Fr. Bob's Corner

Wikipedia reports, “that The Catholic Church is one of the oldest continuous religious institutions in the world and has played a prominent role in the history of Western civilization.” I think we sometimes forget how old it is, and how now many ancient traditions and practices it follows. Over the centuries this has often been a good thing, as it has given the church a natural immunity to fads, and short lived cultural practices.Time and again you hear people new to working at or with the Vatican talk about how they had to learn this to be effective in their various jobs.

Unfortunately the Digital Age of instant communication makes many of the internal meeting and communication habits of day to day Vatican life rather obsolete, if not down right dangerous in this modern world. It is not just the Vatican that is enduring pressure to change, but much younger institutions and governments all over the world.

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I haven’t posted for a while for a variety of reasons: health, parish duties, and a sense of weariness from the many problems our church is  facing. As I meditated on this Sunday’s Gospel about the lost lamb, the lost coin, and the prodigal son – powerful parables that leave no doubt in my mind of God’s unconditional love for each and every one of us, I felt the comforting sense of the Lord’s presence and love in my life. Yet, I still tossed and turned after I went to bed, and found myself getting up and reviewing emails and then coming across a little article from a previously unknown Jesuit publication: Company Magazine.

Today is the Anniversary of 911. Lately we have been bombarded  by controversies about ground zero in New York. ( I don’t need to name them, you’ve probably heard most of them.) In the midst of all the rhetoric and arguing  there seems to be a total loss of the courageous outpouring of heroic love this tragic day released. In the midst of mayhem, death, fear, and even despair, there was a powerful message of hope and inspiration, as the people of New York and around the world responded. This little article (albeit vintage), “Amid the Ashes: An Ignatian Response to September’s Terror.” could  prove a partial anecdote to the weariness you might be feeling too. The world has definitely changed since that day – war, terror, religious bigotry, etc…. Yet, it is in the midst of darkness that the light becomes bright and stunning. David Nantais, SJ, a university minister for the College of Engineering and Science at the University of Detroit Mercy, was so inspired by the response of many of his Jesuit colleagues and friends that he wrote:

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In the past few weeks there have been several reports on the Vatican decision to allow scholars and journalist greater access to the Vatican Archives. Here are a few links and video:

Vatican promises to open wartime archives

The Vatican opens its Secret Archives to dispel Dan Brown myths

The mysteries of the Vatican Secret Archive to be revealed

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The long awaited report from the Vatican on the Legionaries of Christ was released today. The NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER has just published the document in English. Deception and Betrayal are horrible to experience in life, and I can imagine that many in the Legion are experiencing all kinds of mixed emotions. Why their founder (Father Marcial Maciel Degollado) did what he did is now in God’s hands, but the scandalization, hurts, and scars he has left behind are just horrible. Let us remember in our prayers the thousands and thousands of very good and holy people he has hurt and betrayed, and pray that the church will be able to comfort and heal the wounds of so many. Here is a brief quote of assurance from the Vatican report.

“The Holy Father wishes to assure all Legionaries and members of the Regnum Christi Movement that they will not be left on their own: The Church is firmly resolved to accompany them and help them on the path of purification that awaits them. It will also mean dealing sincerely with all of those who, within and outside the Legion, were victims of sexual abuse and of the power system devised by the founder: They are in the Holy Father’s thoughts and prayers at this time, along with his gratitude to those of them who, even in the midst of great difficulties, had the courage and constancy to demand the truth.”   FULL REPORT

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Visit Development and Peace to hear, see, and learn more, and to help by sending an internet message of
support. Earlier this fall, delegates of Development and Peace and a group of Canadian Bishops visited a number of partners in Burundi and witnessed the complex challenges that continue to face the country. The situation in Burundi
• It is estimated that 400,000 lives have been lost over the last 16 years due to civil war and ethnic violence.
• Sixty percent of Burundi’s population are children, many of whom have lost their parents.
• There are 400,000 refugees trying to return to their country and rebuild their lives.

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This picture says it all as far as I am concerned. This is what we hope and pray for everyday and for one brief moment in Nazareth on May 15th, 2009 God’s peace was celebrated. According to Reuters it was an impromptu moment started by a Rabbi singing, “Shalom, Salaam, Lord Grant us Peace.” Within moments Jews, Christians, and Moslems held hands in a song of joy and peace. John Allen of the NCR describes the event this way: “The setting was an inter-faith meeting among Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Druze in Nazareth. Toward the close of the meeting, a song specially composed for the occasion was performed: "Salam, Shalom, Lord Grant Us Peace." It was a rousing number, and by the end, the religious leaders on stage were singing along, including the notoriously reserved Benedict XVI. For the last stanza, the rabbis, muftis, sheikhs, and bishops, with the pontiff in the middle of the group, stood on the stage and held hands.”

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I captured a few pictures from the EWTN Broadcast of the Youth Rally with The Pope. It was a glorious meeting filled with African Music, Welcoming Messages, Youth Testimonies, and a short speech by Pope Benedict encouraging the youth to be faithful to their Christian Identity. He challenged the youth to make life long decisions and commitments – the true test of real maturity in every age: Dare to make definite decisions – life long commitments, and don’t give in to doubt, corruption, and hedonism. You are the seed – the seed of the new City, the New Jerusalem, he said, and the only way to grow the seed is to die to love. Bring to life the Holy City, the Pope challenged, as the crowds applauded enthusiastically. Towards the end of the event a young man in a wheel chair came on to the stage with the Pope and sang a moving song to Jesus My Friend. The young man appeared to have been crippled during the recent civil war, and as he sang I’m sure many a tear of thanksgiving and hope were shed as he made God’s love strong and visible.

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John Allen who is following the Pope throughout Africa and attempting to give us a real feel and insight into what he sees, hears, and feels posted this on March 18, 2009. It tends to confirm what the Harvard Center reported in my previous post.

Benedict talks to journalists during his flight from Rome to Africa March 17. (CNS/ Reuters)

Yaoundè, Cameroon
Pope Benedict XVI’s claim yesterday that condoms actually aggravate the problem of AIDS may seem an explosive claim internationally, but it’s barely made a ripple here — in part, because it simply repeats an argument made so often by Africa’s Catholic bishops that it long ago lost any shock value.

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 This event is really not attracting much attention by the main stream media either in America or Europe.

It seems that all the press heard was the Pope’s statement about condoms on Pope Benedict’s trip to Africa. Such a shame! As John Allen pointed out in a recent column, this is a very important event, and it would be nice to have a better feel for the people, the event, and the African Church. Guess that is asking too much from a press that is only interested in controversy and headlines. Here is one of the few videos I could find on the web that at least allows one a feel for an African Liturgy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7952754.stm

John Allen’s Report from Cameroon: African Catholics Can Transform Society

I did find a few pictures on the web, as well, but not very many. Here are some of the better ones:

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On February 26th Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Thomas Rosica (Basilian Priest) as a as a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Speaking to CNA, the priest said that he sees this as the Pope entrusting a special responsibility to the Church in Canada.

Fr. Thomas Rosica, is the CEO of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network, a network that was born out of World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada.

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