Notes for the next broadcast

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Our Lady of Guadalupe, Extremadura.
Like Mother, like Son.
The bambino, Rocco, and St. Joseph

Sitz im leben

Ordinary Time: "Come, follow me."

   

January 14

Z: draft.

  • Preface to Fourth Eucharistic Prayer
  • This is the beginning of my fourth year as the Friday priest: January 11, 2008, was my first show.
  • Scott from Rochester, NY: Can people preselect gospel readings for their funeral?
  • Jason from Orlando, FL: Byzantine Liturgical New Year is Sept. 1. It's based on the Ancient Byzantine secular calendar.

From e-mail and Facebook

  • John Z. from Facebook: What does ones Saint do for him? Maybe he has something to with my interest in the faith? I don't know. I would like to learn more. I hope you can help me.

Last Week's Show

  • Christopher W. from e-mail:
1.) Why do bishops sometimes wear a red cassock under their vestments when they celebrate Mass?
  • "Cassock".
  • "[The cassock is a] floor-length garment worn by clergy. The Roman style has 33 buttons (representing Christ’s 33 years on Earth). It is black for priests, purple for bishops, red for cardinals, white for the pope. The purple cassock for bishops has red cuffs on the sleeves. It is known as the “choir cassock” and may be worn under the alb and on its own for special ceremonies when the bishop is not celebrating mass. Cardinals and bishops also have a 'house cassock' that is black with red or purple piping. The house cassock is worn for non-liturgical occasions."[1]
2.) Is it okay for a priest to tell someone who is struggling with their Catholic faith to take a "break" from practicing their faith?
  • Mark C. in Boston from e-mail: Hello, My question is regarding piercings. Does the Church have any official teaching on piercings, and if so are there any Old Testament antecedents for it? Thanks so much.
  • Michael from Batavia: His daughter just informed him that she was gay and he would like advice on how to respond.
  • John from Olean: Has a question regarding St. Anslem in his treatment on the problem of Evil, and how would he view natural disasters in light of that?
  • Kathleen from Youngstown: Is a social worker and finds herself counciling people on the possibly of divorce as a good thing for people who are in negative/abusive marriages.
  • Gabriel from East Amherst: What are father's thoughts about eulogies at Catholic funerals?
  • Jason from Orlando: Is Confession part of First Friday devotion?
  • Carlos from Melrose, MA: Father, as I try to develop a more consistent prayer life, I’m somewhat overwhelmed by all the choices – Vocal Prayers, Rosary, Liturgy of the Hours, Christian Meditation, prayers from the Saints, etc. – all of which are highly recommended ...in one way or another. On the other hand, I have only so much time as a husband, father, working professional, catechist, etc., and all of these prayers can take up a lot of time during the day if done correctly. Aside from the Mass, does the Church place more value over one type of prayer over another where I should focus on that type of prayer? How does one balance all their life commitments and prayer without feeling guilty that they may not be giving God enough time? Thank you and God bless!
  • Desiree from Hemet [Rhymes with Emmet], CA: In the chaplet of St. Michael, she wants to know if the reference to principalities has any relation to the reference in Ephesians.
  • Dave from Fairport, NY: A Chruch in the area took Christ off the Cruicifix and they're hanging him from the ceiling. He wants to know if this is legitimate.

7 January

Merry Christmas! It is still the Christmas season until Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord. Today is also Christmas day for many Orthodox Christians (!).

6 January

Tuesdays and Thursdays: "Passionate Polish Pastoral Apologetics."

  • Gina: Discussion of the Twelve Days of Christmas; the difference between the Western feast of Epiphany and the Eastern feast of Theophany (Baptism of the Lord).
  • Sal from Medford. He just discovered the station. He's going on a Cursillo retreat and wants to know what father's opinion is about that?
    • Cursillos de Cristiandad: "A short course in Christianity." Begun by Spanish laymen in 1944; first English Cursillo was given in 1961.
  • Jason from Orlando on the Internet: he read someplace that in the old days they used to celebrate the nativity, the three kings, and the baptism of Our Lord all in one day. What does father say about that?
  • Gary from WQOM, New Bedford, MA.: When a priest is being ordained he receives the gift of the Spirit, so what does a deacon receive?
  • Amy from Buffalo: The sign between the initials for the three Kings is not plusses ++ but the sign of Cross.
  • Pauline from Tonawanda: Father was talking about the 12 days of christmas as if it is a secular song but actually its history is rooted about a time in the king henry the 8th reign when he outlawed Catholicism. The jesuit priests came up with the words as a sort of code to other believers.
  • Lorraine from Westford, MA, WQOM. The bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but is it strictly written by males only?
  • Eddie from Rochester, 1460AM: Fr. was talking about Matthew's gospel, that there is no trace of the Aramaic original. At a Conference about Origins of the Gospel, they said there was a piece written in Aramaic in the British Museum in London.

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

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?"

"Where is that in the Bible?"

  • Dennis Z. from Facebook: A coworker of mine recently joined a non-demominational church. She lots of questions about the Catholic faith. Her group seems the kind that always asks, "Where does it it say that in the bible?".

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 ..."

Theology Necessary for the Church

  • From Kevin in e-mail: An article on the lack of unity in Catholic theology, written by a former Lutheran theologian. "The unity and coherence of theology can be maintained only if we explicitly conceive of it as an ecclesial intellectual practice of the Church, arising from the Church’s nature and mission. ... And so Catholic theology cannot establish itself as a de facto counter-magisterium, remaining in splendid isolation from the Church. Nor should it seek to win a lasting standing in the secular academy that offers it a career path like that of any other academic profession. Nor, finally, will Catholic theology flourish if it is transmuted into 'religious studies' to market its remnants in a post-Christian society. Whatever one thinks about the best way to give coherent and even sophisticated shape to Catholic theology, we must acknowledge that the Church herself gives us our theological task: to assist the bishops in communicating, explaining, defending, and understanding the faith that comes from the apostles."

Children of lesbians in Catholic school?

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 ..."

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

Catholicism and Science

Natural Theology
  • From Christopher J. on Facebook: "Pope Says God Behind Theories Like Big Bang": "Contemplating (the universe), we are invited to read something profound into it: the wisdom of the creator, the inexhaustible creativity of God," he said in a sermon to some 10,000 people in St Peter's Basilica on the Feast of Epiphany.
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:

Eucharistic 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

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

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