We ARE

reading

2009-03-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

The previous blog indicated a misspelling. It's actually divorcedcatholics.com. You can type it in a search engine as well. One book I found might be kinda interesting. It's from the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Liguori Publications has it on their webpage. One of the writers comes from a vantage point of a Christmas and Easter only attendant. Would be interesting to check out.

websites

2009-03-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

Again, I recommend americamagazine.org as a way to access some great information. It has recommended books, movie reviews, blogs, and other great Catholic things. For those who are looking for support in your marriage please visit a site sponsored the US Bishops called foryour marriage.org. There is also a site for those who may feel alienated because of a divorce. Divcorcedcatholics.com has some resources that promote healing and a recognition that diovcorced catholics are still a part of our Church.

America

2009-03-05T14:55:00.001-08:00

You can visit the America magazine website for links to free articles about Scripture, the sacraments, Catholic social teaching and other topics. All are available at americamagazine.org/education.cfm. There is even a blog there where you can hook up with Catholics from across the country and all walks of life. It's a great way to share faith.

spiritual

2009-02-20T13:14:00.000-08:00

The adult faith formation day is on Sunday, March 8 from 2 to 5 p.m. Various topics and speakers will make this day at St Thomas More a tremendous experience. Enjoy the fellowship of other people and learn more about the faith. It's also a great way to deepen your spirituality during the Lenten season. Charlie Brown Spirituality, Why we do what we do at Mass, Centering Prayer, Lenten Family customs, and a look at a couple Vatican II documents will grace the schedule of workshops. Shawn Crawford, director of stewardship for our diocese, will be our keynote speaker. Mark your calendars and plan to be there!

other book

2009-02-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

How about a Thomas Merton book called When the Trees Say Nothing?
He's always a great spiritual writer and read. Plus, it's Thomas Merton. What more can I say?

book

2009-01-29T13:56:00.000-08:00

I have a book that we could do comments on. It's called Joshua by Joseph F. Girzone. It's part of a series of books that this priest wrote after he retired in 1986. It's basically about a man who moves into a small cabin on the edge of a community. The man seems to be a good carpenter who charges little for his terrific work. Despite his selfless giving and attempts to bring the community together, some in the community are suspicious. Finally, he is confronted by the local church leaders to resolve the community's suspicions. If anyone would like to comment on the first couple of chapters then let's do it. The publisher was Simon and Schuster.

Advent

2008-12-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

Let's talk. Anybody? How about Advent traditions. What do you do yourself or with your family?
Advent calendar? Bible readings? I like this time of year. Churches change color and people are more receptive to help others. If one does not get caught up in the consumerism then it becomes a real meaningful time of year. Does anyone put a Christmas scene in their home? We put a few figurines up each week and explain their significance to our kids. You can do that with a Jesse Tree as well. Advent wreaths in the home can be enlightening as well. What do you think?

Thanksgiving

2008-11-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

If you ever want to know more about the Catholic understanding of Christianity then the United States Catholic Catechism for adults is a great resource. It's available, for purchase, online. There is also a website called Good News Ministries, which has some various links, that include online bible studies, faith topics, and other things. St. Anthony Messenger Press has some good short pieces of info that are helpful for adult formation.
Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on the power of the Eucharist. Eucharist comes from a word meaning thanksgiving. The people gather together to remember and celebrate what Jesus did long ago. That moment becomes present to us as we give thanks for Jesus and what He did for us. In the ordinary elements of bread and wine we give thanks as we bring ourselves before God. We take, eat, and bless God for this opportunity to be transformed and carry that to the world.
As we all gather for the sharing of a meal at Thanksgiving let us discern how those meals are not unlike the meal Jesus shared with His disciples. We have received so many blessings and gifts from God and He asks us to return that by coming together, as a united community of faith, to celebrate the Eucharist. God gave us the greatest gift in Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks, with our families, and discern how we use the gifts and talents God gave us.

Timely

2008-10-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

The election is next week and everyone is a buzz about it. We pray that the candidates who will be elected will think in terms of the people they serve. As a Church, we have a right to speak out on the issues, especially when social justice is involved. Our concern for life is top priority as we discern the positions of the candidates. There is no one perfect candidate but that does not excuse us for our obligation to vote. We have a tremendous privilege in this country to use our voice at the polls and elsewhere.
Don't forget that November 9 is Adult Faith Formation day here at St Thomas More. In addition to the great workshops available, Fr. Mike Scully will be here, as the keynote speaker, to talk about the life and times of Paul. There are many opportunities to become active in your own formation. Let's come together in fellowship and learning as we grow and nurture the seed of faith God has given us. For more information check out the bulletins at St Thomas More and Seven Dolors or call the offices.

mission and other stuff

2008-10-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

I appreciate the comment from the anonymous parishioner. Brian Casey was a vibrant speaker who spoke with conviction. He definitely was on fire with Spirit as he was unafraid to challenge us on many things. He wanted you to take the next step in your journey of faith but never left you feeling guilty about the past. I believe we did do the best we could with the information we had. Those moments can be teachable times if we reflect on them and challenge ourselves to what we truly believe God wants us to do. Mr. Casey's presentations reminded me a lot of Paul's messages to his communities. Don't ever think you should settle with the faith that you have now. Keep on growing and developing into the image of God. Let God be in control and good things can happen. That is a very difficult message now. Imagine how counter-cultural we are called to be as Christians. I don't know about you folks but I was certainly exhausted by him!

Misson

2008-10-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Oct 18 & 19 begins our St. Thomas More parish mission. Good News Ministries, from Seattle, WA will be here as our featured speaker will be Brian Casey. A wide variety of topics will be discussed as we hope the people of the parish will be renewed in spiritual zeal. Share any thoughts you have of the speaker and the mission right here. I look forward to the timing as I hope people will be excited as we inch ever closer to our building dedication the following weekend. May God move us in our faith!

Virtue and Business

2008-10-10T14:23:00.001-07:00

(Here is a recent article from a publication called Zenit. It's a website that publishes articles from the Pope, Bishops, and other church officials. Often, there are interesting articles that are informational and thought provoking. Seems pretty middle-of-the-road.)
Can Ethical Principles Help the Troubled Markets?By Father John Flynn, LCROME, OCT. 5, 2008 (Zenit.org).- As efforts continue to resolve the financial crisis a number of commentators argue that it’s not only a lack of monetary capital, but a lack of spiritual capital that has contributed to the problems.“The market is vital, but is the market has an essentially social function,” declared Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, Ireland.“It can only function in an ethical and judicial framework where the vulnerable are protected and the natural arrogance of the powerful is curbed. We see today how gross and unregulated individual misbehavior in market activity affects the stability of companies but also of countries and then of the men and women who make up the society in which we live,” he declared in an address titled: “Ethics, the Economy and Caring: Lessons to Be Learned.”From England the Anglican archbishop of York, John Sentamu, had strong words for traders who had profited from the crisis, calling them “bank robbers,” reported the London-based Times newspaper Sept 25. He also said that no one was guiltless in the present crisis and that everyone had joined in worshipping the false god of money.While not denying the gravity of the current crisis, Peter Mullen, an Anglican priest in charge of two parish churches in London’s financial center, and also chaplain to the Stock Exchange, reminded readers that there is no viable alternative to capitalism. In an article published in the Sept. 26 edition of the Catholic Herald, Mullen noted that every time there is an economic or financial crisis we hear arguments about capitalism being incompatible with Christianity. The only alternative in recent times -- socialism -- proved to be much worse, he argued. So while it is true capitalism is imperfect, it’s better than any other option, he concluded.Moral principlesFor their part the bishops of the United States, by means of a letter sent to government leaders by Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, chairman of the episcopal conference's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, spoke of the need for considering key moral principles.The letter warned of the dangers of excessive speculation and recommended greater responsibility and accountability. Bishop Murphy also wrote of the importance of the principles of solidarity and the common good.The need to anchor the economy and markets in solid virtues was the theme of a book published earlier this year by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch. In “Spiritual Enterprise: Doing Virtuous Business,” (Encounter Books) he defends capitalism, but also insists it requires a “spiritual capital” as a foundation.Malloch had experience in Wall Street, having worked at Salomon Brothers. He currently heads the Roosevelt Group. He starts by noting that in the wake of a number of recent corporate failures it’s clear that greater accountability and better governance are needed in the business world. “The moral outrage that people feel in response to the past decade of scandal and deceit is entirely legitimate, and it leads to compelling questions about the true purpose of business and the virtues that are necessary to sustain it and a free economy,” Malloch comments.Defenders of capitalism and the free market extol its capacity to produce wealth. Critics, however, Malloch notes, argue that putting the profit motive at the center of life is a mistake as it falsely takes the place of ethical and spiritual values.Malloch’s thesis is that we do need to create wealth and that this is a legitimate activity, but we should do so in a way in which God’s gifts are used responsibly. As well, creating wealth should not be done for the purpose of dominating others or for accumulating personal power. Spiritual capitalMalloch declares himself to be a “committed Christian, and people of faith, he points out, see freedom not just as an array of possibilities but as the capacity to choose between right and wrong and to develop our faculties guided by virtue.The concept of social capital, he explains, is well-known and refers to the accumulated social resources handed on from one generation to the next. This body of customs, culture, manners and morals has been a key factor in the economic development of Western countries.More recently some have started to talk about a spiritual capital, including Malloch notes, two Nobel laureate economists. This is a necessary counterbalance to the reductive model of the human being used by many economists, who reduce activity to a balance of costs and benefits. “Human beings are not just profit-maximizers,” he affirms.Our age, he continues in a chapter of the book dedicated to the concept of virtue, tends to consider the moral life as a matter of following rules. This is, however, a departure from previous times where the moral life was conceived of not in terms of duty, but virtue.The spiritual capital that is built up through the cultivation and practice of virtues adds something that social capital does not have, explains Malloch. Spiritual capital comes from a relationship with God through worship, prayer and devotion, and also through a discipline that is not just that of a human society.This spiritual capital, he warns, must be something more than just a public relations exercise, often termed these days as corporate social responsibility, but which is frequently termed these days merely a device to ward off criticism from nongovernmental organizations. We also have to avoid a superficial sort of business ethics that is often driven by a political agenda.Instead, a company needs to be guided by virtue, Malloch concludes. This virtuous behavior is by no means easy in a world often marked by corruption and dishonesty. Moreover, in a global economy marked by swiftly moving technological change it is more necessary than ever for companies to be guided by spiritual values.There may even be short-term costs in doing business virtuously, Malloch acknowledges. In the end, however, he argues that virtue will lead to long-term benefits, both personal and commercial.ChoicesBenedict XVI offered some words of guidance on how financial activities and the economy should be guided by ethical principles, in a homily given Sept 23, 2007.During his homily, given during a Mass celebrated in the plaza of the Cathedral of San Clement, on the occasion of a pastoral visit to the Diocese of Velletri-Segni, one of the suburbicarian dioceses, which are those nearest Rome. The Pope reflected on the parable of a dishonest steward who is praised (Luke 16: 1-13).“Life is truly always a choice: between honesty and dishonesty, between fidelity and infidelity, between selfishness and altruism, between good and evil,” the Pope said.Moreover, the conclusion of this Gospel passage is clear: You cannot serve both God and Mammon, the Pontiff continued.“As a result, it is necessary to make a fundamental decision between God and mammon, it is necessary to choose between the logic of profit as the ultimate criterion for our action, and the logic of sharing and solidarity,” the Pope noted.If we do choose this logic of sharing and solidarity, he added, then it will be possible to direct economic development in way that will ensure the common good of all. To do this, the Pontiff explained, we need to be able to choose between selfishness and love, between justice and dishonesty, and not to allow ourselves to be absorbed “by a selfish quest for profit.” Useful pointers to help redirect financial markets so they serve the common good of the whole society.

Scripture

2008-10-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

The importance of reading and reflecting on Scripture will be discussed soon at a synod of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI wants to continue the spirit of Vatican Council II and encourage all people to pick up the Bible. Before Vatican Council II, the bible was not encouraged to be read by the ordinary person. Now the Church wants all people to be familiar with Scripture. Scripture gives us a story of the dynamic relationship between God and Humankind. Its lessons are timeless. Further study of Scripture through bible studies, personal reading, and faith sharing reveal a world much different than our own. However, the meaning of the stories apply to us because they are about life. Deeper study of the Scripture can really make a difference in how you listen to the Sunday Scripture readings. Father's homilies make more sense and you even begin to gain personal enlightenment. Truly, God's Word meets us right where we are in the journey of life. I recommend beginning with the New Testament. Perhaps one of the gospels or epistles of Paul. In the Old Testament, a prayerful reading of the Psalms reveals a book that can be useful in your personal spirituality. The Little Rock Bible Study, Loyola Press Bible Study, Paulist Press Bible Study are all good resources for research and information. Many times there are footnotes and commentary in your Scriptures that are good to look at. Read a chapter, then read the footnotes, then go back and read the same chapter. You might be surprised how differently you read it and what strikes you.

Marriage

2008-09-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen the great resources on the United States Catholic Conference of Bishop's website? They have information on faithful citizenship that is a great way to inform yourself on some of the social teachings of the Church. It is also enlightening the way the bishops encourage us to vote. Another great link they have on their site is for marriages. It's called "For Your Marriage" and has some helpful things for people getting prepared for marriage all the way through 50 or so years of marriage. I find it comforting to know our bishops are giving the attention this topic deserves since they talk quite often of being for families.

voting

2008-09-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Anybody have thoughts on the presidential election? From a faith perspective, the bishops have informed us that we are to become an informed voter who looks at positions of life-issues. There are so many life-issues to be aware of. I do not want the Catholic Church to be perceived as a one issue Church. We are concerned about adequate medical care, death penalty, a just wage, euthanasia, and so on. Of course, this includes the issue of abortion. However, if you are like me, it is extremely difficult to look at the candidates and find one that agrees with all positions of life. I am really trying to educate myself on what are the important issues that each candidate believes in.

Are you ready?

2008-09-10T10:03:00.001-07:00

Be watching for future postings with deep thoughts from the Pastoral Associates of St. Thomas More and Seven Dolors!!! Wayne & Rosie