Real Love is Not Easy

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

Link to an excellent response on Catholic Exchange by Mary Kochan to a letter she received from a transsexual. Get thou there.

Posted in Apologetics, Catholic Moral Teaching | Tagged , , , , | 44 Comments

Who Is A Christian? Obama? You?

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

This just in on my Google Alerts for the word Catholic from the USA Today Faith and Reason web site:

Who, exactly, is “Christian”? Or Christian enough? Or the right  variation of Christian — i.e. probably the one you are or you like.

With all the hoohah over the 18% of folks who told a Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey that President Obama is Muslim and 34% who said Obama is Christian, the 43% who are unsure what he believes have gotten less attention.

An interesting discussion of that point comes from Michael O’Loughlin, blogging at America magazine’s In All Things. He writes:

There are still pockets of Evangelicals who don’t consider Roman Catholics to be Christian; I remember being asked once if I was a Christian, to which I replied yes, only to have my interlocutor correct me. I was in fact Catholic, not Christian. There are also some Catholics who don’t believe that some mainline Protestants to be fully Christian (our own Church refuses to call Protestant churches what they are: churches). So even within our own Christian family, there is not a consensus as to who is actually Christian and who is not.

Well I am a Christian. I am just not a very good one. Working on it.

As for questioning Obama’s Christianity, that is plain silly. He probably is a very progressive Christian. But he was baptized, I presume in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Ergo he is a Christian. Case closed.

We are all unfinished Christians until our Lord comes again in glory. Maranatha!

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Faith, Politics, and Another Deacon’s Wife

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

Kathy Obradovich is a political columnist for the Des Moines Register and the wife of a newly ordained deacon. I know her to be an intelligent and generous women. She began a recent article entitled Let’s Mix Faith-based service and politics with these words:

One evening, my husband, Jim, casually mentioned that his priest had suggested he look into becoming a deacon in the Catholic Church. He thought it sounded like something he’d want to consider.

Sure, honey, I said, sort of absently.

Well, hold on, he said. The training is pretty significant – four years, including monthly weekend trips to a seminary in Missouri for classes, another monthly Saturday class in the Des Moines Diocese and a full week of summer school every August.

I thought it sounded like the National Guard, but I nodded. Whatever you want to do, dear, we’ll make it work.”

Um, well, here’s the thing, he said. The wives of wanna-be deacons have to go through the entire training program, too. They have to attend all the seminary classes, do all the assignments, participate in the projects. Read More here

I think my neighbors heard me laughing. If I had known what being the wife of a Deacon in Training, AKA DITS, would entail for four very, very long and difficult years, I do not know if I would have given my assent. God kept me ignorant for a reason.

Kathy’s article is well worth the read. She makes a good case for a limited partnership between faith and politics, and she makes a keen observation about the human condition:

“I’ve been inspired by people who dedicate their lives to serving others and have begun to realize how much more we all can do. Here’s a little secret: Focusing on other people makes your personal problems fade into the background.

This experience has made me long to hear something more from our politicians – something that inspires more of us to look beyond ourselves and give service a try.”

Kathy’s column is always excellent and thought provoking even when I don’t agree with her. Keep up the good work Kathy. And heartfelt congratulations to Jim (and you) on his ordination.

Posted in Deaconate, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Saint of the Day

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

It is the feast day of St. John Eudes.

St. John Eudes (1601-1680) was born in Ri and died in Caen, France. Despite the prevailing rigors of Jansenism, he received First Communion when only a child. He studied in Paris and was ordained a priest in 1625. He soon became an outstanding missionary among his plague-stricken countrymen, living an irreproachable life and devoting all his energies to the cause of Christ. In 1643 he founded the Society of Jesus and Mary to preach missions to the people, direct seminaries, and conduct retreats for the clergy. He was a great opponent of the Jansenistic heresy, and always showed an unchanging devotion to the Holy See. Read More here

Father, you chose the priest John Eudes to preach the infinite riches of Christ. By his teaching and example help us to know you better and live faithfully in the light of the Gospel. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Loving The Sinner

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

Christians should never forget that God is Truth and Love. Therefore as Christians we are called to act in truth and love. These two concepts can not be separated.

In the Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict wrote:

Charity in truth, to which Jesus Christ bore witness by his earthly life and especially by his death and resurrection, is the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity. Love — caritas — is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. It is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth.

In this blog on the U.S. Catholic Magazine web site (often not orthodox), has a reminder that when we speak or write about the Church’s teaching on homosexual related issues we must do so with charity.

Note: the author writes his post in the context of a Mexican Cardinal who accused members of the Mexican judiciary of taking bribes. The blogger Brian Cones thinks that the Cardinal is, due to his accusation, guilty of being “against gay” people and homophobic. Sigh. I don’t know the details, but perhaps the Cardinal knows something Brian does not.

But he still has a valid point. When teaching about controversial issues in the RCIA and other faith formation classes, I am aware that there is always someone who has had an abortion, someone with a homosexual loved one, people who have not lived chaste lives. Brian writes:

“Second, there are more and more Catholic families with openly gay and lesbian children, many of whom are grown and have partners and families of their own.”

The Church teaches that all of her doctrines and teachings is to “arrive at love” (CCC #25)

But this does not mean that we skirt the issue, or accept sin. We must always speak the truth, with great charity, but speak it we must. Even if we are accused of being bigots. I am not so sure that the author of the post gets that.

We all fall short of the glory of God. But when we sin, if we repent and turn back to the Lord, God will shower us with his great love and mercy.

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Marriage Wars

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

I have been intending to post on the same sex marriage as it relates to heterosexual Christian marriage in order to respond to a readers comment on this post . But getting ready for RCIA, and a bit of writers block delayed my response.

“My reader writes, in part, This is a very tough subject in that we cannot accept as marriages, such unions, yet we must treat all with dignity, respect, and the love of Jesus. I suppose we need to reevaluate how we treat heterosexual marriages that are not sacramental. They are virtually identical to a gay marriage, aren’t they? Not self-giving, not fruitful, not faithful?”

She makes an excellent point. Marriage has been harmed, greatly. It has been a long and slow process which began with the Anglican Church.  As I wrote in this post https://adeaconswife.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/878/:

‘Same sex marriage fundamentally changes the traditional definition of family. It is the final death blow to marriage that began in the 1930’s with the permitting of contraception in some circumstances, at the Lambeth Conference (Anglican),  the sexual revolution and the loosening of divorce laws.”

I stand by the above statement with one exception. After the recent ruling on Proposition 8, I am concerned that same sex marriage is not the final blow. What comes next? Polygamous marriages? Marriage between siblings?  Adult children and parents? Continue reading →

Posted in Marriage, Sacraments | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Husband Becomes a Deacon

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

It is the 4th anniversary of my husbands ordination. Have a blessed Day Deacon Larry!

The picture below is of the Bishop presenting the Gospels while saying:

Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.



Posted in Deaconate, Sacraments | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

WHAT IF?

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

Unless you have been living in a cloister for the past few months, you have probably heard about the controversy caused by the planned mosque and cultural center near ground zero.

Polls suggest that while the majority of Americans believe that Muslims have a right to build a place of worship at ground zero, most of us do not think that it is a good idea.

President Obama first came out in support of the ground zero Mosque, quite rightly, on the grounds of religious freedom which is a right of all Americans. A day or so later he seemed to qualify his endorsement by saying he did not know if it was a wise decision.

Rod Dreher has proposed a hypothetical situation that gets to the heart of the contoversey:

“In July of 1995, Bosnian Serbs killed 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in and around the town of Srebrenica, in the worst atrocity of its kind since World War II. The Serbs did so in the name of ethnic supremacy and tribalism, not religion, but religious and tribal identities are so tightly knotted together in the Balkans that it’s fruitless to insist on their separation as a practical matter.

Let’s say a group of American Orthodox Christians bought land in Srebrenica, and announced plans to build an Orthodox chapel and community center. “We are Orthodox Christians who had nothing to do with the atrocities Serbian Orthodox committed here,” they said in their press release. “We seek to show the true, peaceful face of Orthodox Christianity, and to be a witness to and facilitator of peace and reconciliation between Orthodox and Muslims. “

Let’s assume that under the law, the Orthodox had a right to do this. Would this project be a good idea? Why or why not?”

His answer is…… Continue reading →

Posted in Freedom of Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Saint of the Day

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

A Servant King

St. Stephan of Hungry was the first Christian King of Hungry. He was baptized as an adult in 985.  He was crowned King in December of the year 1000.  In todays Office of Readings, he has advice for his son:

My dearest son, if you desire to honour the royal crown, I advise, I counsel, I urge you above all things to maintain the Catholic and apostolic faith with such diligence and care that you may be an example for all those placed under you by God and that all the clergy may rightly call you a man of true Christian profession. Failing to do this, you may be sure that you will not be called a Christian or a son of the Church. Indeed, in the royal palace – after the faith itself – the Church holds second place, first propagated as she was by our head, Christ; then transplanted, firmly constituted and spread through the whole world by his members, the apostles and holy fathers. And though she always produced fresh offspring, nevertheless in certain places she is regarded as ancient.

However, dearest son, even now in our kingdom the Church is proclaimed as young and newly planted; and for that reason she needs more prudent and trustworthy guardians lest a benefit which the divine mercy bestowed on us undeservedly should be destroyed and annihilated through your idleness, indolence or neglect. Read more here.

Almighty Father,

Grant that Saint Stephen of Hungary

Who fostered the growth of your Church on earth,

may continue to be our powerful helper in heaven.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God forever and ever.

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Saints Alive

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Susan Kehoe

Saints Roundup

I am way behind on posting the Saint of the Day.  Here are links last week’s missing Saints:

St. Jane Frances de Chantal who is an example that true strength comes from obedience and living a life of holiness.

Saints Pontian, pope and martyr and Hippolytus, priest and martyr

St. Maximillian Mary Kolbe,’ a Polish Franciscan, offered his life in exchange for the life of a family man doomed to execution by the Nazis at Auschwitz.  His memorial feast is celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church on August 14, when this reading forms part of the Divine Office of Readings and contrasts religious indifferentism with the path of obedience to God’s will, prudence, wisdom and perfect love.  Fr. Maximilian Kolbe was canonized on October 10, 1982 by Pope John Paul II, and declared “a martyr of charity.” He is the patron saint of drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalist, amateur radio, prisoners, and the pro-life movement. Pope John Paul II declared him the “The Patron Saint of Our Difficult Century.” Read what this great Saint has to say here.

Another link here.

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