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Jan
27
New York symposium examines whether faith can broaden reason
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By Angelo Stagnaro
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) — In the flurry of excitement anticipating Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to New York City, some Catholics might have overlooked an important meeting of the minds.
Though science and religion look at the world in different ways, science can learn a great deal from religion, concluded panelists at a Jan. 20 symposium titled “Can Faith Broaden Reason?” at New York University’s Skirball Center.
The panel was comprised of two Jewish scholars and two Catholic priests, both of whom are leaders of the ecclesial group Communion and Liberation.
Mgsr. Lorenzo Albacete, a theologian, physicist, author and columnist, opened the symposium by quoting Pope Benedict’s March 24, 2007, address on the 25th anniversary of Communion and Liberation’s pontifical recognition: “The great contribution of Communion and Liberation derives from being a movement that carries a great human culture, theological but also general.”
In addition to Msgr. Albacete, the other panelists were Robert Pollack, professor of biology at Columbia University in New York; Father Julian Carron, president of Communion and Liberation in Milan, Italy; and Joseph Weiler, a New York University professor of law.
(Please continue reading here.)
Jan
27
The impatience aroused in us by the history of Christianity up to the present repeatedly gives rise to the thought: Should we not rub out the whole history of these past two thousand years, raze the wall of dogmas and creeds, and begin all over again with just Jesus Christ as the door? But however tempting this thought may be, to do so would be to make unity a task, a production, and the Church a product we have made ourselves. We cannot justify ourselves in this manner. For, basically, we should only be rebuilding the wall against God and placing our trust in what we ourselves do. But the wall of the law and the wall that surrounds God are not razed by the great deeds of men - such deeds only make them higher; they are razed by him who brought God’s own love into the world and suffered on the Cross the burden of all the achievements of this world. That is not the way to reach our goal. When we speak of unity, we must stop dreaming of the great achievements and brave deeds that we ourselves have accomplished. The Epistle to the Ephesians advises us differently: it challenges us to let ourselves be built together into the new man, into the new humanity created by Christ. “Men cannot create unity; they must find it” (J.Gnilka, Der Epheserbrief, 1971, p. 142). The true Church is not of our making; she existed before us; she was created by Christ. Our task is to let ourselves be built into her. If we do this, if we patiently allow the Lord to shape us into building stones, if we stop fashioning the Church for ourselves, if we let ourselves be led where we will not, then there will be unity; then walls will be penetrable despite our differences.
From: Ordinariatskorrespomdenz, January 20, 1978
Jan
27
Matthew 4: 12 - 23
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12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;
13 and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper’na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zeb’ulun and Naph’tali,
14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zeb’ulun and the land of Naph’tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –
16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb’edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb’edee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23 And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Jan
27
St. Ambrose of Milan
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What is impossible to God? Not that which is difficult to His power, but that which is contrary to His nature.
– St. Ambrose of Milan
Jan
26
The proper goal of all ecumenical efforts must unquestionably continue to be the conversion of the plurality of separated confessional churches into a plurality of local churches, which in their various forms, are in reality only one Church. Given the actual situation, however, it seems important to me that we establish realistic intermediate goals; otherwise ecumenical zeal may easily degenerate into resignation or even a renewed bitterness that seeks to place the blame for the failure to reach the great goal on whatever “other” is readily available. Then the last state of affairs could well be worse than the first.
These intermediate goals will differ depending on how far dialogue has proceeded in an individual case. Basically, it should always be possible to give together the witness of love (charitable and social works), or at least to work amicably together if, for technical reasons, it seems preferable to maintain separate organizations. Effort should also be made to bear common witness with regard to the great moral issues of the day.
Finally, in a world shaken by doubt and anxiety, a fundamental witness to the Faith should be made in common - the more comprehensive, the better; but even if it can be done only in a relatively small degree, whatever can be done, in any event, should be done. As a result of all this, the elements of Christianity that are held in common in and despite divisions should be more and more recognized and loved; divisions should be no longer a reason for hostility, but an incentive to an inner understanding and acceptance of the other that is more meaningful than mere tolerance: a listening to one another in fidelity to Jesus Christ. Perhaps in such an attitude, which does not lose sight of the final goal, but in the meantime, takes the first step toward it, a deeper maturing of total unity can be accomplished than in a plan for unity that remains in the foreground and is all too often merely fictive.
from: Kirche, Okumene und Politk, pp.114-15
Jan
26
Mark 3:20-21
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20 Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat.
21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, “He is beside himself.”
Jan
26
St. Benedict of Nursia
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He who has undertaken the pastoring of souls must prepare himself to render to God an account of them.
– St. Benedict of Nursia
Jan
25
(Letter from the President of Human Life International, Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer)
It goes without saying that the annual March for Life is one of the most exciting and unifying events in the international movement to defend life. 100,000+ pro-lifers converged on our nation’s capital this week, more than half of whom were under the age of 25, and declared that the slaughter of the innocents is never going to be accepted as a permanent institution in our nation. Abortion-promoters would be hard-pressed to show the world that they could sustain such a massive public movement in their favor for 35 straight years. I can only say, “Bravo!” to all the people - especially the kids - who made great sacrifices to join us in Washington this week.
It also goes without saying that the little tin gods in the media did their level best to ignore and obfuscate this colossal event. When the homosexual propaganda film star, Heath Ledger, died of a drug overdose two nights before the March, that provided the hedonistic media the perfect reason to wail and gnash their teeth for a prolonged period of time about their immoral agenda and derail coverage of the life event. I will pray for Mr. Ledger’s immortal soul, but at the same time, his death is a study in contrasts with the March for Life. The Brokeback Mountain star was only 28 at the time of his demise. It was his massage therapist who discovered his body that morning. A thumbnail sketch of his adult life might look something like this: Hollywood glitter, money and status, cohabitating with a girlfriend, a child out of wedlock, an activist for an immoral lifestyle, drug overdose and then death at a very young age. It’s a real tragedy, but the culture of hedonism and death was dramatically played against the culture of life and life in Washington DC that day.
Not to be outdone by the godless media, the Planned Parenthood in Schenectady, NY also staged its own drama of the absurd. They dedicated a new 18,000 square foot killing center that day and had three members of the abortion “clergy” come out and “bless” it! What I have always said about abortion as a demonic religion was on graphic display in NY as we were marching for life in DC. Two “ministers” came to do the blessing from a “reformed” church - their view of “reform” is obviously different than ours. The (male) reverend used the occasion to proudly announce a new doctrine to the three dozen devotees of sacred abortion: the right to privacy is endowed by God, he said. Now, we cannot even find the “right to privacy” in the US Constitution and yet this fellow makes a new religious right out of whole cloth. Don’t ask the demonic religion for a good grounding in history or logic. The other abortion clergyman was a rabbi who blew the shofar as a way to show support for reproductive rights. Our friend Rabbi Yehuda Levin who blows the shofar most years at the March for Life will have a field day with that one.
The most absurd aspect of the blessing ceremony, however, was when the Rev. Larry Phillips of Schenectady’s Emmanuel-Friedens Church led the congregation outside to lay hands on the brick and mortar and to declare that the killing center was “sacred ground.” Ugh. The hierarchy (Planned Parenthood), the acolytes (clinic workers), the congregation (supporters) and the ministers were all at the abortion temple that day worshipping the god of abortion. And the demons were so pleased.
St. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6 that our battle is not against flesh and blood. It is against the principalities and powers of this world of darkness. The darkness is spreading, but the Light of Christ shines forth in all those wonderful kids and their parents that showed the world that life will win in the end.
“The light shines on in darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it.” (Jn 1:5)
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International
Jan
25
Christian experience begins in the everyday world of communal experience. Today, the interior space in which Church is experienced is, for many, a foreign world. Nevertheless, this world continues to be a possibility, and it will be the task of religious education to open doors on the experiential space Church and to encourage people to take an interest in this kind of experience. When people share the same faith, when they pray, celebrate, rejoice, suffer, and live together, Church becomes “community” and thus a real living space that enables humanity to experience faith as a life-bringing force in daily life and in the crises of existence. One who who truly believes, who opens himself to the maturing effects of faith, begins to be a light for others; he becomes a bulwark where others can find help. Read more
Jan
25
Mark 1: 1 - 18
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1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way;
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight — ”
4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.
7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove;
11 and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.”
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
16 And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.
17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.”
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
