, came the same cry from another car: “Get a life!”
Irony of ironies.
For this is exactly what we hope to do: get a life (saved).
Now “Get a life!” is certainly not the worst thing that someone hears as they pray in front of a Planned Parenthood or abortion mill. Much worse remarks are flung at us. Yet I am struck by this irony. Can it be that they do not realize that these places deal in death? Some have said we are ‘blocking freedom’. Freedom from what? Is freedom the same as liberty? Can we have liberty without life? Isn’t life the first right of an American? Is there a difference between freedom and license? Does anyone know this?
“It’s not your body”, is hollered at us. No, it is not. Nor is it the body of the woman that is being sacrificed on the altar of abortion. It is not her body either. She may well, in most cases, have had a choice prior to this moment. But now there should be no “choice” which is a word perverted to mean abortion. (more…)
Miscellanea #50 – Up Capital Hill (04min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Organizer Nellie Gray told the press that the numbers of marchers this year far exceeded last year, which was estimated at well over 300,000. That sentiment was echoed by many long-time March for Life participants. LifeSiteNews.com
A community that gets rid of someone—a community that is allowed to, and can, and wants to get rid of someone when he no longer is able to run around as the same attractive or useful member—has thoroughly misunderstood itself.
Fr. Alfred Delp S.J.’s Timeless Message Against Euthanasia (November 2, 1941)
We celebrate All Souls’ Day, and the meaning of that day is the spiritual companionship of human beings and all humanity to each other, all the way beyond the stars. It is not a camaraderie, however, that simply shields man, and acquiesces to everything and permits things to happen. Rather it is a camaraderie among those doing penance and reparation, and having the desire to help one other to attain salvation and perfection.
And we celebrated All Saints’ Day, whose meaning expressed the goal, the interior purpose of man … As I was reading the Gospel for All Saints’ Day and reading the eight repetitions: “Beati estis, blessed are you when…” (Mt. 5:3ff – Sermon on the Mount, Gospel for the Feast of All Saints), I asked the question: What is meant by this word “blessed”? What is meant by this happiness that is promised to people here? … Beati estis – eight times we proclaimed those words to mankind for All Saints’ Day.
This past week I went to see a film here in Munich, a film that, day after day, for weeks now, has been giving people a sermon about human happiness, too. In this film, too, there is much talk of happiness and redemption and the meaning of existence…I am talking about the film, I Accuse. Many of you will have heard of it. It has do with a happy family life: two people made for each other; an intimate life together; growing together from one success to the next. A happy life and happy atmosphere and happy hearts. And then like a bolt from the blue in the midst of this, comes the wife’s illness, the incurable, progressive paralysis. First of all, the couple’s rebellious reaction and their attempt, by any means possible, to defeat this demon. However, they reach the limits of their strength, and then comes just the right solution: To “let her go”. You cannot do this to a person, cannot let her suffer like that, so you—let her go. This human being dies before bearing out the term of her suffering.
That, too, is a message about happy people. Here, too, a “beatus” is expressed, a beatus, not as a promise, but as an end in itself: Man should be happy and make others happy. When he can no longer do this, then life begins to lose its meaning; and what is meaningless is basically untenable and unjustifiable, and it dies.
Roving Reporter #86 – Maggie Gallagher (07min) >>> Play
Ave Maria!
Maggie Gallagher, Founder / President
In addition to serving as President of the National Organization for Marriage, Maggie Gallagher is also president of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy (www.iMAPP.org), a nonprofit organization whose unique mission is research and public education on ways that law and public policy can strengthen marriage as a social institution.
Maggie is a nationally syndicated columnist, the author of three books on marriage (including most recently with University of Chicago Prof Linda Waite “The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better-Off Financially”), and a leading voice of the new marriage movement. National Journal named her to the 2004 list of the most influential people in the same-sex marriage debate.
She appears frequently on major TV and radio and is frequently asked to lecture at colleges, universities and law schools. She has testified as an expert witness on marriage before the U.S. Senate and in various state legislatures. Her writings on marriage have appeared in The New York Times, The Weekly Standard, and the Wall Street Journal, as well as scholarly journals such as the Louisiana Law Review, and the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy.
In our present world where the embracing of intrinsic evils, which are the compromises with the devil, are becoming more and more mainstream and even mandated, a courageous voice spoke out in 1968. He was publicly denounced for this even by some high ranking clergy. Society was warned but did not heed the warning and never has human life become so cheapened and the dignity of a human being so debased. The consequences of the embracing of moral evils has yet to be fully realized. God help us.
ENCYCLICAL LETTER HUMANAE VITAE
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF PAUL VI
some excerpts from the Encyclical Letter which can be found at:
Honored Brothers and Dear Sons, Health and Apostolic Benediction.
The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.
The fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married people, but the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have provoked new questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they concern matters intimately connected with the life and happiness of human beings.
A worthy encore:
Ave Maria Meditations
July 17th,Martyrs of Compiegne: “Song from the Scaffold”
Blessed Teresa of Sf. Augustine and Companions (1794)
Blessed Teresa and fifteen other Carmelite nuns were guillotined during the “Reign of Terror” of the French Revolution. Two years earlier they had made an Act of Consecration by which they offered themselves as a holocaust to bring peace to the Church and the country.
When they were arrested Sister Henriette exclaimed, “Let us rejoice in the joy of the Lord, that we shall die for our Holy Religion.” As each Sister ascended the guillotine, her companions sang the Veni Creator Spiritus. The normally noisy crowd was strangely silent, and a witness remarked, “They looked as if they were going to their wedding.” Within ten days of their death, the Reign of Terror ended.
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