Those who call the street "Home"

As a board member of Emmaus Ministries which has as its mission outreach to men caught up in prostitution I often find myself struggling as I try to explain that ministry to friends and associates. How refreshing, and surprising, to see that an Archbishop in the Vatican offered a reflection that clearly addresses what Emmaus is about. The reflection states in part:

"Jesus meets people on the way, on the side of the road, in crowds and when he is alone," he said. "[...] The road is thus the place of encounter and transformation. It is the place of proclamation and evangelization, of healing and witness. In many ways it could be said that the road, the street, was both his home and pulpit."

This special significance continues today, the prelate observed, for those "who work in the service of the Gospel." The road, he suggested, "continues to be a place of both proclamation and witness and transformation and healing."

"It is the place where Christ may still be encountered," the archbishop affirmed, "where his words and life may given, through gestures and actions, where the Church may through its various apostolates channel the grace of God."

It is nice to see that somebody actually gets it.

A "Debaptism" movement...

I was struck by a story I saw regarding a "Debaptism" movement which apparently is being pushed in England as sponsored by the National Secular Society (which is apparently willing to sell individuals certificates of Debaptism).
The certificate declares:

I ________ having been subjected to the Rite of Christian Baptism in infancy (before reaching an age of consent), hereby publicly revoke any implications of that Rite and renounce the Church that carried it out. In the name of human reason, I reject all its Creeds and all other such superstition in particular, the perfidious belief that any baby needs to be cleansed by Baptism of alleged ORIGINAL SIN, and the evil power of supposed demons. I wish to be excluded henceforth from enhanced claims of church membership numbers based on past baptismal statistics used, for example, for the purpose of securing legislative privilege.”

I respect the right of people to make their own choices however ill-informed and naive those choices may be. It is apparent that those who choose to go the route of "debaptism" have never benefited from being educated about the faith into which they were baptized, or from witnessing their parents living out that faith. In baptism these people may have been born into life of the Spirit, but alas it appears it was a spiritual still-birth as that new life was never nourished.
What further struck me was that I came across this story just minutes after sharing a discussion about the tragic death of a Chicago high school student who was beaten to death in a street fight. That beating death was described as an evil act demonstrating once again the need for the rediscovery of morality in our secular society. I can't help but wonder if prayer in our schools might help our young people find moral footing amidst the evils of the world around them.

Pius XII Proposed as Righteous among the nations

Information released from the Vatican archives in recent years is succeeding in making more and more people aware of the Pius XII's efforts to save Jews during the second World War. Though in the years immediately following WWII the efforts of the pope toward this end seemed to be fairly widely acknowledged; for the past decade following the publication of the poorly researched and biased Hitler's Pope by British author John Cornwell, the reputation of the late pontiff has been much maligned.
For this reason I find it encouraging that the Pave the Way Foundation has announced a petition to recognize Pope Pius XII as Righteous Among the Nations at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. (story here)

Dare a deacon question a priest?

As a deacon, I know and am very comfortable with my place in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. I am a deacon for a reason. Though as a single male, I would certainly be eligible to pursue ordination to the presbyterate, somehow that doesn't seem to be what God wants of me. I frequently quip -- and as with all my jests there is a significant amount of truth behind it -- I believe that my salvation is dependent upon God having a sense of humor, but that my pursuing the priesthood would be pushing Him beyond His limits.

That is a long way of saying that I have a tremendous respect for priests and look to them for guidance. Most of the priests I know could tell you that I am as ready with questions as with opinions, and I am never too hesitant with the latter. I have a tendency to defer to presbyters in all matters dealing with theology, but even I must draw the line somewhere.

Perhaps I am not sufficiently progressive. Perhaps I shut out the "spirit of Vatican II" when I was busy reading the documents of Vatican II. Or, maybe, I just am as dumb as a sack of bricks. Whatever the reason, I must take exception to the portrayal by Fr. Richard McBrien, the Crowley-O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, of Eucharistic Adoration as "...a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward" as he puts forth on the web site of the National Catholic Reporter. posting here

For if (as I truly believe and as the Church tells me) Christ is really present -- body, blood, soul and divinity -- in the eucharist reserved in the tabernacle, what better place is there to be than kneeling before him in adoration? Alas, I cannot (or my faith is not strong enough to lead me to) spend all my time in adoration. I can only spend what time I might and hope that through the course of the day I might encounter Christ in those whom I meet and serve.

I would ask Fr. McBrien to forgive me for questioning his position... but suddenly I have little desire to approach him for absolution.

Miraculously healed Deacon to visit Newman Oratory

Catholic News Agency reports that an American deacon whose cure from a crippling spine malady has been recognized as a miracle wrought though the intercession of Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman will visit Newman’s Birmingham Oratory in November. (story here)
This story was brought to my attention by the Reverend Know-it-all who has recently posted a couple of blogs responding to a questioner asking if there have been any incontrovertible miracles.
The story of the healing of Deacon Jack Sullivan of Massachusetts is one in which the cure was immediate and permanent following prayers asking the intercession of Cardinal Newman. “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.”
I just celebrate the fact that at least one deacon is worthy of curing -- for this humble blogger, the best I can hope for is a light pickling.(a little preservation humor)
(more information here)

What is the state of Catholic Higher Education?

As "Catholic" institutions such as DePaul University strive to match their secular counterparts with programs such as their "Queer Studies" offering while seemingly distancing themselves from the actual teachings of Catholic Church, the question arises "What is the state of Catholic Higher Education?"
Dr. Anne Hendershott, former faculty member at the University of San Diego examines this question in her book Status Envy: the Politics of Higher Education.
Dr. Hendershott notes that, as catholic universities tend to be considered inferior to the top secular institutions, many of those catholic institutions have consciously distanced themselves from Catholic ideas and curriculum in favor of imitating secular institutions.
Presently Dr. Hendershott is a professor of urban studies at The King’s College in New York where she says she is allowed to be Catholic. (story here)

A Pastor's challenge to parents...

I was pleased to see this in my Sunday bulletin:

From the Pastor’s Desk
I once asked a rabbi if there was an orthodox Jewish institution where I might study the Talmud. He said, “No.” I was a little surprised. He continued, “The Talmud exists so that the 613 precepts of the law can be correctly followed. It is a mistake to teach Talmud to someone who is not going to observe its requirements. You would be wasting our time; you would be wasting yours.”
It is well established that if a child doesn’t attend church with his family, it is rare that he grows up to be an active Catholic. We Catholics believe that to be a Catholic, you have to go to Mass on Sunday. You may have a Catholic point of view and call yourself a Catholic, but to be Catholic you have to go to Mass and Communion.
There are some people who drop their children off for Mass and religious education, but don’t attend Mass themselves. As the Rabbi said, “You’re wasting our time and you’re wasting yours.” Why would you want your children to be involved in something that has so little meaning for you? It is counterproductive.
There are two ways that people experience conversion to Christ, the Faith and the Church: growing up in a Catholic home and encountering Christ as an adult. To bring children to church when I myself don’t participate may well deny them the possibility of ever becoming active Christians.
By not going to church, you give them the message that this is not important. They will grow up to believe that Mass is something children do. They will probably be immune to faith when they are adults because you are, in effect, vaccinating them against faith by giving them a weak dose of religion in their childhood. Worse than that, you are teaching them to lie. To receive Communion is to say that I want to belong to Christ for the rest of my life. They will hear in religion class that they have a moral responsibility to go to Mass every Sunday. They will see that you don’t go to Mass. Why confuse them?
Therefore I am asking, if you are not an active Catholic who attends Mass on Sunday with your children, please don’t send your children to religious education. There are of course exceptions. If grandparents or godparents are helping to raise children and they attend Mass with the children that will be fine. If a child sincerely asks to learn the faith, knowing that his or her parents are not involved, that too, will be fine. If you have a good reason for not attending Mass please call me. I would love to hear it. There are always exceptions to every rule.

Fr. Simon

Vietnamese blogger arrested

A story on Zenit announces that a Vietnamese blogger who had the audacity to protest how the Vietnamese government distorted the remarks of Pope Benedict to the bishops of Vietnam on their ad limina visit has been arrested. (story here)
In republishing the original article by the state run newspaper, other newspapers called for the arrest of priests of Thai Ha and Vinh. That region has been the site of conflict between the Church and the government over the confiscation of Church property.
This gives me a greater sense of appreciation for the freedom I have in posting my own inane ramblings. I can only pray for our brothers and sisters in Vietnam where the church is now subject to a systematic persecution orchestrated by the government.

Sure 'n couldn't you tell he was Irish?

Obviously blessed with the gift of gab, and a better-than-average bloke to have on your side in a donnybrook, Muhammad Ali finally comes to terms with his Irish roots with a return to Ennis, Count Clare from whence his great-grandfather Abe Grady hailed. (story here)
The source of those good looks, wit and charm are now explained.

A call to stop the insanity...

Chicago-based Mercy for Animals is garnering attention for its release of an undercover video depicting the destruction of baby male chicks in a hatchery operation. The group, which promotes a vegan diet, accused egg hatcheries of being "perhaps the cruelest industry" in the world and is asking major retailers to include an advisory on egg cartons saying, "Warning: Male chicks are ground-up alive by the egg industry." (story here)
Perhaps Mercy for Animals would like to take up another cause with an expose of slaughter perpetrated by Planned Parenthood which is subsidized with taxpayer dollars. Why do I think such a request would fall on deaf ears?