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  • Fr. Roderick 6:49 am on May 28, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    Final Testing Phase for Vatican News Site 

    The new Vatican website http://www.news.va is currently in its final test phase. Archbishop Monsignor Celli, the head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication announced the news today via Twitter (@PCCS_VA). “NEWS.VA – The Vatican Today” is the official title of the website, that will feature rich audio-visual media that can be easily shared on social networks.

    The URL is already live, and you can enter your email address to be notified when the official website is launched.

    Click here to visit NEWS.VA!

     

  • Fr. Roderick 6:38 am on May 28, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    Secrets of Middle-earth is back! 

    SQPN’s popular series about Tolkien’s Middle-earth is  back with a new season. Fr. Roderick, Inge, Laura and Dave take you on a tour of important locations in the imaginary world of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves and Men. Each episode is recorded within the MMO ‘Lord of the Rings Online’, and the background sounds of each location add to the realism of the experience.

    The series explores the various themes in Tolkien’s books, as well as the literary and religious inspiration that fueled the author’s writing. You can find all the episodes of ‘Secrets of Middle-earth’ on a special website created for the series: click here to visit the site!

    You can sponsor an episode of ‘Secrets of Middle-earth’ and reach thousands of listeners for only $50 per episode. A great opportunity to get the word out about your product, book, blog or event. And if you sponsor 2 episodes, you get a third sponsorship for free! Click here for more information.

     

  • Kathleen Herbert 8:11 pm on May 17, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: apologetics, , rapture   

    Apologetics…but Never Apologize 

    By Kathleen Herbert

    I happened to be talking with my neighbor the other day, a very devout Christian man, but whose denomination I’m not sure of. (I’ve noticed that the trend in some Protestant churches is to do away with their unique denominational names and instead rename their building something like Stone Bridge, Full Life, First Bible, New Beginnings and the like.)  But I digress….

    During our conversation, the subject of the Rapture came up and, if truth be told, I was at a loss at how to discuss this, other than to say that as a Catholic, it is not in our belief system that a certain portion of the population will suddenly be caught up and taken into the clouds. While we, as Catholics, don’t believe this, it is an important part of the teaching in his church.  The wildly popular Left Behind books, along with its varied series, speak to the widespread belief of the Rapture.  And so it got me to thinking.

    About the same time this conversation took place, my Pastor put an article in the weekly bulletin about why the Catholic Church does not subscribe to the Rapture theory.  A coincidence?  Some say it never is. Father Joe pointed his parishioners to an article in Catholic Faith Facts at http://www.catholic.com/library/Rapture.asp

    For more articles on why we believe what we believe, at http://www.Catholic.com, click on the Library drop-down menu, and choose and click on several sub-topics. The purpose of this Apologetics section is to inform Catholics about their faith.  “Apologetics” comes from a Greek term “apologia” from the first letter of St. Peter (3:15) where he says we should “always be ready to give a reason for the hope that lives within us.”

    My Bible Study group at the Rectory every Tuesday morning after the 8:30 Mass, is now studying the book of Matthew. One of the main themes in Chapter 10 is that, as Jesus sent his apostles and disciples out into the world, he told them to not be afraid.  Can’t you just hear Blessed Pope John Paul II’s voice saying, “Do not be afraid”?  And how Pope Benedict XVI instructs us of the importance of evangelization, evangelizing with new methods, even to the point that the “Church exists to evangelize.”

    Over the last 2,000 years, the Catholic Church was the number one messenger of Christ, but somewhere in the last couple of hundred, we’ve lost our edge so to speak. Even if we cannot change some one’s mind about their own belief, we should be prepared to at least defend our own. We agree we should always be prepared to share our Faith with others, and the only way to do this is to understand why we believe what we believe. If we don’t have sufficient knowledge, there’s no way we can share it.

    Have you recently, or in the past, been questioned on your Catholic beliefs? Were you able to answer the question with sincerity and gentle authority?  Did you know where to turn to get the answer?  We live in a wondrous time of information at our fingertips. With a little research, the answer is there for the learning.

     

     

  • inge 11:14 am on May 14, 2011 Permalink
    Tags: Catholic Worker, Dorothy Day   

    Dorothy Day and The Catholic Worker Movement 

    by John Clem

    This past 40-Day period of Lent, I was posed a question by Father Roderick and my pastor whether to give up something, or to contribute something.  I chose to give my time and talent to The Catholic Worker House here in Charlottesville, Virginia.  It was an amazing experience to contribute to a wonderful community that helps with housing, food, and prayer for the poor and needy in our local area.

    Dorothy Day is the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement that began in New York City in 1933.  Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin Co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement which “is grounded in a firm belief in the God-given dignity of every human person.  Today 213 Catholic Worker communities [worldwide] remain committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and foresaken. Catholic Workers continue to protest injustice, war, racism, and violence of all forms.”  (from Catholic Worker website)

    Dorothy Day was born in 1897 and was raised in a Protestant family and converted to Catholicism in 1927.  She began the Catholic Worker newspaper and a hospitality house to work for the causes of the poor during the Great Depression in New York City.  The circulation of her newspaper started in 1933 with 2,500 copies and grew to 190,000  copies by 1938.  Dorothy wrote over 1,000 articles and 8 books during her life, including correspondence with the monk Thomas Merton, Saint Mother Teresa, and many bishops and cardinals.  There is currently a group, The Guild for Dorothy Day, working to have her canonized a Saint by the church.

    The Catholic Worker House, in my community has recently been renamed Casa Alma, which means House of Soul in Spanish.  Casa Alma just celebrated its second anniversary and has accomplished a lot in its short time by now having two hospitality houses, community gardens, chickens, beehives, and we are working on having some goats for milk soon.  Laura & Steve Brown founded Casa Alma with their three children. They live and work a simple and prayerful life, and have organized over 150 volunteers from all walks of life around Central Virginia to help with this worthy cause.  If you want to learn more about the movement or Dorothy Day, you can find more information at http://www.catholicworker.org and cvillecatholicworker.blogspot.com.

    Is there is Catholic Worker Movement in your community, or a similar organization that you would like to share about your experiences?

     

    • John Clem 2:10 am on May 27, 2011 Permalink

      Just Added a page for my favorite Catholic Media Links.nwww.calltoholiness.usu00a0

    • John Clem 1:45 am on May 22, 2011 Permalink

      u00a0I have posted additional photos of the Charlottesville Catholic Worker on my new blog site called “Call To Holiness” u00a0www.calltoholiness.usu00a0

    • Barb Gilman 10:54 am on May 16, 2011 Permalink

      u00a0Nice post! My husband was a staff member at our local Catholic Worker before we were married. We still help make dinner once of month at the house.u00a0

    • Jim Gordon 7:59 am on May 16, 2011 Permalink

      Hello JohnnnMany thanks for this great post on a great Catholic – Dorothy Day. She was and continues to be, an inspiration to all of those who fight socio-economic injustice from a Catholic perspective. I too hope that one day she will be canonised.nnGod speednnJim GordonnDundeenScotland

      • John Clem 11:49 am on May 20, 2011 Permalink

        Thanks Jim for your comments. u00a0I always appreciate hearing your feedback on “The Break” with Fr. Roderick and your great report of Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK.nnLang may yer lum reeknnGod Bless,nJohn

  • Lisa Jones 1:42 pm on May 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , ,   

    Review: Be An Amazing Catechist 

    For those who bless their parish community as a catechist or who have considered teaching, Our Sunday Visitor published a booklet to aid in your ministry.

    “Be an Amazing Catechist. Inspire the Faith of Children” by Lisa Mladinich speaks to experienced catechists, those new to the ministry, and individuals discerning the call to teach our faith.  This 32-page magazine style booklet contains great suggestions, resources and tips for teaching the catechism to children from preschool all the way to high school age.

    Reading Be an Amazing Catechist, generates excitement about spreading the faith to the next generation.  Mladinich prepares the catechist by giving starting points to enhance the catechism instruction.

    The booklet instructs the catechist to understand the specific nature of the age group, identify your instruction style, and recognize and direct the teaching to different types of learners in your group.  Helpful tips aim to improve your confidence in teaching, empower you on addressing potential problems in the classroom, and get parents and families involved in their child’s faith education.

    The author provides varied resource lists to supplement your parish curriculum and aid the catechist as the year progresses, including where to find the catechism & bible online, free catechetical puppet scripts, arts and crafts, and more.

    Lisa Mladnich has written an inspirational guide for all those who are called to be a catechist to our children.  To help prepare for the next school year, share Be An Amazing Catechist with your parish Director of Religious Education and fellow Catechists.

    Visit Lisa Mladnich and Amazing Catechists on FaceBook and purchase the booklet on Amazon: Be An Amazing Catechist

     

  • seanmcgaughey 1:29 pm on May 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    Riding the Waves with Faith 

    The breathtaking scenery of Hawaii.  Beautiful people surfing.  The struggles of a family to overcome adversity. The thrill of world class sporting events. An unexpected attack on a 13 year old surfer by a monstrous shark.   These elements seem ready made to turn into a Hollywood movie about the challenges and thrills of professional surfing starring Helen Hunt , Dennis Quaid and featuring Kevin Sorbo (aka Hercules).  Soul Surfer could have been such a movie but it is much more. 

    Soul Surfer tells the true story of a 13 year old surfing prodigy, Bethany Hamilton who, lost her arm to a vicious shark attack.  The movie tells the story of her recovery and her determination to return to the ranks of the  world’s top surfers.  But this is also a story about how families and communities draw together in times of adversity.

    In the movie, and in real life, the Hamilton family is close knit and connected by their love of music, by their zeal for surfing, and by their Christian faith.   Over the course of the movie, Bethany,  her family, friends and even her competitors all wrestle with the question of “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?”   Bethany and her family draw upon their deep faith to find hope and meaning after her tragic accident.  Each of her family and close friends goes through their own struggle to reconcile their own feelings about the shark attack, while also trying to support Bethany as she struggles to relearn how to do everyday tasks with only one arm.

    Faith is presented, not as a solution to these challenges and questions in life, but as an ordinary part of life.  Throughout the movie, we see the characters going to church, youth groups, and turning to God in prayer as a part of their normal daily lives.  The movie also recounts a Bethany’s mission trip to hurricane ravaged Thailand, and how by teaching children there to surf she began to realize she could inspire others to hope and to overcome their own adversities.  She also was surprised by letters from thousands of admirers who looked up to her as spokesperson and role model for other young people struggling with disabilities.

    The surfing community is presented as an close-knit, caring and supportive community.  Although competition among surfers is intense during sporting events,  the entire community is seen celebrating holidays together and drawing together to aid Bethany and her family after her accident.  A particularly poignant moment in the movie is when Bethany’s brother and father are called out in the middle of the night to confirm that a huge shark that has been caught by a group of neighbours is the shark that attacked her.

    If Soul Surfer were merely a movie about a young athlete’s struggle to return to competition after a tragic accident, I would recommend it.   But it is much more.  It tells the story of how a person, a family and a community can draw together to love and support each other, bound by their faith.  Soul Surfer is able to convey the message that faith can be the foundation of an individual’s and a family’s life, without coming across as a preachy or as a “message movie”.  For me, this is the true strength of the movie.  There are scenes in the film which may be frightening to younger children, but I saw it with my 10 year old daughter and I believe children 10 and up can enjoy this film with their families.

     

  • Kathleen Herbert 8:36 pm on May 6, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: catechist, faith formation, religious education   

    Practice Makes … Catholic? 

    There are so many rich Catholic websites at our fingertips today.  One of the best I’ve seen is Catechist’s Journey with Joe Paprocki. If you spend a few minutes at this website, you’ll find that you need to spend hours to delve into its deep layers.

    Joe is first and foremost a catechist for the last 30 years, and holds a masters degree in pastoral studies, but he has also authored books for adults, both those discerning the Faith as well as for seasoned and/or returning Catholics. He currently serves as the National Consultant for Faith Formation with Loyola Press. Joe’s Resource List for fellow catechists, as well as dozens of Catholic links, make it an almost one-stop-shop for a large cross section of people.  If that weren’t enough, he holds Webinars on a regular basis that, even if you’re not a catechist with a formal class to teach, you and your own children will probably find them very useful. His recent short video promoting the Sacrament of Reconciliation is touching and heartfelt.

    As the author of several books, one in particular entitled Practice Makes Catholic, Moving from a Learned Faith to a Lived Faith explains the distinct practices that make us essentially Catholic. He says that the problem is that many Catholics don’t understand the “why” of our practices. In this book he articulates and expands on several key characteristics of Catholicism: a sense of sacramentality, commitment to community, respect for human life, a reverence for scripture and tradition and finding (or refining) an attitude of faith and hope.

    Whether you’re a Catechist yourself or merely searching for ways to enhance your experience at Mass, understanding and enriching your faith or learning a tidbit of information that may not have occurred to you, why not visit Catechist’s Journey and be pleasantly surprised at just what you may find there.

     

    • ljones 6:50 pm on May 19, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      u00a0I just ordered this book after participating in the “Practice Makes Catholic” webinar by Loyola Press. u00a0I second your recommendation to check out his blog, but also his books. u00a0I’ve read several and can’t wait for my copy of “Practice Makes Catholic” to arrive in the mail. u00a0

  • inge 7:31 am on May 2, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    iPieta App: Value for Money? 

    by John Clem

    As you know, Apple’s App Store has some great Catholic content. Recently, I have found great inspiration from an App that offers one of the best values on the market.  iPieta only costs $2.99, but offers writings that would cost hundreds of dollars if bought in a bookstore.  Kudos to iVerbum, the company who produces this app, and they constantly offer FREE updates.  The latest version (4.2) just added the writings of St. Josemaria Escriva and St. Bridgett of Sweden.  This App offers The Douay-Rheims Bible, a Novus Ordo (Catholic) Calendar through the year 2050, a large list of prayers, and many writings of the Saints and Popes.

    The Veritas section of the App has a tremendous number of books from many Catholic theologians and saints.  A sampling of some of the writings include Saint Francis DeSales “Introduction to the Devout Life”, Saint Teresa of Jesus’ “Interior Castle”, Saint Thomas Aquinas’ “Summa Theologica”, Saint John of the Cross’ “Dark Night of the Soul”, and Saint Augustine’s “City of God”.

    In the section of Papal writings, there are books and encyclicals from 18 Popes.  These include Pope Benedict XVI:  Spe Salvi (Christian Hope), Deus Caritas Est (Christian Love), and Caritas In Veritate (Charity In Truth), and Blessed Pope John Paul II has 17 encyclicals including Vertatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) and Redemptoris Mater (about the Blessed Virginia Mary and the Life of the Pilgrim  Church).

    iPieta is currently only available for the iPhone, iTouch, and the iPad, it is available in Spanish and offers adjustable sizes for text. Optional free audio is available for many prayers and novenas. The huge amount of Catholic writings that are held in this one app offer a lifetime of readings that will constantly challenge and lift your spirit.  Please let me know about any of your favorite apps that inspire you.

    More information available at http://www.ipieta.com

    Image Credit: © iPieta. No copyright infringement intended.

     

    • Joanne Lazar 4:32 am on October 29, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I love it – comes in useful @ RCIA & when someone asks about feast days. u00a0I’m always discovering something new u00a0( I grew up in the Lutheran Church )

    • Capt Jeff 12:22 am on May 9, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      Best value in the iTunes App Store. Incredible resource. I use it every day. n

    • Nick Padley 3:04 am on May 4, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      This app is amazing! It’s perfect because it has both the novus ordo readings and the tridentine mass readings and calendars. Not to mention all the other content you can find as well!

    • David Homoney 3:02 pm on May 2, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I use this app all the time. It is invaluable.

  • inge 7:15 am on May 2, 2011 Permalink | Reply  

    Washington, D.C.’s Hidden Gem 

     

    by John Clem

    There is a hidden gem in Washington, D.C., that many do not know about.  It is the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America.  This monastery was first constructed in 1898 through the divine guidance of a Franciscan Friar named Father Godfrey Schilling.  This beautiful place in Washington offers the visitor inspiration with art, architecture, and nature’s glory.

    In one place, you can visit many recreations of holy sites from around the globe–Italy, France, and many revered places in the Holy Land.  This order of the Franciscans have been protectors of the holy sites since 1219 in Jerusalem, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Cyprus.  Recreations of many Holy Sites include:  the Tomb of Christ, Saint Francis’ Chapel in Assisi, Grotto of Lourdes, the Catacombs of Rome, Tomb of Mary, Grotto of Gethsemane, and Chapel of the Ascension.

    One of my favorite places to say the rosary is around the Rosary Portico which has 15 beautiful mosaics of the Mysteries of the Rosary, and it has the “Hail Mary” in about every language from around the globe including many Native American languages. True to Saint Francis’ love of nature, the grounds are filled with beautiful flowers, trees, and plants that are maintained by many volunteers.  One can find solace and peace in the gardens all through the year.

    The Memorial Church is a wonderful piece of architecture and filled with incredible stained glass and paintings.  I highly recommend anyone visiting DC to visit.  Do you have any favorite places for retreats?  You can find out more about the Franciscan Monastary at their newly redesigned website–take the virtual tour:

    http://www.myfranciscan.org/

     

    • Craig 3:44 am on May 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      The Saint Olaf Young Adult group did a pilgrimage to the National Shrine and also visited the Monastery…I think it was around 2000-2001. The Monastery was awesome, as was the Shrine.nnThanks for posting this!

    • Anonymous 2:53 pm on May 9, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I have been there and even stayed there a few times. It is really beautiful! I also love the chapel to the Holy Souls under the main church.

    • Beth-In-KCMO 9:33 pm on May 6, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I visited the Monastery on my last trip to DC. I am still enraptured by one particular stained glass window in the chapel depicting the Blessed Mother as a child with St. Ann. But the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is my all-time favorite place in the entire world. I’ve spent several cumulative days there and know that I *still* haven’t absorbed the entire beauty of the site. It’s just beyond words. EVERY American Catholic should make pilgrimage to this site.n

    • John Clem 9:09 pm on May 4, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I agree with Beth that a trip to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is well worth visiting since it is so close. Also, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center is also nearby and worth a visit. I am planning to write a blog soon about both of these places, as I visit them often:nnhttp://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4719297/k.BF65/Home.htm nnhttp://jp2cf.org/home.htmlnnNote: The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center is currently only available for tours by appointment. It is currently for sale and actively looking for a buyer. Blessed John Paul II deserves to have his legacy remembered at this wonderful facility that promotes the message and spirit of The Great John Paul II (soon to be a saint).

    • Beth 11:42 pm on May 3, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I’ve been here many times. It’s close enough to the National Shrine that if you visit one you should certainly visit the other.

    • Rory 8:59 pm on May 2, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I was a student at CUA, which is a jaunty walk to the Franciscan Monastery. And many’s the time I would go there to meditate. It’s quite astounding how quiet and peaceful the grounds are, while you’re still in the midst of Washington DC. There are some awesome tours of its catacombs as well as an outdoor Stations of the Cross. When family visited me during the school year, many times we’d go to mass at the monastery rather than the National Shrine … my Dad said he could hear the mass better at the monastery.

  • inge 1:49 pm on May 1, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Everything Esteban, Rome   

    Steve Nelson’s Adventures In Rome 

    Did you know that SQPN’s Steve Nelson has his own blog over at everythingesteban.com? Currently he’s in Rome, together with Fr. Roderick and reflects on his blog about the things he sees. He also posts pretty cool pictures over there. Yesterday he was at St. Peter’s Square when all of a sudden a spontaneous silent vigil started.  Read here what happened next…

     

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