Self-Pleasure and the Catholic Church

I have been thinking about the idea of self-pleasure for sometime. How many of us do things that are not good for us but we do it anyway because it brings us pleasure.

How many of us smoke?

How many of us drink too much?

How many of us over eat?

How many of us spend too much money buying things?

How many of us watch unholy images on the TV or the internet?

How many of us are lazy?

All of these things are done for the pure sake of pleasure even though it does nothing but seperate us from God and the life that can bring us peace.

Actually, turning away from carnal pleasure, sacrifice, and self denial is the action that can bring true comfort, peace, and tranquility.

When we continually turn to self-pleasure in our lives, physical pleasure, it only leaves us wanting more. Haven't you noticed, the more we turn our backs on true christian principles, we are left with a desirous appetite for more and more pleasure. It is like putting more wood on the fire.

It is when we reject the temptation of self desire that our spirit is freed.... It is then that we can fill ourselves with the true love that only comes from God. This is the love that permeates our soul and never leaves us wanting.

Less is always more when it comes to fulfilling our own needs. The less we desire for ourselves, the more God will fill us with himself.

Catholics have a 2000 year old history of self denial. 

• We do not eat meat of Fridays (However most Catholics have forgotten that this is still in effect today). 

• We attend Mass every Sunday and on the holy days of obligation even if that means missing a football game. 

• We go to confession regularly. 

• We try to serve those in need. We are charitable. 

• We maintain the tradition of Fasting, Alms giving and Prayer.

Less is more...... until we are filled with Him!

Why World Youth Day?

Why World Youth Day?

Why would 1 1/2 million youth from around the world attempt to raise money, many of them for over a year, to travel to Spain to maybe get a glimpse of a 80 plus year old man and to hear him speak?

This is a question that has so many in our culture baffled? They don't understand! How can a man that must be so out of touch with the youth of today draw so many from all over the globe?

The answer is simple!

They are not coming to see the man, but they are coming to see the Vicar of Christ. They are not coming to see Mr. Ratzinger the professor, but rather the priest and now Pope, the successor of Peter himself.

Todays Gosel clearly helps us understand:

"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter (our first Pope) said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 

It is the Pope who is the rock and whom the earthly church is built upon. And Jesus promised that evil shall not prevail against it.

These youth understand that our church is bleeding, the world is bleeding, yet the truth lies in the church and through the direction of the Pope. He has been given the knowledge and keys to the kingdom of heaven.

We live in a world of lies..... The evil one has manipulated and distorted almost everything and this has affected the world gravely. Yet Christ promised that the devil would not prevail. There is hope, our hope is in Christ and in the youth of today who can see through the distortions, rhetoric, and the lies.

The pope said earlier this week that the TRUTH is not a slogan, nor an ideology, but rather a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. These youth have been introduced to the person who is TRUTH, and nothing can compare to HIM once you have met HIM and experienced HIM.

And to many, Christ is manifested here on earth in the persona of the Pope. They see in him the face of Christ. They hear in him the words of Christ. The feel in him - Christ!

That relationship, that encounter, is our hope for the future. These youth of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. This is the army that will fight against the evil of the world.....

So why world youth day!

It not only gives an opportunity of so many youth to see and experience Christ here on earth in a physical way, but also reassures the world of believers that the Holy Spirit is alive!

Persevering Faith and the Lord's Mercy - 20th Sunday Ordinary Time (Year A)

Do you have strong faith, strong enough to persevere? Strong enough to persevere in spite of obstacles? Or is it a faith that easily gives up? Faith in what? Chance, Fate, God?

The message today really has to do with: “What kind of faith do we possess, and in what kind of God.”

Today’s Gospel begins with Jesus going to the districts of Tyre and Sidon. These cities are outside the boundaries of Israel – they are up North, along the coast. The people who lived there were not Jews like Jesus, they did not follow the religion of Israel. They were Gentiles, “Pagans”! The woman from that region came to Jesus. She was a Canaanite. As I mentioned, The Canaanites were Gentiles, Pagans, outside the covenant the Lord had made with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Yet they lived close enough to have some knowledge about the religion of Israel, and this woman apparently did. For she comes to Jesus, crying out “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David.”

Notice the title she uses, “Son of David.” That is a messianic term. The messiah whom God had promised would be the “Son of David” – a physical descendant of the great King David, and the greatest one of all, even greater than David himself. The Lord had promised David that one of his sons would reign on his throne forever. And this son of David, this Messiah, this Christ, would usher in a glorious reign of blessings for Israel and---- a glorious reign of blessing for all the other nations as well.

This woman must have known the prophecies about the coming Messiah, the Son of David. She knew something of those promises, and it gave her faith. She was waiting and looking for the coming of the Christ. And she recognized in Jesus the one who was fulfilling those prophesies. She saw in him the promised Son of David. The Canaanite woman must have heard what Jesus was doing, his healings, his miracles, his acts of mercy. And knowing of this emboldened her to come forward with her request. As she states “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. Lord have Mercy.”

Several times in the Gospels we hear people crying out to Jesus with those words. Blind men asking for their sight. A father seeking help for his demonized son. And this woman, a mother, seeking help for her daughter who was suffering terribly.

Suffering can either drive us to despair, or drive us to our Lord. One of the benefits of suffering, strange as it may seem, is that it can lead us to seek the Lord and his mercy. When life is going smoothly and all is well, we might forget about the Lord and take his blessings for granted. But when suffering comes, and we have no one else to turn to, nowhere else to go – that is what it may take to get our eyes focused again on God. But when trouble comes, God says “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” That is what this woman is doing when she comes to Jesus. It is her day of trouble, and she is calling on God for help. She cries out “Lord have Mercy.”

Don’t we all carry some trouble, some misery, some pain with us as we come before the Lord here at mass? We come before God with all kinds of suffering and misery that finds a place in our lives and in the world. All the misery we pile up in this world through Contraception, Abortion, our sinfulness rooted in pride and self pleasure, a guilty conscience, the answer to all of it, ultimately, is in the mercy that took Christ to the cross. By his all-availing death, you and I will be delivered, finally, from all the misery that there is in our world.

Returning to the Gospel, did you notice Jesus’ initial response to the Canaanite woman – or should I say, his lack of response! As the gospel states “But he did not answer her a word.” Isn’t that surprising, not what one would expect. “He did not answer her a word.” What is going on here? Is Jesus being rude, or cold hearted? How do we explain his silence?

Come to think of it, how do we explain God’s silence in our own lives? How many times have we prayed to God in our distress, and we didn’t get the answer we were looking for, nor the relief. And we are met, so it seems, with the silence of God. This silence is a mystery to us. But we must remind ourselves, sometimes God moves and acts in a mysterious way. The seeming silence of God in not his cold-heartedness, but rather our inability to see and hear what God is doing. Just Maybe, He has a better plan in store than the one we have in mind. Just Maybe, He sees a need for humility. Just maybe, He sees a need for developing compassion, forgiveness, and understanding.

At first the Canaanite woman is met with silence. “He did not answer her a word.” Jesus is waiting….. He wants this woman to exercise her faith… But in spite of this seeming rebuff, the Canaanite woman persists. She perseveres. She kneels before Jesus and says “Lord Help Me.” But again, another obstacle is placed in her way. Jesus replies, “It in not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” That is to say, “It is not right to take the blessings promised to the children of Israel and give it to the gentiles.” In other words, “the dogs.” The woman came, not claiming anything as her right, but simply throwing herself on the Lord’s mercy. She was willing to be a dog that eats the scraps off the table. The Canaanite woman is not deterred.

Think of the obstacles that her God-given faith fought through: She was not deterred by Jesus’ initial silence, when he did not answer her a word. She was not deterred by the comment of the disciples, “Send her away.” She was not deterred by Jesus’ comment about being sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. Nor by his remark about the dogs eating the bread of the children. This woman simply does not give up. She perserveres. Her faith, her God-given faith, overcomes all these obstacles.

God wants to give you that same kind of faith – persevering faith in a merciful Lord. God wants you to come to Jesus, time and time again, in spite of the obstacles in your lives. It is so easy to give up. People do it all the time. When there is suffering in their life, they give up and think that God is uncaring. When something goes wrong in their lives, people just give up and stop coming to Jesus. When something at church doesn’t go the way they like, people give up and stop coming to Mass or quit ministries. But God does not want you to give up. He wants you to persevere, in faith, like the Canaanite woman did, and to seek—and to find—his mercy and blessing. The Canaanite woman did not give up. And Jesus commends her faith: “O woman, great is your faith!” Jesus grants her request and Her daughter is healed.

In closing, and returning to my initial questions:

1. Do you have strong faith, strong enough to persevere? Strong enough to persevere in spite of obstacles? Or is it a faith that easily gives up?

2. How do you view God? Do you see him as someone holding out on you? As being stingy with his gifts? Unwilling to help? Or do you see him, rather, as rich in mercy, ready and willing to help you?

3. How do you approach him? Are you willing to humble yourself as low as a dog, if that means being at the Lord’s table….. or are we just too proud!

The final question that we must ask of ourselves:

“What kind of faith do I possess? And in what kind of God do I believe in?” (Repeat)



Societal Collapse - Are You Ready

As I return to work after a month of vacation and disconnection from the world, I am abruptly thrust back into a reality that life isn’t as calm and peaceful as my vacation journey had been.

I immediately reconnect with the patients in the psychiatric hospital and their world of delusions, paranoia, misperceptions and fear, yet at times they see the world more clearly than most of us.

I am then barraged with information from the radio and Internet of the declining economy and approaching collapse of the America that I once knew.

I began to clearly see that the world around me is changing and changing rather quickly. Some of the people around me see the effects of the deterioration as they have their hours cut, benefits reduced, and wages decreased, while others are laid off. However for many that have not yet been affected, they continue to blindly ignore the signs and live in their perceived world of content and optimism.

However, the collapse of the society as we know it is not such a bad thing. Yes, you did hear me correctly. The collapse of our society is not only a good thing, but will in the end bring hundreds of thousands back into a sense of a true reality and will reunite them back with God.

Most of us have lived in a world and society of such wealth and gluttony that many in America have lost their connection with God. At least they have forgotten, or never understood that there really is a supreme being that is capable of controlling everything in life.

The world as we know it, at least for most of us reading this article is a world of such self-centerdness, greed, horror, and pride that it is a world that more closely resembles hell than heaven.

I have pondered what it would take to open the eyes of those around me to see just how “wrong” our culture is and how far we have strayed from the goodness of the earlier society. I have come to the conclusion that the only thing, save God’s direct intercession, would be a total collapse of our society and for individuals to experience true hardship.

And what I mean by true hardship is not one of mere pride as relying on food stamps or unemployment wages, but one where there really isn’t any food or water, nor shelter, and a lack of clothing.

Most people have never endured real hardship; they have never had a true inability to provide for their and their family’s basic needs. They had never been in a circumstance where there wasn’t anyone to turn to, no one who could help, but God himself.

It is so easy to forget as Christians that this world is not the end all. This world is only a stepping stone, a “boot camp,” a formation to prepare us for the eternal world. If we fail to grow, if we fail to be formed here, if we fail to grow in union with God and his ways… then we fail completely and have earned our way into hell.

Yes HELL!

We don’t hear that word often do we, HELL. And I blame the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons for their decades of neglect in regard to teaching the seriousness of our choices in life and the endless repercussions for those unrepentant choices.

I am aware that God’s mercy is great and that he wants all of us to repent and come to him… But let’s face it, very few have separated from their sinful ways and turned to God. So if they haven't done the 180 and turned toward God, who then are they walking toward? Lucifer!

I do not wish harm to anyone, especially my family and friends, I love them, yet so many are in great need of awakening. As I speak the truth, and God help me in doing so, I will either be disregarded as a nut, or stir anger for the “Feel Good – Its all Good” generation, but hopefully for some I will help open their eyes to what is about to occur in our nation.

Yes, we should begin to get our houses in order. We should begin to prepare with food and supplies, a survival plan, and develop a network of like-minded individuals for support. It is not deciding if this collapse will happen, but when, and we should be prepared. But most importantly, we are to prepare our minds and our souls for this journey. Beginning with our soul, start with weekly confession. If possible begin with daily communion and read the scriptures. A daily rosary will build the relationship with our holy mother who always intercedes and leads us to her son.

Money will eventually be of little value, friendships will be tested, and resources dwindled until what we are left with are our own God-gifted abilities and those of our friends, and ultimately what God chooses to provide for us. The outcome will ultimately be of God’s choosing.

The best weapon against societal collapse is the spiritual preparation and training that will empower individuals and families to endure and overcome adversity. It really will come to a battle between Good and Evil and the ultimate end will be judged more by your spiritual state in life than by worldly wealth, position, and status.

God’s ways are not our ways and we are about to be pruned and given the opportunity to make our eternal choice….. Are you ready?

This Sunday, June 19, 2011, is both Trinity Sunday on the Catholic liturgical calendar and Fathers’ Day on the secular calendar. It is a day I’ll never forget, and sadly so. It is the twentieth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood in the Catholic Church. For twenty years I was called “father.” I am very thankful for those twenty years. I could have easily died any number of times, any number of ways in my life before that, so I consider it all a bonus, an undeserved bonus. To all of you that have communicated support, ordination anniversary congratulations, and other kind sentiments, I am greatly thankful, and I do not take that for granted.

All things change, only God stays the same, so I have to tell you about a major change in my life. I am not going to be involved in public ministry as a priest any longer. There are certain persons in authority in the Church that want me gone, and I shall be gone. I have been guilty of many things in the course of my life, and could easily and justifiably be considered unfit to engage in public ministry as a priest. The present complaint that you have heard about is, as far as I know, from the one person that I can honestly say I did more to help and support than any human being in my entire life. I forgive her and hope only good things for her. I am not going to get into a back and forth or argument with the Church or anyone else about this matter.

Suffice it to say that I love the Catholic Church and accept what has transpired. Unfortunately, the process used is inherently and fatally flawed, but the bishops have the power, apparently, to operate anyway they see fit. I cannot give a lengthy explanation of what has transpired, but I can tell you that the most likely outcome is that they leave me suspended indefinitely and just let me fade away. They can’t prove I’m guilty of the things alleged because I’m not, and they can’t prove I’m innocent because that is simply illogical and impossible. All civilized societies know that. Certain leaders in the Catholic Church apparently do not.

I accept moving on, but I am not ready to be altogether extinguished just yet. In the final analysis I have only one of only two viable choices:

1. I can quietly lie down and die, or

2. I can go on in ways that I am able to go on.

I did not start this process, the Bishop of Corpus Christi, Texas ordered my superiors, against their will and better judgment, to do it. He in fact threatened to release a reprehensible and libelous letter to all of the bishops if they did not suspend me. He has a perfect right to do so, and I defend that right. Bishops aren’t bound by civil laws and procedures in internal Church matters. I agree with that, and would defend to the death the Church’s right to proceed as they see fit. He is the bishop and he has the right to govern as he sees fit. It isn’t an easy task. Many forces besiege him, including pressure from other bishops.

My canon lawyer and my civil lawyers have concluded that I cannot receive a fair and just hearing under the Church’s present process. The Church will conclude that I am not cooperating with the process because I refuse to give up all of my civil and human rights in order to hold harmless anyone who chooses to say defamatory and actionable things against me with no downside to them. The case may be on hold indefinitely, but my life cannot be. Some of the things that might surprise you about the way some of the bishops treat accused priests are as follows:

1. The identity of the accuser is not revealed. You can guess, but you don’t actually know. Nor are the exact allegations made known to you. Hence, you have an interesting situation of having to respond to an unknown accuser making unknown accusations (unknown to the accused and his counsel).

2. The persons chosen to investigate the allegations normally have no qualifications to do so. They certainly didn’t graduate from the FBI academy, nor do they have any other background to qualify them to interrogate or otherwise interview witnesses.

3. There are no set rules of evidence or norms of procedure.

4. You are for all practical purposes assumed guilty until you can prove you are innocent. This one is truly baffling. No civilized society operates that way. If you are accused of something you are considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

5. The accused and his counsel have no right to obtain and review any of the evidence against him.

6. The accused and his counsel are not provided the names of witnesses, nor are they permitted to cross-examine them.

7. There is a general unwillingness or outright refusal by certain of the bishops to abide by applicable statutes of limitations, both in canon and civil law. There are good reasons for these statutes. Time has a way of clouding memories and distorting perceptions.

By the way, Canon Law does not dictate this. They choose to selectively ignore or violate both Canon Law and Civil Law, as they deem appropriate and or expeditious. Once again, they apparently have the discretionary power to do this, and if that’s the way it is I have to accept that as reality.

The bottom line is that the only way a just outcome is likely, in my view and that of my counsel, both civil and canon lawyers, is by accident, rather than as a result of the process.

I will not try to fight this irrational and unjust situation for the simple reason that I don’t want to be placed in an adversarial posture against the Church. For 20 years I did my best to guard and feed the sheep. Now, based on a totally unsubstantiated, undocumented allegation from a demonstrably troubled person I was thrown out like yesterday’s garbage. I accept that. Perhaps I deserve that.

I can’t do what I can’t do. I can only do what I can do. I shall continue, black sheep that I am, to speak; and sheep dog that I am, to guard the sheep—this time around not just in the Church, but also in the entire world. I am, indeed, not ready to be extinguished. Under the name “The Black Sheep Dog,” I shall be with you through radio broadcasts and writing. My autobiography, “The Black Sheep Dog,” is almost ready for publication. My topics will be broader than in the past, and my audience likewise is apt to be broader. I’ll do what I can under the circumstances.

Please don’t bother the bishop or complain because it will do no good and it wastes valuable time and energy, both his and yours.

I hope you stay with us and follow us into our new domain and name of “The Black Sheep Dog.” Through writing and broadcasting we hope to continue to dispense truth and hope to a world so much in need of it. For those of you who choose to part company and go away from us, we wish you well and thank you for your many kindnesses over the years. We’ll miss you in our usual meeting places, but assure you that there will be new places for us to meet, just like in “the good old days,” so for now,

God bless you, God love you, and goodbye.

John Corapi (once called “father,” now “The Black Sheep Dog”)

Alone on an Island! Modern Day Sodom and Gomorrah

Have you ever been in a situation where you were surrounded by people who think differently than you do? 

It can be very uncomfortable. As they share their beliefs you have two options:

1. Say nothing and let them say what ever they want, or

2. Share your point of view.

But if you choose option two, and they care very little about contemplating your point of view, what is the point?

We are surrounded in life with these dichotomies, usually centered on morals, values, faith, politics, ethics, etc.

What I am finding out is that there are very few Californians who are actually in search of the truth, they actually just want you to accept as truth what they believe it to be. And believe it or not, most of them just assume that you believe exactly the same as they do, not even considering that you might have an opposing view.

And when they finally come face to face with the realization that you believe differently than they do, they are immediately taken back, appalled, and either try to force their ideas upon you, or react in a passive aggressive manner and act in a manner to somehow belittle you, dishonor you, or semi-humiliate you. The internet and gossip are their most honored weapons.

They wont admit to their destructive actions, usually internally rationalizing their response, but the truth is they had a reaction that innately was evil...... and why? Simply due to the fact that you don't agree with their point of view.

Living in California I often find myself feeling as if I am living on an island. I am surrounded by people who think much differently than I do, inside the ranks of the church, and on the outside in the secular world as well.

Are my views in life always correct, No, how can they be. 

But are all my views incorrect, No! 

What is correct?

You have probably heard the words "tolerance" over the past decade. Tolerance is a unique concept in this world today. It has come to mean for so many, "If you disagree with what I am saying, you should be tolerant and try to understand where I am coming from, even if it is contrary to your core values." It has also come to mean by the same people, "But if you disagree with me, then you are a moron, a radical, and even called divisive, and at times prejudiced." 

Why - Because I feel differently than you do. Why should I be disrespected for my beliefs, when you demand my courtesy and tolerance. My beliefs are not that unusual, they are consistent with millions of people across the globe, they just are not consistent with  many in California.

This unbalanced scenario has become so prolific in California that the perpetrators don't even realize what they are doing. Note:  I am being generous!

Do I take my family and run away from this battle ground. The perpetrators would probably say (and Have) that as Christians we are to take the message to the sinners, not to just surround ourselves with like minded people. But what is the point when the evildoers care very little about the truth, only caring what they perceive to be true. So what really is the point. They would rather keep you surrounded and continue to beat you down in hopes of converting you..... remember  in their eyes, you are just an unenlightened moron.

Yet what about even the 1 or 2 other people in your care, those that need your nourishment, those like-minded others, can you just pack-up and abandon them?

Yet again, if you yourself are not nourished how can you continue to live? How can you endure week after week of so many saying that you are wrong, that their way is the right way, that you must be ignorant for not thinking like them..... how long can one endure without living in the truth, the truth that we know in our hearts and soul to be true and real?

I often feel that I am in a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.... and I assume that those around me feel the same as those who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah at the time. I am sure they perceive their life and actions to be warranted and just....

Yet what did God do?

He wiped then all out.

Did He ask Abraham to stay and try to convert them....

No.

He wanted and allowed him to escape.

The world around us is crumbling.......especially in California......  

I pray that God speaks loudly to those who are truly listening, searching, and open to his spirit. Am I to escape.... or am I to continue to fight for what I believe to be true, holy, and just?

Peaceful Protest At The Local Abortion Mill (Clinic)

40 Days For Life......Ash Wednesday thru Easter

Go Girls!

My Son Sean's Car

The view as you drive by.

A powerful message by Teenagers.

A Prayerful Message

It is really all about life.

Catholic Persecution

Homily – Deacon Pat

Luke 21:5-19 (33rd Sunday Ordinary Time)

We just heard in Luke’s Gospel some disturbing words. Jesus tells us:

1. Many will come in Christ’s name, but don’t be deceived.

2. There will be wars and insurrections.

3. Nations will rise against nations.

4. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues.

5. And you will be persecuted because of your faith.

He even stated that some of your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will turn against you, and some will even want to put you to death! Then he states: “But not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will save your lives.” So what is the message for us today? Well, I think we should begin with reflecting on this issue of persecution.

Are Catholics persecuted in our world today?

Are we persecuted for being catholic right here in Redding?

I think the answer to these questions and to the reality that surrounds our lives, has a lot to do with our current state in life, the truthful evaluation if we are seriously living an authentic Catholic Life. If we sincerely believe in the person and existence of Jesus Christ, his message, his teachings, then wouldn’t we expect to be in conflict with many of the people who in our world today? The same people who reject religion, reject morality, and immerse themselves in sin.The very things that happened during the time of Christ, and the time of the early church are still happening today. There really is a war between good and evil!

If you hate abortion, the death to innocent children, the life-long emotional and spiritual scaring to the parents who abort, and you voice your disapproval – that immediately makes you a target of the misguided pro-choice people.

If you proclaim the church teaching on homosexuality and the sinfulness of not restraining abnormal impulses, you are then chastised for being intolerant, judgmental, and inhumane by gay activists.

If you speak out or object to the Pagan approach our government takes regarding the education of our children on moral issues, you will be ostracized, demeaned, and persecuted.

If you voice your discontent regarding the pornography that has become commonplace within Television, and Movies approved for children as young as 13 –You are quickly dismissed for being a radical and an extremist.

These are but a few examples, there are many more, and persecutions take on many different shapes and forms.

My question to you is: Do you find yourself persecuted for your beliefs? If so, isn’t that what should be expected for a Catholic living in a world with such a distorted view. If Not, if you don’t find yourself amongst the persecuted, does that mean that you don’t look much different from the world around you. Does that mean that your life, your actions, and your relationships don’t visibly conflict with the immoral, unjust, and corrupt society that represents such a large portion of our world today?

Yes, this is a strong message. And it takes great humility to look at ourselves truthfully. To avoid self-justification, rationalization, and to honestly evaluate and judge. To judge ourselves in such a way as Christ would look at us.

The Gospel message today is strong and intense, but if you listen carefully, it also contains a promise of good news. Jesus promised that you are not to fear, that when persecuted and confronted, when asked to defend your beliefs and actions, there would be no need to prepare a defense a head of time, For Christ himself will give you wisdom. In other words, he will arm you with the truth, His truth. Yet, even with such truth, Jesus warns us that we will still be judged unfairly, we will be persecuted, that is our cross, but it doesn’t change the truth. We are to cling to the truth, the teachings passed onto us through the Bishops, united with our Holy Father and the Magesterium, then we have the wisdom of Christ Himself.

Christ tells us: “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Are you hated by anyone, if so, I hope it is because of your faith and what our faith stands for……  Wasn’t Jesus hated by Many?

I can remember a few years ago, speaking to an elderly priest, a holy man, actually a monastic hermit, and about our journey here on earth, our Christian journey. He stated that the world that we live in is like a river, and the current that flows within the river is like the culture that surrounds us. He stated that as Christians, especially Catholics, we must constantly swim against that current; that is what living a life of virtue, of good character, of Christian values, demands of us; to fight against the sin of the world. Yet, as soon as we stop fighting, as soon as we loose our fervor, as soon as become complaisant, we quickly become absorbed into the current, and begin to flow with the culture within it. This wise, holy man pointed out; It takes no effort to flow with the culture, because even dead fish will float downstream.

I will close with these simple but powerful questions; Are you swimming against the immoral, unjust, and sinful culture? Are you persecuted by those around you because of your faith, your belief in Christ, and your faithful adherence to the teachings of our church?

Or, are you….. just floating along……..

The message today in not one of Depression and Despair, but one of Hope, Truth, and Assurance. Today, many will hear reassurance that their fight against evil, their persecutions, and their endless struggles against immorality is exactly what Christ proclaimed would occur. It is exactly what Christ promised if we were to join the ranks of Christians. For others: who humbly and honestly identify that they have little to no persecution in their lives, might just hear a wake-up call, a call to action, a call to begin participating in the fight against evil.

The Gospel is “The Good News” for all who believe and accept it.

For all who embrace it.

For all who choose to pick up the cross and Live it!

Health, Happiness, and Holiness

Many of you have asked when our book will be finished. 

Thank you for asking. 

We hope to have it finalized and printed for Christmas.

A New Knighthood

The world is full of talented failures -- people who either didn't live up to their abilities, or who did, but in a way that diminished their humanity and their character.

God made us to be better than that. And our nation and our Church need His people to be better than that. Scripture tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111:10). Wisdom -- not merely the knowledge of facts or a mastery of skills, but wisdom about ourselves, other people, and the terrain of human life -- this is the mark of a whole person. We already have too many clever leaders. We need wise leaders. And the wisest leaders ground themselves in humility before God and the demands of God's justice.

People my age would do well to remember that. The reason is pretty simple: The older we get, the more clearly we see -- or think we see -- what's wrong with the world. It also gets harder to admit our own role in making it that way.

Over my lifetime, I've had the privilege of working with many good religious men and women, and many good lay Christian friends. Many of them have been heroic in their generosity, faith, and service. Many have helped to make our country a better place. And yet I think it's true -- I know it's true -- that my generation has, in some ways, been among the most foolish in American history. We've been absorbed in our appetites, naïve about the consequences of our actions, overconfident in our power, and unwilling to submit ourselves to the obligations that come with the greatest ideals of our own heritage.

Most generations of Americans have inherited a nation different in degree from the generations that preceded them. Our young people will inherit an America that is different in kind -- a nation different from anything in our past in its attitudes toward sexuality, family, religion, law, and the nature of the human person; in other words, different and more troubling in the basic things that define a society. My generation created this new kind of America. Soon we will leave the consequences to our children. Where the leadership and moral character of my generation failed, the next generation needs to succeed.

The task of Christian moral leadership that will occupy much of their lives in the future will not be easy. Guarantees of religious freedom are only as strong as the social consensus that supports them, but Americans often take their religious freedom for granted. Religious faith has always played a major role in our public life, including debate about public policy and law. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly guarantees this freedom. But that guarantee and its application are subject to lawmakers and the interpretation of courts. And lawmakers and courts increasingly attack religious liberty, undermine rights of conscience, and force references to God out of our public square.

This shift in our culture is made worse by mass media that, in general, have little understanding of religious faith and are often openly hostile. As religious practice softens in the United States over the next few decades, the consensus for religious freedom may easily decline. And that has very big implications for the life of faithful Catholics in this country.

Given all that, how do we live faithfully as Catholics going forward in a culture that's skeptical, and even hostile, toward what we believe?

Knighthood is an institution with very deep roots in the memory of the Church. Nearly 900 years ago, one of the great monastic reformers of the Church, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, described the ideal Christian knights as Godly men who

shun every excess in clothing and food. They live as brothers in joyful and sober company [with] one heart and one soul. . . . There is no distinction of persons among them, and deference is shown to merit rather than to noble blood. They rival one another in mutual consideration, and they carry one another's burdens, thus fulfilling the law of Christ.

Bernard had few illusions about human nature, and he was anything but naïve. Writing at the dawn of the crusading era, in the early 12th century, he was well aware of the greed, vanity, ambition, and violence that too often motivated Europe's warrior class, even in the name of religious faith.

Most of the men who took up the cause of aiding eastern Christians and liberating the Holy Land in the early decades of crusading did so out of genuine zeal for the Cross. But Bernard also knew that many others had mixed or even corrupt and evil motives. In his great essay "In Praise of the New Knighthood," he outlined the virtues that should shape the vocation of every truly "Christian" knight: humility, austerity, justice, obedience, unselfishness, and a single-minded zeal for Jesus Christ in defending the poor, the weak, the Church, and persecuted Christians.

Our life today may seem very different from life in the 12th century. The Church today asks us to seek mutual respect with people of other religious traditions and to build common ground for cooperation wherever possible.

But human nature -- our basic hopes, dreams, anxieties, and sufferings -- hasn't really changed. The Christian vocation remains the same: to follow Jesus Christ faithfully and, in following Him, to defend His Church and to serve her people zealously, unselfishly, and with all our skill. As St. Ignatius Loyola wrote in his "Spiritual Exercises" -- and remember that Ignatius himself was a former soldier -- each of us must choose between two battle standards: the standard of Jesus Christ, humanity's true King, or the standard of His impostor, the Prince of This World.

There is no neutral ground. C. S. Lewis once said that Christianity is a "fighting religion." He meant that Christian discipleship has always been -- and remains -- a struggle against the evil within and outside ourselves. This is why the early Church Fathers described Christian life as "spiritual combat." It's why they called faithful Christians the "Church Militant" and "soldiers of Christ" in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

The Church needs men and women of courage and Godliness today more than at any time in her history. So does this extraordinary country we call home in this world; a nation that still has an immense reservoir of virtue, decency, and people of good will. This is why the Catholic ideal of knighthood, with its demands of radical discipleship, is still alive and still needed. The essence of Christian knighthood remains the same: sacrificial service rooted in a living Catholic faith.

A new "spirit of knighthood" is what we need now -- unselfish, tireless, devoted disciples willing to face derision and persecution for Jesus Christ. We serve our nation best by serving God first, and by proving our faith with the example of our lives.

Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

Faith The Size of a Mustard Seed (The Story of the Ten Lepers).

Today’s gospel has such a rich message for us, a message about faith, a message that might just change our lives if truly understood.

As the 10 lepers began to approach Jesus they stated “have Pity on us.”.

And what does Christ do? Him simply says. “Go show yourselves to the priest.” He doesn’t say that he has healed them, he doesn’t mix dirt and water and apply a healing mud to their rotting bodies, he doesn’t even lay his hands upon them. He simple tells them to go and show themselves to the priests.

To understand the complete message here, lets recall a few earlier verses from the gospel, actually only 4 sentences prior, when the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." And The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.”

This message as you will soon see really defines our faith.

How many of us have wished, maybe even prayed for more faith? How many of us have thought, “if I only had greater faith my life would be less stressful?”

How many of us have thought, “if only I had greater faith I could change some of the things in my life that are holding me back.”

How many of us have thought… “If Only I had greater faith?”

In the gospel, the 10 lepers are sent on their way to show themselves to the priests at the temple, seems simple enough, but what you might not realize is that one of the lepers is a Samaritan, a foreigner. And at the gate of the temple there was a sign that read:

“Any Foreigners who go beyond this wall will have only himself to blame for his ensuing death.”

So what do you think was going through the mind of the Samaritan when Christ directed him to go and show himself to the temple priests? I can bet that he might of thought, “what - I will be killed!” I can imagine the disappointment, the frustration felt by the Samaritan. He was asking for pity, he was asking for help. And Here he is, an outcast due to his lepersy, an outcast for being a foreigner, and what does Jesus ask him to do, the impossible!

Yet, did we hear of any rebuttal from the Samaritan……. No!

So here is the message, the message that really can answer our question about faith. It would have been easy for the Samaritan to think of all the obstacles that would have prevented him from doing as Jesus had asked.

It would have been easy for the Samaritan to stand frozen in fear. It would have been easy for the Samaritan to let disappointment overtake him. Yet – there was “something” he could do…..

He could simply go!

He chose to not focus on the obstacles, not on the fear, but rather focus on what he could do. He could “Go.” Life isn’t always about understanding the whole picture, and exactly knowing how things with turn out. It is about following Christ.

It is about taking that first step. I think we have all heard that old saying “Even the longest of Journeys begin with just one step.” Life isn’t about letting our fears direct our lives, or placing more emphasize on the obstacles, it is about seeing how we can act, and doing something. We all have faith; we all have faith the size of  a mustard seed.  It isn’t great faith that we need to make a change in our lives, or even the world, it is the understanding that we are to act upon our faith.

Maybe some of you can possibly relate to the Samaritan as he approached Christ.

Beaten down, disillusioned, tired, and about ready TO GIVE UP. Maybe you are dealing with problems or circumstances that make you feel that way. Maybe it’s because of the economy. Maybe it’s a relationship. Maybe it’s a health issue. Maybe it’s an addiction.

Whatever your particular situation, you might be saying “all these things are against me. I don’t stand a chance.”

Yet – It doesn’t take huge faith – great faith – to see a miracle in our lives. It just takes one step. It takes a response to Christ. Christ is just telling us to Go… If there are problems in our lives and we are stuck, maybe it is because we have chosen to dwell on what we can’t do, instead of what can be done. As Christians we are prayerful people, but we are also people of action.  Christ never intended us to be stagnant. He directed us to Love God with all our heart, our mind, and our soul.  And love our neighbor as ourselves.

This word “Love” is meant to be a verb, and action word, a directive.  He also told us to make disciples of all nations. As Christians we are to be a force of change in this world.  It is through our faith, even faith the size of a mustard seed that shows us the possibilities, that gives us the courage, that empowers us. Our life is a journey, and not unlike the Samaritan, as we take that first step, as we follow Christ’s direction in our lives, the healing begins.

It is in response to his call and following him that we grow. We grow in holiness, we grow in compassion, we grow in our faith….

What is important is that we listen to God, to Christ, to the Holy Spirit, and that we are a people of action….. What is it in your life that Christ is asking you to act upon? Are you willing to just take that first step?

Can’t you hear him saying….  Go, just go! Trust me! I Love You!

Our Lady Of Mercy - "Spiritual Hours"

Our Lady of Mercy - "Spiritual Hours"

Thursdays 6:00 pm- 7:15 pm (Chapel)

The "Spiritual Hours" are much more than a holy hour. These unique gatherings were inspired by Blessed Mother Theresa who stated that the fruit from the Spiritual Hours could not only change families and society, but would change the world.

Each nine weeks a new theme is offered that utilizes education "Catechesis," prayer, devotion, and brief discussions.

We are taught each week through the use of DVD's by men and women such a Blessed Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul II, and Cardinal Arinze, not to mention numerous other inspiring and holy leaders of the faith.

These gatherings are designed to educate us in the faith, provide spiritual nourishment, and help direct our lives through connection with the deep Traditions of our faith, Catholic Dogma, and the Magisterium of the church.

So who would benefit from such "Spiritual Hours"?

Anyone with a desire for greater fulfillment in life, a yearning for a closer relationship with Christ, and a  hunger to experience the richness of Catholic Tradition.

Do I have to attend all nine weeks?

No, although each nine week session (Novena) has a common theme, each week is delivered as a unique and stand alone complete session.

Is there any commitment?

No, Only a commitment between you a Christ.

Who Leads / Guides these Gatherings?

Deacon Pat and Liz Kearns

A New Catholic Website - Check it out!

Click here to see their website

Catholic Chapter House originated in Ontario, Canada with a reach that expands beyond all borders to meet and inspire Catholic Christians around the world.

The founders of the company felt a stirring in their hearts with God calling them to serve Him and their fellow believers by providing tools needed to live out our lives faithfully and fully by finding Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church on earth.

The Church defines faith as, “the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that He has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because He is truth itself. By faith man freely commits his entire self to God. For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God’s will. The righteous shall live by faith. Living faith works through charity.” (CCC 1814, Emphasis added).

Simply believing in God is only a part of the equation for having faith. To believe in God we must know who He is and what He proposes for us. To fully embrace the second half of the virtue of faith we need to learn God’s will, which is found in the teachings of the Catholic Church. From that we can obtain, by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, the virtue of faith in order for us to live more fully. This is what we at Catholic Chapter House hope to achieve personally and for all of our fellow human beings.

Faith proceeds understanding “fides quaerens intellectum”. We encourage all people who are seeking faith to ask God and He will ensure your prayer is answered (Luke 11:9-10). To live in faith is to live in the power of the resurrection.

We hope to inspire you to gain a deeper understanding of the faith and to be re-energized, to go out and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to others and the world.

Whiskeytown Falls with My Brothers

I had a great day just hanging out with two of my brothers.

Check This Out!

My Youngest Brother, Dan.

Number 2 brother, Tim.

Yours Truly

What a Beautiful Location.

For Men Only !

The Famous PCT (Pacific Crest Trail)

Can You See The Grace? Can You See The Love?

Amanda and Sean

The young adults and youth of today have a great opportunity to live lives full of joy and happiness. God has bestowed His grace upon them (us as well), grace that will allow us to transcend our weaknesses and live in His world of abundant joy and peace.

Love is a beautiful thing to experience and witness, and there is no other emotion that can better emulate God's feelings for us. 

What I am describing is "True Love," not what many youth and young adults have come to know as love, because their love could better be described as:

self-fulfilling, selfish pleasure seeking, unrestrained desire seeking, the taking of another without regard to the concept of complete surrender and giving of oneself. 

These are relationships of "Taking" not "Giving."

Love, True-Love, one that is grounded in respect, in the giving of oneself for the sake of building up the other person should be encouraged in our society today. This type of Love, a love that would never ask of another something that is improper, immoral, indecent, or disrespectful should be encouraged and nourished.

Most youth of today are in search for Love and the Truth, but are bombarded each day with lies, mis-truths, deceptions, and are left searching without finding a sense of fulfillment that lasts. The love they are looking for comes from God and Godly relationships, and can only be obtained when filled with His grace.

To live a life of such peace, joy, and sustained happiness is to live a life with another that is surrounded and immersed in God's ways, His beauty, and His Commandments, and nourished by living in a community that rejects the ways of the world and embraces the ways of His Kingdom.

There is such hope for the youth and young adults of today. They have the opportunity to live lives as fruitful as any time in history, and to possess more joy than we can imagine, if only they can see the grace that surrounds them and reach out for, and grab the grace being offered to them. 

This grace will not only sustain them in rejecting worldly ways, but will allow them to see the world and their relationships through Godly eyes. This grace that I speak of transforms us into children of God, allows us to act and to live more like the persons we were created to be, not just like what is often accepted and promoted by many around us.

We have been created in His likeness and in His image. Through baptism we have died to our broken and stained selves, and have been reborn, reborn and accepted into a kingdom of everlasting life. We are His and everything He has to offer has been given to us, all we need to do is accept it.

I Finally Did It! (Climbed Shasta Bally)

 

Although last week was suppose to be my final preparation climb before the big one, (Half Dome - Yosemite June 12th) we didn't make it to the top due to snow, and I was still feeling a little nervous about the daunting 18 miles and 5000 foot elevation gain at Half Dome that still loomed over me.

 So I grabbed my gear, and my snowshoes and thought I would attempt the climb (Shasta Bally) once more. Shasta Bally is the most difficult climb in the area. It is only 5 1/2 miles (one way), but has a relentless ascension of 4500 feet in that short distance. And to make it more difficult, at least 2 1/2 miles of the climb is in the snow.

 So off I went.

Once again the beauty of the trail was breathtaking.

The wildflowers just amaze me.

Quickly I was high above the city.

And only after 3 miles the snow was becoming deep.

However, this time is was prepared.....

I was able to travel to ease.

I reached the area that we reluctantly had to turn back at last week, but now was able to confidently climb.

It wasn't long and I was high in the sky.

And reached the Summit.

I made it, success!

The views were spectacular, but then dark clouds quickly swarmed in, so I began my decent. Climbing is easier than descending, and after many falls, in the snowshoes I chose to sit down and slide on my butt for a 1000 yards using my ski poles as a rudder and brakes...... Good thing I was wearing swimming shorts.

After 6 1/2 hours I made it back to my starting point. What a great day!

Check out my awesome day! Wish you could of joined me!