THE HEART OF A SEMINARIAN

A Roman Catholic Seminarian opens up his Heart and shares the Faith he Loves.

CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME 

ST. PIUS V 

Saint Pius V was born near Alessandria in Italy in 1504. He entered the Dominican Order and taught theology.  After being ordained a bishop and named a cardinal, he became pope in 1566.  He vigorously implemented the reform of the Church begun at Trent , promoted the spread of the faith and renewed divine worship.  He died on May 1, 1572. (LOH 1796)

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ISTALLATION OF BENEDICT XVI HOMILY PART III 

In his installation homily, the Holy Father gave a great message to all people in which he shared his views of his papacy, the Church, and ecumenicalism.  Also, he explained the symbols of his office that he received during the installation.  These are a few excerpts from his homily.  I will cover all these areas above through the week with more words from the homily of the Holy Father.  I will try to put them in context as you read these words of our Pope.  

ADVICE ON LIFE

“At this point, my mind goes back to 22 October 1978, when Pope John Paul II began his ministry here in Saint Peters Square. His words on that occasion constantly echo in my ears: "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ!" The Pope was addressing the mighty, the powerful of this world, who feared that Christ might take away something of their power if they were to let him in, if they were to allow the faith to be free. Yes, he would certainly have taken something away from them: the dominion of corruption, the manipulation of law and the freedom to do as they pleased. But he would not have taken away anything that pertains to human freedom or dignity, or to the building of a just society. The Pope was also speaking to everyone, especially the young. Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? Are we not perhaps afraid to give up something significant, something unique, something that makes life so beautiful? Do we not then risk ending up diminished and deprived of our freedom? And once again the Pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation.

And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ and you will find true life. Amen.”

 Let us keep all people, especially the youth, in our prayers so that we may open our hearts to Christ without fear. 

posted by: muniz at 23:41 | link | comments |
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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME 

 ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA - Memorial  

 Saint Catherine was born at Siena in 1347.  While still a young girl, she sought the way of perfection and entered the Third Order of Saint Dominic.  On fire with love of God and neighbor, she established peace and concord between cities, vigorously fought for the rights and freedom of the Roman Pontiff, and promoted the renewal of religious life.  She also composed works of doctrine and spiritual inspiration.  She died in 1380. (LOH 1793-4)

 

posted by: muniz at 23:26 | link | comments |
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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME

ST. PETER CHANEL

Saint Peter Chanel was born in the town of Cuet in France in 1803.  After ordination to the priesthood, he was engaged in pastoral work for a few years.  He then joined the Marists and journeyed to Oceania to preach the Gospel.  Despite many hardships he converted some of the natives to the faith.  Out of hatred for the faith, a band of native warriors killed him in 1841 on the island of Futuna . (LOH 1791)

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OLIVIA GRACE THORPE 

I would like to ask a favor from all of you.  Today is the 3^rd anniversary of my Goddaughter’s baptism.  As a gift to this 3 year old girl, please say a special prayer for her.

BAPTISM PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, hear our prayers. With Your unfailing protection, watch over and cherish this child, whom You have blessed with the grace of Baptism. When this child has grown, grant that she may confess Your name in willing faith, be fervent in charity, and persevere courageously in the hope of reaching Your kingdom, where You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

 

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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH 

This is just an opportunity for anyone to ask questions about the Catholic faith or anything else pertaining to faith.

Also, this is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts on the blog and the ways that it can improve.

Finally, thanks for reading my blog.  I really do appreciate it.

posted by: muniz at 23:43 | link | comments (3) |

ISTALLATION OF BENEDICT XVI HOMILY PART II

In his installation homily, the Holy Father gave a great message to all people in which he shared his views of his papacy, the Church, and ecumenicalism.  Also, he explained the symbols of his office that he received during the installation.  These are a few excerpts from his homily.  I will cover all these areas above through the week with more words from the homily of the Holy Father.  I will try to put them in context as you read these words of our Pope.  

 STATE OF THE CHURCH 

In his eyes, he sees the Church in a positive light.  He says: 

“Yes, the Church is alive this is the wonderful experience of these days. During those sad days of the Popes illness and death, it became wonderfully evident to us that the Church is alive. And the Church is young. She holds within herself the future of the world and therefore shows each of us the way toward the future. The Church is alive and we are seeing it: we are experiencing the joy that the Risen Lord promised his followers. The Church is alive she is alive because Christ is alive, because he is truly risen.”  

 After he explained the symbols of the wool pallium and a fisher’s ring that he received in the inauguration, he tied them together with his view of the primary dilemma for the Church.  He says: 

“Here I want to add something: both the image of the shepherd and that of the fisherman issue an explicit call to unity. "I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must lead them too, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd" (John 10:16); these are the words of Jesus at the end of his discourse on the Good Shepherd. And the account of the 153 large fish ends with the joyful statement: "although there were so many, the net was not torn" (John 21:11). Alas, beloved Lord, with sorrow we must now acknowledge that it has been torn! But no we must not be sad! Let us rejoice because of your promise, which does not disappoint, and let us do all we can to pursue the path toward the unity you have promised. Let us remember it in our prayer to the Lord, as we plead with him: yes, Lord, remember your promise. Grant that we may be one flock and one shepherd! Do not allow your net to be torn, help us to be servants of unity!” 

Let us keep Pope Benedict XVI in our prayers so that he may lead the Church to the unity that God has promised.

Photo from: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050424/ids_photos_wl/r2085152999.jpg

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NEWS AND NOTES 

·        This Saturday I was installed in the ministry of Acolyte.  This is the last step before I get ordained a deacon.  In this ministry, I help at the altar and as Eucharistic minister. 

·        This Saturday a group of amazing women hosted their first “Blessed art Thou: A Celebration for Women”.  This was a day filled with speakers and different booths all for women.  These women who started a group called “Moments for Moms” created the idea for this event.  They were hoping for 25 women, which ended up topping over 150.  These women are awesome. 

·        Cograds to the Confirmation class in Greenville, IL .  I was lucky enough to help with a retreat for them.  These kids are great. 

·        Pray for me in my last 2 weeks of class.

posted by: muniz at 23:46 | link | comments |

CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME 

ST. MARK - Feast 

Saint Mark, a cousin of Barnabas, accompanied Saint Paul on his first missionary journey and later went with him to Rome .  He was a disciple of Saint Peter whose teaching was basis for Mark’s gospel.  Mark is said to be the founder of the church in Alexandria . (LOH 1782)

posted by: muniz at 23:03 | link | comments |
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ISTALLATION OF BENEDICT XVI HOMILY PART I 

In his installation homily, the Holy Father gave a great message to all people in which he shared his views of his papacy, the Church, and ecumenicalism.  Also, he explained the symbols of his office that he received during the installation.  These are a few excerpts from his homily.  I will cover all these areas above through the week with more words from the homily of the Holy Father.  I will try to put them in context as you read these words of our Pope.

 

PAPACY OF BENEDICT XVI 

In this homily, He is mentioning how the Litany of Saints where sung 3 times in the past week (funeral of John Paul II, beginning of Conclave, his installation) and what that means to him.

“And now, at this moment, weak servant of God that I am, I must assume this enormous task, which truly exceeds all human capacity. How can I do this? How will I be able to do it? All of you, my dear friends, have just invoked the entire host of Saints, represented by some of the great names in the history of Gods dealings with mankind. In this way, I too can say with renewed conviction: I am not alone. I do not have to carry alone what in truth I could never carry alone. All the Saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me and to carry me. And your prayers, my dear friends, your indulgence, your love, your faith and your hope accompany me.”

Later on he continued his plea for prayer after he explained the view of the pope as a shepherd.

“My dear friends at this moment I can only say: pray for me, that I may learn to love the Lord more and more. Pray for me, that I may learn to love his flock more and more in other words, you, the holy Church, each one of you and all of you together. Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves. Let us pray for one another, that the Lord will carry us and that we will learn to carry one another.”

At the moment of his election, everyone asked the question: “How would he govern the Church?”  He addresses this concern by sharing his core objective.

“My real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself will lead the Church at this hour of our history.”

Let us keep Pope Benedict XVI in our prayers so that he may lead the Church according to the Will of God.

Photo from http://www.foxnews.com

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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME

ST. FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN

Saint Fidelis was born in the town of Sigmaringen in Germany in 1578. He entered the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins and led an austere life of penance, vigils and prayer.  Continuously engaged in preaching the word of God, he was commissioned by the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith to preach in the canton of the Grisons.  In 1622 he was attacked by a band of heretics and suffered martyrdom at Seewis in Switzerland . (LOH 1779)

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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME 

ST. GEORGE 

The veneration of Saint George began early as the fourth century at Lydda in Palestine , where a church was built in his honor.  From antiquity this veneration has spread throughout both the East and the West. (LOH 1777)

posted by: muniz at 23:30 | link | comments |
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WHY DID HE PICK ‘BENEDICT’? 

In the week heading to the conclave, the question was being asked “What name would the next pope pick?”  In their analysis, they came up with these reasons why the next pope would pick one of these possible names: 

John Paul – to continue the teachings of JPII 

Pius – to bring the Church back to the times before Vatican II 

John – to change and move the Church to the modern day

As the white smoke was flowing out of the staff and the bells rang, the news asked a priest in the studio the question about reasons for picking a name.  The priest answered with examples from the past. 

Paul VI wanted John but he chose not to use it because that was his real name. 

John XXIII picked John because his dad’s name was John. 

Pius XII picked it because somehow he is related to Pius IX.  

For all the theological reasons people envisioned for how a pope chose a name, it turns out that many names are chosen for personal reasons.   

 

Here is my guess at a reason why Joseph Ratzinger chose Benedict.  His Birthday is April 16, which is the feast of  St. Benedict Joseph Labre.  Click on his name to read about him.

posted by: muniz at 13:25 | link | comments |
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MY VIEW OF THE NEW POPE

FEELINGS 

Words cannot express the joy I feel with the selection of our new Holy Father.  We are at a great time in history and you will soon see the reason why Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was chosen to lead us.  What can I say about him?  This man is as solid as it gets.  He was the right hand man of John Paul the Great and honestly I personally looked at him the past three years as the pope while his predecessor’s health was declining.  For nearly the past 25 years, he has been the defender of the faith as the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.  He is enjoyable to listen too. He will take the philosophy that JPII developed and concretize it into theology. 

 FUTURE 

1) You will constantly see the television networks rip apart our new pope just because he is solid like John Paul the Great.  They are taking their disappointment in the election out on him.  This is just like when someone begins to disinfect a wound.  At first there is a lot of screaming and then it gets better.  What you hear from the networks now is simply the screaming from the disinfectant which as time goes by will get better.  Through the height of the liberal agenda in the Church, JPII was there to steady the ship and protect the faith.  He led for 26 years, so those in the Church pushing this agenda have always just waited for the next pope in hope that he would be more receptive of their message.  To their disappointment, the next pope was far from what they would want.  After Benedict XVI, they will be disappointed again and again and again.  So what will end up happening is that those people will realize that the Church will never change her teachings and either repent or just leave.  If they leave is fine, because it is better to have a strong few than a large mediocre believers.  The issues that people bring up are not political issues to the Church; they are the teachings of the Church.  There are reasons for their teachings which are solid.  As a result, they are not negotiable. 

2) John Paul the Great in the midst of the storm of the liberal agenda philosophically deepened the faith by introducing a new way of understanding human dignity. This is not a new faith, but a new way of explaining it.  Now, Pope Benedict XVI has the responsibility to teach this theology.  My opinion is that when it is all said and done with this papacy, he will be viewed as the teaching pope; a pope who worked to explain the faith to the world.  He will take the developed work of his predecessor and spread it throughout.  This is just my opinion.

Photo from http://www.foxnews.com

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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME 

ST. ANSELM 

Saint Anselm was born at Aosta in Piedmont in 1033.  He entered the Benedictine Order at the monastery of Bec in France .  While he quickly progressed in the spiritual life, he taught theology to his fellow students.  He went to England where he was appointed archbishop of Canterbury .  He fought vigorously for the freedom of the Church, and for this he was twice exiled.  He has achieved fame for his writings, especially those on mystical theology.  He died in 1109.  (LOH 1773-4)

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POPE BENEDICT XVI 

Dear brothers and sisters, 

 After the Great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in the Lord’s vineyard.

 I am comforted by the fact that the Lord knows how to work and act even with insufficient instruments. And above all, I entrust myself to your prayers.

 With the joy of the risen Lord and confidence in his constant help, we will go forward. The Lord will help us and Mary his most holy mother will be alongside us.

 Thank you.

 -Pope Benedict XVI 

Photo from http://www.foxnews.com

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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME

ST. MARTIN I 

Saint Martin was born at Todi in Umbria .  He became a member of the clergy of Rome and was elected pope in 649.  He convened the council which condemned the heresy of the Monothelites.  In 653 he was taken prisioner by the Emperor Constans and detained in Constantinople where he was forced to suffer many indignities.  Finally, having been exiled to Kherson , he died in 656. (LOH 1770)

posted by: muniz at 16:07 | link | comments (2) |
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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME

ST. STANISLAUS

Saint Stanislaus was born in the town of Szczepanow in Poland around the year 1030.  He studied in Paris and was ordained to the priesthood.  In 1071 he succeeded Bishop Lambert at Cracow .  In this post he ruled as a good shepherd by helping the poor and visiting his clerics every year.  He courageously rebuked King Boleslaus who put him to death in 1097. (LOH 1768)

posted by: muniz at 22:31 | link | comments |
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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME – April 7

ST. JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE - Memorial

Saint John Baptist de la Salle was born at Rheims in France in 1651.  After ordination to the priesthood, he devoted himself to the education of boys and the founding of schools for the poor.  He brought his companions together as a religious congregation, for the sake of which he endured many sufferings.  He died at Rouen in 1719. (LOH 1765)

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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME – April 5 

ST. VINCENT FERRER 

Saint Vincent Ferrer was born at Valencia in Spain in 1350. He joined the Dominican Order and taught theology.  As a preacher, he traveled through many regions and instructed many people to observe the true teachings of their faith and to reform their lives.  He died at Vannes in France in 1419. (LOH 1762)

posted by: muniz at 22:09 | link | comments |
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CHRISTIAN HALL OF FAME - April 4 

 

ST. ISIDORE  

Saint Isidore was born around the year 560 at Seville in Spain .  After his father’s death he was raised by his brother Leander.  He was appointed bish