Rosary Processions - It's Time!

 

Praying with the Rosary meditations from the Movement of the Holy Family the other day got me to thinking about Rosary Processions, especially was we approach October 7th, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Fruit of Nigerian Rosary Processions

One example cited was in Nigeria, where the bishop of Northeast Nigeria, Bishop Oliver Doeme Dashe, while in prayer, saw Jesus giving him a sword that turned into a Rosary in the bishop’s hands. As a result of Rosary processions the bishop led throughout his diocese, the Boko Haram terrorists who wreaked havoc there turned tail and fled.

The Battle of Lepanto

This was not the first time that the Rosary of Our Lady overcame the enemies of her children. As noted in Champions of the Rosary and elsewhere, On October 7, 1571, together with Christians throughout Europe who were also were praying, Rosary-praying sailors defeated a larger, more experienced Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. But for this victory, Europe might have been conquered by the Ottoman forces and been compelled to embrace Islam. Following the victory, St. Pius V instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, later renamed Our Lady of the Rosary, which we celebrate in the Church every October 7^th.

The Rosary and the Battle of Vienna

Not as many people might be familiar with the Battle of Vienna, wherein King Jan Sobieski rode with his army from Poland to save Vienna, which had been under siege by Ottoman forces for two months. On their way to Vienna, Sobieski’s troops stopped for prayer and veneration of the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Jasna Gora. And then they prayed the Rosary in their procession toward Vienna. They freed Vienna within hours of engaging the Ottoman forces in battle on September 12, 1683.

20th Century Rosary Processions

Even into the 20th century, Our Blessed Mother has watched over her children and protected them. After World War II, part of Austria, including Vienna, ended up under the control of Communist Russia. Father Petrus Pavlicek began what become known as the Rosary Crusade for Atonement. In 1950 he began the crusade with annual public rosary processions along a main road of Vienna. Over the next five years, participation in these processions grew to an estimated half a million people. By October of 1955, the Soviets had withdrawn all of their forces.

Less than ten years later, the faithful formed rosary processions in Brazil to dispel Communist rallies being held there. On March 19, 1964 after the Brazilian president said Communism would save the people, not the Rosary, more than 600,000 people processed through the streets of São Paulo. The organizers named the procession “March of the Family with God toward Freedom” to gain participation from non-Catholic citizens as well. By April 1, 1964 João Goulart, Brazil's president, had fled the country.

A couple of decades after that, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, called for prayers to effect a change in governance of the Philippines. Tens of thousands of people joined together, praying the Rosary in a rally against dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his government. Religious sisters led the group in praying the Rosary while kneeling in front of army tanks. None of the soldiers fired on the people. Later, some of the soldiers spoke of seeing a beautiful lady, identifying herself as queen, telling them not to harm the citizens.

21st Century Need for Rosary Processions

Do we need Rosary processions now? If there’s any doubt about this, just take a look at some current headlines:

• Pro-lifers face up to 11 years, but George Floyd rioters get awarded $13 millio
• Mobs damage and loot multiple stores in the city of brotherly love; stores close due to theft; and retailers estimate $112 billion in shoplifting losses
• California governor signs more pro-LGBTQ bills
• Little children continue being subjected to drag queen shows, and their parents continue to take them to the shows
• Biden administration seeks to remove terms like "mother" and "father" from laws related to childcare
• Artificial intelligence is ruining us in more ways than one
• Nearly 60 million Americans claim no religious affiliation now
• Only 17% of American Catholics attend Mass once a week

The foregoing list represents a smattering of the insanity and calamities occurring in the present moment. Now, more than ever, it seems, we need Our Lady’s aid in the battles we’re facing. St. Paul’s words to the Ephesians apply to these times:

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12)

So, How About It--Will You Engage the Enemy?

There's no doubt about the battles we face. And there is no doubt that the weapon for these battles is the Most Holy Rosary of Our Lady. Will you pick up your weapon and join in one of the many Rosary processions being held throughout the world?

We all have an opportunity to participate in Rosary processions no matter where we live on this year’s Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Your local diocese or parish may have something planned for the day. Even if they don’t, In the United States, the Rosary Coast to Coast will take place at numerous locations. I suspect that the various confraternities and other apostolates, ministries, etc. will have special events as well. Men in over 40 countries are going to be praying the Rosary together. If you don't see an event listed in your area, volunteer to lead one yourself.

Let's Combine Forces

If they’re not already doing so, it occurs to me that nationwide, and even global, cooperation and collaboration among groups like Rosary Coast to Coast, The Rosary Confraternity, The Flame of Love, The Marian Movement of Priests, the Militia of the Immaculata and others would be beneficial. It could create an even greater awareness of the power of the Rosary and of Our Lady’s intercession. We also might see even greater recognition for prayer in general to address what we face in our nation and globally at this time. Enhanced solidarity, including coordination of Rosary processions, rallies and other events among these and similar groups would send a powerful message.

"Pray very much the prayers of the rosary. I alone am able to save you from the calamities. - Message of Our Lady in Akita, Japan - Oct. 13, 1973

 

This article first appeared on Catholic Stand.

Jesus Stands at the Door, Knocking

Jesus stands at the door, knocking (cf. Rev 3:20). Are we going to open the door for Him? Will we take advantage of the wonderful, freeing nature of His Sacrament of Reconciliation to restore and replenish our relationship with Him? And will we allow Him to abide in us as we abide in Him through the Holy Eucharist?

At least here, in the U.S., Masses have been opened up for a while—for a long while in some locales—so we all have the opportunity to return to Mass in person. We can receive the actual body and blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord, His Real Presence. No longer do we need to be content with a spiritual communion. Jesus tells us that He is the bread of life, that we who eat this bread will have eternal life. What an incredibly immense blessing to be able to do so!

Some Catholics may feel a bit uneasy with returning, what with all the hubbub about virus variants and the like. Perhaps the it’s just that the routine of weekly Mass attendance has been broken and it’s been hard to get back into the swing of things. No matter what the reason is, missing Sunday Mass can be a grave matter. This can break the relationship between one’s soul and the Lord. It can eliminate sanctifying grace in the soul. Not a good thing: if the beer truck were to run over you tomorrow, what would be the status of your soul?

Life Is Short

Life is short. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the obituary section of your local newspaper. On any given day, you’ll see notices for people of all ages, ranging from infants through great-grandparents. More and more it seems that we see the phrase “passed away unexpectedly.”

None of us knows when we’ll be called to leave this life. It could be today or tomorrow, or it could be months or years from now. What’s important is the nature of our relationship with God when our time is up. What kind of relationship do we, and our fallen away friends and family, have with Him and His Church when the day comes? Will the fallen away “come home” before then?

What’s It Going to Take to Come Home?

We each probably know far too many people who no longer participate in our rich Catholic faith. Some of them still believe in God, but do not participate in Mass or the sacraments regularly, if at all. Some may have drifted away to non-Catholic churches. Others simply have drifted away from any practice of faith. Each has his or her own reasons for doing so.

Nevertheless, it’s sad to see so many who no longer receive Jesus in Communion. It is sad to see how many are missing out on the joy and peace that only God can give. Likewise, are we not concerned on their behalf when we think about how some have closed themselves off to the graces provided by the sacraments Jesus gave for our salvation? What might it take for them to “come home” to the Church that Christ founded?

An Obstacle on the Path to Come Home

Many of us never really received catechesis that allows for an appreciation of the wonderful gift that our faith represents. Many may not know the truth of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. When we receive Communion, it truly is Jesus that we actually receive. If someone really believed and understood that, why would they not want to participate in the faith?

The Culture Keeps People from Coming Back

The culture tells us it’s all about fulfilling our every desire, seeking pleasure and happiness here and now. The ads tell us that we are now the source and end of all our efforts. If we’ve bought into that, we’ve just made ourselves little gods. The one, true God—the God of the universe—waits for us at our parish church. Unfortunately, the siren call of the secular world may seem more attractive than attending Mass or imitating Christ.

But imitating Christ’s love, His obedience to the Father and His humility will open us up to the graces of God. Being open to God, to union with Him, is what it’s all about.

Blaise Paschal referred to a vacuum created in our hearts that only God can fill:

…What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself. He only is our true good…  – Blaise Pascal, Pensées VII (425)

St. Augustine of Hippo says it more succinctly, “…for You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You…”

Our Decisions Make a Difference

Please, as you read and think about this, ponder the words of Pope St. John Paul II:

“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures, we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son Jesus.”

You and I are human; we all make mistakes. Mistakes of the past do not define us; our Father’s merciful love does. Through grace, you are reading this, and through grace, God is calling you to a renewed relationship with Him. With the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you have a new, fresh start available. That’s just one of the beautiful aspects of our Catholic faith. It makes it easier to turn back, and rebuild your relationship with God if you’ve been away from the faith—or away from Mass—for a while.

It Really Is Time to Come Home—Come Back to Mass for Starters

Why don’t more people “come home?” For some, it may be a matter of not knowing where to start, or feeling that too much “water has gone under the bridge.” The beauty of our Catholic faith is that no one will be refused admittance to the banquet.

No sin is too great—no number of missed Masses is too large—to be forgiven with a good Confession to a priest. 

Jesus stands at the door, knocking. He is calling each one of us. Are we going to open the door for Him? Will we take advantage of the wonderful, freeing nature of His Sacrament of Reconciliation to restore and replenish our relationship with Him? Will we return to Mass and Holy Communion?

(This post is a combination of an article, Come Home to the Church: You've Been Asked, that appeared originally on Catholic Stand in 2018, and portions of a booklet, An Invitation to Rediscover True Happiness, published in 2020. My thanks to my friend, Tom Mussio for his editorial suggestions on the booklet.)

The Church, Coronavirus, and Confidence in Jesus

You've probably seen the inscription, "Jesus, I trust in You" at the bottom of the Divine Mercy Image. Jesus specifically asked for this to be placed on the image. He told St. Faustina that His image is:

"...a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mercy. That vessel is this image with the signature: 'Jesus, I trust in you.'" (Diary 327)

St. Faustina received the Image of Divine Mercy from Jesus in 1931. Her diaries containing her conversations with Our Lord and Our Lady have been in existence for about a century now. Yet, many faithful Catholics don't know much about Divine Mercy, much less the outpouring of graces that come with it. This is important, because, in our present time, we desperately need all the graces the Lord deigns to pour out on us.

A Time for Salvation--A Time for Mercy

St. Paul tells us, "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation," (2 Cor 6:2). He's urging us to not neglect the graces God gives us. In a similar fashion, Our Lord told St. Faustina that now is the time of mercy, and when we appeal to Him in our misery, we give Him great delight. He is only too happy to open up the abyss of His mercy for us. Jesus makes it clear that this time of mercy precedes a coming time of justice. It's up to us to decide which we will receive from Him:

"...before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice." (Diary 1146)

This seems to be pretty clear--are we open to His mercy, that is, to His graces, or not? If so, how do we demonstrate our openness and our trust in Him?

Jesus, I Trust In You--Or Do I?

Jesus wants to provide us with a plan for peace--within our souls, within our families, countries and the world. But we have to be open to His mercy for this to happen. We need to come to Him in prayer and supplication, with trust in His mercy. As I write this piece, there's widespread concern over the coronavirus. Some believe it may be a pandemic. Others are not sure. Some cite statistics showing it's as deadly as the early 20th century Spanish Flu that took the lives of two young Fatima visionaries. Others don't believe it's a huge risk for anyone except the very young and/or the elderly, and those with compromised health to begin with.  Yet others believe that much is being made of it for political purposes in this, an election year.

In the U.S. more attention recently has been given in the Church to hygiene issues. For example, parishes have promoted using waterless hand sanitizer before distributing Communion, and distributing Communion only under the species of the Sacred Host, received in the hand. Meanwhile in Rome and throughout Italy, the Italian bishops apparently have discontinued public celebration of Mass for about a month. The Archdiocese of Seattle, and all Colorado dioceses recently suspended all public Mass celebrations as well. 

However, when we discontinue public Mass celebrations, is that a display of prudence, or is it a display of distrust? It seems that precisely at times like this, we should be encouraging one another to attend Mass, to receive Holy Communion, and to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Now is the time to pray communally to God for atonement, and for the sick and the dying. This is not the time to send people away. That does not indicate a deeply held commitment to "Jesus, I trust in You." Nor does it help unite the faithful in prayer to God for his merciful love and help. The head of the Polish bishops' conference has suggested that more Masses be offered, not fewer--I believe he has the right idea. 

Divine Mercy - The Mission of Saint Faustina

During a recent retreat conducted by Mary Braun-Payne, my wife and I learned about Helena Kowalska. The future Saint Faustina felt a calling to the religious life at the tender age of seven. One of ten children in a poor Polish family, some years later, she told her parents about her desire to enter a convent. They did not approve. When she was 19 years of age, though, Jesus appeared to her in a vision. He asked her how much longer she would keep putting Him off. That sealed it. She began a search for an order to join. After being turned down seven times, the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy accepted her. She took the name Sister Maria Faustina and began a life of deep prayer and asceticism.

After only 13 years of contemplative prayer, visions, revelations and hidden stigmata, she succumbed to tuberculosis. She was only 33 years old at the time. In that short time, Jesus gave her an important mission--to make known His unfathomable Divine Mercy. This she accomplished through her diary wherein she recorded her conversations with Our Lord and Our Lady. The diary includes Jesus' explanation of His Divine Mercy, together with instructions for praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Jesus gave the Chaplet of Divine Mercy devotion to St. Faustina as a prayer of atonement (Diary 474-476). This brief devotional only takes about seven to ten minutes to pray it piously.

The Power of the Chaplet

The chaplet will change our lives and the lives of those for whom we pray. In her diary, St. Faustina speaks of the power of the Chaplet,

"And the Lord let me know that everything can be obtained by means of this prayer." (Diary 1128) [Emphasis added by author]

That being the case, what do we really mean when we say, "Jesus, I trust in You"? It seems that we have an arsenal of weapons at our disposal right here, right now. Whether we believe that we're in the throes of a serious pandemic or the recipients of hyperbolic reporting and reaction driven by politics, Mother Mary has given us the brown scapular, the Rosary and the Five First Saturdays. Jesus has given us this Chaplet.

Why is there not a global, or at least a coast-to-coast, movement to employ all these spiritual weapons, together with fasting and other acts of penance? Jesus said "everything" can be obtained by means of the Chaplet. That probably would include abatement and elimination of a virus and other serious problems. So, where is our Church leadership in all of this? We, as an institution, seemingly are focusing on some defensive measures, and perhaps with good reason. However, It is time to employ offensive tactics as well.

Offensive Tactic: Pray the Chaplet for the Sick and the Dying

Jesus told St. Faustina that, if we pray the Chaplet with trust, humility, perseverance and conformity to God's will, we can expect the grace of conversion and a peaceful death. Others who are dying and for whom we pray the Chaplet will have their souls enveloped in God's unfathomable mercy (Diary 811). During the retreat we attended, we heard testimonies of the peace that dying friends or family members had experienced in such cases. Due to the Divine Mercy Chaplet, their fear of dying gave way to a peace and readiness to meet God. Clearly, praying the Chaplet for any and all sick, whether afflicted with a particular virus or not, will yield spiritual fruits.

On top of all this, Saint Pope John Paul II granted two, special Apostolic Blessings related to the Divine Mercy Chaplet. In 2000, he announced an Apostolic Blessing for anyone praying the Chaplet for the sick and the dying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. (And he imparted another Apostolic Blessing in 2003 for anyone praying a Chaplet for pro-life intentions.)

Offensive Tactic: Praying During the Hour of Mercy

If we pray to Jesus, appealing to the value and merits of His passion at the "Hour of Mercy" beginning at 3:00 p.m., His mercy will pour out upon us. This is true even if we can only pray to Him for a brief period of time. He promises that we can obtain "...everything for yourself and for others for the asking." (Diary 1572) Here again, we can obtain "everything," including the elimination of pestilence such as viruses we face. What other issues do you carry in the depths of your being--concern about fallen away family members and friends, conversion of someone you know and love, reconciliation with someone...? Address Jesus directly, appealing to all that His passion has done for you; pray to Him fervently and trustingly at 3:00 p.m.

Speaking of Conversion--Yet Another Offensive Tactic

Speaking of conversion, we have another special Divine Mercy gift from Jesus. He told St. Faustina that, "When you say this prayer with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give the grace of conversion. This is the prayer:

'O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.'" (Diary 186-187)

This short prayer is one of the optional opening prayers of the Chaplet. Given Jesus' promise, I am not sure why we would ever not want to pray it, with the name or names of those we pray for in mind.

Divine Mercy Can and Will Change Us and the World

There is much more to Divine Mercy than this brief column covers. The Divine Mercy Novena, veneration of the Divine Mercy Image, and participating in Divine Mercy Sunday Mass and services all carry special blessings for those of us who participate in them. Divine Mercy will change us, and will change the world, if we open ourselves up to Christ, who is Love and Mercy, abandoning ourselves to Him, seeking His Greater Glory and our salvation. As He told St. Faustina, regarding the Chaplet,

"...by saying the chaplet you are bringing humankind closer to me." (Diary 929)

Now Is the Time for Mercy--And Time to Mount a Strong Offense

In these times of stress, fear and panic, we should mount a strong offense, using all the spiritual weapons available to us, including:

• The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, asking God for His mercy and an end to the virus and political drama.
• Our Lady's Rosary, asking for the intercession of Mary, Virgin Most Merciful.
• Special novena prayer  to St. Joseph traditionally believed to have been written about 50 A.D. asking for his intercession and protection.

Wherever two or more of us are gathered in His name, there is Jesus. (cf Mt 18:20). Engage others in praying these prayers, whether in person or virtually. When possible, attend Mass and receive Holy Communion. Pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament as often as possible, and pray the Chaplet while you're there. And as we pray, let's really mean it when we say, "Jesus, I trust in You!" 

"Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in You."  (Diary 949)

Just Say "NO" to the CCHD Annual Appeal

It's that time of the year again. The annual appeal for the USCCB's Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is set for the next-to-last weekend in the liturgical year. On November 22 and 23, throughout the US, the faithful will hear the appeal for a "second collection" for the CCHD.

But--have we, the faithful, heard about how the CCHD allegedly has been using this second collection?

Over the last few years, reports from journalists investigating the CCHD show some grants to questionable, at best, recipients. By "questionable," I refer to apparent activities of the grantee organizations that run contrary to Church teaching.

What kind of activities, you ask?

Pretty much the range of hot-button issues: abortion, contraception, homosexuality, and the like. Based on what I have seen on sites that seem reputable to me, these issues continue ,while the CCHD seemingly refuses to really discuss them.

So--what should we do?

I guess one question to ask ourselves is whether this is where we want our hard-earned money going. This is especially so when you can find any number of other organizations with more transparency and more prudent decisions about who gets the benefits of their largesse. (As well, some parishes seem to struggle with accounting for second collection receipts, so even if a second collection appeal is made for a good charity, you're probably better off donating directly to the charity, rather than going through a second collection.)

Might we consider other alternatives for helping the poor, and just say "No" to the CCHD?

As for me and my house, that's what we'll do.

Support Life for the Poor and Underprivileged

This last weekend at St. Francis of Assisi, Castle Rock, Sarah Smith, the US Director of Universal Chastity Education, (UCE) appealed to our local parish for support. UCE has been welcomed at St. Francis for several years, and our parish community has generously supported it through a second collection.  

However, this year, there was no second collection taken up for UCE as has been done in past years, unfortunately.

That's why I'm writing this brief post. UCE is a pro-life organization approved by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church and other denominations located in the countries where it operates. This is the 15th anniversary of its founding by a couple of doctors--Catholics from Southern Colorado--of this wonderful organization. 
  
Over the last 15 years, UCE has positively affected the physical and spiritual lives of almost a half a million young people in Africa. You read that right--nearly 500,000 young people have signed abstinence cards, committing to chaste lives. This has resulted in lower incidence rates of HIV/AIDS and lower rates of teen pregnancy in Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania. These young people have been given their lives back through the efforts of UCE, and their commitment to living chastely. 

The organization's mission is to promote, through Christian principles, abstinence and faithful marriage as the healthiest way of life. The goal of UCE is to reach all people with the message of abstinence and faithfulness in marriage while providing them the strength to implement this healthy behavior, working with minimal budgets and some great volunteers. 

My wife, Maggie and I were blessed to visit the Uganda operation some years ago. Having previously served on the board up until this most recent year, I can tell you that the organization and its board, with a handful of paid staff, are all about pro-life Christian principles and living life, in charity, in accord with message of the Gospel. 

Please prayerfully consider donating whatever you can to give UCE a hand. 

Thank you, and may God bless you abundantly!

What to Make of the Church's Current Situation

Friends and acquaintances are asking us what to make of the recent disclosures about abuse within Holy Mother Church. We seemingly hear about it or read about it in every Catholic blog, news site or website these days. Faithful Catholics are feeling a range of emotions—from a sense of betrayal or violation, to anger, sadness and confusion. Some even have threatened to leave the Church.

As many clergy and faithful already have stated, one abuse victim is one too many. We all need to pray for anyone who has suffered at the hands of trusted authorities within or outside of the Church. This kind of evil has no place in our world, especially within the Church. So, what’s my take on it? For one thing, we each need to pray for the victims, and for our Church. As well, we need to pray for all priests and bishops.

Abuse Comes to Us from the Evil One

What’s behind all of this abuse? We are seeing a manifestation of evil against good—the spiritual warfare of the devil against God. As Peter Kwasniewski stated in a post prior to the most recent news reports:

… [the devil works to undermine the priesthood and religious life, which exemplify and effectively bring about in this world the ordering of all creation, through Christ, to the Father, who is the beginning and end of all things. The common element in all these attacks is the devil’s fury that anyone or anything natural should ever be subordinated to that which is supernatural—that a faithful, radical self-sacrifice should be the path of salvation and blessedness.

Yet we are all—not just clergy and religious—called to battle as members of the Church Militant. It’s unfortunate that this term apparently fell out of favor after Vatican II.  We all need to be reminded that we are engaged in a battle, daily, for our souls and the souls of others. As St. Paul reminds us:

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12.

Therefore we should “put on the whole armor of God.” A life of prayer, penance and frequent reception of the sacraments will provide us this armor.

What about Justice?

Sure, you may be thinking, pray—but what about the injustice that has gone on through these abuses? God is a God of mercy and a God of justice. We don’t get one without the other—the two go hand in hand. God will take care of it in the end. He’s in charge, not us. What’s more, as Cardinal Burke reminds us,

…For the bishop who has failed grievously in this area, the Church’s penal remedies are expiatory remedies for his good also. They address principally the good of the flock because a bishop is a bishop for the care of the flock.  For the bishop to prey upon the flock, committing mortal sins, this is simply unacceptable and it has to stop…

The Church has processes above and beyond the USCCB’s supposed oversight that will apply ultimately to bishops who’ve participated in, or turned a blind eye toward, such disgusting activities.

If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. Ecclesiastes 5:8

Fifty Years After Humanae Vitae

Christopher Check of Catholic Answers reminds us that the grave sins we’re reading about today are really a manifestation of the rejection of Humanae Vitae within the church. Pope Paul VI attempted to teach us about chastity in his encyclical. However, many of us, including bishops and priests, chose not to pay attention. What do you get when you separate the sexual act from married procreation? You get what we see now in our culture, with a no-holds-barred approach to sexual gratification. And this has pervaded less-than-holy members of the clergy whom the devil has grabbed. Yet we need to remember that many, many more—the vast majority of our clergy and religious—actively work to live out chaste and holy lives to bring souls to God for His greater glory. Encourage them in their vocations, especially in these dark times.

One “Holy” Church?

In our creed, we state that we believe in one, holy, apostolic and catholic Church. Yes—and, you may ask, what about the unholy characters who make up its membership? Well what about ‘em? That includes you and me—we’re all sinners. Jesus came to heal us sinners. His Church:

… is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as ‘alone holy,’ loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her; he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God…All the activities of the Church are directed, as toward their end, to the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God… The Church on earth is endowed already with a sanctity that is real though imperfect. In her members perfect holiness is something yet to be acquired. CCC 823 – 825 [Emphasis added]

The Church, because of Christ, is holy, but we on earth are imperfect and need to work toward greater holiness—toward deeper union with Our Lord, and away from sinful habits.

Our Sacramental Life in the Church

When will all this end? Who can know? But what we do know is that the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus founded. In it, we have the fullness of truth, an uninterrupted line of succession from St. Peter, the first pope, (Mt. 16:18) on down through today with our current pope. As well, we have a full sacramental life, from Baptism and Confirmation through Anointing of the Sick. Two incredibly important sacraments are the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are able to receive not only absolution for our sins from God through the priest, but graces to help us avoid sin going forward.

As Catholics we believe that the Holy Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Just consider that, throughout the month of August, our Sunday Gospel readings have focused on the Bread of Life Discourse from John 6. In this discourse, Jesus tells us to eat His body and drink His blood. He doesn’t tell us to eat and drink symbols or to do this symbolically. Some of his disciples walk away from this—it’s too much for them to consider. He doesn’t call them back and try to soften it or explain it away. He means what He says. Today, some disciples want to walk away as well. No matter what happens, why would anyone really walk away from the Church and the Holy Eucharist? As a friend stated after Mass recently, “It’s like leaving Jesus because of Judas!”

What Are Our Sources of Information?

Keep in mind that reports from secular media most likely are biased against the Church. This should be nothing new to any of us. A great deal of animosity exists against the Church. Consider that with such a bias, reporters and others may spin “facts” to create headlines. One pundit who has read the PA report states:

…There are many vicious critics of the Catholic Church who would like to weaken its moral authority, and will seize on any problem it has to discredit its voice. Why? They hate its teachings on sexuality, marriage, and the family…There is nothing wrong with Catholic teachings on this subject: If priests had followed their vows, and not their id, we would not have this problem. Those who refuse to use the brakes God gave them, straight or gay, should be shown the gate or never admitted in the first place…

We probably have not heard the last of all of this. We might consider praying to the Holy Spirit to be filled with the plenitude of His gifts, especially those of counsel and prudence, as we consider new revelations in this area.

What Can We Do?

Some of us might benefit from a reduced frequency with which we review the latest reports on these abuse scandals (and news in general). In other words, can we become a bit more savvy about where we focus our attention? Does any particular action or decision draw us closer to God or not? Is this situation, in fact, something over which we some personal responsibility? I like Dan Burke’s advice in this area. If it’s not something we have any control over, other than through prayer, and if it causes us to lose our peace, then we should let it go. In that regard, perhaps praying through Psalm 131 can help us keep things in perspective:

Lord, my heart is not proud;
nor are my eyes haughty.
I do not busy myself with great matters,
with things too sublime for me.

Rather, I have stilled my soul,
Like a weaned child to its mother,
Weaned is my soul.

Israel, hope in the Lord,
now and forever.

Prayer and Penance

We do need to pray. Pray for the victims, pray for justice for the bad clergy, pray for the good clergy, and pray for those souls who are discouraged in their faith by all of this. If we’re not already praying a Rosary a day, we need to begin. St. Padre Pio said that, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Besides being a wonderful devotion, it can be a terrific aid to mental prayer. By reflecting on each mystery as we recite the prayers, we can draw closer to Our Blessed Mother and Jesus, opening ourselves to further graces. As well, it can provide a source of comfort in times of agitation. Remember—agitation is not from God—it’s from the evil one. Pray the Rosary to counter the agitation.

To get through these difficult times, we ought to pray for an abundance of grace to grow in, and strengthen, our virtues and those of our brothers and sisters in the Church. Staying in a state of grace will keep us open to the supernatural virtues. To stay in grace, we should go to Confession no less frequently than monthly, and more often is even better. Attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion as often as possible (besides Sundays, on weekdays as well) will help us increase in grace and our closeness to God.

Doing penance—making some small sacrifices and offering them up will be helpful as well. Consider cutting back on time spent on social media as one way of doing so. Given the ubiquity of social media, this could be a fairly easy opportunity for many of us. It just might help us refocus on God, and on His peace, joy and love for us which never diminish. But make no mistake about it. We are individually, and collectively, in spiritual combat. As soldiers of Christ, we need to engage the enemy with confidence in Jesus, Our King and Commander, and Our Lady, Virgin Most Powerful, Help of Christians.

 Adapted from post originally published by the author at Catholic Stand on 8/27/18

Volunteering: Why You Don’t; Why We Need You

As part of the Mystical Body of Christ, we’ve each received gifts unique to our position in the Body, with graces that equip us for our work within the Church. Yet, few seem to use these unique gifts for the benefit of the Church.   

Who’s Doing the Work?

At your parish, who makes up the cadre of dedicated volunteers that keep it running smoothly? Research conducted some time ago by the Dynamic Catholic Institute revealed some startling findings: In a typical Catholic parish, 7% or less of registered parishioners generally contribute 80% or more of the financial support and 80% or more of the volunteer hours worked.

Common Characteristics of Active Catholics

The research also identified four things that the roughly 7% of more involved Catholics do which the other 93% generally don’t do as much of: prayer, study of the faith, generosity and evangelization. Those more involved Catholics have cultivated habits of daily prayer such as praying the Rosary, attending daily Mass and praying through Lectio Divina. They study the faith, continually learning more about it.  As a result of their studies, they seem to be less likely to complain about the positions of the Magisterium and about the Church in general. (In these current times, with bishops and cardinals taking what at best can be described as "unusual" positions on faith and morals, there may be more complaining, or at least questioning, from Catholics who strive to learn about their faith.  But I digress...) These most active parishioners also give more time and financial support to the Church, and are enthusiastic about sharing their faith with others.

Why More Parishioners Don’t Volunteer

On the other hand, research shows that this group of the most active laity actually may discourage others from participating at their parish by, among other things, being territorial or cliquish, and using religious terminology that others don’t understand. They also may not relate well to others who are not as far along in their spiritual journey as they are.

Territorialism. We probably have all seen this in any number of volunteer membership organizations, from social clubs to church organizations. Symptoms might include long-time members being annoyed by new members’ suggestions for ways of doing things—what might be called “symptoms of a closed mind”—“that will never work here, we tried it before, it’s all too complicated,”and so on.

Other signs might be a hesitancy to actually accept a volunteer’s help because, well the job is just too important, and it takes years to get good at it—“if it wasn’t so complex, I could teach you to do it, but it’s just so critical, and we simply can’t take a chance [or take the time] right now,” or, “I prefer to do this by myself” (implying that no one else can do it right).

As well, some people, for whatever reason, seem to relish the thought of being the only ones doing the work—“Look at me. I am so overworked and no one else is helping me.” It satisfies a need of theirs, but it doesn’t help the Body of Christ. So, is it a question of control or simply wanting to be a martyr? It doesn’t really matter—what matters is that it’s getting in the way of building up Christ’s Body here on earth, today, in our parish.

Cliques.  Does the group welcome newcomers into it?  Or does it keep them at arms’ length?  When a newcomer joins a small group at a table for donuts after Mass, are they included in the conversation and an attempt made by “the regulars” to get to know them?

At other parish social events, are new parishioners invited to join an intact group’s banquet table, or are they simply left to fend for themselves in breaking the social “ice” as newbies? Do we actively work to bring new volunteers into a committee discussion, or do we use committee time to make personal plans between the more well-acquainted members? What kind of messages are we sending to new members of our faith community? It’s difficult to get enthusiastic about volunteering if one is held at arm’s-length socially.

Use of terminology that others don’t understand.  We occasionally do have some of this in the Church. From a practical perspective, where and what are the narthex, the nave, the sanctuary and the ambo? What is a pall, a purificator, a thurible, or a corporal? This one seems to be pretty easy to avoid, though, with just a little self-awareness.

Not relating well to others who are at different places in their spiritual journey. This might be another, longer description of what some call “spiritual pride.” And boy, does pride do us in! The evil one will play to our weaknesses. He will use against us any forward movement we’ve made spiritually in something of a spiritual ju-jitsu move. We can make it so easy for him with our pride!

A wise confessor suggests that we need to look into each person’s face and see the face of Christ—recognize that God made him or her in His image and loves them very much. As well, look in the mirror and see that we’re a work-in-progress that depends totally on God’s grace. Then, reach out to that other person. By walking with someone as a friend in Christ, we can provide them with the entre they need to become more active in the parish, regardless of where they are in a spiritual growth path.

The Role of Staff

In addition to the above reasons that prospective new volunteers get discouraged, I’d suggest adding one dealing with parish staff. At some parishes, a new parishioner may run into a staff member who is either or both incompetent and inattentive. When this happens, it might stifle the volunteer’s drive to contribute. It doesn’t have to, though. Persistence pays off. If you feel that the Holy Spirit is calling you to share your gift with the parish, uncooperative staff members won’t pose an insurmountable barrier if you really want to get involved.

Other Reasons for Lack of Volunteers

There are any number of additional reasons that some don’t participate at their parish. A pastor of mine from long ago believed that many people don’t volunteer and serve because that’s not the way they were raised in their home, the “domestic church.” Without the modeling from parents or a subsequent conversion of heart and mind, we are less likely to consider getting very involved in our parish.

Some Common Reasons Given by Less Active Parishioners

Many other reasons are given by individuals as to why they don’t participate more fully in either attending activities at their parish or taking a leadership role to help with the activities.  Some might include:

“I’m just too busy—I am already ‘slammed’ and can’t possibly give the parish any time.” That certainly can be possible in a time when many corporate cultures can be characterized as “doing more with less,” leading to more intense and longer work hours. We also can’t forget that in many households, both spouses are working outside the home. And some households are single parent families. In either case, it leaves little room for church-related or other volunteer activities outside of the little family time left after the daily grind. This often is exacerbated by the extracurricular, secular activities of the children that can run the entire family ragged. But can this be the primary cause for all of the other 93% of Catholics not being more active in their parish?

 “None of the activities are that interesting to me.” In some less active parishes, this could be the case. However, in most parishes that are a bit more active, would there not be an area or two, or a weekend ministry that might fit into one’s schedule? Volunteering, for example, as a hospitality minister for an occasional Sunday Mass is just one example.

“So-and-so [fill in the blank—a parish lay leader, a priest, a staff member, you name it] ticked me off and I don’t want to have anything to do with the parish now.”Really? I’d like to know of any organization outside of the parish where someone hasn’t even inadvertently ticked us off. They’re all made up of humans, and humans make mistakes. Part of following Christ is showing His merciful love and forgiveness to others. He loves each of us so much, and yet we’ve done nothing to earn it—so why can’t we all model His behavior a little more closely? 

As well, we shouldn't infer and assume intentions of others. If we do assume, let's assume positive, charitable intent on the part of the other person, even if they're something of a bull in a china closet. It might help here as well, to look into that other person’s face and see the face of Christ—and recognize that God made him or her in His image and loves them very much. And here again, let's look in the mirror and see that we each also are a work-in-progress that depends totally on God’s grace. Each of us probably has a lot of "opportunities" for our own personal improvement and growth we can address.

And think about this: if we're withholding volunteering at our parish because of a slight we perceive, who are we really hurting?  First, we need to look in the mirror--we hurt ourselves when we don't stay open to the graces God wants others to receive through us.  And--we hurt our community because we aren't fulfilling the unique role that God has called only us to carry out in His plan for the salvation of souls. It's serious business, and we need to treat it as such. God gives us such an abundance of grace, if we're just open to it and want to make use of it to help bring souls to Him.

“They have plenty of help already. I don’t need to do anything but show up.” This seems to be more of a “take” than a “give” approach to building a healthy “give and take” relationship.  When one sees ads for volunteers, it means the parish really does not have plenty of help already. We each need to help our parish in its mission as part of the Mystical Body of Christ. 

“I just don’t enjoy socializing and trying to make conversation with strangers, so it’s really hard to get more involved.” As something of an introvert myself, I can relate to this, but getting to know people at church isn’t that hard. For one thing, we all arguably have something really big in common—our faith. For another, there usually are so many needs to be met at the parish that someone will be really happy to make our acquaintance and welcome us into the fold.

No matter which side of the volunteer fence we’re on—whether on the inside, already volunteering, or on the outside looking in, it seems that we might all benefit from some prayerful consideration of our role at the parish. Taking it to prayer and asking what we individually are doing to help bring souls to God for His Greater Glory through our work at the parish might be a good starting point. 

If we’re not doing as much as we might actually be called to do, perhaps through prayer we can be directed to doing something more, however seemingly small, to lend a hand. If we’re already involved, perhaps we can obtain the grace through prayer to more quickly welcome and meaningfully involve newcomers. Participating in Called & Gifted workshops, such as those conducted at my parish and within our diocese can help focus one's efforts. We can take advantage of this prayerfully determined focus and awareness to be able to work closer with Jesus for His Church. In doing so, we can help build up the Mystical Body of Christ through our cooperation with His grace:

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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… speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and builds itself up in love. – Eph. 4:11-16

Adapted from a Catholic Stand essay of this author, published previously in that online magazine.