On the Blessed Sacrament

The Blessed Sacrament is the greatest treasure of the Catholic Church. Because God loved us as he did, He remained with us for all eternity in the form of bread and wine. True food for the soul. As Catholics we are encouraged to spend time with in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the form of adoration. Shouldn't we be like the Mary character in the Gospel and spend time contemplating Christ?

In a time of New Year resolutions, perhaps we can all make the effor to visit the Blessed Sacrament at least once a week to spend a few minutes in the presence of Christ himself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says,

1418 Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, he is to be honored with the worship of adoration. "To visit the Blessed Sacrament is . . . a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord" (Paul VI, MF 66).

Here are some quotes from some of my favorite writers.

"Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth:the Blessed Sacrament.There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth." ~J.R.R. Tolkien

"We adore Thee most holy Lord Jesus Christ, here in all Thy Churches, which are in the whole world, because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world."
~St. Francis of Assisi

Each time we look upon Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, He raises us up into deeper union with Himself, opens up the floodgates of His merciful love to the whole world, and brings us closer to the day of His final victory "where every knee will bend and proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord". "The reign of God is already in your midst." The coming of Jesus to us in the Eucharist is assurance of His promise of final victory: "BEHOLD, I COME TO MAKE ALL THINGS NEW." ~Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering." - Pope Benedict XVI

"The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship."~Pope John
Paul II

"When the Sisters are exhausted, up to their eyes in work; when all seems to go awry, they spend an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. This practice has never failed to bear fruit: they experience peace and strength," ~Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Jesus is the Way

"Jesus is the way that leads to the true life, the life that never ends. It is often a steep and narrow way but, if one allows oneself to be attracted by Him, it is always stupendous, like a mountain path: the higher one climbs the easier it becomes to gaze down upon new panoramas, ever more beautiful and vast. The journey is tiring but we are not alone. ... What is important is not to lose our way, not to miss the path, otherwise we risk falling into an abyss or getting lost in the woods."

- From the Holy Father's 12/20 Audience with the Italian Catholic Action

God's Will- Free Will- Predestination

A question about the title of this post was asked at our first meeting. I made reference to this in an earlier post. At the request of a reader, I am posting an answer to this question:

If God knows what we are going to do, then how is that not predestination and what does it do to our free will?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the following about free will:

1731 Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility. By free will one shapes one's own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude.

So then... we are each given the privilege to shape our own life. And out of complete love for his creation, God does not impede in the process of it. So what is God's will? I believe that God has a dream dreamt long before our earthly existence for each one of us. It is a dream of being who God is in the world. And so, every heartbeat of our existence and every decision we make should go toward this end. In the Confessions, Saint Augustine writes, "Our hearts were made for you [God], and they are restless until they find their rest in you." Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica writes, "So, what is the purpose of the universe? God freely created the universe to manifest His goodness as far as possible..."

God's knowledge of our future events does not mean that God has predestined us. Omniscience and predestination are two quite different concepts. God is omniscient because as God, God knows everything in the past, present and future all at once in the presence. But just because God knows what our decisions are going to be, it does not mean that God has planned it that way or that he is responsible for our actions. Consider this analogy. A weatherman can predict the rain, but the weatherman is not responsible for making it rain. Knowledge does not necessarily imply responsibility for the cause.

Do predestination and free will meet? No. We are predestined in so far to love and be loveable, BUT, we have the responsibility and choice to live in that manner or not-- equally important is how we live it out.

I hope this post helps answer or clarify any questions that are lingering about this issue. Comments are welcome and appreciated.

¡Que Viva la Morenita! ¡Que viva la Virgen de Guadalupe! ¡Que Viva la emperatriz de las Americas! ¡Que Viva Cristo Rey!

Today the church rejoices in God's gift to the people of the Americas: Our Lady of Guadalupe. Four hundred seventy-six years ago a pregnant Aztec Mary appeared to the lowly Juan Diego Quauhtlatoatzin. Juan Diego, meek and humble of heart, was a reluctant messenger charged with the task of speaking on behalf of the woman who revealed herself as Coatlaxopeuh (later changed to Guadalupe). Juan Diego's messages were received with skepticism and serious doubt by Fray Zumarraga, the bishop of Mexico at that time. In order to prove himself, Juan Diego was to return to the Bishop's house with red castille roses. The roses would not have been much of a challenge were it in another season, but in the middle of winter the roses are nearly impossible to find. Juan returns to the Lady crestfallen to let her know of Bishop's request. She beckons him to return the following day. When Juan Diego returns home he finds his uncle close to death. First he finds a doctor who does not give hope for survival for the ailing uncle. On December 12, on his way to fetch a priest for his uncle Juan Diego rounds the hill of Tepeyac for fear that the Lady might keep him. To his surprise the Lady catches him. After assuring him that his uncle with be healed, the Lady sends Juan Diego to the hilltop to gather roses that have miraculously grown. After arranging them in his cloak, Juan Diego is sent back to the Bishop. As Juan Diego unravels his tilma, the cloak, roses spill out leaving behind the image of the Lady on the tilma.

The story is a very romantic one. Different elements come into play. But, perhaps, the most important element is faith. The story moves us to appreciate the love of God who concerned himself with the Aztecs. Even more beautiful to the story is that God himself does not reveal himself as mighty and powerful (much like the Spanish had done), but rather, sends the softer edged hand maid to attract and love. --- I am reminded of the Vatican II document that reads, "Our Church should be one of attraction, not of coercion"

Guadalupe said to Juan Diego, "No estoy yo aqui quien soy tu Madre?", "Am I not here who am your mother?" Those same words spoken to Juan Diego reverberate through the ages and are spoken to each of us who resort to Mary... "is she not here who is our Mother?" In Mary we find an advocate and source of maternal love that beckons us to experience God's love through her own love.

May our Lady bring great blessings to you and may you find in her a source of solace, peace, and a model of faith.

Report from the First Meeting

So we had our first meeting. Fourteen people showed up! I was very pleased to see that many there. With time, I hope, the number of members will increase. The evening started with pizza, salad and soda pop. It was great to see the camaraderie in the hall way. Once the meeting began we introduced ourselves, told a little about who we are and what we do and jumped right into business. For the next hour or so I went through the ins and outs of how the club works. I took an opportunity to introduce the different books we will be reading throughout the coming months. After the meeting, at the request of one of the members, there was a time for "random questions". This was a good time because I really got several loaded questions like, "If we have free will, then why do people say that things that happen are 'God's will'?" Other questions about the true presence were discussed briefly.

We wrapped up the meeting at 8:30 PM.

There was a lot of buzz after the meeting and I had some time to thank each person who showed up.

So... reading time... we have Matthew's Gospel ahead of us. Remember, post post post!
Pax et Bonum

Fast Facts about the Gospel of Matthew

WRITING

Audience:

Jews

Author:

Traditionally ascribed to a tax collector,

also named "Levi", although, this is not certain

Date Written:

80-90 AD

CONTENT

Depiction of Jesus:

King of the Jews

Key Words:

Kingdom, Fulfill

Key Verse:

Matthew 27:37

Characteristics:

Evidence to prove that Jesus is the awaited Messiah.

FAST FACTS

29 Miracles

31 Parables

10 Sermons

45 Times the Old Testament is Quoted

Matthew's Gospel is the "Handbook of the teachings about the kingdom of God.

SIZE

28 Chapters
1,071 Verses

3rd longest book in the New Testament

Be Awake, Be Ready

A reflection on Sunday's Gospel, a day late:

Jesus said to those around, "Be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Since these words were first said, many people have claimed knowledge of the day when Jesus will return. It's safe to conclude that they were wrong... we are all still here. Often times, these predictions and speculations end in tragedy. Doomsday Cult, Branch Davidians in Waco Texas, the Comet Riders, and the Russian Orthodox Apocalyptic Cult to name a few. I know many people who are anxious and scared that the end is near and Jesus' return is eminent because of all we see in the news. But, should we really be afraid or anxious about the promised return? When we survey evil in the world, shouldn't the peaceful reign of Christ be a welcomed return?

If anything, we should look forward to his return with hopeful expectation. Jesus tells us to be ready for it will happen when we least expect it. Am I ready? Are you ready? Are we ready to encounter peace, Justice, and the love that is the imminent coming of God's reign?

Hope has Arrived...

Pope Benedict's second encyclical has arrived. Departing from custom, it was released in several languages on the same day it was presented. It comes at a very busy time for the Pope with so many things in the past few days-- consitory, the Annapolis Middle East Peace Conference, and everyday Vatican on goings. There is a link to the full text of the Encyclical after the introductory paragraph:

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

SPE SALVI OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI

TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS

MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS

AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON CHRISTIAN HOPE

Introduction
1. “SPE SALVI facti sumus”—in hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us (Rom 8:24). According to the Christian faith, “redemption”—salvation—is not simply a given. Redemption is offered to us in the sense that we have been given hope, trustworthy hope, by virtue of which we can face our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey. Now the question immediately arises: what sort of hope could ever justify the statement that, on the basis of that hope and simply because it exists, we are redeemed? And what sort of certainty is involved here?

FULL TEXT

A Reuters article below on the U.S. Bishop's comments.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ ---Spe Salvi (Saved by hope), thesecond encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, offers inspiration to all believers,said Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops.

"Pope Benedict calls us personally and as a community to a hope rootedin Jesus," he said. Cardinal George made his remarks November 30, the day theencyclical was released at the Vatican.

Spe Salvi instructs readers that the Christian message is not only"informative" but also "performative," that is, "the Gospel is not merely acommunication of things that can be known -- it is one that makes things happen and is life-changing," Pope Benedict says. It is in receiving God through Jesus Christ that we receive hope. He illustrates this point narrating the life of the African slave, St. Josephine Bakhita.

The Pope outlines the concept of faith-based hope in the New Testamentand early church and says that Christianity did not bring to the Roman world ahopeful message of social revolution. Jesus, who died on a cross, brought atotally different kind of hope. He made possible an encounter with "the Lordof all lords, an encounter with the living God and thus an encounter with a hope stronger than sufferings of slavery," which therefore transformed life.

This hope exceeds the physical laws of nature and evolution. It is ultimately not these laws that govern the world and mankind and have the final say; a personal God governs the universe -- "reason, will, love -- a Person,"Pope Benedict says.

For the Pope, Christian hope is not individualistic. It is community oriented -- all of us are becoming the people of God -- the body of Christ, he says. Because our hope is a hope that incorporates all men and women, this hope spurs us not only to obtain eternal life, but to also manifest this hopeof eternal life here on earth. We do this by striving to make our life on earth a heavenly life -- a life of productivity, justice, peace, and goodness
-- a positive world order that prospers. -- a positive world order that prospers.

The Holy Father also notes the importance of Christian faith-hope in the modern age. In the encyclical letter, Pope Benedict analyzes the false utopian dreams of the modern age and points out the untold suffering they have caused human beings. From this point of view, redemption is no longer through faith in God's saving action but from what human beings can achieve throughthe application of technical knowledge to all of society's problems. A praxis-oriented science draws on an understanding of progress as the overcoming of all dependency to make room for a "kingdom" in which God is no longer at the center. Pope Benedict reflects that when reason renounces faith in revelation or the moral wisdom of the great religions, it has led to scientific developments which in some cases evoke fear among our contemporaries. Just as man needs God in order to sustain hope, reason needs faith to make the world a more human place. "Reason needs faith to becompletely itself," the pope says.

Pope Benedict also observes that prayer leads to hope. "A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer . . . When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God," he says.

He adds that action and suffering are also settings for learning hope. "We can try to limit suffering, to fight against it, but we cannot eliminate it," he says. "It is not by side stepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love."

A person "cannot accept another's suffering unless he personally is able to find meaning in suffering, a path of purification and growth inmaturity, a journey of hope. Indeed, to accept the 'other' who suffers, means that I take up his suffering in such a way that it becomes mine also. Because it has now become a shared suffering, though, in which another person is present, this suffering is penetrated by the light of love," he says also.

Pope Benedict highlights the practice of praying for the dead saying it reveals another important element of the Christian concept of hope. "As Christians we should never limit ourselves to asking: how can I save myself? We should also ask: what can I do in order that others may be saved and that for them too the star of hope may rise? Then I will have done my utmost for my own personal salvation as well," he says.

Spe salvi is the second encyclical of Pope Benedict. His first, "Deus Caritas Est," (God is love) explored the meaning of Christian love and how it is expressed in everyday life. He issued it December 25, 2005.

One Last Post About Consistory Weekend

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The 23 prelates elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict on Saturday join the most exclusive group in the Roman Catholic Church, a kind of hand-picked Senate that elects the next pontiff.

Reflecting the global scope of the world's largest Church, 13 of the new cardinals come from Europe, four from Latin America, two from the United States and two each from Asia and Africa.

Following are some facts about cardinals:

WHO ARE THEY?

Cardinals, the "princes of the Church", are a pope's closest advisers and are personally named by him. They are usually archbishops of major dioceses or heads of influential departments at the Vatican.

They outrank all other clergy besides a pope. "Cardinal" comes from the Latin "cardo" (hinge) and symbolizes the link they assure between the Vatican and major dioceses.

Their trademark red hat stands for their readiness to shed their blood for the Church.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

The cardinals' most important job is electing a new pope from among their own ranks in a conclave after the death of a pontiff. Only those under the age of 80 can participate. As the pope's top advisers, they help him govern by serving on Vatican congregations and councils, the equivalent of government ministries. Those who are archbishops also run large dioceses such as capital cities.

HOW TO GET THE RED HAT

The pope occasionally names a group of new cardinals to replace those who have retired or died and to reward bishops for their achievements, such as running a prominent archdiocese or making other major contributions to the life of the Church.

The last consistory to install new cardinals was held in March 2006, when Pope Benedict named 15 of them.

THE NUMBERS

With the latest intake, the College of Cardinals now counts 201 cardinals from 70 different countries, 120 of whom are under 80 and thus eligible to vote in the next conclave. Church law sets a ceiling of electors at 120.

Sixty electors are from Europe, 21 from Latin America, 16 from North America, 12 from Asia, 9 from Africa and 2 from Oceania. Italy has the most electors with 21, followed by the United States with 13 and Germany, France and Spain with 6 each.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS CONSISTORY

Among the new cardinals, the spotlight has been most on Emmanuel III Delly, the Baghdad-based Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, an Eastern rite church linked to Rome. Pope Benedict singled him out for praise in his consistory sermon calling for peace in Iraq.

The choice of Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston, drew attention to population shifts within the United States towards the southwest and the growing role of Hispanic Catholics in the U.S. church.

The most prominent in the Church hierarchy is Argentinean Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, now head of the Congregation for Oriental Churches. In the late Pope John Paul's final years, he often stepped in to finish reading a sermon the ailing Pontiff could no longer deliver. (Editing by Peter Millership)

In other news today...

In other news, today's liturgy, marked the first of major liturgical celebrations overseen by recently appointed Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini. Changes in the approach to liturgy and liturgical environment are already evident. For instance, the altar was adorned with a six candles and an altar crucifix set in the center, similar to the arrangement of candles and altar crucifix in on pre-Vatican II times. In past masses, the cross was placed on the corner of the altar flanked by a candle on either side. Also, worthy of note, was the choice of liturgical vestments for the celebrations of last couple days. Yesterday, Pope Benedict wore a mighty mitre once worn by Pope Pius IX. The cope and stole incorporate orphery said to be over 300 years old. This is quite a departure from the modern, multi colored vestments recently worn in Austria. The Papal Throne used in yesterday's liturgy was also a throwback to Pope Leo XIII's papacy.

I have to admit, I will miss Archbishop Piero Marini, but, as with Benedict's papacy, let's wait and see what comes.

Ring Ceremony for the Newly Created Cardinals

CONSITORY 2007: The Ring Ceremony

This morning, at a solemn Mass on the Feast of Christ the King, Pope Benedict conferred the Cardinal's ring on each of the newly created members of the College of Cardinals. Benedict placed a gold ring on the fourth finger of the right hand of each of the new cardinals as he said to each one, “Receive the ring from the hand of Peter and, with the love of the Prince of the Apostles, may your love to the Church be reinforced.” Pope instructed the new cardinals that in "taking the ring, Cardinals are constantly called to give their lives for the Church."

In his homily, Pope Benedict reminded the cardinals that their “first and foremost mission,” is to provide constant life for the Church and to pray for peace and unity, especially among the disciples of Christ. The Pope furthermore, reminded them that the cross is the “throne” of Christ the King. He urged them: “entire hierarchy of the Church, each charisma and ministry, everything and everyone are in the service of His Lordship.”

Speaking of the ring, the Pope said, “This for you, dear new Brother Cardinals, will always be a reminder of the King you serve, on what throne He has been elevated and how faithful he has been till the end when he defeated sin and death with the strength of divine mercy. Mother Church, Christ’s bride, gives you this insignia as a memento of Her Husband as Christ loved the church and handed Himself over for her (cf Eph 5:25). Thus, wearing the cardinalitial ring, you shall constantly be reminded to give your life to the Church.”

In his reflection of today's reading from the Epistle to the Colossians, the pope said, “this text of the Apostle expresses a synthesis of truth and faith that is so powerful that we cannot but admire it deeply. The Church is the repository of Christ’s mystery. It is so with humility and no trace of pride or arrogance because it is the highest gift that it was given, with no merit in getting it, but which it is called to offer freely to humanity in every age as a horizon of meaning and salvation. It is not philosophy, nor gnosis, even though it includes wisdom and knowledge. It is the mystery of Christ, Christ Himself, Logos incarnate, who died and has risen, becoming the King of the universe. How not to feel a wave of enthusiasm filled with gratitude to be allowed to contemplate the splendour of this revelation? How at the same time can we not feel the joy and sense of responsibility to serve this King, bear witness with one’s life and words to His Lordship? This, in particular, is our task, my venerated Brother Cardinals, namely to announce to the world Christ’s truth, hope for every man and for the entire human family.”

It is fitting that the ring ceremony for the "Princes of the Church" be held today on the Celebration of Christ the King. May the Cardinalate of our church exercise their office of leadership with humility before Him through and for whom they serve. Prayers and blessings to the new Cardinals, and our continued prayers for the College of Cardinals, the Princes of the Church.

CONSISTORY SATURDAY 11/25

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow, November 24, the Pope will hold an Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of 23 new cardinals.

The consistory for the creation of new cardinals, according to the new rite introduced during the consistory of June 28, 1991, contains the following points:

Following a liturgical greeting, the Pope reads the formula of creation, and solemnly proclaims the names of the new cardinals. The first of the new cardinals then addresses the Holy Father on behalf of everyone.

This is followed by the Liturgy of the Word, the Pope's homily, the Profession of Faith and the taking of the oath by each cardinal.

Each new cardinal then approaches the Holy Father and kneels before him to receive the cardinal's biretta and to be assigned a title or deaconry.

The Pope places the biretta on the cardinal's head and says, in part: "(This is) red as a sign of the dignity of the office of a cardinal, signifying that you are ready to act with fortitude, even to the point of spilling your blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God, for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church".

The Holy Father hands over the Bull of Creation as cardinal, assigns the title or deaconry and exchanges a kiss of peace with the new members of the College of Cardinals. The cardinals also exchange such a sign among themselves.

The rite is concluded with the Prayer of the Faithful, the recitation of the Our Father and the final blessing.

At 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, November 25, Solemnity of Christ the King, the Holy Father will preside at a concelebrated Mass with the new cardinals, during which he will give them the cardinal's ring, "the sign of dignity, pastoral care and the most solid communion with the See of Peter."

As he places the ring on the new cardinal's finger, the Pope says: "Take this ring from the hand of Peter and know that, with the love of the Prince of the Apostles, your love for the Church is strengthened."

Following the morning's ceremony, the College of Cardinals will have 201 members, of whom 120 are electors. The members of the College, by continent of origin, are divided as follows: 104 from Europe, 20 from North America, 34 from South America, 18 from Africa, 21 from Asia and 4 from Oceania.

As advisors to the Pope, the cardinals act collegially with him through consistories, which meet by order of the Roman Pontiff and under his presidency. Consistories can either be ordinary or extraordinary. In the ordinary consistory, all cardinals present in Rome, other bishops, priests and special guests are convened. These consistories are called by the Pope for consultation on certain important issues or to give special solemnity to some celebrations. An extraordinary consistory is one to which all cardinals are convened, and is celebrated when some special needs or more serious affairs of the Church suggest that it should be held. (Vatican Information Services)

CONSISTORY ANNOUNCEMENT

(From the 10/27 General Audiece)

I now have the joy of announcing that this 24 November, eve of the Solemnity of Christ the King, I will hold a Consistory at which, departing by one from the number established by Pope Paul VI, confirmed by my venerable Predecessor John Paul II in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis (cf. n. 33), I will name 18 Cardinals. Here are their names.

1. Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches;

2. Archbishop John Patrick Foley, Pro-Grand Master of the Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;

3. Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, President of the Pontifical Commission and of the Governorate of Vatican City State;
4. Archbishop Paul Joseph Cordes, President of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum";

5. Archbishop Angelo Comastri, Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, Vicar General for Vatican City State and President of the Fabric of St Peter;

6. Archbishop Stanisław Ryłko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity;

7. Archbishop Raffaele Farina, S.D.B., Archivist and Librarian of Holy Roman Church;

8. Archbishop Agustín Garcia-Gasco Vicente of Valencia, Spain;

9. Archbishop Sean Baptist Brady of Armagh, Ireland;

10. Archbishop Lluís Martínez Sistach of Barcelona, Spain;

11. Archbishop André Vingt-Trois of Paris, France;

12. Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, Italy;

13. Archbishop Théodore-Adrien Sarr of Dakar, Senegal;

14. Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Bombay, India;

15. Archbishop Francisco Robles Ortega of Monterrey, Mexico;

16. Archbishop Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, U.S.A.;

17. Archbishop Odilo Pedro Scherer of São Paulo, Brazil;

18. Archbishop John Njue of Nairobi, Kenya.

I also wish to raise to the dignity of Cardinal three venerable Prelates and two well-deserving ecclesiastics, particularly praiseworthy for their commitment to the service of the Church:

1. H.B. Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon for Chaldeans;

2. Archbishop Giovanni Coppa, Apostolic Nuncio;

3. Archbishop emeritus Estanislao Esteban Karlic of Paraná, Argentina;

4. Fr Urbano Navarrete, S.J., former Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University; and

5. Fr Umberto Betti, O.F.M., former Rector of the Pontifical Lateran University.

"ὁ θεòς ἀγάπη ἐστίν"

The title of this post is the Greek wording from 1 John 4:16: "God is Love".

Deus Caritas Est takes its name from the first line of the encyclical and corresponds to 1 John 4:16. In his first encyclical Pope Benedict treats the subject of human love. In the 42 paragraph opus Benedict reflects on eros, agape, and logos, and the relationship of Christ to the different ways we love. As he reflects on love Benedict ascertains that love for self and love for neighbor must be one and inseparable. Furthermore, love must be reciprocated. One cannot take without giving. Benedict urges the faithful, especially those involved in charitable work, to take the time to reflect on love. The forum for reflection on love is prayer. He recalls the example and life of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. He points to her as prime example that prayer does not take away from charitable work, but rather, is the birth place of charity and love. Christians must "reaffirm the importance of prayer in the face of the activism and the growing secularism of many Christians...(§36-38)"

Benedict brings love home in reflecting upon the "personal" love of God.

In Jesus Christ, it is God himself who goes in search of the “stray sheep”, a suffering and lost humanity... His death on the Cross is the culmination of that turning of God against himself in which he gives himself in order to raise man up and save him.This is love in its most radical form. By contemplating the pierced side of Christ (cf. Jn 19:37), we can understand the starting-point of this Encyclical Letter: “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). (§9)

The encyclical also calls for justice in the world. Benedict warns that the church must not replace politics. The church's responsiblity, writes Benedict, is to speak for and promote justice. Justice in the world is the outcome of love.

Benedict encourages readers to love one another sincerely, for only love can acheive to dispel the darkness, and we, being created in the image of God, are capable of love.

Love is the light—and in the end, the only light—that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working. Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world—this is the invitation I would like to extend with the present Encyclical." (§39)

It is said that a Pope's first encyclical sets the tone of his papacy. Below is the final paragraph of Deus Caritas Est. If indeed this encyclical will set the tone to Benedict's papacy, then it's going to be a great one!

The saints are the true bearers of light within history, for they are men and women of faith, hope and love...Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness....“My soul magnifies the Lord” (Lk 1:46). In these words she expresses her whole programme of life: not setting herself at the center, but leaving space for God, who is encountered both in prayer and in service of neighbor—only then does goodness enter the world...The testimonials of gratitude, offered to her from every continent and culture, are a recognition of that pure love which is not self- seeking but simply benevolent. At the same time, the devotion of the faithful shows an infallible intuition of how such love is possible: it becomes so as a result of the most intimate union with God, through which the soul is totally pervaded by him—a condition which enables those who have drunk from the fountain of God's love to become in their turn a fountain from which “flow rivers of living water” (Jn 7:38). Mary, Virgin and Mother, shows us what love is and whence it draws its origin and its constantly renewed power. (§40-42)

At an ecumenical vespers service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, during the same week of the publication of Deus Caritas, Pope Benedict summarized his beliefs on love in what he said in his homily, "God is love. On this solid rock the entire faith of the church is based."

Pope Benedict to Sign Second Encyclical

It has been made known that Pope Benedict XVI will sign his second encyclical on November 30. It is entitled, "Spe Salvi, "Saved by Hope". This is a follow-up to his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est "God is Love" published in December of 2006. The pattern seems to be that Benedict focuses on a specific virtue (faith, hope, and love) as the subject of his encyclicals.

In an interview Cardinal Tarciso Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, commented that the Pope will use 2008 to "underline in a concrete way the work of the church's organs of justice and peace across the world,". Could then, Spe Salvi, be the precursor that will set an infrastructure for 08? We will have to wait and see.

Intense Reading- John Henry Cardinal Newman

Over the last few days i have been pouring over John Henry Cardinal Newman's essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. At first, this essay seemed daunting and rather intimidating. After several cracks at reading (and actually savoring it) i have come to appreciate Newman and his opus. The essay primarily focuses on the following points:

• Christianity is not arbitrary. Christianity has a purpose in history and within the divine plan.


• Christian doctrine is the result of human experience coupled with the longstanding tradition and history of the Church.


• The approach and articulation of Christian doctrine will continue to change with each generation. However, the doctrine will not change.


• To grow as a Church is to grow in our understanding.

One of the things that draws me to Newman is that he was a convert to Catholicism. Born and raised in an Anglican home, he was a faithful Anglican. As a scholar at Oxford, his research and study of Chrisitianity and Catholicism in particular, drew him to reject the Anglican Church and become a Catholic. In essence, his belief was that to be immersed in history is to be immersed in Catholicism and to embrace history was to embrace Catholicism. Newman was part of teh Oxford Movement, which sought to reconcile the Anglican Church back to Catholicism. Newman went on to become a priest.

Years later his work was misinterpreted and was silenced by the Church, mostly at the doing of his peers. The moment of reconciliation came when Pope Leo XIII created him a cardinal-deacon. His contribution to Christian thought is similar to that of the greatest: Aquinas.

Reading Newman can be a daunting task. But in the end, one can appreciate his work and hopefully, like he, be transformed with fond appreciation for Catholic scholasticism and the patrimony of thought handed down to us through the history of our Church.

At the end of the work day I checked the blog and I noticed that the book list had a comment. Not too many people know about this blog yet, so I was very eager to check about who had left a comment. To my surprise, Fr. Jim Martin, SJ was the first to leave a comment! Jim Martin is the author of two of the books we will be reading.

A few things about Jim. I first knew of him a while back while reading America Magazine. His articles were always the best! A few months back I picked up his book, My Life With the Saints. As I began reading My Life With the Saints, I immediately fell in love with it and in many ways, this book club had its genesis in wanting to share that book. I started buying that book for friends and giving it as a gift for a birthday, graduation etc. Several of my closest friends and I started tossing around ideas and thoughts that came from the book. The more we spoke about the book, the more I was determined to read more of Martin's works. To this day, I don't think I have met a person who did not enjoy reading that book. Within the book Jim writes about the book club be ran in an NY parish. (That planted a seed about starting this book club. After some research, thought, prayer and discussion, I based the dynamics of this book club on Jim's model)

Although I have never personally met Fr. James Martin, I feel that through his literature I have come to know him on a personal level. His work is very honest, down to earth, and says volumes in the simplicity of his writing style. In many ways I identify with his experiences and in many other ways I look up to him and see in him the very same qualities I would want others to see in me. In some ways, I feel very connected to him. Several weeks ago I found out that Jim and I share a mutual friend... which only added to the connectedness. I am very excited that Jim took the time to comment on our blog.

Jim will be here for the Religious Ed Congress in the Spring. (Jim, perhaps, if your time allows, we can have dinner with our mutual friend).

Here is the text of his comment:

Wow. Thanks for including not one, but two, of my books. I hope that your group enjoys them! And the others are all huge favorites of mine--including, of course, the Gospel of Matthew.Please greet all the saints in Anaheim, a place that I love visiting every year during the L.A. Religious Ed Congress!

Peace, Jim Martin, SJ

Below is the list of dates for our meetings and the books we will be working with. These selections are pretty easy to get through and very inspirational. Suggestions are welcome.

December 12/5 Gospel of Matthew (we will read the NAB version)

January 1/9 Becoming Who You Are Martin S.J., James

February 2/6 Return of the Prodigal Son Nouwen, Henri

March 3/5 My Life With the Saints Martin S.J., James

April 4/2 My Life With the Saints Martin S.J., James

May 5/7 Dangerous Memories: A Mosaic of Mary in Scripture
Johnson CSJ, Elizabeth

June TBA The Cloister Walk Norris, Kathleen

July TBA The Cloister Walk Norris, Kathleen

Why a Book Club?

Welcome to the Saint Boniface Church Book Club Blog. The book club and blog were created by Raymond Uribe, parish youth minister, as a means of bringing together young people who have a desire to read and to deepen their spirituality. Once we get our book club going, you are encouraged to post your reactions and thoughts on this blog to the reading.

Our meetings are arranged in the following manner: dinner of pizza and soda, (free will donations for dinner are accepted), fellowship, prayer, introductions, and discussion of the assigned book. The meeting concludes with a brief introduction to the book for the following month and prayer. Our first meeting is scheduled for December 5, 2007 at 6:30 PM. The location for the meeting will be posted in a few days. Although registration or RSVP are not required, I do encourage you to send me an email or call me to let me know that you are coming. This will help in the planning of how much pizza to order.

Since the holidays are a busy time, I have chosen the Gospel of Matthew as our book of December. At our first meeting I will give a brief introduction to this gospel.