Addressing Congress

Here is what Pope Francis said to a joint session of congress last September:

Mr. Vice-President,
Mr. Speaker,
Honorable Members of Congress, Dear Friends,

I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of Congress in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. I would like to think that the reason for this is that I too am a son of this great continent, from which we have all received so much and toward which we share a common responsibility.

Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.

Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of Moses. On the one hand, the patriarch and lawgiver of the people of Israel symbolizes the need of peoples to keep alive their sense of unity by means of just legislation. On the other, the figure of Moses leads us directly to God and thus to the transcendent dignity of the human being. Moses provides us with a good synthesis of your work: you are asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face.

Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the entire people of the United States. Here, together with their representatives, I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest day’s work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and –one step at a time – to build a better life for their families. These are men and women who are not concerned simply with paying their taxes, but in their own quiet way sustain the life of society. They generate solidarity by their actions, and they create organizations which offer a helping hand to those most in need.

I would also like to enter into dialogue with the many elderly persons who are a storehouse of wisdom forged by experience, and who seek in many ways, especially through volunteer work, to share their stories and their insights. I know that many of them are retired, but still active; they keep working to build up this land. I also want to dialogue with all those young people who are working to realize their great and noble aspirations, who are not led astray by facile proposals, and who face difficult situations, often as a result of immaturity on the part of many adults. I wish to dialogue with all of you, and I would like to do so through the historical memory of your people.

My visit takes place at a time when men and women of good will are marking the anniversaries of several great Americans. The complexities of history and the reality of human weakness notwithstanding, these men and women, for all their many differences and limitations, were able by hard work and self-sacrifice – some at the cost of their lives – to build a better future. They shaped fundamental values which will endure forever in the spirit of the American people. A people with this spirit can live through many crises, tensions and conflicts, while always finding the resources to move forward, and to do so with dignity. These men and women offer us a way of seeing and interpreting reality. In honoring their memory, we are inspired, even amid conflicts, and in the here and now of each day, to draw upon our deepest cultural reserves.

I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.

This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the guardian of liberty, who labored tirelessly that “this nation, under God, [might] have a new birth of freedom”. Building a future of freedom requires love of the common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity.

All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing social and political situation of the world today. Our world is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion. We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps. We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject.

Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice. We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to resolve today’s many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.

The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States. The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.

In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to building and strengthening society. It is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus.

Here I think of the political history of the United States, where democracy is deeply rooted in the mind of the American people. All political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776). If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I encourage you in this effort.

Here too I think of the march which Martin Luther King led from Selma to Montgomery fifty years ago as part of the campaign to fulfill his “dream” of full civil and political rights for African Americans. That dream continues to inspire us all. I am happy that America continues to be, for many, a land of “dreams”. Dreams which lead to action, to participation, to commitment. Dreams which awaken what is deepest and truest in the life of a people.

In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants. Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected. For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation. Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present. Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this.

Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).

This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.

This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.

In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.

How much progress has been made in this area in so many parts of the world! How much has been done in these first years of the third millennium to raise people out of extreme poverty! I know that you share my conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost. At the same time I would encourage you to keep in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. They too need to be given hope. The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes. I know that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem.

It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth. The right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable. “Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129). This common good also includes the earth, a central theme of the encyclical which I recently wrote in order to “enter into dialogue with all people about our common home” (ibid., 3). “We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all” (ibid., 14).

In Laudato Si’, I call for a courageous and responsible effort to “redirect our steps” (ibid., 61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. I am convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the United States – and this Congress – have an important role to play. Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a “culture of care” (ibid., 231) and “an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature” (ibid., 139). “We have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology” (ibid., 112); “to devise intelligent ways of... developing and limiting our power” (ibid., 78); and to put technology “at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral” (ibid., 112). In this regard, I am confident that America’s outstanding academic and research institutions can make a vital contribution in the years ahead.

A century ago, at the beginning of the Great War, which Pope Benedict XV termed a “pointless slaughter”, another notable American was born: the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. He remains a source of spiritual inspiration and a guide for many people. In his autobiography he wrote: “I came into the world. Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in the image of the world into which I was born. That world was the picture of Hell, full of men like myself, loving God, and yet hating him; born to love him, living instead in fear of hopeless self-contradictory hungers”. Merton was above all a man of prayer, a thinker who challenged the certitudes of his time and opened new horizons for souls and for the Church. He was also a man of dialogue, a promoter of peace between peoples and religions.

From this perspective of dialogue, I would like to recognize the efforts made in recent months to help overcome historic differences linked to painful episodes of the past. It is my duty to build bridges and to help all men and women, in any way possible, to do the same. When countries which have been at odds resume the path of dialogue – a dialogue which may have been interrupted for the most legitimate of reasons – new opportunities open up for all. This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility. A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism. A good political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than possessing spaces (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 222-223).

Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world. Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.

Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God.

Four representatives of the American people.

I will end my visit to your country in Philadelphia, where I will take part in the World Meeting of Families. It is my wish that throughout my visit the family should be a recurrent theme. How essential the family has been to the building of this country! And how worthy it remains of our support and encouragement! Yet I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without. Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life.

In particular, I would like to call attention to those family members who are the most vulnerable, the young. For many of them, a future filled with countless possibilities beckons, yet so many others seem disoriented and aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair. Their problems are our problems. We cannot avoid them. We need to face them together, to talk about them and to seek effective solutions rather than getting bogged down in discussions. At the risk of oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture which pressures young people not to start a family, because they lack possibilities for the future. Yet this same culture presents others with so many options that they too are dissuaded from starting a family.

A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to “dream” of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.

In these remarks I have sought to present some of the richness of your cultural heritage, of the spirit of the American people. It is my desire that this spirit continue to develop and grow, so that as many young people as possible can inherit and dwell in a land which has inspired so many people to dream.

God bless America!

Our Lenten Journey

The journey of Lent always seems long and arduous from the beginning vantage point.

But after many years of making this trip, I've learned that in reality the days go by quickly. And with Jesus as our traveling companion, our burden is easy and light. So may we go forth into Lent filled with longing and hope, inspired along the way by Jesus, Who is the Way, and others who became experienced guides on the Lenten pilgrimage, our popes and saints.

Here is some of their wisdom to share:

"Whoever wishes to be My follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in My steps." -Luke 9:23

"Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy." -- Pope Francis

"Lent stimulates us to let the Word of God penetrate our life and in this way to know the fundamental truth: who we are, where we come from, where we must go, what path we must take in life..." -- Pope Benedict XVI

"Look at His adorable face.
Look at His glazed and sunken eyes.
Look at His wounds.
Look Jesus in the Face.
There, you will see how He loves us."
~ St. Therese of Lisieux

So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. -- St. Peter Chrysologus


Have a blessed trip!

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Preparing for the Year of Mercy

As we begin the Jubilee Year of Mercy on Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, we might ask: What does mercy even mean?

A dictionary defines mercy as "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm."

One of my high school teachers was a little more Catholic in her definition, calling mercy "a step beyond justice."

Our popes go much deeper.

Pope Francis has described mercy as "the Lord's most powerful message," "a very special capacity for forgetting (He forgets, He kisses you, He embraces you and He simply says to you: 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more' (Jn 8:11)," "an invitation to conversation" and God's "patience with us."

Pope Benedict XVI said mercy is " the force of God, as the divine limit against the evil of the world," "the central nucleus of the Gospel message; it is the very name of God, the Face with which he revealed himself in the Old Covenant and fully in Jesus Christ, the incarnation of creative and redemptive Love," and "a source of hope for every person and for the whole world."

St. John Paul II, the "Divine Mercy pope," said mercy is "that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights to the holiness of God."

God's mercy culminates in the cross, the saint said, "the most profound bowing down of the Divinity towards man."

 At the cross, we  see mercy in Christ's face, in His gaze and on His lips as He prays for those who torture and kill Him.

In His wounds, in His Precious Blood and in His tormented body, we see the price Jesus paid to unite us completely to Him as His Mystical Body.

"Let us rejoice then and give thanks that we have become not only Christians, but Christ Himself," St. Augustine said. "Do you understand and grasp, brethren, God's grace toward us? Marvel and rejoice: we have become Christ. For if He is the Head, we are the members; He and we together are the whole man."

Together in Christ, we can be mercy for the world. But to be mercy, we must receive it first, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

"Now - and this is daunting - this outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us. Love, like the Body of Christ, is indivisible; we cannot love the God we cannot see if we do not love the brother or sister we do see. In refusing to forgive our brothers and sisters, our hearts are closed and their hardness makes them impervious to the Father's merciful love; but in confessing our sins, our hearts are opened to His grace."

So let us begin the Jubilee Year of Mercy appropriately -- with the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

And with God's grace, we can be His mercy.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Pope Francis is in Africa

"For their sake, and for the good of society, our faith in God’s word calls us to support families in their mission in society, to accept children as a blessing for our world, and to defend the dignity of each man and woman, for all of us are brothers and sisters in the one human family.”

Pope Francis

What Christ's Followers Look Like

Pope Francis' recent visit to the United States reminded me again of what Christ's followers look like.

It struck me how he stood out in contrast to the crowds he addressed, especially at the Capitol and United Nations building. Dressed in his white cassock amid a sea of dark suits, he spoke slowy, softly and yet deliberately. His example taught me how to speak to people with opposing views: gently and lovingly, drawing on what unites us, emphasizing basic truths most of us can agree with, yet never backing down from the truth. The fact that his clothing made him stand out impressed upon me the idea that Christians are supposed to look different, particularly in the way we live our lives.

And Pope Francis demonstrated how we are to live: serving others. He did this by dining with the homeless and visiting the imprisoned.

Also recently but closer to home, others witnessed Christ for me. During the past couple weeks, our family has had occasions for several gatherings with extended family. And we're always blessed by their basic kindness, often going out of their way to be helpful. One of my sisters, Judy, visiting from out of town, didn't exactly get a vacation while she was here. She spent much of her time helping us in all sorts of situations and running errands with us.

I apologized for what seemed to be a not-so-relaxing trip. Basically she said she was fine with helping out as needed. She didn't care if she went anywhere special. Helping us gave her time to visit with us. And that's all that really mattered.

I told my 14-year-old daughter, Faustina, about my conversation with her aunt.

"Aunt Judy is my hero," Faustina said.

"Yeah, she's my hero, too," I said.

Thank you, Lord, for the people who show us how to serve. Help us to serve as You serve.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Families Need Help and Support

Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, on behalf of the US Bishops, made this 2015 Labor Day statement:

Labor should allow the worker to develop and flourish as a person. Work also must provide the means for families to prosper. "Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfilment" (Laudato Si' no. 128). Work is meant to be for the sake of the family. We do not undertake labor for its own sake, but as a way to grow toward lasting and meaningful realities in our lives and communities. Parents are called to be providers and educators to their children, passing down essential values and creating a home environment in which all members of the family can be fully present to one another and grow. Dignity-filled work and the fruits of that labor nourish families, communities, and the common good.

Is there any question that families in America are struggling today? Too many marriages bear the crushing weight of unpredictable schedules from multiple jobs, which make impossible adequate time for nurturing children, faith, and community. Wage stagnation has increased pressures on families, as the costs of food, housing, transportation, and education continue to pile up. Couples intentionally delay marriage, as unemployment and substandard work make a vison of stable family life difficult to see.

Is there any question that too many children feel the tragic pangs of hunger and poverty commonplace in a society that seems willing to accept these things as routine, the cost of doing business? Millions of children live in or near poverty in this country. Many of them are latch key kids, returning to empty homes every day as their working parents struggle to make ends meet.

Pope Francis continues to rouse our consciences and challenge us to live more thoroughly Catholic lives. Laudato Si' is, in large part, about something called "integral ecology," an idea that our care for and relationships with one another deeply impact our care for the environment, and vice-versa. The Pope writes extensively about the importance of work in that context. "We were created with a vocation to work" (no. 128), and "the analysis of environmental problems cannot be separated from the analysis of human, family, work-related and urban contexts, nor from how individuals relate to themselves, which leads in turn to how they relate to others" (no. 141). Reminding us that "called into being by one Father, all of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a sacred, affectionate and humble respect," he calls for a "sense of fraternity [that] excludes nothing and no one" (nos. 89-92).

For the whole text, click here.

Archbishop Lucas on Mercy

Here is Archbishop George Lucas speaking at the Catholic Professional and Business Club meeting about the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Catholic Church and how it applies to Catholics around the world.


 

Pope Francis's Papal Bull, which Archbishop Lucas referred to, can be found here.

Three Magic Words for Families

Sometimes we take for granted the people who are most important to us.

And sometimes we forget some of the most simple but important ways to treat people.

But fortunately, we have Pope Francis to help us remember, including his repeated lesson on “please, thank you and sorry,” three “magic words,” “three essential words!” important for every marriage and family, he said in talks in 2013 and 2014.

“We say please so as not to be forceful in family life: ‘May I please do this? Would you be happy if I did this?’ We do this with a language that seeks agreement.

“We say thank you, thank you for love! But be honest with me, how many times do you say thank you to your wife, and you to your husband? How many days go by without uttering this word, thanks?

“And the last word: sorry. We all make mistakes, and on occasion someone gets offended in the marriage, in the family, and sometimes – I say – plates are smashed, harsh words are spoken. But please listen to my advice: don’t ever let the sun set without reconciling. Peace is made each day in the family: ‘Please forgive me,’ and then you start over.

“… Please, thank you and sorry. Let us say these words in our families!”


Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

A Feast in the Midst of our Fasts

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." -- Luke 9:23

Welcome to Lent.

Below is a feast in the midst of our fasts: Lenten prayers and words of wisdom from saints and others, to feed us on our journey.

“As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus’ thirst. . . . ‘Repent and believe,’ Jesus tells us. What are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor – He knows your weakness. He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you.” – Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

 “Nothing, how little so ever it be, if it is suffered for God’s sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God.” – Thomas a Kempis

“Lent stimulates us to let the Word of God penetrate our life and in this way to know the fundamental truth: who we are, where we come from, where we must go, what path we must take in life. . .” – Pope Benedict XVI

“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor. . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.” – Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

“Christ, like a skillful physician, understands the weakness of men. He loves to teach the ignorant, and the erring He turns again to His own true way. He is easily found by those who live by faith; and to those of pure eye and holy heart, who desire to knock at the door, He opens immediately.” – St. Hyppolytus

"We can think of Lent as a time to eradicate evil or cultivate a virtue, a time to pull up weeds or to plant good seeds. Which is better is clear, for the Christian ideal is always positive rather than negative. A person is great not by the ferocity of his hatred of evil, but by the intensity of his love for God. Asceticism and mortification are not the ends of a Christian life; they are only the means. The end is charity. Penance merely makes an opening in our ego in which the Light of God can pour. As we deflate ourselves, God fills us. And it is God's arrival that is the important event."  – Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

“Look at His adorable face.

Look at His glazed and sunken eyes.

Look at His wounds.

Look Jesus in the face.

There, you will see how He loves us.” – St. Therese of Lisieux

“My beloved Jesus, Your face was beautiful before You began this journey; but now it no longer appears beautiful and is disfigured with wounds and blood. Alas, my soul also was once beautiful when it received Your grace in Baptism; but I have since disfigured it with my sins. You alone, my Redeemer, can restore it to its former beauty. Do this by the merits of Your passion; and then do with me as You will.” – St. Alphonsus Liguori

“Are you capable of risking your life for someone? Do it for Christ.” – St. John Paul II

“Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.” – Pope Francis

“Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.” – Pope Francis

May Christ bring us closer to Him this Lent!

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Archbishop Cupich and our Parishioners

In 1975 Blase Cupich was ordained a priest for the Omaha Archdiocese by Archbishop Daniel Sheehan.
In 1998 St. John Paul II chose him to become the Bishop of Rapid City.
In 2010 Pope Benedict chose him to become the Bishop of Spokane.
It was announced Saturday that Pope Francis has chosen him as the next Archbishop of Chicago.
But yesterday, during a quick trip to our archdiocese, he got to meet a couple of our parishioners.

Congratulations Archbishop Cupich!

Squeeze in Some Fun

This time of year, the dwindling days before school begins, can be somewhat sad for me.

I hate to give up our family’s relaxed summer schedule and gear up for the busy-ness of fall, but most of all I hate losing the extra time of play and relaxation with my children.

Summer is so carefree: no homework, no school clothes, no bedtime curfews. We have more daylight for more fun: swimming, skating, walking the dog, laughing and sharing whatever is on our minds.

I’ll miss those days once school begins next week. But the good news is, there’s a few days left.

Pope Francis, in a recent interview, gave away his Secrets for Happiness.

In his list, the pope included “a healthy sense of leisure,” which included playing with children.

This is a must for parents, even those who have busy, complicated work schedules, Pope Francis said.

So in these last days of summer break – and throughout the year – squeeze in some extra time for fun with the children in your life.

It’s part of our prescription for our own well-being and happiness.

And enjoy!

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Pope Francis Gives 6 Lessons from Soccer

Rome Reports has complied this list of analogies Pope Francis has used from soccer:

"Jesus asks us to follow him all of our lives, he asks us to be his disciples, for us to 'play on his team.'”

Pope Francis said that in order to be on Christ's team, people need to train. He explained what the training consists of.

"What does a player do when he's call to be a part of a team? He has to train, and train a lot. That's also how our lives as disciples of the Lord are. These is the training needed to follow Jesus: prayer, the Sacraments, and helping others, service towards others.”

As any avid soccer fan can attest, teams have their ups and downs. The Pope used this as a reminder that the important thing is not to win, but to get up and try again after losing.

"If you make a mistake in life, if you slip and fall, if you do something that's wrong, don't be afraid. 'Jesus, look at what I've done. What do I have to do now?' But always talk to Jesus, in good times and the bad.”

For any fan, the best view of the game has no price. But the Pope went on to say that there are no "free” access for Christians.

"He asks us to pray the entrance fee. And that fee requires us to train ourselves, to 'stay in shape,' in order to face without fear life's challenges, giving witness to our faith.”

It's never easy to accept defeat, especially when the match isn't fair. But the key, according to Pope Francis, is to always play clean.

"During a match, when you're on the field, you find beauty, gratitude and teamwork. If a team is missing that, it loses strength, even if it wins.”

The goal for any championship is to win. A trophy is the ultimate symbol of victory, but the Pope recalled that Christians receive something even more important.

"Jesus offers us something greater than the World Cup; something even greater than the World Cup! Jesus offers us the opportunity for a fruitful and happy life, and a never-ending future by His side, in eternal life. That's what Jesus has to offer.”

Any pilgrim that has followed his work, knows the Pope often talks about soccer. But even before him, St. Paul wrote in his letters that it's necessary to run like athletes in order to pursue the laurel crown that never withers.

Here is the video from Rome Reports:

Poor Pope Francis

(The Swiss Guards provide all security for the pope.)

The Feast of Sts Peter and Paul

From Pope Francis' homily today, on the Feast of St. Peter and Paul:

I wonder, dear brother bishops, are we afraid? What are we afraid of? And if we are afraid, what forms of refuge do we seek, in our pastoral life, to find security? Do we look for support from those who wield worldly power? Or do we let ourselves be deceived by the pride which seeks gratification and recognition, thinking that these will offer us security? Dear brother bishops, where do we find our security?

The witness of the Apostle Peter reminds us that our true refuge is trust in God. Trust in God banishes all fear and sets us free from every form of slavery and all worldly temptation. Today the Bishop of Rome and other bishops, particularly the metropolitans who have received the pallium, feel challenged by the example of Saint Peter to assess to what extent each of us puts his trust in the Lord.

You can read the full homily here.

Happy 750th Anniversary

It was 750 years ago that Pope Urban IV issued the papal bull "Transiturus," which established the Feast of Corpus Christi as a universal feast of the Church. He then asked the leading theologians of the day, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure, to compose the official prayers for this feast. After casting lots, St. Thomas Aquinas presented first. With tears of joy, St. Bonaventure was so impressed that he threw his composition into a fireplace and insisted that what St Thomas Aquinas' composition be used -- and it is.

Today Pope Francis said:

"Whenever we participate in the Holy Mass and we eat the body of Christ, the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit works within us, it shapes our hearts, it communicates inner attitudes that transform within us into modes of behavior according to the Gospel. ... I would like to highlight these two things: the measure of God's love is to love without measure, our life with the love of Jesus; by receiving the Eucharist we make ourselves a gift just as Jesus was."

The Ixim Trip to Guatemala

As part of the Ixim trip to our sister diocese of Huehuetenango, each of our travelers will bring one bag for themselves and a second filled with medical supplies.

 Fr. Damian said, "One of things we teach during the preparation for the trip is the difference between charity and solidarity. The goal of our mission trip is a relationship between Catholic brothers and sisters across cultural and economic divides. The relationship precedes any act of charity. If we want our actions to truly benefit our brothers and sisters, then we first have to walk with them and know them. I really like what Pope Francis teaches in his encyclical, The Joy of the Gospel. He calls what we are doing on our mission trip 'accompaniment.'"

As part of that accompaniment, the group will stay with families in the region and live like they do.

As mentioned in last weekend's bulletin, Missionaries will supply fluoride and varnish to the teeth of children, to prevent tooth decay

Among those on the trip are parishioners Judee Chmura, Ben Fleming, Rick Fleming, Trish Franck, Dr. Mark Goodwin, Debra Kawa, Tracy Ortgies, Katie Pfeiffer and Fr Damian. The group includes two doctors, a nurse practitioner, and four RNs. In addition there are several retirees, a teacher, three college students, a seminarian and Fr. John Montag S.J.

On the trip they shall visit St Columbkille's sister school Santa Eulalia. There they shall deliver items donated by our school children.

It should be quite a celebration.

There will be a second collection at Masses this weekend to support the works project they are doing.

Praying for Peace

In the Holy Land, Pope Francis invited Presidents Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas to join him in raising to heaven a fervent supplication to God for the gift of peace, and offered to welcome them to his place for a meeting of prayer. It took place earlier today on the Solemnity of Pentecost. His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, with whom the Holy Father had the joy of sharing his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, also participated in the event.

Together, they planted an olive tree as a symbol of peace.

This time of prayer was divided into "three moments" of Jewish, Christian and Muslim prayers and music.  Pope Francis, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas all spoke afterwards before closed-door talks. Here is how the prayer service began:
      

May the Lord give you peace!

We have gathered here, Israelis and Palestinians, Jews, Christians and Muslims, so that each of us can offer his or her own that each of us can express his or her desire for peace for the Holy Land and for all who dwell there.

Together with Pope Francis, who greatly desired this moment, Patriarch Bartholomaios of Constantinople and all those present, Presidents Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas will join in this calling, voicing the desire of their respective peoples to invoke to God the common longing for peace.

This evening’s meeting will consist of three parts, followed by a conclusion.
Each part will be devoted to an invocation by one of the three religious communities, in chronological order: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Each part will itself unfold in three moments. The first moment will consist of an expression of praise to God for his gift of creation, and for his having created us as members of the human family.

In the second moment, we will ask pardon from God for the times we have failed to act as brothers and sisters, and for our sins against him and against our fellow men and women.

In the third moment, we will ask God to grant the gift of peace to the Holy Land and to enable us to be peacemakers.

Each of these three moments will be framed by a brief musical interlude. A musical meditation will conclude each of the three main parts.

For the rest, click here

Fr Vogel's New Home

Inspired by Pope Francis and in solidarity with the poor, Fr. Vogel has decided to move into a tent.

Fr. Damian has given Fr. Vogel permission to set up a tent and live on the vacant lot the parish owns on 84th street -- behind the house most associates have chosen to live in.

"Fr. Damian was a little hesitant at first," Fr Vogel explained, "but I pointed out that there is a shower in the Parish Office that I can use and with the remodel of the Steinhausen Center maybe a small refrigerator could be set up for me to keep a few food items. Fr. Damian did suggest that I not make the move until a port-a-potty can be set up. It is a luxury that the homeless don't have, but he convinced me I should make use of one so I'll wait for that to arrive."

While this may seem like something sudden, it is something they have been discussing for quite some time. Since Christmas Fr. Vogel has been sleeping on the floor of his home to help make the adjustment and has been eating simple foods that could be eaten raw or grilled.

If you're wondering about the home Fr. Vogel has been living in, he thinks it could be torn down to expand parking. While Fr Damian says that is a possibility, he thinks we should make certain Fr Vogel doesn't change his mind after a few months. He also pointed out that the next associate may want to sleep in a bed.

Fr. Vogel says he won't need much help moving although some tips from the boy scouts may come in handy. The move date just depends on how quickly the port-a-potty arrives.

For any more information please see today's date.

Fr. Norman on Catholic News Service

In this video about Fr. John Norman and the priesthood, Pope Francis has a cameo at about seconds 14-17 in this Catholic News Service story.



Oops ... we mixed that up.

Fr. Norman has a cameo in this video of Pope Francis talking about the priesthood.

It's still cool.

Another Side to Love

On St. Valentine's Day we honor our loved ones with cards, flowers and candy and everything pretty and sweet.

But as Christians we know there is another side to love, one that is painful, bitter and ugly by outward appearances. It is the image of our crucified Lord, the true face of love. We heard about this love in last Sunday's Mass readings: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified," St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

Couples and others would recognize this love. It's the love that allows a person to keep loving an unfaithful spouse, to suffer through pain and death with a loved one, to love someone when they're unreasonable and so hard to love. It is indeed Christ's love for us, His spouse. 

"I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt," Pope Francis wrote in his Lenten message for us, because he knows real love requires sacrifice. God's entire plan for our salvation rests on this notion of love.

"God’s becoming man is a great mystery!" the pope wrote. "But the reason for all this is His love, a love which is grace, generosity, a desire to draw near, a love which does not hesitate to offer itself in sacrifice for the beloved. Charity, love, is sharing with the one we love in all things. Love makes us similar, it creates equality, it breaks down walls and eliminates distances. God did this with us."

Please spoil your loved ones today with all kinds of sweetness and beauty -- and love them every day the way Christ loved us. Remember the real St. Valentine, a priest and martyr who followed Love to the cross.

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.