"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son"

This Sunday, June 18, 2015, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Trinity. The Triune nature of God is the principal mystery of the Catholic faith. Our Discussion Questions will guide your Sunday Bible Study sessions with family, friends and church groups.

The Very Mystery of God


What we know about God is not made up, not a fable invented by our ancestors. What we know about God is revealed by God himself. The Triune nature of God is the principal mystery of the Catholic faith. Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB says it is the first and last horizon of the universe and of history: the Love of God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is not solitude, but perfect communion. All three in a great dynamic of love, are so close that they are One God, explains Fr. John Foley, S. J..

Of course, we can only ever know God partially because to know him fully would be beyond our capacity as human beings in this life. The reality of God is too rich to ever be captured, even half adequately, in imagination, thought, and word. Fr. Ron Rolheiser says the idea of God needs to stretch, not shrink, the human imagination. But in order for us to get to know God we need to to root out sin and to cultivate the qualities that bring us closer to him. Fr. Alex McAllister SDS tells us that these qualities are the virtues of faith, hope, charity and all the rest.

If Christianity were simply a religion of keeping the law, the inner life of the lawgiver would not matter. But if Christianity is about personal relationship with God, Dr. Marcellino d'Ambrosio explains, then who God really is matters totally. Further, Fr. Joseph Pellegrino tells us that God possesses us, and we possess Him, not for ourselves, but to continue His Presence in the world. Thus every Sunday's liturgy helps unfold the mystery of divine life. In each gospel Jesus makes the Father's truth and love present in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. We open each Liturgy invoking the Trinity, Fr. James Gilhooley highlights for us, and we also close it by calling upon those same Persons.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world.” - us. The truth of that statement is so simple and yet it boggles the mind. Its so easy to say and so hard to wrap our minds and hearts around. And yet, explains Fr. Orlando, Sapuay, MS. the truth remains. God loves us. No matter what our sins or our attitude towards God. Whether we accept the truth of His love or not - He does love you.

And the "world" which God loves so much as to give it his only Son? We are that world -- human beings tragically alienated from God, alienated from each other, alienated from our own deepest personal identity as children of God. Fr. Campion P. Gavaler, O.S.B. says this is the world described in the first chapters of Genesis, in every evening's TV news, in our own experience of life. And yet, points out college student Emily Clark, that thing that an earthly father would never be willing to do—sacrifice his child—is just the thing God chose to do . . . for us.

The Communion of Saints

Every Sunday's Eucharist is the prayer of the church in living communion with the Risen Lord praising the Father through the power of the Spirit. Father Cusick points out to us that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit live eternally, love eternally and pour out divine love and life in the world through the Body of Christ, the Church.

We pray to the Father through Jesus his Son in the unity of the Holy Spirit. And this unity of the Holy Spirit, according to Fr. Phil Bloom,  is the Communion of Saints. Our origin is family, the Trinity, and our goal is family, the Communion of Saints for ever united to the Persons of the Trinity.

Prayer, Worship & the Sacraments

Joe Heschmeyer urges us all to prepare ourselves to become tabernacles for the Lord. When we receive Communion, our very bodies and souls become the receptacles for the Second Person of the Trinity. And that's why we need the Sacrament of Confession. Because otherwise, when we receive the Eucharist, we're placing God in the pit of filth inside of us.

This is also the time of year when Bishops celebrate Confirmation. It is certainly a wonderful moment for all you recipients of the sacrament, as you receive the same Holy Spirit bestowed upon the Church at Pentecost, which we celebrated last Sunday. But now that you've been confirmed. Now what? Archbishop Richard W. Smith from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada has the answers for you.

Family Matters

Then Archbishop now Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York lamented the media and its rush to push the states to re-invent the very definition of an undeniable truth – one man, one woman, united in lifelong love and fidelity, hoping for children – that has served as the very cornerstone of civilization and culture from the start. Our beliefs, he argued should not be viewed as discrimination against homosexual people. This is not about denying rights. It is about upholding a truth about the human condition.

This media push to erode our long-set values has to be met with a re-education process. And that is where the new evangelization comes in. Cardinal Odilo Scherer, archbishop of São Paulo, Brazil  says it needs to be as ordinary as daily life -- because it has to happen in our homes. "The peoples to evangelize are in our own house," he asserted. "The Gospel is not a good that constitutes our privilege [as Catholics], but a good for the world."

And Jennifer Fulwiler discusses how the digital revolution is impacting everything from prayer to marriages to the Church as a whole. But one of the areas that she finds most interesting is how it has impacted the fight for the dignity of human life. She says the internet will make the world more Pro-Life. And I agree with her.

Celebrating All Fathers

This Sunday is Fathers Day. Did you know that according to surveys, if a father made a decision to become a Christian, the rest of the family followed his example 93 percent of the time? No one wants to minimize the importance of faithful mothers, Terry Mattingly explains. But it's clear that fathers play a unique and special role in helping their children develop a living faith — especially their sons. There's no way to deny that.

And to inspire all you fathers out there, here's a story of a father's unelievable love for his disabled son. We all try to be good fathers, but compared to Dick Hoyt, we all suck. Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day. "I Can Only Imagine" is the story and the video will move you.

Conan, Chaste Dating & Graduations

And as we close, let's talk about our graduates and the new world that awaits them after school. Conan O’ Brien took center stage three years ago this week when he gave the commencement address at Dartmouth college. We have the video for you. It is longer than usual, but stick with it for the sheer entertainment value. At about the 18 minute mark, O’Brien gets serious and personal, and the speech goes from enjoyable to sublime. He offers some serious life nuggets to graduates everywhere.

And for those high school graduate who are off to college, allow us to share with you some Dating Rules as oyu navigate the tricky roads of college life. Here's Ten Ways to Chaste Dating for the over-21 Crowd and for those who live Outside the Home.

Another eventful week in our Catholic World. A Happy and blessed Fathers Day to all dads!

Keep the Faith. Peace.

Wally Arida
Publisher & Editor in chief

BURNING QUESTION: Why do you make the sign of the Cross?
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“Receive the Holy Spirit."

This Sunday, June 8, 2014, we celebrate Pentecost, the 50th day that signals the start of the universal mission of the Church -- a mission that overcomes human obstacles and has the Spirit as its driving force. Our Discussion Questions will guide your Sunday Bible Study sessions with family, friends and church groups.

"Receive the Holy Spirit."

Pentecost is not just another Sunday. Fr. John Foley, S. J. explains that it is a feast equal to Christmas and Easter themselves. The Feast of Pentecost, originally the Jewish Feast of weeks commemorating the gift of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai 50 days after the Exodus, was the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out in the Upper Room upon the apostles and other disciples in the form of tongues of fire and a strong wind, fifty days after Easter Sunday, the day marking the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

In the Gospel we are told that the apostles, imprisoned and bound by fear of the Jews after Jesus' death, have locked themselves into the upper room. Then Jesus came and stood before them. He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." And immediately, the apostle's fears vanished. But what changed the disciples from fearful hiding behind locked doors to fearless witnesses in the world? Fr. James Gilhooley says the Holy Spirit is the master of surprises who makes the impossible possible. He is the one who reminds us that it does not require great people to do great things - just unselfish ones.

So who exactly is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the animating principle of the Christian life, the Soul of the Christian soul, explains Dr. Anthony Lilles. Despite this knowledge, many people today still want to know where the Church “came up with” the Holy Spirit. Mark Shea attempts to answer the question for them.

Fr. Phil Bloom explains that the Holy Spirit - Jesus' first gift - is His greatest gift to us. And this is because this gift contains God Himself, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. But the Holy Spirit is not just a person inside the Trinity, hopelessly abstract and beyond our conception, Fr. Ron Rolheiser reminds us. He points out that Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit is also very concrete, conceivable, and tangible inside of charity, joy, peace, patience, goodness, longsuffering, fidelity, gentleness, and chastity.

Pentecost Marks the Birth of the Church

Pentecost is considered to be the birth of the Church. The Holy Spirit was poured out into the apostles on Pentecost. The First Reading from tells the story of how - upon receiving the Holy Spirit - the apostles began to speak in different tongues and proclaimed the Good News of Jesus death and resurrection to people of all nationalities in Jerusalem.

Today's Church also speaks in the tongues of all men and women of every race, culture, and nationality. She speaks with a common language because she utters God's only and unitary Word. Fr. Charles Irvin explains that of all the diversities in humanity, the Church makes one inter-dependent unity. All of us together are formed by the Holy Spirit in the one Body of Christ. Fr. Joseph Pellegrino advises us that in our own parishes today, we have to get away from the thought that someone or some group is rather an exception than a norm in the Church. As Catholics we don't just put up with each other's differences, we value each other's differences as a unique manifestation of the Holy Spirit without which our faith body would be incomplete.

Pentecost invites us once again to walk with the Church, breathe with the Church, hope with the Church, feel with the Church. Fr. Orlando Sapuay, M.S. says Easter therefore is not just coming to a wonderful, inspiring worship service. It is about being sent back into the hostile world, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to bear witness to the identity of God as revealed in Jesus. Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, so also he sends the community.

Therefore, Fr. Alex McAllister SDS points out, for Christians everyday is a Pentecost Day.

"Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them"

In the Gospel Jesus says, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” The power of the Spirit not only authorizes, but also empowers the apostles to forgive and to retain sins. Father Cusick explains further that the Apostles Creed links "the forgiveness of sins" with its profession of faith in the Holy Spirit, for the risen Christ entrusted to the apostles the power to forgive sins when he gave them the Holy Spirit. With this act, Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB adds, Jesus formally sends out to the world His apostles, just as He had been sent to the world by the Father.

But many today ask aloud  why go to a priest to confess our sins? Could God also forgive outside of the rituals of the Catholic Church? Of course. Fr. Robert Barron explains that God is held bound by nothing. But the stubbornly incarnational God, Catholics believe, has desired to convey his forgiveness through the body of the church. As the priest administers the sacraments, the priest is operating, not in his own person, but in persona Christi (in the person of Christ). His voice, his gesture, and his embodied presence are a sacramental representation, a bodying forth, of Christ’s embodied presence.

And to this discussion we add this wonderful resource for all: 20 Tips For Making A Good Confession.

Gifts and Charisms of the Holy Spirit

If you ask Catholics and Pentecostals about the number of gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what those gifts are, you'll likely get two different answers. Pentecostals, and some other Protestants, believe that there are nine spiritual gifts. In contrast, Catholics believe that there are seven spiritual gifts and we receive them all in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

These are powerful gifts, freely given to all. So what if you, just like Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, did not quite “get it” when you were confirmed? I’ve got good news for you. You actually did get the Spirit and his gifts. Thus, Deacon Greg Kandra explains, we need to know that what we are undertaking in the Sacrament of Confirmation, is not just a thing of joy, but something more vast and more intimidating than anything we've ever encountered. To be in church, to receive the sacraments, is to stand before the presence of God. The good deacon tells us that we need to be awestruck. While Pope Benedict said the Holy Spirit will make us "fearless witnesses of Christ."

Pentecost Novena, Prayer, & Being Catholic

The Pentecost novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. This novena is supposed to begin last bweek on the day after the Solemnity of the Ascension. To those who did not participate in the novena, it's never too late to start it today.

And are you familiar with Theology on Tap? It started with an idea in 1981 that parishes should do something to make young adult Catholics feel more welcome and more connected to their faith. Now, over 30 years later, the program has blossomed, reaching into parishes and dioceses across the United States and some countries overseas. Plus Fr. Anthony Lusvardi, SJ notes that there are still plenty of things to love about being Catholic. Here's his not very scientific list of the small pleasures of our ever-new, ever-ancient faith. Its his Top 10 Small Pleasures of being Catholic.

Judith Costello shares a blog post she composed after sitting in the bleachers watching her son’s basketball practice. During the game, a man started ranting about how Catholic don't care about the poor. She penned a response to the man's assertion that all the poverty in the world would end if the Church would only sell all their artwork and statues and gold and give it to help the poor.

Graduation 2014, Spelling Bee & More

High schools and colleges all over the US are celebrating graduations this week. Rev. James V. Schall, S.J. asks what college graduates actually learn before they graduate? Depending on the student and the faculty, the answer ranges from “not much” to “an amazing amount.” While a commencement speaker at one high school graduation ceremony opened the eyes and minds of his young audience by talking about the true and hidden lessons we learned in high school.

Meantime, Marc Hack reflects on how today is a perfect day to make lasting memories – the kind you may someday share with your grandchildren. He offers his list of "20 Ways To Make Today Unforgettable."

And we bring you back a story from the 2011 Scripps Spelling Bee contest that concluded last week, we share with you the "Last 10 Words of the 2011 Spelling Bee." Cymotrichous, Periscii, Sorites. They're just some of the tounge-twisting, strange words the finalists actually faced. If those were a piece of cake for you, maybe you’re ready to see if you could actually make the cut. Check out the rest of the list and give it a shot.

Another eventful week in our Catholic World. Have a great and blessed new week.

Keep the Faith. Peace.

Wally Arida
Publisher & Editor in chief


BURNING QUESTION: Do you Confess before you receive Communion?
FEATURED BLOG: Smacking You into Sainthood
PASTORAL HISPANA: Pentecostes es la fiesta del nacimiento de la Iglesia

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"Do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Last Sunday, the Lord signaled the apostles that though they had deserted Him on Good Friday, He forgave them. This Second Sunday of Easter, or Divine Mercy Sunday, Jesus sends Thomas the message that He forgives him for his disbelief in the Resurrection despite reliable eyewitnesses. Our Discussion Questions will guide your Sunday Bible Study sessions with family, friends and church groups.

The Forgiveness of Sins

We see the apostles, imprisoned and bound by fear, have locked themselves into the upper room. Then "Jesus came and stood before them. He breathed on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men's sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound.' "

Fr. Alex Mcallister points out that the first part of this Reading reading is generally taken as the scriptural basis for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. By Christ's will, Father Cusick explains, the Church possesses the power to forgive the sins of the baptized and exercises it through bishops and priests normally in the sacrament of Penance. Through the gift of faith we believe that the Risen Lord also breathes the Holy Spirit into us. Fr. Campion P. Gavaler, O.S.B. reminds us that we the church are sent into a sinful world to bring forgiveness, not only as priests through the sacrament of reconciliation, but as disciples who are present anywhere there is need of forgiveness.

So if you have a problem with the Church intruding on what you think ought to be just between you and God, Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio says you’ll have to take that one up with Jesus Himself. It was clearly His idea.

Faith, Doubt and St. Thomas

On Easter Sunday the Master forgave the apostles for running out on Him Good Friday. This Sunday, Fr. James Gilhooley tells us, Jesus absolves Thomas for his disbelief. He gave them all a second chance. Thomas had always belonged to Jesus. Yes he was cynical, but when he got the practical proof he needed, Fr. John Foley, S.J. explains, he sank to the ground in heart-moving surrender. Do you believe the resurrected Jesus will not also give us a second chance?

Many times we enter into a period of anger at God and a time of doubts. Fr. Ron Rolheiser asks the same questions we ask. Why does God stay hidden. Why doesn’t God reveal himself so concretely and physically that no one could doubt his existence? Fr. Joseph Pellegrino says we should not feel bad about having crises in faith. We should feel very human. We should also realize that our crisis can lead us to an even stronger faith. Jesus breathed life onto His disciples, a group of people who were faithful to Him. Fr. Orlando Sapuay, M.S. aptly reminds us that Jesus can also breathe new life into us, people who carry on that faith.

Thomas rediscovered his faith amidst the believing community of apostles and disciples. This point must never be forgotten, explains Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB. We do not believe as isolated individuals, but rather, through our baptism, we become members of this great family of the Church. It is precisely the faith professed by the ecclesial community we call Church that reinforces our personal faith.

Divine Mercy of Jesus

Our Psalm this Sunday says, "His mercy endures forever." St. Peter reminds us that we received a new birth because of God's "great mercy." And in today's Gospel the Risen Jesus gives mercy as His first gift: "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them..." Divine Mercy summarizes the message of the Bible and gift of our Savior.

So what exactly is “mercy” anyway, and what does it have to do with the Easter season? Several years ago, the Catholic Church declared the Sunday after Easter “Divine Mercy Sunday.”  Divine Mercy Sunday celebrates the merciful love of God shining through the Easter Triduum and the whole Easter mystery. The feast recovers an ancient liturgical tradition, reflected in a teaching attributed to St. Augustine about the Easter Octave, which he called "the days of mercy and pardon," and the Octave Day itself "the compendium of the days of mercy."

Perhaps the fact that we are able to forgive those who trespass against us is the surest sign that our faith is not illusion, but that we truly do live in the Spirit of Christ and His Divine Mercy.

Blessed John Paul the Great

In the Jubilee year 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Sister Faustina -- making her the first canonized saint of the new millennium -- and established "Divine Mercy Sunday" as a special title for the Second Sunday of Easter for the universal Church. This Sunday, April 27, 2014, the man who canonized more saints than any other pope in modern history will himself be canonized a saint together with another pope, Blessed John XXIII

Today, on the day that the Church proclaims blessed this great apostle of mercy and peace, let us remember with affection and deep gratitude the stirring words that John Paul II spoke at the concluding Mass of World Youth Day 2002 at Downsview Park in Toronto. These words keep us focused on the importance and necessity of mercy in the Church today:

"At difficult moments in the Church's life, the pursuit of holiness becomes even more urgent. And holiness is not a question of age; it is a matter of living in the Holy Spirit... Do not let that hope die! Stake your lives on it! We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son."

This Sunday Fr. Phil Bloom encourages us to ask the intercession of Blessed John Paul the Great that we would know deeply what we heard in the Psalm: "His mercy endures."

Celebrating Eastertide

Eastertide, or the Easter Season, or Paschal Time, is the period of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. It is celebrated as a single joyful feast, indeed as the "great Lord's Day". Are there any tips on resources or ideas we can offer for continuing the Easter celebration with your family for the entire season? Fr. John Bartunek shares his "50 Days of Celebrating Easter."

When we encounter the Resurrection accounts in the New Testament we face a challenge in putting all the pieces together in a way that the sequence of the events flow in logical order. How did events progress from the day of Resurrection to Christ's Ascension to Pentecost? Msgr. Charles Pope proposes to you a possible, even likely, sequence of the Resurrection events.

Parish Life, Prayer and the Holy Eucharist

Too many Catholics hear a disturbing sermon at their parish and simply move on to another parish. Elizabeth Scalia opines that running away from a parish with a disoriented pastor dooms one’s fellow parishioners—especially if they have been poorly Catechized. She argues that such actions cannot build up the Body of Christ.

A recent Pew Research Center study found that 10 percent of all Americans — 10 percent! — are former Catholics. So, what can a parent or sibling or cousin do to help his fallen-away family members return to the Church’s fold? Here's how to respond when a loved one leaves the Church. Use these fundamental principles to help the former Catholics in our families reconsider the Church.

Jeniffer Fulwiller looked at the lives of people who have redically placed their trust in God. She found it fascinating to see what common threads could be found in the lives of these incredible people. She shares the seven prayer habits of these saintly people, in case others find it inspiring as well. Judith Costello compliments this. She says that while it may seem as if God is far away and it may seem impossible to really know Him, it is possible to really get to KNOW Him. And it requires several things. She explains with her blog post "Know Him!"

And Peter Kreeft concludes what he feels is the central problem of the Church today: most of the generation now becoming adults simply do not know Jesus Christ. As an example, he shares his conversation with a Muslim and how this non-Christian unwittingly offered him important lessons about his own practice of Eucharistic Adoration.

Rising Gas Prices and Personal Debt

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline. But here in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 per gallon. Anthony Duk shares an email from someone who has worked in the petroleum industry for 31 years now. They offer some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon you pump at the filling station.

Finally, if you feel you're not winning the war on your personal debt, this one's for you: 80 Ways to Be Frugal and Save Money.

Another eventful week in our Catholic World. Have a Spirit-filled and blessed Eastertide.

Keep the Faith. Peace.

Wally Arida
Publisher & Editor in chief


BURNING QUESTION: What is Faith?
FEATURED BLOG: How to respond when a loved one leaves the Church
PASTORAL HISPANA: La Resurreccion nos trae el regalo de la misericordia
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"Receive the Holy Spirit."

This Sunday, May 27, 2012, we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. We commemorate this important event, which took place fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, namely: the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and disciples gathered around Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in the Cenacle. Our Discussion Questions will guide your Sunday Bible Study with family, friends and church groups.

The feast of Pentecost is joined to Easter. Canon Dr. Daniel Meynen explains how these two solemnities allow us to call to mind all of the history of Salvation in Jesus the Son of God. What began on Easter, this Sunday finds its fullness and its completion. On the evening of Easter, the risen Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to his disciples for the first time, so that they might receive him in fullness on Pentecost.

The Blessings of The Holy Spirit

Alfred McBride, O.Praem. tells a story of how the first Pentecost could have happened from the point of view of a Greek traveler who stood bewildered in the Jerusalem crowd. What was happening? All about him Jews from many nations milled excitedly and pointed to a group in the center of the square.The apostles were speaking in tongues when they emerged from the Cenacle upper room after being blessed by the Holy Spirit.

What exactly is a blessing? Fr. Ron Rolheiser says it is a way of remaining permanently present to someone. It is a way of giving someone our love, our insight, our strength, our presence, in a word, our spirit, in our physical absence. He points out that Jesus left us with His blessing. His spirit, the Holy Spirit, is received by all who receive that blessing. But, like anything planted so deep in us, it has to have time to make its way into our actions, our words, our deeds.

Fr. John Foley, SJ says whenever we find patches of charity or joy in ourselves, or patience and kindness, or the ability to endure hardship and injuries; when we are tempted toward mildness and modesty, then we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is at work within us. These kinds of qualities are now the signs of the Holy Spirit, much more than heavy winds and tongues as of fire. On Pentecost Sunday, Fr. Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B. explains, we celebrate the wonderful good news that the risen Lord has poured out his Spirit upon us, first of all to convince us of his victory over sin and death, and then to enable us to continue His work of salvation by our own love and concern for others.

On Pentecost, The Church Was Born

In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit didn't just fill the Upper Room where the apostles had gathered, it filled them. They were on fire for Jesus. They began to understand the mystery of Christ. They were still afraid to suffer and die, Fr. Joseph Pelligrino points out, but that became secondary to throwing open the door, going out and proclaiming the Gospel.

Three thousand people heard them, and caught their fire, and became Christian. Together they formed the Body of Christ, the Church. Pentecost joyfully announces the birth of our parish/faith communities. As the ancient theological formula said, “Jesus announced the kingdom of God and what came was the church.” But the joy of the Risen Christ is not to be limited to this small flock of disciples. Fr. Orlando Sapuay, MS says God’s act of salvation in Christ needs to be communicated to all: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”.

Have you received the Holy Spirit?

Jesus calls us out of our Upper Rooms. But, as Fr. Joseph Pellegrino points out, our Lord doesn’t just call us to proclaim the Good News. Jesus gives us the ability to proclaim the Gospel. He gives us Third Person of the Trinity that forms us into Church. That Spirit allows us to speak with our lives the language of the Love of God, to hear God in every one of us. This great outpouring of the Holy Spirit is something that continues in the Church right up to the present day. Indeed, Fr. Alex McAllister SDS adds, it will always be one of the identifying characteristics of the Church.

We receive the same Holy Spirit today with our Baptism and Confirmation, Fr. James Gilhooley explains. And its gifts are awesome: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. But we must learn to use them. Have you ever received a new credit card with a sticker saying “Must call to activate before using?” Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio says the Holy Spirit and his gifts are the same way. You have to call in and activate them. Do it today and every day, and especially every time you attend Mass.

The Spirit enables the baptized believer to begin a transition from this world which will one day end to the fullness of life in the Trinity which will never end. Thus, Father Cusick tells us, we are given a foretaste of eternal joy by “pouring” abundantly “into our hearts” the eternal love of God.

The Birth of the Sacrament of Confession

In John 20:19-23, we hear "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." It is in this Gospel for Sunday that Jesus institutes the Sacrament of Confession and its grace to forgive sins upon His apostles and His Church.

Sadly, many today express a rather deep impatience with the whole idea of confessing one’s sins to a priest. Why do we require a mediator when seeking the divine forgiveness? Could God forgive outside of the rituals of the Catholic Church? Rev. Robert Barron says of course. God is held bound by nothing. But the incarnational God, Catholics believe, has desired to convey His forgiveness through the body of the church. And that’s why we go to a priest, an embodied alter Christus, for confession.

Despite this teaching, we still see a decline in the use of Confession among Catholics. They exclaim, "But God accepts and loves us as we are!" Yes, this is true. But Confession is not about God loving you more or less. God will love you straight to hell if that's what you want. Fr. Philip Neri Powell, O.P., Ph.D. says Confession is not about how much God loves you but about how much you love God. And, Elizabeth Esther adds, Confession also opens the door to us forgiving others.

Memorial Day, Suffering & Freedom of Religion

It is providential that Pentecost 2012 falls on Memorial Day. Pentecost Sunday underscores our Christian mission. Memorial Day reminds us of the sacrifice required to maintain freedom. An, Fr. Phil Bloom reminds us, our first and most cherished liberty is religious freedom. Today in America, this very freedom is under siege. As our bishops state: "We are Catholics. We are Americans... Our allegiances are distinct, but they need not be contradictory and instead should be complimentary."

In related Catholic Social Justice news, the percentage of Americans who identify themselves as “pro-choice” is at the lowest point ever measured by Gallup, according to a new survey. A record-low 41 percent now identify themselves as “pro-choice,” down from 47 percent last July and 1 percentage point down from the previous record low of 42 percent, set in May 2009. Gallup began asking people to define themselves as pro-choice or pro-life in 1995. This is consistent with the story we reported last week that the youth of today are more Pro-Life than ever and they are marching in droves to share their belief in the sanctity of human life.

And we can't help but share this video shared by Elizabeth Scalia on homosexuality. She speaks the Catholic truth. And the video by Michael Voris is simply thoughtful and moving. He does a fine job of putting his finger on the exact spot I was unable to find, and does it with beauty and depth. Please watch it. And if you do have friends or family members who are homosexuals, please share this video with them so they may understand how much God loves them and truly understands their suffering.

And on the topic of suffering, Jennifer Fulwiler addresses how to help people who are particularly troubled by the issue of suffering. Whenever the subject of faith would come up, they would ask, "Where is your God when people suffer?" Her simple answer was one word - crucifix. When we suffer, our God is there suffering with us.

Winning, Coffee & a Navy SEAL's Advice to Graduates

Paul Dion, STL's uncle taught him this. "Killing" the person you defeat is not necessary. Making your victory a pleasant lesson for the opponent is the ideal way to win. Losing without learning something is the real loss. And he can't recall how many times his uncle had paraphrased Jean Paul Sartre the existentialist by saying, "It's in dying that you define your life. It's in winning that you prepare your dying." Mighty strong lessons to be learned there.

Eric Greitens is a 38-year-old Rhodes scholar and humanitarian worker turned highly awarded U.S. Navy SEAL. Today, he is the CEO of the Mission Continues, a nonprofit foundation he created to help wounded and disabled veterans find ways to serve their communities at home. To the graduates of Tufts, Greitens issued a unique challenge, one rarely heard at commencements today: to sacrifice, to serve one's country and to live magnanimously. He called students to think above and beyond their own dreams, their own desires, and to be strong. It's a lesson sorely missing in the sad state of today's me-first world.

Finally, Andrew Sciba offers up the top 5 reasons why coffee is better than beer. All in all, he thinks coffee’s wide availability and downright affordable price gives it an edge over beer. Of course, the same could be said for a Honda Civic and a Toyota Supra Turbo.

Another eventful week in our Catholic World. Have a great and blessed new week.

Keep the Faith. Peace.

Wally Arida
Publisher & Editor in chief

BURNING QUESTION: What does the Holy Spirit do in your life?
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PASTORAL HISPANA: Fuente del amor para la Iglesia y el mundo


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