DMB

I am a big Dave Matthews Band fan.  They are coming to Los Angeles, so I’m planning on going.  They are going to sell out fast.  If you want to join me, let me know so we can buy tickets together.

Ticket Info
Tue., August 19
7:00pm

I’m looking at the best available seating ($75 seating charge + $11.60 convenience charge).  All the floor seating is already gone.  At the moment areas 11-13 were still open, and will probably only be the seats in the upper deck soon.  We need to move fast, before they are all gone.

[For those going, the tickets were bought Monday night 9:50pm.]

World Youth Day

We are too late to register and go to the upcoming WYD, but are any of the young adults interested in planning on going to the next one?  The location will be announced at the end of the WYD in Sydney, Australia this July 2008.  When I was in Eugene as a campus minister I was actively raising funds for the university students to go, and they are!  I went to the one in Toronto and recently they were held in Rome, Italy, Cologne, Germany, Paris France, Czestochowa, Poland and Manila, Philippines.

Note: When the Catholic Church speaks of Youth, they mean ages 18-39, which is what we call young adults.  World Youth Day has always been intended for the Young Adults.

The video really shows what is typical when a million people show up for Mass with the pope.  In the Philippines four million decided to show up.  It is an experience like no other!

Oh!

 

Oh yeah!

Oh yeah, let’s go!

 I think this last video is my favorite.  Do consider it and let me know.  If we get enough interest I will take it up with our pastor and present it at a staff meeting.  Even if there are only a few, the Archdiocese undoubtedly will be organizing a trip to the next one.

You will receive power
when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you
and you will be
my witnesses.

Acts 1:8
WYD Sydney Theme

The Feast of Mercy

This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies. (Diary 420)(Our Lord to St. Faustina)

During the course of Jesus’ revelations to Saint Faustina on the Divine Mercy He asked on numerous occasions that a feast day be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. The liturgical texts of that day, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, concern the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, the Tribunal of the Divine Mercy, and are thus already suited to the request of Our Lord. This Feast, which had already been granted to the nation of Poland and been celebrated within Vatican City, was granted to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on 30 April 2000. In a decree dated 23 May 2000, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stated that “throughout the world the Second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that mankind will experience in the years to come.” These papal acts represent the highest endorsement that the Church can give to a private revelation, an act of  papal infallibility proclaiming the certain sanctity of the mystic, and the granting of a universal feast, as requested by Our Lord to St. Faustina.

On one occasion, I heard these words: My daughter, tell the whole world about My Inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will I contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. (Diary 699)

The Image of the Divine Mercy

http://art-of-divinemercy.co.uk/the_hour_of_mercy.htm

The two rays denote Blood and Water. the pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the very depths of My tender mercy when My agonized heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. (Diary 299)Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush, lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace. (Diary 313)By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works. (Diary 742)

In these texts the Church’s doctrine on images, justification and grace are explained. First, by itself an image is merely a painting, no matter how beautiful and expressive. Yet, it can point us the mysteries of the faith and dispose us to grasp and receive what it represents, in this case the Divine Mercy. It is thus a vessel, not the source, a reminder, not the reality. The reality is the merciful fountain of grace flowing from the pierced Heart of Christ on the Cross, and flowing out visibly to represent the visible, that is the sacramental, signs of grace, Baptism and Eucharist, standing for all the sacraments of the Church. Thus, St. John in his first letter insists on the presence of the invisible with the visible, the Spirit with the water and the Blood.The image also reminds us that salvation is not just by faith, but by works of charity also. It takes faith to see and believe in what the Image signifies, Divine Mercy poured out from Christ upon the Cross, but it takes mercy, love going beyond the strict requirements of justice, in order to draw down mercy on oneself. “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” (Mt 6:12) and “the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Mt 7:2) The Image of the pierced side of Christ pouring out blood and water reminds us that the Cross, love in action, is the price of mercy. “As I have loved you so also should you love one another.” (Jn 13:34)*all information gathered from the EWTN Divine Mercy page http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/index.htm

The Challenge: The Clueless Catholic

I received the following email and want to share it with you.

Humanae Vitae Priests

Human Life International e-Newsletter for Priests, Deacons, and Seminarians

Volume 01, Number 04 | Thursday, March 27, 2008 …………………………………………………………………….. 

The Challenge: The Clueless Catholic
By John Mallon

In their issue of February 11, 2008, Newsweek magazine carried a column in which the author unwittingly shed a great deal of light on a glaring problem in the Church today. Namely, the ignorance of the Catholic Faith by otherwise educated Catholics. It is a clear case of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing, or to bring it back to the words of Jesus, “Beware of the learned and the wise, they will lead you astray.”

Despite dissenters’ affection for “nuance,” their statements on moral issues are often received (and broadcast in the media) in a very “unnuanced” way, and all too often interpreted by the public as, “Hey, that means it’s okay!”

As the movement for dissent against the Catholic faith was getting off the ground one argument said, “This is the most educated generation of Catholics in history, we don’t need the Church telling us what to do!” And with that, the entire catechetical structure of the Church in the West proceeded to fall apart. The author of the Newsweek column, “Talking to Kids about God,” Kathleen Deveny is a product of that collapse.

She acknowledges the results of her failed religious education: “It’s not just about the gaps in my education. As a ‘cafeteria Catholic,’ I don’t accept all the tenets of my religion. I am never going to teach my daughter that evolution is a fraud, and someday I will encourage her to think critically, not doctrinally, about issues like artificial birth control, stem-cell research and abortion.”  One wonders if anyone taught her to think critically about the voices opposing the Church. Does she swallow whole the dissident voices on these issues? I wonder if it ever occurred to Mrs. Deveny that there is a connection between her “discomfort” and her “disagreements” with the Church; both are based in ignorance.

Mrs. Deveny is the product of a catechetical culture that packaged the Catholic Faith in CCD classes as “subject matter” rather than an encounter with the Living God. After the required lessons, kids would then “graduate” from the dull lessons (and active participation in the life of the Church) with the sacrament of Confirmation. (The precise opposite of the true meaning of the sacrament, which is to launch the Catholic into the great adventure of life in the Holy Spirit.)

She’s not alone.

There are numerous prominent Catholics who boast of their Catholicism but who clearly “don’t get it.” The public pronouncements on the faith from the likes of Chris Matthews, Sean Hannity, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Phil Donahue, ad nauseam, are an embarrassment. We find similar attitudes in our parishes and even our own families.

This is the landscape we face trying to educate Catholics on the truth and beauty of Humanae Vitae, a full forty years after its publication. Many Catholics have never heard this at all. The text of this great document is not difficult, it is simple, gentle and clear. It is also a matter of life and death. Forty years of experience and reflection have only vindicated and strengthened the document.

In this series, we will explore the dangers of widespread contraceptive use Paul VI predicted, and others which have emerged, as part of Human Life International’s Humanae Vitae Initiative, as an aid to priests and all interested parties in teaching the truth of this document. HLI’s founder, Father Paul Marx, OSB, was fond of quoting the great Dr. Jerome LeJeune that Humanae Vitae may turn out be the most important encyclical in history.

Catholics have a responsibility to know the truth, that it is not good enough to dismiss vital Church teachings on the basis of nonsense they heard in bad religious ed or get as adults through the media. They don’t simply need remedial catechesis; they need evangelization. The Bride must be introduced to the Bridegroom. It goes back to the First Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” The key to understanding Catholic beauty and truth is ultimately conversion. We will explore this in future installments.

Hector Doing the Jesus Walk

When I saw Hector Quiroz, parish staff, taking the corpus off the Crucifix in the Church for Good Friday, it struck me that this brings new meaning to The Jesus Walk.  Hector is a good and holy man, he definitely walks the walk and talks the talk…and this time, it was with Jesus in a whole other way!

Thanks for the photo Hector.

Of Little Faith

Recently, I was told I have little faith.  How did it make me feel?  I was saddened for my doubts were actually validated.  I also felt angry for can I blame God for not giving me the grace of unshakable faith?

For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith.  It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.
Ephesians 2:8-9

On the other hand, trust is one’s own choice.  And how much do I trust God?  Not much.  I fear, and I fear big.  It is always an extra effort to have my fears be surrendered to trust.  And I found this prayer a source of strength:

O Heart of Love, I put all my trust in You.
For I fear all things from my own weakness,
But I hope for all things from Your goodness.  Amen.
(St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)

Another question I always find myself asking (and I’ve mentioned this before) is ‘How much do I love God?’  That was answered at my retreat with:  If you want to know how much you love God, you must first answer the question ‘How aware are you of God’s love for you?’

NO TIME!

I haven’t had any time to really post. Spring break wasn’t much of a break. Midterms kicked my butt, but I feel like I did okay.

I wanted to type about last week’s experience.

I have never had my feet washed by anyone like that before. I’m going to have to admit, I was pretty hesitant to go considering I had a pile of work to do and midterms to study for. I feel like I was subconsciously a jerk about it for a while. However, after mass I felt refreshed. Even though there was a little misunderstanding, it panned out well. I got to sit and talk to an old friend while I waited to be prompted about mass. Oh, and I totally LOVE the 10:45 choir and it was a total joy to sit in front of them to hear them sing. I wish I had time to join, but I guess my loyalty lies with Randy. HA.

It’s a humbling feeling to witness someone washing your feet the way Father John did. Having someone serve you wholeheartedly really reminded me how we need to be there for each other…even when it’s not easy to do it. Maybe I’m a lameface for feeling all warm inside, but I suppose it was the spirit of service that stirred me that night.

I guess having mass on a day I don’t usually go made the night pretty good. My all-nighter studying wasn’t too bad after since I was able to refocus myself.

Oh BTW, a bunch of people are bugging me about the new Confirmation video that’s due to release. I’m not saying a word about it! Just keep reading this blog and maybe you’ll be fortunate to catch it when it finally makes its online debut.

Also, I got some inspiration for a line of shirts. I’m sure you’d be interested…but more on that later. Thanks to those who have helped me and supported me by purchasing my merch. If you are still interested, please click here or here to visit my 2 stores. There’s free standard shipping on orders of $75 or more until the 29th…(Okay, no more advertising!)

Gotta keep your readers wanting more right?

haha **SLAPS the tabletop**

till next time brothers and sisters.

Our Friends

With the economy not being at it’s best, some of our friends, family, and neighbors are finding themselves in difficult circumstances.  Here’s is a story that hit national headlines, and it is in our backyard of Altadena.

Mom goes from $70K to food bank

I often pray for the unemployed, under-employed, those in need.  Remember, St. Dominic’s gives free lunches to those in need, and a free sitdown Hope Dinner on Friday nights. 

Awareness Test

This makes me think about our awareness of
God’s grace. How aware are we of the abundance
of the grace of God he’s always trying to give us?

How Could I Forget…Dismas!

    I am aware that the Sacred Season of this Easter week takes precedence over the feast days in honor of the saints, but I cannot forget, and must share my personal love and gratitude for my beloved brother, Saint Dismas, the good thief.

    When I was a teen, many who knew me then can testify to my conversion, as I have stated before , I was amongst the very worst of sinners who got confirmed in 1996 by our beloved St. Dominic Parish…How bad was I?, I use to drive my stolen cars to confirmation class and park them in the parish parking lot. At the end of my 1st year retreat, I got into it with our beloved Sr. Benilda over the confiscation of some contraband, nearly throwing her to the ground. I completely missed out on my 2nd year retreat due to having to serve some time in juvenile hall. A ‘tag-banger’, a drug dealer/druggy, a car thief/ burglar, highschool dropout. How was it that I got confirmed, trust me, the attempt was made to keep me from receiving the sacrament, but somehow I guess I was able to fool them. Why did I even care? Basically for the fact that I wasn’t going to let the church waste those two years of my life. Well for all who have and will be receiving the Sacrament, you know that we’re asked to pick a saint. Searching through a book of patron saints I found St. Dismas, patron of reformed thieves. I wasn’t sure if the church truly held him as a saint, I asked and no one seemed to know the same. Well I took a risk and stuck with him. So there I was in red as I approached the bishop and heard the words, “Dismas, receive the Holy Spirit.” There was only one thing I took with me from my two years at Confirmation, and that was St. Dismas.

    I don’t wish to lay out my entire conversion story here in writing, though it has been shared and heard several times amongst my friends at the SDYM Confirmation team, as well as ‘confirmandi’ who took for themselves Dismas as their patron. I will share the specific influence his life had on mine. Realizing my life at a dead end I remembered and took hope in the words of Jesus to my beloved Dismas, “Assuredly I say to you, This Day You Shall Be With Me In PARADISE!” I sought  death as the only way out of my miserable life. Yet I feared the chance of Hell but found hope in Christ’s mercy, especially the mercy he showed to Dismas. This all lead to the ultimate point of my conversion, my most treasured experience, God’s favor to grant to me a personal revelation of his very real existence, and St. Dismas was the one God sent to prep and guide me to that point. I was 18 years old , since then I have witnessed the progression of the promise God made me back then. I have received an abundance of blessing, and an outpouring of Sanctifying Grace. God has given me so much, both of this world and of heaven, the greatest being Himself, and I attribute it all to him who interceeded on my behalf, my beloved St. Dismas.

      A good for nothing loser, like my dear friend Dismas, found truth in the words of Jesus, “Don’t worry about what you will eat, or what you will drink, or what you will wear. Don’t worry about what you will do for tomorrow, instead seek out the Kingdom of Heaven and all these things will be added onto you.”…”Jesus, Remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Glorious Saint Dismas, you alone of all the great Penitent Saints were directly canonized by Christ Himself; you were assured of a place in Heaven with Him “this day” because of the sincere confession of your sins to Him in the tribunal of Calvary and your true sorrow for them as you hung beside Him in that open confessional; you who by the direct sword thrust of your love and repentance did open the Heart of Jesus in mercy and forgiveness even before the centurion’s spear tore it asunder; you whose face was closer to that of Jesus in His last agony, to offer Him a word of comfort, closer even than that of His Beloved Mother, Mary; you who knew so well how to pray, teach me the words to say to Him to gain pardon and the grace of perseverance; and you who are so close to Him now in Heaven, as you were during His last moments on earth, pray to Him for me that I shall never again desert Him, but that at the close of my life I may hear from Him the words He addressed to you: “This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.”AMEN.