Novena to St. Francis: Day Six

O Lord, do not chastise me with Your anger. +

Prayer:
Merciful Father, You know my weakness and disobedience. Yet, You are ever ready to forgive and be gracious to me in my trouble. In Christ’s name and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi quickly come to help me (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today:
Banish from your mind and tongue unkind words and thoughts today.

Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
Amen. Alleluia.

Happy Angelmas!

May St. Michael defend you,
St. Raphael heal you,
and St. Gabriel announce your JOY!

Happy Birthday to my brother Josh-
May all the angels proclaim your glory this day and unto ages of ages
~AMEN~

Angel Roundup

Amy brings us the Holy Father's homily on this special day, wherein he addresses the bishops as 'angels' who reveal more of God to the world.

Penitens proclaims , "In the presence of the angels I will sing your praise!" and tells us about Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel.

Catholic Culture offers some great ideas for celebrating the day. We partake of Angel Food Cake, and the strawberries can represent the Sacred Heart of the Infant Jesus.

The Katholic Deakon has an engaging post with reflections, history, and scripture.

Catholic Dad celebrates St. Michael for very special reasons as patron of his family.

And for those who missed it on Monday, here's that excellent article from EWTN.

Finally-- let's traipse through the Catechism:

I. THE ANGELS

The existence of angels - a truth of faith

328 The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls "angels" is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition.

Who are they?

329 St. Augustine says: "'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit', from what they do, 'angel.'"188 With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they "always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" they are the "mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word".189

330 As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.190

Christ "with all his angels"

331 Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are his angels: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him. . "191 They belong to him because they were created through and for him: "for in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him."192 They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?"193

332 Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham's hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples.194 Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself.195

333 From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. When God "brings the firstborn into the world, he says: 'Let all God's angels worship him.'"196 Their song of praise at the birth of Christ has not ceased resounding in the Church's praise: "Glory to God in the highest!"197 They protect Jesus in his infancy, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his agony in the garden, when he could have been saved by them from the hands of his enemies as Israel had been.198 Again, it is the angels who "evangelize" by proclaiming the Good News of Christ's Incarnation and Resurrection.199 They will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgement.200

The angels in the life of the Church

334 In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.201

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .["May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."]). Moreover, in the "Cherubic Hymn" of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).

336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life."203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

Novena to St. Francis: Day Five

O Lord grant safety to those who long for it. +

Prayer:
In You Heavenly Father, I confidently place my trust. In your hands, I leave all my anxieties with faith in Your care for me. From You, and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, I await relief from my present distress (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today:

For God’s sake, help some person whom you may not like.

Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
Amen. Alleluia.

Who is Like Unto God?

Fr. Euteneuer of HLI offered this inspiring reflection for tomorrow's Feast:

Let us take a moment to reflect on the glorious prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, the most potent of all God's helpers. We start with his name: "Michael" is of Hebrew origin and, literally translated, means, "Who Is Like Unto God?" It is actually a composite of three little Hebrew words that form one phrase: "Mi" (pronounced "mee" and meaning "who?"); "cha" (pronounced "ka" and meaning "like"), and "el" (the Hebrew name for "God.") The phrase, "Who is like unto God?" is not a statement about this angel being so close or similar to God - no one can claim that. Rather, it is a rhetorical question. It is what Michael uttered in his disbelief that someone would claim to be like God. That someone was another angel named Lucifer...

...Michael then cast Lucifer out of heaven with all his rebellious companions. No creature that rejects the sovereignty of God could ever remain in heaven. Michael is thus the defender of the rights of God and the one who manhandles the strongest of the demons. We have him to thank for showing us that proud Satan can actually be defeated and that the rights of God can be vindicated against all blasphemers.

Does God really have rights? You better believe it! The Lord of Heaven and Earth has, above all, the supreme right to be worshipped by all creation. God doesn't need our worship in an absolute sense, but all creatures need very much to worship Him and keep Him in the first place in our lives because that is how the order of the universe is maintained. When creatures replace Him with idols or arrogantly suppose that they, as creatures, are gods, then all things fall apart and man loses the very meaning of his life. God is the divine center that holds all things together and, as such, He has an absolute right to be worshipped by His creation.

Today we need St. Michael's aid more than ever. Never in the history of humanity has Satan convinced so many people to set up false idols to replace the worship of the True God. Never has Satan been so successful in getting people to abandon the worship of God and obedience to the moral law on such a massive scale. In the same way, never have we seen so much blasphemous conduct disseminated with such intensity throughout the human community by the power of modern communications; nor have we ever seen the glorification of Satan given such pride of place in the entertainment business.

We need a powerful and glorious angel to teach us to defend the rights of God again. St. Michael has been doing this since before time began and is eminently equipped to teach us to make sure that God remains as the absolute center of our lives and our society. Let us turn to St. Michael on his feast day and thank him for defending God and us against "the wickedness and snares of the devil." Let us invoke his protection over our loved ones and renew our friendship with him again on his feastday.

Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International

Novena to St. Francis: Day Four

Make Your ways known to me, O Lord. +

Prayer:
Father Almighty, Your ways and purpose are often hidden from us. Guide me now and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, I beg You, in my sorrow, and by Your power, to let me know Your will regarding my special need (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today:
Consider today how you can do God’s will.

Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
Amen. Alleluia.

I get to vote!!!

Alan Keyes is running for president. I had no idea.

That means I won't have to deliberate between a pro-life Republican who will lose the election or a Democrat who makes me sick.

I can actually write-in a person I actually hold in high esteem.

Alan Keyes is brilliant. Did you see him at the African-American debate on PBS tonight? I think he managed to turn every answer into a declaration about the sovereignty of God, the integrity of the family, and the importance of being a good neighbor. He comprehends the role of government as so few Americans do.

God Bless you, Alan Keyes. You have spared me from having to designate the person who most approximates what I want in a president. You ARE what I want in a president.

I agree with Joshua Herring:

Alan Keyes doesn't allow a desire for popularity or any other human factor to alter those things or the way he presents them. Although Dr. Keyes has one of the finest political minds of our day, he speaks directly out of his heart with great sincerity. It isn't just what he believes, it is a result of his love of country and desire to serve; it is a result of who he is, and his desire to please the One who has called him to this service. Alan Keyes has lived — for that very reason — consistently, both in and out of public office. The reason I recognize this so clearly in him is that I've seen it before. He too is a man of conviction, and of vision — a cut above the rest.

Novena to St. Francis: Day Three

Lord, be not far from me. +

Prayer:
Loving Father, You are not far from any of us since in You we live, move and have our being. Increase my awareness of Your presence and through the intercession of Saint Francis take care of my pressing need (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today:
Throughout the day, give your cares to the Lord.

Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
Amen. Alleluia.

Counter the Culture

The Bishop of Orange California shares this vital message about living as faithful Christians in a secular world, in these strange times.

One way that we can counter the culture is to pray for an end to abortion. 40 days for Life begins today (hat tip to Amy). "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves" reads the campaign slogan. I so rarely speak up on behalf of the unborn.

Like a lamb among wolves. How did Jesus find the courage?

Strange Times

"We live in a strange time."

So begins an excellent book review at CERC. It was timely finding this article because of the shock from which I'm still reeling after watching Oprah tell the couple in the 'open' marriage that at least they're being upfront.

We are not in Pagan Rome. We live in Secular America. Though we face the same challenge the early Christians faced in transmitting the faith, we do have so many appeals at our disposal the early martyrs lacked. Most people have fallen away from something, whereas the pagans had never heard of Christ.

Talk to strangers. Remind them that they are part of the Family of God. Be familiar. And always, always be Christ.

Novena to St. Francis: Day Two

Hear me O lord, and have pity on me. +

Prayer:
Father in heaven, Your love for us never falters in spite of our transgressions and failures. Please show Your mercy for me in my difficulty (mention your request). Through the intercession of St. Francis and for the sake of Christ, Our Savior, have pity on me. Amen.

Your offering today:
See the suffering Christ in someone around you.

Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
Amen. Alleluia.

Yes

A friend asks in her blog, "Are Angels among us?"

So many people, including my parents and godparents, have angel stories: moments when they knew that they were being cared for and protected. For some, the moment was an intervention in an automobile accident. For others, it was a deathbed presence, as referenced above. For a few others it was a stranger who appeared from out of nowhere, came to their aid, and disappeared just as mysteriously.

Even non-religious people believe in angels, when explanations fail.

There are such varied images of Angels: the ambient beings in "Ghost" (and their terrifying counterparts that emerge screaming from the shadows), the Ezekielian creatures of Madeline L'Engle, and the fiber-optic or plaster kitsch found in too many gift shops.

Why are Angels so prevalent in a society/culture so opposed to Jesus?

Therein lies the answer: Angels oppose Satan. That's why so many people have Angel stories. We are in the midst of an epic confrontation. Where sin abounds, Christ abounds all the more. Angels are indeed all around us, doing their part to bring about the Reign of God.

Lovers of Veggie Tales

Ahoy! This Carnival's for you!

If Oprah says it's o.k.

I was folding clothes in the living room and turned on the TV for background noise.

After interviewing women over sixty who spoke candidly about the great sex they're having and the pleasures of having a 'friend with benefits', Oprah introduced the next guests, a husband and wife living in an 'open marriage'.

This means that the wife has a boyfriend who also knew them both in college. He comes over and the three of them play a board game or watch a movie and then the two go into the guest room while the husband retires for the night. The husband said he had to get over some jealousy at first, but they are happy and do plan on spending the rest of their lives together. All their friends know about it, so it's not some dirty secret. It's just how their marriage is, and they acknowledge it might not be right for everyone.

Oprah said that she and her staff were pretty floored when they learned about this. But before getting too judgmental, they figured plenty of couples are having extramarital affairs, so it's not like this is unheard of-- it's just that this couple is being upfront about it instead of betraying each other. And the husband said he does not feel betrayal because he consents to it, and she said she doesn't feel like it's adultery.

So here at CatholicLand, let's clarify:

HAVING SEX WITH SOMEONE WHO IS NOT YOUR SPOUSE IS ADULTERY, especially if the husband consents to it. That actually makes it worse, because then both spouses have been unfaithful to their vows.

It doesn't have to feel wrong in order to be wrong.

Pagan Rome also had this cavalier notion of marriage. It was expected that men should have a consort other than their wives. Senators were frowned upon if they didn't- it was seen as a lack of virility. The wife said she has enough love for both her husband and her boyfriend. She has enjoyed knowing someone else after only ever knowing one man. She only proceeded with her husband's permission. Lechery is just as ugly in a sleazy old Roman as it is in a dutiful wife.

I hope the catechists are ready for this.

Speaking of Free Will

Here's an excellent article from Catholic Culture on the nature of belief.

Novena to St. Francis: Day One

O God, come to my assistance. +

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, You know all things and nothing is
hidden from You. In Your mercy and kindness, and
through the intercession of Saint Francis, come to my aid in my present distress and grant my humble petition (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today:
Show your humility by doing a good deed for someone today.

Lord,
Make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are
Born to eternal life.
Amen. Alleluia.

On an Angelic note

Our Sunday Visitor has published a lovely article about Angels for its Sept. 23 issue, written by a Dominican Fr. Basil Cole.

He reminds us that our deceased Holy Father spoke of the nature of Angels as tutors and refers to their mention in the New Testament not only in the Lucian Infancy Narrative, but also in Pauline Epistles and Acts.

So Angels have always been with us.

The Feast of Guardian Angels is coming up next week: do you pray to your Guardian Angel? Do you invoke its guidance and protection? Are you aware that your angel is with you? Do you accept its tutelage?

I must admit I found it strange when I first met Enbrethiliel (whose blog, sadly, is out of commission). She referred to her Guardian Angel by name. She spoke of him as one would an imaginary friend.

But Angels aren't imaginary; they are invisible, yes, but not imaginary. In the Creed, we proclaim our belief in "all things visible and invisible" (or at least we will once the missal has been translated properly into English).

WE are the visible Creatures. Angels are the invisible Creatures. We have bodies, they do not. But we are all spirits endowed with free will. And the demons are those invisible Creatures that choose to freely exercise their will in opposition to God. Although, as C.S. Lewis observed, Satan is not the antithesis of God-- Satan is the antithesis of Saint Michael.

So, then, these spirits can tutor us in evil or tutor us in good, for they move at the speed of thought. Before you go to sleep tonight each night this week, invoke the tutelage of your guardian angel. And pay attention to your thoughts.

Glad Tidings

In anticipation of the upcoming Feast of the Archangels, EWTN has made available scholarly excerpts on the subject of Angels and the three in particular whose names we know. I encourage you to digest the information through the week so as to better appreciate Saturday's moment.

We often forget that Angels are not science fiction. The Hebrew people, Popes, and Christians from every century have known them to be at work in human affairs. In fact, all those peoples who have claimed to know the One True God have known His messengers also.

We may know of exorcisms and demoniacal possession. Even medical professionals whose better judgment has cringed have had to resort to the interventions of priests. But we hear less about 'angelic possession' and rightly so: Angels do not presume upon themselves the credit due to their Lord and Maker. God has done this, the Angels tell us. God is at work here, they proclaim. Do not be afraid!

Let us take care then to acknowledge the fingerprints of God in our lives, in our society-- and Praise Him in the company of the Heavenly Host.

Hear, Hear!

Or, rather-- Read, Read!

We often recoil at the shock of what Germans citizens of the Third Reich ignored next door, but we live in a society that values human dignity less than the Nazis.

How appalled are we?

Courage, man

Words to live by, overheard at the Courage Conference:

• "Hell is not going to let go of you easily."
• Even if you've stumbled a thousand times, that means that 1,000 times in Confession, "you've committed yourself to Christ. Whether it lasted 3 hours, 3 days or 3 months is of little consequence."
• " 'Firm purpose of amendment' doesn't mean 'I'll never do it again,' but 'I'll get up again next time'."
• "Why does suffering happen? So love can reveal itself."

Shout to the Lord

Sarah delivers a humdinger of a Carnival this week.

There I found this beautiful reflection at Streams of Mercy.

It moves me, as it did Sarah, to prayer.

And what better day to pray than this feast of the Holy Name of Mary? What better day to acknowledge the miracle of Grace at work than one which honors Full of Grace?

Hail Mary
Full of Grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
JESUS~

Holy Mary
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of death.

Amen. Alleluia~

A woman by any other name

Speaking of Mary's name, I learned a new name for her at the Carnival:

"Our Lady of America"

Unfortunately, some people will express skepticism at the very notion of Marian apparitions. Yet, people like Sr. Mary Ephrem or Saint Faustina or Saint Bernadette are people that have spent a great deal of time in prayer, in daily conversation with Our Lord and Lady. They can speak so freely of what Mary has said largely because they speak freely with Mary. They have entered communion profoundly.

This is not beyond the scope of any of us; yet it is in God's scope. So we can never expect such extraordinary graces. Instead, let us praise God for the ordinary grace that gives meaning and scope to our lives. Let us be dazzled when His manifest glory is brought to our attention by people like Sr. Mary Ephrem.

That was the response of Msgr. Leibold. And remember:
(hat tip to another Carnie at Domestic Vocation)

Mariazell Hymn

On this Birthday of Mary, our Holy Father sends these soothing words to a thirsting world:

God saved the world not by the sword, but by the Cross. In dying, Jesus extends his arms. This, in the first place, is the posture of the Passion, in which he lets himself be nailed to the Cross for us, in order to give us his life. Yet outstretched arms are also the posture of one who prays, the stance assumed by the priest when he extends his arms in prayer: Jesus transformed the Passion, his suffering and his death, into prayer, and in this way he transformed it into an act of love for God and for humanity. That, finally, is why the outstretched arms of the Crucified One are also a gesture of embracing, by which he draws us to himself, wishing to enfold us in his loving hands. In this way he is an image of the living God, he is God himself, and we may entrust ourselves to him....we are gripped by him who has touched our hearts and lavished gifts upon us, so that we, in turn, can offer gifts to others... Truth proves itself in love. It is never our property, never our product, just as love can never be produced, but only received and handed on as a gift. We need this inner force of truth. As Christians we trust this force of truth. We are its witnesses. We must hand it on as a gift in the same way as we have received it, as it has given itself to us...
God has made himself small for us. God comes not with external force, but he comes in the powerlessness of his love, which is where his true strength lies. He places himself in our hands. He asks for our love. He invites us to become small ourselves, to come down from our high thrones and to learn to be childlike before God. He speaks to us informally. He asks us to trust him and thus to learn how to live in truth and love.

...we realize that Christianity is more than and different from a moral code, from a series of requirements and laws. It is the gift of a friendship that lasts through life and death: “No longer do I call you servants, but friends” (Jn 15:15), the Lord says to his disciples. We entrust ourselves to this friendship.

Let us have the courage then to call Jesus our Friend, to open our hearts to the One Who Embraces~

Manly Men

It's a great article from Crisis magazine. I figured it was timely to share it after reflecting on fatherhood and my great Dad.

Fascinatingly, the National Fellowship of Catholic Men was mentioned at Intentional Disciples yesterday. Perhaps the Return of the Catholic Man is indeed upon us! St. Joseph, pray for us~

***Blessed Frederick Ozanam, pray for us too!

New Find

I don't know why I didn't post it before.

The Pure Love Club is now in the left margin. There you will find a treasure trove of wisdom. Visit often; I think persons of any age would find good council there.

On drink

The Penitent Blogger and the Pertinacious Papist each have something to say about the effects of drink. One finds in Scripture St. Paul's call to sobriety; the other finds in Tradition a celebration of the fruits of the earth. Catholicism is all about embracing both. Yay, Catholic!

Mother Teresa Roundup

Amy shares a beautiful reflection from that most beautiful of preachers, Fr. Cantalamessa, on the Dark Night of Mother Teresa and what it teaches us about postmodern a-theism and the secular soul. But that's not all. She posted many more articles last week, some with her own reflections, and from the week before.
UPDATE***Amy has one more post with links from FirstThings.

Meanwhile the CERC has a flurry of articles (okay- only three, but it seems like more) about the Dark Night of Mother Teresa: one by Fr. Raymond de Souza, another by Dinesh d'Souza, and a third from Carol Zaleski.

Penitens reflects on the subject here.

Finally, one from Clairity on the poetic beauty of the Dark Night.

To learn more about this remarkable beatus, visit EWTN's mini-site. Pray with her. Pray for her canonization. Just pray~

Fatherhood

Speaking of having a great Dad, here is an article that makes a lovely point:

"God, in his wisdom, did not deprive his Son of a human father. As wonderful as Mary was, God apparently felt that there were some things she could not give her son—things that were important to Jesus' upbringing. Therefore, on Christmas day, the Holy Family huddled close together in the manger: mother, father and child. It was a good model then, and it's a good one now. We abandon it at our peril—especially at the peril of our children."

Akin

In my rant below about Catechesis, I said, "Care for the Earth and economic equality seem like ancillary ambitions alongside protecting children from being murdered at an unprecedented rate in human history."

Thom Peters, the American Papist, here analyzes a Reuters article remarkably obtuse. Not only did they report erroneously, they did so with wanton attempt to skew the Pope's words. They took part of what he said and extrapolated the rest, not only to the detriment of his words but to the promotion of the opposite point!

Of course, we can only expect as much from the MSM, as I've noted on multiple occasions.

But what grabs my attention in Thom's analysis is his very succinct summation of the Pope's actual statements: "Concerns for the environment are a subcategory of our more fundamental concerns for man. Where man's interest and nature's interest conflict - man comes first. This is the essential qualifier that the media consistently ignores; and it is also what differentiates qualitatively Christian environmentalism and secular environmentalism."

Hear, hear!

It's a layer underneath the point I was making about anti-abortionism and environmentalism not being equivalent moral crusades. The creation of a just society necessarily means that all human rights are upheld in the law. Within such safeguards, concern for the wellbeing of others and the common good naturally flow among the Just.

To put a finer point on it

To be a follower of Christ one must oppose Abortion. Unequivocally. Opposed.

Catechesis

My father is a religion teacher at a Catholic parochial school. He teaches children in seventh and eighth grade about Scripture, Sacraments, and Prayer, including sex ed and Confirmation preparation.

With the release of the latest edition of the National Directory of Catechesis, teachers in the Archdiocese of Detroit this year are teaching a uniform curriculum (this is an historic first according to the Michigan Catholic). So the new textbooks have arrived, and my dad has to revise his lesson plans accordingly.

My dad is unique among religion teachers in that he has never allowed it to become a 'blow-off' class for his students; in fact he's one of the more demanding teachers in the 7th/8th grade, much to the chagrin of more than a few parents, who would rather their children simply get the 'easy A' and be done with it-- sound familiar?

Anywho-- I know he takes seriously his task in lieu of the unfortunate fact that most students' religious instruction will cease entirely after they leave elementary school. So it's now or never if you want to reach them. So he has demanding tests for which they actually have to study and not just regurgitate what was on the handout. He does prayer in the classroom. He's a good teacher.

As I perused the new textbook, I noticed it comprehensively introduced Catholic Social Teaching throughout-- a definite improvement over past textbooks in which the 'rainbow Happy Jesus' talked about Love (without Mercy). What I found suspiciously and conspicuously lacking was any mention of Catholic Moral Teaching (i.e. pro-life issues).

In my understanding (courtesy JPII), the greatest social injustice presently occurring is legalized abortion. There were many pictures, thought-blurbs, and quotes from the USCCB about doing your part to help the environment, to serve the homeless, to cultivate peace in your family. Not over-the-top and all in conformity with the Catechism (thank God)...but again-- suspiciously and conspicuously lacking any reference to 'praying for an end to abortion' or how categorically immoral it is. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for in a textbook for eighth-graders, but certainly a greater attempt to promote Catholic Social Teaching in its entirety.

I got all huffy. Why should celebrating diversity be more thoroughly catechised (and it was done in this text in a manner consistent with teaching methods developed according to Piaget's learning theories,etc.-- so this is not the textbook you remember from days gone by-- it is genuinely current) than respecting life? Why do the photos illustrating the Corporal Works of Mercy have children wearing 'Race for the Cure' T-shirts? Why are all the people depicted in the sections about spirituality hiking/camping? I began to strongly suspect the pedigree of persons responsible for this textbook.

So I looked on the USCCB website. To my satisfaction, the whole enterprise had as its objective to make the curricula current with the CCC and established elementary teaching norms. Good. We need sound catechesis.

But I was still left wanting. If you don't reach children at puberty-- when do you reach them? I read Evangelium Vitae in 7th and 8th grade: is that so impossible?

I browsed my dad's copy of the National Directory. The Bishops were very earnestly defining Catholic Social Teaching as necessarily starting with respect for the dignity of every human being. Okay, so they read JPII too. How did this not translate into textbooks written for the most impressionable strata of human society (namely, kids in puberty)?

I discussed some more with my dad. He reassured me that he gets it into the classroom discussion. Whether it's in the textbook or not, he includes it in his class. Well, good. But he's a good teacher. They're not all as diligent as my Dad.

I scanned the textbook again-- and found a single page referencing the unborn. You can judge for yourself:


So they actually used Evangelium Vitae as an example of a papal encyclical [applause]. Wow. I'm impressed. But note the text and the photo (I don't think the scanner did a very good job, so here it is verbatim): "The pope reminded us that we must work toward creating a 'culture of life' and work against the 'culture of death' which violence in its many forms is establishing in the world. We must work for a more equal sharing of wealth and the earth's goods. We must work for the protection of the life of the unborn, the sick, and the elderly. We must use every effort to solve conflicts peacefully, to contain the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and to stop the trafficking in arms. We are to avoid the reckless use of natural resources and to work against the producing and selling of drugs."

Agreed.

However--- hmmm... this seems a skewed presentation of the themes elucidated in that encyclical, especially considering the illustration of the hands holding Planet Earth. I recall the injunction against Abortion to be foremost among the aims of the encyclical. Care for the Earth and economic equality seem like ancillary ambitions alongside protecting children from being murdered at an unprecedented rate in human history.

I also found mention of CST regarding the rights of the human person and Respect Life was listed as one of four ways a Christian can live the Life of Grace, including 1. Taking an active part in the life of the Church, 2. Giving thanks to God for a life shared with Christ, and 3. Serving Others. But the mention of the Church's teaching about the Life and Dignity of the Human Person was mitigated into a suggestion that the teacher have the students complete a "gifts inventory" listing one positive quality about each person in the group.

Really? Is that the most we can encourage young people to do when instructing them in the church's teaching about abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, cloning, the death penalty, and unjust war? Say something positive about your classmates? That's the suggested activity?

I would hope in the formation of its future generations, Catholic Schools are doing everything to ensure that children think with the mind of Christ. Atheistic humanists can find something positive to say about their classmates. What are Catholic students doing to live out the Church's teaching about the most vulnerable, the most disenfranchised, and morally violated people in society today?

If the Directory is correct, then "Abortion and euthanasia directly attack innocent life itself, the most fundamental human right and the basis of all other rights." The Directory calls for "followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life in every situation." These are superlative statements. Should not the textbooks then be superlative as well in teaching these truths to young people?

Dad's reply

I was going to post this in the comments-- but nobody would ever read it there. So here is my dad's response to the post above regarding Catechesis:

"Couldn't disagree.
Remember that in all of the teachings of the Church, the right to life is essential...AND the Church must deal with the broad range of life before it. As Junior High students, they need to affirm their lives and those of others-- it's a developmental thing. Not to say that we shouldn't mention the BIGGER picture...surely in 8th grade as we do...that's why a speaker from the textbook company comes in and talks__More later, Dad"

This note he left for me before leaving for school this morning. He must have read my rant while eating his breakfast. And then he took the time to respond thoughtfully. Isn't he a great dad?