Real Catholic Blog

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, formerly the Archbishop of Montreal and now Pope Benedict’s newly appointed Prefect for the Congregation for Bishops said this recently, directed to his fellow bishops:

(Bishops) need spiritual discernment and not just political calculation of the risk of the possibility of the message being received. … We have to dare to speak to the deep heart, where the Spirit of the Lord is touching people beyond what we can calculate.

It makes perfect sense: How can anyone think they can gain more souls for the Lord by circumventing His Word? There is no way to comprehend His plan and how He touches peoples’ hearts. Our bishops are to ensure their flocks are getting and comprehending His Word and not worry about what people think of it. God will take care of the rest.

Come to think of it, this is applicable to priests at the parish level as well. Michael Voris of RealCatholicTV has the rest:

Cardinal Marc Ouellet tells the bishops to end calculation and return to The Truth. Stop telling the people what you think they want to hear and tell The Truth, for it is The Truth and The Truth alone that saves.

Here’s a report from the Vatican on Pope Benedict’s Angelus message on the Feast of the Assumption (Catholic Encylopedia). I like to tell people who doubt the Assumption something I heard during a homily a few years ago. It seems that Chamber of Commerce types, local governments and tourism boosters during the era of the Church’s early years (yes, they had them then, too) always were eager to proclaim sights related to saints in their cities and villages. This attracted pilgrims who spent money there. It was good for the local economy.

They would, at the slightest bit of evidence, or at the best guess of evidence (or legend), market sites related to significant figures of the Church: this saint ate here, this saint preached here, that saint died over there. So, there is ample reason to suspect that if the Blessed Mother was not assumed body and soul into Heaven, there would be some landmark, somewhere, marking the spot of her death or burial. There is none. Hmmm.

Also, it is important to know that, as Catholics, we believe Mary, in her complete human body, was assumed into Heaven, because as the Mother of Christ, just as she brought Him into the earthly world with a soul uncorrupted by original sin, so, too, her body left this world uncorrupted.

Pope Benedict XVI calls believers to entrust themselves to Mary, who “assumed into heaven, has not abandoned her mission of intercession and salvation.”

Teresa Shipley at Discovery.com reports that archaeologists believe they have discovered the bones of Saint John The Baptist, who baptised our Lord Jesus Christ (see John Paul II commentary), and infamously beheaded by King Herod at the request of his wife’s daughter, Salome (Catholic-Forum.com). The discovery was made at a 5th century monastary near the Black Sea in Bulgaria.

According to the article:

Bulgarian archaeologists excavating under an ancient basilica last week unearthed a reliquary, or a container full of human relics.

Bone fragments of a human skull, hand and tooth were found inside. …

The archaeologists believe that a date inscribed on the alabaster jar, June 24, is a good sign that the reliquary houses John the Baptist’s remains.

June 24 is the day Christian’s celebrate the birth of Jesus’ contemporary.

Seems a bit too coincidental to me. Besides . . . Bulgaria? How and why would John The Baptists’ remains find there way there? Of course, anything is possible. The Vatican is taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach. Fabrizio Bisconti, superintendent of the Vatican Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, told CNN more information and research is needed before the Holy See will opine on the discovery (see CNN’s Belief Blog for more, including video).

It’s interesting to contemplate, but misidentifications, not to mention forgeries, in ancient and Biblical antiquities are common. We look forward to more information confirming or dismissing what would be a terrific find.

Saint John The Baptist’s remains may have been found. The authenticity of the find, however, impacts little on Catholic faith.

One more thing about the iPadres (really, I’m not obsessed about it): I forgot to post a picture of Father Padrini. Since I posted a video of the American iPadre, Father Jay Finelli, of Rhode Island, the least I can do is post a picture of his Italian counterpart. So, here is Father Paolo Padrini (Deacon Chronicle):

Not quite phoning God: The iPadre, Father Paolo Padrini, looks over morning prayers on his iPhone application.

I have a confession to make. Last week, when I wrote about iPadre Father Jay Finelli, something didn’t feel right. Not about him. He seems an outstanding priest.

I got the idea about the “iPadre” from I saw something on television a few days before. I caught it in the middle, and didn’t get the whole story, but I did see where this priest was a Apple aficionado and had developed an iPad app for the Roman Missal and used it rather than the actual Missal at Mass.

I heard the reporter use the moniker “iPadre” for him. So, I Googled “iPadre” and only one news article registered, much less any television reports (the one I found was from a local station and buried on his Web site), and that article was from the The Georgia Bulletin (Archdiocese of Atlanta) — strange, since I also thought the iPadre was in Italy. Stranger still since the article was about a priest in Diocese of Providence.

Oh, well, what do I know. The “Heat Index” has hovered around 110 degrees for about two months. Maybe I was suffering from heat fatigue and thought “Italy” because I heard an Italian name, which Father Finelli has. I further researched Father Finelli, found more information, was quite impressed and wrote a blog about him. I’ve heard from some people and have had interesting discussions about the use of technology in bringing the Word to more people.

But something still stuck in me. I’m the type that simply cannot go unfulfilled in the pursuit of a story and my instincts are pretty good. I’m the type that just has to know. I’m not satisfied until I’m satisfied all avenues are exhausted to confirm or deny any hunch I have. Yesterday, I was still thinking about it. Then, it hit me: Although one might think it specific enough, instead of “iPadre,” Google instead, “priest uses iPad at Mass.”

Thank you Saint Anthony! (Don’t laugh, he helped me find deleted blog posts on another blog, once — Google and Yahoo! cache them.) So, today, here’s a post about the real iPadre!

He happens to be Father Paolo Padrini, 36, an Italian priest who consults with the Vatican, (indeed, from Italy) and another Mac head (see boing boing). Now that I know his name, there’s miles of info on him. He created the Roman Missal app for the iPad and it became available for free in July in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. He created it with his own money and mind — the Vatican, though approving, had no role in its initiation or creation. According to Rebecca Boyle at PopSci.com, via the AP, an audio version with suggestions for homilies will be available before too long. But it wasn’t his first Apple app. He also invented an iPhone app called the iBreviary, which contains the book of daily prayers used by priests. More than 200,000 people have downloaded it (AP/PhysOrg.com).

All of this is seen by both the Vatican and Father Padrini, who serves as an advisor, fittingly, to the Vatican on social communication, as a plus, both in reaching young people and logistically for priests, especially for those who travel much. Having the Bible, Missal, Breviary and more at the their finger tips, in one piece of technology, rather than several bound editions, is convenient.

So, we have iPadres on two continents. Doubtless, the American iPadre is one of those 200,000 downloaders. Both priests are doing creative, yet labor intensive, work in the Lord’s vineyard to bring the Faith to more people. It wasn’t by design, but I was happy to learn about both. Confession is, after all, good for the soul.

I recently received a letter from former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Written on behalf of the Cardinal Newman Society, his letter serves as an update — and a frightening alarm — on the assault by the governing Washington, D.C., secularists on Catholic teaching. More appalling is their willing accomplices — so-called Catholics, Catholics In Name Only (CINOs) — who scandalously give these progressives cover not only to devalue and debase the teachings of the Faith, but also redefine traditional American family values as well.

The letter below is a very important read. It was shortened for length, but you will get the picture. More like a horror film. Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to engage civicly and do our part to restore the proper promulgation of the Faith in the public square and work to keep our institutions intact.  

As someone who treasures our Catholic Faith, I write with great concern.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo recently said that Catholics who lobbied for the health care reform law — ignoring the Bishops’ warnings about abortion funding and weak conscience protections — had caused “confusion and a wound to Catholic unity.”

And to make matters worse, among those working against the Church on pro-life health care were educators at our Catholic colleges.

And then there is this: President Obama’s latest addition to the powerful Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a same-sex marriage advocate whose concept of “sexual liberty” would trump our religious liberty.

And what were the credentials by which she was selected for this honor? Since 1991, she has been a celebrated professor at Georgetown Law Center — at a Jesuit Catholic university.

When Catholic colleges help advance the secular assault on morality and religious liberty, faithful Catholics need to stand up in defense of the Faith!

We cannot ignore the fact that certain Catholic colleges are employing and honoring dissenters who actively undermine the Church on abortion, marriage, healthcare and conscience protections. …

Chai Feldblum, the recent Georgetown law professor who is now at the EEOC, helped author the “Employment Non-Discrimination Act ” (ENDA) which is before Congress. This bill could cripple Catholic schools, hospitals and other charities by forcing them to provide benefits to same-sex couples.

Feldblum joins the EEOC just as it considers an appeal by Belmont Abbey College, a faithful Catholic college in North Carolina which has been charged with discrimination for refusing to cover birth control pills in its employee health plan.

If the appeal is rejected, Belmont Abbey and other faithful Catholic colleges could be forced to close their doors rather than compromise their Catholic identity! …

But the irony here is that the celebrated professor of a Catholic university is now a threat to faithful Catholic colleges! …

Consider the damage that liberal Catholics caused during the last days of the healthcare debate, when they undermined the Bishops’ demands for pro-life and conscience provisions.

For instance, an influential group of 25 leading “theologians” — 11 of them citing Catholic college credentials — lobbied Congress to reject concerns about the bill. That gave legislators cover to vote for the bill with a “clear conscience.”

And according to the Associated Press, the University of Notre Dame’s president emeritus Father Theodore Hesburgh helped House Speaker Nancy Pelosi convince a pro-life congressman to switch his vote in support of the health care bill.

Soon after the health care law was signed, Georgetown welcomed “special guest” Nancy Pelosi to a university celebration despite her firm opposition to any pro-life compromise in the law. …

Several leading Catholic colleges and universities have long been a source of disunity in the Church by employing dissident theologians, honoring pro-abortion politicians and hosting performances of the obscene play, The Vagina Monologues. …

The federal takeover of student loans — so that money is loaned directly from the U.S. government — is raising new concerns about protecting Catholic colleges from government intrusion. …

And the EEOC is expected to rule on Belmont Abbey College, potentially setting up a court battle that could have devastating consequences for the religious freedom of Catholics! …

If we want to restore a Culture of Life to America . . . if we want to protect the institution of marriage . . . if we want to hand on the Faith to future generations . . . then we must ensure faithful Catholic education, and we must oppose dissent and disunity.

We have all had enough of scandal. …

And may God bless you for all that will be accomplished with your support!

Rick Santorum

When Pope Benedict endorsed using all modern electronic means to spread the Word of God, he might not have had Father Jay Finelli in mind. As devout a Mac head as he is a priest, there is no gadget or online tool Father Finelli is not using to win new souls for Christ (see The Georgia Bulletin). You can even see him opening his iPad upon its deliver to him.

Podcasts? Check! Video podcasts? Of course! Blog? Got that down, too. He even has a Chantcast! He is on Twitter as well Facebook and YouTube might as well be old school for him. He even has a live stream.

It’s all well and good and with younger priests come newer techniques.  Priests are no different than anyone else. They will bring with them their interests and parts of applicable modernity to their job. In this sense, they are no different than a young CPA using online tools while the grizzled old vet still uses the ledger book. In fact, we love EWTN and a new wave of technology at its founding allowed it to take off — and newer technology allows it to flourish still — and EWTN is about as traditional and true to the Word as there is. It’s safe to say we love the way technology has enabled hundreds of millions to stay in tune with the Faith, and to spread it, or we wouldn’t be here at RealCatholic ourselves.

Still, and again as in life, technology has a role. It can be a road to, but not a substitute for, our personal relationship with God and the manifestation of that on Sunday, which is the receiving of the Holy Eucharist. Delivering and receiving a better understanding of the Word through technology is a useful supplement it, but listening to Father Finelli’s homilies or watching Mass on EWTN cannot take the place of attending Mass. Watching videos of a papal address cannot take the place of saying the Rosary or Eucharistic Adoration.

Technology has its place. But we have ours — in the pews and in prayer, engaged in our parishes and the communities around us.

The iPadre takes Christ’s injunction seriously high tech: To spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. 

Here’s a letter from CatholicVote President Brian Burch concerning serious revelations about the new health care law and its permissiveness on abortion — despite what most everyone who read the billsaid. Brian spells out a crucial episode being played out in Pennsylvania right now that could determine whether, despite President Obama’s cynical executive order to the contrary, federal funding of abortions now will be the law of the land>

Dear CatholicVote Friend,

Can you answer this question?

Does President Obama’s new healthcare law fund abortions or not?

Last week the Obama administration announced they would be pouring hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars (our money!) into high-risk insurance pools in Pennsylvania and New Mexico where taxpayer funded abortions would be covered.

And then they got caught.

The National Right to Life Committee exposed the plan, prompting pro-life groups and legislative leaders to demand answers. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) responded by promising not to use the funds for abortion. This time.

Sign our petition to the Catholic Health Association to help us make sure this doesn’t happen again!

Cardinal DiNardo speaking on behalf of the Catholic Bishops responded saying: “We welcome this new policy [preventing abortion coverage] . . . while continuing to be gravely concerned that it was not issued until after some states had announced that pro-abortion health plans were approved and had begun to enroll patients.”

The Cardinal emphasized that the episode makes clear that a new law (not an Executive Order) is needed to strictly prohibit all funding for abortion.

Let’s face it, the nearly 2000-page health care law is so complicated it is virtually impossible to keep up with the new authorities and regulatory agencies that could be manipulated to funnel your money to abortion providers.

So something must be done.

Taxpayer dollars must NEVER be used to fund the destruction of innocent human life.

Some groups claiming to be faithful to the Church continue to claim that the new health care bill does not fund abortion. But last week’s episode proves there are loopholes, and we can’t rely on promises from the Obama administration to keep our money out of the hands of abortion doctors.

Our petition to the Catholic Health Association calling on them to get behind the Protect Life Act continues to add new signatures every day.

Join over 56,000 people that have already signed our petition!

If the Catholic Health Association claims to be Catholic, then they must be held accountable.

Help us turn up the heat. Sign our petition today. …

- Your Friends at CatholicVote.org

Regular readers here know I’m very interested in what Michael Voris has to say. Sure, he can be blunt, even negative, and some might say, “Way out there.” I’m aware of that and don’t disagree that he has a deeply held passion and love for Christ and the Church. But much of what he says is documented and true, and needs to be said. After all, someone needs to sound the alarm.

So it is nice to see him more upbeat and positive this week as he is reporting from the Vatican. He reports a first hand look at some of the changes Pope Benedict is making — a counter revolution as Mr. Voris terms it. It also is nice to hear him acknowledge that there is a movement of traditional Catholicism that has been afoot for some time now, something, that if I were to critique him, he does not exult enough, if at all.

He wisely recounts that in times of need Christ always raises up saints and he believes Pope Benedict is one. The changes going on now are not perceptible, just as when an aircraft carrier starts to turn. But once it picks up speed, watch out. For right now, though, please watch the short video below and let me know what you think of it.

Captain Saint Benedict? The Holy Father is turning the Church around, as a captain turns around a large ship, and doing so when Christ needs saints to save the Church.

Here’s a report from CNN on the Shroud of Turin. Even the reporter seems to be enlightened (see video below). Of course there are skeptics, but more and more are coming to believe. (It’s amazing how some people either purposely ignore the evidence or are truly ignorant of it and base their denials on old, outdated assertions.) The report was in advance of Pope Benedict’s visit last month and below that is a video of his adoration of the Shroud. We’ll have more about his visit soon. 

If a reporter can see the light . . . then hope truly is on the rise. 

Pope Benedict XVI praying before the Shroud of Turin. The Church believes the Shroud is a holy article to kindle faith. But many believe in a more definitive declaration.