Become What You Are

2003-03-28T08:44:00.000-06:00

Man is "Dust"

"Our existence has the frailty of the grass that sprouts at dawn; suddenly it hears the whistle of the sickle that reduces it to a pile of hay," the Pope said.

To this radical weakness -- man is "dust" -- the Bible also associates sin, leading the Pope to say: "In us there is finiteness but also culpability."

The Holy Father explained how the human being can only overcome himself by taking recourse to his Creator, the reason why the Psalm asks that the grace of God "sustain and gladden our days, yet so fragile and marked by affliction."

After the death and resurrection of Christ, this frailty of man finds "the source of life beyond death," allowing us "to rejoice and be 'glad all our days,'" the Pope said. Zenit

2003-03-20T08:30:00.000-06:00

Gauging the Humanitarian Cost of War

U.S. Hopes to Limit Civilian Casualties, But Others Aren't So Optimistic

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 8, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Concerns over civilian casualties in an Iraq war are fueling opposition to any such conflict. Estimates of deaths or the number of refugees caused by a war vary widely, but all agree that large numbers of innocent people would suffer. More...

2003-03-19T09:39:00.000-06:00

Papal Nuncio Aims to Stay Close to the Suffering in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq, MARCH 18, 2003 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).- The papal nuncio in Baghdad reiterated his intention to stay in Iraq even if the bombing begins, in order to express his closeness to those who suffer.

Archbishop Fernando Filoni, who has been nuncio for less than a year, said: "We are here, and here we will stay, even if there is a war. We have no alternatives and, so long as we are permitted, we will remain."

The archbishop explained that he wishes to be "close to those who suffer to make them feel that they have not been abandoned" and to ensure "service to the local Church."

Regarding the Catholics who constitute 2.8% of a population of 24 million, the nuncio said their activities "continue with regularity."

"There is a certain concern on the part of the families of our seminarians, but the seminaries are still open, as well as the parishes, which are preparing for any eventuality, while carrying out the scheduled work," he said.

More on Suffering and the War: Catholic News and Iraqi Chidren Most Vulnerable

Letter from Dominicans in Iraq at Disputations

2003-03-14T10:05:00.000-06:00

Why Suffering? --- Why Evil?

It is obvious that pain, especially physical pain, is widespread in the animal world. But only the suffering human being knows that he is suffering and wonders why; and he suffers in a humanly speaking still deeper way if he does not find a satisfactory answer. This is a difficult question, just as is a question closely akin to it, the question of evil. Why does evil exist? Why is there evil in the world? When we put the question in this way, we always, at least to a certain extent, asking a question about suffering too.

Both questions are difficult, when an individual puts them to another individual, when people put them to other people, also when man puts them to God. For man does not put this question to the world, even though it is from the world that suffering often comes to him, but he puts it to God as the Creator and Lord of the world. And it is well known that concerning this question there not only arise many frustrations and conflicts in the relations of man with God, but it also happens that people reach the point of actually denying God. For, whereas the existence of the world opens as it were the eyes of the human soul to the existence of God, to His wisdom, power and greatness, evil and suffering seem to obscure this image, sometimes in a radical way, especially in the daily drama of so many cases of undeserved suffering and of so many faults without proper punishment. So this circumstance shows -- perhaps more than any other -- the importance of the question of the meaning of suffering; it also shows how much care must be taken both in dealing with the question itself and with all possible answers to it. Salvifici Doloris (9)

2003-03-13T13:16:00.000-06:00

The Meaning of Suffering

Within each form of suffering endured by man, and at the same time at the basis of the whole world of suffering, there inevitably arises the question: WHY? It is a question about the cause, the reason, and equally, about the purpose of suffering, and, in brief, a question about its meaning. Not only does it accompany human suffering, but it seems even to determine its human content, what makes suffering precisely human suffering. Salvifici Doloris (9)

We will now begin to explore the haunting questions about suffering: "Why?" "What does it mean?" and "How can I live with it?"

2003-03-12T12:52:00.000-06:00

Pope's Message to Youth

In the Year of the Rosary, John Paul II invites young people to pray it, because it is a way of "learning to contemplate Jesus with the eyes of his Mother, to love Jesus with the heart of his Mother."

"Don't be ashamed to recite the rosary," the Pope says, encouraging young people to pray it "on the way to school, university or work, on the street or on public transportation; recite it among yourselves, in groups, movements and associations, and don't hesitate to suggest praying it at home" with the family, because it "revives and consolidates the ties" among its members.

"This prayer will help you to be strong in faith, constant in charity, joyful and persevering in hope," he says.

John Paul II also exhorts young people to flee from egoism and sloth. "Now more than ever, it is urgent that you be the morning watchmen."

"Mankind has a decisive need for the witness of courageous and free young people who dare to go countercurrent and proclaim strongly and enthusiastically their faith in God, Lord and Savior," he says. Zenit

2003-03-12T11:50:00.000-06:00

One Thinks, Finally, of War

Considering the world of suffering in its personal and at the same time collective meaning, one cannot fail to notice the fact that this world, at some periods of time and in some eras of human existence, becomes as it were particularly concentrated. This happens, for example, in cases of natural disasters, epidemics, catastrophes, upheavals and various social scourges: one thinks, for example of a bad harvest and connected with it -- or with various other causes -- the scourge of famine.

One thinks, finally, of war. I speak of this in a particular way. I speak of the last two World Wars, the second of which brought with it a much greater harvest of death and a much heavier burden of human sufferings. The second half of our century, in its turn, brings with it -- as though in proportion to the mistakes and transgressions of our contemporary civilization -- such a horrible threat of nuclear war that we cannot think of this period except in terms of an incomparable accumulation of sufferings, even to the possible self- destruction of humanity. In this way, that world of suffering which in brief has its subject in each human being, seems in our age to be transformed -- perhaps more than at any other moment -- into a special "world": the world which as never before has been transformed by progress through man's work and, at the same time, it as never before in danger because of man's mistakes and offenses. Salvifici Doloris (8)

Sculpture (detail) after Picasso's Guernica

U.N. officials hung a blue curtain over a tapestry reproduction of Picasso's Guernica at the entrance of the Security Council.

2003-03-11T10:01:00.000-06:00

Suffering and Evil

It can be said that man suffers whenever he experiences any kind of evil. In the vocabulary of the Old Testament, suffering and evil are identified with each other.

Thus the reality of suffering prompts the question about the essence of evil: What is evil?

This question seems, in a certain sense, inseparable from the theme of suffering. The Christian response to it is different, for example, from the one given by certain cultural and religious traditions which hold that existence is an evil from which one needs to be liberated. Christianity proclaims the essential good of existence and the good of that which exists, acknowledges the goodness of the Creator and proclaims the good of creatures. Man suffers on account of evil, which is a certain lack, limitation or distortion of good. We could say that man suffers because of a good in which he does not share, from which in a certain sense he is cut off, or of which he has deprived himself. He particularly suffers when he "ought" -- in the normal order of things -- to have a share in this good, and does not have it.

Thus, in the Christian view, the reality of suffering is explained through evil, which always, in some way, refers to a good. Salvifici Doloris (7)

The Body of Abel Found by Adam and Eve,
William Blake, c.1825

2003-03-11T07:20:00.000-06:00

Jeremiah's Lament

The words of a man in agony...

1 I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of his wrath.
2 He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;
3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.
5 He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.
6 He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.
8 Even when I call out or cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer.
9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
he has made my paths crooked.

10 Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,
11 he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.
12 He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.

13 He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.
14 I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.

16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.
17 I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD ."

Lamentations 3

2003-03-10T13:18:00.000-06:00

The Paschal Mystery

If I reflect on the "unwritten book" of the history of my own personal suffering, God has seemed to be more interested in changing me than in changing my difficult circumstances. It seems He would rather be with me in my suffering than lift me out of it.

We might ask, why is it that salvation always comes through suffering, darkness always precedes the light, and that failure usually comes before success?

I believe it is the Paschal mystery --- the mystery of our "passing over" from who we have been to who we are becoming --- the mystery of passing through suffering and death to new life. Not as we would have it, for His ways are not our ways. But ultimately, the only way, as Jesus revealed to us in His final hours as He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will."

But still, I wonder why...?

2003-03-10T06:49:00.000-06:00

Sacred Scripture--Great Book About Suffering

Sacred Scripture is a great book about suffering. Let us quote from the books of the Old Testament a few examples (See Quotes) of situations which bear the signs of suffering, and above all moral suffering: the danger of death, the death of one's own children and, especially, the death of the firstborn and only son; and then too: the lack of offspring, nostalgia for the homeland, persecution and hostility of the environment, mockery and scorn of the one who suffers, loneliness and abandonment; and again: the remorse of conscience, the difficulty of understanding why the wicked prosper and the just suffer, the unfaithfulness and ingratitude of friends and neighbours; and finally: the misfortunes of one's own nation.

In treating the human person as a psychological and physical "whole", the Old Testament often links "moral" sufferings with the pain of specific parts of the body: the bones, kidneys, liver, viscera, heart. In fact, one cannot deny that moral sufferings have a "physical" or somatic element, and that they are often reflected in the state of the entire organism.

As we see from the examples quoted, we find in Sacred Scripture an extensive list of variously painful situations for man. This varied list certainly does not exhaust all that has been said and constantly repeated on the theme of suffering by the book of the history of man (this is rather an "unwritten book"), and even more by the book of the history of humanity, read through the history of every human individual. Salvifici Doloris (6-7)

Commentary later today...

2003-03-07T07:48:00.000-06:00

The World of Human Suffering

Even though in its subjective dimension, as a personal fact contained within man's concrete and unrepeatable interior, suffering seems almost inexpressible and not transferable, perhaps at the same time nothing else requires as much as does suffering, in its "objective reality", to be dealt with, meditated upon, and conceived as an explicit problem; and that therefore basic questions be asked about it and the answers sought. It is evident that it is not a question here merely of giving a description of suffering. There are other criteria which go beyond the sphere of description, and which we must introduce when we wish to penetrate the world of human suffering.

Man suffers in different ways. ways not always considered by medicine, not even in its most advanced specializations. Suffering is something which is still wider than sickness, more complex and at the same time still more deeply rooted in humanity itself. A certain idea of this problem comes to us from the distinction between physical suffering and moral suffering. This distinction is based upon the double dimension of the human being and indicates the bodily and spiritual element as the immediate or direct subject of suffering. Insofar as the words "suffering" and "pain" can, up to a certain degree, be used as synonyms, physical suffering is present when "the body is hurting" is some way, whereas moral suffering is "pain of the soul". In fact, it is a question of pain of a spiritual nature, and not only of the "psychological" dimension of pain which accompanies both moral and physical suffering. The vastness and the many forms of moral suffering are certainly no less in number than the forms of physical suffering. But at the same time, moral suffering seems, as it were, less identified and less reachable by therapy. Salvifici Doloris (5)

The Scream,
1893, Edvard Munch

A CBS News interview this morning presented a man and his daughter facing with horror, fear, and grief the fact that his wife (her mother) was missing and possibly abducted from a NewYork City street.

One can barely imagine... Mostly we do not want to.

Lord, have mercy on all those who suffer so.

2003-03-06T09:33:00.000-06:00

Suffering Man---The Way for the Church

In Christ "every man becomes the way for the Church." It can be said that man in a special fashion becomes the way for the Church when suffering enters his life. This happens, as we know, at different moments in life, it takes place in different ways, it assumes different dimensions; nevertheless, in whatever form, suffering seems to be, and is, almost inseparable from man's earthly existence.

Assuming then that throughout his earthly life man walks in one manner or another on the long path of suffering, it is precisely on this path that the Church at all times -- and perhaps especially during the Holy Year of the Redemption -- should meet man. Born of the mystery of Redemption in the cross of Christ, the church has to try to meet man in a special way on the path of his suffering. In this meeting man "becomes the way for the Church", and this way is one of the most important ones. Salvifici Doloris (3)

"Different ways, different moments, different dimensions..." Suffering comes our way unwanted, often unexpected, sometimes through our own fault, and much of the time undeserved.

Suffering is exquisitely personal. We suffer in our bodies, our hearts and minds, and our relationships. We suffer in ways great and small from our mother's womb until the day we die.

Certainly, we would do well to reflect on our unwanted companion--we may even learn to relate creatively to our ever-present mysterious guest!

2003-03-05T10:28:00.000-06:00

Remember Man...

Psalm 90:10

Seventy is the sum of our years,
or eighty, if we are strong;
Most of them are sorrow and toil;
they pass quickly, we are all but gone.

Suffering is an ever present companion on the way of life. The Psalmist captures this reality well by saying that most of our years are sorrow and toil.

I believe it is appropriate at times to focus, like the Psalmist, more intently on the subject of human suffering without glossing over it or straining to present a more "balanced" view.

I hope to provide a place this Lent, to explore more deeply this great mystery of our life. John Paul II has written an Apostolic Letter, Salvifici Doloris which will provide a framework for our exploration.

Please feel free to contribute your insights, experiences, and reflections.

Pope's Call to Prayer and Fasting for the Cause of Peace

2003-03-04T08:14:00.000-06:00

The Inclination to Give Rooted in the Depths of the Human Heart -- John Paul II

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Lent is a season of intense prayer, fasting and concern for those in need. It offers all Christians an opportunity to prepare for Easter by serious discernment about their lives, with particular attention to the word of God which enlightens the daily journey of all who believe.

This year, as a guide for our Lenten meditation, I would offer a phrase taken from the Acts of the Apostles: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). What we have here is not simply a moral exhortation, or a command which comes to us from without. The inclination to give is rooted in the depths of the human heart: every person is conscious of a desire to interact with others and everyone finds fulfilment in a free gift of self to others.

...

"It is more blessed to give than to receive". When believers respond to the inner impulse to give themselves to others without expecting anything in return, they experience a profound interior satisfaction.

More: Lent 2003, JPII

This truth is most challenging--it is, I believe, the key to happiness in marriage and family living.

If only I could live it day in and day out!

2003-03-03T13:50:00.000-06:00

Preparing for Lent 2003

Suffering is a human experience close to my heart and an ever present companion in marriage and family living. I believe it is an excellent subject for reflection during Lent.

Join me this Lent in exploring John Paul II's document Salvifici Doloris---On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering.

Also, in preparation, let us read the Pope's Message for Lent 2003.

2003-03-01T15:22:00.000-06:00

The Center for Peace in the Family

and the World...

2003-02-28T08:51:00.000-06:00

A Reminder

WASHINGTON, D.C., FEB. 27, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The president of the U.S. bishops' conference says it is hard to justify a war against Iraq, given the lack of clear evidence linking Baghdad to an imminent and grave attack or the Sept. 11 attacks.

In a statement published Wednesday, Bishop Wilton Gregory reiterated some of the American bishops' reservations about a possible U.S.-led attack against the Saddam Hussein regime.

Near the conclusion, the bishop said: "At times like these, we turn to the Lord and ask for wisdom and courage. We Christians are called to be 'sentinels of peace,' the Holy Father reminds us. We join with him in urging Catholics to dedicate fasting on Ash Wednesday for 'the conversion of hearts and the long-range vision of just decisions to resolve disputes with adequate and peaceful means.'" Full article: Zenit

2003-02-27T08:23:00.000-06:00

The Family and Worldwide Solidarity

In view of the worldwide dimension of various social questions nowadays, the family has seen its role with regard to the development of society extended in a completely new way: It now also involves cooperating for a new international order, since it is only in worldwide solidarity that the enormous and dramatic issues of world justice, the freedom of peoples and the peace of humanity can be dealt with and solved.

The spiritual communion between Christian families, rooted in a common faith and hope and give life by love constitutes an inner energy that generates, spreads and develops justice, reconciliation, fraternity and peace among human beings. Insofar as it is a "small scale church," the Christian family is called upon, like the "large-scale church," to be a sign of unity for the world and in this way to exercise its prophetic role by bearing witness to the kingdom and peace of Christ, toward which the whole world is journeying. FC(42)

2003-02-26T09:27:00.000-06:00

Family Bible Reading Seen as Key to New Evangelization

Experts Conclude at a Congress in Rome

ROME, FEB. 25, 2003 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).- The introduction of Bible meditation in all homes would be a decisive step for the new evangelization, says a bishop.

Bishop Carlo Ghidelli of Lanciano-Ortona, a biblicist, proposed this initiative Saturday at the national congress of the Italian episcopal conference's biblical apostolate.

During the meeting, which focused on the need to "build a community of listening to the Word of God," Rinaldo Fabris, president of the Italian Biblical Association, said that the faithful often don't know much about Scripture.

Although on one hand people increasingly want to own a Bible, and interpret it on their own, on the other hand, there is a "certain communal resistance" to exploring the Scriptures, Bishop Ghidelli noted.

The congress highlighted the need to update the method of studying the Bible in order to avoid intellectualism or the seeking of biblical instruction outside the Catholic Church.

In this connection, Guido Benzi, director of the Catechetical Office of the Rimini Diocese, stressed the importance of "not losing sight that the Bible, insofar as it is the voice of God speaking to his people, must be available to all, not just to a few."

However, "the faithful must be reminded, especially non-Catholics, that the authentic interpretation of sacred Scripture occurs only within a dimension of faith," Benzi said. "As St. Augustine used to say, we must read the Scriptures seated in the lap of our Mother, the Church."

2003-02-25T09:37:00.000-06:00

Pray, Pray, Pray

Each and every family has a significant contribution to make. We are still struggling to make ours more regularly.

World Rosary for Peace

Robert Gotcher continues his reflection on Vatican II statements about war. Very helpful.

2003-02-24T09:33:00.000-06:00

Holy Father Calls for Prayer and Fasting

"It is a duty of believers, regardless of the religion to which they belong, to proclaim that we will never be able to be happy if we are against one another; the future of humanity will never be able to be assured by terrorism and the logic of war," the Pope continued.

"We Christians, in particular, are called to be like guardians of peace in the places where we live and work," he explained. "We are asked, that is, to be alert, so that consciences will not yield to the temptation to egoism, falsehood and violence."

Because of this, the Pontiff invited "all Catholics to dedicate with special intensity next March 5, Ash Wednesday, to prayer and fasting for the cause of peace, especially in the Middle East."

"Above all, let us implore God for the conversion of hearts and a generous view in just decisions to resolve with adequate and peaceful means the contests that hamper the pilgrimage of humanity in our time," he said.

"In every Marian shrine an ardent prayer for peace will be raised to heaven with the praying of the holy rosary," the Pope added. "I trust that also in parishes and families the rosary will be prayed for this great cause on which the good of all depends."

"This common invocation will be accompanied by fasting, expression of penance for the hatred and violence that contaminate human relations," John Paul II noted.

"Christians share the ancient practice of fasting with many brothers and sisters of other religions, who in this way want to be despoiled of all pride and dispose themselves to receive from God the greatest and most necessary gifts, among which, in particular, is that of peace," the Holy Father stressed. Zenit

See Robert Gotcher on the Rosary and Peace

2003-02-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

Praying for Peace

The concrete example and living witness of parents is fundamental and irreplaceable in educating their children to pray. FC(60)

I can remember diligently praying the family rosary for peace during the last Gulf War. I am certain that we will be very faithful in doing so again if war breaks out in Iraq. But I have been convinced that we, as a family, must not wait until war breaks out--we must start now with the same fervor that we would have if we were at war.

Thanks to Robert Gotcher for his relections on Gaudium et Spes and peace...

That earthly peace which arises from love of neighbor symbolizes and results from the peace of Christ which radiates from God the Father. For by the cross the incarnate Son, the prince of peace reconciled all men with God. By thus restoring all men to the unity of one people and one body, He slew hatred in His own flesh; and, after being lifted on high by His resurrection, He poured forth the spirit of love into the hearts of men. (GS 78, 1)

Robert says...

We are talking about the source and meaning of earthly peace. The unity of the human race that flows from the saving power of the cross will manifest itself in real reconciliation in this life. Thus, we have the long tradition of saints as peacemakers, such as when St. Clare stopped an invading army by lifting up a monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament. This is why our prayers for peace are not simply wishful thinking, but rather part of the providential means of achieving that real earthly peace that is possible because of the effects of the Cross.

2003-02-19T07:19:00.000-06:00

Pope: Let Marriage be the Good News

POPE John Paul II on Saturday,Jan. 25, 2003 urged Catholics all over the world to remain committed to their marriages and keep their families intact, saying this could be the "good news of the third millennium."

In a message telecast live via satellite last night from the Vatican and beamed to the 300,000 people gathered for the Fourth World Meeting of Families at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, the Pope asked Catholics to make the "Gospel the guiding principle of your families, and make your families a page of the Gospel written for our time."

"Christian couples, be good news for the third millennium by bearing convincing and consistent witness to the truth about the family," the Pope said.

He acknowledged that marriage is full of challenges but assured the faithful that "on this journey you are not alone; Jesus is always present at your side."

The Pope said the grace people receive in marriage remains with them through the years but that such grace is dependent on "self-sacrificing love." This love is not always easy because "daily life is full of pitfalls, tensions, suffering and even fatigue." He urged Christian families "to show by your daily lives that despite numerous difficulties and obstacles, marriage is able to be fully lived out as a meaningful experience and as a good news for the men and women of today."

"Be leaders in the Church and in the world: this is a responsibility flowing from your celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony, from your being a domestic church, and from the marital mission which is yours as the primary cells of society."

He also reminded the congregation that "family prayer" and "Marian devotion" through praying of the rosary are effective means of keeping their families united.

More: Inquirer News Service

News Reports on the Fourth World Meeting of Families

2003-02-18T11:56:00.000-06:00

John Paul II on the Origin of the Crisis in Marriage-- (Zenit)

"Why must one spouse always be faithful to the other?"

"Why it is always necessary to love the other spouse even when so many apparently justifying reasons, would lead one to leave?"

Today's strongly secularized mentality tends to affirm the human values of the institution of the family while detaching them from religious values and proclaiming them as fully independent of God. Influenced as it is by models of life that are too often presented by the mass-media, today's mentality asks, "Why must one spouse always be faithful to the other?" and this question is transformed into an existential doubt in situations of crisis. Marital difficulties can take various forms, but in the end they all amount to a problem of love. For this reason, the preceding question can be reformulated in this way: why it is always necessary to love the other spouse even when so many apparently justifying reasons, would lead one to leave?

Many replies can be given; among them the very powerful ones are the good of the children and the good of the entire society, but the most fundamental reply comes through the recognition of the objectivity of being spouses, seen as a reciprocal gift, made possible and guaranteed by God himself. The ultimate reason, therefore, for the duty of faithful love is none other than what is the basis of the divine covenant with the human person: God is faithful. To make possible the fidelity of heart to one's spouse, even in the hardest cases, one must have recourse to God in the certainty of receiving assistance. The way of mutual fidelity passes, moreover, through an openness to Christ's charity, which "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (I Cor 13,7). In every marriage the mystery of redemption becomes present, brought about by a real participation in the Cross of the Saviour, accepting the Christian paradox that joins happiness with the bearing of suffering in the spirit of faith.

For the full presentaion see: Zenit

2003-02-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

Liturgical Action

Christian marriage, like the other sacraments, "whose purpose is to sanctify people, to build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God" [141], is in itself a liturgical action glorifying God in Jesus Christ and in the Church. By celebrating it, Christian spouses profess their gratitude to God for the sublime gift bestowed on them of being able to live in their married and family lives the very love of God for people and that of the Lord Jesus for the Church, his bride. FC(56)

2003-02-14T09:22:00.000-06:00

Love Celebrated

The Clod and the Pebble
by William Blake (1757-1827)

Love seeketh not Itself to please,
Nor for itself hath any care;
But for another gives its ease,
And builds a Heaven in Hells despair.

So sang a little Clod of Clay,
Trodden with the cattle's feet;
But a Pebble of the brook,
Warbled out these metres meet.

Love seeketh only Self to please,

To bind another to Its delight:
Joys in anothers loss of ease,
And builds a Hell in Heavens despite.

Happy Valentines Day!

Resources: Valentines Day, The Romantic

2003-02-13T09:01:00.000-06:00

The Future of Society
Passes by Way of the Family

Date: 2003-02-01 (Zenit.org)

Families as the Building Blocks of Society

Manila Meeting Highlights Their Role in Keeping the World Intact

MANILA, Philippines, FEB. 1, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Building stronger Christian families was a key topic at the recent 4th World Meeting of Families. "The family founded on marriage is a patrimony of humanity, a great good of priceless value, necessary for the life, development and the future of peoples," John Paul II said in his televised address to the gathering.

Cardinal Paul Shan Kuo-hsi of Taiwan spoke of the family's role in combating the culture of death. He explained how accepting contraception leads to abortion. "In the vast majority of cases, contraception relativizes God's will, the value of the conjugal act and the value of the child to be conceived according to a new standard," he said. "This new standard is the desire of the parents -- or often only of the mother: Do they want this child or not?" When contraception fails, the logical conclusion is to accept abortion, he said.

Cardinal Sepe explained that through their participation in the paschal mystery, families become effective signs of the great covenant between God and his people, between Christ and the Church. This identity of the Christian family, translated into an authentic witness of life of Christian spouses, today becomes a sign of contradiction. It challenges a mentality and a way of life that often trivializes sexuality, empties the marriage contract of serious commitment, and tends to destroy the institution of the family at its foundation.

The Christian family is called, the cardinal said, through the sacrament of love that establishes it, to be a sign of the love of God in the history of humanity, thus becoming a light to the world.

At the closing Mass of the world meeting last Sunday, Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo called upon parents to evangelize their children and transmit to them "the light of faith." We are in the midst of a battle between light and darkness, said the president of the Pontifical Council for the Family and papal legate to the meeting.

There are multiple attacks against the family, including the imposition of ethical codes contrary to God's will and the approval of unjust laws that lead to ethical relativism. Cardinal López Trujillo called upon families to live their vocation of sanctity and to transmit to the world the light and peace of Christ.

In his Angelus message last Sunday the Pope reminded listeners of his words in the apostolic exhortation "Familiaris Consortio": "The future of society passes by way of the family." The Manila meeting gave eloquent testimony to the Church's efforts in helping ensure the future well-being of society.

2003-02-12T07:45:00.000-06:00

How Wonderful the Bond

In a deservedly famous page, Tertullian has well expressed the greatness of this conjugal life in Christ and its beauty: "How can I ever express the happiness of the marriage that is joined together by the Church, strengthened by an offering, sealed by a blessing, announced by angels and ratified by the Father? !!! How wonderful the bond between two believers, with a single hope, a single desire, a single observance, a single service! They are both brethren and both fellow servants; there is no separation between them in spirit or flesh. In fact they are truly two in one flesh, and where the flesh is one, one is the spirit" [29]. FC(13)

2003-02-11T09:44:00.000-06:00

Jesus Christ, Bridegroom of the Church,
and the Sacrament of Matrimony

The communion between God and his people finds its definitive fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the bridegroom who loves and gives himself as the savior of humanity, uniting it to himself as his body.

He reveals the original truth of marriage, the truth of the "beginning" [27], and, freeing man from his hardness of heart, he makes man capable of realizing this truth in its entirety.

This revelation reaches its definitive fullness in the gift of love which the word of God makes to humanity in assuming a human nature, and in the sacrifice which Jesus Christ makes of himself on the cross for his bride, the Church. In this sacrifice there is entirely revealed that plan which God has imprinted on the humanity of man and woman since their creation [28], the marriage of baptized persons thus becomes a real symbol of that new and eternal covenant sanctioned in the blood of Christ. The Spirit which the Lord pours forth gives a new heart, and renders man and woman capable of loving one another as Christ has loved us. Conjugal love reaches that fullness to which it is interiorly ordained, conjugal charity, which is the proper and specific way in which the spouses participate in and are called to live the very charity of Christ, who gave himself on the cross. FC(13)

Check out Steven Riddle's post giving an excellent example of sacrificial love.

And, e5men for an organization that encourages men to sacrifice for their spouses and families.

2003-02-10T13:26:00.000-06:00

Conversion, Covenant, Communion

An essential and permanent part of the Christian family's sanctifying role consists in accepting the call to conversion that the Gospel addresses to all Christians, who do not always remain faithful to the "newness" of the baptism that constitutes them "saints." The Christian family too is sometimes unfaithful to the law of baptismal grace and holiness proclaimed anew in the Sacrament of Marriage.

Repentance and mutual pardon within the bosom of the Christian family, so much a part of daily life, receive their specific sacramental expression in Christian penance. In the encyclical Humanae Vitae, Paul VI wrote to married couples: "And if sin should still keep its hold over them, let them not be discouraged, but rather have recourse with humble perseverance to the mercy of God, which is abundantly poured forth in the Sacrament of Penance" [146].

The celebration of this sacrament acquires special significance for family life. While they discover in faith that sin contradicts not only the covenant with God, but also the covenant between husband and wife and the communion of the family, the married couple and the other members of the family are led to an encounter with God, who is "rich in mercy" [147], who bestows on them his love which is more powerful than sin [148], and who reconstructs and brings to perfection the marriage covenant and the family communion.FC(58)

2003-02-08T08:55:00.000-06:00

Marriage and the Eucharist

The Christian family's sanctifying role is grounded in baptism and has its highest expression in the Eucharist, to which Christian marriage is intimately connected. The Second Vatican Council drew attention to the unique relationship between the Eucharist and marriage by requesting that "marriage normally be celebrated within the Mass" [144]. To understand better and live more intensely the graces and responsibilities of Christian marriage and family life, it is altogether necessary to rediscover and strengthen this relationship.

The Eucharist is the very source of Christian marriage. The Eucharistic Sacrifice in fact represents Christ's covenant of love with the Church, sealed with his blood on the cross [145]. In this sacrifice of the new and eternal covenant, Christian spouses encounter the source from which their own marriage covenant flows, is interiorly structured and continuously renewed. As a representation of Christ's sacrifice of love for the Church, the Eucharist is a fountain of charity. In the Eucharistic "communion" and its "mission": By partaking in the Eucharistic bread, the different members of the Christian family become one body which reveals and shares in the wider unity of the Church. Their sharing becomes a never-ending source of missionary and apostolic dynamism for the Christian family.FC(57)

2003-02-07T08:39:00.000-06:00

Another Snow Day!

Very cold as well. The second snow day is never quite as exciting as the first, but still a blessing to be treasured.

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow..."

2003-02-06T18:02:00.000-06:00

Snow Day!

We were snowed in today! Needless to say, our day was different than usual. I helped my son record some Tuba scales, went sledding and threw some snowballs with my daughters, ate hotdogs for lunch, worked on our taxes, and we are now getting ready to watch a movie. I didn't even think of posting anything until now!

I love the snow...

2003-02-05T11:32:00.000-06:00

New Effort

In keeping with recent posts, our family is making a new effort at praying together more regularly. For Christmas, I bought our teens each a subscription to Magnificat, a wonderful publication that presents a shortened form of the Litugy of the Hours, inspiring meditations, and the daily Mass readings and prayers. We are attempting to pray it together before heading off to school and work, and before bedtime. Please pray for our success. I would love to have our children firmly established in their prayer lives before they fly away.

Our little one (5yo) loves to lead the rosary (when we manage to pray it) and prayers before meals. There is something so natural and tender about the prayers of little ones. It is truly inspiring.

Peace be with you...

2003-02-04T08:56:00.000-06:00

Priestly Vocation and Mission of the Family

The Church prays for the Christian family and educates the family to live in generous accord with the priestly gift and role received from Christ the high priest. In effect, the baptismal priesthood of the faithful exercised in the Sacrament of Marriage constitutes the basis of a priestly vocation and mission for the spouses and family by which their daily lives are transformed into "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" [149]. This transformation is achieved not only by celebrating the Eucharist and the other sacraments and through offering themselves to the glory of God, but also through a life of prayer, through prayerful dialogue with the Father, through Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit. FC(59)

Let us pray...

2003-02-03T12:53:00.000-06:00

Family Rosary

While respecting the freedom of the children of God, the Church has always proposed certain practices of piety to the faithful with particular solicitude and insistence. Among these should be mentioned the recitation of the rosary: "We now desire, as a continuation of the thought of our predecessors, to recommend strongly the recitation of the family rosary . . . There is no doubt that . . . the rosary should be considered as one of the best and most efficacious prayers in common that the Christian family is invited to recite. We like to think and sincerely hope that when the family gathering becomes a time of prayer the rosary is a frequent and favored manner of praying" [155]. In this way authentic devotion to Mary, which finds expression in sincere love and generous imitation of the Blessed Virgin's interior spiritual attitude, constitutes a special instrument for nourishing loving communion in the family and for developing conjugal and family spirituality. For she who is the mother of Christ and of the church is in a special way the mother of Christian families, of domestic churches. FC(61)

2003-01-31T09:41:00.000-06:00

Good Post!

Kevin Miller posts on Mercy and Childrearing. Check it out.

This one hit me right between the eyes!

2003-01-30T08:19:00.000-06:00

Fathers, Do You Pray With Your Children?

Let us again listen to the appeal made by Paul VI to parents: "Mothers, do you teach your children the Christian prayers? Do you prepare them, in conjunction with the priests, for the sacraments that they receive when they are young: confession, communion and confirmation? Do you encourage them when they are sick to think of Christ suffering, to invoke the aid of the Blessed Virgin and the saints? Do you say the family rosary together? And you, fathers, do you pray with your children, with the whole domestic community, at least sometimes? Your example of honesty in thought and action, joined to some common prayer, is a lesson for life, an act of worship of singular value. In this way you bring peace to your homes: Pax huic domui. Remember, it is thus that you build up the church" FC(60)

2003-01-29T13:30:00.000-06:00

Family Prayer

Family prayer has for its very own object family life itself, which in all its varying circumstances is seen as a call from God and lived as a filial response to his call. Joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments, births and birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries of the parents, departures, separations and homecomings, important and far-reaching decisions, the death of those who are dear, etc -- all of these mark God's loving intervention in the family's history. They should be seen as suitable moments for thanksgiving, for petition, for trusting abandonment of the family into the hands of their common Father in heaven. The dignity and responsibility of the Christian family as the domestic church can be achieved only with God's unceasing aid, which will surely be granted if it is humbly and trustingly petitioned in prayer. FC(59)

2003-01-28T08:48:00.000-06:00

Parents--Educators in Prayer

By reason of their dignity and mission, Christian parents have the specific responsibility of educating their children in prayer, introducing them to gradual discovery of the mystery of God and to personal dialogue with him: "It is particularly in the Christian family, enriched by the grace and the office of the Sacrament of Matrimony, that from the earliest years children should be taught, according to the faith received in baptism, to have a knowledge of God, to worship him and to love their neighbor".

The concrete example and living witness of parents is fundamental and irreplaceable in educating their children to pray. Only by praying together with their children can a father and mother -- exercising their royal priesthood -- penetrate the innermost depths of their children's hearts and leave an impression that the future events in their lives will not be able to efface. FC(60)

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.
Saint Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas' explanation of The Lord's Prayer

2003-01-25T08:56:00.000-06:00

Divorce--A Mortal Wound to Family Communion--Options

Chronic marital discord often leaves spouses with the desperate feeling that divorce is the only way out of the misery that has enveloped them. Divorce is most often an act of desperation--not an easy way out. Those contemplating divorce are most often tormented day and night with hurt, anger, fear, guilt, hopelessness, and despair.

Christian couples are often the most tormented. The commitment to permanence in marriage as expressed in the marriage vow weighs heavily on their hearts and minds as they wrestle with the choice they have to make. As desperation grows, and couples come to the realization that they cannot go on as is, divorce often seems the only available option. It is not!

We need to encourage couples to explore all other available options and offer them support, encouragement, and reasons to persevere, as they search them out.

Family communion can only be preserved and perfected through a great spirit of sacrifice. It requires, in fact, a ready and generous openness of each and all to understanding, to forbearance, to pardon, to reconciliation. There is no family that does not know how selfishness, discord, tension and conflict violently attack and at times mortally wound its own communion: Hence there arise the many and varied forms of division in family life. But, at the same time, every family is called by the God of peace to have the joyous and renewing experience of "reconciliation", that is, communion re-established, unity restored. In particular, participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and in the banquet of the one body of Christ offers to the Christian family the grace and the responsibility of overcoming every division and of moving toward the fullness of communion willed by God, responding in this way to the ardent desire of the Lord: "that they may be one" [62]. FC(21)

The Center for Peace in the Family
Pastoral Solutions Institute
Retrouvaille
Marriage Savers
Divorce Busting
Broken Homes Harm Kids

2003-01-24T13:45:00.000-06:00

Family Prayer--A Requirement for Communion

Family prayer has its own characteristic qualities. It is prayer offered in common, husband and wife together, parents and children together. Communion in prayer is both a consequence of and a requirement for the communion bestowed by the Sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony. The words with which the Lord Jesus promises his presence can be applied to the members of the Christian family in a special way: "Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them". FC(59)

2003-01-23T11:13:00.000-06:00

Decisions, Decisions

Family life presents us with the challenge of making a multitude of decisions. Day after day we are faced with the challenge--this way? or that way?--yes? or no?--now? or later?

It helps to know that God is guiding us even when we seem to be in the dark...

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:16

2003-01-15T12:01:00.000-06:00

Nursing

I have always felt that there is something awesomely beautiful about a nursing mother and child. Such warmth and tenderness, such intimacy, such comfort, such...

It has been one of the highlights of child-rearing for me--even though I am only an observer.

Anyone else?

2003-01-15T10:52:00.000-06:00

Sorry...

Computer had a virus--was sick for a few days! We are better now--will begin again...

2003-01-09T10:17:00.000-06:00

Wow!

...the Christian family's actual participation in the Church's life and mission is in direct proportion to the fidelity and intensity of the prayer with which it is united with the fruitful vine that is Christ the Lord.
FC(62)

In order to prepare for this Sunday's celebration of the Baptism of the Lord which completes our Christmas celebration, read the full post by Kevin Miller:

Come, consider this new and wonderful deluge, greater and more important than the flood of Noah’s day. Then the water of the flood destroyed the human race, but now the water of baptism has recalled the dead to life by the power of the one who was baptized. In the days of the flood the dove with an olive branch in its beak foreshadowed the fragrance of the good odor of Christ the Lord; now the Holy Spirit, coming in the likeness of a dove, reveals the Lord of mercy.

2003-01-08T12:02:00.000-06:00

Prayer and Family Life

It should never be forgotten that prayer constitutes an essential part of Christian life, understood in its fullness and centrality. Indeed, prayer is an important part of our very humanity: It is "the first expression of man's inner truth, the first condition for authentic freedom of spirit" [156].

Far from being a form of escapism from everyday commitments, prayer constitutes the strongest incentive for the Christian family to assume and comply fully with all its responsibilities as the primary and fundamental cell of human society. Thus the Christian family's actual participation in the Church's life and mission is the direct proportion to the fidelity and intensity of the prayer with which it is united with the fruitful vine that is Christ the Lord [157].

The fruitfulness of the Christian family in its specific service to human advancement, which of itself cannot but lead to the transformation of the world, derives from its living union with Christ, nourished by the liturgy, by self-oblation and by prayer [158]. FC(62)

2003-01-07T12:00:00.000-06:00

More on Liturgy

"...people are instructed in the truths of faith and brought to
appreciate the inner joys of religion far more effectively by the
annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any official
pronouncement of the teaching of the Church. Such pronouncements
usually reach only a few and the more learned among the faithful;
feasts reach them all. The Church's teaching affects the mind
primarily; her feasts affect both mind and heart and have a
salutary effect upon man's whole nature."

--Pope Pius XI

Here is a summary of the teaching of the liturgy in the Christmas-Epiphany Mystery:

1. Human nature is united to the Eternal Word, the Son of God, in the womb of the Virgin Mary: Advent.

2. The Eternal Word appears in human form as the light of the world: Christmas.

3. He manifests his divinity through his humanity: Epiphany.

4. By his baptism in the Jordan, he purifies the church, the extension of his body in time, and sanctifies the waters of baptism: Epiphany and the Sunday following.

5. He takes his people to himself in spiritual marriage, transforming them into himself: Epiphany and the second Sunday following.

6. We are taught the practical consequences of being members of Christ's mystical body: the Second Reading for the Sundays in Ordinary Time following Epiphany.

Christmas-Epiphany Mystery

2003-01-06T12:22:00.000-06:00

O Come, Let Us Adore Him

A child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.

All the kings of the earth will bow down in worship.

Men and women of every nation will serve him.

You are the fullest revelation of God to men and women, show us how we can assent to your word with integrity of faith and action.

(Liturgy of the Hours)

There exists a deep and vital bond between the prayer of the church and the prayer of the individual faithful as has been clearly reaffirmed by the Second Vatican Council [153]. An important purpose of the prayer of the domestic church is to serve as the natural introduction for the children to the liturgical prayer of the whole church, both in the sense of preparing for it and of extending it into personal, family and social life. Hence the need for gradual participation by all the members of the Christian family in the celebration of the Eucharist, especially on Sundays and feast days, and of the other sacraments, particularly the sacraments of Christian initiation of the children. The directives of the council opened up a new possibility for the Christian family when it listed the family among those groups to whom it recommends the recitation of the Divine Office in common [154]. Likewise, the Christian family will strive to celebrate at home and in a way suited to the members the times and feasts of the liturgical year. FC(61)

The Liturgy is a great teacher! The celebration of Christmas continues in the Church. Our children learn to more fully appreciate the spiritual meaning of Christmas as we take our direction from the Divine Liturgy.

O come, let us continue to contemplate and celebrate the birth of Our Savior!

2003-01-03T11:52:00.000-06:00

Family, Become What You Are

These words from John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio are some of the most intriguing and challenging words I have ever had addressed to me as a family man. I want to continue to explore their meaning this new year. I want to respond more fully to their challenge.

I hope to hear more this year from those who are similarly intrigued and challenged. Your comments, reflections, and personal examples would certainly be appreciated by all who stop by this site.

Christians also have the mission of proclaiming with joy and conviction the good news about the family, for the family absolutely needs to hear ever anew and to understand ever more deeply the authentic words that reveal its identity, its inner resources and the importance of its mission in the city of God and in that of man. FC 86

2003-01-02T11:56:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!

We have been visiting with family since before Christmas--just now returning to some semblance of regular daily life! I hope and pray that you all are being blessed during this holy season of Christmas.

I love the fact that the Church teaches us to celebrate the full Christmas season which will not end until January 12, 2003 with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. We try to keep this ancient tradition alive in our family even though the mainstream culture has already begun to forget about Christmas. Christmas is simply too rich in meaning and purpose to absorb quickly--we really enjoy the full length of time set aside for contemplating and celebrating this great mystery of our Faith.

So..."We Wish You a Merry Christmas!"
The Reuter Family

2002-12-20T09:27:00.000-06:00

Banish Bickering this Advent
By Mary Cronk Farrell

Each Advent visions dance in my head, not of sugarplums, but of peace and joy filling our home. But what I often get is a house full of children bickering.

Dan and Renee Daniels of Medical Lake, Washington, keep a tradition that transforms the mood of their family each December. Their three sons have not turned into perfect angels, but for ten years now, Advent is a little slice of heaven at the Daniels’ home.

Complete article at: Mary Cronk Farrell

2002-12-19T12:41:00.000-06:00

The Christian Family: a Domestic Church
by Deacon Keith Fournier

I woke up in church this morning.

Not on a cold dark floor or surrounded by votive candles and stained glass. But next to my partner in faith, my best friend, my co-pastor, my beloved wife of 25 years, Laurine. Down the hall slept three of the ecclesial community in the home. The oldest two are off pursuing further training for their mission in life,still discerning their states in life (married or single for the Lord) and, hopefully, growing in a mature understanding of the implications of their baptismal vocation to holiness.

However, I was truly "in Church."

Complete article at Catholic Way.

I was so excited to find this article from "the Deacon"--it brings back so many memories...

I have not seen Keith nor heard from him for over 25 years! Neither of us was married the last time I saw him (1976)--we were attending The College of Steubenville (now Franciscan University)in Steubenville, Ohio where I met my future wife, Jane. Jane and I will be married 23 years this month!

I first met Keith and his future wife, Laurine (I remember her as "Lolly") a few years earlier (1973-74?) at the Benedictine Abbey in Pecos, New Mexico. Keith, Lolly and I were among a number of young "seekers" living at the monastery trying to discern our vocations--it was an interesting time...

Anyway, Keith is an excellent (and prolific) writer--he also plays a "mean guitar". He is a lawyer and father of five. Way to go, Keith!

Check out these links --he has been busy...
(I'll bet Lolly has been too!)

Common Good
Catholic Online
Catholic Way

2002-12-19T09:31:00.000-06:00

My Family, a Church?

In the early Church, the life of the family was also closely linked to the life of faith. Augustine called the family "a domestica ecclesia—a domestic church." He felt that the father could be considered as carrying out the duties of the bishop in his own family. Chrysostom, on the other hand, called the family "a micra ecclesia—a little church." He emphasized the need to make the family members acquainted with God's Word. In every Christian home, he said there should be "both altars, one for food and the other for the sacred readings." Thus we see that from the New Testament onward, the family was of critical importance to the life of the Church.

More...My Family, A Church?

2002-12-18T17:20:00.000-06:00

Prepare Ye!

Here are a couple of interesting sites:

O Antiphons

Christmas Around the World

2002-12-17T22:15:00.000-06:00

Technical Difficulties!

I do not know what is wrong --but something is... Hopefully, it will be better in the morning.

2002-12-17T08:59:00.000-06:00

Become What You Are---Saved and Saving Community

It is, above all, the Church as mother that gives birth to, educates and builds up the Christian family by putting into effect in its regard the saving mission which she has received from her Lord...

In turn, the Christian family is grafted into the mystery of the church to such a degree as to become a sharer, in its own way, in the saving mission proper to the Church: By virtue of the sacrament Christian married couples and parents "in their state and way of life have their own special gift among the people of God" [115]. For this reason they not only receive the love of Christ and become a saved community, but they are also called upon to communicate Christ's love to their brethren thus becoming a saving community. In this way, while the Christian family is a fruit and sign of the supernatural fecundity of the Church, it stands also as a symbol, witness and participant of the Church's motherhood [117]. FC(49)

2002-12-16T11:57:00.000-06:00

Christmas Is Feast of Family, Says John Paul II

"Christmas is above all a celebration of the family, because God, being born in a human family, chose it as the first community consecrated by his love."

"The world is in need of a sign of hope that comes precisely from Christian families."

"May every family nucleus be able to open the doors to the Lord who will come at Christmas to bring joy, peace and love to the world," Zenit

2002-12-15T07:43:00.000-06:00

Gaudete Sunday!

You have noticed the rose-colored candle in the Advent wreath, but do you know why one is rose while the others are purple? The color rose is only occasionally used liturgically, and it represents joy. Halfway through the otherwise muted season of Advent, we express the joyful aspect of anticipating the Lord’s coming. You can hear the theme of joy and rejoicing throughout the readings and prayers in the Mass.

The third Sunday in Advent was nicknamed "Gaudete Sunday" long ago. Gaudete means ‘rejoice!’ in Latin, and is the first word in the Latin Mass for that day. If you look up the "entrance antiphon" in a missalette, you will see that it starts out: "Rejoice in the Lord always!" In the Latin that would read Gaudete in Domino semper! Today we usually sing an opening hymn rather than recite or chant the entrance antiphon, but the theme of rejoicing is no less conspicuous now on Gaudete Sunday than in the past.

By Br. James Thompson, O.P.

2002-12-14T16:02:00.000-06:00

Education and the Family

We had a great visit to The College of the Ozarks yesterday. My son hopes to attend this school for his first two years of Pre-Engineering education. This school is only an hour away so it would make "leaving home" easier on all of us!

More importantly, it is a good school and a Christian school with high standards--hard to find these days. Of course, we would prefer a good Catholic University but accessibility and affordability puts it out of reach for us--I am sure that we are like many other Catholic families in such circumstances.

The task of giving education is rooted in the primary vocation of married couples to participate in God's creative activity: By begetting in love and for love a new person who has within himself or herself the vocation for growth and development, parents by that very fact take the task of helping that person effectively to live a fully human life. As the Second Vatican Council recalled, "Since parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. FC(36)

2002-12-13T07:02:00.000-06:00

Pray For Us

We are on our way to our first "college interview" with our son, Matthew. Kind of exciting!

Please send up a prayer. I'll report on this later...

2002-12-12T14:57:00.000-06:00

"Seek Peace, and Follow After It"

The Christian family is called upon to take part actively and responsibly in the mission of the Church in a way that is original and specific by placing itself in what it is and what it does as an "intimate community of life and love" at the service of the Church and of society.FC(50)

Our service as Christian families begins at home. Our individual family efforts at living a life of peace and love are truly a significant contribution to the Church and the world. Peace in the Church and the world begins with peace in our hearts and homes.

This gift of peace comes to us from the Prince of Peace--it cannot be manufactured at will. It can only be humbly received as we learn to pray, wait and do justice.

Peace will surely come--even into the most difficult of situations or relationships--if only we do our part and are properly disposed to receive it. We must learn to pray, wait, and do what is right.

Advent is a good time to "seek peace, and follow after it"...

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

I have told you these things,
so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

2002-12-11T08:45:00.000-06:00

Family--a Living Image and Historical Representation of the Mystery of the Church

By proclaiming the word of God the Church reveals to the Christian family its true identity, what it is and should be according to the Lord's plan: by celebrating the sacraments the church enriches and strengthens the Christian family with the grace of Christ for its sanctification to the glory of the Father: by the continuous proclamation of the new commandment of love the Church encourages and guides the Christian family to the service of love so that it may imitate and relive the same self-giving and sacrificial love that the Lord Jesus has for the entire human race. FC(49)

In our effort to "let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in us" our family has memorized and regularly recites this scripture from Collossians 3:12ff:

Because you are God's chosen ones,
holy and beloved,
clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy,
with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Bear with one another;
forgive whatever grievances you have
against one another.
Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.
Over all these virtues put on love,
which binds the rest together
and makes them perfect.
Christ's peace must reign in your hearts,
since as members of the one body
you have been called to that peace.

It is quite a challenge, but it helps us refocus when we "lose it"!

2002-12-10T09:13:00.000-06:00

The Domestic Church

Among the fundamental tasks of the Christian family is its ecclesial task: The family is placed at the service of the building up of the kingdom of God in history by participating in the life and mission of the Church.

In order to understand better the foundations, the contents and the characteristics of this participation, we must examine the many profound bonds linking the Church and the Christian family and establishing the family as a "church in miniature" (ecclesia domstica) [114], in such a way that in its own way the family is a living image and historical representation of the mystery of the church. FC(49)

Advent is a good time to begin something new. Our study and reflections on Familiaris Consortio will now turn to the Christian family's task of "Sharing in the Life and Mission of the Church".

As we strive to enter more fully into this Advent season, let us prepare our hearts, minds and families for a greater "coming of the Lord"--a greater "sharing in the life and mission of the Church".

An important part of this preparation, as we heard in last Sunday's gospel, is repentance or changing our ways--an ever present challenge in our home. Maintaing peace in our family requires constant vigilance and regular repentance. It is not maintained easily. It is even more challenging to reclaim it when it has been lost! It seems, at times, that peace is so fragile--as fragile as it is precious. So often we need the Savior!

Christ's peace must reign in your hearts,
since as members of the one body
you have been called to that peace.

2002-12-09T13:25:00.000-06:00

Back At It!

I hope that those who are interested in the topic of this blog will forgive the lapse. Thanksgiving Holiday put me in another world!

I will have to warm up to this blogging thing again. I find that there is some resistance to it after taking a short break. Here is a good link for starters:

Gregory Popcak has an excellent post on marriage, faith and intimacy.
Check it out!

2002-11-26T11:32:00.000-06:00

Home for the Holidays--Painful for Many

"Another task for the family is to form persons in love and also to practice love in all its relationships, so that it does not live closed in on itself, but remains open to the community, moved by a sense of justice and concern for others, as well as by a consciousness of its responsibility toward the whole of society" FC(64)

As we prepare to celebrate our Thanksgiving Holiday, let us remember those that suffer during this time of year. We can reach out in many ways to ease the burden of our hurting or lonely friends, neighbors and family members.

If we take the time to think about it, we can all identify such persons in need--right in our little corner of the world.

For your information:

Surviving the Stress of the Holidays
Holiday Memorials
'Tis the Season
Holiday Stress and Divorced Families

2002-11-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

Eucharist--the Foundation and Soul of the Family's "Communion"
and "Mission"

The Eucharist is the very source of Christian marriage. The
Eucharistic Sacrifice in fact represents Christ's covenant of love
with the Church, sealed with his blood on the cross [145]. In this
sacrifice of the new and eternal covenant, Christian spouses
encounter the source from which their own marriage covenant flows,
is interiorly structured and continuously renewed.

As a representation of Christ's sacrifice of love for the Church, the
Eucharist is a fountain of charity. In the Eucharistic gift of charity
the Christian family finds the foundation and soul of its "communion"
and its "mission": By partaking in the Eucharistic bread, the
different members of the Christian family become one body which
reveals and shares in the wider unity of the Church. Their sharing
becomes a never-ending source of missionary and apostolic dynamism
for the Christian family. FC(57)

Happy Feast of Christ the King from the Reuter Family!

2002-11-22T08:53:00.000-06:00

Marital Communication--Important!

Five Killers of Marital Communication

Effective communication is crucial to a vibrant marriage. Yet, many couples habitually engage in communication-hindering actions that gradually sap the life from their relationship. One or more of the following "killer actions" have been observed in almost all of the couples I have counseled. I see myself in some of these. Do you see yourself?

Unavailability – one of the spouses is physically, emotionally or cognitively unavailable. Perhaps it’s over-commitment to job, hobbies, etc. Maybe he/she has "checked-out" emotionally and refuses to talk, even though physically present. Whatever the reason, communication can’t occur if one partner is absent physically or emotionally or if their mind is occupied with something other than communicating.

Unhealed hurts – in healthy relationships hurts are addressed as they occur. Left to fester, old wounds create a wall between partners that destroys the intimacy necessary for healthy, collaborative communication. The old hurts may be ones brought into the marriage, or ones that have occurred within the marriage.

A runaway tongue – It is so easy to wound our mate when we speak before we think, or when we strike out while angry. Both sexes are vulnerable to this, but some women must be particularly careful during the days immediately preceding menstruation, when emotions tend to run high. Husbands should learn to avoid "rising to the bait" during this time. There can sometimes be wisdom in silence.

Criticism – fault-finding, particularly when it is relentless, numbs our mate’s sensitivity to us, and causes them to "tune out" our attempts to communicate.

Playing Games – these can take many forms, but all have in common refusing to honestly reveal how we feel or what we think or want.
"What’s the matter?"
"Nothing." (Slams door.)
"If nothing’s wrong, why are you angry?"
"I’m not angry." (Flashes a look that could kill.)
"You sure seem angry to me. What’s the matter?"
"Nothing! I told you nothing’s the matter. Now leave me alone!"

All of the following "games," and many others block the intimacy necessary for healthy, productive communication:

Refusing to acknowledge that we have needs
Expecting our mate to read our mind.
Playing the role of martyr, then being angry at our mate for "taking advantage" of us.

Thanks to Paul White

2002-11-21T08:06:00.000-06:00

Good Message for Parents

The faults of children are not always imputed to the parents, especially when they have instructed them and given good example. Our Lord, in His wonderous Providence, allows children to break the hearts of devout fathers and mothers. Thus the decisions your children have made don't make you a failure as a parent in God's eyes. You are entitled to feel sorrow, but not necessarily guilt. Do not cease praying for your children; God's grace can touch a hardened heart. Commend your children to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. When parents pray the Rosary,at the end of each decade they should hold the Rosary aloft and say to her,"With these beads bind my children to your Immaculate Heart", she will attend to their souls.

-- St. Louise de Marillac (From EWTN)

2002-11-20T07:02:00.000-06:00

Must See

Thanks to Amy Kropp for this link: Internet blamed for marriage break ups

More on this later...

2002-10-26T11:09:00.000-05:00

Beyond Every Trial and Difficulty

...a vocation and commandment for Christian spouses, that they may remain faithful to each other forever, beyond every trial and difficulty, in generous obedience to the holy will of the Lord: "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder" FC(20)

This vocation and commandment of the Lord is most challenging precisely when severe trials and difficulties threaten a marriage. There are times in many marriages when going on together seems impossible. At these times we need all the support and encouragement we can get. We need to remember that God has called us to persevere and will provide the necessary grace to do so. We need to turn to Him and to others for help.

If we know of others who are facing such a trial, we must not simply stand by and watch. We can reach out with whatever we have to offer--believing firmly that the Lord has called us all to permanence and fidelity beyond every trial and difficulty.

2002-10-25T09:52:00.000-05:00

Indissolubility and Fidelity--Most Precious and Urgent Task--Beyond Every Trial and Difficulty

The gift of the sacrament is at the same time a vocation and
commandment for Christian spouses, that they may remain faithful to
each other forever, beyond every trial and difficulty, in generous
obedience to the holy will of the Lord: "What therefore God has
joined together, let not man put asunder" [55].

To bear witness to the inestimable value of the indissolubility
and fidelity of marriage is one of the most precious and most
urgent tasks of Christian couples in our time. So, with all my
brothers who participated in the Synod of Bishops, I praise and
encourage those numerous couples who, though encountering no small
difficulty, preserve and develop the value of indissolubility: Thus
in a humble and courageous manner they perform the role committed
to them of being in the world a "sign" -- a small and precious
sign, sometimes also subjected to temptation, but always renewed --
of the unfailing fidelity with which God and Jesus Christ love each
and every human being. FC(20)

2002-10-24T09:39:00.000-05:00

"Family Members Must Talk to One Another More", says Pope

See post at: Lethargic IITian

2002-10-24T07:32:00.000-05:00

Busy, Busy, Busy (and Grieving)

Are we too busy?

Family communion is difficult to maintain when we are pulled in so many different directions day after day, hour after hour. It seems at times that we have lost our center!

Our life was different once upon a time... When our oldest children were younger, and we were homeschooling them, our home was clearly the center of our universe. Now it feels more scattered...school-related demands and functions seem to dominate our lives.

Time at home is precious. I just wish we had more of it these days.

2002-10-23T08:23:00.000-05:00

Another Danger

According to the Holy Father: Many of the problems facing contemporary families, especially in economically developed societies, result from their increasing difficulty in communicating. Families seldom manage to come together, and the rare occasions when they do are often taken up with watching television.

Watching too much television is a clearly a threat to family communion. Watching any unscreened television is risky. Even if the particular program you intend to watch has some redeeming value, the commercials on any mainstream station will assault you with vivid images of raw sexuality and violence. This reality has already deadened the moral sensitivities of many of our Catholic families. Sadly, the "light and salt" we are called to be in this world grows dim and tasteless as we allow our families to be systematically desensitized by the socially acceptable evil that floods the airwaves.

We must not allow this!

Let us protect our families!

Television and the Family

2002-10-22T07:05:00.000-05:00

Loving the Family

Loving the family means identifying the dangers and the evils that menace it in order to overcome them. FC(20)

Addictions of every sort are "dangers and evils" that menace the family: Internet, Alcohol, Drugs (including prescription), Pornography, Work, Food, .Etc

By the way, I did not qualify (according to self-test) for computer addiction. I have yet to ask my wife to rate me!

Because of the power of denial as a defense mechanism, being rated by someone who knows you is essential. We shall see...

2002-10-21T09:11:00.000-05:00

Computer vs. Communion

Warning! Computer may be hazardous to marital and family health!

I received a wake-up call from my wife, Jane, this past weekend. Jane had been suffering from a very bad cold this past week and really needed some rest. Well, I started off right on Saturday morning (coffee in bed, running errands, built a warm fire...).

But later that day...

Jane was resting, our teens were out, Monica (5yo) was entertaining herself, and I was on the computer. I vaguely remember Monica coming in and saying something about getting dinner ready. I think I said "In a little bit..." as I often do. Well, a little bit came and went. And by the time I emerged from my cell, dinner had already been served--but not by me.

Later that night, I was reading something interesting (guess where) and Jane was getting ready for bed after getting Monica ready and to bed, putting dinner away, and putting our animals to bed (dog out, cat in, close garage door). Before going to bed she poked her head into my cell and asked something like, "What are you doing?". I could tell something was wrong.

I turned off the machine and went to bed as well. Then came the complaint: "I think you are getting addicted to the computer!". "No way!", said I. And off to sleep we went.

After giving this incident some serious thought, and reflecting on the number of similar stories I have heard in counseling sessions, I believe I received a wake-up call!

Now, to wake up...

Sound familiar anyone?

Computer Addiction
More...
Test Yourself
Rate Your Mate

2002-10-18T07:13:00.000-05:00

Family Rosary

Well, at least we made an effort to respond to the Holy Father's appeal...

Last night at around 10:15pm we (Jane, Matthew, Rachael, and I) gathered around our sleeping 5yo Monica in front of the warm woodstove. A candle was lit and we read a bit from the new document by flashlight (see yesterday's post).

Everyone was sleepy and I don't know how much was heard but we did it. I decided that I would mention all the new mysteries at once and pray a single decade before everyone fell asleep. We managed that much.

We are going to have to schedule our family rosary a little earlier I suppose. I really like what the Holy Father had to say to us...

The family that prays together stays together. The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together. Individual family members, in turning their eyes towards Jesus, also regain the ability to look one another in the eye, to communicate, to show solidarity, to forgive one another and to see their covenant of love renewed in the Spirit of God.

Many of the problems facing contemporary families, especially in economically developed societies, result from their increasing difficulty in communicating. Families seldom manage to come together, and the rare occasions when they do are often taken up with watching television. To return to the recitation of the family Rosary means filling daily life with very different images, images of the mystery of salvation: the image of the Redeemer, the image of his most Blessed Mother. The family that recites the Rosary together reproduces something of the atmosphere of the household of Nazareth: its members place Jesus at the centre, they share his joys and sorrows, they place their needs and their plans in his hands, they draw from him the hope and the strength to go on.

2002-10-17T12:06:00.000-05:00

An Appeal from the Holy Father

(sorry, no time to edit or comment)

The family: parents...

41. As a prayer for peace, the Rosary is also, and always has been, a prayer of and for the family. At one time this prayer was particularly dear to Christian families, and it certainly brought them closer together. It is important not to lose this precious inheritance. We need to return to the practice of family prayer and prayer for families, continuing to use the Rosary.

In my Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte I encouraged the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours by the lay faithful in the ordinary life of parish communities and Christian groups;³⁹I now wish to do the same for the Rosary. These two paths of Christian contemplation are not mutually exclusive; they complement one another. I would therefore ask those who devote themselves to the pastoral care of families to recommend heartily the recitation of the Rosary.

The family that prays together stays together. The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together. Individual family members, in turning their eyes towards Jesus, also regain the ability to look one another in the eye, to communicate, to show solidarity, to forgive one another and to see their covenant of love renewed in the Spirit of God.

... and children

42. It is also beautiful and fruitful to entrust to this prayer the growth and development of children. Does the Rosary not follow the life of Christ, from his conception to his death, and then to his Resurrection and his glory? Parents are finding it ever more difficult to follow the lives of their children as they grow to maturity. In a society of advanced technology, of mass communications and globalization, everything has become hurried, and the
cultural distance between generations is growing ever greater. The most diverse messages and the most unpredictable experiences rapidly make their way into the lives of children and adolescents, and parents can become quite anxious about the dangers their children face. At times parents suffer acute disappointment at the failure of their children to resist the seductions of the drug culture, the lure of an unbridled hedonism, the temptation to violence, and the manifold expressions of meaninglessness and despair.

To pray the Rosary for children, and even more, with children, training them from their earliest years to experience this daily “pause for prayer” with the family, is admittedly not the solution to every problem, but it is a spiritual aid which should not be underestimated. It could be objected that the Rosary seems hardly suited to the taste of children and young people of today. But perhaps the objection is directed to an impoverished method of praying it. Furthermore, without prejudice to the Rosary's basic structure, there is nothing to stop children and young people from praying it – either within the family or in groups – with appropriate symbolic and practical aids to understanding and appreciation. Why not try it? With God's help, a pastoral approach to youth which is positive, impassioned and creative – as shown by the World Youth Days! – is capable of achieving quite remarkable results. If the Rosary is well presented, I am sure that young people will once more surprise adults by the way they make this prayer their own and recite it with the enthusiasm typical of their age group.

Full Document

2002-10-16T09:59:00.000-05:00

Oh, What a Gift!

What a great gift it is to have someone with whom to share my "entire life project". It is a gift easily taken for granted. But upon reflection, it is a source of great comfort, strength and joy.

Learning to "be married"...becoming a father... earning a living (sometimes not)... learning about parenting...educating our children... learning about and practicing my Faith...growing spiritually...falling and failing...facing crises and tragedies...relating to friends, family and occasional enemies...suffering...struggling... rejoicing...celebrating...on and on...

Oh, what a gift it is to have a companion on the journey!

2002-10-15T06:55:00.000-05:00

Sacrament, Means of Sanctification, Act of Worship

The Sacrament of Marriage is the specific source and original
means of sanctification for Christian married couples and families.
It takes up again and makes specific the sanctifying grace of
baptism. By virtue of the mystery of the death and resurrection of
Christ, of which the spouses are made part in a new way by
marriage, conjugal love is purified and made holy: "This love the
Lord has judged worthy of special gifts, healing, perfecting and
exalting of grace and of charity" [138].

The gift of Jesus Christ is not exhausted in the actual
celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage, but rather accompanies
the married couple throughout their lives. This fact is explicitly
recalled by the Second Vatican Council when it says that Jesus
Christ "abides with them so that just as he loved the Church and
handed himself over on her behalf, the spouses may love each other
with perpetual fidelity through mutual self-bestowal . . . For this
reason, Christian spouses have a special sacrament by which they
are fortified and receive a kind of consecration in the duties and
dignity of their state. By virtue of this sacrament, as spouses
fulfill their conjugal and family obligations they are penetrated
with the spirit of Christ, who fills their whole lives with faith,
hope and charity. Thus they increasingly advance toward their own
perfection as well as toward their mutual sanctification, and hence
contribute jointly to the glory of God" [139]. FC (56)

Conjugal love judged worthy of: Special gifts... Healing... Perfecting and exalting of grace and of charity...

What are these gifts? This healing? This perfecting and exalting?

2002-10-14T06:58:00.000-05:00

Total Mutual Self-giving---Indivisible

The first communion is the one which is established and which
develops between husband and wife: By virtue of the covenant of
married life, the man and woman "are no longer two but one flesh"
[46] and they are called to grow continually in their communion
through day-to-day fidelity to their marriage promise of total
mutual self-giving.

This conjugal communion sinks its roots in the natural
complementarity that exists between man and woman and is nurtured
through the personal willingness of the spouses to share their
entire life project, what they have and what they are: For this
reason such communion is the fruit and the sign of a profoundly
human need. But in the Lord Christ God takes up this human need,
confirms it, purifies it and elevates it, leading it to perfection
through the Sacrament of Matrimony: the Holy Spirit who is poured
out in the sacramental celebration offers Christian couples the
gift of a new communion of love that is the living and real image
of that unique unity which makes of the Church the indivisible
mystical body of the Lord Jesus.FC (19)

2002-10-11T08:11:00.000-05:00

The Original Truth of Marriage

The communion between God and his people finds its definitive
fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the bridegroom who loves and gives
himself as the savior of humanity, uniting it to himself as his
body.

He reveals the original truth of marriage, the truth of the
"beginning" [27], and, freeing man from his hardness of heart, he
makes man capable of realizing this truth in its entirety.

This revelation reaches its definitive fullness in the gift of
love which the word of God makes to humanity in assuming a human
nature, and in the sacrifice which Jesus Christ makes of himself on
the cross for his bride, the Church. In this sacrifice there is
entirely revealed that plan which God has imprinted on the humanity
of man and woman since their creation [28], the marriage of
baptized persons thus becomes a real symbol of that new and eternal
covenant sanctioned in the blood of Christ. The Spirit which the
Lord pours forth gives a new heart, and renders man and woman
capable of loving one another as Christ has loved us. Conjugal
love reaches that fullness to which it is interiorly ordained,
conjugal charity, which is the proper and specific way in which the
spouses participate in and are called to live the very charity of
Christ, who gave himself on the cross. FC (13)

The Holy Father says that we are "capable of realizing this truth (of Marriage) in its entirety". Whoa! I have a long way to go.

Conversion, conversion, conversion...

Self-denial, sacrifice, self-giving...

Eucharist, prayer, penance...

2002-10-10T08:39:00.000-05:00

Family Peace (2)

The second half of "Our Peace Prayer" encourages us to "instruct and admonish one another". We have found that reminding one another of our calling, as outlined in this passage (including the first half) of scripture, often makes it more likely that we return to peace ASAP.

It really helps to "let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in (us)".

(Second reading for the Feast of the Holy Family)

Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness.
Let the word of Christ,
rich as it is, dwell in you.
In wisdom made perfect,
instruct and admonish one another.
Sing gratefully to God from your hearts
in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs.
Whatever you do,
whether in speech or in action,
do it in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Give thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:12-17

2002-10-09T06:55:00.000-05:00

Family Peace

Maintaining peace in our family is a daily challenge. From the sound of the first morning alarm till the last light out at night, we meet with numerous threats to family peace: weariness, grueling schedules, conflicting desires, financial strain, selfishness, immaturity--the list could go on and on...

In order to steel ourselves for this daily combat we have determined to memorize and recite/pray daily a portion of scripture that the Church has wisely selected for the Feast of the Holy Family--we call it "Our Peace Prayer". The first part of it goes like this:

(Second reading for the Feast of the Holy Family)
Because you are God's chosen ones,
holy and beloved,
clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy,
with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Bear with one another;
forgive whatever grievances you have
against one another.
Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.
Over all these virtues put on love,
which binds the rest together
and makes them perfect.
Christ's peace must reign in your hearts,
since as members of the one body
you have been called to that peace.

Colossians 3:12-17

2002-10-08T06:59:00.000-05:00

Self-giving, Communication, and Communion

On yesterday's post I was happily surprised to find a generous comment from my far-away Canadian little sister! It is amazing how we can now "reach out and touch" through this new technology. Theresa reminded me that we can truly communicate a bit of ourselves when we take the time to share our thoughts online. It has the effect of building up our extended "community of life and love".

Our extended family has been communicating via a free family bulletin board (FamilyBuzz) for the past year or so. FamilyBuzz has enabled us to communicate a bit of ourselves regularly to a larger number of family members than would be possible by other means. It was particularly helpful in allowing us to share our grief, love and support during a time of suffering for our family when a young niece was severely hurt in an auto accident.

I highly recommend exploring this site for those families online and spread out as many are today.

21. The broader communion of the family

Conjugal communion constitutes the foundation on which is built
the broader communion of family, of parents and children, of
brothers and sisters with each other, of relatives and other
members of the household.

This communion is rooted in the natural bonds of flesh and blood
and grows to its specifically human perfection with the
establishment and maturing of the still deeper and richer bonds of
the spirit: The love that animates the interpersonal relationships
of the different members of the family constitutes the interior
strength that shapes and animates the family communion and
community.
FC (21)

2002-10-07T09:40:00.000-05:00

"The Family That Prays Together, Stays Together"

Most of us have heard this slogan. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of family prayer!

Here is a bit on the man behind the words:

Fr Patrick Peyton was born on 9th January 1909 in the townland of Carracastle in Attymass parish. He was a member of a family of nine children.

At the age of 19 he and his brother, Tom, emigrated to
the United States to join with their sister, Nellie. His
wish from boyhood was to be ordained a priest but his family
in Ireland were unable to meet the cost of his
education.
Education
In the United States he returned to full-time education
and studied for the priesthood. During his final year in the
seminary he was diagnosed as having tuberculosis. At that
time tuberculosis was incurable. Fr Patrick was very weak
and was given little hope by the medical team of recovering
to full health. Fr Patrick had great faith and prayed to the
Blessed Virgin Mary for a recovery to health. His prayers
were answered and his health began to improve to the
amazement of the medical profession.
He was ordained to the priesthood on 15th June 1941.
Prayer Crusade
Fr Peyton was so grateful to the Blessed Virgin Mary for his
health that he, with the permission of his superiors, began
the Prayer Crusade which took him all over the world
preaching the importance of prayer, especially family
prayer.
He staged hundreds of radio and television shows with
many of the famous movie stars of Broadway and Hollywood
taking part. He was the founder of "Family Rosary" and
"Family Theatre".
His famous slogan was:
"The family that prays
together,
stays together."

Fr Peyton

Just for fun: Rosary Mystery Mastery Quiz