Catholic Laity

November is almost here ...

2007-10-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

The month we remember especially to pray for the holy souls in purgatory. In keeping with our tradition at Requiem Press , we once again will offer deep discounts on quantity purchases of the our booklet Daily Prayers for the Church Suffering - a daily committment to praying for the holy souls in Purgatory through November.

See the our website for details. Here is what the booklet has:

This simple book, which fits in purse or pocket, has a short prayer for everyday of the week:

Sunday - for the soul most destitute of prayers;
Monday - for the soul nearest to entrance into Heaven;
Tuesday - for the soul who is last to issue from Purgatory;
Wednesday - for the soul richest in merits;
Thursday - for the soul who was most devoted to the Holy Eucharist;
Friday - for the soul for whom you are most bound to pray for;
andSaturday - for the soul who was most devoted to our Lady.

Following the daily prayer is De Profundis-Psalm 129 (130).

If you order now, you will receive them in time to distribute for November 2nd-all soul's day.

Oremus pro invicem!

Our first new release for 2007

2007-10-08T14:41:00.000-04:00

Is it a Baby? follows the true story of a nurse practitioner working in a women’s health clinic which refers women for abortion. While originally not participating in abortion at all, Cortney Davis’ work slowly draws her closer and closer to abortion—as she rationalizes her increased involvement all the way, even to the point of participating in one. Yet her conscience will not free her as God keeps sending her messages that she cannot ignore.

This powerful witness for life, accurate in its medical descriptions and emotions, should be read by everyone.

Ships October 15th. Pre-order today: here !

The author, Cortney Davis has her own blog which tells of her conversion and search for God.

Our first new release in 11 months is almost here!

2007-10-01T06:48:00.000-04:00

In a week or so Requiem Press will release its first book since last November! This one is a short, but powerful booklet. Here's the cover and the blurb:

Is it a Baby? follows the true story of a nurse practitioner working in a women’s health clinic which refers women for abortion. While originally not participating in abortion at all, Cortney Davis’ work slowly draws her closer and closer to abortion—as she rationalizes her increased involvement all the way, even to the point of participating in one. Yet her conscience will not free her as God keeps sending her messages that she cannot ignore.

This powerful witness for life, accurate in its medical descriptions and emotions, should be read by everyone.

Pre-orders will be accepted at our website later this week.

The waiting is over

2007-08-29T13:55:00.000-04:00

Russell Shaw's book Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church has arrived and is shipping today! Order here !

We announced last week (on my personal blog) that our first new release of 2007 would be an original work. Here it is again:

We are excited to announce our first new release of 2007, coming in mid-September:Is it a Baby, or just some cells? - the testimony of a nurse practicitoner by Cortney Davis. This is the true story of a nurse practioner working in "women's health" who gets closer and closer to abortion-rationalizing her increased involvement all the way-until she actually participates in one. But God keeps sending her messages-she tries to ignor. Finally one day her heart is opened and she cries to God for mercy. A pro-life story which will touch hearts-this booklet is short but powerful. Watch our website for the release date.

It's almost here!

2007-08-15T23:15:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: Books will be here within a few days. They shipped last night. Time is running out for the pre-2nd printing special. Of course most of you are waiting and anxious to pay full price. I am sure we will have traffic jam later on here in the week as people swell the streets of Bethune trying to get the first copies off the truck!- Oremus pro invicem!

The 2nd Printing of Russell Shaw's Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church is almost here! We've been running a pre-order special on it ($11.95 + $2.50 S&H --regularly $14.95 + S&H)-but time is running out. Once the full shipment arrives (We got the proof copies today) the special ends. So you have a week or less to get your early Christmas shopping done. Order it at the Requiem Press website today! (or you can call our toll free number: 1-888-708-7675) .

Here's what people are saying about this book:

"On the problem of clericalism, no analysis has been more clear or constructive than that of Russell Shaw. His is a voice crying out in the wilderness." —Dr. Scott Hahn from Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace

"His insights in his new book help the reader not only to understand the role of "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" but also the role of the laity in evangelizing the culture."
—Fr. C.J. McCloskey III, research fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute

"The content and organization of the 12 chapters in the book make it a good choice for parish-based faith-sharing groups." (Catholic News Service 05/06)

"Its quiet magisterial tone has the mark of a classic." —Jude P. Dougherty, Dean Emeritus, School of Philosophy, Catholic University of America

"The reality of Catholic teaching is and always has been that, at the altar, the priest presides, but in the world, the layperson presides. As many of us laity waste time and energy making a lunge for the altar, we are forgetting our true dignity and thereby missing the call and the gifts the Spirit has given us to carry out our God-given vocations to win the world for Jesus Christ. Russell Shaw shows us how to recover our sanity and live out the awesome vocation of the lay saint that the world so desperately needs." —Mark P. Shea, Senior Content Editor, Catholic Exchange

Here's an excerpt:

Meanwhile, though, the Church in the United States and in other Western countries is in crisis. The challenge this presents to the Catholic laity is clear. They are called to do more than struggle individually against the temptations that come from the sinful world around them, in hopes of saving their souls (although certainly they need to do that). Lay people also need to shoulder and carry out their part in the mission of the Church, especially in the "new evangelizationg" and the evangelization of culture of which Pope John Paul II spoke of so often.
John Paul returned to this theme in Novo Millennio Ineunte ("At the Beginning of the New Millennium"), the Apostolic Letter he published on January 6, 2001, the Feast of the Epiphany, to mark the start of the third millennium of the Christian era. "Even in countries evangelized many centuries ago," he pointed out, "the reality of a ‘Christian society’…is now gone."
Rather than being a cause for discouragement, he argued, this troubling state of affairs should provide impetus for a fresh outburst of evangelizing fervor not unlike that of Christianity’s early days: "This passion will not fail to stir in the Church a new sense of mission, which cannot be left to a group of ‘specialists’ but must involve the responsibility ofall the members of the People of God….A new apostolic outreach is needed, which will be lived as the everyday commitment of Christian communities and groups" (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 40).
The Pope was describing an evangelizing Catholic community, made up overwhelmingly of lay women and men, which in many respects would resemble the Christian community as we glimpsed it earlier in another historic document. Recall the words of the Epistle to Diognetus, written around 200 A.D.: "What the soul is in the body, that the Christians are in the world….Such is the important post to which God has assigned them, and they are not at liberty to desert it." (And we might add: Neither then nor now.)

A Review ...

2007-03-20T05:13:00.000-04:00

From HPR (Read the whole thing here):

As with all his writings, Russell Shaw’s latest Catholic literary product, Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church, is rich, balanced, reasoned, lucid, concise, poignant, and widely accessible. In the volume, he takes up a theme that he has continued to address and develop over the course of his career, i.e., the proper nature, role, and function for the Catholic laity.
To cut to the chase: Russell Shaw notes an unhappy irony regarding the contemporary situation of the Catholic laity. On the one hand, since the Second Vatican Council and at the level of official, articulated Church doctrine, never have the laity been given such a clear, brilliant, compelling, and inspiring mission so full of promise for themselves, the Church, and the society, i.e., of the lay apostolate dedicated to the evangelization of the world.
...However, on the other hand, for Shaw, the great promise of the laity since Vatican II has gone woefully unfulfilled because of two developments that he analyzes at length, the first more so than the second, i.e., 1) the “clericalization of the laity” and 2) a widespread secularization both at the level of culture and within the hearts and minds of many nominal and dissenting Catholics.

Read the whole thing- or even better, read the book!

Part One (continued)...

2006-12-20T05:07:00.000-05:00

Immigrants and Religious Practice

As Liam Riley had stressed with forceful conviction, some knowledge of history is necessary for grasping how certain events occurred and why people acted in the way that they did. Furthermore, without knowledge of the past, a person will have little understanding of the present and no real expectation or reasonable hope for what lies ahead. Without an historical perspective, he or she will merely live in the here and now, ignorant of what was and indifferent to what may come.

Americans seem to have neither a sense of history nor a taste for it. The well-known entrepreneur, Henry Ford, summed up this deplorable state when he proclaimed, "History is bunk." Thus, many lay people in this country have little or no knowledge of either salvation history or of secular history, or, more importantly, of the Catholic view that all history converges in the Person of Jesus Christ. This disturbing condition requires a look back at the arrival of religious practices in America by way of European immigrants.

Since popular devotions arise according to spiritual needs, in the sixteenth-century, the Protestant Reformation compelled a host of Catholics in Europe to establish "passed-on" religious practices. In the main, these practices became ancestral cultures of piety for two reasons. First, many bishops, clerics, and monks had fallen into states of infidelity or of moral corruption. Second, faithful bishops, priests, and monks were persecuted, went into hiding or exile, or were martyred, all of which created a spiritual vacuum for the ordinary lay person.

Historical circumstances, then, forced the laity in Europe to develop religious practices for daily living, such as praying the rosary and novenas, and petitioning popular saints. Devotions included the prominent placement of a crucifix and holy pictures in the home. Under or outside of clothing, religious medals or scapulars were worn.

Catholic immigrants from Europe brought to the dioceses of the United States their ancestral cultures of piety. Other religious practices, such as benediction, the stations of the cross, public processions, and veneration of relics, arrived in America by way of priests or consecrated religious. Religious practices soon became regular activities in parish life and in Catholic education, and they served as backbone material for the institutional Church in this country.

It did not take long for most immigrants and their offspring to receive ongoing parish instruction or formal Catholic education. And that is the reason why so many Catholics grew up with basic knowledge of Christian belief and matured as morally-responsible citizens. Despite manifest and manifold successes, weaknesses existed in parish life and in the educational system. This is not to say that the content of the instruction was problematic. The difficulties resided in some teaching methods, ways of learning that became ripe for exploitation in the post-Vatican Council II period.

Prior to Vatican Council II, parish instruction and formal Catholic education did not consist of the whole of the Deposit of Faith: sacred scripture, apostolic tradition, and living magisterium. One glaring weakness, for instance, was the lack of study in sacred scripture. Possessing little knowledge that the Word of God is the foundation of Christian belief, the newcomers to this country and their offspring simply memorized the short version of the Baltimore Catechism.

Catechesis generally consisted of learning the Ten Commandments, the valid administration of and participation in the sacramental life of the parish, the natural laws of moral and social living, the human statutes of the institutional Catholic Church, and the positive laws of the political regime. In a nutshell, the Old Testament Commandments and licit reception of the sacraments directed the lives of the laity more than the New Testament Commandment: "You must love one another just as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34).

Another weakness was the strict obedience required of the laity. When it came to the application or interpretation of the above-mentioned laws, diocesan bishops exercised a paternalistic authority which, in turn, was employed by pastors of parishes, resident clergy, and teaching religious orders. As a result, the laity became habituated to obey ecclesiastical authorities without question — whatever the bishop, father, brother, or sister said was to be followed to the letter.

Paternalistic authority sometimes even entered into free-willed human acts that necessitate individual choice, such as the exercise of personal freedom when entering into the marriage covenant, or priestly or consecrated religious life. The exercise of that style of leadership sometimes attempted to influence political and social matters that contained neither a Faith-related subject nor a moral principle. Consequently, law and morality, in an odd way, assumed the stature of a quasi-religion.

Relying too heavily on strict adherence to the ancestral cultures of piety, parish instruction and formal Catholic education established in the baptized a mentality that was legalistic and moralistic. Even though most lay people possessed strong personal beliefs, Faith, morals, and paternalistic authority had become so tightly entwined that it was near impossible for most of the laity to distinguish one element from another.

An unbalanced emphasis on morals reduced religious practice to obeying laws and rules. Enforcement of laws and rules was via the notion of "possibility": possible punishment in the hereafter. Violators of laws or rules were made to consider the content of a minor offense as possible grave matter and, therefore, a mortal sin punishable in Hell. Too many Catholics, for example, attended Mass on Sundays because the threat of mortal sin and Hell-fire was very real to them.

Paternalistic oversight of their popular base was considered by bishops to be necessary. It not only preserved unity among the laity, it protected, they thought, the institution against attacks, such as those experienced during the French Revolution. But, by the twentieth century, it was clear that the Catholic Church in America was no longer under siege. In fact, the institution had not only survived, it now prospered.

Weaknesses such as the ones mentioned above produced a multitude of mechanical Catholics. As Monsignor Romano Guardini suggested, "There was too much outward show and too little inner reality." In the long run, parish instruction and formal Catholic education created — from top to bottom — a religious culture of routine formalism and narrow piety: a "culture of laws" (Saint Cyril of Jerusalem). Consequently, for many lay people, the institutional Church had become an empty enterprise:

The tragedy of baptism, at any age, is that so often we are incorporated into a Christian community that has forgotten its splendor. Frailty and dust are given predominance in teaching. The possibility of splendor, glory, and holiness, the call to be saints, is the wealth hidden away. . . Overemphasis on the magical wiping away of sin has created some very bad habits in Church people. These bad habits emerge from an attitude that [theologian Dietrich] Bonhoeffer calls cheap grace. Cheap grace is never really valued because those receiving it put forth little effort on their own. (Macrena Wiederkehr, Benedictine nun)

Although it may seem harsh to some, the assessment above is not intended to malign in any way the heroic efforts or impugn the character of bishops, priests, and teaching religious who sacrificed their lives to transmit basic Catholic beliefs to childlike believers. Nonetheless, it must be recognized that there was a tendency in Catholic life, prior to Vatican Council II, to place the tower of morals in front of, if not above, the tower of Faith. To understand this phenomenon, we will take a look at the pontificate of Pope Pius X, his exposé of Modernist ideology, and the rebellion of Martin Luther.

Part One - Two Towers

2006-12-18T06:28:00.000-05:00

A Roman Holiday

To help the reader grasp better the image of two towers, let me give an actual account of an incident in my life that convinced me beyond any shadow of a doubt that de-Christianization is the separation of the tower of Faith from the tower of morals.

On December 25, 1987, I found myself in Italy conversing with an Irish historian. In a way, this is true. I was in Rome. It was Christmas Day. And I was speaking to a sheep-herder named Liam Riley, an Irishman well-versed in the history of his homeland.

It just so happened that the two of us were staying at the same hotel on Via Aurelia, a stone’s throw from Saint Peter’s Square: Piazza del San Pietro, if you will. Prior to a chance encounter, we had never met one another before.

Apparently, Liam Riley had spotted me at his son’s ordination to the priesthood the day before, and remembered my face and name. This was certainly probable. I was invited to give a short talk by Father Salvatore Grissini after the ordination ceremony. Father Grissini, a former student of mine, was elevated to the priesthood on Christmas Eve alongside Liam’s son, Seamus. That is why Liam and I were in the Eternal City, and, by happenstance, he said, "lodged at the same inn."

There is an entirely different reason, however, why the two of us were now in the hotel lounge, taking the tiredness from our bodies and the chill out of our bones with some "heavenly dew." Only moments before, my wife, daughter, and I had entered the hotel lobby and were heading toward the elevator to take us up to our room. This required passage by the lounge.

"Meehan!" A raspy-toned, Irish brogue called out again, "Meehan!" I peered into the sunlit bar; my wife and daughter went directly to the elevator. My beloved spouse understood only too well that for her and Katie to loll around the lobby would be lunacy since it was an Irishman who called out to me from a "pub."

Entering the premises, I spotted a thin, well-dressed gentleman with a weather-beaten face and mop of curly white hair. He was sitting in a large, but comfortable lounge chair. It was not difficult to assume that the person who "come hithered" me with a gnarled forefinger was the voice. He was the only person in the place. As I approached, he raised up a six-foot frame and we exchanged formal introductions.

After I sat down in a chair that faced Liam Riley, a few pleasantries were passed. "Social blather," he called it. He ordered a pair of potations and, in the round-about Irish way, began to storytell.

Like all superior tale-tellers who know their art well, Liam Riley exuded maturity, experience, and knowledge of lore. He considered himself a sagacious elder, and, in the social context of the lounge that day, it was proper for him to do so. Liam Riley understood, too, that history should serve as the background to a good story. Whether the history presented is fact or fiction is irrelevant. What counts is the rhythmic thrill of a lilting dialogue.

My encounter with this wise patriarch brought to mind another truth about the Irish. They are the saddest of people in their music, literature, and poetry. Yet, they are the most joyous of people when it comes to the prospects of engaging in a good fight. Sitting across from Liam Riley on that Christmas Day at mid-afternoon in Rome, and looking into his unwavering, cobalt blue eyes, I prepared myself for a healthy go-around — of dialogue, that is.

Liam Riley asked, "Now where is it that you come from?" My response was geographically accurate, "The State of New Hampshire in America." A deep groan came from within his soul, and the pain expressed on his ruddy wrinkled face was more than I could bear. So I queried, "Did I say something wrong?"

Intensely irritated, Liam Riley bellowed with the belligerence of a beleaguered teacher, "Something wrong! Something wrong! Are you Americans so dull as to think that the world originated in 1776 and that history began with the Declaration of Independence? When I asked where it is that you come from, I was not trying to help you find your way home. I want to know where your people come from in Ireland. If they were Orangemen, do you think for one wisp of a second I would have extended my personal generosity and invited you to sip and sass with me? Glory be to everything that is divine and holy, see if it is possible for you to respond unlike a dumb beast. Even Balaam’s ass was capable of speaking with some eloquence!"

Immediately, I remembered that an historical setting should open a story, and that "sip and sass" is rhythmic dialogue in thrilling Irish meter. What an idiot! The elderly Irishman had to instruct the American dullard in English tutorial fashion. How embarrassing! So, with reverence and docility, I ordered another round of sips so the sass session could proceed on its appointed course.

"Connemara," I blurted out after the waiter had deposited two libations on the low table that lay between our chairs. The one-word answer caused Liam Riley to pause. He took a long draught from his tumbler-sized glass. That "sip" not only lubricated his well-worn vocal chords, it readied himself for the arduous task of imparting a history lesson as preparation for the story to be told.

For Liam Riley, the task was going to be burdensome. The American did not respond with awe and respect for his forefathers in the Catholic Faith. Obviously, the American was unaware of the price that his ancestors had paid to preserve the tower of Faith in Ireland. You see, Liam Riley is first and foremost a Catholic.

"Sheep-stealers!" There the two of us were — face to face. I said, "Connemara." He replied, "Sheep-stealers." By calling my forefather’s "sheep-stealers," Liam Riley might as well have said they were Catholic criminals. What a two-word dialogue this is, I thought.

The ever-observant eyes of Liam Riley saw that the reaction he sought to bring about within my soul was there. Anger churned within my heart and my cheeks were burning. Satisfied, Liam was prepared now to teach by story. Somehow or other, I was ready to listen and to learn.

With a very brief and short-lived display of gentleness, Liam Riley provided the kind of consolation only a father can give to a son. In a paternally affectionate tone, he stated with sociological certainty, "It was not their fault. They lived on rock. They depended on others to eat and, therefore, to live the Faith." Intrigued, I asked with a truly inquisitive voice, "How did this come to be?" With a pleased look, Liam paused. Taking only a small sip from his glass this time, I realized that real sass-time had arrived.

Stretching his long legs out under the low table, the tension departed from Liam Riley’s face and physique. Then, he gave another pithy, one-word answer, "The rock." I gasped, "The rock! By all that is sane, what do you mean by the rock?"

Here I was faced with the dilemma of the relationship between Faith and morals: my ancestors were Catholic sheep-stealers! And here, the shepherd, Liam Riley, was resolving the ancestral enigma with one word, "Rock." Mustering up every bit of courage possible, I imitated his own expressive language and asked, "Glory be to everything that is divine and holy, what on earth are you talking about?" He smiled and replied, "Earth."

To say that I was numbed is an understatement. Clearly, rock and earth fall into the same general geological category. But, what do pebbles and dirt have to do with the tower of Faith and the tower of morals; how do rock and earth explain the problem of Catholic criminals?

The earlier emphasis by Liam Riley had been on the word, "Faith," not on the immoral act of stealing sheep. This perplexed me, and a querulous frown came upon my countenance. Taking an even smaller sip from his half-filled glass, Liam settled back into his chair with a wide grin. Mentally, I mused that this must be "solemn high" sass-time.

Liam Riley began with a condensed history of a de-Christianized England and a somewhat morally-impoverished Irish populace. He started with King Henry VIII (1491-1547). "‘Defender of the Faith’ he was proclaimed," said Liam. But, he had another title for the English King with eight wives. "Whoremaster," Liam pronounced. In reality, however, the story-telling shepherd was not interested in King Henry VIII and his adulterous acts while seeking a male descendent to occupy the English throne. Liam Riley used the British monarch as a way to introduce the central figure in England’s attempt to de-Christianize Ireland: Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658). With personal and political passion, Cromwell, appointed Lord Protector of Ireland, hated, respectively, the Catholic Faith and the Irish people and was determined to annihilate the former and exterminate the latter.

In compact form, Liam Riley gave the historical account of why Cromwell’s efforts failed. Once again, the connection between the tower of Faith and the tower of morals came forth from the lips of this childlike believer, that is to say, Liam Riley grasped well that there are two towers in Christendom: Faith and morals. He understood, too, what happens whenever the two towers are assailed from within or from without. In this particular case, King Henry weakened the tower of morals in England through adulterous living; Oliver Cromwell sought to destroy the tower of Faith in Ireland by persecuting the "papists."

This period of violence in England and in Ireland was not unknown to me. The novelty was the way Liam Riley juxtaposed King Henry and Cromwell, as if they represented two towers: the tower of Faith and the tower of morals. For Liam, each historical figure represented what was wrong with England and the institutional Church in that country at that time: apostasy (Faith) and personal vice (morals). "It is one thing," Liam remarked, "to be a fallen-away Catholic because of immoral living as was the dissolute Henry. It is quite another to be anti-Catholic because of sinful hatred, as was the infidel Cromwell."

The hatred of Oliver Cromwell for the Catholic Faith and the Irish people impelled him to try to eliminate what he considered aboriginal pagans. To do so, Cromwell marched his militia all the way to the west coast of Ireland. He wrote from Drogheda near Dublin in September, 1649 that the ruthless campaign he waged against the Irish would "tend to prevent the effusion of blood in the future . . . . which otherwise cannot but work remorse and regret." As he went along, he slaughtered childlike-believing Catholics English-style: hanged by the neck, drawn-and-quartered, and left as bird bait. Cromwell and his army finally arrived at Connemara, a remote place just short of the deep cliffs that overlook the Irish Sea.

"Hah!," Liam Riley chortled with a joyous heart and victorious grin. "That is where the Catholic Faith and the Irish people survived. The faithless fraud and his band of butchers had reached the west coast of Ireland, turned around, and never came back. The land, laddie, the land! The rocky land saved the Catholic Faith and the people living on it. Connemara! There is your Faith and your birthright, my boy, a place of Catholic glory and Irish heroism!"

Having established the thrill factor, Liam Riley intensified the rhythm of the story by describing the rocky land of Connemara, the locale of beautiful hand-cut marble. My not-so-rhythmic response was that of an obtuse American. I asked, "Why is that important?"

Sitting bolt upright with his back as straight as a steel beam, the jaw of Liam Riley clenched iron tight. A steam-like hiss came from his trembling lips. His answer was spewed forth by a powerful inner force. "Connemara! Connemara! The rocky land saved the Catholic Faith and the Irish people. There was not a tree to hang them on! There was not a stream to drown them in! There was not a piece of earth to bury them in. Hah!"

From a pragmatic point of view, the west coast of Ireland did become an obstacle in the vicious campaign of Oliver Cromwell. Yet, it is also true that the land represented the triumph of a people whose unyielding courage delivered them from extermination and, thereby, preserved the Catholic Faith and personal belief in their homeland.

The images of trees, streams, and rocky land did not escape me. No persecution could make my ancestors waver ("There was not a tree to hang them on"); no apostate could overwhelm them ("There was not a river or stream to drown them in"); and no misery could swallow them up ("There was not a piece of earth to bury them in"). So, according to Liam Riley, despite their renown as "necessary" Catholic sheep-stealers, my Connemara ancestors were heroic saints. Their unwavering fidelity and courage, he suggested, was the only reason that Catholic John Meehan had the privilege to sit before and learn from Catholic Liam Riley.

As if he himself had just won the victory over Oliver Cromwell and, hence, preserved forever the Catholic Faith in all Ireland, Liam Riley settled back with ease into his paternal throne — the lounge chair. Like the now-setting Italian sun, the prince of storytellers had completed with competence this day’s assignment, and he seemed really pleased to have taught an ignorant American about his Catholic heritage.

Sipping ever so slowly on the last of the John Jameson whiskey, the two of us sat in silence for sometime. Then, with a sudden surge of energy, Liam Riley stood up and stretched his slim frame to the limit. He shook my hand with the strength of a father’s love and said, "Good-bye." I watched his confident gait enter the lobby and disappear. I never saw or heard from Liam Riley again.

Sated by the session of sass, I took the final sip from my own glass. As I reviewed Liam Riley’s tale, the famed Connemara marble took on a new luster because it now had historical meaning: childlike belief and rock-like Faith.

Two Towers

2006-12-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

In the coming weeks, we will be posting segments from the text of John Meehan's Two Towers-the deChristianization of America and a Plan for Renewal here. We feel it is an important book deserving wide readership-and thus are putting it online in segments.

John Meehan is the co-founder and retired President of Magdalen College in Warner, NH. Without further words on our part, let us begin at the beginning....

Two Towers-the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal

(Ccpyright John Meehan 2005)

Preface

The Two Towers Explained
For too many years now, I have listened to questions from distraught, almost hopeless, lay people. Why does the Catholic Church in this country seem so wishy-washy? Why have so many young people stopped going to Mass? Why is there such a lack of reverence in church? What happened to priestly vocations? Why are parishes closing? Why is there so much scandal? How did this falling apart come about? What is the cause of this crisis? Who is responsible for it?

This book will attempt to address the substantive issue behind the questions above, and to offer a practical solution. It must be understood from the outset, however, that, while the exposure of sexual misconduct by a few priests and the administrative negligence of some bishops is certainly horrible and humiliating, that scandal is not the actual institutional crisis. The crisis is much deeper than and goes way beyond the sexual perversity of any priest or the malfeasance of any bishop. In my judgment, the crisis in the Catholic Church in America is de-Christianization, which is nothing else than the separation of two towers: the first being the tower of Faith, and the second being the tower of morals.

De-Christianization means that the tower of Faith has become disconnected from the tower of morals. The separation of the tower of Faith from the tower of morals is the taproot of de-Christianization in the United States. As with the destruction of the two towers in New York City on September 11, 2001, the disconnection of Faith from morals has a history and cultural force behind it: the how, why, what, and who, so to speak.

The twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed unexpectedly by a sinister force seeking cataclysmic damage to the economic and political infrastructure of this country. It is no less true that there has been a malevolent attempt to separate, and then to collapse, the two towers of Christendom: Faith and morals.

Let me describe the two towers. Scripturally grounded in our "Father in the Faith" — Abraham of the Old Testament — the tower of Faith is cemented firmly in an ancient heritage and a long-standing tradition. Moses, the Law, and the prophets are its girders. The apostles, the Gospels, and papal succession are its framework. Church councils, ex cathedra declarations, and the lives of saintly men and women are its exterior covering. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, seven sacraments, and Liturgy of the Hours are its interior activity. Comprised of sacred scripture, apostolic tradition, and a living magisterium, this tower is called by the Roman Catholic Church the "Deposit of Faith."

The architectural plan of the tower of morals is found in the order of Creation. Due to the Original Sin of Adam and Eve, the construction of this tower required "hands-on" experience and supernatural intervention. Thus, the erection of the tower of morals proceeded ever so slowly during a near 3,000-year course of Western history. Cost overruns, as it were, came from a long record of unjust laws imposed by a variety of oppressive political regimes and a lack of cultural consensus regarding right ethical behavior. To complete construction of this tower, a common codification of Church and secular law was necessary if the tower of morals was to settle into a recognizable hall of legal justice. The Judeo-Christian system of organizing and directing public and private life by way of Divine Law and the natural law is the foundation supporting the edifice. The administration of just laws is its framework. Human statutes are its exterior covering. Equal protection under law is its interior activity.

Standing side-by-side, the tower of Faith and the tower of morals have served as sturdy pillars of civilized living in most parts of the Western world.

Postscript

This written work is not a scholarly treatise. It is a brief account of the historical and cultural experiences of a layman who seeks to give solace to every childlike believer who has suffered silently in the pew of a parish church. Childlike believers have agonized because they refused to be defined by any other reference point than their identity as baptized Catholics. In context, their inner suffering has been a muted cry for real freedom.

The cruelest response to the pain of childlike-believing lay people has been the attempt to explain their suffering away with prepackaged psychological or sociological answers from the secular world. But, childlike believers chose not to descend into the hollow pit of human ideas. Rather, they elected to embrace a life of interior freedom through personal prayer, hoping that their children and grandchildren would be spared the agony of baptismal loneliness, a deeply-felt spiritual wound that is hell to endure.

With the strongest possible emphasis, let me state that to be childlike does not mean to be childish or naive, that is to say, a baptized person is to be neither irrational nor simple-minded:

Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. (Mk 10:14-15)

To be childlike means to have a baptismal instinct for the realities found in revealed truths:

The whole company of the faithful, who have an anointing by the Holy Spirit, cannot err in faith. They manifest this distinctive characteristic of theirs in the supernatural instinct of faith (sensus fidei) of the whole people when, from the bishops to the most ordinary lay person among the faithful, they display a universal agreement on matters of Faith and morals. (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no.4)

Childlike believers are the baptized who possess a sincere belief in the Person of Jesus Christ and His divinely-founded Catholic Church. The future Pope Benedict XVI, Josef Cardinal Ratzinger, while Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Faith and Doctrine in Rome, extolled the fidelity and docility of childlike believers:

The universal Catholic Church still lives also on the enormous strength of those people who are humble believers. In this sense, the great host of those who need love and who give love is indeed her true treasure: simple people who are capable of truth because, as the Lord says, they have remained children. Through all the changes of history, they have retained their perception of what is essential.

With profound fraternal love, this book is dedicated to childlike believers, lay people who see and live by the light of Faith.

William E. May winner of the 2007 Paul Ramsey Award Winner

2006-11-29T23:37:00.000-05:00

Saw this announcement at The Human Future. Here is a clip of the post:

"Husbands and wives... have a "right" to the marital act and to care for life conceived through this act, but they do not have a "right" to a child. A child is not a thing to which husbands and wives have a right. It is not a product that, by its nature, is necessarily inferior to its producers, rather a child [is] like its parents. And this is the moral problem with the laboratory generation of human life..."

"Membership in the human species is of critical moral significance simply because human animals are different kinds of animals. They are different, not because of culture or brains, but because of who they are, that is, beings ultimately minded because within them is a principle of immateriality, of transcendence. Members of this species are beings of moral worth not by reason of anything that they do or achieve, but by reason of what they are."

CBC is proud to announce Dr. May as the winner of the 2007 Paul Ramsey Award. Dr. May joins Dr. Edmund Pellegrino, Dr. Germain Grisez, and Dr. John M. Finnis, as past recipients of an award which honors those who have made significant contributions in their work to defend the dignity of humankind while advancing ethical biotechnology.

Of course Dr. May has also just recently released his memoirs....

If interested, here is the first review...

Booksigning...

2006-11-29T05:38:00.000-05:00

Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. (author of Giving Up Stealing for Lent and other family stories and The Mini-Catechism) will be signing his books at the Marytown gift shop this Saturday, December 2nd. Stop by if you are in the area.

Here is an excerpt from a review for Giving Up Stealing for Lent:

Escape back to a simpler, more clear cut time in life through this three decade collection of Madden Family tales.An easy pick up/put down book, everyone in your family, Catholic or not, will find themselves wishing they’d been a part of the loving mayhem that was the Maddens.

We are indebted to Brother Madden for letting us be a part of his warm and entertaining family life.
Nationally Syndicated Humor Columnist and author Karen Rinehart lives in North Carolina where she and her family attend St. James the Great Catholic Chuch. Read more at http://www.busstopmommies.com/

It has been a while...

2006-10-23T05:43:00.000-04:00

Just want to note the upcoming release of Dr. William May's memoirs: Standing with Peter. It will be available for pre-order on our website later this week.

Pleased to announce...

2006-08-31T17:38:00.000-04:00

The release of our latest book: The Mini-Catechism -388 Fundamental Questions and Answers on the Catholic Faith.

Originally approved by the Archbishops of England and Wales, The Penny Catechism has now been revised in light of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, American edition, issued in 1994.

Most of the revisions are in the form of additional questions and answers, especially in those sections concerning Divine Revelation and the Sacraments. Some revisions were made to conform to the terminology used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Others are simply changes to American terminology from the British terminology of earlier editions of The Penny Catechism.

This is a perfect book for missionary work, prison ministry, and apologetics. The classic question and answer format is a great way to learn Catholic doctrine. This is an official catechism with new imprimatur.

The Mini-Catechism is a concise summary of Catholic doctrine, fitting neatly in purse or pocket.!

From "Initiatives"

2006-08-09T06:08:00.000-04:00

National Center for the Laity quotes and makes mention of Russell Shaw's Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church in their September newsletter, "Initiatives". (here's the link, see page 2 in the On Vocations article)

A personal vocation "is not the same as planning and organizing a career", notes Shaw.

I do heartily recommend (notwithstanding my obvious bias) reading the chapter (I think it is Chapter 7) in this book on personal vocation. It is one of the best explanations I have read-especially for young people-on the topic.

Quick Note

2006-07-27T13:26:00.000-04:00

We are holding a "cover poll" over at my personal blog for the next few days. We are trying to fine tune a cover for the upcoming release: "Standing with Peter". This book is the memoirs of Dr. William May who fought the good fight at Catholic University of America for many years before joining the faculty at the John Paul II Institute in Washington, DC.

Check it out and tell your friends. Here's the LINK.

New Release-Coming Soon!

2006-07-20T08:32:00.000-04:00

Not alot of post recently-but this should changing soon as we have a several new releases coming out between now and October. A little premature, but here is the first, due out sometime in August:

You could say that it doesn't relate to history, but the Penny Catechism (this being a revision thereof) carries with it alot of history-alot of conversions. This booklet will be priced under $5 and easily fit in 'purse or pocket-yet is laid out to be easily readible. It includes a section of prayers at the end. It will be on sale in August (date tbd-soon)

Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. (author of "Giving Up Stealing for Lent" - RequiemPress) did the revisions. It carries a new Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat.

There will be quantity discounts available-this is the type of book you want at door when the Jehovah Witnesses come around and when Uncle Leonard asks a few questions-but does't want to read a huge volume.

Search Inside!

2006-06-29T06:15:00.000-04:00

Our books at Amazon now have the "Search Inside" feature enabled. Hopefully this will increase sales... For example see here or here.

Thomas More, John Fisher and the English Martyrs

2006-06-21T05:24:00.000-04:00

In honor of the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher on the 22nd of June, we offer our first release "Witnesses to the Holy Mass and other sermons" free with the purchase of $10 or more. This is a offer is only good for orders placed on June 22nd. Just place your order on the 22nd and we will automatically include the "Witnesses to the Holy Mass" book in your order. Don't miss out! Here's what others have said:

“Witnesses is an extraordinary book about love and sacrifice for the Eucharist! Reading it will inspire a greater devotion to the Catholic faith, especially the Mass. Once I began reading, I couldn’t put it down. Once I finished, I couldn¹t wait to share it with others… Having read the book, I feel a greater desire to defend my faith even unto death. Thank you!" - Dede Laugesen, Director, Holy Baby! DVDs and President, The Rosary Project-

"The gripping stories recounted will inspire not only a devotion to these saints, but also a renewed passion for the holy Mass that these holy men and woment shed their blood to preserve." - The Catholic Answer-March/April 2005

At the dawn of the 20th century, six sermons were preached by a Benedictine priest in commemoration of men and women who loved God more than they loved themselves and who paid the ultimate price for their faithfulness. Now, at the dawn of a new century we can revisit their sacrifices and examine our own consciences to discover how much we love the God who gave us His only Son on Calvary and in the Holy Sacrifice of the altar.

WITNESSES TO THE HOLY MASS and other sermons by Dom Bede Camm OSB was originally preached to inspire the faithful of England by recalling the sacrifices of the English martyrs who suffered during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. As England needed conversion in those days, so too do our hearts need conversion today!

2006-06-12T09:21:00.000-04:00

Surely it has been many days since posting here-but I will make up for lost time by linking to two articles which look at the role of the laity in the Church-historically and currently.

The first is by our favorite author on the topic, Russell Shaw. In the May/June issue of Lay Witness Magazine (article available here), Mr. Shaw tries once again to clarify that lay ministry is not lay apostolate:

The council said very little about lay ministry. The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity reduced it to two sentences: "The hierarchy entrusts the laity with certain charges more closely connected with the duties of pastors: in the teaching of Christian doctrine, for example, in certain liturgical actions, in the care of souls. In virtue of this mission the laity are fully subject to ecclesiastical control in regard to the exercise of these charges" (AA, no. 24).

Lay apostolate is something that takes place in secular environments- the home, the neighborhood, the workplace, the school. "The laity . . . are given this special vocation: to make the Church present and fruitful in those places and circumstances where it is only through them that she can become the salt of
the earth" (LG, nos. 32-33).

The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity hammers home these basic concepts. "The characteristic of the lay state being a life led in the midst of the world and of secular affairs, laymen are called to make of their apostolate . . . a leaven in the world," it says. And again: "Laymen ought to take on themselves as their distinctive task this renewal of the temporal order" (AA, nos. 2,7).

Read the whole article (or buy the book, Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church!).

Also of interest on this topic came in Friday's daily dispatch from ZENIT. Ramiro Pellitero, professor of pastoral theology at the University of Navarra and author of "The Laity in the Ecclesiology of Vatican II" says:

...the fact that, by baptism, all Christians are "the Church." Within our common baptismal vocation, diverse conditions and vocations can be found. The lay faithful are called to take God into temporal realities such as the family, work, culture, the communication media, politics, sports, etc. They do this from within society, in and for the ordinary realities that make up their lives.

Again, read the entire article.

The Laity, Canonization & Criteria for Martyrdom

2006-04-28T07:11:00.000-04:00

Interesting post here (hat tip to AmyWelborn) on, among other things the canonizations and beatifications of the laity under John Paul II. While the perception is that John Paul raised to the altar many lay saints, this post maintains that most of those saints were from the religious life, and that the most of the laity raised to the altar were martyrs.

Further (and this post was based on Benedict XVI's letter to the Congregation for the causes of Saints), Pope Benedict writes about the criteria for martyrdom. Interesting to us, as we carry Msgr. Knox's little treatise on the same subject.

2006-04-20T12:04:00.000-04:00

Russell Shaw in last month's Crisis Magazine (available in the archives online):

The principle of shared responsibility is not, as clericalized Catholics suppose, a concealed heresy, but part of the ancient Christian heritage of the Church (bear in mind the Pauline doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ), which was taken up again by Vatican II as part of its project of ressourcement. It needs to be put creatively to work in building healthy relationships within the Catholic community.

He is Risen! Alleluia!

2006-04-19T09:57:00.000-04:00

The staff at RequiemPress wishes you a joyous Easter season.

Holy Week

2006-04-10T12:49:00.000-04:00

I will not be posting during Holy Week. Requiem Press will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (closing at noon on Wed.) and will re-open for business on Easter Tuesday.

Have a prayerful Holy Week!

From Russell Shaw...

2006-04-07T12:04:00.000-04:00

This morning on CatholicExchange :

Over lunch a couple of weeks ago after a trip to Rome, I was telling a friend that — as others have remarked — Pope Benedict in person visibly radiates serenity and joy. My friend, a Jewish convert to Catholicism, thought about that for a moment and then said, "I guess that's what you'd expect a Christian to do, isn't it?"

Read the rest here.

Just a reminder...

2006-04-04T06:30:00.000-04:00

Our lastest releases: Giving Up Stealing ... for Lent! (and other family stories) and

Cuthbert Mayne: Protomartyr of the Priests from the Seminary at Douay are available for ordering.

Giving Up Stealing will be ready to ship on April 5th (and would make a great present to stick in the spouse's Easter basket). Cuthbert Mayne is shipping now!

Don't wait-order your copies today!

2006-04-03T07:18:00.000-04:00

From www.Zenit.org : Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko's, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, in Colombia on March 9, opens Latin America's first congress of ecclesial movements and new communities. Here's an excerpt:

All Christian formation ought to have a missionary element because the Christian vocation is, by its nature, a call to apostolate. Missionary outreach helps baptized persons discover the fullness of their own vocation...
They (Christian missionaries) do not wait for those no longer practicing the faith to return to the Church on their own: They seek them out. They do not hesitate to reach out by taking to the streets and city squares, by entering supermarkets, banks, schools and universities and wherever people can be found. Their missionary zeal carries them "to the ends of the earth." And they grow -- showing that the charisms from which they spring are capable of feeding the Christian life of men and women of all places, cultures and traditions.

Changing established life-styles

2006-03-31T10:30:00.000-05:00

This is the culture which is hoped for, one which fosters trust in the human potential of the poor, and consequently in their ability to improve their condition through work or to make a positive
contribution to economic prosperity. But to accomplish this, the poor—be they individuals or nations—need to be provided with realistic opportunities. Creating such conditions calls for a concerted worldwide effort to promote development, an effort which involves sacrificing the positions of income and of power enjoyed by the more developed economies.

This may mean making important changes in established life-styles, in order to limit the waste of environmental and human resources, thus enabling every individual and all peoples of the earth to have a sufficient share of those resources.

(Centesimus Annus 52, emphasis in original)

Old commentary on this great passage from John Paul II-but still fresh today-can be found here - thanks for making it available.

Pre-Order ...

2006-03-30T11:58:00.000-05:00

Giving Up Stealing for Lent! (and other family stories) is available for pre-order at the the website today!

2006-03-29T05:43:00.000-05:00

The Cuthbert Mayne booklet is up and ready for sale at the website!

Personal Vocation & God's Will

2006-03-27T05:53:00.000-05:00

"John Paul II handled his dying as he did out of the conviction that this was the form his personal vocation had taken — what God was asking of him as the final act of fidelity..."

This is from an article this morning on Catholic Exchange by Russell Shaw. I quote it this morning because it reminds me of something I read over the weekend in "He Leadeth Me" by Fr. Walter Ciszak SJ. He and a fellow priest have secretly entered Russia to provide the sacraments to Polish refugees and/or the Russian people. They find however that no one will even talk about religion with them. They are discouraged and wonder why they are even in Russia:

"And then one day it dawned on us. God granted us the grace to see the solution to our dilemma ... It was the grace quite simply to look at our situation from His viewpoint rather than ours. It was the grace not to judge our efforts by human standards, or by what we ourselves wanted or expected to happen, but rather according to God's design."

Isn't this the daily strugge we each have in living our personal vocation-to accept God's will for us-even when we think we are better suited for other work or when our expectations are not met. It can be hard at times to see His will and not ours.

Our first book for children!

2006-03-23T09:12:00.000-05:00

Unlike the books posted below, this one won't be ready until October 2006-but we do preview it in our catalog (the catalog will be in the mail this week. If you'd like one, leave a comment below or at the website: www.RequiemPress.com )

The Story of Our Lady of Victory
story and illustrations by Agnes Penny (Your Labor of Love & Your Vocation of Love)

This book, for pre-schoolers and early readers, told in rhyme, will introduce the child to the rosary, the power of prayer and heroic Christian soldiers at the battle of Lepanto.

New Release: Lives of the English Martyrs!

2006-03-22T12:24:00.000-05:00

In 1905, a two volume set on the lives of the English Martyrs were released in England. Volume I covered the 15 martyrs under Henry VIII declared blessed by Pope Leo XIII. Volume II related the lives of 24 martyrs beatified by Leo XIII who died under Elizabeth I.

Many of these martyrs are virtually unknown in America. RequiemPress is hoping to re-print the entire two volume set as individual booklets. They will be easy to carry and quick to read, but these heroic tales will inspire your heart with love for God and the Faith.

The first in the series is about St. Cuthbert Mayne...

St. Cuthbert Mayne was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI as one of the 40 martyrs of England and Wales. He was the first martyr from the English seminary at Douay.

A convert to the Faith and former Protestant minister, Cuthbert Mayne fled England when his name as potential Papist was revealed.

He studied for the priesthood at the English seminary at Douay and then returned to England to provide the sacraments to the faithful there and to meet his martyrdom.

Release of this booklet is expected on March 29th 2006. Look for it on the website then.

Here it is!

2006-03-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

We should start taking pre-orders in about a week. The official release is scheduled for April 1st. Here is the blurb:

56 years of marriage and 11 children. ..

The Maddens of Baltimore will surprise you, comfort you, make you laugh until you cry, and make you cry until you laugh again! From games of "pitch" to petty thievery, from over zealous confessions to exacerbating obedience, there is truly never a dull moment!

But these true stories about a real family, as told by the youngest brother, are much more than just a collection of humor. Together, they weave a tapestry about family life—the way it should be lived and enjoyed. The virtues and the vices, the laughter and the frustration, the happiness and the mourning, the prosperity and the poverty: the family is the first school of love.

Experience this with the Maddens of Baltimore. Bring them home with you today!

Brother Charles Madden, OFM Conv. was born in Baltimore, MD in January 1940, the youngest of eleven children. He is the author of "Freemasonry: Mankind’s Hidden Enemy".

"Giving Up Stealing ... for Lent!" at 111 pages is attractively priced at $9.95. It is a perfect Easter Basket stuffer for your spouse.

Notes

2006-03-21T08:48:00.000-05:00

I have finally added a link to my personal blog on the sidebar.

Our Spring Catalog, which has preview of the our year ahead, should be in the mail by weeks end. If you are interested in getting a catalog, and haven't ordered from us before, you can visit the Requiem Press website and fill out your name and address in the box on the "Contact Us" page. We'll make sure you get a catalog.

We'd like to do an overhaul of the website-and maybe have this blog part of the website, but it will have to wait until the summer at least. It will be a busy year with several new booklets and several new major releases also.

Thanks for stopping by.

2006-03-20T14:22:00.000-05:00

The April 2006 issue of Initiatives (newsletter of the National Center for the Laity) quotes Russell Shaw - again on the distinctions between ministry and lay apostolate. (available online at the link.)

More on Lay Apostolate

2006-03-13T23:57:00.000-05:00

This article appearing on the 12th at Beliefnet by Russell Shaw makes some further points to the story I linked yesterday. Here he says:

The bishops have meant well—for their aim has been to encourage Catholic lay people to participate more fully in the life of the Church—but they have made a damaging mistake. Promoting lay ministry has come at the expense of an earlier tradition of promoting Catholic lay apostolate—and the two are very different things. I argue that the bishops ought to switch their priorities, for lay apostolate not only fills important needs but is specifically designed to help lay people do what they can do best: putting Gospel values to work in their jobs, schools, neighborhoods, and homes.
...Back before the Second Vatican Council, there was a healthy network of Catholic groups in America such as the National Council of Catholic Men and the National Council of Catholic Women and their diocesan councils and affiliates—groups that were committed to giving lay people spiritual and doctrinal formation for apostolate. Lay apostolate also got significant attention in the Church's schools and educational programs. Some of the support was superficial and ineffective, and it didn't help that most pre-Vatican II apostolic groups operated on the old "Catholic Action" model in which lay activity was under clerical control.
...The ministry boom didn't start until seven years after the Council wound up in 1965. Pope Paul VI issued a document in 1972 abolishing the 'minor orders'—stages such as lector and acolyte through which candidates for the priesthood formerly had to pass on their way to ordination. Functions previously linked to those minor orders—such as serving Mass and reading the Scriptures--could now be assigned to lay people. Paul also left the door open to other forms of lay ministry. Theologians and lay employees of the Church grabbed the idea and ran with it. There was an explosion of books, articles, conferences, and academic programs on lay ministry. A new Catholic cottage industry had been born, especially in the United States.

Read the rest...or read the book!

What’s a Lay Apostolate?

2006-03-13T12:04:00.000-05:00

Russell Shaw answers this question today on CatholicExchange. Here's an excerpt:

I was trying to explain the idea of lay apostolate to an intelligent Catholic laywoman. Oh sure, she said, she knew exactly what I meant. Lay apostolate was lay people participating in parish-based activities of various kinds — serving on the parish council, teaching an RCIA class, things like that.
What could I say? These obviously are admirable, excellent things to do. How helpful would it have been for me to point out that, good as they are, they definitely aren't lay apostolate? ....
A key part of lay apostolate is that it happens in a secular environment, not in church. Vatican Council II's Constitution on the Church spoke of it as a "special vocation" — making faith "present and fruitful" in those places where that can only be done by the laity. What places might those be? The home, the neighborhood, and the workplace come to mind. If Christianity is to be lived out there, it's up to lay people to do it.
Apostolate happens out there in the big, wide, secular world. At the risk of some oversimplification, you could put it like this: lay ministry is something that some Catholic lay people do on Sunday morning; lay apostolate is what all Catholic lay people should be doing every day of the week.

Read the rest here. Of course you can get a much more complete treatment by reading our own "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" by Russell Shaw-available here .

Lenten Ideas & Specials

2006-02-28T06:24:00.000-05:00

During lent you will be spending more time in prayer and sacrifice. What better way to offer these prayers and sacrifices than for the Holy Souls in Purgatory? Lent would be a good time to start a daily practice-a committment if you will-of praying for the holyu souls.

Daily Prayers for the Church Suffering ($1.85) may just be the booklet to get you started. If features a short prayer every day of the week for a particular soul, followed by the recitation of Psalm 129 (130). The daily prayer follows Christ's passion through the week. [You may also want to spread this devotion by buying bulk quantities and distributing them-almsgiving for the Holy Souls. There are attractive discounts available at the Requiem Press website ]

If you plan to make extra visits and holy hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament this Lent, "Prayers in the Presence of the Holy Eucharist for the Church Suffering" ($2.50) may be another option. In this booklet by Fr. Xavier Lasance, a holy hour is mapped out (prayers for Adoration, Thanksgiving, Petition, and Reparation) as well as a meditation and prayers particular to the holy souls in Purgatory.

For your own spiritual reading during lent, "Witnesses to the Holy Mass and other sermons" by Dom Bede Camm OSB (regularily $8.95) is hard to beat. It is a book that can reinvigorate your spirit of sacrifice and most especially love of God. Dom Camm introduces us to some of the English martyrs under the persecutions of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. He shows how they can be an example to us today even if we are not under such a persecution. (It also makes a great gift to others who are looking for some Lenten reading.)

Lenten Special: Get all three books for just $7.95. When you order Witnesses to the Holy Mass at this discounted price, we will automatically include the two booklets for the holy souls.

May God bless your prayers and sacrifices during this holy season!

2006-02-27T06:53:00.000-05:00

Lenten Specials should be posted and available on the website by tomorrwo morning...Stay tuned!

Catherine Doherty

2006-02-24T09:54:00.000-05:00

Was reading this week's The Wanderer and there was a reference to this site about Catherine Doherty. Interestingly enough I had never heard of her, but had heard of her husband Eddie Doherty. Sophia Institute Press used to put out a magazine called "The Catholic Reader" which had reviews of many books of interest to Catholics (not just their own publications). One book was by this former newspaper man Eddie Doherty who had a conversion of heart based on his wife's prayer and work. Well, his wife is Catherine Doherty. Go to the site and check out her life and cause of sainthood....

2006-02-23T07:08:00.000-05:00

RequiemPress is looking forward to publishing our first book for children in early fall. It will be a short book relating to a specific event in the history of salvation. We should be announcing the book and the author in a few days, stay tuned. We are very excited about this foray into new territory

Due out this spring, as mentioned somewhere below is, "Giving Up Stealing... For Lent!" by Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. As also mentioned somewhere below, Brother Charles has written a very popular book on Freemasonery for TAN. Brother Charles is the youngest of 11 children. In "Giving Up Stealing..." he recounts the joys of growing up in a large Catholic family. He shares with us some 40 or more family stories which I'm sure are replayed with his siblings at their own family reunions. At times humorous, at times moving, "Giving Up Stealing..." is great fun, but also gives us some insight into the Catholic culture which was alive in families, parishes and neighborhoods in some years past. Look for it sometime (God-willing) in March.

2006-02-21T07:59:00.000-05:00

Just found this article (originally appearing in the Catholic Register- (Canada). Here's a couple quotes:

The laity’s job is to transform the world, said Archbishop Gaumond. While that’s happening to some extent, it’s “not enough,” according to the archbishop of Sherbrooke, Que.

“But that’s not the fault of the laity,” Archbishop Gaumond said. “It is in the major part our fault in the hierarchy. It’s our fault because in the past, when we had problems in the church, we looked for the solutions by having more priestly vocations, more religious vocations.”

I would disagree at least a little with the latter statement. It is not a mistake to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life; it is a mistake for the bishops to ordain anyone (or practically anyone) who applies (as we have seen with the scandal) and for bishops to neglect their role of teachers of the Faith. If Archbishop Gaumond is saying that the bishops have fallen into the dangers of clericalism when attempting to solve all problems, then I would agree-this is a mistake. However, I also think the laity (as they responsible for their own salvation) are to blame if they do not evangelize the culture and don't educate themselves on what needs to be done.

2006-02-21T06:48:00.000-05:00

We have extended our special offer where you buy Russell Shaw's "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church"and get John Meehan's "Two Towers, the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" for half-price until the 25th of February.

Stay tuned for Lenten Specials at the website in a few days....

More upcoming releases...

2006-02-15T07:18:00.000-05:00

We another exciting announcement to make on upcoming books from RequiemPress:

Scheduled for release in October 2006 is "The Roast Beef Hour-and other poems of Faith and Family" by Long-Skirts. You can get sampling of her poetry here.

Also, remember our special offer where you buy Russell Shaw's "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church"and get John Meehan's "Two Towers, the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" for half-price is in its last days.

Stay tuned for more...

2006-02-08T01:11:00.000-05:00

This month's issue of crisis Magazine sports Russell Shaw (whose latest book "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" - RequiemPress ), reviewing John Allen's book, "Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church". Here's a snippet of the review:

But most members—and Allen also makes this clear—find the Work a deeply satisfying part of their efforts to live integrated, prayerful lives in the service of God, the Church, and other people. The author gets the central idea exactly right when he writes, “Ultimately, the ‘spiritual life’ is nothing more or less than human life. Nothing falls outside that. There are no compartments that aren’t labeled ‘God’s business.’” This is a lofty ideal that offers huge rewards to those who, however imperfectly, put their hearts into trying to realize it.

Read the rest of the review here

A Layman's Response to Vatican II

2006-02-03T08:28:00.000-05:00

Continued from yesterday (see below), John Meehan talks about the founding of Magdalen College - from his book "Two Towers-the de-Christianizaton of America and a Plan for Renewal" (RequiemPress):

In 1968, I began to address the "spirit" subterfuge by instructing others outside of my family and home about the real and true Vatican Council II. Later on, in 1973, two other laymen and I founded a Catholic institution of higher learning in light of the documents of Vatican Council II. Despite the publication of Conciliar documents that defined the lay vocation, apostolate, and spirituality, a long-standing, bureaucratic clericalism made it very difficult to erect a Catholic college founded and administered by lay people. Representatives of the institutional Church presumed that Catholic education was the strict province of the clergy or teaching religious orders. Furthermore, the effort to found a Catholic college with an integrated curriculum and ordered campus life was complicated, at that time, by political unrest and social upheaval in this country.
Nonetheless, the post-Conciliar distress of Catholic parents confirmed that a pressing need did exist for a lay apostolate bold enough to ensure that sacred scripture, catechetical instruction, and liturgical training were fundamental elements of undergraduate Catholic education. But, three obstacles stood in the way of forming young people through an integration of the Word of God, catechesis, and liturgy.

First, many parents had been provided with only a rudimentary knowledge of the Deposit of Faith by way of the Baltimore Catechism, and few of their offspring had received systematic catechetical instruction or disciplined liturgical training at any level of their formal religious education. Second, watered-down doctrine and liturgical abuses entered almost every aspect of parish life which dismayed the majority of childlike believers raised in ancestral cultures of piety.

Since the Council of Trent (1545-63) and the subsequent Counter-Reformation, catechetical instruction and "preparation for attending Mass" had always been basic features of parish instruction and formal Catholic education. Therefore, I was convinced that a renewal in undergraduate Catholic education by way of systematic catechesis and liturgical training, while difficult, would not be impossible. Simply put, these two so-called obstacles — catechesis and liturgy — could be done away with by implementing the relevant documents of Vatican Council II.

The third obstacle, sacred scripture, I knew had a long and somewhat dark history. That history went all the way back to the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation. Except for the seminary training of priests, the formation of monks, and the preparation given by a religious order to its members, the study of sacred scripture was not an essential element of either parish instruction or the formal education imparted to lay people. While virtually every Catholic home in America possessed a Bible, few ever read, let alone studied the Word of God.

Having sacred scripture become an integral part of undergraduate Catholic education and campus life responded to an exhortation of the Fathers of Vatican Council II: read, study, and meditate on the Word of God. Hence, I was convinced that the third obstacle could be overcome because the "silence" of sacred scripture had been broken indirectly with the liturgical reform approved by Pope Paul VI in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

One great gift of the Fathers of Vatican Council II, then, was opening again the treasures of sacred scripture to the laity. The promulgation of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, and the approval of Pope Paul VI to permit the use of vernacular languages in the cycles of scriptural readings, responsorial Psalms, and Gospel accounts enabled lay people worldwide to listen to and become familiar with the Word of God. In this country, the Old and New Testament readings, Psalm responses, and Gospel passages were read, prayed, or sung in the English language.

A Little Bit From "Two Towers"

2006-02-02T11:14:00.000-05:00

For the next two days we will excerpt "Two Towers-the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" (RequiemPress -on special now) where John Meehan talks about the circumstances surrounding the founding Magdalen College.

It has been heartbreaking for me, to witness the vast number of lay people — old, middle-aged, and young — living their baptismal lives without a working knowledge of the Deposit of Faith or of the approved liturgical life of the Catholic Church. Let me be precise, "orthopraxy" (right ethical action or the tower of morals) has superseded "orthodoxy" (right Catholic belief or the tower of Faith). This reversal has turned personal belief upside down. The result has been the loss of a practical common belief among the laity in this country: American de-Christianization.

When Vatican Council II closed in 1965, I became disturbed over the non-responses of most lay people to the teachings of the Council Fathers. Their indifference, however, was apparent, not actual. The non-responses of the people I knew only indicated that, as lay people, they had not been prepared to educate themselves when it came to matters of Faith and morals. In fact, they did not even consider it an obligation to challenge the ideas or practices of bishops, priests, or consecrated religious. So, confusion became widespread, which resulted in a disoriented pew-sitting laity.

Worse, I was shocked by the misapplications of Conciliar documents to catechesis, liturgy, and the vocation of the laity by certain bishops, priests, and teaching religious. Consequently, one day in 1967, I made an eager-hearted commitment before the Eucharistic Christ to promote the
authentic renewal called for by the Fathers of Vatican Council II, a decision that required some fundamental changes in my professional life which, in turn, affected my family life in nonessential ways. At that decisive moment, I promised Jesus Christ I would attempt to combat a surreptitious euphemism being passed on to the laity: "the spirit of Vatican II." As will be shown, that deceitful term advanced quite rapidly the process of de-Christianization in America.

Continued tomorrow...

A link and a special offter...

2006-01-27T05:35:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting article over at Godspy.com about Dorothy Day, her spirituality and lay apostolate, (here).

Requiem Press is running a 10-day special: Buy Russell Shaw's "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" at regular price and get John Meehan's "Two Towers-the de-Christianizaton of America and a Plan for Renewal" at half price. These two book are really complimentary.

John Meehan considers first the crisis in the Church in America from a historical point of view- in his own words, "this book uncovers the deep-seated historical and cultural roots of the crisis in the Catholic Church in America". He then proposes, especially to the bishops, a three-step proposal which considers a reform and renewal of Catechesis, the Liturgy, and the vocation of the laity.

Of course Russell Shaw, in his book, considers in detail this last-that is the vocation of the laity. Mr. Shaw also takes a historical approach, tracing the role of the laity in the Church from apostolic times to the present, with a look and suggestion for the future.

An Interview...

2006-01-26T05:12:00.000-05:00

Many Catholics who have been frustrated at the state of the Church, especially the Liturgy, for the last few decades have honed in (with great hope) on Pope Benedict XVI's address to the Roman Curia on December 22nd. (We posted an excerpt here).

John Meehan in "Two Towers-the de-Chritianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" (Requiem Press, 2005) makes a very similar case, that is that the true interpretation of the Council is not one of a break with tradition, but reform in light and in continuity with tradition-and that for the most part in America, the true implementation of the Counceil had not yet taken place.

This morning we link to an article by Brian Mershon in which two American bishops also make the same type of case. The article is here. Here is a brief excerpt:

Q. Your Excellencies, Pope Benedict XVI's pre-Christmas Roman Curia address had a theme of the competing claims, and subsequent struggle, for the true Second Vatican Council. Do you have any comments?

Bishop Corrada: The Holy Father has been following this theme, and he picked it up from Pope John Paul II, but has emphasized it more. I think that Pope Benedict XVI has a very deep insight because of his philosophical and theological formation that the authentic teachings of the Church have to be followed, and that the Church has to come back to certain disciplines that some bishops and many of the faithful and priests have gotten away from.

And that discipline is the discipline of the sacraments, the discipline of the liturgy, and even the discipline of the Latin language. I think that is what he is making reference to, and I think it is wonderful that he is making that emphasis.

I think, of course, that John Paul II [intended that as well]. But this is something that will take a long time. I think this is the battle for the legitimate and genuine Second Vatican Council teachings to be known by bishops and priests and to put it into action. ..

Another Review of "Catholic Laity" ...

2006-01-24T05:54:00.000-05:00

... Actually not quite a review, but a recommendation? This time at the National Center for the Laity-online here. Check it out.

Coming up...

2006-01-20T14:09:00.000-05:00

We have been silent for a week-but much has been going on at Requiem Press. We have started to set our schedule for book releases for 2006-07. Here is a partial preview, I expect to have a couple more surprises in the next week or so:

Spring Release: "Giving Up Stealing For Lent" by Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. (You may recognize him from his popular book on Freemasonery published by TAN books.

January 2007 Release: "America's Drug Deal-Abortion, Vaccines, & Corruption" by Jameson Taylor. Check out his website here.

Next week I will talk a little more about both these books. More to come...

Lay Mission Families ...

2006-01-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

Don't know much about the Neocatechumenal Way. I have vaguely heard of them in the past; recently they have been in the news because they have been told apparently to get their liturgical practices in line with the rest of the Roman rite. ZENIT had a article about their audience with Pope Benedict XVI yesterday. I found this interesting:

In his first audience granted to communities of the Neocatechumenal Way, Benedict XVI sent more than 200 families on mission to dioceses around the world.

Addressing the families -- parents and children -- who leave their countries to evangelize abroad, the Holy Father said: "They are families that leave without many human supports, but who count above all on the support of Divine Providence."

The idea of "mission families" was born in 1986, in response to Pope John Paul II's appeal to undertake a new evangelization. Their members, who belong to Neocatechumenal communities, offer themselves as volunteers to go to nations where the Church needs help.

The fate of each one of them is designated by the leaders of the Way, taking into account the specific needs of each area and in response to the requests of bishops who ask for families to be sent to their dioceses.

Guest Blogger...The Vocation of Motherhood

2006-01-12T10:22:00.000-05:00

One of the things we would like to do on this blog is to have guest bloggers write about their vocations-what it means to them, how they discerned it, or how they live it out. We haven't done much of this so far, but today we start. Wife, mother, and author, Agnes Penny (disclaimer-also my sister) talks below about her vocation....

It’s hard to think of our life’s work as a vocation from God when our days are as hectic and busy as most mothers’ are. Consumed with changing diapers, scrubbing dishes and getting the children to pick up all the tiny scraps of paper that clutter the floor after a morning of making paper snowflakes, our spiritual lives can all too easily be neglected.

And yet, as mothers, we have a unique opportunity to grow in holiness and to lead others to sanctity as well. We learn patience and perseverance by gently, consistently and firmly teaching and disciplining our children. We learn humility by experiencing our every fault being observed, commented on, and even imitated by our ever-attentive children who absorb, indiscriminately, everything we do. We learn unselfishness by giving ourselves – even our very bodies during times of pregnancy and breastfeeding – and all our time and energy in nurturing and providing for the all the needs of the innocent darlings with whom God has blessed us. We are on-call 24 hours a day, losing sleep, eating interrupted meals, and serving others even when we ourselves feel sick. Truly, we mothers, among all people, have a unique chance to learn to suffer and to love as Christ Himself loves us.

But that is not all. In nurturing the spiritual lives of our children, we mothers can find an even greater opportunity to grow in holiness ourselves. After all, we want our children to be saints – but how can we teach them to be saints unless we become saints first? We cannot give them what we do not have. Therefore, as we try to explain the wonder of Christmas, the solemnity of Lent, and the miracle of Easter, we must first develop a true appreciation for these liturgical seasons ourselves. We must foster a devotion to Our Lady, the angels and the saints in ourselves if we desire to pass this devotion on to our children. Lastly, we must cultivate a real yearning for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist if we hope to prepare our children to long to receive Him as well.

Being a mother in today’s world is not easy. But then, becoming a saint has never been easy. Yet we, as mothers, whose very vocation is so wrapped up in loving and serving others, have an unparalleled chance to become holy and to help others to become holy as well. Let us pray to Our Lady, the Mother of mothers, that we may take full advantage of this glorious opportunity to become, and to form, saints!

Agnes M. Penny is the author of Your Labor of Love-A Spiritual Companion for Expectant Mothers, published by Tan Books, and of Your Vocation of Love: A Spiritual Companion for Catholic Mothers, which will be coming out soon. She and her husband, Daniel, are currently expecting their fifth child.

Speaking of Catholic Culture....

2006-01-09T07:50:00.000-05:00

"Catholic culture comes from an active Catholic faith. Unless we truly believe and practice that faith, “Catholic culture” very quickly becomes a dead skin of nostalgia and comfortable habits." - Archbishop Chaput (in the January crisis Magazine - not online; via Southern Appeal. )

2006-01-06T07:07:00.000-05:00

Nice comments here about Russell Shaw's "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church". Here is an excerpt:

He also recommends promoting a vigorous Catholic subculture without the triumphalism (we-got-it-you-don’t), intellectual vapidity or at least minimalism, and defensiveness of 30s-through-50s American Catholicism. Instead, he wants "dynamically orthodox" infrastructure "motivating Catholics" to evangelize the world.

This is good stuff: confident and unapologetic defining and embracing a position and purpose. (Did I just do that? Give three pairs in sequence? Amazing.) It’s from Shaw’s new book, Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church (Requiem Press). Also amazing: the book is titled without catchy catchword as grabber.

Catholic subculture re-visited

2006-01-04T10:31:00.000-05:00

We have discussed Catholic subculture here before (see this post). It is a very important idea-and crucial to evangelizing the culture. Requiem Press was started to revive good, accurate, and inspiring history to counter the secularized and Protestantized revisionist versions of history which are so prevalent and false. And we will continue this mission...

But we are also creating a new branch: that is, books which celebrate Catholic culture (then and now). If you have ever read Maria VonTrapp's memoirs - the reader is invited into a very Catholic world in a very natural way. Requiem Press hopes to find and publish books which do the same with stories and poetry and song.

As noted elsewhere, this isn't such a big step off the path. If you look at our last three new releases, each touches on Catholic culture. Mr. Meehan's "Two Towers-the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" talks about how the "American/Protestant culture" infiltrated and influenced the Church (and Catholic culture) in America. "The Chapel Veil" makes the case for the revival of one particular expression of Catholic culture. "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" has a long section on the need for a new Catholic subculture and its position at the service of evangelization. Each of these books has a historical aspect also (we are connected to the past). Thus it is fitting that Requiem Press move out in this direction.

The first book in this series celebrating Catholic culture is not due out until March 2006. It is the recollections of the youngest of 11 children growing up in an Irish Catholic family in Baltimore during the middle part of the 20th century. The author, who has written before- (Freemasonry- Mankind's Hidden Enemy by TAN books), is Brother Charles Madden O.F.M. Conv.

And there are several others in the works-stay tuned.

2006-01-03T06:11:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since the last post. I hope everyone is enjoying a peaceful and joyous Christmas!

Today's post will be short. Within the next two weeks we (that is RequiemPress) should have some exciting announcements about upcoming projects.

Today and tomorrow only, we have a special deal when you purchase "Witnesses to the Holy Mass and other sermons" with "The Maccabees-Forgotten Heroes of Israel" ($12.95 for both).

Happy New Year!

2005-12-23T06:25:00.000-05:00

ZENIT carried this story last night on Pope Benedict XVI's view of Vatican II and its implementation:

The crisis that arose in the Church after the Second Vatican Council wasn't due to the conciliar documents, but rather in their interpretation, says Benedict XVI.

According to Benedict XVI, the reception of the Council's messages took place according to two interpretations that "confronted each other and have had disputes between them."

The first interpretation is the one the Pope called "hermeneutics of discontinuity and rupture" "between the pre-conciliar and post-conciliar Church." According to this view, what is important about the Council is not its texts but the spirit of renewal brought to the Church, the Holy Father said. This view, he observed, "has often been able to make use of the media's liking, and also of a part of modern theology."

The other interpretation is "the hermeneutics of reform," which was proposed by the Popes who opened and closed the Council, John XXIII and Paul VI, and which is bearing fruits "in a silent but ever more visible way," said Benedict XVI. According to this view, the objective of the Council and of every reform in the Church is "to transmit the doctrine purely and fully, without diminutions or distortions," conscious that "our duty not only consists in guarding this precious treasure, as though we were concerned only with antiquity, but in dedicating ourselves with a firm will and without fear to the work that our age calls for," the Pope said.

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Posting will be light (as it has been) for the next week or so as the editorial staff at RequiemPress take a break to celebrate the Nativity.

We wish all our readers the joy and peace which Christ brings for you and your families.

As Christmas approaches...

2005-12-20T06:59:00.000-05:00

We have been fairly silent here for about a week. As Christmas preparations intensify, we came across this wonderful advice from our Holy Father (courtesy of cwnews.com):

"During this period of preparation for Christmas, let us cultivate interior meditation, in order to welcome and safeguard Jesus in our lives," the Holy Father said at his Sunday Angelus audience. He called attention to the example set by St. Joseph, who maintained an interior silence "interwoven with constant prayer" as he awaited the birth of Jesus.

"Let us allow ourselves to be infected by the silence of St. Joseph," the Pontiff encouraged his listeners. "We need it very much, in a world that is often too noisy."

2005-12-12T06:53:00.000-05:00

Robert Royal (President of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington DC) wrote a review of "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church") for the 9 December 2005 NCR(eporter). Unfortunately susbscription is needed to view the column entitled, "Pondering the meaning of lay vocation." It does not appear that RequiemPress is mentioned as the publisher (from the copy I received-I am not a subscriber). However this may explain (along with the December crisis Magazine excerpt of the book) why since Friday, Russell Shaw's "Catholic Laity" has twice climbed on the Amazon.com sales rank from the several hundred thousand range to the lofty heights of the low 20 thousands....

Anyway, here's a couple of lines from the review:

One of Mr. Shaw's rare qualities is that he does not fit into any neat ideological framework...There is much to ponder in the story he tells and the recommendation he makes. If you are truly interested in light, rather than heat, on these difficult questions, it is worth spending a few contemplative hours with Russell Shaw.

The Council

2005-12-08T11:59:00.000-05:00

As today is the 40th anniversary of the close of Vatican II, much space has been given to this topic in various periodicals, blogs, speeches etc. One article in particular has been emailed to me several times, and which I have seen links to on other sites, such as Seattle Catholic. Here is a direct to the article by a Walter Brandmüller. The people circulating the article or linking to it seem to be generally of those who are critical of Vatican II because of the confusion and abuse in the Church in the last 40 years. The irony in this is that the article itself shows how upheaval after a council is not unexpected if you are a student of history:

Comparing II Vatican Council with the first Council of Nicaea (325), the Council of Trent (1545-1563) and Vatican I, and bearing in mind their respective consequences, it becomes clear that a schism took place after both Vatican Councils. First, in 1871, there were the “old Catholics” protesting against the definitions of the primacy and the infallibility of the pope; then in 1988 there were Archbishop Lefebvre and his supporters. As ideologically opposed as these two movements appear, they both represent the rejection of legitimate developments in the doctrine and life of the Church – a rejection based on a distorted relationship with history. After the Nicaean Council began religious battles that were to grow in bitterness and violence for over a century until the Nicaean doctrine was imposed at the Council of Chalcedon (451). This comparison can also be drawn with the Council of Trent, which produced an extraordinary growth spurt in the missionary, religious and cultural life of those parts of Europe that had remained Catholic – the “miracle of Trent” of which Hubert Jedin spoke. This growth did not come suddenly, however: after the Council ended, more than a century passed before its dogmatic and reforming decrees would show results on a significant scale.

I commented on my personal blog this morning how the knowledge and understanding of history is so important in life and in the life of the Church.

Benedict XVI on the laity...

2005-12-06T05:54:00.000-05:00

In a meeting with Polish bishops on Saturday Pope Benedict XVI said this (from ZENIT) :

Finally, the Holy Father acknowledged that in the midst of the "silent apostasy" that is verified in some societies, the laity has an "irreplaceable" task, "as it takes place in daily life, in ambits which the priests can only reach with difficulty."

"Participation in public and political life is a specific task of the laity," he reminded, assuring that "one and all have the right and duty to participate in politics."

"The Church does not identify with any party, with any political community, or any political system," the Pontiff said. "Rather, she always reminds that lay people involved in political life must give a courageous and visible witness of Christian values, which must be affirmed and defended in case they are threatened."

The laity must carry out this task "publicly either in debates of a political nature or in the media," he explained.

For political action to be effective, it must be based on "the love of truth and the spirit of service and solidarity in the commitment for the common good," explained the Pope.

2005-12-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

The Knights of Columbus magazine Columbia has devoted its December issue to the 4oth anniversary of the closing of the 2nd Vatican Council. Russell Shaw writes his regular column and a second one on Vatican II. (Which mentions his new book...)You can read the article online here.

There is also a book excerpt from "The Right to be Wrong - Ending the Culture War Over Religion in America" by Kevin Seamus Hansson (Encounter Books). (Unfortunately this article in not online.) The excerpt is very interesting, dealing with the "Know-Nothing" party and persecution of Catholics in America. I had read years ago [I believe in The Catholic Home Educator(?)] about the attempts to shut down Catholic schools in Washington State early in the 20th Century (which resulted in a Supreme Court decision recognizing parental rights in the choosing the education of their children), and the fact that many public school systems were built and expanded with the express purpose to "Americanize" (read Protestanize) the new waves of Catholic immigrants from Ireland and Italy. You certainly don't read much about this in the history books in any school system.

Reminder as posted below, John Meehan will be signing his newest book, "Two Towers: the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" on December 6th (feast of St. Nicholas) at 7:00 PM (refreshments are at 6:30, followed by talk and booksigning) in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church parish hall (Louden Road, Concord, NH).

Reminder

2005-12-02T07:07:00.000-05:00

Here's a reminder: John Meehan will be signing his newest book, "Two Towers: the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" on December 6th (feast of St. Nicholas) at 7:00 PM (refreshments are at 6:30, followed by talk and booksigning) in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church parish hall (Louden Road, Concord, NH). If you are in that area, stop by. If not you can buy a book here. We have been lifting an occasional excerpt in the posts below.

Advent and Christmas and America

2005-12-01T12:10:00.000-05:00

I don't recall what other families did in my town when I was growing up about Christmas decorations and celebrations. Of course I lived in the highly Catholic (maybe in name only) Northeast. But I don't recall a practice which is common in South Carolina-which is to have your Christmas tree taken down and on the curb by December 26th-if not before. (I have seen trees on the curb on Christmas day.) Protestant America celebrates Christmas from the day after Thanksgiving til about 10:00 AM (or maybe 6:00 PM) on Christmas day. Unfortunately, Catholic America is following the trend. When we get the liturgical year mixed up, we also get our theology messed up also. Catholic culture in this country (see related post below here) has become non-existant and by and large we have joined the Protestant-secular culture.

"Two Towers-the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" (RequiemPress -of course) gives some reasons why this occurred:

On the back of the American dollar bill is found the motto novus ordo seclorum (a new secular order), confirming that in this country a secular order has been set in place. Since science and technology animate it, that secular order is strictly pragmatic. It seeks to create a society peopled by contented citizens. In 1853, for instance, the United States Democratic Review predicted that “within half a century, machinery will perform all work — automata will direct them. The only tasks of the human race will be to make love, study, and be happy.” In this country, then, individuals have been provided with practical opportunities to obtain unlimited wealth and to pursue personal comfort. In turn, the pursuit of wealth and comfort has led to rapid advancements in technology, the practical side of science.

Tocqueville pointed out that, in the United States, “every new way of getting wealth more quickly, every machine which lessens work, every means of diminishing the costs of production, every invention which makes pleasures easier orgreater, seems the most magnificent accomplishment of the human mind.”

In a very short span of time, an economic middle-class that desired increased wealth, material pleasure, and bodily comfort became a prominent cultural factor in American life. Tocqueville noted that “the passion for physical comfort is essentially a middle-class affair; it grows and spreads with that class and becomes preponderant with it.” He added that “the taste for physical well-being is not always exclusive, but it is general; and though all do not feel it in the same manner, yet it is felt by all. Everyone is preoccupied with caring for the slightest needs of the body and the trivial conveniences of life.”

The ever-expanding middle class soon discovered that expropriation of the natural resources of the North American continent gave it social influence and political power. Every technological invention and every step of growth in the local, regional, and national economies increased these two possibilities. Every leap forward in economic prosperity was a progressive advance in greater equality of conditions and its personal benefits — political power and social influence.

Unduly enamored with the power of equality of conditions, Catholic immigrants and their descendants readily transferred their allegiance from the paternalism of the institutional Church to the paternalism of secular government, be it local, state, or federal. Since the exercise of paternalistic authority was quite familiar to them, most Catholics embraced with facility the economic, political, and social benefits that derived from the spirit of liberty. In fact, most Catholics willingly became inculturated into the new secular order. Working their way toward the “golden calf” of economic prosperity, and the benefits of political power and social influence, they became what can only be called, “American Catholics.”

The enormous wealth generated in the post-World War II era by a free-enterprise marketplace was unprecedented in the history of this country and of the world. So, beside political liberty, a capitalistic system now provided Catholics with economic liberty. Thus, too many Catholics changed from Faith-rich but materially impoverished childlike believers to materially-rich but Faith impoverished de-Christianized Americans. A friend of mine described the changeover this way: “Scientific and technological advances have so established themselves in the Catholic mind, and the political and social advantages have become so obvious, and the promises of economic freedom and material happiness are so great, why should any baptized person rely on the Catholic Church or the Deposit of Faith? Why should he or she not be American first and Catholic second?”

Vatican official, Josef Cardinal Ratzinger, said the same thing, but in more general terms:

"Of course it is easier for the moment to take pleasure in material things, in what is tangible, in things that bring us happiness and can be directly bought and accessed . . . This is a dreadfully strong temptation. In this way, happiness becomes a commodity that can be bought and sold . . . The question concerning God now seems quite unnecessary."

This just in...Lay Movements

2005-11-30T11:29:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of CNS (via Amy Welborn):

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Lay movements that enjoyed the strong support of Pope John Paul II believe they have an even stronger ally in Pope Benedict XVI.

In fact, one of the first meetings Pope Benedict has convoked on his own initiative -- rather than confirming a gathering originally planned under his predecessor -- is a Pentecost 2006 encounter with lay-movement representatives.

Leaders of 29 movements and communities, including the Focolare movement, Communion and Liberation, the Community of Sant'Egidio, L'Arche and the charismatic renewal, met in late June with officials of the Pontifical Council for the Laity to begin planning the encounter.

The movements involved are groups of mainly lay people who have a specific itinerary of prayer and formation and, usually, a particular mission or outreach such as evangelization, faith education, charitable work or social justice advocacy.

Read the whole story here.

An Interview...

2005-11-29T08:40:00.000-05:00

I know it has been a while since I posted here. We will try to catch up on some things....

Russell Shaw was interviewed by ZENIT on "Why Vatican II Emphasized Lay Apostolate". The whole interview is well worth reading, (11/28/05 daily dispatch) but here are a couple key excerpts:

Q: According to the document, the laity are not limited to apostolate in their parish. National and even international apostolate is encouraged. What does this mean for a layperson?

Shaw: The parish is not the primary place where lay apostolate takes place. Nor is some other Church structure or institution the preferred setting for the apostolate of the laity. Lay apostolate is properly directed to, and takes place in, the secular world. As "Apostolicam Actuositatem" puts it, lay people "ought to take on themselves as their distinctive task this renewal of the temporal order" [No. 7].

Our current overemphasis on lay activity within ecclesiastical institutions and structures arises from the overemphasis on lay ministries since the 1970s. The Second Vatican Council said very, very little about lay ministry.

In speaking about the participation of lay people in the Church's mission, it spoke mainly about lay apostolate, and it made it overwhelmingly clear that this is primarily apostolate that carries the Gospel out into the world. Don't misunderstand -- lay ministry is a good thing. But by stressing ministry instead of apostolate, as is now commonly done, we are getting what the Council intended exactly backward.

Q: What is the place of apostolic and spiritual formation, in light of the call to apostolate?

Shaw:...There is another crucial -- and commonly ignored -- point about the formation of the laity which Pope John Paul makes in his apostolic exhortation "Christifideles Laici." It is that lay formation is, or at least it should be, specifically vocational in nature.

"The fundamental objective of the formation of the lay faithful," he says, "is an ever-clearer discovery of one's vocation and the ever-greater willingness to live it out so as to fulfill one's mission" [No. 58]. The Pope is talking about forming the laity for vocational discernment. The lay groups and movements seem to take that seriously. I wish more people did.

Reminder...

2005-11-21T08:34:00.000-05:00

Here's the blurb from Ave Maria Radio about Russell Shaw's interview tonight:

On the Next Kresta in the Afternoon
Mon., Nov. 21 - The US bishops spent a great deal of time in their annual meeting on the role of the laity. Russell Shaw joins us to discuss the Catholic Laity and the Mission of the Catholic Church. We also look at the feast of Mary, Queen of Peace.

And remember his book signing at the Catholic Information Center tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM. Details here.

The Bishops Meeting ... Lay Ministry

2005-11-17T05:38:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from this report coming out of the Bishops' annual meeting:

The bishops approved new rules and expectations for the American church's 30,632 "lay ecclesial ministers," many of whom are filling tasks that used to be exclusively assigned to clergy. In some parishes, for instance, they conduct weddings and baptisms.The debate showed that a number of bishops worry that the term "minister" undercuts the status of priests. But it has come into common use for lay professionals who are certified and authorized by bishops.

Addressing that issue, the final text emphasizes the gap in status between lay workers and the clergy.Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., who chaired the drafting committee on lay ministers, told a news conference that the church has long had lay religious educators but what's new is the laity handling pastoral and administrative work."That role has evolved because of the shortage of priests," he said.

Personally, I would like to see the "new rules and expectations" look like...

Russell Shaw will be discussing this and his new book "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" on Monday (11/21) evening with Al Kresta (Ave Maria Radio). Check it out. (Local radio affiliates carrying the show are listed in the link - or I think you can listen over the internet.)

Booksignings....

2005-11-16T08:27:00.000-05:00

Russell Shaw will be signing his new book "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" at the Catholic Information Center in Washington DC (1501 K Street NW) at 6:00 PM on Tuesday 22 November. If you are in the area, stop by. (I will post another reminder next week).

John Meehan will be signing his newest book, "Two Towers: the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal" on December 6th at 7:00 PM in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church parish hall (Louden Road, Concord, NH). If you are in that area, stop by.

Of course if you can't make either signing, you can still get either of these important books here!

2005-11-15T11:17:00.000-05:00

This post by the man with the black hat hits the nail on the head when he writes:

But if the example of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin are any indication, we don't need the bishop's permission, or a masters in theology, to perform the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in our lives.

and later:

There was a time when, for a group to publicly call itself "Catholic," it had to obtain the permission of the local bishop. This manner of structuring the lay apostolate, known as "Catholic Action," ensured the integrity of identity of the endeavor or endeavors. That way, if you were in the business of, say, placing children for adoption, there was a priority on placement in homes dedicated to sharing with these little ones the gift of the Faith. This, as opposed to whatever your Federal grant money, or some feminazi nun with an attitude problem, told you to do (unmarried couples, gay couples, et cetera). Or if you were a doctor who worked at a free clinic operating as "Catholic," it was safe to say you weren't handing out condoms. But it's different now. Even an "official" Catholic charitable work is problematic. You can read all about them in the Catholic blogosphere.

2005-11-15T07:37:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Zenit:

Thirteen Mexicans martyred during the religious persecution of the 1920s will be beatified in Guadalajara next Sunday according to Benedict XVI's new guidelines. Among the martyrs who died during the so-called Cristero war of 1926-1929, the most outstanding is Anacleto González Flores. He was a lay leader who was very active from 1915 until the year of his martyrdom, 1927, at the hands of the federal army commanded by Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles. González Flores founded the Popular Union, better known as the "U," a movement that included labor, women and farmers. It promoted catechesis and actively opposed the local and federal governments in their measures to suppress religious freedom.

González Flores was arrested on March 31, 1927, and martyred the following day. His executioners hanged him by his thumbs and then, at bayonet point, kept torturing him to disclose the whereabouts of the archbishop of Guadalajara and other leaders of the Cristero Revolution. Finally, the steel blade fatally pierced his heart. At the same time, his companions in the struggle and martyrdom were shot in the courtyard of the same prison.

Flores asked to be killed after his companions, so as to be able to console them. Before dying, González Flores told the general in charge: "I forgive you from my heart; we will soon meet before the divine tribunal, the same judge who will judge me will judge you; then you will have an intercessor in me with God."

You would think living in the neighboring country, we would hear more about the Mexican martyrs. This month the Knights of Columbus Magazine, "Columbia" had a short piece on some of these martyrs, but in general they are off the radar screen. Even growing up attending Catholic schools, we never heard of Catholic persecution in Mexico-or perhaps I wasn't paying attention?. [This would be a good subject for book - (maybe bi-lingual) for Requiem Press - any authors out there?]

Sunday's Angelus...

2005-11-14T07:09:00.000-05:00

Angelus address of Pope Benedict XVI - 13 November 2005:

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Proclaimed blessed this morning in St. Peter's Basilica were the Servants of God Charles de Foucauld, presbyter; Maria Pia Mastena, founder the Sisters of the Holy Face; and Maria Crocifissa Curcio, of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. They are added to the great number of blessed who, during John Paul II's pontificate, were proposed to the veneration of the ecclesial communities in which they lived, with the awareness of what the Second Vatican Council intensely stressed, namely, that those who are baptized are called to the perfection of Christian life: priests, religious and laity, each one according to his own charism and specific vocation.

In fact, the Council paid great attention to the role of the lay faithful, dedicating a whole chapter to them, the fourth, of the constitution "Lumen Gentium" on the Church to define their vocation and mission, rooted in baptism and confirmation, and oriented to "seek[ing] the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God" (No. 31).

On Nov. 18, 1965, the fathers approved a specific decree on the apostolate of the laity, "Apostolicam Actuositatem." Above all it stresses that "the success of the lay apostolate depends upon the laity's living union with Christ" (No. 4), that is, a solid spirituality, nourished by active participation in the liturgy and expressed in the style of the evangelical beatitudes.

Of great importance for the laity, moreover, are professional competence, a sense of family, a civic sense and social values. Although they are called individually to offer their personal testimony, especially precious wherever the freedom of the Church finds impediments, the Council stressed the importance of the organized apostolate, necessary to influence the general mentality, social conditions and institutions (cf. No. 18). In this connection, the fathers encouraged the various lay associations, insisting also on their formation in the apostolate. Our beloved Pope John Paul II wished to dedicate the 1987 synodal assembly to the topic of the vocation and mission of the laity, after which the apostolic exhortation "Christifideles Laici" was published.

In conclusion, I would like to recall that last Sunday in the Cathedral of Vicenza a mother of a family was beatified, Eurosia Fabris, known as "Mamma Rosa," model of Christian life in the lay state. Let us commend all the people of God to all those who are already in the heavenly homeland, to all our saints and, first of all, to Mary Most Holy and her husband, Joseph, so that in every baptized person the awareness will grow of being called to work with commitment and fruitfulness in the vineyard of the Lord. (courtesy of Zenit)

Lay Spirituality....

2005-11-11T07:28:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it has been a whole week since the last post here on Catholic Laity. I have been reading the November issue of crisis Magazine. Their cover story, "Benedict and the 'True Time' of Vatican II", by Randy Boyagoda-unfortunately not available online, is worth the read.

Below is an excerpt from John Meehan's Two Towers (of course available from Requiem Press) on Lay Spirituality and Vatican II.

Genuine lay spirituality embraces all the activities of and integrates practically a lay person’s baptismal and human existence. Whether in marriage or in single, celibate life, even in the most ordinary conditions and commonplace situations of daily living, from regular labor to social and family engagements, there the laity are immersed in the practicality of lay spirituality. ....

The Fathers of Vatican Council II place lay spirituality in its proper setting. The setting in place has surpassed, sometimes with difficulty, the petty idea that a lay person has no specific spirituality; or, if he or she has one, it is limited to a number of external devotional practices that, more or less, are artificially imposed on their duties in life; or, more fallaciously, devotional practices replace the duties of his or her state in life; or, more destructively, he or she is taught to imitate clerical or consecrated religious spirituality. It certainly would have been of little use for the Council Fathers to proclaim the ecclesial right of lay people to their own spirituality, to allow the laity to follow their own spirituality within the unity of the Catholic Church, unless they were given adequate freedom to exercise that right fully. Within the basic unity of lay spirituality, then, the unique features of a particular lay person’s spirituality is not only to be recognized, it must be guarded.

Sudden death...

2005-11-04T22:36:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will hear the gospel of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins. It seems appropriate as the Church ends its year that we meditate on our own death-especially as we remember in November, first those who have received their reward in Heaven when we celebrate All Saints Day, and those for whom we especially pray for as they are still waiting in the cleansing of Purgatory.

I was browsing again through the writings of my favorite lay saint, Thomas More. Here is a humorous story he recounts in his "Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation" which warns us of the folly of being unprepared for the Bridegroom:

"They tell of one that was wont always to say, that all the while he lived he would do what he list (wished), for three words, when he died, should make all safe enough. But then so happed it, that long ere he were old, his horse once stumbled upon a broken bridge, and as he laboured to recover him, when he saw it would not be, but down into the flood headlong needs he should; in a sudden flight he cried out in the falling, “Have all to the devil!” (or “Well, I’ll be damned!”) And there he was drowned with his three words ere he died, whereon his hope hung all his wretched life. And, therefore, let no man sin in hope of grace: for grace cometh but at God’s will… "

The version of "Dialogue" I quote from was published around 1909 and is very faithful to a version of the orginal work published in 1573. Of course Scepter Publishers has a modern translation of a "Dialogue" in which this story retains all its charm.

more Catholic subculture and Catholic fiction

2005-11-04T05:52:00.000-05:00

The discussion on 'Catholic' fiction and to a lesser extent subculture started at People of the Book. We picked up on the Catholic subculture mention yesterday in a larger context below, and Amy Welborn's blog picked up the 'Catholic' fiction discussion here. However towards the end of the discussion, Daniel Nichols of Caelum et Terra mentions that he wrote a lengthy piece on Catholic subculture in the last issue of the magazine Caelum et Terra - which unfortunately is not online. Personally, I would like to see that essay...

Catholic Subculture

2005-11-03T06:30:00.000-05:00

In 2001 Russell Shaw wrote an article (read the original at CatholicExchange.com here) about restoring the Catholic subculture in this country. He wrote:

"That means rebuilding a subculture. With all its limitations, the one of the past had some important strengths. Indeed, for a time back in the 1940s and 1950s it may have positioned the Catholic community to become the main culture-forming agent in America. But the subculture was scrapped, the moment passed, the opportunity lost."

Yesterday I was reading about Catholic publishing houses and the renewal of Catholic fiction at People of the Book. Regina Doman is quoted as saying (original article here) that "the fact remains that a steadily growing number of Catholics, especially Catholic parents, are searching for alternative culture and are putting their money towards creating one. And this subculture that is being created through their buying choices does include (or will include) entertainment. "

She also says, "There is also the growing perception among Catholics that mainstream values and culture are becoming increasingly amoral and sometimes anti-Catholic, which in many cases causes them to try to create or search for alternative forms of culture."

In his new book, "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" (yes it was released on 1 November and is ready for shipment-order your copy today here), Russell Shaw again brings to fore the necessity of a Catholic subculture:

"The new Catholic subculture must instead be built upon an infrastructure of dynamically orthodox institutions, programs, and movements committed to forming and motivating Catholics for the evangelization of the secular world. Here and there, it may be starting to happen. If it is to succeed, lay women and men must play a key role."

I think on one hand, Catholics, especially Catholic families are desiring a renewal of a Catholic subculture - for the healthy upbringing and formation of their children and for the spiritual lives of the parents. [See also the discussions which arise from time to time on some blogs about Catholic Resettlement proposals - sorry, can't find the links this morning-these are really desires for a Catholic subculture). On the other hand there is a need for a Catholic subculture to be the basis for the evangelization of the larger culture. These two reasons for a renewed Catholic subculture are necessarily complimentary and must go hand-in-hand: we can't hide from the larger world in our own enclaves, (putting our candles under the bushel basket); yet we cannot kneel to the values of the secular culture we live in either.

The solution is a new Catholic subculture. And as Russell Shaw says, "Here and there, it may be starting to happen" ...

Feast of All Souls

2005-11-02T06:39:00.000-05:00

Following is the introduction (minus 1 paragraph) to "Daily Prayers for the Church Suffering-a committment to praying for the holy souls in purgatory", which was Requiem Press' very first release:

“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” 2 Macc. 12:46

“There shall not enter into it anything defiled…” Apoc. 21:27

Praying for the souls of the dead is a tradition which goes back to our Jewish heritage. Judas Machebeus collected silver to send to Jerusalem to be offered for the sins of those fallen in battle. He understood that nothing unclean or defiled could stand before God and therefore provided for the offerings for the souls of those who had died so that they could see God. Reading of thePsalms bears out this understanding: “Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy hill? He that walketh without blemish …” (Ps. 14:1-2)

Our Catholic heritage is no less rich in the theology of praying for the souls of our beloved departed. In the gospel of St. Matthew, in the parable of the unjust servant, our Lord tells us that our debts must be paid. (“And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt” - Mt. 18:34).

St. Paul says that we are saved only through fire (1 Cor. 3:15). St. Peter likens our trials to gold being tested by fire. (1 Peter 1:7).

The councils of Lyons II (1274 A.D.), Florence (1439 A.D.) and Trent (1563 A.D.) reaffirmed earlier traditions in the Church of the existence and purpose of purgatory – that place where those who have departed in the love of God but before complete satisfaction has been made for their sins may be purged in order that they can approach God unblemished. Further, the custom and tradition of the Church Militant – the faithful left here on earth–of praying, sacrificing, and giving alms on behalf of those souls in purgatory to make satisfaction for their sins and thus to shorten their time of purging, was reaffirmed by these councils also.

Purgatory is truly a grace of God because it is the nature of God which demands that those approaching be unblemished, and thus without purgatory, many would never reach Heaven.

St. Catherine of Genoa wrote that the soul, upon death, finally free of worldly attachments, is able to see itself as it really is; seeing the stains from its sins and desiring God, the soul throws itself into the fires of purgatory to be cleansed in preparation for the audience with God.

These holy souls in purgatory, the Church Suffering, can not help themselves. The Church Triumphant, those who have entered into their Heavenly reward; the Church Suffering; and the Church Militant – these three are in reality one Communion of Saints. As the Church Militant we ask the Church Triumphant to intercede for us before God; we offer our prayers, fasting, and almsgiving to aid the Church Suffering. At every Mass during the Eucharistic Prayer, we pray for the souls of our departed loved ones, those gone before us “marked with the sign of faith.”

With all this Catholic tradition, however, it seems that prayers for the holy souls in purgatory have waned as a private devotion in recent years. Funeral notices for Catholics rarely plead for Masses to be said for the departed. The Truth that God is all-merciful has been distorted to exclude the notion of purgatory–even though this exclusion distorts the true nature of God and the true nature of God’s mercy.

It is hoped that this simple exercise [offering a short prayer for the holy souls], taking less than two minutes every day, will become a habitual and devout practice among the Church Militant so that the Church Suffering may be aided and granted their deepest longings.

This practice too, will help us advance in our own spiritual life. These prayers will help us to contemplate more fully our own day of judgment, our own longing for God, and our devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the altar. The devout practice of prayer and sacrifice for the holy souls focuses our attention on our own sinfulness and on our own need for God’s mercy. This act of charity for our suffering brethren will help us to become less selfish and more detached from the worldliness around us. The more we love, the more we have the capacity to accept God’s love for us.

Since the practice of praying for the souls in purgatory has slowed- many, many souls are waiting and longing for God; with no help coming from us. We need to be more prayerful. We need to pray for our priests and bishops-and for those priests and bishops suffering in purgatory. We need to pray for our family and friends – and for those family and friends suffering in purgatory. We need to pray for the conversion of sinners–and for those suffering in purgatory who have no one praying for them.

By praying for these souls that long for God, may our own longing for God be increased.

Oremus pro invicem! – Let us pray for each other!

Eternal rest grant to them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

2005-10-28T07:52:00.000-04:00

I have been absent (from this blog) for a few days. Just been busy with numerous projects. We have received the advance copies of Russell Shaw's new book, "Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church" depicted on the sidebar! Release date for the book is 1 November, All Saints Day. We are actually taking most of the Holy Day off to celebrate, but orders will still be accepted and shipped within 24 hours. That would put us on November 2nd, All Souls Day.

Speaking of All Souls Day...the previous posts, among other things, have talked about the apostolates and spirituality of the laity-one thing all the laity (and in fact all the Church Militant has in common), is the duty to pray for the Church Suffering-the holy souls in purgatory. (Requiem Press took its name recalling the prayer of the Church (Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen. — that is: Eternal rest grant to them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.) to foster devotion to the holy souls. In fact our first publication was a booklet (tried to upload image, but blogger is finicky this morning) which has a prayer for each day of the week for the holy souls in purgatory. (You can see it at Requiem Press, scroll to the bottom. It is on sale for large quantity orders until November 2nd).

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Getting back to Russell Shaw for a moment, he is giving a presentation: "Vatican II Series: Apostolicam Actuositatem (Apostolate of Lay People)" at the Catholic Information Center (1501 K Street NW, Washington, DC) on November 3 at 12:45 PM. If you are in area, be sure to stop by.

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We wonder how this country has gotten to its present state of immorality, faithlessness, and political corruption; how we can legally kill 4000 babies a day and starve Terry Schiavo to death. If there are so many good people who share a moral code, (as evidenced for instance by the series of referendums in which homosexual marriage was soundly defeated in the last election cycle) how is it that things have gotten to the present state of affairs? I recall reading in "Years of Crisis" by James Hitchcock (Ignatius Press) many years ago the following:

At the heart of moral conservatism is a contradiction which the traditionalist dimly senses and which increases his irritation. For if the nature of traditionalism is the preference for a settled, stable, and placid personal life, then this life will necessarily be disrupted by the very act of defending it....What is involved here is not mere laziness. Moral traditionalists often involve themselves deeply in the activities of their churches, their children's schools....In other words, the traditionalist prefers to give himself to activities which are directly relevant to the family, while liberal activists see political goals, fought for in the public arena, as alone worthwhile. (emphasis added)

I think there is much truth here. Additionally, large families demand more time at home as opposed to political fund-raisers and rallies, etc. - although sometimes these can be family activities themselves. Also, I tend to think that many Americans in normal times trust those whom they elected, and only come up for air to see if a change is needed at election time. They don't participate in the political process on an ongoing basis. So what are we to do?

The first place of course is with personal holiness. (I have heard that Mother Teresa would make her nuns complete their morning prayer time before engaging in their care of the homeless and sick.) A priest at our old parish used to preach that all apostolic activity should arise from our prayer life.

The example of living a virtuous life, being open to discussions with friends and neighbors on the important things - simply, sanctifying our daily life and activities-are basic things we must do. Many want to do or be part of something BIG-that is something the world sees as BIG. What we often fail to recognize is that the simple attention to our prayer life and trying to sanctify the temporal order by living each moment in the presence of God REALLY IS something BIG.

Then there will be other things that come along.

I think the "Catholic blog community" is a group apostolate of sorts. We have several people looking and talking about what a Catholic worldview-based political party would look like, (see here). We have others discussing Land Use, surburbia and Catholicism (see here). There is a philisophical forum (here). A group of Catholic lawyers post on political issues (here.) Catholic writers, librarians, publishers, priests, and every sort of laity post daily or weekly on issues of Catholic interest in open forums. Most Catholic bloggers probably don't look at their blogs as apostolates, but individually and collectively this can viewed as an apostolate itself: discussion of the important ideas in a public forum to search for the truth-unabashedly Catholic and orthodox.

Sanctification of Work

2005-10-24T06:40:00.000-04:00

When we think of vocation, we think primarily of the priesthood and religious life. Sometimes we think of marriage as the vocation of those who don't have a real vocation, if you know what I mean. That leaves single people who aren't religious with no vocation at all. Of course this isn't true, but many, even if subconsciously, believe this.

I was fortunate in my youth to be exposed to Opus Dei and learned early on the importance of every vocation. Part of the universal call to holiness is sanctifying our daily work, whether we be priests, religious, married, or single. This teaching is not new, but needs emphasis and 'restoration':

"...it is through the preaching and example of the Founder of Opus Dei that they have learned that their cares of their work and their family life can be converted into real service to God and others....It must be clear, however, that this way of looking at christian living is not confined to a particular historical period. It is by its nature universal, because as long as there are men on earth they will have to work; so that, with and from work, a way of sanctity has been opened up for all men of all times and cultures. It is not necessary to change places to seek sanctity....To sanctify work requires a respect for the natural order of created things and for legitimate autonomy in temporal matters, because the kingdom of God, far from being a theocratic notion, is a reality in the hearts of all Christians, who give life to the soul of the whole society when they strive to make Christ reign in the centre of their everyday lives." (Msgr. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer - A Profile of the Founder of Opus Dei by Salvador Bernal)

The Lay State

2005-10-21T07:19:00.000-04:00

I am going to go back to 'Two Towers' by John Meehan (Requiem Press) this morning:

The lay state has a basis and a character of its own; it is one of personal responsibility while living in the temporal order. The lay state has a canonical status in the Church, taking the form of a vocation, apostolate, and spirituality which is distinctly secular. Far from ignoring the things of the earth, the laity are called to enlighten them so that they may be developed in accordance with God the Father's plan and restored fully in Jesus Christ. In other words, the laity are called to impregnate earthly realities with a Catholic spirit in order that "In everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:11)

Is this something new? Since the close of the Vatican Council II was 30 years ago, many of us have come of age since that time. We have been hearing about the 'age of the laity' - and sometimes in words similar to those proffered above. But in action, in reality, what have we seen of the this 'age of the laity'? Mostly we have seen the laity take on ministries formerly executed by clergy. And so we don't get excited about these words.

But there are other things going on also, which give more life to these words. In the 70's several Catholic colleges were founded by laymen in this country (Christendom College (VA) and Magdalen College (NH) to name two). We see apostolates like CatholicExchange.com and others, started and run by laymen who want to help us sancitify our lives and the world.

Have we seen in our lives or in the lives of other Catholics we know (even if only a handful) deeper prayer life, spirituality, and committment to the mission of the Church? Maybe there is a long way to go. But the range of apostolates which have been started independently from the hierarchical Church structure (but often with guidance of a spiritual director), all of which are trying to sanctify the world, is totally amazing-and unprecedented.

If you read George Weigel's biography of John Paul II Witness to Hope, you get the idea that young Bishop Karol Wojtyla foresees before Vatican II the coming age when the Church is going to need the laity to take a more active role in carrying out the Church's mission-especially in taking it to the world.

Lay Saints, Prayer, Sanctity....

2005-10-19T07:35:00.000-04:00

To expound upon two points mentioned yesterday: that of prayer and that of lay saints, I was drawn to my favorite lay saint this morning: that being St. Thomas More. The irony is that Thomas More thought perfection or better put, sanctity was out of reach for him because he was a layman. Yet he gives the lawyer, politician, father, husband, and layman one of the greatest examples of achieving holiness in the lay state.

This morning in particular, I write of St. Thomas More because of the mention of prayer. In his book, The Sadness of Christ (Scepter Press), More makes several observations about prayer. I quote from The King's Good Servant But God's First (who in turn quotes More)[James Monti, Ignatius Press].

The prayer of Christ in the garden serves as the point of departure for one of the most delightfully human passages in the De Tristitia Christi. For More launches upon an extended discussion of a problem all Christians are all too familiar with-that of distractions in prayer:

I wish that sometime we would make a special effort, right after finishing our prayers, to run over in our minds the whole sequence of time we spent praying. What follies will we see there?...Indeed we will be amzaed that it was at all possible for our minds to dissipate themselves in such a short time among so many places at such great distance from each other, among so many different affairs, such various, such manifold, such idle pursuits.

Of course to even get to these distractions, we must first make the effort to pray. I don't think Thomas More is discussing distractions encountered saying a few Ave's or Pater Nosters. He is talking about meditation and contemplative prayer. Thus we would suspect that Thomas More (with John Paul II) was not content as a layman "with a shallow prayer that was unable to fill his whole life".

One of the best articles I read in last few years on the priest scandal in the Church and the solution was written by Fr. Roger Landry (read it here on Catholic Exchange). His proposal: personal holiness:

"This is a time in which all of us need to focus ever more on holiness. We're called to be saints and how much our society here needs to see this beautiful, radiant face of the Church. You're part of the solution, a crucial part of the solution. And as you come forward today to receive from this priest's anointed hands the sacred Body of your Lord, ask Him to fill you with a real desire for sanctity, a real desire to show off His true face....Now's the time for real men and women of the Church to stand up. Now's the time for saints. How do you respond? "

I think that this sanctity can not even be approached without this deep prayer life which Thomas More and John Paul II recommend for all Christians-even the laity.

To Continue from yesterday....

2005-10-18T11:15:00.000-04:00

John Meehan continues his discussion from yesterday of Vatican II and the laity (from Two Towers):

"The 'special vocation' of the laity, (See Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, no. 31) assumes that almost every baptized person is, first of all, a layman called to live a life of personal holiness, without which no apostolate can be effective, and no spirituality genuine. The life of personal holiness is the intimate and vital bond that holds together the new People of God-that is, the life of the Holy Spirit, Who dwells within each member, and thus binds together the members of the Mystical Body of Christ."

I think this is key to our living our vocation-personal holiness, which starts with a deep prayer life.

John Paul II (the Great) writes in NOVO MILLENNIO INEUNTE "But it would be wrong to think that ordinary Christians can be content with a shallow prayer that is unable to fill their whole life."(my emphasis)

UPDATE: To the point above, just read a post here (at Ad Altare Dei) which quotes John Paul II on the need for lay saints.

Two Towers....

2005-10-17T16:32:00.000-04:00

In John Meehan's Two Towers-the de-Christianization of America and a Plan for Renewal, (Requiem Press), he proposes that the documents from Vatican II have not yet been implemented as intended (inspired?) by the Council-especially with respect to the laity, catechesis, and the liturgy. Being concerned here with the former of the three, over the next few weeks we will occasionally excerpt from Two Towers with respect to Mr. Meehan's proposals concerning the role or actually, the vocation of the laity. Below we have the first of these excerpts.

"The Council Fathers for instance, affirmed without equivocation, qualification, or reservation the baptismal integrety and ecclesial status of every member of the People of God. In doing so, they highlighted the vocation, apostolate, and spirituality of the largest number of citzens in the Church-the laity. Indeed, this was something new!

"The reality of that 'new thing', however, has not been transmitted effectively to the lay people of the Catholic Church in America. Since the close of Vatican Council II in 1965, there have been persistant attempts to clericalize lay people by having them assume ecclesiastical functions or engage in 'ministerial' activities that are not essential to the lay state....."

Of course then, the question becomes, exactly what did Vatican Council II mean with respect to the "special vocation" of the laity? Stay tuned...or make your comments below.

"Guiding Principles of the Lay Apostolate"

2005-10-14T15:56:00.000-04:00

It is ironic that some months before we had seen Russell Shaw's manuscript on the Catholic Laity, (by the way we managed to get the book image in the sidebar - courstesy of some technical help from Josh Snyder of Katolik Shinja), I had been gathering material to write an article that would explore both the role of the laity in the Church and attempts to "clericalize" lay apostolates-these attempts being denounced by John Paul II several times. (I am sure this will be discussed eventually on this blog.) I never finished writing the article, but do have some interesting excerpts from papal documents and audiences to share here from time to time.

Here the first. It is an excerpt from an address of Pope Pius XII to the Second World Congress of Lay Apostolate in 1957. (You can get the entire text here.)

Consecration of the World Is Laymen's Job

Furthermore, aside from the small number of priests the relations between the Church and the world require the intervention of lay apostles. The consecratio mundi (consecration of the world) is essentially the work of the laymen themselves, of men who are intimately a part of economic and social life and who participate in the government and in legislative assemblies. In the same way, only the workers themselves can establish the Catholic cells which must be created among workers in every factory and bring back to the Church those who have strayed from her.

....The lay apostolate consists, in this, that laymen undertake tasks deriving from the mission Christ entrusted to His Church. As we have seen, this apostolate always remains a lay apostolate, and does not become a hierarchial apostolate even when it is exercised through the mandate of the Hierarchy.

Much of this talk was directed to Catholic Action which was a lay apostolate directed by the Church hierarchy. However Pope Pius XII also goes on to say:

Catholic Action always bears the stamp of an official apostolate of laymen. Two remarks must be made here: the mandate, especially that of teaching, is not given to Catholic Action as a whole, but to its specially organized members according to the will and the choice of the Hierarchy. Catholic Action must not, moreover, claim a monopoly of the lay apostolate, for along with it there remains the free lay apostolate. Individuals or groups can place themselves at the disposal of the Hierarchy and be entrusted, for a fixed or indeterminate period of time, with certain tasks for which they receive a mandate. It might therefore be asked whether they do not also become members of Catholic Action. The important point is that the hierarchical Church, the bishops and the priests, can choose lay coworkers for themselves when they find persons able and willing to help them.

Pope Pius XII goes on to list areas of lay apostolate needing attention: Formation of youth, in the parish, the press (he includes publishing houses), radio, movies, television, the working world, etc.

What do you think? What are some areas most needing lay apostolate today? Are most lay apostolates simply an outreach of the hierarchy as in the Catholic Action model, or are they truly run by the laity? What are some good examples of lay apostolates?

The Laity at the Synod of Bishops....

2005-10-13T12:21:00.000-04:00

The Auditors had interventions at the Synod on Wednesday. Some of these auditors are leaders of lay movements in Church around the world. I have excerpted a few below. Comments and excerpts posted in the comment section about these at Amy Welborn's Open Book are also very interesting.

AUDITION OF THE AUDITORS II

After the reading of the Report after the discussion, in this Sixteenth General Congregation, the followingAuditors intervened:

"There is a testament of the martyrs to be opened in the context of Eucharist. The bond between Eucharist and martyrdom is a source of trust and hope..."--Mr. Andrea RICCARDI, Founder of the Sant'Egidio Community (ITALY)

"But in a culture of materialism, secularism and relativism where can one find the reality of true love? In our increasingly post-modern culture of the West, philosophical reasoning has less and less persuasive force. Yet all people still search for love, since the vocation to love is written in the heart of each person.We know that the love for which we search is available every day in Our Lord's living sacrifice of himself present to us in the Eucharist. "--Mr. Carl Albert ANDERSON, Supreme Knight of the Order of the Knights of Columbus (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

"....10 years ago together with friends of the same generation I prepared a book and a TV series entitled "Children of Vatican II ask questions". The phrase we chose - "children of the Council" - became quite popular in Poland as a name for those Catholics who were born together with II Vatican Council and who do NOT remember any other liturgy but the one in our native language, for whom things discovered anew by the last Council as universal call to holiness, ecumenical openness, dialogue with other religions and with non-believers - are by no means novelties, but a part of the obvious Church's official teaching, part and parcel of Tradition......Especially lay Christians of today do need a new understanding of relations between the Eucharist and their everyday life. The Eucharist - as a sacrifice, as a presence, as a meal, as a memorial - says something very important and very concrete to our daily decisions, to what we do in our marriages, in our families, in our offices, in our kitchens, in our bedrooms, in the social life. It says: the more you give yourself to others, the more you'll find yourself; the more you love, the more you should sacrifice; the more you give, the more you'll receive. This is the Eucharistic attitude, in this way you become a truly Eucharistic person, even if you do not participate in the Holy Mass everyday. In this way Mary was a woman of the Eucharist - yet before it was established!" --Mr. Zbigniew NOSOWSKI, Director of the Catholic monthly "Więź", Warsaw; Member of the National Council for the Laity in Poland (POLAND)

To Commence ...

2005-10-12T06:25:00.000-04:00

This blog is a outreach of Requiem Press. It is inspired by our latest title, (due for release on November 1st), by well-known Catholic author and commentator, Russell Shaw. (You can read some of his work here.)

The bookjacket below is what this blog, Catholic Laity, will be exploring....What is the mission of the Catholic laity in the Church? And especially, how is this mission being carried out?

Four areas we are hoping to cover in this blog:

1. Examples of lay apostolates;

2. Lay spirituality;

3. Lay evangelization and sanctification in the daily life and the workplace; and

4. An overall view of what the special vocation of the laity is - the role of the laity in the Church.

We hope to have many guests who will contribute posts in these areas to keep the reading fresh, informative and inspiring!

Thanks for stopping by.

Catholic Laity

November is almost here ...

Our first new release for 2007

Our first new release in 11 months is almost here!

The waiting is over

It's almost here!

A Review ...

Part One (continued)...

Part One - Two Towers

Two Towers

William E. May winner of the 2007 Paul Ramsey Award Winner

Booksigning...

It has been a while...

Pleased to announce...

From "Initiatives"

Quick Note

New Release-Coming Soon!

Search Inside!

Thomas More, John Fisher and the English Martyrs

The Laity, Canonization & Criteria for Martyrdom

He is Risen! Alleluia!

Holy Week

From Russell Shaw...

Just a reminder...

Changing established life-styles

Pre-Order ...

Personal Vocation & God's Will

Our first book for children!

New Release: Lives of the English Martyrs!

Here it is!

Notes

More on Lay Apostolate

What’s a Lay Apostolate?

Lenten Ideas & Specials

Catherine Doherty

More upcoming releases...

A Layman's Response to Vatican II

A Little Bit From "Two Towers"

A link and a special offter...

An Interview...

Another Review of "Catholic Laity" ...

Coming up...

Online now...

Lay Mission Families ...

Guest Blogger...The Vocation of Motherhood

Speaking of Catholic Culture....

Catholic subculture re-visited

As Christmas approaches...

The Council

Benedict XVI on the laity...

Reminder

Advent and Christmas and America

This just in...Lay Movements

An Interview...

Reminder...

The Bishops Meeting ... Lay Ministry

Booksignings....

Sunday's Angelus...

Lay Spirituality....

Sudden death...

more Catholic subculture and Catholic fiction

Catholic Subculture

Feast of All Souls

Sanctification of Work

The Lay State

Lay Saints, Prayer, Sanctity....

To Continue from yesterday....

Two Towers....

"Guiding Principles of the Lay Apostolate"

The Laity at the Synod of Bishops....

To Commence ...