Notes for the next broadcast

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Extremadura.
Like Mother, like Son.

The bambino, Rocco, and St. Joseph

Sitz im leben

Christmas Season: "Jubilation!"

• Liturgical year.

December 17

• Nine days to Christmas. The readings for these last eight days of Advent are very specially chosen for this last week of prayer and meditation on the two Advents of Jesus (His advent in humility and His advent in glory at the end of time).
• Christopher Janiak from Facebook, Tuesday's show at the end: Trying to stump Fr. Marty today. :) Why do some animals experience pain if they aren't guilty of original sin?
• We might talk about retreats as a classic Catholic method of refreshing ourselves spiritually (followup to the questions asked by Carlos from Melrose on the 10th).
• We might also consider following up on Jason's question about how to recognize problem drinking and how to help someone who seems to have a problem (cf. The Twelve Steps).

From e-mail and Facebook

• Dennis Z. from Facebook: A coworker of mine recently joined a non-demominatial church. She lots of questions about the Catholic faith. For the most part I can answer them. If I can't, I check the Catechism. This might be in there but I haven't found it yet. Her group seems the kind that always asks, "Where does it it say that in the bible?". She is questioning why we call our priests father when in the bIble it says don't call anybody father on earth. Can you help me out with an explanation?

Wednesday 15 December

Special Guest: Dr. Dan Mruzek

• Chris from Texas:
  • Why does each vestment a priest wear (ex: amice,cincture, alb, stole, chasuble) have a special meaning behind it?
  • Why do some parishes have a crucifix on the altar facing the priest when they celebrate Mass? Thanks!
• "Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor. Act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you inquire about someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less." - C.S. Lewis. (4:09 PM)
• Bridget from Buffalo: Has a little girl with down syndrome. Could Dan speak of how to best prepare her for the sacrament of Confession and First Communion. She is really like a three year old.
• Nora from Williamsville, NY: My nephew is 10 and has high-functioning autism. We were blessed to be able to go from Buffalo to NJ a few years ago for his First Holy Communion, and he truly enjoys being an altar server now. Brilliant boy, and we love him! Thanks for your work, Dr. Mruzek, having a doctor like you is a blessing to patients and their families!
• Evanka from East Amherst: has a grandson with Aspberger what would be the best way to teach him the Our father?
• Rita from North Tonawanda: Q: her daughter is turning 20 been dealing with Epilepsy, feels that she doesn't have a handle on her diagnosis & needs help to understand exactly what her condition is.
• Jason from Florida: Good afternoon, Dr. Mruzek, Father, Gina, and listeners. I vote B.) I believe more needs to be done. Our parish is very small and most of the parishoners are elderly who do not attend events and functions very often because they no longer d...rive or don't drive at night. A number of them make use of wheelchairs, walkers, etc. In order to create a strong, vibrant parish life, we need to involve them more and make it easier for them to attend functions and events. Also, the Crossing the Goal Playbook sounds awesome! Whoever wins will be very fortunate to receive it. Intended for men, but can be given as a gift, too. I really hope that I win! Thanks and God bless!
• Bob from Boston: 1060 AM Radio. About his son with Asbergers, concern that he has never been diagnosed because he was always very functional but from this discussion it sounds like he has some of the symptoms. Could you please elaborate.
• Autism Society of America
• Does Dr. Mruzek have a web site? Not his own, but here is his contact information.
• Nora from Facebook: I'm voting "A" for the poll. We belong to St. Greg's in Williamsville, and they've done so much to reach out to all members of the community. We offer a sign language interpretation at one Mass every week, assistive listening systems at every Mass, large print hymnals, accessible doors, bathrooms and parking, as well as a ministry group for people with disablilties and their families.

Tuesday 14 December

• Chris from Texas:
  • Why isn't Eucharistic Prayer I used more often by priests when they celebrate Mass? It is such a beautiful Eucharistic Prayer with a lot of meaning and symbolism.
  • When can a votive mass be celebrated and what type of votive masses are there for a priest to choose from to use?
• Jason from Florida: With regards to drinking alcohol, how much is too much? When does it become sinful? How can I explain to my friends that drinking too much has a negative effect on a person's relationship with God:
• Amanda: Hi Father, thanks for that history lesson and for celebrating the Mass with us.
• Lisa from Buffalo: Driving. Couldn't stay on. Wants to know if having a cough drop or a piece of gum to quench the cough before communion is OK .
• The Hobbit just called He said he is sorry but he does not think that he will be able to make it ; He is stuck on the Grand Island Thruway Bridge.
• Alice from Batavia: about the new missals coming out next year. Q: will the daily readings be the same?
• call: Why is our Friday afternoon call screener called a hobbit?
• Chris. Rochester. Trying to stump Fr. Marty today. Fr. Marty, why do some animals experience pain if they aren't guilty of original sin?
• Mary. Buffalo. Q: Were John & Jesus born on about the same time?
• John. Depew. wrote into FACEBOOK a couple wks. ago & wants to catch up with Father about his progress with reading the BIBLE for the first time in his life.
• Lisa from Depew called again wants to know if her question (about having gum before taking Holy Communion for stop a cough Ok) answered already.

Friday 10 December

• Carlos from Melrose, MA: Father, I'm considering attending a guided spiritual retreat early next year. The last retreat I attended was in high school over 20 years ago. What should I expect during a guided retreat (that has long periods of silence and solitude) and more importantly, what should I do to prepare for it?
• Shawn from Buffalo: Question for the show - can you explain the special favor or whatever for having the Divine Mercy painting in your home?
• Jason from Florida: Did the angels need a savior?
• Buddy from Athol, MA: A couple of wks. ago Fr. Moleski mentioned various Eastern Rights and there are four in the U.S.
• Kathy from Buffalo: Q: What is temporal punishment?
• Carol from Depew: Her 5 year old grand-daughter wants to know "who made God?"
• Scott from Rochester 1. wants a synopsis of Today's Reading. 2. Q: As a priest in a confessional what would you say to a woman who's had an abortion? What type of Penance would you give? 3. What are the requirements for making a Good Confession.
• Followup: Father what are the Steps to making a good confession? What to say first ? And How to finish.
• Mike from e-mail: Can you explain why and what the different practices that john of the cross rite Catholics follow. I've seen 1 person receive Eucharist on their knees once and wondered why.

10 December

Last Week's Show

• John from Cheektowaga: "I believe today is your patron saint's feast day… Can you elaborate a little on Saint Frances Xavier in today’s show."
• John B from e-mail: Can Fr. Marty briefly discuss a 'Faith & Reason' man of God whose feast day was celebrated a few weeks ago? St. Albert the Great.
• Jason from Ohio who lives in Orlando: "Is it good or bad to make children believe in Santa?"
• Scott from Rochester: How do the benefactor cards work?
• Nora from Williamsville: On this feast of St. Francis Xavier, praying for missionaries. Special prayers for my mom's cousin, who is my Godfather, a Jesuit and long time missionary, Fr. Bill Scanlon. Happy Feast Day!
• Rocco: I like to develop the mythos behind him - like Tolkien's Santa Letters to his kids.
• Bob from Boston: Wants to discuss the etymology of 'Santa Claus'
  • How St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus.
• Jon E. from Amherst: Has a question about Acts of Penance during Advent.
• Chris from In his car in New Hampshire: Would like father to explain the Santos verse and has a question on Plenary indulgence.
• Carlos from Melrose, MA: Father, I'm considering attending a guided spiritual retreat early next year. The last retreat I attended was in high school over 20 years ago. What should I expect during a guided retreat (that has long periods of silence and solitude) and more importantly, what should I do to prepare for it?
• Barbara from Greece, NY: Wants to ask why St. Barbara (who's feast is tomorrow) is so ignored.
• John from Olean: The secular santa appears in the 1860's. Harpers Weekly published a drawing of a santa dressed similar to what we know, distributing gifts to soldiers in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In our house growing up santa was always portrayed as a bishop. My parents even left chocolate "gold coins" in our stockings.
• POLCTROTICFBTB&B: "I was in Prague for St. Wenceslaus feast day - a national holiday!"
• Shawn from Buffalo: "Can you explain the special favor or whatever for having the Divine Mercy painting in your home?"

3 December

• Feast of St. Francis Xavier, SJ. Best friend of St. Ignatius Loyola, SJ, founder of the Society of Jesus. "What does it profit a man to gain the wealth of the world but lose his own soul?"
• Bishop Kmiec's blog.

The Treasury of Extra Questions

We have had many questions that either come too late in the show or that need research to answer. We often say, "Tune in next week and we'll deal with that in more depth"--but we haven't always kept our promise. The purpose of this page is to make a list of those questions for future reference. If we run low on callers or current questions, we can always dip into this reservoir to keep the conversation going.

Top Five

Limbo

• Dave from Amherst: "What is the Church's teaching about what happens to innocent children who die before they are baptized? It seems impossible that God would deny them eternal happiness--especially all of the children murdered by abortionists."

Verbum Domini

• Apostolic Exhortation by Bendedict XVI (November 2010).

Christian Anger Management

• Anonymous from Buffalo: "I feel enraged by a remark someone made against adoption because my mother and her siblings were all adopted. Is this a sin?"
  • MXM: No. Cf. Christian anger management

Make the change you want to see in others

• Jennifer from Facebook: "We Catholics should not complain about what others are or are not doing. 'Be the change you wish to see in the world.'"

When is it right to lie?

• Kevin in Buffalo: "I know the question of lying has sometimes come up on the radio show. May we may lie to a murderer at the door?

"Twelve Baskets, full ..."

Children of lesbians in Catholic school?

• Peter from Buffalo: How do you feel about the Catholic school that allowed the child of two lesbians to enroll in it?

Catechetics in the Modern World

• Awesome Lawson from Town of Tonawanda: As someone who works directly with College students, what advice could you give someone who is going to teach religion classes to high school students? What areas of catechesis/evangelization do you see most lacking in college students that should be addressed in high school?

Priestly Celibacy

• Dawn from e-mail: Our family went to a Mass on Sunday in which the priest gave his personal opinion from the pulpit regarding celibacy, "The Church needs to change!"...he charged.

Liberation Theology

• N.W. from e-mail: Could you please comment on the Gamaliel Foundation, Liberation Theology, Saul Alinsky and "Rules for Radicals" dedicated to Lucifer. Voice Buffalo is a local, faith based community affiliate of the Gamaliel Foundation. It seems at times that the Gamaliel Foundation and Voice Buffalo are in direct conflict with Church teaching. Please note that a Catholic Priest and a Catholic Charities Executive are in Voice Buffalo leadership positions.
  • "Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history... the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom--Lucifer" ("Rules for Radicals").
  • Some reflections on Liberation Theology.
  • Obama's radical roots in ACORN and Gamaliel.

Catholicism and other religions

• John Z. from Facebook: "If the messages is to go out and teach all nations and baptize them, isn't the ultimate goal of the Gospel to teach all about Christ? So in our tolerance of other religions and faiths, we still try to teach Christ? Isn't the ultimate end, to have all believe in Jesus? I know it is only by God's doing that this would happen not by us. Yet in the Gospel Jesus commissions the disciples to do that. I guess its like on one hand are faith says go out teach people, but don't teach people out of respect for their beliefs . It is like relativism has found its way in. I understand that it is love to be tolerant, but even in our tolerance, deep down aren't we really trying to get others to see Jesus as Lord and savior?"
  • "If we are, then are we really tolerant?"

Disparity of cult (mixed marriages)

• Anonymous from east of Buffalo: "I have a friend who is a recent convert and she wanted her husband to validate their marriage in the Catholic church and he refused (they were married in a Protestant church). How does the church view this marriage? Is their marriage still adulterous since her intention is good? I would think her role as a spouse is to bring him into the church. She is at the verge of divorce and this almost seems to be her justification for leaving, since their marriage was never valid in the Church anyways. Help! Thanks so much!"

Dealing with a Teenage Daughter's Doubts

Sarajane from Facebook: "I am struggling with my children and their questions about our faith. My thirteen-year-old daughter is at an 'Mom doesn't know about nothing' stage and is even questioning God's existence. She says, 'Why should I believe what's in the bible when only men wrote it?' I am troubled and become frustrated in my responses. I am diving into my faith to learn learn learn so as to become stronger for my own sake and especially that of my children. Do you have any advice on materials, responses etc? Thank you! May God bless you and all the listeners! P.S. I listen daily." Sarah.

No Room for Resentments

John Carlin, 1998.
Used by permission.

John from Cheektowaga

John sent me a picture he painted of two of his dogs acting as guardians at the 12th gate of Heaven. That got me thinking about who the real obstacles are to our entry into Heaven: everyone whom we refuse to forgive. The same issue came up in last Sunday's readings about the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Sons.

Mary and the Gospel of John

Dennis from Facebook

Dennis noted how the four gospels are different from each other and wondered whether there might be a Marian influence in the gospel of John.

Consolation and Desolation

• Zvoncica Z. from Facebook: "I wonder what to do in those moments of darkness when prayers don't help and everything goes wrong no matter how hard you try. You feel separated from God as if He didn't care. You need Him and He doesn't reply. I'm so desperate ..."
  • Notes on Consolation and Desolation.

Conditions of a Valid Marriage

• Mary from Rochester (two weeks ago)): Wants to know if a couple that's living together, contracepting, etc, then wind up getting married with no intention of ceasing the contraception have a valid marriage.
• See Canon law, especially canon 1061 and canon 1101.

Exegesis

• What do you think of the claim that dogma is more certain than Scripture study?
  • Exegesis

Evolution

Monogenism

Kevin from Buffalo: What are your thoughts on this article, particularly the points about monogenism?

• It dogmatizes science and relativizes dogma:

"Subsequent research into genomics, however, has settled this question against Pius. It's not that scientists cannot trace human ancestry back far enough to an Adam and Eve; it's that in principle, the level of genetic variation present in the species today rules out a founding population with fewer than several thousand individuals."

Where did that "founding population" come from? A miracle of mass mutation?

Church and state in Heaven

• John Z. from Facebook: "I wondered if there will be a separation of church and state in heaven? Will there be church in heaven? Will there be state in heaven? If we are to spread the good news and teach all nations, in the perfect Kingdom would you say there wouldn't be a separation? It seems through out the churches history there has been trouble when the church and state were together. Yet in the perfect kingdom, as in heaven, wouldn't there be no need for either church or state?"

The New Atheists Go Overboard

Kevin from Buffalo

I thought you might appreciate these articles by Brendan O'Neill, an atheist humanist and editor of Spiked:

• "Turning the pope into an Antichrist for atheists."
• "How the New Atheists are abusing the truth."

Eucharistic Desecration Videos

• Kevin from Buffalo: I thought you might be interested in this petition to ask YouTube to remove eucharist desecration videos.

Medical Ethics

• Jack T. from e-mail: "Fr. Marty, I was reading the most recent TIME magazine last night, and there was a short article about some 'breakthrough success' in fertility. It is amazing how the language totally denies the humanity of embryos."

Pitch for the Magnificat

• Matt from Colorado (e-mail): "I love the show on podcast and also the Magnificat. I got a subscription to it and go through the Mass readings and prayers within it daily. I love it and hope you can pass along all about it to your listeners. If I won the lottery, I would buy a subscription for everyone I know and donate more subscriptions to churches everywhere. I first picked it up in the Adoration Chapel at my Church. It was laying there and I was really knocked off my feet by it. I ran home and subscribed immediately. I can totally tell the difference in my spirituality and closeness to God. I feel myself really craving getting to the Eucharist as often as I can. Great, great reading and very interesting too. I love the integration of the lives/stories of the Saints and Blesseds. I bought my Mom a subscription too."

On Second Thought

I often think of better answers to questions after the show is over. This is called "l'esprit de l'escalier," (French: "the spirit of the staircase") because lawyers so often think of the best arguments to have made while walking down the staircase leading away from the courthouse.

Catholicism and Judaism

• Sam from Buffalo: "Hi Father. Earlier this week I heard someone talking briefly about Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Christianity. I was wondering if you could tell me anything more about them, and where they 'fit in.' Thanks so much!"
  • Second Exodus website
  • The Christian Deliteralization of the Old Testament
  • Association of Hebrew Catholics

Coping with wayward family members

Cindy from Facebook: One of her daughters has become a Lutheran; the other daughter, who is Catholic, has decided to cut off communication with her Lutheran sister. What can Cindy do to bring her Lutheran daughter back to the Church?

• I've had a lot of experience with the 12-step programs. The first step tells us that we are powerless over other people (see 2 Cor 12:10): "When [I know that] I am weak, then I am strong." Your children have a God and a Savior, and it's not you. You are of course correct that Lutheranism is a sadly diminished form of Catholicism, but if you could nag your daughter into coming home, you would not be talking to me--she would be back already.
• Let go and let God.
• Say the Serenity Prayer.
• Pray to St. Monica (today's saint).
• Pray in reparation for your own sins, then pray in reparation for the sins of your family.
• Pray the Infallible Prayer, "Thy will, not mine, be done."
• Recognize that "unsolicited advice is criticism." If we could nag people into good behavior, we wouldn't need a Savior.
• Pray that God will place someone else in their lives to convert them. Don't doubt God's power to save them, despite the deficiencies of the Lutheran tradition. We are not saved by our Church membership but by the love of God poured into our hearts through the death and resurrection of Jesus. He died to save them; He knows how to save them. Pray with St. Faustina, "Jesus, I trust in you."

What about the prophecies about the Antichrist?

• John from Cheektowaga: "I wished I had stayed on the phone the other day to do a follow-up (I did not want to hog all the air-time). I wasn’t looking for a speculation of WHEN the end time will be – I know our Lord Jesus said that not even the angels or saints know, but only the Father knows the day and the hour."
  • MXM: The advantage of staying on the phone is that you get to rephrase your question as we go along. If we think you're hogging the air, we'll thank you for your call and hang up on you.  :-O
• I was just looking for comment on how really interwoven all of history is (past, present & future); all events detailed in prophesy. I thought that the little book “History of Antichrist” was extremely well presented. It listed each important prophet as indicated in Sacred Scripture, what various interpretations can their words possibly mean, which church fathers, saints, doctorens, traditions, commentators through to the med 1800’s (when the book was written), etc., to include conjectures as to meanings of their statements, and, how it relates to the antichrist. The book is not bad news, but it does say, when the antichrist does come it is going to be a terrible 3 ½ years before Jesus comes and put a stop to his deceit. Many will be swayed – think of the Jews who are still looking for the coming of the Messiah (all part of God’s grand mysterious plan).
  • MXM: The Church is completely agnostic about the sequence of events at the end of the world.

The book of Revelation and other apocalyptic passages were written to comfort people who were suffering for the sake of Jesus. The message is, "Hang on. Your sufferings will be rewarded. You will reign with Jesus in glory." That message was valid in the first century and in every age since wherever disciples suffer for Jesus.

In other words, the material is about the present, NOT the future.

• The world will be tricked unless one's faith is strong.
  • MXM: We don't need "strong" faith. Putting faith in the strength of our faith is a huge mistake. No act of faith is greater than the size of a mustard seed when compared to the glory of the one in whom we place our trust.

Johnny Cash and the End of the World

Kevin in Buffalo: What do you think of the Johnny Cash song, "The Man Comes Around"?

The meaning of fiction

Matt from Colorado asked about (e-mail about The Shack). Second thoughts: interpreting fiction.

Purgatory

• Purgatory