Benedict's Urbi et Orbi Message for Easter 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters throughout the world, Men and women of good will!

Christ is risen! Peace to you! Today we celebrate the great mystery, the foundation of Christian faith and hope: Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified One, has risen from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. We listen today with renewed emotion to the announcement proclaimed by the angels on the dawn of the first day after the Sabbath, to Mary of Magdala and to the women at the sepulchre: “Why do you search among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here, he is risen!” (Lk 24:5-6).

It is not difficult to imagine the feelings of these women at that moment: feelings of sadness and dismay at the death of their Lord, feelings of disbelief and amazement before a fact too astonishing to be true. But the tomb was open and empty: the body was no longer there. Peter and John, having been informed of this by the women, ran to the sepulchre and found that they were right. The faith of the Apostles in Jesus, the expected Messiah, had been submitted to a severe trial by the scandal of the cross. At his arrest, his condemnation and death, they were dispersed. Now they are together again, perplexed and bewildered. But the Risen One himself comes in response to their thirst for greater certainty. This encounter was not a dream or an illusion or a subjective imagination; it was a real experience, even if unexpected, and all the more striking for that reason. “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘peace be with you!’” (Jn 20:19).

At these words their faith, which was almost spent within them, was re-kindled. The Apostles told Thomas who had been absent from that first extraordinary encounter: Yes, the Lord has fulfilled all that he foretold; he is truly risen and we have seen and touched him! Thomas however remained doubtful and perplexed. When Jesus came for a second time, eight days later in the Upper Room, he said to him: “put your finger here and see my hands; and put out your hand and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing!” The Apostle’s response is a moving profession of faith: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:27-28).

“My Lord and my God!” We too renew that profession of faith of Thomas. I have chosen these words for my Easter greetings this year, because humanity today expects from Christians a renewed witness to the resurrection of Christ; it needs to encounter him and to know him as true God and true man. If we can recognize in this Apostle the doubts and uncertainties of so many Christians today, the fears and disappointments of many of our contemporaries, with him we can also rediscover with renewed conviction, faith in Christ dead and risen for us. This faith, handed down through the centuries by the successors of the Apostles, continues on because the Risen Lord dies no more. He lives in the Church and guides it firmly towards the fulfilment of his eternal design of salvation.

We may all be tempted by the disbelief of Thomas. Suffering, evil, injustice, death, especially when it strikes the innocent such as children who are victims of war and terrorism, of sickness and hunger, does not all of this put our faith to the test? Paradoxically the disbelief of Thomas is most valuable to us in these cases because it helps to purify all false concepts of God and leads us to discover his true face: the face of a God who, in Christ, has taken upon himself the wounds of injured humanity. Thomas has received from the Lord, and has in turn transmitted to the Church, the gift of a faith put to the test by the passion and death of Jesus and confirmed by meeting him risen. His faith was almost dead but was born again thanks to his touching the wounds of Christ, those wounds that the Risen One did not hide but showed, and continues to point out to us in the trials and sufferings of every human being.

“By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pt 2:24). This is the message Peter addressed to the early converts. Those wounds that, in the beginning were an obstacle for Thomas’s faith, being a sign of Jesus’ apparent failure, those same wounds have become in his encounter with the Risen One, signs of a victorious love. These wounds that Christ has received for love of us help us to understand who God is and to repeat: “My Lord and my God!” Only a God who loves us to the extent of taking upon himself our wounds and our pain, especially innocent suffering, is worthy of faith.

How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world! Natural calamities and human tragedies that cause innumerable victims and enormous material destruction are not lacking. My thoughts go to recent events in Madagascar, in the Solomon Islands, in Latin America and in other regions of the world. I am thinking of the scourge of hunger, of incurable diseases, of terrorism and kidnapping of people, of the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion, of contempt for life, of the violation of human rights and the exploitation of persons. I look with apprehension at the conditions prevailing in several regions of Africa. In Darfur and in the neighbouring countries there is a catastrophic, and sadly to say underestimated, humanitarian situation. In Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the violence and looting of the past weeks raises fears for the future of the Congolese democratic process and the reconstruction of the country. In Somalia the renewed fighting has driven away the prospect of peace and worsened a regional crisis, especially with regard to the displacement of populations and the traffic of arms. Zimbabwe is in the grip of a grievous crisis and for this reason the Bishops of that country in a recent document indicated prayer and a shared commitment for the common good as the only way forward.

Likewise the population of East Timor stands in need of reconciliation and peace as it prepares to hold important elections. Elsewhere too, peace is sorely needed: in Sri Lanka only a negotiated solution can put an end to the conflict that causes so much bloodshed; Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability; In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian authority, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees. In Lebanon the paralysis of the country’s political institutions threatens the role that the country is called to play in the Middle East and puts its future seriously in jeopardy. Finally, I cannot forget the difficulties faced daily by the Christian communities and the exodus of Christians from that blessed Land which is the cradle of our faith. I affectionately renew to these populations the expression of my spiritual closeness.

Dear Brothers and sisters, through the wounds of the Risen Christ we can see the evils which afflict humanity with the eyes of hope. In fact, by his rising the Lord has not taken away suffering and evil from the world but has vanquished them at their roots by the superabundance of his grace. He has countered the arrogance of evil with the supremacy of his love. He has left us the love that does not fear death, as the way to peace and joy. “Even as I have loved you – he said to his disciples before his death – so you must also love one another” (cf. Jn 13:34).

Brothers and sisters in faith, who are listening to me from every part of the world! Christ is risen and he is alive among us. It is he who is the hope of a better future. As we say with Thomas: “My Lord and my God!”, may we hear again in our hearts the beautiful yet demanding words of the Lord: “If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him” (Jn 12:26). United to him and ready to offer our lives for our brothers (cf. 1 Jn 3:16), let us become apostles of peace, messengers of a joy that does not fear pain – the joy of the Resurrection. May Mary, Mother of the Risen Christ, obtain for us this Easter gift. Happy Easter to you all.

Cardinal George Falls and Hurts Hip

Amy breaks the bad news:

Cardinal Francis George was hospitalized with a slight hip fracture Saturday after he apparently slipped and fell inside a Chicago church while blessing Easter baskets, archdiocese officials said.

George, 70, was at St. Ferdinand Catholic Church on the Northwest Side Saturday morning to bless baskets of food for Easter meals and slipped on some holy water that had splashed onto the marble floor, said Colleen Dolan, spokeswoman for the archdiocese.

Upon falling, the cardinal appeared to land squarely on his hips in a seated position and grimaced in pain. He did not lose consciousness and even continued with the blessing. But shortly after the service, the pain in his right hip grew more severe and he was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood in a private car.

For the rest of the Article:
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UPDATE: Cardinal George was released from the hospital on Easter Sunday. This is great news.

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa Praises the Role of Women in Good Friday Reflection

The Vatican doesn't have an english translation up yet but CNA has this to say about the reflection Fr. Cantalamessa gave on Good Friday.

During his homily the Preacher of the Papal Household also emphasized the role of the holy women discussed in the Passion story, referencing the “new feminism” discussed often by Pope John Paul II.

This Good Friday also provides an opportunity to recall for today’s world, “the role of the women, who on Golgotha were the last to leave the dying Christ and that to whom the Lord was first revealed,” Fr. Cantalamessa said.

He pointed out that the holy women should not be seen “with a certain masculine condescension only as some ‘pious women,’” for they, “were truly ‘mothers of courage’ because they braved that danger which was presenting themselves publicly on behalf of one condemned to death.”

“In the past it was argued who desired the death of Jesus: whether the Jewish leaders, or Pilate, or both,” the priest said. “One thing is certain in every case: they were men, not women. No woman is involved, not even indirectly, in his condemnation even the on pagan woman mentioned in the stories, the wife of Pilate.”

I'll be sure to post a link to the whole sermon when it is available.

"As Anointed People, We Must Bring Christ To The World"

Its been a busy week. Thus the post on Tuesday's Chrism Mass on Saturday. Enjoy.

This past Tuesday marked the annual "Chrism Mass" celebrated as the day priests renew their vows and the holy oils are blessed and consecrated for use within the diocese. This year's Chrism Mass gathered people from all around the diocese to unite in prayer and remember who we are as the Church of Saginaw: a church of bishop, priests, religious, and laity bound together by our election as the people of God and the mission we have to "Go out to all nations..."

This message of election and mission which permeated the whole day manifested itself as we joined in the anticipation of our brother Andy and Jose's ordination to the priesthood and also in the sending of the oils to every parish in the diocese. It was a message given to those who participated in the Chrism Mass the first time and to those who participated in it for the last time. Bishop Carlson led everyone in a standing ovation for Kevin Bourassa, the diocesan associate for music, who will be leaving soon for a new position in Wisconsin.

Election and mission were the central themes of the Bishop's homily. He began by reflecting on the meaning of the oils in the Christian life by asking all those who were being received into the Church at the Easter Sacraments to stand and be recognized. After the applause had died down he related to the gathered assembly the experience of anointing over 100 people the night before with the oil of the sick and the joy the diocese had in preparing to ordain two men to the priesthood this coming summer.

In focusing on these three aspects of anointing in the life of the church, the Bishop prayed that the Holy Spirit would grace us with a deeper understanding of our faith. "If we are an anointed people," he said, "we need to be a spirit-filled people."

His homily then turned to the mission we have as the elect of God to lift up those who suffer, those who are often trodden under foot: the immigrant, the former prisoner, the homeless. The spirit-filled and strongly emotional homily brought forth acclamation from the assembly as they heard the words of a commission being handed on to them.

It was not a new commission, however, as all recognized in the message the mandate of Christ, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit the lonely. It was a call to embrace that mission once again, some two thousand years after it had first been given, and thus bring the transforming love of Christ to this wounded world.


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UPDATE: CNA has a story on Pope Benedict's message for the Chrism Mass: Priests must put on Christ’s yoke of love

Pope's New Book Due Out in Two Weeks

Volume I of the two volume work is set to be released soon...

Vatican City, Apr 4, 2007 / 11:17 am (CNA).- The Vatican announced this morning that on Friday, April 13th, Pope Benedict XVI’s first book will be released with a press conference. The book, titled “Jesus of Nazareth,” is certainly not the first written by the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, but the first released by him after his taking his seat on the Chair of Peter.

Starting on Monday, April 16th, which is also the Pope’s birthday, the book will be available in its Italian, German, and Polish editions. The English, Spanish, and French versions are expected to follow soon after.

[A]ccording to several sources including hints from the Pope himself, the book is primarily a historical and theological presentation of the figure at the center of Christianity, which draws on hundreds of works of modern research into the figure of Jesus Christ.

It consists of 10 chapters covering the life of Jesus from his baptism in the River Jordan to the 'transfiguration', when the Bible says his appearance changed and revealed his divine nature to his watching disciples.

Amazon already has a pre-sale going on this 400 page behemoth. It has already reached a sales rank of #216 which is really high for Amazon. Get yours before the mad rush!

The Simpsons - Homer and Bart convert to Catholicism

This Video is classic, I've got to watch the whole episode...

Do You Believe in God?

From Catholic Online:

NEW YORK (Catholic Online) – An overwhelming majority of American adults believe in God and feel that its political candidates should be believers, according to a nationwide poll released just before the beginning of Holy Week.

A poll commissioned by the New York-based newsmagazine Newsweek, revealed that 91 percent of U.S. adults believe in God, whil only 3 percent described themselves as atheists.

Read on...

Opening Day

Tigers lost 5 - 3 in the 10th...

Motu Proprio Expected Very Soon

Well, I've held out in publishing a story on this because I didn't want to get caught up in the hype and the rumor mills. However, it seems inevitable that Pope Benedict XVI is going to publish a Motu Proprio ("of his own accord") establishing wider use of the Pius V Mass under the rite of 1962. How this wider use will look is anybody's guess no matter what they may claim to know. One thing is certain though, it will be used more.

The USCCB run Catholic News Service has a fairly interesting story about the Motu Proprio:

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Sometime soon, Pope Benedict XVI is expected to broaden permission to use the Tridentine Mass, a long-standing request of traditionalists who favor the rite used before the Second Vatican Council.

The move is aimed at ending a liturgical dispute which has simmered for more than 20 years. In the process, it could clarify how the pope intends to implement what he once described as a "liturgical reconciliation" in the modern church.

They then go on to explain how some have thought that this move is an attempt to reconcile with the followers of Marcel Lefebvre but clarify by saying that some Vatican officials believe that the attempt is more aimed at retaining the church's liturgical tradition.

They continue by explaining what Benedict's liturgical thought has been over the years citing his work Milestones: Memoirs 1927 - 1977 and Spirit of the Liturgy. They state:

The almost total prohibition of the old missal, which had been used for 400 years, was unprecedented in the history of the liturgy, he said in the book.

In effect, he said, "the old building was demolished" and a new one put in its place. Thus the liturgy ceased to be a living development and was treated as something manufactured by experts, which has caused the church "enormous harm," he said.

Even before he wrote those words, then-Cardinal Ratzinger had caused a stir when he said it made sense for the priest to celebrate Mass facing the same direction as the congregation, in the pre-Vatican II style, although he also said it would be confusing to turn the altar around once again.

Over the years, he has sharply criticized what he sees as a tendency for the worshiping community to celebrate only itself.

These thoughts of Pope Benedict have understandably led many to believe that he would enact sweeping changes in the liturgy but this opinion may be a bit too hasty. For those who believe that the Pope simply wants to abolish the Paul VI Mass and usher in the Pius V Mass, the article also included statements he made as Cardinal Ratzinger providing positive comments on the new mass and negative comments on the old.

he said he considered the new missal a "real improvement" in many respects, and that the introduction of local languages made sense.

In one revealing speech to Catholic traditionalists in 1998, he said bluntly that the old "low Mass," with its whispered prayers at the altar and its silent congregation, "was not what liturgy should be, which is why it was not painful for many people" when it disappeared.

The most important thing, he said at that time, was to make sure that the liturgy does not divide the Catholic community.

And that, I think, is the most important thing at this juncture. Whether or not this widened use of the Old Mass will take away divisions that exist over the liturgy in the Church is still to be seen. Needless to say, I will be interested as to how this all plays out.

Santo Subito!

The process continues for the canonization of the late John Paul the Great. As previously reported here at Seminarians the first stage of the investigation by the Diocese of Rome has been completed. This investigation sought to discover if there was a reputation for holiness for the late Pope. (I know, I know, pretty easy investigation...) Now the required miracles are starting to pour in.

Zenit news is reporting that many cases have poured in throughout the world reporting cures and miracles at the intercession of John Paul, including many cures from tumors, miracle fertilities, and in one case a mother who was having a difficult pregnancy lost her amniotic fluid and her baby was in danger of dying in the womb. However, after praying to the late Holy Father the amniotic fluid was restored and she gave birth naturally to a healthy baby.

One of these has risen to the top as a miracle the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints is officially examining to determine if John Paul II's cause can move forward. The miracle in question happened to a nun in France who claims she was cured from Parkinson's disease, the same disease the John Paul II suffered, on June 2, 2005 after praying for the late pontiff's intercession for the two months after his death.

Today the identity of that sister has been revealed. She is 45 year old Sr. Marie-Simon-Pierre and is "expected to be the main guest next week when the Diocese of Rome gives the Vatican tens of thousands of pages of documentation on John Paul’s holiness." She describes her cure as follows:

"I was losing weight day by day. I could no longer write and if I did try to, it was difficult to decipher. I could no longer drive ... because my left leg became rigid," Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre wrote.

However, she said, on June 2, 2005, after she and her community had prayed for John Paul’s intercession, and exactly two months after the Pope's death, she felt the sudden urge to pick up a pen: "My handwriting was completely legible ... my body was no longer pained, no longer rigid ... I felt a profound sense of peace."

The diocese Aix-en-Provence which performed the local investigation into the validity of the miracle is now sending a dossier of investigative materials including x-rays, blood tests, doctors reports and handwriting samples to the Vatican.

After the Vatican makes it's investigation, which could take some time, and they are convinced that this sister was healed through John Paul's intercession, he could be named Blessed John Paul the Great.

Stay tuned...
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UPDATE: CNA has an interesting story about a press confrence Sister Marie Simon-Pierre gave today.

The Church's Top Priority

In this week's Register there is an interesting article about the emphasis the church as a whole has been placing on the Eucharist since the turn of the millennium. It is a trend I myself began to notice a few weeks ago when the rumors of an imminent exhortation were flying around so naturally I thought it remarkable that the editors of the National Catholic Register chose to write their editorial this week on the growing emphasis the church is placing on the Most Holy Eucharist. Here are a few snippets:

Two Popes and the major bodies of the Vatican have unmistakably set the church’s top priority for the Church in our time. It’s the Eucharist.

That includes the proper preparation for Mass (especially confession), the proper celebration of Mass (including the translations for Mass) and the proper attitude toward the Eucharist outside of Mass (including adoration and the placement of our tabernacles).

Each year since the Jubilee Year 2000 (which Pope John Paul II called “profoundly Eucharistic”) has seen a major document come from the Vatican on the Eucharist. In fact, the Eucharistic documents have been the only significant ones of the new millennium.

They go on to point out some of the major documents which have been about the Eucharist among them: The GIRM, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Redemptionis Sacramentum, Liturgiam Authenticam, and the most recent Sacramentum Caritatis. They go on to explain why there has been such an emphasis on the Eucharist:

the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. It isn’t a mere symbol of Christ; it is Christ himself among us. The Eucharist must be guarded when it is endangered, defended when it is disrespected and promoted when it is ignored.

And, clearly, at the highest levels, our shepherds see that the Eucharist has not been treated properly.

The end the article simply by stating:

Only Christ in the Eucharist can sharpen Catholic consciences, lead more of us to practice the lay apostolate, feed our life of prayer, and form the basis of a true Catholic community.

These are the prerequisites for building the Kingdom of Christ in the world.

To read the entire article...

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UPDATE: What was I thinking? This is the perfect post to remind everyone that the diocese of Saginaw is also doing its part to promote more veneration of the Blessed Sacrament. This summer from June 8th - 10th there will be a diocesan wide Eucharistic Congress and everyone is invited! More info found on the diocesan website or this previous Seminarians post.

Wait...We Still Believe In Hell?

This just in from the pope: "Hell exists, and you souls do go there" (not actual quote, but here's what he did say:)

ROME, March 27, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a homily delivered Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI stated, "Jesus came to tell us that He wants us all in heaven and that hell - of which so little is said in our time - exists and is eternal for those who close their hearts to His love."
The warning about hell comes in the context of love. In fact, it is because of God's love that He warns us about the possibility of eternal separation from Him. God is, "above all, love," said the Pope. "If He hates sin it is because He has an infinite love for all human beings." The Lord's aim, said Benedict, was "to save a soul and to reveal that salvation is only to be found in the love of God."

The article goes on to discuss recent teachings of different bishops about the danger of "losing one's salvation." The main example brought up is having a separation between what one believes and what one lives, as in the case of politicians.

The important point, I believe, is that hell isn't being ignored. People can and do go there. If we deny hell, then why again did Jesus come?

Open Letter of Fr. Michael Beers to All the Readers of "Saginaw Seminarians"

Fr. Michael Beers has asked me to publish this as an open letter:

I regret the confusion caused by the article in the Naples Daily News. I was called yesterday (the Solemnity of the Annunciation) at about 12:10. The journalist was very eager to tie in my assignment with the recent commotion over Fr. Fessio. This really overshadowed everything we discussed. I had received permission from my bishop to announce my new assignment on Monday because registration for the Fall begins today. I had hoped that they would be able to announce the name of the new dean of the pre-theologate at the same time. Naturally he asked for a clarification of the phrase "house of priestly formation", I gave what he found to be an awkward explanation, he asked: "Is it something like a seminary?" I answered: "Something like a seminary without being a seminary." I guess he found this too Thomistic and abbreviated it as you read in his article. Please refer your readers to the very positive article that appeared in today's Naples Daily News, with the headline: "A Time for Healing". I preached today on the need for reconciliation within the university community, please keep Ave Maria in your prayers. It's a time for great healing. Thank you, Fr. Michael Beers

The article he is referring to can be found here.

Bishop Carlson: "Rumors of a New Seminary are False."

On Monday, Naples News.com reported that the Dean of Pre-theology at Ave Maria University, Fr. J. Michael Beers, would soon be reassigned to the Diocese of Saginaw to be the "founding director of a seminary in Bay City, Mi." Soon after this announcement, the news began to spread all over the Internet that Bishop Carlson was starting a new seminary.

However, this turns out not to be the case. "Rumors of a new seminary are false." Replied the Bishop when asked about the validity of the Naples News.com story. "Fr. Beers will be helping with a house that will be especially for younger guys if they haven't had any college education and need to take a course or two at Saginaw Valley State University. It will also be for those seminarians who are E.S.L. (English as a Second Language) and need time to become comfortable with the language. It will be a chance for some spiritual formation during those times."

Bishop Carlson also added that he has been "very pleased" with the seminaries the diocese is currently employing and said that "Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit will continue to be the main seminary the diocese uses along with the others: Mundelein, Holy Apostles, and St. Paul."

So let the rumor mills cease, there will be no "St. Robert Carlson Seminary."

"The Word Became Flesh...And Dwelt Amongst Us"

Angelus

V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost. Hail Mary...

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done to me according to thy word. Hail Mary...

V. And the Word was made flesh.

R. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary...

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Obligatory Fessio Post

Since I am so behind on this story and so many others have done a much better job at covering it, I'm simply going to provide links and then pray everything turns out alright down at Ave Maria.



American Papist

Fumare

Ave Watch

Naples News.com

Catholic Men’s Conference in Detroit attracts thousands

CNA reports:

Detroit, Mar 26, 2007 / 08:18 am (CNA).- Thousands of men packed Calihan Hall at the University of Detroit Mercy for the Catholic Men's Conference on Saturday. The event offered the 3,000 men who visited the fifth annual conference throughout the day an opportunity to grow in their personal relationships with God and to make a firmer commitment to living their faith.

A key part of the conference was for participants to commit to their faith and family the way they would to their favorite team or sport, reported the Detroit News.

John Morales, a former Fox sportscaster who has made a movie about Catholic baseball players, was one of a series of speaker at the conference, which ended with a 2:30 p.m. Mass.

The conference attracted men of all ages, including teens. Dominic Zack, 14, told the Detroit News that the event broached topics that he could relate to.

Tom Stephanoff, 21, attended with his father and older brother. "It is always good to refuel the fire," Stephanoff was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "You get excited again about trying to be a good person."

Promised Post on Trip to New Orleans

Spring Break this year began as I loaded up three mini-vans with luggage and people I barely knew and drove 24 hours south to a town which had been annihilated a year and a half earlier. It ended with a few houses gutted, a town still on life support, a 19 hour drive back, and lives which were changed forever.

This trip provided young people a chance to pitch in and lend support to a people wounded. A chance to live the Gospel in a way they had only heard about. A chance to meet people and to hear their stories of survival and heartbreak and offer a message of hope. It was a chance to be surprised by how insensitive human beings can be and how utterly wonderful they can be. It was all these things and in many ways these experiences were not surprises. One expects to be touched in these ways when one embarks on a trip like that.

What they didn't expect is what this post is all about.

What they didn't expect to discover was Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus himself embarked on this trip with us and showed us exactly who we are as Catholics and who we needed to be. In ways I have failed in describing, people met Jesus in prayer, they met him in their work, in their leisure, in our spontaneous "discussions" about the faith every night, they met him in a not so random homily that provided an answer to the frustrations they experienced that day; an answer of love. In short, what made this trip so amazing was Jesus: his love, his heart, and his desire that we "all be one."

Lives were changed that week, changed for good and all because we met Him who "makes all things new."

Praised be Jesus Christ: Now and forever, Amen.

Apologies for the Absence

Ok, it's been about 13 days since the last post and I apologize for the absence. Between trying to read Sacramentum and all my other "duties" I let blogging get away from me. Seminarians is back...

It's finally here...

Pope Benedict finally released his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist today! He has entitled it Sacramentum Caritatis (Sacrament of Charity) I have been waiting for this since the synod two years ago. I'll report on my impressions...

Diocese of Rome Concludes Investigation Into the Holiness of John Paul II

Things continue to move ahead in the beatification process for the late John Paul the Great. Catholic News Agency has reported today that the Roman diocese's investigation for holiness has been completed which is the first step on the path to sainthood. They will mark the end of this investigation with a special ceremony at St. John Lateran Cathedral on April 2nd, the second anniversary of the Pontiff's death. All I have to say is that this must have been one of the easiest investigations ever...

For the full story over at CNA

Closed for the Week

Blogging will be non-existent for the next week as I head down south to New Orleans with 20 college students from Central Michigan to help with the continued efforts to clean up down there. Keep us in your prayers and I'll be sure to blog about our trip on Monday, March 12th. See you then!

Thank God Baseball is coming back...

The Detroit Tigers professional baseball team brought a lot of excitement around this area of the country last year and those of us here in Michigan hope they can do it again. It became a ritual for a large portion of the guys at the seminary to watch the games together every night during the playoffs after the day was done and classes were finished. We were all hoping for a World Series but didn't see it happen. So, as we wait to see if the Tigers can repeat last year's preformance, we look to sunny Florida where "the boys" are on spring training, far away from the snow and ice that surround us here in frozen Michigan.

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers entered the 2006 season facing a wide assortment of questions, perhaps chief among them "What were they thinking?" when they picked their new manager.

This year the Tigers have hardly any issues to address in camp, and the answer to their biggest question — Will they get complacent and take a step back? — comes in the form of that once-questioned choice of a skipper.

Jim Leyland, last season's AL Manager of the Year after guiding the Tigers to a 24-game improvement and a World Series appearance, remains the focal point of a club that's favored by many observers to win the rugged AL Central.

"Leyland's the key to everything," third baseman Brandon Inge said. "He's the reason we stay on track. We get focused for games and we prepare for games, and then we go out and have fun. Win, lose or draw, he doesn't care as long as we play hard."

Leyland's the one players point to when the topic of post-success complacency comes up. He harped on the importance of not resting on last year's laurels, to the point players began parroting the message.

"They're almost telling me that they can't be satisfied with what they did last year, so that's a pretty good sign," said Leyland, who returned to the dugout after a six-year hiatus. "One thing I like about this team is we have a chance to get better. I don't know if that's going to mean more wins or not, but we have some players who have a chance to get better."

To read the rest...

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Looks like they're off to a good start

Bishop Carlson Celebrates 2nd Anniversary in Saginaw

I hope Bishop Carlson can forgive me for not posting this sooner...

On Saturday, February 24, Bishop Carlson marked two years as the shepherd of Saginaw. The best way I thought to commemorate these past two years was to look back and see how much has happened, this is obviously not a complete list but more like a very small highlight reel of Bishop's time here. So here it is:

Vocations to the priesthood have risen from 2 to 19
The Annual Bishop's Golf Classic
Faith Magazine
The Mother Theresa Fund providing financial aid to expectant mothers
The Bishop's Charity Ball to Benefit Catholic Education coming this Spring
The Renewal of the Permanent Diaconate
ABLAZE! Youth rally
Eucharistic Congress in June of 2007
The Formation of the Saginaw Area Catholic School System
"We Have Come To Worship Him" Implementation of the GIRM
A Rosary CD for Vocations
And so, so much more...

Thank you Bishop Carlson for coming to Saginaw!

Something from the "It's about time" department:

Study Reveals the Adverse Effects Sexualized Images Have on Women:

WASHINGTON, DC—A report of the American Psychological Association (APA) released today found evidence that the proliferation of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development.

The press release continues by describing certain health domains that are affected:

Cognitive and Emotional Consequences: Sexualization and objectification undermine a person’s confidence in and comfort with her own body, leading to emotional and self-image problems, such as shame and anxiety.
Mental and Physical Health: Research links sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems diagnosed in girls and women—eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression or depressed mood.
Sexual Development: Research suggests that the sexualization of girls has negative consequences on girls’ ability to develop a healthy sexual self-image.

The press release ends with a call for change:

“As a society, we need to replace all of these sexualized images with ones showing girls in positive settings—ones that show the uniqueness and competence of girls,” states Dr. Zurbriggen. “The goal should be to deliver messages to all adolescents—boys and girls—that lead to healthy sexual development.”

Wait, didn't Humanae Vitae ask for the same thing? Let Paul VI remind you:

Everything therefore in the modern means of social communication which arouses men's baser passions and encourages low moral standards, as well as every obscenity in the written word and every form of indecency on the stage and screen, should be condemned publicly and unanimously by all those who have at heart the advance of civilization and the safeguarding of the outstanding values of the human spirit.

Humanae Vitae is starting to look more and more like a prophetic document. Paul VI warned that if a culture abandoned the moral law that that culture, and in particular men, would

forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

It looks as if Peter was right again.

For the full press release

For the full report

For another article by the APA about the sexualization of little girls through dolls

Growing Student Group Unveils Lies Behind Contraception

Students from the University of Mary Washington in Virginia had had enough when Women's Clinic started up again on their campus. They had heard the lies about contraception for the last time and had decided that they were going to do something about it. They describe themselves:

So they started spreading the word and things got a little heated. Efforts they made around campus were thwarted, signs got ripped down, nasty editorials were written against them in the student newspaper, everywhere they went they met opposition.

But then, people started to take notice and their group has started to grow. It has even grown beyond the walls of the University of Mary Washington to other campuses around the country like South Dakota State and the University of Kentucky.

With the trend of our culture to become more and more contraceptive (see earlier post) groups like this one need all the help they can get to get the word out. So check out their website and their blog and spread the word. If you can donate too their cause. And if you are a college student, think about starting a Project Plus chapter on your campus.

Your Yearly Lenten Dose of Someone Claiming to Uncover the Myth That Is Christianity:

I debated with myself about including this in the blog whatsoever but I figured everyone else is...

It has become clockwork that every Lent and Easter, someone "discovers" ancient evidence to prove that us Christians have been duped for 2000 years into believing something that we all really should have known better about. We've heard the story a thousand times: Jesus was just a man who had a really good skill in getting people to follow him. All that fun stuff that goes with divinity like virgin births, being the only child, Resurrection, Ascension, miracles, and a church are simply things people made up to get more followers. If this stuff were such breaking news, why do we only hear about it during the seasons of Lent and Easter and why do we hear the same story re-told every year?

Two reasons: People love a great conspiracy where they can throw back their heads and say: "Wow! were we dumb! They sure fooled us, and now we don't have to worry about any of this church stuff!" The second reason points to why this sort of thing is never done to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, or any other religion for that matter: Christians just don't seem to give a care. A Muslim or Jew would never let this kinda of bashing and discrediting go on and God bless them for it. Christians need to take an example from those other communities and not take this anymore. What happened to the admonition we received from Peter: "always be prepared to make a defense" (1Peter 3:15) Instead of making a defense we move over and say "thanks for clearing this all up."

But maybe I'm just getting too caught up myself, maybe this just brings more attention to the lies, I guess in the end my point is: Why can't we get any respect?

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UPDATE: Refutations begin to pour in...

Mark Shea comments

CNN Report: Spiritual Leader thinks he's the Antichrist

It never ceases to surprise me what and who people will follow. God help all these people...

Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist is "Imminent"

Catholic World News reprts:

Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he will soon release the apostolic exhortation summarizing the work of the Synod on the Eucharist, which concluded its deliberations 16 months ago.

The appearance of the apostolic exhortation is “imminent,” the Holy Father told priests of the Rome diocese, during a traditional early-Lenten meeting in the Hall of Benedictions at the Vatican on Thursday morning.

This is news I have been waiting for. It has been a while since a papal document has been anticipated and debated over as much as this one has. Part of that, I think, comes from the premature publication of the suggestions made to the Holy Father from the Synod. "What will the Holy Father incorporate? Will he change the Mass in any way? Will he write a moto proprio for a wider use of the Tridentine Mass?"

It looks like these questions and others will be answered in the near future.

For the rest of the story...

KFC Seeks Papal Blessing on New Fish Sandwich

I can see it now, cue the deep announcer's voice: KFC, bringing you the only fish sandwich endorsed by the Vatican! This isn't your local K of C Friday Fish Fry, this is Pope approved!
Catholic Online broke the story yesterday:

LOUISVILLE, KY (Catholic Online) – The head of the company internationally known as a fast-food chicken vendor has made an appeal to Pope Benedict XVI to bless its new fish offering.

In a statement released Feb. 18, Ash Wednesday, KFC said its president, Gregg Dedrick, sent a personal letter to the pope asking for a papal blessing for the KFC's new Fish Snacker Sandwich, noting that the fast-food item “is ideal for American Catholics who want to observe Lenten season traditions while still leading their busy, modern lifestyles.”

The company’s statement noted that Vatican officials confirmed receipt of the request concerning the $0.99 (USD) sandwich, adding that KFC “is hopeful to get the pope's blessing this Lenten season.”

"People can enjoy the flavor of the new Fish Snacker any day of the week, but we believe it will be especially popular on Fridays," said James O'Reilly, chief marketing officer for KFC.

KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., has more than 14,000 franchised outlets in more than 80 countries and territories around the world, serving some 12 million customers each day, according to company figures.

Pope's Message for Ash Wednesday

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today – Ash Wednesday – we begin our Lenten journey in a spirit of prayer and penance. From the earliest days of the Church, Lent has been a special time of preparation for Baptism. For those already baptized, Lent is a time of conversion and renewed faith. It is a time to “exercise” our desire for God by opening our hearts to the new life offered to us in Christ. Jesus exhorts us to “repent and believe in the Gospel”. Only conversion can lead to true happiness, and God’s grace is needed to inspire and sustain our efforts to direct our hearts completely to him. Conversion consists in recognizing that we depend entirely on God, who created us and redeemed us in Christ. In my Lenten message this year, I wanted to emphasize God’s immense love for us, and to invite all Christians, together with Mary and the Beloved Disciple, to draw near to the Lord, who gave his life for us on the Cross. The Cross – the definitive revelation of God’s love and mercy – is the only way to enter this mystery of saving love. This Lent, by a more fervent participation in the Eucharist, may we learn to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery and to “re-give” Christ’s love to others, especially the suffering and those in need.

Finally Some Good News From the Anglican Front...

The leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion who are meeting in Tanzania this week have issued an ultimatum to the U.S. Episcopal Church: "Stop ordaining gay clergy and blessing gay 'marriages.'" If the U.S. Episcopal Church does not heed this warning, it could mean yet another split in Christianity.

Now spliting up Christianity is not something I see as a good thing persay, but thank God that the Anglican Communion is stepping up and defending truth on this one. After watching the Anglican Communion spiral out of control over the past few years one could only ask: Quo Vadis Canterbury? It seems that with this latest out of the Tanzania meeting, the Anglican Bishops will be attempting to answer that question and in couragous form as well.

Could this mean a better chance at a reunion with Rome? Who knows, but if anything it means they won't fall any farther away from her.

Lets certainly keep this one in prayer...

Pope's Advice to Seminarians

When the Pope speakes directly to seminarians, my ears perk up. He met with a group of them last Saturday for a Q & A. Catholic World News has the story, here's a "snipit":

The Pope told the students to “remain attentive to the other voices of the Lord,” recognizing that God speaks to them through “other people, through friends, through our parents.” Most of all, he added, God speaks through the Scriptures, which should be read “not as the word of a man or a document from the past” but as the living Word of God with a powerful message for every reader at every time.
As they embark on their lives as ordained ministers, the Pope said, the young men should “be with the Lord in the Eucharist every day-- not as a professional obligation but as a true interior duty.” He also encouraged them to be attentive in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, thus maintaining their regular contact with the Scriptures and their communion with other priests throughout the world.

Great Video

Anyone who has attempted to play the drums can apprieciate what these people can do. Simply Amazing...

Thanks to Mike G over at The Propaganda Machine for the heads up...

Ave Maria School of Law Moving to Florida...

Thomas over at American Papist has the story...

Parish Group Visits Seminarians at Sacred Heart Seminary

On Saturday, February 17th, a group  of young men from the Diocese came down to visit Sacred Heart Seminary and to learn more about the life of a seminarian and the need to discern one's vocation. The group consisted of young people from elementary school all the way though high school as well as parents and adults who simply wanted to learn more about what the seminarians do. Fr. Bill Rutkowski, from St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Bay City, was also with the group and offered Mass that evening.

The day's events included talks given by Eddie Dwyer about the universal call to holiness; Chris Coman about the need to discern one's vocation; and Denis Heames about the need to always stand for truth. The seminarians also led smaller groups through the seminary to give the visitors an experience of the history as well as the every day life at the there.

It was a day intended to expose people to the priesthood and to encourage young people to ask God what to do with their lives. As one middle school student replied after being asked about his favorite part of the day: "I liked learning about vocations and asking God about his will for my life." "Getting young people thinking about God's call for their life helps young people to hear that call" said one of the seminarians.

Events like these help to raise vocation awareness for all people regardless of age, gender, or state in life. They are a direct response to Bishop Carlson's call to build up a culture of vocations. Soon these young people will have to make decisions about where God is calling them and knowing what their options are enables them to make a more informed, and hopefully, prayerful decision.

For More Pictures...

Catholics and Anglicans Close to Reunion Under the Pope?

The London Times is reporting today that the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion may be close to reuniting after being separated for over four centuries. The Times reports that the Vatican is now reviewing a document submitted by the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission which puts into place some possible scenarios for a reunification with the two churches. The Times reports:

In one significant passage the report notes: “The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the ministry of the Bishop of Rome [the Pope] as universal primate is in accordance with Christ’s will for the Church and an essential element of maintaining it in unity and truth.” Anglicans rejected the Bishop of Rome as universal primate in the 16th century. Today, however, some Anglicans are beginning to see the potential value of a ministry of universal primacy, which would be exercised by the Bishop of Rome, as a sign and focus of unity within a reunited Church.
In another paragraph the report goes even further: “We urge Anglicans and Roman Catholics to explore together how the ministry of the Bishop of Rome might be offered and received in order to assist our Communions to grow towards full, ecclesial communion.”

Who knows where this may lead but the possibility of reunion in the future is definitely something to look forward to. We'll keep a look out for developments in this story...

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UPDATE: CNS now reports that the Church officials on both sides are claiming the story about reunion was premature and state that the document causing all the commotion will be published after both sides have time to offer a commentary. For the full story...

Benedict and the Beer II

I received such a great response from the previous pic so I found this one for your enjoyment. I like the previous Benedict and the Beer photo but in this one it seems like he's offering to have you join him!

Archbishop Chaput: "We need to end the death penalty now"

No intro needed for this post, just go read it. In case you need some proding, however, sample this:

The death penalty is a bad idea because it diminishes the society that employs it. It doesn’t deter capital crime. It doesn’t bring back the dead. It doesn’t give anyone “peace.” It sometimes kills the innocent. It coarsens our own humanity and sense of justice. And while both Scripture and long Catholic tradition do support the legitimacy of capital punishment in extraordinary cases, the conditions that would justify its use in developed countries like the United States almost never exist.

Papal Message for Lent 2007

Pope Benedict published his message for Lent yesterday Zenit.org reports and it is an intense medition on the love of God for mankind. Here's a little "snipit":

On the Cross, God’s eros for us is made manifest. Eros is indeed – as Pseudo-Dionysius expresses it – that force “that does not allow the lover to remain in himself but moves him to become one with the beloved” (De divinis nominibus, IV, 13: PG 3, 712). Is there more “mad eros” (N. Cabasilas, Vita in Cristo, 648) than that which led the Son of God to make Himself one with us even to the point of suffering as His own the consequences of our offences?

and since it's Valentines Day, a little more on the desire God has for our love:

Dear brothers and sisters, let us look at Christ pierced in the Cross! He is the unsurpassing revelation of God’s love, a love in which eros and agape, far from being opposed, enlighten each other. On the Cross, it is God Himself who begs the love of His creature: He is thirsty for the love of every one of us.

(Read the rest here)

Happy Valentining...

Ok, ok, so yesterday I was a little harsh on Valentine's Day. (and yes I know that "Valentining" is not a word) Of course it was all to make my point about taking a day that honors love and making it a day that honors promiscuity. Plus, I did it before Valentines day to respect the goodness that is still in the holiday. SO...for all of you who would like to hear a little more about the holiday and less about the bad stuff...I provide these slightly outdated statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau about Valentines Day...

And for all you men in Crowley County, Colo. who are dealing with that nasty 2/1 ratio...

LONG LIVE CYRIL AND METHODIUS!

Thanks to Carolina Cannonball for the Icon!

"Governments starting to realize that promoting condoms has left things worse, not better."

The Register Reports:

“The root cause of the wildfire spread of AIDS is irresponsible moral behavior. By distributing condoms, this [behavior] is not challenged but only encouraged,” Cardinal Napier said Jan. 6, addressing the Jan. 4-9 assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, the Latin rite bishops meeting in the southern state of Kerala.
“By objecting to condoms, we are promoting sexual discipline,” Cardinal Napier said. “Show us a country in Sub-Saharan Africa that has reduced, let alone reversed, the rate of new infections” with condoms.
The condom-centric approach South Africa has followed for years has only pushed the country into the abyss in which it finds itself now, Cardinal Napier said. More than 12% of the country’s 48 million people are HIV positive, and half of all deaths are from AIDS.
To prove his point, Cardinal Napier said that Uganda is one of the greatest success stories in the fight against AIDS, with its abstinence program bringing down the HIV infection rate from more than 30% to below 6%. (Read the Whole Article...)

Interesting considering the efforts at Central Michigan University...You heard it here first.

St. Valentine's Day Now Touted As National Condom Day...

Once upon a time, St. Valentines Day commemorated a saint who uplifted the dignity of love and marriage. For the more historical critically minded, St. Valentine's was simply the attempt at Christianizing the pagan fertility ceremonies of Lupercalia. These ceremonies included the sacrificing of a goat (for fertility) and a dog (for purity) to the Goddess Fauna and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. Then boys would run around town slapping women and fields of crops with the strips of the meat to make them more fertile. The Christians, then, "christened" it to bring about the dignity of love and marriage which is centered on Christ.

At any rate, it seems like we've come full circle and the pagans are trying to take the holiday over again. In recent decades, it has descended into simply a sex holiday where chocolates are traded for sex. This used to be done in a subtle way, and we could still fool ourselves into thinking that the holiday maintained it's purity (something even the ancient pagans thought important).

This is hardly the case anymore. Valentine's Day, as the national day of promiscuity, has now reared it's ugly head for all to gaze upon. It has descended to a place lower than the ancient Romans who simply prayed for pure fertility. The campus newspaper, at Central Michigan University, reports in its February 12th edition, that this week of Valentine's Day has been deemed National Condom Week by the American Social Health Association or ASHA with the holiday itself being dubbed National Condom Day.

Central Michigan is doing their part to honor this holy day:

Condom Week will have a wide range of educational events taking place at CMU, including an information backdrop by Health Sciences professor Joseph Inungu on HIV/AIDS and a performance by the Spell Birds, a group from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
Isabella County AIDS Council will have 15 panels of the AIDS quilt on display at the Bovee university Center Rotunda from Feb. 15-16.

In the subtle message that Valentine's is for promiscuity, (thus all the condom talk) they fail to mention that the best prevention of S.T.D.'s is abstinence. Their message compares to telling a drunk driver that the best way to prevent an accident is to wear his or her seat belt. What is left out is the idea "don't drive." And abstinence isn't simply a religious idea. In Uganda, they decided to take a different approach to fighting AIDS. They promoted abstinence and faithfulness and they have seen drops in the amount of people affected while other African countries continue to watch it rise.

Why does science spend so much of its efforts to try and help people live in a fashion that shows again and again to be frighteningly risky when they could promote the science of initiatives that work to save people from disease?

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UPDATE: (4:15 PM) The National Catholic Register seems to be on the same page as Seminarians. Coincidence? I think not...looks like we have another subscriber...

"Seminarians" Get Coverage on Popular Catholic Blog

Thanks to Thomas, a good friend of mine over at American Papist, for giving a shoutout to us Saginaw Sems. He has a very attractive and popular blog which gets plenty of attention from around the country. He covers stories from across the spectrum: everything from a lastest movie or book review to what's new with the Pope and other church events, local and universal. You can also be treated to an occasional PPOTD (Papal Picture Of The Day). The blog is very informative and can be quite humorous. Plus, you can always count on a solid catholic viewpoint on whatever is discussed. Nothing wishy washy about Papist.

Check it out some time.

Catholic Stats Are Up

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The latest Vatican statistics confirm that the church's population and ministerial workforce are continuing to shift to developing countries, especially those in Africa and Asia. Figures released Feb. 12 showed that the overall number of Catholics increased to nearly 1.12 billion at the end of 2005, an increase of 1.5 percent from the previous year. The Catholic growth rate was slightly higher than the rate of overall population increase, which was 1.2 percent. Catholics now represent 17.2 percent of the global population, the Vatican said.

(Read on...)

YOU are invited to the pope's 80th birthday celebration!

On April 16th, Pope Benedict will turn 80 years old and he wants to celebrate. Zenit.org has reported that there will be a mass celebrated by His Holiness to mark the occassion, and you're invited.

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 11, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI will preside over a Mass in St. Peter's Square to mark his 80th birthday.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Holy Father's vicar for Rome, sent a letter Friday to invite all the faithful to the celebration on April 15, the eve of the German Pontiff's birthday.

"We pray with the Pope and for the Pope, praying for an abundance of divine blessings for him," wrote Cardinal Ruini, president of the Italian episcopal conference.

The Mass will be celebrated on Divine Mercy Sunday, a liturgical solemnity introduced by Pope John Paul II.

The cardinal also asked the faithful to pray for Benedict XVI on April 19, the second anniversary of his election as Supreme Pontiff.

On April 2, Benedict XVI will preside over a Mass for the eternal repose of John Paul II.

March for Life Attracts More Around the Country

As we move further and further into the 21st century, it is becoming apparent that the nation and the nation's youth are becoming more pro-life. Young people are not following in the footsteps of their parent's generation in destroying life. Joseph Pronechen writes for the National Catholic Register:

WASHINGTON — It wasn’t just the mainstream media that ignored the March for Life — Internet media sources like the Drudge Report ignored it too.
And it wasn’t just the March for Life in Washington they ignored. Jan. 22 was the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in all nine months of pregnancy. In what may be the great social movement of our time, pro-life Americans protested and attended Masses in cathedrals from coast to coast.
Here are some of the statistics of the day.
While the March for Life Jan. 22 drew an estimated 200,000 to the National Mall in Washington, its ripples were being felt throughout the rest of the country.
On a day that featured pounding rain in Dallas, 9-degree temperatures in Lincoln, Neb., and raw cold in the nation’s capital, the numbers reflected that the pro-life movement is steadily growing.

Keep reading...

Eucharistic Congress

The Diocese of Saginaw has announced that this summer they will be holding a Eucharistic Congress, June 8, 9, and 10. Some of the highlights will be the ordinations of two new priests: Andy Booms, and Jose Maria Cabrera-Bustamante, as well as the ordination of five transitional deacons. The annual diocesean youth rally ABLAZE with a concert by Catholic recording artist Steve Angrisano will also be an event not to miss, as well as a Eucharistic Procession from St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish to St. James Parish in Bay City on Corpus Christi Sunday.

The three day event will feature three bishops: Bishop Robert J. Carlson, bishop of Saginaw, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and Bishop Thomas Poprocki, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. There will also be periods for eucharistic adoration and catechesis about the eucharist. Information and registration forms can be found on the diocesan website.

This is an event you don't want to miss...

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UPDATE: To register for the Eucharistic Congress click here!

March for Life Youth Rally @ Verizon Center

While trying to find something to post about the March For Life, I found this video on youtube.com of the youth rally. Now I know it is a little shameless to use someone else's video, but hey, I had no choice. I don't have a video of my own.

The Saginaw group, comprised of about 250 people, is visible about 12 or 13 seconds into the video. We took up the entire corner section we were in and are recognizable by the red scarves the kids were wearing. Plus, if you look really close you can see the seminarians in red shirts at the bottom leading everyone in dancing.

Don't miss next year...

Pope Delivers Message for WYD 2007

On Monday, his holiness, Pope Benedict XVI released his message to the youth of the world for WYD 2007. Lifesite news covered the story:

VATICAN CITY, February 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Today, the Vatican released Pope Benedict XVI's message for the World Youth Day 2007, which is to be celebrated in all dioceses on Palm Sunday, April 1. The message focuses on love, and a significant portion is dedicated to preparation for marriage.

Rather than assume young people incapable of avoiding premarital relations, the Holy Father challenges youth to remain pure even during a marriage engagement. "The period of engagement," he said, "very necessary in order to form a couple, is a time of expectation and preparation that needs to be lived in purity of gesture and words."

Typical of Pope Benedict, he provides youth with the reason behind the instruction. "It allows you to mature in love, in concern and in attention for each other," he said "it helps you to practise self-control and to develop your respect for each other." The Pope added, "These are the characteristics of true love that does not place emphasis on seeking its own satisfaction or its own welfare."

In his message, the Pope also confronts the false notion that in dealing with youthful love between young men and young women, the Church is little more than an impediment. "It is essential that you discover," he told young couples the "project of love" which God has planned for you. Discover it, he said, "with the help of the Church, free from the common prejudice that says that Christianity with its commandments and prohibitions places obstacles to the joy of love and impedes you from fully enjoying the happiness that a man and woman seek in their reciprocal love."

Tribute to Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla 1920-2005

Great photo tribute to one of the greatest popes this Church has ever seen.