Minnesota Marriage Minute: Aren’t Same-Sex Relationships the Same as Marriage?

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Here is another excellent video addressing common questions many are asking about the upcoming Marriage Protection Amendment this fall. View it, be informed, and vote “yes” on the ballot this November!

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I am still here…

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Deacon Bob

I am still here, just too busy to blog much. Really, scarcely a spare moment.

I will return.

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Random Thoughts – Trinitarian life, Family, Funerals, Papa Luciani, Blogs, Evangelization

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Deacon Bob

In my prayer and thoughts of late, and in my homilies at daily Mass, I have been returning to the theme of our being caught up into the life of the Trinity. The realization that by virtue of our baptism and the grace of the Holy Spirit poured out into our beings in that sacrament, we are drawn up with Jesus into the very life of God himself. I think our Eastern Rite brothers and sisters have a better grasp on this than we in the Latin Rite; their liturgies and their architecture and art seem to depict this well. Our recent Gospel readings at Mass tell of Jesus’ intimacy with the Father, and thus we too are very close to God our Father by our identification with the resurrected and ascended Jesus. The practical question then becomes, “Do others see in me the face of Jesus? Do I announce the Gospel by speaking what God has taught me? Am I in the way or am I a way through which the New Evangelization of the world will take place?”

Graduation time in my family. Nieces, sister, son-in-law…. all graduating either from high school, college or graduate school. Makes me think of my graduations and how much I loved my schooling. I know I am different, but I loved writing papers!

Two funerals in the upcoming few days in the parish. They seem to come in waves. Unfortunately, I cannot usually assist as I am in the office during the day here at the clinic. God rest the souls of all the faithfully departed.

Will be seeing some from my extended family this weekend. Looking forward to it. Was able to do the same last weekend under unfortunate circumstances (funeral).

Papa Luciani crops up again and again in my memory. My next trip to Italy has to include a trip to the Dolomite region where he grew up and was bishop for quite sometime. I want to visit his hometown and the church in which he was baptized. I keep praying for his eventual canonization and the opportunity to be present for it. (God, could you work a miracle and somehow make it so I am deacon at that ceremony?!)

It is interesting to see how some of the prominent Catholic blogs develop in theme and tenor over the years. I am not so sure I like what I see. Some of them seem to highlight controversy over unity; doctrinal purity over pastoral charity. If you the readers have any feedback for me, and this weblog, please drop a comment or two in the combox.

Remember: God is good. His justice prevails. Our job is not to judge or condemn, but to faithfully present the Gospel in its fullness. Never take it personally if someone rejects it; we are not what is important, they are and the Word of Truth we have to give.

Bless all of you.

Posted in General Interest | 1 Comment

St. Joseph the Workman

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Today is the optional memorial of St. Joseph the Workman. It was a little over a month ago (March 19) that we celebrated the feast of St. Joseph and we follow-up today remembering him as a worker and patron of all who labor.

The dignity of work has been a constant teaching of the Church. To work is to participate in God’s continual plan to bring all of creation to its fruition, to sanctify and develop what God has given to us as his sons and daughters. As the Bible tells us, we are charged by God to have responsibility for, to be stewards of, the created world. Because of that, work has a dignity and gives dignity to those who work for the betterment of humanity.

Working is a participation in God’s activity. Just as Jesus participated in the work of his step-father, Joseph, we too participate in the work of our heavenly Father when we labor for the benefit of ourselves and others.

This day brings to mind too the increasingly discussed moral obligation to be stewards of the natural resources of our planet. These resources are both animate and inanimate, i.e., they include plant and animal life as well as mineral and chemical resources. How we utilize the resources of the world in our work — what we produce and fabricate and distribute to others — has serious moral foundations. I wonder how often we think of this when we work for certain companies or enterprises that may be wasteful or unscrupulous in the use of natural resources, or example, factory farms or industries that seriously pollute the environment. Do we stop to think of whether we wish to work for someone or something that is extremely wasteful or exploitative, such as companies that employ what is essentially slave labor in undeveloped countries? Do we embrace responsible recycling of goods? Are we frugal? Do we work for the good of the poor as well as our own needs?

St. Joseph was a workman who directed his trade to support his family, to build a better community for his neighbors,  to give meaning to the daily activity of his life, and to live out the vocation given him by God.

May we imitate him and pray for his intercession.

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“Man on the Street” Perspective on Marriage Amendment

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Deacon Bob

(The following is a quote from Minnesota for Marriage, a broad coalition of leaders in the state who support the upcoming Minnesota Marriage Amendment that is on the ballot this fall.)

The “Man on the Street” video series features voices of real Minnesotans sharing why they believe marriage between one man and one woman is important and thus worth preserving.

Click play on the image above to view this week’s video. Please take the time to share it with all of your friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues.

The series showcases Minnesotans like you and me, young and old, married and single, newlyweds and families all expressing their support for the Marriage Protection Amendment. While participants may be from diverse backgrounds, they all share the belief that marriage is in the common goodand will be voting yes on the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment in November.

These are their voices. And they are asking you to vote Yes on the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment November 6.

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Quote for the Day

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Deacon Bob

“The Son of God was nobler than we, and he made himself poor in this world for our sake.” — St. Francis of Assisi

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“Damiaan Donker” the Beer in Honor of St. Damien of Molokai

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Here is a bit about St. Damien, in a round about way. The following is being reported by the Catholic News Service.  www.cns.org

Dark, strong, fruity, Belgian: Damien beer honors its saintly namesake

HONOLULU (CNS) — First, a couple of schools. Then, several U.S. parishes. Now … a fine craft beer? Many things have been named after St. Damien de Veuster of Molokai, but none was more surprising than a recent discovery at a Whole Foods store in Hawaii — a bottle of Belgian ale labeled with the likeness of St. Damien. The beer is called “Damiaan Donker.” The name pairs the Dutch words for “Damien” and “dark, strong ale.” A question printed on the back of a Damiaan Donker bottle anticipates what inquiring minds want to know: “Is it right to honor a saint with a beer?” The beer’s creator, chef Donato Loperfido, explained to the Hawaii Catholic Herald, Honolulu diocesan newspaper, why he thinks it is. Loperfido is a lifelong Catholic who originally hails from Puglia, Italy. He has lived in Hawaii for about 25 years and has worked in the local food and beverage industry since he arrived. He currently runs Flavors of Italy, a company that imports international food and wine to the islands. The idea to create a brew in honor of St. Damien came to Loperfido in 2009. The chef happened to be visiting Italy on the day of Damien’s canonization, Oct. 11, and got wind of the events in Rome. As Damien was elevated to sainthood, Loperfido was awestruck at the honor received by the humble Belgian priest who served in Kalaupapa. “I was very happy reading the paper one day when Father Damien was canonized,” he said.

Wasn’t able to sample the above named brew when I was in Hawaii last month. Might have though if I would have known. I read, though, in the diocesan account, that for an 11.2 ounce bottle, you pay $5.99!

The diocesan newspaper, as noted above, ran a longer article on this. The website is currently under construction but you can access the the article there at: www.digital.hawaiicatholicherald.org/WebProject.asp?CodeId=7.5.6.1

St. Damien, pray for us!

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The Church in China Grows

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Fides (see link below right under “Good Websites”) is reporting that there were 3,500 baptisms during Easter in the diocese of Hong Kong. Furthermore, in the Chinese mainland, there were 22,104 baptisms this Easter. Of these baptisms, 75% were adults. These figures were reported to Fides by the Study Center of Faith in He Bei.

The Church in China is growing.

If you have interest in the Church in the Far East, log on to Fides for a wealth of good information and current news.

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Church of the Week

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Deacon Bob

St. Joseph Catholic Church

Rural Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii

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Benedict XVI on Diaconal Ministry – UPDATED!

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Deacon Bob

It hasn’t really gotten widespread attention in the media, but the Holy Father in his general audience two days ago spoke on diaconal ministry. The catechesis is not available in an official English translation yet, so I have translated excerpts below from the Italian original.

“… I would like to pause and reflect on … a serious problem that the first Christian community in Jerusalem had to confront and resolve, as St. Luke has narrated in the sixth chapter of Acts of the Apostles, regarding pastoral care of persons needing assistence and help. It wasn’t a insignificant question for the Church and at that time it threatened to create internal divisions in the Church: the number of disciples in fact was growing, but those of the Greek language began to complain against those of the Hebrew language because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. (Acts 6:1) Confronted with this urgency regarding a fundamental aspect of communal life, that is charity toward the weak, the poor, those unable to defend themselves, and justice, the Apostles convoked the entire group of disciples. In this pastoral emergency a discernment of the Apostles surfaced. The found themselves with the primary obligation of announcing the Word of God according to the mandate of the Lord, but – even if this is the primary need of the Church – they considered with similar seriousness the obligation of charity and justice, that is, the obligation to assist the widows, the poor, to forsee with love situations of need in which brothers and sisters might find themselves so as to respond to the command of Jesus, Love one another as I have loved you. (cfr. John 15: 12,17). Thus the two realities that the Church must live – the proclamation of the Word, the primacy of God, and concrete charity, justice – they were creating difficulties and they needed to find a solution so that both may have their place, their necessary relationship….. Two things appear: first, there existed at that time in the Church a ministry of charity. The Church not only proclaimed the Word, but also realized that Word which is charity and truth. Secondly, these men [deacons] not only had to be of good reputation but also men filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom; that is, not only organizers that knew how ‘to do’, but they had ‘to do’ in the spirit of faith with the light of God, with wisdom of heart and therefore their function – even though above all practical – is nevertheless spiritual. Charity and justice are not only social action, but spiritual action realized in the light of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we can say that this situation was met with a great responsibility by the Apostles, who made this decision: seven men were chosen; the Apostles prayed for the strength of the Holy Spirit and then imposed hands  so that they might dedicate themselves in a particular way to this diaconia of charity. ….. In every case, acting for one’s neighbor is not to be condemned but it is emphasized that it has to be penetrated interiorly by the spirit of contemplation…. We must not lose ourselves in pure activism but always allow ourselves to penetrate our activity with the light of the Word of God and thus teach true charity, true service of others….With the imposition of hands the Apostles conferred a particular ministry to seven men so they might be given the corresponding graces. … it is important….. the spiritual dimension of this gesture. It is not simply to confer a responsibility that comes in a social organization but an ecclesial event in which the Holy Spirit appropriates to Himself seven men chosen by the Church, consecrating them in the Truth who is Jesus Christ. It is he who is the silent protagonist, present in the imposition of the hands so that these elect may be transformed by his power and sanctified to face practical challenges, the pastoral challenges….”

There are two “lungs” with which we breathe, brother deacons: the life of liturgy and prayer, and the life of charitable service, a service that can only bear fruit if done in the light of the proclamation of the Gospel. In this way, we share in the apostolic ministry of our bishops, as the account from the Acts of the Apostles tells us and as our Holy Father teaches in his address above.

It is in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, kept alive within us through our relationship with Jesus and our bishop, that we exercise our ministry with the poor, hungry, homeless, imprisoned, ill, dead, ostracized and alienated. We cannot minister if we are not in relationship with the Lord and with our bishop.

Ours is a great and noble calling, a wonderful grace, and a huge responsibility.

UPDATE: I guess I got out in front of this one. Shortly after publishing this post, other bloggers began to write about it also. Take a look at The Deacon’s Bench  and Whispers in  the Loggia both blogs maintained by leading Catholic bloggers. Links to their weblogs are at the lower right under “Blogroll”.

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Social Doctrine of the Church: Building a Civilization of Love

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Deacon Bob

In modern society, men and women more and more are looking for “meaning.” They are increasingly conscious of their rights as human beings and look for more justice in human relations. To this, the Church responds with the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus, a Gospel which liberates the dignity of each human person from the changing social opinions and guarantees the freedom of humankind in a way no human law can do.

The moral principles underpinning faith in God and in Jesus Christ give stability and tranquillity to the social order and insures the prosperity of the State, for at the heart of any culture is a moral sense that in turn is rooted in and fulfilled by a religious sense.

The Church teaches that we humans have a very real hope of overcoming evil and attaining good. Thus there is the Christian hope that a truly better world can be attained. The immediate purpose of the Church’s social doctrine is the proposal of principles and values that can sustain a society worthy of the human person. Among these principles is solidarity. The primacy of love illuminates this principle and is the distinguishing characteristic of the Christian people.

Love must be present in every social relationship. It must thoroughly permeate it. It can be called “social charity” or “political charity.” It is the antithesis of egoism and individualism. In order to make society more worthy of the human person, love must be become a constant and the highest norm for all social activity.

Only love can transform the human person. Love is the greatest social commandment and it requires the practice of justice and inspires us to self-giving. One cannot love without taking into account its natural foundation which includes the practice of justice, even though human relationships cannot be governed solely on justice.

Love “makes one see in neighbor another self.” (St. John Chrysostom, Homilia De Perfecta Caritate)

For a more detailed discussion of this topic, please refer to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 575-583.

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Marriage: A “Man and Woman on the Street” Perspective

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Deacon Bob

I know I am inundating you with video clips in recent weeks, but they are so good that I can’t resist. Here is another excellent one on the upcoming constitutional amendment on marriage in Minnesota. Please vote “yes” this November. Remember, leaving it blank is the same as a “no” vote.

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Protest by Catholic Activists – The Hill’s Healthwatch

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Deacon Bob

I want to thank Deacon Greg Kandra over at the Deacon’s Bench for bringing this article to my attention. It comes “The Hill,” the political paper of record in Washington, D.C. Here is an excerpt:

Democrats want voters this year to focus on what they have branded a war on women, but the flip side of the debate — the so-called war on religion — is not going away anytime soon.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called for two weeks of public protest in June and July against what it sees as growing government encroachment on religious freedom.

The protests are expected to include priests and nuns and thousands of Catholic parishioners. Some activists expect civil disobedience, which could lead to powerful images of priests and nuns being led away in hand restraints.

“This is the most dynamic situation I’ve ever seen since I’ve been involved in Catholics and politics,” said Deal Hudson, president of Catholic Advocate…..”

You can read the entire article at the following link: Protest by Catholic activists may hamper Obama reelection bid – The Hill’s Healthwatch.

Let us be informed, and let us also defend our religious liberty, the right to practice our faith without government intrusion.

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Quote for the Day

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Deacon Bob

“It is faith that causes us to give what is good here and now in the hope of what is to come, and to exchange what we have for what will be ours in life to come.” – St. Fidelis, OFM Cap

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Seventh Anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s Election

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Deacon Bob

Last week in the midst of a lot of activity, I didn’t have time to post on the seventh anniversary of the Holy Father’s election to the See of Peter. Also last week, he celebrated his 85th birthday.

Here is a video clip of the first glimpse we had of him as Pope.

Happy Birthday, Papa Ratzinger!

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