A Fortnight for Freedom Has Begun

A Fortnight for Freedom Has Begun

The U.S. Bishops are urging Catholics across America to participate in a 14-day campaign of prayer, study and public action dedicated to protecting our religious liberty. The Fortnight started Thursday, June 21, the vigil of the Feasts of John Fisher and Thomas More. The campaign culminates on July 4, when we celebrate Independence.

Here are 6 good ways to participate:

1) Go to see the movie For the Greater Glory. It is about the battles for religious freedom in Mexico. Talk about the movie. Promote it. The movie won’t be available unless we support it.

2) Learn about the issues of religious freedom which are being challenged and violated in our country. http://www.catholicvote.org/index.php?/site/eu_roadblock/

The HHS mandate requires all private religious institutions—including colleges, hospitals, charities (all except churches themselves and even then there are exceptions) and private business run by Christians to provide services which are against our beliefs as Catholics--including contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. These things are listed in the HHS as “preventative health care” –thus equating pregnancy with disease.

3)Pray for the leaders of our country and for a return to morality.

4) Join the students of Benedictine College who have started a Memorare Army, asking everyone to pray 1000 Memorare prayers before the end of the year. This has become a national campaign. http://www.thegregorian.org/memorare-army
This is the Memorare prayer:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

5) A Christian (non-Catholic) group has been standing with the Catholic Church in the issue of religious freedom. Check out the Focus on the Family report…very good reporting. Watch: http://www.citizenlink.com/2012/05/22/citizenlink-report-religious-freedom-vs-obamacare/

6) Pray to St. Michael during this time.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

We Gather Together…Yet We are Separated

It seems that many people find themselves distracted during Mass. According to online discussions, hundreds of people say they are kept from a prayerful focus by everything from flip-flops pattering down the aisle, to seeing a person stick the Eucharist in a pocket.

Is it being “judgmental” to have reactions to these things? Should we simply focus on our interior experience and block out everything else?

First, it seems important to clarify: The events listed here range from a minor display of disrespect to something sacrilegious. To “judge” means to differentiate between right and wrong and degrees of sin. Putting the Eucharist in a pocket or giving it to an infant is wrong and potentially a grave sin. Wearing flip-flops is a distraction that doesn’t show an appreciation for the importance of the sacrament. So, in that sense, it is “wrong” to a lesser degree. Women who wear low-cut outfits are buying into secular culture and may need to be educated about how that kind of dress can lead to sin for others.

Evaluating right and wrong is necessary for four reasons: So we can commit ourselves to better behavior; in order to train our children properly; to recognize people who need our prayers; and, to intervene so that others keep from committing a grave sin.

Times to intervene: Someone who leaves Mass, with the host in a pocket should be challenged. “Please consume the host or give it to me,” said one Eucharistic minister when he saw this happen.

Another time to intervene might be when people are talking and using cell phones during the Mass. Recently, I stood next to a man who intervened. The people in front of us were talking and texting. They remained sitting and did not participate in the Mass. The man next to me whispered to them, “At a Mass, it is important to be quiet and put cellphones away out of respect for our Lord.” After he said this, he dropped the matter. They continued in the same manner but he did what he could.

Others who complained of distractions said that squirming kids topped the list. For them, any intervention should be to turn their irritation into charity. Parents are usually their own worst critics. They feel self conscious and sure that everyone around them feels irritation over kid behavior. It would be so much better if parents of young children felt that others were giving them a “spiritual hug of support.” That’s the kind of intervention parents need!

Modeling the Best:

Perhaps the best answer to Mass distractions is to SET A GOOD EXAMPLE. When we are doing the right thing by how we dress, how we show reverence, how we receive communion and how we act in charity, then we encourage others—not just our children—but all of those around us.

I remember one day when this struck me. I had gone to Mass on Sat. and was planning to do some errands on Sunday morning after teaching a catechism class. But I stopped in church to say a quick prayer. The choir began singing. I looked up thinking I would duck out quickly since Mass was starting. But one of my students was looking at me. I couldn’t leave then!

For the next several minutes I debated about leaving. I knew that even if I left while the congregation was standing, a few people would see me and wonder. It would give a bad example. It was wrong to leave once the sacred sacrament was unfolding.

The message became clear that we are responsible for setting an example for each other. What if almost everyone who came to Mass, consciously practiced being a role model? We aren’t at Mass simply for our own benefit. It is a collective experience. We are there together. Praising God together.

If we were aware of that it would mean being appropriately dressed, participating actively in communal prayers and songs, showing reverence and respect for the importance of the sacrament. Wouldn’t that make a difference for those who were there out of a sense of duty, and for teens who were forced to go the church by their parents, for visitors and for children?

We can help each other best by being role models and praying for one another as we gather together.

Truth or Relativism?

I used to tell people, “The Catholic Church is big enough to include both people who believe the Doctrines and dogma, as well as those who disagree with most of that stuff.” And I counted myself among the disagreeing. I called myself a pro-choice feminist and advocated for total reform of the church.

That has all changed, through the action of the Holy Spirit. I came to realize, with a flash of sudden clarity, that there is something called Truth and it’s not a matter of picking and choosing what is “true for me.” I came to see that the Church is led by Jesus Christ, and the Church needs to stand up for the Truth about moral and faith issues no matter how difficult it may be.

My conversion came about through grace. But that’s really another story.

I started questioning the relativist attitude when my kids were in elementary school and they were taught math in a yet another “new way.” I always thought math was a pretty black and white discipline. There is only one right answer—right? Wrong—according to the new math.

Nowadays (at least in some public schools), kids are required to say “how” they got an answer and credit is given for any answer that is accompanied by a reason. So 1+1 can equal 3 as long as a student makes up a story about it. How about this: “such equations have 3 numbers and since this is an equation with ones that means the answer is 3.” Say what?

Relativism. It’s the road of “your truth is not my truth” and it leads from one justified immorality to the next immorality. If 1+1 can equal whatever you want it to, then surely if someone can give a sad-sob story about why they need to marry a little kid, we won’t be able to judge that either! Every sinner has a justification for sinful acts.

Last night, I heard a lecture on bio-ethics. The priest was talking about how scientists will put an embryo in a Petri dish and begin to dismember it in order to remove stem cells. Separated, the cells go to the sides of the dish frantically trying to come together again. These cells are the essence of a human being. Everything is there in the Petri dish even then. This is a life struggling to LIVE! And yet it will die at the hands of a scientist.

Abby Johnson, who left her job at Planned Parenthood, was awakened to Truth when she saw the ultrasound image of the baby inside a woman’s womb. The baby was trying to escape the abortion prod. The baby was struggling. It was a baby and she wanted to LIVE! Yet, she would die at the hands of a doctor.

And then there is the story of the twins who were born, each one weighing only two pounds. They were put in separate incubators and the weaker twin was pronounced as “dying.” Her heart was weak, her breathing was labored. A nurse said, “They were together in utero. They should be together now.” So she defied hospital protocol and put the weak baby in with her sister. The strong one put her arm around the other sister. Almost immediately, the weak baby began to improve. She wanted to LIVE and her twin helped heal her with a hug! These were two pound babies, who could have still been in their mother’s womb!

These are stories about life. Life is a gift from God that cannot be denied. Abortion is clearly wrong. And Truth is not relative. Catholics, who are struggling to be closer to God, will learn to stop being relative and return to the life-affirming, Bible-based teachings of our faith. And they will find Truth here at home, in our Church.

Judge Not? Is that Really What we Are to Do?

By Judith Costello

The priest who gave a Mission talk at our church talked about the whole issue of "judgment." It was helpful to me as I read the online discussions among Catholics about Fr. Guarnizo from Washington, DC. He’s the one who withheld communion from a Buddhist lesbian activist. The woman introduced herself and her lover to the priest before Mass, making their status clear. The priest explained to the entire congregation the conditions for reception of communion at a funeral Mass and apparently he had something of a conversation with this woman as well while they were in the sacristy. But the woman still felt she “deserved” to receive the Eucharist. When the priest quietly refused it, she went to a different line and received communion anyway. Then she went to the press to make life difficult for this priest.

Many of these kinds of situations remind me of family life. God gives us families as a microcosm of society so we can learn to make judgment calls like this priest was forced to make.

I remember a situation that happened to me. I was living in sin with a boyfriend, and I brought him home to meet Mom. Should she have said, “Well it’s not my job to judge. The Bible says ‘judge not, lest you be judged.’ So I’ll just give you one bedroom since that’s what you choose.” Would that have been the right the thing to do?

Well my mom didn’t think so. She said, “You may be living together, but not in my house. I won’t have that here. Here are two bedrooms. I expect you to sleep in your respective bedrooms alone.” She couldn’t change my lifestyle outside of her house. About that she was praying hard. But she certainly had a moral obligation to hold me accountable while in her house.

We can't condemn the souls of others. The state of their relationship with God is none of our business. That’s what the Bible passage means. But that is totally different from telling a child, "Don't do that. And what you just did was wrong." We as Catholic parents are morally obligated to tell our children they are living in a state of sin if they move in with a partner.

We should be gentle. We should accompany any correction with lots of prayer. God will move the soul to conversion. But we are called to be a light to the world, a voice for Truth.

As a priest, Father had a moral obligation to point out to this woman that she couldn't receive communion since she was introducing him to her active lifestyle without contrition. Had she not announced this to him, he says he would “assume good faith when a Catholic presents himself (herself) for communion; like most priests I am not at all eager to withhold communion.” But given that she announced her lifestyle and was not a member of the parish, Father was acting as any priest should. And as any "parent" should.

Too many of us say, "Well my friend is going in for an abortion, but I don't want to judge her. So I’m not going to say anything." Certainly if we hear about this after the fact, we can’t say, “You’re a sinner.” But we could say, “If you need someone to talk to about having made that decision, I’m happy to talk. I can also refer you to someone for counseling.”

We don't judge the state of her soul, but we do point out the immoral. To not act, when we have the opportunity, when a door is opened for conversation—that is sinful.

Sadly, we live in wishy-washy times. According to the world, there is only "my truth and your truth." I remember hearing that in school. It was what I believed back when I was living with that fellow I brought home to Mom. I wanted to define “right and wrong” for myself.

But my mother did the Right thing. Her ultimatum, “If you want one bed, you can’t sleep here,” made me embarrassed. But it was the challenge I needed to hear. And her constant prayers were what turned my life around.

We have an obligation to speak on behalf of God’s law within our circles of influence. And that will make a difference. Let’s pray for Fr. Guarnizo and all those involved in that situation. Father has been removed from priestly duties in response to his action. From the information available, that seems very wrong. So we will pray for our whole Church that our bishops and Cardinals will stand up against the pressures of the world that would re-define family.

Let us pray…and speak out.

This is a link to Fr. Guarnizo’s explanation of what happened: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/father-marcel-guarnizo-i-did-only-thing-faithful-catholic-priest-could-do

Twisted Virtue

Slowly yet steadily it has happened. “Good” has become “bad.” (But that’s not the end of the story….help me create this story!)

The virtues and standards of our faith, have been twisted by the modern world. Virtue is being mocked, or simply discarded. In the news, in classrooms and in the entertainment industry you can find examples of the mockery…

The response to Humility is “Don’t be a doormat.”
The response to Sacrifice is “Stand up for your rights. You deserve better.”
The response to Obedience is “Question all authority. No one is in charge of ME.”
The response to Chastity is “Why be repressed? It’s time to enjoy yourself.”
The response to Charity is “The government owes us. I am entitled.”
The response to Diligence and Hard Work is “Why bother? Just do the minimum.”

Virtues are seen as passe. Yet, these virtues are the very basis of a civilized society. They are crucial to decency, respect and growth as a culture. These virtues are the road to genuine love. So when these values are twisted to become meaningless, we are in BIG trouble as a culture and a nation.

I know virtue still exists. I can give examples of virtuous people...but first we must look at what is happening. Share you thoughts. Have you seen basic values being twisted?

2012--In with a ROAR!

2012 has started out in dramatic fashion. It reminds me of St. Paul who wrote to the churches to tell them to rejoice and trust in God no matter what happens. He was in a dismal prison when he wrote those words. (See Phil. 4:4-7)

For our family, New Year’s Day allowed no time to “rejoice” or to write resolutions! When I stumbled out of bed to let the dogs outside, my ears were met with the sound of loud barking from several dogs.

I rushed to throw on a jacket and headed outside. As I rounded the corner, my heart stopped. There were dogs inside our goat pen. One came out of the shelter licking blood. I screamed and three more dogs came out.

A pathetic bleating came from inside the shelter. My mind raced. I was afraid of the dog pack. And how much had they mutilated our two “dwarf” pet goats?

I called the Sheriff rather than face the dogs alone. One of the goats stumbled into the open and fell over dead. The other goat was in shock. I felt the same way. When I finally came inside, my legs were shaking.

Yet, God has a way of granting us hope and light even in the midst of tragedy just as St. Paul said.

The sun came out as the remaining goat, named Jag, finally was coaxed to come into the barn. Jag ran to the front door with me, as if he remembered another time he was hurt and he spent the night in our bathroom. Jag began to follow me around the barnyard like my lamb. The bond with this goat has been strengthened. Now are remaining lonely goat has become quite “talkative.”

A few days later Jag peeled his lip back and made a new sound…he smelled something in the air. Our old horse needed help. Although Brandy was 35, she could still push away the other female horse when a male horse came by! She was like a 150 year old lady competing for the favors of a gentleman!

But now Brandy was had fallen in the thick mud and she couldn’t get up. Her body seemed to shrivel up. She was shaking and dazed. I knelt beside her.

Brigit, our 12 year old, wasn’t ready to give up. She brought out food and ropes. “We can get her up, Mom. We have to,” she cried.

So we did our best. But we could not help her legs to work. Brandy kept falling back to the ground shaking, her eyes rolling.

It was a long afternoon. Finally, the goat called out just as Brandy was put to sleep. Animals seem to know about death. There was a moment of profound silence. No cackling chickens. No barking dogs. No honking donkey. Just silence.

This New Year has made me take stock of life and death.
In the bigger picture, we know there are deeper tragedies that other families are experiencing. The lesson of this new beginning, is that life is a precious gift not to be taken for granted.

One gutsy horse and one protective goat left a barnyard with thawing snow, a new puppy who sleeps at my feet and bright rays of light coming through dark clouds.

God is here through it all. With our faith we know that endings are also new beginnings. Life and death are part of a woven fabric. So our family has made a collective resolution not to take the beauty and bounty of God for granted anymore.

And I have promised to say, “Jesus, I trust in you” every day. Jesus our model and our Lord, is our hope for a future of promise.

Our DAILY Bread

For fifteen years I’ve been a freelance writer. Before that I was a full-time artist. These are not the kind of professions with a guaranteed income! And lately, as the jobs and paychecks dwindle into meagerness, I find myself staring at the neighbor lady as she drives off to work every day. Suddenly, I find myself feeling jealous! Wow. That’s a shock!

As she comes out the door at exactly 7:15 a.m. everyday, the neighbor lady flips back her hair which is perfectly combed. She gets into her car and drives away, acknowledging me by raising a hand to her window as I stand with my kids at the bus stop.

But, I’m sure, as she’s driving away, she’s thinking, “There’s Judith. Standing there in grubby clothes and wild hair, ready to go and feed her horses and donkey. What a life she has. No job. No boss. I’m jealous.”

I’ve been praying about this odd turn of events and this is what I realize now:

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew people were tested by God. He sent them manna…bread from heaven! But He also gave a command along with it…no hoarding up for tomorrow. Instead, He said, “Collect only enough for your needs today. Trust me. Rely on me and leave tomorrow alone.”

Then in the New Testament, the Apostles asked Jesus to teach them to pray. I’ll bet they wanted to know how to list their requests so God would answer! I can image them secretly hoping Jesus would give them something really good to say! They were really asking, “Teach us how to pray so the Father in heaven will give us steady work and good pay so we will survive and even thrive during these economic hard times!”

Instead, Jesus told them to begin with words of praise and then to say, “Give us this day our daily bread…”

Just one day at a time! The Lord gives us enough for that. Why does He do this? Well, I guess Jesus gave St. Faustina the answer. He told her that we have a simple prayer to say. It is this…“Jesus, I trust in you.”

If I trust in Him, and offer thanksgiving, all will be well! One day at a time! No guarantees about what comes next. There is no looking glass. No comfortable cushion to rest on in this lifetime. But there is Someone we can trust.

Thank you Jesus!