Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 11 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below to enjoy a special Easter edition of “Word to Life.” Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, and Fr. Paul Keller, OP, joined me for a discussion of the three main liturgies of the Easter Triduum.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 03 Apr 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
On today’s broadcast we prepared for the opening of Holy Week by looking closely at this weekend’s celebration of Passion Sunday, better known as Palm Sunday.
Joining me to discuss the finer points of the mysteries the Church begins to celebrate this Sunday was Fr. Romanus Cessario, OP, author of the recently published The Seven Last Words of Jesus. Click here to see an earlier post on this book.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 27 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 24 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Parish News
“Islam and the Catholic Church:
How Past History is Shaping Today’s Events”
a presentation by
Andrew Bieszad
Sunday, March 29
3:00 PM
The Rochester Room
of the
Church of St. Thomas More
65 East 89th Street (between Park & Madison Avenues)
212-876-7719
Sponsored by the Education Committee of the Parish Council
For over 1,000 years there have been efforts to forge dialogue between Moslems and Catholics, two of the world’s three monotheistic religions that share the Abrahamic root. However, without a basic understanding of the foundation of the other’s belief, it is almost impossible to dialogue. Are there core beliefs that the two share? If so, what are they? If not, what can be done? Andrew Bieszad, an Islamic scholar, who has lectured extensively about Islam throughout the country, will provide an overview of Islam and its relevance to 21st-century Christianity.
Mr. Bieszad is a member of Pax Romana, an International Movement of Catholic Students and serves as their representative to the United Nations. He also serves as an Islam and Catholic-Moslem relations advisor to the National Catholic Students Coalition (the American branch of Pax Romana). His article, “The Secular Islam Summit Conference Report,” appeared in TELOS (Summer 2007), while another article entitled “Church Honor Lebanese Civil War Martyrs” appeared in Cedar News (July 13, 2008). Additionally, Mr. Bieszad has begun production on the video series “The Church and Militant Islam: A 1,000 Year Overview,” based on a five-part lecture series.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 20 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below to hear today’s discussion of the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent. Joining me on the show were Fr. John Farren, OP, the Director of Advancement for the Province of St. Joseph, and Fr. Joseph Johnson, rector of the Cathedral of Saint Paul in St. Paul, MN.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 13 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below for today’s broadcast of “Word to Life.” Joining me to discuss the readings for the Third Sunday of Lent were Fr. James Cuddy, OP, from the Church of St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville, KY, and Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, from the Church of St. Catherine of Siena here in Manhattan.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 06 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Tune in below to hear today’s discussion of the readings for the Second Sunday of Lent. Joining me on the show were Br. James Brent, OP, a deacon at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC, and Fr. Sean Connor, pastor of the Church of St. Ann in Neponset, MA.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 27 Feb 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Joining me on the show today to help us prepare for the First Sunday of Lent were Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, the parochial vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Zanesville, OH, and Fr. Paul Keller, OP, a professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and president of the Society for Catholic Liturgy.
Click below for video of today’s broadcast.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 20 Feb 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Joining me for today’s discussion of the readings for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time were Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, a professor of theology at Providence College, and Fr. Gabriel Gillen, an associate pastor at the Church of St. Catherine of Siena here in New York City.
“Word to Life” airs live on Friday afternoons at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 13 Feb 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below to hear today’s episode of “Word to Life.” Joining me on the show were Fr. James Sullivan, OP, pastor of St. Dominic’s Church in Youngstown, OH, and Fr. James Cuddy, OP, associate pastor of St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, KY.
“Word to Life” airs live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 06 Feb 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below for today’s edition of “Word to Life.” Joining me on the show were Fr. John Farren, OP, Director of Advancement for the Province of St. Joseph, and Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, associate pastor of the Church of St. Catherine of Siena here in New York city. We discussed the readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
“Word to Life” is broadcast live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 Eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Click below for a glimpse inside The Catholic Channel’s studio.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 30 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Click below to hear today’s edition of “Word to Life,” during which I discussed the readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time with Fr. James Cuddy, OP, of the Church of St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville, KY, and Fr. Francis Belanger, OP, chaplain of Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.
“Word to Life” is broadcast live every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM Eastern on The Catholic Channel, Sirius 159 and XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 24 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Listen in as I discuss the readings for this weekend’s Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul with Br. Bruno Shah, OP, a deacon finishing his priestly formation at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, and Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, an associate pastor at the Church of St. Catherine of Siena here in New York.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 16 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
It was good to be back in the studio today. After a few weeks away, I was beginning to miss it.
Joining me on today’s show were Nathaniel Peters and Amanda Shaw, assistant editors of First Things. They offered our listeners a behind-the-scenes view of the life and work of Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, founder and editor of First Things, who passed away late last week. Perhaps America’s most influential Catholic convert, Fr. Neuhaus set the standard for public policy debate from the perspective of faith. Fr. Neuhaus will be sorely missed not only for his wit and wisdom, but also for the fatherly care he showed his friends, especially his young friends, like Nathaniel and Amanda.
At the end of the show I spoke briefly to Fr. Bryce Sibley, pastor of St. Anne Church in Mamou, LA. Fr. Sibley updated us on his recent move to St. Anne’s, and he shared the homily he’s prepared for this weekend.
Listen below and enjoy!
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 09 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, from St. Catherine of Siena Church here in New York City, discusses the readings for the Baptism of the Lord with Fr. James Cuddy, OP, from St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, KY.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 19 Dec 2008 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Listen in to today’s show to hear my guests and I discuss the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
First, Dr. David Franks, a professor of theology at St. John’s Seminary in Boston, shares his thoughts on the special significance Christmas possesses for marriage and family life. This is a topic in which Dr. Franks is well versed. He and his wife, Angela, chair the Marriage Initiative sponsored by the Catholic Bishops of Massachusetts, which seeks to promote and defend traditional marriage among Catholics and in the public square. Together they also host “The Future Depends on Love,” a series on marriage and family broadcast on CatholicTV.
Then toward the end of the show, Fr. Joseph Johnson, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, MN, joins me to outline the homily he’s prepared for this last Sunday before Christmas. As always, Fr. Johnson gives us much to think and pray about.
Enjoy!
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 12 Dec 2008 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Joining me on today’s show to discuss the readings for Gaudete Sunday were Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, of the Church of St. Catherine of Siena here in New York City, and Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP, of the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in Zanesville, Ohio.
Enjoy! And don’t forget . . . Rejoice!
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 12 Dec 2008 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
This morning the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released its most significant document treating biomedical issues in over 20 years. Dignitatis Personae updates the Congregation’s previous statements in Donum Vitae by taking into account new scientific advances that have further threatened the life and dignity of the human embryo. In 1987, the year of Donum Vitae‘s publication, major concerns included in vitro fertilization and surrogate motherhood. Today, questions surrounding cloning, the creation of hybrids, embryonic stem cell research, and the status of frozen embryos have taken center stage and require clear moral consideration.
Dignitatis Personae begins:
The dignity of a person must be recognized in every human being from conception to natural death. This fundamental principle expresses a great “yes” to human life and must be at the center of ethical reflection on biomedical research, which has an ever greater importance in today’s world. The Church’s Magisterium has frequently intervened to clarify and resolve moral questions in this area. The Instruction Donum vitae was particularly significant. And now, twenty years after its publication, it is appropriate to bring it up to date.
The teaching of Donum vitae remains completely valid, both with regard to the principles on which it is based and the moral evaluations which it expresses. However, new biomedical technologies which have been introduced in the critical area of human life and the family have given rise to further questions, in particular in the field of research on human embryos, the use of stem cells for therapeutic purposes, as well as in other areas of experimental medicine. These new questions require answers. The pace of scientific developments in this area and the publicity they have received have raised expectations and concerns in large sectors of public opinion. Legislative assemblies have been asked to make decisions on these questions in order to regulate them by law; at times, wider popular consultation has also taken place.
These developments have led the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to prepare a new doctrinal Instruction which addresses some recent questions in the light of the criteria expressed in the Instruction Donum vitae and which also examines some issues that were treated earlier, but are in need of additional clarification.
For the entire text, click here.
The Congregation has also published this brief Q & A pamphlet to help readers place Dignitatis Personae in its proper context.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 10 Dec 2008 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 21 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Word to Life
The topic of today’s show was this weekend’s celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King. Listen in as I discuss the history and lessons of Sunday’s feast with Fr. James Cuddy, OP, from the Church of St. Louis Bertrand in Louisville, KY, and Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, from Providence College in Rhode Island.
Also, welcome to all of our new XM listeners! Since the merger with Sirius, you can now tune in to The Catholic Channel on XM 117.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 14 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Word to Life
As we approach the end of the liturgical year—there are just two Sundays left before Advent!—this weekend’s readings turn our attention to the last things: life, death, heaven, and hell. The Church’s meditation at this time of year is not meant to instill fear in our hearts, but rather strength in our souls to prepare and fortify ourselves for judgment. The King will return in glory, and we will render to him an account of our lives.
As children of the light by baptism, as St. Paul calls us, we live and move in the brightness of day, not the shades of night. The end, therefore, will not sneak up on us as a thief lurking in the darkness. Instead, we will know the signs announcing the end of life and the end of the world, and living in the truth and love of Christ is all the preparation we need to endure these mysteries well. God asks no more. He provides nothing else. His divine truth and love, lived freely in the Church, are our anchors in this life and our lifelines into the next—to Him.
Joining me on today’s show were Fr. Gabriel Gillen, OP, from St. Catherine of Siena Church here in New York City, and Fr. James Cuddy, OP, from St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, KY. Looking ahead to this Sunday’s readings, we focused specifically on the Gospel, in which we hear the “Parable of the Talents,” the last of the Lord’s parables and a preface to his teachings on the final judgment. Both Fr. Gillen and Fr. Cuddy had excellent insights into the parable’s core meaning. We extended the parable’s application to everything from the current financial crisis to preaching the Gospel in our families.
Listen and enjoy!
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 12 Nov 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
The 
life and death of St. Josaphat recall two tales of Christian history that still today remain in strict tension: 1) the tragedy of sin and division in the Church, and 2) the efficacy of Christ’s prayer that the Church be one.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
The saint’s birth occurred in a gloomy period for the Ruthenian Church. Even as early as the beginning of the sixteenth century the Florentine Union had become a dead-letter; in the case of the Ruthenian Church, complete demoralization followed in the wake of its severance from Rome, and the whole body of its clergy became notorious alike for their gross ignorance and the viciousness of their lives. After the Union of Berest’ in 1596 the Ruthenian Church was divided into two contending parties — the Uniates and those who persevered in schism — each with its own hierarchy. Among the leaders of the schismatic party, who laboured to enkindle popular hatred against the Uniates, Meletius Smotryckyj was conspicuous, and the most celebrated of his victims was Josaphat.
Although of a noble Ruthenian stock, Josaphat’s father had devoted himself to commercial pursuits, and held the office of town-councilor. Both parents contributed to implant the seeds of piety in the heart of their child. In the school at Volodymyr Josaphat — Johannes was the saint’s baptismal name — gave evidence of unusual talent; he applied himself with the greatest zeal to the study of ecclesiastical Slav, and learned almost the entire casoslov (breviary), which from this period he began to read daily. From this source he drew his early religious education, for the unlettered clergy seldom preached or gave catechetical instruction. Owing to the straitened circumstances of his parents, he was apprenticed to the merchant Popovyc at Vilna. In this town, remarkable for the corruption of its morals and the contentions of the various religious sects, he seemed specially guarded by Providence, and became acquainted with certain excellent men (e.g. Benjamin Rutski), under whose direction he advanced in learning and in virtue.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 15 Oct 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
Like many in the early Modern period, Teresa Sanchez Cepeda Davila y Ahumada entered religion after reading the works of the Church Fathers. The letters of St. Jerome in particular, given to her by her uncle, prompted Teresa to choose what appeared to be the shortest and surest way to God. She also chose what was closest, the Carmelite monastery in her hometown of Avila. By today’s standards Teresa’s initial decision to become a nun might appear hastily made, but her subsequent cooperation with God’s grace contributed to the greatest monastic reform movement in modern times. Teresa, with the assistance of St. John of the Cross, transformed the decadent Carmelite world of the sixteenth century into the rich treasure of contemplative prayer and spiritual teaching that still enriches the Church today. For example, without St. Teresa, we would not enjoy the patronage of another Carmelite saint and doctor of the Church, St. Therese of Lisieux. And as a devoté, I cannot fail to mention another modern saint of Carmel, Therese’s contemporary, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity.
Two years ago, Teresa Polk published this excellent post on “Blog by the Sea.” It includes a biography of St. Teresa and a short bibliography.
When reading St. Teresa’s life, we learn that she sought assistance for her reform from many religious of other orders, including the Order of Preachers. Teresa’s familiarity with the Dominicans began early in her life. Her father was devoted to Dominican preaching in Avila, and one of her brothers joined the Order. As a consequence, Dominicans served as Teresa’s earliest confessors, and she continued to seek their counsel until her death.
Throughout the entire history of the Discalced Carmelites one can trace its close connection to the Order of Preachers. For instance, in the late nineteenth century, St. Therese and Bl. Elizabeth both had Dominican instructors. And over the centuries the influence has been mutual. Dominican catechesis on the spiritual life has been heavily shaped by the experience of Carmel. Notable in this regard are the spiritual works of the famous Dominican theologian Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. His books, especially The Three Ages of the Interior Life, describe Christian perfection from a recognizably Carmelite perspective.
Father, by your Spirit you raised up Saint Teresa of Avila to show your Church the way to perfection. May her inspired teaching awaken in us a longing for true holiness.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 14 Oct 2008 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
Popular podcasting priest and apologist Fr. Robert Barron has announced an ambitious project. His Word on Fire Catholic Ministries plans to produce for TV and DVD a 10-part video series that presents the history and teaching of the Catholic Church “on our own terms.” Fr. Barron is calling his new project simply “Catholicism.” Still in production, this series is attracting a lot of positive attention. George Weigel has this to say about it:
“‘Catholicism’ could well become one of the most significant efforts ever to advance what Pope John Paul II called ‘The New Evangelization.’ Truth, goodness, beauty — they’re all here, in a stimulating and compelling exploration of the spiritual, moral, and intellectual riches of the Catholic world. This is the Catholic story told from inside, with knowledge, sympathy, and passion, rooted in friendship with Jesus Christ.”
Check out the trailer below, and click here for the episode list.
Click here for Fr. Barron’s latest update on the project.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 29 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
When it comes to the angels, no catechesis has surpassed that given centuries ago by St. Gregory the Great. Today’s Office of Readings contains this excerpt from St. Gregory’s Sermon 34 on the Gospels:
You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.
[. . .]
Some angels are given proper names to denote the service they are empowered to perform. In that holy city, where perfect knowledge flows from the vision of almighty God, those who have no names may easily be known. But personal names are assigned to some, not because they could not be known without them, but rather to denote their ministry when they come among us. Thus, Michael means “Who is like God?”; Gabriel is “The Strength of God”; and Raphael is “God’s Remedy.”
Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name may make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power. So also our ancient foe desired in his pride to be like God, saying: I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven; I will be like the Most High. H will be allowed to remain in power until the end of the world when he will be destroyed in the final punishment. Then, he will fight with the archangel Michael, as we are told by John: A battle was fought with Michael the archangel.
So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary. He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers. Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle.
Raphael means, as I have said, God’s remedy, for when he touched Tobit’s eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness. Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly called God’s remedy.
God our Father, in a wonderful way you guide the work of angels and men. May those who serve you constantly in heaven keep our lives safe from all harm on earth.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 28 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Miscellaneous
Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver sat down recently with the Hoover Institution’s Peter Robinson to discuss his new book entitled Render unto Caesar. In the resulting five-part interview posted at National Review Online, the archbishop comments on a number of topics, including the increased clarity with which the Church now treats the responsibilities of Catholics in public life.
All five parts of the interview are posted below.
Part I – Archbishop Chaput comments on the recent statements made by Speaker Pelosi and Senator Biden
Part II – Archbishop Chaput discusses the “decline” of the Church’s vibrancy in the years after the Second Vatican Council
Part III – Archbishop Chaput examines three aspects of Jesus’ relation to Caesar
Part IV – Archbishop Chaput highlights the West’s growing culture of death
Part V – Archbishop Chaput discusses abortion in American political life
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 26 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Word to Life
Joining me on today’s show were Angelo Matera, the editor and publisher of Godspy.com, and Fr. Dominic Legge, OP, a professor of theology at Providence College.
With Angelo the topic of conversation was this weekend’s “Parable of the Two Sons” and the lessons it teaches concerning God’s mercy and Christian conversion. Later in the show Fr. Legge focused on the Second Reading from Philippians 2, which contains that famous hymn to Christ–”Though he was in the form of God . . .” Fr. Legge explained how proper exegesis of the hymn can uncover facts about early Christian belief much more interesting–and much truer–than anything found in something like The Da Vinci Code.
Click below for the full audio.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 23 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
As the Church celebrates the feast of Padre Pio today, we should note that his twentieth-century life can help us develop our understanding of Christian holiness.
First of all, we have pictures of the famous Capuchin friar. What’s more, we have audio and video of his Masses and other activities. This electronic access to Padre Pio’s life helps us contextualize his sanctity in terms of a human life actually lived. We can see that he looked like we do. He also moved like we do. He laughed, cried, and growled like we do. He even prayed like we do. In other words, seeing and hearing Padre Pio helps us to imagine better sanctity in the flesh. This is because for us moderns pictures and video portray reality in ways that texts, paintings, and statues no longer can (which is somewhat lamentable).
(A little experiment: which image of Padre Pio conveys to you better his graced humanity? The one above, or the one below?)
Secondly, the proximity of Padre Pio’s life to ours gives us greater historical access to his personality. Famous are the stories of his short fuse and excitable passions. ”And this is to be equated with holiness?,” scoff the more puritanical among us. Well, yes and no. No in the sense that clinging to moral imperfections reveals a lack of abandonment to the transformative power of Christ. One cannot love Christ and cling to sin at the same time. Yes, however, in the sense that the transformation of the passions by grace is not immediate, for what is involved here is something more delicate (and more real) than simply hammering the passions into submission by reason, as if this is what the Gospel requires. Instead, Padre Pio’s life, with all of its blemishes, reveals to us the authentic way of holiness, which is friendship with Christ. Like all the saints, Padre Pio lived boldly within this friendship. He allowed Christ to transform him. And if his love for Christ included momentary failures, we should not be scandalized. These failures reveal nothing more than Padre Pio’s continued need for repentance, conversion, and the further deepening of his friendship with Christ. In the end, he surrendered himself to these salvific realities perfectly.
When it comes to evaluating our own lives in terms of holiness, Padre Pio teaches us an important lesson. When looking for guides to sanctity, we do better cozying up to hot-blooded saints than by standing stoically next to icy puritans.
Today’s daily dispatch from Zenit contains an interesting article on Padre Pio’s stigmata.
God our Father, in Saint Pio of Pietrelcina you gave a light to your faithful people. You made him a pastor of the Church to feed your sheep wit his word and to teach them by his example. Help us by his prayers to keep the faith he taught and follow the way of life he showed us.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 20 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
In 1984, Pope John Paul II canonized Andrew Kim Taegon and 102 of his companions, all martyrs of the land of Korea.
Introduced 
to the Korean peninsula in the seventeenth century, Christianity became a public reality there in the nineteenth century with the arrival of French missionaries who brought the sacraments and the fullness of ecclesial life to the Korean faithful. Though officially banned by the Confucian state, the practice of the faith grew steadily.
St. Andrew Kim’s parents were converts, and his father would eventually die for his new faith. Andrew studied for the priesthood in Macao, and returned to his homeland as Korea’s first native priest. Before long, however, in 1846, Andrew was arrested, tortured, and beheaded.
In today’s Office of Readings, we reflect on a letter St. Andrew Kim wrote as his last exhortation to the Korean faithful. It dovetails nicely with today’s Gospel, which is the parable of the sower (Lk 8:4-15).
Look at the farmer who cultivates his rice fields. In season he plows, then fertilizes the earth; never counting the cost, he labors under the sun to nurture the seed he has planted. When harvest time comes and the rice crop is abundant, forgetting his labor and sweat, he rejoices with an exultant heart. But if the crop is sparse and there is nothing but straw and husks, the farmer broods over his toil and sweat and turns his back on that field with a disgust that is all the greater the harder he has toiled.
The Lord is like a farmer and we are the field of rice that he fertilizes with his grace and by the mystery of the incarnation and the redemption irrigates with his blood, in order that we will grow and reach maturity. When harvest time comes, the day of judgment, those who have grown to maturity in the grace of God will find the joy of adopted children in the kingdom of heaven; those who have not grown to maturity will become God’s enemies and, even though they were once his children, they will be punished according to their deeds for all eternity.
O God, you have created all nations and you are their salvation. In the land of Korea your call to Catholic faith formed a people of adoption, whose growth you nurtured by the blood of Andrew, Paul, and their companions. Through their martyrdom and their intercession grant us strength that we too may remain faithful to your commandments even until death.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Posted by Fr. Aquinas on 17 Sep 2008 | Tagged as: Liturgical Feasts
Canonized 
in 1930 by Pope Pius XI, and declared a Doctor of the Church a year later, St. Robert Bellarmine teaches us that truth has a way of creating peace by quelling the passions.
Pseudo-Dionysius once wrote (and I cannot find the quotation) that a debater’s lack of angry passion in the heat of an argument reveals his solid possession of the truth. In other words, anyone who firmly grasps the truth allows it to speak for itself. As a result, only when one hesitates, or when one is less than convinced of his position, do the passions rise and substitute for solid argument. This is food for thought while observing the current political campaign . . .
St. Robert Bellarmine embodied Pseudo-Dionysius’ observation perfectly. In his lifetime, Bellarmine came into contact with two of the most contentious events of the late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth centuries: the Protestant Reformation and the trial of Galileo. In both instances, Bellarmine was so convinced of Catholic truth and the inviolability of its claims that his peace and calm earned him not only admiration but also souls to the side of Christ. The Jesuit cardinal’s friendship with Galileo in particular elicited such humility and trust from the besieged astronomer that he submitted to the requests of the Church and publicly acknowledged the excesses of his hypotheses (which were only later proven to be somewhat correct).
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
Bellarmine did not live to deal with the later and more serious stage of the Galileo case, but in 1615 he took part in its earlier stage. He had always shown great interest in the discoveries of that investigator, and was on terms of friendly correspondence with him. He took up too–as is witnessed by his letter to Galileo’s friend Foscarini–exactly the right attitude towards scientific theories in seeming contradiction with Scripture. If, as was undoubtedly the case then with Galileo’s heliocentric theory, a scientific theory is insufficiently proved, it should be advanced only as an hypothesis; but if, as is the case with this theory now, it is solidly demonstrated, care must be taken to interpret Scripture only in accordance with it. When the Holy Office condemned the heliocentric theory, by an excess in the opposite direction, it became Bellarmine’s official duty to signify the condemnation to Galileo, and receive his submission.
Click here for a letter Bellarmine wrote commenting on the Galileo affair.
God our Father, you gave Robert Bellarmine wisdom and goodness to defend the faith of your Church. By his prayers may we always rejoice in the profession of our faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
