So?

 The latest issue of The Pilot, the Archdiocesan Newspaper of Boston, has an article on immigration, that has me wondering, "So what?".  The article is Critical Points in Immigration History: From restriction to reform and back again, by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.  What I note is this statement: "the problem we are dealing with is a mythical replacement theory -- that the new immigration is a plan to replace the white race in America."  

So, what if the white race is replaced?  Most of us will be dead by the time, if ever, that would happen.  Personally, I see mixed marriages between races.  Again, so?  Maybe it's God's plan.  Then we wouldn't have race problems, would we?  We could then be prejudice against people that are left-handed, or have green eyes, or are bald, or......  I'm sure Satan will think of something else to cause division.

It's all so silly.

My Childhood Icon

 See this statue of George Washington.  How many times did I pass this statue, when I was a child?  It was on Lawrence Street, in my home town of Methuen, MA.  Lawrence Street is one of the main streets, in town.  I also went to Junior High right across the street, from the statue.  I must have stared at it hundreds of times.  Finally, I went to high school at Presentation of Mary Academy, just down the street from the statue.  Oh how I wished the gates and iron fence, surrounding the area around the statue,  weren't there.  Maybe then I could have cut across and taken a shortcut to school.  

Sometime, when I was in Junior High, I think, a school was being build there.  The church I went to was building a parochial school.  Then the statue was gone.

I always thought it was because it was in the way of the building.  Progress--and all. 

Now I read in The Pilot, the history of the statue.  It was moved to Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood Hills, California.  The next time I visit my relatives in California, I going to see my childhood icon.

An Occasion for Reparation and Rectification for Sexual Abuse

Will it ever be over?  This article by Father Roger Landry tackles that question. An occasion for reparation and rectification: As we mark the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the toxic avalanche of revelations about decades of clergy sexual abuse of minors in Boston and beyond, the two headlines are clear. The trauma doesn't surface for maybe decades. But rectification has to continue.  Reparation must be made.

Picture Credit: Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d'Arcy James, Michael Keaton and John Slattery star in a scene from the movie "Spotlight," which chronicles the Boston Globe's uncovering of the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston in 2002. U.S. CNS photo/Open Road Films

Communion lessons

Communion lessons: It is hard to believe that people once considered the Catholic press boring. At least when it comes to opinions, as opposed to news, it never lacks for controversy. Here is the money quote:  The necessity for such a revival underscores an ongoing failing of our Church, however, which is the lack of continuous Catholic faith formation. Most Catholics received formal education in their childhood. They may be devout or disengaged, but they are often thinking in childhood categories. As St. Paul advises, at a certain point we need to put away childish things.

Greg Erlandson hits the point squarely.  Often when talking to former Catholics they believe with their childhood's understanding and never advanced that comprehension.  No wonder they don't believe.  I don't either.  At least they read articles and hopefully listen to Bishop Barron or other Catholic apologists.  Let's pray for them.

A day of gratitude or mourning?

A day of gratitude or mourning?: Last December 16, we marked the 400th Anniversary of the Pilgrims' disembarking in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and this year we celebrate the quatercentenary of the first Thanksgiving feast. 

But as this article in the Pilot tells us, the Wamponoags won't be celebrating.  I think it's a shame; we need to celebrate our survival.  But the native Americans feel they can't celebrate the Pilgrims' survival.  With the arrival of the Pilgrims came the beginning of their genocide.  

But if the Pilgrims didn't come, do you think the American Indians could have lived as they were, indefinitely?  Sooner or later, someone else would have come and done worse.  

What happened to the American natives is a tragedy.  History is overburdened with tragic stories.  

“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.”
-- Desmond Tutu

Move on.  Moving on doesn't mean you forget.  Learn from what happened.  Don't let it happen again.  Nurturing injustice just grows bitter resentment that hinders your success.  In fact, you are hurting yourself.  Focus on the future.  Make the world better than before.

Pastoral Concerns Should Come First

Liturgy wars: Considering the circumstances, I probably should begin this with a personal statement: I am not an aficionado of the Old Mass, otherwise known as the Latin Mass or the Tridentine Mass. This article, by Russell Shaw, tells a story of why pastoral concerns are important. 

Father Stephen Saffron, Parish Administrator, Elevates The Eucharist During A Traditional Latin Mass July 18, 2021, At St. Josaphat Church In The Queens Borough Of New York City. CNS Photo/Gregory A. Shemitz

Historic bell set to be returned to Lowell church

Historic bell set to be returned to Lowell church: LOWELL -- As St. Patrick Parish approaches its 190th anniversary, and the City of Lowell marks 200 years since the first Irish laborers came to work there, a part of their history is being restored by replacing the bell where it once belonged.

The bell has tolled its sound from town to town and even a private home.  Now it's back where it started.  Who said you can't go home?  It's different, but it's home.  Read about its travels in the Pilot.  

Plans are underway to return the Holbrook bell to its original home in St. Patrick Church in Lowell. The bell hung in the church from 1841 to 1889. Pilot photo/courtesy David McKean

The Final Mass of Boston's Original Cathedral

The final Mass of Boston's original cathedral: On Sunday, Sept. 16, 1860, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Franklin Street in Boston was filled to capacity, while many more would-be worshipers lingered on the sidewalks outside. The sadness may not be for the building itself, the bishop continues, but what it represents. "The Cathedral of the Holy Cross was the work of a very little band of Catholics," he states, "whose only resources were their faith, their piety, their brotherly union and their trust in God." He reflects that these early Catholic pioneers, led by then Father John Cheverus and Father Francis Matignon, forged a Catholic community and church from what little they could offer, and it is symbolic of their achievement.   



Click on the link to read the article.

Finding a bridge

Photo By Jordan Niranjan On Unsplash

Acknowledging an abyss; finding a bridge: One of the most remarkable differences between the social protests of the 1960s and those of today is that the former were done in concert with, and often under the explicit leadership of, religious people.  Can you see that?  Click on the link.

The Providential Demise of the Papal States

Culture

Bishop Peter F. Christensen Of Diocese Of Boise, Idaho, Takes A Photo Of A Statue Of Pope Pius IX After Concelebrating Mass With Bishops From Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana And Alaska At The Basilica Of St. Mary Major In Rome Feb. 6, 2020. CNS Photo/Paul Haring

The providential demise of the Papal States:  It  liberated the pope to be a powerful voice of moral witness. Click on the link to read the article. 

First Day of School

First Graders Begin Their First Day Of School At Immaculate Conception School In Revere, Sept. 8, 2020. Pilot Photo/Gregory L. Tracy



We are prepared for whatever may come: ''It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Ca'tholic schools are having real virtual schools.  Desks have plexi glass and are 3 feet apart.  Children line up six feet apart.



That's school during a pandemic.  From the Pilot.

Cancelling Padre Serra

Cancelling Padre Serra: I have just received word that, after voting to remove a large statue of St. Junipero Serra that stands in front of their City Hall, the government of Ventura, California.  This article in The Pilot is by Bishop Robert Barron and gives a feel of what Catholics are afraid of.

My Role

A Vandalized Statue Of St. Junipero Serra In San Francisco Is Seen June 19, 2020. CNS Photo/David Zandman Via Reuters

WORD ON FIRE

WHY 'WHAT THE BISHOPS ARE DOING ABOUT IT?' IS THE WRONG QUESTION

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON

Bishop Robert Barron wrote an article in the Pilot, entitled "Why ' What Are The Bishops Doing About It' is the Wrong Question."   that I've been thinking a lot about, lately.  What can I do to contribute to undo the racial prejudice in the USA? 

What can a simple old lady do?
     I can pray.  I am and that has led me to do something, but what?

     I can write stories.  I blog and not enough people read me.  I don't affect change.

     I can write poetry.  My mediocre poetry isn't moving anyone to change.

     I can listen.  I am and I am moved to do something but what?

     I can encourage others when I have the opportunity.  Big deal, I've always done that.

     Any suggestions?

     I am discouraged and I haven't even done anything, yet.  

The Quarantine's Three Lessons About the Church

The quarantine's three lessons about the Church: One silver lining for me during this weird coronavirus shutdown has been the opportunity to return to some writing projects that I had left on the back burner. One of these is a book on the Nicene Creed.

Bishop Barron continues explaining how the "...One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church..." brought him to reflect on what makes us "One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic...".  It is the Eucharist that glues us together.  Maybe, just maybe those people who didn't believe in the True Presence in the Eucharist will feel Jesus' absence.  Maybe they will miss the Eucharist.  Maybe this forced absence from Communion will make them reflect on the reasons why they are missing Communion.

Catholics need the sacred Body and Blood to live.  Jesus is life.  And I am starving without Him.

Think.  If Jesus can become flesh in a woman, He can become flesh in bread and wine.

For an enumeration of Bishop Barron's three lessons, click on the link.

Ipsum Esse Subsistens

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Is Seen During A Midnight Mass At St Patrick's Cathedral Dec. 25, 2014, In The Manhattan Borough Of New York City. CNS Photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters

Governor Cuomo and God's noncompetitive transcendence: Last week, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, made a rather interesting theological observation. Commenting on the progress that his state has made in fighting the coronavirus and praising the concrete efforts of medical personnel and ordinary citizens, he said, "The number is down because we brought the number down.  God did not do that.  Faith did not do that."



 Whoa!  How do you define hubris?  Please click on the link to read the rest of Bishop Barron's article in the Pilot.

Witch Hunt

George Weigel's article in the Boston Globe hits the nail on the head, centered! After Cardinal Pell's Rightful Acquittal, Weigels explains how ridiculous the charge was in the first place.  It should have never gone to trial.  The fact that Australia's justice system took such a bias, prejudicial charge so far is a serious indictment on their courts.  To read what I am referring to, click on the link.

Why Christians believe in Resurrection, Not Reincarnation

Why Christians believe in resurrection, not reincarnation: Denver, Colo., Apr 12, 2020 CNA.- Every time Christians recite the Apostles’ Creed, they affirm their belief in what will happen to them after death: “'I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting."

National Geographic

Whew! I was afraid I'd come back as a dung beetle.

We are the Children of Apostolic Witnesses

Scott Hann has an article in the Boston Pilot about the Resurrection.  It is quite compelling.  Please click on the link and read it.

Noël Coypel / Public Domain

Blessings

Prayers requested for March 25 and receive a blessing march 27.

  BY CINDY WOODEN , IN: The pilot.

---

Pope Francis is seen in a window greeting a few nuns standing in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican March 22, 2020, after reciting his weekly Angelus prayer from the library of the Apostolic Palace. The pope announced he will give an extraordinary blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27 in an "empty" St. Peter's Square because all of Italy is on lockdown to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. (CNS photo/Alberto Lingria, Reuters)

8

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis said he will give an extraordinary blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) at 6 p.m. Rome time March 27.

The formal blessing -- usually given only immediately after a new pope's election and on Christmas and Easter -- carries with it a plenary indulgence for all who follow by television, internet or radio, are sorry for their sins, recite a few prescribed prayers and promise to go to confession and to receive the Eucharist as soon as possible.

After reciting the Angelus prayer March 22 from the library of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis announced his plans for the special blessing, which, he said, would be given in an "empty" St. Peter's Square because all of Italy is on lockdown to prevent further spread of the virus.

With the public joining him only by television, internet or radio, "we will listen to the word of God, raise our prayer (and) adore the Blessed Sacrament," he said. "At the end, I will give the benediction 'urbi et orbi,' to which will be connected the possibility of receiving a plenary indulgence."

An indulgence is an ancient practice of prayer and penance for the remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. In Catholic teaching, a person can draw on the merits of Jesus and the saints to claim the indulgence for themselves or offer it on behalf of someone who has died.

In addition to announcing the special blessing, Pope Francis said that at a time "when humanity trembles" because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was asking Christians of every denomination to join together at noon March 25 to recite the Lord's Prayer. The Catholic Church and many others mark March 25 as the feast of the Annunciation.

"To the pandemic of the virus we want to respond with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness," he said. "Let's stay united. Let us make those who are alone and tested feel our closeness," as well as doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers and volunteers.

Pope Francis also expressed concern for "authorities who have to take strong measures for our good" and the police and soldiers maintaining public order and enforcing the lockdown.

The Catholic Response to the Corona Virus

From the Pilot.Pilot

A Notice On A Monitor In St. Peter's Square Tells Visitors To The Vatican To Keep At Least A Meter (3.28 Feet) Apart March 9, 2020. St. Peter's Basilica Is Still Open, But The Vatican Has Closed The Vatican Museums, The Necropolis Under St. Peter's Basilica, Museums At The Pontifical Villa At Castel Gandolfo, And The Museums Of The Papal Basilicas Until April 3 As Measures To Contain The Coronavirus. (CNS Photo/Paul Haring)

HOW CATHOLICS SHOULD RESPOND TO THE CORONAVIRUS

Friday, March 13, 2020Culture

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Here is an unsigned editorial titled: "How Catholics should respond to the coronavirus," which appeared online March 5 on the website of America Magazine, a weekly Jesuit publication.

The coronavirus illness, designated COVID-19, has spread to over 100 countries, infected at least 121,000 people and killed at least 4,375 worldwide. Even as the spread of the virus has slowed in China, the epicenter of the outbreak, cases are cropping up in communities across the United States, which as of March 11 has 1,016 cases. At least 31 people have died.

This includes cases with no connection to foreign travel, suggesting the virus has been spreading undetected for longer than first estimated. Any pretense that this outbreak could be contained through purely defensive measures -- travel restrictions on affected countries and quarantines for returning citizens, for example -- is gone. The coronavirus poses a public risk; no individual or country is immune from infection. As such, it requires a proactive, public response centered on the common good.

This response has both individual and structural elements. On the individual level, each person must decide how they can best protect their own health without jeopardizing the well-being of their neighbors. This means neither overreacting nor underreacting. Hoarding goods, especially face masks and hand sanitizer, may provide healthy individuals with the illusion of safety, but it does so by potentially putting health care workers and other caregivers at greater risk if they are unable to access these supplies.

On the other hand, not taking appropriate precautions can also hurt high-risk populations. While COVID-19 is not life threatening to the vast majority of people (according to one U.S. expert, 80 percent of cases are mild and patients "spontaneously recover"), for the elderly and people with certain underlying medical conditions, the mortality rate could be as high as 15 percent. Otherwise healthy individuals who are tempted to ignore guidelines for hygiene practices, social distancing or voluntary quarantine orders must realize that what might feel like the common cold to them could pose a serious threat to their neighbors. They should act accordingly.

There are members of our communities, however, for whom missing work or keeping a sick child home from school to minimize the risk of spreading the virus is not just a temporary inconvenience. Just as some people are at a higher physical risk from the virus, many Americans are more vulnerable to the economic effects of the outbreak. They include the one-third of workers -- and two-thirds of low-wage earners -- who do not have paid sick leave. Many of these people work in the service sector -- restaurants, hotels, retail, home care -- where they are regularly in contact with the public. Enabling a sick employee to take time off to get medical care without losing a job or being unable to pay rent is not only a matter of justice for and solidarity with that employee -- it also is a proactive defense of public health for the entire community.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that employers encourage sick employees to stay home and that they develop "nonpunitive leave policies" in response to the coronavirus outbreak. While in the present crisis, workers may have no choice but to rely on the goodwill (or risk aversion) of their employers, the country would be in a better position to contain the spread of this and future epidemics if universal paid sick leave guaranteed that workers did not have to choose between paying their bills and limiting the risk of communal infection.

The outbreak also could exacerbate well-known cracks in the U.S. health care system. The 27 million people in the United States without health insurance and millions more with high-deductible plans may forgo a trip to the doctor for fear of leaving with an exorbitant bill. "In a potential pandemic, the last thing you want people to do is thinking twice about going to the doctor," Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, told The Washington Post. Yet, instead of Congress putting forward legislation that has any chance of passing to fill in gaps in the existing system, political energy is still tied up in fights over the Affordable Care Act in the courts.

The $8.3 billion bipartisan emergency response bill passed by the House March 4 will bring much-needed resources and relief to federal agencies and state governments working to contain the spread of COVID-19 and develop a vaccine. But here, too, stopgap measures are no replacement for well-funded, fully staffed health agencies and a health care system that incentivizes proactive detection and treatment for diseases that threaten the nation's health and economy.

As urgent as such longer-term structural reforms are, for now, the primary response to the coronavirus outbreak will come at the state, community and individual levels. For most U.S. Catholics, it will entail relatively small disruptions like scrapping travel plans or not receiving Communion from the cup at Mass.

Just as our Lenten penance is meant to deepen our relationship with God and our solidarity with all who suffer as the Lord did, we can allow these sacrifices and inconveniences in our daily lives to direct our prayers toward those who have died and their loved ones, our attention toward those who ill or facing financial hardship and our actions toward strengthening the common good, both at home and abroad. The coronavirus poses a threat that knows no borders. As Catholics, neither does our love and concern for our neighbors.