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That Catholic Show: Season Two in the Works!

Greg Willits — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:24:37 +0000

Production of the second season of That Catholic Show is under way! To tide you over, here’s the first mini-webisode leading up to the premiere sometime in late summer/early fall of 2008. Visit www.ThatCatholicShow.com for more!

Visit the SQPN Store to get your official SQPN and That Catholic Show shirts and coffee mugs!

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Grace Before Meals #6 – Grilled Bread

Greg Willits — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:01:47 +0000

Fr. Leo shows proves just how easy it is to take an ordinary hot dog roll and turn it into a fancy side dish perfect for pasta. – Webisode 6 of 6 in this series.

Join Father Leo Patalinghug in the kitchen at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland as he jumps into the kitchen and dives into our Catholic faith. Bring your appetite. You’re going to get hungry! In this episode Fr. Leo shows you how to make quick, easy, and delicious bread to go along with your meals!

Want to make it yourself? Here’s the recipe:

Grilled Bread (serves as many pieces as a person can eat!)
Regular hot dog buns (or any type of bread for that matter)
salt, pepper, garlic powder or freshly minced, rosemary, parsley
olive oil

Heat a grill pan with some olive oil and season oil with the rest of ingredients, OR lightly drizzle evenly olive oil over each piece of bread and spread the rest of the ingredients over each piece of bread. Place bread on hot grill pan for 1 minute on each side, careful not to burn the bread. Flip sides and let cook for another 30 seconds to toast the other side of the bread. Remove and enjoy!

You can also embed the YouTube version of this video on your blog to help us spread this new series! Here is the code you can add to your blog or website:

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Personal Best

David Sweeney — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:47:53 +0000

Kathryn sets a personal best in the breast stroke.

Grace Before Meals #5 – Burgundy Sauce

Greg Willits — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:15:06 +0000

Welcome to the fifth installment of Grace Before Meals video webisodes featuring Fr. Leo Patalinghug. Co-produced by SQPN.com and GraceBeforeMeals.com.

Who would have thought it possible to create Liturgically colored sauces? Well, Fr. Leo did! Join him in the kitchen at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland as he jumps into the kitchen and dives into our Catholic faith. Bring your appetite. You’re going to get hungry! In this episode Fr. Leo shows you how to make a surprising PURPLE sauce!

Want to make it yourself? Here’s the recipe:

Burgundy (Purple) Sauce (serves 4)
1 box of penne pasta cooked al dente
½ pound of flat meat or round steak, cut into ½ inch cubes or thin strips
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup of red onion, minced
2 cups of red dry wine
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper

Boil water in a large pan and cook pasta according to instructions on box. When cooked al dente, drain all water and set aside. Cut beef into thin strips or bite size cubes. Season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan until butter is melted and begins to “bubble”, indicating high heat. Add the beef and mix around until beef begins to caramelize on one side. Add garlic, parsley and onions and allow to cook with meat about 1-2 minutes. Add flour and mix together, creating a pasty look to the beef. Add the red wine and allow this to cook together for about 3-4 minutes, or until beef is cooked and the smell of alcohol is reduced. Add the cream and stir together. Add the cooked pasta and allow the pasta to cook about one more minute in the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can also embed the YouTube version of this video on your blog to help us spread this new series! Here is the code you can add to your blog or website:

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Grace Before Meals #4 – Vino Bianco alla Crema

Greg Willits — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:19:37 +0000

Seminarians from Nebraska, North Dakota, Washington, and Virginia join Fr. Leo to create delicious alfredo sauce – Webisode 4 of 6 in this series.

Want to make it yourself? Here’s the recipe:

VINO BIANCO alla CREMA [White Sauce] (serves 4)

1 box of penne pasta, cooked al dente
2 sticks of butter
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
½ cup of white onions, finely minced
4-5 teaspoons of all purpose flour
2 cups of white wine (preferably dry white wine, such as pinot grigot)
1 cup of chicken broth
1 pint of heavey whipping cream
¼ cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup of gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles
1 ½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper

Boil water in a large pot and cook pasta per instructions on the box. Once cooked al dente, drain completely and set aside. In a large non-stick pan melt 2 sticks of butter. Add garlic and onions and sauté until onions become translucent. Sift 4 teaspoons of baking flour to create a roux by stirring until all of the flour and butter are combined. Add white wine slowly and stir to break up the roux. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes, or until the smell of alcohol is not as strong. Add chicken broth and whipping cream and stir together, making sure there are no lumps. Add the cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Combine the pasta and the cream sauce together, add parsley, and serve hot, with a little more dusting of parmesan cheese.

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Grace Before Meals #3 – Rosso Allo Vino Bianco

Greg Willits — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:09:28 +0000

Fresh tomatoes and chili peppers are at the heart of this Red-themed recipe, a perfect dish for a Confirmation celebration. – Webisode 3 of 6 in this series.

Want to make it yourself? Here’s the recipe:

ROSSO ALLO VINO BIANCO (RED SAUCE) (serves 4)
29 ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
4 Tablespoons of olive oil
½ cup of white onions, minced
2 teaspoons of fresh garlic, minced
3 teaspoons of fresh parsley, minced
1 ½ cup of dry white wine
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 box of penne pasta, cooked al dente

Boil water in large pot and cook pasta according to instructions. In a large pan, heat olive oil and sauté garlic, onions, parsley and red pepper flakes together until onions become translucent. Add the tomato paste and stir to create a paste with the other ingredients. Slowly add the white wine and stir to break up the tomato paste mixture, creating a thin looking red sauce. Add salt and pepper and stir together. Let this cook for about 1 -2 minutes or until the smell of alcohol is not as strong. Reduce heat to medium/low and add the tomato sauce and let this simmer together for about 3-4 minutes, continuing to stir and not to bubble over. Once pasta is cooked, drain completely and add the pasta to the pan and allow the ingredients to cook together for another minute. Remove, and top off with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and dust with grated parmesan cheese.

You can also embed the YouTube version of this video on your blog to help us spread this new series! Here is the code you can add to your blog or website:

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The CNMC Blues

Fr. Roderick — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:27:50 +0000

Sean McGaughey, aka the Ductapeguy, created this hilarious music video about his ‘Catholic New Media Celebration Blues’. Check it out!

Link to Sean’s website

Grace Before Meals #2 – Basil Pesto Sauce!

Greg Willits — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:06:12 +0000

In this episode green is the theme and Fr. Leo gives a background on it’s history while cooking up a delicious pesto sauce- Webisode 2 of 6 in this series.

Want to make it yourself? Here’s the recipe:

BASIL PESTO SAUCE [Green] (serves 4)

2 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup of pine nuts
2 pinches of red peppers flakes
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
2 cups of fresh basil leaves (washed and dried)
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of pepper

1 box of penne pasta cooked al dente

Cook pasta according to instructions on box. Saute garlic and toast pine nuts by heating a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic whole and allow to brown on all sides. Add 2 pinches of red pepper flakes and pine nuts and allow pine nuts to brown slightly. Remove from heat as soon as pine nuts develop some color. Let cool. Prepare the blender or a food processor. Add the rest of the oil, basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper, and parmesan cheese. Allow to blend until desired consistency. To assist the blending process, you may have to add more olive oil or occasionally stop the blender / processor and stir ingredients. Pour over hot pasta. Add more cheese if desired.

You can also embed the YouTube version of this video on your blog to help us spread this new series! Here is the code you can add to your blog or website:

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Grace Before Meals #1: Going Shopping!

Greg Willits — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:22:57 +0000

You can also embed the YouTube version of this video on your blog to help us spread this new series! Here is the code you can add to your blog or website:

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Post This Video On Your Blog!

Fr. Roderick — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:28:15 +0000

Help us by posting this promo for the upcoming Catholic New Media Celebration on June 22 in Atlanta, Georgia. Come for the Eucharistic Congress, stay for the Catholic New Media Celebration!

Here is the code you can use to embed the video on your blog:

Click here for the official website of the Catholic New Media Celebration.

Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero

Fr. Roderick — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:27:26 +0000

Pope Benedict XVI visits Ground Zero, site of the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York April 20, 2008.

Prayer of Pope Benedict XVI at Ground Zero

O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths
and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here —
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and
Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.

Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives
with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.

Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.

Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.

Pope Benedict XVI meets with Christian leaders at St. Joseph

Fr. Roderick — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:15:02 +0000

Pope Benedict XVI meets with various Chistian leaders at an Ecumenical service at St. Joseph’s Church in NY.
Video shows the Pope personally greeted 15 of these leaders including the primate of the Greek Orthodox Church, the president of the National Council of Churches, and Elder from a Baptist denomination and also Bernice King daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr.

Pope Benedict XVI at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Fr. Roderick — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:04:13 +0000

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the Eucharist for Clergy and Religious at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on April 19, 2008.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

With great affection in the Lord, I greet all of you, who represent the Bishops, priests and deacons, the men and women in consecrated life, and the seminarians of the United States. I thank Cardinal Egan for his warm welcome and the good wishes which he has expressed in your name as I begin the fourth year of my papal ministry. I am happy to celebrate this Mass with you, who have been chosen by the Lord, who have answered his call, and who devote your lives to the pursuit of holiness, the spread of the Gospel and the building up of the Church in faith, hope and love.

Gathered as we are in this historic cathedral, how can we not think of the countless men and women who have gone before us, who labored for the growth of the Church in the United States, and left us a lasting legacy of faith and good works? In today’s first reading we saw how, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles went forth from the Upper Room to proclaim God’s mighty works to people of every nation and tongue. In this country, the Church’s mission has always involved drawing people “from every nation under heaven” (cf. Acts 2:5) into spiritual unity, and enriching the Body of Christ by the variety of their gifts. As we give thanks for past blessings, and look to the challenges of the future, let us implore from God the grace of a new Pentecost for the Church in America. May tongues of fire, combining burning love of God and neighbor with zeal for the spread of Christ’s Kingdom, descend on all present!

In this morning’s second reading, Saint Paul reminds us that spiritual unity – the unity which reconciles and enriches diversity – has its origin and supreme model in the life of the triune God. As a communion of pure love and infinite freedom, the Blessed Trinity constantly brings forth new life in the work of creation and redemption. The Church, as “a people made one by the unity of the Father, the Son and the Spirit” (cf. Lumen Gentium, 4), is called to proclaim the gift of life, to serve life, and to promote a culture of life. Here in this cathedral, our thoughts turn naturally to the heroic witness to the Gospel of life borne by the late Cardinals Cooke and O’Connor. The proclamation of life, life in abundance, must be the heart of the new evangelization. For true life – our salvation – can only be found in the reconciliation, freedom and love which are God’s gracious gift.

This is the message of hope we are called to proclaim and embody in a world where self-centeredness, greed, violence, and cynicism so often seem to choke the fragile growth of grace in people’s hearts. Saint Irenaeus, with great insight, understood that the command which Moses enjoined upon the people of Israel: “Choose life!” (Dt 30:19) was the ultimate reason for our obedience to all God’s commandments (cf. Adv. Haer. IV, 16, 2-5). Perhaps we have lost sight of this: in a society where the Church seems legalistic and “institutional” to many people, our most urgent challenge is to communicate the joy born of faith and the experience of God’s love.

I am particularly happy that we have gathered in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Perhaps more than any other church in the United States, this place is known and loved as “a house of prayer for all peoples” (cf. Is 56:7; Mk 11:17). Each day thousands of men, women and children enter its doors and find peace within its walls. Archbishop John Hughes, who – as Cardinal Egan has reminded us – was responsible for building this venerable edifice, wished it to rise in pure Gothic style. He wanted this cathedral to remind the young Church in America of the great spiritual tradition to which it was heir, and to inspire it to bring the best of that heritage to the building up of Christ’s body in this land. I would like to draw your attention to a few aspects of this beautiful structure which I think can serve as a starting point for a reflection on our particular vocations within the unity of the Mystical Body.

The first has to do with the stained glass windows, which flood the interior with mystic light. From the outside, those windows are dark, heavy, even dreary. But once one enters the church, they suddenly come alive; reflecting the light passing through them, they reveal all their splendor. Many writers – here in America we can think of Nathaniel Hawthorne – have used the image of stained glass to illustrate the mystery of the Church herself. It is only from the inside, from the experience of faith and ecclesial life, that we see the Church as she truly is: flooded with grace, resplendent in beauty, adorned by the manifold gifts of the Spirit. It follows that we, who live the life of grace within the Church’s communion, are called to draw all people into this mystery of light.

This is no easy task in a world which can tend to look at the Church, like those stained glass windows, “from the outside”: a world which deeply senses a need for spirituality, yet finds it difficult to “enter into” the mystery of the Church. Even for those of us within, the light of faith can be dimmed by routine, and the splendor of the Church obscured by the sins and weaknesses of her members. It can be dimmed too, by the obstacles encountered in a society which sometimes seems to have forgotten God and to resent even the most elementary demands of Christian morality. You, who have devoted your lives to bearing witness to the love of Christ and the building up of his Body, know from your daily contact with the world around us how tempting it is at times to give way to frustration, disappointment and even pessimism about the future. In a word, it is not always easy to see the light of the Spirit all about us, the splendor of the Risen Lord illuminating our lives and instilling renewed hope in his victory over the world (cf. Jn 16:33).

Yet the word of God reminds us that, in faith, we see the heavens opened, and the grace of the Holy Spirit lighting up the Church and bringing sure hope to our world. “O Lord, my God,” the Psalmist sings, “when you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30). These words evoke the first creation, when the Spirit of God hovered over the deep (cf. Gen 1:2). And they look forward to the new creation, at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and established the Church as the first fruits of a redeemed humanity (cf. Jn 20:22-23). These words summon us to ever deeper faith in God’s infinite power to transform every human situation, to create life from death, and to light up even the darkest night. And they make us think of another magnificent phrase of Saint Irenaeus: “where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church and all grace” (Adv. Haer. III, 24, 1).

This leads me to a further reflection about the architecture of this church. Like all Gothic cathedrals, it is a highly complex structure, whose exact and harmonious proportions symbolize the unity of God’s creation. Medieval artists often portrayed Christ, the creative Word of God, as a heavenly “geometer”, compass in hand, who orders the cosmos with infinite wisdom and purpose. Does this not bring to mind our need to see all things with the eyes of faith, and thus to grasp them in their truest perspective, in the unity of God’s eternal plan? This requires, as we know, constant conversion, and a commitment to acquiring “a fresh, spiritual way of thinking” (cf. Eph 4:23). It also calls for the cultivation of those virtues which enable each of us to grow in holiness and to bear spiritual fruit within our particular state of life. Is not this ongoing “intellectual” conversion as necessary as “moral” conversion for our own growth in faith, our discernment of the signs of the times, and our personal contribution to the Church’s life and mission?

For all of us, I think, one of the great disappointments which followed the Second Vatican Council, with its call for a greater engagement in the Church’s mission to the world, has been the experience of division between different groups, different generations, different members of the same religious family. We can only move forward if we turn our gaze together to Christ! In the light of faith, we will then discover the wisdom and strength needed to open ourselves to points of view which may not necessarily conform to our own ideas or assumptions. Thus we can value the perspectives of others, be they younger or older than ourselves, and ultimately hear “what the Spirit is saying” to us and to the Church (cf. Rev 2:7). In this way, we will move together towards that true spiritual renewal desired by the Council, a renewal which can only strengthen the Church in that holiness and unity indispensable for the effective proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world.

Was not this unity of vision and purpose – rooted in faith and a spirit of constant conversion and self-sacrifice – the secret of the impressive growth of the Church in this country? We need but think of the remarkable accomplishment of that exemplary American priest, the Venerable Michael McGivney, whose vision and zeal led to the establishment of the Knights of Columbus, or of the legacy of the generations of religious and priests who quietly devoted their lives to serving the People of God in countless schools, hospitals and parishes.

Here, within the context of our need for the perspective given by faith, and for unity and cooperation in the work of building up the Church, I would like say a word about the sexual abuse that has caused so much suffering. I have already had occasion to speak of this, and of the resulting damage to the community of the faithful. Here I simply wish to assure you, dear priests and religious, of my spiritual closeness as you strive to respond with Christian hope to the continuing challenges that this situation presents. I join you in praying that this will be a time of purification for each and every particular Church and religious community, and a time for healing. I also encourage you to cooperate with your bishops who continue to work effectively to resolve this issue. May our Lord Jesus Christ grant the Church in America a renewed sense of unity and purpose, as all – Bishops, clergy, religious and laity – move forward in hope, in love for the truth and for one another.

Dear friends, these considerations lead me to a final observation about this great cathedral in which we find ourselves. The unity of a Gothic cathedral, we know, is not the static unity of a classical temple, but a unity born of the dynamic tension of diverse forces which impel the architecture upward, pointing it to heaven. Here too, we can see a symbol of the Church’s unity, which is the unity – as Saint Paul has told us – of a living body composed of many different members, each with its own role and purpose. Here too we see our need to acknowledge and reverence the gifts of each and every member of the body as “manifestations of the Spirit given for the good of all” (1 Cor 12:7). Certainly within the Church’s divinely-willed structure there is a distinction to be made between hierarchical and charismatic gifts (cf. Lumen Gentium, 4). Yet the very variety and richness of the graces bestowed by the Spirit invite us constantly to discern how these gifts are to be rightly ordered in the service of the Church’s mission. You, dear priests, by sacramental ordination have been configured to Christ, the Head of the Body. You, dear deacons, have been ordained for the service of that Body. You, dear men and women religious, both contemplative and apostolic, have devoted your lives to following the divine Master in generous love and complete devotion to his Gospel. All of you, who fill this cathedral today, as wells as your retired, elderly and infirm brothers and sisters, who unite their prayers and sacrifices to your labors, are called to be forces of unity within Christ’s Body. By your personal witness, and your fidelity to the ministry or apostolate entrusted to you, you prepare a path for the Spirit. For the Spirit never ceases to pour out his abundant gifts, to awaken new vocations and missions, and to guide the Church, as our Lord promised in this morning’s Gospel, into the fullness of truth (cf. Jn 16:13).

So let us lift our gaze upward! And with great humility and confidence, let us ask the Spirit to enable us each day to grow in the holiness that will make us living stones in the temple which he is even now raising up in the midst of our world. If we are to be true forces of unity, let us be the first to seek inner reconciliation through penance. Let us forgive the wrongs we have suffered and put aside all anger and contention. Let us be the first to demonstrate the humility and purity of heart which are required to approach the splendor of God’s truth. In fidelity to the deposit of faith entrusted to the Apostles (cf. 1 Tim 6:20), let us be joyful witnesses of the transforming power of the Gospel!

Dear brothers and sisters, in the finest traditions of the Church in this country, may you also be the first friend of the poor, the homeless, the stranger, the sick and all who suffer. Act as beacons of hope, casting the light of Christ upon the world, and encouraging young people to discover the beauty of a life given completely to the Lord and his Church. I make this plea in a particular way to the many seminarians and young religious present. All of you have a special place in my heart. Never forget that you are called to carry on, with all the enthusiasm and joy that the Spirit has given you, a work that others have begun, a legacy that one day you too will have to pass on to a new generation. Work generously and joyfully, for he whom you serve is the Lord!

The spires of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral are dwarfed by the skyscrapers of the Manhattan skyline, yet in the heart of this busy metropolis, they are a vivid reminder of the constant yearning of the human spirit to rise to God. As we celebrate this Eucharist, let us thank the Lord for allowing us to know him in the communion of the Church, to cooperate in building up his Mystical Body, and in bringing his saving word as good news to the men and women of our time. And when we leave this great church, let us go forth as heralds of hope in the midst of this city, and all those places where God’s grace has placed us. In this way, the Church in America will know a new springtime in the Spirit, and point the way to that other, greater city, the new Jerusalem, whose light is the Lamb (Rev 21:23). For there God is even now preparing for all people a banquet of unending joy and life. Amen.

Pope visits NY synagogue

Fr. Roderick — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 19:39:48 +0000

Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope to visit an American synagogue Friday, bringing greetings for the Passover holiday and accepting gifts of matzo and a seder plate.

“I find it moving to recall that Jesus, as a young boy, heard the words of Scripture and prayed in a place such as this,” he said.

Pope Benedict XVI addresses the United Nations

Fr. Roderick — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:03:26 +0000

Pope Benedict said Friday that respect for human rights is the key to solving many of the world’s problems.

Address to the United Nations General Assembly (source: EWTN.com)

Speaking first in French and then in English, the Holy Father delivered the following address to the General Assembly of the United Nations, 18 April 2008.

[In French]
Mr President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I begin my address to this Assembly, I would like first of all to express to you, Mr President, my sincere gratitude for your kind words. My thanks go also to the Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, for inviting me to visit the headquarters of this Organization and for the welcome that he has extended to me. I greet the Ambassadors and Diplomats from the Member States, and all those present. Through you, I greet the peoples who are represented here. They look to this institution to carry forward the founding inspiration to establish a “centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends” of peace and development (cf. Charter of the United Nations, article 1.2-1.4). As Pope John Paul II expressed it in 1995, the Organization should be “a moral centre where all the nations of the world feel at home and develop a shared awareness of being, as it were, a ‘family of nations’” (Address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 50th Anniversary of its Foundation, New York, 5 October 1995, 14).

Through the United Nations, States have established universal objectives which, even if they do not coincide with the total common good of the human family, undoubtedly represent a fundamental part of that good. The founding principles of the Organization – the desire for peace, the quest for justice, respect for the dignity of the person, humanitarian cooperation and assistance – express the just aspirations of the human spirit, and constitute the ideals which should underpin international relations. As my predecessors Paul VI and John Paul II have observed from this very podium, all this is something that the Catholic Church and the Holy See follow attentively and with interest, seeing in your activity an example of how issues and conflicts concerning the world community can be subject to common regulation. The United Nations embodies the aspiration for a “greater degree of international ordering” (John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 43), inspired and governed by the principle of subsidiarity, and therefore capable of responding to the demands of the human family through binding international rules and through structures capable of harmonizing the day-to-day unfolding of the lives of peoples. This is all the more necessary at a time when we experience the obvious paradox of a multilateral consensus that continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few, whereas the world’s problems call for interventions in the form of collective action by the international community.

Indeed, questions of security, development goals, reduction of local and global inequalities, protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate, require all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work in good faith, respecting the law, and promoting solidarity with the weakest regions of the planet. I am thinking especially of those countries in Africa and other parts of the world which remain on the margins of authentic integral development, and are therefore at risk of experiencing only the negative effects of globalization. In the context of international relations, it is necessary to recognize the higher role played by rules and structures that are intrinsically ordered to promote the common good, and therefore to safeguard human freedom. These regulations do not limit freedom. On the contrary, they promote it when they prohibit behaviour and actions which work against the common good, curb its effective exercise and hence compromise the dignity of every human person. In the name of freedom, there has to be a correlation between rights and duties, by which every person is called to assume responsibility for his or her choices, made as a consequence of entering into relations with others. Here our thoughts turn also to the way the results of scientific research and technological advances have sometimes been applied. Notwithstanding the enormous benefits that humanity can gain, some instances of this represent a clear violation of the order of creation, to the point where not only is the sacred character of life contradicted, but the human person and the family are robbed of their natural identity. Likewise, international action to preserve the environment and to protect various forms of life on earth must not only guarantee a rational use of technology and science, but must also rediscover the authentic image of creation. This never requires a choice to be made between science and ethics: rather it is a question of adopting a scientific method that is truly respectful of ethical imperatives.

Recognition of the unity of the human family, and attention to the innate dignity of every man and woman, today find renewed emphasis in the principle of the responsibility to protect. This has only recently been defined, but it was already present implicitly at the origins of the United Nations, and is now increasingly characteristic of its activity. Every State has the primary duty to protect its own population from grave and sustained violations of human rights, as well as from the consequences of humanitarian crises, whether natural or man-made. If States are unable to guarantee such protection, the international community must intervene with the juridical means provided in the United Nations Charter and in other international instruments. The action of the international community and its institutions, provided that it respects the principles undergirding the international order, should never be interpreted as an unwarranted imposition or a limitation of sovereignty. On the contrary, it is indifference or failure to intervene that do the real damage. What is needed is a deeper search for ways of pre-empting and managing conflicts by exploring every possible diplomatic avenue, and giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation.

The principle of “responsibility to protect” was considered by the ancient ius gentium as the foundation of every action taken by those in government with regard to the governed: at the time when the concept of national sovereign States was first developing, the Dominican Friar Francisco de Vitoria, rightly considered as a precursor of the idea of the United Nations, described this responsibility as an aspect of natural reason shared by all nations, and the result of an international order whose task it was to regulate relations between peoples. Now, as then, this principle has to invoke the idea of the person as image of the Creator, the desire for the absolute and the essence of freedom. The founding of the United Nations, as we know, coincided with the profound upheavals that humanity experienced when reference to the meaning of transcendence and natural reason was abandoned, and in consequence, freedom and human dignity were grossly violated. When this happens, it threatens the objective foundations of the values inspiring and governing the international order and it undermines the cogent and inviolable principles formulated and consolidated by the United Nations. When faced with new and insistent challenges, it is a mistake to fall back on a pragmatic approach, limited to determining “common ground”, minimal in content and weak in its effect.

This reference to human dignity, which is the foundation and goal of the responsibility to protect, leads us to the theme we are specifically focusing upon this year, which marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document was the outcome of a convergence of different religious and cultural traditions, all of them motivated by the common desire to place the human person at the heart of institutions, laws and the workings of society, and to consider the human person essential for the world of culture, religion and science. Human rights are increasingly being presented as the common language and the ethical substratum of international relations. At the same time, the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights all serve as guarantees safeguarding human dignity. It is evident, though, that the rights recognized and expounded in the Declaration apply to everyone by virtue of the common origin of the person, who remains the high-point of God’s creative design for the world and for history. They are based on the natural law inscribed on human hearts and present in different cultures and civilizations. Removing human rights from this context would mean restricting their range and yielding to a relativistic conception, according to which the meaning and interpretation of rights could vary and their universality would be denied in the name of different cultural, political, social and even religious outlooks. This great variety of viewpoints must not be allowed to obscure the fact that not only rights are universal, but so too is the human person, the subject of those rights.

[Continuing in English]

The life of the community, both domestically and internationally, clearly demonstrates that respect for rights, and the guarantees that follow from them, are measures of the common good that serve to evaluate the relationship between justice and injustice, development and poverty, security and conflict. The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and for increasing security. Indeed, the victims of hardship and despair, whose human dignity is violated with impunity, become easy prey to the call to violence, and they can then become violators of peace. The common good that human rights help to accomplish cannot, however, be attained merely by applying correct procedures, nor even less by achieving a balance between competing rights. The merit of the Universal Declaration is that it has enabled different cultures, juridical expressions and institutional models to converge around a fundamental nucleus of values, and hence of rights. Today, though, efforts need to be redoubled in the face of pressure to reinterpret the foundations of the Declaration and to compromise its inner unity so as to facilitate a move away from the protection of human dignity towards the satisfaction of simple interests, often particular interests. The Declaration was adopted as a “common standard of achievement” (Preamble) and cannot be applied piecemeal, according to trends or selective choices that merely run the risk of contradicting the unity of the human person and thus the indivisibility of human rights.

Experience shows that legality often prevails over justice when the insistence upon rights makes them appear as the exclusive result of legislative enactments or normative decisions taken by the various agencies of those in power. When presented purely in terms of legality, rights risk becoming weak propositions divorced from the ethical and rational dimension which is their foundation and their goal. The Universal Declaration, rather, has reinforced the conviction that respect for human rights is principally rooted in unchanging justice, on which the binding force of international proclamations is also based. This aspect is often overlooked when the attempt is made to deprive rights of their true function in the name of a narrowly utilitarian perspective. Since rights and the resulting duties follow naturally from human interaction, it is easy to forget that they are the fruit of a commonly held sense of justice built primarily upon solidarity among the members of society, and hence valid at all times and for all peoples. This intuition was expressed as early as the fifth century by Augustine of Hippo, one of the masters of our intellectual heritage. He taught that the saying: Do not do to others what you would not want done to you “cannot in any way vary according to the different understandings that have arisen in the world” (De Doctrina Christiana, III, 14). Human rights, then, must be respected as an expression of justice, and not merely because they are enforceable through the will of the legislators.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As history proceeds, new situations arise, and the attempt is made to link them to new rights. Discernment, that is, the capacity to distinguish good from evil, becomes even more essential in the context of demands that concern the very lives and conduct of persons, communities and peoples. In tackling the theme of rights, since important situations and profound realities are involved, discernment is both an indispensable and a fruitful virtue.

Discernment, then, shows that entrusting exclusively to individual States, with their laws and institutions, the final responsibility to meet the aspirations of persons, communities and entire peoples, can sometimes have consequences that exclude the possibility of a social order respectful of the dignity and rights of the person. On the other hand, a vision of life firmly anchored in the religious dimension can help to achieve this, since recognition of the transcendent value of every man and woman favours conversion of heart, which then leads to a commitment to resist violence, terrorism and war, and to promote justice and peace. This also provides the proper context for the inter-religious dialogue that the United Nations is called to support, just as it supports dialogue in other areas of human activity. Dialogue should be recognized as the means by which the various components of society can articulate their point of view and build consensus around the truth concerning particular values or goals. It pertains to the nature of religions, freely practised, that they can autonomously conduct a dialogue of thought and life. If at this level, too, the religious sphere is kept separate from political action, then great benefits ensue for individuals and communities. On the other hand, the United Nations can count on the results of dialogue between religions, and can draw fruit from the willingness of believers to place their experiences at the service of the common good. Their task is to propose a vision of faith not in terms of intolerance, discrimination and conflict, but in terms of complete respect for truth, coexistence, rights, and reconciliation.

Human rights, of course, must include the right to religious freedom, understood as the expression of a dimension that is at once individual and communitarian – a vision that brings out the unity of the person while clearly distinguishing between the dimension of the citizen and that of the believer. The activity of the United Nations in recent years has ensured that public debate gives space to viewpoints inspired by a religious vision in all its dimensions, including ritual, worship, education, dissemination of information and the freedom to profess and choose religion. It is inconceivable, then, that believers should have to suppress a part of themselves – their faith – in order to be active citizens. It should never be necessary to deny God in order to enjoy one’s rights. The rights associated with religion are all the more in need of protection if they are considered to clash with a prevailing secular ideology or with majority religious positions of an exclusive nature. The full guarantee of religious liberty cannot be limited to the free exercise of worship, but has to give due consideration to the public dimension of religion, and hence to the possibility of believers playing their part in building the social order. Indeed, they actually do so, for example through their influential and generous involvement in a vast network of initiatives which extend from Universities, scientific institutions and schools to health care agencies and charitable organizations in the service of the poorest and most marginalized. Refusal to recognize the contribution to society that is rooted in the religious dimension and in the quest for the Absolute – by its nature, expressing communion between persons – would effectively privilege an individualistic approach, and would fragment the unity of the person.

My presence at this Assembly is a sign of esteem for the United Nations, and it is intended to express the hope that the Organization will increasingly serve as a sign of unity between States and an instrument of service to the entire human family. It also demonstrates the willingness of the Catholic Church to offer her proper contribution to building international relations in a way that allows every person and every people to feel they can make a difference. In a manner that is consistent with her contribution in the ethical and moral sphere and the free activity of her faithful, the Church also works for the realization of these goals through the international activity of the Holy See. Indeed, the Holy See has always had a place at the assemblies of the Nations, thereby manifesting its specific character as a subject in the international domain. As the United Nations recently confirmed, the Holy See thereby makes its contribution according to the dispositions of international law, helps to define that law, and makes appeal to it.

The United Nations remains a privileged setting in which the Church is committed to contributing her experience “of humanity”, developed over the centuries among peoples of every race and culture, and placing it at the disposal of all members of the international community. This experience and activity, directed towards attaining freedom for every believer, seeks also to increase the protection given to the rights of the person. Those rights are grounded and shaped by the transcendent nature of the person, which permits men and women to pursue their journey of faith and their search for God in this world. Recognition of this dimension must be strengthened if we are to sustain humanity’s hope for a better world and if we are to create the conditions for peace, development, cooperation, and guarantee of rights for future generations.

In my recent Encyclical, Spe Salvi, I indicated that “every generation has the task of engaging anew in the arduous search for the right way to order human affairs” (no. 25). For Christians, this task is motivated by the hope drawn from the saving work of Jesus Christ. That is why the Church is happy to be associated with the activity of this distinguished Organization, charged with the responsibility of promoting peace and good will throughout the earth. Dear Friends, I thank you for this opportunity to address you today, and I promise you of the support of my prayers as you pursue your noble task.

Before I take my leave from this distinguished Assembly, I should like to offer my greetings, in the official languages, to all the Nations here represented.

[in English; in French; in Spanish; in Arab; in Chinese; in Russian:] Peace and Prosperity with God’s help!

Thousands come out as Pope Benedict arrives in NYC

Fr. Roderick — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:56:55 +0000

Thousands come out as Pope Benedict arrives in NYC.

Placido Domingo sings “Panis Angelicus” at papal Mass

Fr. Roderick — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:37:44 +0000

Placido Domingo performs the “Panis Angelicus” during Pope Benedict’s papal Mass at the Nationals Stadium in Washington, D.C. on April 17, 2008.

Pope Benedict XVI at Nationals Park in Washington DC

Fr. Roderick — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:31:27 +0000

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass at Nationals Park in Washington on April 17, 2008.

Here is the full text of his homily (source: EWTN.com)

Homily of Pope Benedict XVI, Holy Mass at Nationals Park, Washington D.C.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Peace be with you!” (Jn 20:19). With these, the first words of the Risen Lord to his disciples, I greet all of you in the joy of this Easter season. Before all else, I thank God for the blessing of being in your midst. I am particularly grateful to Archbishop Wuerl for his kind words of welcome.

Our Mass today brings the Church in the United States back to its roots in nearby Maryland, and commemorates the bicentennial of the first chapter of its remarkable growth – the division by my predecessor, Pope Pius VII, of the original Diocese of Baltimore and the establishment of the Dioceses of Boston, Bardstown (now Louisville), New York and Philadelphia. Two hundred years later, the Church in America can rightfully praise the accomplishment of past generations in bringing together widely differing immigrant groups within the unity of the Catholic faith and in a common commitment to the spread of the Gospel. At the same time, conscious of its rich diversity, the Catholic community in this country has come to appreciate ever more fully the importance of each individual and group offering its own particular gifts to the whole. The Church in the United States is now called to look to the future, firmly grounded in the faith passed on by previous generations, and ready to meet new challenges – challenges no less demanding than those faced by your forebears – with the hope born of God’s love, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 5:5).

In the exercise of my ministry as the Successor of Peter, I have come to America to confirm you, my brothers and sisters, in the faith of the Apostles (cf. Lk 22:32). I have come to proclaim anew, as Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah, risen from the dead, seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, and established as judge of the living and the dead (cf. Acts 2:14ff.). I have come to repeat the Apostle’s urgent call to conversion and the forgiveness of sins, and to implore from the Lord a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church in this country. As we have heard throughout this Easter season, the Church was born of the Spirit’s gift of repentance and faith in the risen Lord. In every age she is impelled by the same Spirit to bring to men and women of every race, language and people (cf. Rev 5:9) the good news of our reconciliation with God in Christ.

The readings of today’s Mass invite us to consider the growth of the Church in America as one chapter in the greater story of the Church’s expansion following the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In those readings we see the inseparable link between the risen Lord, the gift of the Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, and the mystery of the Church. Christ established his Church on the foundation of the Apostles (cf. Rev 21:14) as a visible, structured community which is at the same time a spiritual communion, a mystical body enlivened by the Spirit’s manifold gifts, and the sacrament of salvation for all humanity (cf. Lumen Gentium, 8). In every time and place, the Church is called to grow in unity through constant conversion to Christ, whose saving work is proclaimed by the Successors of the Apostles and celebrated in the sacraments. This unity, in turn, gives rise to an unceasing missionary outreach, as the Spirit spurs believers to proclaim “the great works of God” and to invite all people to enter the community of those saved by the blood of Christ and granted new life in his Spirit.

I pray, then, that this significant anniversary in the life of the Church in the United States, and the presence of the Successor of Peter in your midst, will be an occasion for all Catholics to reaffirm their unity in the apostolic faith, to offer their contemporaries a convincing account of the hope which inspires them (cf. 1 Pet 3:15), and to be renewed in missionary zeal for the extension of God’s Kingdom.

The world needs this witness! Who can deny that the present moment is a crossroads, not only for the Church in America but also for society as a whole? It is a time of great promise, as we see the human family in many ways drawing closer together and becoming ever more interdependent. Yet at the same time we see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society: signs of alienation, anger and polarization on the part of many of our contemporaries; increased violence; a weakening of the moral sense; a coarsening of social relations; and a growing forgetfulness of God. The Church, too, sees signs of immense promise in her many strong parishes and vital movements, in the enthusiasm for the faith shown by so many young people, in the number of those who each year embrace the Catholic faith, and in a greater interest in prayer and catechesis. At the same time she senses, often painfully, the presence of division and polarization in her midst, as well as the troubling realization that many of the baptized, rather than acting as a spiritual leaven in the world, are inclined to embrace attitudes contrary to the truth of the Gospel.

“Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth!” (cf. Ps 104:30). The words of today’s Responsorial Psalm are a prayer which rises up from the heart of the Church in every time and place. They remind us that the Holy Spirit has been poured out as the first fruits of a new creation, “new heavens and a new earth” (cf. 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1), in which God’s peace will reign and the human family will be reconciled in justice and love. We have heard Saint Paul tell us that all creation is even now “groaning” in expectation of that true freedom which is God’s gift to his children (Rom 8:21-22), a freedom which enables us to live in conformity to his will. Today let us pray fervently that the Church in America will be renewed in that same Spirit, and sustained in her mission of proclaiming the Gospel to a world that longs for genuine freedom (cf. Jn 8:32), authentic happiness, and the fulfillment of its deepest aspirations!

Here I wish to offer a special word of gratitude and encouragment to all those who have taken up the challenge of the Second Vatican Council, so often reiterated by Pope John Paul II, and committed their lives to the new evangelization. I thank my brother Bishops, priests and deacons, men and women religious, parents, teachers and catechists. The fidelity and courage with which the Church in this country will respond to the challenges raised by an increasingly secular and materialistic culture will depend in large part upon your own fidelity in handing on the treasure of our Catholic faith. Young people need to be helped to discern the path that leads to true freedom: the path of a sincere and generous imitation of Christ, the path of commitment to justice and peace. Much progress has been made in developing solid programs of catechesis, yet so much more remains to be done in forming the hearts and minds of the young in knowledge and love of the Lord. The challenges confronting us require a comprehensive and sound instruction in the truths of the faith. But they also call for cultivating a mindset, an intellectual “culture”, which is genuinely Catholic, confident in the profound harmony of faith and reason, and prepared to bring the richness of faith’s vision to bear on the urgent issues which affect the future of American society.

Dear friends, my visit to the United States is meant to be a witness to “Christ our Hope”. Americans have always been a people of hope: your ancestors came to this country with the expectation of finding new freedom and opportunity, while the vastness of the unexplored wilderness inspired in them the hope of being able to start completely anew, building a new nation on new foundations. To be sure, this promise was not experienced by all the inhabitants of this land; one thinks of the injustices endured by the native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves. Yet hope, hope for the future, is very much a part of the American character. And the Christian virtue of hope – the hope poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, the hope which supernaturally purifies and corrects our aspirations by focusing them on the Lord and his saving plan – that hope has also marked, and continues to mark, the life of the Catholic community in this country.

It is in the context of this hope born of God’s love and fidelity that I acknowledge the pain which the Church in America has experienced as a result of the sexual abuse of minors. No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse. It is important that those who have suffered be given loving pastoral attention. Nor can I adequately describe the damage that has occurred within the community of the Church. Great efforts have already been made to deal honestly and fairly with this tragic situation, and to ensure that children – whom our Lord loves so deeply (cf. Mk 10:14), and who are our greatest treasure – can grow up in a safe environment. These efforts to protect children must continue. Yesterday I spoke with your Bishops about this. Today I encourage each of you to do what you can to foster healing and reconciliation, and to assist those who have been hurt. Also, I ask you to love your priests, and to affirm them in the excellent work that they do. And above all, pray that the Holy Spirit will pour out his gifts upon the Church, the gifts that lead to conversion, forgiveness and growth in holiness.

Saint Paul speaks, as we heard in the second reading, of a kind of prayer which arises from the depths of our hearts in sighs too deep for words, in “groanings” (Rom 8:26) inspired by the Spirit. This is a prayer which yearns, in the midst of chastisement, for the fulfillment of God’s promises. It is a prayer of unfailing hope, but also one of patient endurance and, often, accompanied by suffering for the truth. Through this prayer, we share in the mystery of Christ’s own weakness and suffering, while trusting firmly in the victory of his Cross. With this prayer, may the Church in America embrace ever more fully the way of conversion and fidelity to the demands of the Gospel. And may all Catholics experience the consolation of hope, and the Spirit’s gifts of joy and strength.

In today’s Gospel, the risen Lord bestows the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and grants them the authority to forgive sins. Through the surpassing power of Christ’s grace, entrusted to frail human ministers, the Church is constantly reborn and each of us is given the hope of a new beginning. Let us trust in the Spirit’s power to inspire conversion, to heal every wound, to overcome every division, and to inspire new life and freedom. How much we need these gifts! And how close at hand they are, particularly in the sacrament of Penance! The liberating power of this sacrament, in which our honest confession of sin is met by God’s merciful word of pardon and peace, needs to be rediscovered and reappropriated by every Catholic. To a great extent, the renewal of the Church in America depends on the renewal of the practice of Penance and the growth in holiness which that sacrament both inspires and accomplishes.

“In hope we were saved!” (Rom 8:24).” As the Church in the United States gives thanks for the blessings of the past two hundred years, I invite you, your families, and every parish and religious community, to trust in the power of grace to create a future of promise for God’s people in this country. I ask you, in the Lord Jesus, to set aside all division and to work with joy to prepare a way for him, in fidelity to his word and in constant conversion to his will. Above all, I urge you to continue to be a leaven of evangelical hope in American society, striving to bring the light and truth of the Gospel to the task of building an ever more just and free world for generations yet to come.

Those who have hope must live different lives! (cf. Spe Salvi, 2). By your prayers, by the witness of your faith, by the fruitfulness of your charity, may you point the way towards that vast horizon of hope which God is even now opening up to his Church, and indeed to all humanity: the vision of a world reconciled and renewed in Christ Jesus, our Savior. To him be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Queridos hermanos y hermanas de lengua española:

Deseo saludarles con las mismas palabras que Cristo Resucitado dirigió a los apóstoles: “Paz a ustedes” (Jn 20,19). Que la alegría de saber que el Señor ha triunfado sobre la muerte y el pecado les ayude a ser, allá donde se encuentren, testigos de su amor y sembradores de la esperanza que Él vino a traernos y que jamás defrauda.

No se dejen vencer por el pesimismo, la inercia o los problemas. Antes bien, fieles a los compromisos que adquirieron en su bautismo, profundicen cada día en el conocimiento de Cristo y permitan que su corazón quede conquistado por su amor y por su perdón.

La Iglesia en los Estados Unidos, acogiendo en su seno a tantos de sus hijos emigrantes, ha ido creciendo gracias también a la vitalidad del testimonio de fe de los fieles de lengua española. Por eso, el Señor les llama a seguir contribuyendo al futuro de la Iglesia en este País y a la difusión del Evangelio. Sólo si están unidos a Cristo y entre ustedes, su testimonio evangelizador será creíble y florecerá en copiosos frutos de paz y reconciliación en medio de un mundo muchas veces marcado por divisiones y enfrentamientos.

La Iglesia espera mucho de ustedes. No la defrauden en su donación generosa. “Lo que han recibido gratis, denlo gratis” (Mt 10,8).

Pope Benedict XVI at the White House

Fr. Roderick — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:57:00 +0000

A video of Pope Benedict XVI speaking at the White House. We bring you a full transcript of his speech.

[From EWTN.com]

Mr. President,

Thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to visit this great country. My visit coincides with an important moment in the life of the Catholic community in America: the celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the elevation of the country’s first Diocese – Baltimore – to a metropolitan Archdiocese, and the establishment of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville. Yet I am happy to be here as a guest of all Americans. I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society. America’s Catholics have made, and continue to make, an excellent contribution to the life of their country. As I begin my visit, I trust that my presence will be a source of renewal and hope for the Church in the United States, and strengthen the resolve of Catholics to contribute ever more responsibly to the life of this nation, of which they are proud to be citizens.

From the dawn of the Republic, America’s quest for freedom has been guided by the conviction that the principles governing political and social life are intimately linked to a moral order based on the dominion of God the Creator. The framers of this nation’s founding documents drew upon this conviction when they proclaimed the “self-evident truth” that all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights grounded in the laws of nature and of nature’s God. The course of American history demonstrates the difficulties, the struggles, and the great intellectual and moral resolve which were demanded to shape a society which faithfully embodied these noble principles. In that process, which forged the soul of the nation, religious beliefs were a constant inspiration and driving force, as for example in the struggle against slavery and in the civil rights movement. In our time too, particularly in moments of crisis, Americans continue to find their strength in a commitment to this patrimony of shared ideals and aspirations.

In the next few days, I look forward to meeting not only with America’s Catholic community, but with other Christian communities and representatives of the many religious traditions present in this country. Historically, not only Catholics, but all believers have found here the freedom to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their conscience, while at the same time being accepted as part of a commonwealth in which each individual and group can make its voice heard. As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society.

Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience – almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good (cf. Spe Salvi, 24). Few have understood this as clearly as the late Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows, time and again, that “in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation”, and a democracy without values can lose its very soul (cf. Centesimus Annus, 46). Those prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent “indispensable supports” of political prosperity.

The Church, for her part, wishes to contribute to building a world ever more worthy of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26-27). She is convinced that faith sheds new light on all things, and that the Gospel reveals the noble vocation and sublime destiny of every man and woman (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 10). Faith also gives us the strength to respond to our high calling, and the hope that inspires us to work for an ever more just and fraternal society. Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the life and future of the nation.

For well over a century, the United States of America has played an important role in the international community. On Friday, God willing, I will have the honor of addressing the United Nations Organization, where I hope to encourage the efforts under way to make that institution an ever more effective voice for the legitimate aspirations of all the world’s peoples. On this, the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity – as brothers and sisters dwelling in the same house and around that table which God’s bounty has set for all his children. America has traditionally shown herself generous in meeting immediate human needs, fostering development and offering relief to the victims of natural catastrophes. I am confident that this concern for the greater human family will continue to find expression in support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress. In this way, coming generations will be able to live in a world where truth, freedom and justice can flourish – a world where the God-given dignity and rights of every man, woman and child are cherished, protected and effectively advanced.

Mr. President, dear friends: as I begin my visit to the United States, I express once more my gratitude for your invitation, my joy to be in your midst, and my fervent prayers that Almighty God will confirm this nation and its people in the ways of justice, prosperity and peace. God bless America!

Pope Benedict XVI Almost Walks Into Window

Fr. Roderick — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:12:40 +0000

Television cameras capture a striking moment during the Pope’s arrival in Washington DC: Pope Benedict XVI almost walks into a window, thinking it’s a sliding door. Fortunately, the Pope realizes in time that moving forward would result in an unpleasant experience, so he stops and follows president Bush through the real entrance. Where was security?

Pope Benedict XVI arrival in the USA

Fr. Roderick — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:04:44 +0000

The first videos of Pope Benedict’s visit to the United States are starting to appear on YouTube. Here is a fragment from EWTN’s coverage of the event.

Peter, the first Pope

Fr. Roderick — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:36:24 +0000

A YouTube video with excerpts of a talk by Archbishop Fulton Sheen about Peter, the first Pope.

Video Message of Pope Benedict to the US

Fr. Roderick — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:09:17 +0000

Here is a brand new YouTube video with a special message of pope Benedict XVI to the people of the United States in preparation of his upcoming visit to New York and Washington.

Cardinal Francis George Welcomes Pope Benedict to the US

Fr. Roderick — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:32:34 +0000

Cardinal Francis George of the Archdiocese of Chicago welcomes Pope Benedict to the United States.

WYD08 Song – Receive the Power

Fr. Roderick — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:37:35 +0000

The theme song for the XXIII WYD08: Receive the Power, written by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto.

Easter Mass – Vatican 2008 #3

Fr. Roderick — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:56:45 +0000

It’s raining even harder on Saint Peter’s Square during the Easter Mass on March 23, 2008!

Easter Mass – Vatican 2008 #2

Fr. Roderick — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:54:43 +0000

Short impressions of the Easter Mass on Saint Peter’s Square on March 23, 2008. It continues to rain while Pope Benedict sings the preface.

Easter Mass – Vatican 2008 #1

Fr. Roderick — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:53:00 +0000

Short impressions of the Easter Mass on Saint Peter’s Square on March 23, 2008. Rain is pouring down while the choir sings the Alleluia before the reading of the Gospel by a deacon.

Easter Vigil with pope Benedict XVI

Fr. Roderick — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:16:00 +0000

This video shows images of the Easter Vigil with pope Benedict XVI on March 23, 2008. The commentary is in Italian; the video is from CTV, the Vatican Television Center.
Click here to read the pope’s Easter message!

TCP#55: Easter Triduum, The Easter Vigil (Triduum Video)

Fr. Bill Kessler — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:33:48 +0000

The continuing common celebration of the Easter Triduum, the Easter Vigil for the Catholic Parishes of Calhoun County. This was celebrated at Saint Norbert Church, Saint Francis of Assisi Parish.

Peace,

Fr. Bill Kessler

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A Box of Chocolates: Jesus vs. the Easter Bunny

Fr. Roderick — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 07:23:20 +0000

SQPN presents: A Box of Chocolates. Videoclips from all over the web. You never know what you’ll get!
Today: Jesus vs. the Easter Bunny.

A Box of Chocolates: Why this Week is Different

Fr. Roderick — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:03:43 +0000

SQPN presents: A Box of Chocolates. Catholic videoclips from all over the web. You never know what you’ll get! Today: Why this Week is Different. Lenten reflection from Fr. Tom Rosica, CSB during Holy Week. This the seventh in a series of reflections from Salt and Light Television. Additional reflections and resources can be found at http://www.saltandlighttv.org

A Box of Chocolates: Cardinal Rigali on Good Friday

Fr. Roderick — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:35:29 +0000

SQPN presents: A Box of Chocolates. Catholic videoclips from all over the web. You never know what you’ll get! Today: Cardinal Rigali on Good Friday.

Fr. Roderick in ‘Goodmorning Holland’

Fr. Roderick — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:23:09 +0000

Friday morning I will be a guest in the TV-show ‘Goedemorgen Nederland’ (’Goodmorning Holland’), to talk about Holy Friday and Easter. I made a short, 5 minute videoclip with a crash-course about the Easter Triduum. Check it out at your own risk: it’s in Dutch, with no subtitles

A Box of Chocolates: Chrism Mass at the Vatican

Fr. Roderick — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:54:13 +0000

SQPN presents: A Box of Chocolates. Catholic videoclips from all over the web. You never know what you’ll get! Today: images of the Chrism Mass with pope Benedict at the Vatican (commentary in Italian).

TCP#52: Technopriest in Israel, Day 5 (Travel Video)

Fr. Bill Kessler — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:47:01 +0000

Another installment of my trip to Israel!

Today we visited:

Bethlehem
- The Security Fence
- The Shepherds Field
- The Church of the Nativity
Jerusalem…
- The Mount of Olives
- The Chapel of the Ascension
- The Church of Dominus Flevit (The Lord Weeps)
- The Garden of Gethsemane
- The Old City, Jaffa Gate

Peace,Fr. Bill Kessler

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TCP#51: Passion Sunday 2008

Fr. Bill Kessler — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:07:21 +0000

This weeks Mass was recorded at Saint Anselm Church, Kampsville, IL.

Peace,
Fr.Bill Kessler

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A Box of Chocolates: Palm Sunday in the Vatican

Fr. Roderick — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:35:30 +0000

SQPN presents: A Box of Chocolates. Catholic videoclips from all over the web. You never know what you’ll get! Today: Palm Sunday 2008 in the Vatican.

Godspeed! Glamis Castle

Fr. Roderick — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:02:48 +0000

In this episode we explore Glamis Castle, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Featured in Shakespeare’s MacBeth, this imposing building hides many dark secrets…

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Paul Camarata in ‘High School Confidential’

Fr. Roderick — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:36:57 +0000

On Monday, March 10, neurosurgeon and SaintCast host Dr. Paul Camarata appeared in the premiere of the television show High School Confidential on We TV. The show follows one girl each night through 4 years of high school. The teenager followed in the first episode had a brain tumor, Dr. Paul Camarata saw her and that is how he shows up in the episode.