My heart was heavy when I awoke to find a deep issue in the Church on my mind and heart - June 3, 2010 - the Feast of St Charles of Uganda, Africa

The rose as you go into church-for martyrs 

I woke up with the sun this morning feeling sad about the sexual abuse scandal and how it is affecting my beloved Catholic Church... We have for the last year gotten the National Catholic Register and I have been glancing at articles in it about the work that the Church is doing to make amends for these men that have abused the priesthood in the most horrendous way... the words of one of my brother in laws saying that this was proof positive that men were not to be celebate rang in my ears... I, who have a daughter, who is a celebate know that this is just not true!  And what about those that are called to the truly hardest vocation... that of the single state... Many of them remain celebate of no choice of their own and without the benefit of becoming the spouce of Christ as those within religious communities.  At what point does a person say that they know they were called to the single state?  What struck me as curious at the time that my brother in law made this statement was that he had a brother that continued to be single into his 40s and I wondered at his comment about how it was unnatural for people - both men and women - to remain celebate... What was he saying about his own brother?  That he should be justified in satisfying his physical needs without the benefit of marriage, because he had that need? 

I know that there are some "bad apples" in every barrel...  And of course the Catholic Church is no exception.  But that does not mean that our wonderful amazing Church is affected in it's basic goodness by these "filth" which I have heard them called here and there.  Yes, to abuse children and those vulnerable is the lowest of the low...  I need to end this, but I promise that I will read more, pray more and share more to all those that find their faith in our wonderful Church shaken by this... I think that you will take heart when you read this editorial written by  Robert Royal about the Pope's first 5 years as Pope...  I cut and pasted it from NCRegister.com... if you want to check them out.. .. there is so much there in the last months about the scandal, and they truly love and attempt to protect our Church! 

Dear Lord, we struggle to know that your priesthood is threatened by this evil.  Protect our priests and keep them holy and on the path with you.  WE need them to bring LIFE - your holy Body and Blood into our lives to feed us at your lifegiving table... we need our "Fathers" to be an extention of you!  Jesus we trust in you! 

Benedict XVI, the Holy Risk Taker  by Robert Royal, president of the Faith and Reason Institute of Washington, DC

The following guest editorial by Robert Royal, president of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington, D.C., appears on NCRegister.com as part of our exclusive series celebrating the fifth anniversary of Pope Benedict’s pontificate.

Up until just a few months ago, it seemed clear what Benedict’s legacy was shaping up to be.
In his very first homily after his election, he invoked the legacy of John Paul II and promised that as “the Successor of Peter, I also wish to confirm my determination to continue to put the Second Vatican Council into practice, following in the footsteps of my predecessors and in faithful continuity with the 2,000-year tradition of the Church.”
It may look like there are two elements here, council and Tradition. But in fact there is only one: a dynamic tradition, ever ancient, ever new. And it may seem that all this is just what popes are supposed to say.
But as the past five years have shown, one thing we can say about Benedict XVI is that he is a holy risk taker.
His major initiatives need to be understood in this context, even though they have also provoked controversy. The address at the University of Regensburg is remembered in secular circles primarily for a few phrases that seemed to criticize Muslims.

But in fact, the whole thrust of that lecture was to place squarely in front of Europe and the rest of the Christian world the large challenge of rediscovering faith and restoring the full meaning of reason in the spiritual journey — or acceptance of certain decline.

As he did earlier as a theologian, Pope Benedict has been one of the most sophisticated and profound commentators on European and world culture — so much so that it is not enough to have heard some of his addresses; they also need to be read and studied.
At the same time, he has shown a gentle pastoral manner — witness the way his demeanor had the American press, remarkably, eating out of his hand during his 2008 visit.
His bold moves in reforming the liturgy and permitting the use of the old Latin form have led some to regard him as merely backward looking. But in fact he’s gathering up the experience of the half century since the council and seeking to establish liturgical forms both appropriate and deepened for the third millennium.

Contrary to the common view, his approach to the Society of St. Pius X has been careful, except for the unfortunate oversight about the extremism of that group’s Bishop Richard Williamson, which even SSPX has repudiated.

Benedict’s bold outreach to Anglicans and Orthodox as well shows an ambitious intention to gather together as large a swath as possible of the living forces of Christianity in order to make a new effort at evangelization in a narrowing world that desperately needs fresh air.

But as we all know, the last few months have put all this in jeopardy and may eclipse Benedict’s real achievements for some time to come. For all the unfair attempts to tar him with responsibility for one or another instance of priestly child abuse, the evidence is flimsy to nonexistent to nonsensical.
In fact, as the scrutiny continues, he will emerge, as has already begun to happen, not as one who should resign, but as the one who has done most within the Church to clean out the priestly “filth” that he courageously went out of his way to mention five years ago, just before he became Pope.
The rest of his pontificate may be spent atoning for the sins of others in public, but in a less public way, the initiatives he has set in motion will be a blessing to our generation and many more to come.

Many thanks, bold-hearted Benedict!

Finally today being the memorail feast day of ST Charles of Lwanga - who in 1887 was executed by the king for his Catholic faith along with 21 others...  This happened in Uganda and we pray that the example of these people may affect the promotion of the Catholic faith in Africa.  It is quite something to see the way that martyrs for the faith don't manage to snuff out the Church... but make it stronger!   The openning antiphon for mass today is - "The saints are happy in heaven because they follow Christ.  They rejoice with him for ever because they shed their blood for love of him."  This brings to mind a picture of the Pope Benedict holding a crucifix with the "victorious lamb" on it... a symbol used by the Community of the Lamb, which our daughter Susan/ little Sister Hallel has joined... The Lamb of God that was sacrificed for us as the Gospel states today; "You are right in saying, He is ONe and there is no other than he.  And to love God with all your heart , with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Mark 12:28-34.... Jesus became the Lamb and was sacrificed once and for all!  Praise him now and forever!  Halleluia!