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Two Virtues that cannot be Separated
The Holy Father’s most recent encyclical is entitled Caritas in Veritate in which the Holy Father teaches that charity and truth are united, and cannot be separated. I have frequently preached and taught on the indissoluble and absolute integrity of love and truth. There is no authentic charity without it being rooted in truth. If love is not in fact rooted in truth, then it is not authentic love. Charity in truth is the driving force behind the authentic development of every person, as the Holy Father points out.
The contemporary disintegration of societies and economies has at its root a failure or denial of this essential reality. When individuals fail or refuse to live charity in truth, then this is reflected in societies and economies. Love and truth are names for God. Jesus, the Lord (the God that is Love and Truth) is the Vine. We and all of society are the branches. If we refuse to live in Christ, then there is no life, either in societies or economies. This follows ultimately as surely as morning follows night.
The Holy Father points out the indispensable link between life ethics and social ethics. If a person or nation fails or refuses to respect the right to life, then it is folly to imagine that they will respect anyone or anything ultimately. If you don’t respect an individual’s right to life, how will you ever ultimately respect a worker’s right to work? You won’t.
We are on a collision course with social and economic chaos unless we begin to live charity in truth. This happens one person at a time. Make sure that you are one person that is living charity in truth.
God bless you,
Fr. John Corapi
edited slightly by: Jeffrey David
Mother of all Priests
The basis of Mary’s love for priests is her perfect relationship with the High Priest, Jesus Christ. The Letter to the Hebrews (7:1-7) describes the high priestly dignity of Jesus who is said to be a priest “in the line of Melchizedek,” that is, not of the Mosaic priesthood, but rather of a priesthood that will never pass away. After conquering the power of the devil once-for-all on Calvary, Jesus Christ eternally offers that one sacrifice to the Father for the salvation of souls, and the men who are chosen to serve in the priestly class in His Church have the duty to perpetuate that one sacrifice in time by celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Of the many things that priests have to do, it is the most important! 
Mary is not only the Mother of Jesus’ human nature, but She is the Mother of His Priesthood too because She gave Him birth, nurtured Him, educated Him in the ways of the Chosen People and faithfully stood by Him at the altar when He was offering the perfect sacrifice, namely, His own death. She was not a pious bystander to the formation of His priestly character. Mary was His seminary.
Mary, too, stands by us priests when we offer our lives and sacrifices in union with the one great sacrifice of Christ. She helps us remain faithful to Christ and to the Church in times of great apostasy and persecution. The challenges to the priesthood in the modern era have been more ferocious than we have seen for many centuries. Not only have the atheistic movements of the last two centuries sought to stamp out the Church, but they have come against the priesthood in a vicious and systematic way. One needs only learn a little about the internment camps of the Nazis and Communists to know that priests took a disproportionate share of the suffering in the last century. Nor have the revolt against morality, and the modern feminist and dissenting movements left the priesthood unscathed, as we know too well. Indeed, Mary knows it better than anyone, which is why She dedicates loving attention to the priests who have often been called her first sons.
If I may ask any favor of the faithful in this Year for Priests, I would ask simply that you commend us to the Mother of the High Priest on a regular basis. Mary loves priests very deeply, not only because she sees in us the reflection of her Son, but because she knows how necessary the priestly office is for the sanctification of souls. She is perfectly aware of our many weaknesses and foibles, but she loves us anyway! Please ask her to protect us, to guide us, to purify us like the “sons of Levi” so that we may be able to offer “fitting due sacrifice to the Lord” (Malachi 3:3-4) for the salvation of souls.
Sincerely,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer
Edited by: Jeffrey David
When Should Bishops Declare A
Catholic Excommunication
By Bishop Robert Vasa
 Catholic Excommunication Exposed BEND — During the course of this past year there have been a number of occasions when bishops have hinted to laity that being Catholic involves a bit more than claiming the title. This has been done, in particular, with regard to politicians who may, in their own way, love Jesus, who may attend Sunday Mass and who do identify themselves as “faithful” Catholics. The press usually hints at the big “E” word, excommunication. The question of when a Catholic should be excommunicated has even been asked quite frequently and very seriously. While bishops are extremely reluctant to take the seemingly dramatic step of excommunication, I think there is very good reason for us to explore more thoroughly what excommunication really means and why it might be considered in certain circumstances.
The press would undoubtedly accuse Bishops who talk or even think about excommunication as being tyrannical power mongers but this is unfair.
- Excommunication is a declaration, based on solid evidence, that the actions or public teachings of a particular Catholic are categorically incompatible with the teachings of the Church.
Why Catholic Excommunication?
- It is intended primarily as a means of getting the person who is in grave error to recognize the depth of his error and repent.
- While somewhat secondary but no less important, is to assure the faithful who truly are faithful that what they believe to be the teaching of the Church is true and correct.
Allowing their faith to be shaken or allowing them to be confused when Catholics publicly affirm something contrary to faith or morals, seemingly without consequences, scandalizes and confuses the faithful.
Scandalizing The Faithful Is Grave Matter
This scandalization is no small matter. The Church, and particularly bishops, have an obligation to defend the faith but they also have an obligation to protect the faithful. We do not generally see the dissidence of public figures as something that harms the faithful but it has a deleterious effect upon them.
How To Support Courageous Bishop
I find, very frequently, when I speak a bit more boldly on matters of morality or discipline, there are a significant number of the faithful who send messages of gratitude and support. It is their gratitude which stirs my heart for it makes me realize how much there is a need to support and affirm the clear and consistent teachings of our Catholic faith for the sake of the faithful. While the press may caricature such bishops in rather uncharitable fashion, I trust that they are men devoted to true compassion and to the truth itself.
The Fruits Of Courageous Bishops
Their compassion extends to those who are misled and to those who, while not misled, are discouraged when their faith is attacked without rebuttal. This discouragement of the faithful is not insignificant. When we look at the word itself we see that its root is “courage” and allowing someone’s courage to be dissipated, or “dissed” as the young might say, is harmful to the person.
- Encouragement, by contrast, builds up the courage of the faithful and increases their strength for doing good.
- It is life giving and revitalizing.
- Allowing error, publicly expressed, to stand without comment or contradiction is discouraging.
Should Communion Be Denied?
When that moral error is espoused publicly by a Catholic who, by the likewise public and external act of receiving Holy Communion, appears to be in “good standing” then the faithful are doubly confused and doubly discouraged. In that case, the error is certainly not refuted. Furthermore, the impression is given that the error is positively condoned by the bishop and the Church. This is very discouraging to the faithful. In such a case, private “dialogue” is certainly appropriate but a public statement is also needed. In extreme cases, excommunication may be deemed necessary.
Catholics Excommunicate Themselves
It seems to me that even if a decree of excommunication would be issued, the bishop would really not excommunicate anyone. A Bishop only declares that the person is excommunicated by virtue of the person’s own actions. The actions and words, contrary to faith and morals, are what excommunicate (i.e. break communion with the Church). When matters are serious and public, the Bishop may deem it necessary to declare that lack of communion explicitly.
This declaration no more causes the excommunication than a doctor who diagnoses diabetes causes the diabetes he finds in his patient. The doctor recognizes the symptoms and writes the necessary prescription. Accusing the doctor of being a tyrannical power monger would never cross anyone’s mind. Even when the doctor tells the patient that they are “excommunicated” from sugar it is clear that his desire is solely the health of his patient. In fact, a doctor who told his diabetic patient that he could keep ingesting all the sugar he wanted without fear would be found grossly negligent and guilty of malpractice.
Before A Catholic Is Excommunicated
In the same way, bishops who recognize a serious spiritual malady and seek a prescription to remedy the error, after discussion and warning, may be required to simply state, “What you do and say is gravely wrong and puts you out of communion with the faith you claim to hold.” In serious cases, and the cases of misled Catholic public officials are often very serious, a declaration of the fact that the person is de facto out of communion may be the only responsible and charitable thing to do.
Fearing To Offend Is Not The Answer
Failing to name error because of some kind of fear of offending the person in error is neither compassion nor charity. Confronting or challenging the error or evil of another is never easy yet it must be done.
The adage usually attributed to Edmund Burke was correct: All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Will Shepherds Start Defending The Truth
The Lord has called bishops to be shepherds. That shepherding entails both leading and protecting. In an era when error runs rampant and false teachings abound, the voice of the Holy Father rings clear and true. The teachings of the Church are well documented and consistent. Bishops and the pastors who serve in their Dioceses have an obligation both to lead their people to the truth and protect them from error.
Headlines Added By John Quinn with slight edited
 LSN: We see the crisis of abortion sometimes in isolation. We look at individual problems like the health care bill in the US, or the threat to national sovereignty presented by the Lisbon Treaty, or we look at a particular political party or candidate and we focus our attention on those things, but we need also to look at the larger picture. What does the abortion crisis, and the moral crisis, presage in the larger realm?
TE: A moral degradation precedes social and political degradation. And we see a take-over of the financial system. We see a dismantling of the free market as we know it, which is a hallmark of western democracy. We see a socialization of huge industries, such as the health care industry, even the insurance industry is part of this process of socialization. I say it is not remarkable that it is happening now.
You mention that it has already happened in Europe and we’re now catching up. Of course, because Europe legalized abortion, Europe had their moral degradation prior to us. And now they’re seeing a rapid systematic dismantling of their economies.
LSN: This should come as a surprise to no one, though.
TE: It’s not. It’s happened in every society that has reached its pinnacle of civilization and then collapsed. Look at Carthage, the Phoenician empire was much more powerful than Rome for a period of time. But Carthage had a religion that offered human sacrifice of babies. Eventually it degraded from within and collapsed on itself.
LSN: What do you anticipate then, with our global culture?
TE: We’ve got a serious crisis on the horizon. I’m not a prophet of doom but I don’t see this going any other way but a serious political crisis that’s going to affect the globe. The only way we can avert a global collapse is by a moral conversion. Once again, we have to reverse the process. Just to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic, is not a way to stop the collapse, the sinking of the Titanic. We have to turn back to God. And if people get fed up and just elect another political party that is just as bad as the previous political party, it does nothing to stem the global crisis that’s going to come upon us. What we need is a conversion of heart.
LSN: How is this going to come about, barring a massive disaster?
TE: It’s going to be the natural result of suffering. People turn back to God when they suffer. People can turn back to God because they listen to reason. Or because they hear good preaching or because they have good moral leadership. It could also happen that way, where if the Church were living up to its vocation – and I mean mainly Church leadership – then the people have a fighting chance of turning this back.
LSN: But we’ve had martyrs, modern martyrs, so where’s the miracle? Where’s the big conversion?
TE: I think because the seriousness of the shedding of innocent blood through the 20th century into the 21st century, the spiritual deficit is too great. The scales are tipped too low, and I really believe that we’re going to need a great martyrdom in order to return the balance. Abraham Lincoln, believe it or not, said that the cost of slavery was all the blood shed in the Civil War. And I believe … how will we pay back the cost of abortion? Our trillion-dollar debt in the United States isn’t anything in comparison to the actual debt that we owe to reality and to God and to the human race even for the killing of innocents.
50 million is what is killed every year around the world. It’s a global genocide and it’s totally unrepented.
And with contraception and abortion, we’re basically committing mass suicide on a global scale.
LSN: Lots of people have been sounding the trumpet of warning for a long time…
TE: It’s human nature. Human nature doesn’t listen. My mother always says those who do not listen must feel. You get the message when you feel it hurting you and striking you back. I believe that is very much the way human nature operates. It’s the law of nature that we are slothful until we’re woken up. The Gospels have so many messages saying not only ‘stay awake’ but ‘wake up!’ and see what is happening around you and if you don’t then death happens.
LSN: Death happens?
TE: The principle is that what happens under the surface eventually comes out into the open. So the killing of babies eventually leads to the euthanizing of elderly and sick people. That’s the law. It happens infallibly. It’s part of the personal scale, eventually it becomes social, so that you can’t miss it.
The sad part is that we might as individuals and even as a majority of society we might see it, we might get the message. But we’ve elected these clowns who don’t get the message.
LSN: I’ll give you the case of the government of Britain forcing the closure or secularization of Catholic adoption agencies. When the British Labour government, in the person of Tony Blair, refused to give a religious exemption to the Sexual Orientation Regulations, the bishops shrugged and secularized their adoption agencies. So they’ve lost the Catholic service of adoption in Britain.
TE: And they may lose more. As the attacks against our values and institutions get more militant, they’re going to have to make those very hard decisions. Our point is that they’ve had the question of the salvation of souls as a perennial question for them and in a lot of those cases they haven’t done anything. Souls are being lost. Now they’re talking about the loss of health care institutions, which is nothing in value to compare with the loss of a soul. So maybe this is the way that the Catholic leadership will wake up and realize that there is so much that potentially can be lost here and get them back on their mission putting the salvation of souls as their primary concern.
I’ve always said, and I’ll continue to say it, for a bishop to be a real bishop, he has to be willing to go to war. That is a war not only with the secular culture but often times the most difficult part of that is the war with his own people. To make them truly Catholic and to witness to them.
LSN: Are there signs that the tide is turning?
TE: No. I don’t think the tide is turning. I don’t think we’ve reached that point yet. I think the crisis we were talking about earlier will be the way in which the tide turns. Again, I’m not predicting anything, I just have this intuition that the way things are going, they’re getting worse, they’re declining, they’re dismantling, and that can only mean some form of major destruction down the road. The ones who are now presently on the side of the angels are the ones who are going to get through that. And to bring others along with them back to God.
We can talk about the wonderful people who are already doing that, the saints who are out there on the streets, living their faith and making great sacrifices and those stories need to be told.
And we have to keep in mind that Obama doesn’t define life. I’m an exorcist, and I tell all the people who I work with that the demons do not define your life. They are painful and terrible, however long it may take to remove them and get you back to health, you have to keep this message in mind. That you are not defined by evil. You are defined by God, by Jesus Christ. And the return that some of these people have to make after living terrible lives, and paying the price for that, is part of the reason why God allows evil in the world. It serves a purpose in the overall work of the Kingdom. He allows evil in order to bring something good out of it. In fact something even better than it would have been had evil not been present.
LSN: So this unimaginably huge evil, 50 million people being killed a year…
TE: …will produce an unimaginably marvelous good, if we are men and women of faith and we look for it.
The paradox of the cross is that the greatest evil in history (creatures crucifying the creator), also became the greatest good (the opportunity for eternal life). So it is the same with our age, the greatest evil of our time (abortion) will also bring about God’s justice, but ultimately it will result in the salvation of many souls. God in all his omnipotence cannot stand idly by while this generation continues to barrel head first into the abyss of hell either by cooperation with evil, or by indifference. Jeffrey David
By Hilary White
Thomas Euteneuer
Edited by: Jeffrey David
My Dear People,
“We three kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar…”, this is the cry of the whole Church on Epiphany Sunday. The Magi were Gentile kings without the benefit of a Jewish education. They came as “wise” men seeking the Messiah. What made them as much more different than all of their peers? We may never know. Full of the Light of the Lord, they came great distances over a rather long period of time; discerning, seeking, hoping.
T he word “epiphany” means to make manifest. God had made manifest His intention to give mankind the Messiah. How did the Magi know this? What were their signs? Did angels appear to them like the shepherds in unlikely. What was true of them, is that they were all three men of deep spiritual faith. Their belief was the touch stone for Our Lord to ignite. And indeed He did. Pray for a strong and ardent faith, rooted in hope. We are a culture who has lost its way. We sink deeper into the abyss of darkness and sin every day. Despite the light and gifts given by the Most Holy Spirit, mankind is plummeting into darkness. Let your “little light” of faith shine brightly, so that those who are lost, may find the way to the Holy Manger. Pray, Pray, Pray for the conversion of souls.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark
May we realize the great treasure we have in the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lord. Come let us adore HIM…
 Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Robert Finn has reminded the faithful that their salvation is at stake in the battle for holiness. Decrying the “casual manner” in which many Christians live within the “culture of death,” he urged Catholics to “stand up fearlessly against the agents of death.”
“The ultimate goal of everything we do is to get ourselves to heaven and bring with us as many as we can,” he continued, focusing his remarks on the “Church militant,” the Church on earth.
The Church militant’s purpose, the bishop explained, is to “‘fight’ against the enemies of Christ’s justice and truth and light and life.” This fight requires our attentions in a “peaceable but serious manner.”
Lamenting the “casual manner” of some Christians, he said St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that we are in a battle “not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities and powers, with the rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in heaven.”
“What is at stake in this battle is our immortal soul, our salvation,” Bishop Finn insisted. “My responsibility as bishop is with the eternal destiny of those entrusted to my care. My total energies must be directed to the well being of those who otherwise may come under the spell of a radically flawed and fundamentally distorted moral sense, at odds with what our Mother the Church teaches.”
“The direct willful destruction of human life can never be justified; it can never be supported. Do you believe this firm teaching of the Church?” he asked.
Bishop Finn noted that priests and ministers in Canada had been brought before government tribunals for preaching and teaching in support of marriage, being charged with “hate speech” against homosexuality.
“In light of the tyranny of choice growing each day in our own beloved country, we ought to be ready for similar attacks on religious freedom,” he warned.
“We must not fail to preach the Gospel. We can not withhold the truth of our faith. That is why I will never be silent about human life,” Bishop Finn insisted.
“What about you?” he asked.
Noting that Christ told the apostles they would be hated by the world, just as He was, the bishop said Christians must never resort to violence but “we must stand up fearlessly against the agents of death, the enemies of human life.”
 People can come under Satan’s spell, the bishop warned, describing such people as “willing agents of death, numbed and poisoned in this culture of death.”
“What about you?” he asked again.
He concluded his column with an exhortation, saying “let us call upon the Saints to inspire us, befriend us, and pray for us,” and adding counsel to pray for those in Purgatory.
“And let us resolve to be warriors of the Church militant; warriors with our eyes fixed on heaven,” Bishop Finn closed. “Let us ask God’s mercy and strength to persevere in our call – individual and collective – to holiness. Mary, Mother of the Church, Pray for us!”
Bishop Robert Finn
Edited by Jeffrey David
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