Room to Live

I'd like to encourage you to check out this video.

It has a message that I think really needs to be heard

Fr. Leo

Face of Defense: Chaplain’s Journey Leads to Meeting Pope

The following is from the DefenseLink News

By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Meghan McNabb
Special to American Forces Press Service

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. , May 1, 2008 – At just 16 years old, Jose A. Bautista-Rojas left his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, for Los Angeles in hopes of creating a better life for himself and the parents he left behind.

At the time, he had no idea his journey would lead him into the priesthood, the military or the opportunity to shake the pope’s hand.

The road from Guadalajara was not short, and life in Los Angeles was not easy, Bautista said. Living with friends, working all day and attending English-as-a-second-language classes at Evans Community Adult School at night, Bautista focused on the chance to bring his family to the United States.

“There wasn’t much time for fun,” Bautista said. “I worked carpentry from 7:30 to 3:30; from 5 to 7, I worked at a car wash; and from 7:30 to 9, I went to ESL classes.”

After four years, Bautista’s family was able to join him, and he was able to turn his attention to new goals.

Because he worked so much, Bautista hadn’t focused on graduating from high school until he decided to enter the priesthood, a journey that would take 11 years to complete.

Bautista started attending church with a girl he liked, but ended up finding much more.

“I had stopped going to church,” Bautista said. “I had to fight off the pressure and temptations that come to young men. I wasn’t always perfect, but I had to get back on track. I enjoyed church and the sermons, and before I knew it, I was getting involved.”

Bautista’s interest coincided with a new initiative by then-Archbishop of Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Michael Mahoney. The cardinal established Casa Reina de Los Angeles, or House of our Lady Queen of Angels, as a place for young men who wanted to enter the priesthood but either didn’t have their high school diploma or needed to perfect their English.

Bautista studied hard for two years to earn his high school diploma and perfect his English. He spent a year studying for college-level classes, four years earning his college degree, and four years earning his divinity master’s degree.

On June 5, 1999, Bautista was ordained a priest and was assigned to St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish in Van Nuys, Calif. In 2001, Bautista was assigned to his next church, St. John of God in Norwalk, Calif. Two of his parishioners, a Marine and soldier, died in Iraq.

At their memorial service, busloads of Marines came from Camp Pendleton, Calif., to attend. Some of them told Bautista how they didn’t always have access to attend Mass when they were deployed in Iraq.

“I’m saying Mass, and I look up and thought of them serving without Mass,” Bautista said. “I thought to myself, ‘I need to put my words into action.’ I would always say, ‘Let’s pray for those serving,’ but it was time to act.”

Bautista received an endorsement from the Los Angeles archdiocese and was released to the Archdiocese for the Military. In January 2006, he entered the Chaplain Corps with the Navy.

Then a lieutenant, Bautista served as the Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, chaplain for 13 months in Iraq’s Anbar province. Bautista was the only priest stationed at his unit’s base at Taqaddum, but said what mattered most was finally being able to minister to those he had prayed so long for.

“One of the most memorable times in Iraq was when a sergeant was going into surgery,” Bautista recalled. “He asked me to hold his hand until he went under, and I knew this is what ministry is about.”

Bautista said he doesn’t consider the priesthood a job, but rather, his vocation and what he is dedicated to.

“A job is something you are hired to do,” Bautista explained. “A vocation is love for God and what you’ve been called to do.”

Bautista said Marines and sailors can tell when a chaplain is acting only as an officer and isn’t ministering.

“You have to be an officer as well as a chaplain,” Bautista said. “But it’d be sad if they only recognize you as an officer. A ship that doesn’t float isn’t living up to what it’s supposed to be, just as a minister that doesn’t minister isn’t living up to their potential. You have the title, but you’re not living up to it. Marines can see through that.”

While ministering in Iraq, Bautista received an early invitation from the military archdiocese to attend Mass during Pope Benedict XVI’s recent visit to the United States. Amid shouts of “Viva la Papa,” Bautista watched as the pope arrived at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

“It was my oasis,” Bautista said. “It was nice to go from the desert to a sea of clergy, faithful people and peace.”

The next day, the chaplain attended the pope’s Mass at Nationals Park in Washington and heard the leader of the world’s Roman Catholics talk about being a witness of faith.

“[The pope] said those of hope must live different lives,” Bautista said. “We must point the way for others. Being seen as different is how people will recognize you as a person of faith.”

After the pope’s historical Mass, Bautista took meeting the pope into his own hands. He walked up past the security lines as the pope was walking off the stage. With outstretched arms, the pope grabbed his hand and shook it.

“I felt like a teenage kid. I was giggling and so emotional,” Bautista said. “The effect this man has on people is unreal.”

The pope reached out to Bautista not only physically, but also spiritually, the chaplain said, and even gave a message in Bautista’s native tongue. He said, “Paz a ustedes,” or “Peace be with you.”

“What made it so emotional was that he was reaching out to you,” Bautista said. “I felt like he was speaking directly to me, like he was reaching out to me personally.”

Bautista said it was a beautiful gift to meet the pope and be surrounded by clergy.

Although Bautista has appreciated every minute of his time as a chaplain, he said he eventually will be called back to serve in Los Angeles. He said he wants Marines and sailors never to think their dreams are too high or far away.

“I want them to know that every step they take, even the littlest step, is one step closer,” Bautista explained. “I am an immigrant from Mexico who didn’t speak English, and I never thought I’d become an officer in the Navy.”

(Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Meghan McNabb serves with 2nd Marine Logistics Group.)

The shortage of vocations and the proliferation of disobedience ..

A seminarian forwarded the following blog entry to me. Wow, this makes so much sense.

Check out the entire article

Like most priests I've attended lots of Priest Assembly days and listened to the usual talks on the problem of the 'vocations shortage'. My own view is that we are barking entirely up the wrong tree. Although the lack of vocations is a problem it is not the problem, merely a symptom of the problem.

Vocations are like happiness - you cannot seek it in itself. Happiness comes automatically, all by itself, when we get certain things in our life right.

The problem about vocations is that we have got too many things wrong and I believe a major one, if not the main one, is that we priests are scandalously disobedient.

Every vocation is a grace and grace flows through the pipleline of obedience. When we are not obedient as priests we are discouraging the very vocations we tell each other we lack. Every single act of priestly disobedience, no matter how small, whether catechetical, liturgical, moral, theological, canonical or otherwise dries up vocations at their source - God's grace.

Italian Policeman helped save Jews

I know, I'm putting up a lot of videos ;)

This is for all of those who say Catholics did nothing to help the Jews during WWII.

Abortion - What really happens

I think Fr. Pavone says it will so I'll just let you watch the video.




And another one

Catholic Navy SEAL recieves Congressional Medal of Honor

I found this on the Cafeteria is Closed blog

Michael Monsoor was a Catholic from California, attending Mass even at the FOB [Forward Operating Base]. His parents had named him Michael after St. Michael the Archangel. It was on St. Michael's feast day, Sept. 29th, that he gave his life to save his brothers-in-arms.



As a member of a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army sniper overwatch element, tasked with providing early warning and stand-off protection from a rooftop in an insurgent-held sector of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Petty Officer Monsoor distinguished himself by his exceptional bravery in the face of grave danger. In the early morning, insurgents prepared to execute a coordinated attack by reconnoitering the area around the element's position. Element snipers thwarted the enemy's initial attempt by eliminating two insurgents. The enemy continued to assault the element, engaging them with a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. While the SEALs vigilantly watched for enemy activity, an insurgent threw a hand grenade from an unseen location, which bounced off Petty Officer Monsoor's chest and landed in front of him. Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Instantly and without regard for his own safety, he threw himself onto the grenade to absorb the force of the explosion with his body, saving the lives of his two teammates. By his undaunted courage, fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of certain death, Petty Officer Monsoor gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

What do words mean?

We've heard many phrases in our lives that we just sort of mutter. We sometimes think we've heard something that we do not. I remember once when I must have been about 3 or 4 my twin brother said such a thing. We were in the car with my parents and my dad's parents and my brother said, "There's Archie's house." I heard, "There's our cheese' house." I could not see the refrigerator. I can understand that from a child. This article from Dr. Edward Peters' blog makes one wonder how many of us still have problems hearing what are common phrases, and our ability to pass them on accurately.

Screamingly bad Latin, not to mention bad reporting, from The VOA

The Voice of America boasts of being "A trusted source of news and information since 1942". Oh, really?

VOA's Jeff Swicord drew an admittedly crummy assignment: reporting on the latest shenanigans put on by the "woman priest" crowd. But what should have been a routine serving of empty drivel went l.o.l. funny when Swicord attributed to an Opus Dei priest the following comment on the maleness and the priesthood: "'The church teaches that he [the priest] does this in what is called insomnia nomini Christa, that he does this in the name and the person of Jesus,' says [Fr. Arne] Panula. Jesus was male."

A priest acts "insomnia nomini Christa"? That is screamingly funny. It doesn't mean a thing, folks. The closest I can get is "lack of sleep to/for the name Christina".

But apparently it's not just Opus Dei priests who don't know Latin, it's lady priestettes too: Writes Swicord: "Meehan disagrees. 'A priest is suppose to be in personi Christa,' she says. 'That does not mean taking on male identity.'"

Okay, maybe Father Bridget Mary meant to say "in gobbledy-gook Christina" but I'll bet she didn't; she knows the Latin phrase here is "in persona Christi", which correctly translates as "in the person of Christ."

Maybe Swicord never heard the phrase before (making one wonder how he was assigned to this story in the first place). But since when are reporters, after hearing a technical expression from two interviewees, allowed to simply guess at its spelling? And then to guess it into oblivion? Sheesh.

Now do you see why we never tire of telling Catholics, and the world, that the secular press is laughably incompetent at religious news reporting?

+++

According to the standards above, don't be surprised if the VOA reports the Marine motto "Semper fidelis" to be "Simper fiddles", or if the US Seal "E pluribus unum" comes out "Deploribus moon'em", or if the Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" comes out "Citrus, insomnia, forceps."

Preparing for the Pope's journey

As we await the Pope's visit to the United states, I thought I'd recommend a couple of web sites that will deal with the visit.

www.papaltrip.org

Pope 2008 from National Catholic Register

American Papist



Please pray for Our Holy Father as He begins his journey to our country.

Priest Prepares for deployment

Perhaps you've heard of this guy :)

Around the 7,000 square mile parish he calls home, he is referred to as Father Leo. To the 185 families in Circle, Richey and Jordan, Montana, where he has served the past ten years he is a spiritual father and guide, celebrating with them weddings, baptisms and funerals. To the United States Air Force, he is Chaplain, Major, Leo McDowell, IMA (Individual Mobilization Augmentee) Chaplain.
This summer, Chaplain McDowell will be serving as the Catholic chaplain at Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan. Chaplain McDowell, and an accompanying Protestant chaplain, will serve the needs of the 1,200 airmen assigned to the base as well as the many Marines and Soldiers who will transition through the base on their way to their deployments closer to the war zone.
When asked about differences he expects in ministry while being deployed, Father Leo stated he expects fewer baptisms, weddings and funerals, and a lot more counseling for marriage and family issues. “When I was mobilized after 9/11, I dealt with a lot of marriage and family issues. Many of these were a result of family separation issues, or issues taking place at home where one member of the family was too far away to have an impact. Most of the families in my parish are right there to take care of these types of issues.”
When asked about other differences, Father Leo said he expects the weather to be a lot like it is in Eastern Montana. “The population will be a different story. When looking at the size of the country and the population, it would be like having 500,000 people within my parish boundaries when in reality we are lucky to have 5,000. It will also be a change in the fact that more than 70 percent are Muslim and more than 20 percent are Orthodox. It will be a real culture awakening. I will also be working with various other coalition forces. It will be much different than Eastern Montana.”
Asked what he is most excited about Father Leo responds, “I am looking forward to working with MABOS (Manas Air Base Outreach Society). Their mission to help the local community is truly an asset to the people of Kyrgyzstan.” MABOS recently passed a mile stone by helping fund their 100th and 101st heart surgeries at a local children’s hospital. In addition MABOS provides toys, clothing and sweets to children at many of the local orphanages.
Father Leo has been serving in the Air Force Reserve since April, 1991 when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Chaplain Candidate, while completing his seminary studies. During this time he spent summers at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota, and Sheppard AFB and Bergstrom AFB, both in Texas. He also helped out the Illinois Air National Guard based at O’Hare during the school year. After being ordained June 8th, 1994, Father Leo continued as a Chaplain Candidate for a year before starting the paperwork to be a chaplain. In December of 1995, Father Leo was re-commissioned as a First Lieutenant, Chaplain. Father McDowell has been assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base since 1995. After 9/11 he was mobilized, initially to provide backfill for deployed priests, and then deployed to Diego Garcia. He served at Grand Forks AFB, in North Dakota and Andersen AFB, in Guam in addition to his forward deployment to Diego Garcia. As Father Leo prepares for his next deployment, he asks for prayers for himself and all of those who are serving our in our military.

Grandparents have special mission of passing on the faith, Cardinal Bertone says

The following article is from Catholic News Agency

Vatican City, Apr 7, 2008 / 05:38 pm (CNA).- Addressing the Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, explained over the weekend that in a society characterized by hedonism and superficiality, the role of grandparents is key in the passing on of the faith to the new generations.

During his speech on the conference's theme of “Grandparents: their witness and presence in the family,” the cardinal said that in a society in which ethical values “are more and more superficial and are dominated by the prevailing hedonism,” the role of grandparents as “authentic networks of passing on the faith to the new generations” is important.

Cardinal Bertone expressed his concern for the tendency of families “to break apart as the spouses approach an older age,” a phase in which they need “reciprocal love and understanding.”

He also emphasized “the comforting strength and sure moral support” of grandparents, saying they “pass on perennial values to the new generations.”

“The elderly remind us that life on earth is a parable with a beginning, an unfolding and an end, and in order to find the fullness of life, it must not have short-lived values as a reference,” the cardinal stated.

Zenit has more to say on this