BIG C CATHOLICS

Fr. Charles Irvin Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for Sunday’s readings ) Every three years we are presented with today’s gospel, one that interests many of us because it deals with the question of separation between Church and State. The first thing we should note is that the question put to Jesus was a lawyer’s trick question. It was not a question that sought enlightenment; it was not put to Jesus in order to learn from Him. No. It was put to Jesus to trap Him. Was He to be seen as an insurrectionist revolutionary and an enemy of the State or was He to be seen as a collaborator with the hated Roman authorities who so brutalized the Jewish people? The Pharisees, the religious fundamentalists of the day, hated the Roman tax. The Herodians, those Jews who supported the Roman puppet King Herod, supported the tax. Both groups, the Pharisees and the Herodians, hated each other. But here we find them joined together in a combined effort to trap Jesus, to discredit Him, an

Aid to the Church in Need is a papal charity of the Catholic Church, supporting the Catholic faithful and other Christians where they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. The organization recently published its report  Persecuted and Forgotten? 2015-2017 , detailing how Christians are oppressed for their Faith. The report's findings are chilling. It found that the persecution of Christians is today "worse than at any time in history." Christians in the Middle East are most at risk. In 2016 alone, some 600,000 Christians were persecuted worldwide. From the report's executive summary: "While firm numbers are hard to come by … there is little doubt that the level of Christian persecution remains extremely high in a great number of places around the world … In many countries the situation was already so severe, it could scarcely get any worse, and yet it did – the obvious exception being Saudi Arabia, where a long-established pattern of some of the wo

The Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. the Archbishop of Philadelphia presented this Brigham Young University forum address on March 22, 2016. He discusses the difficulties faced by believers in America today and the assaults on religious freedom perpetrated by the government and secular forces. Below is a partial transcript of Archbishop Chaput's remarks. They are well worth your time. Starting at 4:32: I want to begin by giving you some background on the Catholic experience in this country. I’ll do that through the lens of a particular Catholic bishop – me. I don’t claim to speak for all or even most Americans who describe themselves as Catholic. But my comments do reflect the views of many Catholics who rank their Catholic faith as the most precious thing in their lives — and actually live that way. So let’s start with a simple fact: Catholics have never entirely “fit” in America. We’ve tried, but the results are mixed. In fact some years ago Stanley Hauerwas

A new report released this week by the First Liberty Institute listed more than 1200 government-initiated attacks on religion in 2016. “ Undeniable: The Survey of Hostility to Religion in America ,” presents incontrovertible proof that secular society in general, including government at all levels is increasingly hostile to religion. The report divides this hostility into four areas – the public arena, the schoolhouse, churches and ministries and the military. From the report's preface, First Liberty president Kelly Shackelford writes: Hostility to religion in America is rising like floodwaters, as proven by the increased numbers of cases and attacks documented in this report. This flood is engulfing ordinary citizens who simply try to live normal lives according to their faith and conscience. It is eroding the bedrock on which stand vital American institutions such as government, education, the military, business, houses of worship, and charity. It has the potential to wash

As we prepare to elect our civic leaders — ever mindful of the assault on religious freedom and the growing threat posed by laws that endanger the unborn, the unwanted, the infirm and the elderly, let us pray to the Patroness of the United States — the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception: O Immaculate Mother, Queen of our Country, open our hearts, our homes, and our Land to the coming of Jesus, your Divine Son. With Him, reign over us, O heavenly Lady, so pure and so bright with the radiance of God’s light shining in and about you. Be our Leader against the powers of evil set upon wresting the world of souls, redeemed at such a great cost by the sufferings of your Son and of yourself, in union with Him, from that same Savior, Who loves us with infinite charity. We gather about you, O chaste and holy Mother, Virgin Immaculate, Patroness of our beloved Land, determined to fight under your banner of holy purity against the wickedness that would make all the

Jesus at Herod's Court , Duccio, c. 1310. October 30, 2016 Novena Prayer for the 2016 Election:  Day 1 Saint Jude, Patron of Impossible Causes, join us in praying for this election and these intentions: [State your intentions here.] Prayer for the Faithful Witness of Catholics in the United States (By Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke) O Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Your Church You show us the Way, You teach us the Truth, and You give us Your Life. Grant, we humbly beg You, that, always and in all things, we may be faithful to You in Your Holy Church, and to Your Vicar on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis. Grant also, we beg You, that, in these times of decision, all who profess to be Catholic and who are entrusted with the sacred duty to participate in public life, may, by the strength of Your grace, unwaveringly follow Your Way and faithfully adhere to Your Truth, living in You with all their mind and heart, for Y

The 2016 election is almost here. Since the outcome will very profoundly affect religious liberty in the United States, as well as the protection of the vulnerable in our society; the unborn, the ill and disabled, and the elderly, we should pray that God's will be done, and that those who are voting will do so with a well-formed conscience. To that end, Phil Lawler asks a timely question about Progressives and the apparent inability of some to acknowledge God . For examples, (including one referenced by Mr. Lawler ,) go here , here , here and here . Saint Thomas More, Patron of Religious Freedom, Pray for us.

In the wake of revelations that Democratic political operatives tried to pressure the Catholic Church by instigating a "Catholic Spring" in opposition to its most fundamental beliefs, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, released a statement condemning such activity as a gross infringement of religious liberty in violation of the 1st Amendment: At this important time in our nation's history, I encourage all of us to take a moment to reflect on one of the founding principles of our republic – the freedom of religion. It ensures the right of faith communities to preserve the integrity of their beliefs and proper self-governance. There have been recent reports that some may have sought to interfere in the internal life of the Church for short-term political gain. If true, this is troubling both for the well-being of faith communities and the good of our country. In our faith and our Church, Christ has given us

USCCB Fact Sheet: Frequently Asked Questions on  Religious Liberty What do we mean by religious liberty? In Catholic teaching, the Second Vatican Council “declare[d] that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits.” ( Dignitatis Humanae , No. 2.) Religious liberty is protected in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and in federal and state laws. Religious liberty includes more than our ability to go to Mass on Sunday or pray the Rosary at home; it also encompasses our ability to contribute freely to the common good of all Americans. What is the First Amendment? The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states the following: “Congress shall mak

With threats to religious liberty increasing, at home around the world, this novena is dedicated to the struggle for religious freedom. We will pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church’s history. – St. John Paul II In all ages, the Church is persecuted and hated. We pray, O' Lord, through your holy Saints, that we may be blessed with the freedom to worship and adore you at all times! We pray that you bless your Church throughout the world and me personally with your grace to persevere with love in the face of persecution just as You did on the Cross.  This novena was written to be a prayer to all Saints and particularly to Martyrs. Go here to get these novena prayers delivered daily to your inbox and to join the community of prayer.

What is the Fortnight for Freedom? The "Fortnight for Freedom" is 14 days of prayer, education and action for religious freedom in the United States and around the world. It will take place from June 21 to July 4, 2016. The theme of this year’s Fortnight is "Witnesses to Freedom." During this time, the Church's liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution: St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, St. John the Baptist, Sts. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. Four Ways to Celebrate the Fortnight for Freedom Pray Hold a prayer vigil for religious freedom. Eucharistic adoration, the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet could all be forms of intercession for our country and our first freedom. Gather Get together and celebrate religious freedom with a parish picnic or barbecue. Hand out religious freedom conversation starters as a way to spur discussion about our first,

H/T  ChurchPOP    The Little Sisters of the Poor face a dire threat to their religious freedom in the United States. Find out more about what the Catholic Church teaches on religious freedom, including the groundbreaking Declaration on Religious Freedom ( Dignitatis Humanae ) from the Second Vatican Council. Via the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' YouTube channel . From the USCCB'S  Religious Liberty Page . Religion [cannot] be relegated to the inner sanctum of personal life, without influence on societal and national life.       — Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 183. In insisting that our liberties as Americans be respected, Pope Benedict XVI said that this work belongs to "an engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity endowed with a strong critical sense vis-à-vis the dominant culture." Therefore, catechesis on religious liberty is not the work of priests alone. If religious liberty is not properly understood, all people suf

For your information... Women Speak For Themselves is a grassroots organization with more than 41,000 women from all 50 states and various political and religious backgrounds. Our list is made up of diverse and intelligent women–with thousands of doctors, lawyers, teachers, businesswomen, home- schooling mothers, and longtime community advocates. Our collaboration with each other — which began in 2012 — has produced hundreds of letters to the media, dozens of published editorials, town hall meetings, letters and meetings with congressional representatives, social media postings, and the occasional protest, all in support of women and religious freedom. Our efforts have shown time and again that women care about religious liberty, and that no one can speak for all women! Women Speak For Themselves' website features articles, talking points, fact sheets, and other information concerning government assaults on religious freedom. Such knowledge is indispensable for the defense

With Justice Antonin Scalia's passing, a reliable defender of religious liberty has departed from the Supreme Court. The current president, who stands to name his replacement, has been less than amenable to expressions of Catholicism. During the October 2013 government shutdown, Catholic military chaplains who said Mass faced arrest . The White House asked Georgetown University to cover all religious symbols [i.e. the monogram "IHS”–symbolizing the name of Jesus] at a venue where the president spoke. Bishop Robert Barron in his article " No Room for Catholics in Obama Country ", examines the Obama administration's push for radical secularization at the expense of religious institutions: In short, the slow but steady creep toward secularization of Catholic health-care has already been, for some time, a reality. But now the process has been given a massive push by the Obama administration's recent mandate that all health-care agencies and institutions mus

Father Paul Scalia, the son of Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, delivered a heartfelt and inspiring eulogy at the funeral Mass for his father at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday. In his remarks, Fr. Scalia celebrated his late father’s commitment to family, public service and the Law, as well as his dedication to truth, justice, the intellectually rigorous defense of liberty, personal virtue, and the sanctity of persons at every stage of life. While paying homage to Justice Scalia’s religious devotion, Fr. Scalia noted how: "God blessed [his] Dad with a deep Catholic faith: The conviction that Christ's presence and power continue in the world today through His body, the Church." Fr. Scalia’s tribute is part fond remembrance and part profound catechesis. [ It is worth reading in full .] Later on, Fr. Scalia makes the following observation which I draw to your attention: God blessed Dad, as is well known, wi

Pope Francis meets with the Little Sisters of the Poor Yesterday, in his remarks at the White House, Pope Francis said in part: [ ... ]  Mr. President, together with their fellow citizens, American Catholics are committed to building a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination. With countless other people of good will, they are likewise concerned that efforts to build a just and wisely ordered society respect their deepest concerns and their right to religious liberty. That freedom remains one of America’s most precious possessions. And, as my brothers, the United States Bishops, have reminded us, all are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it. ... His comments were a gentle, but unmistakable challenge to the Obama administration's policies that force faithf

Recently, several orthodox Christians from numerous denominations formulated and signed the following declaration. To read the declaration in full and sign it go here : Declaration We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations to seek and defend the good of all who bear his image. We set forth this declaration in light of the truth that is grounded in Holy Scripture, in natural human reason (which is itself, in our view, the gift of a beneficent God), and in the very nature of the human person. We call upon all people of goodwill, believers and nonbelievers alike, to consider carefu