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On the Need for Curiosity in Evangelization (Part One) Msgr. Charles Pope • March 12, 2017 • In the world of evangelization, the concept of curiosity is almost never discussed. If anything, evangelizers are encouraged to quickly satisfy any curiosity by supplying all sorts of answers to questions that arise about the faith. Apologetical tracts, books, catechisms, and videos abound. Curiosity, it would seem, is something to be quashed or at least overcome quickly. Allowing a person to wonder why for any length of time seems almost dangerous, especially in a “search-engine” culture. Quick answers, please!How different this is...

March 13, 2017 Monday of the Second Week in Lent Reading 1 Dn 9:4b-10"Lord, great and awesome God,you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love youand observe your commandments!We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,our fathers, and all the people of the land.Justice, O Lord, is on your side;we are shamefaced even to this day:we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,and all Israel, near and far,in all the...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Portrait of Aniela Salawa in the Franciscan church in Krakow | photo by Miezian Blessed Angela Salawa Saint of the Day for March 12 (September 9, 1881 – March 12, 1922)  Blessed Angela Salawa’s Story Angela served Christ and Christ’s little ones with all her strength.Born in Siepraw, near Kraków, Poland, she was the 11th child of Bartlomiej and Ewa Salawa. In 1897, she moved to Kraków where her older sister Therese lived. Angela immediately began to gather together and instruct young women domestic workers. During World War I, she helped prisoners of war...

Every Round Goes Higher, Higher - A Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent Msgr. Charles Pope • March 12, 2017 • The second Sunday of Lent always features the Transfiguration. This is because we are following the Lord on His final odyssey to Jerusalem, and this journey up Mt. Tabor was one of His stops (with Peter, James, and John).It is commonly held that Jesus did this to prepare His apostles for the difficult days ahead. There’s a line from an old spiritual that says, “Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down, sometimes I’m almost on the ground …...

March 12, 2017 Second Sunday of Lent Reading 1 Gn 12:1-4aThe LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolkand from your father's house to a land that I will show you. "I will make of you a great nation,and I will bless you;I will make your name great,so that you will be a blessing.I will bless those who bless youand curse those who curse you.All the communities of the earthshall find blessing in you." Abram went as the LORD directed him. Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint John Ogilvie study | © Peter Howson Saint John Ogilvie Saint of the Day for March 11 (1579 – March 10, 1615)  Saint John Ogilvie’s Story John Ogilvie’s noble Scottish family was partly Catholic and partly Presbyterian. His father raised him as a Calvinist, sending him to the continent to be educated. There, John became interested in the popular debates going on between Catholic and Calvinist scholars. Confused by the arguments of Catholic scholars whom he sought out, he turned to Scripture. Two texts particularly struck him: “God wills all men to be...

Mass offerings We are encouraged to pray for all who have died, beseeching God’s mercy in judgment and healing Msgr. Charles Pope 3/8/2017 Question: Is it permitted to have Masses offered for departed non-Catholics and non-Christians? How do the graces of the Mass benefit these departed souls? — Marie Pucalik, Mayport, Pennsylvania Answer: It is permitted and encouraged to pray and have Masses celebrated for all the dead, including non-Catholics and non-Christians. The deceased may need and deserve our prayers. This is perhaps, even more, the case for those who died without the help of the sacraments. The fruits of...

March 11, 2017 Saturday of the First Week of Lent Reading 1 Dt 26:16-19Moses spoke to the people, saying:"This day the LORD, your God,commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.Be careful, then,to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:he is to be your God and you are to walk in his waysand observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,and to hearken to his voice.And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;and provided you...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Stained glass of Saint Dominic Savio in the Fatima Chapel | Langen near Brekenz, Austria | photo by Reinhard Müller Saint Dominic Savio Saint of the Day for March 10 (April 2, 1842 – March 9, 1857)  Saint Dominic Savio’s Story So many holy persons seem to die young. Among them was Dominic Savio, the patron of choirboys.Born into a peasant family at Riva, Italy, young Dominic joined Saint John Bosco as a student at the Oratory in Turin at the age of 12. He impressed Don Bosco with his desire to be a...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Frances of Rome giving alms | Giovanni Battista Gaulli Saint Frances of Rome Saint of the Day for March 9 (1384 – March 9, 1440) Saint Frances of Rome’s Story Frances’ life combines aspects of secular and religious life. A devoted and loving wife, she longed for a lifestyle of prayer and service, so she organized a group of women to minister to the needs of Rome’s poor.Born of wealthy parents, Frances found herself attracted to the religious life during her youth. But her parents objected and a young nobleman was selected to be...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of John of God in Rome | photo by Livioandronico2013 Saint John of God Saint of the Day for March 8 ( March 8, 1495 – March 8, 1550)  Saint John of God’s Story Having given up active Christian belief while a soldier, John was 40 before the depth of his sinfulness began to dawn on him. He decided to give the rest of his life to God’s service, and headed at once for Africa where he hoped to free captive Christians and, possibly, be martyred.He was soon advised that his desire for...

The bishops saw them not as people but living sins who must be severely punished and the State facilitated that torture Catherine Corless at the boarded up site at Tuam Mothers and Babies home where there is now verified evidence of remains of a significant number of babies and young children being buried. (Photo: Ray Ryan) The horrors of the Tuam cesspit cast a long shadow over any International Women's Day celebrations. And the Taoiseach added to the gloom by appearing to defend the nuns who may have dumped the bodies of up to 800 children in a disused sewer....

What Does Jesus Mean by Calling Us Evil? Msgr. Charles Pope • March 9, 2017 • In the Gospel for today’s Mass (Thursday of the First Week of Lent) Jesus says,If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him? (Mt 7:11)A similar verse occurs in the Gospel of Luke: If you then, though you are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit...

March 10, 2017 Friday of the First Week of Lent Reading 1 Ez 18:21-28Thus says the Lord GOD:If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced. Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?says the Lord GOD. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil waythat he may live?...

What is the Sign of Jonah? Msgr. Charles Pope • March 8, 2017 • In the Gospel for Wednesday (Wednesday of the First Week of Lent) the Lord says, This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah (Lk 11:30). What is the sign of Jonah? Does it apply today?The Gospels of Matthew and Luke present two signs of Jonah, one of which particularly concerns us here. First Sign: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus invokes Jonah in a twofold way: For as Jonah was three...

March 9, 2017 Thursday of the First Week in Lent Reading 1 Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,had recourse to the LORD.She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids, from morning until evening, and said:"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,for I am taking my life in my hand.As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathersthat you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.Now help me, who am alone...

NASA confirmed the discovery of seven new exoplanets not too far from Earth, bringing humanity one step closer to finding other livable planets and, possibly, extraterrestrial life. Does Catholicism have the means to survive such a discovery? The pope, experts and theologians say yes. In a highly anticipated press conference on February 22, NASA declared that seven Earth-sized planets have been discovered orbiting a relatively close dwarf star. For space enthusiasts, trekkies and stargazers, the possibility of finding alien life forms just got one step closer to reality. The tiny “salmon-colored” star is unassumingly called Trappist-1. Held tightly in its...

ST. JOHN OF GOD: THE WAIF—1495-1550 Few people in this world who have made any name for themselves in any sphere began life under such adverse conditions as did St. John of God. He was born in Montemayor-el-Novo, in Portugal, in 1495. His parents were respectable, but not of the richest class; they looked upon their only son as the chief treasure they possessed. But they were not to possess him long. One day, when John was eight years of age, he disappeared. Whether he had been deliberately kidnapped, or whether he had been seduced from his home by...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Statue of John of God in Rome | photo by Livioandronico2013 Saint John of God Saint of the Day for March 8 ( March 8, 1495 – March 8, 1550)  Saint John of God’s Story Having given up active Christian belief while a soldier, John was 40 before the depth of his sinfulness began to dawn on him. He decided to give the rest of his life to God’s service, and headed at once for Africa where he hoped to free captive Christians and, possibly, be martyred.He was soon advised that his desire for...

Three Teachings on Temptation Msgr. Charles Pope • March 7, 2017 • Sunday’s Gospel about the temptation of Jesus in the desert by Satan evokes several questions. The answers I propose are not intended to be a theological treatise, but rather a pastoral reflection. I. Why does God permit temptation? God does not permit any evil or problem unless it can serve some greater good. In the case of temptation, He permits it because it summons us to love Him while giving us the freedom to reject or accept that call. God seeks sons and daughters who can love...