BIG C CATHOLICS

Fr. Rene Butler Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! This passage from Qoheleth (or Ecclesiastes) makes me think of the song made famous by Peggy Lee (pictured), “Is That All There is?” The lyrics express constant disappointment in life: Is that all there is to a fire?... to a circus?... to love? In that case, “let’s keep dancing, bring out the booze and have a ball.” But there is a big difference between Qoheleth and the song. The latter is purely pessimistic, the former is not. In fact, in Qoheleth we read many beautiful and comforting passages: “I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during life.” “For every man, moreover, to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of all his labor is a gift of God.” “It is well for a man to eat and drink and enjoy all the fruits of his labor under the sun during the limited days of the life which God gives him; for this is his lot.” “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of the fleeting life that is

"You have kept the good wine until now". In these words the steward expressed his amazement to the bridegroom at Cana. And his amazement was redoubled when he found the bridegroom just as surprised as he was. The words should, of course, have been addressed to Jesus, who had just let himself be persuaded by Our Lady to work the first of his miracles. After thirty years of hidden life, Jesus begins to reveal the divine power that is his by nature. Surely it can be no accident that he works his first miracle on the occasion of a human celebration, and in order to provide more of what would make people merrier still at a party already filled with merriment? Is it too much to suggest that Our Lord chose this moment because he wished to make it clear that he had come to bring men happiness; not just the ultimate and perfect happiness of heaven, but also the passing though real happiness of earth? He had come to give a divine touch to human things, so that man's store

Thought of the Day By the effective exercise of only one virtue, a person may attain to the height of all the rest. -- St. Gregory Nazianzen

The gospel of the resurrection of Lazarus … concerns the last “sign” fulfilled by Jesus, after which the chief priests convened the Sanhedrin and deliberated killing him, and decided to kill the same Lazarus who was living proof of the divinity of Christ, the Lord of life and death. Actually, this gospel passage shows Jesus as true Man and true God. First of all, the Evangelist insists on his friendship with Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary. He emphasizes that “Jesus loved” them (John 11:5), and this is why he wanted to accomplish the great wonder. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him out of sleep” (11:11), he tells his disciples, expressing God’s viewpoint on physical death with the metaphor of sleep. God sees it exactly as sleep, from which he can awaken us. Jesus has shown an absolute power regarding this death, seen when he gives life back to the widow of Nain’s young son (see Luke 7:11-17) and to the twelve-year-old girl (see Mark 5:35-43). Precise

Fr. Micheal J. Woolley In today’s Gospel we meet for the first time in the Scriptures a women whom Jesus becomes very good friends with, named Martha. And this very brief scripture passage paints us a very detailed picture of Martha: her personality, her virtues and her shortcomings. Martha comes across as an extrovert, a take charge type of person, a woman of action. We also see that Martha possesses at least two virtuous qualities: the virtue of faith in Jesus and the virtue of hospitality. These two virtues inspire Martha to welcome Jesus and probably the twelve apostles also to her home for dinner. But what of course jumps out most to us is Martha’s shortcomings. Jesus sums them all up when he says to her “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.” The Lord, who sees into the heart, looks into Martha’s heart and sees that it’s not just one thing Martha is anxious and worried about, she is rather anxious and worried about many things. Ye

This video explains some of the reasons to be Catholic, among them the Eucharist and the Church.

Fr. Frank Pavone On July 25, 1968, Pope Paul VI issued the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae, which means, “Of Human Life.” In that relatively short document, which you can find at priestsforlife.org, he outlines the Church’s vision of human life, marriage, and the connection between human love and the creative action of God. Love and life are two very simple and very similar words, and they represent two gifts that go together. Love leads to life; it does not close it off. Love welcomes life, it is not afraid of it. Love and life go together because ultimately, they are simply two aspects of the one God. One of the best ways you can observe this anniversary of Humanae Vitae is to read it. Go to priestsforlife.org and you will find the text along with helpful commentary.

H/T Patrick Madrid

Have you heard about the new abortion pill, "ella"? If you haven't, you will soon. While being billed as merely a contraceptive, "ella" actually goes a lot further than preventing contraception from occuring as it can actually terminate the life of an existing human embryo, an abortion! Women can take the drug up to 5 days after intercourse, well after a new human life has been created. Because "ella" blocks the progesterone receptors needed for the continued development of the human embryo, the pill causes an abortion if taken after conception occurs. This makes "ella" an abortion not a contraceptive drug, plain and simple. Two weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs approved "ella" for sale within the United States, calling it a contraceptive. The drug now goes before the FDA for final approval in a few short weeks. In order to help spread the word about "ella&q

(This is by no means an adequate representation of St. Thomas Aquinas' contribution to Catholic theology. His masterwork, the Summa, is something to which entire blogs are dedicated. This is only as an introduction to his methodology in keeping with the spirit of the current series.) In the thirteenth century, when better translations of Aristotle’s works came to the attention of European scholars, new questions emerged. The dissemination of these works along with doctrinal disagreements threatened to divide the Church between traditionalists, those adhering rigidly to the letter of Church law at the expense of the spirit of the law, and modernists, those embracing a theology based on novelty, often at the expense of Sacred Scripture and Tradition. St. Thomas Aquinas answered these questions and in the process prevented a rift between traditionalists and modernists. His theology, Thomism, is a synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy and Revelation. Like his predecessors, Aquinas’s the

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, well-known priest and psychologist, draws on his years of dealing with people's problems and tragedies to provide practical and spiritual help to anyone burdened by the hardships of life. Whether you are troubled by death, loss, tragedy, hardship, or dspair Fr. Groeschel's unique insights combining the wisdom of scripture with his life experience will help you persevere and prevail. The last chapter of the book contains prayers and reflections for times in life that are especially challenging. In addition, there is a prayer at the end of each chapter relating to that chapters subject matter. I found Arise From Darkness: What to Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense to be personally rewarding. Fr. Groeschel urges us to keep life in perspective with eternity. Death is a human experience none are spared. Suffering is inevitable for everyone. Even Christ suffered and died, but in so doing He made those experiences holy. Death and suffering are mysteries we do

Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God (Jn 17:3). What are the ways? In how many different ways can we know God, and thus know eternal life? When I take an inventory, I find twelve. The final, complete, definitive way, of course, is Christ, God himself in human flesh. His church is his body, so we know God also through the church. The Scriptures are the church's book. This book, like Christ himself, is called The "Word of God." Scripture also says we can know God in nature see Romans 1. This is an innate, spontaneous, natural knowledge. I think no one who lives by the sea, or by a little river, can be an atheist. Art also reveals God. I know three ex-atheists who say, "There is the music of Bach, therefore there must be a God." This too is immediate. Conscience is the voice of God. It speaks absolutely, with no ifs, ands, or buts. This too is immediate. [The last three ways of knowing God (4-6) are natural, while the first three are supernatur

H/T A Catholic Mom in Hawaii

Prior to the thirteenth century, the dominant school of thought in Catholic theology was that of St. Augustine. Early in the fifth century, Augustine refuted the heresy of Pelagianism. Pelagius taught that Adam’s original sin did not taint human nature. For that reason, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was neither necessary nor redemptive. A neo-Platonist, Augustine uses the philosophy of Plato, together with the deposit of faith, to oppose Pelagianism and create a new way of looking at everything. The resulting synthesis, Augustinianism, is objective. It acknowledges truth, including moral truth, as outside of us, not a matter of personal opinion, therefore, universal, not particular to individuals, cultures, or circumstances. According to Augustine, we can know truth through Revelation, right reason, and the Church. Augustine’s theology is also deductive. Deductive reasoning begins with a general idea and ends with a specific one. Father Richard Hogan describes this approach (later us

This is an excerpt from the book Arise From Darkness: What To Do When Life Doesn’t Make Sense by Benedict J. Groeschel C.F.R. Just think of some of the ways a person can mess up things for himself. The most obvious is precipitous behavior – going ahead and doing something and not considering the implications, all of the things that are going to be consequential from it. Many devout people say, “I can’t figure it out, so I’m going to take the great leap of faith and jump . . . into an empty swimming pool.” I hear people saying, “I’m going to step out in faith!” Why don’t they step out in common sense at the same time? Don’t blame God if you walk off the end of the dock. The opposite mistake is thinking things out so carefully and being so cautious that we don’t do what we’re supposed to do. As Christians we are supposed to step out in faith, but we often sit down in confusion. Many, not knowing what to do, simply don’t do anything. I call this dangerous trait the Titanic phenomenon.

This is an excerpt from the book Arise From Darkness: What To Do When Life Doesn’t Make Sense by Benedict J. Groeschel C.F.R. Perhaps the Church has hurt you. The Church has hurt me. It has hurt most people near it for any length of time – not the whole Church, but part of it. I assure you that you and I will know, at the end of our days, that great Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ when it comes to its full reality. That is what eternal life is – when all who are saved from every nation and race and people will be gathered into the Mystical Body of Christ. We are preparing now for the heavenly Church, but our own spiritual life will be very weak and very narrow indeed if we do not loyally struggle for the Church in this world and try to be faithful to her even when others are not faithful. On Judgment Day no one is going to ask you about what anybody else did for the Church, only about what you and I did as individuals, as members of the Church of Christ in this wounded worl

Sexual difference is not like any other kind of difference. It’s a primordial difference. It allows for and opens the entire human person to a true and authentic communion of persons. The heart of marriage, the good that marriage consists of, is the bond that arises from the vows of husband and wife to give one’s self in love fully to the other who is similar yet different.  The sexual difference between man and woman, that is, husband and wife, opens love to an utterly unique reciprocity and communion. “It is not good that the man should be alone; I want to make him a help similar to himself” (cf. Gn 2:18).25 Because marriage is a union that essentially includes the gift of the entire “body-person,” it inherently and necessarily is a union of male and female, of husband and wife.  The Church has always and everywhere taught that sexual relationships between people of the same sex, as well as any sexual relationships or activity outside of marriage, are morally wrong, contr

The human reproductive system is the one system that is never individual. It is a system — an impulse, appetite, longing, and physical and personal reality — that can be completed only by going “outside” of one’s own body — by joining with the body of another. Think for a minute about the body. By their sexual acts a man and woman become a single procreative unity. The two become “one flesh.” Only in marriage does this physical act constitute a true joining of persons, one where, in a human fashion, husband and wife commit not just physical organs but heart, mind, body, and soul to one another. This is why sex is intrinsically ordered to be a conjugal act, which is to say an act of true union. Children are the “ultimate crown” of marriage, one that the husband and wife promise to be open to, and, as mother and father, to care for and educate together. Marriage is deeply and intrinsically oriented towards the good of children — the good that is the creation of new life and also the care

Dumb Ox ON THE MEANING OF SUFFERING AND SUFFERING WITH MEANING Why suffering can be purposeful as well as painful. The existence of suffering has turned many hearts away from God. It is a question as old as man; "Why would a loving God allow us to suffer - especially children and innocents?" To begin to answer this question we must think of evil as the lack or absence of good. When Adam sinned his communion with God, the very source of life, was diminished. Everything in creation was thrown out of balance. The Genesis account makes one thing clear. Evil entered the heart of man, not blotting out love of God but diminishing it. Following Adam's rejection of God's love, God didn't abandon us. Barely did man sin when God promised to send a Redeemer to defeat evil once and for all. God addresses the serpent who successfully tempted Adam and Eve. In so doing, God divulges the plan of salvation: "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and betw

Aristotle In Aristotle's Metaphysics, there are four main causes of change in nature: the material cause, the formal cause, the efficient cause, and the final cause. Each of these "causes" was a different sense of the Greek word aition , which Aristotle thought was ambiguous and needed to be clarified. The distinction between them can be understood using a wooden table as an example. The material cause is the wood out of which the table is made; the formal cause is the form or shape of the table; the efficient cause is the carpenter who creates the table; and the final cause is the purpose for which the table will be used, e.g. a desk, an altar, a decorative console, etc. 1.) The material cause is the substance or material out of which something is composed. Thus the material cause of a table is wood, and the material cause of a statue might be bronze or marble. 2.) The formal cause is the thing or being into which the substance or material becomes. A leather

According to Wikipedia, "Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to the Madison Avenue Bridge at 138th Street. In doing so, it passes through Midtown, the Upper East Side (including Carnegie Hill), Spanish Harlem, and Harlem. It is named after and arises from Madison Square, which is itself named after James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. Since the 1920s, the street's name has been synonymous with the American advertising industry." It is the last part of this description that concerns us. For nearly a hundred years Madison Avenue has shaped the mass communications media, influencing everything from advertisements to movies. Sexual messages are thrust upon us everywhere. The sexual content of most television programs are a negative influence especially on the young. They portray contraception, active homosexuality, lying, t

I'm calling this a pro-life ad since it celebrates the arrival of a little one.

St. Athanasius Thought of the Day Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkeness, and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels. -- St. Athanasius.

This is the inspiring story of Bryce Daniel. As an unborn child, doctors urged Bryce's parents to abort. This video is part of the Pass This On For Me Campaign, one in a series of true life stories with a pro-life message. Special thanks to Lifesitenews and Robert at Love Undefiled for spreading word of this project.

Thought of the Day Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul, except sin. God commands you to pray, but He forbids you to worry. -- St. Francis de Sales

Most people cringe when they think of televangelists mixing faith with marketing and money. But if I was an advertising consultant, how would I promote Catholicism? One 2,000 year old faith. Benefits include: Eternal life: courtesy with the grace of God. Free spiritual advice: at your local parish Sin anniliation service: through confession Purgatory insurance cover: for those who aren't completely perfect Excommunication: disposal of heretics for doctrinal clarity. Free baby wash service upon birth of new family members: total remission of all sins included. Free top quality worldwide television service with EWTN. Spiritual communion with new family of 1 billion members. Largest healthcare provider in the world promoting the dignity of the human person. Outstanding education service - schools and universities included. Great travel holidays- Lourdes, Fatima, Rome all included. Extra mother provided free: intercession possible. A historical, cultural, architectural, artistic and sp

Blessed are those parents who make their peace with spilled milk and with mud, for of such is the kingdom of childhood. Blessed is the parent who engages not in the comparison of his child with others, for precious unto each is the rhythm of his own growth. Blessed are the fathers and mothers who have learned laughter, for it is the music of the child’s world. Blessed and wise are those parents who understand the goodness of time, for they make it not a sword that kills growth but a shield to protect. Blessed and mature are they who without anger can say "no", for comforting to the child is the security of firm decisions. Blessed is the gift of consistency, for it is heart’s-ease in childhood. Blessed are they who accept the awkwardness of growth, for they are aware of the choice between marred furnishings and damaged personalities. Blessed are the teachable, for knowledge brings understanding, and understanding brings love. Blessed are the men and women who in the midst of t

Thought of the Day The affairs of God are accomplished little by little and almost imperceptibly. The Spirit of God is neither violent nor hasty. He does all things in His time. -- St. Vincent de Paul

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

Thought of the Day Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him....He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends, He may throw me to strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me; still He knows what He is about. -- John Henry Cardinal Newman

Parenting, that is, fathering and mothering, is uniquely tied to sexual difference. For example, the importance of the father is shown to us when we see the spouses’ mutual relationship with their child, the fruit of their union. The mother is entrusted from the beginning with the child’s presence, which accompanies her during the time of pregnancy; the father, for his part, remains initially “at a distance.” In this way, the mother represents the initial embrace that receives the child into existence, giving him or her the affirmation of love he or she needs. What is the role of the father? He lovingly affirms and identifies the distinction of the child within the embrace of the mother. Thus, the mother and the father, each in their own way, provide a loving space for the child, one by accenting union, the other by accenting distinction.

This video is reposted by popular demand. It features Lila Rose, the president and founder of Live Action , a group dedicated to ending abortion. In the video Lila discusses the power of images in shaping and propelling social movements. She cites several historical examples to illustrate the point.

Marlori Fuchs First of all, what is feminism? According to my iMac dictionary, it is: “the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” However, this definition just scratches the surface of what is a very complicated issue with a long history. The “Woman’s Suffrage” movement, and its primary founder, Susan B. Anthony, had a noble aim and achieved much to give women their proper political and social respect. What many don’t know is that these early feminists were actually very pro-life and pro-motherhood. But as time progressed, feminism became more extreme and more angry, especially with the “Women’s Liberation” movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Women of this movement have the mindset of Margaret Sanger, who was the founder of Planned Parenthood. They believe, among other things, that sexual activity outside of marriage is fine, and even should be encouraged as a means of “liberation”. They hold that unlimited access to abortion a

Thought of the Day Trust the past to the Mercy of God, the present to His Love, and the future to His Providence -- St. Augustine

The meaning of marriage is both timely and timeless. Marriage is the lifelong, exclusive union of one man and one woman . . . the font of love, life, and communion . . . the natural foundation of the family and society. Marriage is a fundamental institution, but as we know, various challenges and questions are raised today about the meaning of marriage. The most pointed of these questions arises in the context of the contemporary proposal to redefine marriage to include two persons of the same sex. This proposal involves many issues which deserve careful attention. Consideration of the inviolable dignity of every human person, including persons who experience same-sex attraction, is essential when approaching this topic. The topic can indeed be emotional and difficult, but at the heart is a radical question about the most basic and original of all institutions. The video “ Made for Each Other ” focuses on the topic of sexual difference and the complementarity of man and woman. Why star

The family is at the heart of the parish and should be the focus of all ministries as the Church seeks to grow, evangelize and build the kingdom of God. Realizing that the most basic aspects of the family are being challenged and denigrated, the U.S. bishops have formed the Ad Hoc Committee in Defense of Marriage, headed by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville (Kentucky). Watch a new 12-minute video that explains why marriage is uniquely between a man and a woman, from the US bishops. The video provides natural and common sense reasons for upholding marriage as a union between one man and one woman, as well as some basic theological conclusions drawn from the Bible. The message is given by a married couple (actors named Josh and Carrie) who exhibit the virtues they speak about. The DVD comes with a study/discussion guide for parish or small group use. It is well worth your time to view the video through the link given above. H/T Catholic Fire

The Weapon of the Rosary "Hail Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee! No creature has ever said anything that was more pleasing." Our Lady to Saint Mechtilde. "Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day become a formal heretic or be led astray by the devil." Saint Louis de Montfort. "Recite your rosary with faith, with humility, with confidence and with perseverance." Saint Louis de Montfort. "One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world." Saint Dominic. "The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary." Saint Francis de Sales. "Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world." Blessed Pius IX. "The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin." Pope Pius XI "The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life." Pope Leo XIII. "When

IV Concluding Rite Immediately after the Communion Rite, should there be any announcements, these are made, but should be kept brief. Then just as the people were greeted at the beginning of the Mass, so now the presider greets the people again and blesses them in one of three forms, the simple one, or at his discretion a more solemn Blessing, particularly at various seasons or on specific feast days, or a Prayers over the people. Includes the following: Blessing and Dismissal The Priest says again "The Lord be with you." The ritual phrase now serves as a farewell, followed by a blessing. The blessing prays that the grace God has given us in this part of our lives will benefit us because this is what we sacrificed with Christ in the Eucharist to the Father through the Holy Spirit.

This video shows notable catholic converts past and present. H/T A Catholic Mom in Hawaii

III Liturgy of the Eucharist The major part of the Mass after the Liturgy of the Word and ending before the Concluding Rite. This part corresponds to the words and actions of Christ at the Last Supper. Christ took bread and the cup, gave thanks, broke, and gave them to His disciples saying: "Take and eat; this is My Body. Take and drink; This is the cup of My Blood. Do this in memory of Me." Preparation of the Gifts (Presentation) - The priest prepares the altar and the gifts, prays over the bread and wine, and helps the assembly get ready for the tremendous Sacrifice that will take place in an unbloody manner. Includes the following: Offertory Song Preparation of the Altar Preparation of the Bread Preparation of the Wine Washing of Hands Invitation to Prayer Prayer over the Gifts Eucharistic Prayer - The center and high point of the Mass that makes Christ present for us in His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. During it, the entire assembly joins Christ in acknowledging the