From Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP,
published in Catholic Outlook, May 2013

In the February 2013 issue of Catholic Outlook I asked ‘Does God exist?’ and I suggested that faith and reason agree: God does exist! But would God bother speaking to me?

After all, I am only one of nearly 7 billion people currently living on earth. We human beings share this globe with perhaps 8.7 million other species. Our planet is only one of several in a solar system that is only one of 200 billion plus in the Milky Way Galaxy. Our galaxy is one of perhaps 200 billion or more in the universe.

Even if there is a God – or gods – why would we imagine He or She or It or They would want to talk to us?

One reason might be this: that if God made us the sorts of beings that naturally search for meaning, including a transcendent source of purpose and direction, if He made us the sorts of beings that naturally reach out to God, He would surely not make it impossible for us to find Him.

Read More at the Catholic Outlook website

 

Do you have non-perishable food items that you want to donate, but just don't have the time?
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is coming up!
Be sure to check out the show for ways you can donate without leaving your house!

Happens May 11th

See Video involving our own Fr. Joseph O'Brien, OP in Las Vegas, Nevada.

See National Campaign

Jesus said: "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father′s hand. The Father and I are one." (John 10:27-30)

Christ the Good Shepherd is one the most familiar and endearing images of Christ in the Gospels. Guiding the flock; searching for strays; guarding against threats: these shepherd′s tasks reflect the spiritual gifts that Christ bestows on His Church. In these days after Easter, we read from the Acts of the Apostles where we discover that apostles themselves are enlivened and emboldened to imitate Christ as Good Shepherds. And this apostolic work continues. Through the ministry of Holy Orders, the Lord continues to call those to follow in his footsteps as successors to the apostles. For this reason, the Church prays in a special way for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Certainly meeting our six novices last week gives impetus to our prayers and perhaps we can include their perseverance in our prayers this week. Also on this Good Shepherd Sunday, we are excited to welcome Fr. Jerome Cudden to St. Dominic′s. As I announced last week, Fr. Jerome will be taking my place as Administrator at the end of June, and as I prepare to take on my new assignment as Pastor in St. Dominic′s in San Francisco, I wanted to give the parish a chance to meet your new pastor before he begins. By way of introduction, Fr. Jerome has written a brief biography for you. ∼ Fr. Michael Hurley, OP

I am honored to be in Benicia this weekend to introduce myself to you.  I would like to thank Fr. Michael for extending me this gracious invitation.  Benicia holds many fond memories for me. During my formation years, I presented a few talks, attended an Oktoberfest or two, buried a few of the brethren, and made my solemn vows on the steps in front of the altar.  After my ordination, I preached the Dominican Student Appeal in Benicia as part of my ministry as the Director of Development.   So, while never being officially assigned to Benicia, being assigned here does feel a little like a home coming.

[Read more at the St. Dominic-Benicia Website]

Pope Francis ‘a man from the poor and for the poor’

Pope Francis waves to the crowd in St Peter’s Square

Catholic Outlook Letter April 2013 of Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP

Habemus papam – We have a Pope! When Pope Francis appeared at the loggia of St Peter’s after being elected Bishop of Rome and 266th Universal Pastor of the Catholic Church he spent several moments considering the masses thronged before him.

With great humility, he asked the faithful gathered to pray for him – to bless him, as it were – before he blessed them. This simple, holy man will now lead us by example in the spiritual life.

It is interesting that most Vatican watchers didn’t have Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio on their radar. This is another proof of the saying Chi entra papa in conclave, ne esce cardinal, which in this case we might translate: “he who goes into the conclave – favoured by the Vatican watchers – as pope, comes out as cardinal”.

The Holy Spirit blows where He wills; the cardinal electors look for different things to the pundits; and so Catholics are not really surprised when they are surprised by papal elections!

[Please visit the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta for more of this letter]

Southern Tour Photo Journal 2

Day 4  Feb. 3, 2013

Just a quick recap, on the previous day (Feb. 2) we arrived at our destination, St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center, on the campus of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, AZ, in the afternoon. The big day was Sunday, February 3, on which we spent most of the day this day interacting with students at all the Masses. The highlight of the day, though, was the Super Bowl Party at the Newman Center. It was such a pity the 49ers lost, but we all had a fabulous time hanging out with all the Catholic Wildcats despite this.

[For the continuation and many pictures of the journey, please see the Novice Blog}

World Day Of Prayer
For Vocations
Set For April 21

WASHINGTON—The Vatican has set the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations for April 21, the fourth Sunday of Easter, commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday.

The theme for this year's celebration is "Vocations as a sign of hope founded in faith." The theme underscores the hope that vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life bring to the entire Church.

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, echoed the challenge.

"The Church's basic mission is to preach the Gospel and help build a civilization of love in our world today," he said. "We need good holy priests and dedicated men and women committed to the consecrated life to help build the Kingdom of God here and now. Therefore, we want a stronger culture of vocations in our own nation to help each Catholic realize that we all have a responsibility to invite young people to consider if God is calling them to the priesthood or consecrated life."

Vocation Prayer Card (PDF)

[Read more at the USCCB website]

by V. Rev. Bruno Cadore op, Master of the Order of Preachers

« I have seen wonders! ». This exclamation of Blessed John-Joseph Lataste following his first experience of preaching to the inmates of the Cadillac prison, could serve as an adequate introduction to this new year of preparation for the Order's Jubilee. In fact, the theme for this year is: « May it be done to me according to your word (Lk 1, 38) ». Mary: contemplation and preaching of the Word.

During this year of the novena, how can we be guided by the exclamation of the apostle of prisons? He had just preached in one of the worst places of dereliction; he had addressed women spoiled by life and by the serious acts of which they are guilty, worn by the conditions of their detention, crushed by the absence of a possible future. Nevertheless, having preached the Word of Light and Truth in this place of the worst dereliction, he has seen wonders. He contemplated the work of the Word he was preaching, the work of the mercy of the One who « loved us in friendship and perfect friendship ». He was dazzled in discovering the strength of women ostracized by male society as they experienced their re-creation in the image of the humanity of Christ while receiving the Word of mercy. Contemplation!

[Read the rest of the Master General's presentation]

IDI n. 513 - April 2013

General Norms and Various Observations
concerning the Holy Triduum.

 

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops have provided a useful listing of resources and suggestions for the celebration of  the Sacred Triduum.  Please note that these resources are related to the Roman Rite and may not fit perfectly with others usages, but will provide rich ideas.

 

Visit their site.

 

For resources concerning the Dominican Rite and Dominican usage within the Roman Rite,
Please visit Dominican Liturgy.

 

The Living Soul of Reform

 

Submitted by Br. Peter Junipero Hannah, O.P. on Thu, 03/14/2013 - 8:37pm

 

 

We live in exciting times. They are times of great change and great drama; of great controversy and great polarization; of great trial and great suffering. And they demand a vigorous response. We live in an era of cultural decay coming in the wake of the great upheavals of the 20th century, the most recent of which was the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Traditional forms of social cohesion like religious commitment, love of country, and familial stability, have been in decline for some years now.

Picture by Jraytram at en.wikipedia / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Crises have rocked the Catholic Church seemingly uninterruptedly for the last 40 years—whether confusion and dissolution in liturgical discipline, near-catastrophic failures in catechesis, a dearth of religious and priestly vocations, or (more recently) immoral and scandalous behavior of clergy. The question arises, “What do we do?” To begin, I propose a way of rethinking our use and understanding of a particular word. This word is summoned by diverse and sundry individuals and groups to defend changes in the Church, whether great or small, good or bad, wise or foolish. And the word is...“reform.” But first, a few words about using words.[1]

Sometimes when a word begins to be used in a variety of contexts, and by different people with differing intentions, it gradually loses its original specificity and can act as a kind of bully club, delivering a punchy and often emotionally-charged swipe at the expense of clarity and reasoned engagement. Such, I suppose, is the fate of words like “liberal” and “conservative” in popular discourse, or “open-minded” and “fundamentalist” in popular religious discourse. The words indeed mean something, but that meaning has gone through the wash so many times, and been worn again and soiled by so many different people, that they are often hurled forth irresponsibly, casting, as it were, a dirty and undignified garment on the adversary in the place of reasoned and patient engagement. Thus, in one fell swoop, a proponent of same-sex unions can brand his opponents “bigots” and the defender of traditional marriage has of a sudden been verbally clothed in a white suit with a pointy-hat, bigotry ready at hand. Or, in a similarly fellish swoop, a Catholic who believes the Magisterium ought to be adhered to in all matters of faith and doctrine can be called, with a tinge of visceral disdain, “narrow” or “rigid,” after which jaws clench, voices hush, and the argument has apparently been ended.