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My Prayer Box
for All Souls Day
from My
Catholic Tradition
“You cannot strengthen the
weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help the
wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You
cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You
cannot help men permanently by doing for them what
they could and should do for themselves.” -
Abraham Lincoln
To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow this
link. |
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If there is no God |
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What happens when people stop believing in God?
Find out from this excerpt of the article written by
Dennis Prager, a conservation thinker and Radio Talk Show host, published in
WorldNetDaily,
August 19, 2008 |
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We are constantly
reminded about the destructive consequences of
religion – intolerance, hatred, division,
inquisitions, persecutions of "heretics," holy
wars. Though far from the whole story, they are,
nevertheless, true. There have been many awful
consequences of religion.
What one almost never hears described are the
deleterious consequences of secularism – the
terrible developments that have accompanied the
breakdown of traditional religion and belief in
God. For every thousand students who learn about
the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem Witch
Trials, maybe two learn to associate Gulag,
Auschwitz, the Cultural Revolution and the
Cambodian genocide with secular regimes and
ideologies.
For all the problems associated with belief in
God, the death of God leads to far more of them.
So, while it is not
possible to prove (or disprove) God's existence,
what is provable is what happens when people
stop believing in God.
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1. |
Without God, there is no
good and evil; there are only subjective
opinions that we then label "good" and "evil."
This does not mean that an atheist cannot be a
good person. Nor does it mean that all those
who believe in God are good; there are good
atheists and there are bad believers in God.
It simply means that unless there is a moral
authority that transcends humans from which
emanates an objective right and wrong, "right"
and "wrong" no more objectively exist than do
"beautiful" and "ugly." |
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Without God, there is no
objective meaning to life. We are all merely
random creations of natural selection whose
existence has no more intrinsic purpose or
meaning than that of a pebble equally randomly
produced. |
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3. |
Life is ultimately a
tragic fare if there is no God. We live, we
suffer, we die – some horrifically, many
prematurely – and there is only oblivion
afterward. |
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4. |
Human beings need
instruction manuals. This is as true for
acting morally and wisely as it is for
properly flying an airplane. One's heart is
often no better a guide to what is right and
wrong than it is to the right and wrong way to
fly an airplane. The post-religious secular
world claims to need no manual; the heart and
reason are sufficient guides to leading a good
life and to making a good world. |
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5. |
If there is no God, the
kindest and most innocent victims of torture
and murder have no better a fate after death
than do the most cruel torturers and mass
murderers. Only if there is a good God do
Mother Teresa and Adolf Hitler have different
fates. |
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6. |
With the death of
Judeo-Christian values in the West, many
Westerners believe in little. That is why
secular Western Europe has been unwilling and
therefore unable to confront evil, whether it
was Communism during the Cold War or Islamic
totalitarians in its midst today. |
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To read the rest of the
article,
please click here. |
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Why
We do what We Do |
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Is
the Pope Infallible? |
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The Catechism of the
Catholic Church (2035)
is clear on this:
"The supreme degree
of participation in the authority of Christ
is ensured by the charism of infallibility.
This infallibility extends as far as does
the deposit of divine Revelation; it also
extends to all those elements of doctrine,
including morals, without which the saving
truths of the faith cannot be preserved,
explained, or observed."
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In
Mt 16:18-19
"And so I say to
you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church, and the gates of the
netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the
keys to the kingdom of heaven…"
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In
Jn 14:16- 17
"And I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another
Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit
of truth, which the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows it. But
you know it, because it remains with you,
and will be in you,"
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Jesus declares that God
the Holy Spirit protects His Church and its
head from error.
Infallibility means
that the pope can make infallible, binding
pronouncements under certain conditions.
However this does not mean that absolutely
everything a pope says is free from error. All
Christians believe that God protected the
inspired Words in Holy Scripture from error,
by means of inspiration, even though sinful,
fallible men wrote it and are involved in it.
Vatican I (1869-1870)
and reaffirmed in Vatican II (1962-1965)
taught the infallibility of the pope, when "he
proclaims by a definitive act some doctrine of
faith and morals," not Church customs or
things of everyday life. And even in those
matters, infallibility comes into play only
when the pope "proclaims by definitive act,"
or issues a formal, public statement. An
offhand comment over lunch does not count.
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There are other modes of
Papal In fallibility, on matters of faith and
morals already declared without error:
- When the
bishops are united with the pope in an
ecumenical council, to teach infallibly on
matters of faith and morals.
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The pope and the bishops do not have to meet
in a council to teach without error. The
Holy Spirit guarantees they will teach truly
whenever they re-iterate what the Church
always has taught
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For
the article,
please click here. |
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Our
Faith: What you might want to know |
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Omnipotence and Creation |
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The Office of Catechism
of the United States Congress of Catholic Bishops
website puts our knowledge of the Catholic
Faith to a test! |
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1. |
What is the one
divine attribute
of God specifically named in the Nicene Creed? |
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2. |
True or false.
The fact of our sins places a limitation on
God’s power.
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3. |
True or false.
God is indirectly the cause of moral evil.
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4. |
God’s glory
consists in: |
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man fully alive. |
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his becoming all in
all. |
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our becoming his
sons through Jesus Christ. |
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d. |
showing forth and
communicating his goodness. |
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e. |
All of the above. |
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5. |
The dispositions by
which
God guides
all his creatures with wisdom and love to
their ultimate end is called: |
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destiny |
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b. |
fate |
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c. |
predestination
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d. |
providence |
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e. |
c and d |
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6. |
True or false.
Having created the universe, the universe
needs no act of God’s power to keep it in
existence. |
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7. |
True or false.
God’s Divine Providence is concerned only with the
larger tapestry of one’s future, and not with the
day-to-day incidentals of one’s existence. |
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8. |
True or false.
God may override the freedom of man in order
to accomplish his will through their actions.
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9. |
True or false.
God can cause good to come from evil, even a
moral evil.
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10. |
Which of the following
is the proper Christian answer to the
problem of evil?
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The goodness of
creation. |
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The redemptive
Incarnation of Jesus. |
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c. |
The gift of the Holy
Spirit. |
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d. |
The power of the
Sacraments. |
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e. |
All of the above. |
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To
learn more about Our Faith, please
click here. |
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All Souls Day
November 2,
2008
For this
is the will of my Father, that
everyone who sees the Son and
believes in him may have eternal
life, and I shall raise him on the
last day.
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First Reading
from the Book of Wisdom |
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Wis 3:1-9 |
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The souls of the
just are in the hand of God, and no
torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the
view of the foolish, to be dead; and their
passing away was thought an affliction and
their going forth from us, utter
destruction.
But they are in
peace. For if before men, indeed, they be
punished, yet is their hope full of
immortality; chastised a little, they
shall be greatly blessed, because God
tried them and found them worthy of
himself.
As gold in the
furnace, he proved them, and as
sacrificial offerings he took them to
himself.
In the time of
their visitation they shall shine, and
shall dart about as sparks through
stubble; they shall judge nations and rule
over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust
in him shall understand truth, and the
faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy
ones, and his care is with his elect. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms |
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Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4,
5, 6 |
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R. The Lord is my
shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear
no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear
no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear
no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear
no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear
no evil, for you are with me. |
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Second Reading from
the Letter to the Romans |
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Rom 5:5-11 |
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Brothers and sisters:
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God
has been poured out into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were
still helpless, died at the appointed time for the
ungodly.
Indeed, only with
difficulty does one die for a just person, though
perhaps for a good person one might even find
courage to die.
But God proves his love
for us in that while we were still sinners Christ
died for us.
How much more then, since
we are now justified by his Blood, will we be
saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God through the
death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that, but we
also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation. |
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Rom 6:3-9 |
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Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with
him through baptism into death, so that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a
death like his, we shall also be united with him
in the resurrection.
We know that our old self
was crucified with him, so that our sinful body
might be done away with, that we might no longer
be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has
been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died
with Christ, we believe that we shall also live
with him.
We know that Christ,
raised from the dead, dies no more; death no
longer has power over him. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of John |
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Jn 6:37-40 |
Jesus said to the
crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come
to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes
to me, because I came down from heaven not to
do my own will but the will of the one who
sent me.And
this is the will of the one who sent me, that
I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
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But that I should raise
it on the last day.
For this is the will
of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son
and believes in him may have eternal life, and
I shall raise him on the last day.”
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Suggested Readings |
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intersection of
morality, reason, and politics. This isn’t
just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who
cares about the state of America’s soul —and
how that concern might shape the 2008
elections.”
—John
L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican
correspondent, Amazon |
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Happiness Is a Serious
Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual
by Dennis Prager.
In this unique blend of self-help and moral
philosophy, talk-radio host Dennis Prager
asserts that we're actually obligated to be
happy, because it makes us better people.
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Praying With Frederic Ozanam
(Companions for the Journey Series)
-
Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) |
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Praying With Louise De
Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series)
by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves
(Author) |
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Praying with Vincent de
Paul (Companions for the Journey)
2004, by Thomas McKenna
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The Rise of Christianity:
How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became
the Dominant Religious Force ....
(Paperback) by Rodney Stark
(Author)
From the Publisher
"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire is already the
subject of much fanfare. |
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"Anyone who has puzzled
over Christianity's rise to dominance... must
read it,"
...
Read the first page. |
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Living Liturgy:
Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for
Sundays and Solemnities, Year A,
2008 (Paperback) by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann Zimmerman
(Author), Thomas A. Greisen (Author), S.N.D. de
N. Kathleen Harmon (Author), M.S. Thomas L.
Leclerc (Author) |
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"Perfect for home use or to prepare for weekly
liturgy . . . It includes help for the
celebration, ideas for catechesis on the
particular event, and ways to understand the
readings more deeply. Finally, it includes
sample questions from which priests, deacons,
lay groups, ministers and others can jump off
into deeper discussion." |
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Straight Answers, Answers
to 100 Questions about the Catholic Faith
by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by: Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of
Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response to the many questions concerning
the Catholic Church. It spells out profound
truths in very |
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simple language for all who seek a better
understanding of their Faith. I highly recommend
it for Catholics, both young and old. |
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The Power of Intention:
Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon:
After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and |
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bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel:
Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
as it walks you through a pivotal period in
Israel’s history, and illustrative maps will
give you a better picture of the physical
geography of this ancient land. |
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Read
more about the Liturgical Year |
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The Origins of the
Liturgical Year (Pueblo Books)
by Thomas J. Talley (Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year. |
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The Cultural World
of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C.
(Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus:
Sunday by Sunday)
by John J. Pilch (Author)
Reader
Review: The book by Pilch provides those
who not only fill the pulpits across this
country but also all interested in the
cultural world in which Jesus lived with a
lot of pertinent information that sheds
light on a lot of areas that have been
"muddled" in the past. Yes, I highly
recommend this book. - James Mauldin |
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Learn
more and read the Old Testament. |
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Preaching from the
Old Testament
by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader
Review: The author of these thirty-two
short chapters begins and ends with the
assumption that problems we experience
with the Old Testament are our problem,
not the Bible's. This subordinating of the
Bible reader to the well-weathered book he
holds in his hand opens doors, not to
forced |
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harmonisations of problematic
passages, but to fresh reappraisal of
difficult texts on their own terms. -
David A. Baer |
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The Navarre Bible:
Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old
Testament)
This volume helps
you make the first five books of the Old
Testament a vital part of your spiritual
reading and practical growth in the
Christian life. It contains the full
English and Latin texts of these books,
along with extensive and
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faithfully Catholic
commentaries. Like other volumes in the
world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these
commentaries draw on Church documents, the
exegesis of Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the works of
contemporary spiritual writers — particularly
St. Josemaría Escrivá, who initiated the
Navarre Bible project. |
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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