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See all the wonderful things linda eccleston has made

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Before making his first confession, one person had a question between the relationship of addiction, mortal sin, and confession, so he called Father Dave. A mortal sin by definition is a sin that we make even though we know it is wrong. The new Catholic convert brought up the interesting point that the person struggling with addiction may be something your body is demanding of you. Even though it shows a moment of weakness, you might not always be in control. To do this point, Father Dave explained that addiction is a grey area in confession. Often times, people struggling with addiction confess the sins that are results of that addiction. For example an alcoholic who is going through a 12 step problem, and hits a setback, might confess who he reacted to his family, or how they mismanaged their money. A person who is confession can go in as depth or as little as they want. Father Dave says in case you think you forgot to confess sins always say and for any additional sins I omitted.

(Radio Show; aired 9-3-17)

Busted Halo

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Vatican investigating third accusation of abuse against ex-Cardinal McCarrick:

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has been accused of sexual abuse from former altar boys and adult seminarians. Six months after the scandal first came to light, the Vatican has started investigating a total of three cases of abuse against the former archbishop of Washington. In June 2018, the Archdiocese of New York announced that a review board has confirmed claims of abuse against the ex-cardinal by a former altar boy at Saint Patrick's who reported two incidents of abuse in 1971 and 1972. As a result of these two alleged accusations, the Vatican suspended McCarrick from public ministry until investigated by the Holy See. The Holy See is the apostolic episcopal see of the bishop of Rome which means the Pope and the Roman Curia, the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, are involved. After the alleged abuse of the altar boy in the early 70s became known, several other victims shared their stories as well. Pope Francis took the step of accepting McCarrick's resignation from the College of Cardinals.

(https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/01/05/vatican-investigating-third-accusation-of-abuse-against-ex-cardinal-mccarrick/ , Crux, Christopher White)

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Pope Francis lit a candle in rememberance of the people in Syria, especially the the innocent children tormented by the 8 year war going on there. the country's eight-year conflict.  On December 2 after praying the Angelus prayer, the pope said, "May this flame of hope and many flames of hope dispel the darkness of war." The lighting of the candle was sponsored by Aid To The Church In Need, as a part of a Christmas campaign. The campaigne was to bring Christian's attention to the Syrian people.  An estimated 50,000 children from different Christian communities in six war-torn cities of the country lit candles for peace. Aid to the Church in Need said they plan to finance emergency assistance programs in Syria valued at $17 million. Pope Francis prayed that "the flame of hope would reach those suffering around the world due to conflicts and that the hearts of those who profit from war would change." (Catholic News Service)

Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

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Name of Article: “Catholic Working Mother Profile: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton”

Today is the feast day of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a Catholic working mother. Also known as Mother Seton, St. Elizabeth had an incredible ability to adapt. Even after a complete twist in her life, she managed to not only survive but even thrive. She accomplished many great acts of service and charity before her death in her late 40s. She was born Episcopalian and, at 19, married a successful businessman. The two had five children in eight years. Tragically, a few years after their last child was born, Elizabeth’s husband died of tuberculosis. “Elizabeth had traveled to Italy in hopes that the warmer climate might improve his condition, but they were not allowed to disembark from the ship due to fears of yellow fever. God used that tribulation for good, however.” After her husband’s death, Elizabeth was shown generosity by one of her husband’s business partners in Italy, who was a devout Roman Catholic. The more she learned about Catholicism, the more she wanted to be a part of it. She ended up converting to Catholicism in 1805. She converted with the suspicion that her choice could threaten the school for girls that she ran. She was correct, it did. The parents of all of her students withdrew their daughters because they protested Elizabeth’s conversion. However after many years, St. Elizabeth was welcomed to Maryland by the president of St. Mary’s College in Baltimore to establish a Catholic school there with several other women who were interested in the mission. “The school founded by Mother Seton and her religious order was the first free Catholic school in America, and became the basis for what is today’s Catholic parochial system.” In 1821, she died of tuberculosis, like her husband, at age 46. She’s buried in Emmitsburg, Maryland, at what is now the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

(https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thecatholicworkingmother/2019/01/st-elizabeth-ann-seton/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=January2019, Patheos, by Joanna Wahlund)

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The United States has been recently struggling with what to do with undocumented immigrants. Retaliation and protests have come up with, but no solution that makes everyone happy has been devised. Families, similar to Jorge Taborda’s family, have been split up and later deported. Even though the Taborda’s had been living in the United States for nineteen years, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained and deported Jorge’s wife, and oldest son. Jorge and his younger son were not at home, so they avoided deportation. The two have been living at the Holy Cross Retreat Center and have been extremely grateful. Franciscan Conventual Father Tom Smith, who is the director of the retreat center Jorge and his son have been staying that, had been working with undocumented people in southern Kentucky and Indiana. Taborda, as the church believes he rightfully should, feels extremely prejudiced because his family was deported despite the fact that he was paying taxes, paying rent, buying food, taking care of his kids, etc. Taborda’s family was one of the better U.S. families. they volunteered, followed the laws, and yet some of them were even still deported.
(Author - Melissa Walker - U.S. Catholic - https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201811/how-churches-can-protect-undocumented-immigrants-31552)

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7 Thoughtful Ways to Reach out to Others This Year

Be observant

It’s easy to miss signs of loneliness, so keep an eye out for those on the fringes who might benefit from words of welcome, a friendly conversation, or a kind gesture.

Carry yourself with kindness

Treating others with a positive attitude can make a huge difference in someone’s day.

Smile and say hello to the supermarket cashier, the bank teller, or the senior citizen in line for the bus.

Give your time

Maybe somebody you know is struggling with a stressful job, coping with a personal crisis, or lives alone and doesn’t feel like going out without a companion. Offer to take them for much-needed night out.

Taking someone to medical appointments is another way to give your time.

There are always local organizations in need of people to volunteer at the local youth group, help with transport for seniors, or just lend a listening ear to someone. Volunteering in your area for a couple of hours a week could transform someone’s life.

Remember to check in

Modern technology makes staying in touch very easy. A quick text, email or phone call can brighten someone’s day with very little effort on your part.

Open your home

Sometimes, just knowing there’s somewhere to drop in and find some company can be a great help to a lonely person. Hospitality is one of the greatest gifts you can offer to others, because it’s a practical way to show God’s love. Opening our homes is a way of opening our lives and giving ourselves to the needs of others.

Having an attitude of openness about your home can take dedication. Inviting people for a meal, or for coffee and muffins, is great.

If you want to do more, look into an organization like Depaul that offers short-term family accommodations to an at-risk student, or Room for Refugees that offers a temporary home to a refugee who may have lost their entire family.

Put your skills to good use

For some, even a small job like repairing a leaky faucet is a task that can seem mountainous, but it’s easy for the handy DIY enthusiast. Think about what needs you might be able to meet in your community.

Send a handwritten card

Sending cards is an especially good way to tackle loneliness.

Or why not dust off your pen and write a good old-fashioned letter? Many older people struggle with modern technology, but will keep and re-read a letter over and over again.

Get in touch with your local senior care facility and ask if there’s a resident who doesn’t get much mail or many visits. Sign up for an organization like Soldiers Angels that provides pen pals for service members, Operation Gratitude that sends thank-you letters to military personnel, veterans and first responders, or Amnesty International, which communicates with those fighting for human rights in other countries.

(Author: Elizabeth Manneh; link: https://bustedhalo.com/life-culture/seven-thoughtful-ways-to-reach-out-to-others-this-year)

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The clever way one school is teaching students the rosary
In Wyoming Area Catholic School, about 150 students gathered in a parking lot to watch a giant rosary of more than 50 helium-filled balloons fly upward to heaven, carrying their prayers along with it. This is an annual tradition at the Catholic school in Exeter, Pennsylvania, which started 5 years ago. Eileen Rishcoff, the school principal says the annual tradition is a way for students to return to the basics of prayer and the beauty of the rosary, especially in a society full of distractions.

(Wyatt Massey, US Catholic, https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201811/clever-way-one-school-teaching-students-rosary-31561)

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Pope Francis lit a candle in rememberance of the people in Syria, especially the the innocent children tormented by the 8 year war going on there. the country's eight-year conflict.  On December 2 after praying the Angelus prayer, the pope said, "May this flame of hope and many flames of hope dispel the darkness of war." The lighting of the candle was sponsored by Aid To The Church In Need, as a part of a Christmas campaign. The campaigne was to bring Christian's attention to the Syrian people.  An estimated 50,000 children from different Christian communities in six war-torn cities of the country lit candles for peace. Aid to the Church in Need said they plan to finance emergency assistance programs in Syria valued at $17 million. Pope Francis prayed that "the flame of hope would reach those suffering around the world due to conflicts and that the hearts of those who profit from war would change." (Catholic News Service)
Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

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Pope Francis has appointed a high-powered steering committee to oversee “the protection of minors in the church,” and he has called the presidents of all the Catholic bishops conferences to a summit meeting in February to discuss this important issue. The committee is composed of two cardinals, Blase Cupich (Chicago) and Oswald Gracias (Bombay, India), and two of the church’s experts in the field: Archbishop Charles Scicluna (Malta), and Father Hans Zollner, a German Jesuit and president of the Center for Child Protection and Director and professor of psychology at the Gregorian University in Rome, who will serve as coordinator. This was announced announced by the Vatican today, November 23. In an exclusive interview with America, Archbishop Scicluna, who was recently appointed by the Pope, speaks about the significance and goals of the February meeting, and how it will be conducted. He described it as “a synodal meeting, the first ever of its kind to address the issue of the sexual abuse of minors in the church.“ It is “quite significant” because it brings together the presidents of over 100 bishops conferences from around the world, and the heads of all the Eastern-rite Catholic churches as adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and who is also the president of its tribunal for appeals.
(https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/11/23/exclusive-archbishop-scicluna-says-february-meeting-start-global-approach-fighting, America: The Jesuit Review, Gerard O'Connel

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Dolores Mission Church is a Jesuit-run parish is located in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles. It is known for gangs, violence, and homeless people. This church is opening a shelter for immigrants. They have been helping Salvadorian refugees for over 20 years, but recently created a Proyecto Pastoral. It aims to empower the community through education, leadership and service and has initiated several programs to accomplish this goal. One is the Guadalupe Homeless Project. This organization operates 2 shelters and helps over 400 people a year who have no where to go.
(MaryKnoll Magazine, Giovana Soria)
https://maryknollmagazine.org/2018/09/sleeping-close-god-homeless-people/?platform=hootsuite

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After what occurred in Pittsburgh, many Catholic churches in New York have begun to have active shooter training. They have also started to look for armed ushers to keep people safe as they worship. It is saddening to see that this is what the world has come to, but it is better to be prepared than to wish you had taken more precautions. Some priests have started to meet with policemen in their parish and suggest that they choose different times to go to mass so that there is always at least one policeman at each mass to help out if the parish is put in a difficult or dangerous situation at mass. These policemen would have no additional responsibilities, they would just be going to mass.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2018/11/after-pittsburgh-catholic-churches-in-new-york-turning-to-armed-ushers-live-shooter-training/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=November2018
The Deacon's Bench, patheos, Deacon Greg Kandra

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How do you explain the importance of participating in the liturgy to a preteen? How do children participate in a ritual that feels “so grown up”? The richness of the liturgy is multilayered and complex. As the most central sacrament in the Catholic faith, the Eucharist and its theology permeates our understanding of who we are as a people, our relationship to our Savior and our relationship to each other and the world. However, its essential elements are very simple; all are welcome to share a simple meal at the table of the Lord. God provides all that we need. We can help children connect with the liturgy by focusing on these essential elements.

Beginning as young as 5 years old, children can provide hospitality with their parents or another adult in welcoming people to church and handing out bulletins or worship aids. Before volunteering, talk as a family about the importance of making people feel welcomed, just as Jesus did.

Around 7 years old, a child could join a parent or adult in passing the basket during the offertory. As they become more experienced they can provide the service on their own. Families can also volunteer to bring up the gifts during the offertory. Talk with your children about your value of supporting your Church community with your time, talent and treasure.

When your parish offers the opportunity, your child can assist at the altar as a server. This important ministry allows the child to become intimately involved in the movement of the liturgy. Help them recognize the witness of service they provide to the wider community.

As children become older most liturgical ministries become available to them. With proper training and preparation, older children can be a lector, proclaiming the readings at the liturgy. Children ages 13 and 14 may enjoy assisting the sacristan, who serves as a coordinator for the worship services and makes sure the service runs smoothly.
(Source: http://teachingcatholickids.com/make-way-for-the-children/)

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100 years after the Great War, what can we say to an exhausted world?

One hundred years ago this weekend was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of World War I. Bells were rung at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Back then, the bells were used to celebrate victory. France lost 2 million men during the war. Russia and Germany lose nearly twice as many. In Britain, every town and village raised a statue to honor those who fought. The US had lost 126,000 men.
People are beginning to forget the tragedies that occured during or after the war. The numbers of people who survived the Great Depression are becoming smaller. Almost no one remembers the Flu Pandemic of 1918. In the US, the pandemic took 10 times more lives than the war did. Worldwide, 20 million people died of it.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/11/07/100-years-after-great-war-what-can-we-say-exhausted-world (Terrance Klein, The Jesuit Review)

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Don't shy away from tears, they are a sign of grace
Crying is a natural thing that nobody should be ashamed to do. It is even a sign of God's grace. Sometimes crying can be a sign of you realizing God's grace. You should not be embarrassed to cry in public, because crying is a wonderful thing. It is important to show your emotions and not keep them bottled up. During the sacraments i has been shown that some people can cry, especially during marriage and it is a foreshadowing of the wonderful feeling you will get in heaven.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201811/dont-shy-away-tears-they-are-sign-grace-31542

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Showing someone how thankful you are of them, makes a huge impact. Point out when others in the service industry are kind and helpful — at a department store, the auto repair shop, or even the post office. It rarely takes more than a minute to give a sincere thank you to those who serve us, who often go overlooked. Maybe a there is a certain teacher who pops into your own mind who you are thankful for. Maybe it’s one who’s making a difference in your own life right now. Pull out a notecard and let them know how much their work has meant to you. There are so many thank yous we've all left unsaid. Old friends who walked some tough times with us or ones that became more than a friend, but a mentor. It’s time to reach out, say thank you, and reconnect. The practice of showing gratitude amplifies the goodness in our lives. Once you begin, you notice even more opportunities to say thank you. And God’s blessings become even more apparent. All we have to do is say, “Thank you!”
(Source: https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/lessons-on-gratitude-from-a-leper)

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The murder of a Saudi journalist draws attention to U.S. complicity in Yemen

The apparent murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi brought a renewed focus on U.S.-Saudi relations in October. They believe he was tortured and murdered while inside the consulate.His apparent murder has provoked calls for the termination of U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

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Supreme Court will decide case of Maryland's controversial Peace Cross

The American Humanist Association (A Washington D.C. based group advocating for humanist and atheist causes) filed a complaint with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in relation to a 40-Foot Peace Cross dedicated in 1925 to honor Prince George's County WWI veterans. The group's belief is that the cross is an unconstitutional use of a religious symbol on public land. They threatened to take the issue to court if no action is taken to improve this issue. The court case has been taken up to the Supreme Court. The giant cross sits in the median of a busy suburban highway and its maintenance and upkeep are payed for by a state commission, so the question is whether the government should allow for the funding and upkeep of a supposed religious symbol -- or is this just considered a secular memorial for those who died in WWI?
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2018/11/supreme-court-will-decide-case-of-marylands-controversial-peace-cross/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=November2018 The Deacon's Bench, Deacon Greg Kandra

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Information from a tweet from Catholic News Service:
November 9th marks he 80th anniversary since Kristallnacht, a night where Jewish shops, worship centers, and property was destroyed. It was "an attempt to replace God of goodness with idolatry of power and hatred." (Pope Francis) Kristallnacht was one of the first events to spark the Holocaust.
"Religious freedom must be safegaurded because it protects 'against claims of totalitarianism.'"- Catholic News Service

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Pope Francis: Antisemitism Must Be Banned from Society
Christians cannot be anti-Semitic and must work to ensure anti-Semitism is banned from society. We need to commemorate the Holocaust to never repeat the darkest pages of history. Mountain Jews who were descendants of Persian Jews were also targeted and exterminated by the Germans. The pope was overjoyed that the Mountain Jews made their first ever visit. Sadly, anti-Semitic attitudes are also present in our own times, Pope Francis told his audience. "The attempt to replace God of goodness with the idolatry of power and the ideology of hatred ended in the folly of exterminating creatures" the pope added. We need to safeguard religious freedom which is a fundamental human right. A Christian cannot be an anti-Semite because we share the same roots and it would be a contradiction of faith and life.
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/11/05/pope-francis-anti-semitism-must-be-banned-society

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Father Riwa, a Tanzanian priest, helped orphans, street children, and poor nomadic children in Kenya. He founded many Catholic schools and churches even though it is a predominantly Muslim area. His mission began twenty years ago with seven street children. Now,  in Meru's Children's Village, more than 2,000 orphans live. Riwa feels "very happy when [he] sees these children succeed in education and get jobs." Riwa's schools and churches have spread all over Africa and has been extremely successful.
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/11/01/northeastern-kenya-catholic-priest-finds-rescues-vulnerable-children-0
(The Jesuit Review - In northeastern Kenya, Catholic priest finds, rescues vulnerable children)

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Saints of Our Lives: Saints Benedict and Scholastica

Busted Halo has recently published a short segment series titled, The Saints of Our Lives, where the team acts out the lives of saints in soap opera fashion and dramatize the lives of saints. The first segment is about the brother and sister duo Saints Benedict and Scholastica. Twins Benedict and Scholastica were born in Rome to wealthy parents during the beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire. Benedict eventually left Rome and his father's wealth and became a hermit to practice his faith. His piety attracted others to him and eventually established a monastery, Montecassino, where he wrote his famous list of rules for all monasteries. Scholastica, on the other hand, also founded her own religious community, not too far away. Although twins, their sheltered monastic lives prevented them from spending time together, but they would faithfully meet up once a year in a small farmhouse, halfway between their two monasteries. They would typically spend their entire time discussing spiritual matters and were able to keep in touch even though they were confined to two different monasteries.
https://bustedhalo.com/podcasts/saints-of-our-lives-episode-1
(Busted Halo Show W/Fr. Dave Dwyer)

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Title: The Examen with Fr. James Martin, S.J.: Recognizing the holy people in your life

This article discusses the influence that the holy people in our lives have on us. Whether these holy people are family members, mentors, teachers, counselors, or spiritual directors they leave large impacts on us. When you remember spending time with them, you probably remember that their presence was comforting, which made you love being with them. A while ago, someone in the office of the author of this article met one of her heroes. Her hero was an artist and an author who blew her away by how kind, patient, and compassionate he was. “Holiness is naturally attractive to us. It’s one way that God draws us closer. It’s also a way that God encourages holiness in us—by making us want to be more and more like those people whose lives we admire so much.” This gives us insight to how it must have been to be around Jesus. The Gospels tell us that there were usually crowds of people around him. That wasn’t just because they wanted to hear his preaching and see his healing, but because of him, “because of what it was like to be near such holiness. It must have been overwhelming.” This is why it is crucial to pay attention to holy people in our life: they’re drawing us closer to God and closer to the “person we’re meant to become.”

(https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/29/examen-fr-james-martin-sj-recognizing-holy-people-your-life, America the Jesuit Review, James Martin)

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Issele-Uku, Nigeria, Oct 29, 2018 / 04:55 pm five nuns were abducted by gunmen in Nigeria’s Delta state on Thursday, according to local media. The nuns are members of the Order of the Missionary of Martha and Mary. They were kidnapped Oct. 25 while returning from a burial. They were taken near Agbor, about 25 miles west of Issele-Uku. The religious women were in a vehicle which the kidnappers shot at. Along with the five abductees, another two nuns were injured.  Violence against Christians has significantly increased in Nigeria in recent years, with the Islamist terror group Boko Haram threatening safety in the north, and smaller violent gangs threatening security in the south.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/five-nuns-kidnapped-in-southern-nigeria-52142 - Catholic News Agency

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For a long time the number 666 has been associated with the devil. This issue goes back to the Book of Revelation in the new Testament. The verse that says, "One who understands can calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number that stands for a person. His number is six hundred and sixty-six." (Rev. 13:18). in the biblical world, the number seven stood for wholeness and completeness, so to be called a "666" was an insult, implying that if you were called that, you were short of being the real thing. Also, if you take the Greek form of the name of the Emperor Nero-who was a Roman emperor around the time of the book of revelation-and write it in Hebrew, the letters, which also  have numerical values, add up to 666. Many Christians have forgotten the original historical context of the number.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201309/what-666-bible-27901, U.S Catholic, Joel Schorn)

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In Islamabard, Pakistan, the Supreme Court set aside the death sentence of Asia Bibi and ordered her to be released from prison. Bibi, a catholic convicted of blasphemy, was sentenced to death in 2010 on charges of making derogatory remarks about the prophet Muhammad while in an argument with a Muslim farm worker.

(Catholic News Service, https://www.ncronline.org/news/world/pakistan-court-sets-aside-death-sentence-woman-convicted-blasphemy)

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Five Nuns were abducted by gunmen in Nigeria's Delta state on Thursday. The nuns are members of the Order of the Missionary of Martha and Mary. They were kidnapped while returning from a funeral on October 25th. The nuns were in a vehicle which the gunmen shot at. Other than the five abductees, two others were shot. At least five priests in Delta have been kidnapped this year. Violence against Christians had increased significantly in Nigeria in recent years, with the Islam terror group Boko Haram threatening safety in the North.
(Catholic News Agency https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/five-nuns-kidnapped-in-southern-nigeria-52142)

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The reason a gunman singled out Tree of Life Congregation when Pittsburgh has a lot of other synagogues is unknown to us. The man accused of gunning down 11 congregants in a rampage on Saturday is Robert Bowers. He told a SWAT officer that he "wanted all Jews to die." In addition to his hate towards Jewish people, Bowers announced that he had a hate toward HIAS which is a refugee resettlement organization. HIAS stands for Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. This society had posted a list of congregations in Pittsburgh, and Bowers said that he "appreciated" that list of synagogues. The Anti-Defamation League reported a 57% increase in anti-Semetic incidents in 2017. This hate crime points to even more of a rise in anti-Semitism. Basically, Bowers is saying that HIAS is the reason he massacred 11 people and injured others.
https://religionnews.com/2018/10/29/pittsburgh-suspects-hatred-of-jews-hias-part-of-larger-anti-immigrant-surge/ (Religious News Service, Yonat Shimron and Jack Jenkins)

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In northwestern Texas, support groups are coming to the aid of homeless youth. A recent pole shows there are over 600 homeless minors in Lubbock, Texas. These kids are between the ages of 10-17 and sleep in cars, at their friend's house, or even on the streets. The situations that put these children on the street vary, but most commonly have to do with family conflicts or abuse. These homeless children have no family support and are at a high risk for sex trafficing. The missionary groups are working with law enforcement to provide support to the kids and try to help find them a home. The organizations main goal as of now is to provide them with food, clothes, and a safe shelter.
(Perry West, Catholic News Agency)
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-charities-of-lubbock-aids-homeless-youth-13824

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Sexual assault is starting to be seen in a new light. Before, it was seen as a sexual crime, and oftentimes the victims were blamed for what had been done. Now, people are starting to realize that sexual assault is an assault, and are treating it as one. Furthermore, people are beginning to understand that in many cases - the athlete being abused by the coach, the employee being harassed by the employer, the actress being attacked by the director, even the little child being taken advantage of by a priest - that while it is an assault, it is also an abuse of trust. Most people believe that God works directly through priests, and that may be part of the reason that we are so determined to trust a priest over anyone else. They hear your confessions - and you trust them with that. Why can you not trust them with your children?
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/suspendedinherjar/2018/10/everybody-gets-it-except-the-leaders-of-the-church/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=October2018
Patheos, Suspended in Her Jar, MJ Lisbeth

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Chiara Luce Badano was beatified on 25th September 2010. She passed away on October 7th, 1990. She passed away due to osteogenic sarcoma – one of the most serious and painful forms of cancer. Below is her prayer.

O Father, fount of every good,
we give You thanks for the wonderful
testimony of Blessed Chiara Badano.
Filled with the Holy Spirit
and guided by the radiant light of Jesus,
she believed firmly in Your infinite love,
and wished to return it with all her strength,
surrendering herself in complete trust
to Your paternal will.
We humbly beseech You
that You may also grant us
the gift to live with You and for You,
and ask You, if it be Your will,
for the grace ...
through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

(source: http://www.piercedhearts.org/theology_heart/life_saints/bl_chiara_luce.html)

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Number of Americans who say they are witches is on the rise
An estimated 1-1.5 million people say they practice Wicca or paganism,a rise from an estimated 8,00 in 1990. There are 1.4 million Presbyterians. Wicca is a form of pagan witchcraft that begun in 1940's. Social media has contributed to this rise. 2 million people have used the hashtag "#WitchesofInstagram" in which people share their experiences as witches. A priest pointed to the popularity of spiritualism in general, which includes yoga and ouija. He theorizes that people who are dissatisfied with their religion look for a quick fix-magic. He also says that no matter if its "white magic" or "black magic", it is all harmful. Witchcraft is associated with Satan. This appeal of paganism may have stem from Christianity's early roots. When Christianity first spread to pagan areas--Ireland, France, etc.--the people who lived there were incredibly superstitious. Christianity provided spiritual reassurance. Christianity has the good news that God wins against the devil. People have returned to their pagan ways as Christianity has become less appealing. “Man is essentially a religious animal who seeks meaning beyond the ordinary and so is prone to worship powers beyond himself,” Fr. Thomas explained. The increase of self-identified witches could be a result of Satan himself. These people can't be more wrong and need our prayers.

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Title: For a model on how to change the church today, look to previous generations.

In the month of September about 46,000 American Catholics died. One of these people, Aileen Carlin Giannelli, died on September 8. She was one of six children born to a Brooklyn schoolteacher and a New York City policeman. Coming from a family of cops, actors, lawyers, and teachers Aileen made an unexpected choice. She entered a Maryknoll convent after graduating high school. She eventually left the convent, because she felt like she might do more good as a layperson. However, she remained close to Maryknoll spiritually for her entire life. After leaving, she taught in the Paterson, New Jersey public schools, and then in a series of Catholic high schools before becoming a Catholic school principal in 1997. At 60-years-old, she earned a Ph.D. in church leadership from Fordham, and her final professional years were spent as a professor there in the Graduate School of Religious Education. Along the way, she had a long, happy marriage, raised two children, and loved four grandchildren. “Serving others humbly until the last 17 days of her life, her rest now is well earned.” Aileen’s daughter was a teenager during the 1980s. One Sunday, after a few weeks of watching her mother come home from Mass a little frustrated with the direction the church had begun taking, she asked a question: “If the church upsets you so much, why do you keep going back?”

Aileen told her daughter, “It’s my church, too, and I’m not leaving.”

This idea stuck with her daughter. The daughter and her husband have now seen people they know and admire who stuck with the church through everything seem like they have reached a breaking point and leave. While they do not judge others for leaving, they remember what Aileen taught them. “Aileen understood the church as something we all do together. Our baptism calls each of us to be a friend of God and a prophet, and we all share the responsibility to build the city of God. That is what the church is. No matter how much damage the church’s leaders do, that responsibility doesn’t go away.” The church will change just as everything does. But there is always a place in it for each of us. “Whether our bishops know it yet or not, our church waits for us each to claim our place, just as Aileen did.”

(https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201810/its-my-church-too-31528, U.S. Catholic Faith in Real Life, by: Steven P. Millies)

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Supreme Court will decide case of Maryland's controversial Peace Cross

A peace cross which stands in Prince George's County is a fixture dedicated to the veterans who served in World War I. It stands 40 feet tall with a large gold star in the center and its base contains the words "Valor," "Endurance," "Courage" and "Devotion" as well as a bronze tablet containing a quote from President Woodrow Wilson. An atheist and humanist group called the American Humanist Association, has filed a complaint saying that the cross is an unconstitutional use of a religious symbol on public land. The entire group stated that they will take this matter to court if no action is taken. The Mayor of the county, Walter Lee James Jr, states that "it is not a religious symbol. It is a symbol to protect the rights and freedoms of our country." After several years of debate, the case is about to go before the Supreme Court. More information will be released in regards to the decision of this case, which fundamentally revolves around a question of religion - or the appearance of a religious symbol - in the public square.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2018/11/supreme-court-will-decide-case-of-marylands-controversial-peace-cross/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=November2018 (Deacon Greg Kandra)

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Pope Francis denounces attack of Pittsburgh synagogue, expresses closeness to Jewish community.

The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting took place on Saturday, October 27th, killing eleven and wounding six. It was one of the deadliest attacks against the Jewish community in this country, and took place amidst a climate of hate-speech and violence, as the nation moved towards crucial midterm elections. Pope Francis denounced the "inhuman" and "terrible attack" on a synagogue in Pittsburgh yesterday and also expressed his closeness to the Jewish community and the people of the city, by praying for all of the victims and their close friends and family. At the scene of the shooting, there was a circumcision taking place. Before the gunman opened fire he said, "All Jews must die!" This shows that there are cruel people in this world, and the only way to solve this is to develop peace within our societies. Pope Francis said, "May the Lord help us quench these hotbeds of hate that are developing in our societies."

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/10/28/pope-francis-denounces-attack-pittsburgh-synagogue-expresses-closeness
Gerard O'Connel - America, the Jesuit Review

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When Colorado teens make nighttime visits to Mount Olivet Cemetery this week, it won’t be for ghost stories or a haunted house. Instead, they’ll learn about saints, pray together for the dead, and celebrate Mass. Mount Olivet’s “Night at the Cemetery” is an annual event for middle and high schoolers, designed to teach them about the intercession of the saints, and the importance of praying for the repose of souls. This will give the youth “a little bit of their life story [and] weave in some points to remember to pray for the dead, and to pray to the saints in heaven.” It will be followed by Mass at the Gallagher Chapel, and the second night will be Oct. 27, followed by evening prayer. “As Catholics, it doesn’t stop at the funeral. You have to constantly pray for our beloved dead, by either having Mass said for them or praying prayers for the souls in purgatory.”
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/in-this-cemetery-after-dark-students-pray-for-the-dead-54856 - Perry West

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A Catholic charity in Oregon has been helping refugees for about 70 years, but recently there was a new law that banned travels and vetting processes. This law decreased the number of refuges by 75% percent. In 2016 600 refugees were rescued and this year there were 160 recorded. The Catholic charity has been helping refugees focus more on there mental health and business employment. They help refugees build a better work environment. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/in-oregon-fewer-refugees-means-changes-for-catholic-charities-27137

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Pope Francis feels ashamed for not advancing in humanity and solidarity in order for all people around the world can be fed. Oct. 16th marks the date that the organization (World Food Day) was founded in 1945. It addressthe causes of world hunger. This year, there were plans to make a zero hunger world possible by 2030. Although the goal is 12 years away, Pope states that the poor cannot wait and their circumstances do not allow this tremendous timeline.The FAO 2018 State of Food Security and Nutrition states that world hunger is rising again and over 800 million people are suffering from chronic undernourishment.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/justice/francis-chronicles/lack-progress-fighting-hunger-shameful-pope-says

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On October 10th, Hurricane Michael hit in Panama City, Fla. The hurricane took 50 lives in the U.S and Central America, caused an estimated $8 billion in damage, and had displaced thousands of people. With local hospitals overwhelmed with patients, St. John the Evangelist parish in Panama City has become  a hub for medical services and supplies. Many people's homes were damaged and are still without power. St. john's Parish School has been heavily damaged. The roof of the middle school was ripped off and other school buildings suffered severe water damage. The school has set up a satellite campus at another parish. Two local hospitals in panama City have nearly shut down completely, aside from their emergency rooms,  and the hurricane also destroyed a medical warehouse, which held all of the hospital's sterile supplies. The Parish has stepped up to offer basic medical supplies and help, relying on catholic Charities and volunteer medical professionals.
(https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/how-a-panama-city-parish-is-helping-after-hurricane-michael-44459, Catholic News Agency, Perry West)

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On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke out to his nation of Australia about the recent child sex abuse problems in the church. In the speech he apologized to the victims. He addressed the speech mainly to the victims in general, starting off by saying how hard their journey must've been so far. He claims this was an issue hiding in plain sight for just to long. He feels terrible for what has happened, and is angered by the loss of trust within the Catholic Church.  Morrison ended the speech with this: "I believe you. We believe you. Your country believes you".
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/22/scott-morrisons-national-apology-to-australian-survivors-and-victims-of-child-sexual-abuse-full-speech Catholic News, Catholic Culture; author not listed

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Justice Action Bulletin: Family goes home after months in church sanctuary
After spending seven months in sanctuary at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, a Pakistani family was able to return to their home and reopen their pizza shop. According to a report from Bristol Herald Courier, Malik Naveed bin Rehman and his wife Zahida Altaf were living in the church with their 5-year-old U.S. citizen daughter Roniya to shield themselves from deportation since March 19 while they challenged a deportation order. They left the sanctuary on October 16 after Immigration officials  told them they are not opposing their request to stay, which is pending in court. This couple has been living in the US since 2000, they overstayed their visas and as they were applying for citizenship, but they were misled by an attorney who was committing fraud. Since their lawyer was not doing his jog well, their case is getting reopened.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/justice/justice-action-bulletin-family-goes-home-after-months-church-sanctuary
National Catholic Reporter

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Synod members are sharing the journey with refugees and immigrants. On October 21, they walked 1.5 miles from Rome's Trastevere neighborhood to the Vatican. The Bishop who was there said that there walk was nothing compared to the experience of migrants. Joseph Moeono-Kolio from Samoa started out just watching the walk, but he joined in when he though about immigrants being forced to leave their homes and fleeing for safety. In September 2017, Share the Journey was launched. It encourages every Catholic to get to know at least migrant or refugee and listen to his or her story. These walks are supported around the world to try and encourage more people to participate.
(Catholic News Service, Carlos Glatz)
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/22/synod-members-share-journey-migrants-refugees

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The Rosary is a Catholic prayer devotion that draws us closer to Jesus and Mary by reflecting on key moments in their lives. The Rosary allows anyone to pray with familiar words from scripture. The word Rosary comes from the Latin rosarium, which means rose garden. In scripture, roses symbolize perfection. So, the Rosary is like a perfect garden of prayers. The Rosary involves a lot of repetition. You might be wondering, why pray the same prayers over and over again? Praying the Rosary helps slow us down, calm our hearts, and get in touch with our desires for God.

(Source: https://bustedhalo.com/video/the-rosary-in-two-minutes)

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Rev. Kopecka is a young female pastor who was ordained at the age of 30 and feels strongly about the ordination of women; however, she also understands that this is a sensitive issue in the Catholic Church. She says "For me, ordination is not a question of gender but human dignity and equal possibilities." She is the only female cleric attending the Synod of Bishops that is taking place from October 3 to 28th in Rome. She was not unnoticed and even believes that some cardinals and bishops "were surprised, maybe shocked" to see her in clerical attire. After her intervention, a lot of people came up to her and said that they had listened to her and were inspired. She was shocked that all the men had listened to her instead of wondering why she was even there. She wasn't even Christian her whole life, but only later in life did she even get baptized. Her small group at the synod discussed the ordination of women deacons and she said that "I understand it is not an easy question. It is sensitive."
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/22/whats-it-being-only-female-cleric-synod-young-people
America the Jesuit Review, Luke Hansen

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In Mexico City, Cardinal Rivera's home was attacked and a security guard was killed. Someone tried to rob Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera but luckily, was unsuccessful. In southern Mexico City on October 21 around 3 o'clock pm, the gunmen arrived at the retired churchman's house. There were at least two men who arrived in a vehicle that was pretending to be a delivery vehicle. The men rang the doorbell, forced open the door, and entered the House. After they entered, gunshots were fired with an auxiliary police officer who trued his best to secure the property. Jose Javier Hernandez Nava was killed in the shootout. He was also a member of the Banking and Industrial Police. After killing the security guard, the two men fled in SUVs. In addition to Rivera, there were other several others who were in the house at the time of the attempted robbery but none of them were harmed. Rivera was the archbishop of Mexico City for over 20 years and resigned in June of 2017. Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, Rivera's successor, offered prayers for the security guard and his family.
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-americas/2018/10/22/cardinal-riveras-home-attacked-in-mexico-city-security-guard-killed/ (David Agren, Catholic News Service)

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How can we get beyond the battle of the sexes

Life cannot continue on with men and women not trusting each other. We need man and woman to cooperate. After the Kavanaugh debate, men are scared that they too will be accused of misconduct. Woman have also reached a similar boiling point of rage and fear. Fisher wants us to ask ourselves how likely is it that I'll win this war using the tactics we are using. Conservatives and Liberals have very different sides to approach feminism and the accusations. Conservatives have tend to not like feminism and be strong men while the Liberals encourage woman and weaken men. We need to get over our hatred of Liberals or Conservatives and focus on being a decent person protecting the weak.

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/10/17/how-can-we-get-beyond-battle-sexes

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A limosine crash in Amsterdam, New York, killed 20 people. At the funeral mass on Oct. 13, Peter Rose said, "In a time of so much darkness, so much pain, you will leave here today enfolded in the love of Jesus and the love of this community." About 800 people came to the service-- friends, family, and community members. Prayer intentions not only mentioned the victims and their loved ones, but also all of the first responders and all those present at the accident. Boxes of tissues were placed at each pew. Throughout the service, guests comforted each other during the particularly difficult moments.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/19/after-new-york-limousine-crash-priest-urges-families-put-trust-jesus (Emily Benson, Catholic News Service)

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In Nairobi, Kenya, celebratory ululations filled the air last spring after Bishop Peter Njogu ordained three new priests, who all happened to be already married. Njogu, who is a former Roman Catholic priest and founder of the Renewed Church, is also married. He suggests that with his experience, he will be able to perform his duties as a priest and also as a father. Along with twenty other priests, including several who were ordained in July, Muiga, one of the three newly ordained priests, has renounced his vows of celibacy, proposed to his wife, and joined the Renewed Universal Catholic Church. "We want priests to get married so that they can live a pure life without pretense," said Njogu, a father of three. Njogu's journey toward schism began in 2002, when Pope John Paul II excommunicated him for his relationship with his longtime companion, Berith Karimi. Soon afterward, the priest and Karimi married. Former Zambian Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, who had also been excommunicated for marrying a woman, then ordained Njogu as a bishop, paving the way for the establishment of a new church.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/world/acknowledging-reality-splinter-church-kenya-ordains-married-catholic-priests (Tony Onyulo, Religion News Service)

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In this day and age it can be hard to remember to live simply. Even when we got to church and see the big stain glass windows, it can be hard to remember the humble life Jesus led. The church tried to balance the magnificence, wonder, and awe of an eternal God with the simplicity and quietness of that same God who is best seen in the poverty of Bethlehem and the ordinary hidden life of Nazareth. In life people can either choose grandeur or simplicity. Some look to Saint Therese of Lisieux for help. She viewed everyone has a flower in God's garden. If every flower in the garden wished to be a rose, the garden would lose it's diverse beauty. Similarly, the violet, although simple, smells better than the rose. This balance between the grand rose and the simple violet create a balance resulting in a beautifully diverse garden. We can use this in our lives by trying to remain simple, but allow ourselves to enjoy the grandeur every once in awhile.
(Patheos, Father Pablo)
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/labmind/2018/10/the-grandeur-and-simplicity-of-god.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-CAT&utm_content=October2018)

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The Rosary is a prayer devotion that “draws us closer to Jesus and Mary by reflecting on key moments in their lives.” St. Dominic received the rosary from Mary in 1214. Later, in 1520, Pope Leo X approved it for use by lay people. Back then many people were unable to read, so the Rosary allowed anyone to pray with “familiar words from scripture.” The Latin word rosarium, which means rose garden, is where the word Rosary comes from. In scripture, roses symbolize perfection, so, “the Rosary is like a perfect garden of prayers.” The Rosary involves a lot of repetition, which helps helps slow us down, calm our spirits, and get in touch with our innate desire for God. This chance to slow down is important in our busy lives. Praying the rosary daily can help better our relationship with God and better our state of mind for the day.

(https://bustedhalo.com/video/the-rosary-in-two-minutes, Busted Halo faith shared joyfully)

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As he arrived in Italy for a papal Audience on Wednesday, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in praised Pope Francis for promoting peace and dialogue. At the papal audience, where he's expected to extend an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for Francis to visit.Moon Jae-in meets with Francis on Thursday.  He spends Wednesday meeting with Italian leaders and attending an evening "Mass for Peace" at St. Peter's Basilica. He will be with the pope's top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state. Moon Jae-in signed a broad agreement with Kim Jong Un last month meant to reduce military tensions on the peninsula (Korea). Moon's office has reported that during the summit, Kim Jong Un said the pope would be "enthusiastically" welcomed in North Korea. This message will be delivered at Thursday's audience. In an article in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, Moon praised Francis for his promotion of dialogue and said he hoped that the Korean peace initiative could also help the Vatican create relations with the North.
(https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/17/south-korean-president-praises-pope-francis-message-peace, America: the Jesuit Review, Nicole Winfield)

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Pope Francis: To Hate Is to Kill in the Heart
Pope Francis recently said that to hate or  insult someone is a way of “killing the dignity of a person,". He said that one might think they are doing okay because they are not doing anything wrong, but people need more than just not doing wrong, they need love. He also said that the commandment "you shall not kill" goes deeper than just physically killing someone. It is also telling to live for Jesus, and not live our lives for the secular things in this world, but to live our lives for the greater good.
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pope-francis-to-hate-is-to-kill-in-the-heart

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The New film The Hate You Give
In the new film The Hate You Give. Starr Carter and her siblings attend a mostly white college prep school but live in an impoverished neighborhood. Their mom, Lisa  is a nurse who is committed to making sure that the children will grow up with the best opportunities for success. Their dad, Maverick Carter is an ex-con who owns and operates a convenience store. He is just as concerned that they grow up alive. Starr is at a party talking with her oldest childhood friend, Khali, when someone fires a gun. They run to his car to get away. All of a sudden, they hear a police siren. A white police officer pulls them over. Khalil demands to know why as Starr yells at him to obey the cop. He gets out of the car as commanded but doesn't stay still when the officer goes to run his license. The officer yells at Khalil to put his hands up, but he has reached inside the car to grab his hairbrush. When he moves, the cop shoots and kills him. Starr, in shock, is the only witness.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/hate-u-give-film-gives-clear-voice-its-young-heroine

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Pope Francis said that the Catholic Church must reach out to couples living together without being married. Most of the pope's prepared remarks focused on the importance of improving marriage preparation programs. This includes basic catechesis about the church, the sacraments, salvation and God's design for humanity. Marriage preparation cannot consist only of a few meetings, the pope said. Marriage preparation and ministry to couples, he said, "is a vast, complex and delicate apostolic field in which it is necessary to dedicate energy and enthusiasm with an intent to promote the Gospel of the family and of life."
https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-chronicles/reach-out-unmarried-couples-support-newlyweds-pope-urges

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The Diocese of Pensacola, Tallahassee in Pensacola is being directly hit by the category 4 storm, hurricane Michael. The diocese has decided to move on from prayer to action. Their website was urging for prayers and donations for the victims; they are also collecting cash donations with the Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida. Some other donations include: water, tarps, food, pet and baby supplies, and gloves. Bishop Wack said that insurance will help them rebuild, but this will be a long and hard recovery. He said "I know that we will come together and do what we need to pull through this." Along with the donations, the diocese is arranging temporary places to hold masses.

(https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2018/10/13/diocese-moving-from-prayer-to-action-in-wake-of-hurricane-michael/ Catholic News Service, no author listed)

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As young, stressed people, we need an outlet. For some people, it may be expensive vacations or fancy outings, but for others, it could be a simple and low- cost yoga session. Some people who are on a budget may rent a bike for a certain amount of time and take it around the park or neighborhood to clear their minds. Others may invest in a $5 yoga mat and unwind through following a yoga video. You can also keep yourself stress and worry free by purchasing healthy, low- cost snacks at a local market while keeping your clothes simple and comfortable. With the absence of trendy diets, expensive workout classes, or brand- name clothes, one is able to focus on the things that do matter to them. These things could be work, school, or their faith. By keeping your life simple and not spending frivolously, you can clear your mind and get closer to God.
https://amendo.com/affordable-alternatives-to-the-trends-we-love/
Site: Amendo
Author: Maria Trivelpiece

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Almost 40 years ago, Bishop Romero was shot dead during a mass in El Salvador. Now, he has just become the first saint from El Salvador. His status in El Salvador is more than just religious, he is considered a national hero to many through his words - and homilies - that many believe sounded prophetic. His death in the 1980s, while the country was undergoing a war. As the archbishop of the Capital of El Salvador, he accompanied the poor in a time where 2/3s of the people in his country were struggling with poverty. His canonization comes during a time where the country is still rampant with violence, much because of gangs preying on populations living in areas under their control.  He voiced people's demands for more fair wages and he voiced many criticisms of the "oligarchy" at a time where many people would have considered such talk communist. Also, he called for a suspension of U.S. military assistance.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/15/el-salvador-celebrates-its-first-saint-oscar-romero
America, The Jesuit Review, Catholic News Service, David Agren

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Pope Francis unprecedentedly accused two Chilean bishops of sexual abuse and expelled them from the priesthood. 84-year-old Francisco Jose Cox and 53-year-old Marco Antonio Ordenes were removed from the clerical state and were denied an opportunity to appeal. Pope Benedict XVI said that the most serious crimes committed by members of the clergy are decided by the pope and are not subject to appeal. Pope Francis had previously expelled Fernando Karadima who was a Chilean priest who sexually abused young men in his parish from the priesthood. There were previous allegations against Cox starting back in April of 1997.
https://angelusnews.com/news/junno-arocho-esteves/pope-expels-two-chilean-bishops-from-priesthood(Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service)

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Bishop Barron at Synod of Bishops: Young people are ‘hungry for mission’

Bishop discusses how more young people want to be involved in the church. They want to be holy and be able to speak their mind on issues that involve the next generation. Barron, the auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, is a delegate to the bishops’ synod. He has advocated in conversations in and around the synod that young people should be challenged intellectually and morally. Why has it been the case, over the past several decades, that young people in our own Catholic secondary schools have read Shakespeare in literature class, Homer in Latin class, Einstein in physics class, but, far too often, superficial texts in religion?” Barron asked the synod. He also deicusses how we should reach towards the youth with tolerance and acceptance. “The Church reaches out in love, and love is ‘willing the good of the other,’ and sometimes that means calling people to a change of life.”
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/bishop-barron-at-synod-of-bishops-young-people-are-hungry-for-mission-41133 - Courtney Grogan

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VATICAN CITY (RNS) - As the Catholic church's monthlong synod on young people reaches its halfway point here, there has been more excitement outside the synodal hall than inside.

While Catholic bishops from around the world huddle at the Vatican to talk about young people, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un invited the pope for a visit, spurring a debate about how the pope should respond: Can the pope visit a dictator who has no respect for religious freedom? Will he, like President Trump, take the risk of a spur-of-the-moment visit, or will he delay the visit until his diplomats carefully prepare for the meeting?

Also overshadowing the synod was Cardinal Marc Ouellet's strong defense of the pope against attacks by Archbishop Carlo Viganò, the former papal representative to the United States. Ouellet's letter to Viganò is the fullest Vatican response so far to the archbishop's claim that Francis waived sanctions imposed by Pope Benedict on ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Ouellet, however, acknowledged there are unanswered questions about how McCarrick was promoted in the hierarchy under John Paul II.

Finally, on Oct. 12, the pope reluctantly accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl as archbishop of Washington, D.C.

Wuerl had been under criticism for his management of clergy sexual abuse while he was bishop of Pittsburgh in the 1980s and 1990s. In a letter to Wuerl, the pope acknowledged the bishop may have made mistakes but denied he was involved in a cover-up. Francis also denounced the "sterile divisions sown by the father of lies who, trying to hurt the shepherd, wants nothing more than that the sheep be dispersed."

It is hard for a synod to compete with stories like these - especially a synod not dealing with controversial issues, like Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, as at the last synod.

The controversial issue that the media does want to talk about - the sex abuse scandal - is not officially the subject of the synod. The bishops acknowledge that their own poor handling of the crisis has severely undermined the church's credibility to speak to the young, but the topic will be more fully treated in Rome at the February meeting of the presidents of bishops' conferences.

Meanwhile, the positive and negative aspects of the synodal process have become evident.

For one thing, all of the voting members of the synod are men, with women present only as nonvoting experts and auditors. Outside the Vatican, Italian police broke up a demonstration where women were chanting: "Knock, knock. Who's there? More than half the church."

The problem is that while the synod includes mostly bishops, there are also a few priests and two religious brothers. While the bishops and priests are "ordained clerics" under church law, brothers are laypersons. The only theological or canonical difference between a religious brother and a religious sister is gender. Excluding women is, therefore, indefensible.

If you can't have women, it only makes sense to get rid of the priests and brothers. In fact, get rid of the cardinals and bishops from the Roman curia, so that only diocesan bishops are voting members of the synod.

Despite these problems, the synod does perform a valuable function. Having bishops from all over the world come to Rome provides input from outside of the Vatican. All the bishops testify to the positive experience of hearing from bishops of different countries and cultures talk about the situation of the church.

The situation of young people is very different around the world. The condition of young refugees, for example, is quite different from that of young, middle-class white Americans.

The variety of cultural, political, economic and religious conditions of young people around the world makes it impossible for the synodal fathers to come up with concrete programs for the young. These must be created and implemented at the local level. As a result, the synod's final report or recommendations will probably be general in tone.

What may be more important than the report is what the synodal delegates learn from the synod - a process for approaching issues. For the synod, the process may be more important than the product.

For example, there was an extensive consultation process prior to the synod. Last March, the pope met with young people to get their input. There were also online surveys that accepted input from thousands of young people.

The working document ( Instrumentum Laboris) prepared prior to the synod reflected this input. It also laid out a methodology of discernment for approaching issues in the church. Discernment is a favorite word for Francis, coming from his Jesuit background.

The document states that discernment is "a way of life, a style, a fundamental attitude and also a working method; it is a path to walk together, whereby we look at the social and cultural dynamics we are steeped in, through the eyes of the disciple."

Francis would like the church to become a discerning church.

Discernment requires looking at reality, listening to other people, and prayerfully reflecting on Christian values before making a decision. Discernment is exactly the opposite of making decisions from an ideological perspective, whether from the left or the right.

Thus, the greatest fruit of the synod may be methodology. It was noteworthy that many members of the synod used the language of discernment in their presentations. They appear to have internalized it. If this style spreads, the synod will have been a success even though it does not deal with all the challenges facing the church with young people.

But other synodal fathers were skeptical of language like "listening." They preferred to stress the importance of clear teaching. "Listening" implies that bishops can learn something from young people. This is difficult for people who think they have all the answers.

Listening and teaching are, of course, not contradictory, but lectures are not going to connect with the young who want to be listened to and engaged in discovering a way forward for the church. Forcing old answers on this generation is not working.

Whether Francis can turn the church into a discerning body remains to be seen. This is not something that can be commanded; it must be freely embraced. But whether he is successful or not will determine the church's future, especially with young people.

This story is available for republication.

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The highs, lows and distractions of the Vatican synod on young people - Religion News Service

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VATICAN CITY (RNS) - As the Catholic church's monthlong synod on young people reaches its halfway point here, there has been more excitement outside the synodal hall than inside.

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The highs, lows and distractions of the Vatican synod on young people:

The Catholic church’s month-long synod on young people is reaching its halfway point. However, there has debatably been more excitement outside the synodal hall than inside. North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un, invited the pope for a visit. This prompted a debate about how the pope should respond. Considering North Korea has little to no respect for religious freedom, he is hesitant to accept the invitation. Also overshadowing the synod was Cardinal Marc Ouellet’s strong defense of the pope against attacks by Archbishop Carlo Viganò, the former papal representative to the United States. Next, the article went in depth in discussing the situation of young people around the world. Young people have very different life conditions depending on what part of the world they call home. The condition of young refugees, for example, is quite different from that of young, middle-class Americans. The variety of cultural, political, economic and religious conditions of young people around the world makes it impossible for the “synodal fathers to come up with concrete programs for the young. These must be created and implemented at the local level. As a result, the synod’s final report or recommendations will probably be general in tone.” For the synod, the process may be more significant than the product. “Whether Francis can turn the church into a discerning body remains to be seen. This is not something that can be commanded; it must be freely embraced.” Nevertheless whether he is successful or not will determine the church’s future, especially with young people.

(https://religionnews.com/2018/10/12/the-highs-lows-and-distractions-of-the-vatican-synod-on-young-people/, RNS (Religious News Service))

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Can you build a profitable church on the margins
Catholics do not use the words Seed capitals, Launch Sunday, and Mailchimp when talking about the faith. Evangelicals, however have capitalized off these silicon valley products to spread the word. AJ Smith needed money for his church in a inner-city neighborhood. If he did not get more funds, he would lose the Acts 29 church-planting network's funds. AJ had to balance being a humble pastor and successful entrepreneur. He had a tough job to ask people to go to his church in an increasingly hostile towards Christians world. He confronted many challenges like how do you accept L.G.B.T. people while holding on to traditionally christian views. AJ used podcasts to reach out to people all over tackling these hard issues. His beginnings to find more people led him to starting podcasts and reaching out to people internationally.

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Gaspar Romero, 88-year-old, and his brother, 93-year-old Tiberio Romero were at the head of the line of thousands of people waiting to get into St. Peter’s Square for St. Romero's canonization. The two were at the Vatican for the canonization of their brother, the archbishop of San Salvador who was assassinated in 1980. “Thanks to this event, our country has become known in the whole world,” Gaspar Romero told Catholic News Service. “So many people in the world were waiting for this.” Gaspar Romero was even invited to meet the queen after his brother's death. He said, “For me that was something unexpected, unexplainable and unasked for."
https://cnstopstories.com/2018/10/14/st-romeros-brothers-rejoice-at-his-canonization/ (Melisa Vida, Catholic News Service)

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Class Action Request Targets Sisters of Charity of Quebec:

A couple of months ago, there were allegations that children who once stayed at the Mont d'Youville orphanage in Quebec City were sexually abused not only by lay educators but also by nuns. The Sisters of Charity not only said they were surprised by this matter, but also troubled by these allegations regarding nuns from their own congregation. These allegations came in a revised petition to the Quebec Superior Court from a former orphanage resident who was seeking designation of a lawsuit, which happened to be the first in the Quebec province that named a women's religious congregation. Alleged victims state they were sexually assaulted at a very young age; because of these statements, it has influenced many others to speak about their past assaults as well. The Sisters of Charity of Quebec has never been informed of such allegations and they are all astonished. The sisters of Quebec opened an orphanage that ran from about the 1920s to the 1990s. If this lawsuit is authorized, the attorneys are seeking two million dollars in compensation for each of their clients affected.

https://grandinmedia.ca/class-action-request-targets-sisters-charity-quebec/ (Catholic News Service - Canada and World)

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While a woman was peacefully protesting outside of a planned parenthood centre with a group of protesters, a man approached them. He was destroying signs, scribbling on people, and assaulting people. He even round-house kicked a woman! People should never be ridiculed or assaulted for expressing their beliefs nonviolently. Everybody's opinion should be respected, even if you do not agree with it and everyone should be treated with kindness and respect.  If people are being nonviolent, they should be left alone.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/canadian-man-arrested-after-roundhouse-kicking-female-pro-life-demonstrator-17540
Author: Unknown
Site: Catholic News Agency

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Affordable Alternatives to the Trends We Love
1. Do Yoga at Home:
Instead of paying for classes at a fancy studio, do yoga at home. There are amazing videos of different levels of yoga along with breathing techniques that are very helpful.
2. Enjoy Food without the Expense:
Instead of eating outside with friends all the time, invite them over to your house. Ask each person to contribute by bringing food.
3. Stop Worrying About Brand Names
There are hundreds of brands out there that are just as good, if not better, than your top brands.

(Source: https://amendo.com/affordable-alternatives-to-the-trends-we-love)
(Author: Maria Trivelpiece)

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Can anyone be a Godparent?
In modern day culture, "godparents " are a common thing to do, even if you are not a person of faith. But as this becomes a secular thing, people of faith are wondering who can be a godparent. The Godparent is supposed to lead their godchild in a life of faith along with their parents.  So in order for a godparent to lead in faith, they need to be a part of the faith.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201809/can-anyone-be-godparent-31515
US Catholic

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According to a statement given on October 10th by the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops in Austin, 15 Catholic Dioceses in Texas will release the names of clergy acused of sexual assault.  Texas bishops had agreed at a meeting on September 30th on jointly releasing the names, as part of “ongoing work to protect children from sexual abuse” and “promoting healing and a restoration of trust” in the Church, according to the statement. Archbishop Garcia-Siller recognized that this effort will be most painful for the survivors of abuse and he  said that the Catholic Church remains committed to supporting victims in every way. He reiterated what other Texas bishops had been saying and encouraged anyone affected by abuse to come forward to officials.The 15 dioceses set to release the names of sexual predators in their clergy are: the Galveston-Houston and San Antonio archdioceses and the Austin, Amarillo, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Laredo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Tyler and Victoria dioceses. This release of clergy names is expected to come at the latest on Jan. 31, 2019. The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, whose chancery is located in Houston, will also be joining the 15 Texas dioceses in releasing names of these abusers.
(https://cnstopstories.com/2018/10/10/texas-dioceses-will-release-names-of-clergy-credibly-accused-of-abuse/, Catholic News Service, James Ramos

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Mary Catherine Kasper will be canonized on October 14. She established the religious order the Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ. The 150th anniversary of their establishment in America is this year. The Sisters will be travelling to Rome to meet other Poor Handmaids and see their founder canonized. Since their founding, they have operated more than 400 ministries in several different countries. Some of these ministries include running orphanages, providing healthcare, child education, and helping refugees. Blessed Catherine taught the Handmaids how to have an openness for the Holy Spirit and motivated them to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those around them. Pope Paul VI beatified Mary Catherine on April 16, 1978. On April 6, a miracle was recognized by Pope Francis paving the way for her canonization.

(Our Sunday Visitor, Brian Fraga)
https://www.osv.com/OSVNewsweekly/ByIssue/Article/TabId/735/ArtMID/13636/ArticleID/26771/Poor-Handmaids-reflect-on-foundress%E2%80%99-legacy.aspx

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On October 1, the Department of Education awarded the 2018 National Blue Ribbon to about 50 private schools, 90% of which were Catholic. The National Blue Ribbon is given to exemplary high performing schools". The award went to 349 schools nationwide, 300 public and 49 private. 44 out of the 49 private schools were Catholic, administered by their dioceses. The schools honored will be congratulated during a ceremony in Washington D.C. in early November. Mary Pat Donoghue, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Catholic Education at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said "Catholic schools are by their nature: ordered to an integral formation of the human person which seeks wisdom and virtue through the development of faith and academics."

(https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/vast-majority-of-private-school-blue-ribbon-winners-catholic-38665 Catholic News Agency, written by Christine Rousselle)

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Women as Priests
Even with extensive grassroots support for letting women become priests, Pope Francis and the Vatican's male-dominated hierarchy have stressed repeatedly that a men-only priesthood is a divine mandate that cannot be changed. "I don't see any movement to ordain women on the horizon, although I wish I did," said Margaret McGuinness, a religion professor at La Salle University in Philadelphia. "The people in power aren't going to look at this as a solution." solution." In the United States, an organized campaign advocating for female priests dates to the 1970s, and its leaders have seized on the new sex abuse scandals — in which the alleged perpetrators are male clergy — to help make their case. "If we had women as equals and partners, women ordained in the Catholic Church, the church would not be in this mess, because we would have parents who would minister and who would make sure children are protected," said Bridget Mary Meehan, a former nun who has led a rebel movement to ordain women, including herself, in defiance of church doctrine. The penalty for attempting to ordain a woman is excommunication. The Vatican considers it so abhorrent that it's included it in the same classification of "more grave crimes" as sex abuse.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/08/24/women-priests-some-say-its-time-admit-its-unlikely

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A man from toronto was arrested for roundhouse-kicking a female pro-life demonstrator and harassing several others at a pro-life rally in late September. Jordan Hunt turned himself in to the police and has been charged with multiple accounts of assault. This became a huge deal because the woman who he kicked was recording him and caught everything on camera. He was identified in an Instagram post by the local hair salon Hunt had been working at. He was fired from his job.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/canadian-man-arrested-after-roundhouse-kicking-female-pro-life-demonstrator-17540 (Catholic News Agency)

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As someone who grew up mostly outside of faith and church, the Bible is not something I've studied a lot of-and by "not something I've studied a lot of," I mean I've read three chapters.

I know that Adam and Eve are in t he book of Genesis because I've read that one. I also know that Phil Collins was the lead singer until 1985 or so. After Genesis, Phil Collins moved on to a successful solo career, and I moved on to Revelations, which is an incredibly fast and interesting read because it's basically imagery for every 80s heavy metal album cover.

The first and last chapters, that's what I've read. Do not quiz me on Bible facts because I will fail.

Phil Collins facts, on the other hand ...

So, while I know plenty about life-things, like how to get the smell of regurgitated baby formula out of a couch, what I know about he book of Exodus is:

It's in the Bible.

Moses was in charge of evacuating the Egypt sector.

Everyone complained for 40 years, which set the tone for every family road trip. Ever.

Moses parted the Red Sea.

Christian Bale was in the movie version , which I still haven't seen (despite owning the Blu-ray disc for two years).

Until we moved to our current state of residence, we had never actually seen a mass exodus of anything. We only have three kids, so when they all get up and leave the room at the same time, it's pretty anticlimactic.
RELATED: When Does the Mass Formally End?
The exodus I'm talking about is this weird movement of people who leave Mass as soon as Communion is over. It's weird because the Mass isn't over yet. It's like leaving a movie 10-15 minutes before it ends because you know there are credits coming. Sometimes, the bloopers come after the movie ends and the credits start; but you won't know if you don't wait. And really, what's five or 10 more minutes after you've sat through an entire movie?

While most Catholic priests don't offer a gag reel after the final hymn (most), technically the service, in the words of Lenny Kravitz , ain't over til it's over.

The first few times it happened, we thought it was an odd coincidence. After it kept happening, we were confused. We looked around to see if others were just as confused as we were, but there were only about nine people left in the church sparsely scattered across the pews like sauce across a tiny entree on the dinner plate from fancy, overpriced restaurant.

Every week this happened.

Every Sunday, a majority of people walk up to the altar, receive the Eucharist, follow the line back around the pews and right out the front door.

"Is Jesus outside giving away free toasters in the parking lot?" my husband asked.

We have no idea because we're still waiting to go up for Communion while most of these people are leaving. We sit in the back of the church in the last possible pew before we are across the street in the baseball field. This is where people who have loud kids sit. As if the back of the church somehow stifles the sound of a 3-year-old shouting, "I want a donut! Can I give Jesus some money?"
RELATED: The World Is Noisy; Mass Is Not
So, what I do know is if Jesus were there, he wouldn't make a mad dash down the aisle, skimming his toes across the baptismal font that my kids call a "hot tub." He wouldn't jump into his Dodge Charger Beau-and-Luke-Duke style only to speed off to his seat at the right hand of the Father to catch the Broncos game.

Do you know why? Because the Broncos are having a horrible streak of seasons.

So, where can you possibly go by leaving Mass early?

Out of the parking lot.

That's where.

Many of the folks in my parish want to avoid the mass exodus of parishioners all leaving at once.

Do they know that because of this, if they wait until the end of Mass, the parking lot is a deserted wasteland?

You can take your time walking to your car because there are only nine people left who have to leave. You can drive out of the parking lot without stopping every three seconds behind the trail of cars in front of you that also left Mass after Communion.

Of course, that's not really a biblical lesson; it's common sense. As I said, I don't know much about the Bible. What I do know is that 40-70 minutes once a week is a pretty small time commitment.

It's less time than the average movie or Netflix binge.

So, if you're a parishioner racking up frequent flyer miles for how fast you skip out of Mass after Communion, and you don't have a valid reason, I say, what's the hurry? Where's the fire? Sit down, and stay a while longer. Don't you want your final blessing?

It's only 10 more minutes.

I can assure you that Jesus is probably not in the parking lot holding a small appliance raffle for the first seven people out the door.

I'm not sure what Scripture says about leaving Mass early, but I know what Phil Collins says:

"I could leave but I won't go." - Genesis: 12 (album): 2 (track) 1983

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As someone who grew up mostly outside of faith and church, the Bible is not something I've studied a lot of-and by "not something I've studied a lot of," I mean I've read three chapters. I know that Adam and Eve are in t he book of Genesis because I've read that one.

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The prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel has been making a recent comeback during the Church's current abuse crisis. Pope Francis has even called upon Catholics all over to recite this prayer at the end of the rosary in October. Many bishops are urging their diocese to recite the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel at the end of masses. This prayer calls upon Michael the Archangel to defend us in battle and to send Satan back down to hell. One priest who has been saying this prayer after mass in his parish for three years has said that it is especially important to say the prayer and call upon Michael the Archangel because "the evil one has intensified his war" (Archbishop Alexander Sample). Another priest told Catholic News Service that "parishioners see the prayer as 'one part in a multi-part response to the crisis in the Church.'" He considers the prayer the spiritual part of the necessary response to the sexual abuse currently occurring in the Catholic Church.
http://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2018/10/04/prayer-to-st-michael-makes-resurgence-in-response-to-abuse-crisis/?platform=hootsuite
Catholic Herald, Carol Zimmerman

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After years of struggling as a city, Qaraqosh is breathing again. A new kindergarten, sponsored by the Jesuit Refugee Service, is opening. They school is near a low income family apartment complex supported by the Syriac Catholic Church. The Jesuit Refugee Service is trying to give these poor families a chance at a decent start in life with a walk-able location to school. Shaheed Saad Bakoos, a supervisor of the J.R.S. school was also a child of Qaraqosh and is living back in her hometown. Her family's home was damaged by the ISIS attack back in 2014.
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/10/04/new-kindergarten-breathes-life-devastated-iraq-community
America: The Jesuit Review by Kevin Clarke

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Despite China-Vatican agreement, many Chinese worry about religious freedom

Catholics in China sing praises of the Communist Party in mass. Social workers are worried that the Chinese will think that is how masses everywhere are. China's estimated 12 million Catholics have been divided into pledging allegiance to the pope and a government-run association. The Chinese government has tightened its control over Christian religions by demolishing some Protestant and Catholic churches. They have even installed surveillance cameras in churches. China has subjected people of independent religions to harassment and even torture. Many important religious figures from China have suffered greatly. Bishop Fan Xueyuan was imprisoned for over 30 years. Some have even been to labor camps. Authorities continue to harass leaders of the underground police. The previous Easter, authorities detained Bishop Guo in secret for 20 days and forced him to study government propaganda. China's government discourages Christianity.

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/05/despite-china-vatican-agreement-many-chinese-worry-about-religious-freedom

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Canticle of Simeon
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled.
My eyes have seen the salvation
you have prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people, Israel.

Reflection:
I think this shows us how God's past actions can change our lives. As we read the amazing stories of God we are able to learn new lessons each time and gain from it.
(Source: https://www.pbgrace.com/canticle-of-simeon/)
(Author: Jerry Windley-Daoust)

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The 'Mass' Exodus
Christina Antus Discusses the misconception about when mass really ends. She has continuously seen people leave early. Many get up and walk out of the door after receiving communion. Christina understands that people want to avoid the traffic and get out early but its actually wasting more time. She also jokes about the idea of Jesus handing out free toasters in the parking lot. Overall She writes that if you leave mass early, its like leaving a movie 15 minutes before its over. Why leave when you've already been there the whole time and are you truly religious.
https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/the-mass-exodus

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Ruling strikes down parts of St. Louis 'abortion ordinance'

Abortion has been a major conflict throughout the world for several years. There have been people trying to pass laws to end it and people who support to allow this discriminatory act. Recently, a federal judge has ruled that some provisions of a St. Louis ordinance banning discrimination based on reproductive health decisions violate the U.S. Constitution and Missouri Law. *An ordinance governs matters not already covered by state or federal laws such as zoning, safety and building regulations.* In 2017, a lawsuit was commenced after the city's ordinance forbade employers from hiring or firing workers based on whether they have had an abortion, been pregnant outside of marriage, or have had artificial insemination. The lawsuit dealt upon the fact that landlord's can't refuse tenants based on this criteria. However, the judge's order stopped short of declaring the ordinance constitutional. Attorney Sarah Pitlyk of the anti-abortion law firm said that the ruling "exposes the law for the sham that it is." She also said the city's ordinance is an "attempt to suppress the viewpoint of those who believe that abortion in harmful or wrong by making it impossible for them to operate in accordance with their beliefs within the City of St. Louis."

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/05/ruling-strikes-down-parts-st-louis-abortion-ordinance
The Jesuit Review - Jim Salter

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Holy See issues first response in Archbishop McCarrick case:

The Vatican has made a response, approved by Pope Francis, to the accusations that have been made against the pope and senior Vatican officials by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. Pope Francis is concerned that Catholics in the United States are given truthful answers to “the disturbing questions that have been raised by the McCarrick case. He offers this by giving a first response, clearly indicating that there will be a much fuller response in due course.” Francis has spoken many times against “clericalism” and made clear his determination to root it out: he sees it as among the root causes of the abuses of power, conscience, and manipulation by clergy. It is clear that clericalism was a key element in the McCarrick case. He continued to say that he is renewing his pressing invitation “to unite forces to fight against the grave scourge of abuse within and beyond the Church, and to prevent such crimes from being committed in the future to the harm of the most innocent and most vulnerable in society. “

(https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/10/06/holy-see-issues-first-response-archbishop-mccarrick-case, America the Jesuit Review, by Gerard O’Connell)

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A cathedral Syracuse New York was closed in 2010 due to under use. It has recently been purchased by the Samaritan center. They serve breakfast and dinner to 300 people a day with the help of 25 volunteers for every meal.  At 6 a.m., volunteers show up to prepare breakfast, make coffee, serve the guests and clean up after the meal. Shortly after, another crew arrives to follow the same routine. The center is dressed up with nicely set tables, flowers, and fancy utensils. The center launched a campaign, receiving enough money to pay for renovations and ongoing maintenance. The volunteers are student interns, retired lawyers, corporate executives, people who had been homeless and others. Restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses donate food and money to the center. I think this is really cool because it is making this place used for a good purpose
https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/samaritan-center-brings-new-life-old-church

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In Texas, A Franciscan shelter is helping asylum seeking young men. Posada Guadalupe, a house in Guadalupe, Texas, hosts young men who have aged out of detention centers. While some have only been in detention for months, others have been there for years. “Some of [the asylum seekers] are 3 years old,” Father Phillip Ley, director of Posada Guadalupe, said. “They aren’t going to harm anyone.” Posada Guadalupe can host as many as 20 young men at a time. The men work on their G.E.D.s and learn English while they wait for their asylum applications to be processed. This can take as long as three years. Usually, the young men obtain work permits before they hear back about their asylum cases. According to  an attorney with the Catholic Immigration Network Inc., Victoria Neilson, when they are in the United States without a parent or grandparent, undocumented young people are designated as unaccompanied children. Their petitions are among more than 764,000 immigration cases pending in court, according to the nonpartisan Transactional record Access Clearinghouse. he young men who arrive at Posada Guadalupe have told Father Ley they come for safety. It may take years for their cases to be resolved, but even in detention, they receive three meals, snacks and a safe place to live.
(https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/10/02/what-franciscan-shelter-texas-doing-help-asylum-seekers, America; The Jesuit Review, J.D. Long Garcia)

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Gay Marriage Within the Catholic Church in Germany
Germany’s legalization of gay marriage created a pastoral dilemma for the country’s Roman Catholic bishops in the past year, who campaigned against the “marriage for all” bill and now have to maintain their status while also showing respect for gays and lesbians. Roman Catholicism firmly opposes same-sex marriage as unnatural, so Germany's theologians have little leeway about this. But the theology of giving a blessing to a gay couple is less clear, and two bishops have now spoken out in favor of considering some form of benediction as a way to adjust to the changing times. “We have to ask ourselves how we should deal with people who tie this knot. Some of them are active in the church. So how are we going to accompany them with pastoral care and in the liturgy?” Bode asked. “We could think about giving them a blessing.”
https://religionnews.com/2018/01/23/in-germany-catholic-church-grapples-with-blessings-for-gay-marriage/

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Can anyone be a godparent?  In the present celebration of baptism the parents have a prominent place and the godparents a second role. The question posed to them concerns their relationship not to the infant but to the parents, and asks whether or not they are prepared to support them as Christian parents. The church believes that somebody with a strong relationship to Christ is the best fit to help the infant and the parents through their faith journey.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201809/can-anyone-be-godparent-31515

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During the month long gathering of delegates, a few if any women's' voices will be heard. Tina Beattie is one person trying to change this. In October, she hosted a symposium of mostly composed of Catholic women's voices at Pontifical University. This is only 4 miles from where 300 bishops are currently meeting. During this time of crises in the Church, it is important to note the lack of women's voices from the church leadership positions. The event was the official launch of Visions and Vocations, a collection of theological and personal reflections by Catholic women. Their hope is to draw attention towards violence done to women by Church officials along with the child abuses coming out.

(NCR Online, Jamie Manson)
https://www.ncronline.org/news/theology/catholic-women-speak-network-calls-church-reform-focus-women

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Article Title: Keeping Catholic Schools Affordable

Making Catholic schooling available to everybody has been a task of the Church in the United States of America for hundreds of years. However, keeping it reasonably priced in modern times has required new innovative methods. In the 19th century, the Church was determined to bring education to everyone, which meant making it inexpensive. This was easier when the majority of faculty and staff were priests or nuns and some schools were funded by tithing parishioners. As time passed things changed. By the end of the 20th century funding sources were harder to find. Teachers were now laity which meant they had to be paid more and the costs of having and operating a school increased. The tuition grew almost out of reach for middle and lower income families. Many dioceses, religious orders, and individual schools introduced new ways to provide assistance for families that couldn’t pay the tuition. Some Dioceses now offer financial aid and scholarships, made possible through contributions from parishioners. For example, the St. Beatrice Special Tuition Assistance serves single-parent households with multiple children in diocesan schools. Taking it to the next level, St. Joseph's School in Hazel Green, Wisconsin, made its tuition free. Tuition for this parish school that goes kindergarten through eighth grade is completely supported by fundraising efforts and support from the parish. The director of The Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation of Oregon believes, "Catholic education is not a privilege. It is a right for Catholics. We want any parent who wants to send a child to Catholic school to be able to. If people choose public school because Catholic school is unaffordable, that is unacceptable." This organization raises money and helps needy families send their children to Catholic schools. Another effort that is being made to make schools more affordable is the work-study program. In this program students are required to work in the community for at least one day a week. This not only gives them valuable job experience, but also money to help pay for their school tuition. It costs about $13,000 a year to educate a student enrolled at the Cristo Rey New York High School in Harlem. The school uses the income from the student's salary to pay for most of the tuition. The second way they make money is fundraising. Parents are only responsible for the remaining $1,500. This system is praised because then the students are working for their tuition so they are more invested in their educations. This system targets students in poor communities who otherwise might never receive a college-preparatory, Catholic high school education. Although it is challenging to allow all families, no matter their financial state, access to Catholic educations many dioceses are making an effort.

(https://www.catholicherald.com/News/Catholic_Living/Back_to_School/Keeping_Catholic_schools_affordable/, The Arlington Catholic Herald, Columnists: Chaz Muth and Carol Zimmermann)

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It is discussed in this article whether it should be routine for families to take their children to Mass each Sunday morning. While it is a good family tradition and good to get into the habit of going to Mass, children may not realize the importance of going to Mass at a very young age. This lack of understanding may cause kids to dread going to Mass and lead to a disconnect in faith. I think that a good way to help with this situation is to teach your kids to pray in a fun and engaging way while taking them to services that are more directed towards children. In addition to this, I think that children should be still taken to regular services, but maybe not as often so that they will not become bored as easily or quickly. There are many ways to engage young children, even older children and get them excited about their faith.
Author: Claire Zulkey
U.S. Catholic
https://www.uscatholic.org/kidsatmass

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Pope Francis says that our guardian angels are our traveling companions. He says that they are there so we won't become sluggish in our lives. Without them, our life would be like "stagnant water". "So many people don't know how to walk or are afraid of taking a risk and they remain still," said Pope Francis. In honor of the Guardian Angel's feast day, he says that they are protectors and human compasses; they help us see where to go. In their love for God, Christians should see their guardian angels as an inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Francis said to speak to your angel and to obey them. He said, "Let us not forget this traveling companion."

https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-chronicles/guardian-angels-are-lifes-traveling-companions-pope-says (Catholic News Reporter, by Junno Arocho Esteves

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Claire Zulkey went to a catholic school from K-8 and went to church every Sunday with her family. For her, mass was just something to get through so that she could have donuts for breakfast. Most weeks, Claire played mental games to get through mass, and didn't connect with what she heard from the altar. When she reached high school, she had the choice to go to Mass on her own. She got caught not showing up once or twice, by getting in trouble didn't make her want to go any more. Once she got the opportunity to not go to weekly Masses, she did. Clair didn't attend mass regularly after college, besides Christmas and having a catholic wedding.
When she had a child, she started going to Mass again because she connected with the community, but after a while she stopped going again. However, she sent her sons to a Catholic school and they attended Mass a few times a month. She doesn't make her sons go to Mass every week because she wouldn't have an answer if her sons asked why they go every week, aside from "It's what we do" or "It's what I used to do." Claire doesn't think you should force your children to go to Mass. "Things may change. We may come to Mass more. I may come to Mass more by myself. But right now, at this time for the American Catholic Church, the words “force,” “children,” and “church” don’t belong in the same sentence."

(https://www.uscatholic.org/kidsatmass Should you force your kids to go to Mass? Claire Zulkey)

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Catholic University Students call for dean ouster over Kavanaugh tweets

Students and Faculty at the Catholic University want the dean to resign after the tweets he w=rote which criticized the women who are accusing Brett Kavanaugh of Sexual misconduct. About 100 protesters stood outside of the main student center, they marched to the deans office and delivered a letter demanding that he should be fired. These students were outraged at the lack of respect that he had for these women and the struggles they have been through.
The Catholic Register
https://www.thecompassnews.org/2018/10/catholic-university-students-call-for-dean-ouster-over-kavanaugh-tweets/

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Loving the terminally ill can make shadow of euthanasia disappear, Pope says
Pope Francis says that if people start caring for the sick, especially those who are near death, has to be more than just providing them with medicine, but it needs to include comfort that gives their lives meaning. He said that they need to feel loved and respected because that gives their lives purpose. As a pro-life person he has been fighting for the recognition for all lives from conception to natural death. He believes that if people would make the sick feel cared for the want for euthanasia would disappear.
The Catholic Register
https://www.catholicregister.org/faith/item/28117-loving-the-terminally-ill-can-make-shadow-of-euthanasia-disappear-pope-says

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Five Reasons the Rosary is the Perfect Prayer for Families
- The rosary is simple. The short, repetitive prayers of the rosary make it a perfect devotion for families. It can be prayed by anyone, anywhere. The prayers are easily memorized and recited, and even young children can be encouraged to lead it.

- The rosary is tactile. A rosary comes with an almost built-in “fidget spinner” for young ones. Holding a rosary in their hands, they can keep track of how much is completed and how much remains. The string of beads also serves as a physical manifestation of the relationship with Our Lady and her Son. As you touch the beads during prayer, you can hand over your worries, concerns, sufferings and pains to the Lord through his mother.

- The rosary brings peace.  For families, moments of quiet can be hard to come by. Peace is also shattered by the day-to-day conflicts that are bound to occur in family life. Reflecting on the mysteries of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus also offers the opportunity for families to reflect on their own actions throughout the day and attune their lives to Christ’s. This can lead to something of an examination of conscience, providing opportunities for reconciliation at the day’s end.

- The rosary tells a story. The mysteries of the rosary make the story of salvation come alive. Every member of the family, no matter how small, can understand to some extent the events and relationships illustrated.

- The rosary mirrors the rhythms of daily family life. Mirroring the mysteries, our lives are composed of moments of joy and suffering and moments of hope and illumination. By grappling with the mysteries of the life of Jesus, in union with Mary who pondered them all in her heart, we are better able to cope with the ups and downs in our own families.

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It is getting harder to find skilled tradespeople, like carpenters, contractors, and other jobs that require you to work with your hands. Most jobs like this make well over minimum wage and their training causes less debt. People seem to think that workers like this are less intelligent and second rate. For centuries, nuns and monks have used manual labor alongside study and prayer. Things like baking, sewing, and gardening are used to balance the intense focus the monks and nuns have on prayer. Jesus and Joseph were carpenters, so it is no coincidence that labor goes along with prayer.
https://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201808/working-your-hands-does-wonders-soul-31482
US Catholic Magazine, Heidi Haverkamp

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Title: Should you force kids to go to mass?
Most Catholic families go through the same routine every morning: get up, get dressed in your Sunday best, go to mass, and go out for a nice breakfast or lunch after. Most Catholic children spend the time at mass dozing off or playing mental games and not even paying attention to the mass in any way. Do children get anything out of this? In this article a mother talks about her struggles with the issue of wondering if it is really necessary to force her children to go to mass every Sunday when they already go weekly at their Catholic school. Her argument is that her children aren't learning anything until they are old enough to care, and at this time with everything going on in the Catholic Church, "the words 'force,' 'children,' and 'church' don't belong in the same sentence. It makes sense to make children go to church every week to instill good habits and a strong sense of faith, as well as to obey the commandment to keep the Lord's day holy, but if they already go to mass and have religion classes at school once or twice a week, and if they will not pay attention and are too young to receive communion, is it worth it to force a child to go to mass?
https://www.uscatholic.org/kidsatmass, US Catholic, Claire Zulkey

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Title: How to Trust God When You’re Filled With Doubt and Disappointment

God works in mysterious ways. One young lady shaped her whole life around her dream of entering the US Naval Academy and then the US Navy. She formed her academic schedule around the classes the selection committee encouraged and chose her extracurriculars according to what the Navy would be looking for. She made it to the last stage of the application process and then, unexpectedly, didn’t get in. After shaping her entire life to be the perfect applicant, the plans she had made fell apart. The months that followed were difficult and she felt angry with God. Even though her own plans were disrupted, and her heart was discouraged, she could still feel that God was present. As she shared the news that she didn’t get in with her friends and family, she was treated with tender compassion and sympathy. Despite the pain of failure she realized that, though it was not the answer she wanted, it was the answer she needed. She understands now that had her plans worked out, she would most likely have never met her community of friends at Siena or had the opportunities that made her who she is. Her experience has taught her that “it’s okay to make plans, but it’s even better to make them with an attitude of surrender. And if those plans don’t work out God will be there to take care of you”.

(https://bustedhalo.com/life-culture/how-to-trust-god-when-youre-filled-with-doubt-and-disappointment, Faith Shared Joyfully, BY KELSEY BARON)

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Even though a high-ranking state university administrator allegedly sexually abused someone, a state agency refused to report allegations of sexual abuse; even after the church's cover-up of clergy sexual abuse. The 10-year old report on former East Stroudsburg University Vice President, Isaac Sanders, will not be released by Pennsylvanian's higher education agency. Sanders is suing over his loss of a job that potentially might put taxpayers in Pennsylvania on the hook for millions of dollars. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the higher-ed agency's lower, informs others that Sanders' report is subject to an 8-year-old confidentiality agreement so it can't be released. Sanders' lawyer is ultimately ignoring the confidentiality agreement, especially because the students who accused Sanders have wanted the state's evidence against him publicized but they were denied that opportunity. Shapiro released a grand jury report finding officials in the Catholic Church covering up abuse by predator priests. He ridiculed clergy who fought to block the release of the grand jury report and church leaders who protected their institution at all costs. Shapiro says "every name of a predator priest left redacted means the silencing of a victim's voice." Former East Stroudsburg students also admitted that Sanders took advantage of his high position job and then sexually abused them. Sanders also fought a similar battle of sexual misconduct accusations when he worked in Alabama at Stillman College. The Associated Press asked Shapiro's office and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to expose the 2008 report on Sanders after he sued. Because six men sued Sanders and the university in 2009, the secret document entered the federal court system. After the document was turned over to the plaintiffs, the parties agreed that it would be sealed from public view, and has remained that way since even though the case is over. The students' lawyer wanted the confidentiality agreement to be abandoned after losing at trial, but the government rejected the request.

Off limits: Report on State College Abuse Kept from Public: By Michael Rubinkam
https://apnews.com/2642fc0b73584d0b886749e8e1c7eaf9

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Caring for the sick or even people near death usually cannot be cured by medicine, but must include "healing and comfort that gives their lives value and meaning", said Pope Francis. He said that even in difficult circumstances, if a person feels loved, the thoguht of euthanasia can dissapear or become non-existent for a patient. Euthanesia the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The practice is illegal in most countries. Pope Francis said, "We must continue to fight to keep this link of profound humanity intact," the pope said, "because no health care institution can replace the human heart or human compassion."
https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-chronicles/love-can-make-darkness-euthanasia-disappear-pope-says (Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service)

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It's really easy to view our church participation as a "Mass and one" affair, but so many blessings can come from the effort to create community. As Sarah Garone, the writer of this article, says, "Don't be a pew potato." The Catholic Church has gained a great reputation for building so many great structures such as cathedrals, universities, and hospitals; however, one thing Catholics often have trouble building is a community, especially within their own parishes. Some of the easiest ways in order to build a community within you parish, even if you have not been active in your parish at all, is to attend the same mass weekly, sit in the same section weekly, join a ministry, and get to know your priest. By trying these unique ways of getting involved at your church can bring forth numerous blessings in your life and can establish meaningful relationships with others at your home parish.

https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/dont-be-a-pew-potato-10-tips-to-build-community-at-church (Sarah Garone - Busted Halo)

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In the past few weeks, several bishops in Brazil have stepped forward to demonstrate full support for Pope Francis. Archbishop of Brasília and president of the country’s episcopal conference, Cardinal Sergio da Rocha, said that Pope Francis “does an immense good for the church.” He personally sent a letter to the pope and said in a video posted on the Vatican News website that Brazilian bishops “are very close” to Francis. He states that “We support his initiatives, we welcome his teachings and we hope to grow, more and more, in communion with the successor of Peter.” Cardinals Odilo Scherer and Orani João Tempesta,  who are in charge of the most important Brazilian archdioceses, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, are supporters of the #FranciscoEstouAqui campaign, meaning "Francisco, I am here". This is an initiative of 15 people gathered in a meeting of young communicators. Signis Brasil Jovem, an international association of Catholic communicators, started the campaign in September to support the Pope.
(https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/09/26/brazils-catholics-pope-francis-weve-got-your-back, America: The Jesuit Review, Felipe Domingues)