BIG C CATHOLICS

Fr. Charles Irvin Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-12 Jewish sages wrote the Book of Genesis as a series of meditations on the origin of the universe and the genesis of humankind. A popular form of Jewish writing was employed setting forth very profound ideas in simple forms of storytelling. Everything happened, they told us, because a caring and loving Creator in the beginning willed it so. All that has happened comes from His personal love and inner drive to share Himself. All lovers know of that inner drive. God did not create anything by chance – everything is purpose made, especially man and woman who are created in God’s own image and likeness so that He can share Himself with them as He does with no other creatures. He breathed His life, Genesis tells us, only into man and woman, not into His other creatures. Note that the creation of man was prior to the creation of any other form of life. Into man God breathed His Spirit, His very life and love. Then God creat

Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois 1 Samuel 3:3-10,19; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20; John 1:35-42 “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:10) On the day of my ordination to the priesthood, I stood before Bishop Kenneth Angell at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and made a profound statement of faith. It was probably missed by many in the cathedral as it seemed to be more functionary than anything else. At the time, I missed the significance of this statement as well. Toward the beginning of the Rite of Ordination, the deacon called my name and I replied, “Present.” Twenty-two years later, I now grasp the significance of that term. In stating I was “present,” I was referring to the fact that I was fully there, body, mind, heart and soul, to fulfill God’s plan for me. Up to that point, I had studied theology and served in a number of pastoral situations. But like anyone beginning a new phase of life, I had no idea what was to come. On that day, I didn’t know

Fr. Charles Irvin Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) Two weekends ago we heard about a power and control group called the Pharisees, and last weekend we heard about Zacchaeus, the tax collector representing oppressive and controlling governmental officials. Today we hear about another power and control group called the Sadducees. The Sadducees’ chief concern was about money, power, and control, not about religion as such. Politics and profit were their big concern. Life after death didn’t matter much to them because they really didn’t believe in the immortality of the soul and the soul’s resurrection into everlasting life. There are lots of Sadducees around today. They are the pushers of pills, pot and all that’s marketed under the Pleasure Principle. They set the standards of what’s “cool” and what’s “uncool” using the media to control us. They want to be in control of fashions and fads, setting the pace, the standard, the norm of what’s “in” and what’s no

Here is the second lesson in the Saint Paul Center for Catholic Biblical Theology 's Lenten Scripture study, Genesis to Jesus. Follow along, and by the end of Lent, you'll understand the importance of Easter in light of God's plan for our salvation. Sign up to receive new video lessons [ here ] and buy related study materials. _____________________________________________________ In our last lesson, we learned how, in the beginning, God established a covenant with creation. We learned that the seventh day, the Sabbath, is a sign of the covenant. It completed and crowned God’s cosmic temple. We also saw that man and woman were created in the image and likeness of God. And that God designed marriage to be a covenant between man and woman. It is a sign, an icon of the Divine Family of the Trinity. Now we will consider how everything went wrong in Adam and Eve’s fall from grace and how it happened. But as noted at the end of lesson three, this story ends with an incredib

Editor's note: Occasionally on Tuesday we will feature posts relating to St. John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body; his reflection on our nature and life as persons made in the image and likeness of God, conjugal love, the meaning of celibacy, and the eternal beatitude to which every human being is called. ________________________________________ Saint John Paul II The link between secularization and the crisis of marriage and of the family is only too clear. The crisis concerning the meaning of God and that concerning moral good and evil has succeeded in diminishing an acquaintance with the fundamentals of marriage and of the family which is rooted in marriage. For an effective recovery of the truth in this field, it is necessary to rediscover the transcendent dimension that is intrinsic to the full truth of marriage and the family , overcoming every dichotomy that tends to separate the profane aspects from the religious as if there were two marriages: one

Pope Francis alluded to the forthcoming canonization of Pope Paul VI during a meeting with Rome’s parish priests at the Lateran Basilica this month, stating: "Paul VI will be a saint this year." On February 6th, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved the second miracle needed for Blessed Paul VI to be named a saint. It is believed that said canonization could take place in October. Pope Paul VI was born Giovanni Battista Montini in the village of Concesio, Italy, on September 26, 1897. He is remembered for seeing the Second Vatican Council to its conclusion and working to enact its provisions. In 1968 he authored the encyclical Humanae Vitae , which affirmed the Church’s teaching that artificial birth control is gravely immoral and contrary to marriage as conceived by God. Marriage properly understood, is the conjugal union of a man and woman for life, of exclusive and mutual fidelity, for the procreation and education of children. The dual purpose of sexua

By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois 1 Samuel 3:3-10,19; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20; John 1:35-42 “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:10) On the day of my ordination to the priesthood, I stood before Bishop Kenneth Angell at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and made a profound statement of faith. It was probably missed by many in the cathedral as it seemed to be more functionary than anything else. At the time, I missed the significance of this statement as well. Toward the beginning of the Rite of Ordination, the deacon called my name and I replied, “Present.” Twenty-two years later, I now grasp the significance of that term. In stating I was “present,” I was referring to the fact that I was fully there, body, mind, heart and soul, to fulfill God’s plan for me. Up to that point, I had studied theology and served in a number of pastoral situations. But like anyone beginning a new phase of life, I had no idea what was to come. On that day, I didn’t

Editor's note: Occasionally on Tuesday we will feature posts discussing St. John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body; his reflection on our nature and life as persons made in the image and likeness of God, conjugal love, the meaning of celibacy, and the eternal beatitude to which every human being is called. ________________________________________ Most Reverend Robert J. Baker, S.T.D. Bishop of Birmingham, Alabama  (Excerpted from a pastoral letter delivered as Bishop of Charleston)   Only a careful reflection on Sacred Scripture, done in unison with the Tradition of the Church, can provide the understanding of the human person which the Church can present for our reflection. This is what Pope John Paul II did as he took the Lord's discussion with a group of Pharisees and especially noted that the Lord made reference to the original intent of the Creator when he said, "from the beginning it was not so" (Matt. 19:8). Then, going to the beginn

The Lepanto Foundation, an international foundation based in Rome that aims to defend the principles and institutions of Christian civilization, is reporting that Pope Francis has authorized a commission to 'reinterpret'  Humanae Vitae  'in the light of Amoris laetitia .' Should it lead to the sanctioning of artificial contraception by the Church it would constitute heresy – a fact the report itself acknowledges: "On the subject of contraception, Paul VI expressed himself in Humanae Vitae , in a manner which theologians judge as infallible and thus unmodifiable, not because the document in itself had the requisites of infallibility, but because it reaffirms a doctrine always proposed by the perennial Magisterium of the Church. The Jesuit theologians, Marcelino Zalba, John Ford and Gerald Kelly, the philosophers Arnaldo Xavier da Silveira and Germain Grisez, and many other authors explain how the doctrine of Humanae Vitae needs to be considered infallible, not

September 7, 2017 The Virgin Mary and Joseph were graced with the honor of raising Jesus. Having God Incarnate in their midst was an unrivaled joy. The happiness this brought was something we can only imagine. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are the model for Christian marriages and families. Today, we pray for all married couples that they emulate the Holy Family in how they relate to their spouses and in conducting their families to be holy and loving. Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, pray for us. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 9 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Mother Mary, you pray for me as your child. Thank you for welcoming me into the Holy Family. Pray for me today that the feast of your birth may give great joy to my soul that I may increase my devotion to the Holy Family. Dearest Mother, please pray for

September 6, 2017 Today, we again remember marriages and families who are struggling. Pope Francis once said, "Jesus' attitude is striking: we do not hear the words of scorn, we do not hear the words of condemnation, but only words of love, of mercy..." Let us pray for spouses to emulate this in their marriages and in their families. We pray also for the widowed, single parents, and all those hurt by divorce. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 8 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Heavenly Mother, your birth gave great joy to all the world because it signaled the coming of Jesus Christ, who would save the whole world by His life, death and resurrection. Pray for me today that the feast of your birth may give great joy to my soul that I may be exceedingly patient with my family and loved ones. Deare

September 5, 2017 Today we pray for all single people discerning marriage, all engaged couples, all newlyweds, and those who have been married for many years. Each of them need God's guidance — that their love, relationships and marriages may glorify God and bring Christ to the people around them, their families, and the world. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 7 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Holy Mother, your birth caused great joy to the angels, because they saw your holiness caused by your Son’s resurrection. Pray for me today that the feast of your birth may give great joy to my soul that your graces may rain down on all married couples. Dearest Mother, please pray for me and for these my intentions… (State your intentions) Hail Mary… Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of he

September 4, 2017 Saint John Paul II wrote at length about the family in 1994, when the Church celebrated the 'Year of the Family.' He said, "The civilization of love is possible; it is not a utopia. But it is only possible by a constant and ready reference to the "Father from whom all fatherhood on earth is named", from whom every human family comes." Today, we pray that all families may grow to be ever more Christ-centered, and recognize that all things good are truly gifts from God, our Father. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 6 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: O holy Mother, St. Joachim and St. Anne were delighted to love and care for so holy a child. Pray for me today that the feast of your birth may give great joy to my soul that I may show greater charity to my parents and g

September 3, 2017 Society is built and sustained by families. The sacred foundation of the family is marriage. Today, the family and marriage are under attack. However, this did not happen in a vacuum. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput observed, “No society can sustain itself for long if marriage and the family fall apart on a mass scale.” When marriages suffer, families suffer, and society breaks down. Faithfulness to Christ will increase faithfulness to our families, particularly one’s spouse. Let us pray for greater fidelity to our Lord Jesus so that we may be selfless as family members. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 5 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Most holy Mary, the Holy Spirit preserved you from sin so that our Lord would have a fitting vessel to enter the world. Pray for me today that the feast of you

September 2, 2017 Society is built and sustained by families. The sacred foundation of the family is marriage. Today, the family and marriage are under attack. But this did not happen in a vacuum. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput observed, “No society can sustain itself for long if marriage and the family fall apart on a mass scale.” When marriages suffer, families suffer, and society breaks down. Every marriage and family is called to be at the service of life. Today, we pray that families may discern how they can uphold the dignity of life, regardless of circumstances. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 4 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Our Lady, on this feast of your birth, please pray for stronger and holier marriages. Amen. O most holy daughter of the line of King David, the Redeemer of the world loves you

September 1, 2017 Society is built and sustained by families. The sacred foundation of the family is marriage. Today, the family and marriage are under attack. But this did not happen in a vacuum. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput observed, “No society can sustain itself for long if marriage and the family fall apart on a mass scale.” When marriages suffer, families suffer, and society breaks down. Love is rooted in sacrifices, and each member of the family must make many sacrifices. Let us pray that the sacrifices we make are made joyfully. Blessed Virgin, pray for us. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 3 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Our Lady, on this feast of your birth, please pray for stronger and holier marriages. Amen. Immaculate daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne, you are the door to the Eternal Word w

August 31, 2017 Society is built and sustained by families. The sacred foundation of the family is marriage. Today, the family and marriage are under attack. However, this did not happen in a vacuum. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has observed, “No society can sustain itself for long if marriage and the family fall apart on a mass scale.” When marriages suffer, families suffer, and society breaks down. Today, we pray for an increase in holiness, that we may grow to be better members of our families. We pray also for the strength and will to attain this grace. Blessed Virgin, pray for us. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 2 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Our Lady, on this feast of your birth, please pray for stronger and holier marriages. Amen. O most holy daughter of Adam, your precious Son chose you as the

August 30, 2017 Society is built and sustained by families. The sacred foundation of the family is marriage. Today, the family and marriage are under attack. However, this did not happen in a vacuum. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput observed, “No society can sustain itself for long if marriage and the family fall apart on a mass scale.” When marriages suffer, families suffer. And when families suffer, society breaks down. We say this novena for marriage and family, for all marriages and families that are suffering in any way. Let us pray for peace in our homes, hearts and families. Nativity of the Virgin Mary Novena for Marriage and Families - Day 1 Say the following three times: Jesus, I trust in You. Please grant through Your mother’s intercession that I may always bring Your hope into my family. Then say: Our Lady, on this feast of your birth, please pray for stronger and holier marriages. Amen. Most lovable Mother Mary, our Father in Heaven created you with delight.

"We live in a world where the family is under attack. It is safe to say that the institution of both marriage and family has never been as threatened as it is today. In fact, its very survival as an institution is questionable. There is hardly a person reading this who is not touched by the disintegration of family life. It can take many forms; divorce, co-habitation, the acceptance of a contraceptive mentality, abortion, fatherless homes, the rejection of the faith and numerous other dysfunctions which plague and threaten to destroy family life all together. Beyond these problems, as Saint John Paul II himself warned in Familiars consortio , there are strong forces in our society, which are actively seeking to change the very nature, structure, and meaning of both marriage and family: and even in some cases to eradicate them all together. This disintegration of marriage and family has not happened by accident. At one time, they were considered to be sacred institutions havin

Lord Jesus, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another’s weaknesses and grow from each other’s strengths. Help us to forgive one another’s failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self. May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection. AMEN.