Pat Buchanan on Benedict XVI

Here's an excellent column by former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan. I believe it speaks for itself so I will only say that I agree with him 100%. Once upon a time, the press gave a honeymoon period to new Popes, new Bishops and new presidents. Those days seem to be over. They seem to believe that the best defense is a good offense, the sooner the better.

God bless our new spiritual leader.

Pope Benedict XVI

I suppose I would be remiss if I didn't join the chorus of voices commenting on our new Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, so here goes. I guess I'm surprised that the "experts" actually got one right, at least some of them. Cardinal Ratzinger was supposed to be the front runner and he actually was.

I have very vague memories of the selection of John Paul I or II. At that time of my life, my Catholic faith (if you could call it that) was weak to say the least. I remember being surprised at the untimely death of JPI, but otherwise, I really have little recollection. So this is the first Papal election in which I have taken an interest. I find I have some odd feelings. I was very excited when I heard the bells ringing on the radio. I noticed that my hands were shaking as I waited for the announcement of the new Pope's identity.

I know that the Cardinals made a good choice because the Holy Spirit would not allow them to do otherwise. As a Catholic, and especially as a member of the clergy, I am bound to honor their choice with the understanding that he now has a special charism that no one else on earth can claim.

God bless Benedict XVI. May he lead us wisely and well guided by the Holy Spirit.

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Easter

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Isn’t it interesting that something very much like the story in today’s first reading took place in Rome yesterday? The Holy Spirit spoke to the Cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel and said, “Set apart for me Joseph Ratzinger for the work to which I have called him.”

Our new leader is chosen by God just as surely as Barnabas and Saul were chosen all those centuries ago.

Yesterday on Yahoo News the headline read “Controversial German Cardinal Elected Pope.” The article called Cardinal Ratzinger “the strict defender of Catholic orthodoxy for the past 23 years and said he was chosen “despite a widespread assumption he was too old and divisive to win election.”

So being a defender of Catholic orthodoxy is divisive? People outside the Church just don’t get it, do they? God doesn’t change. Why should His church? We belong to a church that believes what Jesus taught. “Thou shalt not kill.” “Love one another as I have loved you.” “You are my friends if you do what I tell you.” Simple, unchangeable truths. But, someone who holds to these truths is considered “divisive”, at least by some.

But then, the Son of God was pretty divisive, too, wasn’t He? His words cost Him His earthly life. People loved Him. People hated Him. Later in John’s Gospel, He will tell the apostles that people will hate them because of Him.

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.”
“If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

Of course, those same apostles were the predecessors of today’s bishops and Pope, and Jesus was speaking to them, and to us, just as surely as He was speaking to the twelve. So, if holding to the faith is divisive, then I pray that I always have the courage to be divisive. If holding to the faith is controversial, then I pray that I always have the courage to be controversial.

The words Jesus spoke in today’s Gospel are still true today, “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak: And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

Wednesday of the 4th Week of Easter

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Isn’t it interesting that something very much like the story in today’s first reading took place in Rome yesterday? The Holy Spirit spoke to the Cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel and said, “Set apart for me Joseph Ratzinger for the work to which I have called him.”

Our new leader is chosen by God just as surely as Barnabas and Saul were chosen all those centuries ago.

Yesterday on Yahoo News the headline read “Controversial German Cardinal Elected Pope.” The article called Cardinal Ratzinger “the strict defender of Catholic orthodoxy for the past 23 years and said he was chosen “despite a widespread assumption he was too old and divisive to win election.”

So being a defender of Catholic orthodoxy is divisive? People outside the Church just don’t get it, do they? God doesn’t change. Why should His church? We belong to a church that believes what Jesus taught. “Thou shalt not kill.” “Love one another as I have loved you.” “You are my friends if you do what I tell you.” Simple, unchangeable truths. But, someone who holds to these truths is considered “divisive”, at least by some.

But then, the Son of God was pretty divisive, too, wasn’t He? His words cost Him His earthly life. People loved Him. People hated Him. Later in John’s Gospel, He will tell the apostles that people will hate them because of Him.

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.”
“If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

Of course, those same apostles were the predecessors of today’s bishops and Pope, and Jesus was speaking to them, and to us, just as surely as He was speaking to the twelve. So, if holding to the faith is divisive, then I pray that I always have the courage to be divisive. If holding to the faith is controversial, then I pray that I always have the courage to be controversial.

The words Jesus spoke in today’s Gospel are still true today, “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak: And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

Who will instruct me?

In the first reading today, Philip asks the Eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The eunuch answers, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” Don’t you feel that way, sometimes?

The scriptures can be complicated. There are a lot of foreign names and places. Sometimes different translations use different wording. Sometimes just the way words are put together is confusing. For example, this reading says “and he baptized him.” Who baptized who? We know from the context that Philip baptized the eunuch. But it could have been the other way around.

So, who is going to instruct us? Many of our protestant friends say “sola scriptura”; only the Bible. They don’t believe that they need anyone to explain the scriptures to them. But here we have the scripture telling us that we need someone to explain the scriptures.

As Catholics, we have a lot of resources we can turn to. Approved Catholic translations have foot notes, clarifying things and pointing us to other references within the Bible. 2,000 years of the teaching tradition of the Church are available to us in various commentaries and other reference books.

We have “Catholic Answers” on the radio and EWTN on radio and television. There are hundreds of web sites we can turn to, including the Vatican. Here in St. Louis, the Paul VI institute offers excellent courses on the Bible which aren’t very expensive.

My job, along with every other priest and deacon who preaches in a Catholic church is to try to explain the day’s readings. But that brings us back to the original question, “How can I unless someone instructs me?” Personally, I use all the above. But, I don’t think you should depend on me, or Mike Coppage or Father Gary for all of your scriptural interpretation needs.

If you were going on vacation, you would send away for brochures, talk to people who have been to the place you want to visit and surf the Web. Do you really want to do any less research when it comes to your eternal life?

Fighting Back

I received the following email today from my son, Tim. I think we're all feeling the pain at the gas pump. But, what to do? A friend just bought a Toyota hybrid vehicle that gets over 60 mpg, but it took him nine months to get it; not exactly an immediate solution to the problem. Tim's idea is a good one. I thought I would harness the power of the Internet. Spread the word!

My friends,
While I was at work today a friend and I were having a
discussion about the price of gas. That seems to be a
very frequent topic of conversation these days. He
told me he had an idea of how to get back at the gas
companies that are constantly rasing gas prices,
regardless of the actual quantities of gas available.
His idea was simple...buy nothing but gas. He said we
have no choice but to buy the gas, but we do not have
to buy anything else (soda, coffee, smokes, food,
ect.).
At the time it seemed like a silly idea, but I began
to crunch the numbers in my head. Think of all the
times you have gone to a gas station and bought
something other than gas. Now take the number and
multiply it by the number of people driving cars in
this country, and that dollar for a soda becomes
millions of dollars in the pockets of large oil
companies. It is this money that they use to lobby
politicians and keep us prisoners to the pump.
So put this idea into practice, and tell everybody you
know to do the same. It is not hard. You can get all
the items you buy at the gas station at other places,
and usually cheaper. Heck, there is a Walgreens every
ten feet, just go there.
It is time we fought back as consumers.

Thanks for your time,
Tim

My Beautiful Daughter

My beautiful daughter 

My kids hate it when I talk about them, but in this case I couldn't resist. My daughter sent me this picture yesterday to show me that her hair has been restored to its original color. (She's away at school.) I applied a couple of filters to the picture and this is the result.

I'm extremely proud of all four of my kids but the three boys aren't nearly as pretty.

Remembering Pope John Paul II

“And the Virgin’s name was Mary.”
Luke went out of his way in today’s Gospel to point out Jesus’ humble earthly start. The earth wasn’t a very big place in those days, but he still felt he needed to explain to his readers where Nazareth was. It was a town of Galilee; a very small town. My wife is from Hecker, IL. Whenever someone asks her where she’s from, she always has to explain where Hecker is. Nazareth was that kind of town.

She was a virgin. In those days, virgins had zero social standing. Married women didn’t have very many rights, but unmarried women had none at all. Luke tells us the girl’s name almost as an afterthought. “And the Virgin’s name was Mary.”

It’s very appropriate that we come together on this Feast of the Annunciation to celebrate the life of Pope John Paul II. Like Mary, he was born in a small town. Like Mary, he grew up in a country that was occupied by foreign invaders. Like Mary, in spite of his humble beginnings, he would change the world. And, he had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

The Committee on the Liturgy has sent word that this homily should highlight the “efforts of the Pontiff to achieve peace in the world, as well as his ecumenical outreach.” “His faithful proclamation of the Paschal mystery as well as his constant care, concern, and outreach for the poor, the sick, and oppressed should be central topics. The homily may also assist the Church to face this moment in great hope.” Wow! How am I going to do that?

Fortunately, many of us here tonight were blessed with the opportunity to see this holy man in person, right here in St. Louis. At the time, Monsignor Eichor was my spiritual advisor. He suggested that I print out the transcripts of the Holy Father’s talks while he was here and study them. I did that and I still have them in this book.

I thought tonight I’d let John Paul speak for himself.

On Tuesday, January 26, 1999, more than 20,000 young people attended a youth rally at what was then called Kiel Center. The event began early in the morning even though the Pope wouldn’t arrive until evening. The energy level was high that morning and it just got higher and higher as the day went along. The Pope received an ovation from the kids that would be the envy of any rock star.

The Holy Father began, “Your warm and enthusiastic welcome makes me very happy. It tells me that tonight the Pope belongs to you.” He talked about the Mark McGuire/Sammy Sosa home run competition of the year before and said “You can feel the same great enthusiasm as you train for a different goal: the goal of following Christ, the goal of bringing his message to the world.” Each one of you belongs to Christ and Christ belongs to you.”

He told them that he was especially pleased that so many of them had taken the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Penance that day. “Your burdens are lifted and you experience the joy of new life in Christ.”

He encouraged them to share in the Eucharist in their parishes every Sunday. “This is an essential part of your ‘training in devotion to the Lord!”

In the second part of his talk to the young people, John Paul’s theme was “light”. He told them that they are the light of the world. “But only if you are one with Jesus can you share his light and be a light to the world. Are you ready for this?”

He told them that true freedom is a gift from God and that freedom has been a “cherished part of your country’s history.” He went on, “Freedom is not the ability to do anything we want, whenever we want. Rather, freedom is the ability to live responsibly the truth of our relationship with God and with one another. Remember what Jesus said, ‘you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’”

The Holy Father ended his visit with the young people by saying, “On the horizon of this city stands the Gateway Arch, which often catches the sunlight in its different colors and hues. In a similar way, in a thousand different ways, you must reflect the light of Christ through your lives of prayer and joyful service to others. With the help of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the young people of America will do this magnificently!

Remember, Christ is calling you; the Church needs you; the Pope believes in you and he expects great things of you!

On Wednesday morning, John Paul celebrated the Mass of the Sacred Heart for what some say is the largest indoor gathering of any kind in the history of the United States, over 100,000 people.

He told the story of the first mass celebrated in St. Louis, over three hundred years earlier on the banks of the Mississippi. It was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. “These three centuries have been a history of God’s love poured out in this part of the United States and a history of generous response to that love…..St. Louis has been the Gateway to the West, but it has also been the gateway of great Christian witness and evangelical service.”

The Pope talked about the outstanding missionary activity that was begun by our first pastor, Bishop Rosati. He talked about the “numerous Religious Congregations of men and women who have labored for the Gospel with exemplary dedication, generation after generation.”

He mentioned Cardinal Ritter sending the first Fiedi Donum priests to Latin America in 1956. He said “Here, by the grace of God, charitable activities of every kind have been a vibrant part of Catholic life. He specifically mentioned the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Charities, our outstanding Catholic health care facilities and our Catholic schools.

“In the holiness and service of St. Louis’ own Ste. Philippine Duchesne, and of countless faithful priests, religious and laity since the Church’s earliest days in this area, Catholic life has appeared in all its rich and varied splendor. Nothing less is asked of you today.

“As believers, how can we fail to see that aborting, euthanasia, and assisted suicide are a terrible rejection of God’s gift of life and love? And, as believers, how can we fail to feel the duty to surround the sick and those in distress with the warmth of our affection and the support that will help them always to embrace life?”

Just as he had told the young people the night before, he emphasized the importance of the Eucharist in our lives. “The Gospel of God’s love, which we are celebrating today, finds its highest expression in the Eucharist. In the Mass and in Euchatristic Adoration, we meet the merciful love of God that passes through the Heart of Jesus Christ.”

He ended by saying,
“Mary, Mother of Mercy, teach the people of St. Louis and of the United States to say ‘yes’ to your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Mother of the Church, on the way to the Great Jubilee of the Third Millenium, be the Star which safely guides our steps to the Lord!

Virgin of Nazareth, two thousand years ago you brought into the world the Incatrnate Word: lead the men and women of the new millennium to the One who is the true light of the World! Amen.”

I have to tell you a quick story about the picture of the Pope that’s on the easel on your right. I bought it at the Bishop DuBourg High School auction. I paid $105 for it. I don’t tell you that to brag about how much money I spent. I tell you because it may give you an idea of what I think of our Holy Father. If Jan were here, she would tell you that I’m a little hesitant to spend money. If there’s something I want to buy, I’ll go to half a dozen stores to make sure that I’m getting a good deal.

But when this picture came up for bid at the auction, I knew I had to have it. Jan had gone to bid on some baskets, or something and had left me alone with the bid paddle. Once I got started, there was no way anyone else was going to buy that picture. If it had gone to $205 I still would have gotten it.

As an adult convert, John Paul II is really “my Pope.” He’s actually the third Pope since I joined the Church, but he was the first one I really paid any attention to. And to think that I was actually in the same room with him, twice, still amazes me. I know there were thousands of others there too, but I was early in my formation process in 1999 and I felt like he was speaking directly to me.

The world is a better place for Pope John Paul II’s having been here.

Annunciation of the Lord

When Mary said “yes” to God, she couldn’t have had any idea of the string of events that she was setting into motion. God’s plan for every person who would be born on earth from that day forward, including you and me, depended on a young girl saying “yes”.

Of course, she did say “yes” and we know the result.

Mary’s statement “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” can be taken two different ways. The first is the obvious, how could she conceive a child when she was still a virgin? But, there is another meaning, too. In Mary’s time, if women were second class citizens, unmarried women were third or maybe fourth class citizens. How could something as big and important as the angel described to her happen to a lowly virgin?

When you think about it, the second explanation really makes more sense than the first. The angel didn’t say these things were going to happen immediately, he just said they were going to happen. It was definitely possible for Mary to get married first. On the other hand, Mary’s fear that she was too unimportant, too insignificant to be the mother of the Most High makes sense.

What about you and me. Do we feel worthy of great things? God often calls us to do things; some big, some small. In our own way, our decisions can have far-reaching consequences. We’re all part of God’s plan.

A long time ago, a young polish boy said “yes” to God. He made the decision to become a priest. This young man’s decision also had far-reaching results. He would become a priest, then a bishop, then a cardinal and finally the Pope. Young Karol lived in oppression, first by the nazi’s and then by the communists. He saw Hitler’s tyranny replaced by another type of tyranny. It’s hard to say which one was worse.

But today, the iron curtain is gone. Poland is free. Most would say that communism was overthrown largely through the efforts of the Holy Father.
The world today is a better place because young Karol said “yes” when God called.

What about you and me? God has called every one of us for something. For some of us, He called us to be spouses and parents. Some of us were called for ordination. For the very, very fortunate, He called us to both.

God gave us free will. We can always say “no”. But, it’s in saying “yes” that every one of us helps fulfill God’s plan.

Yesterday, I met a lady at the hospital. She’s nearly 90 years old and she’s pretty sick. She wants to die. She told me she didn’t understand why God didn’t take her. We talked about Pope John Paul II. We talked about how sick he’s been, how much pain he’s been in and how his suffering, just like hers, unites them to Christ. John Paul has been an example of how a Christian responds to sharing in Christ’s suffering. I’m sure he looked forward to the day when his pain would end. But like the lady in the hospital, his work on earth wasn’t done.

My new friend has fourteen great grandchildren. I told her that they need her. They don’t want to see her go just yet. I compared that to the millions of people who love the Holy Father. We all have responsibilities to someone besides ourselves.

You never know if you’re getting through to someone. I think I got through to her. She squeezed my hand at the end of the visit and thanked me.

There are two other things you should know. One is that she isn’t Catholic. She’s Presbyterian. Since she’s in the hospital, I’m not sure she even knew that the Pope had died. The second thing is that she wasn’t on my list of patients to visit yesterday. Someone had already seen her. But her roommate was on my list and that’s who I had really come to see. Sometimes, God calls us and we don’t even know it.





I’d like to close this morning with a quote:

I find great peace in thinking of the time when the Lord will call me: from life to life!
And so I often find myself saying, with no trace of melancholy, a prayer recited by priests after the celebration of the Eucharist: At the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to you. This is the prayer of Christian hope, which in no way detracts from the joy of the present, while entrusting the future to God's gracious and loving care.
“Bid me come to you!”: this is the deepest yearning of the human heart, even in those who are not conscious of it
Grant, O Lord of life, that we may be ever vividly aware of this and that we may savour every season of our lives as a gift filled with promise for the future.
Grant that we may lovingly accept your will, and place ourselves each day in your merciful hands.
And when the moment of our definitive “passage” comes, grant that we may face it with serenity, without regret for what we shall leave behind. For in meeting you, after having sought you for so long, we shall find once more every authentic good which we have known here on earth, in the company of all who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and hope.
Mary, Mother of pilgrim humanity, pray for us “now and at the hour of our death”. Keep us ever close to Jesus, your beloved Son and our brother, the Lord of life and glory.
Amen!
John Paul II
Letter to the Elderly
From the Vatican, 1 October 1999.

John Paul II

As the world prepares for the inevitable passing of the Holy Father, I'm reminded of his visit to St. Louis in 1999. I will alway remember the affect he had on the young people who attended his youth rally. The rally began in the morning though he wasn't scheduled to arrive until early evening.

His plane touched down at Lambert Field at around noon. When the image of the Papal plane touching down was shown on the big screen tv, the kids went wild. The noise was deafening. And this was just a television picture of his airplane.

As the time approached for his arrival, the television screen showed his progress as he traveled from the Archbishop's residence to the arena. The closer he got, the louder the kids got. By the time his Popemobile entered the building, the sound was incredible. And it just got louder as the Pope moved from the Popemobile to a golf cart and actually entrered the arena.

No rock star, no sports celebrity, no one ever received a welcome like that! The amazing thing was that the Pope was obviously tired. He had begun the day in Mexico City and was ending it in St. Louis. But, as his strength seemed to wane, the crowd noise would hit a crescendo and you could see the man absorb the energy of the crowd. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. The Holy Father and 20,000 kids were drawing strengh from each other. JP was absorbing the kids' physical energy and they were absorbing his spiritual energy. I'll never forget it.

I was priveledged to attend the youth rally and mass the following morning. The third major event was a prayer service at the Cathedral Basilica. I wasn't able to attend that event but planned to watch it on television. I'm almost 30 years younger than the Pope. He arrived at the Cathedral and that's all I saw. I fell asleep. The man was like the Energizer bunny. He just kept going and going and going. Fortunately I had set the VCR so I was able to watch the prayer service later.

When it was time for him to leave St. Louis, arrangements had been made to lift him up to the door of the aircraft with a lift truck. But, he refused the assist, insisting on climbing the portable stairs and waving one last time to the faithful who had gathered to see him off.

He was, and is, a special man.

God bless you, John Paul. As the 20,000 young people chanted over and over at the youth rally, JP II, we love you.