WaPo: "communion wafers to be 'blessed' by the pope"

Interesting terminology in this positive story about religious women in Germany preparing communion hosts for the papal Mass to be held in Erfurt, Germany in September: the pope will "bless" the hosts.

"Consecration" is the word used for what happens to the hosts or bread within holy Mass through the action of the ordained priest in order to distinguish the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist from other forms of blessing. A blessing sets an ordinary object or person apart for God. "Consecration" results in the true, real and substantial presence of God Himself under the signs of bread and wine.

"By the consecration the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real, and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity (cf. Council of Trent: DS 1640; 1651)." (CCC 1413)

By the way, the editorial "masterpiece" of a title for the article is reprinted above exactly as distributed in the electronic edition today: "German nuns bake ready for papal visit baking thousands of communion wafers". What?

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German nuns bake ready for papal visit baking thousands of communion wafers

- In this photo taken July 28, 2011 Sister Placida scales hosts at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gertrud’s host bakery in Alexanderdorf, Germany, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Berlin. Pope Benedict XVI will not visit the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gertrud, but preparations for his trip are nevertheless in full swing, with the nuns baking thousands of communion wafers to be blessed by the pope at Masses during his September tour. (Photo/Markus Schreiber)

By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, July 31, 6:07 AM

AM MELLENSEE, Germany — Benedict XVI will not visit the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gertrud, but preparations for his trip are nevertheless in full swing, with the nuns baking thousands of communion wafers to be blessed by the pope at Masses during his September tour.

In a small room at the back of the cloister, nestled on the edge of a forest south of Berlin, Sister Theresa pulls a lever that squirts liquid dough — a simple mixture of flour and water — onto one of a dozen hot irons. These press out sheets of thin, light wafer that are cut into dozens of rounds to be weighed, packaged and delivered to Roman Catholic churches in the capital and east of Germany.

“We are very happy that our communion wafers from our bakery will be offered at the Eucharist celebration,” Sister Theresa, 62, told The Associated Press.

The pope visits Germany on Sept. 22-25, arriving in Berlin and traveling through the former-communist east before wrapping up in the southwester diocese of Freiburg.

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For the rest of this article published by WaPo click here.

Father Robert Barron: The Catholicism Project

CATHOLICISM: Overview

Soon you can discover the rich heritage of the Catholic Church in an epic media experience. Word on Fire Catholic Ministries offers a vision of the Catholic Faith, which has never before been seen. This vision seeks to explore, through a global journey, the living culture of the Catholic Church. From the lands of the Bible, to the great shrines of Europe, to the shores and heartland of America, to the mysteries of Asia, to the rich landscapes of Latin America, to the beating heart of Africa - and beyond, witness the passion and glory of the faith that claims over a billion of the earth’s people as its own. Now in production. Ten part series for TV and DVD: Production to be released Fall of 2011.

This magnificent television event is hosted by Father Robert Barron. For more information visit Father Barron's site Word on Fire by clicking here.

Late-term Abortion Provider Caught Lying in 'Washington Post' Front Page News Article

Please join us for an urgent Webcast concerning the Summer of Mercy 2.0 event tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern. Click here to sign up now! _____________________________ Late-term Abortion Provider Caught Lying in 'Washington Post' Front Page News Article July 28, 2011 The following is a press release from Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian Defense Coalition, who is on the leadership team for the Summer of Mercy 2.0 event to be held in Germantown, Maryland on July 30-August 7. Operation Rescue is a co-sponsor of that event. Of Carhart, Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said, "One thing we have learned from our long experience with LeRoy Carhart is that if he is saying it, it probably isn't the truth." -OR Staff GERMANTOWN, Md., July 28, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ - Recently a Washington Post article stated "All the late-term abortions Carhart has done in Germantown have involved fetuses with anomalies, he said." A recent patient of Carhart's, who decided not to get an abortion, was never questioned once by Carhart about the health of her baby. She was however, told in detail, how much the abortion would cost. Kiesha, who just gave birth to a healthy baby girl, was originally planning on getting the late-term abortion because of the pressure the child would bring into her life, not for any fetal anomalies or health issues. In fact, of the over 25 mothers Dr. Grace Morrison has talked to seeking late-term abortions at Carhart's clinic, only one was there because of a poor prenatal diagnosis. This information comes as "The Summer of Mercy 2.0" is scheduled to begin on July 30 in Germantown, Maryland. Go to www.summerofmercy.com for more information. Area pro-life activists question why the Washington Post did not do more research for this article. Dr. Grace Morrison, of the Vitae Foundation, states, I have been protesting at Carhart's on Mondays since December 6. During this time, I have had the opportunity to speak with over twenty-five mothers who were there seeking late-term abortions. There has only been ONE case of a mother seeking a late-term abortion because of a poor prenatal diagnosis. The other mothers were reportedly there because, even at this advanced stage in their pregnancy, they decided that the baby was an inconvenience. One mother, Kiesha, who came to Carhart's for a late-term abortion decided to save her baby. She just gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, adds, The myth that somehow Leroy Carhart is doing abortions on mothers with children who have fetal anomalies has now been exposed as an absolute lie. Pure and simple, it is now clear that Carhart is killing viable pre-born children for his own financial gain and is in no way helping struggling moms. However, even if these children were facing some physical or mental challenges, as a society we should treat the disabled with dignity, equality and respect. Killing these innocent ones through the horror of late-term abortions is never the answer. We would also like to encourage the Washington Post to stop acting as a public relations firm for Leroy Carhart and actually do some research and reporting on this issue. As the 'Summer of Mercy 2.0' begins on July 30 and goes to August 7, we are calling upon people who believe in human rights and social justice to come to Germantown, Maryland for a time of prayer and public witness on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society. For more information call: Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney at 540.538.4741 Dr. Grace Morrison at 240.997.2520

Order the powerful documentary "Bloodmoney" today! For every DVD purchased Operation Rescue will receive $5 that will go to help us in our work to end abortion. Order Standard DVD ; Order DVD in a paper sleeve . ________________________________ About Operation Rescue® Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Operation Rescue is now headquartered in a former abortion clinic that it bought and closed in 2006. From there, Operation Rescue launches its innovative new strategies across the nation, exposing and closing abortion clinics through peaceful, legal means. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to stop abortion and ultimately restore legal personhood to the pre-born in obedience to biblical mandates. Click here to support Operation Rescue. Click here to make a secure donation online. ________________________________ Web site: www.operationrescue.org E-mail: info@operationrescue.org

Forward email This email was sent to mcitl.blogspot.com@gmail.com by info@operationrescue.org | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Operation Rescue | P.O. Box 782888 | Wichita | KS | 67278

Vocation Thursdays: "A week in the life of a priest" from Australia

Ohio Bishops Warn Catholics of Susan G. Komen ties to Planned Parenthood

Ohio's Catholic bishops are steering local parishes and schools away from one of the nation's leading breast cancer research groups, warning members that fundraising for the organization could indirectly support abortion and human embryonic stem cell research.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio last week posted a statement online outlining its concerns with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, particularly regarding ties to Planned Parenthood. The move followed a Toledo bishop's decision to suspend donations to the group.

The conference made clear that "individual Catholics" can continue to contribute to Komen affiliates but said local Catholic institutions should steer clear.

"The Ohio bishops agreed to direct Catholic parishes and schools away from fundraising for Komen for the Cure and toward activities and organizations that are fully consistent with Catholic moral teaching," the conference stated.

The decision stemmed in part from concerns about donations to Planned Parenthood. While the bishops were assured Komen in Ohio does not provide funding to Planned Parenthood now, conference Director Carolyn Jurkowitz said Komen affiliates have made contributions in the past.

In addition, she said, local funds could make their way to Planned Parenthood through the national office.

The conference also cited a concern that, while Komen says it does not fund embryonic stem cell research, the organization "would not rule out" supporting it in the future.

Jurkowitz, describing the latest statement as a "clarification," said bishops will now steer parishes and schools to organizations that don't have ties to groups "whose practices would be contrary to church teaching."

But Komen downplayed those ties.

Funding for embryonic stem cell research is "not in our game plan at all," spokeswoman Leslie Aun told FoxNews.com. "We do not, have not and have no plans to fund embryonic stem cell research."

As for Planned Parenthood, Aun acknowledged that Komen has 19 grants approved for Planned Parenthood -- of the 2,000 grants it approves annually for various groups across the country. But she said that money is limited to "breast health, nothing else." And she said none of those 19 affiliates is in Ohio.

Though the Ohio bishops expressed concern about past contributions to Planned Parenthood, Aun said there haven't been any "in recent history."

Still, Aun said her group was thankful the Ohio conference will continue to allow individual donations to Komen.

"We can't do this by ourselves," Aun said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/25/ohio-bishops-steer-parishes-away-from-komen-over-abortion-stem-cell-concerns/#ixzz1TAUW2nRT

Vietnam sends ailing dissident priest back to jail after more than a year of medical parole

 By Associated Press

 HANOI, Vietnam — An ailing Catholic priest who is one of Vietnam's best-known democracy activists was sent back to jail more than a year after going home on medical parole, an official said Tuesday.

 To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-returns-dissident-priest-back-to-jail-after-more-than-a-year-of-medical-parole/2011/07/26/gIQAIDewZI_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend

Seventeenth Sunday. "Sell all" that you have: to possess Christ as our treasure we shun the people places and things that lead us away from Him

We willingly spend our treasure for what we want. I enjoy traveling and the experience it brings of new people, places and things. During recent travels in the Eurozone, however, I had more than one occasion to question whether the "treasured" opportunity of traveling was truly worth the expenditure of "treasure" required of me by the unfavorable exchange rate!

We value our families: they are "treasure" for all of us. For this reason we invest our time, money and effort into the betterment of spouses and children; all of these are signs of love, are they not? The Scriptures say: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Mt 6:21).

In the Gospel the Lord tells us what is the sign that someone has found that which they truly treasure: a willingness to sell all they have in order to gain it.

For full text of the homily for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time please visit Meeting Christ in the Liturgy by clicking here.

Garden report: Time to make tomato sauce

The harvest is in

Skin 3 lbs. tomatoes after blanching for 15 seconds in boiling water then cooling in ice water; seed, core and put tomatoes through the mill.

Tomato sauce is ready for the stove

Simmer olive oil and finely chopped small onion until wilted, then add 1/4 cup ea. carrots and celery and simmer until onion is golden after which add tomato sauce, salt and pepperoncino. Stir occasionally for 45 mins, until thickened.

Grate parmesan over sauce and pasta and "ecco, ora mangiamo!" Buon appetito anche a voi!

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Cor Unum: Hundreds of Thousands Could Die in East Africa

ROME, JULY 19, 2011 (Zenit.org).- The Pontifical Council Cor Unum is warning that hundreds of thousands of people in the Horn of Africa are at risk of dying due to a lack of basic necessities.

In a communiqué today, the council, which oversees the Church's charity work, noted Benedict XVI's appeal Sunday for international solidarity in response to the drought that has caused the emergency, complicated in some areas by violent conflict.

Echoing UNICEF, Cor Unum called the situation a "critical humanitarian emergency."

"Around 10 million people are suffering, and hundreds of thousands of refugees risk dying because of a lack of basic necessities. Somalia and northern Kenya are the worst struck areas," the Vatican dicastery reported.

The U.N. was reportedly set to declare Wednesday that parts of the region, particularly south Somalia, are in famine. The drought is the worst the area has seen for 60 years. The last official famine was in 1984-85, when about 1 million people in Ethiopia and Sudan died.

South Somalia is controlled by Islamic fundamentalists who until last week had banned aid agencies from the area.

As a token of his concern, the Holy Father already sent a €50,000 ($70,000) donation through Cor Unum to the apostolic administrator of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Today's communiqué noted the bishop, Giorgio Bertin, is "directly involved in bringing assistance to the people affected."

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On the Net:

To support the work of Caritas in East Africa: www.caritas.org/activities/emergencies/food_crisis_in_east_africa.html

ZENIT - Cor Unum: Hundreds of Thousands Could Die in East Africa

A Secular Decalogue: Jefferson's "Ten Rules"

A framed version of what Jefferson called his “decalogue of canons for observation in practical life" hanging in a fellow priest's rectory sparked my interest and thus I share them here with you.

If grace builds on nature, if we must be ordered properly according to our God-given nature in order to be saved by God's grace in Jesus Christ, it is supremely important to order our lives well in practical matters. Jefferson's "Ten Rules" are an excellent basis for meditation upon how we go about such a task.

And they are a source of self-deprecating humor, so healthy for everyone, as well.

God bless you. And thanks for visiting APL.

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1. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
3. Never spend your money before you have it.
4. Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.
5. Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst and cold.
6. We never repent of having eaten too little.
7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
8. How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened.
9. Take things always by their smooth handle.
10. When angry, count ten, before you speak; if very angry, an hundred.

Ayrshire Coast of Scotland and Armagh, Ireland

Travel diary

After a morning in Edinburgh we retraced our route west through Glasgow and south, passing again through the Ayrshire coast and this time stopping at Culzean (Cul-thayne) Castle, top, and Turnberry golf course, second photo, on an afternoon brilliant with sunshine.

Next day early we took the ferry from Stranraer (Stran-RAH-er) back to Belfast and reconnected with the rental vehicle. South and west we went for Armagh, the primatial sea founded by Saint Patrick, "Himself".

We first explored the more ancient church in the primatial see city dedicated to the apostle of Ireland and run by the establishment Church of Ireland, third photo from top. Then it was over to the neighboring hilltop with us to see the more recent Catholic edifice, also dedicated to the apostle of Ireland and made necessary by the "possession is 9/10ths of the law" effect following the Protestant revolution.

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Edinburgh: cousins, castles and kilts

More from the travel diary

Top o' the mornin' to ya! Jotting a quick note to you from Dublin where I am enjoying the warm Catholic hospitality of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers who run a Eucharistic Adoration chapel on the banks of the Liffey very close to O'Connell street bridge. More on that in subsequent posts.



The lack of a laptop in combination with infrequent wifi opportunities has prevented posting until today.


Here we go back in time to last week in Edinburgh and a visit with, in top photo, cousins Amanda, left, and Fiona, whose mother's mother was a sister to my great grandmother Catherine Currie who emigrated to Canada with my grandfather, James McGeogh and my great aunt, Sister Othilia. On these facts I stand ready to be more corrected by more knowledgeable family members.
A brief visit to see, and decide against joining, the long line for admittance to Edinburgh Castle also revealed the presence of an American sporting a kilt in the Black Stewart tartan, that of the last Catholic kings of Scotland.

In bottom photo, St Giles' Cathedral, "The High Kirk of Edinburgh" of the Church of Scotland on the Royal Mile which street runs between Holyrood Palace at the lower end nearer the Firth of Forth and the castle at the upper end, perched upon the rock high above the city.

More tomorrow. Thanks for visiting and may God bless ye.

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Scots roots and whisky

Travels in Stranraer-Edinburgh

"Whit's your hurry?" Stay awhile and hear ye o' Sco'tland.

Traces of the resurgence of Catholicism which blossomed after the restoration of the Church hierarchy to Scotland in the 19th century include the enlarged cathedral of St Mary in Edinburgh.

The gothic façade is all that remains of the original structure built to serve the faithful in the hostile environs of Scotland’s capital city in a location chosen for its inconspicuousness in an effort to throw off the mob violence which resulted in periodic vandalism. The interior had a somewhat neglected air to it on the day of our visit as there was no recognizable location for the Blessed Sacrament, there being no burning tabernacle lamp that I could indentify.The main tabernacle under the canopy behind the main altar was partially obscured by a flower arrangement.

About half a dozen local ladies awaited the start of the advertised 10 am Communion service. A 12:45 daily Mass was also posted. Among the details of decoration were the bright colors festooning the roof beams and some worthy artpieces for the devotion of the faithful.

Day dawns around 4:30 am here this time of year. An hour’s run around the city started the second day off in the Scots capital with a second look at the Royal Mile, the castle and Holyrood palace, the Catholic high school of St Thomas of Aquin, a lush-lawned city park, and the gorgeous architectural gem of the George Heriot school.

A mid-morning visit with cousins Fiona and Amanda took place on what would have been their recently deceased “mum’s” 80th birthday. Recollections of their family visit to the US for my sister’s wedding and catching up on their life news helped us reconnect. They were pleased that I offered morning Mass for the repose of their mother, Renee’s, soul.

Whisky tasting followed quickly upon a decision to bail on the initimidating queue awaiting admission to the castle. Then it was time to check out of our digs and make for the coast and an overnight at Stranraer in anticipation of the next-day ferry back to Northern Ireland.

En route we stopped along the coast south of the town of Maybole at the castle at Culzean, once a mainstay of the Kennedy clan and now run by the National Trust and also the golf club at Turnberry, marked by a lighthouse along the coastal road. Brilliant sunshine and cool breezes added to a pleasant exploration.

I can see our destination of Belfast quickly approaching through the ferry windows. Gotta run.

"Come ye back." More soon and thanks for visiting!

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Photos, top to bottom, thistle, national flower of Scotland, on the coast at Stranraer, statue and interior of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh.

Postcard from Downpatrick: "ISN'T IT FANTASTIC JESUS LOVES YOU"

Your correspondent blogger writes today from the Belfast-Stranraer ferry enroute to Edinburgh. My travels with a fellow priest began yesterday where our plane touched down in Dublin and we picked up our rental wheels. Our route to Ardglass where we had made arrangements to stay for the night took us through the patriarchal see city of Armagh due to diverted traffic because of roadwork. We did not stop, however, due to lack of sleep and time limits.

The day’s lessons in driving “on the wrong side of the road” were punctuated by a pilgrimage stop at Downpatrick to see the grave of Saint Patrick. The holy patron of Ireland is entombed upon a hilltop under a mammoth stone. He shares his resting place with co-patron Brigid and Columban, or Columcille, where we paused for prayers and photos of the surrounding slopes, studded with tombs and falling away on one side to the city below and on the other the now-Church of Ireland run Cathedral of the Holy Trinity against a background of hills and fields.

In an effort to call ahead to the B&B at Ardglass I attempted to feed Euro coins into a phone that, upon later inspection, was designed to eat only British pounds I found a note. On one side was written the message:

ISN'T IT FANTASTIC

JESUS LOVES YOU

Curious to know more about this proposition I turned the card over and found the somewhat ominous declaration:

NO PRIEST

NO MASS

Having heard often and over many years of the internecine provocations 'twixt Protestants and Catholics left me unprepared for such a personal experience of “negative evangelization”.

Our hostess at Ardglass was glad to hear that her house would serve as temporary chapel for two priests and Mass that evening, sharing the story of her own experience of once serving as secretary at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Belfast. She has incorporated some items from the church into her home that were unwanted when replacements were acquired such as the twentieth century baptismal font that now supports human life in a new way by bearing items for guests' morning repasts.

More soon. Thanks for visiting and God bless you.

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