tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72920111183230313482024-03-26T23:36:18.244-07:00ReasonRaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.comBlogger348125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-87995979579731073462024-01-15T01:30:00.000-08:002024-01-15T01:32:03.239-08:00 The Sanctity of Human Life<p><i>There are voices clamoring for the amendment of the 1987 Philippine Constitution that can overturn its pro-life and pro-family provisions, with a vision of "revolutionizing family structures, marriages and child-parent relationships." </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcro37swKs12jOjbMX0AmQoCpBl-mZpc6cUxeNXE3MMTwt-NLKhyphenhyphenO58vkzwJV7gWBUVOILqox2nMAM02LpnWcItg0JCDFySE4TRbfBxXrNDdlerceNKyMyVGTQSpK0GyK2kAyZA3HLDVLvE5rH5AGX_2V7wxyg2Ve_06StC0huciYMzvHAiaEXE_0qMfF/s800/weslife-infant-feet-in-hands-16x9-1-800x450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcro37swKs12jOjbMX0AmQoCpBl-mZpc6cUxeNXE3MMTwt-NLKhyphenhyphenO58vkzwJV7gWBUVOILqox2nMAM02LpnWcItg0JCDFySE4TRbfBxXrNDdlerceNKyMyVGTQSpK0GyK2kAyZA3HLDVLvE5rH5AGX_2V7wxyg2Ve_06StC0huciYMzvHAiaEXE_0qMfF/s320/weslife-infant-feet-in-hands-16x9-1-800x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>By Dr. Bernardo Villegas</b></p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Part 1</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Once more there are
voices clamoring for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution in the name of
dramatic and unprecedented economic, social, technological and political
changes occurring in recent times. Some
of the leaders in the House of Representatives are renewing calls to introduce
amendments to the current Constitution to adapt it to the dramatic changes in
both global and national developments over the last thirty years or so. In a Conference organized by the National
Historical Commission and the National Museum of the Philippines in tandem with
the 1971 Constitutional Convention entitled “Constitution Framing and
Nationhood Conference”, there is an
implicit move to introduce some important changes in the 1987 Constitution,
purportedly only focusing on the restrictive provisions against Foreign Direct
Investments. In the wording of the
announcements of the two-day conference scheduled for January 16 to 18, 2024, however, it is clear that the speakers will
have the freedom to discuss other provisions beyond the strictly economic
ones. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> There are very
suggestive references to “the shadow of disruptive changes” looming large: “The delicate equilibrium of our ecology is
under threat from global warming, climate change and pollution, jeopardizing
the very livability of our magnificent blue planet.” There is also the very meaningful reference
to the VUCA world: volatile, uncertain,
complex and ambiguous, calling for us to fully understand, moderate and embrace its complexities. Even more ominous is the reference to the
so-called brave new world which is leading every society to unchartered
territories such as the very morally controversial in vitro technology which
allows the creation of a three-parent superbaby: “By selecting the best embryo
carrying the biological parents’ DNA and correcting any genetic mutations
without destroying it, we stand at the cusp of revolutionizing family
structures, marriages and child-parent relationships.” The Conference
organizers could not have been more explicit in referring to issues which the
large majority of drafters of the Philippine Constitution of 1987 held sacred and subsequently ratified by 80
percent of those who participated in the
referendum.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> At the very beginning
of this discourse, let me already go for the jugular and ask the question “Is
in vitro fertilization (IVF) consistent
with the Constitution. First, let us
explain what is IVF? The basic principle
of IVF is the hormonal stimulation of female ovaries to create an optimum
number of follicles, from which eggs are subsequently obtained. The eggs thus removed are subsequently
fertilized in the embryological laboratory by the sperm of the partner. What is the intrinsic morality of this act? The
answer given on the basis of natural law (regardless of religion) is the IVF is
morally objectionable for a number of reasons:
the destruction of human embryos in the process of finding the “right”
one; the danger to women and newborn infants, and the replacement of the
marital act in procreation. Artificial insemination (which can ethically be
applied to animals), in vitro fertilization and surrogate motherhood are
immoral because they involve sexual acts among humans that are procreative, but
not unitive. IVF is morally
objectionable because it leads to the massive destruction of embryonic life, an
assault on the meaning of the conjugal act
and the treatment of the child as a product or commodity and not as a
gift. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Since the Philippine
Constitution clearly states that life begins at conception, the embryo already
has moral status as a human being.
Although this is also the traditional Christian view, it has already
become a constitutional mandate since its incorporation into the Declaration of
State Policies in the Philippine Constitution which provides that the State shall equally protect the life of the mother and the
life of the unborn from conception. Since life begins at conception according
to the Philippine Constitution, modern techniques used in assisted reproduction
like IVF, ET, surrogate mothers and embryo cryopreservation are all considered
unconstitutional. As long as that
provision remains in our Constitution,
the Philippine State must offer its protection to the human being
starting with its first seconds of existence.
The State (like the Catholic Church) considers the zygote as persons and
is against research on any type of human embryos.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> If the ending of the
life of an embryo outside the womb of the mother goes against the Philippine
Constitution, how much more would it be unconstitutional to abort a fully formed fetus after the female egg is
fertilized by the male sperm. An entire
Article on the Family (XIV), Section 2 of Article II (State Policies) clearly
declares: “The State recognizes the
sanctity of family life and shall protect the family as a basic autonomous
social institution. It shall equally
protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The natural and primary duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for
civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the
support of the Government.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> As a lesson to those
few in the Philippines who may want to amend the Constitution to allow abortion
in the future (once the amendment process begins, there is no telling what
provisions in the Constitution will be subject to questioning!), let me quote from
a famous American Bishop, Robert Baron, about what ending the life of an unborn
is in its most lurid and gory reality.
Before the recent healthy trend in a good number of States in the U.S.
to ban abortion, the Roe vs. Wade
decision to allow the killing of the fetus only at the very early stage of
gestation eventually led to the legitimization of the murder of a baby at
birth. In an article published in 2019 entitled
“Bishop Barron: Seeing abortion” taken from Catholic Voice, we read the following: “The legal protocols now in effect in New
York, Delaware, and a number of other states allowing for the butchering of a
child in the womb at any point in his or her nine-month gestation—and indeed,
on the clinic of hospital table, should the child by some miracle survive the
abortion—have sickened much of the country….”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> "Unplanned, the
story of Abby Johnson’s wrenching transition from director of a Planned
Parenthood clinic to vocal opponent of abortion, has proven to be surprisingly a popular film, despite its
rather grim theme and despite considerable institutional opposition….The film
opens with the event that proved decisive to Abby Johnson herself. As director and administrator of a Planned Parenthood
clinic, she was certainly aware of what was happening on the premises, but she
had rarely been involved in an actual abortion.
One afternoon, she was summoned to the operating room and asked to hold
the device that allowed the doctor to see the ultrasound image of the child in
the womb. As the physician went about
his work, Abby could clearly see the child resting comfortably and then
reacting violently as a suctioning device was inserted into the womb. To her horror, she then saw a tiny arm
sucked off, only to reappear, moments later as a bloody soup in a catheter next
to her. As she watched, unable to take
her eyes off of the horrific display, she saw the severely wounded baby
continuing to evade the device, until a leg disappeared, then another arm, and
finally the baby’s head. And again, the
remains of the living child surged like slush into the catheter.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Needless to say, Abby
Johnson resolved to dissociate herself forever from Planned Parenthood. The film, though gory it may be, made clear
that Abby had heard arguments against abortion all of her life, for her
parents and husband were ardently and
vocally pro-life, but she made the decision after she saw what it meant to end
the life of an unborn child. I hope that
Filipino society does not have to go through the stage of first allowing such
criminal murders of unborn babies before being once again converted to the pro-life cause upon
experiencing what Abby saw on the operating table. What
bothers me is that the organization Planned Parenthood is very active in the
Philippines in the so-called Reproductive Health movement. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Part 2</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> If the reader, like
the former Planned Parenthood Director
Abby Johnson, feels like vomiting after reading the piece-by-piece
killing of the baby being aborted in the account of Bishop Robert Baron, let me
say that such a horrible scene was never contemplated even by the most heartless
Americans when I was residing in the U.S. prior to the 1972 U.S. Supreme Court
Roe vs. Wade decision allowing the aborting of the fetus in case of rape and
limited to the first trimester of pregnancy.
Those who were vehemently against that decision already had enough
common sense to predict that sooner or later, once you disregard the right to
life of the fertilized ovum, there is no limit to what will be permitted in
infanticide sooner or later. Their
fears actually were confirmed by subsequent decisions of the courts that
progressively allowed abortion at later stages of gestation until a baby about to be delivered by the mother
could still be killed in such a horrible manner. That is why, whatever our religion or no
religion, Filipinos should never allow a constitutional amendment that will
remove the provision that “the State shall equally protect the mother and the
unborn.” We should defend that provision
literally with our lives if we don’t want to be a nation of murderers of
infants in the way the U.S. has become because of the Roe Vs. Wade decision. We should be wary about the presence of such
international organizations like Planned Parenthood, the UN Population
Commission and similar agencies pushing for what they euphemistically call
“responsible parenthood” or “reproductive health.” The worst kind of colonization in today’s
circumstances is what has been called “ideological colonization” that can be
surreptitiously introduced through so-called development aid programs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> As one of the framers
of the Philippine Constitution of 1987, I can authoritatively state that such a
basic law of the land was written with the strong assumption that there are
truths that are self-evident, that do not need to be supported by empirical
evidence, whether from the physical or social sciences. The sanctity of the family, the right to
life, the right to the pursuit of happiness, the right to private property, the
principle of subsidiarity, the principle of solidarity and the common good are
all part of human nature. These truths are instilled in the mind of every human
being, no matter how uneducated or illiterate.
They are part of what is commonly referred to as natural law.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> With very few
exceptions (the leftist members of the Constitutional Commission of 1986
appointed by former President Corazon Aquino), the overwhelming majority of
those who drafted the Constitution accepted the fact that there are truths that
are based on human nature. As fully
explained by one of the most brilliant constitutionalists, the current Palawan
Governor V. Dennis M. Socrates, in an article that appeared in the IBP Journal
(April-September 2011), the sanctity of family and life proceeds from the
natural-law thinking that is inherent to the Philippine Constitution of 1987.
Let me summarize his lucid explanations.
He boils down the controversy to the pro-life vs. pro-choice debate,
which in countries like the United States and practically all of Europe has
been resolved in favor of the pro-choice proponents. On one hand, according to Governor Socrates,
pro-life thinking holds that the right to life demands respect and protection
from pre-conception (marriage and the conjugal act) through birth and education (family life), to
its terminal stages (the aged and the dying).
The pro-choice proponents, however, take the opposite stand: they argue that human life—and corollarily,
the institutions of marriage and the family—may be subject to the free choices
of individuals. Pro-choice proponents
assert the licitness of divorce, contraception, abortion, and so on.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Governor Socrates
suggests focusing on the wording of the article mandating equal protection
to be given to the life of the mother and the life of the unborn. The article, as cited in the first of this
series, starts with “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life….” He is struck by the term “sanctity” which
ordinarily means holiness or union with God, thus articulating a
straightforward acknowledgment of the family as something directly related to
God the Creator. He then brings up the
issue of separation of Church and State.
Is it possible still to use “sanctity” in a secular, non-religious
sense. His answer is affirmative. Because men and women of reason, from diverse
cultures agree on the existence and providence of the Divine, it is possible to
discuss sanctity to some extent from a natural, human point of view, as in
natural-law thinking. Only by invoking
the existence of a natural law that applies to all human beings, regardless of
religious beliefs, can one understand the many declarations contained in the
Philippine Constitution of 1987 concerning the rights to life, liberty,
happiness, freedom, etc. etc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Natural-law thinking
understands human law, in the well-known definition of St. Thomas Aquinas as
“an ordinance of reason for the common good promulgated by one who is charged
with the community.” Natural law thinking
in jurisprudence teaches the existence of a set of norms (the natural moral
law) higher than the norms of the legal system
(human positive law) and to which these latter must conform. Thus, the legal system is a participation (by
society through political authority) in the natural moral law. The norms of the natural moral law derive
from the truths of unchanging human nature and are discernable, albeit with
difficulty, by human reason. Let me interject here a comment provoked by the
national consternation concerning the large number of illiterate Filipino youth
as evidenced by their very poor performance in international academic
achievement tests. As an Indian head of
an NGO providing illiterate people with employable skills quipped: “An illiterate person may not know how to
read or write; but he is not stupid.”
Indeed, numerous illiterate people from among the poorest of the poor in
our country can be taught many useful
technical skills that people with the highest academic degrees may never be
able to cultivate. In the same vein,
illiterate people still have the power of reasoning for them to understand the
difference between good and evil!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Governor Socrates
goes on to cite the truths that can be discerned even by illiterate
people. Among them are that man is essentially a spiritual soul
(the “form” or “formal cause”, which gives man the “act” of being man) in a
material body (the “matter” or “material cause” which gives man the capacity to
become man); that man comes into existence by a direct act of the Creator with
the cooperation of the parents—procreation—in the “marital act” and the rearing
and education of offspring (the “efficient cause”); and that human existence is
ordained towards the “end” of eternal happiness—union with God or sanctity—by
knowing, loving and serving his Creator ( the “final cause”). From the very beginning of human history,
even the most primitive people recognized, no matter how dimly,
the existence of a deity.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Because of the
natural law imprinted in every human being, human life is considered sacred or
“holy” because it directly belongs to God from beginning to end. In the same vein, the sanctity of the family
lies in the intimate relation to human life whose cradle is precisely the
family, the most basic unit of society and prior to the State. These are some
of the truths that are considered self-evident in the Philippine
Constitution. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>Part 3</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Except for a few (no
more than two or three who need not be identified), the original 50 members of
the Constitution Commission of 1986 adhered to the existence of a natural law
imprinted in the mind of every human being.
The overwhelming majority were not suffering from what has been called
the “dictatorship of moral relativism.” It was also far from our minds then to adhere
to what is now termed the “wok” culture that has infested many Western
societies. Starting with the legitimate
condemnation of racial discrimination in Black America, this “woke” culture has
now been transformed into a mindset that justifies the moral acceptance of all
sorts of evils such as same-sex acts, petty thefts, drug addictions, contempt for parental authority, etc. in the
name of non-discrimination. Although it was never brought to a vote, it was
assumed that most of us did not believe that truth is determined by the human
mind or that it is decided by majority. It was clear to us that there are
truths about the nature of human beings and human society that are based on
unchanging and absolute truths, regardless of time and space.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"> As
Governor Socrates explains in his article on “Natural-Law Thinking in the
Constitution” any philosophy of the legal system must, as a matter of course,
define ‘law” according to its ‘ultimate causes.’ To the school of Legal
Positivism, law is simply ‘the command of the sovereign’; to the Historical
School of Jurisprudence, law is to be
‘found (not made)’ in historical tradition; to the Sociological school, it is
simply the ‘balancing of social interests’ or ‘social engineering’’ and to the
‘Realist’ view of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., it is “what judges in
fact do.’ In contrast with these views,
the natural law thinking which is presupposed by the Philippine Constitution
can be defined, as St. Thomas Aquinas did, as “an ordinance of reason for the
common good promulgated by one who is charged with the community.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> The Declaration of
Principles and the Statement of Policies found in the Philippine Constitution
of 1987 cannot be understood without having recourse to the concept of natural
law. In formulating the various articles
under these headings, it was clear to the majority of us who framed the
Philippine Constitution that there exist a set of norms (the natural moral law)
higher than the norms of the legal system (human positive law) and to which
these latter must conform. Thus, the
entire legal system prevailing in any society is just a participation (by society through its political authority) in
the natural moral law. The norms of this
natural moral law derive from the truths of human nature and are discernible,
albeit with some difficulty, by human reason.
This fact had been demonstrated centuries ago by the Greek philosophers
like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle who by reason alone, independent of any
religious belief, arrived at the truths based on natural law. That is why, when we were drafting the
articles on the Declaration of Principles or State Policies, it did not occur
to anyone of us to present empirical evidence that every human being has the
right to life, liberty and happiness; that the family is the basic unit and
foundation of society; that the State
“shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from
conception.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> In fact, I was
personally involved in making sure that the very concept of the common good was
not defined in the Philippine Constitution the way it was in previous versions
of our basic law, following the jurisprudence of the American Constitution up
to the 1987 Philippine Constitution which referred to “general welfare”, instead of the common good. The general welfare
jurisprudence prevailing till then conceived of the common good as the
“greatest good for the greatest number” in society. Through a series of interpolations by a
defender of this prevailing jurisprudence, I was able to convince the majority
of the Commissioners that this pragmatic definition taken from U.S.
jurisprudence could lead in certain occasions to crimes against humanity.
The one who interpolated me was a distinguished Muslim lawyer who will
remain unnamed. He was very zealous in
defending “general welfare” jurisprudence because, according to him, if we
changed the definition, numerous lawyers would be disoriented precisely because
there was already an existing jurisprudence.
I refused to accept this shallow excuse and insisted on a different
definition of the common good that does not involve the “greatest good for the
greatest number” which allows moral or ethical truth to be determined by
majority rule.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Although I admitted
that most debatable issues in human discourse may be legitimately determined by
majority rule (e.g. form of government, election of political leaders, tax
legislation, etc.), there are moral issues that cannot be left to majority
voting. At that time (1986), the
Italians had a referendum in which the majority voted that it was permissible
for a mother to kill the baby in her womb. I asked, the interpolator if that majority vote justified
the killing even of one baby. He replied
that it was an irrelevant issue. I, then, gave other hypothetical examples
illustrating the danger of majority vote on ethical or moral issues. I told
the honorable lawyer to imagine that during the time of Hitler’s Germany there
was an equivalent of our polling institutions such as the Social Weather
Station. Suppose Hitler had a poll
conducted asking the Germans if it was legitimate to exterminate the Jews from
their midst. Since the majority of the
Germans were non-Jews, I asked the question that if the majority actually voted
to support Hitler in his persecution of the Jews, would that majority opinion
have justified the killing of even one Jew? Since even this hypothetical case did not
seem to move him to change his mind about the untenability of the majority vote
in some specific moral cases, I decided to go for the jugular. With all the finesse I could gather, I
reminded him that he and his fellow Muslims were a small minority in the
Philippine population. I reminded him
that we, the Christian majority do not always practise what we preach. I then postulated the possibility that we go
to a referendum and arrive at the horrible majority opinion that it was about
time we remove our Muslim brothers from the face of the earth. That finally convinced him to support my
motion to define the common good as a “social order in which every individual
is able to attain his or her fullest integral human development: economically,
politically, culturally, socially, morally and spiritually.” An alternative
definition, taken from the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church, is “the sum
total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or individuals,
to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> To complete this
discourse on the “Sanctity of Life” as protected by the Philippine
Constitution, let me quote extensively from a Letter to the Editor of the Inquirer by another legal luminary and
President of the Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines, Inc. Maria
Concepcion Noche: “Abortion is illegal
under any and all circumstances under the Philippine Constitution and
statutes. Abortion is not allowed even
when the life of the mother is in danger, and for that matter, even when the
life of the unborn is threatened. Under
the law, the life of the unborn and the life of the mother shall be equally
protected because they are equally valuable…In a conflict situation between the
life of the mother, the doctor is professionally and morally obliged to try to
save both lives because both are his patients.
However, he can act in favor of one (not necessarily the mother) when it
is medically impossible to save both, provided that no direct harm is intended
to the other. The intentional harm on
the life of either is never justified to bring about the “good” effect. If these principles are observed, the loss of
the life of either the mother or the unborn that may result is not intentional
and, therefore, unavoidable, and the doctor would not be guilty of abortion or murder. This is what you call the double-effect
principle which our Supreme Court has recognized.” For comments, my email address is
bernardo.villegas@uap.asia<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-22280951999084035202023-11-28T19:41:00.000-08:002023-12-04T03:33:55.191-08:00RETREAT GUIDE<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A one-page leaflet that can easily be reproduced and distributed. Download the PDF <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IHgYAmnYm2gh5afBgHCYZnUa9zWd1GJP/view?usp=sharing">here</a>.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaGnCJ7LhLcH_hlhraWEexVdQ6qRwSEPrLNb69AR5-2zuOZyfL0MAWkuA5RX3NIZm776wgr2GbaVMfo91xipJ8eOpVv12XfBJeDyrz0UEgr5jKJSutvQ4ExkPlPr71ARRHIabjea7MsJt2NM2V-w-GdJfW3a9x6HQfIbBHDIYSCuHMQ1w4OcKQEqwZ16Eh" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="283" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaGnCJ7LhLcH_hlhraWEexVdQ6qRwSEPrLNb69AR5-2zuOZyfL0MAWkuA5RX3NIZm776wgr2GbaVMfo91xipJ8eOpVv12XfBJeDyrz0UEgr5jKJSutvQ4ExkPlPr71ARRHIabjea7MsJt2NM2V-w-GdJfW3a9x6HQfIbBHDIYSCuHMQ1w4OcKQEqwZ16Eh" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WHAT IS A RETREAT?</span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5dc21af9-7fff-325e-af19-17ecc889cb38"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A retreat is an out-of-the-ordinary break we all need, like an annual medical check-up. We stop all activity </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to be alone with God</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, so we can calmly look at the single most important thing in our life: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Since he wants to be our close friend, we will be spending time in conversation with him, asking for his light and help to convert our life—to begin again to live our Christian life to the full and so attain the greatest possible happiness that it brings. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Listen to Jesus’ advice to busy Martha:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> “You are anxious and troubled about many things. But </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">only one thing is necessary</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">—loving Jesus: being with him and listening to him. He is the </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">only</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Master—not mammon!—that we serve. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH TO A RETREAT?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Do it as if it were your </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">first</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> retreat, your </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">last</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> retreat, and your </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">only</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> retreat. This means resolve to make it your </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">best</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> retreat. The Catechism teaches: “We live as we pray.” If you want to live the best life, then offer the best prayer during the retreat. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It is always good to</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> begin with the end in mind:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> the ultimate aim of a retreat is the same singular aim of all formation and Christian life: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to be one with Jesus through love. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WHAT HAPPENS DURING A RETREAT?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Since a retreat is basically a time of prayer and examination of conscience, the activities guide you to engage in a heart-to-heart talk with God our loving Father and with Jesus Christ, God made man—like us! For this, retreats are held in silence that allows us to easily relate with Jesus: to listen to him and speak with him. All the activities help you encounter God: both the organized common activities and the free time you spend alone with him in silence.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WHAT ARE THE COMMON ACTIVITIES?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Meditation. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Meditation is guided prayer. It is a traditional and widespread Catholic practice during which a priest reflects prayerfully on a Christian mystery to help you converse with Jesus Christ and examine your own life in his light.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Try to fix your eyes on Jesus who is alive and present in the Eucharist. Open your heart to him and show yourself as you are.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Spiritual Reading and Talk. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> This is led by a layman and covers different topics relevant to your life as an ordinary Christian: work, loving the world, family, social action, etc. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Holy Mass and Communion. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This Holy Sacrifice is the most important activity because it is the greatest prayer and the greatest source of graces we need. Why? Because the Mass </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">makes present</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> the one center of history that brings salvation: Jesus’ fiercely agonizing sacrifice on the cross. Respond to this infinite love of God—and to his words of love in the readings and prayers—with utmost attention and devotion.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Around ten minutes are allotted for Holy Communion: the most precious time with Jesus, our only Savior. If you are not ready, go to Confession as soon as possible, so you will live in grace (divine life) and so benefit much more from the retreat. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Visit to the Blessed Sacrament. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Given that Jesus visits us during Holy Communion, we in turn make a visit to our dear Friend. We pray the basic vocal prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be) and a Spiritual Communion, a desire to receive Jesus again.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Way of the Cross. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Since the center of Jesus’ life is his redeeming suffering, it is ours too: we recall his love and passion often. St. Josemaria advised: Enter the event and feel each one of the pains Jesus felt due to our sins.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlGNgGUefPI1PGiodUCfKXBQz6YpoM9MwoNTyyIjkH28BzyEFGBfV5upFifpsmRO3eK9X4frpk0Bh46Qvt43jrpLR0VwJDKt9FvEnKVHcXdd_11BvQeHIVpdKOl4Uy4DyU5TsHHPMr_lsaM0w04YO2krGbaqwhrY3jmPY4jfAyUZ3K49NdtOS13-JSXTP1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlGNgGUefPI1PGiodUCfKXBQz6YpoM9MwoNTyyIjkH28BzyEFGBfV5upFifpsmRO3eK9X4frpk0Bh46Qvt43jrpLR0VwJDKt9FvEnKVHcXdd_11BvQeHIVpdKOl4Uy4DyU5TsHHPMr_lsaM0w04YO2krGbaqwhrY3jmPY4jfAyUZ3K49NdtOS13-JSXTP1" width="320" /></a></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Holy Rosary and Angelus.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> St. Josemaria teaches: “To Jesus we always go, and to him we always return, through Mary.” Our mother Mary is “the shortcut to Jesus.”</span></span></span><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">During these prayers, we stay close to Mary like her little children </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to get to know Jesus best</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Contemplate how God behaves as Love, and his Mother, too: joyfully accepting God’s will; detachment from things; offering our family; fidelity to one’s calling; zeal to evangelize; effort to pray; humble service; total self-giving; persevering to the end; victorious obedience; and great joy.</span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Examination of Conscience. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A series of questions are read to help you look at key aspects of your life. It is a time to be brave and honest with God, and also with yourself. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The truth shall set you free,</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Jesus assures us. He also urges:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Repent, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and you will make the whole of heaven—and yourself—very happy. Trust in God's limitless Mercy, be sorry and decide to begin anew. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">WHAT DO I DO DURING THE BREAKS?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Confession. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Since</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">a retreat is all about a new conversion and spiritual healing, receive God's mercy and grace in the Sacrament of Mercy. Prepare for it <i>thoroughly</i>, using Confession guides.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Prayerful reading of spiritual books</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Choose well the readings that can help you know God more and inspire you to talk with Jesus. Don’t just read for information, learn to love God with all your heart, and serve others with deeds.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM9hUJM9iD37xPAF8Nn2pBS1JjWRIfMJqHjz7GObUinTZYa2KqW61Bh2Cz1YAiiCbh7tQo25iup4c9BFq9JC1Z0KgR7btnWjVT31v_WM_rr-tLLOcaUADkiex6Y-HOnpbOo8Zsd56faHv9K08p49dmTjVyXsmSAbSxAYbps1BnFshjDyCpqbuel4E9Rvfj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM9hUJM9iD37xPAF8Nn2pBS1JjWRIfMJqHjz7GObUinTZYa2KqW61Bh2Cz1YAiiCbh7tQo25iup4c9BFq9JC1Z0KgR7btnWjVT31v_WM_rr-tLLOcaUADkiex6Y-HOnpbOo8Zsd56faHv9K08p49dmTjVyXsmSAbSxAYbps1BnFshjDyCpqbuel4E9Rvfj" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: Filip Chudoba in <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fchperformance/27941189104">Flickr</a></span></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Personal prayer. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">retreat is</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">a privileged time to learn to </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“pray always”</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> as Jesus commanded. Prayer is raising our hearts to God. Use your own words to talk with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And use the three “major” ways of prayer: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">vocal prayer</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">meditation</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (reflecting on the mysteries of Christ), and </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">contemplation</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (a loving gaze at Jesus and his infinite love for you; a mutual look that transforms us deeply). The best place for prayer is being near Jesus in the Eucharist.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Spiritual direction with the priest and layperson.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> We all need guidance, so we open up about our key struggles and identify two or three resolutions to forge ahead in following Christ. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By Parents for Education Foundation (PAREF) and Dr. Raul Nidoy, author of <b>Jesus-Centered: Guide to the Happiest Life</b>, a guide to prayer centered on Christ, highly recommended by scholars such as Dr. Scott Hahn Fr. Mariano Fazio, Dr. Bernie Villegas, Dr. Jesus Estanislao, Hal Urban, Dr. Andrew Mullins, Fr. John Portavella, etc. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dr. Thomas Lickona: “I know of no richer resource for growing in prayer at any age than <b>Jesus-Centered</b>.”</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Scott Hahn: <i>"This book is life-changing and world-changing...Start praying this book today."</i> Available online <a href="https://jesus-centeredlife.org/product/jesus-centered-guide-to-the-happiest-life-december-082020/">here</a> at the Jesus-Centered Life website. URL: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/2deypauw">https://tinyurl.com/2deypauw</a></span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-64794055506099589462023-09-15T03:01:00.006-07:002024-03-26T19:55:09.934-07:00Nothing to fear: new law on personal prelatures includes the laity as the old law does <p>Is there a possibility that lay members of Opus Dei might no longer be included within the prelature? </p><p>In my opinion, there is nothing to fear that this will happen due to the new legislation, since <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann208-329_en.html#:~:text=different%20social%20groups.-,Can.,of%20service%20to%20the%20prelature.">the old canon</a> which mentions the inclusion of the laity in the prelature is kept in <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-church-law-personal-prelatures.html">the new one</a> as is. </p><p>The new canon only adds a reminder that the place where a member lives determines his or her Ordinary (or bishop), but the essence of the old stipulation<span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px;">—</span>even its wording<span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px;">—</span>is totally intact within the new law. The new canon says, as the old canon does: <i>"the laity can dedicate themselves to the apostolic works of the personal prelature; but the manner of this organic cooperation and the main duties and rights connected with it, shall be determined appropriately in the statutes." </i></p><p>And so the key to the type of lay inclusion is the statutes. This is why the prelate is asking for prayers for the work of revising them while at the same time serenely obeying the legal changes and asking Opus Dei people to unite with this obedience. </p><p>The serene, unqualified acceptance by the government of Opus Dei is a sign that the figure of the personal prelature continues to fit the reality of Opus Dei. </p><p>For many decades, Opus Dei peacefully and happily embraced the legal canons establishing personal prelatures, considering it as its "definitive configuration", since this ensured that the laity were equally members as the clerics. As I have shown, the new canons continue to stipulate lay inclusion in terms of "organic cooperation" as the old canon did, suiting itself thus to Opus Dei's nature. This means, like before, the lay members continue to be essential to the entire organism of the prelature, and are not mere external helpers. The clergy and laity are interdependent components of the organic whole: no clergy without laity, and no laity without a clergy. </p><p>In <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2023/08/opus-dei-is-similar-and-thus-different.html">previous post, I clarified that the key word "similar" is defined in the dictionary as "resembling without being identical"</a>, and therefore implies that Opus Dei is <b><i>really different</i></b> from clerical associations:</p><p>1. The <b>resemblance </b>of personal prelatures to "clerical associations of pontifical right with capacity to incardinate priests" lies only in the latter part: pontifical right with capacity to incardinate priests. </p><p>2. The <b>difference</b>, aside from the canon on lay inclusion, is that a personal prelature is, by its very name, a hierarchical reality, established by church authority, while associations are established by its members. </p><p>Lastly, there should be no fear that personal prelatures are under the Dicastery for the Clergy, because the head of Opus Dei must be a cleric (not a bishop), since its founder, St. Josemaria, became a cleric (not a bishop) in order to dispose himself to receive the Opus Dei charism as its founder and become its head. And if we are to add the insight of Joseph Ratzinger: priestly hierarchy in its original sense essentially means being a sacred principle, a channel by which the lay people can receive God's graces. Because Opus Dei is a work of God and not of men, then this connection with the clergy, the channels of grace, to bolster Christian life in the middle of the world further emphasizes this divine aspect of its charism. </p><p>I think the word "similar" has upset so many people, but it is crucial to understand (a) its true meaning<i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span></i>the word implies difference, even radical difference!<i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span></i>and (b) the specific points for comparison that similarity implies, so as to comprehend the intent of the Vatican, and keep the serenity that the Prelate of Opus Dei keeps. </p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-27503372189477539472023-09-04T01:31:00.001-07:002023-09-04T01:31:37.326-07:00Family Catechesis: What can families do to teach the Catholic faith to their children<br />
First, follow the directives given by Pope John Paul II in Catechesi Tradendae, the most fundamental papal document on catechesis. I have added some headings to facilitate reading of the text:<br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span></span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1. SPECIAL CHARACTER. The <span class="il">family</span>'s
<span class="il">catechetical</span> activity has a special character, which is in a sense
irreplaceable. This special character has been rightly stressed by the Church,
particularly by the Second Vatican Council. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2. THROUGH PERSONAL WITNESS. Education
in the faith by parents, which should begin from the children's tenderest age,
is already being given when the members of a <span class="il">family</span> <i>help each other to grow in faith through the witness of their Christian
lives</i><b>,</b> a witness that is often without words but which perseveres
throughout a day-to-day life lived in accordance with the Gospel. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3. EXPLANATION OF <span class="il">FAMILY</span> EVENTS. This
<span class="il">catechesis</span> is more incisive when, in the course of <span class="il">family</span> events (such as the
reception of the sacraments, the celebration of great liturgical feasts, the
birth of a child, a bereavement) <i>care is
taken to explain in the home the Christian or religious content of these
events.</i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4. REPEAT THE METHODICAL
TEACHING GIVEN IN CHURCH AND SCHOOL. But that is not enough: Christian <i>parents must strive to follow and repeat, within the setting of <span class="il">family</span>
life, the more methodical teaching received elsewhere.</i> The fact that these
truths about the main questions of faith and Christian living are thus repeated
within a <span class="il">family</span> setting <i>impregnated with
love</i> and respect will often make it possible to <i>influence the children in a decisive way for life.</i> The <i>parents themselves profit </i>from the
effort that this demands of them, for in a <span class="il">catechetical</span> dialogue of this sort
each individual both receives and gives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5. KEY IMPORTANCE OF <span class="il">FAMILY</span>
<span class="il">CATECHESIS</span>. <span class="il">Family</span> <span class="il">catechesis</span> therefore precedes, accompanies and enriches all
other forms of <span class="il">catechesis</span>. Furthermore, in places where anti- religious
legislation endeavors even to prevent education in the faith, and in places
where widespread unbelief or invasive secularism makes real religious growth
practically impossible,<b><i> </i></b><i>"the church
of the home" remains the one place where children and young people can
receive an authentic <span class="il">catechesis</span>. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">6. HELPING PARENTS IN <span class="il">FAMILY</span> <span class="il">CATECHESIS</span>
IS PRICELESS. Thus<i> there cannot be too great an </i><i>effort on the part of Christian parents to prepare for this ministry</i><b> </b>of
being their own children's catechists and to carry it out with tireless zeal.
Encouragement must also be given to the individuals or institutions that,
through person-to-person contacts, through meetings, and through all kinds of
pedagogical means, <i><b>help parents to
perform their task:</b></i> The service they are doing to <span class="il">catechesis</span> is <i><b><span class="il">beyond</span> <span class="il">price</span>.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">To help parents to perform no. 5, to repeat and discuss the methodical teaching in the Church, here are sites where parents can find materials that discuss the Scriptural readings of the day. <b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Readings of the Day</span></div>
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<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.ewtn.com/daily-readings/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">EWTN Daily Mass Readings</span></a></div>
</li>
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<a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/index.cfm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">USCCB Today’s Readings</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflections and Homilies on the Readings</span></div>
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<a href="http://ipraywiththegospel.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">iPraywiththeGospel</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.mycatholic.life/daily-reflections" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">My Catholic Life's Catholic Daily Reflections</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://evangeli.net/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Evangeli.net</span></a></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://stpaulcenter.com/reflections" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Scott Hahn's Sunday Bible Reflection</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Word on Fire – Homilies of Bishop Robert Barron</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b> </b> </span></div>
The rationale behind these resources are explained in these two articles: <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2016/09/resources-for-praying-with-scripture-of_70.html"><b>Resources for Praying the Scripture of the Day</b></a> and <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2014/11/meditating-on-bible_22.html">Meditating on the Bible</a>. <br />
<br />
Parents can also use the Vatican's listing of Catechism points that are relevant to the Sunday liturgical readings: <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2016/07/sunday-liturgical-readings-and.html"><b>Sunday Liturgical Readings and Catechism Doctrine</b></a>.<br />
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Since personal witness is important, according to the Popes, a key to Family Catechesis is Family Prayer, which is explained and taught in Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-3037663917515088412023-08-23T22:52:00.018-07:002024-03-26T19:19:45.192-07:00Opus Dei is similar to, and thus different from, clerical associations of pontifical right <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZLNNzjnt-OFMbDNhQU4MKP1DPZTlm3EQyvVfeZJjLMULpV_HCL_9YvGvcsG5hAOvsPiyZ6VVaEjpkZiASHk-aCTIkzLfaplzJVrQE2Xsp0FyYFHiFvXKIVxTBRL6h00zk6z_bi3nfq43cFrgMfEHyVL6PdCfJ5r-6K8rtFtwa4vMf-TrtknupeZQ19ZV/s800/800px-Opus_Dei_cross.svg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZLNNzjnt-OFMbDNhQU4MKP1DPZTlm3EQyvVfeZJjLMULpV_HCL_9YvGvcsG5hAOvsPiyZ6VVaEjpkZiASHk-aCTIkzLfaplzJVrQE2Xsp0FyYFHiFvXKIVxTBRL6h00zk6z_bi3nfq43cFrgMfEHyVL6PdCfJ5r-6K8rtFtwa4vMf-TrtknupeZQ19ZV/s320/800px-Opus_Dei_cross.svg.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />A <a href="https://www.exaudi.org/es/la-reforma-de-las-prelaturas-personales-y-el-opus-dei/">recent article</a> did an excellent service of clarifying the decree of Pope Francis in which he made personal prelatures, such as Opus Dei, "similar to public clerical associations of pontifical right with the right to incardinate clergy". <p></p><p>Written by a professor at the University of Navarre, the article points out:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To assimilate [to make similar] in law is not to identify, but to search for a primum analogatum, a primary concept that serves as a reference for whoever interprets and applies the law. </li><li>A biological child and an adoptive child can and should be assimilated, for legal purposes, but they are not identifiable. Assimilation is a legislative technique that avoids unnecessary repetition, facilitates interpretation, and allows for the orderly development of nascent institutions.</li><li>To say that the prelatures can be assimilated to certain clerical associations shows, in the end, that they are not constitutively clerical associations, but rather something else. </li></ul><div>Some people have criticized this article and continue to complain about the assimilation.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are my thoughts about this issue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Similarity implies difference, because it is not identification. <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=similar&rlz=1C1CHBF_enPH921PH921&oq=similar&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRg7MgYIAhBFGDsyBggDEEUYO9IBBzg0NmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8">Google the word "similar"</a> and you will get this definition from Oxford Languages: "resembling without being identical." Similar means some things are the same, and some things are different. </div><div><br /></div><div>The similarity in the decree is at the level of legal frameworks (the externals, the “shirt”) which does not determine the nature of the things inside. To use the analogy of the article, a biological child can have a "shirt" similar to his adoptive sibling's. They have totally different genetic codes, but they are treated in a similar way at the level of the law, from the point of view of the legislator or organizer. And here, remember “similar” implies difference. </div><p></p><div><div>Take note of the actual words of the Motu Proprio: “similar to public clerical associations of pontifical law with the ability to incardinate clerics”. The latter part is not always emphasized in commentaries but the legal similarity points to this aspect. (St. Josemaria said that clerics are necessary for Opus Dei because of "the sacramental wall", the laity cannot give grace to themselves.) </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The differences are:</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>1) The canon on the organic cooperation of the laity:</b> “the laity can dedicate themselves to the apostolic works of the personal prelature” with “organic cooperation.” This canon is not there for public clerical associations.</div><div><br /></div><div>What does organic cooperation mean? This means the cooperation of the laity is not of an external or auxiliary nature, but they carry out the mission as members of the body or organism of the prelature. The Statutes of each prelature define the precise manner of this cooperation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Both the priests and the laity form an organic whole, each one being an essential component and giving an essential contribution to the mission of the prelature. The priest and laity presuppose each other and complement each other. They are united by the same vocation under one governance. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>2) The name and nature of the two things that are made similar:</b> prelature vs association. A prelature is established<span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">—</span>"erected" in ecclesiastical terms<span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">—</span>by the Holy See. It comes from the top, while "association" comes from the ground. </div><div><br /></div><div>A prelature has a hierarchical nature, while an association does not have this nature. </div><div><br /></div><div>Legal frameworks and classifications will evolve, but among the many possibilities, the Pope has chosen a specific legal understanding for the Work today. I think the key is to put ourselves in the shoes of the organizer who is in charge of many organizations in the Church, and also know that they have in fact collaborated with expert Opus Dei canonists, and some like this one in the article, fully support its rationale. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>The Prelate of Opus Dei has in fact <a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/letter-from-the-prelate-on-the-motu-proprio-regarding-personal-prelatures/">asked</a> all the people of Opus Dei "that we all remain closely united" in his "sincere filial obedience" to the "provisions of the Holy Father." "Since the Work belongs to both God and the Church, the Holy Spirit is guiding us at all times." </div><div><br /></div><div>This reaction is in accord with St. Josemaria's faith in the Church, a faith we recite in the Creed whenever we go to Mass on Sundays and pray the Rosary: <i>I believe in the Catholic Church.</i> Faith, he teaches, is a serious word that we cannot say lightly. Faith means "absolute trust in God and total surrender of our lives to God" which we apply here to the mystery of the Church of God. </div><div><br /></div><div>Related articles: </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2023/08/st-josemaria-on-never-doubting-church.html">St. Josemaria on never doubting the Church: filial trust and joy over news in the Church</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/07/motu-propio-ad-charisma-tuendum-some.html">Motu proprio "Ad charisma tuendum": Some reflections</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p><div><br /></div><div> </div><p></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-78011326252147177652023-08-09T19:54:00.009-07:002023-08-09T22:41:05.147-07:00St. Josemaria on never doubting the Church: filial trust and joy over news from the Church<p> <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2021/11/29/VM291121092710_0024.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://www.vaticannews.va/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2021/11/29/VM291121092710_0024.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Pope Francis recently <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-church-law-personal-prelatures.html#:~:text=The%20personal%20prelature%2C%20which%20is,the%20right%20to%20erect%20a">made changes</a> to church law on personal prelatures that affect Opus Dei, provoking all sorts of reactions on the web. </p><p>Opus Dei itself reacted by <a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/motu-proprio-regarding-personal-prelatures/">saying</a> that it will study the changes "in a spirit of communion with the Holy Father." </p><p>This reaction is in accord with the teachings of St. Josemaria, its founder. In one of his letters, recently <a href="https://scepterpublishers.org/products/copy-of-st-josemaria-escriva-the-collected-letters-volume-2">published</a> by Scepter, St. Josemaria writes: </p><p><br />"You know how the Ordinaries of the dioceses in which we work, generally understand us and love us; and - whatever juridical form the Work may eventually have - the Church, which is our Mother, will respect the way of being of her children, because she knows that, with it, we only intend to serve her and to please God.</p><p>This is the reason why we do not admit, about the Church, neither a doubt nor a suspicion: nor do we tolerate it, in others, without protest. We do not look for the vulnerable sides of the Church - because of the action of men in Her - to criticize her, as some who do not seem to have faith or love are wont to do. I cannot conceive that one can love one's mother and speak of her with detachment.</p><p>And we will never be sufficiently satisfied with our work, no matter how many services, with the grace of God, we render to the Church and to the Pope, because love will demand more of us every day, and our labors will always seem modest, because the time at our disposal is short: <i>tempus breve est</i> (1 Cor 7:29). </p><p>Together with selfless love, we must have great confidence: I am sure that confidence will grow in your souls, with God's help, in spite of the misunderstandings that the Lord will allow, which, I insist, will never be misunderstandings of the Church.</p><p>In this spirit of filial trust, we will always receive with joy and happiness any news that comes to us from the Bride of Jesus Christ, even when it may be painful or may seem so in the eyes of people outside the Work, since we know that nothing bad can come to us from the Church: <i>diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum </i>(Rom 8:28); for those who love God, all things work together for good. </p><p>And I dare to assure you that this joy of ours, no matter what happens, will not fail to cause astonishment and surprise, and above all edification, in those who without reason, because there can be none, expect a different reaction from us". (Letter n. 8 of St. Josemaria, 53 y 54, 1943)</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Relevant articles:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/07/motu-propio-ad-charisma-tuendum-some.html">Motu proprio "Ad charisma tuendum": Some reflections</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://omnesmag.com/en/newsroom/what-has-changed-in-personal-prelatures/">What has changed in personal prelatures</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://wherepeteris.com/opus-dei-and-german-way-the-meaning-of-filial-obedience/">Opus Dei and the German Way: the meaning of filial obedience</a></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-75083770006563219622023-05-17T00:45:00.000-07:002023-05-17T00:45:10.088-07:00Bp Barron on What Makes a Catholic University <p><i> Some notes from Bp Barron's talk at the Notre Dame University on What Makes a Catholic University which you can find here on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiP72JDygXs ">YouTube</a>: </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A Catholic university is where Jesus Christ holds the central,
integrating and organizing place among all the circles of influence and
activities of the university. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Where the relationship of Christ, the Logos,
with all the academic disciplines is celebrated and explored with enthusiasm <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->But this not theological imperialism – where theology
pushes out the disciplines from their place <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->God makes luminous and beautiful and opens up
the depth dimension of all the academic disciplines. Because God is noncompetitive
transcendence. God is everywhere, sustaining all things, most intimately so. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo5; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Applied to disciplines: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Math<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Origin of our idea of the eternal is found in
mathematics (B Russel). When we grasp a mathematical concept (e.g. circle), we
have stepped out of our world, because it is true everywhere, at any time, i.e.
eternally. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Math introduces us to a properly invisible
world. It touches the absolutely, pure intelligibility of God. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Science<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->All the sciences assume intelligible patterns
that the mind can know<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Einstein – the most incomprehensible thing of
the universe is its comprehensibility. We can understand it only because it was
created by an Intelligence, like a Mathematician. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->History <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Modern secularity thinks that the center of
history is 17<sup>th</sup> century enlightenment that has escaped from the obscurantism
of medieval faith. There is also the Marxist and Hegelian interpretation. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Christianity believes the center of history is
death and rising of Christ. Christ is the real king in history. This is the Christian
interpretation of history<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Literature <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->all literature points to a hunger or thirst for
God, properly or improperly directed<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Flannery O’Connor – story of man is wrestling
with this. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Law<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Modernity is shaped by lawyers; modern society
tends to be litigious <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->But law in reality opens up to morality and
morality opens up to religion <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Aquinas – positive law rests on natural moral
law<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">JPII
– universities emerged ex corde ecclesiae, from the heart of the Church. Tragedy
of our time has forgotten this. The more we recover this idea, the more the university
is more authentically itself. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><b>Q
and A</b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">What
are concrete steps to enrich Catholic identity? </i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> More integration of theology and disciplines.
Theology professors discussing with academic disciplines.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>How to balance being Catholic voice and being
open to all perspectives? A</i> Catholic is not open to atheism and communism.
We argue against it. Openness is overrated. If you are open to all perspectives,
your brain falls out. Your mind is meant to clamp down on something nourishing.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>What is the Catholic approach to inclusivity
of LGBTQ?</i> I prefer the term justice and love rather than inclusivity, which
is psychologizing and relative term. But we are supposed to be just and to love
all the time. Diversity and inclusivity are not absolute values. Not all student
applicants were admitted in your school, but you were still just. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>What does the Church give?</i> Everything.
The mental health issues, anxiety, internet negativity shows the hunger for God.
People are going to the wrong place to seek satisfaction. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>What is the greatest challenge for young
adults today?</i> Finding your mission. Balthazar – you don’t know who you are until
you’ve found your mission. Every Catholic school and every Catholic is supposed
to evangelize. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Role of religious groups that organize
universities or schools.</i> It is your school, give it your heart and soul.
Seize the day!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>Academic freedom and Catholic identity.</i>
Church is not an external aggressor against academic freedom. This is a faulty
modern understanding of freedom. John Paul II – there is harmony of freedom and
truth. Modernity – freedom is self-creation; no one tells me what to do, I invent
things. But I am only free to speak English because I have internalized the true
rules of English. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><i>How to discern your vocation?</i> Use
Galatians 5. What path makes you more peaceful? <o:p></o:p></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-41044817612077779092023-03-16T22:36:00.011-07:002023-03-18T02:34:49.228-07:00Top six basic and classic spiritual reading books you can read for free on the web<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQQJGL0OssvaGrDl6GHG9aHGMXLoKLuG5PL15Bes2AmTThgmDxQGEOxjUccGW_LsN5NaA85SxZUWYsgMS7-wzsjSEMry6xTXHX_tx1TXh8fInli8YAz0RnQkT8hKdMZ4eswhnjtVLDcaEEsJbLKK7pjcNVquW13gif1w32i5vmmgZXk6uU7H6b81gaw/s910/read-girl-reading-learn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="910" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQQJGL0OssvaGrDl6GHG9aHGMXLoKLuG5PL15Bes2AmTThgmDxQGEOxjUccGW_LsN5NaA85SxZUWYsgMS7-wzsjSEMry6xTXHX_tx1TXh8fInli8YAz0RnQkT8hKdMZ4eswhnjtVLDcaEEsJbLKK7pjcNVquW13gif1w32i5vmmgZXk6uU7H6b81gaw/s320/read-girl-reading-learn.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br />“Help yourself during this troubled period by reading holy books,”</i> teaches Padre Pio. <i>“This reading provides excellent food for the soul and leads to great progress.”</i><p></p><p><i>"Reading," </i>says St. Josemaria,<i> "has made many saints." </i>He recommended that you take time for spiritual reading for about for 10 to 15 minutes each day. </p><p>Those precious moments are one of your most excellent investments of time for the single most important thing in your life: your relationship with your Creator, Ultimate End and Greatest Lover. </p><p>Here are the top basic and classic spiritual reading books you can read for free on the internet:</p><p><b>1. <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=9627">Walking with God by Kilian Healy. </a></b> A friend who is an expert in guiding young people says that this is one of the most basic spiritual reading books everyone should start with. It is written in everyday language. In fact, it starts by telling the story of a train ride and the author's conversation with a young man. Read it <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=9627">here</a>. </p><p><b>2. <a href="file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Dom-Eugene-Boylan-This-Tremendous-Lover.pdf">This Tremendous Lover by Eugene Boylan.</a></b> A spiritual classic. Some comments from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Tremendous-Lover-Beloved-Spiritual/dp/096759782X">reviewers</a>: "I can't recommend this book enough to any Christian desiring to explore or deepen their faith." "One of the finest books ever written on the aspect of our Loving Redeemer. Can't read this without coming away with a deeper love of God." Download the book in PDF <a href="file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/Dom-Eugene-Boylan-This-Tremendous-Lover.pdf">here</a>. </p><p><b>3.</b> <b><a href="http://www.catholictreasury.info/books/devout_life/index.php">Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales.</a> </b>Written by a Doctor of the Church, this book has been <a href="https://www.catholicity.com/devoutlife/">called </a>“the most popular Catholic self-help bok of all time.” Recently, in his <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/20221228-totum-amoris-est.html#_ftnref35">Letter on St. Francis de Sales</a>, Pope Francis quoted from it several times, pointing to its"valuable lesson." All of us, Pope Francis stressed, including those who "live in the midst of the secular city," is called to holiness. Read it <a href="http://www.catholictreasury.info/books/devout_life/index.php">here</a>. </p><p><b>4.</b> <b><a href="https://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way.htm">The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva.</a></b> A book for the modern layman, <i>the Way</i> has been called by the official Vatican newspaper as "more than a masterpiece." St. Josemaria "has written straight from the heart." The website <a href="http://escrivaworks.org">escrivaworks.org</a> states: "One of the main attractions of the book is its direct, conversational style," for it is "based on real, living experience" of guiding people. It is a book for meditation that you can use <a href="https://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way.htm">here</a>. </p><p><b>5.</b> <b><a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://where-you-are.net/ebooks/the-soul-of-the-apostolate-chautard-jean-baptiste_4736.pdf">Soul of the Apostolate by Dom Chautard.</a> </b>A book highly recommended by St. Pius X, who made it his bedside book. He said that he "can offer no better guide" for people who want to have a fruitful apostolate. Read the PDF copy <a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://where-you-are.net/ebooks/the-soul-of-the-apostolate-chautard-jean-baptiste_4736.pdf">here</a>. </p><p><b>6.</b> <b><a href="https://www.ecatholic2000.com/montfort/true/devotion.shtml#__RefHeading___Toc332751717">True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort.</a></b> Once you open this book, the first thing you will see is the list of Popes giving this book high acclaim. St. John Paul the Great said: “The reading of this book was a decisive turning point in my life...This ‘perfect devotion’ is indispensable to anyone who means to give himself without reserve to Christ and to the work of redemption...how often I had to reread it to understand it.” Read it <a href="https://www.ecatholic2000.com/montfort/true/devotion.shtml#__RefHeading___Toc332751717">here</a>.</p><p>Photo from <a href="https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-epohy">pxfuel</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-72476471533700636282023-03-06T19:27:00.008-08:002023-03-07T16:51:04.684-08:00Philippines is becoming less Catholic percentagewise. Other Christian and religious affiliations have grown fast <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Filipino_Christian_Church.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="800" height="445" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Filipino_Christian_Church.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br />According to the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7292011118323031348/7247647153370063628#">recently released government statistics</a>, the Philippines is becoming less and less Catholic compared to the entire population. <p></p><p>In <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7292011118323031348/7247647153370063628#">1990</a>, Catholics were 82.9%, and by 2020 we were down to 78.8%. Surely the downward trend is continuing until we wake up.</p><p>Moslems have grown from 4.6% to 6.4%, mainly because of their large families, something that the Catholic Catechism and the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7292011118323031348/7247647153370063628#">Popes </a>have been saying as something that God wants and science has seen as "key to the happiness": </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>“Sacred Scripture and the Church's traditional practice see in large families a sign of God's blessing and the parents' generosity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2373)</li><li>A five-year study <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3233796/The-key-happy-family-Having-FOUR-children-Parents-larger-broods-happier-satisfied-lives.html">found </a>that the parents of large families are "the most satisfied of all"--there is more joy going around, and the children have a greater sense of responsibility and receive more inputs. </li></ul><div>But the biggest growth goes to the Protestant, evangelical and other religious affiliations. </div><div><br /></div><div>While Protestants comprised only 5.4% in 1990, they now form 10.7% together with "Other religious affiliations" that do not fall under the category of Catholic, Moslem, Iglesia ni Cristo, Aglipay nor Iglesia Filipina Independiente. The 2020 Census does not call them Protestant unlike in 1990, but I suppose, knowing Filipinos, these other religious affiliations have something Christian and evangelical in them.</div><div><br /></div><div>That is why I copy here the message I sent out last month, as a reaction to an article, <i><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/10-reasons-why-catholics-don-t-evangelize">10 Reasons Why Catholics Don’t Evangelize</a>: </i></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Only 3% of Catholics said that evangelizing is important compared to 85% of Evangelicals! In PH, Protestants are growing very fast! Priests, teachers, lay leaders, parents here in PH have to speak much more about<b> <i>the great importance and urgency for Catholics to evangelize</i></b>: to bring the people around them to love Christ and truly live a holy, actively evangelizing life. Pope Francis stresses: <i>"Every Christian is called to be a missionary and witness to Christ."</i> Jesus' last words: <b>"Make disciples of all nations."</b> We cannot be complacent! </div><p></p></blockquote><p>The time to wake up is now. </p><p style="text-align: center;">*** </p><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; text-align: center;">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Religion<o:p></o:p></b></p>
</td>
<td colspan="2" style="border-left: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 158.95pt;" valign="top" width="212">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Percentage of
population</b><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 155.8pt;" valign="top" width="208">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 77.95pt;" valign="top" width="104">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">1990<o:p></o:p></p>
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<td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-left: none; border-right: 1pt solid windowtext; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 81pt;" valign="top" width="108">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">2020<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
</tr>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Roman
Catholics<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">82.9 <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">78.8<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Islam<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">4.6<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">6.4<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Iglesia ni
Cristo<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">2.6<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">2.6<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Aglipay/Iglesia
Filipina Independiente<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">2.3<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">1.4 (.8+.6)<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Protestants/Christian
Groups/Other Religious Affiliations<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">5.4<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">10.7</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Other religious affiliations (8.2), Seventh Day Adventist (.8), Bible Baptist (.5), UCCP (.4), Jehovah's Witness (.4), Church of Christ (.4) </span></p>
</td>
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</tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: left;">I encourage you to send this article out to Catholics so they love their religion and encourage other Catholics to continue living it and help non-Catholics understand how they can find the fullness of the faith in the real, living Jesus: <a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2013/12/ten-reasons-catholic-church-is-one-true_23.html">Ten Reasons the Catholic Church is the One True Church of Jesus</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As Pope Francis <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/january/documents/papa-francesco_20150118_srilanka-filippine-incontro-giovani.html">told us</a>: “To give Jesus is to give the greatest gift of all.”</div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-57746598433260880962023-02-07T20:20:00.006-08:002023-02-09T16:34:14.989-08:00Benefits of a Retreat: 10 Rs to look forward to when you go on a spiritual retreat <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeHNQGL5fQ0hQ_qW1-i9-1-NUDVFO2EeCPa2b1MfpVZQRPg7qNiX9ZLt6KaaA1ijX2AKeaLeetopA1AwX8JVSyhmMyUPRAYrZmu1cKeG6MSBUejBSRlov_JDvaU3YdKXfykKnLJhfdjPFplTEZgFknaXsXUQtAK2TLYFJ0yHPQ3q5-A3BbxapeYSQ5Q/s1364/makiling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeHNQGL5fQ0hQ_qW1-i9-1-NUDVFO2EeCPa2b1MfpVZQRPg7qNiX9ZLt6KaaA1ijX2AKeaLeetopA1AwX8JVSyhmMyUPRAYrZmu1cKeG6MSBUejBSRlov_JDvaU3YdKXfykKnLJhfdjPFplTEZgFknaXsXUQtAK2TLYFJ0yHPQ3q5-A3BbxapeYSQ5Q/s320/makiling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b> A Retreat gives at least 10 Rs: </b></h3><p></p><div><p></p><ul><li>Refreshes</li><li>Revitalizes for purposeful action</li><li>Reconciles with God, our Creator and loving Savior</li><li>Repairs deep-seated moral deficiencies</li><li>Reduces stress and anxiety levels</li><li>Rests and relaxes the soul</li><li>Redirects away from trouble, the pains of purgatory and eternal damnation</li><li>Restores our spiritual and even physical health</li><li>Recreates you towards the best version of yourself</li><li>Reconfigures you to live the Life of Love and Deep Joy of Jesus Christ. </li></ul><p></p></div><p></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlVvUyoYI4jluVRskibM0ByirIU17ShWdfa5EHlHZxDDnBcla2N7tOUfwiSyHgGhs6LJTJy4bbH7WqcCnMU1aq5hjP-jsIhKQTAaaUYVClNLFuNu5uNntM8I_EtO1fw9k-Cm8cnZhdJ7iVwzbm4-2qjTn82-QIlZ5AzagV7IBuCz0d82uTQucOokZ0Q/s854/pcc.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="854" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlVvUyoYI4jluVRskibM0ByirIU17ShWdfa5EHlHZxDDnBcla2N7tOUfwiSyHgGhs6LJTJy4bbH7WqcCnMU1aq5hjP-jsIhKQTAaaUYVClNLFuNu5uNntM8I_EtO1fw9k-Cm8cnZhdJ7iVwzbm4-2qjTn82-QIlZ5AzagV7IBuCz0d82uTQucOokZ0Q/s320/pcc.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>10 Reasons You Need to Go on Retreat this Year</b></h3><p><a href="https://lifeteen.com/10-reasons-need-go-retreat-year/">by Nick Bernard in Life Teen (excerpts)</a> </p><div><b>1. You Need Rest.</b> Even God took time to rest when He created the world!</div><div><b>2. Your Savior Needed a Retreat. </b>Throughout the Gospels, Christ periodically takes time to step away from the world, and even from His disciples, to be alone with His Father.</div><div><b>3. You Need Community. </b>Friendships centered on Christ will change your life, and a retreat is a perfect place to foster these relationships.</div><div><b>4. You Need to be on God’s Time (Kairos, anybody?). </b>While on retreat, we sometimes seem to be in another world. We step out of our normal routine and live on God’s time, also known in Greek as Kairos. </div><div><b>5. You Need Reflection. </b>While retreats have the potential to change our lives in the future, they also give us a chance to look back at our past. By reflecting on who we’ve been, we can better understand who God desires us to become.</div><div><b>6. You Need Prayer. </b>Retreats give us a unique opportunity to concentrate on prayer more than we do in everyday life. [And prayer, relationship with God is "the one thing necessary." (Lk 10:42)]</div><div><b>7. Your Life Needs to get Wrecked. </b>Stepping into God’s love for a retreat weekend might reveal to us a relationship we need to change, a prayer style we ought to alter, or a perspective we hadn’t yet seen about a life decision. </div><div><b>8. You Need Reconciliation. </b>The gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation gives us the chance to clear our lives of the sin that separates us from God and others.</div><div><b>9. You Need to Receive Jesus to be a Disciple. </b>Retreats allow us to refocus our gaze on Him and reunite our efforts to His Spirit, enabling us to persevere in our mission as disciples.</div><div><b>10. You Need to Be Open to Changing Your Life. </b>Retreats will not magically transform our lives but they can show us how to change our own lives. </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUzbvAlVlSk8WiKaLtWnbNqRJhwvYzI1-3dSlf6mtJ8z0TzcAfdtdpxnDmu-AWNfQp0f7T4ZxZ0v9rv1LrqppIXGUs_G8jIC9NI0zmC6ZP_GQIEC2HquvNFZaPmBNz5KnB7-f3by3V6AjiSvSADeQPJTERj27csrP1sVqNclAQYRiPvjwde9u5dGEFw/s195/tcc.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="195" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUzbvAlVlSk8WiKaLtWnbNqRJhwvYzI1-3dSlf6mtJ8z0TzcAfdtdpxnDmu-AWNfQp0f7T4ZxZ0v9rv1LrqppIXGUs_G8jIC9NI0zmC6ZP_GQIEC2HquvNFZaPmBNz5KnB7-f3by3V6AjiSvSADeQPJTERj27csrP1sVqNclAQYRiPvjwde9u5dGEFw/s1600/tcc.jpeg" width="195" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Why go on a Spiritual Retreat?</b> </h3><div><p>by Fr. Francis Hoffmann</p><p><i><b>The powerful benefits of time alone with God </b></i></p><p>You could be as wealthy as a king -- yet miserable -- if you have no friends. Or you could be as poor as dirt -- yet happy -- because you're surrounded by loved ones. </p><p>A recent study of human happiness by the distinguished British economist Richard Layard concludes that the most significant factor for personal happiness is relationships with other people. And what personal relationship could be more important than the relationship with God? </p><p>The saints -- who were notoriously happy -- gave witness to this reality. Even St. Maximilian Kolbe, the Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro, and the Carmelite nuns of Compiegne sang hymns of joy on their way to martyrdom. Immersed in conditions that would make mere mortals sad, these friends of God faced suffering with joy. It was their friendship with God that gave them strength and joy. </p><p>But friendship takes time and needs to be strengthened by conversation. Couples who have strong marriages will tell you about the importance of getting away for a long weekend to spend time alone in conversation. We need to do the same with God, and that's why the Church warmly recommends annual retreats for the faithful. </p><p>Retreats are a time away from our normal activities to spend time getting reacquainted with God, to examine the priorities of life and to make concrete and practical resolutions for improvement. Retreats can be a powerful step toward personal conversion. </p><p><b><i>An Ancient Practice </i></b></p><p>Before Our Lord began His public ministry, He spent 40 days in the desert praying and fasting as a way to prepare for the important work ahead (see Lk 4:1-13). Those were days of retreat.</p><p>During His three years of public ministry, Jesus would sometimes invite His disciples to "come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mk 6:31). Again, days of retreat. </p><p>When Jesus entered forcefully into the life of St. Paul, He directed him to rise and go into the city, where he would be told what to do. For three days St. Paul neither ate nor drank, preparing himself to receive the spiritual direction of Ananias (see Acts 9:1-9). Those, too, were days of retreat</p></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-336301547089616652023-01-23T20:02:00.034-08:002024-02-14T19:11:15.105-08:00CULTURE OF VOCATIONS IN SCHOOLS: Practical tips from all over <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNxoU_wFDc-Pwd5XZ5pWdTNb35xF52UU0xddV9YiSGlGv6hVg5nAxSAg9qjvRne5a0sPKKOnuIIq6IRZknHLuQeJWDfv0N9i7h2GnDG1cnvSLP58Uz6pZVpIChY_HnHphVI9Yy6IzWJuGGKJWmALIQa_td2VCikQSPEK3ZnFp3ZpOIo6Bl4fpHKaxDw/s755/white%20and%20black%20girls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="755" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNxoU_wFDc-Pwd5XZ5pWdTNb35xF52UU0xddV9YiSGlGv6hVg5nAxSAg9qjvRne5a0sPKKOnuIIq6IRZknHLuQeJWDfv0N9i7h2GnDG1cnvSLP58Uz6pZVpIChY_HnHphVI9Yy6IzWJuGGKJWmALIQa_td2VCikQSPEK3ZnFp3ZpOIo6Bl4fpHKaxDw/w400-h235/white%20and%20black%20girls.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Coined by St. John Paul II, the term "<a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/messages/vocations/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_08091992_world-day-for-vocations.html">culture of vocation</a>" was born from what he calls "the urgency of cultivating 'basic vocational attitudes'...higher values." </p><p>"Every Christian community, every member of the Church, needs to <i>consciously feel responsible for promoting vocations</i>," Benedict XVI points out, "especially now when the voice of the Lord seems to be drowned out by ‘other voices'"--the worldly priorities of our time. </p><p>Recently, Pope Francis has stressed that promoting vocations is <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/12/pope-francis-on-how-to-promote-vocations.html">"the soul of all evangelization</a>"--the mission of all Christians. </p><p>Since culture means "the full range of learned human behavior patterns," here are tips on new behaviors we can learn based on several materials on the web and in books: </p><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">1. Best way of showing love and regular prayer for vocations: </span>ask students and parents to pray for vocations, and teach that "winning vocations is the best way of showing love" (St Josemaria) </b></div><div><ol><li>Tell children and parents the teaching of St Josemaria: helping someone to find their vocation and unite with Christ through that vocation is "the best way of showing charity" and charity (love) is greatest commandment and virtue, the only things by which we will be judged. Each Catholic is responsible for promoting vocations in the Church. (cf Benedict XVI)</li><li>"<a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/12/pope-francis-on-how-to-promote-vocations.html">Prayer is the first and indispensable service we can offer to the cause of vocations. Vocation is always a gift from God.</a>" (Pope Francis)</li><li>Introduce in Religion classes the <a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.archbalt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Traveling-Chalice-Crucifix.pdf">Chalice Program or Vocation Crucifix Program</a> for families to pray for vocations. A Vocation Crucifix or Chalice is taken home by a family for one week, to pray for vocations for the Catholic Church, and also for the faithfulness of each member of the family to the universal vocation to follow Jesus in holiness and mission. And then it's passed on to another family. "Prayer for vocations can be offered at any time during the day, perhaps before the family’s main meal, or whatever time is most convenient." </li><li>The secret of places with many vocations, says Pope Francis, is that the leader sends "a letter every month to people who wanted to pray for vocations such as old ladies, the sick, newlyweds, etc. with a thought and aid to accompany the prayer."</li><li>Have the students write a prayer for vocations they can say each day; or at least once a week. When the class meets, pray together one of the prayers the children have written. </li><li>Make the class recite age-appropriate prayer for vocations. It would be good if the prayer includes finding and embracing one's own vocation. </li><li>Use the excellent USCCB <a href="https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/prayer-to-know-ones-vocation#:~:text=Lord%2C%20my%20God%20and%20my,can%20lead%20me%20to%20you.">Prayer to Know One's Vocation</a> found <a href="https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/prayer-to-know-ones-vocation#:~:text=Lord%2C%20my%20God%20and%20my,can%20lead%20me%20to%20you.">here</a>. </li><li>Invite students to offer mortifications and sacrifices for vocations. </li><li>Pray for vocations in the school Mass intentions regularly. During Masses when many parents are around, include a prayer for vocations. </li><li>During Eucharistic Vigils, the school community prays for the holiness of everyone and for vocations. "Abundant fruits come if the thoughts and hopes of a school turn around Jesus in the Eucharist." (cf. St. Josemaria) </li><li>Teach children to pray well, in this way they can hear the voice of God. (Benedict XVI; cf Msgr. Fernando Ocariz) </li><li>The Church celebrates World Day of Prayer for Vocations on the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Vocation Sunday). Since this is summer vacation time in the Philippines, the school can choose another day within the school year as Vocation Day. One possibility is Monday after the Baptism of our Lord, for students to commemorate their own Baptism, which, together with the Confirmation and Eucharist, "ground the common vocation of all Christ's disciples, a vocation to holiness and to the mission of evangelizing the world." (CCC 1533) </li></ol></div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">2. Vocation awareness: </span><span>make students and parents aware that God continues to call each one to his service, and of the importance and attractiveness of vocations</span></b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The "vocation crisis" is really a "vocation awareness crisis," because "God continues to call men and women into service, but we have created an environment where people no longer have the ears to hear that call." (cf. Sr. M. Louise O’ Rourke) The US bishops dedicate one week to National Vocation Awareness Week. </li><li>According to Fr. Randy de Jesus, the National Coordinator of the Directors of Vocations in the Philippines, among the very successful best practices that draw dozens of vocations are the following: Vocation Festival, Vocation Camp and Vocation Posters.</li><li>The Vocation Festival is a day that includes: (a) prayer before the Eucharist (Holy Hour), (b) talk on vocation with open forum where the students can ask priests, nuns and others who have the vocation about their life, (c) vocation exhibit with booths of the different Catholic groups, (d) talent show and fun program. </li><li>The Vocation Camp is a weekend camp especially for altar servers, with talks and fun activities.</li><li>Ask bishops, priests and Church leaders to talk and discuss about their vocation, and about the urgent concern for having more vocations for the Church and the world.</li><li>Take children to an ordination ceremony or the first Mass of a priest.</li><li>Ask students and parents to show support for seminarians and priests, praying for their work.</li><li>Make students and parents write letters of gratitude during the priestly anniversary of chaplains and other priests. Some of these letters can be published so the students see how much the vocation is appreciated.</li><li>Ask people who have inspiring works of vision and service to talk with the children. Ask alumni or alumnae who have answered God's call to talk about the joy of their vocation and let the children ask them questions. Other possible resources speakers are relatives or friends of students, former teachers and chaplains, priests of the diocese, etc. </li><li>Let students personally interview people who have received a vocation. </li><li>Make the children aware that marriage is a vocation. Ask fruitful Catholic marriages to inspire the students. </li><li>Discuss with parent leaders the foremost issues of formation in the school and what they can do to lead the other parents to live according to the Christian ideal and follow the Christian vocation in their families, and promote vocations. </li></ol><p></p><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. Encouragement to seek personal vocation:</span> in one-on-one chats with children and parents, talk about the universal vocation to holiness and apostolate and the importance of finding their own personal vocation. </b></div><p></p><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>In 2022, when the ordinands in the US were asked when they first considered a vocation to the priesthood, <i>30% said Elementary, 24% High School</i>, 21% College, 17% Adulthood, 8% Preschool. The percentages have been more or less the same for previous years. In schools, "the potential here is great!" (cf. The Harvest) </li><li>Study of US bishops: If one person encourages someone to consider a vocation, this doubles the likelihood that they will do so. If three people offer encouragement, respondents were <i>more than five times more likely</i> to consider a vocation.</li><li>Conduct regularly a Christian Practice Survey, asking the students if they are aware that God calls them to holiness and deep friendship with Jesus Christ, if they perform specific acts of piety and service, if they have thought about their specific vocation and their level of interest to the call. </li><li>Incorporate the Vocation Curriculum guide of the USCCB. See <a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.usccb.org/resources/Life%20Teen%20Curriculum%20Guide.pdf">here</a>. </li><li>90% of our vocation comes from our parents. (St. Josemaria) The family is "the most excellent seedbed of vocations." (St. John Paul II) Make parents see early on the dangers of an ever-increasingly materialistic and sex-crazed culture that their young children will face, that will prevent them from being generous to the universal call to holiness and apostolate. Help parents teach chastity; (See resource for parents <a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2015/01/giving-real-love-to-your-child.html">here</a>.) and all the Christian virtues. </li><li>Help parents to see clearly what the Catechism teaches: "Parents should respect and encourage their children's vocations. They should remember and teach that the first calling of the Christian is to follow Jesus." (CCC 2253) </li></ol><div><b>Sources:</b></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span><a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/12/pope-francis-on-how-to-promote-vocations.html">Pope Francis on How to Promote Vocations</a></span></b> </span></li><li><a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/educators-and-youth-leaders/best-practices/20-ways-to-promote-vocations"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">20 Ways to Promote Vocations in Schools</span></b></a> - USCCB</li><li><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/the-harvest-a-guide-to-vocation-ministry-in-education/p/BKVOC42783" style="font-weight: bold;">The Harvest: A Guide to Vocation Ministry in Education</a><b> </b></span><b style="font-size: large;">- </b>contains 75 activities for vocation ministry</span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://pilgrimsprogresspddm.blogspot.com/2016/06/creating-culture-of-vocation-in-todays.html?m=1">Creating a culture of vocation in today's Irish Church</a> - </span></b>Sr. M. Louise O’ Rourke</li><li><a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.stpatricks-yorktown.org/documents/2014/12/index_1.pdf"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">How to promote vocations</span></b></a> - this is a PDF file that includes 10 tips for each for parents, teachers, catechists, priests, youth ministers, etc. on how they can promote vocations. </li><li><a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/parents/top-ten-things-to-promote-vocations" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Top Ten Things to Promote Vocations</span></b></a> - USCCB</li><li><b><a href="https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/the-catholic-family-and-vocations.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Catholic Family and Vocations</span></a> </b>by Fr. Hardon, S.J. </li><li><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2023/01/st-josemarias-teachings-on-winning.html">St. Josemaria's Teachings on Winning Vocations</a></span></b></li></ul></div><p></p><div></div><p></p><div>Image is by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/governmentza/9014178884">GovernmentZA in Flickr</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><p></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-44089125216345135722023-01-23T00:39:00.005-08:002024-02-14T19:11:32.947-08:00St. Josemaria’s Teachings on Winning Vocations<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tZXZkYq4BMT2a4Im6wYWO01DH47leR3Tw0nUCTaMapQtKuf5FidqNd79jRrErjekvdUZn7lBBChVx8Pk0u-11HJ1Sw8v07jGvK_wZxiuXrmWrE1GPGq-GiTp2Bk4nxqk7quL6GbJTqjffBCkQiXwjK3yw1TYn20TvZmF3OtUsJX6GvvpGCXZn0beWg/s297/st%20josemaria%20blessing%20baby.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-tZXZkYq4BMT2a4Im6wYWO01DH47leR3Tw0nUCTaMapQtKuf5FidqNd79jRrErjekvdUZn7lBBChVx8Pk0u-11HJ1Sw8v07jGvK_wZxiuXrmWrE1GPGq-GiTp2Bk4nxqk7quL6GbJTqjffBCkQiXwjK3yw1TYn20TvZmF3OtUsJX6GvvpGCXZn0beWg/s1600/st%20josemaria%20blessing%20baby.jpeg" width="297" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Importance: best charity.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Winning new vocations is the best way of showing charity to souls.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More effort, more vocation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Anyone who tries to win new apostles gets vocations. Anyone who makes little effort to win new apostles obtains few vocations. Anyone who </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">makes a lot of effort</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to win new apostles gains many vocations.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vocations: result of youth formation. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The apostolate with the youth "is directed towards giving Christian formation to young people and as a result, also</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to help many discover their vocation.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Catechism of Opus Dei)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Doing what has been established systematically so as to get vocations. “</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many vocations should come. And if they don’t it will be our fault for not doing what has been established, for not doing things in a cheerful, systematic, constant, holy way.” </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Young people teaching catechism and visiting and interacting with the poor has "divine efficacy" and "proven effectiveness" </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"If you faithfully employ the traditional means, everything will go well." </span></span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apostolate of friendship: source of greatest fruit. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The greatest fruit is what each one obtains personally by the apostolate of friendship.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rely entirely on prayer, the most effective way.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Prayer is the most effective means of winning new apostles. We rely entirely on prayer. We must ask God for more vocations: vocations from every sector of society, from every walk of life.” “Vocations, Lord, more vocations!”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abundant fruits by being centered on Jesus in the Eucharis</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>t</b>. “If the center around which your </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">thoughts and hopes turn is the Tabernacle</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then, my child, how abundant the fruits of your sanctity and apostolate will be!” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Key role of parents. </b>"We owe 90% of our vocation to our parents." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of worldwide need to keep zeal. Spread the zeal.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No fear.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “By often considering the need for vocations all over the world, we will keep our zeal for winning new vocations enkindled.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Zeal for winning vocations! Set those around you on fire!” “Enkindle your zeal for winning vocations, and cast aside all fear.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patience and never stopping.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “Seek new vocations calmly, slowly, at God’s pace…But no matter what never leave this task.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vocations to the priesthood and religious.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “It grieves me to see a priest or religious not seeking vocations for the diocesan seminary or novitiate.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daily prayer for priestly vocations.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “The Church needs priests, and always will. Ask the Blessed Trinity for them each day through our mother Mary.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Responsibility for winning vocations.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “What I want to hear from you is an account of your apostolic fruit, the vocations you have won, and the souls you have brought closer to God.” </span></p><p><b>Relevant article:</b></p><p><a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/12/pope-francis-on-how-to-promote-vocations.html">Pope Francis on Promoting Vocations</a></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-90666532396581929942022-12-22T22:22:00.008-08:002024-02-14T19:11:48.176-08:00POPE FRANCIS ON HOW TO PROMOTE VOCATIONS<p><i>Promoting vocations "is the soul of all evangelization and all of the Church's pastoral ministry." </i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px;">—</span><i> Pope Francis</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://catholicleader.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/pope-youth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="660" height="228" src="https://catholicleader.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/pope-youth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>There were two instances when Pope Francis delved specifically and deeply on vocational ministry:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cdvcrema.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/2017-2-alzati-vc3a0-e-non-temere.-io-sono-una-miissione.-atti-convegno-nazionale-roma-2017.pdf"><b>Convention "Rise, go and do not fear. Vocation and Holiness: I am on a mission"</b></a> (RG)</li><li><a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2017/documents/papa-francesco_20171125_messaggio-pastorale-vocazionale.html"><b>Conference on Pastoral Work for Vocations</b></a> (PWG). This will be the main outline of this article, with RG providing some anecdotes from the Holy Father. </li></ul><div>Here are his key insights<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">—</span>including a sharing of actual best-practices that produced results!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Three convictions about promoting vocations </span></b></div><p></p><div><div><b>1. All pastoral action is oriented, by its very nature, to vocational discernment</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Its ultimate goal is to help the believer to discover the concrete way to carry out the project of life to which God calls him.</li><li>Promoting vocations:</li><ul><li>soul of all evangelization and of all the Church’s pastoral ministry</li><li>close connection with evangelization, education in the faith - leads to a personal encounter with Christ,</li><li>special - pastoral care of the family. Parents to: </li><ul><li>assume their mission joyfully and responsibly to be the <i>first vocational animators of their children</i></li><li>free themselves and free their children from the inner barrier of selfish, calculating perspectives or of power, which often occur in the bosom of families, even those practicing the faith.</li></ul></ul></ul></div><div><b>2. Promoting vocations finds its most appropriate “humus” (fertile ground) in youth pastoral ministry</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Vocation</li><ul><li>not to be raised only at the end of the whole process or to a group that is particularly sensitive to a specific vocational call</li><li>must be <i><b>constantly raised throughout the process of evangelization and education in the faith</b></i> of adolescents and young people.</li></ul></ul></div><div><b>3. Prayer must occupy a very important place in promoting vocations</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Jesus: "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Mt 9: 38). </li><li>Prayer is the first and indispensable service we can offer to the cause of vocations. Vocation - always a gift from God</li><li>Prayer for vocations presupposes:</li><ul><li>praying and working for fidelity to one’s vocation</li><li>creating environments where it is possible to listen to the Lord’s call; promoting the “Gospel of the vocation”, working tirelessly to <b>create a vocational culture </b>[<a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080416_response-bishops.html">Benedict XVI in the US</a> said this means "to teach young people to pray and pray well", so "we will be cooperating with God’s call."] </li></ul><li>Pope Francis asked bishops of dioceses which were "blessed with vocations." "What did you do?" "First of all, a letter from the bishop, every month, to people who wanted to pray for vocations: old ladies, the sick, newlyweds... A letter every month, with a spiritual thought, with an aid, to accompany the prayer. Accompany prayer...We need to look for a way. The first task is prayer! Praying
is the first thing. To pray with the heart, with one's life, with everything, with the desire that what I am asking be done. Pray for vocations." (RG) [See a collection of <a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2016/01/prayers-for-vocations-collection.html">Prayer for Vocations</a> here.]</li></ul><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Three challenges of promoting vocations</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><b>1. Trust in the young and trust in the Lord.</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Trust in the young</li><ul><li>there are many young people who seek full meaning in their lives</li><li>Stay awake to awaken young people to be centered in the Lord. Help the young to focus on Him</li></ul><li>Trust in the Lord</li><ul><li>Be sure that He continues to awaken in the People of God various vocations </li><li>Say no to temptation that in some environments vocations are not possible</li></ul></ul></div><div><b>2. Clear knowledge of our society and the current generation of young people</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>So as not to give answers to questions that nobody is asking</li><li>Today young people must be on the move. To work for vocations it is necessary to make young people walk, and this is done by accompanying them. The apostolate of walking. And how to walk, how? Inventing pastoral actions that involve young people, in something that makes them do something: during the holidays we go for a week to do a mission in that country, or to do social assistance in that other country, or every week we go to the hospital, this one, that…, or to feed the homeless. (RG)</li></ul></div><div><b>3. Conviction that following Christ is worthwhile</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Total gift of self to the cause of the Gospel is beautiful and can give meaning to our whole life</li></ul><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Five Characteristics of Promoting Vocations</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>1. Differentiated</b> - Jesus calls each one by his name. Offer what is needed for <u>each</u> person. </div><div><b>2. Narrative </b>- Young people want to see the model of Jesus in a concrete life</div><div><b>3. Ecclesial</b> - based on Vatican Council II; participate in the life of the Church</div><div><b>4. Evangelical, and as such, committed and responsible</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Start from the center of all pastoral ministry: Jesus Christ</li><li>Place the demands of the Gospel to live radically and sincerely, to accept responsibly the consequences of faith. </li></ul></div><div><b>5. Accompanied </b>- create an atmosphere of trust, make young people feel that they are loved; with personal relationship </div><div><b>6. Persevering </b>- sow and wait patiently for the seed to grow. Our job is to plant. </div><div><b>7. Youthful</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>dynamic, participative, cheerful, hopeful, risky, confident</li><li>filled with Jesus - the only path they have to travel, the only truth to which they are called to adhere, the only life for which it is worth giving everything (Jn 1.35)</li></ul></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Two Truths of Promoting Vocations</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. There are no magical answers</b></div><div><b>2. We are called to a true “pastoral conversion” </b>- not only of language, but also of lifestyle, if we want to connect with young people and propose a path of faith and offer a vocational proposal.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is true that a boy or a girl hears the Lord's call, but the call is always concrete: "I would like to become like this or like that". It is our testimonies that attract young people... Once a mother superior went to speak in a college; instead of speaking of the challenge of education, of the young people who are being educated, of all these things, she began to say: "We must pray for the canonization of our founding mother", and she spent more than half an hour talking about the founding mother, that this must be done, asking for a miracle... But the teachers thought: "But why does she tell us these things, while we need more... Yes, that's fine, that she be beatified and canonized, but we need another message". In the end, one of the teachers<span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">—</span>I met her<span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">—</span>said , “Mother, can I say something?” – "Yes" – Your founding mother will never be canonized." – "But why?" – "Eh, because she is certainly in purgatory." – "But don't say these things! Why do you say this?" "Because if you who are the mother superior is so – let's say – silly, to say the least, your founding mother hasn't been able to form you". It is the testimony: that they see living in you what you preach. (RG)</div><div><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;">RESOURCES ON VOCATION PROMOTION</div></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/educators-and-youth-leaders/best-practices/20-ways-to-promote-vocations"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">20 Ways to Promote Vocations in Schools</span></b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/parents/top-ten-things-to-promote-vocations" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;"><b>Top Ten Things to Promote Vocations</b></a></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div><p></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-30954634563601184332022-12-08T22:01:00.005-08:002022-12-08T22:55:34.834-08:00ABSOLUTE IMPORTANCE OF SILENCE: Liturgical rubrics on periods of silence at Mass <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>St. Josemaria: "There is no better way to show how great is our concern and love for the Holy Sacrifice than by taking great care with the least detail of the ceremonies the wisdom of the Church has laid down."</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.vaticannews.va/media/content/dam-archive/vaticannews/agenzie/images/afp/2019/03/31/16/morocco-vatican-pope-religion-1554041643632.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://media.vaticannews.va/media/content/dam-archive/vaticannews/agenzie/images/afp/2019/03/31/16/morocco-vatican-pope-religion-1554041643632.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.1500.844.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>In his latest guidelines on the liturgy, Pope Francis stressed: "Among the ritual acts that belong to the <b><i>whole assembly</i></b>, silence occupies a place of <b><i>absolute importance</i></b>." He pointed out that silence is something "grand." It is not trivial, but "a point of arrival within a liturgical sequence." It is a "symbol of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit;" being an integral part of the sacrament it effectuates grace. (<a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/20220629-lettera-ap-desiderio-desideravi.html">Desiderio Desideravi 52</a>)</div><p>Grace is divine life and help, something we all sorely need. </p><p>And so, he asks us to enact silence with <i><b>"extreme care." </b> </i></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">When are these moments and what do the rubrics say about them? </span></b></p><div>Here are quotes from the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM):</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1. Within the Penitential Act (45, 51)</b></div><p>The Priest calls upon the whole community to take part in the Penitential Act, which, after<i> <u>a brief pause for silence</u></i>, it does by means of a formula of general confession. (51)</p><p>Nature of silence – individuals recollect themselves (45)</p><p><b>2. After “Let us pray” of the opening collect (45, 54)</b></p><p>The Priest calls upon the people to pray and everybody, together with the Priest, <i><u>observes a brief silence</u> </i>so that they may become aware of being in God’s presence and may call to mind their intentions. (54)</p><p>Nature of silence – individuals recollect themselves (45) </p><p><b>3. Before the Liturgy of Word (56)</b></p><p>It <i>may be appropriate</i> to observe such periods of silence, for example, before the Liturgy of the Word itself begins. (56)</p><p><b>4. After the first two readings (45, 56, 128, 130)</b></p><p>It <i>may be appropriate</i><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>to observe such periods of silence, for example … after the First and Second Reading. (56)</p><p>Nature of the silence - All meditate briefly on what they have heard (45)</p><p>At the end [of the First Reading], the reader pronounces the acclamation The word of the Lord, and all reply, Thanks be to God. Then a few moments of silence <span style="font-style: italic;">may be observed</span>, if appropriate, so that all may meditate on what they have heard. (128)</p><p>Then [after the reply to the acclamation after the Second Reading], if appropriate, a few moments of silence<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b><span style="font-style: italic;">may be observed. </span>(130)</p><p><b>5. After the homily (45, 56, 66, 136)</b></p><p>It <i>may be appropriate</i> to observe such periods of silence, for example…at the conclusion of the Homily (56)</p><p><i><u>It is appropriate</u></i> for a brief period of silence to be observed after the Homily. (66)</p><p>When the Homily is over, a period of silence <span style="font-style: italic;">may be observed.</span><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>(136)</p><p>Nature of the silence - all meditate briefly on what they have heard. (45)</p><p><b>6. After communion (43, 45, 164)</b></p><p>If appropriate, [the faithful] may sit or kneel during the period of sacred silence after Communion. (43)</p><p>Nature of silence - praise God in their hearts and pray to him (45)</p><p>After [the priest purifies the chalice and dries it with purificator], the Priest may return to the chair. A sacred silence <i>may now be observed</i> for some time, or a Psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may be sung (164)</p><p><b>7. After “Let us pray” of the post-communion prayer (165)</b></p><p>A brief period of silence <i>may</i> precede the prayer, unless this has been already observed immediately after Communion. (165)</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Putting liturgical silence into practice</span></b></p><p>Of the seven moments, four are referred to with the word "may", while three are in the indicative: (1) Within the Penitential act, (2) After the "Let us pray" of the Collect, and (3) After the Homily. </p><p>Still, Pope Francis in <i>Desiderio Desideravi</i> pointed out that silence is "present in the penitential act, after the invitation 'Let us pray,' in the Liturgy of the Word (before the readings, between the readings and after the homily), in the Eucharistic prayer, after communion." </p><p>And so parishes and communities, may want to consider adapting all the seven moments of silence, given the "absolute importance" of these moments of silence at Mass--the very summit and source of our Christian life. </p><p>Based on my internet search, many parishes instruct lectors to pause either for 2-3 seconds or 5-10 seconds. If one chooses the mid-point of 4 seconds, then the seven pauses will only mean an additional 28 seconds, that's less than half a minute--half a minute of receiving completely the powerful action of the Holy Spirit himself. </p><p>At the very least, it is truly important that the three moments that the rubrics clearly indicate should be deliberately and calmly practiced. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-53570917177006917782022-10-12T23:59:00.006-07:002022-10-13T07:08:18.453-07:00GENDER THEORY: Key points from Pope Francis and the Vatican <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Combotrans.svg/800px-Combotrans.svg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Combotrans.svg/800px-Combotrans.svg.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">POPE FRANCIS ON GENDER THEORY</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Gender theory is part of world war to destroy marriage.</b> A great enemy of marriage today: the theory of gender. Today there is a world war to destroy marriage. Today there are ideological colonizations which destroy, not with weapons, but with ideas. Therefore, there is a need to defend ourselves from ideological colonizations. (Address to Priests, Religious, Seminarians and Pastoral Workers during the Apostolic Journey to Georgia and Azerbaijan, October 1, 2016) </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Gender theory is a step backwards and creates a problem.</b> I ask myself if the so-called gender theory is not an expression of frustration and resignation, which seeks to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to deal with it. Yes, we risk taking a step backwards. The removal of difference in fact creates a problem, not a solution. (General Audience on Man and Woman, April 15, 2015) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ideology of choosing one’s own gender is terrible ideological colonization</b>. In Europe, America, Latin America, Africa, and in some countries of Asia, there are genuine forms of ideological colonization taking place. And one of these - I will call it clearly by its name – is [the ideology of] ‘gender’. Today children – children! – are taught in school that everyone can choose his or her sex. Why are they teaching this? Because the books are provided by the persons and institutions that give you money. These forms of ideological colonization are also supported by influential countries. And this is terrible! (Address to the Polish Bishops during the Apostolic Journey to Poland, July 27, 2016) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Age of sin against God the Creator.</b> In a conversation with Pope Benedict, he said to me: ‘Holiness, this is the age of sin against God the Creator’. He is very perceptive. God created man and woman; God created the world in a certain way… and we are doing the exact opposite. Pope Benedict’s observation should make us think. (Address to the Polish Bishops during the Apostolic Journey to Poland, July 27, 2016) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We don’t have absolute power over our bodies.</b> Pope Benedict XVI spoke of an “ecology of man.” “Man has a nature that he must respect and that he cannot manipulate at will.” Thinking that we enjoy absolute power over our own bodies turns into thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation. (Laudato Si’ 155) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Value our own body to meet someone different and joyfully accept specific gifts.</b> Valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity is necessary if I am going to be able to recognize myself in an encounter with someone who is different. In this way we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the Creator, and find mutual enrichment. It is not a healthy attitude to seek to cancel out sexual difference. (Laudato Si’ 155) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sex and gender cannot be separated.</b> It needs to be emphasized that ‘biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated.’ It is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality. (Amoris Laetitia 56) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>It’s a sin for creatures to replace the Creator.</b> Let us not fall into the sin of trying to replace the Creator. We are creatures, and not omnipotent. Creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift. At the same time, we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place, accepting it and respecting it as it was created. (Amoris Laetitia 56) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Help the young to appreciate their own body, to be self-aware and not be afraid of being different.</b> The young need to be helped to accept their own body as it was created, for ‘thinking that we enjoy absolute power over our own bodies turns, often subtly, into thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation… An appreciation of our body as male or female is also necessary for our own self-awareness in an encounter with others different from ourselves. Only by losing the fear of being different, can we be freed of self-centeredness and self-absorption. (Amoris Laetitia 285)
</span><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">VATICAN'S MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM: Towards a path of dialogue on the question of gender theory in education</span></b></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Context:</b> there is an <i>educational crisis</i> on affectivity and sexuality due to the challenges of gender theory:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">denies the difference between a man and a woman and their complementarity</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">sees sexual difference as a mere product of cultural influences </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">gender identity is a choice of the individual and can change</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">leads to destabilization of family </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Pope Francis in <i>Amoris Laetitia</i>: gender ideology “leads to educational programs and laws that promote a personal identity and emotional intimacy radically separated from the biological difference between male and female.” </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Methodology:</b> </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Dialogue through listening, reasoning and proposing </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Pope Francis: “while the ideologies of gender claim to respond ‘to what are at times understandable aspirations’, they also seek ‘to assert themselves as absolute and unquestionable, even dictating how children should be raised’, and thus preclude dialogue”. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">We have to be open to research that deepens our understanding of the differences between men and women </span></li></ul><b><span style="font-size: medium;">History of gender theory. Listening</span></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">1990s theory of a radical separation between gender and sex, with the former having priority over the latter. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Vision of a society without sexual differences</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Nature and culture are contraposed</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Concept of "queer" </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">sexuality as extremely fluid, flexible, and constantly moving</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">liberation of the individual from sexual definition</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">disappearance of rigid classifications</span></li></ul></ul><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Points of agreement and criticisms. Reasoning</span></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Points of agreement</span></i></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">need to educate children to respect every person in their particularity and difference, so that no one should suffer bullying, violence, insults or unjust discrimination based on their specific characteristics, such as special needs, race, religion, sexual tendencies, etc</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">the values of feminity</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">willingness of women to dedicate themselves in a special way to human relationships, especially for the benefit of the weakest</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">St John Paul II - women exhibit a kind of affective, cultural and spiritual motherhood, which is of inestimable value </span></li></ul></ul><li><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Point of criticism</span></i></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">radical gender theory </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">speaks of process of denaturalisation, that is a move away from nature </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">sexual identity and family are based on a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants</span></li></ul></ul><li><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Rational arguments</span></i></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">clarify the centrality of the body as an integrating element of personal identity and family relationships</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">the data of biological and medical science shows that ‘sexual dimorphism’ (only two sexes) can be proved by science, as, for example, by the study of chromosomes. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">importance of the dialogue between faith and reason. </span></li></ul></ul><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Proposing a Christian anthropology: an integral ecology of man</span></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Genesis: male and female He created them </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Human nature</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">to be understood in light of the unity of body and soul</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">the “horizontal dimension” of “interpersonal communion” is integrated with the “vertical dimension” of communion with God. </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Education</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Parents have the primary rights and duties with regard to the education of their children — rights and duties which cannot be delegated or usurped by others. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Children have the right to a mother and a father, and that it is within the family that children can learn to recognize the beauty of sexual differences. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Schools are called to assist families and to dialogue with parents, respecting also the family’s culture.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Rebuild an “alliance” between family, schools, and society, which can produce educational programs on affectivity and sexuality that respect each person’s own stage of maturity regarding these areas and at the same time promote respect for the body of the other person</span></li></ul></ul><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The path of dialogue: Transforming concerns and misunderstandings </span></b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">the path of dialogue, which involves listening, reasoning and proposing, appears the most effective way towards a positive transformation of concerns and misunderstandings, as well as a resource that in itself can help develop a network of relationships that is both more open and more human</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Catholic schools have a legitimate aspiration to maintain their own vision of human sexuality</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">a democratic state cannot reduce the range of education on offer to a single school of thought</span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Importance for Catholic schools:</span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">to take into consideration the age-group of the students to be taught</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">to treat each person with respect. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">to accompany, discreetly and confidentially, reaching out to those who are experiencing complex and painful situations</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">to be an environment of trust, calmness, and openness, particularly where there are cases that require time and careful discernment</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">to provide a patient and understating ear, far removed from any unjust discrimination</span></li></ul></ul><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Accept your sexual identity. Sexual complementarity is for the good of marriage and the family. </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out. (CCC 2333)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Man and woman have equal personal dignity.</b> By creating the human being man and woman, God gives personal dignity equally to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. (CCC 2393)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-89819897468399375082022-10-02T22:22:00.007-07:002022-10-06T04:57:51.509-07:00FREQUENT COMMUNION: why and how to promote it<p><i><span style="font-size: medium;">If the goal of our life is union with Jesus, then we have to go as often as possible to the sacrament by which Jesus "unites us to himself in a most perfect union." (St. John Paul II)</span></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna4pRu1k1EyeumJ97RK2ZSDa9S4aTKFXFiB5zhakM3iztgxTx3reYAYjECxUIvi7LqVUzXZkQnazD35hhPTUTFeasPrDrQfLmboCi5RZrc4kerm6WRUjYm-kmfk0Ko5RyPs0qHxQZN2doXIp_U1moVPxGZjH7h2XtKDoH4qURdm3Y6O-9Novn9WHA8w/s649/commnion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="649" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna4pRu1k1EyeumJ97RK2ZSDa9S4aTKFXFiB5zhakM3iztgxTx3reYAYjECxUIvi7LqVUzXZkQnazD35hhPTUTFeasPrDrQfLmboCi5RZrc4kerm6WRUjYm-kmfk0Ko5RyPs0qHxQZN2doXIp_U1moVPxGZjH7h2XtKDoH4qURdm3Y6O-9Novn9WHA8w/s320/commnion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Our ultimate goal: union with Jesus</b></span></h4><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To be highly effective, we need to know our ultimate goal. The recently published <i>Directory for Catechesis</i> clearly states the goal of all the work of the Church and of catechesis: <i><b>communion with Jesus Christ.</b> </i> “Formation does not consist in acquiring information or filling ourselves with ideas," notes theologian and prelate Msgr. Fernando Ocariz. "The objective of formation is <i>identification with Jesus Christ.”</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Shortest and surest way to the goal: Eucharistic communion </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Once the end goal is clear, we have to use the best, most effective means to achieve it. St. John Paul the Great tells us that in eucharistic communion,<b><i> "God joins us to himself in the most perfection union."</i></b> Indeed, who else but <i>Jesus himself in person</i> can unite us to himself. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Thus, other great saints have pointed out the superlative power of Holy Communion:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Most beneficial and most delightful prayer (St. Alphonsus)</i></li><li><i>Shortest and surest way to heaven (St. Pius X)</i></li><li><i>Greatest way to enrich our soul with virtue and rapidly advance to a high degree of perfection (St. Teresa)</i></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Biblical and early Christian practice: daily communion</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Based on the logic of this supreme sanctifying power, the early Christians received communion not once in a while, but <i><b>daily:</b></i></span></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Every day they broke bread in their homes. (Acts 2:46) </i></div><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Together with other saints of the time, St. Cyprian, born around 210 AD, attests to this fact:</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>We are who in Christ receive the Eucharist daily, so as not to be separated from Christ through sin. </i></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is not surprising because Jesus taught us to pray:</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Give us this day our daily bread. (Mt 6:11)</i></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Strongly encouraged: Help everyone to receive as often as possible, even daily</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Thus, the Church through its Catechism says: </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>“The Church <b>strongly encourages</b> the faithful to receive the holy Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, or more often still, <b>even daily.</b>” (C 1389) </i></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;">Given the clarity of the above, it is important for Christian educators to help children receive Jesus more often, if possible daily. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This year 2022, Dualtech Training Center, after seeing that only 15% of the students were receiving communion during the school Mass, took specific steps to form the students and eventually reached 54% reception at one point.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/YE65BnnuGQho2T4YO1aSGCy9QDMnKfDAWs7R7pHb2YNg86XDAwWcM6lI2OBXu7skPrsZLp2dDCBT1TmQDDupJCz_7Q9WgroHif_gSyMRnE1ylGuieQA81n2lHOvI-zgUna_0kMa9MddZaUL2LXyyjnR83SsrlSGCSTz2ihxSHaEqPDjn1xWIBhzADQVJ=w400-h300" style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;" width="400" /></div><span style="font-size: large;">This is what they did:</span><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>formation council </i>clearly saw the importance of communion and decided to meet regularly, observe the numbers and take the necessary steps. </span> </li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">This council increased the allotted time for the class of Religion so they can have more time to discuss these most important topics: Confession, Holy Mass and Communion and prayer. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">They allotted more time for Confession. </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>training and mentoring council</i> asked everyone to be involved and to pray for the students. </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Reception of the sacraments was made the priority in the weekly report during the weekly meeting. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The first numbers reviewed in the meeting is how many received Holy Communion, how many went to Confession.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">They monitor the progress through a graph, and evaluate for further improvement. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The students are free to go to Mass or not. </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>teachers </i>explained the value of the sacraments almost daily, and encouraged the students to go to Confession and receive Communion. They also conduct orientation to prepare the students for Confession. Before the Mass, the teachers also give a 15-minute preparation before the Mass where the Gospel is read and meditated on. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>mentors </i>pray for their mentees. This is their first task. They follow them up if they have questions. They listen to each student on why they were not receiving and help each one to overcome the problems, especially by encouraging Confession. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>chaplains </i>spoke more about Confession and Communion during the homilies. During the seminar for new enrollees, they explain the sacraments and invite them to these, becoming their friends, and giving homilies to which the students can relate and apply to their lives. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>student leaders</i>, who assist the teachers, invited their co-students to the sacraments. They also give Confession tutorials when needed; they give support and even accompany them to the Confessional. </span></li></ul><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Guide to Holy Communion, the most delightful prayer</span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">So that the students can enjoy the time with Jesus during communion with much fruit and look forward to it, this blog features a guide to Eucharistic communion, entitled <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/10/being-with-jesus-how-to-receive.html"><b>Most Delightful Prayer: A Guide to Holy Communion</b></a>, which you can access <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/10/being-with-jesus-how-to-receive.html">here</a>. It contains general ideas from the saints on how to pray during the 10 to 15 minutes that Jesus is in us, and some traditional prayers for communion. To easily print and distribute the guide to the students, you can download it <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qvxrZ75ijUVhWZSmI_gQEjz4tbT6rcpm/view?usp=sharing">in PDF here</a>, or you can redo the doc <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18qrM_wURTPo_SB1jpJ1Rx4nVfBCWa7Zm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117684219461743359544&rtpof=true&sd=true">in Word here</a>. </span></div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-85251507998994139022022-10-02T01:55:00.019-07:002023-03-22T22:29:14.277-07:00MOST DELIGHTFUL PRAYER: Guide to Holy Communion <p><i>Communion is "the most beneficial and delightful prayer." <span style="font-size: x-small;">(St. Alphonsus)</span> God joins us to himself in the most perfect union. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(St. John Paul II)</span></i></p><p><span>To easily print this guide for mass distribution, you can download it </span>in <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qvxrZ75ijUVhWZSmI_gQEjz4tbT6rcpm/view?usp=sharing">PDF here</a><span>, or you can redo the doc </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18qrM_wURTPo_SB1jpJ1Rx4nVfBCWa7Zm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117684219461743359544&rtpof=true&sd=true">in Word here</a><span>. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/WEB3-VIRGIN-MOTHER-MARY-COMMUNION-EUCHARIST-GODONG-CH643206A.jpg?crop=0px%2C2519px%2C3622px%2C2047px&resize=620%2C348&ssl=1&w=960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="800" height="224" src="https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/WEB3-VIRGIN-MOTHER-MARY-COMMUNION-EUCHARIST-GODONG-CH643206A.jpg?crop=0px%2C2519px%2C3622px%2C2047px&resize=620%2C348&ssl=1&w=960" width="400" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>GENERAL IDEAS </b></h3><p></p><p><b>Receive Jesus like Mary.</b> </p><p>As Mary said “Fiat” [Be it done] to receive Jesus’ body, we say “Amen,” to receive the same body. (St. Pope John Paul II) </p><p>“I want to be like Mary...to be Mary for Jesus, to take the place of His Mother...she must make me one with Him.” (Bl. Maria Candida of the Eucharist) </p><p><b>Converse with Jesus as your King, Doctor, Teacher and Friend.</b> </p><p>Converse with Jesus as your King, a king who wants to reign in your heart, with peace, joy and justice. He expects deeds of love. </p><p>Converse with Jesus as your Doctor. He heals your selfishness, especially the worst sickness: pride that hides our sins. Be totally sincere with him, tell him the whole truth. </p><p>Converse with Jesus as your Teacher. He teaches us the knowledge of love for God without limits, and in God, for all men. Our life belongs to God. We spend it generously for people. We tell him: Teach us to forget ourselves, so that we may concern ourselves with you and with all souls.</p><p>Converse with Jesus as your Friend. “I have called you friends,” he says. He laid down his life for us. He cries for us if we have a dying Christian life. “I say to you, my friend, arise and walk.” (St. Josemaria) </p><p><b>See the benefits and stay with him. </b></p><p>Think that communion greatly benefits your soul and that Jesus is so delighted to be with you in communion. Stay with him and do not lose this opportunity. (St. Teresa) </p><p><b>Love, thank and praise him, and ask his help.</b> </p><p>Spend the time telling Jesus you love him. (St Alphonsus) </p><p>Do not only talk lovingly with him, but also thank and praise him and especially ask his help. (Pope Pius XII) </p><p>Give him our deepest and most sincere thanks. (St. Augustine) </p><p>Jesus is saying to you, “What do you want me to do for you. I came from heaven to give you grace, Ask me what you want and you will be heard.” (St. Teresa) </p><p>Ask that he hears our prayer, that he frees our thoughts and actions from evil, increase our faith and guide our minds, grant us holy thoughts and lead us to his own joys. (St. Augustine) </p><p><b>Keep silent and enjoy your God. </b></p><p>Beware of talking too much. Remain in silence and enjoy your God. God says: “I am he to whom you have to give your whole self, so you no longer live in yourself but in me.” (Thomas a Kempis)</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>SOME COMMUNION PRAYERS</b></h3><p><i>Pray these with the burning passion of one who has just fallen in love...as if this is your last chance to talk to Jesus. (St. Josemaria) You can also use the thoughts here as conversation points with Jesus. </i></p><p><b>Prayer after Communion by St. Thomas Aquinas</b> </p><p>Sweetest Jesus, Body and Blood most Holy, be the delight and pleasure of my soul, my strength and salvation in all temptations, my joy and peace in every trial, my light and guide in every word and deed, and my final protection in death. Amen. </p><p><b>Prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified</b> </p><p>My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before you, asking you most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the prophet David spoke long ago concerning yourself: They have pierced my hands and feet; they have counted all my bones. </p><p><b>Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ by St. Ignatius</b> </p><p>Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your grace and your love are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. </p><p><b>Anima Christi</b> </p><p>Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me. Within your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from you. From the wicked foe, defend me. At the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to you That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever. Amen. </p><p><b>Stay with me Lord by St. Padre Pio (excerpt)</b> </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have you present so that I do not forget you. You know how easily I abandon you. Stay with me, Lord, for you are my life, and without you, I am without fervor. Stay with me, Lord, for you are my light, and without you, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me your will. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love you very much, and always be in your company. Stay with me, Lord, if you wish me to be faithful to you. Stay with me, Lord, for it is you alone I look for, your Love, your Grace, your Will, your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love you and ask no other reward but to love you more and more. With a firm love, I will love you with all my heart while on earth and continue to love you perfectly during all eternity. Amen.</p><p><i><span><b>NOTE:</b> To easily print this guide for mass distribution, you can download it </span>in <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qvxrZ75ijUVhWZSmI_gQEjz4tbT6rcpm/view?usp=sharing">PDF here</a><span>, or you can redo the doc </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/18qrM_wURTPo_SB1jpJ1Rx4nVfBCWa7Zm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117684219461743359544&rtpof=true&sd=true">in Word here</a><span>. </span></i></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>OTHER COMMUNION PRAYERS</b></h3><div><i>These are not included in the one-page guide. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><p><b>Liturgical prayers (taken from <i>Jesus-Centered: Guide to the Happiest Life</i>)</b></p><p>Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, by the will of the Father and the
work of the Holy Spirit, your death brought life to the world. By your
Body and Blood free me from all my sins, and from every evil. Keep
me faithful to your teaching, and never let me be parted from you. </p><p>We have consumed, O Lord, this divine Sacrament, the perpetual
memorial of the Passion of your Son; grant, we pray, that this gift,
which he himself gave us with love beyond all telling, may profit us
for salvation. </p><p>Renewed by partaking of this divine gift, we pray, O Lord our God, that by
the example of the saints, bearing in our body the Death of Jesus, we
may strive to hold fast to you alone. </p><p>Complete within us, O Lord, we pray, the healing work of your mercy, and
graciously perfect and nurture us that we may please you in all we do. </p><p>We ask you, Lord, as we receive the divine mysteries: grant your servants,
to whom you have given a love for us [relatives and friends], pardon
for sins, consolation in this life and unfailing guidance, that all of us,
united in your service, may rejoice together before your face. </p><p>May this sacrament of charity, O Lord, make us fervent with the fire of
holy love, so that, drawn always to your Son, we may learn to see him
in our neighbor. </p><p>Having been made partakers of this table of
unity and charity, we beseech your mercy, O
Lord, that through the work you have given
us to do we may sustain our life on earth
and trustingly build your Kingdom. </p><p>O God, who constantly feed and strengthen the
Church with your Sacraments, grant to us,
who have been nourished at the heavenly
table, that, by obeying your teachings of
love, we may become life-giving leaven and a means of salvation
for the human family. </p><p>Having been made partakers of this spiritual food, we pray, O Lord
our God, that, steadily imitating the Blessed Virgin Mary, we
may always be found intent on service of the Church and may
know the joys of doing your will.</p><p><b>Total Abandonment to the Will of God
by St. Faustina </b></p><p>Jesus-Host, whom I have this very moment received into my heart,
through this union with you I offer myself to the heavenly Father as a
sacrificial host, abandoning myself totally and completely to the most
merciful and holy will of my God. From today onward, your will, Lord,
is my food. Take my whole being; dispose of me as you please. Whatever your fatherly hand gives me, I will accept with submission, peace and
joy. I fear nothing, no matter in what direction you lead me; helped by
your grace I will carry out everything you demand of me. I no longer
fear any of your inspirations nor do I probe anxiously to see where they
will lead me. Lead me, O God, along whatever roads you please; I have
placed all my trust in your will which is, for me, love and mercy itself. </p><p><b>Communion Prayer
by St. Bonaventure (new translation)</b></p><p>Pierce the depths of my soul, O sweetest Lord Jesus, with the most
delightful and most saving wound of your love, with true, serene and
most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may always languish and melt
with love and longing for you. May it yearn for you and swoon for your
dwellings, and long to be detached and be with you.
May my heart always hunger for you, the bread of angels, the refreshing
food of holy souls, our daily, life-sustaining bread, containing all
sweetness and relish, and all delicate delight.
May I always hunger for you and feed on
you—you on whom the angels desire to gaze.
May the depths of my soul be filled with the
sweetness of your taste.
May my heart always thirst for you, the flowing
source of life, the fountain of wisdom and
knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the
gushing stream of pleasure, the abundance of
the house of God.
May my heart always desire you, seek you and find you. May I run to you
and reach you; think of you, speak of you and do all things to the praise
and glory of your name, with humility and discretion, with love and
delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance until the end.
May you always be my only hope, my complete assurance, my wealth,
my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my
delicacy, my fragrance, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my
refuge, my help, my wisdom, my inheritance, my possession and my
treasure—in you, may my mind and heart be fixed and fastened, and
immovably rooted now and always. Amen. (See <a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2011/01/prayer-of-st-bonaventure-new.html">here for the original Latin and English</a>.)</p><p><b>Daily Communion Prayer of St. Mother Teresa (based on St. John Henry Newman) </b></p><p>Dear Jesus, help me to spread thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my
soul with thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so
utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of thine. Shine through
me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel thy
presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only
Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to
shine as to be a light to others. Amen.</p><p><b>Prayer of St. John Chrysostom</b></p><p>We give Thee thanks, O most merciful Lord and Redeemer of our souls, for this day Thou hast made us worthy by means of these immortal and heavenly mysteries. Direct our way; keep us in fear of Thee; guard our lives; and make our steps firm through the prayers and intercessions of the glorious and holy Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary. Be exalted above the heavens, O God, and above all the earth, Thy glory, now and forever and ever. Amen.</p><p><b>For the Fruits of the Passion </b></p><p>Most sweet Jesus Christ, grant that your passion may be to me a power
by which I am strengthened, protected, and defended. May your wounds
be to me food and drink by which I am nourished and sustained. May the
sprinkling of your blood be to me an ablution for all my sins. May your
death prove to me life everlasting and may your cross be to me an eternal
glory. May your resurrection be my sure hope of future glory. In these be
my refreshment, my joy, my preservation and sweetness of heart. </p><p><b>The Universal Prayer (attributed to Pope Clement XI)</b> </p><p>Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith. I trust in you: strengthen my
trust. I love you: let me love you more and more. I am sorry for my sins:
deepen my sorrow. I worship you as my first beginning, I long for you
as my last end, I praise you as my constant helper, and call on you as my
loving protector.
Guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort me
with your mercy, protect me with your power. I offer you, Lord, my
thoughts: to be fixed on you; my words: to have you for their theme; my
actions: to reflect my love for you; my sufferings: to be endured for
your greater glory. I want to do what you ask of me: in the way you
ask, for as long as you ask, because you ask it. Lord, enlighten my understanding, strengthen my will, purify my heart,
and make me holy. Help me to repent of my past sins and to resist
temptation in the future. Help me to rise above my human weakness
and to grow stronger as a Christian. Let me love you, my Lord and my
God, and see myself as I really am: a pilgrim in this world, a Christian
called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those in authority over
me or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies.
Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy
by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out toward others. Make
me prudent in planning, courageous in taking risks. Make me patient
in suffering, unassuming in prosperity. Keep me, Lord, attentive in
prayer, temperate in food and drink, diligent in my work, firm in my
good intentions. Let my conscience be clear, my conduct without fault,
my speech blameless, my life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses. Let me cherish your
love for me, keep your law, and come at last to your salvation. Teach
me to realize that this world is passing, that my true future is the
happiness of heaven, that life on earth is short, and the life to come
eternal. Help me to prepare for death with a proper fear of judgment,
but a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven. Grant this
through Christ our Lord. Amen. </p><p><b>Meditation of St.Therese </b></p><p>O how sweet it is, the first kiss of Jesus to my soul. Yes, it is a kiss of love. I feel I am loved, and I too say: “I love Thee, I give myself to Thee forever!”
Jesus asks nothing of me, demands no sacrifice. Already for a long time past, He and I have watched and understood each other. This day our meeting is no longer a simple look but a fusion. No longer are we two. I have disappeared as the drop of water which loses itself in the depths of the ocean.
Jesus alone remains: The Master, the King.</p><p><b>Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas</b></p><p>I give thanks to Thee, O Lord, most holy, Father almighty, eternal God, that Thou hast vouchsafed, for no merit of mine own, but out of Thy pure mercy, to appease the hunger of my soul with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly I implore Thee, let not this holy communion be to me an increase of guilt unto my punishment, but an availing plea unto pardon and salvation. Let it be to me the armour of faith and the shield of good will. May it root out from my heart all vice; may it utterly subdue my evil passions and all my unruly desires. May it perfect me in charity and patience; in humility and obedience; and in all other virtues. May it be my sure defence against the snares laid for me by my enemies, visible and invisible. May it restrain and quiet all my evil impulses, and make me ever cleave to Thee Who art the one true God. May I owe to it a happy ending of my life.
And do Thou, O heavenly Father, vouchsafe one day to call me, a sinner, to that ineffable banquet, where Thou, together with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art to Thy saints true and unfailing light, fullness of content, joy for evermore, gladness without alloy, consummate and everlasting happiness. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.</p><p><b>Prayer to Our Lord</b></p><p>I beseech Thee, O most meek and loving Jesus, that this immortal Host may return Thee thanks on my behalf, may reconcile and restore me to Thee. May it procure pardon for me, a sinner, and lead me to everlasting life. Amen. </p><p>How sweet and lovely is this Bread of heaven which Thou hast given us! How wonderful is the rest, how full the peace which they experience who receive Thee after a sincere and sorrowful confession of their sins! For this, O my Jesus, be Thou praised a thousand times! In the matter of sin I have been most unfortunate; but now not only do I enjoy true comfort of soul, but I also believe that I have had a foretaste of the peace of heaven. How true it is, O Lord, that our soul was made for Thee, and can enjoy true peace only when it rests in Thee! From the bottom of my heart, therefore, do I thank Thee and I firmly resolve ever to fly sin and its occasions and to take up my lasting dwelling in Thy divine Heart, from which I hope the grace and help to love Thee until death. Amen. (Traditional Catholic Prayers)</p><p><b>Thanksgiving Psalm (Psalm 95)</b></p><p>Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;</p><p> let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.</p><p> Let us come before him with thanksgiving</p><p> and extol him with music and song.</p><p>For the LORD is the great God,</p><p> the great King above all gods.</p><p>In his hand are the depths of the earth,</p><p> and the mountain peaks belong to him.</p><p>The sea is his, for he made it,</p><p> and his hands formed the dry land.</p><p>Come, let us bow down in worship,</p><p> let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;</p><p>for he is our God</p><p> and we are the people of his pasture,</p><p> the flock under his care.</p><p>Today, if only you would hear his voice,</p><p>“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, </p><p> as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,</p><p>where your ancestors tested me;</p><p> they tried me, though they had seen what I did.</p><p>For forty years I was angry with that generation;</p><p> I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,</p><p> and they have not known my ways.’</p><p>So I declared on oath in my anger,</p><p> ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”</p><p><b>Stay with me Lord
by St. Padre Pio (complete version)</b></p><p>Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have you present so that I do
not forget you. You know how easily I abandon you. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need your strength, that I
may not fall so often. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, for you are my life, and without you, I am without fervor.
Stay with me, Lord, for you are my light, and without you, I am in darkness. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, to show me your will. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear your voice
and follow you. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love you very
much, and always be in your company.
Stay with me, Lord, if you wish me to be faithful to you. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of
consolation for you, a nest of love. </p><p>Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to
a close, and life passes; death, judgment, eternity approach. It is
necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way
and for that, I need you. It is getting late and death approaches, I fear
the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.
O how I need you, my Jesus, in this night of exile! </p><p>Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers. I need you.
Let me recognize you as your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the
darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart. </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain
united to you, if not by communion, at least by grace and love. </p><p>Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not
merit it, but the gift of your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of you! </p><p>Stay with me, Lord, for it is you alone I look for, your Love, your Grace,
your Will, your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love you and ask no other
reward but to love you more and more.
With a firm love, I will love you with all my heart while on earth and
continue to love you perfectly during all eternity. Amen.</p><div><b>Prayer to the Virgin Mary </b></div><p>Mary, holy virgin mother, I have received your Son, Jesus Christ.
With love you became his mother, gave birth to him, nursed him,
and helped him grow into manhood. With love I return him to you, to
hold once more, to love with all your heart, and to offer to the Holy
Trinity as our supreme act of worship for your honor and for the good
of all your pilgrim brothers and sisters.
Mother, ask God to forgive my sins and to help me serve him more
faithfully. Keep me true to Christ until death, and let me come to praise
him with you forever and ever. Amen. </p><p><b>Prayer to St. Joseph </b></p><p>St. Joseph, father and guardian of virgins, to whose faithful keeping
Christ Jesus, innocence itself, and Mary, the virgin of virgins, were
entrusted, I pray and beseech you by that twofold and most precious
charge, by Jesus and Mary, to save me from all uncleanness, to keep my
mind untainted, my heart pure, and my body chaste; and to help me
always to serve Jesus and Mary in perfect chastity. Amen. </p><p><b>Syro-Maronite Farewell to the Altar</b> </p><p>Remain in peace, O Altar of God. May the offering that I have taken
from you be for the remission of my debts and the pardon of my sins
and may it obtain for me that I may stand before the tribunal of Christ
without condemnation and without confusion. I do not know if I will
have the opportunity to return and offer another sacrifice upon you.
Protect me, O Lord, and preserve your holy Church as the way to truth
and salvation. Amen. (Compendium Appendix) </p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-79808378079641649252022-09-24T02:18:00.020-07:002022-09-26T22:10:31.568-07:00Straight talk with a child going to a secularist university<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Flags_of_the_Ivy_League.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="267" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Flags_of_the_Ivy_League.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i><br />A friend asked me for guidance on what he can tell his child who is going to a Western secularist university which can undermine the faith of his child. Putting myself in the shoes of the dad, these are the talking points I would bring up to the son or daughter. It will also be good for any teacher or mentor of a graduating High School student to bring up these points in their own way to their students. </i><p></p><p>You will be going to a university that will give you a great advantage in the world. This is a very good thing, but I would like to <b>make sure that you have some clear ideas</b>. </p><p>Despite the excellent secular things you will get, you will be <i>facing dangers for what is most important in your life,</i> in our life. Many of your professors will not believe in God and will undermine your faith and morals, and many of your classmates will be like them. You will therefore face pressures from many sides: from above, from your peers and from the whole environment. This is very strong pressure, and I know many good boys and girls from our country who have succumbed to it. And these were top students, who loved the catechesis they received, and had an above-average spiritual life. </p><p>And so it should be very clear to you that<b> </b><i>the most important thing in life is God and our faith in him.</i> As Jesus himself said: <b>"What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but suffers the loss of his soul." </b></p><p>This is the purest truth. I hope your school and I have made clear that this is also <a href="https://universitas.uap.asia/articles/a-most-intelligent-choice/">the most intelligent, rationally-based choice</a>. (See <a href="https://universitas.uap.asia/articles/a-most-intelligent-choice/">this article</a> for the basis)</p><p>God is our everything; he is the source and the end goal of our life. Only through him can we enjoy the greatest possible happiness every day and throughout eternity. Not being with him is therefore the greatest failure. This failure, more than anything else, will be my greatest pain. If you have any doubts in this aspect, given original sin and the pressures of the environment, you can easily succumb. Since I have a grave responsibility before God to give you a solid education, I would like to know what you think about what I just said.</p><p><i>It is important for the parent to listen to what the son or daughter has to say regarding these things and have a frank conversation to clarify things. </i></p><p><i>The next steps will have to be based on the result of the conversation. It is best if the next steps are considered and determined by the student himself, with guidance from the parent. </i></p><p><i>Generally, everyone will <b>need continual inputs</b> in both heart and mind to persevere in Christian faith and morals.</i></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><b>Input of grace and prayer.</b></i><b> </b>You will need to go regularly to Mass and Confession, and practice daily humble prayer. A close friendship with Jesus--a relationship of burning love--will be your best support, for this is the very goal of our life. Everything depends, teaches Pope Benedict XVI, on our intimate friendship with Jesus. </li><li><i><b>Input of Catholic Christian teachings.</b> </i>Because there will be a continual input of secularist and amoral ideas, you will need a continual input of Christian ideas, to inspire you and motivate you. For example, read the New Testament everyday, so you can get to know the life of Christ. Read a good Christian book every day. Here are lists of <a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/09/basic-christian-readings.html">good Christian readings</a>. </li><li><i><b>Input of good Catholic community</b>. </i>A strong support is the company and encouragement of good Catholic friends. </li><li><b style="font-style: italic;">Input of the Christian mission. </b>The best defense is a good offense. The first habit of highly effective people, says Stephen Covey is: Be proactive, not reactive. Affect your environment; don't let the environment affect you. We are Christians, so like him, we spread Christianity to the people around us. Go with a <a href="https://universitas.uap.asia/articles/do-you-know-your-mission/">sense of mission</a>--of having been placed there by God for a great purpose. </li></ul><div>Because I am the one shouldering your education, I am interested that we continue to talk about all of these every so often during your stay in college. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">--- o ---</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>These inputs, in fact, should be stressed, in one way or another, all throughout the schooling of the child, not just at the very end, before he or she leaves for college. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Note: <a href="https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/college/">The Newman Guide to Colleges</a> points out that there are universities which are Catholic in name but are secularist in nature, and they can undermine faith and morals more than some non-Catholic colleges. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-49038095175582372652022-09-24T01:42:00.003-07:002022-10-03T00:07:46.261-07:00Basic Christian Readings<p>For spiritual reading, there are several lists in the internet such as those of: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cicdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-Lifetime-Reading-Plan-PDF-1.pdf">Catholic Information Center</a></li><li><a href="chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://listsofbooks.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/1/1/3611854/some_books_useful_for_spiritual_reading.pdf">Fr. Fernando Jadraque and Fr. Javier Lopez</a></li><li><a href="https://cfalive.com/pages/a-guide-to-spiritual-reading-for-adults">Fr. Thomas Morrow</a> at <a href="https://cfalive.com/">Catholic Faith Alive</a></li><li><a href="https://www.regnumchristinyctnj.org/index.php/regnum-christi-reading-list/">Regnum Christi</a></li><li><a href="https://frcoulter.com/books/booklist.html">Fr. Gary Coulter</a></li><li><a href="https://documen.site/download/a-catholic-lifetime-reading-plan-by-fr-john-hardon-sj_pdf">Fr. John Hardon, S.J.</a></li></ul><p></p><p>The book, <i>Jesus-Centered Life: Guide to the Happiest Life</i> has this list: </p><p>• Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (online)</p><p>• Youcat (Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church) </p><p>• Faith Explained by Leo Trese</p><p>• Theology for Beginners by Frank Sheed</p><p>• My Way of Life by St. Thomas Aquinas</p><p>• Walking with God by Kilian Healy (online)</p><p>• Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly Hahn</p><p>• Our Lady of Fatima by William Thomas Walsh</p><p>• The Curé d’Ars by Francis Trochu</p><p>• Time for God, Way of Trust ad Love, Interior Freedom, Searching and Maintaining Peace, Called to Life, etc. by Jacques Philippe</p><p>• Understanding “Our Father;” The Lamb’s Supper; Lord, Have Mercy; etc. by Scott Hahn</p><p>• Catechesis on Prayer, the Apostles, the Fathers, etc. by Pope Benedict XVI (online)</p><p>• Prayer: the Great Means of Salvation and Perfection, School of Christian Perfection, The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, etc. by St. Alphonsus Liguori (online)</p><p>• Spiritual Exercises by St. Ignatius of Loyola</p><p>• The Practice of Humility by J. Pecci/Pope Leo XIII (online)</p><p>• Introduction to the Devout Life, Treatise on the Love of God, etc. by St. Francis de Sales (online)</p><p>• Little Catechism, Sermons, etc. by St. John Mary Vianney (online)</p><p>• The Way, The Furrow, The Forge, Christ is Passing By and Friends of God by St. Josemaría Escrivá (online)</p><p>• To Know Christ Jesus, Theology and Sanity, etc. by Frank Sheed</p><p>• Life of Christ, Three to Get Married, etc. by Fulton Sheen</p><p>• Public Life of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Passion and Death of our</p><p>Lord Jesus Christ by Archbishop Alban Goodier, S.J.</p><p>• The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence Lovasik</p><p>• In Conversation with God, Lukewarmness, etc. by Francisco</p><p>Fernandez-Carvajal</p><p>• Saints in the World, God and Children, etc. by Jesus Urteaga</p><p>• In Silence with God, Frequent Confession by Benedict Baur</p><p>• Back to Virtue, Before I Go, etc. by Peter Kreeft</p><p>• Heart of Virtue by Donald DeMarco</p><p>• Faith Applied by Jean Daujat</p><p>• Letters to a Young Catholic, The Truth of Catholicism, etc. by George Weigel</p><p>• Conversation with Christ by Peter Thomas Rohrbach</p><p>• Meditations and Devotions, Sermons, etc. by St. John Henry Newman (online)</p><p>• The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St Thérèse of Lisieux (online)</p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-62955189498886716722022-09-10T00:59:00.005-07:002022-10-03T00:08:04.227-07:00He Knows Not How: Growing in Freedom, and other articles and videos by Fr. Julio Dieguez<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtcFlApAGYOiJM_dvJAn2ZFBHCaeM0thJQwXMCEODPdH3chJP0k8QXpofD5XKvG7qFSsDaHqQpdiEawkL0JgYLGr2djB8CuXl7rRhJlomva16CBzB_c_myIcuDJS-rxh91mKt9CIxEjt_jPgWdH6c3JM4FeKTD3RXQQggATSoDAXWwTnE-C8CnyOxfw/s600/diegeuz.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtcFlApAGYOiJM_dvJAn2ZFBHCaeM0thJQwXMCEODPdH3chJP0k8QXpofD5XKvG7qFSsDaHqQpdiEawkL0JgYLGr2djB8CuXl7rRhJlomva16CBzB_c_myIcuDJS-rxh91mKt9CIxEjt_jPgWdH6c3JM4FeKTD3RXQQggATSoDAXWwTnE-C8CnyOxfw/w400-h258/diegeuz.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Below are translated notes on the key points of <i>Formar Personas Libres</i>, a Spanish booklet written by Fr. Julio Dieguez, the newly appointed Regional Vicar of Opus Dei in the Philippines. The later title is<b> </b></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Sin que él sepa cómo: Crecer en libertad</i><b>, </b>found in Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sin-que-%C3%A9l-sepa-c%C3%B3mo/dp/B08CJQ6GS8">here</a>. He speaks about it in Spanish in Youtube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VroOqbRaH9w">here</a>. The English version is <i>He Knows Not How: Growing in Freedom w</i>hich is in Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/He-Knows-Not-How-Growing/dp/B08MSMP1CB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VJKRAKB3EZID&keywords=he+knows+not+how+growing+in+freedom&qid=1662796121&s=books&sprefix=he+knows+not+how+%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C403&sr=1-1">here</a>. He spoke about it in PAREF's<i> Jesus-Centered Conference </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqsy2lVb8dc">here</a><i>. </i></span></p><p>At the bottom of this article, you can find other articles of Fr. Julio. </p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well-formed person: </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1e0b632-7fff-e76f-5422-b4ac646ef543"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">when he does what he wants, he does what is good because his will is identified with Jesus Christ.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">autonomously affirms the good, because he </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">recognizes</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it as good</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be truly free, your choices have to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">come from correct judgment of reality</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. The problem of "weak-willed" persons</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wants to improve and looks for help, but can't</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Root: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What he values (sees as worth the effort);</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because he can give a lot of effort for other things he values</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Underneath weak will - a erroneous judgement about the true value of goods which gives a full life</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His thinking towards action (practical reason) is influenced by his passions more than his reason</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. The cause of freedom is reason -- St. Thomas.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The will always follows a judgement of reason. We always choose what we think is good for us </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To strengthen reason, you need virtues, good choices. Thus the tremendous importance of good relationships, family, friends who show how virtues are lived. Joy of these people have an important role in being good examples: a sign of well-established virtue. Thus the importance that activities are attractive, not only because they are fun but because they are authentic and sincere. </span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. The problem of voluntarism: a lack of reasoning.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The voluntarist only depends on willpower. He does not use his intelligence to see the attractiveness of what is good. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To overcome voluntarism:</span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give reasons</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reflect on these reasons</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Base your actions on these reasons</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't replace reasons with a rule</span></p></li></ul></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A strong will requires a reason that is based on firm principles: the virtues.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To stimulate the use of reason in governing our actions means to grasp the goal of our actions.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Virtues: the strength of freedom</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is formative are the virtues, which are acquired by repeating good choices. This means that what is formative are one's own decisions or choices -- not the decision of others. One forms oneself.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The role of the formator is to help each one to form himself well in the struggle to acquire virtues, by corresponding to the grace of God.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since virtue is a perfection of freedom, formation is a formation in freedom and for freedom. There is no other true formation.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Virtuous person loves the good passionately</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6. To form virtue means to form prudence</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The objective is not to accumulate rules or criteria but forming prudence: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the capacity to reason out on one’s own and reach the right conclusion.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the beginning rules and criteria help, but as one develops one needs fewer rules</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7. The four keys to formation</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Initiative.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> St. Josemaria – help the soul </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to want</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> –he voluntarily chooses—to do the will of God. Don’t command, advise.</span></p></li></ol><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not to help passively, but to pray, think so as to propose, open horizons, help to discover, suggest</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The goal of formation is not when he chooses to do good; but </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">only when he does it because he wants to—chooses it freely. He wants to do good because it is good.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To concretize fight, there has to be a dialogue:</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 126pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Propose and ask</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 126pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Listen and assess</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 126pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask: what is his idea; what struggle is good; what he thinks God expects from him; what he would like to do,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 126pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then propose: “I think this might be good, what do you think?”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Think about it, bring it to your prayer and then let’s talk about it.</span></p><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Convictions.</span></p></li></ol><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Formation is more a matter of convictions than of decisions: not tell them what we have decided but to transmit convictions.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Formation is more than exhorting but a matter of helping to understand.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 108pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More difficult but more beautiful</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 108pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Demands thinking deeply; not using prefabricated formulas</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transmit key ideas (</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ideas madres</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) from which he draws the conclusions</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indispensable: Help people to think</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 108pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Encourage questions on the whys</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 108pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">o</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teach how to pose the question and find the solutions</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avoid the impression that it is not necessary to understand and that you only have to trust</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take advantage of mistakes. If we prevent people from making mistakes, then we also prevent them from doing right; we don’t form their prudence</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be positive. Show the beauty of the good; learn to give deep reasons which are the most attractive</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Perspective.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> St. Josemaria: take time into account</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fight is centered on virtues and not on acts: acquiring a second nature</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Devote time to explains the why</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 72pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make them see the sense of the fight in terms of the goal</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Affection.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> First in importance and has to be in all the steps. You can only form if you love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summary:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only one’s own decisions are formative</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not only that they know, but they think; important now, because people don’t accept authority</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truth cannot be imposed; The force has to be in the arguments; For this, reading good literature</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Examples form more than concepts; Show good films</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will only influence people who trust us; one has to earn this: they see that we know what we are talking about; not just someone in a position</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Respect freedom</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Know how to listen, value their point of view; speak respectfully</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Affection is the first source of authority and credibility</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help them feel a great freedom</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help to remove obstacles that impede acting with interior freedom—that they feel at ease and unrestrained (con soltura)</span></p></li></ul><div><span><b><br /></b></span></div><b>ARTICLES WRITTEN BY FR JULIO DIEGUEZ</b></span><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><i>Click on the article title to read it. </i><br /><div><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://opusdei.org/en/article/the-face-of-jesus/">The face of Jesus</a></b></span></div><div><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span><b><a href="https://opusdei.org/en/article/very-human-very-divine-xiii-with-our-whole-heart/"><span style="font-size: medium;">With our whole heart</span></a> </b>- on the virtue of chastity</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://opusdei.org/en/article/reaching-the-entire-person-role-of-the-emotions-1/"><b>Reaching the entire person: role of the emotions</b></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /><br /></span></div></div>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-30212465227049596752022-08-29T18:24:00.026-07:002022-08-30T18:51:53.889-07:00Ding Capitin: a hero who died on National Heroes Day <p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Zu6zyVVPNS1tNjutmD_eXNxIodsRrCbG7cnhGOF9GyrfoyoBY5gook1w3xnaXn_rU3gQOwYPeHNtbUDPQnCmLXSSGGKAzq7oEy8e3wgOp4kSwbbw7P2OHzBVDxcOmtrJDl8_NVp3jSrRZkN_aD9kfj9iuWG6zegAuF5WRIlToT9A_H6bCMUNNwRVWQ/s960/ding%20capitin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="960" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Zu6zyVVPNS1tNjutmD_eXNxIodsRrCbG7cnhGOF9GyrfoyoBY5gook1w3xnaXn_rU3gQOwYPeHNtbUDPQnCmLXSSGGKAzq7oEy8e3wgOp4kSwbbw7P2OHzBVDxcOmtrJDl8_NVp3jSrRZkN_aD9kfj9iuWG6zegAuF5WRIlToT9A_H6bCMUNNwRVWQ/w400-h265/ding%20capitin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />ARMANDO M. CAPITIN<p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d12a2b95-7fff-5076-1085-c2d3240989b4"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Date of birth: 9 September 1951</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Date of death: 30 August 2021</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This article puts together accounts of several people about Ding Capitin.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ding Capitin worked as a swimming instructor and lifeguard in the US Embassy, then later as a salesman of Japanese cars. His experience in both institutions honed his training and interpersonal relationship skills. With this, he had the makings of an apostolic hero: friendly, confident and faithful to God. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ding got in touch with Opus Dei in an unusual way. A famous columnist writing negatively against some known members of Opus Dei led Ding to discover the truth. As a result, he joined the Work on 7 December 1992 in Sangandaan Cultural Center in Makati, the financial hub of the Philippines. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the beginning of his vocation to Opus Dei, he strove to live the spirit of the Work well, striving to sanctify his daily activities and do the norms of piety<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">—</span>a heroism in little things of each day. A triathlete and fitness buff, he brought the spirit of struggle into his Christian life. He pinpointed points of struggle, then prayed to God and worked on these areas until he overcame them. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At Sangandaan, he joined the center’s Tagalog group, where he became one of the elder brothers who always brought fun and laughter to the group and who regularly shared his wisdom and his apostolic and professional adventures.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This group took charge of dealing with blue-collar workers such as drivers, technicians, janitors, guards, etc. Ding knew that to be an effective formator, he cannot give what he does not have. Thus, he ensured on-time attendance and prioritized his means of formation: recollections, talks, circles, etc. He always arrived early. Oftentimes, you would hear him say that the only time you cannot attend is when you are already dead. He continued on in Sangandaan until the end of his life, even when the traffic worsened. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He brought this same dedication and fighting spirit into his professional development. When he retired from the US Embassy, he started to work at <a href="https://www.dualtech.org.ph/">Dualtech Training Center</a>, a technical-vocational school that prepares young people for employment in industrial firms. He would bike to and from Dualtech. Despite the inconveniences of a starting school in a new Industrial Park, he would bike through the mud trail every day.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of his apostolic heroism, he also helped in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SouthridgeAfternoonSchool/">PAREF-Southridge Afternoon School</a> and the <a href="http://dagatanffs.org/">Dagatan Family Farm School</a>. After some years, he became full-time in Dualtech while continuing as a peer coach for new fathers in Southridge Afternoon School. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Dualtech and Southridge, he made many friends and did a lot of apostolate. As someone who took his formation seriously, he was able to give very good advice to the people around him, guiding them to live a Christian life in their daily lives. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He was among the team of Industrial Coordinators of Dualtech until his retirement when he became Dualtech’s consultant for community relations. He represented Dualtech in its campaigns to schools and parishes. With tireless enthusiasm, he went to nearly all the regions of the Philippines, from Cuyo in Palawan to Mindanao to Ilocos to Bicol and so on. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ding was proud of Dualtech. He offered Dualtech to poor families and students as hope and an opportunity for transformation. He guided the younger Dualtech employees in their life goals and in the pursuit of their careers. He connected well with young and old, employees and students. He instilled the highest possible degree of discipline among students by ensuring to toughen them up. And he found ways to follow up. Despite the age gap and the busy schedules, he found time to chat with each mentee assigned to him. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He was also an advocate of exercise and keeping fit. He coached his friends in swimming and running. Dualtech people joined marathons and fun runs because of his influence and eventually Dualtech itself became an organizer of local running events because of his expertise.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ding enjoyed seeing people happy in any gathering. He would initiate stories or jokes—no matter how “corny"—just to make sure people feel comfortable and enjoy each other’s company. He also loved to take pictures and post happy memories on Facebook.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the secrets of Ding’s cheerful disposition is his family. He loved his wife, Caridad, whose nickname is Ying, and brought her along to get-togethers, parties and gatherings. The Capitin couple was always on courtship mode even after more than 30 years of marriage. After years of prayer, God gifted him with Angelo or Gelo, his only son. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On 23 August 2021, Monday, Ding started not feeling well and asked for prayers. Ding said that he was offering his pains for everyone and praying for them. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On 25 August, as he said that his condition has improved, he still prepared a video of a talk for the recollection that was shown the following day. He also attended a meeting at Dualtech on 27 August, Friday. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His health took a sudden turn for the worse on Sunday, 29 August. That night his test indicated that he had Covid. While two ambulances (one sent by a supernumerary friend, Ed Tan, and the other by Dualtech) were on their way to his home the following morning, Ding passed away. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ding’s son, Gelo, said that since his dad is a hero, he fittingly died on National Heroes Day. Then he posted every day on his Facebook page the lessons his dad taught him: not to dwell on problems, but to solve them; to be always cheerful, as you can cure someone else’s sorrow; to listen to others, even though you don’t understand everything, as it is a way of showing love; how to swim and float by relaxing and not being stiff; to do home duties that can be enjoyed to build character and maturity; to maintain a strong bond of connection with your child as the most powerful means to realize the father’s hope for the child; to make your child curious, by explaining things and always answering his questions, no matter how many they were; to be steadfast, since being firm is your weapon so as not to lose hope. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Relevant Articles:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="http://experienceswithopusdei.blogspot.com/2018/04/our-mommy-montse-eulogy-for-montse.html"><br /></a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="http://experienceswithopusdei.blogspot.com/2018/04/our-mommy-montse-eulogy-for-montse.html">Our Mommy, Montse: A Eulogy for Montse Cuervo</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://experienceswithopusdei.blogspot.com/2014/06/obayism.html">Obayism - a eulogy for Obay Rojales</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><a href="https://experienceswithopusdei.blogspot.com/2013/10/from-bombi-to-ambi.html">From Bombi to Ambi - a eulogy for Consul General Raul Santiago</a></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-62789688831123327022022-08-19T03:42:00.000-07:002022-10-03T00:08:15.560-07:00 Beautiful teachings of Pope Francis on how to be merciful<p>The Gospel (Lk 6:36-38) identifies three steps to help us understand how to be merciful. Do not judge others; do not condemn; forgive: in this way you imitate the mercy of the Father.</p><p>Firstly, judge not, and you will not be judged. So as not to go astray in life, we need to imitate God. The mercy of God is such a great thing, very great. </p><p>Let us remember that story about the poor widow who went to confess to the Curé of Ars. Her husband had committed suicide; he jumped from the bridge into the river. And she wept. She said, “I am a sinner! But my poor husband! He is in hell. He committed suicide, and suicide is a mortal sin. He is in hell”. And the Curé of Ars said, “But wait a moment, ma’am, because between the bridge and the river, there is the mercy of God.” But to the very end, to the very end, there is the mercy of God.</p><p>One who judges always gets it wrong. Because he takes the place of God, who is the only judge: taking that place is taking the wrong place! Believing you have the authority to judge everything: people, life, everything. And with the capacity to judge, you also assume you have the capacity to condemn. Condemning the sinner breaks the bond of fraternity with him and scorns the mercy of God. </p><p>St. Luke makes clear that perfection is merciful love. Being perfect means being merciful. The Christian must forgive. Why? Because he has been forgiven.</p><p>If God has forgiven me, why must I not forgive others? Am I greater than God?</p><p>Merciful love is the only path to take. Forgiving, being merciful, living our life in love and giving ... permits the disciples of Jesus to not lose the identity received from him and to recognize themselves as children of the same father.</p><p>Do not forget this: mercy and giving, forgiveness and giving. This way the heart grows, it grows in love. Selfishness, anger make the heart smaller, smaller, smaller, smaller and it hardens like a stone.</p><p>If you prefer a heart full of love, be merciful!</p><p><br /></p><p>Sources:</p><p>https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2014/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20140623_no-one-can-judge.html</p><p>https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/francis-judging-and-condemning-brother-sins-wrong</p><p>https://sites.google.com/view/pope-francis-homilies/condemnation</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-77507237748462034292022-07-22T23:28:00.085-07:002024-03-26T19:19:06.452-07:00Motu proprio "Ad charisma tuendum": some reflections<p><i>"The only ambition, the only desire of Opus Dei and each of its members is to serve the Church <u>as the Church wants to be served</u>, within the specific vocation God has given us," stressed St. Josemaria, the Founder of Opus Dei. </i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1nQQ5XXuza-CgsY78Pjt3q1edwHxR6QoI8T53zIjtkvgzMouP8g6CLOIjKxbeF1TZjBSYh2bY_pg4k6OAgwsFBAhn7jiW5iJlGBKc1bGrbZSk2S20DA1j7GSKI8N_HlsjTXeDAMrVddpE264Z1tRtOO6kCNzW8gbrfiNyTbG-Td-kljCQTzWx8pKsA/s600/image%20(1).webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1nQQ5XXuza-CgsY78Pjt3q1edwHxR6QoI8T53zIjtkvgzMouP8g6CLOIjKxbeF1TZjBSYh2bY_pg4k6OAgwsFBAhn7jiW5iJlGBKc1bGrbZSk2S20DA1j7GSKI8N_HlsjTXeDAMrVddpE264Z1tRtOO6kCNzW8gbrfiNyTbG-Td-kljCQTzWx8pKsA/w400-h246/image%20(1).webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Pope Francis, the vicar of Christ, has just issued <i>"Ad charisma tuendum"</i> for the Opus Dei Prelature which literally means "to safeguard the charism."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The charism of Opus Dei that needs to be safeguarded, the Pope says, includes its "task of spreading the call to holiness in the world, through the sanctification of work and family and social commitments.” He also wanted "to promote the evangelizing action carried out by its members in the world." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some points I would like to note: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Filial acceptance by the Opus Dei Prelature. </b>Because Opus Dei loves the Pope and its own God-given mission, it received the Motu Propio like a good son. Its Prelate, Msgr. Fernando Ocariz, declared that "we filially accept" the decision and asked the people of Opus Dei to make the Pope's invitation "resonate strongly in each and every one of us." To resonate, the dictionary tells us, means to continue to produce a loud, clear and deep sound for a long time. St. Josemaria teaches: "Your deepest love...your most complete obedience and your warmest affection have also to be shown towards the Vicar of Christ on earth."</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Basis of the decision.</i></b> The Pope makes decisions based on in-depth studies and this decision, he says, is "in harmony with the testimony of the Founder, St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, and with the teachings of the conciliar ecclesiology regarding personal prelatures." The Vatican has been studying personal prelatures and <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20160516_iuvenescit-ecclesia_en.html">the relationship between hierarchical gifts and charismatic gifts</a>, which as the<a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/motu-proprio-ad-charisma-tuendum-questions-and-answers/"> Q&A of the prelature</a> points out, are used by the Holy Spirit to guide the Church. In the Vatican study of 2016, they refer to Benedict XVI who said that "essential institutions are also charismatic and the charisms, in one way or another, must be institutionalized." Also, the Pope means well for Opus Dei. Pope Francis, as a famous Jesuit intellectual <a href="https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2013/03/18/the-pope-and-the-poor/#.Uko6slNElek">described his background</a> upon his election, is "a friend of Opus Dei." When a journalist asked Pope Francis about the intent of the Motu Proprio, which some have interpreted negatively, Pope Francis <a href="https://zenit.org/2022/12/20/pope-francis-to-spanish-press-im-a-very-close-friend-of-the-opus-dei-i-love-them-a-lot-and-the-good-they-do-is-very-great/?eti=8006">said</a>: "I’m a very close friend of Opus Dei, I love them a lot and the good they do is very great." He also explained that canon lawyers of Opus Dei worked on this with the Vatican.</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbjCy4XJundruGikVJiVtR0qJCVUy174Xw9a_Oa4tik4LicyVky2WO2VZCnSw7-7lsnWt-bohb24YlVpqR_Q84AhJ5tuUgKyhNMrng2xe_Pws_U_hXB1QGtHNuYVVjuhFKyWTYef6lk75PUykPPdLUsjx3DZCLCW82KXHgLorE9OtF-U18DaEwa7qSw/s691/st%20josemaria%20in%20gt.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="691" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbjCy4XJundruGikVJiVtR0qJCVUy174Xw9a_Oa4tik4LicyVky2WO2VZCnSw7-7lsnWt-bohb24YlVpqR_Q84AhJ5tuUgKyhNMrng2xe_Pws_U_hXB1QGtHNuYVVjuhFKyWTYef6lk75PUykPPdLUsjx3DZCLCW82KXHgLorE9OtF-U18DaEwa7qSw/w400-h309/st%20josemaria%20in%20gt.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">A feature of the original charism is that the prelate is not a bishop. </i>I have always heard from the previous prelates what the present prelate has said: "the episcopal ordination of the Prelate was not and is not necessary for the guidance of Opus Dei." Remember: The Founder was not a bishop, and he is the model for all the future heads of Opus Dei on how they are to lead. Bl Alvaro, his most faithful successor, even wanted to resign "if it was deemed necessary that the Prelate be a bishop," until he was convinced by St Pope John Paul II. (See Javier Medina, <i>Alvaro del Portillo</i>, Rialp) This implies that he never heard St. Josemaria—the person who received the charism—expecting the future prelates to be bishops. This is a feature of the charism that the Pope wants to protect. The only time the Pope specified the idea of protecting the charism is when he said: the Motu Proprio is intended "to strengthen the conviction that, for the protection of the particular gift of the Spirit, a form of governance based on charism more than on hierarchical authority is needed. Therefore, the Prelate shall not be honoured with the episcopal order." This is the feature of the charism that "must be institutionalized" in the words of the principle enunciated by Pope Benedict XVI. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Nothing changes in the nature of Opus Dei. </i>When the governance reform of the Roman Curia came out, the Prelate pointed out that this "in no way modifies the essential nature of the Prelature of Opus Dei." The <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7292011118323031348/7750723774846203429#">Q&A at the Opus Dei website</a> points to the specific area affected: "The change is in the Prelature’s relations with the Holy See. The Motu Proprio does not directly introduce modifications in the governance of the Prelature, nor in the relations of the authorities of the Prelature with the bishops." As Bp. Juan Ignacio Arrieta, a member of the Curia and of Opus Dei, <a href="https://www.exaudi.org/es/colegialidad-laicos-dicasterios-asi-cambia-curia-romana/">explained</a>: Curial organization often changes, but it does not change the nature of what is administered. Shrines will always be shrines; seminaries will always be seminaries, but the Curial department assigned to oversee them keeps on changing. Opus Dei's shift to the Dicastery of Clergy, said the Prelate, is due to the "many matters" related to clergy that the prelature brings up to the Curia. And <i>Praedicate Evangelium</i>, the very reform document of the Curia, indicates that the various dicasteries are "all juridically equal."<br /></span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPie8hy2O_MXcSaOi0eNH4Z0_4aaVQxdnB_bUFrE-FRXJaBndZNc2IrrtSrazXo-ppk8doWUQUSuG5njVXyZ89aO49lhPydIRFMPavtsgOwCMUUFjR8P8qo1ULtswFO-oNhQ5yUbkOCLkv9mdHe-yPsbGHP5bjCPLnQ9ieNcHr-2m7JxpZQ-EMh-prrQ/s713/prelate%20and%20family.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="713" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPie8hy2O_MXcSaOi0eNH4Z0_4aaVQxdnB_bUFrE-FRXJaBndZNc2IrrtSrazXo-ppk8doWUQUSuG5njVXyZ89aO49lhPydIRFMPavtsgOwCMUUFjR8P8qo1ULtswFO-oNhQ5yUbkOCLkv9mdHe-yPsbGHP5bjCPLnQ9ieNcHr-2m7JxpZQ-EMh-prrQ/w400-h246/prelate%20and%20family.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Stress on charismatic dimension strengthens Opus Dei's family atmosphere and the fatherhood of the prelate.</i></b> This is the key point that the present Prelate, Msgr. Fernando Ocariz, focused on in <a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/letter-from-the-prelate-regarding-the-motu-proprio-ad-charisma-tuendum/">his response</a>: the Prelate is <i>"above all, a father."</i> This means all the other aspects of his role, such as guiding and ruling, are secondary. One of the beautiful gifts of God for Opus Dei is its family atmosphere, where its head is affectionately called "Father," and he truly acts like a father to his children: sending them heart-warming letters regularly, teaching them as a father talks, caring for them with the love of a father, etc. So when the Pope says in the document that "a form of government based more on charism than on hierarchical authority is needed," he is strengthening this fatherly love and Opus Dei's family character. And as I wrote in my book, <i>Jesus-Centered</i>, following the thought of St. Thomas: "In the family, we can develop the most important virtue of love in the easiest way." And love is the essence of the call to holiness that Opus Dei is called to spread, through its charismatic gift from the Holy Spirit who is Love in person. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Stress on charismatic dimension does not remove the prelature's hierarchical nature. </i>The prelate—appointed by the Pope, the highest hierarchical authority—is necessarily a priest, and therefore will always be part of the Church hierarchy, because the "hierarchical priesthood", as the Catechism indicates, is "of bishops and priests." (CCC 1547). By <a href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12386b.htm">definition</a>, a prelate is "incumbent of...an ecclesiastical office with special and stable jurisdiction in the external forum and with special precedence over other ecclesiastical offices," and therefore always part of the hierarchy. </span></li><li><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A</span></b></i><b><i style="font-size: large;">s Supernumerary Apostolic Protonotary, the prelate is a "member of the highest college of prelates,"</i> </b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12503a.htm">according to the Catholic Encyclopedia</a>. As such he belongs to the Papal Household, specifically to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_household#cite_note-2">Pontifical Family</a>, which includes key dignitaries such as the Substitute of the Secretariat of State (which <a href="https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2022/05/glimpses-into-the-single-toughest-job-in-the-catholic-church">John Allen calls</a> "the single toughest job in the Catholic Church" after the Pope), the Secretary for Relations with States, and the President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.</span></span></li></ul><h4></h4><h3></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgSv6ybgu4lpOcBO5iwMqH3w4gK9zqqi48Zzx5-A_raf0XCMmEzPEnWLNt5Zd_1CTSHgi5kffz31QL8_OJSFYqbaN1NkLwgPP8M_6EdfjNTo57uaE-Tesi-IO92IcggPY6Zqqebfxm12KytKt0y32bChv_hHDvZf_5Ti4SF4do12CVjqtS9qimefygQ/s672/opus%20dei%20two%20women.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgSv6ybgu4lpOcBO5iwMqH3w4gK9zqqi48Zzx5-A_raf0XCMmEzPEnWLNt5Zd_1CTSHgi5kffz31QL8_OJSFYqbaN1NkLwgPP8M_6EdfjNTo57uaE-Tesi-IO92IcggPY6Zqqebfxm12KytKt0y32bChv_hHDvZf_5Ti4SF4do12CVjqtS9qimefygQ/s320/opus%20dei%20two%20women.png" width="228" /></a></div></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><i>Hierarchy is "totally" for holiness.</i></b> Still, it is important to stress what the Catechism teaches: Mary is more important than Peter; holiness is more important than hierarchy. "The 'Marian' dimension of the Church precedes the 'Petrine.'" That is why "the Church's structure is totally ordered to the holiness of Christ's members." (CCC 773) Power and authority are all in the service of what Christ calls "the one thing necessary"—a relationship that unites with him. (Lk 10:42) What is most important for the Church is that all Christians become saints—persons centered on Jesus. What is most important is the humility, simplicity and the be-it-done-to-me of Mary. The homemaker of Nazareth lived without any "human glory" so that all glory goes to God alone. This is the ideal that St. Josemaria said is God's design for Opus Dei—a point he put in <a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/statutes-of-opus-dei/">Opus Dei's Statutes</a>. (89. § 1) Any move that further bolsters the true sanctification of Catholics is good for the Church and for Opus Dei. </span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div>For more clarifications, please take a look at the <a href="https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/motu-proprio-ad-charisma-tuendum-questions-and-answers/">Q & A prepared by the Opus Dei Prelature</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Note: I wrote this commentary in my personal capacity as a theologian and author of <a href="https://jesus-centeredlife.org/product/jesus-centered-guide-to-the-happiest-life-dr-raul-nidoy/">Jesus-Centered: Guide to the Happiest Life</a>. </div><p></p><p><b>Relevant articles:</b></p><p><a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2022/07/answers-to-some-attacks-against-pope.html"><b>Answer to some attacks against Pope Francis</b></a></p><p><a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2016/03/opus-dei-gods-work-to-sanctify-world.html"><b>Opus Dei: God's work to sanctify the world from within</b></a> - an explainer on Opus Dei mainly using the words of St. Josemaria</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-9993804247156106572022-07-15T00:28:00.020-07:002022-10-03T00:08:34.590-07:00Desiderio Desideravi: summary of key points in simple language<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Liturgy is of first importance in our lives. God must be in first place and prayer our first duty,” Pope Francis recently stressed in <b><a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/20220629-lettera-ap-desiderio-desideravi.html">Desiderio Desideravi</a>.</b> And he pointed out that "it is important now to spread this knowledge" to "each one of the faithful" in "an accessible way." So here is a summary of the key points in simple language.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a50859fc-7fff-91c8-ea27-d9b5fc6ac4c9"><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/AED_11%C3%A8me_Nuit_des_T%C3%A9moins_-_Michel_Aupetit_-_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/AED_11%C3%A8me_Nuit_des_T%C3%A9moins_-_Michel_Aupetit_-_1.jpg" width="267" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Liturgy is the “today” of God’s saving work</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the beginning of creation, God has been preparing for the Last Supper of Jesus. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because Jesus has an infinite desire to become one with us, everyone is invited to that Supper. Here </span><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus himself is the Passover Lamb</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that we take.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How great is the gift and how small we are. </span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Mass is the supper of the wedding of the Lamb</span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be present, there is one requirement: the wedding garment of </span><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">faith</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our response to Jesus’ desire is to</span><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"> surrender to his love</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to let ourselves to be drawn by him.</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">The content of the Mass: the crucifixion of Jesus</span></h3><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5gMJ4UMnc4IueY5INyqCn8Tajqu6Wb6Ghe-DnWi6ywzKzUwcSIkG6CUViv1YcL0f3byzHhjGtHGQcba0FLRe_Cado7vg5KAPfet-ZOA8cIEBWEpj5OwQz23VDwRXmFEhxcflcHN8drcVgiuSBEFSqvUETLLOFNbDX4k9XL8-B-CP5pTWtypKhmZGaQ/s616/minarro.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="392" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5gMJ4UMnc4IueY5INyqCn8Tajqu6Wb6Ghe-DnWi6ywzKzUwcSIkG6CUViv1YcL0f3byzHhjGtHGQcba0FLRe_Cado7vg5KAPfet-ZOA8cIEBWEpj5OwQz23VDwRXmFEhxcflcHN8drcVgiuSBEFSqvUETLLOFNbDX4k9XL8-B-CP5pTWtypKhmZGaQ/w255-h400/minarro.png" width="255" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is the content of the broken bread: <i><b>the cross of Jesus, his sacrifice of obedience out of love for the Father.</b></i> The crucifixion is:</span></span><p></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">the act of perfect worship</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">the only true liturgy</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Eucharist is a memorial, a remembering of this cross where Jesus offers his body and pours out his blood.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In Emmaus, when Jesus breaks the bread in front of the disciples, he opens their eyes, making them see him as the Risen one.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There is no possibility of true encounter with Jesus other than the community that celebrates. Because what was visible in Jesus has passed on to his sacraments.</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Liturgy: place of encounter with Christ</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the Liturgy, we encounter Jesus and the power of his Paschal Mystery reaches us.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the sacraments, the Risen Jesus continues to forgive us, heal us, and save us.</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Church is the sacrament of the Body of Christ</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Church came from the pierced side of Jesus, as Eve came from the side of the sleeping Adam.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We become part of the Church when we believe and are baptized. We become flesh of Jesus’ flesh.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is only one act of worship: The obedience of Jesus, the Son of God who died on the cross. The only way to take part in this worship is to become “sons in the Son.” Because the only acting subject of the Liturgy is the Mystical Body of Christ: Christ and his Church.</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Liturgy is an antidote for the poison of spiritual worldliness</span></span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Michelangelo_Caravaggio_065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="660" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Michelangelo_Caravaggio_065.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Beware of the dangerous temptation of “spiritual worldliness”. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two present-day poisons feed this:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Gnosticism </i>– one who is imprisoned by his own subjective thoughts and feelings</span></span></li></ul><p></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>Pelagianism </i>– a narcissist who does not need God’s gift of grace and believes he can save himself with his own efforts</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Liturgy is an antidote to these poisons:</span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is an action of the <i>whole Church</i> and not of the individual</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is not our achievement but a<i> gift</i>. In it, we only boast of the cross of Christ</span></span></p></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Let us rediscover the beauty of the truth of the Christian celebration</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For the antidote to work, we are required to rediscover the beauty of the truth of the Mass. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">For this:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Don’t be <i>content with only exterior observance of the rite</i></span></span></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Don’t be <i>careless, superficial, and merely functional</i></span></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Let us be clear:</span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Take care of <i>every aspect</i>: gestures, words, song, vestments</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Observe <i>every rubric </i>(liturgical instruction)</span></span></p></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">An essential part of the Mass: being amazed at the Paschal Mystery</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.churchpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/padre-pio-eucharist-700x438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="700" height="250" src="https://www.churchpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/padre-pio-eucharist-700x438.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>Paschal Mystery</i></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">is what is </span><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">made presen</i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>t</i> in the Eucharist. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">essential</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> part of the Mass is to be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">astonished by the Paschal Mystery</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: God saves us through this deed and reveals his plan through this deed. And what happened 2000 years ago continues to reach us in the celebration of the sacraments, also called “mysteries.”</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we lack amazement, we risk not receiving the flood of graces. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Note: St. Padre Pio recommended: "With your mind's eye, transport yourself to Calvary." He also said: </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“If you want to assist at Mass with devotion and with fruit, think of the sorrowful Mother at the foot of Calvary.”</span></span></p><p></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The need for a serious and vital liturgical formation</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">To fully live the liturgy is an extremely demanding challenge because we lack reference points and values (knowing what is truly important and first).</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first document of Vatican II is about the Liturgy. The reason for this, says St. Pope Paul VI, is that the Liturgy is the priority over all others. The liturgy is first in importance to the life of the Church.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because God must hold first place; prayer to him is our first duty.</span></span></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The liturgy is the first source of divine fellowship in which God shares his own life with us.</span></span></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is the first school and the first gift.</span></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is the first invitation that we give to all men.</span></li></ul><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is “the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">summit</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> toward which the activity of the Church is directed, and at the same time the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">source</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from which all her power flows.”</span></span></li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let us </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spread this knowledge now in a simple language</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so all Catholics may see God in the liturgy--and put the Sunday Mass at the center of their life. </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The decisive point of our lives is the knowledge of the mystery of Christ. This is not a matter of ideas, but of a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">real engagement with Jesus</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Liturgy is not about “knowledge,” but is about </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">praise, thanksgiving, and docility to the Holy Spirit</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The only goal is to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">become one with Jesus.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">To be formed by the Liturgy, it is important that we become<i> capable of symbols</i>, to have an interior attitude to use and understand symbols.</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ars celebrandi: for all Catholics</span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/People_at_Church.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/People_at_Church.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The art of celebrating the Liturgy requires </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">knowledge</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">understand what is happening</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: the Paschal Mystery is made present, by means of memorial (remembering), so that we can experience it in our life. Without this understanding, we fall into problems.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">understand how the Holy Spirit and symbolic language work</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Learn the art of celebrating through:</span></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Discipline</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, not sentimental feelings </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Serious work</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on your relationship with God, obeying the Church</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All Catholics are called to live this attitude in all they do in the Mass: gathering, being seated, standing, kneeling, singing, being in silence, acclamations, looking, listening.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take part in the celebration as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one body</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Everybody doing together the same gesture, everyone speaking together in one voice — this transmits to each individual the energy of the entire assembly.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All this puts order in our interior world, making us live specific feelings, attitudes, behaviors. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The art of celebrating is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">required</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <i>of the entire assembly</i> that celebrates.</span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Ars celebrandi: particular concern of the priest</i></b></span></span></h3><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Priests who preside in an inadequate way usually are too concerned to be the center of attention. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">But th</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">e risen Lord is in the leading role. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">The priest should be <i>overpowered by Jesus' desire to be united with each person</i>. The priest is in the middle between Jesus’ burning heart of love and the heart of each of the faithful. </span></span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silence</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is absolutely important</span></span></h3><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is something grand: take extreme care of silence, one of our symbolic gestures</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A symbol of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It moves us to sorrow and desire for conversion, makes us ready to hear the Word, awakens prayer, leads us to adore the Body and Blood</span></span></p></li></ul><h3 style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liturgical year and the Lord’s Day: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>rediscover their meaning</i></span></span></h3><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; text-align: left;"><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The liturgical year</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> makes us grow in our knowledge of the mystery of Christ, going deep into the mystery of His Death and Resurrection, awaiting his return in glory. This is a true ongoing formation.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord’s day</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we celebrate the event of our salvation. Sunday is a gift that God gives to his people.</span></span></p></li></ul><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Read the entire document <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/20220629-lettera-ap-desiderio-desideravi.html">here at the Vatican website</a>. The Spanish version, which probably is the original, is <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/es/apost_letters/documents/20220629-lettera-ap-desiderio-desideravi.html">here</a>. </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Relevant materials:</b></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2015/06/paschal-mystery-center-of-christian-life_20.html"><b>Paschal Mystery: Center of the Christian Life</b></a> - hardly discussed truth, but is the most important teaching of Vatican II</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvserEOBf9U"><b>Atheist-Theologian's Search for the Most Powerful Cure for All Evils</b></a> - a video of my discovery of the Paschal Mystery in the Eucharist based on my life story </span></span></li></ul><p></p><br />Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7292011118323031348.post-2016718327974880852022-07-04T20:08:00.031-07:002022-07-13T19:15:18.572-07:00Answers to some attacks against Pope Francis<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/05/28/09/07/pope-356341_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="800" height="270" src="https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/05/28/09/07/pope-356341_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Recently a priest who was dismissed by Opus Dei with the approval of Pope Francis, has come up with a four-point attack against the Holy Father. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">His continued attacks, the very reason for his dismissal, have been answered by many erudite people.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here are their replies:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">1. Coexistence laws for homosexuals. </i>Eminent authors, Ryan Anderson and Robert George, wrote that "there is nothing intrinsic to a civil union (a legal fiction created by positive law) that has to conflict with moral reality." They quote Archbishop Cordilione, the bishop who refused communion to Nancy Pelosi, as saying that a civil union will have to "be as inclusive as possible," and can benefit a brother and sister for their mutual support. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Their article at the <a href="https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/controversy/homosexuality/pope-francis-civil-unions-and-moral-truth.html"><i>Catholic Education Resource Center</i></a> has a deep analysis of context and theology. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-style: italic;">2. Communion for pro-abortion politicians. </b>Fr. Raymond de Souza, in <i><a href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/pope-francis-recent-words-on-communion-and-his-own-practice-reveal-a-potential-lesson-for-bishops">National Catholic Register</a></i>, pointed out the words of Pope Francis to put in context what he said during the in-flight interview: "It’s homicide, whoever has an abortion, kills...the Church is so harsh on this issue, because if it accepts this, it is as if it accepts daily murder." He quoted the words of the future Pope Francis in 2010: people who have “devastated the lives of many persons cannot receive Communion.”</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Regarding the recent communion of Nancy Pelosi at the Vatican, John Allen, Jr. in <a href="https://cruxnow.com/news-analysis/2022/06/communion-for-pelosi-at-the-vatican-no-surprise-but-possibly-a-harbinger"><i>Crux</i> </a>clarified: "To be clear, Pelosi did not receive communion directly from Pope Francis, who did not preside over the liturgy due to his ongoing knee issues, but rather restricted himself to delivering the homily. Instead, like everyone else, Pelosi took communion from an unidentified priest assisting at the Mass, who very well may not even have known who she was."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To say that Pope Francis "certainly, consciously and premeditatedly" allowed Nancy Pelosi to receive communion is not just grave slander, but grave rash judgment. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>3. Hysterectomy.</i></b> The <a href="https://www.ncbcenter.org/resources-and-statements-cms/commentary-on-the-cdf-responsum-of-december-10-2018"><i>National Catholic Bioethics Center</i></a> concluded its analysis of the CDF statement, saying: "Nothing contained in the 2018 <i>responsum </i>can be properly understood as modifying previous Church teachings." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>4.</i></b> <b style="font-style: italic;">Propose continence. </b>An<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>article from <a href="http://www.obeythepope.com/2019/06/the-buenos-aires-guidelines-revisited.html"><i>Obey the Pope</i></a> examines the use of the word "propose" in the Church, and quotes St. John Paul II's indication: "On her part, the Church addresses people with full respect for their freedom. Her mission does not restrict freedom but rather promotes it. The Church <i>proposes</i>; she imposes nothing."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The context is the pastoral approach of the bishops of Buenos Aires "instructing priests on the circumstances in which they can propose the commitment to continence. It is implied but not explicitly stated that a priest should not propose the commitment to continence if it is not feasible. ... Nothing in the Buenos Aires guidelines authorizes a priest to propose something other than Church teaching."</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Catholics who are confused with some issues raised in the internet may find answers by searching in <b><i>sites faithful to the Magisterium and have a high level of critical analysis</i></b>, for example those cited in the links above. The <a href="https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/">Catholic Education Resource Center</a> (CERC), which you can find <a href="https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/">here</a>, is especially good. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is important not to take part in the spread of attacks and doubts about the teachings of Pope Francis, lest we "become an accomplice of evil"--as the pope himself <a href="https://www.archstl.org/sharing-fake-news-makes-one-an-accomplice-in-evil-pope-says-1271">warned</a> as regards "fake news". He also quoted St. Francis: "Where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Please continue to pray for the Holy Father and his intentions, so people may understand how the <b><i>grace of the papacy</i></b> continues to support Pope Francis in his task of leading the Church founded by Jesus--who chose St. Peter as the Rock on which to build his Church, and as the shepherd who will feed his sheep. (cf Mt 16:18; Jn 21:15-17)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To adhere to this truth, we need faith. As St. Josemaria loves to repeat as regards problematic situations: <b><i>"It is a matter of faith."</i></b> </span></p><p>Related article: <b><a href="https://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2017/09/heretic-francis-benedict-told-him-go.html">Heretic Francis?</a> </b> On <i>Amoris Laetitia</i> and the view of Benedict XVI and the teachings of St. Thomas. </p><p>Note: I wrote these in my personal capacity as a theologian and author of <a href="https://jesus-centeredlife.org/product/jesus-centered-guide-to-the-happiest-life-dr-raul-nidoy/">Jesus-Centered: Guide to the Happiest Life</a>. </p><p><br /></p>Raulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06084724542087974777noreply@blogger.com0