Holy Comforter Parish Blog

Link of the Week: Sodality of Our Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Sodality of Our Lady

The Sodality of Our Lady, an association formed by the Society of Jesus and approved by the Holy See, aims at fostering in its members an ardent devotion, reverence and filial love towards the Blessed Virgin Mary and seeks through this devotion to help Catholics reach sanctity in their state in life and to help save and sanctify their neighbor.

The website gives the interesting history and spirituality of the Sodality and features notable sodalists. This organization was a well-known part of the life of Catholic communities worldwide prior to Vatican II. Hopefully it will be again.

From Catholic Culture.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Excerpt from the Catechism: The Decalogue in the Church's Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The Decalogue in the Church's Tradition

The Ten Commandments are familiar, but through the Catechism, we can better grasp the tremendous importance of these ten words God first gave to His people through Moses. Tradition has embraced the Ten Commandments as a means for teaching the faith and showing us how to live the Gospel.

2064   In fidelity to Scripture and in conformity with the example of Jesus, the tradition of the Church has acknowledged the primordial importance and significance of the Decalogue.

2065   Ever since St. Augustine, the Ten Commandments have occupied a predominant place in the catechesis of baptismal candidates and the faithful. In the fifteenth century, the custom arose of expressing the commandments of the Decalogue in rhymed formulae, easy to memorize and in positive form. They are still in use today. The catechisms of the Church have often expounded Christian morality by following the order of the Ten Commandments.

2066   The division and numbering of the Commandments have varied in the course of history. the present catechism follows the division of the Commandments established by St. Augustine, which has become traditional in the Catholic Church. It is also that of the Lutheran confessions. the Greek Fathers worked out a slightly different division, which is found in the Orthodox Churches and Reformed communities.

2067   The Ten Commandments state what is required in the love of God and love of neighbor. the first three concern love of God, and the other seven love of neighbor.

As charity comprises the two commandments to which the Lord related the whole Law and the prophets . . . so the Ten Commandments were themselves given on two tablets. Three were written on one tablet and seven on the other.

2068 The Council of Trent teaches that the Ten Commandments are obligatory for Christians and that the justified man is still bound to keep them; The Second Vatican Council confirms: "The bishops, successors of the apostles, receive from the Lord . . . the mission of teaching all peoples, and of preaching the Gospel to every creature, so that all men may attain salvation through faith, Baptism and the observance of the Commandments."

Catechism of the Catholic Church

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Devotion: Prayer to the Holy Face

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Prayer to the Holy Face

One devotion that reminds us of the infinite love that our Lord has for us is the devotion to His Holy Face. The traditional sixth station of the cross is Veronica's wiping of Jesus' face. In this station, Veronica's love for the Lord is shown in her willingness to publicly identify with Him as He carries the cross to Calvary.

O Blessed Face of my kind Savior,
by the tender love
and piercing sorrow
of Our Lady as she beheld You in
Your cruel Passion,
grant us to share in this
intense sorrow and love
so as to fulfill the holy will
of God to the utmost
of our ability.

Amen.

Lenten Fast and Abstinence Rules

Each Catholic is asked to preserve Lent's penitential purpose and character, which begins Ash Wednesday. Therefore:

Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and each Friday of Lent.

Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, in addition to abstaining from meat, should fast, that is, eat only one full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Smaller quantities of food may be taken at two other meals, but no food should be consumed at other times during those two days. The obligation of fasting ceases with the celebration of one's 59th birthday.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

This Week's Bulletin: March 7, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The following are highlights from this Sunday's bulletin. To read the entire parish bulletin for March 7, 2010, click here.

NEED FOR ALTAR SERVERS:  There is a need for Altar Servers for the 5:00 p.m. Saturday Mass. Individuals should be willing to serve 1-2 times per month. Anyone from 9 to 90 should consider this important ministry. Training will be provided. Please call Jim Morrisard at 973-6570 if you are interested.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS:  The Stations of the Cross will be held Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a simple soup supper. Your participation is needed. Each Friday two readers, a Cross bearer and two candle bearers are needed. Sign-up is on the credenza. No experience is needed and training will be provided. Call Jim Morrisard at 973-6570 for more information.

CANTORS NEEDED:  We are in need of additional singers to serve as cantors for the 5:00 p.m. Saturday mass and the 8:30 a.m. Sunday mass. Any interested persons should speak to Bill Polhill, Minister of Music or contact him at gwpolh3@yahoo.com.

CCS CONTINUES TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS: Charlottesville Catholic School (CCS) continues to accept applications for Pre-kindergarten through 8th grade and are in the process of considering applicants in our applicant pool. If you are interested in learning more about all that CCS has to offer, please call our Admissions Coordinator, Ann Michel, at 964-0400. Appointments may be made for tours Monday through Friday.

AUCTION:  Just one week until CCS’s 14th Annual Gala Auction! Make your online reservation now to join us next Saturday, March 13th at the Boar’s Head Inn Pavilion as we "Celebrate the Journey"! Buy a raffle ticket (prizes include a new 46" flat screen TV, a Dell Mini Laptop, Vacation weeks, UVA sports packages and much more!) and/or join us for a fun, memorable community evening. Silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing included!! This weekend is your last chance to register! For more information, visit http://www.cvillecatholic.org/auctionupdate2010/.

PHILOSOPHY CLUB:  The Philosophy Club has moved to daylight hours! We now meet the second Sunday of the month at 12:30 p.m. (right after the 11:00 a.m. mass) in the Bernard Moore Room. All are welcome to join us at any time. At our next meeting, on March 14th, we will discuss St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, Question II and Question III, Articles 3 and 4, on the existence of God.
Please contact Suzanne Bailey (sbailey@nlrg.com or 296-5033) with any questions.

IMPACT:  Mark your calendars! The IMPACT Nehemiah Action Assembly takes place at U-Hall on Monday, March 22. Although the program starts at 7:00 p.m., it's a good idea to plan to arrive at 6:15 to park and sign-in. Even if you have ignored all the other IMPACT programs this year, your attendance at Nehemiah is crucial. IMPACT works to bring justice for the poor through the power of numbers -- a very large number of people of faith.

PANTRY:  The amount of food we receive from the government has increased lately, but that doesn't mean we can eliminate the pantry bags provided by the parish. We always need protein foods like tuna and chunky soups, and toilet articles are especially welcome. It's amazing how many people ask for soap and toilet paper, and how pleased they are when we tell them those items are automatically included in all pantry bags.

SALTADÈRE UPDATE:  Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Father Blot and our twin parish of St. Michel are helping to support about 500 refugees in the community through care at the clinic and education at St. Michel School. Watch for updates and recent pictures at the Haiti table. Updates on relief efforts are being posted on the Saltadère website, www.saltadere.org.

ANNUAL DIOCESAN HAITI GATHERING:  St. Thomas Aquinas is hosting the Diocesan Haiti Gathering on March 20th. Please take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the work of our diocese in Haiti. The new bishop of Hinche (sister diocese to Richmond) will be a speaker. Help is needed with all aspects of organizing this all day event. To register, call Patrice at (804)545-5974 or email patrice.schwermer@cccofva.org.

BI-PARISH HAITI COMMITTEE:  The committee’s next meeting will be March 7th at St. Thomas Aquinas at 1:00 p.m. in the Library. For more information, please contact Laurie Duncan at Laurie Duncan.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Third Sunday in Lent (Cycle C)

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Sunday's Readings:

Exodus 3:1-8,13-15
Psalm 103:1-4, 6-8, 11
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
Luke 13:1-9

Here are a couple of commentaries on these readings:

St. Charles Borromeo Lectionary Site (PDF)

Fruits of the Fig (Also available to be heard as an MP3) from St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

Lenten Fasting or Feasting? (en español La Higuera) from The Crossroads Initiative

Link of the Week: Musings of a Catholic

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Musings of a Catholic presently consists of a short course on prayer and a course on the Mass. The course on the Mass is partially complete. The portion that is available is a detailed study of the Mass. The unfinished portion consists of a history of the Mass and a study on the Real Presence. A third course on the Liturgical Year is planned. The courses our aimed at the average Catholic.

From Catholic Culture.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Excerpt from the Catechism: The Decalogue in Sacred Scripture, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The Decalogue in Sacred Scripture, Part 2

The Ten Commandments are familiar, but through the Catechism, we can better grasp the tremendous importance of these ten words God first gave to His people through Moses. Part 1 of this section can be read here.

2060 The gift of the commandments and of the Law is part of the covenant God sealed with his own. In Exodus, the revelation of the "ten words" is granted between the proposal of the covenant and its conclusion - after the people had committed themselves to "do" all that the Lord had said, and to "obey" it. The Decalogue is never handed on without first recalling the covenant (“The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.").

2061 The Commandments take on their full meaning within the covenant. According to Scripture, man's moral life has all its meaning in and through the covenant. the first of the "ten words" recalls that God loved
his people first:

Since there was a passing from the paradise of freedom to the slavery of this world, in punishment for sin, the first phrase of the Decalogue, the first word of God's commandments, bears on freedom "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."

2062 The Commandments properly so-called come in the second place: they express the implications of belonging to God through the establishment of the covenant. Moral existence is a response to the Lord's loving initiative. It is the acknowledgment and homage given to God and a worship of thanksgiving. It is cooperation with the plan God pursues in history.

2063 The covenant and dialogue between God and man are also attested to by the fact that all the obligations are stated in the first person ("I am the Lord.") and addressed by God to another personal subject ("you"). In all God's commandments, the singular personal pronoun designates the recipient. God makes his will known to each person in particular, at the same time as he makes it known to the whole people:

The Lord prescribed love towards God and taught justice towards neighbor, so that man would be neither unjust, nor unworthy of God. Thus, through the Decalogue, God prepared man to become his friend and to live in harmony with his neighbor.... the words of the Decalogue remain likewise for us Christians. Far from being abolished, they have received amplification and development from the fact of the coming of the Lord in the flesh.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Church History: St. Katharine Drexel

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

St. Katharine Drexel

The feast day of St. Katharine Drexel is March 3rd.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. on 26 November 1858, Katharine was the second daughter of Francis Anthony Drexel, a wealthy banker, and his wife, Hannah Jane. The latter died a month after Katharine's birth, and two years later her father married Emma Bouvier, who was a devoted mother, not only to her own daughter Louisa (born 1862), but also to her two step-daughters. Both parents instilled into the children by word and example that their wealth was simply loaned to them and was to be shared with others.

Katharine was educated privately at home; she traveled widely in the United States and in Europe. Early in life she became aware of the plight of the Native Americans and the Blacks; when she inherited a vast fortune from her father and step-mother, she resolved to devote her wealth to helping these disadvantaged people. In 1885 she established a school for Native Americans at Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Later, during an audience with Pope Leo XIII, she asked him to recommend a religious congregation to staff the institutions which she was financing. The Pope suggested that she herself become a missionary, so in 1889 she began her training in religious life with the Sisters of Mercy at Pittsburgh.

In 1891, with a few companions, Mother Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. The title of the community summed up the two great driving forces in her life—devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and love for the most deprived people in her country.

Requests for help reached Mother Katharine from various parts of the United States. During her lifetime, approximately 60 schools were opened by her congregation. The most famous foundation was made in 1915; it was Xavier University, New Orleans, the first such institution for Black people in the United States.

In 1935 Mother Katharine suffered a heart attack, and in 1937 she relinquished the office of superior general. Though gradually becoming more infirm, she was able to devote her last years to Eucharistic adoration, and so fulfill her life’s desire. She died at the age of 96 at Cornwell Heights, Pennsylvania, on 3 March 1955. Her cause for beatification was introduced in 1966; she was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II on 26 January 1987, by whom she was also beatified on 20 November 1988.

From EWTN

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Devotion: Via Crucis

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Via Crucis

Of all the pious exercises connected with the veneration of the Cross, none is more popular among the faithful than the Via Crucis. Through this pious exercise, the faithful movingly follow the final earthly journey of Christ: from the Mount of Olives, where the Lord, "in a small estate called Gethsemane" (Mk 14, 32), was taken by anguish (cf. Lk 22, 44), to Calvary where he was crucified between two thieves (cf. Lk 23, 33), to the garden where he was placed in freshly hewn tomb (John 19, 40-42).

The love of the Christian faithful for this devotion is amply attested by the numerous Via Crucis erected in so many churches, shrines, cloisters, in the countryside, and on mountain pathways where the various stations are very evocative.

The Via Crucis is a synthesis of various devotions that have arisen since the high middle ages: the pilgrimage to the Holy Land during which the faithful devoutly visit the places associated with the Lord's Passion; devotion to the three falls of Christ under the weight of the Cross; devotion to "the dolorous journey of Christ" which consisted in processing from one church to another in memory of Christ's Passion; devotion to the stations of Christ, those places where Christ stopped on his journey to Calvary because obliged to do so by his executioners or exhausted by fatigue, or because moved by compassion to dialogue with those who were present at his Passion.

In its present form, the Via Crucis, widely promoted by St. Leonardo da Porto Maurizio (+1751), was approved by the Apostolic See and indulgenced, consists of fourteen stations since the middle of seventeenth century.

The Via Crucis is a journey made in the Holy Spirit, that divine fire which burned in the heart of Jesus (cf. Lk 12, 49-50) and brought him to Calvary. This is a journey well esteemed by the Church since it has retained a living memory of the words and gestures of the final earthly days of her Spouse and Lord.

In the Via Crucis, various strands of Christian piety coalesce: the idea of life being a journey or pilgrimage; as a passage from earthly exile to our true home in Heaven; the deep desire to be conformed to the Passion of Christ; the demands of following Christ, which imply that his disciples must follow behind the Master, daily carrying their own crosses (cf Lk 9, 23).

From Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (131-3)

Lenten Fast and Abstinence Rules

Each Catholic is asked to preserve Lent's penitential purpose and character, which begins Ash Wednesday. Therefore:

Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and each Friday of Lent.

Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, in addition to abstaining from meat, should fast, that is, eat only one full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Smaller quantities of food may be taken at two other meals, but no food should be consumed at other times during those two days. The obligation of fasting ceases with the celebration of one's 59th birthday.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Prayer Intentions for March

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. - Romans 12:12

The Holy Father's prayer intentions for March are:

General: That the world economy may be managed according to the principles of justice and equity, taking account of the real needs of peoples, especially the poorest.

Mission: That the Churches in Africa may be signs and instruments of reconciliation and justice in every part of that continent.

The Second Sunday in Lent (Cycle C)

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Sunday's Readings:

First Reading:  Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
Psalm:  Psalm 27:1,7-9, 13-14
Second Reading:  Philippians 3:17-4:1
Gospel:  Luke 9:28-36

Here are a couple of commentaries on these readings:

St. Charles Borromeo Lectionary Site (PDF)

The Glory in Sight (Also available to be heard as an MP3) from St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

From Tabor to Calvary: Did God Abandon Jesus? (en español
La Transfiguración y la Cruz) from The Crossroads Initiative

Link of the Week: Salvation is from the Jews

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Salvation is from the Jews celebrates, the relationship between Judaism and the Catholic Church and the conversion of the Jews. It is the website of Roy Schoeman, a convert from Judaism and author of Salvation is from the Jews.

From Catholic Culture.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Church History: St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

The feast day of St. Gabriel is February 27th.

On a summer day a little over a hundred years ago, a slim figure in a black cassock stood facing a gang of mercenaries in a small town in Piedmont, Italy. He had just disarmed one of the soldiers who was attacking a young girl, had faced the rest of the band fearlessly, then drove them all out of the village at the point of a gun. The young man was Francesco Possenti, whose father was lawyer for the Papal States and who had recently joined the Passionist Order, taking the name of Brother Gabriel.

He became very sick during his school years and had promised that if he got better, he would dedicate his life to God. St. Gabriel Possenti got better and forgot about it. He got sick again and made the same promise, but again got well and forgot his promise. Once, during a church procession in which a great banner of Our Lady, Help of Christians, was being carried, the eyes of Our Lady looked straight at him and he heard the words: "Keep your promise." Shaken, he remembered his promise, changed his life completely, and entered the Passionists.

He hoped to be sent to the missions after his ordination to the priesthood, but at the young age of twenty-four, he died. Canonized in 1920, he is, along with St. Aloysius, one of the patrons of youth. He was very fond of his family and is particularly remembered as a remarkable young man who, at the age of twenty, threw all aside for God, determined to become a saint.

From EWTN

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Excerpt from the Catechism: "Teacher, what must I do . . .?"

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

"Teacher, what must I do . . .?"

The Catechism begins its teaching on the Ten Commandments by recalling the rich young man's question to Jesus on what he must do to inherit eternal life.

2052   "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" To the young man who asked this question, Jesus answers first by invoking the necessity to recognize God as the "One there is who is good," as the supreme Good and the source of all good. Then Jesus tells him: "If you would enter life, keep the commandments." and he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern love of neighbor: "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother." Finally Jesus sums up these commandments positively: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

2053   To this first reply Jesus adds a second: "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." This reply does not do away with the first: following Jesus Christ involves keeping the Commandments. the Law has not been abolished, but rather man is invited to rediscover it in the person of his Master who is its perfect fulfillment. In the three synoptic Gospels, Jesus' call to the rich young man to follow him, in the obedience of a disciple and in the observance of the Commandments, is joined to the call to poverty and chastity. The evangelical counsels are inseparable from the Commandments.

2054   Jesus acknowledged the Ten Commandments, but he also showed the power of the Spirit at work in their letter. He preached a "righteousness [which] exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees" as well as that of the Gentiles.6 He unfolded all the demands of the Commandments. "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill.' . . . But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment."

2055   When someone asks him, "Which commandment in the Law is the greatest?" Jesus replies: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. and a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets." The Decalogue must be interpreted in light of this twofold yet single commandment of love, the fullness of the Law:

The commandments: "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Devotion: Reading of the Lord's Passion

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Reading of the Lord's Passion

The Church exhorts the faithful to frequent personal and community reading of the Word of God. Undoubtedly, the account of the Lord's Passion is among the most important pastoral passages in the New Testament. Hence, for the Christian in his last agony, the Ordo untionis informorum eorumque pastoralis curae suggests the reading of the Lord's Passion either in its entirety, or at least some pericopes from it.

During Lent, especially on Wednesdays and Fridays, love for our Crucified Savior should move the Christian community to read the account of the Lord's Passion. Such reading, which is doctrinally significant, attracts the attention of the faithful because of its content and because of its narrative form, and inspires true devotion: repentance for sins, since the faithful see that Christ died for the sins of the entire human race, including their own; compassion and solidarity for the Innocent who was unjustly condemned; gratitude for the infinite love of Jesus for all the brethren, which was shown by Jesus, the first born Son, in his Passion; commitment to imitating his example of meekness, patience, mercy, forgiveness of offenses, abandonment to the Father, which Jesus did willingly and efficaciously in his Passion.

Outside of the liturgical celebration of the Passion, the Gospel narrative can be "dramatized", giving the various parts of the narrative to different persons; or by interspersing it with hymns or moments of silent reflection.

From Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (130)

Lenten Fast and Abstinence Rules

Each Catholic is asked to preserve Lent's penitential purpose and character, which begins Ash Wednesday. Therefore:

Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and each Friday of Lent.

Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, in addition to abstaining from meat, should fast, that is, eat only one full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Smaller quantities of food may be taken at two other meals, but no food should be consumed at other times during those two days. The obligation of fasting ceases with the celebration of one's 59th birthday.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Link of the Week: Priests for Life

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Priests for Life is an officially approved association of Catholic clergy whose purpose is "to provide training and motivation to the entire pro-life movement, especially the clergy." The site features pro-life news and events, the Priests for Life Newsletter, homilies, press releases and bulletin inserts, information about the PFL training programs, a list of crisis pregnancy centers, personal testimonies, daily abortion news summary, and links to other pro-life sites.

From Catholic Culture.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Excerpt from the Catechism: Moral Life and Missionary Witness

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Moral Life and Missionary Witness

The Catechism continues in its discussion of the moral life by explaining the link between the faithful's practice of the moral life and the witness of the faithful to the Gospel.

2044   The fidelity of the baptized is a primordial condition for the proclamation of the Gospel and for the Church's mission in the world. In order that the message of salvation can show the power of its truth and radiance before men, it must be authenticated by the witness of the life of Christians. "The witness of a Christian life and good works done in a supernatural spirit have great power to draw men to the faith and to God."

2045   Because they are members of the Body whose Head is Christ, Christians contribute to building up the Church by the constancy of their convictions and their moral lives. the Church increases, grows, and develops through the holiness of her faithful, until "we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

2046   By living with the mind of Christ, Christians hasten the coming of the Reign of God, "a kingdom of justice, love, and peace." They do not, for all that, abandon their earthly tasks; faithful to their master, they fulfill them with uprightness, patience, and love.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Church History: Ash Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is on February 17th this year.

In the Western Church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the 40-day period of fasting before Easter. On Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed, mixed with either holy oil or water, and imposed on the head with the sign of the cross, or sprinkled on the forehead. The ashes are made from burning palm branches blessed the previous year on Palm Sunday. When the priest imposes the ashes he says either "remember man you are dust, and to dust you will return" (see Genesis 3:19), or "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).

The ashes serve a dual purpose. First, as the above words imply, we are reminded of our mortality and humanity as we begin the Lenten Fast. Second, the ashes are a Biblical symbol of repentance, sorrow, and humility. There are many cases in the Scriptures of wearing ashes as a sign of penitence, often while wearing sackcloth. In 2 Samuel 13:19, Tamar puts on ashes and tears her clothes as a sign of sadness and repentance. In Esther 4:1-3, after learning of the king's decree to kill all Jews, Mordecai tears his garments, and puts on sackcloth and ashes. His fellow Jews do the same thing, as well as beginning to fast. The prophet Jeremiah (6:26) urges his readers to "gird on sackcloth and roll in ashes."

Fasting is a major component of Ash Wednesday, and Ash Wednesday is an official fast day of the Church, along with Good Friday. Fasting has a long history in the Church. In Acts 13:1-3, it was while "worshipping the Lord and fasting" that the Holy Spirit led the Apostles to set apart Paul and Barnabas for their work. In Matthew 9:14, Jesus assumes that after he leaves the earth his followers will fast. The history of the Church is filled with stories of fasting and its spiritual value. However, Jesus warns us not to be obvious about our fasting, or only fasting to impress others. Thus, Ash Wednesday is based on the biblical concept of repentance, and the ashes and fasting that are associated with repentance.

Ash Wednesday is unknown in the Eastern Church, and developed only in the West. Orthodox Churches begin Lent on a Monday, known as "Clean Monday." Ash Wednesday as an official fast day dates to at least the 8th century, since it appears in the Gregorian Sacramentary from that period. Originally, Lent began on a Sunday. However, in order to bring the number of days of Lent to 40 (the days Jesus fasted in the wilderness), the beginning of Lent was eventually transferred to a Wednesday

Originally, Ash Wednesday was the day when public penitents in Rome began their penance. Recall that in the early Church, penance was often public and protracted. It was only later that private confession and penance began, for pastoral reasons. When public penance gradually fell into disuse by the 8th century, Ash Wednesday became a day of penitence and fasting for all members of the Church. Today, Ash Wednesday is a universal Fast day in the Catholic Church. Many Western Protestant churches also observe Ash Wednesday, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and United Methodists.

From ChurchYear.Net

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Devotion: Ash Wednesday and the Beginning of Lent

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Ash Wednesday and the Beginning of Lent

In the Roman Rite, the beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which are used in the Liturgy of Ash Wednesday. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent. The faithful who come to receive ashes should be assisted in perceiving the implicit internal significance of this act, which disposes them towards conversion and renewed Easter commitment.

Notwithstanding the secularization of contemporary society, the Christian faithful, during Lent, are clearly conscious of the need to turn the mind towards those realities which really count, which require Gospel commitment and integrity of life which, through self denial of those things which are superfluous, are translated into good works and solidarity with the poor and needy.

Those of the faithful who infrequently attend the sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist should be aware of the long ecclesial tradition associating the precept of confessing grave sins and receive Holy Communion at least once during the Lenten season, or preferably during Eastertide.

From Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (125)

Lenten Fast and Abstinence Rules

Each Catholic is asked to preserve Lent's penitential purpose and character, which begins Ash Wednesday. Therefore:

Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and each Friday of Lent.

Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, in addition to abstaining from meat, should fast, that is, eat only one full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Smaller quantities of food may be taken at two other meals, but no food should be consumed at other times during those two days. The obligation of fasting ceases with the celebration of one's 59th birthday.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Link of the Week: The Cardinal Kung Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The Cardinal Kung Foundation provides "information about the persecution of the Roman Catholic Church in Communist China and seeks to help the Roman Catholic Church in China, now under persecution, through increased prayers, financial support and other appropriate projects." In 1957, the Communist Chinese Government declared the Roman Catholic Church illegal and replaced it with a goverment controlled organization. The Church in China has been facing intense persecution since. This site is a good way to become informed about the persecution, and to find out what everyone can do to help.

From Catholic Culture.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Church History: Our Lady of Lourdes

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Our Lady of Lourdes

The Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11th.

The pilgrimage of Lourdes is founded on the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin to a poor, fourteen-year-old girl, Bernadette Soubiroux. The first apparition occurred 11 February, 1858. There were eighteen in all; the last took place 16 July, of the same year. Bernadette often fell into an ecstasy. The mysterious vision she saw in the hollow of the rock Massabielle was that of a young and beautiful lady. "Lovelier than I have ever seen" said the child. But the girl was the only one who saw the vision, although sometimes many stood there with her. Now and then the apparition spoke to the seer who also was the only one who heard the voice. Thus, she one day told her to drink of a mysterious fountain, in the grotto itself, the existence of which was unknown, and of which there was no sign, but which immediately gushed forth. On another occasion the apparition bade Bernadette go and tell the priests she wished a chapel to be built on the spot and processions to be made to the grotto. At first the clergy were incredulous. It was only four years later, in 1862, that the bishop of the diocese declared the faithful "justified in believing the reality of the apparition". A basilica was built upon the rock of Massabielle by M. Peyramale, the parish priest. In 1873 the great "national" French pilgrimages were inaugurated. Three years later the basilica was consecrated and the statue solemnly crowned. In 1883 the foundation stone of another church was laid, as the first was no longer large enough. It was built at the foot of the basilica and was consecrated in 1901 and called the Church of the Rosary. Pope Leo XIII authorized a special office and a Mass, in commemoration of the apparition, and in 1907 Pius X extended the observance of this feast to the entire Church; it is now observed on 11 February.

Never has a sanctuary attracted such throngs. At the end of the year 1908, when the fiftieth anniversary of the apparition was celebrated, although the record really only began from 1867, 5297 pilgrimages had been registered and these had brought 4,919,000 pilgrims. Individual pilgrims are more numerous by far than those who come in groups. To their number must be added the visitors who do not come as pilgrims, but who are attracted by a religious feeling or sometimes merely by the desire to see this far-famed spot. The Company of the Chemins de Fer du Midi estimates that the Lourdes station receives over one million travellers per annum. Every nation in the world furnishes its contingent. Out of the total of pilgrimages given above, four hundred and sixty-four came from countries other than France. They are sent by the United States, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Bolivia, etc. The bishops lead the way. At the end of the year of the fiftieth anniversary, 2013 prelates, including 546 archbishops, 10 primates, 19 patriarchs, 69 cardinals, had made the pilgrimage to Lourdes. But more remarkable still than the crowd of pilgrims is the series of wonderful occurrences which take place under the protection of the celebrated sanctuary. Passing over spiritual cures, which more often than not escape human observance, we shall confine ourselves to bodily diseases. The writer of this article has recorded every recovery, whether partial or complete, and in the first half-century of the shrine's existence he has counted 3962. Notwithstanding very careful statistics which give the names and surnames of the patients who have recovered, the date of the cure, the name of the disease, and generally that of the physician who had charge of the case, there are inevitably doubtful or mistaken cases, attributable, as a rule, to the excited fancy of the afflicted one and which time soon dispels. But it is only right to note: first, that these unavoidable errors regard only secondary cases which have not like the others been the object of special study; it must also be noted that the number of cases is equalled and exceeded by actual cures which are not put on record. The afflicted who have recovered are not obliged to present themselves and half of them do not present themselves, at the Bureau des Constatations Médicales at Lourdes, and it is from this bureau's official reports that the list of cures is drawn up.

The estimate that about 4000 cures have been obtained at Lourdes within the first fifty years of the pilgrimage is undoubtedly considerably less than the actual number. The Bureau des Constatations stands near the shrine, and there are recorded and checked the certificates of maladies and also the certificates of cure; it is free to all physicians, whatever their nationality or religious belief. Consequently, on an average, from two to three hundred physicians annual visit this marvellous clinic. As to the nature of the diseases which are cured, nervous disorders so frequently mentioned, do not furnish even the fourteenth part of the whole; 278 have been counted, out of a total of 3962. The present writer has published the number of cases of each disease or infirmity, among them tuberculosis, tumours, sores, cancers, deafness, blindness, etc. The "Annales des Sciences Physiques", a sceptical review whose chief editor is Doctor Ch. Richet, Professor at the Medical Faculty of Paris, said in the course of a long article, apropos of this faithful study: "On reading it, unprejudiced minds cannot but be convinced that the facts stated are authentic."

From the Catholic Encyclopedia

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Excerpt from the Catechism: The Precepts of the Church

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The Precepts of the Church

The Catechism moves from a discussion on the Magisterium and the Moral Life (CCC 2032-2040) to discuss the obligations that the faithful have to Holy Mother Church. The precepts provide a minimum in order to help us grow in our love for our Lord and to desire to move beyond the minimum to even great demonstrations of our love.

2041   The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. the obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042   The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.") requires the faithful to sanctify the day of commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such sanctification of these days.
   The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.
   The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.

2043   The fourth precept ("You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.
   The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Consecration of the Family to the Holy Family

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Consecration of the Family to the Holy Family

The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family. The following is a prayer to dedicate your family to the Holy Family.

Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being made subject to Mary and Joseph, hallowed domestic life by Your ineffable virtues; grant that we, with the assistance of both, may be taught by the example of Your holy Family and may attain to its everlasting fellowship; Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen

For more on devotion to the Holy Family visit the Catholic Culture Holy Family page.

This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Sunday's Readings:

First Reading:  Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm:  Psalm 138:1-5, 7-8
Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Gospel:  Luke 5:1-11

Here are a couple of commentaries on these readings:

St. Charles Borromeo Lectionary Site (PDF)

Into the Deep (Also available to be heard as an MP3) from St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

Adventure or Cautious Mediocrity? from The Crossroads Initiative

All Activities for the Weekend of February 6-7 have been Canceled

noreply@blogger.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Due to the inclement weather, all activities for the weekend of February 6-7 have been canceled.

This includes Christian Formation, RCIA, and all Sunday masses (Saturday 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m.).