First Saturday
SHAVUOT-COGNAC-FISH
& CHIPS-DONUT DAYS
Hosea,
Chapter 10, Verse 5
The
inhabitants of Samaria are AFRAID for
the calf of Beth-aven; its people mourn for it and its idolatrous priests wail
over it, —over its glory which has departed from it.
This verse
speaks of a people who want to be God's people while at the same time they want
to worship pagan gods-they want it all. They want freedom without truth.
No society can last long feeding on a diet of moral relativism.
Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others.
According to
Dr. Peter Kreeft[1],
author and professor of philosophy at Boston College there are four different
kinds of freedom and one false freedom.
·
The first freedom men often seek deliverance
from is obstacles or external wants of life such as poverty, material needs,
dishonor, weakness, disease/death, pain, oppression, slavery and defeat.
·
The second freedom is more internal and
spiritual in nature. Man seeks to be free to
o
1) have a free mind; to understand and to obtain
wisdom
o
2) pursue human happiness and emotional
well-being and
o
3) Man wants his free will.
·
The third freedom is a belief that all men have
a right to freewill. If we believe otherwise, we treat others as objects and
may justify and rationalize the use of violence against them.
·
The fourth freedom is liberty that is given by
the Holy Spirit when we turn our freewill over to Christ and obtain freedom
from sin via the new covenant which gives us eternal life.
·
The fifth freedom is a false freedom or myth of
autonomy with no dependence on God. This false freedom comes in three forms
o
1) Individualism
(Pride-self-esteem-I’m OK; your OK livelihood)
o
2) Hedonism
(lust-pleasure)
o 3) Materialism (Greed). In order to have true freedom we should seek poverty, chastity and obedience. Surely the poor are freer than the rich.
Professor
Kreeft recommends 10 steps or paradigms to true freedom.
- There
are many types of freedom.
- These
freedoms must be in the right order.
- We
must put our freedoms in the right order.
- Freedoms
are political.
- To
be free we need detachment.
- Everything
is from God.
- Use
lower freedoms do not let them use you.
- You
are free in Christ; without Him you make your own prison.
- Christ
is our true freedom.
- Only
Christ.
The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.
First Saturday[2]
When Sister Lúcia experienced the Pontevedra apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she heard her promise to grant great graces, especially at the hour of death, in particular the salvation of the soul, for the believer who for Five Consecutive First Saturdays of Month (5 Saturdays in 5 months) receives Holy Communion and practices the following exercises as an Act of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Heaven:
· Sacramental confession
The confession can take place within eight days before or even after the Holy Communion is received, but the Holy Communion shall be received with dignity, in a state of Grace, keeping in mind that Jesus is physically present in the Eucharist (Transubstantiation). The Intention of making reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary may be kept to oneself; it is not necessary to notify the confessor priest.
· To receive Holy Communion
The Holy Communion has to be received within the 24 hours of the first Saturday of the Month. Attendance to Holy Mass is optional. Receiving Holy Communion as part of this devotion must be consciously intended as an Act of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart. The devotee need not tell anyone else, but keep it in mind. To avoid omitting the Intention every Saturday, the General Intention for the devotion of the Act of Reparation can be mentally or outspokenly stated before starting the First Saturdays (or in between).
If a person has a valid reason not to attend Mass (Masses not available on Saturdays, difficult mobilization, other major event), the devotee may consult a priest about receiving Communion privately or on another day with the intention of making this Communion as part of the devotion.
·
A 5-Decade Rosary
is recited
Shavuot – The Holiday that
Nurtures Our Souls[3]begins at sunset
Shavuot is one of the three major
Jewish festivals and comes exactly fifty days after Passover. After being
redeemed from Egyptian slavery, the Jews arrived on Mount Sinai and received
the Torah from God. This wonderful event took place 3,319 years ago. The word
Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven weeks, 49 days,
between Passover and Shavuot during which the Jewish people prepared themselves
for the giving of the Torah. During this time period they prepared themselves
spiritually and entered into an eternal covenant with God with the giving of
the Torah. Shavuot also means “oaths.” With the giving of the Torah, the Jewish
people and God exchanged oaths, forming an everlasting covenant, not to forsake
one another. Every year on this day we celebrate and renew our acceptance of
God’s gift and our eternal bond with Him. There are several interesting customs
associated with this holiday. We stay up all night learning Torah, read the Ten
Commandments and the book of Ruth, and eat milk products, especially
cheesecake. The custom of learning is especially fitting for the holiday that
commemorates the giving of the Torah. The custom of dairy products seems
surprising. Among the different explanations given for this custom, one points
out that the Hebrew word for milk is chalav. When the numerical value of the
letters in this word are added together – 8; 30; 2 – the total is forty. Forty
hints to the number of days Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah. I
would like to present another, perhaps more personal and spiritual reason for
this custom. Unlike meat that nourishes the flesh, milk is full of calcium
which nourishes the bones. The Hebrew for bones is “Atzmot תמוצע ” which is
also the word that means “essence.” This custom hints to the fact that on this
holiday we absorb the Torah which nourishes our essence. Additionally, milk is
the most basic of foods that a nursing mother shares with her infant. The
mother literally gives of her essence and nurtures the essence of the baby.
This relationship parallels the personal bond and love that a mother shares
with her child. On Shavuot we celebrate the personal relationship that we have
with God, when He gives over His essence, the Torah, and we absorb it into the
essence of our soul.
Shavuot Facts[4]
·
On Shavuot, it is customary to adorn the
Synagogue and home with flowers and green plants. This is in memory of
the foliage around Mount Sinai
·
On Shavuot, it is customary to eat milk
products. Many Jewish houses, replace the normal meat/chicken dinners
with a festivity of milk products, including cheesecake, blintzes, cheeses and
ice cream. This custom commemorates the acts of the children of Israel at
Sinai. Having received the Law, they understood that their dishes were no
longer Kosher, having been used for milk and meat together. They also
were in need of teaching on the intricate details of ritual slaughter
(Shechitah). Lacking these, they opted to eat only milk products.
·
It is customary in Orthodox and some traditional
communities to partake in Bible/Jewish Law lessons throughout the eve and night
of Shavuot. This is in order to accept the Torah for their generation.
In Jerusalem, many people learn the whole night through until dawn and
then walk to the Western Wall at sunrise and pray the morning and festival
prayer from around 5-8 am. Thereafter, they go home for a hearty festive
breakfast and then sleep the rest of the morning.
·
The Book of Ruth is read in the Synagogue in the
Morning of Shavuot. Ruth converted to Judaism and it is her descendant,
David, who became King in Israel. The book of Ruth demonstrates that
achieving a high level in Judaism, is neither ethnic nor genetic.
·
It is customary to wear new clothes on Shavuot.
In the seven weeks (the Omer) preceding Shavuot, people refrain from
purchasing major clothing items.
Shavuot Top Events and Things to Do
·
Visit Mount Sinai (Egypt) or Israel.
·
Read the Book of Exodus, Joshua or Ruth in the
Bible.
·
Watch the epic film Moses with Burt
Lancaster, available for viewing on Youtube
·
Eat Milk products
Apostolic
Exhortation[5]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My
beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Part II
III. Worthy Reception of Holy
Communion – Conforming our life with Christ
55. The beautiful and rich
Liturgy of the Church, which has been passed down to us from the first century,
contains many expressions of devotion and faith in the real presence of Christ
in the Eucharist. For example, we call to mind that the main reason our churches
are decorated with beautiful and precious art is because here in the Church
building, Jesus is present in the tabernacle, always accompanying us and
interceding for us. We also celebrate our Masses with beautiful music and
vestments, incense, candles, and many other details that allow us to express
our faith and gratitude to Christ who has loved us so much that He has decided
to stay with us, really present in the Eucharist, until the end of time. Many
churches hold special hours of prayer and adoration of the Eucharist, to honor
and thank our Lord, and to bring all our needs before Him. We dress
respectfully for Mass knowing that we come to worship and receive our Lord who
comes to us at the altar and especially in our hearts. All these expressions of
devotion flow from a lively faith in Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist.
56. As the Eucharistic faith of
the Church expresses itself in so many beautiful ways, so also, our faith in
the Real Presence should move us to desire and strive with all our efforts to
prepare and receive Jesus worthily in Holy Communion.
57. At the moment of Holy
Communion, the priest holds up the consecrated Host and says, “the Body of
Christ”. When we reply “Amen” and then receive the Body of Christ, we are
expressing not only our faith in Jesus Christ but also our desire and effort to
live in friendship with Him. By receiving the Body of Christ in Holy Communion
we manifest our union with the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. Therefore,
if with our “Amen,” we refuse to accept and live by the whole teaching of
Christ and His Church, we are not in communion with Him but living a ‘fake’
union, one that overlooks truth and justice. In the same way, when we commit a
mortal sin and deliberately fail in a serious matter of “rejection of communion
with God… then we are seriously obliged to refrain from receiving Holy
Communion until we are reconciled with God and the Church” through the
Sacrament of Penance (USCCB “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On
Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist).
To be continued…
Cognac
Day[6]
There are many forms of distilled alcohol that carry a distinct nobility to them, a bit of culture and of social grandeur that just can’t be claimed by other alcohols. When you think of beer, the concepts that arrive in your mind are often cheap bars and backyard BBQ’s, with wine the themes are the same but generally of a higher social class. Mention Bourbon, Scotch, and Cognac, however, and suddenly the rich red of mahogany and distinguished gentlemen in high-class studies and dens come to mind. Cognac Day is dedicated to one of these rich beverages, and perhaps one of the most distinguished.
History of Cognac Day
To begin with, let’s talk about what Cognac actually
is. Cognac, in a way, is what happens when wine grows up and develops
character, though we may be biased. Cognac begins with a white wine produced in
one of six designated growing regions, and it’s worth noting that if it wasn’t produced from a white wine grown
in those regions, it’s
not considered a real Cognac. The white wine from which it starts is considered
by most connoisseurs to be entirely undrinkable. There’s a further distinction in which a
Cognac must be produced from 90% Ugni Blanc, a form of white wine grape, to
have a specific designation. It all starts with the grapes being pressed and
left to ferment for three weeks in the wild yeasts that grow naturally in those
regions without the addition of sugar or sulfur. This wine is then distilled in
alembic stills and placed into Limousin oak casks for two years where it goes
from being nearly 70% alcohol to 40% alcohol. There are multiple grades of Cognac, and exploring them can be a great
way to spend Cognac Day.
How to celebrate Cognac Day
Ahhh, this is certainly
one of the grandest celebrations. Cognac Day can be celebrated by taking a trip
to your local liquor store and selecting a few varieties to try out. Get
together a few friends and you can have a positively thrilling taste test with
dozens of varieties to choose from. Cognac is far and away an improvement over
the simply fermented grape, distilled and cultivated down to its ultimate final
form. While you’re
sampling this drink, you should look into the various forms of glassware that
are specially designed for serving Cognac. Fill a glass, take a sip, and savor
the luxuriousness that is Cognac, you won’t
regret it!
Fish and Chip Day[7]
Rich, delicious, and flavorful, and
utterly satisfying, that’s
the best way to describe this treat. There’s
something about the tang of salt and the oil-stained newspaper that just speaks
of a meal so steeped in tradition it only seems appropriate that it comes
wrapped in the day’s
news. Fish and Chips Day commemorates
this fundamental meal of the working class, and while its roots may lay on
Britannia’s foggy
shores, there are few places in the world that this comfort food hasn’t found its way to.
To talk of the history of this
holiday is, as in the case of so many others, to speak of the origins of that
which it celebrates. Fish and Chip seem an odd thing to have become the
foundation for an entire cultures working class, but much comes into focus when
you understand the economy and industry of the time it took hold. In the late
1800’s, trawl
fishing became a major part of the industry in the North Sea, resulting in a
growing availability of fresh fish in areas further inland, especially within
the cities. Anyone who understands economics knows that ‘easily available’ means ‘cheaper to get your hands on’. Cheap, filling, and high caloric
food created an excellent foundation for a working class that held incredibly
physically demanding jobs. Thus, it was that “Chippers” started cropping up all over major
population centers, the vendors that served fish and chips to the people on the
street. From there, the meal spread all over the world and is now popular all
over Canada (being sold from ‘Chip
Wagons’) and
throughout the USA. In the America’s
it can be found in everything from corner burger shops as part of their fry
menu, to some of the most upscale restaurants which provide them with only the
best cod and sides. It really is a meal that crosses all the boundaries of
culture, class, and status.
How
to Celebrate Fish and Chip Day
Well, it starts off simple enough,
doesn’t it?
Pop on over to your favorite Chipper and get yourself a paper-full of this
delicious and filling meal. Try it, however, you like it, with a little tartar
sauce in the US, a bit of mayonnaise in Canada, or whatever strikes you as your
favorite thing to flavor your dish with. Malt vinegar is a very popular
addition, and with the delicious tang, it will make your Fish and Chip Day
flavorful and authentic!
National
Doughnut Day[8]
National
Doughnut Day is a day of appreciation of Salvation Army volunteers who
distributed doughnuts to servicemen during World War I. Doughnuts are
fried circular pieces of dough that are usually topped with sugar syrups,
chocolate, nuts and other flavorings. National Doughnut Day began in 1938 as a
fundraiser for Chicago's Salvation Army. The fundraiser aimed to support
the needy and honor the Salvation Army volunteers who donated their time during
World War I to hand out doughnuts to the soldiers. When the US entered
the war in 1917, Salvation Army huts were formed where many female volunteers
were deployed to mother the soldiers. During this time, women began to
make doughnuts for the servicemen who began to refer to the women as, Doughnut
Dollies. This national holiday is celebrated each year on the first Friday in
June.
National Doughnut Day Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Visit
your local doughnut store for specials and promotions to celebrate National
Doughnut Day. Many doughnut stores offer free doughnuts or specials.
·
Try
to make your own doughnuts with your favorite toppings, or try new blends of
sweet and savory toppings. Some interesting twists include maple bacon
doughnut, smoked salmon doughnut and grilled cheese doughnuts!
·
Become
a volunteer with The Salvation Army. According to The Salvation Army, more than 30
million Americans received assistance from the Salvation Army's officers,
employees and 3.4 million volunteers in 2014.
·
Pick
up a large box of doughnuts on your way to work or school to share with
friends, family, colleagues or fellow students
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART
ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION
TWO I. THE CREEDS
CHAPTER
THREE-I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
Article 9-"I BELIEVE IN
THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH"
Paragraph 4. CHRIST'S
FAITHFUL - HIERARCHY, LAITY, CONSECRATED LIFE
871 "The Christian
faithful are those who, inasmuch as they have been incorporated in Christ
through Baptism, have been constituted as the people of God; for this reason,
since they have become sharers in Christ's priestly, prophetic, and royal
office in their own manner, they are called to exercise the mission which God
has entrusted to the Church to fulfill in the world, in accord with the
condition proper to each one."
872 "In virtue of their
rebirth in Christ there exists among all the Christian faithful a true equality
with regard to dignity and the activity whereby all cooperate in the building
up of the Body of Christ in accord with each one's own condition and
function."
873 The very differences which
the Lord has willed to put between the members of his body serve its unity and
mission. For "in the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity of
mission. To the apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office
of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and by his power. But the
laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of
Christ; they have therefore, in the Church and in the world, their own
assignment in the mission of the whole People of God." Finally,
"from both groups [hierarchy and laity] there exist Christian faithful who
are consecrated to God in their own special manner and serve the salvific
mission of the Church through the profession of the evangelical counsels."
I.
THE HIERARCHICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH
Why
the ecclesial ministry?
874 Christ is himself the
source of ministry in the Church. He instituted the Church. He gave her
authority and mission, orientation and goal:
In order to shepherd the People of God and to increase its numbers
without cease, Christ the Lord set up in his Church a variety of offices which
aim at the good of the whole body. the holders of office, who are invested with
a sacred power, are, in fact, dedicated to promoting the interests of their
brethren, so that all who belong to the People of God . . . may attain to
salvation.
875 "How are they to
believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how are they to hear without a
preacher? and how can men preach unless they are sent?" No one - no
individual and no community - can proclaim the Gospel to himself: "Faith
comes from what is heard." No one can give himself the mandate and
the mission to proclaim the Gospel. the one sent by the Lord does not speak and
act on his own authority, but by virtue of Christ's authority; not as a member
of the community but speaking to it in the name of Christ. No one can bestow
grace on himself; it must be given and offered. This fact presupposes ministers
of grace, authorized and empowered by Christ. From him, they receive the mission
and faculty ("the sacred power") to act in persona Christi Capitis.
the ministry in which Christ's emissaries do and give by God's grace what they
cannot do and give by their own powers, is called a "sacrament" by
the Church's tradition. Indeed, the ministry of the Church is conferred by a
special sacrament.
876 Intrinsically linked to
the sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry is its character as service.
Entirely dependent on Christ who gives mission and authority, ministers are
truly "slaves of Christ," in the image of him who freely took
"the form of a slave" for us. Because the word and grace of
which they are ministers are not their own but are given to them by Christ for
the sake of others, they must freely become the slaves of all.
877 Likewise, it belongs to
the sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry that it have a collegial
character. In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus
instituted the Twelve as "the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of
the sacred hierarchy." Chosen together, they were also sent out
together, and their fraternal unity would be at the service of the fraternal
communion of all the faithful: they would reflect and witness to the communion
of the divine persons. For this reason every bishop exercises his ministry
from within the episcopal college, in communion with the bishop of Rome, the
successor of St. Peter and head of the college. So also priests exercise their
ministry from within the presbyterium of the diocese, under the direction of
their bishop.
878 Finally, it belongs to the
sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry that it have a personal character.
Although Chnst's ministers act in communion with one another, they also always
act in a personal way. Each one is called personally: "You, follow
me" in order to be a personal witness within the common mission, to
bear personal responsibility before him who gives the mission, acting "in
his person" and for other persons: "I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ..."; "I absolve
you...."
879 Sacramental ministry in
the Church, then, is at once a collegial and a personal service, exercised in
the name of Christ. This is evidenced by the bonds between the episcopal
college and its head, the successor of St. Peter, and in the relationship
between the bishop's pastoral responsibility for his particular church and the
common solicitude of the episcopal college for the universal Church.
The
episcopal college and its head, the Pope
880 When Christ instituted the
Twelve, "he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent
assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them." Just
as "by the Lord's institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles
constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff,
Peter's successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related
with and united to one another."
881 The Lord made Simon alone,
whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys
of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock. "The
office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the
college of apostles united to its head." This pastoral office of
Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church's very foundation and is
continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.
882 The Pope, Bishop of Rome
and Peter's successor, "is the perpetual and visible source and foundation
of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the
faithful." "For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as
Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and
universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise
unhindered."
883 "The college or body
of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's
successor, as its head." As such, this college has "supreme and full
authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without
the agreement of the Roman Pontiff."
884 "The college of
bishops exercises power over the universal Church in a solemn manner in an
ecumenical council." But "there never is an ecumenical council
which is not confirmed or at least recognized as such by Peter's
successor."
885 "This college, in so
far as it is composed of many members, is the expression of the variety and
universality of the People of God; and of the unity of the flock of Christ, in
so far as it is assembled under one head."
886 "The individual
bishops are the visible source and foundation of unity in their own particular
Churches." As such, they "exercise their pastoral office over
the portion of the People of God assigned to them," assisted by
priests and deacons. But, as a member of the episcopal college, each bishop
shares in the concern for all the Churches. The bishops exercise this care
first "by ruling well their own Churches as portions of the universal
Church," and so contributing "to the welfare of the whole Mystical
Body, which, from another point of view, is a corporate body of Churches." They
extend it especially to the poor, to those persecuted for the faith, as
well as to missionaries who are working throughout the world.
887 Neighboring particular
Churches who share the same culture form ecclesiastical provinces or larger
groupings called patriarchates or regions. The bishops of these groupings
can meet in synods or provincial councils. "In a like fashion, the
episcopal conferences at the present time are in a position to contribute in
many and fruitful ways to the concrete realization of the collegiate
spirit."
The
teaching office
888 Bishops, with priests as
co-workers, have as their first task "to preach the Gospel of God to all
men," in keeping with the Lord's command. They are "heralds of
faith, who draw new disciples to Christ; they are authentic teachers" of
the apostolic faith "endowed with the authority of Christ."
889 In order to preserve the
Church in the purity of the faith handed on by the apostles, Christ who is the
Truth willed to confer on her a share in his own infallibility. By a
"supernatural sense of faith" the People of God, under the guidance
of the Church's living Magisterium, "unfailingly adheres to this
faith."
890 The mission of the
Magisterium is linked to the definitive nature of the covenant established by
God with his people in Christ. It is this Magisterium's task to preserve God's
people from deviations and defections and to guarantee them the objective
possibility of professing the true faith without error. Thus, the pastoral duty
of the Magisterium is aimed at seeing to it that the People of God abides in
the truth that liberates. To fulfill this service, Christ endowed the Church's
shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters of faith and morals. the
exercise of this charism takes several forms:
891 "The Roman Pontiff,
head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his
office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms
his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine
pertaining to faith or morals.... the infallibility promised to the Church is
also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they
exercise the supreme Magisterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. When
the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine "for belief
as being divinely revealed," and as the teaching of Christ, the
definitions "must be adhered to with the obedience of faith." This
infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.
892 Divine assistance is also
given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the
successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of
the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and
without pronouncing in a "definitive manner," they propose in the
exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better
understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary
teaching the faithful "are to adhere to it with religious assent" which,
though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it.
The
sanctifying office
893 The bishop is "the
steward of the grace of the supreme priesthood," especially in
the Eucharist which he offers personally or whose offering he assures through
the priests, his co-workers. the Eucharist is the center of the life of the
particular Church. the bishop and priests sanctify the Church by their prayer
and work, by their ministry of the word and of the sacraments. They sanctify
her by their example, "not as domineering over those in your charge but
being examples to the flock." Thus, "together with the flock
entrusted to them, they may attain to eternal life."
The
governing office
894 "The bishops, as
vicars and legates of Christ, govern the particular Churches assigned to them
by their counsels, exhortations, and example, but over and above that also by
the authority and sacred power" which indeed they ought to exercise so as
to edify, in the spirit of service which is that of their Master.
895 "The power which they
exercise personally in the name of Christ, is proper, ordinary, and immediate,
although its exercise is ultimately controlled by the supreme authority of the
Church." But the bishops should not be thought of as vicars of the
Pope. His ordinary and immediate authority over the whole Church does not
annul, but on the contrary confirms and defends that of the bishops. Their
authority must be exercised in communion with the whole Church under the
guidance of the Pope.
896 The Good Shepherd ought to
be the model and "form" of the bishop's pastoral office. Conscious of
his own weaknesses, "the bishop . . . can have compassion for those who
are ignorant and erring. He should not refuse to listen to his subjects whose
welfare he promotes as of his very own children.... the faithful ... should be
closely attached to the bishop as the Church is to Jesus Christ, and as Jesus
Christ is to the Father":
Let all follow the bishop, as Jesus Christ follows his Father, and
the college of presbyters as the apostles; respect the deacons as you do God's
law. Let no one do anything concerning the Church in separation from the
bishop.
II.
THE LAY FAITHFUL
897 "The term 'laity' is
here understood to mean all the faithful except those in Holy Orders and those
who belong to a religious state approved by the Church. That is, the faithful,
who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ and integrated into the People of
God, are made sharers in their particular way in the priestly, prophetic, and
kingly office of Christ, and have their own part to play in the mission of the
whole Christian people in the Church and in the World."
The
vocation of lay people
898 "By reason of their
special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging
in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will.... It pertains
to them in a special way so to illuminate and order all temporal things with
which they are closely associated that these may always be effected and grow
according to Christ and maybe to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer."
899 The initiative of lay
Christians is necessary especially when the matter involves discovering or
inventing the means for permeating social, political, and economic realities
with the demands of Christian doctrine and life. This initiative is a normal
element of the life of the Church:
Lay believers are in the front line of Church life; for them the
Church is the animating principle of human society. Therefore, they in
particular ought to have an ever-clearer consciousness not only of belonging to
the Church, but of being the Church, that is to say, the community of the
faithful on earth under the leadership of the Pope, the common Head, and of the
bishops in communion with him. They are the Church.
900 Since, like all the faithful, lay Christians are entrusted by God
with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the
right and duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the
divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the
earth. This duty is the more pressing when it is only through them that men can
hear the Gospel and know Christ. Their activity in ecclesial communities is so
necessary that, for the most part, the apostolate of the pastors cannot be
fully effective without it.
The participation of lay people in Christ's priestly
office
901 "Hence the laity,
dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are
marvellously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit maybe
produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings,
family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are
accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently
born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered
to the Father along with the body of the Lord. and so, worshipping everywhere
by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere
offering worship by the holiness of their lives."
902 In a very special way,
parents share in the office of sanctifying "by leading a conjugal life in
the Christian spirit and by seeing to the Christian education of their
children."
903 Lay people who possess the
required qualities can be admitted permanently to the ministries of lector and
acolyte. When the necessity of the Church warrants it and when ministers
are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also
supply for certain of their offices, namely, to exercise the ministry of the
word, to preside over liturgical prayers, to confer Baptism, and to distribute
Holy Communion in accord with the prescriptions of law."
Participation
in Christ's prophetic office
904 "Christ . . .
fulfills this prophetic office, not only by the hierarchy . . . but also by the
laity. He accordingly both establishes them as witnesses and provides them with
the sense of the faith [sensus fidei] and the grace of the word"
To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every
preacher and of each believer.
905 Lay people also fulfill
their prophetic mission by evangelization, "that is, the proclamation of
Christ by word and the testimony of life." For lay people, "this
evangelization . . . acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because
it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world."
This witness of life,
however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the
lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers . . .
or to the faithful.
906 Lay people who are capable
and trained may also collaborate in catechetical formation, in teaching the
sacred sciences, and in use of the communications media.
907 "In accord with the
knowledge, competence, and preeminence which they possess, [lay people] have
the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion
on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to
make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to
the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with
consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons."
Participation
in Christ's kingly office
908 By his obedience unto
death, Christ communicated to his disciples the gift of royal freedom, so
that they might "by the self-abnegation of a holy life, overcome the reign
of sin in themselves":
That man is rightly called a king who makes his own body an
obedient subject and, by governing himself with suitable rigor, refuses to let
his passions breed rebellion in his soul, for he exercises a kind of royal
power over himself. and because he knows how to rule his own person as king, so
too does he sit as its judge. He will not let himself be imprisoned by sin, or
thrown headlong into wickedness.
909 "Moreover, by uniting
their forces let the laity so remedy the institutions and conditions of the
world when the latter are an inducement to sin, that these may be conformed to
the norms of justice, favoring rather than hindering the practice of virtue. By
so doing they will impregnate culture and human works with a moral value."
910 "The laity can also
feel called, or be in fact called, to cooperate with their pastors in the
service of the ecclesial community, for the sake of its growth and life. This
can be done through the exercise of different kinds of ministries according to
the grace and charisms which the Lord has been pleased to bestow on them."
911 In the Church, "lay
members of the Christian faithful can cooperate in the exercise of this power
[of governance] in accord with the norm of law." and so the Church
provides for their presence at particular councils, diocesan synods, pastoral
councils; the exercise in solidum of the pastoral care of a parish,
collaboration in finance committees, and participation in ecclesiastical
tribunals, etc.
912 The faithful should
"distinguish carefully between the rights and the duties which they have
as belonging to the Church and those which fall to them as members of the human
society. They will strive to unite the two harmoniously, remembering that in
every temporal affair they are to be guided by a Christian conscience, since no
human activity, even of the temporal order, can be withdrawn from God's
dominion."
913 "Thus, every person,
through these gifts given to him, is at once the witness and the living
instrument of the mission of the Church itself 'according to the measure of
Christ's bestowal."'
III.
THE CONSECRATED LIFE
914 "The state of life
which is constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels, while not
entering into the hierarchical structure of the Church, belongs undeniably to
her life and holiness."
Evangelical
counsels, consecrated life
915 Christ proposes the
evangelical counsels, in their great variety, to every disciple. the perfection
of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely
follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in
celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience. It is the
profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of life recognized by
the Church, that characterizes the life consecrated to God.
916 The religious state is
thus one way of experiencing a "more intimate" consecration, rooted
in Baptism and dedicated totally to God. In the consecrated life, Christ's
faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to
give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of
charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church
the glory of the world to come.
One
great tree, with many branches
917 "From the God-given
seed of the counsels a wonderful and wide-spreading tree has grown up in the
field of the Lord, branching out into various forms of the religious life lived
in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into
existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the progress in
holiness of their members and for the good of the entire Body of Christ."
918 From the very beginning of
the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater
liberty, and to imitate him more closely, by practicing the evangelical
counsels. They led lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Many of them,
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became hermits or founded religious
families. These the Church, by virtue of her authority, gladly accepted and
approved.
919 Bishops will always strive
to discern new gifts of consecrated life granted to the Church by the Holy
Spirit; the approval of new forms of consecrated life is reserved to the
Apostolic See.
The
eremitic life
920 Without always professing
the three evangelical counsels publicly, hermits "devote their life to the
praise of God and salvation of the world through a stricter separation from the
world, the silence of solitude and assiduous prayer and penance."
921 They manifest to everyone
the interior aspect of the mystery of the Church, that is, personal intimacy
with Christ. Hidden from the eyes of men, the life of the hermit is a silent
preaching of the Lord, to whom he has surrendered his life simply because he is
everything to him. Here is a particular call to find in the desert, in the
thick of spiritual battle, the glory of the Crucified One.
Consecrated
virgins
922 From apostolic times
Christian virgins, called by the Lord to cling only to him with greater freedom
of heart, body, and spirit, have decided with the Church's approval to live in
a state of virginity "for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven."
923 "Virgins who,
committed to the holy plan of following Christ more closely, are consecrated to
God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are
betrothed mystically to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the
service of the Church." By this solemn rite (Consecratio virginum),
the virgin is "constituted . . . a sacred person, a transcendent sign of
the Church's love for Christ, and an eschatological image of this heavenly
Bride of Christ and of the life to come."
924 "As with other forms
of consecrated life," the order of virgins establishes the woman living in
the world (or the nun) in prayer, penance, service of her brethren, and
apostolic activity, according to the state of life and spiritual gifts given to
her. Consecrated virgins can form themselves into associations to observe
their commitment more faithfully.
Religious
life
925 Religious life was born in
the East during the first centuries of Christianity. Lived within institutes
canonically erected by the Church, it is distinguished from other forms of
consecrated life by its liturgical character, public profession of the
evangelical counsels, fraternal life led in common, and witness given to the
union of Christ with the Church.
926 Religious life derives
from the mystery of the Church. It is a gift she has received from her Lord, a
gift she offers as a stable way of life to the faithful called by God to
profess the counsels. Thus, the Church can both show forth Christ and
acknowledge herself to be the Savior's bride. Religious life in its various
forms is called to signify the very charity of God in the language of our time.
927 All religious, whether
exempt or not, take their place among the collaborators of the diocesan bishop
in his pastoral duty. From the outset of the work of evangelization, the
missionary "planting" and expansion of the Church require the
presence of the religious life in all its forms. "History witnesses
to the outstanding service rendered by religious families in the propagation of
the faith and in the formation of new Churches: from the ancient monastic
institutions to the medieval orders, all the way to the more recent
congregations."
Secular
institutes
928 "A secular institute
is an institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in
the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification
of the world especially from within."
929 By a "life perfectly
and entirely consecrated to [such] sanctification," the members of these
institutes share in the Church's task of evangelization, "in the world and
from within the world," where their presence acts as "leaven in the
world." "Their witness of a Christian life" aims "to
order temporal things according to God and inform the world with the power of
the gospel." They commit themselves to the evangelical counsels by sacred
bonds and observe among themselves the communion and fellowship appropriate to
their "particular secular way of life."
Societies
of apostolic life
930 Alongside the different
forms of consecrated life are "societies of apostolic life whose members
without religious vows pursue the particular apostolic purpose of their
society, and lead a life as brothers or sisters in common according to a
particular manner of life, strive for the perfection of charity through the
observance of the constitutions. Among these there are societies in which the
members embrace the evangelical counsels" according to their
constitutions.
Consecration
and mission: proclaiming the King who is coming
931 Already dedicated to him
through Baptism, the person who surrenders himself to the God he loves above
all else thereby consecrates himself more intimately to God's service and to
the good of the Church. By this state of life consecrated to God, the Church
manifests Christ and shows us how the Holy Spirit acts so wonderfully in her.
and so the first mission of those who profess the evangelical counsels is to
live out their consecration. Moreover, "since members of institutes of consecrated
life dedicate themselves through their consecration to the service of the
Church they are obliged in a special manner to engage in missionary work, in
accord with the character of the institute."
932 In the Church, which is
like the sacrament - the sign and instrument - of God's own life, the
consecrated life is seen as a special sign of the mystery of redemption. To
follow and imitate Christ more nearly and to manifest more clearly his
self-emptying is to be more deeply present to one's contemporaries, in the
heart of Christ. For those who are on this "narrower" path encourage
their brethren by their example, and bear striking witness "that the world
cannot be transfigured and offered to God without the spirit of the
beatitudes."
933 Whether their witness is
public, as in the religious state, or less public, or even secret, Christ's
coming remains for all those consecrated both the origin and rising sun of
their life:
For the People of God has here no lasting city, . . . [and this
state] reveals more clearly to all believers the heavenly goods which are
already present in this age, witnessing to the new and eternal life which we
have acquired through the redemptive work of Christ and preluding our future
resurrection and the glory of the heavenly kingdom.
IN
BRIEF
934 "Among the Christian
faithful by divine institution there exist in the Church sacred ministers, who
are also called clerics in law, and other Christian faithful who are also
called laity." In both groups there are those Christian faithful who,
professing the evangelical counsels, are consecrated to God and so serve the
Church's saving mission (cf. CIC, can. 207 # 1, 2).
935 To proclaim the faith and
to plant his reign, Christ sends his apostles and their successors. He gives
them a share in his own mission. From him they receive the power to act in his
person.
936 The Lord made St. Peter
the visible foundation of his Church. He entrusted the keys of the Church to
him. the bishop of the Church of Rome, successor to St. Peter, is "head of
the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ and Pastor of the universal Church
on earth" (CIC, can. 331).
937 The Pope enjoys, by divine
institution, "supreme, full, immediate, and universal power in the care of
souls" (CD 2).
938 The Bishops, established
by the Holy Spirit, succeed the apostles. They are "the visible source and
foundation of unity in their own particular Churches" (LG 23).
939 Helped by the priests,
their co-workers, and by the deacons, the bishops have the duty of
authentically teaching the faith, celebrating divine worship, above all the
Eucharist, and guiding their Churches as true pastors. Their responsibility
also includes concern for all the Churches, with and under the Pope.
940 "The characteristic
of the lay state being a life led in the midst of the world and of secular
affairs, lay people are called by God to make of their apostolate, through the
vigor of their Christian spirit, a leaven in the world" (AA 2 # 2).
941 Lay people share in
Christ's priesthood: ever more united with him, they exhibit the grace of
Baptism and Confirmation in all dimensions of their personal family, social and
ecclesial lives, and so fulfill the call to holiness addressed to all the
baptized.
942 By virtue of their
prophetic mission, lay people "are called . . . to be witnesses to Christ
in all circumstances and at the very heart of the community of mankind"
(GS 43 # 4).
943 By virtue of their kingly
mission, lay people have the power to uproot the rule of sin within themselves
and in the world, by their self-denial and holiness of life (cf. LG 36).
944 The life consecrated to
God is characterized by the public profession of the evangelical counsels of
poverty, chastity, and obedience, in a stable state of life recognized by the
Church.
945 Already destined for him
through Baptism, the person who surrenders himself to the God he loves above
all else thereby consecrates himself more intimately to God's service and to
the good of the whole Church.
Personal Pilgrimages
It is in and through the Mass that we can see the
grandeur of God. Perhaps after Mass would be a great time to take a trek
outdoors and in wonder of nature praise his holy name. Create a list of places
of grandeur to wonder at the art of God. Start with three or four with a goal
of doing one per each season of the year. Here is mine[9]:
· March
19. St.
Joseph of the Mountains Shrine.
·
June 4-6. Early morning hike Fay Canyon
meditate on precious blood of Christ and then hike after breakfast Devils Canyon.
Stay Crescent Moon Ranch Cabin.
· September or October. Beaver falls are notoriously difficult to access but once you arrive the site is breath taking. They are the fifth set of falls in the area and are directly after Mooney Falls. Originally some parts of the fall were fifty feet in height, but the floods of 1910 destroyed some of the area. When you are at the site you can see the markings around that show how high the water rose during the flood.
·
January 22-24. Santa
Fe Loretto Chapel-Feast
of the Holy Spouses.
Event
· Sonoma
County Hot Air Balloon Classic--June 4-5--Soar to new heights in
California’s beautiful Wine Country in this two-day event in Windsor,
California. On Saturday and Sunday, set your alarm clock early to make sure
you’re awake to catch approximately 30 colorful balloons launch around 6:30am.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: An
increase of the faithful
·
Saturday
Litany of the Hours Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1]Peter
Kreeft, Lecture at Catholic Men’s Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, 3/21/2015.
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Saturdays_Devotion
[3]http://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/judaism-spirituality/holidays-and-life-cycle-events/shavuot2004/
[4]http://www.wincalendar.com/Shavuot
[6] https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/cognac-day/
[9] https://www.thecrazytourist.com/the-17-most-beautiful-spots-in-arizona/
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