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Michael Voris – On the Real Presence

May 18th, 2012

Come and see Michael Voris live in Toronto on Saturday May 26th. For tickets and for more information click here.

All of Catholicism can be boiled down to one point – Jesus Christ is really truly and substantially present under the appearance of bread and win

Now is there any circumstance at all in which God could lie? Catholics say no, but Protestants .. in denying the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist would have to say … yes, God can lie.

No Comments, Eucharist, Jesus, by Catholic Chapter House.

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Until Abortion Ends

May 16th, 2012

A new pro-life project that seeks to unite souls in the spiritual battle against the Culture of Death.

Written By: Kathleen Dunn,

An exciting and promising movement is beginning among pro-lifers – especially the youth (Surprising? Not lately!) – with a project called “Until Abortion Ends.” (www.untilabortionends.com) This project has sparked the passion and dedication of many religious pro-lifers as they publically vow, via the online blog, to sacrifice something they enjoy in a prayerful effort to end legal abortion. By offering up one of their favorite things, such as ice cream, junk food, coffee or video games, these young people are recognizing the power of sacrifice in making a change for the Kingdom of God.

Marion Jones, the daughter of film producer Jason Jones, who produced the film “Bella”, founded the project with the organization, “I Am Whole Life,” of which Marion is the National Director. A strong believer in the power of prayer, Jones feels that “Until Abortion Ends” gives people an opportunity to unite in prayer and sacrifice in their effort to protect the dignity of human life.[1]

The movement is certainly catching as many see the eternal value of fasting and abstinence, and have the opportunity to be devoted to the unborn on a daily basis. To be clear, this project is not to be understood as an act of public protest, like a hunger strike, for example, but is instead an act of submission to the workings of our all-powerful God. Many leaders, including the late Pope John Paul II, have emphasized that the battle against the culture of death is primarily a spiritual one. It must be recognized that what is necessary for the culture of life to prevail is the conversion of hearts towards the reverence for human life. Yet, it is the Evil One who seeks to sabotage this conversion. Therefore, it is only through prayer and sacrifice that a great change can be made in the hearts of man, as we put the issue in God’s hands. JPII sums this truth up very well in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, as he writes,

                   “Jesus himself has shown us by his own example that prayer and fasting are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil (cf. Mt 4:1-11). As he taught his disciples, some demons cannot be driven out except in this way (cf. Mk 9:29). Let us therefore discover anew the humility and the courage to pray and fast so that power from on high will break down the walls of lies and deceit: the walls which conceal from the sight of so many of our brothers and sisters the evil of practices and laws which are hostile to life.[2]

It is clear that “Until Abortion Ends” is following this directive from the late Holy Father to use prayer and sacrifice as a weapon against the culture of death. Of course, people throughout the ages have recognized this call to sacrifice in order to make a change. But it is inspiring to see pro-lifers publically unite in such a powerful and personal way.

I am so excited to see this movement of personal sacrifice spread like wildfire. It is a beautiful thing, to unite ourselves in prayer to let GOD take charge, as He is the only one who can ultimately change hearts and minds. It is truly a promising movement that involves no losses – only benefits. Through abstaining from our favorite things, and offering them up for the culture of life, we are not only praying to end abortion. We are also improving our own habits by detaching ourselves from this material world and attaching ourselves to the Kingdom of God. Our prayers never go to waste, so we can be confident that making little sacrifices for the unborn is a rewarding investment, even if we don’t see the results until we reach Heaven. But, with the rapid growth of the pro-life movement, I have a strong feeling that it won’t be long before these young people will be celebrating the triumph of the culture of life with a big scoop of ice cream. ;)

Check out our Pro-Life Section!     


[1] Baklinski, Peter. “Young Pro-lifers Vow to Give up Something They Enjoy Until Abortion Ends.” LifeSiteNews. 10 May 2012. <http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/young-pro-lifers-vow-to-give-up-something-they-enjoy-until-abortion-ends>.

[2] John Paul II. Encyclical Letter, Evangelium Vitae: On the Value and Inviolability of

Human Life. 1995.

<http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html>

1 Comment, Pro-Life, by Catholic Chapter House.

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The Holy Father Explains “For All” vs. “For Many”

May 15th, 2012

LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
PRO MULTIS
TO H.E. MSGR. ROBERT ZOLLITSCH
ARCHBISHOP OF FREIBURG
PRESIDENT OF THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE OF GERMANY

From the Vatican, 14 April 2012

 Your Excellency, Dear Archbishop,

During your visit on 15 March 2012, you informed me that there is still no unanimity among the bishops of the German-speaking world with regard to the translation of the words “pro multis” in the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass. There seems to be a risk that in the new edition of Gotteslob that is due to be published shortly, some parts of the German-speaking world wish to retain the translation “for all”, even if the German Bishops’ Conference should agree to use “for many”, as requested by the Holy See. I promised that I would write to you on this important matter, in order to circumvent a division of this kind at the very heart of our prayer. This letter that I am addressing through you to the members of the German Bishops’ Conference will also be sent to the other bishops of the German-speaking world.

Let me begin with a brief word about how the problem arose. In the 1960s, when the Roman Missal had to be translated into German, under the responsibility of the bishops, there was a consensus among exegetes to the effect that the word “many” in Is 53:11f. is a Hebrew expression referring to the totality, “all”. It would follow that the use of the word “many” in the institution narratives of Matthew and Mark is a Semitism and should be translated “all”. This argument was also applied to the Latin text that was being translated directly, and it was claimed that “pro multis” points beyond the Gospel narratives to Is 53 and should therefore be translated “for all”. This exegetical consensus has collapsed in the meantime: it no longer exists. In the official German translation of the Scriptures, the account of the Last Supper includes the words: “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many” (Mk 14:24; cf. Mt 26:28). This highlights something very important: the rendering of “pro multis” as “for all” was not merely a translation but an interpretation, a well-founded interpretation then as now, but an interpretation nevertheless, something more than a translation.

In a certain sense, this combination of translation and interpretation was one of the principles that governed the translation of liturgical books into modern languages immediately after the Council. It was realized how remote the Bible and liturgical texts were from the linguistic and conceptual world of people today, so that even in translation they were bound to remain largely unintelligible to worshippers. It was a new development that the sacred texts were now being made accessible to worshippers in translation, and yet they would remain remote from their world, indeed that remoteness was made manifest for the first time. So it seemed not only justifiable but even necessary to build interpretation into the translation and in this way to speak more directly to the listeners, whose hearts and minds these words were intended to reach.

Up to a point, the principle of translating the content rather than the literal meaning of key texts is still justified. Since I constantly have to say liturgical prayers in a variety of languages, though, it strikes me that the different translations sometimes have little in common and that often the common text underlying them can scarcely be detected. Some banal elements have also crept in, which are real impoverishments. So over the years it has become increasingly clear to me personally that as an approach to translation, the principle of structural as opposed to literal equivalence has its limits. In accordance with insights of this kind, the instruction for translators Liturgiam Authenticam, issued on 28 March 2001 by the Congregation for Divine Worship, shifted the focus back onto the principle of literal equivalence, without of course requiring a one-sided verbalism. The important insight underpinning this instruction is the above-mentioned distinction between translation and interpretation. It is necessary both for Scripture and for liturgical texts. On the one hand, the sacred text must appear as itself as far as possible, even if it seems alien and raises questions; on the other hand the Church has the task of explaining it, so that within the limits of our understanding, the message that the Lord intends for us actually reaches us. Not even the most sensitive translation can take away the need for explanation: it is part of the structure of revelation that the word of God is read within the exegetical community of the Church – faithfulness and drawing out the contemporary relevance go together. The word must be presented as it is, with its own shape, however strange it may appear to us; the interpretation must be measured by the criterion of faithfulness to the word itself, while at the same time rendering it accessible to today’s listeners.

In this context, the Holy See has decided that in the new translation of the Missal, the words “pro multis” should be translated as they stand, and not presented in the form of an interpretation. In the place of the interpretative explanation “for all”, the simple rendering “for many” must appear. Let me take the opportunity to point out that neither Matthew nor Mark uses the definite article, so it is not “for the many”, but “for many”. If this decision makes a great deal of sense, as I hope it does, in terms of the fundamental relationship between translation and exegesis, I am also aware that it poses an enormous challenge to those with the task of explaining the word of God in the Church, since to the ordinary church-goer it will almost inevitably seem like a rupture at the heart of the sacred. They will ask: did Christ not die for all? Has the Church changed her teaching? Can she do so? May she do so? Are there reactionary forces at work here to destroy the heritage of the Council? We all know from experience of the last fifty years how deeply the alteration of liturgical forms and texts touches people’s souls. How greatly perturbed people will be, then, by a change in the text at such a key moment. This being so, when the decision was made to opt for the translation “many”, in view of the difference between translation and explanation, it was established at the same time that a thorough catechesis would be needed to prepare the way for this translation in the various language regions: the bishops would have to help the priests, and through them the lay faithful, to understand exactly what this is about. Prior catechesis is the essential condition for adoption of the new translation. As far as I am aware, no such catechesis has yet taken place in the German-speaking world. The purpose of my letter is urgently to ask all of you, my dear Brother Bishops, to develop a catechesis of this kind, to discuss it with the priests and to make it available to the lay faithful.

The first element in such catechesis would have to be a brief explanation as to why the word “many” was rendered as “all” in the translation of the Missal prepared after the Council: in order to express unequivocally, in the sense willed by Jesus, the universality of the salvation that he brought. The question immediately arises: if Jesus died for all, then why did he say “for many” at the Last Supper? And why do we retain these words of Jesus for the institution? Here it must be added straight away that according to Matthew and Mark, Jesus said “for many”, while according to Luke and Paul he said “for you”, which seems to narrow the focus even further. Yet it is precisely this that points towards the solution. The disciples know that Jesus’ mission extends beyond them and their circle, they know that he came to gather together the scattered children of God from all over the world (Jn 11:52). Yet this “for you” makes Jesus’ mission quite concrete for those present. They are not simply anonymous elements within some vast whole: each one of them knows that the Lord died precisely for me, for us. “For you” covers the past and the future, it means me, personally; we, who are assembled here, are known and loved by Jesus for ourselves. So this “for you” is not a narrowing down, but a making concrete, and it applies to every eucharistic community, concretely uniting it to the love of Jesus. In the words of consecration, the Roman Canon combined the two biblical formulae, and so it says “for you and for many”. This formula was then adopted for all the Eucharistic Prayers at the time of the liturgical reform.

Once again, though, we ask: why “for many”? Did the Lord not die for all? The fact that Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, is the man for all men, the new Adam, is one of the fundamental convictions of our faith. Let me recall just three Scriptural texts on the subject: God “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all”, as Paul says in the Letter to the Romans (8:32). “One has died for all,” as he says in the Second Letter to the Corinthians concerning Jesus’ death (5:14). Jesus “gave himself as a ransom for all,” as we read in the First Letter to Timothy (2:6). So the question arises once more: if this is so clear, why do we say “for many” in the Eucharistic Prayer? Well, the Church has taken this formula from the institution narratives of the New Testament. She says these words out of deference for Jesus’ own words, in order to remain literally faithful to him. Respect for the words of Jesus himself is the reason for the formulation of the Eucharistic Prayer. But then we ask: why did Jesus say this? The reason is that in this way Jesus enables people to recognize him as the Suffering Servant of Is 53, he reveals himself as the figure to whom the prophecy refers. The Church’s respect for the words of Jesus, Jesus’ fidelity to the words of “Scripture”: this double fidelity is the concrete reason for the formulation “for many”. In this chain of respectful fidelity, we too take our place with a literal translation of the words of Scripture.

Just as we saw earlier that the “for you” of the Luke-Paul tradition does not restrict but rather makes concrete, so now we recognize that the dialectic “many” – “all” has a meaning of its own. “All” concerns the ontological plane – the life and ministry of Jesus embraces the whole of humanity: past, present and future. But specifically, historically, in the concrete community of those who celebrate the Eucharist, he comes only to “many”. So here we see a threefold meaning of the relationship between “many” and “all”. Firstly, for us who are invited to sit at his table, it means surprise, joy and thankfulness that he has called me, that I can be with him and come to know him. “Thank the Lord that in his grace he has called me into his Church.” Secondly, this brings with it a certain responsibility. How the Lord in his own way reaches the others – “all” – ultimately remains his mystery. But without doubt it is a responsibility to be directly called to his table, so that I hear the words “for you” – he suffered for me. The many bear responsibility for all. The community of the many must be the lamp on the lamp-stand, a city on the hilltop, yeast for all. This is a vocation that affects each one of us individually, quite personally. The many, that is to say, we ourselves, must be conscious of our mission of responsibility towards the whole. Finally, a third aspect comes into play. In today’s society we often feel that we are not “many”, but rather few – a small remnant becoming smaller all the time. But no – we are “many”: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues,”, as we read in the Revelation of Saint John (7:9). We are many and we stand for all. So the words “many” and “all” go together and are intertwined with responsibility and promise.

Your Excellency, dear Brother Bishops, with these thoughts I have tried to set out the basic content of the catechesis with which priests and laity are to be prepared as soon as possible for the new translation. I hope that all of this can at the same time nourish a deeper participation in the Holy Eucharist and thus take its place within the great task that lies ahead of us in the “Year of Faith”. I hope too that the catechesis will be presented soon and will thus become part of the renewal of worship that the Council strove to achieve from its very first session.

With paschal blessings, I remain
Yours in the Lord,

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Source: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20120414_zollitsch_en.html

______________________________

Suggested Reading:

How to Get the Most Out of Mass – MP3

The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth

Heart of the Christian Life: Thoughts on the Holy Mass

3 Comments, The Mass, by Catholic Chapter House.

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Our Lady: How to Conquer Evil without Lifting a Finger

May 14th, 2012

Written By Madeleine Gubbels

I was once in the company of a very holy priest. From where we sat, we had a view of a garden in which a statue of our Lady stood. Her head was bowed, her palms open, and underneath her feet lay a snake.

I had been discussing with this priest how to lead a holy life. He gestured to our Lady and said:

“Do you see how she stands, with her head bowed and her arms extended and her hands unclenched? A perfect image of humility and receptivity and total openness to our Lord. She is the very image of peace, yet underneath her feet lies a snake. She has not broken a sweat, she has used no violent force, yet under her feet lies Satan conquered. To live a holy and happy life, all we need is to imitate our Lady’s perfect obedience and self-surrender to God.”

____________________________

Suggested Reading/Viewing:

The Life of Mary As Seen By The Mystics

The Mysteries of Mary

The 13th Day – DVD

Bernadette: 150th Anniversary Edition – DVD

No Comments, Mary, by Catholic Chapter House.

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National March for Life Canada

May 10th, 2012

Today tens of thousands of Canadians are making the trip to Ottawa to participate the largest protest of the year. However, you will not hear much about it in the lamestream media, I mean mainstream media.

Today is the National March for Life. People will be protesting, demanding change to happen. Currently, Canada does not have any abortion laws and as a result a child can be killed all the way up to seconds before it is “legally” born.

We ask Mary the Mother of God, our mother to pray for those at the March. By her intercession may she help bring hope to those women in a crisis pregnancy and change the hearts of lawmakers in Canada

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Ora Pro Nobis.


____________________________

Suggested Reading:

The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture

Women’s Health After Abortion: The Medical and Psychological Evidence

unPlanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey

Women’s Health at Risk – Abortion and Informed Consent – DVD

2 Comments, Abortion, Pro-Life, by Catholic Chapter House.

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Too Busy for Peace

May 10th, 2012

Written By: Mark Gamez,

I pride myself in being a good Christian; I sing at mass, visit the lonely and sick, and give to charities, etc. I do all these things, I believe, for all the right reason: Love of God, neighbor and self, but still, all these acts are insufficient in having a relationship with God. At first, I did many of these things because I truly felt a call and desire to do them; I also saw the wonderful effects I had on others, but like all things done repeatedly, all these good and loving actions become meaningless very quickly. Sooner or later, all these things just become another item on the “to do” list and all the meaning and inspiration are forgotten. Fatigue and the sense of being “burnt out” make these beautiful acts burdensome. In this state, the gifts of peace and joy are lost. So what can we do?

Pray!

Some of my favorite passages in the Gospel include the parts that talk about Jesus going off to pray. Here is one I really love: “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds, And after he dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray” (Matthew 14: 22-23).

In context: before this event, Jesus had withdrew into a deserted place by himself after hearing about John the Baptist’s death, but the crowds followed along with the disciples. He saw them and had compassion, so he cured them, and performed many miracles, but as the evening came, the disciples wanted to send the people away so they could eat. Jesus commanded the disciples to feed the 5000 people instead. The quotation immediately follows the feeding of the 5000 people.

For me, not only is Jesus going off to pray over the death of John the Baptist, but also, I believe that he must’ve been tired over all the miracles he had to perform and serving 5000 people! Jesus had a human body! He got angry, irritated with the Pharisees, so getting tired is not too far off an idea.

He retreated for a moment. In isolation, he prayed to his Father.

Prayer slows us down for a few moments during the day. It can calm us and give rest to our body and soul. We reorganize our thoughts and God can remind us the reasons we are doing everything that we do. However, the most important thing is that we talk to God and grow in deeper relationship with him. The more we come to talk to God, the more we realize that we are not in a slave and master relationship, that we are not his slaves and that He in fact can do everything without us. In fact, at times in our life, he will ask us to do less and less so that we can focus more on resting and conversing with him.

For the busy Christian, I leave you with Luke’s account of Martha:

“Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10: 38-42).

 _____________________________

Suggested Reading:

Interior Freedom

The Way of Perfection -Saint Teresa of Jesus

Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship

1 Comment, Prayer, by Catholic Chapter House.

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Of Praying & Waiting

May 9th, 2012

Written By: Patricia Everaert,

Though I moan and whinge a great deal, the truth of it is I am blessed right out of my fuzzy pink socks. 

Being the moaner and whinger that I am (when I forget about the blessedness) I am often able to work myself into a right old state of stress induced mess. It’s a skill, let me tell you, one that I’ve been perfecting over my many long years of wandering this earth. I was refining my skills recently, what with the discernment to move, the need for additional or alternate work and so on.

Thinking that surely I could put all the necessary pieces into place, I was straining my whole being to try to make something happen.  Not leaving God out of the equation entirely, I sought to discern His will for me, fully expecting to hear back something rather wretched because that is what would be good for me (much like cardio and broccoli).

Months passed.  Nothing seemed to be happening. What was going on?  What had gone wrong?  I was at my wit’s end… the very frayed ends.  I applied for jobs out of province, jobs I didn’t really want, jobs in cities I had no intention of ever living in. I contemplated taking an apartment I couldn’t afford, reworked budget numbers again and again, all in an attempt to make something fit, to take any action for the sake of taking action.

Fortunately, God loves me.  And He speaks to me.  So often in my life I have heard His voice answering a need or a question so directly and so clearly there is no doubt whatsoever it is Him and it is for me.  It comes in a line of dialogue in a movie, the words of a friend, a passage in a novel.  Many times I hear Him in Scripture.  I will feel a strong prompting to open my bible and will be lead to a verse that speaks directly to my heart about what has been on my mind.

On this particular occasion, I was consumed with thoughts about the future, worrying about what I was supposed to do, wanting to push ahead.  I wanted to escape myself for a while and thought of watching Youtube clips (an excellent way to use up lots of time, if ever you find yourself with a few hours you don’t know what to do with)  I got that niggling feeling I should sit with my bible instead (something I haven’t been so great at, lately).

There, in Habakkuk 2: 3, was an answer to “What am I supposed to do? Why is this taking so long?”

For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late

God’s word really is a balm.  Instantly, the worry, anxiety, needing to push ahead, all faded away, leaving behind only peace… and patience.  God hasn’t forgotten about me. There is a plan, and it will be revealed in its proper time. I don’t have to make something happen; it’s not up to me to put all the pieces in place.  What a relief!  Now, I’ve been around for a while, so I knew this already.  I’ve even read this passage before – it’s highlighted in bible-highlighter-pencil yellow. But I was too busy with the plotting and fretting to remember those beautiful words.

But what about treadmills and broccoli? I must have stern Protestants somewhere in my family tree, because I can’t shake the certainty that what God wants for me is not something I’m going to enjoy very much.  Surely happiness can’t be good for me, therefore what God wants for me is very different from what I want for me. In this situation, I’ve had one clear desire: to find a job in this area, and a lovely little apartment nearby the Peanuts, but I’ve been pushing those thoughts aside, bracing myself to hear the dreaded news that I would be moving to Regina to work in a grey office far, far away.

I woke up one morning – the morning of The Appointment (a job interview, actually) – with the realization that I had it all wrong.  It is true that my wants do not always align with what is best, and I do at times yearn for things outside of God’s Providence. Where I’ve gone wrong in my thinking this time, though, is that I have been really praying about the situation. I have been earnestly seeking God’s will, I really want to be obedient, and say yes to what He asks of me. Does it make any kind of sense then, that He would consign me to misery?  No!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD, “plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me, and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek me, and find me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ~ Jer. 29:11-13

Plans of peace, a future and a hope; when I seek God, I will find Him.  There is nothing to be wary of in that! That is a promise I can embrace wholeheartedly.  And there is more:

Delight yourself in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ~ Psalm 37:4,5 

For the first time I understood this to mean that not only will God provide the answer to my prayer, my desires, my needs, but that the desire itself, the actual yearning comes from Him. When I am seeking God first of all, everything else falls into proper order, including my goals and ambitions, my hopes and dreams.  With this perspective, I can see that my wanting to stay close to my family is something God wants for me, too.

So, no more worrying for me. I will be patient and wait for God to show me the next step forward.  And it will be worth the wait.

Every good and perfect gift comes from God  ~ James 1:17

____________________

Suggested Reading:

The Discernment of Spirits

Abandonment to Divine Providence

The Pope & The CEO: John Paul II’s Leadership Lessons to a Young Swiss Guard

3 Comments, Catholic Living, Prayer, Vocation, by Catholic Chapter House.

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It’s Okay to Fail

May 8th, 2012

Written By: Amber Miller

As a disclaimer, I am not going to encourage you to intentionally fail at anything. I am not providing an excuse not to give your best effort in the things you are called to do. Honest, ethical work done well brings glory to God and helps the worker to grow in humility and self-discipline.

“All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him”

This year at university didn’t end exactly as planned. In other words, I failed one of my electives.  I know, “Fail” is an “F” word that no one feels comfortable saying (or hearing), but honestly, what will I accomplish in hiding this fact? Failure- like sickness, pain, joy, and thirst- is a part (and a consequence) of our human weakness.  I have finally accepted the fact that I am more than capable of failure. Strangely, knowing this actually frees me to try my best. So we established that failure is part of life from which we are not exempt, and that despite our human weakness, we should still strive through our everyday work for God’s glory and our self-betterment. But how should I react now that I have failed- in this case, a course in school?

Firstly, don’t despair. No matter how badly you messed up, God knows exactly have to bring something wonderful from it. All things work out for His glory and for our good. I learned this the day I found out that I failed geography. I was on the verge of tears: I failed! I wondered if they would let me back into McMaster, and what I would do if they didn’t. Oh God!, I remember thinking, what do I do now? Oddly, I was reminded of Moses and his people wandering through the desert, hot, hungry and whining. I had always judged those desert wanderers don’t you remember what God has done for you before?! What are you worried about now?! And then it clicked. I had no right to worry because worrying never got me anywhere. God did, and He’s got me now.

Secondly, don’t be ashamed. Sin and failure is all that we are capable of without God’s help. Instead of trying to cover up our messy humanness, let’s bring it to the Light, and let the Light take care of it. This is why confession is so important. If we hide away our sins, the evil one can hold that against us like spiritual blackmail. But all that is destroyed when we regularly confess [to] the Truth! In addition, your confessor can add a whole new perspective to any mistake or bad habit you’ve made. Don’t be afraid to make known your need for God. It’s okay to fail, as long as you always, always try.

____________________________

Suggested Reading:

God, I Have Issues: 50 Ways to Pray No Matter How You Feel

Virtuous Leadership

1 Comment, Catholic Living, by Catholic Chapter House.

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Women and Careers: The World According to Fulton J. Sheen

May 7th, 2012

Written By: Sarah Gould

I’m in the throes of moving for the second time in less than one year. While packing our bookshelf up once again, I came across “Love, Marriage and Children” by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.  I don’t know about you, but it usually takes me several enjoyable hours to pack up my books because I can’t resist picking each book up, turning it over, opening it up and reading a snippet and then lovingly placing it into a box.  And I have a giant wall of books.  When I picked up Bishop Sheen’s book last night, it took me an extra-long time to put it down because I happened to open it to the chapter entitled “Does a business career harden a woman?”  I was fascinated from the get-go, not only because of FJS’s uncommonly practical good sense, but because the subject matter is so close to my heart. 

In certain Catholic and Christian circles, it is the understanding that the only place a woman belongs is in her home, caring for her children.  It has been put to me that the greatest of travesties are childless married women or single ladies working in the world – how can they be true to their femininity without staying home and having babies?  I have struggled with this view, as I want to be true to my own womanhood. Where do I fit into God’s plan for femininity in the working world?  Is having a career antagonistic to the feminine heart, hardening the spirit and damaging it? 

Not at all.  Bishop Sheen is adamant that the feminine spirit is neither hardened nor damaged merely by working in the world, as long as each woman brings who she truly is at her core to her work. 

So then who are we, as women?  What do we have to bring to the workforce, and to the world? 

A woman’s gifts

In the beginning, man and woman were assigned separate and distinct roles.  Man was instructed to cultivate and care for the Garden of Eden.  His role was primarily concerned with nature, that is objects, abstractions and things of the world.  Woman was made as helpmate, companion and bearer of life.  Her role was centered on life and love – centered on persons.  Sheen says, “The man is much more concerned with action, the woman with the inspiration to action.  She does not so much help man, as inspire him to help himself. …Woman, inasmuch as she is dedicated to life and is a symbol of rebirth and renewal, is personal.”  Woman brings her focus on persons.

In line with his nature, man proceeds logically in thought.  His thoughts are with objects, abstract ideals and business, while woman’s thoughts are more intuitive.  “…woman is concerned with love and concrete reality…her intuition is rather immediate, like the eye when it instantaneously measures distance or dimension.  She arrives at conclusions without taking intermediate steps, discovering undertones of character.  Her knowledge comes through identification and co-naturality with others.”  Woman brings her intuition. 

Men are more apt to be heroes through some great passionate outburst of heroism.  Whereas a woman is “capable of more sacrifices than a man.  A woman’s love makes a thousand small sacrifices, sprinkling them through the days and the months; their very repetition gives them the character of commonplace.”  Woman brings her ability to sacrifice for the sake of love.

“The essence of femininity was revealed when an angel came from heaven and saluted a Woman: ‘Hail, Full of Grace…’ and summoned her to be the bearer of the Divine.”  Just as the Blessed Mother uttered her Fiat to the Divine Mystery being presented to her and submitted to the requirements of the Divine Will, so too every “woman by nature is meant to be a collaborator with God in a work which brings Heaven to earth, God to man, eternity to time.  A pencil if conscious, would be happy when it is writing…so, too, a woman is happy when she is submissive to heaven’s holy purposes.”  Woman brings heaven to earth by her collaboration with and submission to God. 

Every woman is born to be a mother, either biologically or spiritually.  This innate call to universal motherhood is the basis of a woman’s spiritual motherhood, even when she has no biological children.  “A woman becomes a spiritual mother when she holds out her hand to the weak and the abandoned.  …That’s why professions like doctor, nurse, social worker and teacher are not professions in the strict sense that they are for men, but are expressions of spiritual motherhood.”  But that is not all.  Woman, by being true to her feminine heart brings the Divine to the world.  She brings life into the world not only physically, but also mentally and spiritually by her very nature and this ability to bear life is deeply connected to her mission and vocation.   

“Woman has to bring the Divine to the human; otherwise she is not happy.  If she is denied, or denies herself the fulfillment of this spiritual mission of giving and surrendering herself to others, she has a far deeper sense of inadequacy and emptiness than a man can have, because of the greater depths of her fountain of love.  The frustrated and unhappy women in the world today are so not because of the economic and political and social world in which they move but because of themselves; the wreckage is due to the loss of their mission in life.  Woman has forgotten her nature, and she has forgotten that she is heaven’s instrument on earth.  Man cooperates with nature, but woman cooperates with God.  Woman, to be happy, must be a co-worker to the Divine; she bears what God alone can give.  As Leon Bloy has said: ‘The more a woman is holy, the more she is a woman.’” (emphasis mine) 

True equality

Since men are, by grace and nature, geared outward, towards the world and women inward, towards persons, the good bishop speaks about the feminist “Equality” tagline being inherently flawed.  Since the feminist version of equality roughly means “anything you can do I can do better”, what they are after is absurd.

“Equality meant uniformity, or exactly the same amount of everything for everybody.  It was forgotten that there are two kinds of equality: mathematical and proportional equality.  For example, a mother does not give the same clothes, same food, same spending money to a son of two that gives to a daughter of sixteen; but as a good mother, she gives proportional equality, according to age, needs and physical and spiritual differences.” 

It is not that women cannot do the work that men do, the issue is that women cannot do the work that men do in exactly the same manner as they do it. “What women wanted was to do man’s work in man’s way, which is quite different from doing the same work as man in a woman’s way.” 

Why would women want to trade in their precious gifts?  To be more manly in their methods?  I grew up with 6 brothers.  I must admit there were many a time that I wished I were a boy if not only to fit in with the boys games of baseball or hockey, telling myself I enjoyed these things when I hated them.  It has taken me years to come to an understanding and love for my own feminine heart and nature, which I only recently learned is beautiful and desperately needed in the world.  

What not to do

Bishop Sheen specifies certain kinds of work that are decidedly unfeminine.  While I started to think of all the dirtiest jobs possible – sewer cleaner, roadkill collector, septic technician, etc – what Sheen says surprised me, but as usual makes good sense.  His idea of unfeminine work is “…repetitive work with machinery, like pushing a button when a blunt needle passes on a belt.  Particularly defemininzing are those jobs which are beyond a woman’s physical strength.” It is the mind-numbing, soul-crushing repetitive jobs or the jobs that require brute physical strength a woman doesn’t possess that oppose a woman’s spirit.  And while women will do many a soul-crushing, mind-numbing thing for love of their husbands and families, to choose to do so indefinitely when other choices are available is spiritual suicide.

Young people, be who you are

“It is not a question now of whether woman should appear in public or be content to reign in private; the question is rather whether she will exercise her role in a specifically feminine way.  All the professions can be bettered through her spiritual influence.  Man came from the slime of the earth; but woman came from a rational creature, made to the image and likeness of God.” 

This missive is not meant to be insulting to men and worship women.  It is a call to all women to be true to your feminine hearts; especially within the vocation God has placed you, whether that be within or outside of the home.  It is not surprising that women can do most of the typically male jobs.  What might be surprising is that women’s gifts are desperately needed within the workforce and that all the professions can be bettered through her spiritual influence – tempering and complimenting the gifts men bring to the workplace.   “Imagine Helen of Troy, Joan of Arc, Esther, Ruth or the women at the foot of the cross as men instead of women.  The very uniqueness of the roles they played was due to the spiritual qualities they alone possessed.”  Our differences in nature, outlook and gifts not only compliment each other, but if we acknowledge them and play to our strengths, contribute to our happiness, contentment and fulfillment. 

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Suggested Reading/ Listening:

Pro Life Feminism- Different Voices Paperback

Feminism Misunderstood: One Woman’s Journey to Peace

Feminine Genius

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