Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 7 - For a Stronger Witness From the Laity #EVN2016

Welcome prolife prayer warriors!

As we recall the gift of the great encyclical from Pope John Paul II - Evangelium Vitae - let us call to mind the great need our world has for prayer.

The spilling of innocent blood through abortion and other atrocities against humanity can only be reparated by the pure and Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. With this Novena we contribute our own small effort by petitioning God for the healing of our culture of the following ills.

Contraception * Abortion * Euthanasia * Exploitation (embryonic stem cells, cloning, etc.) * Sex trafficking * Legislators * Clergy * Laity * Chastity

Welcome to Day 7 of our Evangelium Vitae Novena! Please join us in praying for today's intention: an end to the contraceptive mentality which has brought so much chaos into the world. And please remember to pray the daily prayer. God bless you all.

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Daily prayer: Pope Saint John Paul II's Prayer to our Lady.

O Mary
bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause
Look down, O Mother,
upon the vast numbers
of babies not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women
who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed
by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of Life
with honesty and love
to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace
to accept that Gospel
as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it
resolutely, in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilisation of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and lover of life.

Day 7: March 22, 2016 - For a stronger witness from the clergy

We need to make sure that in theological faculties, seminaries and Catholic institutions sound doctrine is taught, explained and more fully investigated. May Paul's exhortation strike a chord in all theologians, pastors, teachers, and in all those responsible for catechesis and the formation of consciences. Aware of their specific role, may they never be so grievously irresponsible as to betray the truth and their own mission by proposing personal ideas contrary to the Gospel of life  as faithfully presented and interpreted by the Magisterium. EV 82.

Heavenly Father, Your message of the Gospel of life has been misinterpreted and diluted, ignored and ridiculed, devalued and denied by many within the Church. Please sharpen the   consciences of Your shepherds; remind them of their great       responsibility to transmit Your truths to the faithful. And create in them a loud voice that cries out above the clamor of the world, "Choose life and reject the culture of death!"  AMEN

Please share this effort with your family and friends and continue to work toward the hopeful goal of a world that respects all life - from fertilization to natural death. 

Remember to us hashtag #EVN2016 when using Twitter.

You may also join the Evangelium Vitae Novena Facebook event  for daily reminders and the opportunity for interaction with like-minded prolife advocates.

If you'd like a bit of history behind the struggle for the respect of life, check out my column at Catholic Stand.

You can also find the daily meditation graphics for sharing on Facebook on the Designs by Birgit fan page. 

In His Name for Life, BirgitJ

Birthday Cakes and Faith

For her birthday today, I decided to bake my daughter's favorite - Chess Cake. It's an old recipe, from a great-aunt who died 30 years ago - in her late 90's. As with the German recipes left by my mother, God rest her soul, this one is simple. So simple, in fact, that it consists of ingredients and baking time. There are no instructions. Do I cream the butter or melt it? Are the eggs slightly beaten or do they go into the batter one at a time, as is?

As I was working through the nuances of baking, and not wanting disappointing results, I searched the internet for similar recipes. There, I would find the missing details.

I'm not flustered by those great cooks who came before me. They were alive in a time when the details were so well known that one didn't need to write them down. Much like the bread recipe I bake, the actions were automatic, because this was something they did on a regular basis. And, after all, I had the means to easily find instructions. All I had to do was look.

This brought me to the currents events through which we are now struggling. Sure, most people have a basic understanding of right and wrong. Yet, they don't know the details. The how and why simply escapes them. There's so much indignation about contrived 'fairness' and 'equality' because their morality has been formed without any instructions.

Once we fail to build up our faith by continued research and learning, we become slaves of the passing tides of society. The one, most glaring indication I am seeing is that most individuals now want to rule their conscience with feelings rather than truth.

Truth is concrete; it doesn't sway with the times or with emotions. Truth just is. That's a difficult concept for many to grasp these days. It's also the reason our Catholic faith is so important. God didn't give His Word to the masses for interpretation. When Jesus called Peter the rock on which He would build His Church, He intended Peter to represent Him - not himself, Peter. Jesus instructed those who passed His litmus test as disciples to go out and inform the nations. What He didn't say was, go and interpret my Word as you will.

The hierarchy of the Church is vital for gaining the understanding behind the concept - the instructions that go with the ingredients, if you will. Yes, we have the laity, who are tasked with living and proclaiming the Gospel. But we also have priests at the parish level, bishops, cardinals, and a pope.

All of these steps up toward Jesus provide an unbroken line of knowledge that originates with Jesus. If an individual or a cleric fails in proclaiming the word correctly, we can still go to the top - Jesus. He handed down the ingredients and instructions. The Deposit of Faith held by the Church, from its very beginning, cannot be denied. Since it stems from Jesus - God - it's infallible. Those tasked with sharing it may display their feet of clay at times - yet the Stone that the builders rejected, the Corner Stone Jesus, is always there to secure His Church.

Princess LaLa, Mini LaLa, Cuckoo Lala, and Piper Lala

Happy birthday, Kicker!

May you always take the trouble to acquire both the ingredients and the instructions!

Love, Mom

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 7 - For Clergy

As the laity, we look to our shepherds for guidance. Preaching counter to the popular culture, however, is a monumental task. Our good priests and bishops are constantly under attack from the devil, as they bring the Word of Jesus to us. Today we pray that they be given the strength of true leaders, under the armor of God and the protection of Saint Michael the Archangel - for we are truly in a battle for souls.

Daily prayer: Pope Saint John Paul II's Prayer to our Lady.

O Mary

bright dawn of the new world,

Mother of the living,

to you do we entrust the cause

Look down, O Mother,

upon the vast numbers

of babies not allowed to be born,

of the poor whose lives are made difficult,

of men and women

who are victims of brutal violence,

of the elderly and the sick killed

by indifference or out of misguided mercy.

Grant that all who believe in your Son

may proclaim the Gospel of Life

with honesty and love

to the people of our time.

Obtain for them the grace

to accept that Gospel

as a gift ever new,

the joy of celebrating it with gratitude

throughout their lives

and the courage to bear witness to it

resolutely, in order to build,

together with all people of good will,

the civilisation of truth and love,

to the praise and glory of God,

the Creator and lover of life.

Day 7: March 22 - For a stronger witness from the clergy.

We need to make sure that in theological faculties, seminaries and Catholic institutions sound doctrine is taught, explained and more fully investigated. May Paul's exhortation strike a chord in all theologians, pastors, teachers, and in all those responsible for catechesis and the formation of consciences. Aware of their specific role, may they never be so grievously irresponsible as to betray the truth and their own mission by proposing personal ideas contrary to the Gospel of life as faithfully presented and interpreted by the Magesterium. EV 82.

Heavenly Father, Your message of the Gospel of life has been misinterpreted and diluted, ignored and ridiculed, devalued and denied by many within the Church. Please sharpen the consciences of Your shepherds; remind them of their great responsibility to transmit Your truths to the faithful. And create in them a loud voice that cries out above the clamour of the world, "Choose life and reject the culture of death!"

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Evangelium Vitae Meditations:

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 1 - Contraception

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 1 - Contraception

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 2 - Abortion

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 3 - Euthanasia of the Elderly and Disabled

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 4 - Commodification of Unborn Children and Mothers

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 5 - Sex Industry

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 6 - Legislators

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 7 - ClergyEvangelium Vitae Novena Day 8 - Laity

Evangelium Vitae Novena Day 9 - Chastity

Evangelium Vitae Novena 20th Anniversary - Closing Prayer

Homosexual Madness - Is It Affecting the Church?

Campaigns supporting the homosexual lifestyle and 'rights' seem to be all the rage these days. In a world gone mad, this biologically and morally repugnant type of 'relationship' is being touted as just another type of loving union. Yet we, of the Catholic faith, have always had an unbroken line of teachings that prompt us to love the sinner but hate the sin. We are encouraged to make judgments, every day, about actions - all the while not judging the souls of others. So what's going on with some prominent figures in the Catholic landscape?

It has just been announced that the LGBT crowd will be allowed to march under a banner, for the first time in the 250 year history of the St. Patrick's Day parade in NYC. Although these groups have never been prevented from marching, the fact that they are now able to further, and ever more obviously, flaunt their deviant lifestyle is abhorrent. It's small comfort that pro-life groups will also be allowed to march under a banner as well. Yet Catholic League's Bill Donohue seems blasé.

"Never in the history of New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade have homosexuals been barred from marching, anymore than pro-life Catholics have, but in both cases they were not permitted to have their own unit. I have been assured that the rules have been formally changed to allow both of these groups, as well as others, to march under their own banner. That being the case, there should be no controversy. One would hope that all the new entries will conduct themselves in a manner that honors St. Patrick, lest another round of controversy emerges."

Since when are the LGBT advocates and pro-life champions of equal moral heft?

Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York appears to be unconcerned as well. He will carry out his plans to act as Grand Marshall of the parade.

I found encouragement, however, from the reaction of Monsignor Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington. He penned quite the post on the diocesan website, concerning both the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner. Sadly, and rather discouraging, his piece was promptly taken down. It was fortunate that he had given LifeSiteNews permission to share his piece as well. Along with a screenshot of the original entry, BuzzFeed also shared his words. And faithful words they were!

Concerning the Al Smith Dinner he lamented, “...we are being asked to raise toasts and to enjoy a night of frivolity with those who think it is acceptable to abort children by the millions each year, with those who think anal sex is to be celebrated as an expression of love …”

He added, ‘...the St. Patrick’s Parade is becoming of parade of disorder, chaos, and fake unity. Let’s be honest: St. Patrick’s Day nationally has become a disgraceful display of drunkenness and foolishness in the middle of Lent that more often embarrasses the memory of Patrick than honors it.’

His admonition to 'cancel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Al Smith Dinner and all the other “Catholic” traditions that have been hijacked by the world’ is sound on the face of what they have become.

Catholics, faithful to the teachings of Holy Mother Church gain sound advice as he added, "Enough now, back to Church! Wear the purple of Lent and if there is going to be a procession, let it be Eucharistic and penitential for the sins of this age."

What we appear to have here, is a failure to communicate Christ's true teachings, on the part of some, and the silencing of those who seek to uphold it. Perhaps I'll wear purple this Lent - especially on Saint Patrick's day. It's only right to offer reparation for the sins of this mad, hypersexualized world.

As Msgr. Pope ended his thoughts, "For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!"

UPDATE: Msgr. Charles Pope addresses the question,  What happened to the St. Patricks Parade Post?

Screenshot and quotes from Msgr. Pope's article.

Mom's Mistakes Strengthened Our Faith

The Catechism of the Catholic Church upholds the biblical directive that parents are the first (and most important) teachers of their children. What we often fail to realize is that what we do can have much more effect on our children than what we say or how we instruct. Who hasn’t seen one of their less than desirable actions or words mimicked by a child and felt a sudden blush of guilt? Sometimes, though, a child learns an important lesson from the mistakes in a parent’s life, and how they rise to the occasion. That was the case for me.

Mom, little brother and I - before he was taken.

Born in Germany, to a Lutheran father and Catholic mother, my earliest memories revolve around spirited fights between my parents. Although Mom was devout, he approached atheism, but she somehow managed to have my younger brother and I baptized as infants. It became painfully evident that my father was not a nice man. He cheated even before marriage and was abusive as well. Too young to fully understand the implications then, as I matured and later became an adult, the woeful tale became clearer. Long before I could fully comprehend it all, he left, covertly spiriting my younger brother away and leaving my mother as a divorcee with a young daughter. Through all of this turmoil, my mother maintained her faith.

By the time I was five, someone new had entered the picture. This American Airman was kind and gentle. I fondly remember playing circus, with him carrying me on his back, while my mother warmheartedly looked on. Things don’t always work out neatly, however. Red tape and language barriers between the Air Force, the United States government, and Germany greatly hindered attempted annulment proceedings. As a result, a civil marriage was performed and then a little sister was born into the family. I can still remember hearing that my baby sister had been denied baptism because she was born into an illicit marriage. My mother, however, tenaciously persisted and found a kindly old priest to confer the sacrament. To complete the family unit, I was also adopted and became the daughter of an American. By this time, any efforts to reunite us with my little brother had been exhausted. Our family of four moved to the U.S. without him; he could not be found.

Fast forward a few years, after assignments to several states and retirement from the Air Force, we settled in Dad’s native Kentucky. We had become a family of seven—Mom, Dad, and a collection of five children. There was still no annulment, but we had never lacked catechesis. We were all baptized, received First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and were frequently taken to Confession. The poignant vision of our mother, tears of joy (for us) and pain (for her situation) was impossible to ignore at each of these special occasions. As each of us matured in the faith life as Catholic citizens, she was our teacher, our champion, and immovable anchor. We never missed Mass, attended Catholic schools when available, and had priest friends who frequently visited our home. For all practical purposes, we appeared to be the optimal Catholic family, with one exception —our parents were unable to join us in an actively Catholic life.

All of that changed one beautiful October afternoon, when after a long, tedious, multi-linguistic annulment process, Mom and Dad were married in the Church. Our small church community and five children were present. The long awaited celebration of love and faith had finally become reality! After the reception, we decorated our family station wagon with cans and ribbons. The sign on the back read, ‘Congratulations, Mom and Dad—Just Married!’

A few years later, we were reunited with my missing brother, now an adult. He had been raised to think his father’s wife was his mother. It wasn’t until her death that he was told the truth: “She wasn’t your real mother. Your mother lives somewhere in Kentucky.” What a reunion that was! At last, all eight of us were united! It was a true lesson in faith, love, and hope. Our mother had surely illustrated a strong faith in the face of adversity. Mom died of breast cancer a few years later, at the young age of 58. Yet, she had been an incredible witness to us. She lived through many trials but never lost her faith. She even met her estranged husband at one point and offered her forgiveness. His comment to her? “There was one thing I could never break—your Catholic faith. I always respected that.” Her years of persistent love and hope had culminated in a family strengthened by adversity. She had illustrated, with her very life, what it means to live your Catholic faith.

All of us are adults now, with children and even grandchildren of our own. The Catholic faith persists as the most important thing in our lives. We have learned, from loving example, what it means to stay faithful—no matter where your choices lead you. Mistakes will be made but how you face the resulting strife, determines who you are. If nurtured and fed, Faith will always win out!

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Note: How My Mother's Mistakes Strengthened My Faith was first published at CatholicStand.com

5 Catholic Gifts for Dad

Tomorrow is Fathers Day and dads all over the country will receive cliche gifts - ties, beer, barbecue tongs, or shirts - just to name a few. Please don't be offended, I've been there too. Of course there will also be the handmade coupons and heartwarming drawings from their adoring little fans. But what if we encouraged our offspring to gift Dad with a more Catholic gift? Wouldn't that benefit both Dad and the kids? Faith in the family is so very important and Fathers Day is a perfect opportunity to remind all of its members of the importance of the spiritual head of the household. In keeping with this theme, I have listed five suggestions below. Of course, the possibilities are as vast as the unique nature of each family.

1. Have a Mass said for Dad - perhaps for his birthday or the feast day of his patron saint. This often neglected gift of the most perfect prayer can fit into most any occasion. What better way to tell Dad how much you love him and desire his eternal happiness?

2. Give him a spiritual bouquet. How about having the children make a card or coupons, listing the special prayers to be offered up for his eternal soul? Older children could offer a Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet, while 'littles' could recite the prayers they know best. This gift could be presented with however much creativity (cards and pictures) or simplicity (just tell him your intention) as is characteristic for your family.

3. Does Dad have a favorite saint? Or perhaps a patron for whom he was named? Give him a holy card or a small statue of this saint. Be sure to have it blessed for him. He can display this on his desk or an area of the house he frequents. Not only will he be reminded to pray for the intercession of his saint, his heart will also be warmed each time he sees this reminder of how much he is loved - that his eternal soul is important to his family.

4. Make a date with Dad - go to a weekday Mass or Adoration. Create an atmosphere of devotion to Jesus while also sharing a special spiritual time with him. This could be coupled with lunch or a picnic in the park. Make it a joyful event, sharing what's most important in life - family and eternity.

5. Create a list or scrapbook outlining how Dad is the spiritual head of your household. Have each family member describe how he helps them grow - spiritually. This could be a simple video (iPhone anyone?) of each child speaking in his own words or a written note, gathered into a little booklet. Let Dad know how important he is to the family as you travel the road to Heaven - together, as a family.

I hope this little list will inspire you to share your thoughts with the Dad, Granddad, godfather, or any other male who is an inspiration to you. Don't forget that many of these ideas would also be appropriate for your priest - lest the part they play in our spiritual lives be forgotten.

"...For [priests], it is pastoral paternity, spiritual fatherhood, but this is still giving life, this is still becoming fathers."  ~ Pope Francis

God bless and Happy Fathers Day!

A New Priest, Nigerian Praise Songs, and Pentecost

Today, Pentecost, was an amazing faith experience for our parish. Newly ordained Father Emmanuel Cyril Udoh celebrated his Mass of thanksgiving with us. Fr. Emmanuel is from Nigeria and we have shared in his vocation as he came to us as a seminarian, then became a deacon, and finally a fully ordained priest. It's been a blessing to watch him grow in confidence as he was able to more fully minister to us as he strode confidently toward priesthood. His homilies were so inspiring and he always shared a beautiful smile - looking directly into one's eyes as those who are pure in spirit are prone to do.

Fr. Emmanuel's family - mother, father, sister - as well as a close friend joined us today. It was my husband's turn to lector, wearing his read tie, and our daughter sang joyfully about the Holy Spirit in the choir. I felt fully immersed, in a tangible way, in this beautiful day. How fitting that it was Pentecost! Father spoke of language barriers and shared that his homeland boasts a total of 250 native languages. Neatly, he tied in the multi-lingual miracle of Pentecost with the universality of the language of love. Genuine love honors no barriers - language or otherwise. It is something everyone understands.

As the Mass came to an end, we had the opportunity to speak with the Udoh family and then later share a brunch celebration with them. After the meal, our parish presented Fr. Emmanuel with a sick call set - engraved with his name and date of ordination. To our amazement, his family spontaneously broke into a song of thanksgiving! Later when the cards and notes from parishioners were presented, we were again treated to an outburst of song. The pure joy and unapologetic praise was something I will never forget. What a pleasure it has been to get to know this young man. He has all the markings of making a holy priest and a gift to those who are privileged to know him. We, the people of the parish of St. Elizabeth, are blessed to be among them.

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(L) Father posed with his father, mother, youngest sister, and good friend. (R) Erika and I put him to work right away by having him bless our handmade veils and bracelets.

Since I noticed that Mrs. Udoh covers during Mass and I make veils, I gave her a very special chapel veil that I made for Easter. Upon receiving the gift, she insisted on having our photo taken together. As you can tell from the result, some others were eager to be included in the moment as well.

Be sure to check out their wonderful praise songs in the videos below.

 

Father Emmanuel receives his sick call set from one of the parish council members.

His parents react to cards and notes from parishioners from St. Elizabeth.

Leading by Example - Pope Francis Goes to Confession

In an amazing of act of leading by action, Pope Francis recently stunned parishioners and clergy by an unexpected act. After giving a sermon about the vital importance of the sacrament of confession, the Holy Father deviated from protocol and went to confession to an ordinary priest before taking his post as confessor. I can only imagine how the humble priest-confessor must have felt to come face to face with the Vicar of Christ at such an unexpected time. From the photos published about the event, we can see the confession was public and not the private confession customary for popes.  In his sermon before this act of humility, Pope Francis had said,

"Who can say he is not a sinner? Nobody. We all are.” 

His action showed that he is more than willing to lead by word and example. Now, who among us should not run, not walk, to the confessional? Lent is the perfect time to take on new, positive habits. Wouldn't we all be better off if we habitually examined our consciences and frequently confessed our sins? That is what I took away from this action on the part of our Holy Father. He is saying, by his actions, that we should do as he says and as he does.

For more on the story click here. To share the meme below on Facebook, click here.

Scripture, a Priest, and Rush Limbaugh

Something a guest on the Rush Limbaugh program said yesterday resonated with me. To paraphrase, he opined that schools today seem to teach history in an emotional context rather than based on solid facts. Our children are fed the politically correct narrative of the day by appealing to their emotions rather than giving them the basic facts of what really happened. Of course, this is yet another effort at indoctrination and the reason more and more parents are taking the home education route.

I can see a correlation between this exchange and what often happens in our faith life. We, as humans, tend to be emotional creatures. Our feelings rank significantly in our decision making process and resulting actions. A wise priest once told me, ‘love is an act of Will, not a feeling’, and his simple, yet profound wisdom has stuck with me during times of confusion.

When I have trouble relating to the saints or our Blessed Mother, because they are out of sight in their heavenly glory, I remember those words. I turn my thoughts to the tangible example they have given us instead of waiting for an emotional rush of feelings. In my human weakness, it’s sometimes easier to smile at and hug every nun I run across, rather than love those who have gone before us – because in the nun’s appearance (habit) I see visual evidence of her spiritual path, while the saints are physically removed from this world.

If love is an act of Will, then it follows that faith can be as well. Turning to the Gospel of Mark, we see the story of the father of an afflicted son. He addresses, not a lack of faith, but a weakness of faith in his exchange with Jesus.

“And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said: I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24

Again and again we find those following Jesus asking for a tangible increase in faith.

“And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5

We find then, that there are substantial benefits to looking to those who came before us and sacred scripture gives us steadfast guidance as well. If we are to follow the example of the saints and strengthen our faith (and love), we must make an act of Will. Relying on emotion when pursuing our eternal destination would only serve to belittle both the goal and the journey.

Sanctity of Life Sunday - But What Can I Do?

Tragically, abortion has been around for decades now. Pro-life advocates and prayer warriors have worked tirelessly - and still abortion is readily available for the puniest of reasons. Were we not faith-filled people of God, it might be easy to lose heart. But we labor on, doing our best, because we know we are not alone. We have a God Who truly cares for us and for the unborn. It's not our duty to garner results easily measured by human means. Rather, it's our duty to do our best - to give our all.

This January will mark the 41st year of legalized abortion. There will be marches all over the country and the Annual March for Life in Washington D.C. will again produce hundreds of thousand of participants. At a local level, there will also be commemorative Masses said in every diocese in our country, as well as in many parishes. We have an opportunity, then, to personally participate in petitioning God on behalf of our innocent brothers and sisters. They are in mortal danger, even as they reside in what should be the safest place on earth - their mothers' wombs.

Won't you join a local parish hosting a pro-life Mass? It might just mean you've taken part in saving a life!

A Fool's Paradise or Sin Makes Us Stupid

"We've been living in a fool's paradise", declares Lee of the sweetly nuanced Swiffer commercial. She and husband, Morty, have endeared themselves to television viewers - waltzing in their kitchen and discovering the dirt of which they were formerly unaware. My husband sometimes calls me 'Babe' (Morty's term of endearment), to hint at our goal to be that couple as we age.

In the same way Lee speaks of the hidden dirt her new cleaning gadget has helped her find, we can speak of the hidden sins that we gloss over. During an online retreat I recently heard the good Fr. Ripperger, FSSP say, "sin makes you stupid" - and so it does. Whether it's difficult to discern (like the dust on Lee's kitchen floor), or glossed over by carelessness or habit - we all have sins that, if laid bare, would alarm us.

Sin Makes Us Stupid

To elaborate on this point, lets think about the types of sin: Original Sin, Venial Sin, and Mortal Sin. Original Sin is an effect of the fall of our First Parents. Although not an actual sin that we have committed, it has an actual effect on us - a lack of Grace. If not washed away by Baptism, it causes a lack of subordination to God and therefore makes it difficult to do good. With Original Sin has come sickness and death of the soul.

Venial sin involves matters that are not seriously sinful but can certainly act as the gateway to serious sin. When we mortally sin, we disengage from God - we turn our backs on Him and willfully do evil. This serious sinfulness makes us more prone to evil and it becomes difficult to do good. Our passions are disordered and the control that we have over the flesh is diminished. Therefore we are more and more likely to give in to disordered appetites. This, in turn, darkens our intellect - blinds it to the sin committed. This blindness is our punishment - the resulting cycle of sin makes us more and more stupid...too stupid to be fully aware of the dire straits we are in. The further we fall into sin, the more fixated we become on the created things to which we are attached. Our lower faculties win out with our desire for sinful pleasures. We find that we have an inability to concentrate on spiritual things: even meaningful prayer becomes extremely difficult.

Thankfully our natural light of reason, however diminished, remains with us - giving us a way toward what is right and holy. Although sin darkens our intellect and dulls our senses that judge our sinfulness, with repentance, we can come back to the full light of reason. For this reason, it's prudent to take full advantage of the sacrament of Penance frequently. Holy Mother Church, in the wisdom endowed by Jesus, has given us a perfect way to balance our lives and therefore our souls. Each time we come to Him with the burden of our sins, he presents the perfect means to enhance our holiness, our awareness and our ability to live as we should. We, like Morty, we make dirt (sin) and so must utilize that with which we have been equipped - to make clean what was once dirty. Confession can be the Swiffer* for our souls - cleaning every nook and cranny we are willing to find.

*The Swiffer and Confession comparison is solely mine and not to be confused with the substance of Fr. Ripperger's eloquent message. I have only lightly touched on the wisdom shared in these talks. To hear more from Fr. Ripperger, FSSP click here.

http://www.sensustraditionis.org/webaudio/Sin/Sin.mp3

The Unborn as Lazarus

In today's Gospel (Luke 16: 19 - 31) we heard about Lazarus and the rich man. As our priest pointed out during the homily, the plight of Lazarus was not due to anything the rich man did to Lazarus - he didn't make him poor or hungry. The sin came from inaction - because he also didn't do anything for him. It was well within the means of the rich man to give shelter, food, alms - but his neglect was complete. Lazarus simply wasn't on his radar. This brought to mind the words we had just prayed in the Confiteor...

"I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do..."

In searching our hearts for acts of charity we must ask the question: what wrong have I done, what right have I failed to do? So how do we answer these pertinent questions when it comes to the unborn? We aren't necessarily the ones who have the abortions, perform the abortions or pay for the abortions. The ones of us who are already of the pro-life mindset would never dream of doing so. Even if we are converts to pro-life advocacy, we have asked for absolution, received forgiveness, done our penance and moved on as pro-life people of God. But even as we don't do anything to the unborn, how would we stand in the sight of God and answer Him if He said, 'my child, what have you done for them?'

As we move into October - Respect Life Month - let's see what we can do for the littlest souls. Next Sunday (October 6) will present one such opportunity. All over the nation communities will hold the annual Life Chain. This prayerful silent witness spotlighting the right to Life of the unborn and the wrong of abortion, gives us a chance to act. Check your church bulletin for the details, gather family and friends, and give a mere 2 hours of your day to the act of public witness and prayer.

Another positive action could be to participate in 40 Days for Life - going to abortion mills for 2 hour increments to peacefully pray. Hundreds of babies are saved every year from this effort. Others commit to praying the Rosary for Life during October. Another option is to join an online prayer group such as Pro-Life Prayer Partners and cooperatively pray assigned mysteries of the Rosary for the duration of events such as 40 Days for Life.

In Help Your Parish Become a Prayer Partner, I also outlined the creation of a pro-life display to encourage awareness, prayer, and action. These displays are cropping up in churches all over the country and provide information and suggestions. It's time to act! Let's see what we can do for these vulnerable brothers and sisters of ours.

Pope Francis has spoken clearly on the importance of advocating for the unborn:

“I ask everyone to continue to pay special attention to this most important issue of respect for human life from the moment of conception... safeguarding every human being from the very first moment of his or her existence.”

~ Pope Francis, Regina Caeli Address, May 12, 2013

**Here are some helpful suggestions and bits of information to get you started:

Prayer and Adoration

Say the Rosary or go to Adoration, and offer it for the unborn.

Find your nearest 40 Days for Life and join them in prayer - www.40daysforlife.com .

Search Facebook for - 40 Days for Life Prayer Partners – and join their community Rosary.

Add a Pro-Life Petition to your family prayer or ask your parish to add to the Mass Intentions.

Fasting and Almsgiving

Give up something you like – food, Facebook, dinner out, entertainment – and donate the money to a Pregnancy Care Center.

Find a local group and volunteer.

Save funds as a family and buy supplies for a struggling mother and her baby.

Learn and Inform

3 weeks - Her heart is already beating

6 weeks - She has her own bloodstream with blood circulating.
- Brain waves are present.

9 weeks - She squints, swallows, moves her tongue, and makes a fist.
- All of her organs are present – all she needs to do now is grow!

Understand and share the humanity of the unborn – they are complete people, just waiting to grow.

Encourage churches, schools, and organizations to allow a Pro-Life display.

Let the pro-life discussion enter into your everyday consciousness and conversation.

Volunteer for a Crisis Pregnancy Hotline such as Opportunities for Life. They answer calls 24/7 and gently support women and girls who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy.

Encourage post-abortive women to seek out Rachel’s Vineyard for healing. Be kind and supportive.

Approved for Diocesan Use - Pro-Life Display for Your Church

In a previous post I shared my quest to gain approval, for the 40 Days for Life display, from my diocese. Last night I presented the idea and won approval! It's been used in a diocese in Iowa for two years now. Below are just a few thoughts to help you get this life-saving display into your church, school or organization.

Now it's up to YOU to get this into as many churches, schools and organizations as possible! On your mark, get set, gooooo - Pro-LIFE!

Sample email to Send:

Dear Pro-Life Advocate,

Thank you for your commitment to Life! Attached you will find complete instructions on how to create a 40 Days for Life display for your church, school or organization. With these easy to follow instructions and about $30, you will able to become an active Pro-Life advocate - helping to save the lives of the unborn and encouraging others to do the same. 

Follow this link for the ProLIFE posters and suggested layout.

You can also read a detailed account of how to build this display by going to the Designs by Birgit blog.

In His name for Life, Birgit J

PS. This is how your completed display will look...

It's so simple to share a pro-life message!

Sample Bulletin Insert: 

**Are you being called to act on behalf of the unborn, but don't know exactly how?**Our parish has provided a way to do something simple, yet powerful during 40 Days for LIFE. Please take the time to check out the Pro-Life display at the rear of the church. In addition to the Pro-life posters, you will find a Pro-Life Fact Sheet as well as a Prayer Commitment form to fill out. Check out how easy it can be to do something tangible for the Unborn. Please also encourage others to participate, as a way to do your part. Thank you, on behalf of our littlest brothers and sisters!

Is Someone You Love Poison for Your Soul?

It's evident that I'm not alone in a struggle with someone intimately linked to my life. I have heard many stories portraying similar, unfortunate circumstances. You know, someone in your family or close circle of friends, who persistently goes out of his way to hurt you. I'm not talking about the occasional butting of heads that many of us encounter in our flawed human interaction with other flawed humans. What I'm contemplating is something far more disturbing and difficult to charitably fathom. This type of animosity makes others take notice, their facial expressions revealing their shock - 'what the heck'!? What do you do in such a situation? How long do you persist in trying to make amends? To whom do you go for advice?

What's Going On Here?

I have had a couple such encounters in my life and, in fact, have been struggling with one for over 20 years. In an effort at full disclosure, I must confess to active participation on my part - initially. It’s a case of those reflexive pushing back types of reactions which sometimes make both participants uncomfortable company for anyone who is not playing their flawed game. Either that or observers feel the need to choose sides or make ineffective (and temporary) attempts to settle the matter. If you’re lucky though, after a while, the snide comments and fleeting, glaring stares give way to a desire to wipe the slate clean - so you do. You and this person come to a detente – after all, why waste precious time on disharmony when there’s so much joy to be had? You go to confession, you commune with one another and all seems right with the world. And then…

This Isn’t Going Away, Is It?

Somehow the fleeting peace fails to last and this time, you’re trapped as an unwilling participant in a battle from which you’ve walked away. You have prayerfully discerned that this is a sinful situation – as in occasion of sin – but the other persists in their vitriolic contact. So what to do? Perhaps going to the person in question and having an in-depth conversation will work wonders. But that doesn’t work in the most difficult of such situations. Conceivably the next step is going to someone who knows you both, who can impartially seek a common peace.

And still, it persists. In an effort to forgive the seventy times seven Jesus asks of us, you might finally find yourself making another appointment with your parish priest or spiritual director. After thoroughly listening to your distress, the resulting advice might be surprising. If all efforts at peace have resulted in an inadequate outcome; if there simply is no hope for a fruitful relationship, you may simply need to walk away. This isn’t easy – especially if you have close ties to the person in question. How do you walk away from someone who is intimately connected? And how realistic is it to expect for the unrest never to cross your mind or interactions with others who know you both?

So What to do?

I once read some sage advice. Every time that the hurts resurfaces – whether they are remembered conflicts
or new transgressions – say an Our Father for the person causing you pain. When you get to the line, ‘forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us’, it’s impossible to hold onto the resentment if you truly mean what you’re praying. After all, don’t we recognize that we aren’t worthy of forgiveness in our own transgressions? Forgiveness comes from the gift of Jesus and His dying for us. It’s not something we earn or are entitled to expect. Rather, it’s a gift of love. Remember Jesus telling us to love even our enemies?

Is this any different than Jesus forgiving those who persecuted him? Didn’t He set a really high bar for us when he lived the example of the ultimate forgiveness? Is it any more difficult than Him saying, ‘they know not what they do’? If we expect to follow Jesus – at all costs – how can we justify holding onto a grudge against those who persecute us? In the same way that we, flawed as we are, find that we need to confess the same sins again and again – that is the way that we must resolve to step aside from the hurt feelings and grudges we might feel toward those who persist in hurting us. Didn’t the Sanhedrin give false testimony against Jesus? Didn’t He have to endure the most excruciating pain, betrayal, and slander – even unto death on a cross? Who then, are we, to expect better than the treatment He received? “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

          "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
                                                                                                          Matthew 5:44

Father, please give me a contrite heart. Help me to resolve to never sin against you again. Give me true repentance and forgiveness so that I may give forgiveness too! AMEN!

This post is an answer to Jennifer Fulwiler's 7 Posts in 7 Days: An epic blogging challenge - day 5

Also listed at Catholic Bloggers Network - Catholic Bloggers!

Angelina Jolie and Me: A Preemptive Strike at Breast Cancer

When Angelina Jolie recently disclosed that she had had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, my first thought was, “good for her”. She, like me, watched her mother die of BRCA-1 breast cancer when she was in her 50’s. Jolie and her mother and my daughter and I also share membership in the BRCA-1 breast cancer club. Contrary to common thought, all breast cancers are not of the same magnitude. While many women have been diagnosed with breast cancer and gone on to live fruitful lives, for those of us with the faulty BRCA-1 gene it’s not quite that simple. We have a strong propensity for breast cancer (up to 87%) and ovarian cancer (50%). It’s also fast growing and aggressive. To make matters worse, triple negative (for hormone receptivity) BRCA-1 takes many common and highly successful treatment options – such as Tamoxifin –off the table. That happens to be the case with my daughter and me.

Our own family history presents a disconcerting outlook. As far back as we know, every woman on my maternal side has carried the BRCA-1 gene and paid with her life at a young age. My great-grandmother died in her 40’s and my grandmother was 42 when she died, two weeks after diagnosis. My mother died at 58 – after a 5 year long struggle with ovarian, then breast, then liver, bone and finally brain cancer – all due to the BRCA-1 gene. My diagnosis came 7 years ago – when I was 48, while our daughter was diagnosed when she was 28 and 20 weeks pregnant.

This unbroken line of victims, and the deaths of women preceding us, gives us a unique perspective. We can’t say, “what if I become a victim of breast cancer?”. Unfortunately, we’ve been there, lived that. Our loved ones died young and we, ourselves, have traveled a difficult path. When our daughter found out about her cancer, she had to go to great lengths to find a doctor who was willing for her to maintain her pregnancy and still treat her. The answer came when she found the doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. They had been successfully treating cancer in pregnant women for 20 years – with no harmful side effects to any of the babies.

With MD Anderson's protocol and local doctors’ cooperation, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Thanksgiving Day of 2009 – after having undergone chemo while pregnant. In an effort to help other women – our daughter has extensively shared her story. She has also won the Life Award for her persistence at maintaining her pregnancy. Likewise, Jolie has come forward and I find it laudable that a public personality is willing to be so transparent about something so personal – all in an effort to help other women.  Among cancer patients this sense of purpose appears to be very strong. Perhaps the drive to help others, by relaying our own experiences, gives back a little of the power that cancer steals from us.

Unfortunately, some rumblings and judgmental comments have been aimed at Jolie (and me) for taking what must seem like an unreasonably drastic step. Contrary to this rash judgment, what she has done is a great service to others who may find themselves equally challenged some day. When the prognosis is so dire and the options are so few, it must be understood that it is morally acceptable to take preemptive steps to preserve health – especially for a mother of young children. That some find it repugnant that she willingly sacrificed her breasts in an effort to save her life, is disappointing to me. After all, her breasts are not a vital organ. Removing them has not affected her fertility. So if she takes this step in an effort to live, it would be charitable to respect that decision.

Likewise, my daughter and I both chose bilateral mastectomy instead of only removing the tumorous breast. In fact, our story presented an even more difficult decision. At the insistent recommendation of my mother’s team of oncological specialists, I had a prophylactic oopharectomy when I was 31. Although this step ended any hope of the large family we had hoped for, the risk from cancer was simply too great to ignore. After all, I was a wife and the mother of three young children who needed me healthy and alive. When our daughter was diagnosed at such a young age, while pregnant, the wisdom of my decision was revealed. Again, at the persistent advice of her oncologists, she too, underwent a prophylactic oopharectomy.

As a result of stories like the ones told by Jolie, my daughter and me there have been blunt statements that no one should take such a drastic step – that it’s a sinful choice. We should trust in God, not medicine. If that were the only reasonable conclusion, why would we subject ourselves to chemotherapy? After all, this acceptable treatment/preventative measure kills cells in our bodies and causes long-lasting or permanent side effects. Yet, in the quest for preserving life, chemo is universally accepted as ethical. So why not remove breasts or ovaries that will almost certainly become cancerous and kill us? After all, double effect comes into play – the goal is not to end fertility. The single goal is to make a difficult, albeit necessary, decision for survival. Loss of fertility is the unintended consequence of that decision. According to the good and holy priests I have consulted and moral, pro-life experts this preventive measure is a licit course of action.

The struggle with cancer is a lifetime challenge. Even with years of good reports, the reality is that it can always recur. With the BRCA-1 gene, there remains 40% chance that even chemotherapy will not be an effective deterrent to mortality. You’re never in the ‘safe’ zone. But contrary to other comments, I don't fear death, I made my peace with this world as a part of the acceptance process when I was first diagnosed  Yet I also know that, if it is the Will of God, I will do whatever is in my power to remain here on this earth with my loved ones.

Two survivors!

So if you've never walked this road, please be kind by refraining from belittling the decisions of those of us who have. A more charitable approach would be to say a little prayer. Thank the Lord that you haven’t been forced to walk this difficult path. And ask Him to keep us healthy for as long as He wills it. Pray that our efforts to help others by sharing the painful reality in our lives does a service for them. We, in turn, will do our best to live our lives honoring Him. I, for one, know there is a purpose to my life - I have a God-given mission to share the pro-life message and the Gospel with as many people as possible. It is my firm belief that giving up on life is not an acceptable option when God has given us such unimaginable advances in the field of ethical medicine. Although the rest of my life will be lived with a unique awareness not shared by those who have not traveled this road; I have found a peace that can only come with a close relationship to God and a focus on His Will for the rest of my earthly life.


NOTE: there has been much confusion and misinformation about this life or death issue since I wrote this post. Therefore, I found it necessary to offer more resources for an accurate picture to emerge. Find the update here.

Holy Thursday and Foot Washing - Misunderstanding What Catholics Do

So here we are again - Holy Week. A most splendid - the most splendid week of the year! Yes, Christmas brings us the infant God made man, but during this week He fulfills that purpose for which he was conceived of the Virgin Mary. Holy Week, however, comes replete with painful awareness of how many Catholics (including clergy) simply don't choose to follow the instructions (rubrics anyone?) that clearly give priests the black - exact words to say - and the red - exact instructions for what they (and we, the faithful) are to do. Now before someone says, "but if it's not expressly forbidden, we can add to the things we can do", here's a word: NO!

Let's take some secular examples.

1) a prima ballerina decides that she will enhance the carefully crafted choreography of Swan Lake and just add some cutsie little steps here and there - at her pleasure.

2) a legal secretary decides that her boss' brief needs a bit of enhancement and throws in a few things she's learned at night school.

3) a sou chef takes the recipe of his master and tweaks it just a bit.

Pow! All heck would surely break out. Not just because the servant hadn't done what the master intended but also because the resulting chaos would affect everyone involved.

And so it is with the optional rite of Foot Washing - Mandatum (command) - on Holy Thursday. The rubrics are clear - men (viri) are to have their feet washed - twelve, if you want to follow Jesus' lead. Why twelve and why men, you might ask? Well, because a secondary function of our remembrance of that day (aside from the - very important - institution of the Eucharist!), is the institution of the priesthood, initiated with the twelve apostles. Can women become priests? Contrary to liberal wishes the answer has irrevocably been given by Pope John Paul II - never!

As has been pointed out by Fr. Z,"let it be remembered that the Church’s legislation allows for the washing of the feet of only men. MEN = VIRI = MEN. Not manish women or any other critter. Even if some claim to have received permission to wash the feet of women, and even if the claims were true, those permissions would in no way change the law for the rest of the world. Period. Furthermore, I have never seen a letter or a copy of a letter from the Congregation in Rome granting such a permission. I doubt anyone else has either".

Canon lawyer, Dr. Edward Peters has written about it thoroughly and shares the wording of the rubric with us - along with emphasis of the Latin, in which it was written. The word man (viri) can only be interpreted one way, and it's not mankind (or humankind).

I'd rather just see this optional rite done away with altogether. Why oh why does the focus always have to be on 'us' (the people)? Holy Thursday is about the institution of the priesthood. It is about the institution of the Eucharist. And yet, here we are again. With our self congratulatory songs, choirs up front so that we may focus away from everything that we should be focusing on - Jesus, present to us as food at the foot of the cross! I'm so very frustrated and it takes away my right to worship in the way Mass was intended* (complete with thorough instructions). I've seen even babies' feet washed, mostly women's feet washed, and commemorative towels given out as 'door prizes' for those women and men who participated. I'm beyond frustrated by this lack of saying the black and doing the red!

Rant over...

May we all celebrate a holy, Holy Thursday! Happy Holy Week!

The Last Supper - the reason for Holy Thursday!

*From Redemptionis Sacramentum (Latin, “The Sacrament of Redemption”).

"It is the right of the Christian people themselves that their diocesan bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God, and devotion to the saints (24)."