BIG C CATHOLICS

Thought of the Day It is easier to look wise than to talk wisely. -- St Ambrose of Milan

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- No one would ever mistake St. Peter's Square for Giants Stadium. But for centuries, the Vatican has hosted countless competitions and dozens of high-caliber athletes -- most of them lay employees, some of them monsignors and popes. Because so few people know about the sporty side of the Vatican and because much of it is oral history that needs to be preserved, one Vatican employee has decided to publish his research. Roberto Calvigioni, department head of sound engineering at Vatican Radio, spoke with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, this summer about the soccer champs, black belts, tennis aces and cycling stars who will appear in his book, which, he explained, is still in the works. Pope John Paul II obviously stands out as the most athletic pope in memory: He was an avid skier, soccer player, swimmer and hiker. Pope Pius XI loved mountaineering. He was the first to summit Switzerland's highest mountain, Monte Rosa, from the eastern slope.

Matthew Coffin The book of Genesis features two accounts of creation. Detractors of Christianity, and even some Christians, claim these stories contradict each other by telling different versions of the same event – namely, when God created the world. The two creation accounts also pose a challenge to fundamentalists who hold a literal interpretation of the Bible. Pope John Paul II showed how the two creation stories in Genesis are complimentary and not contradictory. The first creation account (Genesis 1:1-2:9) is called the Elohist account since the term used for God is “Elohim.” It is chronologically newer than the second creation account starting at Genesis 2:10. The second creation account is called the Yawhist account since the name used for God in that story is “Yahweh.” The Elohist account or first creation story is creation from God’s point of view. God separates the light from the darkness, divides the waters, creates the sun, moon, and stars, land, vegetation, the birds of

Ever been at a loss when someone attacks your faith and beliefs? The Essential Catholic Survival Guide is a good resource to combat questions, challenges, and misconceptions about Catholicism and the Catholic Church’ Indexed according to topic in a “question and answer” format, it allows the reader to find the right answer to any question quickly. Topics covered include the following: · The Church and the papacy · Scripture and Tradition · Mary and the saints · The sacraments · Salvation · Last things · Morality and science · Anti-Catholicism · Non-Catholic churches and movements · Practical apologetics Many of the answers provided in this book are in-depth and technical. I found it profitable nonetheless – especially as a reference tool. To purchase this book go here or visit the Catholic Company for similar items.

Thought of the Day You ask me a method of attaining perfection. I know of love - and only love. Love can do all things -- St Therese of Lisieux

Fr. Phillip Neri Powell The following is an excerpt from the article “Advice from Fr. Philip Neri’s Confessional,” by Fr. Philip Neri Powell, O.P., Ph.D. It's quite long but well worth the read. Visit his website here . Go here for the previous post in this series. 6. Gossip : What sin does gossip pervert? Gossip tends to pervert the gift of Truth, or in other words, gossip distorts our view of objective reality in favor of the illusions generated by lust, envy, jealousy, etc. Depending on the subject of the gossip, gossip is exciting b/c there is the great potential there for making oneself look good or better in front of friends. It is important to us that we appear to be “hooked in,” so we gossip. Gossip, in its worse form, is also a form of tearing people down—lying exaggerating, etc. all build up a false picture that then gets used to make rash judgments. Advice: St. Philip Neri once took a penitent to the top of his church. He handed the woman a feather pillow and told her t

Fr. Rene Butler In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Miranda, who has never set eyes on another human being but her father and, only recently, Fernando, suddenly finds herself among a group of men, and exclaims: “How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in it!” [Note: “brave” here means “fine, beautiful.”] Isaiah 35:5-6 presents a wonderful vision of a brave new world: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing.” We see this fulfilled in Jesus healings, which lead us to hope for a better world. If you could change just one thing about the world, what evil would you eliminate? Sickness and disease, even death? We can imagine people living a healthy life and then, when the time comes, just passing peacefully to the next life in their sleep. This would mean eliminating hunger, the cause of so much sickness and disease in