Podcasts about archbishop chaput

12 - The Pope has passed away. Dom details his legacy and what he differs with in terms of his policy. Do we not remember the Biden's are horrible people? Dom continues his problems with The Church siding with progressives on many issues. 1215 - Side - all time nicknames 1220 - Democrat Congresspeople are going to El Salvador. And guess what? It's on your dime! 1235 - Pastor Bill Devlin joins us to discuss the passing of the Pope and the legacy he leaves behind. We also discuss his latest piece which discusses how he sided with the left on many issues, even calling pro-abortion President Joe Biden a “good catholic”, and how he upended the catholic doctrine. Why was Archbishop Chaput the first Archbishop in 100 years to be passed over to be a Cardinal? Why the rise in Catholicism around the world? How do we feel about the movie “Conclave”. 1250 - Are we really going to listen to the Bishop of Tucson?

12 - The Pope has passed away. Dom details his legacy and what he differs with in terms of his policy. Do we not remember the Biden's are horrible people? Dom continues his problems with The Church siding with progressives on many issues. 1215 - Side - all time nicknames 1220 - Democrat Congresspeople are going to El Salvador. And guess what? It's on your dime! 1235 - Pastor Bill Devlin joins us to discuss the passing of the Pope and the legacy he leaves behind. We also discuss his latest piece which discusses how he sided with the left on many issues, even calling pro-abortion President Joe Biden a “good catholic”, and how he upended the catholic doctrine. Why was Archbishop Chaput the first Archbishop in 100 years to be passed over to be a Cardinal? Why the rise in Catholicism around the world? How do we feel about the movie “Conclave”. 1250 - Are we really going to listen to the Bishop of Tucson? 1 - Cardinal Dolan for Pope? Comparing him to Cardinal Rigali and reminiscing on the show Dom used to have with him. 105 - Financial literacy for everybody? 110 - Just how political was the Pope with big corporations? 120 - Remember those Nancy Pelosi comments, saying a particular saint was pro-abortion? 135 - Head of The Catholic League Bill Donohue joins the program today, kicking things off with a joke! What are the chances Cardinal Dolan or an American gets the papacy? Who should we be on the lookout for? What about the odds on favorite from the Philippines? How bad is it that Biden gets away with being a “great Catholic” despite his political stances saying otherwise? What are some issues facing Catholics, besides the vacancy of the Pontifex position? Any book on the horizon? 150 - Pete Hegseth goes on a rant against the fake news media at the Easter Egg Roll. 2 - Scott Presler joins us once again for his weekly segment. How do we have any shot of ousting Larry Krasner and other judges? Dom thinks it's understated how big this election is? Would ousting one or more of these judges undermine Shapiro's reign as governor and then his 2028 Presidential election bid? Is there a docuseries team following Scott around? 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 220 - Anybody can be robbed in Washington! A man is dominating women's track events in California. 240 - Revisiting Pope Francis' messaging and The Inquirer's defense of it. Some Gavin Newsome news. 250 - The Lightning Round!

Pope Francis recently claimed that all religions are paths to God which has occasioned the usual firestorm of controversy, dismay, and efforts to explain what he really meant. Ralph attempts to cut through the confusion and state clearly what the truth upon which our salvations depends. Archbishop Chaput, The Pope and Other Religions: https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2024/09/the-pope-and-other-religions Dr. Jeff Mirus, Love proclaims that all “faiths” do NOT lead to God: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/love-proclaims-that-all-faiths-do-not-lead-to-god/ Anthony R. Lusvardi, Baptism of Desire and Christian Salvation: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813237985/baptism-of-desire-and-christian-salvation/ The Pillar, Pope Francis stirs controversy with interreligious remarks: https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/pope-francis-stirs-controversy-with Ralph Martin, Will Many Be Saved?: https://www.renewalministries.net/shop/product/will-many-be-saved/ Ralph Martin, A Church in Crisis: https://www.renewalministries.net/shop/product/a-church-in-crisis-pathways-forward/ Ralph Martin, A Life in the Spirit: https://www.renewalministries.net/ralphmemoir/

We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text MessageCan religious freedom withstand the pressures of modern society? Join us on the Theory to Action podcast special of the Catholic Corner as we examine this urgent question through the lens of Archbishop Charles Chaput's impactful book "A Heart on Fire." This episode sheds light on the increasingly precarious state of religious liberty in the United States over the past decade. Tune in to hear how we can collectively fight to keep our faith at the center of our lives!Key Points from the Episode:We'll explore Archbishop Chaput's vital contributions to the Catholic Church and his passionate defense of religious freedom. Together, we'll reflect on the ultimate meaning of true liberty as taught by Jesus Christ—rooted in the pursuit of truth and love for God—and consider the implications of the current administration's stance on this fundamental right. Additionally, we address the alarming global crisis of religious persecution and the critical need for Catholics to publicly and actively witness their faith.In a powerful call to action, we draw upon the timeless teachings of Hillel the Elder, encapsulated in his poignant question, "If not us, who? And if not now, when?" This episode underscores the necessity for Christians and Catholics to vigorously defend their religious rights and to live out their faith authentically in the public arena. By embracing these principles, we pave the way for a flourishing life grounded in our beliefs and values. Other resources: Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!Because we care what you think about what we think and our website, please email David@teammojoacademy.com, or if you want to leave us a quick FREE, painless voicemail, we would appreciate it.

Ralph briefly updates the current state of confusion concerning same-sex blessings and shares the amazingly clear and courageous insights of Archbishop Charles Chaput on the distressing situation. "Papal Power and the Obedience of the Faithful" | https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2023/10/91409/ "The Cost of 'Making a Mess" | https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2023/12/the-cost-of-making-a-mess

Check out Andrew's blog. Archbishop Chaput's article in First Things  Joseph Nicolosi's book quoted Check out this episode on YouTube.

Christmas cheer dampened by papal declaration? Andrew sheds some helpful and hopeful light on Pope Francis' pre-Christmastide troubling bang. Archbishop Chaput's First Thing's Article: The Cost of "Making a Mess" Check out Andrew's blog and vlog on YouTube. 

  Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Lk 11:1-4 - Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He had finished, one of his disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." Memorial of Saint John XXIII, Pope Saint John, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day Dr. Dan Schneider joins Terry today 2) Archbishop Chaput offers some advice to the Synod on Synodality https://www.ncregister.com/cna/archbishop-chaput-offers-advice-to-the-synod-on-synodality 3) Sinner, please don't let this harvest pass https://blog.adw.org/2023/10/sinner-please-dont-let-this-harvest-pass-a-homily-for-the-27th-sunday-of-the-year-3/ 4) Bishop Strickland: We must fall to our knees in prayers of humble reparation in atonement for the blasphemies emanating from Rome

Archbishop Chaput speaks out after the deaths of Pope Benedict and Cardinal Pell. Plus: the picks are in! We'll get you set for Super Wild Card Weekend in the NFL Playoffs with our staff picks. Plus: Tesla drops prices! This show is electric!   https://www.pillarcatholic.com/chaput-speaking-the-truth-is-polarizing/amp/  

Staff writer, Zoey Maraist, reads some of the articles from the Arlington Catholic Herald's latest issue. Quick LinksGet Embed PlayerDownload Audio File  

Hour 2 of The Drew Mariani Show on 10-25-22 Drew regales us with stories about the protection promised through the Image of Divine Mercy, and reads some of Archbishop Chaput's commentary on Joe Biden

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - Pope Francis has called for prayers and solidarity after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Aug. 14. The pope prayed for the people of Haiti from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the end of his Sunday Angelus prayer, asking the crowd to offer a Hail Mary. The death toll of the most recent earthquake has reached nearly 1,300. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248694/pope-francis-urges-solidarity-with-haiti-after-devastating-earthquake Several Latin American Catholic groups asked for help for the thousands of migrants on their way to the US who are stranded in the Darien Gap, a jungle region at the Panama-Colombia border. According to data from the Panamanian authorities, more than 10,000 migrants are in transit in the Colombian-Panamanian border area through the Darien jungle. So far this year more than 40,000 migrants have crossed the border. The archbishops of the area said that it is necessary to establish temporary reception centers for migrants and refugees, in order to guarantee their basic rights. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248682/latin-american-bishops-ask-help-for-migrants-stranded-in-jungle-on-panama-colombia-border The first annual Mother Angelica Award has been bestowed on Archbishop Charles Chaput, the former archbishop of Philadelphia. The award was created to recognize the foundress of EWTN, Mother Angelica, as well as to honor people who have devoted their lives to service to the Church. In his remarks, Archbishop Chaput said all people who are involved in the New Evangelization should rise above discouragement and despair and maintain a sense of adventure. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248692/archbishop-chaput-honored-with-first-annual-mother-angelica-award Today, the Church honors St. Stephen of Hungary, an 11th-century king who led his country to embrace the Catholic faith. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-stephen-of-hungary-565

Vocation Director, Fr. Ryan O'Neill We believe in absolute truth, objective truth, and we reject relativism Truth is a person, and we know Him. Transcendentals: beauty, truth, goodness, and mercy Cathedral in Montreal The Church proposes the ways to goodness, and will guide us along the way. "Don't be surprised by evil; come rest in the shade." —Fr. Ryan O'Neill Parable of the Mustard Seed FOCUS—Curtis Martin (an example of the Mustard Seed) Augustine Institute—(Tim Gray) Seminary was failing miserably, and Archbishop Chaput revived it—Mustard Seed Archdiocese of Denver is only great when we embrace the mustard seed, because grace is at work within it. "'Do little things with great love.'—That is what makes the Archdiocese of Denver good."—Mother Teresa & Fr. Ryan O'Neill expounds on this idea. "'Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of His name.' Embrace the mustard seed." Rome converted—over a thousand year period—because they embraced the mustard seed. Pride Month: Love the sinner; hate the sin Orientation itself is not a sin; The actions that flow from it are sinful, which is why the Church can never agree with marriage for people with same sex attraction. We, as a Church, are OK with whatever orientation you struggle with. How do we love the sinner? "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me."—Matthew 25 "If you come to Jesus, you come to Jesus on his terms." Fr. James Martin is right about one thing: we need to love those with same sex attraction better. "Tolerance is when you allow evil for the hope of a good." "Jesus tolerates you every minute of every day, and all you do is sin. He is allowing you to do evil in the hope of a greater good."—Fr. Ryan O'Neill If we want our same-sex brothers and sisters to come to love Christ, we need to let go of whatever fences we have put up against chastity. We need to invite them to know Jesus, and then they convert. We call people of hetero- and homosexual attraction to the same method to know Christ. Every homosexual friend needs a heterosexual friend who does not promote the homosexual lifestyle; it can be very healing. "Start focusing on the people in our lives and the mustard seed grace that's available to each one of us, every day."—Fr. Ryan O'Neill

Philip Rivers shared about his faith journey from the NFL to becoming St Michael Catholic High School's head football coach. Carl Trueman discussed his article about Archbishop Chaput's new book, Life is Worth Living. Rob Herbst talked about a Barbershop evangelist and previewed the Catholic Week.

Fr Thomas is honored to welcome His Excellency Charles J. Chaput, Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia. They will discuss His Excellency's latest book, Things Worthy Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living. In it, Archbishop Chaput writes about the most important questions of life: why are we here and how can we live and die meaningfully? He reflects on our modern appetite for consumption and individualism and offers a penetrating analysis of how we got here, and how we can look to our roots and our faith to find purpose each day amid the noise of competing desires.

Fr Thomas is honored to welcome His Excellency Charles J. Chaput, Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia. They will discuss His Excellency's latest book, Things Worthy Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living. In it, Archbishop Chaput writes about the most important questions of life: why are we here and how can we live and die meaningfully? He reflects on our modern appetite for consumption and individualism and offers a penetrating analysis of how we got here, and how we can look to our roots and our faith to find purpose each day amid the noise of competing desires.

Fr Thomas is honored to welcome His Excellency Charles J. Chaput, Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia. They will discuss His Excellency's latest book, Things Worthy Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living. In it, Archbishop Chaput writes about the most important questions of life: why are we here and how can we live and die meaningfully? He reflects on our modern appetite for consumption and individualism and offers a penetrating analysis of how we got here, and how we can look to our roots and our faith to find purpose each day amid the noise of competing desires.

What makes life worth living, and death worth dying? Whom do we love more than ourselves, and why does it matter? Archbishop Charles Chaput sits down with CatholicPhilly.com editor Matt Gambino and producer Gina Christian to share insights from his new book, "Things Worth Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living." Tune in to find out why the church is and isn't a democracy, what cancel culture really says about our society, and what's on Archbishop Chaput's to-do list once COVID restrictions are eased.

Tom Riello talked about Archbishop Chaput's new book, Things Worth Dying For. Stephen Barr shared about the Society of Catholic Scientists. Dr Rick Fitzgibbons discussed his article on the effect of CoVid 19 on children.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Luke 1:26-38 - Behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Archbishop Chaput’s new book addresses man’s greatest spiritual poverty: Not knowing how to die https://www.ncregister.com/news/archbishop-chaput-s-new-book-addresses-man-s-greatest-spiritual-poverty-not-knowing-how-to-die 3) Driving out a belligerent culture: A Priest’s answer to Satan’s modern revolt against God https://www.churchpop.com/2021/02/04/driving-out-a-belligerent-culture-a-priests-answer-to-satans-modern-revolt-against-god/ 4) Eucharist found perfectly intact after Madrid explosion, Tabernacle destroyed https://www.churchpop.com/2021/01/30/eucharistic-host-found-perfectly-intact-after-madrid-explosion-tabernacle-destroyed/

Fr. Dan, Heidi and David close out Season 7 with a discussion of the new COVID vaccine, the growing rift among Bishops concerning President-Elect Biden, and the joy of the Christmas season

Tom Riello talked about Archbishop Chaput's comments to the USCCB re Joe Biden receiving Holy Communion. James Matthew Wilson shared about the importance of story telling and the crisis. Aiden McIntosh talked about his article, "Advent: Why and How?"

Cale responds to a recent article from a prominent Protestant group that gave reasons to not be Catholic. Issues addressed: beauty, clarity, and unity. Link to article on the conversion of Mark Galli, former editor of evangelical magazine Christianity Today, into the Catholic Church: https://religionnews.com/2020/09/10/mark-galli-former-christianity-today-editor-and-trump-critic-to-be-confirmed-a-catholic/ Also discussed: Archbishop Chaput's article in First Things magazine on […]

Cale responds to a recent article from a prominent Protestant group that gave reasons to not be Catholic. Issues addressed: beauty, clarity, and unity. Link to article on the conversion of Mark Galli, former editor of evangelical magazine Christianity Today, into the Catholic Church: https://religionnews.com/2020/09/10/mark-galli-former-christianity-today-editor-and-trump-critic-to-be-confirmed-a-catholic/ Also discussed: Archbishop Chaput’s article in First Things magazine on […] All show notes at Reasons to be Catholic - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Listen as we interview Archbishop Chaput on his relationship with his successor, Archbishop Nelson Perez, how he came to know the priest from Philadelphia, and how he had originally wanted him as his own Auxiliary Bishop for Phildelphia! We talkwith the Archbishop about what we can expect from his successor, the retiree's plans for the next several months, and more!

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Tom Riello talks about Archbishop Chaput's comments at the Fall USCCB meeting. Fr Tad Pacholczyk shares his articles, "pushing back against evil in society" as well as his article on sexual attractions and the call to chastity.

▶️ Support this podcast here. We are 100% listener supported. ▶️ For more shows, join our premium community: Coffin Nation Doors open December 1st. ▶️ YouTube: Click Subscribe and "Like" my videos. ************************************************************** The U.S. Bishops met this past week in Baltimore and it was two days of fairly procedural discussions and long speeches and talk of preparing documents that very few people outside that that ballroom will read. But a few things struck me watching the footage of the proceedings and from the transcript of what was said. The first thing I noticed was how many of the interventions expressed viewpoints that are not in fact the teachings of the Catholic Church. To take one example, the bishop of Venice Florida, Bishop Frank Dewane—apparently speaking to previous USCCB statements—supported the idea that civilians should have virtually no access to handguns. Erm, what? The Second Amendment should go? The question of violence in our society is an important one but taking guns away from EVERYONE is worse than putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg, because it ignores the root problems: …the breakdown of the family, the fallout of failed sexual revolution, the skyrocketing divorce rate, the epidemic of depression and suicide. …the exodus out of the Church and away from Jesus Christ. …the secularist media machine hell-bent on selling fear, relativism, and despair. But the real clash of happened on the second day between Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego and Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia. Bishop McElroy does not like the idea of non-negotiables for Catholic voters, Including please sing abortion and euthanasia as more important than the urgent them things like the environment and care for the poor. Full stop. In his address to the Bishops, the Bishop of San Diego expressed displeasure with the phrase “preeminent concern given to the weakest members of society,” a reference to the killing of innocent unborn human beings through abortion. This line appears in a 2015 USCCB document that very few people read called “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.” The Bishop’s at this week’s meeting are set to publish another letter that contained the line, “the threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks life itself.” Well, Bishop McElroy objected to the line as being “at least discordant” with the pope’s teachings. He didn’t say why this is, since Pope Francis has referred to abortionists as “hitmen.” Among other things, McElroy said: “It is not Catholic that abortion is the preeminent issue that we face as a world in Catholic social teaching. It is not. For us to say that, particularly when we omit the pope’s articulation of this question, I think is a grave disservice of our people…so either we shouldn’t have “preeminent” in there, or we should have the pope’s full paragraph where he lays out his vision of this same question, delicately balancing all of it in the words he does,” Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler Texas said that he thought preeminent should stay. Next up was Archbishop Chaput wasn’t having any of the reasoning proffered by is brother Bishop McElroy. Archbishop Chaput replied: “I am against anyone stating that our saying [abortion] is ‘preeminent’ is contrary to the teaching of the pope. Because that isn’t true. It sets an artificial battle between the bishops’ conference of the United States and the Holy Father which isn’t true. So I don’t like the argument Bishop McElroy used. It isn’t true. In an unusual break with protocol, the bishop’s broke into applause. This clash right here is a microcosm of the civil war going on right now inside the Catholic Church between those who go along with the word salad and the weaponized ambiguities of Pope Francis, and those who want continuity with the previous 265 popes and sacred Tradition especially in the area of moral theology. First, is this disagreement imaginable under John Paul II or really any previous Pope? Second, many people are beginning to ask why the bishops have to meet in lavish hotels in big cities? Wouldn’t any of the unused or abandoned retreat houses or monasteries across the country provide a more fitting setting? Third, then Cardinal Ratzinger has explained that National Bishops conferences do not have magisterial authority and their pronouncements per se—especially in matters political or prudential—are not binding on the faithful. Not including retirees, there are 433 Bishops in the United States. The airfare alone comes to over $130,000 for this 48 hour event, not including the army of staffers, not including hotel, Ubers, meals ,and other costs. The annual budget of the USCCB is 180 million dollars, and not all of it is funded by donations. For the Catholic Relief Services alone, federal monies accounted for 64.70 percent of its total annual budget. It’s getting harder to know where the Church ends and where the State begins. Somehow the Church in America managed to preach the gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and teach the Faith before then for over 300 years, before the US Conference of Catholic Bishops began in 1966. All things considered, with six adults leaving the Catholic Church for every convert who joins, maybe it’s time to streamline and get back to basics, and seriously consider putting the USCCB out of its misery. Yes? No? Let me know in the comments.

The good news of the day is that the USCCB announced that the end of abortion is still a preeminent cause for Catholics to stand behind. Msgr Swetland shares with you some thoughts from Archbishop Chaput on abortion.   Caller Question – Question about the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. Caller Question – His dad […] All show notes at Go Ask Your Father November 13th – Abortion - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Vine and Fig co-founder Pat Gothman and his fiancé Jacob Flores discuss the news and articles of the week most relevant to Queer Catholics.Subscribe to the Vine and Fig NewsletterVine and Fig websiteSupport this podcast via PatreonTwitterInstagram1. Billy Porter wins best actor2. USCCB discusses outreach out to the Nones3. JVN comes out as HIV+4. Archbishop Chaput criticizes Fr. Jim Martin's ministry to LGBTQ CatholicsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/vineandfigco)

On this episode, editors Ed Condon and JD Flynn are joined by Father John Paul Mary, chaplain of EWTN, who’s visiting the CNA office this week from Alabama. They discuss canon law, Archbishop Chaput’s response to Father James Martin, belief in the Real Presence, and much more. Stick around for a brand new game entitled: “Who Am I in the Bible?” Shownotes: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/chaput-fr-james-martins-message-causes-confusion-about-church-doctrine-47033 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-canon-law-is-essential-for-ecumenical-dialogue-80997 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/analysis-marxs-next-step-on-the-german-synodal-path-96896 https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/bishops-in-us-make-the-real-presence-a-focus-of-their-catechesis-70926

Archbishop Chaput

Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, OFM - Homily on the 102nd Anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima

Joe Towalski talks with Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia about faith in the public square.

The Church is in Crisis for the last year of 2018, but it has been taking place for the last 5, 10, 30, 70 years, but we are experiencing it in a pronounced way now. Who will still be in our churches in 20 years, not just a priest problem, but a whole problem. Fr. Fish from Washington DC says, "Said it before, and I’ll say it again: working for the Catholic Church in America in 2019 feels something like working for Blockbuster Movies in 2005. We’re still arguing about how we should display the DVDs, and meanwhile our current model and customer base is about to collapse." Here is a link to more of his comments. Strangers in a Strange Land by Archbishop Chaput, “The real problem […] much more stubborn. The real problem with the world is us” (17) “The reason the Christian faith doesn’t matter to so many of our young people is that—too often—it didn’t really matter to us. Not enough to shape our lives. Not enough for us to suffer for it.” (7). “the appetite for comfort and security has replaced conviction” (12). There is not a problem with the teachings of the Church. The Gospel remains the Gospel. What we have went wrong is that we have often not lived out the teachings of the Church. Priestly celibacy is not the problem for the clerical sex abuse scandal it is because priests did not live out their priestly celibacy. God or Nothing by Cardinal Sarah, “While Christians are dying for their faith and their fidelity to Jesus, in the West, me of the Church are trying to reduce the requirements of the Gospel to a minimum” (280) Clement Shahbaz Bhatti a Pakistani Catholic politician who was murdered for the faith on March 2, 2011 had written earlier, “High-ranking positions in government have been offered to me, and I have been asked to put an end to my battle, but I have always refused, even at the risk of my own life. My response has always been the same. I do not want popularity, I do not want positions of power. I only want a place at he feet of Jesus. I want my life, my character, my actions to speak of me and say that I am following Jesus Christ. This desire is so strong in me that I consider myself privileged whenever—in my combative effort to help the needy, the poor, the persecuted Christians of Pakistan—Jesus should wish to accept the sacrifice of my life. I want to live for Christ, and it is for Him that I want to die” (God or Nothing, 279-280) Archbishop Chaput talking about the 21 Coptic Christians that were killed on Feb. 15, 2015 “What happened next did not make headlines. On the Christian television, Beshir Kamel, the brother of two of the murdered men, thanked ISIS for not editing out the men’s last declaration of faith in Christ because it had strengthened his own faith. He then added that the families of those who were killed were ‘congratulating one another.’ He said: ‘We are proud to have this number of people from our village who have become martyrs… Since the Roman era, Christians have been martyred and have learned to handle everything that comes our way. This only makes us stronger in our faith because the Bible told us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us.’ When the host asked whether he could forgive ISIS, Kamel relayed what his mother had said she would do if she saw one of the men who killed her son: ‘My mother, an uneducated woman in her sixties, said she would ask [him] to enter her house and ask God to open his eyes because he was the reason her son entered the kingdom of heaven.’ When the host invited him to pray for his brothers’ killers, Kamel prayed, ‘Dear Dog, please open their eyes to be saved and to quit their ignorance and the wrong teachings they were taught’” (Strangers in a Strange Land, 215) “The West urgently needs to set its sights on God and. The crucified Lord, to look ‘on Him whom they have pierced’ to rediscover their trust in and fidelity to the Gospel, to overcome its weariness” (God or Nothing 282). May we not purse the woes of riches and having All speaking well of us, but instead the blessings of God in our poverty, hunger, and persecution so we may leap with Joy with Jesus. “As Christ’s disciples, we are constantly on an exodus. Christians always remain nomads, in search of God, on a difficult but rewarding pilgrimage” (God or Nothing 282).  2/17/19

Meet the guy who recorded a ten-minute voice memo describing his work for his mom. And, despite his best efforts, she’s still a little confused. Ryan Thomas describes the basketball camp conversion that set him on his life’s course, which included being inspired by St. Ignatius of Loyola to discern religious life and having Archbishop Chaput as his spiritual director (nbd). These experiences created the foundation he works from—mentorship, interiority, and letting his faith permeate his work. Ryan is now working on a Blockchain-based payment and donation system and has a book about Our Lady of Guadalupe in the works. Thank you as always to our Patreon sponsors for making this podcast possible.

This week on Bishop and the Vicars Radio Show, the idea of virtue and men's spirituality is on the table. From calls for a "new knighthood of holy virtue" at the recent Phoenix, Arizona men's conference, to the rise in popularity of Jordan Peterson, the question of what it means to be a man in the 21st century is a pressing topic. Bishop Daly and the vicars take up the idea of how, as Catholic Christian men, we should pursue a life of Christian virtue and holiness. Join Bishop Thomas Daly, Fr. Darrin Connall (Vicar General), Fr. Brian Mee (Vicar for Finance), and Fr. Pat Kerst (Vicar for Priests) as they talk about faith, life, and challenging issues of the day; always keeping in mind the joy our faith inspires.  Also heard on AM 970 & FM 106.1 Sacred Heart Radio. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Archbishop Chaput speaks to Phoenix Men's conference on Knighthood and Virtue http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/archbishop-chaput-encourages-new-knighthood-of-holy-virtue Matthew Smitz from First Things Magazine on "Jordan Peterson, Unlikely Guru" https://www.firstthings.com/article/2018/04/jordan-peterson-unlikely-guru 

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia speaks with the same direct, guile-free way he writes. As a pastor of a large American city, he knows his audience: They are largely post-Christian, cynical about “organized religion,” and don’t abide clichés and easy grace. Archbishop Chaput (pronounced SHAP-you) is also a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi tribe, the second Native American to be consecrated a bishop in the United States and the first Native American archbishop. You might say he comes from a non-immigrant family. I spoke with him about his latest book, Strangers in a Stranger Land: Living the Catholic Faith In a Post-Christian World, a sort of follow-up to the thesis he laid out seven years ago in First Things journal essay, “Catholics and the Next America.” That America is here. Ignited Catholics eager to spread the gospel…not so much. Chaput has been called “alarmist” by the usual suspects in the lamescream media. Christian realist is more accurate. As Christian leaders go, His Excellency is hard-headed and soft-hearted, not the other way around. You’ll find this a conversation worth sharing after you enjoy it yourself.   Don’t forget to subscribe to the show, to get the very latest. Also, please leave an honest review of the show in iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

Which MOS host was promised to be made a cardinal by the Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia if he becomes the next Pope? Aside from an empty promise, the Archbishop shares profound insights into the current Sexual Revolution from the Catholic perspective, and from his unique view point as someone committed to celibacy. Archbishop Chaput is also an author of a book our hosts would highly recommend: Strangers in a Strange Land, in which the Archbishop expresses in more vivid detail how the conservative religious camps are being marginalized by a radical progression in cultural norms at an alarmingly rapid pace. We discuss everything from contraception to abortion to gay marriage to transgenderism. For all who listen, this is a stand-out interview full of rich insight with a vital undertaking in how to think in today's world - a world where we ought to live holding the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.

Hugh Hewitt interviews Richard Haass, who serves as president of the Council on Foreign Relations, about the importance of the National Security Adviser role. Hewitt asks Senator Tom Cotton why he is pleased with President Trump's pick of General McMaster to be the next National Security Adviser. Michael Medved says that General McMaster is exactly who Trump and the nation need to fill the NSA role. Medved highlights the latest round of anti-Trump protests and explains why they are backfiring on the left. Medved reads excerpts from a column that is full of hysteria about how one has to parent a child during the Trump era. Mike Gallagher brings on National Review's Rich Lowry to explain how Sweden is in deep trouble over their immigration problems. Hewitt chats with Archbishop Chaput about his new book, “Strangers in a Strange Land.” Dennis Prager looks at how California is more concerned with global warming rather than its crumbling infrastructure that needs to be fixed now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fr. Peter Calabrese *Archbishop Chaput's new book on Life in a Post-Christian World *Passing of Norma McCorvey *Euthanasia bill in Oregon

Fr. Peter Calabrese *Archbishop Chaput on Religious Freedom *WikiLeaks and Catholicism *Voting for Pro-Abortion Candidates

(July 28, 2016) Dr J is once again Molly Smith's guest on From the Median, and this time around the theme is "guidelines"--some good, some not-so-good. First up, they're discussing Archbishop Chaput's pastoral guidelines for implementing Amoris Laetitia. Then they move on to the Department of Justice's guidelines for transgender students recently issued to all public schools in the country.

Luke and I start out with the Qatar death scandal involving the World Cup, but don't worry, plenty of people die, Qatar and FIFA authorities assure us. Just not on the same project. At the same time. At all. Then I mock the worship of Sports (#1 of America's Top 7 Gods) and Luke pivots the conversation to a quote from Archbishop Chaput: “This difference between production and consumption is what sociologist Zygmunt Bauman calls the gulf between solid and liquid modern life. Older, “solid” societies based on production find their security in ownership, delayed gratification and rational organization. They seek methodical progress, and they put a high value on durable goods. “Liquid,” consumer-based societies—creatures of the tech revolution and its rapid rate of change—feed on “incessant new beginnings” and experiences.” — Archbishop Chaput I express how I get nervous with quotes like these because, to be honest, a fear of technology is essentially a fear of our native strength. Robots, AI, and all these iPhones are extensions of our selves, they are our creations. Anywho, Zygmunt Bauman's thesis sounds interesting, so here's a link to his book Liquid Modernity that benefits our ministry. And we shouldn't fear them.Now on to Mars, ELON MUSK, GET MY FAT ASS TO MARS!Then we talk about our upcoming two guests: Sergio Bermundez and Lisa Brenninkmeyer from Walking With Purpose.Then Gomer pulls out the GREATEST ANSWER OF ALL TIME WHY LUKE HAS BAD TASTE IN MUSIC/BEER. Thanks 'Stina!Finally, we end with the New Evangelization and why we aren't really implementing it and how Gomer has no patience for this. 

These are my show notes for the episode. Please don't pay attention to grammar and punctuation. World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia September 22-25 Happens every three years since 1994 Started by Pope John Paul II Theme this year chosen by Pope Francis: Love Is Our Mission: the Family Fully Alive. Archbishop Chaput explained the theme …

The task now for believers is to form our own families even more deeply in the love of God, and to rebuild a healthy marriage culture, one marriage at a time, from the debris of today’s decision. – Archbishop Chaput … Continue reading The post MP 020 : Marriage – Now What? appeared first on Messy Family Project.

Chaput details both the history of the threats and possible responses in “A Charitable Endeavor,” published in First Things (November, 2009). In their conversation about this essay on Spirit Catholic Radio, R. R. Reno and Chaput discussed militant secularism, the need for mediating institutions, and the historical collaboration between Church and state on issues of poverty.

A story told by Archbishop Chaput causes Chris Manion to ask- has social justice replaced virtue these days?

Summary of today's show: It's finally Election Day and Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor welcome Michael Lavigne and David Harris—a former Senate staffer turned seminarian—discuss today's election, their experiences at the polls, and their predictions for the presidential election, the Mass. Senate race, ballot question 2, and other public policy issues and political offices in play today. Will our panel of pundits' predictions hold up to the actual polls? Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): Michael Lavigne and David Harris Links from today's show: Today's topics: Election Day Special 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to Election Day and he said he's been looking forward to this day, especially given his work on the assisted suicide question. Fr. Chris O'Connor said he's locking himself down by going to Norfolk State Prison to minister to the convicts. He voted this morning near his home in Winthrop. Scot said he's heard many reports from the polls from people who saw people holding up No on 2 signs. It's a moving testimony to people having got the message on assisted suicide. Scot said the Church hasn't educated on a public policy issue in decades like she has on Question 2. Fr. Chris said he's glad the Church has been such a strong articulate voice on this question. Fr. Chris related how he heard one Libertarian radio show host said he changed his mind on Question 2 after hearing the ads and other information about the issue. Scot said Cardinal Seán first spoke on assisted suicide 14 months ago and the Boston Globe blasted him for it, but now the Globe editorial board has come out on the same side as the Cardinal. Fr. Chris said his eight-year-old nephew Noah dressed as Mitt Romney for Halloween this year and gave his biggest endorsement to the former governor. He said some of the eight-year-old's comments on all three debates have been at least as edifying as the comments heard from the pundits on MSNBC. 2nd segment: Scot said tomorrow's show will reflect on what happened today. Scot welcomed our guests Michael Lavigne and David Harris, who's a seminarian with experience in political campaigns. Michael said he's voting tonight in his new home of Taunton. David said he's a resident of New Hampshire and voted via absentee ballot. Scot said David worked in politics before entering the seminary. David credited his very liberal roommates at Providence College for his interest in politics and getting involved. He went to Washington and worked for Sen. John Sununu from New Hampshire. He also did some campaigning and then after worked in the private sector doing some issue political campaigning. Scot asked his sense of how the election might go in New Hampshire. David said he didn't know a single person in New Hampshire who isn't voting, and he thinks Romney has a shot. David said New Hampshire voters have been pragmatic and have wanted ideas that work and seeing the last four years they might see Mitt Romney as a problem solver. Scot said he was at his polling place in Belmont by 7am and was about 35th in line. He can't remember it ever being that deep in his 11 years. His 6-year-old son Dominic accompanied him and was talking up the people in line about Question 2. Scot said there's not a lot that usually happens in Belmont, but about 8:35am Mitt and Ann Romney came to vote in Belmont. His sense was the about 400 or 500 residents were there and nearly an equal number of media people. Unfortunately, there were no Vote No on 2 signs and he had given away his last one. Fr. Chris added that the Brown and Warren Senate race is also neck and neck and the national media are watching that. Scot said Michael has lived in Rhode Island and Maine, so what does think about the way Massachusetts does it. Michael said the big difference is that in this Senate race your vote matters, but in Rhode Island it's mostly landslides for the Democrat. He said in Maine three years ago they had a ballot on same-sex marriage like we have on Question 2. He's hoping that the experience in Maine is replicated where polling said same-sex marriage would win by 2 points but traditional marriage won by 7. Scot asked David about his opinion of the polls that show the dead heat in Question 2. David said when he was campaigning he worked on the ground and they mostly ignored them in order to not get distracted. But polling can matter, especially in the past few weeks as the polls showed some states coming into play for Romney. Good polling is valuable, but it's not an exact science. There's a reason we actually cast a vote and don't let polls choose our leaders. Scot referred to a poll from a TV station in Western Massachusetts on Question 2 that broke down by religious background. Of those who are regular Mass attendees, more than 70% will vote No, while those who go to Mass once per month or less supported Question 2 at about 49%. There were similar numbers for Protestants.While those who are agnostic or atheist, 90% supported it. Fr. Chris said this is clear evidence that the Church speaks clearly on the value of life at all stages. He read a quote from a recent George Weigel column that said the inalienable right to life and the nature of marriage have to be upheld by Catholics at the polls. Scot said it's been awkward for him in the election to see how the leaders of one party and its party platform have treated the Catholic leadership and Catholic belief in contempt. He said he's not trying to be partisan. HE referred to Archbishop Chaput who said the Democratic Party platform has drifted from alignment with Catholic beliefs because Catholics haven't fought for it in the platform. While Republicans aren't guaranteed not to go the same way, it's hard today as a Catholic not to be troubled by the Democratic Party platform. David said as a Christian you want try to be pastoral and loving, but at the same time you have to defend the truth and support what the Church teaches. He's been learning to mercifully tell the truth to those who still support the Democratic Party. He said Cardinal Seán has outlined for everyone in this archdiocese how we need to vote if we want to be Catholic, what principles we have to live by and vote by. Fr. Chris said we don't just vote the party. The characters of political parties change over time. We have a sacred duty in the voting booth that we're not only voting for ourselves, but for the common good. We should never outsource this ability who's going to lead out country. Scot said Archbishop Chaput also said it's a sacred duty to be able to vote and we need to be a Catholic before we're a Democrat or Republican or even American. Michael said he's had friends try to pigeonhole him as Republican or Democrat, but he's a Catholic who stands up and takes seriously his responsibility as a Catholic. To be Catholic is to not completely agree with either party's platform, but there are some issues which stand above the others, which the bishops pointed out are defense of human life and traditional marriage. David pointed out a story on Drudge Report how Vice President Joe Biden said if he loses today, he'll go back home to run for county commissioner. Scot said he finds Biden likable, while Fr. Chris said he found him to be rude in the vice presidential debate. But Scot said he liked how Biden is just himself, like in his first press conference when introduced as VP running mate when he took time to compliment his wife's looks. Michael said he likes to remember that these are human beings running for office and their human dignity. Fr. Chris said he particularly liked the moment after one of the debates when Mitt Romney's grandson went up to President Obama and shake his hand. 3rd segment: Scot said today is an historic day in the US where we either elect a new president or re-elect a president. Scot said it's fun to predict what will happen. He asked Michael for his prediction. Michael said while no one really knows, he said writer Peggy Noonan has said there's a palpable sense that things are going Romney's way. He thinks that ROmney will win both electoral college and popular vote. Popular vote will be 52% for Romney he thinks and it will be decided at 12:30AM. He asked David his prediction. David said he agreed that Peggy Noonan was right. He agreed that Romney will win with 50% of the popular vote and will be decided by midnight. He agreed with Karl Rove's estimate of 289 electoral college votes. He thinks the governorship and Congressional seats will go Democrat. Scot said he's disappointed that Republican Ovid Lamontaigne isn't likely to win because he's a good Catholic. Fr. Chris predicts Romney will win with 305 electoral college votes and before he finishes his ricotta pie at 11:30pm. He thinks Ohio will be the decider. He's really concerned with Ohio and it's the bellwether. Romney hadn't been getting the ground in Ohio in recent weeks, but finally there's a sense of momentum behind Romney now. Scot asked what they make of Romney campaigning today in Ohio and Pennsylvania while Obama hangs out in Chicago. Some think it's a good idea on Romney's part while others think Romney is keeping campaign workers from getting out the vote. Fr. Chris said it's a sign that Romney has brought Ohio and Pennsylvania back into play. He cited Rush Limbaugh who said he thinks there's a momentum behind Romney. Scot said he thinks Romney will get 276 electoral college and only 49% of the vote to Obama's 48%. He doesn't think we'll officially know until November 17. Tomorrow we'll hear the projections, but four or five states will have an automatic recount with several weeks to sort it all out. Fr. Chris said he'll need another ricotta pie. Turning to the Senate race, he asked Michael's prediction. Michael said he thinks Brown will eke out a narrow victory against Warren. 50 to 48. David agrees it will be super-close and he thinks Brown will win because of the Catholics coming out to Vote No on 2. He predicted Brown 49 to 48 percent. They discussed whether there will be a recount and David predicted not. Fr. Chris said he's nervous. He heard on the radio today that so many Democrats coming out for Obama will push it to Warren. Scot predicted she will win by 3 or 4 points. Scot said you have to measure the street signs and the enthusiasm, and he's seen a lot of enthusiasm for Warren has been higher and he's seen yard signs for Warren to Brown at a 20 to 1 ratio. He said he saw Elizabeth Warren banners on nearly every overpass on Route 128 coming down from Belmont to Braintree today. His sense is that the large statewide Democratic infrastructure is back in play in support of Warren. Fr. Chris said the 2010 election was not a general election, but a sort of surprise in January and it aided Brown in winning that race. He added he had a friend out on the Southeast Expressway with Romney and Brown signs getting a lot of positive response. On the issue of Question 2, Scot asked Michael his prediction. He said he compared it to the same-sex marriage question in Maine in 2009 and predicted the same outcome as 52-45. David said he thinks Question 2 will be defeated. Fr. Chris agreed. Scot made it unanimous as 52-46. Scot said the tide turned on Question 2 in recent weeks as most of the major newspapers endorsed a No on 2 position and there have been almost no visibility for Yes on 2 questions. He thinks the word-of-mouth and passion will carry the day. He said the hope is that people will walk into the ballot box knowing question 2 is the assisted suicide question and decided to vote No, but if not people will be deterred by the dense language on the ballot and vote No or abstain. On other issues, Fr. Chris said he wonders how New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie might have helped the president or hurt him after meeting with him after Hurricane Sandy. He said most polls show the Senate will stay with the Democrats and the Republicans will gain seats in the House. He thinks that's not necessarily a bad thing. David said RealClearPolitics.com has an aggregate poll that shows the difference between four years ago and today, where Obama has so much less of an advantage. Michael said he's looking at the referendums on marriage in four states where it's so tight in all those states. Scot said he'll be looking at how Catholics are voting, given his activity in education on Question 2. He hopes Catholic votes start to look different from everyone else's because we're called to be leaven in society and not just to go along.

Summary of today's show: On the eve of one of the most momentous elections in a generation, Scot Landry welcomes Fr. Roger Landry and Janet Benestad to discuss one last time about the life and death consequences of Massachusetts Question 2, which would legalized assisted suicide; how one might choose between two candidates who have declared themselves to be pro-choice as Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren have; and what a Catholic needs to remember when deciding whether to re-elect a candidate who has consistently curtailed his own religious freedom. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Church in Fall River; Janet Benestad, Secretary for Faith Formation and Evangelization; Phil Lohnes Today's topics: Election Eve Special Links from today's show: 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and the election eve special. He welcomed Fr. Roger Landry and Janet Benestad to the show. Fr. Roger will be on the show tomorrow and Wednesday as well. Scot said Janet and her team has been sprinting over the past year to educate people about Question 2 on assisted suicide on tomorrow's ballot. He asked her for her assessment. Janet said we're in good shape and done everything we could possibly do. She emphasized that this isn't a Catholic issue, but people of all faiths and no faith have supported a No vote on Question 2. The effort has been formidable and people are coming to understand this may be the most important vote they ever cast. Scot noted so many elections in Massachusetts are not this close. There was 25 point spread a few months ago, but now it's within the margin of error. He's heard people say they were happy they registered in Massachusetts to cast this vote. Fr. Roger agreed that this is literally a matter of life and death and we will all have to deal with this issue within our lives, whether for ourselves or a loved one or someone we know. We need to push in the direction of true compassionate care and not open the door to a Trojan horse that undervalues certain lives. This is the time for all Catholics to step up as real Catholics. Archbishop Chaput said last week that before we're Democrat or Republican or even American, we're Catholic first. Scot asked Janet if she still has concerns about people having misconceptions about Question 2 and being tricked by the euphemisms. Janet said they are concerned about the wording of the ballot which could confuse voters. The No side says it's to not change the law in Massachusetts and people may not know what the law is. So they're just simply saying to Vote No. Others may be convinced by those arguing for assisted suicide because it's supposedly dignified, but she pointed out all the loopholes in the bill that doctors, ethicists, and public policy experts will say is a problem. Scot asked Fr. Roger if he hears from people who have such misconceptions. Fr. Roger said a lot of people are ignorant that it's even on the ballot. He said Bishop George Coleman of Fall River had a message played in every parish in the diocese this past weekend on how people can fulfill their Christian duty through their civic duty and helping those who are most vulnerable. He said in a close election, we might be the ones who can persuade the two or five or ten who will decide this vote. Scot asked Janet what listeners should do between now and tomorrow. She suggested calling everyone, especially those who might be confused, and to make sure they go vote. And finally pray to be spared this dangerous bill. Fr. Roger asked his parishioners to go work the polls tomorrow, to hold Vote No on 2 signs and offer literature.Many of his parishioners have signed up to man any of the polling stations throughout the city so that there's someone at each place. People are making calls and sending emails tonight. Scot suggested people send out a message on each of Twitter or Facebook tonight. He asked people to send a nice gentle respectful message to people in their address books who live in Massachusetts. Your email, tweet, or Facebook message may be what's in someone's mind as they go to vote tomorrow. Question 3 on the ballot is legalizing medical marijuana. He asked Fr. Roger if there's a moral reason for a Catholic to vote yes. Fr. Roger said he can't see one. There may be some medical help to be given through a drug like this, but there are larger social issues as seen in California with all the bogus prescriptions given out. Marijuana is infamously a gateway drug and creates patterns of escape from reality. Janet said marijuana is not the way to keep our communities clean and safe. Scot said you only have to ask police what they see as the result. Turning to the US Senate race, he asked how he would break down the life issues between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren. Fr. Roger said there's nothing he's ever seen anything from Warren to show she thinks there's an abortion in the US that shouldn't be celebrated. While Brown has run ads showcasing his pro-choice positions, he's voted with pro-lifers in some cases. He said Warren's strategy seems to have been to focus on Brown's Republican Party and hypothetical votes. But in an election in which Catholics are voting moral issues, the track records of the parties is important, especially considering Supreme Court nominations, Senate hearings, revision of Obamacare. So it's how they might vote with their party in Washington. He said Republicans have been more consistent on the life issues along the lines of what the Catholic bishops have been outlining as the pro-life way. Janet said Catholics will find themselves most comfortable in the Republican platform. Warren has been so extreme and talking as if women are only concerned with reproductive rights issues. The Democratic party is so extreme with regard to those reproductive rights. Scot asked if the so-called War on Women has backfired. Janet said women resent the fact that they have been reduced to an ideological position on contraception and abortion. They care about the economy, healthcare, national defense and more. She related anecdotes about people beginning to resent the reduction of the political to a couple of hot-button ideological issues through negative advertising. Scot said in this case you have two candidates who talk as if they're pro-choice although on a continuum. Fr. Roger said it's unfortunate we don't have a choice between two staunch pro-lifers. The teaching of the Church is that a Catholic must vote according to a well-informed conscience. One option is that if there are serious qualms about both candidates, then they can write in a candidate as a vote of none of the above. The second option is to look to see which would do the best and most amount of good or to prevent the worse the evil from the other candidate. Pope John Paul II was clear in 1995 that it is morally legitimate to accomplish as much as you can when there is no good choice. It's morally possible to vote for a pro-choice candidate who wants to restrict abortion versus one who doesn't want restrictions in order to bring about the greater good. Trying to weigh this with regard to war, poverty, and other matters is more difficult, but there are some non-negotiable issues like abortion and then there are other issues which are prudential. No candidate is pro-poverty, but they have different ideas for how best to solve the problem. When candidates are fundamentally wrong about the ends of government, however, that weighs more. 2nd segment: Scot said there is a lot of intellectual information to take int o the voting booth, but there are personal experiences we bring with us as well. Scot's friend Phil Lohnes has had experiences in his own family about flawed terminal diagnoses. He welcomed Phil to the show. He said his aunt at 84 years old was given a six-month terminal diagnosis of cancer and she's still here at 90. She believed it on the one hand and got her affairs in order, but also didn't believe it too. It was a sword of Damocles over her head that even left her wondering what the point of living is, which is there had been assisted suicide she would have thrown away years of life. Phil said mostly people in his family don't talk about what happened, but they begin to realize that more people need to know. He said his mother-in-law suffered a head trauma five or six years ago. She was rushed to a hospital in Boston and within a week or so, she had a saline drip adjusted not once, but twice, by a nurse that if left that way long enough would have killed her. the only reason it didn't kill her was her medical doctor daughter caught it. Someone within that hospital decided her life wasn't worth living. Now she's lived to see her grandchildren through the next stages of life. Scot said Cardinal Seán had articulated this as one of his concerns as a slippery slope. People could end up afraid of their medical caregivers and worry that they have become executioners. After Phil ended the call, Scot said there are many stories like Phil's about relatives who outlived terminal diagnoses or just had the time to live with loved ones. Janet said she is herself a cancer survivor and had she not received treatment nine years ago she would never have met her grandchildren. Lethal drugs is not a treatment for a disease. We should start with good end-of-life care. That's where this conversation begins. One of the strongest arguments against Question 2 has been that terminal diagnoses are often wrong and the biggest champions have been leaders in the Massachusetts medical community. He said it's stark to hear a case like Phil's. Back to Fr. Roger, Scot said he recalled how many days back in 2000 to settle Bush v. Gore. Everything he hears now with so many battleground states, it may end up as close as 2000. Fr. Roger said there are issues in Ohio where we may end up waiting 10 days to find out the result if it comes down to provisional ballots. He said in 2000 the entire presidential election was decided by 537 cast out of six million in Florida. Fr. Roger said he was in Nashville recently and talked to a doctor who'd studied what had happened in Oregon after assisted suicide was legalized there. Hospice nurses would tell him that the main reason given for the approval of all the distribution of pills was a lack of autonomy, but almost all the individuals who got prescriptions for the pills in their last days spent their last days talking about the pills, rather than God or their families. They agonized over whether to take the pills instead of preparing themselves and their families. Fr. Roger also expressed his thanks for Victoria Kennedy who wrote in an op-ed last week about how she was able to spend the last 15 months with her husband Sen. Ted Kennedy. Scot said there's a lot at stake in the presidential race. One of the issues we've been talking about is the relationship between our Catholic faith and how the government respects us. Scot said he's felt like in the past both Democrats and Republics have respected our Catholic bishops. But when it comes to this Affordable Care Act, it was done without respecting the hierarchy within the Church, but instead the Obama administration spoke to dissident organizations. And then didn't deal above board with bishops when the HHS mandate was put forward. Janet said there's no question that we're being called to violate our consciences in order to live up these expectations from this administration. Janet said she too has always thought our government respected our religious freedom, but now we're in a difficult position in this election. Scot asked Fr. Roger if this is the top issue in the national election? He said he personally believes it's the most consequential element of the election. On abortion and gay marriage, much of the change possible is complicated, takes time, and is out of the president's hands, but on this issue this is something that can change on Day One. Fr. Roger asked his parishioners yesterday if a president is actively campaigning that abortion is American as apple pie, if he's threatening existence of Catholic hospitals and schools, and if Catholics still vote for him, what will the conclusion be? Pope Benedict spoke earlier this year about the worrisome developments in America about the limitations on the practice of religious freedom. We're either going to teach them a lesson or they're going to draw lesson on how we accept what happens. It doesn't mean a Catholic has to vote for Romney, but could vote third party. Fr. Roger said our votes always have consequences and if someone is taking us down a road we don't want to go and we vote for them anyway, we will have to live with those consequences. Scot quoted Archbishop Chaput's recent column called : “Catholic” is a word that has real meaning. We don't control or invent that meaning as individuals. We inherit it from the Gospel and the experience of the Church over the centuries. If we choose to call ourselves Catholic, then that word has consequences for what we believe and how we act. We can't truthfully call ourselves “Catholic” and then behave as if we're not. Being a Catholic is a bit like being married. We have a relationship with the Church and with Jesus Christ that's similar to being a spouse. If a man says he loves his wife, his wife will want to see the evidence in his fidelity. The same applies to our relationship with God. If we say we're Catholic, we need to show that by our love for the Church and our fidelity to what she teaches and believes. Otherwise we're just fooling ourselves. God certainly won't be fooled. The Church is not a political organism. She has no interest in partisanship because getting power or running governments is not what she's about, and the more closely she identifies herself with any single party, the fewer people she can effectively reach. […] In the end, the heart of truly faithful citizenship is this: We're better citizens when we're more faithful Catholics. The more authentically Catholic we are in our lives, choices, actions and convictions, the more truly we will contribute to the moral and political life of our nation. Janet said we have to have well-formed consciences, learning as much as we can about the issues and what our Church teaches about the issues. Fr. Roger said tomorrow is a big day and God is counting on us to be salt, light, and leaven.

Summary of today's show: As we close in on Election Day, we celebrate our 400th episode by beginning in earnest our formation as Catholics in the public square. Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor continue looking at the 1998 document from the US bishops called “Living the Gospel of Life”, which Archbishop Charles Chaput calls “the best tool anywhere for understanding the American Catholic political vocation”. Scot and Fr. Chris consider the second part of the document, which includes calls to specific groups of Catholics to recognize the hierarchy of rights that puts the right to life and the dignity of all human life first and foremost. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's topics: Living the Gospel of Life: Part 2 1st segment: Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor talked about their weekend. Fr. Chris said he was called out to perform an anointing for a man who was dying of cancer. He was struck by the fact that this was dying with dignity, to be surrounded by loved ones and cared for by medical professionals who also cared for the family. Fr. Chris said he preached on the subject of dying with dignity and Question 2. He said it's a tough subject to talk about in the presence of so many children, but he though that the more culture turns in on itself and gets twisted. He doesn't want to offend the sensibility of the little ones while edifying the adults. Many people said they hadn't heard of the assisted suicide question or misunderstood it. He pointed out that it's not physician-assisted suicide because the physician doesn't provide any assistance except to write a prescription. Scot said the doctor is not present when the fatal prescription is ingested. In many ways, it's dying alone. He said yesterday the Boston Herald, Worcester Telegram and Gazette joined The New Bedford Standard-Times in opposing Question 2. Fr. Chris said it makes sense to him why even doctors and nurses oppose this bill after seeing the doctors and nurses caring for the dying over the weekend. Today's topic is the second part of a two-part series discussing the US bishops' 1998 document “Living the Gospel of Life.” Scot reminded listeners he'd never heard of this document until reading Archbishop Chaput's book “Render Unto Caesar” over the weekend. We start with Section 3, Paragraph 16. This does not make America sectarian. It does, however, underline the crucial role God's sovereignty has played in the architecture of American politics. While the founders were a blend of Enlightenment rationalists and traditional Christians, generations of Jews, Muslims, other religious groups and non-believers have all found a home in the United States. This is so because the tolerance of our system is rooted in the Jewish-Christian principle that even those who differ from one another in culture, appearance and faith still share the same rights. We believe that this principle still possesses the power to enlighten our national will. The Second Vatican Council, in its Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), praises those women and men who have a vocation to public office. It encourages active citizenship. It also reminds us that, “The political community … exists for the common good: This is its full justification and meaning, and the source of its specific and basic right to exist. The common good embraces all those conditions of social life which enable individuals, families and organizations to achieve complete and efficacious fulfillment” (74). In pursuing the common good, citizens should “cultivate a generous and loyal spirit of patriotism, but without narrow-mindedness … [they must also] be conscious of their specific and proper role in the political community: They should be a shining example by their sense of responsibility and their dedication to the common good …” (75). As to the role of the Church in this process: “… The political community and the Church are autonomous and independent of each other in their own fields. Nevertheless, both are devoted to the personal vocation of man, though under different titles … [yet] at all times and in all places, the Church should have the true freedom to teach the faith, to proclaim its teaching about society, to carry out its task among men without hindrance, and to pass moral judgment even in matters relating to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it” (76; emphasis added). Pope John Paul II elaborates on this responsibility in his 1988 apostolic exhortation, The Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World (Christifideles Laici): “The inviolability of the person, which is a reflection of the absolute inviolability of God, finds its primary and fundamental expression in the inviolability of human life. Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination … The human being is entitled to such rights in every phase of development, from conception until natural death, whether healthy or sick, whole or handicapped, rich or poor … [Moreover, if,] indeed, everyone has the mission and responsibility of acknowledging the personal dignity of every human being and of defending the right to life, some lay faithful are given particular title to this task: such as parents, teachers, healthworkers and the many who hold economic and political power” (38). We believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a “Gospel of life.” It invites all persons and societies to a new life lived abundantly in respect for human dignity. We believe that this Gospel is not only a complement to American political principles, but also the cure for the spiritual sickness now infecting our society. As Scripture says, no house can stand divided against itself (Lk 11:17). We cannot simultaneously commit ourselves to human rights and progress while eliminating or marginalizing the weakest among us. Nor can we practice the Gospel of life only as a private piety. American Catholics must live it vigorously and publicly, as a matter of national leadership and witness, or we will not live it at all. Scot said it is the role of the Church to speak up when the rights of man require it. The Church isn't asking for theocracy, but we have a right to be heard and contribute to social discourse on various issues. If we make ourselves silent, then a huge voice for good is silenced. Fr. Chris said the Church is one of the only prophetic voices left in our society. The Church serves every man, women, and child and the common good. The Church has a right to speak and to invite men and women of good conscience who wants to join the cause. The Church teaches the truth and when people hear the truth, they are attracted to it. Scot said #19 is one of the best in the document. It talks about the call of everyone and that of particular people who have a particular task in proclaiming the right to life, especially anyone who leads other people. Fr. Chris said if you want to know the health of a culture, see how it takes care of its marginalized. There's a hierarchy of rights that the right to life presumes the other rights. I have to have a right o life in order to be free, to pursue liberty and happiness. When we go into the voting booth we have to take that into consideration. Scot said in #20, we can't live the Gospel of life privately. We can't say our faith is only meant for our home or in church. We have to live it in the public square. Fr. Chris said this counters the formulation “I'm personally opposed but I can't impose my beliefs on others.” Abortion is intrinsically evil and we are called to protect the unborn, the weak, the suicidal and sick when we enter the voting booth. “It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop.” Pope John Paul II, The Gospel of Life Bringing a respect for human dignity to practical politics can be a daunting task. There is such a wide spectrum of issues involving the protection of human life and the promotion of human dignity. Good people frequently disagree on which problems to address, which policies to adopt and how best to apply them. But for citizens and elected officials alike, the basic principle is simple: We must begin with a commitment never to intentionally kill, or collude in the killing, of any innocent human life, no matter how broken, unformed, disabled or desperate that life may seem. In other words, the choice of certain ways of acting is always and radically incompatible with the love of God and the dignity of the human person created in His image. Direct abortion is never a morally tolerable option. It is always a grave act of violence against a woman and her unborn child. This is so even when a woman does not see the truth because of the pressures she may be subjected to, often by the child's father, her parents or friends. Similarly, euthanasia and assisted suicide are never acceptable acts of mercy. They always gravely exploit the suffering and desperate, extinguishing life in the name of the “quality of life” itself. This same teaching against direct killing of the innocent condemns all direct attacks on innocent civilians in time of war. Pope John Paul II has reminded us that we must respect every life, even that of criminals and unjust aggressors. It is increasingly clear in modern society that capital punishment is unnecessary to protect people's safety and the public order, so that cases where it may be justified are “very rare, if not practically non-existent.” No matter how serious the crime, punishment that does not take life is “more in conformity with the dignity of the human person” (Evangelium Vitae, 56-7). Our witness to respect for life shines most brightly when we demand respect for each and every human life, including the lives of those who fail to show that respect for others. The antidote to violence is love, not more violence. As we stressed in our 1995 statement Political Responsibility: “The application of Gospel values to real situations is an essential work of the Christian community.” Adopting a consistent ethic of life, the Catholic Church promotes a broad spectrum of issues “seeking to protect human life and promote human dignity from the inception of life to its final moment.”9 Opposition to abortion and euthanasia does not excuse indifference to those who suffer from poverty, violence and injustice. Any politics of human life must work to resist the violence of war and the scandal of capital punishment. Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism, poverty, hunger, employment, education, housing, and health care. Therefore, Catholics should eagerly involve themselves as advocates for the weak and marginalized in all these areas. Catholic public officials are obliged to address each of these issues as they seek to build consistent policies which promote respect for the human person at all stages of life. But being ‘right' in such matters can never excuse a wrong choice regarding direct attacks on innocent human life. Indeed, the failure to protect and defend life in its most vulnerable stages renders suspect any claims to the ‘rightness' of positions in other matters affecting the poorest and least powerful of the human community. If we understand the human person as the “temple of the Holy Spirit” — the living house of God — then these latter issues fall logically into place as the crossbeams and walls of that house. All direct attacks on innocent human life, such as abortion and euthanasia, strike at the house's foundation. These directly and immediately violate the human person's most fundamental right — the right to life. Neglect of these issues is the equivalent of building our house on sand. Such attacks cannot help but lull the social conscience in ways ultimately destructive of other human rights. As Pope John Paul II reminds us, the command never to kill establishes a minimum which we must respect and from which we must start out “in order to say ‘yes' over and over again, a ‘yes' which will gradually embrace the entire horizon of the good” (Evangelium Vitae, 75). Since the entry of Catholics into the U.S. political mainstream, believers have struggled to balance their faith with the perceived demands of democratic pluralism. As a result, some Catholic elected officials have adopted the argument that, while they personally oppose evils like abortion, they cannot force their religious views onto the wider society. This is seriously mistaken on several key counts. First, regarding abortion, the point when human life begins is not a religious belief but a scientific fact — a fact on which there is clear agreement even among leading abortion advocates. Second, the sanctity of human life is not merely Catholic doctrine but part of humanity's global ethical heritage, and our nation's founding principle. Finally, democracy is not served by silence. Most Americans would recognize the contradiction in the statement, “While I am personally opposed to slavery or racism or sexism I cannot force my personal view on the rest of society.” Real pluralism depends on people of conviction struggling vigorously to advance their beliefs by every ethical and legal means at their disposal. Today, Catholics risk cooperating in a false pluralism. Secular society will allow believers to have whatever moral convictions they please — as long as they keep them on the private preserves of their consciences, in their homes and churches, and out of the public arena. Democracy is not a substitute for morality, nor a panacea for immorality. Its value stands — or falls — with the values which it embodies and promotes. Only tireless promotion of the truth about the human person can infuse democracy with the right values. This is what Jesus meant when He asked us to be leaven in society. American Catholics have long sought to assimilate into U.S. cultural life. But in assimilating, we have too often been digested. We have been changed by our culture too much, and we have changed it not enough. If we are leaven, we must bring to our culture the whole Gospel, which is a Gospel of life and joy. That is our vocation as believers. And there is no better place to start than promoting the beauty and sanctity of human life. Those who would claim to promote the cause of life through violence or the threat of violence contradict this Gospel at its core. Scripture calls us to “be doers of the word and not hearers only … [for] faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (Jas 1:22, 2:17). Jesus Himself directs us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you …” (Mt 28:19-20). Life in Christ is a life of active witness. It demands moral leadership. Each and every person baptized in the truth of the Catholic faith is a member of the “people of life” sent by God to evangelize the world. God is always ready to answer our prayers for help with the virtues we need to do His will. First and foremost we need the courage and the honesty to speak the truth about human life, no matter how high the cost to ourselves. The great lie of our age is that we are powerless in the face of the compromises, structures and temptations of mass culture. But we are not powerless. We can make a difference. We belong to the Lord, in Him is our strength, and through His grace, we can change the world. We also need the humility to listen well to both friend and opponent on the abortion issue, learning from each and forgetting ourselves. We need the perseverance to continue the struggle for the protection of human life, no matter what the setbacks, trusting in God and in the ultimate fruitfulness of the task He has called us to. We need the prudence to know when and how to act in the public arena — and also to recognize and dismiss that fear of acting which postures as prudence itself. And finally we need the great foundation of every apostolic life: faith, hope and charity. Faith not in moral or political abstractions, but in the personal presence of God; hope not in our own ingenuity, but in His goodness and mercy; and love for others, including those who oppose us, rooted in the love God showers down on us. These virtues, like the Gospel of Life which they help animate, have serious implications for every Christian involved in any way in the public life of the nation. Scot said in #23, as they listed various forms of standing up for life and violations of human rights, they said being in right in many areas can never excuse being wrong about direct attacks on human life. Advocating against direct attacks comes first if we want to advocate against indirect attacks. Fr. Chris said it's the false premise of proportionalism. We can't say that we will save 99 lives and let one die. Every life is so sacred and valuable that we can't directly cause the taking of a life. The bishops say it's seriously mistaken to say it's not a human life and that the sanctity of human life is not just a Catholic idea. Also, democracy isn't served by silence. We can't mute ourselves on this. Scot said abortion continues in this country because too many of us have not stood up to defend life in the womb. Scot said people deserve to hear why we believe what we believe. Everybody needs to hear us in the public square, whether we are successful or not. If God moves their hearts, all the better; if not, we're better for sharing our faith. Fr. Chris said our Constitution provides for us to speak about religiously defined beliefs in the public square. Scot said we only hear about separation of church and state, it's only from people who disagree with us. When we talk about serving the poor, no one tries to shout us down. Fr. Chris said these discussions should not become vicious and brutal, but rather should be based on mutuality and respect for the other, in the hopes that truth will surface. In #25, the bishops discuss the long battle to be assimilated into American life, but that desire for assimilation has often resulted in Catholics being changed too much by the culture than vice versa. Fr. Chris said we are called to based our decisions on our faith and one science and reason. They discussed recent formulations of the opposing approaches by Catholic politicians. The bishops in #27 talk about the virtues we need. Scot and Fr. Chris skipped over #29 and #30 which address bishops, priests, religious, catechists, teachers, and theologians. As bishops, we have the responsibility to call Americans to conversion, including political leaders, and especially those publicly identified as Catholic. As the Holy Father reminds us in The Splendor of the Truth (Veritatis Splendor): “… [It] is part of our pastoral ministry to see to it that [the Church's] moral teaching is faithfully handed down, and to have recourse to appropriate measures to ensure that the faithful are guarded from every doctrine and theory contrary to it” (116). As chief teachers in the Church, we must therefore explain, persuade, correct and admonish those in leadership positions who contradict the Gospel of life through their actions and policies. Catholic public officials who disregard Church teaching on the inviolability of the human person indirectly collude in the taking of innocent life. A private call to conversion should always be the first step in dealing with these leaders. Through prayer, through patiently speaking the truth in love, and by the witness of our lives, we must strive always to open their hearts to the God-given dignity of the unborn and of all vulnerable persons. So also we must remind these leaders of their duty to exercise genuine moral leadership in society. They do this not by unthinking adherence to public opinion polls or by repeating empty pro-choice slogans, but by educating and sensitizing themselves and their constituents to the humanity of the unborn child. At the same time we need to redouble our efforts to evangelize and catechize our people on the dignity of life and the wrongness of abortion. Nonetheless, some Catholic officials may exclude themselves from the truth by refusing to open their minds to the Church's witness. In all cases, bishops have the duty and pastoral responsibility to continue to challenge those officials on the issue in question and persistently call them to a change of heart. As bishops we reflect particularly on the words of the Office of Readings: Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead, let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ's flock. Let us preach the whole of God's plan to the powerful and the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season, as St. Gregory writes in his book of Pastoral Instruction.10 Priests, religious, catechists, Catholic school teachers, family life ministers and theologians all share, each in their appropriate way, in the Church's task of forming the Catholic faithful in a reverence for the sanctity of life. We call them to a renewed commitment to that task. In their words and example, they should witness loyally and joyfully to the truth that every human life, at every stage of development, is a gift from God. Physicians, nurses and healthcare workers can touch the lives of women and girls who may be considering abortion with practical assistance, counseling and adoption alternatives. Equally important, they should be conscious evangelizers of their own professions, witnessing by word and example that God is the Lord of life. Catholics who are privileged to serve in public leadership positions have an obligation to place their faith at the heart of their public service, particularly on issues regarding the sanctity and dignity of human life. Thomas More, the former chancellor of England who preferred to give his life rather than betray his Catholic convictions, went to his execution with the words, “I die the king's good servant, but God's first.” In the United States in the late 1990s, elected officials safely keep their heads. But some will face a political penalty for living their public office in accord with their pro-life convictions. To those who choose this path, we assure them that their course is just, they save lives through their witness, and God and history will not forget them. Moreover, the risk of witness should not be exaggerated, and the power of witness should not be underestimated. In an age of artifice, many voters are hungry for substance. They admire and support political figures who speak out sincerely for their moral convictions. For our part we commend Catholic and other public officials who, with courage and determination, use their positions of leadership to promote respect for all human life. We urge those Catholic officials who choose to depart from Church teaching on the inviolability of human life in their public life to consider the consequences for their own spiritual well being, as well as the scandal they risk by leading others into serious sin. We call on them to reflect on the grave contradiction of assuming public roles and presenting themselves as credible Catholics when their actions on fundamental issues of human life are not in agreement with Church teaching. No public official, especially one claiming to be a faithful and serious Catholic, can responsibly advocate for or actively support direct attacks on innocent human life. Certainly there are times when it may be impossible to overturn or prevent passage of a law which allows or promotes a moral evil — such as a law allowing the destruction of nascent human life. In such cases, an elected official, whose position in favor of life is known, could seek legitimately to limit the harm done by the law. However, no appeal to policy, procedure, majority will or pluralism ever excuses a public official from defending life to the greatest extent possible. As is true of leaders in all walks of life, no political leader can evade accountability for his or her exercise of power (Evangelium Vitae, 73-4). Those who justify their inaction on the grounds that abortion is the law of the land need to recognize that there is a higher law, the law of God. No human law can validly contradict the Commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.” The Gospel of Life must be proclaimed, and human life defended, in all places and all times. The arena for moral responsibility includes not only the halls of government, but the voting booth as well. Laws that permit abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide are profoundly unjust, and we should work peacefully and tirelessly to oppose and change them. Because they are unjust they cannot bind citizens in conscience, be supported, acquiesced in, or recognized as valid. Our nation cannot countenance the continued existence in our society of such fundamental violations of human rights. We encourage all citizens, particularly Catholics, to embrace their citizenship not merely as a duty and privilege, but as an opportunity meaningfully to participate in building the culture of life. Every voice matters in the public forum. Every vote counts. Every act of responsible citizenship is an exercise of significant individual power. We must exercise that power in ways that defend human life, especially those of God's children who are unborn, disabled or otherwise vulnerable. We get the public officials we deserve. Their virtue — or lack thereof — is a judgment not only on them, but on us. Because of this, we urge our fellow citizens to see beyond party politics, to analyze campaign rhetoric critically, and to choose their political leaders according to principle, not party affiliation or mere self-interest. We urge parents to recall the words of the Second Vatican Council and our Holy Father in On the Family (Familiaris Consortio), that the family is “the first and vital cell of society” (42).11 As the family goes, so goes our culture. Parents are the primary educators of their children, especially in the important areas of human sexuality and the transmission of human life. They shape society toward a respect for human life by first being open to new life themselves; then by forming their children — through personal example — with a reverence for the poor, the elderly and developing life in the womb. Families which live the Gospel of life are important agents of evangelization through their witness. But additionally, they should organize “to see that the laws and institutions of the state not only do not offend, but support and actively defend the rights and duties of the family,” for the purpose of transforming society and advancing the sanctity of life (44). Women have a unique role in the transmission and nurturing of human life. They can best understand the bitter trauma of abortion and the hollowness and sterility at the heart of the vocabulary of “choice.” Therefore, we ask women to assume a special role in promoting the Gospel of life with a new pro-life feminism. Women are uniquely qualified to counsel and support other women facing unexpected pregnancies, and they have been in the vanguard of establishing and staffing the more than 3000 pregnancy aid centers in the United States. They, in a way more fruitful than any others, can help elected officials to understand that any political agenda which hopes to uphold equal rights for all, must affirm the equal rights of every child, born and unborn. They can remind us that our nation's declaration of God-given rights, coupled with the command “Thou shalt not kill,” are the starting points of true freedom. To choose any other path is to contradict our own identity as a nation dedicated to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Scot said sometimes Catholics in political life say if they vote their faith they won't be re-elected and they won't be able to do the good they want to do in Washington. But the bishops say the power of witness should not be underestimated. He said the bishops are telling them to first consider their eternal life. Fr. Chris said the bishops are calling politicians to grow a backbone and stand up for what's right and true. Someday, the future will look at us today and call us a barbaric culture. We're immune and not cognizant to how destructive this culture is. Scot noted that before the Civil War, many northerners didn't think about the evil of slavery and only when they were confronted with its immorality did they stand up against it. Fr. Chris said when we think of the abolitionists or Martin Luther King standing up for religious rights, these were public leaders bringing their faith into the public square. Scot said the bishops tell us that we get the public officials we deserve if we don't hold them to a standard of virtue and defense of life. When we do get them, we need to give them support. Scot says he reflects on how he has to send checks to those who he sees running for office and standing up for life.Our faith informs every part of our life, including financially helping some of these candidates. In #36, we see a special message to women. Scot said it seems that women in our culture today are considered the swing votes appealed to by candidates at every level. We have a society in which women can turn the tide against abortion if they speak up. Scot said some groups like NOW say that the only issue that women care about is abortion and access to free contraception and many women feel insulted that they are boiled down to these two issues, rather than jobs, a stable society, and many of the issues that motivate men. Fr. Chris said the abortion rate wreaks disastrous effects on women. In China we see where sex-selection abortion results in girls being aborted at a high rate. Similar effects are in place in the US. Scot noted that Planned Parenthood and NOW have been the biggest opponents of laws to criminalize sex-selection abortion. Scot and Fr. Chris said this is a great document for all Americans to hear or read ahead of the election. We commend all who proclaim and serve the Gospel of Life. By their peaceful activism, education and prayer, they witness to God's truth and embody our Lord's command to love one another as He loved us. By their service to women who have experienced abortion, they bring His peace and consolation. We urge them to persevere in this difficult work, and not to be discouraged. Like the Cross of our Lord, faithful dedication to the Gospel of Life is a “sign of contradiction” in our times. As Pope John Paul II has said: “It is a tribute to the Church and to the openness of American society that so many Catholics in the United States are involved in political life.” He reminds us that “democracy is … a moral adventure, a continuing test of a people's capacity to govern themselves in ways that serve the common good and the good of individual citizens. The survival of a particular democracy depends not only on its institutions, but to an even greater extent on the spirit which inspires and permeates its procedures for legislating, administering and judging. The future of democracy in fact depends on a culture capable of forming men and women who are prepared to defend certain truths and values.”12 As we conclude the American century and approach a new era for our own nation and the world, we believe that the purpose of the United States remains hopeful and worthy. In the words of Robert Frost, our vocation is to take “the road less traveled,” the road of human freedom rooted in law; law which is rooted, in turn, in the truth about the sanctity of the human person. But the future of a nation is decided by every new generation. Freedom always implies the ability to choose between two roads: one which leads to life; the other, death (Dt 30:19). It is now our turn to choose. We appeal to all people of the United States, especially those in authority, and among them most especially Catholics, to understand this critical choice before us. We urge all persons of good will to work earnestly to bring about the cultural transformation we need, a true renewal in our public life and institutions based on the sanctity of all human life. And finally, as God entrusted His Son to Mary nearly 2,000 years ago for the redemption of the world, we close this letter today by entrusting to Mary all our people's efforts to witness the Gospel of life effectively in the public square. Mary, patroness of America, renew in us a love for the beauty and sanctity of the human person from conception to natural death; and as your Son gave His life for us, help us to live our lives serving others. Mother of the Church, Mother of our Savior, open our hearts to the Gospel of life, protect our nation, and make us witnesses to the truth.

Summary of today's show: Scot Landry, Gregory Tracy, and Fr. Roger Landry discuss the news headlines of the week, and despite the holiday and the Pilot being on hiatus, it's been a busy week. This week the Fortnight for Freedom ended with a Mass in Washington, DC, in which Archbishop Charles Chaput gave a remarkable homily; bishops reacted to the Supreme Court's decision on the healthcare reform law; a significant appointment at the Vatican; an expression of papal confidence; and the Vatican gets media savvy. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Fortnight4Freedom ends; Healthcare lawsuits; Vatican news 1st segment: Scot Landry noted that Susan Abbott is out on vacation. He offered Gregory Tracy a happy end of Fortnight for Freedom. Scot and Fr. Roger Landry wished their parents a happy 43rd wedding anniversary Scot said the Fortnight for Freedom ended yesterday and the big closing event was a Mass in DC at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia delivered the homily. Greg said Chaput focused in on “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and render unto God what is God's”. In the end it's not about trying to strike a balance between the two worlds. We belong entirely to God and that is where our allegiance belongs and from which we get our freedom. Scot said a lot of people focus in that reading on rendering to Caesar, but the real focus is we should render ourselves in our entirety to God. Fr. Roger Landry said Chaput went far beyond his book on the same subject. Because we are made body and soul in God's likeness and image, and because we owe the icon to the original, we owe ourselves to God. He said freedom is not just independence, but also a dependence. We have both freedom from, but also freedom for. We have to use our real freedom for God's cause. Fr. Roger thought it was a theological tour de force. He was calling Catholic Americans to use their freedom for good in such a way as to revolutionize our country anew and return us to what made us great in the first place. Scot quoted from the CNA/EWTN story: While religious liberty “is a foundational right” and “necessary for a good society,” it is not “an end in itself.” Rather, it must be used to find and live out the truth in order to attain to holiness, the highest form of freedom. This higher form of freedom, found through God's grace, “isn't something Caesar can give or take away,” Archbishop Chaput taught. “In the end, we defend religious liberty in order to live the deeper freedom that is discipleship in Jesus Christ,” he reflected. The right to religious freedom only finds its fulfillment when believers “use that freedom to seek God with our whole mind and soul and strength.” Scot's favorite part was from the end of the homily: We live in a time that calls for sentinels and public witness. Every Christian in every era faces the same task. But you and I are responsible for this moment. Today. Now. We need to “speak out,” not only for religious liberty and the ideals of the nation we love, but for the sacredness of life and the dignity of the human person – in other words, for the truth of what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God. We need to be witnesses of that truth not only in word, but also in deed. In the end, we're missionaries of Jesus Christ, or we're nothing at all. And we can't share with others what we don't live faithfully and joyfully ourselves. When we leave this Mass today, we need to render unto Caesar those things that bear his image. But we need to render ourselves unto God – generously, zealously, holding nothing back. To the extent we let God transform us into his own image, we will – by the example of our lives – fulfill our duty as citizens of the United States, but much more importantly, as disciples of Jesus Christ. Scot said every generation needs public witnesses who alert people. We need to speak out. Greg said he was struck that beyond speaking out, we need to draw ourselves closer to Christ and thus be an example to others. There was a way in which Mother Teresa's way of being Christ-like changed the minds of people she encountered without speaking a word. Scot clarified said “render” means to return or to give back. For all the blessings we've been given by God, we need to give it all back to God 100%. Scot asked Fr. Roger about “Either we're missionaries of Christ or we're nothing at all.” Fr. Roger said if we're a true disciple then we're trying to bring Christ and his kingdom to others. Fr. Roger said “surrender” is an intensified “rendering”. The biggest aspect of the Fortnight for Freedom is that if we're going to be defending religious liberty, we need to be a religious people. Turning to the next story, Scot said last Thursday the Supreme Court decision about the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, came down, and some commentators thought the bishops' response should have been stronger. The bishops' statement said they support universal healthcare and asked for modifications to the law. Greg said the bishops' have been consistent in their message; it just hasn't been well understood. The bishops have urged for an expansion of healthcare without dictating how it should happen. But they said it should be done in a way consistent with respecting conscience and freedom of religion. The reason they've been speaking out so much is that this lack of exemption for religious conscience is sour of character of every other law that's been passed. The way the narrow exemption has been written in such a way that the only major institution affected by this is the Catholic Church. Fr. Roger said when you look back over the whole debate, the bishops have always been in favor of most of the provisions of the law, so when they came out against it, it was for the specific lack of exemption. That's why they hadn't joined the lawsuits that resulted in last week's decision. The other lawsuits from Catholic organizations over the HHS mandate continue on. Fr. Roger said there are many issues in play and the US bishops have always been clear in what parts they favor or oppose, but that doesn't always show up in newspaper articles. 3rd segment: This week's benefactor card raffle winner is Charles Ford of East Walpole, Mass. He wins the book by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit . For a one-time $30 donation, you'll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM's weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We'll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 4th segment: Scot said there were some big appointments in the Vatican recently. One of the biggest was the appointment of a new prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Bishop Gerhard Mueller of Regensburg, Germany. Fr. Roger said Mueller had been mentioned for the past year as a candidate. He's brilliant and written 500 books on theology. He's a very clear writer, just like Pope Benedict is. Recently, he's been editing the complete works of Pope Benedict's articles and books into a definitive edition that will be read by scholars for centuries. He's also been controversial for his friendship with on the leading liberation theologies in South America. Liberation theology has been criticized for preaching political revolution, especially of the Marxist variety, for spiritual salvation. Cardinal Ratzinger had been very influential on suppressing the bad liberation theology. Fr. Roger thinks it will help Bishop Mueller engage liberation theology and other theologies that are outside orthodoxy. Pope Benedict's last proferrship was in Regensburg and his brother served in that diocese. Cardinal Levada, who was head of the CDF from 2005 to now, had been brought in for expertise in dealing with abuse cases. Fr. Roger said Bishop Mueller will be able to take on a lot of the theology work that Pope Benedict has been continuing and now he will be able to move on to a new agenda for himself. Scot noted that this is someone who will know Pope Benedict's writings better than anyone else. Greg also said it was notable that a German pope has picked a German bishop to head the CDF. He said ultimately we want to see someone who acts as Pope Benedict would act. We don't want a curia full of people working toward their own goals with their own agenda. Scot said most people would say this CDF is the number 3 position in the worldwide Church, after Pope and Secretary of State. Fr. Roger said the Secretary of State has influence throughout the world through the foreign ministry, as well as all the Vatican administrative staff. He said the work of the CDF will have the most influence in the future over the centuries. Scot said before going on Vacation Pope Benedict released an unusual letter affirming the work of Cardinal Bertone. On the eve of my departure for a period of summer rest at Castel Gandolfo, I would like to express my deep gratitude for your discreet closeness and enlightened advice, which I have found particularly helpful in recent months,” said the Pope in a brief letter dated July 2 and released to the media July 4. “Noting with regret the widespread and unjust criticism against your person, I intend to renew my statements of personal confidence in you.” This is in response to the Vatican leaks scandals and accusations of mismanagement or other incompetence of Cardinal Bertone. Greg said Americans generally don't appreciate the doggedness of the European tabloid press. Fr. Roger said it was unprecedented, especially in that Pope Benedict has never released a personal letter he'd written to anyone else expressing personal confidence in them. Cardinal Bertone is very Italian and there is within the curia, a lot of Italian prelates with an old boys' network and some have said the scandals have attacked this network. Fr. Roger said he thinks there needs to be a personal defense of Cardinal Bertone if the press would focus not on the person, but on the principles being questioned in the Vatican leaks. Fr. Roger said Bertone has been well regarded in the past. He was Cardinal Ratzinger's righthand on the CDF. He was talented enough to do color commentary on Italian TV about professional soccer. Fr. Roger said the story has been shifted away from the leaks themselves to the person of the cardinal. Scot said the Secretary of State has created a new position of media adviser and hired Fox News reporter Greg Burke. Scot said he's surprised that the Vatican has recognized the need for this; that they're hiring an American; and that the position is placed within the Secretariat of State. Greg said it's understandable they hired an American with the leadership role that America takes in communications principles and that English is the common language of the world. He sees the need for this because the Church can become insulated from the world and not savvy enough to know how something outside of its context can be misunderstood. Fr. Roger said the Vatican press spokesman said the Press Office reports to the Secretary of State already so that's why the media adviser is in that dicastery. Fr. Roger said he knows Greg Burke and recently ran into him in an airport a few weeks ago. Greg didn't say anything at the time. Fr. Roger said Burke will help with crisis communications and will help with breaking news, for example, helping members of the media can get the embargoed documents in advance so the breaking news stories are less shallow. Fr. Roger also said Americans think differently about crisis news. We acknowledge that reporters will eventually get the story so we need to be able to frame the narrative in advance. Scot noted Greg Burke said No to the job at least once. “I had a great job at Fox, just the right mix of time in Rome and travel; I was in my comfort zone,” he said. It took him some time to “get the courage up” and take the chance rather than risk living with the nagging feeling he could have been able to make a difference, he said. In the Anchor this week, the Fall River diocese offered its third annual Quo Vadis retreat for teen boys. Fr. Roger said it's a help to the young men to be formed in order to have the inner strength to listen to the Lord's call for their lives. That last few years they had good numbers and they're expecting to exceed the numbers this year. There have been 30 or 40 ordinations in other dioceses from these days. In Harrisburg, they have 150 young men at their retreats. Quo Vadis comes from early Christian tradition about St. Peter escaping from persecution in Rome. Peter encountered Jesus on the road and asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” (Quo vadis, in Latin). Jesus said he was going to Rome to be crucified again. Peter knew that Jesus was to be crucified in him. The Quo Vadis retreat helps the men ask the question of where the Lord is going in their lives. Scot and Greg talked about the Pilot being on hiatus this week and the next and what they've been up to. The Pilot's website is being updated with current news during the hiatus.

Summary of today's show: On our Thursday show, Scot Landry, Fr. Roger Landry, and Gregory Tracy considered the news headlines of the week as they appear in The Pilot and The Anchor newspapers, including the upcoming Fortnight 4 Freedom, including a televised town hall with Cardinal Seán; A celebration of marriage anniversaries at Holy Cross Cathedral; honoring decades of service by two priests; Dozens receiving catechetical certificates from the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization; Major reassignments of pastors in Fall River; and the World Meeting of Families in Milan last week and the next one in Philadelphia in 2015. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Fortnight 4 Freedom; Renewal of marriage vows; Theological certificates; Priest assignments in Fall River; World Meeting of Families 1st segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Roger and Gregory to the show. Susan is not available today. Scot said they're taping the show on Thursday morning because this afternoon is the annual convocation of all the priests of the Archdiocese with Cardinal Seán. Greg said Cardinal Seán always genuinely seeks feedback fom his priests on his priorities and initiatives. Scot said Bishop Richard Malone, most recently of Portland, Maine, and recently reassigned to Buffalo, NY, will speak at the convocation. He recently went through major pastoral reorganization of his diocese in Maine and will offer insights. Scot said the first topic is that Cardinal Seán will host a televised town hall meeting for the Fortnight for Freedom on June 25 at 8pm on CatholicTV. Scot and Dr. Angela Franks will appear on the panel. Greg said it will be very interesting to see how people will be able to pose questions to Cardinal Seán and the panel. Questions will be submitted via Facebook, Twitter, and email. [CatholicTV](http://www.catholictv.com] Fr. Roger said the US bishops are trying to accomplish what they learned from Pope John Paul II: It's not enough just to talk about something, but we have to add prayer to education. In Poland, their fight for freedom from Communism, including much public prayer in addition to other kinds of civil action. Pope John Paul II continued that in his papacy, narrowly focusing the attention of the Church on something important through prayer. The US bishops hope for an intense two-week period of liturgical prayer that includes some great saints related to the idea of religious freedom. He said we shouldn't have to choose between being a good Catholic and a good American. Scot said this is definitely appointment television or radio. People can watch it on CatholicTV on cable or online on CatholicTV's website or listen live on WQOM. Also in the Pilot this week is a story about 175 couple who were celebrating their 25th or 50th wedding anniversaries this past weekend at Holy Cross Cathedral during a Mass with Bishop Dooher. Greg said this is a great sign of the gift of Christian marriage. He said the cathedral was filled with many families and they showed the gift of life that these marriages created. Fr. Roger said it's a reminder of the vows these couples have made to one another in their sacrament strengthens us all in our fidelity to our faith. He said long-lived couples give him the advice on how they stayed together so long. He recalled one couple who said the secret was that they really trusted each other. Another story is about the certificate program at the Theological Institute for the New Evangelization and the graduation of 115 people who spent many, many weekends studying their faith either for personal enrichment or to become catechists in their parishes. Greg said this is related to the Master of Arts in Ministry program that we talked about last week. That is a degree program, while this is a certificate. Only about 10 people per year graduate from MAM, but the certificates bring dozens of more people into parishes with this formation. Angela Franks described the coursework of the certificate programs. “The certificates are designed to provide an affordable yet intensive experience of the fullness of the faith. They cover the entire catechism and provide this essential foundation for further growth in the faith.” she said. Angela Franks said the focus on the catechism is critical to the program. She said the catechism provides definitive source for learning the teachings of the Church. “What we find is that a lot of students have been relying on other people relying them what the Church reaches, which is fine, but when you access the catechism you really have it from the horse's mouth. You have the explanation of the Catholic faith from the Catholic Church itself. Our students, after they go through the course, I felt very empowered.” she said. Fr. Roger said this is what Pope Benedict XVI intends for the Year of Faith. Dioceses have been encouraged to set up these kinds of institutes of instruction and formation. He said the Archdiocese is setting a standard for what should be occurring everywhere. The Pope has said that religious freedom depends on an engaged, articulate laity bringing the truths of the faith to the public square. Fr. Roger said it would be worth any sacrifice for listeners because knowing your faith is the most important part of our lives. Also in the Pilot, are two profiles of priests who provided many deuces of service. Msgr. William Roche, 90, served 30 years at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, was a paratrooper in US Army and the OSS, the predecessor of the CIA, during World War II. Fr. Patrick McLaughlin has recently accepted senior priest/retirement status after 51 years of service. He's served in Peabody and Brockton and in Bolivia in the St. James Society. He's been at St. Joseph's in Medford since 1976. In the Anchor, lots of stories about priestly assignments this week. In Boston, assignments of priests are done on a rolling basis. In other dioceses, including Fall River, they do them all at once around the first of July. Fr. Roger has received a new assignment. He aid this is an unprecedented number of moves, including 21 pastors being reassigned in some way, because 5 pastors are retiring, with 5 taking their places, and then musical chairs to cover everything. On June 27, Fr. Roger is moving from St. Anthony in New Bedford to become pastor of a new parish in Fall River, St. Bernadette, which is made up of the merger of two previous parishes, Immaculate Conception and Notre Dame. Fr. Roger said he's disappointed it's happening at the same time as the Fortnight 4 Freedom, which makes it more difficult to concentrate on this event at the same time they're moving. Scot said it can be compared to leaving an old job and going to a new job, but it's also the move of a physical residence. But these aren't just co-wrokers, they are people whose souls Fr. Roger has cared for. Fr. Roger said the Lord is calling him to preach the Gospel in another place, which is like when Jesus told the people of Capernaum that he had to go and preach to others. He aid he will very much miss the people of St. Anthony's, especially the kids for whom he's been the only pastor they've ever known. But if a priest is good at his task, he will have prepared people to focus not on himself, but on Jesus. Priests will come and go, but Jesus Christ is working through every priest. Fr. Roger said there are 90 parishes in Fall River and over one quarter of the pastors are moving. Next week, they will publish the changes in parochial vicars and they will have almost no parochial vicars left in parishes as they become pastors and hospital chaplains. Scot noted that there is an ordination Saturday at St. Mary's Cathedral in Fall River. Jason Brilhante will be ordained. He discerned his vocation while he was in college. He prepared for the priesthood at St. John Seminary. Fr. Roger said during their interview Jason couldn't contain the joy he felt at his imminent ordination. Fr. Roger said the ordination of a priest is a shot in the arm to all priests who are laboring in the vineyard. He said another priest will be coming back from Rome after finishing up an advanced degree there so Fall River will be getting two reinforcements. Scot said the ordination will be broadcast on CatholicTV. Scot said the World Meeting of Families took place in Milan last week, which included one million people at the final Mass. At the end of the event, Pope Benedict announced that the next meeting will take place in 2015 in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Greg said he's planning to go with his family. It will be a great sign for this country of hope for marriage and family. Scot said Philadelphia has many challenges. The situation in the Church there is like what it was in Boston in 2004. They're undergoing a trial of a prominent priest in connection to the sex abuse crisis, plus all the pastoral reorganization they're undergoing. Scot said he was surprised that they were chosen at this time. Fr. Roger said the Pope is going because of the struggles in Philadelphia, to support Archbishop Chaput, and because of the place of Philadelphia in American history, including the Declaration and Constitution, which outlines our religious liberties. Fr. Roger thinks it's going to be enormous, maybe not 1 million people, but people will be trying to get there like in 2008 when the Pope came tot he US last. Fr. Roger said he was surprised too. He's really praying that the Holy Father can make it to 2017 as a German on the throne of St. Peter on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation so he can explain how the differences of that time can be understood as misunderstandings of the Catholic faith. Fr. Roger asked the listeners of The Good Catholic Life to pray for the Holy Father's health and vigor. Scot said the Holy Father will be 88 in 2015 and a multi-city schedule on that trip would be difficult to plan for at this time. Fr. Roger said unlike John Paul II, they've been trying to conserve Pope Benedict's energies while he's traveling so the odds are slim he'll go any other place. Greg speculates that it would be someplace close to Philadelphia, like New York or DC. Also in the Anchor this week is a story about a defeat of a bill to ban sex-selection abortions on May 30. Scot said it's ironically shocking to him that women's organizations are okay with sex-selection abortion that predominately affects unborn girls. Fr. Roger shows the hypocrisy that they're not standing up for women's rights by not standing up for the young women being executed simply for being women. He noted that the only Massachusetts representative who voted in favor of this bill was Rep. Stephen Lynch. He said every listener should ask themselves if their representative thinks it's okay to kill little girls for being girls, do they actually represent our interests and the good of the human race? The real War on Women is being waged by the abortion business. “For most of us ‘it's a girl' is cause for enormous joy, happiness, and celebration,” said Rep, Chris Smith (R-NJ.). “But in many countries, including our own, it can be a death sentence.” Scot noted the US is one of the only developed countries that hasn't banned this practice. Greg said when it comes to issues of abortion that things that would make sense in any other context, like parental consent for medical procedures, when it has to do with abortion, anything goes. Scot said studies show that sex-selection abortion is indeed happening in the United States. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) argued thaI the bill is necessary to “give baby girls the same chance at life as baby boys.” She said that it is “hypocrisy” to call oneself “pro-woman” while supporting the abortion of a girl based on her gender. “Since when did America subscribe to the idea that males are worth more than females?” she asked.

Summary of today's show: Each spring, the Church in the US takes up the Black and Indian Mission Collection. Fr. Wayne Paysse and Lorna DesRoses join Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell to discuss the work of the Black and Indian Mission Office, which was started under the inspiration of St. Katharine Drexel in the late 1800s, and how the grants issued by the office each year provide necessary funding of catechetical and evangelical work in dioceses, parishes, and communities and on reservations, throughout the United States, including in our own Archdiocese of Boston. The Archdiocese is among the most generous to the collection each year and its continued generosity is urgently needed. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell Today's guest(s): Lorna DesRoses and Fr. Wayne Paysse Links from today's show: Today's topics: Black and Indian Mission Office and Collection 1st segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Mark to the show and asked him how he celebrated Easter. Fr. Mark said he spent his time at St. Francis of Assisi in Braintree, where he lives. They also discussed Fr. Gerry Dorgan who is retiring from his parish. Fr. Mark lived in Fr. Dorgan's parish for two years when he was first ordained and they have been friends ever since. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Lorna and Fr. Paysse, who is a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and is director of the Black and Indian Mission Office in Washington, DC. Scot asked for an overview of the office. Fr. Paysse said it consists of three organizations: The Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, Black and Indian Mission Collection, and Catholic Negro-American Mission Board, all of which were founded in the 1800s by the US bishops. The collection was the first nationwide collection. It gives the bishops of the US the funding to evangelize black communities and native American communities. It helps them buy catechetical materials and Bible; provides stipends for clergy; pays for sisters to work on reservations or in black communities. Fr. Warne said every bishop in the US is encouraged to apply for grants every year and most do, but of course most of the native American ministry occurs in the West, SouthWest, and Northern parts of the US and funding for black Catholic communities occurs mainly in the South. Scot said when he heard of this collection, not knowing how far back it went, he wondered why these two missions went together. Fr. Wayne said St. Katharine Drexel was a key influence in this focus. She spoke to the bishops of this need and they were pleased to respond to Mother's request. Prior to founding her community, she traveled by train across the country with her family and would often see the black and Indian communities and God spoke to her heart. It was part of God's plan she would go onto be a Mother foundress, work with the bishops, and launch this ministry of evangelization. Fr. Wayne said there is a connection to where he lives as director of the office. They live in a house that the Drexel family had owned and which is now their national office and the director's residence. St. Katharine sold the house to the Missions for the amount of $1. She knew that for the ministry to take off, they needed a place that would be in a strategic location like DC. Scot asked Lorna how this helps her ministry as director of the Office for Black Catholics in the Archdiocese. She said it helps with their youth leadership retreats, Black Catholic youth revival, and other prayer services and events. Scot asked if there are any outreaches to native Americans in our archdiocese. Lorna said we don't now, but she's hopeful that we will someday. Scot said the annual collection is on April 28 and 29. Lorna said the grant request serves not just her office but also a number of individual parishes that serve mainly black Catholics. Scot asked Fr. Wayne how much money is generally raised by this collection and how grant requests they get. Fr. Wayne said 150 or so dioceses applied and they raise anywhere between $6 and $14 million. Fr. Mark asked how the money is distributed. Fr. Wayne said the dioceses send the money to his office. He reviews the applications and prepares a report for their board, which consists of the bishops of New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. They then discuss the requests at their board meeting during the US bishops' conference meeting in June and authorize grants. The grants are distributed in two lumps sums to dioceses and those are distributed at the discretion of the bishop according to the application. Scot said we take our parishes for granted in the northeast, but that Fr. Wayne travels across the country and sees a different picture. Fr. Wayne said he travels about half of each month and remembers in one diocese in Texas, a black parish applied for funding for purchasing hymnals. To this day, he is moved by recalling his arrival at the parish and seeing the people standing in front of the church holding the hymnals. They made a gift to him of a performance of their choir. That particular parish had some struggles, but they were able to assist them in bringing joy to the community. He also remembers going to an Indian parish in Superior, Wisconsin, and when he arrived the children of the parish ran to him and pulled off to a shrine of Bl. Kateri. The children said they painted the statue and planted flowers for his visit and they started to pray in English and in their native language. To see the children and the communities filled with joy, knowing the money from his office brought that joy, is a blessing to him. Fr. Mark asked about native Americans and their Catholic faith. Fr. Wayne said the most recent census shows about 5 million in the US total, and about 500,000- 800,000 are Catholic. There are perhaps even more who have embraced the faith. Fr. Wayne said they have been a blessing to the Church and wen red to continue to foster the faith among. About 60 percent have moved off the reservations and while we need to keep a presence there, we also need to reach out to them in our urban areas. This is one of Fr. Wayne's goals that together as a team we need to continue the work of Christ among these communities. Scot asked how many dioceses or parishes or missions have native American populations. Fr. Wayne said some dioceses have what we used to call national parishes for native Americans. In the Southwest, we have a number of native Americans. We have some on the East coast if not as many in the West. He said they're planning a national study looking at native American communities and dioceses. Scot said Archbishop Chaput and Cardinal Dolan are two of the most effective evangelists in our Church and Archbishop Chaput is native American himself. Scot said it's sobering to realize that if the faith wasn't passed on to his ancestors, we wouldn't have him in our Church today. Fr. Wayne said his office was elated when Archbishop Chaput was appointed. He serves on the board by virtue of his office in Philadelphia. Fr. Wayne thanked the people of the Archdiocese of Boston for their support over the years and asked for continued prayers and monetary sacrifices. He said the Archdiocese is in the top 10 highest monies given across the nation, over $300,000. Without those funds, they wouldn't be able to share with mission outreach to other parts of the country. Some dioceses are so poor that the funding from places like Boston is very important. Lorna said the Office for Black Catholics falls under the Office for Cultural Diversity. She said there is a large black Catholic community in the Archdiocese, including a Cape Verdean community that is the largest outside of Cape Verde, the third-largest Haitian community in the US, and largest Ugandan community in the US. They provide priests who celebrate Mass in Portuguese Creole and Haitian Creole, help them with religious education, and support what are mainly young communities. They pay to train youth ministers, to bring priests from Cape Verde and other expenses. They support 18 parishes that evangelize the black Catholic community. They work with many immigrant groups, but also a very large African American community. Fr. Mark related the impact of seeing a black priests on an inmate on a recent visit to a prison. Lorna said they hope to see an increase in vocations among these communities. Scot asked Fr. Wayne to situate this fund in the broader context of our call to be missionary. Fr. Wayne said by virtue of our baptism we are called to be missionaries. He recalled telling a group of young people how important it is for them to love God each day, to claim their baptismal gift by the grace of the Holy Spirit. He told them that Jesus was the first missionary sent from heaven and then he called the apostles to send them out and the Church has been sending us out as missionaries as well, whether in our homes or parishes or dioceses. We start in our own communities. You don't have to cross the ocean to be a missionary. Pope Benedict XVI reminded us not long ago that mission is not part of the Church, but that the Church is mission. Scot said Cardinal Sean often says we as a Catholic community do a great job caring for the corporal or bodily needs of others, but the spiritual needs as much attention. This collection does help with those spiritual needs. He said the most holy duty of a bishop is to send a priest to serve the people. This fund enables them to send a priest or sister or catechist to people who could not pay for it themselves. Lorna said for many communities it is a great joy to have a priest to celebrate the Mass for them in their language and to serve them. Scot said he often hears of the of the mission diocese of Gallup, New Mexico. He asked how it is different from Boston. Fr. Wayne said it is a vast territory and very beautiful. In the diocese they have St. Michael's Indian Mission, staffed by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and the funding from the office enables them to continue their work in the elementary and high schools. Bishop James Wall has really embraced the native Americans and shared his dreams for the community with Fr. Wayne. Lorna thanked everyone listening for their generosity to this collection each year. Without it, there wouldn't be as many parishes able to reach out to these communities. Historically speaking, we need to continue to reach out to these communities as we ever did when the office was founded. She said there are 3 million black Catholics in the USand through education they have brought many people in to the Church. She said she and Fr. Wayne have visited many parishes in the past few days and the pastors were uniformly grateful for the grants they received because it helps them reach out to the community. It helps them with the good work they do in their neighborhoods. 3rd segment: Now as we do each week at this time, we will consider the readings for this Sunday's Gospel and reflect upon them. The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter, April 15, 2012 (John 20:19-31) On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. Scot said these readings come within the context of Divine Mercy Sunday. He said one of the main themes of Divine Mercy is that we have peace. One way to have peace is turning to God for his mercy. Fr. Wayne said as we look at the readings in light of Divine Mercy, the opening sentence of the reading from Acts, where the community is of one heart and mind, speaks of peace and unity. We too must be of one heart and mind. Jesus wants us to have peace and be merciful as he is merciful to us. Lorna said what stays with her is Christ saying Peace be with you three times. Also that Jesus came through the door that was locked out of fear and told them not to be afraid, but to go out to the place they feared. Also, Thomas wasn't there, but Jesus came again so Thomas could experience and see him. Scot said we've all had our Thomas moments when we've tried to put conditions on our relationship with God. Fr. Mark said Thomas is a complex person. He's the doubter, but he's also the only time in the Gospel that Jesus is referred to as God. Earlier in the Gospel, Thomas is the one who calls the apostles to continue on the way to Bethany. Scot said the apostles are locked in the room because they're in fear, but through the encounter with Jesus, they are given the Holy Spirit and sent out. Fr. Wayne said that message is for each one of us. We have to be honest with ourselves that from time to time we are fearful of many things, but when we are in the presence f Christ, Jesus brings his peace to strengthen and focus us to move forward as his disciple. Scot said Jesus says clearly that the apostles will forgive sins in his name. It shows how much love God has for us. Lorna said through the sacraments we have the opportunity to return to God for forgiveness. Confession such an important way to encounter God. Fr. Mark points out that in the first reading we see the generosity of the early Christians who don't count their possessions as their own, and we see that fits with today's topic of giving of what we have to support those who are in need. Fr. Wayne said this year Pope Benedict will canonize Blessed Kateri, the Mohawk maiden, in October. the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions will lead the official pilgrimage to Rome. The month prior to that, they will lead a pilgrimage to Chicago to promote the cause of Fr. Augustus Tolton, the first US black priest to have a cause for canonization opened.

While continuing to discuss the cost and rewards of discipleship, Fr. Riccardo asks the congregation, "Are you and I unashamed disciples of Jesus?"  Fr. John recommends that the congregants watch or listen to Cardinal Dolan's recent keynote address at the Rockville Centre 2012 Public Policy Convocation and read Archbishop Chaput's book Render Unto Caesar.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: The Obama administration's contraception mandate, plus local stories Summary of today's show: The biggest news of the week concerns the Obama administration's so-called compromise for religious groups on the mandate that health insurance plans cover contraception for employees. Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry, and Greg Tracy review and comment on editorials in the Pilot and the Anchor as well as reaction from bishops and opinion columnists to the rule and the general attitude toward religious liberty found in this administration. Also, other local stories, including an obituary for Fr. Robert McAuliffe, grants to local parishes from the national St. Vincent de Paul society, iPads for a Catholic high school, and Fr. Robert Barron's Catholicism airing on TV locally. 1st segment: Scot and Susan caught up on their day. Susan was at a meeting in the southern end of the archdiocese in Halifax. Her big news is that she just flew in from Los Angeles where her newest grandson was baptized last Sunday. 2nd segment: Scot said both the Pilot and the Anchor have editorials on the mandate from the Dept. of Health and Human Services requiring contraception coverage in health insurance plans. Fr. Roger's editorial covers President Obama's “unaccommodating accommodation”. Fr. Roger said Obama said religious organizations won't have to pay premiums for contraception, but the insurers will provide it for free, but this is just an accommodating trick. The reality is that these costs will be covered by higher premiums. The US bishops' main concerns were all neglected in this so-called compromise: respect for religious liberty and consultation with religious groups . The Obama administration did not consult with the affected religious institutions at all. The bishops aren't just trying to get an exemption for the institution, but that Catholic business owners shouldn't be forced to violate their own consciences either.Scot said Catholic businessmen have told him that they hoped the bishops would defend all Catholics, not just dioceses and parishes and explicitly Catholic organizations. The bishops are asking Catholics to call the White House (202-456-1111), representatives and Senators. They should ask Congress to pass the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (HR 1179, S 1467). Susan said we have discussed before that there is a difference between the freedom to worship and freedom of religion and our country is built on the wider principle of freedom of religion. Also, the Church serves more than just Catholics. We don't ask people whether they're Catholic and hungry; we just ask if they're hungry. Scot noted how Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas has been criticizing the mandate and standing up for the rights of all religious people. Greg talked about his editorial in the Pilot this week, which says that many Church health insurance plans are self-insurance plans. The editorial notes there is much confusion about the policies and statements being thrown about by partisans on this issue. We use the term “health insurance” very loosely; even the President did in his remarks last week. But we don't all have the same kind of insurance plans. Scot clarified that consumer-marketed insurance plans are regulated by states, that is the individual consumer buys the plan. But most large employers choose to self-fund or self-insurance their healthcare benefits. In this case the the employer decides it's cheaper to pay the bills as they come in as opposed to keeping a pile of cash set aside. These companies contract third-party insurance companies to process claims from doctors and patients and then bill the Archdiocese. In the Archdiocese of Boston, the archdiocese self-insurers, but employees have Tufts Health Plan cards. When the companies self-insure, they don't have insurance plans that are covered by state regulations. The Archdiocese does not buy insurance from Tufts or Blue Cross/Blue Shield or another company. Thus these self-funded plans are only subject to federal law. Scot said Catholic organizations have also chosen to self-fund to avoid onerous state mandates. This is why the HHS mandate is so important: Here then is the rub: the new HHS mandate is a federal law and therefore it applies to all plans whether self-funded or insured. For the first time, self-funded health benefit plans find themselves being required to offer specific benefits. In creating a federal contraception requirement, the Obama Administration has not only shut the exit door for health plans, but locked it. The new federal healthcare law is the first time the federal regulations require insurers to cover specific procedures. The editorial will be available through a link in the Weekly Email from Cardinal Sean and the Pilot. You can subscribe to the newsletter . Fr. Roger said last August, the US bishops formed a committee on religious freedom because they saw that this HHS mandate is not a unique incursion on religious freedom, but is part of a general pattern. The Obama administration has tried in other ways to curtail religious freedom to a very, very narrow idea. They have excluded Church groups from giving aid to victims of human trafficking. They've threatened to end government contracts with Catholic Relief Services because they won't offer abortions. 3rd segment: Scot said Archbishop Chaput has blasted this “compromise” as “insulting”. “The HHS mandate, including its latest variant, are belligerent, unnecessary and deeply offensive to the content of Catholic belief,” he wrote in a Feb. 12 Philadelphia Inquirer column. “Any such mandate would make it morally compromising for us to provide health care benefits to the staffing of our public service ministries.” “We cannot afford to be fooled – yet again – by evasive and misleading allusions to the administration's alleged ‘flexibility' on such issues. The HHS mandate needs to be rescinded.” Scot and Fr. Roger discussed the difference between rescinding and revising the mandate. Rescinding the provisions means no one would be required to finance this immoral practice. Archbishop Timothy Dolan also commented. We bishops are pastors, we're not politicians, and you can't compromise on principle,” said Cardinal-designate Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “And the goal posts haven't moved and I don't think there's a 50-yard line compromise here,” he added. “We're in the business of reconciliation, so it's not that we hold fast, that we're stubborn ideologues, no. But we don't see much sign of any compromise,” he said. “What (Obama) offered was next to nothing. There's no change, for instance, in these terribly restrictive mandates and this grossly restrictive definition of what constitutes a religious entity,” he said. “The principle wasn't touched at all.” … “My brother-in-law, who's a committed Catholic, runs a butcher shop. Is he going to have to pay for services that he as a convinced Catholic considers to be morally objectionable?” he asked. Susan said the article also speaks enthusiastically of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, introduced by Rep. Jeffrey Fortenberry, R-Nebraska. They then turned to discussion of a column by Michael Pakaluk, in which he says that government is enshrining the idea that sex and procreation are intrinsically separated. Scot noted that the claim that 98% of Catholics use contraception is bogus, even on the face of it. Greg said Pakaluk points out that before 1930, every Christian denomination held that contraception was immoral and in 1931 the Anglican Church opened the door to a very small possibility of the permissibility of contraception and that created a slippery slope. Scot said George Weigel's column in the Anchor discusses the soft totalitarianism of the mandate. As the administration has demonstrated in its international human rights policy, it regards religious freedom as a kind of privacy right: the right to freedom of worship, which the administration seems to regard as analogous to any other optional, recreational activity. No serious student of religious freedom, however, takes the redefinition of religious freedom as freedom-to-worship seriously. For if that redefinition were true, there would be “religious freedom” in Saudi Arabia, so long as the “worship” in question were conducted behind closed doors. And that is manifestly absurd. … It is no exaggeration to describe that cast of mind as “soft totalitarianism”: an effort to eliminate the vital role in health care, education, and social service played by the institutions of civil society, unless those institutions become extensions of the state. So the state isn't actually taking over everything, but the government is engaging in aggressive coercion. Fr. Roger said totalitarianism is where the state takes away all rights and its powers are unlimited. The HHS mandate says if you're going to have health insurance, you have to violate your conscience or shut down or pay a fine of $2,000 per year for each employee. Fr. Roger said this is how the most repressive governments in history started their totalitarianism. Pope Benedict said in his White House visit that freedom must be won anew and defended by every generation. Scot notes the Pilot column by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe in which she says that opponents of religious institutions don't aim to undermine faith, but to exercise power over life from conception to natural death. She said the Catholic Church is the prime opponent of the mindset that sees the human being as a tool to be used or a burden to be discarded. Susan said when you start saying every person is worthy of respect and made in the image and likeness of God, think of all the things that flow from that, what rights those persons have from conception to natural death. Scot then read from Kevin and Marilyn Ryan's column in the Pilot titled “Why do they hate us so?” They describe many examples of anti-Catholicism in politics and media and says it's hard to figure out why we provoke such hostility. The good news is that we are standing up for the right things, but unlike early Christians, we modern Catholic are falling down in our witness. We aren't practicing our faith enough to be inspiring witnesses to our fellow citizens. Greg said this is part of the New Evangelization. The Church needs to figure out how to be a witness to the modern world. Scot noted other stories in the Pilot and the Anchor, including an obituary for Fr. Robert McAuliffe and the National St. Vincent de Paul Society providing grants to several parishes to help the poor. On the grants they went to the parishes to ask how even small grants will go a long way to helping those in need. Another article was about how Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton is moving to teaching using iPads for every student. Also the Catholicism series by Fr. Robert Barron is airing on . Fr. Roger encouraged listeners to watch this series, either on DVDs, perhaps in their parish faith formation groups, or on TV. Fr. Barron not only does a great job explaining the faith, but also shows us by taking us to the great shrines and places of Catholicism throughout the world. Susan noted that parishes can also get study guides and other supplemental materials.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: 9/11 anniversary; Msgr. Robert Deeley; assisted suicide petition; Catholic school year starts; Archbishop Chaput's installation Summary of today's show: Gregory Tracy and Susan Abbott discuss the news of the week with Scot, including this week's anniversary of 9/11 and Catholic reflections on the events and their aftermath; an extensive Pilot interview with Msgr. RObert Deeley, the new vicar general; an assisted suicide ballot initiative; the always promising beginning of the Catholic school year; and the homily of Archbishop Charles Chaput at his installation Mass in Philadelphia. 1st segment: Scot noted that today is the birthday of the Blessed Mother. Fr. Sean Carey, the only priest of the archdiocese who is deaf, celebrated the 12:05 pm Mass at the Pastoral Center for this feast. Susan Abbott said she had a workshop today for a total of more than 100 people on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. 2nd segment: Scot noted that Fr. Roger Landry is traveling, but welcomed Greg Tracy to the show. He said that there's an article in the Pilot this week which excerpts remarks from in which the Cardinal reflects on the events and aftermath of 9/11. He starts by describing where he was when he heard about the attacks, at a meeting of the US bishops' conference. They went immediately across the street to the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for a Mass for the victims. Then he told the story of how he tried to get back to Fall River from Washington, DC. He eventually rented a car with some others. Scot said Cardinal Sean reflects that 9/11 reflected the best and worst of who we are as humanity and also that we all came together to pray. Susan said in her parish they put a notice on the parish website for a prayer service that evening and people began coming back every night to pray. Susan said they had people come to RCIA and other adult formation because of their experience of 9/11. Fr. Roger in his editorial reflected on the lessons of 9/11. The events reawakened most Americans to four fundamental realities in the world: of evil in the world; that death comes for us all; the heroism of first responders and others who risked their lives; and the reality of God. He refers to the Imitation of Christ and its advice: “In every deed and every thought, act as if you die this day.” It helps to bring us back to our roots and our purpose in this life. Susan quoted a famous line that the Devil's biggest trick is to convince us that he or evil doesn't exist. But she also went to the Prologue of the Gospel of John that the Light shines in the darkness and darkness has not overcome it. Fr. Roger's ends with: Some, succumbing to the perennial temptation about why God doesn't stop all evil, asked where God was on 9/11. Fr. James Martin, SJ, responded that on 9/11 God was offering us a parable. As he was ministering to the wounded at a Manhattan hospital, Fr. Martin looked around at the rescue workers and realized, “God is like the firefighter who rushes into a burning building to save someone. That's how much God loves us. And I saw this love expressed in the great charity of all the rescue workers who gathered at the American Golgotha.” Fr. Roger said that the Ground Zero Cross is a sign that evil doesn't have the last word. He ends by suggesting the most fitting way to mark the anniversary is to pray: “… prayer for our country, that we may be strong, courageous and persevering in our opposition to terrorism and other evils; for all our civil leaders and those who are on the front lines in protecting us in the military, police departments, intelligence services and homeland security; for all those who lost loved ones ten years ago; for the salvation of all those who had died; and for the conversion of the terrorists and the cultures that spawn them. And we should make this prayer silently as individuals, as we will at 1 pm on Sunday with Church bells tolling throughout the land. We should make it with our families at home, in living rooms and perhaps exceptionally before television sets. And we should make it in our Churches where we enter into the mystery both of the Cross and of the Resurrection for which the Cross is the prelude.” The Pilot this week reprints the editorial from the newspaper on September 14, 2001, written by Msgr. Peter Conley, who was the editor-in-chief at the time. The current editor, Antonio Enrique, started with the Pilot that very day, 9/11. They reprinted the editorial because it captures the fear and outrage, but also prophetically outlined the issues that our country would have to grapple with from that time. Scot quoted the editorial which noted that Americans were too complacent in their security before these attacks. But Msgr. Conley also ended by saying, “Evil must be named and confronted for what it is — the opposite of a God Who is love.” 3rd segment: Scot said on September 1, Msgr. Robert Deeley began his service to the Archdiocese as vicar general. In this week's Pilot, Msgr. Deeley gives a lengthy interview on his background, his early assignments in the Archdiocese, and then his work in Rome. He also spoke of his hopes and vision for his service and assessed the situation of the Archdiocese today. Greg said he was most interested by Msgr. Deeley's background and upbringing because it gave him a sense of him as a person beyond his curriculum vitae as a priest from the early 1990s on. Greg said he felt he was immensely grounded with a wide breadth of experience in parishes, in the chancery, and working in the Curia in Rome. He also was struck by how much he spoke about evangelization and how he sees that as a central part of his mission. Scot said Msgr. Deeley has had three different stints in Rome: as a seminarian; studying canon law; and then for eight years working for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Susan said she was struck by his sense of the universality of the Church, especially from his time in Rome. He later said Boston is not unique and the issues we're dealing with are shared by other people. She was also touched by his sense of obedience and fidelity. When he was aksed by Cardinal Sean, there was no other answer but to say Yes, out of fidelity to his promise. Scot said no young priest seeks to be a vicar general. Some priests may aspire to become a bishop, but a vicar general deals with every problem in the diocese before it lands on the bishop's desk. He said he has been moved by Msgr. Deeley's faith in the one week since he's been in the Pastoral Center. Susan said we haven't changed our goals as a Church, to bring the faith to those who do not know it and to encourage and form those who do. Scot also noted that one question asked him whether he was thinking of significant changes. Msgr. Deeley said he will meet with those work for the Church and priests, but it's really Cardinal Sean who sets the direction. On Pastoral Planning, he said one of the problems of Reconfiguration in 2004 was the swiftness with which it was done. He said the current committee working on pastoral planning is very good and while these things can be painful, he believes people need to be heard and have the ability to enter into the process. Greg said one of his favorites quotes of the whole interview was that now he'd accepted the position, he told the Lord, “Now it's up to you to give me the strength.” Greg said there will be even more content in the online version that will be available on PilotCatholicNews.com on Friday. 4th segment: Scot said that yesterday Attorney General Martha Coakley certified a ballot initiative in support of the so-called Massachusetts Death with Dignity Act. The Mass. bishops want to form and inform about the inherent evil in assisted suicide as well as worse results. The bishops say in a statement: “We cannot allow for the possibility that government agencies or insurance companies will have an influence on the decision as to whether or not a person's life is worthy of being sustained.” Greg said this petition is not unexpected and both the Anchor and the Pilot have been writing about this in recent weeks. He thinks the bishops will come out very strongly on this issue because of the slippery slope. He said the bishops quote their 1995 statement: “For once a society allows one individual to take the life of another based on their private standards of what constitutes a life worth living, even when there is mutual agreement, there can be no safe or sure way to contain its possible consequences.” Greg said evil is always presented as a good by its proponents. They phrase this as the need to “help” someone to die. But once you don't have a right to life, you don't have a right to anything. Scot said polls show that across the US, whatever their political affiliation or ideology, people don't trust government, but laws like this would give the power of life and death to third parties. Proponents have used euphemisms to put a little bit of frosting on an evil cake. Susan said you just have to look at other countries that have preceded us down the slippery slope to see where we are going and to see how basic rights have been lost. She encouraged listeners to see the US bishops' website for more resources. Scot encouraged all to inform their representatives of their views on this issue. Moving on to other topics, the Pilot has an article on the beginning of the school year for Catholic years. The Archdiocese's school has 42,000+ students, making it the second-largest school system in the Commonwealth after Boston. Superintendent Mary Grassa-O'Neill talks in the article that they have been working with school principals and to help schools develop their Catholicity, academic achievement, and fiscal strength. In addition, Boston College is working with the Archdiocese to help develop a technology strategy for Catholic schools. Just concluded moments ago was the installation Mass of Archbishop Charles Chaput as archbishop of Philadelphia. Scot said it is the most significant appointment of a bishop in recent years because of the problems in Philadelphia right now. He quoted the archbishop's homily: A married friend told me last week that getting together for today reminded him of planning for a very, very, very big wedding. He was being humorous, but he was actually more accurate than he knew. The relationship of a bishop and his local Church — his diocese — is very close to a marriage. The ring I wear is a symbol of every bishop's love for his Church. And a bishop's marriage to the local Church reminds me, and all of us who serve you as bishops, that a bishop is called to love his Church with all his heart, just as Christ loved her and gave his life for her. Of course, my appointment to Philadelphia is an arranged marriage, and the Holy Father is the matchmaker. … In the Church, we believe that the Holy Spirit guides the decisions of the Holy Father. And the results are always joyful if we commit our wills to cooperating with God's plan. For any marriage to work, two things need to happen. People need to fall in love, and together they need to be fruitful. That's what we need to dedicate ourselves to today – to love one another and be fruitful together for the new evangelization. Greg noted that the archbishop said the good news is that arranged marriages are statistically as likely to last as other marriages. He also said that in arranged marriages the couple come to know each other and then love each other. This is a response to any question asking why the Holy Father would send Archbishop Chaput to Philadelphia despite having no previous connection to eastern Pennsylvania. Scot also quoted the homily: My dear brother bishops, it's crucial for those of us who are bishops not simply to look like bishops but to truly be bishops. He ended the homily thus: This Church in Philadelphia faces very serious challenges these days. There's no quick fix to problems that are so difficult, and none of us here today, except the Lord Himself, is a miracle worker. But it's important to remember and to believe the Church is not defined by her failures. And you and I are not defined by our critics or by those who dislike us. What we do in the coming months and years to respond to these challenges – that will define who we really are. And in engaging that work, we need to be Catholics first, and always. Jesus Christ is the center of our lives, and the Church is our mother and teacher. Everything we do should flow from that. … Whatever my weaknesses (and they're many) and whatever my lacks (and they're many too), no bishop will give more of himself than I will to renewing this great Church. No bishop will try harder to help persons who have been hurt by the sins of the past. And no bishop will work harder to strengthen and encourage our priests, and restore the hearts of our people. And everything I've learned in my 24 years as a bishop and 41 years as a priest, and everything I have, I will give to this ministry, because all of you — the people of God entrusted to my care — deserve it, and I love you. Scot said this is why he has so many fans across the country who look to him for guidance and clarity even though he's never been their bishop. He noted that Cardinal Sean and Archbishop Chaput were seminary classmates as well. 5th segment:

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Susan Abbott **Today's guest(s):** Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese * [The Anchor](http://www.anchornews.org) * [The Pilot](http://www.pilotcatholicnews.com) * Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. **Today's topics:** Archbishop Charles Chaput; Transitional deacon ordained; Chinese cardinal in Boston; study of Catholic parishes **Summary of today's show:** Our usual Thursday panel discussed the appointment of Archbishop Charles Chaput to Philadelphia, with Fr. Roger Landry's personal recollection of time spent with the archbishop recently; the unusual timing of the ordination of a transitional deacon for Boston; the visit of a Chinese cardinal to Boston as tensions between the Vatican and China reach an all-time high; and a study of parish life in the United States with some surprising results. **1st segment:** Scot welcomed Susan back to the show. The Pilot is back from summer hiatus and The Anchor is now on hiatus this week. The big non-Church news is the weather and specifically the heat. **2nd segment:** Scot and Susan welcome Gregory and Fr. Roger back to the show. The appointment of Archbishop Charles Chaput to Philadelphia is significant. Scot said it is traditionally seen as a cardinalatial see and one of the largest in the US. It's also significant because the archdiocese is in the midst of a major scandal due to revelations concerning clergy priest abuse. Audio excerpt from the press conference: >"Press conferences like this have a formula of humility and gratitude that can sometimes seem like theater. I'm a poor actor. What you see is pretty much what you get. Philadelphia is one of America's truly great cities, rich in history and achievement, with an extraordinary community of Catholic faith that goes back to saints like John Neumann and Katharine Drexel. Many of you will ask me this question, so I will answer it in advance. I don't know why the Holy Father sent me here. But I do trust his heart, and I do believe in his judgment. I know other bishops would have been smarter than I am, or more talented, or more connected to Philadelphia's past. I know that Cardinal Rigali is one of the great churchmen of my lifetime. He has served the Church in Rome, in St. Louis, and here with enormous dedication and in ways I will never be able to duplicate. > >"But I do promise that no bishop will love the people and priests of this local Church more than I will. No bishop will give more of himself than I will. And no bishop will try harder to help persons who have been hurt by the sins of the past, or work harder to strengthen and encourage our priests and renew the hearts of our people. > >There's a lot I *don't* know how to do. But over the years, a great many good people have shown me how to love and how to lead by the generosity of their witness. And everything I've learned, everything I know and have, I will give to this ministry, because all of you -- the people of God -- deserve at least that much." * ["Archbishop Chaput succeeds Cardinal Rigali; Savannah bishop retires", CNS, 7/19/11](http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1102854.htm) * [Cardinal Seán's statement on Archbishop Chaput's appointment](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=21004) * [Archdiocese of Philadelphia](http://archphila.org/home.php) * [Archdiocese of Denver](http://www.archden.org) Susan said his words were very moving. He reinforces his honesty and sincerity and passion with his words about how he will love and work for the people. If she were in Philadelphia, she would be thrilled. Scot said there's no hyperbole in this man, he is what he is. Gregory said the Archbishop is know for being a straight shooter. He was formed in the West: South Dakota and Colorado. So he's got that Western straight-talking manner. Fr. Roger spent some time in Denver recently when Archbishop Chaput invited him to lead a retreat for the priests of Denver. Fr. Roger said he's always been impressed by the archbishop publishing his email address and giving quick responses to people who would email him. Of the past 10 years, Fr. Roger has continued to receive emails from the Archbishop commenting on articles he'd written and encouraging him. At this retreat, he experienced a camaraderie he'd never seen before. Some of the priests told him that every priest knows where he stands with the archbishop. The archbishop is very responsive to requests by his priests, which is hugely important for priestly morale. He does that for anyone who emails him. He spends 10 minutes of every hour answering email. One of Archbishop Chaput's fears in going to Philadelphia is that he won't have the same amount of time for responding to people. Fr. Roger said the priests of Philadelphia are very excited, having heard him preach a clergy day in 2005 and having taught at the seminary in Philadelphia before becoming a bishop. * ["Rise of the Evangelical Catholic Bishops", George Weigel, National Review, 7/20/11](http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/272258/rise-evangelical-catholic-bishops-george-weigel) Scot said George Weigel called the appointment is extremely significant for examining the Holy Father's heart for appointments in the US. Weigel said it is rumored that the Holy Father picked Archbishop Chaput himself rather than relying on the Congregation for Bishops' recommendations and sent the best bishop available to the very troubled Philadelphia archdiocese. Gregory said Chaput has a reputation as a great communicator with very strong leadership skills and who formulates the teachings of the Church in an accessible way. He has a similar charisma to that of Pope John Paul II. That charisma comes from speaking the truth in love. Weigel said: >With the appointment of Charles J. Chaput as archbishop of Philadelphia, the deep reform of the Catholic Church in the United States — the reform that is giving birth to Evangelical Catholicism even as it leaves the old post–Vatican II arguments fading into the rear-view mirror — has been accelerated. Susan said she is in favor of bishops standing up to preach the Gospel, which it seems is what Weigel means. Fr. Roger said John Paul II recognized that every part of the truth is part of the Good News and that the answer to every question is Jesus Christ. Chaput has a similar outlook. That type of boldness comes from a deep prayer life. During that retreat, he got together with Archbishop Chaput for breakfast and he asked him how his usual workday would go. Chaput gets up at 4:30 and prays, then works on various talks he needs to give. About 10am, he goes to his office and starts his meetings and other work for the archdiocese. He begins with prayer and that fuels all his other work. * [Archbishop Chaput talks to the "Denver Catholic Register" about his new appointment](http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/6469) **3rd segment:** This week, the Pilot has a story on the ordination of transitional deacon Eric Bennett at his home parish, St. Patrick, Natick. He is planning to be ordained to the priesthood next summer. Gregory said traditionally transitional deacons are traditionally ordained in January, about 4 months before priestly ordination. But Bennett is studying at the North American College in Rome, and it's normal for them to be ordained when they're home for the summer. He will be ordained with the rest of his classmates in 2012. He was recently featured in the Knights of Columbus magazine, "Columbia". He comes from a large, Catholic family. Susan said Deacon Bennett received a personalized homily from Cardinal Seán. He called Eric to be a "master of prayer, sharing the fruits of your contemplation with those entrusted to your pastoral care." She also noted a quote from his mother, who recalled during the moment when he lay prostrate before the altar that he used to lay on the floor as a toddler in a temper tantrum and how far he has come.  Fr. Roger was also a transitional deacon at the North American College in Rome. An advantage is that he could be a deacon for a papal Mass or other bishops in Rome. A disadvantage is that they don't get to serve in parishes every weekend like those in the seminary in the US. Fr. Roger knew Deacon Bennett his first few years in seminary. He admires his love for the priesthood and his docility. When Fr. Roger was at St. John's, he saw young men visiting the chapel in the mornings before their regular prayer time with everyone at the seminary and Bennett was among them. Scot noted that Fr. Kiely, Eric's pastor, said: "When I was watching the cardinal impose hands on Eric, I was thinking this is a great moment for him, but's also  terrific moment for the future of the Church in Boston." Eric also said he's receive wonderful support while in seminary. **4th segment:** Scot said earlier this week, Cardinal Joseph Zen visited the Pastoral Center and celebrated Mass. Gregory said he is the retired archbishop of Hong Kong. He's been touring the United States to visit Chinese Catholic communities. He also spread the word about the Church in China. On Monday, he gave an interview to the Pilot as well. He spoke at length about the situation of the Church in China. Gregory talked about the situation of the Catholic Church in Hong Kong and Macau as he experienced it after World Youth Day in Australia. The cardinal spoke about the illicit ordination of three bishops. The Communist Chinese government requires Christians to worship only in state-controlled associations, including the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which eschews any connections to the Vatican or the Pope. Many Catholics worship in illegal, underground churches, following only bishops appointed by the Pope, although the divisions are not hard and fast. Many priests and laypeople, and even bishops, are members of the patriotic association in public, and of the underground Church, in secret.  Recently, the association appointed three bishops without the Holy Father's approval. They were validly ordained by other bishops, but it was illicit because it was done without communion with the Pope. So the new bishops are successors of the apostles, but the Vatican said they are not leaders in the Catholic Church because of the illicit nature of the ordinations. * ["Vatican: Latest illicitly ordained Chinese bishop is excommunicated", CNS, 7/18/11](http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1102833.htm) It's almost unprecedented for the Chinese to take this step. In the past, the association would choose candidates for bishop and the Vatican would approve, but this time they did not ask the Vatican to approve. Fr. Roger said part of the Good Catholic Life is that every day is a day to pray for the Church in China. In other news, Scot said the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate did a study that found a decline of about 1,900 parishes in the past 15-20 years, resulting in larger parishes, more Masses, fewer priests, more languages at each parish, and more. Susan said the good news is that Catholic population is up, relying upon immigrants entering the Church in the US. * ["Report finds fewer priests celebrating more Masses at fewer parishes", CNS, 7/18/11](http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1102844.htm) * [The CARA study's website](http://emergingmodels.org/) * [CARA study press release and summary](http://cara.georgetown.edu/NewsandPress/PressReleases/PR071511.pdf) * ["The Changing Face of US Catholic PArishes"](http://www.emergingmodels.org/article.cfm?id=75) In the Archdiocese of Boston, about 40 percent of parishes don't have enough revenue to meet expenses, but that number across the US is about 30 percent. Gregory said he was interested to see that as a general trend Mass attendance has been declining since the 1960s, over the past decade that percentage has held steady. And as the population increases in the next decade, they see the total number of Catholics grow. Also the number of parishes in the US now is about equal to how many there were in 1968. Fr. Roger said he was happy to see this report done to help us with our pastoral planning. He said we have to confront the reality in the northeast that we don't have as much of a priest shortage as a parish surplus. He said a century ago, we thought ethnicity was more important than catholicity. We built parishes for every language group. Now, because of fewer priestly numbers, we need to consolidate those buildings. In the 1960s we had a baby boom of priests as well and we could build parishes for them to serve in, but now we need to consolidate those resources. He's compared his parish of St. Anthony in New Bedford to these average numbers in the report and he finds northeastern parishes fall very far short of the national numbers on realities such as parish revenues, weekly offertory, and parish staffs.

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry **Today's guest(s):** Brian Benestad, professor of theology at the University of Scranton and author of the book "Church, State, and Society"; and Janet Benestad, Secretary for Faith Formation and Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Boston * [University of Scranton](http://www.scranton.edu) * ["Church, State, and Society: An Introduction to Catholic Social Doctrine (Catholic Moral Thought)"](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813218012/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=pilo0e-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0813218012) **Today's topics:** Catholic social doctrine **Summary of today's show:** Brian and Janet Benestad discuss with Scot Catholic social doctrine, being a Catholic in the public square, and how to establish a hierarchy among the various elements of Catholic social teaching. **1st segment:** Scot began by asking what the Church asks of us in the public square, how do we form our consciences, and how do we apply Church teaching to the public square? This will be addressed today by our guests, Brian and Janet Benestad. Scot began by noting today's news that Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has been appointed to become archbishop of Philadelphia. Janet said this is big news. He has been recognized nationally for his leadership in Denver. Scot said Archbishop Chaput has written two books on applying our faith to public life. Brian said Chaput is not afraid to teach the counter-cultural aspects of the Catholic faith today.  * ["Render Unto Caesar," Archbishop Charles Chaput](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385522290/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=pilo0e-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0385522290) * ["Living the Catholic Faith," Archbishop Charles Chaput](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156955191X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=pilo0e-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=156955191X) Chaput was a classmate of Cardinal Seán in seminary. They are both Capuchins, studied together, and were ordained on the same day. They were both appointed as bishops at a young age. People have been drawing comparisons between the two. Cardinal Seán was appointed to Boston in its darkest days and Philadelphia is going through similar difficulties today.  * [John Allen's interview with Archbishop Chaput in the National Catholic Reporter](http://ncronline.org/news/people/exclusive-interview-archbishop-charles-chaput) The archbishop's installation will be on September 8, 2011 in Philadelphia. **2nd segment:** Janet said she and Brian will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary on September 11. Of course, their 30th anniversary was 9/11/2001 and they were traveling in Europe at the time. They have four children, 3 of them in New England. Two of them are married. They have 4 grandchildren ranging in age from 1 to 7. Their unmarried daughter lives in Rhode Island and teaches at Portsmouth Abbey. Their unmarried son is an Air Force lawyer who recently returned from Iraq. Brian has been a professor of theology at University of Scranton since 1976. In addition to "Church, State, and Society," he's written extensively on Catholic social teaching and bioethics. When they lived in Scranton, Janet started as a parish CCD teacher. In the 1980s, she taught political science, philosophy and history as an adjunct professor. Later, she was hired by the Diocese of Scranton and worked there for 10 years in the area of parish life, which is similar to her work in Boston in faith formation and evangelization. She's been in Boston for a little more than two years. Boston is a much bigger place and very challenging, while very rewarding. Her areas of coverage are much larger as well: healthcare, cultural diversity, and more.  Brian and Janet have also taught together at the Master of Arts in Ministry program at St. John Seminary, teaching the Catechetical Certificate. They began when they were first married teaching catechetics at St. Theresa in West Roxbury and after they moved to Scranton, Brian still had Janet's assistance and input on his work. Brian said it's a great gift to teach theology at the university. He would continue to do it even if he were financially independent. Practically all of his work is with undergraduates. He's been on sabbatical this year, finishing up the work for the book. Scot said he was surprised that there weren't many books on the totality of Catholic social doctrine outside of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. He wanted to help people understand what the Church means by justice. For example, social justice is a new term in the 20th century. People are still trying to figure out what it means. Scot asked the difference between Catholic social doctrine and what is commonly referred to as social justice. Brian said social justice is commonly understood as a set of structures that enable society to pursue the common good. It's not understood as a personal virtue. That's very different from Catholic social tradition which sees justice as a virtue. Social justice is meant to in the same way that St. Thomas Aquinas called communicative justice, which is the virtue that directs all the other virtues. Social justice is all those things that contribute to the common good and meeting people's needs. Catholic social doctrine is based on the dignity of the human person. All else is understood in relation to that. Common good is the sum of all the conditions that enable people or groups to achieve perfection, to achieve your dignity. Dignity is acquired by the way you live. People can act beneath their dignity or in accord with their dignity. If society really supports a marriage and family life, then it helps people realize they need to live a certain way to achieve their dignity. **3rd segment:** Scot said the USCCB lists [seven themes of Catholic social teaching](http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.shtml): 1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person 2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation 3. Rights and Responsibilities 4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable 5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers 6. Solidarity 7. Care for God's Creation Scot said the lists seems to be prioritized. Sacredness of life and dignity of the human person is most important. Some Catholics would advocate that they're all equal so if someone is not supporting the dignity of the human person but supporting the rest, you're doing well, but Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI would disagree. Brian said you can never act against the dignity of the human person. Janet said if we don't recognize the dignity of the human person and their life, then all the rest is irrelevant. The common good depends on all seven, but there might be some play in how to achieve them, but the protection of life can only be achieved in certain narrow ways and violation of that is always wrong. Brian said since 1973, and the Roe v. Wade decision, Catholic politicians have been saying that all of these are equal and if you get 5 out of 7 then you're doing okay. The USCCB says about Life and Dignity of the Human Person: >The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person. Scot surmised that the paragraph itself is written in a prioritized order as well: abortion, euthanasia, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and then the death penalty. Janet said the bishops have been clear that abortion is preeminent. The bishops have said that if a politician takes a position contrary to the Church's teaching, the bishop will approach him, talk with him, ask him to be in conformity with the Church, and if they still refuse, to refrain from receiving Communion. Pope Benedict XVI, when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, [laid out how a Catholic should approach a political candidate](http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0403722.htm) who supports abortion. The voter could only vote for a pro-abortion candidate if there was a proportionate reason, but nowhere have the bishops laid out what such a proportionate reason is. Voting for a politician *because* of his pro-abortion stance would be material cooperation with evil, while voting for a pro-abortion politician *in spite of* his stance on abortion because he had another stance that would prevent evil, would be *remote* material cooperation, which means it doesn't take away all the evil of the situation, but reduces some of the culpability for it.  Janet said we become responsible when the politician begins to pass laws that will affect society.  **4th segment:** Scot said Catholic social teaching is not based on bishops deciding on the Church's political positions in the public square. Brian said the commitment to the Catholic social teaching is rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. It is based on the Deposit of the Faith received from Christ and the Apostles. Scot said we're called to know our faiths and not just listen to various pundits who say one thing or another. We're also facing an increasing demand that the public square should only be influenced by non-faith-related values. We're called to live as practical atheists, not letting our consciences formed by our faith influence us. Brian said this is a country that has always protected religious freedom and we can apply our faith to public issues. We don't impose our views on others. We propose an idea. We make an argument and people don't have to accept it. Janet said we should never be afraid of being excluded from public life for expressing our views. Nobody tells us we can't express our religious views when we say we should take care of the poor. So we have to say that protecting life isn't just our religious belief; it's the truth. Part of our responsibility for being good citizens is being good parents and good teachers and to share the love of Christ. Brian also recommends reading the papal social encyclicals, the documents of Vatican II, and the writings of Aquinas and Augustine on justice.

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor **Today's guest(s):** Randy Raus, president of LifeTeen, and Fr. Matt Williams, Director of the Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults * [Lifeteen](http://www.lifeteen.com/) * [LIFT](http://www.liftedhigher.com/) **Today's topics:** LifeTeen **Summary of today's show:** Randy Raus and Fr. Matt Williams join Scot and Fr. Chris O'Connor to talk about the LifeTeen ministry; its focus on the Eucharist; its effects on teens, including generating many priestly vocations; how it brings families together in the parish; and how they are helping teens prepare for the new translation of the Roman Missal coming this Advent. **1st segment:** Scot welcomed Fr. Chris back to the show. He noted Fr. Matt Williams is also on the show as a guest. He said Randy Raus from Lifeteen is in Boston to speak at the Lift Ministries even tonight. Randy said Lifeteen is parish-based youth ministry in 1800 Catholic parishes in 26 countries. Most are in the US. It is Eucharist-centered with a devotion to the Blessed Mother. They lead teens to Christ through a celebration of the liturgy with music and homily geared to young people. After the Mass are Life Nights, catechetical nights. It's a large group setting that takes them out of the classroom setting to interact with their peers to talk about their faith and experience it in prayer. Randy was a parish youth ministry in Marietta, Georgia. He started with 15 kids in his youth group and had built it up to 80 young people when a teen asked him about LifeTeen. The teen said his old parish in Arizona did LifeTeen and the kids in his old parish made Mass the top priority. He realized that they needed to do more to lead teens to Christ in the Mass. The teen kept bugging him until he went on a training conference for LifeTeen and kicked off the ministry with about 300 teens eight months later. It transformed the parish. Fr. Chris asked how the Eucharist and Mary play the primary roles in LifeTeen. Randy said we are seeking to fill the God-shaped hole in our lives. Whatever a teen is facing in their lives, bring them to the Eucharist. That's the centrality of our faith and of LifeTeen. It helps them to focus on Christ and helps them understand the Real Presence in the Eucharist. Once they realize that fact, it changes everything. Allowing the Blessed Mother to intercede for them and lead them to her Son, she points them only to her Son. Scot asked what specific things do they do to make the Real Presence real for them. The key is for the adult leaders, Core members, have to be having encounters with Christ themselves and believing it. It's a contagious environment. You give them space to experience Christ. Fr. Matt's first assignment as a priest was with St. Mary in Dedham which has a LifeTeen ministry. When he first arrived at the parish, the pastor talked to him at length about LifeTeen before anything else. The kids were excited to meet him as their new priest and couldn't wait to meet him. He felt ill equipped at the time, but the kids had a simple witness that led him to go deeper. The joy of his week was celebrating that Mass every week with the kids and their families. Randy said young people bringing their families back to the Church are an unplanned benefit to the ministry. There is a part of LifeTeen now that is called ParentLife. They even see teens bringing their parents on retreat and leading them to Eucharistic adoration. Fr. Matt said he can imagine asking where are all these kids and how do we get them in our church? What is it that gets them in the doors? Randy said young people are relational, so they need someone to look them in the eye and welcome them to Mass. The average young person needs to be asked five or six times. Scot asked if peers or adults are better askers, but Randy said it just has to be somebody authentic and real, who cares enough. Today teens are easier to approach than ever before and open to adults talking to them. Teens do care that their peers are going to be there, but a genuine invite goes a long way. Even before they get in the door, there has to be a sense of hospitality. People greet them at the door, hand them a song sheet, welcome them in. The music uses instruments teens are used to hearing without taking away from the reverence of Mass and done in a quality way so they will sing along. Scot said you hear a lot that Mass is boring. But there's an energy in LifeTeen. How do they get from the former to the latter to appreciate what the Mass really is. Randy said Mass can be a great catechetical experience explaining what's happening. But the LifeNights include specific topics that break open the parts of the liturgy. Also, by going away on retreat or big conference, they experience it in a different way that puts them on fire for being engaged in the liturgy. It's part catechetical and part experiential. Fr. Matt said if everyone else is praying and you're not, then you're the one who stands out. If the community is formed and worshipping, then it encourages others to join in. **2nd segment:** Randy said in his parish they had a 6pm liturgy on Sundays. It was the last chance Mass. They took a Mass of 45 minutes to one that was 1-1/2 hours. Attendance doubled and became standing-room only. It wasn't that people were interested in Mass, but they didn't feel a part of it. And a community developed around it, not just among youth. This happens in parishes around the world. Scot asked how it affects the other Masses of the weekend. Randy said over time people would end up going to that Mass instead of others. It became the most popular and, by the way, had the highest collection. It affected the whole family with families going together and they would schedule their Sundays around this Mass. Fr. Chris said as he interviews young men looking to enter seminary he finds that most of the young men have some connection to LifeTeen and/or Steubenville. Randy said there is a positive interaction in LifeTeen between priests and young people and the young people see priests in a positive light. They also talk to teens about considering vocations in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The USCCB last year contacted LifeTeen and said they were a major source of vocations within the Church. The USCCB worked with LifeTeen to create a website of parish-based resources. They then surveyed seminarians and found that 49% had attended something connected to lifeTeen and 30% said lifeTeen was the determinant for entering seminary. LifeTeen's goal is to serve the Church however they can. * [USCCB website for vocations](http://www.foryourvocation.org/) * [Franciscan University of Steubenville](http://franciscan.edu/) * [Steubenville Youth Conference](http://franciscanyouth.com/) To implement LifeTeen, it takes the support of the pastor. They need someone dedicated to be a youth minister, volunteer or paid. They need a core team of adults trained to do youth ministry, putting on the LifeNights. They need musicians to learn the music and put on a vibrant liturgy. It's a lot of work, but their experience is that it has an impact on young people and transforms their lives. He said the minimum size of the core team would be five people for a small parish, but ideally you want 10 ore more. You can start with less and add more. Some parishes start with 15 teams and one year later have 75 active teens. The Mass is a community Mass, not just a teen Mass, and it's every Sunday. Of the four weeks of the months they have two catechetical nights, one on an issue and one social night. Scot asked Fr. Matt about his experience celebrating LifeTeen Mass after celebrating more traditional forms of Mass. He said at St. Mary's he had many different kinds of experience: children's choir, adult choir, and LifeTeen. Everyone has a preferred way of worshipping that speaks to them most. For him, he enjoys Christian contemporary music. To have youth and their parents who want to be there and praise God is amazing. There's something about the gift of their youthfulness that lift up the community and has a powerful effect on the whole congregation. Fr. Chris added that LifeTeen is strictly in line with all the General Instructions of the Roman Missal and there's nothing out of the norm. It is line with all of the rubrics. Randy said LifeTeen is obedient to the bishops and all of the liturgical guidelines. They work with the liturgists in the diocese. Randy said they lost four teens from LifeTeen in the Columbine shooting and Archbishop Chaput celebrated the LifeTeen Mass with the parish after the shooting. It wss the most healing experience Randy has ever had. Fr. Chris asked how LifeTeen prepares youth to transition to a more traditional parish Mass as they move on in life to college and beyond. Randy said campus chaplains love to receive LifeTeen students because they are active and involved in ministry. Randy said it's LifeTeen's job to be open to help them be open to all expressions of liturgy and not base their faith on the music at Mass. While music draws teens into the experience, it's youth ministers' role to help them develop that experience of the Eucharist to carry on to the rest of their life. **3rd segment:** Scot asked Randy how LifeTeen is helping teens approach the significant changes in the prayers of Mass that are coming this Advent. Randy said they need to feel like they're ahead of the curve and providing resources to the parishes. They created a resource called "Word for Word," a DVD and workbook that helps explain both at Mass and at Life Nights. Randy said Bishop Ron Herzog of Alexandria ordered copies for every parish to show. The videos are geared for both high school and middle school. Randy said he thinks it will help teens focus more on the liturgy and be a growth opportunity for the whole Church if we don't focus on the negative of change. Fr. Chris said Eucharist adoration plays an important part of LifeTeen. Randy said it is important, but they never make it more important than Mass. They're seeing even middle school students at their camps spending 30 minutes in silent adoration. He had one camper tell him that he feels God is asking him to be a priest because in adoration he finds himself thinking as a priest, not just a teen. He found himself thinking about all the others and hoping they see Christ in the Eucharist as well. LifeTeen is setting a norm. This is the new normal, expecting young people to encounter Christ in this way. Scot asked Randy about Life Nights. Randy said Life Nights are taught from a single person which is different from most religious ed because they have multiple teachers so the message is better controlled. They use the form of the Mass to gather, proclaim, break it open, and send forth.  They set an environment for the night. They want the room to be set up specifically for the theme of the night to let teens know that this will be something different from the last time they were. There might be a video to watch or a game that engages them in the night. In the proclamation, they have someone talking, usually with notes provided to them by LifeTeen in language the teens can understand. Scot asked how bigger events outside the parish, like pilgrimages, integrate with parish youth ministry and how important they are. Randy said World Youth Day has some of the biggest impact on teens that they will have in their life. They are parish-based so they have teens come as parish groups to events. LifeTeen will once again be having at the invitation of the Vatican to have a special LifeTeen experience on one of the nights of World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, in August. They encourage parishes to be active in diocesan youth rallies and they also offer programs for parishes to send teens to. Randy said he is passionate about youth ministry. He can't think of a more important ministry. Studies show that if teens are not active Catholics by the end of high school they don't have a high chance of being active Catholics of adults. He is the father of eight and it's had an enormous impact on his family. His brother was diagnosed with liver cancer and after the diagnosis two of his children approached him on their own and told him that he needed to receive the Eucharist and become Catholic. The week before surgery he converted to Catholicism. He has since died, but he had already developed a relationship with Christ in the Mass and with the Blessed Mother. Fr. Matt has been struck by watching the development of core team members as they become confident in their faith and then seeing young people become triggered in their faith. One of the young people in Fr. Matt's office, Danielle, is the fruit of LifeTeen at St. Mary's. A seminarian from St. Mary's is also the fruit of LifeTeen. He said the culture of the world is strong and we need to building up our college ministry to continue the strong work of parish high school ministry. When they come back they can then find a community of alumni. If someone wants to experience a LifeTeen ministry in the archdiocese: * St. Mary's in Dedham * St. Mary, Hanover * Immaculate Conception, Stoughton * St. Thomas Aquinas, Bridgewater * Holy Family, Rockland * St. Brendan, Bellingham * St. Joseph the Worker, Hanson * Sacred Heart, Weymouth * Sacred Heart, Waltham * St. George, Framingham * St. Patrick, Stoneham * St. Agnes, Reading * St. Patrick, Lowell * St. Monica, Methuen Tonight, Randy Raus will be speaking at Lift about Bl. John Paul II and his call to proclaim so many people as saints. It's not something reserved for the elite, but is something we should all be setting that as our goal. Lift is a monthly gathering on a Tuesday night, 7-9 pm at Fontbonne Academy in Milton. It starts with music by Jon Niven and his band, then a speaker who teaches on the faith, then Eucharistic adoration with time of quiet prayer, led prayer, and some songs, followed by Benediction, more songs, and fellowship after. It is intergenerational and all ages go.

Listener feedback from Canterbury and St. Thomas More, Archbishop Chaput on a German martyr for the faith, and much more. High school Physics has derailed the SaintCast, but not for long :) Coming to you live (well almost) from Orlando, Florida, the SaintCast returns with a new St. Jeopardy related to a Hollywood actor and the Universit of Notre Dame. We summarize a recent talk by Archbishop Chaput during World Youth Day activities, on an incredible German martyr for the faith, and hear the final words of St. Andrew Kim Taegon. "A Man for All Seasons," at Amazon.com Magnatune.com and music from Ensemble Vermillian Archbishop Chaput's talk in Sydney - Theology on Tap

EWTN Recap, New Listeners, SQPN Incorporated, Bionic Arms, Sierra Nevada, Archbishop Chaput, New Deacons, Staying on Target, Rosary Making Priest, Prayer and Relationships, and $50 Minimum No More. Visit www.RosaryArmy.com for more from Rosary Army!

EWTN Recap, New Listeners, SQPN Incorporated, Bionic Arms, Sierra Nevada, Archbishop Chaput, New Deacons, Staying on Target, Rosary Making Priest, Prayer and Relationships, and $50 Minimum No More. Visit www.RosaryArmy.com for more from Rosary Army!

EWTN Recap, New Listeners, SQPN Incorporated, Bionic Arms, Sierra Nevada, Archbishop Chaput, New Deacons, Staying on Target, Rosary Making Priest, Prayer and Relationships, and $50 Minimum No More. Visit www.RosaryArmy.com for more from Rosary Army!

EWTN Recap, New Listeners, SQPN Incorporated, Bionic Arms, Sierra Nevada, Archbishop Chaput, New Deacons, Staying on Target, Rosary Making Priest, Prayer and Relationships, and $50 Minimum No More. Visit www.RosaryArmy.com for more from Rosary Army!

St. Francis as an animal and tree lover? Think again. Today we are honored to welcome to the SaintCast the Archbishop of Denver, Colorado, Charles J. Chaput, who is also a Capuchin Franciscan. Archbishop Chaput points to Francis as so much more -- a dynamic, charismatic leader and Church reformer of his time, who is a model for Church reform in all ages. He led by his humble example of following the Gospel "without gloss." He points to his Last Testament as particularly poignant written sentiments of Francis, read on the SaintCast today by Fr. Seraphim Beshoner, a Franciscan of the Third Order Regular. Franciscan music and more on today's special SaintCast in honor of the Feast of St. Francis. Feedback is welcome at 312.235.2278 or at saintcast@mac.com. Music by Johnny Proctor, "All Creatures of Our God and King," from soundclick.com. University of Notre Dame Liturgical Choir, http://www.nd.edu/~litchoir