THE PROBLEM WITH PROPHETS

SABBATH

Prophets are the mouthpiece of God. This is the literal meaning of the Hebrew word, “nab.” Prophets are God’s gift to a nation, to a church, to a community. In the Old Testament, Yahweh always tried to bring back the Israelites to the path of righteousness through the ministry of prophets. In our Gospel, we hear how even King Herod was touched by the proclamations of John, the last prophet. Like King Herod, though, we live to regret that we never heed the words and follow the examples of prophets. Like Herod, we tend to appreciate prophets after they are gone. As the proverbial words of the Holy Book puts it, “No prophet is acceptable in his native place.” To this we can add, “No prophet is acceptable in his own time!” What makes prophets hard to accept? 1. Prophets are not diplomats. We want to hear about mistakes and the need to reform our ways, but we want this expressed in a gentle and kind manner. However, the prophets are often too naive, too plain and too loud with their words. They do not sugar-coat their talk. They seem to be imprudent at times, too sharp with the way they teach. 2. Prophets confront us with their ways. More than their words, prophets challenge us with their ways, their lifestyle. They reveal to us that it is not impossible to live with the ideals of humility, simplicity, truthfulness, chastity of mind and heart. They make us see that what sets us apart from our ideals is not impossibility but our lack of resolve and our compromising ways. They mirror to us the best of self that we fail to achieve. 3. Prophets make us envy their joy. We take a lot of effort and a lot of detours in trying to be happy and blessed. Prophets show us a direct way that we oftentimes fail and do not want to embrace: the way of detachment and simplicity. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP   Reflection Question: Have you known someone whom you can consider as a present-day prophet? What makes you regard this person as a prophet? What attracts you to him? What do you find difficult to follow and accept in him?   Lord, send us prophets every now and then who will challenge us to reform our ways.   St. Hatebrand, pray for us.

What our Catholic schools should be

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From the Vatican: What our Catholic schools should be — and how to judge whether they are! Explained by Archbishop J. Michael Miller The Vatican’s emeritus Secretary to the Congregation for Catholic Education At a conference at Catholic University in the Fall of 2005, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, the man then responsible for Catholic education around the world, distilled for his audience the Church’s teachings on Catholic education. So well received were his remarks — and so important — that Solidarity Association, which sponsored the conference, asked Archbishop Miller to expand his themes into this small book, which constitutes for Catholics worldwide a clear, concise statement of what a school must be if it is to be Catholic. Explains the Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools Since we published this book five years ago, over 18,000 parents and serious Catholic educators have turned to its pages for guidance as they seek to form young people today in accordance with the mind of the Church. Particularly helpful to parents and educators in planning — and in evaluating — their efforts are what Archbishop Miller calls "the Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools," which serve as five standards by which to judge a school’s Catholic identity and as goals for schools that seek to educate their students as the Church wants them to be educated. Schools that lack one or more of those marks are, according to the mind of the Church, deficient. So authoritative are these Five Essential Marks — and so helpful — that one diocese recently created from Archbishop Miller's brief book a 30+ page Catholic Identity Self-Assessment Questionnaire, which all schools in that diocese must use to help bring themselves into closer conformity with the mind of the Church. You, too, can use these Five Essential Marks to measure (and if necessary, to help reform) your school or the school your children attend, knowing that in doing so, you are not imposing on others your own view of Catholic education, but are properly submitting your judgment to that of the Church Herself. Priced to encourage widespread distribution Because this book is essential reading for all Catholics who are involved in Catholic education, we're selling it for just a few cents more than the price of a cappuccino at Starbucks. And on top of that, we're offering a 20% discount on orders of five copies, hoping that (as scores of Catholics already have done) you'll buy a copy for yourself and four more to give to folks like your pastor, members of your diocesan school board, your Catholic school's principal and teachers, and other key decision makers. Together with the Vatican and Archbishop Miller, let us rebuild our beleaguered Catholic education system, one school at a time! The Holy See's Teaching on Catholic Schools by Archbishop J. Michael Miller 96 pages 4.5x6 $4.95paperback Order onlineHERE or call 1-800-888-9344 Save 20% To get 5 copies for just $20, click HERE and at checkout enter discount code: FBHST5 (Limited time offer, cannot be combined with other discounts, shipping not included.) Documents cited by Archbishop Miller include the five major documents published by the Congregation for Catholic Education since Vatican II: The Catholic School Lay Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools: Reflections and Guidelines Plus: The Code of Canon Law

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HE WANTS THE BEST FOR EVERYONE

 

I was assigned to be part of the team of formators for the seminary when I was a young priest. At the start of every school year, we would pray fervently that our vocations promoter would find a good number of young men who were interested in training in the seminary and had the calling. But at the end of every school year, we’d find ourselves sifting through those who have gone through the seminary formation with us and making tough decisions on whom to re-admit into the next level of training and whom to advise to go out.

Today’s Gospel makes me realize that this routine in the seminary is a microcosm of God’s work of building His Kingdom. He loves to embrace and welcome all into His “net.” However, in the end, there is also a need for evaluation and judgment. Our desire for quantity must not blind us from considering quality.

The wisdom in Jesus’ parable should be a good guide in our effort to build up our parishes, renewal groups, marriage encounter communities and so on. Much as we want to involve everyone, we also have to balance the number of members with the quality of those whom we invite into the community. The following considerations could help us:

1. Invite and retain people who can share and further our mission and vision. Persons who are convinced of the community’s vision-mission and who have the human, spiritual and material ability to work for it can take on the task of shepherding the community in the future.

2. Discern who can be leaders and those who are committed workers. Be realistic about your expectations of people based on their aptitude, personality and resources. Even St. Thomas Aquinas preached, “God’s grace builds on nature.” Community life is like the body where there are different parts with different competencies.

3. To be realistic is an act of charity. Joy comes with fulfillment;  fulfillment can only be achieved according to what God has decreed. Let us not raise false hopes in others. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 

Reflection Question:

Pray for the grace to combine being frank and being gentle in dealing with others, especially in your community and ministry.

 

Father of the Harvest, send workers to Your Kingdom.

 

St. Peregrinus, pray for us.

 

GOD ’S GOODNESS AT WORK

Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary

 

It is unfortunate that we do not have official biblical materials on the lives of members of the human family of Jesus. The Gospel writers, working under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, simply wrote about Jesus, His person and His ministry, with some related mention about Joseph and Mary. Perhaps this is the Holy Spirit’s way of keeping our faith focused on the essential: Jesus.

As we honor today Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus, we can however apply the short Gospel passage on Joachim and Anne by accommodation. Joachim and Anne were not just privileged in the sense that it was from their bloodline that the Incarnate Jesus came. They were blessed with a long life — long enough to witness the fulfillment of the prophecies about the coming Messiah, long enough to have held Jesus in their arms, as did Simeon in the Temple.

I remember two related experiences: First, I used to hear my maternal grandmother mention to our relatives and friends that part of her daily intercession before God is to ask for the blessing of being able to live long enough to see us, children of her only offspring, graduate college. Second, I recall that whenever I solemnize a wedding, one beautiful part of the nuptial blessing is to ask God to let the newly-wedded couple “live to see their children, and their children’s children... in their happy old age.”

Our Gospel proclamation makes us realize: long life and happy old age are not simply prayer requests for oneself. To live long happily is a grace to see God alive and at work in our descendants. To live long and age graciously is to be given the grace to praise and worship God concretely for all His goodness to one’s family. To live long and age graciously is to be blessed with a vocation to lead one’s family to deeper spirituality and prayer. So, start invoking this blessing now — for yourself and for your family.Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 

Reflection Question:

What are your earnest prayers for yourself and the rest of your family?

 

Father God, I pray for my family. May all of us be an instrument to bring one another closer to You. Amen.

 

St. Valens, pray for us.

The Catholic Homeschool Companion

Straight talk: parent-to-parent Forty-three Catholic homeschoolers share their tips, tricks, and techniques to make your homeschool a happier, holier, and more productive learning environment for you and for each of your children. Here's your one-stop resource for information, insight, and inspiration about every aspect of educating your children at home — written by those who understand it best: homeschooling parents themselves! "The Catholic Homeschool Companion is an invaluable resource for all Catholic parents who seek to form their children not only in knowledge, but in wisdom and love." Mark Shea CatholicExchange.com  Would you like to teach science or phonics better? Introduce your child to Latin, piano, or great works of art? Try new classroom approaches that other parents find effective? In these pages, you'll find helpful essays from more than forty veteran homeschooling parents to help you do all this and more. "Each chapter is written by an expert—a real homeschooling parent who speaks with the voice of real homeschooling experience. There is something for everyone in this book!" Danielle Bean My Cup of Tea: Musings of a Catholic Mom

You'll also find wise advice and practical tips to make you a better teacher and your homeschool more productive and enjoyable. "This is truly the 'companion' all Catholic homeschooling families need. Some of the best and brightest Catholics contribute their expertise on a wide range of topics critical for successful homeschooling. In addition to the expected articles on teaching phonics, math, and foreign language, you will learn how to get your teens into college, how to prepare your children for the sacraments, how to use the computer for virtual schooling, how to work with children with special needs such as ADD and autism, and much, much more." Cathy Duffy 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum Of course, homeschooling involves more than academics. That's why The Catholic Homeschool Companion includes essays to help you foster your children's moral and spiritual development, involve time-challenged dads, teach kids with special needs or in special circumstances, and handle other common problems homeschoolers face. Are you frustrated trying to fulfill state academic standards or diocesan requirements for sacramental preparation? No problem! Here's shrewd advice from parents who've fought those battles already. "Homeschooling your children in a Catholic environment can be a daunting task, the key to which requires the right support and reliable resources. With The Catholic Homeschool Companion Maureen Wittmann offers a primer on how to begin and how to succeed in this laudable effort." Our Sunday Visitor  There's also humor to lighten your heart when the daily grind gets you down, and, for those really bad times when you wonder whether homeschooling is even worth it, The Catholic Homeschool Companion brings you heartening testimony from teenagers and young adults who tell how grateful they are that their parents taught them at home. Information, insight, and inspiration: it's all right here in The Catholic Homeschool Companion, the must-own resource for new and experienced homeschoolers alike.

"This book is awesome!"  Matthew Pinto Author of Did Adam & Eve Have Belly Buttons? The Catholic Homeschool Companion by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson 512 pages paperback

xxxxx Articles include: Core Subjects Nancy Brown: Grammar Phobia Nancy Stine: Learning to Love Science Marcia Neill: History as God's Plan Joan Stromberg:Teaching Catholic History through Genealogy The Father's PerspectiveDan McGuire:Faith of Our Fathers Frederick Cabell, Jr, Esq.: Reading Aloud: A Role for Dad Steve Wood:7 Ways Mothers Can Recruit Fathers Steve Wood:21 Things Fathers Can Do for Their Homeschool Enrichment Subjects Monica Sohler: Handwriting: Making the World Beautiful, One Letter at a Time Pattie Kelley-Huff: Art Appreciation: Symbolism in Religious Art Mary Glantz:Teaching a Foreign Language to Young Children Laurie Navar Gill: Learn Geography thru the Missions Maureen Wittmann:Civic Duty Strategies and Styles Pattie Kelley-Huff:Integrated Learning or Unit Studies? Design-Your-Own or Ready-Made? Cynthia Blum: Character-Building & School Readiness: The Early Years Maureen O'Brien:Establishing a Coop: Guidelines & a Checklist MacBeth Derham:Education in the Out of Doors Annie Kitching:Virtual School Unique Circumstances Stacey Johnson: School Is Where the Army Sends Us Rachel Watkins:Homeschooling While Chronically Ill Nicola Martinez: Homeschooling While Working Full-Time Children with Special NeedsJanine Cerino Seadler: Teach Your Dyslexic Child at Home Carol Maxwell:Teaching a Child with Attention Deficit Melissa Ramirez Naasko:Homeschooling on the Autism Spectrum Finding Inspiration Cay A. Gibson:With the Eyes of the Soul Janet Cassidy:Flags of Doubt Nicola Martinez:February Funk: How to Make It Up Through the Downs Homeschooling CommunityLynne Cimorelli:How to Throw an All Saints' Bash Maureen Wittmann:Field Trips Pete Vere, JCL:Homeschooling, Canon Law, and the Right to Receive the Sacraments Home Management Sue Kreiner: Escape the Clutter and Find Peace Holly Pierlot:Function and Beauty: Getting Homes in Order Gregory K. Popcak, MSW:Secrets to Prevent Burnout Students and GraduatesMichael Aquilina III: Unschooling at Its Best Brendan Hodge:The Final Product of Homeschooling: A Friend Colin Fry: Homeschooling with a Disability High School Carol Maxwell: Literary Analysis Made Easy Alicia Van Hecke:Apologetics: Sacraments, Service, & Study Barbara Little:From High School to College Maureen Wittmann:Job-Search Skills for Teens AppendicesAppendix A: Cath Homeschooling Resource List Appendix B: Catholic Home-Study Schools Appendix C: Resources for Kids with Disabilities Appendix D: Foreign-Language Resources

"This book is awesome!"  Matthew Pinto Author of Did Adam & Eve Have Belly Buttons? The Catholic Homeschool Companion by Maureen Wittmann and Rachel Mackson 512 pages paperback $24.95 Order online now or call 1-800-888-9344 Sophia Institute PressBox 5284, Manchester NH 03108 We always welcome contributions to our non-profit apostolate. If you would prefer not to use the PayPal button below, you can add a contribution directly to your shopping cart at our on-line store. Sophia Institute Press is the publishing division of

LEARNING IS ALSO A MATTER OF THE HEART

SABBATH

Disciples of the Dominican theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, and those of the Father of the Church, St. Augustine, are often locked in argument. St. Thomas Aquinas used to say, “The more you know, the more you love.” St. Augustine of Hippo, however, presented a seemingly contradictory view: “The more you love, the more you know.” In reality, the two are both true. It is true that more knowledge enables us to lovesomeone more. Knowledge brings understanding, which in turn opens our heart to compassion and empathy. On the other hand, it is also true to say that a loving heart is more open to understand and comprehend. As Jesus explains to the disciples why He had to speak in parables, His logic combines that of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. His teachings and demands are not simply understood by thinking and critical minds. His teachings and demands are accessed by persons whose hearts have love and faith. Unfortunately many of the Jews had nothing in their hearts but hate and suspicion for Jesus. As such, their hearts disabled their minds from truly relishing the good and liberating revelations of Jesus about God’s true plan. Ignorance is not the block against learning. Bias, pride and pretensions are. These things activate a lot of defenses in a person’s thoughts and feelings to the point that the person may harden up. Worse, no gesture of goodness could touch his heart. The person wallows in an ocean of self-righteousness. To understand and journey with today’s X-Y-Z generation, for instance, you need to give them a lot of respect and open up to them. Brought up and schooled in the ever evolving world of digital communications, their reason and imagination have become accustomed with expressions that combine letters, numbers, symbols (like @, www, http://), colors, pictures, anime and avatars. But most older people tend to shoot down their creative expression. Pope John Paul II, who grew old with a heart for young people, had a very important expression: “Open wide. Do not be afraid.” Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP   Reflection Question: How do you take new things that you encounter? Are you challenged or threatened?   Lord, grant me an open heart and mind to accept new things   St. John of Edessa, pray for us.

Fear Factor

from Our Daily Bread

If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, you know that his heroes always have a serious character flaw. It makes for a good story and teaches some important lessons. The same is true of our Bible hero Abraham. His flaw? Fear.

Twice Abraham succumbed to his fear that a ruler would kill him and steal his wife (Gen. 12:11-20; 20:2-13). Fearing for his life, he deceived both Pharaoh and King Abimelech by saying, “She is my sister”—in essence welcoming the king to take Sarah into his harem (20:2). With fear dictating his actions, he put at risk God’s plan that through him and Sarah a great nation would arise (12:1-3).

But before we judge Abraham, we should ask ourselves a few questions. For fear of losing our job, would we compromise our integrity? For fear of appearing old-fashioned, would we set aside our values? For fear of being ridiculed or misunderstood, would we neglect sharing the gospel and put someone’s eternity at risk? Only one thing will conquer our fears: tenacious faith in God’s presence, protection, power, and promises.

If your fear is putting God’s wonderful plans for you at risk, remember that He will never ask you to do anything He can’t bring to completion, even if it requires miraculous intervention on His part.

It often helps in time of trial

When fearful and alone,

To know that every doubt we feel

The greatest saints have known. —D. De Haan

Let your faith overcome your fear,

and God will turn your worry into worship.

On bishops and Pajeros

ON DISTANT SHORE

By Val G. Abelgas

While growing up in a small subdivision in Quezon City, I kept wondering why the priests in our parish church, who always preached the joy of simple living and who extolled how “blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,” lived in luxury in a mansion that used to be owned by a former senator. They had maids and drivers, and waded in a big pool to get relief from the summer heat.

I learned later that the priests belonged to the order of the Augustinian Recollect Fathers, or the Recoletos, owners of San Sebastian College-Recoletos on Claro M. Recto Avenue and of six other exclusive schools in the Philippines.

The question kept recurring in my mind for many years, and instead of getting answers, a few more questions occasionally cropped up. Why is it that the Roman Catholic Church does not have a single school that offered free education to at least the very deserving of the poor? Why is it that all the schools that it operates are for the children of the wealthy, the only ones who can afford to pay the astronomical tuition fees and kind of lifestyle that such schools demand of their students?

After graduating from the Manila Science High School in 1969, I was among the graduates who qualified for a scholarship at the Ateneo de Manila University on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. But the scholarship offered only free tuition, so when I was interviewed by the Dean of Admissions, I asked if they could give me a monthly stipend so I could buy the needed books and clothes that I needed to at least not feel insecure in the company of those filthy rich students. The dean said if they did that, it would set a precedent and all the other scholars would ask for a stipend. So, I went to the University of the Philippines and never regretted it.

The reluctance of the Jesuit-owned school to offer a stipend to a few deserving scholars despite the millions that it earns every semester from its rich students strengthened my perception that the Roman Catholic Church that was supposed to serve the poor does not really care for the poor.

The Church rakes in billions of pesos in contributions from its faithful, many of whom belong to the poorest sector of the population, but one can count in one’s fingers its projects that would benefit the poor directly. Where does it bring its billions?

They have at least P18 billion in investments in some of the country’s biggest corporations, including the giant San Miguel Corporation, where eight of the top 100 stockholders are religious orders, aside from the billions more in real estate properties, and yet they still compete for meager funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) that, under the law, should be appropriated for the needs of the poor, such as hospitalization, ambulances, medical equipment, etc.

Such was the case with the recent expose by current PCSO officials that revealed that at least seven bishops were given a total of P6.9 million to purchase brand-new SUVs and vans during the term of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has mastered the art of giving away government funds to gain loyalty.

One bishop, who was known to be very close to Arroyo, even asked the latter in a letter to give him a “brand new 4×4” as a birthday gift. He got a check for P1.7 million which he used to buy a brand-new Pajero, the preferred vehicle of traditional politicians. What a shame!

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) defended the “donations,” and maintained that their “conscience is clear.” Tell that to thousands of patients in dilapidated government hospitals, many of them forced to share a small cot or lie down on corridors while awaiting a hospital bed to be vacated. Tell that to residents of small barangays who have to bring their seriously ailing kin to distant government hospitals on board a tricycle for lack of ambulances. Tell that to relatives of poor patients in hospitals who have to go back and forth to the PCSO every day to get their meager medical assistance. Tell that to the poor family living under the bridge that can’t even get a cent from the PCSO to buy a decent meal.

How can their conscience be clear when the bishops violated their own Statement on Gambling issued in 2005 that said: “…the CBCP has made it a collective policy:.. to refrain from soliciting or receiving funds from illegal and legal gambling so as not to promote a culture of gambling; and to encourage church personnel and church institutions to refrain from doing the same, even when the objective may be that of helping the poor”?

Why can’t the Roman Catholic Church, which is awash with billions in cash, get a few millions from its funds and buy these bishops the SUVs and vans if they think they really need them to “serve the spiritual needs of the poor”? Why can the Church spend hundreds of millions of dollars to settle sexual abuse cases, and not have a few million pesos to buy these bishops the “needed” vehicles? Why is it that each time they need to build a church, they have to ask for donations from their parishioners and not get from their billions stashed in banks and various investments to do so? Why is it that each time they need to help typhoon victims, they have to ask for donations from the parishioners?

Where does the Church bring the millions collected from parishes all over the country every Sunday? Where do the religious orders bring the millions collected in tuition fees in their exclusive schools? Where do they bring the millions earned from their stocks in some of the country’s largest corporations?

Faced with these questions, I can’t understand where the bishops were coming from when they said their “conscience is clear” when confronted with the PCSO scandal. And my thoughts bring me back to those Recoletos fathers in that huge mansion in my youth.

(valabelgas@aol.com)