Solidarity

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, who founded the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, has affected countless of people all over the world with renewal in their faith… makin’ us jump.

Jump at an opportunity to help women and their babies
The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, especially those in New York City, pray, hold vigils, and sidewalk counsel at local abortion centers and other locations.

…Between his seminary studies, Brother Fidelis frequently organizes and leads rosary processions through crowded streets, efforts that bring large crowds to pray at area abortion mills. As a result of efforts like these, a pro-life clause has been added to the community’s constitution, thereby widening its apostolates to incorporate efforts promoting life.

Learn how you can join them by contacting the Friars or visit their pro-life page.

Jump for joy in praise and worship

Catholic Underground is a monthly event. The New York City Tri-State area Catholic Undergrounds take place everywhere from the upper east side of Manhattan to Philadelphia. What goes on during an Underground is amazing…

The first part of the evening is Eucharistic adoration, and begins with Vespers (Evening Prayer). …After Vespers, there is a time of simple praise… The beauty of the darkened Church illumined by candles helps us enter the mystery of our Lord’s presence in the Eucharist. The holy hour ends with solemn Benediction. The second part showcases Catholic artists. …The Underground includes music, poetry, visual art, dancers, film, drama, etc. …We end our evening as we began. With the prayer of the Church. Compline (Night Prayer) is simple and beautiful. It concludes with a hymn to Our Lady, Daughter Zion. Mother of the New Jerusalem.

If you’ve never been to Catholic Underground, I highly recommend simply checking it out. Going ‘Undergound’ to hear Catholic Music is an inspiring article about first experiences with the Friar event. If you’re not in the New York area, the Underground travels everywhere, check with your diocese or parish for the latest on when the Underground is coming to your city.

Jump to the beat
You may have heard of Fr. Stan Fortuna, and his ability to make anyone move to the beat in worship of God! He writes funk songs, and raps about our pope, B16, entertaining the masses. You can purchase his CDs at his record label’s website, Francesco Productions.

Check out this promo video for Fr. Stan’s visit to Sydney tomorrow, featuring Fr. Stan’s passion, recorded music and all-out skills:

It’s true, “ain’t no party like a Catholic party, ’cause a Catholic party don’t stop!”

The Friars are busy with more than makin’ us Catholics jump, hosting a young adult group, offering post-abortion healing for men, parish missions in NYC, youth retreats, not to mention Sunday Night Live with Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN, every Sunday at 7pm.

Watch this music video for at least 20 seconds and you will be sucked in! It is fascinating to watch and just as fun to wonder how long it took to get the band’s parts memorized–backwards. This unique video took much diligence, attention to detail and determination, so enjoy the fruits of Mute Math’s art!

Read my blog about Mute Math, Talent Beyond Your Wildest Dreams.

Typical by Mute Math

Well, not literally, but Catholic radio is pretty cool. All over the country, Catholic radio keeps on springing up in city after city, strengthening & encouraging Catholics in their faith. It’s awesome!

Most stations have daily local shows while most of the air time comes directly from EWTN radio. This means soul-food such as Fr. Corapi–daily (yay!) and Catholic Answers Live.

The Dallas/Fort Worth area was blessed by the return of Dave Palmer (recent award winner of the Bishop’s Pro-Life Award for Education at the 14th Annual Pro-Life Bishop’s Dinner in Dallas, as seen to the left) who was key in bringing the Guadalupe Radio Network to Dallas in late 2006. He has a fascinating daily show. With guests such as Karen Garnett, superstar Executive Director of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee (one of the largest Diocesan-based Pro-Life groups in the nation) and juniors and seniors from The Highlands School telling about interesting experiences while lobbying in Austin, it’s so easy to learn about the richness of our Church through our brothers and sisters living the faith!

I have to mention one story of a high-schooler who told about her experiences lobbying in Austin on Dave Palmer’s show on KATH 910 AM. While on line at the taco salad station during lunch at the Capital, she was approached by an older woman with a striking question: “Do they teach you sex-ed at school?” She was still taken aback, but figured that her school uniform gave her away. After some clarification, she replied, “We are close with our teachers, and we have nurses available to answer any questions that we may have.” “Then how do you know if you’re doing it right?” the woman asked. She replied, “I guess I’ll find out when I’m married”, and the conversation ended there. (As it turns out, this woman just so happened to be in a high position with Planned Parenthood.)

Listen to the Guadalupe Radio Network live at www.grnonline.com, find your local Catholic radio station, or if you are in the DFW area, tune in to KATH 910 AM.

…because he thought it’d be funny.

For those who listen to The Catholic Channel on Sirius Satellite Radio, you may have caught Dave from Florida on Speak Now with Dave and Susan Konig with this request during a show with people from St. Baldricks Foundation.

And out of the blue, a caller dialed in to say he’d give $250 “for Lino Rulli’s head”. We presume he meant for me to shave my head, and not actually for my head on a platter (though the latter is more Biblical). When asked why he wanted to see my head shaved, he said “I don’t know, I thought it’d be funny.”

With a unique idea as raising money to help children with cancer by shaving people’s heads, St. Baldricks has become “the biggest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer!” And Lino Rulli, The Catholic Guy, with his Serious Satellite Radio show, makes this a fun motivation to donate for such a good cause. As Rulli put it,

Would I shave my head to raise money for kids with cancer? Gee, I wonder what options I’ve got…
1. Yes, I’d like to raise money and show my support for kids with cancer.
2. No. I’d prefer not to raise money nor show my support for kids with cancer.

So Dave from Florida is quite humorously responsible for Rulli’s upcoming baldness and hopefully, $10,000 donated to St. Baldricks Foundation. Show your support for the cause of Rulli’s baldness, or more importantly, children with cancer.

It is an illusion to think we can build a true culture of human life if we do not . . . accept and experience sexuality and love and the whole of life according to their true meaning and their close inter-connection. ~ John Paul II, The Gospel of Life (n. 97)

The 1960’s brought it’s sexual revolution, some say whose peak was Woodstock ‘69, and we are seeing the negative effects of the resulting promiscuity. With this evidence it is today’s youth who primarily have realized that we are in need of a new sexual revolution: One that will lead to true love, whole and loving families and wanted children. Christopher West, who is known as “a prophet of the sexual counter-revolution” has studied JPII’s The Theology of the Body with nothing but spreading the Truth in mind. And with the help of such Catholics, the late JP II’s Theology of the Body is spreading like wildfire among everyone everywhere.

“God loves sex” is a favorite quote from West in his Theology of the Body video series entitled Created and Redeemed. The fact is, He created sex and it is good, just like everything else in existence, especially and only when it is used in the context and manner God intended. Christopher West wrote an article entitled What is the Theology of the Body & Why is it Changing so Many Lives?, where he says:

Why all the propaganda? If there’s an enemy that wants to keep us from heaven, and if the body and sex is meant to point us there, what do you think he’s going to attack? Sin’s tactic is to “twist” and “disorient” our desire for the eternal embrace. That’s all it can do. When we understand this, we realize that the sexual confusion so prevalent in our world and in our own hearts is nothing but the human desire for heaven gone berserk…. But the tide is changing. People can only put up with the counterfeits for so long.

So this 60’s sexual revolution was a counterfeit! And more and more people are realizing that sex outside of the way God intended it is, in fact, more harmful than we thought. It is human nature to crave the God who is infinite in his love, power and mercy, and when people find themselves unsatisfied with any aspect of life, they jump from one attempt to the next to find a filler for our lack of God. It is only in God and His ways–all of His ways–that we find fulfillment, peace, joy, love and all of the fruits of His Spirit.

What is interesting about the spreading of TOB is the speculation of Bono of U2 singing about Theology of the Body, which you can read more about at the Theology of the Body Institute website:

In the bridge, Bono echoes the joy of Eden – and one of the main themes of John Paul’s teaching – when he cries: “I’ve got no shame, oh no, oh no!” Then, admitting the many ways he has hurt his wife (Bono has been faithfully married to his high school sweetheart for nearly 25 years), he says, “But love left a window in the skies, and to love I rhapsodize.” As the song ends, he offers the same hope “to every broken heart, for every heart that cries – love left a window in the skies.”…So, has Bono been reading up on the theology of the body? Perhaps. Or, maybe as John Paul II himself emphasized, these are simply truths that find an echo in every human heart and Bono has tapped into it.

Is this more proof that TOB is spreading? If it isn’t JPII’s Theology of the Body specifically that inspired Bono to write this song, it parallels the TOB teachings, which is evidence of a new sexual revolution in media, no matter what you want to call it.

To learn more about Theology of the Body, check out Christopher West’s website for more information on his writing, videos and talks, visit www.tobinstitute.org, or read The Theology of the Body by John Paul II.

There is a new sexual revolution underweight, and Dawn Eden is one of the warriors fighting for the truth about sex to be known in today’s society. Dawn wrote The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On, as a result of her life decisions and experiences, to encourage a refreshing perspective for “marriage-minded single women who’d had enough of the Sex and the City lifestyle.” Christopher West, who is known for spreading the good news of JPII’s Theology of the Body had this to say about the book:

“Dawn Eden is part of a growing group of talented professionals who, having bought into our culture’s message about sex, found it wanting and searched for something better. Her life experience enables her to demonstrate with compelling, hard-earned wisdom why living chastely is, as the title suggests, ‘thrilling.’”

Jef Costello reviewed the book with some interesting commentary:

Writing about a topic like this is tricky. The instant you say you’re saving yourself for marriage, people think you’re a religious nut, repressed, insane, or all three put together. [...]

Eden [is] trying to persuade young single women to take a second look at their behavior. [...] By calmly laying out her case and relating her own experiences, she slowly leads the reader to understand that not only is she sane, she’s remarkably level-headed and serious about what she wants — a committed marriage and a family.

It’s inspiring to see strong Catholics who have come out of the life society tries to convince us is thrilling, exciting, and fulfilling, to spread the true thrill of living the way God desires for us! Hearing about Dawn Eden was encouraging–I know from a couple old friends (back when I lived in the NYC area) how empty a promiscuous life can be. Praise God for his redemption and the utter POWER of His grace that flows through women like Dawn Eden, who have come out of such a dark era in their lives! Please pray for The Thrill of the Chaste and it’s positive impact on young adults in today’s world.

As the deputy news editor for the New York City daily by day, Dawn still found the time to write her book and keeps up with her well written blog, The Dawn Patrol. She travels all over the country, radio and TV for interviews, appearances, talks and book signings. And she’s coming to Dallas’ next Theology on Tap, this Thursday, March 22nd. For more information on her book visit, www.thrillofthechaste.com.

My God, let me know and love you, so that I may find my happiness in you. Since I cannot fully achieve this on earth, help me to improve daily until I may do so to the full. Enable me to know you ever more on earth, so that I may know you perfectly in heaven. Enable me to love you ever more on earth, so that I may love you perfectly in heaven. In that way my joy may be great on earth, and perfect with you in heaven.

O God of truth, grant me the happiness of heaven so that my joy may be full in accord with your promise. In the meantime let my mind dwell on that happiness, my tongue speak of it, my heart pine for it, my mouth pronounce it, my soul hunger for it, my flesh thirst for it, and my entire being desire it until I enter through death in the joy of my Lord forever. Amen.

Saint Augustine of Hippo

What’s a Core Member? Well, an adult who volunteers with the teens in a LifeTeen program at their parish. This often includes going to the LifeTeen Mass, leading small group discussions and spending time going on retreats with the teens. And let me tell you–it’s awesome! If you love your Catholic faith, are a college student, just out of college, a young adult, a parent, or beyond, and are looking for a way to minister to your fellow Catholics, then being a Core Member is something you should definitely look into.

Such a ministry can bring great opportunities to get involved in activities with the teens beyond your parish. This can include  volunteering at soup kitchens, praying outside of abortion clinics (see the picture below), cleaning up a local park or helping out at local diocesan events. You may even be encouraged to go to teens’ games, concerts, plays and art shows, or to meet up with a group at a local coffee shop.

There are many blessings that come from spending your Sundays with the teens, including the desire to grow in one’s faith even more as you realize how much of an impact your time with the teens makes. Getting to know youth, with their struggles, their joys, and questions about faith, has to be one of my favorite aspects of the ministry.

While serving teens is an amazing experience, it also has it’s responsibilities & lessons to learn. Youth ministry programs usually have an opportunity for you to check out the program because knowing what you’re getting into is important. And if you do start in the ministry, there are some things to keep in mind. Randy Raus, LifeTeen National Director, wishes he had heard these tips while starting as a Core Member:

1. Spend more time listening to teens than you do talking.
2. We can’t fix every teen. You will reach some and not be able to reach others.
3. It’s not our role to be a buddy to the teens -If you’re hanging out with teenagers all the time and see them as peers and best friends, something is wrong with you, and you shouldn’t be in youth ministry! …
4. Spend more time building relationships than you do planning.
5. Don’t think you know it all or more than anyone else. Ministry to teens is always changing, a challenge, surprising and evolving all the time.

You can read the entirety of his article at the LifeTeen website.

Contact your parish to see if they have a youth ministry program (not all parishes necessarily use the LifeTeen program for their youth ministry). You can also check out the LifeTeen website at www.lifeteen.com to find your local LifeTeen parish.

This past Wednesday, Pro-Life Day at the Texas Capitol brought Catholics from dioceses all over the state to Austin on behalf of the Texas Catholic Conference with a mission to lobby on life issues. It was fun! For someone who thinks gym, architecture and math were the only fun subjects in high school, this is a big step. The Catholic Pro-Life Committee of the diocese of Dallas were one of the many groups to join over 100 Catholics. We had morning Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in downtown Austin, followed by a short training session, a picture at the steps at the Capitol, a House Chamber visit, a Senate Chamber visit and the best part, lobbying!

For someone who understands very little about politics, lobbying was extremely foreign to me. I never understood it until I actually did it. Did you know that the House Representative and Senator offices are open for anyone to walk in? Walking in each office equipped with a informational booklet for our Senators and Reps, we had a chance to talk with the assistants (rarely are the House Reps or Senators in their office) about three key pro-life bills. One is to close the loophole that abortion providers use to avoid the state laws of the Women’s Right to Know Act, another is called the “Trigger Ban” (if the supreme court overturns Roe v Wade then Texas will immediately outlaw all abortion) and the third one involves a funding ban on embryonic stem cell research. (Please pray for these bills to pass.)

Do you know the crazy part? Most Senators and Reps have no idea about what bills they could vote on or support! They rely on lobbyists to educate them… that means me, someone who knows so little about politics has a big impact! I highly recommend considering lobbying, whether it is at your state capitol or even Washington. Get in touch with your local Diocese or Catholic Pro-Life/Pro-Family organizations to find out what civic action projects are underweight. What a joy it is to be Catholic. We get to explore different aspects of life while the Holy Spirit offers us the perfect words that might just influence the entire country!

For those of us out there who love live music, good rhythms or just enjoy unique and rich musical talent, checking out Mute Math is a must.

While they are not labeled a “Christian band”, the members are, in fact, Christians and this is evident throughout their lyrics.

One of Mute Math’s most known songs, Control, is a gorgeous prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Move me up through the darkest cloud
Till I’ve lost in the sun every shadow of doubt
There is no better find than to find myself with you
In a fog you are all I see
I’m inviting you closer with each time I breathe
Surrender has somehow become so beautiful

Take control of the atmosphere
Take control of the atmosphere
There’s no reason I should breathe unless you’re in the air
Take control; Take control
Such a beautiful surrender…

You might hear about them in different Christian circles, or have heard their music on Myspace or Purevolume. They are often played on the Christian Rock Station in Dallas, 89.7 Power FM (which you can listen to online anywhere in the world from their website, www.kvrk.com!).

If you ever get the chance to see them live, I highly recommend it. They put on the most energetic concerts with the most unique performances that truly seem to defy physics (can you tell from the photo?) I have had numerous friends join me for a Mute Math show who have left speechless, uttering a single word that describes the experience quite accurately: wow!

Believe it or not, like most of the world’s culture, Christians, too, get together for a nice beer ever once in a while. Catholic young adults get together in cities all over the country to enjoy a beverage while listening to Catholic-oriented encouraging talks. Theology on Tap started 15 years ago in the diocese of Chicago with Fr. Cusick, the director of young adult ministry. Today, it has spread to almost all 50 states and around the globe. These talks often lead to discussion and question and answer sessions, and hopefully leaves young adults with a new zeal for their faith. I have experienced TOT sessions in both Fort Worth and Dallas. They are great for Catholics who are seeking to understand more about their faith and looking for some great fellowship. One of the most exciting parts of our faith is our family, which includes our brothers and sisters in Christ here on Earth!

In Dallas, the SMU Catholic Campus Ministry, Holy Trinity Young Adults and the Diocese of Dallas got together our very own Theology on Tap. Tonight, being the first night brought a turnout of around 40 people! Below is the poster for upcoming sessions, which take place weekly. If you are in the area, come join us!

Theology on Tap is everywhere and it’s growing. Check out these statistics from the Young Adult Ministry of Chicago’s website.

· 46 States in the USA have hosted or are currently hosting the program, including Alaska and Hawaii.
· The six additional countries hosting Theology-on-Tap include: Saskatchewan, Canada; Rome, Italy; Taipei, Taiwan; the Philippines, Cork, Ireland; and North Point, Hong Kong.

Check with your local diocese to find out where your nearest Theology on Tap is. And in the mean time, we can look forward to the Fullness of our Catholic Faith to be built up around the world as TOT is growing. The Diocese of Chicago Young Adult Ministry Office is working on an international TOT website while Renew International is working to spread TOT around the globe.

I don’t know about you, but I love being Catholic! I have a God whom I serve wants me to be amazed with joy and gratitude! He wants me to know love in my life… and love can mean loving people, an occupation, a vocation and therefore, the life God gave us.

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than FALLING IN LOVE in a quite absolute, final way.

What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.
~Pedro Arrupe S.J.

St. Ann LifeTeen went on a retreat this past weekend entitled Quo Vadis?. Where are you going? Do you ever ask God to take you to your vocation? Are you open to Him? What do you have to lose when He wants the best for you–and that includes living a life that you can fall in love with!?

Check out the video podcasts of the talks & worship that took place on the retreat. You can find them in the Podcast section of the iTunes store when you search for “St. Ann Life Teen.”

For those who do not have time to pray the Liturgy of the Hours or maybe even attend daily Mass, try God’s Word on the go–Catholic style, baby! The USCCB has a new toy that makes it even more exciting (and makes me more proud) to be Catholic: A Podcast of daily Mass readings from the New American Bible! And there’s more: you can find it everywhere from iTunes to Feedburner. When us Catholics get the daily readings on iPods everywhere, life gets even better.

It seems like the time has come where some might give up time from their busy schedule for Lent… to listen to their iPods.

In this life there are nothing but possibilities. ~Lucas (from the film Empire Records)

This quote has been an inspiring reminder that truly, with God, all things are possible.

Today, right now, what opportunities do you have to see a new point of view in life? There are endless possibilities and potential, especially in where our lives can lead us and what activities we can do. When we begin to feel monotony in daily life, remember, the Lord makes every day new! So why don’t we realize this? We Catholics believe that faith without works is dead (James 2:26), so it fits to believe the excitement of every new day, without taking the action of faith to explore life’s riches is nonexistent!

When was the last time you called your long lost friend from another city to invite him or her to visit your town? How many times have you driven around local neighborhoods looking at interesting architecture, to find a new restaurant or interesting store? Do you ever explore the nature God has created? How about writing a hand-written letter to a friend and snail-mailing it today? How about this question: What were you doing the last time you felt completely exhilarated or excited about life?

Here are a few things to get some excitement brewing:

Jesus says in John 14:12: Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. The Holy Spirit is with us and working in and through us (hopefully we let Him!)–He who has infinite power wants to use us in AMAZING ways to glorify Himself!

Miracles happen everyday whether we choose to see them or not, and the best part is, with faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20… or a mulberry tree. See Luke 17:6)! Think about it: this is real. 100%. Not a parable. Jesus is telling it like it is. Absolute reality. God is amazing. He is here with you right now. He has all of the power in existence and He loves you.

He wants the best for you. If a God so good makes every new day so new, take it! Get out of your box of normality and challenge yourself to try something new or something old and exciting, while giving God the glory! He created whatever amazing experience you’re about to have and He created us to live in peace and joy in Him.

Believe it. Take life by the hand and do a cartwheel along the way.

What exciting thing are you going to do next?

“Only You can make every new day seem so new.” ~Five Iron Frenzy