JMJ

Creche at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Pismo Beach, CA
(c) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

JMJ - Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  The Holy Family.  Years ago, and perhaps still today, Catholic school children wrote JMJ across the top of every paper.  The Most Reverend Fulton J. Sheen popularized JMJ as he wrote the initials across the top of the blackboard during his weekly television series.  Once, as he "signed in" as a guest on the popular television show, What's My Line? he wrote JMJ and then his own name.

The Holy Family--Jesus, Mary and Joseph--models the love of the family unit, which instructs us in the perfect Love of our Triune God found in the relationship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  During Christmastide, we are reminded of the formational love of the Christian family, which love, by its example, teaches us to reach out to all "men of good will."  

In establishing the tradition of the nativity scene, St. Francis continues to teach the world about the love of the Holy Family.

End of Days

(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

Some said the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world, but doomsday, December 21, came and went.  But not without incident.  In this part of the world, a beautiful rainbow painted a glorious arch across the early morning sky.  A sign perhaps.  As the story goes, after the Flood, the rainbow was given as a sign of the Creator's covenant with Noah for a New Beginning.  (Gen. 9:13-17.)  Only hours from now, if we open our hearts, we may find another sign of a New Beginning:  A Child in a manger.  (Luke 2:7.)  A sign of New Life.   Of Hope. 

Mary, Full of Grace - Patroness of the United States

Immaculate Conception - Side Altar, Basilica in Denver, Colorado (C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

 



On December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate Mary, full of grace.  We celebrate Mary's participation in salvation history by her faithful "yes"--her acceptance, fiat, of God's will.  On this day, of all days, we are reminded that our relationship with God, the Creator, begins at the moment of our conception.  We ask Mary, Patroness of the United States, to pray with us for an end to the evil that promotes a cultural of death, and especially to safeguard and protect the child in the womb.

Respect Life Sunday

Litany to Mary (click picture)

 

On "Respect Life" Sunday, we are reminded of the beautiful prayer of John Paul the Great, entrusting the cause of life to Mary, "Mother of the living."

Year of Faith Begins October 11

Click on the logo to learn more about the design

 

 

A “Year of Faith” begins October 11, 2012.  What is the “Year of Faith,” and why?  Read here and here.

 

 

Lino Under the Dome

"Touchdown Jesus" mosaic, University of Notre Dame (source:Lino Rulli Facebook page)

A part of today's American Catholic culture, Lino Rulli, the Catholic Guy, brings a special brand of Catholic humor to every event:  the Home of the Fightin' Irish, Notre Dame, being no exception when Rulli recently visited the campus and its icons and tweeted from the Michigan game.  

Our Conscience Cries Out

"I cannot! I must not! I will not!"  At the recent San Franciso "Stand Up" rally, Fr. Keyes explains how this rallying cry of the past intersects with our historical present.  (Click here or photo for video link.)



Fr. Keyes at S.F. "Stand Up" Rally, June 8, 2012

Excerpt from full speech:

We are not imposing our values on anyone. The government has dictated that employees at Catholic institutions are provided with free contraception, and that is the imposition on our faith and on our conscience. The government doesn't want so much to advance the cause of women's health, but rather, they seek to demonize a faith group that has the "audacity of hope," that they might live their faith free from government interference and intrusion.

Beyond Protest: Prayer and Procession

Source:  Diocese of Sacramento

Beyond the witness of protest, there is witness by prayer and procession

Excerpt from the Sacramento Diocese website:

eucharistic procession through the streets of downtown sacramento

Hundreds join Bishop Soto in Sacramento on 'Walk for Religious Freedom' on Feast of Corpus Christi June 9

Bishop Jaime Soto led some 1,000 people on a "Walk for Religious Freedom" on the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 9, in downtown Sacramento. Following celebration of the 5 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, the bishop led a eucharistic procession through the streets of downtown Sacramento, ending at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located at 711 T Street.

The procession included several stops for prayer for Catholic education, Catholic Charities and Catholic health care, all of which could be impacted by the mandate issued earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If the mandate stands, the federal government will force Catholic institutions to provide insurance coverage for sterilization and contraception, including abortion-inducing drugs, even though it violates the religious beliefs of Catholics.

Similar processions took place on June 9 after the 5:15 p.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Church, in Red Bluff, with Father Joyle Martinez, and at St. John the Baptist Church in Chico, following the 5 p.m. Mass, with Father Michael Baricuatro. On Sunday, June 10 there was a procession at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Vallejo following the 2 p.m. Mass, led by Father Stephen Borlang, pastor.

Dioceses nationwide will highlight religious liberty during the "Fortnight for Freedom" from June 21, the vigil of the feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, to July 4, U.S. Independence Day.

Corpus Christi

(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

Appropriately enough, on the weekend of the Feast of Corpus Christi, Sacramento, California, being named for the Blessed Sacrament, the Most Holy Eucharist, was one of many sites across the United States where Americans stood up for religious freedom.  More photos on facebook.

(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

Our Champion

Cardinal Dolan on CBS News

Roman Catholics in America have a true champion in USCCB President Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who lays out the case for how government interferes with "the free exercise of religion" by defining the scope of Catholic ministries.  Watch the video.

Cheer! Cheer!

The University of Notre Dame Sues to Stop HHS Mandate

In a U.S. federal district court complaint by the University of Notre Dame filed today against the Obama administration’s HHS Mandate, numbered paragraphs from the legal pleading outline how the federal mandate violates religious liberty for Catholic institutions:  

271. The Free Exercise Clause and Establishment Clause protect the freedom of religious organizations to decide for themselves, free from state interference, matters of church government as well as those of faith and doctrine.

272. Under these Clauses, the Government may not interfere with a religious organization’s internal decisions concerning the organization’s religious structure, ministers, or doctrine.

273. Under these Clauses, the Government may not interfere with a religious organization’s internal decision if that interference would affect the faith and mission of the organization itself.

274. Notre Dame is a religious organization under the general control and direction of the Roman Catholic Church.

275. The Catholic Church views abortifacients, sterilization, and contraception as intrinsically immoral, and prohibits Catholic organizations from condoning or facilitating those practices.

276. Notre Dame has abided and must continue to abide by the decision of the Catholic Church on these issues.

277. The Government may not interfere with, or otherwise question the final decision of the Catholic Church that its religious organizations must abide by these views.

278. The Government may not interfere with the Catholic Church’s affiliated religious organizations, including Notre Dame, with regard to their religious beliefs on abortifacients, sterilization, and contraception.

279. In accordance with this Catholic doctrine, Notre Dame has made the internal decision that its employee and student health plans may not cover, subsidize, or facilitate abortifacients, sterilization, or contraception.

280. The U.S. Government Mandate interferes with Notre Dame’s internal decisions concerning its structure and mission by requiring it to either facilitate practices that directly conflict with Catholic tenets or face substantial penalties.

281. As a University with a publicly stated goal to ensure that its Catholic character informs all its endeavors, Notre Dame is an integral part of the Catholic Church.

282. The U.S. Government Mandate and its religious employer exemption interfere with the organizational structure of Notre Dame as part of the Church by requiring Notre Dame to include or facilitate coverage for practices that directly conflict with its Catholic tenets but purporting to exempt the Church.

283. Because the U.S. Government Mandate interferes with the internal decisionmaking and organizational structure of Notre Dame in a manner that affects its faith and mission, the U.S. Government Mandate violates the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

284. The Government is also requiring student health plans, including the one currently offered by Notre Dame, to include abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception, and related education and counseling.

285. Defendants have again violated the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by requiring Notre Dame’s student health plan to include services that violate its religious beliefs, and thereby interfering with the internal decisionmaking and organizational structure of Notre Dame in a manner that affects its faith and mission.

Read the full complaint here.

Our Own Moral Compass

Contrary to what remains of its Catholic identity, Georgetown gave the bully pulpit to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius this week, who addressed the graduates of the University’s Public Policy Institute with vapid remarks about how they, like she, might find their way through difficult public policy debates. At one point, Ms. Sebelius invoked the ghost of President John F. Kennedy for the misstated proposition that “the separation of church and state [is] a fundamental principle of our democracy.” Others have questioned her reliance on Kennedy’s statement.

What is more interesting--and disturbing--is her proposition that one’s individual “moral compass” directed to the “common good” serves to direct sound public policy. Two quotes from her speech:

So my first hope for you today is that you always hold on to your commitment to work for the common good. If you let that focus guide you, you will never go off course.
***
Contributing to these [public policy] debates will require more than just the quantitative skills you have learned at Georgetown. It will also require the ethical skills you have honed – the ability to weigh different views, see issues from other points of view, and in the end, follow your own moral compass.

Of course, a compass of any worth must be set to the objective truth of true north. The “common good” is not found by resort to our “own moral compass.” Achieving the consensus of our “own moral compass” leads to public policy based on a tyranny of the majority. Seeking the “common good” requires moving beyond the limited sense of “our own moral compass.”

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ full remarks to Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute

Deeply Gladdening

Can a university be both Catholic and American?  While too many Catholic universities in the United States have failed the test of late, the answer is surprisingly simple:

Is not a big part of our gladness and pride this happy morning of graduation a grateful recognition that this university does indeed exude such “ecclesial communion and solidarity?” That this university is both CatholIic and American, flowing from the most noble ideals of truth and respect for human dignity that are at the heart of our Church and our country? That a university’s genuine greatness comes not from pursuing what is most chic, recent, or faddish, but what is most timeless, true, good, and beautiful in creation and creatures? That the true goal of a university is to prepare a student not only for a career but for fullness of life here and in eternity?

123rd Annual Commencement Address

  Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York

  East Portico, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

  May 12, 2012

In his moving commencement address, Cardinal Timothy Dolan also speaks of marriage in the context of "the law of the gift."

Read the full commencement address here.

Deeply Saddening

John 2:1-11

However, we cannot be silent in the face of words or actions that would undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better. (Read full text from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, USCCB President)

Storyboard

Picture:  Newman Club Newark, video

A "storyboard" can refer to a series of thumbnail sketches that lay out the essential elements of the storyline. This video does just that, explaining the threat to religious liberty and the need to repeal the HHS mandate.

Our Queen Mother

Stained glass window, The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Denver, Colorado
(c) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

As we enter into the month of May, we have an opportunity to contemplate—and celebrate—the many mysteries of Mary, Mother of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and Queen of Heaven.   Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is the patroness of the United States of America.   Maria, ora pro nobis.

Good Company



Most Reverend Daniel Jenkey, Bishop of Peoria
(click picture for text of homily)

We must marvel--too often these days, it seems!--how the Acts of the Apostles, chapters from so long ago, eloquently speak to our modern times. Peter and John, then, and Daniel, now, will not be silenced. (Acts 4:18-20.)

“The days in which we live now require heroic Catholicism, not casual Catholicism.”

(Bishop Daniel Jenkey, Peoria) 

God or Caesar

Rembrandt:  Stoning of St. Stephen
(source:  http://www.artbible.info/art/large/682.html )

As a Roman Catholic in America, where do you stand?   Notre Dame’s faculty cabal apparently missed the original lecture: “Render unto Caesar . . .” (Mark 12:17.)    Cf. Discourse of first martyr, Saint Stephen (Acts 7) 

Lessons from the Garden

(Source:  NASA photo; Visible Earth)

On Earth Day, April 22, 2012, we might, for a moment, stand back and look at the earth from a distant perspective and consider the relationship between man and creation. To the extent that we exercise dominion as honest stewards of our environment, we recognize, at last, a renewed longing for unity between man and the Garden itself. In a profound sense, this natural longing for unity is a reflection of our hope for peace on earth. And we recognize, too, that the source of this longing for unity is our ultimate desire to be one with the Creator, the “I AM,” being outside of man and creation, who is Lord over all.

"If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation. The quest for peace by people of good will surely would become easier if all acknowledge the indivisible relationship between God, human beings and the whole of creation. In the light of divine Revelation and in fidelity to the Church's Tradition, Christians have their own contribution to make. They contemplate the cosmos and its marvels in light of the creative work of the Father and the redemptive work of Christ, who by his death and resurrection has reconciled with God "all things, whether on earth or in heaven" (Col 1:20). Christ, crucified and risen, has bestowed his Spirit of holiness upon mankind, to guide the course of history in anticipation of that day when, with the glorious return of the Savior, there will be "new heavens and a new earth" (2 Pet 3:13), in which justice and peace will dwell forever.”

 (source: Message, World Day of Peace, January 1, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI)

"The Church has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere. In so doing, she must defend not only earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to everyone. She must above all protect mankind from self-destruction. There is need for what might be called a human ecology, correctly understood. The deterioration of nature is in fact closely connected to the culture that shapes human coexistence: when “human ecology” is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits. Just as human virtues are interrelated, such that the weakening of one places others at risk, so the ecological system is based on respect for a plan that affects both the health of society and its good relationship with nature." 

          (source: Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, June 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI)

Friday "Pop Quiz"

Looking at the years before the enactment of the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment (guaranteeing free exercise of religion), which of today’s 50 states can be identified with the following statement:   

“Discriminatory laws, including the loss of political rights, were enacted against those who refused to conform. Catholic chapels were closed and Catholics were restricted to practicing their faith in their homes.”

(a) Alaska
(b) Maryland
(c) New York
(d) California

 The answer is here.

Signs

Thomas asks, Lord, let me feel the wounds, that I may believe.  Blessed are those that believe without proof.

Remembrance

We join in solidarity with the faithful who remember the Holocaust, which began with discrimination on account of faith and the denial of religious liberty.

"In this place of solemn remembrance, I fervently pray that our sorrow for the tragedy which the Jewish people suffered in the twentieth century will lead to a new relationship between Christians and Jews. Let us build a new future in which there will be no more anti-Jewish feeling among Christians or anti-Christian feeling among Jews, but rather the mutual respect required of those who adore the one Creator and Lord, and look to Abraham as our common father in faith."

SPEECH OF JOHN PAUL II, VISIT TO THE YAD VASHEM MUSEUM, March 23, 2000

Fire Upon the Earth



Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (Source: Catholic News Agency photo)

Is modern American culture hostile to religious values?   In a recent Catholic News Agency article, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput outlines the case in "A Heart on Fire":

“Religion is under pressure in the public square because traditional religious faith, and the morality that flows from it, are obstacles to a very different and much more aggressively secular model of American life.” 

 Read more here.

June 8

"On June 8, people of faith will hit the streets again to demand that all our health care laws respect the role of religious faith in the public square."

Read more.

The Writing on the Wall

Art source:  USCCB

Religious liberty is not only about our ability to go to Mass on Sunday or pray the Rosary at home. It is about whether we can make our contribution to the common good of all Americans. Can we do the good works our faith calls us to do, without having to compromise that very same faith? Without religious liberty properly understood, all Americans suffer, deprived of the essential contribution in education, health care, feeding the hungry, civil rights, and social services that religious Americans make every day, both here at home and overseas. 

from, A Statement on Religious Liberty
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty 

Read more

The Big Lie

The "Big Lie" is that you cannot be forgiven.  I can't be forgiven.  Too much.  Too much time.  Too much sin.  I am not worthy. 

And that's the "Big Lie" because the Christ of Divine Mercy, Christ Crucified, has already given the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  We are forgiven.

Agnus Dei!  who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

It is fitting that we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday as the octave of Easter.  We are Didyimus, we are Mary Magdalene, we are Peter, we are Thomas, we are Saul of Tarsus!  We are forgiven!

Take the first step:  Forgive me Father, for I have sinned, it has been ___ years since my last confession . . .

Fortnight for Freedom

Stop HHS Mandate - San Francisco
(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

On July 4, 2012, the fireworks in the night skies over America will have special meaning for those who participated in the Fortnight of Freedom. Find out more, here.

Christus Resurrexit



Christus resurrexit!  Resurrexit vere!

 
It is remarkable that Jesus Christ, risen, is Jesus Christ, yet wounded. To dumbfounded disciples, Jesus shows them His hands and His feet. (Luke 24:39-40)   Post resurrection, His hands and feet yet bear the imprints of His Cross. There are wounds to touch. (John 20:24-29)    In His demonstration, one sees physical proof for the confounded that Jesus Crucified is now and forever.  In the Holy Eucharist, Christ with us, we behold the eternal Lamb of God.  Christus Resurrexit.

Emmaus

As the story of Easter continues, we hear today about the sojourners on the road to Emmaus, who, eventually, recognize Christ in the breaking of the Bread. (Luke 24:13-35.)   As Catholics, we re-live the Emmaus experience in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: The Word of God broken for us, to feed us, in the Scriptures and in the Holy Eucharist. Emmaus remains, then and today, a place of faith.

Easter Greetings

(Source:  Franciscan Media)

Franciscan Media (formerly St. Anthony Messenger Press) encourages e-vangelization through various media, including “greeting cards”—an Easter greeting is just a click away.

From Out of the Shadow

(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

From out of the shadow of the Cross, our Hope is revealed in the Risen Christ.   (1 Cor. 15:14)

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Alleluia! Rejoice!
Alleluia! Re-call!

Christ's gift
to all!
Alleluia!
to you!
yeah you!
all you!
yeah, you all!
all you all, yeah!

Alleluia!

(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America (photo and lyric)

Where have they put Him?



(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” (Jn. 20:2)

Good Friday

Sacrifice and Sacrament

The Eucharist is a sacrifice inasmuch as it is offered up, and a sacrament inasmuch as it is received.

One of the many gifts to us from Blessed John Paul the Great was his declaration of the Luminous Mysteries, an invitation, through Our Lady’s Most Holy Rosary, to contemplate the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. On Holy Thursday, observed today, the culmination of the Luminous Mysteries comes to mind. The last decade, the fifth mystery, is the Institution of the Eucharist: Christ present with us—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. In the breaking of the Bread, we realize: The kingdom of God is at hand.

The Road Not Taken

Peter and Judas. Two broken responses to Christ’s invitation to follow Him, which is the Way of the Cross. When night fell, the sheep scattered, as predicted. Judas, with a kiss, turned away, irrevocably, it seems, choosing despair and death. Peter swore denials, but then wept bitterly. Tears of remorse. And perhaps, tears released in thanksgiving for what Peter at once may have recognized in Christ’s look from across the courtyard--forgiveness.  (Luke 22:61)

Staying on Message

On the HHS mandate for religious "employers," Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, keeps the focus, where it belongs, on religious liberty.  Read the interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Moral Authority

On questions of faith and morals, the Bishops need not be listened to, the argument goes, because, after the child abuse scandal (or name your example), the Church has lost its "moral authority."  Assuming, for sake of argument, a working definition of "moral authority" is "suasion," that is, the ability to influence or persuade another, how does the "no moral authority" argument fare?  Not well when you dig into it.  The underlying premise of the "no moral authority" argument assumes the applicability of the old adage, Do as I say, not as I do.  But the moral authority of the Church, the Truth it proclaims, draws its power not from human conduct or example but from the Word itself.   In denying the reality of the Truth, we take the stage as Pilate does this Holy Week:  "What is truth?" (Jn.18-38)

Trust

Therefore I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

 (Isaiah 50:7)

Sunday to Sunday

As we enter the mysteries of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday, we circle around and around again to the meaning of “Jesus Christ is Lord.” How different the world looks—and how differently we view the world!—as we move from the hosannas of Palm Sunday to the Alleluia! of Easter Sunday! We learn anew what St. Peter proclaimed to Christ:

“You are the Christ, the son of the Living God.” (Matt. 6:16)

Citizen and Believer

Benedict XVI in Cuba (from Denver Post photo gallery)

"The right to freedom of religion, both in its private and in its public dimension, manifests the unity of the human person, who is at once a citizen and a believer. It also legitimizes the fact that believers have a contribution to make to the building up of society.”

Excerpt from March 28, 2012 homily of Holy Father Benedict XVI at Havana's Plaza de la Revolución José Martí  (Source: Vatican Information Service)  Full text here.

A Call to Citizenship

“No, I want my people to be a force in public life!”

Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, on being asked during an interview if he wanted "the Catholic Church" "to be a force in public life."  (See the video.)

From your lips to God's ears, good Cardinal!

Gutting Church Authority?

In a recent New York Times opinion piece, University of Notre Dame philosophy professor Gary Gutting, who holds the University’s endowed Philosophy Chair, discounts the teaching authority of the U.S. Bishops.  Professor Gutting posits an opinion, purportedly based on philosophical principles, that the tenets of a U.S. Catholic “majority”—and not the teachings of the Church through its Bishops—forms the faith-and-morals authority of the Church on the issue of birth control—and presumably whatever else a “majority” of U.S. Catholics tend to believe. The U.S. Bishops, the professor argues, have no claim on God’s teaching.   Vox populi, vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God).  Note to the University of Notre Dame: 

Really!

As we move into Holy Week, on to Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, and all through the 40 days of Eastertide, listen closely to the Scriptural readings to hear what Jesus tells the Apostles about their teaching authority.   Then read the Acts of the Apostles to see how it all works out on Pentecost Sunday and in the days, weeks, months, and years that follow.

In the meantime, you can read this counterpoint response on why there can be no gutting of Church authority on issues of faith and morals, reported by EWTN, from Professor William E. May of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. Read more.

Labels

In a recent op-ed piece about religion and politics in America, Michael Gerson, of the Washington Post Writers Group, eventually comes to his point that neither the politics of sectarianism nor the politics of secularism fits the American model of "religious pluralism, humanized by tolerance."  Point taken.  Yet the opinion begins by describing Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum as "(t)he pre-Vatican II Catholic candidate."  The pre-Vatican II Catholic.  An odd phrase.  With this code-laden description, Gerson neatly categorizes Santorum's religious beliefs, labels them--and marginalizes them.  Pre-Vatican II Catholic and other such labels--name calling, in essence--cut against the fostering of a society built upon pluralism and tolerance.  Lacking thought, honesty, or civility, labels serve the lowest form of persuasion, the ad hominum argument.  Why debate ideas when you can attack, label, and marginalize the person?  As such, labels are a first step to intolerance.  As Catholics and Christians, we have a right, as do all Americans, to participate fully in the markeplace of ideas, including religious ideas.  As aptly described by Archbishop Chaput, it is our duty.

No Masters, No Gods

No Masters, No Gods. This pithless expression of humanistic philosophy fit nicely across the bumper sticker; its comprehensive message presumably serving as the Summa on the topic of God and man. Yet on that same topic, we find in Mary’s fiat (from Latin “let it be done”) true freedom: In being open to, accepting of, and trusting in God’s plan, Mary freely conformed her will to God’s will. With her “yes,” Mary achieved the triumph of human free will over the tyranny of the self and to that world to which the self clings with grasping fingers.

On the significance of Mary’s fiat, read, Bl. John Paul the Great.

Ave Maria

The feast of the Annunciation normally falls on March 25 (informing us that Christ's birth is just 9 months away!)  Because today is Sunday, the feast day will be observed tomorrow.  The mysteries of the Annunciation are many and wondrous, among them:  God's intervention in human history; Mary's fiat; the beautiful Magnificat; the fulfillment of ancient prophecies; the affirmation of the sanctity of life in the womb, and more.  Ave Maria, indeed. 

Rallying Cries

(C) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

The Stand Up for Religious Freedom rally in San Francisco on March 23, 2012, like the day’s companion events throughout the United States, had memorable speakers and many powerful eloquent moments. While RCIA blog could not capture them all--these and other quotes will likely all be found at other sites-- here is a sampling of the day’s “rallying cries.”

“Catholic Charities not an expression of religion?  . . . Unbelievable!”  [on the Administration’s position on who qualifies as a religious employer] – George Wesolek, Public Policy, Archdioceseof San Francisco

 “Don’t force us: We will not do harm!” [on why conscience protection must be observed] – William B. May, President, Catholics for theCommon Good

 “We keep our mouths shut, and evil triumphs everywhere.” [on why Christians can no longer remain silent] – Gary Wagner, Pastor, Reformed Heritage Church

 “The bell that once rang, is still ringing again:  Let freedom ring!”  [on the growing chorus of voices in support of religious liberty] – Rev. Fr. Enrique Morales, Jr., Iglesia de Cristo Nuevo Pacto, San Francisco

 “Send the National Guard to close our (church-run) elementary schools . . . the answer is still No! [on why conscience cannot be compromised] – Dolores Meehan, San Francisco Walk for Life West Coast

“We are here!”  [on the “stand up” presence of Christians and others of faith united for religious liberty] – Walter B. Hoye II, Founder and President, California Civil Rights Foundation

March 23, 2012 - America Stands Up!

(c) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

Where Do You Stand?

DAY 9 of the Novena

To Make Our Voices Heard

From DAY 8 of the Novena:

Enable us, then, to speak up
and educate our fellow citizens,
and to make our voices heard to our elected officials.

Just weeks ago, then Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Bishops, spoke in plain terms about the need to make our voices heard.

Confiteor

For every moment we lacked courage in the past, give us the grace to repent.

For every time we were silent when we should have spoken, give us the grace to repent.

For every time we could have witnessed to life but did not, give us the grace to repent.

(source: DAY SEVEN of the Novena)

I confess, sometimes are not these the most difficult words from the Confiteor:
and in what I have failed to do

A Righteous Man

Feast of St. Joseph, March 19



St. Joseph, Husband and Father


Much is written of St. Joseph, yet little is recorded about him, either directly in Scripture or by way of tradition. Yet only a few words or phrases speak volumes about St.Joseph:   Of his identity—a Jew, of the House of David and a subject of Rome; of his vocations—husband, father, and carpenter; of his traits—righteous, obedient, loving, faithful, hopeful, courageous, and silent; of his actions—protecting, guiding, and fostering. (Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24; Lk 2:41-51.)   He was, in the truest and best sense, a good, righteous man.


DAY 6 of the Novena

Faithful Servants

In speaking out on the subject of religious freedom, the U.S. Bishops are faithfully serving in their role as priest, prophet, king - as must we all!

Not familiar with the Catholic teaching about “priest, prophet, king”? Read more here and here.

DAY 5 of the Novena

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In American Catholic culture, St. Patrick is among the most beloved saints--and probably also among the least known!  Apart from the legends of snakes and shamrocks (and the green beer and parades!), the real St. Patrick, whose name was Patricius, has a story worth telling.  Read some of it here.

DAY 4 of the Novena

Getting Our Irish Up!

In recent federal court litigation, private business owner, Frank R. O’Brien, has sued the Administration claiming the HHS mandate violates his religious liberty in conducting the business of his company:

Excerpt below from the federal court complaint, at paragraph 5, O’Brien v. U.S. DHHS:

5.  O’Brien contends that by requiring him to choose between conducting his business in a manner consistent with his religion, or paying ruinous fines and penalties, the Mandate violates his rights under the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

Just in time for St. Paddy's Day!

Support Our Catholic Bishops

U.S Bishops to Speak at Religious Freedom Rally

RCIA  blog sent this “thank you” to the U.S. Bishops on March 15, 2012:

Heartfelt thanks to the U.S. Bishops for their united voice and continued pastoral, courageous leadership on the question of religious liberty, as recently evidenced in the USCCB March 14 Statement on Religious Freedom and HHS Mandate.

Encourage our Shepherds, send your own message of support today!

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For Day Three of the Novena, click here.

The Heart of the Matter

In United for Religious Freedom, USCCB March 14 Statement on Religious Freedom and HHS Mandate:  A Statement of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued March 14, 2012, the Bishops re-frame the debate to answer the question: 

So what is it about? 

An unwarranted government definition of religion. The mandate includes an extremely narrow definition of what HHS deems a “religious employer” deserving exemption—employers who, among other things, must hire and serve primarily those of their own faith. We are deeply concerned about this new definition of who we are as people of faith and what constitutes our ministry. The introduction of this unprecedented defining of faith communities and their ministries has precipitated this struggle for religious freedom.

 And why does it matter?  The Bishops explain,

Those deemed by HHS not to be “religious employers” will be forced by government to violate their own teachings within their very own institutions. This is not only an injustice in itself, but it also undermines the effective proclamation of those teachings to the faithful and to the world. For decades, the Bishops have led the fight against such government incursions on conscience, particularly in the area of health care. Far from making us waver in this longstanding commitment, the unprecedented magnitude of this latest threat has only strengthened our resolve to maintain that consistent view.
(Emphasis added.)

Novena

Catholics have many traditions where numbers have significance:  40 days of Lent, 7 sacraments, 10 Hail Marys in a decade of the Rosary, and today, the number is 9 - for novena.  Nine days of prayer in anticipation of the upcoming rally for religious freedom.

Here's Day One:

NOVENA FOR A REVERSAL OF THE HHS MANDATE: DAY 1
Lord God,

You are the Author of Life and Freedom. In Your Spirit, we have the freedom of the children of God, and in Your Name, we promote the freedom of all to seek, embrace, and live the truth of Your Word.

In that freedom, Lord, we your people stand with Life and reject whatever destroys life or distorts the meaning of human sexuality.

In that freedom, Lord, we Your people live our lives in a way that advances Your Kingdom of Life, and we refuse to cooperate in what is evil.

At this moment, therefore, when our government has decided to force us to cooperate in evil, we pray for the grace to be faithful to You and to oppose the unjust laws and mandates that have been imposed upon us and our institutions.

We pray for the conversion of those in civil authority who fail to appreciate the demands of conscience. We pray for the complete reversal of all policies that permit the destruction of life or coerce the cooperation of Your people in practices that are wrong.

Bring us to a Culture of Life.

We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Liberty by Design

In contrast to secular, humanistic legal arguments that ultimately lead to a State-limited right of conscience, the Christian argument for religious freedom as a fundamental and "inalienable" human right recognizes, and indeed is premised upon, the relationship between God and man, and the Divine Creator's design that allows man's free will:  Freedom of conscience necessarily exists as a prerequisite to our being able to accept, through our own free will, Christ's "invitation" to enter into a loving relationship with the Father.  

As explained in the First Things article,  In Defense of Relgious Freedom, A Statement by Evangelical and Catholics Together:

Human freedom, and especially religious freedom, reflects God’s design for creation and his pattern of redemption. Religious freedom is thus grounded in the character of God as revealed in the Bible and in the moral structure of the world that we can know through reason.

Read the article here.

"Free Exercise"

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Well, what exactly does "free exercise thereof" mean?
For a short plain-English explanation, The First Amendment Center writes,  

Although the text sounds absolute, “no law” does not always mean “no law.” The Supreme Court has had to place some limits on the freedom to practice religion. 

(To read more, click here and scroll half way down the page to find the question, What does ‘free exercise’ of religion mean under the First Amendment?)

For the longer version about limits on religious liberty, find a lawyer to translate, and click here.

Bottom line:  The battle over your religious liberty is being fought today, here and now, in Congress and in the courts.  Where do you stand?

More Confusion than Clarity

In his March 1, 2012 blog entry, "I Owe You an Update," Cardinal Timothy Dolan's blog "updates" the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of New York about the HHS mandate conflict, describes the Administration's "concession," and concludes: “There seem far more questions than answers, more confusion than clarity.” Read the full blog here.

Full-Court Press

 

In basketball, a full-court press is when a team puts pressure on the opponent along the full length of the basketball court.  In other words, you don't wait for the other team come to your side of the court to defend.  In support of the U.S. Catholic Bishops' call for Catholic action in defense of religious liberty, Ave Maria Radio has taken up this strategy with its all-out Stop HHS campaign.  This "one-stop" STOP provides comprehensive information, late breaking news and commentary, and opportunities to take action.  Game on!   

Preachin' to the Choir

After a pleasant conversation over morning coffee with a good friend, in which we had mostly nodded in agreement over the current-day challenges facing the Catholic faithful, she said to me, "Well, we're preachin' to the choir, aren't we!"  Of course, the notion of "preachin' to the choir" is that we are all in agreement and there is really nothing left to discuss.  But with the errant and false notes being sounded, especially of late, by some untrained voices in the diverse and beautiful American Catholic choir, the symphony has turned into cacophony.  On the most basic of Catholic beliefs, we have lost the melody line.  As a community of the Catholic faithful, we are out of sync, we are out of tune!  Some preachin' to the choir is exactly what needs to happen.

Righteous Rap

Fr. Claude “Dusty” Burns (aka Pontifex), pictured above, succinctly describes why the controversy over the HHS mandate is “not a Catholic issue. It is an American issue.” 

The main issue is Religious Liberty. The mandate, as it stands right now, violates the Constitution and specifically the 1st Amendment. We have a right to the free exercise of our religion without violating our consciences. Every American should see this as an important issue. It is not a Catholic issue. It is an American issue.

Excerpt from the lyrics of “We Hold these Truths” by Pontifex

A Mandate that violates the corporate conscience of our faith And once this door is open every religion and creed is at stake Every American should see this as a threat to our country’s foundation Religion doesn’t make us second class, settling for an accommodation

Sleight of Hand

Sleight of hand refers to a kind of clever deception used by magicians (and con artists) to distract attention from what is really going on to create an illusion:  now you see it, now you don't!  Keep your eye on the ball!  The issue over the HHS regulation is not health care, but the imposition of government mandates upon the free exercise of religion.  Cardinal Dolan makes the point in his March 2, 2012 letter to U.S. Bishops. 

Fightin' Irish

The Cardinal Newman Society reports on the recently launched 'Dear Father Jenkins' Campaign:

“While the University of Notre Dame continues to be considered as a model Catholic institution by so many Americans, the institution's public response following Obama's February 10 nominal revision to the HHS mandate has been very low key. Now, ND alumni are actively calling on Fr. Jenkins to turn up the University's level of opposition to the HHS mandate."

Follow Dear Father Jenkins here.

Blunt Responses

In answer to requests to support the now-failed Blunt amendment, these responses from the two U.S. senators representing California support the President’s unilateral "compromise" or "accomodation" of February 10, 2012:

Sen. Boxer

Thank you for contacting me regarding a proposed federal rule requiring private health insurance plans to provide access to preventive services such as contraception. As you may know, churches and other religious groups are exempted from this rule, and President Obama has announced a compromise under which other types of religiously affiliated employers with objections to covering contraceptive services in their employees' health plans will not be required to provide, pay for, or refer for contraception coverage; in these cases, insurance companies, not religiously affiliated employers, will be required to directly offer access to contraception.

Sen. Feinstein

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for an amendment introduced by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

I understand you support Senator Blunt's amendment, which would authorize employers to decline to cover any health service authorized by the health reform law on the basis of religious beliefs or moral convictions.

I oppose efforts to restrict access to preventative health benefits such as contraception. In addition to preventing unplanned pregnancies and reducing the number of abortions, oral contraception is also often prescribed to treat medical issues. Since my election to the Senate, I have strongly supported access to comprehensive reproductive care for all women.

As you know, there has been substantial debate regarding the requirement that employers provide no-cost contraception coverage for their employees.

The Obama Administration recently finalized its policy to include contraception coverage as part of the preventive health services recommended for women. The policy stated that employers are required to provide no-cost contraception or another option to their employees, with a narrow exemption for religious employers.

On February 10, 2012, the Administration announced an accommodation to this policy, which will expand the exemption to organizations with religious affiliations, such as hospitals and universities. The accommodation requires health insurance companies to directly offer contraception at no-cost to employees if the employer with religious affiliations declines to pay for this coverage.

The Administration's accommodation solidifies its commitment to respecting religious and moral beliefs while ensuring women have access to contraception – a proven preventative health benefit.