Real Catholic Blog

I thought it was going to be easy to put into words the celebration of the beatification of Blessed Pope John Paul II. It wasn’t going to be many because I found two videos — and moving pictures, as in rolling video as well as emotional scenes — speak much louder than 10,000 words. But the general sketch in my mind wasn’t translating. After all, a weekend of powerful and intense prayer, celebration and Mass defies mere human expression. Frustrated, I was about to step away for a few hours to let my mind regenerate the idea. Then, it hit me. Why is it that I am overwhelmed when I talk about him, when I see documentaries about him, when I see millions assembled in his honor? Could it be six years since he went to the Father?

It may be selfish, but it’s because I miss him. Still. I miss John Paul II as if I knew him or as if he was a relative. The power of his faith, his passionate exhortations — it’s easy to forget the earlier years of his pontificate, when he animated his homilies by waving his script or puncturing the air, accented by a warm smile, humility and a gentle sense of humor — transcended the ocean and miles. He was as present as our own pastors. He moves millions of us today: Be not afraid. Open up your hearts to Christ. That challenge to lift up your life amid earthly pursuits for the cause of Christ, his pontificate, his ministry all still resonate — not to mention the force of his will which in large part ended the enslavement of communism — make him the greatest man of the 20th century, a historic figure with whom we were privileged to share earthly time.

If anyone doubts the Holy Spirit, one need only undertake a cursory examination of John Paul’s life. If one doubts the power a Christ-like life, one need only witness the immense affect he had on the world and love for him, unlike that showered upon anyone else in human history. We loved him then. We love him now. How appropriate that his beatification Mass took place on the Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, which he instituted, and the feast on the eve of which he died six years ago. Six years? I miss him. Still. But now we know he remains with us. Blessed is he, John Paul The Great.

No news report needed. Only the awe of Pope Benedict’s pronouncement and the unveiling of the Blessed John Paul’s portrait.

For more detail, here’s a narrated report courtesy of RomeReports.com.

As we go deeper into Advent, we are called to open our hearts and welcome Jesus, our Saviour, into our lives more fully. It also is an invitation to know Him better. So, how well do we know Jesus? How well do we know the Father and the Holy Spirit? Do we know — or accept — that Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit are one divine being? Michael Vorris from RealCatholicTV explains.

We cannot know everything about Him, but we can some things, even many things, about Him.

Here’s part five of Father Frank Pavone’s insightful and inspirational series on praying to end abortion. Father Pavone is the national director of Priests for Life. You can see part four here from which you can backtack to part three and prior.

We’re all affected by original sin. It has darkened our minds, making it difficult to understand the moral truth. It has weakened our wills, making it more difficult to choose what is good. When we pray, we invite the grace of God into our own lives and the lives of others. When that grace comes it does two things: it enlightens the mind and strengthens the will that’s been weakened by sin. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is to properly understand the relationship of all creation to God and to see the value of it.

Praying to end abortion brings into our lives and the lives of others the grace to strengthen the will to choose what is right, and to resist the temptation to abort or to compromise with evil. That grace will give them the strength to say no to evil and yes to the sacrifices necessary to choose life. Let’s increase the intensity of our prayer every day to end abortion that this grace might enlighten the mind and strengthen the will of so many people who otherwise might choose death.

 We’re all affected by original sin. … When we pray, we invite the grace of God into our own lives and the lives of others.

In November, I wrote about an exciting new film produced by Newt and Callista Gingrich about John Paul II. Yes, that Newt Gingrich, who converted to Catholicism within the last couple of years (as written about here with video), with the earthly influence of his wife, Callista, and the late Holy Father himself; as well, of course, from the Divine guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Originally, the movie, Nine Days That Changed The World, a DVD documentary which chronicles the Pontiff’s 1979 visit to his native Poland — a pilgrimage that drew a third of Poland’s population to see him and peacefully, but forcefully, jackhammered the first cracks into the grip of Soviet enslavement of Eastern Europe — was supposed to have been released late last year. It wasn’t, but in a bittersweet irony it was released a couple of weeks ago, around the time of the plane crash that killed the Polish president, first lady and several high ranking government officials.

Nine Days That Changed The World looks extraordinary. That’s easy, of course, because John Paul The Great is and an extraordinary subject. The movie features priceless archival film and photos and interviews with John Paul biographer George Weigel and Solidarity leader and former Polish President Lech Walesa. It will bring back to life a period not long ago but neglected and taken for granted already, one which, as with all John Paul did, brings to life timeless lessons. It was a history altering event, an impact  unforeseen and unexpected by almost everyone at the time, but one which to this day shows the Heavenly power of the Holy Spirit.  

Here’s more about the film from Gingrich Productions:

Pope John Paul II’s historic nine-day pilgrimage to Poland in June of 1979 created a revolution of conscience that transformed Poland and fundamentally reshaped the spiritual and political landscape of the 20th Century. … explore what transpired during these nine days that moved the Polish people to renew their hearts, reclaim their courage, and free themselves from the shackles of Communism.

Nine Days That Changed The World and showed the unequal power of the Holy Spirit in the realm of man.

It’s funny how things work. Okay, let me stop myself: “how things work” — how very secular. You see how long hours in the pits can make you forget what’s important? Which is exactly why this little story is relevant. It’s not “things” at work. It’s the Holy Spirit, of course!

Yesterday, when I got home, there was a message from the new Friday captain at the Adoration Chapel I attend. Make that, had been attending. A unrelenting work schedule (for the most part) and, admittedly, some disorganization om my part, over the last several months had prohibited me from attending my Friday afternoon hour. But finally, some very much looked-forward-to light at the end of the tunnel is upon men, as the schedule is about to relax, and so I have look forward to rededicating myself to a 3:00 Friday hour of adoration. So, what perfect timing to get such a message!

Then, I get an e-mail from my local Legion of Mary friend. They are having a Mass, Rosary and a potluck brunch, but she left off the flyer attachment. There was enough information in the e-mail, but I replied and asked her to send the flyer anyway. In her reply, was the below quote. Wow! I guess something — not a thing, the Holy Spirit — is telling me something, huh?

Adore and visit Jesus abandoned and forsaken by men in His Sacrament of love. Man has time for everything except for visits to his Lord and God, who is waiting and longing for him in His tabernacle. The streets and houses of amusement are filled with people. The house of God is deserted.

- St. Peter Julian Eymard (1811 – 1868)

Oh, so very true. Just as in my case with work. We all need time to for perspective. Nothing gives us that than time alone with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at Adoration. Silence. The Rosary. Reading meditations or Scripture. Especially during Lent. It will do you good in many ways. Not the least among them, remembering from whence all things come.

Deacon Keith Fournier is one of my favorites in all the clergy. He used to publish a column in The Catholic Virginian, the diocesan paper for the Diocese of Richmond, Va. He stopped writing for it and I lost track of him. Then, one day, he appeared at a church I attend for daily Mass (not my parish). As it turns out, he had moved to Richmond from the eastern part of the diocese for a year or two while commuting to Washington, D.C., to finish his Ph.D. those months were a blessing. His departure, a blow. But I learned I could continue to follow him through Catholic Online, one of the, if not the, best Web site for Catholic news and editorial comment.

Today, he unleashes a heartfelt editorial of optimism and grace on the very real possibility of the first steps toward the end of the Anglican split with the Church. News first arose of this in October (see our comment here) and continued for a while, then seemed to disappear. But now, there is actual movement toward establishing an Anglican ordinariate in America. Australia may follow very soon, as well.

Of course, Episcopals have moved into the Church here and there for a while. In August, 10 Episcopal nuns and a priest took steps to come into full communion with the Church. But with the release by Cardinal William Levada, of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Pope Benedict XVI of the historic Anglicanorum Coetibus, (Latin for “concerning groups of Anglicans”) last November, the stage is set for some 400,000 Anglicans to come into full communion with the Church.

As Deacon Fournier suggests, this has upset some traditional Catholics. It shouldn’t. He, as I, are pleased the Holy Spirit is working through the successor of Peter, Pope Benedict, to reunify the Holy Catholic Church. As the Deacon writes, a Church recovering from the scars of disunity can do so much to arrest the cultural and moral decline of the world. With Pope Benedict and many earnest leaders of the Eastern Orthodox Church in dialogue, we must pray for that schism to be repaired as well. 

As for the concerns of some, as long as the new ordinariate — which would be a rite within the universal Church, as certain Eastern rites are — accepts the teachings of the Church’s orthodoxy, there should be no cause for concern. The new Anglican rite would be structured like the Maronite or Maronite, which have patriarchs in Lebanon, but parishes all over the world as Lebanese emigrate, and which are loyal to Rome. Going to a Mass there, for example, fulfills one’s Sunday obligation.

Read Deacon Fournier’s editorial (”More Anglicans say Yes to Full Communion: The Restoration of the Church“) of hope and praise for the wonders of the Holy Spirit and the good it is working through those whose heartfelt desire is to come home to the One, True, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Let us know what you think.

This prayer is a translation from the Arabic and is from LebaneseSaints.com.

O Heavenly Father, the source of all holiness, You are glorified in your saints. You have bestowed grace upon Mar Nimatullah, so He forsake the world to live for You and with You in the solitude of the monastery.

O Lord Jesus, the Holy One of all saints, You have called Mar Nimatullah and filled Him with Your grace and blessing. So He could follow You on the harrow path of perfection and holiness. He followed Your path carrying His cross with joy, the cross of communal life, by which He was sanctified.

O Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of saints, You have inspired our patron Nimatullah, so that He became a monk and lived with His brethren in the monastery, where He educated them and managed all things wisely and prudently. He was ideal and encourager to Saint Charbel His disciple and many others.

We beseech You, O Holy Trinity, through Mar Nimatullah to enlighten the path of salvation before us, for You are the first and last aim. Bring us back to You so that we may renew the image and the likeness that You have installed in us.

We thank You and glorify You with our mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, of whom Mar Nimatullah was a devout, and with Yous saints, You who live and reign in holiness for ever, Amen !

Ben Stein is one of my favorites. The man who stole the show in ’80s movie classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (the teacher who repeated in his monotone, “Bueller? Bueller?”) and constant TV ad pitchman truly is a Renaissance man: actor, writer, presidential advisor, comic, securities lawyer, economist, professor, conservative thinker and pro-life supporter, among many other things, and an incredibly smart man. So smart, in fact, he even hosted his own game show in the late 1990s called Win Ben Stein’s Money, where winning contestants won his paycheck for each show in which they answered more questions correctly than he. That’s how confidently intelligent Mr. Stein is.

Once, Mr. Stein lost, in part, by getting the meaning of The Immaculate Conception wrong (see Jennifer Hartline of Catholic Online). He was adamant that the Holy Day celebrated the conception of Christ into the Blessed Virgin Mary’s womb. He’s not alone. Most non-Christians, protestants and Catholics themselves think this. I’ve even had Catholics tell me tell me they were taught this in their formation! What else could it mean, after all, if Jesus was conceived not by man and woman but by the Holy Spirit through Mary? Ask most any Catholic and they will tell you this feast day celebrates the Lord’s conception.

For those who attended Mass yesterday, you should know. Still, it is important that we, as Catholics, understand what the Feast Day is about so as to not let misunderstandings undermine the Faith from within — Catholics trying to explain something to non-Catholics that isn’t correct to begin with — and to correct those misunderstandings by those of other faiths who think they know what we believe, and use this incorrect understanding in an attempt to misguide others about Catholicism.

In short, the Feast of The Immaculate Conception (see Catholic Encyclopedia) is the belief that in order for Christ to come into the world, He of no sin, would have to born without original sin. For that to happen, his parents would have to be free of original sin. God, the Father, of course is, but his human mother would have to be as well. Thus, Mary, at her conception and birth, was blessed by God to have been born without original sin, the only human to be born so.

That is the Feast of The Immaculate Conception. Next question, Ben.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, a recent convert to Catholicism, and one who freely talks about the inspiration he derived from Pope John Paul II before his conversion, has produced a new documentary on the late Pontiff’s return to his native Poland in June 1979, a seminal event that was the first sledge hammer blow at the base of communism. It’s called Nine Days That Changed The World and is due for release sometime before the end of the year.

It’s hard to recall those times, not so much because of the years, but given the context of today’s world. There is little tension between countries of opposing political philosophies, but rather between terrorism and civilization. But then, standing armies and strategic geo-political alliances were balanced and counter balanced constantly. Evil empires enslaved hundreds of millions of people and exiled God . . . or at least tried to.

One Soviet dictator famously ridiculed the power of the Papacy by snidely asking, “How many divisions does the Pope command?” But in October 1978, it began to change through the power of the Holy Spirit with the election of Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla as the Successor of Saint Peter.

Even the shortest examination of John Paul The Great’s life reveals that the Holy Spirit had something enormously important in store for him, from his days in Poland under Nazi, then communist rule, barely escaping with his life. The film’s promotional material explained his impact as Pope this way:

What transpired during these nine days that so moved a nation to begin to free itself of its Communist shackles? Why did millions of Poles, almost one third of the entire nation, come to see the Pope during his public appearances? What was the nature of the Communist system in Poland that made John Paul II’s visit a liberating moment?

Nine Days that Changed the World is a story of human liberation. It reveals how Pope John Paul II’s historic visit helped the Poles not only find their courage, but also reclaim their culture. This film presents the Pope’s message — that after the lies of Nazism and Communism, authentic human freedom is only possible through a true understanding of our humanity.

We look forward to hearing more about this film and its eventual release.

John Paul The Great celebrating Mass with millions during his hero’s welcome to his native Poland in 1979. That visit led to the eventual emancipation of Eastern Europe. A third of the entire Polish population saw him in those nine days.

Continuing with the emphasis of reverence in preparation to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the Blessed Sacrament —prompted by Cardinal Cipriani — here is another prayer to say and upon which to meditate in the minutes prior to receiving Holy Communion.

Perhaps say it before Mass to help you prepare your mind for the Holy significance of the Eucharist and the meaning of our celebration at Mass. It was written by Saint Francis de Sales (biography, here, at Catholic Online). A good essay on the Holy Spirit is linked to Catholic Online within the prayer.

Your Sacred Table: A Prayer before Communion  

Divine Saviour,
we come to Your sacred table
to nourish ourselves,
not with bread but with Yourself,
true Bread of eternal life.
Help us daily to make a good and perfect meal
of this divine food.
Let us be continually refreshed
by the perfume of Your kindness and goodness.
May the Holy Spirit fill us with His Love.
Meanwhile, let us prepare a place
for this holy food by emptying our hearts.

Amen.

To further your appreciation of the significance of what it means to receive the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, here is a link to an index of Communion Prayers at Catholic Online. Please make reverence at Holy Communion a point of emphasis within your family, friends and fellow parishioners.