Monday, February 27, 2006
"Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity."

Those words from Matthew 9:36 have been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to be our theme as we journey through this year's Lent. This will be my first year blogging through Lent, and I want to make this a spiritually-rich time. My posts will reflect the cornerstone our our Lenten journey - Christ.

I will not make these posts "politically correct" or at times even polite; they will be the truth. And this is the truth - that Christ is the Lord and we must follow Him. His commandments do not just apply to those who follow Him now but to ever last individual sharing in his divine image. We as human beings are called to salvation - and this is done only through Our Lord. Prayer will be focal point of my posts, and I hope that my readers will not only read them but pray them. Prayer is the key to the Heart of God! Prayer is essential.

Lent is about prayer, fasting, and penance. I will try to touch on all of these issues.

Pope Benedict XVI's Lenten Message:

Lent is a privileged time of interior pilgrimage towards Him Who is the fount of mercy. It is a pilgrimage in which He Himself accompanies us through the desert of our poverty, sustaining us on our way towards the intense joy of Easter. Even in the “valley of darkness” of which the Psalmist speaks (Ps 23:4), while the tempter prompts us to despair or to place a vain hope in the work of our own hands, God is there to guard us and sustain us. Yes, even today the Lord hears the cry of the multitudes longing for joy, peace, and love. As in every age, they feel abandoned. Yet, even in the desolation of misery, loneliness, violence and hunger that indiscriminately afflict children, adults, and the elderly, God does not allow darkness to prevail. In fact, in the words of my beloved Predecessor, Pope John Paul II, there is a “divine limit imposed upon evil”, namely, mercy (Memory and Identity, pp. 19ff.). It is with these thoughts in mind that I have chosen as my theme for this Message the Gospel text: “Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity” (Mt 9:36)...

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Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain
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Sunday, February 26, 2006
My Word Cloud


I found a really interesting website through Ma Beck's blog. The site is made to design a t-shirt, but I still went through the process just to create my word cloud. The above image is my word cloud - a list of some of the most common words in my blog. I'm quite pleased with the results. (click on it for a larger image)
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Pray for the Repose of the Soul of Fr. Andrea Santore

Please offer up your prayers for Andrea Santore. He was shot and murdered in Trabzon, Turkey while praying in St. Mary Church. Fr. Santore was part of the Vatican's "Fidei Donum" program, which sends priests to help in missionary areas. He had worked in Turkey for 10 years and worked diligently to help young women escape from traffickers who would force them into prostitution. May Our Lord forgive Him his sins and grant Him eternal life. For this is the true example of faith - willingly putting your life in danger for Christ. This is how you know if you have faith, that you would lay down your life for Christ.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)

Pope Benedict XVI noted the "generosity and apostolic zeal" of Fr. Santore and assured Fr. Santore's community of his spiritual closeness to them "at this moment of sorrow". The Holy Father also said that he was "deeply affected" by the "serious loss of such an esteemed and enthusiastic priest."

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Read the last letter Fr. Andrea Santore ever wrote

Update: The European Parliament has condemned his killing

Update (July 3, 2006): It's been awhile since I posted about Fr. Andrea, but I found some information today. His killer, a 16-year old Muslim, is currently on trial (source).
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A Prayer Before Praying

I received this beautiful prayer in my inbox today and wanted to share it:

"Almighty Father, I place the Precious Blood of Jesus before my lips before I pray, that my prayers may be purified before they ascend to Your Divine Altar." AMEN

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain
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Saturday, February 25, 2006
The Da Vinci Joke

Zenit has published an interview with Mark Shea on his recent book "The Da Vinci Deception". I have been a strong proponent against this blasphemous book for months, and I'm thankful to see a good resource by a good author coming out.

"Those who say, "It's just a story," simply do not understand that this deception is part of the book's power. People often receive through fiction what they would be on guard against in reasoned debate.

And this is particularly true as Dan Brown, the author of "The Da Vinci Code," has actually stated he would not change any of his basic assertions if he were writing nonfiction. Brown means for us to understand that his claims about the origins are Christianity are true."



Shea listed just a few of the numerous errors of Dan Brown in this interview:

"He claims Leonardo Da Vinci doesn't give Jesus a chalice in his painting "The Last Supper" in order to hint that Mary Magdalene is the true chalice who held the "blood of Jesus" -- i.e., his child -- despite the fact there are 13 cups in the painting. He chatters about the meaning of an Aramaic word in the Gnostic gospel of Philip, oblivious to the fact it's written in Coptic. He calls Mary Magdalene the victim of a Catholic smear campaign without pausing to wonder why she's a Catholic saint. He blames "the Vatican" for various plots and conspiracies that are alleged to have taken place centuries before there was any Vatican to plot them. And, of course, in the biggest lie of them all, he declares that nobody before the year A.D. 325 thought of Jesus as anything other than a "mortal prophet" until Constantine muscled the Council of Nicaea into declaring him God "by a relatively close vote." Of course, he does not stop to ask why, if Jesus was just a "mortal prophet," he bothered founding a Church at all -- nor what the Church was about for the first 300 years if nobody was worshipping Jesus as God."

I hope that Catholics and Christians alike will join me in boycotting the movie and/or the book. Fr. Benedict Groeschel's Sunday program, "Sunday Night Live" at 7 PM EST tomorrow will center on the topic of the Da Vinci Code. If you have had questions with the book I recommend tuning into EWTN for the program.
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Getting Better

I wrote last week about being sick with the flu, and I'm thankful for all of your prayers as I am getting well. Please keep me in your prayers as I near the end of this and get ready for Lent.

Thanks everyone

PS: I forgot how much I hate the flu...
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Catholic Fasting and Abstinence Principles & Practices


Definitions:

Fasting: Fasting refers to how much food we eat. It means taking only one meal during a calendar day. The meal should be an average-sized meal as overeating at the one meal is against the spirit of the fast. Fasting generally means that the meal is to be taken later in the day. Along with the one meal, up to two snacks (technically called either a collation or frustulum) are permitted. These are optional, not required. Added up together, they may not equal the size of the one meal. No other snacking throughout the day is permitted. Fasting does not affect liquids, aside from the Eucharistic Fast which is a separate matter.

Abstinence: Abstinence in this context refers to not eating meat. Meat refers to the fleshmeat of mammals or fowl. Beef, poultry, lamb, etc are all forbidden on days of abstinence. Abstinence does not currently prohibit animal byproducts like dairy (e.g. cheese, butter, milk) or eggs, but in times past they were prohibited. Fish is permitted along with shellfish and other cold-blooded animals like alligators. In times past, days of fast were always days of abstinence as well; however, not all days of abstinence were days of mandatory fasting.

Partial Abstinence: Partial Abstinence refers to eating meat only at the principal meal of the day. Days of partial abstinence do not permit meat to be eaten as part of the collation or the frustulum. Partial abstinence started only in 1741 under Pope Benedict XIV as a concession and as part of a gradual weakening of discipline. Beforehand, days of abstinence were days of complete abstinence.

Fasting, therefore, refers to the quantity of food and the frequency of eating. Abstinence refers to what may or may not be eaten.

Want to learn more about the rules of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

Man of Sorrows by William Dyce

Fasting & Abstinence in Practice During Lent:

Overview: While fasting and abstinence are always encouraged, Catholics have always practiced these together as a Universal Church on certain days and certain seasons. However, beyond the details below, you are welcome to fast any day of the year with the exception that Sundays and Pascaltide (i.e. the Easter Season) are not appropriate times for fasting.

Ash Wednesday [Fasting and Abstinence]: This is a mandatory abstinence and fasting day.

All Catholics aged 14 or older must abstain from meat on this day, as per the current 1983 Code of Canon Law. In the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the law of abstinence began at age 7. Since it is worthwhile to teach children the importance of this law, we should have our children begin to observe this even before the law explicitly commands it.

What is forbidden by the law of abstinence? All meat. Meat is considered to be the flesh and organs of mammals and fowl. Also forbidden are soups or gravies made from them. Salt and freshwater species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and shellfish are permitted. [See: Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Fridays?]. Eggs are presently allowed.

Additionally, besides abstaining from meat, as per the 1983 Code of Canon Law, anyone between 18 and up until 60 years of age is also bound to fast on Ash Wednesday. In the earlier 1917 Code, the fast began at age 21 and continued until a person turned 60. On this day one, normal-sized meal and two smaller snacks (called collations) that do not equal the normal meal are allowed. No indulging at a buffet at night to make up for the meals you could not eat during the day.

Eating between meals is prohibited although fruit juices and milk are allowed. Milk was added only in the recent centuries and the Church had asked that those who do consume milk on fasting days offer some additional prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father for doing so.

These rules are much more lenient than in centuries past. If you can, truly make your fasting a sacrifice. In times past, Ash Wednesday was a day when the faithful were asked to eat nothing at all.

Good Friday [Fasting and Abstinence]: This is a day of mandatory abstinence and fasting.

This day is the most somber day of the year when we recall Our Savior's death. The rules for Ash Wednesday apply to today. Today is a required day of abstaining from all meat and a required day of fasting.

Like Ash Wednesday in times past, Good Friday was a day with no food at all, for those able to keep that strictness. 

The fast is traditionally kept into the morning of Holy Saturday and ends on Holy Saturday at noon, or whenever you attend the Vigil, whatever is later.

The Fridays of Lent: All the Fridays of Lent including Good Friday are mandatory days of abstinence from meat. The abstinence rules outlined under Ash Wednesday apply today.

Since Lent was traditionally always understood as a period of 40 days of fasting, you should keep Fridays of Lent (and all days of Lent aside from Sundays) as fasting days. Failing to fast on Fridays in Lent is not a sin, except for Good Friday. However, failing to abstain from meat on Fridays of Lent is a mortal sin.

All Days of Lent except for Fridays (since the days that are covered above) and except for Sundays: Traditional Catholics will still fast all days of Lent. By the time that the 1917 Code of Canon Law was compiled, Lent had changed to allow meat at the meal of the day but never in the collations. The exception, of course, is Fridays and Ash Wednesday. This practice is called "partial abstinence". By partial abstinence, a person is allowed to eat meat only at the major meal. However, partial abstinence, which is part of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, is a modern change in itself. Some Catholics will maintain the older practice of not only fasting but abstaining entirely from all meat on all 40 days of Lent. Having meat on weekdays of Lent (except Fridays) was only allowed a few hundred years ago. Even Sundays, while not days of fasting, were kept as days of abstinence aside from Laetare Sunday, the mid-point of Lent, when the faithful had a reprieve.

While most Catholics no longer abstain from meat on non-Fridays or fast throughout the 40 days, these are still practices that should be observed by those who are physically able to do so. Keeping the strict Lenten fast and strict abstinence as done in the Early Church through the 17th century will help us conquer addictions, make reparation for sin, and avert God's justice.

Lenten Abstinence: The Lenten abstinence described above, unless otherwise stated, pertains only to meat and products like soups or gravies or broths made from them. In times past though, for centuries no animal products of any kind (e.g. dairy, cheese, butter, or eggs) were consumed during Lent. As Lent became weakened, these sacrifices became optional and fell nearly entirely out of us. However, some Orthodox Christians and Eastern Rite (e.g. Byzantine) Catholics still abstain from all meat and all animal products for all of Lent. Roman Catholics are welcome and even encouraged to do so in solidarity with them and in solidarity with our forefathers who did so. Such a penance would be highly appropriate for Lent.

Conclusion: Based on the Church's Lenten fast through the centuries, and a desire to do more than the minimum, here is a suggested fasting and abstinence plan for Lent (in imitation of how Lent used to be):
  • Fasting applies for those age 18 or older (but not obligatory for those 60 years of age or older)
  • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: No solid food. Only black coffee, tea, or water.
  • Mondays through Saturdays: Only one meal preferably after sunset. A morning frustulum and evening collation are permitted but not required. No meat or animal products are allowed for anyone, regardless of age - that includes fish. No olive oil is permitted.
  • Sundays: No meat or animal products allowed except on Laetare Sunday. Except for Palm Sunday mentioned below.
  • Annunciation Day (March 25) and Palm Sunday: Fish and olive oil permitted.
  • Holy Week (except Good Friday): Only Bread, Salt, and Herbs are permitted for the main meal. Frustulum and collation permitted (of bread, herbs, and salt) but omitted if possible
  • Holy Saturday: No food until Noon. Abstinence including from all animal products continues until Easter begins.
Fasting & Abstinence in Practice Outside of Lent:


All Fridays of the Year outside of Lent: All Catholics must abstain from meat all Fridays of the year, not just during Lent. However, a modern novelty has arisen whereby many Bishops have said that Catholics may do another form of penance on non-Lenten Fridays in the year instead of abstaining from meat. This is the case in some countries, but not all. Fridays in Lent, though, are mandatory abstinence, and another act of penance does not void the necessity to abstain from meat and meat products. Traditional Catholics will always abstain on each Friday of the year, though, instead of substituting an alternative penance. It is important that we are united in the same common penance in the same universal Faith on such days.

Other Traditional Days of Fasting: For information on fasting days and how they have changed over time since America's founding, please click here for a landmark article on the topic.

Catholic Fasting Calendar: If you would like to follow the traditional days of fasting, consider purchasing an online calendar that will indicate the traditional fasting days. Click here for one.

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.
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Friday, February 24, 2006
Evening Prayer (Vespers)



Image Source: Saint Johns Cathedral in Valletta Malta

"Never lie down to sleep without first having examined your conscience on the way you have spent the day and without first turning your thoughts to God. Then offer and consecrate your whole person and that of every Christian, especially my wretched self, to God just as I do for you" (St. Padre Pio: Letters II p 292).

Vespers is one of the two main times of prayer in the Christian life along with Lauds (Morning). If you are looking to incorporate Vespers into your life, you can start by praying either Vespers (from the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary) or the Roman Office's Vespers (available freely online from Divinum Officium).

How do you end your day in prayer? What can we learn from each other and add to our own daily prayers?

Evening Prayer:
My God, at the end of this day I thank you most heartily for all the graces I have received from you. I am sorry that I have not made a better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against you. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear guardian angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory.
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Pope Benedict Names 15 Cardinals


This past Wednesday, February 22nd, Pope Benedict elevated 15 bishops to the level of Cardinal. They will formally be elevated in a Vatican ceremony on March 24th.

12 bishops able to vote for the next pope:
  1. William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
  2. Franc Rode, prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes for Consecrated Life.
  3. Agostino Vallini, prefect of the Tribunal for the Apostolic Signatura.
  4. Carlo Caffarra, archbishop of Bologna, Italy
  5. Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, Poland
  6. Nicolas Cheong-Jin-Suk, archbishop of Seoul, Korea
  7. Joseph Zen, bishop of Hong Kong
  8. Gaudencio B. Rosales, archbishop of Manila
  9. Antonio Canizares Llovera, archbishop of Toledo, Spain
  10. Sean Patrick O'Malley, archbishop of Boston
  11. Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, France
  12. Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino, archbishop of Caracas
Pope Benedict also elevated 3 other cardinals although they are too old (over 80 years) to be able to ever vote for a pope.
  1. Andrea Cordero Lanza Di Montezemolo
  2. Peter Poreku Dery
  3. Rev. Albert Vanhoye
Here is also a list of the Cardinals. I also propose the Te Deum prayer to be said during this time in thanksgiving for our new cardinals and for our Holy Father. Pray for a restoration of the Church through them.
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South Dakota and Abortion

November 7, 2006: South Dakota Residents did not approve the law by a roughly 45-55%. It is a sad day. But the pro-life movement will move on!!

Original Post: I have just read that the South Dakota Senate has passed a ban on virtually all abortions on a 23 to 12 vote. Governor Mike Rounds has also voiced his support for the measure. This is extremely significant in the fight for the sanctity of human life.

Let us pray that this law will prevail against the lawsuit that Planned Parenthood is preparing to file the day Gov. Rounds signs it into law. Pray for an end to abortion! We are closer now then we have ever been. Let us share the Gospel of Life with everyone for Jesus Christ came to save us from death and give us true life. Even the unborn are deserving of life.

Prayer for the unborn:

Heavenly Father, in Your love for us, protect against the wickedness of the devil, those helpless little ones to whom You have given the gift of life.Touch with pity the hearts of those women pregnant in our world today who are not thinking of motherhood.Help them to see that the child they carry is made in Your image - as well as theirs - made for eternal life.Dispel their fear and selfishness and give them true womanly hearts to love their babies and give them birth and all the needed care that a mother can give.We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
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