A "Divine" Nudge

Some times God whispers to us. I have heard some people talk about experiencing gentle tugs on their heart strings that lead them to new chapter in their life and relationship with Christ. I can relate to that. God truly can be subtle.

Other times, he is not so subtle.

Two weeks ago, I had one of those experiences where I felt like screaming, "Okay God, I get it! I will do it."

It was two weeks ago that I was opening some mail, paying some bills, and just cleaning the top of our desk off when I found something. It was something I had seen before. It was a thin, cardboard CD case. The kind that free CD's or demo a CD for a garage band usually come in. But there was something much more timeless recorded on the CD within this case. This was a CD of The Rosary and The Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

For those of you not familiar with The Rosary or The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, they are what I guess one would consider to be more structured, or organized, prayers that are part of our Catholic faith. And if you knew anything about my prayer life up until two weeks ago, you would have known that it was anything but structured or organized. I am not sure if it was just because I was inexperienced with these beautiful prayers or perhaps intimidated by them, but the end result was I simply did not pray them on a regular basis. It wasn't my thing. I liked to "free-style" in my prayer time.

I thought to myself that maybe I should give it a shot. I had seen this CD around the house before and thought to myself that maybe it keeps popping up for a reason. I had heard wonderful stories about both The Rosary and The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I should at least try to pray The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. After all, that is the shorter of the two. I can do that during my morning commute. No biggy. Just put the CD in the car and I will pray The Chaplet of Divine Mercy tomorrow morning.

The next day, October 5th, I drove to work and listened to a CD. The one I listened to, however, was a Best of The Counting Crows CD that I also recently found in my house. I figured I'd start that Chaplet of Divine Mercy some other day.

Then, at 9:04 a.m., my wife emailed me. She sent me a forward of a "Saint of the Day" email that automatically gets sent to her. She does this on occasion if it is saint that I have particular interest in or devotion to. The Saint of the day on that day was St. Faustina.

So who exactly is St. Faustina?

St. Faustina was born in Poland in 1905 and joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy 1925. Thirteen years later, on October 5th, 1938, Faustina died of tuberculosis. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000. That day was the 72nd anniversary of her death.

But here is the kicker... St. Faustina was the holy servant of God who gave us the Chaplet of Divine Mercy! In the years before her death, she had visions in which God's mercy was revealed. An inner voice taught her to pray The Caplet of Divine Mercy on Rosary beads and Jesus Christ said to her, "Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death."

Now some people might view the rediscovery of the CD with The Chaplet Divine on eve of the anniversary of St. Faustina's death as a coincidence. But as our Pastor, Fr. Walt, frequently reminds us, there no coincidences.

But, if you still think it was a coincidence, let me tell you about the email I received at 9:42 a.m. Just 38 minutes after that first email about St. Faustina I received one from my friend Amy. The subject line simply said, "Chaplet of Divine Mercy?" Amy had recently found out that a family member had passed away and she was emailing me and several other people to ask us to pray a Chaplet of Divine Mercy for her.

Within the hour, I was in my car and heading to a meeting about 25 minutes away. After finding that CD and receiving those emails all within a twelve hour span, I was pretty darn sure that God wanted me to pray the Chaplet. I put the CD in and prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy by myself for the first time in my life. On the way back from the meeting, I prayed it again. I have since began praying it during my drive in during the morning. The thing is, it only takes me about ten minutes to do so I have learned I have plenty enough time to pray The Rosary as well on my way into work.

I, like any novice, stumble with the words at times. I get distracted. My mind can wonder. But I keep praying. Every day I seem to get more drawn into these prayers. These are prayers that I feel the Holy Spirit grabbed me by the hand and led me to. For two weeks I have been walking into my office with different sense of peace, calmness, and trust in God for what the day might bring.

Maybe you don't know how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy but you can click on this link and learn how. Maybe you don't have a CD to guide you on praying The Rosary or The Chaplet of Divine Mercy but here is link where you can order one for free. Maybe you did not receive two emails related to this Chaplet but you did read about it in a blog. Maybe all our souls can benefit a great deal if we allow ourselves to get out of our comfort zones as it relates to our prayer life. I think God gave me a good shove two weeks ago... let me give you a nudge.

Questions for reflection:

1) How is your prayer life?

2) Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone?

3) Have you recognized God calling to you to do something new?
4) In what ways have you maybe been deaf to His voice?
5) Are you willing to pray The Rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy just once a week?

Pray: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.

St. Faustina, pray for us.

Five Questions with Fr. Joe

Hello Readers of The Blog of Daniel,

I am excited to share with you that there will be a new component to The Blog of Daniel. Fr. Joe Mamich has agreed to aid in the success of this blog by participating in a monthly question and answer section.

Fr. Joe is the Parochial Vicar at St. Basil the Great. He grew up in Strongsville and graduated from Padua High School in 1997. Fr. Joe was ordained on May 13, 2006.

This new Q&A section is for you! This is your opportunity to asks a priest any question that you want. Whether you are seeking advise, looking for clarification on Church teaching, or anything else, here is your opportunity. I will compile the questions and ask him five questions each month and post his answers.

Furthermore, if you want to ask a question anonymously, we can arrange that. Just email your question to me either from an existing email account or, if you don't want me know who you are and what your question is, you can create a different email account in very little time. Just get me the questions at either DBender45@yahoo.com or blog.of.daniel@gmail.com and I will ask that question to Fr. Joe.

I think you will come to find that Fr. Joe is very approachable and has a lot of insight to share. Don't hesitate to ask any thing you want.

All For Her Son,
Dan

"Do you believe in miracles?!?!"

As the final seconds ticked away in the epic upset by the United States hockey team over Russia in 1980 Olympics, broadcaster Al Michaels asked, "Do you believe in miracles?" As the buzzer sounded and the crowd in Lake Placid, NY went crazy, Michaels answered his own seemingly rhetorical question by scream an impassioned, "YES!" into the microphone. The 4-3 upset of the number one seeded team in the tournament came just days after the Soviets beat the American squad 10-3. This was more than a game. The Cold War era upset gave Americans a shot of renewed national pride in the midst of challenging economic times. To many it was, and still is, perceived as a miracle.

This past weekend, I traveled to South Bend, Indiana to watch my beloved Notre Dame (which means "Our Lady" in French) Fighting Irish take on rival Michigan. The Wolverines of Michigan led 21-7 at half-time. Notre Dame, however, showed tremendous resolve in their second half comeback and scored 17 unanswered points to take a 24-21 lead late in the fourth quarter. Then Michigan answered with a drive that resulted in a touchdown. Notre Dame trailed 28-24 with 26 seconds remaining. I wondered to myself if Notre Dame might have one more miracle in store. Could the Irish some how eek out a victory? The game ended when quarterback Dayne Crist's last second pass soared over the hands of all his receivers standing in the end zone. The Michigan fans cheered and I felt that all to common agony of defeat. No miracle on this day.

Or so it seemed.

I quickly exited the stadium and began speed walking across campus. My destination, The Basilica of the Sacred Heart. It is a beautiful church that is a must see for any visitor of the campus. One half hour after every home football game, mass is celebrated in the Basilica but space is limited so you better move quick to get a seat. Fans dressed in green t-shirts and Fighting Irish jerseys fill the pews. Dads in sweatshirts hold their daughters who are wearing ND cheerleading outfits and have shamrocks painted on their faces. Heck, they even let more than a few Michigan fans in! It is a site to be seen for sure.

The mass was done wonderfully and the University choir provided angelic music just like every other time I have been there. The priest spoke on the gospel which was the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-32). Then during the presentation of the gifts, two University of Michigan fans brought forth ordinary bread and wine which soon after became our spiritual food and drink; the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Thinking about those Michigan fans who I never met and maybe never will, while receiving the Eucharist (one bread), made me really think that we truly are "one body." Also, every time we attend mass and receive the Eucharist, we are part of the miracle which Pope John Paul II called "the source and summit of our faith."

Jesus was all about miracles. His whole life was miraculous. Do you know anyone else born of virgin and in their dying just happen to destroy death? He turned water into wine, made the blind see, walked on water, calmed a storm, made the dead come back to life and did so much more.

After mass, I went to pray at the Grotto which is right behind the Basilica. If you ever saw the movie "Rudy," this is the place Rudy lit candles and prayed that he would be admitted into Notre Dame.

What many people don't know is that the Grotto is actually a replica of the Grotto in Lourdes, France. That brings me to my next point on miracles. Here is what you need to know about Lourdes:

On February 11, 1858, the first of a series of heavenly apparitions appeared to a poor, illiterate fourteen year-old girl, Bernadette Soubirous, in a Grotto cave on the outskirts of the small town of Lourdes. During the apparitions, Bernadette was asked by Mary to "pray for sinners" and instructed to dig in the ground for a spring of water, "to drink and wash of it," to go tell the priests "to build a chapel" and to "have the people come in procession." On March 25, at the request of the local pastor, the apparition identified herself to Bernadette saying, "I am the Immaculate Conception," the then recent Marian Dogma proclaimed by the Church in 1854. This was a Dogma that a girl like Bernadette would not have had knowledge of at that point in time. Physical miracles began to take place from the water and the apparitions drew crowds of thousands who prayed the rosary with Bernadette.

Lourdes has continued to be a place of pilgrimage for the faithful. Hundreds of thousands of people go there each year and the physical miracles continue to take place. These are miracles that doctors and scientist have tried to rationalize but can not give an explanation other than divine intervention has taken place.

This short video explains more about the Marian apparitions, the life of now Saint Bernadette, and the miracles of Lourdes.

The story of St. Bernadette and the miracles that have taken place at Lourdes might leave many of us longing for an explanation. However, I think it should leave us searching for an increase of faith. For as St. Thomas Aquinas said, "For those with faith, no explanation is necessary. For those without faith, no explanation is possible."

You should know that as I knelt in front of Grotto, I prayed for you. I prayed to God that the readers of this blog should have their faith grow and grow. I prayed that you may recognize the miracles happening every day in your life. And lastly, I thanked God for the miracle that you are.

And to answer Al Michaels, yes, I believe too.

Sola SCRAPtura

Imagine you are eleven years old. Your new best friend moved into your neighborhood just a couple of months ago. Much like Forest and Jenny, you guys are like peas and carrots.

One day, while your friend is over at your house playing, you come across a scrapbook that you have not seen in a long time. This scrapbook contains many pictures and other keepsakes that chronicle your first two years of life. You overcome your early adolescent embarrassment and see this as a way to make up for lost time with your new friend by telling a bit more about your life.

You open the book and begin laughing immediately. It's not the site of your father holding you as a newborn that is so funny; it is his mustache (since shaved off) and snazzy (now out-dated) shirt that causes the laughter. The laughter only escalates as you turn the page and see your older brother and older sister wearing their "I'M THE BIG BROTHER" and "I M THE BIG SISTER" t-shirts. Your mother approaches with a smile to watch you and your friend flip through the remaining pages of the scrapbook which she had compiled several years ago when you were still in diapers.

Eventually you come to a picture of yourself on your first Christmas. You tell your friend, "that's me sitting on Santa's lap down at the mall." Your mom giggles and says, "No, that is actually you sitting on Uncle Steve's lap. One Christmas at grandma's house, he put on a Santa outfit and we took pictures of him holding all the kids."

You had seen that picture many times before but had no idea that was Uncle Steve! All of a sudden you realize that you were mistaken but now have a deeper appreciation of that picture knowing where it was taken and who was all there at that time.

Towards the end of the scrapbook you see yourself in a picture with your brother at a water park. You begin telling your friend that your family goes to that same water park every summer. At this point, your mother interjects and tells you something you had never known before. She says, "Your Dad took that picture of you guys. I had just left with your sister to go the ER. She feel down and hurt her wrist. While you guys kept playing in the water, she was getting x-rays done and ended up getting a cast put on her arm that day."

Once again, you are taken back a little. You never knew your sister even broken her wrist even though you had seen the picture several times throughout the years. Had your mom not been standing by, you would have never know who took the picture or where the rest of the family was.

Your mom put together that scrapbook. She was able to help you understand the significance of the pictures and tell you about things that are not photographed and put in the book. Your mom gave you deeper insights while clarifying the areas where you were mistaken for what you thought you had seen.

In very much the same way, our Holy Catholic Church helps us understand the Bible and offers knowledge of matters not covered explicitly between Genesis and Revelation.

Our Protestant brothers and sisters unfortunately subscribe to the teaching of "Sola Scriptura" which means "Scripture Alone." It was one of the main issues that divided Christians during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century. They will not believe in things like purgatory or Mary's Immaculate Conception based on the fact that those things are not explicitly described in the Bible.

But if we call to mind the illustration of the scrapbook, not everything that happened is documented in there and any single individual might misinterpret what they believe to be true by just looking at the scrapbook itself. Catholic teaching does not diminish the fact scripture is sacred and is indeed the word of God Almighty. "Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit." (CCC81). We as Catholics simply recognize that there is sacred scripture and there is also sacred tradition. The Catechism goes on to state, "the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, 'does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence." (CCC82)

According to professor and writer Peter Kreeft, here are six reasons to reject "Sola Scriptura":

1) No Christian taught it until 16th Century

2) The first generations of Christian did not even have the New Testament

3) Without one Catholic ("Catholic" means "Universal") Church to interpret Scripture authoritatively, Protestantism has divided into over 28,000 "churches" or denominations.

4) If Scripture is infallible, as traditional Protestants believe, then the Church too must be infallible too, for a fallible cause cannot produce and infallible effect, and the Church produced the Bible. The Church (the first bishops, the Apostles wrote the New Testament, and the Church (later bishops) defined its cannon.

5) Scripture itself calls the Church "the pillar and the foundation of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)

6) Scripture never teaches "sola scriptura" and therefore, "sola scriptura" is self-contradictory.

If you were showing your scrapbook to your friend, you ought to be thankful towards your mother for compiling it and explaining it further. If you have ever cracked open a Bible in an attemptto grow closer to God, you ought to thank the Holy Catholic Church, another "Mother" of sorts.

Click here to obtain more insight on the Catholic response to "sola scriptura."

Something about Mary

On my bucket list of things to do in this life is to take a trip to Mexico. Well, I actually already have vacationed in Mexico but some day I would love to travel to Tepeyac, Mexico. That is where the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is located.

Here is a quick history of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In December of 1531, our Blessed Mother appeared on a hill top near what is now Mexico City. She appeared to a simple indigenous peasant named Juan Diego. Speaking in the local language, Nahuatl, the Lady asked for a church to be built at that site in her honor. Juan Diego knew this was our Lord's mother. Diego told his story to the bishop who instructed him to return and ask the Lady for a miraculous sign to prove her claim. The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather some flowers from the hill. It was winter and no flowers bloomed, but on the hilltop Diego found flowers of every sort, and the Virgin herself arranged them in his tilma or cloak. When Juan Diego opened the cloak in front of the bishop, the flowers fell to the floor, and in their place was the Virgin of Guadalupe, miraculously imprinted on the fabric. The tilma is on display at the Basilica in Tepeyac, Mexico for the faithful to see. Above is a picture.

The tilma has maintained its structural integrity over nearly 500 years, while replicas normally last only about 15 years before suffering degradation. The icon repaired itself with no external help after a 1791 ammonia spill that did considerable damage, and in 1926 an anarchist bomb destroyed the altar, but left the tilma unharmed. To say there is something special about this image of Mary would indeed be an understatement.

Our priest mentioned at mass today that Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness and Protectress of the unborn. That makes sense since I had heard a story a few years ago about pro-life activists who pray outside abortion clinics and bring images of Our Lady of Guadalupe with them. Often times, women would change their mind about aborting their child after seeing the image of the Virgin Mary.

When I first heard these amazing stories, part of me got hung up on the idea that this image of Mary was in such a location. I thought that the image of our Lady of Guadalupe was more appropriate for a refrigerator magnet in the home of some old Catholic widow than outside a place where innocent babies are killed.

However, after further reflection I concluded that the image of Our Lady outside an abortion clinic makes perfect sense. It makes sense for two reasons.

The first reason, to be blunt, is that Mary had an unexpected pregnancy herself. In the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke we read that Mary "was greatly troubled" when she he heard the angel Gabriel tell her that she will bear a son. Mary had much reason to be troubled. She, like many women who have abortions, was not married. She was betrothed to Joseph which is similar to being engaged in our world but Mary had not been intimate with a him or anyone else (Luke 1: 34). Telling Joseph and her family that she was pregnant would be an extremely difficult thing to do. They would probably not understand what was told to her by the angel. Shame would be brought on to her and her family. Beyond that, I am sure Mary knew that the consequences could be server and may even result in her being stoned to death.

Women considering abortion can look to Mary when they feel overwhelmed and helpless. When the anxiety of not knowing what their future holds or the fear of their personal reputation being damaged, they can look to a woman who can say, "I know, I have been there too." Mary's willingness to say "yes" and humble herself can be an example for not only those women considering an abortion but for all of us too. She could have said "no" but amidst the feeling of being troubled she said "I am the handmaid of the Lord" and surrendered to His will.

The second reason why Mary's image makes sense for being outside an abortion clinic is for the sake of the women who are walking out of the clinic following the termination of life within them. Those women might be thinking they made the best decision they could have. They are only fooling themselves. If they come to realize the reality of their decision, they will feel an array of emotions ranging from regret, extreme sadness, guilt, and despair. They might wonder what their child would be doing or how old they would now be had they chosen life. They will feel the indescribable grief a mother feels when her child dies. Mary felt that grief. She saw her son bloodied and lifeless. She probably thought things like "had he not died, my son would turn forty today."

Mothers who have lost children to disease, violence, accidents, and even abortion can turn to our heavenly mother. Mary's prayers can help obtain that needed comfort. Her example of perseverance during difficult times can inspire broken and despairing mothers to continue on and work for a better tomorrow. Those women walking out of an abortion clinic ought to realize that Jesus doesn't know a sin too big that it can't be forgiven.

Mary, mother of God, pray for all women who have been effected by abortion or are considering an abortion. Pray for the innocent children who have been aborted. Pray for the conversion of all those who provide abortions. May our prayers create a culture of life in our cities, our country, and around the world. In your Son's name we pray... Amen.

A response to Ann Rice… and the rest of the world

Do you know who Ann Rice is? I didn’t until last week.

I was checking a major news website and saw the headline. Just four words that saddened and perplexed me: “Ann Rice leaves Christianity.” I had two insatiable questions running through my head: 1) Who is Ann Rice, and 2) Why would she do that?

I was overwhelmed with curiosity and within a second, I had pulled up the entire article. I then learned the answers to my questions.

First of, Ann Rice is an author. One site described her as "legendary." To be honest, I never read her work. Perhaps had she written for Sports Illustrated I would have known her work a little better. She is best known for writing Interview with a Vampire. She grew up in a Catholic household then became an atheist and then converted back to Christianity a decade ago. In 2008, Rice even wrote a book titled Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.

Her reasoning for leaving Christianity was that she refuses to be “anti-gay,” “anti-feminist,” “anti-science” and “anti-Democrat.” She went on to say, “It’s simply impossible for me to belong to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group.” Rice added, “My conversion from pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn’t understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me. But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.”

Hmmmm. Okay, a lot of different ways I can go from here. I honestly believe there is an element of truth and candor in her statement. (Especially the part about a loving God creating and sustaining the universe) But beyond that, I feel there is an overwhelming shadow of confusion in her logic.

As a card-carrying member of this infamous group I can get enraged at the fact that I was called “hostile” but that would actually confirm her rational. Furthermore, it would make me liable to judgment myself (Matthew 5:22).

I could dismiss it. Take the “you can’t win them all” attitude and brush her reasoning to the side. The problem there is that I am expressing indifference towards her soul and salvation. That would be rather un-Christian of me. We are called to make disciples of “all the nations” and that “everyone who believes in Him might not perish.” None of the six billion people on Earth are unworthy of God’s love and should be dismissed when they express their beef with Church teaching. It is times like this when we need to turn off the TV, roll-up our sleeves, start talking, and start praying.

I will take a more holistic view at her statement shortly but I first want to offer an admittedly quick and incomprehensive response to her hang-ups with Christianity. And since I am Catholic and believe whole-heartedly that Catholicism was instituted by Christ himself and is the fullness of Christian belief, I will respond as a Catholic would to these statements.

1. “Anti-gay” A few years ago a friend asked me, “don’t Catholics hate gays?” The answer to that question is NO. If an individual Catholic does hate anyone who is gay, they are committing a sin. Catholics should not hate anyone. The only thing we hate is sin. Sinners, however, ought to be loved. The challenge is to separate the sin from the sinner. If we hated sinners, we’d pretty much hate everyone because we all fall short of the bar set for us by Jesus Christ. So, to clarify, Catholic teaching isn’t to hate anyone who has homosexual desires or who has acted on those desires in their life. However, we do need to recognize that homosexual acts (much like premarital or extramarital sexual acts) are sinful.

The Church teaches in the Catechism that homosexual acts are sinful. “They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life… under no circumstances can they be approved.” (CCC 2357). The Catechism also acknowledges that it is not an easy road for someone to live a chaste life with deep-seated homosexual tendencies. We are taught, “[Men and women who have homosexual tendencies] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter.”

Maybe you aren’t Catholic and don’t put any credence in “Catholic Church teaching”. Ann Rice might call that a man-made law, not something from God. So, how else do we know homosexual acts are sinful? Scripture is one place to look to. 1 Timothy 1:10, 1 Corinthians 6:10, and almost all of Genesis chapter 19 tell us of the gravity homosexual acts. It truly is God’s law.

Notice that I have been saying “acts” and not “desires?” As a married guy, I still find other women attractive and that is natural. It is what it is. Problems would ensue, however, if those attractions turned to lust and then to adultery. Whether we are married or single, male or female, heterosexual or homosexual; we are all called to live lives of chastity which frequently means denying our impulses.


2. “Anti-feminist.” Often times Catholics are accused of worshiping a woman, Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. Also, Catholicism is often accused of oppressing women. So which is it?

The truth is neither.

Catholics worship Jesus Christ who is God Incarnate. We venerate His mother and recognize that her willingness to do God’s will in her life was paramount to the plan of our salvation.

And Mary is just one of the women that we hold up as examples of holiness in our Church. Literally hundreds of women have been canonized by the Catholic Church. Many religious sisters actually ran hospitals and schools long before most women entered the work force. The Church continues to speak out against atrocities against women in places like China, the middle-east, and parts of Africa.

But one thing that the Church believes that Ann Rice may take issue with is that men and women are different. We believe that men and women are suitable partners for each other and equals but that there are obvious differences. From anatomy, to communication styles, to strengths and weaknesses, men and women are different. I think most married couples can relate to that.

The other thing that I would suspect Ann Rice might be referencing when saying Christianity is “anti-feminist” is the Pro-Life teachings taught by the Catholic Church and a good number of the protestant faiths. This is an issue I am so grateful to the Catholic church for standing firm on and I am sure will be explored in future posts. Not only do we recognize that all life must be defended but the Church also knows that women who have abortions very frequently feel emotional and physical pain for years to come. The Church cares for the souls of those women. The only times I think you will see what Rice believes to be “anti-feminist” is when there is a practice or belief that is in opposition to the family or to life. To sum it up, we are both pro-life and pro-woman.

3. “Anti-science.” I am going to quote right from the Catechism on this one. “Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth.” (CCC 159). In other words, God welcomes scientific exploration for in seeing the beauty and complexity of the world He created (from vast galaxies to microscopic strands of DNA), we come to a deeper understanding of how amazing our Creator truly is.

The Catechism goes on to say, “methodical research in all branches of knowledge, provided it is carried out in a truly scientific manner and does not override moral laws, can never conflict with the faith.” For example, most every form of stem cell research is alright. But embryonic stem cell research (which is dependent on the destruction of human life) is not acceptable because that overrides moral law. In other words, science should help us understand God’s creation, not become little gods ourselves.

4. “Anti-Democrat.” A few months ago I read a quote by an evangelical preacher who spoke about the intersection of religion and politics in America right now. He said, “the problem is that Republicans think God is on their side all the time and Democrats think God does not choose sides.” After recalling conversations I have had with friends over the years on both ends of the political spectrum and reflecting on that comment for a while, I found there to be a lot of truth to that statement. This pastor gave an example in stating that while God may not be a Republican, He certainly is pro-life.

The reality is that there are elected officials from both parties who try to govern by Christian principals. There are also those politicians who we need to pray for... a lot!

There are planks in the Democratic platform that oppose Church teaching: We have touched on the issue abortion thus far. Historically, even Catholic Democrats (eg. Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden) have championed the cause of the pro-abortion movement. Regardless of whether Ann Rice or anyone else will admit it or not, that is simply wrong. Another issue that is making a lot of headlines recently is same-sex marriage. This is another issue that Democrats differ with Church teaching more frequently than their Republican counterparts. We can get into more topics in time but I did want to give a couple quick examples of where the Catholic Church, the Church founded by Jesus Christ (Son of God… the same God who is the author of life and created man and woman for each other) are in opposition with the Democratic Party. Before I move on, let me mention again what that pastor said, God isn't always on the side of the Republicans (e.g. death penalty).

So now that I have responded to some of the specific reasons why Ann Rice left Christianity, I want to address what I believe are some of the bigger picture issues that are in play.

First off, I want to examine her claim that, “following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might become.” I have to disagree.

No individual person can rival Jesus Christ because He was both human and divine. I think Ann Rice and I can agree on that. Having said that, the Church was actually instituted by Jesus Christ himself. In Matthew (Mt 16: 18-20). Jesus said to St. Peter, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” And so in time, St. Peter became the first in a long line of popes and the other apostles became our first bishops.

We know that without Jesus, there would be no church. There would be no followers.

On the flipside, God chose to work through ordinary fishermen and tax collectors to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Without them, perhaps only a few thousand people would have ever heard of Jesus Christ. God used sinners like you and me to witness to his message of love and life eternal. Those early disciples and their followers were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they risked their own lives to practice the faith and proclaim the gospel. They passed down teachings to the next generation and that generation to the next. A persecutor of early Christians, Saul who became St. Paul, became the greatest evangelizer the Church has ever seen. Guided by the Spirit, Christ's "followers” proclaimed the message of hope to all corners of the world. Like it or not, the Church is “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15) and we ought to thank God for those who stared death in the face with the joy knowing that they would be rewarded in heaven (Mt 5:10). Furthermore, we must recognize that we have an obligation to preserve and pass the faith on to future generations.

When I first read Ann Rice’s remarks, I thought about the definition of a Christian. In the broadest form it is one who practices Christianity or someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ. A slightly different variation I heard recently is that a Christian is “a little Christ.” That makes sense since we don the W.W.J.D bracelets and try to follow the example of our teacher and savior.

Well, if we are truly to be “little Christs,” we must be prepared to face the rejection and persecution that our Lord faced. Peter Kreeft, a writer and professor at Boston College wrote in You Can Understand the Bible that Jesus was, “hated and rejected. He never fit people’s prejudices, categories, ideologies, or set agendas.” I believe that Ann Rice wasn’t prepared to be hated and rejected by the people she knows who perhaps have certain prejudices, categories, ideologies, or set agendas themselves.

Today, I implore you to pray for Ann Rice and everyone else who has distanced themselves from the Church. Pray that she and others may come to know that walking the Christian walk is not always an easy walk but, nonetheless, a walk that is so worth walking. Pray that they come to appreciate the wonderful and beautiful teachings of the Catholic Church. Pray that Pope Benedict XVI, all the priests, bishops, and deacons in the pillar of truth remain faithful to ministering in love and in truth. Pray that all who hold and teach the Catholic faith be filled with the Holy Spirit so that all of God’s creation may come to know how much they are loved by God. Thank God for those who have returned to the faith and invoke the prayer of St. Monica whose prayers helped her own son, St. Augustine, return to the Church after a number of years of being away.

We are all loved so much that Christ bore our sins and died on the cross so that we may live. We are also loved so much that Jesus Christ built His Church so that we all would know how know Him, love Him, and serve Him. He built His Church on a followers just like you and me so that sinners just like you and me can be reconciled to God. Followers and sinners like Ann Rice.

No Worries

The news has been hard to watch for quite a while now. And I am not just talking about Jim Donovan’s sports report here in Cleveland.

The headlines have been dominated by the grim economic news we have been hearing for a few years now. Countless stories of foreclosures, job loss, and lost savings have been ubiquitous in both the local and national news. If glancing over your bank statement does not indicated that we have a ways to go before we are out of the recession, just turn on the TV.

People are spread thinner than they have been in recent memory. Financial stress is only magnified when trying to balance the demands of work and home life. I know I certainly can use more time and money and there are people much worse of than myself.

It’s times like these where our stress can lead to despair. It’s times like these where we must look to the words of Christ and the Saints to receive comfort. It’s times like these where we should listen to the words of Bobby McFerrin, Timon, and Pumbaa.

I will explain.

Bobby McFerrin’s biggest hit was on the soundtrack for the movie “Cocktail.” I remember listening to a cassette tape of that soundtrack in my parents’ house years ago and trying to sing along to McFerrin’s fun-loving song of optimism, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” One part of that song I really like is:


“In your life expect some trouble / But when you worry / You make it double / Don't worry, be happy!”

Timon and Pumbaa, the meerkat and warthog that the lion cub Simba meets in “The Lion King” would concur with Bobby McFerrin. They had a “trouble free philosophy” called “Hakuna matata” which is a Swahili saying meaning “There are no worries.”

If the wisdom of Disney characters and a one-hit wonder haven’t given you solace about all that is going on in the world, then look to one of the more contemporary Saints of the Church. St. Pio of Pietrelcina, or as he is more commonly known, Saint Padre Pio, was an extraordinary man who lived from 1887 until 1968. That was not that long ago in the grand scheme of things. (Google his name some time to read about spiritual gifts he received such as stigmata, levitation, and bilocation).



Padre Pio took the notion of not worrying and added additional encouragement to pray and hope. His appeal to “Pray, hope, and don’t worry” is often quoted and is a message that I think can be applied to any situation where our first inclination is to worry.

Padre Pio’s sentiment is true to the gospel. Check out Matthew 6: 16-19:


Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

I am not trying to diminish the reality of the issues facing so many people. I know that things can seem overwhelming. The reality is that sacrifices will be made and family budgets will be altered. Even if the economy improves there will always be struggles in your life and lives of others.

The thing though that we ought to remember is that we should never despair. Like the gospel said, seek first the kingdom and God and He will provide for you. God knows your needs and like any loving father, He desires to provide for you. Trust in his providence.

So when things seem overwhelming, you should pray, hope, and don’t worry… and be happy.

Hakuna matata and God Bless.