The Vatican is concerned about the state of U.S. religious life, and is currently in the middle of an Apostolic visitation to investigate their concerns. With many orders of sisters in steep decline, and with the number of nuns that openly and proudly oppose Church Teaching, the Vatican’s concern is, in my opinion, justified.

While many sisters have been opposed to the visit, the Vatican insists that the visit is to increase vocations and ensure the well-being of sisters. Cardinal Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said

“My hope is that the apostolic visitation will not only provide the Holy See with a thorough analysis of the condition of religious life in the United States, but also be a realistic and graced opportunity for personal and community introspection, as major superiors and sisters cooperate with this study.”

While the Vatican is not presenting this as a confrontational visit, I think there is certainly a large degree of much-needed “reining in” going on here.

I’ve previously advocated for a religious order of lawyers and inspiring Orthodox Christians to similar kinds of social service/philanthropia.  (Of course, a religion doesn’t have to be Catholic or Orthodox to do these kinds of things. Do they?)

Well, as I’ve pointed out, one of Catholicism’s great works in its Third World missions and service commitments has been medical.  Yes, the Medical Mission Sisters sang (and apparently still do!), but they and/or their coworkers also did/do alot of stuff we in this country ourselves now go poor paying others to do.  I won’t call most U.S. medical professionals “mercenary” … but among the most-loved Orthodox Saints are the Holy UNmercenary Physicians and Healers — anargyroi in Greek, “without silver/money” literally.  Well, not literally, because somebody had to help them pay the farmer, the baker, and the candlestick maker; but it often wasn’t their impoverished, sick patients.  And the Catholics just declared the sainthood of the famous and much-loved Fr. Damien de Veuster of Molokai, who (apparently coincidentally) bore the name of one of the greatest Orthodox Unmercenaries, and went there from his native Belgium to serve the leper colony even without a medical qualification, only to die of the disease himself there years later.  More pointedly, perhaps the other best-known Unmercenary (besides Cosmas and Damian), Panteleimon, was martyred for undercutting his fellow physicians, pagans, on account of his Christianity!  (Talk about a patron saint of Healthcare Reform!)

There are still Catholic Sisters and Brothers doing medical service here, but I’d guess far fewer than in former generations, amid the plummeting numbers of Catholic Religious and priestly vocations in general, and the aging of those who remain.  Today they may have secular lay (in the religious sense) coworkers and collaborators, and lay boards of trustees running Catholic hospitals and such, but as I’ve said previously, you can’t beat Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, for “cost-cutting” measures, and in any case Catholic medical institutions without a doubt, just like Catholic schools, are part of the skyrocketing cost of healthcare (or education, respectively) in this country.  We’re not exactly Third World (mostly, though visit Southern Appalachia, the Deep South, and some key Indian Reservations), but as has been said, we’re not getting our money’s worth either, especially compared to the rest of the so-called Developed World, and even some countries not first thought of under that label.

Obviously the Latin Church’s traditional 3 “Evangelical Counsels,” the vows most members of religious orders take, are of less appeal today than in former times, especially to American Protestants and non-Christians.  But  if Third World service doesn’t appeal to some, maybe service closer to home will.  And as I suggested in both previous articles, even halfway measures approaching “the vows” – for a few years if not for life, maybe married or marrying, in (prudent) shared housing or at home, more-organized and “religified” associates and collaborators, even fundraising to support those who serve – would help economically.

Maybe even spiritually!

([BLEEP!]  We Orthodox better do it before the Latins think of it and stage a comeback!!! )

But think of it: 1/3 of a billion people, fully 5 percent of humanity, being bled dry by the structural evils* of their healthcare system … the world’s leading economy, whose ups and downs influence the economic downs of the rest of humanity as we see today….  What good, what caritas, what philanthropia could be done for the world even here….

(*–Scroll down to the mention of the Brian Wren lyric … including the warning about how to observe the unquoted rest of that hymn.)

This funny ad is probably will do more for religious vocations than all the recruiting currently going on.

Celebrating their 60th Jubilee are: Sisters Lawrence, Cecilia, Susanne (back row) and Sisters Grace and Frances (front row.)

Sister Karen celebrated her 50th Jubilee.

Jubilees are always joyous events as they bring to mind all the years of service rendered by the sisters and all the people whose lives were touched by the sisters.  This year 5 sisters celebrated their 60th Jubilee and 1 sister celebrated her 50th Jubilee.  There were two celebrations, one in the western part of Pennsylvania on June 13th and another in the eastern part of Pennsylvania on June 27th.

On June 13th, the celebration was held at Mount Assisi Convent in Pittsburgh.  The festive Liturgical celebration was followed by a delightful dinner for the sisters and their guests.  On June 27th, the celebration took place at St. Francis Convent in Bethlehem, PA.  Another special liturgy was celebrated for the jubilarians and a reception followed for the sisters and guests.   The two celebrations gave the families of the jubilarians from both areas an opportunity to celebrate with the sisters.  At both events many memories were shared of entrance into religious life, formation stories, the early years as sisters, families and their roles in strengthening the vocations of the sisters, ministries cheerfully performed and people whose lives intertwined with the those of the jubilarians.  All left both events feeling enriched in mind, spirit and body and in greater awe of the marvelous wonder of God’s faithful love.

February 2nd is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord.  It is also the World Day of Consecrated Life, a day to remember in prayer all those who have consecrated their lives to the Lord.  Religious throughout the world, renew their vows to God on this day.

In the United States Province of our congregation, we will welcome a sister into our midst.  She has a unique vocation story because she spent many years with us as a sister and left after Vatican II.  She is now once again joining us in community.   This day is a great day of rejoicing for us as we welcome back our sister and our friend.

The purpose of this blog site is to provide an opportunity to share some insights on religious life and to provide an opportunity for anyone to ask questions concerning religious life.   It is my belief that there are many people who are seaching for something greater in their lives.  That something more just may be Jesus Christ.  We invite you to look into the possibility that Jesus may be asking you to rebuild His Church and to serve His people. 

In the middle ages, Jesus spoke to St. Francis and asked him to repair His Church.  Francis replied by physically repairing the churches in Assisi with brick and stone until he realized that Jesus was asking him to repair the inner spirit of the Church.  The Franciscan family of men and women continue in the spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare to repair the spirit of people and to bring them closer to God.

Today is All Saints Day, and even though it is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, it is still an important solemnity of the Church. The Communion of the Saints is a profound doctrine of the Church, and many ask “why do you need the saints to pray for you, when you can pray to Christ?” I suppose in the grand scheme of things a person doesn’t “need” someone else praying for them, since God can do whatever he wants independent of our requests. However, the way I see it, the saints come with Jesus. You can’t have Jesus without the saints (or without fellow believers). This is the nature of communion, the tight knit connection we have with fellow believers. This is why when you do good or bad things to others, you do good or bad things to Jesus, because of communion.

I recently had a chance to look at the newest publication of Vision, which includes (is?) the 2009 Catholic Religious Vocation discernment guide. I enjoyed the articles, but was most interested in the advertising. The design, emphasis, quality, and message differed significantly and I want to share a few of my thoughts.

On the positive side, I saw a lot of clearly vibrant religious communities, many emphasizing not only their proclamation of the Gospel, but also service to the poor and marginalized. The ones with the youngest members (in the ads anyway) were frequently oriented around the Eucharist (even if active religious) and wore the habit. I think these are both good things, although I recognize that mission, charisms, and dress differ and that is fine.

On the negative side, many orders tried really hard to appear trendy in their advertising. This came across to me as rather slick and didn’t give much insight into the order itself. In some cases, it just screamed “trying too hard” which could turn off more than it would impress. I suspect most people who are considering the religious life are looking for something much deeper. And more traditional. Data seems to bear this out too. Yet, a lot of ads simply showed why many orders were not getting new members: lack of this traditional focus. For example, one group, mentions doing something about the problem of “plastic bags” (along with other more legit ones to be fair) to get women motivated to join their order. A lot of orders for women mentioned their environmentalism, which I think is a good cause, but you can join the Sierra Club or Greenpeace and still marry and accrue private wealth. Basically, I can see why many of these orders are declining: they have simply become social work agencies or havens for activists rather than groups devoted to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus which must involve social justice, but is much, much more.

It’s easy to complain, but we really need to work for vocations. We must 1) support the effort to get our young people to consider the religious life and priesthood 2) Encourage those who wish to pursue the religious life, even if it goes against what we “want” for someone and 3) Pray and trust in God that it will happen. God will provide for the needs of the Church and those orders who have a place in the Church of the 21st century will survive and thrive.

A sermon on divine election, given by Father Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Chicago for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

SUMMARY OF THE SERMON:

One of the key themes of the Bible is the divine election, the fact that God chooses. But God chooses, not on the basis of merit, but simply through and because of his grace. And he chooses, not to glorify those whom he elects, but rather to give them a mission of love. Accordingly, he chose Israel so that it might be a priestly nation; and he chose the twelve so that they might proclaim the kingdom, and he chose us the baptized that we might be conduits of his grace to the world.

Download the Sermon (mp3): Divine Election

For those of you who are fans of the Busted Halo podcast, I want to let you know that the cantor on the Kyrie, Gloria and Prayers of the People for the Papal Mass at Nationals Park is Paulist Deacon Stephen Bell.  He’s the guy who sometimes sings the theme to their “Church Search.” 

I had the distinct honor of singing for his ordination mass to the transitional diaconate last year in the Crypt Church at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (pics found in the link above).  Of note to Per Christum readers, he’s a convert from the Church of Christ.  He’ll be ordained to the priesthood this June. 

Today is the 45th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Although there are rays of hope, especially among orthodox dioceses and orders, the United States and Europe still suffer a shortage of vocations which could negatively impact the Church’s mission in the near future. We all need to pray for vocations and above all encourage and nurture them in our families and among our friends. Pope Benedict XVI has issued a message on this day of prayer. I was particularly struck by this statement:

Besides, in order that the Church may continue to carry out the mission entrusted to her by Christ, and in order that there will never be a lack of those who preach the Gospel and who are badly needed by the world, it is necessary that Christian communities do not fail to give both children and adults a constant education in the faith.

It confirms what many of us already know: strong catechesis (mixed with good formation) for young people and adults, in the home, at school, at RCIA, etc. creates strong Catholics who are willing to serve the Church. Weak and watered down teaching does not. As a bishop, I think, once said, people will give their lives for a mystery, but not a question mark. Catholic education in much of the Western world has been emphasizing question marks and our vocations have duly suffered. The bishops have recently taken more control of Catholic education, which should help in the long run. Make sure to read the rest of Benedict XVI’s message on vocations. It’s well worth it.

Finally, here is a beautiful prayer for vocations. I urge all of our readers to pray this or similar prayers daily for men to answer the Church’s call to ordination and men and women to follow God’s leading to the religious life.

Hail Mary, full of grace;
all generations call you blessed.

Hail Mother of God; when asked by the angel
to bear the Son of the Most High,
filled with faith, you responded:
“Let it be done unto me.”

Holy Mother of Jesus, at the wedding feast at Cana,
you prompted your Son to perform his first sign.

Be with us as we discern our life’s work
and guide us in the way we are called to follow
in the footsteps of your Son.

Holy Mother of the Savior, at the foot of the cross
you mourned the death of your only Son.

Bless and embrace the loving parents of all priests,
deacons, brothers and sisters.

Holy Mother of the Good Shepherd,
turn your motherly care to this nation.

Intercede for us to the Lord of the harvest
to send more laborers to the harvest
in this land dedicated to your honor.

Queen of Peace, Mirror of Justice, Health of the Sick,
inspire vocations in our time.

Let the word of your Son be made flesh anew
in the lives of persons anxious to proclaim
the good news of everlasting life.
Amen. (English Prayers for Vocations)

10 Who can find a good wife?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant,
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her loins with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
-RSV SCE

Photo Information:
First: Unidentified workshop, Peru, Cuzco, The Child Mary Spinning, 18th century. Oil on canvas.
Collection of Marilynn and Carl Thoma
Second: Madonna with the Parrot by Martin Schongauer ca. 1474

A Zenit article with some of my comments below.

In a private audience with Benedict XVI, the general director of the Legionaries of Christ renewed the congregation’s loyalty to the Pope at the start of a new stage in its history, following the Jan. 30 death of the founder.

The Pope received in audience Legionary of Christ Father Álvaro Corcuera on Saturday.

According to the congregation, in the meeting the general director wanted to assure the Holy Father of the group’s “unconditional loyalty to the Pope” in what he called a “new stage in their history.”

Father Marcial Maciel, the founder of the congregation and the apostolic movement Regnum Christi, which is associated with the Legion of Christ, died Jan. 30 at age 87.

According to the Regnum Christi Web page, “The Holy Father, with fatherly kindness, assured Father Corcuera that he continues closely accompanying the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi with his prayers. He then granted all of its members his apostolic blessing, especially the thousands of young people and families who will participate in evangelization missions across the world during Holy Week.” (Zenit)

H/T: American Papist

10 years ago if you would have asked me about the Legion of Christ, I would have told you I had favorable opinions about them – they were growing, they were loyal, they were building seminaries, they had ordinations in one sitting more than some orders or diocese have in a decade.

Now, I am not so excited.

Their apostolate – from everything I can witness and gather sometimes seems to be mostly geared toward self-promotion, self-defense and growth. I wanted to believe its founder Fr. Marcial Macielwas the next St. Ignatius and these were the new (old style) Jesuits. 900 priests, almost 3000 seminarians in 50 years… They were the poster boys for loyalty to the Holy Father and a type of post-conciliar orthodoxy. They were traditional if not traditionalists. Now that image has been tarnished and those hopes have proven to be somewhat premature.

My first encounter with them was a dozen+ years ago when I was still in high school I had my first contact with the Legionaries of Christ.  A family affiliated with their lay wing, Regnum Christi, spotted me after Mass one Sunday when my grandmother and I were temporarily attending the very closest parish to her home (she had been ill, it was blocks away).  The parish enjoyed a reputation for being mighty traditional – the Pauline Mass ad orientum, parts in Latin and Gregorian Chant as well as kneeling for communion held sway there.

The family that approached me was pleasant and affable – fiercely loyal to the Magisterium and dedicated to the Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration and (at the time) had 5 or 6 small children.  (I can’t recall exactly how many they had at the time – more have been added, and they never all stood still long enough to count!)

I did not really recognize a recruitment pattern at the time, but invitations were extended to me and other single young men to family picnics they had at the time.  Legion priests were frequent guests in their home, and at picnics as often as not they would be there to celebrate Mass and talk up the Legion. 

At the time I was rather impressed – the numbers they had were always bandied about as a demonstration they were a success – 3,500+ men in formation, 600+ priests already ordained.  The recruitment video I was mailed showed footage of the year they ordained 60 at once in Saint Peter’s. That looks impressive to someone who grew up being told no one was getting ordained and we would run out of priests in a few years.

Back then, one of their recruiters had been given my phone number and I was getting weekly calls. (This was when I was a senior.) At one point, I pointed out that I am Greek Catholic, and if I sought a vocation it would be to my church. They were undeterred. My mother, rather angry with them made it clear that they could send all the literature they wanted, but the constant calling was not welcome and they were not to call again. By the third time, they got the message.

12 years ago I had already begun to hear a lot of things I had dismissed about their styles of formation and piety. A well-known priest who publishes a monthly magazine had been to their seminary and explained that they timed the showers for guys in the seminary, and they monitored to make sure that seminarians do not sleep on their stomach at night. (Maybe that is what puts me off – I am a stomach sleeper, always have been, always will be!)

To date, I have not heard a lot of good things about LC/RC working with other truly orthodox groups in what would be considered common cause. One case that comes to mind is what I have heard from first hand from folks who live in communities where both the LC and FSSP operate – the animosity has been palpable up to and including the Legion demanding that students of its schools NOT serve at FSSP parishes as acolytes. Why? More curiously, how would they keep track and know?

It does bear pointing out that a good deal of what the LC does is in Spanish speaking countries, and I do not speak Spanish well enough to read about them in Spanish. What they are doing in those communities, I cannot say.

There is nothing that would give me greater joy than to find out that these accusations are just a part of the trial that saints endure. Certainly others were slandered. But as much as I would love to believe that, I simply cannot make that leap of faith with any sort of intellectual integrity.

In the next 20 years the LC could possibly ordain 3000 priests given the number studying for the priesthood that they have now. I really don’t expect that – 12/13 years ago they had 2500 seminarians – maybe 10% of that number has been ordained priests.

I guess the question will then become, what is the fruit of all this? The image has been significantly tarnished, and their leader is gone.  Will their be a change in recruitment culture?  Will some of the secrecy that was prevalent among them before disappear? 

I am not the only one asking.

What are your impressions?

Blessed Maddalena Caterina Morano
1847-1908

This flippin’ settles it!

From a recent post over at Clerical Whispers (or as I like to call it “All the Gossip & Bad News that Fits in Print”)

The call to Braxton to resign was lauded by a national Catholic reform group, Call To Action, based near Chicago.

“We applaud the courage of the Catholic priests in the Belleville Diocese,” the group said in a released statement. “This action, done in times of church crisis, only occurs in rare instances such as when a group of Boston priests similarly came together to call for Cardinal Law’s resignation after massive revelations of sexual abuse.”

Cardinal Bernard F. Law resigned a few months after he received a “no confidence” letter signed by 58 Boston area priests, a relatively small percentage of those assigned to the urban area.

Once CTA is on your side and you are trying to bring the sex abuse scandals into the debate, you lose all my confidence.

+Braxton, Your Grace, put out the help wanted sign and fire these bums. You need priests favored by CTA like you need a pack of adult unhousetrained mastiffs.

See also: Bishop Braxton Fire Them!
See also: +Braxton’s “Belleville 46″ Identified – Look Familiar?
See also: Belleville’s 60%???

Posted by Shawn Tribe over at the New Liturgical Movement…

The caption referred to it as “The Nun’s Church”.

Am I alone in thinking that this church – in its pictured condition – would be a vast improvement over a number of chapels in use today? I wouldn’t mind to see Sr. Joan Chittister have one just like it!

Check out Father Abe, CSR! Over at his blog, The Splendor of the Truth he has posted photos of himself celebrating his first TLM, and likely the first TLM in that part of the Phillipines (Sorsogon Province) since the Pauline rite entered the picture! (see more…)

I am not one to stump for the old rite or rail against the new. I am at peace either way, though I seldom attend either. Mostly what this Greek Catholic finds pleasing about this news on these islands on the other his world is this: Catholics far and wide across the four corners are enthusiastically exploring their patrimony and different new (to them!) elements of prayer and spirituality. As much as some people maintained that there would be a limited or exclusive appeal of the old rites, honestly, that is just not proving to be the case.

Way to go Father A!

You can read all about it here: http://www.olamshrine.com/Troyes/

Not bad for a girl from Canton, Ohio! Then again, you should NEVER underestimate the resolve of Ohio-bred Catholics. To do so is just plain foolish.

Yes, Americans are now sending back missionaries of a sort to Europe. The sisters in France now, represent the rebuilding of their order, where their order was established.

People need to remember that Mother Angelica founded EWTN, in the heart of the deep South, in a diocese that is located in a place that is 2% Catholic, out of a “studio” built by cement blocks intended to be a garage. Not a very hopeful begining where one would expect success.

They also need to remember that while she built EWTN from that humble begining, at the same time the USCCB was attempting to create a Catholic network beamed by sattelite to places that had a sattelite dish – a very hopeful begining, with their money and clout, where one would expect success.

They utterly and unequivicobly failed – no two ways about it. She has been an unqualified success.

No word just yet as to the future of EWTN en français… but I would expect it to happen sooner rather than later.

I know it strains my charity a bit, but every time dissidents wince at the mention of Mother A’s name, I just curl my toes.

H/T: Catholic Conservation

The Friars would be on a popular Irish late night show with the band U2. The Late Late Show airs this Friday, February 22nd, at 9:30pm in Ireland, which means 4:30pm (EST)here.

You can watch it live on the internet by going to http://www.rte.ie/live/

H/T: Roman Catholic Vocations Blog

RCVB should be added to added to those blog aggregators – Brad Watkins the man behind the magic (himself a deacon candidate) does a remarkable job of highlighting some great stories about vocations discernment, religous orders, and success stories. Good stuff.

(A conversation had with a co-worker.)

“Does the pope use bobby pins to keep his beanie on?”

“That wasn’t covered at my Jesuit High School…”

“I thought you went to Catholic School.”

“So did my parents…”

This may be neither here nor there… but several times in the last few weeks I have heard the same tired argument that celibacy just promotes and attracts candidates who are sexually abusive. “It is a perfect way to get access to children,” one such proponent offers.

But having been to seminary for a time (leaving for altogether different reasons!) I find it supremely hard to imagine that men would gravitate towards this field soley for intent of having access to children. Seminary is a rather grueling and sometimes painful process (with especially horrible food!) that, in this remarkably permissive cyber-age, any pedarest could easily bypass and just hang out in chat-rooms a la Dateline NBC’s To Catch a Preditor stooges.

Apart from this disorder and sickness inclining these sorts of men to this disordered perversion, I think most will find a number of additional pathologies up to and including personality disorders that helped motivate some of these very few sad individuals who received such great attention to proceed through the ranks of clerical formation and life.Maybe I am just sensitive to hearing, for years, the baseless and silly accusation from non-Catholics that celibacy fosters or actually demands pedarests become priests. When I hear this, I just do my best to not roll my eyes. Certainly, becoming a priest to get your hands on young vicitms seems like the most backwards, needlessly complicated way to get to victims. On the face of it, being a school teacher, a police officer, a nurse, or a counselor seems like far easier vocational paths that are less monitored and in the public spotlight if victimizing children is the goal.

In other words, that is a hell of a lot of hoops to jump through if one’s goal is just to engage in those sorts of crimes. I don’t buy it, because it is just not the case.

The relationship between the vocation of family life and the celibate vocations are well connected. Priests don’t just appear out of no where. They are, often, the sons of devout Catholic fathers.

In some circles, the sight of a pious young man who is single and church attending occasions considerable excitement: perhaps we have a future priest here!

But with American Catholic birthrates being exceedingly low in most sectors, and the need for greater rejuvenation and renewal in parochial family life still pressing, sometimes, that pious, young, single, church-going man actually needs to be introduced to a pious, young, single, church-going lady, to meet, marry, and make some Catholic bambinos, and make their spiritual journey together for life.

In a real way, the wrongly termed “vocations crisis” is well related to the wrongly termed “marriage crisis”. There is certainly correlation between healthy Catholic families and vocations. More failed marriages = fewer vocations.

For your consideration, dear readers, I give you: Marriage And Celibacy: Love’s Link: Interview With Author Father José Manglano. By Miriam Díez i Bosch.

MADRID, Spain, JAN. 14, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Father José Pedro Manglano says history has shown that when marriages are in crisis, the vocation to celibacy also has problems.

The priest speaks of the link between matrimony and celibacy in his new book, “El Amor y Otras Idioteces: Guía Práctica Para No Perder a Quien Tú Quieres” (Love and Other Foolishness: A Practical Guide to Avoid Losing Your Beloved).

In this interview with ZENIT, Father Manglano explains what true love is, and how it can become eternal.

Q: A priest speaking about “love and other foolishness” — this attracts attention …

Father Manglano: How funny that you start there! That’s what everyone asks me …

Q: But I insist, it isn’t common …

Father Manglano: Quite true. It’s obvious that it’s something that attracts attention. But, why is it the first question that comes to mind? Perhaps what is being asked could be rephrased: What can a celibate have to say about love? As if it is taken for granted that one who opts to be celibate makes himself a stranger to the question of love.

It seems to me that this seemingly unimportant fact points to a situation clearly spelled out in Benedict XVI’s “The Salt of the Earth”: History shows that in the eras in which marriages are in crisis, celibacy is as well.

Q: Why does a celibacy crisis come along with a marriage crisis?

Father Manglano: Celibacy and matrimony, just as the Church suggests, are the two sublime ways of attaining a life in love. There are other forms of loving lives, yes, but no other sublime forms.

Today we are experiencing a certain crisis in marriage, and we are living a certain crisis in the meaning of celibacy. It is not understood that the celibate could be a lover and can know about love. Nevertheless, his life is a loving exercise directed toward the man Christ, and to all men and women, near or far away.

And not only that: The celibate Christian has an experience of God who is Love, and from him, he receives wisdom. If that doesn’t seem true, ask St. John of the Cross, whose canticle is a paradigm of any loving relationship.

Q: But your book speaks of the love between boy/girlfriend and spouses.(Read All)

PARAGUAY: Help train 72 priests of tomorrow

The diocese of Ciudad del Este, near Paraguay’s borders with Argentina and Brazil, has a flourishing Faith community, but a glaring shortage of priests to serve the 800,000 souls who live there. Of the 76 priests serving this massive flock, just 16 are diocesan priests. But Bishop Rogelio Livieres Plano has now opened a diocesan seminary, temporarily housed in a retreat centre. Some 72 students have undergone a rigorous, year-long selection process and are now being trained under the watchful eye of the dedicated and highly experienced academic staff. But, with almost half the population living below the poverty line, the diocese is reliant on outside help to subsidise what local funding it can get. Aid to the Church in Need has promised the bishop $30,800 ($405.27 per seminarian!) to train these young priests of tomorrow. Now we are turning to you, our generous benefactors. Please quote the reference “233-02-70″

Donations could be made to
Aid to the Church in Need (US OFFICE)
RE: Code: 135-01-11
725 Leonard Street
PO Box 220384
Brooklyn, NY 11222

800-628-6333
info@acnusa.org

Prayers accepted via all the usual routes. Ss. Roch Gonzalez, Aiphonsus Rodriguez, and Juan de Castilo, the Martyrs of Paraguay, may be especially interested.