Sister Helena's NPR debut

A short piece on the mission of the Daughters of St. Paul, featuring Sr Helena!

For us and for our salvation...

Photo credit: victor_nuno/Foter.com/CC BY-NC

As I have done, so you must do...

TOB Tuesday: The question of marriage

Today the US Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in the first of two "same-sex marriage" cases. Not only is this, as Justice  Kennedy remarked, "uncharted waters," it is an area in which many people are pulled in two different directions: one by the head, and one by the heart. The nature of marriage seems an irrelevant and abstract question.

My Catholic education gave me a sense of direction, but when I was in school (back in ancient history), issues related to marriage and sexuality seemed pretty straightforward. Speaking for myself, I have to say that I did not get a very strong background in where the Church's teachings were coming from; I could only tell you (in a very rudimentary way) what those teachings were.

Then Pope John Paul II was elected.

He dedicated almost five years of his papacy to correcting that lack, giving Catholics the "big picture." He started "in the beginning" with Adam and Eve. He spoke almost every Wednesday morning about "original nakedness"; "being naked without shame" and other things that Popes had never thought to express in public. He spoke of the true meaning of eroticism (as an energy meant to draw us to beauty--and to God); why there is no marriage in heaven; what is the real problem with birth control; what Jesus meant in calling some to celibacy for the Kingdom. He remarked that being "created in the image of God, male and female" tells us something about the Trinity. He delved into five books of the Bible in particular: Genesis, Song of Songs, Tobit, Matthew, Ephesians, making this a rich, biblical understanding of human relationships.

Pope John Paul called this a "theology of the body."

If you have ever had to explain the Church's stance on same-sex unions, the contraception mandate, divorce and other painful realities; if you have been mystified or even scandalized by those teachings, and hesitated to share them with your children or defend them in public, Pope John Paul's Theology of the Body will surprise you with the real beauty, the divine beauty, that is the foundation of every one of those controversial teachings that the media so often refer to as "rules."

I am coordinating an online overview of that Theology of the Body on May 4, 11 and 18. I invite you to visit the bookstore website (www.visit.pauline.org/chicago) to learn more about the program, and to register for it. Even if you cannot join us in real time on those three Saturdays, your registration gives you access to the online video at your convenience. Because the program will be archived as Internet video, this is ideal for groups to use, no matter when they meet: a projector and speakers will allow a roomful of people to share one registration. (The content will keep you talking for days.)

Please ask your local parish to put information in the bulletin as well (at the bottom of this post I have a sample bulletin announcement). On the bookstore site, you will also find a trailer to share on social media. We have a Facebook page and a Google+ community (Theology of the Body), which I invite you to like or join.

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtaDjkZMstA
Website: www.visit.pauline.org/chicago
Register: www.ustream.tv/channel/TOB-TV

BULLETIN NOTICE REQUEST

Please post the following announcement in your email, newsletters, web site and social media, beginning in April (continuing through May 18).
Thank you!

DAUGHTERS OF ST. PAUL

Online Catholic Updating Series on the Theology of the Body, Pope John Paul's meditations on the Bible and the mystery of marriage.
Internet webcast May 4, 11, 18; archived video accessible with registration (www.ustream.tv/channel/TOB-TV)
Information: www.visit.pauline.org/chicago or call 312.854.9656

Need your opinion

Which poster works best to invite people to our upcoming TOB overview program?

Poster #1

Poster #2

Poster #3

Poster #4

Poster #5

Inside the conclave

I just got back from a meeting where Cardinal George gave his impressions from the past few weeks in Rome. I also got a couple of minutes with him for a "Nunblog" exclusive interview: wouldn't you know it, the batteries in my little video camera decided that they really didn't want to be involved, so I got a 30-second clip and two even shorter ones (3 seconds, anyone?). Ah, well. Technology!

The Cardinal spoke of the conclave as an exercise of freedom, in two senses:

The freedom of the electors: while the media had the Cardinals allocated to various "camps" or "blocs" according to nationality or presumed interests (the "reformers" and the "curialists"; the "Italians" and the "Americans," etc.), the electors were making the effort to transcend those short-term motivations that are really limits; personal or national limitations. Even the curial cardinals, so often portrayed as a defensive group apart, were as diverse as any others among them. "We would read the papers [about these presumed "voting blocs"] and laugh," Cardinal George remarked.

The other dimension of freedom involved is the freedom of the papacy: that the Pope will be able to protect the freedom and independence of the Church. Related to this, he spoke of the way Pope Pius XII had provided for this freedom under the stress of World War II.  The Pontiff had prepared a note: "Effective the moment I am taken prisoner, arrested or transported from Rome, I resign the Petrine ministry." The Nazis might indeed have taken Eugenio Pacelli into custody, but they would not have had the Pope in their hands.

Some tidbits:

The Cardinal mentioned the "Adopt-a-Cardinal" program, saying that they got letters from Germany, Asia, from all around the world from people who were praying for them individually.

An interesting historical note: While I had heard that it was Pope Pius V, a Dominican, who introduced the Dominican white robes into the papal clothes closet, I did not realize that before then,  Popes wore the same red as the Cardinals; the red of the Roman senate which they had come to replace. Hence, the red shoes Pope Benedict made so famous. (John Paul favored basic brown loafers.)

I also learned about the distinctions within the College of Cardinals itself. I had heard the "ranks" of Cardinal-Bishop, Cardinal-Priest, Cardinal-Deacon, but had no clue how these honorifics were assigned. Cardinal George said that the Cardinal-Bishops are assigned to the cities in the Roman region; the Cardinal-Priests are for the most part bishops of major dioceses, with the "title" to one of the parishes of Rome. (Cardinal George's parish is San Bartolomeo all'Isola.) The Cardinal-Deacons are, for the most part, the Cardinals of the Roman Curia (Vatican offices) and have as their "title" not a parish but one of the ancient "stations" where the deacons of the ancient Roman church distributed food and clothes to the poor.

His conclave experience:

Someone actually asked him if Cardinal Bergoglio had been the "runner up" in the previous conclave. "I can't tell you that," the Cardinal responded. No details about the votes, not even of eight years ago. But he could tell of his personal experience. When it came time for the voting, the Cardinal said it was very intense, very tiring, and got more so as the conclusion came near. He had to ask himself, as he put pen to paper, "Why am I making this choice?", praying to be delivered from anything that might impede the will of God. There was no talking between ballots, other than perhaps a whispered consultation with one's immediate neighbors. (Seating is assigned by seniority; no musical chairs.) At the last ballot, writing one last time, there was a palpable sense that God is present.

Cardinal George (on the right) looking at the crowd while Pope Francis speaks to the  people on the night of the election (screen shot from Vatican TV). "It was dark, so we couldn't see people's faces; just their cell phones flashing. All the sparkles made it feel like we were in a jewel box."

Meanwhile, here is Pope Francis with Pope Emeritus Benedict, and a report about their visit today.

Psalm 23 still speaks

One of the participants in our Saturday Psalms class shared this marvelous reflection on Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd); she gave me permission to share it with the world:

Reflection on Psalm 23

Larina Swisher

The Lord is my Shepherd

       That's relationship.

There is nothing I lack.

       That's supply.

In green pastures you let me graze.

        That is rest.

To safe waters you lead me

        That's refreshment.

You restore my strength.

        That's healing.

You guide me along the right path.

        That's guidance.

For the sake of your name.

        That's purpose.

Even when I walk through a dark valley

        That's testing.

I fear no harm.

        That's protection.

For you are at my side.

        That's faithfulness.

Your rod and staff give me courage.

        That's discipline.

You set a table before me as my enemies watch.

        That's hope.

You anoint my head with oil.

        That's consecration.

My cup overflows.

        That's abundance.

Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life.

        That's blessing.

I will dwell in the house of the Lord

        That's security.

For years to come--

        That's ETERNITY!

No turning back > Moving on.

Feb. 12, 2011

7 Things Every Catholic Should Know about the Papacy: #7 The Vatican is not the Catholic Church

It makes for the juiciest headlines: “Vatican official says...” or “...found at the Vatican” Whatever was said or done or found, the headlines imply, applies to the entire Catholic Church around the world. After all, it was said, or done, or found at “the Vatican.”

But what is the Vatican, and what is its relationship with the worldwide Catholic Church?

The easiest way to put it is that “the Vatican” is several different things at once.

The Vatican is a shrine to St. Peter.

That is how "the Vatican" got its origin as, well, "the" Vatican. Before that, it was just a hill across the Tiber from Rome, and not even one of the "seven hills" of the eternal city. But the Apostle Peter was crucified there, on Nero's racetrack (still marked by the obelisk that was at its center), and there Peter was buried. In time, a small memorial rose on the site, as pilgrims carefully made their way to the cemetery, leaving graffiti in Greek and Latin characters. Constantine built a basilica-style church over the site, digging into the hill to orient the building properly. Today we see Michaelangelo's dome rise over the grave of a crucified Jew, as Bernini's colonnade welcomes the world in.

The Vatican is a miniature nation.

Vatican City is an independent city-state, 108 acres in size, established in 1929 in the Lateran Treaty (signed by Mussolini, King Victor Emmanuel III and Pope Pius XI). It consists of the property around St. Peter's Basilica, plus several “extra-territorial” locales, such as the major basilicas. During the Nazi occupation of Rome, the independence of the Vatican and its diplomatic neutrality were highly significant for the Jews who found refuge in "extra-territorial" locations across Rome and in Assisi.

As an civil entity, Vatican City-State has a government, court system, postal system, etc. On behalf of the Vatican City State, the Holy See has diplomatic relationships with other governments, as well as a place as a “Permanent Observer” at the United Nations. According to the website of the Holy See's mission to the U.N., at present the Holy See has full diplomatic relations with 177 of the 193 member nations of the U.N.

The Vatican is a network of departments at the service of the Pope's ministry.

With 1.2 billion Catholics scattered around the world, the Pope can hardly feed Christ's lambs and sheep on his own. Headquartered at or near Vatican City are a variety of departments charged with the day to day duties of administration in many areas. Two of the most famous departments (or “dicasteries”) are the Secretariat of State (on one hand, a kind of general government that handles internal affairs, publishing, communications, etc, and on the other the diplomatic corps and relations with other nations) and the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which media love to call by its Renaissance moniker, the “Holy Office” or the “Roman Inquisition.” This department is charged with protecting the authenticity of the Catholic faith as it is taught around the world.

These are far from the only two important dicasteries in Rome. There are also Sacred Congregations (major offices) for Bishops, the Clergy, Institutes of Consecrated Life, Divine Worship, Eastern Churches, Evangelization, Catholic Education, Causes of Saints. These are all major dicasteries of “the Vatican.” They usually have a Cardinal as President, and a bishop as “secretary” (more along the lines of an executive vice-president). Several Cardinals may be appointed to each of these major departments, which address areas profoundly associated with the life of the Church.

“The Vatican” also has a series of departments ranked “Pontifical Councils”: for the Laity, Christian Unity, the Family, for Life, Justice and Peace, “Cor Unum” (charitable works), for Migrants, for Healthcare Workers, for the Interpretation of Canon Law, for Inter-religious Dialogue, for Social Communications, for the New Evangelization...

Then there are the offices responsible for day to day matters: the “Prefecture of the Papal Household,” the Office for Economic Affairs, the security detail (“Swiss Guard”).

Although Pope John XXIII is said to have commented that “about half” of the Vatican employees actually work there, the number of employees in the various Vatican offices numbers about 3,000.

The Vatican is not the headquarters for the Diocese of Rome.

Even though the Pope is Bishop of Rome, the day to day functioning of the Diocese of Rome is not handled at the Vatican, but near the mother Church of Rome (and of all the Churches), the Lateran Basilica. A Cardinal-Vicar for Rome usually acts in the Pope's stead for matters that regard the Diocese.

At the recent conclave, the call for reform was heard frequently and forcefully. This is not to say that everything about the Vatican's many dicasteries is corrupt, but it is an acknowledgement that in some cases, a culture may have arisen within some of them that rewards relationships over competence, or that an established way of assigning tasks or responding to needs is no longer adequate in assisting the Pope in his worldwide ministry, and yet has become so entrenched in the system that it doesn't occur to anyone that it needs to be revisited. People who have conducted matters in a certain way their entire career are unlikely to welcome the suggestion that it is no longer useful; they may even undermine efforts at renewal. There may be duplication of effort, overlapping competencies, habits that are all but impossible to uproot except by a rather general overhaul. In other words, there is plenty to do to enhance the services provided by these many departments. These are not problems specific to the Church or to the Vatican; any reader of a Dilbert comic strip can relate to them. Where the Vatican's issues are unique revolves around a particular view of ordained ministry that does not permit women and lay persons to be assigned positions where they might have “authority” over an ordained minister, even if the authority is strictly secular in nature.

Many eyes are waiting to see how Pope Francis approaches the task of reforming “the Vatican.”

This is the 7th of 7 articles in the series of "Things Every Catholic Should Know about the Papacy." Previous articles are:

#6, Antipopes
#5, The Papacy Might Have Had a Different Form
#4, Infallibility: It's Rare, but It's There 
#3, Bad Popes
#2, The Bishop of Rome is the Pope, not the other way around
#1, It was Jesus' idea

The "Accuser of the Brethren" puts Pope Francis in his sights

In today's first reading from the book of Daniel, the virtuous Susanna faces judgment under a situation of entrapment. There is nothing she can say that will override the testimony of the two malicious elders. It's their word against hers. Majority wins.

Pope Francis is in a somewhat analogous situation as the major media (and also some prominent Catholic media) offer wide berth to accusations against the him for his alleged indifference to justice during Argentina's "dirty wars" 40 years ago. There are fruitless allegations based on one-sided assumptions about how one "ought" to have acted in a situation that was (as even the accusers admit) "complicated" (and not "black and white"); there are also outright calumnies, claiming that Bergoglio betrayed two of his Jesuit confreres. Others will admit that while this particular charge is untrue (it was actually one of their former colleagues in the slums who surrendered the Jesuits' names under torture), Bergoglio simply did not do "enough" in a situation that called for prophetic denunciations.

No matter that in the decades since he has "delivered all his goods to feed the poor" (1 Cor 13); he "didn't do enough" when times were really hard. And hard they were: a condition of undeclared civil war in which one side had all the weapons, and citizens simply vanished overnight. Now we know that many of them were trundled into aircraft and dumped--alive--into the ocean.

Vain heroics make for good movies, but is it justifiable to look back 40 years and ask for them? Bergoglio could not have known how long the dirty war would last. But his present-day accusers seem unwilling to assume he did the best he could with the knowledge and perspective he had at the time.

What is an "adequate" response when this is not history, but a "clear and present danger"?

"Enough" is never quantifiable; by that very fact it is a standard that can never be met. And it is all too easy to accuse someone of indifference or of "not doing 'enough'" when one is not in that person's place, responsible for not only the two or three immediately imperiled members, but for each and every Jesuit in Argentina, but for the associates, students, and staff of all their institutions.

Accusations about the past do not allow for a person to move beyond the past. For his present-day accusers and those who choose to believe the worst until proven wrong (as some commenters on the Commonweal site), Pope Francis is still a 39-year-old former high school teacher ineffectively leading his Jesuit subjects in a deadly time.

But Jesus said that "by their fruits you shall know them" (Mt 7:16). Looking at Pope Francis' life since the time of the dirty wars, we see his passion for the poor and oppressed--the same passion that motivated his Jesuit confreres long ago. If--and it's a big "if"--Bergoglio had his doubts about his brother's activities in the '70's, he seems to have come around to sharing their priorities better than, probably, most of those who are so willing to accuse him of not doing "enough."

about body and soul, a "winning" new book for kids

One of our newest PBM authors is a real dynamo of marketing. If you haven't heard about her kids' book "Forever You" (ever try explaining the soul to a child?), you probably will soon:

• Nicole Lataif discussing Forever You on CatholicTV’s “This Is The Day,” on 2/22/2013
• CatholicMom.com article by Lisa Hendey
• President of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, recommending Forever You on Twitter!
• The Maximus Group book review
• Publisher’s Weekly review – Forever You
• Stuart’s Study: Catholic and Orthodox Book Reviews – Forever You
• Pauline Kids: A Blog for Parents, Teachers and Catechists – Forever You
• YouTube.com – How to Talk to Kids About Their Body and Soul
• Story Warren: Fostering Holy Imagination – Forever You review by Loren Eaton 
• Catholic.org official press release: Forever You
• Donna’s Deals review – Forever You 
• Karen in Mommy Land review – Forever You
• YallaBoston.com placement – author page
• Nicole Lataif speaker at SCBWI Miami 2013 Conference
• Joyce Sweeney success story – Nicole Lataif
• HUGE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT COMING APRIL 2013!!!! Stay tuned!

Pope Francis: Getting to Know You (UPDATED)

Screen shot from Vatican TV of the
Pope's first appearance.

Thanks to the modern day marvel of Twitter, I have come across some excellent posts about the former Jorge Bergolio, SJ, including his powerful, Old-Testament-prophet-style preaching. These few pages give me the impression of a man truly after God's own heart. I think we can expect this Pope of the poor to challenge us in many ways. Clearly, he already defies all the usual categories (stumping the journalists who are trying to find a box to put him in), this Pope who was so familiar with the local bus routes (he even took the shuttle bus last night with the cardinals).

As we await his own homilies, addresses and encyclicals as Pope, here is a first glimpse into the heart of Pope Francis:

From a 2005 article in the UK "Catholic Herald": Bergoglio is admired as being far from the powers of this world, indifferent to his media image, preoccupied by 

the future of society, and a man looking always for new forms of social solidarity and justice in a country where 15 per cent are unemployed and thousands rummage through the bins at night looking for something to eat.

Interview from 2012: Instead of just being a Church that welcomes and receives, we try to be a Church that comes out of itself and goes to the men and women who do not participate in parish life, do not know much about it and are indifferent towards it. We organise missions in public squares where many people usually gather: we pray, we celebrate mass, we offer baptism which we administer after a brief preparation. This is the style of the parishes and the diocese itself. Other than this, we also try to reach out to people who are far away, via digital means, the web and brief messaging.

Letter for Lent 2013: We live alongside a violence that kills, that destroys families, that enlivens wars and conflicts in so many countries of the world.  We live with envy, hatred, slander, the mundane in our heart.The suffering of the innocent and peaceable buffets us nonstop; the contempt for the rights of the most fragile of people and nations is not so distant from us; the tyrannical rule of money with its demonic effects, such as drugs, corruption, trafficking in people -- even children -- along with misery, both material and moral, are the coin of the realm [today].  The destruction of dignified work, painful emigrations and the lack of a future also join in this [tragic] symphony. Our errors and sins as Church are not beyond this analysis.


Homily in his first Mass as Pope (today): I would like that all of us, after these days of grace, might have the courage - the courage - to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Cross of the Lord: to build the Church on the Blood of the Lord, which is shed on the Cross, and to profess the one glory, Christ Crucified. In this way, the Church will go forward.
My hope for all of us is that the Holy Spirit, that the prayer of Our Lady, our Mother, might grant us this grace: to walk, to build, to profess Jesus Christ Crucified. So be it.

20 "Fast Facts" about Pope Francis, courtesy of The Telegraph (UK). (Hint: tango, anyone?)

Do you read Spanish? You're in luck! You can read the Holy Father's book on your Kindle! (Me, I have to wait for the translation to come out.)


Father Robert Barron: "The most exciting day of my life... Last night, 
this place was the place to be on Planet Earth, I tell you!"

Glued to the Internet (Habemus Papam!)

The new Pope bows for a blessing from the people.

7 Things Every Catholic Should Know about the Papacy (#6: Anti-Popes)

Black smoke over the Sistine roof signals the first
balloting in the  2013 Conclave.

Whatever the outcome of the current conclave, one thing is fairly certain: Once that white smoke does appear from the chimney over the Sistine Chapel, we won't be seeing an anti-pope on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. 

It certainly hasn't always been this way. Everything that has been done over the past weeks, from the careful setting of dates to the taking of oaths, to the command "extra omnes" when the doors of the Sistine Chapel were closed, has been ordered to ensure the freedom of the Cardinals and the validity of the papal election. It's not only a matter of interesting traditions. It's vital that Catholics can be secure about just who it is who is piloting the Barque of Peter.

One of the most important roles the Successor of Peter has in the Church is that of being a visible sign of the unity of Christ's followers. Anti-popes represent the exact opposite of this papal ministry. 

The first anti-popes seem to have arisen in the third century, while persecutions still threatened the Church in Rome. The most recent anti-popes (there are a half-dozen or so right now, two of them in the United States) are so marginal that they cannot even be taken seriously. Historical records are incomplete enough (or simply inconclusive enough) for us to even identify all the Popes and anti-popes of history with absolute certainty. 

By some accounts, St. Hippolytus is considered the first anti-pope, but the term really doesn't fit the primitive Church's situtation. Hippolytus is identified as a bishop in or around Rome, but he was a Greek writer, and may have been the “episcopos” (literally “overseer”/bishop) of a Greek-speaking community that was not integrated into the Latin speaking majority of Rome's christians. It's not even the possibility that Hippolytus was an “extra” bishop in Rome that makes him a candidate for anti-pope status: it's that he is known to have had serious differences with more than one of the recognized early Popes. Hippolytus is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, thanks to his martyrdom, in exile along with Pontian, Bishop of Rome, with whom he shares a feastday.

Coming right after Hippolytus, Novatian of Rome is a more likely candidate for first-ever anti-pope. When the savage persecution under the Emperor Decius finally subsided, the Church of Rome had been without a bishop for a year. (Pope Fabian had been one of Decius' many victims.) Evidently, the priest Novatian did not agree with the majority of clergy, faithful and bishops who, according to the report by St. Cyprian, elected Cornelius to the Chair of Peter: he sent messengers to summon three bishops to ordain him a bishop as well, and then issued proclamations claiming that he had been chosen to take Fabian's long vacant seat. That this was happening from Rome meant it was not a simply local matter, but affected the whole Church. All the more was this so when Novatian sent missionaries and attempted to replace local bishops with his own appointees: men who would adhere to Novatian's own rigorist views of Church life. 

From Africa, the Council of Carthage undertook an investigation into the case of the two Popes, concluding without a doubt that Novatian's act was completely illegitimate. Within the year, Novatian was formally excommunicated by Pope Cornelius, in a council of some sixty bishops. True to the disruption of Church unity initiated by this first anti-pope, Novatian's followers (“Novatians”) continued on for several centuries.


Later anti-popes, for the most part, followed a different pattern, being associated in one way or other not with a theological or pastoral tendency (Novantian's severity, for instance) but with politics. They were installed with the support of (or under pressure imposed by) an Emperor or king. The tenth and twelfth centuries witnessed the most of this attempted manipulation of the papal office by secular powers.


The longest-lasting and most disruptive succession of anti-popes began in 1378 when a group of cardinals rejected the (admittedly difficult) Pope Urban VI in Rome, declared his election invalid and named their own man, the former Papal Legate known as the “Butcher of Cesena” for his approval of a mass slaughter of villagers in a disputed territory. (Not the most auspicious of beginnings.)

As “Clement VII,” Robert of Geneva established himself in the old papal stronghold of Avignon, France. His successor was a Spaniard who had volunteered for the job under the ruse of then surrendering his claim and reuniting the Church under one legitimate Pope. Needless to say, the anti-pope Benedict XIII found it more congenial to reign in Avignon than to serve in Rome.

Meanwhile in Northern Italy, a council of hundreds (cardinals, bishops, abbots) met to address the problem of the two Popes. The [discredited] Council of Pisa declared the two contenders, Benedict XIII of Avignon, and Gregory XII of Rome, deposed, and led the way for the cardinals to convoke a conclave and elect—that's right—a third “Pope,” who took the name Alexander V. Alexander was not long for this world; his successor was the Anti-pope John XXIII (not to be confused with the 20^th century John, now Blessed John XXIII!). This John (a friend of the powerful Medici family) has the unfortunate distinction of promoting the sale of indulgences, a practice bemoaned in Prague by Jan Hus. In a way the seeds of the Reformation were already sprouting in the fertile terrain of disunity.

With the encouragement of King Sigismund of Germany, John called a Council to end the long schism. Gregory XII in Rome, for his part, authorized the Council, too. Only Benedict XIII in France refused to have anything to do with it. The Council proposed a solution: that all three “Popes” abdicate and allow for a single, valid Pope to be elected. John fled, thinking that the Council proceedings would be invalid without him. Gregory abdicated. Benedict was excommunicated. The new Pope, Martin V, was elected in 1417.

Since the Great Western Schism, no significant anti-popes have arisen with the exception of Felix V, a widower and former hermit who was elected by the Council of Basel when the new Bishop of Rome acted to dissolve the council called by his predecessor. Felix ended well, abdicating his claim and accepting a (real) red hat from his former opponent.





This is the 6th in a series of 7 Things Every Catholic Should Know about the Papacy

#5, The Papacy Might Have Had a Different Form
#4, Infallibility: It's Rare, but It's There 
#3, Bad Popes
#2, The Bishop of Rome is the Pope, not the other way around
#1, It was Jesus' idea

Lockdown ("conclave" in other words)

Follow the action on the Vatican's TV site, from the roof of St. Peter's, or from across the street. (Sorry, no peaks inside the Sistine activity center except for the glimmers on Vatican TV!)

In between, courtesy of FOCUS, you can watch the "Habemus Papam" announcements of the past century (give or take a decade). (Scroll down for the videos.)

Free Stations of the Cross app today only

You don't want to miss this one: a beautiful new app with the Stations of the Cross, for iPhone/iPod and for iPad (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id610516894?mt=8) FREE today only.


Unfortunately for me and probably for many of you, the Android version can't be offered for free, but it is 99 cents today only--tonight it goes "up" (not sure where; maybe $1.99?)  (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pauline.stations)



It offers different images: traditional or contemporary, so you can choose the visuals. Here are the two different versions of the 4th Station:

Answering "the" question of our times

So many of our friends, neighbors and relatives, especially the young adults, are unsettled by what the Church teaches in the ares and marriage and the human body; this confusion leads them away from the life of the sacraments and into a life and mindset that is more and more "conformed to this world." 

What if there were a way to change the direction of this movement away from Jesus and his Church, and help young adults to learn and appreciate the amazing and life-giving teachings that they can only find in the Catholic Church?

One of the great gifts Blessed John Paul II left the Church was his "theology of the body," a biblical view of human nature and relationships that is more needed than ever in our own very confused age. 

Now I am excited to share with you a project that I have been working on. Hopefully you will be able to join us, too--or at least let others know about it, starting with this trailer (prepared for us by a college student volunteer: Thanks, Istle!) Please share it far and wide!



For registration links (and lots more details) see our bookstore blog.

Back from the Buckeye State

My week was quite full, even though the two parishes which hosted me are the smallest I've ever visited. One of them, St. Sylvester's in Zaleski, is the only Catholic Church in its county. The pastor has to drive forty-five minutes up and down country roads to get there for Sunday Mass as well as on Thursdays, when this tiny parish has Eucharistic Adoration all day. But they aren't an almost-priestless parish: an elderly priest resides in the hamlet and celebrates daily Mass. (One of the most memorable scenes of the week came after all the adorers had taken their hour: the priest took the luna out of the monstrance and gave it a kiss before heading to the tabernacle!)

The "main" Church is in Jackson, a town that doesn't seem to have flourished much since the Victorian Age when many of its shops and homes were built. Some have been beautifully restored; others are falling to pieces--but they are still so lovely I found myself wishing that one of those TV crews from the DIY channel would come and restore them. I stayed in a home that had been so beautifully maintained that I could marvel at the level of craftsmanship invested in homebuilding over a century ago. Even the hinges, of cast iron, had filigree detail, and the heating vents in the floor were hand-carved wood.

A local artist presented me with a clock he had designed; I had no way of bringing it back to Chicago, but I think that where it is now, in the parish hall, it will impress the children who come for their religious ed program.

The missions were well received; Father was impressed at the number of people who attended (far more than the usual turnout for things that aren't obligatory!). I was impressed that they kept coming back! I was also impressed at what is asked of a priest in a rural district who must simultaneously maintain two parishes at a time when church attendance (and support) keeps diminishing (not to mention helping families cope with problems related to the rampant drug abuse in these depressed areas). The pastor must be doing something right: there is a steady flow of townspeople seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, and getting involved in parish life.

When I got back yesterday afternoon, I found that our new volunteer had put together a trailer for our upcoming Theology of the Body program. Here is the work in progress.

O-HI-O

I'm on my way to Ohio today; if you are in the Columbus diocese (specifically, in the area of Jackson or Zaleski), this is a week of Lenten mission, so come on down. Or over. Whichever direction works.

The mission for both parishes begins tomorrow evening in Jackson (Holy Trinity Church); the next two mission events will be held in each parish: Jackson on Monday and Tuesday, Zaleski (St. Sylvester's) on Wednesday and Thursday. The weekday missions will be conducted during Eucharistic Adoration. I'm also bringing a box of books and some order forms for those who want to see what's new in Catholic reading.

The overall theme is "The Spirit of Lent"; we'll also look at Catholics and the Bible, and look at Mary and Paul to see what it means to be a "servant of the Lord."

If you are nowhere near Columbus, much less Jackson or Zaleski, I sure would appreciate your prayers for the people of those parishes and for all who are in their "radius of influence," that the mission will bear great fruit not just for those who participate, but for the wider Church--for the whole Church!

The Empty Chair

"Sede Vacante": that's where we are right now. Peter's Chair is empty, but ready for the one who will become the visible head of the Church of Jesus Christ.
What is your prayer during this time of waiting?

Lawrence OP / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

The Four Doctors holding up that Chair tell us to watch and pray!